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 40
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" To Mr. Francis Phillips, Philadelphia,-Sir, You have basely scandalized a gentlewoman that I have a profound respect for. And for my part shall give you a fair opportunity to defend yourself to. morrow morning on the west side of Joseph Carpenter's garden, [the present Arcade, I believe,] betwixt seven and eight, where I shall expect to meet you gladio cinctus, in failure whereof, depend upon the usage you deserve from-y'r ever-
PETER EVANS, at the Pewter Platter [Inn.]
At the same time a billa vera is found against the clergyman himself, for some mal-conduct, and not long after, his people, sensi- ble of his misconduct, dismiss him from his pastoral care.
I perceive by the letters of James Logan [in Logan's MSS.] that "he was taxed with scandalous expressions-boasting of undue intimacy with some women of reputation." "Was carried to gaol for a day, when the Governor took sides with him as a churchman, and entered a nulle prosequi. Some others of the Church in the mean time met at the Court house and voted him to have acted scandalously, and to receive no farther countenance"-a determi- nation which must of course exempt the Church itself from blame.
The People's Magazine says, that about the year 1760, "Duels were frequent among Clergymen." In 1764, the Rev. Mr. Hill was killed in a duel by Cornet Gardiner. The Rev. Mr. Bates fought two duels, and was subsequently created a baronet and preferred to a deanery after he had fought another duel. The Rev. Mr. Allen killed a Mr. Delany in a duel in Hyde Park. Surely such clergy- men forgot their office, and needed their own reform, far more than to pretend to be instructers to the people!
1721-The Grand Jury present the case of Selom Fry, mariner, who challenged Francis Jones to fight with swords-and both were wounded.
1750-Thomas Crosse, gentleman, challenges Hugh Davy to fight with swords whereby the latter was wounded.
About the time of the Revolution there were three cases of duels: Colonel Cadwallader accepted the challenge, and fought General
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Conway ; the latter was wounded. Doctor W. fought a duel with another gentleman about a young Quaker lady .- The former shot his pistol in the air, and so made it a bloodless case and a drawn battle. A singular case of duel occurred in 1778 or '79, between Henry Laurens, President of Congress, and John Penn, member of Congress from North Carolina. The parties were fellow boarders, and breakfasted together the same morning. They started to go out Chestnut street to the vacant lot vis-a-vis, present Masonic Hall. In crossing at Fifth street, where was then a deep slough, Mr. Penn kindly offered his hand to aid Mr. Laurens, who was much the oldest, and when it was accepted he suggested to him that their meeting (solicited by Laurens) was a foolish affair, &c .- to which Mr. L. assenting, it was made up on the spot. This Penn was no relative of William Penn.
On the 12th June, 1777, John Sargent, Esq., laid before Congress a challenge which he had received from Gunning Bedford. The next day Congress resolved that Mr. Bedford "should answer before the house for his conduct." He appeared and made his justification, whereupon the House resolved that Mr. B. is expected to ask par- don of the House and of the members, which he did accordingly, and the matter was dismissed.
While the Congress sat in Philadelphia, about the year 1798-9, the Hon. James A. Bayard, then a member, fought a duel with another member in a disused saw-pit shed, then standing at the north end of Front street, at the corner where the roads lead over the stone bridge to Kensington. It was a rainy day, and they took shelter there. Both this place, and that above-mentioned, present them- selves to our minds now as strangely exposed places, by present pub- lic resort, for fighting duels! But these facts evince how surprisingly population has extended westward and northward.
In the year 1824 there appeared in the Philadelphia " City Register," and other gazettes, a detailed account of all the known duels occurring in the United States from the year 1801-published with a design " to awaken more attention to the wide-spread and over- whelming misery occasioned by duelling." The list exhibits the names of nearly one hundred killed. Of the duellists more than thirty were officers of the navy, and nearly thirty were officers of the army : this, too, although the rules and articles of war say, " the parties shall be cashiered."
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The Drawbridge and Dock Creek.
THE DRAWBRIDGE AND DOCK CREEK.
As early as the year 1691, it appears from " the petition of the in- habitants of Philadelphia to the Governor and Council," signed by thirty-two inhabitants, that there was then a request made that the open area of Dock swamp, &c., might be for ever left open as a public highway for the general benefit of the citizens. The petition appears to have been occasioned by Jeremiah Elfreth, and others, attempting to build on some parts of it. I abstract the pith of the reading in the words following, to wit :
" Whereas, Philadelphia was located because of its natural advantages of easy landing and contiguous coves, that by little labour might be made safe and commodious harbours for vessels, safe from winter and storms [This alludes to Dock swamp, and probably the area from Green street to Kensington Point Pleasant.] Accordingly the first settlers, invited by those conveniences, seated them there, in the year 1682, and landed their goods at that low sandy beach, since called the Blue Anchor-(tavern.) This beach means the lot of one hundred feet breadth on Front street, in front of Budd's row, (as then called,) being the first ten houses north of the Drawbridge, and extending two hundred and fifty feet into the river.] Since then all persons have used it as a common free landing for stones, logs, hay, lumber, and such other goods as could not with like ease and safety be landed at any other wharf and place-We, the inhabitants, to our great grief, have been informed that some persons, obtaining a grant from the Commissioners, have encroached on a part of that public flat sandy beach, and thus diminishing the common landing-and knowing no landing is so convenient, we beseech the Governor and Council would be pleased to order the bounds and breadth of the same."
" And we also further beg, that all, or at least so much of the cove, at the Blue Anchor, [the house now Garrett's tobacco store, north-west corner of Front and Dock streets,] as possible, may be laid out for a con- venient harbour, to secure shipping against ice or other dangers of the winter-there being no other place by nature so convenient for the ends proposed." Signed by-Humphrey Murrey, [called "Mayor,"] John Holme, [Surveyor General,] David Lloyd, [Speaker of Assembly and Clerk of Court,] Thomas Budd, [owner of the row,] William Bradford, [the first printer, and who was printer of the New York government for fifty years,] James Fox, Nathaniel Allen, Philip Howell, William Say, Thomas Griffith, Andrew Griscom, Philip Richards, and twenty others.
It appears that a meeting of the Governor and Council was accordingly convened on the 3d of 6 mo., 1691 .- Present, Thomas Lloyd, Deputy Governor, and John Simcock, John Delavall, Thomas Duckett, Griffith Owen, William Stockdale and John Bristow,-and they proceed to de
BLUE ANCHOR TAVERN.
VAN-INGEN-SAVE"
THE DRAWBRIDGE AND DOCK CREEK .- Page 336.
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cree and order, " that in consequence of the application of the Mayor, Humphrey Murrey, in behalf of the said city," praying them "to regu- late the landing place, the end of the street, near the Blue Anchor, being the only cartable landing place to serve the south end of the town, and has been so used and enjoyed, till of late it was granted away by the Commissioners of Property, whereupon it is ordered, that the said Mayor and Aldermen [of course it is probable the preceding petition, signed by thirty-two inhabitants, were they] have notice to attend the Governor and Council, to view the same-[which was done accordingly.] And upon the subject of a harbour for shipping, &c., near where the Blue Anchor stood, the Governor and Council duly weighing the powers granted by the King to Governor Penn for erecting keys, harbours and landings, it is hereby declared and ordered, that there shall be left a vacancy between the north side of John Austin's frame of a house, upon the bank, and Society Hill, extending about four hundred feet in breadth towards the point of said hill, for a public landing place and harbour for the safety of ships and other vessels, and the same so to continue, until the proprietary's pleasure be known to the contrary, (which it is certain he never did signify, and more especially as his city charter, of 1701, did confirm this very area,) notwithstanding any encroachments, grants or patents made of the said vacancy by the Commissioners of Property to any person whatsoever."
" And it is further ordered, that Jeremiah Elfreth, and all other persons concerned, pretending to have any title or right to the said vacancy or landing place, [meaning in front of Budd's row and north of the Draw- bridge,] shall desist and forbear encumbering the same-but that they be repaid for their materials put upon the same."
It appears, respecting the premises, that the Commissioners of Property, who had granted the above invasions, became dissatisfied with the above supreme decree of the Council-they, therefore, did what they could, by a nugatory protest, under date of the 19th of 11 mo., 1691, to wit : Cap- tain William Markham, Robert Turner and John Goodson, saying, " Whereas, complaint was made to us by William Salloway, Griffith Jones and Jeremiah Elfreth, that Thomas Lloyd, (Governor,) Humphrey Murrey, (Mayor,) and others, did often last summer come on their bank lots, and commanded their workmen to desist, to their delay and damage ; and whereas, William Salloway was refused by David Lloyd, Clerk of Court, to have his patent recorded-all which enormities we consider to infringe on the rights of the proprietary to dispose of all lots and lands within this province, &c., by his commission to us; therefore, we do in his name assert the patents granted by us to the above-named persons to be good and sufficient to them."
It now becomes a question which are the places referred to above : I should judge that John Austin's frame house must have stood on the area, now open, north of the Drawbridge, on the east side of Front street ; and that the four hundred feet was to extend from the north side of that house, down town, southward, to the extreme projecting point (towards the river) of Society Hill, (which lay below Spruce street,) and had its boundary northward, about the sixth house below Spruce, in Front street, and thence it inclined VOL I .-- 2 S 29
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south-eastward, over Water street, to the river, having its margin watered by the Dock swamp. We ought, therefore, by this grant, to have had now an open view, from about the late Hamilton's wharf and store, down towards Pine street, of as much extent, as it now is, from Front to Second street, which is so near four hundred feet as to be three hundred and ninety-six feet. I infer, that what was called the " sandy beach," before Budd's row, was called also the bank lots, because it was in the line of Front street, which are, and were, so called ; and especially because the complaints of Elfreth and others, who encroached on the beach, said they were molested on their bank lots.
In the year 1701, October 25, William Penn grants the charter of the city of Philadelphia, and therein ordains, that the landing place now and hereafter used at the Penny-pot house, (Vine street,) and the Blue Anchor, (Drawbridge,) saving to all persons their just and legal rights and properties in the land so to be open; as also the swamp, between Budd's buildings and the Society Hill, shall be left open and common for the use and service of the said city and all others, with liberty to dig docks and make harbours for ships and vessels in all or any part of said swamp.
" The first house, (says R. Proud) was built by George Guest, and not finished at the time of the proprietor's arrival." This house of Guest's was in Budd's row, and was kept by him as a tavern, called the Blue Anchor-the same afterwards called the Boatswain and Call, and lately superseded by a new building as a large tobacco- house, by Garrett.
Robert Turner, in his letter of 1685 to William Penn, says, John Wheeler, from New England, is building a good brick house by the Blue Anchor-Arthur Cook is building him a brave brick house, near William Trampton's, on the Front street-and William Tramp- ton has since built a good brick house by his brewhouse and bake- house, and let the other for an ordinary.
Mrs. Lyle, an ancient inhabitant, seen by Charles Thomson, who had come out with William Penn, said they chose to locate on the Dock creek as a place of business, because of its convenient and beautiful stream, which afforded them the means of having vessels come up close under their bakehouse, located below Second street. The ancient Mrs. Claypole too, who lived on the north side of Wal- nut street, east of Second street, spoke much of the beautiful pros- pect before their door, down a green bank to the pretty Dock creek stream.
Henry Reynolds, of Nottingham, (Md.) a public Friend, lived to the age of 94 years, and at his 84th year came to Philadelphia with his grandson Israel, who since told me of it. He there showed him an old low hipped-roof house in Front street, above the Drawbridge, (western side) at which place he said he had often cultivated corn. He said he often used to sit in a canoe in Dock creek, at the back end of that lot, (which belonged to him,) and there caught many and
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The Drawbridge and Dock Creek.
excellent fish. He told him also of many occasions in which he was in the company and converse of William Penn, both before and after his leaving Chichester in England, from which said Henry came.
What is curious in the above case is, that the above-described lot of Henry Reynolds, which ran from Front to Second street quite across the creek, was at first so little regarded by him, (who had gone to his lands, of 1000 acres, at Nottingham, near the line, and deem ed at the time as within Penn's province,) that he took no measures nor pains to exclude the city squatters. It was assumed by others ; and the pacific principles of the owner would not allow him to con- tend for it. The holders had procured a fictitious title, from two maiden women of the name, in Jersey, but they were not relatives, and had made no claim! The present Israel Reynolds, of Notting- ham, and other heirs, where the family is numerous, tried the case of ejectment some years ago before Judge M'Kean, who charged the jury not to allow such long unmolested possession to lapse, as a necessary means of preventing numerous other contentions ; for, in truth, many of the country settlers who became entitled to corre- sponding city lots, so little regarded their value, as to utterly neglect them-or, at best, they leased them for a trifle for one hundred years, which they then deemed equivalent to an eternity ; but which now, in several cases, I am told, is becoming an object to reclaim by un- expected heirs, or, more properly, by sordid persons with no better titles than their knowing the defects in the titles of present and long undisputed occupants.
In 1699, the only two tanyards, then in the city, were then on Dock creek, viz. : Hudson's and Lambert's, and but few houses near them ; and yet, from those few houses, many died of yellow fever, communicated from Lambert, who sickened and died in two days!
" In 1704, the Grand Jury present " the bridge, going over the dock at the south end of the town," as insufficient and dangerous to man and beast. It was for a while before used as a ferry place.
In 1706, the Grand Jury again speak of the place of the bridge, saying they have viewed the same, and found the bridge had been broken down, and carried away by storm, and recommend it to be rebuilt.
They present also the wharves between Anthony Morris' brew- house (above the bridge) and John Jones', as very injurious to the people along King street-(now Water street.)
In 1712, they again present the public kennel there as full of standing water.
In 1713, they present, as not passable, the Drawbridge (the first time so named !) at the south side of Front street, and the causeway at the end of said bridge. And again, they say, " the bridge at the dock mouth," and the causeway betwixt that and Society Hill, want repair-so also the bridge over the dock and Second street.
In 1739, the citizens present a petition that the six tanners on
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The Drawbridge and Dock Creek.
dock creek shall be obliged to remove their yards out of the town, and as being nuisances and choking up the dock, which used to be navigable formerly as high as Third street. They compromise, by agreeing to pave their yards, &c., and not thereafter to burn their tan on the premises, so as to smoke the neighborhood.
In 1739, Hamilton's fine new buildings near the bridge [the same place lately bearing his name, on the north side of the dock,] took fire, and were called a great loss, as an ornament to the town-they had been used for a dancing room. They were consumed before they were finished. Only three years before, Budd's long row took fire, but was extinguished.
In 1740-A stone bridge was erected over Dock creek at Third street-the mason work done by Thomas Hallowell for £28, and the stone and lime costing £51. The original account of which, in the handwriting of Andrew Hamilton, Esq., is in my possession.
In 1741, the Grand Jury present the streets laid out along each side of the dock between Second and Third streets, as well as the said dock, as much encumbered by laying great heaps of tan therein. In High street the water-course, from the widow Harman's to the common-shore across High street, is very much gullied and danger- ous. Thus intimating, as I conceive, that there was then a com- mon-shore or landing for wood, &c., as high up Dock creek as to the corner of Fourth and High streets.
In 1742, John Budd, as heir to "Budd's long row," claims the ends of the lots bordering on the dock, and publicly proposes to convey " the whole swamp" (the present Dock street) to any who will buy his titles.
In 1747, the Grand Jury present that it is the universal complaint of all the neighbours adjacent to the dock, that a swamp, near it, for want of cleansing, &c., [by not draining along Spruce street, I presume,] has been of fatal consequence to the neighbourhood in the last summer.
In 1747-October-On a representation made to the Common Council, that " the swamp between Budd's row and Society Hill," as it now lies, is a great nuisance, and injurious to the health of those near it, it was resolved to appoint Benjamin Franklin, William Logan, &c., as a committee to consider of the best means of re- moving the nuisance, and of improving the said swamp-[laying along on the north side of Spruce street, where is now the city lot.] At the same time an address was moved to the proprietor on the same occasion. Afterwards, in February, 1748, the committee report, that there shall be a convenient dock of sixty feet wide as far as the said swamp extends westwards,-a branch of thirty feet wide on the south-west, and forty feet wide on the north-west, to be left open for the reception of flats, boats, and other small craft-that the re- mainder ought to be filled up above the side, and walled in with a stone wall, and made landing places for wood, &c .- that the said dock be dug out, so deep that the bottom may always be covered
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The Drawbridge and Dock Creek.
with water-that the common sewer on the south-west branch (Little Dock street now) be continued to the dock. They further add, that the owners, adjoining to the dock, have agreed to dig out their respective shares, provided the city bear the expense of the floodgates at the several bridges.
In 1748, Secretary Peters, in writing to the proprietaries, speaks of filling up the dock swamp ground on the northern side of Spruce street, by using the ground from the neighbouring hills. As the Dock creek, by neglect, was suffered to fill up and so have its bot- tom exposed to the eye and to the sunbeams, it was deemed by some likely to be pernicious to health. Such physicians as were unfriendly to its continuance openly declared it pernicious. Doctor Bond, for instance, asserted that fewer ounces of bark would be used, after its filling up, than pounds before! Doctor Rush, after him, in later time, gave his influence to have it filled up, by ex- citing the people to an alarm for their health ; for some time he stood quite unsupported. On the other hand, those who thought a stream of water, changing with the tide, an ornament to the city, (among whom Tench Francis appeared as a leader and a writer,) were strenuous in endeavouring to preserve the original creek. In the present day, we are aware that a dredge could keep it deep enough, and the rich deposit for the use of land might defray the expense.
In 1750, they present the arch over the Dock creek, on Chesnut street, as fallen down and dangerous,-and
In 1751, they present that part of Front street southward of the Drawbridge, and opposite to the city lots, as impassable for want of filling up, &c .- and
In 1753, they present Spruce street, from Front to near Second street, as impassable.
In 1753, " The Mayor and Commonalty of Philadelphia" pro- pose to let the lot of ground of one hundred feet in breadth on the east side of Front street, north of the Drawbridge, thence two hun- dred and fifty feet into the river. In consequence of this, the War- dens, Commissioners, Assessors, and Overseers of the poor, at the request of the Freemen of this city, present a memorial to the Mayor and Commonalty, assembled on the 16th of February, 1753; an abstract of which reads, to wit: " That by the mutual consent of our worthy proprietary and the inhabitants, the two public landing places, at the Penny-pot house and Blue Anchor, were appointed to be left open and common, for the use of the inhabitants, and as much so as any of the streets."
" That the landing place at the Blue Anchor, was at first very large and commodious, and of much greater extent than it is at present. That in or about the year 1689, the proprietary commis- sioners made grants to several persons for lots on the river Delaware, which were a part of the said landing place." --
" That the Mayor and inhabitants, knowing these grants were an infraction of their rights in the same, petitioned the Governor and
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Council for redress; that therefore, the said Governor and Council decreed the removal and clearance of materials from the same, so as to restore the same to the original design of a public and common landing; that therefore, the landing place remained free and open upwards of sixty years-that the charter of 1701 ordained the said landing places to be left open and common. That by long expe- rience, the said landings appear to be of great service, affording land- ing for fire-wood, charcoal, bark, timber, boards, stones. That the inhabitants are much dissatisfied with the proposal to let the said landing place on ground-rent for ever, and therefore hope they will rescind their Resolutions to let the same." It was not let.
In 1764 the Common Council resolve to build a fish-market, " for the purpose of filling up the vacancy between the new stone bridge on Front street and the wooden bridge on King street, (Water street.) The stone bridge was built the year preceding. About this time parts of Front and Water streets were paved. The same building which was the fish market was standing, in altered con- dition, as a store until lately. It was raised chiefly by subscription.
The present aged Colonel A. J. Morris told me he remembered, in his youth, seeing men digging for the foundation of the Second street bridge over Dock creek, to make a bridge of stone. There he saw the Irish diggers rejoicing, and saying they had dug up pure Irish turf! He saw lumps, from a great depth, having a congeries of black roots. This agrees with the fact of having to drive piles for the Insurance Office on the north-east corner, and also with the fact of having to dig seventeen feet for the foundation of F. West's house in Dock street, where, at twelve to thirteen feet, they came to complete turf.
1667 .- The Walnut street and Third street bridges, across the Dock creek, existed as late as this time, because both are publicly referred to then, in relation to a bill of sale for ground there. Very lately, too, remains of the Third street bridge were found under ground in digging near Girard's Bank.
The aged Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Congress, told me he remembered an acquaintance who came out at the first settlement with Penn, and wintered his vessel at the lower part of Dock har- bour, as a security against the ice. He also told me that he had, himself, seen sloops and schooners loading and unloading flour, grain, &c., in all the length of Dock creek, up to Second street bridge. The foot-pavements of Dock street are much higher now than then, probably as much as four to five feet. Some of the old houses lately in Dock street would prove this, by going down steps to the first floor, where they originally were up a step or two above ground. The making a great tunnel through Dock creek, and filling up so much earth, was a labour of great magnitude, in the year 1784, when it was executed. Tanyards on Third street, south of Girard's Bank, adjacent to Dock creek, remained there until a few years ago, resting full three feet lower than the level of Third street.
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