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 58
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1724-The Grand Jury recommend the repair of the water engine, and that the city ladders, buckets, &c., be kept in order.
1730-A fire broke out in a store near Mr. Fishbourne's wharf, and consumed all the stores there, damaged several houses on that side of the street, and crossing the way seized the fine house of Jonathan Dickinson with two others towards Walnut street, which were all ruined. The loss is £5000. The area was for 20 years afterwards called Dickinson's burnt buildings .- [The site was the same, in modern times, called Ross' buildings, in Front street, south of Walnut street, eastern side.] A subscription was forthwith set on foot " to supply the town" with every thing requisite to put out fires. " It was then thought that if the people had had good engines the fire might have been put down." This was the greatest fire ex- perienced.
The same year we find by the minutes of Council that fire ma- terials were speedily procured, to wit :
Thomas Oldman produced a leather fire bucket as a sample : whereupon they agree to pay him nine shillings a-piece for 100 buckets. The Mayor, soon after, acquainted the Board that the two fire engines and 250 fire buckets sent for to England had arrived in July, and requests a provision of suitable places for their reception.
Whereupon it was ordered that the buckets be hung up in the court house, and that measures be used to place the engines, to wit : -one at the corner of the great meeting house yard (south-west cor- ner of Second and High streets)-one at Francis Jones' lot, corner of Front and Walnut streets, and the old engine, in a corner of the Baptist meeting yard, in Second street near Arch street. We can perceive by this distribution that there were but three engines in all, (two having just arrived) and shows that the great fire just before, had had but one engine to help to subdue it !
1735-A writer in the Gazette says respecting fires : We have at present got engines enough, but I question if water enough can be had to keep them going, in many places, for half an hour. It seems to me some public pumps are wanted. At the same time he advises the forming of fire companies.
1736-The houses of "Budd's long row" (north of the Draw bridge in Front street) took fire and threatened to consume the whole, but the engines were worked successfully.
1738-Benjamin Franklin instituted the first fire company or- ganized in Philadelphia.
1753-By an advertisement in the Gazette, I see that " baskets and bags of the fire companies" are called upon to be returned. Thus showing the early use of them, as we used to see them hung VOL. I .- 3 N 42%
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Fires and Fire-engines.
up in the old halls and entries where now our ladies hang elegant lamps.
I give in conclusion a list of fires occurring in Philadelphia during the years 1821 to '24 inclusive, making a total of 96 cases. It may be curious hereafter as a matter of reference. The facts were de- rived from official minutes.
Number of fires in each month of the following years :-
1821.
1822.
1823.
1824.
Totals.
January,
0
1
3
1
5
February,
3
2
7
2
14
March, .
4
1
4
5
14
April,
4
1
4
3
12
May,
.
.
3
2
4
0
9
June, .
4
0
3
0
7
July,
3
1
2
0
6
August,
0
2
2
1
5
September,
2
3
1
0
6
October,
3
3
0
0
6
November,
2
2
0
0
4
December,
1
4
1
2
8
Totals,
.
29
22
31
14
96
1
-
-
The fires which happened in the latter part of 1822, and begin- ning of 1823, were generally supposed to be the work of incendiaries.
The only fires of consequence which occurred during the year 1824 are two-March 29th, in Front above Arch street, and April 18th, in Second below Market street.
The present manner of subduing fires presents an aspect quite different from former doings in such cases. When there were no hose in use and no hydrants, but only pumps and buckets to keep the engines supplied, the scene was much more busy than now. Few or no idlers could be seen as lookers on. They made long lines of people to " hand along the buckets," and if the curious and idle attempted to pass, the cry was passed along the line-" fall in, fall in !" If disregarded, a bucket of water was discharged upon them. Then it was quite common to see numerous women in the ranks, and it was therefore more provoking to see others giving no help, but urging their way as near to the fires as they could. Next day was a fine affair for the boys to look out all the buckets they knew of their several neighbourhoods, and to carry them home. The street posts too, all along the streets, far from the fire, could be seen cap- ped here and there with a stray bucket, asking for its owner.
-
-
-
.
.
*
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The Friends.
THE FRIENDS.
" In stillness thus the little Zion rose."
THE following constitute such special notices of the Friends as I occasionally met with in the course of my researches.
In 1684, Thomas Lloyd in writing a letter to the Friends' Meeting at Dolaran, in North Wales, dated the 2d of 6 mo., says, that there were then 800 people at Friends' Meeting in the city. At that time, says another writer, all denominations assembled with the Friends in much harmony and good fellowship, until discord and confusion was introduced by George Keith's schism.
In 1691 a scene of rare confusion was exhibited in Friends Meet- ing. The facts in the case have been told by Thomas Wilson, a public Friend, who was present. George Keith, who had just sepa- rated, sent T. Wilson and his companion, James Dickinson, a challenge to dispute. They readily agreed to meet, and many Friends of both parties assembled. George Keith railed much. He and his abettors requested another meeting, which was also granted. At another time George Keith went into Friends' Meeting while James Dickinson was there, and preached fawningly, as though he and James Dickinson were in unity ; but James stood up and con- futed him. Then Keith withdrew in much wrath, and the people of other denominations present, being numerous, cried aloud,- "Give way and let the devil come out, for the little black man from England (J. D.) has got the day!"
The Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign parts, in their account of the services of George Keith as their Missionary, telling of course their opinion, in their own way say; that this Mr. Keith " first joined about the year 1691, with a party of Quakers in opposing some of their errors-especially in their notion of the sufficiency of the light within every man to salvation, without any thing else," and the other party joined with Mr. Thomas Lloyd the deputy go- vernor, and a great preacher among them ; thus severally creating separate meetings in the province. It must have been a singular spectacle to have seen one who had been a plain public Friend, attired in drab and broad brim, cast off his garb, and go abroad among them in his black gown as a church minister. A convince- ment certainly of strange occurrence. It is but justice to suggest, that at that time, the Friends could not have gone over wholly to the doctrine of plenary illumination, because, that William Penn's writings against Perot, Luff, and others, declare that such took the doctrine of the Holy Spirit speaking in men in a larger sense than was just, so that they ran out into extravagances thereby.
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The Friends.
In 1702-8th of 9 mo. Isaac Norris' letter says, " George Keith hath been twice here, but has not yet disturbed our Meeting as hath been his custom to the eastward. He is now the talk and news of the town ; but has little to boast of in all his progress hitherto. His own party is like to fall with him. All his sermons are railings against the Friends."
During the time of this schism there came out a printed pamphlet of 24 pages against orthodox Friends, which might be deemed a curiosity for its rare and gross scurrility. It is without imprint, but shows from its context that it was done at Philadelphia about the year 1701. Ample extracts of the whole have been preserved in my MS. Annals in the City Library, on pages 190 to 193. There indeed they deserve to be buried, were it not that their style of abuse is so unique as to show a characteristic of some minds of that day, which we could not conceive of in modern times ; besides they contain some local references which may possibly serve on some needful occasion to illustrate some local incidents. The whole has the appearance of of being set forth as the venom of Keith's adherents. It assails the characters, by name, of every leading man in Friends' Society, making them severally immoral men (though sly) of the grossest kind. It is called " the " Cage of unclean Birds,"-because George Fox had so called false professors. I have purposely suppressed all the names, and refer to the whole now rather as a matter of amuse- ment than of scandal. The Friends, then vilified, must have been endowed with much moderation, to have endured such a pub- lication, or else the doctrine of libels was ill understood and with- out practice among them. Some of the facts are ludicrous enough.
One, a minister too, is accused by name of packing his flour barrels with only good flour at the ends! and also of blowing in money scales to make his light money pass off as weight! It re- proaches them of vain-glory in building "a great Cathedral Meeting Place at Philadelphia,"-corner of Second and High streets.
The Friends, who generally held a majority in the civil rule of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, found themselves more and more embarrassed as mixed population increased. They had difficulties in serving in judicial offices where oaths were required, and also in providing public defence against enemies. The feuds and animosi- ties raised against Friends in the Assembly were very high, and went on increasing from 1701 to 1710. War with France occurred in the interval. A French privateer plundered Lewestown, -and several of them plundered and burnt vessels in the bay. In 1709, the city of Philadelphia was got into high commotion for a defence. " The hot church party" were all in favour of it. The people petitioned the Queen for defence, and objected at the same time to the passive principles of the Friends, as unfit for civil rule, &c. When I have seen so much correspondence as I have, in that day, on that subject, and have witnessed how perplexed the Friends were with their unruly charge,-made up of many nations and many
501
The Friends.
minds,-I have thought them (to use a homely domestic figure) not unlike the perplexed hen with her duck-chickens, which perpetu ally counteract her nature by taking to the water, and leaving her in embarrassment and distress! If they governed for a while, retaining therein their religious views, it was still a daily work of shifts and expedients to keep the approbation of other sects. It was, as Doctor Johnson says, " like a dog who walks upon his hinder legs ;- he does not walk well, but we are surprised he walks at all !"
James Logan, in speaking of these facts, in 1709, says, " The clamours and abuses from such men to the Friends in government tires them and makes them weary of the load. When the queen asks for our quota for Canada, Friends know not how to act or how to refuse, seeing that all the other colonies contribute more than is required."
Isaac Norris, in 1709-10, speaking of these facts, says, " Those of the church grew very uneasy and unneighbourly in their expres- sions, because of the defenceless situation of the place. They are for a coercive law, that all may be obliged to bear arms, or else they will do nothing. They manage this craftily, in order to lay Friends aside in government,-the holding of a place in which is extremely difficult to Friends, and we can hardly judge which has the worst prospect,-whether to hold it under such difficulties as daily fall in the way, or to resign it to some men who are of no honourable principles. Embarrassed and discordant as we are, I often think of the frogs' petition to Jupiter, and fear it must be a governor imme- diately from the crown that must set us to rights. We are a mixed people, who all claim a right to use their own way. Some Friends still in places and offices that cannot be exercised without great dif- ficulties and sometimes full stops,-so that a very great hardship falls upon the Assembly. To me it seems impracticable to do any thing that will please and hold !"
In another place, to James Logan, he says, "We say our prin- ciples are not destructive or repugnant to civil government, and will admit of free liberty of conscience to all, yet to me it appears, (although I get into a labyrinth when I turn my thoughts that way,) to be concerned in government and hold them, we must either be independent and entirely by ourselves, or, if mixed, partial to our own opinion, and not allow to others what we desire from them !"
To illustrate some of the difficulties, supposed to exist in civil matters because of the religious objections of Friends to oaths, I give the following facts-to wit :
In 1703, William Penn writes, that " the lords of trade spake to me of the insufficiency of the government of Pennsylvania,-saying, the first of the council was not able to register ships, administer an oath, or perform some other requisites ; but I told them this could not hinder government, while three or four of the council were church- men, and of age and experience,-and no matter who of the council transacted them, so that they were qualified to do it ;- and yet, by
502
The Friends.
our constitution, our Friends were so :- besides, I told themn it was not to be thought that a colony and constitution, made by and for Quakers, would leave themselves, and their lives and fortunes, out of so essential a part of government as juries :- nay more, that we would not have gone thither to be so precarious in our security as to be deemed incapable of being jurymen,-if so, that the coming of others shall overrule us who are the originals and made it a country."
On one occasion, stated by James Logan, the grand jury being summoned of such as could swear, it was found the number present were insufficient. " On the sheriff's calling for more out of the tales, one and another, being offered the oath, declined it, some for one reason, and some for another. The design evidently was by those factious persons who contend for nothing more than our confusion. They would herein prevent all things that might take away occasion of complaint against us, and they hoped the delay of justice might prove a great one !"
On another occasion it happened that only three of the five judges being present, and those only who could swear, " they ad- ministered an affirmation according to law, which gave cause of many discourses among the discontented. But through these men's restless endeavours, it is found extremely difficult fully to discharge the duties of government incumbent on us ;- they taking all ad- vantages of throwing in our way whatever may perplex us, by reason of oaths, and such other things as are inconsistent with the principles of most of us :- besides, that many things occur in the administration according to the law of England, as well as immunities by our own law, which cannot well be executed by men of our profession. Such objections against us, being what they daily court, when, by their endeavours, they by any means bring them to bear, they greedily lay hold of them."
William Penn, in reply to these and similar statements, makes a remark, in 1704, saying, " I am grieved to think that you ever gave way to any other affirmation than that appointed by law in the pro- vince, by which you have given away a most tender point, not easily recoverable. My regard to the queen is known almost to partiality ; but I shall never obey her letters against laws, into which she may be drawn by interested persons."
James Logan was never averse to measures for protection,-i. e. for just defensive war; and there is reason to infer that Penn himself and some other Friends were of the same opinion. The idea gained ground as the colony increased, and therefore members were often found in the assemblies of the Friends' Society, who, in the opinion of " the most straitest" of the sect, were too lax in their discipline of " testimony," &c. We find, therefore, that such a public Friend as John Churchman deems himself called to express his disapprobation of their public callings generally, as too exposing, in its genera, tendency, for tender minds,-and about the same time, the year
503
The Friends.
1758, we see a warning voice from "The Watchman," by a Friend, in the Pennsylvania Journal, wherein he says, " From the moment we Friends began to lose sight of our original institution, we erred greatly ; for, when we saw so much corruption interwoven in the af- fairs of this world, we were unfit to be concerned in them, and should have rested satisfied on a dependence on the arm of the Lord, and what protection the laws of our country would have given us. But we must needs have that power in our own hands; and having so exceeded their native moderation and self-command, they knew no bounds,-they grasped at more, by which means the life of our old and respected friend and governor, William Penn, was made a life of trouble. Let us return to our original plan, and leave the concerns of this world entirely to the men of this world !"
I have seen the first record of marriages among Friends in Phila- delphia for the first 32 years of the city. The first named is in 1682, of Thomas Smith with Priscilla Allen. These had before passed one Meeting in the Isle of Wight. The next marriage is that of David Brientnall with Jane Blanchard, in 1683. In 1684, eleven couples are married there. My own name-of Watson, is of very fre- quent occurrence among them. One singular name is, I presume, intended to commemorate a providence of God to the parents in their voyage, to wit :- Sea-mercy Adams, married to Mary Brett in 1686.
I have in my possession the original parchment certificate of one of those early marriages. It is chiefly curious as showing several signatures of the primitive leading Friends, and the verbal form of the instrument, too, is somewhat different from the present.
In early days the bride, among Friends wore a black silk hood over the head, with long ends hanging down the front of the shoulder. It was neat and graceful. By this token she was universally known in the street as one "adorned as a bride." She always went on foot publicly to meeting in a kind of procession of eight or ten couples She was preceded by the father and mother of the groom, then by her own parents,-next " the happy pair"-then their special friends.
The wedding entertainments in olden times were very expensive and harassing to the wedded. The house of the parent would be filled with company to dine. The same company would stay to tea and supper both. For two days punch was dealt out in profusion. The gentlemen visited the groom on the first floor, and then ascended to the second floor to see the bride in the presence of her maids, &c. Then every gentleman, even to 150 in a day, severally took his kiss -even the plain Friends submitted to these doings. I have heard of rich families among them which had 120 persons to dine-the same who had signed their certificate of marriage at the monthly meeting -- these also partook of tea and supper. As they formerly passed the meeting twice, the same entertainment was also repeated. Two days the male friends would call and take punch, and all would kiss the bride. Besides this, the married pair for two entire weeks saw large
504
The Friends.
tea parties at their home; having in attendance every night the groomsmen and bridemaids. To avoid expense and trouble, Friends have since made it sufficient to pass but one meeting. When these marriage entertainments were made, it was expected also, that punch. cakes, and meats should be sent out generally in the neighbourhood, even to those who were not visiters in the family. Some of the aged now alive can remember such weddings.
An advertisement of the year 1778, to be copied here, may serve to show the kind and costliness of female attire then among female Friends of the wealthy class. It is in the form of a call for family apparel stolen from the house of Mrs. Sarah Fisher, "in Second street below the Bridge ;" and offering ten guineas reward for the recovery of the same, or five guineas for the watch alone, viz., one white satin petticoat quilted with flowers, one rich pearl coloured satin gown, lined with cream coloured Persian; also several yards of the same pearl coloured satin, one white mantua gown, one blos- som coloured satin cloak lined with white mantua, a baby's cloak of purple and yellow changeable mantua, lined with white mantua, a number of aprons and handkerchiefs of cambric muslin, lawn and holland, all marked S. L., several frocks, &c., belonging to a child. Also, a gold watch with a steel chain and crystal seal set in gold, with engraved arms. The above Mrs. Fisher had been Sarah Lo- gan, the daughter of William Logan, and she was a much respect- ed member of the meeting.
When the walking on the side-walks in Philadelphia streets was impeded with heavy snows, as in days of yore, the Friends were notable for their early care to provide good paths to Meeting. When Richard Hill (a distinguised man) married Miss Stanley, in 1727, they swept the snow from the corner of Norris' alley and Front street, where he lived, up to the Meeting-house at the corner of Second and High streets --- thus making a snow-path of three squares in length. An old doggerel used to say,-
" The rain rains, and the winds blow : High heads-what a panic seize 'em ! Old Friends-to meetings go, Sweeping their way with a besom."
Another expressed the fact in these words to wit :
" The Quakers will to Meetings go, And if their streets be full of snow, They sweep it with their besom."
When the Hectors and Hotspurs of the day were fierce for war measures on the Indians, finding they could not get the sanction of the Friends to their intended embroiling measures, they fell upon expedients, such as satires and caricatures could enforce. Thus an ancient pamphlet, printed at Ephrata,* contains a tirade called the 86 Cloven Foot Discovered," some of which reads thus, viz .:
* Supposed bv Parson Barton, of Lancaster.
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The Friends.
"Pray, worthy friends, observe the text : Get money first, and virtue next. Nought makes our Carolina curs To bark and bite, but skins and furs."
In another place it reads thus :
" In many things, change but the name, Quakers and Indians are the same, I don't say all, for there are such, That honest are-e'en of the Dutch : But those who the Indians' cause maintain Would take the part of bloody Cain, And sell their very souls for gain !" &c.
When, in the year 1756, the governor had proclaimed a day of fasting and prayer on account of the calamity of the Indian war, the Friends did not join in it as a ceremony. Some squibs appeared against them ; one reads thus, to wit :
" Perseverance is a breach in the spirit : Quakers (that like to lanterns bear Their light within them) will not swear. Like mules-who, if they've not their will To keep their own pace, stand stock still!"
The passions and the writers who gave point and effect to sach trifles in their day are all dead. I presume I need scarcely add, I give no revival to any of them but in sheer good nature, treating them rather as the comic of history, than as of any power to revive harm in our day !
The state of the Friends as a part of the civil community, down to the year 1739, has been thus noticed in a MS. account by William Fishbourne of that Society, saying, " As the chief part of the in- habitants were Quakers, they with others were and are concerned in acts of government; but as the province increased and prospered in every respect, many of other persuasions came and settled here with worldly views, who have formerly attempted to wrest the civil power out of the Quakers' hands, as it is very probable they may and will again ; as they publicly begin to think and observe the country in its increased wealth and commerce " cannot be safe" under the con- duct of men who from their principles (of religion) would continue it in a defenceless state and leave it an easy prey to any enemy. Thus not regarding (the fact) the peaceable introduction, and « ontinu- ing from the first settlement both in time of peace and war."
In the year 1748 there were great efforts made in Philadelphia for the defence of the city, by erecting and furnishing two batteries at the Southwark end, and rasing about 1000 volunteers. On this occasion some of the Friends, then in public employ, admitted the right of defensive measures, among whom were James Logan, whose letters to Benjamin Franklin on the occasion I have seen. Kalm, the Swedish traveller, who was then here, remarks, " When the re- VOL. I .- 3 0 43
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The Friends.
doubt was erected at Swedes' church to prevent the French and Spanish privateers from landing, there was much opposition and de- bate, for the Quakers opposed the measure. Papers were printed and circulated pro and con ; but when the danger became imminent at the close of the war, many of the Quakers withdrew their opposi- tion, and helped the measure with their money." This is probably an overdrawn picture-giving the act of a few under the name of "many."
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