USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania in the olden time; being a collection of the memoirs, anecdotes, and incidents of the earliest settlements of the inland part of Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 27
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It may be worthy of remark, in all the foregoing instances of travel- ling conveyances, that all the force and enterprise originated with the Philadelphia end of the line-showing how much, in that day, Phila- delphia took the lead.
Porches .- Philadelphia, until the last thirty-five or forty years, nad a porch to every house door, where it was universally common for the inhabitants to take their occasional sitting, beneath their pent- nouses, then general-for then
" Our fathers knew the value of a screen From sultry sun, or patt'ring rain."
Such an easy access to the residents as they afforded, made the families much more social than now, and gave also a ready chance to strangers to see the faces of our pretty ladies. The lively spec- tacle was very grateful. It gave a kindly domestic scene, that is since utterly effaced from our manners.
It may further illustrate the uses of street-porches, to say that in the colonial times of 1762-3, sundry gentlemen, and especially the officers, took the name of Lunarians, because of their walking the streets of moonlight evenings, and stopping to talk socially with the
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families sitting in their porches. At the time of my present writing, I have seen a letter of July 1763, written by Edmund Conyngham Esq., of Philadelphia,to Colonel Joseph Burd, then at Juniata Fort, wherein he says :- " the Lunarians met in the evening at the corner of Walnut and Water streets, most of the officers, and their wives were present. We drank your health and experienced the want of your many Indian anecdotes."
When porches were thus in vogue they were seen here and there occupied by boys, who there vied in telling strange incredible stories, and in singing ballads. Fine voices were occasionally heard singing them as you passed in the streets. Ballads were in constant requisi- tion. I knew a tradesman of my age, who told me it was his pride to say he could sing a song for every day in the year, and all com- mitted to memory.
The Banjoe and its Music .- The boys and musical people of former days, gave great countenance to negroes from the slave states, who used to visit the town to gather pence from the street passengers. Their fine voices, assisted by their homemade guitars, made from their home-grown gourds, then held the rank and place of the present street organs. They have been poetically described thus, viz :
He stands back by the wall, he abates not his din --- His hat gives him vigour, with boons dropping in, From the old and the young-from the poorest, and there The one-pennied boy has a penny to spare !- His station is there-and he works on the crowd, He sways them with harmony merry and loud- What an eager assembly ! what an empire is this, The weary have life, and the hungry have bliss !
Houses altered .- In every direction of the city old houses have constantly been transforming into more modern appearances, espe- cially within the last twenty-five or thirty years. Old black looking brick walls have been renewed in appearance by painting. Small windows and small panes have been taken out and large and showy bulks, &c., have been put in their places. These in their turn have, more recently, been often taken down, and bulks of smaller dimen- sions supplied. The floors which were below the present raised level of some streets have been raised, (witness C. P. Wayne's, at the southwest corner of Fourth and High streets) and all which were up steps (and this was the way of former buildings ) have been lowered even with the streets wherever they have been converted into stores.
A modern innovation, which some regard as defective in good taste, has been to tear down almost universally from the superior houses, all the ancient ornaments which were not conformed to the modern taste. Thus it was general for the best houses to have vesti- bules and turned pillars, supporting very highly worked pediments over each door, and the ascent to them was up two or three soap- stone steps. In such houses the walls were ceiled in their principal
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rooms with cedar pannel work, and over the doors were pediments which, with cornices, &c., were much carved. These have gene rally been all torn down and cast into the fire, to make way for papered walls and plain woodwork. The old houses, too, had much relief work on the fronts of the houses,-but the taste now is to affect a general plainnesscombined with neatness. ()Id Mr. Brad- ford, speaking of his recollections back to the period of 1750, said there were but few frame houses at that time. The most of houses were of two stories, some of three stories, and very few of one story. He remembered only one or two of stone, and two or three were of roughcast. The act, to prevent the construction of frame houses, was passed in the year 1796. Many of the old houses, in Mr. Brad- ford's time, still retained their leaden sashes and small panes. He removed those which had once been in the old London Coffee- house. Much he praised the social character and uses of the porches, as once protected from the weather by the penthouses. Stiles' two houses on the south side of Walnut street, next eastward of the Friends' almshouse, are among the finest specimens of the largest and best buildings of their day. So also the large house (now Gibbs',) at the northeast corner of Arch and Fourth streets. The two houses of John Rhea, Chestnut street opposite the present Bank of the United States, so long as they stood unaltered, were buildings of very superior style. He, however, following the innovation of the day, tore out all the rich old pannelled and carved work of the rooms ; removed the stately stone steps, and the ample pediments of the front doors; and let down all the basement floors,-thus destroying as much in a few hours, as took months to set up. We have scarcely a vestige left of things as they were, to refer to as an example of what we mean by the ornaments so laid waste. Such as they were, have now their last asylum on the walls of the grand entry in our State house, where we hope they will be perpetuated as long as that structure shall endure! Formerly, every large house, possessing a good entry, had from two to four bull-eye glasses let into the woodwork over the front door, for the purpose of giving light to the passage, when the door should be shut. Each of the window shutters had holes cut in the upper part of them, in the form of crescents and other devices, to give light to the rooms when they should be closed.
Stores altered .- The stores generally retained their old fashioned small windows, in no way differing from dwelling houses, until about forty years ago. Some, indeed, of the oldest structure had the shutters different,-having the upper one to hoist up, and the lower one to let down to the line of the horizon, where it was sup- ported by side chains so as to enable the storekeeper to display thereon some of his wares intended for sale. Long or deep stores extending the full depth of the house were unknown; none ex- ceeded the depth of the usual front rooms. The most of them went up ascending steps. None were kept open after night, save
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grocery and drug stores. They presented no flaunting appearances of competition ; no gorgeous nor alluring signs. Every thing was moderate.
The first fancy retail hardware store, with bulk windows, remem- bered, was the one opened by James Stokes, in what had been the Old Coffee-house, at the southwest corner of Market and Front streets. The buck-handled " Barlow" penknives, the gilt and plated buttons, and the scissors, curiously arranged on circular cards, (a new idea) and the bulk windows, lighted up at night, (a new thing) was a source of great gratification to the boys, and the country market people, lounging about with arms folded, on Tuesday and Friday evenings. One evening, among a group of gazers from about Cones- toga, one of them exclaimed to the others in Pennsylvania German, " Cook a mole, har, cook do!" " meiner sale!" The first brilliant fancy dry goods shop, with bulk windows, as remembered, was opened by a Mr. Whitesides, from London, as it was said, in the true "Bond street style," at No. 134 Market street, in the house now occupied by Mr. Thomas Natt. The then uncommon sized lights in the two bulks, and the fine mull-mull and jaconet muslins, the chintses, and linens suspended in whole pieces, from the top to the bottom, and entwined together in puffs and festoons, (totally new,) and the shopman, behind the counter, powdered, bowing and smiling, caused it to be " all the stare" for a time. There being too much of the "pouncet-box" in the display, however, and the " vile Jersey half-pence, with a horsehead thereon" being wrapped up, when given in change in whitey brown paper, with a counter bow to the ladies, seeming rather too civil by half for the (as yet) primi- tive notions of our city folks.
Cellar Kitchens - now so general-are but of modern use. ' Cook's houses," on the southeast corner of High and Third streets, and " Hunter's houses," on the north side of High street above Eighth street, built in my time, were the first houses erected among us with the novelty of cellar kitchens. Those houses were deemed elegant and curious in their day. After that time, cellar kitchens have been increasing in use, to the great annoyance of the aged dames who remembered the easy access of a yard kitchen on the first floor.
Ice Houses .- These have all come into use among us since the war of Independence. After them came the use of ice creams, of which Mr. Segur had the honour, and, besides, the first advantage, to benefit himself and us. Public ice houses for the sale of ice, is a more modern enterprise than either, and when first undertaken was of very dubious success, even for one adventurer. But already it is a luxury much patronised. The winter of 1828, from its unusual mildness, they failed to fill their ice houses for the first time.
Shade Trees .- The chief trees seen in the streets of the city before the revolution, were button woods and willows ; several were used by the British for fuel. Such as remained, were attacked by an act of
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the Corporation " to guard against fire and stagnant air." To coun- teract so unphilosophical a remedy for " stagnant air," Francis Hop- kinson, Esq., poet and satirical humourist of the day, wrote an amu- sing " Speech of the standing member of the Assembly against the act." It had the effect to save some. In William Penn's time they also talked of cutting off trees to purify the air. The tall sky-piercers, called Lombardy poplars, were first introduced among us by William Hamilton, Esq., of the Woodlands, who brought them with him on his return from Europe in 1786-7. William Bingham, Esq., first planted them in long lines and closely set, all round his premises in the city. As they were easily propagated and grew rapidly, they soon became numerous along our streets. In time they were visited by a large worm, the bite of which was considered poisonous. It received the name of the " Poplar worm." Many must remember it.
Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers .- The present generation is little aware of how little their forefathers knew of many vegetables, fruits and flowers, which are now seen to be so abundant. These have been successfully increased among us, by the many gardeners, florists, &c. The Landreths, for several years, had almost all this business to themselves, and found it to work heavily enough in the beginning,- they having to make all their sales under a small stall, by the side of the Old Court house.
Tomatoes, ochra and artichokes, were first encouraged by the French emigrants, and had but very slow favour from ourselves. Afterwards came in, cauliflowers, head sallad, egg plants. oyster plants, cante- lopes, mercer and foxite potatoes, rhubarb, sweet corn, &c. The seed of the cantelope was brought to this country from Tripoli, and distributed by Com. James Barron.
Formerly we had only a few fox and other poor grapes. We have since several foreign varieties, and have discovered and propagated among ourselves, the Elsinboro, Catawba and Isabella. Once we had only one sort of small strawberries, and now we have many kinds and large. We had only the small blue plum, and now we have them and gages, of great size. We have now greater varieties of pears, peaches, apricots and apples. The peaches were wholly un- molested by the worms.
Our former garden flowers and shrubberies were confined to lilacks, roses, snow balls, lilies, pinks and some tulips. Jerusalem cherries was a plant once most admired, and now scarcely seen. Now, we have greatly increased our garden embellishments, by such new things as, altheas, seringas, cocoras, geraniums, verbenas and numerous new varieties of roses, including champigneas and cluster roses, with many new beauties in the class of tulips and other bulbous roots. In olden time, the small flower bed stood " solitary and alone" in most family gardens,-and sun flowers, and gay and rank hollihocks, and other annual productions, were the chief articles for a greater display. Morning glories and the gourd vine, were the annual dependence for cases of required shade. None scarcely thought of a grape vine for
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such a purpose. In the way of gardens, almost every body were utili- tarians, and scarcely thought of embellishing for the sake of mere vision, until they felt themselves urged onward by the desire of being like their neighbours, in cases where a few of such, little by little, led on the march of improvement. Even the first adventurers in this matter, of decidedly excellent taste, were themselves allured into such embellishment of their grounds, by being captivated, in seeing them first cultivated in the gardens of the professional gardeners. We are certainly much indebted to them for their steady persistence in an uphill work, until the design succeeded, and to their profit too. It is hardly to be imagined that we should ever,of our own mere motion, have been the separate importers of such floral acquisitions, as we now enjoy!
Cemeteries .- It ought, perhaps, to be mentioned, as among the changes of customs and opinions passing upon the public mind, the very striking incident which runs the old burial places in the city into disuse, and so greatly encourages and cherishes, as a place of sepul- ture, the rural and romantic beauties of the Laurel Hill Cemetery. Our forefathers never contemplated, as a possible case of modern improvement, that the home of the dead could be made a place of interest and beauty-such as could invite the visit of the stranger, and soothe the heart of those who go there to revive recollections of de- parted friends. Such a place, with all its expensive adornments, and with all its allurements of scenery, costs less we understand for sepul- ture, than in the ordinary burial grounds of the city. No wonder, therefore, that it finds favour with the public ;- so that already it has the support of eight hundred lot holders, and has received the deposit of nine hundred interments in its short career of six years. For there, monuments of great variety and device have been executed ; and being scattered through the shrubbery and trees, raise grateful images in our contemplation of the dead. We think no longer as if in a charnel- house; but as if associated with grateful shades and fragrant foliage, amid zephyrs, and the carol of birds. It is the place for rest to the soul,-the place for serenity and meditation.
CHANGES IN RESIDENCES AND PLACES OF BUSINESS.
IT may afford some surprise to the younger part of the present generation, to learn the localities in which the proper gentry formerly lived, or the central places in which certain branches of business were once conducted-the whole marked by circumstances essentially different from the present.
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Merchants lived in Water street .- When merchants and others within the last thirty to thirty-five years began to build dwellings as far west as Seventh street and thereabouts, it was considered a wonder how they could encounter such fatiguing walks from their counting- houses and business. Previous to this change, and especially before the year 1793, when they were dispersed from the river side by the fears of the yellow fever, all of the best and richest merchants dwelt under the same roofs with their stores, situated then in Water or Front street. Some of the richest and genteelest merchants dwelt in Water street till the year 1793, and several of them afterwards. After the mer- chants (always the most efficient improvers of the city) began to change their domicils from the water side to the western outskirts of the city, the progress of improvement there became rapid and great. It may mark the character of the change to state, that when Mr. Markoe built his large double house out High street, between Ninth and Tenth streets, in the front centre of a fenced meadow, it was so remote from all city intercourse that it used to be a jest among his friends to say, " he lived out High street, next house but one to the Schuylkill ferry."
Forty to forty-five years ago it was much more genteel to " live up High street" than " up Chestnut street," as it is now called. Chestnut street and Arch street were not then even thought of for build- ing upon, westward of T'enth street. The streets were not even traced out. Frog ponds, the remains of former brick-kilns, would have dinned the ears of the gentry by the songs of their frogs. Those fine houses now out Chestnut street were set down before the streets were paved beyond Fifth street, and the house, which successively became the van, was, like a pioneer, to clear the way for others ; for, the advanced house, even till now, was always exposed to a wild waste, or, if near any of the former settlers, they were generally mean or vile. Indeed, it was often a question of inquiry among the citi- zens, in the paved and old improved parts of the city, how genteel families could encounter so many inconveniences to make their " wes- tern improvements," so called. Even when Waln built at the corner of Seventh and Chestnut streets, and Sims afterwards at the corner of Ninth and Chestnut streets, they had no street pavements, and they were wondered at to leave their former excellent old dwellings in the neighbourhood of the Delaware. A few such examples made it a fashion ; and now men build out as far and in as waste places as they please, hoping for, and generally realizing, that others will follow. Penn street was once a superior residence. There dwelt such fami- lies as Robert Morris, Craig's, Swanwick's, Cuthbert's, &c.
To illustrate a little more the state of families resident in Water and Front streets, it may suffice to give a few facts. Abel James, famous as the greatest merchant of his day, had his dwelling on Water street, by Elfreth's alley, and his stores on the wharf. Adjoining him, northward and southward, were other distinguished families in the shipping business.
On Front street, adjoining to Elfreth's alley-steps, were " Callen- VOL. I .- 2 D
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der's grund houses, ' and about four doors above them stood a large double house, once Waln's, and afterwards Hartshorne's. Nearly opposite stood Drinker's house, at the corner of Drinker's alley, large and elegant, and next door, northward, stood the present Henry Pratt's house. The house of Drinker became a fashionable boarding-house in 1766 to '79, kept by Mrs. Graydon, (mother of the author of Gray- don's Memoirs,) at which lodged the Baron de Kalb, Colonel Frank Richardson of the Life Guards, Lady More and daughter, Lady O'Brien, Sir William Draper, of Junius notoriety, and others. There generally dwelt all the British officers usually in the town.
An aged lady, S. N., told me, that in her youth the ladies attended balls held in Water street, now deemed so unfit a place ! 'There too, they deemed themselves well dressed in figured chintses. There too, former Governors have held their clubs ; and Pegg Mullen's beefsteak house, near the present Mariners' church, was once the supreme ton.
Places of Business and Stores changed .- It is only within thirty- five years, that any stores have been opened in High street above Fourth street, westward. It was gradually extended westward as a place of business. Before this, it had for a few years been deemed the chief street for wealthy families as retired residences. Houses, therefore, of grand dimensions, were running up for dwellings above Fifth and Sixth streets, even while stores were following close after from Fourth street. In a little while the reputation for stands in High street became so great and rapid, that the chief of the large dwellings were purchased, and their rich and beautiful walls were torn to pieces to mould them into stores.
Front street was the former great street for all kinds of goods, by wholesale. Second street, both north and south, for the length of Arch to Chestnut street, were places of great resort for goods. Then no kinds of stores could have succeeded in any part of Chestnut street, westward of Second street, and now we behold so many.
Some places of business are strangely altered. Once Race street, from Second to Third street, had several retail dry goods stores, generally kept by women; now there are none, or scarcely any. Arch street in no part of it had any kind of stores till within thirty- five years. The milliners first clustered there from Second to Third street, and it was for a time quite the place of fashion in that way. Then millinery stores and ladies' shoe stores opened in Second street, from Dock street to Spruce street, where no kind of stores, trades or offices had been found thirty-five years ago. Within forty-five years all the shoe stores opened in High street. Henry Manly began first, below Second street, and was the only shoe store in the city for several years. Before that time all shoes were made to fit customers by the tradesmen. It is, however, true, that before the Revolution John Wallace had a store for the sale of worsted, satin and brocade shoes for ladies only ; most or all of which were imported. Stores of any kind in Third street, either north or south, were very rare, even forty years ago, and none were to be found at
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all in Fourth or Fifth street. When they began to open here and there in those streets, the general surprise was "how can they think to succeed !" Wholesale grocery stores were once so exclusivelv in Water street, that when the first attempts at such in High street were made, it was regarded as a wonder. The western world has so rapidly increased as to make a great increase of all kinds of stores in the western part of the city necessary for their demands.
When General Washington and Robert Morris, dignitaries of the nation, lived in the houses in High street, east of Sixth street, only little more than forty years ago, no stores, save Sheaff's wine store, were near them; and probably not an inhabitant could then have been found to guess that that square, and to the westward of it to Broad street, would ever become a street of trade! So limited were the western wagons then in High street, that none appeared above Fifth street, and few or none thought of seeing more !
Ofices of the United States Government at Philadelphia. When the Government came from New York to Philadelphia in 1791, the departments were located in private houses, to wit: The State department was on the north side of High street a few doors east of Sixth street, (a moderate sized three story house) and was afterwards removed into Arch street two doors east of Sixth street. The General Post Office was on the east side of Water street, a few doors below High street !- the same house which had before been the residence of the Chief Justice. The location of other offices is already told elsewhere.
It may serve to show the early attachment to Water street as a place of residence and genteel business, to state a few of the facts in the case. The earliest newspapers show, by their advertisements, that much of the goods for retail for gentlemen and ladies' wear, were sold in that street. As early as 1737, Mrs. Fishbourne, living in Water street, below Walnut street, advertises a full store of ladies' goods for sale at her store on the wharf, back of her house! In 1755, at Sims' house in Water street, above Pine street, is adver- tised all sorts of men and women's wear, by retail, &c. When the present house, No. 12 North Third street, nearly opposite Church alley, was built there by the father of the late John Warder, say about seventy- five years ago, it was then matter of surprise that he should go so far out of town! In the day in which it was built, it was deemed of superior elevation and finish; but now it is surpassed by thousands in exterior show. As late as the year 1762, Mr. Duché had a clay mill and pottery, with a well of water, on Chestnut street, at the house afterwards known as Dickinson's old house, a few doors eastward of Fifth street, where Girard has now built his row.
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