USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. I > Part 29
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14 The Rev. James 1. Bronson, D. D., LE. D., was born at Mercersburg. Pa., March 14. 1817, and died at Washington, Pa., July 4. 1890. He studied divinity at Princeton, and .came to teach at the Newtown academy. 1837-38. remaining nearly a year. He was a distinguished minister and while at the Newtown academy very popular.
15 When the academy was sold. 1852, at public sale. by virtue of an act of Assembly. it was bought by the Rev. Robert D. Morris, who, after giving $1,000 and putting it in order, raised $3.000 additional by subscription to enable the Presbyterian church to own it. He was a former pastor of the Newtown church.
16 The first meeting in the interest of the free church, Newtown, was held in Joseph Archambault's brick tavern. June 5. 1830. Thomas Buckman was chairman and Samuel Snyder secretary. Joseph Archambault. Amos Wilson and William Brown were ap- pointed a committe ? to solicit subscriptions. Au adjourned meeting was held the 19th.
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Badger's house, Bristol township, just over the borough line. Captain Arch- ambault retired from the hotel to a faim near Doylestown, and then to Phila- delphia, where he died.17
Newtown was the scene of a very painful occurrence the 28th of July, 1817. A little son of Thomas G. Kennedy, then sheriff of the county, while amusing himself floating on a board on the creek at the upper end of the village, fell off into deep water. His mother, hearing his cries, rushed into the water to his rescue and sunk almost immediately. Mr. Kennedy was exhausted in his attempt to save them. He and the child were rescued by the citizens, who flocked to the spot. but the body of his wife was not recovered until life was extinct. She was Violetta, daughter of Isaac Hicks. 174
Among the leading citizens of Newtown in the last century were Doctor Phineas Jenks and Michael H. Jenks, who were probably the most prominent. They descended from a common ancestry, the former being a grandson and the latter great-grandson of Thomas Jenks, the elder. 1:12 Phineas was born in Mid- dletown May 3. 1781, and died August 6, 1851. He studied medicine with Doc- tor Benjamin Rush. graduated in 1804, and practiced in Newtown and vicinity. 15 He was twice married, his first wife being a daughter of Francis Murray, and his second, Amelia. daughter of Governor Snyder. He served six years in the Assembly, was a member of the constitutional convention of 1838, and active in all the reform movements of the day. He was the first president of the Bucks County Medical Society. and one of the founders of the Newtown Episcopal church. Michael H. Jenks was born 1795, and died 1867. Brought up a miller and farmer, he afterward turned his attention to conveyancing and the real estate business, and followed it to the close of his life. He held several places of honor and public trust, was justice of the peace many years, commis- sioner, treasurer, and associate-judge of the county, and member of the twenty-
17 Joseph Archambault had a romantic career. He was born at Fonteinbleau, near Paris, August 22, 1796. and educated at the military school at St. Cyr. Being leit an orphan, he became a ward of the Empire through family influence and was attached to the Emperor's household. After Elba he was again attached to the Emperor's suit and followed his fortunes. He was wounded at Waterloo and left upon the field, but rejoining the Emperor. himself and brother were among the number selected to accompany him to St. Helena. Refusing to give up his sword. he broke it and threw the pieces into the sea. Landing in New York May 5. 1817, he spent the next four years with William Cobbett at his model farm. Long Island. with Joseph Bonaparte. Bordentown, and at other places. coming to Newtown. 1821. where he lived until about 1850. He died at Philadelphia. July 3. 1874. meanwhile living a few years on a farm at Castle Valley. Bucks county. He served in the cavalry for a time in the Civil war, 1861-65.
171 In 1766 a riot took place at Gregg's mill, near Newtown, supposed to have been on the site of the present Janney's mill. The cause is not known, but several persons who took part in it were indicted and brought to trial. The ringleader was probably John Ilagerman, as he is the first mentioned in the subprenas, which are signed by Lawyer Growden, "then the leader of our bar and clerk of the court."
1712 George A Jenks, Jefferson county, Pa., Democratic nomince for Governor of Pennsylvania, 18,8, is a lineal descendant of the Bucks county Jenkses.
18 His thesis on graduating. "An investigation endeavoring to show the similarity in cause and effect of the yellow fever of American and the Egyptian plague," was pub- lished by the university and re-published in Europe.
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vighth Congress. He was married four times. Ilis youngest daughter. Anna Earl, was the wife of Alexander Ramsey, the first Governor of Minnesota, senator in Congress from that state, and a member of President Hayes' cabinet. Hle lately deceased.
The Hickses of Newtown were descended from John Hicks, born in Eng- land about 1610. and immigrated to Long Island. 1643. His great-grandson. Gilbert, born 1720, married Mary Rodman, 1746, and moved to Bensalem, 1747- 48. He built a two-story brick house at Attleborough. 1767, and moved into it. He was a man of ability, education and of character, but made the fatal mis- take of clinging to the fortunes of Great Britan in 1776. His fine property was confiscated, and he died in exile by the hand of an assassin. Isaac, son of Gil- bert. and the first Newtown Hicks, born in Bensalem, 1748, and died, 1836. married his cousin Catharine, youngest daughter of Edward Hicks, a merchant of New York. Her sister was the wife of Bishop Seabury, Maine, and of her brothers, William studied at the Inner Temple, London, and was afterward Prothonotary of Bucks county, while Edward was an officer of the British army, and died in the West Indies. Isaac Hicks held several county offices. He was a man of great energy of character. His marriage docket contains the record of six hundred and six marriages in forty-seven years. Edward Hicks. the distinguished minister among Friends, whom some of this generation remember, was the son of Isaac and born at Four Lanes End, now Langhorne. 4th month, 4th. 1780. He was brought up to the trade of coach painting, mar- ried Sarah Worstall. 1803. and joined the Society of Friends. He removed to Newtown, ISHI, where he established himself in the coach and sign-painting business and was burnt out, 1822. He had a taste for art, and his paintings of "Washington Crossing the Delaware" and "Signing the Declaration of Inde- pendence" were much noted in their day. A few of them are preserved as relics of great value. one of them, "Washington Crossing the Delaware," being owned by the Bucks County Historical Society. He became a popular preacher, and had few equals in persuasive eloquence. He died at Newtown August 23. 1849.1-12 Thomas Hicks, one of the most distinguished artists of New York, is a nephew of Edward Hicks, and descendant of Isaac. He was born in Newtown, and in his boyhood was apprenticed to his uncle Edward to learn the painting trade, but, exhibiting great fondness for art, left his trade before manhood. and went to New York to receive instruction. He subsequently spent several years in Italy and in other parts of the continent, and on his return home took high rank among artists as a portrait painter.
Francis Murray, an Irishman by birth, and born about 1731. settled in this county quite early. He was living at Newtown before the Revolution. He owned several farms in the vicinity, was the possessor of considerable wealth and occupied a highly respectable standing in the community. He was major in a Pennsylvania regiment. in the Continental army, and his commission, signed by John Hancock, bears date February 6, 1777. He was justice of the peace. and held other local offices, including that of general in the militia. In 1790 he
IS'S It is said the father of Edward Hicks wished him to be a lawyer, and because he would not, bound him apprentice to the coach painting trade to one Tomlinson, and he acquired a high reputation. He began business at Hulmeville, but removed to Newtown. 1811. He was the first of the family to join the Society of Friends. His son. Thomas WI. Ilieks, who died at Newtown. March 20: 18NS, in his ninetieth year, was born at Hulme- ville. January 20, 1709.
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bought the dwelling opposite the court house, later Jesse Leedom's, where he died, 1816. The late Francis M. Wynkoop, who commanded a regiment, and distinguished himself in the Mexican war, was a native of Newtown and grand- son of Francis Murray. In its day the Wynkoop family exercised considerable local influence, and always held the highest position for integrity.
Isaac Eyre, Newtown, is a descendant of Robert Eyre, ancestor of that family in Pennsylvania. He came from England. 1680. and settled on the site of Chester, Delaware county. Isaac, a grandson of Robert, removed to Middle- town, 1762, on marrying Ann, daughter of Jonas Preston, who erected the first grain mill in the township, at Bridgewater. Preston's wife was a Paxson from near Oxford Valley. Isaac, a son of Isaac, born at Chester, 1778, a ship builder at Philadelphia, assisted to build gunboats for the government, on the Ohio, at the beginning of the century. He married Eleanor Cooper, daughter of William and Margaret. about 1801, removed to Bucks county, 1828, on a farm he bought in Middletown, and died at Langhorne, 1851. On his death the farm came to his son Isaac. Newtown, who sold it to Malachi White, Jr., 1854, and purchased the Jenks farm, same township, 1862. This was part of the one thousand acres surveyed to John Shires, 1682, of which John Drake bought five hundred acres, 1683. The farmi came into the Jenks family, 1739, when Toby Leech sold it to Thomas Jenks, and got a patent, 1744. It was called "Walnut Green." The original family name of Ayre or Air, was "True Love," as will be seen by references to the deeds of "Battle Abbey." One of the family was a fol- lower of William the Conqueror, and was near him when thrown from his horse at the battle of Hastings, and had his helmet beaten into his face. True Love, seeing this, pulled the helmet off his face and assisted William to remount, when the Duke said to him, "Thou shalt, hereafter, be called Evre or Air, for thou hast given me the air I breathe." The Duke finding his friend had been severely wounded in the battle, having his leg and thigh cut off, gave him land in Derby. The crest of the family in England is a "cooped leg.
At the close of the eighteenth century Oliver Erwin, from Donegal, Ire- land, came to this country and settled at Newtown within the present borough. As one of his decendants put it. he was a "hard-headed Scotch-Irishman." Presbyterian in faith : had emphasized his conviction by taking a hand in the rebellion of 1,98-99. and doubtless "left his country for his country's good." The new immigrant. 1812. took to wife Rachel Cunningham, and became the father of five children: James, married Ann H. Davis, and died. 1844. Mary, Ann married John Trego, both dying young. John never married. Sarah mar- ried Lewis B. Scott, both deceased, leaving a son and daughter, and William, married -, and died about 1890. John Erwin went into the war for Texan Independence, and was either killed or died subsequently. He was in the attack on Mier, Mexico, was captured with the party and compelled to draw beans, but drew a white one. William Erwin was for several years civil engineer of construction at West Point, and erected several public buildings. Judge Henry W. Scott. Easton. is the son of Lewis B. and Sarah Scott, nec Erwin : his son is a graduate of Annapolis, and served on Admiral Dewey's flagship. the Olympia, at the battle of Manila. Oliver Erwin had another son, Alexander. but all trace of him is lost.
Newtown has four organized churches and the Friends' meeting, Presby- terian, Episcopal. Methodist. and African Methodist. The Presbyterian church was erected in 1760, and is a large and influential organization, of which a more particular account will be given in a future chapter. An effort was made to
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build an Episcopal church at Newtown as early as 1766. Thomas Barton, under date of November 10, that year, writes to the society for propagating the gospel in foreign parts: "At Newtown, in Bucks county, eight miles from Bristol, some members of the church of England, encouraged by the liberal and generous benefactions of some principal Quakers, are building an elegant brick church." Mr. Barton wants an itinerant sent to supply Bristol, Newtown and other places. The 22d of October, 1768, William Smith enclosed a letter to the secretary, "from the church wardens of Bristol, and another congrega- tion now building a church in Bucks county, about twenty-five miles from Phila- delphia." He repeats Barton's story that they were much encouraged by the Friends, and adds that they are "desirous of seeing the church flourish from a fear of being overrun by Presbyterians." We know nothing of this early effort beyond this record. The present Episcopal church was founded in 1832 by Reverend George W. Ridgely, assisted materially by Doctor Jenks and James Worth, whose daughter Mr. Ridgely married. Mr. Ridgely was likewise instrumental in founding the Episcopal churches at Yardleyville, Centreville and Hulmeville. He was then pastor of Saint James' church, Bristol. The Methodist congregation was organized and the church built about 1840. Friends' meeting was established in 1815, and service held in the court house until 1817, when the first meeting-house was built.19
Sixty years ago Newtown was a stated place of meeting for the volunteers of the lower and middle sections of the county to meet for drill. The spring trainings alternated between this place and the two Bears, now Addisville and Richborough, and were the occasion of a large turn out of people of the sur- rounding country to witness the evolutions of a few hundred uniformed militia. These musters brought back the jolly scenes of fifty years before when it was the general election ground for the county. The streets were lined with booths, on cither side, where pea-nuts, ginger-cakes, etc., were vended, and the music of the violin, to which the rustic youths of both sexes "tripped the light fan- tastic toe," mingled with the harsher notes of the drum and fife on the drill ground close by. The scene was scasoned with fights, and foot-races and jump- ing matches, and not a few patriotic politicians were on hand to push their chances for office. The frequenters of these scenes cannot fail to remember Leah Stives, a black woman, vender of pies, cakes and beer. Her husband hauled her traps to the ground. early, with his bony old mare, that she might secure a good stand. Leah was a great gatherer of herbs, and noted as a good cook. She died at Newtown in 1872.
The first "First Day School" in the county among Friends was kept at New- town by Dr. Lettie A. Smith, in her own dwelling. 1868. The carly First Day Schools, conducted wholly, or in part. by Friends, were missionary schools and date back over one hundred years. The present organization of this class of schools, by the Society of Friends, was begun, 1861, in Green street meeting house, Philadelphia. Martin Luther was probably the father of Sunday schools. being originally opened for the benefit of children who coukl not attend week- day schools.
19 In 1886 a Presbyterian chapel was erected at a cost of $8.000: 1803. St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal congregation built a parish building at an expense of $5.000; 186 the Methodists built a new brown stone church, cost $13.000; and 1898, the African M. E. congregation erected a brick building that cost $3.000. Few country villages are better supplied with churches.
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In 1893 an institution of learning called the "George School," of highi grade, was erected on the south side of the Durham road, half a mile below the borough of Newtown. It was founded under the will of the late John M. George, who left the bulk of his fortune, some $600,000, for the purpose, with the proviso that it be named after the family. For a more lengthy account of this school see chapter on "Schools and Education." Vol. ii.
GEORGE SCHOOL. NEWTOWN.
The Newtown of today differs materially from the Newtown of half a cen- tury, or even thirty years, ago. It is a pretty and flourishing village, the seat of wealth and culture, and possesses all the appliances for comfort and con- venience known to the period. The dwellings of many of the citizens display great neatness and taste. Among the public institutions may be mentioned two banks and a fire insurance company, with a capital of $350.000, a national bank, organized 1864, a building and loan association, and Odd Fellows' hall, built for a hotel three-quarters of a century ago, and the academy and library already mentioned. There are lodges of Masons and Odd Fellows and Good Templars, and a literary society. known as the Whittier Institute. Of industrial establishments, there are an agricultral implement factory, a foundry of many years standing, carriage factory. tan-yard, where the Worstalls"" have carried
20 Edward Wor-tall. Newtown, is the fifth in descent from John Worstall, who married Elizabeth Wildman, 1720 In his veins be carries the blood of the Hestons. Hilbises, Halle, Warners, and Andrewses.
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on tanning nearly a hundred years, gas works, steam saw-mill, and steam sash and door factory, a brick and tile-kiln and wholesale cigar mannfactory. The "Enterprise" and "Triumph" buildings, handsome brick structures, with man- sard roof, erected some years ago, are occupied by various branches of business. Newtown has a newspaper, and the usual complement of shops, stores, mechani- cal trades, and professional men. It supports two public inns. A railroad was constructed between Philadelphia and Newtown, and may be extended to New York. The road was formally opened to Newtown Saturday, February 2, 1878. Two trains, with about one thousand excursionists came up from Philadelphia, the people of the village entertaining them at lunch in the exhibition building. The late General John Davis, then in his goth year, who had digged the first barrow load of earth when the road was begun, six years before, made an open air address in the snow storm that prevailed. It was a day of rejoicing for the villagers. A trolley road has recently been built from Doylestown, via Newtown. A railroad from Bristol to Newtown was chartered, 1836, but never built.
The residence of the late widow of the late Michael H. Jenks, one of the few ante-Revolutionary landmarks at Newtown, was formerly called the "Red honse," from the color it was painted. It is said to have been built by the Masons for a lodge, before the war, and who sold it to Isaac Hicks for a dwell- ing. Since then it has been occupied, in turn, for school, store. and private resilence.21
Ninety years ago, while the courts were still held at Newtown. Enos Morris was a leading member of the bar. He was a grandson of Morris Morris, who came to the county about 1735, and settled in New Britain. Mr. Morris studied law with Judge Ross, of Easton, and was admitted to the bar about 1800, at the age of twenty-five. He was twice married to widows of great personal beauty. Mrs. Elizabeth Hough and Mrs. Ann Leedom. He was a member of South- ampton Baptist church, where he was buried.
We have no means of giving the population of Newtown borough before 1850, when it was 546 white and 34 black inhabitants. In 1860 it had grown to 652, and 859 in 1870 : 1880. 1,001 ; 1890. 1.213 ; 1900. 1.463. The population is slowly but steadily increasing. Eleven public roads lead to Newtown, nearly all of them opened at an early day, evidence alone that it has been an important centre in that section of the county. There is probably not another point in the county in which there is access by the same number of roads.
Newtown was incorporated. in 1838. There have been several newspapers printed there the past century, but none earlier. Among these were the Bucks County Bee, 1802. Farmers' Gasette and Bucks County Register, 1805. Herald of Liberty. 1814, The Star of Freedom, 1817, Newtown Journal, 1842, Note- town Gasette, 1857, and the Newtown Enterprise, 1868, the youngest, and only living of all the newspapers established there, the others having gone, one by one, to that undiscovered country, the last resting-place of defunct journals. The postoffice was established in 1800, and Jacob Fisher appointed postmaster ..
Newtown was one of the most important points in the county during the Revolutionary war. It was, at one time, the headquarters of Washington, sev- eral times troops were stationed there, and it was a depot for military stores. The captured Hessians were brought direct from Trenton to Newtown the same day of the battle. The robbery of John Hart, at Newtown, while county treas- urer, by the Doans and their confederates. in October, 1781, was an event that
21 Was possibly built by the lodge organized, 1703.
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made great stir at the time. After they had taken all the money they could find at his dwelling, they went to the treasurer's office at the court house, where they got much more. The robbers divided their phuinder at the Wrightstown school house. In a subsequent chapter there will be found a more extended account of this affair.
There are but few, if any, of the descendants of the original land owners in the township at the present day. Of the present families, several are descended from those who were settled there in 1703, among them the Buckmans,22 Hill- borns, Twinings and Croasdales. The draft of the township at that date will show to the reader that several of the old families have entirely disappeared. The old public buildings were pulled down about 1830.
The Bridgetown and Newtown turnpike was organized at the Temperance House, Newtown, March 3, 1853, and work begun in April. Samuel Buckman was the first president; Michael H. Jenks surveyed the road for $3, and labor- ing men were paid SI per day and worked from 6 to 6. The number of shares was two hundred and eighty-four, yielding $7, 100.00; cost of the road, S7,- 121.34 ; old tools sold for $21.82, leaving a net balance of 48 cents. When fin- ished the Governor appointed Anthony Burton, Joseph C. Law and Malachi White to examine it.
The Buckmans were early settlers in Newtown, no doubt before 1700. William, the ancestor, was an English Friend, who owned six hundred and sixty-eight acres in the township and fifty-nine acres in the townstead of New- town at the time of Cutler's re-survey, in 1703. He died about 1716, leaving sons, William, David and Thomas, and daughters, Elizabeth and Rebecca. The oldest son, William, died about 1755, the owner of considerable land, leaving six sous and one daughter, Jacob, William, John, Joseph, Thomas, Isaac, and Sarah. Thomas, the youngest son of the first William Buckman, married Agnes Penquite, of Wrightstown, had three children, Thomas, Rebecca and Agnes, and died about 1734. Elizabeth Buckman, the oldest daughter of the progenitor, was married to Zebulon Heston, at Wrightstown meeting, in 1726. Her husband became a famous minister among Friends and was the uncle of General John Lacey. The Buckmans were members of Middletown meeting until a monthly meeting was established at Wrightstown, in 1724. The family is now large and scattered and the descendants numerous. They have always been large land owners, and a considerable percentage of the land owned by the first William Buckman in the township is in the possession of the present gen- eration of Buckmans. The late Monroe Buckman, of Doylestown, was a de- scendant of the first William.
The map of Newtown appended to this chapter gives the distribution of land as it was at Cutler's re-survey, 1702-3.
The most ancient relic at Newtown was in the possession of the late Mrs. Alfred Blaker, in the shape of a very old Bible. At the beginning of the New Testament is the following: "The New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ. Translated out of Greek by Theodore Beza, with brief summaries and exposi- tions by J. Tomson, London, 1599." This Bible was brought to America in 1773 by Susannah Gain, of Belfast, Ireland, who became the grandmother of Mrs. Blaker. Miss Gain married James Kennedy, an Irishman, the father of Thomas
22 Buckman is probably a compound word, and had its origin in "Bock," which. in Saxon, meant a frechold, and with the addition of man. makes BOCKMAN, changed to Buckman, the holder of a frechold, or a freeman.
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G. Kennedy. In the old book is the memoranda: "Thomas Hunter bought the book," "Edward Hunter, 1745," and "David Hunter," without date. Possibly the grandfather of Miss Gain was a Hunter. The old Bible has descended on the maternal side, and will so continue.
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