USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 24
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2 Thomas Powell had discontinued his membership with Friends, and, had become an active Episcopalian.
3 A draft found among the papers of Isaac Taylor, the surveyor, made in 1702-3, shows that this meeting-house, which was doubtless built of logs, stood in what is now the grave-yard, and fronted on the road leading to Darby.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
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ligion spread so wide, that there arose soon several congregations, in other parts of the country ; Mr. Evans was forced to divide his labours among them, as often as he conveniently could, till they might be formed into Proper Districts, and the ministers sent over to them."
" He went frequently to Chichester, Chester and Concord, to Montgomery and Radnor, each about 20 miles distant from Phi- ladelphia, and to Maidenhead in West Jersey, 40 miles distant. This travelling was both fatiguing and expensive, yet he fre- quently visited those places, being determined by all means, to lose none of those he had gained. But Montgomery and Radnor, next to Philadelphia had the most considerable share in his labors." There is no notice of a church edifice at either of the places named, except Philadelphia. Mr. Evans was, in part, supported by the Royal bounty of King William and not at all by the Society.1
Since the establishment of a mill at Darby, the Swedes' mill appears to have attracted less attention. A conveyance2 made this year by the widow of Neals Laerson, and her son, Andrew Friend, of one twenty-third part of this mill and appurtenant land, to William Cobb, shows that it had been held by a joint- stock company of Swedes. Having passed .into the hands of William Cobb, the creek on which the mill was located, after a time, acquired his name.
The people of the town of Chichester [Marcus Hook ], were not satisfied without the privilege of holding a Fair which, it appears they had enjoyed under the Administration of Governor Markham. "Because some complaints had been made against Fairs in general," the grant of a Fair to Chichester was made by the Council conditionally ; it was to be suppressed when the Government thought fit to suppress others.
The people of the town of Chester concluded that this grant of a Fair to Chichester was intended to supersede one of the two Annual Fairs that their town had enjoyed for about eleven years, under a grant from the Governor and Council. Upon applica- tion a Fair, in the usual course, was ordered to be held, and the privilege of holding two Annual Fairs and a Weekly Market, was soon afterwards confirmed to the inhabitants of Chester by a charter from the Governor.3
It is exceedingly difficult fully to comprehend the action of the
1 See p. 148 of that Hist.
2 Reeorder's Office, West Chester.
3 The safety of both Chester and Darby from accidents by fire was provided for by legal enaetment. Persons were not permitted to set their chimneys on fire to cleanse them. nor to suffer them "to become so foul as to take fire and blaze out at the top." Every housekeeper was obliged " to keep, in his or her house, a swab, at least 12 or 14 feet long, as also two leather buckets."
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
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Court and Grand Jury on the subject of Court-houses and prisons, from the commencement of Penn's government down to this pe- riod. After much study and research the author has embodied his conclusions thereon, which will be found in the Appendix, Note H.
At the March Court, it was "ordered by the Justices and Grand Jury, that the old court house be set on sale the 6th day of the 3d month next, and in order thereto, papers be set up to give notice that it is to be sold at vandew."1 And at the same Court, in respect to a prison, it was " ordered that Jasper Yeates, Ralph Fishbourn, Joseph Cobourn and Andrew Jobe be supervi- sors for the building of a new prison upon the ground bought of James Sanderland, and we order them to imploy workmen & to provide materials for performing and carrying on the said work, and the said Supervisors are empowered to receive the levy from the collectors as they are raised and to pay the work- men and to do all things material for the said work; and they are to build the said house 25 foot long and 18 foot wide in the clear, or thereabouts, as they see cause-the said house to front high street, and at the north corner of the ground."
At the October Court, "James Sandiland by his attorney, David Lloyd, delivered a deed to John Blunston, Caleb Pusey, Ralph Fishborn, Robert Pile and Philip Roman for a piece of land being 120 foot square in the township of Chester," for which land, the grantees at the same time delivered a declara- tion of trust, showing that the purchase was for the use of the county. At the same Court, it was agreed by the Justices and Grand Jury "to repair the court house with all possible speed, and they appoint Walter Martin, John Hoskin and Henry Worley to be supervisors and oversee the work and to agree with workmen, provide materials and finish the said work with all expedition, and to provide . a pair of stocks and whipping post."
Eastown was organized as a township this year.
The new roads laid out have become so numerous, and the re- ports of their location so indefinite, that a further notice of them would prove tedious. It will therefore be omitted, except in very particular cases.
The tax laid for the support of the Government was very unpopular. So much so that the constables returned that the inhabitants were unwilling to pay or delayed payment, where- upon it was ordered by the Court "that a warrant be issued to the Sheriff to collect the said levy."
The establishment of Newtown meeting by Haverford Monthly Meeting has already been mentioned. This was not regarded
1 This sale was made to John Simeock, and was to legalize a former sale to him.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1701.]
with favor by the Chester Quarterly Meeting which had con- sidered the connection of Haverford and Radnor Meetings with Philadelphia as an innovation on its appropriate jurisdiction. Complaint was at once made, first to Haverford, then to the Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, and finally to the Yearly Meet- ing, which decided, " that Newtown Meeting may remain as it is, and may belong to Philadelphia ; but for the future the Welsh Friends are not to set up any more meetings in the county of Chester without the consent of (Chester) Quarterly Meeting."
The Welsh settlements had extended into Goshen and the Haverford Monthly Meeting had already authorized or werc about to authorize a meeting to be held there. The decision of the Yearly Meeting made it necessary for the Goshen Friends to make application to the Chester Quarterly Meeting, which was accordingly done, and permission was obtained in the following year, to have a meeting at Goshen, "every other first day."
Notwithstanding the jurisdiction over the Goshen Friends could no longer be claimed by the Haverford Monthly Meeting, the members of that meeting for a long time continued to extend a tender care over them, to supply their wants and to unite with them in their meetings. Even the next year the Friends of Haverford Meeting contributed £16 9s. 8d. to aid Robert Wil- liam of Goshen in building a house, he having received Friends "kindly and open hearted," and keeping the meeting in his house.1 At the same time £12 5s. 2d. was contributed to Cad- walader Ellis and brother, also of Goshen, "whose house had been burned by fire, and his mother and brother having lost most they had." These acts of kindness, taken in connection with a common ancestry and language, produced a more familiar and friendly intercourse between the Goshen Friends and those of Haverford Monthly Meeting, than existed between them and the monthly meeting to which they formally belonged.
The name of Marcus Hook had been changed to Chichester by Gov. Markham and his Council before the first arrival of the Proprietary. Upon petition of the inhabitants of the venerable town, the Governor by letters patent, confirmed the name of Chichester, and granted to the people of the place the usual privileges enjoyed by Boroughs. As this curious document has never been published it is given in the Appendix, note E.
Gov. Penn received intelligence from England which compelled him to embrace the carliest opportunity to return. The crown had become jealous of its Proprietary governments in America, and desired to convert them into regal ones. For this purpose,
1 Goshen Meeting originated from the meetings held at this house. It stood about one mile east of the present meeting-house. Its proprietor, Robt. William, was familiarly known as " the King of Goshen."
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1702.
a bill had been introduced into Parliament, and was only post- poned at the earnest solicitation of the friends of Penn, until he should return. This rendered his early departure necessary, and he accordingly sailed from Philadelphia on the 1st of No- vember, 1701. He never returned to Pennsylvania.
A very unpopular act was passed this year in the shape of a law directing all located lands to be re-surveyed at the expense of the Proprietary-he exacting payment for all surplusage, which was found to be great in this county.
Before leaving, Penn by letters patent, established a Council of State, composed of ten members, of whom Caleb Pusey and John Blunston were from this county. He also appointed Andrew Hamilton, one of the proprietors of East Jersey, deputy Governor.
The boundary line between the counties of Chester and New Castle had only been temporarily established. A warrant was granted in 1701 to run the circular line, directed to Isaac Taylor of Chester county, and Thomas Pierson of New Castle county.1 The running of this circular line was no easy task. The cost was imposed on the two counties instead of the Pro- vince, and to judge from the following report of the Grand Jury on the subject, it may be concluded that the worthy surveyors were not overpaid.
" We the Grand Jury from this County, having duly con- sidered and carefully adjusted an account of charges contracted by running a circular line dividing this County from the County of New Castle and settling the boundaries, and having duly and deliberately debated, every article of the said account, do allow the sum of twenty six pounds nine shillings due, to be paid by this County for said work.
JAMES COUPER, Foreman."
Notwithstanding the Court and Grand Jury last year directed that the Court-house should be repaired "with all possible speed," we find the Grand Jury of this year presenting "the necessity of a Court house, and that all such as have not paid their levy, may be forced." They also added, that in case of emergency, for the speedy perfection of said work, "we the Grand Jury request that the Justices take care to raise money as the law directs, for we are sensible that law and justice can- not have its perfect course without such houses for their distri- bution as aforesaid." No new Court-house, however, was erected till 1724.
From the presentments of the Grand Jury and orders made by the Court from time to time, it appears that the Court-house was,
1 Recorder's office, Philadelphia, Book C. 2. No. 3.
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on this occasion only repaired, and that a new jail was erected, the latter occupying the site, it is believed, of the building last used as a jail in Chester, and may have been part of that build- ing. It will be seen hereafter, that at this period there was still a building known as the "old Court house."
Several roads were laid out this year. Among the number was one from " Limestone Hill to Springfield meeting House."
Among the numerous presentments made by the Grand Jury, there are several for neglecting to keep the roads in repair. Thus, the townships of Chester, Ridley and Darby are presented ."for neglecting to repair the Great road between Chester and the Philadelphia County line, & for want of convenient bridges over the creeks." They also request that care be taken for a bridge " over Mill Creek, that parts this County from Philadel- phia. In respect to the width of roads, the Court made the following order which does not appear to have been enforced :
" Ordered, that all Cart roads, laid out by order of Court, and allowed, shall be fifty feet broad, as the two roads laid out from Upper and Nether Providence to Darby and Caleb's mill,1 and all others."
An Episcopal church was established this year on the site now occupied by St. Martin's church at Marcus Hook. Walter Martin, a well known inhabitant of Chichester, by a singular deed of gift, in the year 1699 conveyed to the inhabitants of Chichester an acre of ground for a church or free burying place ; the inhabitants to build a church, chapel, or meeting-house, to the honor and service of God, " Quakers or reputed Quakers only excepted."
The privilege of securing the lot by the erection of a church edifice, was confined to such as owned "the two ordinances of the Sacraments of baptism, and the Lord's Supper, viz: water baptisin, that is by sprinkling or dipping; and the Lord's Supper of bread and wine; and such as own the resurrection of the bodies of the dead, and own the ordinances of singing of psalms in the praise of God in the Congregation or in their families, and such as own the taking an oath on the Bible according to the laws of England, if lawfully called thereto for the confirmation of the truth."2
A record in the vestry-book of St. Martin's church shows that the lot was secured to the Episcopalians by "Sundry persons, adventurers from England, Scotland, and Ireland, into the Province of Pennsylvania, being well principled in and affected to the pure Apostolick and primitive doctrine and disci-
1 That is, Caleb Pusey's mill or Chester mill. It is frequently called Caleb's mill in the Court Record.
2 Recorder's office, West Chester, Book A, No. 1.
3
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1702.
pline of the truly Episcopal and Protestant Church of England," who purchased, in 1702, an old frame house from Jane and Tobias Hendrickson, for about £5, and removed it upon the lot conveyed by Walter Martin for a church yard. It was fitted up for divine worship the same year.1
The evidence in respect to the time of the erection of St. Paul's Church at Chester is somewhat contradictory. In one account, contained in the History of the "Society for Propa- gating the Gospel in Foreign parts," the church is represented as having been completed in 1702, while a letter from the con- gregation to the Society, written in 1704, and contained in the same book, may be construed to mean that it was "not then quite finished." See Appendix Note F, for an account of the establishment of this church and the other early Episcopal Churches of the Bounty.
Gwynedd or North Wales, East of the Schuylkill, was set- tled with a later immigration of Welsh people than those who had settled Merion, Haverford, and Radnor. Many of them were relatives or personal friends of the earlier settlers of the three townships, and being Quakers, they at once united with them in their meeting affairs. The Gwynedd friends now appear at the Haverford Monthly-Meeting, as representing an indepen- dent preparative meeting in connection with it. A first day meet- ing, for six months is also established at Plymouth by the Haver- ford Monthly Meeting. In the following year Plymouth Meeting was also established as a preparative meeting.
A great difficulty had occurred among Friends in respect to the payment of a levy authorized for the support of Govern- ment. Many of them had refused to pay, on the ground, it is supposed, that some part of the money would be appropriated to military purposes. The matter was at length brought before the Chester Quarterly Meeting, which body, after due con- sideration, and the avowal that the Society "have been always ready and willing to assist and support civil government," did order "that all be advised not to refuse the paying any levys lawfully demanded ; and if any be stubborn and not take advice by their brethren, that they be speedily dealt with, and truth kept clear."
The decision of the yearly meeting, in respect to Newtown Meeting, excluded the Haverford Monthly Meeting from extend- ing its jurisdiction over any other meetings in Chester County. Upon application, the Chester Quarterly Meeting now authorizes the Friends of Goshen to establish a meeting " every other first day at the house of Griffith Jones."
" Chester [preparative] Meeting, proposeth their intentions of 1 Article in Del. Co. Republican, Feb. 10, 1860.
.
From a Daguerreotype
VIEW OF ST PAUL'S CHURCH, CHESTER, BUILT 1703
Bowen & Co lith Philada
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1702.]
purchasing in the town, which this meeting approves of, provided they preserve and keep in good order the old Burying place."
King William died on the 18th of January, 1702, but it was not till the 10th of July that his successor, the Princess Anne, of Denmark, was proclaimed at Philadelphia as Queen of England.
But the most important event of the year was the legislative separation of the three lower Counties from the Province. Be- fore leaving the country, Penn had given his reluctant assent to this separation, to take place at any time within three years. It was now accomplished, very much against the wishes of Governor Hamilton. From this time the separation was final.
It appears from the following Warrant of Survey, the original of which is filed in the Surveyor General's Office, that up to about the time William Penn returned to England, a tribe of Indians, known as the Okekockings, were seated within the present limits of Delaware County.
L. S.
" BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF PROPERTY."
Whereas Pokias, Sepopawny Muttagooppa and others of ye nation called ye Okchocking Indians in Chester County with their families upon their Removal from their late settlemts near Ridley and Crum Creeks, have by the Proprietors ordr and appointm' been seated on another certain tract in ye said county, and on the said Ridley creek, neare ye head thereof formerly surveyed to Griffith Jones, but by him left and acquitted & now belonging to ye Proprietary : In which place the said Indians request we would grant them a certain settlemt under sure metes and Bounds, to them and their posterity in pursuance of the Proprietors engagemt in that case made before his Departure, who granted them, as 'tis credibly affirmed to us, five hundred acres in ye sd place ; These there- fore are in pursuance of the said Grant to authorize & require thee to survey and lay out to the said Pokhais, Sepopawny, Muttagooppa and others of ye sª nation called ye Okekocking Indians who were lately seated lower on ye sd creeks & their Relations and to no other whatsoever the full quantity of five hundred acres of land in one square tract in such place within the aforesaid tract as the sd Indians shall desire : which said five hundred acres we do hereby grant to the said Pokhais, Sepopawny, Muttagooppa and others of the sd nation called the Okehocking Indians, who were lately seated as aforesaid and to their Relations & to no other, whatsoever, to have and to hold to them the said Indians for a Settlemt and to their posterity of the same nation of Indians (and no other) forever, Provided
14
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[1703.
alwayes that the sª Indians, nor any of them shall not give Grant or attempt to sell or any way dispose of any of the said five hundred acres of land hereby granted to any p son what- soever, But at such time as the sª Indians shall quitt or leave the said place, it shall be surrendered to ye Proprietary without any further elaim of the sª Indians or any person whatsoever by or under them, their title or procurem, and make returns into the General Surveyor's office. Given under our hands and the seal of the Province at Philadelphia the 15th of ye 10th mo. 1702.
" To ISAAC TAYLOR Surveyor of the County of Chester.
EDWD: SHIPPEN
GRIFFITH OWEN THO. STORY
JAMES LOGAN."
This tract to which the Indians were removed, is located in the township of Willistown, in the present County of Chester.1
Early in 1703, Governor Hamilton died. The Council, with Edward Shippen as its President, administered the affairs of the Government till the end of the year, when John Evans, the newly appointed Governor, arrived.
Upon the petition of Humphrey Ellis, Daniel Lewis, and fifty- eight others, " the principal inhabitants of ye Welsh Tract," to the Council, Samuel Richardson, David Lloyd, Rowland Ellis, Wm. Howell, Wm. Jenkins, and Richard Thomas, were appointed to view certain roads that had been laid out, and " to lay out and survey one direct road of fifty foot in breadth, as convenient in all respects as may be, both to ye inhabitants and settlers of ye interjacent lands & travellers, Leading from Willm. Powell's ferry, on Schuykill & passing Haverford meeting House to ye principal part of Goshen Township, and thenee continued in a direct course to ye upper settlements on Brandywine." * *
The laying out of this road indicates that the settlements were rapidly progressing westward. This is corroborated by the additional fact, that the Friends of Goshen were sufficiently numerous to erect a meeting-house this year, at which the quarterly meeting ordered a meeting to be kept every first day, except the last first day in every 10th, 1st, 4th, and 7th months,
1 See map of early settlements for the boundary of this traet. The following minute of the Commissioners of Property, under date of 7th & 8th 10th mo. 1702, throws some additional light on the subject of the removal of these Indians: " The Oekaniekon or Crum ereek Indns having removed from their old habitation before the propys departure by his order seated by Caleb Pusey, Nicolas Pyle, Nath! Newlin & Jos. Baker on the tract in Chester county formerly laid out to Griffy Jones, but now vaeant-"
"But the sd Indns expressing great uneasiness at the uncertainty of their settle- ments, pressed and several times urged the. neighboring Friends, that they might be confirmed in some particular place, under certain metes and bounds, that they might no more [be] like dogs, as they expressed themselves."
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
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at which times it was ordered "to be kept, at David Jones' at Whiteland in the Great Valley." There was also a meeting ordered to be kept at " the Goshen meeting house," every sixth day. The " Goshen meeting house," here referred to, is the meeting place at Robert Williams, as will be seen hereafter. The next year the Whiteland Meeting was discontinued, and ordered to be held at " Robert Williams in Goshen."
Although a meeting-house had been erected at Springfield for some time, the deed for the ground (two acres) was not de- livered till 1703. It was conveyed by Bartholomew Coppoek, Jr.
The earliest record that has come under the notice of the author, in which a burying-place at Chester is mentioned, (other than that of the Quakers,) is the will of John Johnson [Jan Jansen] " of Markes Creck," dated 1684-5. He desires to be buried "in Chester alias Upland."1 The testator was a Dutch- man, and doubtless an Episcopalian, and hence it may be inferred, that the burying-place mentioned was one belonging to an organized congregation of Episcopalians at Chester. But the fact that the testator designates the burying-place by the name of the town, and not by that of the church, is very strong, though not conclusive evidence, that no church edifice had been erected at the time of making this will ; and that the establish- ment of an Episcopal burying-place at Chester, by that Society, preceded the erection of a church edifice, of any kind, many years.
The ground at Chester, known in ancient times as "The Green," was church land, but it belonged to the Swedes. It was much nearer the river than St. Paul's Church. The Swedes never had a church at Chester, and the fact, that in parting with their church lands at that place, they make no reservation of a burying place, is most satisfactory evidence that no part of these lands had been appropriated to the interment of the dead. From all the facts and circumstances that have come to the know- ledge of the author, he has arrived at the conclusion that the Episcopalians had no church edifice at Chester, prior to the erec- tion of the old St. James' brick church, recently demolished, and that it was erected between the years 1702 and 1704. See Appendix, Note F.
The presentments now made by the Grand Juries have become very numerous. The necessity of a pair of stocks and a whip- ping-post,2 in the town of Chester, is again presented, and the township of Chester is presented for not erecting the former, and for not clearing the road. In fact many of the presentments are " for not clearing the roads."
1 Register's Office, Philadelphia. Book A, 324.
2 The township of Chester is again presented the next year, " for not erecting a pair of stocks and whipping post in said town."
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