History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 139

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

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For several years Mr. Lewis, as a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature, took the lead on the Fed- eral side, and in 1789, in the State Convention, was foremost in upsetting the absurd Constitution which Dr. Franklin had a few years previous persuaded the State to accept.

Jani L. Smedley

EDGMONT TOWNSHIP.

561

To Washington's administration, by which, when it began, he had been offered the post of district attor- ney, he considered himself bound by the closest ties, and he even departed from his general policy and went so far as not only to contribute to the news- papers of the day, but, in 1792, even to stump the State. On these occasions the vigor and clearness of years.

his voice was remarkable, and without apparent effort, in the open air, every word was audible at an extraor- dinary distance. In 1792, on the death of the elder Judge Hopkinson, he had a new proof of the Presi- dent's confidence in the commission then sent him as district judge. On the bench, however, he continned but a short time, the restraint being uncongenial to his taste, and the income insufficient for his extrava- gant habits.

Upon his return to the bar he enjoyed a lucrative practice, and became concerned as leading counsel in the trials of the Western insurgents. He purchased property adjoining Laurel Hill Cemetery, and built the Strawberry Mansion, now within the limits of Fairmount Park, and made it his residence.

After the coming in of Mr. Jefferson's administra- tion Mr. Lewis took no part in politics, continuing, how- ever, in the unabated practice of his profession until 1819, when, on the 15th of August, after several weeks' illness, he died, retaining to the last the professional ability and professional devotion which had marked his long ca- reer.

The house in Edgmont where William Lewis was born, now owned by Wil- liam Pennell Smedley, is still standing, the farm having been inherited by his brother, Samuel Lewis, who sold it to William Smedley, of Middle- town, in the year 1822.

William Smedley, born Eighth month 9, 1765, died Fourth month 10, 1839, married, Twelfth month 5, 1793, Dehorah Lightfoot. He provided a farm for each of his four sons. George and William remained in Middletown, the latter on part of the farm pur- chased by their ancestor, George Smedley, of William Penn in 1684, while Samuel Lightfoot and Jacob set- tled in Edgmont.

Jacoh Smedley, born Twelfth month 31, 1801, mar- ried, Eleventh month 13, 1826, Jane Yarnall, daughter of Isaac and Mary Yarnall, of Edgmont. Their chil- dren were Isaac Y., born 1827, died 1853; Abram P., born 1829, now a dentist in Media; Nathan, born 1831, died 1884; Hannah P., born 1836; William Alfred, born 1838, died 1852; and Bennett L., born

1839, a druggist in Philadelphia. Jacob was a sur- veyor and conveyancer, and, with Enoch Lewis, made surveys of a railroad from Chester to West Chester, along Chester Creek, in 1835. He was surveyor of Media, where he now resides, and held the position of clerk of the county commissioners for twenty-one

Samuel L. Smedley, born Fourth month 9, 1798, was prominent as a teacher and mathematician, and, be- sides his inherited occupation of farming, carried on surveying and conveyancing. He taught several years at Thornbury, and subsequently at High Bank, on a portion of his farm. He married, Fifth month 4, 1826, Hannah, daughter of Joseph and Mary Pen- nell, of Middletown, and died Tenth month 19, 1834. He left three sons,-Joseph P., born Fifth month 24, 1827, farmer and miller, who died Tenth month 3, 1872, in Uwchlan, Chester Co., leaving one daughter, Hannah, born 1870. He married Emma Winner, Third month 11, 1867. William P., born Ninth month 4, 1829, married, Fourth month 5, 1860, Jane Garrett. His children are Samuel L., born 1861; Alfred, born

BIRTHPLACE OF WILLIAM LEWIS, 1751.

1866, died 1884; Elizabeth, born 1869; Jane H., born 1872, died 1872; and Mary Ella, horn 1875.

Samuel L. Smedley, youngest son of Samuel L. and Hannah, was born Twelfth month 29, 1832, and was less than two years of age at the time of his father's death. From that time his mother managed the farm, and carried it on successfully until her sons reached maturity. He early evinced an aptitude for study, and was carefully educated at a select school until his thirteenth year, when he entered the Friends' Board- ing-school at Westtown. Here he made rapid pro- gress and at the end of eighteen months stood at the head of the senior class. He was then sent to school in Germantown to perfect himself in the classics, but close application so injured his health that he was

562

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

forced to return home, where he remained for several years upon the old homestead. During this time he was solicited to take charge of the district school at Edgmont Central Seminary, and tanght there two winters.

Convinced that his health required an active out- door occupation, Mr. Smedley determined to adopt the profession of surveying, which was congenial to his tastes, a love for which he inherited. Accordingly, in the spring of 1853 he removed to Philadelphia and engaged with Joseph Fox, who had laid out most of the northern portion of the city of Philadel- phia, and had then recently been engaged to extend the city plan on the west side of the Schuylkill. Pos- sessed of mathematical talent, and being an apt draughtsman, Mr. Smedley soon mastered the minntiæ of his profession, and his promotion was rapid. In 1856 he was engaged by the commissioners of Blockley to lay out the streets in that township. He also carried on conveyancing, and entered largely into the purchase and sale of real estate. About this time he published a complete atlas of the city of Philadelphia, a laborious and expensive undertaking, but one which was very successful, and the book remains to this day a standard work for conveyancers, and is highly prized by them. In 1858, Mr. Smedley was elected a member of the Board of Surveyors, and was subsequently chosen by the people of the district for three terms of five years each.

In 1871 his name was presented to the Republican State Convention as a candidate for the position of Surveyor-General of the State. The novelty of naming a professional surveyor for that position met with much favor, but the policy of placing soldiers upon the ticket prevailed, and Gen. Robert B. Beath was nominated and elected, he being the last to hold the office, as, by the provisions of the new Constitution, it was merged into that of Secretary of Internal Affairs. In 1872, Mr. Smedley was elected by the City Coun- cils to the responsible office of chief engineer and surveyor, the position he now holds, having been chosen for the third time in March, 1882, his present term expiring in 1887. In this position he has had charge of many extensive public works, among which have been the building of Penrose Ferry bridge, and the Fairmount and Girard Avenue bridges, and numerous smaller ones over railroads, canals, and other streams within the limits of the city.

Mr. Smedley, in 1865, visited Europe on a tour of recreation and study, and returned impressed with the thought that Philadelphia, to keep pace with other great cities, should avail herself of her great natural advantages for establishing a grand park for the enjoyment of the people, and he entered with enthusiasm into the project of securing Lansdowne, an estate of one hundred and fifty acres, from its English owners, as a nucleus for the park, and was largely instrumental in bringing about the purchase of that beautiful section of land as a pleasure-ground

for the public. He was appointed by the park com- missioners to make the original surveys of the terri- tory embraced in the park, and many of the walks and drives therein were designed and laid out by him. Since 1872, as a park commissioner, by virtue of his office, he has been active in securing improvements to the territory under the control of the board.

Mr. Smedley has been a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania since 1857, and for fourteen years was recording secretary of the association. He has taken much interest in local history and genealogy, and has collected a large number of the records of his own family, which became of special interest during the bi-centennial year. He is also a member of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Phil- adelphia ; honorary member of the Delaware County Institute of Science; member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and of the West Philadelphia Institute; of the latter he was for many years a director and secretary. In addition he is a member of the American Public Health Associa- tion, of the executive committee of the Philadelphia Social Science Association, the Engineers' Club of Philadelphia, the American Society of Civil Engi- neers, and of the Union Leagne and other political clubs. In religion he is a member of the society of Friends, as his ancestors have been from the first set- tlement of the State. Mr. Smedley is unmarried, and lives in West Philadelphia, with which section of the city he has long been identified.

Joseph Fox, a native of Edgmont, was born Third month 9, 1786. He taught school in Westtown, and married Hannah, daughter of Aaron James, of the latter place. In 1815 he kept store at Seven Stars, in Aston, in partnership with Isaac Massey, and in 1818 married Priscilla Griffith. In 1820 he married Edith, danghter of Abraham Hibberd. In 1822 he removed to Philadelphia, and tanght school there for several years. The northwestern limit of the city at that time was in the vicinity of Tenth and Spring Garden Streets. Mr. Fox was an excellent mathematician, and in 1826 turned his attention to surveying, in partnership with Philip M. Price. He laid out the streets in a large portion of the city between Spring Garden and Germantown, and in 1843 retired to a farm in New Jersey. He was a surveyor of such large experience and high reputation for accuracy that he was solicited to take charge of the intricate work of making a good city plan out of the numerous small villages which had grown up independently in West Philadelphia, and accepted the appointment in 1852, and returned again to the city, remaining there until his death, Second month 14, 1873. He left several children. Samuel L. Fox, proprietor of J. W. Queen's optical and mathematical instrument establishment, in Philadelphia, is one of them.

Everatt Griscom Passmore, farmer, of Edgmont, had a great reputation as a "gilt-edge" butter-maker forty years ago, While on his way to Goshen Meet-

EBER EACHUS.

John Mmainhall

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HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.

ing his horses became unmanageable. He was thrown violently against a rock, and a portion of his skull as large as a walnut was broken in. It was carefully removed by trepanning, and he lived seventeen years afterwards with the indentation conspicuous in his forehead. He died in 1868, aged eighty-one years, and was buried at Moorestown, N. J.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

EBER EACHUS.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Eachus were Enoch and Esther Eachus, of Goshen township, Chester Co., Pa., while on the maternal side he was the grandson of William and Susanna Rusell, of Del- aware Co., Pa. His parents were Evans and Hannah Eachus, whose children were William R., Emmor David, Mary, Sarah, Susanna, Esther, Hannah, Ma- tilda, and Eber, all of whom with the exceptions of Eber and Esther are deceased. Eber Eachus was born Feb. 22, 1807, in Upper Providence township, Delaware County, where he continued to reside until April 1, 1832. He received when a lad such educa- tional advantages as were obtainable at the public schools of the vicinity, and subsequently made farm- ing the business of his life,-first in Upper Providence and later in Edgmont township, where he removed in 1832, and became the occupant of his present farm. He was on the 29th of November, 1836, married to Priscilla P. Bishop, daughter of Thomas and Martha Bishop, of Hartsville, Bucks Co., Pa. By this mar- riage are two children,-Evans, born Jan. 8, 1838, and Hannah, whose birth occurred April 18, 1840. Mr. Eachus was in politics an Old-Line Whig during the existence of that party. At the beginning of the war he joined the ranks of the Republican party, but in later life ceased to take an active interest in affairs of a political character. He was reared in the faith of the society of Friends, and affiliates with the Hicks- ite branch of that religious body.

JOHN MENDENHALL.

Three brothers-John, Benjamin, and George Men- denhall-came from England with William Penn in 1682. George returned after a brief sojourn in Amer- ica, John settled in Chester County, and Benjamin found a home in Concord township, Delaware Co. He was united in marriage to Ann Pennell, and had sons,-Robert and Benjamin. The former, who was born iu 1719, married Phobe Taylor, and became the parent of thirteen children, among whom was John, the father of the subject of this biographical sketch. He married Tabitha Newlin, whose children were Cyrus, Martha, Esther, John, and Anne. John Mendenhall was born May 27, 1793, in Edgmont

township, Delaware Co., upon the farm which was for sixty years his home. After the rudiments of an English education were obtained, he assisted his father in his daily routine of labor, then became superintendent of the varied farm interests, and finally lessee of the property. He later purchased an estate in close proximity to his former home, and made it his residence. He was married in 1821 to Hannah Sharpless, daughter of Daniel and Sarah Sharpless, of Chester township, Delaware Co., Pa. Their children are Rebecca (deceased), Henry, and Joseph. Henry is a resident of Media, and married Deborah Passmore, of Chester County, whose children are Ella, J. Howard, Walter P., and Anna R. Joseph resides in Lawrence, Kan., where he is actively en- gaged in business. In 1849, Mr. Mendenhall re- moved to a farm in Edgmont township. Here he re- sided during the remainder of his life, though his son, Henry, cultivated the farm for many years. Mr. Men- denhall was a Whig in his political convictions, and subsequently supported the platform of the Republi- can party, having held numerous minor offices in the township of his residence. He was in religion a Friend, and member of the Orthodox Friends' Meet- ing of Middletown.

CHAPTER XLIV.

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.1

THIS division of the county lies in the northeastern quarter, on the border of Montgomery County, and wholly within what was known at an early period as the Welsh tract. With the exception of Merion, in Montgomery County, it was the earliest settled of the Welsh townships. Its name was brought over with the first settlers, who came from the vicinity of Hav- erford-West,2 in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. In early days, says Dr. Smith, the name was very fre- quently written with an « instead of v, and doubtless had the pronunciation that this change of letters would give it. The pronunciation was, at length, corrupted to Harford, a name by which the township was generally known within the recollection of many now living.

Respecting the settlement of Haverford, as well as Radnor township, it appears that soon after William Penn had acquired title to the province of Pennsyl- vania, he encouraged emigration to America, espe- cially people of his religious belief, and sold to numer- ous Welsh Friends, lands which were to be located in

1 By John S. Schenck.

2 The term Haverford ia of very ancient date. Haverford in Wales had its castle as early aa 1112 A.D., and Giraldua Cambreusia gives an account of " a preaching tour" made there by Archbishop Baldwin and himself in the year of pur era 1118. He reports that they were most kindly received by the Haverfordiana and their religious services grate- fully acknowledged.

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

a body as a barony on the west bank of the Schuyl- kill River. Hence Dr. Edward Jones, chirurgeon, as he is styled, with other Welsh purchasers, sailed from Liverpool, England, in the ship "Lyon," John Compton, master, and arrived in the Schuylkill River on the 13th of the Sixth month (August), 1682. On the 26th of the same month Dr. Jones wrote to his friend, John ap Thomas, the following letter, which describes the voyage and arrival of the Welsh settlers :

" These ffor his much esteemed friend John op Thomas of Llaithgwon neer Bala in Merionethshire, North Wales, to ba left with Job Boulten att the Boult and tun in Lumber Street, London, and from thence to William Sky Butcher, in Oswestrie, to be sent as above directed and via London-with speed.

" My endeared fr'd & brother my heart dearly salutea thee in a meas- ure of ye everlasting truth dear fr'd hoping that these few lines may find thee in health or no worster yn I left thee. This shall lett thee know that we have been aboard eleven weeka before we made the land (it was not for want of art but contrary winds) and one we were in coming to Upland, ye town ia to be buylded 15 or 16 miles up ye River. And in all this time we wanted neither meata, drink or water though several hogsheada of water run out. Our ordinary allowance of beer was 3 pints a day for each whole head and a quart of water; 3 biskedd a day & some timea more. We leid in shout half hundred biskedd, ona bar- rell of beere, one hogahead of water-the quantity for each whole head, & 3 barralle of beefe for the whole number -- 40-and we bad one to come ashoare. A great many could eat little or no beefa though it was good. Butter and cheese eata well upon ye sea. Ya remainder of our cheese & butter is little or no worster; butter and cheese ia at 6d per lb. here if not mora. We have oatmeale to spare, but it ia well, yat we have it, for here is little or no corn till they begin to sow their corn, they have plenty of it. The passengers are all living, aave one child, yt died of a surfeit. Let no frds tell that they are either too old or too young, for the Lord is sufficient to preserve both to the uttermoat. Here ia an old man about 80 years of age; he ia rather better yn when he aett out, likewise here are young babes doing very well considering aea diat. We had one tun of water, and one of drinke to pay for at Upland, but ye mester would faine be pd for 13 or 14 hogeheds yt run out by ye wey, but we did not, and about 3 quarters of Tunn of Coales we p'd for ; we laid in 8 Tun of Coales and yields no profit here. We are short of our expectation by reason that ya town ia not to be builded at Upland, neither would ye Master bring ua any further, though it is navigable for ships of greater burthen than ours. Ye nama of town lots ia called now Wilcoco; here is a Crowd of people atriving for ye country land, for ya town lot ia not divided, & therefore we are forced to take up ya Country lote. We had much adue to get a grant of it, but it coat 118 4 or ã daya attendance, hesides some score of miles we travelad before we brought it to pass. I hope it will please thas and the rest yt are con- cerned, for it both moat rare timber, I have not seen the like in all these parts, there is water enough beside. The end of each lot will be on a river as larga er larger than the Dye at Bala, it is called Skool Kill River. I hope the Country land will within this four days [be] surveyed out. The rate for surveying 100 Acres [was] twenty shilling, but I hope better orders will be taken shortly about it.

"The people generally are Swede, which are not very well acquainted. We are amongst the English, which sent us both version and new milk, & the Indians brought vension to our door for six pence ye quarter. And as for ye land we look upon it [aa] a good & fat soyl generally producing twenty, thirty, & fourty fold. There are stones to be had enough at the falla of the Skool Kill, that is where we are to settle, & water enough for milla, but theu must bring Millatones and ye Irons that belong to it, for Smitha are dear. Irou is about two and thirty or fourty shillinga per hundred ; Steel about 1s. 6d, p. 1. Ye heat way ia to make yr pi ken axea when you come over, for they cannot be made in England, for one man will work with ym as much as two men with ours.

"Grindle atonea yield good profit here; ordinary workmen have la. 68. a day. Carpenters 3 or four shillings a day ; here are cheep, but dear, about twenty shillings a piece. I cannot understand how they can be carried from England. . . . Taylors hath 58. & 6s. 6 day. . . . I would have you briog salt fur ya present use; here ia coarse salt, some timea two measures of salt for one of wheat, aud sometimes very dear. Six penny & eight penny naila are most in uaa, boree ahoes are in no usa

. . . good large ahoea are dear; lead in amall bars je vendible, but guns are cheap enough. . . . They plow, but very bnugerly, and yet they have aome good atone They nas both hookaa and sickles to reap with. . . .

"Time will not permit me to write much more for we are not settled. I [aand] my dear love and my wife's unto thy aelfe and thy dear wife and the rest of my dear friends, H. Ro. Rich. P. Evan Rease; J. ap E. Elizabeth Williama E. & J. Edd; Gainer R .; Ro. On .; Jo. Humphrey ; Hugh J. Tho .; and the rest of fr'da as if named.

" I remain thy Lo' friend and Bro. while I am.

"EDD JONES.

" My wife desires thee to buy her one Iron Kettle 3s. or 3s. 6d. ; 2 paire of ahoes for Martha, and one paire for Jonathan, let them ba strong and large; be aure and put all yr goode in casea, if they be dry they keep well, otherwise they will get damp and mouldy. . . .

"This is the 2d letter, Skool Kill River,

" Ye 26th of ye 6th mo., 1682."

Subsequently Jones and his countrymen settled upon " The Welsh Tract," the outlines of which had been run by virtue of the following warrant:

" Whereaa, divers considerable parsona among ye Welab Friends have requested me yt all ye Landa Purchased of me by those of North Wales and South Wales, together with ye adjacent counties to ym, as Havar- fordabire, Shropshire, and Cheahire, about fourty thousand acrea, may ba layd out contiguously aa one Barony, alledging yt ye number all ready come, and suddenly to come, are such as will be capable of planting ye same much wtbin ye proportion allowed by ye cuatom of ye country, & ao net lya iu large and useless vacancies, and because I am inclined and determined to agree and favour ym wtb any reasonable Conveuiency and priviledge : I do hereby charge thee and strictly require thee to lay ont ye ad tract of Land in as uniform a manner as conveniently may be, upun yo West side of Skuol kill river, running three milea upon ye same, aud two miles backward, and then extend ye parallel wth ye river six milea, and to run westwardly so far sa till ye ad quantity of land ba Compleately surveyed unto ym. Given at Pennabury, ye 13th 1st mo., 1684.

" WILL : PENN.

"To THO: HOLMES, Surveyor-Ganaral."

In pursuance of this warrant the surveyor-general, on the 4th of the Second mouth (April), 1684, issued an order to his deputy, David Powell, directing the latter " to survey and sett out unto the said purchasers the said quantity of land, in manner as before ex- pressed, and in method of townshipps, lately ap- pointed by the Governor, att five thousand acres for a townshipp and to be directed (for placing the vil- lages of each Townshipp and division of the pur- chasers) by Thomas Lloyd, Master of the Rolls, who is principally concerned therein, unto whose care and prudence is recommended the ordering and managing of this affair to the content and satisfaction of the said purchasors, and make me a true return of the original field-work and protracted figures, as well as the distinct quantity of each purchasor, &c".

The survey was probably made before the close of 1684. Soon after encroachments were made by others within its limits, and particularly by Charles Ashcom, a very troublesome deputy surveyor. In consequence thereof the Welsh inhabitants petitioned to the pro- prietary's deputies against these intrusions, who, after they had "well weighed the mater, truly considered the case, and rightly understanding the Governor's intention in granting the warrant," issued their man- date on the 25th day of the Fifth month (July), 1687, forbidding such intrusions, and making void what had been done within the prescribed limits, which are given as follows:

565

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.

" Beginning att the school kill, thence running W. S. W. by the City liberties 2256 perches to Darby Creek, Theoce following up the several courses thereof to New Towne Line, Theoce up the said line N. N. W. 448 perches, Theuce S. S. W. and by W. hy New Towae, 998 perches, to a corner post by Crumb Creek, Thence down the several courses thereof 460 perches, Thence W. and by 8. by a line of trees 1920 perches, Theoce N. N. W. by & line of trees - perches, Thence E, sod by N. by a line of trees 3040 perches, Thence E. and by S. 1120 perches, Thence S. S. E. 256 perches, Thence E. N. E. 640 perches, Thence S. S. E. 1204 perches, Theoce E. N. E. 668 perches to the School kill, Thence down the several courses thereof to the place of beginning."

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 139

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