History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 180

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

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Malachi W. Sloan died Aug. 16, 1881, and in his will directed, "It is my will and desire that the ' Lamb Tavern property,' in said will named, shall, after the expiration of the present lease, be no longer used for the purpose of a hotel." The Lamb Tavern, under this provision, is no longer a licensed house.

The Springfield House .- In 1834, the year Gib- bons retired from tavern-keeping, Morris W. Heston applied for a license for a house located on the Dela- ware County turnpike. In 1836 George Lotzenburg was the landlord, and in 1838 Isaac Johnson, in 1839 Thomas Gibson, and in 1841 John E. Levis was its last landlord. He kept the Springfield House as a temperance inn. In August, 1842, John Larkin, Jr., the then sheriff, sold the property on an execution against Levis.

In 1882, Lewis F. Belts was licensed to keep the Farriday Park Hotel at Morton, conditioned that he would supply liquor only to guests of the house at dinner-table and in their rooms; and that "no bar, sideboard, or semblance thereof, or other place where persons can stand and purchase drinks, shall be per- mitted to be kept or maintained upon any part of the premises." In 1883, Benjamin N. Morton had the license granted to him at the same house, under like restrictions.

In 1876 Nathaniel Chandler was an inmate of the House of Employment. About 1830 he resided in a small house, now owned by Richard Young, at the junction of the roads leading from Providence and Springfield to Darby, in which he sold cakes and beer. His sign read thus :

" Porter, Cider, Beer, and Cakes- If you'll walk in here'e no mistakes."

This sign and its inscription, it was said, was pro- cured by some of his neighbors, who used often to congregate at his "pow," as the establishment was

1 Smith'e " History of Delaware County," p. 310.

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

termed, to talk politics, drink beer, and have sport with the landlord. At one time his friends induced him to become a candidate for sheriff of the county. A card announcing his candidacy was inserted in the newspapers of that day. No one seriously considered Natty as a candidate, but as there were an unusual number of persons seeking the office that year, as a burlesque his name was added to the list. His can- didacy ended with the announcement of his name.

Springfield Free Fountain Society .- In April, 1882, a number of ladies and gentlemen met at the residence of C. G. Ogden, and decided to form a soci- ety for the purpose of erecting fountains and water- ing-troughs on the public road at suitable points. A meeting was called at Oakdale school-house, May 20, 1882, when the following officers were elected : Jo- seph P. Maris, president; C. G. Ogden, vice-presi- dent; Clement Ogden, treasurer ; J. S. Kent, secre- tary; T. J. Dolphin, corresponding secretary; and Garrett E. Smedley, solicitor. In July, 1882, the society, which had been incorporated by the court of Delaware County, erected its first fountain on the State road, opposite the property of George Maris, procuring most excellent water from a never-failing spring on his grounds. In September the second fountain was erected on the Baltimore turnpike, at Thomson's bridge, adjoining lands of George B. Lownes. Leiper & Lewis presented the large cap-stone for this fountain. In October the third fountain was erected, adjoining the farm of Reuben Baily, in Mar- ple. In December of the same year the society began the erection of a fourth fountain on the Providence road, in Nether Providence, the water being brought from a spring on the farm of Thomas Palmer, which was completed the following year.

The Last of the Indian .- The family of Indians of whom an account is given in the history of Aston had also a wigwam near Lownes' Run, north of the dwelling-house of Joseph Gibbons, in Springfield, and would frequently reside there. "The last of the natives who had a home in the county was 'Indian Nelly,' who had her cabin near the line of the Ship- ley farm. She had her constant residence there as late as 1810."1

Remarkable Bequest .- In 1859, Mrs. Rebecca J. Smedley, of Springfield, died, and her will contains the following bequest :

" All the rest and residue of my estate I give, de- vise, and bequeath to my brother-in-law, William Smedley, and my friend, Joel Evans, of Springfield, upon this special trust and confidence, that my said Trustees shall apply and appropriate the residue to the benefit and assistance of young beginners in life, members of the religious Society of Friends, by pay- ing to such small sums not exceeding fifty dollars to one person, in order to aid them in getting into busi- ness or setting out in housekeeping."

1 Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 392.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JOSEPH GIBBONS.

The Gibbons family are of English extraction, the father of the subject of this biography having been Joseph Gibbons, who was born in 1770, on the home- stead which is now the property of his grandsons, John and Joseph Gibbons. He married Lydia Dix, of Providence township, and had children,-Ann (Mrs. Edward Fell), Jane, John, George W., Sarah (Mrs. David Worrell), Humphrey, Elizabeth (Mrs. Frederick Fell), Joseph, James M., Lydia (Mrs. Morris Roberts), and William. The only survivor of this number is Mrs. David Worrell. Joseph Gibbons was born Aug. 20, 1799, on the homestead in Spring- field township, where his life was spent in the active pursuits of a farmer, his whole career having been identified with the scenes of his childhood. His edu- cation was obtained in the neighborhood of his home, after which be lent a willing hand in the labor of the farm. Subsequently cultivated the land on shares, and on the death of his father, in 1853, the land be- came his by inheritance. He married Hannah B. Powell, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Powell, of Springfield, to whom were born four sons and four daughters, seven of whom survive. Mr. Gibbons, though devoted during his life to the pursuits of an agriculturist, was a man of much sagacity in business operations. His acquired knowledge of all matters pertaining to agricultural science rendered him one of the most successful farmers in the county. He was not less known for integrity and scrupulous honesty in all business transactions than for his capacity and soundness of judgment. Mr. Gibbons was identified as a director with the Delaware County Bank, of Chester. In politics he was a Whig, and later a Republican; and though the incumbent of various township offices, cared little for these distinc- tions. Mr. Gibbons possessed a genial and kindly nature, was social and companionable, a lover of music and good cheer. He was generous in his in- stincts, and liberal as occasion required. He was reared in the religious faith of the Friends, with whom he worshiped. His death occurred Dec. 1, 1880, aged eighty-one years, and that of Mrs. Gib- bons, April 21, 1882.

RANDALL BISHOP.

The grandfather of Randall Bishop was Thomas Bishop, who married and had among his children a son, Joseph, born in Delaware County, who followed the vocation of a wheelwright, and also cultivated a farm. He married Sarah Pratt, of the same county, whose children were Tamar (Mrs. Samuel Pancoast), Emily, Joel, Orpah, Thomas, Randall, and Jeremiah. Randall Bishop was born April 18, 1795, in Provi-

Tod. Gibbons

Handel Bishop

Davi torovell

733

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

dence township, on the ancestral land which was the birthplace of many members of the family. His edu- cation was confined to the neighboring schools, after which he became interested in the employments of the farm. He was, on the 21st of November, 1822, married to Maria Massey, daughter of James and Mary Thompson Massey, whose birth occurred Sept. 15, 1797. Their children are Joseph, Mary T. (Mrs. Joseph M. Worrell), Sarah P., Susannah M., Lydia M. (Mrs. M. C. Taylor), Elizabeth L. (Mrs. P. L. Hill), Priscilla P., and Emma. Mr. Bishop, on his marriage, removed to a farm adjacent to the home- stead, which he cultivated until he became owner by inheritance of a farm in Springfield, where the re- mainder of his life was spent as an agriculturist. He was in early life a Whig in politics, and on the for- mation of the Republican party embraced its princi- ples. Though seldom figuring in the ranks of the active political workers, he served as treasurer of Delaware County, and held less important township offices. He was a director of the Delaware County Bank, of Chester. He was in his religious faith a Friend, and a member of the Friends' Meeting of Springfield. He was a man of unimpeachable in- tegrity, and respected for his purity of character and influence. The death of Mr. Bishop occurred May 27, 1879, on the homestead, now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Worrell.

DAVID WORRELL.

Elisha Worrell, the father of David, was born on the 9th of November, 1739, and died Dec. 27, 1829. He married Mary Maris, and had children,-Jemima, born in 1766; Maris, in 1768; Joseph, in 1770; Mor- decai, in 1773; Owen, in 1775; Anne, in 1777 ; Mar- garet, in 1779; Rebecca, in 1781; David, in 1783; Elizabeth, in 1785; Mary, in 1787; and Betsey, in 1789. The birth of David occurred in Springfield township Sept. 22, 1783, where his whole life was spent. On acquiring the rudiments of learning at the school immediately near his home, he at once turned his attention to farming, and, on the decease of his father, inherited the farm, to the cultivation of which his life was devoted. He married Sarah, danghter of Joseph Gibbons, of the same township, and had children,-Jane G. (Mrs. William Bittle), Elizabeth (Mrs. John C. H. Morton), Sarah, Joseph M., Lydia (Mrs. William Johnson), Elisha, Mary, David, Rebecca (Mrs. Emory E. Levis), and Deborah (Mrs. Edward S. Barber). Mr. Worrell was a Whig in politics, and participated actively in all matters in- volving the interests of the county and township. He filled various positions in the township, and at his death held the office of county commissioner. His in- tegrity and discernment led him often to be chosen as the guardian of momentous trusts and the adminis- trator of estates. He was energetic in all business

matters, well informed on the general topics of the day, and possessed a genial nature, which attracted numerous friends. He adhered in his religious views to the worship of the society of Friends, Mr. Wor- rell was a lieutenant in the Light-Horse Cavalry and much interested in the success of this company. His death occurred Jan. 24, 1847, in his sixty-fourth year.

GEORGE MARIS.

George Maris, the progenitor of the family in America, sailed from England for the New World in 1683, and soon after his arrival settled in Darby town- ship, Delaware Co., Pa. He was granted a patent of one thousand acres of land in the above county, four hundred of which lay in Springfield township. On this tract he erected a dwelling known since by his de- scendants as "Home House," which was bequeathed on his death, with the land, to his son John, whose son George next became its owner by inheritance, and retained it during his lifetime. He built, in 1822, the larger portion of the house now known as the homestead, and at present occupied by the subject of this sketch. Jehu, the son of George, born in 1736, then came into possession. He married Jane Hum- phreys, of Montgomery County, and had children,- John, born in 1779; Ann, in 1781; Asa, in 1783; Lydia, in 1784; George, in 1786; and Ellis, in 1788. John, the father of George, was born on the 28th of December, 1779, at the ancestral home, and married Martha Ann Bonsall, of Darby. Their children were George ; Isaac, born in 1825 ; Lewis, in 1827 ; Hum- phrey, in 1829; Joseph Powell, in 1831; Rebecca, in 1834; Susannah, in 1835; Ellis, in 1838; and John, in 1840. George, whose birth occurred on the 23d of October, 1823, still resides upon the family estate. He received a rudimentary education at the centre school, near his home, and early acquired a knowl- edge of the labor of the farm. On the death of his father, in 1841, he inherited a portion and purchased the remainder of the estate. He married, on the 19th of October, 1870, Caroline L., daughter of John and Sarah Worrell, of Springfield. Their children are Rebecca, born Jan. 4, 1873, and Emma P., whose birth occurred Feb. 16, 1874. Mr. Maris has avoided the exciting scenes of political life and the allure- ments of business apart from his daily routine of labor, believing that his path of duty lies rather in the quiet sphere of agricultural industry. He is in politics a Republican, though formerly Democratic in his political predilections. In religion he is a member of the Friends' Meeting of Darby. The bi- centennial of the landing of George Maris was held at " Home House" on the 28th of August, 1883, on which interesting occasion many hundred descend- ants of the pioneer were assembled and agreeably entertained.

734

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHAPTER LIV.

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP.

THE territory now designated Ridley, which derived its name from Ridley, Cheshire, England, the place from whence John Simcock came, originally under the first organization seems to have been limited to that part of the present township east and north of the old Amosland tract at the upper end of the Moore farm, and extending northward "into the words." Techo- herassi or Stille's land was at the mouth of Ridley Creek, now Eddystone. The land derived its name from the fact that Olof Persson Stille, one of the early Swedish settlers, took up the land on the east side of Ridley Creek, and because the Indians used the word Techoherassi or Tequirasi, as descriptive of theswarthy complexion and dark hair of its owner, the plantation was termed "Techoherassi or Teckquirassy." The Swedes and Finns, being of the Scandinavian race, were of light and fair complexion, consequently their beards were light or sandy color. Stillé being dis- tinguished by his dark skin and black hair occasioned the Indians to bestow upon him the title of "the man with the black beard," the signification of the words used as to his name, for Acrelius informs us that Techoherassi was the Indian name for Olof Stillé's place, or Sillie's land.1 His ownership of the land on the present Ridley Creek gave to that stream the name of "Oele Stillin's Kill," and the territory be- tween that and Crum Creek on Lindstrom's manu- script map is designated as "Stillen's Land (la paye de Stillen's)." Olof Stillé came from Penningby manor, Länna, Parish Roslagen, in the duchy of Lodermania, about thirty miles south of Stockholm, then in pos- session of the noble family of Bielke. He emigrated with the third Swedish expedition in 1641. He was a millwright by trade, who agreed to engage in agri- culture, and was to be paid "50 daler, copper money, drawing no additional wages, but to be paid for what- ever work he does for, and for whatever he furnishes to the company. He was accompanied by his wife and two children, one seven and the other one and a half years old. He is not mentioned in the list of settlers in 1644."2 Stillé seems to have been one of the most prominent men in the Swedish Colony. He was made the bearer to the Dutch director of the official protest of Governor Printz, the Swedish Gov- ernor, against the encroachments of the West India Company on the right of the Swedish crown on the Delaware. After the conquest of the colony by the Dutch, in 1658, he was one of the four commissaries

or magistrates appointed " to administer justice among the inhabitants, and thus became a judge of the first court of which history gives us information on the banks of the Delaware. He was also employed in various negotiations with the neighboring colonists and with the Indians."3 Professor Keen states that be died prior to May, 1693, leaving as heir an only son, John Stillé, born in America in 1646, the an- cestor of a well-known Philadelphia family. Stillé, in 1664, was living in Passyunk, Philadelphia, on a tract of land ceded to him by d'Hinoyossa, the Dutch Governor on South River. One hundred acres of the Stillé land in Ridley, extending along the west side of Crump Kill or Crum Creek to a point about the north line of the land of the late Jacob Hughes, was patented to Neals Mattson June 13, 1670. It was his wife, Margaret Mattson, who was tried Feb. 27, 1683/4, on an indictment for witchcraft before Wil- liam Penn and a jury.4 Above this tract, at the court held at Upland, Nov. 12, 1678, a plot of one hundred acres was set apart to Anthony Nealson. The old entry on the docket says,-

"Upon the Peticon of anthony nealaon desiring of this Court a grant for to take up 100 (one hundred) acraa of Land betweena ye heads of Crom kill & Oele Stellen's Kill, aa alsoe a small parcell of marriah ad- joyning there unto. The Court doe grant the Peticon" hia ad Request hae seating & Improving ye aama Land according to his honor the Gov- ern's Regulacons & orders." 5

Nealson was a Swede, and his wife was the daughter of Margaret Mattson, whose trial for witchcraft is above mentioned. In the old survey of the land which was filed, this tract is thus described :

" Copia,

" By virtue of a warrant from the court at upland in September, 1677, Layed out for Anthony nielson Alias Long. A parcell of Land callad. Long scituate and being on the west syde of Delawar River, aboute a myla from the River Sida betweena Cruwi Kill and Stilles Kill begin- ning at a coroer marked Read oaka of the Land of Niles Matson atand- ing at the S. W. side of the Crum Kill, and from thenae Running up tha aaid Kill bounding therewith N. W., aixty and two perches N. E. 13 de- græes one hundred and Eighty Perches, & N. W. by W. Sixtane Perchea to a Corner marked Chestnut trea standing At the side of aayd Creeko, from thanse S. W. By S. By a Lyne of marked treea two hundred Parchea to a corner marked Poplar standing at Stille's Craka, from thensa downa Stille's Creek hounding therewith South by East forty Perches and South East one hundred and aeaven perches to a corner marked Read naka of the Land of Dom Lauren cies Carolus at the side of Stilla'a Creek, and from thence north east by a Line of marked tresa sauanty and fower Perchea to the first mentioned Corner oaka Continuing one hun- dred Acres of Land.

" Surnived by ma,

(Signed) " WALTER WARTON, Survr."

The greater part of the Nealson land subsequently passed under the two thousand two hundred and ten acres which on Seventh month 9, 1705, was resurveyed to Jacob Simcock. East of Crum Creek, beginning at a short distance below the present Avondale, and ex- tending south along the creek, to Jacob Hendricks, on July 27, 1680, was surveyed one hundred acres of land, which he termed "Stone Point," doubtless due to the fact that the ground there gave indications of the

1 History of New Sweden, pp. 46, 68. Campaniua records that "Te- choherassi, Olof Stillé's place, waa a amall plantation which was built by Swedish freamen who gave it that name. They wera frequently viaited by Indiana, as it was on the river ahora and aurroundad hy water like a small island. Olof had a thick black beard, from which the In- diaua had called him the man with the black beard." Campaniua, p. 81. 2 Professor Gregory B. Keen'a "Third Swedish Expedition to Naw Sweden," Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. iii. p. 462.

a Armatrong'a " Record of Upland County," p. 78 (note).

4 Ante, p. 229. 6 Record of Upland Court, p. 108.

735

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP.

noted stone-quarries which were afterwards opened in that neighborhood. Prior to that date at the court held at Upland Nov. 12, 1678, a plantation of one hundred acres along the same stream and adjoining "Stone Point" on the south, was surveyed to Jacob Hendricks. This land, which was afterwards absorbed in the Jacob Simcock resurvey, is thus described in the old court docket :

" By virtue of a warrant from the Court att upland november, 1677, Layd out for Jacob Hendrickson a parcell of Land Called Jacob's Lott, acituate and being on the west side of Delawar River, and on the north East side of the Crum Kill, being att a cornor marked white oak stand- ing att the side of the creek or kill, being a cornor tree of the Land of the orphanta of Hendrix Johnson, from thence Running N.E. hy E., by their Line of marked trees two hundred and fourteen perches to a cor- nor marked white oak standing in ye said Line, from thans N.W. by N., by n Line of marked trees one hundred perches to another marked white oak standing on a Leavell, from thence southwest hy W., by a Lyne of markeed treea one hundred and fifty and two perches to another cornor marked white oake, standing att the side of the said Crum kill, and from thens following the said creek or kill to the first-mentioned white oak containing one hundred acres of Land surueyed.

" By me (signed) WALT. WHARTON, "Sury"."1

Immediately south of "Jacob's Lott," Charles Ash- com, the surveyor, took up three hundred and thirty acres. This tract followed the east bank of Crum Creek to the mouth of Little Crum Creek, and then along the west bank of that stream northward until about the point where the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad crosses Little Crum, and then extending eastward so as to include the greater part of the lake at Ridley Park, from which point a line at right angles to Crum Creek marked its boundaries. Within this survey, the present village of Leiperville is included. Thomas Holmes, the surveyor-general, obtained the greater part of the Ashcom land, con- taining two hundred and eighty acres, on Second month 20, 1693, and the following year it passed to John Cook. On Seventh month 7, 1690, Richard Crosby purchased eighty-three acres on the east side of Crum Creek, extending to and including Leiper- ville, which below that and to Little Crum Creek, George Van Culin acquired title to sixty acres. On the south side of the latter stream, John Van Culiu, on Feb. 6, 1684, took up fifty acres.

The early settlements in Ridley are more confusing than in any locality in Delaware County, owing to the fact that Charles Ashcom, the early surveyor of Chester County, paid little or no regard in laying out land to the prior Swedish, Dutch, or even the patents given by the Duke of York. Hence in part of the tract of three hundred and thirty acres entered in his own name, he absorbed a considerable part of the land included in a patent, dated October, 1675, of one hundred and fifty-four acres to Henrick Johnson and Bartoll Eskells. Along the river front east of Crum Creek, John and Andrew Hendricks took up sixty-five acres, which extended nearly to the mouth

of Darby Creek, leaving then, however, a tract of forty-five acres reaching to Stone Creek, which was taken up early in the last century by John Morton, eighteen acres, Andrew Morton, nineteen acres, and George Van Culin, eighteen acres ; the latter, on Nov. 5, 1715, had received a patent for one hundred and twenty-five acres immediately north of the forty-five acres tract, which extended to a point on the Phila- delphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, a short distance west of the station at Ridley Park. East of this Van Culin tract, extending to Mokornipates Kill or Muckinipattus Creek, was the territory desig- nated as Amosland. Acrelius tells us that " Amos- land was first called Ammansland. A midwife for- merly lived at the place where Archer's farm now is; thence that place, and subsequently the whole tract around it, received the name of Amman's Land, now Amosland." 2 That this locality must have been early in the history of the settlement known by that name, is evident from the order of Governor Love- lace, dated Aug. 8, 1672, wherein he directed the court at Upland to inquire into a dispute regarding the title to an island " over against Calcoone Hooke," respecting which "Jan Cornelis, Mattys Mattysen, and Martin Martinsen, Inhabitants at Amosland in Delaware River," had entered complaint to him.3

Immediately adjoining to the east the tract of George Van Culin, on Stone Creek, on Sept. 2, 1675, two hundred and eighty acres, "more or less," were sur- veyed to Hendrick Torton. There proved to be over eighty acres "more" when subsequently resurveyed. Ridley Park is on that part of the tract lying north of the Queen's Highway. Directly east of the Torton land were one hundred and fifty-four acres, surveyed to Henrick Johnson and Bartoll Eskells, October, 1675, which tract stretched along Darby Creek to the mouth of Amosland Run, and thence at right angles westward to Ridley Park, which was most liberal measure, under the claim of "one hundred and fifty- four acres more or less." Eastward of this land all the remaining part of the present township, begin- ning at the northwest corner of J. L. Moore's farm, and following the north line of his plantation east- ward, extending it through the Neal Duffy farm and that of the late James G. Knowles, to the Muckini- pattus Creek, then down to that stream to Darby Creek, and along the last-mentioned water-course to Amosland Run, was patented, May 18, 1672, to Jan. Cornelis, Mattys Mattysen, and Martin Martinson. That these parties resided on the land said to be two hundred acres we know from the order of Governor Lovelace, already referred to; and that Jan Cornelis was there later appears from the proceedings of court April 1, 1678, when the following interesting historical event is recorded, inasmuch as it is claimed the first asylum for the insane, rude as it may have been, was

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 180

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