History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 97

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 97

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RESIDENCE OF HORACE A, BEALE, PARKESBURG.

PARKESBURG IRON-WORKS, PARKESBURG. HORACE A. BEALE, PROPRIETOR,

ALITTLE

RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH H. BRINTON, THORNBURY.

A.H. MARKLEY VAS

Erected in 1806. "IVY COTTAGE." SUMMER RESIDENCE OF MRS. SARAH R. BULL, WEST WHITELAND.

353

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

12, 11, 1717-18 .- Road laid out from John Menden- hall's, in the valley, to forks of Brandywine, by way of Edward Clayton, George Carter, Abraham Marshall, Thos. Buffington, William Buffington, William Baldwin, Jacob Taylor, etc.

A road was laid out in 1719 from Goshen to Philadel- phia, commencing " at the intersection of the Goshen mill road with the Providence road." This road passed by what was formerly known as the " Old Square," in New- town township, and a short distance beyond that point it entered " the Great road leading to Philadelphia."

June 17, 1736 .- Return of' a road laid out from the river Susquehanna, near the house of John Harris, in Pextan township, and falling into Conestoga old road near Edward Kinnison's in Whiteland, laid out by Edward Nicholas, James Eldridge, Rice Price, James Armstrong, Richard Buffington, Hans Graff, John Davies, Jolin Foster, Samuel Osborne, John Frederick, and John Men- denhall. This road passed near Uwclilan meeting-house, and was about 68} miles in length. Confirmed March 24, 1736-37.

May 27, 1718 .- A petition of several of the inhabitants of and near Conestoga, setting forth the great necessity of a road to be laid out from Conestoga to Thomas Moore's and Brandywine, was read in the Provincial Council, and the board appointed Isaac Taylor, John Taylor, John Cart- ledge, Ezekiel Ilarland, Thomas Moore, Joseph Cloud, and William Marsh to lay out said road.

In S. W. Pennypacker's " Phoenixville and Vicinity" is the following account of early roads :

" An early road entered the township at the Freneb Creek hridge, and pursued a southeasterly course until it reached the trail.# It remained the only thoroughfare in that direction until a jury in 1735 opened a road on a line between the properties of Cuates aad Starr. From the active participation of Samuel Nutt in obtaining and loeat- ing this road, it received, and has since borne, his name.

"The road leading from the village of Charlestown to the Fountain inn and Starr's Ford was opened in August, 1731, and at one time was called the 'Egypt road,' because it connected two settlements, one in Chester County and the other in Philadelphia County, re- spectively honored with the suggestive names of Upper and Lower Egypt.

"The White Horse road, southward from the Long Ford, in the direction of Cedar Hollow, was laid out in the early days of the set- tlement, to accommodate the residents of the valley on their way to the Schuylkill fisheries.

"The road leading northward from Phoenixville to the Black Rock bridge was opened about the year 1730."

Pursuant to an act of Assembly for repairing highways, John Morton, John Hannum, Jonas Preston, Joseph Pen- nock, Jr., John Griffith, and Thomas Pim met, Feb. 25, 1762, and divided the county into 51 districts,-that is, each township to be one district as they now stand bounded on record.

In the following, taken from the Jeffersonian, Ziba Darlington, Esq., not only corrects some popular delusions

in regard to the Street road, but furnishes some valuable historical landmarks :

" William Penn laid out a public road in Marlborough towaship, Chester County, and named it ' Marlborough Street.' It ran nearly, if not quite, straight its whole distance, a stretch of some five miles, beginning in the Pennsbury line, east of the present Red Lion tav- ern, and ending at Marlborough Friends' meeting-house premises.

"The highway from the end of Market Street, Philadelphia, was laid out in sections as settlements extended westwardly in the colony. It was not known as the Street road. Long after these old colonial times and ways, in 1815, the Legislature of Pennsylvania authorized a State road to be laid out from Market Street hridge, Philadelphia, to MeCall's Ferry, on the Susquehanna River. Governor Snyder appointed John Thompson, of Delaware County, Edward Darling- ton, of Chester County, and Samuel Ankrim, of Lancaster County, the commissioners for such purpose. They, with their corps of target- bearer, chain-earriers, axe-men, and assistants, began the work at Market Street bridge, hut made no change in the existing road thenee to Marlborough Friends' meeting-house. From thenee to McCall's Ferry the roud laid out was pretty much a new one. Burr, a noted bridge-builder, had got the heavy timbers for the bridge at MeCall's Ferry ready, and during the winter of 1815 moved them on the ice to their position. The floor was not laid when the commissioners arrived there, and the target-bearer recollects walking out on the timbers over the Susquehanna River. The commissioners would have cut off an angle in the road at the Marlborough meeting premises had it not been for an old burial-ground; so the right angle turn there yet remains.

" From Market Street bridge to MeCall's Ferry the people along the route flocked to welcome the commissioners and their assistants. They invited them home, and would hear of no pay. The White Iforse tavern was opened in 1815, and its owner was alike kind and generous. The party made his house their headquarters for two or three days.

"The Street road is a name now applied to the highway from Mar- ket Street bridge to MeCall's Ferry, and got it from the old ' Marl- borough Street' of Penn."

The above survey was made in 1815, John Thompson acting as surveyor, and Ziba Darlington, of Chester County, then a young man of twenty-seven years, as target-bearer.

Other early public roads will be briefly referred to :

At a very early period a publie road, familiarly known as the " Old Lancaster" or " Provincial" road, was laid out from Philadelphia to Lancaster. It passed (in Chester County) the present Eagle Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad, Paoli, Admiral Warren, White Horse, Moore's Mill (Downingtown), Ship (now Dr. Eshleman's), Caln Friends' Meeting, Wagon (now Wagontown), and Mariner's Compass. A part of the bed of this road is occupied by the Lancaster turnpike, but the greater portion of it is still used as an ordinary public road. The "Swede's Ford Road" ran from a fording over the Schuylkill just below Norristown westward, and joined the Old Laneaster road in East Whiteland township, near the present residence of Joseph A. Malin. The road' known as the " Boot road" ran from the ferry, at Philadelphia, by way of the " Boot tavern," in Goshen, to Moore's mill (Downingtown). The Great Chester road, running north from Chester, in- tersected this road at the " Boot," and is said to have been laid on an old Indian trail. A road ran from Moore's mill westward, being a continuation of the Boot road, crossing the west branch of Brandywine near Coatesville, and Buck Run at Pomeroy, and leaving the valley at the farm late of Cyrus Cooper, and running north of the val- ley to the " Gap." The " Strasburg road" was laid out at different times, and, as at present used, in its entirety, it

* The trail referred to extended from the Indian village, near the mouth of Pickering Creek, via the Corner Stores, tho Morris Estate, and the Yellow Springs, to a large and permanent settlement ealled Indiantown. In the other direction it passed over Green Hill, and renched the Schuylkill at the old fording-place, aear Perkiomen Junction. From there a trail followed the stream to Valley Forge, and continued to Philadelphia.

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HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

dates from 1794. It existed, however, as a highway, vary- ing from its present course in places, long before that year. Part of the original road is what is now known as the "Goshen Street," forming the northern line of the borough of West Chester, uniting in its westward course with the present Strasburg road at the foot of the Black Horse Hill, in East Bradford, and passing eastwardly by the residence of William P. Marshall and Fern Hill Station on the old West Chester Railroad. That portion of this road between High Street, West Chester, and its western junction with the Strasburg road has been closed. The road from Wilmington to Reading, passing through West Chester, has existed from a very early period. A road ran from Downingtown, by way of Waynesburg, to the Conestoga settlements. The "Horseshoe turnpike" runs on the line of this last-mentioned road, and in places occu- pies its bed. The road from Philadelphia, by way of Con- cord, Chads' Ford, Hamorton, Kennet Square, and New London, to Baltimore is an early road, and was long a lead- ing stage-route between Philadelphia and the South. A road led from Wilmington, by way of Hamorton, Unionville, Doe Run, Ercildoun, Humphreyville, and Sadsburyville, to the Pequea Valley. Another road intersected this at Humphreyville, and led past Upper Octorara church and the old Black Horse tavern northward. The "Gap and Newport road" led from the " Gap," in Laneaster County, to New- port, in the State of Delaware, and was long a leading road from Lancaster to Wilmington. Parts of this old road are still in nse. A road ran from West Chester in a southwest direction, crossing the Brandywine at Jefferis' Ford, known

as the " Oil-Mill road," from an oil-mill which stood on the farm now of Edwin James. This road was superseded by a State road, laid out in 1830 from New Hope, on the Delaware River, through Doylestown, Norristown, West Chester, Unionville, White Horse, and Oxford, to the Maryland line, in a direction towards Baltimore. The "Limestone road," in the western part of the county, was an old Indian trail, and is believed never to have been laid out. In 1809 a road was authorized by act of Assembly from John G. Parke's (now Parkesburg) to McCall's Ferry on the Susquehanna. This road runs along the " Great Valley," and is known as the Valley or McCall's Ferry road.

The foregoing are some of the early leading public roads, many of which are still in use. There are others, to which reference would be made, but want of space forbids.

The days of staging and post-chaises is brought to mind by the following of the date of April 18, 1776 :

"The New Holland and Ephrata Post will set off, beginning Apr 24, Inst. from the house of Joseph Vandegriff, Cross Keys, 3d & Chestnut St Phila. every Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock and de- liver Newspapers and Letters on that day

" At the Gulph Tavern, at the sign of the King of Prussia, at the Valley Forge, at the Bull Tavern, at Mr Jonathan Coates's in Charles- town Township, at Mr George Christian's in Pikeland, at Mr Robert Ralston's and at Mr. David Thomas's in Vincent Township. Letters delivered for 4 Pence each,-small errands performed for six pence each ; horses taken up and down."

THE FIRST TURNPIKE IN AMERICA

was built through Chester County. The " Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Road Company" was chartered April

9, 1792. The road was immediately commenced, and was completed in 1794, at a cost of $465,000, or about $7516 per mile. It was formed of three highways between the terminal points, the King's highway, of Lancaster County, being extended thirty-two miles to join the two lower sec- tions, which were previously laid out. It was opened to. travel in 1795, and at once became a leading thoroughfare between Philadelphia and the West. The travel and trans- portation of merchandise upon it for many years was enor- mons. It was lined with public-houses, averaging, in some parts of its course through Chester County, one for every mile. At night the yards of these taverns would be filled with teams, the horses standing on each side of the tongue, on which a trough was placed. The teamsters carried their beds with them, and at night spread them on the bar-room floors, or in rooms appropriated for that purpose. Some of these public-houses were known as stage-taverns, and others as wagon-taverns, the stage-taverns being generally some- what more pretentious than the others. It may be observed of these public-houses that they were, as a rule, remarkably well kept, and had a good class of landlords, generally the owners.

When the Pennsylvania Railroad went into operation it took the travel and transportation of merchandise from the turnpike, and as a consequence the income from tolls fell off rapidly, and the glory of the numerous hostelries waned year after year, until now the traveler, on some portions of the road, passes over many weary miles without seeing a sign inviting him to rest.

Other early turnpikes were the " Downingtown, Ephrata and Harrisburg," popularly known as the " Horseshoe pike" (chartered March 24, 1803), the " Gap and New- port," taking largely the place of the old " Gap and New- port road" (incorporated April 7, 1807), and the " Little Conestoga" (chartered March 16, 1809), running from the Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike, near the Warren tavern, to a point in Berks County where the Reading road intersected the Morgantown road.

The " Philadelphia, Brandywine and New London Turn- pike Company" was chartered March 24, 1808, but was never built. In 1811 a survey was made for a turnpike from the Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike, at or near the twenty-sixth milestone, through West Chester, to Wil- mington, and laws were obtained in Pennsylvania and Del- aware authorizing the work ; but the Delaware people re- fused to make common stock of the entire road, and the Pennsylvanians abandoned the project. The Delawareans then constructed the turnpike from Wilmington to the State line, a distance of about six miles, in the direction of West Chester. The " West Chester and Wilmington Plank-Road Company" was organized in 1854, and a plank- road constructed from West Chester to Dilworthtown. In 1858 it was changed from a plank-road to a macadamized road.

BRIDGES. On the 2d of 12th month, 1685, it was

"ordered, that upon the return of the Grand Jury, Albertus Hen- riekson supervisor of the highways belonging to Chester, do forth- with ereet a horse bridge in such place as the Grand Jury have already laid it out."

355

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

It was further

"ordered, that upon the same return, Bartholomew Coppock super- visor of the Highways for Croome (Crum) Creek, do forthwith ercet a bridge in the Kings' road over said Croomo Creek."

In 1686 " the township of Chester was presented for not finding and making a foot-bridge over the Mill Creek, in the King's highway, hard by William Woodmanson's." In the next year

" the Grand Inquest presented the want of three convenient horse bridges on the King's High road :- One over Chester Creek -- one over Ridley Creck-and ono over Croome Creek.

"Ordered, that forthwith bridges be orected over Ridley Creeke and Croome Creeke, and a horse bridge over Chester Creek, near Chester Mill, upon the lower side of the dam."

Previous to the year 1707 all bridges were erected and maintained at the expense of the townships. In that year the court made the following order, directing that certain bridges should be a charge upon the county. This is the first instance on the records of a county bridge :

" Feb. 25, 1707, upon the petition of the inhabitants of the town and county of Chester, and consented to and agreed to be allowed by the Grand Inquest of this county, representing that the bridge at Chester over the creek, and one bridge built over Ridley creek, and also a bridge to be built at Crum creek, at the Rock in the Queen's road, and that all roads leading to and from the same, shall be erected, repaired and maintained nt the Publiek charge of the county of Chester, and it is by the Court considered, that the same shall be and remnin upon the county's charge for ever herenfter."

A chain-bridge across the Schuylkill, at Pawling, about four hundred yards below the site of an old ford, was built by an incorporated company in the last century, and was constantly used until 1819; in the winter of 1820-21 the centre of it gave way. It was replaced by an arched bridge with stone abutments, but it was subsequently destroyed by a severe storm, and was succeeded by the present structure.

We give herewith an account of the present existing bridges of the county, many of which were built before the Revolutionary war. Owing to the meagre minutes kept by the commissioners up to half a century ago, it is impossi- ble in some cases to give the date of construction. The following are those whose date of erection is unknown :

Meconkey's, formerly Jefferis', crosses the east branch of the Brandy- wine, in East Bradford township, on the State road from West Chester to Unionville.

Worth's, crosses the Octorara, in Lower Oxford township, on road from Mount Vernon to Union Meeting-housc.

Old Lancaster Roud, over the west branch of Brandywine, on the line of West Brandy wine and West Caln townships, near the Brandy- wine inn; rebuilt some years ago.

Kirk's, over the Octorara Creek, in West Nottingham, on road lending from Kirk's mill to Oxford.

Milford, crosses east branch of Brandywine at Milford, in Upper Uwchlan township.

Chester Springs, crosses Pickering Creck, in West Pikeland town- ship; wns rebuilt in 1861.

Pughtown, crosses French Creek at Pughtown, in South Coventry township ; a stone-nreh bridge.

Embreeville (formerly Hoopes'), in Newlin township, over the west branch of the Brandy wine.

Baldwin's, a flood-bridge across Valley Creek, at Baldwin's factory, on road from Downingtown to the Grove.

Hatfield's, an old covered bridge over the west branch of the Brandywine, at Hatfield's rolling-mill, on road from Brandywine Manor to Wagontown.

Valley Forge (stone bridge), erosses Valley Creck at Valley Forge, on line of Montgomery County. A portion, washod away by freshet in 1865, was rebuilt; wooden superstructure.

Taylor's Run (stone), on Strasburg rond, in East Bradford town- ship, near Black Horse inn. Probably built abont same time as Cope's bridge, a mile to the westward.

Rapp's, spans Pickering Creek, in East Whiteland, on road leading froin Corner Stores to Valley Store.

Pocopson, across ercek of same name, in Pennsbury township, nenr Denton's factory.

Steeleville, over the Octorara, near Steeleville, on line of Lancaster County ; covered bridge.

Chads' Ford, crosses tho Brandy wine at Chads' Ford.

Moorehall (stonc), over the Pickering Creek, at the brenst of Moore- hall dam, on the rond from Phoenixville to Valley Forge.

Plankinton's, crosses west branch of Red Clay Creek, in Kennet township, on State road, near Plankinton's ; renewed in 1867.

Stone, or Miller's, crosecs enst branch of White Clay Creck, in Lon- dongrovo township, on road from Gup and Newport turnpike to Avon- dale.

Richardson's, spans Big Elk Creek, on road from Lowisville to New London.

John Nevin's, over west branch of White Clay Creek, on road from Kimbleville to-Nevin's quarries, in London Britain township.

Pennoek's Ford, a flood-bridge over the middle branch of White Clay Creek, in Franklin township, on road from Avondale to Elk ; rebuilt in 1860.

Tower's Ford, crosses the Schuylkill Cannl nt Michael Tower's house, in Enst Vincent township.

Milltown (stone), over Chester Creek, in East Goshen township, on the West Chester road; built about beginning of the present cen- tury.

Bull Road, n covered structure over French Creek, in Schuylkill township, on Bull Road.

Mount Rocky, over Little Elk Creek, in Elk township, on road from Mount Rocky to New London.

Garrett's Paper-Mill, over Ridley Creek, in Willistown township, on road from West Chester to Sugartown.

In the following list of existing bridges in Chester County, the date of erection, cost of construction, and location are given :

Downing's, built in 1741, over Downing's mill-race (now Downing- town), where the Provincial road crossed the raec, in East Caln town- ship; cost £35.

Crum Creek, in Willistown township, and repaired in 1769 for £55. Another Crum Creek bridge was built in Willistown township in 1771; cost £245.

French Creek ( Anthony Wnyne, Robert Pennell, and Joshua Evans, a cominittee in 1770 to view this proposed bridge, reported in favor of n stone structure of two arches), erected in 1771, in Charlestown township; cost £660 ; repaired in 1796.

Brandywine, built in 1772, over the west branch of the Brandy wine, near the sign of the " Wagon;" cost £250.

Marshall's, built in 1795, over the west branch of the Brandy wine, on the road leading from Marshallton to the State road.

Keener's, in 1796, at James Keener's mill, in West Caln.

Pickering, in Charlestown township, was repaired in 1796.

Stephenson's, supposed to have been built about 1800, crosses Trout Run, on road from Valley Forge to King of Prussin, in Tredyffrin township.

Elk, built in 1802, over Big Elk Creek, in New London township, on the Nottingham road; cost $550.

Pigeon Creek (stone), built in 1803, in East Coventry township, on road from Reading to Philadelphia.

Cope's (long stone bridge of three nrches), built about 1807, at cost of $26,597. It erosses the east branch of the Brandywine, on the Strasburg road, in East Bradford township.

Kelly's Mill, built in 1813, over Elk Creek, near Benjamin Kelly's mill.

Charlestown, built in 1814, over Pickering Creek, at Charlestown village, near the " Bull Inn ;" cost $5000.

Andrews' (stone), erected in 1814, over Octorara Creek, in Upper Oxford township, on Lancaster and Newport road ; four arches, and 439 fcet in length.

Garrett's (stone), built in 1818, on West Chester and Philadelphin road, in Willistowu township.

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HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Knauertown (stone), in 1819, over French Creek, on Phoenixville and Morgantown rond ; 432 feet long.

Moorestown (supposed built in 1819), over east branch of the Brao- dywioe, near Moorestown Station, in Wallace township.

Mortonville (stone), erected about 1826, over the west branch of the Brandywine, in East Fallowfield township.

M'Clenuchan's, built about 1829, over Big Elk Creek, in Upper Ox- ford township, on road from Jennerville to Russellville.

Christman's, crected in 1834, over French Creek, at Christman's mill, in East Vincent township ; cost $1828.

Seed's, in 1834, over west branch of Brandywine, on road from West Chester to Unionville; 270 feet long ; cost $5000.

Wilson's, in 1835, crosses French Creek, in East Vincent township, on road leading from Pughtown to Kimberton.

Beaver Creek, ahont 1835, near Edge's mill, in Caln township, on road leading from Edge's mill to Ilarrisburg turnpike; cost $1600.

Hatfield's Upper, built about the year 1837.

Coventryville, in 1837, crosscs French Creek at Coventryville, in South Coventry township; cost $1050.

Dorlan's, in 1842, over the east branch of the Brandywine, on the line between East Brandywine and Uwchlan township; cost $1245.

Richardson's, in 1843, over Big Elk Creek, on line of New London township.

Street Road, in 1845, crosses west branch of Chester Creek, on Strcet road, on line of Westtown township.

Pine Grove Rolling-Mill, in 1846, over Octorara Creek, on road from Philadelphia to Baltimore, on line of Lancaster County; cost $3450.

Phoenixville, in 1847, over French Creek at Main Street, in Phoenix- ville; stone, 362 feet long.

Cornog's, built in 1849, in Wallace township, over east branch of Brandywine, on road from Cornog's Station to Buttertown; cost $1473.50.

Lee's (formerly Carter's Ford bridge), built in 1849, crosses the Oc- torara Creek, in West Nottingham township, on road leading from New Texas to Rising Sun, Md., on line of Lancaster Conoty; cost $1793.

Vandever's Mill, in 1849, crosses Buck Run Creek at Vandever's mill, in Enst Fallowfield township.

Elkdale, in 1850, over the east branch of Big Elk Creek, near Wilson's mill, in East Nottingham township, on road leading from Oxford to New London, on line of New London township.

Buck Run, in 1850, crosses French Creek at the mouth of Birch Run, in East Vincent township, on line of West Vincent township ; cost, $1564.

Sugur's, in 1850, spans the cast branch of the Brandywine at the old ford of that name, on the road between Downingtown and West Chester; cost $2080.

Hutchinson's, in 1850, crosses the west branch of Big Elk Creek, in East Nottingham township, near Hutchinson's paper-mill, on the road leading from Hilaman's inn to Elk Dale.

Bell's Ford, or Hodgson's Ford bridge, in 1850, crosses the Octorara Creek, io Upper Oxford township, on road lending from Philadelphia to McCall's Ferry, on line of Lancaster County ; rebuilt by Robert Russell in 1861 for $1739.

Lawrenceville, in 1851, over the canal at Lawrenceville, in East Coventry township ; cost $1234 .*

Sharpless, in 1851, spans White Clay Creek near Ycatinan's mill, in London Britain township, on road leading from Kimbleville to Wilmington.

Taylor's, built in 1852, spans the east branch of Red Clay Creck near Taylor's mill, io Kennet township, loading from Kennet borough to Wilmington.

Pennypucker's, in 1852, crosses Stony Run near Nathan Pennypack- er's, in East Pikeland township, on road leading from Springville to Phoenixville.

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 97

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