USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > The history of Bucks County, Pennsylvania : from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time > Part 75
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The slaves sensibly decreased in the next seven years, for when the census was taken in 1790, the number reported in the county was but 254, against 520 in 1783-a falling off of a little over one-half. The cause of this is not apparent, unless it be found in the numerous manumissions, especially among Friends. The largest owner of slaves in 1790 was Henry Wynkoop, of Northampton, while the name of Thomas Riche, who owned 19 in 1783, does not appear upon the list. The act of 1780 gradually extinguished slavery in Pennsylvania. In 1790 there were but 3,737; in 1800, two thousand less ; in 1810, 795, and in 1820 there were only 211 in the whole state. Many interesting facts in the lives of the negro slaves of Bucks county might be collected with proper effort, but we have no leisure to pursue such investigation. They were not an unimportant part of the population in their day and generation, but their lives have passed beyond the realms of history.
General Augustin Willett, of Bensalem, had a favorite old slave who bore the high-sounding name of Priam, who was with his master in the Revolutionary army, and accompanied liim in all his goings. The general's estate was charged with his support. In 1802, a black woman, named Alice, died near Bristol at the reputed age of one hundred and sixteen. She was born in Philadelphia, of slave parents from Barbadoes, and at ten years of age removed with her master to Dunk's ferry, near where she died. She remembered seeing William Penn and James Logan. She lost her eyesight between ninety and one hundred, but it returned to her. She received the ferriage at Dunk's ferry for forty years, and when one hundred and fifteen she mnade a visit to Philadelphia. In 1805 a negro man, named Jack, the slave of Colonel William Chambers,
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died in Middletown, about the same age as Alice. About 1863 an old slave woman, whose name, as well as that of her master, has escaped us, died in the Bucks county alms-house, upward of one hundred years of age. She said that she was present at the recep- tion of Washington at Trenton, at the close of the Revolution. We believe she came from Upper Makefield. In September, 1872, a negro woman, named Margaret, died in Philadelphia, upward of an hundred, who had had an eventful life. She was the grand- daughter of a king and queen on the Guinea coast, who were sold to a Vandygrift, of Bensalem. When slavery was abolished, in 1783, she was bound out for a term of years, but afterward re-sold into slavery and carried to Virginia.
During the later years of the slavery agitation a branch of the "underground railroad," a mythical corporation to help runaway slaves toward the North Pole, passed through Bucks county. It was " narrow gauge," and starting from Bristol ran up through the county via Attleborough, Newtown, Buckingham to New Hope, where the through passengers were transferred to another line. The company had many stock-holders in this county, and at various points along the line were " way stations" and "agents." The train wooded and watered " down 'bout de mountin," where the passen- gers were treated to a "cold bite." Strange negroes mysteriously appeared along the line one day, and as mysteriously disappeared the next, none knowing "whence they come nor whither they goeth." Occasionally a fugitive was overtaken, and returned to slavery. The case of " Big Ben" created an unusual excitement- whose master attempted to arrest him after he had lived several years in Buckingham. He fought a good fight, ax in hand, for his liberty, and finally triumphed, and spent the evening of his days in the Bucks county alms-house, where he lately died. He was properly named, being seven feet tall, with feet of monstrous proportions. Another fugitive, named Dorsey, was arrested and brought before the court to be formally restored to his master, but he was discharged because of some informality in the proceedings, and before a new process could issue the underground railroad had carried him to parts unknown. The adventures of some of these runaways would make an interesting page. Among these fugitives who settled in Bucks county and prospered, was Jacob Merritt, who made his home in Buckingham, where he lives in independence, owning a lot of eleven and a half acres, with good improvements, fruits, etc.
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There was another species of servitude on the Delaware besides negro slavery, the subjects of it being called redemptioners, those who were sold or sold themselves for a term of years, to pay their passage. This class of servants was here as early as 1662, when fifty laborers were imported on this condition. Some of them were hired out at from twenty to thirty dollars a year. From this time down to the arrival of Penn, farm, domestic or mechanical labor was seldom obtained for wages. Redemptioners were brought over by the ship-load, frequently on speculation, and when they landed they were sold at public sale. German and Irish immigrants were introduced in this manner. They were sold for a term of years and until the expense of bringing them ever had been repaid, and a record of them was kept in the court of quarter sessions. The purchaser had the right of re-sale, and sometimes the poor redemp- tioner passed through two or three hands before he became a free man. In 1722 German redemptioneers sold at public auction, for £10 each, for five years of servitude. At the end of the term each one was to receive a suit of clothes. The Germans sometimes sold their children to the highest bidder. Occasionally the parties sold were convicts or paupers, and thus a bad class of persons was intro- duced into the colony. In 1728 Lord Altham came to this country while a lad, and worked out his time as an indentured servant with a farmer on the Lancaster turnpike. His rank was discovered, and he went to England to claim his inheritance, but died before he was put into possession. There was a class of men who dealt in these bondmen, whom they bought in lots of twenty or more, and drove through the country for sale. The trade was broken up by so many of them running away, but the sale of redemptioners con- tinued down to the beginning of the present century. Many of them grew rich, and became respected citizens. The story is told of a young fellow who managed to be the last of a lot that the " soul-driver" was taking through the country for sale. They stopped over night at Easton, and the redemptioner getting up first the next morning, managed to sell his master to the landlord, pocketed the money, and went away. He cautioned the purchaser that as the servant was presumptious at times, and would try to pass himself off for master, he had better keep his eye on him.
It was quite common at that day to steal children of tender years, and ship them to America to sell. Many were landed at Philadel- phia and sold to farmers and others. Chambers' Miscellany contains
51
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the interesting history of Peter Williamson, one of the unfortunate children, who was abducted from Aberdeen, Scotland, about 1740, and sold at Philadelphia, to one Hugh Wilson, a farmer, for £16, £16, who dying after he had served five years, left him a legacy of £200. He married the daughter of a wealthy land-owner of Chester county, who gave him a deed for two hundred acres in "Perks county near the Forks of the Delaware," probably in Bucks county. In 1754 his buildings were burned by the Indians, and he was carried into captivity. He made his escape after several years and returned to Chester county to find his wife dead. After this Peter had several adventures, as soldier and otherwise, which were termi- nated by his return to Scotland, where he died in 1799.
The English settlers who arrived with Penn generally brought with them farm and domestic servants, indentured to serve four years, and to receive fifty acres of land at their discharge. Some served a less period, and occasionally one received a money consi- deration in addition to land, or a suit of clothes, or both. The descendants of some of these indentured servants are among the most highly respected people in the county. Female servants received less consideration, and did not serve so long. The white servants imported into the province were favorites of the law. Their names, wages, and time of servitude were duly recorded, and at its expiration they were allowed to take up land on easy terms. They were well-cared for, could not be sold out of the province, nor could man and wife be parted.
Apprenticeship in the early days of the county was a much more serious business than now. The articles of indenture were drawn with all the care of a conveyancer of real estate, and the correspond- ing obligations of master and apprentice were specifically set forth. An indenture of this stamp, dated June 21st, 1753, by which Robert Cammeron, of Robinson township, Lancaster county, bound himself to Garret Vansant, of Warminster, for the term of three years, " to learn the art, trade and mystery of a blacksmith," fell into our hands. It provides that the apprentice "his said master faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands everywhere readily obey." He was not to damage his master's goods, nor see them damaged by others, nor waste nor unlawfully lend them, could not play at cards or other games, could neither buy nor sell with his own or his master's goods without his master's consent, could not visit le-houses or taverns, nor absent himself from his master's service
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without his consent, day or night. The apprentice was to have eight months' schooling, and when free his master was to give him " all the iron-work belonging to a pair of bellows, suitable to his trade, one sledge and three hand-hammers, and three pairs of tongs and two suits of clothing, one whereof shall be new."
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CHAPTER LII.
NEWSPAPERS IN BUCKS COUNTY.
Without newspapers one hundred and twenty years .- The Farmers' Weekly Gazette. -Agricultural Magazine .- The Aurora .- Bucks County Bee .- Asher Miner .- Pennsylvania Correspondent .- Poetic advertisement .- Monthly Magazine .- Prospectus for Olive Branch .- The Star of Freedom .- Simon Siegfried .- Wil- liam T. Rogers, et al .- Mr. Miner retires and his successors .- Edmund Morris. -Bucks County Intelligencer .- John S. Brown .- Prizer and Darlington .- Farm- ers' Gazette and Bucks County Register .- William B. Coale .- Lines to his sweet- heart .- Doylestown Democrat .- Lewis Deffebach .- Bucks County Messenger .- Democrat and Messenger united .- Simon Cameron .- John S. Bryan .- Samuel J. Paxson .- Bucks County Express .- Manasseh H. Snyder .- Political Examiner. -Jackson Courier .- Der Morgenstern .- Public Advocate .- Newtown Journal .- Olive Branch .- Independent Democrat .- Newspapers in Bristol .- Newtown Enterprise, et al .- Democrat and Intelligencer a quarter of a century ago.
BUCKS COUNTY had been settled one hundred and twenty years be- fore a newspaper was printed in it. In all that time probably not a type or printing press had been brought within its present or origi- nal limits, and journalism had no history in the county. At the present day a newspaper is one of the first appliances of civilization called for by the settlers of a new country, and it generally precedes the school-house and the church.
The first newspaper printed and published in Bucks county was The Farmers' Weekly Gazette, issued from the "Centre house, Doyles- town," by Isaac Ralston, July 25th, 1800, on a medium sheet. In his address the editor assures the public "that nothing of a personal
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nature, nor which will in the least affect the religious tenets of any one, or tend to corrupt a single moral obligation, shall ever be al- lowed" in his paper. At its head it floated the since hackneyed motto : "Open to all parties, but influenced by none." Friday was the original publication day, but afterward changed to Tuesday. How long this paper was published is not known. We have seen a few numbers of it, the latest, number 27, volume 1, bearing date January 29th, 1801, but it was probably published some time longer. The earliest issue that came under our notice, number 7, dated Sep- tember 5th, 1800, has one entire page filled with the proceedings of the Irish Parliament, and the other three pages, with the exception of eight advertisements, are occupied with intelligence from distant parts of the country, but not a line of local news. We learn from this number that the "Bucks county Whigs" were to hold their "general meeting" at Addis's tavern, now Centreville, in Bucking- ham, where "damning facts" were to be exhibited against the other side. Augustin Willett, of Bensalem, was chairman of their county committee. The price of subscription "to subscribers being on the public post-road and receiving their papers by the public mails " was two dollars per annum, and twenty-five cents additional to those who have their papers delivered by private post.
Soon after the Gazette appeared, Mr. Ralston issued proposals for publishing, in Doylestown, The Agricultural Magazine, a monthly of fifty pages, at twenty-five cents a number. The prospectus was published a half year, but we do not know that the magazine ever made its appearance. Who Isaac Ralston was, whence he came, and whither he went, we have no means of finding out.
The same year, 1800, while the yellow fever prevailed in Philadel- phia, The Aurora, edited and published by Franklin Bache, grand- son of Doctor Franklin, was temporarily removed to Bristol, where it was issued from a building of Charles Bessonett, at the foot of Mill street, until the fever abated and it was safe to return to town.
The second attempt to establish a newspaper in Bucks county was made at Newtown, the then county-seat, in 1802. Sometime in that year Charles Holt commenced the publication of the Bucks County Bee in that ancient village, but we know neither the date of its birth nor its death. It was still published in September, but how much longer is not known.
These attempts to establish a newspaper in the county having failed, the ground lay fallow for two years, when an enterprising
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Connecticut Yankee, with four years civilizing in Pennsylvania, came to the cross-roads at Doylestown, and drove in his journalistic stakes. From this was born the Bucks County Intelligencer in 1804.
Asher Miner, the founder of this newspaper, was born at Norwich, Connecticut, March 3d, 1778. He served an apprenticeship of seven years in the office of the Gazette and Commercial Intelligencer at New London, and afterward worked as a journeyman a year in New York. In 1799 his brother Charles, who had already pitched his fortunes on the semi-savage frontier of Wyoming, wrote to Asher : "Come out here and I will set you up," without having a dollar to make good his promise. Nevertheless, Asher migrated to the Sus- quehanna, and in a short time found himself at the head of the Luzerne County Federalist, the first number being issued January 5th, 1801. In April, 1802, he took his brother Charles into co- partnership, which continued until May, 1804, when Asher relin- quished his interest to Charles. In severing his connection with the Federalist, an invitation was given to exchanges to send copies to him at "Doyles-Town," Pennsylvania, where he had already re- solved to establish a newspaper.
Meanwhile Asher Miner had taken to wife Polly Wright, May 20th, 1800, daughter of Thomas Wright, a wealthy merchant and land-owner of Wilkesbarre, a lady of Bucks county descent. Her father, a good-looking young Irishman, landing at Philadelphia about 1763, was soon in charge of a school at Dyerstown, two miles north of Doylestown. Securing a home in the family of Josiah Dyer, he taught the rudiments of English to the children of the neighborhood, and love to the daughter of his host. One day they slipped off to Philadelphia and got married, which relieved the case of a deal of difficulty, for at that day Friends could not consent to the marriage of their daughters out of meeting.
Asher Miner probably came to Doylestown immediately he re- linquished his interest in the Federalist in May. He found, what is now a beautiful town of two thousand inhabitants, a cross-road ham- let, with less than a dozen dwellings along the Easton road and the road from Swede's ford to Coryell's ferry, now State street. It is related that one of the first men Mr. Miner went to ask assistance to push his newspaper enterprise was Reverend Nathaniel Irwin, then a power in the county and a strong Democrat. The good parson de- clined, on the ground that he did not like Mr. M.'s politics. The latter said he would publish an independent newspaper, to which Mr.
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Irwin replied : "Yes, you say so, but then you look toward Buck- ingham." This settled the matter.
The first issue of the new paper, Pennsylvania Correspondent and Farmers' Advertiser, appeared July 7th, 1804. Miner said in his address to the public : "The editor is by birth an American, in prin- ciples a Federal Republican. His private sentiments, with regard to the administration of the government of his country, he will main- tain and avow as becomes a freeman. In his public character, as conductor of the only newspaper printed in the county, he will act with that impartiality which prudence and duty require." It was a small medium sheet, and the first number contained a single adver- tisement, that of Malilon P. Jackson, of Buckingham, who wanted "two journeymen carpenters." The paper was printed in a back room of Barton Stewart's house, which stood nearly on the site of the Intelligencer building, and Mr. Miner lived in the stone house on Main street next door to Nathan C. James's dwelling. He built a frame next to his house, for a printing-office, which has been torn down several years. The appearance of the paper created quite a sensation, and the first issue was largely given away. It was left at a few points in the central part of the county by carriers, and sub- scribers were charged twenty-five cents additional for delivering their papers. The Pennsylvania Correspondent proved a success, and its founder remained in charge of it twenty-one years. 3 His young family grew in number from two to twelve, and he increased in worldly goods.
As a specimen advertisement of the period, (1805) we insert the following of Joseph Grier, who had a house and lot for sale or rent in Dublin :
"For Rent or Sale in Dublin Village, A handsome lot, and good for tillage, Forty acres thereabouts, In Hilltown Township, County of Bucks. The Buildings good, and well prepared For any one in public trade,
Who 'tis presum'd would find it good
To try to please the neighborhood.
And now, for further information, Apply according to direction : To the Subscriber living near, Whose name you'll find is Joseph Grier."
The second advertisement that appeared was that of Mahlon Carver, of Milton, now Carversville, who had for sale a quantity of "Roram
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hats," if any of the present generation can tell what they were. Prosperity authorized the enlargement of the paper in July, 1806, from a medium to a royal sheet. On the 22d of September, 1806, Asher Miner announced that he intended to issue a prospectus for a monthly magazine, literary, moral, and agricultural, which probably was never published. For several years the advertising was light, but there was a notable increase between 1815 and 1820. In 1816, when preparations were making to commence the publication of the Democrat, Mr. Miner protested against it, in an address to the pub- lic, which he thought "may not be ill-timed," on the ground that the parties were nearly equally divided, and a party paper was not needed.
In the spring of 1816 Mr. Miner contemplated publishing a " monthly literary and agricultural register," to be called the Olive Branch, and sent out his subscription papers, but as they were not returned with enough names to warrant it, the project was given up. In April, 1817, he opened a branch office at Newtown, in charge of Simeon Siegfried. He proposed to issue from the office a weekly paper to be called The Star of Freedom, to be devoted, principally, to "agricultural, biographical, literary and moral matters." The first number appeared May 21st, 1817. This was a movement to keep competition out of the county. A printer at Newtown had a pamphlet in press for the Friends, but being intemperate he failed to meet his contract, and gave up business. Miner sent Siegfried, an apprentice in his office, down to finish the work. This led to his purchase of the materials and the establishment of a paper there. The size was eighteen by eleven and a half inches, and consisted of eight pages. It was published weekly " at $2 per annum, if taken from the office, or $2.25 if delivered by post." It contained little news, and but few advertisements. Then Edward Hicks and Thomas Goslin followed "coach, sign and ornamental painting" at Newtown, and John Parker " manufactured ladies', gentlemen's and children's shoes, and made boots in the neatest manner." Asher Miner kept a "new book store" at the office of The Star of Freedom. The first number announced that a post-route "is now established from the office of The Star of Freedom by the Buck tavern, Smithfield, and Byberry meeting-house, to Bustleton, returning via Spread Eagle, Lady Washington, Sorrel Horse, and Bear tavern." During the session of Congress and the legislature the paper was converted into a congressional and legislative journal. The publication was suspended April 7th, 1818.
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Simeon Siegfried, Asher Miner's lieutenant at Newtown, was born in New Britain township, September 23d, 1797, and received his early education from his father, George Siegfried, who taught English and German for many years in Bucks county. In 1811 he was apprenticed to Asher Miner, with whom he served six years. He was a diligent reader, and this laid the groundwork for future literary labor. Before he was out of his time he married Miss Mary Johnson, of Newtown, October 12th, 1817, whose acquaintance he made while conducting The Star of Freedom. He spent the winter of 1818-19 in eastern Ohio, prospecting, but finding that country too new to sustain a new paper he returned to Pennsylvania. Soon after his return he was solicited to start a democratic newspaper at Doylestown, which resulted in the issue of the Bucks County Messenger, which he continued to publish three or four years, and until harmony in the party united their two papers into one. From Doylestown Mr. Siegfried went to Bridgeton, New Jersey, where he established the Bridgeton Observer and Cumberland and Cape May Advertiser. He is still living, in Ohio, having been a minister of the gospel for many years. He issued the first number of The Ohio Luminary at Cadiz, Harrison county, November 27th, 1818, but it did not long survive its birth. His only child, an infant daughter, was burned to death by her clothes catching fire, at Doylestown, November 8th, 1820.
Among those who served as fellow-apprentices with Simeon Sieg- fried, in the Correspondent office, between 1811 and 1818, were the late General William T. Rogers, John H. Hall, West H. Anderson, and Volney B. Palmer. When Hall was free he went to Newton, Sussex county, New Jersey, where he established the Sussex Regis- ter, which proved a success, and he became associate-judge of the county. Anderson, although a young man of good education and talents, became a strolling "jour," fond of whiskey, and never got beyond it. Palmer established the first advertising agency in Phila- delphia, where he died several years ago. Miner was postmaster several years, and kept the office at the printing-office, and also a small book-store where he had various articles for sale besides, and among them physic, in the shape of " antiseptic pills," which he retailed. He gave up the post-office in March, 1821, and was suc- ceeded by Charles E. DuBois. In 1818 the name of the paper was changed to Pennsylvania Correspondent, making one line reaching entirely across the head. The first "extra" issued in the county
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was by the Correspondent, December 18th, 1821, containing the President's message.
September 24th, 1824, after an active editorial life of twenty years, Mr. Miner sold the Correspondent to Edmund Morris and Samuel R. Kramer, of Philadelphia. The sale was hardly con- cluded before he repented and begged to have it annulled, but did not succeed. Edmund Morris was born at Burlington, New Jersey, in 1804, and learned the printing trade in the office of the Freeman's Journal. He had great fondness for literary pursuits, and com- menced writing while young. He was connected with the news- paper press of Philadelphia for several years after he left Doylestown, and introduced some new features. His Saturday Bulletin was the pioneer that broke down the credit system in the city, and he was the first to offer premiums. He retired to Burlington thirty odd years ago, and divides his time between rural pursuits and the pen. He is the author of "Ten Acres Enough," and other popular books. Mr. Kramer, a man of cultivation and reading, fond of intellectual society, and of genial manners, was a native of Philadelphia, and learned his trade in the book-office of the late Mr. Fry. He was a close observer of men and things, but seldom wrote for his own paper, work being his forte. He returned to Philadelphia, where he died many years ago. The new proprietors changed the name of the paper to Bucks County Patriot and Farmers' Advertiser, and the first number issued October 4th.
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