History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 17

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III > Part 17

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

far ahead of his ticket in many of the precincts, was defeated by his old op- ponent, William Godshalk. In local so- cieties and institutions Dr. James took a deep interest. He was a member of Doylestown Lodge, No. 245. F. & A. M., and its treasurer for many years, hold- ing that position at the time of his death. He was president of the Doyles- town borough council for several terms. He was treasurer of the Doylestown Ag- ricultural and Mechanics' Institute from its organization in 1866 to its dissolu- tion 11 1892. He was for twenty years a director of the Doylestown National Bank, and was a member of the board of directors of the Doylestown and Wil- low Grove Turnpike Company, and treas- urer of the company for many years.

Dr. James died at his residence in Doylestown on the evening of Novem- ber 19, 1894. He had been in failing health for some time. being confined to the house for upwards of a month. The cause of his death was valvular disease of the heart.

Dr. James was married in 1859, to Sa- rah A. Gordon, of Montgomery county, who survives him. Their only son, Oli- ver B., died when a young man, several years ago. Two daughters survive: Martha A., wife of Rev. George Il. Lorah, D. D., of Philadelphia; and Saralı M., residing in Doylestown.

THOMAS A. JAMES, of Doyles- town, son of Louis H. James, is de- scended from Thomas James, eldest son of John and Elizabeth, who accompanied his father from Wales in 1710 and joined him in the purchase of the one thousand acres of land in New Britain in 1720. He married Jane Davis, May 15, 1722, and lived all his life on the old farm plantation, and died there in 1772, leav- ing Thomas; Elizabeth, who married Benjamin Butler, and second, Moses Aaron: James, John and Samuel.

Samuel James, born 1730, succeeded to one hundred and fifty acres of the homestead, and married Anna Kach- line, died in 1804, leaving three children : Samuel, Levi and Elizabeth, who mar- ried Isaac Oakford.

Levi married Rebecca Polk, of an old Scotch-Irish family of Warwick, whose pioneer ancestor, Samuel Polk, came from Ireland, in 1725, and after her death married Mary Good. His children by the first wife were: Robert, Samuel. Elizabeth, Lydia Ann, and Isabella. He was a prominent man in the community. He died in 1857.

Robert, the son, married Ann Bayard, a relative of the distinguished Delaware family of that name. He was almost a giant in stature, modest, unassuming, intelligent, a man of unquestioned integ- rity. He participated actively in the af-

fairs of the county. both politically and socially. He was elected to the legisla- ture at the same election in which Fran- cis R. Shunk was made governor, and while at Harrisburg a warm friendship was cemented between the two men. He died in his eighty-eighth year, and was survived by his wife and five children: Louis H., Nancy C., Frank, Emma C. and Louise.

Louis H. married Mary E. Laughlin, of Philadelphia, studied law in the of- ficé of George Lear, and as a lawyer had a large clientage throughout the county. Like his father, he took a very active part in politics, and was one of the leaders of his party. He died in the latter part of 1900, and was survived by his wife and six children: Robert C., Helen, Thomas A., Carrie Y., Margaret C., and Mary E.

THE PARRY FAMILY OF NEW HOPE, PENNSYLVANIA. ("CORY- ELL'S FERRY" OF THE REVOLU- TION.)

The Parrys herein mentioned are de- scended from an ancient and honorable family, long resident in Caernarvon- shire, Wales. THOMAS PARRY, the founder of the family in Pennsylvania, orn Caernarvonshire, North Wales, A. D., 1680, and came to America towards the close of the seventeenth century, settling in that part of Phila- delphia county-long afterwards set aside as Montgomery county, and still so called. In 1715 he married Jane Mor- ris, by whom he had issue ten children, all born between the years 1716 and 1739 inclusive. Eight of these were sons, and two daughters, named Mary and Mar- tha. The eldest son Thomas having been born July 26, 1716, the third child, John, (ancestor of this branch) July 25, 1721, and Martha, the youngest, March 3, 1739.

THOMAS PARRY. THE ELDER, born 1680, was a considerable landholder and is recorded as having been owner of over one thousand acres of land in Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, to a part of which his son John, Parry, of Moorland Manor. subsequently succeeded. Of the above thousand acres, Thomas Parry conveyed 200 acres to John Van Bus- kirk, September 2, 1725, and 300 acres he conveyed to David Maltby, December 29, 1726. Thomas Parry was a man of most excellent good sense, and judg- ment, and he and his neighbor and ac- quaintance, Sir William Keith, of Graeme Park. Governor of Pennsylvania under the Penns, consulted together about their internal local affairs, such as roads, etc .. and certainly the roads were bad enough in their day, as Indian trails and bridle paths were frequently the best

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

that they had before. It is only since comparatively late years that there were turnpikes from Willow Grove, in Mont- gomery county to either Doylestown or New Hope, in Bucks county. The de- scendants of Thomas and Jane Morris Parry are to be found at the present day not only in Pennsylvania, but in parts of Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, New Jersey, and Virginia. By intermarriage the Parrys have become allied with some of the oldest colonial families in the United States, such as Tyson, Randolph, Pax- son, Morris, Waldron, Gerrish, Winslow, and others of note. A paper, stained yellow with age, found recently among some old family papers recites quaintly that "Thomas Parry dyed ye 30th day of ye seventh month, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and Forty Eight." (7 mo. 30, 1748). His widow, Jane Parry, survived him many years, dying September 6, 1777, aged eighty-two years. Both Davis "History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania" 1876, and "Munsell's American Ancestry" Vol. 7, page 21, note the coming to America of this Thomas Parry.

JOHN PARRY, of "Moorland Manor," so styled to distinguish him from an- other John of the same name, the third child of Thomas Parry, born 1680, and Jane Parry, his wife, was born July 25, 1721, married September 21, 1751, Mar- garet Tyson, daughter of Derick and Ann Tyson, and granddaughter of Re- nier (sometimes spelled Reynear) Ty- son, who, with Daniel Pastorius, the three brothers Updegraff, Jan Lukens, and others, came to America in 1683, from Crefeld in Germany, and were the original settlers of Germantown, Penn- sylvania. Renier Tyson was twice chief burgess of Germantown; he in early days, removed to Montgomery county, then a part of Philadelphia county, ac- quired a large estate, and became ances- tor of the Pennsylvania and Maryland Tysons. John Parry and Margaret Ty- son Parry, his wife, had seven children: Thomas, John, Benjamin, Phebe, Stephen, David and Daniel, the eldest born August 20, 1752, and the youngest April 21, 1774. John Parry lived on the back road, near the present "Heaton station" of the North-East Pennsylvania Railroad, the road running into the old York Road at about this point. This estate was derived from his father, Thomas Parry and his house. a large double stone mansion, still stands, but has since that time been altered by car- rying the attic up square, making it now (1905) a double three-story structure, but losing in its colonial style, which was originally not unlike the "Old Parry Mansion" at New Hope, Pennsylvania, built in 1784. John Parry was an elder in the Society of Friends, had many city acquaintances and, being a man of means

and much given to hospitality, enter- tained largely in this ancient home in his day; it passed out of the ownership of the family, however a number of years ago. Several of John Parry's books containing his autograph and dated and an oaken and iron-bound wine chest once owned by him containing a num- ber of very thin bottles bearing curious cut devices and most of them unbroken, with the wine glasses and two small glass funnels, each dotted with cut stars gilt are still in existence and much val- ued by their owner, a great-grandson, re- siding at New Hope, Pennsylvania. A stout gold-headed walking stick or cane of this John Parry's and engraved with his name and date, A. D., 1751, was also in the possession of his great-grandson, Judge William Parry, now deceased, and doubtless is still preserved in that branch of the family. John Parry, of Moorland Manor died November 10, 1789, his wife, Margaret Tyson Parry, surviving him for eighteen years and dying November 24, 1807.

BENJAMIN PARRY, a prominent and influential citizen of Bucks county. Pennsylvania, during the latter part of the eighteenth and early part of the nine- teenth centuries, was the third child of John Parry, of "Moorland Manor" and Margaret Tyson, his wife, and was born March 1. 1757, and married November 4, 1787, Jane Paxson, daughter of Oliver Paxson the elder, of "Maple Grove," Coryell's Ferry (now New Hope) Penn- sylvania, by whom he had issue, four children as follows:

I. Oliver, born December 20, 1794 (and noted later on) died February 20, 1874, in eightieth year.

2. Ruth, born January 4, 1797 and died October 28, 1885 in ninetieth year, un- married.

3. Jane, born August 27, 1799, and died September 28, 1879, in eighty-first year, unmarried.

4. Margaret, born December 7, 1804, and married C. B. Knowles, and had no issue. Died July 26, 1880, aged seventy- six years.

Benjamin Parry is mentioned at con- siderable length in General Davis' "His- tory of Bucks County, Pennsylvania," 1876, in Hotchkin's "York Road, Old and New," Philadelphia, 1892, and in divers other published works. Under the chapter upon New Hope, General Davis in the historical pages of this work gives some account of Benjamin Parry and the old Parry Mansion, which is unnecessary to repeat here.

Benjamin Parry was the original pro- moter of the New Hope Delaware Bridge Company and in 1810, first agitated the subject, with his friend, the Hon. Sam- uel D. Ingham of Solebury, secretary of the United States Treasury, under Pres- ident Jackson. At that early day, real-

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

izing the great importance of bridging the Delaware River at New Hope, these two men never rested until it was ac- .complishd, in 1813-1814. Benjamin Parry headed the subscription list and Mr. Ing- ham signed, as second subscriber. The first public meeting towards organization was held September 25, 1811, at the Tav- ern of Garret Meldrum in New Hope at which vigorous action was taken towards securing the building of the bridge. Ben- jamin Parry and Mr. Ingham were the commissioners, to superintend its con- struction as noted in the very interesting paper of the Reverend D. K. Turner, upon "Our Bucks County Congressmen" read before the Bucks County Historical Society, January 22, 1895. It was neces- sary to obtain charters from both the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and charters were granted in both states in 1812-about fifteen months after the first eventful meeting at "Meldrum's Tavern." The charters gave the bridge company banking privileges and acting under the same, and the written opinion of their counsel, the Hon. George M. Dallas, once vice-president of the United States, a banking business was conducted and bank bills were issued, for many years and became largely the currency of the country, both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The first president of the New Hope Delaware Bridge Company was the Hon. Samuel D. Ingham and Benjamin Parry was a member of the First Board of Managers in 18II. It may perhaps be of some interest to note that in 1905, ninety-four years later, the family are still closely connected with this ancient corporation and one of its members (a grandson of Benjamin Parry) has been for a number of years president of the company. Daniel Parry, born April 21, 1774, a younger brother of Benjamin, was its treasurer in 1814. The present treasurer is John S. Will- iams. From 1784 to about 1815 "Cory- ell's Ferry," (now New Hope) was ad- mittedly the most active and thriving town in Bucks county and the means, hand and influence of Benjamin Parry, were those which mainly guided the helm; so much so was this that in early times he was known and styled "the Father of Coryell's Ferry." Besides his Iinseed oil mills, flour and saw mills int Pennsylvania, Benjamin Parry was owner of flour mills in Amwell town- ship, New Jersey, on the opposite side of the river from New Hope and was inter- ested with his relatives, Timothy Pax- son (one of the executors of the rich Stephen Girard) in the flour commission business in Philadelphia. A letter front the late Martin Coryell of Lambertville, New Jersey, states as follows. "Benjamin Parry had a very large and profitable trade, for the product of his flour mills with the West Indies and other tropical

countries, having in A. D., 1810. invented a process by which malt, flour, corn meal, etc., would resist the heat and moisture of voyages through tropical climates and remain sweet and whole- some" and "that the amount of produc- tion was the only limit for the demand in foreign ports." This patent from the United States to Benjamin Parry is dated July 10, 1810; and is recorded in botlı Washington and Philadelphia; the rec- ord in Philadelphia being in Book 25 "L. W." of Miscellaneous Records, page 67, etc., Recorder of Deeds Office. It was long known as the "Kiln Drying Process" and was not superceded by any different method for a period of nearly seventy-five years. Some of the business affairs of Benjamin Parry were conducted under the firm name of Ben- jamin Parry & Co., and others as Parry & Cresson. Some time between 1791 and 1794, the name of "Coryell's Ferry" was changed and it became known as New Hope and a private map of the settle- ment, made for Benjamin Parry, bears the name of New Hope and is dated, in printed letters A. D .. 1798. Mr. Parry died as before stated, November 22, 1839, in his eighty-third year at "The Old Parry Mansion,"* New Hope, and he is buried with so many others of his name and race, in the family lot at Solebury Friends' burying ground, Bucks county.

OLIVER PARRY, GENTLEMAN, of Philadelphia and Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, only son of Benjamin Parry, born 1757, was born at "The Old Parry Mansion," Coryell's Ferry, now New Hope, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, De- cember 20, 1794, and married May I, 1827, Rachel Randolph, daughter of Cap- tain Edward F. Randolph, a patriot of 1776, who had served in many of the principal battles of the Revolutionary war and who became an eminent citizen of Philadelphia. His portrait in oil, painted by Robert Street, hangs upon the

walls of the "Historical Society of Penn- sylvania," at Philadelphia. Oliver and Rachel Randolph Parry had twelve chil- dren, four sons and eight daughters, all born between March 24. 1828, and Au- gust 17, 1848. Of the sons. Oliver Paxson Parry, born June 20, 1846, died in 1852, aged 6 years, and the others will be noted later. Oliver Parry, the elder, born 1794, was a large landholder and his name appears upon the records of Philadel- phia county oftener perhaps, than that of any other person of his day. A part of his property was a large tract of the once famous "Bush Hill Estate" long the residence of Governor Andrew Ham- ilton, in colonial days. This property Mr. Parry owned jointly with his

*An account and description of "The Old Parry Mansion" follows this narrative.

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

nephew Nathaniel Randolph. In Wat- son's "Annals of Philadelphia," much mention is made of "The Bush Hill Es- tate." Rachel Randolph Parry, the wife of Oliver Parry, died at "The Old Parry Mansion," New Hope, September 9, 1866, his own death occurring February 20, 1874, at his city residence, 1721 Arch street, Philadelphia, and both are buried in the family lot at Solebury Friends' burying ground, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. The close of an obituary notice of Oliver Parry in a Philadelphia newspaper of the day, thus pays tribute to his high character, and standing: "Born a member of the Society of Friends, he lived and died in that faith, walking through life with a singleness and direct honesty of purpose which made the name of Oliver Parry synony- mons with truth and honor." ( Edward, Richard, George and Oliver, the four sons of Oliver, are noted below.)

MAJOR EDWARD RANDOLPH PARRY, U. S. army, born July 27, 1832. eldest son of Oliver Parry (born 1794) was a brave and gallant officer, who served from the beginning to the end of the Civil war of 1861. The following no- tice of him, appeared in many of the newspapers, after his death, which event occurred at "The Old Parry Mansion" April 13, 1874:

Major Edward Randolph Parry, late of the United States army, died at his residence, New Hope, in this county, on the 13th of April, 1874, and was buried on the 16th, at Friends' Solebury burying ground. He was a son of the late Oliver Parry of Philadelphia, and was born at New Hope, July 27, 1832. In May, 1861, he entered the army as first lieutenant in the IIth United States Infantry, and served throughout the war, with great credit. In 1864 he was made captain in the IIth; afterwards transferred to the 20th, and on reorganization of the army was promoted to a majorality for gallant service. He was in the terrible fighting along the line of the Weldon railroad, and before Petersburg, Virginia, com- manding his regiment in several actions. In 1865 he was assistant general of the regular brigade, Army of Potomac, and served upon the staff of General Win- throp when he was killed. At Lee's sur- render he was attached to army head- quarters. In 1868 Major Parry com- manded Forts Philip and Jackson, at month of Mississippi river, and Fort Ripley in Minnesota in 1869. He re- signed on account of ill health in 1871. Major Parry was the grandson of Major Edward Randolph, who served from the beginning to the end of the Revolution- ary war.

A portrait of Major Parry hangs upon the walls of the "Bucks County Histori- cal Society" at Doylestown, Pennsyl- vania. Major E. R. Parry married De-

cember 17, 1863, at Boston. Massachu- setts, Frances, daughter of General Jus- tin Dimick, U. S. A., and had three chil- dren. She, with one child, an unmarried daughter (named Katharine) survives him. The other two children, daughters, died in childhood

RICHARD RANDOLPH PARRY, GENTLEMAN, of New Hope, Pennsyl- vania, second son of Oliver and Rachel ( Randolph) Parry, was born in Phila- delphia, December 5, 1835, and married October 11, 1866, in Saint Luke's Prot- estant Episcopal church, Portland, Maine, Miss Ellen L. Read, of Portland, and they have issue, three children, as follows: 1. Gertrude R. Parry, unmarried.

2. Adelaide R. Parry, unmarried.

3. Oliver Randolph Parry, born March 29, 1873, married on October 15, 1898, in New York city, Miss Lida M. Kreamer and has one child, Margaret (born May 3. 1901.) at "The Old Parry Mansion."

R. R. Parry was educated at private schools in Philadelphia and at Haver- ford College, Pennsylvania. From 1856 to 1862, he resided at Mankato, Minne- sota, where he was engaged in the bank- ing business. In "Neill's History of the Minnesota Valley" page 549, published in Minneapolis, 1882, and in "Mankato, Its First 50 Years" published at Mankato 1903, Mr. Parry is described as one of the early pioneers of the valley. In 1862 he returned to Pennsylvania to live. He is a member of the "Bucks County His- torical Society" and a life member of "The Historical Society of Pennsylvania" since 1855. He is also a member of the "Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution;" and a companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, commandery of Penn- sylvania. He is senior warden of "St. Andrew's Protestant Episcopal Church", Lambertville, New Jersey, and for many years past has been president of "The New Hope Delaware Bridge Company." Mr. Parry is a man of literary tastes, and historical interests and has fre- quently contributed articles to the press and published works. He resides at the "Old Parry Mansion," in New Hope borough, erected for his ancestor, Ben- jamin Parry in 1784. Two different por- tions of this estate were occupied by the Continental troops, in December, 1776. just prior to the "Battle of Trenton" as more fully mentioned elsewhere in this volume.

DR. GEORGE RANDOLPH PARRY, of New Hope, Pennsylvania ("Coryell's Ferry"), third son of Oliver and Rachel ( Randolph) Parry, was born September 3. 1830 in Philadelphia, and was edu- cated in private schools of that city. He began the study of medicine in the Phil- adelphia College of Pharmacy from which he graduated, in the class of 1862.

Rich Randolph Parry

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OLD PARRY MANSION-INTERIOR VIEW

OLD PARRY MANSION

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

In 1864 he entered the Medical Depart- ment of the University of Pennsylvania and was graduated in 1867. For some years he practiced his profession in Cayuga county, New York. On return- ing to Pennsylvania in 1880 he located at the old homestead at New Hope, living at the "Old Parry Mansion" until his death June 12, 1893. He enjoyed a large practice, and died much esteemed and lamented. Dr. Parry married March 2, 1869, Miss Elizabeth Van Etten, of Van- ettenville, New York, whom he survived twelve years. They had two children, Elizabeth R. and Jane Paxson, the latter deceased. Dr. Parry was a member of the Medical Societies of Bucks county, Pennsylvania and Hunterdon county, New Jersey; and was also a member of the "Bucks County Historical Society" and a life member of the "Historical So- ciety of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia." He also was much interested in Free Ma- sonry and belonged to a commandery of Knights Templar in New York state.

OLIVER PAXSON PARRY, fourth son of Oliver and Rachel ( Randolph) Parry was born 1846, and died December 13, 1852, in his seventh year.

DANIEL PARRY, ESQ .. of New Hope, Pennsylvania, son of John Parry, of "Moorland Manor" and Margaret Ty- son, his wife, was born April 21, 1774, and married Martha Dilworth of Dil- worthtown, Pennsylvania, having but one child, named for his grandfather, John. Parryville, Carbon county. Pennsylvania, an important point for shipment of coal on the Lehigh river, was named for this Daniel Parry, who was a gentleman of fortune and owned large tracts of land, in Carbon, Wayne, Luzerne and other counties of Pennsylvania ; a part of which were obtained through the Marquis de Noailles of France. Daniel Parry died July 16, 1856, aged eighty-two years. Martha Dilworth Parry, his wife, died April 3, 1831, aged fifty-three years. Their son John died in childhood and all three lie buried in their family lot, at Friends burying ground in Solebury township, Bucks county. The Doylestown papers, in noticing the death of Daniel Parry, spoke of him as "a man of large benevo- lence, and a generous friend to the des- titute," and many poor persons indeed mourned the loss of a friend ever ready to help them.

"THE OLD PARRY MANSION," New Hope Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania ("Coryell's Ferry," of the Revolution ).

The ancient colonial double stone iran- sion still standing at the corner of the old York road and the Trenton or River road in New Hope borough, erected in

1784 for Benjamin Parry, which has bravely stood in three centuries has long been known as "The Old Parry Man- sion" and has been the home of the Parrys of New Hope ( Coryell's Ferry) for five generations. Two different por- tions of this property were occupied by troops of the Continental army, in the Revolutionary war. In 1776, just prior to the Battle of Trenton, a considerable body of American soldiers under General William Alexander ( Lord Stirling) were quartered here and the village placed in a state of armed defence by Stirling, who threw up a strong redoubt on top of the hill across the pond, in a southwest- erly direction from "The Old Parry Mansion," and a part of this estate. These earth works extended from where the yellow public school house now stands, in an easterly direction, a considerable distance towards the Delaware river, at the termination of the old York road at the river's brink above and below the Ferry landing. Upon another part of the Parry property, (purchased of the Todd's) entrenchments were erected and batteries placed. Lord Stirling also had another redoubt thrown upon the old York road facing the river at the cor- ner of Ferry street, and the present Bridge street, opposite where "the old Washington Tree," cut down November 28, 1893, then stood and near the site of the present Presbyterian church. From this elevated position he likewise com- manded the approach from the Delaware river. Such were the defenses of Cory- ell's Ferry at this period of the Revolu- tion, when it (then an important strategic point, and crossing of the Delaware) was saved to the American cause from British plans and designs. At page 175. Volume I of *Washington and his Generals" in speaking of General Alexander (Lord Stirling) it is stated "That in his new capacity of Major Gen- eral, he joined the army in its memorable retreat through New Jersey and took part in the operations on the Delaware river, where he again signalized himself his successful defense of Coryell's Ferry."

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 17

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921 Publication date: 1905 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1040