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. II > Part 12
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Chester.
were lighted by small windows in the outer walls; on the side of the house stood a one-story office, which had long contained the records of Chester county, from the earliest dates, and which being since removed to West Chester, might prove curious, if now examined with antiquarian tact and skill.
James Sanderlaine, often written Sanderlin, was a wealthy Swedish proprietor of all Chester, and extending back into the country a con- siderable distance on the Chester side of the creek; from him de- scended all the land titles. Robert Wade, of the Essex house, was an equally extended proprietor of all the lands on the other side of the creek. Sanderlaine appears to have been an eminent Episcopa- lian, and probably the chief founder of the old Episcopal church there, of St. Paul, as I find his memory peculiarly distinguished by a large and conspicuous mural monument in that church, covering a space of six and a half by three and a half feet. It is formed of fine sand-stone, and is chiseled in relief and ornament, in a very elaborate and skilful manner. It is in itself a curiosity, as expressive of a death of a citizen which occurred as long back as 1692. Not one of the name of Sanderlaine remains! His daughter was married to Jasper Yates.
Jasper Yates, at an early period, built a great building, still stand- ing, called the Granary, and sometimes the Bake-house, it having been formerly used for both purposes. In the cellar part was the bake-house, and above it were the grain rooms, intended in their day to receive and use up the grain from the fruitful fields of Lancaster county-a commerce disused for several years. The bakery, while it lasted, made biscuit by wholesale for shipping.
Near to that building was shown me the first used court house of brick, now a dwelling house and cooper's shop, and owned by John Hart. Near to it is a part of the stone wall of the first prison, now converted into a dwelling house.
The second, or present, court house and prison were built in 1724.
We next visited the house of David Lloyd, a name of perpetual occurrence in our early annals, as a leading member of assembly opposed to proprietary interests ; as a disturbing Friend, an educated lawyer-a man who had once been a captain in Cromwell's army, and who sought his peace by coming to this country. His house is the same building facing the river, now known as the altered house of Commodore Porter. It was built in 1721. Pestilent and refrac- tory as D. Lloyd appeared in public life, he was excellent and amiable in his social relations. The body of himself and wife are marked by head stones in the Friends' ground.
In 1798, Chester was visited with yellow fever in its most appal- ling form, derived from the families who fled from Philadelphia to Chester for refuge. It spread in Chester with frightful rapidity, and depopulated whole families and streets.
Chester has been often called " Upland," in the early history Few, or none, have a right conception of the cause. The name, I
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Bucks County.
am satisfied, was applied to the whole land held by the Swedes at and above Chester. They called the country of Philadelphia county, Upland County-wherefore the court town took the name of the country. The name was first given to contradistinguish the Up- Delaware country, from the Low-Delaware country, or lower coun- ties, where the Swedes first settled.
Bucks County.
This county had its first settlers located nearest to the neighbour- hood of Bristol and Pennsbury. They were nearly all of them of the society of Friends ; among these, James Harrison and Phineas Pemberton were most influential and conspicuous. Strong expecta- tions were entertained by these first settlers, that the city of Philadel- phia might have been located at either of those chief places; but it was deemed that the river channel was too shallow for ship navigation.
All the first settlers who arrived were obliged to bring certificates of acceptable character, and to be enrolled in a record-book, which I have seen, kept by P. Pemberton, as clerk of the court, giving therein the names of the parents, number of children, names and number of servants, and the vessels by which, and at what time, arrived. This, it must be granted, forms a curious record of con- sultation now, and may show some families their " ancestorial bear- ings" then.
The Indians were round about in small settlements in almost every direction. Some, long after, dwelt on the " Indian field," near Penn's estate at Pennsbury, and some at Ingham's spring ; others were on the Pownall tract, the Streiper tract, and Fell tract. 'The last of the Indian race went off from Buckingham in a body, in the year 1775. The general state of woody wastes was much the same as has been already described in the county of Chester. The Indian practice of burning the underbrush in the woods, made the woods in general easy of traversing and exploring.
The people of Bucks county have been, from the earliest settle- ment, trained and disciplined to a kindly spirit of good neighbour- hood and frank hospitality. It arose at first from their universal brotherhood and mutual dependence ; and it was long kept alive by the unreserved welcome, for ever cherished, under their eyes, by the Indians settled about them. A true Indian never deems any thing too good for his friend or visiter.
The greater part of the centre grounds of Bucks county were located as early as 1700. Such was Buckingham and Solesbury. Among the first of those settlers there, were Thomas and John Byle, William Cooper, George Pownall, Roger Hartley, and other Friends, from the neighborhood of the " Falls Meeting." Thomas Watson arrived and settled among them in 1704. For the first few years, considerable of their supplies of grain for any new comers had to be drawn from the Falls, or Middletown ; and until 1707, they had tr
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Bucks County.
take all their grain on horseback, for grinding, to Gwin's mill, on the Pennepeck, near to the Billet. In the mean time, many persons had to be content to pound their grain at home in wooden mortars. Several of the houses of the original settlers are still standing. Such a house, built for Thomas Canby, now belongs to Joshua Anderson. The great portion of the houses were constructed of logs, and called log-houses, a rude but very comfortable kind of building.
Improved land was generally sold by the acre, at the nominal price or value of twenty bushels of wheat; so that when wheat was at 2s. 6d. a bushel, the land was actually sold at 50s.
The women were always industrious, clothing their families in general by their own hands-spinning and weaving for all their inmates, all the necessary linen and woollen clothing. For common diet, milk and bread, and pie, formed the breakfast meal ; and good pork or bacon, and a wheat-flour pudding or dumplings, with butter and molasses, were given for dinner. Mush, or hominy, with milk and butter, and honey, formed the supper. Chocolate was only occasionally procured, and used with maple sugar; and deer-meat and turkeys, when the season answered.
Only a few of the wealthiest farmers had any wagons before the year 1745 ; about the year 1750 was the time of their more common use. Carts were the most in use in going to market. John Wells, Esq., was the only person who then had a riding-chair. Taverns were scarcely known any where; the one at Coryell's ferry was the first.
After the year 1750, a new era seemed to commence, by the influx of more wealth among the people. Bohea tea and coffee were intro- duced, and sundry articles of foreign fabric for the farmers' wives, brought among them by the pedlers,-such as silk and linen neck- handkerchiefs, some silk or figured gowns. The men, too, began to wear vests and breeches of Bengal, Nankin, fustian, or black everlasting, and cotton velvet. Coats also were made of the latter, But no man or woman, in any condition of life, ever held them- selves above the wear, for common purposes, of home-made " linsey- woolsey," of linen or woollen fabric.
Bucks county has the honour of having had located, at the forks of the Neshamony, the once celebrated " Log College," so called, of the Rev. William Tennant, commenced there in 1721 ; and from it issued some of our best men of earliest renown. It was then " the day of small things."
Bucks county, in the period of the revolution, was made con- spicuous, by a daring "refugee family," called the Doans. Their numerous perilous adventures, in scouring the country for " whig families," and to make their plunder on such, brought them into great renown as bold desperadoes. There were five brothers of them, severally fine looking men, and expert horsemen. Great rewards were offered for them; and finally, two were shot in com- bat, and two were apprehended and executed. They were far above ordinary robbers, being very generous and humane to all
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Bucks County.
moderate people. The whigs had injured them, and they sought revenge at the hazard of their lives.
Dr. John Watson, of Bucks county, contributed to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania a very interesting account of the primitive state of society in Buckingham and Solsbury. From his account I add a few particulars. See Appendix, p. 119.
When wheat and rye grew thick and tall on new land, and all was to be cut with sickles, many men, and some women, became dex- terous in the use of them, and victory was contested from many a violent effort. About the year 1744, twenty acres of wheat were cut and shocked in half a day in Solsbury. Rum was drunk in propor- tion to the hurry of business on all such occasions. In fact, rum be- ing a British liquor, had to be used, if at all, as the common beverage. A bottle of rum was handed about at vendues, each taking his draw from the neck of it, by a swallow or more. At wedding regales, and even at funerals, mixed and stewed rum, called spirits, was an ex- pected and common entertainment. Rum was even put on their toasted bread occasionally. It led to its evils, and serious and considerate persons got an act of assembly prohibiting the use of spirits at vendues. Now temperance societies impose its disuse in every thing; and we know of good apple orchards there, now, of which they will no longer make even cider. Apple pies, both green and dried, have ever been in plentiful use all the year round in this county.
The first settlers, and many of their successors, were accustomed to wear a strong and coarse dress-such as enduring buckskin. It was used for breeches, and sometimes for jackets; oznaburgs, made of hemp tow at Is. 4d. a yard, was used for boys' shirts ; sometimes flax, and flax and tow were also used. Coarse tow for trowsers, wool hat, strong heavy shoes, brass buckles, two linsey jackets, and a leathern apron, made out the winter apparel. Such apparel for the labouring class was common down to 1750.
A higher class, however, had means to procure such suits as would have purchased two hundred acres of land! The coat of broad-cloth had three or four plaits on the skirts ; they were wadded to keep them smooth, as thick as a coverlet. The cuffs very large, went nearly up to the elbows. The hat was a good broad-brimmed beaver, with double loops, drawn nearly close behind, and half raised on each side. The ladies, in full mode, wore stiff whalebone stays, worth eight or ten dollars. The silk gown much plaited in the back. The sleeves were short and nearly twice as large as the arm ; the rest of the arm covered with a fine linen sleeve, nicely plaited, locket buttons and long-armed gloves. The head was covered with a Bath bonnet and its cape. On marriage occasions the bride dressed in a long black hood without a bonnet. Two yards of rich padua- soy made such a hood, and used to be loaned for nuptial occasions. In time, came up the straw plait, called the bee-hive bonnet, and with it the blue or green apron.
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Bucks County.
Before the use of upland grass and clover, they could only form or procure their grass in plains or swamps-often at several miles from home, in which case it was stacked on the spot, and hauled home as needed, on sleds during the winter.
In those days it was common to go ten or twelve miles to mill ou horseback; the same distance to get any smith work and repairs. Horses were seldom shod, and blocks to pound hominy were used, in imitation of the Indians.
The Indians were still much among them, very often bringing presents of game, beans, &c., and refusing any pay. The Indian children were very sociable and fond of play.
The prices, from 1724 to 1735, as seen marked in books of the time, set wheat at from 3 to 4s .; rye, 2 to 3s. ; middlings, fine, 7 to 8s .; coarse, 4s. 6d .; bran, 1s .; salt, 4s .; beef, 2d .; bacon, 4d .; pork, 2d. Swine were easily raised and fattened. Venison roasted and in stew-pies, were luxuries of frequent use in their homely log cabins.
Indian corn was not attempted to be raised in large quantities be- fore the year 1750. Wheat was the great article for making money, It was cultivated with open fallows, and was generally ploughed three times a year.
In the neighbourhood of Doylestown is considerable of Indian remains, such as their graveyard, &c. ; and on the Neshamony near there, is said to be the grave of the celebrated chieftain Tamanee, after whom we have now the popular name of "Saint Tamany."
It is said also, that the first court held in Pennsylvania was held in this county; and the oldest record to be found in our state, is to found in the county office at Doylestown. It is a record, or register of ear marks, for sheep and cattle, and showing, by a drawing of the head of the animal, the different crops upon the ears, as well as an accompanying description in words, and in the name of the indivi- dual who assumed it as his designating property. This record, it is said, was made a little before Penn's landing, and was continued in practice for a number of years subsequently. The date is now ef- faced, but was certainly as early as 1681.
The next record, in point of time, is a record of the Orphans' Court, No. 1; its first entry bears date the 4th day of 1st mo., 1693, and was held at the private dwelling of Gilbert Wheeler. "Present, the governor, Wm. Penn, with justices James Harrison, Jonathan Otter, Wm. Yardley, Wm. Beaks, and Thomas Fitzwater. Phineas Pemberton, clerk." The next court was held at Pennsbury ; the next again at Gilbert Wheeler's, on the 7th of 8 mo., 1684.
At a court of Quarter Sessions, held the 10th of 10th mo., 1684, the eldest of Clark's orphans was bound to Richard Noble, until she attained the age of twenty-one, and was then to receive as her free- dom, one cow and calf, and one sow. The above record book is complete to October 1692; and after that time the court was sus- pended or omitted for several years, having at times the record, " No
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Bucks County.
court then held." On the 10th of 8 mo., 1697, a court is again held, when the record closes with " No court then, nor since, for orphans." The first record book for deeds commences in 1684.
It is to be supposed, that if all the records were well examined by an industrious hand, and by a mind of proper tact for olden time inquiries, that something strange, amusing, or useful, might be found to gratify the present generation. But who shall do it ?
The " Crooked Billet," now known as Hatborough, was originally settled by John Dawson, a hatter, of London. The first name was derived from the first house there built, it being used as a public inn, with the sign of a crooked billet of wood hung out as its token, and the place, when made a town, was changed to the name of Hatbo- rough, in reference to the employment of the first resident. His descendants have informed me, that when he first came there he built a cabin, and afterwards a stone house, with his own hands; and was assisted with stone and mortar, by his daughter Ann, who mar- ried Bartholomew Longstreth, who came from Yorkshire in 1699. The same John Dawson moved to Philadelphia in 1742, and dwelt in the house south-west corner of Second and Church alley, made notable there as " the first built brick house." His relative, Wm. Clinkenbeard, a farmer in Plymouth, lived to be one hundred and eight years of age.
Bartholomew Longstreth first opened the York road from the Billet to Neshamony. When he built his house, one hundred and twenty eight years ago, now occupied by Daniel Longstreth, he sawed all his joist with a whip saw, from hewn squared logs. That family still retain the bell-metal mould in which he used, like other farmers, to make his own pewter spoons. Think of that specimen of househoid economy then! They have also preserved the same iron with which old John Dawson used to smooth beaver hats.
Old Jacob Heston, who died about ten years ago, had resided at, and died on the spot, and perhaps at the same house, that was first built in Wrightstown by his ancestors, who emigrated from New England at the time of the Quaker persecution. A remarkable pro- vidence attended them, deserving of some record here. The family was obliged to escape in the night, and eventually to cross the De- laware, not knowing whither they were going. They sat down in the woods, and to their surprise and satisfaction, found an old neigh- bour who had also fled on the same night, without the knowledge in either of them of their several intentions! Here, amongst wild beasts and Indians, they found that security and repose that was de- nied them elsewhere.
The road from Philadelphia to Buckingham, prior to the opening of the York road, was across the Neshamony at Galloway's ford, one mile above Hulmeville, through Langhorne park, thence by At- tleborough, &c.
Near that ford, once stood Growden's old fire proof, in which were kept the records of Bucks county ; and when Joseph Galloway went
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Bucks County.
off with the British in '78, the office was broken open, and the re- cords strewed about, to the use of any who might choose to possess them. Thomas Paxson, who saw them so strewed about on the ground the next morning, got hold of a MS. journal of a voyage down the Ohio, that was curious and interesting, and being lent about, has disappeared.
The first built mill on the Pennepeck was Gwin's mill, the same place where James Varee now has his rolling mill. An old log house of a Swede still remains, near the Neshamony, which has such superior construction as to be remarkable. All the logs are so grooved thus, ~ one above the other, as to turn all winds and rains, without the use of intermediate mortar, except in very thin quantity.
John Watson, now of Buckingham, who is in himself a walking library in matters of local antiquity, especially in Buckingham valley, where the family first settled in 1691,-besides the MS. book of oc- currences, (made by his father, Dr. John Watson,) which he has bestowed on the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, has been a strenuous advocate of the "poor Indians," who, as he and others of Bucks county allege, were cheated out of their lands by the agents of the Penn family, at the time of the notable " great walk." He has written and given to the Philosophical Society, for their library, his circumstantial narrative of that "great walk." It was once a very exciting subject of animadversion and general discussion in Bucks. The agents publicly advertised a fee of £5 for the greatest walker for one day, and procured Marshall, who ran over four times as much ground as the Indians expected. He argues, and supposes, that all the country north-west of Wrightstown meeting-house, was taken from the Delawares without compensation. [Nicholas Scull, the surveyor general, made oath, in 1757, that he was present when James Yeates, and Edward Marshall, together with some Indians, walked one and a half days back in the woods from Wrightstown ; that they walked but eighteen hours, and made out fifty-five miles ; did not run, or go out of a walk ; that B. Eastburn, surveyor gene- ral, and T. Smith, sheriff, were also along, and were satisfied of the same; and that no objections were expressed by the Indians at the time.] The Indians always cherished a spirit of revenge against Marshall ; and a party of warriors once came from their settlement, at Wyoming, to seek his life. He was from home, but his wife was made prisoner, and his children escaped, by an Indian thought- lessly throwing his match coat over a bee hive, which caused the party to be so attacked and stung, that they went off withcut the children. The mother, being pregnant, could not keep up with the party, and her bones and remains were found, six months afterwards, on the Broad mountain.
In the revolutionary war, the Indian warrior's again returned from west of the Ohio, into Tinicum, or Noxamixon townships, still aiming at Marshall, and he again escaped by being from home ; they then went back through Jersey. This they told themselves after
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Pennsbury.
the peace. The most of these facts, above told, are not in his " Nar- rative of the Walk," as above mentioned; but, coming from his own mouth, are to be respected and believed, as the relations of an honest and intelligent gentleman : for such he is.
The "Log College," of Tennant, still remains near the Nesha- mony; and lately it was so, that a gentleman called and offered five dollars for a piece of its log, and scared the occupants, as if the en- thusiast was demented !
It would seem, from family names existing in Bucks, that many of the Dutch must have been primitive settlers there, most probably under grants from Governor Andros, of New York. There is a place, beyond Abington, called Holland, which even now is much settled with Dutch names, such as Wynkoop, Vanmeter, Vansant, Corell, &c. The Presbyterian church too, at Abington, founded in 1717, was originally got up by the people near there of the Reformer Dutch faith, the descendants of Dutch forefathers. These fact were confirmed to me by the present pastor, the Rev. Mr. Steele New Britain was settled by the Welsh.
Pennsbury.
This was the name of Penn's country place and mansion-some times called his "palace," -- in Bucks county, situated on the margir of the Delaware river, below Bordentown. There William Penr and his family lived, during part of his stay among us in the year: 1700 and 1701. There, he often entertained Indians, and helc treaty covenants, religious meetings, &c. The place was constructec in 1682-3, at great expense for that day, having cost £7000, anc having considerable of the most finished or ornamental material: brought out from England. The mansion was sixty feet in front, by forty feet in depth ; the garden, an ornamental and sloping one, lay along the river side in front of it, and numerous offices were in a front line with the dwelling. All that now remains is the house now occupied by Robert Crozier-the same building of wood which was originally formed for Penn's family " brew-house."
After Penn had gone back to England, his place was retained some time in hopes of his return. His furniture was long preserved there, and finally got sold and spread about in Bucks county. His clock, and his writing desk and secretary, I have seen. For many years the people of Burlington used to make visits to the place, be- cause of its associations with so distinguished a man-" a hallowed haunt, though but in ruins seen." Beneath a great grove of walnut trees they used to regale, and take their refreshments. A leaden re servoir on the top of the house, kept there for retaining water as a security against fire, got to leaking, and caused the building to fall into premature decay, so that at the era of the revolution, it was torn down, with an intention to rebuild another; but the war prevented
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Pennsylvania Inland .- Pennsbury.
that design. While it rested in a state of decay, it had a furnished chamber, hung with fine tapestry, and in which the family descend- ants were intended to be lodged in case of visits. This, from its being so seldom opened, and when seen, presenting so many tokens of musty and cob-web interior, got the reputation of "the spirit-room," and was deemed to be a haunted chamber! All who used to visit the premises in years long since, were accustomed to take away some relics of the place. Some such I have preserved,-such as the carved side of the door, and a piece of the bed cover, curiously worked by Letitia Penn. In the Pennsylvania Hospital is Penn's chair, taken from this mansion.
The country immediately around, through Penn's manor, presents a generally level and rich soil; but its aspect from the river side is quite low and tame. Formerly a creek (now dry) ran round be- hind the mansion, at some distance, forming the farm into an island, and being crossed at places by bridges. At those places Penn once had his pleasure barge, and some small vessels.
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