USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 32
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On account of the death of his father, which happened in 1771, Lieut. Governor John Penn returned to England, and before the close of the year was succeeded by Richard Penn ; James Hamilton, President of the Council, having acted as Go- vernor in the meantime.
The best men in the county did not, at this period, hesitate to assume the duties of county offices. Thus we find Anthony Wayne, who subsequently became one of the great generals of the Revolution, and John Morton, one of the signers of the De- claration of Independence, the former as an assessor, and the latter as a Justice of the Peace, uniting with the County Commis- sioners in letting out, by contract, the building of a county bridge. It was the bridge over Little Crum Creek, on the road between Darby and Chester. The bridge was let at £210; is a stone arched bridge, and is still standing, an enduring monument of the integrity of those concerned in its erection.
At a subsequent meeting "the consideration of the rebuilding the Flat for carrying persons over the Brandywine coming be- fore the board, they agree that it should be done, with all con- venient speed, and appoint John Webster & Thomas Taylor to procure the same as soon as they can at the most reasonable terms." This flat was used at Chadds' Ford.
The excitement of the people produced by the illegal and tur- bulent proceedings of the Connecticut claimants, was, at this period, even greater than that produced by the arbitrary mea- sures of the mother country. This controversy, though sus- pended during the Revolution, was not ended till 1802, when it was rightfully decided in favor of Pennsylvania.
The several Monthly Meetings of the Society of Friends, of
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our county, appear now to be engaged more earnestly in freeing their members "from the evil practice of holding slaves. Through the instrumentality of visiting committees, a consider- able number of Friends had been induced to liberate their ser- vants for life, or to enter into an obligation to free them at a certain age; though slave-holding at this time was not a suffi- cient cause for disownment. Nor was it held by all the Meetings that even selling slaves placed the offender quite beyond the care of the Society, for, in a case brought before Darby Meeting, and clearly made out, the offender was regarded as being "under censure of the minute of our Yearly Meeting of 1758," and in the testimony adopted, they "refuse to permit him to sit in our meetings of discipline, or be employed in the affairs of Truth, or receive from him any contribution towards the relief of the poor or other services of the Meeting."
Great opposition was made to the road laid out in 1770 from the Middle Ferry to Strasburg in Lancaster County, partly on account of supposed mistakes in making the return. As a con- sequence it was not opened, and this year, in pursuance of in- structions from the Governor and Council, it was reviewed by the Commissioners who laid it out, but they do not appear to have made any material change in the route, though it is desig- nated much more particularly in the second survey.1
John Penn, who had formerly acted as Governor, and who, in consequence of the death of his father, had become one of the Proprietaries, returned to the Province in 1773, and assumed the duties of administering the government.
From a message by the Governor to the Assembly, it would appear that £15,000 had been appropriated for building forti- fications "for the security and defence" of Philadelphia, and that the whole amount had been expended in the purchase of Mud Island, and in the erection of a fort thereon; the work having been executed in accordance with " the opinion and ad- vice of a skillful engineer, recommended by General Gage." The Governor regarded the work as having been done "in a masterly manner." The object of the message was to urge the Assembly to make provision for finishing the work. A tem- porary fortress had been erected on this island at a former period, but the structure now erected was the beginning of, and consti- tutes a material part of the present Fort Mifflin.
We now approach the most momentous period of our history as a people-a period embracing the events that severed us from the mother country, and gave us a separate national existence. The limited scope of this work will only permit a notice of such
1 Col. Rec. x. 113.
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of these events as occurred in our midst, or in our immediate vicinity.
By the passage of the Boston Port Bill, the people became aroused to the necessity of adopting active measures in defence of their liberties. Meetings were held in Philadelphia, from which emanated a circular to the people of the several counties of the Province. This circular was addressed to Francis Richardson, Elisha Price, and Henry Hayes, of Chester County, who immediately issued the following call for a meeting of the people of the county :
" To the Freeholders and others, inhabitants of the County of Chester, qualified by law to vote for Representatives in General Assembly,
" Gentlemen :
" The large, and very respectable com- mittee for the City and County of Philadelphia, have wrote to us, the subscribers, requesting that a committee might be chosen for this county as soon as possible, to meet the committee from the other Counties of this province, at the city of Philadelphia, on the 15th day of this instant, to deliberate on matters of the greatest weight and importance, not only to us, but to all Ame- rica. And we are now assured, that on the account of the Indian disturbances, his Honour the Governor has found it necessary to call the Assembly to meet, in their legislative capacity, on Monday the 28th of this instant ; and we also find, that it is not only the opinion and request of the said committee for Philadelphia, but also the opinion and desire of a number of respectable persons of this county, coinciding with our own opinions, as lovers of civil and religious liberty, that the com- mittees of the several counties of this province, should meet at Philadelphia, on the said 15th of this instant, in order to assist in framing instructions, and preparing such matters as may be proper to recommend to our representatives, at their meeting the Monday following.
" We have therefore thought proper on mature deliberation, and by the advice of a number of gentlemen of this county, to appoint Wednesday the 13th instant, at one o'clock in the after- noon, as a proper time for the inhabitants of this county to meet at the Court House in Chester, to choose a number of our best and wisest men as a committee for this county, as shall be judged necessary to meet the other committees, at the time and place above mentioned, for the purpose aforesaid, and for such other purposes, as may then be deemed useful and necessary. And we sincerely hope, that the good people of this county, will give their attendance on that day, and calmly and heartily join with
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[us] in doing the business proposed, which we earnestly wish and desire may answer the good proposed, and the good purposes intended by it.
Chester July 4th 1774."
The following is the record of the proceedings of the meeting :
" At a meeting of a very respectable number of the Freeholders and others, inhabitants of the County of Chester at the court- house on Wednesday the 13th of July, 1774, in consequence of public notice for that purpose given, Francis Richardson Esq. Chairman.
" This Assembly, taking into their serious consideration, the present critical and alarming situation of American affairs, and the unhappy differences now subsisting between Great Britain and her Colonies, do agree and resolve as follow, viz :
"1. That the inhabitants of this county do owe, and will pay all due faith and allegiance to our lawful and rightful sovereign Lord George the Third, king of G. Britain, and the dominions thereunto belonging.
"2. That it is an absolute right, inherent in every English subject, to have free use, enjoyment and disposal of all his property, either by himself or representative, and that no other power on earth can legally divest him of it.
" 3. That the act of Parliament lately passed for shutting up the port of Boston is unconstitutional, oppressive to the in- habitants of that town, in its consequences dangerous to the liberties of the British colonies; and that therefore, we consider our brethren at Boston as suffering in the common cause of America.
"4. That the protection of the liberties of America is an in- dispensable duty, which we owe to ourselves, who enjoy them, to our ancestors who transmitted them down, and to our pos- terity who will claim them at our hands, as the best birthright and noblest inheritance of mankind.
"5. We do agree with the Committee of the City and County of Philadelphia, that a Congress of Deputies from the said Colonies is the most profitable and proper mode of procuring relief for our suffering brethren, obtaining redress, preserving our rights and liberties, and establishing peace and mutual con- fidence between our Mother country and her Colonies, on a constitutional foundation.
"6. The inhabitants of this County ought and will cheerfully adopt, adhere to, and assist in executing all and singular such peaceable and constitutional measures, which may hereafter be agreed upon and determined by the said general Congress."
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"7. It is our opinion that it would conduce greatly to the restoration of the liberties of America, should the Colonies enter into a solemn agreement not to purchase any goods, wares or merchandize imported from Great Britain, under such restrictions as be agreed upon by the Congress. We, for our parts, sensible of the great advantages which must arise from promoting economy and manufacturing among ourselves, are determined to use as little foreign manufactures of what kind or quality soever, as our necessities will permit until the several acts of the British Parliament, injurious to American liberty, be repealed.
"8. That as our brethren at Boston are now suffering in the cause of America, it is the duty of the inhabitants of this County, in common with the neighbouring Colonies, generously to contribute towards their support; and therefore the Committee hereafter appointed, are requested immediately to open and set on foot a subscription for the said sufferers, and the money arising therefrom to be laid out and expended as the said Committee, or a majority of them, shall judge best to answer the benevolent intention.
" 9. That the following persons, to wit, Francis Richardson, Elisha Price, John Hart, Anthony Wayne, John Sellers, Hugh Lloyd, William Montgomery, Francis Johnston, William Parker, Richard Riley, Thomas Hockley, Robert Mendenhall, and John Fleming or a majority of them, be and they are hereby ap- pointed a Committee for this County to meet and correspond with the Committees of the several Counties of this and the other Colonies, and to join in such measures as to them shall appear necessary for the public good.1
"FRANCIS JOHNSTON, CIK. Com."
There had been some correspondence between the Philadel- phia Committee and influential persons in the several Counties of the Province, a month earlier, at which time it was not ex- pected that the Governor would convene the Assembly. Dele- gates from the several County Committees convened at Phila- delphia, and engaged in the preparation of a series of general resolutions, to be laid before that body, which met shortly afterwards. The Assembly, acting in harmony with similar bodies in the other Colonies, appointed deputies to the general Congress that convened at Philadelphia on the 14th of Sep- tember following. The whole number of deputies was fifty-five, of whom eight were from Pennsylvania, and of these, two, viz., Charles Humphreys and John Morton, resided in the dis- trict now constituting Delaware County.
1 Haz. Reg. iii. 38.
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On the 20th day of December following, we again find, "a very respectable number of the inhabitants of the County of Chester, convened at the Court-house in the borough of Chester," for the purpose of choosing a Committee " to carry into execu- tion the Association of the late Continental Congress." The following persons were chosen, viz .: Anthony Wayne, Francis Johnston, Richard Riley, Evan Evans & James Moore, Es- quires, Hugh Lloyd, Thomas Hockley, David Coupland, John Hart, Sketchley Morton, Samuel Fairlamb, Isaac Eyre, John Crosby, Nicholas Diehl, Jesse Bonsall, Aaron Oakford, Benja- min Brannan, John Talbot, Joseph Brown, Samuel Price, John Crawford, John Taylor, Lewis Gronow, Edward Hum- phreys, Henry Lawrence, Richard Thomas, Wm. Mont- gomery, Persifer Frazer, Thos. Taylor, John Foulke, Robert Mendenhall, Joseph Pennell, George Pierce, Nicholas Fair- lamb, Samuel Trimble, Charles Dilworth, John Hannum, George Hoops, Joel Bailey, John Gilliland, Joseph Bishop, Jr., John Kerlin, Edward Jones, William Lewis, Patrick Anderson, Joshua Evans, Thomas Hartman, Dr. Branson Van Leer, William Evans, Joseph Cowan, Thomas Haslep, Patterson Bell, Dr. Jonathan Morris, Andrew Mitchell, Thomas Buffington, James Bennett, Joseph Musgrave, Wm. Miller, Richard Flower, Walter Finney, James Simpson, David Wherry, James Evans, Thomas Bishop, William Edwards, Jona. Vernon, Jr., Lewis Davis, Sr., Jos. Gibbons, Jr., and Thomas Evans; which Com- mittee were " to be and continue from this time until one month after the rising of the next Continental Congress, with full power to transact such business, and enter into such associa- tions as to them shall appear expedient."
After the appointment of the above Committee, they proceeded to appoint a Chairman and Secretary ; when Anthony Wayne, Esq., was selected for the former, and Francis Johnston, Esq., for the latter office. The Committee then passed the following resolves unanimously : "1st. That any twelve or more of the said Committee, meeting upon due notice, be empowered to enter upon and transact all such business, as shall come under their consideration ; provided, the majority agreeing shall not be less than twelve."
" 2d. That the present unhappy situation of public affairs in general, and of this Province in particular, renders it highly necessary that a Provincial Convention should be held as soon as possible ; for which purpose twelve persons shall be appointed, out of the said Committee, as delegates to attend the said Con- vention, at such time and place as shall be generally agreed on."
The Committee then adjourned, to meet at the house of David Coupland, in the Borough of Chester, on the 9th of January, 1775.
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Agreeably to one of the resolves of the first meeting of the people of Chester County, subscriptions were circulated for the relief of the suffering people of Boston. The Society of Friends, acting in a meeting capacity, did not hesitate to contribute to the same object. Chester Monthly Meeting contributed £70 " for the relief of Necessitous inhabitants of Massachussetts Bay and Provinces adjacent." Darby Meeting paid £33 14s. "for the relief of the poor and distressed in New England," while Haver- ford Meeting responded to the request of the meeting for suffer- ings, " that Friends should contribute liberally for the relief of friends or others (in the New England Government), who are or may be reduced to indigent circumstances, in this time of public calamity," and in a short time had the satisfaction to receive "an affecting account of the state of the poor of these Provinces, and of the distribution of the donations sent from hence."
In this connection it may be remarked, that the period under consideration was one of great tribulation with the more staid members of the Society of Friends. Their tenets imposed a condition of perfect neutrality, and this was generally adhered to; but many, and among them men in high repute for their intelligence, took an active part in opposing the arbitrary mea- sures of the mother country. The effect of allowing their mem- bers to participate in the commotions of the times was foreseen, and the most kindly caution was repeatedly administered by the visitation of Committees. It will be seen hereafter that these efforts were generally, though not wholly, unsuccessful.
The proposed Provincial Convention assembled at Philadelphia on the 23d of January, 1775, and continued its sessions until the 28th. The following ten delegates from Chester County appeared at the first meeting of the Convention: Anthony Wayne, Esq., Hugh Lloyd, Richard Thomas, Francis Johnston, Esq., Samuel Fairlamb, Lewis Davis, William Montgomery, Joseph Musgrave, Joshua Evans, and Persifer Frazer. The ab- sentees were Thomas Hockley and Thomas Taylor.
The proceedings of the Convention were unanimous, and the object of one of its first resolves was " to procure a law prohibit- ing the future importation of slaves into the province."
No record of a meeting of the Chester County Committee, on the 9th of January, the day to which they adjourned, has been found ; but they are again assembled on the 20th of March, pur- suant "to adjournment and public notice," showing that an inter- vening meeting had been held. This meeting was held at the house of Richard Cheyney in East Caln, when, on motion, it was " ordered, that Mr. Hockley, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Gronow, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Frazer, Mr. Moore, and Mr. Taylor, be and they are
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hereby appointed a Committee to essay a draught of a petition to present to the General Assembly of this Province, with regard to the manumission of slaves-especially relating to the freedom of infants hereafter born of black women within this Colony-and do make report of the same to this Committee at its next meeting."
On motion, "ordered, that each member in this Committee, will use his utmost diligence in collecting the several sums of money subscribed for the use of Boston, and pay the same into the hands of Anthony Wayne, Esq., Treasurer, at the next meet- ing .of the Committee."
The Committee then adjourned, to meet at the house of David Cowpland, in the borough of Chester, on Wednesday, the 31st of May next.
The following extract from their proceedings shows that the Committee met at an earlier day than that to which they ad- journed.
" In Committee, Chester, May 22, 1775.
" Whereas it appears very necessary, in order to avert the evils and calamities which threaten our devoted country, to embody ourselves and make all the military preparation in our power; and it appears absolutely impossible to carry this laudable design into execution, without observing the greatest order, harmony and concord, not only under the laws of civil government, but also while under arms and in actual duty,-we therefore unani- mously recommend the following Association, to be entered into by the good people of this County :-
" We, the Subscribers do most solemnly resolve, promise and engage, under the sacred ties of honor, virtue, and love to our country, that we will use our utmost endeavours to learn the military exercise and promote harmony and unanimity in our respective companies; that we will strictly adhere to the rules of decency, during duty ; that we will pay a due regard to our officers ; that we will, when called upon, support with our utmost abilities the civil magistrate in the execution of the laws for the good of our country, and that we will at all times be in readiness to defend the lives, liberties, and properties of ourselves and fellow countrymen against all attempts to deprive us of them. " Extract from the minutes.
"By order of the Committee, "FRANCIS JOHNSTON, Sec'y."
The following is the next call for a meeting of the Commit- tee :-
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" CHESTER COUNTY, September 7, 1775.
"The Committee of Chester County are desired to meet at the sign of the Turk's Head, in the township of Goshen,1 on Monday, the 25th inst., at Ten O'clock, A. M., on business of consequence ; at which time and place the board of commission- ers and assessors are requested to attend.
" By order of the Committee, " ANTHONY WAYNE, Chairman."
" In Committee, Chester County, Sept. 25, 1775.
" Whereas some persons, evidently inimical to the liberty of America, have industriously propagated a report, that the mili- tary associators of this County, in conjunction with the military associators in general, intend to overturn the Constitution, by declaring an Independency, in the execution of which they are aided by this Committee and the board of Commissioners and Assessors with the arms now making for this County ; and as such report could not originate but among the worst of men for the worst of purposes,-This Committee have therefore thought proper to declare, and they do hereby declare, their abhorrence even of an idea so pernicious in its nature ; as they ardently wish for nothing more than a happy and speedy reconciliation, on constitutional principles, with that state from whom they derive their origin.
" By order of the Committee, " ANTHONY WAYNE, Chairman."
The strong language of this disclaimer against any intention of favoring independence, and the desire expressed for a recon- ciliation with the mother country, sounds strange at this day, yet there can be no doubt that, up to this late period, it was the prevailing sentiment, even among those who were most strenu- ous in their opposition to the measures of the home govern- ment.
After having provided for the election of a new Committee for the ensuing year by the people of the several townships, on the 2d of October, the Committee adjourned to meet at Chester on that day, but we have no record of the proceedings of that meet- ing. Whether the complexion of the Committee was changed by the election is not known, but we judge it was not, from the proceedings of the next meeting.
" CHESTER, Oct. 23rd, 1775.
" Pursuant to public notice given, the Committee met at the house of David Cowpland, in the borough of Chester. On mo- tion ordered, that each member of this Committee do immedi- ately make return to the Chairman, of the quantity of Powder
1 Now West Chester.
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which he already has or may collect within his district, together with the price and the name of the owner thereof, that the same may be paid for.
" On motion resolved, that Anthony Wayne, Francis Johnston, and Elisha Price, Esqrs., Mr. Richardson, Mr. Knowles, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Brannan, be and they are hereby appointed a Committee of Correspondence for this County.1
" By order of the Committee,
" FRANCIS JOHNSTON, Sec'y."
The second meeting of Congress was in May, 1775. At the close of the first meeting of that body, it was hoped and believed by many that a second meeting would not be necessary ; that the representations made to the home government by the repre- sentatives of all the Colonies, would bring the desired relief. But this was a delusion, for before Congress met, hostilities had actually begun. From this time onward, for seven long years, war measures and the events of the war engrossed public atten- tion. Only those of a local character will be noticed.
A Committee of Safety was appointed by the Assembly on the 30th June, consisting of twenty-five members, of whom Anthony Wayne, Benjamin Bartholomew, Francis Johnston and Richard Riley were from Chester County. This Committee was espe- cially active in providing for the defence of the Province, and particularly for that of the city of Philadelphia.
Each county was required to furnish a certain number of Firelocks-the quota for Chester County being 600. These were manufactured by a man named Dunwicke, and were ready to be proved by the 6th of October.2 Gun-boats were construct- ed ; ammunition provided ; companies, battalions and regiments were organized, and breastworks hastily thrown up. These de- fences were mostly in the neighborhood of Fort Mifflin. In ad- dition, two tiers of chevaux-de-frize were thrown across the main channel of the Delaware; one opposite the upper part of Hog Island, near the Fort, and the other nearly opposite the Laza- retto.3 The following resolution, adopted by the Committee on the 16th of November, directs additional tiers to be sunk, but it does not appear that any barrier to the navigation of the river was placed so far down as Marcus Hook.
" Resolved, that one or more tiers of Chevaux-de-frize be sunk above those already sunk, near to Fort Island."
" That two tiers of Chevaux de-frize be sunk for the further
1 The foregoing minutes of the proceedings of the Chester County Committee were copied from the Pennsylvania Packet, (a newspaper published in Philadelphia at the time) by Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, and kindly furnished by him.
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