History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 95

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

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On the 4th of July, 1876, F. J. Hinkson, Jr., de- livered the Centennial address at the celebration at Upland. Samuel 'A. Crozer read the Declaration of Independence.

The ancestors of Edmund Pennell were members of the Penn colony, and settled in Rockdale, Aston township, where they were owners of one thousand acres of valuable land. His grandfather was prob- ably William, whose children were William, James, Nathan, Thomas, Jonathan, and several daughters. The last-named son was born in Edgmont township, and in early life apprenticed to his brother-in-law as a blacksmith. He, in 1786, removed to Chester, and there followed his trade for many years. He married Sarah Hibberd, of Upper Darby township, whose children were two sons,-James and Henry Hale. By a second marriage to Ann Delaney, of Chester, were born children,-Edmund, and Jonathan who died in 1798, Sarah Ann, Edmund (2d), Sydney, Jon- athan (2d), Nathan, and several who died in early life. Edmund, the subject of this biography, was born April 22, 1802, in Chester, which has been his lifetime residence. After receiving such advantages of education as the schools of the day afforded he entered the shop of his father as an assistant, though not with a view to perfecting himself in the trade. Much of his attention was also given to the cultiva- tion of a farm in the suburbs of the borough. During the year 1835 he purchased a tract of land now em- braced within the limits of the South Ward of Ches- ter, and was for many years actively engaged as a farmer. On selling this land, in 1863, he made the city his permanent residence. Mr. Pennell was, in December, 1830, married to Miss Elizabeth J., daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth Price. Their children are Jonathan, Anna Elizabeth (Mrs. Charles C. Larkin), Charles D., Martha S. (Mrs. Joshua P. Eyre), Wil- liam, Mary C., and Edmund and Sally deceased. Mr. Pennell has been a leading spirit in the business development of Chester, as also in its growth and improvement. His father, who was an early director of the Delaware County Bank, was, at his death, suc- ceeded by his son, Edmund, who, on the adoption of the national system, became its first president, and filled the office of director for more than thirty years. He was early in his political career a Whig, and sub- sequently a Republican, having been, in 1846, elected county commissioner. During his official term of three years the county-seat was removed to Media, which was surveyed and plotted under his auspices. He has also served as a member of the borough council. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pennell are Orthodox Friends in their religious faith. In the winter of 1880 this venerable couple celebrated their golden wedding, which was the occasion of congratulations from a numerous assemblage of children, grandchil- dren, and friends.

The First National Bank .- After the national banking law went into effect, and as one of the sec- tions of the act required that all funds received by revenue officers and other collecting agents of the United States should be deposited in the First Na- tional Bank in the towns, cities, and districts wherein

Edm Pennell

John Larkin &

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THE CITY OF CHESTER.

such officers were authorized to act, it became an im- portant matter to secure the first charter for a na- tional bank in Chester, where, by reason of its manu- facturing interests, the United States revenue tax amounted to many thousands of dollars. Hence, on Feb. 25, 1863, Samuel M. Felton, Thomas Reaney, Sammuel Archbold, Benjamin Gartside, Amos Gart- side, Abraham R. Perkins, L. T. Rutter, Samuel Ec- cles, Jr., Jacob Sinex, John Gartside, and William Ward signed articles of association for a national bank, to be located in Chester, and William Ward was dispatched to Washington to secure the charter. The bank was not regularly organized until May 15, 1864, when Abraham R. Perkins was elected presi- dent, William Taylor cashier, and a board of directors chosen, consisting of Abraham R. Perkins, Samuel M. Felton, Thomas Reaney, Benjamin Gartside, Sam- uel Archbold, Samuel Eccles, Jr., and William Ward. The seal of the bank had been agreed upon at a pre- vious informal meeting, when it was decided it should represent a steam-engine and power-loom, the distinc- tive industries of the city. On March 24, 1864, the bank purchased a house and lot at the southwest corner of Second and Penn Streets for thirty-four hundred dollars, and there, at the date already given, the First National Bank opened its doors to receive deposits and to conduct a general banking business. The location of the building was on a side street, away from the centre of trade, hence it was deter- mined to remove to auother and better situation when opportunity should offer. To that end, on Oct. 10, 1870, the present banking-house, immediately south of the town hall, on Market Street, was pur- chased from George Baker, the front removed, a ser- pentine-stone front substituted, and internally the structure was arranged to meet the requirements of a banking institution. On Jan. 18, 1871, the First National Bank began business at its new location, and the following day, January 19th, Abraham R. Perkins, having removed from Chester, and because of failing health resigned the presidency, to which position John Larkin, Jr., was elected on the 23d of the same month. The old banking-house on Penn Street was purchased by George Baker, and later sold to Orlando Harvey, who converted it into a dwelling- house. On May 26, 1884, Frank R. Palmer was elected cashier, William Taylor having resigned that office, which he had held since the incorporation of the bank. The present board of directors is as fol- lows: John Larkin, Jr., Benjamin Gartside, John Gartside, Mortimer H. Bickley, James Irving, Wil- liam B. Broomall, and William Haunum.

John Larkin, Jr., the president of the First Na- tional Bank, is one of four men to whom Chester is indebted for much of its present prosperity, the other three being John P. Crozer, James Campbell, and John M. Broomall.

John Larkin, the great-grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch, emigrated from England,

and was one of the earliest settlers in Delaware County. He had among his children a son, Joseph, whose son, John, married Martha Thomas, whose ancestors were of Welsh descent. Their son, John, was born Oct. 3, 1804, in Concord township, Delaware Co., and after limited advantages of the country schools, was em- ployed until twenty-one years of age upon his father's farm. He engaged in mercantile pursuits for one year at Chichester, and later for three years at Marcus Hook. He in 1832 purchased a freight-vessel and established a packet-line between Marcus Hook and Philadelphia, which was continued until 1839, when he sold the vessel, wharf, and business interest. He was elected sheriff of Delaware County in 1840, and on the expiration of his term removed to a farm of one hundred and fifty-five acres in Lower Chichester, upon which he had erected new and commodious buildings. During the years 1845 and 1846, he rep- resented his district in the State Legislature. Mr. Larkin, in 1848, made Chester his home, and the same year built two vessels and established a daily line of packets between that city and Philadelphia, the boats having previously run but twice a week. He in 1849 formed a copartnership with William Booth, under the firm-name of Booth & Larkin, for the purpose of running packets daily from Chester to Philadelphia in the interest of the coal and lumber business. The firm enjoyed a prosperous career until 1852, when the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Larkin's attention was directed to real-estate opera- tions consequent upon the exchange, in 1850, of his farm for eighty-three acres in the North Ward of Chester, formerly used as a race-course. This prop- erty was at once laid out in streets aud the lots sold for building purposes. In 1854 he entered into a contract to erect for Abram Blakeley a cotton-mill of any dimensions, which contract was completed before the specified time, and adequately illustrates the energy and business capacity of the subject of this sketch. He also erected, the same year, twenty-two dwellings, and by the large sale of lots was enabled to carry out to the fullest extent the various benefi- cent enterprises he had projected. This movement, which gave a decided impetus to Chester and its man- ufacturing interests, was followed by the erection of a total of one hundred and forty-six dwellings and thirteen manufacturing establishments of various kinds. Mr. Larkin, in 1881, sold the last unim- proved building-lot, and thus disposed of the eighty- three acres he originally acquired. In 1870 he pur- chased a tract of land at Marcus Hook, containing twenty-three acres, which was at once laid out iu streets and building-lots. On this he erected sixty dwellings, two machine-shops, two foundries, and a large hosiery-mill. He has been actively identified with the municipal interests of Chester, was for eleven years a member of the Borough Council, and for six years president of that body. On its incorpo- ration as a city, in 1866, he was chosen its first mayor,

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

and held the office for six consecutive years, refusing to receive a salary for his services. He was one of the originators of the Chester Rural Cemetery, and for years president of the association. He was also one of the founders of the Chester Mutual Insurance Company, and has been its president since the begin- ning of its business operations. He has also been, since 1871, president of the First National Bank of Chester. Mr. Larkin was in 1827 married to Miss Charlotte, daughter of Capt. Erasmus Morton, to whom were born children, Charles C., Caroline (Mrs. John M. Broomall), John M. (deceased), Lewis M., Nathan, Francis, Henry, Mary (Mrs. Thomas Gil- bert). Mrs. Larkin died in 1847, and he was again married to Miss Mary A., daughter of William Baggs, whose children are Clarence and Ella (Mrs. Richard Wetherill). Mrs. Larkin's death occurred in 1877.

The Chester National Bank .- This institution, under the above title, was chartered as a national bank March 1, 1884, and began business as such on the 1st day of April thereafter. Samuel A. Dyer was chosen president; Samnel H. Leeds, cashier; and a board of directors elected, consisting of J. Frank Black, Robert Wetherill, Hugh Shaw, Charles B. Houston, William Appleby, George B. Lindsay, Jonathan Pennell, H. B. Black, and Samuel A. Dyer. Its career has been one of marked success, its business being largely in excess of that which its founders an- ticipated. The banking-house is located on West Third Street near Market Square, a handsome granite building, which was erected in 1873 by Samuel A. Dyer and William Appleby for a private banking office, to which afterwards large additions and im- provements were made. In 1875, William Appleby retired from the firm, and the business was continued by Col. Dyer until it was finally merged into the Chester National Bank.

The Chester Library .- By the record of the old Library Company of Chester, it appears, "a number of the most considerable inhabitants of the borough having from time to time had in consideration the good consequences that would result from the erection of a public library in the said borough for the promo- tion of useful knowledge, did at length proceed to enter into articles for the forming themselves into a company for that purpose, agreeable to which articles they met on the tenth day of May, Anno Domini, 1769, in order to pay in the sum of money proposed to be advanced hy each member, and to elect and chuse proper officers for the more effectual carrying their design into execution. At which time were chose : Directors-Henry Hale Graham, Elisha Price, David Jackson, Nicholas Fairlamb, Thomas Moore; Treasurer, Thomas Sharpless; Secretary, Peter Steele."

Previous to this meeting preliminary affairs had been adjusted, for on the 14th day of February, 1769, an explicit agreement, entitled " Articles of the Li- brary Company of Chester," had been adopted, signed

and sealed, the latter marks with a scrawl of a pen, but the first sixteen names had attached to each a veritable wax seal, stamped with the armorial bear- ings of Henry Hale Graham, "That for distinction sake," the old agreement declares, " the subscribers in company, now and hereafter at all Times, are and shall be called the Library Company of Chester." The subscribers obligated themselves each to pay thirty shillings to raise a fund for the purchase of books. At no time should the number of subscribers exceed one hundred, and no one could be a share- holder unless he had subscribed to the articles of as- sociation. Each and every subscriber was required yearly to pay seven shillings and sixpence, a neglect to do so being punishable with a fine, and at the end of two years, if such shareholder was still in default, he should " therefrom forever after be excluded from the said partnership," and his share forfeited. The association was to continue " for and during the space of one hundred years," and the books and effects of the company should remain "the indistinguishable property of all the members."

The books in the library were loaned to subscribers for designated periods, according to the size of the volume, and a note was required to be given con- ditioned for the payment of twice the value of the book in case of its loss. On the 6th of September, 1769, the directors and officers of the company met "at Joseph Ogden's, in Philadelphia, to purchase books," which was done. The library was kept in Francis Ruth's house, and he was directed "to make a press of dimensions at least sufficient to contain the said books," for which he was to be paid forty shil- lings. On Aug. 10, 1770, it was ordered after "the next purchase of books a set of compleat catalogues shall be printed at the expense of the Company, and each member shall be entitled to one for his own use." On Nov. 10, 1770, Henry Hale Graham, Elisha Price, and Hugh Lloyd were instructed to buy books "with what money is in bank." At that date Ruth had not furnished the " press," and he was fined for his neg- lect, and informed that if it was not done in three weeks he would be fined seven shillings and sixpence. He finished it, and on May 25, 1771, complained that the price for which he had agreed to make it was too low, whereupon the directors allowed him three pounds, out of which, however, they deducted his fines, and the cost of a book, "The Husband," which he could not account for. The treasurer paid him one pound thirteen shillings and ten pence. Prior to May 15, 1775, the library was removed to the old school- house at Fifth and Welsh Streets, and a board parti- tion separated the place where the books were kept from the other part of the room. During the Revo- lution there appear to have been but few business meetings of the company, the last one held May 20, 1775, and the next occurring May 10, 1780. Interest had been lost in the association, and on Aug. 1, 1789, it was discussed whether the company should not

381

THE CITY OF CHESTER.

disband and the books and other property be dis- tributed among the members, but it was decided that no such action could be had without an act of the Legislature. The company dragged thereafter. On Aug. 22, 1835, the books had been removed to the town hall, a frame structure covering half of the market-house, which stood in Market Square, com- prising one room about twenty feet square. The old frame town hall is now owned by J. Edward Clyde, having been removed to Fifth Street east of Market when the market-house was torn down, in 1857, and is now a Chinese laundry. When the building was demolished the library was temporarily placed in a room in the old court-house, remaining there until 1866, when it was removed to the office of Joseph Taylor, in National Hall. In 1840 the title of the association was changed to "The Chester Li- brary Company" by act of Assembly, but the ancient " partnership" had become so enfeebled by its weight of years that it could not be recuperated, so that when in January, 1871, it was removed to a room in the second story of the Farmers' Market, on Fourth Street, it was laid away to accumulate dust on its unused volumes, and that such an association ex- ists in this city has been almost forgotten.

Holly Tree Hall, on the north side of Seventh Street west of Edgmont Avenue, is a brick building containing on the upper floor a large audience-room capable of seating over six hundred persons, hand- somely fitted and arranged for lectures and public entertainments, while on the lower floor is a commo- dious library and reading-room, and a large apart- ment specially furnished for the use of Miss Laura J. Hard's Bible-class. In the front there are two rooms leased for store purposes. Holly Tree Hall is the outgrowth of an attempt of Miss Hard to provide a resort where workingmen and females might assemble in the evening for conversation and reading. To this end she labored diligently, succeeding in enlisting the public in the enterprise. Money and books were do- nated, and in January, 1873, three rooms were leased over H. B. Taylor's hardware store, on Third Street near Market Square, and the " Mechanics' Reading-Room" opened to the public. The apartments soon became too small to meet the demand made upon them, and it was determined to erect a building adapted to the purposes intended. A charter was obtained from the court, stock was issued, and in May, 1877, the present building was built. There are nearly two thousand volumes on the shelves of the institution, the books being free to all who may visit the library, but can only be taken therefrom by stockholders, and the reading-room is well supplied with daily newspapers of Philadelphia, the local press, and current stand- ard American periodicals. The officers of the as- sociation are Hugh Shaw, president ; George B. Lindsay, secretary ; and Miss Laura Hard, treasurer.

Chester Institute of Science .- A call for a meet- ing of citizens to consider the advisability of forming

an Institute of Science was issued on Feb. 26, 1882, by Thomas Moore, Adam C. Eckfeldt, and Dr. F. R. Graham. Mr. Moore had long been interested in the matter, and it was through his efforts that the first steps towards a formal organization were taken. On Thursday, March 2, 1882, the following gentlemen as- sembled at the office of D. M. Johnson, Esq. : Thomas Moore, Adam C. Eckfeldt, Dr. F. R. Graham, George Gilbert, Felix de Lannoy, Ward R. Bliss, Henry B. Taylor, Dr. R. H. Milner, D. M. Johnson, Dr. C. W. Perkins, Henry Palmer, Dr. C. W. de Lannoy, and B. F. Morley. Adam C. Eckfeldt was called to the chair, and Dr. De Lannoy was made secretary. Great in- terest was shown in the matter, and, after some gen- eral discussion of the subject, a committee, consisting of Ward R. Bliss, Thomas Moore, and Dr. De Lan- noy, was appointed to draft a constitution and by- laws.

A second meeting was held at the Armory, on Friday, March 10th. George Gilbert was called to the chair, and Capt. B. F. Morley appointed secre- tary. A constitution was adopted, and under it an election was held, April 14th, and the following per- manent officers were chosen : President, George Gil- bert; Vice-Presidents, Adam C. Eckfeldt, Professor F. de Lannoy ; Secretary, Thomas W. Scott ; Treasurer, Thomas Moore ; Librarian, Henry B. Taylor ; Man- agers, Dr. Ellwood Harvey, Henry Greenwood, M. Louise Clancy, Dr. R. H. Milner, and Dr. C. W. de Lannoy.

Thomas W. Scott, secretary, resigned November 10th, and John Miller was elected in his stead. Upon the removal of the latter from the State, Charles St. J. McKee was made secretary on Feb. 9, 1883. Owing to business engagements Mr. McKee resigned, and Frank R. Gilbert became secretary on the 9thı of November.

At the first stated meeting, on April 14, 1882, D. M. Johnson, Esq., Hon. Y. S. Walter, and Thomas Lees were appointed a committee to procure a charter ; and on June 5th the society was incorporated by the Court under the title of the "Chester Institute of Science and Mechanic Arts." The members named as corpo- rators in the charter are as follows :

George Gilbert, Ellwood Harvey, Y. S. Walter, Thomas Moore, F. de Lannoy, H. B. Taylor, Thomas Lees, D. M. Johnson, Thomas W. Scott, Charles F. Foster, Thomas B. Robinson, Benjamin D. Johnson, Reuben Yarnall, J. L. Forwood, J. T. DeSilver, Clarence Larkin, Benjamin F. Baker, M. L. Clancy, Ward R. Bliss, and H. G. Ashmead.

The objects of the society are "to promote the dif- fusion of general and scientific knowledge among the members and the community at large, and the estab- lishment and maintenance of a Library, Historical Record, and a Museum."

A library of two or three hundred volumes is already collected. The museum, of several thousand specimens, has already reached such proportions as to

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

command much attention from visitors. The depart- ments of mineralogy, antiquities, entomology, numis- matics, etc., are well represented, and rapidly increas- ing in interest.

Early in the fall of 1882 it was deemed best to sup- plement the work of the monthly meetings by a series of weekly lectures and discussions. Under this ar- rangement there have been given before the institute, since its organization, over one hundred lectures and addresses by distinguished gentlemen from abroad or by its own members. Great interest has been shown in the meetings, and the constant donations and con- tinued applications for membership show that the society has a strong hold upon the people.

The regular meetings of the institute are held at Fourth and Market Streets on the second Friday of each month, except July and August, but through the fall, winter, and early spring meetings are held on every Friday evening. All meetings are open to the public.

It is, perhaps, worthy of record that the first suc- cessful course of lectures in Chester was held under the direction of the institute during 1883-84. Six- teen lectures were given, all of a high order of merit, by some of the most distinguished talent in the country.

The institute is only two years old, but it has a membership of over one hundred and fifty. It is in a sound financial condition, and its most active pro- moters include the ablest scientific and literary people of Chester. The society is a necessity, and it will therefore live and flourish.

Jefferson Library Association .- A number of persons living near the ship-yards of John Roach being desirous of having a library and reading-room in that section of the city, gathered together about the 1st of January, 1881, and organized an association with the above name. Arrangements were made to fit up the present room on Third Street below Kerlin, in the block belonging to the Fennel estate. About the 1st of March in that year, John Roach, Jr., donated to the association a number of very valuable books and several valuable pictures. Other donations followed, and as funds accumulated purchases of books, and at present the library has about five hun- dred volumes. The tables are also supplied with the papers and magazines of the day.

The rooms are opened every evening, and the membership is eighty-five.

The present officers are John B. Saunders, presi- dent; James Barroclough, secretary ; James Salter, librarian ; James P. Barr, treasurer.

The Post-Boy and Upland Union .- The history of the press in this city is a notable one, and perhaps no town in Pennsylvania of the same population has been the birthplace of as many newspaper enterprises as Chester. Its earliest publication was the Post-Boy, a weekly folio, fifteen and a half by nine and a half inches, owned and edited by Steuben Butler and Eliphalet B. Worthington, the editorial rooms and

printing-office being located in the Colbourn house, on Third Street, directly opposite Brown's Hotel, which is now being removed to erect on its site a large drug -- store and dwelling. The first number was issued Monday, Nov. 8, 1817, and bore the motto, "Intelli- gence is the life of liberty." The paper was edited, printed, and distributed through the county by post- riders; which was done by Worthington and William W. Doyle, then a small lad, who had entered the office as an apprentice. The second issue of the paper was changed to Friday. Little attention was paid to passing events, and save only a few advertisements of local interest it might have been published in Boston or New York. During the first months a solitary local item presented itself to the readers of the Post-Boy, and, as it is the first local incident recorded in a news- paper distinctively published in Delaware County, we reproduce it :

" A LIVE EEL .- An eel was caught in Chester Creek a few days since by Messrs. Sutton and Burk, which weighed six pounds, and was up- wards of two feet and six inches in length."

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 95

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