Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. I, Part 23

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1482

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Thomas Anderson was born in New Castle county, but the date is unknown. He was commissioned second lieutenant in Captain Learmonth's company, Colonel Hall's Dela- ware regiment, September 10, 1778, and con- tinued to the close of the war. He also served as quartermaster of the regiment in 1778- 1780. Time and place of his death unknown.

It is not known whether these officers bear- ing the surname of Anderson wore related, but it is inferred that they were, because of their becoming residents of New Castle coun- ty, but in what degree it is hard to determine. They were probably brothers.

THE CROW FAMILY.

George and Thomas Crow. In his inter- esting monograph on the Old Delaware Clock Makers, Henry C. Conrad, Esq., informis us that among the earliest clock makers in Wil- mington was George Crow. The first men- tion of him is in 1746, when he was elected high constable of the borough of Wilmington. Hle served one year. In 1755 he was elected one of the burgesses of Wilmington, and re- elected in 1756 and in 1758. Where he was born and when he settled here are unknown. According to the records of "Old Swedes' " he married Mary Laudonet, in August, 1746. Mr. Conrad is satisfied that he was in the watch and clock business prior to 1754, and continued in business until his death, which occurred in 1771 or 1772. He has seen sev- eral high clocks bearing his name, but none of them were marked with any date. There is a deed of record from Gabriel Springer, one of the earliest hatters in Wilmington, to George Crow, dated March 26, 1761, for a house and lot on the west side of Walnut street just above Spring alley. It is reason- able to believe that Crow lived in this house and carried on his business there. He owned also at the time of his death a property at Third and King streets, and a large lot at the

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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

northwest corner of Tenth and Market streets. All of his property, after his death, was di- vided among his widow and four children, who survived him, by a deed of partition, dated March 22, 1773, made by Dr. John McKinly, William Poole and Bancroft Woodcock, all of whom were leading and in- fluential citizens of Wilmington at that time. Dr. MeKinly was the first president (gov- ernor) of Delaware after the Declaration of Independence, was captured by the British after the battle of Brandywine, and held as a prisoner of state for about one year. William Poole was one of the early and successful millers on the Brandywine, and the father of a numerous family, of whom J. Morton Poole was one. Bancroft Woodcock was a noted silversmith in Wilmington more than a century ago, and owned the old house on Broome street, which for the past forty years has been the Howland homestead.

George Crow left two sons, Thomas and George, and two daughters, Sarah (Mrs. William Nash), and Mary (Mrs. Samuel Goodman). George Crow, Jr., died prior to 1802. It is not known whether he left any descendants. The presumption is that he was buried in the "Old Swedes' " graveyard.

Thomas Crow, who seems to have been the eldest son of George Crow, 1, succeeded his father in the clock and watch business, and very likely learned the trade with his father. Like him, he seemed to have been in favor with the public, for he was elected town clerk in 1771, one of the assistant burgesses in 1778, 1779 and 1780, and borough assessor in 1784 and 1785. Notwithstanding his willingness to serve the public in these various modest ca- pacities, he was a most industrious clock maker, as is evidenced by the many clocks which bear his name. The number of his clocks now in existence indicates that he car- ried on a large business.

Thomas Crow owned, in 1814, a property on the south side of Second street, just east of Market. At the time of his death he owned a small piece on the Philadelphia turnpike in Brandywine hundred, near the present resi- dence of William C. Lodge, and this was sold after his death to pay his debts, which seem to have been largely in excess of his assets, the records showing that while he had no personal estate, he owed the Bank of Delaware about seven thousand three hundred dollars; and

this small farm, which brought only eight hundred dollars when sold by his administra- tor, seems to have been all the estate which he left.

Thomas Crow had a wife whose Christian name was Isabella, but who she was and when he married her, are unknown. They had two daughters, Elizabeth Ogden, and Ann, wife of William Haslet. Thomas Crow died about 1824, having survived his wife. He seems to have been a member of the First Presbyterian Church; and it is probable that the ashes of the old clockmaker repose in the graveyard of that church on the corner of Tenth and Mar- ket streets, Wilmington.

THE DUFF FAMILY.

Thomas Duff, says Captain Bellas, the genealogist, was a large landed proprietor and a prominent man in public affairs in Christiana hundred, New Castle county, Delaware. The time and place of his birth are unknown. In 1756 he was ensign in the Upper regiment of New Castle county militia. He was sheriff of the same county in 1763, 1765, 1769 and 1770, the terms being for one year each.

In the early part of the Revolution he was a major in the New Castle county militia and before the close of the war he held the rank of colonel. The three companies of militia left Wihnington on December 16, 1776, un- der his command for New Jersey, through a mistake of orders. Major Duff's battalion did not participate in the battles at Trenton and Princeton. An account of a skirmish after- ward, near Christiana, in Delaware, reported in the Pennsylvania Gazette of September 10, 1777, reports Colonel Duff as being wounded in that engagement.

He was appointed justice of the peace for New Castle county after the Revolution; his commissions being dated June 30, 1783, and November 9, 1790. His house was a large brick mansion on the outskirts of the village of Newport, and on the bank of Christiana creek. It is still standing, but much degen- erated, having been converted into two cheap dwellings. He lived there in good style, is always spoken of as "Esquire," which title, in colonial days, was assumed only by persons of distinction. A great deal of land belonged to him and there is a number of deeds recorded in Wilmington in the name of "Thomas Duff,

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STATE OF DELAWARE

Esq., of Newport, in Christiana Hundred, and County of New Castle, and Jane, his wife," &c.

Colonel Duff was a member of the vestry of St. James' church, near Stanton, as well as in the chapel of the same name near Newport, the officers of both having until recently been the same. It is supposed that Colonel Duff and his wife are buried in the churchyard at Stanton, though their graves, like many others, cannot now be identified. Ile proba. bly died shortly after 1808, as his name ceases to appear in the records as chairman of the vestry, as it had done up to that time. They had issue, (surname Duff):

I. Anm, born May 24, 1752; died March 10, 1780; ummarried.

II. Edward, born March 17, 1753; died April 2, 1785; was surgeon's mate in Colonel Sammel Patterson's Battalion of Delaware State troops of the "Flying Camp" in 1776. Ile is also stated to have been surgeon's mate in the navy in the following year. By his will, in 1785, he is described as of Northampton county, Va., where he died.

III. John, born 1757; died 1759.

IV. Henry, born June 15, 1759; died February 8, 1785, or 1789; was commissioned ensign in Colonel Hall's Delaware regiment, November 29, 1776; second lieutenant, April 5, 1777; first lieutenant, August 16, 1778, and served to the close of the war, when he appears to have had the rank of captain. He was one of the original members of the Dela- ware Cincinnati Society.

V. Jane, born April 15, 1763; died March 1, 1788; unmarried.

VI. Thomas, Jr., born September 27, 1766; died 1830; was admitted to the New Castle county (Delaware) bar as an attorney- at-law in 1791, and to the Lancaster county (Pennsylvania) bar in the same year. He was clerk of the United States District Court of Delaware from 1794 to 1796. He died prior to March 29, 1830, when letters of adminis- tration were granted on his estate to Allan Thomson.

Colonel Henry Duff was a brother of Col. Thomas Duff, and married Ann, daugh- ter of John and Ann Williams, of Philadel- phia, both of whom died in 1747. Col.

Henry Duff died September 14, 1762. By his marriage he left issue, one son and one daughter:

1. Richard, born July 10, 1757. He was commissioned second lieutenant of the Tenth Regiment of the Pennsylvania Line, Decem- ber 4, 1776; promoted to first lieutenant in Colonel Patton's Additional Continental Reg- iment, April 18, 1777. He was reported as a prisoner of war and never rejoined, dying at Boston, Mass., probably while a prisoner. Reference to him may be found in Pennsylva- nia Archives, Second Series, Vol. X.

II. Am Duff, born November 3, 1758; died June 29, 1785. She married Captain William Robeson, of the Delaware militia, June 10, 1784. He died April 23, 1515. They left one daughter, Jane, born May 28, 1785, who married Allan Thompson, June 27, 1810, and died February 6, 1524. Allan and Jane (Duff) Thomson had issue: i. William, died unmarried. ii. Ann, married William Hemphill Jones, and had a son and a daughter, neither of whom left descendants. iii. Jane, married William R. Sangston, and had two sons and two daughters. iv. and v. Henry and Maria, both of whom died umnar- ricd.

REV. JOSEPH BARR.

Rev. Joseph Barr, one of the old time Presbyterian ministers, was born near New Castle, Delaware, December 4, 1791. He came of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His father, Samuel Barr, died at his home near New Castle, December 27, 1829, in the nine- ty-second year of his age. He had been a member of the Presbyterian Church for more than sixty years, and an elder for over forty years. His posterity was numerous. He left children, grand, and great-grandchildren, to the number of eighty at the time of his death.

Joseph Barr, after receiving a preparatory education, entered the University of Pennsyl- vania and graduated therefrom in 1811. Hc studied theology with the Revs. John E. Latta and James P. Wilson, D. D., and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New C'astle in October, 1812. He itinerated for six months on the Delaware peninsula. In the fall of 1813 he was ordained and installed as pastor of the Norriton, (now Norristown),

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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

and Providence churches, in Montgomery county, Pa. In October, 1815, he married Sarah, youngest daughter of Dr. Alexander Forrester, of Wilmington, Del.

Mr. Barr was an active, progressive young minister. He was full of zeal and thoroughly in earnest in the furtherance of the great work in which he was engaged. Through his . energy he organized the church in Norris- town and secured the building of a fine brick church there in 1816. In 1817, in addition to the church, he took charge of the Academy at Norristown and devoted much time to the educational part of the work. Although of vigorous constitution at first, the work was too heavy for him, and very soon began to impair his health. This necessitated a halt in his labors.

Accordingly, in the spring of 1823, he re- moved to Lancaster county, Pa., and became pastor of the Leacock and Middle Octoraro churches. These were early and important church organizations and involved much hard work on the part of the pastor. However, he labored faithfully and with unflagging zeal until 1844, a period of twenty-one years, giving a portion of his time to each congre- gation, until, in 1845, he relinquished the charge of Middle Octoraro, and devoted his time exclusively to Leacock. But the ardu- ous labors of his past life had seriously im- paired his rugged constitution and he was forced to seek a still less arduous field of labor. In 1846 he accepted a call to White Clay Creek and Christiana, Del., but a few miles from the place of his birth, and was installed pastor of the former church June 2, 1846, and of the latter May 8, 1848. But his health now gave signs of breaking, and at his own re- quest his relations with the Christiana church were dissolved October 2, 1849; and on the 23d of October, 1853. his relations with the White Clay Creek church also were dissolved, where he preached his farewell sermon the same day. This was his last sermon, and he was never able to attend publie worship again. IIe died in Wilmington, May 24, 1854, in the sixty-third year of his age, and a stone in front of the White Clay Crock charch marks the place of his interment. Ile was plain, carnest, active, but unostentatious, and during his life was noted for his piety and zeal in the cause of the Master.

THE ALRICHS FAMILY.

Henry C. Conrad, Esq., in his brochure en- titled Old Delaware Clock Makers, tells us that the Alrichs family is one of the oldest in New Castle county, Del. The original settler was Peter Alrichs, to whom land in this county (New Castle) was patented as early as 1668. The name indicates Dutch origin. Peter had four sons, the eldest being Peter Sigfridus, who married Susanna Stid- ham, and had twelve children, among whom was Jonas Alrichs, who was born March 22, 1759. Jonas learned the clock making busi- ness with Thomas Crow, and was the first of the name of Alrichs to furnish time keepers for the people of Wilmington. He succeeded his instructor in the business in the old Second street store, and carried it on successfully un- til April, 1797, when he retired. Jonas Al- richs died in 1802, leaving five children, one of whom, Thomas C. Alrichs, was for many years a useful and influential citizen of Wil- mington.

Jacob Alrichs, a nephew of Jonas, was the son of Sigfridus Alrichs and Rachel Coles- berry. He was born September 8, 1775, and, figuratively speaking, was rocked in the cradle of the Revolution. His birthplace was the in- fant borough of Wilmington, and he was reared on the banks of the Christiana. When quite a young man he learned the trade of clock and watch making with his unele, Jonas, with whom for a short time he was associated in business under the firm name of Jonas and Jacob Alrichs. When the for- mer retired in 1797 his successor announced by advertisement that in addition to stock on hand, he had received "eight day clocks of the first quality; silver watches from London, Liverpool and Dublin, such as could be war- ranted," together with "watch main springs, glasses, dials, gilt and steel chains, keys, seals, &c."

It is probable that he continued the business at the old stand for many years, although he did not devote his entire time to it, for, in 1810, in company with Samuel MeClary, he started the first machine shop in Delaware, at the northwest corner of Seventh and Shipley streets, Wilmington. They evidently began business in a humble way, for tradition says that an old horse served to furnish the power to drive the primitive machinery. From

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this small beginning have grown the vast manufacturng and mechanical industries of the city of Wilmington.

The business of Alrichs & McClary seems to have been a success from the beginning, as Jacob Alrichs bought the property occupied by the little machine shop three years later . from Job Harvey, and continued to own it until 1837, when it was sold to The Delaware Academy of Natural Sciences, an institution that has long since ceased to exist.

Alrichs afterwards had a machine shop on the site of the present pumping station on the Brandywine near the head of French street, and in testimony of his efficacy as a skilful mechanic, it is only necessary to add that Elijah Hollingsworth learned his trade with Alrichs, and afterwards, as those of the pres- ent generation know, became a leading and in- fluential member of the great firm of Harlan & Hollingsworth, and by applying the me- chanical ideas imparted by the humble watch- maker, Jacob Alrichs, in his primitive shop, founded and successfully conducted the large and important industry of Wihnington, whose fame has long since been established through- out the civilized world.

While Alrichs was laying the foundation for great mechanical industries in wood and iron, he did not lose sight of his clock and watchmaking business, for in course of time the shop was removed to Market street, be- tween Third and Fourth, and thence to Arcade Row on the east side of Market street below Eighth. This row was erected on what was known as "Wilson's sand-hole." Several changes in location were afterwards made as the town grew, and other branches of business developed.

Jacob Alrichs was evidently a man of strength of character, and of superior intelli- gence and capacity-in fact one of the most representative men of his time. He was un- usually successful in the two lines of business which he conducted, and accumulated consid- erable real estate. He also took an interest in public affairs and was willing to perform his part in promoting the advancement of borough interests. As early as 1805, when only thirty- five years of age, he was elected an assistant burgess of the borough of Wilmington, and in 1810 was elected a member of the first City Council, and so well were the people pleased with him as a public officer that they

re-elected him year after year until 1823. Ilis service, therefore, as one of the local law-mak- ers for thirteen years consecutively, attests his value as a citizen. But the appreciation of his work did not stop here, for, in 1830, he was elected a member of the State Senate from Wilmington, and served his term in that body with credit to himself and his constituents.

Among the valuable collections of the His- torical Society in Wilmington, of which Henry C. Conrad, Esq., is the efficient and in- telligent librarian, is a very exact and care- fully prepared survey and level made in 1804 by Jacob Alrichs and Edward Roche, of a route from the spring of Caesar A. Rodney, Esq., to the center stone at the corner of Chest- mit (now Tenth) and Market streets, for the use of the Wilmington Spring Water Com- pany. Evidently, at that early date, it had occurred to Jacob Alrichs that the citizens of Wilmington might be supplied with water from "Cool Spring," an idea that nearly sev- enty years afterwards developed into a reality by the construction of the Cool Spring reser- voir, now so important a factor in the fine water supply of Wilmington.

Politically, Jacob Alrichs was prominent as a member of the Whig party, and was a warm admirer and close friend of John M. Clayton, the Whig leader. Under the administration of President Harrison Mr. Alrichs was ap- pointed postmaster of Wilmington, and kept the postoffice in a small store room on Third street between Market and Shipley streets. It was a small affair then, compared with the present magnificent Federal building, and the postal business is more than a thousand fold greater to-day than it was then.

About 1813, Jacob Alrichs built the house at No. 1017 Market street, regarded at that time as a large and imposing edifice. In it he lived during the remainder of his life. He died October 29, 1857, in his eighty-second year, and was buried in the Friends' burying ground at Fourth and West streets. He left four children, two sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Henry S. Alrichs, continued the watch and clock-making business after his father's death; the only surviving branch of the family is descended from this son. One of these descendants is William J. Alrichs, who, true to the family calling for four generations, is a successful jeweler and watch-maker at at Elkton, Md.

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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

CAPTAIN LEARMONTH.

Alexander Learmonth was a Scotchman by birth, his parents being residents of Balconice, Fifeshire. When he came to this country is unknown, but it must have been long be- fore the Revolution. Ile settled in Sussex county, Delaware, and was living there when the Revolution began. Nothing is knowa of his family further than that he had one son named John. At the opening of the war for independence, he at once identified himself with the patriots, and was commissioned see- ond lieutenant in Capt. David Hall's company of Colonel Haslet's regiment of State troops, in Continental service, January 16, 1776, and first lieutenant November 28 of the same year. On April 5, 1777, he was advanced to the rank of captain in the same regiment, and served to the close of the war.

Captain Learmonth resided at Lewes or Georgetown, after the war. There, it appears by the records of the Presbyterian church, he married Hannah Turner, March 19, 1792. As he had served through the Revolutionary war, he must have been past middle life at the date of his marriage, and this supposition is corroborated by the fact that he died about August 12, 1802. His will was probated in September of that year. He left issue, but nothing is known of their descendants at this day. Captain Bellas, the genealogist, is of the opinion, however, that John Learmonth How- ard, a relative of Richard Howard, of Sussex county, is a descendant of the veteran captain of the Revolution.

There is evidence to show that Captain John Learmonth was a warm friend of Colonel Hall's, and was interested with him in certain lands purchased by them in Wood county, Virginia. The latter speaks of this investment in a letter dated November 28, 1804. Cap- tain Learmonth also owned property in Dela- ware, which he left to his children in his will; this shows that he was a man of some means. Dr. John White, of Sussex, appears to have attended the captain in his last illness; and he also administered, professionally, to the wants of the captain's old negro servant, Jacob; tra- dition asserts that this servant was a celebrated fiddler, and that his services were in great demand at entertainments.

Many interesting and curious anecdotes of Captain Learmonth have been preserved. One recently printed in the Delaware Pilot states

that the captain who commanded the Lewes company in Colonel Hall's regiment resided there as late as 1795, and was distinguished as the officer of the Delaware Line, who, after one of the regiment's severe battles in the Carolinas, eut open a dead horse on the field of battle, and concealed himself from the British soldiers, until he could escape.

Another and more amusing story is related of this doughty hero by a local historian. Au old man, evidently of unsound mind, was ae- customed to come into the town occasionally and march around the walls of the churchyard, threatening, like the Levites of Biblical his- tory, to blow over the walls with a blast of the ox-horn he carried with him. One day he also requested that some one should shoot him; The captain told him that he would grant his request with pleasure, as he considered him a nuisance, and went for his gun. The old fel- low took the matter more seriously on second thought, and started for his home. On seeing Captain Learmonth approaching with his gun, he broke into a run, and, as he jumped a fence, in endeavoring to escape, the captain fired at him, probably with the object of only fright- ening him. This ended the pranks of the "ox- horn man," and the walls of the Lewes church were never blown down by his blasts. Strange as it may seem, no stone marks the grave of Captain Learmonth (sometimes erroneously spelled Learmouth) and no man knows where he was buried.

DESCENDANTS OF DR. E. A. SMITH.

Dr. Ebenezer Augustus Smith, of Winning- ton, Del., was a son of Rev. Robert Smith (1723-1793), but the date of his birth has not been ascertained. He studied medicine and be- came an army surgeon during the Revolution- ary war. When peace was restored he set- tled in Wilmington, the place of his birth, where he was prominent in his profession. Dr. Smith married Elizabeth Blair, and they had issue:

I. Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith, D. D., born 1750, died 1819, married Anna, daugh- ter of Rev. John Witherspoon, of Princeton, N. J., by whom he had with other issue, Judge John Witherspoon Smith, of the United States court, New Orleans, La., who left num- crous descendants by his wife, Sarah Livings- ton Duer. His wife died in New Orleans July 21, 1896, at the remarkable age of one

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hundred years, eight months and twenty days; II. William, born about 1732; became a min- ister; III. Rev. John Blair Smith, D. D., born July 12, 1756. He became president of the Hampden and Sydney College, Virginia, and afterwards of Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., and died in Philadelphia August 22, 1799. - His wife was twin sister to the wife of Governor Claiborne, of Louisiana, and both were daughters of a Mrs. Fisher, of Vir- ginia, who after being a widow married Ad- miral Vernon of the Royal navy.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. I, Part 23

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa. Number of Pages: 1482

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1482