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 20
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In 1759 (not 1749, as stated in Watson, Vol. I. p. 363) the market-house on High street was extended to Third street. Four years later, it being understood that the stalls in the Jersey market-house were in a ruinous condition, it was resolved to build instead of them a market-house with brick pillars, extend- ing from forty feet east of Second street to near Front, at which end a green market and exchange were to be put up. The plan of building an exchange was, however, not carried out at that time.
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Annals of Philadelphia.
In 1768 the sixty-six stalls west of the court-house rented for 66s. each, producing £198, and east of the court-house twenty six at 80s. and twenty at 60s., netting £164.
In 1773, a committee of Assembly was appointed to meet with the city corporation in reference to the urgent need of new market accommodation, and the Assembly considering the want a public grievance, it was resolved by the corporation to set up another market at once at their own expense. This time money was more abundant than before, so that the principal thing to consider was where the market should be placed. It was decided by a great majority of the Council that it should be placed in Market street, between Third and Fourth. But though the Council had so little difficulty in coming to this determination, the people were not to be satisfied so easily. On the very day that the plan for the buildings was laid before the Council a remonstrance was pre- sented from some of those residing in the neighborhood of the proposed site, complaining that a market in that place would be an additional encumbrance to the street, and would greatly in- commode them. They requested at the same time that another more suitable place might be chosen. Yet this was not all, for at the same time a counter-memorial was presented from many citizens, chiefly residing "in the upper end of Market street," urging the proposed measure. The Council were now in a dilemma, but, after serious consideration, it was resolved "that the board was satisfied of their right to build the said market in the middle of the street called High street, leaving a proper space on each side for the passage of carriages." The next resolve, to proceed in their operations, followed as a matter of course. A few days later a request was made by residents of Market street that the board would delay for a short time, and " consent to the entering an amicable suit at law to try the right of the corporation to erect those stalls." The petitioners declared that they had consulted able counsel respecting the measure, "who have given to us their opinion that the mayor and commonalty have no legal right to erect stalls in any of the streets of the city.' The rejection of the petition and the preparation for commencing work gave the signal for open yet orderly opposition. Michael Hillegas, whose manuscript memoranda on certain interesting broadsides and pamphlets bearing on the subject are preserved in the Philadelphia Library, informs us that at four o'clock on the morning of the 15th of June some of the residents of Market street between Third and Fourth began to haul away stones pre- pared for the foundations of the market-house pillars, and de- posited them in a vacant lot, the mayor and some of the aldermen being present, endeavoring to prevent ; at the same time the work- men were taking up and removing the paving-stones of the street. No blows were struck on either side. On the 17th the people took away the lime and destroyed the lime-house. The building
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Market-Houses.
committee was thereupon ordered, on the 22d, to desist from the work, but on the 24th it was again resolved to proceed with it. But on the 29th an address of certain Friends was presented, requesting the Council that they would, for the present, suspend the carrying into execution their resolution of building an addi- tional number of stalls to the market in High street, representing that the minds of the people were much agitated, and that such a suspension would be the means of restoring peace to the city. It was accordingly agreed to stop the' work. A proposal was made in one of the papers of the day that the market, which all admitted was needed, should be erected in the centre of the square between Third and Fourth and Market and Chestnut, the build- ings running east and west, and leaving the lots fronting on Mar- ket and Chestnut sufficiently deep and increased in value by the double frontage thus given. How similar the plan executed on the adjacent square in 1859 !
During the Revolution, while the British occupied the city, the market-houses were made into stables for the cavalry horses.
In 1786 an act of Assembly was obtained giving the wardens of the city power to extend the markets from Third to Fourth street, and farther from time to time as was required-stating, also, that " custom and long usage have fixed High street as the most eligible and central place for the market-place to be con- tinued."There seems to have been no opposition now, partly perhaps because the people had a voice in the measure, while under the old city charter the mayor and Council were a close corporation and irresponsible to the people. In 1810 the sheds were continued to Sixth street, and finally market-houses were continued on to Eighth street ; from there to the present Fifteenth street, then called Schuylkill Eighth street, the farmers stood with their wagons at the street-curb and on the pavements around Centre Square at Broad street. From Fifteenth to Seventeenth street was another series of market-houses; these were demolished in April, 1859. Those at the lower part of Market street, from Third to Eighth street, were built of brick pillars with wooden crosspieces, on which were hooks for hang- ing meats, etc. One of Birch's views gives an excellent repre- sentation of them. These gave way in later years to those of a more elegant and lighter pattern made of iron. These, again, were finally ordered to be taken down, after a long and bitter controversy among the citizens. In 1859 the subject of the en- tire removal of the markets from Market street, to make room for business, was warmly agitated for some time. Memorials pro and con. were sent to Councils, and a long report was made by a special committee recommending the measure, accompanied by an ordinance on which final action in Select Council was postponed till October. The stalls from Front to Eighth street were com- menced to be removed November 25th, 1859. The principal
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"power behind the throne" was the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which wanted it as an avenue to the Delaware River, and they ran their tracks alongside of the market-houses and turned down Third street, then vid Dock street to the river. About 1851-52 the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed to the Market street bridge, and the railroad west of Broad street was established, and the freight-cars stopped running down Dock street. They had their principal dépôt for freight at Thirteenth and Market streets until 1874, when, the city having decided to erect the Public Buildings on Centre Squares, at the intersection of Broad and Market streets, the railroad-tracks were taken up below Fifteenth street, and the freight dépôt removed to the square between Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets, and the old dépôt sold in 1875 to John Wanamaker, who altered it in 1876 into a mammoth shop for clothing and dry goods and articles of apparel.
The style of market-houses formerly on Market street may be yet seen in those belonging to the city on Second street, Callow- hill street, Spring Garden street, Girard avenue, Bainbridge street, and Moyamensing avenue. The plan of large and sepa- rate buildings for market-houses, suggested by Faneuil Hall in Boston, was first started here in 1854, when those on Broad street below Race, now the City Armory, and on Race, corner of Juniper street, now the head-quarters of the Fire Department, were erected. Not being in convenient places for the people, they were unsuccessful, but others were erected in 1859 upon the prospect of the old market-sheds being torn down. Being under the management of individual corporations, most of the members are farmers, ensuring a success by occupying the stalls and stock- ' ing the market. Among these were-the Western, north-east corner of Sixteenth and Market streets, under charge of the Butchers' Association, who afterward sold their building to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and moved higher up, between. Sixteenth and Seventeenth streets ; their house was opened April 19, 1859 ; the Eastern, south-east corner of Fifth and Merchant streets, below Market, opened November 26, 1859 ; the Farmers', north side of Market, between Eleventh and Twelfth ; the Frank- lin, at the corner of Twelfth street, adjoining the above; this was originally built in Tenth street below Market, on ground till then occupied by old frame buildings; at their opening they sent some fine beef to Rev. Dr. Ducachet, pastor of St. Stephen's Church, opposite, who caused the chimes to be rung; they after- ward sold the building to the Mercantile Library Company ; the South-western, south-east corner of Nineteenth and Market streets. Besides these there are numerous others, and all main- tain the unexcelled reputation of Philadelphia for its markets. The superior neatness and convenience of display over the old style of farmers' wagons is alone a sufficient recommendation. I have seen the farmers dug out after a severe snow-storm ; many
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Arch Street Bridge-Benezet.
of them would sleep over-night in their wagons, and the snow would drift and overwhelm them so much as to necessitate their either digging out or being dug out of the deep snow in the morn- ing. Now, comparatively few come to the city in their wagons, special trains on the railroads bringing their produce and carrying back the empty vessels.
The Arch Street Bridge, p. 364 .- The following extracts will perhaps more clearly prove the nature of the arch which gave the name to the street, and its early origin, as it seems to have been first proposed in 1685 :
" The petition of Benjamin Chambers, Thomas Peart, and Francis Rawle was read, requesting for themselves and others that a Bridge might be built over, and a wharf made against Mulberry street. Resolved, that when the Petitioners shall bring in their proposals, they shall have a hearing." (Col. Recs., vol. i. p. 330, 8th 2d mo., 1690.)
9th 2d mo., 1690: " Benjamin Chambers and Francis Rawle, according to the answer to their petition, brought in their methods (viz.) : Mulberry street being not less than 60 feet in breadth in the midst of the same, and about twenty perches back from the River, we intend to cut out a cart road of 20 feet in breadth, from thence to extend with a gradual descent to low- water mark, and to have the said passage paved and walled up with stones on both sides, and to have a bridge over the said passage in the midst of the front street, and that part which re- mains uncovered to be fenced with rails; and at the river-end of the said passage, to make a free and public wharf of 20 foot in breadth on each side thereof; whereunto the Council did assent." (Ibid., p. 330.)
The arch in Arch street was pulled down in 1720, and caused much excitement.
Benezet's House, p. 371 .- See Sunday Dispatch of September 26, 1858.
Anthony Benezet was a Frenchman, but he knew very little of his native country. He was born at St. Quentin, France, in January, 1713, of opulent parents, but his father, being a Prot- estant, was forced to leave France, and his estate was confiscated in 1715. Anthony, then but two years of age, was taken to Eng- land, where he was educated. At fourteen years of age he be- came a member of the Society of Friends, and he came to Phil- adelphia with his parents when but nineteen years of age. His efforts in behalf of the negroes commenced about 1750. In 1763 he interested himself in favor of the Indians and against the wrongs inflicted upon them. He died at Philadelphia, May 5, 1784, aged seventy-one years. Benezet, by his labors, became celebrated far beyond the limits of his own country. Eminent men on both sides of the Atlantic corresponded with him, and
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by his efforts he justified the title of philanthropist which was awarded him.
Clarke's Hall, etc., p. 374 .- May 8, 1707, "Ordered that Samuel Carpenter desire of Wm. Clark the use of his two large Rooms, being the most convenient for that purpose." (Trial of Secry. Logan : Col. Recs., vol. ii. 364.)
May 12, 1707, "The Council, according to appointment, met first at the usual place, the secretary's office, and then adjourned to Wm. Clark's House, being prepared for the purpose." (Ibid., p. 365.)
THE ARCADE.
The Present Marble Arcade, p. 376 .- This is an allusion to a building which must yet be remembered by many. It was built upon the site formerly occupied by Carpenter's mansion and grounds, known to some now living as the "Tilghman mansion." Joshua Carpenter bought the ground from Sixth to Seventh street September 27, 1701, and a lot on High street bounded east by Robert Turner's lot and south by a part of his Chestnut street lot. He died in 1722. North of this lot a street was laid out called Carpenter street (now Jayne street), and extending north from this street to High street was Turner's alley (now Decatur street.) The Arcade was projected by Peter A. Browne, and from the start was a failure; it was erected in 1826-27, and fin- ished in 1828. It was a two-storied building, and stood on Chest- nut above Sixth, on the north side, and extended through to the present Jayne street, with a rear façade similar to the front open- ing on Decatur street, and thus through to Market street. Both fronts were of marble, leading by several steps to two avenues of stores ; each avenue was paved with marble, and, being open at each end and enclosed above with a glass roof, the arcades were attractive. The centre portion consisted of stores with two fronts -one on each arcade-so that as the visitor passed through he had a store on either hand ; and as they were thoroughly glazed and the goods well displayed in the shops, it was at one time a bustling place. Up stairs was a similar arrangement reached by flights of steps at each end of the central portion, and galleries all round from which to enter the shops. As the shops were small, and after a time became out of the walks of fashion and convenience, they degenerated into shops of very petty trades- men, and became unprofitable to both tenants and landlord. Various places of amusement occupied the upper portion of the central building; among the most noted was Charles Wilson Peale's Museum, which was removed from the State House in 1828-29, and remained there for many years. The Ledger first
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The Arcade.
opened its office there in 1836. Many remember the lottery drawings on Saturday afternoons about the year 1827-28. What crowds would be collected on those occasions ! The building was finally sold, and Dr. David Jayne tore it down, and in 1860 erected three fine white marble-front stores upon the site.
Probably no square in the city has changed more than this one from Sixth to Seventh street. On the northern side stood the Chestnut Street Theatre, its site now occupied by Rockhill & Wilson's and the Bulletin building ; and next to that Harmer's Hotel, its site occupied by two brick stores built by Dr. Jayne, was long a noted eating-place and political resort; then the Ar- cade; then the Columbia House. On the opposite side, at the corner of Seventh, stood a mansion where now stand Dr. Swaim's fine stores; next below was Harrison's mansion ; then Jones's Hotel, long the most fashionable hotel and principal resort for Southerners ; it was purchased by George W. Simons and altered into an artisan building; and below that the old building of the American Sunday-School Union, now occupied by the German Democrat building; and there were other famous shops between these and Sixth street, the sites of which are occupied by the elegant buildings of the Ledger establishment, erected by A. J. Drexel, Esq., and opened June 20, 1867. The south-west cor- ner of Chestnut and Sixth was Durand's drug store. Then
came on Sixth street a store occupied at one time by Hope & Co., tobacconists, and subsequently by Thomas B. Florence, hatter. Then came Alderman John Binns's office, which in 1841 was at No. 36. His house, we should think, was about where Mr. George W. Childs's private office is now. The next house would have been No. 38-which was an office-then No. 40 and then No. 42, which was probably about where the offset of Yates' Chestnut street store opens on Sixth street. No. 42 was what is called a "three-quarter house," and was inhabited about the year 1815 by Mr. Hall of the firm of Brown & Hall, the latter the father of the Rev. John Hall, at present living in Trenton. City Directories for 1807 and 1808 show that John Welsh, merchant, lived at No. 42 South Sixth street, which was a little below the corner of Chestnut. It was more than a quar- ter of a square from the corner. Here the late William Welsh was born.
Doctor Græme, p. 376 .- See Vol. II. p. 375.
Carpenter's Mansion, p. 376 .- Fountain Low was also a name given to this place.
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Annals of Philadelphia.
GRÆME PARK.
Græme Park (p. 316), originally a tract of twelve hundred acres, appears to have been given by patent from commissioners May 26, 1706, to Samuel Carpenter, and conveyed by Hannah Carpenter as executrix Feb. 3, 1718. (Patent Book A, vol. vi. p. 40.)
Sir William Keith built the fine large house, still standing, in Græme Park, at Horsham, Montgomery county, in 1722. Dr. Thomas Græme came to America with Sir William, Lady Keith, and her daughter Ann Diggs by a former husband, Robert Diggs. Dr. Græme married Miss Diggs in 1719 in Christ Church. Dr. Græme was a man of very pleasing manners and a very popular physician. He was a member of Council, port physician, judge of the Supreme Court, surgeon at the Pennsylvania Hospital, and collector of the port. He lived in the house built by Joshua Carpenter. Besides Mrs. Ferguson, he had another daughter, Jane, who married James Young and had three children, one of whom married Dr. William Smith.
Sir William Keith went to England in 1728, where he pub- lished An Account of the North American Colonies. He never returned to America, and died in the Old Bailey in London Nov. 18, 1749. Lady Keith lived retired in Philadelphia until her death July 31, 1740, at the age of sixty-five, and was buried in Christ Church burying-ground. Sir William in his Account spoke highly of the prosperity of the colonies, suggesting a plan of taxation for their defence against the French and Indians-a plan which probably led to the one against which the Revolution was fought.
Græme Park House, still standing in 1855, was the object of an excursion made by my father and other members of the His- torical Society. The house is on the farm occupied by Mr. Penrose, about six miles from Gwynedd Station on the North Pennsylvania Railroad, and on County-line road between Mont- gomery and Bucks, about three miles from Hart's Corner. It is a two-story stone double house, sixty feet by twenty-five feet, rooms wainscoted; an iron chimney-back in the south room sec- ond story has a date of 1728 on it; very heavy banisters, and stairs of oak; rooms not very large, but finely finished, with ceiling mouldings, etc. It has been a very fine house in its day. It was used by General Lacey as head-quarters during the Revo- lution. It was uninhabited in 1855, except by a miserable in- sane old woman, who could not speak intelligibly, and who locked herself in an upper corner room, and went to Mr. Pen- rose's house for her victuals. In front of the house are two very large trees-one on each side of the gate leading to the front door; the back of the house appears toward Mr. Penrose's. There is
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Christ Church.
between them a considerable pond fed by the spring which emp- ties into Park Run. The park is about one-fourth of a mile from the house, and is now a pretty piece of woods.
The United States Hotel, which was vis-à-vis the Bank of the United States, p. 377, was pulled down in 1856 to make room for the present granite building of the Philadelphia Bank, which cor- poration bought it from the Bank of Pennsylvania at its failure, and finished it.
The Tilghman Mansion, p. 377 .- The old mansion of the late Chief-Justice Tilghman, which stood on the site of the late Ar- cade building, was an old-fashioned, double two-story house, looking very antiquated, with a low brick wall, a wooden paling on the top, and an entrance in the centre. It stood back from the street about fifty feet, with a lawn in front. After Judge Tilghman bought it he built a fine addition in front of the old house about the year 1809. It was a conspicuous ornament to Chestnut street. It was taken down to make way for the Arcade in 1826. Judge Tilghman moved into Walnut street above Ninth, where he died in the spring of 1827, and lies buried in Christ Church graveyard at Fifth and Arch streets. John Welsh, father of the minister to England, and other well-known merchants and lawyers of that day, lived in Sixth street below Chestnut.
William Tilghman was the chief-justice of Pennsylvania and president of the Atheneum at the time of his death, April 30th, 1827, having for more than twenty years presided over the ad - ministration of justice with a measure of wisdom and learning, purity of purpose and dignity of demeanor, talents, taste, and temper, which have seldom been united in one individual. Ap- pointed to office without application from any quarter, his judi- cial ermine was as unblemished as his judicial life was fruitful of blessings and benefits for his profession and the Common- wealth. Soundness and steadiness of decision, integrity and im- partiality, the gentle demeanor of a man of education and refine- ment, a deep conviction of the solemn importance of his official duties,-these were the characteristics of that eminent magistrate.
CHRIST CHURCH.
Christ Church, p. 379 .- (See the History of Christ Church, by Rev. Dr. Dorr, printed in 1841.)
Humphreys, on p. 146 of his History of the Society for Prop- agating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, says: "The English had no minister till 1700, when Rev. Mr. Evans was sent over to Phil- adelphia by Bishop Compton." But probably the Rev. Mr. Clayton was the first minister-or rather missionary-sent out by VOL. III .- N 17
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Annals of Philadelphia.
the society-or before it was established, as it was not established till 1700-as it is a settled fact that the first building of wood and brick was built in 1695-97, when the parish was organized, twelve years after the laying out of the city by Penn and during the reign of William III. It was enlarged in 1711 and in 1720.
Dr. Sprague, in vol. v. of his Annals of the American Pulpit, p. 22, article "Evan Evans," says : "He was probably sent to Philadelphia by Bishop Compton." "On his arrival he found that a church had been built there in the year 1695, and had then a congregation of about fifty, who were said to have left the Quakers under the preaching of George Keith, who also had separated from them a few years before. About a year after the church was built the Rev. Mr. Clayton, through the influence of the Rev. Dr. Bray, who was about that time made the bishop of London's commissary for Maryland, was sent over to minister there. In about two years, under Mr. Clayton's ministry, the congregation increased to seven hundred, and just at that time he was called away by death." He died in 1699 at Sassafras, Md. He was succeeded by Rev. Evan Evans in 1700; who officiated. with the omission of several years, until 1718, when he removed to Maryland. While on a visit to, and officiating in, Christ Church, he had an apoplectic fit in the pulpit, and died the fol- lowing Wednesday. He had been assisted by Mr. Talbot and Rev. John Hughes at various times, and by Rev. Dr. Rudman, formerly of Swedes' Church, until his death in 1708.
After Dr. Evans's death the pulpit was filled at different times by Rev. Messrs. Talbot, Humphrey, Ross, Sandel, and by Rev. Thomas Hughes of Virginia from September, 1718, until the arrival of Rev. John Vicary in September, 1719, who was sent out by the bishop of London. Ill-health caused him to relin- quish the pulpit in 1722. It was then occasionally filled by Rev. Mr. Weyman until 1723, and by Rev. John Urmston. The bishop of London not having sent any one to minister, the church called Rev. Dr. Richard Welton in July, 1724, who officiated until his departure to Portugal in January, 1726. The pulpit was filled by Rev. Robert Weyman, Rev. Jonas Lidman, and Rev. Mr. Holbrook until the arrival of Rev. Archibald Cum- mings in September, 1726. He was sent out by the bishop, and was active and successful. Under his pastorate, the next year was commenced an addition of thirty-three feet to the west end and the foundation for a steeple. In September, 1728, it was resolved to buy an organ, imported by Lodowick Sprogell, for two hundred pounds. This one was superseded in 1766 by a new one at a cost of five hundred pounds, built in this city by William Firing; this served for seventy years, or until 1837, when a very fine instrument with sixteen hundred pipes, built by Henry Erben of New York, was placed there.
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