History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 183

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

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The Morris Ferry-House .- On Feb. 24, 1729/30, Adam Archer asked the indulgence of the court, stating that his house was " on the Banks of a Large Navigable Creek Leading out of the said River Dela- ware, Commonly known as Amos Land," and further added, "your petitioner's Landing being close at his door." Notwithstanding that a remonstrance signed by twelve persons was presented against the granting of this license, the court decided to approve of Arch- er's application. Without doubt the location of this license was at the Darby Creek Ferry-House of more

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

recent years. The old structure still remains, bearing the mark of great antiquity. "The figures 1698 are carved on the inner side of the mantelpiece of the northwest end of the building, and no doubt indicate the date of its erection. It is built of white-cedar log, flattened. Between this end and the other wooden end there is a space built up with stone. Through this space, and between the two wooden ends of the present building, the road formerly passed to the ferry." 1

In 1733, Adam Archer applied for license for a house at another location, which he designated as on the King's road, and about midway between Chester and Darby, mentioned in the history of the White Horse Tavern. On Feb. 25, 1734, he again came be- fore the Court, stating that he "wishes to sell Beer and Cyder to travellers, and especially to those who come to buy fish," which was allowed, but on May 28, 1734, a remonstrance was presented against the license, setting forth that Archer " had formerly kept A publick-house, but after several complaints was set aside, since which time there was more peace & quiet." This paper was signed by Andrew Morton, Hans Forten, and other Swedes, as also by Peter Dick and several Friends, who in the document strongly objected to the term "Worships" as applied to the justices. The remonstrance is indorsed "Granted to ye petitioners."

Archer, however, seems at a subsequent session to have procured the license, for Aug. 26, 1735, he in- formed the court that he had the right to sell beer and cider, but now desires the justices to permit him to " keep publick-house as formerly." But the stern tribunal shook their wise heads and declined to accede to his desires.

On Aug. 28, 1744, John Hendrickson, of Amos- land, "upon Darby Creek, where Great number of Travellers, as well by land as by water, daily resort," made application for license to sell liquor at his house, which was allowed him. This location, I am told, subsequently became the Darby Ferry-House, al- though I do not learn anything about "the ferry across to Tinicum Island from Darby Creek" until 1786, when John Hoof petitioned to have license for a house of entertainment there, and also to keep a ferry across to Tinicum Island from Darby Creek. I am inclined to think that this is the site of the dwelling already mentioned where Adam Archer, in 1729, first received license "on the banks of a large navigable creek leading out of the said river Delaware." The Amosland road, it should not be overlooked, was laid out in 1688, and was an im- portant thoroughfare in early times. John Hoof con- tinued annually to receive license until 1801, when George Gill, who had petitioned vainly the year pre- vious for license in Chester, obtained the privilege for the Darby ferry, and continued there the year follow-

ing. In 1804, Philip Morris became the landlord and ferry-master, and from that time the place became known as Morris' Ferry. Here he continued until his death, in 1826,-excepting during the year 1806, when Charles Lloyd had the license,-when his sons, George and Amos Morris, succeeded to the business, and continued until 1830, when George Morris be- came the landlord. He received license annually without objection until 1842, when a remonstrance was urged against him, in which it was argued that his location was iu an out-of-the-way place, with little or no traveling public to entertain, and that he con- ducted the business to the injury of the neighborhood, since intemperate people for miles around would ac- cumulate there, and for days together indulge in a drunken frolic. The court, however, permitted him to continue there, but in the following year (1843) the license was for the last time given to the hotel.

The White Horse Tavern .- Adam Archer, on Feb. 24, 1729/30, applied for a license, in which he informed the court that he lived on the King's road, about midway between Chester and Darby, aud asked that he be permitted thereat to keep a public-house. In addition to his petition, his aged father memorial- ized the court as follows :

" To the Right Worshipfull his Majestie's Justices of pence sitting in the Court of Quarter Sessione for ye Burrow and County of Chester, the twenty-sixth day of February, Anno Domi 17334.

"The Petition of John Archer, of Amiosland, in the said County Humbly sheweth that ye Petitioner having lived upon ye Bank of Darby Creek in Amosland Aforesd (for ye term of forty years and upwards), A place Conveniantly Situated for the Importation and Exportation of such things as ye publick have had occasion to Receive and Deliver there, . And likewise for such people as have business to go Across or up and down ye ed Creek with Boat Cannoe or otherwise, and also ye place which yearly at ye time of fishing the people doth chiefly wate till they can be supplyed with such quantity of fish as at euch times they had occasion for, In all which Cases yr petitioner hath from time to time for many years pnet been very helpfull to ye publick with his Caonoes and Assist- ance whensoever thereunto Required, And when any were obliged to wait long, then ye petitioner made them welcome to the Entertain- ment of his house without any other Reward than ye pleasure and satis- facsion he took in being usefull to ye public therein. But for as much as ye petitioner is now grown very Antiant, and of late hath been very sorely afflicted with sickness and ye infirmaties of old age so as to be Confined to his Bed for the time of sixteen months, and not able to help himself But by ye assistance of his wife and Children, he having but one son left with'him, which for ye reasooe afored heath Rendred your petitiouer much less Capable to serve ye publick than io time past, And that very Noise of a Concourse of people, though ever so well behaved, is a further addition to ye Calamities of yr petitioner, who for his own ease, the benefit of the publick and the entertainment of travilere, Humbly prayeth that ye petitioner's son Adam Archer may obtain yr worships' Recommendation to our Honourable Governour for his liscence to keep a house of publick Entertainment According to ye prayer of his petition and as the Certificate of ye publick thereunto Annexed doth set forth, Aod yr petitioner as in duty Bound shall pray.

" JOHN ARCHER."

The justices held the matter under advisement, and Aug. 28, 1733, a remonstrance, signed by Thomas Tat- nall and eight others, was presented, declaring that Adam Archer then kept a public-house in Ridley (at Morris' Ferry), and his petition was refused. On Aug. 26, 1735, the " insatiate Archer" petitioned again, with the declaration that he "hath for several years Last past obtained your honors' Lycence to Keep a

1 Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 389.

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house of Entertainment for selling Beer or Cider on the great Road Leading from Chester, Called and Known by the name of the half way house, in the Township of Ridley," and now wishes " Recomenda- tion to the President and Councill of the province of Pensilvania for their Lycense to Keep a public house of Entertainment at the aforesaid place." John An- drews, Samuel Crozer, John Wharton, John Sketch- ley, John West, and fifteen others indorsed his ap- plication, but the court marked on the petition, "allowed for beer & Syder only." Archer must at a subsequent court have received full license to keep a public-house, for he yearly appears on the clerk's list of approved petitions, and was continued until 1746. On Aug. 31, 1742, however, he was compelled to fight again for his privilege, for when he applied for license he found a remonstrance had been filed by Jonas Culin, Feb. 22, 1742, asking that it should be with- held, because, as Culin stated, Archer had been "en- tertaining ye Petitioner's Servant Man a Tippling and Spending money." 'The remonstrance was rejected, and indorsed, " disregarded for want of proof," as also was the fate of a similar paper filed by Ann Torton, who complained of Archer " for getting John Torton to sign notes while drunk." Notwithstanding these allegations the license was granted to the pe- titioner.

In 1746, Isaac Gleave succeeded Adam Archer in business, and was in turn followed by Edward Fitz- randolph, in 1754, at which time the hotel was known as The White Horse, for in the preceding year it is so spoken of by the signers to the petition asking that that part of Ridley now in Nether Providence, be- tween the Ridley and Crum Creek, should be attached to Nether Providence.1 In 1764, Jacob Fritz had the hotel, and in 1766, John Bryan followed Fritz. In 1776, a company of American militia, attached to Col. Morgan's regiment of the " Flying Camp," com- manded by Capt. Culin and John Crosby, first lieu- tenant, were being mustered in at the White Horse, when one of the privates shot Capt. Culin, killing him instantly.2 Bryan dying in 1778, Barbara Bryan, the relict of John Bryan, had license until 1782, when John Aquandrill followed her, and in 1786, Joseph Pearson had the license, and annually thereafter until 1799. During the early part of that year a peddler, who had stopped for the night at the house, was found a few days afterward in Ridley Creek, drowned, and although no one suspected that the pro- prietor had done anything amiss, the circumstances surrounding the case excited so much comment in the county that the justices withheld license from the White Horse and The Plow Inns. Subse- quently, in that year, Marmaduke Ford applied for license at the White Horse Inn, but was refused. The following year, 1800, and until 1803, Joseph Pearson's application was favorably acted on by the

court. He having died, in 1804, Elizabeth Pearson became the landlady, and remained so until 1812, when Charles Pearson succeeded her in the business.

In 1817, Jonathan Bond received license for the General Jackson Tavern, formerly the White Horse, where he remained until April 1, 1819, when Joseph Carr succeeded him. During the following years, until 1825, the house was not licensed, but Edward Horn having rented the tavern at the latter date, se- cured the grace of the court for the Drove, late the White Horse Inn. In 1827, Horn having taken the old Painter house, Garrett Pyewell became the pre- siding spirit of the White Horse, for it had now re- taken the ancient title, and remained there until 1830, when George Scott was "mine host." He was fol- lowed, in 1835, by Patrick McCloskey, and the latter, in 1836, gave place to George Jordan. During the year just mentioned, while Jordan was the landlord of the inn, Mary Miller, a colored servant in his em- ployment, without any discoverable occasion, mixed arsenic in the food served to the family, and Mr. Jor- dan and his son, Andrew J., were so severely poisoned that they had liked to have died from the effects of the drug, while the remainder of the household were rendered exceedingly ill after partaking of the meal. The girl was subsequently tried for the crime and con- victed on two of the three indictments pending against her, but to the third, the charge of poisoning Andrew J. Jordan, as she already had been convicted of the same act toward all the family, she interposed the special plea of " former conviction," and was acquitted on that indictment under the instruction of the judge. In 1846, Jordan gave place to Jonathan P. Newlin, who remained as landlord of the White Horse until 1869, when William H. Woodward had license, and was succeeded in the next year by John P. Newlin, who in turn was followed by William F. Simes, in 1871. The latter continued until the local option law de- prived the old tavern of the legalized sale of liquors. After the repeal of that act, in 1875, James A. Steven- son received license, and the following year William F. Simes was the landlord. In 1877, Edward Gris- wold superseded Simes, and in 1878, James E. Ford was the landlord, and continued as such until 1882. John J. Morgan received the license, and who, at present, is the host of the ancient tavern.

Leiperville Hotel .- The public-house now known as the Leiperville Hotel was established in 1830, and was the outgrowth of the business of supplying stone to the Breakwater from the Ridley Creek quarries. Judge George G. Leiper and most of the owners of quarries in that neighborhood petitioned for the house, which they described as being near the inter- section of the old Queen's Highway with the Spring- field road, alleging that the license was necessary to furnish accommodations to men employed by them in conveying the stones to the Breakwater, which at that time was one of the largest industries in the county. The court acceded to their petition, and

1 Ante, p. 652.

2 Ante, p. 242.

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

authorized Thomas Ewing to keep a public-house at the location mentioned. There he continued until 1833, the house being known as the Leiperville Tav- ern, in which year Robert Murray became the land- lord and changed the name of the house to The Canal-Boat. In 1835, Daniel J. Campbell leased the premises and restored the old name Leiperville Tavern. There he remained one year, being suc- ceeded by Samuel P. Morris in 1836, while Morris, in 1837, was followed by George P. Alexander. For three years the latter continued at the inn, when, in 1840, Samuel P. Lamplugh became the landlord, to be followed in the succeeding year by James Lenny, who in turn, in 1842, gave place to George C. Hall. In 1844, John Harrison Hill kept the house. It was while he was landlord of the tavern, in 1847, that Leiperville Lodge, No. 263, I. O. of O. F., was insti- tuted, the room first occupied by the lodge being the garret of the wing, which was arranged for that pur- pose. In 1850, Hill removed to Chester, and was suc- ceeded by John W. Clark, who, 1857, was followed by Edward Lenny, who purchased the property, and remained there until his death, in 1866, when Sarah Lenny, his widow, received license, and continued there until 1880, when Thomas Thompson, the pres- ent landlord, was granted the right to continue the Leiperville Tavern as a public-house.

Suburban Parks .- The first effort in Delaware County to lay out a tract of land in streets and lots to attract persons to make settlements there was about 1800, at Buenos Ayres, on the east side of Amos- land road, and fronting on the Great Southern road. The project seems to have failed, but the plot of the proposed village is laid out on " A Plan of the City of Philadelphia and Environs, surveyed by John Hill," an exceeding scarce map, published in 1808.

Norwood .- Early in 1872, John Cochran, of Ches- ter, purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land of the estate of Rebecca Gessner. The grounds were laid out into lots, and the proposed town named Norwood, the title being derived from a novel of the like name, written by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, then recently published. On June 1, 1873, the first public sale of lots was made, which was the first effort made, of which we have record, to induce residents of Philadelphia to pur- chase villa sites and make a settlement in Ridley. In order that railroad facilities might be had Mr. Cochran donated the land for a station and conveyed the right of way for that purpose. The present Nor- wood Hotel was commenced in 1875 by Green & Benson, builders, of Philadelphia, but was not com- pleted until 1877, at a cost of twenty thousand dol- lars. At the present time there are about forty-five houses erected at Norwood.

Ridley Park .- In 1870 the board of directors of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail- road Company determined to change the location of the road between Philadelphia and Chester from the route through the lowlands along the Delaware, on

which had been conducted a constantly-growing pas- senger and freight traffic since 1837. This meant the construction of a new line from Gray's Ferry, on the Schuylkill, through Darby, Sharon Hill, and other old settlements in the highlands overlooking the Delaware River, besides opening a new region for settlements in the neighborhood of the great city. Several suburban towns were projected on the " Darby Improvement," as the new road was at first termed, that of Ridley Park being on a larger scale and more complete plan than any of the others. In January, 1871, Robert Morris Copeland, a well-known land- scape gardener, from Boston, Mass., examined the lands on the location of the new road, with a view to recommend a site for a new town to several gentle- men desirous of embarking in such an enterprise. With this purpose the Harper farm, near Darby, was purchased by them, but was almost immediately sold to the Darby Land Association. Sixteen acres on the southeast corner of the Southern post-road and Sharon Avenue, at Sharon Hill, was also purchased, aud was held until sold in lots. It was not until the old Springfield road in Ridley was reached that the site for the new town was determined on. There it was that the experienced eyes of the landscape gardener saw in the rolling land, the creeks, the woodland, the magnificent river views and proximity to Philadelphia the locality he sought as the site for the new suburban town, Ridley Park, the geographical centre of Ridley township. Between January and May, 1870, the fol- lowing farms were purchased on sixty days' option, and, with the exception of the Burk farm, were sub- sequently conveyed to the gentlemen who were in- terested in the purchase, and by them to the Ridley Park Association : John L. Burk ; Emily Dutten, forty-two acres ; Charles Horne, one hundred and thirty-three acres, which latter tract, as well as the Dutten farm, in 1703, was part of the large estate of Heinrich Torton ; from Louisa Free, forty acres, which, in 1791, was owned by Margaret Smith, William, Re- becca, and Margaret Pyewell; Matthew Henderson, thirty-nine acres. In 1685, Thomas Brassię sold part of this tract to Thomas Smith, to whom it was pat- ented in 1691, and of David Henderson twelve acres, which had been part of the Smith patent. Of William W. Maddock fifty-seven acres were pur- chased, which had formerly belonged to Hannah Car- penter, then to John Crosby, the elder, who sold it, in 1782, to Maddock's ancestors; of Edmund Stewart sixteen acres, which, in 1783, Caleb Davis purchased at sheriff's sale, and subsequently conveyed to the Stew- art family ; of William J. Trainer fifty acres, which Mary Ward, in 1784, had purchased of Andrew Ham- ilton ; and sixty-three acres which, in 1791, Garrett Hughes had purchased at sheriff's sale, the property then being sold as the estate of Margaret Smith, William, Rebecca, and Margaret Pyewell.

The Burk farm was in litigation for almost seven years, the owner alleging that as Mrs. Burk refused

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to sign the deed he could not convey a clear title to the land, and the Supreme Court finally decided that by law she could not be compelled to sign away her right of dower unless by her own free will and con- sent. On May 26, 1871, Lindley Smith, Samuel M. Felton, Isaac Hinckle, and William Sellers entered into a copartnership under the title of the Ridley Park Association. Plans for the new town of Ridley Park were prepared by R. Morris Copeland, and work on the designed improvements began in July, 1871, and were continued under Copeland's supervision until his death, in 1873. He was succeeded by John Smith, who had been intimately connected with the enterprise almost from its inception, and who has been continued superintendent to the present time. The first train of passenger-cars passing over the new road was on Oct. 19, 1872, when a large number of gentlemen connected with the newspaper press of Philadelphia and Chester visited Ridley Park, but the road was not opened for public travel until late in November of that year. Much work had been done on the ground in grading and macadamizing across the roads, erecting a commodious hotel, and constructing a dam across Little Crum Creek, making a lake covering twenty acres, the water of which, at the outlet, forms a cascade, and over the rock of the dam-breast is built a rustic bridge, the whole forming a picturesque feature of great credit to the taste and skill of the landscape gardener. Until the last three years little effort was made to place the land at Ridley Park in the market, due to the stagna- tion in real estate following the panic of 1873. Not- withstanding this, the healthfulness of the locality, its freedom from malaria, proximity to Philadelphia, and the liberal plan pursued by the association, com- mended the park to the public, and the result was a number of handsome houses have been erected, and are generally occupied by their owners. In 1880 the census return gave the population of Ridley Park at : four hundred and thirty-nine. Samuel M. Felton was president of the association from its inception until April, 1884, when he resigned, and H. F. Kenny, general superintendent of the Philadelphia, Wil- mington and Baltimore Railroad, was elected in his stead.

Baptist Church of Ridley Park .- Meetings of Baptists were held in this and adjoining townships as early as 1825, but no organization was perfected until 1832. Soon after that date William Trites do- nated a lot of land containing fifty-three perches, on the Lazaretto road, a short distance above the White Horse Tavern. It was conveyed by William Trites to William Trites, Daniel Trites, Thomas Jarman, Israel Belton, and John Stoope, trustees, for the use of Baptists only, and under the control of that re- ligious denomination. On this lot a stone house was erected, which bears the date-stone, "Founded A.D. 1832." It was opened for worship April 19, 1834, and was used until the Baptist Church in Ridley Park

was completed, in 1872, when the religious exercises were held at the latter place, and the old church building was altered for a Sunday-school chapel, and is now used as such.

On Dec. 11, 1837, the church purchased of William Trites, for one hundred dollars, one hundred and seventeen square perches of land for burial purposes, adjoining the old church-lot, with the right to dam a run near by for the space of twenty-four hours for bap- tismal purposes. Prior to this time that service had been performed in Darby Creek, on property now owned by Thomas T. Tasker. The burial-ground is still in use for interments. In 1872 three acres of land adjoining the burial-lot was purchased of Samuel Simes, and a part of the consideration paid was the right to dam the run. This tract, in 1879, was sold to the Prospect Park Association. The church was in- corporated Oct. 13, 1840, as the "First Particular Baptist Church," with William Trites, Thomas Jar- man, William G. Wood, Thomas Glascoe, William Ridgway, John D. Kelly, and Jolın E. Smith as in- corporators.

About the time that the Ridley Park Association commenced work on the improvements of what is now known as Ridley Park, the congregation of the Ridley Park Baptist Church, located on the Lazaretto road near Moore's Station, found that their church was becoming too small, and that a new building had become necessary. The newly-projected town of Rid- ley Park was chosen as the most central location, and a lot was selected on the northwest corner of Ridley Avenue and Ward Street, near the railroad station. The Ridley Park Company gave the lot to the church as their donation, and on this site a handsome stone edifice, costing twenty-seven thousand dollars, was erected according to plans prepared by S. D. Button, architect, Philadelphia. The building contains a lec- ture-room, two class-rooms, and a large audience- room, seating comfortably over four hundred persons.

The corner-stone of the church was laid July 3, 1873, and the church was completed in the spring of 1874.

The pastors who have been in charge of the church are as follows: Revs. Robert Compton, John P. Hall, C. C. Parke, J. W. Gibbs, Mark R. Watkinson, Samuel Zigler, Mark R. Watkinson, Thomas G. Goodwin, G. R. Entreken, C. E. Harden, John R. Downes, and the Rev. Charles M. Dietz, who assumed charge Feb. 1, 1880, and is the present incumbent. Of these pastors, the Revs. Mark R. Watkinson and Samuel Zigler were ordained in this church. The member- ship of the First Particular Baptist Church at present is one hundred and fifty, and attached to the church is a Sunday-school of one hundred pupils, of which B. F. Measy is superintendent.

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 183

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