History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 167

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

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679

RADNOR TOWNSHIP.

form a separate community, with a view of deciding all controversies and debates among themselves in their own language and in "Gospel Order." How- ever, as these troubles of the early Welsh settlers have have been explained at some length in the history of Haverford township, it is deemed unnecessary to re- peat them here.

In 1691 the grand jury ordered that a road be laid out leading from Rhoads' tan-yard, in Marple, to a point near the site of the present Radnor meeting- house. The route when marked by blazing trees was not varied in the least by reason of hills, etc., but continued straight ahead over all elevations, ravines, morasses, etc.

At a Monthly Meeting of Friends held at Haver- ford meeting-house in Sixth month (August), 1693, it was ordered "yt William Howell, Morris Llewelyn, for Haverford; David Meredith, David Evans, for Radnor; Griffith Jones, James Thomas, for Merion, see yt sufficient fences be kept in his respective neighbourhood." During the same year, also, " it is ordered by this meeting by consent of the inhabitants of the townships of Haverford and Radnor, in pur- suance of a law in that case made, yt ye inhabitants of ye sd two townships should pay one shilling per hundred [meaning one hundred acres of land] towards ye taking of Wolves, William Howell, William Jen- kins, for Haverford ; and David Meredith and Stephen Bevan, for Radnor, to receive yº sª Taxe."

The taxable inhabitants of Radnor at this date, 1693, a time when a provincial tax was,levied of one penny per pound sterling on estates and six shillings per head upon freemen, were as follows :

John Evans ....

David Meredith

05 10

Joho Evans ..

02 06

Joha Jarman ..

03 08

John Morgen.

00 02 08

William David ..

00 02

Richard Ormes.

Mathew Jones

02 06

Howell James.

Philip Evan.

03 07

David Evso ...

00 03 05

William Davis

Samuel Miles

Richard Miles.

Evao Protherah

Joho Richard ..

02 07

Stephen Bevan.

03 09

Thomas Johns.

02 08

Roads leading from the site of Radnor Friends' meet- ing-house to Schuylkill Ford, and from John Long- worthy's house to a road " between Chester and Rad- nor," were laid out Tenth month (December) 11, 1694.

Although a large majority of the early inhabitants of Radnor were Friends, people who remained true to the principles and the teachings of their peculiar system of opinions throughout their lives, still there were others among them who could only be satisfied with the dogmas preached by ministers of the estab- lished church,-the Church of England. Hence, in accordance with the earnest request of prominent members of the latter class, a Rev. Mr. Evans, of Philadelphia,-the first clergyman of the Episcopal

Church to preach in Pennsylvania,-occasionally visited certain families residing in Radnor, and preached to them, beginning as early as the year 1700. However, to explain more fully these events in the early history of the township, we quote from an historical account of the incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, which was published early in the last century, as fol- lows :

"Oxford and Radaor, two Welsh settlements, were first visited by Mr. Evans from Philadelphia ; and the People, having been Members of the Church of England when they were transplanted from Wales hither, were desirous of having that form of worship fixed among them again. By his occasional Sermoos, and the visite of other Clergy men, the People of Oxford were enconraged to build a neat and convenient Church. The Congregation consisted chiefly of the younger People, and the whole towo composed of abont 20 families; they not only huilt a Church, but subscribed also £20 a year to their minister in money and country pro- duce. The people of Radnor also petitioned for a Minister; aod the So- ciety appointed the Rev. Mr. Club Missionary to Oxford and Radoor, two Towos being about 20 miles distant from each other. He arrived there in 1714. The iohabitants of hoth Towne received him with great kind- ness, as being well known to them before, during his being School- master at Philadelphia; The people of Radnor especially were very thankful to the Society for having been pleased to consider their Wants, and renewed their promise of giving him their best Assistance and pres- eotly after his arrivals, heartily engaged to build a handsome stone Church,1 which they have since performed. Mr. Club was very earnest in all parts of his Ministerial Office, and very successful in his Lahours, and happy io engaging the love and Esteem of all his people. But the Cure of these two Churches engaged him in great Fatigue, not only on account of the Distance between the Places, but because of the Extremity of the Weather, whether hot or cold. Mr. Club contracted so many in- dispositions by his Labours, as put an end to his Life in 1715. The People were so seosible of the Difficulties be underweot that, after his Death, the Church Wardens of the Parish wrote thus to the Society: ' Mr. Club, our late Mioister, was the first that undertook the Cure of Oxford and Radoor, and he paid dear for it; for the great Fatigue of riding between the two Churches, in such dismal ways and weather as we generally have for four Months in the Winter, soon put a period to his life.'

" Both Towas wrote again to the Society, requesting another mission- ary, the Society wrote a Letter in reply exhorting them to consider oo some proper means among themselves for making sufficient allowance for a minister to reside constantly among them. Io answer to this they asenred the Society, ' they were heartily disposed to do their best ; but at present their circumstances would not do great things. They were at present hut poor Settlers, who had a newly settled Laod backwards in the Wilderness, and had not yet so much as their own Habitations free from Debts; that indeed they had built Churches, in hopes of having ministers from the Society, and had thereby so much incum- hered themselves, that it would be some years, in all Probabilities, before they could clear that deht.'

"The Society were desirous this good Disposition of the People should not be disappointed, and in 1717, appointed the Rev. Mr. Wayman their Missionary at Oxford and Radoor. . .. The inhabitante of Oxford pur- chased & House, Orchard, and sixty-three acres of Laod, for the use and Habitation of the Minister; and the People of Radnor have obliged themselves to contribute forty pounds Proclamation money of that Country, yearly, towards the support of a Minister to preach to them in Welsh, their Native Language ; hecanse many of them do oot uoder- etaod English. . . . "

The taxable inhabitants of Radnor in 1722, and the assessed value in pounds sterling of real estate held by each, were-

David Harry, 54; Richard Ormes, 20; William Thomas, 30; David Pugh, 20 ; Sarah Abraham, 24; Hugh David, 8; Arthur Jones, 6; Joho

1 This church edifice, now koowo as St. David's, was commenced in 1715, and completed in 1717. It is situated just withont the limite of Radnor, and in the extreme northeast corner of Newtown towoship, but for very many years it was venally designated the Radnor Church.

680

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

David, 34 ; Johu Thomas, 40; John Morgan, Jr., 24; Richard Richards, 24 ; David Jones, 20; Jeokin David, 36; Thomas Thomas, 60; Owen Evans, 36; Joho Jerman, 36 ; David Powell and laod in Brandywine, 36; Gabriel Davies, 28; John Jones, 32; Howell Powell, 14; David James, 24; Thomas Lewis, 20; Caleb Evans, 36; Joseph Williams, 16; Hugh Wilson, 16 ; John Morgan and land in Whiteland, 54; John Samuel, 10; Edward George, 32 ; Edward Jones, 24 ; Evan Evans, 20; David Evans, 16; Evan Stephens, 14; David Thomas, 15; Joseph Joues, 34.

To and including the early part of the year 1748 the following-named persons had received patents for lands in Radnor, at times and in quantity as here shown :

Acres.

1684, 5 mo. 29, Thomas Wyon .. 250

1684, 6 mo. 4, John Longworthy.

200

1685, 8 mo. 30, David Davis (or Davies). 200

1686, 3 mo. 13, David Powell (two tracts). 611

1687, 7 mo. 9, David Powell (two tracts). 300

1688, 3 mo. 24, John Fisher's executors. 300

1688, 8 mo. 1, Reece Prece. 200

1689, 3 mo. 26, David Meredith. 350

1701, Sspt. 30, Evan Proderah. 122

1702, 5 mo. 16, David Powell

138

1703, Oct. 25, John Evan Edward.

123

1703, Oct. 25, Margaret Jerman

152

1703, Oct. 26, David Pugh.

174

1703, Oct. 26, James Pugh 162

1703, Nov. 1, Thomas Juhn Evao 340

1703, Nov. 2, Edward David 155

1703, March 14, John Evans.

300 1704, 3 mo. 1, David Meredith.

1705, 3 mo. 7, Stephen ap Evsu ..

397

1705, 3 mo. 14, David Evaos (two Tracts).

397

1705, 6 mo. 6, Richard Milea 233

1705, 5 mo. 6, Samuel Milas, 352

1713, Sept. 10, David Morris

1715, Dec. 2, Margaret Miles.

1733, March 5, Edward George.

204

1733, March 5, Henry Harry .. 154

200

1735, Dec. 4, Samuel Rees ..

563/

1748, June 11, John Jerman ...

During the "old French and Indian war," which continued from 1754 to 1763, a number of the able- bodied men of Radnor joined the provincial forces, and performed service in the armies commanded re- spectively by Braddock, Forbes, Stanwix, and Boquet. Among them were eight young Friends, or Quakers, who, upon their return "from the wars," and as a recompense for the patriotism and courage displayed by them, were disowned by the Quaker fraternity, and prohibited from enjoying any benefits within the so- ciety for evermore. It is to be presumed, however, that these brave men survived such proceedings, and during a later period-the Revolutionary war-were again fonnd enrolled, perhaps as commissioned offi- cers, in the Pennsylvania Line. Col. Evan Evans, an early justice of the peace, and one of the most prom- inent American officers in Chester County during the Revolutionary struggles, was, we believe, a native and resident of Radnor, and it is quite probable that he, being the son of a Friend, was one of the disowned, as above mentioned.

In 1758, when Gen. Forbes was organizing his ex- pedition for the capture of Fort Du Quesne, the au- thorities of the several counties in Pennsylvania were required to furnish wagons, teams, and wagoners for the transportation of army supplies. Hence, of those who went out to represent Chester County were Thomas Legitt and Hugh Wilson, of Radnor. Following are the accounts of these men, as rendered at the close of the campaign by Roger Hunt :

" Raduer,-Thomas Legitt to his majesty :

Dr. £ s. d.

To cash advanced

10 19 (

To Two Bushele osts.

0 6 0

To cash

10 8

21 13

Cr. By 5 bbls. of Pork from Carlile to Bedford, weigh- ing gross, C, 13,3, 10, is

£ 8. d.

12 2 116 Miles from Carlile to Radnor sod Back-is 196 miles .. 7 0

To sundrye from Carlile to Littleton as per Receipt may appear, C, 3, 3, 7 @ Ils, 8d per hundred. 2 4 4

21 13 516

" Mem. The above named was the first man that agreed for & bounty in Chester County.

" Hugh Wilson entered a wagon Oct. 25th.

"Credited by 7 bbls. flour from Carlile to Bedford; mileage for 215 miles; settled Nov. 14."

Hugh Wilson, it will be observed, was a resident of the township as early as 1722.

At the beginning of the war for independence the taxable inhabitants of Radnor numbered ninety-eight. Hence, by estimating five inhabitants to each taxable, its population at that time amounted to four hundred and ninety, or more than one-third as many people as it contained one hundred years later. During the same year (1775) the tax levied upon the township, at the rate of "two pence in the pound upon estates and six shillings on single freemen," amounted to seventeen pounds thirteen shillings and sixpence.

As explained in the general chapters of this work, also in the history of Haverford township, soon after the battle of Brandywine (in which the British were victorious) Gen. Washington, with the yet undaunted American army, marched out from Germantown over the old Conestoga or Lancaster road into and beyond the limits of Radnor, for the purpose of again en- gaging the invaders and despoilers of this region, but a heavy and prolonged rain-storm coming on, Wash- ington was compelled to countermarch his forces, and retire without forcing the enemy to a conflict, which doubtless would have resulted in victory for the Americans. Finally, the enemy obtained possession of Philadelphia, and thereafter, during several months, British soldiers, under orders from Gen. Howe and Lord Cornwallis, committed innumerable depreda- tions in Radnor and the adjoining districts. Hence, at the beginning of the winter of 1777-78, these shameless marauders left many families wholly desti- tute of their live-stock and provisions, and carried away all the clothing, household goods, kitchen fur- niture, plate, etc., npon which they could lay their hands.

At the close of the war, in pursuance of an act of the Assembly adopted in 1782, the inhabitants of Chester County were called upon to make statements of the losses sustained by each, at the hands of the British in 1777. Thereupon, the following-named in- habitants of Radnor rendered a statement of their losses. These statements may be relied upon as ac- curate, for they were made under the oaths or affir- mations of the sufferers :

1733, March 12, William Thomas,

253

1733, Dec. 4, Thomas Thomas. 92

"WENTWORTH." RESIDENCE OF EDWARD H. WILLIAMS,

681

RADNOR TOWNSHIP.

£ s. d.

From Daniel Evans, " by a detachment of the British army un- der Cornwallis, then ravaging the neighborhood, Dec. 11" ..

From Sarah Davis, widow, "by the British army on their march to Philadelphia"

From Owen Skelton, September 19.

From Michael Stadleman's estate. From Sarah Miles, " then a minor"

From Isaac Thomas ..

185 10 0

From Lewie Lewis, Sept. 19.

60 0

From William Jennings

18 0 0

From John Pugh .. 122 11

From Mordecai Morgan, "hy a party of British under Col. Harcourt, Sept 19".

50 0

From George White, " by a party of British under Col. Har- court, Sept. 19".

60 0 0

From Aquilla Evans, " by a party of British under Col. Har- court, Sept. 19".

20 0

From Mark Evans, by Cornwallis, Dec. 11

10 15 0

From David Phillips, by Col. Harcourt, Sept. 19

30 0

From Edward Lane, by Gen. Howe ..

8 15

From Adam Siter, by Col. Harcourt.

30 0

From Enos Miles, by Col. Harcourt.

From William Lee, by Col. Harcourt.

From Levi Lewis, by Col. Harcourt.

From Frederick Bittle, Sept. 19.

From David Cornog, by Howe, Sept.

From Isaac Davis, hy Cornwallis, Dec. 11

From Paul Sheridan, by Harcourt, Sept.

From Griffith James, hy Cornwallis, Dec. 11.

55 16

From Jonas Yocum, hy Cornwallis, Dec. 11.

66 15

35 0 0 19

In the winter of 1777-78, Gen. Potter, with a con- siderable body of American militia, was assigned to the duty of guarding the country between the Schuyl- kill and Chester, to prevent supplies reaching the enemy, as well as to protect the patriotic inhabitants from foraging parties sent out from Philadelphia by the British. In the performance of these duties nu- merous skirmishes took place in Radnor and its vicin- ity between Potter's men and the thievish invaders. In a letter from Gen. Potter, dated at Radnor, on the 28th of December, 1777, one of these encounters is thus described: "On Monday last the enemy came out with a view to forage. They encamped along the road from Gray's Ferry to the heights below Darby. There was a detachment sent down from our army to this place, who, with Morgan's riflemen and the militia, went down to their lines and kept them close therein. On Tuesday we took thirteen of their light- horse and ten of their horsemen ; the next day two more of their horses and their riders. They have been prevented from plundering the inhabitants, as they usually do. ... We had one killed and two wounded. We have taken upwards of twenty pris- oners, and a number of deserters have come in. They have carried off a large quantity of hay from the Islands and Darby. . . . " 1

During the same winter another incident transpired in Radnor which for a time was of serious import to a native and former resident of the township. It ap- pears that soon after the occupation of Philadelphia and its vicinity by the British, one Benjamin Davis, the proprietor of the Rising Sun Tavern, in Frank- ford, became a temporary resident, willingly or other- wise, of the city. Some time during the season men- tioned he appeared at the American camp in Radnor and made a statement to Gen. Potter in substance as

follows : That his mother resided within the American lines in Radnor ; that he was the proprietor of the Rising Sun Tavern in Frankford ; that he had been made prisoner by the British, and had been detained by them in Philadelphia for several weeks; that they had finally released him, and that he now wished to visit his mother, in Radnor, preparatory to returning to his tavern, the Rising Sun. Gen. Potter granted his request, and allowed him to visit his mother. Soon after, however, it was whispered about that Davis was a spy, and had been sent out by the British to ascertain the strength and position of the Americans. Thereupon he was arrested, and made to undergo a most rigid examination, but finally, whether guilty of any understanding with the enemy or not, was released, and allowed to go free aud unmolested. Probably this was the same Davis who was assessed as the owner of a grist-mill in Radnor in 1788, and in years subsequent to that date.

With the close of the Revolutionary war an un- wonted degree of prosperity dawned upon Radnor. New highways were laid out, many additional settlers established themselves here, and a Methodist meet- ing-house was erected. In 1792 the Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike was commenced, to be completed two years later by the expenditure of four hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars. This, the first turn- pike road built in America, was the means of greatly increasing travel through the central part of the town- ship, and caused the establishment of numerous way- side inns along its route.

In 1809 the Radnor Library was established. Its five hundred volumes, representing the liberality of eighteen subscribers, were placed in a store near Friends' meeting-house.

In 1820 many of the inhabitants of Radnor in- augurated rather vigorous measures looking to the annexation of their township to the county of Mont- gomery. These proceedings on the part of Radnor residents at last aroused the whole county, and finally became the leading topic of discussion among its citizens. Dr. Smith writes of this agitation and its rather tame results as follows :

" Dissatisfaction had for some time existed among the people of the upper part of the county on account of the seat of justice being situ- ated on ite southern margio. The people of the township of Radnor, residing much nearor to Norristown, the seat of justice of Montgomery County, than to Chester, petitioned for the annexation of their town- ship to that county. The fact that the taxes of Montgomery were lower thao those of Delaware is also said to have had on influence in promoting this movement. Be that as it may, the prospect of losing one of the best townships in the county was a matter of serious alarm, when its small dimensione were taken into consideration. The dis- contented in the remote townships, seeing that the loss of Radnor would wenken their strongest ground of complaint, determined to test the question of a removal of the seet of justice of the county to & more central situation. Accordingly a general meeting of the inhabitants of the county, ' both friendly and unfriendly' to the proposed removal, was convened on the 8th of June, 1820. The meeting was unusually large and very respectable, and after the subject of removal had been dis- cnesed very fully and rather freely, a vote was taken which resulted in favor of the removalists.

" Removal now became the leading topic of discussion throughout the

1 Penna. Archives, vol. vi. p. 141.

From John Jones, Sept. 19 and Decr. 11

303

13 0

From Sarah Kenny, by the British army when marching from Valley Forge to Philadelphia, September ...

38 0

From Samuel Pugh and Mord. Morgan, by Harcourt, Sept.

682

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

county. All party distinctione becama merged into it, and the most ultra politicians of opposite parties united cordially on a removal or anti-removal platform. Meetings were held, and nominations were made accordiugly. The ballot-box showed the aoti-removaliste in the majority. George G. Leiper, of Ridley, aud Abuer Lewis, of Radoor, both anti-removaliste, were elected to the Assembly. The soti-removalists, by the nomination of Mr. Lewis, had secured nearly the whole vote of Radnor, under the belief that the election of the anti-removal ticket afforded them the ouly chance of being annexed to Montgomery County. The test was not re- garded by the removalists as satisfactory, and they petitioned the Legie- Jature for redress, but certainly with but emall hopes of success. Io their memorial, which is very long, they set forth the fact of the effort of Radnor to be attached to Montgomery County ; the dilapidated cou- dition of the jail; the insalubrity of the air at Chester to persons from the upper parte of the county; the danger of the records from attack by an enemy ; the badness of the water, etc. 'And, finally,' they say, 'to satisfy the Legislature that nothing is asked for by the petitioners which would throw any uureasonable expense on the county, assurances are given by one of the inhabitants, perfectly responsible and compe- teut to the undertakiog, that he will give an obligation to any one au- thorized to receive it, conditioned to erect the public buildings upon any reasonable and approved plan, for the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, to be paid in seven yeare, by installments, if the convenience of the county should require credit, and take the present buildings and lot at Chester at a fair valuation as part pay.'

"This petition was drawu np by Robert Frazer, Esq., theo a promi- nent lawyer, residing in the upper part of the county, aod was signed by 912 citizens. The number who signed the remonstrance is oot known ; but, as a matter of course, with both representatives opposed to removal, no legislation favorable to that measure was obtained, and it is only wonderful that the removalists should press the metter under such cir- cumstances. What is also remarkable, the people of Radoor appeared to relax their efforts to obtaio legislation to authorize the township to be annexed to Montgomery County.

" At the next election, John Lewis and William Cheyney, both re- movalists, were elected members of the Assembly, but from some cause they failed in obtaining the much-desired law authorizing the seat of justice to be removed to a more central situatiou. The question, after this effort, appears to have been allowed to slumber for a time. It was, however, occasionally discussed, and the removaliete maintained a strict vigilance to prevent any extensive repairs being made to the public buildings at Chester."

On the 12th of May, 1838, Radnor Lyceum was organized by the election of the following officers : Hugh Jones Brooke, president; John Pechin, record- ing secretary ; Dr. James Jenkins, corresponding sec- retary : John Mather, treasurer; John Evans, Ed- ward B. Wetherell, William Haskins, Alexander Kenzie, George Palmer, Mary Kenzie, and Adelaide Cornog, managers.

In 1847, when the question of the removal of the seat of justice from Chester to its present location was submitted to the people, Radnor polled one hun- dred and fifty-two votes in favor of removal, and forty votes against removal. This would indicate a popu- lation of about eight hundred inhabitants at that time.

On the 3d of January, 1881, the line dividing Rad- nor and Haverford townships was determined to be as follows: "Beginning at the present line between said townships, at a point on the road from White Hall, Montgomery County, to Coopertown, Haverford, di- rectly opposite the east corner of said road where it turns from said line into Haverford township ; thence south 30 degrees 90958 feet to a point; thence cross- ing said road, and keeping on the line between lands of R. K. Montgomery and lands of Joseph Lockwood, south 60 degrees and 6 minutes, west 1430 feet, to

land of the Sheaff estate; thence through said land of Sheaff estate and land of John K. Valentine, south 60 degrees and 24 minutes, west 2992 feet, crossing a certain public road leading to Brooke's mill; thence following the southwesterly side of said road the fol- lowing courses and distances : north 30 degrees and 6 minutes, west 36 feet; south 86 degrees 45 minutes, west 25516 feet; north 54 degrees, west 43213, feet ; north 28 degrees 55 minutes, west 3834% feet, to a point on the present township line."

Within the last decade, and especially during the four years last passed, vast improvements have been made in the township, particularly along the lines of the Lancaster turnpike and the Pennsylvania Rail- road. Numerous costly country residences, inclosed by spacious, tastefully-arranged grounds, have been erected; new roads and streets have been laid ont, new towns built, and, as a result, the population and the values of Radnor have increased in a wonderful manner. The town of Wayne presents a striking ex- ample of the rapid progress being made in this direc- tion, and affords subject-matter for the following descriptions :

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 167

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