History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 176

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

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Sam1 Levie, Bartholomew Coppock, Junt, Jonathan Coppock, John Morris, George Marris, Richd Marrie, Barthow. Coppock, Senr, Wm. West, Isaac Taylor, Sen", Isaac Taylor, Jun", Samnel Hall, James Bar- rot, Thomas Poe, Thomas Taylor, George James, Richd Woodward, Juhn Glere, George Lownes, Nicholas Smith, Thomas Kendall, Mordecai Maddock, William Miller.

Freemen .- John Worrall, William Birran.

In 1799 the taxables in the township were :

James Arnold (cordwainer), Sarah Allen (tavern-keeper), Caleb Bou- sell, Richard Crozer, James Caldwell (blacksmith), John Crozer, John Cummings, Robert Crozer (weaver), Isssc Cochran (tavera keeper), George Davis, James Edwards (carpenter), Abner Edwards, Edward Flounders, Edward Fell (pot-house, and half a saw-mill, cabinet-maker), Joseph Gibbons (tavern-keeper), Abraham Garrett, James Heacock, Benjamin Lobb (cordwainer), Curtiss Lownes (tilt- and blade-mill), Rebecca Levis, Thomas Leiper, Thomas Levis (saw-mill), John Levis (half a paper-mill), Thomas Levis, Jr. (half a paper-mill), Joseph Levis (malt-honse), John Lewis (grist- and saw-mill), William Lane, George B. Lownes (stone-shop, cutter), Hngh Lownes, Jane Maris, Elizabeth Morris, John Ogden, Aun Pancoast, William Pennock, William Paist (half a saw-mill), David Rugers, Owen Rhoads, Charles Sankey (tailor And shop-keeper), Thomas Temple, Susanna Thomas, Joshna Thomp- son, Elisha Worrall, Joseph Worrell, Moses Wells, Matthew Wood, John Worrell.

Inmates .- John Caldwell, George Edwards, Robert McFarlan, William Paist, Jr., William Palmer (paper-maker), Davis Richards (carpenter), Philip Rudolph (paper-maker).

Single Freemen .- James Caldwell (blacksmith), David Caldwell, John Caldwell, George B. Lownes, Seth Levis, Edward Levis (paper-maker), Charles Levis (tailor), William Marshall (potter), Juseph Parker (car- penter), Jonah Thompson, Joshua Thompson, Mordecai Thompson, Owen Thompson (carpenter), Mordecai Worrell.

Township Lines .- The original boundaries of Springfield did not include all the territory low within its boundaries. On Sept. 1, 1837, a petition was presented to court praying for a change in the line between Springfield and Ridley townships. The old line began "at a stone, a corner of said township line, and a corner of lands of Geo. Warner and lands late of the estate of John Lowndes, dec'd, thence running by and near the spring-house and lands of Isaac New- lin, by the Bridge on the said township lines, by the lands and dwelling-house of Wm. Burns, and by the Springfield House to the line of Upper Darby township aud corner-stone of the townships of Ridley

1 History of Delaware County, p. 390.

2 Bulletin of Pennsylvania Historical Society, vol. i. No. 10, March, 1847, p. 25.

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

and Springfield aforesaid, being very irregular and crooked, and causing considerable difficulty at elec- tions in determining at which township the electors shall be entitled to vote."

The court appointed Jesse J. Maris, Spencer Mell- vain, and Edward H. Engle commissioners to adjust the boundary lines, which was done, and on Oct. 13, 1837, they reported, designating the present south- ern boundary line of Springfield, which report was accepted and confirmed by court.

The following is a list of the justices of Springfield:

Benjamin Brannon

.Aug.

19, 1791.

Israel Elliot.

Oct.

28, 1791.

Benjamin W. Oakford ...

Feb.

14, 1794.

Caleb S. Sayers ..

Ang.

6, 1799.

Benjamin Hays Smith

April

3, 1804.

Samuel Davis

Feb.

20,1810.

Thomas Smith

.July

3,1821.

John G Malcolm.

July

30, 1831.

Thomas Maddock

Jan.

8,1834.

Charles Seliers

.June

20,1836.

Sketchley Morton

April 14, 1840.

Edward Levis.

April 14, 1840.

Sketchley Morton.

.April 15, 1845.

Sketchley Morton

April

9, 1850.

F. Edward Levis

June 29, 1862.

F. Edward Levis

.April 14, 1857.

George Bakewell Earp.

April 14, 1863.

Richard Young

Nov. 24, 1869.

Kingston Goddard

March 27, 1879.

Richard Young ..

April 9, 1881.

Friends' Meeting-House .- The members of the society of Friends who had settled in Springfield were recognized at the Chester Quarterly Meeting on Third month 3, 1686, when it was agreed that "for ye ease of such yt live westerly in ye woods and ye rest of

SPRINGFIELD FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE, BUILT 1738, TAKEN DOWN 1850. [Drawn by John Sartain in 1837.]

friends living ye other way upon ye same day (First- day) to meet at ffrancis Stanfield's until further con- sideration." The rest of the Friends living the other way were those of Springfield. At the Quarterly Meeting, Sixth month 2, 1686, it was "agreed yt ye meeting at ffrancis Stanfield's upon fresh consider- ation be Removed to Bartholomew Coppuck's ye

younger, to begin ye next first day and ye 4th day fol- lowing untill friends see cause to remove it." On Third month 4, 1696, the Quarterly Meeting changed the day of meeting at Coppock's house to " every first and 3d day," and on Third month 2, 1698, consented that the time of meeting should be changed so that "the 3d day be on ye 5th day." By this time the meeting at Coppock's had waxed so strong that on the Twelfth month 6, 1698/9, the minutes of Chester Quarterly Meeting show that "the friends belonging to Springfield meeting propose their intention of building a mecting-house at their grave-yard, which this quarterly meeting Consents unto." This grave- yard was located at the junction of the Springfield and Darby roads, on the line between Springfield and Marple township. It is said that the first meet- ing-house was of stone, an assertion which may well be questioned, as the meeting houses and churches in that day were usually constructed of logs, and inas- much as that in Springfield was quickly erected it would seem to argue that it was a wooden structure. The statement that it was quickly built is based on the minutes of Chester Quarterly Meeting, on Sixth month 26, 1700, where, in the case of several Friends who had violated law in getting intoxicated and had made an acknowledgment of their misdeeds to the meeting in writings, it was ordered that " both the sª papers bee published by being fixed up att Spring- field meeting-house." Tradition has declared that the first meeting-honse was erected in 1704, where, as at Springfield meeting- honse, on Second month 26, 1703, the following interesting record was made :

"Chester meeting having Layed before this meeting their care and tender dealing with and concerning George Simpson about the disorderly practices of the ad George in keeping on bis hatt when John Simcock was in Prayer and Reflecting on his Testimony Calling itt dead and dry stuff and hee doth not Give friends satisfaction in condemning the same. George Maris, Sen", & Robert Vernon are appointed to speak to bim to come to next mo. meeting in order to Give friends satisfaction."

From the records of Chester Meeting held on Eighth month 25, 1703, we find that the deed of Springfield meeting- house was lodged with George Maris, Sr., for safe-keeping. The first building on this lot was destroyed by fire in 1737, and the following year, 1738, the society had begun the erection of another meet- ing-house. At Chester Quarterly Meet- ing, on Sixth month 13, 1739, it was or- dered that eighteen ponnds should be paid to Friends of Springfield Meeting, which sum was to be expended in helping them to defray the charges of rebuilding their meeting-house. The amount was the interest on Joseph Need's donation, and was appropriated in the manner designated at his request. The date-stone in the second building had engraved upon it the words and

717

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

figures, "Rebuilt 1738." The latter building was stone, with a hipped roof and pent-roof over the doors and windows at the ends, such as the projection over the windows of the old City Hall in Chester. Tradition has also recorded that in this building in 1754 a meeting was held to consider what ought to be done with Benjamin West, whose father was anxious to settle his son in some established business, while the latter was desirous of being an artist, although the society, to which he was a birthright-member, was averse to such occupation, it being purely ornamental. Although the alleged special meeting of Friends to consider the matter was never held, yet, as the state- ment has gone into history, it is deemed proper to quote the incident as related by an eminent writer :

" The assembly met in the meeting-house near Springfield, and after much debate approaching to altercation, a man of the name of Juhu Williamson rose and delivered a very extraordinary speech upon the subject. He was much respected by all present for the purity and in- tegrity of bis life, and enjoyed great influence in his sphere on account of the superiority of his natural wisdom; and, as a public preacher among the Friends, possessed an astonishing gift of convincing elo- quence. He pointed to old Mr. West and his wife, and expatiated ou the blamelese reputation which they had so long maintained, and merited so well. 'They have had,' said he, 'ten children whom they have carefully brought up in the fear of God, and in the Christian re- ligion ; and the youth whose lot in life we are now convened to con- sider, ia Benjamin, their youngest child. It is known to you all that God is pleased from time to time to bestow upon some med extraordi- nary gifts of mind, and you need not be told by how wonderful ao in- spiration their son has been led to cultivate the art of painting. It is true that our tenets deoy the utility of that art of mankind. But God has bestowed oo the youth a genius for the art, and can we believe that omnipotence bestows his gifts bnt for greater purposes? What God has given who shall dare to throw away ? Let us not estimate Almighty Wisdom by our notions; let us not presume to arraign his judgment by our ignorance ; but in the evident propensity of the young man he as- sured that we see an impulse of the divine hand operating towards some high and beneficent end.' The effect of this argument, and the lofty commanding manner in which it was delivered induced the As- sembly to agree that the artist should be allowed to indulge the predi- Jections of his genina, and a private meeting of the Friends was ap- pointed to be holden at his father's house, at which the youth himself was requested to be present in order to receive in form the assent and blessing of the society. On the day of meeting the great room was put in order, and a numerous company of both sexes assembled. Benjamin was placed by his father, and the men and women took their respective forms on each side. After sitting some time in silence, one of the women rose and addressed the meeting on the wisdom of Gud, and the various occasiona io which he selected from among his creatures the agents of his goodness. When she bad concluded her exhortation John William- BOD also rose and resumed the topic which had been the subject of his former addrese. At the conclusion of this address, which is described as having been in a strain of extraordinary eloquence, the women rose and kissed the young artist, and the men, one by one, laid their hands on his head and prayed that the Lord might verify in his life the value of the gifte which had induced them in despite of their religious tenets to allow him to cultivate the faculties of his genius."1

The old building serving as a meeting-house for one hundred and thirteen years, when it was taken down and the present structure erected to supply its place.

Lownes Free Church, or Protestant Union Church .- In 1832, George Bolton Lownes set apart a tract of land on his farm, situate on the Philadel- phia, New London and Westtown turnpike, for church

and burial purposes. On this lot he erected a church, and furnished it, which was free for all denomina- tions to conduct religious services therein. The pulpit has been supplied from time to time by Meth- odist, Presbyterian, and Baptist clergymen, but mostly by the Baptist ministers who were in charge of Ridley Baptist Church. Occasionally the members of the society of Friends have held religious exer- cises in this building. George B. Lownes lived but a short time after the church was founded, his death having occurred Feb. 22, 1834, and was buried near the entrance to the church. By will he bequeathed four hundred dollars, the interest of which was to be applied annually for the repairs of the church and keeping the grounds in good condition. The prin- cipal sum was placed in the control of a clergyman of Philadelphia, who invested it in securities which ultimately proved to be worthless. In 1870, the church having become dilapidated, Mrs. M. E. Parker exerted herself in raising a fund to repair the old church, and so earnestly did she labor that sufficient means were secured to thoroughly repair the building at a cost of twelve hundred dollars. The church was rededicated on Sunday, Jan. 8, 1871. Rev. Henry G. Weston, of Crozer Theological Seminary, preached the dedicatory sermon, and the Rev. James W. Dale. Since that time services have been occasionally held in the Lownes Free Church. A recent writer gives the following description of the Blue or Lownes Church :

"The building in which this assemblage was held is worthy of brief notice. It was erected by one of the numerous descendants of Jane Lownes, and set apart forever to the worship of the Almighty without cost or let to aoy of whatever denomination, with one important excep- tion. Just in front of the pulpit hangs a framed card, on which the patron's wish ia printed, with thie proviso : That no one who devies the proper divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ or the doctrine of the Atone- ment shall ever be permitted to preach in the place. The house was built at the time when the conflict was at its height that divided the society of Friends into the so-called 'Orthodox' and 'Hicksite' camps. The feelings awakened by that controversy are crystallized in this pro- viso, and the ' Lownes Free Church' is free ooly to orthodox preachers. However, as there are very few persons of a different religione bent in the whole country-side, the prohibition has not proved of much prac- tical disadvantage.

" The house is built of a blue limestone, which, in spite of the ill- fitting coat of whitewash that now covers it, shows plainly enough the reason for its popular name, ' The Blue Church.' It is a plain rectan- gular edifice, with a pitched roof, without spire or belfry. There is a door at either gable, over one of which is placed a rude water-shed. A plain porch covers the front door, which is shaded by a horse-chestnut, upon whose lower branches bangs a hornet's nest. On either side of the door is a marble tombstone. In the north tomb repose the ashes of the venerable builder of the church. A plain slab rests upon low mar- ble walle, and bears the name, age, and following inscription : 'Where he was born, there he lived and died. An honest man and a useful citizen.' There is added the familiar passage from Job, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth.'

" A fine large willow-tree stande in front, and overhangs this grave. The tomb on the opposite side is a slab raised upon six marble pillars, and bears the name of a favorite cousin of the patron. Those tombs serve as seats for the rustic congregation while waiting for the com- mencement of service, and tramps who camp of summer nights in the horse-sheds play cards upon them in the moonlight.

"The entrance to the church ja from the Baltimore pike, by a large wooden gate hung in the stone wall that encloses two sides of the lot. One corner of the churchyard is devoted to burial purposes. Here stands

1 " Scenes in the Early Life of Benjamin West," by John S. Hart ; Sartain's Union Magazine, March, 1849, 1. 169.

718

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

anether large weeping-willow and tell bushes ef esage-orange and | sumach evershadew the wall. Shert meunds ef buried children fill the space, though larger graves show where the 'rude forefathers of the hamlet aleap.' In the rank graas and among the vines that here creep over the ground and swathe the graves dwell undisturbed hosta of in- Facts, especially crickets and grasshoppers. Ameng these tha great green grasshopper abeunds, one of the noisiest ef eur musical insects, and day and night alike his ahrilling ia heard among the gravea, making this rural 'Ged's acre' a very garden of insact seng.

" The plain stene building is a pretty object, standing in its two-acre field, embewered ameng trees. Just across the meadow is a farm, enca a country-seat of an eminent president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Adjoining that the cupola of 'Shady-Bank,' a fine country home, rises abeve tha tops of a neble grove of trees.

"Inside the building is exceedingly plain. It ia fashioned after the manner ef a Quaker meeting-house, having a 'gallery' or leng rowa ef elevated seats aleng the middle, eppesite the deor. A pulpit is arranged at the central part ef the gallery, beneath which is a chancel-like apace, where atand a raed organ and a superintendent'a deak. Comfortable sefa-banches, with reversible backs, ara ranged in front and on either side of the pulpit. In front of the chancel stande a large cannen steve, whose leng pipe penetrates the ceiling. The walla are unadorned, and the whole interior is plain enough to suit the saverest taate."1

Schools .- In Springfield as early as 1793 a school was maintained under the care of the society of Friends, but of the manner of instruction pursued therein very little information, other than the fact of the school being established, has been obtained. The first definite knowledge of the schools, about the be- ginning of the present century, is that furnished in the story of the childhood days of John P. Crozer. In speaking of that period in the life of the latter personage his biographer says,-

"The educational advantages of Delaware County at that tima ware very limited. About three-fourths of a mile from the old mansion (West's birthplace) there may still ha seen a little stone scheel-house. Here, at the age ef six, John commenced his studies, walking daily te tha schoel in company with his sisters and his brother James; and hera he received all the school education ha aver had, except a little evar ese quarter's instructieo, in his fifteenth year, at a scheel twe miles off. His first teacher, or 'master,' as he was called in these days, was Moses Taylor. Jehn had been under his instruction but a shert time, when ' Master Deana' succeeded to antherity in the little scheel- house. Ha is dascribed as having been a geod teacher in spelling and arithmetic. In reading, his ability consisted in calling the worda readily, rather than in emphasiser inflection. He was a thorough disciplinarian, and having drank deeply into the spirit of Solomon, was an earnest be- liever in the usa ef the farrule and the rod. John seama, however, te have escaped correction, there being in luia casa no need of such gentle persuasione to diligence or geed behavior. On the centrary, ha was s favorita with hia instructer.

"Under this teacher Jehn commenced ciphering, and found no little difficulty in comprehending the science of numbers. Leng, irregular columna ware given him to add up. How to dispesa of the tens and hundreda was the problem. Ha was told te ' carry them ferward,' but what ' carrying forward' meant was just what he did not understand. Master Deana acelded, threatened, did nearly everything but explain ; until Jeho was almeat in despair. . . . When he (Crezer) was about nine years old ' Master Doane' gave up the reina ef government to Mr. Jeaaph Pardes. He was a man of more educatien than his predecessor, butin the opinion of his youthful pupil, who had already bagno to atndy men, 'he had lesa ability to impart instructien.' Under Master Pardee, in addition to his other studies, he gained some koewledge of surveying, and soon put his knowledge into practice by surveying eema of his father's fields, hia only instrument being an old compass and a twe-pele chain.

"After reaching the age of thirteen, Jehn attended scheel enly in the winter, working the rest of the year un the farm. Even in the winter his studies were accompanied with work in taking care of the stock, cut- ting and carrying in the weed, and building the merning fires. In cem-

paring the present facilities fer education with these ef his childhoed, Mr. Crezer asid, 'My teschers koew nothing of English grammar, al- though they prefesaed to teach semathing of it, and the little knewl- edge of grammar I possess was obtained without s tascher after I was twenty-one. Not one ef my teachers, except perhaps Mr. Pardee, would now pass examination as teachers of common achoola in Delaware County.'"1

The school building known by old citizens as the " Yellow school-house" was erected in the latter part of the last century. The ground on which it stood in 1760 belonged to Josiah Hibberd, who ac- quired title to the property by right of his wife, Su- sannah, daughter of George Owens. In 1764, Hib- berd died, and in proceeding in partition in 1768 the land passed to James Rhoads, whose son, Owen Rhoads, in 1778 received it under the terms of his father's will. The land on which the school-house stands was conveyed by one of these parties, in whom the title was, but when or by whom has not been as- certained. The lot is triangular, and is formed by Springfield and Darby road and the road from the Rhoads farm to Chester and Springfield road. George Bolton Jones, who died in 1834, and who had attended school there nearly one hundred years ago, computed from the present time, used to relate that one McCue, an Englishman, taught there many years. He was much addicted to drink, and was wont to go to the Lamb Tavern, or others near by, on Friday night, where he would remain until Monday morning, and get thoroughly drunk. Many times the larger pupils would go for him Monday morning, and, one on each side, would lead him to the school-house. When in- toxicated he was always good-natured, but when sober he was apt to be severe, and the boys would re- ceive flogging without stint. One Monday morning, in the fall of the year, he was not to be found, and nothing was heard of him until the next spring, when a farmer, in feeding hay to his cattle, found him dead in the hay-mow. It was supposed he went in there when drunk, and became covered with the hay, and was smothered to death.

John Ogden, who died in September, 1877, in his ninetieth year, went to school in 1799 in the little stone school-house, southeastern part of Springfield, and five years later taught there.

Among the teachers in the school years ago were Lydia Massey, William Saffer, Harlan Ingram, Dr. Samuel Bartleson, and Dr. J. L. Forwood, of Chester. The school directors of Springfield did not acquire title to any property in Springfield until 1855, but had possession of the school-houses which had been built prior to the school law of 1834. The old Yellow school-house was used until 1852, when the present house was built. This is known as the Central School. The present mayor of Chester, Dr. J. L. Forwood, was the first teacher in the new house.

A stone school-house was built about 1822, near the line of Ridley township, one mile south of Oakdale

1 " Tenants ef an Old Farm," by Henry C. McCoek, The Continent, vol. vi. p. 162.

1 Life of Jehn P. Crozer, pp. 25-27.

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719

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

Post-office, on land now owned by Dr. Tyndall. Robert Ash, Edward Thomas, Rebecca Thomas, and Richard Worrall were teachers of the school. The building was used until 1857, when the Oakdale house was built. On the 13th of July, in that year, the directors bought of Joseph Gibbons and James Ogden, of Oakdale, thirty-five square perches, on which they erected the present stone house called Oakdale Seminary, and the old school-house near Ridley was abandoned.

On Feb. 26, 1855, the directors purchased of Charles Levi eighty square perches of land on Darby Creek, near where is now Hey's mill. This building is still standing.

On the 9th of March, 1830, William Beatty, Joseph Powell, and Seth Pancoast, as trustees, bought eigh- teen square perches of land, on which to erect a school-house. This house was used by the directors from 1836 to 1857 for school purposes, and on the 1st of April in that year, Seth Pancoast, surviving trustee, sold the lot to the directors, who erected the present two-story stone building; the upper story being used for a hall, the additional expense being borne by the subscription made by citizens.

.On Sept. 23, 1873, a petition of certain citizens was presented to the court asking that the following de- scribed territory in the townships of Springfield and Ridley be erected into a separate school district to be known as Morton: "Commencing at a point in Providence road opposite the Blue Church road; thence along the said Blue Church road to the divis- ion line between John Ogden's aud Caldwell's land, and thence along to the Lafayette road, to the road leading to South Avenue; thence along South Avenue to the division line of Ridley and Darby townships ; thence along said line to the division line between Springfield and Upper Darby townships ; thence along said lines to the turupike road; thence along the same to the place of beginning." On Sept. 28, 1874, a decree erecting the school district of Morton was entered, and on Feb. 8, 1875, the court annulled the decree.

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 176

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