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 6
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Edward Shippen, the first city Mayor, surpassed his contemporaries in the style and grandeur of his edifice and appurtenances; for " crossing the water" he located himself in that venerable building, afterwards called "the Governor's House," and now superseded by " Waln's Row," in south Second Street. Its site was then " on the hill" "near the towne." There he had his "great and famous orchard." In the lawn before the house, descending to the Dock Creek, "reposed his herd of tranquil deer." The whole river scenery was then open to the view, and afforded a most picturesque and grateful prospect.
Contemporaneous with the structures before named rose the first part of Christ Church, under the mission of the Rev. Mr. Clayton. Pre-eminent in the grandeur of that day, and often visited as a curiosity then, was the present antiquated Swedes' Church and steeple at Wiccaco, built in 1700, to replace the former log church, wherein were loop-holes for fire arms in case of emergency from the Indians.
"The "Slate House," as it was called, wherein Governor Penn dwelt in the year 1700, still standing in humble guise at the south east corner of Second Street and Norris' Alley, was once an edifice with " bastions and saliant angles" like a fortress, and having behind it a great garden enclosure adorned with a lofty grove of trees.
The " Coffee-house" of that day belonged to Samuel Carpenter, in the neighbourhood of Front and Walnut Streets, near which he had also erected the first crane, and built the first bake-house, and first wharves for the accommodation of ships.
At this time the only places of "common landing" were at the " low sandy beach," open till lately on the north side of the Drawbridge. Another was at the " Penny Pot-house" on the north side of Vine Street. The third and last was at a great breach through the high hill at Arch Street, over which an arched bridge extended,-thus letting carts and people descend to " the landing" by passing under the arch.
We must conceive that in the earliest days, the Indians were more or less constantly present, either as spectators of the improvements thus progressing, or, as venders of their game and venison from the neighbouring woods. New England barks too, were early allured to bring in their supplies of provisions. The Swedes and Dutch, as
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The Primitive Settlement.
neighbours, brought their productions to market as a matter of course. The Friends, before settled in and about Burlington, had already begun their thrifty Jersey traffic.
Horse mills were resorted to for grinding corn, and floating wind- mills on the Delaware were also used. The great mill, for its day, was the "Governor's mill,"-a low structure on the location of the present Craig's Factory. Great was the difficulty then of going to it, they having to traverse the morass of Cohoquinoque, (since Pegg's marsh and run,) and on the northern bank of which the Indians were still hutted; thence they had to wade through the Cohocsinc creek beyond it .* What a toil! Wheel carriages were out of the ques- tion in such an expedition; and boats, or canoes, either ascended the Cohocsinc, then a navigable stream for such, or horses bore the grain or meal on their backs.
How rude and rural every thing then !- What a rus in urbe !-- How homespun and plain in their apparel,-how hospitable yet frugal in their diet,-how universally acquainted and familiar,-how devoid of all pre-eminence and ostentation,-what freedom and frankness in their interchange of commodities,-what mutual helps and reciprocities in borrowing and lending,-what commutation of labour and services for corn and necessaries,-what certain enrich- ment to the " diligent hand," to prudent mechanics whose skill and labour were in constant requisition,-how plain and rude then in their household furniture,-how free to use carts or horses then, for occasions which now their descendants must accomplish in gilded equipages !
" While we thus retrace with memory's pointing wand, That calls the past to our exact review,"
We may readily conceive that the young people of both sexes often formed exploring parties. Wishing to see the scenes which environed them, they plunged into the deep woods beyond the Dock Creek; thence making a great circuit, they have seen the then wild Schuylkill shadowed by towering sycamores and oaks, and all the intermediate woods crowded with grape vines and whortleberries. Being protected from surprise by their needful guns, they start or shoot the rabbit, the rackoon, perhaps the fox, or the heavy wild turkey. Perhaps they have met with a colony of friendly Indians, and, bent on novelty and sport, they have bargained for the use of their canoes. Into these slender vessels they have huddled, and thus have made a voyage of discovery up and down the Manaiunk, endangered all the way by the frequent leapings of the reckless sturgeons.
Even the boys of that day had their rural exploits quite close to
* A Mrs. Smith and her horse were both drowned in attempting to cross, at where is now the long stone bridge. And in latter times a horse and rider sunk and were lost in the quicksand there.
+ These were then so numerous, says Penn, that many of them could be seen vaulting tuto the air at once, and often they fell into and overset the canoes.
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The Primitive Settlement.
their own doors. There they could set snares and gins for game, and there they were sure of trapping rabbits, quails, &c. What a tramp it must have been for the urchins then to get over the great Dock Creek, and to lose themselves in the mysterious wanderings of the opposite woods. There starting and pursuing the wild game ; sometimes chasing the fleet footed wild turkeys, which disdained to fly while their legs could serve their escape. If not so occupied, they found employment in gathering shellbarks, walnuts, filberts, or chestnuts; or ate of whortleberries, or blackberries, as the season and the fruit might serve.
"But times are alter'd,-trade has chang'd the scene," -where scatter'd hamlets rose Unwieldy wealth, and cumbrous pomp repose- And rural mirth and manners are no more !"
A person fully alive to the facts which in this new land still environ nim wherever he goes, can hardly ride along the highway, or traverse our fields and woods, without feeling the constant intrusion of thoughts like these, to wit :- Here lately prowled the beasts of prey,- there crowded the deep interminable woodland shade,-through that cripple browsed the deer,-in that rude cluster of rocks and roots were sheltered the American rattlesnake, just emblem of our brave, which, slow of entrance to a quarrel, are bold to sustain it .* These rich meadows were noxious swamps. On those sun-side hills of golden grain crackled the growing maize of the tawny aborigines. Where we stand, perchance to pause, rest the ashes of a Chief, or of his family; and where we have chosen our sites for our habita- tions, may have been the selected spots on which were hutted the now departed lineage of many generations. On yon path-way, seen in the distant view, climbing the remote hills, may have been the very path first tracked, from time immemorial, by the roving Indians themselves. Nay, it is very possible, that on the very site of Coaquanock, by the margin of the Dock Creek, on which their wigwams clustered and their canoes were sheltered,-on the very spot where Henry, Hancock and Adams since inspired the delegates of the colonies (at the Carpenter's Hall) with nerve and sinew for the toils of war,-there may have been lighted the council-fires of wary Sachems, and there may have pealed the rude eloquence of Tamanend himself,-and of the Shingas, Tadeuscunds and Gliki- cans of their primitive and undebauched age! In short, on these topics, an instructed mind, formed and disciplined to Shenstone's muse, could not be idle !
"But oft, in contemplation led, O'er the long vista that has fled, Would draw from meditative lore The shadows of the scene before!'
* The naval flag of the revolution, besides the thirteen stripes, had a rattlesnake, with the motto-" Don't tread on me." See particulars in the North American of 24th June, 1841 VOL. I .-- F 4*
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Facts and Occurrences of the Primitive Settlement.
FACTS AND OCCURRENCES OF THE PRIMITIVE SETTLEMENT.
" I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times."
" PENN's instructions for settling the colony," dated the 30th of September, 1681, had long been buried among the lumber of the Hamilton family, and they were fortunately at length discovered among other papers, in the year 1827. I herein make some ex- tracts as worthy of particular notice and remembrance in my in- quiries, to wit :
It is addressed to three commissioners as then about to depart from England with people for the settlement. It refers to his cousin, Wil- liam Markham, as " then on the spot," acting as his deputy, and pre- pared beforehand to receive them. He speaks of their ability to pro- cure supplies on the Jersey side of the river, if the Dutch, Swedes or English already in the province should be immoderate in their prices; thus indicating the state of previous population and improvement.
He shows his expectation that the " great towne" might be located at Upland, (i. e. the neighbourhood of Chester, thus agreeing with the tradition,) by saying, "let the rivers and creeks be sounded on my side of the Delaware River, especially Upland, in order to settle a great towne ; and be sure to make your choice where it is most navi- gable, high, dry and healthy, and not swampy. It would be well, he says, if the river coming into the creek (I presume at Chester) be navigable, at least for boats, up into the country."* At the same
time he admits the possibility of a previously determined location, by saying, " should it be already taken up in greater proportions, in that case they are to use their influence to have it diminished to the size in his scheme, so that a good design be not spoiled thereby." The bounds of a city are not designated ; (as some have often since said;) but the Liberties contiguous thereto are recommended to comprise 10,000 acres, and to be apportioned among the purchasers in parcels equal to 100 acres of the said Liberties for every 5000 acres possessed in the country ; and in cases where persons shall have a proportion
* Thus showing how well they fulfilled his wishes in selecting such a preferable stream as the Schuylkill so near the city, even without his special designation of that river .- Surpassing too, in advantages, the once projected site of " old Philadelphia," near the " Bake-house," the south side of Poquesink creek in Byberry, which was abandoned it is said, because of the sunken rocks found there, called the "Hen and Chickens."
+ Dean Prideaux's " Connexions" says he had the plan of the great Babylon in his view.
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Facts and Occurrences of the Primitive Settlement.
of ten acres fallen to their lot by the water side, they to abate five and take those five acres more backward, and so proportionably for every other size. If, however, they could not find a site by the water side affording land enough to allow the proportion of 100 to 5000 acres, then get what they can, even though it were but 50 acres to a share. Be sure to settle the streets uniform down to the water. Let the place for the store-house be on the middle of the key, which will serve for market and state-houses too. This may be ordered when he shall come in the next season."
" Pitch upon the very middle of the plot of the towne, to be laid facing the harbour, for the situation of my house." Thus designating, as I conceive, the location of his dwelling in Lætitia Court, and in- timating his desire to have it facing the river, as " the line of houses of the towne should be," and at least. 200 paces from the river. He purposed that each house should be in the middle of the breadth of his ground, so as to give place to gardens, &c. Such as might " be a green country towne which might never be burnt and might always be wholesome." Finally, he recommends his commissioners to be tender of offending the Indians ; to make them presents ; and in his name to buy their lands, assuring them that " we intend to sit down lovingly among them."
William Penn, in his letter of the 25th of 8th mo., 1681, addres- sed to James Harrison, then at Boulton, says, "my voyage is not like to be so quick as I hoped, because the people, on whose going his resolutions and service in going depends, though they buy, and most send servants to clear and sow a piece of land against they come, not one fifth of them can now get rid of their concerns here till spring. When they go, I go. I am like to have many from France, some from Holland, and some, I hear, from Scotland,"
In the same letter* he annexes a power for him to sell, in England, lands of Pennsylvania, to those who will buy. And he adds, " a ship with commissioners will go suddenly in five weeks."
" I eye the Lord in obtaining the country, and as I have so obtained I desire I may not be unworthy of his love, but do that which may answer his kind providence and serve his truth and people, that an example may be set up to the nations! There may be room there, though not here, for such an holy experiment."
William Penn's letter* of the 3d of 8th mo., 1685, to " dear Thomas Lloyd," says, " I recommend the bearer, Charles De la Noe, a French minister of good name for his sincere and zealous life, and well re- commended from his own country. If he is used well more will fol- low. He is humble and intends to work for his bread, has two ser- vants, and a genius to a vineyard and a garden. Let him have £40 worth of corn if he wants it. It will be of good savour, for a letter is come over (to England) from a great Professor in France to some here, to say there is no room (there) for any but Quakers," &c.
* These MS. letters were in my possession.
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Facts and Occurrences of the Primitive Settlement.
"I pray J. Harrison to use the Frenchman* (a former one it is pre- sumed) at the Schuylkill well. I hope a vineyard there (to have) for all this."
Penn, speaking of the Duke of Monmouth's insurrection, says, " About 300 are to be hung in the towns, and 1000 to be transported ; of whom I have begged about 20 of the king." Would it not now be a matter of curiosity to know what degrees of credit or renown some of these descendants now occupy among us !
William Penn's letter; to James Harrison, of the 4th of Sth mo., 1685, (then his steward at Pennsbury,) says, " persecution is exces- sively high in France ; not a meeting of Protestants is left. Many, and much wealth, will visit your parts." [They went generally to New Rochelle, near New York.]
William Penn's lettert to his steward speaks of sending out, for his family purposes, beef in barrels, butter in casks, and candles, all from Ireland! Also a fishing net, brick-makers, masons, wheel-wrights, carpenters, &c. He asks from this country, as rarities, smoked shad and beef ; also shrubs and sassafras. Some, he says, come to him to be helped over on the terms he published for the poor.
In the Pastorius MS. papers in my possession, I glean the follow- ing facts of arrival and landing. He arrived in 1683, and was the founder of Germantown. He came over with a ship-load from Eng- land, in the America, Captain Joseph Wasey, and were chased, as they feared, " by the cruel and enslaving Turks." He thus describes the features of the city plot: " The fortunate day of our arrival, on the 20th of 6th mo., 1683, I was as glad to land from the vessel every whit as St. Paul's shipmates were to land at Melita. Then Phila- delphia consisted of three or four little cottages; [such as Edward Drinker's, Sven Sener, &c.] all the residue being only woods, un- derwoods, timber and trees, among which I several times have lost myself in travelling no farther than from the water side (where was his cave) to the house, now of our friend William Hudson,-then allotted to a Dutch baker, whose name was Cornelius Bom. What my thoughts were of such a renowned city (I not long before having seen London, Paris, Amsterdam, Gandt, &c.) is needless to rehearse ; but what I think now (in 1718, when he wrote) I dare ingenuously say, viz : that God has made of a desert an enclosed garden, and the plantations about it, a fruitful field."
William Penn's letter of the 28th of 5th mo., (July,) 1683, to the Earl of Sunderland, says, " I have laid out the province in counties ; six are begun to be seated, lying on the great river, and planted about six miles back. Our town plot has a navigable river on each side,- about 80 houses are built, and 300 farms are settled contiguous to it. The soil is good-air serene and sweet, from the cedar, pine and sas- safras, with a wild myrtle of great fragrance. I have had better veni-
* I take this Frenchman to have been an ancestor of Andrew Doz, a very respectable sitizen. The family is now extinct.
t These MS. letters were in my possession.
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Facts and Occurrences of the Primitive Settlement.
son, bigger, more tender, and as fat as in England. Turkeys of the wood I had of forty and fifty pounds weight. Fish in abundance, especially shad and rock. Oysters are monstrous for bigness. In the woods are divers fruits, wild, and flowers that for colour, largeness, and beauty, excel."
William Penn's letter of the 16th of 8th mo., 1683, to the Free Society of Traders, says,
I. The province in general is as followeth,-
II. The air is sweet and clear; the heavens serene, like the south of France, rarely overcast ; and as the woods come by numbers of people to be more cleared-will refine it more .*
III. The waters are generally good ; for the rivers and brooks have mostly gravel and stony bottoms; and in number, hardly credible. We have also mineral waters, that operate in the same manner with Barnet and North Hall, not two miles from Philadelphia.
IV. For the seasons of the year, having, by God's goodness, now lived over the coldest and hottest, that the oldest liver in the province can remember, I can say something to an English understanding.
First, Of the fall ; for then I came in : I found it, from the 24th of October to the beginning of December, as we have it usually, in England, in September, or rather, like an English mild spring. From December to the beginning of the month called March, we had sharp frosty weather; not foul, thick, black weather, as our north-east winds bring with them, in England ; but a sky as clear as in summer, and the air dry, cold, piercing and hungry ; yet I remember not that ] wore more clothes than in England. The reason of this cold is given, as from the great lakes, that are fed by the fountains of Canada. The winter before was as mild, scarce any ice at all; while this, for a few days, froze up our great river Delaware. From that month, to the month called June, we enjoyed a sweet spring; no gusts, but gentle showers, and a fine sky. Yet, this I observe, that the winds here, as there, are more inconstant, spring and fall, upon that turn of nature, than in summer, or winter. From thence to this present month, (August) which endeth the summer, (commonly speaking) we have had extraordinary heats, yet mitigated sometimes by cool breezes. The wind, that ruleth the summer season, is the south-west; but spring, fall, and winter, it is rare to want the north-western seven days together. And whatever mists, fogs, or vapours, foul the heavens by easterly or southerly winds, in two hours'time, are blown away ; the one is followed by the other: a remedy that seems to have a pecu- liar providence in it, to the inhabitants; the multitude of trees, yet standing, being liable to retain mists and vapours ; and yet not one quarter so thick as I expected.
V. The natural produce of the country, of vegetables, is trees, fruits, plants, flowers. The trees of most note, are the black walnut, cedar, cypress, chestnut, poplar, gum-wood, hickory, sassafras, ash, beech
* How true it is.
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Facts and Occurrences of the Primitive Settlement.
und oak of divers sorts, as red, white and black ; spanish, chestnut, and swamp, the most durable of all. Of all which there is plenty for the use of man.
The fruits, that I find in the woods, are the white and black mul- berry, chestnut, walnut, plums, strawberries, cranberries, whortleber- ries, and grapes of divers sorts. There are also very good peaches, and in great quantities ; not an Indian plantation without them ; but whether naturally here at first, I know not. However one may have them by bushels for little : they make a pleasant drink ; and I think, not inferior to any peach you have in England, except the true New- ington. It is disputable with me, whether it be best to fall to fining the fruits of the country, especially the grape, by the care and skill of art, or send for foreign stems and sets, already good and approved. It seems most reasonable to believe, that not only a thing groweth best, where it naturally grows, but will hardly be equalled by another species of the same kind, that doth not naturally grow there. But, to solve the doubt, I intend, if God give me life, to try both, and hope the consequence will be as good wine as any of the European coun- tries, of the same latitude, do yield.
VI. The artificial produce of the country is wheat, barley, oats, rye, peas, beans, squashes, pumpkins, water-melons, musk-melons, and all herbs and roots, that our gardens in England usually bring forth.
VII. Of living creatures ; fish, fowl, and the beasts of the woods; here are divers sorts, some for food and profit, and some for profit only : For food, as well as profit, the Elk, as big as a small ox ; deer, bigger than ours; beaver, rackoon, rabbits, squirrels ; and some eat young bear, and commend it. Of fowl of the land, there is the tur- key, (forty and fifty pounds weight) which is very great ; pheasants, heath-birds, pigeons and partridges, in abundance. Of the water, the swan, goose, white and gray ; brands, ducks, teal, also the snipe and curlew, and that in great numbers ; but the duck and teal excel ; nor so good have I ever eat in other countries. Of fish, there is the stur- geon, herring, rock, shad, cats-head, sheeps-head, eel, smelt, perch, roach ; and in inland rivers, trout, some say salmon, above the falls. Of shell-fish, we have oysters, crabs, cockles, conchs and muscles ; some oysters six inches long ; and one sort of cockles as big as the stewing oysters; they make a fich broth. The creatures for profit only, by skin or fur, and that are natural to these parts, are the wild- cat, panther, otter, wolf, fox, fisher, minx, musk-rat; and of the water, the whale, for oil, of which we have good store ; and two companies of whalers, whose boats are built, will soon begin their work ; which hath the appearance of a considerable improvement : to say nothing of our reasonable hopes of good cod in the bay.
VIII. We have no want of horses ; and some are very good, and shapely enough; two ships have been freighted to Barbadoes with horses and pipe-staves, since my coming in. Here is also plenty of cow-cattle, and some sheep; the people plough most with oxen.
IX. There are divers plants, that not only the Indians tell us, but
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Facts and Occurrences of the Primitive Settlement.
we have had occasion to prove, by swellings, burnings, cuts, &c., that they are of great virtue, suddenly curing the patient; and, for smell, I have observed several, especially one, the wild myrtle ; the others I know not what to call, but are most fragrant.
X. The woods are adorned with lovely flowers, for colour, great- ness, figure and variety. I have seen the gardens of London best stored with that sort of beauty, but think they may be improved by our woods; I have sent a few to a person of quality this year, for a trial. This much of the country.
By some MS. papers of the Pemberton family once in my posses- sion, I ascertain that the Harrison and Pemberton families (inter- married) came over together, among 50 passengers, in the ship Sub- mission, Captain James Settle, from Liverpool. The terms of passage were four pounds five shillings for all persons over 12 years of age; for all children, two pounds two shillings and sixpence; and for all goods, thirty pounds per ton. Their contract was, "to proceed to Dela- ware river or elsewhere in Pennsylvania to the best conveniency of freighters." It may serve to know the execution of such voyages, to learn, that by distress of weather, they were landed in the "Potuxen river in Maryland," whence they came to the place of Philadelphia, and proceeded thence to Pennsbury neighbourhood, where they settled and occupied places of distinguished trust.
When James Harrison and his son-in-law, Phineas Pemberton, first entered Philadelphia on horse-back, from Choptank in Mary- land, the latter records that at that time (November, 1682) they could not procure entertainment there for their horses; "they therefore spancelled them, (by leathern hopples I presume,) and turned them out into the woods." They sought them next morning in vain, and after two days search (think what a wide range they must have en- joyed!) they were obliged to take a boat to proceed up the river to Bucks county. One of those horses was not found till the succeeding January !
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