USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Chester > Historical sketch of Chester, on Delaware > Part 13
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When the new banking house was completed the old dwelling was rented to various tenants, although the title was retained by Preston Eyre, even after he had resigned his position in the bank, and following Greeley's advice, before Greeley ever announced his celebrated cure for all business ill, had gone West. March 24, 1844, Preston Eyre conveyed the premises to Hon. Edward Dar- lington, who married a daughter of Eyre's, and had lived in the dwelling several years before he purchased it. Mr. Darlington was admitted to the Delaware county bar April 9, 1821. He was ap- pointed Deputy Attorney General for Delaware county soon after his admission and prosecuted for the Commonwealth in the trial of Willington, Labbe and Buys, in 1824, for the murder of Bonsall. He was Representative of this district in Congress for three con-
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secutive terms from 1833 to 1839, and was at that time in full practice in his profession. About fifteen years ago Mr. Darlington retired from active work, and to-day, although in his eighty-eighth year, his faculties are not impaired, and he delights to relate his recollections of past generations to the attentive auditory of this.
Hon. Edward Darlington, November 13, 1858, conveyed the premises to Jane Flavill, wife of Edward E Flavill. Mrs. Flavill. now well stricken in years, has been an active business woman all her life, and built a number of houses in the Borough when the hamlet began to arouse its sluggish energies. The building now owned and occupied by the First National Bank was erected by her. March 25, 1863, she sold the house and part of the ground she purchased from Mr. Darlington to Thomas Moore, who carried on therein a successful hardware business for many years, when he retired and now devotes his attention to scientific study and inves- tigation. To Mr. Moore's efforts is due the organization of the Chester Institute of Science and Mechanic Arts, a body which is destined to be of much influence in developing a desire for higher and better education among the great mass of our citizens.
The Thomas Barton House.
John Wade, of Essex House, by his deed, July 27-8, 1736, con- veyed to Thomas Barton a tract of ground which from the peculiar bend in Chester creek, its eastern boundary, was known as the " Horse Shoe." The plot contained a trifle over seventy-one acres, and was sold subject to the payment of ten shillings annually for- ever, toward the support of a free school in Philadelphia. In Sep- tember of the same year, John Wade conveyed twenty-two and a half acres to Thomas Barton in addition to those already purchased, subject to two shillings yearly forever, for the like purpose, which charge on the land had been created by the will of Robert Wade.
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Subsequently, the directors accepted a. ground rent on Arch street, Philadelphia, and discharged the Wade estate from the payment of the annual rent mentioned.
Thomas Barton, who was an Irishman, is said to have been a sea captain, and retiring from that avocation, he settled in Chester, where he married and became the ancestor of the Barton family of Delaware county. He had, however, between the date of the pur- chase of this land and the conveyance of the estate to Jonas Pres- ton, been engaged in coachmaking, for in the deed to the latter, February 19, 1759, the grantors are described as " Thomas Barton, coachmaker, and Susanna, his wife," and in referring to the Wade deeds, it is stated " the said Thomas Barton has since (1736) erect- ed a brick messuage or tenement thereon." This house is still standing in the rear of Joshua P. Eyre's mansion on Seventh street.
Jonas Preston was the youngest son of William Preston, of Bradley, Yorkshire, England, (who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1718, and settled in Bucks county, where William died previous to 1722, for in that year his widow married Thomas Canby.) Jonas was born in England, in 1710. He married, when quite a young man, Jane Paxson, who hecame the mother of eleven children, and dying in 1749, the widower married a widow, Sarah Carter-her maiden name was Plumsley-but she dying in 1754, Jonas, who had removed to this neighborhood about two years before that date, married for the third time in 1756, his bride on this occasion being Hannah, widow of Wm. Lewis, of Haverford. She died after a brief marriage life, and Jonas, being as susceptible to the blandish- ments of attractive widows as was the late Tony Weller, again took unto himself a helpmate, in 1763, the fourth wife of his bosom being Mary, widow of John Lee, of Chester, and daughter of John and Abigail Yarnall, of Edgmont. By his fourth wife Jonas had one son, Dr. Jonas Preston, one of the most finished characters the annals of our Commonwealth can furnish. The elder Jonas, al- though he may not have had an eye to accumulation, yet out of his four speculations in matrimony he contrived to wed three widows, each with considerable estates. He died in New Castle, Delaware, February 1, 1772. One year previous to his death, Jonas Preston, Sr., and Mary, his wife, (January 16, 1771,) by deed of gift, con- veyed the house and grounds to Thomas Sharpless and Martha, his
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wife. Martha was Jonas Preston, Sr.'s daughter by his first wife, Jane Paxson.
Jonas Preston, the younger, was born in the old dwelling, Janu- ary 25, 1764. He read medicine with Dr. Bond, of Philadelphia, attended lectures at the Pennsylvania Hospital, and after the usual course of medical instruction attainable at that time in the United States, he went to Europe, graduating at the University of Edin- burgh in 1785, and subsequently attended lectures at Paris. On his return to this country, he located at Wilmington, Delaware, for a short time, and removed to Georgia, but returning to Chester he entered energetically into the duties of his profession, and soon ac- quired an extensive practice in Chester and Delaware counties, confining himself almost entirely to obstetrics, in which special de- partment he soon established a reputation extending beyond the limits of the territory mentioned. During the Whisky Insurrec- tion, in 1794, he volunteered as surgeon in the army. This caused him to be expelled from meeting, but he frequently said, Friends might disown him, but he would not disown them. He represented Delaware county for eight terms in the Legislature, from 1794 to 1802, and in 1808 he was elected State Senator, where he was dis- tinguished for his liberal views and sagacious foresight. About 1817, he removed from Chester to Philadelphia, but previously was elected President of the Bank of Delaware County, succeeding John Newbold. While here he was an ardent advocate of all meas- ures having for their object agricultural improvements. After his removal to Philadelphia he enjoyed a large and remunerative prac- tice, but notwithstanding his busy life he had time to take an ac- tive part in inany benevolent objects. He was a constant visitor to that end at the Pennsylvania Hospital and Friends' Asylum, at Frankford. He was also a Director of the Pennsylvania Bank, Schuylkill Navigation Company and other corporations. During his long professional career he had so frequently seen distress among the honest poorer classes, that when he died, Monday, April 4, 1836, he left by will four hundred thousand dollars " towards founding an institution for the relief of indigent married women of good character, distinct and unconnected with any hospital, where they may be received and provided with proper obstetric aid for their delivery, with suitable attendance and comforts during
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their period of weakness and susceptibility, which ensues." Under this provision in his will was established Preston's Retreat, in Philadelphia, one of the noblest institutions of enlarged charity within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Dr. Preston was buried in Friends' grave yard, on Elgmont avenue, in this city, but his remains.have been removed therefrom in recent years.
William Sharpless, and Ann, his wife, March 12, 1806, conveyed the old house to Jonas Eyre, the nephew by marriage, of the grant- ors. His father, Isaac Eyre, having married Ann Preston, a sister of Martha, William Sharpless' first wife. Jonas Eyre, married in 1761, but his wife died a few years afterwards, leaving two sons, and the widower married the second time, November 11, 1801, Su- sanna, daughter of Joshua and Mary Pusey. By the second wife he had two sons who grew to manhood, William and Joshua Pusey Eyre. Jonas Eyre died March 21, 1836, and by his will, June 4, 1834, devised the real estate under consideration to the two named sons in equal shares.
Joshua P. Eyre and his brother William, early in life, embarked in business in Chester, for many years keeping a general country store, and at the same time were interested in freighting in the " Jonas Preston," the Chester packet, owned by them. They ac- cumulated large means, and at one time were all-powerful in poli- tics in the county. Joshua P. Eyre, during the years 1840-'41, was a member of the Legislature; he was a Director of the Dela- ware County Bank, and one of the Directors of the Delaware County Insurance Company, as was also his brother William.
William Eyre married Anna Louisa, daughter of Dr. Job H. Terrill. She died leaving one son, Joshua P. Eyre, Jr. By his second wife, Rebecca Pusey, daughter of Caleb Churchman, he had three children, Caleb C., William P., and Rebecca Eyre, the latter now Mrs. William Wilson. William Eyre died many years before his brother, Joshua P., whose death occurred April 1, 1872. In the distribution of the estate, the old house became the property of Joshua P. Eyre, Jr., who lived in the ancestral home for many years, and now, although he has built a stately dwelling almost im- mediately in front of the old house, he steadfastly refuses to raze the antiquated structure to the ground, but keeps it in repairs be-
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Historical Sketch of Chester.
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cause of the many recollections and memories associated with the family homestead.
The Old Lloyd House, Second and Edgmont Avenue.
David Lloyd obtained title for the green, or the church land ly- ing between the creek and Welsh street, and south of Neeles Laer- son's tract of ground to the river Delaware, December 28, 1693, by deed from the church wardens of the Swedish congregation, " at Wiccocc," which act on his part is criticised severely by Rev. Mr. Ross, in his letter, June 21, 1714, to the Society for the Propaga- tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts . " Ye Glebe lands," he said, alluding to this tract, " was irreligiously sold by some Swedes un- der ye name of church wardens, to a powerful Quaker, who now plows and sows it, and disposes of it at his pleasure, but 'tis hoped his precarious title will be one day inquired into, and the Church restored to her rights again." This tract, which had been given to the Swedes' church by Armgardt " Pappegoya," could not be wrenched out of the strong grasp of David Lloyd, and notwith- standing the determined opposition of Jasper Yeates, lie succeeded in having the land confirmed to him by the Proprietary Govern- ment.
That the house at the south-east corner of Edgmont avenue and Second street was built by David Lloyd seems absolutely certain, since in his deed to William Pickles, May 4, 1703, it is specifically set out in the indenture that the house was at that time erected. Its appearance supports the statement, for its architecture marks it as cotemporaneous with the Logan and Hoskins houses. Pickles died seized of the premises, and his executors, Jasper Yeates and Thomas Powell, March 26, 1709, sold the house to John Baldwin, and the latter, by will, April 2, 1731, devised the estate to his
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grandsons, John Baldwin and John Pierce. These devisees, Bald- win's wife, Anna, joining in the deed, April 4, 1758, conveyed the property to Jonas Preston, the father of Dr. Jonas Preston, which family I have mentioned fully in the account of the Thomas Barton House. After the old dwelling came into the possession of Jonas Preston, he built a wharf on the creek, part of the stone work now standing, and on the site of the present ice house by the creek side, he erected a stone store house which stood until after the middle of this century, when it had degenerated into a place to keep swine. Jonas Preston died intestate, and March 16, 1773, Martha, a daughter, who had married Thomas Sharpless, took this property at its appraised value in proceeding in partition of her fa- ther's estate, and four days after she sold the premises to John Wall, a merchant of Philadelphia, who had married Hannah Grubb, widow of Richard Flower, of Chichester. The purchaser never lived in the house, but after May 16, 1777, John Flower, (Wall's step-son) on his marriage to Elizabeth Beethom, at the Chester Meeting, resided in the old building It is traditionally stated that Elizabeth Flower was so alarmed when the battle of Bran- dywine was fought-the noise of the distant cannonading could be heard in Chester-that she was taken ill, and so serious were the effects of her fright that she lingered a long time on the eve of dissolution, and died in October of the following year. This blow was so serious to her husband that it tinged his remaining years with a sadness that he could never shake off or overcome. Who occupied the house thereafter I have been unable to learn, but Feb- ruary 20, 1782, John Wall and wife sold the estate to William Sid- dons, subject to £6 4s. Od., the dower of the widow of Jonas Preston, and at her death £103 6s 8d., the principal, to che lat- ter's heirs.
William Siddons, during the latter part of the eighteenth cen- tury, was unfortunately charged with the murder of a peddler of jewelry, who was found with his throat cut near Munday's run, and the body robbed of all the money the dead man was supposed to have had about him at the time of the homicide. When the crime was perpetrated and Siddons was under suspicion, a rhymster of rude verse of that day, composed a ballad, beginning :
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"At Munday's Run, near Chester town, Old Siddons knocked the peddler down, And robbed him of his golden store And left him weltering in his gore."
Siddons was arrested, indicted and tried, but on the hearing of the case he was enabled to prove a complete and uncontradicted alibi, while the prosecution was predicated purely on circumstan- tial evidence which failed to connect the accused in any direct way with the commission of the crime. The fact that he was charged by some of his neighbors with a felony of such hideous character embittered his entire after life. William Siddons died June 22, 1820, and by his will he devised his estate for life to his wife, with remainder to his children. The old house after his death was oc- cupied by Hannah Pyewell, Samuel Pullen and other tenants until October 19, 1867, when William H. Lewis, Trustee, appointed by the Orphans' Court of Delaware county to make sale of the pro- perty, conveyed it to Lewis Ladomus. During the latter part of Mr. Ladomus' ownership of the house the premises were occupied as a restaurant by John Hanley, a well known citizen of Chester, from whom the Hanley Fire Company derived its name. "Jack " Hanley, who in the latter ten years of his life was totally blind, was in all probability a descendant from John of the same cogno- men, who was a prominent man and owner of large estates in Ches- ter, about the middle of the eighteenth century. The dwelling . part of the ancient building is now occupied by Elwood Long as a residence, and Emma Hewitt has a grocery in the store room at the corner of the streets. Lewis Ladomus conveyed the premises to Albert L. Bonnaffon, August 7, 1875, and he in turn sold the pro- perty to Jonathan Pennell, who now owns it.
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The Ashbridge House.
The ancient dwelling standing on the east side of Edgmont ave- nue, between Second and Graham streets, is partly built on the site of the House of Defense. The ground on which it stands was part of the estate of Jasper Ycates, who devised it to certain of his heirs, for July 13, 1728, George McCall and Ann, his wife, (Jas- per's eldest daughter) and John Yeates, by release, granted this house and other lots to George Ashbridge. The latter was a Friend, who as early as 1688 emigrated, as a young man, to Penn- sylvania and settled near Chester. Who it was built the house I fail to learn, but in all probability Geeorge McCall or John Yeates did, for the title to the ground was in these parties fully eight years after the death of Jasper Yeates, before they parted with the premises. Ashbridge, by his will, March 1, 1747 8, devised the estate to his second son, George, who seems to have been an adroit politician, for, elected to the General Assembly in 1743, he man- aged to maintain the confidence of Friends (he being one of the society) until 1773. How, for thirty consecutive years he contrived to avoid committing himself on many of the votes taken during the long French war, which appropriated men and money to carry on that struggle, is incomprehensible, but in the latter year the so- ciety " report they have taken an oppty with one of the represent- atives in Assembly and that he do not apprehend culpable," and yet Judge Futhey, in his History of Chester county states that "it is somewhat singular that his vote on some of the questions was not called up for condemnation by the society to which he be- longed." That he was active in the Assembly and must have been a man of more than the general average out of which representa- tives are made, is evidenced by the perusal of the Journal of Sam- uel Foulke, (vol 5, Penna. Mag. of History, pp. 64, 65, 6S and 71.) The second George Ashbridge dying seized of the estate, the Or- phans' Court of Chester county, in proceedings in partition ad- judged the premises to his eldest son, George Ashbridge, the third of that name in the chain of title, who sold it May 5, 1797, to Dorothy Smith and Zedekiah Wyatt Graham, sister and brother of
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Henry Hale Graham, as joint tenants. Dorothy, who had married John Smith, of Lower Chichester, 12th mo., 4, 1783, was a widow at this time. Zedekiah Graham was a wealthy bachelor, and the brother and sister lived together in this house. Of the brother, Deborah Logan writes : " He was a man of such integrity and worth that I have heard him characterized as an Israelite, indeed, in whom there was no guile." The affection between them was so marked that in his will he gave to her the income of his whole es- tate during life, while she devised to her brother one-third of her property absolutely. Zedekiah Graham died of yellow fever in 1798, and his sister, who nursed him in his illness was attacked by the scourge, and sent for her nephew, William Graham, who had abandoned his home and fled to the country to escape the pesti- lence. It is related that the latter sat on his horse in the street, while the nurse from the second story window informed him as to the disposition his aunt wished to make of her estate ; thus the will was written, attached to a string and drawn up to the chamber of the dying woman who refused to permit any of her kin to visit her and thereby encounter the risk of infection. By her will, Novem- ber 17, 1798, (the whole title to the house having vested in her by survivorship) she devised it to her nephew and four nieces in equal parts. Three ot the nieces and the nephew conveyed their interests to Catharine G., the fourth niece, and wife of Capt. Thomas Rob- inson, in October, 1812.
Thomas Robinson was a captain in the merchants' service, but during the Tripolitan war a Lieutenant under Commodore Preble when that officer, in command of the American squadron bombard- ed Tripoli, June 21, 1804. Robinson was in charge of one of the bombards-vessels carrying mortars-on that occasion ; the shrouds of his vessel were shot away, and her hull so shattered that it was with the utmost difficulty she could be kept above water. During the war of 1812, he was a volunteer Lieutenant in the Navy, and was on board the frigate " President " when the latter vessel was captured. As will be remembered, Commodore Decatur, in com- mand of the " President," went to sea from New York, January 14, 1815, and at daylight the following morning the American offi- cer discovered that the English squadron, comprising the seventy- gun ship " Majestic," the fifty-guns frigates " Endymion," " Po-
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monæ " and " Tenedos" were in chase of the vessel. By noon Decatur found that he was outsailing all of the enemy's ships ex- cept the " Endymion," which vessel had steadily gained on hin), until at five o'clock in the evening that frigate had obtained a po- sition on his starboard quarter, and opened a destructive fire on the sails and rigging of his vessel. Decatur was compelled to bear up and engage the enemy in the hope of disabling her before the remaining vessels could arrive to her assistance. A warm action of two hours and a half followed, which resulted in the British frigate dropping astern, her guns silenced and her masts gone by the board. During the latter part of the battle with the " Endym- ion," Robinson had charge of the trumpet. It is stated that the first, fourthi and fifth Lieutenants on the " President" were killed or wounded, and Decatur called for Lieutenant Gallagher to take the trumpet, but Robinson, " hearing the hail, came up from the gun deck," whereupon Decatur said : "Take the trumpet, sir," and Robinson took command of the deck The American frigate made sail and attempted to escape, but the English squadron had come within gunshot of the " President " while that vessel was engaged in the encounter with the " Endymion," and being crippled by the heavy fire she had sustained, Decatur was compelled to strike his flag to the British frigates " Tenedos" and " Pomona."
Captain Robinson, after his discharge as a prisoner of war-for the naval action was fought after the treaty of peace had been signed-returned to the merchant service, but the news of the loss of the American packet ship " Albion" on the coast of Ireland, April 21, 1822, as well as the explosion of the steamboat " Essex" in New York harbor, under his own command, and the frightful loss of life on those occasions, so impressed Robinson with the re- sponsibility appertaining to the office of captain of a vessel that he refused ever again to take command of a ship.
Catharine G. Robinson, his wife, died January 24, 1836, and by her will, February 27, 1834, devised the house to her daughter, Sarah P. Combs.
Sarah P. (Robinson) Combs, in whom the property vested, lived in the old house for many years, and vacating it, she rented the dwelling to John Harris, a shipbuilder, and after several tenants had occupied it, the premises were leased to Mrs. Mary A. Wheat-
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on, mother of Chief of Police, Lewis D. Wheaton, who resided in the house for seventeen years, and vacated it only about a year ago, when the old building was rented as an office by Messrs. Black & Worrell, for their cocoa matting works. Sarah P. Combs died March 5, 1865, and the title to the old Ashbridge house vested in her children, who still own the premises.
Lamokin Hall. .
The original Salkeld House, built about 1708 by John Salkeld, Sr., as it now stands in the way of Norris street, between Third street and the P. W. & B. Railroad, must shortly be removed to make room for improvements on that thoroughfare. During the last half century it was used as the tenant house on the Kenilworth estate after John W. Ashmead built the large mansion, in 1838- since torn down-and also by Dr. William Young, who purchased the estate in 1849. The Perkins' House, or as it was known to a past generation, " Lamokin Hall," was erected many years after- wards by John Salkeld, a son of the noted original emigrant of that name.
John Bristow, to whom a large tract of land was granted by patent from the Proprietary, died seized of the estate, and his son John, an edge tool maker, February 25, 1702-3, conveyed to Henry Wooley, a goodly number of these acres. The latter in turn, Jan- uary 27, 1706-7, conveyed the premises to John Salkeld, a man of means and education, whose ready wit, and quickness in repartee, made him noted in his generation, and many of his telling rejoind- ers are recounted even to this day. Salkeld visited this country in 1700, before he settled permanently here, and on the 9th of 7th month, 1705, he and his wife Agnes (Powley) sailed for Philadel- phia. In the following year he purchased the property mentioned and came to this vicinity to reside. He was an effective preacher,
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