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 29
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Here, where the representative of royalty was wont to humble himself before God, and where subsequently the head of the re- public worshipped, the spirit of change had left the building un- desecrated by any new modelling in its interior arrangements. The church stood a venerable monument of the early taste and judgment of its founders. The stained windows, the imposing steeple, and the inspiring chime constituted almost the only import- ant changes which the eye or the ear could detect in this edifice. The parish of St. Peter was identified with the organization of the Church, the first and many subsequent standing committees, the adoption of the Prayer-Book, and the primary organization of the present Episcopal Church in the United States.
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THE BINGHAM MANSION AND LANSDOWNE, AND THE BINGHAM FAMILY.
Binghum's Mansion, p. 414 .- The mansion-house was between Walnut and Spruce streets, on the west side of Third street. It was afterward known as Head's "Mansion House," and was a most excellently kept and fashionable hotel for many years. It was much injured on the roof and the interior by fire early in the morning in 184 -. It has since been pulled down and brownstone- front residences erected on the lot by Mr. Bouvier, mahogany- dealer, in 1850.
Scarcely a Lombardy poplar is now to be seen in the city, having chiefly been destroyed in consequence of alarm created by apprehension of fatal effects from a species of worm with which they were infested very abundantly ; many articles appeared in the papers about them, some of them quite terrific. Another rea- son for their removal was the upturning of the pavements by their roots, which grew near the surface. In the country they are also now very scarce, owing to the unhealthy appearance they made; the climate not being suitable, most of them have died. Their place in the city was very generally supplied by maples, lindens, etc .; the latter became much infested with the measuring-worm, and were mostly dug up; the importation a few years since of the English sparrow was in time to save some, but the birds have increased so fast as themselves to become a nuisance.
The lines quoted by Watson are not in the connection as printed in Markoe's poem, p. 24, but are select lines from it, and thus arranged for this occasion.
An account of this mansion is published in the Directory for 1794.
The Willing mansion in the same square, corner of Willing's alley and Third street, was demolished in 1856, to make room for the present building, erected by the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany for their offices, and afterward sold to the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company when the Pennsylvania Railroad built their magnificent offices in the rear of this on Fourth street, on the lot formerly occupied by Joseph R. Ingersoll. The Willing man- sion was a large, double, venerable-looking house, well built and surrounded by trees, magnificent specimens of the sycamore or buttonwood.
There was buried in Christ Church on December 22d, 1714, James Bingham, a very respectable man who had been a black- smith, and he left a large landed property. His son James mar- ried the daughter of William Budd of Burlington, who brought him additional property. His son William married Mary, daughter of Mayor Stamper, in 1745, who added more property to his possessions. His son William, born in this city in 1752,
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The Bingham Mansion and Lansdowne.
married Ann Willing, daughter of Thomas Willing, the partner of Robert Morris and a wealthy merchant. Thus four gener- ations married well.
William Bingham graduated at the college in 1768. Three years later he was appointed consul under the British government in the West Indies, and remained there during the Revolution ; was agent for Congress and acquired a large property. Return- ing home, he married Miss Willing, just sixteen, in 1780. After his marriage they spent several years in Europe. At that time John Adams, Franklin, and Jefferson were diplomats abroad, and through their good offices, and those of La Fayette, they gained the entrée to the best society-to which the great beauty of Mrs. Bingham and the wealth of Mr. Bingham entitled them. Upon their return Mr. Bingham built a splendid mansion upon a lot of three acres on the west side of Third street above Spruce, and furnished it very elegantly. Not only the plan of the house was brought over by him, but nearly all the furniture and deco- rations. The house was modelled after that of the duke of Man- chester's London house, only larger. It was very wide, three stories high, stood back about forty feet from the street, and was approached through two gates by a semicircular drive. In front was a low wall with balusters, and the grounds were beautifully laid out. The whole of Third and Fourth streets from Spruce to Willing's alley was occupied by the houses of Mrs. Bingham's relatives-that of her uncle, Mr. Powell, afterward of the late William Rawle; of her father, Mr. Willing ; and of her aunt,
Mrs. William Byrd of Westover. Besides this elegant town- house, Mr. Bingham owned a country-seat west of the Schuylkill, north of the Lancaster road, between the Powell and Britton estates. He served as member of the Confederate Congress from 1786 to 1789, was captain of the dragoons at the time they escorted Mrs. Washington from Chester to Philadelphia on her way to New York to join the first President, was a member of the As- sembly for 1790-91, and elected Speaker the first year, and was United States Senator from 1795 till 1801.
On what was called the Lansdowne estate (now embodied in the Park) in 1876 were erected the principal Centennial build- ings, and just about where stands Horticultural Hall formerly stood one of the grandest mansions and one of great historic interest. Though of later years in ruins, it should have been restored to its former appearance on account of its associations, but the commissioners razed it to the ground. This building was called Lansdowne, and only the name is preserved to mark the estate which was once so elegantly adorned and the home of much stateliness and festivity. The estate originally consisted of one hundred and forty-two acres in Blockley, on the west side of the Schuylkill, and was owned before the Revolution by Rev. William Smith, provost of the College of Philadelphia. He
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sold it in 1773 to John Penn, part Proprietary of Pennsylvania and governor, who added other tracts, and thus increased the estate to about two hundred acres. The property adjoined Peters's estate at Belmont. Here Penn erected a stone mansion of magnificent proportions, mainly in the Italian style. It con- sisted of a main building with recessed wings and a two-storied portico, each story supported by pillars of the Ionic order and surmounted with a pediment ; a large bay-window projected from each end. The approach to the house was by an avenue of trees of great extent. The grounds were undulating, beautifully laid out, and with fine old trees and romantic glens and ravines ; of these Lansdowne Glen remains in somewhat of its wildness.
After the death of Governor Penn, in 1795, his widow, for- merly Ann Allen, deeded the property to James Greenleaf, whose wife was a niece of Mrs. John Penn. Greenleaf, a merchant, was engaged with Robert Morris in speculations in real estate, and though supposed to have great wealth, failed when Morris did, and this property of Lansdowne was sold by the sheriff April 11, 1797. William Bingham purchased it for thirty-one thousand and fifty dollars, subject to a mortgage of twenty-four thousand and fifty dollars, making the total cost of it fifty-five thousand and one hundred dollars.
From this time, for a few years only, it was the seat of hos- pitality and elegance. Its wealthy and fashionable owners enter- tained the highest in the land. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and other distinguished American and foreign statesmen and ministers were entertained here.
Mrs. Bingham in returning from a party in a sleigh took a violent cold which settled upon her lungs, and she was taken to Bermuda, but died at the early age of thirty-seven, May 11, 1801. Mr. Bingham shortly afterward went to Europe, and died at Bath in 1804, in his fifty-second year.
The portrait of Washington by Stuart, a full-length, and known as the "Lansdowne portrait," engraved in pure line by the celebrated engraver in England, Heath, was originally or- dered by the marquis of Lansdowne, but at Mr. Bingham's solicitation Stuart allowed him to pay for it, and he sent it as a present to that nobleman. Stuart, not having reserved the copy- right, was indignant at seeing an engraving done of it and being thus deprived of the copyright, and, quarrelling with Bingham about it, refused to finish a portrait of Mrs. Bingham of which he had painted the head. This Lansdowne portrait of Washing- ton was sent over and exhibited in the Great Britain department of the art collection in Memorial Hall in 1876 ; also a portrait of Mr. Bingham. Washington presented Mrs. Bingham with a small portrait of himself painted by the marchioness de Brehan.
Mr. Bingham left three children-Ann Louisa, who married Alexander Baring; Maria Matilda, married to Henry Baring ;
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The Bingham Mansion and Lansdowne.
and William Bingham, who married in 1822, at Montreal, Baroness de Vaudreuil. From these three marriages a number of descendants, dukes, earls, and barons, date their lineage-one of whom was Alexander Baring, son of the great merchant Sir Francis Baring. He was afterward raised to the peerage as Baron Lord Ashburton, and was sent to this country, and settled the North-eastern boundary question, by the treaty so well known as the Ashburton-Webster treaty, in 1841. The Barings as bankers have always until recently represented the financial interests of this country.
The Lansdowne mansion, together with a smaller house erected on the property, has been occupied by the Barings, and in 1816- 17 by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon and ex-king of Spain. Then it remained for years unoccupied until it was burnt by fireworks in the hands of boys. The ruins stood for a long time, until 1866, when it was bought by a number of public-spirited gentlemen, ceded to the city, and incorporated with the Park.
British Barracks, p. 415 .- See Penna. Archives, x. 240, 241, 261, 268, 276, 737; and vol. iii. 440, 575. "Barracks for five thousand troops are building in Philadelphia. It was proposed they should be built at the head of Arch street, on one of the Proprietor's lots, but Mr. Hockley forewarned them of erecting any building on the Proprietor's lots, else they must expect to have them forfeited. They have since purchased lots, and are going on very fast with their works." (Letter of Capt. D. Clark to Col. Burd; Shippen's Letter, p. 98.) They stood on Second street, opposite that now called Tammany street. When digging a cellar for a building there, they came across huge walls of great thickness and strength, broad enough for a large-sized wheelbar- row to stand on, and so hard that they could not pick it with picks nor crowbars. The British barracks, built before the Rev- olution, extended from Third street certainly to Second, and most probably to Front, in that neighborhood. The old Commission- ers' Hall, on Third street above Tammany, was the officers' quar- ters.
Camptown, or Campington .- This name was at one time ap- plied to the whole of the district of the Northern Liberties, be- cause the British barracks were there. The four plots of ground at the intersection of Callowhill and New Market streets were reserved, when the Penns laid out the town of Callowhill, for market purposes. They afterward became the property of a Nor- wich market company, which was composed of farmers. In time the company ceased to take any interest in them, and the market- houses remained for several years nuisances to the neighborhood. Finally, the title of the owners was vested in the Northern Lib- erties, and by law permission was given to sell the ground.
VOL. III .- S
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THE OLD ACADEMY.
The Academy was formally opened January 8, 1751, by the trustees, the governor, the teachers, and others. Rev. Mr. Peters preached the sermon. The price of tuition was four pounds per annum and twenty shillings entrance. David Martin was the first rector ; Theophilus Grew, mathematical master ; Paul Jack- son, professor of languages; and David James Dove, teacher of the English school.
This property, on Fourth street below Arch, was originally built, under a religious excitement produced by Rev. George Whitefield, " for public worship and a charity-school," in which any preacher might deliver his doctrines to the people of Phila- delphia. Nov. 14, 1740, it was conveyed for this purpose to George Whitefield, William Seward, John Stephen Benezet, Thomas Noble, Samuel Hazard, Robert Eastburne, James Read, Edward Evans, and Charles Brockden, as trustees.
Before the building was roofed Whitefield preached there in 1740 sixteen times, and again in 1745 and 1746. He was fol- lowed by Gilbert and William Tennent, brothers, of the Presby- terian persuasion, and on account of their opinions called "New Lights." Being asked to acknowledge their errors, they refused, and separated from the Church in 1741; and as some followed them, it caused a split in the Church. Rev. Samuel Finley and Gilbert Tennent ministered in the Academy until May, 1752, when the Second Presbyterian Church, Third and Arch streets, was ready for occupancy.
The second object for which the building was erected, that of a charity-school, was not carried out. Franklin, in 1749, believ- ing the city should have a good academy, issued " Proposals re- lating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania," raised sub- scriptions to the amount of five thousand pounds to be paid in five yearly quotas, and saw the school opened in 1749-50 in Mr. Allen's house in Second street. It proved successful, and larger quarters became necessary.
Owing to a vacancy in the board of trustees of "the New Building," which occurred by the death of a Moravian, the re- maining trustees elected Benjamin Franklin a member. The church building being in debt, Franklin arranged that the acad- emy should pay off the debts, keep a portion of the property free for ever for occasional preachers, and maintain a charity-school. The deed of transfer of the property to the new trustees was very long and precise ; there was to be founded a place of worship and a free school for poor children; the new trustees were to supply the schoolmaster, usher, and schoolmistress, introduce such preachers whom they shall deem qualified, but so that no particular sect be fixed there, and suffer any regular minister tc
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The Old Academy.
preach who shall sign the articles of religion annexed to the deed, and always to permit George Whitefield to preach in it whenever he shall desire. Also the trustees were to have power to found and erect such a seminary for learning the languages, arts, and sciences as should seem not to be inconsistent with the original purposes.
Additional ground was bought, the building was made into two stories, and divided into rooms, and school was opened in "The Academy " in 1751, under Rev. Dr. David Martin, who continued until his death in December of that year, when he was succeeded by Rev. Francis Allison. The deed of trust was dated in 1749, but not acknowledged until Nov. 23, 1753. In July of the latter year the institution was incorporated as "The Trustees of the Academy and Charitable School in the Province of Pennsyl- vania," which was changed the next year to " The College, Acad- emy, and Charitable School of Philadelphia." In 1754, Rev. William Smith, a Scotchman educated in the University of Ab- erdeen, was made teacher of natural and moral philosophy, and on the reorganization of the college became provost, and Dr. Allison was made vice-provost. The first commencement, with seven graduates, took place in May, 1757, among whom were Revs. Jacob Duché and Samuel Magraw, Francis Hopkinson, Dr. Hugh Williamson, Dr. John Morgan, and Paul Jackson. Among the professors and tutors were Rev. Ebenezer Kinners- ley, Rev. Jacob Duché, Rev. Dr. John Ewing, Charles Thomson, David J. Dove, and John Beveridge.
The funds of the college were increased by subscriptions here and abroad. Provost Smith visited England and raised nearly seven thousand pounds, and others added four thousand two hundred pounds. With these funds there was erected a long building running back from Fourth street on the north side of the main building for a charity school, and in the upper stories for dormitories for the students.
The house at the south-west corner of Fourth and Arch streets was built, in 1760, by the University of Pennsylvania for the residence of its provost, Rev. Dr. Smith, and Dr. John Ewing lived there many years. Eyre & Landell were originally boat- and ship-builders in Penn street, near Maiden. They opened the dry-goods store at Fourth and Arch streets in 1839 or 1840. The successors to the firm, under the same name, were there until about 1873, when they were succeeded by Edward E. Eyre & Son. The latter went out of business some time in 1875. The house is still standing.
The medical department was established in 1765; Dr. John Morgan was elected professor of the theory and practice of physic, and Dr. William Shippen of anatomy and surgery, Dr. Shippen having given up his private class for the purpose. Some years later a special building for this department, called
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Anatomical Hall, was erected on Fifth street below Chestnut, adjoining the present Dispensary building.
The peaceable progress of the institution was interrupted dur- ing the Revolution. Dr. Smith and some of the trustees and teachers were supposed to be affected with too much Toryism. The Assembly in 1779 inquired into the matter, President Reed being active in it. Dr. Smith made a long reply. But an act was passed annulling the charter and creating a new institution, the University of Pennsylvania, with Dr. Ewing at its head as provost, and taking possession of the property. This latter was declared illegal in 1789 by the council of censors, and the Legis- lature restored the franchises of the college. The college was reorganized with some of the old professors. The university carried on in new quarters for two years, but the two were again united Sept. 30, 1791, by act of Legislature, and were hence- forward known as the University of Pennsylvania. The trustees purchased in July, 1800, the elegant mansion built for the Presi- dent on Ninth street, on the lot extending from Market to Chestnut street. The university removed to the new quarters in 1802.
The old building was devoted to its original purposes ; the academy was carried on for many years by Rev. Samuel Wylie Crawford, a most excellent and thorough teacher, who laid the groundwork of education well. He had several teachers under him. Although he was thought by many to be rather a severe man, who did not spare the rod, we consider him to have been thoroughly just and earnest in his work, and, with many others now living, we have cause to thank him. The ground in front of the academy was enclosed with a high wall and was used as a playground.
The southern half of the building was sold to the Union Methodist Episcopal Church, who used it for years, and about 1840 tore down their portion and built the church now standing. The celebrated Bishop Coke preached here when in this country.
The northern half of the building was used as school-rooms, and in the second story was the hall for religious purposes. The charity-schools were continued in the old building on the north under the charge of Dr. Joseph Bullock and John Mckinley. Finally, the remainder of the buildings were torn down and stores were erected, which are a source of revenue.
A room for preaching up stairs is reserved under the contract with Whitefield. Formerly, there was a row of buildings along the north side of the yard, occupied by persons connected with the school. Dr. Rogers, " Wiggy " Davidson, "professor of hu- manity," resided on the Fourth street part of the lot. At this time the Quaker burying-ground opposite was surrounded with a low brick wall, with a soapstone coping, on which the boys used to run ; the graves were seen above the wall.
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The Old Academy ..
The congregation of the Second Presbyterian Church, under Rev. Gilbert Tennent, began in this building in 1743, and con- tinued there till they moved to their new church, north-west corner of Third and Arch streets, which was opened June 7, 1752, with two sermons by Gilbert Tennent, which were pub- lished by Bradford. The Academy was about that time spoken of by the church as "the New Building." My great-grand- father, Samuel Hazard, was one of the first elders, and an infant brother of my grandfather was buried there; from which I sup- pose there was a burial-lot also, and which was perhaps the first burying-ground of the Second Presbyterian Church.
For account of Dr. Smith's proceedings in England see Col. Recs., viii. 438-447.
A university is a collection of colleges under a general govern- ment, and not one institution. The University of Pennsylvania is an incorporation of two separate institutions, which may now be said to embrace four institutions-a school of arts, a school of medicine, a school of law, and a school of science-and others are proposed.
The university occupied the "President's House" on Ninth street, and which the President refused to occupy as too grand and expen- sive for him. This and an octagonal building of the medical de- partment, which had been erected in 1807, were torn down, and two large buildings especially erected for the university-the north- ern one for the literary department, and the southern one for the medical. The lot occupied nearly three-fourths of the ground be- tween Market and Chestnut streets. The character of the institu- tion stood very high. In 1874 the lot was sold to the United States, on which they have erected a superb building of Virginia granite for a post-office and courts. The University of Pennsyl- vania, with increased endowment from the sale of their lot and large private subscriptions, have erected most commodious build- ings in the Collegiate Gothic style of Brandywine serpentine stone in West Philadelphia, on ground formerly belonging to the city. Finished and opened October 11, 1872.
The trustees of the University of Pennsylvania have recently disbanded what is familiarly known as the " University School " -a charity-school established by the founders of the said univer- sity -a charity which has been conducted with great prudence and skill, and which has been of incalculable advantage to many who have therein obtained an education equal to that afforded by our common schools. The girls' department for a long period has been in charge of two estimable ladies ; and as an evidence of their success it may be stated that but recently the No. 1 graduate of the Girls' Normal School of this city was a pupil in this charity- school and transferred from thence to the High School. It is stated that the trustees are of opinion that in the present condition of the public schools the continuation of these free schools is no
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longer necessary ; that the common schools afford opportunities for children in all classes of the community to obtain an educa- tion ; and that it will be of more advantage to the cause of educa- tion to apply the fund to the maintenance of poor students at the university. The schools have undoubtedly done great good, but they have been gradually declining for some years past. Fifty years ago there were three of these schools in operation in Fourth street below Arch, adjoining the old Academy and in a building belonging to the institution. The boys' school had probably one hundred and fifty pupils, under John Mckinley ; the girls' school, sixty or seventy, the teacher being Mrs. Knowles. There was a second boys' school established under a bequest of John Keble. This was known as " Keble's Charity." Franklin tells the story in his Autobiography. The academy, established 1749, to which large subscriptions were made through his energy, was intended to teach the higher branches of learning, and was not a free school. David Martin was rector. In 1750, Franklin, as president of the trustees, reported the condition of the institution to City Councils, and said of the trustees, " And they have engaged to open a charity-school within two years for the instruction of poor chil- dren gratis in reading, writing, and the first principles of piety." The schools of the academy were opened April 8th, 1751, but the free schools were not opened until September of that year. The charity-schools therefore owe their institution to the academy, and they were opened by the subscribers for the benefit of the poorer classes of people. The charity-schools were established by the trustees of their own goodwill, and have been carried on to the present time. There can therefore be no doubt of their authority to discontinue these schools if they see proper, and to employ the funds for other uses.
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