History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 106

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 106

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not to be encroached upon by any planter or builder, that none may build irregularly to the damage of another." The amount thus allowed was in the pro- portion of six acres for every one hundred as sold to the first purchasers and was given as a compensation for the loss they might sustain, not only in consequence of laying out all roads or highways, but also for the nnevenness of the grounds and for barrenness or waste. After Penn's return, in his instructions to Lieutenant- Governor Blackwell, dated London, 25th of Seventh Month, 1688, he charges him "That care be taken of the roads and highways in the country, that they may be straight and commuodions for travelers, for 1 under- stand they are turned about by the planters, which is a mischieť that must not be endured." This showed iu him a solicitude on the subject that is creditable.

An act was passed in 1700 to authorize the justices of the Quarter Sessions, npon petition presented to them, to cause roads to be laid ont from or to any dwelling-place not near a highway, to be first viewed by six sufficient householders of the neighborhood, and its expedieney and necessity agreed to by at least four of the number. The width, formerly limited to forty feet, was now redneed to thirty-three, and to be duly recorded as public roads or highways. In 1705 an act was passed that " No travelling waggon or cart, or other carriage, going or coming to the city of Philadelphia, between the rivers Delaware and Schuyl- kill, in the county of Philadelphia, carrying any bur- den, shall be drawn in any highway or road with above three horses or oxen in length." If any person shall rause such "to be drawn with a greater number of horses or oxen, then in such case the horses or oxen shall draw in pairs, that is to say, two abreast for such

fine for every offense to be forty shillings. The act of 1734 provides that no roads shall be laid out through any man's improved grounds unless there be an actual necessity. In this case the land was to be valued by six persons, to be appointed by the court, and the price thereof to be paid to the owner by the persons at whose request and for whose use the same was laid out. These were also to be recorded as public roads, and to be cleared and maintained by the persons using the same; and to stop or interrupt the course, or com- mit any nuisance thereon, subjected the offenders to a penalty.

We find in the early petitions for townships to the Court of Quarter Sessions that the principal canse assigned therein for the request, is the want of over- sters to keep the highways in proper condition and repair. Take, for instance, this extract, presented in June term, 1736:

" Whereas, upon the petition of several of the Inhabitants of the township of Ouley to the last Court, setting forth that for several years past abont four miles distant from the High Road leading to Philadelphia through George McCall's Manor and several other tracts of land, have been so had that it was difficult for a single Iforse to pass without damage, and that the said Petitioners had several times represented to this Court the badness thereof, but that nothing as yet

1 By Wm. J. Buck.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

had been done; the reason is, they were informed, was because no Overseers have been yet appointed by the Court over the said road, and that there was at least thirty families settled in the said lands who are not in Hanover or Amity townships, between which townships the aforesaid road lieth ; prayed the said Court would be pleased to erect tbe said Lands into a Township, and appoint a Constable and Overseers. Whereupon the Court erected said township of Douglass, and appoint John Ball and James Yokham Overseers of Highways of the said township, and Andrew Ringberry Constable."

To the same court was also presented a petition for the erection of Upper Hanover township, wherein is stated "that there are above sixty families settled on lands between Salford and New Hanover, which land is six miles long and six miles wide, and no Con- stable or Overseer of the Poor or Highways within the said lands." Robert Thomas and Frederick Hillegas were appointed overseers of the highways within the new township and to serve for the ensuing year. For without a township organization no taxes could be collected to meet such expenses ; neither was there any local authority to keep roads in proper order or enforce repairs, no matter how impassable or danger- ous their condition.

All public roads or highways within the boundaries of a township were placed under its care and manage- ment. One or two overseers were appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions in each, the number some- what depending on its territorial extent and popula- tion. The overseers were held responsible for dne attention to the roads within their respective distriets. When summoned, every taxable or freeholder was com- pelled to work upon them, and if he refused to obey, a penalty could be imposed. This was imperative in the case of damages arising from great floods and snows of considerable depths. The expense was met through county levies well into this century. The overseers or supervisors were also responsible for the repair or renewal of all causeways and small bridges, those on the dividing or boundary lines to be shared equally by the districts. A petition was presented to the court in December Sessions, 1731, by some of the inhabitants of Upper Dublin, praying that the township line road with Horsham be divided, and that the supervisors of the latter township be required to keep their portion in proper condition, "which hath been hitherto neglected," and the court so ordered The town-book of Upper Dublin has been preserved, commeneing in 1765, from which we ascertain that but oue overseer or supervisor was appointed down to 1772, since which period the number has been two. Edward Burk retained the office longest, from 1777 to 1786. The town-book of Cheltenham commences in November, 1767, when the road expenses amounted to £23 19s. 8d. The act of April 6, 1802, authorized the election of two supervisors in each township on every third Saturday of March, who, in addition, were required to put up index-boards. In case of no elec- tion or irregularity, the act of March 24, 1818, em- powered the judges of the Court of Quarter Sessions to fill vacancies.

We here present a list of overseers of highways in

the several townships, being the earliest and fullest we could seenre :

Abington .- 1767, Joshua Knight and Lewis Roberts; 1773, Evan Roberts and John Paul; 1785, Isaac Whiteman and Joseph Webster.

Cheltenham .- 1767, Bartholomew Mather ; 1785, Alexander Loller and Thumas Shoemaker.

Forsham .- 1767, Daniel Jones and Abraham Lukens ; 1773, Robert Iredell and Samuel Conan ; 1785, Abraham Lukens and William Miller ; 1810, Joseph Kenderdine and Isaac Parry.

Lower Merion .- 1767, Robert .Jones and Stephen Goodman; 1773, Stephen Carpenter and John Zell ; 1785, William Stadleman and John Jones ; 1810. Lewis Knox and Peter Pechan.

Moreland .- 1767, Philip Wynkoop and John Hancock ; 1773, Isaac Cadwallader and John Summer ; 1785, Garret Van Buskirk and John Rhoads ; 1810, Amos Addis and Charles Johnson.

Montgomery .- 1767, Humphrey Bate ; 1773, Sammel Hines ; 1810_ Jacob Kneedler and John Gordon.

Plymouth .- 1767, David Morris ; 1785, Frederick Dull and Joseple Levering ; 1810, JJohn Shoemaker and Henry Clare.

Springfield .- 1810, Jacob Miller and Robert McCurdy.

Towamencin .- 1773, Frederick Wampole; 1810, Joseph Smith and John Boorse.

Upper Dublin .- 1773, John Spencer and John Burk : 1810, Christopher Dresher and Jonathan Scout.

Upper Salford .- 1767, John Hildebidle and Philip Wentz ; 1773, Rich- and Klein ; 1785, Valentine Kratz and Michael Schall ; 18to, Frederick Barndt and Abraham Schall

Whitemarsh .- 1767, John Kitler and Jacob Edge ; 1773, John Kitler and James White ; 1785, Joseph Lukens and George Freas ; 1810, Jacob Gilbert and Andrew Fisher.

A county situated as Montgomery is, and embracing all the contiguous territory from the north to the west of Philadelphia, must necessarily have numerous roads spreading through it from that point, like the framework of a fan. Such roads were the earliest highways, and, as settlements extended farther and farther in those directions, they became more and more important. It has been stated, on good authority, that the products of Pennsylvania became so consid- erable that in 1760, for their transportation to the city alone, from eight to nine thousand wagons were re- quired. Now, as two-thirds of the territory surround- ing Philadelphia was within our present county limits, it is reasonable to conclude that of the said number of wagons about six thousand must have passed over our roads to market within the space of one year. Hence we see the importance of this subject with reference to promoting easy and ready means for the several purposes connected with business or traffic so long before the era of steamboats, canals and railroads.

The earliest mention of a road within the county's present limits yet found is in the petition of James Fox and other settlers of Plymouth to the Council to have a "cart-road" laid out from the city to said place, for which a permit was given 5th of Second Month, 1687, and the road must have been opened not long after for use. Nicholas Scull and some others petitioned from Sandy Run for a road for the purpose of hauling lime from the kilns to the city, the road to meet the Plymouth road near Creisheim, or the upper part of Germantown. This road the Council ordered to be laid out May 19, 1698; but it appears, from a subsequent petition, that nothing further was done in the matter until March, 1703, when the court or- dered it to be opened according to the petitioners'

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request. We next find that the inhabitants of North Wales petitioned, in June, 1704, for a road up to their settlement, stating that they then numbered in said township above thirty families. The conrt ordered the road to be laid out from Philadelphia, through Germantown, up into the present Gwynedd. This was the beginning of what has been since known as the Bethlehem road. The same court also confirmed the laying out of a road leading from Merion Meeting- House to l'owell's ferry, on the Schuylkill, which was, very probably, at or near the present West Man- ayunk.

We now approach a period that was marked by a rapid extension of settlement up into the country. At March Sessions, 1706, the grant of "a common cartway or road, to extend from Wissahickon Mill up to Perkioming Creek at Edward Lane's" (which was laid out fifty feet wide), was confirmed by the court. John Henry Sprogell, Mounce Jones and others petitioned, in March Sessions, 1709, that the

said road might be extended from Edward Lane's up prominent termini for roads, particularly in directions

to " Mauntitaung," and it was so ordered. This was the original Reading road, and ran about to the pres- ent limits of the county. According to a petition and grant of March Sessions, 1711, a road was laid out " from the bridge between the land of John Hum- phreys and Edward Foulke, in Gwyneth, to the mills on Pennepack Creek," at a ford in Moreland town- ship, which grant and laying out the court, in Septem- ber, 1712, confirmed. This was the original Welsh road, leading from the present Spring House to Huntingdon Valley, where the early settlers went to have their grain converted into flour, it being but little over one- third the distance to the city.

The York road was ordered to be laid out in answer to the prayer of a petition presented to Governor Gookin and Council, who appointed twelve promi- nent freeholders residing along the route to make the survey. The action of the freeholders was subse- quently confirmed. This important thoroughfare com- meneed at the intersection of Fourth and Vine Streets, Philadelphia, and terminated at John Reading's land -. ing, on the river Delaware, now known as Centre Bridge. It passed through the present Rising Sun Shoemakertown, Jenkintown, Willow Grove and Hat- boro'. It received its name from being one of the early routes of travel between the two great cities. The want and laying out of this road at the time shows that the progress of settlement had been pretty well extended towards the north and northeastwards, even to the boundaries of the province.

A road commeneing "at a stake in the upper line of Bebber's township, over Skippaek Creek," to Edward Farmar's mill, on the "Gwynedd road," was laid ont and confirmed in March, 1713, and in the following August was surveyed and a dratt made. This is the well-known Skippack road, terminating about a mile above Flourtown in the Bethlehem turnpike, As early as June, 1714, a road was laid out from

Richland township, Bucks Co., to John Humphrey's, near the present Spring House, in Gwynedd. To this same point another road was located in 1717, com- meneing "at Theophilus Williams' plantation, on Neshaminy creek." The Limekiln road, extend- ing southwards from Fitzwatertown, was in use and known by that name before 1716. The road leading from Whiteland, in Chester County, to Swedes' Ford, on the Schuylkill, was laid out in 1723, thus showing travel from a new direction. The road leading from the present Salfordville, through Lederachsville, to Skippaek was surveyed and confirmed in June, 1728. The present highway from Sumneytown, through Harleysville and Kulp>ville, to the Spring House was surveyed and confirmed in Inne, 1735. In August following the Bethlehem road was originally laid out from the lands of l'eter Trexler, in the present Lehigh County, to the Spring Hlouse, thus making this an early and important centre for roads.

Friends' Meeting-houses were made early and

at variance with the usual routes towards the city. From Abington Meeting-House to Byberry Meeting- House a survey was made and confirmed in September, 1712; from the latter place to Horsham Meeting- House in June, 1720. The road from Plymouth Meeting-House to Gwynedd or North Wales Meeting- House was surveyed in March, 1717, and which, it appears, was reconfirmed in December, 1751; from Fitzwater's lime-kilns, in Upper Dublin, to Abing- ton Meeting-House in December, 1724. The road from Germantown to Abington Meeting-House was confirmed in June, 1735, since known as Washington Lane; from St. Thomas' Church, in Whitemarsh, to Oxford Church, was surveyed and confirmed in Sept- ember, 1734. The road from Gwynedd Meeting-House to Swedes' Ford was surveyed in March, 1738, and ordered, in September, 1756, to be resurveyed and opened thirty-two feet in width, which the court con- firmed. Also a road from the latter meeting-house through Whitpain was surveyed and a review ordered in December, 1746. This is very probably the pres- ent highway from Gwynedd to Blue Bell.

That which became the greatest of all our traveled thoroughfares, the road from Lancaster to the foot of High (now Market) Street ferry, was laid out November 23, 1741, and since denominated the old Lancaster road, in contradistinction to the turnpike route, which was materially straightened. By Lewis Evans' map we know that the Gulf road must have been opened to travel, at least as far as Valley Forge, several years before 1749. Several important roads were laid out in 1766. The Upper Ridge, commencing on the line of Bucks County, was laid out August 26th, passing through the present Tylersport and extending westwardly through the townships of Upper Salford, Marlborough, Fred- erick. New Hanover and Pottsgrove, ending at "Turkey Point," on the Schuylkill. It was reviewed February 19, 1767, and confirmed by the court, who

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

directed the several overseers of highways along the route to open the same. On September 3d a road was laid out through Marlborough township to Funk's mill (formerly Grove's), on the east side of Perkiomen Creek, to be thirty-five feet in width. In November of that year likewise a road from the Pottstown ferry, by the division lines of New Hanover and Douglas, and across the Skippack road and lands of the late William Mayberry, deceased, to the Bucks County line. We are unable at present to state the exact date of the opening of the Ridge road through the present borough of Norristown, but we find it called the " New Reading or Egypt road " in 1774, which would imply that it could not have been long in use.

As an important auxiliary to roads and travel, we must not omit some mention of bridges. In looking over the early laws very little can be found on the subject; and no wonder, for during the whole colonial period comparatively few were built, and these were very rude and chiefly constructed of logs. An act was passed August 15, 1732, authorizing bridges over all small creeks to be built and maintained by order of the justices of the Quarter Sessions, the grand jury, assessors and commissioners, the latter defraying the expenses from the county funds. The earliest mention ascertained of a bridge in the county was in 1717, at John Humphreys', in Gwynedd township. In the laying out of the Governor's road from the Bucks County line to the present Willow Grove, in 1722, mention is made of a bridge over Round Meadow Run, at the latter place. The grand jury, in 1773, reports the bridge on the York road, over Pennypack Creek, at Hathoro,' as very much out of repair, and recommend its improvement at the cost of the county. It was en- tirely rebuilt in 1789. We have the authority of Rev. HI. M. Muhlenberg's journal that in the Revolution there were no bridges on the Reading road over either the Perkiomen or Skippack Creeks, though a main road to Philadelphia and in a thickly-settled country. The grand jury reports, in 1786, the bridge over Stony Creek, at Norristown, as being unsafe, from one of its abutments being undermined. The venerable bridge at Bird-in-Hand, over Gulf Creek, must be consider- ably over a century old. Substantial stone bridges were built on the Ridge road, over Plymouth Creek and the Perkiomen, in 1798, and both are in use. The latter was considered a great affair in its day and cost sixty thousand dollars. The bridge on the Beth- lehem road, over Sandy Run, below Fort Washington was erected in 1792, and over Tacony Creek, at Shoe- makertown, in 1798. The bridge over the Manatawny, at Pottstown, was completed in 1805, and was also quite an undertaking at the expense of the county, costing thirty-five thousand dollars.

Milestones, in this connection, also deserve some attention. We could find no law whatever respecting them; hence guide-boards would have superior claims. Several venerable stones, bearing on the rear side the Penn coat-of-arms, are still standing along the east

side of the Gulf road, in Upper and Lower Merion, on the faces of which are denoted the number of miles to Philadelphia. They are of soapstone, and hence more easily wrought upon. They average about three and a half feet high and ten inches in thickness. This road was probably laid out about 1740, and these milestones are the only ones known to bear such emblems. The late H. C. Hill, of Norristown, took sufficient interest in them a few years ago to have those that had fallen over replaced, and traced them up to Valley Forge. It is singular by whose order it was done. The county, no doubt, bore the expense, for the Penn family took no lead or interest in pro- moting works of public utility. On the road from the Spring House to Sumneytown the milestones bear the date of 1767, thus proving them to be of colonial origin. On the Bethlehem road, above Pleasantville, Bueks Co., a milestone bears on its face "1793. 44 M. to P." There may, perhaps, be found, on some other roads in the county, milestones with dates. This matter is deserving attention and worthy of future investigation. Peter Kalm, in his "Travels in 1748- 49," states that " there are not yet any milestones put up in the country ; the inhabitants compute the distance by guess."

Turnpike roads claimed the attention of the people of Montgomery County at quite an early period. The Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike was the first road of the kind constructed in Pennsyl- vania, if not in America. It was commenced in 1792 and finished in two years, at a cost of $7500 per mile, having a course in the county of about four and one-half miles. The Germantown and Per- kiomen turnpike, on the Reading road, twenty-five miles in length, was commenced in 1801 and fin- ished in 1804, at a cost of $11,287 per mile,-certainly a nice sun for that day. Next, the Cheltenham and Willow Grove turnpike, eleven miles in length, on the York road, commenced in 1803 and completed the following year, at $8000 per mile; the Chestnut Hill and Spring House turnpike, eight miles in length, on the Bethlehem road, finished in 1804, at over $8000 per mile, and in 1814 extended into Hilltown, Bucks Co., three miles above Line Lexington ; the Perkio- men and Reading, twenty-nine miles, at $7000, com- menced in 1811 and finished in 1815; the Ridge turn- pike, twenty-four miles, at $7500, commenced in 1812 and finished in 1816; Doylestown and Willow Grove turnpike, eleven and one-half miles, at $3000, com- meneed in 1839 and finished in 1840; the Sumney- town and Spring House turnpike was completed in 1848; the Fox Chase and Huntingdon Valley turn- pike was finished in 1848 to the "Sorrel Horse" tavern, five miles (an act was passed March 11, 1850, to extend it to Richborough, Bneks Co., which was soon after accomplished); the Conshohocken and Plymouth turnpike, constructed, in 1849, to the " Broad Axe," and extended, in 1855, beyond the " Three Tons." seven and one-half miles, on the Butler

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road; the Perkiomen and Sumneytown turnpike, twelve miles, completed in 1849, and the following year extended one and one-quarter miles, to Green Lane; the Hatboro' and Warminster, commencing at Willow Grove, on the York road, four and one-half miles, finished in 1850, cost $2800 per mile; the Limekiln turnpike and also the Goshenhoppen and Green Lane were completed in 1851 ; the Bridgeport and King of Prussia, on the State road, completed in 1853, and the Skippack pike the following year; the Limerick and Colebrookdale turnpike in 1855; the Willow Grove and Germantown plank-road and turnpike, completed in 1857, cost $8000 per mile; the Gerysville pike and the Harleysville and Souder- ton pike were completed before 1866; the Harleys- ville and Lederachsville and the Norristown and Centre Square pikes were finished in 1868; the pike from Blue Bell to l'enllyn in 1872.

It may be justly estimated that there are in the county at this time about two hundred miles of turn- pike' roads, constructed at a cost of upwards of a million dollars. It was this improvement in facilitat- ing transportation that opened the way for the intro- duction of canals and railroads, the latter now so decidedly leading the way that at this time there need be but thirty-four miles constructed to surpass in length the aforesaid total turnpike mileage. How wonderfully illustrative of our progress in population and wealth within a period of considerably less than a century !

In our recent researches we have become con- vinced that the construction of our turnpikes was often attended with great difficulties, which re- quired time and indomitable perseverance to over- come. We find, for instance, that the Doylestown and Willow Grove Turnpike Company was char- tered in 1828, and, after several years' exertions, was abandoned, when incorporation was obtained ; one being returned in Frederick, Franconia, Gwynedd, again in 1838, and it was completed in three years. The Sumneytown and Spring House Company was first incorporated in 1829, and was not successful. A second charter was obtained in 1845, and after a three years' struggle this road was also finished. The Wil- low Grove and Germantown Plank-Road and Turnpike Company, which was chartered in 1853, was four years in progress, and, owing to expensive lawsuits for right of way, cost its stockholders more than double its original estimate.

Pursuant to an act of Assembly, passed April 6, 1830, the State road was laid out December 29th following, forty feet in width, commencing at New Hope, on the river Delaware, passing through Doy les- town and the townships of Montgomery, Gwynedd, Whitpain, Norriton and Upper Merion, and the boroughs of Norristown and Bridgeport, on the present De Kalb Street. It extends the full breadth of the county, the distance being sixteen miles, seventy-two chains and sixty-nine links, passing through West Chester to the Maryland line in a general southwesterly

course. About half its distance in the county has been turnpiked since 1852. It was a beneficial im- provement, and deserves, in this connection, honorable mention.

Even down to the beginning of this century much in the way of transportation was done on horseback ; huge sacks, wallets and baskets, or panniers, were constructed and used for this especial purpose. In this way nearly all produce was taken to Philadelphia, and horsemen would thus be seen nearly surronnded with poultry, pork, butter, flax, etc., and even live calves and sheep would be taken to market by snch means. Old and young, male and female, were usually conveyed on horseback, it mattered not whether on business or pleasure, as well as to their different places of worship on the Sabbath. For hauling, sleds were used previously to wagons. The latter were at first very rudely constructed, with but little or no iron, and the wheels generally of solid wood, cut with a saw from the end of a log. The roads, which were made with little regard for the removal of rocks and stumps or the bridging of streams, through the action of frost and unfavorable weather, could not fail at intervals to be rendered almost impassable, particu- larly during the winter and early spring.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 106

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534