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 8
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Margaret Porter, a native of Byberry, and an approved minister, sometimes preached from 1762 to 1770. After- ward she removed to Frankford, where she died in 1815. aged 94 years.
John Gilbert, son of Benjamin Gilbert, the Indian cap- tive, commenced to preach in 1769, but was never an acknowledged minister. He left Byberry in 1796, and died in Chester County in 1802.
John Davis, who had been a soldier in the Indian wars, was convinced of Friends' principles, and became a mem- ber about 1760, but was afterward disowned for getting intoxicated.
In 1804 he was reinstated as a member, and again be- came a preacher, but was never recommended. He re- sided in Jenkintown for many years, and was maintained by Abington Meeting. He died in 1819.
Mary Gilbert, wife of Joshua Gilbert, preached about 1780. Her communications were generally short. She is spoken of as being "a good kind of a woman, but often low-spirited." She died in 1813.
Ann Hampton, an approved minister from Wrights- town, became a member of Byberry in 1792. She had previously visited the meetings of Friends in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the States southward to Carolina. She was considered a pious woman, and her ministry gave much satisfaction to the Meeting. She died in 1796. 8
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Hannah Yarnall appeared in the ministry in 1793, but was not recommended until 1798. She travelled consid- erably, and was much esteemed for sincerity and upright- ness.
Ruth Walmsley, second wife of Thomas Walmsley (formerly Ruth Kirk), came to Byberry from Little York in 1794. She was an eminent minister, and died in 1798.
Peter Yarnall, an esteemed preacher, came to Byberry in 1797. He was considered one of the best preachers of his day, but lived only one year after his removal, having died in 1798.
John Simpson, a celebrated minister from Wrightstown, resided in Byberry from 1799 to 1803. He then removed to Ohio, where he died in 181I.
Ruth Cadwalader, who for many years resided in the Thornton family, commenced preaching in 1801. She was subsequently recommended, and was very lively in her discourses. In 1808 she married David Graves, and removed beyond Redstone.
David Comfort was born at Middletown in 1777, and moved to Byberry in the year 1800. He began to preach in 1810, and was recommended in 1817. He went with the Orthodox Friends after the separation, and subse- quently removed to Philadelphia.
John Comly, probably the greatest preacher that ever lived in Byberry, commenced in II mo., 1810. In 1813 he was recommended, and continued preaching until his death.
Amos Hillborn, formerly a member of Wrightstown, came to Byberry in 1799. He began to preach in 18II,
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and was approved 1813. He frequently preached until his death, and was much respected.
James Walton, born in 1774, was for many years an elder in Byberry Meeting, and commenced to preach in 1812. He lived a consistent life, and was much esteem- ed.6
Michael Trump, from Horsham, resided in the town- ship for several years. He began to preach in 1813, and was generally esteemed ; but in 1814 he removed to New- port.
Mary Walton, daughter of William Walton, began to preach in 1816, and was recommended in 1818. She married Henry Pike, and removed to Frankford in 1821, but is now living in Byberry.
Fanny Oram, a mulatto woman residing in the family of James Walton, was religiously inclined, and although not a member, spoke several times in the Meeting in 1817.
Sophronia Osborn, from the State of New York, com- menced to preach at Byberry in 1819. She was considered a lively preacher.
Emmor, son of John Comly, was a preacher at Byberry for several years previous to his removal to Bristol. He now resides in Philadelphia.
Benjamin Tomlinson commenced preaching at Byberry
" The minutes of the Byberry Monthly Meeting between the years 1810 and 1831 were burned in a fire which consumed the house of Watson C. Martindale on 9th of 6mo, 1896. A minute in volume D of the Byberry Monthly Meeting books under date of 6 mo. 30th, 1896, further states that Watson C. Martindale had borrowed the book for the purpose of transcribing important passages. These passages had already been transcribed and deposited in the Penn- sylvania Historical Society when the fire occurred.
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in 1854. He is now a recommended minister in the So- ciety, and resides within the limits of the Meeting.7
Elizabeth, daughter of James Walton, commenced to preach in 1828. She has since removed to Philadelphia.
James Brown, from Crosswicks, New Jersey, came to Byberry in 1830. He frequently preached, yet his ser- mons were usually short. He died at Mechanicsville, 5th mo., Sth, 1858, aged 84 years.
Demas C. Worrell commenced to preach in 1832 at Byberry. He afterwards removed to Horsham, and was recommended.
Elizabeth. wife of Samuel Coleman, came from Trenton to Byberry in 1833. She was a frequent speaker. Her death occurred in 1836.
Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Newbold, came to Byberry in 1838. She was for many years one of the best preach- ers at Byberry.
Sarah, wife of Samuel Shotwell, a noted preacher from Middletown, came to Byberry in 1842. She continued to preach to the time of her death, which occurred 5th mo., 8th, 1862, in her 72d year.
Warder Cresson came from Philadelphia in 1819, and although but a youth, commenced to preach, and continu- ed it for many years. He was never much esteemed ; and some years afterwards he left his family and made a re- ligious visit to Jerusalem, where he resided for several years, wandering about the country, and at times attempt- ing to preach. By his strange conduct he lost the esteem
" Benjamin Tomlinson is now dead. His property is now owned by John Sidebotham of Frankford, Philadelphia. He was the first to recommend the purchase of one acre of land from Robert Purvis for a new graveyard and he was the first to be buried in it.
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of his former friends. He died at Jerusalem, in 1860, after having for a long time roved about the world.
Ann Knight, daughter of Thomas Knight, appeared in the ministry in 1819, but remained in Byberry only about one year afterward.
Benjamin Brown, a preacher from Philadelphia, settled in Byberry in 1820. He was not much of a speaker, al- though considered a very consistent man. He removed to Bristol in 1835, and has since joined the Methodists.
*The author of this history felt constrained to open his mouth in public testimony to the cause of truth about a year before his de- cease. Watson Tomlinson, Mrs. Croasdale and Nathaniel Richard- son have since appeared in the ministry of the Gospel.
During the past century, three churches have arisen within the locality considered in the present history. These were: The Somer- ton Methodist Church, St. Andrews in the Field and Byberry Baptist Chapel. Let us first consider the former.
This church may be said to date its origin from the year 1834. In that year, Rev. John Edwards preached the first sermon. The services were conducted in a school-house near the present church edifice. This school has long since been removed and a new building has been erected to take its place. The original members were: Isaac James, a local preacher; David James, his son; Anna James, his daughter; Abbie Knox and Ann Rhoads.
Although the movement was looked upon with disapproval by the Friends, yet the church continued to grow. In 1835, it received a regular preacher in the person of Rev. James McFarlan. Early in this year, Thomas Reading, Sallie Clayton and Elizabeth Rhoads were converted at a camp meeting and joined the meeting. Ezekiel Everett, his wife, and Sarah Harding, who had been converted at Churchville in 1832, united with the church. Charles Dyer, a local preacher, who had been converted at a Baptist camp meeting, became a member at about the same time.
No church edifice nor lot existed previous to 1836. Rev. L. Pretty- man was then its pastor. In that year, Thomas Reading and Isaac James purchased the lot upon which the present church has been erected. The building was completed in the autumn, the dedicatory service being in charge of Rev. Solomon Weed.
In the new edifice, the church continued to increase in member- ship and Christian unity. By 1837, the original class of five members had grown to forty. Soon after the dedication, a Sunday school was organized under the superintendency of Thomas Reading. Dur- ing the year 1837, Rachel Brown was converted in General Willet's
*Note by the Editor.
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woods. Such was the interest manifested, about this time or soon after, that one of the members, Dr. David James, forgot his horse after the meeting and walked home without it. He did not miss the animal until he went to the stable on the following morning to tend it. During the pastorate of the Rev. J. W. McCaskey, the church was enlarged to its present size. Charles Heller was con- verted in 1851 at Milestown. In 1863, Jesse Harding began a Sunday school at Scottsville. In 1886, the semi-centennial of the church was celebrated by appropriate services, under the charge of Rev. R. D. Naylor.
The church has, at various times, been included within different circuits, it now being a separate charge. In 1835, Rev. James Mc- Farlan was preacher of the circuit consisting of Bustleton, Somerton and Hatborough. In 1839, Hatborough was dropped. In 1840, Holmesburg, Bristol and Bensalem were added. In 1841, Bristol and Bensalem were dropped. In 1846, Holmesburg was dropped, leav- ing only Bustleton and Somerton within the circuit. In 1859, the circuit was done away with and since that time each church has had a preacher of its own.
Most of the early members of the church have gone to their reward. Of these, probably, no two did a greater work in the church than did Dr. John R. Reading and Jesse Harding. Curiously enough they both died in the year of the semi-centennial, 1886. Dr. John R. Reading died on February the fourteenth, and in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and Jesse Harding died on July the twenty-second, as the result of an accident at Simpson's Grove Camp Meeting. Mary Taylor died November the twenty-ninth, 1888; Elizabeth Swarz- lander, December the twenty-fifth, 1888, in the ninety-fifth year of her age; Catherine Depue, June the tenth, 1889, in the eighty-second year of her age, and Elizabeth Ridge, January the twentieth, 1890, in the eighty-third year of her age.
I am indebted to the Rev. Frank E. Graeff, a former pastor, and the Rev. J. M. Wheeler, the present pastor, for the foregoing account as well as the following list of preachers :-
James McFarlan, 1835. J. A. Watson, 1857-58. John Welsh, 1859-60.
Levin Prettyman, 1836-37.
James L. Taft, 1838-39.
J. F. Reynolds, 1860-61.
M. H. Sisty, 1838-39.
Horace A. Cleveland, 1862.
William Williams, 1839-40.
L. D. McClintock, 1862.
John Lednurm, 1840-4I.
Wm. Tricket, 1863.
John Allen,
T. M. Griffith, 1864.
John Lednurm,
1841-42.
L. McDowell, 1867-68.
Charles Karsner, 1843-44.
J. W. Ayers, 1868-69.
James Cunningham, 1845.
Wm. McCoombs, 1846-47.
Wm. Bishop, 1848.
J. W. McCaskey, 1849-50.
Richard M. Greenbank, 1851-52.
C. J. Crouch, 1853-54.
J. C. Wood, 1874-75.
John Shields, 1855-56.
J. W. Harkins, 1865-67.
John Walsh,
E. C. Griffith, 1869-71. Wm. Barlow, 1871-72.
O. E. Stogden, 1896-97. J. M. Wheeler, 1897-
A. J. Collum, 1872-74.
J. J. Timanus, 1875-76.
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Maurice Graves, 1876-77.
T. T. Bond, 1884-86.
L. B. Hoffman, 1877-78. Rufus D. Naylor, 1886-87.
James Blackledge, 1878-79. Frank E. Graeff, 1887-90.
Garbut Reed, 1881-82. A. D. Shields, 1890-93.
Henry Frankland, 1882-83. George H. Bickley, Jr., 1893-95- The first steps toward the erection of Byberry Baptist Chapel were taken in 1870. Under date of October, 1871, appeared the following circular :-
"Some of our members are about building a Chapel for Sabbath School and preaching purposes, in Byberry, five miles above us, and within the limits of the City, to supply a long-felt need. Many of the people there, especially the young, who now spend the Sab- bath in pleasure or in toil, favor the enterprise, and would attend religious service if near at hand. There is no church of any De- nomination, except that of the Friends, within two and a-half miles of the site selected, and no Baptist church nearer than five miles. An aged Baptist lady, upon a bed of suffering, when near death, said, 'Oh! I have been praying for you to succeed in buying a lot, and building a chapel in this needy neighborhood !'
Thirty brethren of various Baptist churches live in this vicinity. An acre of ground has been bought, paid for, and secured to the Denomination. Some material is already on the ground for build- ing, which will be immediately begun if aid is afforded. The brethren neither want to stop the work, nor incur debt. Without help their plans cannot be executed. Three thousand dollars will build and furnish the house needed, and such as will give character and success to the undertaking. Twelve hundred dollars have been subscribed toward house and lot.
Will you not give something to help these struggling brethren to plant the standard in a new region ?
RICHARD B. COOK,
Pastor of the Baptist Church, Holmesburg, Penna." The following is the receipt taken for the first payment on the lot:
"Received, June 23, 1870, of Isaac A. Shives, one hundred and twenty-five dollars, on account of the purchase money for one acre of land situated at the southwest side of the Byberry and Andalusia Turnpike Road, Byberry Township, Twenty-third Ward, Philadel- phia; the said one acre, being part of a larger tract now owned and occupied by Charles Bonner ; the balance of said purchase money is two hundred and fifty dollars, which said balance is to be paid in six months from the above date. when a proper deed of conveyance is to be made (clear of all incumbrance) for the above mentioned one acre of land. by the said Charles Bonner, to the parties named and described as the parties of the second part in said deed.
CHARLES W. BONNER."
The principal members at this time were the following, with their respective families : William Terry, William Dudley, Sr .; Charles Dudley, Isaac Shives, John Simon, William Dudley, Jr .; Harry Eck- feldt, William Cross and Wallace Dudley.
The church was not completed until 1874. Although the greater
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part of the debt was contributed by the members of the "Chapel," yet the deeds for the property were made in favor of the Holmes- burg Baptist Church and the "Chapel" became a mission of that church. At first Rev. Richard Cook, the pastor of the Holmesburg Baptist Church, took charge of the services. He was followed by the Rev. Mr. Dietz who also preached at Byberry. In 1880, By- berry received a separate minister, in the person of the Rev. Mr. Shull. In that year dedicatory services were held under the charge of the pastor. The Rev. Mr. Shull was followed by Rev. Mr. Cornwell, Rev. Mr. Trotter, Rev. Mr. Hutchings and Rev. Mr. Ramsey. For a time the work progressed; but in time seeds of dis- cord were sown, the members withdrew and the meeting for the time being came to a termination.
This was in 1888. The house remained closed until the year 1894, when it was re-opened through the patronage of Mr. Charles Barton. The property had, however, in the meantime been sold to Mr. William Terry by the Holmesburg Baptist Church for five hundred dollars to settle some debts owed to him by the church. On re-opening, it was at first rented, but was afterward purchased from William Terry for twelve hundred dollars. Of this amount, two hundred dollars were immediately paid and the remaining thousand dollars carried as a mortgage. In May, 1900, three hun- dred dollars more were paid off.
The first preacher under the new career of the church was Rev. Charles Knox, who took charge in September, 1894. He was fol- lowed in July, 1895, by the Rev. William Devitt; in September, 1895, by Rev. Herbert Loomas: November, 1896, by Rev. Mahlon Bailey ; in July, 1898, by Rev. Mr. Vincent; in July, 1899, by Rev. John Brooks
Among the most active workers are the Barton, Bartine, Eckfeldt and Simon families. The society is in a flourishing condition and much interest is manifested, not only by the immediate members, but also by the neighborhood in general, in the success of the undertaking.
In regard to the Chapel of St. Andrews in the Fields, the Rev. S. T. Hotchkin gives me the following account :-
"The first regular services of the Episcopal Church were held in Somerton, on Sunday, October 3, A. D. 1897, in the stone house at the corner of Byberry Road and the Bustleton Turnpike, then occupied by Mrs. Thomas Jackson and her daughter, Mrs. Thomas Franklin Arnold. Mr. Ervin's new store is now on this site. The ladies moved to a house on the Byberry Road, in the rear of the hotel and there the services were continued, beginning Sunday, April 3, 1898. A service was once held previous to these dates by the Rev. S. F. Hotchkin, rector of the Memorial Church of St. Luke, the Beloved Physician, Bustleton, in a house occupied by the same family, second door above Taylor's Hall.
John C. Lewis, City Forester, who first encouraged the regular service, became a faithful lay-reader, and was authorized by the Vestry of the mother church of St. Luke to collect funds for a chapel.
ST. ANDREWS' IN THE FIELDS.
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The services were held in Taylor's Hall, kindly loaned, until the pretty wooden 'Chapel' was erected.
A large lot on Somerton Avenue was donated by Mrs. Emma Reath, of Philadelphia, and on October 26, A. D. 1899, the corner stone of the 'Chapel' was laid by Dean Perry, of the Germantown Convocation, in the absence of Bishop Whitaker. The Revs. W. W. Silvester, Bissell, S. H. Boyer, Edward Ritchie, G. A. Hunt, W. Jordan and the rector, S. F. Hotchkin, were present.
On January 14, 1900, the 'Chapel' was opened."
SCHOOLS.
As we have elsewhere observed, the principal school in the townships previous to the Revolution was at Byberry, under the control of the Preparative Meeting. Through the efforts made by Friends, this school was gradually improved in its character, and fully kept pace with those in the adjoining townships. In 1776, John Eastburn be- queathed to Byberry Preparative Meeting the residue of his estate, after certain legacies had been paid out, for the purpose of establishing a school fund which would make the school free. This amounted to £113 Is. 8d., or about $500. From the Meeting's record about this time, it would seem that the subject of free schools claimed more or less the attention of Friends, but nothing was done toward establishing such schools prior to 1800. East- burn's donation appears, however, to have made the Meet- ing more alive to its duties, for in 1789 we find that Wat- son Atkinson, an able and efficient teacher, commenced teaching in a new school-house which was built on the Meeting's lot. It was only about twenty feet square, and was soon found to be entirely too small to accommodate the pupils, so that an addition was built to it in 1792. Atkinson was a man of considerable talent, far ahead of those previously engaged in teaching at this place, and
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did much toward improving the condition of the school by introducing the study of Mensuration, Algebra and Grammar. The principal school-hooks then in common use were Bennett's Primer, Dilworth's Speller, Rose's Assistant, Fuller's Catechism, the New Testament, and Æsop's Fables, all of which have since passed out of use. In 1794, James Thornton died, and bequeathed £100 to- ward the fund to establish a Friends' free school at By- berry; and John Townsend at his death, in 1800, left £50 to be applied to the same purpose. These two legacies most probably induced Friends to take up the subject again, when the plans were so far matured that a free school, the first in the townships, was commenced in the early part of 1802. It was placed under the charge of John Comly, who was paid $15 for the first month, but the salary was afterwards increased. The number of pupils immediately increased, and the usefulness of the school was thereby much extended. At the close of that year Thomas Walton succeeded as teacher, and received $253.33 for his year's work. In 1805, the salary of the school was increased to $320 per annum, and was con- tinued at about that rate until 1812, when the arrange- ments were altered, and the school committee received the income from the fund and disbursed the money instead of permitting it to be paid to the teacher, as had formerly been the custom. John Comly taught the school previous to its being a free school, and it is said while he was teach- er the school was much improved, and pupils from a distance came to receive the benefits of his instruction. He added Latin and Greek to the list of studies, and sev- eral of the youth availed themselves of the opportunity
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to acquire a knowledge of these languages. Among others who studied these branches, we may mention Alexander Knight and Thomas Walmsley, two Byberry boys, who afterwards studied medicine and became quite noted in their profession. In 1795, after some consultation, it was concluded to start a girls' school, and Hannah Thorn- ton opened one at her house, which continued for a few months only. Two years subsequently it was revived, and Sarah Samms was employed as teacher. It was open- ed in the "Little Meeting-House," but was soon after closed. It is stated that in 1797 a school-house was built near the village of Somerton, and a school has been reg- ularly kept there since that time. Among its teachers we find the names of Thomas Knox, who taught the school for many years, and was at the same time tax collector in Moreland; Charles Dyer, William Cameron and James Bunting. This house was built of stone, and was torn down only a few years since, although it had not been used for school purposes since 1847. The idea of a girls' school was not given up after the failure at the "Meeting-House," and in 1804 John Comly was in- duced to open a boarding school for girls at his own house, and, for the accommodation of the neighborhood, took in day scholars. At first it was successful, but for some reason, in 1810, it was changed to a boys' school. There were several attempts made at starting boarding schools in Byberry after this time, but they met with very. little success, and were all sooner or later discontinued. Among the more prominent of these was one opened by Thomas Samms, Jr., at his residence, in 1816, which was continued one year, and one kept by Eber Hoopes for six
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months, at Byberry Crossroads, in 1813. This commenced with thirty-four pupils, but was discontinued for want of patronage.
Although the school at the Meeting-House was started as a free school in 1802, yet it was free only to those who contributed to the "fund," or to such as were in straiten - ed circumstances. Others paid by the quarter, as they had previously done. Prior to 1813, the usual price was $2 per quarter, but in that year it was raised to $2.25.
In ISII, a few Friends associated for the purpose of establishing a school for girls. They provided a house, which was placed on a lot near the store, and the school went into operation under the supervision of the Associa- tion. This school was very successful, and was continued in the same building until 1827, when the house was sold and the school was afterwards kept in the second story of the school-house, on the Meeting's grounds, until 1833, at which time it was discontinued. The teachers of the school were Ann Barton, Rachel Parry, Hannah Barton, Elizabeth Walton, Lydia McCarty, Ann Webster, Martha Parry, Sarah Iden, Rachel Pasmore, Mary Edmundson, Ann Stevens, Elizabeth Knight, Mary Shourds, Ann Buckman, Ann Churchman, Deborah Shaw, and Mary Beans.
While Isaac Carver taught in the old school-house in Byberry, he was somewhat addicted to strong drink, and Benjamin Gilbert went around and persuaded nearly all his pupils from him, and opened an opposition school in the "Little Meeting-House." Carver still continued to keep in the old house, and the pupils attending the two schools fixed upon a line to divide them. When either
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party crossed this, the other one would attack them and a fight would ensue. The school-house stood on William Walmsley's ground, and it was resolved, as Carver would not close the school, that William Walmsley and Joseph Thornton should, on the Seventh day following, when Carver had no school, tear down the old building, and thus end the trouble, which was accordingly done. On Second day, Carver, not knowing what had been done, went as usual to his school, and to his surprise found the house in ruins. He then went to Walmsley, and threatened to sue the perpetrator of the outrage; but upon being told who did it, he was satisfied to go no further than to scold ver; violently about the matter. After this Isaac kept a school several years in his own house, where Richard Cripps now lives.8 This he continued until the year of his decease. in 1786.
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