History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 116

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162

USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches > Part 116

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"The petition of us who are inhabitants eo the north east brauch of Conestogo and en ye head of French Creek, that whereas several of us subscribers haviog our residence fifty miles and upwards distant from Chester and ne house of publick entertainment erected in all yt space er distance,"

and recommend James Pugh, of Uwchlan, who dwells about midway from Chester to Conestoga. In 1728, Thomas George is granted license at the house now long known as the " Anvil," on a petition stating that he

" hath been at a great deal of trouble and charge io building and in providing plenty of hay, corn and about forty aeres of good cleared pasturage and several other things necessary for a public house,-that it is in the forks of two great roads, one towards Marlborough and the other towards New London, and there being no house this side of Brandywine within several miles of the said place."

In 1729, Lazarus Finney was licensed to keep a public- house at New London. His petition sets forth

" That your petitioner living en ye great road leading from Sus- quehanna to Philadelphia and ye road from Conestogee to New Cas- tle, in the township of New London, where there is a great resort of travellers, who frequently travel along ye said road and are often

PUBLIC-HOUSES.

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burthensome to your petitioner and several of ye neighbours for on- tertainment, for want of a house of entertainment on ye aforesaid roads."

In 1731, John Bentley sets out in a petition that he had formerly petitioned for license for selling strong lickers by small measure, and hath hitherto been disappointed, and now asks for license to sell " bear and sider by ye quart." In 1733, Evan Lewis, of West Caln, "an ancient man and al- most past his labour, living on the King's road lately laid from Philadelphia to Lancaster," was licensed to " keep public house and sell beer and syder." In the same year James Arbuckle petitions for license, " upon the main road now leading from Conestogo to White Clay creek, to sell rum, beer and sider, to answer every man's condition as his need requires it." In 1735, Robert Richardson desires license in Tredyffrin, and sets out that he " is incapable by reason of lameness in his arms, and has to support two ancient helpless women, his mother and mother in law, besides wife and children."

In 1736, Garret Brumbough (Brownback) is licensed. He sets out in his petition that he " is frequently oppressed with travellers whom he is obliged to entertain ;" that he is " living in the township of Coventry on the great road which leads from Philadelphia to the Iron Works, and from thenee to Conestogoe, and there being no publick house within twenty miles below or thirty miles above the sª peti- tioner's house; he the said petitioner living above four miles from the Iron Works." In the same year John Chads was licensed at Chads' Ford. His petition states that he has undertaken to keep a ferry, and wishes to keep a public- house, etc. In 1737, James Logan petitions for license in Londonderry, stating that he " hath lately purchased a plantation in Londonderry where there is need of a public house, by reason of three grate rodes meeting at your pe- titioners house and there being no publiek house for five or six miles ; one road from Conestoga to Christina Bridge, another from Buckleys mill to the Landing and the Lime- stone road that leads to Nottingham." In 1738, William Boyd obtained license in Sadsbury. Francis Swain, in 1739, petitioned for license in West Caln, stating that carts and wagons frequently travel the road, and Dutch and others make it their stage at his house.

John Harris, of Willistown, obtained license in 1740, at the sign of the " Harrow." William Hartley, of Charles- town, in the same year, says that his house is " continually infested with travellers who call for and demand necessaries and that he has been at great charges in supplying them with bedding and their horses with proper provender with- ont any payment," and he asks for license " to retail liquor in said house." John Vaughan was allowed a license at what is now Lionville in 1740, which is the first mention we have of a tavern at that point. There was a remon- strance against granting this license from Friends meeting, setting forth :

" That it being but a few perches from our meeting house, where persons intoxicated with strong liquor may come and be very annoy- ous and troublesome, where also our youth may be induced by ill com- pany to that which may be very corrupt and injurious to them; we also bumbly conceive that there is or can be no necessity of a tavern at the above mentioned place on the account of travellers, whilst there being houses of the kind on that road at a very convenient distance, viz. James Trego's and William Hall's."

Prior to 1741 many of the tavern liecnses appear to have been renewed without a formal petition when the same person continued at the same place without any change.

John Frew, in 1741, petitions for license at New Lon- don, setting forth that

"Whereas in times past there was a tavern allowed to Lazarus Finney, deecased, in ye township afd a place known by ye name of ye Cross Roads, for the support and comfort of travellers, being great in number that passeth that way."

John Gibb in his petition presented the same year, for license in the same township, proposes " to sell ye gill of rum for threepence, and ye mug of Eg punch for sixpence."

Joseph Hawley, in his petition for license at Newtown, in the same year, says that

" Having for these fourteen years last past behaved himself as an honest, civill and quiet neighbour in his said imploy, forbidding gaming or drunkenness or suffer mens servants or others to sitt tip- ling in his house and he and his wife being each of them between sixty and seventy years of age, . . . and hope you will not allow Franeis Elliot, a young man (that hath a good trade, being a wheel- wright, house carpenter and joyner, having a wife and one child, and hath two or three apprentices, and one journeyman) to obtain your grant for keeping of a publiek house in Newtown aforesaid to the great hurt and damage of your petitioner in his old age."

This petition was accompanied by one from the inhab- itants of the township, uniting with him " lest Hawley and wife become a publick charge." These judgments seem to have been influenced by their pecuniary interests.

William McKean (the father of Governor Mckean) petitioned for "full licence" in Londongrove in 1741, which was not granted, but he was allowed to sell " beer and syder." He was soon afterwards, and in the same year, granted a full license. This is the first mention we have of a licensed house at Half-Way House (now Chat- ham). The house licensed is now the residence of John I. Carter.

In 1743, William McKean again applied for license, and a petition was presented against his application, representing that he " hath in and for some time past kept or permitted a very ill conduct and practice in and about his aforesaid house in permitting or suffering people to swear, curs, fight and to be drunk." He was allowed a license, this indorse- ment being made on the petition against him :

"The petitioners pass by ye offences against ye sd MeKean, he promising to behave better for time to come."

In the year 1741, Thomas Mckean, a brother of Wil- liam Mckean, was licensed to keep an inn in Tredyffrin. Mary Moore, in the same year, set forth that she was the widow of William Moore, of Willistown; and "having lived several years at a noted stage commonly called the Harrow, where her husband followed the trade of a hatter, but received a wound in the leg had it cut off at the thigh and died," and she desired license "to sell beer and sider, to maintain her family." The application was rejected.

William Boyd, of Sadsbury, in 1742, says he " had licence to sell rum, beer, and syder the last year," and he Dow wishes license for the ensuing year to sell " beer and syder." He seems voluntarily to have given up the privi- lege of selling rum,-a rare virtue, we imagine, in those days, and not much practiced in the present.

John Chads, who kept the ferry and public-house at

418

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Chads' Ford, had his license taken from him, but at the urgent request of the people of the vicinage it was, in 1742, restored, the petitioners setting forth that

" being sensible that we may be liable to grent disappointments, as well ns on account of entertainment, as also ye attendance of ye boat over yesnid creek, weh has been greatly serviceable to strangers unacquainted with ye said creek."

The ferry referred to was that over the Brandywine at Chads' Ford, maintained by John Chads, in connection with his public-house. The first application for license at what is now Avondale was made in 1742 by William Reed, but it was not successful. License was granted to James Way at the sign of the " Wagon" (now Wagontown), in West Caln township, in 1742. This is the first notice of a license at that place.

A public-house at the Yellow Springs was first licensed in 1750. Robert Pritchard, the applicant, in his petition represented

"That your Petitioner is in Possession of a Farm in the Township of Pikeland in the said County on which is that Medicinal Water Called the Yellow Spring unto which there is Frequently a Great Concourse of Peuple on account of Health and also many others Travailing about their Occasions on n Publiek Road Laid out and opened Near the same & also nnother Rond is ordered to be Laid from Uwehlan which may Cross the above said Road near snid Spring; All which occurrences Render it Necessary to Procure Accomodations for such as have occasion to come to the snid Pince. And ns your Petitioner hath already been at a Considerable Charge in Building & Improveing and is yet willing further to Build and Improve In order to serve the People Your Petitioner Therefore Humbly Prays that your Honours may be Pleased to Grant him n Recomendation In order to obtain License to keep a House of Entertainment nt ye snid Place."

In 1769, Stephen Anderson petitioned for license at Chatham, setting out that he

"now resides at n place called Chatham in London Grove Township where nn Inn has been kept for upwards of twenty years; That he bath Intely taken the snid Inn from Thomas Mckean Esquire, with two hundred and thirty neres of land belonging to the same whercon are valuable Buildings, n good Orchard and every convenience neces- sary for the good Entertainment of Travellers, &e., five publie Roads meet at the said Inn. There is another small Public House on one of the roads within less than half a mile and not business enough for two, &c.

" Allowed nt ye old house."

License was granted to Joshua Evans, in Tredyffrin, in 1769. This is the first notice of that afterwards famous hostelry known far and wide as the " Paoli," whereat was always good cheer for man and beast.

In 1758 there were 34 licenses granted in what is now Chester County. The names of those licensed and the townships in which their houses were situated are here given :

Birmingham .- William Jones.

East Caln .- Thomas Parke, Lydia Morgan. West Culn .- Joseph Bishop. Coventry .- John Swanner. Charlestown .- William Graham.

East Fallowfield .- William Hamilton.

West Fallonfield .- James Cochran.

Goshen .- Jonathan Davis. Kennet .- John Baldwin.

Londongrove .- Andrew Caldwell.

London Britain .- Joshun McDowell.

New Garden .- Nathaniel Ring.

West Marlborough .- James Parry, Thomas Buffington.

West Nantmeal .- Joseph Gibson.

New London .- William McDowell, Elizabeth Fury.

East Nottingham .- John Slator, Moses Latham, Elisha Hughes. West Nottingham -Willinm Cummings.

Oxford .- John Hayes, Francis Motherall, Alexander Simrall. Pikeland .- Adam Ramsower.

Tredyffrin .- Joseph Mitchell.

Uwchlan .- Joseph Wilkinson, Jonathan Vaughan.

Vincent .- Benjamin Brownback, George David. Whiteland .- George Aston, John Neely, Thomas Hubbard.

The number of taverns continued to increase with the population and business of the county, until in 1830 there were 146 licensed houses. This is probably the greatest number that were ever licensed in any one year. On the completion of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad and the consequent decrease of business on the Lancaster turn- pike and other roads, the number of houses for a time rapidly decreased.

The following is a list of those licensed in 1830, and is here given as showing the names of those who kept the publie-houses at that date, now half a century ago :

Birmingham .- Cheyney Weston.

Brandywine .- Grnbill Diller, James Hnskins, John Kerlin, Robert Worrall, Henry Widener, John Gray.

East Bradford .- Benjamin Kerns.

West Brudford .- Lydin Martin, Isaac Carpenter, Joseph Worth, Joseph Baldwin

East Culu .- Jacob E. Purke, Isaac Downing, Benjamin I. Miller, Richard Millesun, Jonathan Diller, George P. Lnuer.

West Caln .- John Marsh, Joseph Hughs, Willinm C. Jacobs, James L. Neiler.

Coventry .- Garrett Hoopes, Jona Y. Missimer, J. B. Willaner, Abraham Shantz, John Young, Jr. Charlestown .- Jonathan Rond, Ennch Wells, Samuel Guss.

Eusttown .- John Dane, Alex. E. Finley, Thomas Temple, Jacob Clinger.

East Fallomfield .- John Filson, Robert Young.

West Falloufield .- George Philips, 'Samuel Fnthey, Levi McCor- miek, Matthew B. Cochrnn, William Baker, John J. Monaghan.

East Goshen .- Isaiah Matlack, Jona. W. Hoffman, Joseph Philips, Henry H. Horne.

New Garden .- Sidney Marsh, Jacob Taylor.

Honeybrook .- Oliver B. Harper, Jacob Weiler, John Levengood, Peter H. Foland, David Buchanan, William Owen.

Kennet .- Harlan Gunse, Jacob IIopple, David Martin.

New London .- Jane Mnckey, Jnmes A. Alexander, Abigail H. Cuningham.

London Britain .- Jacob Dehaven.

Londongrove .- Juseph Wood, Wm. Harris.

Londonderry .- Jneob Reese.

Enat Marlborough .- Benjamin Worth, Emmor Worth, Thomas Pres- ton, John Entriken.

West Marlborough .- Hnyes Clark.

East Nottingham .- Willinm Barrett, Jacob Hilamun, Timothy Kirk, William Donnelly, Win, Rutherford. WVest Nottingham .- Joseph Kirk.

West Nautmeal .- Joseph F. Grier, James Bones, Abigail Beard, und Marin Morris.

East Nantmeal .- Sarah W. Clingan, William Strickland.

Lower Oxford .- John Twaddell, David Hayes, Jr.

Upper Oxford .- Robert Androws, Benjamin Hickman, William Crosby.

Penn .- William Walters.

Pikeland .- Margaret Holman, Anthony W. Olwino, Samuel Shearer, William Wagonseller.

Pennabury .- Joseph Lancaster.

Sadabury .- Samuel Jackson, John Kendig, Joseph Thornbury, Samuel Wentz, Andrew Benr, Nathan Frame, James Dickinson, Nicholas Boyer, Somnel A. Whitehill.

Schuylkill .- Joseph E. Anderson, Sninl. II. Bennett, John Work- izer, Abraham Olwine, Samuel D. Moore.

BROOKLYN WOOLEN MILLS EAST BRANDYWINE CHESTER CO. PA.

RES. OF REUBEN BYLER WEST NANTMEAL TP CHESTER CO. PA.

"ELMWOOD" RES. OF JAMES BUTLER WEST NANTMEAL TP. CHESTER CO. PA.

419

PUBLIC-HOUSES.

Tredyffrin-William Strickland, Joshua Evans, IIenry Bell, Wil- liam Lewis, Jesse Moore, and Abraham Beidler.

Uicchlan .- John Gordon, Jesse B. Strickland, Isaac Evans.

Vincent,-Jaeob Ludwick, Frederick Sheeder, Conrad Bode, Wil- liam Rogers, Joh Fudge, Henry Ortlip, William Whitby, C. Shaner.

East Whiteland .- June Pearce, Jobn Snyder, Charles Fahnestoek, Henry Souders,

West Whitelund .- Joseph Hoover, Joshua Darlington, Joseph Hall, John West, Levi Evans.

Willistown .- George Davis, Thomas Tueker, Samuel Cheever, Henry Coffman, Isaac Bond, Samuel Diek.

Westtown .- Thomas Darlington.

West Chester .- Daniel Buck walter, Samson Babb, Davis Beaumont, Richard Evans, John Babb, Peter Osborne, Ann Mason, Imla J. Bennett.

Our early inn-keepers, in giving names to their houses, adopted those to which they were accustomed in the old country. During the war of the Revolution, and for some time afterwards, the names of the patriot generals who had figured prominently in that contest became favorite appella- tions, and many of the old time-honored names gave place to them. In these latter days the names given to new houses are not so euphonious as those given by our fathers. Time has not made any improvement in this respect. With the decrease in the number of public-houses many of the old names have disappeared, and are being rapidly forgot- ten. In order to preserve them from oblivion, reference will be made to some of those which were borne by well- known hostelries in former days.

On the " Old Lancaster road" there were the Buck, Plow, Admiral Vernon (afterwards the Warren), White Horse, Ship (now Dr. Eshleman's, west of Downingtown), Wagon (now Wagontown), and Mariner's Compass (now Compass- ville).

On the Paxtang road, leading from Downingtown towards the settlements at and near Harrisburg, or its successor, the Horseshoe pike, were the Buck, Cross Keys (changed to Washington), Olive Branch, Spread Eagle (Rockville), Leopard; Bull's Head (afterwards General Wayne), Black Horse, Rising Sun, Red Lion. From 1792 to 1800 there was a tavern kept in the house where Gen. Matthew Stanley long resided. The " Brick" was opened in 1807, and was the first brick building erected in that section of the county.

On the Lancaster turnpike were (among others) the Spread Eagle, Spring House, Bear, Paoli, Green Tree, Warren, General Wayne, Steamboat, Sheaf of Wheat, Ship, General Washington, Swan, Prussian Eagle, Midway, States' Arms, Rainbow, Washington, Black Horse, Cross Keys. The " Ship" was originally west of Downingtown, at a point where the old Lancaster road and the more modern Lan- caster turnpike occupied the same ground. The sign, after this house ceased to be kept as a tavern, was taken to the new house of the same name on the turnpike in West Whiteland. The "Ship" tavern was one of the oldest as well as most noted public-houses in the county, being much frequented by persons on public business. During the Revolution the host remained loyal to the crown, and on one occasion some Continentals, not liking the usage they had received of him, deliberately shot thirteen bullets through the effigy of the ship, and the old sign carried the marks as long as it swung at the old stand or at the new one in West Whiteland.

The Downing hotel, or " stage-office," the name it was

generally known by, was at the east end of the village of Downingtown, and for many years a noted stopping-place. Its swinging sign bore the effigy of Washington and a civilian standing side by side. Here Presidents, gover- nors, supreme judges, and all kinds of dignitaries ate and slept. It was kept by IIunt. Downing until 1816, by Wil- liam Frame and Jesse Evans until 1827, and by Isaac Downing until 1836.

On the Strasburg road there were the Sheaf of Wheat, Black Horse, Centre House ( Marshallton), General Wayne, Golden Eagle (Worth's), White Horse (Young's), Dravo (Humphreyville), Fountain Inn (Parkesburg), Swan.

About the beginning of the present century there was a house, known as the " Peggy Bann Inn," at the foot of the hill on the Strasburg road as you leave Youngsburg, in East Fallowfield township, going east. It is still standing in a somewhat dilapidated condition, but not used as a public- house. According to tradition, the origin of the name of this house was on this wise : A son of Erin opened for the mutual benefit of the public and himself this wayside inn. When the sign came to be painted, which, by the way, was a most important part of the tavern in those days, the pro- prietor had the artist portray the imaginary lineaments of the former's sweetheart, Peggy Bann, whom he had left in Ireland. Afterwards the name of the house was changed to that of the " Three Stripes," and the new sign painted over the other. It was remarked by the residents of the neigh- borhood for many years subsequently that no matter how well the sign was kept painted the lineaments of Peggy would still peep through the stripes. It was kept for some years by James and Robert Young; but the latter erected a new public-house a short distance west of it prior to 1820, and the old house was no longer used as a place whereat to cheer man and beast.

Among other public-houses were the Anvil, Unicorn, and Plow, in Kennet ; Hammer and Trowel, in New Gar- den ; Half-Way House (now Chatham) and White Horse, in Londongrove; Stage and Leopard, in Easttown ; Buck, in Coventry ; Lamb, in Wallace; Gum Tree, Sorrel Horse (formerly Spinning-Wheel), and Mason's Arms, in West Fallowfield ; General Greene, Boot, and Three Tuns, in East Goshen; Cross Keys and Fox Chase and Drove, in East Marlboroughı ; Globe, in West Nottingham ; Rising Sun, Washington, and Yellow Springs, in West Pikeland; Bull, Fountain Inn, Valley Forge, General Pike, and General La- fayette, in Schuylkill ; Red Lion and Eagle, in Uwchlan; Seven Stars, Captain Lawrence, and Poplar Trec, in Vincent ; Indian King and Grove, in West Whiteland; Dolphin (now Dilworthstown) in Birmingham ; White Horse and William Penn, in Willistown; and Eel's Foot, in East Bradford, near Jefferis' Ford. In West Chester were the Turk's Head, Washington, Cross Keys (afterwards White Hall), Black Bear, Green Tree, Eagle, and Traveler's Rest (afterwards the Star). The present Mansion House was originally called the Chester County Hotel. The name was not improved by the change.

In 1830 the population of the county was 50,910, and the number of licensed houses was 146. In 1880 the pop- ulation was 83,302, and the number of licenses granted to hotels was 58, and to eating-houses 23.

420

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES OF CHESTER COUNTY.

The early settlers, in giving names to localities, very generally adopted those with which they were familiar in the Old World. This served to remind them of home, and their adoption was natural. As a result, almost the entire geography of the county is English. When William Penn landed at Upland he asked his friend Pearson, " What wilt thou that I should call this place ?" Pearson replied, " Chester, in remembrance of the city from whence I came." The name Upland should have been retained, but the home- feeling prevailed, and the name " Chester"-now so dear to the heart of every one who can claim our ancient baili- wick as his birthplace-was adopted.

No one seems to have thought of retaining the names given by the Indians as a rule, and hence the map of Ches- ter County contains very few aboriginal names. The list appears to comprise but three names,-Octorara, the mean- ing of which is unknown ; Pocopson, which signifies brawl- ing or rapid stream ; and Toughkenamon, signifying Fire- Brand Hill. Of the streams, the Indian names borne by many of them, besides the Octorara and Pocopson, are given on ancient maps ; thus the Christina was called Min- quas ; the Elk, Sickpeckon ; White Clay Creek, Swapeck- sisko ; Red Clay Creek, Hwiskakimensi; Chester Creek, Mecoponacka ; Darby Creek, Mohorhootink; and the French Creek, Sankanac. Of Crum, Ridley, and Picker- ing we have not the Indian names.

The Indian name of the Brandywine below the forks is not certainly known. It is spoken of by tradition as both Suspecough and Wawassan. One of the branches of it was called by the Indians Chichokatas, as is shown in a deed from James Harlan to James Gibbons, dated 4th month 7, 1731, for 500 acres of land, described as "lying and being upon a branch of Brandywine called Chichokatas," on which he (Harlan) then lived, in or near Nantmeal. On old maps the Brandywine is called Fish Kihl (Swedish) and Bränwin's Creek. The Brandywine has been gener- ally supposed to have derived its name in consequence of the reported loss of a Dutch vessel on its lower waters laden with brandy,-in the Dutch language, brand-wijn,-and historians have generally, if not universally, given this ver- sion. This, however, is shown by recent investigation to be a mistake. It most probably derived its name from one Andrew Braindwine, who at an early day owned lands near its mouth. It was very common in the olden time in the lower counties, as they were called (now the State of Dela- ware), to name streams after the dwellers upon their banks. This creek is shown by the old records to have been known as the Fishkill until the grant of land to Andrew Braind- wine in 1670, immediately after which it is referred to on the records as Braindwinc's kill, or creek, and the name was eventually corrupted into its present form of Brandy- wine.

THE INDIANS.

The Indian tribes inhabiting what is now Chester County were, when the country was first settled, known collec- tively as the Lenni Lenape, but were generally called by the settlers the Delawares. They lived in small tribes, generally occupying the tributaries of the Delaware, and each tribe was frequently known to the settlers by the

name of the stream it occupied. The tribe which occu- pied the region drained by the Brandywine was known as the Nanticoke.

These tribes had each their own sachem or king. The name Lenni Lenape signifies " original people," a race un- mixed and unchanged. The word Lenape is properly pro- nounced in three syllables, Len-a-pe. When the name of " Delawares" was first applied to them, they thought it was given in derision ; but were reconciled to it on being told that it was the name of a great white chief, Lord De la Warr. As they were fond of being named after distin- guished men, they were rather pleased, considering it as a compliment.

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 116

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 1162

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162