USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 38
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332
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1780.
by the people generally, resulted from the great depreciation of the paper money authorized by Congress. Early in the year 1779, it had depreciated so much that the price of every article had become almost fabulous, and yet it had not then reached its lowest point. A barrel of flour was sold for £20, and a bushel of salt for £15; a journeyman blacksmith was paid £8 per day, and the price for shoeing a horse all round was £4.
The County Commissioners encountered very great difficulties in levying taxes. The moderate fines that the law had imposed upon officers for neglect of duty when the currency was good, failed to secure the services of those whose duty it was to assess and collect the taxes. By a minute made by the Board of Com- missioners and County Assessors for Chester County, at a meeting held on the 18th of January, it appears that "from the greatest number of townships" no return of taxable property had been made. The assessment was consequently postponed till the 26th of April; the Commissioners in the meantime having borrowed money, and the legislature having enacted a law imposing fines on delinquent assessors and collectors more in accordance with the inflated character of the currency.
Many of the small vessels composing the Pennsylvania fleet were sold; but still encouragement was given for fitting out pri- vateers. Garrisons were kept, both at Fort Mifflin and Billings- port, at the expense of the State; but the object appears to have been more for the prevention of smuggling, and to enforce the temporary embargoes that were from time to time laid, than to guard against any apprehended attack from the enemy.
The crew of the brigantine Holker, to sail as a privateer, appears to have been enlisted at Chester by Capt. Davis Bevan, who probably commanded the vessel. Most of the enlistments were made in July, 1779, as appears by the receipt book of the captain, now in possession of the Delaware County Institute of Science. The bounty paid by Capt. Bevan for a single cruise was from $50 to $100, most probably Continental money.
Before the close of the year 1779, Continental money had depreciated enormously. Commissioners appointed by the As- sembly to purchase provisions for the French fleet, in October, fixed the price of good merchantable wheat at £15 per bushel, and that of flour at £42 per cwt. The price of salt before the end of the year was £30 per bushel. The rates of toll for cross- ing the floating bridge over the Schuylkill, at Market street, were, for a single person, 2s. 6d .; for a horse, 5s .; horse and chair, 22s. 6d .; chariot or phaeton and pair, 37s. 6d., &c.
In November, an act was passed by the Assembly for raising the sum of $2,500,000 monthly, during eight months, in the year 1780, for the supply of the Treasury of the United States, and
333
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1780.]
the Treasury of this State. In the County of Chester, the taxes of two and three months were assessed and collected at one time. The following is the copy of an assessment for two months, on the townships which now compose Delaware County, including the whole of Birmingham and Thornbury :-
£
s.
Aston,
2,110
0
Bethel,
. 1,484 6
Birmingham,
. 4,123 14
Chester, .
5,600 2
Chichester, Upper,
. 2,489 6
Lower,
. 3,386 0
Concord,
. 5,837 10
Darby, Upper,
4,943
2
66 Lower,
3,395 12 .
Edgmont,
3,500
4
Haverford,
2,910 14 .
Marple, .
3,393 4
Middletown,
5,221 0
Newtown,
3,792 16
Providence, Upper,
1,922 14
Lower,
1,769 16 .
Ridley,
6,458 10 .
Radnor,
3,698 18
Springfield,
2,503 12
Thornbury,
.
.
. 5,459 6
.
Aggregate tax for two months, £74,003 6
In connection with one of the taxes levied this year, there was a small money tax laid on the several townships, to be paid in coin. This tax bears no regular proportion to the tax in con- tinental paper laid upon the same townships, and no regularity is observed in the amounts laid upon different townships. The principle upon which it was laid is not understood.
Many of the assessors and collectors appointed refused to enter upon the duties of their respective offices, notwithstanding the fine usually imposed was £500. It frequently became neces- sary to distrain in the collection of these enormous taxes, and where no goods could be found, the collectors.did not hesitate to cut and sell timber to the amount of the tax. The minutes of the Commissioners record a case of oppression, by reason of too much timber being cut by an unscrupulous collector.
Though the amount of these taxes was vastly greater in ap- pearance than in reality, still their collection operated very oppressively upon many, and in some cases led to a resistance against their forcible collection. In one instance, in Chester
.
.
.
.
334
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1780.
County, a collector named William Boyd, while discharging his duties was murdered by John and Robert Smith, probably bro- thers. Determined to make an example of the perpetrators of this outrage, the council at once offered a reward of $20,000 for their apprehension. They were shortly afterwards arrested, had their trial at Chester on the 26th of June, and being convicted were sentenced to be hung. It rested with the Council to fix the day of execution. The matter was brought before that body on the 30th of June, when the sentence of the Court was ordered to be carried out on Saturday the first of July, being the next day. The murder occurred about the 12th of May.
To persons who had been plundered by the enemy and who had paid their taxes, small amounts were paid upon orders granted by the Commissioners from time to time. Many of these orders appear on the books of the Commissioners, but how the amount payable to each person was estimated, does not appear.
The Continental money had depreciated so much before the middle of 1780 that £2400 were paid for six head of cattle, and £700 for twenty head of sheep.
The year 1780 is memorable in the annals of Pennsylvania for the passage of the act for the gradual abolition of slavery in this State. This act, which was passed on the first of March, provided for the registration of every negro or mulatto slave or servant for life or till the age of thirty-one years, before the first of November following, and also provided " that no man or woman of any nation or color, except the Negroes or Mulattoes who shall be registered as aforesaid, shall at any time hereafter be deemed, adjudged or holden within the territories of this Com- monwealth, as slaves or servants for life, but as free men and free women." The servants of members of Congress, foreign ministers, and persons passing through or sojourning not longer than six months were also made an exception.
The registry for the County of Chester, in pursuance of the provisions of this act, was carefully made, and is now kept in the office of the Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions at West Chester. The name, age and time of service of each negro or mulatto, and also the name of the owner and township in which he or she.resided are given. The following list, made out from this registry, shows the number of slaves registered in the several townships now constituting Delaware County :
1780.]
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
335
Aston,
13
1
Bethel,
0
0
Birmingham,
0
0
Chester,
16
1
Chichester (Upper),
0
0
Chichester (Lower),
12
1
Concord,
7
0
Darby (Upper),
2
0
Darby,
2
0
Edgmont,
24
2
Marple,
2
0
Middletown,
7
1
Newtown,
1
0
Providence (Upper),
0
0
Providence (Lower),
0
0
Ridley,
34
3
Radnor,
0
0
Springfield, .
10
5
Thornbury, .
3
0
Tinicum,
8
2
146
16
In the remaining townships of Chester County there were registered 316 negro and mulatto slaves for life and nine for a term of years.1
It must not be supposed that no greater number of slaves for life than 146 had been owned in Delaware County. The Qua- kers a short time before, had liberated all their slaves, and some other persons, not members of that Society, had followed their example. But few slaves advanced in years were registered, and it cannot be supposed that masters would register such as they intended to emancipate. Of the 162 registered, 100 were minors.
The records of some of the meetings of the Society of Friends are imperfect in respect to the number of slaves manumitted ; but judging from such records as came under his notice and from other facts within his knowledge, the author has arrived at the conclusion that the number of slaves held within the limits now comprising Delaware County, at the breaking out of the Revolution, was not less than 300.
1 A farmer in East Nottingham registered " an Indian Girl named Sarah, aged 24 years, a slave for life," and also an Indian servant man till he arrived at the age of 31 years.
5
0
Haverford,
Slaves for life.
For a term of years.
336
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1780.
The county records do not appear to have been returned to Chester for some time after the enemy left these parts. On the 30th of June the Commissioners of Chester County granted an order on the Treasurer to pay Thomas Taylor, Esq., £135 " for hauling the records belonging to the Register's and Recorder's office, from Westown to John Jacobs, thence to Joseph Parker's Esq, and from thence to Westown again."
The rapid diminution in value of the Continental money is elucidated by the two following orders granted by the County Commissioners :
Sept. 3d, 1779. " Ordered that the Treasurer pay to Joshua Vaughan Gaoler £1663 3s. 2d. for the repairs of the Gaol and court house, maintaining State prisoners &c."
Nov. 18th, 1780. " Ordered the Treasurer to pay Joshua Vaughan £3127, it being in lieu of a pay order granted Sept. 3rd 1779 for £1663 3s."
Notwithstanding the great extent of Chester County, its seat of justice had continuously remained, since the establishment of Penn's government in 1681, at the town of Chester, on its south- eastern border. An effort was now made to secure its removal to a more central situation, and the fact that this effort was made during the continuance of the war, and before the people had recovered from the depredations committed by the enemy, is conclusive evidence that those of the remote parts of the county were keenly alive to the injustice they suffered from the location of their seat of justice.
This early removal effort resulted in the passage of an Act of Assembly "to enable William Clingan, Thomas Bull, John Kinkead, Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph Davis, to build a new court-house and prison in the County of Chester, and to sell the old court-house in the borough of Ches- ter." These gentlemen, or any four of them, were authorized by the terms of the act to purchase a piece of land, "situate in some convenient place of the county," and to build or cause to be built a court-house and prison thereon. The act contains no restriction in regard to the location of the new seat of justice, beyond a strong expression in the preamble against the inconve- nience of its present location ; nor was any time specified within which the Commissioners should purchase and build.
A majority of these gentlemen were probably opposed to a removal of the county seat, and did not enter upon their duties with much energy. They, however, took the first step in the business, by purchasing a lot of land in the township of East Caln for the accommodation of the buildings. The Commis- sioners had a wide discretion, which they may have abused, or they may have been discouraged from proceeding further by
337
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1781.]
objections urged against the site they had selected. Certain it is, that this site was not the favorite one of some of the most active removalists. From some cause the matter was delayed till the year 1784. When that period in our narrative is reached the subject will be resumed.
As the township of Tinicum has become an institution in our Commonwealth of some note, about election times, it may not be amiss to explain the manner in which the island acquired an independent municipal existence.
On the last Tuesday of May, 1780, a petition was presented to the Justices of the Court of Quarter Sessions, at Chester, signed by " the inhabitants, owners and occupiers of land in the Island of Tinicum," setting forth : "That the inhabitants of the Island aforesaid, as a part of the township of Ridley, have here- tofore paid a great part of the tax for the support of the roads in said township, and also maintained and supported the roads on the Island at their own cost and charge, without the least assistance from the other part of the township : And whereas the dams on said Island made for the purpose of preventing the tides from overflowing the meadows belonging to your petitioners, were in the year 1777 cut and destroyed with a view of retard- ing the progress of the enemy at that time invading this State, whereby the roads on said Island were greatly damaged, to the very great prejudice of your petitioners, and as it is not in our power to derive any assistance from the inhabitants of the other part of the township, we conceive it to be a hardship to be obliged to support their roads."
The petitioners, twenty-three in number, then go on to request the Court "to divide the Island of Tinicum from the township of Ridley, and make a distinct township of it," with power to choose officers, raise taxes, &c., &c.
The petition was laid over till the August Court, when, on the 31st of that month, the new township was "allowed." Since that time the people of the Island have exercised all the privi- leges belonging to the inhabitants of an independent township, except the election of constable, the number of resident eligible freeholders being too few to fill that office regularly, without compelling the same person to serve the office more than once in fifteen years.
On the first of February, 1781, Council fixed the rate of Con- tinental money at $75 for one dollar of specie; and on the 15th of May ordered that, after the 1st of June following, nothing but specie or its equivalent paper should be received for taxes. This brought about a great change in public affairs throughout the country. Taxes that had been assessed in thousands of pounds, 22
338
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1782.
now scarcely reached hundreds;1 but the people, though appa- rently relieved from heavy impositions, found even greater difficulty in meeting the demands of the tax collector than be- fore, so great was the scarcity of the precious metals.
The money orders of Council now generally directed payment to be made in specie, or in paper issued by the State, provision for the redemption of which had been made. Province Island, which belonged to the State up to this period, was divided into lots and sold, the proceeds of the sale being appropriated for the redemp- tion in part of this paper.
But little property was confiscated within the limits of Dela- ware County. The largest portion was on Tinicum and Hog Islands, the property of Joseph Galloway, who was never a resi- dent of the county.
On the 8th of April, 1782, near the entrance of the Delaware bay, the remarkable action took place between the Pennsylvania ship Hyder Ali, commanded by Captain Barney, mounting six- teen six-pounders, and carrying one hundred and ten men, and the British ship General Monk, mounting twenty nine-pounders, and carrying one hundred and thirty-six men. The Hyder Ali had sailed down the Delaware as a convoy to several merchant vessels. Upon approaching the Capes, Capt. Barney discovered a frigate and other vessels of the enemy inside of the Capes, whereupon he signalled the merchantmen to return. In order to prevent a successful pursuit by the enemy's ships, he deter- mined to occupy their attention for a time. The frigate not being able to reach the position of the Hyder Ali, she was im- mediately engaged by the General Monk, at close quarters. Capt. Barney, by a ruse de guerre, in giving an order in a loud voice, so as to be heard by the enemy, but which, by a private understanding with the helmsman, was to be construed differ- ently, acquired for his ship a raking position, which soon gave him the victory. Another ruse was necessary to avoid pursuit by the frigate. The British flag was again run up on the Monk, while that of the Hyder Ali was struck, giving the appearance of a British victory, while both vessels followed, as if in hot pursuit of the defenceless merchantmen. Capt. Barney did not know the extent of his victory till he was out of reach of danger, when he ascertained that the loss of the enemy was twenty killed and thirty-three wounded; the first lieutenant, purser, surgeon, boatswain, and gunner being among the former, and Capt. Jack- son, the commander, among the latter. In his trip up the Dela- ware he captured a refugee schooner called the "Hook 'em Snivey."
1 In 1780-81, two poor-taxes in Chester township amounted to £4,156 168. Conti- nental money, while the next tax was £55 198. 3d. in " good money."-Township Book.
339
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1783.]
Capt. Barney left his own ship at Chester, and proceeded in his prize to Philadelphia with the wounded and prisoners, Capt. Jackson being placed in the family of a Quaker lady, who nursed him like a sister until he had recovered from his wounds.1
On the 15th of April, 1783, a cessation of hostilities was proclaimed by the Council, but a definite treaty of peace was not concluded till the 30th of November.
Up to the commencement of the Revolutionary War, the So- ciety of Friends had maintained a controlling influence over public affairs in Pennsylvania. In the controversy with the British Government, which preceded the breaking out of hostili- ties, many members of the Society warmly espoused the Ame- rican side of the question. An armed resistance against the tyrannical measures of the mother country had but few advocates in the beginning, and the idea of an independent government had scarcely gained an ascendency among the people of Pennsylvania, when the Declaration was made. The Society of Friends hav- ing ever maintained a testimony against war and bloodshed, it was not to be supposed that its members would advocate a policy, (then a doubtful one,) certain to produce this result.
When it became necessary to resort to "carnal weapons," the Quakers, who had before been active, withdrew from the contro- versy, and a very large majority of the Society assumed and maintained a position of passive neutrality throughout the war. Still there was a considerable number who openly advocated a resort to arms. Even within the limits of this little County, one hundred and ten young men were disowned by the Society for having entered the military service in defence of their country.2 Doubtless the Society furnished its proportion of Tories, but the number was greatly exaggerated at the time by those unacquaint- ed with Quakerism. Such persons construed their testimonies against war, and their dealings with members who participated in it, as indirectly favoring the enemy. Their refusal to pay taxes exclusively levied for war purposes, was especially viewed in this light.
It has not been discovered that more than two Quakers resid- ing within the limits of Delaware County joined the British army. This small number, contrasted with the large number who entered the American service, may serve to indicate gene- rally the direction of the latent sympathy of the members of the Society who remained faithful to their ancient testimonies. Be- sides those who entered the military service, there were many members of the Society who openly lent their aid to the Ame- rican cause.
1 Life of Com. Barney, as quoted in Haz. Reg. x. 132.
2 Records of the several monthly meetings.
340
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
[1784.
The minutes of the meetings in this County, throughout the whole course of the war, abundantly show that, as a Society, the Quakers were perfectly passive. If they dealt with and excommunicated those of their members who engaged in mili- tary affairs, they were equally strict and impartial in the treat- ment of other offences against their discipline. Those members who continued to hold slaves received an unusual share of atten- tion during the war, and such as did not promptly emancipate them were disowned. The use or sale of intoxicating drinks, the distillation of grain, being concerned in lotteries, and indeed almost every species of vice, received a greater share of atten- tion during the war than at any former period.
Even Gen. Washington at one time harbored the unjust sus- picion that plans " of the most pernicious tendency were settled" at the general meetings of the Quakers; and while the British occupied Philadelphia, issued orders to prevent the country members from attending their yearly meeting, on that ground. These orders required their horses, if fit for service, to be taken from them; but Gen. Lacey, to whom the orders were issued, in his turn gave orders to his horsemen "to fire into those who refused to stop when hailed, and leave their dead bodies lying in the road."1 In a military point of view it may have been very proper to prevent all intercourse with Philadelphia at the time, but the idea that the Quakers would originate any treasonable plot at their yearly meeting was utterly groundless.
After lying dormant for four years, the removal question was again revived by the passage of a Supplement to the original Act. By this Act the names of John Hannum, Isaac Taylor, and John Jacobs, were substituted in place of the original Commis- sioners, and they were endowed with the same authority, except that they had no power to erect the new Court-house and prison "at a greater distance than one mile and a half from the Turk's Head tavern, in the township of Goshen, and to the west or south-west of said Turk's Head tavern, and on or ncar the straight line from the ferry, called the Corporation Ferry, on the Schuylkill, to the village of Strasburg." This restricting clause is said to have been introduced at the instance of Mr. Hannum, the first named Commissioner, who was then a member of the Legislature, under the belief that the restriction would include his lands on the Brandywine; and as these lands were near the "straight line" from the ferry to Strasburg, they would present a strong claim to be selected as the site of the new county town. Actual measurement excluded Col. Han- num's land from competition, and the Commissioners, who were all active removalists, at once contracted for a tract of land near the Turk's Head tavern, and commenced the buildings.
1 Principles and Acts of the Revolution, 334.
341
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1785.]
" But the walls were scarcely erected, when the winter set in, and suspended the operations of the workmen, and before the sea- son permitted them to re-commence building, the law authorizing the Commissioners to build was repealed. This new Act of the Legislature, procured, as is thought, by the influence of some of the members from the southern section of the county, was passed on the 30th of March 1785. The people generally in the neigh- borhood of Chester, had been violently opposed from the begin- ning to the projected removal, and a number now resolved to demolish the walls already erected. Accordingly a company assembled, armed and accoutred, and having procured a field- piece, appointed Major Harper commander, and proceeded to accomplish their design. A few days before this expedition left Chester, notice of its object was communicated by some of the leaders to the neighborhood of the Turk's Head, and prepara- tions were immediately made for its reception. In this busi- ness Col. Hannum was particularly active. He directly re- quested Col. Isaac Taylor and Mr. Marshall to bring in what men they could collect, and began himself to procure arms and prepare cartridges. Grog and rations were freely distributed, and a pretty respectable force was soon upon the ground. The windows of the court-house were boarded upon each side, and the space between filled with stones; loop-holes being left for the musquetry. Each man had his station assigned him ; Mar- shall and Taylor commanded in the upper story-Underwood and Patton below, while Col. Hannum had the direction of the whole. All things were arranged for a stout resistance.
" The non-removalists having passed the night at the Green Tree, made their appearance near the Turk's Head early in the morning, and took their ground about 200 yards south-east of the Quaker meeting house. Here they planted their cannon and made preparations for the attack. They seemed, however, when every thing was ready, still reluctant to proceed to extremities ; and having remained several hours in a hostile position, an ac- commodation was effected between the parties, by the interven- tion of some pacific people, who used their endeavors to prevent the effusion of blood. To the non-removalists was conceded the liberty of inspecting the defences that had been prepared by their opponents, on condition that they should do them no in- jury ; and they on their part agreed to abandon their design, and to return peaceably to their homes. The cannon which had been pointed against the walls was turned in another direction, and fired in celebration of the treaty. Col. Hannum then directed his men to leave the court-house, and having formed in a line a short distance on the right, to ground their arms and wait till the other party should have finished their visit to the
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