History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 111

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1150

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The firm named was in 1878 changed to a limited company, with Hugh Shaw, D. R. Esrey, John Shaw, H. C. Esrey, and W. H. Shaw as members, the inter- est of H. C. Esrey, deceased, being in 1879 trans- ferred to C. S. Esrey. Mr. Shaw married as his first wife Miss Anna Whittaker, of Lancashire, England. There were born to this marriage several children, the only survivor of whom is Elizabeth (Mrs. Samuel Crowther). By a second marriage, in 1853, to Miss Ann, daughter of Samuel Boaz, of Worcester, Eng- land, are children,-William H., Mary B., and Han- nah C. Mr. Shaw is in his political predilections a Republican. He is identified with the Chester Na- tional Bank as one of its directors, and is also a stockholder in the Glenmore Worsted Mills of Phila- delphia. In religion he is a worshiper with the con- gregation of the Third Presbyterian Church of Chester. He is an active member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has risen to the rank of a Knight Templar.

Joseph Esrey, the grandfather of David Reese Esrey, who was of English descent, resided in Radnor township, Delaware Co. He married Miss Hannah Haley, of Chester County, and had children,-John,

Hugh Shaw

IMP. They

Adam Co. Lockfelder

447

NORTH CHESTER BOROUGH.

William, Joseph, Jonathan, Richard, Margaret, Eliz- abeth, Mary, Ann, and Sydney. Jonathan, of this number, was born, in 1791, in Delaware County, which was his life-long residence. His death occurred in 1851, while serving a term as sheriff of the county. He married Miss Margaret Newlin, and had one child, a son, Edmund. By a second marriage, to Miss Jane, daughter of William and Sarah Hawkins, his children were Sarah, Eliza Ann, George W., David R., Lydia, Henry F., Mary E., William, Jonathan, Jane, and Sydney. David Reese was born Dec. 4, 1825, in Ridley township, and at an early age removed to Wallingford, Nether Providence, where his youth was occupied in various industrious pursuits or in attendance upon the limited advantages offered by the country school. In 1844, at the age of eighteen, he left the paternal roof to enter a store at Brook Haven, Chester township. Continuing here for a number of years, he in 1850 purchased the stock of the owner, and remained disbursing goods to his various country patrons until 1866. Discerning, after an exceptionally successful career as a merchant, a profitable field in the business of a manufacturer, he in December, 1863, in connection with Hugh Shaw, purchased of Patrick Kelly, of Aston township, his interest in the Pennellton Mills, with the right to manufacture Powhattan jeans. In 1866 they erected a mill in the suburbs of the city of Chester, which was occupied immediately on its completion. In 1871 another mill, known as Mill No. 2, was erected, and in 1877, Mill No. 3,-meanwhile including doe- skins and cassimeres among their products. The firm-name was in 1878 changed, and John Shaw, H. C. Esrey, and William H. Shaw admitted to a limited partnership. At the death of H. C. Esrey, in 1879, Charles S. Esrey was made a member of the firm. Mr. Esrey was, on the 25th of April, 1850, married to Margaret, daughter of Jonathan M. Marker, of Upper Darby. Their children are Jonathan M. (deceased), Henry C. (deceased), Charles S., William H., and Mary Ella (who died in infancy). Mr. Esrey was formerly in politics an Old-Line Whig, and later became a Republican. Though decided in his polit- ical views he has not aspired to public office, other than those immediately connected with the township. He is a director of the Delaware County National Bank. Mr. Esrey is a member of Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Chester, and president of its board of trustees.

The North Chester Brick-yard was established by Samnel J. Rose in 1869, he having been engaged in the same business at Upland Street near Tenth, in the city of Chester. The present yard, under the management of S. J. Rose & Son, comprises fifteen acres of land on Providence Road and Twenty-first Street. Brick of all description used in ordinary building are here manufactured. Three kilns are

required in the business, which gives employment to forty men and boys. Twenty-two thousand is the daily average of brick made in this yard.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

ADAM C. ECKFELDT.

Jacob Eckfeldt, the grandfather of Adam C., was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and manufac- tured bayonets for the army. He emigrated with his wife from Mecklenburg, Germany, and settled in Philadelphia. Among his sons was Adam, born in the latter city, who learned the trade of a blacksmith and machinist, which craft be followed in the city of his birth. He established a factory for the manufac- ture of wrought-iron nails, and by the excellence of his work obtained large contracts from the United States government for the construction of machinery for the United States Mint. He married Miss Mar- garet Baush, of Philadelphia, whose children were Sarah, Jacob R., Anna Mary M., Elias B., Susannah, Adam C., and Margaretta. Adam C. was born Aug. 26, 1812, in Philadelphia, where his youth was de- voted to study, supplemented by a course at an excel- lent school at Doylestown, Pa. After a brief career in the commission business in his native city, he re- moved to Haverford township, Delaware Co., and in · connection with his brother devoted his energies to the cultivation of a farm. In 1838, by the decease of this brother, he came into possession of the farm, which he continued to cultivate until 1865. Mr. Eck- feldt made his calling a matter of scientific study, and introduced all the modern appliances which serve to modify the labor of the husbandman. He returned again to Philadelphia for a brief period, and in 1868 purchased his present home in North Chester, where he has since resided. Mr. Eckfeldt was married in 1839 to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Jacob Sulger, of Philadelphia, whose children are Elias B., Anna S., and Margaretta. The first of these children enlisted during the late war in Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- teers, for a service of nine months, and fell at the bat- tle of Antietam. Mr. Eckfeldt was a second time married on the 21st of May, 1851, to Miss Martha Ann, daughter of John Campbell. They have one daughter, Sarah E., wife of Dr. Charles Perkins. In his political predilections Mr. Eckfeldt is a Republi- can, having formerly affiliated with the Old-Line Whig party. He has refused various proffers of office, but served for ten years with acceptance as justice of the peace for Haverford township. He is an elder in the Third Presbyterian Church of Chester, and active in church and Christian work.

448

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

UPPER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.

THE records of Chester County are silent respecting the time at which the original townships in that part of the territory now Delaware County were erected, nor is there any description of the lines dividing one township from the other. In the early days of the province the term Chichester generally was used to indicate that section of the county now comprising Upper and Lower Chichester. We know that pre- vious to 1686 Chichester had been surveyed, that some difficulty was bad respecting the survey, and at the October court of that year the justices "Ordered that the township of Chichester extend its bounds as formerly laid out by Charles Ashcom, until further order." The peculiar western line which separates the upper township from Bethel was run to conform to the lines of the tracts surveyed to the early settlers, and doubtless the authority which adjusted the bound- ary of the several municipal districts at that time permitted freedom of choice among the land-owners as to the township in which their real estate should be located. Certain it is, a more irregular line than the western boundary of Upper Chichester it would be difficult to lay out.

Among the earliest settlers of the township was Walter Martin, the founder of St. Martin's Church, the tract of five hundred acres surveyed to him being at this time parts of the farms of John B. McCay, George Broomall, and Samuel Vernon. Adjoining Martin's land to the east were two hundred and fifty acres surveyed to Jeremiah Collett, June 16, 1682, being lands sold in England by Penn to Joan May, in September, 1681, which right to locate that number of acres in the province May transferred to Collett. The latter was an earnest churchman, and by will devised a certain sum of money to be applied to the support of the rector of St. Martin's Church, and providing for services according to the Episcopal ritual to be held in that church on certain days in each year thereafter. Andrew Osborn, David Boyd, John Ste- venson, P. Birnbaum, and Thomas Beeson's farms are located on the Collett tract. Above Walter Mar- tin's, or rather part of his plantation, on the road from Concord to Chichester, was a plot of sixty acres, which, on Oct. 6, 1684, became the property of James Brown. This James Brown came from Bedfordshire, England, and settled on the tract mentioned, located on the east branch of Naaman's Creek, and gave the name of "Middleton" to his new home, possibly from the location of the land near the centre of the township, although previous to that date he had re- ceived a patent for one hundred and fifteen acres known as " Podington," lying north of Jeremiah Col- lett's tract, and bounded on the east by Chichester Creek. In December, 1685, he purchased one hun- dred acres lying between the two divisions of the east

branch of Naaman's Creek from Thomas Garrett, to whom the land was laid out in April of that year. The plantation known as " Middleton" is now part of the farm of John B. Okie. "Podington" is now the property of Andrew Armstrong, while the one hun- dred acres lying between the dividing streams of the east branch of Naaman's Creek, above mentioned, is now part of the farms of John B. McCay, Mrs. E. M. Halsey, and John B. Okie. It is stated by George Churchman, in his "Reminiscences of Nottingham," written in 1822,1 that James Brown and William Brown were brothers, that the former came to Penn- sylvania in 1693, and the latter in 1696, a statement which partakes of the two-brother theory so frequently presented in family history, whereby, as a rule, the second generation is confused with the first.

William Brown subsequently became the owner of the Podington estate, but it was not until June 21, 1705, at which date no person named James Brown owned land in Upper Chichester. It is probable that William Brown and James Brown, who subsequent to 1696 purchased nine hundred acres in Nottingham, were sons of James Brown, the immigrant. On the east side of Chichester Creek, at the line dividing Upper and Lower Chichester, and extending to Chester township, was a tract of five hundred acres, which was purchased by William Withers, and on Jan. 22, 1682, was conveyed to Thomas Withers. On this tract was included the real estate of Jeremiah L. Brown, Daniel N. Larkin, Matthew Boyd, Robert McClintock, E. and T. Worrilow, Susan Harvey, John H. Williams, W. F. Patterson, John G. Smeet, Mary and Susan Magin, Edward Johnson, Donaldson, and part of T. Roberts and the Norris estates. Above Withers' land was a plot of one hun- dred acres surveyed to Thomas Clifton, June 24, 1684. This estate passed to James Brown in 1685, and it was on this purchase that he gave the ground on which Chichester Friends' meeting-house was built. The tract bought from Clifton extended from the Chichester Creek to Chester township, and on it parts of the farm of Jeremiah C. Brown, T. Roberts, and the Norris estates are located. Above this last men- tioned tract to the north, on Sept. 4, 1682, four hun- dred acres were surveyed to Henry Hastings and Richard Buffington, which includes the upper part of the farm of Jeremiah Brown and T. Roberts, all of that belonging to Joseph R. Johnson, that of Charles Posotta, the most of James M. Craig's, as well as those of W. Henry Dutton and Thomas Dutton. Above this four-hundred-acre tract was a plot of three hundred and fifty acres, which, on Nov. 16, 1683, was surveyed to John Kingsman. This tract began at a point where Baldwin's Run crosses the line be- tween Chester and Upper Chichester townships, ex- tending directly westward to the junction of Greer's and Bezer's Runs, when the course of the latter

1 Published in Oxford (Chester County) Press, July 16, 1876.

449

UPPER CHICHESTER TOWNSHIP.

was followed in a northeasterly direction to the point where the Upper Chichester road crosses the last- named run, and then a straight line to the upper corner of Thomas V. Dutton's farm. The road from Chichester to Aston traversing the township almost due north, running through the tract of Jeremiah Collett, William Withers, Thomas Clifton, Henry Hastings, and Richard Buffington, and John Kings- man, was laid out 1688, while the Upper Chichester road was laid out on Oct. 25, 1687. On this tract part of Charles Dutton's farm is located, as are also those of Thomas W. Henry and David M. Dalton. David Morrow's land is entirely within the boundary of the Kingsman patent, as is that of Benjamin Elliott, a part of Samuel Wells, and a very small part of Thomas V. Dutton's plantation. Due west of Kingsman's land was the five hundred acres sur- veyed to John Bezer, June 19, 1682. The run which traversed the entire length of his estate received its name from that fact. The greater part of the Wil- liam Booth farm, all of Mrs. Reynolds, A. Jester aud E. Jester properties, and all of Salkeld Larkin's land lying east of the road from Concord to Chiches- ter, which was laid out Jan. 19, 1716/7, are included within the original Bezer tract. The farms of T. B. Jones and Simon H. White are entirely a part of the one hundred and eighty-four acres patented to Walter Martin, Jr., June 10, 1703, which was at the north- west extremity of Upper Chichester. In the oddly- shaped line dividing Bethel from the township under consideration the farms of Thomas Marshall, Joseph Newlin, George Hammond, H. Barnes, Joseph Pyle, Mrs. Nathan Pennell, and parts of the farms of Sal- keld Larkin and Mrs. E. M. Halsey, are located on the tract of two hundred and fifty acres surveyed to Francis Harrison April 3, 1683, known in early days as " Jacob's Well," that name having been given to it because of a noted spring of water on the lands. West of the Concord road, including all the land be- tween the road and the easternmost feeders of Naa- man's Creek, extending from Larkin's school-house lot through the lands of Salkeld Larkin, southward to and embracing that of J. Todd as also the northern end of John B. Okie's farm, was included in the fifty acres surveyed to William Thomas, June 2, 1682. On the west side of the east branch of Naaman's Creek the entire remaining territory in the township was included in four tracts. At the northwest and along the creek into Bethel, William Clowd had two hun- dred acres surveyed to him Sept. 28, 1685, one hun- dred of which was in Bethel and a like number in Upper Chichester, which included the properties of William S. Goodley, Thomas Painter, John C. Ogden, and the upper part of the farm of John B. McCay. The next tract to the south, containing two hundred acres, extending from the middle branch of Naaman's Creek, touching at its southern end the circular line, was patented Nov. 12, 1683, to Henry Reynolds, and included the farms of Charles W. Hance, the greater

part of that of John B. Smith, as also much of that of John B. McCay. Intruding itself between the west line of Reynolds' tract of two hundred acres, already mentioned, and the circular line was a triangular piece of land, part of a tract of five hundred acres surveyed April 23, 1684, to William Cloud, -- the Prince property. At the southwestern limit of the territory was a tract of two hundred and fifty acres, which was located Sept. 5/6, 1681, to George Ander- son, and by him transferred, Dec. 15, 1683, to Henry Reynolds. The circular boundary line of the State of Delaware traverses this tract. That part of it which became part of Upper Chichester is now the property of George Broomall, J. S. Beeson, and parts of the farms of John H. Smeet and John B. McCay.

¡. The list of taxables for the year 1715 shows the fol- lowing persons as the then residents of Upper Chi- chester: Enoch Flower, William Chandler, Walter Marten, Henry Reynolds, Francis Reynolds, Ruth Chandler, George Leonard, Francis Routh, Matthew Wood, John Bezer, John Kingsman, Humphrey Scar- let, James Whitaker, Shadrick Scarlet, Thomas Lin- vill, Thomas Withers, Jeremiah Collett, John Cham- bers, Richard Weaver, Jeremiah Cloud; Freeman, Richard Mashell (Marshall).

We give the following list of the taxables in the township in the year 1799 :

Joseph Arkew, Daniel Brown, Nathaniel Brown, Johu Booth, John Burns (cordweiner), Peter Brown, James Craig, Mordecai Clond, Pierce Crosby, Jonathan Dutton, Jacob Denibarker, Cherlee Dinger (saddler), Rachel Dutton, Caleb Eyre (grazier), Issac Engle, William Ford, Re- becca Huston, Ann Huston, Matthias Kerlin, Joseph Larkin, Bezer Lampluglı, Josiah Lamplugh, George Martin, Joseph Martin (black- smith), John Oliver, Adam Peirce, Susanna Pennell, Isaac Pennell (curdwainer), Phebe Reynolds, James Rowen, Jacob Richards, Thomas Ryerson, Susanne Bobeson, Sarah Moore, John Smith (blacksmith), James Shelley, John Sholtz, John Talbot (miller), Caleb S. Sayers, Jo- seph Talbot (eaw-mill), Thomas Wilson, Joseph Walker, James Withey, John Dutton (tailor), James Henderson (weaver), Thomas Young (weaver), Jeremiah Dutton (cordwainer), Elijah Farr (blackemith), Aaron Huston (hatter), Joseph Pennell (cordwainer), Edward Pennell (cordwainer), Samuel Pearson (miller), George Wood (carpenter).

The division of Chester into Upper and Lower Chichester was made early in 1700 by the people of that section to facilitate public business. About the middle of the last century an effort was made to have the division which had been thus made officially recog- nized, aud to that end the following petition was pre- sented to the court :

" To the Honourable Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions held at Chester on the 27th of February, 1753.

" The Petition of divers of the Inhabitants of the Township of Upper Chichester in the said County in behalf of themselves and others of the said Towuship

" Humbly Sheweth

" That the limits of the Townelip of Upper Chichester aforesaid are not fully determined by proper Authority hnt remain uncertain.

" That your Petetioners labour under very great hardships and Incon- veniencies for want of the true linea thereof being Settled, especially the line dividing the township of Lower Chichester from the said town- ahip of Upper Chichester.

" Your Petitioners therefore Pray that your Honours would be Pleased to appoint n Set of men to run-out, Survey, mark, and fix the Boundries of ye said township of upper Chichoster, but more especially to run-out,

450

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

mark and fix the line dividing the townahs of upper & lower Chichester aforesd or auch other Way as yon in your Wisdoms shall see meet.

" And your Petitionera as in duty Bound Shall Pray

" Kingsman Dutton.

" Joseph Askew.

" William Askew.

Wm Clayton.

Jesse Platt.

" Jacob Dingea. John Dutton.

" Mary Clayton. Francia Routh, JunT.

" Benja Weldon.

Nicholas Newlin.

"Joseph Wood.

Daniel Brown."

The movement was, however, met by sturdy oppo- sition from the leading citizens and land-owners of Lower Chichester, which was presented to the court at the same session as that at which the people of Upper Chichester preferred their request. The fol- lowing was the counter-statement made by the remon- strants :

" To the Honourable Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be held at Chester on the 27th day of February, 1753.

"The Petition of Several of the Inhabitants of the Township of Lower Chichester in the said County on behalf of themselves & the rest of the Inhabitants of ad Township Humbly Showeth.

" That Yonr Petitioners Apprabend that the Inhabitants of the Town- ship of Upper Chichester Intend to Petition your honours for men to be Appointed to Run ont Survey Mark and Fix the Boundaries of the said Townp of Upper Chichester, but more Especially the Line dividing the Township of Upper Chichester from the Township of Lower Chichester afad. But as the said Townships are as they now Stand, Convenient enough, they Apprehend there is no Need of any Separation, And aa Your Petitioners, hava of late laboured nnder many hardships by Reason of Mending the highways in the said Township of Lower Chichester, they being very bad, and also by reason of having Several Poor to Pro- vide for, for which reasons and for none Else Your Petitioners Conceivee the Inhabitants of the said Township of Uppar Chichester Intenda to Petition Your honours.

"Yonr Petitioners, therefore Pray that your honours Would be Pleased to Reject the said Petition of the Inhabitants of Upper Chichester And Your Petitioners as in duty bound Shall Ever Pray &c.

" Jno. Maraball. Banja Monldar.

" George Chapman.

Adam Clayton.

" Richd fflower.

"Joseph Coborn.

The knotty question thus submitted to the justices for adjudication the grave magistrates seemed loath to determine, but in some way not apparent permitted the matter to drag along for six years, during which time the reasons for the official recognition became apparent to the remonstrants. Hence at the Angust court the following petition was presented, bearing the signatures of almost every freeholder in Upper and Lower Chichester, which was approved by court:

" To the Honourable Justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of ye Peace to be held at Chester for the County of Chester, the 28th day of Au- guet, Anno Dom. 1759.

" The Petition of the Inhabitants of the township of Upper Chichester and of the Inhabitants of the township of Lower Chichester in the said county.

" Honestly Sheweth

" That on or abont the year of our Lord 1718 the then Inhabitants of the township of Chichester did (among themselves) divide the said town- ship into two townabips and did call the upper part thereof Uppar Chi- chester and the lower part thereof Lower Chichester, that through some Neglect or omission at that time the division was not (as your peti- tionara can find) ever presented to or approved of by the Court, that Notwithstanding the snid Omission the township of Chichester has ever since been deemed and reputed two distinct & seperate townships in all respects save that of maintaining the Poor, that it does appear by the records of this Court that they are called two Townships, that some

uneasiness and Contention have lataly ariaan & may hereafter arise occasioned by the division aforasaid not being recorded among the records of the Court to prevent which for the Future Your Petitioners humbly pray that the township heretofore called Chichester may now be divided and that the division line may Bagin at the corner of the land of Francis Johnston & in the line of the land of Joseph Parker, Esq., and extending thence Weet by South along the Head of the Hook lotts untill it intersects the line dividing the Connties of Chester and New Castle and that the township of Upper Chichester may in all respecte hereafter be deemed, & taken to be a distinct & seperate township from that of lower Chichester & Your Petitioners Shall Pray.

" Wm Lampinglı. William Askew.

Jobn Dutton.

ffrancia Booth.

Moses Vernon.

Franc Ronth, Junr.

Davd Weatherly.

Hngh Linn.

Mordecai Clowd.

William Eyra.

Thomas Dutton.

William Huston.

Banjn Weldon.

Samnel Hewes,

Sam1 Minaball.

William Linsey,

Thos Vernon.

John Brown.

Joaaph Askew.

Edward Inakep. Tho" Maria.

Nicholas Newlin.

Jeremiah Collett.

Sam Kain.

Henry Reynolds.

Jno. Marshall.

John Sharpless.

Zach. Pedrick.

Daniel Sharplesa.

Jno. Riley.

Isaac Weaver. Richard Clark.

Thomas Swayne.

Tho Phillips.

Jacob Deriger.

Daniel Brown.

David Jackson.

Moses Moore.

George White.

"The freeholders of Nether Providence In Concurrence with the above Petitioners have subscribed their names.

" Wm Lindsay. John McMuhill.

James Sharpless,

Joseph Vernon.

" Allowed."

The following is the list of the justices of the peace for Upper Chichester :

Samnel Price. Ang. 30, 1791.

John Edwards. Jan. 24, 1797.

Joseph Marshall May 20, 1800.

Matthias Karlin. July

4, 1808.

Thomas Pierce .. Feb. 5, 1814.

James Bratton Fab.

3, 1820.

Joseph Fox. Dec.

4, 1823.

John Mattson. Dec. 13, 1823.

Joseph Bowen Nov. 10, 1824.

Joseph Trimble April 21, 1827.

Robert Frame ... Jan.

15, 1829.

Robert Hall Feb. 8, 1831.

William Mendinhall 6,1836.

Dec.

James Huaton .... April 14, 1840.

Jamea Huston .. April 15, 1845.

James Huston.

.April 15, 1851.

John B. Okia.

.Aug. 20, 1881.

William Hannum.

April 10, 1882.

Chichester Friends' Meeting. - The present Friends' meeting-house is the second building erected by that society on the lot of two acres lying east of Chichester Creek, in the sharp angle of the road leading from Chichester Cross-roads to the highway from Aston to Marcus Hook. Chichester Meeting, for record and business, was held for the first time on the 17th of First month, 1684, although religious services had been had in that section of the county as early as 1682. The meeting originally comprised Aston, Bethel, Birmingham, Concord, Thornbury, and Westtown, and beyond the limits of these town- ships, west and north, indefinitely. At this time the religious meetings were held at private houses; and after the organization of Monthly Meetings, Friends would assemble at designated dwellings.

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 111

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1150

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1150