USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. I > Part 36
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We stated. in the previous chapter. that Solebury and Buckingham were originally one township, but divided about 1700, the exact time not being known. The first mention of Solebury we have met was in 1702. aml it may or may not have been a separate township at that time. These two townships were settled about the same period. the immigrants reaching the hills of Sole- bury through Wrightstown and Buckingham, coming up from the Delaware.1
- At the midsummer meeting of the. Bucks County Historical Society, August 8, 1800, an exhaustive paper on the "Early Settlers of Solebury." we.s read by Eastburn
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
The greater part of the land was taken up before its re-survey by John Cut- ler, generally in tracts of considerable size, but it is impossible to say who was the first purchaser or settler in the township. One of the earliest was George White, who owned fifteen hundred acres lying on the Delaware, who, dying 1037, left one thousand acres to his four sons in equal parts. The farms of William Kitchen and John Walton are on this tract. The 14th of April, 1683, William Penn conveyed three hundred acres to one Sypke Ankes, or Sipke Ankey, or Aukey, a dyer of Haarlingin, in Friesland, who located it in the northern part of the township. The 10th of August, 1700, he sold it to Renier Jansen, and he, in turn, conveyed it to Paul Wolf, a weaver of Germantown, September 1, 1702. In April, 1700, one thousand acres were granted to Thomas Story. He sold it to Israel Pemberton, but it was surveyed by mistake to Robert Heath, and the same quantity was given to Pemberton elsewhere. By warrant of 17. 7th month. 1700, three hundred acres were surveyed to Edward and Henry Hartly, part of John Rowland's five hundred acre tract granted by Penn. By virtue of a warrant dated toth, 11th month, 1701, four hundred and fifty acres were surveyed to Thomas Carns on the Street road, and the same quantity in Buckingham, and four hundred and ninety-two acres to John Scar- borough.2 In 1702 five hundred acres were granted to James Logan, known as the Great spring" tract, joining Scarborough on the north, and wow owned in part by Mrs. T. T. Eastburn, and five hundred acres to Randall Blackshaw, part of fifteen hundred acres which Richard Blackshaw bought of James Harrison's five thousand. William Beaks had a grant of thir- teen hundred acres from William Penn, five hundred and eighty of which were laid out in Solebury on both sides of the Cuttalossa.4 At his death, 1702. it descended to his son Stephen, and by re-survey was found to contain six hun- dred and twenty-four acres. It joined the lands of Edward Hartly. Paul Wolf, Randall Speakman" and William Croasdale. In 1702 Samnel Beaks bought three hundred acres, which he sold to William Chadwick, which next passed to his brother John, then to Jonathan Balderston and down to the late owners, of whom W. J. Jewell and Nathan Ely were two. The remainder of the Beaks tract was conveyed to William Croasdale, 1703. a son of Thomas, who came from Yorkshire the same year and was sheriff of the county, 1707. By the same survey Joseph Pike is given two tracts in Solebury, one of three hundred
Reeder. It embraced 41 tracts, some of them containing several hundred acres, one as high as 5.000. Among the real estate holders we find the names of George Pownall, Jame, Logan, Henry Paxson. John Balderston, William Blackfan, Thomas Ross, Ben- jamin Canby, John Simpson, Samuel Eastburn, Randall Blackshaw, Stephen Townsend, James Pellar and others. The paper was afterward printed in an 8 mo. pamphlet, making 57 pages with an index and appendix. The latter contains . the marriages that took place at Falls Meeting, Middletown, Buckingham and elsewhere, where one or both of the parties were resident of Solebury, from 1686 to 1849. The paper was prepared with great care and gives much valuable information, obtained from deeds, wills, and the records of Friends Meetings.
2 Died in 1727.
3 The Indians called it Acquetong.
4 "At Quaticlassy."
5 The land was laid out in Speakman's name as "Daniel Smith's Administrator" The Speakman holding now comprises the lands of the Blackfans, Elys and other tracts.
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
and seventy-six acres, the other six hundred and twenty-four, one thousand acres in all.
In 1704 Henry Paxson, son of William, who settled in Middletown in 1682, and ancestor of the Bucks county Paxsons, bought William Croasdale's two hundred and fifty acres in Solebury. William Paxson lost his wife, two sons and a brother on the passage, and in 1684 married Margery, widow of Charles Plumley, of Northampton. In 170; Henry Paxson bought Jeremiah Langhorne's tracts in Solebury, some of which is still held by the family." Jacob Holcomb and his brother John. Devonshire, England, born 1670-75, came to Penn's Colony about the close of the century, the former settling in Sole- bury in the vicinity of the Great spring", where he took up twelve hundred acres. He probably took up another tract, as a patent was issued to him, April 12, 1712, for five hundred acres. He was one of the heads of Buckingham meeting, and died about the middle of the century. He raised a family of chil- dren. John settled in Philadelphia, and married Elizabeth Woolrich, Abing- ton, and removed to New Jersey, where he purchased a large tract, on part of which the city of Lambertville is built. The descendants of John live in New Jersey, and the family is quite numerous in this county.
Thomas Canby was an original settler, whose eleven daughters, by two wives, left numerous descendants. Esther, born April 1, 1700, married John White, and became an eminent minister among Friends. She traveled exten- sively in this country, and went to England, 1743. Tradition tells the story, that, on one occasion, Lydia, youngest daughter of Thomas Canby, a small but active child, mounted the black stallion of Thomas Watson, while he was on a visit to her father. A noise calling them to the door, they saw the girl astride the horse, with his head turned toward home. Mr. Watson exclaimed, "the poor child will be killed," to which Canby replied. "if thee will risk thy horse. I will risk my child." The horse and child reached Mr. Watson's, near Bushing- ton, he white with foam, but gentle, when Lydia turned his head and rode back to her father's. She died at the age of one hundred and one years. The old cedar tree in the lower part of the Buckingham graveyard was planted by her at the grave of one of her children.
James Pellar, whose family name is extinct in the county, of Bristol, Eng- land, was one of the earliest settlers in Solebury. Several hundred acres, in- cluding the farms of John Ruckman, Charles White, Frederick Pearson, and John Betts, were surveyed to him on the upper York and Carversville roads. on which be built a dwelling, 1680. It was torn down in 1793. His son James was a conspicuous character in Bucks county. He was a great lover of poetry, had a wonderful memory and was exceedingly entertaining. Franklin adnred and esteemed him, and spoke of him as a "walking library." He was the friend and companion of John Watson, the surveyor, who said he had never seen any other man who could "speak so well to a subject he did not understand." He repeated John Watson's poetry on all occasions. He was a large and slovenly man, in dress, habits and about his farm. He carried Watson's chain and died February 16, 1806, at the age of seventy-seven. His father, born in 1700, and died in 1775, became an Episcopalian. On the female side the families of Betts, Reynolds and Wilkinson are among the descendants of James Pellar the first. James Pellar Malcolm. an English artist of celebrity, was a grandson of
6 We have two accounts of the Passons, one that they came from Bycut house. Ox- fordshire, the other that they came from Buckinghamshire.
7 There is a tradition that this is the birthplace of Tedynscung.
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
James Pellar. His father, a Scotchman, went to the West Indies, and then came to Philadelphia, where he met and married Miss Pellar, and died. His son was born August, 1767. Ilis mother resided at Pottstown during the Revolutionary war, where her son was partially educated, but returned to Phila- delphia in 1784. They went to England, where he studied three years at the Royal Academy, and became distinguished. Malcolm visited his mother's relatives in this county about 1806, and was gratified to find numerous rich farmers among the Pellar descendants. He died at Somertown, England, April 15. 1815, at which time his mother was about seventy-two. John Letch, who had the reputation of being a most monstrous eater, was the friend and associate of the Pellars. Mince pies were his favorite diet. On one occasion, when indulg- ing his passion at Robert Eastburn's, near Centre Hill, whose wife was cele- brated for her hospitality and turn-over minces. Mrs. Eastburn expressed fear lest he should hurt himself, but the incorrigible feeder said if she would risk the pies he would risk the stomach. On another occasion, when eating a mince pie. baked in a milk-pan, at a Mrs. Large's, of Buckingham, he was overcome by the task and fell exhausted in the effort.
Joseph Pike settled in Solebury before 1703, and took up six hundred and twenty-four acres, which a re-survey increased to six hundred and sixty-five. It was not patented until 1705. The meeting-house and burial-ground are upon this tract. Daniel Smith. from Marlborough. England, located five hundred acres immediately north of the Pike tract. which his son John. of London, sold to Owen Roberts in 1702, and within recent years was divided between William M. Elv. one hundred and forty acres, Daniel Ely, one hundred and forty, Isaac Ely, one hundred and twenty-two, Charles Phillips and Joseph Balderston. William Penn had five hundred acres laid out to himself before 1703. of which one hundred acres were sold to Roger Hartley in 1737. and the remainder to Gysbert Bogart, which afterward passed into the hands of Samuel Pickering and James and Isaac Pellar. The Pike tract, within sixty years, was divided into the following farms: Oliver Paxson, one hundred acres. Joseph E. Reeder. one hundred and thirty acres. Merrick Reeder. one hundred. W. Wallace Paxson, one hundred and eighteen, Amos Clark, eighty-five. Rachel Ely, forty. Thomas H. Magill. sixty-two. William S. Worthington, sixteen. David Balderston, fourteen. In 1763 the attorney of Richard Pike sold the one hundred and thirty acres to Joseph Eastburn, junior, at public sale. for [414. 25., Iod., who erected the first buildings upon it, and commenced its cultivation. It remained in the family until 1812. when it passed to Joseph E. Reeder, a descendant of the purchaser. whose son, Eastburn Reeder, still owns it. It is now known as Rabbit run farm. and quite celebrated for herd- registered cattle, whose occupant. Eastburn Reeder, indulges his fancy for gilt-edged butter, an article that costs more than it comes to. The 26th of Inne. 1717. five hundred acres, extending from the Logan tract- to the Dela- ware. were patened to John Wells. In 1721 Wells conveyed one hundred and fifty acres to William Kitchen, who died. 1727. and was the first of the name in Solebury. John Wells left the land for the graveyard on Hutchin's hill, and his will provided for a wall around it.
The two contiguous five hundred acre tracts, surveyed by mistake to Robert Heath, in 1700, adjoined the Great Spring tract, extending to the Delaware, and embracing the site of New Hope. The surveys are dated 1703 and 1704. and the patent ad month. rith. 1710. Heath had agreed to erect a "grist or corn support mill" on the Great Spring stream, and it was covenanted in the patent that if he built the mill according to agreement he should have the ex-
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
clusive use of the water so long as he kept it in repair. The mill was built in 1707, the first in that section of country and was resorted to for miles. At Robert Heath's death the real estate vested in his son, and by the latter's will, dated 7th of Sth month, it was left to his five sisters, Susannah, Anna, Elizabeth, Hannah and Mary. From them it passed into several hands. In 1734 John W'ells bought one hundred acres of it lying on the river. The fulling-mil! on this tract was built before 1712 by Philip Williams. Joseph Wilkinson bought part of the mill tract about 1753. The first saw-mill was erected about 174. In . 1790 Nathaniel and Andrew Ellicott bought one hundred and fifty-five acres of what had been the Heath tract on which was the Maris mill. Before 1745 Benjamin Canby owned two hundred and thirty -- five acres, in two tracts of one hundred and one hundred and thirty-five, on the latter of which he built a forge. There were now on the stream flowing from the Great Spring a grist mill, saw and fulling-mill, and a forge. The forge was sold by the sheriff in 1750 of 1751, after Canby's death. His widow lived at the ferry until her death, about 1760, when that part of the property was sold to John Coryell. The old grist-mill continued to enjoy the exclusive right to use the water for grinding until about 1828, when William Maris bought it. He took the water from the stream to run his factory during the dry season, which was considered a forfeiture of the right, and other mills were erected lower down. When he dug the foundation for his factory, recently belonging to the IIuffnagle estate, a log cut off with an ax, was found fifteen feet below the surface.
The Blackfans are descendants of John Blackfan,8 of Stenning, County Sussex, England, whose son Edward married Rebecca Crispin, Kinsale, Tre- land, second cousin of William Penn, 1688. At the wedding were William Penn, his wife, son and daughter, whose names are on the marriage certificate, now in possession of the Blackfan family, of Solebury. Edward Blackfan, con- cluding to come to America, died before he could embark, about 1690," but his widow, with her young son, William, arrived about 1700, and was appointed to take charge of the manor house, Pennsbury, at a salary of ten pounds a year,10 paid by the council. They lived there many years, In 1721 the son married Eleanor Wood, Philadelphia, and, 1725. the mother was married to Nehemiah Allen, of that city. About this time William Blackfan removed to a five hun- dred acre tract in Solebury, surveyed to him, 1718, and confirmed. 1733. He had six children, the two eldest being born in Pennsbury. . At his death, 1771. at the age of eighty, his real estate was divided between his sons, Crispin and William. the former marrying Martha Davis, had nine children, and the latter. Esther Dawson,11 had the same number. All these children but two lived to
8 He must have been a zealous Friend from his rough treatment. In 1650 he was prosecuted for non-payment of tithes, 1662, sent to jail for refusing to pay toward repairing a "steeple-house" (church), and, 1663 and 1681 was prosecuted and ex- communicated for not attending publie worship.
9 From the frequent mention, in l'enn's letters, 1689, of Edward Blackian being about to fetch official documents to the Council, he was probably on the point of sail- ing when death arrested him.
10 James Logan writes to Hannah Penn, under date of May 31, 1721 : "Thy cousin, Blackfan, is still at Peunshury."
II She was the granddaughter of John Dawson, Suffolk, England, born about 1660, who was a soldier at the Boyne, Ho, married Catharine Fox, 1606, came to America, 1710, and settled on a 500 acre tract, Solebury, 1719. Ilis will was proved May 26, 1729.
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
marry and left numerous descendants. John Blackfan, Solebury, born in 1 . and married Elizabeth R. Chapman, Wrightstown, 1822, was the son "I John, the eldest son of William, and the fourth in descent from the first Bucks county ancestor.12
The first progenitors of the Eastburns are believed to have been Robert Sarah Eastburn, who came to America with William Penn at his second visit, 1699, or about that time, and settled in Philadelphia. In 1728 their son Sammel married Elizabeth Gillingham in Abington meeting, and soon afterward removed to Solebury on a farm near Centre Hill. Among their children were two sons, Robert and Joseph. Joseph married Mary Wilson, Buckingham, 1753, and purchased a portion of the Pike tract, on which he lived to his death. They had nine children, seven sons and two daughters, 11 whose descendants tre numerous in both male and female line. The Inghams, who made their home in Solebury for a century and a quarter, were descended from Jonas, an English Friend who came from Old to New England about 1705. thence to Solebury, 1730. His son Jonathan succeeded to the farm and fulling-mill at the Great Spring, and became an influential citizen. The latter left three sons, John, a religious enthusiast, Jonas, a student of the exact scien- ces and author of many useful inventions, who died at the age of eighty-two. and Jonathan who became a distinguished physician. He devoted his leisure to the languages and paid court to the muses. During the Revolutionary war he
12 William Crispin, the ancestor of this family, came into England at the Norman conquest, and bore an important part at the battle of Hastings. Sir William Crispin took part in the strife between Robert, Duke of Normandy, and his brother, where he attacked the king and cut through his coat of mail. For his feats in horsemanship, he had three horse shoes for his coat-of-arms. In the contest between Charles I. and the Parliament, William Crispin was one of Cromwell's train band, and afterward captain of his guard. He served with Admiral Penn (they having married sisters), in his attack upon Hispaniola and Jamaica. Subsequently Cromwell gave Crispin a forfeited estate in Ireland. near the Shannon, not far from Limerick. When William Penn received the grant of Pennsylvania from Charles I. he appointed his cousin, William Crispin, one of the three Commissioners to settle the Colony. The vessel he satled in reached the Delaware, but finding contrary winds went to Barbadoes, where he shortly died. Penn appointed to the vacancy, Thomas Holme, who had been living with William Crispin in Ireland. Holme had been a tnidshipman in the West India expedition. Thomas Holme brought with him to Philadelphia, Silas, the eldest son of William Cris- pin, who married Holme's eldest daughter soon after their arrival. They settled on a tract of 500 acres in Byberry, on the Pennypack, given him by William Penn. Their first child, a son, was born in the wigwam of an Indian chief. By a second wife he had six children, Joseph. Benjamin, Mary, Abigail. Merey and Silas. One of the daughters married John Hart. ancestor of the Harts of Warminster. Silas Crispin, the son of William, first appointed surveyor-general, had a sister, Rebecca, who married Edward Mackfan, the ancestor of the family of this name in Bucks county. There are numerous descendants bearing the name of Crispin, in this State and elsewhere.
121: Edward Eastburn, a member of this family, became prominent in business and amassed a large fortune, estimated at half a million. He was a son of Samuel and Mary Eastburn, and born in Solebury, January 9. 1831. He went to Texas, 1850. and became engaged in mercantile pursuits and subsequently interested in real estate, brokerage and banking. It was his custom to spend his summers in the North. He died at Philadelphia, August 27, 1900, and was buried at the Friends Buckingham Mcet- ing house. Mr Eastburn never married.
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IIISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
gave his professional services to the army, when needed, and, 1793 he labore 1 among the yellow fever at Philadelphia. Catching the disease, he started for Schooley's mountain, accompanied by his wife and faithful slave Cato, but die ! in his carriage on his way, at Clinton, New Jersey, October 1, 1793,13 and was buried in the tige of the graveyard. The most distinguished member of the family was Samuel D. Ingham, son of Doctor Jonathan, born on the farm near New Hope, September 6, 1779. The death of his father inter- ruipted his classical studies at thi .. age of fourteen and he was in- dentured to learn the paper- making business at the mill on the Pennypack. He was a close student during his apprentice- ship, being assisted in his studies by a Scotch immigrant in the neighborhood, named Craig.14 At twenty-one he returned home and took charge of the farm and mills. He was much in public life. He was elected to the As- sembly, 1805-6-7, was in Con- gress from 1812 to 1829, except three years while Secretary of the Commonwealth and was a leading member during the war. He was secretary of the Treas- ury under General Jackson. fill- ing the office with distinguished قدشد الفاتحة INGHAM HOUSE. SOUTHWEST CORNER. ability. He died at Trenton, New Jersey, June 5. 1860. The homestead of the Inghams, until within recent years was owned by Andrew J. Beaumont, and is the same which James Logan granted to Jonathan Ingham May 15. 1747.13
Few political events of that day created greater excitement than the quarrel between President Jackson and Mr. Ingham. his Secretary of the Treas- ury, followed by the latter's resignation in May, 1831. He returned to Bucks
13 His death from the fever, created great consternation in the neighborhood, and the masons. building the wall around the graveyard, left and would not return until cold weather set in.
14 On one occasion young Ingham walked to Philadelphia and back the same night, 30 miles, to obtain a much coveted book.
15 This tract was granted by Penn to Logan, on ship-board in the Delaware, No- vember 3. 1701. for 500 acres, but the survey made it 50634. and was confirmed to him September 12, 1735. Jonathan, Ingham received 39634 acres at a ground-rent of fer sterling a year for seven years, and then £25 sterling a year for 100 years afterward; a new value- tion to be put upon the property at the end of each hundred years. The remaining 200 acres conveyed to Jacob Dean, Mr. legham's brother-in-law, at the same time. on ground rent. By his will. James Logan hit the income from this property to the Loganian library company. Philadelphia, and limited the office of librarian to his elde-t male heir, probably the only herechtary office in the country.
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
county, where his friends gave him a royal reception. He was met at Phila- delphia, on the 25th, by Judge John Fox and John Pugh, Esqr., who accom- pauled him the next day to the Sorrel Horse tavern, Montgomery county, on :!: Middle road, half a mile below the Bucks county line. Here he was received los a number of his personal and political friends on horseback and escorted to the county line, where he was welcomed by a large assemblage. A procession was now formed of many horsemen and vehicles with General William T. Kegers and Colonel John Davis as marshals, and the distinguished guest was "corted to the Black Bear tavern, Northampton township. His carriage was surrounded by outriders, and in that immediately in front rode General Samuel Smith and Captain Francis Baird, revolutionary veterans. A large crowd awaited Mr. Ingham's arrival at the Bear. After a sumptuous dinner in the shade of the trees in the tavern yard, Mr. Ingham was presented with a jornal address by Henry Chapman, Esqr., and Captain Baird, to which an appropriate response was made. Thence the committee escorted the distin- quished guest to his home in Solebury township.
Andrew Ellicott, descendant of a respectable family, Devonshire, England, from the time of William the Conqueror, settled in Solebury about 1730. He inlowed farming and milling. About 1770, his three sons, Joseph Andrew and John, purchased a large tract of land in Maryland, at what is now Ellicott's Mills and removed thither,16 taking with them mechanics, tools, animals, wagons, laborers, and several settlers and their families. There in the wilder- ness they built mills, erected dwellings, stores, opened roads, quarries, built school houses, and established the seat of an extensive and profitable business. They became wealthy and influential, and occupied prominent positions in the community. They and their sons were men of sterling merit ; they introduced the use of plaster of Paris into Maryland and were the authors of several use- jul inventions. They first advocated the introduction of a good supply of water into Baltimore. John Ellicott died suddenly, 1795. Joseph, the eldest brother. was a genius in mechanics, to which he was devoted from boyhood. About 1,60, he made at his home in Solebury a repeating watch without instruction, which he took to England, 1766, where it was much admired and gained him great attention. After his return, 1769. he made a four-faced musical clock, the wonder of the times, which played twenty-four tunes, and combined many other wonderful and delicate movements. This clock is now in Albany. Joseph Ellicott died, 1780, at the age of forty-eight. His son Andrew, born in Sole- bury, 1754. became a distinguished engineer. He was surveyor-general of the U'nited States, 1792, adjusted the boundary between the United States and Spain, 1796, laid out the towns of Erie, Warren, and Franklin in this state, and was the first to make an accurate measurement of the falls of Niagara. He was the consulting engineer in laying out the city of Washing- ton and completed the work which Major L'Enfant planned. He was appointed professor of mathematics at West Point, 1812, where he died in 1820. George Ellicott, a son of Andrew. was one of the best mathematicians of the times, and died in 1832. The Ellicotts owned the mill at Carversville, and what was known at Pettit's mill, Buckingham. They were Friends. 17
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