USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Historical sketches : a collection of papers prepared for the Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 2
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
hands and seals, &c., this 30th day of the 5th mo., called July, and in the year 1685.
Shakhoppah, Malebore,
Secane,
Tangoras.
Sealed and delivered to Thomas Holme, president of the provincial council, in the presence of us :
Great Men of the Indians.
Lasse Cock,
Tareckhoua,
Mouns Cock,
Penoughant,
Swan Swanson,
Wesakant,
Ism Frampton,
Kacocahahous,
Saml. Carpenter,
Nehallas,
Will Asley,
Toutamen,
Arthur Cook,
Tepasekenin,
Tryall Holme.
In the above deed all the Indians affixed their marks to their names, both the chiefs and those who witnessed it. Thus it will be seen that by this transaction, and the former one mentioned, the Indians surrendered all claims to any land in that part of Philadelphia, now embraced within the limits of Montgomery county, except that part east of the Pennypack, which was conveyed July 5, 1697, by Tamany and other Sag- amores, to Penn's agents.
By these several treaties the territory included therein became open to settlement and occupation by the white peo- ple, and Whitemarsh, among other districts, became in time industrious communities. It is not well established how or whence the township received its name. W. J. Buck, in his History of Montgomery County within the Schuylkill Valley, suggests that the name may be derived from the sand rising out of the springs at Springmill, which resembles pewter sand. On this point the opinion of the Rev. D. C. Millett, formerly pastor of St. Thomas' Church, and author of a His- tory of the Church of St. Thomas, is preferable and more likely to be correct, that the name was derived from a parish in England.
The township was settled at quite an early day. It is well authenticated that Major Jasper Farmar arrived from England, at Philadelphia, the 10th of the Ninth month, 1685,
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WHITEMARSH.
in the vessel called the Bristol Merchant, John Stephens com- mander, with his family, consisting of himself, his wife Mary, and children Edward, Richard, Jasper, Jr., Sarah, John, Robert, Catharine and Charles. Previous to his arrival in Pennsylvania, he had obtained from the Proprietary Governor a patent for himself and two of his sons, Richard and Jasper, Jr., consisting in all of about 5000 acres of land, embracing all the land in the limits of Whitemarsh, south of the Skippack and Church roads to the Schuylkill river. Holmes' map of original surveys outlines the plot of the patent quite distinctly, and in conformity to the lines of the township as at the present time. The patent is dated January 31, 1683, and recorded in the Rolls office in Philadelphia, in Book A, page 3. These facts I have from a deed in my possession dated December 30. 1708, from Edward Farmar to Henrich Kasselbery, of Ger- mantown, an original settler of that ancient bergh, containing the signature of Edward Farmar, with the coat of arms of the Farmar family and witnessed by Joshua Lawrence, a promi- nent merchant of Philadelphia, Peter Wishart, Derrick Inde- hoff, one of the burghers of Germantown, and David Lloyd, so many years speaker of the Assembly, who gave so much trouble to William Penn and James Logan. In all the deeds I have seen, I find the name is spelled Farmar instead of Farmer. It is evident that Major Farmar died shortly after his arrival in the colony, in the latter part of 1685, as by his will we find that his wife became his legatee together with his son Edward in this year.
Jasper Farmar, Jr., died just previous to his father, and as no partition of the patent had been made at the death of Major Farmar, his wife, usually known as Madame Farmar, and Catharine, wife of the said Jasper, Jr., made a partition, by which one-half of the 5000 acres by will became in fee the property of Madame Farmar, and the other one-half the pro- perty of her two sons, Richard and Jasper, Jr.
Richard Farmar, about this time, disposed of his share of 1250 acres to one Thomas Webb, who sold to Madame Far- mar this interest, making her estate jointly with her son
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Edward amount to 3750 acres. At the death of the said Madame Farmar, she by will bequeathed to her son Edward all her estate, and thus Edward Farmar became owner of three-fourths of the patent. Madame Farmar died near the close of the year 1686. Buck, Millett and others make this patent contain from 6000 to 9000 acres, which is evidently wrong, as may be seen from old deeds yet to be had.
Major Farmar was an officer in the British army, and by birth a gentleman. It is not known, I believe, that he ever lived within the limits of the township. It is presumed that after his death, his wife, Madame Farmar, resided here. At all events his son Edward became a resident, living at the present village of Whitemarsh. From the Colonial Records it is known that Major Farmar brought over with him a num- ber of servants and settled them upon his plantation, and that John Scull, who came in the same vessel, was his overseer.
All that portion of the township lying north of the Skip- pack and Church roads was originally owned by John Green and Samuel Rolls.
The name of Whitemarsh, from whence derived, and also when the township first received its present name, is not well established. In the old deed above quoted it is named Farmars- town, and in another which I have, 1720, it mentions Edward Farmar as of Farmarstown, alias Whitemarsh. Thus it appears that at this early day the present name was not universally ap- plied or used. However uncertain the origin of the name may be, we who are to the manor born cherish the name of White- marsh as among the most beautiful of our old colonial names, and shall always hold in high regard our ancestors who dis- played such good sense in selecting one so original and beau- tiful. I must just here ask the indulgence of the reader, to ex- cuse me if I suggest that the name never be parted into two words, but be written in one continuous word, which I think is the better usage.
The Indian name of the township, and I suppose the sur- rounding country, was Umbilicamence. This I have from an old deed now in possession of Silas Cleaver. On the 14th of
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WHITEMARSH.
April, 1747, the executors of Edward Farmar executed title to George Greenfield (late the property of Henry W. Schultz, de- ceased), in which they say, among other things, this property "being part of the lands by the Indians then called Umbilica- mence." Thus it will be seen that Whitemarsh and surround- ing country was known to the aborigines by this name, a name now entirely lost to residents of the township, and only brought to light in searching among old, musty documents .. .
Among the early settlers of this township were David Williams, Abraham Dawes and John Rhoads, who came before 1703 and located in the vicinity of Plymouth Meeting. They were Friends. William Trotter, a minister of the same society, was an early settler, and commenced preaching in his 21st year, at Plymouth, and died in 1794, aged 53 years.
The following list embraces the land owners and tenants, forty-eight in number, residing in the township in 1734:
Edward Farmar,
Walter Gahone,
Jonathan Robison,
Caspar Simms,
Edith Davis,
Isaac Morris,
John Klinky,
William English,
Henry Bartlestal,
William Trotter,
Marchant Maulsby,
James Stroud,
Nicholas Stiglits,
John Anderson,
Benj. Charlesworth,
Joseph Woolen,
John Morris,
Evan Jones,
Jonathan Potts,
John Scull,
Samuel Gilkey,
John Parker,
Josiah White,
Henry Rinker,
Jacob Coltman,
John Ramsay, Jr.,
Thomas Shepherd,
Edward Stroud,
David Davis,
John Ramsey,
John Petty,
John Campbell,
Margaret Nichols,
Henry Stewart,
Francis Cawly,
Jenken Davis,
David Harry,
John Patterson,
William Williams,
Joseph Fareis,
Frederick Stone,
John Coulston,
Joseph Williams, Adam Kitler,
Handle Hanseil,
Matthias Ignorance.
Lodwick Knoos,
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Edward Farmar, above noticed, son of Major Farmar, settled in Whitemarsh at what is since known as the village of Whitemarsh, where he built the first mill in the township, which in its day was known as Farmar's Mill, and for many years accommodated the entire country northward, extending to the Berks county line. The inhabitants living in what now is Upper Hanover and Franconia townships were accustomed to get their wheat and grain ground at this mill, carrying it usually on the backs of horses and return with it ready for use; far different from this age of steam and multiplicity of mills. This mill was erected some time before 1722, and on the same spot where Joseph Mathers afterwards erected his fine mill so widely known within this century, and owned subse- quently by the late Hon. William H. Witte, and now in the possession of Charles Otterson, Esq.
Edward Farmar acted frequently as Indian interpreter. On the 19th of May, 1712, an Indian treaty was made at his place, when the more prominent Delaware chiefs, Allummapist or Sasunan, Ealochelan and Scolitchy, were present, the latter being the main speaker. Governor Charles Gooken and sev- eral of his friends were present. Mr. Farmar was a justice of the courts of Philadelphia county for a period of nearly forty years, having been commissioned September 4, 1704. In May, 1701, he, with John Sotch, was sent to the Lehigh to solve the intentions of the Indians.
The church road, extending from the Oxford Church in Philadelphia to Whitemarsh, or Farmar's Mill, was laid out in or about the year 1685.
In 1698, the great road, so called in old deeds, leading to North Wales, was opened from the top of Chestnut Hill to Farmar's Mill for the purpose of hauling lime to Philadelphia, which at this early day was manufactured at this place; prob- ably on the place on the south side of the present Skippack road on the property owned by Samuel W. Comly.
Edward Farmar donated the ground upon which St. Thomas' church and grave-yard are located for a place of worship under the auspices of the Church of England, but the
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WHITEMARSH.
time of the donation is not known. Tradition, which may be at fault, has it that the first house of worship was built of logs between 1690 and 1700, but was destroyed in 1710 by fire, said to have been purposely done. In 1710 a, new struct- ure of stone was erected, which stood in the northeast corner of the old grave-yard for a space of 107 years.
Mr. Farmar was elected a member of Assembly of the colony in the year 1710. David Lloyd, who was Speaker of the Assembly for many years, and who, by his continued opposition to the proprietary interests, had incurred the enmity of James Logan to such an extent that at the election through- out the province, the old Assembly with Lloyd at their head was completely defeated, and the result was that an entirely new Assembly was chosen in its place.
Of the new body Edward Farmar was one, and continued a member of the Legislature, with few exceptions, until his death, which occurred on the 3d of November, 1745.
The large slab that covers the remains of Edward Farmar still lies in its original position, and was then in the upper part of the north aisle of the old church.
Lime was manufactured in Whitemarsh at a very early day, and probably earlier than at any other place in the prov- ince. In a letter written by Dr. Nicholas More, President of the Free Society of Traders in Pennsylvania, to William Penn, dated Green Spring, the 13th of September, 1686, and pub- lished in the fourth volume of the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, page 445, etc., it is said that " Madame Farmar has found out as good lime-stone on the Schoolkill as any in the world, and is building with it; she offers to sell ten thousand bushels at six pence the bushel, upon her plantation, where there are several considerable hills, and near to your manner of Springfield." This letter was originally printed in 1687, and a fac simile of it published by the Pennsylvania His- torical Society in 1880. The original letter is in the library of the late John Carter Brown, of Providence, R. I. The descrip- tion "on the Schoolkill" and likewise " considerable hills and near to your manner of Springfield," I think unquestionably
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
fixes the location on the property owned by Mrs. Toland, late the estate of John Righter, Sr., deceased, or the adjoining property of a Mr. Toole, as old kilns and quarries bear evi- dence of the above facts. Thus it is evident that this town- ship, so largely engaged in the production of lime throughout its entire length, from the Sandy run on the east to the Schuyl- kill on the west, for the distance of about six miles, has the honor of being the first in the province to have originated this industry.
As roads became necessary to get the lime to Philadel- phia, the Provincial Council, held May 19, 1698, upon petition of Nicholas Scull, laid out a road from Whitemarsh to inter- sect the Plymouth road at Cresheim, in old deeds, etc., the Great Road. The Chestnut Hill and Springtown turnpike was built upon the bed of this road about 1806 or 1807. The Ply- mouth road was opened in the spring of 1687 as a "cart road," for the purpose of hauling lime to Philadelphia. (This is what was known until lately as the Germantown and Perkiomen turnpike, laid out as such in 1804.) It is likely this is the first road laid out for hauling lime to the city. The Limekiln road, though not in this township, was laid out in 1693 from Ger- mantown to Upper Dublin, for the purpose of obtaining the lime from the vicinity of Fitzwatertown.
Edward Farmar was engaged in the business of lime burn- ing, as he furnished lime at various times for erection of build- ings on Springettsburg Manor to Thomas and Richard Penn, from the year 1732 until the time of his death in 1745. Fran- cis Rawle, who settled in Plymouth in 1685 (but remained only a short time), says in his Account of Pennsylvania, printed by S. Keimer, "lime-stone we have great plenty, also marble."
St. Thomas' Church and parish, as already mentioned, owes its existence to the munificence of Mr. Farmar. Accord- ing to tradition it was built originally between 1690 and 1700 of logs, but burnt down in 1710, when it was rebuilt of stone, and stood for 107 years. From the year 1710 the history of the parish is well preserved and authentic. This is one of the
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WHITEMARSH.
early churches of the Episcopalians, and almost coeval with Christ's, Radnor or Oxford churches.
It was about 1695 that a clergyman of the Church of England, the Rev. Mr. Clayton, first established episcopal ser- vices in Philadelphia. He died, however, in 1698. He was followed in 1700 by the Rev. Evan Evans, for many years the rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia. It is supposed that both Clayton and Evans officiated at this place; at least, it is known that the latter was quite an industrious rector, and min- istered to the different churches from fifteen to sixteen miles from Philadelphia. In 1718 the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts sent over the Rev. Mr. Weyman as the missionary at Oxford and Radnor. In this charge he remained until 1732, when he resigned that of Radnor and confined his labors principally to Oxford and St. Thomas, Whitemarsh. Rev. Mr. Buchanan, in his account of the Oxford church, says, "Two congregations, which from that time con- tinued to be associated under one minister until a comparatively late period." Mr. Weyman was succeeded in these two churches, June 24, 1733, by Rev. Alexander Howie. Very little is known of the history of his church during the nine years of his pastor- ate, when he left for the West Indies. There is no account of vestrymen until 1742, when John Barge and Hugh Burke were elected wardens, and Thomas Bartholomew, William Malchor, Edd. Burk, Francis Colly, William Dewees, Sr., and John Burk, vestrymen. Rev. Alexander Currie succeeded Mr. Howie, who in turn was followed by Rev. Eneas Ross. With this church, in connection with the one at Oxford, he remained fifteen years, or until 1758, with great acceptance, always as- siduous in the discharge of his duties.
Among the vestrymen at this time, or until 1766, occur the names of Leverew, Renolds, Sternard, and Donat. Of a later date the names of Aiman, Cleaver, Hague, Nash, Shay, Summerfield, Redherfer, Horner, Wooling. Barge, Bisbing. Robeson and Gilkeson occur, whose descendants are quite numerous in the surrounding neighborhood and among our best citizens.
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Mr. Ross was the first pastor who kept a record of bap- tisms and marriages, and was the last to do so for nearly half a century. On Mr. Ross's transfer to New Castle, Del., Rev. Hugh Neill took charge, namely, in 1758. In speaking of St. Thomas's congregation in 1758, he says: "There are one hun- dred and fifty attendants at church at Whitemarsh; not more than thirty are church members (i. e. communicants), while the rest are dissenters or young Dutch people who have learned English." After 1766, when Mr. Neill left the church, it is probable that Rev. Dr. Smith officiated occasionally in this parish on to about 1799.
It is very much to be regretted that the records of this church were lost-those covering the entire period previous to 1786, with the exception of one book containing the records from 1742 until 1766. This church, in common with all other congregations in connection with the Church of England, had its difficulties and trials as the Revolution progressed, and for the space of twenty years (from 1766 to 1786) the church was closed. During the war this church suffered very much from the destruction of the edifice itself, and of the tomb-stones and grounds in connection with it.
Among the old graves in the yard is one of very early date-a rude one-marked:
Here Lyeth the body of James Allison, who departed this life Oct. the 2nd, 1727, aged 45 years.
Among others are several showing the poetical effusions prevalent in those early or olden times, as follows :
In Memory of Richard Taylor, deceased, Nov. ye 28th, 1732, aged S2 years.
My life is spent, My glass is run, To eternity my soul is gone. As I am now, so sure you'll be, Prepare therefore to follow me.
In Mem. of John, son of John and Eliz Barge, who dep. this life ye 27 of Dec. 1749. A. E. 7 yrs. 9 mos.
From death's arrest no age is free, Young children die and so must we; Reader, since minutes tly so fast, Improve the present as thy last.
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WHITEMARSH.
Here lyeth the remains of John Barge, who departed this life June 5, A. I). 1755, aged 40 yrs. 7 mos. & 26 days.
Life is a cheat, And always show it, I thought so once, But now I know it.
The late Benjamin Jones, an esteemed citizen of White- marsh, who died in 1872, in the 76th year of his age, often told me that it was a well authenticated tradition in their family (he having been born in Montgomery township and of Welsh descent) that when the Welsh were examining the country with a view to making a permanent settlement, they made a tour ยท through Whitemarsh, and came to the conclusion that the labor to clear the land would be too arduous on account of the heavy timber with which it was encumbered and the thick underbrush it contained, especially in the valley and along the Wissahickon creek. After a thorough search they passed on, and finally settled in and about Gwynedd or North Wales. And thus, on account of the fertility of the soil and the heavy forests, was lost to Whitemarsh some of the best people that ever settled in the colony. I have frequently heard from other old residents that the native forests of this township were very heavily timbered, and especially was this the fact in the valley between Militia and Edge Hills. The timber in the lowlands consisted of different kinds of oak, walnut, ash, maple, etc., and upon the hills bordering on the valley chestnut of fine and large growth grew in abundance.
The celebrated preacher, Rev. George Whitefield, visited this township during his tour through the colonies, as in his journal, published in 1756, he relates the following account of the trip:
"Set out, April 18, 1740, about 9 o'clock, for Whitemarsh, about 12 miles from Philadelphia. Had nearly forty horse in company before we reached the place. Preached to upwards of two thousand people, and perceived great numbers of them much melted down and brought under convictions, when I made free to them of Jesus and his benefits if they would be- lieve on him; took a little refreshment at a Quaker's, baptised two children belonging to the Church of England at his house ;
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
returned back to and preached at Germantown, with much of the Divine Presence, to near four thousand hearers."
, Nicholas Scull, at one time Surveyor General of Pennsyl- vania, was, as we know, a resident of this township for some length of time. It is believed that he lived on the property now owned by the heirs of J. Gillingham Fell, Esq., situated in the east corner of the township, on Sandy run. As a surveyor he had few equals, and his knowledge of the Indian language made him quite an important personage at treaties, where he frequently officiated very ably. He was engaged with his bro- ther, John Scull, as an interpreter by Governor Gordon, in May, 1728, at Conestoga, to hold a council with the Indians. In the same year he was sent to New Hanover township to allay a disturbance between several Indians and whites, which he suc- cessfully accomplished with presents for the former. In 1729 he was sent to Shamokin on a similar errand. Governor Thomas sent him to the Minesinks, up the Delaware, to settle a difficulty between an Indian and a white man named Henry Webb, in which the latter was wounded. He was commis- sioned Sheriff of Philadelphia in October, 1744, and continued for several years to perform the duties of the office.
About this time candidates commenced to set forth their claims for public support. This occurred in the person of Mor- decai Lloyd, in 1744, begging the good people for their votes by his publications in German and English. At the same time Nicholas Scull, his opponent, and who was elected, apologized for the " new mode" he was compelled to resort to .- Watson's Annals, Vol. 2, page 238.
In June, 1748, upon the resignation of William Parsons, the Surveyor General of the colony, on account of ill health, Mr. Scull was appointed in his place, which office he held for thirteen years, until his death, which took place in 1761. His wife Abigail died May 21, 1753, in her 65th year, and was buried in the family burying-ground near Whitemarsh line, in Upper Dublin township, on Camp Hill. He published a map of his own surveys of the more improved parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania in 1759. His daughter, Mary Scull, married
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WHITEMARSH.
William Biddle, whose son Edward served in the war of the Revolution, was a member of the Assembly, Speaker of the House, and member of Congress. His grandson, William Scull, published a large map of Pennsylvania in 1770, and be- came Deputy Surveyor General. Mr. Millett says that this Nicholas Scull was a brother of John, the overseer who came to Pennsylvania with Major Farmar; but this is questioned, as Buck is inclined to believe that he was a son of that Nicholas who came with Mr. Farmar, which is most likely to be correct. No grave-stone marks the resting place of Nicholas Scull, while one marked that of his wife. Some years ago, by some accident, it was broken off, and some relic hunter took it away, when it found its way to the archives of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where it now is.
On the property owned by Lewis A. Lukens, of Con- shohocken, adjoining the Williams school, is an old grave-yard that dates far back into the early days of the township, and has never to my knowledge been referred to by any one curious in old-time things. It contains the graves of quite a number of persons prominent in their day and generation. It was originally enclosed by a substantial wall, and of quite consider- able size. The walls are at present in a dilapidated condition, and at some time, and probably in the near future, the walls may find their way into fences and buildings and the land be devoted to agricultural purposes, as it appears that none of the descendants give it any consideration or care. I will here give a list of those buried in the yard, as in a few years it may not be known who repose in its limits, viz .:
John Nichol Knight, died December 29, 1722, aged 40 years, 10 months.
Susanna Menan (child), died February 20, 1763.
Susanna Menan, died October 28, 1787, aged 71 years. Sarah Menan, died December 12, 1796, aged 39 years. John, son of Patrick and Susanna Menan, died at Penn's Neck, October 12, 1768, aged 25 years.
Patrick Menan, died February 5, 1791, aged 80 years.
Levi Trump, died November S, 1784, aged 29 months.
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Mary, wife of Jacob Siddon, died May 24, 1797, aged 26 years.
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