USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 31
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267
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1758.]
they were supported, partly at the public expense, and partly by private charity. Actuated by compassion for the distressed condition of these poor people, the Assembly as soon as possible passed an act providing for their distribution throughout the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Lancaster. Three Commissioners were named in the act for each county, to make this distribution, and to transact other business connected with the comfort of these poor Frenchmen. The Commissioners for Chester County were Nathaniel Pennock, Nathaniel Grubb, and John Hannum.
The overseers of the poor were obliged to receive these poor creatures, and to provide for their immediate wants; but the Commissioners were authorized to put them in a way to support themselves, by the purchase of stock, &c., which was to be paid for out of a public loan recently authorized by the Assembly. But one family could be located in a township.
Notwithstanding this kind treatment, some of these French- men, by their misconduct, subjected themselves to the suspicion of having evil designs against the Government. Six were ar- rested and imprisoned by authority of the Governor, two of whom resided in this county, Paul Bujauld at Chester, and Jean Landy at Darby.
For some cause, an enumeration of the members of the Roman Catholic Church was made in 1757. The number (who took the sacrament) in the Province was 1365, of whom only 120 resided in Chester County.
In carly times it was usual for religious meetings to commence at noon, or sometimes at one o'clock, P. M. The time of com- mencing Darby week-day meeting of Friends, was this year changed from twelve to eleven o'clock.
Public attention now became almost wholly engrossed with making preparations for the prosecution of the war and the defence of the Province. Of these, the limited scope of our work will only permit a notice of such as have a local interest.
In the course of the discussions that ensued, several articles appeared in a Dutch newspaper, published at Germantown by Christopher Sower, which were supposed to be aimed against the King and the Government. In consequence, fourteen High- landers, from a regiment lately arrived at Philadelphia, were dispatched to the printer, with a written order to meet General Forbes "at the tavern sign of the Buck on the old Lancaster road."1 Sower repaired to the place indicated, and being sub- jected to an examination by Gen. Forbes and the Governor, who
1 This tavern was located in the N. E. corner of Haverford township, and up to the completion of the railroad to Columbia, continued to be regarded as one of the most noted public houses in our county.
268
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1761.
was there in person, he was dismissed. Sower had resided in the Province thirty-four years, and urged, in his defence, that he had been instrumental in inducing many persons to settle in the Province, and therefore was in duty bound to support its welfare. The General gave him "a serious warning, for the future, not to print anything against the King or Government."
At the time of his interview with the German printer, Gene- ral Forbes was probably on his Western expedition, which re- sulted in the recapture of Fort Du Quesnc.
The war was still more vigorously prosecuted in 1759, in the autumn of which year Quebec was captured by the British and provincial forces under General Wolf. In carrying out the plans of the campaign, a large number of wagons was required to be furnished by the several counties in the Province. The number required from Chester County was sixty-six.
William Denny was superseded in the office of Lieutenant- Governor of the Province by James Hamilton, who for a second time was appointed to that office, and assumed the duties thereof in November, 1759.
The degree and kind of punishment inflicted upon criminals have varied very much at different periods. In very early times the infliction of fines for ordinary offences was generally resorted to. From 1714 to 1759, most of the sentences embraced whip- ping, as the chief or only item of punishment for such offences, and usually consisted of "twenty-one lashes on the bare back well laid on." In a few instances, the number of stripes was a few more or less. Standing in the pillory was rarely adopted as a punishment during this period, and imprisonment not at all. The wearing of the Roman T ceased about the year 1720.
The subject of buying and selling negroes, and the treatment of those held by members of the Society of Friends, now begins to claim the special attention of the meetings of that sect. A member of Chester Meeting is dealt with for having bought and sold a negro; but having made the proper acknowledgment is not dis- owned. In reply to the query on the subject, Haverford Meeting says, that "one friend hath purchased a negro, and we believe those who are possessed of them, supply them with the necessaries of life, but we fear the necessary duty of instruction and infor- mation in this important affair, is too much neglected by some of our members."
The death of King George II. occurred on the 25th of Octo- ber of this year ; but his grandson and successor, George III., was not proclaimed in Pennsylvania till the 21st of January of the following year. In the new Commission for Justices, that it became necessary to issue, the following is the list for Chester County : Thomas Worth, Samuel Flower, John Miller, Isaac
269
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1762.]
Davis, Edward Brinton; Chief Burgess of Chester, Alexander Johnson, John Morton, John Culbertson, William Clingham, William Parker, Timothy Kirk, John Hannum, John Price, Roger Hunt, John Fairlamb, George Curric, Henry Hale Graham.
The County tax about this period was levied at the rate of 2d. per pound, and six shillings on each freeman. The amount raised at that rate appears to have exceeded the wants of the County, for the Commissioners and Assessors, " upon inspection of the affairs of the County that properly came under their notice, find no necessity for raising a tax this year." This announcement was no doubt a very gratifying one to the tax payers of the County.
Incorporations of meadow companies commenced about this period ; under what kind of an arrangement the several parties interested in meadow lands along the Delaware, contributed their proportionate share of the expense towards maintaining the banks, before these acts of incorporation were obtained, is not now well understood. It must have been by means of a private understanding.
War with Spain was declared on the 4th of January, 1762. This created a greater alarm for the safety of the Province, and especially for Philadelphia, than had previously existed, as Spain was then in possession of a powerful navy. The Go- vernor forthwith eonvened the Assembly, and the members being sensible of the weakness of the Province, the House im- mediately appropriated £23,500, which appears to have been the Parliamentary allotment for 1759. Five thousand pounds were also appropriated for the erection of a fort mounting twenty cannon on Mud Island, near the mouth of the Schuyl- kill. The fortification, hurriedly erected during this period of alarm, and which bore the name of the island upon which it was erected, has been supplied by the respectable fortress now known as Fort Mifflin, being so named in honor of Governor Thomas Mifflin.
The large number of negroes imported about this time became alarming to the people. The Assembly of Pennsylvania had enacted a law imposing a prohibitory duty on their introduction, which was repealed by the Crown. Other Colonies, including Virginia and South Carolina, had enacted laws to restrain the importation of slaves, but these enactments failed to receive the royal sanction. "Never before had England pursued the traffic in Negroes with such eager avarice."1
Pitt resigned his position as head of the British ministry, and was succeeded by the Earl of Egremont-a most unfortunate
1 Bancroft, iv. 421.
270
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1763.
change for Colonial independence. A treaty of peace between England and France was concluded towards the close of this year, but was not proclaimed in Philadelphia till the 26th of January, 1763. Peace with Spain soon followed, leaving our ancestors none but Indian enemies to contend with.
John Penn arrived at Philadelphia on Sunday the thirteenth of October, having been appointed to supersede James Hamilton, as Lieut. Governor. The day of his arrival is distinguished " by the occurrence of a severe shock of an earthquake, accom- panied with a loud roaring noise, which greatly alarmed, not only the inhabitants of Philadelphia, but of the surrounding country. Most religious congregations were assembled for worship at the time, and much confusion, but little injury hap- pened from their efforts to escape from the buildings, which they feared would fall upon them."'1
The interior inhabitants of Pennsylvania had suffered so severely from the Indians during the war, and their feelings against the whole race had become so much excited, that they were unable or unwilling to draw any distinction between those who had been hostile to the English and those who had acted as their allies. The latter were suspected of communicating in- telligence to the former. Under this unjust suspicion, a number of armed men from Paxton and Donnegal townships in Lan- caster County, inhumanly murdered six Indians of Conestogo Village, and subsequently fourteen of the same tribe who had been placed in the workhouse of Lancaster for safety. Em- boldened and hardened by their successful butchery, these ex- cited but deluded men, threatened to proceed to Philadelphia and destroy the Moravian Indians, 140 in number, who, upon the news of the Lancaster outrages, repaired to that city for safety. To render them more secure, the Governor had re- moved them to Province Island at the mouth of the Schuylkill. Becoming alarmed, however, at the reported fury of their ene- mies, they, with their two Moravian ministers, petitioned the Legislature to send them to England. This being impracticable, the Governor sent them to New York, in order to be placed under the protection of Sir Wm. Johnson, who had charge of Military affairs in the Colonies ; but Governor Colden of New York declined to admit them into that Province, and they re- turned back to Pennsylvania under an escort of two military companies. The return of these Indians again aroused the fury of their enemies, who in great numbers immediately marched towards Philadelphia. The Indians, in the meantime, had been lodged in the barracks, which were well fortified, and a formi- dable array of soldiers went out to meet the insurgents. Find-
1 Gordon's Hist. Penna. 413.
271
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1765.]
ing the ferries well guarded they proceeded to Germantown, and learning the extent of the preparations made to oppose their progress, they at length listened to the advice of some prudent persons sent out to meet them, and, with the exception of two of their number, who remained to represent their grievances to the government, they all returned peaceably to their homes.1 Perhaps the older settlements of the Province were never thrown into a greater state of alarm than that produced by these in- surgents. Dr. Franklin had a large share in bringing about the favorable result that has been mentioned.
John Penn had arrived from England and had assumed the duties of Lieutenant-Governor, just before the Indians were murdered at Lancaster. When the insurgents approached Philadelphia, his Excellency became so much alarmed that he fled for safety to the dwelling of Dr. Franklin.2
The people of the border settlements had suffered severely from the barbarous cruelty of the savages, and can be excused for entertaining feelings of revenge, but they can find no justi- fication for cruelly venting those feelings against innocent parties, simply because they were Indians. It is probable that the inhuman mode of warfare practised against the Indians, very greatly sharpened their natural cruelty towards the whites. Heavy rewards had been offered for Indian scalps, and dogs were employed in hunting and pursuing them.3 Truly the government was not wholly guiltless of having trained the minds of the "Paxton boys" for the 'cruelty practised by them against the Indians.
Lotteries had for many years been resorted to for the pur- pose of raising means to build churches, endow schools, build bridges, &c., &c., but the Legislature seeing the evils that re- sulted from them, passed an act for their suppression. This act was repealed by the Crown ; but the Quakers, at least, were not disposed to allow the Mother Country to rivet such evils upon their sect. They had ignored the traffic in negroes, and from a minute of Concord Meeting we find them this year dealing with a member "for being concerned in lotteries."
But it was in vain that the Quakers warred against the evils resulting from lotteries. Other sects, and particularly the Epis-
1 Gordon's Hist. Penna. 405.
2 Franklin's Memoirs.
3 " It will be necessary to give early notice to the Troops that the Governor and the Commissioners, have agreed to allow three shillings per month to every soldier who brings a strong dog, that will be judged proper to be employed in discovering and pursuing the savages, and recommend to procure as many as they ean, not ex- eeeding ten per company, Each dog is to be kept tied and led by his master." Col. Boquet's mem : for equipments of the Penna. troops, &c. See Penna. Archives (1764) 180.
272
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1765.
copalians, appeared not to have become awakened to those evils, for in a single year (1765) eight Episcopal churches, one Pres- byterian and one Lutheran church, received aid from this au- thorized system of gambling. Of the Episcopal churches, three were of this County, viz : St. Paul's at Chester, St. Johns in Concord township, and St. Martin's at Marcus Hook.1
The act of the British Parliament for charging certain stamped duties in the American Colonies, known as the "Stamp Act," was passed in 1765. In October of this year a vessel bringing a supply of stamps arrived at Philadelphia, but the opposition to the law was so great that it could not be enforced. The ex- citement produced throughout the British Colonies was unpar- alleled, and the discussions that resulted, it is known, led to the Revolution.
The Indian troubles ceased with a general treaty of peace en- tered into in 1765 with Sir William Johnson ; but it was through the instrumentality of Col. Boquet that the Indians were hum- bled and brought to terms.
The new Commission for the county of Chester embraced the following names : William Moore, Thomas Worth, Samuel Flower, John Miller, Isaac Davis, Edward Brinton, Alexander Johnson, Jno. Culbertson, Will. Clingham, Will. Parker, John Hannum, John Price, John Fairlamb, Henry Hale Graham, Wm. Boyd, Rt. Riley, James Hunter and James Evans.
The frequent dealings with members about this period by our local Friends' meetings, for buying and selling slaves, at once show what a very common article of traffic the negro had be- come, in this our favored land. and the firm determination on the part of that Society, that with their members, at least, the traffic should cease and determine for ever. Some were now prepared to go a step further than they had already gone, and to enjoin the manumission of all slaves as a religious duty. In this movement, Chester Monthly Meeting took the lead, as it had done in the earlier movements of the Society on this delicate subject. That meeting had already appointed a committee to visit such of its members "as keep slaves, and endeavour to convince them of the inconsistency of the practice, and advise them of the proper time and manner of setting them at liberty." This committee, after having visited all who kept slaves, made their report this year. They found " a disposition in many they visited to release their slaves, and one has been set at liberty since their appointment. They believe that if Friends can be continued to advise and treat with those that do not see clearly
1 Gordon's Hist. Penna. 411. St. John's Church Records.
273
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1767.]
the necessity of doing to others as they would have others do unto them, it may be profitable."1
All the meetings had committees to inquire into the treat- ment of slaves held by Friends ; whether they were taught to read, and encouraged to attend meetings, &c. Reports were generally favorable.
The odious Stamp Act was repealed on the 18th of March, 1766, the news of which event, when it reached America, caused unbounded demonstrations of joy. Though the Quakers gene- rally would not have violently resisted the execution of the law, they shared with others the joy produced by the tidings of its repeal. The French and Indian wars had been happily termi- nated, and the controversy with the mother country appeared now to be the only event that could again give rise to the "wars and fightings," which had already become a snare to many youthful members of the Society. Regarding the repeal as the harbinger of a protracted peace, our local meetings with renewed vigor set about purging the Society from a variety of evil prac- tices, which for some time had claimed its serious consideration. Next to dealing in and holding slaves, intemperance and the sale of intoxicating drinks, and being concerned in lotteries, were the most prominent.
The most important event of 1767 was the final determination of the boundary line between Pennsylvania and Maryland- Mason and Dixon's line. The final deed, under which this very protracted controversy was eventually closed, was executed on the 4th of July, 1760.2 Under this deed Commissioners were appointed, who at once engaged in the work assigned to them, by tracing, with the aid of the best surveyors they could find, the east and west peninsular line, and the twelve-mile circle around New Castle. The work was accomplished by means of sighting along poles, and measuring with the common surveyor's chain, as nearly horizontal as possible.
The slow progress of these surveyors induced the Penns and the then Lord Baltimore to agree with Thomas Mason and Jere- miah Dixon, "two Mathematicians or surveyors," to complete the work. These gentlemen arrived in Philadelphia on the 15th of November, 1763, and immediately commenced the survey. The peninsular line had been run, and the tangent-point had been fixed by their predecessors with so much accuracy that they
· 1 Notwithstanding this apparent desire to do even and exact justice to the African race, there was a law at this time in force in Pennsylvania that established a special tribunal for the trial of negroes charged with the higher grades of crime, which proves conclusively that the rights of the two races were not generally regarded as equally saered. The record of a single trial under this law at Chester, given in the Appendix, Note L, will explain the whole matter.
2 Address of J. H. Latrobe, 26.
18
274
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1769.
were adopted by Mason and Dixon-the tangent-line, to use their own language, "not passing one inch eastward or west- ward" of the post marking the tangent point set in the ground by those whom they superseded.1 It will be remembered that the starting-point of the line run in 1739 was on the meridian of this tangent fifteen and a-quarter miles south of the southern part of the City of Philadelphia. The agreement now fixes it at fifteen miles. Having ascertained this point, the learned surveyors proceeded slowly but surely in running and marking the line that bears their names. In the autumn of 1767 their labors were suddenly brought to a close, by the command of the Six Nations of Indians, after they had reached a distance of 244 miles west of the Delaware.
The stones intended to permanently designate the boundary were not planted till the following year.
The year 1768 was another year of jubilee for our good people, for the Commissioners and Assessors, "after inspecting into the affairs of the county, find no necessity for raising a tax this year." This announcement may be regarded as more sin- gular, in having been made at a time when great apprehension existed of the breaking out of an Indian war, in consequence of the most inhuman murder of ten Indians at Middle Creek, in Cumberland County, by one Frederic Stump.
An act was passed in 1768 "for regulating the fishery in the river Brandywine." The object of the act was to regulate the dams so that the fish could pass up.
The practice of advertising, by candidates, for the office of sheriff, which commenced in Philadelphia in 1744, was probably introduced about this period into Chester County. The follow- ing is a specimen of the advertisement then in use.
" To the Freeholders, and others, Electors for the Borough and . County of Chester,
GENTLEMEN :
When I reflect on the honor done, and confidence placed in me by the freemen of this county, for a number of years past, it affords me a matter of joy, and em- boldens me at this time, to offer myself as a candidate for the Sheriff's office, for which purpose I humbly request your votes and interest at the ensuing election, which kindness, Gentlemen, shall be gratefully acknowledged and kept in remembrance by your assured friend. RICHARD BAKER."
Sheriffs were elected annually, and for some years past John Morton, the signer of the Declaration of Independence had held that office. Jesse Maris was the successful candidate this year,
1 Address of J. H. Latrobe, 33.
275
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1770.]
though he did not advertise. IIe gave security in £3,000, un- der a recently enacted law, the security previously to this time having been much smaller.
After the repeal of the stamp act, the British Parliament passed, almost unanimously, an act imposing duties on certain articles imported into the colonies. This act involving the same principle as that just repealed-taxation without representation -met with the same opposition. Under a belief that it was the amount of the tax, rather than the principle involved in im- posing it, to which the colonists objected, assurances were given in 1769, that five-sixths of the taxes should be repealed. In the following year the whole was abolished, except 3d. per pound on tea.1
This produced only a temporary lull in the great political storm that for some time had been gathering; for the right of taxation by the mother country was still maintained.
The road from the Schuylkill at Province Island, through Tini- cum, was probably laid out this year; persons, upon petition, having been appointed for that purpose by the Governor and Council, though their report does not appear on record.
A road from the "Middle ferry" to Strasburg, passing the Boot tavern, and the Ship tavern, was laid out in 1770. The route adopted for this road through Delaware County, was nearly on the same ground that is occupied at present by the West Chester road. The Commissioners for laying out this road were John Morton, John Sellers, James Webb, Joseph Fox, Jacob Lewis and Danl. Williams.
The Commission of the Governor having been renewed, a new Commission for Justices was required. The following is the list for Chester County, viz. : William Moore, Thomas Worth, John Morton, Isaac Davis, Alexander Johnson, William Clingham, William Parker, John Hannum, John Price, Henry Hale Graham, Richard Riley, Charles Cruikshanks, Richard Baker, James Gibbons, James Moore, William Swaffer, Evan Evans, Thomas Hockley, Joseph Pyle, Thomas Temple, and Warwick Miller. Members of Council were ex-officio Justices of the Peace.
As early as 1734 some small quantities of silk had been made in Pennsylvania, probably from our native mulberry. About this period the subject was revived, and great efforts were made to introduce the culture on a large scale. Premiums were offer- ed to the persons who should bring the greatest weight of cocoons to a public filature established in Philadelphia. In 1771 the quantity brought to this establishment from Pennsyl- vania, New Jersey and Delaware, chiefly by ladies, was 1754 lbs. 4
1 Gordon's Hist. Penn. 457.
276
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1772.
oz., of which Chester County produced 335 lbs., brought in by the following named persons :
LBS. OZ. 4 11
Sarah Dicks
LBS. 47
10
Mary Parker (Darby)
10
0
Catharine Evans
14
00
Mary Pearson (Darby )
51
11
Mary Jones
19
12
Abigail Davis (Chester)
3
3
Jane Davis (Chester) . Jacob Worrall
2
0
Ann Cochran (Darby)
25
12
Margaret Riley
11
10
Rachel Hayes (Darby)
13
12
John Hoops (Chester)
23 10
James Millhouse ·
52
00
Henry Thomas (Chester)
8
6
Ann Davis
2
15
Elizabeth Bonsall
7
0
Mary Davis
2
4
It is probable that the white mulberry tree, (Morus alba,) was introduced into this county at this time. It is now fully natu- ralized, especially in the eastern part of the county, where there are trees three feet in diameter.
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