History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 238

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 238

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Although the Swedes had settled near the month of the Schuylkill in 1642, and four years later erected a church there, yet no evidence exists of their having located early anywhere within the present limits of the county. It has been recently ascertained that Peter Cox had made a purchase of land within the present limits of Upper Merion before 1702, and that Gunnar Rambo in said year had endeavored to secure a tract beside him. The Swedes came into the town- ship about 1712, and settled on a large tract which they purchased from the Welsh, who had for some time preceded them. The names of these set- tlers were Mats Holstein, Gunnar Rambo, Peter Rambo, Peter Yocum and John Matson. They took up several hundred aeres each, which lay from the pres- ent borough of Bridgeport down to the Lower Merion line, and baek nearly two miles from the river. This tract, for fertility, is almost unequaled in l'ennsyl- vania, and is still chiefly in the hands of their de- scendants, and comprises nearly one-fourth of the present area of the township. On this tract the names of Swedes' Ford, Swedes' Church, Swedesburg, Swedeland and Matson's Ford sufficiently- indicate the presence of these settlers. Near the elose of this subject some additional information will be given re- specting those Swedish families.

The following possesses interest, being a list of settlers residing in Upper Merion in 1734, thirty- two in number, and with the amount of land re-

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turned as belonging to each: Mats Holstein, 252 acres; Hugh Hughs, 200; Morris Edwards, 150; Owen Thomas, 100; Griffith Phillips, 50; John Moor, 150; Owen Jones, 100; Thomas Jenkens, 100; John David, 100; Alexander Henderson, 100; Mounee Rambo, 100; John Rambo, 100; Gabriel Rambo, 150; Elias Rambo, 150; Peter Yocum, 50; Andrew Sup- plee, 50 ; Hugh Williams, 100; Benjamin Davis, 100; John Sturgis, 100; Isaac Rees, 100; Richard Bevan, 200; David James, 100; William Rees, 150; Edward Roberts, 100; Mathew Roberts, 100; William George, 150; Thomas Rees, 100; Harry Griffith, 100 ; Hannah Jones, 100; Griffith Rees, 50; David Lewis, 100 ; and Jones Rees, 40 acres, Of this list, it will be observed that nearly two-thirds are Welsh. In the assessment of 1780, out of one hundred and thirty-eight names, but very little over one-fourth are found to be of the aforesaid origin. This denotes a considerable dimi- nution in the Welsh element during a period of forty- six years. Within the past fifty years the Irish popu- lation has increased through the encouragement given them as laborers in the lime, marble and iron industries. Descendants and land-hollers of the name of Holstein, Hughes, Moore, David, Henderson, Rambo, Supplee, Jones, Roberts, Griffith, Phillips, Thomas and Davis are found scattered over the town- ship, many of whom still occupy their ancestral tracts.

Mathew Roberts was the son of John Roberts, one of the early settlers of Lower Merion, who removed to the Swamp Vrass farm, near the present King of Prussia, which had been bequeathed to him by his father about 1727. His son Jonathan was in the Colonial Assembly, and elected to Congress in 1790, besides holding other positions. The latter was the father of Jonathan Roberts, of the United States Senate. Richard Bevan, mentioned in the list of 1734, advertises in the Pennsylvania Gazette of July 24, 1751, that he has for sale, "near the Gulf Mill, a likely negro man thirty years of age, fit for town or country business. Also a negro girl about fifteen years of age." Evan Jones was appointed by the county commissioners collector of taxes in the township for 1719, the amount assessed being £5 12s. 8d. In 1742, Thomas Jones was collector, Peter Hol- ston in 1780 and the following year George George. John Johnson was appointed constable in 1767, and Isaac Hughes assessor for 1780.

A road was laid out from Whiteland, in Chester County, in 1723, to the Swedes' Ford, now the borough of Bridgeport, by way of the present King of Prussia, thus showing that the travel at an early period must have been considerable in this direction. The Gulf road, as it is called, leading from Valley Forge through the King of Prussia and the Gulf Mills towards the city, is denoted on Lewis Evans' map of the Middle Colonies, published in 1749, thus clearly indicating that this, too, was an early highway. Along this road may be seen the Penn mile-stones, as they are called,

having on one side the distance to the city and on the other the Penn coat-of-arms. The uppermost one now standing is three miles below Valley Forge, known from its figures as the eighteenth milestone. Were the proper researches made, we entertain no doubt but that this road would be found to possess an interesting history, which, it is hoped, some diligent antiquary will take in hand.

The first school-house built by the Welsh in the township was in Matthew Roberts' woods, about 1740, on the present State road, not half a mile east of the King of Prussia. It was a log structure and lasted somme fifty years, when a stone building was erected to take its place on the land of William Cleaver, about one hundred yards from the former, who deeded half an acre to trustees in 1810, when they were incorpo- rated. Through a bequest, these trustees erected the present editice, containing a school-room, library and hall. Another school-house stood on the Gulf road, near the Lower Merion line, where Jonathan Roberts went to school in 1785 and part of the following year to Edward Ferris, walking the distance of four miles from his father's house. This was known as the Gulf School, and has been continued down to this day. His son, William B. Roberts, now in advanced years, re- tains in his possession some of the school-books used by his great-grandfather, Mathew Roberts, about 1708-14.

The Revolutionary history of Upper Merion is not without interest, for nearly all the leading events con- nected with Valley Forge happened within its limits. On the 11th of December, 1778, Washington, with his army, left Whitemarsh, and on the afternoon of the 13th crossed at Swedes' Ford and proceeded towards the Gulf and the vicinity of the King of Prussia, where they remained until the 19th, when they arrived at Valley Forge, where they were to remain until the following 18th day of June, exactly six months. Owing to the lateness of the season they at onee set about building huts to shelter them from the rigors of winter. General Potter, who had been stationed at the Gulf in November, now marched towards Swedes' Ford and joined Washington's army, when a court-martial was held to try such men as threw away their arms and equipments for the purpose of facilitating their escape in the late attack made on them at the Gulf by the British from the city. A number were sentenced to be publicly whipped, which was carried into effect, and produced not a little excite- ment in the camp. Although at some distance from Philadelphia, the citizens suffered - considerably from the marauding expeditions of the British army. The assessor appointed for this purpose rated the damages done by them in Upper Merion at £1517. Among the claimants may be mentioned Isaac Mat- son, who was allowed £64; Peter Matson, £26; Cephas Bartleson, £127; Benjamin Eastburn, £119; John Johnson, £269; and Isaac Knight, £340.

From the assessment of Upper Merion in 1780 we

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are enabled to obtain some additional information. Abraham Griffith carried on the grist-mill belonging to Jacob Walker and Samuel Kelly, to which was attached one hundred and twenty-five acres of land ; on Isaac Potts' estate of thirty-five acres, at Valley Forge, was a grist and saw-mill; George George had a saw-mill and four hundred and seventy acres ; John Roberts, a mill and twenty-three acres, now known as the old Gulf Mill, carried on in the beginning of this century by Richard Roberts; Wil- liam Gabb, a mill which we are unable to locate ; Amos Willets, a fulling-mill, probably on Gulf Creek. Inns were kept by James Barry, George Savage and Cephas Bartleson. The latter had this year rented the "Swedes' Ford" tavern from Peter Holstein. John Pugh, probably at the present Gulf Mills, is the only store-keeper mentioned.

Hon. Jonathan Roberts was a native and resident of this township, and died in July, 1854, at the ad- vanced age of eighty-three years, and at his request was buried on a part of his place called " Red Hill," where he had appropriated two acres of land for the poor of the neighborhood to bury their dead free of charge. Mr. Roberts was elected a member of Con- gress in 1811, and in February, 1814, was chosen a member of the United States Senate, which office he filled until 1821.

Port Kennedy .- The village of Port Kennedy is situated on the south bank of the Schuylkill, and is twenty-one miles from Philadelphia and four from Norristown. The country in its vieinity is rolling and the soil fertile. It is noted for the vast quantities of lime burned there and exported to other places. Through this business it owes its chief prosperity. In 1828 it was almost a waste, with nothing on it to attract attention but a fine spring of excellent water. In 1858 it contained one hotel, two stores, a furnace, church, school-house, blacksmith and wheelwright- shop and forty-two dwelling-houses. The census in 1850 returned four hundred and forty-nine inhabi- tants, and in 1870 five hundred and sixteen. We doubt the correctness of said enumeration ; the num- ber of honses is too small to warrant such a conclu- sion. From the hill on the road to Valley Forge, a short distance from the village, there is a fine pros- pect of the place and surrounding country, as well as of the Schuylkill for several miles down its course.

The furnace belongs to the Montgomery Iron Com- pany, of which Abraham S. Patterson is president, Joseph J. Patterson secretary and treasurer, and John W. Eckman manager. It was commenced in 1854 and went into operation in 1856. It possesses one stack, fifty by fourteen fect, and two roasters for magnetic ores, added in 1880. The annual capacity is twelve thousand net tons of forge pig-iron, for which magnetic and hematite ores are equally used. A considerable portion of the ore is obtained in the vicinity. The First Presbyterian Church of Port Kennedy was organized in the summer of 1845, mostly

from members of the Great Valley Presbyterian Church, of Chester County. The corner-stone of the present church edifice was laid the same year, and the building was dedicated January 1, 1846, since which time it has been used without material change. The church, from the time of its organization until 1873, was in connection with the Lower Providence Pres- byterian Church, and under the charge of the Rev. Henry S. Rodenbough. In 1873 the church called to the pastorate Charles Anderson, a recent graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and a licentiate of Burlington Presbytery. He was ordained and in- stalled pastor in May, 1874, and served about one year and was succeeded by the Rev. Edward P. Howes, who served two years and resigned on account of ill health, since which time the church has had a stated supply,-Rev. Yates Hickey, for two years, and the present incumbent, the Rev. Belleville Roberts, of Norristown. The church has fifty-five members. The hotel, which is the only one in the place, is a large three-story stone building, upwards of forty feet square. It has an elevated position on the river's bank, and the Reading Railroad has a station near by. The Port Kennedy Bridge Company was incorporated by an act of Assembly passed March 9, 1846. It is a covered frame bridge, resting on three stone piers and is of sufficient width to admit of two wagons pass- ing. It was not completed till the close of the year

1849. The post-office was established here before 1851. It is the lime business that has given this place its present importance, and probably in this respect it is not exceeded by any other in the valley of the Schuylkill. The lime manufactured is of superior quality, and most of it is shipped off by the canal to New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland ; a considerable quantity is also sent to Philadelphia and New York. When we were here in August, 1858, three schooners, one sloop and a canal-boat were loading at the wharves. One of these. a schooner, was a neat and beautiful craft, and so symmetrical in form that one might have supposed that it had been intended rather as a pleasure-yacht than for the more useful purposes of trade. As the vessels, in order to reach this place from the city, have to pass under bridges, it becomes necessary for them to have falling masts, which are raised while loading.

According to the census of 1840, Upper Merion produced lime to the amount of seventy-four thousand seven hundred and seventy-two dollars. At this time l'ort Kennedy alone produces fully double that amount, thus showing that this business has greatly increased and will yet rise to much greater import- ance. The burning of lime is carried on here the most. extensively by Andrew Blair & Co., by Mrs. Violetta, widow of Robinson Kennedy, and by Messrs. Hunter & Roberts. The business was carried on here very extensively for many years by the late John Kennedy, who died here September 4, 1877, aged sixty-one years. His kilns were the nearest to the village, and

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in 1858 he had fourteen in operation, some of the largest containing as much as two thousand five hun- dred bushels, giving employment to sixty or seventy men. David R. Kennedy, brother of the aforesaid, and David Zook, at said date, were also extensively concerned in the business. Considerable limestone is also quarried here and sent off by navigation to the extensive furnaces at Phoenixville, six miles distant.

Alexander Kennedy, the founder of this place, and after whom it was called, was a native of Ireland and came to this country poor. He was first employed by a person of wealth in this vicinity. Through his industry and business qualifications he accumulated, in the course of years, a handsome fortune. The property on which this village is located belonged to Mordecai Moore, who died in 1803, at an advanced age. It was then purchased by Mr. Kennedy, who moved on it in the spring of 1805. He continued to reside here until in the fall of 1824, when he died at the age of about sixty-three years, and was interred at the Great Valley Presbyterian Chureli. Ile was a highly-respected and useful man, and his loss was lamented by a large circle of friends. He has four sons,-John and David R. Kennedy, who resided here, and became the principal property-holders of the vil- lage and vicinity ; William, removed to Kent County, Md .; and Alexander, to East Pikeland, Chester Co. Before this village had attained its present size it was called by the less dignified name of " Kennedy's Hollow ; " but time, the changer of all things, has transformed this uncouthness into its present more euphonious name.

In working in the limestone quarries here an exten- sive cavern was reached, which had an area equal to many of our largest public buildings. It contained a considerable number of stalactites of calcareous mat- ter, some of which extended to the floor and formed several conical arches, with borders of variegated colors ; also pyramidal columns of various sizes. This cavern, from the singularity of its chambers, was an object of considerable curiosity during the brief period it was open to visitors. A concert was held in one of its largest chambers on the 4th of July, 1846, at which several hundred persons were present. Its existence has now become only a matter of the past, for its walls have been quarried away these several years. No doubt it lay here concealed for ages, even before the creation of man himself, and his industry has only lately revealed and destroyed it in the process of the beneficial purpose of enriching his fields.

Valley Forge .- The village of Valley Forge is situated on the south bank of the Schuylkill and at the month of East Valley Creek, which here forms for nearly a mile and a half the boundary between the counties of Montgomery and Chester. It is six miles above Norristown and twenty-three from Phila- delphia. That portion of it comprised within the limits of Upper Merion contains a store, grist-mill, paper-mill and ten houses. The Methodists have

held services at the place since 1870. The Rev. C. I. Thompson, a resident, served from that time for about ten years. The Rev. T. K. Peterson is now in charge. On the Chester County side there are a factory, store, post-officeand fifteen houses. Palm Paper-Mill is under the management of Colonel Joseph Jordan, and does an extensive business. The Reading Railroad has a station here, and crosses the creek near its mouth on a bridge some thirty feet above the water, from which a beautiful view is offered looking up the stream. Among the interesting objects seen are the falls of the dams of the grist-mill and paper-mill, a short dis- tance above each other, and of the venerable stone bridge crossing it about one hundred yards above ; these, with the deep gorge of the stream and the high and rugged hills rising on either side and hemming in the village, form an interesting sight. Stolid, indeed, must be the person that has the recollections of the past stirring within him that ean gaze on such a scene unmoved. The hills on both sides of the creek are generally steep, rugged and wooded to their summits, and present a wild appearance, much more so than one might expect from the populousness of the sur- rounding country.

In June, 1701, William Penn, in company with Isaac Norris, made a journey to the Susquehanna to treat with the Indians at Conestoga. On his return he came across the country to the Schuylkill and got lost among the woods on the hill near the present Valley Forge, and did not know where he was till he got on the hill this side of East Valley Creek, when, by a glimpse of the Schuylkill and the country to the sonthward, he regained his way, and in consequence named the former hill Mount Misery and the latter Mount Joy, which names they respectively bear to this day. On this occasion there is reason to believe he selected the tract, constituting in consequence the manor of Mount Joy, containing seven thousand eight hundred acres, located on the south or southwest side of the Schuyl- kill, adjoining the Welsh tract, patented to his daughter, Letitia, 24th of the following October, only ten days before his last return to England. In this grant Penn states as included, "all the powers of Court Baron, Court Leet and Frankplege." Oldmixon, in 1708, speaks of this manor and of limestone having been procured thereon some time before. From Holme's map of original surveys we learn that it composed all of the upper portion of Upper Merion and part of the adjoining township of Tredyffrin, in Chester County.

The name of this place was derived from a forge ereeted here by Isaac Potts, a son of John Potts, the founder of Pottstown. How early this forge was erected we cannot say, but it must have been before 1759, for it is denoted on Nicholas Scull's map of the province, published in said year, as being on the Upper Merion side of the stream, which is confirmed on William Scull's map of 1770. On September 19, 1777, a detachment of the British army encamped

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here and burned the mansion-house of Colonel Dewees and the iron-works, leaving the grist-mill un- injured. In the assessment of Upper Merion for 1780 we find Isaac Potts taxed here for a grist and saw-mill. In 1789 he is assessed here for one hundred and seventy-five acres of land, a forge, grist and saw- mill and eight horses. the forge having since been rebuilt. In these several authorities there is certainly sufficient evidence that the forge did stand on the Montgomery County side and not on the west of East Valley Creek, as a few writers have persisted. In addition, is is reasonable to suppose that, as the res- idence of Isaac Potts was in Upper Merion, as well as the iron-ore obtained near by, that necessarily, for convenience, the forge would also be on the sameside.

Both Washington and his officers were satisfied that Whitemarsh was not the proper place for a winter encampment. The former, therefore, requested his general officers to communicate to him, in writing, their sentiments respecting the most eligible site for that purpose. A council of war was held on the 30th of November, at which a wide difference of opinion prevailed as to the locality and the best manner of cantoning the troops. So various and contradictory were the opinions and councils that unanimity could not be hoped for, and it was necessary for Washington to act according to his own judgment and upon his own responsibility. He decided to form an encamp- ment at Valley Forge, where he might be near enough to the British army to watch its movements, keep its foraging-parties in check, and protect the country from the depredations of the enemy. For this pur- pose the patriot army left Whitemarsh December 11, 1777, but did not arrive at Valley Forge until the 19th. Two days before Washington issued a procla- mation to the army, in which he gave his reasons for the course he was about to pursue. It is an interesting document, and breathes throughout the language of devoted patriotism, while at the same time it evinces the cool determination to conduct the war to a happy close. Owing to its length, we shall only give place to an extract,-

" The General ardently wishes it were now in his power to conduct the troops into the best winter-quarters ; but where are they to be found? Should we retire to the interior of the State, we should find them crowded with virtuous citizens, who, sacrificing their all, have left Philadelphia and fled hither tor protection ; to their distresses humanity forbids us to add. This is not all. We should leave a vast extent of fertile country to be despoiled and ravaged by the enemy, from which they would draw vast supplies, aud where many of our firm friends would be exposed to all the miseries of an insulting and wanton depredation. A train of evils might be enumerated, but these will suffice. These considerations make it indispensably necessary for the army to take such a position as will enable it most effectually to prevent distress and give the most extensive security ; and in that position we must make ourselves the best shelter in our power. With alacrity and diligence, huts may be erected that will be warm and dry. In these the troops will be compact, more secure against surprises than if in a divided state and at hand to protect the country. These cogent reasons have determined the General to take post in the neighborhood of this camp, and, influenced by them, he peranades himself that the officers and soldiers, with one heart and one mind, will resolve to surmount every difficulty with a fortitude and patience becoming their profession and the sacred cause in which they

are engaged. He himself will share the hardships and partake of every inconvenience."

It is not our intention here to enter into the details of the important events that transpired at Valley Forge during the six months' encampment, for that belongs rather to the Revolutionary history of the connty, but merely mention a few local facts outside of that subject. Washington, in the latter part of the summer of 1796, when his second term as President ofthe United States had nearly expired, and he was about to return to private life, concluded once more to visit this place, the scene of so many toils and struggles. This information was furnished the writer by the late Henry Woodman, a native of the vicinity, in 1858, then aged sixty-three years, as obtained from his father, who at the time was engaged in plowing on his farm, near the place of the encampment. In the after- noon he observed an elderly man, of dignified appear- ance, on horseback, dressed in a plain suit of black, accompanied by a colored servant, ride to a place in the road nearly opposite, where he alighted from his horse and came into the field. He stated he had called to make some inquiry concerning the owners and occupants of the different places about there, and also in regard to the system of farming practiced in that part of the country, and numerous other questions relating to agriculture. He also made inquiry after certain families in the neighborhood. As answers were given, he noted them down in a book. Mr. Woodman informed him that he could not give as correct answers as he wished, as he had only moved in the neighbor- hood since the war, though he had been in the army while it was encamped here. This gave a new turn to the conversation. The stranger informed him that he had also been in the army and at the camp, and as he expected to leave the city in a few months, with the prospect of never returning, he had taken this journey to visit the place which had been thescene of so much suffering and distress, and to see how far the inhabitants had recovered from its effects. On learn- ing it was Washington, he told him that his appear- ance had so altered that he did not recognize him, or else he would have paid more respect to his late com- mander, now the chief magistrate of the nation. He replied that to see the people happy and the des- olate fields recovering from the disasters they had experienced, and to meet with any of his old com- panions, now peaceably engaged in the most useful of all employments, afforded him more satisfaction than all the homage that conld be paid to his person or station. He then said that pressing engagements rendered it necessary for him to be in the city that night, and taking him by the hand, bade him an affectionate farewell.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 238

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