History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 151

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

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Above the Musgrave tract on March 13, 1684, Wil- liam Edwards took up one hundred acres. He was, it is stated, from Glamorganshire, Wales, and settled on this land, his son, John, living on the premises after his father's death, in 1716, in the original cabin his father erected when he first made a lodgment in the wilderness. Above the Edwards tract George Smedley took up two hundred and ninety-five acres in 1684. He was from Derbyshire, England, and settled on this estate, building his dwelling-house on the west bank of Ridley Creek, about one mile northwest of the present town of Media. The home- stead farm is still owned by his descendants. Along Ridley Creek to the township line, Jacob Minshall on Sixth month 16, 1701, took up five hundred acres. Much of this property is still owned by his descend- ants, Minshall Painter having retained possession of his ancestral acres during all his long and useful life, as did also his brother, Jacob Painter.

The ancient dwelling built by Jacob Minshall in 1711 still stands in good repair. The largest room on the first floor is laid with flagstones. The barn on the adjoining farm now the property of Stephen Byre, known as the " Round Top farm," was the first erected on that section that had a floor and bays above the stables, as also a gangway. It is stated that men came forty miles to see the wonder of that day. It is said to have been erected in 1712. On a portion of that tract is an Indian burial-ground. A remnant of the Lenni Lenape continued to reside on the tract until the beginning of this century. Andrew, Isaac, and Nanny lived in a cave in the valley of Dismal Run. Andrew died in the cave, and was buried in Middle- town Friends' graveyard.

To the southwest of the Minshall tract, and along Dismal Run, Peter Trego, on Tenth month 11, 1694, purchased for Joseph Edge fifty acres, for which he paid " £14, or good merchantable wheat for market price." Roger Jackson, at the Edgmont line and west of the Minshall tract, purchased from George Willard two hundred and fifty acres, which were known as " Cumberland," but he sold the plantation to several parties, hence it did not pass under the de- vise in his will that his estate should be equally divided among such of his relations in England who should come to the colony and apply for their share in his ( Jack- son's) property. Continuing along the Edgmont line, an irregular plot bounded partly on the south by David Odgen, two hundred acres, which extends up to where the Hicksite Friends' meeting-house now stands, and partly by Caleb Pusey's land, Joshua Hastings took up four hundred and seventy-two acres of land, on which, however, he never settled; but in 1692 it was purchased by John Turner, and in 1718 Joseph Tal- bot became owner of the land. Joseph Talbot died in 1721, and his son, Joseph, took the real estate when he came of age, and built the mill, now Humphrey Yearsley's. As mentioned, David Odgen's plot of two hundred acres lay to the south of this plantation, ex- tending from Friends' meeting-house to a short dis- tance below Lima. David Odgen came with Penn in the " Welcome" in 1682, and settled on this tract, where he died in 1705. The land west from the Hast- ings tract, along the Edgmont line and extending to Chester Creek, was surveyed as two hundred and fifty acres to Henry Sleighton, April 10, 1684, which in 1803 was patented to Ephraim Jackson, a noted Friend of Edgmont. South of this estate, along the creek, and following the southern line of the road from Thornbury to Middletown, on April 10, 1684, two hun- dred and fifty acres were surveyed to Edward Blake. The estate subsequently passed to John Bowater, the noted Middletown Friend. South of this tract, and con- tinuing along the creek to Martin's Run, was a plan- tation of three hundred acres, which was surveyed to John Sharpless April 4-5, 1682, and was patented to Joseph Sharpless Third month 4, 1703, who settled on the estate after his marriage to Lydia Lewis, in 1704, and died there in 1757. South of the Sharpless tract, having Martin's Run for part of its northern boundary, a lot of two hundred acres was surveyed to Thomas Cross, Jr., Twelfth month 21, 1683, but this and other tracts were purchased by Thomas Martin, before the latter left England. He emigrated from Edgcott, county of Berks, about 1689, and died on this land in 1719.

The taxables in the township in 1715 were as fol- lows :

John Martin, George Grist, Caleb Harrison, Edward Woodward, Daniel Cookson, Joseph Jervia, William Pennell, Jacob Tregoe, John Edwards, George Smedley, Jacob Minehall, Peter TregDe, Sr., Thomae Barne, John Chanley, Jobn Turner, Joseph Sharpless, Alexander Hunter, Moses Martin, Robert Baker, Thomas Barnaley, Thomas Martin, Jr., Edward Lawrence.

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Freemen .- Hans Hamilton, Peter Tregoe, James Tregua, George Mar- tio, Francie Ferrel, Thomas Smith, William Chamberlain, Simon Barton.

In 1799 the taxables were returned as follows :

Joho Baker, Joseph Baker (storekeeper), Henry Baker, Samuel Wor- rell, Aaron Baker (cooper), Thomas Beatty, John Moncil, Amos Bond, Jacob Happerset, Joshua Clayton, James Day, Jesse Darlington, Jon. athan Button, John Evans, Dell Pennell, Issachar' Edwards, Isaac Ed- warde, James Emlen estate (grist-mill), Frederick Fairlamb, Robert Fairlamb (cordwainer), Isaac Frame, William Johnson, Heury Gormao, Thomas Pennell, David Garrett (blacksmith), Robert Glenn, Haory Mc- Gill, Prodeocs Slonghter, Jacob Hibberd, John Hill (saw-mill), Nathan Heacock (joiner), John Heacock, Aon Hemphill, Joshua Harrison, John Happersett, Thomas Hutchinson (little wheelmaker), James Hemphill, William Salyards, James Hunter, John Heacock, Samuel James, John Iogram, Jr. (blacksmith), Joseph Jobson, Joho Knight (physician), Joho Lungren, Edward Lewis (millar), Seth Levis (paper-maker, paper-mill, griet-mill, saw-mill), William MaCarty (tailor), John Moocil, Philip Mil- ler, Jacob Meoshall, Thomas Meoshall, Jacob Malin (weaver), James McGuire, Joho Ottey, Robert Pennell, Abraham Pennell (saw-mill), Lydia Pennell (innkeeper), Oliver Pharaoh (shoemaker), Aaron Ratten, Thomae Ryan, Deborah Sutton (store-keeper), William Sharplees, Nathan Sharp- less (grist-mill, aaw-mill), John Sharpless, Daniel Sharpless, Benjamio Stokes, Ambrose Smedley, William Smedley, Thomas Trimble, Joseph Taylor (carpenter), John Thompson, Joseph Roman (blackamith), Thomas Worrell, John Wilcox (hatter), John Worrell (saw-mill), Edward Wood- ward (saw-mill), Caleb Yaroall, Joseph Yarnell (wheelwright), Negro Tom, Negro Cyrus, Frederick Janer, Lewie Pennell.

Inmates .- William Broomall, Jamas Broomall, John Broomall, David Hroomall, Jamee Cumings, James Crossley, William Doyla, Virgil Eachus (joiner), John Hughes, Jacob Happerset, William King, Patrick McGuckin, Daniel Mahoney, Michael McCloskey, George Malin (hatter), William Pitt (shoemaker), William Penuell, Joshua Sharpless (shoe- maker), Albert Stervant, James Starr, Daniel Thompson, Patrick Welch, Joseph Webeter, Thomas Worrall, John Ottey.

Single Freemen .- Joho Dutton, John Lewis, and Nathan Yearsley, millare; Seth Evans, wesver ; William Fairlamb and William Griffith, shoemakers; John Haacock, Enoch Heacock, and Benjamin Jamee, carpentera; Joseph Starr, wheelwright; Job Vernon, tanner; Thomas Walker, blacksmith ; Cyrus Baker, John Connell, Hugh Connor, George Dougherty, Richard Duttoo, Joho Harris, Seth Levis, Gardoar Leonard, John McMickel, William McCune, Alexander McCune, Patrick Mullin, James McMullin, Patrick Mulvany, Andrew Nelson, Robert Pennell, John Rickey, Robert Sims, Joho Sharpless, Thomas Sharpless, Alexao- der Thompson, Hugh Trimble, William Webster, Peter Worrall, Obadiah Russell.

The following is a list of the justices for Middletown township :

John Croeby. Aug. 30, 1791.

Joel Willis.

Ang. 30, 1791.

Davie Bevao.

Aug. 19, 1794.

Miles McCarty.

.April 13, 1796.

Elisha Prics ...

April 15, 1796.

William Martio.

.Aug. 9, 1797.

Isaac Eyre ..

.Oct.

12, 1798.

Nicholas Fairlamb

Dec.

6, 1798.

Aurou Morton.

May

3,1799.

Philip Painter.

May

20, 1800.

Thomas Hinkson.

May

20, 1800.

Joho Pearson .June 21, 1802.

4, 1806.

Jacob Edwarde

Jao.

1, 1807.

John Caldwell.

Nov. 15, 1814.

Joseph Walker ..

Feb.

3, 1820.

Samuel Smith

March 12, 1822.

David Marshall.

March 3, 1824.

George W. Bartram

June

3, 1824.

Benjamin F. Johnson.

.Oct.

25, 1825.

Abraham Kerlio

.Jnoe 7, 1830.

Samuel T. Walker

Nov. 12, 1831.

John Afflick ..

June

6, 1834.

Jonathan P. Worrull

March 5, 1835.

Samnel Shaw ...

Nov. 18, 1835.

William Martin ...

June 10, 1836.

William Eyre.

Dec. 21, 1838.

George W. Bartram.

.Sept. 23, 1839.

Samuel Hibberd ...... April 14, 1840, April 13, 1847, April 11, 1854.

Robert L. Martin ..

Aug. 24, 1876.

Robert F Ash ...

March 27, 1879.

Jamea W. Howarth.

March 30, 1880.

The Murder at Bancroft Bank .- On Saturday night, Oct. 17, 1863, Ellen Jones and John Blair, a

stonemason, were brutally murdered. The scene of the tragedy was a small dilapidated log house which stood on the left of the road, on the west side of Rid- ley Creek, almost directly opposite the factories. Ellen Jones vended liquors surreptitiously, and it was supposed she had accumulated one hundred dollars by the illegal traffic, which sum she was known to carry on her person. On Sunday morning following a neighbor learning from the children of the dead woman-the eldest a girl of six and the youngest an infant of two years-that something unusual had hap- pened at the secluded cabin, repaired thither. Upon the floor near the door of the lower room-the house contained but two apartments, a room below and an attic above-lay the body of John Blair, his throat cut in several places, and the flesh from the forehead to the chin on the right side of his face almost en- tirely cut from the bones, his forehead broken in, and the right eye torn from the socket. About two feet away from the corpse of Blair lay the body of Ellen Jones, the upper portion of her head cloven, leav- ing a buge cavity, from which the brains had oozed. Near the dead woman was an axe clotted with blood from edge to butt, indicated the weapon with which the deed was done. The only witness of the murder was the six-year-old daughter of Ellen Jones, who, hearing the noise in the lower room, was aroused from her slumbers, and through the cracks in the floor of the attic saw the murderer strike the fatal blows. The testimony seemed to implicate George Wilkinson, a young man of about twenty-two, who was arrested at Hestonville on Monday night following, and was detained at Philadelphia until the Friday after the murder, when he was brought to Media jail. The trial of the accused began Feb. 23, 1864, the common- wealth being represented by Francis M. Brooke, dis- trict attorney, and the prisoner by James Barton, Jr., Charles D. Manley, and John M. Broomall. On Friday, February 26th, the jury rendered a verdict of " not guilty." 1

A Centenarian .- On April 25, 1851, Charity White, better known as "Aunty Charity," a colored woman, died at Middletown, said to be over one hundred years of age. She had been a slave in the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but on the death of her master, prior to the beginning of this century, was permitted to remove to Pennsylvania, and located in Middletown.

Remarkable Mortality. - In November, 1837, Norris Hannum, of Middletown, lost by death in twenty days all his children,-five in number. The disease, which proved so fatal, baffled the physicians, who could not at that time designate the malady by name.

A Heavy Man .- In the summer of 1866, Henry Breckinridge, of Middletown, was announced by the Delaware County Republican as the heaviest man in

1 An account of the trial of Joseph Worrall, indicted for the murder of David Weidig, naar Lima, will be found ante, page 177.

James Withey. July

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MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.

Delaware County, as well as in the Seventh Congres- sional District, and probably in Eastern Pennsylva- nia. He was twenty-three years of age, and weighed four hundred and one pounds. He measured six feet round the waist, was five feet seven inches in height. His legs were thicker than the body of an ordinary man, and his arms of proportionate girth.

The Middletown Friends' Meeting .- The first al- lusion to an organized meeting of Friends in Middle- town occurs at a Chester Quarterly Meeting, Third month 3, 1686, whereat it was " agreed yt a meeting be kept at John Boiter's upon yt same first day it used to be at Bartholomew Coppock's, for ye case of such yt live westerly in ye woods, and ye rest of friends liv- ing ye other way upon yt same day to meet at ffrancis Stanfield's until further consideration." Ten years after this action hy the Quarterly Meeting, at a sim- ilar meeting held on Third month 4, 1696, it was agreed that "a meeting be settled at John Bowater's every first and fifth day," and on Ninth month

FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE, MIDDLETOWN.

6, 1699, "The ffriends of John Bowater's meeting Lay their Intentions of Building a meeting-house" before the Quarterly Meeting, and Philip Roman, Robert Pipe, Nathaniel Newlin, George Robinson, John Hood, and John Wood were appointed " to de- termine the place for that service, and make report to ye next Quarterly Meeting, under all their Hands, that it may be entered in the Meeting Books." Early in this year (1700) the committee reported that they had fixed upon the burial-lot of Friends in Middle- town for the site of the meeting-house, but it is very probable that the meeting-house was not erected until the following year (1701). At all events, the building was completed in 1702, for it was then called Middle- town Meeting-House. The present building is not the first meeting-house erected, but it was certainly built many years before the beginning of this century.

Orthodox Friends' Meeting-House .- After the division of the society of Friends, in 1828, the Ortho- dox branch of Middletown held their meetings in a

school-house belonging to James Emlen, near the Emlen Grist-Mill, now owned and operated by Hum- phrey Yearsley, until they could complete their pres- ent meeting-house, which was not ready for occupancy until 1835. The house was erected on a lot of ground which Joseph Pennell, in 1834, donated to the society for a meeting-house. The plot contained half an acre, and subsequently he gave an additional half-acre ad- joining for school and burial purposes. The meeting- house was erected on this lot.

Cumberland Cemetery .- About 1860 Thomas Pratt laid out a tract of land adjoining Hicksite Friends' Meeting-House ground as a cemetery, and sold a num- her of burial-lots thereon. The land which was not sold is now owned by his heirs, and is still being used as a burial-place.

Middletown Presbyterian Church .- The organ- ization of religious societies under the form of the Presbyterian Church in the Middle States distinc- tively marks the beginning of the immigration to the American provinces of that sturdy class of people who have in this country heen termed the Scotch-Irish. There is some reason to believe that, as early as 1689 or 1690, Rev. Francis Makemie came to America, sent hither by the United Breth- ren of the Presbyterians and Congrega- tionalists of London, and that he organized a church in Accomack County, Va. If that be the fact, the Virginia Church ante- dates the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia eight years, for Rev. Jede- diah Andrews began his ministry in that city in 1698. The Scotch-Irish about 1718 began to make settlements in Chester County, and doubtless as soon as they waxed sufficiently strong to form a congre- gation of worshipers according to the Pres- byterian faith, such an organization was ef- fected. The exact date of the formation of this church will probably never be known, for the early records are said to have been lost in the fire which burned the dwelling of Rev. Thomas Grier, in 1802. The church was doubtless established in the latter part of the year 1728, or early in 1729, for on April 1, 1729, the Presbytery of New Castle, in response to the desire of the people of Middletown to be permitted to build a church, acceded to the request, on condition that the congregation would continue "a united congregation with Brandywine." Tradition asserts that in 1720 a log church was built in Birmingham, but this asser- tion may justly he questioned, although in the histor- ical account of that township in this work this date is followed. In the summer or fall of the year 1729 a log church was erected in Middletown on grounds the title to which was not conveyed to the trustees until 1751, when the building thereon is mentioned in the deed. That the church was fully organized and a meeting-house erected in 1735 cannot admit of

614

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

doubt, but the evidence tends to establish a prior date for the building, inasmuch as early in that year it is mentioned in a gift to the "Protestant Dissenters" by Dr. Isaac Watts, who, learning of the house of wor- ship in the " back wood," manifested his interest in the welfare of the struggling congregation by sending to them a folio copy of one of Baxter's works. The in- scription in this volume reads :

" This Book, called Mr Baxter's Directory, was given by ye Reverend Dr Isaac Watts, of London, to the Protestant Dissentere, neually Assem- hling for Worship at Middletown Meeting-house in Pennsylvania, that people who came from far & spend their whole day there may have something proper to entertain themselves with, or to read to one another between the seasons of Worship, morning and afternoon ; & 'tis for this end intrusted to ye care of (the) Protestant Dissenting Minister who preaches there, and to his Successors, to be used by him or them in their weekly Study, when they please, and to be secured & devoted to the Use of the Congregation on ye Lord's days."

"Jany 30th, 1735/6."

"The Book is committed to the care of Mr Benj. Hawley to be carried

OLD MIDDLETOWN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BURNED FEB. I, 1879.

over to Pennsylvania, and after he has kept it in his own hands and made the best wee of it for six months, that is till the 30th of July next, he shall deliver it to the hands of the present Protestant Diesenting Minister for the purposes before mentioned."

The congregation attending this church was scat- tered, and some of the persons most constant in at- tendance on the religious exercises-whenever they were held therein, generally once a month, for there was no regular pastor until 1770-would walk, women and men, often ten or twelve miles to church, and the like distance returning; or if, as was frequent, the distance was twenty miles, would ride thither on horseback. On a winter Sunday these pious people would sit for hours in the cold church listening to the clergyman, whose sermon made up in length what- ever it might lack in originality of argument. The pastor in those early days preached twice to the same congregation on the Sabbath, there being an hour's intermission, when those present would partake of a

slight repast, which had been prepared the day be- fore and carried in baskets to the church.

On May 10, 1762, Robert McClellan conveyed to William Lindsay, Hugh Linn, James Lindsay, John McMinn, James Black, Charles Linn, Joseph Black,. James Hemphill, and Thomas Trimble, three-quarters of an acre for the use of a Presbyterian Church thereafter to be erected.

The second church edifice, which was of stone, was erected shortly after this date, and Dr. Smith records that the venerable Thomas Dutton, in 1860, told him " that the present meeting-house was built in the time of his grandfather (Richard Dutton), and that he, al- thongh a Quaker, subscribed money towards its build- ing, as he was willing that the Presbyterians should have a suitable place to hold their meetings in." 1

The church building thus erected had no fireplace in it or means provided for warming the building in cold weather, hence the female members of the congregation who could afford such luxury would have a foot-stove, which would be filled with charcoal, and thus they could warm their almost frozen feet and listen to the minister at one and the same time. It has been said that the old log house was used as a place for the session of the church to assemble in, and after it was no longer required for relig- ious exercises, a chimney-place was built, and on the hearth, on Sunday mornings, a bright fire would be made, so that those who were delicate could warm themselves by its cheerful blaze.

In 1770, Rev. James Anderson, the first regular pastor, was called, prior to which date the church was dependent on supplies. He was at that time about twenty-one years of age, and here he re- mained during the stormy days of the Revolution, doubtless advocating a sepa- ration from the mother-country, for the Presbyter- ians were, as a rule, earnest advocates for that meas- ure, and we have every reason to believe that to the Pennsylvania line, or Irish line, as it was often called, from the young men attending the relig- ious services there, Middletown Church furnished its full quota of soldiers. Dr. Samuel Anderson was a son of the first pastor of Middletown Church, but he was not born in Delaware County, although I would be glad if it should prove that 1 am in error in this assertion, for Dr. Anderson was a man of whose nativity Delaware County can be justly proud. Rev. James Anderson died in 1793, his min- istry at Middletown covering almost his entire man- hood life. From 1793 to 1801 the pulpit was de- pendent on supplies, but in the latter year Rev. Thomas Grier, a graduate of Princeton, was installed

1 History of Delaware County, p. 398.

615

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.

pastor, and continued in the discharge of that office until 1809, when he accepted a call to a church at Little Britain. In 1802 the house in which he lived, on the west side of Edgmont road, south of the church, near where Mr. Bonnall's dwelling now is, was destroyed by fire, and the records of the church, being in his study, were lost. Rev. Nathaniel Ran- dolph Snowden, in 1809, became the pastor of the church, and continued as such until 1817, when he was called to the presidency of Dickinson College. He resided during his term as pastor of Middletown Church at Chester, for his son, James Ross Snowden, the distinguished director of the United States mint and author, was born in that borough. The Presby- tery of New Castle censured Rev. Mr. Snowden, al- leging that he came to Middletown without the con- sent of that Presbytery, took upon himself the pastorate, and also took the church from the care of New Castle and transferred it to that of Philadelphia Presbytery, where it continued until 1870, when Chester Presbytery was formed. During all the time he was in charge of the church he was never installed, but exercised pastorate functions as if he had been. After Rev. Mr. Snowden resigned, the church had no regular minister until 1827, although in 1819 Rev. Nathaniel Todd was appointed stated supply at Mid- dletown for six months. He was continued until 1822, when he was dismissed to go to Carlisle. In 1823 Larry Bishop was appointed as supply at Mid- dletown for first and third Sabbaths in every month, and he continued thus in charge of the church until 1826, when he was dismissed to take control of a church in the Huntingdon Presbytery.

In 1818 the Presbytery of Philadelphia was asked to form two church organizations, one in Springfield and Providence, the other in Aston. Middletown Church met this movement by protest, alleging that the district was so sparse that there was no room for another Presbyterian Church; that the means em- ployed to obtain signatures were not fair or honorable, and that the erection of a new church would arrest the growth and progress of Middletown Church. The protest was signed by Samuel Black, Hugh Caldwell, John Craig, and the heads of most of the Presbyterian families, but, nevertheless, in 1819, the Presbytery appointed a committee to organize two additional churches.

In 1827 Rev. Robert McCochran was installed as pastor, and remained as such until 1830. In Octo- ber, 1832, Rev. Alvin H. Parker became the pastor of the church, and continued in such relationship until October, 1839. The church at this period had been almost abandoned to decay, and in that year an effort was made to revive interest in the organization. In 1841, Rev. Samuel P. Helme was called to the pas- torate, but resigned in April following. Under date of Oct. 4, 1842, John P. Crozer records that a stranger had been sent by the Presbytery of Philadelphia to Middletown and the Blue meeting-house, "to make

some attempt to impress life into these decaying churches." In speaking of Middletown Church, he records, "This ancient edifice, truly venerable in ap- pearance, was erected by godly men, who have for three-quarters of a century slept in death. This is one of the oldest places of worship in the whole country, and its substantial and venerable walls tes- tify that the yeomanry, by whom they were erected, were willing to honor God with their substance, and in that day, when farm-houses were of the plainest and simplest kind, they were willing to pay for a large and commodious edifice and dedicate it to the worship of Almighty God."1 The church, at the time Mr. Crozer described it, was much out of repair, and many persons who could recall the building burned in 1879, remember it only after it had been materially altered in 1846. The pulpit was then in the east end of the building, and at the west, opposite, was the door. The pulpit stood about ten feet above the heads of the congregation, and the ceiling followed the roof to a peak, which was well known to many of the youngsters of that day, who, when seated on the high- backed pews, were shut out from a sight of the clergy- man, and could only follow the sloping ceiling with their eyes, or perhaps they could catch a glimpse of the sounding-board suspended over the pulpit and wonder, if it fell, what would become of the preacher.

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 151

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