USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. I > Part 35
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a kind friend, Eleazer Shaw, Plumstead, on his way to market, with whom he rode to the city, and to whom he related his story. After a fruitless search for his parents his kind friend persuaded him to go home with him, which he did. At this time young Cernea was about thirteen years old, having been more than four years at Nazareth. There he had acquired a taste for study, and he now devoted his leisure to self-improvement, encouraged by those with whom he had found a home. By his own exertions he qualified himself to instruct others, and at eighteen commenced teaching at the "eight supre" school-house, Plumstead, which, from its quaint appearance, was a landmark among the places of instruction in the olden time. He taught, in turn, at the Mennonite meeting-house, Tinicum church, and at Quakertown. At the latter place he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Hampton Watson, afterward Judge Watson. Kansas. In 1831 he graduated at the University of Pennsylvania; soon afterward married Sarah Lester, daughter of Thomas Lester, Richland; and removed to Buckingham where he associated himself in the practice of medicine with Doctor Wilson, an eminent and well- known physician. At the death of Doctor Wilson. a few years later, he continued the practice, removing to Centreville, a more convenient location. Here he lost his wife, a most estimalle woman, and afterward married Sarah Taylor, daughter of William Taylor, a minister among Friends. Although no doubt of Catholic parentage, Doctor Cornea was naturally drawn to the Friends, from their great kindness to him in his troubles, and he joined this religious body, of which he was a useful and active member. During the busy years of an arduous practice, aside from being a diligent student in his own profession, he found time to devote to literature and the sciences, for which he had a natural fondness. He gave much attention to botany. He was an industrious con- tributor to the Buckingham lyceum, a liteary society of some merit in its day. When the subject of anti-slavery and temperance began to agitate the public mind. Doctor Cornea, arman of strong convictions, became an carnest advocate of these reforms. This was at a time when such advocacy was at the expense of personal interest. He lived to see the principle he advocated recognized. In his retirement he looked back upon a well-spent anal useful life, colored with enough romance to make it interesting to others.
264
HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
Samuel Hanin, a distinguished, self-taught mathematician, died in 1820, at the age of seventy-six. Of the roads in the township, not already mentioned, that from the Tohickon through Greenville over the mountains, was laid out in 1732. and from Wilkinson's ford, on Neshaminy, to Durham road in 1771.
Not the least important resident of Buckingham fifty years ago was a giant black man, known the county over as "Big Ben." He was a slave of William Anderson, of Baltimore county, Maryland, from whom he escaped when young and settled in this township. He was arrested by his master, 1844, on John Kitchen's farm, Solebury, after a hard fight and sent back to slavery, but the citizens of Buckingham raised money to purchase his freedom, when he returncd. His arrest caused great excitement in the county. Ben spent the last years of his life in the Bucks county alms-house, where he died in 1875, aged over seventy. He was a man of immense strength and great size, his foot measuring sixteen inches from heel to toe.
Isaiah Michener, who died in Buckingham, May 25, 1899, son of Thomas and Sarah Bradshaw Michener, was born January 25, 1812. He was the grand- son of Meschach, eighth child of William Michener, who settled in Plumstead, 1723. Isaiah Michener was probably born in Plumstead, but went to Horsham with his father, and afterward settled in Buckingham, living with an uncle. This was in 1830. He married Esther Good, Phuinstead, 1836, and at her death, Rebecca Scott. He studied at Dodd's Veterinary College, Boston, subsequently graduating at Penn College, Philadelpha. He became prominent in the profes- sion ; contributed much to veterinary medical literature ; was a member of the national society and the oldest practitioner in the State. He was prominent as a citizen and held many public functions, including the offices of president of the Doylestown Agricultural Society and Mechanics' Institute, and Carversville Normal Institute. He was a member of the Society of Friends and left nu- merous descendants.
The county is more indebted to the late James Jamison, Buckingham, than to any other one man, for the introduction of the present method of burning lime in fixed kilns. He found, by repeated experiment, that by putting lime and coal in the kiln in alternate lavers from top to bottom, the whole supported by grates, with space underneath for wood to kindle the lower layer of coal, the manu- facture of lime was much expedited and cheapened. Before this, wood had been exclusively used, but the cost of lime was now reduced about one-half. The con- sequence was it came into extensive use as a fertilizer, and was hauled twelve or fifteen miles in wagons for that purpose. Of course, coal was more exten- sively used to burn lime after the Delaware Division canal was opened. While it was burned exclusively with wood, lime was too dear to be generally used as a fertilizer, much to the detriment of agriculture.
There are nine villages in Buckingham: Centreville. Mechanicsville. Lahaska. Holicong, formerly Greenvilk, Mechanics Valley, formerly Spring Valley, Furlong, formerly Bushington, Mozart, formerly Concord. Bucking- ham Valley and Forest Grove, formerly Forestville, all post villages. Buck- ingham ( formerly Centreville?"), at the crossing of the York and Durham
23 The initial steps toward organizing a parish and erecting an Episcopal church at Centreville, were taken in 1837 by Rev. G. W. Ridgly, rector at Newtown, holding open air meetings, followed by service in Haslet Gibson's coach shop. A public meeting was heldl in April, 1839. Mr. Ridgely presiding, to consider the propriety of creating a church build- ing. The subscriptions warranting the expense, work was begun the same fall, and the church finished in July, 1840. The lot was the gift of Joseph Anderson and wife, and
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
roads, is the largest, having an Episcopal church, the Hughesian Free Schools, two taverns, etc, and twenty-five dwellings. One of the inns, famous in its day and called "Bogart's tavern," in the Revolution, is over a century and a quarter ofdl. Under its roof the Bucks County Com- mittes of Safety met, 1775, and in it General Green, for a time, had his in adquarters during one of the most trying periods of the Revolution. Buckingham postoffice was established here in 1805, and Cornelius Vanhorne appointed postmaster. Three-quarters of a century ago Greenville was called "Grintown," which name, we are told, was given it in this wise: A flock of geese, driven by a Jerseyman down the York road to Philadelphia, becoming unmanageable at this point, the people flocked to the doors to witness the poor man's discomfiture. On seeing these witnesses of his shame, he yelled out in his agony, "this is Grintown." The name stuck to the unfortunate village sev- eral years. About ISIo a number of young people were passing a social after- noon at the dwelling of Josiah Shaw, when the name was spoken of in not very respectful terms, and it was suggested that the state of society required a change. Eliza Johnson, daughter of the late Samuel Johnson, was called upon for a new name, when she proposed "Greenville," which was adopted unanim- ously and the company was pledged to support it. The other villages named are pleasant little hamlets of a few dwellings each, some with public houses, others without. At Lahaska is a Methodist Episcopal church, built 1853, rebuilt in 1868. The postoffice at Mechanicsville was established in 1830, and Peter Lester appointed postmaster. The hamlet of Cross Keys, on the Easton pike, a mile from Doylestown, is partly in Buckingham. In 1804 Daniel Stradling kept store there in a house opposite James Dunlap's tavern. He had formerly been a partner of Joseph Morton at Willow Grove.
A Presbyterian church was built at Forest Grove, 1855, and dedicated November 21. As early as 1846 the Reverend Robert D. Morris, then pastor at Newtown, began holding services here at the home of John Gray, and was subsequently assisted by other clergymen. The first pastor was the Reverend Henry E. Spayed, elected September 11, -, installed November 1I, - and resigned in 1867. The church now had supplies until the winter of 1869, when the Reverend Jacob Krewson was called and ordained May 20. He is still pastor, one of the longest in continuous charge in the county. A postoffice was established at Forest Grove, December 12, 1877, and William Kirk ap- pointer postmaster. One of the first meetings in the State in favor of internal improvements was hehl at Centreville about 1822-23. Samuel D. Ingham, chairman, was the leading spirit, and one of three delegates to make favor with the Legislature. John Watson, father of the late Judge Richard Watson, was one of the warmest friends of internal improvements in the county.
The township records do not extend back much over one hundred years. In 1722 the tax-rate was two-pence half-penny per pound, and seven shillings six-pence a head on single inen. Thomas Brown, Jr., was the collector .* In
cost of building $640. The first rector was Rev. Wiltberger, called September, 1841, and preached his first sermon October 10. On the resignation of Mr. Wiltberger, 1853, the Centreville and Doylestown parishes were served by the same rector for the next 20 years. The late William Stavely, Buckingham, was a liberal contributor to Trinity church and parish. An interesting history of the church was recently written by Albert S. Paxson.
24 In 1719. John Dawson bought a cow of John Bye for £3. 10s., the low price being in keeping with the tunes.
HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
1767 a three-penny tax raised £22, 5s. 6d. in the township, and John Lacey, Jr., was one of the auditors. About double the amount raised was expended on the roads. From 1776 to 1781, the Revolutionary period, there is no account of money spent for the township. The latter year, the period of greatest depres- sion of Continental money, a tax of one penny raised £6,767, 8s. 8d. in the township, which was also expended on the roads. The duplicate for 1797 amounted to £269, 135. 6d., but to only £48, HIS. 9d. the following year. Since 1800 there has been a gradual increase in the amount of tax levied and collected in Buckingham, being $179.50 for that year, and $455.90 for 1810. In 1820 the township expenses were $706.72; in 1830, $483.12; 1840, $925.68; 1850, $972 ; 1860, $957.26, and $;41.56 in 1870. In 1722 there were fifty-three tax- ables in the township, of whom nine were single men. The heaviest tax-payer was Richard Humphrey Morris, £1, 35. 9d., taxed for one thousand nine hun- dred acres of land. The taxables, 1761, were one hundred and fifty-five, and one hundred and seventy-eight in 1764. In 1771 the householders were one hundred and seventy-eight, showing considerable increase in population if the figures be correct. The population of the township at different periods since then was as follows: 1810, 1.715; 1820, 1,862; 1830, 2,193, and 46; taxables : 1840, 2,482; 1850. 2,596 whites, 171 blacks; 1860, 2,960 whites, 128 blacks, and 1870, 2,910, of which IOI were foreign-born and 143 blacks; 1880, 2,850; 1890, 2,544 ; 1900, 2,506.
Caves and sinks are common in limestone valleys, the former frequently of great magnitude, while depressions or basins, occasioned by subterranean water courses or other causes, are more frequent but limited in dimensions. Several of these sinks are found in the valley extending from Bushington, in Buckingham, to Limeport, in Solebury, and two or three are worthy of especial notice. The eastermost one, known as Large's pond, near Centreville, was never known to go dry until within recent years. It was thought to be bottomless. and a young man named Gilbert was drowned in this pond a century ago. The washings from the turnpike and the diminished rainfall have exerted their in- fluence in drying up this once beautiful little lake. On the line between the farins of Benjamin Smith and Amos Corson, a fourth of a mile southeast of Greenville, is a locally celebrated sink, which the Indians gave the name of "Holy cong," but known to the inhabitants of the township as the "Conky hole." It is a nearly circular, funnel-shaped basin, about forty yards in diameter, and from forty to sixty feet down to the water. The water rises and falls in this funnel ; formerly it at times was twenty feet across the surface, and then would fall until it appeared to be not more than two. Several unsuccessful attempts have been made to fathom its depth, but the projecting limestone has proved an insuperable barrier. Tradition tells us that chaff thrown into this hole has been known to come out at the Ingham spring. In former times it was con- sidered a great natural curiosity, and many strangers visited it. It is known the Indians frequently collected here to hold their councils and jollifications. "Grintown pond" is the name of a basin of water in the valley nearly opposite Greenville. Ninety years ago it was the resort of all the boys of the neighbor- hood who were ambitious to have a swim. Ilere the young Elys, Larges, Gil- berts, Beanses, Williamses, Joneses, Parrys, Linburgs, Johnsons, Byes, Shaws, Fells, Hellyers. Watsons. Paxsons, and others, resorted on Saturday evenings. making the air ring with their hilarity. Many horses were taken there to be washed, and every one that went into the water had a boy on its back and an- other on its tail. Two old men living in the neighborhood some years ago, be- tween seventy and eighty years of age, were capering in the pond one Saturday
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.HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 267
when one saved the other from a watery grave. As he was sinking for the last time his friend dove after him and brought him up.
On top of Buckinghant mountain is the Mount Gilead African Methodist Episcopal church, built of logs. 1835-36, and rebuilt of stone, 1852. It is quite a sung edifice, and near by is a graveyard enclosed by a neat pale-fence. The Orthodox Friends' meeting-house, Buckingham, was built in 1830, the date being cut by Joseph Fell on a stone and placed in the front wall.
Sometime before the Revolution William Simpson, from the North of Ireland, came into Bucks county and settled in Buckingham or Solebury. The year of his arrival is not known, but on January 15, 1766, he made application to purchase one hundred acres, and the deed was executed by John Penn, May 23. 1767. He married a Hines, probably prior to that time. He had two sons and two daughters, Ann, Mary, John and Matthew. John lived and died in Bucks county, and was the father of Mrs. Ann Jamison, Buckingham. Matthew removed to Ohio, near Zanesville, about 1810. Ann married John Davis about 1782, who moved to Maryland. 1795, and to Ohio, 1816. settling on the Sciota. near Columbus. William Simpson was a soldier in the Revolution, and at the battle of Trenton. On one occasion, when he came home to visit his family, his house was searched by his tory neighbors, but failed to find him, as he was in the cellar with a hogshead turned over him. James Simpson, son of John and Hannah, not related to the foregoing so far as we know, spent part of his life in Buckingham, and became quite a celebrated preacher among Friends. He was born in Solebury. May 19. 1743. He was full of eccentricities and widely known. He kept school for a while in Buckingham, but dreaming how to make brooms he commenced and followed that business. He removed to Hatboro, 1789, and married Martha Shoemaker, a widow. and died at Frank- ford, 1811, at sixty-eight. He left some sermons and other writings.
There were other Simpsons in Bucks county besides those named in the preceding paragraph, among them James Simpson and his wife Mary. who lived in Buckingham. Their son John, born in Buckingham or Newtown abort 1744, went to Lancaster. now Dauphin county, 1769-70, married Margaret, daughter of James Murray, son of Major Francis Murray, Newtown. 1776. and subsequently removet to Huntingdon county, where he died February 3. 1809. He was a lieutenant in Captain James Murray's Company of Associators in the Amboy expedition the summer and fall of 1776, and is said to have participated in the battle of Trenton and Princeton. Of the other children of James Simp- son, Martha married William Kerns, and lived in Northampton county : James married and was living in Botetourt county, Virginia, 1783 ; Samuel, who died in Wilkes county, Georgia. October 13, 1791, and William, who probably re- mained in Bucks county. The parents of James and Mary Simpson were living in Rowan county, New Jersey, August 23. 1783. In 1785 they removed to Georgia, and were living in Wilkes county. April 10, 1793. William Simpson, Jr., in letters to John Simpson, dated respectively, October 27. 1773. and August 7, 1796, and written at Buckingham, Bucks county, addressed him as "cousin." evidence he must have been the son of a brother of James Simpson. Benjamin and Jane Simpson, in a letter written at New Britain, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, October 9. 1803. addressed John Simpson as "dear uncle," states they were married December 2. 1S02. and were then living about eighteen miles from "Uncle William Simpson." These family letters are quite con- clusive that William Simpson, Jr., was a son of James Simpson's brother William, and that James' son William remarried in Bucks county or its vicinity as late as 1803. Jolin Simpson, the eklest son of James, was the grandfather
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
of the late J. Simpson Africa, president of the Union Trust Company, Phila- delphia. William Simpson, Jr., was a justice of the peace.23
In olden times Edmund Kinsey had a scythe and ax factory about two miles northwest of Lahaska, where he had a tilt or trip hammer operated by water- power. The remains of the race could be traced in recent years. Kinsey, esteemed one of the first mechanics of the county, was born in Buckingham. There was also a saw-mill on the property of Paul Preston, near his study, where a part of the dam was to be seen a few years ago on the stream that crosses the York road near Greenville. Three quarters of a century ago Jacob Walton and Philip Parry were noted for their dexterity in catching pigeons. Walton was quite a famous hunter as well. He dressed in buckskin breeches and vest, tanned after the Indian fashion, from deer-skins his own trusty rifle had brought down. The garments were made up by himself and wife. Every fall the old man made a trip to the mountains, and returned loaded with game. Pigeons were formerly very numerous in Buckingham. Walton and Parry kept their stool pigeons and flyers in cages ready for the sport. When the time arrived they would erect their bough-houses, of cedar limbs, in the fields most frequented by these birds, set their nets in position, place the stool pigeons near the net on the ground, liberally sprinkled with buckwheat, fasten a long string to one or more pigeons, called flyers, and then retire to their bough-houses. When a flock of wild birds was scen, the flyers were thrown into the air, keep- ing them on the wing until observed by the flock, which approached and settled down with the stool pigeons, when the net is sprung and hundreds of them cap- tured. Those old men were also as fond of fishing as Izaak Walton is reported to have been, frequently going to the Delaware, and to places renowned for trout, and always returning heavily laden with their piscatory treasures. They were both Friends, belonging to Buckingham meeting, and left numerous descendants in the township.
There are five taverns in Buckingham, two at Centreville, and one each at Bushington, Lahaska and the Cross Keys. The latter is the oldest of the group. It was first licensed at June term. 1758, the applicant for license and new land- lord being Alexander Brown, son of Thomas Brown, Plumstead. It is set forth in the petition that he "had settled by the side of the road that leads from the Great Swamp to Newtown, which crosses the road that leads from Durham to Philadelphia." Among the names signed to the petition are: Henry Taylor, William Foulke, William Thomas, John Lester, Cephas Child, John Child, Isaac Child, Henry Child, William Yardly. Jonathan Foulke, Edward Thomas, Thomas Thomas, Samuel Shaw. Theophilus Foulke, John Thomas. Abel Rob- erts, and Benjamin Chapman. The "Swamp Road" was the traveled highway from Richland and other section of the northwest part of the county to New- town, the then county seat. This brought the new inn considerable custom. It has been a licensed house in all the one hundred and forty years since then, with the exception of an interregnum of a few months, and the Keys of Saint Peter have swung on its sign board. Its history would be worth writing up
25 The late J. Simpson Africa, of Huntingdon, Pa., was a descendant of John Simp- son. of Buckingham. His father was Daniel Africa, and the son was born September 15. 1832, and died there in August, 1600. He was educated for a civil engineer, which he made his profession. He became conspicuous in political, Masonic and financial circles having served one term as Secretary of Internal Affairs, and was many years president of the Union Trust Company, Philadelphia.
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
v uli it be gotten at. Its location is on the Easton road, one mile above Doyles- : # 11.
1: was in Buckingham township the somewhat famous "Lenape Stone" was found by Bernard Hansell, the son of a farmer, while plowing in one of : : father's fields. It was in two pieces, the first found in the spring of 1872. : e second, ISSI, about four and a half miles east of Doylestown. Both pieces were picked up in the same field and near the same spot. When the pieces were put together they fit. The length is one inch and three eightlis, one inchi ari five eighths wide in its widest part, and covered with rude surface draw- ings of what purports to be an aboriginal mammoth, and other designs. It was Erst given to Henry D. Paxson, Buckingham, who had a taste for such things, but subsequently fell into the possession of Henry C. Mercer, of the Bucks County Historical Society, who published quite an exhaustive volume on the subject. He and others .pronounced it an Indian "Gorget" and genuine. When submitted to foreign archeological experts it led to wide discussion, some pronouncing it a fraud. This opinion, however, cannot be accepted as correct, unless we are prepared to say the finder, and others, into whose pos- session it first came, were swindlers. As the motive is wanting for respectable persons to become cheats and frauds on the public, the author, for one, cannot accept their diagnosis. A single breath, sometimes, ruins the title to the most valuable real estate, but more is required in this case. If an unlettered youth could produce so good a counterfeit, it seems strange he should close his factory after the production of a single specimen. To continue the work would pay better than farming.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
SOLEBURY.
1703.
Origin of name unknown .- Buckingham and Solebury one township .- Land located before 1703 .- Early settlers .- Fleury Paxyou .-- The Holcombs .- The Pellars .- Janies Pellar Malcolm .- Joseph Pike .- Gilt-edge butter .- Great Spring tract .- Jacob Hol- comb. - The Blackfan .. - Inghams. - Eastburns. - Jonathan Ingham. --- Samuel D. Ingham, resigning from Jackson's Cabinet .- The Ellicotts .- Richard Townsend .- John Schofield. - The Elys. - Burleys. - Rices. - Williams. - Riches. - Hutchinsons. - Neeleys .- General Pike .- The Kenderdines .- Ruckmaus .- John Kugler .- Roads .- The Sebring grave yard. - The villages. - Lumberville. - The Ileeds -- Lun- berton .- Centre Bridge .- Reading's Ferry .- Carversville .- Milton, 1800 .- Excelsior Normal lastitute .- Post office established .- Home of the Ellicotts .- Coppernose .- View from top of it .- The Cuttalossa .-- Spring and fountain .- Kenderdine's verse .- Buckman's tavern .- Old mine at Neeley's .- Dr. John Wall .-- Dr. Forst .-- Friends Meeting .- Wm. B. Leedom .- School fund .- Charles Smith .- Ingham Springs .-- Popu- lation.
Solebury is washed by the Delaware on its eastern border, and joins the townships of Plumstead. Buckingham and Upper Makefield. The area is four- teen thousand and seventy-three acres. The origin of the name is unknown, nor have we been able to find it elsewhere. In 1703 the name was written "Soulbury." The surface is moderately hilly, with a variety of soils; has good building stone, and abundance of limestone: is well watered with numerous creeks and springs, the most celebrated of the latter being the Aquetong or Ingham's spring. three miles from New Hope. Its farms are well cultivatedl and productive, and its water-power is probably superior to that of any other township in the county. The great body of the inhabitants are descendants of English Friends, the first settlers, and, in many respects, they retain the lead- ing traits of their ancestors.
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