History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 75

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

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tained, occurs in a deed dated Nov. 16, 1785, whereby Abraham Pennell conveyed to his brother, Dell Pen- nell, a tract of ground " whereon is erected an iron forge." That this forge was built subsequent to 1750 is evident from the return of John Owens, sheriff of Chester County, who, on the 24th of June in that year, made report to the Governor in relation to the iron-works in this county. In 1780 the forge was as- sessed to Dell Pennell, and doubtless operated by him until 1802, when it was conducted by William Speer and Joseph Churchman. The land whereon it stood was part of a large tract to which the father of Abraham and Dell Pennell for many years had title. The deed to Dell Pennell conveyed to him two bun- dred acres in Middletown and one hundred acres in Aston townships, "whereon is erected an iron forge, with the full and free liberty and privilege of raising the water of the forge dam within four inches of the top of the figures 1785, and an auger hole in a rock on the northwest side of the dam." Dell Pennell, on May 21, 1802, conveyed to Nathan Sharpless the right to use the waters of Chester Creek for the use of Sharpless' "grist-mill dam, where it now stands, and has long stood across the creek above our Forge dam." On the same day Nathan Sharpless and Rachel, his wife, granted to Dell Pennell the "right of an abutment on our land where the old forge dam now stands and has long stood across Chester Creek, and to repair and rebuild from time to time, and at all times, said dam so as to raise the water therein as high as is expressed in the deed from Abraham Pen- nell and Hannah, his wife, to the said Dell Pennell," which refers to the figures 1785 and the auger-hole in the rock. The day after these grants were made, May 22, 1802, Dell Pennell sold to George Chandler the iron-works and eight acres of land. The latter seems not to have operated the forge, but Abraham Sharpless and Francis Wisley conducted the business there, at least they did in 1807, and on July 21, 1808, when Chandler sold to Thomas Odiorne, a merchant of Malden, Middlesex Co., Mass.,-a relative of the Wilcox family,-that certain messuage, iron-works, etc., and eight acres of ground. In 1809 the nail-mill was built. After the sale to Thomas Odiorne, Capt. Henry Moore, of Portsmouth, N. H., took charge of the works, and continued there until after the death of Thomas Odiorne, the elder, and in the settlement of the estate Thomas Odiorne, the younger, on Aug. 28, 1815, conveyed his interest in the property to George Odiorne, of Boston, for five thousand six hun- dred dollars, and the same day George Odiorne sold to his brother-in-law, Capt. Henry Moore,-the latter had married Ann Odiorne,-in consideration of fifteen thousand dollars, all his right in the real estate, con- sisting of eight acres fifteen perches, "with the mes- suages, iron- and nail-works, and other buildings thereon erected," and the right of water and to build dams, together with his interest in twenty and three- fourth acres of land. To these mills Capt. Moore

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

gave the name "Old Sable Works." In 1830, when William McCracken began work there, Capt. Moore's establishments consisted of a nail-slitting and roll- ing-mill, as also a grist- and cotton-mill. The nail- mill was located on the island where the unoccupied stone mill now stands, and was in Middletown. The grist-mill was in Aston, adjoining the rolling- and slitting-mill, and had been built by Capt. Moore about 1827. The iron ore and coal used in smelting was hauled to the mills from Chester and Marcus Hook, to which places those articles were brought in shallops. Richard S. Smith, of Philadelphia, who acted as Moore's agent for the sale of nails manufac- tured by him, had advanced large sums of money to Moore, and on May 23, 1832, the latter conveyed the estate to Smith to secure him for the advances, with the understanding that the property would be recon- veyed on payment of the sums due. In 1833, Moore failed, and the estate passed absolutely to Smith. Capt. Moore, previous to 1826, had built on the site of the forge a stone cotton-mill, four stories and an attic in height. - Lewis and John S. Phillips oper- ated the cotton-weaving factory from the time it was erected until some years after the property was pur- chased by Smith. They gave place to Henry Burt and - Kerlin, who operated it until the spring of 1843, when they became embarrassed and made an as- signment. The grist-mill was in that year occupied by Henry Gorman. The mills lay idle nearly a year, when they were rented to Barnard McCready, who purchased them in 1845, and the following year he was an exhibitor at the National Fair, at Washing- ton, and received special mention for the printed cotton goods he made. He erected a spinning-mill adjoining the old factory (now changed into dwelling- bouses), and continued to conduct the business until his death, when he was succeeded by bis son, Thomas, and his son-in-law, Robert Ewing. It was subse- quently leased for ten years to John G. Steen & Samuel Riddle, and at the expiration of that term was purchased by Alexander Balfour, and operated by him for a short period, when it was sold to Samuel Riddle. The cotton-mill which stood on the site of the old forge was entirely consumed by fire on May 20, 1873. It was then operated by Whittaker & Lewis in the manufacture of cotton yarn.

The old forge-dam stood about twenty feet above the bridge at Glen Riddle, and was removed by Sam- uel Riddle in 1875. Two thousand feet above the forge-dam was that of the Sharpless Mill. The present dam at Rockdale was built in 1845.

The other works of Barnard McCready were located in Middletown, and their story will be told in the his- tory of that township.

Thatcher's Tilt-Mill .- Previous to 1811 there was a tilt-mill situated on Chester Creek above Grubb's Bridge, and near Wawa Station, the junction of the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad and the Baltimore Central Railroad, which was owned and

operated by Joseph Thatcher. The land whereon it was located had been selected, doubtless, with an eye to its admirable water-power by Caleb Pusey, the noted miller of early colonial days. In 1812, Enos Thatcher had control of the works, and in 1815 the firm became Thomas & Enos Thatcher. The stimu- lating effect of the war with England caused an ex- tension of the business, but with the return of peace it, as with all manufacturing industries, became pre- carious, hence it is with no astonishment we find it recorded in 1826 that the "tilt- and blade-mill," owned and occupied by Thomas Thatcher, had not been "much used in times past." Nevertheless, the last named, through good and bad times, retained the ownership of the mill until his death, in 1840. Indeed, at that time there was a stone tilt-mill, forty by forty- one feet, with four fires, two of which were blown by water-power, a new wheel having been built for that purpose, to which a lathe could be attached, as well as grindstones and polishing-wheels. Near by the mill was also a coachmaker's shop, twenty-five by thirty-seven feet, and two stories in height. In 1841, Joseph and Isaac Thatcher were engaged in making at that mill " scycloidal" self-sharpening plows. In the flood of 1843 this tilt-mill, belonging to the heirs of Thomas Thatcher, was swept away by the water, nothing being found after the rushing current had subsided but the tilt-hammer and the grindstone. In 1852, John W. Thatcher carried on blacksmithing and coach-building near by for several years. The property is still in the ownership of the family, John Thatcher being the present proprietor.

Lenni Mills .- Thomas Griffith, on Jan. 2, 1797, con- veyed to John Lungren, paper manufacturer of Upper Providence, a tract of land containing one hundred and sixty-seven acres, on which was " a messuage and mill-seat." This land was described as situated in Aston, along Chester Creek, adjoining lands of John Rattew, Levi Mattson, and otber lands of Thomas Griffith. It was stipulated in the deed that Lungren was to have the right to "use the water of a small run, which at present empties itself into the race be- longing to the saw-mill formerly existing upon the premises," which right was especially granted for " the mill in contemplation to be shortly erected by the said John Lungren for the manufacture of paper upon a part of the premises hereby intended to be granted." The same day, Jan. 2, 1797, Jonathan Pennell, blacksmith, conveyed to John Lungren "all rights to adjoin or abut the dam which will belong to the mill called a Paper-Mill, intended shortly to be built by the said John Lungren." The lands of Jonathan Pennell were on the opposite or east side of Chester Creek, in Middletown township. The paper-mill was erected in 1798, and was assessed in Aston township in 1799. The dam built at the time the mill was put up had become so decayed in 1815 that a new dam was constructed to take the place of the first. John Lungren continued to operate this

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mill until his death, about 1816, when the property descended to his sons, Charles and William Lungren. The latter rented the premises for several years, and in 1825 sold the estate to Peter Hill, who built a cot- ton-mill thereon thirty-five by fifty-five feet, three stories in height, and the same year conveyed the estate to William Martin and Joseph W. Smith. It was the new proprietor who gave to the locality the name it now bears,-Lenni,-for William Martin, who operated the factory, called it Lenni Mills. At that time the paper-mill-two vats-was operated by John B. Duckett, who manufactured weekly sixty reams of quarto-post paper and thirty-three reams of printing-paper. Martin indorsed heavily for a friend. The latter carried Martin with him in his bankruptcy, and on Aug. 25, 1827, the premises were sold by the sheriff, Mrs. Ann Sellers, the mother-in-law of Peter Hill, becoming the purchaser, as trustee of Hannah S. Hill, her daughter. David Lamotte & Sons thereupon rented the mill. It appears that a new factory was erected on the property, for on Dec. 30, 1845, a stone mill and drying-house at Lenni took fire, and was entirely consumed. The mill had been used as a store-house and machine-shop, and at the time of its destruction did not contain a large stock of goods. The following year, May, 1846, Lamotte exhibited " Ashland tickings," made by him at the Lenni Mills, at the National Fair, Washington, D. C., which article received special mention. In 1850, Peter Hill died, and Lamotte removed from Lenni to Wilmington, Del., where he died, Sept. 20, 1877, aged ninety-six years. The mills were then rented to Gen. Robert Patterson, and the stone mansion- house erected by John Lungren was occupied by Robert L. Martin, Patterson's agent. In 1873, Jo- seph Kenworthy became the superintendent of the Lenni Mills, aud continued there until 1882, when they were closed. They are now idle. The road leading from Lenni Mills to Lenni is still called the Lungren road.

Crozerville Mills .- The land on which the Crozer- ville mill now stands was owned in 1810 by John Rattew, having been in the possession of his ances- tors for three generations. On December 24th of that year he entered into an article of agreement with Isaac Bottomley, a clothier of Concord, granting on certain conditions ten acres of land on Chester Creek, "touching both branches so as to take in a mill-seat." On this tract Isaac Bottomley erected a woolen-mill, and on July 1, 1811, John and Thomas Bottomley, also clothiers of Concord, purchased from Isaac Bot- tomley an interest in the business and the agreement with Rattew. On Jan. 25, 1812, John Rattew con- veyed the title of the property to Isaac, John, and Thomas Bottomley. During the second war with England the factory made considerable money for its owners, but with the return of peace the shrinkage in values embarrassed the Bottomley Brothers, and the difficulties were increased by the death of John and

Thomas at different times. By various proceedings in court the title to the property was finally vested in the survivor, Isaac Bottomley. Innumerable troubles crossed his path until he could stem the tide no longer, and on April 2, 1824, Sheriff Joseph Weaver, Jr., sold the personal property in the factory. The machines thus disposed of consisted of "one carding machine, one spinning Billy of forty spindles, two spinning Jennys, one of eighty and the other of forty spindles, one Picker, three weaving Looms, with reeds and gears, and other articles not enumerated." This fac- tory was noted in its days, hence we publish the list of machinery contained therein that it may be seen how vast is the change sixty years has wrought in manufacturing in our county. On the 2d of April, 1826, Isaac Bottomley sold the real estate to John B. Duckett, which sale included the mill and fourteen acres of land. Duckett at the time he purchased the property was operating a small paper-mill on the Lenni estate (already mentioned), then owned by William Martin and Joseph W. Smith. Shortly after the purchase Duckett built a paper-mill, thirty by eighty-six feet, three stories in height, on this site, taking the power to drive the machinery from the West Branch. In 1837, he having failed, the mill property was transferred to the Bank of Delaware County, at which time there was on the estate, be- sides the mill, a mansion-house, nine tenements, and a store building. In 1838 that institution conveyed the property to John P. Crozer, who in the following year erected the present stone mill, fifty-three by one hundred and fifty-six feet, and three stories in height. Mr. Crozer operated this mill until his death, in 1866, when it was conducted by Samuel A. Crozer for one year, at the expiration of which time he associated Samuel C. Lewis in the business under the firm-name of Crozer & Lewis. In 1875, Mr. Lewis withdrew from the firm, and Crozer conducted it till 1881, when he rented the mill to his son-in-law, the present proprietor, William H. H. Robinson. The difference of the two periods in the development of our manu- facturing interest is noticeable when we contrast the number of spindles used by Isaac Bottomley, one hundred and sixty, and find that the present mill to- day requires five thousand in the manufacture of cotton yarns exclusively.

West Branch Cotton Mills .- Between 1790 and 1795, Aaron Mattson built a stone mill, on the west branch of Chester Creek, which he operated as a paper-mill until 1824, when, becoming involved, the premises were taken in execution, and on Dec. 6, 1824, was sold by the sheriff to John P. Crozer. The lat- ter, in speaking of this estate, says, "I bought the little mill-seat with an old rickety building and over one hundred and eighty acres of land, for seven thou- sand three hundred and thirty dollars. My kind brother, J. Lewis, again aided me in raising the money. I mortgaged to Thomas Woodward for four thousand dollars and borrowed the balance as best I

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

could, with J. Lewis' security. This was in the autumn of 1824, and I was to have possession in the spring of 1825, at which time I removed."1 Mr. Crozer changed the paper-mill into a cotton-factory, and in 1826 had there ten carding engines of twenty-four inches, thirteen hundred and thirty-eight spindles, on which he spun eleven hundred pounds of cotton-yarn per week. At that time there were dwelling houses on the estate for nine families. In the noted flood of 1843 the eastern end of the factory was carried away, with the size-house, water-wheel, many looms, and the dry-house, containing yarns and goods valued at sev- eral thousand dollars. In 1846, John P. Crozer ex- hibited ticking at the National Fair, Washington, and the goods received special mention. At West Branch, Mr. Crozer continued to reside until May, 1847, when, having completed his dwelling at Up- land, he removed thither. The West Branch Mill, however, remained in the ownership of the Crozer family until 1882, when it was sold to John B. Rhodes, who now owns and operates it.

Pennellton (Bridgewater) Mills .- In 1826 the site of these mills was known only as a mill-seat, and it was not until 1845 that Isaac Morgan built a stone cotton-factory forty by forty-five feet, and four stories in height, to which he gave the name " Pennellton," in honor of Hannah Pennell, his wife. The first oc- cupant of the Pennellton Mill was Edward Leigh, who carried on cotton-spinning and weaving therein from 1846 to 1850, when he was succeeded in the same business by Charles and Joseph Kenworthy, from 1851 to 1855. They in turn gave place to - Lewis, and he to John Campbell, of Philadelphia. The latter relinquished the mill to Patrick Kelley, who man- ufactured a grade of goods known as "Powhattan," which became noted in the market, and in a few years made him comparatively wealthy; so much so that, desiring to retire in December, 1863, he sold his entire interest in the business and machinery to Hugh Shaw and David Reese Esrey, who remained at the Pennellton Mills until the summer of 1866, when, having built Powhattan Mill, No. 1, in North Chester, the old factory on Chester Creek was purchased from Isaac Morgan by Joseph Willcox & Co., who changed it to a paper-mill, and gave it the present name, " Bridgewater." In January, 1872, Samuel Haigh & Co., of Philadelphia, purchased the estate and changed it to a woolen-factory, and have operated it from that date. The mill contains five sets of sixty- inch cards, four sell-factory mules, three thousand one hundred and nine spindles, and other necessary machinery. The original mill has been enlarged by an addition to the western end. The mills are now known as the Gladstone Mills, but the locality is still called Bridgewater.

Schools .- The history of schools in Aston is inter- esting, and can be traced in our annals certainly to the

year 1777, for Thomas Dutton used to relate that the day of the battle of Brandywine-he was then nine years of age-the pupils had assembled at the school as usual, but when the booming of the cannon at Chad's Ford, but a few miles distant, was heard, the aged mas- ter, James Rigby, dismissed the scholars, saying, " Go home, children; I can't keep school to-day " After the English troops had withdrawn from the neighbor- hood of Village Green, doubtless the school resumed its sessions ; but of that fact we have no positive evi- dence. The presumption is, however, that at the be- ginning of this century no building especially de- signed for school purposes had been erected in that township. This fact seems to be established from the deed dated May 11, 1802, by which Samuel Hewes, of Aston, conveyed to William Pennell and Thomas Dutton, of the same township, "for the use of a school, a house thereon to be built," a lot of land comprising an acre, which was part of a tract of fifty- nine acres which Thomas Goodwin had sold, Nov. 1, 1799, to Hewes. This lot was to be held "in trust and for the use of a school, a house to be built thereon for the use, benefit, and behoof of the subscribers to- wards building said house." The names of such sub- scribers were annexed in a schedule to the original deed,-that part of it is not on record in the recorder's office,-which trust was to continue for the heirs and assigns of the parties therein named, and in case it should at any time be deemed proper to sell the lot and school-house, it was provided that the trustees for the time being could convey a fee-simple title to the purchaser, after such sale had been authorized by the majority vote of the subscriber, the purchase money to be divided in proportion to the amount contributed by each subscriber. The building thus erected was known as the octagon school-house, at Village Green, and therein, about 1820, James Mc- Mullen was the pedagogue. In 1836, after the Pub- lic School Act had gone into effect and the board of directors for Aston township was organized, the old school-house passed into the possession of the town- ship, and on Sept. 30, 1836, a school was opened there, Nicholas F. Walter being employed as teacher in the lower room at a salary of twenty-five dollars per month, and Mrs. Moore was appointed teacher in the upper room.

At first the school law was not looked upon with favor by the residents of Aston, for at the election held at the Seven Stars in 1834, at which the question was submitted of raising a school fund, the vote stood forty-one against twelve in the affirmative. At a meet- ing of the school board, held on May 6, 1836, after the act of that year had become a law, Richard S. Smith, who had been appointed a delegate to the convention, held at Chester, on the 2d of the same month, re- ported that a tax of seven thousand five hundred dol- lars had been levied in the county by the school directors, and a meeting of the people was ordered to be held in the several townships on the 17th of May,

1 Biographical Sketch of John P. Crozer, written by himself, p. 66.

"WAWA."

RESIDENGE OF EDWARD WORTH.

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ASTON TOWNSHIP.

to make such township appropriations as would secure the State and county appropriation for school pur- poses. It was decided at this meeting of the board to add a sum of two-thirds of a county rate, which amounted to five hundred dollars, and on May 17th the question as to the sum was submitted to a popular vote, which resulted in the measure being adopted, fifty-eight votes for to nine against the measure.

On June 10, 1836, a proposition was made to secure the building known as Martin's school-house, and the owners agreed to rent it at two dollars per month. The directors, on June 16th, consented to accept the offer, on condition that a list of the contributors should be furnished the board, so that the proportional share of the rent could be paid to each of the contributors. It was also determined that an effort should be made to obtain possession of the school-house then being erected by John P. Crozer at West Branch, as well as the house expected to be built at Rockdale, for the school term. The proposition looking to the occu- pancy of the Stony Bank school-house was accepted, and on Sept. 3, 1836, it was ordered by the board that John Sharpless should be asked to deliver the key of that building. This school-house was built on a lot containing two acres and four-tenths of a perch of land, which Thomas Pennell, on March 9, 1796, had con- veyed for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, to Daniel Sharpless, of Middletown, Abraham Sharp- less, Emmor Williamson, and Jacob Pyle, of Aston, on the payment of twenty pounds Pennsylvania money, and a "yearly rent of one American cent, if demanded," the grantees promising to erect " a good & sufficient stone school-house of the dimensions and form as shall be agreed on by such persons as shall subscribe for that purpose." It was opened for tuition by the directors of the public school on Oct. 31, 1836, for a period of six months. Previous thereto the di- rectors finding the building was much out of repair, twenty dollars was appropriated to put it in condition for public use. The school board also by resolution agreed to accept the children of contributors of the old Village Green and Stony Bank schools, on the payment of two hundred and twenty-five dollars per quarter to the board of directors for the township.

Martin's school-house was subsequently known as the Logtown school, and the latter name in 1880 was changed to Chester Heights school, its present title. A school being required at Rockdale, the board di- rected that a suitable building should be obtained there for that purpose, if possible, and Richard S. Smith, a director, offered to give the use of a house there rent free, " provided it is left in as good condi- tion as the Board finds it." This offer was accepted, and the dwelling standing back of the present " Moun- tain House" became the first public school at that point, L. White Williams being the first teacher. This building had been used as a school during Henry Moore's ownership of the land. In 1853 the Aston public school, the present building, was erected at

Rockdale; in 1880 the school-house at Llewellyn was built. Messrs. Haigh & Co., in the fall of the year 1875, offered to give an acre of ground at Bridge- water as the site for a school-house, but for some reason these gentlemen and the directors did not come to a definite understandiog until June, 1879, when the offer was accepted, and a brick building erected on the ground thus donated.

The following is a list of the school directors of Aston township :

1840, Samuel A. Barton, John Garsed; 1842, Mark Pennell, Stephen Hall ; 1843, Mahlon Monsell, George Thompson ; 1844, Jamee Mc- Mullen, Stephen Hell; 1845, John W. Thetcher, Thomas Martin ; 1846, George Thompson, Edwin Hannum ; 1847, Thomas Williamson, Andrew W. Mathuee; 1848, Thomas Martin, John Dutton; 1849, Edward Hannum, James W. McCracken ; 1850, Samuel B. Hall, Nicholas F. Walter; 1851, Samuel R. Hall, Thomas Martin ; 1852, James McCracken, Edwin Hanoum; 1853, Nicholae F. Walter, Wil- liam Hennum; 1854, George Thompson, James Bleyler; 1855, George Thompson, Edwin Hannum; 1856, Elwood Tyson, William Burne; 1857, James W. McCracken, Phineas Dicson; 1858, Andrew W. Mathews, J. Hervey Barton; 1859, John B. Rhodes, Robert L. Mer- tin ; 1860, George Yarnall, Robert L. Martin; 1861, Edwin Hannum, James W. McCracken; 1862, William Browu, Jamee Bleyler; 1863, Charles Hart, William Brown ; 1864, William McCracken, Benjamin Crowther ; 1865, Edwin Hannum, Thomas Swayne; 1866, Thomas Pancoast, Elwood Tyson; 1867, Thobias Pancoast, Lewis Martin; 1868, William G. Davidson, William F. Mathews; 1869, C. C. V. Crawford, William Carson ; 1870, Judge Tyson, John Neal : 1871, John B. Rhodes, Samuel A. Crozer; 1872, Charles W. Mathues, James W. McCracken ; 1873, C.C. V. Crawford, C. R. Heyburn ; 1874, John D. Kiser, Samuel K. Crozer; 1875, S. A. Fields, C. W. Mathuee; 1876, C. C. V. Crawford, Caleh R. Heyburn ; 1877, Samuel A. Field, Jamee W. McCracken; 1878, Samuel H. Hall, John B. Neal; 1879, S. M. Challenger, C. R. Heybarn; 1880, Elwood Tyson, Joseph N. Scott ; 1881, Semuel Rhodes, Samuel K. Crozer; 1882, E. P. Han- num, Samuel Challenger; 1883, W. S. S. Gay, Robert Taylor; 1884, Caleb R. Heyburn, James C. McGraw.

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 75

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