History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 94

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 94

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1866 the firm changed to Otto & Achelis, and in 1875 the latter purchased the interest of Mr. Otto, thereby being the sole proprietor of the concern, which is now doing an extensive business, shipping trees to all parts of the Uuion.

CHERRY HILL NURSERIES.

These nurseries were established in the year 1853, and have steadily increased in extent until at the present time they occupy about 300 acres of land. The green-house de- partment consists of 26,000 square feet of glass, and em- braces not only the ordinary bedding plants in general use, but the rare and costly species from tropical countries in every portion of the globe. In the nurseries proper the section devoted to fruit-trees takes precedence for extent. Here may be seen hundreds of thousands of apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, apricots, nectarines, quinces, etc., as well as an immense assortment of the smaller fruits. In the ornamental section is the splendid collection of shade- trees, flowering shrubs and vines, etc., for which these nur- series have been justly famous for many years, embracing kinds that were formerly only imported from Europe, but which are now grown here by the thousands to supply their exhaustive trade.

The business relations of this firm extend over the entire Union and Canada, in addition to large exportations to Europe, which necessitates a large corps of trained em- ployees in the preparation of their goods for market. Their system of delivering small plants by mail has of late years grown into a prominent feature at Cherry Hill, so that a considerable force of men and boys are kept constantly em- ployed in preparing the mail orders alone. Altogether this is one of the largest commercial establishments at the borough of West Chester. Since the accompanying sketch of the office, grounds, and green-houses was prepared an elegant new structure has been erected for office purposes. The firm is composed of Josiah and Abner Hoopes and George B. Thomas, trading as Hoopes, Brothers & Thomas.

THE DINGEE & CONARD COMPANY, ROSE-GROWERS.

The establishment of the Dingee & Conard Company, widely known as the most extensive growers of roses in the United States, is located at West Grove, on the Philadel- phia and Baltimore Central Railroad. This large establish- ment has quite an interesting history ; like most other im- portant industries, it has grown up gradually, and is the result of many years' patient labor. About the year 1865 the nursery firm of Dingee & Conard began the propaga- tion and culture of roses as a special branch of their nur- sery business. At that time the demand for roses was limited to supplying nurserymen and florists with a few plants for retailing. For many years rose-growing proved a slow and unprofitable business; the art of propagation was imperfectly understood, prices were low, and the de- mand small. Having started the business of rose-growing, however, the firm were not disposed to give it up, but fol- lowed steadily on, gradually learning better methods, accu- mulating suitable facilities for the work and a valuable stock of the best varieties of roses. When at last they had learned, by long experience and at large expense, how to grow roses, they were still confronted with the difficulty of selling them in quantity to make the business remuner- ative. What follows can perhaps best be told in their own language :

" While casting about for some avenue of sale, we became impressed with the belief that there were plenty of people to buy roses if they could be assured of getting reliable plants at a fair price, delivered safely and cheaply. We therefore tried advertising roses extensively in the newspapers, and sending the plants by mail. This did not prove immediately successful; new difficulties constantly arose, and were only everceme by persistent effort and long experience. Though finding ourselves in a new and untried path, where every detail had to be learned, and in many instances new methods invented, we kept pressing on, constantly aiming to furnish a good article and please our customers, whose orders were now coming in considerable numbers from all parts of the country. After years of study and experiment we learned how to produce hardy, vigoreus plants of the choicest varieties, specially adapted for safe transportation, and cer- tain te hleom quickly when planted out. These gave immense satis- faction, and our prompt and liberal dealing gained friends for us everywhere, so that our ntmest exertiens were required to keep up with the increasing demand. The old firm of Dingee & Conard was merged inte the Dingee & Conard Company, chartered by the State in 1871, shertly after which we discontinued our general nursery business se that we could give exclusive attention to roses. We are probably the only establishment in the United States who make a special business of growing roses. We have upwards of fifty large rose-houses, and employ all the year reund a heavy force of skilled operatives in the various departments. The business is still growing, and its demands necessitate carrying a stock entirely unequaled in extent and variety in this country, and it is confidently believed that we now annually preduce and distribute more roses than any other establishment in the world. We advertise largely in the leading newspapers, and distribute every year to the individual addresses of our customers nearly ten tons of eur 'New Guide to Rose Culture,' a finely-illustrated beek ef seventy pages. Our roses are favorably known all over the United States and Canada, and are bloeming in nearly every hamlet between the Atlantic and the Pacific."

The officers and active members of the company are Charles Dingee, Alfred F. Conard, and Antoine Wintzer.

5 BROS THOMAS!

HOOPES BRO.& THOMAS

CIPRR

AZA

HOOPES, BROTHER & THOMAS, WEST CHESTER.

EAGLE PAPER MILLS AND RESIDENCE OF JAMES GUIE, EAST BRANDYWINE.

MILLS, IRON MANUFACTURE, ETC.

THE first mill erected in Pennsylvania was built in 1643 or 1644, on Cobb's Creek, immediately above the bridge near the Blue Bell tavern.

In the year 1683 the noted " Chester Mills" were erected on Chester Creek, a little above the site of the present man- ufacturing village of Upland. Richard Townsend, who came over with William Penn, in a letter written in 1727, says,-

" After some time I set up a mill on Chester Creek, which I brought ready framed from London, which served for grinding coro and saw- ing of boards, and was of great uso to us."

Richard Townsend was, however, only one of ten part- ners interested in this mill.

The location of the mill-dam referred to in the following minute is uncertain ; but, judging from the residence of the persons mentioned, it was probably on the Brandywine, near the line of New Castle County. It is from the re- cords of Chester Quarterly Meeting, held 6, 7, 1699:

"New-wark Monthly Meeting being called they present a matter of differance between Cornelius Empson of ye one party & George llarlin & Robert Waye of the other party, about ye throwing downe of some old ruins of a mill dam, which differance was debated in this meeting and ye said partys mutually reffering the detsruina- tion thereof to the meeting, which is yt Cornelius shall pay ye Court Charges on George Harlin's account and two thirds of ye Charges un Robt. Waye's account, and that George Ilarlin & Robert Waye shall acknowledg that they were to forward in doeing what they did with- out ye said Cornelius' Leave, and that ye sd Cornelius shall acknowl- edg to this meeting his forwardness in prosecuting of them by Law without the consent of friends.

" The said partys haveing heard the above sence of the mesting they joyntly acknowledg their satisfaction."

Some of the earliest mills within the present limits of our county, with the dates when first mentioned, were these : Francis Chads', in Birmingham, 1710; Thomas Jerman's, in Tredyffrin, 1710 ; John Miller's, at Avondale, 1714; Thomas Moore's, Downingtown, 1716; Gayen Stevenson's, in Kennet, February, 1715-6; Goshen Mill of George Ashbridge and others, 1717; Ellis Lewis', in Kennet, 1717 ; James Huston's, Birmingham, 1719; Abiah Taylor's, in Bradford, in 1719 ; Thomas Miller's, Coventry, 1719; John Jones, Sadsbury, 1721; Carter, Scott, and Willis, East Bradford (now Strode's mill), 1721; Joseph Taylor (now Darlington's mill, in Pocopson), 1724.

Abrabam Emmit had a mill in New London in 1724, on Big Elk Creek, and Henry Hollingsworth had one on Little Elk at the same time. William Pusey built one in Lon- dongrove about 1730, and the property is still in the family. John Allen and Shadrach Scarlet built another, below Pusey's, about the same year. John Jones, of Sads- bury, sold a "gryst" mill in 1722 to Thomas Moore, of Calo, being the same whichi he had bought from James Hamor. Thomas Moore assigned it to his brother Joho

in the same year. William Dickie owned a mill on Buck Run, in Sadsbury, soon after this. Nathan Evans took up land in Nantmeal in 1718, " where he intends to build a mill." Richard Thomas, Samuel Phipps, William Wil- liams, and Magdalen Howell were the owners of " Vale Royal" mill in Whiteland, which was built on Richard Thomas' land perhaps by 1730. It is now Trinible's mill. Benjamin Johnson erected a "water corn mill," as they were mostly styled, near the present Embreeville between 1745 and 1750.

Joseph Taylor devised in 1744 some land to his daughter, Sarah Jones, upon which her husband and sons built a mill where now is Sager's mill, on Brandywine. The first mill on the west branch of Brandywine, in West Nantmeal, was built about 1740, a little above the Beaver Dam, where one of the stones could be seen some years ago. After Mackelduff's mill (now in West Brandywine) was erected, in 1762, the last mentioned was permitted to go to decay, the fall of water being insufficient. Lewis' mill was built in 1762 by Mordecai Piersol, and Ackland's about 1770. Moore's mill, at Glen Moore, was started in 1766, and White's mill, near Cupola Station, in 1811. In early times long races were made, rather than dams, being perhaps less expensive and not so liable to damage by freshets.

James Hance built a mill in West Whiteland in 1817, and is said to have hauled the timber for the most impor- tant parts from his native place at the forks of Brandywine. George Hoopes purchased the mill in 1831, and it is now owned by his son, Robert F. Hoopes. It has two run of burrs. An old saw-mill stood there before 1817.

Thomas Arnold, Anthony Arnold, and Samuel Scott ereeted a fulling-mill in West Bradford about 1730. John Evans, of London Britain, devised fulling- and grist-mills in 1738. Fulling-mills were numerous fifty years ago, but are now generally idle. On Beaver Creek and on White Clay Creek, in New Garden, large woolen manufactories have been established in recent times.

EARLY IRON MANUFACTURE.

This industry, which has grown to sueh vast proportions and great importance in these days, began in Pennsylvania in a very small way about the year 1716. This was at Pool forge, on the Manatawny, perhaps three miles above Pottstown, where Thomas Rutter established the business. The evidence in this case is contained in a letter written by Jonathan Dickinson, in 1717, in which he says,-

" This last summer one Thomas Rutter, a smith, who lived not far from Germantown, hath removed farther up in the country, to the Manatawny, and of his own strength has set up on making iron. Such it proves to be, as is highly set by by all smiths here, who say that the best Swede's iron doth not exceed it; and wo have heard of otbers that aro going on with the iroo works."

343

344

IIISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The next place of manufacture was on French Creek, in Chester County, but there seems to be some uncertainty and obscurity about the time. Samuel Nutt, who came from Coventry, in Warwickshire, England, in 1714, was styled " of Birmingham" in 1718, but prior to this, on the 28th of October, 1717, he had obtained a survey for 250 acres of land in what is now Warwick township. This in- cluded an iron mine, and was patented to Nutt Aug. 20, 1718. The warrant for taking it up called for 400 acres, and was dated Sept. 18, 1717. Another warrant, dated Oct. 2, 1718, called for 800 acres near the branches of French Creek, and in pursuance thereof a tract of 300 acres was laid out in Coventry, Oct. 21, 1720. A tract of 650 acres on French Creek, including the subsequent site of Warwick Furnace, was surveyed to him May 2; 1719, and 150 acres more Oct. 21, 1720. On May 23, 1721, he purchased from James Pugh 300 acres on French Creek, in Coventry.

Prior to July, 1720, a forge had been set up on this creek, as will appear by the following letter :

" PHILADELPHIA, July 2nd 1720.

" My Good friend

"I was In hopes I should have seen thee nt the Forge before this time but suppose some other Important affairs Prevented it-how- ever since I had not that happiness; I make bold to Trouble thee with a ffew Lines; to acquaint that Wee proceed on; In our Inten- tions of puting up another fforge this ffall upon the ffrench Creek a Little above James Peughs upper Line and shall Dam up above the fforks of the North & South Branches ; so that we shall be under an absolute nessessity of taking up all that Traet ns lyes betwixt the said James Poughs line & Phillip Rodgers upon the North branch & all- thongh I do not think the Land is Inviteing to any other body to medle with it-yet if any one should attempt to do so; I desire thee t › Interpose thy good offices In our favour & in doing so thou will In & Pertienler manner ohleige thy ffr to serve thee at all times

"SAM . NUTT

"I Intend to take a turn Down Into Chester County In a Little time & to pay thee a visit. In the mean time pray give my Re- spects to thy wife & family and accept of the same Thy Self . . . vale [Addressed]

"To Doctor Isaac Taylor at his House In Thornhury in Chester County"

What other person or persons were intended by the pro- noun " we" does not appear, but it has been suggested that Samuel Savage, whose wife was the daughter of Thomas Rutter, and subsequently the wife of Samuel Nutt, bad be- come interested in the iron business on French Creek. His will, dated Sept. 25, 1719, styles him of " Mahanatania," in the county of Philadelphia. . The will was proved July 19, 1720, but his death may have occurred soon after the will was written. It is scarcely probable that Samuel Nutt had married the widow before the date of his letter written as above.

As Nutt had taken up the mine tract in 1717, he is doubtless one of the " others" referred to by Jonathan Dickinson in that year as going on with iron-works. We have not met with any evidence that the second forge was erected as proposed in 1720. In 1719, Samuel Nutt is as- sessed in "Skoolkill" district as a non-resident. In 1722 " The forge" is assessed in Nantmeal, but in 1724 it is in Coventry, the lines being at first uncertain.

From this time until 1736 we have little information about matters at the iron-works. A return of a road laid out in 1725, from Moore Hall towards Philadelphia, men-

tions "the path leading to the forge ;" and on Feb. 24, 1726 -7, a road was laid out from " the Iron Works on St. Vin- cent River in the township of Coventry Leading to Uweh- lan meeting house." This began at the forge, and at the distance of four miles passed over " Mount Austrie." This was called Nutt's road at a later date, but it was not the Nutt's road from the iron-works to Philadelphia. Thomas. Moore was appointed one of the jurors, but removed to Naaman's Creek before the road was laid out, and Thomas Green was appointed in his place at the special request of Nutt, who wrote to the court from Philadelphia.

James Steel wrote from Philadelphia, 1, 6, 1732-3, to John Taylor, the surveyor :

" Our ffrd Sam! Nutt having paid a Good sum of money to me for the Propr's use hath requested a further addition to his Lands to ac- commodate his Irun Works, which the Proprietary was pleased to Grant him. I doe therefore request thee to make such surveys for him as may answer his purpose."

Nutt appears to have received a warrant Oct. 20, 1733, by which a survey was made of 705 acres, connecting his former tract of 650 acres on the creek with the mine tract.

Mrs. James, in her memorial of the Potts family, gives the language of an agreement, dated March 15, 1736, be- tween Samuel Nutt and William Branson of the first part and John Potts of the second part, in which the latter agrees to carry on a furnace called " Redding," recently. built near Coventry, for the former, who were styled "joint owners."

The partnership of Nutt and Branson dates back to March 29, 1728, when they offer a reward of 40s. for Rich- ard Snaggs, who had deserted from their works on French Creek. On Feb. 24, 1729-30, Samuel Nutt at the works, and William Branson in Philadelphia, offer 40s. for the re- turn of John Bartam, a tailor, or Nathaniel Ford, who rau away from the iron-works at French Creek.

On Jan. 25, 1736-7, a petition was read in Council from inhabitants of Lancaster County asking for a road to Coventry Iron-Works,

" One Branch of which Rond to goe to the new Furnace, called Redding's Furnace now erecting on the suid Creek."

The business relations of Nutt and Branson were not en- tirely satisfactory, and cach partner made preparations to erect a new furnace of his own. The death of Nutt about the close of the year 1737 did not prevent the execution of his design. He devised to his wife Anna 120 acres on the north side of the south branch of French Creek where- on to build a furnace, and later writings show that she, in conjunction with her daughter Rebecca, wife of Samuel Nutt, Jr., built a furnace, known afterwards by the name of " Warwick."

Samuel Nutt's will was dated Sept. 25, 1737, and proved March 9th, following, wherein he devised to his wife, Anna Nutt,

"One half of all my Right to the Furnace and Forgge, together with all Buildings thercunto belonging; secondly, the halfe of all my Right to the Lands whereon they stand or are Appropriate there- nnto, viz: The halfe my shear of a hundred acres whereon the fforgge standeth and the halfe of the Land whereon the Furnace standeth, and to her heirs furever."

This was, doubtless, Reading Furnace, in which he had an interest. The inventory of his estate, taken in May,

SADSBURY WOOLEN MILLS SADSBURY TP. CHESTER CO. PA.

KALER&

MALER &

WAGON

DRY GOODG

GROCERIES VER

PRODUCE

LERIN

CARPETS OIL CLOTHS A.

RESIDENCE OF LEVI B. KALER, AND STORE OF KALER & WAGONER, PHOENIXVILLE.

345

MILLS, IRON MANUFACTURE, ETC.

1738, is divided into two parts, the first being that which he held in company with William Branson, and amounting to the sum of £2912, which was to be divided equally be- tween them. His private estate amounted in addition to about £5444, which was a pretty good sum for that day. Some of the items from the first part are here given :

£ s. d.

A Ring Round the shaft at the old Furnace and an old Broken Hammer, 10 ewt. 1 50

100 Load of coal at the ffurnace.

100 0 0

24 toun pigg iron

130 0 0

10 husks, woight one tonn 5 10 0

730 loads of cual at the fforgge 730 0 0

2 Negroes at £50 cach

100 00

250 acres of land with the fforge, dwelling and sundry vut houses erceted thereen ..... 1500 0 0

From inventory of private estate :

£ 8. d.

One ton of sow mettle at new ffurnace. 5 10 0

18 stove plates, 10 ewt.

8 16 0

The mine tract containeing 250 acres of land. 1500 0 0

650 neres land in Nantmill on which the new ffurnace is building, with sundry out houses ..

525

0 0

287 acres land in Coventry being the land on which Samuel Nutts house stands ..

300 0 0

A negro boy named Cudjo

30 0 0

A negro boy named Georgo

15 0 0

2 hhds Rum.

26 1 3

78 ells of Ozenhrigs

7 7 0

The partnership with Branson was continued by Nutt's widow and nephew, as appears by the inventory of the latter's estate, taken in February, 1739-40. By this time the forge property had increased in value to £2000, and in the separate estate of Anna Nutt and Samuel Nutt, Jr., the 650 acres " whereon Warwick Furnace is Built," were set down at the same amount. The partnership probably ceased soon after this, and the Warwick and Reading estates were carried on independently of each other.

At August court, 1741, suit was brought against William Branson, " late of Reading in the County of Chester, Iron- Master," in the name of Anna Nutt, Robert Grace, and Samuel Savage, charging him with taking iron ore from their property. At the same term William Branson brought snit against Anna Nutt, Robert Grace, Gent., and Rebecca his wife,-

"Of a plea that they render nnto him their reasonable accompt for the time in which they were Bayliffs to him the said William Branson in the County afd, &c.

"And thereupon the said William Branson, by John Kinsey his attorney, saith That Whereas the said Anna Nutt and Rebecca (now the wife of the said Robert Grace), whilst she was Sole, were Bay- liffs to him the said William Branson, of the moiety of Five mes- snages, Two Hundred and Fifty acres of Land and of the moiety of one Iron Work called a Forge, Three Coal-Houses with the apporte- nances, all situate in Coventry in the County aforesaid, and also of the moiety of an Iron mine and six acres of Land situate in the same County, with the appartenances, from the first day of December In the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight to the first Day of May in the year one thousand seven hundred and forty, . . . and during that time had and Received of him the said William eighty one Tonos Fourteen hundred, a Quarter of a hundred and fifteen pounds weight of Pigg-Iron att the Forge afd to icanufacture into Barr-Iron and their Reasonable account of the same Pigg-Iron and other the premises to him to render when they be thereunto required."

A further quantity of over 94 tons of pig-iron had been received by them since the marriage of Robert Grace and Rebecca Nutt, for all which they refused to account. They, by Tench Francis, their attorney, make the defense that they never were the bailiffs of William Branson, but the further proceedings have not been traced.

Warwick Furnace was built on the land devised to Anna Nutt by her husband for that purpose, which, however, was but a small part of his land, there being over 1600 acres in three contiguous tracts. The property remained in the possession of the descendants of Anna Nntt, by the name of Potts, though in 1771 Thomas Rutter purchased a half- interest therein from Samuel Potts.

It is said the first "Reading Furnace" was at or near Coventry Forge. A second furnace was erected in what is now Warwick township, one and a half miles above War- wick Furnace, by William Branson. Tradition says that Reading was started first, but that Warwick melted the first ore. The name of Thomas Green* is found mentioned in connection with projected iron-works in Chester County as early as 1724, and Branson appears to have been a rela- tive.

He was the son of a shoemaker, Nathaniel Branson, who resided in the parish of Soning, in Berkshire, England, a purchaser of 1250 acres of land from William Penn, though he never came to reside in this country. By deed of Aug. 28, 1707, he conveyed this land to his son Wil- liam, who came to Pennsylvania in the early part of the next year, a passenger on the "Golden Lion," and obtained two separate warrants for the locating of the land, which was laid out in one tract in Caln township. It is now the central part of the combined townships of East and West Brandywine. In 1709, William Branson resided in Phila- delphia, on the east side of Second Street, and was then and at other times styled a joiner. In 1720 he was a " shop-keeper," and in 1726 termed a merchant.

He obtained a warrant July 12, 1733, for 2000 acres " on French creek near the Iron works," and on Nov. 29, 1736, another for 1500 acres " in Nantmel, near French creek." Feb. 16, 1740-1, the surveyor-general gave a list of surveys for William Branson, of which draughts were in the office. These were 13 in number, varying from 754 acres in the largest tract to 952 in the smallest, and aggregating 2519 acres, of which all but two tracts of

# " PHILADA., 28th, 6mo., 1724. Isaac Taylor :

" Loving Friend 1

" I writ to thee a few days ago and therefore need say the less now. The bearers hercof, Brother [Thomas?] Shute &c., are in search after a fit place to ercet an Iron work, and are informed of that place of Green's on Brandywine Creek. I have treated with them about thy- self and I holding at least a quarter part of it between ns, which if thou thinkest of please to give them the best Instructions thon canst, how to secure the land, for I have told them it cannot be well had without thy assistance.

" J. Logan is upon recovery after a dangerous illness, and I hope will be soon abroad. I wish thee thy health and in much haste remain, Thy real loving ffriend.

"JAMESTEEL."

" PHILADA. 24th Xbr 1724.

" Loving Friend

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 94

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