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. III > Part 16
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The reason why many of the old farmhouses are not built at right angles with modern streets is, they were built before the streets were laid out, and are generally at right angles with the roads near which they were erected. The old roads-Frankford, Moyamensing, Passyunk, Darby, Ridge, Gray's Ferry-did not run north and south, nor east and west, and houses were con- structed to front those highways, without reference to their being laid out east and west and north and south.
READY-MADE GARMENTS.
Selling Ready-made Garments, p. 240 .- Watson is not correct in stating Burk was the first to sell ready-made clothes. In 1794, William Smiley kept a ready-made clothing store, south- east corner of Water and Market streets; also Thomas Dobbins, Front and Market streets. A year or two later John Culin kept a similar establishment in Market street, near Water, and a few years after (say 1805) John Ashton kept a ready-made clothing store in Market street, above Front; and Charles Collins in Front street, above Chestnut; and about this period Alexander Dougherty, Front street, near Chestnut; Enoch Allen, Chestnut and Water streets; Henry Hugg, Market street, below Second ; Silas W. Sexton and Jacob Painter, Market street, above Front ; Charles Harkness, same locality ; Charles Hill, south-west corner Water and Arch streets ; James Wilson, north-west corner Water and Arch streets; Lawrence, near Water and Market streets ; James Boyd, Water street, near Race. Also, in those days there were Samuel Owens, Auley Brown, S. C. & B. C. Cooper, and others. Some eighty-five years ago Mr. Smiley was a highly- esteemed citizen, popular with some of the best citizens as a tailor, and noted for his handsome styles and superior military suits of clothing, made to order. He lies buried in the old Pine Street Presbyterian graveyard, Fourth and Pine streets. The first clothing establishments upon Market street were those of Ashton, Harkness, Sexton, and Collins, all between Front and Second streets. The last-named continued in business nearly fifty years ; all named above have passed away. In those days the clothing business was carried on exclusively east of Second street, and chiefly opposite to that which was so long known as the Jersey Market-house, and contiguous to the old court-house. Mr. Burk was in business sixty years ago at the corner of Sixth
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Annals of Philadelphia.
and Chestnut streets. In 1799, W. &. S. Weyman, of No. 39 Maiden lane, New York, who were the pioneers of ready-made clothing in that city, opened a branch of their establishment here, at No. 43 North Second street, near Coombs's alley. The firm was A. Weyman & Son. This house was in business here for only two or three years. The Weymans kept a fashionable ready-made clothing establishment. The late Josiah W. Leeds (who came from Massachusetts) commenced the ready-made clothing business about the same time. Mr. Leeds's store was on the west side of Seventh street, a few doors above Market street. On Market street, about the year 1830, there was not one "ready- made clothing store" on the south side, west of Second street, as far as Sixth street. There was one well known in those days at the south-west corner of Market and Decatur streets; the old firm of James & Cook. They were well-known clothiers, and were patronized by the fashionable gentlemen of that time. Page & Watkinson, some years after, kept ready-made clothing, and also Robb & Winebrenner, William Wilkinson, and others. Many can remember that to wear a suit of clothes coming from " Watson's " would make a gentleman's toilet to be admired, etc. But those days have passed away, and the ready-made clothing business has become quite an established thing in our city.
It would be a very difficult thing to say who first introduced ready-made clothing in this city. Ready-made articles of apparel for the use of seamen must have been sold in this city ever since it had anything like a respectable amount of commerce. "Slop- shops" existed in Water street sixty or seventy years ago.
Manufactures, p. 244 .- George C. Osborne was the first manu- facturer of " water colors" in the United States. He came from London, England, in the year 1808, and started the business in company with another man in New York. A few years after that he came to Philadelphia, and started the same business again, in company with Mr. D. B. Smith, at the north-east corner of Sixth and Arch streets, in 1824, and remained with that gentle- man until 1837, when he died on September 1 of that year. His son, George W. Osborne, succeeded him in manufacturing water colors in this city.
Publishing Interests in Philadelphia .- We have in Philadelphia forty-five newspaper offices, whose annual product is $4,300,000; we have one hundred and three job printing-offices, the value of whose product is $2,176,000 ; of books the product is $4,193,000; of paper and paperhangings, $4,049,000 ; product of paper-mills, nearly $4,000,000; type, $686,000; ink, $241,000; steel pens, $30,000 : total, $19,675,000. To this must be added about $1,500,000 for stereotype, electrotype, steel and wood engravers, etc., making an aggregate of about $21,500,000. The total num- ber of the men employed directly and indirectly exceeds five thousand.
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Music and Pianos.
Music .- Blake & Willig were among the earliest music-pub- lishers in Philadelphia. Mr. Blake died nearly one hundred years of age, at No. 13 South Fifth street. Mr. Blake stated that Messrs. Carr and Shetkey were publishing music previous to 1800, and that John Aitken was their predecessor for several years, at No. 3 or 5 South Third street. It will be remembered by many-a queer-looking building at the south-east corner of Third and Market streets. Many of the plain people at that time named the building "Jones's Folly." Mr. Blake, it seems, came over from England in the year 1793. The yellow fever was raging badly. Our city was truly desolate. He said every one seemed " frightened out of their wits." The year following he began teaching the flute and clarionet over Aitken's music-store, on South Third street. He related that one day he was called upon by a committee of Friends, threatening him, to stop teaching the clario- net to their boys, or " we will have thee put in prison." Taws was making pianofortes then, near the corner of Third and Union streets. The improvement in style of pianos in the past fifty years is wonderful, but not so in music-printing.
The first manufacturer of pianos was John Belmont in 1775, followed by James Juliann in 1785. Charles Taws commenced their manufacture about the year 1789 or '90. Mr. Taws, who was somewhat of an original in his way, was a self-taught mech- anician, and came to this country from Scotland about 1785. The writer of this has seen one of Mr. Taws's instruments bearing date 1795, and which, in comparison with the productions of the Steinways and Chickerings, would seem a very diminutive affair. Mr. Taws at one time was connected with the elder Astor in the business of importing pianos, and also was of some note as a builder of organs, which business, like the piano manufacture, he was amongst the earliest to introduce into the United States. One or two of Mr. Taws's sons inherited their father's musical ability, and became, for their day, professors of some standing. About the first organ built in this country was built for the Salem Epis- copal Church by Thomas Johnston of Boston in 1754.
The light trail of the red men is effaced by the road of iron, p. 255. -A race on the Delaware between Indians and whites occurred in August, 1845, between four Indians selected from a party then encamped for the summer at Cake's Garden, at the foot of Federal street, Camden, and a four-oared barge from the receiving-ship, then lying off the Navy Yard. The Indians used a bark canoe, which they brought with them. They placed one of their women in the centre for ballast. The paddlers ranged themselves two on each side. The start was at high water, so that there would be no current to cross or to stem. The course was from the foot of Fed- eral street, Camden, around the receiving-ship, and return. The Indians won, beating their competitors more than a quarter of the return distance. The race was witnessed by a large crowd of people
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Annals of Philadelphia.
The first railroad was laid and the first steam locomotive run in the United States in 1809-from the stone-quarries of Thomas Leiper, on Crum Creek, to the landing at Ridley Creek, one mile distant. Oliver Evans ran the first carriage ever propelled by steam in the world in this city-from his foundry to the river Schuylkill, a mile and a half, in 1804. A steam-carriage, built by Nicholas and James Johnson in Kensington, was run upon the streets of Kensington in 1827-28. The first locomotive run in this country was an English one, called the Lion, upon the Dela- ware and Hudson Railroad in the fall of 1829. The first Ameri- can locomotive was built by Colonel Stephen H. Long at Phil- adelphia in 1830, and was placed upon the New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad, where it made its first trial July 4th, 1831. On the 25th of April of the same year M. W. Baldwin had run an experimental locomotive in the Philadelphia Museum, Arcade, Chestnut street, which afterward was exhibited upon a track in Smith's Labyrinth Garden, north side of Arch street, between Schuylkill Seventh and Schuylkill Eighth [Fifteenth and Six- teenth] streets. (See p. 485.)
The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Company, with authority to build an artificial road from Philadelphia to Lan- caster, was incorporated April 10th, 1791, and the turnpike- which was the first in the United States-was opened in 1795.
PHILADELPHIA DIRECTORIES.
The First Philadelphia Directory, p. 258 .- See Pennsylvania Archives, vol. x. p. 271, for account of the first Directories.
1785. Francis White. 1812. None.
1785. John Macpherson.
2
1813. John Adams Paxton.
1791. Clement Biddle. 1814. B. & T. Kite.
1792. None. 1815. None.
1793. ) James Hardie, map.
1816. 2
James Robinson.
1794. 1794. Wrogg.
2.
1817.
Edward Dawes. }2.
1795. Edmond Hogan. 1818.
1796. Thomas Stephens, map. 1819.
1797. } Corn. Wm. Stafford,
1820.
1798. S with map. 1821.
1799. James Robinson. 1822.
1797 to C. W. Stafford. 1821.
1801.
1822.
1802 to James Robinson. 1823.
1811.
1811. Census, 16mo. S
2. 1824.
1825.
Thomas Wilson.
1817. 5
J. A. Paxton.
Edward Whiteby.
McCarty & Davis.
Robert Desilver.
153
Directories.
1826.
1835. )
None.
1836.
R. Desilver.
1828
Robert Desilver.
1837.
A. McElroy.
1831.
1838.
None.
1832.
None.
1839 to
A. McElroy.
1833. R. Desilver.
1867.
1834.
None.
1868 to
James Gopsill.
1878.
Most of the above Directories can be seen in the Philadelphia Library.
White, in Bradford's Pennsylvania Journal of Nov. 30, 1785, gives notice that his Directory is just published ; price, half a dollar. In his Directory the names are put down thus:
"Jones Nathan, Shopkeeper, Second between Walnut and Spruce streets.
"Franklin Benjamin, His Excellency, President of Penn- sylvania, Market street.
" Bradford Thomas, Printer and Stationer, Front betweer Market and Chestnut streets."
It contains 83 pages of names, averaging about 43 names to each page, making about 3569 names in all.
Macpherson, in Oswald's Independent Gazetteer of 18th June, 1785, announces that his Directory will soon be published, etc .; and in Bailey's Freeman's Journal of Nov. 16, 1785, he gives notice that it is just published, "extending from Prime street southward to Maiden street northward, and from the river Del- aware to Tenth street westward."
The houses were not numbered until 1790. Clement Biddle, Esq., who was the United States marshal, seems to have given numbers to the houses while engaged in taking the census, and at the same time to have collected the names for a Directory.
In Hogan's Directory of 1795, and in Stafford's of 1801, the names are inserted in their order on the respective streets, and not alphabetically ; they have at the end an alphabetical index of the names, with reference to the pages on which the several names are to be found. Two Directories were published in the years 1785, 1794, 1799, 1811, 1817, 1821 and 1822, and 1837.
In New York the first Directory was published in 1786. One was published in 1792; a copy of it is in possession of John A. Hamersley, 55 Murray street, and the New York Society Li- brary has Directories from 1793 to the present time.
Haunted Houses, p. 272 .- The Wharton House (once called Walnut Grove), down Fifth street above Wharton, was at one time celebrated as being haunted, as it had formerly been used for the "Meschianza." (See p. 470.)
}2.
1827.
1837.
to
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Annuls of Philadelphia.
SPORTS AND AMUSEMENTS.
The Dances of Polite Society, p. 276 .- In addition to the names of Bolton and Mrs. Ball (mentioned in Vol. I. 276), we find one Theobald Hackett advertising in the Pennsylvania Mercury of Aug. 31, 1738, that he has "opened a Dancing- School at the house wherein Mr. Brownell lately lived, in Second street, where he will give due attendance and teach all sorts of fashionable English and French dances," etc.
This shows that the accomplishments were rapidly advancing, for before 1740 a dancing assembly-room was opened under the patronage of some of the best people, as also an association for musical purposes was formed. Their room for holding these parties and balls was endeavored to be closed by Mr. Seward, a friend of Whitefield's, during the excitement caused by the preaching of the latter.
In 1749, John Beals, music-master from London, at his house in Fourth street near to Chestnut, taught the violin, hautboy, German flute, common flute, and dulcimer, and furnished music for balls and entertainments.
In 1742 the "art of defence of the small-sword" was taught by Richard Kyenall in Second street; and in 1746 the small- sword and dancing are taught by one Kennit, though these arts are publicly denounced by Samuel Foulk as " detestable vices " and " that they are diabolical."
Graydon, in his Memoirs, says he was taught dancing at the old Slate-Roof House by Godwin, the assistant of Tioli, and by the latter. This was probably about 1770 or 1772. The teachers of dancing then were generally found in the theatrical corps that itinerized through the various Provinces and subse- quent States. In 1785, in the Ryan & Wells corps, there was a Mr. Patterson who danced on the stage and taught the art. There was also in this corps a Mons. Russell, a fine dancer ; his French hornpipe, composed of ground shuffling and elevated operatic volte steps, was very popular. He was the first dancer that introduced the well-known "pigeon-wing" step that for many years after was executed in a ludicrous way in our ball- room dancing, but not deemed by the educated dancer a legiti- mate step. John Durang succeeded this Russell as a teacher. In 1796, Mons. Quesnet, from France, was brought out as ballet-master by Hallam & Henry, at the South Street Theatre. He was an artist of merit, and soon after opened an academy of dancing. He died about the year 1819. Mons. Lege was also a member of this corps, and became a teacher of dancing at Charleston, South Carolina. Mr. Byrne, an eminent English dancer, came out with the first Chestnut Street corps of come- dians (1793), He opened a school at O'Eller's hotel, where he taught our fashionables the poetry of motion. After a season he
155
Racing-Ballooning.
returned to London, where he lived to a great age. Mr. William Francis, the comedian, at the same period taught dancing here. In 1804-6, '7 and '8, Francis & Durang held their dancing academy at the hall in Harmony court where amateur theatricals were then exhibited. From this date, up to 1819-20, the teach- ers of dancing were Messieurs Auriol, Guillou, Labbe, August, Bonnaffon, the H. Whale family, and others whom we cannot remember. Those who followed are well known to the present generation.
The Friends in 1716 advised against "going to or being in any way concerned in plays, games, lotteries, music, and dan- cing ;" and later, that " such be dealt with as run races, either on horseback or on foot, laying wagers, or using any gaming or needless and vain sports and pastimes."
Billiard-playing does not seem to have been much in vogue, though "a new billiard-table " was advertised for sale by Mat- thew Garrigues at the sign of the Prince Eugene, in Second street, as early as 1726.
Horse-Racing, p. 277 .- In the celebrated race between Eclipse and Sir Henry, on the Long Island course, May 27th, 1823, Eclipse beat Sir Henry-four-mile heats ; purse, twenty thousand dollars.
At the time of the race between Fashion and Peytona, on the Camden course, May 13th, 1845, an accident took place by the falling of the spectators' stand. Many were hurt, and quite a sensation was made by the afternoon papers. Perry Ô'Daniel, a watchmaker, then doing business on Market street near Seventh, was badly hurt, but afterward recovered. The stakes were twenty thousand dollars.
Ballooning .- In August, 1856, at six P. M., a Frenchman by the name of E. Godard made an ascension from Parkinson's Garden, on Chestnut street above Tenth, carrying up a live donkey. As the beast arose from the ground he drew up his legs and spread them out, as if grasping for something. Godard came from out the basket on a rope-ladder, sat himself upon the donkey's back, and waved a flag. Next door, at Rogers's carriage repository-which was not then finished-the following incident occurred upon the roof of that building: All the workmen went up to the roof-among them two Irish hod-carriers. One of them had a pipe lit in his mouth. Stuffing the tobacco in with his finger, between the puffs he made the quaint remark that "The donkey would go a good ways before he would want shoe- ing." The other Irishman, with a knife, tobacco, and pipe in his hand, said : "He will go farther before he will come to a blacksmith-shop." There were thirty or more persons on the roof at the time, and all were breathlessly quiet. But the last remark " brought the house down," and such a roar as it created ! The people assembled in the garden below laughed also, but not
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Annals of Philadelphia.
at the remarks, for they could not hear them. Godard landed the donkey in a field back of the Odd Fellows' Cemetery, near the township line. His wife was in the car of the balloon at the time. They then detached the donkey, and John S. Keyser, being present, got in the car and they ascended again, and landed at Lancaster at nine o'clock that evening. The donkey belonged to George Grace, living at that time in Brown street above Eleventh. He afterward figured on the stage of the Walnut Street Theatre in the Black Raven of the Tombs. He was the " star" donkey, and died as all donkeys must die. Mons. E. Godard made several ascensions from Parkinson's Garden. He went back to France, and was very conspicuous in the balloon- service during the siege of Paris, when the only means of com- munication between the government inside the city and the French forces outside was by balloons sent up from the city, which landed in other parts of France.
Joshua Pusey made an ascension the same year astride of an eagle made of rattan. He had the wings made to flap like those of a live eagle. He landed above the Wire Bridge, near the Schuylkill. He intended on one occasion to ascend from the old droveyard, Callowhill between Sixth and Seventh streets, on a manufactured horse composed of rattan and cowhide, which he exhibited to the public. The ascension did not take place-ow- ing, perhaps, to the balloon or the stuffed horse or Pusey's head being overbalanced. Some say that a person in the crowd, opposed to his going up, fired a pistol into the balloon and pre- vented the ascent.
FOX-HUNTING.
Fox-Hunting, p. 277 .- This hunting club used to visit occa- sionally Woodbury, N. J., when my father was at school there in 1793-94. He has often seen S. Morris and the hounds. The latter were lodged in a stable back of the academy, where they made a terrible yelling on being let out for the chase.
The Gloucester Fox-Hunting Club, p. 277 .- This pleasant association was composed of many highly respectable gentlemen, resident chiefly in Philadelphia, and partly in Gloucester county, New Jersey. It originated from accidental causes. The reci- procities of social intercourse between the hospitable gentlemen of landed property in the blessed retirement of a country life and the less secluded, liberal-minded Friends over the river, confined to their respective vocations in the rising city of Penn, laid the foundation of an association of the most delightful character. Elegant society was then comparatively limited ; while the city Friend could give a delightful repast, the country Friend could promise good sport from horses, dogs, and a fox.
157
Fox-Hunting.
A number of sportsmen convened a meeting at the Philadelphia Coffee-House, south-west corner of Front and Market streets, in 1766, to organize a regular club to provide and keep a kennel of fox-hounds. Their names were- Benjamin Chew, John Dickinson, Thomas Lawrence, Moor Furman, Enoch Story, Charles Willing, Thomas Willing, Levi Hollingsworth, James Wharton, Thomas Mifflin, William Parr, Israel Morris, Jr., Tench Francis, David Rhea, Robert Morris, John White, John Cadwallader, Samuel Mor- ris, Jr., Anthony Morris, Jr., Turbot Francis, Zebulon Rudulph, Richard Bache, Isaac Wikoff, Joseph Wood, David Potts, Sam- uel Nicholas, Andrew Hamilton, David Beveridge. It was agreed there should be two hunting-days in each week, with intermediate days if ordered, but in the course of a year one day a week sufficed.
In 1769 the club prevailed on Mr. Morris to permit his negro man Natt (who was well known in after times by the name of Old Natty by every urchin in town and country) to be enlisted in their service ; his powerful aid was obtained for the interest of the purchase-money of his time and for his apparel. Faithful bandy-legged Natt was re-engaged year after year on like terms until he became a free agent, and was then regularly installed as Knight of the Whip, and became master and commander of a noble family of canines. This venerable gray-pated African sportsman was allowed fifty pounds per annum, a house, and a horse, with Jack Still as assistant.
The established hunting uniform in 1774 was a dark-brown cloth coatee, with lapelled dragoon pockets, white buttons, and frock sleeves, buff waistcoat and breeches, and a black velvet cap. The pack consisted of about sixteen couple of fleet hounds.
A period of war intervened, and superseded all affairs of the chase until October, 1780, when a slender meeting was obtained at the City Coffee-House, and the president, Mr. Morris, produced his accounts for the last two years, when a balance was found due him of £3553, which was paid by collecting £187 from nineteen members, amongst whom were Sharp Delaney, Thomas Leiper, William Turnbull, and Blair McClenachan ; the country gentle- men-viz. John Boyle, Col. Thomas Robinson, Joseph Ellis of Burlington, George Noarth, Jonathan Potts, Mark Bird, and Col. Benjamin Flower-being only registered as privileged hunters, were not regularly assessed. But a contribution was assessed of $500 on each of these gentlemen to pay off all the existing old debts. These sums were in Continental currency. Six pounds specie was then equivalent to £187 10s.
The following gentlemen were admitted members after the organization and before the club's meetings were suspended by the events of the war of Independence :
In 1768 .- Jeremiah Warder, Joseph Penrose, Joseph Budden, Edward Cottrrell, Thomas Foxcroft, John Mitchell, Joseph Jones.
In 1769 .- William Parr, James White, George Morris, Wil-
14
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Annals of Philadelphia.
liam Hiorn, Nathaniel Lewis, Joseph Bullock, Samuel Wallace, Joseph Pemberton, William Jones, Austin Tallman.
In 1770 .- G. Bonnin, Alvaro d'Ornellas, Turbot Francis, Jas. Bochannan, Thomas Murgatroyd, Stephen Moylan, Tench Tilghman, Samuel Caldwell.
In 1771 .- John Boyle, Mark Freeman, Matthew Mease, Stacy Hepburn.
In 1772 .- George Graff, Thomas Williams, John White.
In 1773 .- James Mease, James Moylan, Robert Glen, Richard Smith, Joseph Wilson, Samuel Howell, Jr., John Mease.
In 1774 .- Bertles Shee, William Straker, William Price.
In 1775 .- William Druit Smith, Lieut .- Col. John Patton, Alexander Nesbitt, Thomas Rowan, Jonathan Penrose, John Lardner, Lieut .- Col. Thos. Robinson.
In 1776-77 the regular meetings appear to have been wholly suspended. September 18th, 1778, Samuel Caldwell, Samuel Howell, Jr., Samuel Morris, Jr., John Boyle, John Lardner, and Alexander Nesbitt-all from campaign duty-convened, and hon- orably resolved to pay off all debts incurred in the maintenance of the establishment since they had the pleasure of hunting to- gether. They then elected as members Isaac Cox, John Dunlap, Thomas Leiper, James Caldwell, Thomas Peters, Joseph Ellis, General Wilkinson, Isaac Melchior, and Thomas Bond, Jr.
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