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 17
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were not so prompt, and many of them re- mained on Mr. Stinson's hands. In a short time some of the owners of front lots be- gan to build. This encouraged others, and then the back lots became more valuable."
Hopewell Borough .- On May 2, 1853, Hopewell borough was incorporated. It was taken from Lower Oxford and East Nottingham townships. Hopewell is thirty miles southwest of West Chester, and lies on the Oxford & Peach Bottom railroad. It has a flonring mill, factory, two churches and a school. The postoffice is known as Hopewell Cotton Works.
The population of Hopewell at each United States census since 1860 has been as follows :
U. S. Census. Population.
White.
Colored.
1860.
278
262
16
1870.
268
260
8
1880.
216
.. .
1890.
213
...
Kennett Square Borough .- At the head of Toughkenamon valley on the line of the Philadelphia & Baltimore Central railroad, thirty-six miles southwest of Philadelphia, eleven miles northwest of Wilmington, Delaware, and twelve miles southwest of West Chester, is Kennett Square, one of the most prosperous boroughs and leading edu- cational centers of the county. The bor- ough was incorporated in 1855, from Ken- nett township. The first mention of the name to be found is in a deed made by William Dixon to JJoseph Musgrave, in 1769. Kennett Square had grown in size to a fair village when the British camped about it on the night preceding the battle of Brandywine in 1777. It has slowly in- creased in size and population from a small village to a thrifty borongh. During the days of chattel slavery it was a very " hot-
144
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
bed of abolitionism." The inhabitants of the place are largely the descendants of the first settlers, and are widely known for their intelligence and culture. Kennett Square has a number of churches, a good graded school, and water works. It is well pro- vided with hotels, banks and newspapers, while its academy and seminary have a large attendance of pupils from a distance. It has several manufacturing establishments, of which the principal ones manufacture fertilizers, road machines and agricultural implements. The borough has an assessed valuation of over half a million dollars, with but little bonded indebtedness.
The population of Kennett Square since 1860, at each United States census, has been :
U. S. Census.
Population.
White.
Colored.
1860.
606
474
132
1870.
884
726
158
1880.
1021
....
1890.
1326
Malvern Borough .- On elevated ground six hundred feet above tide water, nine miles northeast of West Chester, and situa- ted on the line of the Pennsylvania railroad, is the beautiful and thoroughly progressive borough of Malvern. It was founded in 1866 by David Evans, who in connection with his nephew, W. P. Evans, built the present Malvern flouring mill, and inaugu- rated other business enterprises in the new village, that received the name of Malvern when it was made a station on the Pennsyl- vania railroad, February 21, 1873. Excel- lent water works were constructed in 1871, by D. & W. P. Evans, and pure soft water is furnished to the inhabitants from a large spring on the old Ruth farm. Malvern was organized as a borough between 1880 and 1890, and in the latter year had a population of six hundred and forty-one.
From its elevation it has a commanding view of the surrounding country and a part of the Chester and Schuylkill valleys, be- sides a portion of the southwestern part of the State of New Jersey. Malvern has several churches, good schools, and gives promise of growing into a place of prom- inence in the future.
Orford Borough .- In the western part of Chester county, twenty-eight miles south- west of West Chester, and fifty-two miles west of Philadelphia, on the central divis- ion of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad, is situated the hand- some and flourishing borough of Oxford. It was taken from Lower Oxford and East Nottingham townships, and was incorpora- ted as a borough by act of assembly on April 8, 1833. Oxford has fine graded schools, numerons churches, several hotels, banks and newspapers, while it possesses a good system of water works, and has sev- eral steam fire engines. It lies in the heart of one of the richest agricultural sections of the county, and possesses excellent ship- ping facilities. It is a manufacturing and mercantile town, and has many fine resi- dences and substantial business blocks.
Oxford's population, by each United States census since 1850, has been as follows :
U. S. Census.
Population.
White.
Colored.
1850.
186
162
24
1860.
482
446
36
1870.
1151
1060
91
1880.
1502
...
1890.
1711
...
Parkesburg Borough .- It is one of the flourishing trade centers of the county, and increased in population from eight hundred and seventeen in 1880 to one thousand five hundred and fourteen in 1890. Parkes- burg is situated on the Pennsylvania rail-
145
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
road, in Sadsbury township, eighteen miles west of West Chester, and forty-four miles from Philadelphia. It was incorporated as a borough March 1, 1872. The place re- ceived its name from the old and influential Parke family, that settled near its site in an early day. Parkesburg came into prom- inence when the State constructed the Columbia railroad from Philadelphia to Columbia and located its shops-known as the State shops-at the village. These shops remained at Parkesburg until 1861, when they were removed to Harrisburg. The old shop buildings were remodeled and enlarged by Ilorace A. Beale, who then turned them into a rolling mill, which he has successfully operated ever since. The borough has several manufacturing estab- lishments, a graded school, and numerous churches and hotels, besides a bank and a newspaper.
Phoniccille Borough .- In the northeast- ern part of Schuylkill township, on the west bank of the Schuylkill river, at its confluence with French creek, lies Phoenix- ville, the most important manufacturing town of Chester county, and one of the great industrial centers of Pennsylvania. It is on the main line of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, at the terminus of the Piekering Valley branch of the same road, while along the opposite side of the river the Pennsylvania railroad passes ..
The site of Phoenixville was settled at an early day, and the small hamlet of the seventeenth century had so grown in size and importance as to become incorporated as a borough on March 16, 1849. The growth and prosperity of the town are due to early iron works and later iron en- terprises. The first iron works was estab- lished in 1790, and there are now a number
of large furnaces and rolling mills, which employ many hundred hands, and have ad- ded in no small degree to the wealth of the prosperous borough. The largest bridge works in Pennsylvania is located here, while numerous other industries have been estab- lished and are in a flourishing condition. Phoenixville is little short of a modern city in advantages and facilities. It has good streets, a fine system of graded schools, and is well lighted by both gas and electricity. while it possesses a thoroughly equipped fire department. It is a trade center, as well as a manufacturing one, and a large number of wholesale, jobbing, and retail establishments enjoy a satisfactory annual patronage. It resounds with the hum of industry and the rush and roar of trains, while the lights of furnace, forge and mill illumine the darkness of night. Such is busy, bustling Phoenixville-a center of unceasing activities and untiring energies, whose progress and prosperity has been largely accomplished and secured by home energy and home capital. Phoenixville has two banks, the National bank of Phoenix- ville and the Farmers' and Mechanics' Na- tional bank; while its churches, eight in number, are : Central Lutheran, First Meth- odist, Phoenixville Baptist, Pæenixville Pres- byterian. St. John's Evangelical Lutherau, St. John's Reformed, St. Mary's Catholic, and St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal. The bor- ough has the following incorporated con- panies within its borough limits: Phanix Bridge, Phoenix Iron, Phoenix Mutual Fire Insurance, Phoenixville Co-operative (asso- ciation), Phoenixville Electric Light and Power, Morris Cemetery, and Phonix Hose, Ilook and Ladder, No. 1. It has three newspapers : The Messenger, an independent weekly ; Republican, an evening daily : and
10
146
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
the Slovak v Amerike, a Hungarian weekly, recently established. The postoffice was established July 22, 1828, with Lewis W. Richards as postmaster.
The secret societies of Phoenixville in 1889 were: Phoenix Lodge, No. 75, F. and A. M .; Phoenix Chapter, No. 198, R.A. M .; Palestine Council, No. 8, R. and S. M .; Jeru- salem Commandery, No. 15, K. T .; Masonic Hall Association ; Phoenix Lodge, No. 212, I. O. of O. F .; Lieut. Josiah White Post, No. 45, G. A. R .; Wayne Council, No. 46, Jr. O. U. A. M .; Declaration Lodge, No. 76, A. P. A .; Sankanac Lodge, No. 58, K. of P .; Phoenix Division, No. 100, S. of T .; Camp No. 123, P. O. S. of A .; Division No. 1, A. O. H .; Stratford Castle, No. 67, K. of G. E .; Ivanhoe Keep, No. 1, K. of B .; Young Men's Literary Union; Emerald Beneficial Association; St. Joseph's Bene- ficial Association ; and St. Mary's Temper- ance Cadets.
The population of Phoenixville, by each United States census since 1850, has been as follows :
U. S. Census.
Population.
White.
Colored.
1850.
2,670
2,641
29
1860.
4,886
4,851
35
1870.
5,292
5,268 24
1880.
6,682
...
1890.
8,514
...
The population of the borough by wards in 1880 and 1890 were:
Wards.
1880.
Wards. 1890
North ward ... 2,515
First ward .. 1,801
South ward ... 4,167
Second ward .. 1,686
Third ward ... 2,127
Total 6,682
Fourth ward ... 1,724 Fifth ward ..... 1,176
Spring City Borough .- On the right hand bauk of the Schuylkill river, in East Vin- cent township, twenty miles north of West
Chester, is the progressive town of Spring City, whose growth has been rapid and sub- stantial for the last two decades. It was in- corporated as the borough of Springville in 1867, and in 1872 the name was changed to Spring City, to correspond with the name of the postoffice, which was established on Sep- tember 29, 1864, with David S. Taylor as postmaster. Manufacturing was commenced here as early as 1850, but slow progress was made for upwards of twenty years, and then the importance of the place and its favor- able facilities drew the attention of several manufacturers, who located their establish- ments and inaugurated its present prosper- ous career. Situated in the heart of a rich agricultural and mineral valley, with excel- lent railroad facilities and splendid induce- ments to offer to new enterprises, and safe investments for the capitalist, the borougli promises by the dawn of the next century to become one of the most important towns of the county. Its leading manufactures to- day are those of stoves, paper, glass, terra cotta, foundry facings, charcoal blooms, briek and flour. It enjoys modern conveniences, has good schools, and is well supplied with churches. It has an able newspaper and a substantial bank. Spring City has increased as rapidly in population since 1880 as it has in wealth. From 1,112 inhabitants in 1880, it has increased to 1,797, as reported by the census of 1890.
West Chester Borough .- One of the finest inland residence towns of the State, and the most important suburb of Philadelphia, is West Chester, the beautiful and pleasant county seat of Chester county, the first of the three original counties organized by William Penn. The territory comprising the present site of West Chester was erected into the county town for Chester county on
147
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
March 3, 1788, and eleven years later the rapidly growing village was incorporated on March 28, 1799, as a borough. West Chester is situated on high ground, between Brandywine and Chester creeks, and has an altitude of four hundred and fifty-six feet above tide. Its latitude is 39º 57' 31.3", north, and longitude 75° 36' 32.7" west from Greenwich, England, or 1º 24' 57" east from Washington city. .
The original plan of the town was four contiguous squares and two principal streets, but in 1829 several additional streets were laid out, and the council commeneed to make those improvements that have so much beautified the place. The first mar- ket house was built in 1802, and the first macadamizing of streets was done in 1829. The first court house, erected in 1786, was a very indifferent building, and was torn down in 1847. The old jail was no better in construction than its companion, the old court house, and was torn down in 1838. The first court house and jail stood in the rear of the present public buildings. The present jail, a handsome and durable strne- ture, was completed in 1838, and has an- swered the purpose of its construction. The borough is sixteen and one-half miles from Philadelphia, and rests on geological forma- tions of gneiss and syenite. The earliest account which we have of the country cross- roads around which has grown up the town of West Chester is that of Joseph Town- send, of Baltimore, who says: "The first knowledge that I had of the ground on which West Chester stands was about the year 1760. There was at that time a cross- roads (now the intersection of Gay and High streets) ; the one in an easterly direc- tion led to Philadelphia, southerly to Wil- mington, westerly to Jefferis' ford on the
Brandywine, and northerly to the 'Great Valley.' The northeasterly field was owned by Phineas Eachus; northwesterly one by Daniel Hoopes. The ground southwesterly had an orchard on, and belonged to the estate of David Haines : the ground south- easterly was a lot, on which was a small one-story wooden house, in which a tavern was kept by the aforesaid Phineas Eachus. There was a small log building connected with the south end of the shed and tavern- yard, in which was a store." Mr. Town- send further states that in the Hoopes field was erected a log school house, in which Ralph Forester, an Irishman, taught for several years ; and that in 1770 John Hoopes built a brick tavern southeast of the old log one, while a retail store was opened by Henry Glass and Ebenezer Matthews in a two-story log building in the old orchard. Mr. Townsend also recollected Charles Ry- ant, William Sharpless, George Bostock and his wife, a reputed enchantress; l'eter Gowen, a weaver; and Samuel Hoopes, a blacksmith, all of whom were residents near the Eachns tavern before 1782.
Phineas Eachus obtained license in 1762, and in 1768 his tavern was referred to for the first time as the "Turk's Head," which name was soon applied to the little hamlet. Capt. John Clark succeeded Eachus in the log tavern, and John Harper opened the briek tavern in 1770, calling it the "Turk's Head." Clark's successors were Jacob James, Franeis Trumble, John Underwood, Nathan Schofield and Isaac Webb. In 1786 the county seat was established at the vil- lage of Turk's Head, whose name was then changed to that of West Chester. In 1787 Isaac Matlack huilt the Green Tree tavern, and Col. John Hannum erected the Wash- ington. The Bear was opened in 1788, and
148
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
in 1796 Isaac Webb removed to the Gen- eral Wayne, which became the celebrated Whitehall tavern that was torn down in 1874.
General LaFayette was splendidly enter- tained here in the court house, Tuesday, July 26, 1825, on which occasion he said in his speech in reply to the address of wel- come: "The thought of its having been my first action under the American stand- ard, and under our great and good com- mander-in-chief, in company with your gallant Chester countian, my friend General Wayne, and my other comrades-the honor to have mingled my blood with that of many American soldiers on the heights of Brandywine-had been to me a source of pride and delight, near half a century before it has lately become an occasion of the most honorable, kind, and gratifying remem- brance; as it is now an object of your friendly congratulations. Happy I anı, also, in your testimonies of affection and esteem, for my conduct in the vicissitudes of my life, on both hemispheres."
The present fine and handsome court house, on the corner of High and Market streets, was erected in 1846-47, under the direction of Mordecai Lee, Enos Pennock and Smith Sharpless, who were then the county commissioners. Thomas U. Walter was the architect, and William Ingram, Chalkley Jefferis, James Powell and David H. Taylor were the contractors. The cor- nerstone was laid July 4, 1846, and the structure was finished in 1847, at a total cost of $55,345.98, although the original contract was for only $45,000. In 1859 it was faced with Pictou stone at a cost of $21,000, and to-day is recognized as an ele- gant specimen of Corinthian architecture.
The country surrounding West Chester is said to be the most beautiful in America,
and to closely resemble the best portions of rural England. The classic Brandywine flows within two miles of the town, and the historic grounds of the Brandywine battle, Birmingham church, Osborne's Hill, Chad's Ford, Paoli and Valley Forge, are within easy driving distance. In addition to the charms of so many beautiful historic asso- ciations which invest this whole region, the natural scenery and pleasant drives along the Brandywine and Valley creeks equal in beauty those of the famous Wissahickon and elsewhere about Philadelphia and Ger- mantown. The Encyclopedia Brittanica says of Chester county : " The district which they (Quakers) inhabit is a veritable fairy- land, and its principal town, West Chester, has been for a long time one of the notable centers of scientific life in the State of Pennsylvania."
The Ionic, the Tuscan and the Norman orders of architecture are to be seen in the elegant and tasteful homes of many of the families of West Chester. Nearly all the houses are of brick and stone, with metal or slate roofs. The lawns and gardens, with terraces, flowers and trees, add curve and grace, color and beauty. The streets, the public clock, and many of the stores, hotels and residences, are illuminated by electricity, while gas supplies light to the remainder of the town and people. The streets are well macadamized, and the stone curbing and brick sidewalks, with flagged crossings, are good. The average mean temperature in West Chester, during the last ten years, has been 50,70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the rain- fall, during the same period, has averaged 4411 inches per year, as reported by Dr. Jesse C. Green, the official observer for the United States signal service.
The town has an excellent system of
.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL AT WEST CHESTER.
149
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
water works, and its water, as pure as any in the world, is brought from several strong springs three miles north of the borough. The fire department is well organized, and the oldest fire company, the West Chester, was formed in 1799. The manufacturing interests of West Chester are extensive, and include the largest wheel factory cast of the Allegheny mountains, foundries and machine shops, planing mills, creameries and cigar factories. There are also many flower gardens and ornamental and fruit tree nurseries. A large elevator handles the grain export, and the present active and energetic board of trade was organized in 1874. . There are several good hotels, up- wards of two hundred merchandise dealers, and the stores and markets are first-class. The principal hotels are : Green Tree, Man- sion, Turk's Head, Eagle. Sherman. West Chester and Magnolia. The borough has first-class telegraph and telephone service. and excellent railroad connections with all the great railways of the country.
West Chester has been famous for its schools since the opening of West Chester academy in 1813. The public schools have a well arranged course of study, ending with a full four years' high school course. The High street school building was com- pleted in 1887, at a cost of $80,000. Dar- lington seminary is on the southern edge of the borough. while Worrall's Classical school is in Cabinet hall, and the Quakers have an excellent high school. The Cath- olies have two parochial schools, and a kindergarten has been established. .
West Chester is the seat of the State Normal school for the First district of Pennsylvania. It was opened in 1871. and has now grown to be the foremost and most successful school of its class in the worthy enterprise.
State, and one of the first in the whole country. It is situated on a beautiful campus of fourteen acres in the southern part of the town. The main school build- ing is two hundred and fifty-six feet long and two hundred and thirty-seven feet deep. It is four stories high, and is built of green stone (serpentine) and white marble. It contains rooms for four hundred students. with chapel, dining rooms, library, and teachers' rooms. Near by is a fine new gymnasium, also of stone, one hundred and four by sixty-four feet, most completely equipped, and making, with the single ex- ception of the new gymnasium at Yale, the finest school or college gymnasium in Amer- ica. The recitation hall is another beauti- ful green stone building, one hundred and eighty-five by seventy feet, three stories high, and containing many fine recitation rooms, laboratories, and work shops. A handsome principal's house also adorns the grounds, while a most complete school in- firmary and well equipped athletic grounds adjoin the campus. Its property has cost more than four hundred thousand dollars, and is believed to be the finest normal school property in the whole country. Its principal is Dr. G. M. Philips, who is as- sisted by a corps of thirty excellent teachers. The school now enrolls above a thousand students each year, and is constantly grow- ing. Its students come not only from Pennsylvania, but from many other States.
West Chester is well supplied with news- papers. Its daily Local News, Republican. and Village Record ; and its weekly Villay. Record, Republican, Jeffersonian, and Danno- erat, are modern newspapers. They circu- late throughout the county, and are always ready to render efficient help to every
150
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
The population of West Chester is highly intelligent. Scientific and literary societies, cabinets of science, private collections of minerals, shells, curiosities, relics, museums and libraries, are numerous, and some of them of great value; the schools are many and famous. There is a public library with free reading and lecture rooms, adorned with memorial windows and busts of celebrated men by native artists. Marshall park con- tains a fine arboretum, also a fountain and a granite monument to the memory of the Chester county heroes of the late war. Prof. Joseph T. Rothrock, of the university of Pennsylvania, who is eminent authority on botany, forestry and arboriculture, pro- nounces this park "so far as regards the ad- mirable selection of its noble trees, the finest in North America." The park contains five and a half acres, and has one hundred and sixty different species of trees.
The banks of West Chester are : Farmers' National, First National, and the National bank of Chester county. Its incorporated companies are as follows : Mercer Nut Lock, Penn Mutual Fire Insurance, West Chester Gas; Chester County Guarantee, Trust and Safe Deposit; Hoopes, Bro. & Darlington Wheel; Edison Electric Illuminating, West Chester Fire, No. 1; Good Will Fire, No. 2; and Fame Fire, No. 3. The borough has twelve churches within its limits : First Bap- tist, Second Baptist (colored), First Presby- terian, West Chester Methodist Episcopal, St. Agnes Catholic, Ilicksite Friends, Ortho- dox Friends, Holy Trinity Protestant Epis- copal, Reformed Episcopal, Sure Foundation R. E., Bethel African Methodist Episcopal and Union African Methodist Episcopal. The town has six tasteful cemeteries : Oak- lands, St. Agnes, Orthodox Friends, Green- mount, Chestnut Grove, and Friends'.
The following are the societies of West Chester: Star of the West (ladies), Fame Engine, Good Will, West Chester Philo- sophieal, and West Chester Public Library. The secret organizations that meet in the borough are: West Chester Lodge, No. 322, F. and A. M .; Howell Chapter, No. 202, R. A. M,; Pocahontas Lodge, No. 316, I. O. of O. F. ; Kenhawa Council, No. 248, O. U. A. M .; G. A. McCall Post, No. 31, G. A. R .; G. F. Smith Post, No. 130, G. A. R .; Uppowoc Tribe, No. 47, I. O. of R. M .; West Chester Lodge, No. 42, I. O. of O. F .; General Marion Encampment, No. 91, I. O. of O. F .; Stella Lodge, No. 131, K. of P .; Bethlehem Lodge, No. 21, A. M. ; Harmony Lodge, No. 50, A. M .; West Chester Castle, No. 226, K. G. E .; and Conclave, No. 61, I. O. H. There are also several literary, scientific, musical, charitable and social societies.
The population of West Chester since 1800, at each United States census, has been as follows :
U. S. Census
Population.
White.
Colored.
1800.
374
....
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