USA > Delaware > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 20
USA > New Jersey > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 20
USA > Pennsylvania > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 20
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V. There inhabits most sorts of useful Tradesmen, As Car- penters, Joyners, Bricklayers, Masons, Plasterers, Plumers, Smiths, Glasiers, Taylers, Shoemakers, Butchers, Bakers, Brew- ers, Glovers, Tanners, Felmongers, Wheelrights, Millrights, Shiprights, Boatrights, Ropemakers, Saylmakers, Blockmakers, Turners, etc.
1 Samuel Carpenter's wharf, the first in Philadelphia, was built into the Delaware River from his bank lot, which was 204 feet wide, about 100 feet north of Walnut Street, and facing his house and lot on the west side of Front Street. The lot was leased to him by Penn in 1684, for a term of fifty years.
Samuel Carpenter (1647-1714), a native of Horsham, Sussex, England, after the death of his father in 1670 removed to Barbados, and successfully en- gaged in mercantile pursuits. Having joined the Quakers he suffered severe dis- traint of his property, and about 1683 migrated to Philadelphia. As a man of considerable capital and of remarkable enterprise he was a very valuable addi- tion in the economic and governmental beginnings of the city and province. He not only erected the first wharf of the city, above Walnut Street, as recounted by Penn, but built stores and was concerned in milling and other undertakings in and near the city. In 1693, his assessable property in the province ranked in value next to that of the Proprietor. Furthermore, he actively participated in governmental affairs, serving as assemblyman, councillor, commissioner of prop- erty, treasurer, and finally as deputy governor of the province. The mansion built by him, later called the Slate Roof House, was considered the most suitable for the occupation of Proprietor Penn and his family on the occasion of his second visit to the province, in 1699. "That honest and Valluable man [Samuel Car- penter] whose Industry and Improvements," wrote Isaac Norris, from Phila- delphia, in 1705, "has been the Stock whereon much of the Labour and Success of this Country has been Grafted."
* Barnabas Wilcox (d. 1690), Quaker, came over from Bristol, England, with his family to Philadelphia in 1682. His rope-walk was then at the north side of the town, running westward from Front to Third, north of Vine Street.
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[1686
VI. There are Two Markets every Week, and Two Fairs every year. In other places Markets also, as at Chester and New-Castle.
VII. Seven Ordinaries for the Intertainment of Strangers and Workmen, that are not Housekeepers, and a good Meal to be had for sixpence, sterl.
VIII. The hours for Work and Meals to Labourers are fixt, and known by Ring of Bell.
IX. After nine at Night the Officers go the Rounds, and no Person, without very good cause, suffered to be at any Publick House that is not a Lodger.
X. Tho this Town seemed at first contrived for the Pur- chasers of the first hundred shares, each share consisting of 5000 Acres, yet few going, and that their absence might not Check the Improvement of the Place, and Strangers that flockt to us be thereby Excluded, I added that half of the Town, which lies on the Skulkill, that we might have Room for present and after Commers, that were not of that number, and it hath already had great success to the Improvement of the Place.
XI. Some Vessels have been here Built, and many Boats; and by that means a ready Conveniency for Passage of People and Goods.
XII. Divers Brickerys going on, many Cellars already Ston'd or Brick'd and some Brick Houses going up.
XIII. The Town is well furnish'd with convenient Mills; and what with their Garden Plats (the least half an Acre), the Fish of the River, and their labour, to the Countryman, who begins to pay with the provisions of his own growth, they live Comfortably.
XIV. The Improvement of the place is best measur'd by the advance of Value upon every man's Lot. I will venture to say that the worst Lot in the Town, without any Improve- ment upon it, is worth four times more than it was when it was lay'd out, and the best forty. And though it seems un- equal that the Absent should be thus benefited by the Improve -. ments of those that are upon the place, especially when they have serv'd no Office, run no hazard, nor as yet defray'd any Publick charge, yet this advantage does certainly redound to them, and whoever they are they are great Debtors to the Country; of which I shall now speak more at large.
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Of Country Settlements.
1. We do settle in the way of Townships or Villages, each of which contains 5,000 acres, in square, and at least Ten Families; the regulation of the Country being a family to each five hundred Acres. Some Townships have more, where the Interests of the People is less than that quantity, which often falls out.
2. Many that had right to more Land were at first covetous to have their whole quantity without regard to this way of settlement, tho' by such Wilderness vacancies they had ruin'd the Country, and then our interest of course. I had in my view Society, Assistance, Busy Commerce, Instruction of Youth, Government of Peoples manners, Conveniency of Religious Assembling, Encouragement of Mechanicks, distinct and beaten Roads, and it has answered in all those respects, I think, to an Universall Content.
3. Our Townships lie square; generally the Village in the Center; the Houses either opposit, or else opposit to the mid- dle, betwixt two houses over the way, for near neighborhood. We have another Method, that tho the Village be in the Center, yet after a different manner: Five hundred Acres are allotted for the Village, which, among ten families, comes to fifty Acres each: This lies square, and on the outside of the square stand the Houses, with their fifty Acres running back, where ends meeting make the Center of the 500 Acres as they are to the whole. Before the Doors of the Houses lies the high way, and cross it, every man's 450 Acres of Land that makes up his Complement of 500, so that the Conveniency of Neighbourhood is made agreeable with that of the Land.
4. I said nothing in my last of any number of Townships, but there are at least Fifty settled before my leaving those parts, which was in the moneth called August, 1684.
5. I visitted many of them, and found them much advanced in their Improvements. Houses over their heads and Garden plots, Coverts for their Cattle, an encrease of stock, and several Enclosures in Corn, especially the first Commers; and I may say of some Poor men was the beginnings of an Estate; the difference of labouring for themselves and for others, of an Inheritance and a Rack Lease, being never better understood.
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Of the Produce of the Earth.
1. The Earth, by God's blessing, has more than answered our expectation; the poorest places in our Judgment produc- ing large Crops of Garden Stuff and Grain. And though our Ground has not generally the symptoms of the fat Necks that lie upon salt Waters in Provinces southern of us, our Grain is thought to excell and our Crops to be as large. We have had the mark of the good Ground amongst us from Thirty to Sixty fold of English Corn.
2. The Land requires less seed: Three pecks of Wheat sow an acre, a Bushel at most, and some have had the increase I have mention'd.
3. Upon Tryal we find that the Corn and Roots that grow in England thrive very well there, as Wheat, Barly, Rye, Oats, Buck-Wheat, Pease, Beans, Cabbages, Turnips, Carrets, Pars- nups, Colleflowers, Asparagus, Onions, Charlots, Garlick and Irish Potatos; we have also the Spanish and very good Rice, which do not grow here.
4. Our low lands are excellent for Rape and Hemp and Flax. A Tryal has been made, and of the two last there is a considerable quantity Dress'd Yearly.
5. The Weeds of our Woods feed our Cattle to the Market as well as Dary. I have seen fat Bullocks brought thence to Market before Mid Summer. Our Swamps or Marshes yeeld us course Hay for the Winter.
6. English Grass Seed takes well, which will give us fatting Hay in time. Of this I made an Experiment in my own Court Yard, upon sand that was dug out of my Cellar, with seed that had lain in a Cask open to the weather two Winters and a Summer; I caus'd it to be sown in the beginning of the month called April, and a fortnight before Midsummer it was fit to Mow. It grew very thick: But I ordered it to be fed, being in the nature of a Grass Plott, on purpose to see if the Roots lay firm: And though it had been meer sand, cast out of the Cellar but a Year before, the seed took such Root and held the earth so fast, and fastened itself so well in the Earth, that it held fast and fed like old English Ground. I mention this, to confute the Objections that lie against those Parts, as of that, first, English Grass would not grow; next, not enough to mow;
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and, lastly, not firm enough to feed, from the Levity of the Mould.
7. All sorts of English fruits that have been tryed take mighty well for the time: The Peach Excellent on standers, and in great quantities: They sun dry them, and lay them up in lofts, as we do roots here, and stew them with Meat in Winter time. Musmellons and Water Mellons are raised there, with as little care as Pumpkins in England. The Vine especially, prevails, which grows every where; and upon ex- perience of some French People from Rochel and the Isle of Rhee,1 Good Wine may be made there, especially when the Earth and Stem are fin'd and civiliz'd by culture. We hope that good skill in our most Southern Parts will yield us several of the Straights Commodities, especially Oyle, Dates, Figgs, Almonds, Raisins and Currans.
Of the Produce of our Waters.
1. Mighty Whales roll upon the Coast, near the Mouth of the Bay of Delaware. Eleven caught and workt into Oyl one Season. We justly hope a considerable profit by a Whal- ery; they being so numerous and the Shore so suitable.
2. Sturgeon play continually in our Rivers 'in Summer: And though the way of cureing them be not generally known, yet by a Receipt I had of one Collins, that related to the Com- pany of the Royal Fishery, I did so well preserve some, that I had them good there three months of the Summer, and brought some of the same so for England.
3. Alloes,' as they call them in France, the Jews Allice, and our Ignorants, Shads, are excellent Fish and of the Big- ness of our largest Carp: They are so Plentiful, that Captain Smyth's Overseer at the Skulkil, drew 600 and odd at one Draught; 300 is no wonder; 100 familiarly. They are excellent Pickled or Smokt'd, as well as boyld fresh: They are caught by nets only.
4. Rock are somewhat Rounder and larger, also a whiter fish, little inferior in rellish to our Mallet. We have them almost in the like plenty. These are often Barrell'd like Cod, and not much inferior for their spending. Of both these the
1 Rochelle, France, and the Isle de Re, just off that city .. ? Ale wives.
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Inhabitants increase their Winter store: These are caught by Nets, Hooks and Speers.
5. The Sheepshead, so called, from the resemblance of its Mouth and Nose to a Sheep, is a fish much preferr'd by some, but they keep in salt Water; they are like a Roach in fashion, but as thick as a Salmon, not so long. We have also the Drum, a large and noble fish, commended equal to the Sheepshead, not unlike to a Newfoundland Cod, but larger of the two. Tis so call'd from a noise it makes in its Belly, when it is taken, resembling a Drum. There are three sorts of them, the Black, Red and Gold colour. The Black is fat in the Spring, the Red in the Fall, and the Gold colour believed to be the Black, grown old, because it is observ'd that young ones of that colour have not been taken. They generally ketch them by Hook and Line, as Cod are, and they save like it, where the People are skilful. There are abundance of lesser fish to be caught of pleasure, but they quit not cost, as those I have mentioned, neither in Magnitude nor Number, except the Herring, which swarm in such shoales that it is hardly Credible; in little Creeks, they almost shovel them up in their tubs. There is the Catfish, or Flathead, Lampry, Eale, Trout, Perch, black and white, Smelt, Sunfish, etc .; also Oysters, Cockles, Cunks, Crabs, Mussles, Mannanoses.
Of Provision in General.
1. It has been often said we were starv'd for want of food; some were apt to suggest their fears, others to insinuate their prejudices, and when this was contradicted, and they assur'd we had plenty, both of Bread, Fish and Flesh, then 'twas objected that we were forc't to fetch it from other places at great Charges: but neither is all this true, tho all the World will think we must either carry Provision with us, or get it of the Neighbourhood till we had gotten Houses over our heads and a little Land in tillage, We fetcht none, nor were we wholly helpt by Neighbours; The Old Inhabitants supplied us with most of the Corn we wanted, and a good share of Pork and Beef: 'tis true New York, New England, and Road Island did with their provisions fetch our Goods and Money, but at such Rates, that some sold for almost what they gave, and
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others carried their provisions back, expecting a better Market neerer, which showed no scarcity, and that we were not totally destitute on our own River. But if my advice be of any Value I would have them to buy still, and not weaken their Herds, by Killing their Young Stock too soon.
2. But the right measure of information must be the pro- portion of Value of Provisions there, to what they are in more planted and mature Colonies. Beef is commonly sold at the rate of two pence per Pound; and Pork for two pence half penny; Veal and Mutton at three pence or three pence half penny, that Country mony; an English Shilling going for fifteen pence. Grain sells by the Bushel; Wheat at four shil- lings; Rye, and excellent good, at three shillings; Barly, two shillings six pence; Indian Corn, two shillings six pence; Oats, two shillings, in that money still, which in a new Country, where Grain is so much wanted for feed, as for food, cannot be called dear, and especially if we consider the Consumption of the many new Commers.
3. There is so great an encrease of Grain by the dilligent application of People to Husbandry that, within three Years, some Plantations have got Twenty Acres in Corn, some Forty, some Fifty.
4. They are very careful to encrease their stock, and get into Daries as fast as they can. They already make good Butter and Cheese. A good Cow and Calf by her side may be worth three pounds sterling, in goods at first Cost. A pare of Working Oxen, eight pounds: a pare of fat ones, Little more, and a plain Breeding Mare about five pounds sterl.
5. For Fish, it is brought to the Door, both fresh and salt. Six Alloes or Rocks for twelve pence; and salt fish at three far- dings per pound, Oysters at 2s. per bushel.
6. Our Drink has been Beer and Punch, made of Rum and Water: Our Beer was mostly made of Molosses, which well boyld, with Sassafras or Pine infused into it, makes very tol- lerable drink; but now they make Mault, and Mault Drink begins to be common, especially at the Ordinaries and the Houses of the more substantial People. In our great Town there is an able Man,' that has set up a large Brew House, in
1 William Frampton (d. 1686), Quaker merchant and brewer, justice and provincial councillor, owner of extensive lands in Pennsylvania, had removed
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order to furnish the People with good Drink, both there, and up and down the River. Having said this of the Country, for the time I was there, I shall add one of the many Letters that have come to my hand, because brief and full, and that he is known to be a Person of an extraordinary Caution as well as Truth, in what he is wont to Write or Speak:
PHILADELPHIA, the 3d of the 6th month [August] 1685. Governour.
Having an opportunity by a Ship from this River, (out of which several have gone this Year) I thought fit to give a short account of proceedings, as to settlements here, and the Improvements both in Town and Country. As to the Country, the Improvements are large, and settlements very throng by way of Townships and Villages. Great inclinations to Plant- ing Orchards, which are easily raised, and some brought to , perfection. Much Hayseed sown, and much Planting of Corn this Year, and great produce, said to be, both of Wheat, Rye and Rise; Barly and Oates prove very well, besides Indian Corn and Pease of several sorts; also Kidny Beans and English Pease of several kinds, I have had in my own Ground, with English Roots, Turnaps, Parsnaps, Carrets, Onions, Leeks, Radishes and Cabbidges, with abundance of sorts of Herbs and Flowers. I have but few seeds that have mist except Rosemary seed, and being English might be old. Also I have such plenty of pumpkins, Musmellons, Water Mellons, Squashes, Coshaws, Bucks-hens, Cowcumbers and Simnells of Divers kinds; admired at by new Commers that the Earth should so plentifully cast forth, especially the first Years breaking up; and on that which is counted the Worst Sort of Sandy Land.
from New York to Philadelphia in 1683, and at this time (1685) was living in his house at the west side of Front Street, between Walnut and Spruce streets, on a lot purchased in the early summer of 1684. He had there at his death in 1686 a well-stocked shop of general merchandise. His "great brew-house," built in 1683, was on the next lot to the rear, on the west side of Second Street by the south side of Dock Creek, a plot acquired from Penn in the beginning of the latter year. Here also he had a bake-house and a dwelling-house, the latter evidently his earlier residence, but now rented as an inn; and here in 1685 he erected the brick house hereafter mentioned by Robert Turner. Facing his Front Street residence was his wharf, one of the first three wharves of the city in Delaware River, built on a lot which he bought from the Proprietor in midsummer, 1684.
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I am satisfied, and many more, that the Earth is very fertil, and the Lord has done his part, if Man use but a moderate Dilligence. Grapes, Mulberies and many wilde Fruits and natural Plums, in abundance, this vear have I seen and eat of. A brave Orchard and Nursery have I planted, and thrive mightily, and Fruit the first Year. I endeavor choice of Fruits and Seeds from many parts; also Hay Seed; and have sowed a field this spring for tryall. First, I burned the leaves, then had it Grub'd, not the Field but the small Roots up, then sowed great and small Clover, with a little old Grass seed, and had it only raked over, not Plowed nor Harrowed, and it grows exceedingly; also for experience I sowed some patches of the same sort in my Garden and Dunged some, and that grows worst. I have planted the Irish Potatoes, and hope to have a brave increase to Transplant next Year. Captain Rapel ' (the Frenchman) saith he made good Wine of the grapes (of the country) last Year, and Transported some, but intends to make more this Year. Also a French man? in this Town in- tends the same, for Grapes are very Plentiful.
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Now as to the Town of Philadelphia it goeth on in Planting and Building to admiration, both in the front and backward, and there are about 600 Houses in 3 years time. And since I built my Brick House,' the foundation of which was laid at thy going, which I did design after a good manner to incourage others, and that from building with Wood, it being the first, many take example, and some that built Wooden Houses, are sorry for it: Brick building is said to be as cheap: Bricks are exceeding good, and better than when I built: More Makers fallen in, and Bricks cheaper, they were before at 16 s. English per 1000, and now many brave Brick Houses are going up, with
1 Captain Gabriel Rappel, a Protestant, from St. Martin, in France, was a fugitive in England in November, 1682, petitioning the Privy Council for liberty to plant in English America. He arrived in the Delaware in 1683, purchasing for the use of a London merchant a plantation of 1,000 acres called the Exchange in Reedy Point Neck, in New Castle County, along with certain live stock and a servant man. He probably conducted this plantation for a few years, and may have made there the wine referred to by Turner.
' Possibly Monsieur Jacob Pellison, of Philadelphia.
' On his lot at the southwest corner of Front and Mulberry (now Arch) streets.
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good Cellars. Arthur Cook ' is building him a brave Brick House near William Frampton's, on the front: For William Frampton hath since built a good Brick house, by his Brew house and Bake house, and let the other for an Ordinary. John Wheeler,2 from New England, is building a good Brick house, by the Blew Anchor; and the two' Brickmakers a Double Brick House and Cellars; besides several others going on: Samuel Carpenter has built another house by his." I am Building another Brick house by mine, which is three large Stories high, besides a good large Brick Cellar under it, of two Bricks and a half thickness in the wall, and the next story half under Ground, the Cellar hath an Arched Door for a Vault to go (under the Street) to the River, and so to bring in goods, or deliver out. Humphery Murry,' from New York, has built a large Timber house, with Brick Chimnies. John Test " has almost finished a good Brick House, and a Bake House of
1 Arthur Cook (d. 1699), speaker of assembly, provincial councillor, and chief justice, formerly of New Gravel Lane, in St. Paul's Shadwell, London, was building his brick house on the west side of Front Street below Walnut Street. By 1697 he had "a most Stately Brick-House," near Frankford, hereafter men- tioned by Gabriel Thomas.
' John Wheeler (d. 1691), merchant and distiller, ship-owner and trader with the West Indies and Europe, a resident as early as 1667 of New London, Connecticut, where he died. He made only a brief sojourn in Philadelphia, building his brick house on the west side of Front Street, below Walnut Street, near the Blue Anchor Inn, on a lot purchased by him from Penn in midsummer, 1684. This property he sold in 1686 to Edward Shippen, then of Boston, but later of Philadelphia.
* Thomas Smith and Daniel Pegg (d. 1702).
" On the west side of Front Street, a hundred feet north of Walnut Street.
" Humphrey Morrey (d. 1715-6), was a merchant in New York early in 1684, but by 1685 had become a resident of Philadelphia and had built the "Timber house" at the southwest corner of Front and Chestnut streets. He was the first mayor of Philadelphia (1691-1692) and served as assemblyman and provincial councillor. In his will of 1715 he is described as yeoman, of Cheltenham Township, now Montgomery County.
. John Test (d. 1718), a non-Quaker merchant, from London, had probably come over to West New Jersey with John Fenwick's colony in the Griffin, in 1675. He was a resident of Upland (Chester) as early as 1677, and as late as 1679. In 1681 he was made sheriff of Pennsylvania by the court of Upland, and in 1682 the first sheriff of the newly-constituted Philadelphia County. His brick house was at the northeast corner of Third and Chestnut streets. In later life he re- moved to Darby, and died there as an innkeeper.
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Timber; and N. Allen1 a good house, next to Thomas Wynns,' front Lot. John Day' a good house, after the London fashion, most Brick, with a large frame of Wood, in the front, for Shop Windows; all these have Belconies. Thomas Smith and Daniel Pege are Partners, and set to making of Brick this Year, and they are very good; also, Pastorus,' the German Friend, Agent for the Company at Frankford, with his Dutch" People, are preparing to make Brick next year. Samuel Carpenter, is our Lime burner on his Wharf. Brave Lime Stone found here, as the Workmen say, being proved. We build most Houses with Belconies. Lots are much desir'd in the Town, great buying one of another. We are now laying the foundation of a large plain Brick house," for a Meeting House, in the Center,7 (sixty
Nathaniel Allen (d. 1692), Quaker, a cooper of Redcliffe Street, Bristol, England, was one of the three commissioners who preceded Penn to Pennsylva- nia, in 1681, to lay out Philadelphia and the lands of the First Purchasers. His house was on the west side of Front, above Chestnut Street. He finally settled with his family on his plantation "Allenbury," on the west side of Neshaminy Creek in Bensalem Township, Bucks County.
? Dr. Thomas Wynne (1627-1692), Quaker, a native of Bronvedog, parish of Yskewiog, Flintshire, Wales, came over in the ship Welcome with William Penn in 1682 and was the first speaker of the assembly of Pennsylvania held in Philadelphia. His lot was on the west side of Front Street, about midway between Chestnut and High (Market) streets.
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