Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 1, Part 1

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Publication date: 1972
Publisher: Wilmington, Aldine Pub. and engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 660


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Gc 975.1 H62ma v. 1 1630704


REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02256 1713


ERECTED IN 1698


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016


https://archive.org/details/historicalbiogra01unse_0


HISTORICAL


AND


BIOGRAPHICAL


ENCYCLOPÆDIA


OF


DELAWARE.


V.I


WILMINGTON, DEL. : ALDINE PUBLISHING AND ENGRAVING CO. MDCCCLXXXII.


1630704


COPYRIGHTED. Printed by The James & Webb Printing Company, Wilmington, Delaware.


PREFACE.


It was the original purpose of the editors and publishers of this Cyclopedia to con- fine themselves to biographical history, which was all that had hitherto been attempted in works of this class ; but finding that the only history of Delaware was that com- menced by Mr. Vincent, which brought the record no further than 1665, and being urged by many leading citizens to include a full history of the. State in this volume; we have, at great expense of money, time and labor, complied with this general desire. The scope of the work has thus been greatly enlarged, and its value proportionately enhanced. The chronological department, which is very full, und we believe accurate, covers the entire period from the discovery of Delaware bay by Hudson to the beginning of the present century. The ecclesiastical history of the State is all that can be de- sired. These with the topical and biographical portions, furnish a very complete record to the present time. History, if properly written, requires the expenditure of time in the comparing and weighing of various statements to arrive at the truth ; but biogra- phy, the foundation of all history, is yet more difficult. Inaccurate and imperfect records meet the writer at every step in regard to those who are gone; while content- porary biography has, from the prejudice or indifference of many, peculiar impediments to overcome.


A great task was assumed in the preparation of such a work, but we have striven honestly to perform it satisfactorily. That it has required more time than the pub- lishers anticipated is explained by these statements, and by the further important fact that much time was required for the execution, expressly for this work, of the nearly one hundred and forty steel plate engravings with which we have enriched these pages. The history of cities and towns, except that of the county seats, has been omitted, partly for want of room and partly from the fact that it is already published in Ferris' Peninsular Directory.


Christiana Bookseller - 25.00


PREFACE.


The large and pleasant type used in this work, which will be appreciated and en- joyed by readers of all ages, is unusual by reason of the increased expense attend- ing it, and the greater space required. And although the volume has attained such large proportions, the great amount of material gathered has made it necessary to condense all our matter, and to weed out superfluous words and expressions, we have, notwithstanding, carefully preserved every fact and important idea. A few biograph- ical sketches of unusual length, on account of their historic value, have been admitted, and some of them put in smaller type.


To those who have kindly aided us by their valuable historic contributions, we de- sire to make our grateful acknowledgments, and we recall, with special pleasure, the O generous hospitality and uniform kindness extended to us by the people in all parts of the "tate when gathering our material.


We do not claim to have laid before the public a perfect work, but that it is the best and most comprehensive of its kind yet undertaken for any State we confidently believe.


J. M. McCARTER, B. F. JACKSON.


December, 1882.


-


-


..


CONTENTS.


HISTORICAL:


PAGE


History of Delaware, by REV. W. W. TAYLOR,


A. M .; Edited, and, with Additional Chapters, by THE ALDINE PUBLISHING AND ENGRAV- FING COMPANY 9


The Judicial System of Delaware, by HON. N. B. SMITHERS, LL. D., 70


Political Parties, by HON. GEORGE P. FISHER, .. Free Schools of Delaware, by JAMES H. GROVES,


204 A. M. 75.1


PAGE


Education of the Colored Population, by HENRY


C. CONRAD, ESQ.,


82


Delaware College,


84


Newark Academy


86


Wilmington Conference Academy,.


87


Wesleyan Female College, by REV. JOHN WIL-


SON, A. M.,.


151


ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY,


PAGE


Protestant Episcopal Church, by RT. REV. ALFRED LEE, D. D., Bishop of the Diocese of Delaware, 88


Reformed Episcopal Church, by REV. J. ESTLIN, 10I Presbyterian Church, by REV. JAMES L. VAL- LANDIGHAM, D. D., LL. D.,. 102 Methodist Episcopal Church, by REV. GEORGE A. PHOEBUS, D. D. 116 Methodist Episcopal Church, (Colored) 129


African Methodist Episcopal Church, by REV. T. G. STEWARD, D. D., 129 Methodist Protestant Church,


Baptists of Delaware, by REV. RICHARD B.


COOK, D. D.,.


132


Society of Friends,


139


Catholic Church, by RT. REV. THOS. A. BECKER,


Bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington,


143


Lutheran Church, by REV. P. ISENSCHMID, M. D.


145


Unitarian Church,


147


Household of Faith,


148


New J rusalem Church, by COL. W. A. LA


MOTTE,.


150


130 | Delaware Bible Society,


148


PAGE


---


-


CONTENTS.


PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND INDUSTRIES.


PAGE


History of Delaware Railroad, by M. HAYES,


Secretary and Treasurer.


152 Small's Saw Mill and Factory, 191


Other Railroads, 177


Houston Cannery, 192


Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, 177


Barkley Bros. Bakery, 192


Ship Building,


180


Chambers' Cannery, (Dover,). 193


Car Building, 182


Treat's Plaque Factory 193


Tygert's Phosphate Works, 183


Marvil's Basket and Crate Factory,


184


Adams & Bro., Variety Store, 195


Milford Basket Company,


184


Wilmington Dental Factory 195


Ross' Phosphate Company.


185


Wilson's Agricultural Warehouse 196


Postle's Morocco Works,.


185


Bancroft & Sons Cotton Mills, 196


Richardson & Robbin's Canned Goods, 186


Public Officers,


197


Farmers' Fruit Preserving Company, 187


1


Diamond State Phosphate Works, 188


City of Wilmington, 199


Laurel Mills, (ADAMS & Co.,) -188


Dover, State Capital, 200


Felton Steam Saw Mill,


189


Georgetown, 200


Smith's Mills, Lincoln, 189


Public Press,


200


DuPont's Gunpowder Mills,


189


Banks, 201


· BIOGRAPHICAL


PAGE


PAGE


PAGE


Adams, Isaac J. W 396


Biggs, Sewell C


464 Child, Mahlon M. 498


Adams, John H.


329


Biggs, W. Pierson. 332


Churchman, Henry L. 334


Adams, Joseph K.


561


Bird,. James T. 422


Clark, George. 468


Adams, William B


489


Bird, Robert M 317


Clark, Henry.


402


Allen, Pancoast. 353


Blair. Charles A 491


Clark, John C. 367


495


Anderson, James. 533


Bonwill, W. G. A.


234


Clayton, Henry. 478


214


Appleton, John.


263


Bradford, Thomas B. 365


Clayton, Thomas


476


Appleton, William E


404


Aron, Powell ..


347


Asbury, Francis.


437


Brown, Joseph.


362


Cochran, John P 425


Buckingham, David E


539


Collins, Thomas. 276


Burton, Benjamin.


398


Collins, William B.


452


Bailey, Edmund.


483


Bailey, Thomas E.


449


Baker, John G.


556


Bancroft, Joseph


241


Barkley, Samuel.


330


Cahoon, William R.


451


Conrad, Henry C.


337


Barr, Martin


540


Cooch, William.


517


Bassett, Richard.


Cannon, Philip L. 501


Cooper, Alexander B.


562


Bateman, John H


523


Cannon, Williabı


500


Cooper, Ignatius T.


409


Bates, Daniel M.


388


Cannon. Wilson L


350


Cooper, John B.


328


Bates, George H.


408


Carey, Absalom H. 283


Cooper, Richard.


441


Bates, Martin W


232


Carlisle. Paris T. 487


Cooper, Thomas.


566


Bayard, James A., Jr. 5.34


Case, Charles C.


344


Bayard, Thomas F 428


Cazier, Henry 309


Corbit, Daniel.


371


Bedford, Gunning. 243


Cazier, Jacob B. 310


Corbit, Daniel W. 372


Bertolette Levi A. 506


Chambers, Joseph. 405


Corbit, John C .. 533


Biggs, Benjamin T 548 Chandler, Swithin.


440 | Couper, James Sr.,


433


----


Collins, William T 408


Burton, William 239


Comegys, Cornelius P 549


Bush, Family, The. 382 Conner. James. 400


Conrad, Aaron.


399


Cannon, Henry P. 471


Cannon, Henry W 462


Cook, Richard B.


378


Bateman, James. 523


Cannon, Richard W. 472


Bayard, James A., Sr. 216


Carter, Edward. 392


Copes, Joseph.


564


Brown, Adolphus.


274


Clements, Ezekiel B 466


Brown, John K.


281


Cloke, John. 266


Appleton, Henry H


370


Bradford, Edward G., Jr. 561


Clayton, Joshua of Thos.


480


Appleton, John M .. 268


Bright, William 298


Burton, George H.


457


Cooch, Joseph W.


515


Barr, William H


541 419


Blocksom, Joseph T. V. 526


Clark, Philip R.


Allmond, John P. 282


Clayton, John M


Ayers, Thomas O 450


PAGE


White Clay Creek Mills. 191


Diamond Crown Phosphate Works, 194


Census Statistics, 198


-


.


Copes, Joseph S.


328


CONTENTS.


PAGE |


Couper, Dr. James, Sr .. 448


Couper, Dr. James, Jr .. 458


Couper, John. E. 437


Couper, Willian !. 419


Coursey, Thomas B. 355


Crawford, James V 454 288


Crippen, Edward J.


Crippen. William M. 490


Culbreth, Thomas O


520


Cullen, Charles M. 503


Cullen Elisha. 502


Cullen, John W 458


Cummins, Daniel. 318


Cummins, David J. 313


Cummins, George W 306


Cummins, Walter 558


Curry, Albert. 521


Curtis, S. Minot 368


Dale, John 257


Dashiell, William W 316


Davis, George. 237


Davis, Isaac. 256


Davis, Mark H. 412


Davis, Robert H. 425


Davis, Samuel B 321


Davis, Sussex D. 359


Day, Charles H. B. 418


Day, Matthias 418


Dean, Joseph. 403


Dean, William 407


Dickinson, John. 243


Diefendorf, John W 486


Douglass, H. Clay. 34 1


Downing, Hiram T. 293


Draper, Thomas.


531


Duncan, Jeremiah W 312


' Duncan, John A. 258


Dunn, Francis M .. 418


Dunning, Erasmus C. 441


DuPont, Charles I. 452


DuPont, Eleuthere I. 544


DuPont, Samuel F. 375


DuPont, Samuel, P. DeN. 553


. Ellegood, Robert G.


324


Ellegood, William T 299


Emerson, Governeur. 361


Evans, John 251


Fenimore, Edward C. 399


Fenimore, Joshua B. 269


Ferguson, Richard. 358


Jacobs, William A 364


Jakes, John T. 352


Jefferis, Charles R. 538


Johnson, Alexander 302


Jones, Benjamin B. 478


Jones, James. 463


Jones, James H. 444


Jones, John 497


Fowler, Edward. 355 Jones, John. 546


Frame, Paynter 401


Frame, Robert. 223 Jones, William P. 525


Frazier, Ezekiel C. 328


Frazier, Joseph 454


Gibbs, Benjamin 300


Keigwin, Albert N. 448


Gildersleeve, George H. 560} Kent, Benjamin. 380


Gilpin, Edward W. 546 Kent, Daniel H. 381


Godwin, Samuel P. 279 Kinder, Jacob .. 352


Goodwin, Joseph A. 435


Gray, Andrew. 551 Kittinger, Leonard. 415


Gray, Andrew C. 224 Kramer, George R 4.39


PAGE


Gray, George. 541


Green, Daniel. 278


Green, Jesse. 245


Layton, Elbert W. 266


Lee, John


· 349


Lesley, Allen V. 508


Lichtenstein, M. H 554


Liston, Morris.


231


Lockwood, Henry H.


519


Lockwood, Richard T.


25x


Lockwood, William K. 391


Lofland, James R. 273


Lofland, John. 420


Lofland, Mark G.


275


Lore, Charles B 434


Lukens, Isaiah.


430


Macallister, Samuel A. 303


Macdonough, Thomas.


242


Maris, Joshua. 331


Marshall, Aaron 280


Marshall, George W 555


Marshall, William.


535


Harrington, Charles J 467


Harrington, Purnel F


447


Harrington, Samuel M., Sr. 220


Harrington, Samuel M., Jr. 393


Hart, Burton J


461


Haslet, Joseph.


465


Hastings, Washington


496


Haves. Alexander L 516


Hayes, Manlove.


335


Hazzard, David.


230


Hazzard, John A.


263


Heald, Joshua T. 569


Heath, James ..


237


Henry, Columbus.


253


Heverin, James H .. 504


Hickman, Harbeson 459


Hickman, John .. 416


Hodgeman, Stillman A 494


Horsey, Outerbridge. 285


Houston, David H. 486


Houston, John W. 456


Houston, Robert B.


396


Hudson, John P 390


Hunn, Ezekiel. 511


Huntington, Cyrus. 482


Hurdle, William W 5II


Huston, Alexander 239


Hynson, Garrett L.


348


Morrow James 556


Moore, Jacob 325


Moore, Jacob 427


Moore, John. 342


Moore, John A 346


Moore, John T.


413


Murphy, John. 514


Naudain, Arnold. 226


Naudain, Arnold S. 225


Naudain, Elias. 343


Newton, Albert O. 426


Nicholson, James.


522


Nicholson, John A. 366


Nields, Benjamin.


315


Nones, Henry B.


455


Nowland, Henry A.


430


Ogle, Thomas M


423


Patterson, John C. 233


Patton, John.


-267


Paynter, Edwin R.


499


I


Griffith, Alfred P. 446


Griffith, Irving G. 275


Griffith, Joseph 236


Griffith, Robert S. 412


Griffith, William F 322


Grimshaw, Arthur H. 521


Groves, James H .. 363


Grubb, Ignatius C. 249


Haldeman, Isaac M 512


Hall, Cornelius J. 402


Hall, David. 532


Hall, David. 479


Hall, John W


228


Hall, Joseph.


479


Hall, Willard


Hamm, Pleasanton


309


Hansen, Thomas P.


405


Harlan, Caleb. 438


Hargadine, Robert W 444


Marsh, Joseph W


509


Martin, Edward L.


360


Martin, James 374


555


Martin, Luther 260


Marvil, Joshua H. 262


Massey, George V 341


Maull, David W. 254


Maull, George W 313


McCaulley, William 240


McCaulley, William S. 516


McColley, Truston P.


536


McComb, Eleazer 258


McComb, Henry S 394


McDonough. James. 494


McInall, Edward, Sr. 349


McInall, Edward, Jr.


Mckay, Read J. 349


McKean, Thomas. 492


235


McLear, Henry C .. 305


McMullen, Henry H. 276


McWhorter, Charles H. 518


Mc Whorter, Thomas S. 445


Meredith, Peter K.


443


Messick, Miles 250


Mills, Isaac N


410


Mitchell, Nathaniel. 236


Ferris, John. 506 Fiddeman, Henry B. 319


Fisher, Daniel G.


501


Fisher, George M.


364


Fisher, George P. 246


Fleming, Ezekiel.


391


Fleming, Charles T. 483


Jones, Washington 3~3


Jump, Isaac. 314


Kearney, Dyre. 262


Kinder, Warren 416


Lattimer, Henry 253


Lawton, Charles H. 435


Lockwood, Richard.


222


244


Martin, Hugh


حج- تعليم لا مطومت *


.


CONTENTS.


PAGE


Paynter, John H. 499


Paynter, Samuel. 239


Rodney, Cæsar, Sr 527


Peck, Isaac A .. 358


Rodney, Cæsar.


527 ! Tilton, James. 263


528 | Torbert, Alfred T. A. 377


Townsend, George L 372


Townsend Richard. 556


Townsend, Samuel. 537


Townsend Solomon 243


Townsend, William. 226


Treat, Charles H. 508


Tygert, Herman S. 360


Tygert, John E. 347


Valentine, Joshua S. 417


Vallandigham, James L 542


Van Burkalow, Moses S.


340


Vandegrift, James M 389


Vincent, Francis 484


Wainwright, John 460


Waldeman, John M. 475


Wales, John. 490


Wales, Leonard E. 493


Walker, John W. 518


Walker, Martin E ..


502


Warrington, William T 475


Watkins, Columbus 470


Watkins, Gassaway 350


Way, Winfield S. 510


West, William A. 4.65


White, Samuel. 299


Whiteley, William G. 557


Whittock, Henry G ..


320


Wilkinson, John M 463


Williams, Frederic A. 366


Williams, James. 394


Reynolds, Samuel M. 446


Richards, Charles F


463


Richards, Charles H.


267 421


Richardson, Allen B 345


Rickards, Kendal. 291


Riddle, George Read.


240


Ridgaway, William H.


303


Ridgely, Charles G 473


Ridgely, Edward. 425


Ridgely, Henry. 424


Ridgely, Henry M. 373


Ridgely, Nicholas, Sr 356


Ridgely, Nicholas. 474


Robbins, James W 413


Roberts, Joseph 503


Roberts, Samuel. 539


Swiggett, William Y 338


Robinson, Alfred P., Sr 297 Tantum, Joseph R 290


Robinson, Alfred P. 286 Tatman, Charles. 252


Robinson, Peter, Sr. 320


Tatman, Charles, Jr 311


Robinson, Peter .. 237


Taylor, Andrew D. D 310


PAGEE


PAGE


293 | Temple, James D. W 336


Thompson, Lewis. 431


Peck, Samuel L 278


Pecry, William .. 261


Pennington, Evans 513


Pennington, John B. 514


Perkins, John D. 312


Perkins, W. Charles


27 2


Phillips, William S


277


Phoebus, George A. 304


Pilling, John. 411


Polk, Charles 5.63


Polk, Charles T. 271


Polk, Cyrus. 562


Polk, John P. R. 318


Polk, William, Sr 429


Polk, William.


562


Ponder, James. 414 283


Ponder, John.


Porter, David H. 507


Porter, Robert R. 369


Scott, David. 434


Postles, James H 421 Scott, Levi. 218


Postles, J. Parke.


327


Postles, Stephen 292


Pratt, Nathan


351


Pusey, Israel. 379


Rash, Moses. 336


Raymond, George H 272


Raymond, Jacob ?? 5


Read, George. 472


Records, Thomas E. 290


Reynolds, Edward.


473


Reynolds, John A


289


Small, A. Stokes. 433


Smith, J. Colby. 465


284


Smith, S. Rodman


368


Williams, Reynear 453


Williamson, John F 307


Willis, Jonathan S. 333


467


Wilson, David, Sr. 363


Wilson, David, Jr 406


Wilson, James P 301


Wilson, John A. 468


Wilson, John T. 485


Wilson, Thomas B 264


Wilson, Thomas H 370


Wilson, William. 296


Wilson, William N 512


Winner, James M. 492


Wolfe, William W 289


Wood, John. 557


Wootten, Alfred P. R. 409


Wootten, Edward.


395


Wright, Custis W


301


Robinson, Thomas 229' Taylor, James T. 337 Young, Nathaniel 230


Rodney, Cæsar A


Rodney, Daniel. 529


Rodney, Thomas. 528


Rodney, Thomas Mck


530


Rodney, William 526


Roe, Samuel D. 270


Rosa, John J 287


Ross, James J.


439


Ross, William H. H.


442


Rothwell, Gideon E. 342


Rothwell, William. 268


Russell, Andrew K. 470


Russell, George 495


Rust, Catesby F. 469


Saulsbury, Eli. 354


Saulsbury, Gove. 238


Saulsbury, Willard. 357


Shakespeare, Edward O 481


Shakespeare, James H.


480


Shakespeare, William M 488


Sharp, William W. 392


Sharp, John W. M. D.


559


Sharpley, Harry 423


Shipleys, The. × 247


Shortlidge, Evan G 481


Simmons, Bauduy 523


Simpson, Clement C.


300


Skinner, Robert H.


281


Reynolds, Robert J. 450


Reynolds Robert W 248


Smith, Thompson R 362


Smithers, Elias P. 505


Smithers, Nathaniel


479


Smithers, Nathaniel B


432


Smyth, Thomas A. 397


Staats, Isaac. 461


Staats, John F


354


Spruance, Presley.


543


Spruance, William C. 545


Stevenson, M. Morris 286


Stockly, Ayres 259


Stockley, Charles C. 552


Stockley, John C. 348


Stockton, Thomas 559


Stone, George W. 524


Willitts, Horatio N.


Smith, Richard E


Williams, Jonathan K 340


Richards, J. Emory.


1


Robinson, Thomas


HISTORY OF DELAWARE.


HISTORY OF DELAWARE.


CHAPTER I.


Date of the beginning of History of Delaware-Hudson-What we know of him-Names of Delaware waters-By whom named-For whom-Sir Thomas West, 3d Lord Delaware-His character-Death-Interesting letter of British Minister at Washington, of Fune 7th, 1882- Retrospective.


N the twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord Sixteen hundred and Nine. we begin the History of Dela- ware. On that day the Half Moon or Crescent, a vessel of eighty tons burthen commanded by Captain Henry Hudson, passed with a starving and mutinous crew, at latitude sixty degrees on the western coast of the Bay that now bears his name ; and " after he had divided, with tears, his last bread with his men," they thrust him into a frail boat with his boy, John Hudson, and father and son were heard the Capes and entered our waters. This is the first discovery of our Bay of which we have an authentic record. What is now known as the Delaware Bay and River, was then known, to the aborigines, as Mariskitten, Pontaxat, or Chickahockee. Hudson was a bold and skillful Navigator, and was by birth and rearing. an Englishman, but at this time in the service of Holland. Our first knowledge of him is as a Captain in the employ of an English Company, known as the Muscovy Company. His earliest command was as mas- ter of the ship Hopewell, in which he sailed to discover a route .to . China by way of Spitzen- of no more. It was on the occasion of his third attempt to find a westward passage to the East Indies, that our Bay was discovered and entered by this persevering and noble sailor and discoverer. This way to the East had been the dream of European Navigators from the time of Christopher Columbus. `And if their direct object was unattained, and their search was unsuccessful in finding, through western seas, a highway to a point in the East- ern Hemisphere, they sailed " better than they knew," since their grand and heroic achiev- ments led, in the Providence of God, to a New World and another Hemisphere .. Theirs was bergen and the North Pole This was in the an era in history now passed away, because its possibilities have ceased, and maritime discov- taken for the same company, which resulted in ery has pushed its adventurous conquests over almost every latitude of the seas. Yet the spirit of this vanishing age of maritime dis- covery still lives, and over the frozen regions bounding the North Pole, its heroes and its vic- tims still continue to find their honored and their icy shrouds. It will pass away ; yet even


year 1607. In 1608 a second voyage was under- making known a portion of Nova Zembla. In 1609 he entered the service of the Dutch East India Company and made the discovery of what is now known as the Delaware Bay. Six days after leaving the Delaware, having re- mained in the Bay for a day and a night, he passed within Sandy Hook, and anchored in . then its heroes and martyrs, like Hudson, will the mouth of the river which bears his name. live! Rivers and bays, islands, coasts and con-


Under English auspices he, in 1610, again tinents, will ring and. reverberate with the started to find a Northwest passage, and after names of men who, as discoverers, deserve a exhausting ten months' provision, was found place in the history of civilization to which


·


HISTORY OF DELAWARE.


even heroes of the battle-field may not aspire.


The Half Moon was the honored vessel of which Robert Jewett was the mate, and John Coleman was an able seamen, whose name alone, of all her crew, is preserved. Accord- ing to Judge Houston, (Papers of Historical Society of Delaware No. 2,) Hudson had aimed toreach Jamestown, Va., for provisions, but fail- ing of the Chesepioock as the Chesapeake was then called, he, fortunately, kept close to the coast, until he found the Delaware. The shores were in their full-leaved summer beauty, and noon day brightness, when he approached the offing. He first reached a point on the north, that must have been Cape Henlopen, whence Cape May was visible, and proceeding, he gained a sight of long beaches, and dry sand. He came up so far as to perceive a strong current set- ting outward, from which his experienced eye determined, that a large river, flowed into the Bay. He found his ship beset with breakers, and in danger, at every turn, of running upon shoals, from which, it was concluded, this was not the highway to the East Indies, and being, also, probably in want of provisions, the ves- sel was put about, working towards the South- eastward and then to the north, in which direc- tion, Hudson was rewarded, six days later, by encountering the famous Isle of Manhattan and the Hudson River ; thus making "New York the younger sister of our Delaware ;" as Vincent quotes, page 96, from Jno. Meredith Read's Lecture, of Oct. 13, 1864.


Before leaving Delaware Bay, our mate, Roberts, enters upon his log, from which, most of the above is taken, the wise caution, "he that would thoroughly explore this great bay, must have a pinnace, that will draw but 4 or 5 feet water, to sound before him." We think he did not get into the channels.


It seems that Sir Samuel Argall next, after Hudson, and who was, at one time, Governor of Virginia, in 1610 gave Delaware Bay a call, and, perhaps, in return for the halibut, cod and ling fish, which he says, he there caught, gave a worthy name to the bay, calling it after Lord De La Ware, the Governor of Virginia; and soon after, Lord De La Ware himself, 1611, vis- ited the spot, staying but a day or two, with- out coming inside, when on a voyage to the West Indies, which was continued, probably, to England, for his health.


This Lordly English name, all prefer, to the Indian names already given ; or the Zuydt or South river, or Godyn's bay, or any of the nu- merous other titles, by which it has been known in history as given by the two other European Nationalities who, subsequently, with various fortune sought and settled its shores.


As to Delaware, if any honor is reflected from the name, we may congratulate ourselves on the memory of Sir Thomas West, Earl De La Ware, a nobleman, distinguished, alike, for his virtues and rank ; who administered the government of Virginia, to which he was ap- pointed for life, with mildness and decision ; and whilst at his post, gave himself unremit- tingly to the duties of his office. But his health soon failed under the cares of his situ- ation and the unfriendliness of the climate, when he was obliged to return to England. There, ever alive to his responsibilities, he watched over and advocated the interests of the colony, and, in 1617, after an absence of seven years, embarked to return to his gov- ernment, which, in the meantime, had been ad- ministered by Deputies. However, he either did not live to reach America, or was obliged, straightway, to return ; for to give an instance of contradictory authority, whilst all the writers on Virginia record that he died at sea, and was probably buried at sea, Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors, as enlarged by Tho. Park, and quoted by Bancroft, Vol. I, tells of his dying at Wherwell, Hants, in England, June 7, 1618.


That the truth might be ascertained touch- ing this historical question, the editors of the Aldine Publishing and Engraving Company addressed a letter to his Excellency, the Brit- ish Minister at Washington, who is a distin- guished member of the West family, and ask- ing such information as might be in his posses- sion. They promptly received, through his courtesy, the following reply in his own hand- writing ..


WASHINGTON, June 7th, 1882. To Aldine Publishing and Engraving Co.


GENTLEMEN :- In reply to your letter of the 6th inst., respecting my ancestor, the 3rd Lord De La Ware, (Thomas West,) I beg to say that there is no record in the family archives of the exact date of his death, or the place where he died. He left England for the second time in the year 1618, to resume the administration of


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II


HISTORY OF DELAWARE.


the Colony, and we suppose, died on the pas- sage out. We have no record of his having died or being buried in England. My brother, the present Earl De La Ware, has carefully searched, but in vain for some precise informa- tion on this subject.


I remain, gentlemen,


Yours faithfully,


L. S. SACKVILLE WEST.


It is recorded by Bancroft, volume Ist, that "his affection for Virginia ceased only with his life," and he may be set before us, a man and a ruler deserving the applause of man- kind.




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