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 4
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30 Slavery existed in Pennsylvania, according to Gen. W. W. H. Davis, as early as 1636. During the early days of the colony, the in-
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BYBERRY AND MORELAND.
The following list of names are found in the records of 1721, as subscribers for maintaining the poor belong- ing to Byberry Preparative Meeting :
JOHN DONKON,
THOS. WALTON,
JOSEPH GILBERT,
GILES KNIGHT,
WM. CARVER,
EDM'D DONKON,
GEORGE JAMES,
ABEL HINGSTONE,
THOMAS KNIGHT,
THOMAS WALTON,
JOHN CARVER,
SAM. SCOTT,
THOS. KNIGHT, JR.,
JONATHAN KNIGHT,
JOHN WORTHINGTON, HENRY COMLY.
[1725.] From the above records we learn that Friends were very willing to assist each other, and we find that "superscriptions" were frequently taken up in the Meeting for benevolent purposes. In this year, one for "defraying ye expenses of a family taken captive by ye Indians in New England ;" also, one for "defraying ye charges to ye healing of a young man that broke his leg at Hasom."31 In 1736, there was another "to assist Daniel Pennington to make up part of his loss-he being burnt out."
[1727.] The crops of our forefathers appear to have suffered from the ravages of destructive insects; their
stitution was well nigh universal. Penn himself possessed them. Among those in and near Byberry who owned slaves, we may name the following: Growden, Swift, Benezet, Carver, Comly, Duffield, Rush, Knight and Walton. In 1782 there were five hundred slaves in Bucks county and a proportional number in Byberry.
Of the negro race living in Byberry, not a single descendant re- mains. The last was Cuffy Todd, who was murdered by a deserter from one of the vessels at Philadelphia. It is said that an immense number of negroes from Philadelphia attended his funeral. His murderer was apprehended and hanged.
31 This was probably an early form of the word Horsham, as we read of a young man who broke his leg about this time while going to Horsham Meeting.
3, e
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THE HISTORY OF
corn was frequently injured by the cut-worm, and their trees by the caterpillar. In this year the latter became so numerous that they devoured nearly all the foliage of the trees, and wherever they passed left the woods as bare as in December. They did not confine themselves to the forest trees, but attacked and destroyed everything green that came in their path. It is probable that these cater- pillars extended their depredations over a large extent of country, as we find an account of their having done much damage along the Schuylkill during the same season.
[1733.] In this year Byberry Meeting procured a "Book of Discipline" at the expense of fifteen shillings. About the same time a number of other works were added, and formed a kind of circulating library for the use of Friends. This appears to have been the first library ever established within the limits of either township, and was highly valued at that time.
Thomas Chalkley32 mentions an earthquake as having occurred in Byberry in 1737. It was not very severe, yet the shock was sensibly felt.
[1740.] This winter was remarkable for a great snow storm, which covered the fences. The crust on it was so hard that horses and sleds could travel over it in any di- rection, without following the course of the roads. Those who felled trees at that time were much surprised when the snow melted to find the stumps from six to eight feet high. A storm somewhat similar to this occurred in the
32 Thomas Chalkley of Chalkley Hall, near Frankford, on the Penn- sylvania Railroad, was a prominent preacher among Friends as well as a sea captain. He conducted services among the natives on the islands which he visited. He, at different times, visited Byberry and Byberry people were accustomed to stop at his residence in returning from Philadelphia.
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BYBERRY AND MORELAND.
winter of 1835-6. John Carver resigned his situation as clerk of the Meeting this year, and was succeeded by Wil- liam Dunkin, who continued to act in that capacity until 1751, when William Walmsley was appointed in his place.
[1743.] A school-house is mentioned as having stood in Moreland at this time; but no account of teachers, or scholars, when it was built, or where located, has been found. About this time Samuel Jackson is mentioned as having sometimes preached in Byberry Meeting; and his name appears on the records for about two years, after which we hear no more of him. Thomas Walton, Jr., is said sometimes to have preached, but was never recom- mended. He was afterwards disowned, in 1764, for non- fulfilment of some contracts. One Will Knight, a half- brother to Giles, sometimes preached, but it was not well received. On one occasion some person pulled him down, when he remarked : "Thou needst not do so; for if it be of Christ thou canst not stop it, and if it be not of Christ it will die of itself." A more appropriate answer could scarcely have been found. Friends, however, showed their disunity with the matter, and he soon desisted.
[1746.] We find no account of any taverns in either township previous to this year. One is mentioned as having been then kept in the village of Smithfield, but no further account of it has been preserved. About this time an application for a tavern at Byberry Crossroads was made by Richard Carver, on which occasion several of the inhabitants signed a remonstrance against granting this application, in which it was stated that it would be an injury to the neighborhood; that there was no need of a tavern in the place, as three were already within three
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THE HISTORY OF
miles, and that it would only be a resort for idle persons, servants, and negroes. This was signed by John Jackson, Evan Thomas, Jonathan Knight, Crispin Collett, Daniel Knight, Benjamin Walton, Thomas Knight, Joseph Gil- bert, Silas Titus, William Marshall, John Rush, and was probably effectual, as we find no account of the tavern afterwards until 1755.
[1748.] On the 25th of 6th mo., 1742, the Preparative Meeting "agreed to wall ye graveyard with stone, and Joseph Gilbert, Evan Thomas, Jonathan Knight, and Daniel Knight, were appointed to provide materials, em- ploy workmen, and see ye work done." From some further accounts it would seem as if this wall was not built until 1748, and that the northwest end was left open so as to extend the yard in that direction. Friends at this time offered the privilege of burying to all who in any way assisted in the matter, and to their children ; and several took advantage of this proposition.
[1749.] The first account of the appearance of the seventeen-year locusts, in Byberry, was in this year. They came in great numbers, and have appeared regularly every seventeen years since, generally first showing themselves about the 20th of June. From the accounts kept of them it would seem that they vary but little in the numbers which appear. They do much mischief by injuring the trees when about to deposit their eggs, and some in- stances of children having been poisoned by their sting have been met with.
[1753.] A collection was taken up to pay for covering the meeting-house, which was done the same year. An- other collection was also taken up for making an addition
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to Byberry Meeting, by which we find that fifty-two per- sons contributed to that object. The addition made was thirty by thirty-five feet, and one story high. Two large fireplaces were built in it; one in each corner of the east end. By means of these, the room was more comfortably warmed, and in winter was generally occupied for meet- ing purposes. Some time after this other improvements were made by introducing stoves, substituting wooden for the leaden sash, and putting shutters to the windows, so that the house was improved both in comfort and general appearance, and in this condition continued to be the place of worship for Friends until 1808, when the present building was erected.
Although the first settlers of Byberry were principally Friends, yet others of different persuasions came into the townships, so that by this time many of the inhabitants were of that class. Friends always made provision for their poor, but other societies were not so particular to do so ; and as these increased with the increase of population, the township felt the necessity of providing for the main- tenance of such as were unable to take care of themselves. From this time to 1800, about twenty persons were sup- ported by the public, two of them being for the space of twenty-five years. The annual average amount of poor tax from this time to 1780, collected in Byberry, was $99.67-all of which was spent in maintaining the poor.
[1755.] In this year a remonstrance was numerously signed against granting Jacob Buskirk the right to open a public house at the Byberry Crossroads, which was prob- ably without effect, as we find mention of a tavern called the "Three Tuns," kept at this place, in 1760. About this
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THE HISTORY OF
time there were two brickyards in successful operation in Byberry. One of them was on the farm now belonging to John Tomlinson,33 and the other on land belonging to George De Haven. These bricks were used instead of logs in erecting houses, and are said to have answered the purpose very well. For some years previous to this, a gun manufactory had been in successful operation on Byberry Creek, on lands now owned by Reuben Parry. The busi- ness was carried on by the Rushes, but seems to have gone down soon after this time.
During the French and Indian war, which lasted from 1755 to 1763, the people of Byberry and Moreland had a share of the troubles. As the government was in want of soldiers, several persons from Byberry entered the service, among which were some belonging to Friends. These latter were dealt with by the Society, and disowned for so doing. The people were kept in great apprehension for fear the Indians would come down from the mountains and destroy them, and some idle persons raised a report that they had come and destroyed the village of Smith- field. This news caused great consternation, and many of the inhabitants fled in haste to Dunks' Ferry, where they crossed into New Jersey. The report afterwards proving false, the fugitives returned not a little discom- fited that they should have been so easily frightened.
[1758.] About this time Thomas Livezey made a sur- vey and draft of Smithfield. He represented the town lot as containing about eighty acres, with the main street
83 This property is now owned by Linford Shoemaker, a son-in-law of John Tomlinson. The property formerly owned by George De Haven is now owned by Colonel E. D. Morrell.
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BYBERRY AND MORELAND.
running diagonally across it. Among the owners of the lot at that time we find the names of Comly, Knight, and Walmsley.
As we have already observed, the great evil of human slavery was introduced into the townships in 1720; but it never became very popular. It probably was at its. greatest height about this time, when the Yearly Meeting issued its testimony against keeping slaves. After this Friends were careful not to go deeper into the evil; but they did not manumit those already held until the Meet- ing became more positive in its directions, when most of those belonging to the Society set their slaves free; yet two or three who continued to hold their fellowmen in bondage were disowned therefor. When the slaves were liberated, care was taken by their late masters to provide for them, and to assist them in procuring a livelihood, also to encourage and aid them in educating their children. After Friends liberated their slaves, others became con- vinced of the evil, and many were induced to follow the glorious example of their neighbors, so that in a few years. but few slaves were to be found in the townships.
[1759.] Benjamin Gilbert erected a grist mill on By- berry Creek near the centre of Byberry, which proved a great accommodation to the inhabitants. The old mill spoken of in Walter Forrest's will had long ceased to exist; and for some years the only mills in Byberry were two bolting mills,-one near Reuben Parry's, owned by the Rush family, and that of Giles Knight. Some time after this Jonathan Knight, gentleman, built a grist mill on the Poquessing, several yards northeast of the one now in the possession of Jonathan Knight.
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THE HISTORY OF
In this year we find that Friends concluded to hold afternoon meetings, with the hope of inducing the youth of the neighborhood to attend, instead of spending their time in a much less desirable way. They were held on the 2d and 4th First days of each month during the summer season, and were so well attended that they were con- tinued nearly forty years.
[1760.] In this year we find a notice of a hotel, kept at Byberry Crossroads, with a sign of the "Three Tuns." It was kept at one time by Nancy Heaton, and at another by John Hilt. 34 It had been customary to hold the town- ship elections at the Byberry school-house ; but some were desirous of having them held at the "Three Tuns," in hopes of continuing the hotel at that place. The officers of the election advertised it accordingly ; but as none went except the officers, the plan entirely failed, and was not tried a second time.
This hotel was considered a nuisance by the neighbors, and but few of the respectable part of the community had anything to do with it. For want of patronage, it was afterwards closed.35
34 Whiskey was sold, however, at the Crossroads and at Byberry store.
35 The Red Lion Hotel just east of Byberry in Bensalem is the old- est in this locality. In 1730 Philip Amos (written Ames by Isaac Comly) petitioned the court to be allowed to keep a public house on the north side of the Poquessing Creek, on the Bristol Road. In 1744, we find Ann Amos at the Red Lion Hotel. An early account says that Philip Amos had left his wife in England with an intention to do without her ; but she came over without his knowledge and pre- sented herself quite unexpectedly to him one evening as he was sit- ting by his fireside. Ann Amos kept the hotel as late as 1770. On the 29th of August, 1774, the delegates from Massachusetts to Con- gress dined at the hotel. John Adams stopped at the hotel on De- cember 9th, 1775, and October 13th, 1776. In 1781, while on its way
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BYBERRY AND MORELAND.
Nearly all the original surveys of land in Byberry and Moreland were made by Thomas Holme, surveyor-gen- eral. He laid out the first farms in regular parallelograms of fifty or one hundred perches wide. From the time of his death, with the exception of Moses Moon and Nicholas Scull,36 who did some surveying in the townships, we have no account of any surveyors until Silas and John Watts, of Lower Dublin, commenced the business, in 1760. They did nearly the whole business, until 1794, when Silas died, and John, finding himself growing old, persuaded John Comly to take up the matter, promising him assistance when needed. He was successful; and continued to be the surveyor for over fifty years, until the infirmities of old age prevented his continuance at the business.
[1763.] An earthquake was quite sensibly felt; and on the 29th of November, 1783, another much more severe occurred, and this one was again followed by another in about five hours.
[1767.] Milling seems to have been profitable business ; for most of the mill sites were soon after this selected, and mills erected thereon. In this year a mill was built on the Poquessing by Thomas and John Townsend,37 who com-
to Yorktown, Washington's Army encamped on the banks of the Poquessing.
Concerning the origin of the name, Gen. W. W. H. Davis says : "It is thought to have originated with John of Gaunt, Duke of Lan- caster, who married a daughter of Don Pedro, the Cruel, and wore a lion rampant to represent his claim to the throne of Castile."
86 Nicholas Scull of Whitemarsh, Montgomery county, made a map of Philadelphia in 1750. He is thought to have been buried with his wife at Camp Hill.
37 See note on this topic in the account of the mills of this locality.
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menced business there, in partnership. This continued for twelve or fifteen years, when 'Thomas sold out his half to John, in whose family it remained until within a few years. During that time it passed through the hands of John, Ezra, and John P., successively, and is now owned by Levis Levis.38
[1770.] The people of this section appear to have been very peaceable, as we find no account of any person's holding a commission as justice of peace until Alexander Edwards, in 1770. Previous to that time the little busi- ness in that line was done by Joshua Maddox or Isaac Ashton, in Lower Dublin. Difficulties and disputes among Friends were generally settled by the Meeting ; and it was not until other denominations became more abundant that a justice of the peace was thought necessary.
[1772.] As has been already observed, but little oppor- tunity was afforded to the children of the early settlers for obtaining an education, and many could neither read nor write; but it is believed that endeavors were used, as soon as circumstances permitted, to establish a place of instruc- tion. At an early day, a log school-house was erected near the meeting-house, and in this a school was kept until 1772, when, being no longer fit for the purpose, it was pulled down. The school was then moved to the meeting-house, where it was continued until after the Revolution. Although the school appears to have been regularly kept since 1750, the affairs were very loosely conducted. During this year the subject of schools was particularly adverted to in the Preparative Meeting; and, after an interchange of views, James Thornton, Thomas
38 This property is now owned by James McMullen.
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T ap F sh m
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BYBERRY AND MORELAND.
Townsend, John Townsend, and Jonathan Knight, were appointed to have the school under their particular care. From this time forward this important subject received its share of attention; and, owing to the judicious manage- ment of those who were appointed on such committees, an increased interest was soon manifest in the neighbor- hood, and the facilities for obtaining a good education were thereby much improved. The meeting instructed its committee to employ such teachers "as were not only in membership with us, but who were well qualified for the business, and careful and attentive in the discharge of their duties; and especially, that they be of sound moral and religious principles, that by precept and example they might inculcate useful sentiments in the minds of those under their tuition." In the year 1776 they employed Benjamin Kite to take charge of the school at the meeting- house. He was an excellent teacher, and is said to have brought about a great change for the better, in the man- ner of instructing the youth in Byberry. He was a man of good judgment, with but moderate abilities; but had a peculiar faculty for imparting his knowledge, and kept the best school that had then ever been in the township.
[1774.] This year was remarkable for the snow storm which occurred on the 3d of May, and which did much injury to the crops of the farmers in Byberry and the adjoining districts. In the same notes* we find that in February, 1779, the weather was so warm that the bees swarmed and the peach trees blossomed.
[1776.] This year the "camp fever," as it was called, was very fatal in Byberry, and numbers of the people died
* Notes kept by Henry Tomlinson, of Bensalem.
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of the disease. Among these were Richard Walton and Daniel Walton -- the latter of whom owned a saw mill, situated in the meadow lately owned by Nancy Walton. 39 When this mill was built is not known; but it was per- mitted to go into decay after Daniel's death. Some re- mains of the dam and race are still visible.
[1779.] According to the tax duplicate for this year, the number of taxables in Byberry was 82, and the value of property £179,690. Men were then required to swear or affirm that they had given in the right amount, and in case of refusal they were taxed double. Of the 61 prop- erty holders in 1779, 7 swore, 33 affirmed, and 21 were taxed double because they said nothing. Nine men were taxed $15 each because they had no wives.
[1780.] The census of the townships, taken this year, show only three persons held as slaves. They were rated from two hundred to three hundred dollars each; but it appears that their value soon afterward decreased, for, in 1784, only four years subsequent, they were worth but half that sum.40
Previous to this time the colored people who died in the townships were generally buried in the orchards belonging to their masters or in the woods; but forty or fifty had been interred in a kind of a cemetery for them, on lands lately owned by Charles Walmsley.41 It was located in the field fronting the mansion house, not far from Watson
3º This property is now owned by Edward Shallcross.
" The decrease in the value of slaves was probably due to the ef- forts put forth by Anthony Benezet to have them freed.
" This property is now owned by Elijah Osmond.
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BYBERRY AND MORELAND.
Comly's line. 42 All traces of it have long since been de- stroyed, and hundreds have since passed over the spot not knowing that they were treading upon the graves of the long since dead. Another of these graveyards was on the farm lately owned by Mary Hillborn,43 where several slaves were buried. The exact spot is not now known. Many persons by this time had had their attention drawn to the matter, and efforts were made to secure a proper place for the burial of such people. Accordingly, in this year, we find that Byberry Meeting purchased a lot of Thomas Townsend for a burying place for the blacks, and the practice of burying on private grounds was discon- tinued. The record says the first person buried there was "Jim," a negro belonging to Daniel Walton.
The land in Byberry and Moreland, as well as all other land in Pennsylvania, was subject to a quit-rent from its first settlement. This was not very heavy, being only a penny to the acre, or a shilling sterling to the one hundred acres. It continued until the Revolution, when the As- sembly of Pennsylvania passed an Act abolishing all quit- rents; but as considerable opposition was made by John Penn, then the principal proprietor, the Assembly agreed to pay him £130,000 in lieu of said quit-rent, and the landholders were thus released from further payment.
Having spoken of many circumstances that transpired previous to 1780, it is now time to glance at some of the events which occurred within our limits during the time the Colonies were struggling to throw off the galling yoke
" The property of Watson Comly now belongs to Joseph Buckman.
43 This property is now owned by Anthony McGarbey and is the residence of Charles Osmond.
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of slavery to the Mother Country. We might speak here of the noble cause in which they were engaged, and por- tray to our readers some of the exciting times connected with that period, but it would be only repeating an oft- told tale, and we must content ourselves with a mere glance at the events as they were enacted in those days. There is no account of our fair fields having been deluged with blood, nor of any battle having occurred except the skirmish at Smithfield; and of that it is said that about twenty-five Americans were, on a certain occasion, in the vicinity of Bustleton, when they were pursued by a company of seventy-five British soldiers. As the pursuit did not continue farther than Bustleton, the Americans thought the danger had passed, and accordingly halted at Vanhorn's hotel, in Smithfield, to spend the night. This company was under the command of Jacob Humphreys, and on that very night allowed themselves to be surprised by one hundred British infantry and twenty cavalry ; and, in the engagement which followed, one-half of them were either slain or captured. The Americans scattered, and were pursued by the enemy. One person, named Glent- worth, while trying to escape, fell over the fence just as a soldier discharged his musket at him, and, as he was sup- posed to be killed, the enemy retired, and he escaped un- harmed. On that occasion several bullets were shot through the front door of a house in the village, which be- longed to a person named Vansant. He escaped only by hiding himself under a hogshead. In the morning several of the British went to Esquire Comly's house, where they demanded breakfast, which was at length furnished, much against his will. They had with them a man named Krew-
s
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BYBERRY AND MORELAND.
son, whom they had taken prisoner the preceding night. The same night the British visited the house now be- longing to Jacob Saurman,44 and a person named Boucher, who had not time to escape from the house, crept into the chimney, and his wife pushed the bed against it so as en- tirely to conceal the fireplace. They searched the house in vain for their prisoner, but were finally compelled to leave without him. They took the best of the horses with them, but did not otherwise molest the family. On one occasion, says a contemporary, a number of men, among whom was Peter Yarnall, went to Byberry Meeting, while Friends were assembling there, and took several horses therefrom. They were afterwards returned to their proper owners. During the whole of this trying period, the inhabitants of both townships were harassed by unprincipled collectors and lawless bands of plunderers. Many of the people were Friends, and were restrained by religious principles from joining in the contest. They suffered the loss of much property, sometimes for the use of the army, some- times for military demands, and at others without any pre- text whatever. Horses, sheep, hogs, wheat, corn, etc., were carried off. Men were frequently seized and put in the army. One Friend, who kept an account of the prop- erty taken from him, stated that it amounted by fair valua- tion to f150 sterling; another had his horses taken from the plow by the soldiers, and many of the household goods of a third were seized by the collector. On the 6th of March, 1778, a company of Lacy's men, numbering about six hundred, set fire to several barns and wheat-stacks near
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