USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > A history of the townships of Byberry and Moreland, in Philadelphia, Pa. : from their earliest settlements by the whites to the present time > Part 16
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death, in 1689, his estate was much incumbered, and was afterward disposed of by the sheriff, and was the first sale of the kind ever made in Pennsylvania. He left several children, but we find little said of them in the subsequent. history.4
JOHN WATTS.
JOHN WATTS was a celebrated surveyor, who resided during the greater part of his life in Lower Dublin. He and his brother SILAS were both practically acquainted with surveying in all its bearings, and did most if not all of that business in the townships for many years, and were of great use in settling disputed lines. John was a teacher of considerable reputation, and, for some years previous to 1790, taught in Tillyer's school, Moreland. He was very fond of mathematics, and is said to have been among the best in the country.
DR. EDWARDS.
DR. EDWARDS was born in Byberry, and was among her most noted sons. During the Revolutionary War he was engaged in the cause of his country, and, for meritorious conduct, was commissioned an officer. After peace was established he returned to his native place, where he filled several public stations with honor and credit. He was commissioned a Justice of the Peace, and in that capacity was of much service in the neighborhood in settling cases. to the satisfaction of parties concerned. Dr. Edwards was the first regular physician in Byberry, but he subse- quently gave up a good practice, and devoted his attention
4 See also The Free Society of Traders, Nicholas Moore and Moreland.
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to politics and agriculture. In 1792 he sold his farm in Byberry and removed to Frankford, after which he was a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia- a position which it is said he filled creditably. He pub- lished some very interesting papers on agricultural sub- jects ; and a charge which he delivered to the Grand Jury, while on the Bench, was published in the "American Museum." He died in 1802, aged 52 years.
PETER YARNALL, M. D.
DR. YARNALL was born in 1753, and in early life re- sided in Horsham, where he practised medicine with great success, and was much respected. In 1797 he married Hannah Thornton, of Byberry, and came to the Thornton homestead, where he resided until his death, which occur- red after a few days' illness, in 1798, at the age of forty- five years. He was an eminent minister among Friends, and preached the doctrines of peace and good-will to all men, so that the latter part of his life strangely contrasted with his early days, when engaged in the hostile measures of the Revolution.
DR. SWIFT.
DR. SWIFT, an eminent physician, was one of the first who resided in Moreland. His contemporaries represent him as a physician of much skill and prudence, and as having an extensive practice in the vicinity. In him the people placed the greatest confidence, and his success in relieving disease was remarkable. He died in 1780, lamented by all who knew him.
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ANDREW OTT.
ANDREW OTT was born at Vartzheim, in Germany, in 1739, and was brought to this country by his parents when about five or six years old. They landed at Phila- delphia, where they staid about six weeks, and then moved to a place in the country near the Pennypack Creek. When the Revolutionary War broke out he enlisted in Washington's army, under Captain Douglass. He was in the battles of Long Island and Brandywine, and at Fort Constitution, on the Hudson, where there was some skirm- ishing. Soon after the war was over he married and set- tled in Byberry, where he resided for several years. After this he bought a lot of land in Bucks County, where he spent the remainder of his days. He had no school learn- ing, and could neither read nor write, yet he transacted all his business, and seldom made any mistakes. He was a plain, industrious, frugal man, a member of All-Saints' Church, and was much respected by his neighbors. He died in December, 1841, aged 102 years.
THOMAS KNOX.
THOMAS KNOX came from Ireland, and taught school at the Sorrel Horse for several years. After this he taught at Smithfield, and for many years was a tax collector in Moreland. Many of the old people in the vicinity remem- ber old Tommy Knox as their teacher. He had a kind disposition; but when the unruly urchins would try the old man's patience too much he would call them up and lay them over "the bame" (his knee). He would then
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flourish a ruler over his head, and exclaim at the same time with great earnestness: "Were it not for the bame overhead, oh! how I would whack ye!" He died at Som- erton about 1840, aged nearly ninety years. His daughter married Jesse Hawkins.
SAMUEL SCOTT.
SAMUEL SCOTT was an old Friend who had a very re- markable way of whistling through his nose. On one occasion Jeremy Hibbs clothed himself in a skin, with horns projecting from his head, and placed himself in the bushes by a path where he expected Samuel Scott to pass. After Samuel had gone by a few yards, Jeremy came out and hailed him. Samuel gave a whistle through his nose, and exclaimed, "Get thee behind me, Satan !" and walked on as unconcernedly as if nothing had happened. Samuel was a sievemaker by trade, and this seems to have been the usual calling of the family. The old man frequently wore clogs, or wooden shoes, and came very late to meet- ing one morning. Just as he entered the door he hap- pened to stumble, and fell down, when the rattling of the clogs, and a loud whistle through his nose, made a great noise, and frightened one fellow, who was sound asleep, quite sadly. Samuel got up, however, and without show- ing any signs of being disconcerted, went to his seat as usual. The stone in Byberry graveyard, marked S. S., indicates the spot where Samuel was buried.
WILLIAM WOOD.
WILLIAM WOOD came from near London, England, in
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1772. He married Merab Pennington, and moved to Byberry. He was a baker, but did not follow his trade. Soon after he removed to Makefield and opened a school. While here he joined the Society of Friends and became a recommended preacher. He continued to teach school for many years, but afterwards led a roving life, and became much reduced before his death.
DR. BENJAMIN RUSH.
DR. RUSHI was born in the southern part of Byberry, at the house now occupied by Reuben Parry, on the 24th of December, 1745. He was a descendant of John Rush, who came over with William Penn. His father died . while he was young, and his education devolved upon his mother. He was sent to Princeton College, where he graduated with the first honors of the institution, and soon afterward commenced the study of medicine under Dr. John Rodman, of Philadelphia. In 1766, he went to Edinburgh to attend medical lectures, and received his diploma from the institution at that place. In 1769, he returned to Philadelphia, and soon obtained an extensive practice. He was afterward a Professor in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania. It is not our province to write a biography of this distinguished man, for he is known to the whole world as one of the brightest stars in medical science that has yet ornamented the Western World, and his works will live as long as does that science with which he was connected. He died in April, 1813, aged sixty-eight years. Both the Doctor
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and his brother, the Honorable Judge Rush, frequently visited Byberry in the latter part of their lives; and the township may feel honored in having been the birthplace of two such noble men.
*Dr. Benjamin Rush was a writer on political and medical topics of considerable prominence. His name was attached to the Declaration of Independence, although he did not arrive until after it had been adopted. Among his writings prob- ably nothing is more touching than a short letter written to his friend, John Adams, after a visit to Byberry in 1812. In it he says: "I was called lately to visit a patient in that neighborhood, and having with me my youngest son, I thought I would avail myself of the occasion to visit the farm on which I was born, and where my ancesters for several generations had lived and died. In approaching it I was agitated in a manner I did not expect. The access was changed, but everything around was nearly the same as in the days of my boyhood, at which time I left it. The family there, though strangers to me, received me kindly, and discovered a disposition to satisfy my curiosity and gratify my feelings. I soon asked permission to conduct my son upstairs to see the room in which I drew my first breath and made my first unwelcome noise in the world, and where first began the affection and cares of my beloved and excellent mother, J next asked for a large cedar tree which once stood before the door, planted by my father's hand. It had been converted into the pillars of the piazza before the house. Filled with emotion, I embraced the one nearest me. I next in- quired for the orchard planted by the same hand, and was conducted to an eminence behind the house, where I saw a number of apple trees which stili bore fruit, to each of which I felt something like the affection of a brother. The building which is of stone, bears marks of age and decay. On one of the stones near the front door I discovered the letters J. R. Before the house flows a small but deep creek abounding in pan fish. The farm consists of ninety acres in a highly cultivated state. The owner did not want to sell, but I begged, if he ever should incline to dispose of it, to make me on one of my surviving sons the first offer. While I sat in its common room, I looked at its walls and thought how often they had been made vocal by my ancestors-to conversations about wolves, bears and snakes, in the first settlement; afterwards about cows and calves, and colts and lambs, etc., and at all times with prayers and praises, and chapters read audibly from the Bible; for all who
*Note by the Editor.
WILLIAM E. ERVIN.
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inhabited it, of my family, were pious people-chiefly of the sect of Quakers and Baptists. On my way home I stopped to view a family graveyard in which were buried three and a part of four successive generations, all of whom were descendants of Captain John Rush, who, with six sons and three daughters, followed Wil- liam Penn to Pennsylvania in 1683. He had been a captain of a troop of horse under Oliver Cromwell; and when I first settled in Philadelphia, I was sometimes visited by one of his grandsons, a man eighty-five years of age, who had, when a boy, often seen and conversed with the former and especially concerning his services under the Protector. I retain as his relics his sword, watch and Bible leaf on which is inscribed in his own hand his marriage and children's births and names. My grandfather, James Rush, after whom my son, the physician, is named, has his gravestone and in- scription in the aforesaid grave ground-as 'departed this life, March 16, 1727, aged 48 years, etc.' He was a farmer and gun- smith, of much ingenuity in his business. While standing and con- sidering this repository of the dead there holding my kindred dust, my thoughts ran wild and my ancestors seemed to stand before me in their homespun dresses and to say, 'what means this gentleman by thus intruding upon our repose?' and I seemed to say, 'dear and venerable friends, be not disturbed. I am one who inherits your blood and name, and come here to do homage to your Christian and moral virtues; and truly I have acquired nothing from the world (though raised in fame) which I so highly prize as the re- ligious principles which I inherited from you; and I possess nothing that I value so much as the innocence and purity of your character.' After my return from such a visit, I recounted in the evening to my family the incidents of the day, to which they listened with great pleasure; and heartily they partook of some cherries from the limb of my father's tree which my little son brought home with him as a treat to them."
SINIXSON KEEN.
SINIXSON KEEN was of Swedish descent, and born in 1797. When he was but two years old, he removed to Frankford with his parents, and some years later to Som- crton, where he resided for a long time. His parents were not possessed of much wealth, and from the peculiar cir- cumstances surrounding him he was subject to many temptations ; but bore up against them successfully. Hc afterward taught school in Somerton, and became noted in his profession. He shot himself in Byberry in 1819.
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JAMES BONNER.
JAMES BONNER, the first of that name in Byberry, emi- grated from Ireland, in 1764, at the age of twenty-six years. He married Martha Worthington, of Byberry, and settled in Buckingham, Bucks County, but returned to Byberry again in 1813. He was a man of peaceable de- meanor, respected for his honesty and uprightness, and by untiring industry accumulated considerable property. He died in 1818, aged eighty years.
JUDGE SOMMER.
JUDGE SOMMER, the collector, owned a large tract of land in the vicinity of Somerton. He was a prominent character of that day, and was very active in behalf of the cause of liberty. His son Edward, afterward an Associate Judge in Philadelphia, was a lieutenant in the Continental Army during the Revolution. He was taken prisoner early in the contest, and confined in a British prison at Flatbush, Long Island, four or five years. Although others of the Continental Army were either released or exchanged, yet the British refused to release Lieutenant Sommer. The attention of the Government was directed to it, when it was ascertained that Jonathan Walton, a refugee, whose farm adjoined that of Sommer, had represented to the British that young Sommer was a man of great influence, and would hang some neighbors who were suspected of favoring the British cause, if he was released; but the true motive was, probably, that Walton, who had no doubt of the ultimate success of the British cause, and the confiscation of the rebel property, wished to keep Sommer out of the way, so that he might
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obtain his estate. The authorities sent an order to the British, stating that unless Lieutenant Sommer was re- leased, retaliatory measures would be resorted to, and British prisoners subjected to the same treatment. He was accordingly released, and sent home on parole. While the British were in Philadelphia, Walton went with a party to Sommer's farm, and took horses, cows, and other property to the amount of about four hundred dollars, besides doing much mischief, such as tearing open beds, injuring furniture, etc.
Soon after the war ended Walton found his way to Canada, where he remained for many years. He owned at that time about ten acres of land adjoining Sommer's place, and he and Sommer agreed upon the terms for the property, on which occasion the latter was to have the deed and money ready for Walton at a neighbor's house on a certain evening. They met, when the deed was properly signed, and all the money, except $400, paid over
to Walton. This amount was retained to pay for the damage received on the above mentioned occasion, and in order to get shut of Walton, he was ordered to leave immediately, or information would be given, and he be arrested. After the war was all over Lieutenant Sommer settled on his paternal estate, where he lived to a good old age.
WILLIAM COOPER.
The earliest account of the Cooper family that we have met with is, that one WILLIAM COOPER arrived in this country in 1679, and settled at Burlington, New Jersey. His name appears in the list of members of the Colonial
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Legislature for 1681. About the year 1687 he obtained the grant of a tract of land where Camden now stands, extending for several miles above and below the mouth of the creek which bears his name. One branch of this family removed into Pennsylvania and finally settled in Smithfield, now Somerton, where the subject of the pres- ent sketch was born, in the log end of a house afterward occupied by James Vansant as a tavern. Little is known of Cooper during his minority, except that he was appren- ticed to a person in Byberry to learn the wheelwright business. After his majority, he resided with his father in the log house in which he was born, but the family were exceedingly poor. This, however, did not damp the ardor of young Cooper, who began to look about for a wife, and shortly afterward married the daughter of Richard Fennimore, of New Jersey, on which occasion the old man expressed some doubts about Cooper's being able to provide for his daughter, when Cooper replied "that he was poor and she must shift for herself."
After their marriage they settled in Byberry, at one time living in a small tenement belonging to William Walmsley, and helping about the business of the farm. After this they lived in a house near Charles Comly's barn, and subsequently in an old house on Edward Parry's, now Charles Martindale's farm, and which was known as the "Potter's Nest." While here he desired to work at his trade, but having no shop, James Thornton gave him permission to work in one belonging to him. This was during the Revolutionary War, when wheel- wrights were not in much demand, and Cooper was often without employment. He, however, did not despair, but
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at such times offered to work for half price at any busi- ness, so that he was seldom idle. William Cooper was an eccentric character, and seldom deliberated upon the course to be pursued, but acted entirely from first impres- sions, which, he said, "were always the best." He pos- sessed a talent for speculation, but with all his exertions remained poor while in Byberry. About the year 1780 they moved to Burlington, New Jersey, where, in partner- ship with a brother-in-law, Robert Thomas, they opened a small store. Cooper being in want of money at this time, borrowed £5 of William Walton, of Byberry, which he said was the foundation of his fortune. This loan was not paid back until after he was elected a member of Congress, when he paid principal and compound interest for the whole time. Their business here was poor, and Cooper turned his attention to speculation in real estate. This was in a very small way at first, but as he was gen- erally successful, he was soon able to make heavier pur- chases, and by 1785 had accumulated considerable capital. In this year he purchased a large tract of uncultivated land near Otsego Lake, in New York. This he divided into small farms, and offered great inducements to emi- grants to settle thereon. In the spring of 1786 he laid out a town, which he called Cooperstown, and in that year erected a first house there. At this time there were no settlements within forty miles of the place, and Cooper left his family at Burlington until 1790, when they re- moved to Cooperstown. While residing at the former place, their son, James Fennimore Cooper, the celebrated novelist, was born, on the 15th of September, 1789.
From prudent management William Cooper disposed
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of nearly all his purchase, and realized large profits, so that he became one of the wealthiest citizens of the State of New York. Some idea of his business may be had. when we state that over forty thousand persons settled on his original tract within twenty-five years of the time of purchase. When a Court of Justice was established in Otsego County, William Cooper was appointed the Pre- siding Judge, which position he held until 1796, when he was elected a member of the National Congress. Judge Cooper was a man of sound judgment, but of limited edu- cation. His character was very decided, and he was sel- dom deterred from carrying out his undertakings by the opinions of others. He was something of a writer, and frequently indulged in poetry, some of which was quite popular in that day. He was of a social nature, and de- lighted to mingle with congenial companions, on which occasions he would with great pleasure narrate the scenes and adventures of his varied life. He died at Coopers- town about the year 1812, honored and respected by those around him.
*The author is probably wrong in the assertion that Wil- liam Cooper, father of James Fennimore, was descended from William Cooper of Pine Point. Of the Coopers who originally settled in the locality of Philadelphia there are three distinct fam- ilies : (I) In 1699 William Cooper, also called Cowper, of Low Ellington, Yorkshire, England, arrived in the country and settled in Buckingham. (2) In 1697 William Cooper (born 1632, died 1710) of Hertfordshire, England, with his wife Elizabeth and five chil- dren, settled at Pine Point, New Jersey. (3) James Cooper, ances- tor of James Fennimore Cooper and probably brother of William Cooper of Pine Point, arrived in 1683.
This James Cooper was probably born at Bolton, in Lancashire, England, in 1645. On coming to America, he took up the lot opposite to the custom house on Chestnut street. Soon after his arrival he married Sarah Dunning of Southampton, of whom he had several children. He died in 1732. A grandson of James Cooper married
*Note by the Editor.
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Hannah Hibbs of Bucks County in 1750 and bought land in Bucking- ham. Their son William was the father of James Fennimore Cooper, the novelist.
William Cooper had a brother, James, who married Sarah Comly. The Oswego Times of May 3, 1849, thus speaks of him: "James Cooper died at 8 o'clock last evening at the residence of his son, C. C. Cooper, esquire, of this city, after a short illness, in the 97th year of his age, having been born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on the 6th day of March, 1753. He was a brother of the late Judge William Cooper and uncle of James Fennimore Cooper. Till within a few days, Mr. Cooper retained in a remarkable degree the powers and faculties of an athletic frame and strong intellect. He em- phatically belonged to the iron age of the Revolution, to an age gone by, and was the friend and intimate acquaintance of Washing- ton. At the commencement of the Revolution, he served in the Navy of Pennsylvania and subsequently in the militia of his native State, and participated in the hard-fought battles of Monmouth and Germantown."
JAMES CARTER.
JAMES CARTER was born in a hip-roofed house near Artman's Mill, in Southampton, Bucks County, in 1778. His parents were William and Mary Carter. Mary was a daughter of William Hayhurst, who lived on the farm now owned by the heirs of Mordecai Carter, near Rocks- ville, where he owned a large tract of land. The name of Hayhurst frequently occurs in the early history of the neighborhood. They belonged to Middletown Friends' Meeting, and the family have generally been interred in the Middletown graveyard. Cuthbert Hayhurst, or "Uncle Cuddy," as he was called, who obtained some notoriety for not being like other men, and who died at James Carter's house some years since, was a son of Wil- liam Hayhurst. James Carter had two brothers-Wil- liam, who was a minister in the Society of Friends, and settled near West Philadelphia, and Joseph, who settled near Rocksville-and one sister, Rebecca, who married John Claxton, and settled in Philadelphia. James Carter
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learned the blacksmith trade with John Searl, at the Four- lanes-end, now Attleborough, and then removed to By- berry Cross-roads to follow his occupation. He lived in the house now occupied by William Forrest, and had his shop on the opposite side of the road, in what is now Thomas Dyer's field. He married Phebe, daughter of John Tomlinson, and granddaughter of Isaac Carver. He followed his trade until 1819, when he purchased a farm in the northern part of Byberry, on the banks of the Poquessing, where he spent the remainder of his days. His second wife was Annie Harding, who is still living, and is the oldest inhabtant of Byberry. His children were Mordecai, Tacy, Emily, Stephen, Thomas, Mary, James, and William.
James Carter was commissioned a Justice of the Peace by Governor Simon Snyder, in 1813, and from that time to the expiration of his commission by the new Constitu- tion, did most of the business appertaining to the office in the neighborhood. Esquire Carter's integrity and busi- ness qualifications won the confidence of the people; and until age and infirmity disqualified him for the service, he was active in whatever appertained to the welfare of the community, either in settling disputes among his neigh- bors, in which his judgment was rarely called in question, or in whatever was conducive to the public welfare. He died 8th mo. 8th, 1860, and was buried in Byberry grave- yard.
JOHN SIMMONS.
JOHN SIMMONS, son of Henry Simmons, was born on his father's farm, near Milford, Bucks County. John
PEMBERTON DUDLEY, M. D., LL. D.
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became a school teacher, and moved to Horsham, Mont- gomery County, where he compiled and published the "Pennsylvania Primer," in 1794. In 1795 he removed to Byberry, and in partnership with his brother Thomas opened a store. This was relinquished in 1798, and he again commenced teaching. In 1801 he married a daugh- ter of Henry Atherton, and moved to Philadelphia, where he published "A Treatise on Farriery" and a Read- ing Book for schools. He died in Philadelphia, in 1843.
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