USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume I > Part 38
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a small sum would ferry passengers across the creek in a boat she poled across. John Chads' widow was living at the ford on the day of the battle of Brandywine, in the stone house already mentioned. Washington was in the field just above the ford on the morning of the battle reconnoitering, but was driven away by British cannon balls. Several of the farm houses in the sec- tion showed for many years the effects of the battle fought in that hitherto peaceful section, September 1I, 1777, and several of the spots of especial in- terest have been marked by tablets, by the societies interested in their preserva- tion.
Chadds Ford. now the principal village of the township, is located on the line of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore, at the old ford, thirty miles from Philadelphia and twelve miles from Media. Schools are located in Birm- ingham at different points, best to accommodate the rural character of the population. They are known as Kaolin or No. I school; Chadd's Ford, or No. 2: Gilpin's or No. 3 : Smith Bridge, No. 4. The old octagon school house is near the present Kaolin school. Churches exist in the township, all the prin- cipal denominations being represented, St. Luke's Episcopal being located in Chadds Ford village. The population of the township in 1910 was 702.
There are two historic buildings in Birmingham. Washington's Head- quarters, a building of stone, two stories, used by Washington as his headquar- ters during the battle of Brandywine, was built in 1731, by Thomas G. Clark, and was owned at the time of the battle by Benjamin Ring. There are sev- eral stories connected with the ancient building, one of which is that the first time an American flag ever floated from the house was during the battle of Brandywine, when the Stars and Stripes were flung from an open window and hung there all through the fight. Another is, that while the battle was raging, Benjamin Ring stood on the porch watching the fray. Bullets were flying all around and Ring was advised to go into the house for protection, but answered, "I always put my trust in the Lord." Just at that moment a round shot struck at his feet. Tradition makes no reference to the revocation of his trust, simply recording the fact that he fled to the wine-cellar. Here Benjamin Ring conducted a tavern, his application for a license being granted in 1800 and refused in 1802. The following year his son Joshua was granted a license, the hotel having the name of "The United States Arms" in 1805. Its career as a hostelry ended in 1807. Extensive repairs were made in 1829, although the interior of the east side remains as it was at the time of the battle.
The house to which General Lafayette was carried after being wounded in the battle of Brandywine, was built in 1745 by a member of the Gilpin family. Before being carried into the house, the General was laid under a large syca- more tree at the side of the building, and after partially recovering his strength was taken within. The sycamore, which was large at the time, is now a mas- sive tree, its wide-stretching branches capable of offering shade and shelter to a hundred wounded soldiers. Upon revisiting America under much more pleasant and more peaceful conditions than on his previous visit, General Lafayette called on Gideon Gilpin, who owned the property at the time of the
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR FNOX AND TILD N FA A DAY ENS.
Bowen & Co.lith. Philada
RESIDENCE OF CALEB PUSEY AT CHESTER MILLS.
Drawn by C.P. Tholey
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battle and who had made his home an asylum for the French nobleman. At this time Mr. Gilpin, a very old man, was confined to his bed, but was very much pleased at the call, the General pressing his hand cordially and wishing him every blessing. The house mentioned stands on the Baltimore turnpike, east of Chadd's Ford, south of the Gilpin school-house, and not far east of the house on the same road which served as Washington's headquarters.
Chester Township .- The original district comprised in Chester township, included the city of Chester, as now constituted and the borough of Up- land. As now constituted it consists of the territory lying between those places and the townships of Upper Chichester, Aston, Middletown and Nether Providence. Chester township was one of the first municipal dis- tricts erected after Penn's first visit to the Province in 1682, when he di- vided the territory into counties. Chester creek crosses the township from west to east, the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore and the Baltimore & Ohio railroads also cross, the former following the line of the creek from Morgan station to Upland station, the latter road touching only the south- ern point of the township. The schools are Franklin School in the extreme south, and Washington School at Brookhaven. The population in 1910 was 615. The history of the county, principally comprised in the city of Chester and borough of Upland, will more fully be told in connection with those places, and in the chapter on educational institutions, manufacturing and churches.
Upland Borough .- The first mills erected in the municipal district now known as the borough of Upland, were also the first mills erected in Penn- sylvania ; after the territory passed to the ownership of William Penn. It was in connection with the mills of Upland that John P. Crozer came into promi- nence, and it is within the limits of the borough that Crozer Theological Sem- inary is located, an institution established by the Crozer family in 1868, as a memorial to their father. Crozer Home for Incurables is also a monument to the generous humanity of the Crozers. Upland station, on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, is situated within the limits of the city of Chester, no steam railroad entering the borough limits. Two public schools of modern character are located in the borough, while both the Baptist and Methodist Episcopal de- nominations have houses of worship. The grist mills that have for so long been the life of the borough, are still a great source of prosperity. The bor- ough is a favorite resident section, its proximity to Chester and Philadelphia rendering it a most desirable abode. It was created a borough May 24, 1869, being then a most prosperous village. In 1910 the population was 2221.
The oldest building in Pennsylvania is the Pusey House at Upland, yet preserved as a relic of the long ago, and in almost the same form as when built by Caleb Pusey, whose name is inseparably connected with Chester Mills, although long before his death he had parted with all his interests in the land and business. He died in February, 1726-27. He was a last maker by trade, and emigrated from England in 1682 with his wife Ann, settling at the present site of Upland. The old house bearing his name is on the north side
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of the mill race; is about thirty feet in length, fifteen feet in breadth, one story, with hipped roof. The thick walls are of stone and brick, while the floor is of broad solid oak planking. The brick part of the wall was evidently put there to take the place of stones which had fallen out. The bricks in the east- ern gable it is said were placed there after Chester Mills had become the property of Samuel Shaw, who repaired the house. A low doorway gives admission to the room; the low ceilings and the heavy beams above still dis- close the marks of the axe which hewed the timber into form more than two centuries ago. A stepladder enclosed in a rude gangway gives access to the garret. There is the old widemouthed fireplace (now enclosed) before whose hearth sat the sedate Penn with his trusted agent, Caleb Pusey, discussing the prospects of their business enterprises and forming plans for the future good of the colony.
South Chester Borough .- Originally part of Chester township and now part of the city of Chester, South Chester was in its separate form a busy hive of manufacturing industry. As part of Chester it now constitutes an important part of the wealth and prosperity of that city. On April 15, 1869, the legislature created the District of Lamokin, and March 12, 1870, passed an act providing "that the district of Lamokin in the county of Delaware, together with two certain tracts of land, each containing about twenty *
* * be and the same is con- acres, lying adjacent to the said district
stituted a borough with the name style and title of the Borough of South Chester in the County of Delaware." The first burgess was Thomas * J. Clayton, elected in April, 1870, when the first vote cast by a colored man in the state of Pennsylvania was cast at the first borough election held in South Chester, by William Henry Cooper. In 1879 the town hall was erected, and dedicated October 27, of that year. Churches, schools and mills of South Chester are treated in separate chapters. In 1897 the bor- ough gave up its separate corporate existence and became a part of the city of Chester and now constitutes the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Wards.
The first fire company in the borough was the Felton Fire Company, organized in 1882, which the same year erected at a cost of $3,000 a brick fire house between Morton and Feffrey streets. The first newspapers were the South Chester News, established by W. Warren Webb, March 23. 1883. The Plain Speaker was established August 1, 1883, by Olin T. Pancoast.
North Chester Borough .- This borough, created by act of legislature, March 14, 1873, included the villages of Paultown, Powhattan, Waterville and Shoemakerville, "beginning at the intersection of the boundary lines of the city of Chester, the borough of Upland and the township of Chester," the line continuing "along the northeastern boundary of the said borough of Upland," following the line of Chester creek to the northern boundary of the city of Chester. The upper part of the borough was part of the 1841/2 acres surveyed to James Sandelands, December 2, 1685. At the southeastern end of the borough, December 18, 1685, 197 acres were surveyed to Eusta Ander- son, the greater part not in the borough, the part that was included being known
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as Powhattan, because of the mills of that name erected there. At the time of the erection of the borough, Powhattan Mills and Irvington Mills were in successful operation, Chester Rural Cemetery also being within its limits. The first election for burgess and council was held March 29, 1873; John M. Sharpless, the first elected burgess, declining to serve, Henry L. Powell of the council was chosen to act in his stead. North Chester continued its separate borough existence until 1888, when it was consolidated with the city of Ches- ter, and is now known as the First Ward.
Upper Chichester Township .- In the early days of the province of Penn- sylvania the term Chichester was used to indicate that part of Chester county now known as Upper and Lower Chichester townships. Chichester had been surveyed prior to 1686, and at the October court of that year the justices ordered "that the township of Chichester extend its bounds as formerly laid out by Charles Ashcom until further order." The peculiar western line, which separates Upper Chichester from Bethel township, was run to conform to the lines of the tracts surveyed to the early settlers and certainly a more irregular line it would be difficult to lay out.
Among the earliest settlers was Walter Martin, founder of St. Martin's Church. Adjoining his land to the east were 250 acres surveyed to Jere- miah Collett, June 16, 1682. The latter was an earnest churchman, and by will devised a certain sum of money for the support of the rector of St. Martin's Church. Other settlers came in rapid succession ; roads were built ; churches, schools and mills followed ; and the routine of a prosperous rural township constitutes the history of Upper Chichester. The water courses are Naaman's creek, its east and west branches, and Marcus Hook creek ; good roads prevail, and the Baltimore & Ohio railroad crosses the township with stations at Twin Oaks, Boothwyn and Ogden. The public schools are excellent, being known as Larkin or No. 3, Twin Oaks or No. 2, Boothwyn or No. I. Two Friends' Meetings exist in the township; the Presbyterian and Methodist, also having places of worship. The popula- tion in 1910 was 671. The villages are Boothwyn, population about 125; Twin Oaks and Ogden Station (Hance P. O.)
Lower Chichester .- This township includes that part of Chester county lying between Upper Chichester and the Delaware river, including the now borough of Marcus Hook. The division was made early in 1700, the Lower township being part of the grant made by Queen Christiana of Sweden to her subjects on the Delaware, the remaining part of Lower Chi- chester being patented by Gov. Andros, March 28, 1679, to Charles Jansen, Olle Rawson, Olle Nielson, Hans Hopman, John Hendrickson and Hans Olsen, the tract containing 1,000 acres. The principal history of the town- ship centres in the present borough of Marcus Hook. The Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad crosses the township, with stations at Trainer and Linwood, trolley lines connecting with the Chester systems of transportation. A grammar school near Trainer, and the Rockhills school, constitute the public school system of the township outside of Mar-
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cus Hook, there also being a Methodist Episcopal church near the Gram- mar school. The population in 1910 was 1250.
Borough of Marcus Hook .- At Upland court, in 1678, a record appears acknowledging from Hans Ollsen a deed to William Clayton, for all his land, "right and interest of & to his houses and appurtenances Lying and being all Marretties hooke." In 1682 the ancient name of Marcus Hook was changed by an order of Upland court to Chichester, and for many years the latter name was born in legal documents, but the popular name was so fixed in the public that it would not accept the new name and the village retained the old name Marcus Hook in spite of legislation and executive power. After the coming of Penn in 1682, Marcus Hook grew rapidly, becoming a formidable rival of Chester, the two towns being about equal in size in 1708, each con- sisting of about one hundred houses. Pirates at an early day came to Mar- cus Hook, a record of the Provincial Council stating that Gov. Keith in 1716 called their attention to "the great losses which the colony had already sus- tained beyond any of its neighbors, by our Trade's being blocked up and infested with pirates at the Capes of this river and bay." He further informed them "that one Trench, a noted pirate who has done the greatest mischief of any to this place, has been lurking for some days at this town."
At a meeting of the council at Philadelphia, at which Gov. Markham pre- sided, the minutes show that the town was granted permission to hold "a weeklye market on friday's to be kept in broad st as is desired." Penn seven months later granted a full charter to Marcus Hook as a market town, with all rights and privileges fully set forth. Boat building was an important indus- try, Peter Kahn, a Swedish naturalist, recording: "they build here every year a number of small ships for sale, and from an iron work which lies higher up in the country, they carry iron bars to this place and ship them." In 1753, William Howell, of Marcus Hook, was a leading shipwright. The ancient town continued prominent in shipbuilding until the larger vessels required, were beyond the capital or plants of the yards, which restricted the industry in Marcus Hook to small coasting and river craft. The industry gradually died out, although as late as 1884. Samuel J. Barton launched a large schooner from his yards. William Cranston and Simon Sherlock were noted ship builders.
The wooden piers of Marcus Hook were erected by the state of Pennsyl- vania, prior to the Revolution. In 1785. Philadelphia merchants memorialized the state government, praying for construction of new piers along the Delaware in the interest of the commercial supremacy of that city. This agitation resulted in the construction of piers at Marcus Hook. April 18, 1893, Marcus Hook was incorporated a borough, Samuel Vernon being elected the first bur- gess : Henry A. Lewis is the present incumbent. The United States Pipe Line enters the borough, which is the seat of a large refining interest. The prin- cipal plants are the Pure Oil Company, Sun Oil Company, Union Petroleum Company, Atlantic Refining Company, A. K. Knabb & Co., (barrel factory), American Viscose Company (artificial silk), Hardwood Package Company
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(barrels). The Episcopal, Baptist and Methodist Episcopal churches all have houses of worship in the borough, there also being an African Methodist Epis- copal church. St. Martin's, the Episcopal church, owes its first land to Walter Martin, an embittered Quaker, who donated an acre and one perch of ground for a church and burial place for the inhabitants of Chichester (Marcus Hook), "Quakers and reputed Quakers only excepted." The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Improved Order of Red Men, Knights of Pythias, and Modern Woodmen, all have lodges, and an excellent public school system is maintained. The State Quarantine Station formerly existing on Tinicum Island, has been in recent years established and is still maintained in Marcus Hook. The Marcus Hook Fire Company is the strong defense of the borough against the fire fiend, and has done excellent service whenever called upon. The population of the borough in 1910 was 1573.
Concord Township .- This township, the largest in Delaware county, is first mentioned in the records of a court "held at Chester, on the 27th of the 4th month called June, 1683," when John Mendenhall was appointed constable for "Concord liberty." A small part of the township in the south, borders the state of Delaware, the other boundaries being Bethel, Birmingham, Thornbury and Aston townships. The township was laid out in rectangular form, and a road exactly in the middle, called Concord street, ran from Bethel on the south to Thornbury on the north. This street laid out in 1682 does not appear ever to have been opened to public travel. Elam road crosses the township from Elam post office, continuing on to Chester Heights, in Aston. The Baltimore turnpike also crosses Concord, as does the Central division of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad. Numerous creeks traverse the township.
Early surveys were made to William Beazer, March 29, 1683, which a little later passed to William Cloud, 300 acres ; to John Beal, 200 acres the same year ; to John Haselgrove, 500 acres, October 12, 1683. Above Con- cordville, John Lee received a patent, December 3, 1701, for 152 acres ; John Mendenhall purchased 300 acres June 27, 1684, on which Concord Friends' Meeting House was built, Mendenhall donating the land. A tract of 200 acres surveyed to William Byers passed in 1693 to Nicholas Pyle, who settled in the township in 1686. He was active in the early milling in- dustry, served six years in the assembly, and was an important factor in the pioneer settlement. Another of the early settlers was Nicholas Newlin, re- puted as very wealthy, a nobleman by descent, being one of the De New- lands who came over with the Conqueror. Although of English family, he came to this country from county Tyrone, Ireland. He was a member of the Provincial Council and a justice of the courts. His son Nicholas, a man of education and means, accompanied his father to Pennsylvania, be- ing then twenty-four years of age. In 1698 he was a member of assembly, serving also during other years. He was one of the proprietaries, commission- ers of property, a justice of the courts, and one of the commissioners of the loan office from 1722 until his death. A list of taxables, dated 1715, re-
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veals the following settlers: Nathanial Newlin Jr., Nicholas Pyle for ye mill, James Claniston, Nathanich Newlin Sr., Joseph Cloud, Henry Oburn, John Palmer, John Palmer Jr., Goodwin Walter, George Robinson, Jacob Pyle, Ralph Pyle, Henry Peirce, Matthias Carle, Ralph Evenson, James Heaved, William Ammett, Thomas Smith, John Lee, Robert Chamberlin, Robert Chamberlin Jr., Thomas West, William Hill, Morgan Jones, Thomas Durnall, George Lee, Daniel Evans, Joseph Nicklin, John Hannum, Ben- jamin Mendenhall, John Mendenhall, John Newlin, Joseph Edwards, Thomas Broom, William fforde, ffrancis Pulin, John Penneck, James Chiffers, John Hackney, Christopher Penock. Freemen : Caleb Pearkins, Richard ffar, Peter Poulson, John Pennock, John Egram, Henry Jones, Thomas Ealthan. Each successive year showed an increase of settlers and wealth, the census of 1910 showing a population of 1213. The schools, churches, mills and mili - tary of the township are treated elsewhere.
The villages of the township are Ivy Mills, Concordville, Ward and Elam, the largest being Concordville, with a population of about 300. A noted family of the township is the Willcox, founded in 1718 by Thomas Willcox and his wife Elizabeth Cole, who settied on the west branch of Chester creek, in Concord. Both he and his wife were members of the Roman Catholic faith, this being, it is asserted, the second Catholic family to settle in Philadelphia. The old Ivy paper mill, with which the family was so intimately connected, was founded by Thomas Willcox, and was the second paper mill built in this state, the first having been the Ritten- house mill on the Wissahickon. This is the oldest business house now standing in the United States. It has had intimate relations not only with Franklin Carey and all the principal printing houses of the last century, but with the colonial authorities for forty years preceding the Revolution, issuing all their money, did business with the authorities of the Revolution- ary period and with the United States government ever since, all in the line of its regular business as manufacturers of printing, currency and security papers. The Old Ivy mill, after standing one hundred years, was torn down in greater part and rebuilt by a grandson of the founder, James M. Will- cox. Two men, the founder and his son, (Judge) Mark Willcox, conducted the mill ninety-eight years. It was then continued by James M. Willcox, who doubled its capacity, and with improved machinery, continuing with bank-note paper a specialty. For a long period not only were the banks of the United States supplied with their paper from the Ivy Mill, but its lofts were at times piled with peculiar looking paper of various tints, bearing in- grained watermarks of most of the governments and banks of South Amer- ica. James M. Willcox built Glen Mills No. 1 and 2, and also maintained his commercial house in Philadelphia. He took his sons Mark and William into partnership, and March 3, 1852, he retired, leaving his business to his sons, and died unexpectedly before the following morning. He is buried with his father, grandfather and many descendants, in the old family bury- ing ground at Ivy Mills. The sons continued the business, meeting the
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great demand made upon them during the civil war for bank-note paper. Later they manufactured in a costly mill the peculiar paper used by the Treasury department in their bank note issues, but patented by the Will- cox house. This "localized fibre" paper, made at the Glen Mills, attained not only a national but world-wide reputation, it making counterfeiting impossible. For ten years the mills were jealously guarded by United States secret service men and forty employees of the Treasury department, to see that no scrap of the paper should reach any but its intended use. During that period, not a sheet out of the millions made was lost or missed ; not a counterfeit on any treasury note or bond of the issue or series that began on that paper; and when in 1878 Secretary John Sherman removed the place of manufacture of government paper, the paper account at Glen Mills balanced and a clear quittance was given. The old Ivy Mill is now a picturesque ruin, but it played an important part in Concord township his- tory and will ever be an interesting relic.
Darby Township .- This township was settled soon after the coming of Penn, being recognized as a place of permanent settlement in 1683. In 1684, Darby Friends' Meeting had been established, the members meeting at the house of John Blunston. In the same year the first official record of Darby appears in the list of collectors, "to gather the assessments for the building of the court-house." Thomas Worth and Joshua Fearne were ap- pointed "for Darby," Mons Stacker and William Cobb for "Amosland and Calcoone Hook." The latter was recognized as a separate municipal district until 1686, when it was made a part of Darby township, and Amosland an- nexed to Ridley. Calcon or Calkoens Hook comprised all the territory between Cobb's creek on the east, and Muckiniattas creek on the west, but later be- came restricted to a lesser area. A patent was issued June 18, 1668, by Gover- nor Lovelace to Israel Helme, Hendrick Jacobson, Ole Kock and Jan Min- sterman, that included almost all the land in the township south of the Queen's Highway and west of a line drawn due south from the toll gate on that road. This great area of land is now covered with the buildings constituting several thriving boroughs, making the former farms appear like one continuous settle- ment, a present map of that section of old Darby township reveals but a small area left under township government. After the Revolution, Upper Darby was set off as a separate township, and in that district are also now several thriving boroughs. In 1747, the township was divided by authority of a township meeting, for every purpose except the support of the poor, the perma- nent total division occurring in 1786. The mills at Darby were built about 1695 or 1696, and are mentioned as "three water grist mills and a fulling mill." The mills, schools and churches of the township will be found in separate chap- ters on these subjects.
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