USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume I > Part 43
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On February 13, 1866, Chester was incorporated a city, and John Larkin Jr., was elected the first mayor. In 1888 the borough of North Chester was consolidated with the city of Chester, and is now known as the First Ward. In 1889 (October 8), Chester became a city of the third class under the pro- visions of an act of assembly approved May 23, 1889. On February 27 the borough of South Chester was annexed to the city, becoming the Ninth Ward, although later the territory was divided into three wards,-the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh. The city now contains eleven wards, and is a city of the third class, the lawmaking bodies being a select and a common council. The city
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Drawn by C P. Tholey.
TOWN HALL AT CHESTER, BUILT 1724.
Bowen & Co lith Philada
THE NEW TORR PUBLIC LIBRARY -
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
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is provided with an efficient volunteer fire department, consisting of the Frank- lin, Hanley, Good Will and Felton hose companies, and the Moyamensing Hook and Ladder Company. Chester contains, according to the census of 1910, a population of 38,537, constantly increasing ; has ninety-five miles of paved and unpaved streets; has trolley connections with Philadelphia, Wil- mington, Delaware, and all suburban towns; thirty churches, four national banks, two trust companies, two savings banks, two daily and two weekly newspapers, and eighty-two secret organizations.
The New Chester Water Company, J. L. Forwood, president, furnishes the city's water. The source of supply is the Delaware river; reservoirs with a capacity of 21,000,000 gallons, a filtration plant of 10,000,000 gal- lons daily capacity being located on Harrison's Hill, three and a half miles from Chester, inland. The pumping capacity of the plant is 18,000,000 gal- lons daily ; the efficiency of the filtration plant for six years has been 98.8 per cent. Among the city's educational institutions (see schools) are the Pennsylvania Military College, Crozer Theological Seminary (Upland), and Chester Commercial College. The charitable institutions of the city include Chester Hospital, the Crozer Home for Incurables, and the J. Lewis Crozer Hospital.
A feature of Chester's educational and religious work is that done under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, incorporated 1874, whose brick six-story building, with basement and roof garden, stands at the corner of Seventh street and Edgemont avenue. This building was dedicated and opened November 17, 1907, the cost being approximately $175,000. The association uses the entire building, except stores on the first floor, having in addition to all the features of a modern Young Men's Christian Association, dormitories that accommodate forty-five roomers. Every department of their four-fold plan of work-spiritual, mental, social and physical-is fully organ- ized, and a grand work is being done. The officers of the association are: M. Ocheltree, president ; Orlando H. Cloud, vice-president ; Elson W. Shef- field, general secretary; John C. Hinkson, treasurer; William M. Bowen, recording secretary.
The first post office building erected by the government was located on the corner of Fifth and Welsh streets, and was first occupied in November, 1896. John L. Garrett being postmaster. The building becoming too small for the large business transacted, large additions were begun, now nearing completion. Free delivery was established under Postmaster Robert Chadwick, about 1892, twenty-six carriers, now covering the entire city, the village of Trainer and a part of Marcus Hook. The office is one of the first class, employing thirteen clerks. The building is also used by governmental departments,-customs, internal revenue, pensions, civil service, and inspection of engineering machin- ery. The present postmaster, James W. Hamilton, was reappointed, February 12, 1912; assistant postmaster, Charles Longbotham Jr .; Lois Armstrong, superintendent. The following is the amount of business done at this office for the periods named :
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DELAWARE COUNTY
Year ending June 30, 1876.
Total receipts of office $13,959.14
..
June 30, 1886
22,030.31
June 30, 1896
66
35,520.68*
.. June 30, 1906
63,477.82
.. June 30, 1913
46
66 74,967.05
*Year the present building was occupied.
An efficient Board of Trade, that looks after the commercial, industrial and general interests of the city, was organized December 7, 1886, that did excellent service for several years, then practically ceased its efforts. In 1907 activity was resumed, and in 1912 a thorough reorganization was effected, annual dues increased from $5 to $25, the present paid membership numbering 487, S. D. Clyde, president : Neil B. Sinclair, secretary.
Steam transportation facilities are furnished by the Baltimore & Ohio, and Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington railroads; water transportation by several companies running steamboats north and south on the Delaware ; the Southern Pennsylvania Traction and the Philadelphia Rapid Transit com- panies furnish city and interurban facilities. Twelve building associations flourish in the city, all prosperous and helpful.
Chester Free Library, Library Hall, 116-118 East Ninth street ; West End Free Library, Fourth and Jeffrey streets ; and the Young Men's Christian Association Library, at their building, Seventh and Edgemont, furnish free and excellent library service. Two companies of the National Guard of Penn- sylvania, with armory at Eighth and New Market streets, meet for drill Mon- day and Tuesday nights of each week-Company B, Sixth Regiment, Cap- tain Samuel Linville; and Company C, Captain Harry P. Vercoe.
The Delaware County National Bank was chartered under the "Omnibus Bank Act" of March 21, 1814. A temporary board of directors was chosen August 27, with John Newbold, president pro tem. On November 28, 1814. the first regular board of directors was elected, consisting of Jolin Newbold, Jonas Eyre, Samuel Anderson, Peter Deshong, John G. Hoskins, Thomas Rob- inson, George G. Leiper, Jonas Preston, Charles Rogers, Joseph Engle, Pierce Crosby, John Cowgill and Nimrod Maxwell. On the same day John Newbold was chosen president, Preston Eyre, cashier. The first building erected and owned by the bank was first used for banking purposes November 20, 1815. The bank prospered and paid dividends until the fall of 1834, when it was found that a large amount of redeemed notes of the bank had by some means gotten into circulation, therefore, between 1834 and 1837, dividends were passed, the earnings going to repair weakened capital. They soon recuperated and steadily prospered, ranking in credit second to no similar institution in the state. When Lee invaded Pennsylvania in 1863, money and securities of the bank to the amount of several hundred thousands of dollars were sent to the Bank of North America in Philadelphia, to be forwarded to New York, with the funds of the latter bank, should occasion demand it, but when Meade and his army rolled back the tide of invasion, the money was returned. On March 14, 1864, the bank ceased its existence as the Delaware County Bank, and was
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DELAWARE COUNTY
chartered as the Delaware County National Bank. On March 6, 1865, after the amount necessary to secure the charter had been deposited in the United States Treasury, the surplus funds of the old bank were divided among the stockholders, paying a dividend of $7 per share, and December 28, 1868, a further dividend of $2.50 was paid, this finally settling all the outstanding business of the old bank. Samuel A. Crozer was the first president of the Delaware County National Bank, and Caleb Emlen the first cashier. In 1882 the building erected in 1815 was removed, and a modern banking house erected on its site at a cost of $50,000 for building and finishings. The report of June 4, 1913, to the United States government, showed total resources of $2,427,- 269.67, with deposits, subject to check, of $957,239.33. The capital stock of the bank is $300,000 ; J. H. Roop, president ; T. M. Hamilton, cashier.
The First National Bank was organized May 15, 1864, a charter hav- ing been previously obtained under articles of association-Abram R. Per- kins was elected president; William Taylor, cashier; directors-Abram R. Perkins, Samuel M. Felton, Thomas Reanney, Benjamin Gartside, Samuel Archbold, Samuel Eccles Jr., and William Ward. The bank began busi- ness at the southwest corner of Penn and Second streets, continuing until January 18, 1871, when it moved to a new location, and on the 23rd of the same month, Abram R. Perkins, having moved from Chester and in fail- ing health, resigned the presidency and was succeeded by John Larkin Jr., one of the four men to whom Chester is indebted for much of the prosperity that attended their period, the others being John P. Crozer, James Campbell and John M. Broomall. Later the bank business was located at No. 408 Market street, and in 1890 it moved to its present fine building at Fifth and Market streets. The report rendered to the government June 4, 1913, showed resources of $1,700,991.86, with deposits subject to check $1,090,300.19. The capital stock is $200,000; George M. Booth, president; T. Edward Clyde, cashier.
The Chester National Bank was chartered as a national bank March I, 1884, beginning business April Ist following. The first president was Samuel A. Dyer, the first cashier Samuel H. Leeds, the first board of directors : J. Frank Black, Robert Wetherill, Hugh Shaw, Charles B. Houston, William Appleby, George B. Lindsay, Jonathan Pennell, H. B. Black and Samuel A. Dyer. The bank is located on West Third street, near Market Square, in 2 handsome granite building erected in 1873 by Samuel A. Dyer and William Appleby for a private banking office, to which they made large additions and improvements. In 1875 William Appleby retired, Mr. Dyer continuing the business until its incorporation as the Chester National Bank. In 1899, the corporation erected their present substantial bank building. The statement furnished the government June 4, 1913, showed total resources of $19.334,- 404.83 ; deposits subject to check, $787,429.23. The capital stock of the bank is $300,000 ; J. Frank Black, president ; Samuel H. Seeds, cashier.
The latest addition to the national banks of Chester, is the Pennsylvania National Bank, organized in March, 1903, with $100,000 capital stock, John D.
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DELAWARE COUNTY
Goff, the first president ; A. V. Lees, cashier. The present officers are: John J. Buckley, president ; Edward C. Burton, vice-president ; D. E. Casey, cashier. At the close of business, June 4, 1913, the report showed total resources $719,- 053.83, with deposits subject to check, $442,157.20.
The Delaware County Trust, Safe Deposit and Title Insurance Company was organized July 2, 1885 ; capital stock, $250,000; Judge Isaac Johnson, the first president. The company occupies the Old Clayton building, Market Square. A condensed report, May 3, 1913, shows resources in the bank depart- ment to be $2,537,884.21 ; deposits, $2,089,842.82. The trust department shows trust funds invested to be $1,866,751.50; uninvested, $34,715.71 ; cor- porate trusts $2,698,000. The present officials are: James A. G. Campbell. president ; John C. Hinkson, vice-president; R. E. Jefferis, secretary and treasurer.
The Cambridge Trust Company, located at Fifth and Market streets, on the site of the old Cambridge Hotel, was organized in November, 1901 ; capital stock $250,000. Their report of May 1, 1913, shows in the banking department resources of $1,891,333.20 ; deposits, $1,515,339.50; trust funds invested, $1,- 158,036.05 : uninvested, $8,634.47; corporate trusts, $1.770,100. The officers are: Garnett Pendleton, president ; W. A. Dyer, treasurer, and others.
The foregoing banks and trust companies form the Chester Clearing House Association, J. H. Roop, president.
The City Hall at Chester bears eloquent witness to the great age of that city. It was erected long before the foundations were laid for Independence Hall in Philadelphia, its history being concisely given in the inscription upon a bronze tablet placed on the front of the building by Delaware County Chap- ter, Daughters of the American Revolution. The following is the inscrip- tion: "This building was erected in 1724, during the reign of George I. of England. It was the court house of Chester county, 1724-1786; the court house of Delaware county, 1789-1851; hall of Chester borough, 1851-1866; hall of Chester city, since 1866. In 1739 England declared war against Spain, and soldiers were here enlisted for an expedition to Cuba. Here Anthony Wayne rallied and drilled his troops, January, 1776. In 1824 Lafayette, as - guest of the nation, was entertained in this building.
Some Old Historic Houses .- The Logan house was built by Jasper Yeates in 1700, and formerly a stone on which was cut the initials "J. & C. Y." with the date 1700, was set in one of the gables. These initials stood for the names of the owners, Jasper and Catherine Yeates, natives of Yorkshire, England. she the daughter of James Sandelands, the elder. He was appointed by Penn one of the four first burgesses of Chester; was one of the justices of the county, afterwards a justice of the Supreme Court of the province; a mem- ber of the Provincial Council and of the General Assembly. The house was two stories in height, with a tentlike roof forming within an attic with steep sides. A wide doorway gave admission to the hall, while many small diamond shaped panes of glass set in lead gave light to the several apartments and case- ments at the head of the stair landing, furnished the same way to the wain-
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DELAWARE COUNTY
scotted hallway. All the rooms were wainscotted and the panels stained in imitation mahogany. Under the high wooden mantel pieces in the parlor and the room opposite, the fireplaces were lined with illuminated tile illustrating incidents of Bible history. The house descended to the widow of John Yeates, third son of Casper, who sold it to Joseph Parker. He was a native of Cumberland, England; at the age of twenty-five years came to Chester to be near his uncle, the noted Quaker minister, John Salkeld. Parker became register and recorder of Chester county and a justice of the peace. The house descended to Mary, daughter of Joseph Parker; she married Charles Norris, who died January 15, 1766. She then returned to the parental home, which she devised by her will to her only daughter, Deborah. Deborah lived in the house during her girlhood until her marriage to Dr. George Logan, Septem- ber 6, 1781. She was a woman of high intelligence and literary attainment. Her remarkable store of historical information gave her the title of "The Fe- male Historian of Colonial Times." She mingled freely with Revolutionary leaders ; her cousin, Charles Thompson, the first secretary of the Continental Congress, was her intimate friend, and from him she gained much knowledge concerning the inner history of the times. For several years she worked early and late collating, deciphering and copying the manuscripts in her possession concerning the correspondence of William Penn and James Logan, her hus- band's grandfather. Her manuscripts made eleven large quarto volumes, forming two octavo volumes when published by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
The old Hoskins (Graham) house, aged over two centuries, was built in :688, on ground sold by John Simcock to John Hoskins in 1684. The house, a substantial one, was used by Hoskins as an inn-two stories with attic, its front extending to the sidewalk line, the old house stands a monument in brick to the quality of its builders, and a perfect illustration of the early colonial style. Evidences of the thousands of feet that ascended and descended the easy stairs at the end of the wide hall running through the centre, are seen on the ash steps, also wormeaten and discolored. Heavy beams supporting the upper floors stand out prominently from the ceilings, which are unusually high for that period. The floors are of hard wood, the boards of which it is laid being very wide, almost the width of the trees from which they were cut. The numerous rooms gave sleeping accommodations for many guests, while a wide porch in the rear enclosed in lattice work, served in the summer time as a dining room. The immense fireplace in the kitchen, built on as an L, occupied almost the entire eastern end. Here they could seat themselves on benches provided at either end, and enjoy the warmth of the roaring fire of logs, the only way then employed to heat that part of the building. John Hoskins, the owner, came from Cheshire, England, in 1682, and was a member of the Gen- eral Assembly of 1683. His son John was sheriff of Chester county for fif- teen years, taking office in his twenty-third year. He inherited the old man- sion, located at the southeast corner of Edgemont avenue and Graham street.
The old Porter house, built in 1721, ended its existence in the most tragic
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DELAWARE COUNTY
manner in 1882. During this century and a half it was the home of many dis- tinguished people. The house was a massively built stone structure, one of the best illustrations of the grandeur of colonial mansions that the city pos- sessed. A slab in the western gable bore in engraved letters and figures this inscription : L.L.D. and G. 1721. David Lloyd, the first owner, lived sump- tuously in the mansion he had caused to be erected, he being a man of means, one of the eight gentlemen who in the year 1721 are recorded as owning four- wheeled carriages drawn by two horses. He left a widow, Grace (Growden), who was attended faithfully by her friend Jane Fenn, a noted Friends' minis- ter, until the latter married and became mistress of the building. On May 1, 1741, Grace Lloyd, conveyed most of her property to Joseph Hoskins, reserv- ing two acres of ground, and "also the room in the southwest corner of the mansion house, called the dining-room, the room on the northeast corner of said house called the parlor, with a closet and milk house adjoining, the cham- ber over the said dining room, the chamber over the said parlor, one-half of the garret, the front part of the cellar, the old kitchen and chamber over it, the chaise house, the use of the pump, cider mill and cider press, to make her own cider, and part of the garden with free liberty of ingress, egress and regress into and out of all and every the premises for the term of her natural life without impeachment of waste." Grace Lloyd died in 1760. Dying childless, Joseph Hoskins, one of the most useful of Chester's citizens, willed the man- sion to his nephew, John Hoskins, of Burlington, New Jersey, who in turn de- vised it to his son, Raper Hoskins. His widow Eleanor sold to Thomas Lay- cock, the estate next passing to Major William Anderson. His daughter, Eva- lina Anderson, married David Porter, an officer of the United States navy, who in 1843 died at Pera, near Constantinople. They were the parents of the five Porters famous in the annals of the navy and army of the United States. Of these sons, Admiral David D. Porter became the more conspicuous, his Civil War record being one of great efficiency. After the Porters ceased to use the old mansion as a residence, it had a succession of tenants until the gas works were located near it, when it was leased in 1862 to Prof. Jackson, of Philadelphia, who used it as a factory for the manufacture of fireworks. On Friday morning, February 17, 1882, fire attacked the old mansion, a dreadful explosion of the powder and chemicals stored in the building followed, killing in all eighteen persons and wounding fifty-seven others, the destruction of the building being one of the most appalling events in Chester's history.
Other old houses in Chester, worthy of mention are : The Huerline house, on the south side of Third street, built shortly after 1712; the old Lloyd house (Second and Edgemont avenue), built prior to 1703 ; the Barber house, in which it is said the wounds of Gen. Lafayette were dressed, after the battle of Brandywine; the Morgan (Terrill) house, built by Evan Morgan; the Cald- well mansion : the Ashbridge house ; Lamokin Hall, built about 1708, by John Salkeld, Jr., the Thomas Barton house ; the Sandelands House, built by Jonas Sandelands, prior to 1732.
Old Hotels of Chester .- The Boar's Head, at which William Penn spent
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PUBLI, LIBRARY
X AND
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IONS.
-
PENN HOUSE, CHESTER, BUILT IN 1683.
WASHINGTON HOUSE. CHESTER.
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the winter of 1682-83 ; the Black Bear Inn, at the corner of Third and Penn, later known as "The Ship in Distress ;" the Blue Ball Inn, one of the buildings struck by cannon balls from the British war vessel in 1777-all were famous. Among others, the City Hotel, later the "Ship George Washington," later "The Eagle."
The Washington House was erected in 1745, by Audrey Bevan, who named it "Pennsylvania Arms." In 1772 the hotel was bought by William Kerlin, who after the British evacuated Philadelphia named it "The Wash- ington House," a title it still retains. Washington, in passing from Mount Vernon, his home, to the seat of government in Philadelphia and New York, often stopped at this hotel, where the best room in the house was always at his disposal. The ancient mahogany chairs which stood in the room are still preserved by descendants of William Kerlin. The house is appropriately marked by a tablet, thus: "Delaware County Chapter, Daughters of the Amer- ican Revolution, mark this house as the place where Washington wrote at midnight the only report of the Battle of Brandywine, September II, 1777. Here Washington also received the congratulations of the people of Chester upon his election as the First President of the United States, April 20, 1789."
The Columbia House is said to have been the house in which the wounds of General Lafayette were dressed, after the battle of Brandywine, a distinc- tion claimed for two other houses in Chester.
The Blue Anchor Tavern, also known as the "Hope Anchor" and "Swan," "the Steamboat Hotel;" "the Lafayette House," also a claimant for the honor of having sheltered the wounded Lafayette; Schanlan's Tavern; the Goeltz House; the Brown Hotel-these are others.
The present city officials of Chester are: William Ward, Jr., mayor ; James L. Kelly, controller ; E. B. McClenachan, treasurer ; Charles R. Mould, clerk ; John Vance, chief of police; B. G. Ladomus, engineer ; Robert Wat- son, commissioner of highways; Lincoln E. Slater, chief engineer of fire de- partment. The city is uniformly Republican in politics, although from 1872 until 1881 and from 1884 until 1887, Dr. J. L. Forwood, a Democrat, served as mayor ; also from 1893 until 1896, John B. Hinkson, a Democrat, was mayor ; and in 1905-06, William H. Berry was elected on a fusion ticket, he being a leading Democrat.
The official newspapers of the city are the Chester Times, an afternoon daily, and the Morning Republican, a morning daily, both Republican in poli- tics. Other newspapers published in the city are the Delaware County Advo- cate, Republican, published every Saturday, by John Spencer ; The Delaware County Democrat, published every Thursday, by Henry Frysinger ; The Her- ald Ledger, Republican, published every Saturday, by the Ledger Publishing Company.
The city is divided into eleven wards, a representative from each form- ing a select council, two from each ward comprising a common council. The president of select council, 1913, is E. W. Jefferies, M. D., term expires in De- cember, 1915; president of common council, William H. Powel, term expiring
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in December, 1913. The bonded debt of the city, April, 1913, was $1,201,000, amount in several sinking funds, same date, $207,871.31 ; assessed valuation in 1913, $19,183,402, producing an estimated income for the year, of $239,381.
POPULATION.
The population of Delaware county in 1790 was 9,483; in 1800, 12,809; in 1810, 14,734 ; in 1820, 14,811 ; in 1830, 17,361 ; in 1840, 19,791 ; in 1850, 26,- 640; in 1860, 30,597; in 1870, 34,403; in 1880, 56,102; in 1890, 74,683; in 1900, 94,762, and in 1910, the population in detail was as follows, according to the thirteenth United States census report :
Aldan borough,
661
Middletown township,
3806
Aston township,
2135
Millbourne borough,
322
Bethel township,
535
Morton borough,
1071
Birmingham township,
702
Nether Providence township, 1941
Chester City,
38,537
Newtown township,
739
Chester township,
615
Norwood borough,
1668
Clifton Heights borough,
3155
Prospect Park borough,
1655
Collingdale borough,
136
Ridley township,
2945
Colwyn borough,
1584
Ridley Park borough,
1701
Concord township,
1213
Rutledge borough,
523
Darby borough,
2412
Sharon Hill borough,
1401
Darby township,
1763
Springfield township,
1132
Eddystone borough,
1167
Swarthmore borough,
1899
Edgemont township,
525
Thornbury township,
1944
Glenolden borough,
1157
Tinicum township,
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