USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. I > Part 43
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833 Since these figures of Bristol's industries were taken there has been considerable increase.
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hundred. In the past century twenty-seven pastors have had charge, many of them able men, the present rector, Rev. C. H. Rorer, taking charge 1895. Among the original members were the parents of the late William Kinsey, Bristol, who himself was an active member over half a century. It has a parsonage, and the congregation is large. The Catholic church, Saint Mark's, was built in 1845, at a cost of $2.500, burnt down and since rebuilt. There is a brick parsonage on the church lot and a graveyard enclosed with it. The Presbyterian church was built by subscription in 1844, and received into the second Philadelphia Presby- tery in 1846. The first pastor was the Rev. James M. Harlow, who resigned in 1850, and was followed, in succession by the Rev. Franklin D. Harris, to 1861, Alfred Taylor 1864, Henry J. Lee 1867, Jacob Weidman June 1, 1873. who was succeeded by the Rev. James H. Mason Knox, D. D. From a feeble beginning this church has grown up to be large and prosperous. The Baptist church was organized in 1848, with twelve members, and now numbers over one hundred and sixty, with a Sabbath school of two hundred scholars. It has had seven pastors in all, the Rev. Messrs. M. H. Watkinson, C. J. Page. W. H. Swinden, J. S. Miller, Taylor H. C. Bray, and John C. Hyde. During the pas- torate of Mr. Page a new church edifice of brown stone. 44 by 84 feet, was erected, at the corner of Cedar and Walnut streets, and repaired under Mr. Hyde. The church property is valued at $22,000. The yearly contributions from all sources, have reached as high as $2.744.85. The church celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1898. commencing September 18 and lasting three days. Appropriate services were held cach day and evening, one being taken up with reading its history and an evening occupied with a reception. This was during the pastorate of the Rev. E. A. Rook, a graduate of Crozier Theo- logical Seminary, who assumed charge in 1894. In the period between Mr. Hyde and the coming of Mr. Rook. were the following pastors: The Revs. C. E. Harden, '75-'76; William H. Conard, '77-'So; Levi J. Beck, '80-86: J. D. King, '86-'89; I. W. Goodhue, '89-'91, and W. H. Clipman, '92-'94. A small church building for the Society of Millerites among Friends was erected in 1867.
Among the societies and institutions of Bristol may be mentioned a lodge of Masons instituted in 1780, which John Fitch joined in 1785. Young Men's Christian Association, and lodges of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Red Men. and several temperance organizations. Among the public buildings are a brick town hall and market house, with cupola and clock, built in 1831, at an expense of $2,500, Washington hall. a large ihree-story building, erected in 1848, which accommodates several societies, two buildings for common schools, one erected in IS37 and the other 1853. at a cost of $11.000, and will accommodate six hundred scholars. The school board has established a public high school which is in a flourishing condition, and the Friends have a neat stone school house. and the fire department is represented by one steam and a hand engine and two hose carriages. Waterworks were erected in 1874, the water being pumped up from the river and distributed over the town from a stand-pipe, at a cost of $50.000. Bristol has a circulating library of fifteen hundred volumes and three newspapers, published weekly.
The Farmers' Bank, the first in the county, was organized in 1814. The books, for subscription for stock, were opened at various points from August 8th to 19th, and the commissioners met at Doylestown on the 20th. The stock- holders met at Harman Mitchener's., Milford (now Hulmeville) in Middle- town, December 5th, to chose directors and fix upon a place for locating the bank. The directors chose John Hulme president, and George Harrison
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cashier. The bank now occupies the building erected in 1818 by Architect Strickland, for a private residence for James Craig, at a cost of $15,000. Mr. craig resided in the building until his death and it was afterward occupied by his sisters. During their occupancy Lieutenant Hunter, of the navy, who killed young Miller, of Philadelphia, in a duel, and his second, Lieutenant Burns, were both secreted in the building until public indignation had subsided, and they were suspended. They were both afterward restored, and Hunter became the somewhat celebrated "Alvarado" Hunter.
Bristol is the terminus of the Delaware Division canal, for which ground was broken October 28, 1827. After prayer an address was delivered by Peter A. Browne, Esq., of Philadelphia, when a barrow of earth was dug by Messrs. George Harrison, of this county, and Peter Ihrie, of Easton. Several hundred persons marched in procession under William F. Swift at twelve o'clock to where the ground was to be broken. In the afternoon about a hundred persons sat down to dinner provided by Mr. Bessonett. The canal basin was finished in August, 1830. On the 7th of August a company of seventy-five ladies and gentlemen of Upper Makefield and vicinity made an excursion a few miles on the canal. The water had been let in a. few days before, and the canal com- missioners passed the canal the last of the month. It was formally opened, from Bristol to New Hope, December 7, 1830, when a boat, filled with excur- sionists, passed between these points, and there was a public dinner and speeches at Bristol. The canal has almost fallen into disuse, compared to its activity in former years. It is estimated that as many as four or five thousand boats were employed upon it, but now only a few hundred, and business is not brisk with them. The reason is the competition of railroads as freight carriers. The state sold the canal about 1857, when it passed into the possession of an incor- porated company. Canal boats carry from twelve to fifteen hundred tons each, and cost from twelve to fifteen hundred dollars. The Philadelphia and Trenton section of the Pennsylvania railroad runs through the town. The first artesian well in the county is at Bristol. It was sunk by L. A. Hoguet, eighty-four feet and tubed with six-inch pipe, at a cost of $390. The water is excellent-soft and coldl. In the summer of 1873. while removing some of the wall about a well on the property of Emmor Comly, a mutilated marble tombstone with the fol- lowing inscription, was unearthed: "In memory of James Teuxebury, who leparted this life December ye 14th, Ano. Do .. 1726. aged 22 years." The name is unknown to the present generation, and so far as we know, was never before met with in the county. A marble tombstone at that early period indi- cates that the deceased or his family was of consequence.
Bristol has a well organized and equipped fire department superior to most towns of its size. The borough has three chartered companies, 1857, '75 and '95, with all modern appliances, including several thousand feet of hose, while two of the wards have companies. There is an electric fire alarm system with signal boxes distributed over the town. The most destructive recent fire was the burning of the Providence mill, in the winter of 1896.
Among the charitable institutions of Bristol none are more noteworthy than "The Sarah Lukens Keene Home for Aged Gentlewomen," founded by Sarah Lnkens Keene, a granddaughter of Surveyor General Lukens. At her death, 1866, she devised by will her late residence in Bristol, known as the Pavilion, with its furniture, and several thousand dollars in money, in trust for the main- tenance, forever, of "five, six or more aged gentlewomen, who are widows, or single women, unmarried. of respectability, but decaved fortunes, and who have become destitute, at an advanced age," etc. The affection she bore her aunt,
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the wife of Major lenox, of the Revolutionary army, moved her to this chari- table bequest, and the institution is dedicated to her memory. Her will gives very specific directions as to the management of the bequest. The building. one of the most substantial dwellings in the borough, was erected in 1815. For many years it was the summer residence of Major and Mrs. Lenox and Miss Keene, where their generous and elegant hospitality drew around them many friends of distinction of this country and Europe. Joseph Bonaparte, ex-king of Spain, was a frequent guest and likewise several foreign diplomats, who
SARAH LUKENS KEENE HOME, BRISTOL
usually spent part of the summer in Bristol, then quite a resort. Miss Keene was distinguished for mental culture and personal beauty, while her unnum- bered acts of unobtrusive charity added to her charms. The institution was put into operation, 1874. and it is to be hoped will continue to be managed in the spirit which prompted the generous donor. The engraving of the Home, inserted in this chapter. is from a photograph taken on the spot, and engraved expressly for the History of Bucks County.
The buildings of Bristol are brick and frame, and several of the private residences handsome and costly. It is compactly built, and the streets lighted by electricity. There is the usual number of stores, shops, and houses of public entertainment, with all the ordinary branches of mechanism. It is a port of entry and a considerable number of vessels depart and arrive yearly.
Down to 1821. Bristol was the principal watering place in America, made so by the Bath springs, just outside the borough limits, and was the summer
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resort of rich and distinguished people from all parts of this country and from abroad. In the Revolutionary period the Bath springs were in great repute. Freph Galloway, in his private correspondence, 1774-75, mentions them several tunes. In a letter of August 17, 1775, to Samuel Verplanck, New York, he refers to a Mr. Crrake "having arrived at Bristol for some time." In a previous letter, December 7. 1774. from Trevose, written to Samuel Verplanck, he urges him and Mrs. V. to pay him a visit, to "make Trevose the place of your residence during your stay and will not think of taking lodgings at Bristol. You may here have the benefit of the waters without the injury which may be derived from the heat or air of that place. The air of Trevose is acknowledged to be pure and healthful. The alternative from salt to pure, fresh air, assisted by the use of the waters, which may be obtained every day, and a moderate share of exercise may, and will in all probability restore your condition." The semi-annual races on the Badger and Bath courses attracted to Bristol many sporting characters from New York, New Jersey and the South, and many celebrated herses were brought there. Messenger was kept at Bristol sev- cral years before 1703. and down to within the recollection of men of the present generation Bela Badger, a resident of the vicinity, was one of the most poted horsemen of the country. Thomas A. Cooper. the great actor, made his home at Bristol, where he built a handsome house and ended his days. Among other distinguished residents in past years, may be mentioned Major Kneas. United States army, Captain Biddle of the navy, Pierce Butler and several foreign ministers.
Among the families of Bristol sixty years ago, of some local prominence. was that of Captain John P. Heiss, whose son, John P., obtained some distinc- tion. He was born in 1814. married and went into business, but lost his wife and failed. He learned printing in his youth; now went South and obtained employment in an office at Nashville, Tenn. Here it was his fortune to rescue from the hands of an assailant an old gentleman, a warm personal friend of General Jackson, who, riding by at the time, thanked him. He was invited to dine at the Hermitage a few days after, where he met many prominent people. including him whom he had rescued. This accidental encounter. in the streets of Nashville, made him powerful friends, who pushed his fortunes. He took at warm interest in the nomination of Mr. Polk for President and an active part in his election. He accompanied the President-elect to Washington and. through his influence and General Jackson's was made a partner with Mr. Ritchie in the publication of the Washington Union, the organ of the administration. Ile was afterward interested in mining in Mexico, but lost the greater part of his fortune. He died at sea. on his return from Mexico, August 22, 1865. Among his last words, and now inscribed on his tombstone, were, "I am willing to die : there is rest in heaven." Mr. Heiss, it was understood, was a member of President Polk's "Kitchen Cabinet."
The earliest enumeration of the taxables that we have seen was that of 1761, when they numbered 123. nineteen more than were in the township two years after. In 1746 the tax levy was fir 6s., about $30, and in 1748 Lo 18s. about $26.50. In 1785 the borough tax was £51 125. Id., less than Sio. and the total valuation was £11.737. There were eleven negro slaves, and three persons taxed for plate. 106 ounces in all, of which Dr. William Mellvaine" had
9 Mr. Heiss was a lumberman at Bristol, 1835.
10 Justice of the Peace from 1775 to 1785.
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sixty ounces. In 1784 Bristol had forty-five dwellings, with a population of 269 whites and 24 colored. Scott's Gasettcer of 1790 says Bristol at that date contained about fifty dwellings ; another authority puts down the dwellings at 90 and the population at 511. By the census we find the town had a population in 1819 of 628; 1820, 908; 1830, 1,262 and 202 taxables ; 18.40, 1,438; 1850, 2,570 ; 1860, 3.314; 1870, 2.8449 native born ; 1880, 5,273 ; 1890, 6,553, and 7,106 in 1900. The first postoffice established in the county was at Bristol, June, 1790, and Joseph Clunn appointed postmaster.
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CHAPTER XXI.
NORTHAMPTON.
1722.
Third group of townships .- Original settlers .- William Buckman .- John Pennington .- Thomas Walmsly .- Anthony Tompkins .- The Corsons .- Benjamin Corson .- Blakers. -- The Wynkoops .- Henry Wynkoop, Colonel F. M. Wynkoop .- The Dungans .-- The Shaws .- Kroesens .- Addis family .- Morrisons et al .- Township organized .- Names of petitioners .- Roads opened .- Ilolland settlers .- Old house .- Villages .- Dutch Reformed church .- The Miles family .- William Bennett .- Population Cuckold's manor .- Large tree .- Lead mine .- Richboro postoffice.
Our third group of townships, comprising Northampton, Hilltown, New Britain, Plumstead, Warwick and Warrington, lying contiguous to each other, was organized between 1722 and 1734; Northampton and Warwick being formed of surplus territory rejected in the organization of surrounding town- ships. In this group we are introduced to a new race of settlers, the current of civilization carried above the present center of the county.
The territory of Northampton was largely settled. in the first instance, by English Friends, who came to America with the founder of the common- wealth or about that time. According to the map of Thomas Holme, the fol- lowing were original land-owners in Northampton: Benjamin East, Thomas Atkinson, William Pickering, John Brown. Robert Turner, Anthony Tomp- kins, John Pennington, Christopher Taylor, Daniel Wharley, Samuel Allen, l'eter Freeman, Richard Thatcher, Edmund Bennet, widow Hunt, widow Walmsly, Nicholas Walne, widow Plundly, Thomas Rowland. William Buck- man, Joab Howle, Arthur Cook, George Willard, Henry Baly, Thomas Potter, James Boiden and James Claypole. Some of them came with their families, while others sought new homes in the forest of Bucks county alone. These names are to be received with a grain of allowance on account of their im- perfect spelling, and as some of these persous owned land in other townships, all of them were hardly residents of this.
Thomas Walmsley. William Pluimly, eldest son of Charles and Margery and the husband of Mrs. Hunt, lived only about a year after their arrival, and dying left their wives widows in a strange land. William Buckman,1 a carpenter, from Billingshurst, Sussex, a Welcome passenger, brought with him his wife. daughters Mary and Sarah and son William. A daughter, Ruth. was born to
I Hlentical with the William Buckman who afterward settled in Newtown. The discrepancy in the names of the children is accounted for by there being two sets.
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
them after their arrival. He took up a tract of land along the Bristol road above Churchville, which extended nearly to Richborough. His second wife was Elizabeth Wilson, by whom he had four children, and, at his death, 1716. his widow married Thomas Story, of Falls. His children intermarried with the families of Cooper, Buck, Blaker, Penquite and Heston, and left numerous descendants.
Jolin Pennington purchased twelve hundred and fifty acres before leaving England, which he located to the northeast and adjoining William Buckman. Arthur Cook owned a large tract on the northwest side of the township, next to Warwick, lying along the Bristol road. Joab Howle came with John Brock as his indentured servant, and, at the end of his four years of servitude. settled in Northampton and purchased fifty acres near William Buckman. Thomas Walmsly arrived in 1682 with his wife and two sons, and settled in the lower part of the township on Neshaminy. He brought machinery with the intention of building a mill, but died before he could erect it. William Plumly took up land in the southwest corner of the township, about Scottsville, and now part of Southampton. He died shortly after and his widow married Henry Paxson. of Middletown, in 16844. A thousand acres were surveyed to Anthony Tomp- kins along Neshaminy, in 1685. Thomas Atkinson owned five hundred acres north of the road leading from Addisville to Newtown, reaching six hundred perches northeast of that village. Adjoining this tract on the north was John Holme, seven hundred acres, which he conveyed to Jeremiah Dungan in 1716. James Logan owned six hundred and fifty acres below Richborough, embracing the upper part of what is now Holland, and lying between the Newtown roads. In 1701 William Penn granted six hundred and fifty acres to Edward Penning- ton, of Philadelphia. The names of some of the earliest settlers in Northampton are not on Holme's map. among which is Cuthbert Hayhurst, who married Mary Harker. He arrived soon after the first immigrants with four children, and his descendant. Shelmire Hayhurst, was living in the township as late as 1805. Of some of them nothing more is known than their names, while others are mentioned in connection with the townships in which they were actual settlers.
The Blaker family, which have become quite numerous and scattered over a wide extent of country, were among the carly settlers of Northampton. They are all, so far as we have any knowledge, descendants of John Blaker, born in Germany, and appears to have become interested in America while he was quite young. A few years after he was married he heard of the tide of immi- gration from Holland to this country, and at once formed the resolution of join- ing in the movement if he could obtain permission to do so. Just how he man- aged to cross the ocean in a ship bound for Philadelphia is not clearly known. But we find that soon after his arrival. in 1683, he bought two hundred acres at Germantown of the Frankfort company of Rotterdam. His family at the time consisted of his wife and three sons, the youngest born on board the ship in which they crossed the ocean. The locality of Germantown, however, was not satisfactory, as we find that in 1600 he bought a thousand acres on the southwest bank of Neshaminy. in Northampton, which had been converted to Robert Turner by patent. in Io, to which he removed with his family. 1 dwelling house, near a fine large spring of water, was the first build- ing erected on his thousand-acre farm. This portion of the land now belongs to the heirs of Charles Blaker. deceased, unless sold in recent years.
In 1721 Samuel, one of the sons of John Bloker, joined the Society of Friends, and was married to Sarah Smith, daughter of William Smith, of
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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
Wrightstown. In 1741 Samuel sold his share of the land apportioned to him, during the lifetime of his father, to John and William Cooper, and moved up near Centerville, in Buckingham. He died, 1778, and was buried on the farm. .\ fragment of the old tombstone, with name and date, was found on a lot MIjoining Buckingham graveyard by Joseph Fell, of Buckingham, and given to Alfred Blaker, Newtown, many years ago. The late Lewis Blaker. of Newtown, and his descendants are all that is known of the name in Bucks county in the line from Samuel Blaker.
Paul, the youngest son of John Blaker, had no children. His dwelling house, a substantial stone structure, built in 1731, in which he lived and died, was owned and occupied by the late Joshua C. Blaker, brother of Alfred Blaker, of Newtown. These two brothers were of the sixth generation. Peter Blaker. second generation, raised a family of children, whose descendants have always manifested a warm attachment for the homestead tract of their fathers, and constitute a large proportion of the name in the county, five hundred and ninety of the original tract being owned by the Blaker family in recent years.
The Corsons, of this and other counties, are descended from Benjamin. son of Cornelius Courson, or Corssen, a Huguenot who left France in 1685 and settled on Staten Island. Benjamin Corson, a son, came to Bucks county, 1726. and bought 250 acres of Jeremiah Dungan for £350, on the Middle road, just below Richborough, which was in the family one hundred years. The father died on Staten Island in 1692-3, his will being probated Dec. 1, 1693. Benjamin brought with him to Bucks county his son Benjamin, born in 1719 and died in 1774 at fifty-five. His wife was Mary Seidam," born 1721, died 1792, aged seventy-one. She and her husband were buried in the graveyard at Rich- boro. . The first Benjamin Corson was buried in the middle of the aisle of the old Reformed Dutch church, North and Southampton, near the Buck tavern in the latter township. Benjamin Corson the second had eight children, Benjamin. grandfather of the late Doctor Hiram Corson, Plymouth. Montgomery county. Richard, father of the late Doctor Richard Corson, New Hope, Cornelius. Ilenry, grandfather of William Corson, late of Doylestown, John who died on the old homestead in 1823. married Charity Vansant and had two daughters. Jane and Mary; Abraham, Mary: who married Enoch Marple and left several children in Montgomery county, and Jeannette, who married John Krewson. Benjamin, eklest son of Benjamin the second, married Sarah Dungan, and had eleven sons and daughters, who married into the families of Harvey. Bennet, Blaker and Morris. Of this family of eleven children all were living and in good health when the youngest was fifty years of age. They were large, strong and healthy, but are now all dead. The family are numerous and scattered into various parts of the country. Alongside the Corsons in the old graveyard at Richborough, lie the remains of DuBois, Krewson. Larzelere and other Dutcht and Huguenot settlers and their descendants.
The Wynkoops3 are probably descended from Cornelius C. Wynkoop, who immigrated from Holland to New York early in the seventeenth century. His son Gerardus, who married Hilletji Gerritse, moved to Moreland township. . Montgomery county, with his family in 1717. Of his chil Iren. Mary, baptized January 3, 1604. married Abraham Vandegrift, of Bensalem, and Jemima George VanBuskirk, of Moreland. Gerardus Wynkoop came into Northampton
2 The present spelling is Suydam.
3 In olden times the name was spelled Wincope, Winckoop, and Wynkoop, meaning "a wine buyer."
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in 1727 and the same year Edward Weston and wife conveyed five hundred acres of the Tomkins tract to "Garret Winekoop, gentleman, of Philadelphia." In 1738 he conveyed two hundred and sixty acres of the same to Nicholas Wynkoop, Northampton. Gerardus, probably the eldest son of the Moreland Gerardus, married Elizabeth Bennet. One of his children, or grandchildren, was baptized October 9, 1738, at the old Reformed Dutch church of North and Southampton, of which he was an elder, 1744. He had considerable local prominence during the Revolutionary war, of which he was an ardent advocate, and was several times Speaker of the Assembly. His grandson, Henry Wyn- koop, son of Nicholas, born March 2, 1737, and married Ann Knipers, Bergen county, New Jersey, was a prominent citizen of the county and Province. He was a member of the Bucks county committee of safety, 1774, 1775 and 1776, lieutenant in the Revolutionary army, member of the Congress that met in Carpenter's hall June 18, 1776, and a member of the first Congress of the United States that met at New York, in 1789. He was the personal friend of Washington and Hamilton, and was a man of large frame and handsome appear- ance. Lieutenant Monroe is said to have spent part of his time, after he was wounded at Trenton, at the Wynkoop mansion, Northampton. Mr. Wynkoop was Associate Judge of our court of common pleas in 1777, and delivered the first charge to the grand jury at Newtown, under the constitution of 1776. Gerardus Wynkoop's son David married Aun McNair, and represented the county several years in the Legislature.
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