The provincial councillors of Pennsylvania : who held office between 1733-1776, and those earlier councillors who were some time chief magistrates of the province and their descendants, Part 37

Author: Keith, Charles Penrose, 1854-1939
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia
Number of Pages: 646


USA > Pennsylvania > The provincial councillors of Pennsylvania : who held office between 1733-1776, and those earlier councillors who were some time chief magistrates of the province and their descendants > Part 37


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49


A natural result of the war followed. On June 28, 1779, the Legislature of Pennsylvania transferred to the State the property in the soil, restricted the possessions of the Penns to such manors, or tenths, as had been set apart for them prior to the Declaration of In- dependence and also their purchases from private parties, and abolished quit-rents except on the manors. Here however an act of compensa- tion redounded to the credit of the Assembly. It voted in remunera- tion for all this loss the sum of £130,000 to the heirs and devisees of Thomas and Richard Penn to be paid three years after the establish- ment of peace. In addition to this, the British Government created an annuity of £4,000, which is paid to this day. John Penn's branch of the family was entitled to a fourth of these sums, and the estates in Philadelphia County and elsewhere were considerable ; so that he was enabled to live comfortably the rest of his life at " Lansdowne," or at his city residence in Pine Street between 2nd and 3rd. He spent a few years abroad, but died in Bucks County, Pa., February 9, 1795, and was buried under the floor of Christ Church, Philadelphia. His remains were removed to England. His 2nd wife, whom he m. Xt. Ch. May 31, 1766, and to whom by his will he left nearly everything he could dispose of, was Anne, dau. of Chief Justice William Allen, and granddau. of Andrew Hamilton the Councillor. She survived him, but died without issue.


LYNFORD LARDNER.


The family of Lardner bore as their arms, which the Councillor used as a seal, gu. on a fesse between three boars' heads couped ar. a bar wavy sa. The grandfather of the Councillor married a Miss Fer- rars, and had issue : John, Thomas, James, and Sarah, of whom James was a clergyman, and Sarah married - Springall of Strumpshaw, Co. Norfolk, but d. s. p., while the eldest son, John Lardner, studied at Christ College, Cambridge, and received from that University the de- gree of M. B. comitiis Regis. He resided in Grace Church Street, London, and at Woodford, Epping Forest, Co. Essex, and had a good practice as a physician. His wife was a Winstanley, by whom he had issue :


FRANCES, died June 18, 1774, bu. St. Clement's, London, JOHN, died 1740-1,


HANNAH, m. Richard Penn, one of the Proprietaries of Penn- sylvania, and had issue, John, Richard, Hannah, and Wil- liam,


THOMAS, of London, LYNFORD, the Councillor, JAMES, of Norwich, Co. Norfolk, d. s. p., ELIZABETH, m. - - Wells of Co. Norfolk, and had issue.


LYNFORD (or, as he sometimes wrote it, LYN FORD) LARDNER- named after a friend and near relative of the family, Rev. Thomas Lyn- ford, S. T. P., Rector of St. Nicholas's, Acon, and a Chaplain in Ordi- inary to King William and Queen Mary,-was born July 18, 1715, and spent some time at the University of Cambridge, but afterwards went into a counting-house in London. The family wished to obtain gov- ernment office for him ; but in this they were unsuccessful, and the influence of his brother-in-law made an opening for him in Penn- sylvania. When about twenty-five years of age, therefore, he came to America, sailing from Gravesend on the 5th of May, 1740, and arriv- ing in Philadelphia in the beginning of September. He resided for


317


Lardner.


some time on the Penn property, and as a member of the Land Office participated in the management of the wild regions of which that family were lords paramount. To some extent he was also their com- mercial agent. He succeeded James Steel in the position of Receiver- General, or collector of quit-rents, purchase moneys, &ct, and in 1746 was made Keeper of the Great Seal of the Province, holding both offices several years. The Receiver-General had a salary of from 300l. to 400l., and the Keeper was paid in fees for attesting the laws. In 1746, Lardner became the owner of Colliday's paper-mill in Spring- field Township, and afterwards was interested in the manufacture of iron, but was at no time in mercantile business.


He was a Director of the Library Co. from 1746 to 1748, and again in 1760.


In the winter of 1748-9 was instituted the Dancing Assembly, which with intermissions has been kept up for one hundred and fifty three years. Lynford Lardner was a Manager of the first Assembly, the other Managers being John Swift, ancestor of John Swift, so often Mayor of Phila., and of Geo. Inman Riche, now Pres. of the Phila. High School, John Wallace, son of a Scotch clergyman, and from whom descend Dr. Ellerslie Wallace and Hon. John William Wallace, and John Inglis, whose wife was a Miss McCall, and who is now repre- :sented in Phila. by Mrs. Joshua Francis Fisher. Social entertain- ments had always been a feature of Provincial life, and the arrival .of a Governor, the close of a Mayoralty, and often an official con- ference was the occasion of gathering around a well covered board. Even Quaker Philadelphia in her infancy cultivated the arts of good living, for which, when no longer Quaker, she has been justly famous. The stately minuet, moreover, had been learned by the gayer ladies and gentlemen, and parties had been given by John Sober and others at the Bachelor's Hall; but in 1748 it was thought that a sub- scription ball, in which married men might join, would be a very de- lightful institution. The tax was 40s., but this paid for an entertain- ment every Thursday from the first of January, 1748-9, to the first day .of May, beginning "precisely at six in the evening and not by any means to exceed twelve the same night," and for complimentary tickets to the ladies. The entertainment was moderate, consisting chiefly of something to drink. There were fifty-nine subscribers, includ- ing the Managers. Many are spoken of in this book, and the ma- jority were of families connected with the Provincial or the City gov- . ernment. The clergy were represented by Peters the Councillor, bar-


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Lardner.


risters-at-law by Benjamin Price, the gentry of the old country by Edward Jones, whose brother and heir-at-law was Somerset Jones of the Sheet, Co. Salop, Esquire, the graduates of the English universi- ties by John Lawrence, and the medical profession by John Kearsley. Four others, Harrison, Cozzens, and the Stedmans, were sea-captains. Nearly all the rest were merchants, some here only for a short time. Except those mentioned in this book, the only ones among these heads of fashion who have descendants of their name in Phila. were Wallace, McCall, Sims, McIlvaine, Peters, and White. Of course the good Quakers did not patronize the Assembly, but two Jewish names, Franks and Levy, figure in the list.


Lardner was made a Justice for Lancaster Co. in 1752, and about that time relinquished the Seal. He was called to the Provincial Council June 13, 1755. In March, 1756, he was chosen Lieutenant of the troop of horse organized in connection with two companies of foot and one company of artillery for the defence of the city. Lard- ner was also one of the Commissioners to spend the money which the Assembly about this time voted for " the King's use." He declined reappointment the following year, but served in the same capacity subsequently. He was some time a Trustee of the College. He was also a member of the Amer. Philos. Society.


After his marriage he resided on the West side of Second St. above Arch, and owned several houses in that locality, besides farms outside of the City. His country-seat was "Somerset," part of which is known as " Lardner's Point," on the Delaware near Tacony. He also had a shooting-box on one of his tracts in Northampton Co., to which he gave of " Grouse Hall." He was also member of a club which hunted foxes in the neighborhood of Gloucester, N. J. His obituary notice said, "It was the Business, the Purpose of his Being next to obeying him to whom he is gone, to please and instruct. Kindness and a desire of making all around him happy, were the motives of his actions, and with all the capacity requisite for making a figure in a contentious world, moderation, cheerfulness, affability, and temperance were the arts of his excellent life." He d. Oct. 6, 1774, hu. Xt. Ch. Oct. 8th.


He m., 1st, Oct. 27, 1749 Elizabeth, dau. of William Branson of Phila., merchant, by his w. Elizabeth, dau. of Henry Flower. Wil- liam Branson was a man of wealth, a letter of 1743 saying that he was worth 4000l. a year in course of trade besides 400l. a year in rent of houses in town. Branson had two other daughters : one married


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Lardner.


Richard Hockley, who succeeded Lardner as Receiver-General, and the other, Samuel Flower. Mrs. Lardner was b. 1732, d. Aug. 26, 1761. Lynford Lardner m., 2nd, Xt. Ch. May 29, 1766 Catherine Lawrence, who survived him.


Issue all by 1st wife :


ELIZABETH, b. 1750, d. y.,


JOHN, b. Sep. 6, 1752, bapt. Xt. Ch. m. Margaret Saltar, see below,


HANNAH, b. 1753, d. y.,


FRANCES, b. Nov. 8, 1754, bapt. Xt. Ch., d. unm.,


HANNAH, b. Nov. 28, 1756, bapt. Xt. Ch., d. unm.,


WILLIAM, b. Dec. 8, 1758, bapt. Xt. Ch., m., 1st, Ann Shep- herd, and, 2nd, Susan Elliot, see p. 322,


JAMES, b. 1761, d. s. p. lost at sea 1780.


JOHN LARDNER, b. Sep. 6, 1752, son of the Councillor, resided at " Somerset," having a city house on Walnut St. He belonged to the Fox Hunting Club, and in October, 1775, joined the First Troop, Phila. City Cavalry, in which organization he participated in the Revo- lutionary battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and German- town, and was Cornet from 1779 to 1783 and from 1794 to 1796. He was member of the Penna. Legislature in 1791. He became Cap- tain of the Third Troop, Phila. Light Dragoons, in 1798. He d. Feb. 12, 1825, bu. Trinity Ch., Oxford. He m. at Magnolia Grove by Bp. White Dec. 24, 1789 Margaret, dau. of John Saltar by his 1st w. Rachel Reese. She was b. May 8, 1767, d. May 23, 1834.


Issue :


ELIZABETH, b. Jany., 1791, d. unm.,


LYNFORD, b. June, 1792, grad. U. of P., was some time in the counting-house of Joseph Sims, during war of 1812 served in the Mt. Bull Campaign as a member of the First City Troop, was Captain of the Troop 1825-7, also twice mem- ber of the Penna. Ho. of Representatives, d. June 23, 1834, m. May 20, 1823 Elizabeth, dau. of James and Ann Wil- mer (for Wilmer Family see Hanson's " Old Kent "), Issue :


John, of Phila., merchant, d. s. p.,


RICHARD PENN, b. Nov., 1795, grad. U. of P., of " Graydon,', Montgomery Co., afterwards of Phila., was Second Lieut. of the First City Troop 1826-7, some time Treasurer of the


320


Lardner.


Phila. and Reading R. R., d. May 19, 1882, m. Feb. 12, 1824 Anna Boswell Tennant, b. in Calcutta 1797, dau. of Capt James Tennant, R. N., d. Mch. 15, 1870, and he m., 2nd, Anna Gibbon, dau. of his first cousin (see p. 323),


Issue all by 1st wife :


five, d. y.,


William Miller, dec'd, m. Catherine Woodington, dec'd, Issue : Virginia, Richard,


Annie, Elizabeth,


Mary, Margaret,


JOHN SALTAR, b. Dec., 1797, d. y. Oct., 1798,


WILLIAM BRANSON, b. Mch., 1799, d. s. p. 1821,


JOHN, b. July, 1801, of "Somerset," Phila. Co., was Second Lieut. of the First City Troop 1833-9, d. Mch. 3, 1865, m. Mary Perot Downing,


Issue :


Charles, d. y.,


Perot, of "Somerset," d. s. p. Phila. Apr. 29, 1881, m. Ella Dickson née Megargee,


LAWRENCE, b. Nov. 20, 1802, of Ooconomowac, Wisconsin, d. Mch., 1873, m. Mary, dau. of George Breck of Phila., Issue :


Hannah, unm.,


George,


Catharine, unm.,


Richard, m. Breck,


Issue : Henry,


Alexander,


JAMES LAWRENCE, b. Nov. 20, 1802, entered the U. S. Navy as Midshipman May 10, 1820,-He was on the frigate "Brandy- wine," which took Lafayette back to France in 1825, was commissioned Lieutenant May 17, 1828, and was navigating officer of the Vincennes in her circumnavigation of the globe. After service on the flag-ship of the Mediterranean, Brazil, and Pacific squadrons, he sailed in 1850 for the coast of Africa in the brig Porpoise, and made a cruise of three years in command of that vessel and the sloop-of-war Dale, return- ing to Boston in April, 1853. He attained the rank of Com- mander May 17, 1851, and of Captain May 19, 1861. In


321


Lardner.


September, 1861, he was placed in command of the steam frigate Susquehanna, of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, blockading South Carolina and Georgia. He took part, under Dupont, in the capture of Port Royal, for which service his name was sent to Congress by President Lincoln for a vote of thanks, which passed the House, but was thrown out in the Senate. After the battle of Port Royal, Flag Officer DuPont wrote to him as follows : "Your noble ship throughout the whole of the battle was precisely where I wanted her to be, and doing precisely what I wanted her to do. Your close support was a very gallant thing." In May, 1862, he assumed command of the East Gulf Blockad- ing Squadron, with the flag of Rear Admiral. In Decem- ber he returned to Philadelphia, invalided by a severe attack of yellow fever, by which disease, during the summer of 1862, his ship lost forty gallant officers and men. On July 16, 1862, he was commissioned as Commodore. In May, 1863, he took command of the West India Squadron with the flag of Rear Admiral, and remained upon that duty until October, 1864, when the Squadron was withdrawn. He was commissioned as Rear Admiral July 25th, 1866. From the year 1864 to 1869 he was upon special duty as member of Courts-martial and Examining Boards. In 1869 he was appointed Governor of the Naval Asylum in this city, where he remained until 1872. He d. Phila. Apr. 12, 1881. He m., 1st, Feb. 2, 1832 Margaret Wilmer (d. Apr. 25, 1846), and, 2nd, June 23, 1853 Ellen Wilmer,-


Issue by 1st wife :


James, b. Jany. 4, 1833, d. y. Mch. 3, 1834,


Anne, b. Jany. 16, 1836, d. y. Mch. 30, 1838,


Lynford, b. Aug. 23, 1839, m. Ella, dau. of Henry Sweitzer of Boston,


Issue : Margaret, b. Dec., 1869,


Margaret, b. Oct. 15, 1841, m. Edwin Landis Reakirt of Phila.,


Issue (surname Reakirt) : James Lardner, b. Nov. 8, 1876, Edwin Holcomb, b. 1877, Mary Wilmer Lippincott, b. 1879,


Ellen Wilmer, d. y.,


Issue by 2nd wife :


X


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Lardner.


Ringgold Wilmer, b. Sep. 11, 1854, of Phila., stock broker, James Lawrence, b. Nov. 26, 1856,


HENRY, b. Feb., 1804, was of Niles, Berrien Co., Mich., d. 1852, m. Mary Keyes,


Issue :


Henry, of Niles, Berrien Co., Mich., in business in Chi- cago, m. Lena Phillips, dau. of Rev. - Phillips, Issue : Elizabeth, Maria, William, Henry,


EDWARD, b. Oct. 25, 1805, d. s. p. 1824,


ALEXANDER, b. Mch. 28, 1808, was some time Cashier of the


United States Bank, d. Jany. 14, 1848, m. Esther Hoppin, Issue :


Mary, m. Isaac Starr of Phila., Issue (surname Starr) : Esther, Isaac, Esther, of Phila., unm.


WILLIAM LARDNER, b. Dec. 8, 1758, son of the Councillor, was of "Lynfield " near Holmesburg in Phila. Co., d. Nov., 1827, m., 1st, Ann Shepherd of Newborn, North Carolina, and, 2nd, Susan Elliot of Phila.


Issue all by 1st wife :


(I) FRANCES, of " Lynfield," unm.,


(II) SARAH, d. s. p.,


(III) HANNAH, d. s. p.,


(IV) CATHERINE, dec'd, m. John Heyshem Gibbon, M. D. (U. of P.), of Phila.,


Issue (surname Gibbon) :


1. Lardner, Lieut. U. S. N., m. Alice Shepherd,


2. Robert, M. D., of No. Car., m., 1st, Mary A. Rogers, and, 2nd, C. M. Harris, Issue by 1st wife (surname Gibbon) : Robert Lardner, Michael Rogers, d. y., John Heyshem, Juliet Rogers, d. y.,


3. Mary, unm.,


4. John, grad. West Point 1847, served in Mexican War, Capt. 4th U. S. Artill. Nov 2, 1859, Brig. Gen. U.


323


Lardner.


S. Vols. May 2, 1862, was wounded at Fredericksburg, where he commanded a division, and at Gettysburg, where he commanded 2nd Army Corps, Maj. Gen. U. S. Vols. June 7, 1864, Bvt. Maj. Gen. U. S. A. Mch. 13, 1865 for services in the Capture of Peters- burg, Va., Col. 36th Infantry July 28, 1866, wounded at Big Hole Pass in action with Nez Percez, m. Frances N. Moal of Balt.,


Issue (surname Gibbon) : Frances Moal, Catherine Lardner, John, d. y., John,


5. Catherine, unm.,


6. Anna, m. her mother's cousin, Richard Penn Lard- ner,


7. Virginia, m. James Humbert, U. S. Army, Issue (surname Humbert) : Mary Gibbon, d. y., John Gibbon, d. y., James Lardner, Jane Biddle, William Shepherd,


8. Nicholas, of No. Car., m. Harriet Alexander, Issue (surname Gibbon) : Edward, Nicholas,


Margaret, Harriet,


9. Margaret, m. John Wilson Moore,


Issue (surname Moore) : John Wallace,


Nicholas Gibbon,


Lynford Lardner,


Elizabeth,


Samuel, Anna,


Mary Amelia, Frances Lardner,


10. Frances, d. y.,


(V) MARGARET, of " Lynfield," d. unm.,


(VI) ANN, d. y.,


(VII) WILLIAM, of Michigan, dec'd, m. Julia Lewis, dec'd, Issue :


1. Margaret, d. y.,


2. William Shepherd, of Ooconomowac, Wis., m. Mary Forster Jones of Phila., Issue : William Forster, Lynford,


324


Lardner.


3. John,


4. Frances, d. y.,


(VIII) ELIZABETH, d. y.,


(IX) LYNFORD, of California, m. Sarah Moore, Issue :


1. William Branson, m. Jennie Mitchell,


2. Elizabeth Ann, m. Charles Branck, Issue (surname Branck) : Minnie, Francis, Charles, Frances,


3. Franklin, unm.,


4. Biddle, unm.,


5. Charles Edward, d. y.,


(X) JAMES BIDDLE, midshipman U. S. N., d. at Pensacola, Fa., of yellow fever, aged 21 years.


BENJAMIN CHEW.


The Chews have been longer settled in America than any other family represented in our Provincial Council. "Early in the reign of James I, John Chew came to Virginia in the vessel "Charitie " with three servants, and followed by his wife Sarah in the " Seafloure," as appears by Lieut. Barkley's Muster in Hotten's List of Emigrants. He settled at " James Citie," and a deed of 1624 granted him " for the better conveniencie and comodatie of his new house by him now oversee and builded " one rood and nine perches of land "lying and being about the said house." He subsequently was member of the Assembly. His family record is not preserved, but he is said to have been the father of Samuel Chew of Maryland, who was the great- grandfather of the Councillor. Samuel Chew's relative Larkin Chew was living in Virginia about the beginning of the next century. Lar- kin Chew's son married the great-aunt of President Madison, and was ancestor of President Taylor.


SAMUEL CHEW, great-grandfather of the Councillor, was residing in Maryland as early as 1648. He became Judge of the High Pro-


325


Chew.


vincial Court and Court of Chancery, and for seven years preceding his death, was member of the Upper House of the Legislature. At the date of Truman's impeachment trial, May 27, 1676, he is described as " Colonel Samuel Chew Chancellor and Secretary." He d. March 15, 1676-7, by his will leaving to his brother Joseph his " golde seale ring." He m. Anne, daughter and only child of William Ayres, and had issue seven sons and two daughters.


BENJAMIN CHEW, the fifth son, was born "the 13th day of ye 2mo. 1671," and d. in Maryland Mch. 3, 1699-1700, m. "the 8th d. of ye 10mo. 1692" Elizabeth Benson, by whom he had a son, Samuel, and three daughters, Elizabeth, Ann, and Mary.


SAMUEL CHEW, father of the Councillor, was born on the 30th of 8mo., 1693, and was known as Samuel Chew of " Maidstone," an estate near Annapolis. He practised medicine as a profession. He became a Quaker, and removed to Kent County on the Delaware. In the town of Dover he had a residence still standing, and also was owner of a plantation about three miles off. His influence was great in the neighborhood, and his abilities were recognized by the govern- ment. Lieut. Gov. Thomas thought of calling him to the Council of the Province and Lower Counties, in which his son afterwards sat, but explained in a letter to John Penn, "Dr. Chew has been long settled in Kent County as Prothonotary where he and the new sett of magis- trates have done great service. The most dissolute & refractory Peo- ple of the Government by a regular Administration of Justice are be- come the most orderly. I have likewise appointed Chew Chief Jus- tice of the Lower Counties, so he cannot attend the Council here." Chew was Chief Justice of the Lower Counties from 1741 until his death. What made him particularly valuable to the Governor was that he had no scruples against what he deemed lawful war : and it was a time when the Governor was required by the Crown to fit out troops, and, yet had to encounter the constant opposition of the Qua- ker population. Chew did what he could in the crisis. In a charge to the Grand Jury of New Castle in 1741, he set forth the duty of de- fence, and the obligation of every citizen to give substance and even life in support of the King. This address was published broadside, and reprinted in the newspapers of Philadelphia, and created great excitement. While it was resented by many as a direct contradiction of Friends' principles, it is known to have expressed views coincided in by James Logan and other great men of the sect. And it influ- .enced enough persons to weaken the columns of the stricter party,


326


Chew.


whose success in maintaining their views might have cost them the abrogation of their privileges by the Crown. He d. June 16, 1743.


He m., 1st, Oct. 22, 1715 Mary Galloway, d. May 26, 1734, dau. of Samuel and Anne Galloway, and aunt of Joseph Galloway (see Growdon); and, 2nd, Sep. 28, 1736 Mary Galloway, wid. of his brother-in-law Richard Galloway of Cumberstone, Md., and dau. of Aquila Paca. By the 1st wife he was father of the Councillor and eight other children, of whom six died young. The Councillor's sis- ter Elizabeth m. Col. Edw. Tilghman of Wye, and was mother of Edward Tilghman, the eminent lawyer, who m. the Councillor's daughter ; and the Councillor's sister Ann m. Samuel Galloway, and was mother of John Galloway, who m. the Councillor's daughter. By the 2nd wife, Dr. Chew had three children, all of whom d. s. p., the eldest, Samuel, being some time Attorney-General of Maryland, and third Justice of the Supreme Court of the Lower Counties in 1773.


BENJAMIN CHEW, son of Dr. Samuel Chew, was born at his fath- er's seat on West River, Maryland, Nov. 29, 1722. He was still a. boy when the family removed to the Lower Counties on the Dela- ware, and transferred their allegiance to the Penns. We do not know at what school he acquired the rudiments of education. He was brought up a Quaker, and although by 1741 his father had suffi- ciently relapsed from the principles of William Penn to be a " fight- ing Quaker," yet Benjamin Chew, it seems, did not become a Church- man until after his admission to the Council, the four children of his 1st wife being baptized with his son Benjamin on Nov. 13, 1758. He did not go to any institution dignified by the name of " college ; " but both his father and his legal preceptor being men of scholarly attain- ments, he had the advantages of polite learning. In Colonial times, it was at an early age that a young man intended for the bar was placed in an attorney's office : Chief Justice Shippen was fifteen when he wrote the documents for a common recovery, as a student under Tench Francis. He was to be clerk, scrivener, and errand boy, and in spare hours to go on with his general reading. Chew was placed under the tuition of Andrew Hamilton, the Councillor, at Philadel- phia. Hamilton died Aug. 4, 1741, before Chew was nineteen. De- siring greater proficiency, the latter went abroad, and at London en- tered the Middle Temple. It is interesting to note that William Blackstone, whose Commentaries have since made the law a more agreeable study, who was some six months younger than Chew, entered the same Society on Nov. 20th of that year. Chew returned to


327


Chew.


America in 1743, on hearing of the death of his father. He was ad- mitted an attorney of the Supreme Court of the Province of Pennsyl- vania in September Term, 1746, but does not appear on its docket as practising until about nine years later. He resided at Dover, doubt- less finding it easier to get into practice at that place and at New Cas- tle. In 1751, he was included in the Boundary Commission as a representative of the Lower Counties, and in 1752, was appointed by their Legislature a trustee to make sale of certain lots of ground. He removed to Philadelphia about 1754, residing on Front St. above Dock until his purchase by deed of May 3, 1771 for 5000l. of the house on Third St. below Willing's Alley which Charles Willing had built for his son-in-law Col. Byrd of Va., and which Gov. John Penn and wife were just vacating to go to England. The lot was 118 ft. front and in depth to Fourth St. About the year 1761, he built his country-seat called "Cliveden," on the outskirts of Germantown. Chief Justice Tilghman in Lyle vs. Richards says, "Mr. Francis suc- ceeded Mr. Hamilton,"-he did not immediately succeed him in office -" and Mr. Chew succeeded Mr. Francis in the office of Attorney- General and in professional eminence." Tench Francis, as well trained a lawyer as the Province ever knew, was obliged to resign and return to England on account of his health : and it was a recognition of Chew's ability, that, without having long resided in Pennsylvania, he was that gentleman's immediate successor both as Attorney-General and as Re- corder of the City. The former office, Chew held from Jany. 14, 1755 until November 4, 1769, and the latter, from Aug. 29, 1755 until June 25, 1774.




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