History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 140

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

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The only draft of the " Welsh Tract" that has been found in the surveyor-general's office does not entirely agree with the above description. However, the orig- inal survey included the townships of Haverford and Radnor, in the present connty of Delaware, besides Merion, Tredyffrin, Whiteland, Willistown, Easttown, Goshen, and part of Westtown, in the counties of Chester and Montgomery.

Meanwhile complaints concerning the actions of Charles Ashcom and others continued to be forwarded to the proprietary, and finally were noticed in the fol- lowing instructions to the commissioners of property, William Markham, Thomas Ellis, and John Goodson, dated at Worminghurst, Twelfth month 1st, 1686, and read at a meeting held 3, 13, 1687 :

"4thly. And whereas I formerly granted a Warrt for forty Thousand acres for the Welch people, to Lye Contiguous on the west side of Schoolkill, and that I am informed Incursions have been made upon those Lines Contrary to Equity, 88 also that Charles Ashcome Refuses to make Regular Returne to Thomas Holme, Surveyor Generall, or pay him his old dues, which was one-third, from the first of hia serveing under him. These are to will and Require you to Look into the same, and to do Justice both to the Welch and to the Surveyr Generall. Charles Ashcome Promising me to pay ye said one-third part of the money for survey to the said Thomas Holme, and in Case the said Charles Ach- come shall be disorderly or Refractory, you are hereby Impowered to Displace him, otherwise to Continue him in his Imploy."

It also appears that the Welsh settlers not only contemplated having their settlements together, but expected to constitute one municipal district or " barony," in order that they might manage their affairs in their own way. They certainly had grounds for this expectation, and consequently when the division-line was run between Philadelphia and Chester Counties, through the Welsh Tract, thus sep- arating the settlements of Haverford and Radoor from those of Merion, it gave rise to much dissatisfac- tion, and resulted in sending forward, through Col. William Markham, the following petition to the proprietary :

" PHILADELPHIA, the 234, 2ª mo., 1688.

"To the proprietry & Governors Commissioners of State & Property. The Humble peticon of the Inhabitants of the Welch Trect Sheweth.

"That, Whereas William Penn, Proprietary & Governor aforesd out of his tendr Love & good will towards your petm & for their Incouragemt & Conveniency here (considering many of them understood not the English Tongue & eve were incapable of giveing due services to English Judicatures) was favorly pleased to give his most Solemne word (before they removed from the Land of their nativity) That they, yor Petra should have abt forty thousand acres of Land contiguously layd out 88 a Barony, and that they should not be obliged to answer nor serve in any Cort whatsuever, hnt should have Corts & magistrates of their owne, wherein Justice should be minletred according to the Law of this Gov- ernmt or to that effect; In Consideration whereof, & for a manifestacon of yor pet's, Love, Gratitude, & Choice to the ed Governo" & his Govern- ment they came over to this Province.

" And whereas the ad Propriet'ry in pursuance of his former promise Did grant a warrant for anrveying the ad Tract accordingly, sod there- upon further declared that yor petr should Iojny the sd priviledges in maner aforesd & he Exempt from attending all other Judicatures save only that they should maintaine membrs to such in Conocil & Assem- bly. And also whereas the sd Tract extends to the sevrall Countys of Philadelphia & Chester se is aleadged & by pretence thereof your petra have beeo sumoned to the County Corts of both the 88 Countye to yield their service npon Jurys & so are like to be taxed in both places to their great impoverishmt. Now for as much as the priviledges & Exem- peons aforesd soe tenderly proposed by or Governor is most thankfull ac- knowledged as a peculiar kindness to yor petr nev theless they desiro to Improve the same to no other eod then to have their Corts & Magis- trates of & amongst themselves as they had in Wales and to be governed by the Law of Pennsilvania here, as they were by the Law of England there, and that good Rule & Order may be the better kept amongst them & amiable unity with their English & other neighbors be preserved and Especially that their monthly and other meetings may not be separated.

" Therefore yor pete humbly request that what has been so as aforesd granted by parol may be Confirmed unto them & other purchsors & In- habitants of the sd Tract & their heires by Grant Charter or Ordinsoces containing such Jurisdictiona, powers, Liberties, & under such services, Restricons and Denominacon as in Wisdom you shall Judge Expedient, &c.

" Thomas Ellis.

Samuel Rees.

Griffith Owen. Moris Lewelin.

John Bevan. John Roberts.

Hugh Roberts.

David Meredith.

Henry Lewis.

Richard Orme.

William Howell. Rees Peter.

John Evaos. Hugh Juoes.

Robert Davies.

David Evan.

Francis Howell.

John Jarman.

William Jenkins.

Phylip Evan."

John IIumphrey.

[Indursed.]

"Pray Sr send an answer to this ffor they are very Earnest about it but John Symcock much agt it as also Laying an other County beyond theirs. "W. M."

It seems that no notice was taken of this petition by the proprietary, at least an answer has never been fonnd. The Welsh, however, remained steadfast in the position they had assumed. They declined to recognize the division that had been made previously, and this led to proceedings in Council, 1, 25, 1689, as follows :

"The Secretary produced a Petition ffrom severall Justices and In- habitants of ye County of Chester, directed to ye Gover" sod Councill. The Goverr asked by Whom Subscribed: 'twas answered by none. He replyed He should not receive it without a Subscription : it was deliv- ered to ye persons who attended about it. They Subscribed it. The Gover" then directed it to be read : it was read : ye Coppy Thereoff ffol- loweth (viz.) :

"To John Blackwell, Esq"., Gover", and the Provinc" Councill of Pennsylvania, &c.

" The Humble Petition of ye Justices of Chester County in the behalfe of themselves and Iohabitants of ye said Couuty Sheweth : That whereas ye gaid County is but & Small tract of Land, not above 9 miles square, & but thinly seated, whereby ye said County is not able to support the Charge thereoff ; Vppou our humble Request to the Proprietor & Gover" and his Serious Consideration of our weak Condition, was pleased out of Compassion to us, to grant an Enlargement of ye same, in maoner ffol- lowing, viz .: to runn up from Delaware River, along darby mill Creek, ye several Courses thereoff, untill they took in Radnor and Herford townshipps; Then downe to ye Skoolkill ; Then vpwards along the sev- crall Courses thereoff without limmitt.

"Therefore, wee humbly pray you will be pleased to Confirme ye said bounds, whereby the County of Chester may be in some measure able to defray their necessary Charge, and wee shall, as in duty bound, &c.

"Signed by Jo" Bluustoo, Thu : Brassie, Rand" Vernon, Caleb Pusey, Tho : Vsher.

"The Gover" Demanded of ye Petitioners how they would make out their alligatioos. They began to relate some passages wch had passed ffrom ye Proprietor about settling the bounds uf ye County of Chester.

566

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

"The Gover" Directed them to withdraw, and putt what they had to sBy and Could dapose into writing ; they want ferth and brought jo their saverall attestations following, wch were read, viz .:

"'I, John Blunstone, as in relation to ye Davision of Chester County ffrom Philadelphie, dos thus testifia, that & ffew days before Goverr Peon left this Province, that vpou ye bank by John Simcock's house, I moved him to Desida this matter that had been so long Discoursed, who theo, before me and Others, Did Declare that ye bounds Should thus runa ffrum the mouth of Bow Creek to Mill Creek, web should be ye bounds until it come to ye Land of Herford, and then to take in the Toweds of Herford and Radoor; from theoce to the Skoolkill, and take in hie mannour of Springtowoe, by web our Pattents Holds: then I asked him if he would be pleased to give it under his hand, to avoyde ffurther Trouble, whe answered he would if any of ve would Come the next day to Philadelphia in order thereunto : one was sent, but what then ob- structed I am not certaine, but ye Gover" Departed about two days after :

" ' Was signed JOHN BLUNSTON.'

"Randall Vernon sayath that some time eince Wm Howell of Har- ford Sigoibied vuto me, and gave it vnder his owna hande, yt coma time after they there settled that he asked ye Govert to what County they should be joyoed or belong into, & The Gover" was pleased to soswer him that they must belong to Chester County :

" Was signed ' R., the mark of Raad" Vereen.'

"Our Proprietor and Govar', being pleased to graat to me a Com- mission to be Sheriff of the County of Chester, was pleased some time after to axpress himselfe to me to this purpose: Thomas, I perceive that the Skoolkill Creek Comes or rues se vpon the back of Philadelphia, that it makes ye City almost au Island, so that a Robbery or the lika may ha there Committed and ye offender gitt over ye Creek, and 80 Escape for want of due persute, &c., therefore I intend that ye bounds of Philadelphia County Sball Come about 3 or ffour miles on this side of the Skoolkill, and I would net have thee to take notice or to oppose that Sheriff in ye Execution of his office, about Kingses, or the like, bet I intend to enlarge this Conuty dowo warde to Brandywine :

. " Assertained by me,

THOMAS VSHER.

"Some of the members of the Prov! Councill asserted the Substance thereof, and that ye same was agreeable with the mappof the Province.

"The Survey" Generlls Deputy was sent for, whe showed the bounds of the County from the mapp, and being asked by ye Gover" by what order it was sett out, answered it was so ordered by ye Goverr and Pro- vinciall Conocill, as would appear by ye Coppy of ye minutes of their proceedings, web he produced.

"The Gover" Directed that the minutes themselves might be searched, & Comparing the same Coppy with the Entry, ffound them agree in Substance.

""Twas observed by ye Goverr and Councill that ye mapp of The Prov- ince was the work of Thomas Holme, Survyr Genel; that it was dedi- cated to ye Proprietor by ye Publisher; that many Coppys had been published in England and hare in this Province, by web ye came was made notorious to all men's observations and Knowledge, without Coo- troll or Question, and that 'twas likely many Conveyances of Lande might have been passed, Expressing the situations to lye in the Respec- tive Couutys; as they were thereis Expressed, sud that to Disallow thereof, for ye Boundary's, might be of ill Consequence on that accot. "Twas asserted that ye Welsh Inhabitants had Denyed themselves to be any part of The County of Philadelphia, by refusing to bear any share of Charges, or serve in office on Jurye, and the like, as to ye County of Chester.

" That the pretence thereof was thay wara a distinct Bareny, wch tho' they might be, yet that severall Barooys might be io ona and ye eame County.

" The Gover" and mest of The present members of Councill Declareing themselves satisfied Conceroing their being a part of Chester County npen ye ground alliged and proved as aforesaid, yet ffor as much 85 Thomas Lloyd had desired they might be heard before it were deter- mined, Samll Carpenter was desired to acquaint him that if he, the said Thomas Lloyd, should think fitt so ffarr to Concerne himselfe therein as to appear in their behalfe, or any other, to chew cause why they should not be Declared to be ef the County of Chester, (as the Proprietor had promised) they might have liberty to do before the Gover" and Cone- cill to-morrow, between 9 & 10 in the ferenoop, otherwise the Evidence saamad se ffull as that they should proceed to Declare their judgment therain."

The following day Thomas Lloyd and John Eckley appeared on behalf of the Welsh, and claimed that

the proprietor had given them grounds to expect they should be made a county palatine; but having no written evidence thereof, the Governor and Coun- cil by a vote decided that the former division line should be confirmed. Samuel Carpenter and William Yardley dissented on the ground that the Welsh peo- ple should have had more time to make their defense.

The Welsh troubles were then transferred from the Provincial Council chamber to the Chester County court. The court made an order appointing John Jerman constable for Radnor and John Lewis for " Hartfort" (Haverford), but these gentlemen did not come forward to be qualified into office. At the fol- lowing court it was " ordered that warrants of Con- tempt be directed to the Sheriff to apprehend the bodyes of John Lewis and John Jerman for their contempt in not entering into their respective offices of Constable (viz.), John Lewis for Hartfort and John Jerman for Radnor, when thereunto required by this Court."

At the same session, which began on the " 3d day of 1st week, 3d mo., 1689," David Lawrence, who had been returned as a grand juror from Haverford, failed to attend. He was presented by that body and fined ten shillings. The grand jury also presented "the want of the inhabitants of the townships of Radnor and Hartfort, and the inhabitants adjacent, they not being brought in to Joyn with us in the Levies and other public services of this county."

At the June court of 1689 the commission of Wil- liam Howell, of Haverford, as a justice was read and published, and "he did afterwards subscribe to the solemn declaration, prepared by the 57th Chapter of the great law of this province." At the same court William Jenkins, of Haverford, served as a juror, and at the December court John Jerman was attested constable for Radnor. This was the first official rec- ognition by any of the inhabitants of these townships that they were subject to the jurisdiction of Chester County. They then seem to have given up the idea of a barony, and with as good a grace as possible sub- mitted to the authority they were unable any longer to resist. By the close of the year these townships were supplied with a full set of township officials, who were the first appointed and to serve within their limits.

During the year 1693 a provincial tax was levied of one penny per pound on estates, and six shillings per head upon freemen. The list of taxables in Haver- ford township at that time is interesting as showing who were then its citizens. The original list, for Chester County, is in possession of the Pennsylvania Historical Society.

8. d.

Joho Bavao.

04 02

William Howell ..

04 Morris Lewellio. 00

Thomas Rees .. 00 02

William Lewis

00 04

Joho Richard

Humphrey Ellis.

Ellis Ellis. 00 02 09

Ralph Lewie 00 02 OG

567

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP.

William Jenkins ..

Daniell Humphrey ...

David Lawrence ...

Lewis Devid

02 06

Joho Lewis ..

03 04

Henry Lewis ...

00 04

John Lewis, Junior

00 02

Richard Hayes ..

Benjamin Humphrey

02 08

William Howell, for Tho: Owen

06 00

Richard Hayes, for David Lewis ..

06 00

John Bevan, for Evan Williams.

Although it has frequently been asserted and gen- erally believed that Penn's colonists and the Indians lived together with the utmost harmony and cordiality prevailing at all times, yet that such was not the case is shown by the following: In 1685 the Friends of Haverford and other adjacent townships complained to Council against "Ye Indians for ye Rapine and Destruction of their Hoggs."

Haverford Street or road was laid out in 1683, probably by David Powell, who executed most of the surveys and resurveys in Haverford and Radnor townships. The Haverford and Darby road was laid out "by the Grand Jury and other neighbours," Twelfth month 7th, 1687. On May 8, 1696, a road was laid out from David Meredith's plantation in Radnor township to Haverford meeting-house. This road passes White Hall and west of Haverford Col- lege. At the same time, May, 1696, Ellis Ellis, su- pervisor, was ordered to cut and clear the roadway " which leads to the Limestone Hill from Darby thro Harford." A road from Henry Hames' (in Marple) to Haverford meeting-house was laid out in 1697. In describing the last part of the line, the foreman of the jury, Andrew Job, says, "running up the said line betwixt William Howell and David Lawrence, making the fence the middle of the road till it comes to the fence where we pulled downe, and so to the meeting- house where we end." Until the year 1700 the pub- lic highways were laid out by order of the grand jurors ; after that date by viewers.

The men who controlled the township in early days were among the most prominent in the Welsh tract, and we may add of the county. In speaking of them Dr. George Smith has said, "It is even still more wonderful to see the large amounts that were appro- priated to charitable purposes. This was particularly the case among the Welsh Friends. Every reason- able want was attended to. If a newly-arrived immi- grant or a 'poor friend' stood in need of a house, it was built for him; of a plow or a cow, he was pro- vided with one. The fields of the sick and the weak were not allowed to remain uncultivated, and their pecuniary wants and other necessities were liberally supplied. Nor was their care in these respects con- fined to their own little communities. Wherever suffering humanity was found our Quaker ancestors were ever ready to contribute liberally to its relief."

The following proves the last assertion of Dr. Smith to be correct, it being a receipt given by Edward Ship- pen, the first mayor of Philadelphia :

"This may certify that Friends of y. Monthly Meeting at Hertford yt David Lewellia paid into my hands for ye distressed in New England, fourteen ponude four shillings, asad about ye 7th Mo. laet passed, for which eum I gave him e Receipt as witoees my band in Philadelphia, ye 23ª of 12th Mo., 1697/8.

" EDW : SHIPPEN."

The taxables residing in the township in 1722 were Richard Hayes, Samuel Lewis, Henry Lewis, John Havard, Daniel Humphrey, David Llewellyn, David Lewis, Humphrey Ellis, John Parry, Henry Law- rence, Thomas Lawrence, Edward Jones, John Thomas, Samuel Rees, Rees Price, Thomas David, Walter Lloyd, Joseph Lewis, Griffith Evan, and Daniel Rees.

In 1754, in accordance with an order issued by the justices of the peace, then sitting as a Court of Quar- ter Sessions, etc., a list of township officials from 1682 to 1753, inclusive, was made out, which also showed the date of settlement in the township of such officers. From this list, which is still in part preserved in the township records, we learn that the following-named early residents of Haverford, to 1700, began their residence here during the years indicated :

Lewis David, Henry Lewis, William Howell, 1682; John Lewis, David Lawrence, Morris Llewellyn, Ralph Lewis, John Richard, Witliam Sharpus, 1683; William Lewis, 1686; Richard Hayes, Thomas Rees, 1687; Humphrey Ellis, Ellis Rees, 1690; Robert Wharton, 1696; John Rees, 1698; Evan Williams, Abraham Lewis, and David Lewis, 1700.

In August, 1758, the tax-payers of Haverford were as follows :

Henry Lawrence, Samuel Humphrey, John Wilcox, Edward Hum- phrey, Lewie Davis, Charles Humphrey, Rowland Parry, William Lawrence, Jeremiah Ellis, Daniel Lawrence, Thomas Vaughan, Jeoe Lawrence, Anne Miller, David Llewellyn, Cloise Johnson, Obediah Wil- der, Thomas Cornock, William Young, John Johoson, Samuel Johnson, William Brown, Philip Foreman, Daniel Thompson, John Lewis, John Ebelou, Tesley Guyger, Samuel Tuston, Isaac Tuston, Ludwick Knull, Griffith Owen, Frederick Bittle, William Ellis, Alexander Soley, Wil- liam Thomas, David Cornock, Michael Kimball, James Dockerty, Jobn Cook, Philip Tupper, James Sampsoo,, William Towosend, John McCormick, George Schofield, Alexander McDowell, James Harper, Benjamin Hayes, Abraham Musgrove, John Vaughan, Robert Taylor, Isaac Vaughan, Thomas Ellis, Thomas Vaughan, Thomas Simons, and Joho Erle.

The early inhabitants of Haverford, being chiefly Friends, were opposed to wars and the fitting out of warlike expeditions among them. Yet that some of its residents participated in the expeditions under Braddock, Forbes, and Stanwix, as wagoners, etc., is proven by Roger Hunt's account-book, wherein are found the following entries :

"Haverford. Robert Armor entered one wagon Sept. 25. Credited by 5 bags of Speltz, weighing C, 8, 2, 22, and 6 bble flour, weighing C, 13, 2, 22 ; mileage from Herford to Carlile and back, 222 miles, Whole emount £27 18s. 534d. Settled Oct. 27, 1759.

" Thomas Hubbart entered ooe wagon; credited by 112 deys, July 11 to Oct. 31, 1760, @ 158. 0d. Cash advanced, £30.

"Copy of Mr. Ourrey's Certificate and Discharge of William Jones, Wagon Driver for Mr. Thomas Hubbart's wagon for Haverford Town- ship:

"'This certifies that I have this Day discharged Wm Jones, wagoner of George Aston's Brigade, with his wagon and Geers and two horses;

568

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

one of the others died in the service, the other strayed. He has received of Mr. Lindsay one pound sixteen and niue pence, and of me two pounds. Given under my Hand at Bedford this 30th day of Octr, 1759.

"' LT. QUAREY.'"

Lieut. Ourrey was then in command of Fort Bed- ford, Bedford Co., Pa.

In 1760, Charles Humphrey, then township clerk, afterwards member of the Colonial Assembly and of the Continental Congress, made the following record in the township book :

"On first day of March, and at night, we had a violent Northeast Snow Storm, when, Considering the season of the Year and the time it Lasted (for about 18 hours), there was the greatest fall of snow that has been known since the Settlement of the Province, being upwards of Two feet deep, and lasted upwards of 8 days on the ground.

" March 16, 1760."

For many years all public meetings and elections were held "in the meeting-house," meaning Friends' Haverford meeting-house. In March, 1762, how- ever, the township election was held "at the school- house."1 This probably was about the date of build- ing the first school-house, though it has not been ascertained where it was situated.

Charles Humphrey, township clerk in 1764, again says, "The following is an account of a surprising phenomenon which Happened on the 25th of July, 1764, at 40 minutes past 7 o'clock in the evening. There was a Ball of fire near the north east, about 50 degrees above the Horizon. It took its Course near northwest, its diameter at times Considerably bigger than that of the Sun. Especially at one time it opened, so as seemingly it would have separated itself; it appeared like huge, flaming, sheets of fire, inclining together like that of a new-blown Rose; its sound, as it went (which was very swift) was Like that of a great fire urged by a strong wind. It kept near of one Heighth all the way, till it had crossed the Meridian to the north, aboute 20 degrees, where was a small Cloud, which seemed as if it attracted it. It mounted Higher, and just as it seemingly touched the Outward Edge of the Cloud it Broke into Thou- sands of pieces like that of springing a mine, when the pieces and particles would all be in a flame. When, as near as Could be guessed, in aboute 30 seconds of Time came the Report which was like the firing of Large Cannon. The sound of it Lasted one full minute, it had something Exceedingly Re- markable in its Centre like a bar of iron which ap- peared to be very Hot out of which there Came Sparks of fire as it went."

At the beginning of the Revolutionary war, 1775, the township taxables numbered seventy-one, repre- senting a total population of about three hundred and fifty. After the American defeat at Brandywine and the consequent occupation of this region by the British army, the people of Haverford suffered terribly by dep- redations committed by British troops. A few days subsequent to the battle of Brandywine, Gen. Wash-

ington with the American army marched from Ger- mantown, on the Lancaster road, to and several miles beyond the Buck Tavern, in Haverford, for the purpose of again engaging Howe's army, but a violent and protracted rain-storm forced him to suspend further operations and retire. On the 10th, 11th, and 12th days of December, 1777, Cornwallis, with a detachment of the British army, made a sally from Philadelphia into Haverford and adjoining townships, and at that in- clement season of the year stripped many families of all their provisions, their stock and provender, and many articles of household furniture. The losses then sustained by the inhabitants of Haverford amounted to more than three thousand four hundred pounds sterling.

" The month of February, 1779," says township clerk Charles Humphrey, "was a Remarkable fine, warm, and spring-like wether all thro, the frogs cry- ing and spawning, Maple and alder blossoms in full Bloom, peach blossoms in many places, English Cherry trees very forward, some blossomed out, apple tree buds beginning to leaf, insomuch that vegetation was moved in allmost every vegetable. Corn in the ground looked well and promising, but March turned the face of everything, Rain, frost, and snow, high winds and storms, every other Day all thro.".

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 140

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