USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > Bristol > A history of Bristol borough in the county of Bucks, state of Pennsylvania, anciently known as "Buckingham"; being the third oldest town and second chartered borough in Pennsylvania, from its earliest times to the present year 1911 > Part 9
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Bucks County has the honor of having made within her borders the first model of a boat that was ever pro- pelled by steam. It was made by John Fitch, in War- minster Township, in a log shop owned by Stephen Mc- Dowell. Her machinery was made of brass; the paddle- wheels of wood, made by N. Boileau, a student of Princeton, who lived near by. The trial trip was made on the mill pond on the Watts farm, in Southampton Township. A writer, who was present, says he, "with several others in the neighborhood, including the Rev. Nathaniel Irvin, of the Neshaminy Church, stationed themselves around the dam to catch the boat when she came ashore. The fire was lighted, the boat put in the water, and after a few minutes she started and went puffing up the dam. After spending a couple of hours in further experiments, she was declared a success." Fitch carried her home under his arm greatly delighted with the experiment, as the problem of propelling boats by steam was solved on that day, and John Fitch had the honor of an invention that has revolutionized the commerce and naval warfare of the world. A fuller account of Fitch and his doings can be found in Davis' History. Shortly after he moved to Philadelphia and commenced the building of the first steamboat that ever ran on American waters.
The next boat that made her appearance on the Dela- ware was the Phoenix. She was built at New York by John C. Stevens, in 1807, went to Philadelphia, being the first steamer that navigated the ocean. She made her first trip to Bristol in 1809, and was commanded by Cap- 8
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A HISTORY OF BRISTOL BOROUGH.
tain Davis. Her engineer was Robert Stevens, who after- wards became a leading man in steamboat enterprises. The Phoenix in her day was looked upon as the ne plus ultra of the arts, and was admired by all who visited her as a perfect specimen of a steamboat. Her speed was eight miles an hour, with the tide. After a few years her machinery gave out, and she was laid up and rotted down on the Kensington flats.
The Phoenix was followed by the Philadelphia (dubbed the Old Sal). She was built in New York by the Stevens' in 1813, and commenced her trips from Philadelphia to Trenton in 1815. She was a great improvement on her predecessor, and her commander, Captain Abisha Jen- kins, was a great favorite with the traveling public. She had a small brass cannon mounted on her forward deck, which was fired on her arrival at Burlington. On one occasion the gun bursted, killing one of the deck hands, and was never replaced. She left Bristol at 8 o'clock A. M. for Philadelphia, leaving there at 2 P. M. on her return trip. She could make the trip in two hours, with the tide. She in time was worn out in the service.
The opposition between the Philadelphia and the Penn- sylvania was lively, the boats being nearly equal in speed and both leaving the city at the same hour. Great efforts would be made to make the first landings at the several wharves. On one of her trips the Pennsylvania tried to prevent the Philadelphia from landing at Bristol by at- tempting to run across her bows. The captain ordered the pilot to put the Pennsylvania ashore, and directed his engineer to put on all steam. The pilot made a run at her, striking her just abaft the wheel. She was landed on the Jersey shore, where she remained until the next high tide, and the Old Sal went up the river with her flags flying. This was the first and only steamboat fight we ever had on the river.
A small boat built in Philadelphia in 1818, called the Bristol, commanded by Captain Myers, ran from Bristol to Philadelphia for three seasons. She was destroyed by fire while moored at her dock.
A boat built in New York, called the Sea Horse, was run in opposition to the Bristol one season, when she was
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hauled off for want of patronage, and went back to New · York.
In 1817-18, two boats were built in Philadelphia by a company called the Citizens' Line, to run in opposition to the Union Line, the Etna, commanded by Captain Davi- son, and the Pennsylvania by Captain Kellum. These boats had high pressure engines, built after the model of Oliver Evans' engine in the Philadelphia waterworks. After running two seasons the engines were altered to low pressure. The Etna was taken to New York, and run from there to New Brunswick. During one of her
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OLD JOHN A. WARNER, NOW "BURLINGTON."
trips she collapsed a flue, and several of her passengers were seriously scalded. She became unpopular as a pas- senger boat and was run as a freight boat. The Penn- sylvania, after a few years, became a tow-boat in the employ of the Delaware Canal Company.
The Franklin, built in New York in 1821, was run by the Union Line Company. She was commanded by Cap- tain Joseph Jenkins, who was considered one of the best
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watermen of his day. She was taken back to New York after running two seasons.
The Albermarle, a New York boat, was run by the Citizens' Line one season and then discontinued.
The Congress, built in New York, was commanded by Captain DeGraw, and had a safety barge towed behind, on which an extra fare was charged as it was considered a safer place in case of an explosion. She was run in opposition to the Union Line but was hauled off after one season.
The Trenton, a very popular and successful boat, was built by the Messrs. Stevens at Hoboken, in 1824, and commenced her trips in 1825, from Philadelphia to Tren- ton, was under the command of Captain Hinkle; after many years' service on the Delaware waters she returned to New York, where she was broken up.
The Burlington, another popular boat on the Union Line, was built in 1827. She ran between Philadelphia and Bordentown, and was commanded by Captain Kes- ter, a jolly fellow, full of jokes and fun. On one occasion the captain had on board a fine horse for a friend in Bor- dentown, with a request that he would see him safely delivered. Just after the boat left Bristol, the horse be- came frightened and jumped overboard. The steamer was stopped, the small boat lowered and the captain and cwo men jumped in. The captain cut the rope by which he was fastened to the rail, and ordered the men to row ashore while he held up the horse's head to keep him from drowning. When they reached the shore the captain tried to get him on his feet, but the horse made no effort to move, when on examination it was found that the rope by which he was tied, being too short to allow him to reach the water, his neck was broken in the fall. It was a long time before the captain heard the last of the joke of trying to save the life of a horse with a broken neck. On his arrival at Bris- tol the passengers would hail him with the salutation : "Good morning captain, how's your horse?" The Bur- lington run for many years as a successful boat, until it became necessary to have a larger one, when she was used for towing purposes.
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A HISTORY OF BRISTOL BOROUGH.
The Rainbow, a narrow, sharp boat of great speed, . built in New York, ran part of one season but was hauled off and put on the line from Philadelphia to Cape May.
The New Philadelphia, built in New York, run two seasons, was taken back to New York, lengthened and run to Albany as a passenger boat under the command of Captain Joseph Jenkins.
The Emerald, a New York boat, run in opposition to the Union Line one season, was taken back and put on the Albany line.
The Swan, another New York boat, was run by the Union Line one season. The four last named boats ran between the years 1833 and 1838.
The Hornet was built by Jacob Ridgeway up Cross- wick's Creek. Mr. Ridgeway built the boat and put on a line of stages to carry passengers to New York in oppo- sition to the Union Line. The opposition became so in- tensely bitter that the passenger fare was reduced to a fippenny bit (614 cents) from Philadelphia to Borden- town. The Union Line, to get rid of the opposition, bought it off.
The Gazelle was run a short time by Captain Benjamin McMackin, who afterwards built the Edwin Forrest, which continued in service until a few years ago.
The Marcus Bozarris, the Mountaineer, the Appoquini- mink, the Boliver, the Sun and the Balloon, all ran as opposition boats to the Union Line.
The John Stevens, the Nelson and Joseph Belknap, all New York boats, were run in the employ of the Camden and Amboy Railroad Company. The Stevens was one of the finest boats that ever graced our waters. After running a few years she was destroyed by fire while lying at her dock at Bordentown. She was never rebuilt.
· The Richard Stockton, another splendid steamer, built at Wilmington, Del., for the Camden and Amboy line, took the place of the Stevens. She is now running in New York waters.
The Thomas A. Morgan, John A. Warner, Twilight, Columbia and Edwin Forrest, were all built at Wilming- ton. These boats, with the Stockton, were built by the
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Harlan & Hollingsworth Company, and are first-class in construction and management.
There was a small boat with a stern wheel run in oppo- sition to the Forrest one season.
The Nelly White, Popecatlin and the Gem run as inde- pendent boats, but were short lived.
There was built in the early days of steam boating at Camden, N. J., a boat called the Eagle. She made a few trips to Bristol, but did not succeed.
About 1900, a rival line placed two boats on the river, to run between Trenton and Philadelphia. One was named the City of Trenton and the other the Quaker City. During the summer of 1901, the boiler of the former boat exploded one mile above Holmesburg, killing a number of persons and injuring many others. The boat taking fire, the pilot ran her on the flats on the Pennsylvania side, where she burned to the water's edge. The other boat was subsequently withdrawn.
In 1903 the freight steamer Fannie, of the Wilmington Steamboat Company, began making daily trips between Bristol, Burlington and Philadelphia. The experiment appears to have been a failure and she was removed. Later the Springfield was placed on the route by a rival company, but was recently bought by the present com- pany and is still running.
The John A. Warner is yet in active service, but is now known as the Burlington. The Columbia is still the most majestic boat on the upper Delaware. The latest boat on the river, which ran for a few years as the Soo, has now been rechristened the Bristol, and is still in service.
An Interesting Record .- At the meeting of the Town Council, held on September 17, 1786, the following appears on the records: "On motion being made that the general expenditures of the past year should be entered in the book for the satisfaction of the public, it was unanimously agreed that the accounts should be col- lected and entered which are as follows, being the whole expense of the burgess and council for one year :
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At Charles Bessonett's:
£
1785 Sept. 8 3 bowls punch, 6 s .; grog, 6d.
s. d. 6 6
II Bitters and wine, 6d .; I bottle of wine, 7s. 6 d. 8
23 Punch, 2s .; grog, IS ... 3
27 3 bottles wine, 22s., 6d .; grog, Is .; toddy, 8d. I 4 2
Nov. 9 I bottle wine, 7s., 6d .; 2 gills, do., IS., 101/2d. . 9 41/2
1786.
May 19 I bottle of wine 7 9
July 31 5 bottles of porter, 12s., 6d .; 1 pint of wine, 3s .; grog, 6d. 16 9 Sept. 14 2 bowls punch. . 4
£3 19 31/2
Charles Bessonett's house at that period appears to have been the favorite resort for holding meetings of council. It is presumed that his accommodations were better than could be found elsewhere. The mind can readily picture councilmen of those days sitting by the glowing hearth before the open wood fire, calmly dis- cussing the affairs of the borough and during the pro- ceedings of the evening partaking of liberal potations of seductive punch and sparkling wines. The public, it is presumed, wanted to know how much they drank, and for their "satisfaction" the above account was spread upon the minutes.
First Post Office in Bucks County .- The first post- office in the county was established in 1790 at Bristol. Two others were in existence six years later, Morrisville and Plumstead (ville), and a fourth, Buckingham, was established after another interval of six years (1802). In 1804, probably earlier, mail was carried twice a week be- tween Philadelphia, Easton and Bethlehem, by way of Doylestown. The following notice appears in the "Cor- respondent" of December 4, 1816: "The mail will leave Doylestown on Thursday morning at 2 o'clock, and arrive at Bristol by 8:00 in the evening; leave Bristol at 6
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o'clock Friday morning, and passing by New Hope, arrive at Doylestown the same evening by 8:00. Leave Doylestown Saturday morning at 6 o'clock and arrive at Lancaster on Monday by 10 o'clock; leave Lancaster at 3 o'clock same day and arrive at Doylestown on Wednes- day evening by 6 o'clock. Leave Doylestown on Satur- day by 6 o'clock in the morning, arrive at Quakertown by noon; leave Quakertown at 2 o'clock and return to Doylestown by 9 o'clock in the evening." The mail to Bristol passed through. Newtown and Langhorne. A weekly mail from Quakertown to Durham was estab- lished in 1819.
BRISTOL POST OFFICE.
Colonel Joseph Clunn was the first postmaster at Bris- tol. He opened the office at his residence on Mill Street, and continued it there until his death, in 1816, when his son-in-law, John Priestly, was appointed. The successive incumbents since then have been as follows: John Bes- sonett, John Bessonett, Jr., 1841-45, Gilbert Tomlin- son, 1845-49; William Kinsey, 1849-53; Samuel Pike,
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A HISTORY OF BRISTOL BOROUGH.
1853-61 ; Hugh and Charles Dongan, 1861-65; Nathan Tyler, 1865-69; Israel Tomlinson, 1869-77; Jesse B. Mears, 1877-85; W. B. Baker, 1885-89; James Drury, 1889-95; W. H. H. Fine, 1895-99; Jacob Winder, 1899- 1903; E. W. Minster, 1903.
The Badger Fishery .- In 1790 there was established in Bristol Township one of the most valuable shad fish- eries in the county, that known as the Badger Fishery. For a number of years it rented for $1,800 for the season. As high as 1,700 shad and 20,000 herring, besides a large number of smaller fish, have been caught in one day. On one or two occasions sharks, of the shovel-nosed species, have been caught. The fishery is still in opera- tion and many valuable hauls of shad and herring are still made.
Story of a Duel .- In 1798, while the Tenth Regiment of the United States Army was encamped above the town, a duel was fought between a Captain Sharp and his quartermaster, named Johnson. It appeared that both were in love with a young lady named McElroy, and for some cause Captain Sharp challenged the quarter- master to a duel, which took place on the Iredell farm above the Hollow Creek. The first shot was premature on the part of Sharp, who missed his opponent. Johnson fired his shot in the air and said if Captain Sharp would withdraw the challenge, the matter could be settled; he refused, a second shot was fired and Sharp fell mortally wounded. Johnson immediately left for his home in Vir- ginia. Sharp was taken to his boarding house, but died before he reached the hotel. His brother officers buried him and erected a monument, which has fallen to pieces, to his memory, leaving an inscription to be put upon the slab, which was never done.
Miss McElroy never married. During a visit from New York to Bristol she related that on the morning the duel was fought Captain Sharp arose early and was about to leave before breakfast. She had a suspicion that something serious was about to take place between the
.
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A HISTORY OF BRISTOL BOROUGH.
captain and quartermaster, and requested the captain to remain with her, as she was fearful that he would be injured in a conflict with Johnson. He asked her to have no fear of anything serious happening to him. He would dine with her at the usual hour. "Boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
A Whiskey Story .- On the tract of land owned by Wm. McIlvane and Alexander Graden, the Tenth Regi- ment of the United States Army was encamped in 1798. One day the "still-house" of John Booz, who lived on the farm now occupied by the heirs of Joseph Stackhouse, was broken open and a barrel of whiskey stolen. Mr. Booz thought the deed was done by some of the soldiers and called upon Captain Sharp, who commanded the camp, and told him of his suspicions. The captain promised to investigate the matter, but he was shortly after killed in a duel on the farm now owned by Iredell's, and the result of his whiskey investigation was never known and it remained a mystery for many years as to who stole the barrel. A short time before the death of Mr. Booz, he received a letter from a man in Ohio, saying he was one of the gang of soldiers stationed near Bristol, who broke into the still-house and stole the barrel of whiskey. Hearing that they were charged with commit- ting the deed, and that the captain was going to investi- gate the matter, and fearing that they would be found out and punished, they removed the barrel from its hiding place and buried it along the creek. He stated he was settled on a tract of land and had become a farmer, and that as soon as he was able he would pay Mr. Booz for his loss. That barrel has never been found, although in by- gone days many lovers of good whiskey, with a rod of iron sharpened to a point, made diligent searches by prob- ing the ground on both sides of the creek. If the long- sought for barrel is ever found, it would be well for the finder to drink sparingly of its contents.
Bloomsdale Ferry Lane .- During Colonial times a ferry was maintained aross the Delaware River at this point
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A HISTORY OF BRISTOL BOROUGH.
and this lane (now Green Lane) was known as Blooms- dale Ferry Lane. The yellow house on the river bank was the ferry tavern, and the landing was at the low shore adjoining. The ferry and this lane leading from it, were an important east and west thoroughfare over one hundred years ago.
Aaron Burr, after his unfortunate duel with Alexander Hamilton in 1804, fled to the west . His journey took him through New Jersey, and when he reached the Delaware he crossed over on the Bloomsdale ferry and stayed over night at the Yellow Tavern. The Yellow Tavern is sup- posed to have been built about 1750. (Contributed by Leopold Landreth.)
Bela Badger .- The Bristol island meadows, on the Delaware, below Bristol, forming a tract of rich meadow land, were acquired by Samuel Carpenter in 1688. They were then called Burden's Island, said to contain 8151/4 acres, and were described as lying between Mill Creek and Hog Creek. In 1716 Hannah Carpenter and sons conveyed the island to a purchaser. In 1774 an island near this, containing about forty acres, called Lesser Island, was conveyed by John Clark to John Kidd. In 1807 Bela Badger bought the Fairview and Belle Meadow farms, lying south of Bristol, and afterwards Bristol Island, then called Yonkin's, and subsequently Badger's Island. The tide ebbed and flowed between the island and mainland. Bela Badger came from Connecti- cut and for thirty years was a prominent citizen of Bris- tol. He owned 800 acres in all, fronting on the Delaware. He spent several thousand dollars in banking out the river from part of his land, and recovered 350 acres of very fine meadow land, and also spent a large sum to im- prove his fishery, known as the Badger Fishery, which he made one of the best on the river. Mr. Badger was a breeder of blooded horses, and dealt largely in fast stock. He made the first match against Eclipse with Sir Walter, and was beaten. He was connected with Colonel William R. Johnson, of Virginia, in the famous match of Henry against Eclipse, for $20,000 a side, run on Long Island in May, 1823, and others of equal note. He was the owner
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of Hickory, the sire of some of the finest colts since Mes- senger's day. He imported the celebrated horse Valen- tine, and was interested in the ownership of some of the best blooded horses of that day. Mr. Badger stood high in the sporting world, and was considered by all a man of integrity. He died in 1839, without family.
The Celebrated Bath Springs House .- This ancient structure, which was erected in 1810, was once the resort for the elite of the country. Even visitors from Europe poured their gold into the proprietor's coffers while they lingered at this pleasant old-time resort and bathed in the wonderful water, which flowed from the famous spring nearby. To this spring the house owed its existence and the popularity which drew to its shelter such men as Gneral Mifflin, of Revolutionary fame; General Cadwala- der, Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia; James Sime Ento and Don De Onis, Spanish Ministers, and such cele- brated people as Joseph Bonaparte, the Biddles, Baron Ludwig, the Prussian Consul, and a host of others well known in the neighborhood of the Quaker City over a century ago.
At the close of the war with Great Britain in 1816, a brilliant company gathered at the old mansion and cele- brated the close of the struggle by a long-remembered ball, in which stately belles danced the minuet with dis- tinguished army and navy officers, who had won their spurs in the conflict just ended. Festoons and flags cov- ered the house, while Chinese lanterns decorated every tree. A dinner was given at 4 o'clock in the morning, at which statesmen, congressmen and foreign representa- tives sat down side by side. Among them was the Span- ish Minister, Don De Onis, who lived near by. His daughter was shortly after married by proxy to a young officer in Spain. The ceremony was performed by Father Hogan, of Philadelphia, and is said to have been the first marriage of the kind in this country.
Outside of the great, lumbering coaches, which every family of means possessed in those days, the only means of conveyance was by stage. The turnpike between Philadelphia and Trenton had been constructed but a
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A HISTORY OF BRISTOL BOROUGH.
short time and three rival lines of stages jolted the guests over the road to their destination. Joseph Bona- parte, who lived in state at Bordentown, was a frequent visitor in his barge of state, presented him by Stephen Girard, and was often accompanied by Prince Murat. The exiled prince was so charmed with the neighborhood and the people whom he met that he would have taken up his · residence in Bristol had not the laws of Pennsylvania at that time precluded a foreigner from holding land.
The springs were known to exist as early as 1700. Their value for medicinal purposes was not appreciated, however, for many years; the early settlers speaking of the water, which is chalybeate in character, as "that nasty water." It was nearly 1720 before the colonists began to use the water for drinking and bathing. Dr. Rush, in 1773, read a paper before the Philadelphia Philosophical Society in which he highly recommended the water of the Bath Springs at Bristol as a cure for many diseases. After this the price of board took a sudden rise in Bristol and the town rose rapidly in importance as a fashionable watering place. A Philadelphia newspaper of 1801, said : "The Bristol baths and Chalybeate Springs are completed in a most commodious manner."
The springs were bought by Dr. Joseph Minnick in 1807. He improved the place by building the old hotel, which has been torn down, and laying out a race course on the adjoining grounds. For ten years following the Bath Springs were at the zenith of their popularity, but a law was passed by the legislature which compelled the race track to close. This, coupled with the discovery of Saratoga Springs, in 1822, reduced the famous old resort to a shadow of its former self until it was finally sold to be used as a private residence. Doctor Gill, a French surgeon of Napoleon's army, became the owner and lived in its shady retreat for many years.
Later the grounds were used by the militia, on "Train- ing Day," and as an excursion resort. They were then much frequented by the old volunteer firemen of Phila- delphia. These last were not always guarded in their con- duct when away from home and they made the Springs a scene of riotous dissipation. So ungovernable their con-
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duct finally became that the boats were forbidden to land excursions at Bristol.
In 1870 a new road was cut through the old property as the march of improvement went on, and the bath- houses were removed. The ruins of the old hotel re- mained for several years overlooking a mill pond 200 years old. Water continued to bubble from the famous springs, and still retained their former properties. Today the site is the property of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which is building its new line of road through the town, and touching the end of this once famous resort. Thus a few months will see the "Saratoga" of our grand- father swept into utter oblivion.
The first mention of the Bath Springs in the records of the borough was made in 1769, although in Bache's His- tory of Bristol Borough, it is stated the Springs first ob- tained celebrity in 1722. The borough record of the meeting of August 7, 1769, shows that it was then a popu- lar spot. The record says: "The Bristol Bath and Wells have at a very considerable expense been put in order for the reception of the sick and diseased, and numbers of persons by using the same have received benefit there- from, but it being represented to the burgesses and coun- cil that the good purposes intended thereby, from the number of idle and disorderly persons who constantly resort there, especially on the first day of the week, com- monly called Sunday, may in a great measure defeat the good purposes intended thereby, we therefore, in order to put a stop to the same, do order and ordain, that every person (not a housekeeper, or such who are sent by their parents, masters or mistresses for some of the water), that shall be found loitering about or within the limits of the said Bath, shall by either of the constables or Bath keeper, for the time being, be immediately taken into custody, unless they disperse at the request of either of the constables or Bath keeper."
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