USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county > Part 2
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Tertiary. | Recent.
Delaware river gravel, clay
Alluvium, gravel, clay
Ferruginous conglomerote (Bryn Mawr gravel.)
Trap.
Dolerite.
Probably Metamorphosed Devonian.
Serpentine, limesto'e, gar- netiferous schist, corru- gated ligneous schists, and micaceous sand- stones, hornblendic gneiss, feldspathic, mica- cacous gneiss.
Equivalents of the Chest- nut Hill, Manayunk and { Philadelphia groups.
Mica schists, hornblendic gneiss, gray granitic gneiss.
Coarse mica schists and gneisses, feldspathic and hornblendic gneiss.
III
Hudson river group.
Hydromica slates, usually greenish color, with len- ticular bodies of milky quartz.
I, II.
Cambrian Limestones and Potsdam Sandstone, not represented in Delaware county.
Laurentian. Granitic and hornblendic syenites.
We condense the following brief account from Professor Hall's general geology :
The swampy ground has but a limited area, and the northern limit of the most recent alluvium deposits is not sharply defined.
Gravel occurs throughout the central and southern portions of Upper Darby township, is almost universal in Darby, and the southern third of Nether Providence, and the older gravel underlies the more recent alluvial de- posits of Tinicum island and the region ad- joining the Delaware river. Clay occurs at Morton station, in South Chester, and near the mouth of Crum creek. Gravel and clay wholly overlay Ridley township, cover the southern half of Upper Chichester and all of Lower Chichester, and the general northern limit, although somewhat indefinite, extends through Upper Darby, Nether Providence, Chester and Upper Chichester townships.
The ferruginous conglomerate ( Bryn Mawr gravel ) of the tertiary period, is composed of fragments of the metamorphosed crystalline rocks. The areas of this formation are gener- ally small and isolated, with poor exposures. Small areas occur at Media, Llewellyn, and Clifton, while larger areas lie in the central portions of Haverford and Marple townships and in the southwest portion of Concord town- ship. When the conglomerate was deposited it would seem that the margin of the tertiary ocean was somewhere along a line through the central or northern portion of Delaware county. No doubt the Delaware river has been the means of a great portion of the erosion of this formation.
Serpentine (talc enstatite, &c .. ) is irregular in distribution, and many of its areas are shal- low saucer-shaped synclinal basins. Serpen- tine areas occur in Radnor, Newtown, Edg- mont, Marple, Upper Providence, Middletown, Concord, and Nether Providence townships. Limonite is found with serpentine, and also chromic iron exists in many areas, while cor- undum is associated with the serpentine in Middletown township.
2t
OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Limestone occurs in a narrow belt in the northeastern portion of Radnor township and at the kaoline works, in Birmingham town- ship, where it is coarse and crystalline. The limestone in this county seems to belong to the serpentine horizon.
Feldspar and kaoline are found at a few points in the county. Kaoline is extensively mined in Birmingham township, where the openings are located on a branch of Beaver creek, and southwest of Brandywine Summit. The kaoline is of fine quality and the mining of it forms a prominent industry of Delaware county. Feldspar has been mined in Concord township, and occurs loose in the soil near Brandywine Summit, but it is impossible to trace its beds on the surface for any distance as the feldspathic rock has no exposures and decomposes very rapidly.
Sandstone and schistose sandstone occur in Edgmont township, close to Dilworthtown. Similar to it are sandy slates which occur along Darby creek, and have been quarried for whetstones in Marple township. Indica- tions of a similar rock are also found in the vicinity of Crum creek on the west side of Marple township.
The mica schists and gneisses which are stratigraphically uppermost are those which are associated with the serpentine. The schists and gneisses seem to fade into each other and a definite sub-division is rendered impossible. It is also impossible at the pres- ent time to define a line between the lower gneissic rocks of southeastern Delaware county and the schists of the serpentine group. The distribution of the mica schists is exceedingly irregular. Schistose rocks occur in Radnor, Newtown, Edgmont, Thornbury, Concord, Haverford, Darby, Upper Darby, Marple, Nether Providence, Chester, Birmingham and other townships. In a part of Newtown township the schistose rocks form a terrace upon the Laurentian syenites. Hornblendic gneiss is well exposed at different places in the northern part of the county, and exposures
of feldspathic garnetiferous gneiss occur on the West Branch of Chester creek.
By the geological map of Delaware county, issued in 1882 to accompany Professor Hall's report of progress, we find that the mica schist region embraces three-fourths of the territory of the county and its southern boundary line extending from Stony creek, between Sonth Chester and Marcus Hook, in an irregular line, northeastward to Echo mills, N. 40°, W. 10°, on Cobb's creek. Professor Hall refers to this map in his work and especially calls attention to it, as illustrating the mica schist region better than a written description could do. By this map the mica schist region is represented as composed of partly blended areas of South Valley Hill talc mica slate, Chestnut Hill schists and slates, syenite and granite ( Laurentian?), and hornblendic slate and gneiss ("black rocks"). This map also represents five small areas of trap in the northern part of Upper Darby township; three near Wayne Station, in Radnor; one near Howellville, in Edgmont ; and one above Glenn Mills, in Thornbury.
Smith's geological map of the county, issued in 1862, was remarkably correct, and its loca- tions of rocks in the main have been but little changed by the geologists of the Second Geo- logical Survey of Pennsylvania.
MINERAL, LOCALITIES.
The following are the mineral localities of Delaware county as reported in 1885, in the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania :
Pyrite (Iron Pyrites )-In Chester township. Chalcopyrite ( Copper Pyrites) - Chester. Corundum - Aston, Middletown.
Menaccanite-Chester, Marple, Middletown.
Spinel -Upper Providence (doubtful).
Magnetite - Marple, Middletown.
Chromite ( Chromic Iron Ore)-Marple, New- town, Upper Providence.
Rutile - Birmingham, Edgmont, Middle- town.
Limonite - Newtown, Middletown.
BITTEAPHY ANT HISTORY
-Bethel. Darcy
abd- Chester
A me -- As == Chester Created. Mar-
Sme- Charts -- Bestell ligger Dare ..
Got Margie. Middleton= Nem. wo. Rad- Taper Primodence. Ochit - Marple. Mibiletowz. Enwow - Eigens MiLecomz. New-
Rainer Upper Pr idemce.
Aston. Bethel. Chester. C noord. Dart . Haveriool Radnor Rifler. Spring-
E .. . - Chester. C :- ori. W: filet ==
aw: > -- Betilel. Chester. Concori. M i-
.Mirv - Chester. Middletown. Thomabar Thai - Bethel Birmingham. Chester. Congirl. Eigmont. Middletown. Nether Pro- -. Ience. P.Ley. Typer Pro dence.
Tor zion -Aston. Mittietowz. Ridie- .
woz wow-springfeld. L'pper Pr.viience, Iarp. ..
F :- .: - Aster. Birmingham. Chester. Constri. Darby. Mibiletowa. R.d.ey. Cx ... - Darb . Haverford. Ridley. "zur : 42-Darb . Haverford. Middletown. .. .. +/ - Racter.
Tadt. at.ce -Aston. Bethel. Marple. Moi- .etown. Necker Pro : dence. Newtown. Rai-
Ver wo - Cercasi, Edgmont Marple.
Middletowa. Radost. Thosebury. Lipper Pro- -ience.
Circle-Ugger Fromdence.
Kroon - Birmingham. Concord.
Din. wraz - Astcz. Ridley.
Teroris .: - Miciletorz.
Margarine-Aston.
4pctse - Ridie . Spragie.d.
-Yotun.e-Chester.
Wirth .. : e- Chester
Matress - Radic: B.macicre-Chester
Sich in his history issued in :sóc. gives a List as follows of the minera's in the country . Quarta common .limpidqzariz. smoky quartz. bize quartz. ferruginous quarz. amethyst. green grartz. chalcedon . jasper. dresy quartz, cortadar. feldspar common . moonstone. Limestone compact magnesiaz . limestone. crystalline primary . mica. bockholdzite, bery .. chiorite. rutile. kanite. stamrodde. ancopy_te. actymolite. serpentine. tremoite, asbestis. magnesite. talc. picrolite, andalu- site, stimanite. garzet. borablende. pyrope. chrome ore. brown Lematite. magnetic iroz. plantago. sulphuret of molybdena. ferrugi =- ous sulphur copper. bog iron ore, zoisite. Pipe cla: . apatite, schiri, ochreous clay and spine .. e.
CHAPTER II.
BOTANY-CLIMATOLOGY-QUADRUPEDS- BIRDS - FISH
DOTANT.
The botany of Delaware county is nearly the same as that of Chester county. and Dr. Dar- Lington's ."Flora Cestrica" of the latter county was used by Dr. Smith as the basis of his catalogue of plants for this county, which was
23
OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
arranged according to Gray's "Manual of Botany of the Northern United States."
We condense from Darlington and Smith the following orders and species of phæno- gamous and cryptogamous plants of Delaware county, omitting the Latin names and giving only those species having common English names.
PH.ENOGAMOUS OR FLOWERING PLANTS.
CLASS I .- EXOGENOUS PLANTS.
Ranunculace@ - Virgin's bower, tall ane- mone, windflower, liverwort, anemone, mea- dow rue, floating crow-foot, spearwort, com- mon butter-cup, tall crow-foot, marsh mari- gold, wild columbine, larkspur, yellow-root and black snakeroot.
Magnoliace - Sweet bay and tulip-poplar.
Anonacece - Papaw, near Darby creek, on the Maris farm in Marple township.
Menispermace@ - Moonseed.
Berberibacew - Pappoose root and May apple.
Nympheace-Splatter dock.
Saraceniacec -Side saddle flower, a very rare plant in Tinicum township.
Paparacece- Common poppy, Mexican pop- py, celadine and blood-root.
Fumirace@ -Dutchman's breeches and com- mon fumitory.
Crucifera - Marsh cress, spring cress. American water cress, sickle-pod, hedge mus- tard, white mustard, common mustard, whit- low-grass, horse-radish, wild flax, pepper grass and shepherd's purse.
Violacea - Green violet.
Drocerace@ -- Sundew.
Hyperiace@ -St. Andrew's cross, St. John's wort, and pineweed.
Caryophyllace@ -Deptford pink, bouncing Bet, wheat cockle, sandwort, chickweed, great chickweed, swamp stitchwort, forked chick- weed, and carpetweed.
Portulacace@ - Purslane and spring beauty.
Malvaces -Common mallow and rose mallow.
Tiliace - American linden, on Darby creek and other streams.
Linace Wild flax.
Oxalidaccc -Violet sorrel and yellow sorrel.
Geraniaceu - Cranesbill.
Balsaminacew -Pale touch- me-not and spot- ted touch-me-not.
Rutaceae- Paradise tree.
Anicardiace@ - Staghorn sumac, common sumac, poison sumac and poison vinc.
Vitacece - Fox grape, chicken grape and American ivy.
Rhamnace - Buckthorn and Jersey tea.
Celastrace -Waxwork, burning bush and strawberry tree.
Sapindaceæ - Bladder-nut, sugar maple and red maple.
Polygalacew - Seneca snake-root.
Leguminoseg-Wild lupin, rabbit-foot clover, red clover, white clover, low hop clover, large hop clover, lucerne, common locust, clammy locust, pencil flower, wild bean, wild indigo, Judas tree, wild senna, wild sensitive plant and honey locust.
Rosacea-Red plum, sloe, Chickasaw plum, Morello cherry, wild cherry, black wild cherry, nine-bark, cinque-foil, strawberry, common raspberry, high blackberry, dewberry, swamp blackberry, sand blackberry, swamp rose, wild rose, sweet-briar, Washington thorn, summer haw, cockspur thorn, English hawthorn, scar- let-fruited thorn, American crab-apple, choke- berry, apple tree, pear, serviceberry and quince.
Onagrace-Evening primrose and enchant- er's nightshade.
Grossulace -Wild black currant, red currant and garden black currant.
Saxifrage@ - Early saxifrage, swamp saxi- frage, alum root and Bishop's cap.
Hamamelace-Witch hazel and sweet gum. Umbelliferæ-Cow parsnip; common pars- nip, fennel, cowbane and sweet cicely.
Araliace - Spikenard.
Cornace-Dogwood and sour gum.
Caprifoliace@-Coral honeysuckle, horsegen- tian, common elder, black haw and arrow root.
24
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Rubiacea - Goose-grass, wild licorice, but- ton-bush, partridge-berry and innocence.
Valerinacea - Corn-salad.
Dipsacew-Wild weasel.
Composite-Iron weed, elephant's foot, bone- set, mist flower, Robin's plantain, elecampane, bitter-weed, clot-weed, artichoke, Spanish-nee- dles, wild chamomile, yarrow, common daisy, fe- ver-few, tansey, everlasting, fire-weed, common thistle, yellow thistle, Canada thistle, burdock, rattlesnake root, dandelion and sow thistle.
Lobeliacew - Cardinal flower.
Ericaceae- Black huckleberry, cranberry, dwarf huckleberry, teaberry, trailing arbutus, pipsissewa and Indian pipe.
Aquifoliaced - Holly and black alder.
Ebenacc- Persimmon tree.
Plantaginaceu - Broad leaved plaintain and buckthorn.
Lentibulace Bladderwort.
Bignoniacew - Catawba tree.
Orobanchacec-Beech drops.
Scrophulariaces - Common mullein, French mullein, ranstead, snake's head, monkey- flower and painted cup.
Labiate-Spearmint, peppermint, blue curls, horsemint, common balm, American penny- royal, cat-mint, ground ivy, hoarhound and mugwort.
Borraginacca - Blue weed. Hydrophyllacew - Water-leaf.
Polemoniace@ - Jacob's ladder, wild sweet William and mountain pink.
Convolvulacee - Wild sweet potato, morning glory and love-vine.
Solanacew-Bitter sweet, nightshade, ground cherry and jimson weed.
Gentianacew-Century, fringed gentian, soap gentian and waxwork.
Apocynace - Indian hemp.
Oleacec- Pivet, white ash, red ash and water ash.
Aristolochiace - Wild ginger. Phytoloccacea - Common poke.
Chenopodiacec - Lamb's quarters and worm seed.
Polygonace -Prince's feather, lady's thumb, door-weed grass, wild buckwheat, climbing buckwheat, curled dock, bitter dock, golden dock, and sheep sorrel.
Lauracec - Sassafras and spice wood.
Loranthace - Mistletoe.
Saururace@ - Lizard's tail.
Urticace@ - Slippery elm, white elm, red mulberry, white mulberry, common nettle, richweed and common hop.
Plantanacew - Buttonwood.
Juglandacca-White walnut, black walnut, shellbark, thick shellbark, hickory, pig-nut and bitter-nut.
Cupuliferæ-Post-oak, white-oak, rock chest- nut, chinquapin oak, willow-oak, true Spanish oak, black-jack black oak, pin oak, scrub oak, scarlet oak, chestnut, beech, hazelnut, water beech and ironwood.
Myricace@ - Sweet-fern.
Betulacex- Black birch and alder-bush.
Salicacex -Willow, basket willow, weeping willow, quivering aspen, Athenian poplar, Lombardy poplar and silver poplar.
Conifere -Yellow pine, white pine, juniper and red cedar.
CLASS II - ENDOGENOUS PLANTS.
Arace- Indian Turnip, swamp cabbage and golden-club.
Typhace-Cat-tail.
Lemnace- Ducksmeat.
Hydrochardiacec - Tape-grass.
Orchidace@ -Orchis, putty - root, yellow lady's slipper and purple lady's slipper.
Amaryillidace@ -Star-grass.
Iridaceae - Blue flag and slender blue flag.
Smilace - Greenbriar and carrion-flower.
Liliaceu- Asparagus, Solomon's seal, small Solomon's seal, copper lily, star of Bethle- hem, field garlic, and blue bottle.
Melanthacew-Bell-wort and white helle- bore.
Juncacea - Common rush.
Gramine-Timothy, herd-grass, poverty- grass, red top, orchard-grass, green grass, blue
25
OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
grass, wild oat, velvet grass, sweet-scented vernal-grass, fox-tail grass, burr grass and wood-grass.
CRYPTOGAMOUS OR FLOWERLESS PLANTS.
CLASS III. - ACROGENS.
Equisetace@ - Scouring rush.
Filices ( Ferns) - Maiden's hair, walking leaf. sensitive fern, and adder's tongue.
Lycopodiacea - Ground pine.
Musci (Mosses) - Has over one hundred species.
Hepatica - Has over fifty species. CLIMATOLOGY.
The climate of Delaware county varies but little from the climate of southeastern Penn- sylvania.
Every few years, since the settlement of the county, there have been cold winters, hard freezing and deep snows.
The Delaware river was frozen to an unus- ual depth in 1633, 1657, 1681, 1704, 1730, 1739, 1764, 1770, 1780, 1784, 1792, 1807, 1810. 1827, 1855, 1858, 1866, 1875. 1880 and 1892.
Snow fell three feet in depth in 1704 : three feet in 1740; over four feet in 1760; and over three feet in 1831. A heavy snow fell on May 7th and 8th, 1846, and very violent snow storms occurred on March 20th and 21st. 1868, and in 1890.
Unusually warm winters were experienced in 1790, 1801, 1824 and 1873, while the records of coldest weather show that the thermome- ter stood five degrees below zero in 1791; seven degrees below zero February 19, 1810; ten degrees below zero on Jannary 7, 1866; and several degrees below zero during the cold weather of 1892-93.
The year 1816 is known as the "year with- out a summer." and 1838 and 1893 are re- corded as drought years.
From 1849 to 1857 Joseph Edwards kept a weather record, and the average annual tem- perature for that period of time was 51.072 degrees, while the precipitation of rain and snow water averaged 44. 12 inches per year.
But the record of greatest importance, by far. in connection with the weather in Dela- ware county, is that of the great freshet of August 5, 1843, that swept with resistless fury a portion of the streams. Nearly a quarter of a million of dollars' worth of pro- perty was swept away by the angry torrents on Darby, Ithan, Crum. Ridley, Chester and Brandywine creeks, while to increase the horror of its ravages, nineteen persons were drowned in the mad rushing waters. Particu- lar accounts of this freshet must, however, be referred to the histories of the townships in which it occurred.
QUADRUPEDS.
The quadrupeds of the county, as given by John Cassin in 1862, are thirty-three in nun- ber: Gray bat. brown bat, large gray bat, Caroli, little shrew, larger shrew, gray shrew, common mole, star- nosed mole, red fox. weasel, mink, skunk. American otter, rac- coon, opossum. cat squirrel, gray squirrel. red squirrel, ground squirrel, flying squirrel. ground hog, musk-rat, common rat, mouse, common field mouse, marsh field mouse, white-footed mouse, jumping mouse, rabbit, porpoise and whale.
There is record of a whale having been seen at two different times within the waters of the county, while the porpoise has occasionally ascended the Delaware river as high as Marcus Hook, and the American otter was once in Crum creek. Bears, deer and wolves were numerous when the county was first settled, and were killed as late as 1750 in the thinly settled portions of several of the townships.
BIRDS.
In addition to making a list of the quadru- peds of the county, John Cassin also gave much time to preparing a list of birds which seems to be very full and exhaustive. His list includes two hundred and forty-three birds, as follows: Turkey buzzard, duck hawk, pigeon hawk, sparrow hawk, goshawk, Cooper's hawk.
26
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk, red- shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, rough- legged hawk, black hawk, marsh hawk, golden eagle, bald eagle, fish hawk (osprey), barn owl, great-horned owl, screech owl, long-eared owl, short-eared owl, barred owl, little owl, snow owl, yellow billed cuckoo, black billed cuckoo, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpeck- er, red-cockaded woodpecker, yellow-bellied woodpecker, great black woodpecker, red - bellied woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker, flicker, humming bird, chimney bird, barn swallow, cliff swallow, white-bellied swallow, bank swallow, rough-winged swallow, purple martin, whip-poor-will, night hawk, kingfisher. great-crested flycatcher, wood pewee, Traill's flycatcher, green flycatcher, yellow-bellied fly- catcher, least flycatcher, robin, wood thrush, Wilson's thrush, hermit thrush, olive-backed thrush, alicia, blue bird, gold-crested wren, ruby-crowned wren, tit lark, black and white creeper, blue yellow-backed warbler, Maryland yellow throat, Connecticut warbler, mourning warbler, black-throated green warbler, black- throated blue warbler, yellow-crowned war- bler. Blackburnian warbler, bay-breasted war- bler, pine-creeping warbler, chestnut sided warbler, blue warbler, black-poll warbler, sum- mer yellow bird, black and yellow warbler, Cape May warbler, red-poll warbler, prairie war- bler, Kentucky warbler, worm-eating warbler, blue-winged yellow warbler, golden -winged warbler, Nashville warbler, Tennessee warbler, golden-crowned thrush, water thrush, large- billed water thrush, redstart, hooded warbler, Canada flycatcher, black-cap flycatcher, wax- wing, cedar-bird, yellow-breasted chat, red- eyed flycatcher, Bartram's vireo, short-billed vireo, warbling vireo, white-eyed flycatcher, solitary flycatcher, yellow-fronted vireo, butcher bird, mocking bird, rufous thrush, cat bird, great Carolina wren, Bewick's wren, marsh wren, short-billed marsh wren, house wren, wood wren, winter wren, gray creeper, nut- hatch sapsucker, red-bellied nuthatch, brown- headed nuthatch, blue- gray gnat catcher,
tufted titmouse, chickadee, smaller blackcap, shore lark, scarlet tanager, summer red bird, pine grosbeak, purple finch, yellow bird, sis- kin pine goldfinch, red crossbill, white-winged crossbill, linnet, snow bunting, Lapland long- spur, Savannah sparrow, grass sparrow, yel- low-winged sparrow, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, snow-bird, chipping sparrow, tree sparrow, field sparrow, song sparrow, Lincoln's finch, swamp sparrow, fox sparrow, black-throated bunting, rose-breasted grosbeak, blue grosbeak, indigo bird, cardinal grosbeak, cheewink. bobolink, cow-bird, red- winged blackbird, meadow lark, hanging bird, orchard oriole, blackbird, crow blackbird, ra- ven, crow, fish crow, blue jay, wild pigeon, turtle dove, pheasant, partridge, whooping crane, great heron, white crane, snowy heron, Louisiana heron, blue heron, least bittern, bittern, green heron, night heron, white ibis, glossy ibis, golden plover, black-bellied plover, killdeer, little plover, pharlarope, woodcock, snipe. red - breasted snipe, gray - back, red- backed sandpiper, jack snipe, little sandpiper, little snipe, semi-palmated sand piper, sander- ling, willet, tell-tale, yellow-legged snipe, soli- tary sandpiper, spotted sandpiper, field plover, godwit, curlew, marsh hen, Virginia rail, rail, little yellow rail, little black rail, coot, Amer- ican swan, wild goose, brant, mallard, black duck, sprigtail, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, shoveller, summer duck, black-head duck, lesser black-head, canvas-back, pochard, but- ter ball, ruddy duck, shelldrake, red-breasted merganser, hooded merganser, pelican, crested cormorant, black-backed gull, herring gull, ring-billed gull, laughing gull, lesser black- headed gull, loon, crested grebe, horned grebe and smaller grebe.
Eagles are seldom seen, while hawks and crows are becoming scarcer every year. As early as 1700, the legislature passed an act in which a reward was offered for the killing of blackbirds and crows, at the rate of three pence per dozen for blackbirds and three pence for each crow.
27
OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
FISH.
Most of the sixty species of fish, listed by Prof. E. D. Cope, as native to Chester county, are to be found in the Delaware river and its tributaries in Delaware county. Black bass, gold fish, carp, salmon and California salmon have been introduced in some parts of the county, and shad are still in the Delaware river.
Of the larger fish at the time of the early settlements were : whales, sharks, seals, stur- geon and eels. As late as 1809, a medinm sized whale was caught in the river near Chester, and in April, 1833, three seals came up close to Chester, near which place one of them was caught in a shad-seine. At different times man-eating sharks havelbeen seen and caught in the Delaware river above Chester city, and in 1876 one of these fearful monsters of the deep was seen in the river between Chester city and Little Tinicum island. The eels of early days are reported as of great size, and some of them were said to be nearly six feet in length and of proportionate girth. As late as 1869, a three foot eel, that weighed ten pounds, was caught by Capt. Peter Boon.
CHAPTER III.
ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS -DUTCH OC- CUPATION - SWEDISH SETTLEMENT - DUTCH INVASION-ENGLISH CONQUEST AND ERECTION OF UPLAND COUNTY.
Of the two great prehistoric races who lived and loved and warred within the present ter- ritorial limits of Pennsylvania - the Mound- builder and the Indian -only the latter ever seems to have set foot on the soil of Delaware county.
The Mound-builder, so named from the vast mounds that he erected and whose ruins still exist in several States, was a semi-civilized race whose mighty empire extended from the east bank of the Mississippi to the heart of
the Allegheny mountains. Out of earthi the Mound-builder erected fortifications and tem- ple, altar, effigy, and tomb-mounds. The dim, mysterious Mound-builder, either from Asia or fabled Atlantis, must have passed in the height of prosperity and power from the Mississippi valley to the sunnier plains of Mex- ico and Peru, or met a fate of extinction by famine, pestilence, or war with the Indian, his successor in the proprietorship of the soil of the United States.
The origin of the Indian is a matter of con- jecture and speculation. Presumably of Asi- atic lineage, he was likely the second wave of population that swept from the old to the new world, across the icy waters of Behring strait.
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