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 56
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I have been well assured that the stones set up along the Gulf road are marked with Penn's arms, having three balls. Some still
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remain and were seen lately. Along the Chester road, too, were once mile-stones, having some insignia of the queen's arms.
The War and Navy office of the United States, and general Post Office, when in Philadelphia, before 1800, were at the north-east corner of Fifth and Chestnut streets, and the Secretary of State's office was adjoining on Fifth street-all belonged to Simmons.
Great quantities of wood used to be brought to the city on sleds in the winter, and often sold very high; sometimes 15 to 16 dollars a cord. Since the practice of laying up wood in yards has prevailed, the winter prices are much moderated.
A city directory, and the numbering of all the houses, is a great convenience, which did not exist till about the year 1785.
A letter of James Logan, of the year 1718, states that Colonel Spotswood, the Governor of Virginia, had happily discovered passes in the Allegheny mountains, by which to conduct military enter prises, &c.
Tobacco cultivated.
In 1701, the tobacco field is spoken of, on the land of John Stacey, by the long bridge over the Cohocksinc creek.
In 1719, Jonathan Dickinson, in his letter, speaks of “ several around Philadelphia who planted and raised tobacco with success."
Much of Penn's rents was paid to J. Logan in tobacco. It was cultivated at an early period on Logan's farm ; also at Harriton, where Charles Thomson afterwards lived and died.
Grass and Clover cultivation.
In 1685, William Penn, in his letter to his steward, says, " Hay dust (meaning grass seed, I presume) from Long Island, such as I sowed in my court yard, is best for our fields. I will send divers seeds for gardens and fields, &c." In another letter he says, " I am glad the Indian field bore so well. Lay as much down as you can with hay dust."
Professor Kalm, who was here in 1748, says an old Swede, whose father came out with Governor Printz, said his father used to say the grass grew every where two feet high in the woods; but in Kalm's time it was much diminished. He imputes the decrease to the practice of the annual burning of the leaves.
From the letters of Jonathan Dickinson it appears he had much desire to import grass seeds ; two or three times they arrived injured by the heat of the hold. In 1721, he proposes to hang it over the vessel's quarter, sewed up in tarpaulins ; but before the experiment could be made, he announces himself happy to find a very simple means used by another. The seed was sealed in jars and kept air tight.
The same Jonathan Dickinson, I found in 1719, speaks of having
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bought up 500 pounds of red clover seed in Rhode Island, for his cultivation here-saying the white clover already tinges the roads as a natural production. Kalm afterwards, in 1748, spoke of the white clover as abundant here : and red and white as both abundant about Albany, and some about New York.
The cultivation of red clover, which proved eventually a great restorer of our impoverished lands, did not get into successful intro- duction and use, until it was first successfully used and publicly recommende. by Mr. James Vaux, of Fatlandford, in Montgomery county, about the year 1785. John Bartram, however, the botanist, nad fields of red clover in cultivation before the war of Inde- pendence.
Plaster of Paris.
When our forefathers began to work this virgin soil, they found it very productive. For the first 60 or 70 years the soil sustained itself against the exhausting manner of husbandry-producing an average of 25 to 30 or 35 bushels of wheat to the acre, as I have learned. But after the year 1750, and down to the time of the peace, frequently the former good lands could produce but an average crop of six or seven bushels to the acre. At this crisis the public became greatly indebted to the intelligence and public spiritedness of the late venerable Judge Peters. To his perseverance and recommend- ation we are indebted, in good measure, for the introduction and use of that incalculable renovater of our soil, the gypsum or plaster of Paris. It is now admitted that our farms now produce generally four-fold of what they used to do!
Vegetable Productions introduced.
Gardening, as an exclusive branch of business, is quite a modern concern. If any existed before the year 1793, they were without notice or emolument. But since, by introducing many new table luxuries, they have acquired reputation and profit, and this induce- ment has allured several to the same employment. We shall here notice a few of the more remarkable vegetables introduced among us.
As late as my mother's childhood, potatoes were then in much less esteem and use than now. The earliest potatoes, like the ori- ginals now discovered from South America, were very small, com- pared with the present improved stock. They were small, bright yellow ones, called kidney potatoes ; and probably about seventy-five years ago, they then first introduced a larger kind, more like the present in use, which were called in New England, the Bilboa. They were, however, of slow use into families, and the story ran that they were pernicious to health ; and a lover of Bilboas was said to die in five years! In Pennsylvania the same kind of potatoes were called Spanish potatoes.
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In accordance with those facts, the late Colonel A. J. Morris, when in his ninetieth year, told me that the potatoes used in his early life were very inferior to the present. They were called Spanish potatoes, and were very sharp and pungent in the throat and smell. They sent occasionally a better sort from Liverpool. He said Tench Francis first imported our improved stock, which by frequent culti. vation he much improved.
In 1748, Professor Kalm speaks of nightshade and privet as growing wild in our fields; of the latter several hedges were made. The squash he deemed an indigenous plant, much used by the In dians before the Europeans came. The Indians, too, had always a kind of cultivated peas. He much expressed his surprise to see our cultivated lands abounding with purslain, a vegetable which required a gardener's care in his country ! He often saw, he said, asparagus growing wild in loose soils on uncultivated sandy hills. The misletoe (Viscum album) grew upon the sweet gum, the oak, and lime tree, so much so that their whole summits were quite green in winter. I believe none witness these things in our region now.
Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress, said he well re- membered the circumstance of the first introduction of broom corn into our country. Dr. B. Franklin chanced to see an imported corn whisk in the possession of a lady, and while examining it as a novelty he espied a grain of it still attached to the stalk. This he took and planted, and so we at length have got it in abundance among us.
The yellow willow among us was introduced from a similar accident, as told me by T. Matlack, Mrs. D. Logan, and Samuel Coates. All in our state came originally from some wicker-work found sprouting in a basket-state in Dock creek. It was seen by Dr. Franklin, who took it out and gave the cuttings to Charles Norris of that day, who reared them at the grounds now the site of the Bank of the United States, where they grew to great stature.
The first weeping willows were introduced into the city by Go- vernor John Penn, for his garden, in South Third street, next adjoin- ing to Willing's place.
The Seckel pear was cultivated first by Lawrence Seckel, and the original tree stands on the place in the Neck, once his, and after- wards Stephen Girard's, (and now the Corporation's) say five miles from Philadelphia, and about one mile above the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It stands on an alluvial soil-is now half decayed-the other side sound, and bore well, in 1834. The tree had been upon the place, from the time of the father before him. For many years that the fruit had been used by the tenant, its excellence was unknown even to Lawrence Seckel himself, and at last he knew it by the chance of eating several of them at the time of their maturity. After that, he brought them to the city, and gave them out to a few of his friends. He told the
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father of C. J. Wistar, (my informant,) when he gave him some of the pears, that he knew not how the tree came there. It might be a question, whether it might not have been a Dutch or Swedish plantation of early days.
The manner of Mr. Ranstead, the upholsterer from Wales, intro- ducing as a flower, the plant since known in abundance as the Ran- stead weed, I have told elsewhere; also, in like manner, that of the day-waker, and the daisy, once deemed flowers, and now multiplied so as to be regarded as annoying weeds.
City Charter.
1684, the 26th of 5th mo., Thomas Lloyd, Thomas Holmes, and William Haignes were appointed to draw up a charter for Phila- delphia to be made a borough, consisting of a mayor and six alder- men, and to call to their assistance any of the council. The charter as a city was obtained in 1691. For I find by an act of council, of 3d of 6th mo., 1691, that Humphrey Murray is recognized "as present Mayor of the city of Philadelphia." It appears, however, that in later periods the city was generally spoken of as obtaining its first charter as a city, under date of the 25th of October, 1701, that being the time of Penn's second arrival, when he granted " the charter of the city of Philadelphia."
The Northern Liberties' part was incorporated in 1803, and the Southwark district in 1794.
Several attempts, after the Revolution, were made to procure an act of incorporation for the city, before it was obtained. It was much opposed by some. Fourteen hundred citizens, in September- 1789, signed and presented a memorial against it. The subject was again revived in 1786, but no act was passed until the month of March, 1789. The whole objections contained in the memorial may be read in Hazard's "Pennsylvania Register," vol. ii., p. 327. They complain that if the act contemplated should pass, they should be " subjected to an aristocratic police,"-" that the act of incorpo- ration is in itself unnecessary,"-" that many eastern well regulated towns prosper well without incorporation," -" on the contrary, Eng- lish example affords instructive facts of the mischievous effects of incorporating."-" They object to the large powers of oyer and ter- miner."-" They deem the incorporation unnecessary, because the legislature, in which several gentlemen of the city are a part, will always be possessed of sufficient information respecting the pro- visions necessary to be made for the convenience and order of the sity," &c.
Port Entries-Inward and Outward.
In the earliest newspapers, the entrance and clearance of vessels are as regularly printed for New York and Amboy, as they are at * Since said to have been planted there by Col. Jacob Weiss, of Weissport, Pa
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Philadelphia. Down to about the year 1730, they are about two or three a week inward, and two or three outward-but from and after the year 1736, they are increased to about twelve each way, in a week-being certainly a quick increase.
Funeral Pomp restrained.
In 1727, Robert Ashton, Esq., recorder and prothonotary, died, aged fifty-eight, and was buried in pomp, by torch lights at night, in Christ church ground-in the aisle of the church.
About that time, funeral cards of invitation were sent out among fashionable people, as has been lately revived. 'T'hey were printed in London, having deep mourning borders, and funeral devices. Such a one is preserved in Peale's Museum, filled up in Maryland, in 1723. This ceremony was of rare occurrence.
We have some intimation of the "pomp and circumstance" of an old-fashioned funeral, in the death of Aquila Rose, at Philadel- phia, in 1723. He was young-a printer-poet-and clerk of the assembly, and was honoured more for his merit than his wealth His eulogium, in elegiac verse, was done by S. Keimer, "city printer," and quondam friend of Franklin-to wit :
" His corpse attended was by Friends so soon. From seven at morn, till one o'clock at noon. By master-printers carried toward his grave, Our city printer such an honour gave. A worthy merchant did the widow lead, And they both mounted on a stately steed. Next preachers, common council, aldermen, A judge and sheriff graced the solemn train, Nor fail'd our treasurer in respect to come, Nor stayed the keeper of the rolls at home. With merchants, shopkeepers, the young and old, A numerous throng, not very easy told. And what still adds a lustre to it, Some rode well mounted, others walk'd a-foot.
Thus " died and was buried" in distant olden time,-
" A lovely poet, whose sweet fragrant name, Will last till circling years shall cease to move."
It is not a little curious, that the original printed paper from which the above is taken is still in existence, embellished with the usual symbols of death-the head, bones, hour-glass, &c.
In 1765, it was resolved by the best families in New York, Bos- ton, and some attempts were made at Philadelphia, to diminish the expenses of funerals-and at Philadelphia, on the occasion of the death of Alderman W. Plumstead, it is said, " he was buried at St. Peter's church, in the plainest manner according to the new mode- having no pall over his coffin, nor any of his relatives (by his request) VOL. II .- 3 M
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appearing in mourning." B. Price, Esq., also, according to his will, was buried in an oak coffin, and iron handles.
The Bloody Election
Was an incident of the year 1742, and of frequent mention in the early annals as an affair of much scandal. Secretary Peters, in his letter to proprietaries, thus describes it, saying,-Young Joseph Turner gathered the sailors, to the number of forty to fifty persons, with clubs, at an open lot over against the Christ church. Thence they made an assault at the court-house, on some of the electors there. Thence went to Chestnut street, and by a back-way [for open ground seemed common then!] to the Indian King inn in High street, where, being refused any drink by Peter and Jonathan Robeson, they went back enraged to the election grounds. There they fell heavily with their clubs upon the Germans and others,- beating off the former, as many as 500. The fight became "shock- ing to the sight,"-"a truly mad scene and uproar,"-but the sailors were made to retreat. There was a great trial for the stairs by which the voters ascended and descended, then occupied, as for- merly for several years, by Isaac Norris and his party .* The ship- carpenters clubbed together to make it their own, which they ac- complished. As it produced much public feeling, it became quickly a matter of court cognizance, and even the Assembly itself, as if anticipating the courts, made it a matter of debate and business for three weeks, passing at length a bill for a riot act, &c.
Insurance.
In 1721, John Copson, the printer of the Mercury Gazette, opens " an insurance office at his office, where he will provide competent underwriters to assure any sum applied for." This was the first attempt at insurance in Philadelphia. In the former times, all in- surances for sea risks, &c., were effected in London.
In 1752, was founded the Philadelphia contributionship for in- suring of houses from loss by fire. It was incorporated in 1768, as a mutual assurance, and was much promoted by Dr. Franklin. In March, 1823, the capital amounted to $228,850. The number of policies out were 2273, and the sum insured, $3,620,450. What is curious respecting this ancient institution is, that they never had but one lawsuit, and that they gained ! Another curious fact re- specting this association is, that at an early period they insured a house which was soon after burnt, and this single loss much dis- tressed the concerned to make it good. The annual election for di- rectors being near at hand, at an upper room in the old court-house, no one attended but Hugh Roberts, who having waited until the
· Norris' election was always supported by the Germans.
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ume of choosing had nearly expired, he alone proceeded to eleci twelve directors and a treasurer, all of whom he notified in due form! But for that circumstance, this institution, now so distinguished and beneficial, would have expired!
Aboriginal Trees.
For want of a better term, I have chosen so to name such primi- tive trees of the forest race as still remain among us, from days cotemporary with the foundation of the city. Those now standing on the northern extremity nearest the city are nigh the first gate on the Germantown turnpike,-on Wager's field or lot. There are two of them there of sweet gum, about 20 feet apart, and having a circum- ference of about 14 feet. Between those trees there was once de- posited in the ground a quantity of stolen treasure-afterwards con- fessed and recovered.
On the western side of the city was a large forest elm, at the north- west corner of Race and Schuylkill Seventh streets, nearly vis-à-vis to the Friends' walled-ground. An old man near there told me it looked equally as large as now, nearly fifty years ago. It was cut down in 1839.
The next nearest forest trees are three ancient gums on the north side of Vine street, fronting the Bush-hill mansion.
In the south-western section, the nearest remaining trees are a few (five) well-grown oak trees, standing in a lot at Lombard street near Schuylkill Tenth street.
At the south end, there is on Swanson street, by the water side, a great buttonwood or waterbeech, the remains of several once there, seen and noticed by Kaim, in 1748.
The above trees compose all which remain so near the city; these alone have escaped the British desolations, the axe of their owners, and time. We cannot think of them without remembering the expressive and beautiful musings of Cowper on his "Yardley Oak,"
Survivor sole of all that once lived here! A shatter'd veteran,-couldst thou speak And tell who lived when thou wast young, By thee I might correct the clock of history- Recover facts,-mistated things set right ;
But since no spirit dwells in thee to speak, I will perform myself, in my own ear, Such matters as I may."
Other cities, as we, have their consecrated trees. On Boston common there is an elm, called the Great tree, which girths 21 2-3 feet. At Hartford they have their celebrated " Charter oak ;" it girths 33 feet. At New York they venerate a group of large but- tonwood trees on the ground of the Columbia College. At Provi- dence, Rhode Island. they have their "Great Elm tree," which
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they publicly and solemnly consecrated " to liberty," as early as the year 1768, and at Boston, too, they had their " Liberty tree," even earlier.
Strange Transmission of Sound.
In 1707; the guns fired upon Hill's vessel, from the little fort at New Castle, were distinctly heard, by Hill's anxious wife, at Phila- delphia .- Vide Proud.
On the 10th of July, 1745, " a great number of guns were heard by many people in and about town, which seemed to be at a great distance, and the next day we found by express, they were as far off as New York, at which place were great firings and rejoicings for the capture of Cape Breton !" It is probable no weight of artillery could now be heard from city to city!
Old persons have told me that before the city was paved, and when fewer carriages were employed, they found it much easier than now to hear distant sounds. Seventy-odd years ago, Cooper, on the Jersey side, had a black fellow named Mingo, who possessed a fine, clear voice, and could be distinctly heard singing in the field towards the evening-even the words of the chorus, in some cases, could be understood by those living near the water side in the city. Colonel Thomas Forrest was one who assured me of this. The aged Colo- nel A. J. Morris told me of his hearing Whitfield's clear voice, at Gloucester point, when he was preaching on Society hill. Captain Coates tells me that just before the revolution, when his father dwelt at the corner of Cable lane and Vine street, they could there hear the voice of his workmen at his brick-kiln, at the corner of Fourth and Green streets, cry out, " Phebe, get the dinner ready !" This may seem strange in the present thick population ; but I must also add, that there are spots in Germantown, where, on occasions of overcast and calm mornings, persons can plainly hear the rattle of carts in Philadelphia, six miles off!
The guns that were fired at the battle of Brandywine were dis- tinctly heard by persons in Philadelphia, although they were only nine and ten pounders. And the bombardment of Fort Mifflin was heard daily at Germantown. When the Augusta blew up there, Mr. Bradford told me he distinctly heard the report not far from Lancaster, and following up the line of the river, another told me they heard it near Pottsgrove. Another heard it at the forks of little Egg harbour. In Italy sound is transmitted to great distances, " be- cause of the purity of the atmosphere."
Names of Streets changed.
In the olden time they were remarkably disposed to give popular names to streets and places, to the exclusion of their legal and re- corded names. I remember very well, that when a boy, about the year 1800, we first saw index boards on the walls, to show the
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streets. The names of some of the streets were so new to us, that we really thought, for a long while, that they were absolutely new names. Those which have undergone changes have been as fol- lows, to wit:
Bread street-has been called familiarly Moravian alley, because that church had its front formerly on that street.
Noble street-was called commonly Bloody lane, because a mur der had been committed there.
Garden alley-changed to Coombes' alley, because he was a tenant on the Front street corner.
Cedar street-is changed to South street, because it was the southern limit of the city. It was often called Southermost street.
Sassafras street-has been called Race street, because it was the road to the races once out there. It was also called Longhurst street, in the earliest deeds.
Mulberry street-always called Arch street, because of an arch or bridge across that street at Front street. It was also called Holmes' street, in the earliest deeds.
High street-originally called so, because of its having been the highest elevation from the river of all the other streets-changed to Market street by the popular voice, because of the markets in it.
King street-changed to Water street, because of its nearness to the river.
Branch street-changed to Sourcrout alley, and so universally once called, because the first cutter of cabbage, who made it a busi- ness to go abroad with his machine to cut for families, lived almost alone in that street.
Jones' alley-changed to Pewter-platter alley, because of such a sign (a real pewter dish of large size) once hung at the corner of Front street.
Duke street-changed to Artillery lane, because of the British cannon having been placed there.
Prime street-was called Love lane, because of a long row of lewd houses there.
Callowhill street-in 1690, was called "New street," probably because it was the first opened in the Northern Liberties.
Brewer's alley-because of Geddes' brewery there, now called Wood street.
Vine street-was at an early period called Valley street, because of its vale there between two hills, above and below it.
Chestnut street-was first called Wynn street, after Thomas Wynn.
Walnut street-was Pool street, as leading to Dock creek water.
Norris' alley-was called Hutton's lane or alley.
Gray's alley-was called Morris' alley.
Gabriel Thomas, in his account of the city as early as 1698, speaks of several other street names now not known, to wit: Shorter's alley-Yower's lane-Waller's alley-Sikes' alley -- Flower's alley
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-Turner's lane-all of which extended only from Front to Second street. They probably then bore the names of the chief inhabitant dwelling at or near them. The streets of larger size, he says, took the names from the abundance of such trees formerly in growth there.
William Penn, in his letter in 1683, says " the names of these streets are mostly taken from the things that spontaneously grow in the country, as Vine street, Mulberry street, &c .; " but in enu- merating them, he names some not known to us, to wit : Cranberry street, Hickory street, Oak street, Beech street, Ash street, and Poplar street.
Public Spectacles.
In September, 1758, a great fire-works was exhibited at Philadel- phia, on the Delaware river, in honour of the reduction of Cape Breton, by General Amherst. It represented a citadel in the centre, and on each flank a tower. On shore were other works to represent the French. Then a great exhibition of fire ensued, and the sounds of cannonade, &c. The citadel approached to storm the works on shore-they sprung a mine and surrendered. Then succeeded re- joicings by a swarm of rockets from the towers, &c. This was cer- tainly a very grand display for so small a community, as Philadel- phia then was, to effect. The truth was, the enterprise of Cape Breton was deemed an American affair of great merit-a thing in which the northern and middle colonies gave themselves great credit.
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