History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 20

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

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but the action had at that time abated by the plain- tiff's death, for " Jesse Jordan has been lately mur- dered in Chester County." That Arnold personally did that deed no one believed, but there was a general impression that of all men he had the greatest inter- est in the wagon-master's death, and after the former's treason many there were who thought that perhaps he knew more of the particulars of Jesse Jordan's "taking off" than he cared to tell.

The privateer brig "Holker," named in honor of the French consul at Philadelphia, was owned by Robert Morris, and it is related that on one occasion the vessel, in lead ballast, reached the city very op- portunely, for, at the time, the American troops were entirely out of bullets. Her owner immediately turned her cargo over to the authorities for the use of the army. On July 20, 1779, the " Holker" was lying at Chester, where a crew was being recruited for the privateer, and Maj. George Harvy was in- structed by Council to allow the then owner of the vessel, Mr. McClanachan, to have ten tons of disa- bled cannons for ballast. The price was not exactly stipulated, but the major, as some guide for him in adjusting that matter, was informed that when these disabled cannon were delivered at Chester the iron- master would give one ton of bar iron in exchange for four tons of the old metal. The brig, as before stated, was then lying at Chester, commanded by Capt. Matthew Lawler, and at that place, from July 17th to August 2d, a crew was recruited for the vessel by Davis Bevan, captain of marines, who had before been mustering officer for the county of Chester. The following list gives the names of the crew, as well as the sums paid each man at the time of enlisting : 1

Received as Bounty.

Received ss Bounty.

£ s. d.

#. d.

John Bayley.

10 0

William Coulter ..

William Mackey.

John Virdine.

Christopher Battuel.

John Hambright, Sr ...

George Trnsk ....

0 John Cockehott.

Joseph Marshall ...

Nathaniel Carr ...

Nicholas Francis (Ist) ... 37

Patt Cain

William Smith.

Joho Whitehead.

John Besset.

Matthew Penell.

William Swanson ..

William Webb

Edward McDonsgh ...

Roger Brown ..

0 00

John McGlocklin.

0 George McCsy

Joseph Claterbuck.

George Wass.

Frederick Waggoner. 37

Allen Mongomery

David Kenedy.

Thomas Burgel

Joseph Bowdin.

John Plog.

Eber Perry.

0 David Bamiskay

John Arnyz ...

Patrick Shannon ...

Georgs Geddey.

10 0

John Slaughter

22 10 10

Nathaniel Hesth

David Cshill

Charles Orsoosll

Charles Griffith.

Joseph Hnlings.

Matthew W. Murray

Thomas Richards ..

George Parker.

Georgs Ennie.

Andrew Rowar

William Thomson ...

Benedictep Pida ...

John Wallace.

6 James Hambleton.

Robert Loague (carpen-

Peter Abrams.

ter's mate) ...

6 Jesse Hall

Peter Anderson ...

Richard Dickson.

John Harkins ..

Patrick McCauld.

18 15

David Colemar

0 John Crawford 18 15

1 From the manuscript receipt-book of David Bevans, captain of marines on the " Holker," now in the Delawaro County Institute of Science, Media, Pa.

William Johnson ... 37

0 Jsales McAlester ..

0 David Harding.

John Dunham

come to his (Mitchell's) knowledge." He subse-

CONCLUSION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Received as Bonnty.

Received 88

Bounty.

s. d.

£ «. d.

John Neagle

15 0 0 15

Anthony Elton.

Јашев Нагрег ...

Blenkine Cornaickle.

Samson Moore ....

Daniel Binckar.

William Smith (2d)

Joseph Seilinga

William Poke

Matthew McSherny.

James Roberteon.

Jeho Fairland ..

Patrick McGinnis

James Hardia.

David Cahill.

George Shilstone

Richard Cockshott

James Anderson

Jeremiah Casey

Hugh Harris.

Thoniss Hornsby ..

18 15

Samuel Armitage

Samuel Clayton.

J. Bickham.

Stephen Green.

Deunis Lynch.

Themas Forrest ...

Richard Bickerton.

David

Buchadag (8

7 10 0

Thomas Lee.

0 Joel Jones ...

$100

Charles Ronff.

Ekena Tessune.

100

William McGlock lin 18

0 Porpine -

100

July 28, 1779, Barney Cuningham receipted fer €11 5s. for eoe hand- vice for use of brig " Holker."

July 30, 1779, Thomas Fell receipted for thirty-six pounds for two muskets for use of brig " Holker."

Ang. 2, 1779, Themas Lee receipted for fifteen pounds io part of prize money.

Aug. 2, 1779, George Geddey receipted for two hundred and four dol- lars by bonaly paid David Forsyth and James McNeil, masters-at-arms.

The April preceding the " Holker" had captured a schooner of ten guns and forty men, and also two armed sloops early in the month of July, before she lay at Chester to refit and recruit her crew. In July, 1780, the "Holker" had an engagement off the coast of New Jersey with the loyal privateer "Lord Rod- ney," in which the cutter, after an action of an hour and a half, was captured, her commander, Samuel Moore,1 and five of her crew killed, and twenty wounded. The "Holker" suffered severely in the engagement, her loss being six killed, including the first lieutenant, and fourteen wounded .?

The war-cloud had drifted away from Chester County, and never since that time have the good people of this section of the commonwealth been dis- turbed by the tread of hostile forces in martial array. But, although the husbandmen could resume their la- bors without the constant dread that inimical parties might gather the harvests and lay waste their fields, the State of Pennsylvania still made heavy demands on the public both for men and means to carry on the war.

In the fall of the year 1778, when Sir Henry Clinton, in accordance with instructions from the ministry, had detached five thousand men to the West Indies and three thousand to Florida, the destination of these troops being unknown, the mysterious preparations aroused widespread apprehension as to the objective point of the expedition. Naturally the public dis- quietude was increased when the attack on Little Egg Harbor and the butchery of the sleeping, unarmed infantry attached to Pulaski's brigade, was known.

On October 19th, Council ordered that the militia in the counties of Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, and Lan- caster should be held in readiness to march at the shortest notice, but the minute-men were not further called out that year, nor were they in June, 1780, when Gen. Kuyphausen crossed from New York and made an incursion into New Jersey. The purpose and extent of that movement being unknown, Council, on the 12th of that month, ordered the fourth class of the militia of the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, and Chester to hold themselves in readiness to march to the support of the Continental army, should later intelligence indicate that such a movement was neces- sary. But orders to take the field were not issued. Not long afterwards, on July 28th, President Reed wrote a complaining letter to Col. Robert Smith, that Chester was lagging behind the other counties in for- warding volunteers, and urged him to exertion in fur- nishing the quota of militia, which must report, he said, according to Washington's command, at Trenton, by the 12th of August. In September of the follow- ing year (1781), after the army had gone southward, and Benedict Arnold was making preparations to undertake his infamous expedition, under the British flag, against New England, on September 25th, Col. Smith was again ordered to hold the militia of the county in readiness to march on a moment's notice to Newtown. Bucks Co., notwithstanding there was no recent tidings of the movements of the enemy at New York. The troops had assembled on the occasion, and had already begun to move as required, for, on Oc- tober 10th, Col. Smith wrote Council that, as ordered, the fourth class of the militia of Chester County had twice marched, but as often the orders had been countermanded, and the men were on furlough till further commands were issued. The order to march had been countermanded before the troops left the county, and as but few of the enrolled men failed to appear, the fines on the delinquents would amount to a very small sum. The cost of supplying necessaries for the men was considerable, and hence, as the time was short, there was a general objection to assessing on the delinquents the " whole costs of the tour." No further particulars respecting the calling out of troops appear during the remainder of the war; although on Jan. 30, 1781, James Moore received five hun- dred pounds to enlist men iuto the Peunsylvania line from Chester County.

The incidents happening in the county now became of little general interest. On March 30, 1780, Col. Robert Smith was appointed lieutenant of the county, with Col. Thomas Cheyney, Lewis Gronow, Andrew Boyd, Thomas Levis, and Robert Wilson as sub- lieutenants. On June 8th the quartermaster-general stated that Col. Boyd had been instructed to send sixty wagons and teams from Chester County, but none had up to that time reported. Council, therefore, ou the 21st, ordered a requisition on the several counties for wagons, fixing the quota of Chester at forty, which,

1 Penna. Mag. of Hist., vel. vi. p. 255.

2 Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. i. p. 370, in note C, it is said that the captain of the "Helker" was killed. The captain of the "Lord Rod- ney" was, but Matthew Lawler, captain of the " Holker," lived to be mayor of the city of Philadelphia from 1801 to 1804, both years inclusive.

Francis Browa.

John Hoddy.

Robert Ceraish

Cornelius Bookly

Ralph Hera.

0 cabin boy)

Thomas Henry (& mu- latto) ..

Themas Apkia.

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

if " cannot be procured in any other way, must be im- pressed." On July 25th, Council made requisition for supplies for the army, and Chester County was re- quired to furnish eight hundred barrels of flour per month, two thousand bushels of forage per month, two hundred horses, forty wagons, and five hundred militia ; and, on August 8th, David Denny for First ; Owen Thomas, Second ; Joseph Luckey, Third ; David Wilson, Fourth ; Thomas Strawbridge, Fifth; John Crosby, Sixth ; George Price, Seventh, and Joseph Spear for Eighth Battalion, to collect quota of horses in Chester County, under direction of Cal. Andrew Boyd, wagon-master. On August 10th, John Beatan was appointed paymaster of the militia, with instruc- tions that Continental money was to be paid out at the rate of sixty dollars for one in that of State issnes. As an illustration of the depreciation af Con- tinental money,-owing to the fact that Congress then could not levy a tax to provide for the redemption of these issues,-some of the payments made for cattle in 1780 are annexed :

June 20, 1780, John Crozer received $6000 for ō head of cattle. June 27, 1780, Gideon Gilpin £2400 for 6 cattle. June 27, 1780, Israel Gilpin £700 for 20 sheep. June 27, 1780, James Hanonm £2000 for 5 cattle. June 27, 1780, Caleb Pyle £1240 for 5 cattle.

July 12, 1780, Isaac Sewell £19,106 for 14 head of beef cattle.

In the latter month, Commissary-Gen. Ephraim Blaine gave notice that William Evans was his rep- resentative in Chester County to receive live stock, and that " the magazine" for such supplies was located in Philadelphia.

Early in April, 1782,-for the vessel did not sail from Philadelphia until the 8th of that montb,-occurred in Delaware Bay the remarkable engagement between the Pennsylvania vessel-of-war "Hyder Ali," com- manded by Capt. Joshua Barney, and the British ship " General Monk." The American vessel carried six- teeu six-pound guns and a crew of one hundred and ten men, while that of the English had one hundred and thirty-six men and twenty nine-pounders. The vic- tory of the former was largely due to the fact that the understanding between Barney and his men was that every order should be executed as though an exactly opposite command had been given. Thus, while the two vessels were approaching each other, Barney cried out, " Hard a-port your helm; do you want him to run aboard of us ?" The Englishman heard the order and made preparations to counteract the movement, as the American captain hoped, so that when Barney's vessel answered the helm, which had been clapped hard a-starboard by the men at the wheel, the enemy's jib-boom caught in the fore-rigging of the "Hyder Ali," and there remained during the short engage- ment which followed, giving the latter a raking posi- tion. The same confusion of orders mystified the Brit- ish captain throughout the action, for, as understood, when Barney gave the command " Board!" his men were to fire, and when he shouted "Fire !" they were

to board. When the vessels ran together, as stated, Barney in a loud voice gave the order " Board !" and the stubborn Englishmen crowded forward to repel the enemy, when a broadside was discharged at close range ; and so rapidly did the American gunners load, that in twenty-six minutes, the time the action lasted, the "Hyder Ali" had fired twenty broadsides. The English vessel kept her colors flying until she had twenty killed and thirty-three wounded. Among the former were the first lieutenant, purser, surgeon, boatswain, and gunner; among the latter Capt. Rogers and every officer on board, except a midshipman. The American Joss was four killed and eleven wounded. Captain Barney left the "Hyder Ali" at Chester, at which place he took Capt. Rogers ashore to the house of a Quaker lady, who nursed him until he had en- tirely recovered from his wounds. The victor pro- ceeded to the city in his prize.

In the latter part of 1782, Col. Hannum, Col. Fra- zier, and Dr. Gardner, as representatives of the Coun- cil in Chester County, seized a quantity of British goods while passing through the county, designed for the prisoners of war at Lancaster. The wagon-train was under a flag of protection granted by Washington. The seizure was made because of some alleged viola- tion of the passport granted to those having the goods in charge. Congress, immediately after receiving in- formation of the fact, took action in the matter, and it was presented to the attention of Council in such a manner that the latter required the opinion of At- torney-General Bradford as to whether Council could summarily dispose of the case, and thus prevent a trial of the cause in Chester County. Bradford was clearly of opinion that Council had no authority to interfere, asserting that if the goods seized were neces- sary for the prisoners of war and were covered by a passport issued by the commander-in-chief, they were not contraband or liable to condemnation; if the passports had been violated the offense was one against the law of nations, and punishable in our courts of judicature. On Jan. 17, 1783, Congress appointed a committee to confer with Council on the subject, and the following day President John Dickinson, in a special message, called the attention of the attorney- general to the matter. On the 21st the committee of Congress, a committee from the General Assembly, and Council met in the chamber of the latter body, where the question was discussed, and the position of each fully understood, and adjourned to the 23d, when a representation of the case as agreed on was drafted, which, after being signed by Cols. Hannum and Fra- zier and Dr. Gardner, was referred to Congress, and thus the difficulty terminated ; although on March 24, 1783, John Gardner, sheriff of Chester County, a brother of the doctor, was instructed by Council to proceed with the utmost diligence in securing such of the goods seized in the county which had not as yet been delivered to the person designated by the Sec- retary of War to receive the articles.

THE ERECTION OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

The surrender of Cornwallis on the afternoon of Oct. 19, 1781, was virtually the last great struggle of the Revolutionary war, although some sharp engage- ments followed that decisive event, and, as will be no- ticed in the preceding narrative subsequent to that date, the public records demonstrate the belief so gen- eral that the end was at hand, that matters other than the preparation and march of troops occupied almost exclusively the attention of the authorities. On the 15th of April, 1783, Council issued a proclamation an- nouncing a cessation of hostilities, but the treaty of peace was not concluded until November 30th. The independence of the United States was announced by the king of Great Britain, in his speech on Dec. 5, 1783.

CHAPTER X.

FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TO THE EREC- TION OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

WHEN the storm of war had subsided, Chester County, with the whole country, suffered severely in the process of adjustment from a warlike to a peaceful condition which naturally followed the recognition by the king of England of the independence of the con- federate colonies. The period between the cessation of hostilities until the establishment of the present form of Federal government was indeed dark and un- promising, when Washington himself could, express- ing the regret he felt at the death of Gen. Greene, pen these words, "I have accompanied it of late with a query whether he would not have preferred such an exit to the scene which it is more than probable many of his compatriots may live to bemoan." This locality had, it is true, recovered greatly from the effects of the pilferings and exactions it had sustained at the hands of the British troops when five years before the invading army overran the territory, but it never- theless lost heavily in the fluctuation in values and general depression which followed the close of the war. Added to this, the constant manifestations of weakness in the crude system of State and confederated government which had maintained from the period of the Declaration to the conclusion of the struggle, were in nowise calculated to allay public anxiety. The war had for five years been carried on with Continental money, emanating from a body without authority to impose taxes, and absolutely dependent on the several State Legislatures for enactments regulating the law- ful value of the currency they put forth ; hence, as the confederation was held together by a wisp of straw, necessarily the Continental notes depreciated until, in September, 1779, the aggregate sum of these bills in circulation amounted to two hundred millions of dollars. The discount became so great, and so rap- idly did the currency depreciate in value, that further

issues of these notes were impracticable, and in the beginning of the year 1781 they ceased to circulate, becoming worthless,-dying as a medium of exchange in the hands of their possessors. It was now abso- lutely essential that some new means should be pro- vided to carry on the war. In 1780, it will be remem- bered, the Bank of Pennsylvania was established, its purpose being to supply the army of the United States with provisions. On May 17, 1781, Robert Morris proposed the plan for a bank to Congress, which scheme met the approval of that body, and it recom- mended that the several States should interdict any other banks or bankers from carrying on business within their territory during the war. Congress, Dec. 31, 1781, incorporated the Bank of North America with a capital of two million dollars, most of this being subscribed from abroad through the influence of Morris.1 The States of Massachusetts and Pennsyl- vania also granted charters of a similar character, and the first Bank of Pennsylvania having done its work was discontinued. The immediate effects of the Bank of North America were highly advantageous, and aided materially in furnishing the means to carry on the war to a successful ending, but the exclusive privileges granted it, as well as the manner in which its business was conducted, created considerable dis- satisfaction, until, in 1785, a petition, numerously signed by the citizens of Chester County, was pre- sented to the Legislature, and so earnestly did the friends of the measure press the public complaints on that body that it revoked the charter granted by the State to the bank. The institution, however, con- tinued to act under Congressional authority, and in 1787 the Legislature rechartered tbe bank. While the country was recovering from the extraordinary exer- tions consequent on the war, many estates changed owners, and the busiest man in the county was the sheriff; yet the pressure was beneficial, inasmuch as it compelled unusual exertion among the people, and the whole system of slovenly farming, which had theretofore been the rule, gave place to careful, intel- ligent husbandry, while enterprises were projected and carried on so that in a comparatively short time the public recovered from financial depression and made rapid strides in material improvements.

Local matters now exercised in a large degree the attention of the people of the State in all sec- tions. In the county of Chester the project of re- moving the county-seat from the ancient town of Chester to a more central situation was revived, for the agitation of that question antedated the Revolu- tionary war, but during the latter struggle so much greater were the issues involved to the public at large, that the scheme was permitted to slumber by its most ardent friends. Seated as the borough was on the ex-

1 Judge Peters' account of Morris, published in Brotherhead'e " Sketch of Robert Morris" in " Lives of Eminent Philadelphiane now Deceased," P. 708.

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

treme southeastern edge of the county of Chester, it was doubtless a serious matter to those persons resid- ing in such remote townships as Coventry, Honey- brook, or West Nottingham, when, as jurors, suitors, or witnesses, they were compelled to attend at court. It involved considerable labor to go and return in those days, and in winter time, when, in a warm spell, the roads would be wretched beyond expression, it was a journey such as no man of these modern times would contemplate calmly.

It is a theme for wonder now that previous to Jan. 28, 1766, no earnest effort was made to procure legis- lation looking to a proposed removal of the county- seat to a more central location. At the date men- tioned a petition was presented to the Legislature, setting forth the grievances of a large number of peo- ple of the county because of the location of the court ; they were so far removed from the public offices that that fact alone increased the fees charged for mileage by the officials. A class of cases of peculiar hardship they stated were, "that many poor widows are obliged to travel thirty or forty miles for letters of adminis- tration, and are put to much trouble in attending Or- phans' Court at so great a distance." In consideration of these and other reasons, the petitioners urged the en- actment of a law providing for the erection of a court- house, and the holding of court therein, as near the centre of the county as could possibly be done. This was supplemented on May 7th by nine other petitions of a like tenor, and on the following day the anti- removalists submitted twelve petitions, which, after calling the attention of the Legislature to the estab- lishment of Chester as the shire-town during the first visit of William Penn to his province, in 1682,1 as a further reason why the location of the county-seat should not be changed, they set forth "it is noto- rious" that those persons residing in the near neigh- borhood of the court attended its sessions three times

1 " That in the first regulation of the said county, in the year One Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty-two, the Honorable William Penn, Esq., Proprietary and Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, by virtue of the Royal Charter, did order that the Townsted or Village, then beering the name of Upland, should be called Chester, and thereupon constituled it the Shire-Town of the County of Chester, and ordained and appointed all the Courts of Judicature for the Affairs of the County to be there held and kept, and the County Goal or prison to be and remaiu thera forever; that the said William Penn, Esq., afterwards, to wit, on the Thirty-first day of October, One Thousand Seven Hundred and One, did grant, by charter, unto the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the said Borough, that the Sheriff end Clerk of the Courts of the said County for the time being, if not Residents in the said Borough should appoint and constitute sufficient Deputies, who should from Time to Time reaide, nr constantly attend, in the said Town of Chester, to perform the duties of their respective officee; which said Privilegee (with respect to the holding of the Courts of Judicature at Chester), were afterwards estab- lished by John Evans, Esq., Lientenant-Governor of the said Province, hy an Ordinance issued by him, under the Great Seal, bearing Date the Twanty-second Day of February, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seven and afterwarda confirmed by an act of General Assembly. made perpetuel, and pasaed in tha Year One tboneand Seven Hundred and Twenty-one." Thie Interesting paper, so far as I bave been able to ascertain, was first recovered from the dust of nearly & century by Messrs. Futhey and Cope, and published by them in their "History of Chester County," p. 116.

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 20

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