USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 29
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To run this line, Lawrence Growden and Richard Peters were appointed Commissioners on behalf of Pennsylvania, and Col. Levin Gale and Samuel Chamberlaine, on the part of Maryland. Benjamin Eastburn acted as surveyor on behalf of the former, and William Ramsey on behalf of the latter. On the 8th of December a true meridian line was fixed in the city of. Philadel- phia, and when tried the next day, the magnetic variation was found to be five degrees and twenty-five minutes westerly. On the 11th of the month, a true west line was run to the distance of about two miles, when, from the severity of the weather, the sur-
1 Smith's Hist. N. J. 427.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1739.]
veying party was obliged to adjourn to the 5th of April following. Commencing again in the Spring, on the 18th of April they had progressed as far as the Widow Parnel's [Pennell's] in Edg- mont, having crossed Upper Darby, Springfield, and Upper Providence, in their route. Several lines had been run before, which Mr. Peters, in a letter to the Governor, says they had crossed several times, "but not after leaving Sam1. Levis's." They are now "south of the line run by John Taylor,1 and more south of the line run by the Jersey Commissioners." Thus far the work has gone on harmoniously. Two days later the party had arrived at James Gibbons', in Thornbury. The Maryland Commissioners became suspicious, because of the line running so far south; but after a careful comparison of Theodolites they became reconciled. On the 23d of April, both of the Pennsyl- vania Commissioners wrote to the Governor from an open field in West Bradford, which appears to be the point " where the line is to be set off South in order to measure the fifteen miles and a quarter." It was about thirty-one miles from the place of beginning. But they were now involved in a dispute. Col. Gale, on the authority of the Governor and Council of Maryland, claimed that the measure of the fifteen and a quarter miles should be made superficially without any allowance for the alti- tude of the hills, while the Pennsylvania Commissioners very properly claimed this allowance. Mr. Eastburn had accompanied the Jersey Commissioners last December, and had ascertained from actual calculation that the difference between the two plans of measurement did not exceed twenty-five perches. The object of the Commissioners, in now writing to the Governor, was to obtain his directions, " whether they must join with the Maryland Com- missioners superficially, that is to say, without allowing for the Altitudes of the Hills, and so make them, [the Marylanders, ] an absolute present of 25 perches, or proceed ex parte, & how far over Susquehannah, or return to Philadelphia & do no more at present.'
On the 25th of April, the Commissioners again wrote to his Honor, the Governor, dating their letter at Wm. Webb's. They have now become extremely jealous of the Maryland Commis- sioners, taking Col. Gale, one of them, "to be under instructions, which they had for some time apprehended, to be inconsistent with a disposition to run a fair Line with them," and accusing him of seeking some pretext for breaking with them, in order to run an ex parte line. After much argument, the Maryland Commis- sioners agreed to allow the addition of twenty-five perches to the
1 In the office of the Surveyor-General at Harrisburg there is a map of the S. E. part of Pennsylvania, in which this line is laid down, though it appears to start from the northernmost part of the city of Philadelphia.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1739.
surface measure, not knowing that this fully covered the whole difference between the two plans of measurement. This plan was determined upon before receiving the Governor's answer ; the Maryland Commissioners supposing they had yielded but little in making the compromise, while those of Pennsylvania knew that the only sacrifice they had made was in form, and that they had really yielded nothing in substance.
The next disagreement was about the chain to be used in the measurement. It was the custom to have the two-pole chain made one inch longer, and the four-pole chain two inches longer than the exact measure, to make up for inequalities and irregu- larities. Col. Gale contended for the chain to be reduced to the exact measure. After much contention, and a threat on the part of the Pennsylvania Commissioners to break, and run the line ex parte, this point was conceded by the Maryland Commissioners ; but at the same time these gentlemen set up a claim for an allow- ance of a half inch in every chain for the thickness of the sticks. They at length receded from this position, and the measurement of the meridian line was proceeded with ; and at their coming out at the end of the line, the Pennsylvania Commissioners " were greatly astonished" to find themselves "no more than 20 perches more south, than the corner the Jersey Commissioners had fixed for the end of the South line." Having commenced their mea- surement eighty perches south of the east and west line run by the Jersey Commissioners, and having the fullest confidence in the accuracy of their work, they concluded that the Jersey Com- missioners had made "too large measure in the South line by 60 perches."
From the end of the South line they immediately proceeded to run the temporary boundary line westward to the Susquehanna, where, owing to sickness and death in the family of Col. Gale, the joint commission was broken up. Beyond the Susquehanna, "to the top of the most Western hill, of a range of hills called the Kittocktinny," distant from the place of beginning about eighty-eight statute miles, the line was run ex parte by the Pennsylvania Commissioners.1
In running the West line from Philadelphia, the Commis- sioners note several points in our County and beyond it. On the evening of the first day, they left off, "in the land of Thomas Worth of Darby township ;" on the 2d day "at Samuel Levis' in Springfield ;" on the 3d at John Worrall's in Provi- dence ; the 4th at the widow Yarnalls in Edgemont. Here meeting with unusual attraction, they reviewed part of their work, but on the 19th of April they were on " the plantation of Jacob - in Thornbury township ;" on that of Joseph Hunt
1 Penna. Archives, i. 556, 558, 568 to 576, 599, 600, &c.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1740.]
in Westtown on the 20th ; on Abraham Marshall's land in Brad- ford on the 21st, and on the 23d had reached "an old field belonging to John Newlyn, on or near its North Line," from whence they turned South.
It must not be supposed that the place of stopping had any- thing to do with fixing the N. E. corner of Maryland. The only object in running Westward before measuring the 154 miles South, was to avoid the large streams of water, and when they had reached John Newlin's old field, they concluded the large waters of the Brandywine and Christina Creeks would be avoided.
In running the South line, the land of William Wickersham in East Marlborough township, and that of Hugh Steward in New Garden arc mentioned. The point at which the 154 miles ended was "20 perches from the road leading to Charles Tenants meeting house in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County."1
An inquiry made by the crown in respect to the currency of the Province, brings to light many interesting facts, and among others that the emission of bills of credit had effectually excluded specie as a circulating medium. The report on the subject from the Assembly, doubtless drawn up by John Kinsey, their Speaker, claims that obedience had been yielded to the provisions of the act of the sixth year of Queen Anne, fixing the rates of foreign coin in the British Plantations, up to the year 1720, but admits that " between which time and 1723, merchants, to make remittances to England, did sometimes purchase silver with gold at a small advance." The first act for issuing bills of credit was passed in 1723. The report goes on to say that, "it must indeed be confessed, that soon after these bills of credit were issued, as our trade very much increased, and far greater quantities of English goods were imported, the balance of our trade with Great Britain turned out in our disfavour, and as those bills were in good credit, and answered the ends of money amongst us, it was no longer in our power to keep any great quantities of silver or gold for a currency ; and therefore since that time, they have been seldom used in the payment of debts, but gene- rally bought and sold as merchandize, and shipped off to Great Britain to pay for those great quantities of goods, which are yearly imported from thence."
The ridiculous fashion of wearing hoops, as now, prevailed about this period, but it found much less favor at that time than at present, with those of the Society of Friends. Towards the close of 1739 Concord Monthly Meeting testified thus against the practice.
1 Penna. Archives, i. 602-614.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1741.
" A concern having taken hold against this meeting to sup- press pride, and it seems to appear some what in women in wearing of hoope pettecoats which is a great trouble to many minds, and it is the unanymous sense of this meeting that none among us be in the practice thereof: [and that] all our over- seers and other solid friends do inspect in their members and where any appear, to be guilty, do deal with them and dis- courage them either in that of hoops or other indecent dress." In spite of all the watchfulness that this minute imposed upon the "overseers and other solid friends," it was this year found that Caleb Burdshall and his wife had " a little too inconsider- ately encouraged women wearing of hoopst petecoats."
The celebrated itinerant preacher, George Whitefield, visited this country towards the close of 1739. After having preached to immense numbers in Philadelphia, making many converts, it is recorded that he was accompanied to Chester by 150 horse- men, and preached there to 7000 people, and again at White- clay Creek to 8000, of whom as many as 3000 were on horse- back.1
Thomas Penn returned to England this year ;2 the constant and violent quarrels between the Assembly and the Governor, in which Proprietary interests were frequently brought into the controversy, could not have been very agreeable to him.
At the meeting of the Legislature in October, the Governor had shown a vindictive spirit in his reply to John Kinsey, the accomplished Speaker of the Assembly. This was followed up by the issue of a new general Commission of the Peace for the several Counties of the Province, in which his Excellency ex- hibited a petty revenge, unworthy of his position, by leaving out the names of those Justices who had opposed his adminis- tration. As an excuse for getting rid of some of the obnoxious Quaker Justices, he said he had received a letter from Mr. John Penn with the information "that the Court at Chester had set aside a man from the Jury for declining to take the affirmation and insisting to be qualified by Oath." John had also urged the Governor to appoint a majority of Justices in each County who " would not seruple to take, or at least administer an oath."3 If the charge against the Chester Justices was true, his Excel- leney could readily and directly have obtained a substantiation of all the facts, but resting alone on this circuitous hearsay testimony, the truth of the accusation may be fairly doubted ;
1 Watson's Ann. i. 537.
2 Proud, ii. 222.
3 Col. Rec. iv. 482. It was in anticipation of removal from office, by the issuing of this new Commission, that Justice John Wright of Lancaster delivered his noted Charge to the Grand Jury of that County. See Gordon's Hist. Penna. 240; Proud, ii. 222.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1741.]
but it requires a large share of charity to wholly excuse the bigotry of the degenerate son of the first Proprietary, for making such a communication to the Governor.
Of the Justices appointed by the Governor in 1738, shortly after assuming the duties of his office, he left out of the new Commission for Chester County, the following names : Richard Hayes,1 James James, John Parry, Samuel Hollingsworth, Joseph Brientall, and Joseph Heins, and included those of William Moore, Joseph Brinton, William Webb, John Mather, Ralph Pyle, John Taylor, and Job Rushton.
That part of the road known as the old Lancaster or Cones- togo road, west of John Spruce's land in Whiteland township, had been laid out and opened for several years, but for some reason, probably because the city, or landings on tide water could be reached by roads then in use, a survey of this important thoroughfare was not made till this time.2
At the instance of the Grand Jury and some of the substantial inhabitants of Chester County complaining of abuses practised in that County by the use of defective weights and measures, the Justices petitioned the Governor for the appointment of a Regulator of Weights and Measures. Isaac Taylor received the appointment. The petitioners allege, that "they have directed the purchasing of standards of brass for Weights and Measures, according to his Majesty's standards for the Exchequer."3 These standards were procured by Thomas Morgan, and cost the County £17 12s. 11d.4
The Jail and Court-house both appear to have been subjected to some renovation about this time. An order was passed by the Commissioners in favor of Nathan Worley "for £10, for planks for flooring the two dungeons East side of the prison and laying the floors &c. ; " and one in favor of Thos. Morgan " for £5 11s. 6d. for 150 lbs spikes for laying the Dungeon's floors." There was also an order of £5 for plastering and ceiling the prison ; and one of £26 for repairing and painting the Court- house and prison, and another of £14 4s. for a well in the work- house yard. Still other repairs were made the next year.
The business of the County was transacted at this period by three Commissioners, elected as they now are. In laying taxes they were assisted by six persons called Assessors, who were chosen annually. The duties now performed by township As- sessors was then performed by the Constables. The tax for this year was laid at the house of John Chadds in Birmingham ; the
1 Deceased.
2 For the courses and distances of this road, see Col. Rec. iv. 503.
3 Col. Ree. iv. 507.
+ Commissioners' Rec. West Chester. A pair of scales was purchased the next ycar.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1742.
rate being 2d. in the pound and "6s. a head upon freemen." The house of John Chadds was favored with the meetings of the Commissioners for several years.
No less than three persons offered to serve the office of County Treasurer, gratis, in 1741. The Commissioners appointed Joshua Thompson, one of the number, but Joseph Brinton, the late Treasurer, complaining that he still had unsettled business in the office, and being willing to serve at the same cheap rate, Thompson relinquished the office in his favor, upon the con- dition, however, that he was to hold it during the year following.
A proposition was made to the Commissioners for a ferry on the Brandywine " on the road from Concord to Maryland by the erection of wharfs, where the creek overflows, & renders peoples landing very difficult."
In the trial of criminal cases, it appears to have been the practice, since the early settlement of the Province, only to em- ploy counsel in those of serious import. In these cases the most able counsel in the Province were engaged. The following minute from the Commissioners' books shows the amount of compensation allowed in such cases :
" Allowed John Kinsey Esq" an order on the Treas" for the sum of £3 12s. being his fees as Kings attorney at the tryall of James O'Donnelly and Richard Graham, 26th of May last."
Besides the counsel, there was another officer specially em- ployed for trials in the Oyer and Terminer, as will be seen by another minute :
" Allowed John Ross, Gent. an order on the Treasurer for the sum of three pounds ten shillings, for officiating as clerk of the Crown at a Court of Oyer and Terminer held at Chester, for the tryal of James O'Donnelly & Richard Graham, the 26th of May last."
Richard Graham was sent away in "the Privateer," for which additional fees were allowed.
Considering the scarcity of money in these early times, the amounts collected by the Quakers in their meetings, for char- itable and other purposes, is really astonishing. Haverford Monthly Meeting contributed in 1741 £35 6s. 10d., and Con- cord meeting £21 10s. 6d. toward the relief of the sufferers by the great fire at Charleston, S. C.
A controversy brought before Chester Monthly Meeting in 1742, between Thomas Dell of the one part, and John Crosby and Peter Dieks of the other, reveals the fact, that previous to this time the latter had erected a forge on Crum Creek. The precise location of this early forge cannot at this time be desig- nated.
255
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1743.]
The ferry established on the Brandywine at Chadds' Ford not proving to be remunerative, except when connected with the business of tavern-keeping, John Chadds therefore "presented a petition, (signed by himself and a considerable number of in- habitants of Chester County,) to the Commissioners and asses- sors, setting forth that pursuant to an agreement made with their predecessors in the year 1737, he built a boat and suitable appurtenances for the conveying of people and carriages over Brandywine creek, with the money that he borrowed of the county for that purpose, the sum of which was 30 pounds, and it being evident as ye petitioner conceives, that the profits of the said ferry, will not without some consideration, compensate for the charge thereof, and that the Honorable Justices, hath at last August Court, thought proper to deprive him the sd John Chadds from keeping a house of entertainment, near the sd ferry, which he had done heretofore : They therefore request that the said John Chads may be acquitted & discharged from the pay- ment of the sum of money above mentioned, and also from the care and management of sd boat and appurtenances, and some other person appointed to act therein in his stead." The peti- tion does not appear to have been granted, for in two years thereafter John Chadds had paid the £30, with the interest re- mitted, and is again reinstated in his business of tavern-keeping.
The fairs authorized by law were not sufficient to satisfy the desires of the public in this respect. Charles Connor and five others were this year bound over for holding a fair at Birming- ham, but it does not appear that any further proceedings were had in the matter.
How customary it was at this period for criminals to receive corporal punishment by whipping, as a part or the whole penalty for their wrong-doings, may be inferred from the two following minutes taken from the Commissioners' books :
"Allowed John Wharton an order on the Treasurer for four shillings for making a new whip, and mending an old one for the use of the County."
"Allowed Isaac Lea an order on the Treasurer, for the sum of 8 shillings, being for two new whips, and mending an old one; for the County's service."
Benjamin Hayes, of Haverford, who had served the Com- missioners as Clerk for many years, "presented a petition de- siring to be discharged from his office." John Wharton was appointed in his place.
Tench Francis was allowed £5 for his services as Attorney- General in Chester County.
Application was made to the Commissioners for a bridge over Chester Creek, "with a draw or sliding bridge for convenience
256
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1747.
of sloops, shallops, or other craft, to pass through the same," but it was decided to repair the bridge without the draw. It was agreed to pay 16s. per hundred for white oak plank, and 10s. for white oak scantlin, delivered, to be used in this work.
War having been declared by England against France, the Governor issued his proclamation on the 11th of June, ad- vising the people of the Province of this change of relations between the two countries, and enjoining all persons capable of bearing arms, "forthwith to provide themselves with a good Firelock, Bayonet and Cartouch box, and with a sufficient quantity of powder and ball." The fitting out of privateers was also recommended. The tenor of the proclamation was rather calculated to increase the alarm incident to approaching hostilities; but the Governor had been so successful in his management of Indian affairs, and by joining in a grand treaty held at Lancaster immediately after the publication of the pro- clamation, in which both Virginia and Maryland, and also the Six Nations, were represented, the Province was really secure from any immediate attack, except by sea. This relieved our Quaker population from the dreadful apprehension of Indian hostilities, but not from constant importunities to furnish supplies to carry on the war, till the capture of Louisburg, on the island of Cape Breton, which happened in 1745. Even after this period, both men and money were in great demand by the home Government for some time.
An act was passed in 1747, granting £5000 for the King's use. This amount was raised by an issue of paper money, but this issue did not increase the amount previously authorized, but supplied the place of old and defaced bills, no longer fit to circulate.
On the 5th of May, 1747, the Governor advised the As- sembly of the death of John Penn, one of the Proprietors, and, at the same time, announced to that body his intention of re- turning to England, which event soon after followed, leaving the Government in charge of the Council, with Anthony Palmer as President. Mr. Palmer had not been long at the head of the Government, before the Province was thrown into a state of alarm by the arrival of an express from New Castle, bringing news of the presence of a privateer in the bay, with 100 French and Spaniards, who had committed sundry depredations along the coast. No laws could be passed in the absence of a Governor; but the Council was willing to risk the responsibility of providing for the defence of the Province, provided they could have the assurance of certain leading members of the Assembly, that, upon the arrival of a Governor, a bill for the payment of the expenses incurred should have their support.
257
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1748.]
No satisfactory assurance was given, and no effective defensive measures were adopted. The whole responsibility of this non- resistance policy, in a time of such great danger, did not rest with the Quakers alone, their views on the subject of war being endorsed by the Moravians and other German sects. This pacific policy doubtless led to the capture of a large number of vessels in and about the mouth of the bay, but it may well be doubted whether the loss of property sustained would not have been more than counterbalanced by the loss of life in case armed resistance had been made.
The repair of the road between Cobb's Creek and Gray's Ferry was neglected by the Supervisors, under the belief that it had never been regularly laid out, which was probably true. Upon the petition of George Gray, the keeper of the Ferry, and others, to the Council, all difficulty was obviated by the appoint- ment of suitable persons to survey and have a proper return of the road made.
At the same time, upon petition, persons were appointed to lay out the balance of the road, according to former surveys, to New Castle line, but finding that the travelled road did not occupy the ground upon which the road had been laid out, a final report was not made till July, 1748. The survey appears to have been made by the Surveyor-General, and varied but little from the bed of the old road. The width adopted for the road laid out at this time was sixty feet, except in the towns Darby and Chester.
The piratical depredations committed by the enemy in the Delaware became more alarming this year than ever before. One privateer even ventured above New Castle, and in passing, exchanged a few shots with that place. The British sloop-of- war Otter was then at Philadelphia, but, unfortunately, it was not in a condition to repel these aggressions of the enemy. Ef- forts were made to fit out another vessel, and although the As- sembly agreed to provide money to defray the expense of such defensive measures as might be adopted, even if they did not approve of those measures; yet moneyed men did not feel suffi- cient confidence to induce them to make the necessary advances. Every effort was made by the Council to procure cannon, and at length some were obtained from New York, and batteries estab- lished along the river. One of these was called the "Great Battery," which was probably located near the present site of the Navy Yard.
In this emergency a home guard was organized, not only in the city, but in the several counties, composed of citizens who voluntarily associated for the defence of the Province. They were denominated " Associators," and furnished their equipments
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