USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 22
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1 There appears to have been a review of this road the next year, and a still less intelligible return made by the Grand Jury, as follows, viz .: " that it shall go through John Nields field by the creek, and so by a straight line up the land of the Orphans of John Dutton as it was marked as we went along to the upper side of John Baldwins field, and he to take down two or three pannels of his fence and uslant to the line and along John Baldwin's line about twenty perches, and then as it is marked to the old road."
185
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1693.]
It might be supposed that the prompt erection of the new jail was now a matter of certainty, but it does not appear that the above levy was ever made ; owing, it is probable, to the desperate condition of the affairs of the Proprietary ; for it was about this time that the King and Queen took the government of the Pro- vince out of his hands, and commissioned Benjamin Fletcher the Governor of New York, to be Captain General of Pennsylvania and the territories annexed. Be this as it may, a minute of the Deeember Court of this year shows that another levy was authorized for the erection of the new prison. It is in these words :
" The Grand Jury presented the want of a prison in the county, and they have given in their judgment, that one hundred and fifty pounds will defray the charge-the order of the Court is that there shall be a levy forthwith for the raising of the sum for the defraying of the said charge."
At a Court of Petty Sessions, held at the house of John Hodg- kins at Chester early in the next year, an assessment was au- thorized for raising £150 for defraying the charge of the new jail, "at the true value of two pence per pound upon the real and personal estates of all the inhabitants of this county, seasa- ble by the first act of the new laws1-all freemen 6s. per head." This is the first ad valorem assessment made within our limits.2
It was the custom for the Grand Jury, whose duties were about to expire, to meet and make their presentments of every presentable matter that had come to their knowledge since the adjournment of the previous Court. After naming the Justices present, Sheriff and Clerk, the minutes of each Court, at this period, proceed thus :
" After proclamation made and silence commanded, by the King & Queen's authority, and in the Proprietary's name, the Grand Jury was called over, and appeared and gave in their presentments and was discharged; and a new Grand Jury re- turned by the Sheriff was empannelled." A less number com- posed a Grand Jury then than at the present day-usually about fifteen.
Some idea may be formed of the mischievously inquisitorial character of Chester County Grand Juries at this period, from
1 Governor Fletcher held that the laws that had been made under the Proprietary's charter were no longer iu force, and required them to be re-enacted by the Assembly -many of them in a modified form. See Col. Rec. i. 364, &c. These new laws were read at the July Court, 1693, by George Foreman, a member of the Council.
2 The author has seen an original warrant issued by John Bristow " to Isaac Taylor constable of Thornbury," dated the 23d of the 11th mo. 1692, in which the following language occurs, viz : " these may certifie, that ye accounts were made up this Court, and approved by the Grand Jury, and upon ballance of the accot, ye county is found to be in debt £183: 198: 64, whereof for the raising of money to defray ye sd Charge, & for ye building of a new prison with stone, the Cort, by & with the advice & consent of ye Grande Inquest, have unanymously agreed to Lay a levy &c."
186
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1693.
the fact that at one Court two newly-married couples were made the subjects of presentment because a child was born, in each case, too soon after marriage. In one case, besides the Court charges and a fine of 20s., both parties were sentenced "to attend at the common whipping post and for the officer to declare their offence to the people ;" while in the other case the fine was 50s., but the woman only was subjected to public exposure. This was more wantonly cruel than was inflicted in the former case, and consisted in standing at the common whipping post for one quarter of an hour with a paper on her breast, thus : "I here stand for an example to all others for committing the most wicked & notorious sin of fornication."
Presentments by the Grand Jury of such cases as the above could have no beneficial result, but their watchfulness when directed to matters that concerned the public was often produc- tive of much good, especially when seconded by the Court. A bridge over Ridley Creek having been several times presented, the Court this year imposed a fine of £5 each on the supervisors of Chester and Ridley for their neglect to repair it. Such cases were not unfrequent.
While the Courts at this period, and for many years after- wards, did not hesitate to sentence a freeman to be sold into servitude for a period of years, in order to liquidate a fine or some other dues, they were extremely vigilant in guarding ser- vants against oppression by their masters. Upon the complaint of a servant that he had served out his time and had been turned off "without clothes fitting for a servant to have," the Court ordered his master to " pay him" a hat, coat, waistcoat, breeches, drawers, stockings and shoes, all new, and also ten bushels of wheat or fourteen bushels of corn, two hoes and one axe. This kind of complaint was very common, and was denominated a claim "for the custom of the country." Justice Jonathan Hayes constantly interposes his dissent to the allowance of this " custom."
There was another duty the Court had to perform in respect to children about being bound out to service. This duty con- sisted in determining their ages, and the time they should serve. This was termed "Judging" them. At the October Court of this year " the boys that Mauris Trent brought into the country were called up to be judged." There were eight of these boys, and they were probably negroes. They were ordered to serve their respective masters till they arrived at the age of 21 years.
The Grand Jury laid out the following roads this year, viz : One from the townships of Upper Providence and Edgmont " to the limestone ;" one from Newtown to Haverford Mill; one from Thornbury towards Chester, and they reported adversely
187
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1693.]
to one application for a road, which is the first adverse report on the record.
Upon the petition of the Inhabitants of Radnor to the Lieut. Governor and Council "requesting a road to be laid outt from the upper part of the sd township of Radnor unto marion ford," a warrant was directed by the Lieut. Governor to lay out the same.1
Upon petition of the Inhabitants of Chester County to the Governor and Council, setting forth that they had long suffered for want of a division line between that county and New Castle, it was resolved, " that for the present convenience of the govern- ment and not for an absolute and final proprietarie division, (but that the inhabitants on the borders of both counties may know to which of the two to pay their levies, taxes &c., and perform their countie services,) the bounds of New Castle Countie shall extend Northward to the mouth of Naaman's creek, and upwards along the S. W. side of the northermost branch, (excluding the townshipps of Concord & Bethell) and not to extend backwards of the northermost branch above the sd townshipps."2
It is a source of regret that the minutes of Haverford Monthly Meeting from the 5th mo. (July,) 1686, to the 5th mo., 1693, are wanting, because that meeting was more particular than any other in noting matters that would form interesting items for a local history. During this period, the meeting at the Schuylkill has ceased to be connected with this monthly meeting, but the register of Marriages, still preserved, shows that the connection continued till 1688. The Haverford Monthly Meeting is now composed of the three preparative meetings of Merion, Haver- ford and Radnor.
It has been seen that the Welsh people, of which these meet- ings were almost wholly composed, refused till 1690 to attach themselves to any district in which municipal government had been established ; claiming a promise from the Proprietary, that they should form a separate community, with a view of deciding all controversies and debates amongst themselves in their own language and "in Gospel order." The monthly meeting was doubtless the tribunal that regulated the secular as well as the spiritual affairs of our Welsh ancestors for seven or eight years after their first settlement; nor did they wholly entrust their civil matters to the officers of the law for some time after they had submitted to a division of the Welsh Tract between the Counties of Philadelphia and Chester. Thus, at the monthly meeting held at Haverford in the 6th month (August,) 1693, it was ordered, "yt Wm. Howell, Morris Llewelyn for Haverford, David Merideth, David Evans for Radnor, Griffith Jones, James
1 Col. Rec. i. 356. 2 Ibid. 349.
188
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1694.
Thomas for Merion, see yt sufficient fences be kept in his respec- tive neighborhood." And again in the proceedings of the following month, this minute occurs :
"It is ordered by this meeting and consent of the inhabitants of the townships of Haverford and Radnor, in pursuance of a law in that case made yt ye inhabitance of ye sª two townships should pay 1s. per hundred1 toward ye takeing of Wolves. Wm. Howell, William Jenkins, for Haverford, and David Meredith and Stephen Bevan for Radnor, to receive ye sª Taxe."
Previously to the disownment of George Keith, as has been mentioned, the minutes of the several monthly meetings are silent in regard to him. Since that time he is frequently noticed, but not with respect. The first is by Chester Meeting, which orders " that [copies] of the paper written by Jane Biles as a testimony against George Keith and his company and separation and abusing friends, (which said paper being read and well approved of), be obtained," to be disposed of "for the general service of truth." The first meeting-house at Chester appears to have been completed in 1693.2 A meeting-house at Radnor was also completed and brought into service about the same time.
The Society of Friends have been in advance of other religious sects in providing comfortable quarters for their horses at their places of worship. The first provision made for this purpose, of which there is any record, was at Haverford in 1694, when a committee was appointed by the meeting, " to get a stable made adjoining this meeting house."
In carly times, township meetings assumed the right of enact- ing rules and regulations, or rather to make laws, for their re- spective townships. Unfortunately but few of the ancient records of our townships have been preserved. The following items have been extracted from the Darby township book :
"Agreed that this meeting begin at Eleven o'Clock in the forenoon, and that the constable give notice the first day before."
"And it is also agreed that the said town's meeting be held on the third day of the last week in the twelfth month, (yearly) to appoint officers for the ensuing year, at which time the officers is to give up their accounts."
" Agreed that none of the inhabitants of this Town take any horses or mares either to keep in winter or summer, nor no cattle in summer except they keep them within their own fenced lands, upon the penalty of five shillings per head for every month."
1 Hundred acres of land.
2 This meeting- house has been torn down within a few years past. Since the earliest recollection of "the oldest inhabitant" this building has been pointed out as that in which the first Assembly of Pennsylvania held its sittings. That the main building was erected by the society of Friends at this period for a meeting-house, on a lot that had been purchased by them for that purpose, the evidence is conelusive ; and the author has failed to discover that it was used for any other than meeting purposes while it continued to be owned by the Society of Friends.
Drawn by C P Tholey
FIRST MEETING HOUSE OF FRIENDS AT CHESTER.
Bowen & Co lith. Philada
189
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1694.]
The above extraets are without date, but stand on the record immediately above the following. It may therefore be inferred that they were enacted at the same, or at an earlier period.
" Agreed by the Townsmen of Darby at the meeting house, upon 26th day of the 12th month, 1693-4, [Feb., 1694,] that whatever handy-Crafts men shall offer himself to inhabit in the township, shall first continue forty days as a sojourner, to have the approbation of the said township; whither he shall be re- ceived as an inhabitant or no; and that no person shall dare to receive any stranger as an inhabitant before such probation and grant of said Townsmen.
"Signed on behalf of the Town of Darby, by " THO. WORTHI."
" Agreed at a Town meeting 1693-4, That Tho. Worth shall as Clerk of the Town, signe all public agreements in behalf of the town, and the same shall be as binding as if every mans particular hand was at the same."
The Court proceedings of this year are introduced by imposing upon Mary M- a fine of " five shillings for her lying."
A road was laid out "between Radnor meeting house and the Schuylkill ford ;" and also one "from John Longworthy's house to a road between Chester and Radnor."
One Philip England claimed the monopoly of the Ferry at High street on the Schuylkill, but from some canse, the Friends of Haverford Monthly Meeting, with the assistance of some Friends of Darby, supported a Ferry in the vicinity of that kept by England, and employed a man named Nathaniel Mullinax to attend it. England petitioned to the Governor and Council to support him in his monopoly, which they eventually did, on the ground that the Ferry was the Proprietor's right, a grant of which was held by England. The decision of the Governor was accompanied by a prohibition against all others "using anie other ferrie within foure miles distance on either side of the river, of the proprietors ferrie."
A report made by a Committee of the Council this year, giving the amounts raised in the several counties upon an assess- ment of 1d. per pound, will give some idea of the relative pro- gress that had been made in the different counties:
d.
County of Philadelphia,
£ 314
s. 11 11
New Castle,
143
15
00
66 Sussex,
.
101
01
09
Kent,
88
02
10
66
Chester,
65
00 07
Bucks,
48
04
01
£760 16 2
190
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1695.
At this time the settlements had spread in Chester County but little beyond the territory now included in Delaware County.
There appear to have been great losses of stock and cattle during 1694, from want of provender.1
" The want of a Bridle road between the broad road near James Brown's house in Chichester [Marcus Hook ] and Chiches- ter creek and from thence to Chester creek," was presented by the Grand Jury at the March term of 1695. A similar pre- sentment had been made at the previous session of the Court. The necessity of such a road will be understood, when the reader is informed that the King's road did not, up to this time, pass through Chester, but crossed both Ridley and Chester Creeks at the head of tide ; there being no bridge over the creek at Chester, and no public road from thence directly to Marcus Hook.
The Grand Inquest, after having examined the accounts of the county, recommend a levy of a penny in the pound, which was ordered by the Court, "for finishing the prison and defray- ing of the old debts & for wolves heads;" also for the relief of the poor. The Grand Jury also on this occasion performed the duty of County Auditors, and "having examined Jeremiah Collet's [the Treasurer's] accounts, finds them to be true ac- counts, and finds him to be indebted to the county, the sum of eighteen shillings and eleven pence, and the county to be in- debted to Thomas Smith the sum of 18 pounds 19s. and 4d." The next Grand Jury held a meeting on the 2d of October, to consider the affairs of the county. The following interesting record of their proceedings is given at length :
" We the Grand Jury by the King's authority, finding that the county is in debt by the accounts that the last Grand Jury presented; that the County Treasurer is out of purse, and others in the concerns of the county charge; and that the prison is not yet finished, and several wolve's heads to pay for: We the Grand Inquest have taken it into our consideration to lay an assessment upon the county for to pay the Judges expenses, which is to be paid to Joseph Wood, Sheriff of Chester County, and what was disbursed by the said Treasurer of said county concerning the building of the prison, and to finish the said county prison, with as much expedition as may be, and the said levy to be raised as followeth :- on all real and personal estates, at one penny per pound and three shillings per head on free men, (viz) every acre of cleared land, and being in tillage, at one pound per acre ; and for every hundred acres of rough land by the river, at ten pounds per hundred, and for every hundred acres in the woods, at five pounds per hundred ; for all horses and mares from three years old and upwards, at 3 pounds ; for
1 Col. Rec. i. 481.
191
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1695.]
every colt one year old and upwards, 20 shillings ; for all cows and oxen, from three years old and upwards, £2. 108; for all cattle one year old and upwards, at one pound; for all sheep a year old and upwards, at six shillings a piece ; for all male negroes, from 16 years old and upwards, to sixty, 25£ per negro ; for all female negroes from 16 years old to sixty, at 20£ per negro ; for Chester mill at one hundred pounds, Joseph Co- bourn's at £50, Darby mill at one hundred pounds, Hartford [Ilaverford] mill at 20£ pounds, Concord mill at 10£ pounds ; Jasper Yeates for his estate and calling 200 pounds, Caleb Pusey for his estate and calling 100 pounds, Jeremiah Collett for his estate and calling 30 pounds, Nathaniel Newlin for his calling 20 pounds ; all ordinary keepers, for their callings, 20 pounds ; for all handicrafts that followeth no plantation for calling, 3 shillings a piece .- Subscribed by this present Grand Inquest.'
From the above extract we learn many interesting facts. There were five mills in the county at this early date, besides the Swedes' mill on the Philadelphia County line. The dates of the erection of the Chester mill, and Cobourn's mill have already been given ; and a presentment of the Grand Jury made in 1688, shows that the Haverford mill was then erected. This mill was on Cobb's Creek, near the place where that stream is crossed by the road leading past Haverford meeting-house. Of the Darby mill and Concord mill, the author has not met with an earlier notice. The Concord mill occupied the site of the mill now owned by Samuel Leedom. A mill was shortly afterwards built lower down the stream by Nicholas Newlin, but not so low down as the mill owned by John Hill.1
While it is not presumed that the full value of property is given in the assessment, the relative value may be relied on as nearly correct. We thus see that cleared land, under tillage, was ten times as valuable as unimproved land near the river, and twenty times as valuable as unimproved lands further back, &c.
Maurice Trent, before mentioned, brought another set of boys into Court to be "judged." Their respective periods of servitude were accordingly fixed by the Justices. It had become a common practice at this period for servants who had run away, or in any other manner caused loss or expense to their masters, to be brought into Court for the Justices to determine, what additions should be made to their terms of servitude, as an equivalent for such loss or expense.
At this time, there was considerable trade at Chester, and also some at Marcus Hook. Hence we find appointments of
1 From a conveyance made by Randal Malin in 1696, it would appear that a mill was erected not far from Bishop's mill about that year.
192
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1696.
officers connected with its proper regulation. Edward Dangger was this year "attested Geager and Packer and Culler of this County of Chester."
The arbitrary rule of Governor Fletcher, under which Qua- kerism found but little favor, continued about two years, when the King and Queen were pleased to restore the government of the province again to William Penn, very much to the satis- faction of the people. The affairs of the Proprietary were not, however, in such a condition as to allow him to visit the country, and Thomas Lloyd having died, he again commissioned his cousin William Markham as his Deputy.
It came to the knowledge of the Concord and Chichester Monthly Meeting, about this time, that two young persons of the latter township, were engaged in certain studies and prac- tices that, at this period, were regarded as very dangerous. The serious gravity with which the subject was treated by the meeting is really remarkable.
" Some friends having a concern upon them concerning some young men which came among friends, to their meetings, and following some acts which friends thought not fit for such as professed the truth, to follow, viz: Astrology and other arts, whereupon it was stated to the meeting concerning Astrology and other Sciences, as Geomancy and Chiromancy and Necromancy &c .-- It was debated and the sence of this meeting is, that the study of these sciences brings a veile over the understanding, and a death upon the life." -- The meeting ordered the young men, as well as their father, to be spoken to on the subject. The conference with the former is given as follows :
" Philip Roman and his brother Robert, friends of Chichester, was speak'd to about those arts and sciences above said ; they seemed to disown that is mentioned except the Astrology. Much was said to them, but it was not received. At last they proposed to the meeting, if they thought well of it, to confer with Nicho- las Newlin and Jacob Chandler, and if they could convince them that it was evil, they would leave it." The meeting accepted the offer of the young men. At the next meeting (January, 1696) the committee reported that they had conferred with the young men, and there had been "many arguments on both sides-at length, Philip concluded with us that he did not know that he should use that art of Astrology again, for he had denied several that came to him to be resolved of their questions already. Robert promised the same but with this reserve -- unless it was to do some great good by it. From which belief of some great good, we could not remove him." This was not satisfactory to the meeting. Philip was required " to give forth a paper to condemn his practice of resolving questions in Astrology, con-
193
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1696.]
cerning lost and Gain, with other vain questions." The meeting gave out a similar paper against Robert.
The subject of these dark practices was also brought before the Chester Quarterly Meeting, which body appears to have taken a rather rational view of the subject for the times. The following is an extract from the preamble of a long testimony published by that meeting, early the year 1696.
" Whereas the meeting being acquainted, that some persons under the profession of truth, and belonging to this meeting, who professing the art of Astrology, have undertaken thereby to answer questions, and give Astrological Judgments concerning persons and things, tending to the dishonor of GOD, and the reproach of Truth and the great hurt of themselves and those who come to inquire of them ; and Whereas, it is also reported that some professing truth among us seems too much inclined to use and practice Rabdomancy, or consulting with a staff, and such like things, all which have brought a weighty exercise and concern upon this meeting, as well because of the reproach, that is already brought upon the truth hereby, as also to prevent, as much as in us lies, its being further reproached by any among us that may attempt to follow the like practices for time to come, &c."
But this business did not end with the meeting. An offence so serious as the practice of Geomancy, could not escape the vigilance of the Grand Jury, particularly as the Foreman lived in the same neighborhood with the parties. In bringing the matter to the notice of the Court they say :
"We the grand Inquest by the King's authority, presents Robert Roman of Chichester for practicing Geomancy according to hidden1 and divining by a stick. WALTER MARTIN, Foreman."
With the view of effectually eradicating the evil, it became necessary to destroy the implements of mischief by another presentment, which is thus recorded :
"We the Grand Inquest by the Kings authority presents the following books: Hidons Temple of Wisdom, which teaches Geomancy, and Scots discovery of Witchcraft, and Cornelias Agrippas teach Necromancy. WALTER MARTIN, Foreman."
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