History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 135

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

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Rockbourne Mills .- This mill is located on the west side of Darby Creek, and was the property of Samuel Garrett, who failing in 1837, it was as- signed to Oborn Levis and William Garrett, who conveyed it, April 1, 1838, to Edwin Garrett. This mill is located near the site of the oil-mill which was washed away in 1843. After this cotton-mill was erected Edwin Garrett rented it to Jonas Cowan, who made cotton laps until the fall of 1842, when James and John Wilde succeeded him, and remained there until the fall of 1843, when they removed to Oborn Levis' mill farther up the creek. Thomas and John Kent, on Jan. 1, 1844, rented the factory and manu- factured woolen goods. April 1, 1845, Thomas Kent purchased the mill, and in 1850 built an addition to it of thirty by forty feet, four stories and an attic. In 1868 the old part of the building was almost entirely taken down and a stone structure fifty-four by one hundred and twenty-five feet, four stories and attic, was erected. This mill contains six mules with four hundred spindles each, five sets of cards, and thirty- eight broad looms. Twenty-four hundred yards of woolen goods are manufactured weekly. Two hun- dred people are employed in both mills. The ma- chinery is driven by a one hundred horse-power en- gine and one hundred and twenty horse-power boiler.

Thomas Kent, the son of Josiah and Hannah Kent, was born in Middleton, Lancashire, England, on the 27th of March, 1813. His youth was spent at the home of his parents, where limited advantages of edu- cation were afforded. He had, however, during this early period acquired habits of thought and observa- tion which were more serviceable in later life than the knowledge derived from books. Entering a cot-

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ton-mill, he became proficient in the trade of a weaver, and at sixteen was made foreman, which responsible position he filled acceptably for a period of three years, when he learned the art of silk weaving. He continued thus engaged until 1839, when, having de- termined to emigrate to America, he landed in Phila- delphia, and repaired at once to Clifton, Delaware Co., where he became associated with his brother-in-law in the spinning of carpet-yarns. Mr. Kent remained thus employed until 1843, when a copartnership was formed with his brother John, under the firm-name of J. & T. Kent. They continued the manufacture of carpet-yarns, renting for the purpose the mill which had formerly been operated by James Wild. A disas- trous fire and freshet the same year destroyed both mill and machinery, but, nothing daunted, the same fall another mill was rented, fully equipped with ma- chinery, and in active operation during the beginning of the following year. The copartnership which ex- isted until 1852 ended in the purchase by Thomas Kent of the entire interest. The same year he intro- duced the weaving of Kentucky jeans, and continued to supply the market with this article until 1861, when the mill was devoted to the manufacture of products for the government. In 1867 the old mill was demol- ished, and the present spacious and convenient struc- ture erected in its stead. The production of cloths was continued until 1877, when flannels were made a specialty, and are still the product of the looms.

Mr. Kent was married, in 1852, to Miss Fannie Leonard, daughter of Simeon and Bodicea Leonard. Their children are Hannah (Mrs. Frederick Schoff), Henry L., Louisa, Francis L. (deceased), Samnel L., and Mary A. Mr. Kent was early a Whig in his political predilections, and subsequently indorsed the platform and principles of the Republican party. The engrossing cares of a very prosperous business have, however, precluded an active interest in public affairs, and debarred him from political associations, which are little to his taste. In his religious faith he is a Swedenborgian, and a member of the New Jerusalem Church in Upper Darby.

Clifton Mills .- A paper-mill was in operation on the site of these mills in 1782, then owned by Samuel Levis and conducted by William Levis, to whom it was devised by his father's will Aug. 22, 1793. Wil- liam Levis, in December, 1795, purchased of John Lungren a paper-mill on Ridley Creek, which in 1822 was changed to a cotton-factory. The latter property is now owned hy Samuel Bancroft. The mill on Darby Creek, after the death of William Levis, was sold by Ohorn and William Levis on Feb. 24, 1825, to Samuel Eckstein, together with eighteen acres of land and the use of water in the creek from the dam and race of the upper mills, now Glenwood Mills. The new owner rented the mills to William Amies & Co. The estate came into the ownership of the Penn- sylvania Hospital in October, 1842, and shortly after was sold to Oborn Levis. At that time it was a two-

vate paper-mill ninety by thirty-two feet, three stories in height, and was known as the Lamb Mill. Oborn Levis operated this mill until his death, when by his will it became the property of his son Oborn, who in 1867 changed it to a cotton-factory. The latter continued to operate the mills until his death, and in 1881 his administrators sold it to William Longstreth, who died soon after, and the Clifton Mills are now owned by his estate. The main mill is one hundred and eighty by fifty-two feet, and is partly two and partly three stories in height. The machinery con- sists of seventeen hundred woolen-spindles, four sets of cards, one hundred and eight looms, five thousand cotton-spindles, and nine cards. One hundred and thirty-five persons are employed in these mills, and thirty bales of cotton are used weekly in manufactur- ing goods.

Glenwood Mills .- Samuel Levis, a maltster of Leicester, England, with William Garrett, before leaving England, purchased one thousand acres of land from William Penn. Levis, Garrett, and others emigrated to the province in 1684, landing at Chester, and shortly after settled on Darby Creek in Upper Darby, and built the house where Samuel G. Levis now lives. At the death of Samuel Levis, the real estate in the bend of Darby Creek, just south of the Garrettford road, descended to Samuel Levis, the younger. The latter is said to have erected at this location the first mill ever built by the Levis family, and as it was a scythe or tilt-mill, it certainly was not erected prior to the middle of the last century. In 1779, Levis had a grist-mill and an oil-mill at this site. The tilt-mill could not have proved successful, for several years prior to the Revolution the building had been changed to a paper-mill. Samnel Levis (2d) had several sons ; among the number were Samnel, William, and Isaac Levis. The latter removed in 1775 to Ridley Creek, where now are the Media Water-Works; William had other mills near the Glenwood site which belonged to his father Samnel (3), died in 1793, and this mill de- scended to Samnel (4), who died in 1813, and the estate passed to his sons, Samuel, William, and Oborn Levis. To William the mills which later became the Eckstein Mills descended, to Samuel the present mills came, and to Oborn the Oborn Garrett Mills. Samuel and Oborn subsequently exchanged properties, and Oborn Levis came into possession of the Glenwood Mills. They were operated hy Thomas Amies & Son from 1828 to 1838, later by Israel Ames and Benjamin Gaskill to 1840. From that time Oborn and Samuel G. Levis owned and conducted the mills to the death of Oborn, since which time they have been managed hy Samuel G. Levis. In 1862 the paper-mill was torn down and a cotton- and woolen-factory built, one hun- dred and ten by fifty-four feet, three stories high, with annex one hundred and five by twenty-seven feet, two stories high. The factory at present contains four thousand spindles, nine sets of cards, one hundred and sixty-two looms; one hundred and forty opera-

George Burnley

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UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.

tives are employed, twenty-five bales of cotton are used, and forty thousand yards of goods are manufac- tured weekly.

Tuscarora Mills .- At the bend of Darby Creek, where the Springfield township line unites with that stream, these mills are located. Prior to the Revolu- tion a grist-mill was at this place. Samuel G. Levis, an aged man still living, states that on the day the battle of Brandywine was fought mechanics were at work on a fly-wheel for a paper-mill then being built by Samuel Levis at this locality, and the distant can- nonading could be distinctly heard. The paper-mill was owned and carried on by Samuel Levis until his death, in 1793, at which time it passed to his son, Wil- liam Levis. The latter died in 1818, and the mills were sold to William Palmer and Jonathan Marker, who continued the manufacture of paper there until 1830, when Frederick Server, a son-in-law of William Palmer, succeeded to the business,-the making of coarse card-board. A part of the mill building was washed away in the flood of 1843. The following year the property was purchased by George Burnley, who removed there from Cobb's Creek, in Haverford, where he had been operating, in partnership with James Ha- worth, one of Dennis Kelly's mills. In 1844 he built the stone cotton-mill, two and a half stories high, and named the works the Tuscarora Mills, the noted packet- ship of that name of Cope's line having been the vessel in which Burnley sailed from Liverpool. In 1860 his son, Charles, and John Burnley succeeded to the busi- ness. George Burnley operated the mills from 1865 for a short time, when Samuel Levis leased them and continued there until 1870, when he was followed for a year and a half by George D. Lewis. The mills were then leased to Henry Taylor and John Haley. Taylor subsequently had the mills and failed. The machinery and leasehold were sold at sheriff's sale, and thus arose one of the noted lawsuits of the county. After Taylor, S. A. Springer operated the mills until 1882, since which time the mills have been idle. The mills, owned by a daughter of George Burnley, are to be sold at public sale Sept. 6, 1884.

George Burnley, the son of John and Mary Burnley, was born Dec. 28, 1804, in Littletown, near Leeds, Yorkshire, England, where his youth was spent. His educational advantages were limited to a brief interval of study prior to entering a neighboring factory. After acquiring a knowledge of the business of a manufac- turer, he sailed about the year 1825 for America, and at once located in Montgomery County, Pa. At a later date he removed to Haverford, and having rented a mill on Cobb's Creek, began the manufacture of cotton goods, having before this had a brief but not very successful career as a manufacturer of carpets in Philadelphia. In 1844 he removed to Darby Creek, in Upper Darby township, and erected the Tuscarora Mills, which were devoted to the manufacture of cotton goods and the spinning of yarn. This busi- ness was continued until 1861, when he retired from

its active management, and was succeeded by his brothers, John and Charles, and his son, George E. Burnley. Mr. Burnley was married Dec. 31, 1838, to Miss Hannah Lomas, daughter of James Lomas, of England. Their children are George E., Charles W., Adaline (deceased), Mary Elizabeth (deceased), Washington, Hannah Jane (deceased), Alice (Mrs. William A. Fries), Sarah Jane (deceased), Michael, and Hester (deceased). Mr. Burnley voted first the Whig, and subsequently the Republican ticket in politics, but was not active in the political arena. He was in religion a Swedenborgian, and a member and trustee of that church. His death occurred Aug. 9, 1864, in his sixtieth year.

Ralph Lewis purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land June 14, 1692, a part of five hundred acres of land surveyed, Nov. 15, 1683, to John Bowne. This land came to Samuel Lewis April 20, 1708, and to Abraham Lewis Sept. 5, 1711. This was on the Bloomsberry tract, on Darby Creek, at the upper end of the township. In 1766, Abraham Lewis owned an interest in a grist-mill on this tract, for which he was assessed in that year. The mill long ago fell into disuse, even lost to tradition, and prior to the Revo- lution had been abandoned, for it is not mentioned in any assessment-roll subsequent to 1766.

Mills on Cobb's Creek .- This stream, which forms the eastern boundary of Upper Darby township, as also that of Lower Darby, until it unites and is merged into Darby Creek, in the early time of the Swedish settlement was known as Mill Kill or Creek, because the Swedish water-mill, built by Governor Printz in 1643, was located on its banks, near the present Blue Bell Tavern. Subsequently, when the English ac- quired ownership of the territory, the name Cobb was given to it, because a large tract of land was located along its banks by William Cobb, who in 1683 was appointed by the court at Chester constable for Ames- land and " Calcoone Hook." Following this stream, beginning at the southern boundary of Upper Darby, the history of the industrial establishments located on Cobb's Creek and its tributaries will be narrated.

Bonsall's Saw-Mill .- The first mill-seat on Cobb's Creek within the limits of Upper Darby township was on the present grounds of the Fernwood Cemetery. This site was occupied by Benjamin Bonsall, who erected a saw-mill at the place soon after 1822, for in that year his name does not appear on the assessment- roll in connection with any mill in the township. The saw-mill, however, is mentioned in 1825, aud was in operation subsequent to 1848, when it disappeared from among the industries of Delaware County. From the same dam whose water furnished power to Bon- sall's saw-mill, water was had to run a snuff-mill, which was located on the east side of the creek, in Philadelphia. In 1807 this snuff-mill was owned by Gavin Hamilton, and was continued in operation long after 1826.

Sellers' Locomotive-Works .- About

1831

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

foundry and machine-shop was erected on Cobb's Creek, above Naylor's Run, by Coleman Sellers, the water being brought from Naylor's Run and from the dam of the old Sellers' saw-mill. The latter was a man of considerable inventive genius, and in 1822 re- ceived from the corporation of Philadelphia, under the clause of John Scott's will (of Edinburgh, Scot- land), which provided a fund of four thousand dollars, the interest of which was annually to be expended in " premiums to be distributed among ingenious men and women who make useful inventions," a medal and twenty dollars " for a simple and effectual cup- ping instrument," which he had invented. In this machine-shop locomotives were built, one of which was used on the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad, now part of the Pennsylvania Central. In February, 1842, the estate was purchased by John Wiltbanks, who sold the machinery and materials to Nathan H. Baker, and changed the building into a cotton-factory, which was for a time operated by Benjamin Gartside. In 1856 the property was sold by Wiltbanks to White- ley Brothers & Co., who enlarged the buildings and carried on therein the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods until 1881, when the mills were pur- chased hy Wolfenden, Shore & Co., who operate them in connection with their other factory, which adjoins the old Sellers' Locomotive-Works.

Sellers' Saw-Mill .- On Naylor's Run, which emp- ties into Cobb's Creek, in the last century, was a saw-mill owned by Nathan Sellers, whose name ap- pears for the first time on the assessment-roll of 1799, when he, with David Sellers, was taxed on grist-, cotton-, and saw-mills. The latter mill was at the location designated, and was operated for many years by Jesse Hayes, when finally it was abandoned.

Millbank Mill .- Farther up Naylor's Run is the Millbank Grist-Mill, which was erected in the latter part of the last century, it appearing for the first time on the assessment-roll of 1799. The mill was owned by John Sellers, who devised it in 1804 to his sons, Nathan and David Sellers. On Hill's map, drawn from surveys made in 1801, although the map was not published until 1807, this mill appears. Na- than Sellers, Sr., conducted the business of this mill, and in a division of the real estate left by his father Nathan acquired absolute title to it, and at his death it passed to his son, Nathan Sellers, Jr. The old mill was rebuilt in 1833, and the business was con- ducted hy Lewis Watkins, who, Dec. 31, 1853, pur- chased the mill, which is now owned by his son, William Watkins.

Levis' Blade-Mills .- Above the Millbank Mill, on the same stream, Samuel Levis was operating a blade- mill in 1807, which later was conducted by William Rowland until after 1812, and by Samuel Levis until subsequent to 1848. The property afterwards passed to David Sellers, and is now owned by Edward Mc- Grath.

Blade-Mill, on Naylor's Run, and above the Garrett- ford road, Joseph Hibberd owned a tract of land, on which, in 1800, was a school-house, which still re- mains. In 1840 a saw-mill was on the stream at this location, owned by Abraham Powell, and subsequent to 1848 a grist-mill was also erected. After Powell's death the property was purchased by Lewis Watkins, who operated the mills until 1854, when he sold to Edward Thowley ; the latter rented the mill to Wil- liam Pyle, under whom it was discontinued in 1858. It is now part of the estate of Charles Yarnell.

Cardington Mills .- On Cobb's Creek, above the mouth of Naylor's Run and in close proximity to the Whitely Mills, is a mill-seat which was occupied in 1798 by a cotton-mill operated by Nathan and David Sellers. It was the first cotton-mill of which we have record in the county. Prior to 1810 it was changed to a paper-mill, which, in 1815, was destroyed by fire. On the ruins was built a tilt-mill, which was owned by David Sellers and operated by - Sontag. In 1826, David Snyder was the lessee, and in that year, made twelve hundred dozen spades and shovels. At a subsequent date it was operated by William Howell, James Wormsley, and others, and in 1845 by Charles Cadwalader, by whom the mill was rebuilt and run until 1857, when it was rented to Wolfenden, Shore & Co. The old tilt-mill was standing when the latter firm leased the premises, and they immediately placed therein machinery for manufacturing woolen yarn. Although Wolfenden, Shore & Co. did not acquire title to the property until 1863, yet three years prior to that date they erected a stone mill, one hundred and sixty by fifty- four feet, one story in height, which is known as No. 1 Mill. In 1863 the firm built a second story upon Mill No. 1, and also erected Mill No. 2, inclos- ing within its limits the old tilt-mill, which, in 1865, was raised four stories in height. In 1870 a stone picker-house, sixty by forty-five feet, four stories in height, and a doubling- and twisting-house, also of stone, sixty by forty-five feet, four stories in height, were erected. In September, 1871, a fire originating in the picker-room caused a loss of eight thousand dollars. The mills of Whitely Brothers & Co. adjoin- ing were also damaged to the amount of thirteen thousand dollars. In December, 1880, a fire again occurred, starting in the picker-room, occasioning a loss of thirty thousand dollars. In 1881, Wolfenden, Shore & Co. purchased the cotton- and woolen-facto- ries of Whitely Brothers & Co. The mills at present contain eight thousand three hundred spindles, two hundred and fifty looms, thirteen set of cards, which are run by two Corliss engines (one of three hundred horse-power, the other of one hundred horse-power). Thirteen thousand pounds of raw material are used, from which five thousand four hundred pounds of yarn and thirty thousand yards of cloth are made weekly, which requires the labor of two hundred and

Powell's Saw-Mills .- Above the Samuel Levis i fifty employés.

MILLBOURNE MILLS.

MILLBOURNE MILLS

Near sixty-Third an | Market Streets.

"MILLBOURNE MILLS." NATHAN SELLERS,

Original Mill, erected 1811.

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UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.

Marshall's Mill .- John Marshall owned two tracts of land above Naylor's Run, on Cobb's Creek,-one of sixty-four acres, surveyed May 3, 1689, the other (adjoining to the south) of one hundred and fifty acres, surveyed Jan. 7, 1692. Marshall died in 1749, and by his will, dated October 1st in that year, devised his land messuage, "with the saw-mill," to his execu- tors, with directions to sell the estate and distribute the proceeds among his children. This mill was pur- chased by Thomas Marshall, who changed it to a full- ing-mill, which he was running in 1762, and was there until 1779, when James Marshall operated it until about 1800. A John Marshall, probably a son of John, was running a grist-mill in 1766. The mill was located on the Marshall road. The race which supplied the water to this mill extended higher up on Cobb's Creek, and now forms part of the race-way of the Cardington Mills.

Millbourne Mills .- Samuel Sellers, the original set- tler of this family, located at the site of these mills in 1682, but the two tracts of land-of seventy-five acres and one hundred acres-which he at first purchased were not surveyed to him until 1690-91. He later made other purchases of lands in the neighborhood, as did his sons and grandsons. He was a weaver, and is said to have erected the first twisting-mill in Amer- ica. His son, Samuel, and grandson, John, were also weavers. The latter was born in 1728, and died in 1804. He invented the process of weaving wire cloth, and also manufactured Dutch fans. The first record of a dam at Millbourne is found in a deed from John Sellers to other parties, dated Aug. 27, 1752, in which the dam is mentioned as being on Cobb's Creek, in the township of Darby. He was much interested in utilizing the water-power of Cobb's Creek, and caused to be developed six of the sites along that stream and Naylor's Run, which were afterwards used by his descendants.

John Sellers died in 1804, and devised his estate to his sons, Nathan, David, John, and George, to the latter of whom he gave the greater part of the farm lands. The grist- and saw-mills he devised to his son, John, who was born in 1762 and died in 1847. These mills were evidently built before 1749, the date when the dam is mentioned. In 1766 they were owned by John Sellers, the elder, and were operated by James Steel, who continued there until 1805, when he was succeeded by his son, Thomas Steel. In 1814, Thomas Steel purchased the Darby Mills, in the vil- lage of that name, and removed thither. In that year John Sellers erected the old part of the present mill, and his son, John, who had learned the trade of a miller with Thomas Steel, took charge of the new mill. In 1782, John Sellers also owned a tan- yard, which was on the Wayside farm, now owned hy the estate of his son, John. On a little stream which empties into the dam supplying the water to Mill- bourne Mills, in 1800, was an oil-mill, which was con- tinued until subsequent to the year 1848. The old

grist-mill stood above the present mill, and in 1820 was used for grinding gypsum, and had been so em- ployed for many years. As late as 1830, Augustus C. Jones was operating the old mill in grinding logwood, spices, etc. Soon after that date it was discontinued. The new mill, built in 1814, was placed under the charge of John Sellers, Jr., and was fitted with all the improved machinery of that time. In 1820 there was manufactured 8572 bushels of merchant wheat, 3366 of grist wheat, 4367 of rye, 3784 of Indian corn, 1168 of buckwheat, 843 of oats, making a total of 22,100 bushels of grain. In 1825, 12,000 bushels of mer- chant wheat was manufactured at these mills. Addi- tions were made to the mill from time to time, and the latest improved machinery constantly added. In 1868 the large addition was built to the original stone structure, four stories in height from the bed of the creek. A turbine-wheel was used at that time to run the mills, and in 1876 auxiliary steam-power was added. Jolın Sellers (3d) died July 20, 1878, his sons having had charge of the mills prior to his death. In 1879 the "new roller process" was adopted, and at present two hundred and fifty harrels of flour are daily produced. In June, 1884, 22,552 bushels of wheat was ground and 4764} barrels of flour was made. In the year 1883, 256,663 bushels of wheat were pur- chased and 53,125} barrels of flour were produced. The Millbourne Mills are now owned by William, John, and Nathan Sellers, grandsons of John Sellers, who erected the mill in 1814.

The Sellers family is one of the oldest in Delaware County, and we append the following sketch.

I. Samuel Sellers, emigrated from Belper, Derby- shire, England, in 1682, and settled in Darby town- ship, Chester Co., Pa. (now Upper Darby town- ship, Delaware Co.). He took up a tract of one hundred acres, and carried on his trade (weaving) in connection with farming. In June, 1684, he married Anna, daughter of Henry and Helen Gibbons, who came from Parividge, Derbyshire. They were the first couple married in " Darhy Meeting," which was then held in the dwellings of its members, as no meeting-house had been erected. They “passed meeting" May 2, 1684 (O. S.). Samuel died Sept. 22, 1732, and his wife, who survived him, died Nov. 19, 1742. They had six children, the third being :

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 135

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