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 22
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
Bradford, and passing eastwardly by the residence of William P. Marshall and Fern Ilill station, on the old. West Chester rail- road. That portion of this road between High street, West Chester, and its western junction with the Strasburg road has been closed. The road from Wilmington to Reading, passing through West Chester, has existed from a very early period. A road ran from Downingtown, by way of Waynesburg, to the Conestoga settlements. The 'Horseshoe turnpike' runs on the line of this last-mentioned road, and in places occupies its bed. The road from Philadel- phia, by way of Concord, Chad's Ford, Hamorton, Kennett Square and New Lon- don to Baltimore is an early road, and was long a leading stage route between Phila- delphia and the south. A road led from Wilmington, by way of Hamorton, Union- ville, Doe Run, Ereildoun, Humphreyville and Sadsburyville to the l'equea valley. Another road intersected this at Humph- reyville, and led past Upper Octoraro church and the old Black Horse tavern northward. The . Gap and Newport road' led from the 'Gap,' in Lancaster county, to Newport, in the State of Delaware, and was long a leading road from Lancaster to Wil- mington. Parts of this old road are still in use. A road ran from West Chester in a southwest direction, crossing the Brandy- wine at Jefferis' ford, known as the . Oil Mill road,' from an oil mill which stood on the farm now of Edwin James. This road was superseded by a State road, laid out in 1830, from New Hope, on the Delaware river, through Doylestown, Norristown, West Chester, Unionville, White Horse. and Oxford, to the Maryland line, in a direc- tion toward Baltimore. The .Limestone road,' in the western part of the county,
was an old Indian trail, and is believed never to have been laid out. In 1809 a road was anthorized by act of assembly from John G. Parke's (now Parkesburg ) to McCall's ferry, on the Susquehanna. This road runs along the . Great valley, and is known as the Valley, or MeCall's Ferry road."
Bridges .- Of the early bridges in the county we have but little account, and of the bridges whose time of construction is unknown are: Meconky's, in East Brad- ford township; Worth's, in Lower Oxford; Old Lancaster, over the west branch of the Brandywine; Kirk's, on the road from Kirk's mill to Oxford; Milford, on the east branch of the Brandywine; Chester Springs, across Pickering creek ; Poghtown, stone arch bridge; Embreeville, over the west branch of the Brandywine: Hattiell's covered bridge; Baldwin's flood bridge : Valley Forge stone bridge: Rapps, on Piekering creek ; Taylor's Run stone bridge ; Pocopson, on Pocopson creek ; Steelville covered bridge ; Chad's Ford, on the Bran- dywine : Moorehall stone bridge : Plankin- ton's, over the west branch of Red Clay creek ; Miller's, on the east branch of White Clay creek : Richardson's, on Big Elk creek : Nevin's, on west bank of White Clay creek ; Pennoek's Ford flood bridge: Milltown stone bridge: Bull Road covered bridge: Mount Rocky, over Little Elk : and Gar- rett's Paper Mill bridge.
The following bridges in Chester county were built in the years given after their names: Downings, 1741; Crum Creek, 1769: French Creek, 1771 : Brandywine, 1772, Marshall's. 1795: Keener's. 1796; Elk, 1802; Pigeon Creek. 1803: Cope's, 1807, at a cost of $26,597: Kelly's Mill. 1813; Charlestown, 1814. at a cost of
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
$5,000; Andrews, 1814: Garrett's, 1818; Knauertown, 1819; Moorestown, 1819; Mortonville, 1826; MeClenachan's, 1829; Christian's, 1834; Seed's, 1834; Wilson's, 1835; Beaver Creek, 1835; Hatfield's, 1837 : Coventryville, 1837; Dorlan's, 1842; Richardson's, 1842; Street Road, 1845; Pine Grove Rolling Mills, 1846; Phoenix- ville, 1847; Cornog's, 1849; Lee's, 1849; Vandever's, 1849; Elk Dale, 1850; Buck Run, 1850; Sugar's, 1850; Hutchinson's, 1850; Bell's Ford, 1850; Lawrenceville, 1851; Sharpless, 1851; Taylor's, 1852; Pennypacker's, 1852; Hoopes', 1852; Os- mond's, 1852; Harvey's, 1853; Mode's, 1853; Pickering Creek, 1853; Mackey's Mill, 1853; Charlestown, 1853; Reed's, 1854; Waterloo Mills, 1854: Brinton's, 1854; Reiff's, 1855; McDonald's, 1855; Tustin's, 1855; Nivin's, 1855; Wicker- sham's, 1855; MeDowell's, 1855; Sager's, 1856: Kennedy's, 1856; Pyle's Ford, 1856; Huston's, 1857; Evans', 1857; Painter's, 1857 ; Valley Forge Dam, 1857; Milford, 1857 ; Ashbridge road, 1858 ; Roberts' Ford, 1858; Marshall's, 1858; Grosstown Ford ; Davis', 1859 ; Hickman's Ford, 1859 ; Jordan, 1859; Stubbs', 1860 ; MeCreary's Mill, 1860 : Shaw's, 1862; Mount Vernon, 1865; Den- ny's, 1866; Snyder's, 1866: Twaddle's, 1866; Bartram's, 1866; Sinclair's, 1867; Cupola Station, 1867 ; Worrall's Mill, 1867; Dowlin's Ford, 1867; Strawbridge's, 1868; Massey's Ford, 1868; Parker's, 1869; Keu- nett Borough, 1869; Gibson's Ford, 1870; Phoenixville. 1870; Young's Ford, 1870; North Bend, 1870; Rokeby. 1874: Lig- gett's Mill, 1876; Coatesville, 1877 ; Sager's Mill, 1877; Ackland's Mill, 1877; Saylor's Mill, 1879; Buck Run, 1880; Elk Creek, 1880, and Mercer's Ford. 1880.
Witchcraft .- As late as 1760 there were
persons in Chester county who believed in witches, and we have the following account of a persecution for witchcraft in that year, near West Chester :
"There lived in a log cabin on the bar- rens, a few miles from where West Chester now stands, an inoffensive old woman, named Molly Otley, who was superstitiously characterized as a witch. A daughter of Joshua Ashbridge, who had become de- mented, acted strangely, uttering at the same time unintelligible sounds, which were construed into ' molotly, molotly." This was conclusive evidence that she was bewitched, and by Moll Otley. So one Seventh-day the populace assembled for her trial-not a judicial one, but a la Judge Lynch-and it is said the whole country-side were there, 'gentle, simple, learned, and ignorant,' all carried away by the then popular belief in witchcraft. James Gibbons (then living ou what has since been known as the ' Westtown School farm,') was deputized to bring the old woman. During his absence some were to draw her image on a board, and fire at it with pieces of silver (for lead would not hurt a witch ); wherever the image was hit there the witch would be wounded. Mr. Gibbons was charged to notice if she mani- fested any pain or uneasiness by the way. After riding some distance she complained and said she would rather walk, and did so the rest of the way. Arriving at the door of the house (over which a horseshoe had been nailed, the floor newly scrubbed, and salt sprinkled on the threshold), Molly turned around to elean her shoes, when the ery went forth, 'she's a witch, and can't pass over the salt until she performs some conjuration.' They then took her to the mill, put her in one scale and the bible in the other, for it was held that the holy bible
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
would always outweigh a witch. She re- marked, 'Children, I'll outweigh that book,' and she did. She was next examined by a jury of matrons to see if her body bore any marks from the silver pieces fired at her image ; but none were found. The next or- deal proposed was to throw her into the mill-dam, believing that if she was a witch she would swim out quickly; otherwise, sink. Mr. Gibbons and others prevailed with the crowd to desist from this under- taking. But the final aet in this farce, which had already well-nigh proved a trag- edy, was yet to come. In accordance with a current superstition ( that if the bewitched could draw blood on the witch above the breath-i. e., above the nostrils-and the witched would pray for the recovery of the · possessed,' they would recover), she was carried to Ashbridge's, into the presence of the child, in whose hand the father put a pen-knife ; but Molly said, 'Joshua, I will not let thy erazy child cut me ; take it and cut me thyself.' But as the blood must be drawn by the bewitched, and none other, Molly was held while the child scratched her face with her finger-nails until it bled profusely. Then she was compelled to pray, which she did in these words : 'O my God ! have merey on this child, and restore her to health!' 'No! not thy God, for he is the devil, but to my God aud the child's God.' Finally satisfied, they released her; she de- parted, and the crowd dispersed, no doubt confident in the belief that they had to do with as veritable a witch as that of Endor. whom the bible says Saul consulted."
Mesozoic Fossils .- In the Connecticut val- ley immense numbers of foot prints, mostly of three-toed animals, have been found in the quarries of the mesozoic formation. These animals were at first supposed to be
birds, and a few of them gigantie batrachians (frogs) : but subsequent discoveries in many parts of the world, and especially in the western territories of the United States, have proved them to be large sauroid (lizard- like) animals with certain bird-like features. Some of these foot prints may have been made by early forms of birds, but the ma- jority of them were undoubtedly made by reptiles, some of which were furnished with wings. This is proved by the sudden com- mencement and termination of the rows of foot prints, showing that the creatures alighted on and again rose from the shore mud into the air.
In Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, saurian bones were found, described by Dr. Isaac Lea, under the name of Clepsisaurus penn- sylcanicus.
" At Phoenixville, while the tunnel was made, many fossil bones, teeth and plants were thrown out, and collected by Mr. Charles M. Wheatley. Prof. Rogers found here a tooth, which he figures. Geol. Pa. II., page 693. Dr. Lea supposed this tooth to have belonged either to a Clepsisaurus, or to another lizard called Centemodon sulratus, found in New Jersey." Ganoid fish scales have also been found at Phoenixville.
Estinet Vertibrates .- Of the thirty species of vertibrate animals of northern Chester county examined by Prof. E. D. Cope (sec Proc. Amer. Philosoph. Soc. XII., p. 15. February 3, 1871) there were serpents. (mostly harmless), and tortoises of several species. Among the rodents was beaver. Among the ruminants were several topics and a small horse. Among the carnivora was a cat of large size, and a large bear (Leidy's Ursus pristinus) entirely distinct from the cave bear or living species of Europe and America. Three species of sloths were
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
found, mostly gigantie; one was new, and named by Prof. Cope Megalonyx wheatleyi; two were Mylodons, and one of these was probably new. Teeth and tusks of a mas- todon (Trilophodon ohioticus), which had fal- len into the fissure of a large limestone cav- ern, or been swept into it, were also found. None of the bones were gnawed, and the fissure had never been used by or known to the aborigines or predacions beasts, being completely concealed until exposed by quarrymen.
Indian Purchases .- In 1683 Penn pur- chased of an Indian chief, Wingabone, all of his land that was west of the Schuylkill river. In the same year two Indian chiefs, Secane and Icquoquehan, conveyed to Penn the lands lying between the Schuyl- kill river and Chester creek, while Keke]- lappan sold Penn half of his land between the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. Two years later, on July 30, 1685, Shakahoppoh, Secane, Malibor, and Tangoras, Indian "sakemakers," sold all of the central and northern parts of Chester county to Penn. In 1706 the commissioners of property paid one hundred pounds to the Indian chief, Sheehonickan, for a strip of land along the Brandywine; and on September 17, 1718, a deed of release was made by several Del- aware chiefs for all the land within the county.
Early Lawyers .- The following list em- braces the names of all the members of the bar admitted at West Chester from 1787 to 1821 :
1787 .- David Smith, James Wade, John Joseph Henry, William R. Atlee, W. Mont- gomery, Sampson Levy, James Hopkins, Samuel Roberts, Samuel Bayard, Matthias Baldwin and James A. Bayard.
1788 .- Thomas Armstrong, Peter S. Du-
poncean, Jasper Yeates, Peter Hoofnagle, Joseph Hubley, William Graham.
1789 .- John Hallowell, Joseph Thomas, Robert Porter, Charles Healty, Anthony Morris, John Craig Wells, John Cadwalla- der, John Moore.
1790 .- Thomas B. Dick, Abraham Chap- man, John Thompson, Marks John Biddle, David Moore, Isaac Telfair.
1791 .- Robert H. Durkin, Seth Chapman.
1792 .- Miles Merion, Robert Frazer, John Price.
1793 .- Thomas W. Tallman, John H. Brinton, Evan Rice Evans, Joseph Hemp- hill, Michael Kepple, John Shippen, Henry Kelmuth, A. W. Foster.
1794 .- Jacob Richards, Joseph B. Hop- kinson, William Martin.
1795 .- J. Harvey Hurst, James Hunter, jr., James Milner, James Lattimer, jr., John Cloyd, Joseph Reid, Isaac Wayne.
1797 .- W. Lee Hannun.
1798 .- C. Chauncey, jr.
1799 .- Jonathan T. Haight, John Tay- lor, William Hemphill.
1800 .- Jonathan W. Condy, John Ser- geant, T. Barton Zantzinger, William De- wees.
1801 .- Isaac Darlington.
1803 .- James D. Bernard, Thomas Ser- geant, Samuel Jacobs, John Ewing Porter. 1804 .- John Dner.
1806 .- John Edwards, Charles W. Hnm- phrey.
1807 .- Renben Eachus.
1808 .- Ziba Pyle.
1809 .- Jefferis Moore, Matthias Morris, Daniel Addis.
1810 .- Blathwaite J. Shober. Archibald T. Diek.
1811 .- Philip S. Markley, Michael W. Ash.
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
1813 .- Benjamin Tilghman, Thomas Breintuall.
1814 .- James Madison Porter, William B. Smith, Clement B. Buckley, Henry Ship- pen, John Kerlin, Benjamin Evans.
1815 .- George B. Porter, Samuel Ed- wards.
1816 .- George C. Willing, William II. Dillingham, Isaac D. Bernard, Thomas Kit- tera, Thomas A. Maybin.
1818 .- Townsend Haines.
1819 .- Jesse Conard.
1820 .- William Williamson.
1821 .- William S. Haines, David Paul Brown, Thomas S. Bell, Edward Darling- ton, Heury II. Van Amringe, John Freedley and Samuel Parke.
Members of Congress .- The following is a list of the members of Congress from Chester county, with the years in which they were elected, the number of the Congress in which they served, and their term of service : Vear No. Congress Name.
1794. Fourth. Richard Thomas.
1796. Fifth: Richard Thomas.
1798. Sixth Richard Thomas.
1800. Seventh Joseph Hemphill.
1802. Eighth Isaac Anderson.
1804. Ninth Isaac Anderson.
Tenth Jolin Heister.
1808. Eleventh Daniel Heister.
1810. Twelfth
Dr. Roger Davis.
1812. Thirteenth Dr. Roger Davis.
1814. Fourteentl Dr. W. Darlington.
1816. Fifteenth Isaac Darlington.
1818. Sixteenth. Dr. W. Darlington.
1820. Seventeenth Dr. W. Darlington.
1822. Eighteenth Col. Isaac Wayne.
1824. Nineteenth. Charles Miner.
1826. Twentieth Charles Miner.
1828. Twenty-first. Joshua Evans.
1830. Twenty-second .. Joshua Evans.
Year. No Congress.
Name.
1830. Twenty-second .. David Potts, jr.
1832. Twenty-third .... David Potts, jr.
1834.
Twenty-fourth ... David Potts, jr.
1836. Twenty-fifth David Potts, jr.
1838.
Twenty-sixth. .Francis James.
1840. Twenty-seventh Francis James.
1843. Twenty-eighth .. A. R. MeIlvaine.
1844. Twenty-ninth .A. R. MeIlvaine.
1846. Thirtieth A. R. Mellvaine.
1348. Thirty-first Jesse C. Diekey.
1850. Thirty-second .Dr. J. A. Morrison.
1852. Thirty-third. William Everhart.
1854. Thirty-fourth John Hickman.
1856. Thirty-fifth John Hiekman.
1858. Thirth-sixth John Hickman. Thirty-seventh .. John Hickman.
1860.
1862. Thirty-eightlı . .Jno. M. Broomall.
1864. Thirty-ninth Jno. M. Broomall.
1866. Fortieth. Jno. M. Broomall.
1868.
Forty-first W. Townsend.
1870.
Forty-second W. Townsend.
1872.
Forty-third W. Townsend.
1874.
Forty-fourth
W. Townsend.
1876. Forty-fifth William Ward.
1878. Forty-sixth William Ward.
1880. Forty-seventh ... William Ward. 1882. Forty-eighth. .James B. Everhart.
1884. Forty-ninth .James B. Everhart.
1888. Fifty-first. Smedley Darlington
1890. Fifty-second John B. Robinson.
1892. Fifty-third John B. Robinson.
Ereildoun Tornado. - At 3 o'clock on the afternoon of July 1, 1877, a terrible tor- nado commenced at a point three-fourths of a mile southeast of the Gap Station, on the Pennsylvania railroad, and about two miles west of the Chester county line. It swept a tract from fifty to two hundred yards in width, from the Chester county line to Broad run in West Bradford township, a
1886. Fiftieth Smedley Darlington 1806.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
distance of about twenty-two miles. The path of the tornado was marked with fear- ful destruction, and while several persons were badly injured, only one- Mary Hop- kins, a negro woman-was killed. The storm-cloud in its course passed along the southern limit of Parkesburg, overthrowing several frame buildings. Four miles east of Parkesburg it struck Ercildoun, destroying one-half of the houses in that place. The loss of property in Chester county by this tornado amounted to over thirty-six thous- and dollars. It has since been known as "the Ercildoun tornado."
Welsh Tract .- The large survey known as the Welsh Tract included the townships of Haverford and Radnor in Delaware county ; Merion, in Philadelphia county, and Tredy- ffrin, Whiteland, Willistown, Easttown, Goshen, and part of Westtown, in Chester county. It comprised forty thousand acres, and was sold prior to 1684, by William Penn, to a colony of Welsh, from Haver- fordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire, Wales.
Conclusion .- Chester county is rich in its possibilities of production, and for nearly two centuries has been noted for the energy and enterprise of its business men and the virtue and intelligence of its people. First born of the sixty-seven _counties of the great Keystone State, Chester was early settled by English, Welsh, German, and Scotch-Irish emigrants, who, however they differed in matters of opinion, were alike possessed of remarkable thrift, sterling in- tegrity, and all the sterner virtues which characterize a high-minded, honorable and self-reliant people. Their mental and moral qualities have been transmitted to later generations, and to-day the people of Ches- ter constitute an intelligent, refined, and cultured population; while the record of the county's progress and development. from its earliest existence to the present hour, forms one of the brightest pages in the eventful history of the grand old Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania.
SAMUEL T. WILEY.
Hon. William Bell Waddell.
CHESTER COUNTY
>BIOGRAPHIES .<
HON.WI ON.WILLIAM BELL WADDELL,
president judge of the Fifteenth judi- cial district of Pennsylvania, and who has served with distinction in the legislature and senate of the "Keystone State," is an able lawyer and fine jurist, and has presided over the courts of Chester county with abil- ity, efficiency and impartiality. He is a son of Robert and Mary (Bell) Waddell, and was born in the city of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, September 21, 1828. The Wad- dell family is of Scotch-Irish origin and traces its transatlantic ancestry back to the historie north of Ireland, where its Presby- terian ancestors were distinguished for brav- ery, firmness, intelligence and the love of liberty. One member of the family who was born in Ireland was the eloquent Dr. James Waddell, who, as "The Blind Preacher" of William Wirt, will live for- ever in Virginia's eventful history. Another member of the family in Ireland was William Waddell, the grandfather of Judge Waddell, and the founder of one of the Waddell fam- ilies of the United States. He was a com- patriot with Robert Emmet in the attempted struggle for Irish independence in 1803, and only escaped the fate of Emmet, whose dying words of eloquence will live until the end of time, by being helped ont of prison, | bench in 1887.
and escaping from Ireland on a vessel bound for the United States. He brought his son Robert with him, and settled in Baltimore. There Robert Waddell (father) grew to manhood, and learned the trade of wood carver. After attaining his majority, he followed his trade in Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey, in which latter city he died on April 10, 1881, when in the eightieth year of his age. He married Mary S. Bell, who was a native of Philadel- phia, and passed away May 19, 1841, at thirty-five years of age.
William Bell Waddell at six years of age was taken by his parents from Philadelphia to Trenton, New Jersey, where his mother died seven years later, and he was then seut to West Chester to prepare for college. He pursued his academic studies in the private school of James Crowell, and in 1846 en- tered Prineeton college, from which time- honored institution of learning he was graduated in the class of 1849. Leaving college he returned to West Chester, where he read law with Joseph Hemphill, father of Judge Joseph Hemphill. He was admit- ted to the bar March 2, 1852, and was steadily engaged in the practice of his profession at West Chester until his elevation to the
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
On December 27, 1855, Judge Waddell was united in marriage with Mary Jane Worthington, daughter of Carver Worth- ington, and a member of the old and highly respected Worthington family, of Chester county. They have two children : Robert S. and Ruth R. Robert S. Waddell was graduated from Princeton college in the class of 1882, read law with his father, and was admitted to the Chester county bar on January 5, 1885, since which time he has been engaged in the active practice of his chosen profession at West Chester.
In politics, Judge Waddell is a repub- lican, and his political career commenced in 1864, when he was elected as a member of the house of representatives, of which body he was a member until 1867. During his second year as a member of the house, he was made chairman of the committee on judiciary, and during his third year he served as chairman of the committee of ways and means, and was one of the candidates non- inated for speaker, but was defeated. In 1871 he was elected to the State senate and served until the close of his term in 1873, when he resumed his law practice, and gave his attention to it up to 1887. In that year the office of additional law judge was created for Chester county, and Mr. Waddell was unanimously recommended by the members of the bar. He had no opposition or com- petition, and was appointed by the governor to serve as additional law judge until the fall election of 1887. At that election he was elected for a term of ten years to com- mence in 1888 and expire in 1898. Upon the death of Judge J. Smith Futhey, in 1888, by right of succession he became president judge of the Fifteenth judicial district, and has served acceptably in that position ever since.
Judge Waddell is popular with his party and represented his district in the Repub- lican national convention of 1880 at Chi- cago, where he was the leader of the Blaine forces of Pennsylvania, and faithfully la- bored among his own delegation in the cause of the " Plumed Knight," in obedience to the instructions of his district, and the sentiment of the State, although his own preference was for John Sherman, of Ohio, whoni he admired as a statesman and finan- cier. As a legislator he was ever true to the interests of his constituents, and never neglectful of the public welfare.
In religious belief Judge Waddell leans to the doctrines and teachings of the Presby- terian church, in whose faith his Scotch- Irish ancestors lived and died. In the municipal and financial affairs of West Ches- ter he has always taken interest, and while refusing to accept any borough office, yet has served for several years as a director of the National bank of Chester county. His high reputation as a lawyer is well deserved. He is clear, logical and practical, and by close and exhaustive study, always fully prepared his cases for trial.
Able as a jurist, courteous as a citizen, honorable as a man, upright as a judge, William Bell Waddell has discharged all his duties to his country, his fellow-citizens, and society, in a manner that has caused him to be feared by evil doers, respected by the law-abiding, and popular with the great masses of the people.
A NTHONY WAYNE. The fearless courage and desperate energy of Gen. Anthony Wayne obtained for him, among his countrymen, the title of " Mad Anthony ;" and some of his exploits entitle him to the
193
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
distinction. He was born in Easttown, Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the 1st of January, 1745. He was educated with con- siderable care, in Philadelphia, became pro- ficient in mathematics, and commenced the business of surveying, in his native town, at the age of about eighteen years. Skill and popularity in his profession soon estab- lished his reputation permanently; and in 1765, when only twenty years of age, he was sent by a company of gentlemen to lo- eate lands for them in Nova Scotia. They made him superintendent of the settlement, but after remaining there about two years, he returned home, married, and resumed his business of surveyor, in his native county. His talent attracted general attention, and, in 1773, he was elected to a seat in the Pennsylvania assembly. He continued in that service until 1775, when he left the council for the field, having been appointed colonel in the Continental army. He ac- companied General Thomas to Canada, in the spring of 1776, and at the close of ser- vice there, he was promoted to brigadier. After a year of active service, he was en- gaged efficiently with the commander-in- chief in the battles of Brandywine, Ger- mantown, and Monmouth, in all of which his skill and valor were conspicuous. In 1779 he made a night attack upon the strong fortress at Stony Point, on the Hudson, and the entire garrison were made prisoners. It was one of the most brilliant achievements of the war, and congress rewarded him with its thanks and a gold medal. It made him the most popular man in the army, below the commander-in-chief,and his praises were spoken in every part of the land.
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