USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > History of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time > Part 67
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
13
4
6
Thomas Cornog, do.
344
0
3
66 Mordecai Morris, do. Dec. 10,
27
3
6
66 Samuel Johnston, do.
67 11
0
66 Christian Peterman, Dec. 11 and 12,
95 17
9
66 Elizabeth Davis, widow, Dec. 11 and 12,
166
9
9
Griffith Davis,
34 19
0
James Davis, .
25
5 0
Ann Davis,
26 10
0
Amount carried forward,
1299
9
* In the records of Haverford Monthly Meeting, there is an estimate of losses sustained by Friends not returned to the Assessors. The depredations were all committed by a detachment of the British army, who made a sally from Philadelphia on the 10th, 11th and 12th days of Decem- ber, 1777. The following is a summary of the amounts taken, viz. :
From Isaac Davis, .
284 10 2 .
Abraham Liddon, .
47 14 9
Abraham Liddon and Isaac Bartram,
48 16 0
3
2
G
0
Lewis Lewis, Sept. 19, Wm. Jennings,
18
0 0)
45 0 0 George White, " by a party of British under Col. Harcourt, Sept. 19," .
50 0 0
Mark Evans, by Cornwallis, Dec. 11,
10 15
0
Edward Lane, by General Howe,
.
8 15 0
Enos Miles, do.
45 0
0
David Cornog, by Howe, Sept.,
18 0
0
1499 9
0
Philip Moore, do.
41 17 6
Nicholas Pechin,t do. Dec. 12, do.
285
6
6
£ s. d.
.
£381 0 11
t At the foot of a long list of articles taken from him, Mr. Pechin added-" In a word, a num- ber of things too tedious to mention; as not even a spoon left to eat my victuals, nor a comb to comb my hair; bonds, notes, and other accounts, writings, &c., &c."
35 13
0
.
305
60
554
APPENDIX .- NOTE J.
Amount carried forward,
From Elizabeth Davis, Jr., .
20
0
0
66 James Lloyd, (Cornwallis' sally,)
10
0
0
Elizabeth Lloyd, do.
11 17
6
John Scott,
6
0
0
William Batt,
2
0
0
66 Jacob Humphreys,
Philip Sheaff, by a detachment of Light Dragoons under the command of Col. Harcourt, Sept. 19,
38
0
0
66 John Lindsay, (Cornwallis,) Dec. 12,
66 William Brooks, (Cornwallis,) Dec. 11, .
210
2
6
DARBY.
From Joseph Rudolph, " by the British army while they lay in Darby, foraging. December,"
61 11
=
Benjamin Brannan, do.
41
7
6
" Jesse Bonsall,
John Sellers, by the Hessians,
20
0
0
66 Johathan Evans, (Cornwallis,) Decr.,
13
0
0
Nicholas McCurdy,
do.
do.
15
1
0
Samuel Lewis,
28
0
0
66 Samuel Leedom,
24 0
0
Andrew Boon, Jr.,
40 12
0
John Gruber, .
53
7
0
John Humphreys,
29 17 6
66 Isaac Kirk,
34 14 G
66 John Pollin, (Cornwallis,)
18 17 10
66 Henry Hayes, .
140 15
0
William Garrett,
47
0
0
Alexander Morrow,
13 12 6
Samuel Smith,
167 12
6
Daniel Rice,
58
8 0
66 Wm. Morrow,
66 Andrew Boon, December 25,
69
0
0
Joseph Boon, .
98 16
0
William Lewis, December 12 to 13,
43 10 0
Andrew Urian,
34
1 6
66 Hans Boon, a helpless man, .
77 15
5
1475 18 2
RECAPITULATION OF THE WHOLE COUNTY.
Chester, taken from 31 persons,
2742 12 6
Chichester, "
1
87 17 6
Aston,
6
. 1245 2
9
Birmingham,
20
. 5844 6
7₺
Thornbury,
6
787 18
1
Concord,
12 66
961 9
6
Marple,
3
217 1 11
Newtown, 66
3
86 3 3
Ridley,
66
6
639 17 10
Edgmont,
=
7
504 16 0
Haverford,
22
. 1733 1
3
Darby,
26
. 1475 18 2
Radnor,
66 29
66
. 1499 9 0
€ 1299
s. d. 7
9
1 10
0
134
3
6
1733 1 3
23 17 0
Evan Evans, do.
do.
.
55 15 9
= Benjamin Elliot,
67 15 0
17825 14 43
8
197 10 6
555
APPENDIX .- NOTE K.
NOTE K .- Page 199.
" Conveyance, Swan Swanson and others to David Lloyd."
" This Indenture made the Twenty Eighth day of December One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety & Three & in the fifth year of the reign of Wm & Mary King & Queen over England & Between Swan Swanson, Andrew Banksou, Lassy Coek, Otto Earnest Cock, Casper Fish, Peter Rambo junr, Church Wardens of the Sweeds Congregation att Wiccacoe of the one part And David Lloyd of the County of Chester in the Province of Pennsilvania gent, of the other part Witt- nesseth that ye sd Church Wardens for and in behalfe of themselves and their successors in the said office & in the behalfe & by the consent of the said Cou- gregation att Wiceacoe as also in the behalfe and by the consent of the Sweeds Congregation att Cranehook for and in Consideration of five shillings of Lawfull Monie of Pennsilvania to them in hand paid by the said David Lloyd the receit whereof they doe hereby acknowledge hath bargained & sold and by these prnts doth bargain & sell unto the sd David Lloyd the full and just proportion and Quantitie of Seven acres of Land & meadow Scituate Lying and being in the said County of Chester Together with the rents and profitts of the sd seven acres of Land & Meadow be it more or Lesse, to have and to hold the sd seven aeres of Land & Meadow herein mentioned and Intended to be bargained & sold with their & everie of their appurtenances unto the sd David Lloyd his heirs & assigns from the day next before the day of the date hereof for during & unto the full end & Term of one whole year from thence next ensuing & fully to be Completed & ended, yielding and paying therefore for and during the sd term unto ye sd Church wardens & their sd successors in the sd office the rent of one Ear of In- dian Corn only att or upon the Last day of the sd terme if the same be Lawfully Demanded to the intent that by virtue of these prnts & of the statute for Trans- ferring uses Into possession the sd David Lloyd may be in the actuall possession of all and singular the premises & be enabled to accept of a grant, Release, Con- firmation & Conveyance thereof and of the reversions & Inheritance thercof & of everie part thereof to him and his heirs In Wittness whereof the sd partees to these prnts have to these prn't Indentures Interchangeably Sett their hands & Sealls the day and year first above written. Sealed & Delivered in the Pre- sence of: The Words (be it more or Less) Interlined in 15th line before Sealling hereof; Swan M Swanson his mark . . . Seal Otto Earnest Cock ... Seal Lasse Cock ... Seal Andrew Bankson ... Seal Peter M Rambo his mark, Junior ... Seal Casper Fisek ... Seall
" Recorded 30th of December 1693."
" Letter from Crane hook to Swan Swanson."
"Loving friends Our most kind and loving Respect Remembered unto you, there is word Sent to us & our congregation here below that belongeth to Cranehook that is from you Loving friend above how that you would sell the Lot att Up- land which formerly the paestor did Live upon which Lott part belongs to us and part belongs to you & withall understand how that you would alsoe have our Congregation's Consent for the selling of the aforesd Lott soe, wee, now in in the behalf of our Congregation at Cranehook doe freely Consent thereunto, for the Selling of the aforesd Lott provided & with that condition, that wee may alsoe Receive the halfe part of money what the aforesaid Lott shall be sould for, hoping that you will use your best and true advantage herein & so wee shall remain your Loving friends. Written at Cranehook the Twelfth of Novbr 1693 The marke of Hendrick HE Everton, The mark of Andrew AA Anderson, Gisebert GW Walleaven, Pavell s Mink, Charles Springer."
" Recorded 25th of xber 1693."
David Lloyd also exacted from the grantors a sort of indemnifying bond, dated the 29th day of December, 1693, in which they " for themselves their said successors in ye said office in behalf of ye sd Congregation and of their minister or ministers prn't or to come and in their private capacities, also do covenant
556
APPENDIX .- NOTE M.
promise and grant for themselves and their heirs respectively yt they & everie of them, ye sd seven acres of land & meadow & premises hereby granted, to him the said David Lloyd & his heirs & successors forever, & agst their sd minister or ministers prn't or to come & their successors and assigns & agst all other ye Sweeds, Dutch, finns & others the old Residents & all other Inhabitants of the sª Province of Pennsylvania & County of Newcastle, Jerseys, Maryland & other parts of America & elcewhere, having or pretending to have society or church fellowship with ye sd Sweedes Congregation & against all others claiming by from or under ym or any of ym, or by * * * their or any of their heirs & their successors * * * means privitie consent or procurement, as also against all all other Incumbrances, seizures & forfeitures whatsoever shall & will warrant & forever defend by these presents *
NOTE L .- Page 273.
" Chester County, ss. ATT A SPECIAL COURT held and kept at Chester, for the County of Chester, in the Province of Pennsylvania, the 2d day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-four. Before John Hannum and John Morton, Esqs., two of his Majesty's Justices of the peace within the county aforesaid, particularly commissionated according to the form and effect of an act of General Assembly of the said Province, entitled " An act for the tryal of Negroes," with the assistance of Jonas Preston, Elisha Price, David Cowpland, John Salkeld, George Grantham and William Swaffer, six of the most substantial freeholders of the neighbourhood, duly and legally summoned, re- turned, sworn and affirmed, well and truly to give their assistance and judgment on the tryal of all such negroe or negroes as shall be charged or accused before them of committing any Murder, Manslaughter, Buggery, Burglary, Rapes, at- tempts of rapes, or any other high or heinous offence committed, acted, or done WITHIN THE SAID COUNTY.
The King v'S. -
On an information exhibited by Benjamin Chew, Esq., Attorney-General of our Lord Negro Phebe, the Slave of Joseph Richardson. the King, for Feloniously and Burglarily breaking and entering the mansion house of Thomas Barnard, and stealing thereout divers Witnesses. Thomas Barnard, Affirmed. Christopher Dingee, Joseph Dutton, Archibald Dick, sworn. goods and chattels the property of the said Thomas Barnard. The defendant being now arraigned, pleads non cul et de hoc, &c. Attorney-General, similiter, &c. And now, on hearing the proofs in this case, it is con- sidered and adjudged by this court that the said defendant, Negro Phebe, is guilty of the Felony and Burglary aforesaid, in manner and form, &c .; and thereupon, it is further considered and adjudged by this court, that the said defendant, Negro Phebe, be led to the prison from whence she came, and from thence to the place of execution, and there be hanged by the neck till she be dead."
NOTE M .- Page 395.
The following poetic tribute to the Grange, the most ancient and rurally beau- tiful country seat in Delaware County, was composed by Dr. Charles Caldwell, about the year 1798.
"GRANGE."
" Remote from walks where noise and revels reign, And fierce ambition fires the phrensied brain, Where jarring mortals clash in venal strife, And thorn-clad cares embitter transient life, Where woe-fraught Health declines her languid head, And hearses black-rob'd bear the thronging dead ;
¿ Surveyor Gen. Office, Harrisburg, " Record Book F., No. 6, p. 46, &c."
557
APPENDIX .- NOTE M.
Remote from Town with all its clamorous train Its veteran vices, wiles and galling pain, Grange lies-luxuriant in fair rural scenes, Gay plumy groves, bright lawns, and velvet greens, Proud forests humming to the hollow gale, And craggy steeps dark frowning o'er the vale, Alternate shadowy walks, and sunny hills, Soft warhling choirs, and sweetly gurgling rills. With such romantic form has Nature crown'd, And rob'd in rural pride this hallow'd ground.
Hail to thy works of Art, delightful spot ! The splendid dome, the rich, prolific lot ! The gardens wafting wide their sweet perfume, And soft-enchanting with their Eden-bloom, Their sloping grades adorn'd with fairest flowers,
Embroider'd walks, gay clumps and pansied bowers; With arborets green, in scandent garlands twin'd, Of woodbines fair and clasping jasmines join'd. -There sportive Echo from her hollow cell Shrill mimic numbers pours along the dell,
There moss-clad grotto's, founts and cool alcoves,
Invite soft graces and the whispering loves. Pomona there in full profusion pours Th' Autumnal bounties of her golden stores, And jovial Bacchus, flush'd with youth and wine, In teeming clusters clothes the' empurpled vine.
But chief my warm'd, my grateful muse would hail Yon mazy walk which overlooks the vale, Which skirts in graceful curves, the rural steep,
Where jasmines twine and sadden'd willows weep,
Where flowers adorn, where shrubs perfume the way
And nodding poplars check the blaze of day With yonder plant ; of Lombardy the pride, Which points its spiry plume, and drinks th' effulgent tide.
O ! would the Muses aid my sylvan song. This walk should glide in deathless lays along !
Where, to the North, the steep romantic rears His grove-capt crest, the growth of numerous years, Deep at his base slow slides the lucid stream, While from its bosom bounds the golden beam, Beneath, the finny race in gambols play, Keen sport in sinuous trains and dash the limpid spray.
Pleas'd as I pensive chant this sacred ground, And from the groves and hills and rocks around, In sportive mood, from her responsive tongue, Sweet Echo pours th' expiring tones along, Yon crescent-seat allures my steps aside, To rest reclin'd, and view the checker'd tide, Of such as wing the air, or cleave the flood, Range the wide plain, or haunt the vocal wood. Light pois'd aloft, behold the stock-doves fair, In frolic rounds, fiit thro' the midway air, Now swift descending, now exultant rise,
Now sweep the glebe, now cleave the topmost skies. In such lone haunts fair science loves to stray, To scan the glories of the stellar way, Revolve in prying thought the kenless deep,
Where nature's mystic sons in myriads sleep.
In mellow'd mood to court the tuneful Nine To ponr enwrapt o'er Darwin's matchless line, Admire the labors of the bearded sage, Or, thoughtful, trace the wild historic page, Thro' chemic mazes search the trackless way, And enter Nature's fane with Lavoisier.
Be varied blessings thine, sweet rural Grange ! Peace, Health and Plenty round thy borders range ! May earliest Zephyrs fan thy wreathy bowers, Press on thy groves, and kiss thy opening flowers ! May summer suns avert their fiercer beam, And play, innocuous, on thy glassy stream, May golden Autumn spread her rich repast, Nor mar thy pleasures with her sickening blast ! And winter from his ice-roof'd cell prepare, More rural treasures for the opening year !" "CARLOS.'
ACRES OF LAND.
Improved.
Unimproved.
Cash Value of Farm
Land in Dollars.
Valne of Farming
Implements and
Machinery Dollars.
Horses.
Milch Cows.
Working Oxen.
Other Cattle.
Sheep.
Swine.
lars.
Nether Providence,
3,000
347
675,250
143
420
18
152
268
36,824 30,843
Upper Providence,
2,869
471
417,341
158
335
14
180
197
276
Media Borough,
260
41
83,200
1,650
19
24
12
20
32
3,422
Middletown, .
6,277
1,698
950,177
36,361
266
895
50
215
142
617
70,356
Aston,
3,708
941
544,835
14,375
150
520
12
137
52
423
37,800
Edgmont,
4,540
937
581,217
22,050
196
583
34
265
80
534
49,577
Thornbury,
4,950
798
672,285
21,975
183
510
60
335
232
522
52,461
Bethel,
2,455
790
242,700
8,130
128
330
77
100
211
21,340
Lower Chichester, .
1,983
16
326,080
8,090
87
321
10
140
14
103
22,830
Upper Chichester,
3,381
361
401,800
9,675
120
581
10
94
6
185
46,695
Springfield,
4,319
594
805,615
16,889
210
586
44
215
167
496
49,944
Upper Darby,
4,952
581
1,327,885
20,922
293
910
22
350
225
383
77,451
Marple, .
5,231
1.038
822,310
25,109
235
739
28
197
46
565
56,952
Newtown,
4,985
856
701,670
23,928
234
841
40
156
165
796
66,619
Haverford,
5,213
535
941,000
25,455
300
980
24
46
81
480
62,485
Radnor,
7,118
946
1,105,770
31,745
306
1,143
34
130
16
938
80,438
Birmingham, .
4,271
811
518,700
14,100
147
366
52
345
239
323
49,740
Concord,
7,140
1.183
872,900
23,280
271
726
81
476
186
662
71,422
Chester Township,
3,815
78
660,625
15,110
143
611
14
220
117
271
47,824
Chester Borough,
755
5
125,250
1,200
12
32
8
263
22
12,295
Ridley, .
5,100
407
858,900
15,275
213
840
46
260
151
475
63,300
Darby Township,
2,225
467,200
14,300
154
329
2
109
100
266
28,655
Tinieum,
1,237
127,900
3,050
35
119
10
19
190
80
12,910
Darby Borough,
2,305
71
564,600
10,800
188
256
6
316
40
111
37,825
Aggregate,
.
.
92,089 |13.505
|14,795,210
390,540
4,191
12,997
619
4,709
2,566
9,039
|1,090,008
·
·
·
·
·
·
.
.
·
.
AGRICULTURE.
NOTE N .- Page 441.
APPENDIX .- NOTE N.
.
STATISTICS OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
558
TOWNSHIPS AND BOROUGHS IN THE COUNTY OF DELAWARE.
LIVE STOCK, JUNE 1, 1860.
in
Value of Live
Stock in Dol-
15,370 11,701
·
·
·
.
559
PRODUCE DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 1, 1860.
TOWNSHIPS AND BOROUGHS IN THE COUNTY OF DELAWARE.
Wheat, bush. of.
Rye, bushels of.
Indian Corn,
bushels of.
Oats, bushels of.
Wool, lbs. of.
Irish Potatoes,
Barley, bush. of.
Value of Orchard
Value of Produce
of Market Gar-
dens, in dolls.
Butter, lbs. of.
Hay, tons of.
Clover Seed,
bushels of.
Grass Seeds,
Value of Animals
dolls.
Nether Providence,
6,021
27
12,265
5,977
15
5,324
1,500
735
68,172 45,430
920
22
12
7,719
Upper Providence,
4,432
271
10,639
5,512
166
702
290
798
19
48
11,426
Media Borough,
256
50
860
170
15,009
189
6,365
190
2,017
1,115
137,330
1,891
49
57
22,152
Aston,
7,197
24
15,725
8,103
42
6,831
10
1,473
453
79,264
1,192
481
253
12,262
Edgmont,
9,582
102
17,485
14,192
240
2,568
18
842
23
87,800
1,461
52
90
14,684
Thornbury, .
9,274
101
18,985
12,181
576
4,424
20
1,190
40
76,880
1,479
128
60
18,429
Bethel,
3,499
120
7,660
4,559
1,837
50
275
8,925
552
16,487
Upper Chichester, . Springfield, . .
5,299
10
10,435
6,288
4,350
60
30,630
752
5,019
Upper Darby,
10,141
176
24,935
9,864
35
11,625
2,002
2,069
132,885
1,793
19
34,708
Marple,
10,419
479
21,765
10,555
135
9,960
200
1,296
1,185
93,155
1,620
8
67
36,181
Newtown,
12,311
215
23,720
15,570
5
7,726
230
1,419
948
101,280
1,332
4
17
25,842
Haverford,
12,508
688
20,165
12,380
10
15,571
308
1,235
2,855
119,706
1,768
143
11,255
Radnor, .
14,414
367
29,662
20,260
10,725
210
2,910
1,535
138,509
2,428
3
111
20,633
Birmingham,
8,664
8
18,520
10,940
478
3,055
470
645
95
37,200
1,372
74
60
7,083
Concord,
14,047
140
34,585
16,928
369
9,495
2,052
6,415
79,611
1,914
136
158
17,722
Chester Township,
6,766
50
14,695
6,287
10,235
1,445
205
111,971
1,193
2
7,803
Chester Borough, .
790
1,850
50
1,340
533
Ridley, .
6,191
710
20,580
3,962
56
9,700
1,625
1,340
99,385
1,567
7
23,495
Darby Township, .
2,456
774
9,075
1,123
8,390
1,920
6,775
40,670
829
20,800
Tinieum,
810
231
5,650
445
30
1,230
310
75
14,275
634
1,900
Darby Borough,
1,752
460
9,960
1,650
5,205
800
1,875
34,595
942
7,905
Aggregate,
(169,273 5,573 |381,296 |192,320 |2,760
153,161 1,656
27,281
31,045
1,648,710
28,461
5532|8593 376,383
.
,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
7,307
233
18,950
7,835
414
9,689
1,658
2,042
72,747
1,199
4
19
8,185
Lower Chichester,
2,701
8,830
2,480
4,073 578
130
700
3,590
63
5
1,053
Middletown,
12,436
337
24,300
APPENDIX .- NOTE N.
AGRICULTURE CONTINUED.
·
29,255
602
4
bushels of.
slaughtered, in
bushels of.
Products, in
dolls.
5,445
160
43,107
2,865
560
APPENDIX .- NOTE N.
STATISTICS
Extracted from the Census returns of Delaware County, for the year ending June 1st, 1860, exhibiting the quantity of Cotton, and Cotton and Woolen Goods and Paper manufactured in the County during that year, the Value of the Goods manufac- tured, and the Capital invested by the manufacturers.
Fabrics made wholly of cotton, 20,297,303 yards.
wholly of wool, or of cotton and wool, . . 10,906,342 66
31,203,645
Paper of all kinds,
1,582 tons.
Value of the manufactured goods for the year ending June Ist, 1860, ·
$4,084,830
Capital invested,
2,851,750
RELIGIOUS STATISTICS OF DELAWARE COUNTY. Extracted from the Census taken in 1860.
NAMES OF THE DIFFERENT SECTS.
Number of Congrega- tions.
Number of persons the
Churches or Meeting-
houses of each denomi-
nation will seat.
Value of Church Property belonging to each de- nomination.
Friends or Quakers,
16
5,280
$45,000
Methodist,
16
4,360
38,500
Baptist, .
7
2,225
23,470
Roman Catholic,
5
1,980
31,300
Protestant Episcopal,
7
2,325
48,500
Presbyterian,
7
2,630
35,000
New Jerusalem,
2
450
8,500
Bible Christian,
2
550
1,000
Universalist, .
1
300
4,000
African Methodist, .
4
525
2,200
67
20,625
$237,570
LIBRARIES OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Friends Library of Springfield, 1000 volumes, Religious and Miscellaneous. Chester Library Company, 2,000 volumes, Miscellaneous (Instituted 1767.)
William Penn Library Association, (Chester,) 400 volumes, Miscellaneous.
Protestant Episcopal Church Library, (Chester,) 600 volumes, Miscellaneous and Religious.
Concord Library, 750 volumes, Miscellaneous.
Friends Library, Radnor, 500 volumes, Religious and Miscellaneous.
Villa Nova, 300 volumes, Religious and Miscellaneous.
Delaware County Institute of Science, 1,000 volumes, Scientific and Miscel- laneous.
Union Library Company, 1,400 volumes, Miscellaneous.
Darby Library Company, 2,300 volumes, Miscellaneous.
Haverford College Library, 3,200 volumes, Literary, Scientific and Miscel- laneous.
Haverford Loganian Library, 1,200 volumes, Literary, Scientific and Miscel- laneous.
Yarns of all kinds,
1,751,800 lbs.
561
APPENDIX .- NOTE N.
In addition to the libraries contained in the foregoing list, which, for the most part are used by the public to a greater or less extent, there are many private libraries in the County. The works in several of these have been selected with great care, and some of them contain from one to three thousand volumes.
Darby Library was established in 1743. The following interesting matter connected with its establishment, omitted in the proper place, has been recently supplied by a friend, and will be inserted here.
The original article of agreement was signed upon the 10th day of March, in the year of our Lord 1743, by the following persons, viz .: Joseph Bonsall, John Davis, James Hunt, John Sketchley, George Wood, Joshua Thomson, Samuel Bunting, Nathan Gibson, Benjamin Lobb, Enoch Elliot, Jonathan Paschall, Abra- ham Jonason, Isaac Pearson, John Hunt, Joseph Hunt, Abraham Marshall, John Pearson, Richard Lloyd, David Gibson, Joseph Levis, Benjamin Hayes, Thomas Pennel, Henry Lewis, Charles Crossley, John Lewis, Thomas Pearson, William Horne, Joseph Lee and Peter Elliot; and Joseph Bonsall was elected Secretary, Nathan Gibson, Treasurer, and John Pearson, Librarian. It was also " Ordered, that the Secretary, Treasurer and Librarian, transmit ye several sums of money subscribed by this Company to Europe as soon as conveniently may, and pur- chase therewith such books as is heretofore voted for, if the money be sufficient, for ye use of the Library Company." An adjournment then took place to the 14th day of May, 1743, at the house of John Pearson, Librarian. At this meet- ing no business appears to have been transacted, except to receive the resignation of Joseph Hunt, and to elect David Lewellyn, Jr., a member in his stead; after which the Company adjourned, to meet again at the same place upon the 8th day of October in the same year. The next meeting seems to have been more important, as " the Treasurer acquainted them that he, with ye advice and con- sent of the Secretary and Librarian, had purchased a bill of exchange of Rebicca Edgel, drawn on Larance Williams, of London, merchant, payable in thirty days after sight to Peter Collinson, of London, gentleman;" and " the Secretary ac- quainted the Company that, in pursuance of the aforesaid bill of exchange and ye directions of this Company, he had wrote a letter to ye sd Peter Collinson, a copy whereof he produced and read in the following words," viz .:
"DARBY, ye 14th of 4th Month, 1743.
"FRIEND PETER COLLINSON :
"There is a small number of us in Darby, near Philad, who have formed our- selves into a company, in order to purchase a small set of books for our use ; with well-grounded expectations of our number increasing in a little time, and being advised by our frd and neighbour, John Bartram, to apply to thee to pur- chase the sd books, and in confidence of thy good disposition and from ye character he gives of thee to encourage such a decision, have thought fit there- upon to send to and desire thee to do such an office of kindness for us ; but as our number is but small, so is the sum of money, amounting only to fourteen pounds, as pr bill of exchange, drawn by Rebicca Edgel on Larance Williams, merchant, payable to thee in thirty days after sight thereof. We also send here- with a catalogue of such books as our Company approved of, requesting thee to be so good as to buy so many of them [taking them in order as they stand on the list] as the money will extend to pay, reserving sufficient to satisfy thee for thy trouble with the cost of Insurance here. And when the books are pur- chased, please to ship them of pr the first opportunity for Philad., in such a manner and with such directions as appears to thee most convenient, either for John Bartram or the subscriber hereof. Be so good also as to get the books lettered on ye back, if that can be done without much trouble or cost, or as many of them as conveniently can be. We also desire thee to send the price of each book purchased, that being necessary for us to know in pursuance of onr agreement. Thy answering our requests will much oblige us, who, with due respect, are thy unfeigned friends. Signed in behalf of said Company,
"By JOSEPH BONSALL, Secretary."
In compliance with the requests so courteously conveyed in this friendly letter,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.