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 64
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
He employed much of his time in travelling abroad through the provinces then subject to England, during the autumn, when his agricultural avocations least required his presence at home; the ob- ject of the peregrination was collecting curious and nondescript vege- tables, fossils, and the investigation and economy of nature ; his ardour in these pursuits was so vigorous and lively that few obstacles opposed or confined his progress. The summits of our highest moun- tains are monuments of his indefatigable labours and inquisitive mind. The shores of Lake Ontario and Cayuga contributed through his hands to embellish the gardens and enrich the forests of Europe with elegant flowering shrubs, plants, and useful ornamental trees. The banks and sources of the rivers Delaware, Susquehanna, Allegheny, and Schuylkill, received his visits at a very early date, when it was difficult and truly perilous travelling in the territories of the aborigines He travelled many thousand miles into Virginia, Carolina, East and West Florida, in search of materials for natural history, and to enrich the funds of human economy. At the advanced age of near seventy years he performed an arduous and dangerous task-a tour into East Florida. Arriving at St. Augustine, he embarked on board of a boat at Picolota, on the River St. Juan, navigated with three oars and a sail, with a hunter to provide flesh meats. From Picolota he pro- ceeded up the east bank to its source-originating from immense in- undated marsh meadows, the great nursery of the nations of fish and reptiles, the winter asylum of the northern fowl, ducks and the An- ser tribes, in their annual festive visits to their southern friends, but held in awe by the thunder of the devouring alligator ; and returning down the west bank to the capes, noting the width, depth and courses of its winding flood, the vast dilatations of the river with its tributary streams, at the same time remarking the soil and situation of the country and natural productions.
His stature was rather above the middle size, erect and slender, visage long, his countenance cheerful and gay, regulated with a due degree of solemnity. His manners modest and gentle, yet his dis- position active and of the greatest good nature. A lover and practiser of justice and equity. Such a lover of philanthropy, charity and social order, that he was never known to enter into litigious contest with his neighbours, or any one, but would rather relinquish his rights than distress his neighbours. He was through life a rare example of temperance, particulary in the use of vinous and spirituous liquors, as well as other gratifications; not from a passion of parsimony but in
--
....... ...
551
Persons and Characters.
respect to morality ; nevertheless he always maintained a generous and plentiful table-annually on a New Year's day he made liberal entertainment at his own house, consecrated to friendship and philo- sophy.
He was industrious and active, indulging repose only when nature required it, observing that he could never find more time than he could with pleasure employ, either intellectually or in some useful manual exercise, and was astonished when people complained that they were tired of time, not knowing how to employ it, or what they should do.
In observing the characters of illustrious men, it is generally an ob- ject of inquiry of what religion they were. He was born and edu- cated in the Society of Friends, (called Quakers,) devoutly worshipped the Supreme Deity, the Creator and Soul of all existence, all good- ness and perfection. His religious creed may be seen by any one, sculptured by himself in large characters on a stone in the wall over the front window of his apartment where he usually slept, and which was dedicated to study and philosophical retirement. This pious distich runs thus :-
'Tis God alone, the Almighty Lord, The Holy One by me adored.
JOHN BARTRAM-1770.
He was an early and firm advocate for maintaining the natural and equal rights of man, particularly for the abolition of negro slavery, and confirmed his zeal in these great virtues by giving freedom to a very excellent young man of the African race, at the age of between 20 and 30, whom he had reared in his house from a young child ; and this man afterwards manifested in return the highest gratitude and affection, for he continued constantly in the family to the end of his life, receiving full wages as long as he was able to perform a day's work.
William Bartram, his son, another distinguished florist and bota- nist, who succeeded in the same place, died in July, 1823, at his garden, at the advanced age of 85 years. His travels, in search of botanical subjects, in the Floridas, &c., were published in 1791 ;- he preceded Wilson as an ornithologist, and gave his assistance to that gentleman in his celebrated work.
Eccentric Persons.
1736-Michael Welfare, one of the Christian philosophers of Conestogoe, appeared in full market in the habit of a pilgrim,-his hat of linen,-his beard full, and a long staff in his hand. He de- clared himself sent of God to denounce vengeance against the citizens of the province without speedy repentance. The earnestness of the man, and nis venemence of action commanded much attention. 'This " Warning" was afterwards announced for sale at four pence.
552
Persons and Characters.
Directly afterwards appeared one Abel Noble, preaching on a Monday from the Court-house stairs, (in Second street,) to a large congregation standing in Market street, on the subject of keeping the Sabbath.
1742-Benjamin Lay, " the singular Pythagorean, cynical, Chris- tian philosopher," in the time of the Friends' general meeting (where he usually worshipped,) stood in the market place, with a large box of his deceased wife's China, to bear his testimony against the use of tea ! There with a hammer he began to break his ware piece by piece ; but the populace, unwilling to lose what might profit them, overset him, scrambled for the China, and bore it off whole !
1744-" A young man from old England" appoints a day to hold a meeting in the market house ; but the Mayor and Council deter- mine it is improper, and require him to desist.
In the year 1770, a number of white men confederated, under the name of black boys, to rob, plunder and destroy, were to be always secretly armed, and to rescue prisoners, &c. They were to have their faces blacked when acting. They did considerable mischief ; and actually assaulted a neighbouring gaol, and rescued the prisoners. An act of assembly was made respecting them, and to punish them, when taken, with death.
Rare Persons
In the year 1739 Sheick Sidi, the Eastern prince, arrived here (the same probably spoken of in Smith's History of New Jersey) with his attendants, and is treated with great respect. "Tis said he is recommended by his Majesty to the charity of all good Christians.
Sheick Shedid Allhazar, Emir (or prince) of Syria, was introduced to James Logan's notice by a letter from Governor Clarke of New York, who says " he appeared to us here to be a gentleman, what- ever else he might be besides. As he spoke nothing but. Arabic and a little Syriac, he put me on scouring up what I had formerly gotten and forgotten of these, and we exchanged some little in writing. He was well treated, and accepted the bounty of the charitable, h: received from the Meeting of Friends one hundred pistoles, bu .t
quite so much from all others." He went from us to Barbadoes, and John Fothergill speaks of meeting him there, with approbation. -Vide his Journal. On the whole, it was certainly a very strange expedition for such a personage, and inclines one to fear he may have been some Chevalier d' Industrie, after all !
In the year 1746, the "infamous Tom Bell" is advertised in Philadelphia as having gone on board Captain Charles Dingee's vessel at New Castle as a merchant, and while there made out to steal sundry clothing, and among others the Captain's red breeches. He says he is well known for frauds in many of the provinces, and at different times pretends to be a parson, doctor, lawyer, merchant, seaman, &c. I see him in another place advertised as being part of
-
-
553
Persons and Characters.
a gang of counterfeiters of province-bills, at their log house in New Jersey. I refer to this Tom Bell thus, because he once made such a strange figure in once personating the Rev. Mr. Rowland, and stealing a horse from the house where he had lodged in the name of said Rowland, and affecting to be going to meeting, with the horse, to preach there. See the facts in William Tennant's Life.
În 1757 (March) Lord Loudon, as general-in-chief of all his Majesty's troops in America, being in Philadelphia, is feasted by the corporation at the State-house, together with the officers of the royal Americans, sundry gentlemen strangers, &c. General Forbes is also present as commander at Philadelphia and Southward. At or about the same time Colonel Montgomery arrives with the High- landers, and they are provided for at the new barracks in the Northern Liberties.
Among the truly strange people who visited our city was " Jemima Wilkinson," a female-winning the regard and deeply imposing on the credulity of sundry religionists. Habited partially as a man, she came preaching what she called the Last Gospel which would be preached to mankind. By her own testimony, as recorded in Buck's Theological Dictionary, she had died, and her soul had gone to heaven, where it then remained ; but that " The Christ" had re- animated her dead body, whereby he had come again, for the last time, in the flesh.
As it hath invariably happened, to the many bubbles of "Lo here and Lo there," which, from the beginning of Church History, have arisen from its surface,
" The earth hath bubbles as the water has, And these are of them."
She also had her votaries, and followers ; some of whom separated themselves from the closest ties nearest the heart, and went out after her into " the desert" of Goshen, state of New York, where, after a term of delusion, (in the mouths of every one,) and in consequence of an unexpected discovery, accidentally made by one of her most ardent votaries, the whole concern of fanaticism exploded and col- lapsed at once, like the balloon from whence the gas had escaped, suddenly precipitating itself to the earth. Laughter succeeded the consequent amazement, and the disconcerted followers separated im- mediately from her, every one their own way through " by-roads" home.
Lang Syne, who had seen her in Philadelphia, describes her thus, to wit :- One Saturday of the time she held forth in this city, seeing a crowd at the door of the meeting house, at the south-west corner of Fifth and Arch streets, a few of us, who had been just liberated from a neighbouring school, animated by the curiosity of extreme youth, and the want of deference to the opinions of others, usual at that period of life, insinuated our way into the throng, until we stood in the full view of Jemima Wilkinson, as we learned afterwards, standing up and speaking from the south end of the gallery to a staring audi- VOL. I .- 3 U 47
554
Persons and Characters.
ence. What she said, or of the subject matter, nothing is remembered , but her person, dress and manner is as palpable " to the mind's eye," as though she thus looked and spake but yesterday.
As she stood there, she appeared beautifully erect, and tall for a woman, although at the same time the masculine appearance pre- dominated ; which, together with her strange habit, caused every eye to be rivetted upon her. Her glossy black hair was parted evenly on her pale round forehead, and smoothed back beyond the ears, from whence it fell in profusion about her neck and shoulders, seem- ilgiy without art or contrivance-arched black eyebrows and fierce looking black eyes, darting here and there with penetrating glances, throughout the assembly, as though she read the thoughts of people; beautiful aqueline nose, handsome mouth and chin, all supported by a neck conformable to the line of beauty and proportion ; that is to say, the proportion of it visible at the time, being partly hidden by her plain habit of coloured stuff, drawn closely round above the shoulders, by a drawing string knotted in front, without handkerchief or female ornament of any kind. Although in her personal appear ance she exhibited nothing which could realize the idea of
"A sibyl, that had numbered in the world, Of the sun's courses, two hundred compasses ;"
And although she spoke deliberately, not " startingly and rash," but resting with one hand on the banister before her, and using but occasional action with the other, nevertheless she seemed as one moved by that " prophetic fury" which "sewed the web," while she stood uttering words of wondrous import, with a masculine-feminine tone of voice, or kind of croak, unearthly and sepulchral.
A few days afterwards, a carriage having stopped at the next door, south of the Golden Swan, in north Third street, she was seen slowly to descend from it, and remain a short time stationary on the pavement, waiting, it seems, the descent of her followers, whichi gave to the quick assembled crowd one more opportunity to bewold the person and strange habiliments of this, at the time, very extraordinary character.
She was clothed as before; her worsted robe, or mantie, having the appearance of one whole piece, descending from her neck to the ground, covering her feet. Her head was surmounted by a shining black beaver hat, with a broad brim, and low flattened crown, such as worn at the time by young men, of no particular age or fashion, and (seemingly in accordance with the display of her superb hair,) was placed upon her head, erect and square, showing to the best advantage the profusion of nature's ringlets, bountifully bestowed upon her, and floating elegantly about her neck and shoulders, and the more remarkable, as the fashion of the day for ladies' head-dress consisted in frizzled hair, long wire pins, powder and pomnatum. Nowadays, her beautiful Absalom curls, as then exhibited, would be considered as being from the manufactory of Daix, (rue de Chesnut,) from Paris :
555
Persons and Characters.
" The skull that bred them, in the sepulchre."
She waited with composure and in silence the descent of her fol- lowers, with whom, when they had formed, in solemn order, in the rear, she entered the house, when, to keep out the pressing crowd, the door was suddenly clapped to, by the person who lodged them, causing the curious ones, who stood gazing after the preacher, first to look foolishly, then laughingly and sillily at one another, a few mo- ments on the outside.
The present Louis Philippe, King of France, was once in our country. In Philadelphia he lived at the north-west corner of Prune and Fourth streets, with Count de Tilly, &c., at " a Pension Fran- gaise." There was a story that he taught a school in Jersey, but that was not so; but I believe he did so in Canada. "Tis said he preserves a picture of that school of his! He certainly made a tour from Pittsburg by the lakes, round by Niagara, (with his two bro- thers,) and they were entertained some little time at Canandaigua, in the family of Mr. Thomas Morris there, in July 1792 or 1793. Their journey had been very rough and on horseback, and much through the Indian settlements. Mr. Egalité (Orleans) was rather tall, with a dark intelligent eye and complexion-his second brother had sandy hair-the third and youngest was a beautiful youth, and spoke the least English. At one time the Duke lived humbly at Boston, with one Amblard, a tailor, with whom he boarded.
He arrived in Philadelphia about the year 1796. His whole conduct here was devoid of pride or discontent. The times seemed to indi- cate a total loss of rank and fortune; yet he was cheerful and re signed ; nothing, indeed, could be more unpresuming and gentle manly than his demeanour here. Intercourse with him was fre quent. He came to Philadelphia from Hamburg in the ship America, commanded by Captain Ewing. On landing, he was invited by David Coningham, Esquire, to lodge at his house in Front street, where he was visited by many gentlemen of the city, and enter- tained very hospitably for several weeks. Mr. Coningham, as one of the house of Coningham and Nesbitt, was consignee and owner of the ship.
Not long after his arrival in Philadelphia, he was joined by his two brothers, the Dukes de Monpensier and Beaujolois. These young princes had been confined by the authorities of France in the Chateau d'If, situate on an island in the Mediterranean, opposite to Marseilles, and obtained their liberty on condition of going to Ame- rica. For want of a better conveyance, they took their passage in a brig that had on board upwards of a hundred of our countrymen, just released from slavery at Algiers. They bore their exile with becoming fortitude, appearing, like their elder brother, submissive and cheerful, and were often in society. On one occasion, my informant meeting the three brothers in the street, Mr. d'Orleans (for so the elder brother
556
Persons and Characters.
was always called) told him that he had just heard that his good friend Captain Ewing, of the ship America, was at the wharf, on his return from Hamburg, and that he wished to take him by the hand, and introduce his brothers to him. He accompanied them to Ross' wharf, where the America had that moment hauled in.
Captain Ewing came on shore, and was received by Mr. d'Orleans with the warmest cordiality, and presented to the brothers. This evidence of kind feeling on the part of the princes, and total absence of all pride or notion of superiority, showed that in them exalted birth and royal education were no obstacles to the adoption of our own plain republican manners.
Shortly after, they travelled all three on horseback to Pittsburg. They passed out Market street, equipped as western traders then used to ride-having a blanket over the saddle, and their saddlebags on each side. When they returned, Mr. d'Orleans hired a very humble apartment in Fourth near Prune street, where being visited by my in- formant, he did him the favour to trace the route he had just taken, on a map that hung in his room, and told him that they managed very well along the road; taking care of themselves at the taverns, and leaving their horses to be groomed by the only servant they had with them. "We could have done very well," said he, " without any servant, had we not been anxious about our horses."
These distinguished exiles afterwards descended the Mississippi, and went to the Havana, and from thence to Cadiz; and subse- quently having made their peace with the brothers of Louis XVI., the present King Philippe married a princess of the reigning Bour- bons of Naples.
We had in Philadelphia, at the time they were here, Talleyrand, the Duke de Liancourt, Volney, De Noailles, Talon, and many others; most of whom returned to France, and played a part in the post-republican scenes of the revolutionary drama.
It is worthy of remark, that the late king of England and the king of France have both been in Philadelphia.
In the year 1828, there came to Philadelphia, a native prince of Timbuctoo. It being a rare circumstance to find in this country a chieftain of so mysterious a city and country, so long the terra in- cognita of modern travellers, I have been curious to preserve some token of his visit in an autograph of his pen .- Vide page 130 of my MS. Annals, in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. It was done by him in Arabic, at the writing table of our late Mayor, Joseph Watson, Esq. It reads-" Abduhl Rahaman, Prince of Timboo." Was written with ready facility, in the Arabic manner, from right to left ; which was the more remarkable, as he had been for forty years out of practice, toiling with his hands as a slave at field la' our af Natchez.
557
Persons and Characters.
Samuel Keimer,
The printer, whose name so often occurs in the early history of Benjamin Franklin, appears to have been of a singular turn of mind. In 1728 he started the Pennsylvania Gazette in opposition to Brad ford's Weekly Mercury. It was announced in strange braggart style, and in one year failed of its object-success, and thence fell into the hands of Franklin, who conducted it to advantage many years, --- poor Keimer in the mean time getting into a prison.
In the year 1723,came out a paper from the Friends' Monthly Meet- ing, setting forth that Samuel Keimer, who had then lately arrived, had printed divers papers, particularly one styled "The Parable," wherein he assumes the style and language of Friends: wherefore they certify that he is not of their society, nor countenanced by them. This was rather an awkward introduction for one so sedulous to make his debut to his personal advantage.
In the year 1734, he appears to have secured his establishment as a publisher and printer at Barbadoes. In his poetic appeal to his patrons, he gives some facts respecting the then compensation of American colonial printers, which may elucidate the reward of type setters then-to wit :
" What a pity it is that some modern bravadoes, Who dub themselves gentlemen, here in Barbadoes, Should time after time run in debt to their printer, And care not to pay him in summer or winter ! In Penn's wooden country Type feels no disaster- The printers grow rich -- one is made their postmaster," &c.
In further pursuing the subject, he shows that old William Brad- ford, of New York, has £60 a year from the king. In Maryland and Virginia, each province allows £200 a year ; for, he adds, "by law he is paid 50,000 weight country produce"-meaning tobacco.
"But, alas! your poor Type prints no figure like nullo; Cursed, cheated, abused by each pitiful fellow- Tho' working like slave, with zeal and true courage, He can scarce get as yet even salt to his porridge !"
His paper, however, continued, and must have produced some good articles, as I remember to have seen, in the Stenton Library, a London edition, 8vo. in 2 vols., of Extracts from it.
Virgil and Wife.
These were black people, whose surname was Warder. They had been house servants to the Penn family, and because of their long service, were provided for by them, living in the kitchen part of the house at Springetsbury. Virgil was born in 1713. and was 47*
558
Persons and Characters
very old when he died. He was purchased by Thomas Penn of J. Warder, of Bucks county, in 1733, when he was twenty years of age. His wife died in 1782: and there is something concerning both of them to be seen published in Bradford's Gazette of that time. The aged Timothy Matlack told me he remembered talking with Virgil often about the year 1745, and that he was then gray-headed, but very active. When Matlack saw him there he was under charge of James Alexander, the gardener. Near there he remembered a spring, which on one occasion was made into grog, to please the whim of some sailors.
The Claypole Family.
Miss Claypole, when about seventy-five years of age, whom I saw at T. Matlack's, Esq., told me she was a direct descendant of Oliver Cromwell's daughter, who married Lord General Claypole. Her ancestor in this country came out with Penn, and is often mentioned among the earliest officers in the government. His name was James Claypole-was a merchant, a partner in the Free Traders' Company, and a public character in Friends' Meeting. I once saw the certifi- cates for himself and three daughters from Friends' Meeting at Bull and Mouth, England. He passed his first winter in a cave in the bank of Front street, with his family and servants. In the spring following, he built his house, the same afterwards known as the Rat- tle Snake Inn, No. 37, Walnut street, north side, a few doors east of Second street. It was a double two-story brick house, had four leaden framed windows in front, and the same in the rear. The late Miss Claypole was born in that house, and her grandmother, Deborah Claypole, told her that when that house was built, then dogs used to go up to the woods, at and about the Second street court house, (built in 1707,) and there catch rabbits and bring them home. Their house long had a beautiful south exposure, down a descending green bank into the pleasant Dock creek.
The late Mrs. Logan possessed a lively recollection of this Deborah Claypole; she was the wife of George Claypole, and daughter of Abraham Hardiman. She lived to be upwards of ninety years of age, had told Mrs. L. of the original arborescent state of Market street, &c. Her history was remarkable for having buried her husband and five children in the course of a few weeks, of the very mortal smallpox of the year 1730. Mrs. Logan said, it was well understood that her husband, George Claypole, was descended from the protector, Oliver Cromwell. Dr. Franklin, too, has said something ; he has said, she had one child which survived the mor- tality, but as that also died, she was left a lone widow. There is, however, another branch of the family name still among us in Phi- 'adelphia.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.