History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 114

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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The town of York did not grow, during the first few years of its history, as rapidly as some frontier towns now grow in the great West. Few of the lot owners could comply with the conditions, and some lots were forfeited. The following letter from James Logan to Thomas Penn describes the town of York, two years after it was founded :

Logan's Letter.

Stenton, October 30, 1743.

May it please your Honor :

As you were pleased to commit to me the care and regulation of the gentlemen of the town of York on Codorus, I pre- sume an account of my progress of it will not be disagreeable. First then, after the people had notice of a town to be laid out, they had a general meeting and entered their names with me for 70 lots and for promoting immediate building, then the prin- cipal persons concerned in applying for the town had their first choice of the lots, and after them such as first applied with an intent to build immediately. The

people were satisfied with this, and we have eleven houses already built and several others on foot. I an- nexed conditions on entering their names, that unless they built in one year their claim should be void.

Water had been got at about 16 feet, pretty near the highest part of town, which gives great encouragement to those settled from the creek. The houses built are from the creek towards the centre and several lots are taken up eastward of the centre. The people are very intent on the thing and have opened a road to Po- tapsco (Baltimore). Some trading gentlemen there are desirous of opening a trade to York and the country adjacent. The inhabitants seem willing to close with them from the shortness of the cut not being above 45 miles; from Philadelphia they are about 90 miles, be- side the ferriage over the Susquehanna. The two religious societies of which the town and county ad- jacent consist, viz .: the Lutherans and the Calvinists (Reformed), have each applied for a lot for a house of worship which in your name I promise them, and they are going to build immediately. The prospect of its being a county seat some time or other pleases most of the people, though some pains are taken to frustrate any such expectations. I have taken a skillful person with me and viewed the creek well for a conveniency for a saw mill, but can not find a place any way con- venient. There is a fine run on the tract adjoining this in the possession of Bernard Lauman, by virtue of a grant or license by your direction under Samuel Bluns- ton, on which a mill might at an easy expense be erected, and very commodious to the town. I intend to survey a tract of 600 acres on Great Conewago for the proprietaries next week. I am informed of another tract 800 acres of good land high up the same creek which I shall also run out. The lands on Bermudian Creek are chiefly settled. The people settled on my district west of the Susquehanna are hastening to pro- cure warrants for their lands.

I will beg leave to offer my duty and service to your brothers and to assure you that nothing in my power relating to my office shall be wanting. I shall always entertain a grateful sense of your favors to me.

I am

. Humble Sir, Your Most Obedient, JAMES LOGAN.

James Logan, who wrote this letter from his country seat, "Stenton," near Philadel- phia, was born at Lurgan, Ireland, October 20, 1674, of Scotch parentage. At the age of thirteen he read Latin, Greek and He- brew. He afterward became a mathema- tician, and was well versed in the French, Spanish and Italian languages. William Penn invited him to come to Pennsylvania as his private secretary, which position he filled until 1718, when Penn died. He after- ward filled the office of secretary of the province, commissioner of property and chief justice. He possessed uncommon ability and was a great friend of the In- dians. He died at "Stenton," October 31, 1751.

George Hoke, one of the settlers who purchased a lot at York in 1741, soon after- ward began to make bricks and burn lime. He was charged with having cut down tim-

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THE CITY OF YORK

ber in large quantities within the town of York for the purpose of carrying on his known to be in existence. October 15, 1754, a survey of York was made by George Stevenson, who became deputy surveyor of York County when it was formed in 1749, and served for sixteen years as prothono- tary, clerk of courts and register of wills for York County. He married the widow of Thomas Cookson, deputy surveyor of Lan- business. In 1750, a letter was written from York to the authorities at Philadel- phia, stating that "sundry persons have cut off the wood of the town land to burn brick, and are now burning brick on lots. not granted, to the damage of the inhabitants, who ought to have the wood for firing, and of the purchasers of the ungranted lots, caster County, and thus became a large land owner. He wrote the following letter to

which are spoiled by clay holes."

At the time of the first settle- Richard Peters, describing the town at that time :

Difficulties. ment of York, some persons took possession of lots with- out having secured a legal title, and built houses thereon. They were reported to the provincial authorities, who required them to comply with the law. Among those who built "without license" were Jacob Billmeyer, on Lot No. 55; Jacob Fackler, on Lot No. 60; Avit Shall, on Lot No. 74. They were required to deliver up possession on April 10, 1751, to Nicholas Scull, agent for the proprietaries. There were other local troubles which gave rise to considerable contention among the first residents.

April 24, 1750, Thomas Cookson ad -- dressed the following letter to George Stevenson, at York :

Sir :- Christian Oyster in his life time entered for a lot in York, No. 82. The time for building expired, but no new entry was made till lately, as I understood, with you. The widow is since married, and her husband has put up logs for a house on the lot. He told me that he applied to you, and acquainted you with his intentions of building, and that you had promised him that no ad- vantage should be taken of the forfeiture of the lot, and that he might proceed to build, and that since, through neglect, you have suffered another person to enter that lot, who insists on a right to it, notwithstanding the building erected on it. I find that taking advantage of the forfeiture of lots is a great spur to the people's building. But where there is an intent and preparation for building, I would not be too strict on insisting on the forfeiture, as the sole intent is to have the town im- proved; and if the first takers up of lots will build and settle, their priority of application should be favored. A few examples will be necessary to be made; and they should be made of such persons as take up lots for sale without improvement. There are some others here about their forfeited lots. But I am well satisfied that you do everything that is reasonable and equitable to the people, and for the advancement of the proprietor's interest. Our court being so near, I could not spare time to come to York. Please let me know in what forwardness my home is.

Stevenson's Survey.

It is claimed by some that Thomas Cookson, who made the first survey of 256 lots east of the Codorus, did not

return his draft to the land office. It is not

York, October 26, 1754.

Dear Sir :- I now answer your repeated letters about York town, which I should have done long since, if no other business had not frequently interrupted me, whilst I was making a draught of the town. The tract of land, whereon the town stands, contains 4371/2 acres, or near 412 acres and allowance. On the Ist of October, 1749, (the time I came to York), the town consisted of sixty-three dwelling houses, of wood, which were not finished, and also a Lutheran and a Calvinist church. As the town was then chiefly inhabited by Germans (as indeed it now is), there was but one room, with a fire place or hearth in it, in the whole town. All the houses in town were accommodated with Dutch stoves. The town now consists of 210 dwelling houses, near thirty of which are unfinished, and only three are built of bricks, and two of stones. On the rest, some are of logs and some framed beside the Court House, of brick, not finished, and the prison of stone. The lots on the east side of the creek were laid out by Thomas Cookson, before I came here. The inhabitants choosing to buy lots on High (Market) Street and Water Street at a dear rate, rather than to take up vacant lots, because there is as yet, very little trade in the other streets, or even in High Street, to the eastward of Duke Street.

From an actual survey of the ground on the west side of the creek, I have drawn in the plan 100 lots, of the like figure and quantity of those on the east, which is all the ground, in my opinion, fit for lots on that side of the creek. The land described in the plan, between the crooked dotted line and the creek is low, wet ground in the driest season. Greatest part of it is quite a swamp in wet weather, and at the breaking up of the frost and at other times when there are heavy rains, the creek overflows a great part of it, especially that north of the bridge. Part of the road through it is a wooden causeway. For the foregoing natural reasons, 'tis unfit to build on, but if it were cleared, well ditched and drained, it would make good meadow. The land north of the 100 lots, is broken with a swampy valley, and if it were not so, the country north of it is hilly, stony ground, not thickly inhabited, but little resort to town from that quarter, and consequently little trade; and therefore I think, lots would not be taken up there, in this age, if they were laid out. The triangle, south of the 100 lots, is good level ground, but as the southward inhabitants either come into town on the east side of the creek, or come to the great road, some distance west of the town, there is not likely to be any trade there, at least in a short time. And, indeed, to see but little probability of settling the lots in Queen Street and south of Prince Street, on the east side of the creek. The inhabitants have neither meadow nor pasture, but buy all their hay, and are obliged to stable their own horses, as well as those of travellers, all summer, which is doubtless a great damage to the town. They com- plain of this much, and say that Mr. Cookson, when he

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

laid out the town, promised them out-lots for these uses. Upon the whole, I am of opinion that it is best to lay out all the ground, appears to be vacant (except the narrow piece east of Queen Street), in out-lots and grant them to the inhabitants for pasture and meadow at the best ground-rent that can be got leaving proper streets or lanes.

The timber of the town land was all destroyed before I came here; the inhabitants ever since, have bought all their timber for building and firewood, very dear, of the adjacent farmers, which is discouraging to poor settlers, and few rich people settle here.

As I am certain the vacant ground within the town land, according to my plan, if it were granted for out- lots, is not sufficient to accommodate the inhabitants, would it not be for the interest of the proprietaries (as well as for the good of the people) to purchase some of the adjacent plantations for that purpose, especially that of Hermanus Bott, quantity about 200 acres, and that of Bartholomew Maul, about ninety acres, which sur- rounds the northeast corner of the town land, and is so near the lots. I am informed they will sell as soon as they can, and I think cheaper now than they would have done two years ago. West of and contiguous to the town land, Hermanus Bott has laid out some lots, which I have also described on my plan; four houses are already built there. I am told he lets them at 7 shilling sterling per annum, and therefore I think 'tis now time to grant the lots west of the creek, and high time to buy out Bott. I would have advised to have laid out the lots on the west side of the creek two years ago, but that I thought it best to defer it longer, expect- ing the people would have taken up the lots south of Prince Street, but as I have now little hopes of that, and find the people inclined to settle on the road, in the west side of the creek, yea west of the limits of the town, I conclude 'tis expedient to grant that side soon.

Two fairs in the year, viz .- one the 17th day of March, for selling and buying of plough horses, milk cows, &c .; another the second Tuesday of November (to avoid the courts), for selling beef cattle, butter, cheese, winter milk cows, bacon, hogs, pork, and would be of great use both to town and country. Two market days in the week, viz. : Wednesdays and Saturdays, for selling and buying daily provisions, would prevent im- positions from butchers, and stop the Germans from their beloved practice of buying and selling on Sundays, which I am satisfied they do continually, though 'tis not easily detected.

A clerk of the market, commissioned by the governor, would regulate weights and measures, and prevent daily abuses of this sort.

A corporation and burgesses is not necessary. I need not offer one of the many reasons which occur to me against it, because I do not know of one good reason for it.

So much for York town. There are several planta- tions within seven miles of York, for which the inhab- itants have neither grant nor warrant. Some of them I have surveyed for the use of the honorable the pro- prietaries, to be holden by the tenants on such terms and conditions as the proprietaries shall be pleased to limit and appoint. I design to survey the rest as the people apply. They often ask me if I know the pro- prietaries' terms, and I find they all expect to purchase at some rate.

I think it imprudent to say anything to them about terms until all are surveyed, which I think will be in about a year.

There are several improvements made within seven miles of York town.

I shall be glad to see your answer to my several late letters. Those of my family who have been sick are

recovering. My wife and Miss Hannah are well and join in compliments to you.

I am,

Dr. Sr. Your most obedient Hble. servt., GEORGE STEVENSON.

April 15, 1765, William Matthews, the Quaker surveyor for the Penns, who came to York at the time of the settlement, wrote to William Peters, of Philadelphia, brother to Richard Peters, secretary to the gov- ernor. In this letter he stated :

Agreeable to thy instructions, I have made a survey and draught of the lots West of the Codorus. on the west side of the Codorus, and as Samuel Johnston was not at home, I got Dr. David Jameson to go with me and fix upon the place for the cross streets, which are fixed, as I think, in the most convenient places; and as Newberry Street will suit very well to build upon, I have laid the lots adjoining the other way, and left a twenty foot alley at the ends of them, which happens just in the swamp. I have laid the ground Michael Doudel holds out into half lots, as well as all the rest on High Street, except Jacob Doudel's two lots. It did not suit to go so nigh Bott's land in that angle on High Street, as what thee men- tioned in thy instructions, unless there could be some land got of Bott by exchange or otherwise. The people seem desirous of knowing the terms of the lots, both on High Street and back, and I would with submission, propose that if the agents thought proper, after fixing the rents, to inform Samuel Johnston of the price, that he might let the inhabitants know the terms, that it would be of advantage to the poor people here. I should be glad to know whether I may have the lot I last wrote to thee about, as thee is a man that is going to improve it; and I should likewise be glad to know how many lots Philip Ziegler, the brick maker, has entered for, or got a grant of, and their numbers, as he is digging and improving several. I went to him sev-' eral times and informed him that he ought to get a right for them before he dug them up and spoiled them in the manner he is doing. He says he has a right, and will not stop for any man here. If he is suffered to go on, he will ruin them from any one else taking them, and then leave them as he and some of the other brick makers have done one whole square on the creek, that they will never be of any manner of service. If he has entered or agreed for any, he ought to be confined to them and made to build on them, in my opinion, before he is suffered to dig them as he has done others, and then it is probable the house will bring in the proprie- taries' rents. I should be glad to know whether to stop him, or otherwise, and as several people are de- sirous of some of the forfeited lots, I have thought that if the brickmaker was allowed but two, instead of four, that it would be more likely to secure the quit rent.

Samuel Johnston was the original mem- ber of the York Bar and the attorney for the Penns after York was laid out in 1741. Dr. David Jameson was the pioneer phys- ician of the town, who had served as a surgeon and also as a captain in the French and Indian War. June 1, 1765, William

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Peters wrote to Samuel Johnston, from Philadelphia, in reference to the disposition of lots on both sides of the Codorus :

The Governor and agents have concluded to Quit Rents. insist upon 20 sterling, quit rent for- each inner half lot of 321/2 feet on the west side of the Codorus, as now divided by William Matthews, and to reserve a whole sixty-five foot lot at each corner of a street for the proprietors. And we must get you to publish these terms among the people who have applied for lots there and let them know; that if they do not take their lots (now half lots) before the first of July next, their applica- tions will be no longer regarded, but the lots will be granted to the next applicant, after the said first of July, and desire you will get the positive answer of as many of them as you can in the meantime.

Daniel Dinkel, the bearer, has applied for the two half lots, No. 327 and No. 328, joining Jacob Doudel's two patented lots on Codorus; but as Jacob Doudel and Daniel Doudel have applied for a lot or two there, I must desire their immediate positive resolution, whether they will take any more there at 20 sterling per half lot, or will grant the two half lots to Daniel Dinkel, which he applied for next after Daniel Doudel.

I understand there is a project on foot to alter the present road from about Newberry Street to Carlisle and towards Lewis Ferry, to pass through Wright's, and which I am told will be a great hurt to the town and the proprietors' interest, and therefore, I desire you will inquire into and let me know the state of the matter and apply to the next court, if occasion be, to prevent the alteration of the road.

June 8, 1765, Samuel Johnston, in answer to William Peters' letter, said :

Sir :- I received yours of the first inst., and shall pursue your directions with respect to the lots on the west side of the Codorus, but as I have no list of the persons' names that applied to you, I can only give notice to the people in general. Some of the people have been with me since I received your letter, and, on hearing the terms, all seem to decline taking the lots they had applied for.

I spoke to Daniel Doudel, and his answer is that the terms are too high, and therefore, he won't take up the lots he had applied to you about, so that I suppose Daniel Dinkel may have them. As to Jacob Doudel, he is gone to Philadelphia and will give you his answer himself.

At the last court there was a petition given in by the inhabitants of York-town, from the Court House up- wards, for a road to cross Codorus, at the north end of George Street, hence to run until it intersect a road which leads from York to John Garretson's, at Big Conewago Creek. Two other petitions were also given in to the court, one from the inhabitants of the lower part of Yorktown, near the bridge, and the other from some inhabitants of Manchester Township, praying a road to be laid out to the north part of Manchester and Newberry Townships, to cross Codorus opposite Water Street, and that they had raised a subscription for .building a bridge and maintaining it for seven years.

The two last petitions seem to have been presented to prevent the first taking effect, as the inhabitants in the lower part of the town have at present the first offer of everything coming to market, but the court has kept both under advisement, and I shall take care to prevent the propreitors' interest from suffering in this or any other affair that I know of.

September 9, 1765, Governor Thomas Penn wrote to Samuel Johnston, from Philadelphia, giv-

The Penn Orders. ing specific orders in reference to the management of the proprie- taries' affairs at York. The following is

the letter :

Being informed that George Isler, who applied for the lot in York, on the south side of High Street, near the Court, No. 74, is absconded and become insolvent, I desire and hereby authorize you on behalf of the pro- prietors to enter upon, take and retain the possession of the said lot of ground for their use; but would have you intimate to the creditors of the said Isler, that the proprietaries do not desire to deprive them of the bene- fit of the sale of the said Isler's interest in the build- ings on the said lot, provided they dispose thereof or move them in three months.

The proprietary agents and myself have fixed the quit rents of the lots on both sides of High Street, on the west side of Codorus Creek, which William Matthews, by our order, divided in to half lots, and also the lots in the back. I have on each side of High Street at 20 shillings sterling, on all the said half lots on High Street, twelve shillings sterling for each whole back lot on the west side of Codorus, but with a reservation of all the corner lots, for the proprietaries, as well on High Street as on the back streets. For the ease and convenience of the people who shall incline to take patents for any of the said lots on the said terms, we desire you will take their applications, and direct the deputy surveyor to lay out, and send a draught of such lots as shall be applied for from time to time, on the west side of the Codorus; and on your tickets or cer- tificate of such application being transmitted to the sec- retary with the draught of the lot, he will fill up and send you the counterpart of the patent with the bond for building in the limited time, to be signed by the party and on return thereof to him, if patent will be made out and delivered to the order of the party on payment of the fees. We would have you likewise re- ceive the applications for any lots ungranted in the old parts of the town, on the east side of the Codorus, and send them to the secretary with your observation of the circumstances of each and respecting the terms proper, to grant the same upon respectively.

You are likewise to give notice to all the persons who shall dig clay to make bricks on any of the ungranted lots or in any of the streets, that they desist therefrom till on their application, to be sent by you to the pro- prietary agents with your opinion of the reasonableness thereof, we shall grant them the liberty of getting clay where it is least prejudicial to the streets and the future improvement of the said town.

We must likewise desire you will take care to pre- vent, as much as in your power, any waster being com- mitted in the timber, or any of the proprietors' lands near York, and send the secretary the names of any persons who have or shall destroy any wood thereon, in order that they may be prosecuted.

Martin Fry, who owned the land An Early Patent. now embraced in the northeast part of the town, located there in 1734 and obtained a patent for 250 acres, October 30, 1736, from Thomas Penn. He died in 1739, leaving a wife and three children, viz: Tobias, Martin and a daughter. The widow married Isaac Ron-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

debush who, on December 19, 1741, trans- change that shall be between the province ferred his and his wife's rights to Michael of Pennsylvania and the city of London." The lots were sixty-five feet front on King Street (now West Market) and 460 feet long, crossing an alley. All the rights to quit rents on the south side of the street were afterward purchased by Mathias Smy- ser. The person obtaining a lot was re- quired "to erect a substantial dwelling- house twenty feet square, with a good chimney of brick or stone, to be laid in with lime and sand and to build within the space of two years from the time the deed was executed." Some of Bott's deeds were printed at the "New Printing Office of H. Miller and S. Holland at Lancaster," and bear date of March 1763: Many of the first houses built were of logs-a few of them were standing in 1907. Bottstown, after an existence of 130 years, was annexed to the borough of York in 1884. It then had a population of about 300.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 114

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372