USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania > Part 68
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The Homoeopathic Medical Society of Chester and Delaware Counties was organized in October, 1858, by the meeting together of Drs. Duffield, of New London; Hawley, of Phoenixville; Hindman, of Cochranville ; Johnson, of Kennett Square; Wood and Jones, of West Chester. It has been in a pros- perous condition ever since, having four meetings annually, which are held in January, April, July, and October. Dr. Duffield was its first president. Its present membership is thirty-four.
In addition the following physicians, who have not connected themselves with either the Allopathic or
Homeopathic Medical Societies, are in practice in this county : Charles A. Kish, William F. Campbell, George W. Roney, Samuel C. Burland, Chester; Wil- liam Calver, Booth's Corner; Henderson Hayward, Birmingham ; Benjamin S. Anderson, Marple; Wil- liam P. Painter, Darby ; Franklin Soper, Ridley Park ; William S. S. Gray, Village Green ; Lawrence M. Bullock, Upland; Andrew Lindsay, Radnor; John G. Thomas, Newtown ; Henry L. Smedley, Media; James Edwards, Springfield. Eliza C. Tay- lor practices in Marcus Hook, Chester, and Thorn- bury.
CHAPTER XXVII.
CIVIL LISTS.
PROTHONOTARY, CLERKS OF COURT, RECORDER OF DEEDS, AND REGISTER OF WILLS.
Thomas Revell, Sopt. 13, 1681, to Ang. 22, 1683; Robert Eyre, Oct. 17, 1683, to December, 1689; Joshna Fearoe, September, 1690, to April 18, 1693; Joho Childe, June 13, 1693, to March, 1690-1700; Henry Hollingsworth, June 11, 1700, to Feb. 22, 1708-9; Jolio Simcock, May 24, 1709, to 1716; Joseph Parker, 1724 to 1766; Heory Hale Graham, 1766 to 1777; Benjamin Jacob, March 22, 1777, to April 4, 1777 ; Caleb Davis, July 1, 1777.
REGISTER OF WILLS.
John Simcock, 1714 to May, 1716; Joseph Parker, Ang. 14, 1716, to Jao. 12, 1759; Henry Hale Graham, March 5, 1757, to Feb. 13, 1777; Thomas Taylor, March 25, 1777 ; John Breston, April 6, 1782; Per- sifor Frazer, April 8, 1786.
RECORDER OF DEEDS.
Joho Bristow, in office March 10, 1688; Joshua Fearne, March 25, 1691 ; Robert Eyre, March 26, 1693; John Childe, Jan. 3, 1695; Heory - Hollingsworth, Dec. 10, 1700; Peter Evans, April 17, 1706 ; John Simcock, Jan. 28, 1707 ; after which date three offices, prothonotary, recorder, and register, were held by one person.
Delaware County was erected in 1789, since which time the following persons have filled the office of prothonotary, recorder of deeds, register of wills, and clerks of court :
William Richardson Atlee, Sept. 28, 1789; Davis Bevan, April 6, 1796 ; James Barnard, May 11, 1800; Thomas Brinton Dick, Feb. 22, 1806; Joseph Engle, May 24, 1809; Benjamin Pearson, March 11, 1818; Thomas Robinson, March 8, 1821; Henry Myers, Jan. 17, 1824; John K. Zeilen, Dec. 20, 1832 ; John Hinkson, Aug. 28, 1834; John Richards, Jan. 9, 1836; Samuel Weaver, Jr., Dec. 7, 1838; James Houston, Nov. 12, 1841; Joseph Taylor, Nov. 22, 1844; James Sill, Jr., Nov. 11, 1847 ; Nicholas F. Walter, Nov. 25, 1853; Nicholas F. Walter, Nov. 21, 1853; Thomas Forsythe, Nov. 25, 1859 ; Beojamin F. Baker (unexpired term of Forsythe), Nov. 12, 1862; George Esrey, Nov. 26, 1862 ; Orsoo Flagg Bullard, Nov. 23, 1865; Isaac Johoson, Dec. 29, 1874.
Mr. Johnson filled the office of prothonotary until January, 1884, when Morris P. Hannum, the present incumbent, was qualified.
By act of Assembly, Feb. 19, 1860, the office of pro- thonotary and that of recorder of deeds was directed to be filled by different persons.
RECORDER OF DEEDS.
Frederick Fairlamb, Nov. 26, 1862; Frederick R. Cutler, Nov. 21, 1871; Canby S. Smith (unexpired term of Cutler), May 24, 1873 ; Charles P. Walter, Jag. 18, 1875 ; Edward Blaine, Dec. 20, 1880.
.
268
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Edward Blaine is the present incumbent, having been re-elected November, 1883.
By act of March 20, 1873, the office of register of wills and clerk of Orphans' Court was made a sepa- rate office. Thomas Lees, the first register under this act, commissioned Dec. 13, 1874, is the present incum- bent, he having been elected four terms in succession, the last time in November, 1883.
Coroner .- The first reference we find to the office of coroner is at a court hield 6th day of Fifth month, 1684, when the sheriff and clerk of court complained that court fees had not been paid them; execution was issued to collect the amount claimed, and on the 8th day of Seventh month, 1684, " James Kenela, Coroner," made the return to the writs. To show the manner of making the return of inquest in the early days, and "Ay, marry, is't crowner's-quest law," I append two of these returns :
" The 6th of 5th mo 1699, We whose names are here subscribed being snmimoned & attested by the Coroner to View the Corpse of Ane Crnett do find by the best evidence that can find by two witness & several others big in place that nothing did procure her death but the heat of the weather and it been please God to visit her sudden death. As witness our names :
. Juo. Humphrey.
Baoj. Humphrey.
Jno. Roberts.
Rowland Powell.
Evan William.
The& Pennell.
Humphrey Ellis.
Thos Reice.
Daniel Humphrey.
Dan' Laurence."
"Edgemond the 6 of the 5 mont 1699. We whose names are under written summoned and attested by the coroner to view the body of Sarah Baker having made strict enquiry & also have what evidence could be found attested to what they know & we find no other but that it pleased Almighty God to visit her with death by the force of thunder and to this we all unanimously agreed. Subscribe with our names the day and year above written :
Thos Werrellow. Robt Pennell.
Ephraim Jackson. David Ogdeo.
Jno. Worrall.
Thomas Bowater.
William Gregory.
Joseph Baker. Wm Corbnrna. Charles Whitaker.
Peter Treggo.
Joo. Turner.
" Approved by ma.
JACOB SIMCOCKE, Coroner."
The following list embraces the persons who have been commissioned coroners of Chester County until the erection of the county of Delaware, in 1789, and from that date those who have held the office in the latter county :
James Kaunerly, in office 1684; Jacob Simcock, 1696: Heory Hollings- worth, 1707; Henry Worley, 1710; Jonas Sandelands, Oct. 3, 1717- 20; Robert Barber, Oct. 4, 1721; Jolin Mendenhall, Oct. 4, 1726-27 ; Robert Parke, Oct. 3, 1728 ; Abraham Darlington, Oct. 4, 1729 ; Joha Wharton, Oct. 3, 1730-31; Anthony Shaw, Oct. 3, 1732-33; John Wharton, Oct. 4, 1734-36; Stephen Hoskins, Oct. 4, 1737 ; Aubrey Bevan, Oct. 4, 1738-42; Thomas Morgan, Oct. 4, 1743-45 ; Isaac Lea, Oct. 4, 1746-50 ; Joshua Thomson, Oct. 3, 1751; John Kerlio, Oct. 4, 1752; Joshua Thomson, Oct. 3, 1753-60; Philip Ford (vice Thom- son, deceased), May 22, 1761-62 ; Davis Bevan, Oct. 4, 1763-64 ; Abel Janney, Oct 4, 1765; John Trapnall (vice Janney, resigned), May 27, 1766 ; Joseph Gibbons, Jr., Oct. 4, 1768-70 ; John Crosby, Jr., Oct. 5, 1771-72 ; John Bryan, Oct. 4, 1773-75 ; Harvey Lewis, Oct. 2, 1775; David Denny, Nov. 24, 1778; Allen Cunningham, Oct. 19, 1780; Ben- jamia Rue, Oct. 12, 1782; John Harper, Oct. 20, 1783; Isaac Thomas, Oct. 4, 1785; John Harper, Oct. 3, 1786; Joho Underwood, Oct. 15, 1787.
After Erection of County of Delaware.
Jonathan Vernon, Oct. 16, 1789; Caleb Bennett, Oct. 21, 1791 ; William Price, Jan. 25, 1793; John Odenheimer, Jr., Oct. 17, 1795; James Birchall, Oct. 12, 1798, Oct. 21, 1801, Oct. 16, 1804, Oct. 23, 1807, Oct. 26, 1810, Nov. 8, 1816, Dec. 6, 1819, Dec. 4, 1822; Abraham Kerlin, Nov. 13, 1829; Daniel Thomson, Nov. 2, 1830; Joel Lane, Oct. 25, 1833, Dec. 22, 1836; John Lloyd, Dec. 4, 1839; Moses Reed, April 14, 1840; John Lloyd, Dec. 3, 1842 ; Stephen Horne, Dec. 1, 1845; Seth C. Thomas, Dec. 23, 1848, Dec. 1, 1851 ; Renben H. Smith, Nuv. 6, 1854 ; Isaac Johnson,1 Nov. 28, 1857 ; William A. Minshall,2 April 24, 1858; Samuel Long, Sr., Dec. 7, 1858; Washington B. Levis, Nov. 27, 1861, Jao. 9, 1865; George H. Righy,3 Nov. 23, 1865; Dec. 8, 1868; William Anderson Mioshall, Dec. 29, 1871, Jao. 19, 1875; Horace W. Fairlamb, Dec. 18, 1877; Abram J. Quimby, Dec. 20, 1880; Horace W. Fairlamb, Dec. 27, 1883.
Sheriffs .- Under the Dutch authority on the Dela- ware an officer, entitled a schout, performed duties such as are now required from the sheriffs, but the jurisdiction was more varied, and had legislative as well as executive powers reposed in that officer. Un- der the Duke of York, on May 17, 1672, Governor Lovelace and Council decided that "the office of Schout to be converted into a Sheriff for the Corpora- tion and River, and that he be annually Chosen." The electors in that early day named two persons for the office, and from those two the Governor made his selection, a system which was adopted by Penn in the "Charter of Privileges," granted in 1701, and pre- vailed under the State Constitutions of 1776 and 1790. Until the Constitution of 1838 gave the people the right, by their votes, to elect one person to the office, the absurd provisions of the Constitution of 1776 pre- vailed, which was to elect two persons from whom the Governor made his selection, and to whom he issued the commission.
The following list of persons who have filled the office of sheriff is believed to be as accurate as it is now possible to make it :
Capt. Edmund Cantwell, 1676-81; John Test, September, 1681-82; Thomas Usher, November, 1682-83; Thomas Withers, December, 1683-84; Jeremy Collett, January, 1684-85; Thomas Usher, June, 1686, to April, 1687; Joshna Fearne, June, 1687, to June, 1689; George Foreman, August, 1689, to March, 1691-92; Caleb Pusey, June, 1692, to April, 1693; Joseph Wood, April 28, 1693-97; Andrew Job, December, 1697-1701 ; John Hoskins, Jnoe, 1701-8; Joho Sim- cock, 1708; Jobo Hoskins, 1709; Heory Worley, 1715; Nicholas Fairlamb, Oct. 3, 1717-19; John Crosby, Oct. 4, 1720; John Taylor, Oct. 4, 1721-28; John Owea, Oct. 4, 1729-31; John Parry, Oct. 3, 1732-34 : John Owen, Oct. 3, 1735-37 ; John Parry, Oct. 4, 1738-39; Benjamin Davis, Oct. 3, 1740-42 ; John Owen, Oct. 4, 1743-45 ; Ben- jamin Davis, Oct. 4, 1746-48 ; John Oweo, Gct. 8, 1749-5]; Isaac Pearson, Oct. 4, 1752-54 ; Joho Fairlamb, Oct. 4, 1755-58 ; Benjamin Davis, Oct. 4, 1759-61 ; John Fairlamb, Oct. 4, 1762-63; Philip Ford, Oct. 4, 1764-66; John Mortoo (vice Ford, deceased), Oct 28, 1766-68; Jesse Maris, Oct. 5, 1769-71 ; Heory Hayes, Oct. 5, 1772-73 ; Na- thaoiel Veroon, Oct. 5, 1774-76; Robert Smith, March 29, 1777 ; Charles Dilworth, Oct. 17, 1778; Robert Smith, Nov. 21, 1778; David Mackey, Oct. 16, 1779; Joho Gardner, Oct. 19, 1780; William Gib- bons, Birmingham, Oct. 20, 1783; Ezekiel Leonard, West Bradford, Oct. 13, 1786.
Since Erection of Delaware County.
Nicholas Fairlamb, Oct. 16, 1789; same, Oct. 21, 1790 ; James Barnard, Oct. 18, 1792 ; Abraham Dicks, Nov. 12, 1795, date of commission for
1 Died in office.
2 For Johnson's unexpired term; George Rosevelt, who had heso elected, refusing to serve.
% For unexpired term of W. B. Levis.
Philip Prisse. Ellis Ellis.
269
CIVIL LISTS.
second term ; John Odenheimer, Oct. 12, 1798; Matthias Kerlin, Jr., Oct. 21, 1801 ; John Odenheimer, Oct. 16, 1804; Richard P. Floyd, Oct. 23, 1807 ; Taaqc Cochran, Oct. 25, 1810; Daniel Thomson, Oct. 19, 1813; Robert Fairlamb, Oct. 16, 1816 ; Samuel Anderson, Oct. 23, 1819; Joseph Weaver, Jr., Oct. 21, t822; John Hinkson, Oct. 17, 1825; Jehu Broomhall, Oct. 22, 1828; William Baldwin,1 Oct. 28, 1831; Charles Baldwin, March 5, 1834; Samuel A. Price, Oct. 22, 1834 ; Evans S. Way, Oct. 25, 1837 ; John Larkin, Jr., Oct. 27, 1840; Samuel Hibberd, Oct. 27, 1843; Robert R. Dutton, Nov. 18, 1846; Jonathan Earey,2 Oct. 22, 1849 ; Henry T. Esrey, May 20, 1851 ; Aaron James, Nov. 17, 1851 ; John M. Hall, Nov. 2, 1854 ; Jonathan Ver- non, Nov. 10, 1857; Morris L. Yarnall, Nov. 15, 1860; Abraham Vanzant, Nov. 16, 1863 ; Caleb Hoopes, April 11, 1866; Evan C. Bar- tleson, Nov. 23, 1869 : Charles W. Matthew, Dec. 29, 1875; John J. Rowland, Dec. 21, 1878; William Armstrong, Dec. 22, 1881.
County Commissioners .- The office of county com- missioner, we are told by Judge Fnthey, was created not long prior to 1820, the duties discharged by them being first performed by the justices and grand jury conjointly, and afterwards by the grand jury and as- sessors. The first commissioners of the county were elected to serve one year, and the board at that time comprising four members, is inferred from a peti- tion presented from Chester County to the Assembly at the session of 1721-22, asking "that three commis- sioners may be elected yearly." Petitions of like tenor being presented from other counties, on May 12, 1722, the act to that effect was passed, excepting that it provided that one commissioner should be elected annually, thus extending the period of service of the commissioners to three years.
The following is a list of commissioners since 1721, and the date of their appointment or election :
1721, David Lloyd, Nathaniel Newlio, Henry Miller (in office); 1722, Robert Pyle; 1723, Nathaniel Newlin ; 1724, Samuel Hollingsworth ; 1725, Robert Pyle; 1726, Isaac Taylor; 1727, William Webb; 1728, Henry Miller, Evans Lewis, elected by commissioners and assessors in August, vice Isaac Taylor, deceased; 1729, Samuel Nutt; 1730, Evan Lewis ; 1731, Jacob Howell ; 1732, Samuel Lewis; 1733, George Aston ; 1734, John Davia ; 1735, Richard Jones ; 1736, Samuel Light- foot; 1737, John Parry, Jr .; 1738, William Jeffries ; 1739, John Davis; 1740, John Parry, Jr .; 1741, John Yarnall ; 1742, John Davis; 1743, Jacob Howell ; 1744, Joseph Mendenhall ; 1745, John Davia; 1746, Thomas Pennell; 1747, Joshua Thompson ; 1748, Isaac Davis; 1749, Thomas Pennell ; 1750, Edward Brinton, Samuel Bunting, vice Thomas Pennell, deceased; 1751, William Lewis; 1752, John Fair- lamb; 1753, Robert Miller; 1754, Thomas Pearson ; 1755, Joseph Ashbridge; 1756, Joseph Davis; 1757, Joseph Jamea; 1758, John Hannum; 1759, Jonas Preston; 1760, Joseph Pennock ; 1761, John Griffitb ; 1762, Lewis Davia; 1763, John Price ; 1764, Benjamin Bar- tholomew; 1765, Richard Baker; 1766, John Davia; 1767, Robert Pennell; 1768, John Webster; 1769, John Evana; 1770, Jesse Bon- sall ; 1771, Robert Mendenhall ; 1772, John Fleming; 1773, Thomas Levis; 1774, Thomas Taylor ; 1775, William Evana; 1776, Sketchley Morton ; 1777, David Cloyd; 1778, Andrew Boyd ; 1779, Benjamin Brannan; 1780, John Bartholomew; 1781, Joseph Strawbridge; 1782, Caleb James ; 1783, John Davis ; 1784, Joseph Mcclellan ; 1785, Caleb James; 1786, Caleb North ; 1787, John Worth; 1788, Joseph Gibbona.
After the erection of Delaware County, in 1789, at the general election in that year the following com- missioners were elected and served :
1790, Edward Hunter, Gideon Gilpin, James Barnard; in 1791, John Jones was elected in place of Hunter, and Gilpio, Barnard, and Jones served for that and the year 1792, when all record is lost until 1797, when David Platt and Richard Lloyd were commissionera; in 1798, Iaaac G. Gilpin was elected; 1799, Thomas Bishop; 1800, Thomas Vernon ; 1801, Jonaa Eyre ; 3 1802, John Hunter, Josiah Lewia ; 1803, John Odenhaimer died, and Pierce Coraly was sp- pointed to fill vacancy ; 1804, Pierce Corsly ; 1805, Joseph Gibbons, and Josiah Lewis having died or resigned, Nehemiah Baker waa ap- pointed to fill vacancy, and was also elected that year; 1807, Joseph Engle; 1808, William Mendenhall; 1809, George B. Lownes; 1810, Thomas Bishop; 1811, Preston Eyre : 1812, Thomas Hemphill ; 1813, Maris Worrell ; 1814, John Brooke; 1815, Robert Fairlamb; 1816, John Willcox, William Levis, Jr .; 4 1817, Joseph Davis; 1818, Wil- liam Hill; 1819, John Lindsay, Jr .; 1820, Joseph Henderson ; 1821, George Green; 1822, Joseph Engle; 1825, Edward Hunter ; 1824, William Johnson ; 1825, James Sill ; 1826, Samuel H. Eves; 1827, James Maddock ; 1828, Joseph Bishop ; 1829, Oliver Levis; 1830, Evan Evana ; 1831, David Siter ; 1832, David Trainer, John Aitkins; 1835, James Serrill ; 1836, James S. Peters; 1837, Isaac Fawkes; 1838, Spencer McIlvain ; 1839, Edward Lewis, Jr : 1840, Davis Beau- mont; 1841, Thomas Williamson; 1842, Thomas Steele, Jr .; 1843, Isaac Yarnall; 1844, George Harvey ; 1845, David Worrell ; 1846, Samuel Palmer; 1847, Edmund Pennell; 6 1548, Mark Bartleson ; 1849, Caleb J. Hoopea; 1850, John D. Gilpin ; 1851, Annseley New- lin ; 1852, James Barton; 1853, William H. Grubb; 1854, Robert Plumatead ; 1855, Thomas Pratt ; 1856, Percipher Baker; 1857, Sam- nel Leedom; 1858, James Clowd; 1859, Elwood Tyson ; 1860, Van- lear Eachua; 1861, Thomas Reece ; 1862, Nathaniel Pratt; 1863, Jo- aeph Lewis; 1864, Daniel James; 1865, George Drayton; 1866, William D. H. Serrill; 1867, Charles Johnaon ; 1868, T. Baker Jonea; 1869, Jacob M. Campbell ; 1870, William Russell; 1871, John B. Heyburn; 1872, John B. Holland ; 1873, James McDade; 1874, Elias Baker.
The same commissioners remained in office until the first Monday of January, 1876.
Before the expiration of the period of service of the old board of commissioners, before the provisions of the Constitution of 1874 went into effect respecting that office, James McDade, one of the commissioners, absconded. When the county statement was pub- lished, the people stood aghast at the exhibit made, and on March 17, 1876,-
" The grand jury reported that the commissionera for the year 1875 have exceeded their authority in borrowing money on promissory notea, which auma amounted to $206,227.57, and the discounts to $3043,90, while tax-collectora were permitted to remain in arrears on collectiona, with discounts allowed to them to the amount of $40,952.18.
"In the opinion of the grand jury this is highly improper, and should be fully investigated, and measures taken to collect said tax. That by the said report (that of the county treasurer) it appears that the ex- penditures for repairing bridges and for new bridgea has cost the county for the same year the sum of $58,375.66. That in the financial condi- tion of the county the grand jury deema this an extravagant expendi-
a On his resigning, on April 29, 18(2, the county minutes show: " Upon the resignation of Jonas Eyre, one of the commissioners of the county of Delaware, the following person was appointed by the court sad commissioners, viz., John Odenheimer, Esq., to serve in place of said Jonas Eyre,"
+ On Oct. 21, 1816, " the court and John Willcox and William Levia, Jr., remaining commissioners, being assembled together, do appoint Richard Flower county commissioner until the next general election, in place of Bobert Fairlsmh, who has been elected and commissioned sheriff of the said county, and has declined serving in the office of com- missioner."
6 " Feb. 25, 1847, the petition of Samuel Palmer and Edmund Pennell wsa presented, showing that a vacancy had occurred in the board of Commissionera of Delaware County hy the death of David Worrell. Whereupon the court, together with the two remaining commissioners of said county, have appointed Thomas Steele, Jr., of the township of Marple, in said county, a commissioner to fill said vacancy notil the next general election."
1 Sheriff Baldwin died Feb. 14, 1834. His son was appointed to fill vacancy.
2 Sheriff Esrey dying in offics, bia son was appointed to fill the va- cancy.
270
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ture that the commissioners were not warranted in making, and that they have reason to believe that irregularities have occurred in award- ing contracts for the same, which should be investigated. That by the eame report, printing and stationary for the same year has cost the county $3095.58; this is in addition to the amount paid by the commis- eioners, but not allowed by the auditors. This appears to the grand jury to be an extravagant expenditure for that purpose. By the same report there has been paid D. Corson for the storage of the turn-table from the Front Street bridge, $115. With such continued expenditures, this turn-table will prove a serious hurden, and the grand jury recom- mend its early disposal.
" The grand jury also report that bonds of the company which have been paid or exchanged have not been properly cancelled, merely an erasure of the commissioners' names, and that some of these partially- cancelled bonds have in some manner disappeared from the commis- sioners' office, and have been wrongfully used, aud that the coupons on those bonds have been presented and paid out of the county treasury eince tbe cancellation of the bonds. The grand jury consider that these matters should be more fully and thoroughly investigated, and urge upon this department of the public trust a more careful and economical administration. The treasurer further reports that for 1875 there has been paid out of the treasury for road damages the sum of $4608, and the grand jury deem it proper to say that it is questionable whether such expenditure is warrauted in the condition of the county finances, as perhaps many of the roads laid out must benefit, with the number already improved, but few of the citizens."
This action of the grand jury directed public at- tention directly to the gross mismanagement of public affairs, but as it subsequently proved the greater part of the objectionable transactions were done by the absconding commissioner, without the knowledge of his fellow-member of the board, the authorities were powerless to punish the offender.
Under the Constitution of 1874 the following com- missioners were elected for the period of three years, the term of service beginning in the year set opposite to their names: 1876, Owen W. Yarnall, Abram C. Lukens, Edward H. Engle ; 1879, Owen W. Yarnall, Abram C. Lukens, Jesse Brooke.
In that year Jesse Brooke, the regular Democratic candidate, was elected over Edward H. Engle, Inde- pendent Democrat, by two votes, aud proceedings were instituted to test the validity of Brooke's elec- tion by the friends of Engle. The matter was re- ferred to an examiner, but pending the hearing the contest was abandoned.
1882, Owen W. Yarnall, Benjamin F. Pretty, Jesse Brooke.
County Treasurer .- In the early time the office of county treasurer appears to have been a gift at the disposal of the commissioners and assessors, and it must have been remunerative other than the salary or commissions attached to the office, for John Taylor, in 1741, offers to perform the duties of the office " without bringing any charge against the county," and the same year two other patriots, Joseph Brinton and Joshua Thomas, also offered to serve the public gratis. Brinton, who was the incumbent, succeeded in retaining the position. In 1790, when the board of assessors ceased to be, the commissioners adopted the plan of appointing the outgoing commissioner county treasurer, or, as it was then called, the com- missioner's treasurer, and continued generally to ob- serve that rule until 1838, when under the Constitu- tion of 1837, the office was made elective.
The following is the list of county treasurers of the old county of Chester :
1695, Jeremiah Collett; 1697-1702, Walter Martin ; 1704, Caleb Pusey ; 1706-9, Walter Martin; 1720-23, Henry Pierce; 1724-26, Philip Taylor ; 1740-46, Joseph Brintou ; 1756-60, Robert Miller ; 1761-64, Humphrey Marshall; 1765, Jesse Maris, Jr. ; 1766-69, Lewis Davis; 1770-76, James Gibbons; 1770-72, Richard Thomas ; 1775, Philip Taylor ; 1775-77, John Brinton ; 1778, Thomas Levis ; 1779, William Evans; 1780, Persifor Frazer (March 22d) ; 1781, David Cloyd ; 1785, Andrew Boyd and David Cloyd: 1786-87, William Evans ; 1788, An- drew Boyd.
TREASURERS OF THE COUNTY OF DELAWARE.
1790, Edward Richards: 1799, Seth Thomas; 1806, Joshua Lewis; 1809, John Thompson ; 1812, Robert Fairlamb ; 1815, John Thompson ; 1822, Robert Fairlamb ; 1825, John Russell ; 1827, Homer Eachus ; 1830, William Eyre; 1833, Oborn Levis ; 1835, Samuel T. Walker; 1838, William Eyre ; 1839, Davis Beaumont ; 1840, William Eyre; 1840, William Eyre, Jr. (unexpired term of William Evra) ; 1841, John Miller; 1844, Richard F. Worrell; 1846, Benjamin F. John- Bon ; 1848, Marshall Eachus; 1850, Edmund Taylor ; 1852, Samnel Dutton; 1854, Joseph H. Hinkson; 1856, Jackson Lyons ; 1858, Charles R. Williamson ; 1860, Charles Johnson ; 1862, David R. Ralston ; 1864, William Hinkson ; 1866, William H. Eves; 1868, William F. Mathews ; 1870, John J. Hoopes ; 1872, John D. How- ard ; 1874, Alvin Baldwin ; 1876, Henry B. Taylor; 1879, William P. Yarnall; 1882, Stephen Clowd, Jr.
Directors of the Poor .- The early settlers were not unmindful of their duty in providing for the sick, in- firm, and destitute, who could not care for themselves. At a court held on the sixth day of Eleventh month, 1684, it was
"Ordered that ye Inhabitance of Concord, Bethel aud Chichester meet on the 3rd day of the next weeka att Henry Renolds to conferre together how to Provide a maintainance for Miriam Thomson and her child."
The court, on March 25th of each year, appointed for the several townships two persons, who were to act as overseers of the poor in the township where they resided, and such persons were usually selected from the wealthiest men in the locality. The court records are filled with cases respecting the settlement of paupers, hence to avoid much of that contention the act of May 31, 1718, was passed, to define the law governing residence of those persons needing relief from the public. This act required that all persons who should be receiving public assistance, including the wives and children of such pauper, if residing with him, "Shall upon the Shoulder of the right Sleeve of the upper Garment of every such Person in an open and visible manner, wear such a Badge or Mark as is hereinafter mentioned and expressed, That is to say, a large Roman (P) together with the first Letter of the Name of the County, City or Place whereof such Person is an Inhabitant, cut either in red or blue Cloth, as the Overseers of the Poor it shall be directed or appointed."
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