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 69
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Germantown once the seat of Government of the United States !
In the year 1789, a Resolution passed the House of Representatives then in session in New York, that the permanent seat of government, ought to be on the banks of the Susquehanna, in Pennsylvania ; but it was amended in the Senate by fixing upon Germantown, as its site. Upon being returned to the House, the amendment was approved and sent back again to the Senate, for a slight amendment, providing that Pennsylvania laws, should continue in force, in such Federal district, until Congress should legislate otherwise-Thereupon, the subject was postponed, until the next Session ;- and thus, our old Germantown, after being thus fixed upon by both houses, was wholly laid aside !- The influence of Robert Morris, the Financier, was said to have led to its being fixed in Philadelphia City,-where it settled at the S. E. corner of Sixth and Chestnut streets. The same now occupied as Court Rooms.
We well remember to have seen in our boyhood, a caricature published by the New Yorkers, who were averseto its removal from that city,-wherein Robert Morris was shown in the foreground, drawing with a rope the Congress to Philadelphia !- To our young mind, it was a queer picture ! What a picture might not a fruitful imagination, now construct, of possibilities now, if such a location had been so settled. Things would have been so very different now both in Washington city .- The city of distances; and the present granite heights of cottage-embellished Germantown !- Washington itself, at some future day, may be removed, more to the centre of population-and St. Louis itself, become the seat of the American Empire ' We are all in a state of Progress !
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Germantown and its old grave stone .- In May 1856, there was found, four feet below the surface, at the rear of Charles Waiss' Coal yard, a marble flatlaid stone, indicating the place of burial of Godfried Lehman, and beneath it his bones .- The stone inscribed him, as dying in his sixty-eighth year, in the year 1756, (one hundred years ago,) as born in Germany-and as being buried in his own garden. He was thehead of the present Lehman family in Germantown-and Benjamin Lehman, conveyed the remains and marble stone, to the Tunker's grave ground-It arrested considerable attention-
Log Prison and ancient group of houses in Germantown .- The picture, which we have given of the last of the oldest houses still remaining in Germantown,-now belonging to the family of John Green, present a very picturesque groupe,-and stand in interesting contrast with many modern houses, built there. They would seem to have been built at several intervening periods-The front house on the right of the picture, now faced with white mortar is the original Log house-It was brought and placed there, as the dwelling house of John Adams Hogermoed, who had before passed a night in it- for some occasion of intemperance, while it occupied the Market square as the Prison. When it was afterwards sold, the same Hogermoed became the owner. One of the higher houses in the rear, it may be seen, is diagonally boarded .- The whole groupe seems to be formed of four different constructions-a part is of stone, All such remains of the primitive times, are fast fading from the things that be !
Germantown Railroad .- This. now popular Road, was originated about the year 1830, by Jesse Torrey, then a temporary resident of the place-It was sustained at the time, by sundry Essays in Mr. Freas' paper-An act was soon after procured, for its Charter, and met with a ready subscription, especially from sundry City Brokers -with whom the Scrip found a ready advance of price-Some time after the whole concern met with a severe depression, by the defalcation of its President-It lingered on a great while, while shares sold often as low as one dollar-An Act was procured in February 1847, for the relief of its creditors, whereby, stock owners and creditors agreed to consolidate their claims at from thirty-five to eighty per cent reduction, according to their class-After which, the Road, including to Noristown, went on progressively rising, till it has risen above par, and has given twelve per cent of Dividend.
Brother Jonathan.
This name as a personation and name of our countrymen of New England-and sometimes-abroad, for all Americans, is a designa- tion said to have been first used by General Washington, as the appellation be gave to his friend Jonathan Trumbull. the Governor of Connecticut-in the period of the Revolution. When upon an occasion of importance, Washington said-" We must consult brother
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Jonathan, first"-Officers present, came to use it as a bye word- and as the phrase circulated more and more,-it came eventually to be the pass word of the people, generally .-
Great Fire.
On the ninth of July, 1850 at four P. M. occured the greatest fire ever witnessed in Philadelphia, commencing near Vine St. on Water St. and burning up to the East side of Second, and from New St. to Callowhill-no house escaping. Among the houses, were some of the most respectable residences of the olden time-say Friends meeting House in New St. (Keys Alley)-Wests' House, N. W. corner of Vine and Front Sts. several from thence along the North side of Vine to New Market St .- and at that N. W. corner, the Two respectable houses of the Messers Whitehead, John and James, brothers-The corner house was once the residence of our Governor Mifflin, and in the War of the Revolution it was the residence of Col. Abercrombie of the British Army-afterwards General Aber- crombie who was killed in Egypt .- Up Front St .- West side, was the residence of Col. Coperthwaite and other respectable men of the Revolution
Old Furniture
A modern freak of fashion-began at Boston and brought here, has Deen the revival of old furniture, found in garrets and lofts :- by the art of varnishing, they have been brought out with display-the gathering of such, came in time, to such a demand, as to call for new-making much of chairs &c., in imitation -- It is queer that those who thus profess to venerate such old family articles, are the same class who before scouted them from sight-Even now, the class, are not those who read " Annals of Olden Time"-They go for them, because the fashion is so ! very well.
Walnut Wood, as used for Cabinet furniture, has now become a fashion-just because it is getting scarce and dearer, and withall looks so like Rose wood-But in former days Walnut was the com- mon furniture wood-as being second to Mahogany-As men got more wealthy it was discarded-it became cheaper and cheaper, and was sold as common fuel in my time-But now, it is again a wood of luxury-as is also curled Maple and Birch. This improvement comes from the use of Varnish,which helps the display of the grain .-
General Education.
General Education for all the people is a new affair-taxing all the people therefor. Before this time it was held ungenteel to accept of free education-But when men of large estate saw how heavily they were taxed to pay for the children of others, and for schools
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of such elevation and excellence as the High Schools, sundry of the upper class combined in a resolution to send their children to the same schools; then everybody aimed to include their children-The result is, that Americans, are coming to be the most generally instructed people in the world. This advantage, with cheap news papers and cheap printing and book-making, seem destined to so free our minds, as to enable us forever hereafter, to surmount all assumptions of future power to debase, and enthral the human mind, whether in church or state.
Education now, is the sameup-hill work it ever was, with very little reform-save the non use of the strap and lash-but some day they will reverse the order of acquiring languages, and will learn words -- words, first, and afterwards Grammar .- Nature says so .- They will also say it is enough, for common schools, to teach only, reading writing, arithmetic and grammar
Pins, what becomes of them ?
Considering the millions made every day-the people wonder what becomes of them ! This subject brings to mind their state in a former age-When they were all imported and cost more than now. It was a consideration to save them all, by picking them up when seen-This was a peculiar operation of the boys-Two special reasons concurred with them-They were their capital, for the play of the game of push pin, and for their surplus they could get pennies, at home-It was a common sight to see boys with a line of pins stuck in their sleeve cuffs .- Men too, always had a place for some, stuck in a line, at the head of the lappels of their coats .- It showed how far we were once a frugal, conservative people .- It was of the same characteristic, as that of wearing Cloths, over again by turning garments.
Family Stockings and Shirts.
Now stockings are made too cheaply to permit of knitting them ; but in former times, mothers and daughters were always busy at their knitting, while sitting in attention to calls from visitors-They not only, were proud to knit their own wear well, but they also, made coarser ones for the boys and servants-made of thread and woollen yarn-and if in large families they could not do all, they hired women helps, to do them-Young ladies, then, truly, could not get time for Pianos, Opera, Theatre and spectacles.
Stores for sale of shirts and drawers-is a modern affair-Such a thing would not have succeeded when females, universally, in families worked out such articles-Now females-very genteel, have not the time !
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Land of the Swen Family.
" A grant was issued on the third of May, 1671, by Francis Lovelace, Esq,. Governor General, under the Duke of York, confirming to the family (as granted by the Dutch governor,) the former grant from Queen Christina, bearing before then, the names of Swen Gunderson, Swen Swanson, Ole Swanson and Andries Swanson the Wiccocoe Tract, containing eight hundred acres, at a quit rent of eight bushels of Winter wheat to his Majesty-Its boundary is as follows, to wit :- Beginning on the Delaware, a short distance North of Shippen St. ;- thence Westward, verging towards Cedar street, striking it between eighth and ninth streets ; thence along the South side of Cedar street to a point about six perches East of Shippen Lane ; thence Southward, parrellel with Shippen Lane, to a corner a short distance South of Federal, and West of twelfth street,- probably the N. W. corner of the parade-ground lot ; thence along the said Creek to the Delaware; and thence to the place of begin- ning"-The Eastern portion of the tract, bounded by the Passy- unk was erected into the district of Southwark, March 26, 1762." -Think of such a tract of eight hundred acres-to one family once, -and now no exalted heirs !
Schoolkill River.
The origin of this name has never been satisfactorily explained- It has been referred to Dutch, as expressive of hidden river -;- But I have an original idea, that it was from the beginning of English form and origin-It was a combined word-having kill-for creek or river ; because it was a common English manner once, to call all the small waters, kill, from the early Dutch settlers-School was added, to express the peculiar place where schools of emigrating fish, resorted up its waters to spawn their young .- Thither went every summer the shad and herrings + its source-and in that river, was always the greatest fisheries known in our waters-far surpassing the Delaware itself. Its waters were colder than the Delaware, and therefore it allured thereto the finest, earliest and largest fish.
Original Shore of the Delaware.
At present, there is no longer, any evidence or view of the original shore-and wharves being everywhere extended out into the river- the passage to Smith's Island &c., is now much abridged .- But I nave seen the original shore at several places, down to the year 1800 -It came up to the east side of Water street, so I saw it, at Pooles Bridge-at Taylor's dock, below Callowhill St .- at the North side of Dock St. creek-and at the end of the street North of Swedes church .-
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Britsh Defences of Philadelphia.
British Defences at Philadelphia in the Life of General John Lamb pp. one hundred and ninety-one, are described-to wit :
Because of the increase of Washington's army at White Marsh, in November "77-they began to fear some attack from him ; Richard Platts letter to General Lamb, says: "They have thrown up very strong lines across-from River to river, besides these, ten or twelve very strong redoubts, ditched, friezed, picketed and abbatised ; every one of which cross fire and flank their lines." "Judge then, if any attacks will be made by our army this winter"-[I suppose, these were made so strong after the Battle of Germantown, fourth of October '77. A picture of the same is here given.]
Conventions and Congresses.
It is a fact but very little considered, that the idea of these, came not up at first, as an invention of the Revolutionary War-It is was only the renewal of similar gatherings on other previous colonia. associations-So many colonies-speaking the same language, and subject to the same Parent authority, naturally felt sympathies and mutual interests, though of different constitutions; and when occur- rences from the French and Indians, produced mutual dangers, they instinctively called Conventions to consider their proper and harmo- nious action, even for the benefit of the Crown-While these meet- ings were congenial to its interests, the officers of the crown, both in America and England, looked on complacently-There were several of such calls of the Colonies, before the Revolution.
Sleds, Sleighs and Skates.
These are now quite altered affairs-Sleds were once made of boards and low, but now they are all set on runners like little sleighs .- -Their skates now have iron foot rests (formerly of wood) and all with turn up, high fronts-not very safe in case of breaking through ice-formerly, the skates were called Dumps-having the irons no longer than the foot .- With this notice, we might notice, the numerous little wheel carriages made by Bushnel-So that all little folks have now something ornamental .- The Boys formerly, had far rougher things .-
Sleighs .- are far more showy, than in days of olden time-The small affairs called jumpers-such for two persons, with their curved upward fronts, present appearances of cost, far beyond the general former straightly boarded sides, and triangular fronts, for the stand, of the upright driver, of the times now by gone-Then they were made for whole families, with woolen, gay coverlids for the backs- Now they pass well for courting vehicles, and tete-a-tetes.
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Appendix.
Name of Egg Harbour,
t think, I ascertained at Absecum beach, called Atlantic City now, from " the oldest inhabitants." why we have had the name of Egg- Harbour, for the long sea coast of Jersey-It meant, the Egg-shelter -a place of pre-eminent security for Birds, and their eggs-Many kinds of large birds, as seen there, only thirty years ago, built their nests in the tops of the numerous trees, once growing along the front beaches of the whole New Jersey Coast,-so that an individual standing on the top of the front line of sand mounts, (cast up by the winds) could look into the nests and see many large eggs, good for eating-These, and the grape vines, hanging to every tree, made the region of Sea coast-both the place of Eggs,-and also, as the Northmen, called it, the vinland. The former big birds and their eggs, are now greatly gone-The Mud hens, were once very numerous throughout the whole area of marsh grass in the Sound, being seven miles over in width-There the hens-raised piles of Mud-two feet high-in the tops of which they laid their eggs-But now the hens and nests, are rarely found. What a time, must once have been, for the " poor Indian," to have been gatherers of such cheap and ready food ! and how ready there, for their use, oysters, clams, crabs, fish-Alas, poor Indian now westward driven ! Such their destiny- such our inheritance now ! One cannot reflect upon the vast changes affecting, without emotions of wonder ! What cannot enlightened man effect ! By and bye, we shall see Railroads traversing our con- tinent from the Atlantic to the Pacific-How much wiser to preserve Peace relations-for benefitting mankind, than to exhaust all of our means in senseless Wars ! An hundred millions wasted in War, would build Railroads across our Continent ! Let us sedulously cultivate and preserve peace. Such was my spontaneous reflections while standing on the Sand hills of great Egg Harbour.
Cold and Snow of January, 1856.
This month it is alleged, in the Inquirer, has been the coldest for thirty- four years preceeding, say January 1821-then ten degrees below zero, by the records of the 'Thermometers-The mean temperature of Janu- ary, as kept by J. Mc Allister has been twenty-eight degrees-and is farahead of its predecessors-The snow, too, which began about the fourth and fifth has continued for sleighing, all through the month and into February.
The thermometer was down to ten degrees below zero-some two or three times at night. The ice, and skating and sliding on the Delaware was continued also-Doctor Rush had published that in his life he had not seen more than four degrees-below zero-I have not seen any degrees of cold set down to the memorable hard winters of 1740 and '80 : but we saw then more mention of injuries by ald to
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cattle, swine, squirrels. Birds, Deer &c., The ice in the western waters and down the whole length of the Mississippi, go beyond all former years. The deep snow of the fourteenth and fifteenth of January 1831-caused good sleighing till the middle of February-The pre- sent sleighing lasted till the end of February also-and began the fourth and fifth of January-of course the longest snow.
The Year 1856-Annus Mirabilis .- This year has been wonderful -as stated in the " Evening Bulletin"-The last Winter so co d; this summer so hot and dry .- So many terrible calamities-of Ocean -Flood and Land :- Such accidents of Steamers and Railroads-A year of the terrible and effective.
" Who Reads an American Book ?"
This sneer uttered in England a few years ago is now well answered in the annexed article-as stated in 1856-at Crystal Palace, New York.
" BOOK PUBLISHING IN THIS COUNTRY .- The Secretary of the Book Publishers' Association, in his valuable address at the Crystal Palace said: ' Let it be remembered that the aggregate number of the new books first manufactured in a single year is not less than two millions four hundred thousand. Putting aside school books, Bibles. and society publications, the number of volumes printed and reprinted. will reach eight millions! The school-books alone will swell the number twelve millions more. The number of volumes issued yearly from the gigantic establishment of the Messrs. Harper alone, has been estimated at more than a million of volumes ; and the Philadelphia house of Lippincott, sends forth books at an average of fifty cases per day, the year round. And consider, besides, the enormous bulk of reading matter issued by our 200 periodicals, and 2,000 newspa- pers ! Think of the 18,000 double or 36,000 single reams of paper required yearly for a single magazine, which courses over the country, unprecedented in cheapness and attraction, at the rate of 150,000 per month. The wildest imagining at home or abroad, twenty years ago, would not have stretched so far as this. Why sir, the sheets from our book-presses alone, in a single year would reach nearly twice round the globe, and if we add the periodicals and newspapers, the issue of our presses in about eighteen months, would make a belt, two feet wide, printed on both sides, which would stretch from New York to he moon !'"
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VARIETY OF PASSING BRIEF FACTS. VIZ:
News Papers at one cent a piece, were a wonder for cheapness when first out.
It is new to use professional singers in churches-
It is still newer to sing responses while kneeling, as in the ten commandments.
The use of Cloroform in painful surgical operations, is new and assisting wonderfully.
Dentists are arriving at great improvements in " saving and pre- serving teeth.
Private penny posts, for delivery of letters in the city,-and express carriages for carrying heavy parcels about the cities,-and omnibuses for carrying people at small charges, are all new enterprises and succeed. The vending of clothing for gentlemen, ready made, is a new enterprise .--
Dispepsia and Spinal Diseases .- Dispepsia in men, and spinal diseases in women, are new forms of diseases, coming in, as a con- sequence of luxurious and indulgent living.
Boquets, (flowers) at Parties-is new-so also Boquets, on the Centre tables,-The tables themselves, are also new-Suppers to such parties, is also new.
Slate roofs, is now a beginning affair-because Cedar shingles come so high now.
-Cedar Posts, too, are becoming so high as to induce the use of Iron posts.
Building brick houses, in the City, in Winter-is a new enterprise, to save time.
Envelopes for Letters .- It is new to put letters under an envelope -It is a useless adjunct and will destroy the evidence of Post marks to letters .- The courts will some day complain of this.
We are invaded with new rules and new forms by Fashion's invisible Agent .- Who knows who first imposes the cuts of our dresses !
Use of Granite and Iron posterns .- The use of Granite and Iron posterns and pedestals to house fronts, is new.
The cutting of our garments, as now, is an entirely new device, and capital, too.
The planeing, jointing and grooving of boards, by Steam power, is wholly new.
Great signs to houses and some elevated upon roofs for display- and signs to read perpendicularly-and the formation of new forms of Sign letters-is all a new contrivance. So also, is various imita- tions of grained wood-such as oak, maple, mahogany &c.,-they were all began first in New York and then followed here .-
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It is new to cover houses with plaster, in imitation of marble -- brown stone and yellow &c.,
It is new to cover roofs of houses with zinc, tin, and slate.
The numerous wholesale Silk stores, exclusively of silk and ribbons from France, is new. So too, the importations from France of cloths and cassimers, is new-also French boots .-
Eating nouses and Refectories is new among us,-especially oyster houses.
Paving foot ways, with flag stones-is a new affair-adopted from New York, when they had not good bricks .- The paving the streets with blocks of wood and blocks of stone-for carriage ways is new .--
Ship Launching Now .- They have now changed the way of launching ships-They now slide them off without the use of a girdle of wedges-by heavy hammers-That was a means far more inter- esting to hearers and spectators, than now.
The Pegging of Shoes and Boots, is a modern affair-so also of turning lasts-The wood pegging was the invention of Joseph Walker, now alive, at Hopkinton Massachusetts. He lives to see the trade of that State in shoes and boots, equal to eighteen millions of dollars !
Steeples-wherever built, were universally white, so as best to be seen furthest-and among trees .- Lately has come up a new con- ceit, of having them brown and chocolate-Aheu !
Carriers .- It is a modern thing to send home parcels from the stores, for purchasers,-and equally new for Butchers to send home meats purchased .- Men and women took home their own marketing ; and many boys of good families, went with wheel-barrows, and stopt near the markets till filled-One remembers well, many young ladies of good families, who used to do all the marketing-Stores did not formerly have porters to cary parcels, and make fires, and sweep, &c.,-That was always done by the apprentice merchant. Boys are far prouder now, than they used to be, and more dressed in business.
The only known Gibbet Left .- The only known gibbet now in the United States-of the olden time remains, is now kept as a relic at the Moyamensing Prison.
Samuel Breck's Letter .- He describes our poverty, and our depression of spirit, at the conclusion of the War of the Revolution -and shows how wonderfully, all things revived and flourished, by the adoption of the Federal Constitution .- A charter which some proud and angry men are now disposed to annul and destroy ! Read it-Read it! in the " North American," of the eleventh of Febru- aly, 1851.
Mild Winter of 1850-51 .- The Past Winter-of 1850-51, is one to be remembered for its mildness-The mean temperature of Febru- ary-has been (though usually one degree the coldest in winter) 41} degrees, which is eleven degrees above the common mean average- very litlle of snow and very little of frost has been seen-At this time. (March 1,) vegetation is one month ahead of ordinary seaso
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