History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 211

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 211

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In the beginning of 1684 he was again chosen a member of Assembly for the county of Philadelphia, and much to the opposition of several in that body re-elected speaker at their next session held at New Castle, December 3d following. The previous 4th of August, Penn commissioned him, with four others, provincial judges for two years from that date. On the 12th of the following month the Council duly qualified him to act as chief-judge of this body, which laid the foundation of our present Supreme Court. Penn, having departed for England, the assembly im- peached Dr. More for several misdemeanors. This it appears, did not please the Governor, for, on the 1st of February, 1686, he changed the executive govern- ment to a board of five commissioners, among whom was Judge More and two of his associates. A letter was written and sent to Penn dated "Green Spring, 18th of December, 1686," which the governor had published in England with a preface, the following year, to prevent "Divers false reports going about Town and Country to the Injury of the Province of Pennsylvania."

As mention is made in the minutes of Assembly, under date of September 16, 1685, of his suffering from sickness and being "in a languishing condition," it is presumed that he must have died about the be- ginning of 1687; at least we have not been able to find any evidence of his being alive at a later date. His surviving family consisted of Mary his wife, and children,-Samuel, Nicholas, Rebecca, Mary and Sarah. Samuel, the oldest son, and Rebecca, died before 1695. Mary married Elias Keach, a distin- guished Baptist preacher, and Sarah William Sinby, who resided in Philadelphia. John Holme having married, January 3, 1687-88, the widow of Nicholas More, presented a petition as one of the creditors April 23, 1695, to the executive council, who ap-

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pointed a committee to examine the accounts and who reported the estate indebted to several indivi- duals to the amount of two hundred and seventy pounds. He was, therefore, empowered to sell the plantation of Green Spring with the improvements, for a sufficient sum to pay the just debts and the education of his surviving children and the better improvement of the remainder of the estate. For this purpose the homestead of six hundred acres was sold at public sale in that year and purchased by Henry Comly, of Middletown, Bucks Co., who, in 1704, rebuilt the mansion house. The remainder of the estate was divided among the several heirs, who kept selling off' tract after tract therefrom, so that in 1720 the greater portion had gone out of the family.

Sampson's Hill .- Though an inconsiderable emi- nence, its name for more than a century and a-half has become a familiar household word in the vi- cinity. It is about half a mile north of the Willow Grove, and the old York Road passes directly in a straight line over its highest part. As a ridge it ex- tends probably a mile east and west, and about half that distance is required in crossing it by the turn- pike. The forest has long ago disappeared with a trifling exception, and its surface has now become pretty well cultivated and productive. In making the survey for the turnpike its summit was ascertained to be one hundred and twenty feet above the stream at its northern base, and one hundred and four feet above the bridge at the same place. The view from its top by the road is grand; looking northwards we see the whole of Hatboro,' also Lacey's battle ground and the hills of Neshaminy ; eastward we have close at hand the valley of Pennypack and the picturesque scenery of Huckleberry Hill. Looking southwards, we have the Willow Grove, Horseheaven and Edge Ilill. There is no doubt that from this spot at least a hundred farm-houses are readily discernible. These in summer, with their numerous out-buildings, orchards and fields, variously checkered by the grow- ing crops, afford to the citizen agreeable glimpses of country-life.

The old York Road was laid out over this hill to Philadelphia in 1711, and thus became one of our earliest highways to the city. A writer in Miner's Correspondent of June 4, 1805, says,-

" It is presumed that a beneficial improvement might be made at Sampson's Ilill, in the county of Montgomery, by reducing the ascent to the common standard of turnpike roads. The natural increase of travel, especially from New Jersey, and the running of stages from Philadelphia to New York, and to Easton on that road, fully require that such an im- provement be made."

Forty-six years elapsed, we believe, before this design was fully carried out. From ancient deeds it appears that some time before 1720 Sampson Davis became the owner of all the land on the northeastern side of the hill up to the present road and bridge. He was a Welshman by birth, and on the site of the present Water Cure establishment he first built him- self a cabin, which stood not far from the fine spring

of water which is mentioned further on. From the "Votes of Assembly for 1728" we learn that Sir William Keith, who then resided in Horsham, was an occasional visitor at his house. From the minutes of Abington Monthly Meeting we learn that he had procured for himself and wife a certificate of removal to Philadelphia, dated 28th of Twelfth Month, 1736-37. It was from him as the principal owner that this hill derived its name, which was thus early applied by the original settlers.

The Hatboro' and Warminster Turnpike Road Com- pany was incorporated May 8, 1850, and this high- way extends from Willow Grove to the Street road, a distance of four and a-half miles. It was made that year, on the bed of the old York Road with stone, twenty feet wide and twelve inches in depth. To bring this turnpike to the grade required by law it was necessary to cut into this bill a considerable depth. Stone enough was thus procured here to make the road for several miles. Great blasts were made in the solid rock near the northern summit, one of which sent a rock of nearly a ton weight thirty yards into an adjoining field, and another fragment of about four hundred pounds was lodged in the branchesof a large cherry-tree, where it hung suspended for five or six years some twenty-feet above the road surface, much to the astonishment oftravelers. The rock ap- pears to be exceedingly hard and of a bluish cast, streaked with white quartz interspersed with particles of glittering mica, being a granite of a trappean na- ture. Half way up the southern slope of the hill a vein of steatite or soapstone crosses the road, which on a more thorough investigation might prove valuable.

The bridge, at the northern base of the hill, and to which we have already made reference, was originally of wood, but in 1830 the county erected a substantial stone structure ofone arch of fifteen feet span, which was completed the following year. The Turnpike Company in consequence of reducing the grade of the hill considerably enlarged the southern wing-walls, making it now about two hundred feet long. The fill- ing here being some eighteen or twenty feet above the water has materially lessened the ascent. The day may not be far distant when this bridge will be further raised and filled up to the greater convenience of pedestrians and horses toiling under heavy loads. A number of fine springs of purest water abound. Several of these cross the pike on the southern side, but the largest, in fact the most consid- erable in this section of country, issues from its northern slope about one hundred yards southeast of the bridge. It is sufficiently strong to furnish an un- failing supply to a village. The stream after a mile's journey mingles its waters with the Pennypack. A venerable-looking milestone stood as late as 1850 on the eastern bank of the road-side, about forty yards up the hill from the present bridge, having cut on it " 15 M. to P." It came away in making the turnpike and

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

it is a pity that it cannot be restored to near the same place. Most probably it may have done duty here for all of a century.

An interesting sight was witnessed on this hill on the morning of the 23d of August, 1777, being no less than the crossing of General Washington and his army, accompanied by a lengthy baggage and artillery train. They had just broken up their encampment at the Cross-Roads, near the present Hartsville, six miles from here, where they had been the previous two weeks waiting to hear of the landing of the British. They were now marching to Philadelphia, and from thenee towards the enemy, whom they finally encoun- tered on the fields of Brandywine.

Round Meadow .- Should almost any other in its vicinity than an antiquarian be asked as to the locality of this place, it is very possible that it would cause some perplexity. This was the original name given by the early settlers to a small stream flowing through the present Willow Grove, and also to an adjacent swamp in which it had its origin. It rises from a number of springs in Abington township, and after a course of about two and a half miles, in a northeasterly direction, empties into the Pennypack. The only power it at present affords is in propelling the grist-mill of Benjamin Morgan, which is situated half a mile from its mouth, and which was originally built by Thomas Parry in 1731. As a further resns- citation and preservation of the name the writer had Mr. Scott to so place it on the map of Moreland township in his invaluable County Atlas published in 1877.

The swamp must have once contained about one hundred and fifty aeres, but by the continued pro- gress of more than a century and a half in the settle- ment, improvement and cultivation of the soil, its area has been now reduced to less than twenty acres. This remaining portion has still growing on it huge bunches of tussock, calamus, several kinds of coarse sedge and carex grasses, besides a number of alder bushes and a few stunted red maples and sour gums. A part consists of a black peat bog of from six inches to four feet in depth, lying on a substratum of white clay. The peat is formed by a species of moss which grows only on the surface of the water, and as it de- cays beneath is slowly but constantly accumulating. Its rich black appearance often arrests the attention of observing individuals, especially farmers, in going to market over what was the plank road. On its southern edge cranberries are still found growing wild, and our oldest citizens have it from tradition that they are indigenous to the locality.

From the abundance and variety of beautiful wild flowers found growing here in autumn, young ladies collect them for bouquets and ornaments ; and often, too, have they been known to grace the magnificent parlor vases of the city. Not only are attractions lavish here for the botanist, but also the zoologist ; for to our knowledge several species of that somewhat

rare animal, the star-nosed mole, have here been cap- tured. Muskrats abound, and nearly forty years ago built themselves neat and highly ingenious cabins. The sportsman shoots occasionally snipe and wood- cock. And, alas! blackbirds still abound from spring to autumn, no doubt the veritable descendants of those whose ancestors lured several of the young men of this vicinity in the phantom pursuit of pleasure and gain, till they suddenly found themselves im- mersed in "a sea of troubles." From these casual glimpses it will be seen that Round Meadow is not devoid of interest to the naturalist, but that is not our particular object; for it is also invested with the charms of historical and traditionary associations that must be here only briefly touched upon.

William Penn, first proprietary and Governor of Pennsylvania, purchased June 7, 1684, of the Indian chief, Metamicont, all his title to the lands lying on both sides of the Pennypack, and which also com- prised within its limits this section of country. With this conveyance probably hereabouts passed away all aboriginal claims, Nicholas More, a physician of London, having in 1682 purchased an extensive grant which was by the surveyor-general's order laid out Angust 1, 1684, as the "Manor of Moreland." The southwestern boundary line of this tract runs directly aeross Round Meadow, and divides it nearly in two equal portions, the most southern part of which is situated in Abington township. The title to this latter section was purchased in 1696 of Captain Thomas Holme, by John Hallowell, from Darby, be- low Philadelphia, who built a house or cave thereon about that time a mile to the southwest of the present Willow Grove. This purchase comprised six hundred acres, and there are now numerous descendants of the original owner living in the neighborhood.

As the country became more and more settled northward of the city, on application, the old York Road was laid out in November, 1711, from John Reading's landing, now Centre Bridge, on the Del- aware, by way of this swamp and the present Jenkin- town to Fourth and Vine Streets, Philadelphia. About this time a small wooden bridge was built over the stream here so as to permit an easier transit for wagons. Often, no doubt, as strangers have traveled up or down this ancient highway, they have wondered how it came to pass that it should be laid out through the Willow Grove as winding almost as the letter S. This was caused by the original miry nature of the ground and to secure the most solid surface for traveling purposes. Hence from going round the meadow to avoid the most treacherous places origi- nated so appropriate a name.

In the Colonial Records of 1722, we read that at the recommendation of the governor, Sir William Keith, who had made a settlement and built himself a mansion in Horsham, a road was laid out from there that year by Nicholas Scull, by way of "the Meeting-House, and from thence to a small bridge,

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commonly called Ronnd Meadow Run, where it meets again the Abington or New York road." The bridge here we find thus mentioned several times, and it must have been so called between the years 1711 and 1720. The last mentioned road forms the lower por- tion of the present Doylestown and Willow Grove turnpike. We know that in 1734, if not some time earlier, James Dnbree became the owner of one hun- dred and fifty acres of land in and around the Willow Grove, on the Moreland side, and which comprised all that portion of the swamp. One of his sons shortly after the Revolution erected a dam across the stream abont eighty yards above the Round Meadow bridge, and had a race from the same to propel the machinery of a scythe factory. Though no traces of this establishment are now visible, the race still remains.

In 1803 the Cheltenham and Willow Grove turn- pike company was chartered and made the following year at an average cost of eight thousand dollars per mile, on the bed of the old York Road. It is stated that at the Round Meadow bridge and for about the distance of three hundred yards towards the city it took an immense quantity of stones before it acquired its present stability. Aged men of the vicinity stated more than thirty years ago that they believed that the stones brought here had penetrated down from their weight and from the repeated irruptions of the water and the action of frost to a depth of from six to ten feet, to which sinee a considerable quantity has been added. This bed of stones is now from twenty-two to forty feet wide, and even within the last few years water has forced itself through, espe- cially towards the latter end of winter and the beginning of spring. From tradition we learn that before the turnpike had been made the most miry and dangerous places were indicated by the ends of rails standing out, which had thus purposely been thrust in as a matter of precaution.

The Germantown and Willow Grove Plank Road and Turnpike was laid out and made in 1856-57, and commenced on the old York Road, a few yards above the Round Meadow bridge, erossing the Moreland and Abington line nearly at right angles. This road passes nearly through half its length, or about the distance of a full half mile in a sontherly direction. Along this road there is much to interest a student of the natural sciences. In 1872 the North East Penn- sylvania Railroad was laid out and completed through its eastern edge, and within a few years a public road opened on the township line. Newport's phosphate factory has also encroached somewhat on this do- main so long assigned to the possession of muskrats, frogs, and its spring and summer sojourners, the black-birds, who have so long fed, fattened, feasted and rioted on the products of the neighboring fields.

Horseheaven .- This is the name given to one of the highest elevations in the vicinity of the Willow Grove, and it is situated on the east side of the York

Road turnpike, with Round Meadow Run washing its northern boundary. Approach the village from what- ever course you may, it looms up boldly before you in all its majestic grandeur. Its northern and eastern sides are still covered with forest, and a portion of its sum- mit is crowned with the perpetual verdure of red cedar. A strip of cultivated land extends over its centre from south to northeast, giving it the appearance of two parts. We can therefore say that it is of tolerably steep as- cent, with a somewhat level summit, elevated probably about three hundred feet above the waters of the Pennypack, a mile distant. As might be expected, it affords a magnificent view of the surrounding country. The eminences of Valley Forge, Germantown, Trenton and Whitemarsh revive patriotic recollections. The blue hills of New Jersey can be traced towards the northeast, east and southeast for thirty or forty miles. Buckingham Mountain, though twelve miles off, ap- pears quite near. The hills of the Delaware, the Schuylkill and Neshaminy can be traced for a con- siderable distance, while nearer at hand are the lesser eminences of Edge Hill, Camp Hill, Church Hill and Huckleberry Hill. Among the towns and villages readily discernible are Frankford, Germantown, Chest- nut IIill, Barren Hill, Flourtown, Jenkintown and Hatboro'. The river Delaware, for several miles above Philadelphia, with its steamboat> and sailing-vessels, can be seen with the naked eye on any clear day.

This hill has received its somewhat singular name from peculiar circumstances. Near the close of the last century several lines of stages were established be- tween Philadelphia, Bethlehem and Easton ; also to New York, by way of Lambertville. Willow Grove, being thirteen miles north of Philadelphia, was readily adopted, from its convenient position, as the first suit- able place for changing the horses of the several lines, and was generally retained for nearly half a cen- tury, or, in fact, till railroads caused their discontinu- ance. These being nearly all four-horse coaches, and there being but few or no turnpikes, caused, particularly from the condition of the roads, considerable dam- age to the horses. When these died, or were dis- patched on account of age or other infirmities, their bodies were universally consigned to the northern declivity of the hill. Thus it became the stage- horse's final rest, from whence originated the name of Horseheaven. Several fine springs of water gush from out the hill-side, and in the Willow Grove furnish an unfailing supply to several fountains. On the north, northeast and west sides these flow into Round Meadow Run, which in less than two miles distance empties into the Pennypack. On the south- east side they give rise to Tearwood Run, another branch of the latter stream. Sandy Run has its origin from several springs on the south side. This is a trout stream and a branch of the Wissahickon. It will be observed that this bill forms a kind of dividing ridge, and that its waters flow into both the Delaware and Schuylkill.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

On the bold summit of Horseheaven, in the sum- mers of 1840 and 1841, Ferdinand Hassler, superin- tendent of the United States Coast Survey, and his assistants were encamped. They had here a superior collection of instruments and a signal station, commu- nieating with similar ones at Mount Holly and Wood_ bury, N. J., Langhorne, Girard College and one or two in Delaware County. To facilitate these communica- tions several openings had to be cut here through the woods in several directions. These remained visible for a number of years afterwards. The following an- ecdote was related concerning the cutting down of this timber: Mr. Hassler directed his assistants to eut away these trees wherever they were found to inter- fere with the progress of the work, and for damages the land-holders must look to him. There then re- sided in the neighborhood two farmers, whose lands and wealth were chiefly acquired by inheritance. They were both regarded as among our most respect- able, upright and virtuous citizens. When Mr. Hassler had made every arrangement for his final departure, he waited on those men and asked the amount of dam- ages they claimed; each one, strange to say, said he would leave it to his judgment. As he thought their damages were about the same, he awarded each a similar sum. When one of them received it, he de- clined taking more than one-half, saying that amount amply remunerated him. The other complained of his award, desiring double the amount, which was paid him.

Henry D. Rogers, afterwards professor of natural history in the University of Glasgow, but now for some time deceased, while engaged on the geological survey of the State in the summer of 1851, made his investigations of this hill and the neighboring country. In the first volume of his work may be seen a sectional view of its structure and stratifica- tion, and he mentions therein that the primeval rocks lean at a moderate angle upon the gneiss. "Here," he says, " upon the northern slope and end of this hill the fragments of the sandstone contain numerous vestiges of scolithus linearis, the fossil characteristic of the white primeval sandstone." He stated that the stone here was identical with that in Edge Hill, and of course belonged to the same formation. Frag- ments of quartz are found scattered more or less over its surface. Near Round Meadow Run, on its north- ern declivity, are several mineral springs, indicating the presence of iron-ore, which is now being obtained in abundance at about a mile's distance towards the west.

To the student of nature this hill offers a number of attractions. Gray squirrels, ground squirrels, flying squirrels, weasels, rabbits and opossums abound. The wood robin, the brown thrasher, the chewink, the catbird, the scarlet tanager, the golden- crowned thrush, the jay, and, above all, the crow, are partial to its woods. In the spring of 1852 it was supposed a pair of eagles had a nest somewhere in

the vicinity of the rocks. They were seen hovering in the air and about here for several months. Wild pigeons formerly resorted to this hill and bred here in great numbers. This was particularly the case previous to the year 1810. In the spring and fall sometimes so many would be caught in nets as to re- quire horses and wagons to haul them away. The last probably thus caught in this section of country was about 1844, and but few were taken. To a lover of botany this hill invites attention. Here grow indig- enous the white, red, black, chestnut, Spanish, pin and post oaks, black and white walnuts, several kinds of hickory, maple, elm, gum, poplar and dogwood, be- sides beech, sassafras, mulberry, wild cherry, June- berry, red cedar and witch-hazel, whortleberries of different kinds and bearing red, black and blue fruit. The laurel in June is seen whitened over with its mag- nificent flowers. Dittany, or mountain mint, flourishes abundantly, from which, in the oklen times, the peo- ple made tea. Spicy wintergreen or teaberry also grows here,-a somewhat rare plant in this section of Pennsylvania. The mountain spikenard luxuriates amidst the crevices of the rocks. As respects its veg- ctable treasures, they would take up too much space to name in detail.

Our first acquaintance with this hill and its neigh- borhood began in 1842, and since that time it has be- come sufficiently endeared by its memories to thus re- cord a few observations. Heretofore our writers have been too much led to believe through the influence of European authors, that our local scenery is too barren in historical and traditionary associations to be in- vested with the additional charms that literature could bestow. By standing on the summit of Horseheaven and gazing over the beautiful prospect there will some- thing arise that denies such a charge. Near may be seen Round Meadow, Huckleberry Hill and the valley of Southampton Run, where John Fitch first tried his model steamboat. Then around here dwelt the In- dians, by yonder stream wandered the Swedes, on the hills and valleys of North and Southampton settled the Dutch, at Warwick the Irish, at Gwynedd the Welsh, at Germantown the Germans, at Horsham Sir William Keith and his Scotch associates, and in Ab- ington and Moreland the English Quakers. Many spots and eminences that have witnessed the valiant struggles and sufferings of a people in the sacred cause of freedom,-of a Washington and his brave copatriots, are in view. Are all these, with the associations that linger around each, devoid of interest ?

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 211

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