USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania : comprising a historical sketch of the county, by Samuel T. Wiley, together with more than five hundred biographical sketches of the prominent men and leading citizens of the county > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105
120
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
East Whiteland Township .- This township is bounded on the north by Charlestown; on the east by Tredyffrin; on the south by Willistown and East Goshen townships; and on the west by West Whiteland town- ship. East Whiteland extends from south to north across the widest part of the Down- ingtown valley limestone region. In its northern part are two small areas of Pots- dam sandstone, and the southern edge lies in the hydro-mica-schist formation. There are numerous limestone and marble quar- ries and brown hematite iron ore mines in the township. It is drained by several tributary streams of the Delaware river, and traversed from west to east by two railroads. East Whiteland was erected February 26, 1765, and is the eastern part of the original Whiteland township which was organized in 1704, and derived its name from Whit- ford Garden, in Flintshire, Wales. Its early settlers were Welsh.
In 1774 its landowners were: John Adams, Benjamin, Jolın and Benjamin, jr., Bartholomew ; John Blatchford, Ben- jamin and Joseph Bond, Widow Bowen, David Cloyd, John Coffman, Conrad Coleman, John Cinneka (Miller), Wid- ow Dilworth, Daniel Durborrow, John Fike, Josiah Hibbard, Thomas and Thomas, jr., Harris, Widow Ives, John Kerlin, Samuel Kennedy, Joseph Lewis, Michael Lapp, George Meredith, Randall Malin, Robert Powell, Widow Philips, Richard Richardson, James Robinson, Rob- ert Rook, Henry Sowers, John Smith, John Templeton, Andrew Todd, and Christian and John Zook.
Franklin Township .- It is bounded on the north by London Grove township; on the east by New Garden and London Britain townships ; on the south by Maryland ; and
on the west by Elk and New London townships. It lies entirely within the azoic slates of the southern gneiss region, and the soil is dark rich red and fertile. It was formed in 1852 from the southeast part of New London township. Surveys were made as early as 1720.
The names of its landholders in 1774 are included in those of New London township for the same year.
Highland. Township .- This township is bounded as follows : on the north by West Sadsbury and Sadsbury townships; on the east by East Fallowfield township; on the south by West Marlborough and London- derry townships ; and on the west by West Fallowfield township. Highland lies en- tirely within the South Valley hill region, and is composed of the mica-schist series. It is drained by the waters of Doe's run, and has a railroad running along its eastern border. It was formed from the eastern part of West Fallowfield township in 1853.
The names of its landholders in 1774 are included in the list of that year given for West Fallowfield.
Honeybrook Township .- It is bounded ou the north by Lancaster county ; on the east by West Nantmeal and West Brandywine townships; on the south by West Caln township; and on the west by Lancaster county. It lies in the azoic slates of the northern gneiss region, and its extreme northern and southern parts are overspread with Potsdam sandstone. A small area of trap rock occurs in the northeastern part, and a short and narrow strip lies south of the center of the township. Limestone and iron ore have been found in small quantities. Honeybrook is drained by the headwaters of East and West Brandywine rivers, and has two railroads running through it. The
121
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
township was formed in 1789 from the western part of West Nantmeal, and sur- veys were made within its present boun- daries as early as 1718.
Its landowners of 1774 are included in the list of landholders given in that year for West Nantmeal township.
Kennett Township .- It is bounded on the north by East Marlborough and Peunsbury townships; on the east by Peunsbury town- ship; on the south by the State of Delaware, and on the west by New Garden township. It lies in the southern gneiss region with a northern and a southern area of Potsdam sandstone, and a middle one of Siluro-Cam- brian limestone. It is thus described : " A short synelinal and antielinal of Potsdam in the northern part, bringing to view the limestone south of Kennett Square; a dyke of syenite cutting off the eastern end of this limestone; and a synelinal of hornblendie gneiss in the southern part bringing to view in its axis again the Potsdam series." Its surface is drained by Red Clay creek, and the Philadelphia & Baltimore railroad passes through the township from west to east. The first mention of Kennett as a township is made in the court records of 1805, and its name seems to have been derived from the village of Kennet in Wiltshire, England. In 1700 the greater part of this township was laid out for William and Letitia Penn, and the land was slowly dis- posed of to purchasers.
The landholders in 1774 were: Rob- ert, Jacob and James Brown ; William Baldwin, Robert Barr, Peter Bell, Thos. Carlenton, Gabriel Clark, Calvin and Rob- ert Cooper, Jesse and Daniel Cloud, Isaac Chandler, Walter Craig, Enoch and Henry Dixon, Michael, Isaac, Solomon and Sarah Gregg, Jesse Harvey, John Harper,
Joshua and Joseph Harlan, Zacheus Kay, William and Robert Lambory, William Lewis, Samuel Levis, Allen Langley, John Lambor, John MeFarlan, Charles Mc- Cauley, John Marshall, Thomas Milhous, George Meason, Jesse Miller, Jesse Men- denhall, John McElroy, Joseph Musgrave, Enoch and George Passmore, William and John Pyle, John Richison, Oliver and IIngh Russell, Abraham and Caleb Taylor, Wil- liam Tate : Joshua, Jacob and Joseph Sharp- less; Francis Swain ; James, Joseph and Benjamin Walter ; Robert Way, Ezekiel and Sarah Webb, William Wiley, George and Joseph, jr., Walters, Andrew Yeatman, and Jacob Zempher.
London Britain Township .- This town- ship is bounded on the north by Franklin and New Garden townships; on the cast by Delaware; on the south by Maryland : and on the west by Franklin township. It lies in the southern gneiss region, with a considerable area of Potsdam sandstone in the eastern part, which encloses a medium sized belt of Siluro-Cambrian limestone. It is drained by White Clay and other creeks; and the Pennsylvania & Delaware railroad passes along its eastern boundary line. A large portion of its territory once belonged to the London company, and it was erected as a township in 1725. Its early settlers were Welsh Baptists.
The landowners of London Britain in 1774 were: Evan Evans, esq., Hannah Mc- Echram, Charles Black, John and Benja- min Whitting, John Williams, Charles Hughes, Catharine Crawford, Henry Smith. John Ross, James Reed, John Drumore. William Hopes, Thomas Lonn, William Mecklen, John Beard, Margaret ('row, Morris Thomas, Murtough Menaugh, James Kennedy, Andrew Mcclelland.
122
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Robert Allen, John Chambers, James Taylor, John and William Alexander, John Reed, Elijah McCray, Moses and William Scott, John Rankin, John Whan, Rees Price, Isaac Johnston, Thomas Jordan, John Sutton, Andrew Bingham, John Murphy, and John McCoy.
Londonderry Township .- This township is bounded on the north by West Fallowfield and Highland ; on the east by West Marl- borough and London Grove townships; on the south by Penn township; and on the west by Upper Oxford and West Fallow- field townships. It lies in the mica-schist formations of the South Valley hill region. The land is high in the center near London- derry postoffice ( Daleville), and slopes in different directions toward its boundaries. Londonderry was separated from Notting- ham in 1734, and its territory extended westward to Octoraro creek. In 1754 Ox- ford was taken from it on the west, and in 1819 Penn was carved out of the southern part of its territory. In 1866 it received a small addition from London Grove and West Marlborough. Its early settlers were from Ireland.
Londonderry's landowners in 1774 were: Moses Correy, Martha Shields, William Me- Cracken, Alexander Fulton, William Mont- gomery, Richard Bailey, William, Ann and Thomas Thompson, John Wickershamn, Richard Tronton, Jacob Wilson, Robert Gardner, James Poage, John Picken, Rachel Crosby, Robert Graham, David Bracken- ridge, William Chalfant, James Gibson, Elizabeth Hall, John and Thomas McGuire, John Flatcher, Mary Baily, Nathan Hays, James Craig, David Kinkaid, Elizabeth McAdams, Robert Sloan, William Kerr, John Widows, William Cleeland, James Law, John Watson, Joseph Hutchinson,
Matthew Young, Agnes Rowan, Joseph Caldwell, Mary Moss, Josiah Allen, Benj. Hanway, James Gilliland, Francis and William Blair, William Love, John, Samuel and James Criswell, Robert Patterson, Montgomery Kennedy, John Matthews, Nathaniel Walker, David, Samuel and John Ramsay, John Swan, Daniel Jones, Elijah McClenahan, Joseph and Thomas Straw- bridge, Samuel Cross, John Alexander, Archibald Fleming, Robert Graham, Sam- uel and James Mackey, Henry and Eliza- beth Charlton.
London Grove Township .- It is bounded on the north by West Marlborough town- ship; on the east by West Marlborough and New Garden townships; on the south by Franklin township; and on the west by New London, Penn and Londonderry townships. The southern part of London Grove is in the southern gneiss region, while the central and northern parts lie in the South Valley hill region, and have two considerable areas of Potsdam sandstone and Siluro-Cambrian limestone, and a small strip of serpentine near Avondale. It is drained by several small streams, while its facilities for market are excellent, it heing crossed from north to south by the Penn- sylvania & Delaware, and from west to east by the Philadelphia & Baltimore railroads. The township was erected in 1723, and was then principally owned by the London company. The early settlers were princi- pally Friends.
The landholders of London Grove in 1774 were: William and Joseph Allen, William Anderson, Aaron Baker, Charles Booth, John Baldwin, William Chandler, Robert Cain, Rebekah and Stephen Cook, Edward Crooks, William Derrickson, William Elliott, Richard Flower, Moses Frazer,
123
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
James Greenfield, Henry, David and Solomon Harlan, David Hunter, Jacob llalliday, Edward Henderson, Samnel, Ephraim and William Jackson, Thomas Johnson, Joshua and Joseph Johnston, James Kelton, Alexander Lewis: Francis, Thomas, Robert and Josiah Lamborn ; Jona. Lindley, Thomas McKean, Thomas Morton, Robert Montgomery, Joseph and David Moore, David MeCay, John Newborough, John and Joshua Pusey, George Passmore, Nathaniel Pennock's executors, Jesse Pen- nock, James Robinson, Joseph Richardson, John Reed, Samuel Sharp, Moses Starr, IIngh Speakman, William Travilla, Jere- miah Underwood, Thomas Ward, Francis Wilkinson, Samuel and Thomas Woodward, William and Thomas Wood, Nathaniel Wallace, John Wangh, David Wiley, and John Williamson.
Lower Orford Township .- It is bounded on the north by Upper Oxford; on the east by Penn township; on the south by East and West Nottingham townships; and on the west by Lancaster county. It is situa- ted in the South Valley hill region, and its rocks are all mica-schist. A bed of chrome lies near the northern boundary line. The western part is drained by the waters of Octoraro creek, and the eastern by tributa- ries of Big Elk creek. In 1797 Lower Ox- ford was erected out of the southern territory of Oxford township, which had been formed in 1754 from Londonderry.
The names of the landholders of 1774 are included with those of Oxford township for that year, which were as follows: Alex- ander and William Pinkerton, Archibald Tagart, Allen and James Simpson, Archibald Fowles, Archibald Shields, Andrew Walker, Arthur and Arthur, jr .. Andrews: Arthur and John MeKissag ( MeKissick ?), David
Fleming, David Hays, David Watt, David Sympson, Francis Modral, Florence Scanlan, George Riteliey, George Criswell, George MeCullough, Hugh Luekey, George Church- man, Hugh Russell, Hugh Miller ; James, Henry and Thomas Ewin : James and John Cooper, James Stockman, John Gray, John Wilson, James Pemberton, Thomas and John Wallace, James Kennedy, James Moore, John Smith, John Riehey, James Dysart, James Turner, James Henry, Janies McDowell, John Gibson, John Guthrey, John MeClenaghan, John Black, James MeCleland, John Ross, John White, John Wallace, John Huston, James Gilleland, James Boyd, James Fleming, Robert and James Criswell, John Kinkead, JJoh Ruston, Moses Edmiston, Robert MeCraken, Robert Hogg, Robert Barnes, Robert Bunting, Robert Henderson, Robert Poston, Robert Law, Robert and Samuel Smith, Samuel Jackson, Samuel and William Robb, Samuel MeMurrey, Samuel MeNeil, Thomas Mays, Thomas Armstrong. Thomas Barrett, Thomas Whiteside, Thomas Cooper, William Ram- sey, Walter Hood, William Woods, William Richey, William Nilson, William Maxwell, William Lowrey, William Merrett, William Ross, William Porter, William Enckey, William Carlisle, William MeMullin, William Holmes, William Dickey, William Hewit, William Glen, William MeCleary, William Donahy, William Bunting, Rachel Jordan, Thomas Cloyd, and Widow Hopkins.
New Garden Township .- This township is bounded on the north by London Grove, West Marlborough and East Marlborough townships; on the cast by Kennett town- ship: on the south by the State of Dela- ware : and on the west by London Britain, Franklin and London Grove townships. It is situated in the southern gneiss region.
124
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
The Kennett Square limestone extends from east to west through the northern part of the township, and limestone and Potsdam sandstone areas are in the southern part. The structure of this township has given the geologists quite an amount of trouble. Kaolin is found in the northern part, and also near Kaolin postoffice in the south, where the American Kaolin Company's pits " were opened by Hamilton Graham in 1839. The township is drained by the waters of White and Red Clay creeks. The Balti- more & Philadelphia railroad runs from west to east across its territory, and the Pennsylvania & Delaware railway passes through from north to south. New Garden township derives its name from New Gar- den, in County Carlow, Ireland. It is an old township, and was named by Rev. John Lowden, of New Garden meeting, Ireland.
In 1774 the following landholders were on the assessment list of New Garden town- ship: Isaac and Benjamin Allen, Stephen Anderson, Thomas Barrett, George Chan- dler, George Elliott, William and Henry Dixon, Enoch Gregg ; Hannah, Samuel and Joseph Hurford, Thomas, Benjamin and Joseph Hutton, James and Charles Hall, David Hoopes, Joseph Hobson, Thomas Hanaway, John Hacket, Jonathan Johnston, William Knight, Isaac and Isaac, jr., Jack- son, Jacob Lindley, William, James, Sam- uel, John, Jesse and Joseph Miller, Samnel Moore, Matthew McConnell, Andrew Mc- Intire, John and James Milhous, Matthew Ogletree, Thomas Parker, James Pile, Joshua Proctor, Samuel Riddle, William Rowe, James and Moses Rowen, Isaac and Nathaniel Richards, John and Nathaniel Scarlet, George, Samuel and Benjamin Sharp, and John and Ambrose Taylor.
Newlin Township .- It is bounded on the
north by West Bradford; on the east by Pocopson township; on the south by East and West Marlborough townships; and on the west by East Fallowfield township. The smaller western part lies in the South Valley hill, and the larger eastern part in the southern gneiss region. Small strips of limestone are partly along the division line of the two regions, and in the eastern part are several short, narrow strips of serpentine, along one of which corundum has been found. A whetstone quarry has been opened by a Mr. Hayes, and chromic iron ore has been found. The township is drained by the East Brandywine river and several of its tributaries, while the Wil- mington & Reading railroad passes through its territory from north to south. On June 10, 1724, Nathaniel Newlin purchased for £800, of the Free Society of Traders, 7,100 acres of land, out of which this township that bears his name was ereeted. An Indian village was onee in the township, and Newlin had some trouble with the Indians about a part of the land which he had bought, and that was also claimed by the Red men.
The following were the landowners in 1774: Thomas Buffington, James, John and Joseph Smith, William, William, jr., and Peter Wickersham, Charles Wilson, Jesse Taylor, John Buller, Thomas Bald- win, George and Joseph Pierce, Thomas Wilson, James Shields, William Nichols, Isaac Trimble, Mordecai, Joseph, Caleb and Henry Hayes, Richard Bernard, Job Pyle, Joel Harlan, John, Samuel and William Baily, Thomas Shoot, David and William Eckhoff, John McGuire, William Adkins, Jesse Bentley, Robert Chalfant, William Hannah, Robert Cowan, David Drennon, James Porter, Thomas Baldwin
125
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
(tailor), Ebenezer Spikeman, and Mary Shield.
New London Township .- This towship is bounded on the north by Penn township; on the east by London Grove and Franklin townships; on the south by Elk; and on the west by East Nottingham township. It lies in the southern gneiss region. "Frag- ments of gneissoid rock and quartz with deep red and brown clays cover the entire northern section." The mica increases in size and importance toward the southern boundary line. The township is drained by Big Elk creek and several of its tributaries. New London was formed prior to 1715 out of the territory of the London Company, and in 1725 London Britain was taken from its territory.
The landowners in 1774 were: George Alexander, Francis Alison, Win. Beatty, David Buchanan, David and Robert Correy, George and Thomas Campbell, Wm. Cum- mings, Allen Cunningham, Patrick Culbert- son, John Dickey, Thomas Donelson, Walter Davis ; Robert, Robert, jr., and Walter Fin- ney ; Thomas Fulton, Samuel Floyd, Joseph Furrey, James Falls, John Gibson, Thomas Gilmore, Peter Gobby, Robert Giffin, Rob- ert Gilmore, Robert Graham, James and David Hutchinson, James, Alexander and Thomas Hughs, Eliza Henderson, Alexan- der Johuston, esq., Samnel Kennedy, John Lemon, George Lesley, William, John, Rob- ert and Michael Montgomery, John, William and William, jr., MeDowell, Ephriam and Alexander Morrison, James Moss, Arthur McClure, Thos. MeConnel, Joseph and Rob- ert Moore, Jos. Morrison, Jno. Menough, Geo. Mitchell, Charles Newcome, John Pennoek, James and William Reed, John Robinson, John and Andrew Scott, William Steel, Jere. Starr, John Small, John Smith, John
Todd, Joseph Thompson, Robert and Matthew Wilkins, Thomas Wiley, James Whitcraft, Arch. Woodside, and Agnes Young.
North Coventry Township .- It is bounded on the north by Montgomery county ; on the east by East Coventry township; ou the south by South Coventry and War- wick townships; and on the west by Berks county. It lies in the Schuylkill or mesozoic region, and there is no part of this township in which other rocks than those characteristic of the mesozoic forma- tion occur, although it is necessary to in- elude under these, the doleritie traps of which a narrow tongue from the large mass in the adjoining township of Warwiek penetrates to the extreme western and southern border on the place of David Smith. It is drained by Pigeon creek and several runs that empty into the Schuylkill river. North Coventry was formed in 1841, . and in 1844 East Coventry township was taken from its territory.
The names of the landholders in 1774 are included in the list given in East Coventry for that year.
Penn Township .-- This township is bounded on the north by Londonderry; on the east by London Grove; on the south by New London township; and on the west by Lower and Upper Oxford townships. "The northern portion lies in the mica-schists," and "south of JJennerville the formation seems to change to that of the gneissoid and feldspathic rocks." Iron ore is found in the northeastern part of the township. The drainage of Penn is by Big Elk and White Clay creeks, and the Philadelphia & Balti- more railroad crosses the southern part of its territory. Penn township was formed by a division of Londonderry in 1817. Sur-
126
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
veys were made in 1703, and its early set- tlers came from the north of Ireland.
The names of those who owned land in 1774 are in the list of Londonderry's land- holders for that year.
Pennsbury Township .- It is bounded on the north by Pocopson township; on the east by Birmingham township aud Dela- ware county; on the south by Delaware; and on the west by Kennett and East Marl- borough townships. It lies in the southern gneiss region ; the rocks which it contains being the older hornblendic gneisses and limestone. The limestone is found in the central and northeastern parts. It is drained by the Brandywine river and several of its tributaries. The Philadelphia & Baltimore railroad passes through the central part of the township. Pennsbury was formed from the eastern part of Kennett township in 1770.
The landowners in 1775 were: John and James Brinton, James. Bennett, George Brown, Jere. Cloud, Joseph Chamberlain, Henry Collins, Joseph Chandler, Amos Davis, Martha Fisher, John Fred, Samuel Grub, Thomas Gibson, Evan, James, Amos and William Harvey, John Heald, Michael Lightbody, Isaac Miller, Isaac, Moses, Caleb and Joseph Mendenhall, Benjamin McCall, Joseph and Joshua Pierce, David Reynolds, Adam Seeds, Thomas Temple's heirs, Ben- janıin Temple, Benjamin, Benjamin, jr., Isaac, Mary and Joseph Taylor, William White, jr., Jacob Way, jr., Jacob Way, Stephen Webb, William West, Conrad Sulsor, and Spolser Sulsor.
Pocopson Township .- It is bounded ou the north by West and East Bradford; on the east by East Bradford and Birmingham ; on the south by Pennsbury and East Marl- borough; and on the west by East Marl- borough and Newlin townships. It lies in
the southern gneiss region, and the main mass of the rocks is composed of gneisses of the lower series, among which several detached masses of serpentine are found. It is drained by West Brandywine river and Pocopson creek, and has the Wilming- ton & Reading railroad along its eastern border. Pocopson was formed in 1849 from Pennsbury, Newlin, East Marlborough and West Bradford, and was named after the creek flowing through it.
Its landowners of 1774 are included in the landholders of East Marlborough, Pennsbury, Newlin and West Bradford townships for that year.
Sadsbury Township .- This township is bounded on the north by West Caln; on the east by Valley township ; on the south by East Fallowfield and Highland townships ; and on the west by West Sadsbury township. Its northern and central parts lie in the northern gneiss region, and are mainly covered with Potsdam sandstone, while the southern part is in the Downingtown valley limestone region, excepting a small strip along the Highland township line which lies in the South Valley hill region. Sads- bury is drained by Buck run, and the Penn- sylvania railroad passes through its southern part. Sadsbury was organized in 1717, and in old records is mentioned as Sudbury, which name likely was given in remem- brance of Sudbury in England. In 1852 Valley was taken from Sadsbury, and in 1878 the western part was erected into West Sadsbury. Its early settlers were English Friends, followed by Scotch-Irish. In 1718 there were only nine taxables: William Grimson, James Hamer, Thomas Hayward, John and Moses Musgrave, William Smith, William Marsh, John Whitesides, and Johu Moor.
127
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
The landowners of 1774 were: Willian Armstrong, James Blelock, James, Thomas, Andrew, Matthew and George Boyd, Thomas Bulla, Jonah Chamberlin, Robert, Hugh and Joseph Cowan, Samuel and James MeClellan, David MeClure, John Elton, Gideon and Josiah Erwin, Thomas Davis, Rev. William Foster, William Ful- ton, John Henry, Joseph Henderson, Robert Hope, Thomas Heslip, Charles Kin- kaid, George . Kenny, John and Andrew Moore, William and Henry Marsh, James Miller, Thomas Maxfield, William Moore, Samuel Martin, Gravner Marsh, Robert and Alexander McPherson, Joseph Parke, esq., William Powell, William Pim, John Lee, John Lee jr., George Richmond, James and John Sharp, Andrew Stewart, . John Scott, Thomas and John Truman, Joel Willis, James and Joseph Williams, William and John Wilkins, Anthony Robertson, George Robison, John Taylor, and Andrew Wilson.
Schuylkill Township .- It is bounded on the northwest by East Pikeland township; on the northeast by Montgomery county, from which it is separated by the Schuylkill river ; on the south by Tredyffrin township : and on the southwest by Charlestown town- ship. The northern and central parts of the township lie in the Schuylkill or meso- zoie region, while the southern part is in the northern gneiss region, and has an area of Potsdam sandstone along the Tredyffrin township line.
The geological formation of Schuylkill is described by Professor Frazer as follows : " The upper part of the township is covered by the mesozoic series and includes a locality in the vicinity of PhæLixville, celebrated for the discovery by Mr. Charles M. Wheat- ley of many mineral species and fossil
forms, most of the latter having been studied and classified by the labors of Prof. E. D. Cope. The Reading railroad cuts through a long hill by means of a tunnel about half a mile long, and between certain beds in the tunnel were found the fossils just mentioned. The southern margin of the mesozoic is a waved line which divides it from the azoie to the south, and meets the river at a point a short distance south of Valley Forge. This line passes near the house of John Kane in Charlestown, and runs a little north of east, again descending near the residence of John Christman, and nearly through the .Chester County mine,' skirting the mine of the 'New York and Boston Silver Lead Company,' erossing a branch of Pickering creek in a direction a little north of east, and elose by the school-house; it follows very closely the Valley Forge road to its last deflection northward, and maintains its course straight across the long Valley Forge dam. The southern boundary line between the azoic roeks and those of evident Potsdam age is much more irregular and waved. It en- ters the township near its extremest southern corner, and runs northeast for over a mile, at an acute angle with the State road, which it crosses, and bends southward slightly till it passes a fork from the State road leading to Valley Forge. After following this road to a point a short distance west of William Rossiter's house, the boundary line again turns south, passing near the residence of James McGivene, when it bends again north- ward, and after a few similar waves joins the boundary of the new red, west of the Baptist church. These waves are formed by the interlocking noses of hills of Pots- dam and hornblendie gneiss or quartzose conglomerate. From the New York and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.