USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania: From the Discovery of the Delaware to the Present Time (Volume 1 and 2) > Part 25
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
it was granted we do not know. It is supposed to have spanned the stream where its successor, of masonry, resting on seven arches, was built, 1800, which stands the admiration of all beholders." A bridge was likewise built across the small creek in 1764. At that day the method of building bridges was different from now. When the inhabitants of a locality wished to bridge a stream, they raised all the money they could, and went to work and built the bridge. When done, a petition was presented to the court stating they had built a bridge, and asked that it might be viewed by persons appointed, and the county pay the balance of the cost. The viewers not only inspected the bridge, but examined the accounts of the managers. Their report had to be approved by the grand jury and be confirmed by the court before the
EDISON BRIDGE.
county assumed any of the cost. Another method was likewise resorted to: the people of the neighborhood first raised all the money they could, and then asked enough from the county to finish the work.
Doctor Samuel Moore, a physician of West Jersey, son-in-law of Doctor Robert Patterson, first director of the United States Mint, Philadelphia, set- tled at Bridge Point early in the last century, where he made valuable improve- ments and carried on an extensive business. Soon after graduating and mar- riage, 1798, Doctor Moore located at the village of Dublin, Bedminster, but after removed to Trenton. Failing health drove him from his profession, and he spent the next nine years trading to the East Indies. In 1808 he returned to Bucks county and purchased the grist and oil-mills at Bridge Point. There he erected a saw-mill, with shops and dwellings, store and school house and after- ward a woolen factory. On an elevated and beautiful site he built a large mansion for himself-the same dwelling now owned by Thomas Haddon, but
8 When this handsome bridge was built, a century ago, one of the county com- missioners was John Brock, grandfather of the late cashier John J. Brock, Doylestown, and he living in the vicinity, no doubt superintended it. It is one of the best bridges in the county, despite its age.
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has been considerably improved. Doctor Moore was one of the most active in the erection of the first Presbyterian church, Doylestown, toward which he gave two hundred dollars. In 1818 he was elected to Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Ingham and was twice re-elected, and 1824, appointed Director of the Mint, Philadelphia, to succeed Doctor Patter- son. He retired from office in 1835, and the remainder of his life was de- voted to private affairs.º
Robert Patterson, the father-in-law of Doctor Moore, was sufficiently identified with this county to be mentioned in these pages. Born in Ulster, Ireland, May 30, 1743, he immigrated to America in 1768, arriving at Phila- delphia in October. A week afterward he set out, on foot, for Bucks county to obtain a school. He was first employed between Hinkletown and the Dela- ware, but afterward took charge of a school at what was known as the "Low Dutch settlement," Northampton township. Here he boarded in the family of Dominie Jonathan DuBois, and among his pupils were the daughters of Judge Wynkoop. The rest of his family came to America, 1773 and 1774. He was an assistant surgeon in the Continental army, and appointed Director of the Mint at Philadelphia by President Jefferson, 1805, which he filled until just before his death, 1824. He was thirty-five years professor of mathematics in the University of Pennsylvania, and the honorary degree of LL. D., was con- ferred upon him, 1816, by that institution. His son, Doctor Robert Patterson, afterward professor of natural philosophy in the University of Virginia, as- sisted the Rev. Uriah DuBois in his school at Doylestown immediately after graduating in 1804.
The beginning of the last century, probably about 1812-15, Duncan Mac- Greggor opened a classical school at Bridge Point, a mile below Doylestown, and kept it for several years. He had charge of the department of languages and mathematics and other higher branches, while his two daughters instructed in the ordinary studies. The third child was a son. To this school the families of Pugh, Meredith, Chapman, DuBois, and others, the leaders in the commun- ity, sent their sons. Among those educated there was Benjamin Lear, brother of the late Attorney General Lear, who was born on the Rodman farm, War- wick, 1809. There was some romance connected with the MacGreggors, but it was never revealed, nor was it known what became of them. In subsequent years the late Judge Chapman in his leisure moments wrote a romance of which the MacGreggars were the heroes and heroines.
When Doctor Moore carried on the woolen factory at Bridge Point, there were four other machines in the county for breaking and carding wool, one at Jacob Stover's on the Tohickon, near Piper's tavern, another at the Milford mill, Middletown, and two at the Great Spring mill near New Hope.
John Fitzinger, sometimes called Fritzinger, who owned the farm where the late Thomas W. Trego lived, and now owned by W. Atlee Burpee and known as the "Fordhook Farm," a mile west of Doylestown, in the recollec- tion of many now living, was a Hessian soldier captured at Trenton, 1776. He refused to be exchanged, and wished to remain in the country. On being taken before Washington and asked what he could do, as he declined to enlist in the American army, he replied that he could make powder. He was sent up to Sumneytown to be out of reach of the enemy, where he worked in the powder-mills. At that time the army had a large quantity of damaged powder on hand, which Fitzinger was employed to make into a good article. He is
9 Dr. Moore died in Philadelphia, February, 186r.
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said to have made the first glazed powder manufactured in America. At the close of the war he bought the farm referred to and became a useful citizen. The late Captain William McHenry, Pike county, had the short sword Fit- zinger wore when captured at Trenton. The mounting was solid silver, and pricked on the silver plate at the hilt are the figures, 1776.
Nearly seventy-five years ago one Bering came from South Carolina to Bucks county, in order to liberate his slaves, thought to have been his own children. He purchased the farm on the Neshaminy, two miles west of Doyles- town, later Monroe Buckman's, where he lived several years. An island in the creek was called by his name, and on it a celebration was held July 4, 1824, and participated in by the citizens and military. Two beautiful arbors were erected, one for ladies, the other for gentlemen. The Berings removed many years ago to parts unknown.
This township contains but one village worthy the name, Doylestown, the county-seat, but has several hamlets. A mile below Doylestown is the Turk, of a dozen dwellings, and its tavern swung the head of a Turk on its sign- board, but in recent years has gone out of license. As long ago as 1814, when John Brunner was the landlord, it was called "Turk's Head.""" An attempt was made many years ago to change the name of this hamlet to Houghville, but the public would not consent to it and it is still called by its old name. When, in 1810, it was decided that the county seat should be removed from Newtown, John Hough, who owned a considerable tract of land about the Turk, laid out the plan of a town, and offered it for the seat of justice. The plat extended north from the Turk tavern to the head of the mill-pond, with square's laid out on each side of the Easton road, with intersecting streets every few hundred feet, one crossing the mill-race just below the breast of the dam and running toward Newtown. Sites for the "court," "offices," and "gaol" are marked on the ridge near Thomas Doyle's house, the first two on the west side of the Easton road and the other on the east with a broad street in front. The other hamlets are New Britain, on the southwestern border, the seat of the Baptist church that bears the same name of the township, with a railroad station and a dozen dwellings. Furlong, formerly Bushington, on the York road on the east, which has a licensed house, and Cross Keys on the Easton Road on the north, each partly in Doylestown, and partly in the adjoining township. The New Britain Baptist church and grave yard are wholly in the township. The village of Doylestown, seat of justice of the county, is situated in the eastern part of the township a mile from the Buckingham line. The bridge that spans Neshaminy at Castle Valley was built in 1835. The first stone house in that vicinity, torn down over half a century, is said to have stood on the farm formerly owned by Ezra Smith, and was a story and a half high, with a steep pitch roof and oaken doors in two folds, and windows with shutters but no glass. A mile west of Doylestown is an old-fashioned stone Mennonite church, built many years ago. Among the ministers who have officiated there we find the names of Kephart, Jacob Kulb, Abraham Godshall, John Gross, Isaac Godshall, Isaac Rickert. Jacob Hiestand, and Samuel Gross, and of deacons Yoder. John Haldeman and Daniel Gross. It is the oldest church edifice standing in
middle Bucks, 1012
10 The.mill at the Turk was built about 1735, by Hugh Miller, of Warwick.
1012 The old church building was replaced by a new one, 1900, and the first service held in it. Sunday, September 9th. The style of architecture of the old building is retained. the size is sixty-four by forty-two feet, one story and basement, and will
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
In 1896-97, the buildings for a "National Farm School" were erected a mile west of the county seat, in Doylestown township on the 130 acre farm formerly belonging to the late Judge Watson. It was purchased for the purpose by the Hebrews. The object in view is to teach Jewish children something of practical agriculture while receiving a scholastic education. The buildings were completed in the early summer, 1897, dedicated in June and opened for pupils shortly after. In the chapter on "Schools and Education" a more lenghthy reference is made to the "National Farm School."11
THE NATIONAL FARM SCHOOL AT DOYLESTOWN
The old Stephens tavern, on the Upper State Road, a mile and a half west of Doylestown, disappeared from the role of public uses about 1845. The farm, of 50 acres, originally belonging to it, was embraced in the Walter Shewell purchase and came into the Stephens family 1761. The house was first licensed about 1805. Thomas Stephens kept it for nearly 25 years, when it passed into the possession of his son David, the last owner. The author remembers attending a military training there, 1844-5. David Stephens, a Welsh Baptist, was in New Britain as early as 1731, and purchased 227 acres of Joseph Kirkbride. Some years ago a post office was established at Bridge Point, a few hundred yards below the Turk, and given the name of Edison. The surface of Doylestown is rolling and diversified, with the spurs of Iron hill breaking it along its north-west boundary, the soil fertile and well- cultivated, and its whole area in view from the top of the Court House cupola. It is well-watered by the winding west branch of Neshaminy and its tribu- taries, which afford several fine mill seats. On an old title-paper Cook's run is written "Scooke's run." The township is intersected by numerous roads, some of them having been turnpiked. The two oldest, still main highways,
seat four hundred. The interior walls and woodwork are painted white and the pews yellow pine with hard oil finish. The opening exercises were in English and German, conducted by the Reverends Abraham Histand and David L. Gehman, pastors. The building is of stone.
II From the Farm School to Doylestown, the first mile of modern road in the county was constructed the summer of 1900. The work was in charge of Edmund G. Harrison, of the Department of Roads, United States Department of Agriculture, Wash- ington, D. C. It is to be hoped this sample road may lead to a much needed improved system of county highways. Mr. Harrison went to all sections of the United States educating the people in road making. He is lately deceased.
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
are the Eastern road laid out 1723 from the County Line to Doylestown, and that from the York road, at Centerville, to the Schuylkill at Norristown. The former was called the Dyer's mill, and the latter the North Wales road for many years, intersecting each other nearly at right angles in the heart of Doylestown. The road, from Doylestown to the York road above Bridge Valley, was laid out in 1764, the signers to the petition being Nathan Mckinstry, Henry Miller, John Robinson, William Corbit, Archibald Crawford, Charles Janney, William Doyle, John White and Andrew McMicken. In 1752 a road was Work Day~ laid out through what is now Doyles- · town, but then Warwick township, be- ginning in the Bristol road at a corner between John Ewers and Joseph Hough, · crossing the township and coming out into the Newtown or Swamp road just below Pool's corner. This road crosses the turnpike at the Turk, and Neshaminy at Deep ford. It was surveyed by John Watson August 13th, the day the viewers met.
The Swamp road, which formed . the northeast boundary of Doyles- town, and runs through Quakertown into Milford township, was laid out,. 1737, and then called the Newtown road. In 1752 a road was laid out from the Eastern road, just above the Turk, to the lower state road, and surveyed by John Watson. One of the oldest dwellings in the township is on the farm of A. Fretz Weisel, a mile north of Doylestown. It is a substantial stone house 146 years old. On the south end are the following letters with date: W. I. A. 1758.
On the morning of January 30th, 1809, the farm-house of Jacob Kirk- bride, now belonging to the Chapman family, half a mile north-west of Doyles- town, took fire from an ashpan in the cellarway and was burned to the ground ... Mr. and Mrs. K. were absent on a visit to friends in Falls, leaving in the house two servants, and five children between the ages of three and twelve, who escaped in their nightclothes. We have no means of telling the- population of Doylestown township when it was organized, as it is not in the. report of the jury that laid it out. At the first census, 1820, it contained 1,420 inhabitants; in 1830, 1,781, and 362 taxables, which included the village of Doylestown, for that had not yet been incorporated; in 1840, 1,221 ; in 1850, 1,307; 1860, the population put down at 287 in the census report, which is an error, and in 1870 it was 1,954, of which 186 were of foreign birth; 1880,. 1,845 ; 1890, 1,733 ; 1900, 1,764.12
Among the more recent industries of the township is the Fordhook Seed Farm of Burpee & Co., a mile south-west of Doylestown. The business was established a third of a century ago by W. Atlee Burpee, and, from a modest beginning, has expanded and developed into an important industry. The- real estate is a beautiful plantation adorned with appropriate buildings. Phila- delphia is the centre of the business where the large seed houses, the business requires, are located.
12 August 12, 1878, Mrs. Levinia McConnell, celebrated Ier one hundredth birthday near Youngstown, Ohio, a notice of the occasion stating she was born near Doylestown, Pa. From four to five hundred people were present. Mrs. McConnell being assisted to the platform, returned her thanks in some brief remarks heard by all present. She was probably born in one of the townships from which Doylestown was made, when organ- ized, 1818. In 1778, when she was born, Doylestown was a simple cross roads with half a dozen houses.
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CHAPTER XIV.
NEW HOPE BOROUGH.
1837.
Site of borough .- Important point. - John Wells .- Ichabod Wilkinson .- Old medal .- · Coat of arms .- Settlement at Lambertville .- Emanuel Coryell .- First mill at New Hope .- Canby's forge .- Henry Dennis .- Joseph Todd .- Origin of the name, "New Hope."-Parry family .- Benjamin Parry .- He settles in New Hope .- The Parry mansion .- Bridge across the Delaware .- Heavy freshet .- Oliver Parry .- Major Parry .- Thomas F. Parry .- Lewis T. Coryell .- His life and character .- William Maris .- Redwood Fisher .- Joseph D. Murray .- Dr. Richard Davis Corson .- Joseph D. Murray settles in New Hope .- The oldest house .- The Paxson homestead .- Vil- lage incorporated .- Mills and factories .- Population .- Revolutionary reminiscences.
The site of New Hope was covered by the grant of 1,000 acres to Robert Heath, 1,700, the surveys being dated 1703-4, and the patent issued April II, 1710. The purchase included the Great Spring tract on which Heath had agreed to erect a "grist or corn support mill" in consideration of having the exclusive right to use the water. The mill was built, 1707, the first in that section of country.
The crossing of the Delaware at this point became an important place at an early day in the history of the county. After the York and North Wales roads were opened, 1730, the ferry at New Hope was on the great route of travel from East Jersey to the Schuylkill. Who was the first actual settler on the site of the borough is not known, but a fulling-mill was built on the Heath tract about 1712. John Wells was the first ferryman that we have an account of, and probably settled there about 1715. About 1719 the Assembly passed an act granting him the ferry for seven years, and, at its expiration, the Lieutenant- Governor renewed his license to keep the ferry seven years longer. When this expired, 1733, John, Thomas, and Richard Penn, Proprietaries and governors of the province, granted the ferry to Wells for an additional seven years, to him and his heirs, excluding and prohibiting all other ferries for four miles above and four miles below. He was to pay an annual rent of forty shillings on the first day of March, at Pennsbury. In 1734 Wells bought one hundred acres of what had been the Heath tract, lying on the river, and on which the fulling- mill had already been erected. The will of John Wells is dated July 16, 1748. and in it left his farm of one hundred and five acres to William Kitchen. probably his son-in-law.
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In 1753 part of the mill tract was bought by Ichabod, son of John and Huldah ( Aldrich) Wilkinson, who came from Providence, Rhode Island, in 1742, married Sarah Chapman, and had a son Joseph, and four daughters. The boundaries of the property, with the Delaware, Great Spring creek road to the ferry and across the creek, with dwellings, including ferry house and woods, are neatly and accurately cut on a powder-horn, with the name "Joseph Wilkinson, 1776," formerly in possession of Torbert Coryell. The Wilkinsons caused to be erected, in the present limits of New Hope, a rolling and slitting-mill that stood about where the canal aqueduct crosses Great Spring creek. The foundations were laid bare by a great freshet in the creek, 1832, and were pointed out to our informant by the late Mr. Coryell and others. The iron and iron ore were brought down the river from Durham in boats. The late Martin Coryell, Lambertville, had Wilkinson's brass button moulds, made by himself, with his name and date cut on them-"Joseph Wilkinson, 1778." Mr. Coryell had also in his possession, now unfortun- ately lost, a curious copper medal-on one side was cut the profile of a man of fine, bold features, in military coat, with queue and ribbon, but the date is forgotten. On the reverse was "Sir George Wilkinson, ironmaster." Mr. Coryell had like- wise in his possession the Wilkinson coat-of-arms, confirmed to Lawrence Wilkinson, one of the chancery clerks, by William Camden Clarencieux, September 14, 1615. On the coat-of-arms is the following :
"He beareth Gules, a Fess, vaire between three unicorns, Parsent or by the name of Wilkin- son." The wife of the late Lewis S. Coryell was a daughter of Joshua Vansant, whose wife, Mary WILKINSON COAT-OF-ARMS. Wilkinson, was a granddaughter of Ichabod on the paternal side. We are told that Jemimah Wilkinson, the prophetess, and Joe Smith, the Mormon, both claimed descent from the same ancestry.
The eastern bank of the Delaware, at this point, was not settled at as early a day as the Bucks county side. The first settler, where Lambertville stands, was Emanuel Coryell, a descendant of one of two brothers who immi- grated from France, on the confines of Germany and Switzerland, to America soon after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. They landed at Perth Am- boy, and took up a tract of land on Scotch plains, near the present town of Plain- field, and, in the course of time, a portion of the family made their homes on the eastern bank of the Delaware. The family have become numerous and scattered. Emanuel Coryell located on the river, 1732, coming from Somerset county, New Jersey. He took up a large tract of land, including the site of Lambertville, and built his hut close to the river and near the eastern end of the bridge that spans the stream. The Quakers of New England, on their way to Penn's colony of Pennsylvania where there was neither let nor hindrance in religious matters, struck the river at this point, and Coryell soon established a ferry on the New Jersey side, but several years after John Wells had leased the ferry of the Penns on the Pennsylvania side. The ferry on the New Jersey side was called "Coates'
. ferry," to about 1733, when Coryell received the patent for the tract. It was dated January 7, 1733, whereby George II granted to his loving subject, Eman- uel Coryell, "the sole privilege of keeping a ferry" at a place called Coates' ferry,
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
opposite to Wells' ferry, the Pennsylvania side, and three miles up and three miles down the said river Delaware, and to his heirs and assigns forever."
In 1785 Coryell's ferry was sold by Sheriff Samuel Dean to John Beau- mont, the tract containing seventy-two and one-half acres, part of an original tract of five hundred acres known as the "Ferry Tract." When the New Hope Delaware Bridge Company came to erect their bridge across the Delaware at that place in 1813 it was valued by a jury, which awarded Beaumont $11,000 for his ferry rights and $100 for the lot to build the abutments on, on the Penn- sylvania side. After the great freshet of 1840 had destroyed a portion of the bridge on the New Jersey side, and while being rebuilt, the company landed its boats on Andrew J. Beaumont's shore and he sued them for damages. The referees were Daniel Longstreth, Lemon Banes and Isaac Parry, who met July 27, 1841, and awarded "No cause of action."
The act incorporating the New Hope Delaware Bridge Company passed the Legislature December 23, 1812; work was begun April 13, 1813, and the first carriage crossed September 12, 1813. The length is 1.050 feet, width 33. and the cost of building $69,936. A portion of the original bridge was carried away by the great freshet, 1841. This was the second bridge spanning the Delaware, that at Trenton the first. Among the subscribers to the capital stock of the New Hope bridge were Benjamin Parry, who headed the list with $2,000; · Samuel D. Ingham, $1,000; and Commodore Charles Stewart, United States navy, $1,000. The receipts for the year ending March 15, 1818, were $6,450, expenses, $1,596, leaving a profit of $4,854. After paying a dividend of 3 per cent. on $161,236.47-$4,836-a balance of $17.22 was left to the credit of profit. The first president of the bridge company was the Hon. Samuel D. Ingham, and among the directors at that date, 1812, were Benjamin Parry, Cephas Ross and David Heston. At the annual meeting of the stockholders, May 13, 1899, Richard Randolph Parry, was elected president ; Charles Crook, James S. Studdiford, John S. Williams, Carroll R. Williams, Maurice A. Mar- gerum and A. B. Holcomb directors ; and John S. Williams, secretary and treas- urer. The same board of directors and officers were re-elected in 1900.
Emanuel Coryell was shortly followed by John Holcomb, from what is now Montgomery county, who took up a tract half a mile above on the river, whose will was proved, 1743, one of the witnesses being Benjamin Canby, Bucks county, and Emanuel Coryell the other. The next settler was Joseph Lambert, whose family was destined to give the name to Lambertville. A few vears after his settlement Mr. Coryell built a stone tavern, now used as a dwelling, just below the bridge. In 1748 he sold a lot of land to Job Warford, on Main street, who built a tavern on it when Mr. Coryell closed his at the ferry. His son George, who kept the ferry during the Revolutionary war. had been 'a provincial officer in the French and Indian war. Emanuel Coryell died before 1760, leaving real estate of one thousand five hundred and three acres adjoining the town site. The lot. on which the Lambertville Presbyterian church is built and occupied as a burying ground, was the gift of Mr. Coryell, and the only title the church holds to the real estate is a transcript of the settlement of his estate. dated Oct. 10, 1760. The estate was settled and divided among heirs by Lang- horne Biles, Jonathan Ingham, Peter Prall, Azariah Dunham and Pontius Stelle. and the award, which includes the church lot and burying-ground, is now filed in the archives of the church. The ferry lot, of seventy-five acres, with the buildings and ferry-house, was awarded to Abraham Coryell. Cornelius Coryell, son of the first Cornelius, died at Lambertville July 6, 1831, in his ninety-ninth year, having been born June 27, 1733. In 1795 Lambertville
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