USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 62
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WEST, BENJAMIN, the celebrated painter was born at Springfield, Chester, now Delaware County, on the 28th of September, 1738. He was the son of John aud Sarah West, and the youngest of a family of ten children. Many details are given by Mr. Galt his biog- rapher, of the early performances of Benjamin while quite a child, showing the early development of his great natural genius for painting. Some of these are so improbable, and so many of the assertions made by that author are known to be inaccurate, that neither will be repeated here. It is not doubted, however that so great a genius as that possessed by West was precocious in its development. The only early paintings of Benjamin West that the author has been able to discover, are the likenesses of two children now in the possession of Mrs. Phebe Worthington of West Chester. They were the children of John and Elizabeth Morris, the mater- nal grand parents of Mrs. Worthing- ton. These children were respectively named, Jane and Robert Morris, and at the time the paintings were executed, the girl was five or six, and the boy three or four years of age. Mrs. Worth- ington, from information received from her mother, has no doubt that these paintings were made about the year 1752, or when Benjamin was about 14 years of age. They exhibit consider- able proficiency in the art, and the picture of the boy is in a good state of preservation. Dr. Jonathan Morris set- tled at Newtown Square in 1751, and observing the genius of young West, became his patron, and purchased materials to enable him to exercise the art for which nature had so peculiarly fitted him. Some of these materials were doubtless used in painting the likenesses mentioned, though I am in-
formed by Mrs. Wortington, that the father of the children procured the canvas on which they were painted. Dr. Morris subsequently employed the young artist to paint a likeness of him- self, which cannot now he found. Dr. Morris and Anthony Wayne (after- wards General Wayne) were the first public patrons of Benjamin West. I have it from good authority, that up to a recent period. a manuscript school-book was in existence, in which young West, while at school at Newtown Square, had made numerous pictures of various animals &c., and there is a tradition that these were made in the way of compensation for assistance given him in arithmetic, by another school boy named Williamson, the owner of the book; the youthful artist not having much taste for figures.
Of course everything detailed by Mr. Galt in respect to the action of the Society of Friends on the question of permitting young West to cultivate the faculties with which nature had so liberally endowed him, is perfect fiction. The records show no suchi action by the Society, and the fact that the artist was not a Friend would ex- clude them as such from exercising any care over him. Benjamin West's associa- tion with Anthony Wayne led him into military affairs, and while pursuing his studies at Lancaster, he was made Captain of a military company. His brother Samuel was also a military man, and yet no action was had by the Society of Friends in respect to either of them, though the practice of the military art in the eyes of the followers of George Fox, was a much more seri- ous offence than that of the fine arts.
After pursuing his studies for some time in Philadelphia and elsewhere, Benjamin West in 1759 at the age of 21 years sailed for Italy, the fountain head for the study of his profession, and in 1762, he took up his permanent residence in London. His subsequent career as a painter is well known and could not with propriety be noticed in this volume. The following interesting account of his marriage, extracted from a letter written in 1858 by Joseph K. Swift M. D. of Easton, Pa., to Horatio G. Jones, Esq., Corresponding Secretary of the Historical Society of Pennsylva- nia, will close our notice of the great painter.
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" Miss Elizabeth Shewell became acquainted with Benjamin West, after- wards the celebrated artist, and they fell in love with each other. West at that time, although descended from a good family, was poor and little known. Stephen Shewell wished his sister to marry another suitor, which she refused to do, in consequence of her attachment to West. The brother objected to West on account of his poverty and obscurity, and he was forbidden to come to the house. Miss Shewell, however, con- tinued to see him elsewhere, and they became engaged to be married. West then determined to go to Europe and prosecute his studies and profession there, and Miss Shewell promised him that when he notified her of his ability to maintain her and of his wish for her to come to him, she would proceed to join him in any part of Europe and marry him. Her brother was informed of her meetings with West, and of the engage- ments she had entered into with him ; so to prevent any further intercourse be- tween them he confined her to her cham- ber and kept her under lock and key until after West's departure for Europe.
" West pursued his studies and pro- fession for some time in various places on the Continent, and finally settled at London, where he soon met with suffi- cient patronage to justify him in calling on Miss Shewell to fulfill her promise. He then made arrangements for her to come to him in the same vessel that conveyed his request to her, and also that his father should accompany her on the voyage. Upon the receipt of his message, Miss Shewell prepared for her departure, but her brother was apprised of her intention, and again confined her to her chamber. Her en- gagement to West was well known in Philadelphia, and her brother's tyran- nical treatment of her excited great indignation against him, and strong sympathy for his sister. In this state of things, the late Bishop White, who was my guest on his last patriarchal visit to Easton, told us that he, (then about eighteen years of age,) and Dr. Franklin, (about fifty-nine years of age,) and Francis Hopkinson, (twenty- nine years of age, ) when the vessel was ready to sail, procured a rope ladder, went to the captain and engaged him to set sail as soon as they brought a lady on board; took old Mr. West to the
ship, and went at midnight to Stephen Shewell's house, attached the ladder to a window in Miss Shewell's chamber, and got her safely out and to the vessel, which sailed a few minutes after she entered it.
" I observed to the Bishop that few persons who knew him now, would believe that he had once turned knight- errant, and liberated an imprisoned damsel from confinement. He replied that Miss Shewell's case was a hard one, and all her friends were indignant at the treatment she had received ; that he had done right ; and he added, with warmth, if it were to do over, he would do it again, for it was evident that God had intended they should come together, and man had no right to keep them asunder.
" Mr. West was in waiting for Miss Shewell when she arrived in England, and they were soon married, September 2d, 1765. Neither of them ever re- turned to this country. Stephen Shewell never forgave his sister ; and although she made many efforts to conciliate him, he refused all communication with her."
WEST, WILLIAM, a son of John and Sarah West, and an elder brother of the painter, Benjamin, was born in Upper Providence township in 1724. After receiving a rather better educa- tion than was usual at that early period, he learned the trade of an oak cooper. He was not in membership with Friends till 1752, when he was received by Goshen Monthly Meeting, and the same year removed to Philadelphia, where he married, and it is said carried on the coopering business many years. After the death of his wife he removed to Upper Darby, and engaged in the farming business. This was about the year 1765. The next year he married Hannah Shaw, an English lady, then residing in Philadelphia, and settled permanently on his farm in Upper Darby. Here he commenced a system of farming that soon brought the ex- hausted land that he had purchased, into a high state of productiveness. By the introduction of red clover, he was enabled to increase his stock, which during winter he carefully con- fined to the barn-yard, which was kept well strewed with leaves from the woods, and with other vegetable matter.
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The irrigation of his meadow land was not neglected, and he was soon en- abled to sell hay to his neighboring farmers, who had, at first, spoken lightly of " the town man's farming." His land was naturally of a good quality, and the kind treatment it had received, brought in an abundance of green grass. His plan of farming was now changed, and with plowing very little, an extensive system of top dress- iug was introduced by means of com- post. He used lime, but to what ex- tent is not known. lle was, however, among the first to introduce gypsum, aud was one of it warmest defenders as a manure. His farm was thus brought into the best possible condi- tion for grazing, and that was his prin- cipal business during the remainder of his life. In the improvement of our lands, William West was doubtless the pioneer, and in his day he had no com- petitor. It is impossible to say how much the vastly increased productive- ness of our county is owing to the ex- ample set by him. Though so suc- cessful in agriculture, his whole time was not devoted to his farm. He was frequently employed in public business in the County, and served five years as its representative in the Legislature. He died on the 6th of December, 1808, aged eighty-four years.
WOOD, WILLIAM, migrated from the town and county of Nottingham, Eng- land, and with his wife and family settled in or near the town of Darby in 1683. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and being a man of ability and education, he was chosen a mem- ber of the Provincial Council in less than a year after his arrival. But his services in that body were cut short by his death, which occurred before the close of the year 1685. It is be- lieved that Joseph Wood was his son and heir, and that John, who inter- married with Mary Bartram, was a younger son. Joseph removed to New Castle.
WOODWARD, RICHARD, with his wife Jane, was an carly settler in Middle- town, but the precise time of his immi- gration is not known. They were Quakers, and so far as has come to the knowledge of the writer, their children were Richard, Edward and William.
Richard, Jr., intermarried with Esther Davis, of Concord, and subsequently with Mary Britain, a daughter of Bar- tholomew Coppock, and Edward with Abigail, daughter of John and Jane Edge. Richard the elder died in 1706, aged seventy years.
WOODMANSON, WILLIAM, (or Wood- mancy, as his name is sometimes spelled,) with his wife Esther, came to the settlements on the Delaware, in the ship Kent, from London, with the West Jersey Commissioners, sent out to pur- chase land from the natives, in the year 1677. Before the close of that year, his name appears in the records of Upland Court as a resident and tax- able of Upland district. He made his settlement on the west side of Chester Creek, above the present manufactur- ing village of Upland, and called it Harold. He was a vigilant member of the Society of Friends ; and as early as the 11th of 7th mo 1682, the Chester Monthly Meeting decided to hold the " middle meeting," at his house at Harold. This meeting continued to be held there for some time. William Wood- manson was one of Governor Mark- ham's Council before the arrival of Wil- liam Penn and was a juror at the first court held under Penn's government. He removed from Chester to Phila- delphia, where his wife died, and he married a second wife, named Dorothy, but it is not known that he left any family. In England, William Wood- manson resided in Bedfordshire, and there suffered imprisonment for refus- ing to take the oath of allegiance, &c. His wife Dorothy died in 1702, and he in 1706.
WORRELL, Or WORRALL, RICHARD, emigrated from Oare. Berkshire, Eng- land, in 1682, and arrived at Philadel- phia a short time before the Proprietary. He served as a juror in the last Court held for Upland County, but it does not appear that he settled within the bounds of Delaware County. He was a Friend, and had suffered some perse- cution on account of his religion as early as 1670.
WORRALL, JOHN, was a Friend, and came from the same place as the next above. They both presented their cer- tificates at the same time, and to the
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same meeting in Philadelphia, and were doubtless relatives. John removed to Chester, or the neighborhood of that place, where in the early part of 1684 he was married to Frances, the widow of Thomas Taylor, after which he set- tled in Middletown. In 1695 he was a resident of Edgmont, where he con- tinued to reside till the time of his de- cease, in 1742, when he had attained the age of eighty-four years. His wife Frances died in 1712, and in 1714 he married Sarah, the daughter of Thomas Goodwin, of Edgmont. It is not known that John Worrall had any child by his first wife except a son named John, who died young. By his second wife he had seven children viz., Elizabeth, Mary, John, Peter, Sarah, Thomas and Mary.
It is supposed that the name Worrall or Worrell was originally Warel, and that those bearing it are descended from a Sir Hubert de Warel, who lost three sons at the battle of Hastings, the town at which William the Con- queror first landed.
WORRELL, JOHN, with his wife Mary, and family, settled very early in Marple township. It has been supposed that he was a son of Richard Worrell, who settled in Philadelphia, but this is un- certain. His wife was a sister of Harry Lewis, of Radnor. He died in 1716, leaving six children, viz., John, Peter, Joshua, Henry, Mary and Hannah. His widow married John Bromfield, of Whiteland.
WORRELL, THOMAS, a practitioner of medicine, of considerable reputation about the commencement of the present century, was born in Upper Providence township, in the year 1732. He was the son of Dr. John Worrell, who also practiced in this County, and who accompanied the first Dr. Bernhard Van Leer to Europe, for the purpose of improvement in the study of medicine, and was graduated in the same Institu- tion. The elder Dr. Worrell died young, having, as was believed, greatly im- paired his health by experimenting personally on the medical properties of native plants, in which he appears to have had great confidence, in com- mon, it was said, with Dr. Van Leer.
The younger Dr. Worrell married Lydia Vernon, of Lower Providence,
aunt of Major Frederick Vernon, and Captain Job Vernon, of the Revo- lutionary army, and sister of Gideon Vernon, who took part with the British and fled to the Provinces. Though considerably engaged in practice, and having an excellent local reputation, he was but partially devoted to medicine, and seems to have preferred farming as a business. He was also very skilful in making and repairing the finer and more complicated descriptions of ma- chinery, especially clocks. He had the reputation of being greatly skilled in the use of native herbs, and was popu- larly supposed to have obtained im- portant secrets in that respect from the Indians, which was the case, also to some extent with his father, and with the two Drs. Van Leer.
Dr. Thomas Worrell died in 1818, at an advanced age. He was a faithful and consistent member of the Society of Friends. His last descendants in this County are the family of his grandson, Mr. Thomas Cassin, who died in 1859. Other descendants are settled near Zanesville, Ohio.
WORRILOW, THOMAS, was settled in Edgmont as early as 1690, and pos- sibly earlier. He called his place Brooznoll, which was probably the name of the place in England from which he emigrated. He was in mem- bership with Friends. The time of his death is not exactly known. His widow died at Philadelphia in 1710.
WORRILOW, JOHN, a son of the above- named Thomas, was settled in the County as early as 1687. In 1690 he was married to Ann, the daughter of George Maris, of Springfield. As member of the Society of Friends, he was more active than his father. His place of residence was Edgmont.
WORTH, THOMAS, was from Oxton, in the County of Nottingham, England. He settled in Darby town immediately upon his arrival in 1682, and subse- quently higher up in the township. He was a consistent and exemplary member of the Society of Friends; and having acquired a better education than was usual in that day, his services were constantly in demand in the perform- ance of such duties as required an ex-
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pert and ready penman. He was mar- ried in 1685 to Issabell Daninson [Davidson], who emigrated from the County of Darby, and probably came in the same ship with her husband, bringing with her a certificate of good character, which was fully sustained in after life. She died, in 1709, at the age of fifty-four years. Thomas lived till 1731. In 1697 he represented Chester County in the Provincial Assembly. The descendants of this couple are nu- merous and respectable; those bearing the name being mostly settled in Ches- ter County, where he had purchased a large tract of land. He was one of the original purchasers of land in England. His son Thomas removed to Bradford, 1739.
WRIGHT, JOHN, was born in Lanca- shire, England, about the year 1667, of pious parents, who were among the ear- liest to embrace the doctrines of George Fox. He was educated for the medical profession, but declined the practice of it, and entered into trade, which he pursued in his native country till the year 1713, when, with his wife Pru- dence and four children, he migrated to Philadelphia, but before the close of 1714 removed to Chester. His cer- tificate was from the Monthly Meeting of Hartshaw, Lancashire, and testifies as well to the excellency of his charac- ter as to his services in the ministry. The people of Chester County were not slow to discover the merits of this new comer among them. He was appointed a justice of their Court, and also chosen a member of the Provincial Council. About the year 1726 he removed to the banks of the Susquehanna, at that time almost a perfect wilderness. When Lancaster County was organized in 1729, he was the presiding justice of the first Court, and continued to hold that office till 1741. About this time, among the arbitrary measures adopted by Governor Thomas, was the enlist- ment of servants into the military ser- vice. Against this the honest Quaker spoke so freely as to induce his Excel- leney to determine upon his removal from office. Wright, learning the in- tention of the Governor, in his charge to the Grand Jury. took occasion to discuss the principles of government. This document, remarkable for its ability, closes in these words :
" And now to conclude, I take my leave in the words of a judge of Israel: ' Here I am, witness against me; whom have I defranded ; whom have I op- pressed ; or of whose hands have I re- ceived any bribe to blind my eyes therewith ? and I will restore it.'" .He died in 1751, aged eighty-four years. highly esteemed as a member of the community and as a preacher in the Society of Friends.
YARNALL, PETER, was the son of Mordecai Yarnall, a worthy Quaker preacher of Philadelphia. After re- ceiving a moderately good school edu- cation, he was placed out to learn a trade; but, differing with his master, at the age of eighteen years, he left him, and enlisted in the military ser- vice, from which, after some trouble, his friends obtained his release. After arriving at age, he commenced the study of medicine; but upon the revolt of the American Colonies in 1776, he entered the American service, acting generally as Surgeon's mate in various divisions of the army and in several hospitals. Towards the close of 1778 his health failed to such a degree that he was dismissed from the service at his own request. He again resumed the study of medicine ; and in February, 1779, the College of Medicine of Phila- delphia conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He immedi- ately resumed his connection with the military service, and sailed as Surgeon's mate on board of the privateer ship De- laware. He returned in the following June, and attended strictly to the prac- tice of the Pennsylvania Hospital. A change now came over his religious feelings, he again united himself with the Quakers, and in 1780 appeared in the ministry. About this time he re- moved to Concord township, and esta- blished himself in the practice of medi- eine. In 1782 he married Hannah, the daughter of Benjamin Sharpless, of Middletown. He continued to reside in Concord till 1791, when he removed to Horsham, Montgomery County, where his wife died in 1795. In 1797 he mar- ried Hannah Thornton, of Byberry, but died in 1798, aged forty-five years. Peter Yarnall was a man of ability, was skilful as a physician, and became eminent as a minister of the gospel among Friends.
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YARNALL, PHILIP. The name of Philip Yarnall, a native of England, oc- curs as a member of Darby Monthly Meeting of Friends as early as 1684. While he remained unmarried, he pro- bably resided with his brother Francis, on rented land, in Springfield town- ship. In 1694, he married Dorothy Baker, a daughter of Joseph Baker, of Edgmont, when, it is supposed, he went to Edgmont, to reside on land he pur- chased soon after his arrival here. His children were, John, Philip, Job, Sarah, Benjamin, Thomas, Nathan, Samuel, Rebecca and Mary. He died in 1734, and his wife in 1743.
YARNALL, FRANCIS, probably immi- grated with his brother Philip in 1684, and at first settled in Springfield town- ship on rented land. He was for a time a member of Darby Monthly Meeting of Friends, but subsequently belonged to that of Chester. In 1686 he married Hannah Baker, a daughter as is believed of Joseph Baker, of Edg- mont. In 1708 he resided in Chester borough. He was a man of consider- able influence in the community, and in 1711 represented Chester County in the Provincial Assembly. His children were, Sarah, John, Peter, Moses, Fran- cis, Joseph, Amos and Mordecai.
YEARSLY, JOHN, with his wife, son John and four daughters, migrated from Middlewith, County of - , England, in 1700, and settled in Thornbury township. His son John intermarried with Sarah Conway, and his daughter Elizabeth with Moses Key, who ap- pears to have immigrated with the fa- mily. They were all in membership with Friends. John died in 1708.
YEATES, JASPER, came from York- shire, England, and settled within the limits of Delaware State. He married Catharine, daughter of James Sande- landes, and afterwards resided for a long time in Chester, and while re- siding there sometimes represented New Castle County in the Assembly. After the separation of the lower coun- ties, he was a representative and speaker of their Assembly ; was a jus- tice of the Provincial Court in 1709-10, and at the time of his death, which happened about the year 1720, he was a member of Council. Though brought up to the law, he appeared fond of speculation and traffic. He was resid- ing in Chester 1697, when he purchased the mills and property at the month of Naaman's Creek, and about that time purchased lands in Chester, built extensive granaries on the creek, and established a large bakery. He was not, however, fortunate in his specula- tions. He was the grandfather of Jus- tice Yeates of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
YZZARD MICHAEL, was a taxable in the district of Upland as early as 1677, and served the office of under sheriff for Upland County for some time pre- vious to 1679, as successor to Jurian Hartsvelder, when he resided in Up- land. His residence subsequently was on the west side of Chester creek, in the upper part of Chester township. He served as a juror at the first court under Penn's government. He was a carpenter by trade, and removed to Philadelphia prior to 1686. It is not known that he was a Quaker.
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APPENDIX.
NOTE A .- Page 36.
DONATION TO GOV. JOHN PRINTZ OF TENEKO OR NEW GOTTEN- BURG IN NEW SWEDEN, AS A PERPETUAL INHERITANCE FOR HIM AND HIS LAWFUL HEIRS.
" STOCKHOLM, Nov. 6. 1643.
" We Christina &c. Make known that as grace and particular favor, on account of the long and excellent services, which the Lieutenant Colonel and Governor of New Sweden our very dear and beloved John Printz has rendered to us and to the Crown of Sweden and also on account of those which he is daily render- ing to us in the government of the country, and which he is engaged to render to us as long as he shall live ; we have given and granted, and by virtue of this letter patent, do give and grant to him the said John Printz and his lawful heirs, the place called Teneko or New Gottenburg, in New Sweden, to enjoy it, him and his lawful heirs, as a perpetual possession. In regard to which accordingly let them regulate themselves, who owe to us submission and obedience, and whose desire and duty requires them to fulfil our will, especially those who may in future, be appointed to replace him in said situation not giving to the said John Printz or to his lawful heirs any obstacle or prejudice in any manner, whether now or hereafter. In faith of which &c. Day and year above
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