USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. I > Part 19
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The author is indebted to Edmund G. Harrison1 for the following incident connected with Hulmeville, his birthplace. About 1834, two little girls. of six and seven years, respectively, lived in the village-one, Martha Crealy, an or- phan child, adopted by Mary Canby, widow of Joshua Canby, who lived in the dwelling lately owned and occupied by Elisha Praul ; the other, Mary Parsons. who lived with her aunt, Mary Nelson, on the site of William Tilton's residence. The girls played in the yard, around the house, at toss and catch with acorns : both died before they reached ten years, leaving monuments to their memory without knowing it. In each yard a little oak sprang up and in the years that have intervened. developed into splendid specimens of trees ; that in Mr. Til- ton's yard being a red oak, twelve feet eight inches in circumference and ninety feet high ; the one in Elisha Pranl's a Spanish oak, ten feet three inches in cir- cumference and ninety-six feet high, measured four and one-half feet above ground. The trees are seventy feet apart, and the lower limbs intertwine. forming an arch over Neshaminy street, the Doylestown and Bristol trolley running under it. What more beautiful and suggestive memorial? The trees are named Martha and Mary, respectively.
In the autumn, 1809, when Josiah Quincy, Boston, with his family, was on his way to Washington to attend Congress, he stopped over night at Hulme- ville, and was entertained by Mr. Hulme. Mrs. Quincy made a flattering notice of Mr. Hulme in her journal, and afterward spoke of him as one of the most practical philosophers she had ever met, and that "his virtues proved him truly wise.' Mr. Hulme rose from poverty to wealth and influence by the force of
16 Edmund G. Harrison, son of George Harrison, was born at Hulmeville, May 2, 1828, and his mother a daughter of John Hulme, who established industrial work on the Neshaminy one hundred years ago. The father of Edmund G. was a prominent man, and twice elected to the Assembly. The son spent several years at Asbury Park, on the Jersey Coast, and from there went to Washington to take charge of the Roads Division of the Agricultural Department, where he died February 6, 1901. In the summer of 1000 he put down a specimen road from Doylestown to the Farm School. Mr. Harrison founded the Delateare L'alley Advance, 1877; was deputy collector of Internal Revenue, and during the Civil War served a tour of duty in Capt. Burnett Landreth's state militia. His first public honor was a seat in the legislature, to which he was elected, 1854, at the age of twenty-six
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his own character. He became one of the most respected men in the county, was several times elected to the Legislature, first president of the Farmers' bank of Bucks county, and held other positions of honor and trust. He died, 1817.
The following extract from the "Memoir of the Life of Eliza S. Quincy." Boston, daughter of Josiah Quiney, tells of the visit to Hulmeville. "In the autumn of 1809. Mr. and Mrs. Quincy left Boston for the City of Washington, with two of their children and three servants. They traveled in their carriage with four horses and in passing through New Jersey (Pennsylvania) they stopped over night at Hulmeville, a town situated on the Neshaminy, four miles from the Delaware. In the evening Mr. Hulme, the proprietor of the place, a venerable man in the Quaker dress, visited them, attended by two of his sons. He informed Mr. Quincy that he had often read his speeches in Congress, and came to thank him for the views and principles he supported. In reply to in- quiries, Mr. Hulme said: 'When I purchased the site of this village, fourteen years ago, there was only one dwelling house upon it: now there are thirty, besides stores and workshops, a valuable set of mills, and a stone bridge over the Neshaminy. Here I have established a numerous family. I might have educated one of my sons as a lawyer, or set one up as a merchant, but I had not property enough to give them all such advantages : and I wished to make them equally attached to each other, and useful members of society; one of them is a miller, another a storekeeper, a blacksmith, a tanner, a farmer, a coachmaker, all masters of their respective employments and they all assist one another. I have been rewarded by their good conduct and grateful affection. No one envies another. I have never heard an expression of discontent. We live like one family and my children and grandchildren are the comforts of my old age.'
"The next morning Mr. Hulme attended Mr. and Mrs. Quincy to see his mills and improvements. They were delighted with his arrangement, and.when the hour of parting came, took a reluctant leave of their new friend, who had highly excited their admiration and respect."
The descendants of Mr. Hulme kept up a correspondence with Josiah Quiney and family for many years, numerous letters passing between them.
According to Holme's map, the site of Hulmeville was covered by Penn's grant to Henry Paulin, Henry Paxson, and William Carter. The original name was Milford, derived from "mill-ford." the mill at the ford across the Neshaminy, the first erected on that stream and driven by its waters. The mill, of stone, built prior to 1725, stood just below the wing-wall of the present bridge. 1012 A plaster- mill was connected with it, and subsequently a woolen-mill. The erection of the dam across the stream prevented shad running up which greatly offended the Holland settlers of North and Southampton who made several attempts to tear it away. The town site was first laid out into building lots in 1799, and
1612 Probably the oldest mills on the lower Neshaminy, erected at Hulineville about 1720, both grist and saw. The old foundations were exposed many years ago, when Silas Barkley made excavations for a new mill. The old mills were burned down, 1829, flour and plaster mills and woolen factory. The saw mill ceased running, 1834. In digging for the foundations of the new mill the water wheel of the old one was found. The present bridge over the Neshaminy at Hulmeville replaces the last of the structures, built 1865. after the great flood. Henry Mitchell was one of the original owners of Milford mills, in partnership with Jeremiah Langhorne, Stoffell Vansant. John Plumley and Bartholo- mew Jacobs, and assisted in building them.
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again in 1803. Its incorporation into a borough, in 1872, gave it an impetus forward, and since then the improvements have been quite rapid. Among the industrial establishments of Hulmeville are a cotton factory, erected 1831, two years after the old woolen factory and grist and merchant-mills were burned, where one thousand pounds of cotton yarn were turned out daily, a grist-mill, and large weaving shop and coverlet factory, and the customary mechanics. In the village there are two churches, the Episcopal, founded 1831, and Method- ist, 1844, a public and a private school, lodges of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and Good Templars, Young Men's Christian Association, two build- ing associations, Fire Insurance company, organized, 1842, a manufacturing company, etc. Johnson's building contains a handsome hall that will seat three hundred and fifty persons, with stage, drop curtain, etc. The bridge across Neshaminy, four hundred and twenty-five feet long, rebuilt after the freshet of 1865, is said to have been the highest bridge spanning the stream. Stage and trolley connect with the Philadelphia and Trenton, and Philadelphia and Bound Brook railroad. Beechwood cemetery, a handsomely laid out burial place, is lo- cated on the brow of the hill on the south bank of Neshaminy.
Grace Episcopal church, Hulmeville, was formerly a mission station of St. James' church, Bristol. A Sunday-school was organized about 1826, and occasional service held in the old school-house. A subscription, to raise funds for "an Episcopal church edifice," was started July 18, 1831, naming George Harrison, G. W. Rue, and William Johnson trustees. The principal subscribers were Reverend Greenbury W. Ridgeley, who studied law with Henry Clay, George Harrison, Elizabeth and Hannah Gill, and Esther Rodman, each one hundred dollars, besides many others of fifty dollars, and less. The building was commenced September 16, 1831, finished Oct. 21, a plain stone structure 60 by 40 feet, and consecrated July 3, 1837. In 1866 the church was remodeled and enlarged, a two-story Sunday school-room erected in the rear, and a tower added to the church the following year. The cost of improvements was about four thousand dollars. Mr. Ridgeway was the first rector. A post-office was established at Hulmeville, 1809. and Isaac Hulme appointed postmaster. A public library was organized the winter of 1877.
The third village of Middletown. Oxford Valley, a place of twenty-five families, is situated at the intersection of the roads leading from Bristol to Dol- ington, and from Langhorne to Trenton. on the south side of Edgehill. It was originally settled by the Watsons, who owned a large tract of land around it, but all except one of the name have disappeared and their broad acres fallen into other hands. The ancient name was Oxford, supposed to have been so called from a primitive-looking ox on the tavern sign, and a bad ford over the creek that runs through the place. When the post-office was established. 1844, the hamlet was called Oxford Valley. Of late years there has been considerable improvenient, and a number of new buildings erected. Two of the old houses. one hundred and fifty years old, are still standing. Among the buildings are a school-house, church, public hall and a mill. This locality, or near it, was probably "Honey hill." the original home of the Watsons.
The excellent water privileges along Neshaminy led to the early erection of mills. There was a mill in the township as early as about 1703, but its loca- tion is unknown, although it is probably the ruins of the mill on the farm of Moses Knight, a mile below Langhorne, are the remains of it. Heaton's was one of the earliest mills on this stream, and supposed to have stood on or about the site of Vansant's mill. Timothy Roberts owned a flour mill on Neshaminy some years before the middle of the eighteenth century, and 1749 belonged to
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Stephen Williams. Williams had a wharf and store-house at Margaret John- son's landing on the ereck, whither he hauled flour to be shipped in boats or flats. In dry times the people of Bristol hauled their corn to this mill to be ground.17 Mitchell's mill, on Neshaminy opposite Oregon, then called Com- fort's ford, was an early one, and rebuilt, 1,95. William Rodman rebuilt Grow- den's mill.19 1764. Jesse Comfort's mill at Bridgetown, between Newtown and Langhorne, ranks among the old mills in the lower end of the county, having been built about 1731 or 1732.
Samuel Stockton White, born in Hulmeville, 1822, became a distinguishoil dentist and manufacturer of dentists' supplies. He began lite poor, worked his way to distinction and died worth a million. He learned his trade with his uncle J. Wesley Stockton, on Vine street, and carried on business in Phila- delphia. He died December 30, 1899.
At the settlement of the county, two important fords were opened across Neshaminy, and in use for many years, Galloway's ford and Baldwin's. The former and upper one led across the stream from the Growden place, Bensalem, to the Langhorne Manor House, Middletown; the latter lower down near the head of tidewater below Newportville, near Flushing, where the Bristol road crossed extending through eastern and northern Bensalem, thence northwest parallel to the Montgomery Co. Line and Street road. At an early day a stage road crossed Galloway's ford, from Philadelphia to Trenton via Bustleton, Four Lanes End, Oxford to Kirkbride's ferry on the Delaware. The Galloway ford road was vacated forty years ago, but shortly reopened for the purpose vi bridging the stream, but this was never done, In the course of time these fords and others in the county were superceded by bridges. One of the earliest Acts of Congress declared Neshaminy a navigable river from its mouth to Baldwin's ferry.
Middletown was well provided with local roads at an early day, and in- creased according to the wants of her inhabitants. In 1712 a road was laid out from Jolin Wildman's to the Durham road. The King's highway, from Lang- horne to Scott's ford on Poquessing, was widened to fifty feet, 1753. There was a jury on it, December, 1748, probably to relay and straighten it. In 1795 the court was asked to straighten it from the falls to the Neshaminy via Lang- horne. A road from Yardley's ferry to the bridge over Neshaminy, was laid out. 1767, but probably it was only the relaying and straightening of the road already running between these points. The old road, Philadelphia to New York via Kirkbride's ferry on the Delaware, passed through Hulmeville, crossing the Neshaminy at Galloway's ford, and by Langhorne and Oxford Valley. In 1749 a road fifty feet wide, and used as a stage road, was laid out from the Chicken's-foot. half a mile above Fallsington, through Huimeville and across Neshaminy to the Bristol - pike at Andalusia, shortening the road between Philadelphia and New York about four miles. What is now Main street, Hulme- ville, was laid out, 1799. The bridge across Neshaminy was built soon after the road was laid out from Chicken's-foot. 1794. Several roads concentrated at Hulmeville in early times. On the eastern edge of the borough, near the Methi- odist church, was a deposit of iron ore quite extensively worked a hundred years ago by a Philadelphia company, whither it was shipped and smelted. In 1792
17 Neither the location of the mill, nor the wharf and landing, are known. Gallo- way's ford was between Oregon and Hulmeville.
18 On Neshaminy.
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Jolin Hulme had a direct road laid out from Kirkbride's ferry on the Delaware via Hulmeville, to the King's Highway, now the Frankford and Bristol turn- pike. This became the short line stage road from Philadelphia to New York via Trenton and New Brunswick.
Among the natives of this township, who gained prominence in the world, was Peter Peterson Vanhorne, a son of one of the two Hollanders of that name who settled near Langhorne, becoming a noted Baptist minister. He was born August 24, 1719, bred and educated a Lutheran, but embracing the principles of the Baptists, was baptised September 6, 1741, ordained pastor at Pennypack June 18, 1747, removed to Pemberton, New Jersey, 1763, and to Cape May, 1770. He returned twice to Pennypack, and was pastor at Dividing Ridge and Salem, 1789. He married Margaret Marshall, and had eight children. His eldest son, William, was pastor at Southampton, and chaplain in the Continental army.
In 1825 Arnold Myers, a gentleman from London, bought the old Simon Gillam farm, Middletown, and settled there. He was a cultivated, scholarly man. Ile was engaged in mercantile pursuits at Naples and Trieste, where he was "agent for Lloyds" several years, married in Antwerp, and, after residing there a considerable time, came to the United States. His son, Leonard Myers, several years member of Congress from Philadelphia, was born in Middletown. Mar- don Wilson, born in Byberry, 1789. and died near Wilmington, Delaware, 1874. spent the greater part of his life in Middletown, carrying on milling at Neshaminy crossing, on the road from Langhorne to the Buck tavern. He was a man of ability, integrity and energy, and an advocate of all the reforms of the day.
Among other prominent sons of Middletown, who live in history, Joseph S. Longshore, born 1809 and died 1879-80, is entitled to a niche. He lost the partial use of one leg when a boy and was lamed for life. Turning his atten- tion to the medical profession he graduated in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania at the age of twenty-four, and practiced for several years at Attle- borough. In 1850 he established a medical college in Philadelphia for women, the first of its kind in the world. He was also an ardent advocate of total abstinence, and an active Abolitionist, at a period when it required no little courage to declare oneself.
In 1742 there were about one hundred taxables in the township, of whom seventeen were single men. William Paxson and John Praul were overseers of the poor, the poor-rate being two pence per pound, and six shillings a head for single men. The amount of poor tax collected that year was £21. 25. 6d. In 1760 the taxables had increased to 131, and there were 122 in 1762, a slight falling off. In 1784 the population of Middletown was 698 whites and 43 blacks, and 124 dwellings. It was 1,663 in 1810; 1,891 in 1820; 2,178 in 1830; and 424 taxables; 2,124 in 1840: 2.223 in 1850; 2.265 in 1860, and 2.360 in 1870. of whom 122 were foreign-born ; 2.360 in 1880: 2,028 in 1890; 2,214 in 1900.
Among the accidents recorded in this township was that which happened to Robert Skirm and wife, in April. 1809. on their way to Philadelphia. In crossing Mitchell's bridge over Neshaminy, the horse leaped over the railing, killing Mr. Skirm and badly injuring his wife. Among the deaths of aged per- sons in the past century, in Middletown, was Sarah Carey, relict of Samuel Carey, June 7. 1808, in her ninetieth year. Among the real estate at "Four Lanes End," belonging to Gilbert Hicks at the outbreak of the Revolution, and was confiscated for his opposition to the cause of the colonies, was a tavern
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property. In the advertisement of its sale, it was described as "an old and ac- customed inn" but nothing more. It was purchased by Gershon Johnson, who applied for license at September term, 1780. The location of this tavern does not seem to be known.
On rising ground near Neshaminy, and on the farm formerly the property of Doctor Shippen, and now called Farley, is the old Williamson burying- ground, where lie many of the descendants of ancient Duncan Williamson, who settled in Bensalem years before William Penn landed on the Delaware.
Middletown, like the other townships of the group of 1692, is devoted : ) agriculture, and her intelligent farmers live in independence on their well-culti- vated farms. The Neshaminy and its tributaries water her fertile acres, which slope gradually to receive the warm rays of the southern sun.19
19 In Middletown township. January. 1805, a negro man, named "Jack," the property of Colonel William Chambers, died at the age of one hundred and sixteen. He was born, 1699, at the time William Penn was making his second visit to his infant colony, and as he did not return to England until November, 1701, the negro, while a child, may have looked upon the founder, and there are a very few people, in Bucks county, oh! enough to have seen negro "Jack," who may have actually seen William Penn.
CHAPTER XII.
PENN RETURNS TO PENNSYLVANIA AND LIVES IN BUCKS COUNTY .- RE-SURVEY.
1699 TO 1702.
Penn sails for Pennsylvania .- James Logan .- Penn and family live at Pennsbury .- Expenses moderate .- Butter from Rhode Island .- Ale, beer, wine .- Tea and coffee .-- The Swedes furnish pork and shad .- Servants employed .- John Sotcher, Mary Lofty, Ralph, Nicholas, et al .-- Method of traveling .-- flis barge .- Articles of dress .- Do- mestie life .- Marriages at Pennsbury .- Arrangements to return to England .- Great Indian council .- Indians explain their idea of God .- Penn and family sail for London. -Pennsbury left in charge of John Sotcher and wife .- Their descendants .- Lord Cornbury .- William Penn, Jr .- Pennsbury house .- Unhealthy years .- Cutler's re- surveys.
William Penn, accompanied by his wife. daughter Letitia and James Logan, private secretary, sailed from England on his second visit to Pennsylvania, September 3, 1699. The vessel reached Philadelphia September 10, and after stopping there a few days they proceeded to Falls township, though Pennsbury house was not yet finished. Penn and his family made this their home during their stay in the colony, while James Logan remained at Philadelphia to attend to public affairs and look after the interests of the Proprietary.
James Logan, who was destined to play an important part in the early his- tory of the Province, was the son of Patrick Logan, Lurgan, Ireland, and de- scended of Scotch ancestry. His father was educated for the church, but, joining the Friends, his son followed his footsteps. He was a good Latin, Greck and Hebrew scholar at thirteen, instructed himself in mathematics at sixteen, and, at nineteen, was familiar with French, Italian and Spanish. He was pre-eminent as a man of learning, and his leisure time was devoted to the sciences. He was a friend to the Indians. a true patriot and a benefactor to Pennsylvania. He held several public offices, including Chief Justice, and he managed the affairs of the Province with great fidelity and good judgment. His gift of eight hundred acres of land in this county to the Loganian library company, of Philadelphia, was more valuable at that day than Astor's to New York. He died at Stenton, near Germantown, October 31, 1751, in his seventy- seventh year.
While the Proprietary and his family lived at Pennsbury, they were well supplied with the good things of life. There was good cheer at the manorial
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mansion for all comers. The steward bought flour by the ton, molasses by the hog-head. sherry and canary wines by the dozen, cran- berries by the bushel and cider and olives by the barrel. The candles came from Boston. and butter from Rhode Island. The cellar was stocked with several kinds of spirituous and malt liquors-beer. cider, sherry. Madeira, Ca- nary and claret. In 1861, the year before his first visit to Pennsylvania, he wrote to James Harrison : "By East goes some wine and strong beer. Let the beer be sold ; of the wine, some ME RO may be kept for me. especially sack or such like, which will be better for age." He bought STICE C a little brandy or rum for the Indians, on the occasion of a treaty or official ARMS OF PENN. visit. Small-beer was brewed at Penns- bury, and now and then a "runnell of ale" was fetched from Philadelphia. There was an orchard on the premises, and cider was made for family use. Penn was temperate in all his habits. He was the especial enemy of tobacco, and we know of his expending but ten pence for the weed while at Pennsbury, probably for an Indian visitor. His expenditures were not extravagant for a gentleman of his rank, his whole expenses for two years he lived there being but £2,049, Pennsylvania currency. While he lived in elegance, he maintained his own maxim that "extravagance destroys hos- pitality and wrongs the poor." He practiced a wise economy in all things.
While tea and coffee were not in general use at the beginning of the seven- teenth century, the family at the manor indulged in these luxuries, sometimes sending to New York to get them. The Swedes at Philadelphia supplied Penn with smoked venison, pork, shad, and beef, and the beef at Pennsbury was roasted in a "dog-wheel."1 at least so wrote good Hannah Penn. August 6, 1,00. William Penn writes James Logan to send "a flitch of our bacon, choco- late. a cask of middling flour, and some coffee berries, four pounds. Some fat and deep earthern pans for milk and bacon. a cask of Indian meal. Search for an ordinary side saddle and pillion, and some coarse linen for towels." In Sep- tember he again writes: "We want rum here, having not a quarter of a pint in the house among so many workmen ; best, in bottle's sealed down, or it may be drawn and mixed." The great founder knew how to prevent interloper- poaching on the contents of his bottles. Hannah Penn wants "Betty Webb." who appears to have had charge of the town house. to send her "two mops to wash house with, four silver salts, and the two handle porringer," besides "tl e piece of dried beef." The leaden tank at the top of the house and the pipes gave great trouble, and Penn writes to Logan, "to send up Cornelius Empson's man speedily if he has tools to mend them, for the house suffers in great rains."
A number of servants were employed at Pennsbury to keep up the state the Proprietary found it necessary to maintain, but we have only been able to learn the names of a few of them. James Harrison was the chief steward. and trusted friend of Penn, from 1682 to his death, in 1687. At the close of 1684. Penn sent from Froland four servant-, a gardener and three carpenters, one of the latter probably being Henry Gibbs, who was buried at the "Point."
1 A wheel in a box, turned by a dog.
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November 9, 1685. Next in importance to Harrison was John Sotcher, who filled his place after Penn's death, and Mary Lofty, the housekeeper. The gardener was Ralph Smith, who died in 1685, and was succeeded by Nicholas, but his place was afterward filled by another sent out from England, who re- ceived his passage and £30 in money, and sixty acres of land at the end of three years. He was to train a man and a boy. At the same time came out a Dutch joiner and a carpenter. Among the gardeners was a Scotchman, recommended as "a rare artist," and Hugh Sharp, who received thirty shillings a week while Penn was at Pennsbury. Penn directed that the Scotchman should have three men under him, and that if he cannot agree with the old gardener, Ralph, he is to leave to the latter's charge the upper gardens and court yards, and to take charge of the lower grounds himself. In 1700 Penn's coachman was a negro named John. Among other employes of the manor house were Ann Nichols, the cook, Robert Beekman, man-servant, Dorathy Mullers, a German maid. Dorcas, a negrine, Howman, a ranger, who, 1688, was complained of "for killing ye said Luke Watson's hogg's," James Reed, servant. Ellis Jones and wife Jane, with children Barbara, Dorothy, Mary and Jane, who came from Wales, 1682, and took up a tract of land near the present village of Bridge- water, Jack, a negro, probably a cook, whose wife, Parthena, was sold to Bar- badoes because Hannah Penn doubted her honesty, otherwise she would have her up at Pennsbury "to help about washing." There was a "Captain Hans," with whom Penn had a difficulty, which had been "adjusted" and he "stays."
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