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HISTORY 



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MONTGOMERY COUNTY 



WITUIN 



THE SCHUYLKILL VALLEY: 



CONTAINING 



SketcbeB of all the Townships. Boroughs and Villages, in said limits, from the earliest period to the present time ; 

with an account of the Indians, the Swedes, and other early settlers, and the local events of the 

•Kevolutien; btsides notices of the Progress in Population, Improyements, and Manufactures; 

\ 

PBEPARED CHIEFLY FROM ORIGINAL MATERIALS : 



BY WILLIAM J. BUCK, 

Author of the " History of Bucks County," " History of Mooreland," Ac, &c.. Member of the Histotieal Society 
of Pennsylvania, and Auditor of Montgomery County. 




NORRISTOWN: 
PRINTED BY E. L. ACKER. 
1859. 



Entered according to the Act of Congiess, in the year 1858, by 

WILLIAM J. BUCK, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern 

District of Pennsylvania. 



\ 



l-lCz?!^ 



PREFACE. 



t'or the last fifteen years, the author has been dili- 
gently engaged in collecting materials for the histories 
of Bucks and Montgomery counties. The various arti- 
cles that he has already written, relating more or less 
to those counties, and published either in books, maga- 
zines, or newspapers, if coUected, would amount to 
several volumes ; but these have been but a portion of 
what he has still ou hand, besides what further research 
may secure. Thus however long he has been engaged 
as a collector, he still owes an apology to his readers for 
the imperfactions of this work. These arise, chiefly, 
from the hasty manner in which he was necessitated to 
prepare it for the press. The life of the writer has not 
been one of leisure; and the work as it now appears, was 
written under great disadvantages — it can be said, 
amidst many interruptions which necessarily arise from 
one's business, independent of those of an official char- 
acter. It had been the intention oi" the author to delay . 
the publication of this work for several years, but owing 
to tho encouiagement offered by Dr. B. L. Atker, the 
editor and proprietor of the Kornstown Register, he w.is 
induced to prepare it lor that paper, to be afterwards 
issued in a volume. It was this unexpected offer and 
its acceptance that has occasioned its early appearance. 
Immediately after this arrangement, in the last two 
weeks of August, iSaS, the writer set out on a pedestrian 
tour of tho entire Schuylkill Valley, as embraced within 
the limits of Montgomery county, and visited, person- 
ally, every township, borough, village, and Other objects 
of interest herein described. The distance traveled for 
this purpose was about two hundred and eighty miles, 
and to be more accurate, all the notes taken were made 
on the spot. Just previous to setting out, all the re- 
quisite preparations were made to add to the success of 
this undertaking, in regard to procuring the informa- 
tion that was still wanting and unsuppliod in our ma- 
terials : for this purpose maps of all the townships and 
boroughs were taken along to assist in our visits, besides 



numerous queries made up from our collections on which 
additional information was desirable. In procuring the 
matter embodied in this work we were quite successful, 
even beyond our most sanguine expectation?. There 
was no necessity with us to be diffuse, that too common 
fault of authors ; on the contrary, we have tried to con- 
dense our matter as much as was practicable with the 
general plan of the work. For its size, we are pur- 
suaded few works on American history contain more 
information derived from unpublished sources. It was 
this motive that prompted us in the undertaking — 
namely, of contributing fomething additional to our 
country's annals— even if it should be a mite of local 
history. The reader must bear inmind, however imper- 
fect this work may be in its present edition, that the 
result has not been achieved without great personal 
labor asd expense ; and had no higher motives than 
those to be derived from mere pecuniary profit actuated 
the author, the work would never have been under- 
taken ; though if this had been the reality, no doubt, 
the field would have been occupied long ago by the 
reapers for the harvest it would bring. But, in our 
opinion, money cannot wholly make up the many hours 
spent in the solitude of the closet in concentrated study, 
away from society and the beautiful face of nature, but 
not absent from the midnight lamp, in digesting a mass 
of often crude and conflicting materials. 

Partly in illustration of the foregoing assertions, wo 
will give our readers a few extracts from the writings 
of distinguished literary persons. Mr. Griswold, in his 
Prose Writers of America, remarks that " There are few 
if any kind.s of composition requiring a higher order of 
genius or more profound acquirements than History; 
and it might be supposed, therefore, that it would be 
amongst the last of the fields in which the authors of a 
new nation would be successful." Mrs. Sarah J. Ilale, 
in her biography of Agnes fctrickland, quite philosophi' 
cally rema.ks : " We know nothing among the aims of 



IT 



PREFACE. 



literature more difficult than to wrlto history well : 
learning consclontiousness, the patient Bplrit of research, 
time and opportunities for such research, unlhigging 
industry, penetration into character, a philosophic 
power of shserratlon and reflection, are some of the 
requisites for an historian." Of lato years there has 
been an increasing taste for local literature, aided, as it 
bas been, by a more general diffusion of knowledge 
amongst the people by our common school system. This 
we can say is known to us from experience. On this 
matter, S. G. Goodrich, in his " Recollections," published 
In 1857, remarks: " The last ten years have been noted 
for the production of local, state, town, and city his- 
tories. Many of these are of great interest, going back 
to the lights and shadows of colonial periods. Here are 
the future resources of historic poetry and romance, of 
painting and sculpture." From this it will bo seen that 
this kind of composition will have a tendency to Amer- 
icanize, not only our literature, but our arts. This is 
what is wanting in us — more nationality in our thoughts 
and feelings — the future basis of originality. 

Of course, the principal object of this work hag been 
to collect together and preserve much valuable and in- 
teresting matter relating ta our history which other- 
wise might have been lost. In its compilation, care 
bas been taken to give whatever information could be 
derived from authentic documents the preference ; the 
authorities are given for that which has been obtained 
through traditionary sources. Inall inftancesattention 
has been given to dates, which possess a particular impor- 
tance and may well be called the mile-stones of time : with- 
out them, it would be difficult to show what progress is 
made. It will be extremely difficult, where information 
has been derived from a thousand sources, to be en- 
tirely correct, but we have followed that which w'e be- 
lieved to be the most reliable. Independent of our 
own collections and researches made in the records of 
Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery counties, and in 
the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Historical Society and 
Uatborough libraries, we are indebted for some informa- 
tion, and which merit an acknowledgement, to Lossing's 
Field Book of the Revolution, Ferris's Original Settle- 
ments on the Delaware, the Journal of the Rev. Henry 
M. Muhlenberg, the Rev. J. W. Richard's Centennial 
Sermon at the Trappe, Rev. J. C. Clay's Annals of the 
Swedes, Hazard's Annals of Pennsylvania, Gordon's 
Ga«ateer, and Pay's Historical Collections. We are also 
Indebted for favors to Dr. G. W. Holstein, ol Bridgeport, 
Abel Rambo, A. M., of Trappe, Rev. Edmund Leaf, of 
Douglasville, and Dr. E. L. Acker, of Norristown. To 
Henry Woodman, formerly of Upper Merion, wo are 
quite grateful for a loan of bis manuscript History of 
Valley Forge, 



I It may be necessary to state why this work was not 

> made a complete history of Montgomery County, In- 
<, Stead of that part of it lying in the Schuylkill valley. 
) There are several reasons for this present design. To 
i have prepared a work on the same scale on the entire 

< county, would have made it entirely too large and ex- 
:> pensive to have met with any degree of success as a 
s local work. In the prerent undertaking are contained 
} ten townships and four boroughs, whiah, in 1810, con- 
l tained 12,252 inhabitants, and which now must be near 
S 50,000; which alone is three times greater than the 

> entire population of the aounty at the time of its forma - 
S tion in 1784. The aforesaid fourteen townships and 

i boroughs in 1S56 contained 8,833 taxables. There are 
in the entire county, thirty townships and four bo- 
\ roughs, leaving therefore undescribed in this work 
} twenty townships, which, were they to receive the same 
\ space, would make a volume of nearly twice the pre- 
\ sent size. However, it may be well enough to state that 
i the author contemplates, at a future time, to write a 
\ history of the county, when he expects to be better 
\ prepared than lie now otherwise could he, both as regards 
time and materials. 

Within the limits of Montgomery County, the Schuyl- 
kill valley is rich in historical associations. Here have 
lived, at various times, the Indians, Swedes, Dutch, 
Welsh, English and Germans. In the lapse of two cen- 
turies the Indians have passed away, and the numcrou» 
descendants of the others remain. The struggles of the 
navig!itors and shoremen, the Revolutionary events of 
Whitemarsh and Valley Jojge, the philosophical obser- 
vations of David Rittenhouse, and ihe great and mag- 
nificent undertaking of John James Audubon, os 
American birds, are not without interest. In these 
limits, too, was born a Major-Qeneral of the American! 
Revolution, a Speaker of the first Congress of 1789, and 
two Governors of Pennsylvania. We cannot pass up or 
down the valley of the Schuylkill, without feeling 
emotions for the great events that have transpired there 
in the past, and the present astonishes us for the enter- 
prise it exhibits on every hand, and the future puzzles 
us to judge what will happen in the nest two centuries. 
It will be observed in this work that, though every 
article is complete in itself, there is a connection in the 
, manner they are placed, from the beginning to the end, 

< each being introductory to the other. As the plan is 
^ our own, it perplexed us at first what to do with tho 
S various biographies now placed in the appendix. 



I At first we had concluded to place them In the town- 
^ ships or boroughs where they originally belonged, but 
< on consideration, from their lungth and want of con- 
^ nectiou with the other local matter, this arrangement 
', wan thought best. At tho present teiiaination of ouj 



PREFACE. 



labors, it was not without feelings of piide tbat we le ,. 
fleet that this was the result of an unoccupied field. < 
which we were the first to enter, explore, and take pos- 
session. In all our ramWes along this beautiful and 
interesting valley, to all our numerous inquiries, which 
brought us so often in contact with strangers, we were 
always treated kindly, and on stating our object, it 
often appeared to create some interest in the undertak- 
ing. At different times an amount of intelligence was 
received from mechanics and laborers that quite sur- 
prised us, from the scant opportunities the nature of 
those occupations afford. This, with us, is a source of 
pride, and shows the elerating tendencies of our insti- 
tutions and the interest the masses are taking in sub- 
jects connected with literature and science. No doubt 
many important facts will be found wanting which will 
be supplied. The houses and shops of the Tillages we 
entered were counted. This, now, may seem of little 



moment, but in our estimation will be hereafter one of 
the Important features of the book. Thirty, sixty, or a 
hundred years from this, may show thus btttor the pro- 
gress they may make. 

Could a book nowjbe found giving, for a certain year, 
the number of houses and shops in every village of 
Pennsylvania, say a hundred years ago, it would prove 
quite a desideratum and would furnish information 
which could not otherwise be obtained. That a work of 
this kind is wanted, whatever encouragement this may 
meet with, can be proven by repeated paragraphs which 
have at different times appeared in our local newspapers, 
inviting to such an undertaking. In closing our labors, 
we are led sincerely to believe that we were engaged in 
a laudable work, and that many a one, as he arises from 
its perusal, will feel himself (so we hope) a better and a 
wiser man. "W. J. B. 

Willow Geove, Jtdy, 1859. 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY 



WITHIN THE SCHUYLKILL VALLEY 



THE SCHUYLKILL. 

The river Schuylkill has its origin from two 
email streams which rise in the Broad Moun- 
tain, in Rush township, Schuylkill county. 
Following its meanderings to where it empties 
into the Delaware, which is five miles below 
Philadelphia, its total length is about one hun- 
dred and twenty-five miles, and its general | 
course is south-easterly. Its principal tribu- ] 
taries, in Schuylkill county, are the Little \ 
Schuylkill, Bear, and Tumblingcreeks ; in Berks I 
county, Maiden and Tulpehocken creeks; in s 
Montgomery county, Manatawny and Perkio- \ 
ming creeks ; in Chester county, Pigeon and 
French creeks ; and in Philadelphia, the Wis- 
sahickon creek. Following its courses, the 
Schuylkill laves the shores of Montgomery 
county for about forty miles. \ 

On it in this distance are located ten townships s 
and four boroughs, of whose history it is our >, 
intention to treat, viz: Pottsgrovo, Limerick, I 
Upper Providence, Lower Providence, Norri- s 
ton, Plymouth, Whitemarsh, Springfield, Upper \ 
Merioa and Lower Merion townships ; and ] 
Pottstown, Norristown, Bridgeport and Con- \ 
shohocken boroughs. Within these limits it is ^ 
spanned by no less than eleven noble bridges ; s 
railroads pass on its eastern and western mar- } 
gins, while itself is made navigable for boats s 
of one hundred and eighty tons. These grand ,' 
improvements, wonderful to relate, have been ) 
effected in less than half a century. They s 
show the energy, the thrift and enterprise of > 
our countrymen in these latter days, for two | 
hundred and forty- two years have passed away \ 
since its first discovery by the European. \ 
What a subject is here offered for reflection ! \ 

Within these Umita there are no mountains, \ 



though the country is most agreeably diversi- 
fied by undulating hills and valleys, interspersed 
with towns, villages, and various manufactur- 
ing establishments, all beautifully situated by 
its banks, or nestled near by in some lateral 
valley. Though not on a grand scale, yet few 
valleys in any country, for the same distance, 
can boast of more lovely and varied pictur- 
esque scenery. Sometimes meandering through 
broad cultivated fields and fertile plains, on 
which are studded, like gems in a casket, sub- 
stantial stone houses and barns. Next, on 
some eminence, may be seen an elegant country 
seat; then it sweeps past bits of woodland, 
tufting the hill-slopes, or contracted by a bolder 
bluff of rocks ; then, again, follow in succes- 
sion, the park-like islands, so gently reposing 
in its bosom, and the long stretches of green 
meadow. Here is to be found the ulile ct 
duke of the ancients to a greater degree than, 
perhaps, in any other section of equal extent 
in our wide-spread republic. To one that has 
never before traversed this part of the valley, 
and however much the hand of improvement 
may alter it, it will still present those ever 
varying succession of scenes which charm the 
landscape and are the admiration of every 
traveler. 

In the year 1G09, Captain Henry Hudson, 
an Englishman in the service of the Dutch East 
India Company, it is believed, touched at tho 
mouth of what is now known as Delaware Bay ; 
but finding shoal water, and fearful of ground- 
ing, he retired, and in a few days after entered 
the harbor of Nev? York, and sailed up the 
river to which his name has been given. In 
the summer of 1610, it is said. Lord Delaware, 
while on his voyage to Virginia, as governor, 
entered the bay which now bears his name, as 
well as the large river that empties into it la 
1612 the Dutch commenced settlements at Fort 



8 



IIISTOTIY OF MONKlOMEliY COUNTY. 



Orango, now Albany, and at Manhattan Island, { 
tho present site of the city of New York. I 
Ciiptaln Ilendrickson, a Dutchman, having ( 
built a yacht at Manhattan, called the " On- ) 
rust," which in English means Ecsllcss, of only < 
sixteen tons burthen, set out on a voyage of > 
discovery in 1C16. From a map which he ] 
made of this expedition, it would appear as if s 
he had sailed along the coast from Nova Scotia ;; 
to the Capos of Virginia. ^While on this trip, \ 
he entered Delaware Bay, and ascended its \ 
river as far as the Schuylkill, wl.ich he entered ^ 
a short distance, and in consequence, is, there- \ 
fore, entitled to tho honor of being its disco- ? 
verer. In 1G33 orders were given to Arent \ 
Corsson, the commissary of Fort Nassau, by 
authority of Governor Van T wilier, of Man- 
hattan, to purchase a tract of land on' the 
Schuylkill, on which to erect a fort. In 1648, 
Corsson concluded a purchase from several In- 
dian chiefs to the satisfaction of the West India 
Company, which was placed on record in their 
office. Soon after a fort was erected, which \ 
was called " Beversrede," and was said]to be a \ 
place remarkably well situated, and was named ;. 
thus on account of the beaver trade, which \ 
was carried on there extensively with the In- ^ 
dians. This fort, it is believed, stood at or s 
near the present Gray's Ferry, at the lower o 
extremity of the city of Philadelphia. This s 
trade or traffic in beaver skins, it appears, in- 
creased so by 165G that the documents of the 
company speak of it as the "great beaver 
trade of the Schuylkill." 

The origin of any name that has, for a long 
time, been applied to any object, which in itself 
is permanent and likely to remain so, is ever 
interesting, especially when of a local nature, 
to the inhabitants of its vicinity. In conse- 
quence, before we proceed further in this un- 
dertaking, we shall venture on an explanation, s 
if not rather an investigation, of the name of ? 
Schuylkill, as well as of several others which \ 
Lave been applied to it. The Indians, it ap- \ 
pears, had several names for this stream. One > 
was "Nittabockunk," which we know was ap- s 
plied in 1G55, if not earlier. In the deeds of \ 
purchase from tho Indians to William Penn, in ^ 
1G83 and 1G85, it is called "Manaiunk." John s 
Heckewelder, the missionary, says it was called \ 
by the natives " Ganschowehanne," which s 
signified, in their language, a stream whose i 
falls and ripplea make a noise. Mr. Hecke- \ 
welder's etatemeut is doubted, for the reason i 



that no authority hag yet been found to cor- 
roborate that the Indians had ever called it by 
this name. The Swedes, as may be seen on 
Peter Lindstrom's map of "New Sweden," 
made in 1G55, also called it the " Linde Kilen," 
or Linden stream, from the large trees of this 
kind that grew on its banks. Its present name 
of Schuylkill was given it by the Dutch, very 
probably by Captaiu Hendrickson, in IGIG; if 
not, it bore this name at least seventeen years 
later. By means of a rare work, entitled 
" Woordenbock Der Nederduitsche in Fransche 
Taalen, by Francois Ilalma," published at 
Amsterdam, in 1729, we are ennbled to give 
some light as to the origin of the Dutch name 
of this stream. Schuil, or Schuilen, in the 
Dutch, signifies concealed, or hidden, that is, by 
land or otherwise. Kil, signifies a channel^ 
stream, or river. Therefore, the meaning of 
Schuil-Kil, or Schuilen-Kil,(the way itis spelled 
in the Dutch, and as it should be now written,) 
is, Hidden river, or Concealed stream. This 
name was given it by its discoverers, from the 
fact of its month being so concealed by several 
low islands that the river can not be found till 
actually entered ; to the truth of which I can 
vouch from personal observation, while ascend- 
ing both the Delaware and entering the Schuyl- 
kill. 

Tho Schuylkill, though unknown to the 
generality of our citizens, was, a century and 
a quarter ago, the scene of a violent struggle 
between those who resided on its shores in this 
county and those who navigated its waters in 
canoes from the upper country, now better 
known as Berks, while on their voyages with 
produce to the Philadelphia markets. This 
was a contest that lasted many years, and in 
which both parties warmly contended for their 
respective interests, which here came in con- 
Hict. With what novelty, at the present day, 
must we view such a struggle, when we reflect 
on the many and mighty changes that man and 
time have wrought on this river. When we 
behold its canals with their deeply laden boats, 
its railroads with their long, dark trains, the 
many thriving towns and villages that adorn 
its banks, and the many busy manufactories, 
and quiet, pleasant villa residences — what a tale 
is told of progress ! To the period to which 
we refer, hamlets and villages were unknown ; 
even the spot where is now our populous coun- 
ty seat, was then unmarked by a single house. 
The hills and the valleys were covered with their 



THE SCHUYLKILL. 



mujestic aucieut forests to the very shores, 
with the exception of here and there, where 
occasionally the hardy settlers had effected 
clearings and erected rude log dwellings. The 
contrast is enough to make one smile, especi- 
ally now, when we reflect that the dispute 
which we intend to speak of, simply originated 
from the obstructions placed in the channels of 
the Schuylkill, by the shoremen, for the pur- 
pose of assisting them to catch fish, and which 
considerably impeded, if it did not really rea- 
der the navigation thereof dangerous. 

It appears, that as early as 1033, when Wil- 
liam Penn and his colonists had not been a 
year in this country, that an act had been 
passed against the erecting of racks, v/ears, or 
dams, in any navigable waters, which might 
otherwise hinder the free intercourse thereon, 
and also tend greatly to diminish the brood of 
fish. Through the influence of Governor Penn, 
another act was passed, in the year 1700. with 
the intent of more effectually securing this ob- 
ject. After this, from what we have been en- 
abled to ascertain, the matter remained quiet 
for a number of years, or with but little agita- 
tion, till ia May, 1721, when the Governor's 
Council introduced "A bill, entitled aa act 
for demolishing and removing fishing dams, 
wears, and kedles, set across the I'iver Schuyl- 
kill, was read and ordered to be returned with 
amendments." It next appears, that the Coxin- 
cil, on the 15th of August, 1730, passed a law, 
entitled "An act to prevent the erecting of 
wears, dams, &c., within the river Schuylkill." 
Yet, even this was found to be not altogether 
BufBcient. It was, by an act passed in 1734, 
further strengthened and rendered move effect- 
ual. The shoremen made a strong effort, in 
the years 1735 and 1736, to get an amendment, 
or rather a repeal, so as to t^et permission to 
erect wears in the months of April and May 
of every year, which was warmly opposed by 
the navigators, or those living on the upper 
parts of the Schuylkill. The Governor, 
Patrick Gordon, being also opposed to any per- 
mission of the kind being given, the shoremen 
Ht length yielded, so far as to look for any re- 
dress for their grievances from the legislature. 
It became a matter of complaint against the 
shoremen, that for several miles above the racks 
and wears, they were in the practice to com- 
mence with their horses in the river and strike 
the water as they came downwards with stakes 
and long brushes as they proceeded, so aa to 



> drive and frighten the fish into them, to their 

< great diminution — that they carried stones into 
? the river to hold the stakes and wears, which 
s not only obstructed but rendered navigatiou 
] difficult and dangerous. They were also 
} charged on these occasions, while chasing fish, 
^ of bringing the young people together, who 
^ would become riotous and quarrelsome, "which 
s was a reproach to good ord'jr, peace and tran- 
i quility." A number of depositions were taken 

in March, 1732, by George Boone, a justice of 
the peace, residing in the township of Oley, in 
the present Berks county, which then belonged 
to Philadelphia, as did likewise the intervening 
territory now comprised in Montgomery. 
I These, Mr. Boone, vfho was equally interested 
\ with Lis neighbors, transmitted to theGovernor 
} and Legislature, aad the result was, ti:3 .^trin- 
l gent enactment of 1734, to which reference has 
been made. To thsse depositions ws are in- 
debted for the following adventures encoun- 
tered by the navigators of Amity and Oley 
townships, while on their canoe voyages to 
Philadelphia, in 1731 and 1732. 
\ Marcus Hulings states, that as be is as going 
) down the Schuylkill with a canoe, loaded with 

< wheat, which, by striking against a fish-dam 
\ took ia a great deal of water, •v?hich damaged 
s the wheat considerably, and came near being 
i totally lost. lie also further says, that on 
J another occasion, his canoe got in a bimilar 
\ predicament, and would have lost his whole 

load of wheat, if he had not leaped into the 
river, and with much labor, succeeded in pre- 
venting his canoe from s'vTinging around, which 
otherwise would have been capsized by the 
current. In so doing, he " suffei-ed very much 
t in his body by reason of yo water and cold." 
I Again, on another occasion, he got fust on one 
J of the rack-dams, and only by great hazard 
J escaped with his life and freight. In the month 
\ of February, while it was extremely cold, Jonas 
I Jones relates that he got "fast on a fish-dam, 

> and to save his load of wheat was obliged to 

< leap into ye river to ye middle of his body, and 
\ with all his labour and skill could not get off 
^ ia less than half an hour ; afterwards proceed- 
l ing on his journey with ye said clothes, they 
\ were frozen stiff on his back, by means whereof 

< he underwent a great deal of misery." The 
J next sufferer we shall mention was Jacob War- 
\ ren, who relates that his canoe, loaded with 
I wheat, got fast on a dam, when ho and his 
'partner were forced into the river, and wljilu 



10 



HISTORY OF MONTOOMERT OOUNTY. 



one, with all his power, was obliged to hold the 
canoe, the other had to open a passage, with 
great difficulty, to get through. Isaac Smally 
affirms, that in going down the river, with one 
hundred and forty bushels of wheat, he got fast 
on a rack-dam, "and, in order to save ye load 
from being all lost, he was, mu-jh against his 
mind, obliged to leap into ye river, the water 
being to his chin, frequently dashed into his 
mouth, where between whiles he breathed, and \ 
ke and his partner held ye canoe with great S 
labour, while a young man there present, ran 
above a mile to call help to get ofif." Jonas 
Yocum and Richard Dunklin say that they got 
fast on a fish-dam with their canoe, on board 
of which was Dunklin's wife and child, besides 
Bisty bushels of wheat, and that for more than 
an hour were in imminent danger of being 
overset and drowned. Barnaby Rhoades re- 
lates, that he got fast with his canoe on a fish- 
dam for several hours in the winter season, 
when, being without any assistance, he had to 
suffer considerably from the severity of the 
cold, besides being in great danger of losing 
both his life and load. The suflerings of the 
complainants might be much extended, but 
shall let it sufEce to say, without going into 
details, that among them can also be mentioned 
Walter Campbell, George Boone, John Boone, 
and several others, who bad been at divers 
times fast with their canoes on the fish and 
rack-dams in the Schuylkill, and to preserve 
their loads had been forced at different times 
to leap into the river at the peril of their lives 
to save their property. 

The freight carried in some of their canoes, 
shows to what a prodigious size the timber had 
attained at the arrival of the early settlers ; — 
for it should be recollected that they were al- 
ways hewn from out a single trunk. V/illiam 
Penn, in a letter from Philadelphia, dated the 
80th of 5th month, 1G83, to Henry Savell, in 
England, mentions of his having seen a canoe, 
made from a poplar tree, that carried four tons 
of bricks. Isaac Smally's canoe, as has been 
stated, carried one hundred and forty bushels 
of wheat, which is a still heavier Joad, and 
consequently must have been larger- Our in- 
formation, so far, has been to favor the cause 
of the navigators, but the shoremen no doubt 
believed that they had just reasons to complain, 
from the stringent enactments passed against 
them. Their dams and wears were formed at a 
coneiderable expense and labor, for the sole pnr- 



pofic of supplying fleh to their families. They 
were always placed convenient to their resi- 
dences, and by their own lands. Generally the 
most advantageous places for them were, where 
they were the most detrimental to the interests 
of navigation, such as below the mouths of 
creeks, and where islands and shallows rendered 
them of easy construction. The navigators, 
too, on many occasions, did much injury by 
breaking through their dams, and maliciously 
destroying them, with the racks, wears, and 
baskets. Nay, the shoremen charged them 
with stealing, at divers times, the proceeds of 
their honest labor — 'the fish. Thus, between 
1731 and 1740, there was an intense excite- 
ment produced by these conflicting interests, 
along the peaceful valley of the Schuylkill, 
Many deeds of heroism were achieved on both 
sides, and prodigies of valor performed, which 
no chronicler has thought proper to transmit 
to posterity. The result, however, was, that 
at length it terrainafed in open war between 
the parties. Fleets of canoes isouldputolF on 
the voyage together, for the purpose of mutual 
protection to themselves and the mutual de- 
struction of all fish-dams, wears, and baskets. 
On the other hand, the shoremen would con- 
gregate in their respective neighborhoods, for 
the protection of their property thus assailed, 
and should any unlucky wights get fast with 
their canoes, or venture too near the shore, 
they would bring their artillery to bear on 
them in a shower of — stones. The navigators 
being generally the greatest sufferers, at length 
concluded to call on the magistrates for assist- 
ance, when William Richards, the constable of 
Amity township, received a warrant from 
George Boone, Psq., <' one of His Majesty's 
Justices of the Peace" for Philadelphia county, 
to remove the said obstructions as the true 
authors of therfnischief. What Mr. Richards 
accomplished in the undertaking, we shall 
leave him state in his own words, given on oath 
before Ralph Asheton, Esq., and corroborated 
by Benjamin Milliard, who was one of his as- 
sistants on this memorable affair, which hap- 
pened the 20th of April, 1738. 

Having "received a warrant, requiring him, 
this deponent, to take to his assistance such 
persons as this deponent should think proper, 
and go down the river Schuylkill, and remove 
all such obstructions as should be found in the 
said river. — In obedience to which warrant this 
deponent took several persons, inhabitants of 



THE SCHUYLKILL. 



u 



the said county, as Lis assistants, and together 
with one Robert Smith, constable of the town- 
ship of Ouly, (Oley,) who had received a war- 
vaut to the same purpose, went down the said 
river, in three canoes, to Mingo creeli, where 
they found a large number of racks and ob- 
structions in the said river, and saw four men 
upon an island near the said racks — that this 
deponent and company removed the said racks 
■without receiving any opposition. From thence 
they proceeded down the river to the mouth of 
Pickering's creek, near which they found sev- 
eral racks which reacht across tho said river 
to an island, which racks this deponent and 
company also removed — that immediately after 
the said racks were removed, about the num- 
ber of two hundred men came down on both 
Bides of the said river, and were very rude and 
abusive, and threatened this deponent and his 
company — that the said deponent, expecting, 
from the ill-language and threats given, that 
some mischief, or a quarrel would ensue, he took 
his staff in his hand and his warrant, and com- 
manded the said men, in the King's Name, to 
keep the peace, and told them that he came 
there in a peaceable manner, and according to 
law, to move the racks and obstructions in the 
river, upon which some of the said men damned 
the laws and the law-makers, and cursed this 
deponent and his assistants — that one James 
Starr knockt' this deponent down m the river 
with a large club or stake ; after which several 
of the said men attackt this deponent and said 
company with large clubs, and knockt down 
the said Robert Smith, the constable, as abo 
several of this deponent's assistants — that one 
John Wainwright, in company with thia depo- 
nent, was struck down with a pole or staff, and 
lay as dead, with his body on the shore 
and his feet in the river. That this deponent 
and company, finding that they were not able 
to make resistance, were obliged to make the 
best of their way in order to save their lives ; 
after which, this deponent, together with the 
constable of Ouly, and some of their company, 
proceeded down the river, in order to go to 
rhiludelphia, to make complaint of the ill 
usage they had received — that as they came 
near Parkyooman (Perkiomen) Creek, they 
found another set of racks, which were guarded 
by a great number of men. That this depo- 
nent and company requested the said men to 
let them go down tho river, and if they 
would suffer them to pass that tbey would not 



meddle with their racks. Upou which the said 
men abused and cursed this deponent in a very 
gross manner, telling the said deponent and his 
company, that they should not pass them — 
that one of the said men called out aloud, and 
offered five pounds for Timothy Miller's head, 
the said Timothy being one of the deponent's 
assistants ; and afterwards the said men pur- 
sued this deponent and company, who, for fear 
of being murthered, made the best of their 
way, with their canoes, to the mouth of Par- 
kyooman Creek, and then went ashore, and 
left their canoes there with several cloathes, 
which canoes are since split (as reported) in 
pieces, and several of the cloathes turned 
adrift." 

This affair having reached the heads of tho 
government, whereupon the Hon. James Logan, 
President of the Council, issued a proclamation 
and a warrant, the 25th of April, 1738, for the 
arrest of the "rioters," who are "to be pro- 
ceeded against according to law, and that they, 
the said Justices, exert the powers wherewith 
they are invested, for the preservation of His 
Mnjesty's Peace and the good order of govern- 
ment in those parts where the late tumult arose, 
or others may be likely to arise. And the 
sheriffs of the said counties of Philadelphia 
and Chester, respectively, are hereby enjoined 
and required, with a Bufncient assistance, if 
need be, to cause the warrants to be duly exe- 
cuted." This is the last ofiicial act we have 
been enabled to find on tho subject, from whence 
we conclude that the shoremen, after contend- 
ing for half a century, at length gave way be- 
fore the majesty of the law, and the naviga- 
tors, the fish, and the waters of the Schuylkill, 
were permitted to pass on uninterrupted, till a 
recent time. Mingo, Pickering, and Perkiomen 
Creeks still retain their time-honored names — 
the same islauds and channels are there, but 
the people are changed. The inhabitants of 
Limerick, and Upper and Lower Providence 
townships, are reckoned now among our most 
peaceable citizens. The contest between the 
navigators and shoremen is long, long past — 
I might have said, long, long forgotten ; but 
the wand of the antiquary is mighty — out of 
old musty tomes it may re-create a world to 
live again in imagination as it once did in re- 
ality. 

That considerable importance was attached 
to the navigation of the Schuylkill, at an early 
period, has been already .shown in the contest 



12 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



between the navigators and the shoremen. ? ferries establiehed along the Schuylkill for the 
Even William Pcnn, in his proposals for a ^ transportation of passengers and freight, there 
8econil settlement in the province of Pennsjl- > were ropes stretched across the same for the 
vania, published in 1690, alludes to the practi- \ purpose of drawing the boats. These were fre- 
cabi'.ity of efFecting a communication by water I quently cut by some evil-minded persons who 



between a branch of the Schuylkill and the 
Susquehanna. This, my readers should remem- 
ber, was at a period when canals were unknown 
even in Great Britain. However, nothing was 
done, we believe, towards improving its naviga- 
tion for a considerable length of time, though 
the matter was occasionally agitated. To pro- 
mote the same, an act was passed by the As- 
sembly the 14th of March, 17G1, and from 
■which we give the following extract : "Whereas, 
the river SchuylljiU is Davigable for rafts, 
boats, and other small craft, in times of high 



were either going up or down the stream, In 
con.s"equence of which the ferrymen petitioned 
to the Assembly for protection from these out- 
rages, when an act was passed the 8th of Feb- 
ruary, 17GC, making such offences finable ten 
pounds each. 

Several of the commissioners mentioned hav- 
ing died, a new board was appointed by the 
Assembly, in 1773, to carry out the measures 
contained in the act of 17G1. For this pur- 
pose, David Ritteuhouse, Anthony Levering, 
John Roberts, William Dewees, Jr., David 



freshes only, occasioned by the obstruction of? Thomas, James Hockley, Thomas Potts, Mark 



rocks and bars of sand and gravel, in divers 
parts of the same : And whereas, the improving 
the navigation of the said river, so as to make 
it passable at all times, will be very advan- 
tageous to the poor, greatly conducive to the 
promotion of industry, and beneficial to the in- 
habitants residing on or near gaid river, by en- 
abling them to bring the produce of the coun- I 
try to the market of the city of rhiladelphip., ' 
and thereby increase the trade and comni!i;rce 
of the province : And whereas, divers of the 
inhabitants of this province, desirouc to pro- 
mote the welfare of the public, have subscribed 



Bird, James Star, Jacob Kern, and John Paw- 
ling, Jr., were selected. In 1781, a change was 
made, when the board consisted of David Rit- 
teuhouse, Owen Biddle, Mark Bird, Baltzer 
Gehr, Thomas Potts, David Thomas, Patrick 
Anderson, John Mear, Isaac Hughs, Nathan 
Levering, George Douglass, John Heister and 
Cbristian Steer. An act was pa.ssed the 20th 
of September, 1701, to incorporate a company 
to connect the Schuylkill with the Susquehanna 
by a canal and slackwatcr navigation, and also 
to improve the navigable waters of the Schuyl- 
kill from the lower falls, a few miles above 



large sums of money for the purpose aforesaid, s Philadelphia, to Reading, for which purpose 
and, by petition to the Assembly, have request- I the Assembly appropriated £2500, as an en- 
ed that commissioners may be appointed by ? couragement to the enterprise. By an act of 
law to take, receive and collect the said sub- s the 10th of April, 1792, a company was incor- 
scriptions, and such others a.q shall hereafter i porated to make a canal from Norristown to the 
be given or subscribed, and to apply and ap- s river Delaware, at Philadelphia, a distance of 
propriate the same for and towards the clear- \ seventeen miles. From the former place the 
ing, scouring and rendering the said river navi- ^ Schuylkill was to be temporarily improved, and 
gable, as aforesaid." To carry out the measure, s thus form, with the works of the Schuylkill and 
Joseph Fox, John Hughs, Samuel Rhoades, ^ Susquehanna company, an uninterrupted water 



John Potts, William Palmer, David Davis, Mor- 
decai Moore, Henry Pawling, James Coultas, 
Jonathan Coates, Joseph Millard, Uilliam Bird, 
Francis Parvin, Benjamin Lightfoot, and Isaac 
Levan, were appointed commissioners. This 



communication with the interior of the State, 
and which, it was expected, would be eventu- 
ally extended to connect with the waters of the 
Ohio and Lake Erie. 
One of the objects, also, in constructing the 



act had also for its object the preservation of S canal from Norristown was, by this moans to 
fish, especially the shad, herring and rockfish, \ furnish Philadelphia with water. The under- 
wbich ascended this stream annually, in great > taking was commenced by the two companies, 
Bboals, from the sea. For this purpose, the \ and at the close of 1794 they had expended 
commissioners were empowered not only to \ §440,000, and had nearly completed fifteen 
destroy but to prevent the erection of all wears, 5 miles of the most difficult part of the two 
racks, fish-dams and baskets within the same, < works. Some of the principal stockholders 
At this time, it also appears that at the several ' having become involved at the time in commcr- 



TIIE SCHUYLKILL. 



13 



cial JifficuUies, tlie cotipequenco wa?, the two | 
companies were compelled to suspend opera- j 
tions. As an additional inducement to revive < 
the companies, tbe State passed an act the 17th i 
of April, 1795, to empower them to raise, by 
■way of lottery, the additional sum of $400,000 
for the purpose of completing their works, as 
mentioned in the acts of incorporation. But 
naught availed, though this offer induced seve- 
ral abortive attempts, which only tended to 
continue in these companies a languishing ex- 
istence. Below Norristown, beginning at the 
Swedes' Ford bridge by tbe banks of the 
Schuylkill, may be seen the excavation made 
for this canal for some distance down the river. 
It remains there a monument of an undertak- 
ing commenced in 1792, but never finished. 

In the year 1811, the two companies were 
tinited as the Union Canal Company, and in 
1819 and 1821 the State granted further aid 
by a guarantee of interest and a monopoly of 
the lottery privilege. In consequence of this 
legislative encouragement, there were addition- 
al subscriptions obtained to the stock of the 
company to resume operations in 1821. The 
line was re-located, the dimensions of the canal 
changed, and the whole work finished in about 
six years from this period — after tliirty-seven b 
years had elt^psed from the commencement of < 
the work, and sixty-five from tbe date of the S 
first survey by David Rittenhouse and Rev. < 
AYilliam Smith. I 

This canal is eighty miles in length, extend- s 
ing from the Schuylkill four miles below Read- i 
ing, where it connects, with the works of the \ 
Schuylkill Navigation Company ; thence up tbe \ 
Tulpehocken creek to the Swatara^ and thence 
down the same to Middletown, on the Susque- 
hanna — thus connecting the two river? — which 
idea William Peun conceived in 1G90, but which 
required an interval of one hundred and thirty- s 
seven years to be put into practical operation. I 
The whole cost of this work was about > 
§2,000,000. 

The Schuylkill Navigation Company was in- 
corporated under the act of the 8th of March, 
1815, by which they were required to commence 
operations at each end of tbe route simultane- 
ously ; their labors, in consequence, were ren- 



dered nearly useless until the whole line would 
be completed. This certainly was an ingenious 
plan in the Assembly to ensure the completion 
of the undertaking. This work is abCut one 
hundred and ten miles in length, beginning at 



Fairmount, rhiladolphia, and extending to Mill 
creek, at Port Carbon, in Schuylkill count/. 
It consists of a series of canals, sixty-three 
miles in length, and slackwater-poolsfor forty- 
seven miles, produced by thirty-four dnms, 
which feed the canals. This work in its whole 
length was made three and a-half feet deep, 
with a width of no less than thirty-six feet at 
the top. There are one hundred and nine locks 
of six hundred and twenty feet ascent, each 
eighty feet long and seventeen broad, and one 
tunnel three hundred and eighty-five feet in 
length — the first, it is said, attempted in the 
United States. The whole cost of the line was 
$2,906,180. It was commenced immediately 
after its incorporation, and finished in 1826. 
In 1818, it was sufiiciently completed to allow 
the descent of a few boats, on which tolls were 
collected to the amount of $230, which com- 
prised the total of its first year's receipts. 
Chiefly in consequence of the great increase of 
the coal trade, it was tletermined to enlarge the 
capacity of the canal for a greater amount of 
business, which was accordingly done in 1846. 
Hitherto it had only admitted the passage of 
boats of sixty-six tons, but, by the enlargement, 
boats of one hundred and eighty-six tons are 
enabled to pass through its whole length of one 
hundred and ten miles, being one of the grand- 
est works of the kind in the Union. A great 
improvement was made. The locks were reduced 
in number from one hundred and nine to seven- 
ty-one, and enlarged to one hundred and ten 
by eighteen feet ; the width of its canals to not 
less than sixty foet, with a depth of at least 
five and a-half feet. To guard against the 
danger of a deficiency of water, to which the 
navigation is exposed in dry seasons, the com- 
pany has erected several large dams upon tri- 
butary streams at the head of navigation, from 
which to draw supplies in cases of deficiency. 
The dam at Silver creek covers nearly sixty 
acres, and is estimated to hold sufficient water 
of itself to float about 120,000 tens of coal, 
annually, to market. As may be expected, the 
business of this great work has increased won- 
derfully. In 1825, this line brought about 
5000 tons of coal to market; in 1827, 31,360 
tons ; and in 1857, it was 1,275,988 tons- 
showing that forty tons had now gone over the 
works when, thirty years previously, but one 
had gone. It is stated, en reliable authority, 
that the coal consumed by the various furnaces, 
forges and manufactories, in the Valley of the 



14 



HISTORY OF MONTaOMERY COUNTY. 



Schuylkill, amotiuts nov7 to 450,000 tons an-| that mnny had fino Honian features, lie »ls« 
nually. Thus we see Low greatly importiinl | mentions that they were very civil and friendly 
this trade has become, and in which we are all <, to the English, and that he had not heard of 
more or less interested. We have said that the ) an instance where they had done an injury to 
Schuylkill flows by Montgomery county about s any of the whites. Mons Rambo, who was 
forty miles, in whic'i distance the navigation j born near the Schuylkill, in 1G93, and settled 
company has erected six dams across it, which, ;« in Upper Morion in 1712, often related in liis 
at Norristowu and Conshehocken, afford valu- ^ latter days, the great kindness shown by the 
able water-power. Wo wish to be prophetic > Indians to the whites of his neighborhood. In 
•when we say that we really believe the day is \ a letter sent to Gottenburg, in 1G02, by some 
not far distant when this J^ne will be further ? of the Swedes here, they make mention that 
enlarged and that vesseVs'of two hundred and s the Indians had not molested them for many 
fifty tons will ascend, ty steam or otherwise, \ years. William Penn, shortly after his first 
as far as Tort Kennedy, where they will load ;; arrival in Pennsylvania, sent a letter to Eng- 



and then return ta the ocean to discharge their 
freight at the cities of our' sea-board. Young 
reader, you may live to see it ! 



II. 



THE INDIANS. 



land, in which, among other matters, he gives 
the following interesting character of the 
Indians: "In liberality they excel: nothing 
is too good for their friend ; give them a fiao 
gun, coat, or other thing, it may pass twenty 
hands before it sticks; light of heart, strong 
affections, but soon spent. The most merry 
creatures that live, feast and dance perpetu- 
ally ; they never have much, nor want much. 
Some kings have sold, others presented me 
with several parcels of land. The pay, or pre- 
sents I made them, were not hoarded by the 
particular owners ; but the neighboring kings 
and their clans being present when the goods 
were brought out, the parties chiefly concerned 
consulted what and to whom they .should give 
them. To every king then, by the hands of a 



The aborigines found by the early European 
adventurers inhabiting this part of Pennsylva- 
nia, called themselves the Lcnni Lenape, or the 
original people. They also assumed unto them- 
selves the name of Woapanachki, or the people \ person for that work appointed, is a proper- 
from the east. These names, it would appi^ar, j tion sent, so sorted and folded, and with that 
they adopted from a belief of being superiors gravity that is admirable. They care for little, 
in all respects to any of the adjacent tribes- \ because they want but little; and the reason 
The territory they lived on lay between the \ is, a little contents them. In this they are 



Hudson and the Susquehanna rivers, and con- 
sequently inhabited both sides of the Delaware 
and Schuylkill. It was from this circumstance 
that they early received from the whites the 
name of Delnwares. Under this general name 
they comprehended a number of dibtinct tribes, 
hut speaking dialects of a common language, 
and uniting around the same great council 
fire. Mr. Jefferson, in his Notes on Virginia, 
says, that the Leuni Lcnape were a taller 
people generally thau the Europeans. Old- 
mixou, who visited Pennsylvania, in 1708, 



sufiiciently revenged on us; if they are igno- 
rant of our pleasures, they are also free from 
our pains. We sweat and toil to live ; their 
pleasure feeds them; I mean their hunting, 
fishing, and fowling; and this table is spread 
everywhere." 

The Rev. John Campanius, Swediuh chnp- 
lain of Governor Printz. and who resided on 
Tinicum Island, near the mouth of the Schuyl- 
kill, from 1G42 to 1G48, gives us, in his " Nya 
Swerige," an excellent account of the Indians, 
and which contains information we have been 



speaks of the Indians as being generally tall, \ unable to find in any other work. What adds 



straight, and exceedingly well proportioned, 
and that they were in the common practice of 
anointing themselves with clarified bear's fat. 
He says he saw some as handsome faces among 
them, of both sexes, as any in England, and 



to the interest of his description is, that ho 
wrote it from his own actual observations, and 
that, too^ at a period dating back nearly to Iho 
first landing of the Europeans in this part of 
the country. Ills nrrival here was forty years 



THE INDIAj^S. 



15 



ptevlous to the first landing of Penn ; yes, 
even two years before be was born. On ac- 
count of tbe rarity of Mr. Campanius' work, 
and its appropriateness at this place, is oar 
apology for the following extract: — 

" Their way of living was very simple. 
Tfith arrows, pointed with sharp stones, they 
killed the deer and other creatures. They 
made axes from stones, which they fastened to 
a stick, to kill the trees where they intended 
to plant. They cultivated the ground with a 
sort of hoe, made from the shoulder-blade of a 
deer, or a tortoise shell, sharpened with stones, 
and fastened to a stick. They made pots of 
clay, mixed with powdered muscle shells burnt 
in fire, to prepare their food in. By friction, 
they made fire from two pieces of hard wood. 
The trees they burnt down and cut into pieces 
for firewood. On journeys thej' carried fire a 
great ways in ppunk, or sponges found growing 
on the trees. They burnt down great trees, 
and shaped them into canoes by fire, and the 
help of sharp stones. Men and women were 
dressed in skins ; the women made themselves 
under garments of wild hemp, of which also 
they made twine to knit the feathers of turkeys, 
eagles, &c., into blankets. The earth, the 
•woods, and the rivers were the provision stores 
of the Indians ; for they eat all kinds of wild 
animals and productions of the earth, fowls, 
birds, fishes, and fruits, which they find within 
their reach. They shoot deer, fowls, and birds 
with the bow and arrow ; they take the fishes in 
the same manner ; when the waters are high, the 
fish run up the creeks and return at ebb tide ; 
so that the Indians can easily shoot them at 
low water, and drag them ashore." 

" They eat, generally, but twice a day, morn- 
ing and afternoon ; the earth serves them for 
tables and chairs. They sometimes broil their 
meat and their fish; other times, dry them in 
the sun, or in the smoke, and thus eat them. 
They make bread out of the maize or Indian 
corn, which they prepare in a manner peculiar 
to themselves : they crush the grain between 
two great stones, or on a large piece of wood; 
they moisten it with water, and make it into 
small cakes, which they wrap up in corn-leaves, 
and thus bake them in the ashes. In this 
manner they make their bread. The Swedes 
made use of it when they first came. They 
can fast, when necessity compels them, for 
many days. When traveling, or lying in wait 
for their enemies, they ta*!© with them a kind 



of bread made of Indian corn and tobacco 
juice, to allay their hunger and quench their 
thirst, in case they have nothing else at hand. 
The drink, before the Christians came into this 
country, was nothing but water ; but now they 
are very fond of strong liquors. Both men 
and women smoke tobacco, which grows in 
their country in great abundance. They have, 
besides corn, beans, and pumpkins, a sort of 
orljinal dogs with short pointed ears." 

"The American Indians had no towns or 
fixed places of habitation. They mostly wan- 
dered about from one place to another; and 
generally went to those places where they 
could find the most likely means of support. 
In spring and summer they preferred the banks 
of rivers, where they found plenty of fish ; 
but in winter, they went up into the country, 
where they found abundance of venison. 
When they travel, they carry their game with 
them wherever they go, and fix it on poles, 
under which they dwell. When they want fire 
they strike it out of a piece of dry wood, of 
which they find plenty ; and, in that manner, 
they are never at a loss for fire to warm them- 
selves, or to cook their meat. Their principal 
articles of furniture are a kettle, in which they 
boil their meat, and some dishes or plates of 
bark and cedar wood, out of which thej' eat ; 
for drinking they use commonly the shell of the 
calabash." 

" When a Christian goes to visit them in their 
dwellings, they immediately spread on the 
ground pieces of cloth, and fine mats or skins ; 
then they produce the best they have, as bread, 
deer, elk, or bear's meat, fresh fish and bear's 
fat, to serve in lieu of butter, which they gen- 
erally broil upon the coals. These attentions 
must not be despised, but must be received 
with thankfulness, otherwise their friendship 
will turn to hatred. When an Indian visits 
his friend, a Christian, he must always uncover 
his table at the lower end, for the Indian will 
have his liberty; and he will immediately 
jump upon the table, and sit on it with hie legs 
crossed, for they are not accustomed to sit 
upon chairs ; he then asks for whatever he 
would like to eat of. When the Swedes first 
arrived, the Indians were in the habit of eating 
the flesh of their enemies. Once on an occa- 
sion they invited a Swede to go with them to 
their habitation in the woods, where they 
treated him with the best the house afforded. 
Their entertainment was sumptuous ; there 



16 



UlSTORY Ol-" MUMaOMERY COUNTY. 



Wfts broiled, boiled, aud ovcu hashed meat, all 
of which the Swede partook with them, but it 
seems it did not well agree with him. The 
Indians, however, did not let him know what 
he had been eating ; but it was told him some 
time after by some other Indians, who let him 
know that he had fad on the flesh of an Indian 
of a neighboring tribe, with whom they were 
at war." 

If we compare the American Indians with 
the natives of Europe, or Asia, we shall find 
that the superiority displayed by the latter 
Id conducting the operations of agriculture, 
depended chiefly on two circumstances, the use 
of tame animals and the possession of iron and 
other hard metals. But the aborigines of 
America had not reduced animals to subjuga- 
tion ; and they were completely ignorant of the 
harder and more useful metals. Gold, with the 
exception of a little silver and copper, was the 
only metal known in America before the disco- 
Tery ; and the use of this was chiefly confined to 
ornament. The principal tool in the posses- 
sion of the natives were hatchets of stone ; 
and with these tba labor of a year was re- 
quisite to cut down a tree and hollow it into a 
canoe. In agriculture their progress was 
equally slow. The trees with %Thich the forests 
■were crowded, were of the hardest wood, and 
the shrubs so thickly interwoven, that the 
efforts of a whole tribe were scarcely sufficient 
to clear a small piece of ground, and adapt it 
to the purposes of cultivation. The fertility 
of the soil, rather than the industry of the 
people, secured to them an increase equal to 
their wants. Necessity, chiefly, compelled 
them, for subsistence, to depend on hunting and 
fishing. 

The language of the Indians has been to us 
an interesting subject of study, we mean by 
this moi'c particularly their numerous speeches 
which have been handed down to us in the 
Colonial Records and Archives of Pennsylvania. 
We know it is customary to laud the languages 
of ancient Greece and Rome; but it is doubt- 
ful with us but what there are finer passages 
to be found in some of the speeches made by 
the unlettered savages that roamed our forests, 
not two centuries ago, than can be found in 
many of the more celebrated worthies of the 
nations referred to. There are in those Indian 
speeches some of the most splendid poetical 
images that the mind of man has ever con- 
ceived ; such cxpreseions, wo might say, of 



natural beauty that wo could almost doubt any 
language could furnish, much less that of our 
American Indians. It is confidently believed, 
though now so little known, that the time is 
not far distant when these speeches w ill become 
a part of the study of every lover of elegant 
literature. V.'llliamj Penn, in his "Present 
State of America," printed in London, in 1G87, 
at page G9, says: "Their language is lofty, 
yet narrow, but like the Hebrew; in significa- 
tion full ; like short hand in writing, one word 
serveth in the place of three, and the rest are 
supplied by the understanding of the hearer; 
imperfect in their tenses, wanting in their 
moods, participlej?, adverbs and conjunctions: 
I have made it my business to understand it, 
that I might not want an interpreter on any oc- 
casion ; and I must say, I know not a language 
spoken in Europe that has words of more 
sweetness or greatness in accent and emphasis 
than theirs ; for instance, Octorocken, Ranco- 
cas, Oricton, Schakamaxon, Poquesis, all 
which are names of places, and have grandeur 
in them of words of sweetness. Anna is 
mother ; hamus, brother ; Nelap, friend ; Us- 
que orei, very good ; Foru, bread ; 3Ictst, eat ; 
Matto, no ; Nulla, have ; Payo, to come. If 
one ask them of any thing they have not, they 
will answer, matta ne koita, which, translated, 
is, not I have, instead of / have not." The 
name they applied to the Swedes was, Akooresy 
and to the Dutch and Engliah, Senaarcs. The 
Rev. John Campanius, of whom we have alluded, 
represents the Indians as having been frequent 
visitors at his house, and that, in his conversa- 
tion with them, generally succeeded in making 
them understr.ud the leading trulhs and doc- 
trines of the gospel. He was so much encour- 
aged, that he learned their language, and 
translated the Lutheran catechism into it, and 
which was published at Stockholm la 1G9G, 
In our next article on the Swedes, estracta 
from it will be given, both ia the Indian and 
Swedish. In this work he calls the Indiaa 
language the " American Virginiske spi akot." 
It is much to be regretted that so few of those 
beautiful, sonorous-sounding Indian names 
have been retained, for no language has given 
any more agreeable to the ear. They even 
vron the admiration of Charles Dickens, who 
could find so little in America to praise. Aa 
far as our investigations have been made, the 
following constitute all the Indian names wo 
were enabled to ascertain, as now existing iu 



THB INMAIfS. 



IT 



t'nis couDty : Maant'iwiij-, rcikiorucn, AVissa- j 
hickon, Pennypack, Skippack, Saratoga, Taco- ! 
ny, Towamcnciu, Mingo. Masbilraac, Goshe- } 
hoppen, Sciota and Maoovy creeks, and Me- l 
thactou anu Conshehocken hills. These name?, ] 
it is hoped, may prove as lasting as the streams | 
and hills to which they were originally applied, ' 
for it should be remembered that they are now { 
almost the only mementos of a departed race. ) 
What a strange fatality ! While the once lords ] 
of creation here have forever dii-appeared, they \ 
have left those names behind to linger by our 
valleys and our hill-tops. An allusion has been ', 
made to Indian speeches. We have concluded, / 
partly in corroboration of our remarks, to give 'f 
■A short extract of one delivered at the court ' 
house at Lancaster, in this State, June oOth, ' 
1744, by Gacliradodow, a chief, in reply to the i 
commissioners of Virginia, concerning some ' 
lands. It is taken from Ooldcn's History of' 
the Five Indian Nations, published at -London, 
io 1755, pages 8C-7 of vol. ii. What renders 
this effort the more extraordinary is that the 
name of the speaker is only found in connec- 
tion with this speech, otherwise, like nearly all 'i 
the others, it would have passed into oblivion. 
It was translated at the time into English | 
by Conrad Weiser, who was the interpretor. I 
W'here an uncultivated mind can give expres- \ 
eion to such striking, original and concise ideas, ' 
what might it have been made if properly ed- \ 
ucated by the best schools of this day ? \ 

*' The world at first was made on the other / 
side of the Great Water, different from what it 
is on this side, as may be known from the dif- 
ferent colors of our skin, and of our flesh, and 
that which you call justice may not be so 
amongst us; you have your laws and customs, ^ 
and so have we. The Great King might send ' 
you over to conquer the Indians, but it looks > 
to us thai God did not approve of it; if he had, 
he would not have placed the sea where it is, 
as the limits betw<>eu us. You know very well, 
when the white people came first here they 
were poor; but now they have got our lands, 
and are by them become rich, and we are now ) 
poor; what little we have had for the land goes I 
soon awaj', but (he lufid lasls forever." I 

There are numbers of persons tolerably fa- j 
miliar with Indian history, yet if they were ^ 
asked to explain fully what was meant by ^ 
wampum and the calumet, would be unable to j 
give a satisfactory answer. These are so often ^ 
mentioned in our colouial records and archives^ 



as to merit some description. Wampum passed 
as current money between the early whites and 
Indians. There were two kinds of it, the 
white and purple. They were both worked 
into the form of beads, generally each about 
half an inch long, and one-eighth broad, with 
a hole drilled through them so as to be strung 
on leather or hempen strings. The white was 
made out of the great conch or sea-shell, and 
the purple out of the inside of the muscla 
shell. These beads, as we shall «all them, 
after being strung, were next woven by the In- 
dian women into belts, sometimes broader than 
a person's hand, and about two feet long. It 
was these that were given and received at their 
various treaties as seals of friendship ; in mat- 
ters of less importance, only a single string was 
given. Two pieces of white wampum were con- 
sidered to equal in value one of the purple. 
The calumet was a large smoking pipe, made 
out of some soft stone, commonly of a dark 
red color, well polished, and shaped some- 
what in the form of a hatchet, and ornamented 
with large feathers of several colors. It was 
used in all their treaties with the whites, and 
it was considered by them as a flag of truce 
between contending parties, which it wotild be 
a high crime to violate. In fact, the calumet 
by tUem was considered as sacred and as se- 
rious an obligation as an oath among the 
Christians. The late Matthias Holstein found 
on his farm, near Norristown, while ploughing, 
a number of years ago, an Indian head, inge- 
niously carved in stone. Axes and arrow-heada 
are still occasionally found along the entire 
valley of the Schuylkill, which, in a reflecting 
mind, will awaken an interest in the people to 
whom they once belonged. 

The early history of Pennsylvania is not one 
of bloodshed, like that of New England. One 
great reason of this is the fair and honorable 
purchases made here for the lands of the In- 
diana. From the earliest period, both the 
Swedes and the English recognized in the na- 
tives a right to the soil. We have looked in 
vain to find an instance of even a single murder 
or outrage having been committed between the 
Indians and the whites within the present 
limits of Montgomery county. At the time of 
the first settlement of the Swedes along the 
Delaware in 1638, they purchased the lands 
from the natives. We learn from Campanius, 
that during the administration of John Clau- 
dius Risingb, the succGssor of Governor Printz, 



IS 



iriSTORY OF MONTaOMERT OOUNTr. 



that on the 17th of June, IG.'jI, there was held 
on Tinicum Island, near the mouth of the 
Schuylkill, a great treaty, at vrliich were pre- 
Bcnt ten ueighboring chiefs, besides many In- 
diaus. The right of the Queen of Sweden wae 
admitted to all the lands which lliey had sold, 
and the old league of friendship was duly con- 
firmed. Naoman, a firm friend of the Swedes, 
was the principal speaker on this occasion. 
The covenants then entered into, it is perhaps 
needless to add, were never violated. After 
tho business of the treaty had been concluded, 
two great kettles oi sapj^an, as the Swedes called 
mush made of Indian corn, were produced. At 
one the chiefs sat, and around the other, the 
cjmmon Indians, all seated on the floor. Cam- 
panius says they " fed heartily and were satis- 
fied." 

Immediately after the arrival of V>'illiani 
Penn, he at once entered upon treaties with 
the Indian chiefs for the purchase of lands. 
By the royal charter granted him no other had 
the right, and he therefore stipulated with the 
purchasers under him to extinguish the right 
of the Indian.s to the same. His religiius 
principles would not permit him to wrest the 
soil from those to whom Nature had given it, | 
and therefore under the shade of the lofty ; 
trees of the forest did he mnkc his tre^tic^-, I 
and which were duly sanctified by cmoking in- ; 
cense from the calumet of peace. In these j 
early purchases the boundaries arc often vague ! 
and undefined, and the stations cannot always ; 
be precisely ascertained at the present day. ! 
The earliest purchase by Penn, of any part of ; 
what now constitutes Montgomery count}', was ; 
made the 2jth of June, 1G83, of Wingebone, ! 
for all his right to lands lying on the we.-t side ; 
of the Schuylkill, beginning at the lower falls ■ 
of the same, and so on up, and backwards of \ 
said stream as far as his right goes. The next ; 
purchase was made the 14th of July, of the I 
same year, from Secane and Idquoquehan and 
others, for all the land lying between the Man- 
ayunk or Schuylkill River and Macopanackhau 
or Chester River, and up as far as the Conshe- 
hocken Hill, which is opposite the present bo- 
rough of that name. On the same day. another 
purchase was mode of Neneshickan, Malebore, 
Neshanocke and Oscreneon, for the lauds lying 
between the Schuylkill and Pennepack streams, 
and extending as far north-west as Conshe- 
Locken, but now better known as Edge Hill. 



On the Cd of June, ICS I, all the right of M;uigh- 
hongsink to tho land along the Peikiomen 
Creek, was duly sold and conveyed. On the 
7th of the same month and year, Mettamicont 
relinquished all his right to lands on both sides 
of the Pennepack. July 30th, 1G85, Shak- 
hoppa, Seeano, Malebore and Tangoras con- 
veyed all their righi to lands situated between 
Chc-tcr and Pennepack Creeks, and extending 
up into the country, in a north-west direction 
from the sources of those streams, two full 
djys' journey. This almost takes in the whole 
of the county, excepting only that portion 
lying east of the Pennypack Creek. July 5th, 
1697, another purchase was made from Tam- 
any, Vv'eheeland, Wehequeekhon, Yaqueekhon 
and Quenamockquid, for all their right to landa 
lying between the Pennepack and Neshaminy 
creeks, and extending in a north-west direction 
from the Delaware as far as a horse could 
travel in two days. Thus was finally extin- 
guished by purchase all the right and title of 
the Indians to any portion of tiio soil now 
embraced within tho limits of Montgomery 
County. 

An Indian council was held by previous ap- 
pointment, at the house of Edward Farmer, 
where is now the village of Wiiitemarsh, on 
the 19th of May, 1712. The Governor, Charles 
Gookiu, was present, with the Sheriff, John 
Budd, Coroner Richard Walker, and others. 
A delegation of eleven Delaware Indians was 
present, Sassunan being the principal chief, 
accompanied by Ealochelan and Scholichy, 
the latter being speaker. Edward Farmer, who 
was quite familiar with the Indian langungp, 
performed the duties of inter.pretor. Scolit- 
chy, in his address to the Governor, mentioned, 
that as the Delawares had been made tributary 
to the Mingocs, or Five nations, many years ago, 
tiiey had thought proper to call on him pre- 
vious to their seeing those tribes, and that they 
had brought their tribute along, which was 
duly presented to the Governor, and consisted 
of thirty-two belts of wampum, of various 
figures, and a long Indian pipe called the calu- 
met, made of stone, the shaft of which Avas 
adorned with feathers resembling wings, besides 
other ornamente. Their business was amica- 
bly adjusted to the entire satisfaction cf all 
parties. On this occasion the Governor and 
his friends, thirteen in number, came from 
Philadelphia on horseback. 



THE SWEDES. 



10 



III. 



THE SWEDES. 



The credit is iluc to the Sweaes of Laving ) 
jTiiide the first permanent settlements in Peun- ^ 
sylvania. The Dutch founded Fort Orange and [ 
New Amsterdam, on the Hudson lliver, in ^ 
1G12. These settlements proved so successful ) 
that it was not long before they arrested the ^ 
attention of Gustavus Adolphus, the illustrious \ 
monarch of Sweden. William Usselinx, a Hoi- > 
lander by birth, but now a distiuguisbed mer- \ 
chaut of Stockholm, conceived the idea, in | 
lGii4, of starting a company somewhat similar > 
to the Dutch, for trading and colonizing pur- ■• 
poses, on the west side of the Delaware River. ) 
All the necessary stock was subscribed, and I 
every thing arranged for the successful prose- \ 
cution of the matter, when a German war \ 
broke out, which checked the enterprise, and \ 
resulted in the death of the monarch, at the ) 
battle of Lutzen, in November, 1632. How- > 
ever, the project was not allowed to slumber, I 
and during the minority of Queen Christina, > 
her excellent prime minister, Oxenstiern, re- s 
vived it on a somewhat smaller scale. Two ? 
vessels, the "Key of Calmar" and the "Bird ^ 
Giip," were despatched from Gottenburg to the \ 
Delaware, in the fall of 1637, with colonists, j 
provisions, ammunition and merchandise for s 
traflSc. Peter Minuet, who had formerly been ) 
Governor of New Amsterdam, but bad become \ 
dissatisfied witli the company, off"ered his ser- i 
vices to the Swedes, and was appointed to the ^ 
command of the expedition. They arrived \ 
safely at Cape Henlopen, near which place } 
they first landed. A clergyman, the Rev. s 
Reorius Torkillus, accompanied them as chap- \ 
lain. They made a purchase from the natives, ? 
in 1G38, of the lands on the west side of the s 
bay, from Cape Henlopen to Santhicon, or the s 
falls of the Delaware, which they called " New \ 
Sweden." Thoy next proceeded up the river < 
and built a town and fort, on the north side of ^ 
Minquaas, or Mingo Creek, three miles from its ;• 
mouth, which they called Christina, in hodftrof ^ 
their sovereign, which name was also given to the ; 
stream. Tradition has it that the ancestors of s 
the Rambos, the Holsteins, the Yocums, and the ? 
Matsous and others, now so numerous in Mont- i 



goniery county, arrived in these vessels The 
Swed(^s zealously endeavored to cultivate peace 
with th« Indians and Dutch, who had settled 
and taken possession of t!ie country on the 
opposite side of the river. Minuet, after three 
years' administration, died, and Peter Hollen- 
dare. Lis successor, after ruling a year and a 
half, returned home. Immediately on this 
event John Priutz was appointed Governor, and 
the Rev. John Canipanius chaplain of the col- 
ony. They sailed from Stockholm August 
16ih, 1G42, in the ship Fame, accompanied by 
two other vessels of war, the Swau and tho 
Charitas, and proceeded up the Delaware to tho 
low alluvial island called by the natives Tiui- 
cum or Tinnekonk, situated below, but near 
the mouth of the Schuylkill. This spot Gov- 
ernor Printz selected both for a colony and his 
futura residence, and in consequence landed 
here in February, 1643, A strong fort was 
immediately erected of large green hemlock 
logs, and a handsome palace for the Governor, 
called Printz Hall, which was surrounded with 
a fine orchard and pleasure grounds. Near by, 
on the same island, were also erected a num- 
ber of houses and plantations for the most re- 
spectable colonists. The whole was called New 
Gottenburg, and enjoyed the dignity for twelve 
years of being the metropolis and capital of 
New Sweden. Queen Christina, this same 
year, on hearing of Governor Printz's valuable 
services and success in founding the colony, 
granted him the island and town thereon as a 
possession to be enjoyed by him and his heirs 
forever. In her instructions to the Governor, 
among other matters she strictly enjoined kim 
to administer justice according to Swedish 
laws; to preserve, as far as practicable, the 
manners and customs of Sweden ; to promote 
diligently all profitable branches of industry, 
such as the culture of grain, of tobacco, of the 
vine, and the mulberry for silk, the raising of 
cattle, to search for precious metals, diligently 
to cultivate a traffic with the Indians, and es- 
pecially to be careful to undersell the English 
and the Dutch. With the Indians he was to 
confirm the former purchases of lauds and 
treaties cf peace ; and as far as practicable to 
win them over to embrace Christianity, and 
adopt the manners and customs of civilized 
life. Under these wholesome instructions the 
Swedish colony abundantly prospered. 

The early Swedes undoubtedly were a moral 
and religious people, and under the most ad- 



dO 



IlISTOllT 01' ilOIfTCKWMBllY' COUIfXT. 



verse circumstances never lost sight of their I ernmcnt transferred there. On the 5th of 
faith. As soon as opportunities permitted a I December of this year, (1C55), a great fire 
commodious church of wood was built, which \ broke out in New Gottcnburg, which consumeJ 
was consecrated by the Rev. Mr. Oampanius, ^ the fort and the town. Whether tliis disaster 
on the 4th of September, IGIG, and was the l was brought .ibotit by the Dutch, while taking 
first house of worship erected in Tenn.^ylvania. S or holding possession of the place, we are uua- 
A burying ground was laid out adj^icent, and \ ble to tell, but the circumstance was suflicient 
the first corpse interred was that of Catharine, | to bring on a dcelinc from which it never re- 
the daughter of Andrew Hansen, on the fol- covered, and its existence is only now a matter 
lowing 28th of October. This church has long of history. It cannot be denied that the prin- 
eince been destroyed, and in consequence of cipal object of the Dutch and Swedes in their 
the scarcity ol stone on the isuvnu nnd its vi- < settlements along the Delaware from 1623 to 
cinity, bricks were used in its foundation, | iCGo, was the prosecution of the fur trade, 
one of which may now be seen in the collec- s with the Minqua Indians. The documents of 
tions of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. ; the Holland Company in 1G5G, speak of the 
It is made of clay, slightly burnt, and of a S great beaver trade of the Schuylkill, and along 
light amber color, its dimensions are six and a ^ which for the -more successful operations of 
half by three inches, being smaller than bricks ? this traffic they erected several forts. But 
made at the present day. In consequence, its the Dntch were more actuated by selfish con- 
appears, of a too rigid exercise of authority, \ siderations — a mere love of gain — while the 
Governor Printz became quite unpopular among S Swedes, by cultivating the soil to some extent, 
the colonists, and after a residence of ten years < gave permanency and success to the colony, 
returned in 1G52, leaving his son-in-law, Pop- ^ However much the kind-hearted Swedes had 
pegoia, in temporary charge of the colony. \ been wronged by their masters, retaliatory 
The Swedes about this time also formed a set- ? justice was approaching to teach them that the 
tlement a few miles below New Gotteuburg, on s way of the transgressor is hard. The English, 
the Delaware, which they called Upland, which I in 1GG4, conquered the whole country of New 
continued to bear this name till the arrival of I Netherlands, and Sir Piobert Carr became dcp- 
Penn, in 1882, when it was called Chester. \ uty governor here, under Richard Nichols, of 
They also had two settlements and forts on the j New York. At the lower end of the present 
Schuylkill, a short distance above its mouth, | city of Philadelphia the Swedes had a small 
■which they called Gripsholm and New Wasa. | settlement, which was called Wicaco, where n 
In 1654, Peter Lindstrom, the royal Swedish I a block house, in 16C9, was built for the purpo- 
engineer, made a map of New Sweden, which | ses of defence, armed with "loop-holes," 
included the bay and river Delawart, with the | which in 1G77 was converted into a house of 
adjacent country on the west side, up as far as s worship. The spot is still used for this pur- 
the falls at Trenton. It has also the Schuyl- | pose to the present day, being the site of the 
kill marked as far up as to contain a part of the I Swedes Church, the Rev. Jacob Fabriciua 
^rritory now comprised in Montgomery coun- | being the first pastor. Three Swedes of the 
iy. Though this map is not a correct one, yet > name of Swansea owned the land on which 
there is enougb delineated to show that the s tho city stands, which they relinquished to 
Swedes at this time were tolerably familiar i Penn, shortly after his arrival, for a small con- 
■with the country. A few English families from > sideration. Upland, the English, in 1673, 
Maryland settled upon the Schuylkill as early < made the chief place of a judicial district. 
as 1G42. They were, however, soon after > From the "Court Records" of this place we 
driven away by the Hollanders. The Dutch \ learn that in 1677, Laer Colman, Pell Laerson, 
West India Company having for some time had ' and Peter Erickson took up three hundred 
possession of the opposite shores of the Dela- | acres near the "Falls of Schuylkill." Having 
ware, now New Jersey, began to covet the < proceeded so far in chronological order, we will 
western side also, at length in 1G44, laid claim J fall l^ck to say that a ship, called the Mercu- 
to this territory under a grant from the gov- i rius, arrived from Sweden, in 1656, filled with 
ernment of Holland, and the year after was ^ emigrants. As tho Dutch had the 'j'car pre- 
Bubdued by Stuyvcsant, the Dutch Governor of I vious taken poiisession of the country, they 
New Amsterdam, now New York, and the gov- •, tried to prevent her from ascending the river. 



THE SWEDES- 



21 



but the Indians, ever the true friends of tie 
Swedes, interposed tlieir authority, when the 
ship was permitted to pass on and discharge 
bcr passengers and freight. 

Tbe Rev. John Campanius, of whom we have 
several times spoken, deserves at our hands a 
further notice. He was born in the village of 
Frost Hnlt, Sweden, in the year 1600. His 
works show that while young he must have 
received a good education, and that at no pe- 
riod of his long life had been an idle student. 
Doubtless owing to his abilities he received the 
appointment of preceptor of the Orphans' 
House at Stockholm. This post he held till he 
received the appointment of Chaplain, under 
Governor Printz, of the colony about to be 
established in New Sweden. He sailed with 
the expedition in August 1642, and arrived at 
Tinicum Island, below the mouth of the Schuyl- 
kill, in February of the next year, A church 
was erected here in 1G4G, having no doubt pre- 
viously held worship in Governor Printz's 
mansion. A desire to be spiritually use- 
ful to the Indians, induced him to study their 
language, which he acquired at length with 
tolerable proficiency. During his residence 
here he laid the foundation of his two princi- 
pal works: Luther's Catechism in the Swedish 
and Indian languages, with a vocabulary, and 
the Description of New Sweden. It is much 
regretted that he never finished these works 
himself. He returned, with his family, from 
Elfsborg, in the ship Swan, on the 13th of 
May, 1648, and landed at Stockholm, July 3d, 
making the voyage in sixty-three days, which 
was considered a remarkably short passage. 
Soon after his arrival he was made first preach- 
er of the Admiralty, and afterwards pastor of 
Upland, where we believe he continued to pre- 
side till his death. He died the 17th of Sep- 
tember, 1683, at the advanced age of eighty- 
three years, and was interred in the Church of 
Froet Hult, where a monument is erected to 
bis memory. There is commonly attached to 
his name (he word Ilohn, which has led several 
to presume it to be his surname, but in fact was 
iutended to imply that he was from Stockholm, 
such affixes being customary in those days. 
His son, it appears, was in this country with 
him, and from the papers of the former and 
the relations of the latter, with perhaps some 
other traditionary matter, his son, Thomas 
Campanius, who was never in America, pre- 
pared and published the aforesaid works. 



These labors of Cumpnuius possess a particu- 
lar value, and go to supply what otherwise 
would have been a considerable gap in the 
early history of Pennsylvania. What adds to 
their interest at this day is their remarkable 
originality and vigor of mind which they dis- 
play. There are a few defects in them which 
we must overlook on account of the manner 
under which they were prepared. These con- 
sist, chiefly, of a few inaccaracies as regards 
dates, and an occasional tinge of exaggera- 
tion. There is reason to believe that he was the 
first missionary among the Indians in Penn- 
sylvania, if not within the limits of the thir- 
tefn original colonies. lie began the transla- 
tion of the Catechism in the Lenni Leuapo 
language, in 1646, being fifteen years before 
the publication of the New Testament of John 
Elliot into the Indian language in New Eng- 
land. 

The works of Campanius, as may well be 
expected, at this day* are extremely rare. 
There is a ccpy of each in the Philadelphia 
Library, and a copy of his New Sweden in the 
Library of the Historical Society'; none other 
is known to us, at least in Pennsylvania. The 
Catechism, which was printed in 1696, is a 
small duodecimo of 160 pages, to which is ap- 
pended a vocabulary of 28 pages of the Indian, 
or, as he calls it, Virginian language. The 
following is copied from its title page and is in 
the Swedish : " Lutheri Catechismus Ofwcrsatt 
pa American-Virginiske Spraket. Stockholm, 
Tryct vthi, thet af Konigl-Maytt, privileg. 
Bur#iardi Tryckeri af I.I. Genath, f. Anno. 
MDCXCVI." Following, from page 130, is the 
Lord's Prayer, in the Indian and also in the 
Swedish. These are given chiefly to show to 
our readers what comparison may exist be- 
tween those two languages and the English or 
German. 

" Nooshun Kesukquot, Quittiana tamunach 
Koowesuonk. Peyaumoontch Kukke tussoo 
tamoonk. Kutte nautamoonk neu uach ohkeit 
ncane Kesukquut. Nummeet suongash ascke- 
sukokish assamaijnean yeuyeu kesukod Kah 
ahquontamnj innean numat cheseongash Neane 
matchenehu queagig nuta quonta mounnonog. 
Ah que sagkom pagunainnean en qutchhuaoD' 
gauit. Webe pohquoh Wussincan wutch ma- 
chitut. Amen." 

"Fader war som ast i Himblom. Ilelgat 
warde tikk Namn. Tilkomme [tikk llijke. 
Skee tin Wilie, sason i Ilimmelou, sa ock pa 



oa 



nieiOUY 01- .MOXTQOMlillY COUNTT. 



Jorilonno. Wmt ^Icpcligit Broil pif of/, i Dajj. ! liorny j.)iiits in t'lu'ir tails, which in'ike a n<ii.«e 
Ocb fori;it oyz wara hUuKUt, sasaiii ock wij for- j lii<c cliilJreii'.s rattles, oikI when they see a man 
Into llicin osz skyldige aro. Och iiiled osz icke / Hicy wioil tlioniselves in a circle, niicl aliako 
i Trcstelseii. Vtnn frals osz ifnm Omlo. Ty \ their heads, which can be heard at the distance 
likk ar R'jket, Machten och Ilarligheteu i i of a hundred yards, so that one may put him- 
Eweghet, Ameu." | self oa his guard. These snakes are three 

The other work of Campanius was also s yards long, and thick as the thickest part of a 
printed at Stockholm, in the Swedish, in 1702, | man's leg ; tlicy are as many years old as they 
the title of which is "Jvort Bes'kyrfunnig om \ have rattles in their tails; their color is brown, 
Provincian Nya Swerigo callas Pennsylvania, " < black and yellow." 

which literally translated reads " Brief Be- } It appears that the calabash is a native of 
scription of the Proviticc of New Sweden, now ] this country, and that its name is of Indian 
Pennsylvania." It contains several maps of < origin, a circumstance we have not seen men- 
the country which were made before 1055, be- \ tioncd in any other work. It seems as if Mr. 
sides several curious copper-plate engravings. < Campanius had no knowledge of the poisonous 
AVe shall now give a few additional extracts > qualities of the rattlesnake. The Rev. An- 
from this work which relate to this section of s drew Sandel, who was the Swedish minister at 
the country, and from their uoveMy cannot fail ? Wicaco, from 1702 to 1719, and if not a native 



to interest the reader. 



s of Sweden was at least educated there, and 



"About the Falls there grow volnut, chest- s belonged to what was called the " mis.sion." 
nut, peach and mulberry trees, and several ^ T'^e following is his account of the appearance 
sorts of plum trees, and grape vines ; hemp \ of the locusts, a.s published in Clay's Sv/edish 
and hops grow in abundance. On this river i Annals: — • 

there grows a plant, the fruit of which is i " In May, 1715, a multitude of locusts came 
round, and is called Ca/a/>*a«/(. It is a vine that < out of the ground, everywhere, even on the 
runs along the ground. The fruit is shaped | solid roads. They were wholly covered Avitli 
like a. pear. Some are as large ns a great ^ a shell, and it seemed very wonderful that they 
pumpkin, and others are as small as a snufl- \ could penetrate the Lard earth. Having come 
box. The skin is yellow, smooth, and thin as \ out of the earth, they crept oat of the shells, 
glass; it is hard and tough as horn. If they | flew away, sat down on the trees, and made a 
chance to fall on the ground they will not split | peculiar noise till evenings. Being spread over 
to pieces. Within, they are full of seeds; \ the country in such numbers, the noise they 
when these are taken out the fruit serves as a > made was so loud that the cow-bells could 
vessel for several uses. If sawed in two they s scarcely be heard in the woods. They pierced 
will make bottles, cups and dishes, ani> foi- ( the bark on the branches of the trees, and de- 
variety's sake they may be rimmed with silver. ^ posited their eggs in the opening. Many ap- 
Some of them are so large that they will hold \ prehended that the trees would wither in con- 
!i gallon or more. There is also a kind of fly, | sequence of this, but no symptom of it was ob- 
which the Indians call Cucuyo, which in the I served the next year. Hogs and poultry fed 
night gives so strange a light that it is suffi- i on them. Even the Indians did eat them, es- 
cient, when a man is traveling, to show him | pecially when they first came, boiling tljera a 
the way: one may also write and read the ) little. They did not continue long, but died 
."smallest print by the light which they give. ) in the month of June. The same year was 
When the Indians go in the night a hunting, \ very fruitful." 

they fasten these in ects to their hands and I Accustomed as we now are to those things, 
feet, by which they can sec their way as well > they seem of little moment, but to the early 
as in the day time. One nigL. those flies | Europeans they justly excited astonishment, 
frightened all the soldiers that were on guard j being so uulike anything found in their own 
nt Fort Christina: they thouf^ht they were \ country. 

enemies advancing toward them with lighted ( The charter of Pennsylvania was granted by 
matches. There is here, also, a large and hor- > Charles II., March 4th, 1081. AVilUam Penn, 
rible serpent, which is called a rattlesnake. \ the founder of Pennsylvania, landed at Upland, 
It has a head like p. dog, and can bite off a \ now called Cl'.cster, on the 8th of November, 
man's leg as if cut with an use. There are \ (new style) 1GS2, from the ship Welcome, com- 



TIIK SWEDES, 



iTifiniled bv T!i(bert Greonn'.vnv, Kicli.ird I 
Towusend, a passenger in this vessel, states in I; 
his "Testimony," tbat "At our arrival we s 
fuunil it a wilderness ; the chief inhabitants I 
were Indians, and some Sv.'edes, who received ^ 
us in a friendly manner, and though there was s 
a great number of us the good hand of Provi- ^ 
dence was seen in a particular manner, in tliat s 
provisions were found for us, by tlie Swedes 5; 
a d Indians, at very reasonable rates." Pcun s 
proceeded at this place to establish his govei'U- \ 
meut over the infant province, and convened ( 
an assembly which ni«t on the 4th of Decem- 
ber following. This sctsion only lasted three 
days and enacted three laws. One was to na- 
turalize the Swedes, Dutch and other foreign- 
ers in the province. Late in the year 1GS2, \ 
assisted by Thomas Holme, the Surveyor Gen- s 
eral, Penu laiil out Philadelphia on land pur- i 
chased from three Swedes. The Proprietary, I 
it appears, was delighted with the kind recep- 5 
tion he received from the gentle-hearted \ 
Swedes. After his departure from this conn- \ 
try he seiit a letter from London, dated the s 
l(3'.h of 1st mo., 1GS4-5, to Thomas Lloyd, \ 
President of Council, in which he says, s 
" Salute me to the Swedes, Captain Cock, old > 
Peter, Cock, and llambo, and their sons, the \ 
Swansons, Andrew Binkson, P. Yoakura, and ; 
the rest of them. Their ambassador here ^ 
dined with me the other day." Penn, again, \ 
in bis "Present State of America," printed in 
London, in 1687, at page lOG says, "I must 
ueeds commend the Swedes' respect to author- 
ity, and kind behavior to the English; they do 
not degenerate from the old friendship between 
both kingdoms. As they are people proper 
and strong of body, so they have fine children, 
and almost every house full, rare to find one of 
them without three or four boys, and as many 
girls; some six, seven, eight s(>us: And I must \ 
do them that right, I see few young men more ^ 
sober and industrious." s 

We can well imngine the condition of any ^ 
people living for so many years as isolated as s 
the Swedes did from their mother country, that ^ 
any occurrence which would throw lisrht on s 
their kindred and friends abroad, would stir up I; 
wiihiu their breasts, as it would in most human \ 
beings similarly situated, the strong and warm \ 
sparks of affection which still binds the race \ 
to the land of its fathers. About the year 1690, \ 
Andrew Priutz, a nephew of Governor Printz, ' 
unexpectedly visited his countrymcu along the ^ 



Delnwaro, and was ImiKil wiih delight, alTec- 
tion and warm hospitality. lie was from the 
" fatherland," and could tell them much about 
their own dear Sweden. Two men, at least, 
were still living who had crossed the ocean with 
their first Governor: old Peter P>ondc and Te-\ 
ter Ptambo. Young Printz returned to Fv eden, 
and at Gottei burg nut with John Thelin, tiie 
postmaster of the place, and to whom he re- 
lated the circumstances of his joutncy, and 
particularly of the discovery he had made of a 
settlement of " oh( Swedes," on the Delaware, 
who lited comforiably, had good land, dwelt 
together in harmony, and used the old Swedish 
way in every thing. Comnuinication between 
Sweden and Pennsylvania at this time, it should 
be remembered, wan very rare. John Thelin 
was acquainted with a sister of old Peter 
Rambo, who lived in Gottenburg, and through 
her aid sent a letter of inquiry to the Swedes 
along the Delaware, dated November 16lh, 
1692, and which was received the 23d of May, 
of the following year, A reply Tas sent eight 
days after, by Charles Springer, of Christina, 
in which it was stated that they were in want 
of two ministers of the "true Lutheran 
faith," 3 books of sermons, 12 bibles, 42 psalm 
books, 100 tracts, with 200 catechisms, and as 
many primers, and for which punctual pay- 
ment was olrered. With this lettor was sent 
an interesting account of the mode of life 
among tlt^^wedes, of which the following is 
an extrocW "As to what concei'ns our situa- 
tion in this country, we are for the most part 
husbandmen. Y/e plough and sow and till the 
gri.,und ; and as to our meat and drink, we 
live according to the old Swedish custom, 
This country is very rich and fruitful, and here 
grow all sorts of grain in great plenty, so that 
we are richly supplied with meat and drink, 
ami we send out yearly to our neighbors on 
this continent and the neighboring islands, 
bread, grain, flour and oil. We have here all 
sorts of beasts, fowls and fishes. Our wives 
and daughters employ themselves in spinning 
wool and flax, and many of them in weaving; 
so that we have great reason to thank the Al- 
mighty for his manifold mercies and benefits. 
We a'so live in peace and friendship with one 
another, and the Indians have not molested us 
for many years. Further, since this country 
has ceased to be under the government of 
Sweden, we are bound to say, for the sake of 
truth, that we have been will and kindly 



24 



IIL^OUY 01- >IC«(TCfOMERY COUIfTT. 



treated, ns well hy the Diitcli ns by bis Mnjes- 
ty, the King of EngliiniJ. We have always had 
over us good aud gracious magistrates, and we 
live with one another iu peace aud quietness." 
The Swedish inhabitants were much gratified 
iu receiving, shortly after, the aiitiisters and 
bouks which they so earnestly desired, by order 
of the Swedish governtuent, free of charge. 

Tiie present population of Swedish extrac- 
tion in Pennsylvania must now be considerable. 
By order of Governor Stuyvesant, it was as- 
certained, in 16-39, that there were one hundred 
and thirty Swedish families In New Sweden. 



vivnr of those who came over iu the first expe- 
dition. He had then four surviviuiZ sons ; theso 
were Peter, Gunner, Andrew and .John. 

Peter llnmbo, Jr., we find first mentioned in 
W a 1 1 c r WimTfoiTsTTo o k of Surveys, at Harris- 
burg, from which we learn that there was a 
tract of land surveyed to him, called " Rams- 
dorp;" extending from the Pennepack creek, 
northcasterlj', fifty perches along the Delaware, 
and which contained throe hundred acres. In 
December, 1G81, he is mentioned in the Upland 
Court Records. He was present at the landing 
of Penn at Upland, now Chester, November 8, 



In 1G93 these had increased to one hundred < 1682. With Swan Swauson he was a witness 
and eighty-nine families, numbering upwards \ to the Indians signing the deed of July 14th, 
of nine hundred and thirty-niue inhabitants. | 1G83, for lands to William Penn. In the list of 
Bancroft, in his History of the United States, < Swedish inhabitants, in 1G93, he is mentioned 
estimates them now as being one part in two 
hundred of the present population. He sup- 
poses that at the time of their surrender to the 
Dutch, in 1055, that they may have exceeded 
seven hundred souls. So far we have rather 
generalized the subject, which was deemed 
necessary for a better understanding of the 
subsequent history of the Swedes, as they pro- 
gressed up the Schuylkill, founded settlements, 
built churches, and gave names to places, 
around which have since clustered revolution- 
ary associations. 

Among our ancient Swedish families, none 
arc, perhaps, as numerous, at this day, as that 
of Piambo. Whether there was maui than one 
bearing this name that came from Sweden with 



as having six persons in his family. Charmed 
with the beauty and fertility of the Schuylkill 
valle}', he removed with his family from the 
vicinity of Upland and settled in Upper Merion 
township, in 1712, where he had purchased a 
large tract of land adjoining the river, and oq 
which he spent the remainder of his days. 

Gunner Rambo, brother of the aforesaid, we 
find, was a member of the grand jurj', at Phila- 
delphia, the 27th of 12th month, 1G83, and 
represented Philadelphia county iu the Assem- 
bly, in ICSo. In the list of 1G98, he is repre- 
sented as having six in his family. He moved 
into Upper Meriou about the time his brother 
did, aud took up a large tract above but adja- 
cent to his, and frouting on the river. It was 

Governor Minuet, in 1737, we arc unable posi- s on a portion of his laud that the Swedes' Church 

lively to tell, but we have reason to believe \ was built. 

that Peter Rambo and his family included the s Andrew Rambo, we find, was appointed by 



whole. It appears that he was a coiiFfiicuous 
man in the early settlement, from what little 
lias been handed down to us. la 1G57, he was 
appointed by the Director General one of the 
magistrates of the colony; he was also a com- 
missary, which office he resigned in IGGl. On 
the Ist of ^lay, 1GG8, Colonel Francis Lovelace, '. 
of New York, made him oue of the counsellors ; 
of Robert C^irr, the deputy governor. He was ' 
appointed a justice of the peace, October 3rd, ; 
1G7G, with five others, in the Jurisdiction of; 
Delaware River and dependencies, any three or ' 



the Court at Upland, March 14th, 1C81, one of 
nine overseers of highways, whose jurisdiction 
extended frcm Marcus Hook to the Falls of 
Delaware. The portion assigned to him was 
from the Falls of Schuylkill to Tacony creek. 
We find he was continued in the same the year 
following. The law, at this time, required the 
roadd to he repaired before the last day of May. 
In the lis' of 1G93, he is repreiionted as having 
nine persons in his family, aud John Rambo, 
six. 

Mons or Mouncc Rambo was the son of Gun- 



more to be a Court of Judicature for one year, s ner Rambo, aud was born iu 1693, and accom- 
As he had a sister living iu Gottcnburg, in 1G92, ^ panied his father to Upper Merion, where he 
and with whom he had a correspondence, the > spent the remainder of his days. He was a 
inference is that he may have been a native of ^ famous hunter, and liis exploits still live iu the 
that place. He was still living in 1693, and, / traditions of the neighborhood. When he first 
with Andrew Boude, was perhaps the only sur- ! came here, he used to say that there were num- 



THE SWEDES. 



25 



bers of friendly Indians about and among tliem. > 
He stated tbat he bad febot number's of deer '^ 
ill Uie vicinity as late as the yenr 1770. Once \ 
he shot a punther which he fout.d ntternpiitn \ 
to attack his dog. Another time, he wounded ) 
a large deer, and in stepping across it to cut ^ 
its throat with a knife, the deer made off with "> 
bim at full s'/eed; however, he clung ^o its; 
back and in this position succeeded iu killing ^ 
the animal. The Swedes' Church, in 17G0, wns 'i 
built on a portion of his farm. la the giave- \ 
yard of the same may be seen a large itone / 
which has inscribed on it, "In m.emnry of j 
Mons Rimbo, who departed this life October ^ 
the 23id, 1782, aged S9 years." In the ii=t of ^ 
settlers of Upper Merion, in 1734, we find the \ 
names of Moance, Gabriel, John and E'.iris j 
Rambo, and, for the same year, Peter Rambo, ^ 
in Providence towuship. In the ancient tomb- \ 
stoaes of the Swedes' Church, wc find ilie < 
names of Diana Rambo, wlio died J:inuary GOlh. < 
1744-5, aged 36 years; Peter Rambo, June! 
18th, 1667. aged 42 years ; and Mathias Rambo. ; 
October lOth, 1782, aged 66 years. In the list : 
of voters in Upper Merion for 1858. we find 
registered six of the name of Rambo, and the 
same number for Upper P' ovidence 

The earliest we know of the name of Holalein 
is in the list of Swedish settlers in 1693, wheie 
Mats Holslein is mentioned as having a family 
of four persons. Tiiere is a family tradition 
that he came over with Governor Minuet, in 
1637, and that he is the ancestor of all those 
bearing the name and of Swedish descent to be 
found in Pennsylvania. M.sts. or rather Ma- 
thias, Holstein, son of the aforesaid; in the 
year 1712, with Brita, his wife, moved up along 
the Schuylkill and took up his abode in " Am- 
masland," now called Upper Merion. Besides 
the native Indians, he found a few Welshmen 
scattered through the country, and who had 
preceded him. He purchased a tract contain- 
ing one thousand acres of land, which lay di- 
rectly opposite where Norristown now stands. 
It had a river-front of about-a mile, and from 
thence extending back into the country some 
two miles, embracing all the territory upon 
■which the boiough of Bridgeport is now laid 
out, the Shainline farms, Peter Supplee's, and 
all the land from Red Hill to the river. Swedes 
Ford was also on this, and which name we know 
it bore before the year 1723. In the year 1714, 
he built a stono house on his place, about one 
and a-balf miles from the river, where he lived 



with his family. His children, grand-children» 
great-grand-children and great-great-grand- 
children hove been born in that house, and its 
wnlls still stand, though they have been built 
upon and added to several times since. The 
aforesaid had a son, MatKias, who was bcl-n in 
1717, and married Mngdalena, daughter of 
Marcus Hulings, of Morlatton, a Swedish set- 
tlement on the Schuylkill, four miles above the 
present borough of Pottstown. Mrs. Holstein, 
who survived her husbnnd many years, related 
several incidents in her early life, which at 
this day seem quite curious. 

Shi well remembered, when quite young, 

being carried some distance on a squaw's back. 

The traveling then was chiefly performed in 

canoos. When married and brought to Swedes* 

Ford, near where her husband resided, she and 

all her wedding friends came down the river in 

cauoes. In February, 1747, we find in the 

Colonial Rn^ordsthat a company of volunteers 

or Associators, as they were then called, was 

raised in Upper Merion, on account of the 

; French and Indian troubles then raging on the 

', fiontievs. John Hughs was appuiuted captain, 

i Mathias Holstein, lieutenant, and Frederick 

! Holstein, ensign. But their services, we be- 

I lieve, were never required. This Mathias IIol- 

> stein died December 10th, 1768, aged 51 yeare, 

; and is buried st the Swedes' Church. It ia 

J said he was one of the most active in the erec- 

) tion of this church, in 1760. In the list of 

I selt-ers. in 1734, we find there was a Henry 

i; Holstein living in Providence township. Sam- 

'i uel Holstein, who was a son of the last men- 

j tioned Mithias iiolstein, owned six hund'-ed 

\ acres of laud in Upper Met ion in the beginning 

\ of the Revolution. It i« said that he could on 

J this tract, as lute as 1760, kill deer Whenever 

^ he desired. 

<; Mnjor Mathias Holstein, a well known and 
) highly respected citizen of Nonistowa and a 
< son of the above Samuel Holstein, was born 
; October 10th, 1772. He long kept the old 
\ Swedes' Ford tavern, standing within the 
' present limits of the borough of Bridgeport. 
^' It is said that he often related that about the 
i year 1790 he was the means of killing, on his 
i father's farm, a very large bear by shooting 
s him on a tree, where he had sought refuge from 
\ pursuit. He was a man endowed with more 
\ than ordinary powers of observation and withal 
I enjoyed a strong retentive memory, and before 
^ his death few could be found in any neighbor- 



26 



HIgTORT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



hood that were better stored with the reminis- 
oeices of the past. It is much regretted that 
•with bi8 abilities he Jid not endeuTor to pre- 
serve his recollections in writing. We have 
been informed, on the authority of others, that 
he often wished that some would write a history 
of hii> neighborhood or county, and that he had 
even strongly pursuaded men of literary habits 
to undertake it; but, kind reader, it was inva- 
riably pat — put — put off! till the present wri- 
ter has attempted it out of a mere love of the 
thing. 

It was on a beautiful afternoon iu the latter 
part ol August, 1858, that we stood alone in 
the ancient church-yard below Swedes' Ford. 
By our side stood a tall white marble monu- 
ment, at least twelve feet high ; on it was in- 
Bcribed that it was erected lo the " Memory of 
Mathias Ilolstein, who died August lOlh, 
1849." As we stood there, a stranger, and 
reflected on some of the above matters, strange 
ideas came into our head, but, however, the 
leading impulse was a strong trust in the 
future. On an adjoining tombstone-, we are 
informed that Col. George \Y. Holstein died 
March 10th, 1841, aged nearly 63 years. In 
the list of voters of Upper Meriou for 1858. 
•we find but two bearing the name of Holstein. 

The earliest we find of the name of Yocum 
is in the Upland Court records, where mention 
is made of Peter Yoaom being on a jury, held 
there in December, 1G81. He was appointed, 
March 14th, 1682, overseer of the highways for 
one year, from Karker's Mill to the Falls of 
Schuylkill. In the list of 1693, he is repre- 
Bented as having a family of nine persons. 
About the year 1712, he settled in Upp<;r Merion 
•where he had purchased a large tract of land, 
■which fronted on the river and extended some 
distance back into the country. It lay between 
the present Swedes' Ford Church and the 
Lower Merion line. In the list of settlers of 
Upper Merion, in 1734, we still find the name of 
Peter Yocum. Whether it was the same person or 
a son we are at present unable to tell. In the 
Colonial Records for 1G93, mention is made of 
B Mounce Y'ocum, who probably was a brother. 
There -was a Swan Y'ocum living in 1780, in 
Towamencin township. We are informed by a 
Btone in the Swedes' church-yard, that a Moses 
Yocum died March 1st, 1787, aged 67 years. 
A Peter Yocum is buried at Morlatton, who 
died July 13th, 1794, aged 76. By the list of 
voters in Upper Merion, in 1858, it appears as 



if the name was now extinct there, but ia 
Upper Providence the name is found ; also in 
several of the adjoining townships. 

Nils Matson was a native of Sweden, and 
was very probably tiie ancestor of John Mat- 
son, mentioned in ibe list of 1093. The latter 
is represented as having at that time a f:imily 
of elev«n perbons. One of the saone name, 
very likely a son, moved into Upper Merion in 
1712, where he took up a large tt;ict of land, 
ftODting on liie Schuylkill and lying adjacent 
to the township of Lower Merion. Ia the 
course of time, as the country became settled, 
a fold was established on ihe Schuylkill, and, 
as it Iny partly on this tract, it received the 
name of Mntson's Ford. A bridge is now 
built over tbe spot, at Conshebocken, and is 
called tbe Matsou's Ford B.idg. Doiing the 
Uevolution, the American army crossed several 
times at this ford ; it was then owned by Peter 
Miilson, and on his dcuth the land was divided 
among his lour sons, leaviiig eo^'b a farm. 
Isaac Matson was one of those s-ons. A bill in 
bis vicinity, on tbe Lower Mtriou lioe, is still 
called M;Usou'a Hill. In the list of voters in 
Upper Merion for 1858 but one is now found 
bearing the name of Matson. 

In the list of Swedish settlers, in 1693, we 
find the name of Lars Hailing, or HuMugs, 
mentioned. Probably he was the fwiber of 
Marcus Hulings, aa early settler ai Morlatton, 
on the ycbuylkill, two miles above the present 
Montgomery county line. We know that the 
latter resided here, previous to 1720. He ap- 
pears to have been a prominent citizen, and 
took an early part in procuiing tbe services of 
a preacher, and in getting the church built, in 
1735. In tbe difficulties between the naviga- 
tors and the shoremen, in 1731-2, he figures 
with his neighbors, Jonas Yocum aod Jonas 
Jones. They all then lived iu Amity township, 
in the present Berks county, and were in the 
practice of taking their wheat and produce 
every year to Philadelphia in canoes. Marcus 
Hulings died April 2d, 1757, aged 70 years. 
There is a stone also erected in the Morlatton 
church-yard to the memory of Peter Hulings, 
who died the 17th of August, 1739, aged 18 
years. 

As Jones is generally a name of Welsh or 
English origin, it is difficult to trace those 
bearing it of Swedish descent. The name 
originally was Jonasson, and is found men- 
tioned in the list of 1693. This family of 



THB SWEDES. 



27 



Jones were early settlers at Morlatton. On the j is a plain two-story stone building, about 
tombstones we find the names of Teter Jones, \ thirty-two by thirty-six feet m dimensions, and 
who died in 1739, aged 40 years ; Jonas Jones, | was erected in 1801. The grave-yard attached 
who died January 27th, 1777, aged 77 years, \ to it comprises nearly two acres of ground and 
and his wife, Mary, who died September lllh, | is enclosed by a wall. The most commoa 
1772, ag^d 68 years. Near the church is | names on the tombstones are Yocum, Hulings, ^ 
still standing a substantial bouse with a stone ;; Jones. Kerst, Harrison, Koons, Lott, Dehaven, 
in its front wall, containing "I. M. I.. 1716," • Eisenberg, Brower, Lear, Leaf, Douglas, Rahn, 
which was owned by the aforesaid couple. In ; Ingles, Schunk, Bunn, Koop, Bird, Kerlin, Tea, 
a list of settlers residing in Perkiomen town- ^^ Henton, Krouse, Rutter, Bell, Lake, Stanley, 



ship, in 1734, are mentioned the names of 
Peter and Mathias Janson. It is our opinion 
that those names are all corruptions from the 
one name of Jonasson. 

We have spoken of the Swedes as being a 
religious people, and find that for some time 



Robeson and Turner. This church is situated 
on the Reading turnpike, in Douglassville, a 
place of about fifty houses. The Reading 
railroad has a station here, and is forty-four 
miles from Philadelphia. 

Christ church is situated about a mile below 



previous to the Revolution they had erected at , the Borough of Bridgeport, in t^e -"^^^ f 
least four houses of worship in the valley of the . Swedesburg, on the west bank of the Schuy - 



Schuylkill. As we wish to be brief, we shall 
not dwell on the churches they built at Wicaco 
and Kingsessing. St. Gabriel's Church, at 
Morlatton, being built first, shall now deserve 
our attention. This name is supposed to have 
been given to this place from a church and dis- 
trict in Sweden. This neighborhood was early 



kill River, in Upper Merion Township. It is 
better known as the Swedes' church, and was 
built in 1760, on a portion of land belonging 
to Muns Rambo. Owing to a petition from 
the members of this and the' two other church- 
es at Wicaco and Kingsessing, they were all 
three, unitedly, incorporated by Lieutenant 



:;; ;; r::^ra; S;S:=^::; Z:. ; Oovemor John Penn, the 25. of September 
before 1716 ; among them can be mentioned the \ 1765, as " S wed.sh Lutheran Churches. This 
names of Hulings, Yocum. Jones, Kerlin, An- \ charter, by a private act of Assembly, passed 
derson, Kerst, and very probably others. It September 10th, 1.8., was confirmed with sev- 
appears that as early as 1720, Marcus Hulings ^ eral amendments. The Rev. Charles Magnus 
secured the services of the Rev. Samuel Hes- ; Wrangel was the first clergyman that attended 
selius as pastor, who had arrived the year pre- ^ this church. He had in charge, at the same 
vious from Sweden. How long he resided in ^. time, the church of St. James, in Kingsessing 
this relation, here, is not certain, but in conse- \ He was a very popular preacher, and great 
quence of the recall of his brother, from Wil- \ crowds were in the practice of attending his 
mington, in 1723, he took charge of the church 5 sermons. In 1768 he returned to Sweden, 
there till 1731, when he returned to Sweden, where he was shortly afterwards made a bish- 
We know the grave-yard was used here as a op. The Rev. Slater Clay officiated^ once a 
place of interment, by the tombstones, at least month here, from 1792 till bis death, in 1821, 
as early as 1719. The church was first com- when his son, the Rev. J. C. Clay, became his 
menced in 1735 and finished in 1737. The \ successor. The present pastor is Rev. Wm 



Rev. Gabriel Folk was its first pastor, and re- 
sided here in that-capacity from 1735 to 1745. 
The earliest marriages and baptisms recorded 
iu the church books begin in the year 1735. 



Henry Rees, who resides in the village. The 
church was enlarged in 1837 to its present size. 
It is a handsome stone edifice, built in the 
form of a cross, and which is adorned with a 



It appears, for most of the time, no regular spire upwards of fifty feet high, in which a 
preacher was stationed here. The Rev. Henry bell was placed in 18.55. Few churches have 
M Muhlenberg, of 'the Trappe. preached «t a more beautiful situation, and to the traveler, 
stated times for a number of years, after 1747. from the east side of the river, forms a pictu- 
The Rev Alexander Murray, a missionary re.que object. It is surrounded by a large 
eent from Europe bv the Societyfor the Propn-; graveyard, enclosed by a wall, in which are 
gation of the Gospel, presided here from 1672 ': planted maple, poplar and cedar trees 
To 1768 The Rev. Edmund Leaf, formerly of great many are buried here, and some of the 
^ottstown is the present pastor. The church Uombstones go back sixteen years befora the 



28 



HISTORY OF MONTUOMBEY CUU^'TY. 



erection of tLo cburcli, thus showing that it 
was used as a place of interment soniu time 
previously. The late Mujor Miithins Ilolstein, 
of Norristowu, related that about 1790 nearly 
ftll who attended this church canie on horse- 
back. The Rev. II. M. Muhlenberg speaks of 
being visited, at the Trappe, in October ITGS, 
by the 'Swedish Missionary llpggeblatt." 
No doubt be preached to this congregation and 
that of St. Gabriel's, at Morlatton. 

Before we close this article there are yet a 
few matters deserving consideration. The 
Swedisli language, it appears, was still spoken 
by their descendants in the county as late as the 
time of the Revolution. Mathiaa Holstein, 
■who died in 17G8, spoke it in his family. 
Andrew Rambo, now aged about seventy 
years, and living in Swedesburg, informed 
us, that when a young man, he attended wor- 
Bhip in the Gloria Dei church at Wicaco, and 
heard the Rev. Dr. Colin preach in Swedish, 
but was unable to understand it ; he also says 
that his graudf.'ither, Tobisis Rambo, *poke the 
language. It is believed that no preaching was 
ever done in the Swedish at Christ Church, 
Swedesburg, but that Dr. Colin, in preaching 
there, would now and then, from habit, use a 
Swedish word in Lis sermon, which he would, 
however, explain. What languages have been 
spoken along the valley of the Schuylkill 'with- 
in the last two hundred years! The Indian, 
the Swedish and the Welsh, once so prevalent, 
have been displaced by the English and the 
German. The latter, perhaps, in another cen- 
tury will follow. Though the Indians, the 
Swedes, the Welsh, the English and the Ger- 
mans have lived here, and however much they 
differed in nationality, religion, manners and 
customs, they agreed iu one thing, to live peace- 
ably together. Perhaps no other country can 
show, amidst such a diversity, a similar par- 
allel in ancient or moderu times. Judging by 
this result withiu the last two centuries, v/ho 
can say that man does not progress ? 

Mention has been made that in 1712, Mats 
Holstein, Peter Rambo, Gunna Rambo, Peter 
Yocum and John Matson, with their fiimilies, 
settled iu " Amn.asland," now called Upper 
Merion. As this " Ammasland" has puzzl.d 
some of our antiquaries, we will venture an 
opinion. In records of 1G78 Darby Creek 
has been called " Ameslaud" Creek, and also 
the country lying between the Schuylkill and 
Ridley Creek. One has supposed that this 



name is (Jerivcd from Aany, the Indias name 
tor a road or path. It is probable that this 
Uiime i.i derived from Amehuid, nn island in 
the North Sea belonging to Holland. As the 
Coatoses, Ilughses, Supplees, Ramseys, Stew- 
arts and Robertscs have intermarried, at an 
early time, with Swedish families, it has been 
supposed that some of those names, at least, 
we:e of Swedish origin, but this is quite a 
mis^take, for none of these are Swedish names. 
From the earliest period the Swedes and their 
descendants have shown a predilection to set- 
tle along the banks of the Delaware and 
Schuylkill, and along those streams they still 
hold great quantities of our most fertile lands. 
As a people they are honest and industrious, 
and have been remarkable for pursuing the 
even tenor of their wav to wealth and prosper- 
ity. Stldoni, Judeed, can it be s.iid that any 
one of tlieai forgut himself so far as to enter 
the vortex of speculation. In consequence, the 
late disabirous convulsion, though it wrecked 
uambers, has left (hem unharmed. ' 



LOWER MERION. 

The township of Lower Merion is bounded 
on the north by Upper Merion and the Schuyl- 
kill, south by Pliil:idelpbia. east by the Schuyl- 
kill, Ad west by Delaware county. Its great- 
est length is six and a-half miles, and width 
fuur miles, containing an area of fourteen thou- 
sand six hundred and eleven acres. In its 
situation it is the most southern in the county, 
and is also the greatest iu extent and popula- 
tion. Its surface is rolling, and the soil is a 
rich loam. Extending through its breadth is 
a belt of serpentine, accompiinied by steatite, 
or Boapstoue, which is quarried on the Schuyl- 
kill, about a mile above the mouth of Mill 
Creek. In connection with the aforesaid forma- 
tion, ta!o, dolomito and some other minerals 
abound. 

The surface of this township is agreeably 
diversified by a number of beautiful streams. 
Though none are large, yet they furnish valu- 
able water-power. So well is Lower Merion 
watered that scarcely a large farm can be 
found which does not contain one or more ex- 
cellent springs of living water. Mill Creek is 
the largest stream and lies wholly within the 



LOWER MERION. 



29 



limits of tliis township. It has its source near ] thousand five hundred and eighty-four. In the 
the Green Tree Tavern, on the Gulf Road, and | spring of 1858 licenses were granted to eight 
is a winding, rapid stream, about six miles in \ public houses, ten stores, two lumber yards, 
length. In this distance it receives eight or \ four coal yards and three grist mills. Previous 
nine small streams, and a line of steep hills \ to 1830 there were no pobt offices in the town- 
mark its course, but none are over one hundred i ship ; now there are three, called General 
feet in perpendicular height. It propels the : Wayne, Lower Merion and Cabinet. The turn- 
machinery of one plaster, two grist and two ', pike road leading from Philadelphia to Lan- 
eaw mills, besides eleven manufactories of dif- ; caster, passes through the township a distance 
ferent kinds. Trout Run is a branch of Mill ) of about four and a-half miles. It was the 
Creek, and followiug its course is al?out two first road of this kind made in Pennsylvania, 
miles long. It has received its name from the \ It was commenced in 1792 and completed two 
troutthat'abouodinii. What is curious, though \ years afterwards. It was effected, wholly, by 
these fish have been known there from the ear- \ individual subscription, and is sixty-two miles 
lieat period, none have ever been found in Mill ;. in length, and cost four hundred and sixty-five 
Creek. In the south part of the township the \ thousand dollars, or seven thousand five huu- 
east and west branches of Indian Creek have ^ dred dollars per mile. It was laid with broken 
their origin; also a branch of Cobb'^Creek, near s stones twenty-four feet wide and eighteen 
Athensville. Rock Hill Creek and Frog Hoi- \ inches deep. The Pennsylvania railroad was 
low Run are rapid streams, from one to two ' built by the State, and was originally made 
miles long, and empty ioto the Schuylkill op- \ from Philadelphia to Columbia, on the Susque- 
posite Manayunk. '■] hanna River, a distance of eighty-two miles, 

As Lower Merion was first settled chiefly by \ where it connected with the canal to Pittsburg. 
the Welsh , so to this day their descendants \ It was nearly one of the first in the country, 
constitute the majority of its population ; next \ and was opened for use in April, 183-1, and 
in order follow those of English and Irish ori- ^ cost three million nine hundred and eighty- 
gin. Those of Swedish or German descent ^ three thousand three hundred and two dollars. 
are few. In 1741, this township contained ; It was finished, a few years ago, all the way to 
one hundred and one taxables ; in 1828, five '; Pittsburgh, a distance of three hundred and 
hundred and tweaty-two; in 1849, seven hun- \ ninety-three miles, at a cost of six millions 
dred and fourteen ; and in 1856,^one thousand ^ two hundred and sixty-six thousand nine hun- 
and twenty-two. The census of 1810 gives the '^ dred and eighty-one dollars. The State, in 
total population as one thousand eight hi^dred \ 1857, sold its right to the Pennsylvania Rail 
and thirty-five; in 1820, two thousand two I; Road Company, under whose control it now is. 
hundred and fifty-six ; in 1830, two thousand ) This road, by its connections, recently formed, 
fivehundredandtwenty-four;inl840, two thou- ;, gives Philadelphia the advantages of a cheap- 
sand eight hundred and twenty-seven; and in > er and more direct transportation to the West 
1850, three thousand five hundred and seven- ;• than any of the other Atlantic cities. This 
teen. The population at this time must be < railroad passes through this township about 
about five thousand five hundred, showing a ? four and a-half miles, and crosses not far east 
rapid increase since 1840. The census of 1850 ^ of Lancaster Pike, a branch of Indian Creek, 
give the greatest number of colored persons < on a large and substantial stone bridge, twenty- 
here, being one hundred and forty-eight, out | five feet above the water. The Reading rail- 
of seven hundred and nine iu (he remainder of \ road follows the Schuylkill the entire length of 
the county. \ this township, a distance of about seven and 

The improvements of this township are very a-half miles. It extends from Philadelphia to 
valuable : two railroads and one turnpike pass the coal region, in Schuylkill county, and was 
through it, and the census of 1850 gave five \ incorporated April 4th, 1833, and was put under 
hundred and eighty-three houses and one hun- < contract the following year. Immediately be- 
dred and ninety-five farms. According to the \ low the Flat Rock Hotel, this railroad has a 
triennialassessmentof 1856, the real estate was \ tunnel nine hundred and sixty feet long, nine- 
valued at one million one hundred and two \ teen fei;t wide and sixteen feet high, made 
thousand three hundred and fifty-one dollars, j through very hard solid rock, worked from the 
and the horses and neat cattle at thirty-seven two cnd«, cad at the deepest place is ninety- 



30 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



five feet below the surface. It is neatly | ^ngon's paper mill, which usually employs 
arched and runs through in a straight line, \ about six hands. Next is Wm. Chadwick'a 
with sufScient width for two tracks The h,i,npwick factory and grist mill, which employs 
entrance at the southern end of the tunnel is <, about the same number. Next is Daniel Nip- 
built of handsome cut stone, where the follow- I; pes' manufactory, wb>ch was notin operation ; 
ing inscription was copied, "Philadelphia and '> then William Todd's factory of woolen and cot- 
Reading Railroad, opened between Philadel- \ ton filling, for carpets', which employs fifteen 
phia and Reading the 9th day of Dec. 1839. \ hands; then Hannah Hagy'a factory, for wool- 
President, Elihu Chauncpy. Managers, Cole- ] en yarn, which was not in operation. Charles 
man Fisher, Wm. II. Keating, M. S.Richards, !; Greaves' Kentucky jean factory comes next, 
John A. Brown, Wm. F. Emlin, Chas. P. Fox ; ^ which employs six or eight hands; then Evan 
Engineers, M. and W. Robinson.'' It is com- s Jones' manufactory of carpet yarn, &c , which 
monly called the Manayunk tunnel, in conse- ; has about twelve hands ; next Samuel L. Rob- 
queuce of being about half a mile above that \ eson's saw mill and manufactory of carpet 
place. i; filling, &c., which has twelve hands; then 

The manufactures of Lower Merion are con- \ comes Samuel Croft's brass rolling mill and 
f.iderable. It contains two saw mills, two roll- ' chandelier and lamp chain manufactory; next 
ing mills, one forge, two paper mills, one dye ^ is Fvancis Sheotz's paper mill, which has usu- 
mill, one machine establishment and ten cotton <! ally employed about five or six hands; then 
and woolen factories. The census of 1840 gave ^Charles Humphrey's woolen factory and ma- 
but three cotton factories. The manufacture ^ chine shop, for the manuficture of agricultural 
of paper has, however, decreased; about forty ^ implements, where about twenty hands are 
years ago there were some seven or eight en- s employed. The last and the farthest up the 
gaged in this business, on Mill Creek alone, < stream is Levi Morris' grist, plaster and saw 
which have, in consequence, been converted ^ mill. Near the mouth of Mill Creek is a small 
into other manufacturing branches. To enter s stream which empties into it, on which James 
more fully into the details of the various man- \ Dixon has a draper factory, which employs five 
ufacturing establishments cf this township, we > or six hands. These constitute the principal, 
shall begin with tlic Pencoyd Iron Works, situ- < if not all the manufacturing establishments in 
ated on the Schuylkill, near the Philadelphia | the township, and the greater portion of thera 
line. These belong to A. and P. Roberts, and \ are propelled by water power, 
comprise a rolling mill and forge, which went \ There is considerable interest taken in edu- 
into operation in 1852, and employ generally > catron, and there are some very good two story 
about thirty-six hands. Nearly opposite Man- | school houses in the township. For the school 
ayunk, on Frog Hollow Run, and about half a | year ending with June 1st, 1857, we leara 
mile from its mouth, is a cotton factory for < there was six schools which were taught by 
yarn and bobbin, which formerly belonged to \ five male and three female teacher.s. The pay 
Isaac Wetherill. At the mouth of this stream I of the former was forty-two, and the latter 
is Grimrod's grist mill. Between the west end ( twenty-two dollars per month. These schools 
of Manayunk bridge and the Reading Railroad S were open ten months, eight hundred and fifty- 
is the extensive logwood factory belonging to s two scholars attended, and three thousand sev- 
Samuel Grant, jV. & Co., called the -'Ashland \ en hundred dollars was levied as tax to pay the 
Dye Mills," who employ twenty-three hands. > expenses of the same. Efforts are about being 
At West Conshehocken is the Merion Furnace, a \ made to establish a library at /\ tliensville. 
large 03tab!i.-^hment belonging to CoUvell & Co., !■ Athcusville is Hituated on the Lanc.ister 
and uiid.ir the superintendence of J. 15. Moor- | turnpike, seven miles from Philadelphia, and 
head, where thirty hands are employed. Here ( is the largest village in the township. It con- 
was, also, the print and bleaching worlis of P. ) tains twenty-eight houses, three stores and one 
W. Bliss, which have been burned down. < hotel. Cabinet pc-t office is at (his place. 
There is another block printing works which \ I'ho Odd Fellows hold their meetings in a two 
was not in operation when the author was here. I story hall, in which it is proposed to p'ace a 
Beginning at the mouth of Mill Creek and pibrary now about starting. The old Red Lion 
going up this stream, the first manufacturing ) tavern was at this place, which was torn down, 
enablisLment we come across is Joseph Riill- ' a-iJ the present fine three story hotel erected 



LOWER MERION. 81 

in 1855, which is kept by H. Litzenberg. \ tion ; <wo railroads find a canal pass by it, 
Public houses io this vicinity, it appears, are ^ and a bridge coonccts it with the opposite side 
not numerous, the E^igle hotel beiug the first s of the Schuylliill. This phice, it is said, owes 
on the pike west of this, and is six ard a half :; much of its prosperity to the enterprise of 
miles off, and the first below is at Hestonville, \ William Davis, wbn owned most of the land on 
four and a half miles off. Several of the ^ which it is built. Formerly, here was Matson's 
houses here have been built within the few ^ Ford, which name it bore some time previous 
past years. A short distance below the village, s to Ihe Revolution, being so called after the de- 
near the pike, is the handsome residence of the !; scenrlams of an early settler and landholder. 
Hon. Owen Jones, late member of Congress, ^ The bridge here was incorporated in 1832, as 
from the fifth district, comprising Montgomery s the " Matson's Ford Bridge," and is still called 
County and the contiguous portion of Phila- ^ by this name. By means of this bridge the 
delphia. Ilumpbreysville is near the Delaware ^ Reading railroad has a connection wiih the 
county line, on the Lancaster pike, n'ae miles |; NonisLown railroad, on the opposite side, 
from Philadelphia, has twenty-one houses, a !; Nea-ly half a mile below this village a steep, 
two story public schoolbouse and several hand- s conical hill rises from the Schuylkill, probably 
some private residences. One mile below, on :; to an elevation of (wo hundred and Cty feet, 
the pike, and eight from the city, is the Epts- s and is believed to be the highest eminence in 
copal church, where there are fifteen houses, :; *he township. It is a continuation of Edge 
several of which are elegant structures. The ^ Hill, which crosses the river below Spring 
church sfinds on the north side of the road, s Mill and then runs up the west side of the 
and is a low one st..ry slone-pninted building :; Schuylkill about a mile, and at West Conshe- 
wilh a steep roof and a lower forty feet high, s hocken turns to the west and is then better 
The whole have been built wiihin the b.st twelve :; known as the Gulf IliU. This is the same hill 
years. A f.?w yards to the souMjwest is a two ^ mentioned in the deeds of 1683 and 1685, 
story h^ill. in Delaware County. Immediately \ which the Indians called Consbehocken. 
below this place the Pennsylvania railroad ^ Merlon Square is situated nearly in the 
crosses ibe'pike. The houses a'ong the Lan- \ centre of the township, at the intersection of 
caster turnpike, in this township, are pretty 1; a cross roads, and contains tweuty-six dwtl- 
numerous, and among them ar^ many elegant > lings, two stores, a tavern, school-house, Meih- 
residences, with shady lawns and flower plats, s odist church, Odd Fellows' hall, and a wheel- 
often displajiing considerable taste. These are j wright and blacksmith shop. Lower Merion 
often the country seats of retired Philadelphians s post office is located here. Gabriel Thomas, in 
or those who are still engaged in business in the \ b's account of Pennsylvania in 1690, speaks of 
city, and yet, with their fimiUes, prefer to live \ the village of Merioi-iet'.-i. which, in all proba- 
hete to the noise and bustle of the (own. In > bility, was this place. AVe know, from ilsposi- 
coosequence mmy new houses have been built \ tion, that it is this village which Lewis Evans, 
within the past five years, and if brought s in his map of 17J9, calls "Merion." It is 
together would be enough to make an ordina- ) therefore one of the eldest settlements in the 
ry sized borough. \ county. Green Tree is the name of an inn 

West Conshebockea is situated in the north- s kept by E. Ramsey, on the Gulf road, one and 
ern part of the township, on the line of Upper ; a-half miles south of the Gulf Mills, and twelve 
Merion, and immediately opposite the borough ; miles from Philadelphia. It is at theintersec- 
of Censhehocken. The Reading railroad has ;• tion of a cross roads, and there is a dwelling, 
a station here, which is thirteen miles from ■! wheelwiight and blacksmith shop here. In this 
Philadelphia. This village has grown up < vicinity are several elegant country seats and 
within the last twelve years, and contains in all ^ farm houses, the land being rolling, fertile and 
about twenty-three houses, one store and a s weU cultivated. Near this lived Charles 
blacksmith shop. The "Merion Furnace," an ;> Thompson, secretary of Congress from 1774 to 
extensive establishment, employicg thirty ;! 1789, and who died in 182i. His seat, called 
hands, a block printing establishment, not now ', Harrington, is new owned by Levi Morris. A 
in operation, and a grist mill, formerly a \ biographical sketch of Mr. Thompson is given 
bleaching works, are also here. This place J in the appendix of this work, 
possesses great advantages as a business loca- General Wayne is the name of a email vil- 



f.) 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



lage find post office near tbe lowei* part of tbe 
township. It contains a Friends' meeting 
house, an inn, smith shop, and fonr or five 
dwellings. There is a plank road of two tracks 
from here to West Philadelphia, five miles in 
length, made in 1855, but which is now nearly 
worn out, and preparations, we understand, 
nre about being made to get it piked. A8 the 
elections for the township are held here, a few 
words in their connection with the past may 
not be amiss. Tbe voters, not only of Lower 
Merion, but of tbe whole county, before the 
revolution, gave their votes at the inn opposite 
the Slate House, in Chestnut street, Philadel- 
phia. In 1778 the elections for this vicinit}' 
were ordered to be held at the public house of 
Jacob Coleman, iu Germantown, where they 
were continued, till by an act of September 
17th, 1785, they were transferred to tbe Court 
House, in Norristown, when by the act of 
March 31st, 1806.. this township became a sep- 
arate district, and the elections were ordered 
to be held at tbe house of Titus Yerkes. The 
land in the vicinity of this village is highly 
productive and well cultivattd. 

Opposite Manayunk there is a village which 
we believe stands in need »)f a name. Here 
are twelve dwellings, an inn, smith shop, log- 
wood factory, grist mill and coal yard. Two 
bridges here span the Schuylkill. The lower 
one was built by the canal company for the 
crossing of boat horses from one side of the 
river to the other, fis from here down the canal 
is on the Lower Mtrion side. This bridge is 
free to foot passengers, and it is thus far that 
steamboats ascend the Schuylkill. The upper 
Manayunk bridge was built in 1833, and it is 
at its west end where Rock Hill Creek empties 
into the river. The hills along the Schuylkill, 
in this vicinity, rise to the height of from fifty 
to one hundred feet, and are generally rocky, 
and covered with young timber. The stones 
consist chiefly of serpentine, interspersed with 
mica. The rocks, generally, are very hard and 
of a dark blue color, and approximate to the 
trap. From the advantages of this place in a 
business point of view, there is no doubt it 
will before long rise into importance and attain 
to the dignity of a name. 

Croft's Mill, on Mill Creek, contains a store, 
six or seven dwellings and three factories. 
Chudwick's factory and grist mill has a store 
and seven houses. Here are several fine springs 
of water. The lampwick factory was built in 



1836. The mouth of Mill Creek is an inter- 
esting place to visitors. This stream is here 
crossed by two bridges. The road passes over 
it on a frame-covered bridge, sixty-three feet 
long, and above and almost adjoining, the 
Reading railroad crosses it by a tresscl bridge, 
twenty feet above the water. Near by is a 
beautiful Rniall island in tbe Schuylkill, con- 
taining about a quarter of an acre, covered 
with buttonwood and willow trees, and is quite 
a feature iu the scenery. From here up, and 
by the side of the ci'eek for a quarter of a 
mile, to the paper mill, is a good, level road, 
which is beautifully shaded, and with the sur- 
rounding scenery makes a very attractive walk. 
About half a mile above this there is a batteau 
ferry across the Schuylkill, which lands passen- 
gere at the Soapatone station of the Norristown 
railroad. 

Flat Rock is the name now generally given to 
a hotel situated on the west side of the Schuyl- 
kill, at the upper end of the Pleading Railroad 
tunnel. It is a well conducted house, kept by 
William Williams, and has a beautiful and ro- 
mantic location, and, from its retired position 
and surrounding attractions, could not help but 
prove a delightful place for city boarders. The 
name is derived from a huge bed of rocks ex- 
tending here across the river. Righter's Ferry 
was established, at this place, by an Act of As- 
sembly, in January, 1741-. A bridge was built 
here in 1810, which was the first that spanned 
the Schuylkill, within the limits of Montgomery 
county. Some years afterwards, while several 
teams were crossing with marble, it broke down, 
but was rebuilt. In consequence of a great 
freshet on the night of September 2nd, 1850, 
the Conshehocken Bridge, four miles above, 
was washed away, and it came down with such 
force as to sweep this bridge entirely away, and 
which has not since been rebuilt. AVhat at tbia 
time heightened the catastrophe was that the 
Conshehocken Bridge was firmly held together 
by tbe railroad crossing it. On this occasion, 
it took away one-half of the Manayunk bridge, 
which has since been repaired. From the 
masses of rock in the contracted bed of the 
river for half a mile below this, it is truly won- 
derful how persons with canoes could venture 
to pass through in safety, as we know they did, 
and which has been mentioned in our article 
on the Schuylkill. .lust below this is a small 
island, covered with numerous willows, which 
is much tbe resort of game, and, in conse- 



L0T7ER MEPvION. 



ss 



quence, has received the nnme of Duck Island. | township was by a number of German Luther- 
From the western abutment of the bridge, S ans, in 176S. This church is situated at the 
which still remains by the roadside, a splendid s intersection of cmss roads, h;ilf a mile couth- 
view is obtained in a north-west direction of the i east of Atliensville, n*ar the Delaware county 
falls of the Flat Rock dam and the Schuylkill, \ line. It was rt-built in 1800, nod furiher en- 
for the distance of three miles. s larged in 1833 It is a handsome one-story 

A mile and a-lialf above tiie Flat Reck hotel, / stone edifice, surrounded by shade trees. Ad- 
en the Schuylkill, is the lumber yard of William I joining is a very fine grave-yard, comprising 
Smith, where are four houses. This is nearly i about one and a-half acres, laid out in walks 
opposite to the Soapstone quarries of the late > and planted with trees and shrubbery. There 
John Freedley. From here down to the Pbila- ^ are many buried here. The most common 
delphia line, in this township, there is a line of i names on the tombstones are West, Lainlioff, 
wooded hills along the Schuylkill, while from \ Knox, Kugler,' Marten, Dalby, Coiaesh, SheafF, 
here up, a mile or more, the land is more level i Pechen, Miller, Goodmr^n, Litzenberg, Smith, 
and cultivated. Below this, when we were here > Wagner, Fiss, Super, Bittle, Latch, Epvight, 
in August last, we observed a new branch of l Fiuiple, Poget, Ilamell, Wibly, Zell, Nagle, 
industry being vigorously prosecuted, namely : ? Hoffman, Moyer, lirickbaum, Knoll, Horn, 
that of gathering elder aud blackberries along \ Trexler and Ott. The present pastor is tho 
the highway and railroad by wagon loads. I Pi-ev. Timothy Tilghmau Titus, who resides in 
There is a large three-story stone hotel by the ; the parsonage adjoining. 

roadside, opposite Spring Mill. It is in rather \ The Baptists have a church at the intersec 
a retired place — no other house being near. A ! tion of the Roberts and Gulf roads, eleven 
few yards below this hotel a beautiful crystal miles from Philadelphia. It is a large two- 
stream of water, which has uo name and is \ !.->tory stone edifice, situated on an elevated site, 
very rapid, empties into the Schuylkill. \ and is surrounded by several ancient forest 

Among the ancient houses of worship still trees. It v/as built in 1809. The grave-yard 
standing in Pennsylvania, the Friends' Meeting jis laid out in gravelled walks, planted with 
House of Lower Meriou is the oldest. It is shrubbery, and is neatly kept. The most 
situated in the village of General Wayne, at common names on the tombstones are Taylor, 
the head of the West Philadelpliia Plank-Road, ) Johnson, Curwen, Morris, Smith. Williamson, 
five miles from the city. It was built in 1695, s Gaskill, Eighter, Matheys, Elliot, Owens, 
and in its ground plan is in the form of a T, Lewis and Sheaff. The Gaskill family has a 
It is a substantial stone edifice of one story, or | number of fine tombs here ; they are related to 
about fourteen feet to the roof, with walls over < the Penns. The present pastor is the Rev. Mr. 
two feet in thickness. Its greatest length is > Anderson. Before the erection of this church, 
about thirty-six feet, and the end facing south- | the congregation worshipped in a small build- 
west is twenty by twenty-four feet. Originally ing nf»r ^7- which had been originally a 
it was stone-pointed, but in repairing it, in school-house, but it has some time since been 
1829, it was plastered over in imitation of large demolished. The first clergyman of this con- 
cut stone. It is surrounded by several largo, greg-ition was the Rev. Horatio Jones, who 
venerable - looking buttonwood trees. The \ officiated for nearly half a century, or till near 
grave-yard, we regret to say, looks neglected, < '^•'^ death, in 1853. 

and^ with all its antiquity, no old inscriptions > Having given, at length, a description of 
abound to arrest the attention of the antiquary. < Lower Mericn, with a few particulars of the 
There are now about a dozen low stones, of? past, we propose now to enter more fully on its 
recent origin, that lell us the names of as many \ early history. Its name is derived from Meri- 
reposing beneath the sod, but beyond this, of J oneth, or Merionethshire, a maritime county 
those buried here we know not. Previous to | in North Wales. As the early settlors hero 
the erection of this meetiog-house, its members, \ were nearly all Welsh, and among them it is 
with those residing in the adj icent townships > known that John Thomas, Robert Owen, Tho- 
of Haverfordand Radnor, held private meetings \ mas Owen and Fiowland Ellis came from Meri- 
as early as 1683. These were all Welsh I oneth, will account why it was so called. 
Friends. i What is now Lower and Upper Merion town- 

I The second bouse of worship built in this ; ships, Gabriel Thomas, in his account of Pcnn- 



S4 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTf. 



8ylvania, iu 1696, calls Merioneth, and in the 
Colonial RecorJsof 1723, is still called Merion, 
•which we know, however, was divided and 
known by their present names before 1734. 

But a short time before the arrival of Penn, 
a number of Welsh, who proposed settling iu 
Pennsylvania, purchased of Win. Pennin, Eng 
land, a tract of forty thousand acres of land, 
which subsequently was located in Merion, liav- 
erford, Goshen, and several of the adjoining 
townships. How much of this tract lay in this 
township is unknown to us, but no doubt it cov- 
ered more than half its present area. Thomas 
Holme, the surveyor-general, begun a map of 
original surveys, with the names of the first pur 
chasers, in 1082, and as portions of it were sold 
kept filling it up to about the year 1695. From 
this map it is ascertained that tho following per- 
sons purchased nearly all the lands in Lower 
Merion : John Holland, Christopher Pennock, 
William Wood, William Sharlow, Daniel Mere- 
dith, John Roberts, John Humphreys and 
others, Thomas Ellis and others, and Edward 
Jones with seventeen others iu coi.Tpany. 
About 1C83-4 several had already settled on 
their purchases and the number was yearly 
augmenting. J. Oldmixon, vho was here in 
1708, in speaking of this tract and the Welsh, 
says that it then was " very populous, and the 
people are very industrious; by which means 
this country is better cleared than any other 
part of the county. Th« inhabitants have 
many fine plantations of corn, and breed abun- 
dance of cattle, inasmuch that they are looked 
upon to be as thriving and wealthy as any in 
the province — and this must always be said of 
the Welsh, that wherever they couio, 'tis not 
their fault if they do not live, and live well, 
too; for they seldom spare for labor, which 
Beldom fails of success." We have made men- 
tion of the Friends- having held meetings for 
worship, as early as 1083, and that the present 
meeting-house was built in 1095. Application 
was made to the Council, in 1706, for a road 
from this meeting-house to the Schuylkill, 
vhere a ferry was to bo established. 

Among the earliest settlers here was Benja- 
min Humphrey, who came over in 1083. He 
was a useful man in the colony, and through 
his hospitality enjoyed a wide-spread reputa- 
tion. He died the 4th of November, 1737, 
aged 76 years. David Humphrey was commis- 
sioned a justice of the county courts, Novem- 
ber 22d, 1738. There are persons of this name 



} still residing in the township, and it is from 
s members of this family that Humphreysville re- 

ceived its name. The Roberts family is another 
> of early origin. Hugh Roberts came from 
< Wales in 1684, and traveled here in the work 

1 of the ministry in Maryland, Long Island and 

s New England, where it is said " his services 

I; were effectual to the people." He died in 1702, 

s ' 

^ and was buried at the Merion meeting house. 

Robert Jones purchased of Penn, iu England, 
in 1682, five hundred acres of land, which was 
afterwards located in this township. He was 
also an early settler, a^d was exceedingly pop- 
ular among his neighbors. In June, 1715, he 
was appointed one of the justices of the coun- 
ty courts, which office he continued to hold for 
many years. Edwnrd Jones was another early 
settler, "given to hospitality and generally 
^ beloved by his acquaintances." He died in 
February, 1737, aged 82 years. Jonathan 
Jones came here with his parents when only 
three years old, and continued a resident till 
June 30th, 1770, when he died, at the advanced 
age of 91 years. A company of Associators 
was formed in February, 1747, of which Ed- 
ward Jones was chosen captain, and Griffith 
Griffith, first lieutenant. Edward Edwards 
purchased of Penn in England, two hundred 
and fifty acres, which was afterwards located 
here and which he settled upon. Robert Owen 
arrived from Wales in 1790. He was a minis- 
ter among Friends, and traveled much on this 
account, both in his native country and Amer- 
ica He died in July, 1797, and was interred 
at Merion meeting house. Benjamin East- 
born, an early settler, we learn from the Abing- 
tcn records, married Ann Thomas in 1722. 
Griffith Lewellen was commissioned a justice 
( of the county courts in April, 1744, and was 
J continued in said office for a number of years. 
I The following is a list of landholders and 
I tenants residing in Lower Merion in 1734, 
\ which is copied from the original manuscript, 
] prepared for Thomas Penn. It contains fifty- 
^ two names and cannot fail to prove interesting 
s at this day to their numerous descendants. 
s It will also be observed that they are all Welsh, 
\ with the exception, probably, of two or three 
s names: John, son of Mathias Roberts, Hugh 
1; Evans, Robert Jones, Robert Roberts, Robert 
> Evan, Rice Price, Edward Jones, Abel Thomas, 
s Benjamin Eastborn, Jonathan Jones, Wm. Ha- 
] vard, Richard Hughs, Morris Lewellen, Ben- 
^jamin Humphrey, John Humphrey, Joseph 



UPPER MERION. 



85 



WlJiams, Rees Thomas, William Thomas, Teter 
Jones, Humphrey Jones, John Griffith, Catha- 
rine Pugh, Rees Phillip, Joseph Tucker, James 
John, Thomas John, John Lloyd, Griffith Le- 
wellen, Robert Roberts, David Jones, William 
Walton, David Davis, Joseph Roberts, John 
Roberts, David Price, Isachar Price, David 
Price, Jr., Lewis Lloyd, John David, Robert, 
6oa of Peter Jones, Thomas David, John Evans, 
Eleanor Bevan, Owen Jones' plantation, Evan 
Harry, Nicholas Rapy, John Roberts, carpen- 
ter, Evan Rees, Samuel Jordan, James Dod- 
mead, Edward Edwards and Garret Jones, 

During the revolution, particularly while the 
British held possession of Philadelphia, from 
September, 1777, to June, 1778, the inhabitants 
of Lower Merlon suffered severely from the 
depredations of the enemy, ia consequence of 
living so near the city. Shortly after their 
departure an assessor was appointed to rate 
the damages, which amounted to three thou- 
sand two hundred and twelve pounds, or eight 
thousand five hundred and sixty-five dollars 
and eleven cents of our present currency. It ap- 
pears that though no strikicg eveuta of inter- 
est occurred here, yet this township bore its 
share of the trials. We have in our possession 
a, list of all persons who stood attainted for 
treason during the revolution within the pre- 
sent limits of Montgomery county, being 
twenty-nine in number. Among these there is 
but one who was a resident of Lower Merion, 
thus showing that the people here v^ere gener- 
ally disposed to independence. The person 
alluded to was John Roberts, a descendant of 
one of its earliest and most respectable fami- 
lies. After the British had taken possession of ; 
Philadelphia, Mr. Roberts no doubt supposed 
that the subjugation of the country was a cer- 
tainty, and therefore, as a man of property, it 
would redound to his interest to join their 
cause. The result was that ho was induced to 
do acts through the power of those he consid- 
ered his friends, which, on their departure, 
brought on him the vengeance of his couutrj'- 
men. For his conduct he was arrested, tried, 
found guilty, and publicly executed in Phila- 
delpliia. His real estate, in this township, was 
confiscated, and consisted of three hundred 
and seventy-eight acres of land, besides two 
mills and several houses. A portion of said 
property now belongs to Samuel E. Robeson, 
on Mill Greek. Abiographical sketch of Mr. Ro- 
berts is given in the appendix of this work. 



UPPER MERION. 

The township of Upper Merion is bounded 
on the north-west, north and north-east by the 
river Schuylkill, and also on the north-east by 
the borough of Bridgeport, on the south-east 
by Lower Merion township, on the south by 
the counties of Chester and Delaware, and on 
the south-west by Chester. Its greatest length 
is eight and a quarter miles, and its greatest 
width three and a-half. It will be observed 
that it lies wholly on the west side of the 
Schuylkill, and that its form must be very 
irregular. It formerly contained ten thousand 
seven hundred and seventy-five acres, but by 
the erection of the borough of Bridgeport, in 
1851, four hundred and eighty acres were takea 
off, leaving its present area ten thousand two 
hundred and ninety-five acres. The surface is 
rolling and contains, generally, a lime-stone 
soil. 

The pi-incipal elevations in this township are 
called Mount Joy, Red rlill, Flint Hill, North 
Valley Hill, and Conshehocken or Gulf Hill. 

Mount Joy is of a conical form, and is wood- 
ed to its top, and forms a beautiful feature in 
the landscape, as seen from the old school 
house on the Valley Hill — half a mile west of 
Port Kennedy — from which place it is about 
one and a-half miles. This hill gave name to 
a manor which belonged to Letitia, daughter of 
William Penn, Tradition says that he gave 
this bill its name while on a visit to the neigh- 
borhood. It is the highest eminence in Upper 
Merion, ia the vicinity of Valley Forge. Ia 
the time of the Revolution it was strongly 
fortified, and the remains of entrenchments are 
still visible on its top. 

Red Hill is an eminence something over a 
mile south-west of Bi-idgeport. It is a well 
known tradition, handed down by several fami- 
lies, that two panthers were shot on it in the 
time of the early settlement. 

The Conshehocken or Gulf Hill is a long 
narrow range that runs a great way into Ches- 
ter county. It is a continuation of Edge Hill, 
which crosses the Schuylkill at Spring Mill, and 
extends east and west. It commences in New 
Jersey, and crosses the Delaware at Trenton. 
What is strange, in Montgomery county no 
iron, lime-stone, or marble, is found on the 
south side of it. Geologically speaking, it 
forms a narrow belt of the primary rocks with 



36 



DISTORT OF ilONTQOMERT COBXTT. 



gneiss and talcou slate. The name of Gulf 
Hill has only been applied in this vicinity from 
the deep, nirrow passage of Gulf Creek through 
it in its course to the Schuylkill. This natural 
curiosity will be more fully described when we 
speak of tlie villuges of the township. 

The North Valley Hill is a range following 
the Schuylkill, aud commences a short distance s 
above Bridgeport. It is only of moderate ele- J 
vation, and is the highest between Port Ken- 
nedy and Valley Forge. 

In walking along the Schuylkill canal from 
Bridgeport to Port Kennedy, we found the 
land chiefly cultivated to the river, with 
an occasional margin of trees, making it a 
shady and agreeable vralk. Probably one of 
the most fertile tracts of land in Montgomery 
county is that portion of the township lying 
along the Schuylkill, between Bridgeport and 
Gulf Creek, and extending west for about a milfl 
and a-half. V/ithin this space lirae-stoue and 
iron ore is obtained in abundance;- and the 
stranger views v?ith regret the disfigurations 
occasioned in obtaining these materials from 
such beautiful and productive fields. Indeed, 
in few neighborhoods has Nature been so lavish 
of her choicest gifts. The soil is a loose loam, 
nearly level on its surface, and so free from 
stones that no country can produce probably 
any land of easier cultivation. The Swedes, 
in taking up and settling this tract, showed 
considerable foresight as to its future import- 
ance. 

Generally speaking, for its size, this is not a 
well watered township. The streams do not 
rise from many springs, and are, therefore, too 
weak to furnish much valuable water-power. 
Elliott's Run, which rises from two branches 
near the Chester county line, and is three and 
a-half miles in length, propels only a saw mill, 
near its mouth. Frog Run, two and a half 
miles long, and Matsu'ik, a smaller stream, and 
both emptying into the Schuylkill below 
Swedesburg, propel no mills. 

Mashilmac Creek rises in Chester county, 
and, after a course of about two miles, empiies 
into the Schuylkill at the Catfish locks, below 
Port Kennedy. For its length, it is a pretty 
strong stream, and, on account of rising from 
several large springs, is not liable to be affected 
by draught or cold weather. Near its mouth, 
it turns a merchant and grist mill. 

The largest and most important stream is 
Gulf Creek, in the south-east part, near the 



Lower Merion line. It is a rapid stream, which 
rises in Delaware county, and after a course of 
nearly four miles, empties into the Schuylkill 
about half a mile above the Conshehccken 
bridge. It propels one saw mill, two grist 
mills, and four or five cotton and woolen fac' 
tories. Near its mouth, the highway and rail- 
road cross it by substantial stone bridges. The 
East Valley Creek, for the distance of a mile, 
forms the western boundary of the township, 
and propels, within its limits, a cotton factory 
and a grist mill. These furnish all the water- 
power, and are much the largest streams. 
There is a fine spring at Port Kennedy and an- 
other in the borough of Bridgeport. 

The wealth that the inhabitants of Upper 
Merion derive from its mines and quarries is 
probably not exceeded by that of any other 
township in the connty. It contains three 
large furnaces for the manufacture of iron — 
one at Port Kennedy, and the other two on the 
Schuylkill, a mile below Swedesburg. The ore 
is dug now in considerable quantities in the vi- 
cinity of Valley Forge, especially on the farm 
of Richard Marten, on the Gu'f Road. The 
most extensive bed of iron ore commences near 
what was formerly Henderson's marble quarry, 
and extends to the Swede furnaces on the 
Schuylkill, a distance of one and a-half miles, 
and is probably about half a mile in width. 
On this tract great quantities of ore have been 
extracted within the last ten years, and is now 
worked exclusively at three or four places. 
From the farm of George Henderson, particu- 
larly, considerable has been tuKen. The iron 
made from this ore is said to be of excellent 
quality. 

In the manufacture and quality of its lime, 
Upper Merion is conspicuous. The limestone 
belt crosses the Schuylkill at and below 
Swedesburg, and has an average breadth of a 
mile, running in a western direction into 
Chester county. Its length, in this township, 
is nearly six miles. The marble prevails on ita 
southern edge, and on its nurthern line the 
softer lime. It has been satisfactorily ascer- 
tained that the lime made from its northern . 
edge is the best. The quarries of William B. / 
Rambo, near Swedesburg, and those ^TTTort 
Kennedy, have this position : while approach- 
ing the opposite edge, it increases in hardness 
till it terminates in white marble, which merges 
into the still harder blue marble. This lime- 
stone is placed in the primitive formation, and, 



UPPER MERION. 



as may be supposed from the aforesaid re- j perpendicular seam, extending down, no doubt, 
marks, is by no means uniform in its quality, to a great depth. It is said the deeper it is 
some of its beds yielding lime of much greater ^ obtained the better is its qviality. What was 



purity than others. But taken collectively, no 
lime in the United States surpasses it, especi- 
ally for mechanical purposes. Mr. Trego, in 
his geography, thus speaks of the value and 
importance of this article : " It is scarcely 
possible to form an estimate of the incalculable 
advantages derived by Pennsylvania from the 
limestones so extensively diffused throughout 



formerly known as Henderson's quarry is now 
owned and worked by John Sandeman. It is 
situated about two miles south of Bridgeport. 
There is here an extensive steam mill for saw- 
ing marble. Thirty-five hands are generally 
employed in the mill and quarry. The great- 
est depth reached, in obtaining the marble, is 
about one hundred feet. Immense quantities 



the State. They impart fertility to the soil \ have been taken out here within the lasttwen- 
wherever found ; they are used as a building \ ty years. A portion of the material used in 
stone for houses, barns, bridges, canal locks, \ the construction of Girard College was ob- 
&c., and they constitute an indispensable arti- \ tained at this place. One of the greatest dif- 



cle of use in our furnaces for smelting iron 
ores. When burned into lime they yield a ne- 
cessary ingredient in the mnrtar for stone-ma- 
sons, bricklayers, plasterers, for whitewashing, 
and for several purposes in the manufactures 
and the arts. But it is from the benefits de- 
rived to our agriculture, from the use of lime 
as a manure for the soil, that our State is des- 
tined to be most enriched by this important 
article of her productions. At several points 
on our canals and railroads vast quantities of 
limestone are quarried and transported to 
places where it is required for use, and from 
the rapidly increasing demand it is becoming a 
considerable item in the tolls upon our public 
works." Oldmixon, in his British Empire in 
America, published in 1708, says that the first 
limestone dug in America was found in Letitia 
Penn's manor of Mount Joy. This probably was 



ficuliies in procuring the marble is the ingress 
of water. The depth made here could never 
have been reached without the aid of a num- 
ber of pumps, propelled by steam. This is 
a serious obstacle to the successful working of 
marble quarries, and entails considerable ex- 
pense. That there is an abundance of this 
beautiful material in this township there is uo 
doubt, and it is believed as the demand for it 
increases this difficulty will be the easier sur- 
mounted. About half a mile from the King of 
Prussia, and near the Chester Valley railroad, 
is the quan-y formerly worked by J. Brooke, 
but now in possession of Derr and Adams. 
There is here, also, a steam saw-mill. They 
employ about twelve men. These two are the 
only Marble quarries that have been worked. 
The census of 1840 states that in Upper Mei'ion 
there was nine men employed in the business, 



in the vicinity of the present Port Kennedy, s producing marble to the amount of six thousand 
The census of 1840 values the lime then man- \ seven hundred and sixty dollars. A few yards 



ufactured in this township at seventy-four ) 
thousand seven hundred and seventy-two dol- 
lars, or about one third of that produced in the 
entire county. This business has since greatly 
increased through the additional facilities af- 
forded for its transportation. It is said that 
Port Kennedy, for the year ending with June 



above the mouth of Gulf Creek, on the Schuyl- 
kill, Henry Munson owns an extensive stone 
quarry. A large amount of building stone is 
taken from here to Philadelphia and other 
places by teams, canal and railroad. When we 
were here in August, 1858, the Navigation com- 
pany were raising and repairing Plymouth 



1st, 1857, exported lime to the value of one \ dam, which is near this quarry, and stones 



bundled and forty thousand dollars. The ; 
whole county is represented in 1840 to have ' 
produced lime to the amount of two hundred 
and thirty-six thousand one hundred and sixty- 
two dollars. This sum, we have no doubt, is 
now exceeded in value by Upper Merion alone. 
Marble is composed of chrystalized carbon- 
ate of lime, and the two are always found com- 
bined, more or less, together. The marble 
worked in this township rans in a long, narrow, 



were used in its construction which we are 
certain were over twelve feet in length and a 
foot and a half in thickness. This stone dres- 
ses easily and affords an excellent building 
material. 

Upper Merion was first settled by the Welsh, 
and their descendants at this day probably con- 
stitute a mnjority of its population. A few 
years afterwards several Swedish- families took 
' up large tracts of the best land, which they 



33 



HISTORY or MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



eettlcd upon, and are cbiefly in possession of j Upper Merlon, for the scliool year ending 
their descendants. At a livter period several i with June 1st, 1857, bad nine schools, which 
English families removed here. V/ithin the < were open ten months, and employed seven 
past thirty years raany Irish have settled here, ^ male and three female teachers. The wages of 
through the encouragement given them as In- < the former was thirty dollars and of the latter 
borers in the lime, marble and iron busi- > twenty-five dollars per month. Five hundred 
ness. This township, iu 1741, contained fifty- S and sixty-six scholars attended these schools 
two laxablea; in 1828, three hundred and six- | during the year. The amount levied to defray 
ty ; in 1819, nine hundred and thirty-five; and ) the expenses was three thousand two hundred 
in 1857, nine hundred and two. The census of \ and sixty-nine dollars and ninety-seven cents. 
1810 gives the total population at one thousand ^ There is, we believe, but one library in the 
one hundred and fifty-six ; in 1820, one thou- \ township, which is at the King of Prussia, and 
sand two hundred and eighty-five; in 1830, j has been only recently started, 
one thousand six hundred and eighteen ; in Port Kennedy, if not the largest village, is 
1840, two thousand eight hundred and four; \ certainly the most extensive business place in 
and in 1850, three thousand and seventy-five. \ the township. From the amount of materials 
By the erection of Bridgeport into a borough, •> we have relating to it, and its importance in 
in 1851, the population was somewhat reduced. \ the valley of the Schuylkill as a place of trade, 
We should estimate it at this time to be about ? we have couoluded to defer a further account 
three thousand two hundred. s till iu a separate article. Swedesburgis plcas- 

In the way of improvements thistownsliip is \ antly situated on a bank of the Schuylkill ad- 
pretty well provided, and which have had adjoining the eastern line of Bridgeport. It 
great tendency to develop further its resources. \ contains about cixty houses, chiefly small two 
Besides the canal, the Reading railroad runs its ? story frame, a church, school house, one or two 
entire length on the Schuylkill, a distance of 5 stores, and a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, 
nine miles. The Chester Valley railroad, v<hich ' The census of 1850 gives it three hundred and 
was finished in 1853, extends through its entire ^ eighty-eight inhabitants This place has 
width, from east to west, about four miles. It s chiefly grown up within the last fifteen years, 
commences at Bridgnpovt and connects with the ) and ovzes much of its prosperity to the manu- 
Pennsylvania railroad at Downingtown. There | facturing business carried on in its neighbor- 
are, besides, several short branches, erected by | hood. The Pleading railroad posses through 
private enterprise, leading from mines and aihe place. About half a mile below this village 
quarries to the Schuylkill, none of which, how- s -William B. Rambo carries on lime burning j 
ever, we believe are over a mile in length, and /'quite extensively. He has sixteen kilns and 
will be hereafter mentioned. A turnpike ex- s employs fifty hands in quarrying, burning and 
tends from Bridgeport to the King k)f Prussia, \ hauling the lime. He has a railroad laid from 
three miles, and was finished in 1853. The | the quarries to the river, half a mile in length, 
census of 1850 gave six hundred and twenty- s Most of the lime is sent by the canal to New 
four houses and one hundred and eight farms. '! Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Ballygo- 
According to the triennial assessment of 1856, 5 miugo is a manufacturing village on the Gulf 
the real estate of Upper Merion was valued at < Creek, about half a mile from the Schuylkill, 
seven hundred and forty-nine thousand nine > It contains about thirty houses, a Baptist 
hundred and fifteen dollars ; and the horses s church, a store, school house and several me- 
and cattle at twenty-six thousand four hundred i chauic shops. Before the Revolution, George 
and four dollars. In 1858 it contained three ) English erected a fulling mill here, which was 
public houses, nine stores, three coal yai-ds, ( afterwards owned by William Cu«ter, who car- 
four grist mills, three saw mills, three iron | ried it on for a number of years. On his 
furnaces, two marble mills and seven or eight s death, his son-in-law. Bethel Moore,the present 
cotton and woolen factories. It will be seen by i owner, made valuable iniprovoments and enter- 
this that the inhabitants aro extensively en- > ed more extensively into the manufacture of 
gaged in manufactures, independent of the < woolen goods, especially sattinetts, giving 
limo and marble business. There are post offi- ? employment to a considerable number of hands, 
ces at the villages of Port Kennedy, King of s The name of this village is given after a towa 
Pi'UBsia and Gulf Mills. tin Ireland. A short distance above this George 



t^PPBR MERION. 



89 



Townsenc] has an extensive factory, altered 
from a grist mill, wliich formerly belonged to 
David Brooke. iSlatsunk is the name of a 
village that has chii-fly grown up within the 
last twelve years, and is situated on a small 
stream of the same name, near the Schuylkill, 
and about a mile below Swedesburg. It con- 
tains nineteen dwelling houses, several of 
which are splendid residences, surrounded with 
fine shady lawns and gardens, and enclosed 
with iron railing. Abraham Supplee has here 
a manufactory of Kentucky jean, employing 
some twenty-five hands. The extensive works 
of the " Swede Iron Company" are also here, 
and comprise two large furnaces, a railroad 
leading from the mines to the river, nearly a 
mile in length, numerous out buildings, and 
about sixty acres of lan<], on which there is an 
abundance of iron ore and limestone of the 
best quality. The total cost to the company is 
said to be over two hundred thousand dollars. 
These works have not been in operation for 
some time. The firm of Potts &, Jones, of 
Philadelphia, are said to be the principal 
stockholders. Q^he land in the vicinity of Mat- 
sunk is of superior quality and among the best 
in the county. King of Prussia is situated 
near the centre of the township, at the inter- 
section of the Gulf and State roads. This 
name was derived from an inn here more than 
a century ago. It contains a public house, 
store, post office, blacksmith shop, wheelwright 
shop and seven houses. Five roads centre 
here, one of which was turnpiked, in 1852, to 
Bridgeport, a distance of three miles. There 
is a stone bridge here, over Elliott's Run, built 
in 1835. The township elections are held here, 
which, on the formation of the countj^ in 1785, 
were held at the Court House, in Korristown, 
but which, we believe, since taken from there, 
have been continued at this place. Within a 
few years a library has been started, of which 
C. J. Elliott is librarian. The Chester Valley 
railroad passes to the south of this village, 
about a hundred yards. There is fertile land 
in this vicinity. About a mile south of this, 
at the head of Elliott's Run, and near the Ches- 
ter county line, is the Croton factory and a 
saw-mill, belonging to Williaai Hughes. 

Bird-in-lland is situated on the Gulf road, 
■where it crosses Gulf Creek. It contains seven 
houaes, one store, and blacksmith and wheel- 
wright shop. Here was formerly a tavern, the 
Bign of which has given a name to the place. 



The first post office in the township was loca« 
ted here, which was before 1827, and two 
years after its name was changed to its pre^ient 
one of Gulf Mills. Gulf Creek is here crossed 
by a venerable stone bridge. The Gulf Hill 
rises immediately on the south side of the 
creek quite steep and is wooded to the top. 
About a quarter of a mile above the "Bird," 
on the creek, George M'Farland has a large 
three story factory, for spinning wool and cot- 
ton and weaving jeans. There are here four 
houses. At Sandemau's marble mill, previous- 
ly mentioned, there are come six houses. Near 
the interseciion of the Gulf and Matson Ford 
road there are four or five houses, a grist mill, 
saw mill and school house. There is here, 
also, a one story stone meeting house, belong- 
ing to the Christian Baptists, or " Plummer- 
ites," built in 1835. The Matson Ford Road 
passes from Delaware county, by this place, 
to Conshehocken, and forms the boundary be- 
tween Upper and Lower Merion The grist 
mill last mentioned is about a mile from the 
"Bird," and stands in a romantic situation, on 
the west side of the Gulf Road, and to the 
antiquary is an object of interest. It is now 
owned by Rebecca Thomas, and was built in 
1747, and is known as the "Old Gulf Mill." 
This is probably the oldest mill now standing 
in Montgomery county, and excepting some 
of its machinery, it is believed to have under- 
gone no alteration since its erection. It is 
built of stone and may yet with care stand for 
centuries. It was, no doubt, in its day, con- 
sidered a great affair. On Vv^m. Scull's map of 
1770, the "Gulf Forge" is marked as being in 
this vicinity. An account of the village of 
Valley Forge will be omitted at this place for a 
separate article. 

There remain several objects of interest yet 
undescribed in this township, which are worth 
a visit from the lovers of the curious. As we 
have spoken of the name of Gulf being applied 
to a road, a creek, a hill, a mill, and a post 
office, it is perhaps time that we enlightened 
the reader what this word " Gulf implies, or 
rather how it originated and why implied. 
What is understood to be the Gulf is where the 
Gulf Creek passes through the Gulf Hill, and 
for the purpose of a passage has cleft it to its 
base. The stream and the road by its side 
wind through it somewhat in the shape of an 
S, and at the narrowest part there is just room 
enough for both, the whole width not being 



40 



niSTORT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



more than forty feet. The bills on either sicfe 
are pretty steep, anil are covoreJ with rocks, 
bushes aui.1 trees to their summits. The hill on 
the north side is about one hundred and fifty 
feet high, and on the west side not quite that 
elevation. Near the old Gulf Mill, on the 
south side of the entrance, a rock juts out at 
the road side to an elevation of about fifteen 
feet, which has sheltered people from the rain. 
As this hill runs a considerable distance west 
of the Schuylkill, and as the road through it 
is perfectly level, it will at once appear obvious 
that from the earliest period of the settlement 
above this passage was a great advn^ntage in 
passing to aud from the city. Hence its name 
is mentioned from an early date. To be in 
such a place in the dreary hour of midnight, 
with the roar of the troubled waters among 
the rocks, and the gloom of the wood-cov-ered 
gorge, is enough to arouse in the solitary trav- 
eler feelings of an unusual kind. 

From Bridgeport to Valley Forge is six 
miles, and few walks in Pennsylvania are more 
interesting than that along the tow-path by 
the river for this distance. The towns, vil- 
lages, manufactories and scenery on each side, 
at every turn of the river, present something 
new and beautiful, which, were we to describe 
at length, would occupy too much of our space. 
About a mile above Biidgeport, by the tow- 
path, and not seven feet from the edge of the 
river, stands a noble beach treo, over eight feet 
in circumference and very high. It is still 
quite thrifty and shows no signs of decay. 
We observed quite a number of initials of 
names cut on its bark. It stood here, no 
doubt, some time before the white man settled 
in the vicinity, and is, very probably, the 
largest of the kind in Montgomery county. 
If this tree could speakwliata history it might 
unfold ! A quarter of a mile below the catfish 
dam, and three miles above Bridgeport, from 
the tow-path, is presented one of the most 
beautiful landscapes we remember seeing most 
anj* where. It is worth, as Thomas Jefferson 
has said, a voyage across the Atlantic to see 
the scenery of the Potomac at Harper's Ferry : 
then we say it is, at least, worth traveling 
from Norrislown, on any fine day, to this spot, 
to view the scenery of the Schuylkill Valley. 
In standing at a certain point here and looking 
up the stream, the falls of the Catfish dam are 
seen extending across the Schuylkill, and 
about three fourths of a raile beyond is seen, 



nestled in the hills, a portion of Port Kennedy, 
with its bridge ; and still beyond, and for the 
back ground, in the centre, and as if springing 
from the river, the picturesque and fine wood- 
ed hill-topg of Valley Forge, four miles oflf — 
the whole forming such a combination of ob- 
jects, so advantageously connected, as are sel- 
dom found in any one view. At the dam 
aforesaid, are two locks, placed side by side, 
which are called the Catfish locks. These, 
as well as the dam, were built by the Navi- 
gation Company. 

Upper Merion contains four churches, which, 
with one exception, have been built within a 
recent time. The one to which we allude is 
Christ Church, at Swedesburg, and of which 
we have given a description in our article on 
the Swedes. I( was originally built in 1700 
and enlarged in 1837. Some of the tomb- 
stones go back to 1744-5 and 8, showing that 
a grave yard was here some time before the 
erection of a church. A great many are bu- 
ried here, and in looking over the stones the 
following are found to be the most common 
names : Broades, Brooke, Holstein, Gartley, 
Supplee, Novioch, Custer, Ramsey, Thomas, 
Amies, Jones, Clay. Hughes, Munson, Lear- 
nard, Pastorious, Dehayen, Rambo, Engle, 
Coats, Roberts, Famous and Henderson. — 
Though the form of worship is Episcopalian, 
yet this church is not attached to the diocess, 
this right being reserved by its members. Of 
all the Swedish Lutheran churches in Penn- 
sylvania, it is said this is now the only one not 
merged in the Episcopal diocess. Its present 
pastor is the Rev. William Henry Rees. 

In regard to the early history of Upper 
Merion, we know, from Thomas Holmes' map 
of original surveys, commenced in IG82 and 
complpted before 1G95, that the upper half of 
the township was included in Letitia Penn's 
manor of Mount Joy, the middle portion to 
William Penn, jr., and the lower part adjoining 
Lower Merion, to John Pennington and com- 
pany. The remaining portion of the manor of 
Mount Joy lay in the adjoining township of 
TrcdyfTrin, in Chester county, and included in 
all seven thousand eight hundred acres. The 
land belonging to John Pennington and com- 
pany no doubt was a part of the Welsh tract, 
which we know extended through a part of the 
township, and extended into Chester county, 
comprising in the whole, forty thousand 
acres, and of which we have already made 



UPPEll MERION. 



41 



menlion in the history of Lower IMeron. It; years of age." No dcuht, before (lie Revolu- 
was chiefly dirough this last erent purchase | tion, there was a considerable number of slaves 
that the original settlers were Welsh, and who | in the country. Even the census of 1790, it 
gave it the name of Merion, after the shire \ should be remembered, gives to Montgomery 
from whence they came. The Swedes came |. county one hundred and fourteen slaves, which, 
into the township about 1712. and settled on a I in 1830, had decreased to one solitary slave. 
large tract which they purchased from the s The Revolutionary history of this township 
Welsh. The names of these settlers were Mats > is not without interest, for nearly all the lead- 
Holstein, Ounner Parabo, Peter Rambo, Peter \ ing events connected with the encampment at 
Yocum and John Matson, who each took up ', Valley Forge happened within its limits. This 
from eight hundred to one thousnnd acres of ; will be hereafter given in a separate article, 
land, which lay from tlie present borough of s But a few days after the defeat of Washington 
Bridgeportdown to the Lower Merion line, and 5 at Brandy wine, ho retired to Gerraantown, 
back about two miles from the river. This '; where he allowed his army one day for rest and 
tract, for fertility, is almost unequalled in j refreshment ; he then re-crossed the Schuyl- 
Penn'sylvania, and is sliU chiefly in the hands .; kill, September 15th, 1777, for the purpose of 
of their descendants and comprises nearly one j giving the enemy battle upon the field of his 
third of the present areaof the township. Ou ; late defeat, if his camp yet remained there, 
this tract the names of Svv<;des' Ford, Swedes' ^ Monseur D^ Coudray, a French oflicer, who 
Church, Swedcsburg, Swedehiud and Matson's \ had been commissioned a Major General on the 
Ford sufliciently indicate the presence of these \ 11th of August, setofl" with a party of French 
settlers. As a pretty full account of the < gentlemen to overtake Washington. As he rode 
Swedes has already been given, further infor- ^ a young and spirited mare, which was placed 
mation is deemed unnecessary. A road was pn a P. it-bottomed boat for the purpose of being 
laidoutfromWhiteland, in Chester county, in ■; transported across the river, scarcely had 
1723. to the Swedes' Ford by way of the present ; they started, when she backed to the extreme 
King of Prussia, thus showing that the travel | end of the boat and then into the river, with 
at this early period must have been considera- \ her rider ou her back, and during tke struggle 
ble in this direcf.iSn. The following is a list '. b.th were drowned. Congress, on hear ng of this 
of settlers living in Upper Merion in 1734, \ occurrence the next day, ordered his corpse to 
being thirty-two in number, copied from the ^ be interred at the expense of the United States, 
list prepared for Thomas Pena. It will be \ and with the honors of war. His death hap- 
ob«er?ed that about one half are Welsh : Ma- > pened in the vicinity of Matson's Ford, on the 
thias Holstein, Hu.^h Hughs, Morris Edwards, ) 16th of September. In November following, 
Owen Thomas, GrilhU. Phillips. .John Moor, ; Lieutenant Colonel Lacey marched with a force 
Owen Jones, Thomas Jenkin, .John David, Al- ^ of some three or tour hundred men under his 
exander Henderson, Mounce Rambo, John s command from the encampment of the Ameri- 
Rambo, Gabriel Rambo, Eiias Rambo, Peter ) can army at Whitcmarsh, to join General Pot- 
Yocum, Andrew Supplee, Hugh Williams, Ben- \ ter's brigade on the west side of the Schuyl- 
jamin Davis, John Sturges, Isaac Rees, Rich- \ kill. A position was taken by the united forces 
ard Bevan David James, William Rees, Ed- \ near the Gulf Mills on the main road leading 
ward Roberts; Mathew Roberts, Wm. George, ^. to Philadelphia. The British having received 
Thomas Rees, Harry Griffith, Hannah Jones, ^ information of this left the city about nuduight, 
Griflith Rees, David Lewis and John Rees. J and arrived here early in the morning, when a. 
Hugh Hughs, we know, settled here some s severe attack was made. At the first fire two 
time before 1723. Edward Roberts was com- '; of Potter's regiments fled, but a portion under 
missioned one of the justices of the Philadel- ^ Lacey stood their ground until they were com- 
phia Countv Courts in 172(5, and was continued \ pletely outnumbered, when they fell back to the 
in the same, in 1741. Richard Bevan. in the ^ brow of the hill where General Potter had sta- 
aforesaid list, advertises in the Pennsylvania ^ tioned his second line. Here another struggle 
Gazette of July 24th, 1751, that he has for i ensued, when the Americans again fell back 
-iale '< near the Gulf Mill, a likely negro-man, J and began to retreat. General Potter and Col- 
about thirty years of age, fit for town or conn- ] oael Lacey used every effort to rally them, but 
try business. Als- a uegio-gi.l. about fifteen > ia vain. Soon a general conslcnui.on pre- 



42 HISTORY or MOXTGOMEllY COUNT!'. 

Tailed, wbicL resulted [in a route. Ho rapid ■, 

was the retreat that the British were soon all ,; ^ ^ ^^ 

left behind but two dragoons, who followed at 's IJlUUUJ^rUlil. 

fall speed. After a chase of some distance, ^, 

the Americans were sati.-Sied that the Uritish ^ The borough of Bridgeport is of recent ori- 
armj was no longer in pursuit, and probably s gin, having been incorporated by an act of 
thinking it too great disgrace for several regi- : Assembly passed the 27lh &f i'ebruary, 1851. 
ments to be Heeing before two single horsemen, s Its area is four hundred and sixty acres, and 
Colonel Lacey ordered the men to turn around s was wholly taken from the township of Upper 
and fire, ivLich was instaniiy dune, and both ; Merion, in which it had been previously situa- 
horses and riders fell to the ground, pierced by \ ted. In its form it is quite irregular, Laving 
a hundred balls. Somewhat to the credit of the [ somewhat the shape of a scalene triangle. It 
Americans engaged in this affair, it bus been •■ is bounded on the north and north-east by the 
supposed tiiat the horses of these dragoons be- Schuylkill, and on the south and west by Up- 
came unmanageable, and thus forced their ri- ■ per Mtriou. Few towns have a more beauti- 
ders, however much against their will, to exhi- ;. ful and advantageous situation. It is opposite 
bit a courage from wiiicli, could they have ,; Norristown, and the land rises gradually from 
avoided it, they would have gladly escaped. \ the river. The borough extends on the Schuyl- 
The loss of the Ameiicans was one oilicer and > kill from the dam down to the out-let lock, a 
seventeen men. G*Be»ikl I'oltey now mar«(lie'.5 \ dislance of a mile. DeKalb street, which was 
to Swedes' Ford, where, about the middle of laid out iu 18^>i), as the State road, extends 
December, he joined the mniu army under .] across the bridge from Norristowu, aixl i» 
Washington, who were on the way to go into ;< piked. Ford street extends from DeKalb street 
winter quarters at Valley Forge. At this place s to the Swedes' Ford bridge. The nearest street 
a court-martial was held by order of General \ running parallel with the river, is sailed Front 
Potter to try such men as threw away their i street ; next is Second, and ao ©•n to Tenth 
arms and equipments for the purpose of f ;cili- >; street, which forms the south-western bouada- 
tatiug their escape iu the late attack. A num- ,> ry of the borough. DeKalb and Front are the 
ber were sentenced to be publicly whipped, \ principal streets and contain a number of ele- 
which sentence was carried into effect, and !; gant brick houses, several of which are occu- 
produc?c} not a little excitement in the camp, s pied by persons of wealth and who have retired 
Although Upper Merion lay at some distance \ from business. According to the census of 
from Philadelphia yet its ciiizens suffered con- ) 1850, Bridgeport contnined five hundred anci 
aiderable from the niarauJing exptdilions of < seventy-two inhabitants, and in 185<;», two 
the British army. Tiie assessor appointed to i; hundred and forty-seven tasables. At thi» 
rate the damages committed by them placed s time the population is probably about thirteen 
them at £1517. | hundred. 

The Hon. Jonathan Roberts was a native and ;> That Bridgeport is no ineonsiderable busi- 
resident of this township, and died iu July. ;, ness p)ace is sufficiently proven from the num- 
1854, at the advanced age of 83 years; and, ) ber of stores and manufactories within ita 
at his request, was buried on a part of his ^ limits. In May, 1858, it contained three inns, 
place called " Bed Hdl," where he had appro- s one grocery, two merchandise, one drug, one 
priated two acrws of laud for the poor of the '■ shoe, one clothing, one clock, one variety and 
neighborhood to bury their dead free of charge. ■^ one confestionary store. Thero is a large 
Mr. Roberta was elected a member of Congress 1; cotton faetoiy belonging to John Ogden, who 
in 1811, and la February, 1814, was chosen a s employs about fifty Lands in spinning and 
member of the United States Senate, which s weaving. White and Brothers have a large 
office he held till 18'21. > straw-hat and bonnet factory, and employ 

\ nearly one hundred hands. Body and Jacobs 
s have a woolen factory for sattinetts ; Raysor 
> and Templeton, a steam sash and door factory 

< and planing mill ; E. Rotts and Co. carry on 

< the manufacture of agricultural implements, 
] and H. K. Stuhl has an csteusive coach and 



BRIDGEPORT. 



4-^ 



carriage TOfimifactory. Besides these there are J measure, they wore iRcluced, tLrough the lib- 
two flour mills, two lumber yards, two coal J eral oflers of Eiisha Evans, the owner of the 
yards and one brick ys^rd. | l«"d on the Bridgeport eide, to locate it there. 

According to the triennial assessment of s No doubt, at that early day, and when there 
185G the real estate is valued at one hundred t was but two houses here Mr. Evans foresaw 
and ninety-sevea tUo^tsaad eigU hundred aii'l i the advantages that would arise in the future 
seventeea dollars, and the horses aud cattle \ from such an arrangement. 
at two thousand four hundred and ninely-two \ The bridge over Schuylkill, on DeKalb street, 
dollars. The public school house was built in \ is eight hundred feet long, aud with the abut- 
185G, aud is a large two story brick building { ments one thousand and fifty feet. It rests oq 
with' a cupola, ou DeKalb street. For the :' three stone piers, and cost thirty-one thouFand 
school year ending with June 1st, 1857, three \ two hundred dollars. Of this amount the 
schools were kept in it, taught by one male and I; county subscribed ten thousand dollars, and 
two female teachers, Mr. Iluckins being the s the state six thousand dollars. It was erected 
principal. These wei-e ^pea five months, and \ by a joint stock ccnipajiy, chaptered the sixth 
ott« kanired and uiEcty-tiiree scholars attend- I; of April, 1830. It was begun in the spring of 
ed, and one thousand one hundred and eigkty- s 1829, and by September of this year it was so 
one dollars were levied ta defray the expenses J far completed that foot passengers could cross 
of the same. The Baptist church is the ouly j on it. It was finished in 1830. For a number 
house of worship in Bridgeport, and was built \ of years before the erection of this .bridge 
in 1819. It is a one story stone building with ^ efforts were made at different times to have 
a basement The^Uev. 0. J. Thompson is the s one erected here, but always fell through for 
present pastor. The Methodists, on Sundays, \ the want of sufficient capital. Even the Leg- 
hold worship in the basement of the public J islature chartered a company for this purpose 
Bcbool-house. A library company was organ- \ a? early as 1815. The Swedes' Ford bridge 
jzed in May 1858, and near the close of the ^ company was incorporated the 30th of March, 
year contained two hundred and fifty volumes, ^ 1818, but the bridge was not built till 1851. 
Dr. G. W. Holsteiu being librarian. The post s The Chester Valley railroad crosses it and 
office w.as established some time before 1855. ^ forms a connection with the Thiladelphia and 
That Bridgeport has rapidly increased within \ Norristown railroad. This bridge is about 
a recent time is sufficiently attested by an \ half a mile below the Norristown bridge, 
enumeration made in 1832, when it contained \ No sooner was the bridge built than efforts 
but one inn, a store, a mill and eight houses. \ were made to have a State road laid out from 
The various public improvements that either ^ New Hope, on the Delaware, by way of this 
pass through or begin here contribute much s place and West Chester to the Maryland line. 
to the prosperity and business-advantages of ; To authorize this the Assembly passed an act 
tUe place. Among the first constructed was I at the same time the bridge was chartered, 
the Schuylkill navigation and canal. This | This road was laid out the 29th of December, 
great work is one hundred and eight miles in ) 1830, and passes through Montgomery county 
leno-th, beginning at the Fairmount dam and \ a distance of sixteen miles. The court, on the 
exteadiBg to Port Carbon above Bottsville. It > 17th of August, 1831, directed it to be opened 
was commenced in 181G and finished in 1821 | and cleared to the breadth of forty feet. It 
for the passage of boats of sixty tons burden. \ has since generally gone by the name of the 
To this place it was sufficiently completed in ) State road. From this borough to the King of 
1818 to admit the descent of a few boats. Prussia, a distance of three miles, this road 
The whole line, in 184G, was enlarged, and | was turnpiked a few years ago. 
boats of one hundred and eighty-sis tons now \ The Pveadicg railroad company was ch.'irtered 
{.assand repass. When the navigation couipa- \ April 4tli, 1833, and the uexn year the larger 
ny had made the dam here in 18IC-18, it was '' portion of the road was put under contract. 
their intention to make the canal* on the oast ;' On the 0th of December, 18.;^<, the first loco- 
side of the river, through Nmri^town, bogin- \ motive aud train of cars passed over it to 
ning at or near the present Swedes' Ford bridge Readinf^. ]t was not opened to Pottsville till 
to the dam. But as the people of Norristown ■ early in 1812 wlien tlie event was celebrated 
were almost unanimously opposed to any such - with military display audan imment=e procession 



44 



IIISTOllY or .MONTUUMEKY COUNTY. 



of pcvcnty-iivo passenger cars, one thousand two ! at cue time kept it sis a public Imnse, and 
huudiL-d au(J iil'ty- five i'uet in Icugth, containing I biiiit an addition to it. Near by slood the 
two thousand one hundred and fifty persons, [■ " twin pines," eo called from the fact of their 
three bauds of music, with one hundred and i growing from one butt and separating about 
eighty tons of coal, part of which was mined ^ four feet from the ground and thence growing 
the sanae morning, four hundred and twelve < in close proximity to a very great height, and 
feot below the water level. In August, 1858, \ serving as a lanU-niark to the country around, 
while standing near the railroad, in DeKalb > These trees were a remnant of the ancient 
street, we counted a train of ninety five cars \ forest, and on this account were preserved from 
pissing with coal, drawn by a single lucomo- \ violence and regarded with interest. One of 
tive. The depot and station is a couiniodious < them was blown down during the prevalence 
edifice, well calculated for the business and \ of a violent storm on Easter Sunday, 1822. 
travel of the place. Near by the railroad corapa- ^ The other continued to Hourish till about 1842, 
ny have alao^ building and reservoir, to supply -l when it began to show symptoms of decay, and 
the locomotives with water while stopping, ^ by 1847 had so far />in££/ away in stately grand- 
which is elevated by means of water power ^ eur, that as a matter of prudence it was cut 
furnished at the spring. The Chester Valley \ dowu. It measured over two feet in diameter, 
railroad at this place connects both with the !; Sherman Day, the distinguished author of the 
Reading and Norristown railroads, and extends s Historical Collections of Pennsylvania, and 
to Downingtowu, where a connection is also ;; who was here in 1841, thus speaks of it: "A 
made with the Pennsylvania railroad. It is s tall and solitary pine, a remnant of the ancien 
twenty-one miles long. The first traia of cars < forest, still stands beside it, (the old Swedes' 
passed over this road on the 12eh of Septem- \ Ford tavern,) like some faithful old sentinel ; 
ber, 1853. s some years since it had a companion, and the 

Although Bridgeport is of recent origin, as \ two formed a beautiful head." 
has been already stated, yet its history extends > The battle of Brandywine was fought Sep- 
back to an early period. Swedes' Ford is pember the 1 1th, 1777. At twelve o'clock that 
within its limits, and around which cluster | night Washington wrote a despatch to Congress 
both colonial and revolutionary reminiscences. •' from Chester, in which he s.-iys : " This day's 
The history of the latter, we might add, ter- \ engagement resulted in our defeat." On the 
minates where the other begins. About the \ loth he formed his head quarters at German- 
year 1712 Mats Holstein, with his wife Brita, | town, with the determination of having another 
moved into this neighborhood from the county | engagement before the fate of Philadelphia 
below, accompanied by several other Swedish \ should be decided. From an original letter 
families. He purchased, from a Welshman, | now in our possession, written in the city on 
one thousand acres of land, upon which he < the llth, by Mrs. Margaret Stedman to Mrs. 
settled and built a stone house in 1714, about 'i Ferguson, of Giiume Park, is taken this 
one and a half miles from this borough. This | extract : "General Washington and all his 
tract had a front on the river of about a mile, s army arc come over this side and marched up 
and extended back into the country some two | to the Falls, expecting the English will cross 
miles, including all the present territory of 5 at the Swedes' Ford." General Armstrong, 
Bridgeport, which comprises less than half \ with a portion of the militia, was posted along 
that area. The name of Swedes' Ford must )■ the Schuylkill, to throw up redoubts at the 
have been applied to this place before 1723. s different fords where the enemy would be most 
For we know in November of this year appli- > likely to cross, and which were to be occasion- 
cation was made to the Governor and Council ] ally occupied, while Washington moved with 
to have a road laid out from Whiteland, in J the main body of the army, on the other side, 
Chester county, to this ford, which, in the | to make another attack. Apprehending that; 
spring of the following year, was confirmed, \ it would be very likely that the British would 
and ordered to " be with all convenient speed \ attempt to cross at Swedes' Ford, Chevelier Du 
opened, cleared and made good." A portion \ Portail, a French engineer, constructed a num- 
of the old Swedes' Ford tavern, now owned by } ber of redoubts on the east side of the river. 
Col. Bush, was supposed, by the late Mathias i upwards of half a mile in length, with the 
llolstciu, to have been built before 1730. He \ assistance of Armstrong's command. It is 



BKIDUEl'OET. 



46 



said tbat they had fcarcely completed these ] cannot vouch. The first we know of his ser- 
works before the British made their appear- s vices is in the capacity of an engineer, along 
ance at the place, and that when they beheld \ the Schuylkill, in September, 1777. On the 
the defence changed their purpose with the !; following 17lh of November, he was commis- 
iutention of crossing higher up, which they ■; sioned a Brigadier General in the army, and iu 
subsequently did at Fatland Ford, below Val- \ the beginning of 1778 a colonel of engineers, 
ley Forge. When Washington broke up his s He was at the siege of Yorktown, and for his 
encampment at Whitemarsh, with the intention ^ services there was commended by Washington, 
of going into winter quarters at Valley Forge, \ The 16th of November, 1781, he was promoted 
he crossed at this place, near the middle of Uo the rank of Major General. Inconsequence 
December. Major Holstein, then a boy, wit- \ of the v?ar coming to a close, he sailed for 
nessed the passage, and related that it was | France the same mouth, and after a brief stay 
effected by making a bridge of wagons, all I came back again. Being a man of wealth, 
backed to each other. He also says that trees •> and charmed with the beauty and fertility of 
then abounded on the banks. this part of the country, while engaged in the 

From the Pennsylvania Gazette of 1780, we \ capacity of an engineer, induced him to pur- 
learn that at that time there was " a great chase, after the peace, the farm upon which 
road leading from Coryell's ferry (now New \ the greater part of Bridgeport has since been 
Hope,) to the Swedes' Ford." Ou Reading \ erected. He continued to reside here until 
Howell's map of Pennsylvania, published in s about the year 1800, when he sailed for France, 
1792, Swedes" Ford is mentioned. More than 1; but died on the passage. An aged and respect- 
acentury ago there were three public houses in ^ able friend informs us that he was a sonin- 
Upper Merion: one was at this place, one at law of Count Pulaski, the Polish General. A 
the Bird-in-hand, and the other at the King of 1; portrait of Du Portail may now bo seen in 
Prussia. These, from their situation, formed ^ Independence Hall, Philadelphia, having for- 
an exact equalateral triangle, being each three > merly been in the Peale collection. Shortly 
miles distant from the other. A respectable after his death, the property, with about two 
lady of this borough, now nearly eighty, re- hundred acres of land, was sold to Elisha Evans, 
members well, in her youth, when this was a who, in 1810, sold off forty acres to Robert 
favorite round with the young people in sleigh- i Jones. With this exception, Mr. Evans re- 
iug time. Before we drop the time-honored > tained the balance as farm land till his death, 
name of Swedes' Ford, it may be well in this \ in 1830, when it came in possession of his son, 
place to mention its exact locality, so that it \ Cadwallader Evans, who still resides iu the 
may be the more readily recognized. It ex- > borough. 

tended a few yards below the present Swedes' | At this time Bridgeport contained three 
Ford tavern, directly across the Schuylkill, \ dwelling houses, a tavern and a large three 
where a large and venerable willow still stands I story stone mill, which is still standing near 
to mark the spot, on the Norristown side. It is \ the canal, in DeKalb street, and was built in 
about one hundred yards above the present \ 1826. It was through the liberality of Elisha 
Swedes' Ford bridge. Except from some of s Evans that the canal was made through the 
the objects just mentioned, it would otherwise \ whole length of his property. The erection of 
be difficult to recognize its locality from the \ the Norristown bridge, in 1829, and the open- 
great change made in the neighborhood by the \ ing of the State road the year after, began to 
improvements of the last forty years. \ give the first impulse to improvement, which 

As Chevelier Uu Portail was a resident of \ has not since been materially checked. In 
this place a further notice may not be amiss. J 1832, besides a store, the number of houses 
While Dr. FranHin and Silas Deane were in \ had increased to eight ; in 18-10, to fifty-three, 
Paris, they were instructed by Congress to \ and in 1819, to ninety-six. The number now 
procure for the American army four competent '> is probably over two hundred, 
engineers, and who had served in this capacity s After the incorporation of Bridgeport into a 
in the French armies. They were accordingly borough, in the winter of 1851, Perry M. 
selected and sent to this country. Among s Hunter, L. E. Corson, M. McGlathery and 
this number was Du Portail. It is said that \ Alex. H. Supplee were appointed comniission- 
ho came over with La Fayette. As to this we ) ers to lay out its territory from the township 



46 



iriSTOnY UF MOXTtiO.MEHY CyUXTY. 



of upper Mcrion. The following boundaries 
were then agreed upon : Bigiuuing at low 
water mark of the river Schujlkill, in said 
township; thence on a line dividing hiuds of 
C. Evans and tlie Schuylkill N.ivigatinu Com- 
pany, south twenty degrees and twenty min- 
utes, west thirty-four perches and two-tenths 
of a perch to a point in a public road in the 
greatvalley ; thence aloig the midille of said 
road, south sixty-five degrees and forty min- 
utes, west one hundred and sixty five perches 
and five-tenths of a perch to a point iu the 
middle of a road leading to Ssvedes' Ford road ; 
thence along the same south twenty-six degrees 
tliirty-five minutes, west one hundred and fifty- 
six perches to a point in lands of Henry No- 
vioch; thence north sixty-six degrees east 
seventy-three perches to a point in a line be- 
tween lands of John and Lindsay Coates; 
thence by lands of Samuel Coates soutb eighty- 
three degrees, east one hundred and forty five 
perches and four-tenths of a perch to a point ; 
thence by lands of said Samuel Coates, north 
sixty-three degrees tiiirty minutes, east two 
hundred and fifty-three perches to low water 
mark of the river Schuylkill aforesaid, and 
along and up said river the several courses 
thereof to the place of beginning. 



PORT KENNEDY. 

The village of Port Kennedy is situated on 
the south bank of the Schuylkill, in the town- 
ship of Upper Merion, and is twenty-one miles 
from PhH<idelphia and four from Norristown. 
The country, in this vicinity, is rolling, and 
the soil fertile. It is noted for the vast quan- 
tities of Hoae burned here and exported to 
other places. Through this business it owes 
its chief prosperity. Thirty years ago it was 
almost a waste, with nothing on it to attract 
attention but a beautiful spring of excellent 
water. At this time it contains one hotel, two 
stores, a furnace, church, school house, black- 
smith and wheelwright shop, and forty- two 
dwelling houses. The census of 1850 gives 
Port Kennedy four hundred and forty-nine in- 
habitants. If this enumeration was correct, 
we doubt wliether at this time it contains that 
population. 'J'he numbei' of Imuses is too 



;, small to warrant such a conclusion. From the 
hill, on the road to Valley Forge, a short dis- 
■j tance from the village, there is a fine prospect 
I of the place and surrounding country, as well 
: as of the Schuylkill for several miles down its 
course. 

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 posi- 
tion on the river's bank, and the Reading rail- 
road has a station near by. The furnace here 
belongs to Patterson & Co., of Pliiladelphia, 
and was built in 1855. It is a large establish- 
ment, and during the year 1857 gave employ- 
ment to thirty hands and turned out from 
twelve to fifteen tons of pig iron per day. In 
August, 1858, when we were here, it was not 
in operation. It is called the Montgomery 
furnace, and is said to be constructed in the 
most substantial manner, and with the latest 
improvements in the art of smelting. The 
principal portion of the ore used was obtained 
in the vicinity. A considerable quantity was 
procured from the furm of Isaac Richardson, 
one mile off, in the same township — also, from 
William Huberts' [farm' and from near the 
White flurse, in C'lester county, by means of 
the Chester Valley railroad. Ore was also 
obtained from Lake Champlain, some of which 
yielded seventy-five per cent. The Presbyte- 
rian church was built in 1845, and is a hand- 
some stone building, in the east part of the 
village. The present pastor is the Rev. Hen- 
ry S. Rodenbaugh, who resides in Lower Prov- 
idence township. The Port Kennedy bridge 
company was incorporated by an act of As- 
sembly passed March 9lh, 1846. It is a frame 
coveved bridge, resting on three stone piers, 
and is of sufficient width to admit two wagons 
passing. It was not conipleted till (he close of 
the year 1849. 

It is the lime business that has given this 
place its present importance, and probably in 
this respect is not exceeded by any other in the 
valley of tbe Schuylkill. The lime manufac- 
tured is of superior quality and most of it is 
shipped off by the canal to New Jersey, Dela- 
ware and Maryland ; a considerable quantity 
is also sent lo Philadelphia and New York. 
When we were here in August, 1858, three 
schooners, one sloop and a cai.al bout were 
loading at the wharves. One of thc^e, a 
schooner, was a neat and beautiful crati, and 
8 I svninicfrical in form that one nrghl have tup. 



Vallev iuuci;. 



47 



posed t!:at It h:ul been intemk-J rather as a ; liis loss vrn>: l.-iiiicnlc] by a large circle of 
pledsure yacht than fur the more useful purpo- :j friifnds. lie has four sons still turYlTing. 
ses of trade. As the vessels, in order to reach j John and David R. Keunedy reside here, and 
this place from the city, have to pass under \ are the priccipal property holders of this vil- 
bridges, it becomes necessary for them to have ; iage and trcinitj. Williahi resides in Kent 
fulling masts, ^which are^^raised vfhile loading, j county, Maryland, and Alexander, in East Pike- 
According \o the census cf 1840, Upper ^ Ian d, theater county. Eekre this >jllage bad 
Merion produced lime to the amount of seven- '> attained near its present si«e it was called l^f 
ty-four thousand seven hundred and seventy- \ the less dignified name of " Kennedy's Hoi- 
two dollars. At this time Tort Kennedy alone • low ;" but time, (he charger cf all thii.gs, haa 
produacH twice that sum ; thus showing that !; iranS'formed this uncouthness into its present 
this business has greatly increased and will ;'. more euphonious name. 

yet arise to much greater importance. The <; Not many years ago, in working in the lime- 
burning of lime is carried on here the most ^ stone quarries here, an extensive cavern was 
extensively by John Kennedy, Esq. His \ reached, which had an area fully equal to 
kilns are nearest the village, and are fourteen '; many of our largest public buildings. It con- 
in number, some of the largest of whicli con- ', tained a considerable number of stalactites of 
tain two thousand five hundred bushels. The 1; calcareous matter, some of which extended to 
% quarry has been worked at some places to the ;• the floor and formed several conical arches, 
depth of forty feet, IIo generally has frorj ; y^ith borders of variegated colors — i>l»o pyra- 
sixty to seventy men in his employ. 5Ir. Ken- . midal columns of various sizes. This cavern, 
nedy resides in a large and handsome mantdou ) from the singularity of its chambers, was an 
on an eluvated situation, near the Presbyterian : object of considerable curiosity during the 
church. There is a large conservatory at- \ brief period it was open to visitors. A ccn- 
tached, containing a number of curious plants. \ ggrt wap held in oae of its largest saloons, on 
David R. Kennedy, brother of the aforesaid, ; the 4th July, 1846, at which several hundred 
carries on the business extensively, about a ;. persons were present. Its existence has now 
quarter of a mile sculh west of the village. •; btcome only a matter of the past, for it has 
David Zook has also several kilns and carries !; been quarried away these several years. How 
on the business to some extent. Reeves, Buck ;! singular that a cave in the solid rock should 
& Co., have recent'y purchased a tract of land \ be burned up by man and not a particle left 
here, and keep a large number of men engaged ;. remaining ! No doubt it lay here concealed for 
in quarrying, hauling and boating the stone 'l ages, even before the creation of man himself, 
for the use of their extensive furnaces at Phoc ) and which his industry has only lately revealed 
nixville, six miles distant. s and destroyed, for the more beneficial purposes 

As great houses are built from small bricks \ of enriching his fields. 
BO great fortunes are often made from small ^ 
beginnings. As an example we might mention s 

Alexander Kennedy, the founder of this place, ^ _____ 

and after whom it was called. He was. a na- ^ 
live of Ireland and came to this country poor, s 
and was first employe"' 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 > Dear to every lover of freedom must be this 
property on which this village is loci.tcd be- { spot, consecrated as it has been by the devo- 
longed to Mordecai Moore, who died in 1803, \ tion and sufferings of that patriot band. No 
at an advanced age. It was then purchased by ' where in the wide world but here, during the 
Mr. Kennedy, who moved on it in the spring \ winter of 1777-8, did liberty dare to raise her 
oJ 1805. He continued to reside here till in j arm against oppression. Truly may it be said 
the fall of 1824, when he died at the age of ^ that at that time whatever portion of mankind 
about sixty three years, and was interred at > may have longed for a brighter era, here their 
the Great Valley Presbyterian church. He '; hopes must have been centered. Cold and 
■was a highly respected and useful man, and , piercing as were the blasts of that winter on 



VALLEY FORGE. 



-i» 



HISTUKY Oi-' MONXGOMEKY COUKTY. 



these bills, tlicre vrns ptill onouf];li wnrmtli re- 
maining in those bosoms, in spite of their 
scfinty covering, to sustdin them through the 
terrible trial. As the antiquary or traveler 
rambles in its vicinity, and gazes on the re- 
maining relics of that encampment and rctlec'S 
on their gufferings, he cannot but tliink where 
are now the men that composed that army, and 
where is now thjtt noble chief who endured with 
them ? Gone, yes, forever gone, as they all 
are, from the theatre of action on this earth ; 
yet they still live in the hearts of their coun- 
trymen — in the hearts of the great and good of 
other nations. The example lives — and though 
tyranny may flour\i<h her sceptre and justice 
be wronged, it cannot long survive such rccol- 
leclions as Valley Forge presents. It is this 
that ennobles history and makes the historian 
the champion of the rights of man and a bene- 
factor of his race. 

The village of Valley Forge is situated on 
the south bank of the SchiiylUill, at the mouth 
of the East Valley creek. It is distant twen- 
ty-three and a half miles from Philadelphia 
and six above Norristown. That portioH of it 
comprised within the limits of Upper Merion 
contains Charles H. Rogers' cotfon factory, a 
gridt mill, store, hotel and ten houses. On the 
Chester count}' side is Thropp's cotton factorj', 
a store, post ofEce and fifteen houses. The 
Reading railroad, which has a station here, 
crosses the creek, near its mouth, by a bridge 
some thirty feet above the water, and from 
which a beautiful view is offered by looking up 
the creek. Among the interesting objects seen 
are the falls of the dams belonging to the grist 
mill and cotton factory, a short distance above 
each other, and of the venerable stone bridge 
crossing it a hundred yards above. Those, with 
the deep gorge of the stream and the high and 
rugged liills ris'ing on either side, which hem 
iu the village near by, form an interesting sight 
— a picture, we might add, to be properly ap- 
preciated should be seen. Description cannot 
do it justice. Stolid, indeed, must the person 
be who has the recollections of the past stirring 
within him that can gaze on such a scene un- 
moved. 

The cotton factorj' belonging to Mr. Rogers 
is a large and extensive establishment and em- 
ploys nearly one hundred hands. Near by he 
has a splendid residence surrounded by fine 
lawns and shrubbery. Isaiah Thropp's facto- 
ry of Kentucky jeau also gives employmcut to 



a number of hands. Through (he liberality of 
Mr. Rogers an observatory was erected on his 
lands, on the hill, about two hundred yards 
south-east of the village. It is not situated 
quite on the most elevated part of the hill, but 
still a splendid view is offered of the surround- 
ing country, It is approached by a path 
through the fields, and its site points out the 
spot where WashingtoH's marquee was planted 
on the day of his arrival here. The observa- 
tory is of an octagonal form and about forty 
feet high, and is ascended by a spiral stair- 
case. From the open gallery, on its top. can 
be fieen Norristown, Phcenixville, Pnwling's 
Bridge, Edge Ilill, Barren Hill, Methacton 
Hill, and a number of other places. We were 
here on the 17th of August, 1858. The day 
was beau'iful but warm. We observed that 
the higliest and steepest hill here is on the 
Chester county side, and are satisfied, from its 
peculiar appearance, that it can be seen from 
an elevation near the Willow Grove, twenty- 
four miles distant. The hills, on both sides 
of Valley creek, are generally steep, rugged 
and wooded to their summits, and present an 
unusually wild appearance, more so than one 
might expect from the populousness of the 
surrounding country. At the close of this 
article an account will be given of the house 
still standing in the village in which Washing- 
ton hud his head quarters, also of the existing 
remains of the encampment, besides notices 
of a number of relics in the possession of per- 
sons in the vicinity. 

In reverting to the early history of this 
neighborhood, we learn, from Holmes' map of 
original surveys, made between the years 1G82 
and 1G95, that the manor of Mount Joy com- 
prised all of the upper portion of Upper Mer- 
ion, as well as a portion of the adjoining town- 
ship of Tredyffriu, in Chester county, and con- 
tained about seven thousand eight hundred 
acres, which belonged to Letitia, the daughter 
of William Penn. There is a tradition that 
Will'am Peun, who, on a visit in this vi- 
cinity, got lost on the high hill on the Chester 
county side, and that he did not know where 
he was till he got on the hill this side of the 
stream, on which the observatory is, when by 
a glimpse of the Schuylkill and the country to 
the southward, he regained his way, and in 
consequence named the former till Mount Mis- 
ery and the latter Mount Pleasant, which they 
respectively bear to this day. The name of 



VALLET PoRGK. 



4d 



Valley Forge is dt-riveJ from a forge erected ' storee deposi(pc| at Readinj;. The movemeut 
here by Isanc PottH, a son of John Potts, ) of the British appears to have been to deceive 
after whom Pottstown was called, and who was \ Washiiigton, for as soon as they ascertained 
an early settler and extensive landholder there, j that his army Was near Pottsgrove, they cro.^sed 
How early the forge was erected here we can- ; the Schuylkill at FiitIaa»LFord, about half a 
not say, but it is marked on AVilliam Scull's ] mile below Valley Forge, on the night of tho 
map of Pennsylvivniii, j-iub'.ifched in 1770. ? 22d of September, and proceeded leisurely 
Some time after the revolution it was torn 5 towards Philadelphia, which they did not enter 
down and the spot is now occupied by ]Mr. | till the 26tl>, spending three days in a March 
Rogers' cotton factory. Mr. Potts wasalsothe > of twenty-three miles. Immediately on learn- 
proprietor of a large tract of land in this vi- < ing that the British had crossed the Schnvlkill, 
cinity. There is now no forgo or furnane in ) and were on their march to Philadelphia, 
this vicinity, but iron ore is still dug in consid- | Washington wrote a letter to Congress, at Lan- 
erable q'lantities on the farm of P«-ichard I caster, from his cnmp, near Pottagrove, in 
Marten, about a quarter of a mile from the > which he says: "The enemy, by ix variety of 
village, on the road to the King of Prussia, s perplexing raanciuvres, through acouutryfrom 
The house of Isaac Potts stood a phort distance I which I could not derive the least intelligence, 
below the forge, near the mouth of the creek, I (being to a man dissiffected) contrired to pass 
and was used as the residence and bead-quar- \ the Schuylkill last night at the Fatland and 
ters of Washington during the encampment. J other fords in the neighborhood of it. They 
The battle of Brandywiue was fought the \ immediately marched toward.8 Philadelphia, 
11th of September, 1777, and resulted disas- I and I imagitie their advai;ced parties will be 
trouslv to the Americans. Washington imme- S near the city to-night. They had so far got the 
diately crossed the Schuylkill, with the inten- \ start before I received certain intelligence that 
tion, if the British attempted to cross it, to | any considerable number bad crossed, that I 
make another attack, and thus, at least, by one | found it in vain to think of overtaking their 
more effort, try to save Philadelphia. He, | rear with ti'oops harrassed as ours have been 
however, shortly afterwards returned to have | with constant marching since the battle of 
another engagement near the scene of the late j Brandywine." 

struggle. On the 17th the two armies mete The British had now full possession of Phil- 
near the V/arren tavern, on the Lancaster road. | adelphia, and for winter quarters were corn- 
Preparations were made to attack the left < fortabiy situated. The battles of Brandywine 
•wing of the enemy, and an engagement v;ns 5 and Germantown were fought, and had resulted 
about to take place near the Goshen meeting S to the Americans with a lo&s of two thousand 
house, when a violent storm of rain came on | soldiers. The autumn had now nearly passed, 
and suddenly wet the powder of both parties ? and Washington and his army still lay at 
and prevented a conflict. The storm continued s Whitemarsb, with nothing but tents to shelter 
all night, and before dawn the enemy left their \ them from the inclemencies of the weather, 
position and moved down the road leading to ] The question now arose, where and how were 
Swedes' Ford. When they there beheld the | they to spend the winter ? Should they disband 
defence or breastworks on the opposite side of | and leave the country unprotected, and to the 
the river they wheeled around and proceeded \ ravages of a foreign soldiery, or should they 
in the vicinity of this place. In the meantime i enter into winter quarters, somewhere conve- 
Washington crossed the Schuylkill at Parker's j nient to the city, where, by taking a strong 
Ford, hoping to be able to confront them while \ position they might both secure themselves and 
on their passage of the river. A detachment ( the country from any attacks? Tho latter al- 
of the British army arrived at the Forge and \ ternative seemed the mo'it effective, and at the 
burned the mansion bouse of Colonel Dewees < same time the most feasible. Had they dis- 
and the iron works, leaving the grist mill unin- > banded for the winter it perhaps would have 
jured. On the I9th they encamped on the hills \ occasioned such a dissolution in the army that 
of this vicinity. In the meantime Washington < might have been fatal to its re-organization ia 
arrived near Pottsgrove, supposing Howe's ? the spring. 

design to be either to turn the right of his 5 Both Washington and his ofiBcera were Batis- 
mrmy, or to get possession of the American \ fied that Whitemarsh was not the proper plae* 



^0. 



BISTORT OP MOKXaOMERT COUNTT. 



for ft winter encampment. The former, there- 
fore, requested his general officers to com- 
municnta to him, in wri'ing, tlieir sontinients 
respecting ths most eligible s-itcfor that |.ur- 
pce. A council of war was held on the 30lh 
of November, at vfhich ii wide diflFerence of 
opinion prevailed as to the locality and the 
best manner of cantoning the troops. So va- 
rious and contradictory were the opinions and 
council.?, that uriaiiimit}' could not be hoped 
for, and it was nccct^sarj for Wnshinj^ton to act 
according to his own jiidjrnient and upon his own 
responsibility'. He decided to form an encamp- 
ment at Valley Forge, where be might be near 
enough to the British army to watch its move- 
ments — keep its foraging parties in check, and 
protect the country from the depredations of 
the enemy. 

On the 11th of December, the patriot army 
left Wbitemarsh and crossed the Schuylkill at 
Swedes' Ford the same day, by making abridge 
of their wagons, all backed to each other. 
Here they were joined by General Potter and 
bis brigade, who liad marched from a strong 
position on the Gulf Hill. Atwhatesact time 
they arrived in the vicinity of Valley Forge is 
not known, but, very probably, about the 
16tb. The nest day Washington issued a pro- 
clamation to thft army, in which he gives his 
reasons for the course be had pursued. This 
is an interesting document and breathes the 
language of devoted patriotism throughout, 
while at the same time it evinces the cool de- 
termination to conduct the war to a happy 
cloae. 

••Heau Quarters on Sohuyi-tcill, ") 
Dec. 17. 1777. / 

'• General Orders. The Commander-in-Chief, 
with the highest satisfaction, expresses his 
thanks to the ofhcers and soldiers for the forti 
tude and patience with which they have sus- 
tained the fatigues of the c-nnpaign. Although 
in some instances we have unfortunately failed, 
yet, upon the whole. Heaven has smiled upon 
our arms, and crowned them with signal suc- 
cess ; and we may, on the best grounds, con- 
clude that, by a spirited continuance in the 
measures necessary for our defence, we shall 
finally obtain the end of our warfare — Inde- 
pendence, Libeity a7id Peace. These are bless- 
ings worth contending for at every hazard ; but 
we hazard nothing — the power of America 
aleue, duly exerted, would have nothing to 
dread fr>>m theforoe of Britain. Vet we utand 



not wholly upon our own ground. Franco 
yields us every aid, and tbore are reasons to be- 
lieve the period is not veiy distant when we will 
take a more active part, by declaring war 
against the British crown. Every motive, there- 
fire, irresistibly urges us, nay, commands us, to 
a firm and manly perseverance in bur opposition 
to our cruel oppressors — to slight difiiculty, 
endure hardships, and continue every danger. 
The General ai-dently wishes it were now in hia 
power to conduct the troops into the best win- 
ter quarters : but where are they to be found ? 
Should we r tire to the interior of the State, 
wo should find them crowded with virtuous 
citizens, who, saeriliciiig their all, have left 
I'hiladelphia and fled hither for protection ; to 
their distresses, humanity forbids us to add. 
This is not all ! — \Ye should leave a vast extent 
of fertile country to be despoiled and ravaged 
by the enemy, from which they would draw vast 
supplies, and where many of our firm friends 
would be exposed to all t!ie miseries of an in- 
sulting and wanton def^redation. A train of 
evils might be renumeraied, but these trill suf- 
fice. These considerations make it indispensa- 
bly necessary for the army to take such a posi- 
tion 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 thr.t will be 
warm and day. In these the troops will be 
compact, more secure a^jainst surprises than if 
in a divided state, and at hand to protect the 
country. These cogent reasons have deter- 
mined the General to take the post in the neigh- 
borhood of this camp, and influenced by them, he 
pursuades himself that the ufiicers and soldiers, 
with one heart and one mind, will resolve to 
surmount every flifficulty with a fortitude and 
patience becoming tiieir profession, and the 
sacred cause in which they are engaged. He 
himself will share the hardships and partake 
of every inconvenience." 

The army did not reach the valley till about 
the ISlh, and it is said that in their march to 
this place from Whitfmarsh, they might have 
been tracked by the blood of their feet over 
the hard frozen ground, as many were compel- 
led to travel barefooted tor the want of shoes. 
According to a rtconmuudation of Congress, 
the whole army engaged in religious sei-vices, 
and observ(-d the day with public thanktjgiviug 
and praise. Co the morning of tte 19lJbi, at 



VALLEY POR(>E. 



51 



Mr. Lossing observes in hia Field Book of the | were thus comfortably lodged, Wnehington 0C- 
Revolution, they spread over the hills of Yal- ( cupicd his cheerless marquee, after which be 
ley Forge and began the work of hutting All \ made his quarters at the house of Mr. Potts, 
was activity among those who were sufficiently | "Near Washington's quarters, on a gentle 
clad to allow them to work in the open air. | elevation by the river, were stationed his body 
Some cut do?rn trees, others fashioned them, ] or life gufird, under the command of Charlea 
and in a few days the barracks, erected upon Gibbs, of Uhcde Island. A little to the right 
the plan of a regular city, were completed. | of the guard was the brigade of General Mc- 
Tbe whol« number of men was eleven thousand 5 iDtosh ; and further up the hills were th« 
and ninefr-eiglit when the encampmetit com- | brigades of fluntington, Conwn}' and Maxwell, 
menced. Of this nwnibor two thou'sand eight s Between these and Mclntosii's brigade were a 
hundred and ninety-eight were unfit for duly, i redoubt and slight intrenchments; and directly 
The British army, at the same time, contained > in front of them was a line of abates. Nearer 
thirty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty- <, the Schuylkill, and on the top of the hid, was 
six men, of which nineteen thousand five bun- 5 the brigade of General Varnum, near a star 
dred and thirty were stationed in Thiladelphia. s redoubt. At a distance of about a mile, and 
This latter number, alone, it will be observed. I forming a line from the Schuylkill to Valley 
was nearly double that of Wjishingion's com- > creek, was tlicmfiin portion of the army, under 
tnand. The wonder is at this day, after hold- < Btigadiers Mulilenburg, Weedon, Paterson, 
jng possession of the city for :!bout nine months, ) Learned Glover, Poor, Vv'ayne, Scott and Wood- 
how ."uch an arm.y of men should liave remain- \ ford, with a line of intrenchmcnts in front. 
ed so in.ictive and effected so little. < The artificers of the army were on the north 

"Washington gave explicit directions for 5 side of the creek, opposite the General's quar- 
constructing the huts. He ordered the colonels j ters ; and near the cotton factory was the 
or commanding officers of regiments, to cause | army bake-house. There was also an irregu- 
their men to be divided into parties of twelve, | lar line of intrenchments along the brow of 
and to see that each party had its proportion I the hill, on the south side of the creek. Not 
of tools, to commence a hut for that number; S far southward of Roger's observatory was a 
and as an encouragement to industry and art, s redoubt, and near it was Knox's artillery, 
the General promised to reward the party in ^ The remains of this redoubt are yet very prom- 
each regiment which finished its hut in the i inent in the woods, on the right side of the 
quickest and most workmanlike manner, with I road leading from Valley Forge to Paoli ; olso. 
a present of twelve dollars. He also offered a > the redoubt on the left wing of the encamp- 
reward of one hundred dollars to the officer or < ment, (now near the Reading railroad) is well 
soldier who should substitute a covering for the ^preserved, the forest protecting it from demo- 
huts cheaper and more quickly made than I Htion." A temporary bridge was thrown 
boards. The following were the dimensions I across the river, to facilitate communications 
and style of the huts, as given in Washington's I with the surrounding country. While the huts 
Orderly Book: •'Fourteen by sixteen feet, each, | were building. General Potter was stationed 
the sides, ends and roofs rer.de with logs ; the \ some distance off, to cover the main army, in 
roofs made tight with split slabs, or some other I case of any attack, as well as to watch the 
way; the sides mado tight with clay: n fire- < motions of the enemy. 

place made of wood a:id secured with day en I *' tierc, after an arduous campaign of four 
the inside eighteen inches thick: this fii-e- ^ montiis, during which neither party obtained 
place to be on the rear of the huts; the door |a decided advantage, other than good winter 
to be in the end nest the street; the door to be quarters at Phila.U'lphia, on. the part of the 
made of split oak slabs, unless b lartls can be < enemy, the shattered remains of the American 
procured; the side walls to be six feet ntid a ? army vainly sought repose. They had marched 
half high. The oflTiceiV huts are to form a line s and countermarched, dity and night, in en- 
iu the rear of the troops, one hut to be allowed \ deavoring to bnille the designs of a powerful 
each general officer; one to the staff of each I enemy to their couufry and its liberties; now 
brigade : one to the field officer of each regi- \ they were called upon, in the midst of coropar- 
ment, and one to every twelve noncommis- ) ative inaction to war with enemies more insid- 
eioned officers aad soldiers." Until Lis soldiers ; ious, implacubie aad personal. Hunger and 



32 



MfSTORT OF MONTaOMERY COUNTT. 



nakeJtiffis aasfiileil (hat dreary wintrr camp 
with h\\ their progeny of discaao mid woe. 
Thither, an we have seen, the soldiers came 
with naked, bleeding feet, find there the}' siit 
down where destitution held court and ruled 
with an icy sceptre. The prevalence of Tory- 
ism in the vicinity, the avaricious peculations 
of some unprincipled commissioners — the tardy 
movements of Congress in supjilying provi- 
pions, and the close pioxiniity of a powerful 
enemy, combined to miike the procnreniout of 
provisions absolutely iniprficticiible without a 
resort to force But few horses were in cump, 
and such wus tlie deficiency in this respect, for 
the ordinary us well as the extraordinary oc- 
casions of the army, that the men, in many 
instances, cheerfully yoked themselves tovehi- I 
clcs of their own construction, for carrying ' 
wood and provisions when procured, while 
others performed the duty of piick-horses, and 
carried heavy burdens of fuel upon their 
backs." 

Though the army had been but a few days 
in camp, the soldiers begun to sufiVr fir the 
want of straw for lodging, which could not be 
had because the farmers of the surrounding 
country wouM not thresh their grain. To put 
a stop to this evasion, the following order was 
issued with the intention of remedying this 
inconvenience : — 

By His Excellency, George Washington, Es- 
quire, General and Commander-in-chief of the 
forces of the United Slates of America. 

By virtue of the power and direction to me 
especially given, I hei-eby enjoin and require 
all persons residing within seventy miles of my 
head quarters, to thresh one half of their 
grain by the first day of March next, ensuing, 
on pain, in case of fnilure, of having all that 
shall remain t« sheave-i after that period above 
mentioned, seized by the commissaries and 
quarter masters of the army, and paid for as 
ttraic. Given under my hand, at head quar- 
ters, near the Valley Forge, in Phibidelphia 
county, this 20th day of December. 1787. 

(Signed) G. VVASHINGTON. 
BoBBaT H. Habrison, Secretary. 
December had now hut a few days left, and 
the soldiert" were too 'lly clothed to be exposed 
any longer to the inclemency of the season 
For up to tliis time, it should be remembered, 
they had only been sheltered like their com- 
mandur-in chief, under mere tents. Besides 
the want of straw, blankets and clothing, their 



sufferings were increased by the want of proTis- 
visions for theconimis.''ary's department, which, 
through the neglect of Congress, had been badly 
managed. An opinion of their condition and 
appearance may be formed from the following 
letter, written by General Wayne to the late 
Judge Peters of Philadelphia, under date of 
December SOtli, 1777 : " We are busy in form- 
ing a city. My people will be covered in a few 
diiys. 1 mean as to huts, but half naked as to 
cluhing ; they are, in this respect, in a worse 
condition than Fallsiaff's recruits, for they have 
not one whole shiit to a brigade — he had more 
than one to a company." 

At what time Wasliington left bis cheerless 
marquee for the house of Isaac Potts is not 
exactly known to us, but it was either on or a 
I few days previous to the 2nd of J.nnuary, 1778. 
Here, for the remainder of the encampment, 
wus his head-quarters. lie now set about 
divising some plan, in connection with his 
otlicers, for reforming some of the present 
abuses in the army, and to secure the future 
welf.ire of tlie soldiers. He maJe strong ap- 
peals to Congress on the sulject, and on the 
10th of January that body appointed a commit- 
tee, consisting of Messrs. Dana, Reed, Folsom, 
Carroll and Gouvcrneur Morris, to proceed to 
'alley Forge. Washington there laid before 
them a communication extending to fifty folio 
pages, containing the sentiments of himself 
and officers. This formed the basis of a report 
the committee made to Congress, after remain- 
ing nearly three months in the camp. This 
report was in the main adopted 

As the winter advanced, as might have been 
expected under the circumstances, their suffer- 
ings increased. "At no period of the war," 
says Chief Justice Marshall, the historian, 
"had the American array been reduced to a 
situation of greater peril than during the win- 
ter at Valley Forge. More than once they were 
absolutely without food. Even while their con- 
dition was less desperate in this respi'Ct, their 
stock of provisions was so scanty that there 
was .seldom at any time in the stores a quantity 
sufficient for the use of the troops for one week* 
Consequently had the enemy moved out in force, 
the American army could not have continued 
in c.imp. The want of provisions would have 
forced them out of it; and their deplorable 
condition, with respect to clothes, disabled them 
from keeping the field in the winter. The re- 
turns of the first of February exhibit the as 



YAILEY FOROI. 68 

toniahlng number of 3,989 mhn in cnuip unfit > ready to enter anew upon the fields of strife 
for duty for wnnt of clothes. Of this number, \ for tlie cause of freedom. It was one of the 
Bcarcely a mnn had a pair of slioes. Even i raos^t trying scenes in the life of Washington, 
among those returned capiible of doing duly, ^ hut a cloud of doubt seldom darkened the se- 
very many were so badly clad that exposure to \ rene atmosphere of his hopes IL^ k"ew that 
the colds of the season must have destroyed ^ the cause was just and holy, and his faitli and 
them. Although the total of the army exoeedi-d ) c infi lence in God as a dt-fender and helper of 
17,000 men, the present effective rank and file s '''gl't were ns steady in their ministi-ations of 
amounted to only 5,012. The returns through- s vigor to his soul, as were the pulsations of his 
out the winter do not essentially vary from that ( heart to his active limbs. In perfect reliance 
which has just been particularly stated." Tl)e > upon Divine aid, he moved in the midst of 
situation of the camp is such, wrote General \ crushed hopes, and planned brilliant schemes 
Varnum to General Green, on the 12ih of Feb- ? for tha future." Isaac Potts, at whose house 
ruftry, " that iu all human probability the arni> | Washington was quartered, relates that one 
must dissolve. Many of the troops are desti- | day, while the Americans were encamped at 
tute of meat, and are several days in arreais. | Valley Forge, he strolled up the creek, when. 
The horses are dying for want of forage. The | not far from his dam, he heard a solemn voice, 
country in the vicinity of the camp is exhaust \ He walked quietly in the direction of it and 
ed. There can not be a moral certainly } saw Washington's horse tied to a sapling. In 
of bettering our condition while we remain < .i thicket near by was the beloved chief upon 
here. What consequences have we rationally | his knees in pr-iyer, his cheeks suffused with 
to expect?" Oil the 16th Washington wrote | tears. Like Moses at the Bush, Isaac felt that 
to Governor Olinton: '■ For some days past he was upon holy ground, and withdrew unob- 
there has been little less liian a famine in camp served. He was much agitated, and on euter- 
A part of the army has been a week without | ing the room where his wife was lie burst into 
any kind of flesh, and the rest three or four ) tears. On her inquiring the cause he informed 
days. Naked and starved as they are, we can- ^ her what he had seen, and added: " If there 
not enough admire the incomparable patience < is any on this earth whom the Lord will listen 
and fidelity of the soldiery, that they have not I lo it is George Washington; and I feel a pre- 
been, ere this, excited by their suttVrings to a \ sentiment that under such a commander there 
general mutiny and desertion." " It was with \ can be no doubt of our eventually establishing 
great difficulty," says Dr. Thatcher, in his Mi- \ our indepetidence, and that God in his provi- 
litary Journal, "ihat men enough could be < dence has willed it so." A distinguished for- 
fouud in a condition fit to discharge the mill- | eign officer related to Mr. Thatcher " that, at 
tary camp duties from day to day, and, for this \ one time, he was walking with General Wasb- 
purpose, those who were naked borrowed of ingion among the huts, when he heard many 
those who had clothes. The army, inaeed, wa^ ^ voices echoing through the open crevices be- 
not without consolation, for his excellency, the \ tween the logs, ' iVo pay. no clothes, no provi- 
commat)der-iu-c!5ief, whom everj' soldier vene- ; sions, no rum!' And when a miserable wretch 
rates and loves, manifested a fatherly concern s was seen flitting from one hut to another, his 
and fellow-feeling for their sufferings, and | nakedness was only covered by a dirty blantet, 
made every exertion in his power to remedy the > Then be despaired of independence for Amer- 
evil and to administer the much desired relief." s ica." 

•* Vet, amid all this suffering, day after day," l Shortly after the battle of Brandy wine, and 
as Mr. Lossing remarks, " surrounded by ^rosf b when the British began to approach the Schuyl- 
and snow, (for it was a winter of great severi- < kill. Congress was in session in Philadelphia, 
ty,) patriotism was still warm and hopeful in ^ but in consequence adjourned to Lancaster, 
the hearts of the soldiers, and the love of seU < where they assembled on the 27ih of Septera- 
was merged into the one holy sentiment, lovel ber. They then adjourned the same day to 
of country. Although a few feeble notes of \ York, where they met on the 30th, and coutin- 
disconteut were heard, and symtoms of inten- < ued their sittings there until the British evac- 
tious to abandon the cause were visible, yet \ uated the city the following summer. Wasb- 
tbe great body of that euffering phalanx were i ington, in a letter to Congress, d.itied February 
content to wait for the budding spring, and be ^ 27th, says : " Baron Steuben has arrived at 



HISTORY OP MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



camp. He nppcnra to bo much of a gentle- 
man, and, as fnr as I have had an oppoitunitj 
of judgiug, a man of military knowledjro ancl 
acqiiaiuted v?iih Mie world." This is the ear- 
liest itiforniatlon we posjssv, of an oflicial char- 
acter, of tiiig Ji5tinguisheJ soMiei'a nvrival 
here, wiio wns afterwards to play a conspicuous 
part in the drama of t!ie revolution. 

"Before the opeuina; of spring," says i\Ir. 
AVoodinan, iu his manuscript ilistory of the 
Valley Forge, •♦ the fuel necessary' for the pur- 
pose of keeping the half clad and famii?hed 
soldiers warm, was so far exhausted that a 
further supply had to be obtained from a dis- 
tance, and such was the scarcity of the means 
•of conveyance that it had to he brought to the 
camp by means of manual labor. Often have 
I heard people who remembered the time, (es- 
pecially my mother,) mention of their having 
seen the soldiers, particularly those from the 
Eastern States and some of the subordinate 
•officers, who could best endure the rigor of the 
winter, yoke themselves like oxen, and on 
temporary sleds, formed for the occasion, haul 
fuel in this way, some of it a distance cf more 
than two miles, eight, nine, ^ten, or more, 
forming a team and using grape vines to draw 
them with instead of ropes. And when pro- 
visions and other necessaries became, in like 
manner, exhausted, requisitions had to be made 
from people living more remote from the same, 
ttnd foraging parties had to be sent to scour 
•various sections of country in onler to obtain 
and secure sustenance for the famishing army, 
and when thua obtained the conveyance of 
them to the place was attended with a great 
deal of inconvenience." 

It may be great to lead a powerful army on 
to victory, but surely it was (greater, in Wash- 
ington, to preserve the shattered remnants of 
ijbijs discouraged band together, when we mi^ht 
:8ay the enemy was trampling over them — 
jwhen Congress could do but little for them — 
when starring families at home were weeping 
for thei'P return, and when there seemed scarce- 
dy any other progpeet bifore thom but miscra- 
'ble defeats. It was, indeed, an arduou.s task 
<o keep together and siipply with provisions 
■this army of sufFtritig men, hut the character 
»of Washington stood nobly forth — night and 
day his efTorts were almos^t unceasing for their 
comfort and conveuience. As a last resort, he 
compelled those who had withheld provisions to 
furnish them forthwith. Their necesHifjr obliged 



s him, in this instance, to treat the American 
torics with as little consideration as the Eng- 
lish soldiers. In obedience to a resolution of 
Congress, lie had issued thci proclamation 
already given, requiritig ail the farmers within 
severity niilesof thecnmpto thresh onthalf their 
grain by the first of March, uuder tlie penalty 
of having the whole ..seized as straw. Many 
farmers refused, defending their grain and cat* 
tie, and in some instances burning what they 
could not defend. On the other hand, tho 
Dritish paid in gold, (which was very scarce in 
s those paper money days,) for every thing they 
wanted in Philadelphia, and that at high prices, 
which induced many, iu spite of the penalties, 
to incur the risk. Amongst them were many 
young men who had fled from theiri homes, 
either to escape from serving in the army or 
of save their fines. They usually carried poul- 
try, meat, eggs, flour and grain ; and brought 
buck calico, tea, coffee, and, what was of great 
\ importance, salt. Many vere arrested, found 
\ guilty, and publicly whipped, and their things 
s forfeited to the captors. The horses taken, 
\ when fit for draught or dragoon service, were 
\ required to be sent to the quarter-mastei* gen- 
I eral of the camp, who paid the full value for 
them. 

Amidst this gloomy prospect the time was 
not allowed to pass altogether away without 
being occasitmally enlivened by a joke. Tho 
following anecdote was related by Col. Allen 
M'Lean, who was in service here during the 
whole period of the encampment. It was told 
to John F. Watson, the annalist, and was pub- 
lished in the Collections of the Pennsylvania 
Historical Society. On the morning of the 
17th of March, being St. Patrick's day, some 
of the Pennsylvania Germaifs made a Paddy, 
and placed it at a conspicuous place in camp, 
to the great indignation of the Irish. They 
assembled in large bodies underarms, swearing 
for vcngeatice against the New England troops 
there, saying they had got up the inEult. The 
^ affair tlireatened a very serious issue ; none of 
the officers could appease them. At this time 
Washington, having ascertained the entire inno- 
cence of the New England troops, rode up to 
the Irish and kindly ond feelingly s>rgued with 
Mhem; ond then, as if hi^chly incensed ng;iinst 
•i Hi? perpetrators, requested i!;c Iriih to show 
\ the offendnrs and he would see them punished. 
< Thpy could not designate any one. " Well," 
^ .said Winhington, with great promptnofiH, *• I 



VALLEY FORQE'. 



66 



too am a lorer of St. Patrick's day, and must I one who bad served in Europe, could not well 
settle the alTuir by making all the army keep | be conceived, lie had found our cities in poa- 
the day." lie, therefore, ordered extra drink \ session of a powerful enemy, and when he 
to evei'y man of his eommand, and they all | came to look for the force that was to retake 
made merry and were good friends. Thus, for ) them he saw only ji few thousand famished, 
many years afterwards, St. Patrick's day at ^ half-naked men, looking more like beggasrs than 
Valley Forge formed a siUject of conversation s soldiers — cooped up in miserable log buts, 
among the soldiers vrhenovcr tbey met and was i dragging out a desolate winter amid the siraw, 
not soon forgotien among the rather monoto- \ As the doors of these hovels opened he beheld 
nous duties of the camp. S men destitute of clothing, wrapping themselves 

From the Orderly Book of Adjutant Irvine, up i» blankets, and muttering complaints? 
under date of April 29tb, the following extract against Congress, which could treat them witb 



is taken: "Complaint having been made by 
Mr, Dowees, proprietor of the Valley Forge, 
that the soldiers pull do-vn the bouses and 
break up the timbers of the buildings which is 
called Valley Forge, the commander-in-chief 
strictly forbids all persons from damaging the 
said buildings and works, which be hopes will 
be particularly attended to, especially when 
they consider the great loss that Mr. Dewees 
has already suffered, and the great waste our 
army has been under the necessity of commit- 
ting upon the Vv'ood and other improvements." 



such injustice and inhumanity. He was as- 
tonished, and declared that no European arny 
could be kept together under such sufferings. 
All discipline was gone, and the troops weie 
no better than a ragged horde, with scarcely 
the energy to struggle for self-preservation. 
There was hardly any cavalry, but slender 
artillery, while the guns and a'^coutresnewts — 
a large portion of them— were unfit for use. 
Our army bad never before been in such a state, 
ar:d a more unpropitioas time for Steuben to 
enter on hi.s work could not have been selected. 



Washington, in a letter to Congress, from i Nothing daunted, however, and with all the 

camp, dated the 80th cf April, says: "Baron s sympntbies of bis noble nature roused in oar 

Steuben's Icr.gth of service in the first military \ behalf, he began, as soon as spring opened, to 

Echocl in Europe, and his former rank, pointed "> instruct both officers and men. His ignorance 

him out as a person peculiarly qualified to be s of our language crippled him at first very 

at the head of this department. This appear- 'l much; while the awkwardness of our m'litia, 

ed the least esceptionable way of introducing \ who, gathered a? they were from every quar- 

him into the army, and one that would give ( ters, scarcely knew the manual exercise, irri- 

him the most ready opportunity cf displaying \ tated him beyond measure. Still the soldiers 

his talents. I therefore proposed to him to s loved him, for be was mindful of their suffer- 

undertake the office of inspector-general, which \ ings, and often bis manly form was seen stoop' 

he agreed to do with the greatest cheerfulness, \ ing through the doors of their hovels, to min- 

and has performed the duties of it with a zeal i itter to their wants and relieve their distresses. 

and intelligence equal to our wishes." So sat- ) It was bis practice to rise at three o'clock ia 

isfactory were 'the services of Steuben that s the morning, and dress his hair, smoke, and 

s 
through the recommeudation of Washington, ) take bis cup of coffee, and at sunrise to be in 

Congress appointed him a major-general, on s the saddle. By that time, also, if it was a 
the following oth of May. So eager was he to < pleasant day, be had the men marching to the 
serve in the American army that be at first > field for their morning drill. First be would 
joined as a volunteer, but be was not long in \ place them in a line, then pass along in front, 
this position before his knowledge of military ) carefully examining their guns and accoutre- 
tactics showed itself. As is well known be was S meats, and inquiring into the conduct of the 
one of the most thorough disciplinariaiis in < subordinate officers. The fruit of this labor 
Europe, and it was through bis talents and in- | soon appeared in the improved condition of 
structions that our men acquired a facility and \ his men, and Washington was v?ry much im- 
precision in drill, which soon after enabled J pressed with the value of his services. Owing 
them to carry tho Revolution to a glorious ter- I to his recommendation he was made inspector- 
mination. Mr. Headly gives the following in- < general. This branch of the service no* re- 
teresting sketch of Steuben, at Valley Forge: > ceivcd the attention it deserved, and discipline 
"A more sorry iotroduction to our army, for \ before irregular, or practiced only under par- 



56 



filSTORT or MfNtQOMERT COtTIfrT. 



ticular leaders, was inlroiluced info every por- ; 

tion. All tbc nrrangemcnts, cveu to the mi- s 

mutest, were planned and perfected by Steuben, \ 

and ilie vast tnacliinery of our army begau to > 

move in li:ir:nony ntid order. lie liad one s 

s 
compnny. which he drilled to the jiighest point \ 

of discipline, as a model to instruct the others S 
The result of all this was seen in the very next \ 
campaign, at the buttle of Monmouth. Wash- ) 
ington there rallied Lis men when in full re- \ 
treat, and brought them.into action under the i 
very blaze of the enemy's guns. They wheeled I 
like veteran troops into their places and then \ 
moved steadily on the foe." > 

Winter had disappeared and spring was now | 
Lere and with it hud brought the 1st of May. { 
Washington, iu consequence, was now begin- I 
tiing to make pieparations for his men to luke \ 
tlie field foi the summer's cumpuign. On this 
day he issued more stringent orders relative to 
delinquent officers — also iu regard to keeping 
more regular returns and more correct accounts 
of the actual state of the army — the number 
of men on duty — the number of sick, iu hos- 
pitals and absent on furlough, and also reiter- 
ating the orders to the oflicers to have their 
men clean dressed on parade, and other mutters 
iu common with the regulations of the cump, 
and directed that thes eorders were to be posted 
up, with strict injunctions that they should not 
be removed. 

By the help of the important success of the 
surrender of General Burgoyne at .Saratoga 
Dr. Franklin negotiated a treaty of alliance 
with France, February 6th, 1778; by which 
that government duly acknowledged our i/ide- 
pendeuce. Intelligence of this event did not 
reach the camp till the 1st of May, over two 
and a half mouths from the time the treatj' was 
signed. On lieuring news so auspicious, Wsish- 
ington, on the 7th, issued the following general 
order : — 

"It having pleased the Almighty Ruler of 
the universe, to defend the cause of the Uiiited 
American States, and finally to raise up a pow- 
erful friend among the princes of the earth, to 
establish our liberty and independence upon a 
lasting foundation, it becomes us to set apart 
n day, for gratefully acknowledging the divine 
goodness, and celebrating the important event, 
which we owe to his divine interpoBitiou. The 
several brigades are to be assembled for this 
purpose at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, 
wbeD their chaplains will commuaicate the io- 



felligence, contained in the postscript of tho 
Pennsylvania Guzctte, of the 2d instant, and of- 
fer up a thanksgiving, and deliver a discourse 
suitable to the occasion. At half past ten 
o'clock a cannon will be fired, which is to be 
a signal for the men to be under arms; tlie 
brigade inspectors will then inspect their dress 
and arms, and form the battalions according 
to the ins'rnctions given them, and anmmnce 
to the commanding ofPcers of the brigade that 
the b.'ittulious are formed.- The cmmianders 
of brigades will then appoint th6 field officer 
to the battalions, after which each battalion 
will be ordered to load and ground tbeir arms. 
At half past eleven a second cannon will be 
fired as a signa' fur the march; upon which the 
several brigndes will begin their march by 
wheeling to the right by platoons, and proceed 
by the iifarest way to the left of their ground 
by the new position. This will be pointed out 
by the brigade in^pectors. A third signal will 
then be given, on which there will be a dis- 
charge of thirteen caunon; after which a run- 
ning fire of the infantry will begin on the left 
of the second line and continue to the right. 
Upon a signil given the whole army will huzza, 
" Lont/ live the Kinrj of France .'" The artillery 
then begins again and fires thirteen rounds; 
this will be succeeded by a second general 
discharge of musketry in a running fire, and 
huzza, '■^ Long live (he friendly European PoW' 
ers .'" The last discharge of thirteen pieces of 
artillery will be given, followed by a general 
al running fire and huzza 'The American 
States!'" 

On this day Washington, with his lady and 
suite. Lord Stirling and his lady, with other 
general oflicers and Indies, attended the reli- 
gious services of the Jersey brigude, when the 
Rev. Mr. i.uiiter delivered a discourse. Af- 
terwards all the officers of the army assembled 
anvl paitook of a coU'iiion provided by the 
commander in chief. When he took his leave 
ttiere was universal huzzaing, '' Long live Gen- 
eral Washington .'" 

Ai an aci of clemency worthy the occasion, 
Wasliington issued the following: "The Com- 
mander-in Chief, in season of general joy, 
takes occasion to proclaim pardon and release- 
ment to ail (.ersons now in confinement, whetlier 
in the provost or iu any other places. This 
he is induced to do that the influence of pros- 
perity may be as extensive as possible. Even 
those that merit puuisbmeut rather than favoTir, 



TiXLEY rOR^E. 



67 



•hould not be excluded the boneflt of an event 
BO intereEting to maukiud as that which has 
lately appeared to the affairs of America. He 
hopes the indulgence will not be abused, but 
excite gratitude and produce a change of con- 
duct and an allowance of every practice incon- 
eistant with the duty they owe to their coun- 
try." He also remarked the satisfaction it 
aflForded him to see the improvement in the 
discinliue and arrangements of the camp, and 
presents his thanks to the Baron Steuben and 
the gentlemen acting under him for their inde- 
fatigable exertions in the discharge of their 
offices, the good effects of which were so evi- 
dent. 

In this season of general joy the enemy 
endeavored to injure the American cause by 
preventing enlistments. Washington on hear- 
ing this published a reply on the 23d of the 
month, from which the following is an extract: 
"A most scandalous report has made its ap- 
pearance in the Philadelphia Evening Post, of 
the 3d of this month, having all the appear- 
ance of a genuine act of Congress, setting 
forth that those bravo men who have enlisted 
or have been drafted to serve in the contineu 
tal army for a limited time are nevertheless to 
be detained during the war between the United 
States and Great Britain. The Commander 
in-Chief assures the army that this pubiica. 
tion is as false aa it is wicked, and is intended 
to induce those who have already enlisted, or 
have been drafted, to desert, or to intimidate 
others from engaging into the service of their 
country. Our enemy finding themselves una- 
ble to reduce us by the force of their arms are 
now practising every insidious art to gain 
time and disunite us." 

During the spring a number of discharged 
Boldiers and vagrants, taking advantage of the 
distresses of the army, went about intimidiv 
ting the country people. No sooner did Wash 
ington hear of the outrages and impositions 
which were practiced, than he issued, on the 
29th, the following: "The Commander-in- 
Chief has been informed that it U a common 
practice for soldiers to go about the country 
and make use of his name to extort from the 
inhabitants by way of sale or gift any neces- 
earioa they may want for themselves or others 
Ha strictly etijoins it upon all cfiicers to take 
the most effectual measures to stop a practice 
80 daring and infamous, and assures all con 
eern«d that if any person shall he detected in 



the commission of It they will be punished 
with every ciark of disgrace and severity." 

On the 17th of JLiy. Sir Henry Clinton suc- 
ceeded Sir William Howe in the command of 
the British array, in Philadelphia, the latter 
having returned to England. The ministry, in 
their instructions to the former, ordered him to 
evacuate the city. He had resolved to do so as 
early as the 23rd of the month, and proceed, by 
water, to New York ; but fearing both a block- 
ado of the Delaware, by the French, and a de- 
lay from head-winds, which, in either event, 
might lead to the capture of New York by 
Washington, he, in consequence, changed his 
plan with great secrecy, to cross the Dela- 
ware below Philadelphia, and to proceed di- 
rect by land with his army to New York. 
In the meantime, Washington, informed of the 
evident intention of the enemy to evacuate 
Philadelphia, placed his army in a condition to 
march immediately at the beating of the drum. 
By a resolution of Congress, Washington was 
directed to administer the oath of allegiance to 
the ofncers of the army, before leaving Valley 
Forge. The army was now in good condition, 
both as respects equipage, dress and discipline, 
and numbered about 15,000 men fit for service. 
The late news from France, besides, had made 
the soldiers cheerful, as they looked to the fu- 
ture v?ith bright anticipations. The gloom 
that had settled over the sufi"ering band at 
Valley Forgo in the vrinter had now disap- 
peared. The calm and majestic countenance of 
Washington alone remained unchanged. Bright 
and beautiful June, the month of roses, was 
here, and the cold and piercing blasts of the 
past winter were forgotten amid the prepara- 
tions to be in readiness to move at a moment's 

warning. 

AVushington was awaiting their departure 
with considerable interest, and in a letter to 
Congress, on the 16th, thus expresses himself 
on this matter: "Our expectations that Phila- 
delphia will be evacuated in the course of a few 
days are again up. The information received 
yesterday, through various channels, and in a 
pretty direct way, would seem to place the 
matter almost on the footing of certainty." 
When the British landed in the fall to march to 
Philadelphia, their arcny numbered upwards of 
18,000 men, and though their loss in battle was 
small, and their comfortable quarters had kept 
them unusually healthy, yet, chiefly through 
desertion they were actually reduced to le?fl than 



SB 



WnSTORT Of MO^TTdOMERT COVJfTT. 



11,000 at their departure. Immediately on 
hearing of ibe evacuation, Washington wrote a 
letter to OougresM, on tlie I8th of June, inform- 
ing them of the event. It fippcure by this 
that, down to the very moment the troops were 
put in motion, he wus puzzk-d as to whiit route 
the enemy would take, and even of his destina 
tion. 

"I have the pleasure to inform Congress 
that I was this morning advised by Mr. Roberts 
that the enemy evacuated the city early this 
morning. He was down at the middle ferry, 
on this sidn, when he received the intelligence 
from a number of citizens, who were on the 
opposite shore. They to'd him that about 
three thousand of the troops had embarked on 
board transports. Tha destruction of the 
bridge prevented him crossing. I expect every 
moment ofiBcial accounts on (he subject. I 
have put six brigades in motion ; and the rest 
of the army is preparing to follow with all 
possible despatch. We shall proceed towards 
Jersey, and govern ourselves according to cir- 
cumstances. As yet, T am not fully aware 
of the enemy's destination ; nor are there 
wanting a variety of opiniocis uc to the route 
they will pursue, whether it T.'ill be by laud or 
eea, ad'nittiug it to be to New York. Some 
think it probable, in such case, that the part 
of their army which crossed the Delaware will 
march down the Jersey chore some distance 
and then embark. There is other intelligence 
corroborating Mr. Roberts, but none oflBcial is 
yet Come." 

Major General Charles Lee, with six brigades, 
on the evening of the iiOth, crossed the Dela- 
ware, atOoryell's Ferry. Washington, with the 
main body of the army, at the came time, was 
at Doylestown, where he stayed over night. 
Though, in this march, the weather was very 
rainy, they etill pushed on, and on the evening \ 
of the 22d had all crossed the Delaware, and 
the 28th found them engaged with the ene- 
my in the memorable battle of Monmouth. 
Thus it will be seen, by the breaking up of the 
encampment, that the army was exactly six 
mouths at Valley Forge, having come there 
December 19th, 1777, and leaving the following 
18th of June. We believe, through all the re- 
volutionary war, at no other place had the 
Americans so great a number of men together, 
and for so great a length of time, as here. 

The arrival, trials, sufiFerings and depart- 
ure of the Amorioaa army at Valley Forge 



have been given ; but there yet remain in onr 
collections a number of facts which, for the 
want of a proper connection, are deferred for 
the close of this article. 

In no period of the Revolution w;»k tlu- char- 
acter and reputation of Washingtou more sore- 
ly tried than while here. The troubles that 
have already been detailed would have been 
sufficient — yes, more than sufficient — for any 
ordinary man to bear. It is helievetl that not 
one commander in a thousand, if placed under 
similar circumstances, could have eflFected what 
Washington did; for few men could have se- 
cured the influence, nay, the devoted affcciiinp, 
of the soldiery, which was so essential to cue 
cess, amid such trying scenes Wh-it we now 
particularly mean, and to which noiillusinii has 
yet been made, is the attempted con^pirncy to 
supplant Washington as commander in-chief 
for some other more designing person. The 
plot was conceived amidst the most trying 
times of the camp. In this combination were 
General Conway, General Gates and General 
Lee, all three foreigners, and who were believ- 
ed to be at the head of the movement. In con- 
nection with them were severnl membiry of 
Congre.ss, whose names it has been difficult to 
ascertain, as the affair was conducted with fjrcat 
secrecy. But it is known that General M fflin, 
of Pennsylvania, and Samuel Adams, of Massa- 
chusetts, besides two or three others in the 
New England delegation and one from Vir- 
ginia, were of the number. Their intention, 
it is believed, was to place General Gates to 
the supreme command on account of the laurels 
he had won at Saratoga. It is supposed that 
Conway was the most active among the secret 
enemies of Washington. He was an Irishman 
by birth, but received his military education 
in the French service. He was appointed In 
ppeclor General in May. 1777. and Ihrcugh 'he 
recommendation of Wa."l«ingt(>ii, Steuben. >-h»it 
ly lifter, became hi-^ succe-sor. Dnr'ngtlie bit- 
t e of Qevmantown, he was i!i«c vered l\\ Gen- 
eral Reed and General Cadwnllnder.in a f.irni- 
house instead o'' being in the action. Sho-t 
ly afterwards, when he sought promotion from 
Congress for Major General, this circum>'tanoe 
was mentioned by Cadwallader, which led to a 
challenge from Oonway. The result was a 
duel with Cadwallader, on the 4th of July, 
1778, by which the former was wounded in the 
face. Believing his end near, he sent an apo- 
log«t}e letter from Pbiladelpbift, on the SSrd 



ritz%T voitcfjs. 



^ 



of the month He reooTered, however, an J 
Sr>inn iiiie (ifter weiit to France. Conway was 
a person ot snrno literary acquirements, and it 
is known tliut he was the iiuihor of sfveral 
anonym in U-iiers in disparagement of Wash- 
ingtiin, sovei'nl of which were signed De Lisle. 
Mr. L'i~-iii<j;, in siie iking of this conspiracy 
mikei* the I'ollowing judicious remarks : " The 
first irapurtant movement ia this conspiracy, 
was tlic s^-nding of anonymous letters to the 
Presiiient of Congress*, and to Pafrick Henry, 
tluMi ©iivernor uf Virginia. These letters were 
filled with coniphiints, insinuations, and esag- 
ger-ited statements, ascribing the misfortunes 
of tlie army to the incapacity or ill-timed policy 
of thv cmiuiaudfr in-chief Similar letters 
wi.'i>: &>-ut to different memVjcrs of Congress, 
Mini it is bi.liev«d, to som^ of the presiding 
offic.rs ■ f some of the State Legislatures 
W.siimtitiii was early nppriscd of these secret 
mHciiUi-itioiis, but a patriotic jealousy of the 
public (jO'id made him t-uffer in silence. • My 
tUHiiiifs,' lie said, in a letter to the President 
of <;c)!i!ifess, when the matter became the sub- 
jct 'if oorrespondence, 'take aa ungenerous 
aijvantage of me. They know the delicacy of 
my situation, and that motives of policy de- 
prive me of the defense I -night otherwise make 
against their insidious attacks. They know I 
c mnot combat their insinuations, however in- 
jurious, without disclosing secrets which it is 
of the utmost moment to conceal.' " Charles 
Thomson, wh"i was s'jcretary of Congress for 
fifteen consecutive years, in speaking of the 
Congress that sat at York, while the British 
had possession of Phitfidelphift, and atnong 
whom was the faction that was opposed to Wash- 
ington, as a body of weak men, compared to 
former delegiitions. " Happily for America," 
eays a distinguished writer, '• (liere was in the 
character of Wasliiugton something which en 
ablt-d him, notwithstanding the discordant ma- 
terials of which his army wsis composed, to at- 
tach both his oflTicers and soldiers so strongly 
to hi-- person that no distress could weaken 
their affections, nor impair the respect and 
venRr>ition in which he was held by them To 
this is to be attributed the preservation of a 
respectable inilitMry force under circumstances 
but too well calculated for its di-^so'ution." 

During llie time that tiie army lay at Valley 
Forge, no engagements took plaoe, except with 
foraging pai-ties at some distancf, who were 
thea soouring the country ia search of neces- ^ 



saries for the support of their respeotlve forces. 
These occasional skiimishes had the effect of 
producing much fear and consternation among 
the inhabitants of the neighborhood. It is be- 
lieved that there was but one person executed 
at the camp. This was a man who had come 
from Philadelphia in the character of a spy. 

It is gratifying to our pride that one of tha 
most important commands at Valley Forge was 
given by Washington to General Peter Muhlen- 
berg, a native of this county. Never was high 
trust placed ia better hands. The portion un- 
der his charge lay nearest the city, and was 
protected by intrenchmeuts, and had at any 
time an attack been made, this would have very 
probably, from its situation, felt the first ef- 
fects. While General Muhlenberg was here h« 
was in the occasional practice of visiiing his 
aged father at the Trappe, eight miles distant. 
For this purpose, he would generally start in 
the evening and return early next morning. 
Presuming that these visits would be repeated, 
the enemy made several attempts to capture 
him, and on one occasion be was only saved by 
the fleetness of his horse. 

In the latter part of the summer of 1793, 
and after his second term as President of the 
United States had nearly expired, and was 
therefore about to retire to the shades of pri- 
vate life, Washington concluded to see Valley 
Forge once more, the scene of so many toils 
and struggles. For the information respecting 
this visit I am indebted to my friend Henry 
Woodman, who derived it from his father, who 
at the time was engaged in plowing on his 
farm in the vicinity of the encampment. It 
was in the afternoon that he observed an elderly 
man, of dignified appearance, on horseback, 
dressed in a plain suit of black, accompanied 
by a colored servant, ride to a place in the 
road nearly opposite, when he alighted from 
his horse and came into the field and cordially 
took his hand. He told him he had called to 
make some inquiry concerning the owners and 
occupants of the different places about there, 
and also, in regard to the syi-tem of farming 
practised in that part of the country — the kinds 
of grain and vegetables raised — the time of sow- 
ing and planting — the best method of tilling 
the ground and numerous other questions re- 
lating to agriculture. He also made inquiry 
after certain families in the neighborhood. Aa 
answer-i were given he noted them down in a 
book. Mr. Woodmau informed bim that he 



60 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



could not give as correct answers as he wished, / writing material. We (;a!ed at this depository 
for he had not been brought up to farming, and j and oth«r objects around with considerable 
besides had only moved in the vicinity since I interest, hallowed as they are by so many as- 
the war, though he had been in the army while I sociations of the times that •• tried men's 
it was encamped here. This gave a new turn l souls." Adjoining is a wing one and a-half 
to the conversation. The stranger informed | stones high and about twenty-four feet iu 
him that ho had also been in the army and at j length, \7hich has been built since the war, but 
the camp, and that as he expected to leave the it occupies the site of a smaller structure that 
city in a few months, with the prospect ofj was erected for the accommodation of Mrs. 
never returning, he had t&kcn this journey to \ Washington. In a letter to a friend this lady 

says : " The General's apartment is very small : 
he has had a log cabin built to dine in, which 
has made our quaiters much more tolerable 
than they were at first." This property is at 
present owned by PLinnah Ogden. 

There are various remains of the encamp- 
ment still visible. On the road to Port Kenne- 



visit the phice which had been the scene of so 
much suffering and distress, and see how far 
the inhabitants had recovered from its efiecfs. 
Ou being informed that his narie was George 
Washington, he told him that his appearance 
was so altered that he did not recognize him, 
or else he would have paid more respect to his 

late commander and now the chief magistrate | dy is a portion of ground unenclosed, belong- 
of the nation. He replied that to see the peo- jng to V.'iiliam Henry, Esq. On this tract the 
pie happy, and the desolate fields recovering foacdations of the hut occupied by Baroa 
from the disasters they had experienced, and Steuben are still visible, and the ground un- 
to meet with any cf his old companions, now disturbed where he used to drill his soldiers, 
peaceably engaged iu the most useful of all Several estensive redoubts and breastworks on 
employments, afforded him more satisfaction the south-eastern side cf the hill are still 
than all the homage that could be paid to his pointed out. These consist of large embank- 
person or station. He then said that pressing ments of earth, arranged one after the other 
engagements rendered it necessary for him to along the slope of the hill. The redoubts now 
be in the city that nigbt, and taking him by lie in the depths of the forest, and their out- 
the hand bade him an afiectionate farewell. | lines as well as the foundations of many of 
Such, dear reader, was Washington's last visit 5 the huts are still easily recognized. On the 
to Valley Forge. | property now owned by Jacob Massey is a fort 

The house occupied by Washington as his ia a good state of preservation. Its outlines 
head-quarters is still standing, having under- j are those of an equalateral triangle, forty yards 
gone but little alteration since that time. It } in length and about five feet high. As most 
was owned in the revolution by Isaac Potts, the | of the land on which the encampment was is 
proprietor of the Forge. It is a two story stone e still in a slate of nature and has therefore 
building, situated near the Reading railroad. > generally remained unmolested, it has been the 
The main portion of it has a front of about | means of preserving the greater part of the 
twenty-four feet and thirty-three in depth. | remains to this day, though upwards of eighty 
The outside front ia of dressed stone, pointed. 5 years have rolled away since that eventful pe- 
The interior wood work is still in a good state < riod. 

of preservation, and with care this building | Relics are still occasionally foand by persons 
may bo mado to last for centuries, as its walls | living in the vicinity. William Henry, Jr., 
appear to ba as durable as when first built. | has a number, found on his father's farm, 
No one familiar with our revolutionary history | which he receutly exhibited to us. Among 
can enter the room which served the great | them were several pewter buttons, with thft 
chief for nearly half a year, both as a recep- I figures 7, 8 and 10 on them ; no doubt intend- 
tion room and bed chamber, and where he < ing to show the regiment or brigade to which 
vrote many important despatches, without they belonged. Also, spoons, bayonets and 
feelings of the deepest emotions. In the s-ill ] fragments of musket locks, looking considera- 
of the east window of this room, and out of ? bly time-worn, besides a variety of musket 
which can be seen a considerable portion of S balla, some of which were of a large size. 
th« camping ground, ii Btill pointed out a small I William R. Kennedy, in the spring of 1857, 
t»ugh bot Kt hftviDg cantftlned hit pBpere end ? turned up with the plow, ou his farm, peveral 



SPRINQriELD. 



61 



tweUe and sixteen pound balls andjgaeveral 
hfttchets. j'The latter were about the usua"' 
size, but shaped precisely like a chopping axe. 

IX. 

SPRINGFIELD. 



The towuship of Springfield is bounded on 
the north and north-east by Upper Dublia, 
east by Chelteuham, south and south-west by 
Philadelphia, and west and north-west by 
Whiiemarsh. Its central distance is about 
seven miles from Norristowu. Its greaieti 
length is six, and greatest breadth two and 
a-half miles, with an area of four thousand 
one huudred and seventy-three acres. No 
township in the county, and probably in the 
State, is so remarkably irregular in its form. 
Its outline on the county map justly excitey 
the wouder of j a strauger,^being a narrow 
belt extending to the Schuylkill of only one- 
third of a mile in width and three and a quar- 
ter in length. The reason why it was laid out 
in this manner is given near the close of this 
article. 

The surface of Springfield is agreeably di- 
versified with hill and dale, and the soil is na- 
turally fertile, contaiuing excellent limestone. 
Edge Hill is the most considerable elevation 
and extends nearly through the centre of the 
township for a distance of about two miles in 
a north-east and south-west direction and 
crosses the Bethlehem turnpike south of Hen- 
dricksdale. Church Hill begins in the north 
corner of the township, near the Upper Dub- 
lin line, and after a distance of about three- 
fourths of a mile, extends into Whitemarsh. 
Besides limestone, Springfield contains mi- 
neral wealth. Iron ore, at this time, is exten- 
sively dug on the farm of Jacob Server, about 
a quarter of a mile north-west of Hendricks- 
dale, and keeps a number of teams employed 
in hauling it to the furnaces. A mile and 
ft quarter north-east of this village ore was 
also dug in considerable quantities, but within 
a recent time has not been worked. 

Immediately on the banks of the Schuylkill, 
in Philadelphia, but adjoining this township, 
is an extensive eoapBtone quarry, which is de- 
eerviog ef notice. It formerly belonged to the 



Hon. John Freedley, of Norrisfown, but since 
bis decease has come in possession of Samuel 
F. Prince, his nephew, who resides near by. 
It is leased and worked by Joseph Davis, who 
generally has from seven to eight hands em- 
ployed in quarrying and loading. The etonea 
are remarkable for withstanding the effects of 
fire, and in which consists their chief value, 
and are therefore extensively used in puddling 
furnaces of iron works, rolling mills and lime- 
kilns. After being quarried, they are generally 
dressed here on the spot into large square 
blocks 80 as to answer for immediate use ia 
walls. As it lies but a few yards from the ca- 
nal and railroad, it possesses great advantages 
for sending the stones to market. AVhen we 
were here, in August, 1858, a canal boat was 
leading with them, and we were informed that 
uo inconsiderable quantity was annually (ship- 
ped to England. A few yar Is below this quarry 
the railroad has a station called Si apstone, 
where there is also a batteau ferry for i a«.«en- 
gers across the Schuylkill. The landing place 
on the opposite side is a few yards above the 
mouth of Mill Creek, in Lower Merion town- 
ship. 

The Wissahickon Creek flows nearly through 
the centre of Springfield, but only for half a 
mile, in which distance it propels a gvist-mill. 
The next considerable stream is Sandy Run, 
flowing near its northern corner, which also pro- 
pels a grist-mill. A small stream flows for 
aome distance through the centre of the town- 
ship, and, like Sandy Run, is a branch of the 
Wissahickon. These are all steady, constant 
streams. 

Springfield, both in area and population, is 
the smallest township in the county. In 1734, 
it contained 16 landholders ; in 1741, 29 taxa- 
bles ; in 1828, 1G6 ; in 1849, 205 ; and in 1858, 
258. According to the census of 1810, it con- 
tained 550 inhabitants ; in 1820. 639; in 1830, 
668; in 1840, 695; and in^lSSO, 743. From 
its proximity to the city the population baa 
considerably increased within the last sis years, 
and may probably be at this time 1300. 

This township is well improved. The North 
Pennsylvania Railroad passes through the en- 
tire width of Springfield, a distance of two 
miles in a northwest direction, close to the 
Upper Dublin line. This road was completed 
in 1856 to Gwynedd, and in 1857 to the Lehigh 
River. The Chestnut ,Hill and ^Springhouso 
turnpike passee through the township upwards 



92 



HISTOET OF MONTQOMBRT COUKTT. 



of one anJ abalf miles. The Ridge ond the j of 1795, epeaka of Flourtown as being "a Til- 
GtiiinHntowii and Perkiomen pikes pass only a I lage containing sixteen or seventeen dwelliii^is" 
short diataiice througli the narrow belt. An < Gordon, in his Gazetteer of Penusjlvauin, pub- 
account of these roads is given in our ar- Mished in 1832, mentions it as then containing 
tide oil Uhiteiuarsh. The Wissahickon turn- > twenty dwellin;:'?. 

piife begins at Flourtown and runs direct to I HendrickKdale is also situated on the Chest- 
the Rid^'e pike, a distance of two and a-half | nut Hill and Springhouse turnpike, and is a 
miles, and for nearly two miles is on the line \ mile below Flourtown, and tlie same distance 
between Springfield aiid Philadelphia It was ( above Chestnut Hill. It contains one inn, a 
finished in 1855 and crosses the Wissahickon ) steam saw-mill, a carpenter, blacksmith and 
creek by a covered frame bridge one hundred wheelwright shop, and twelve houses. It is 
and tliiriy-three feet long. The Schuylkill i tea and a-half miles from Philadelphia. Sev- 
Navigiition passes on its southwest extremity. / eral handsome residences have been erected 
According to the census of 1850, Springfield ( here within che last few years, 
contained one hundred and fourteen houses and ) At the extremity of the long narrow strip on 
sixty-five farms. In the vicinity of Chestnut \ the Schuylkill, three stone houses have been 
Hill, and built within the last six years, are | built within a few years past. It has a front 
several splendid country-seats, owned chiefly | of about one-third of a mile on the river, and 
by Philadelphians, and occupied as summer | rises here in a rocky elevation, 
residences. It contained, in May, 1858, five | Springfield no doabt received its name from 
inns and two stores. According to the trien- | a parish in Essex, England. There are also 
cial assessment of 1858, the real estate was | two villages so called in Scotland. On Holmes' 
valued at $354 312, and the horses and neat | map of original surveys, made between 1682 
cattle $18,650. Education is not neglected in | and 1G95, this township is marked as " Guli- 
Spriugfield, and for the school year ending | elma Maria Penn's Manor of Springfield " At 
June 1st, 1857, four schools vrere open eight this day it has t'ne same singular outline as 
months, a.tendtd by three hundred and forty- | given in the aforesaid map At the time it was 
nine scholars, and $1,031 were levied to defray laid out for this lady, she requested that a 
the expenses of the same \ strip should be attached to it kading to the 

Flourtown is the largest village in the town- Schuylkill, so th'it forever afterwards both her 
ship, and is situated on the Chestnut Ilili and | and her successors would have the privilege. 
Springhouse turnpike, twelve miles north of ? whenever they desired, to reach the river by 
Philadelphiii. It contains four inns, two stores, | their own land. This will explain tlie origin 
a church, a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, ; of this singular belt. 

and forty-two hou.ses which are mostly scat- S Some account of tlii^ lady may not be amiss, 
tered along the pike for the distance of three- | She was the daughter of Sir William Springett, 
quarters of a mile to the Whitemarsh line. A \ of Darlington, in Sussex, who was killed in 
turnpike leads from here to the Ridge pike, \ the civil wars, at the siege of Bamber. Men- 
two and a-half miles. The Presbyterian church ( tion is made, in English history, of Herbert 
was built in 1857, and is a handsome two-story > Springett, of Broyle, in Sussex, who was made 
etooe building, and has several acres of ground I a baronet by Charles II, in 165G. Tliis was 
attached. Its front yard is laid out in neat | probably the father of the aforesaid After 
walks, and none had been buried here up to \ his first religious vi^^it to the continent and in 
August, 1858. Tliis was the first, and up to i the 28th year of his age, William Penn mar- 
the present time, the only chuicii in the town- > ried Gulielma Maria Springett, who possessed 
ship. This village is an ancient settlement. I principles similar to his own. She died in 
Before 1719 there was a mill in the neighbor- 1694, leaving him a widower for several years, 
hood on the Wissahickon, but in Whitemarsh, > when he subsequently married Hannah Callow- 
to which the people came a great distance for < hill. It is a singular circumstance in the life 
flour. , It was from thia circumstance that i of Penn, that both his father and his wife's 
afterwards, when the population had increas- 5 father were military men by profession, 
ed, it received the name of FlourtowB. We ^ Springfield, in 1734, had sixteen landholders 
know, from the Pennsylvania Archives, that it ? residing within its limits. The following is a 
bore thie name in 1781. Pfjott, in hiei<5«Jfett«er Sa Hat of their uamef) : Havman Oreathoatff, 



WHItlMARSE. 



M 



John Qreathouse, Samuel Adams, Joshua Har- 
mer, Williaoi Nice, Thomas Silance, Job How- 
ell, Thomas Hicks, Cbristopbpr Ottinger, 
GeorgH Gantz, Aim Forster, Henry Snyder, 
Adiim Read, Hugh Boyd, Michael Clime and 
George Donat. 

Thomas Penn, in 1738, owned sixteen hun- 
dred acres of land in this township, which was 
valued at seventy-five pounds per hundred 
acres, which, according to our present curren- 
cy, would be three thousand two hundred dol- 
lars for the whole tract. The aforesaid was 
the last surviving son of William Penn, and 
died the 2lst of March, 1775, when he had 
just completed the seventy fourth year of his 
age. Lady Juliana, his widow, survived him 
Diatiy years. 



Z. 



WHITEMARSH. 



The township of Whitemarsh is bounded on 
the north-east by Upper Dublin, south east by 
Springfield, south-west by the Schuylkill and 
Consliehocken, west by Plymouth, and north 
west by VVIiitpain. Its length is six and a-hall 
miles by two and a-half in breadth, and con- 
tains an irea of eiglir thousand six hundred 
and uiuety-si'veii acres, having been reducd 
three hundred and twenty acres by the erection 
of the boroiigh of Coushel.ocken, in 1850. 

The surface of the country is rolling and 
the soil is generally of a iiiporior quality, 
being a rich loam, with an abundance of ex 
cellent limestone. Edge Hill extends through 
this township a distance of two and a-half 
miles, and crosses the Schuylkill below Spring 
Mill. It is a singular circumstance that no 
Hmestone, iron or marble is found anywhere 
oil the south side of this hill. Barren Hill 
and Camp Hill are well known elevations that 
figure in our revolutionar3 history, but do uot 
extend to any length. 

Whitemarsh possesses several fine lasting 
streams of water. The Wissahickoa Creek 
rises by two branches in Montgomery town- 
ship, and then flows through Gwynedd, Whit- 
pain, Upper Dublin, Whitemarsh and Spring- 
field townships, and empties into the Schuyl- 
kill nearly a mile below Manaynnk. Its total 



length is about nineteen miles, of which thir- 
teen are in this county and three ann a half in 
this township. It is an excellent mill stream, 
being steady, copious and rapid in its current. 
Its principal branches are Valley Run and 
Sandy Run. At a very early period the Wis- 
sahickon was used for mill purposes, a grist 
mill having been erected at the present village 
• >f Whitemarsh before 1719. On Holmes' map 
of original surveys made between the years 
1682 and 1695, it is called '• Whitpaine's 
Creek," after Rijhard Whitpain, a large land- 
holder on this stream, in the present township 
of Whitpain, after whom it was named. Wis- 
sahickon is an Indian name, and in their lan- 
guage, according to Heckewelder, signifies the 
ojitfish stream or the stream of yellow water. 
Not many townships in Pennsylvania exceed 
Whitemarsh in the value of the products of its 
mines and quarries. In the quality of its lime, 
marble and iron it is not surpassed in the State. 
The excellence of "VVhitemarsh lime" is known 
over the Union. In October, 1848, the author 
of this work was travelling in the interior of 
Orange county, New York, and at a country 
store his attention was arrested by a ssign with 
" Whitemarsh Lime for Sale Here," This tri- 
fling circumstance begat thoughts of home, and 
■;urio.«ity led us to inquire how they sold it The 
reply was, fifty cents per peck ; and that it was 
u-ied only as a whitewash. From the Colonial 
Records we learn that lime was burned in this 
township before 1698. According to the census 
of 1840, >7hitemar8h produced lime to the value 
of $51,457. No doubt at the present time 
twice this amount is produced. Lime-buruing 
is carried on the most extensively at White- 
marsh village and near Plymouth and Lancas- 
terville. 

The marble of Whitemarsh is of difi'erent 
qualities and colors. A superior white marble 
is produced, of which great quantities have 
been sent to Philadelphia and Norristown, and 
used in many public and private edifices. 
There is also much produced annually of a dark 
blue nnd variegated color. Much of the mar- 

\ ble used in the city, not only for buildings, but 
for many ornamental purposes, came from here. 
The dark and blue marble is heavier thi^n the 
white. According to the census of 1840, this 
township produced marble to the value of $30,- 
640, and gave employment to fifty- one men. 
In consequence of the extensive use of this 

' beautiful materUl for building purposes, ih^ 



64 



BISTORT OF MOXTQOMERT COUNTT. 



basiness of late jears has, of course, much 
increased. Daniel 0. Ilitner has the most ex- 
tensive quarry, having been worked to the 
depth of two hundred and twenty-five feet. 
The scam of marble, on the surface, is fifteen 
feet thick, but at the grf^atest depth narrows 
down to six feet. It is inclosed in limestone, 
and it has been ascertained that the deeper it 
is procured the better is its quality. It could 
never have been worked to this great depth 
without the aid of candle-light, and steam 
to pump out the water. The marble and 
limetone is raised to the surface by ponderous 
hoisting-machines and tackle, three horses be- 
ing sufficient to draw up the largest sized 
blocks, some of which have weighed twelve 
tons. This quorry lies open to the depth of 
one hundred feet, and to walk near its edge 
and look down requires some degree of courage. 
A cnuiideroble portion of the marble used in 
Gir.-ird College was obtained from here. Mr. 
Hitner has at his quarry an extensive steam 
mill for ."awing marble, propelled by a twenty- 
nine horse power engine, which also pumps the 
W'lter from tlie quarry. In consequence of the 
bu'iuess being dull when we were here in 
Aujiust, 1858, this mill was not in operation. 
Mr. Hitiier works also the adjoining marble 
quirry. belonging to John Wentz. About a mile 
Jroni Ciinshehocken, near Harmanville, are two 
exteii'^ive quarries and a saw-mill. What was 
formerly Dager's marble quarry is now worked 
by Potts and Hallowell, who employ thirty 
hands. Near by is the quarry of Major Peter 
^ Fritz, of Philadelphia, which, when we were 
here, was not in operation. We have since 
learned that in November, 1858, ho had fifteen 
hands employed, and that he contemplates 
building a saw- mill. This quarry was com- 
menced in the year 1800, and has been worked 
to the depth of one hundred and seventy-five 
feet. 

Iron ore is dug on the farm of Henry Hitner, 
at Marble Hall, and by the aid of a steam en- 
gine, which raises both the ore and water from 
the mine, he has been enabled to reach the 
depth of ninety-five feet perpendicular, which 
is forty five feet below water level. The ore is 
sent to the William Penn furnaces, at Spring 
Mill, of which Mr Hitner is a proprietor. On 
the farm of Ciinrles Williams, about half a mile 
northeast of Barren Hill, ore has lately been 
discovered, which is now extensively worked 
and ii said to be abundant. Several eits have 



also been recently opened near HarmanTiUe, on 
the Plymouth line, where it appears there is 
an immense bed of it. 

After Lower and Upper Merion, Whitemarsb 
is the most populous township in the county. 
In 1741, it contained 89 taxables; in 1828, 
379; in 1849, 639; and in 1858, 659. The 
population, according to the census of 1810, 
was 1328; in 1820, 1601 ; in 1830, 1924; in 
1840, 2079 ; and in 1850, 2408. It is supposed 
to contai!!, at this time, over 3100 inhabitants. 

As might be expected from the advantages of 
its situation, the fertility of its soil and its ex- 
tensive mineral deposits, tVhitemarsh contains 
a number of valuable improvements. By the 
census of 1850, it contained three hundred and 
ninety-eight houses and one hundred and forty- 
nine farms. In May, 1858, it contained tea 
inns, fifteen stores, six flour mills, three fur- 
naces, two marble mills, one paper mill, two 
coal yards, one plaster mill and an auger fac- 
tory. According to the tri-ennial assessment 
of 1858, the real estate was valued at $797,565, 
and the horses and neat cattle, $39,674. Some 
of the finest farms in the county are to be 
found in Whitemarsh. Among these might be 
mentioned those formerly owned by the late 
Hon. Morris Longstreth and George SheaflF, 
Esq., whose reputation as skillful farmers was 
widely known. Besides the common roads, 
which are numerous, there are five turnpike 
roads, which traverse the township. The first of 
these is the Germantown and Perkiomen pike, 
which was incorporated by an act of Assembly, 
passed February 12th, 1801, and begins in the 
city and passes through the townships of 
Springfield, Whitemarsh, Plymouth, Norriton, 
WorceGter, Perkiomen and Lower Providence, 
to the Perkiomen bridge. It was built wholly 
by individu"! subscription and cost $285,000, 
or $11,287 per mile, the original price of shares 
being $100. This road traverses the township 
about two and three-quarters of a mile, and 
runs parallel to the Ridge pike, being only from 
three fourths to a quarter of a mile apart in 
this distance. The Chestnut Hill and Spring- 
house turnpike was incorporated by an act of 
March oth, 1804, and extends through Spring- 
field, Whitemarsh and Upper Dublin to the 
Springhouse tavern in Gwynedd. This road 
was begun in 1804, was completed the follow- 
ing year, and is eight miles in length. It was 
built wholly by individual subscription, and 
coit S70.0C9. or SS.750 per mile. The Bidge 



WIIITEMARSH. 



65 



tarnpike was incorporated by an net of March i \age of Whiteraarsli. By an act of March 31, 
30th, 1811, and commences at Pbiladelphia and | 1797, the number of districts was increased 
passes through Norristown to the PerkiomeQ \ to five, and the number of townships reduced 
Bridge, and is twenty-four miles in length. It ^ to Whitemarsh, Springfield, Upper Dublin and 
was commenced in 1812 and finished ia 1816, s Horsham^ wljich eoBtiniaed to hold their elec- 
and cost §7500 per mile, the State taking > tions at the same pla«e for a number of years 
$25,000 of its s^iock. lliis road traverses the s afterwards. The elections of the township ara 
township atoorattwo and a-h»lf miles. A turn- \ now held at Barren Hill. 

pike passes along the entire northwest line of > Spring Mill is the largest village in the town- 
Whitemarsh, from Coushehockfn, a, distance of ! ship, and is situated on the east side of the 
fiix and a-half miles, and kas only, been com- j Schuylkill, twelve miles from Philadelphia. It 
pleted within the last four years. A turnpike | contains two inns, two stores, three furnaces, 
bas also been completed, within a few years, s a grist mill, school house, a smith shop, and 
from Whitemarsh village to Skippack. r.esides | fifty dwelling houses. The boats of the 
the Philadelphia and Norristown railroad and I Schuylkill navigation pass directly in front of 
■the Schuylkill navigation, the North Fenusyl- j the place, and the cars of the Philadelphia and 
vania railroad passes through the eas,t corner J Norristown railroad stop here. The William 
of the township about a mile, close to the Up- | Penn furnaces are two in number, and belong 
per Dublin line. This improvement extends | to D. 0. Hitner, Giesson and Company. When 
from Philadelphio. to the Lehigh River, a dis- \ we were here, iu August, 1858, there was but 
tance of sixty-eight miles, and cost $G, 100,280. ) one ia operation, giving employment to ten or 
It was commenced in 185-1 and finished in 1857. 5 twelve reen. The ore used here is chiefly from 

F»r the school year ending with June 1st, | Marble Hall, Fiourtown and Chester Valley, 
1857, Whitemarsh had eight schools, which j near Bowuingtown. Furnace Number Two was 
were open ten months, and attended by four \ built in 1858 ; the other was built some time 
hundred and thirty-eight scholars. These were | previously. Mr. Ilitner now resides here. 
taught by five male and three female teachers, ] The Spring Mill furnace is now worked by 
the former receiving thirty dollars and the lat- 5 Reeves, Buck and Company, of Phoeaixville, 
ier twenty dollars per month for their services. ) and, we have recently learned, has resumed 
The puna of $2,1-12 was levied to defray the < operations. The grist mill here does also mer- 
€.xpen=e3 of the same. There is a parochial ^ chant work, and is one of the most ancient 
school attached to St. Thomas' Episcopal ^ structures of the kind we came across. It has 
Church, under the charge of the pastor. Posi; j no date, but no doubt it has been built consi- 
offices are established at Barren fiill, V.'hite- i derably over a century. At the upper end of 
marsh, Broad Axe and PlyEiouth Meeting < the village, near the railroad, are the pottery 
House, the two latter being on the township ) and terra cotta works of Macintire and Scharff. 
tine. > They ma,nufacture chimney tops, drains, flue 

Before the RevolKtion, the electors, not only i pipes, store ware and statuary. They ex- 
of this township, but of the whole county, gave ? hibited to us some very beautiful specimens 
their votes at the inn opposite the State-house, s of their handicraft. They employ four or five 
in Chestnut street, Philadelphia. By an act i h.inds, and have been estabii^hetl here sincij 
passed June 14th, 1777, the elections of this I 1S5G. Spring Mill has received its name (ro-n 
and all the adjoining townships were required < several large springs of water near the village, 
to be held at the public house of .lacob Cole- I The pviii«ipal ones are five or sis in number, 
man, in Germatitown. After the erection of < and gush oat with considerable foice. They 
Montgomery county, nn net of Assiin'ily was I :ire all situated wltiiiii an area of half an 
passed September L'^th, 1785, v.liich divided 5 :>.cre, ana empty intn one stream, wiiioh, after a 
the county into throe di^<t^ lets, am] the freemen ( coursu of :i quarter of a mile, empties into tiie 
of the townships of Whitemars'i, Springfield. } Schuylkill. Iu this distance it has suiSeient 
Cheltenham, Abiiigton, M.)orc!ftMil, Horisham, ; power to propi.l, tiic wli.de year ruund, tlio 
Upper Dublin, Gwyuedd. Montgomery, Towa ! grist mill j'lst alluded to. At these springs 
mencin, Hatfield, Lower Salford and Frauconia ; about (wo acres of groum] arc enclosed in which 
were required to hold their elections at the ■! is a grove of ancient button wood and oak trees, 
tavera of G:orgo Eokhart, in the present vil- ; As this spot is visited somciiincB by pleasure 



66 



HISTORY OP MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



p irties nnd pic-iiics, n platform litis been eroct- 
eJ, covere'l with cauvuss, uiul ft siiinll build- 
ing ndjficeiit for refrcsliments niid music. In 
nddition, there are eeveml seats scattered 
nrouud for the accoaimodiitiou of visitors. 
Taken as a whole, we were greatly disappoint- 
ed in this place ; instead of a pleasure ground, 
as we Lad expected, it is an undraiued swamp, 
which has never been cultivated and is rank 
with various kinds of weeds, without gravel 
walks, or even an attempt ,at it, ami the ground 
is us rude and as rough as when first discover- 
ed. No village on the Schuylkill has a better 
location for a town than Spring Mill. 1'he land 
w elevated and recedes gradually from the river, 
with the advantages of excellent water and of 
easy access from the back country, and must 
yet become a place of considerable importance. 
Just below the William Penn furnaces. Edge 
Hill crosses the Schuylkill ami continues up the 
other side of the river to opposite Conshehuck- 
€n, when it turns to the southwest. The river 
is quite na-rrow where it flows through Edge 
Hill, which rises on either side to an elevation 
of upwards of one hundred and fifty feet, and 
itnparts a great deal of beauty to the scenery. 
An act was passed by the .Assembly, September 
8th, 1787, empowering Peter Le Gaux to es- 
tablish and keep a ferry here. lie was a na- 
tive of Lorraine, in France, where he was born 
in 1743, was a counsellor by profession, <;ame 
to America in 1785, and shortly after settled at 
this place, where he died in 1828. He appears 
to Lave been a man of education and wealth, 
but exceedingly eccentric. His will, whicli may 
be seen in the Register's office, at Norristown, 
is quite lengthy and may be regarded as one of 
the curiosities of literature. 

Barren Hill has a high location on an emi- 
nence of the same name, whichis a spur of Edge 
Hill and aflFords a fine view of the surrounding 
country. The 'Chestnut Hill and Perkiomen 
turnpike and Ridg« turnpike approach here 
within a quarter of a tnile of each other, be- 
tween which the village is chiefiy situated. It 
contains three inns, three stores, two wheel- 
wright shops, two blficksmith shops, a mill, 
church, school house, post oilice, and thirty- 
three houses. This place Las considerably 
improved during th« last few years, within 
which time several handsome buildings Lave 
been erected. A steam grist mill was built in 
1858. The school house is a large two-story 
stone building. The post office was established 



before 1827. St. Petur's Lutheran church is a 
handsome edifice, founded in 1701 and of which 
a further account will be given. In the Revo- 
lution it is said to have contained, besides tha 
church, ft school house and four or five houses. 

The village of Whitemarsh is situated on 
the Spring House turnpike, fourteen miles from 
Philadelphia. It contains two large grist and 
merchant mills, propelled by the Wissu- 
hickon creek, two inns, two churches, a btore, 
post office, school house and seventeen dwel- 
lings. A considerable quantity of lime is 
burned here, annually, in kihu belonging to 
the estate of Jacob Wentz. A further account 
of the Episcopal and Union churches will be 
hereafter given. This village is, without a 
doubt, one of the oldest settlements in the 
townsliip. The Episcopal church was built 
in 1710, and on Lewis Evans' map of 1749, 
" Whifernarsh" is mnikcd as being situated at 
the forks of the roads leading to Bethlehem 
and Skippack. In 1785 the elections of thir- 
teen townships were ordered to be held 4iere 
till 1797, when the number was reduced to 
four townships. The pott office was established 
before 1827. The road from here to Skip- 
pack was turnpiked a few years ngo. There 
is some excellent land in thisWiciniiy. 

Marble Hall is situated on the Gerraantown 
and Perkiomen turnpike, and extends nearly 
to Barren Hill. It contains two stores, a mar- 
ble mill, wheelwright and blacksmith shop, and 
forty-two houses. Within the last eight years 
a number of brick houses have been erected 
here. Henry S. Hitner procures considerable 
iron ore from his farm for the Spring Mill fur- 
naces, and the marble quarry of Daniel 0. 
Hitner is also here. As both the iron mine and 
maible quarry have already been described it 
is needless for us to give any thing additional. 
Daniel Hitner, father of the aforesaid, and 
who was the founder of the place, died March 
3d, 1841, aged nearly seventy-six years. He 
is buried at the Barren Hill church, where a 
beautiful monument marks the spot. Daniel 
0. Hitner, who formerly resided here, but is 
now a resident of Spring Mill, is still a conside- 
rable property bolder in the village, where Le 
owns two Lundrcd and thirty-five acres of ex- 
cellent land. Henry S. Hitner's farm contains 
two hundred and seventy acres. 

Lancasterville contains an inn, store, Metho- 
dist church, school house and seven or eight 
houses It is situated two miles eoutb of 



WHITEMARSU. 



6t 



IVhitemrtrsti villnjjp, nml in traveling tliis Ji?- ■ He shortly afterwards informed the society 
tance we were .surprised at the wildness of the > •' that there is n congregation nt 'VN'hiteninrsh 
codntry, especially from the Skippack pike to \ about ten miles dii^tant from Oxford, who are 
this place. The distance is about a mile and / desirous of a mini.'jter, and have for the decei t 
n-half, and the greater part of the way is by s performance of divine worship, erected a goodly 
woods with but few houses. Fort Washing- '{ stone building." The Rev. Eneas Ross came 
ton is a station of the North Pennsylvania rail- '; over from LoLdon in June, i741, and sliortlv 
road, and is situated at the intersection of (he ;,' "^f'er became the pastor of Christ church Thi'ii- 
Spring House turnpike road. It contains I; delphia, when he resigned in July 1743 to 
ft large new hotel, a store, coal yard and seve- ^ take charge of the churches at Oxford ar d 
ral houses. LaFayette is the nam^ of a j Whitemarsh. It is said that when ihe Rriti-^h 
station on the Norristown railroad, near tlie ) dime out to attack Washington, in Decenber 
Schuylkill. There is an extensive paper mill '■ 1777, they mutilated a number of the tonjb- 
here which was built in 1850, and is owned by \ stones in this graveyard. The old churcl 
Mr. Cope, of Oermautown, who employs about ) building stood originally near the centre of 
forty hands. There are, besides, five dwellings ;! the present graveyard, but having been de- 
nad the ruins of a grist mill, burned a few \ stroyed by fire was rebuilt in 1817 on its 
years ago. An account of Plymouth and Har- } present site. The tower was built at the same 
manville is given in our article on Plymouth \ time, but the spire was not added till a few 



township. 



^ years ago. The present pastor is the Rev. D. 



I- St. Thomas' Episcopal church, at the village { 0. :Millett, who has also in charge a parochial 
of Whitemarsh, has an elevated situation on 'f school. 

Church Hill, near the Spring House turnpike, \ St. Peter's Lmheran churcii, at Barren Hill 
and its spire, which rises to the height of a ': is one of the handsomest hou.ses of worshio iii 
hundred feet, serves as a land mark for many \ the county, outside of the borouiTlis. It is b'u It 
miles around. It is built of stone and is in ',; of stone, in the Gothic style, two stories liigh, 
the Gothic style of architecture. From the ^ with buttresses and stained gluss window^ 
churchyard can be seen Flourtown, Chestnut ] Its dimensions are about seventy bv fortv- 



Ilill, Barren Hill, Camp Hill, Fort Washington, 
and for some distance the romantic valley of 
the Wissahickon. Small as the graveyard is 
we were informed that the church records show 
that upwards of two thousand persons have 
been actually buried here. On the tombstones 
the most common family names are those of 
Durke, Shay, Houpt, Ingleman, Barge, Wells, 
Cleaver, Bisbing, llobison, Nash, Acutf, Donatt, 
Taylor, Allison, Farmer, >\'*olen, Brant and 
White. The most ancient inscription we found 
is the following: "Here lyeth the body of 
James Allison, who departed this life October 
the 2, 1727, aged 45 years." This was nearly 
one of the first Episcopal churches erected in 
Pennsylvania, and was founded iu 1710. The 
land on which it stands was given for this pur- 
pose by Edward Farmer, a conspicuous man in 



eight feet, with a tower and spire one hundred 
feet high. The graveyard contains several 
acres of ground and is surrounded by a hand- 
some iron railing and wall. The most common 
names on the U mbstones are those of Jlitchell, 
HiUner, Bijibing, Kolp, Lentz, Frens, Wampcle, 
Bartle, Dagcr, Fie, Rupell, Haas, Ilitner,' 
Streeper, Snyder, Schlatter, Staley, Hagy, 
Steer, 11 irman, Hallman, Rex, Fau.'^t, Thomj- 
son. Clay, Cres-man, Qilmar, Woolf, Smll, 
Katz andScheetz. There are a great number 
of tombstones and many hundreds must be 
buried here. The steeple of this church from 
its high situation is seen for many miles around. 
From the churchyard a splendid prospect is 
obtained, particularly in a north-east direction. 
The present pastor is the Rev. Mr. Sentman, 
who has recently succeeded the Rev. William 



the colony and a resident of the vicinity, and \ Baum. This church owes its origin to a divi- 
of whom a biographical sketch is given ,; sion in the Germ.antown congregation, and was 
In the appendix of this work. The society for ,| built in 17G1. The Rev. Henry M. Muhlen- 
propagating the gospel in foreign parts in 1718 ^ berg laid the cornerstone and gave towards 
appointed the Rev. Mr. Wayman their mission- ^ it out of a certain legacy twenty-four pounds 
ary at Oxford and Radnor. He came to this \ and preached in it before it -„s roofed iti 
country and entered upon his ministry with j which state it had cost five hundred pouinh 
diligence and made his residence at Oxford. ; and on its completion cost upwards of five 



68 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COL^'TY 

hundred pounds more. It appears that the j most a rain, full of rabbish and dirt, and itr" 
congregation had subscribed but very little I; members IVom beinf pillugo 1 were miserably 
towards its building, for they were in debt ; iinpovcrished and destitute of vvon the neces- 
upwards of one thousand pounds (S'2,GGG 6G,) , saries of life. The present splendid building 
when the churcb was tinislied. Hearing of ;; stances on the same spot where the old oner 
the pecuniary embarrassment of this church ; stood, and w-is boilt in ihe summer of 1849. 
the chaplain of the King of England author- \ The Wnion church, as it is called, from beitijf 
ized Mr. Muhlenberg to draw on him for one } held' in common by the Lutheran and German 
hundred pounds sterling After the most \ Refofmei, is situated in ttfe lower part of the 
clamorous of the creditors were paid off, the ^ village of Wliitotuarsh on the turnpike and 
church, schoolhousc and lot were, by indenture, \ was built in 1818. Its present pastors are the 
conveyed to the German Lutheran cougrega- \ Ilev. George Wngner and the Ilev, Mr. Hippy, 
tion of Philadelphia. But what principally J The most common family names on the tomb- 
enabled the sureties to meet their engagements ', stones are Kramer, Cox, Shaffer, Fisher, Sto- 
was a legacy of thirteen thousand guld?h, . vcr, Keyser, Gotcbalk, Stout, Wolf, Wentz;, 
($5,200) from the Count of Roedelshiem, in | Blyler, Nace, Scheetz, Gilbert, Dager and Fran- 
Germany, which he bequeathed to the German | cis. A handsome monument is erected here to 
Lutheran congregations of Pennsylvania ; three s the memory of Sen. Henry Scbeeti, who dieJ 
thousand ($1,200) of which was expressly ^ September 4th, 1818, aged nearly eighty-fou? 
given towards the payment of the indebtedness s years. Mr. Scheetz was a man that figured 
of this church. Having become much in want \ considerably in pu'blie life, and at the close of 
of repair the congregation objected to making ;; the last century was one of the sommissioners 
it, unless the church was again restored to < of the county, and in 1S30 was appoiated one 
them by the Philadelphia congregation, which I; of the viewers of the State road leading from 
was accordingly done under an act of Assem- ;. New Hope by way of Norristown to the Mary- 
bly, passed February 25th, 1801. In June, ^ land line. There was a Justice Scheetz Sher- 
1760, Rev. John Frederick Schmidt accepted > iff of the county from 1816 to. 1819. 
■ the charge of the Germantowa congregation, | The name of Whitemarsh, we believe, is ori- 
and preached every other Sunday in the paro- > ginal, no other place to our knowledge having 
chial churches of Frankford and Whitpain, and ^ previously borne it. Both its origin and ap- 
occasionally at r>arren Hill, in which church | plication has puzzled us, and it was not till on 
divine service had been previously held every \ a visit to the springs near Spring Mill, that the 
other Sunday by the Germantown ministei-s, 1 idea occurred how it may huve originated, 
during the time of pastors Kurtz, Voight and \ The springs there rise from a marih of white 
Buskirk. Not long after Mr. Schmidt's elec- I earth and sand, resembling pewter sand, and 
tion to Germantown, the Rev. Daniel SchrceJer <, i.he name of Whitemarsh would not hiusi been 
bad the charge of this congregation. During ^ inapplicable to the spot, which afterwards may 
the Revolution this church received considera- < h;.ve been app^ed to the township, 
ble injury, having been by turns occupied by \ According to Thomas Holmes' Loip of origi- 
Ihe contending armies and-uscd as a battery '' nal surveys, made between the years 1GS2 antS 
and stable. The Rev. Henry M. Muhlenberg, s ]0?5, we learn that " Major Ja.^per Farmei'"^ 
in his journal, under date of November 4th, !; owned all the land in the present township 
1777, says, " that it was used as a stable for s south of the Skippack or Church road, which 
horses, by a portion of the American army, Hs an original road. North of thi.s tract all the 
encamped in the vicinity," and further men- ^ land in the township was owned by JohnGree» 
tions that a short time previous the British ( and Samuel Rolls. The township line road, 
army had been here, and taken from the peo- i; leading from the Schuylkill, at Conshehocken, 
pie their horses, oxen, cows, sheep and hogs, s and running the whole length of A\hitemarsh, 
LaFayette, as a point of observation, quar- J is also an origin.-.l road, and is marked on the 
tercd in this church during his brief tarry on ; aforesaid mnp. Jasper Farmer arrived here 
the hill, in the middle of May, 1778, and came | the 10th of Ulh month, 1685, in the Bristol 
near being captured by General Grant, with a j Merchant, John Stephens commander, with bis 
Hlroug detachment of the British army. After I family, consisting of Mary, Edward, Jasper^ 
the war, as may well be supposed, it was al- [Sarah, John, Robert, Catharine and Charles 



WniTEMARSH. 



60 



Farmer. His tract here must have contained \ ed to upwards of two thousand people, and 
about seven or eight thousand acres. From | perceived gioat numbers of them much melted 
the Colonial Records we learn that he had a "> down, and brought under convictions, when I 
number of servants residing on this tract, and ^ made free to them of Jesus and his bentfits, if 
that John Scull was his overseer. We regret \ they would believe on him ; took a little re- 
that we are not at present able to give more J freshment at a Quaker's, baptized two children 
particulars concerning thi« purchase. Both \ belonging to the church of England, at his 
John and Nicholas Scull came over with him. | house ; returned back to and preached at Ger- 
Biographioal sketches of Nicholas Scull and \ mautown, with much of the bivine Presence to 
his son Edward Farmer, are given in the ^ near four thousand hearers." 
appendix. A road upon the petition of Nicho- \ Whitemarsh is rich in revolutionary associa- 
las Scull, was ordered to be laid out by the \ tions, and on its hills are still to be seen the 
Council the 19th of May, 1G98, for the pur- 1 remains of redoubts and entrenchments erected 
pose of hauling lime from the kilns to the city, ^^ in that memorable struggle. The information 
and that it was to form a connection with the \ that we have collected on that period we have 
Plymouth road near Cresheim, or the upper \ concluded, from its length, to place iu a sepa- 
partof Germantown. This road, it ia believed, ^ rate article. 

is the present one leading from Whitemarsh I An allusion has been made to the farm of 
village to Chesnut Hill. From the records of \ George Sheatf, Esq., which is situated about 
the Friends' meeting, at Plymouth, we learu \ a mile northweet of Whitemarhh village, near 
that before the year 1703 John Rhoads, Abra- ^ the Skippack turnpike. He had formerly beeu 
ham Davis and David Williams settled in this < a merchant in Philadelphia, and having accu- 
township in that vicinity. William Trotter s mulated a considerable fortune, purchased this 
was also an early settler, and in his 21st year | property, on which he made extensive impr.ove- 
became a minister of Plymouth meeting. He s meuts. Mr. Downing, in his work on Land- 
died in 17'J4, aged fifty-three years. \ scape Gardening, thus speaks of a vi.sit he made 
The following is a list of thirty-seven land- \ here in 1848 : " Among Ihe sylvan features 
holders and tenants residing in this towuship, | here most interesting are also the handsome 
in the year 1734: Edward Farmer, Jonathan \ evergreens, chiefly Balsam or Balm of Gilead 
Robinson, Edith Davis, John Klinky, Henry firs, some of which are now much higher thaii 
Bartenstal, Marchant Maulsby, Nicholas Stig- the mansion. These trees were planted by Mr. 
litz, Benjamin Charlesworth, John Morris, | Sheaff twenty-two years ago, aad were then so 
Jonathan Potts, Samuel Gilkey, Josiih White, \ small that they were brought by him from 
David Davis, John Petty, Margaret Nichols, \ Philadelphia, at various times, in his carriage. 
Francis Cawly, David Harry, William Williams, This whole establishment is a striking example 
Frederick Stone, Joseph Williams, Adam Kit- of science, skill and taste, applied to a country- 
ler, Lodwick Knoos, Walter Gahone, Casper 1 seat, and there are few in the Union, taken as 
Simms, Jacob Coltman, Isaac Morris, William \ a whole, superior to it. The farm is three 
Trotter, James Stroud, John Anderson, Joseph !; hundred acres in extent, and, in the time of 
Woolen, Evan Jones, John Scull, John Parker, \ De Witt Clinton, was pronounced by him the 
Henry Rinkard, John Ramsey, Jr., Edward \ model farm of the United States. At the jre- 
Strou^, John Ramsey, John Campbell, Henry \ sent time we know nothing superior to it ; and 
Steward, Thomas Shepherd, William English, s Oapt. Barclay, iu his agricultural tour, says it 
Jenken Davis, John Patterson, Joseph Fareis, ) was the only instance of regular scientific sya- 
John Coulson, Haudle Uaosell and Mathias s tem of husbandry ia the English manner, he 
Ignorance. ) saw in America. Indeed, the large and regular 
That popular preacher, the Rev. George \ fields, filled with luxuriant crops, everywhere 
Whitefield, in his visit to America, thus relates \ of an exact evenness of growth, and every- 
in his Journal, published in London, in 175G, !; where free from weeds of any sort ; the perfect 
the following account of a trip to this town- < system of manuring and culture; the simple 
ship: "Set out, April 18th, 1740, about nine :; and complete fences; the fine stock; the very 
o'clock, for White Marsh; about twelve miles ^ spacious barns, every season newly whitewash- 
from Philadelphia. Had near forty horse in \ ed internally and externally, paved with wood, 
company before we reached the place. Preach- ) with stalls to fatten ninety head of cattle; 



70 iilSTOKY 01- ilOM'OOiMERY COUNTY. 

these, nml tlie masterly way in wliich Mie whole , previously, when Fort Wnshingtoti, tbo objcfli 

is niaiinged, both ns regards Culture and profit, cf their journey, was almost in sight. 

render (his estate one of no common interest ^ 

In an agricultural, as well as ornamental point ; 

cf view." Since the decease of Mr. Sheaff, the ^ XI. 

greater portion of the farm has been sold, but \ 

his family siill occupy the mansion. > # 

The extensive farm called Valley Green, and 'i Wlli J J^MARSIl ; 

owned by the late Morris Longstreth, is situated 

on the Springhouse turnpike, below Whitemarsh < ITS REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. 

village, adjacent to the Springfield line. The ^ 
commodious buildings and ample grounds, ,■ 

planted with various kinds of trees, still bear '< ^he battle of Brandywine was fought Sep, 
v»itne.ss to his taste. In November, 1849. he \ ''^^^^ ll"'- ^'"' ""^ resulted disastrously 
wrote an " Answer to the Queries of the State \ ^^ ^^^ Americans. Washington retreated that 
Agricultural Society of South Carolina," which \ "'g^* *° Chester, and the next day crossed over 
bears evidence of his knowledge of practical \ *'^^ Schuylkill, resolved to give them another 
farming. It is quite full an<l interesting, and i 'cattle. On the 17th he made an attack at 
at the time was published in a number of pa- \ GoaUeu, in Chester county, but a violent strrm 
pers, both in South Carolina and Pennsylvania, ^accompanied by torrents of rain stopped ifs 
It is said that he Went to the city a poor lad, ■ <'"''"'" Progress and rendered it impossible 
nnd by attention and industry he arose to be \ f°'' ^'^^'''- ^'"ly *« ^^ep the field. ^Yashington 
one of the prominent merchants of Philadr.1- \ concluded to replenish his ammunition and 
phia. He subsequently retired from business, '-; <<ierefore retired with the main army up the 
and spcnt'the remainder of Lis days on his \ Schuylkill and crossed at Parker's Ferry on the 
farm. He was a man of sterling integrity and \ ^^'^'' "^"'^ °" <>'« 23d was near Pottsgrove. 
decidedly republican principles. He was, for \ ^ir William Howe, early on the morning of the 
some years, an associate judge of Montgomery I 21st, decamped from the Great Valley, and 
county, and was afterwards elected canal com- ^ '"'''''"^ '^« Schuylkill at Fatland Ford, and by 
missiouer of the State. In 1848 he ran as the \ ^^''3' '"'^'■c'' continued his route to Philadelphia, 
democratic candidate for governor, but was { ^l^'ch he entered on the 2Gth without opposi- 
defeated by William F. Johnston by a very \ ^'°"' "^ ^^^ ^^'"^ "^ » detachment of British 
small majority. He died a few years ago, and | *°^ Hessian grenadiers. The remaiBder of 
was interred in the Cathedral cemetery, over \ ^'^ ^''•"3^ encamped at Germantown. 
Schu vlkill. Valley Green is still in possession j Washington, after several days' rest, broke up 
of Mr. Longstreth's family. \ ^'« ^''^'"P "^^'' I'ottsgrove, with a view of 

\ placing liis army in a strong position and with- 
From tile collision of two trains on the North ;; in a convenient distance from the British, en- 
Penusylvauia railroad an awful accident hap- \ camped on the Skippack road, about sixteen 
pened in this township, about half a mile below ) miles from Germantown. The American army 
the Fort Washington station, on the 17th of \ at this time was in a wretched condition, par- 
July, 185G, by which forty persons were killed s ticularly as respects clothing and shoes. Up- 



instantly, and twenty died subsequently. The ^ wards of one thousand men were actually bare- 
wounded numbered nearly sixty. This acci- ^ footed and performed their marches in this 



dent arose in con.sequence of the up train being V condition. Not disparaged, however, with 
heavily laden with a Sunday School excursion ;• these difficulties, early on the morning of Oc- 
on a vi.«it to Fort Washington, and being a few ;, tober 4th, Washington led his little band 
minutes behind time, the down-train, not await- . through the mist and fog and made an attack 
ing their arrival, as it should, dashed on, and ;i on the enemy's outpost at Germantown. In 
the result followed. Had that train waited but '■. the beginning every thing appeared favorable 
two minutes all would have been right. Not ',• to the American cause, but through pevefal 
long since, in being at this spot, we could not i mistakes the tide turned and they had to leave 
help but reflect what pleasant anticipations \ the field in possession of those who had pfe- 
that party must have had but a few moments > viously occupied it. Washington, that sataa 



WniTEMARSH. 



71 



uight, marched Iiis men to Pennypncker's mill, ! they marie excursions into the country for the 
on the Perkiomen, twenty-six miles from[_Phil- , purpose of plunderin"'. At the snme time 
adelphia, and two miles above the present ;: pnrties of soldiers were sent from the army nt 
Skippackville. Here they remuined till the :■ Whitemarsh, to search all places for firearms, 
9th, if not longer, to recover fron/tlieir tatigues ', grain and cattle, which they took forcibly for 
and attend to their wounded and dying. '■: the use of the army, and likewise to prevent 

News having reached the camp of a signal ) iheir falling into the hands of the enemy, 
victory having been gained by General Gates \ Whatever was taken they left orders for, to bo 
over General Burgoyne, on the 7th, at Sarato- J paid by the Quarter Master-General, The 
ga, a feu de Joy on the 15ih was ordered in j consequences were great pains were taken in 
honor of the event. On the I'Jth the army s those troublesome times by the country people 
encamped at Peter Wentz's in Towaraencin : to conceal, in partitions, garrets, ceilings, and 
township, twenty miles from Philadelphia, and '. other places, their most valuable effects and 
on the same grounds they had occupied^on the \ such as were likely to be wanted by the army, 
morning of the 4th, when the attack was made i; Tea, coffee, salt and cotton goods became very 
on Germantown. The armyjoccupied this po- ! high and scarce, owing moi-tly to the obstruc- 
sition till the 21st, when the line of march was / tious existing between the city and country by 
taken for the vicinity of the present village of ;| the patrolling parties of both armies. Men 
Whitemarsh, where they pitched their tents on s and boys were impressed into the service by 



the neighboring hills. The whole British army 
under Burgoyne having surrendered on the 
18th, strong reinforcements were shoitly after 
sent by General Gates, and on this accession 
Washington's army numbered eleven thousand 
men, of whom three thousand were unfit for 



tlie British as well as Americans, 

From the Journal of the Rev. II. M. Muh- 
lenberg, of the Trappe, we learn that in the 
latter part of October of this year, a bushel 
of salt brought £15, or $40 of our present cur- 
rency. Under date of November 4th, he says ; 



duty, " being barefooted and otherwise naked." ^ "All young men of eighteen years must go into 
In a letter to Congress, then at York, Penn- \ the field with the militia; those under eighteen 
sylvania, dated Whitemarsh, October 21st, J a>-e exempt, but mubt show proof of their age." 
Washington says : "It gives me great concern i Washington, in a letter to Congress, of Novem- 
to inform Congress, that after all my exertions ( ber 11th, in speaking of these matters, makes 
we are still in a distressed situation for want ;■ the following remarks: "The condition of the 
of blankets and shoes. At this time no incou- s army for the want of clothes and blankets, and 
siderable part of our force are incapable of \ the little prospect we have of obtaining relief 
acting through the ceSciency of the latter, and s according to the information I have received 
I fear, without we can be relieved, it will be s from the board of war, occasion me to trouble 
the case with two-thirds of the army in the \ you at this time. The mode of seizing and 
course of a few days." s forcing supplies from the inhabitants, I fear, 

Washington selected a strong position for \ would prove very inadequate to tho demands, 
his army at Whitemarsh, being on a range of j while it would certainly embitter the minds of 
hills, since called Camp Hill, then covered with > the people, and excite perhaps a hurtful jeal- 
timber and commanding the road leading from ;; ousy against the army. I have had ofTicersout 
Bethlehem to the city. Around the brow of \ ^or the purpose of purchasing and making vol- 
the hill a line of entrenchments were thrown '■ untary collections of necessaries ; and, in a few 
up mounted with cannon, and redoubts erected ) instances, more coercive measures have been 
here and there for the greater security of the | exercised : but all these have proven ofHittle 
camp. While the army lay here, Washington $ avail; our distresses still continue, and are be- 
established his head-quarters at the large and \ coming greater. I would, therefore, humbly sub- 
hospitable mansion of Mr. Elmar, near by, ) mitit to the consideration of Congress wbeth- 
which is etill standing. Howe, about this s er it may not be expedient/or|jthem to address 
time, withdrew his troops from Germantown, \ '■^e several legislative and executive powers 
probably fearing another attack, and concen- I of the States on this subject as early as possi- 
trated his force iu the city and its immediate \ ble, and in the most urgent terms." 
vicinity for greater security. The British had \ I" consequence of the late victory achieved 
not loug been in possession of the city before '. by General Gates over Burgoyne, at Saratoga, 



n 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMBRY COUNTY. 



finil tbe two succc.vsive repulses of Wnsliington, 
at r>ran(lyvvine nad Germantown, there were 
men nt tliid time, b)tli in and out of Gongross, 
who were desirous of a change in Mie supreme 
command of the army, and wished to substitute 
Oenerai dates in Wasliington's position. This 
faction was not stronp, but they were sufficient- 
ly active fur some of llieir proceedings to reach 
Washington. On thi^^ matter, in a letter to 
Congress, on the 17th, he says : " I am inform- 
ed that it is ft matter of amazement, and that 
rellectiuns have been thrown out against this 
jirniy for not being more active and euterprising 
than, in the opinion of some, they ought to have 
been. If the charge is just, the best way to 
account for it will be to refer you to the returns 
of our strength, and those I can produce of the 
enemy, and the enclosed abstract of the cloth- 
ing now actually wanting for the army ; and 
then, I think, the wonder will be, how they 
keep th'j fluid at all in tents, at this season of 
the year. What stock the clotliier-general has 
to supply this demand, or what are his pros- 
pects, he himself will inform you, as I have di- 
rected him to gojjto York to lay these matters 
before Congress." 

We shall t;hortly introduco to the reader's 
acquaintance Daniel Jlorgan and his brave 
riflemen, in actual engagement with General 
Howe's array on the fields of Whitemarsh and 
vicinity ; but, before doing so, we wish to make 
a few remarks on this effective corps, which 
may be necessary for a better understanding of 
the subject. In the beginning of June last, 
through the recommendation of Washington, a 
regiment of riflemen was authorized by Con- 
gress, and of which Colonel Morgan received 
the command ; Richards of Pennsylvania was 
appointed lieutenant-colonel and Morris, of 
New Jersey, major. This regiment was di- 
vided into eight companies and on Morgan was 
conferred the power to select the captains. It 
was particularly at Saratoga that this regiment 
of sharp-shooters rendered conspicuous service 
to the American cause, and it is believed, in 
that afTair, that Morgan and his men did more 
to bring about the victory than any other por- 
tion of the army. It appears that General 
Gates always unwillingly acknowledged the 
merits of Morgan and his men in that triumph. 

General Burgoyne having surrendered on the 
18ih of October, Colonel Morgan and his regi- 
ment were sent on with all possible despatch. 
lie marched *o Albany, whore, having cm- 



barked his men and baggage in a number of 
slcops, he arrived, in a few days, at Peekskill. 
From this point he advanced without delay, and 
arrived at Whitemarsh about the 18th of No- 
vember. No men in the American army were 
held in greater dread by the British than these 
sharpshooters; and on every occasion, where 
they possibly could, would show them but little 
morcy. The Rev. it. M. Muhlenberg, in liis 
Journal, gives the following interesting account 
of one of the means they used to accomplish 
this object: "Several Hessian prisoners have 
been brought to Philadelphia. One of them 
accidentally met a settler who was his first 
cousin, who asked him what induced him to 
come to America to injure his own flesh and 
blood. The prisoner answered that he was 
dragged out of his bed from his wife and child- 
ren, and forcedjjnto service. Others were 
asked why they attacked the Americans on 
Long Island so violeuth', and treated them with 
such barbarity? lie said the English ofiScera 
had made them believe that the Americana 
were savages and cannibals, in particular those 
with fringe on theii- dress, who were especially 
to be put out of the way as fast as possible, if 
they were not desirous of being tortured and 
eaten while still living. These very riflemen 
are mostly native-born, of English or German 
descent; and in. this way the Hessians were 
especially set on their own people and blood ; 
for the cunning Englishmen would rather fill 
the ditches of a fortified line with purchased 
foreign fascines than with their own domineer- 
ing bodies." 

Not long after the arrival of Morgan's regi- 
ment, General Greene, with all the troops that 
were with him, also came in, except Hunting- 
don's brigade, which did not arrive until the 1st 
of December, which now made Washington's 
strength about eleven thousand men. Scarcely 
had a few days passed, when it became known 
to Washington that General Howe meditated 
an attack upon the American camp. It appears 
that this information was obtained in the fol- 
lowing manner: Opposite General Howe's 
headquarters, in Second street, below Spruce, 
lived William and Lydia Darrah, members of 
the Society of Friends. A superior officer of 
the British army, believed to bo the Adjutant 
General, fixed upon one of their chambers, a 
back room, for private conference, and two or 
three of them frequently uut there in close 
consultation. About the 2d of December, the 



Wttt^lEMARslli 



n 



Adjutant Generul told Ljdia that they would be 
ia the room at seven o'clock, and remain late, 
i\nd that they wished the family to retire to 
bed; adding that when they were going away, 
they would call her to let themout and extin- 
guish the fire and caudles. She accordingly 
sent all her family to bed : but, as the officer 
had been so particular, her ouriosity was ex- 
cited. She took off her shoes, and putting 
her ear to the key-hole, overheard an order 
read for the British troops to march out late 
in the evening of the oth and attack General 
Washington's array. On hearing this she 
returned to her chamber and laid down. Some 
time afterwards the officers knocked at her 
door, but she rose only on the third summons, 
having feigned herself asleep. Her mind was 
so much agitated that she could not eat nor 
sleep ; supposing it to be in her power to save 
the lives of thousands of her fellow countrymen, 
but being unable to convey the information to 
GeneraMVashington, not daring to confide the 
secret to her husband. The time left, however, 
was short. She quickly determined to make 
her way, as soon as possible, to the American 
outposts. She informed her family that as 
she was In want of flour she would go to 
Frankford for some. She got access to General 
Howe, and solicited, what he readily granted, 
a pass through the British troops on the lines. 
Leaving her bag at the mill, she hastened to- 
wards the American lines, and encountered on 
the way an American, Lieutenant Colonel 
Craig, of the light horse, who, with some of 
his men, was on the look-out for information. 
He knew her and inquired where she was go- 
ing. To him she disclosed her secret, after 
having obtained from him a solemn promise 
never to betray her individuality, as her life 
might be at stake with the British. He con- 
ducted her to a house near at hand, directed 
something for her to eat, and hastened to head- 
quarters, when he made General Washington 
acquainted with all he heard. As Washington 
speaks of having had "a variety of intelli- 
gence" of this meditated attack, it appears he 
also got information from other sources. The 
American General, ns may well be expected, 
made all due preparations to prevent surprise. 
It was not, however, till Thursday night, the 
5th, that General Howe moved from Philadel- 
phia with all his force, amounting to upwards 
of twelve thousand men, excepting a very ia- 
ooQsiderable portion, which was left in his lines 



and l^edoubts. Captain McLan^, t^ho bad been 
sent forward with one hundred chosen light 
horsemen to watch the enemy, discovered them 
on the advance, at Three Mile Run, a short 
distance below the Rising Sun, on the German- 
town road, and compelled their front division 
to change their line of march. They passed 
forward, however, and lay near Chestnut Hill 
over liight. On this morning the Americans 
were all under arms and everything prepared 
for battle. Brigadier General Irvine, with six 
hundred Pennsylvania militia, was sent forward 
by Washington to skirmish with their light ad- 
vanced parties on Chestnut Hill, but unfortu- 
nately fell in with them before he got there, at 
the foot of the hill. A sharp conflict ensued, 
but hif people soon gave way, leaving him 
wounded with the loss of three fingers and a 
bad contusion of the head. Four or five others 
were also wounded and taken prisoners. Tho 
enemy lost about twelve in killed and wounded, 
among them a Sir James Murray. Nothing 
more occurred on this day. In the night, the 
British changed their ground, moving towards 
the northeast, within a mile of the American 
line, where they remained quietly and ad- 
vantageously posted during the whole of tho 
next day. On Sunday, the 8th, tl.ey inclined 
still further in the direction of the village of 
Abington, and from every appearance there was 
reason to apprehend that they were determined 
on an action. In this movement their advanced 
and flanking parties were warmly attacked by 
Colonel Morgan and his corps, and also by the 
Maryland militia, under Colonel Gist. They 
were also supported by General Potter's brigade 
and Colonel Webb's regiment. Near where tho 
Susquehanna Street road crosses Edge Hill, 
Morgan met the British and a short but severe 
conflict ensued. The British concentrating 
their forces, Morgan and the militia withdrew 
on account of superior numbers. The enemy 
now filed oS", and by two or three routes made 
a hasty retreat to Philadelphia. By this en- 
gagement twenty-seven men were either killed 
or wounded in Morgan's regiment, among the 
latter, but beyond all hope of recovery, was 
the noble-hearted and intrepid Miijor Morris, 
who left a wife and children to mourn his loss. 
Among the Maryland militia there were sixteen 
or seventeen wounded. It is said, on the re- 
turn of the enemy to the city, they loEt, in 
this excursion, three hundred aod fifty in killed 
and wounded. 



74 



IIISTOIIV or MOJS'TGOMEKY COUSXT, 



The principul de^•iga the Britiyb commander j clothed to be enabled much longei* fo u'itTisfanci? 
had iu this expedition was, by iiienua of demon- ) exposure, and their sufferings were also ii»- 
Btrutious, to get Washington to quit h'n strong ;, creased by a, want of bhiuktts and shoes, 
position, in order to bring on ii giueral engage- , N*i)twithstanding the tardiness of Congress iu 
meut, which he prudently declined. By his j siipplyiiig their wants, the time was at hancf 
retreat to Philadelphia he had to acknowledge | when something had to be done, and that quick- 
that he did not dare to risk an attack, (though i ly, tio, for delays had already been practised 
he had come out with some aaeb intention,) S to such an extent that poor human nature 
notwithstandi»g be outnambered the Anieri- could not be eapected to imp&»e much more 
cans. Washington, in his offi-cial account of ) for suffering to endure. What was to be done 
this affair to Congress, speaks thus on the sub- \ in this dilemma? It was decided by the offi"- 
ject: " I sincerely wish they had made an at- ? cers of the army that Whitetnarsh was not a 
tack, as the issue, in all probability, from the \ proper place for a winter encampment, A 
disposition of our troops and the strong situa- s council of war was held on the 20t'h of No- 
tion of our camp, would have been fortunate \ vember, at which a wide diflerence of opinion 
and happy. At the same time, I must add that \ prevailed as to the locality and the manner of 
reason, prudence and every principle of policy, s cantoning the troops for the winter. Wash-- 
forbade us quitting our posl to attack them. ^ ington was satisfied from the great diversity of 
Nothing but success would have justified the s opinion that prevailed on these subjects that 
measere ; and this could not be expected from I; unanimity could not be hoped for. He there- 
their position." \ fore fixed upon Valley Forge as the most suit- 

In February, 1S5G, there was still living iu \ able place for a winter encampment, and that 
Hempstead, in his ninety-seventh year, Z.icha- ) it possessed the advantages of strength and 
riah Greene, who served as a soldier in this \ distance from the enemy, S3 as to be enabled 
encampment and by request furnished a rela- < to watch his movements and keep his foraging 
tion of his services while here. The following \ parties in check and protect the country from 
is an extract, and gives some additional light <; depredations. The distance from Whitcmarsh- 
on the subject: "I was also in the battle of ^ encampment to Valley Forge was about thir- 
Whitemarsh, about fifteen miles above Phila- \ teen miles, and on the llth of December tha 
delphia, where the British were robbing the < patriot army started on the maroh and crossed* 
people of their cattle, horses, corn, wheat, hay, ^ the Schuylkill at Swedes' Ford. Of this bod7 
&c. I marched with the troops that were ^, no less than two thousand eight handred and 
ordered to marsh in haste, without change of s ninety-eight were unfit for duty, and so scarca 
clothes, to their relief. We reached the field \ were shoes among the soldiers that they might 
of battle the 7th of Decenber, 1777, in the \ have been tracked by the blood of their feet 
afternooo, I was on' the right flank of the ad- \ in raarehins barefooted ever the hard frozen 
▼aneed guards my brother on the left flank, and groundi 

ire were both wounded. My wound was dress- ^ During the encampment, which was from 
ed in one of General Washington's rooms, and October 21st to December IRh, a period of 
then myself and others left the house to make s seven weeks, several important events trans- 
room for others, and took up onr lodging iu a \ pired in our revolutionary history. The court 
horse-shed, without a blanket or an overcoat, marshal for the trial of Brigadier General 
and lay an buckwheat straw— rather coarse V/ayne was held here on the 2&ih, 26th, 27th 
and damp substitute for feathers. The night and 30th of October, for his conduct on the 
was sleepless, the cold distressing, and it is 1 20th of September, at Paoli. General Sullivan 
difficult to describe the anguish I endured in \ was Piresideat of the board, and after a patient 
my shattered bones, but it was for American i and impartial investigation they unanimously 
freedom. The next morning, General Greene decided that on that occasion he lia<i don« 
procured rooms for myself and brother, where every thing that could be expected from an 
my wound and his were dressed by the young active, brave and cflicient officer, and there- 
ladies of the family." ^ fore acquitted him with trhe highest honor. 

Winter was now approaching and the sol- s \ The house used by Washingfon, as bis headh 
diers were still only sheltered from its inclem- I Quarters, is situated about two hundred yards 
eucies by tents ; besides they were too^ poorly i ^ast of the North Pennsylvania railroad, in 



WHITEMARSil. 



iO 



^ppcT DuWm township, but only a few ynrds j open. Its dimensions are seventeen stops on 
from the Whitemarsh line, nrd fourteen miles the north west side, or sixty-six steps around 
from the city. Sandy Run flows near by, in \ it on the top. These remains are elevated 
front and Camp HiU is dirtctly in the rear, ' from six to ten feet above the surface of thf- 
on which the principal part of the army were ) ground on the outside. There are several 
posted This house is of stone and about ■• cherry and cedar trees growing on it— some we 
eighty feet in length by twenty-seven in width, \ presume forty years old. It commands the 
two stories high, and had a hipped roof which \ roads below for some distance. The Spring 
was modernized in 1854. Even now it is con- \ House pike approaches within one hundred 




4)een vc^d% anfi caM still see some traces of < informed m that even <lown to thirty years 
£.ts f«r«er elegance. Through the centre from :, ago there were still considerable remains of 
tfe^mait, entrance was a hall dfteen feet wide, Entrenchments, which, by the cultivation of 
Jeading to the rooms on either side, which had \ the land, have since become obliterated . ort 
fecen occupied by Washington. This was np- > Washington is now owned by Jacob Halne^ 
proached by a flight of ancient looking, but \ residing near by. This hill is situated up- 
well finished steps, wrought out of soapstone. \ wards of half a mile west of Camp Hill, and 
The hospitali-tj oS Mr. Elraar, its wealthy \ is ^ continuation of the same range, but is 
4)wner, still Iwes in the tradkions of the neigh- ', separated from it by Sandy Run. On both of 
borhood. ani whkh have been corroborated by ; these hills muskets and cannon balls are yet 
Mr. Greene. In our visit here in 1854, a < occasionally found. We were told th,at a few 
sketch Wft« made of this mansion which we '; years ago, in ploughing a field, there was dis- 
iiold in our possession. There is still attached [ covered various relics, such as pewter plates, 
<« this place an extensive farm which belonged J broken swords, bayonets, musket locks, &c. 
to John Fitzwater, but after his decease was While the American ariiy lay at Valley Forg« 
sold in 1857 to its owner, Mr. Charles Amen. \ Washington received intelligence that the Bn- 
CampHill, on which the principal part of the ^ tish contemplated to evacuate the city, and bc- 
,army was posted, as already stated, is imme- \ cordingly sent La Fayette with two thousand 
\diately in the rear of the house used by Wash- s one hundred troops and five pieces of cannon, 
in-ton as his head-quarters. Here the army ;• on the 18th of May, 1778, across" the ScUuyl- 
took a strong position and added extensive ^ kill, to take post at Biirren Hill. The princi- 
field works. On the 26th of Maj. 1857. we \ pal object of this expedition was to cut ofi" any 
were on this hill and were delighted with the > foraging parties of the enemy that might be m 
splendid view which Ltafi-ordsof the surround- \ the vicinity, as well as to restrain these de- 
ing co.untrj. Its summit is still covered with ^ predations and to ott .in, as far as possible, cor- 
woods, and innumerable violets and honey- rect information of their movements, and in 
suckles were then in full bloom, among which case of a departure to fall on their rear and 
warbled sweetly the thrush, the cat-bird and \ harrass their march. As soon as he arrived at 
the wood robin. Ah! thought we, how ^ the place he fixed his quarters a short distance 
changed, after the lapse of eighty years !— the | west of the church, and mnde the requisite 
scene once so warlike now so peaceful. The arrangements to prevent any surprise. The 
remains of entrenchments ok the brow of the | same day a tory in the neighborhood sent a 
hill are still diseemable. running parallel with \ messenger to Sir Henry ri-nt.ui, who was now 
tJie road leading to the city. \ in the command of the British army at PhilH- 

What is popularly known as Fort Washing- \ delphin, informing him of La F.iyetie's posi- 
tOB is nothing more than a redoubt erected on \ tion aod strength, A plan whs immeWiately 
an eminence of the same name, by the army I formed by Clinton for a surprise. On th* 
Kluring the Revolution. Of all the works once ■• night of the 19tb. five tbousaud men were sent 
on this hill this aloue. we believe, has been J out under the command of General Grant, ««- 
spared by man. It is in the form of a square \ eisted by Sir William Erskine. who marched by 
or diamond, with the upper side en the hill ' wav of Fraukford and the present viUn;?e of 



76 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY C'OUN'TV. 



■WhitemnrsL to a position in the rear of La 
Fayette. Another strong force, under General 
Grey, went up tbe Schuylkill and took a posi- 
tion tthout three miles below Barren lllll, while 
Sir Henry Clinton led in person a third divi- 
sion through Germantown, and before daylight 
halted at Chestnut Hill. The situation of La 
Fayette was now critical nad he was nearly 
surrounded by a greatly superior force before 
he was aware^ of his situition. The first in- 
telligence the Americans had was from an 
officer who was sent to rcconnuitre, who ob- 
served t'le scarlet coats of the enemy through 
tho trees about a mile distant, on the road 
leading from Whitemarsb to Swedes' Ford. 
La Fayette immediately conceived the danger 
of bis position and stationed a considerable 
force within the churchyard, around which 
there was a strong stone wall. Being satisfied 
that be could not retreat with safely to Swedes' 
Ford, be accordingly moved in the direction of 
jNIatsou's Ford, now Coiishehocken, the road 
leading nearly all the way through the woods. 
At intervals in this distance he ordered several 
small parties in the rear to show themselves 
occasionally at different points so as to deceive 
General Grant, who halted to prepare himself 
for an attack, while at the same time he was 
nwaiting the approach of the other divisions. 
While this delay .occurred the Americans made 
n quick march to the ford where they crossed 
safely with all their artillery and took a posi- 
tion on tbe high 4;round opposite. General 
Grant, in tbe meantime, marcbed to Barren 
Hill and instead of meeting tbe Americans 
there, as be bad expected, found tbe division 
under Clinton awaiting his arrival. They then 
marched as far as the ford, but finding it diffi- 
cult to pass over wheeled round, disappointed 
and chnprin^d, to Philadelphia. lu conveying 
their artillery across the river the Americans 
Were fired at by an advance party, by which 
they lost nine men, either killed or taken pri- 
soners. Of the enemy two horsemen were 
killed and several wounded. On arriving at 
Valley Forge, La Fayette and his men were 
greeted with tbe most enthusiastic huzzas. 
General Poor and Captain M'Lane were the 
principal American officers engaged in this 
expedition. 

Tbe damages that tbe people of Wbitemarsh 
sustained from the British during the Revolu- 
tion were estimated, by an assessor appointed 
for tbe purpose, at si.t hundred and sixty-one 



\ pound?, or onf thousand seven hundred and 
; sixty-two dollars and nixty-two cents of our 
', present currency. 



xn. 
CONSIIEIIOCKEN. 

The borough of Consbebocken is situated on 
the east bank of the Schuylkill, four miles be- 
low Norristown and thirteen from Philadel- 
phia. It is bounded on the north and north- 
west by Plymouth, east and southeast by 
Whitemarsh, and south and southwest by tbe 
Schuylkill. In its territorial extent it is exactly 
one mile square, and therefore contains six 
hundred and forty acres, one-half of which was 
taken from Plymouth and the remainder from 
Whitemarsh. Its fronton the river is also one 
mile. The land on which the borough i.s situ- 
ated rises gradually from tbe Schuylkill for the 
distance of a quarter of a mile, when it attains 
a perpendicular height of about one hundred 
feet, after which it extends level. Just below 
the borough, and along the Schuylkill, is nn 
extensive flat extending nearly to Spring Mill. 

Though of recent origin, Conshehocken in 
quite an interesting and important place, par- 
ticularly in the variety and number of its 
manufacturing establishments. According to 
the census of 1850, it contained within its 
limits seven hundred and twenty-seven inhabi- 
tants, one hundred and twenty-five houses and 
eight farms. Of late years, this place has 
rapidly increased, and its population at this 
time is probably over two thousand. Accord- 
ing to tbe triennial assessment of 1858, tbe real 
estate was valued at §260,795, and the horses 
and neat cattle $5,228. In May, 1858, it con- 
tained four inns and the following stores: seven 
merchandise, two feed, one drug, one clothing, 
two shoe, three confectionary, one stove, one 
dry goods, two groceries, one tobacco and one 
trimmings ; besides a lumber yard, coal yard, 
an Odd Fellows' ball and a post office. 

Tbe manufactories here are all extensive, 
and when in full blast give employment to a 
great number of hands. The Plymouth fur- 
nace, belonging to Stephen Colwell and Com- 
pany, is one of the largest establishments of 
tbe kind in tbe State. Great quantities of pig 
iron is made from the ore in the vicinity. Au 
extensive business ie also cai-ried on in casting 



CONSnEHOCKEN. 



various kinds of machinery and iron pipes for ! 
conduits. Of the latter, immense quantities 
have been made here. We were informed that 
in NoTcmber, 1858, three hundred hands were 
employed in and around the works. When in 
full operation, we learn, more than four hun- 
dred hands are required. It has been stated 
on reliable authority that as early as 1848 
three thousand tons of pipes were made here 
annually. This quantitj', no doubt, has since 
been considerably increased. The ore used 
here is chiefly obtained in Plymouth township, 
principally in the vicinity of Harmanville. 
John R'ood and Brother have an extensive 
rolling mill, and employ about thirty hands. 
Allan Wood and Company have also a rolling 
mill and employ twenty hands. It is said that 
no establishments in this country equal these 
in the superior excellence of their sheet-iron, 
being only surpassed by the celebrated Russia 
sheet-iron. It appears that in 1832 the only 
manufactories in the place was a rolling mill 
and a grist mill. Besides the aforesaid, Stan- 
ley Lee and Brother have a cotton factory ; \ 
James and Lawrence Ogden, a woolen fac- s 
tory; Walter Cresson and Brother, a saw 1; 
factory ; Jacoby and Company', a marble saw } 
mill, and near the mouth of Plymouth creek a s 
saw mill for lumber. The manufacture of 
bricks is also carried on. The abundance of 
excellent iron ore, iBi^rble and limestone found 
in the neighborhood gives great advantages for 
this to become a large manufacturing town \ 
which is still in embryo. } 

The first improvement by the place, and | 
which laid the foundation for its prosperity, s 
was the Schuylkill Navigation, which extends \ 
from Philadelphia to Port Carbon, one hundred ^ 
»nd eight miles. It was begun in 1816 and \ 
was sufficiently completed in 1818 for the de- \ 
Bcent of a few boats of six tons burthen, but s 
was not finished till 1824. In 1846 it was en- j 
larged for boats of one hundred and eighty-six \ 
tons burthen. It was the water-power of the s 
dam here, which propels a rolling mill, saw '; 
factory and the marble saw mill, that caused > 
the birth of this manufacturing town. The \ 
bridge over the Schuylkill was incorporated in 
1832, and is called the Matson's Pord bridge. 
The Reading railroad crosses it by two tracks, 
and forms a connection with the Norristown 
railroad. On the night of September 2d, 1850, 
this bridge was swept away by a high freshet, 
but was shortly after built again. At its west 



end is the village of West Conshehocken, con- 
taining about thirty houses and a station of 
the Reading railroad. The Philadelphia, Ger- 
mantown and Norristown railroad was finished 
through this place in August. 1835, when the 
first locomotive and train of cars passed over 
the road to Norristown. The Plymouth rail- 
road, which was incorporated in 1836, is nearly 
four miles in length, and leads from the lime- 
kilns above Plymouth meeting house to this 
borough, where it connects with the Norristown 
railroad. The road that leads to the Broad 
Axe, and forms the line between Plymouth and 
Whitemarsh townships, is an orighial road 
which was turnpiked, in 1849, to Plymouth 
meeting house, a distance of two and a-half 
miles. It has since been continued beyond the 
village of Three Tons, where it strikes the Lime 
Kiln pike, seven and a-half miles further on. 

Conshehocken has three public schools, 
which, for the school year ending with June 
1st, 1857, were open ten months and attended 
by two hundred and thirty two scholars. The 
sum of $1,375 was levied by tax to defray the 
expenses of the same. These schools are kept 
in a large two-stcry building, erected for this 
purpose in 1855, which is situated on the top 
of the hill, on the north side of the Plymouth 
pike or Fayette street. The elections for the 
borough are held in it. There is also a private 
school in the place, but, we believe, no public 
library. There are three churches in the 
borough. The first was erected by the Pres- 
byterians, in 1848, of which the Rev. Joseph 
Nesbitt, of Norristown, is pastor. St. Mat- 
thew's Catholic church was built in 1850, and 
is under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Mnginnes. 
The Methodist church was erected in the sum- 
mer of 1857. These are all stone edifices. 

Conshehocken is of Indian origin and was 
the name by which they called Edge Hill. We 
have the proof of this by the deeds of purchase 
from them by William Penn, July 14th, 1G83, 
and of July 30th, 1G85, where it is distinctly 
mentioned. This hill still retains this name 
on the west side of the Schuylkill, and from 
thence has been applied to this place. The 
reader will see an account of the aforesaid 
deeds in our article on the Indians, in the be- 
ginning of this work; further comment is 
therefore unnecessary. This place, before it 
bore its present name, was called Matson's 
Ford, which we know was given to it some 
time before the Revolution. It appears as early 



78 



HISTORY OP MONTQOMERY COUNTY- 



ns 1712, John M(it«o« took up ft large trnct of; petitioned for tbe rights nnJ privileges of A 
land on the opposite iii<le^of the river nnd ns '; borough. It was incorporated by nn net of 
the population increased, roadsjwere Inid out :j Assembly, passed the 15th of Mny, 1850. By 
to lliis pliice, and thus became^ known to the ', its charter its bounds were fixed as follows: — 
country around as Matson's Ford. However, '{ Beginning in the township of Plymouth at 
it ijas not supplanted till about 1830, wben the j low water mark of the river Schuylkill, at the 
town wai laid out as " Conshehocken." < distance of half a mile, measured on a direct 

During the revolution the American army >^ line at right angles from the middle of the 
crossed the Schuylkill at this place several J Whitemarsh and Plymouth turnpike road, 
times. On the 19th of May, 1778,Jwhile La \ which is on the township line between said 
Fiiyetto was stationed^with a detachment of ^ townships; thence north forty degrees forty- 
two Jthousand one hundred men at Barren s five minutes, east parallel to said turnpike 
Hill, three and) a half miles from here, the \ road over lands of Cadwallader Foulke, John 
British attempted to surprise him with a great- •. Stemple, Evan Davis and otheis, to a point 
ly superior force divided into three divisions. \ where the continuation of a certain public 
On^ was led by General Grant and the others J road line which now leads into said turnpike 
by Sir Henry Clinton and General Grey. J at the eastern corner of the farm of James 
When the division under Grant had approached ;j Cresson, and which road is nearly at right 
within a mile of his rear, through an officer ] angles with said turnpike, if continued north- 
who hadjljeen sent early in the morning to re- '> westerly would intersect said parallel line first 
connoitre. La Fayette received the first intelli- ) mentioned as running north forty-threedegrees, 
gence of their presence. Apprehending his ; east then from said point, south easterly the 
situation critical he withdrew in haste to this ■ course of said road and crossing said turnpike 
ford, and as the last division of his command \ and continuing its course in Whitemarsh, up 
were crossing with the artillery, the enemy's ;; over lands late of Daniel Harry, deceased, and 
advanced parties made their appearance on the ; Isaac Jones' land, one mile to a point on the 
banks and fired a volley after them, when a \ land of said Isaac Jones ; thence on his said 
skirmish ensued in which the Americans lost pand south forty degrees forty-five minutes 
nine men in killed and taken. The British •. west to the river Schuylkill aforesaid, and 
loss was two light-horsemen killed and several \ along up said river the several courses thereof 
wounded. La Fayette proceeded to the high \ to the place of beginning* 
ground opposite and formed in the order of s The commissioners appointed for laying out 
battle, when the divisions under Grant and \ the borough according to the act of incorpo- 
Clinton made their appearance, but who, not \ ration were Isaac Roberts, Josepli Crawford, 
deeming it safe to cross, though they had more ^ John 11. Jones and L. E. Corson. The follow- 
than four times the number of men, wheeled ') ing n ..les were given to the streets running 
round and marched disappointed and chagrined |; parallel with and beginning at the river: Canal, 
to the city. In consequence of this affair the I Elm, and then comes Front Avenue, and so on 
old road which led to the ford, and on which } to Twelfth, which is the last. Running east 
this retreat was efl'ected.^has been called Fay- i and west the streets are Freedley, Wood, Maple, 
ette street. ^ Forest, Fajette, Harry, Hallowell, Jones and 

On the hill, in this borough, a number of s Richter. On the south side of Spring Mill 
years ago, lived an aged black man by the ^ Avenue to the river, are Hector, Elm and 
name of Hector, who had been a team driver s Washington streets. They are all out at right 
for the soldiers in the Revolution. It appears >, angles except those south of Spring Mill Ave- 
that the good people of the town have appre- > nue. Few towns or boroughs in the State are 
ciated his services, for in laying out the streets ;: laid out so regular in streets and boundaries 
of the borough, in 1850, they honored one with j' as this borough. At the upper end of the 
the name of " Mector Street." That Conshe- \ town, on Fayette street, are a number of beau- 
hocken has improved rapidly is shown l;>y the ■ tiful private residences surrounded with beau- 
fact that in 1833 it contained but one store, ;; tiful lawns. 

one tavern, a rolling mill, grist mill and six \ In August, 1858, while on a visit here, col- 
dwelling houses. By the year 1840 the place '; lecting information, we found a respectable old 
had sufficiently increased that its inhabitants gentleman silting by the steps of a private 



l»LYM6UTrf. 



house, eugnged in conversation with several j rocky appearnbce, hfitnowfiere rises above fifty 
children. Though a perfect stranger, and tak- ) or sixty feet perpendicular. la proportion to 
jng him to be one of the borough fathers, we \ jig extent we have no hesitation in saying that 
approached and took a seat beside him, and, \ „o town.ship in the county equals it for tho 
after some remarks^ou the weather, we got j natural fertility of its so'il. As to waste or 
into a sage discourse on the past. We found ;■ dDj^oductive land comparatively little can be 

forind. In proportion to fts size if also excel:* 
in the quantity of its limestone, the great 
source of its fertility. On the other hand it ia 
not a well watered township, for it contains no 
streams that afford water-power. The largest 
is Plymouth Creek, which rises half a-mile 
east of Ilickorytown, and after a course of 



him intelligent and communicative, and sonAC ^ 
of the information contained in this article was 
obtained from him. By and by, we spoke of the 
rapid increase of the place and the rise and 
value of real estate, when we obtained the fol- 
lowing additional particulars : that he was then 
eighty-five years of age and lived at the south- 



east end of the town, on a farm of one hundred \ four miles empties into the Schuylkill at CoQ^ 
and fifty acres, wholly within the borough li- \ shehocken. Saw Mill Run rises in Whitpain 
niits, which contains so*ne of the most beautiful Mind after a course of a little over a mile 
land for building purposes in the place. It ) through this township turns into Norriton. A 
had, down to a few years ago, contained two \ small stream empties into the Schuylkill a 
hundred acres, but by selling oS' fifty was re- ''_ short distance below Mogee's lime-kiln?. 
duced to its present area. He told us that he s About two-thirds of Plymouth is underlaid 
was a native of Delaware county, but had s with limestone, which, ot some places, is on or 
lived for a number of years here. Isaac Jones, ; »ear the strrface, and a'gain at other places lies 
for that is his name, is still a hale and hearty I deep. Nearly the whole distance of this town- 
man for his age, and may live fo see many a \ ship on the Schuylkill is a bluff of limestone, 
brick house yet spring up around him. 

XIII. 

PLYMOUTH. 



s and few places are more favored for burning 
lime, both from the convenience of the inate- 
rial and the advantages of sending it to mar- 
ket. The limestone has a general dip to the 
south of about forty-iive degrees, and varies 
iu color from a dark blue to nearly a 
/ white. The greater portion of it makes lime 
The township of Plymouth is bounded on '> of the very best quality. According to the 
the north by Whitpain, east by Whitemarsb, census of 1840 the lime produced in this town- 
south by the Schuylkill and the borough of | ship was valued at forty-five thousand t^^o' 
Conshehocken, and west by the borough of 1; hundred and eighteen dollars. We have not a 
Norristown and Norriton township. Its great- \ doubt that its annual product at this time ia 
eat length is three and a-half miles, and width near two hundred and sizty thousand dollars, 
two and a-half. It had contained an area of ^ which is a great increase. We counted in fhia 
five thousand six hundred and thirty-one acres, s township, in Augtrst last, seventy-five kilns, of 
but by the erection of Conshehocken into a '■] which over three-fourths were in operation, 
borough, in 18-50, three hundred and twenty s which will show the extensiveness of the bilsi- 
acrea were taken oflF; also, along, narrow ^ ness. William Mogee & Co. haVe twenty- 
strip of one hundred and twenty-eight perches \ three kilns a short distance below Norristown, 
wide, on tlie Schuylkill, of about one hundred s near the Schuylkill. We have been informed' 
and fifty-eight acres by the enlargement of the ' that they burned in fourteen months previous 
borough of Norristown, in 1853'— thas leaving ,| to June 1st, 1858, one million twenty-three 
its present area five thousand one hundred and \ thousand bushels of lithe, in the manufacture 
fifty-three ocres. Previously, from the years > of which they consumed seven thousand six 
1730 to 1850, it had not undergone any altera- | hundred tons of coal. For the year ending 
ti«ns in its territorial extent. \ with April 1st, 1858, the average number of 

The surface of Plymouth is gently undula- | hands employed was one hundred and nineteen. 
ting and there are no elevations scarcely de- j They had, also, engaged in the business, thir- 
Bcrving the name of hills. Along the Schuyl- teen' boats and thirty-three horses and mule&y 
kill at several places the limestone assumes a < It ia said that they used in one year two thou- 



80 



HISTORY or MONTGOMmiV COUNTV. 



Blind kegs of powder. Thej hnve a Yfharf on ,; 
the Schujlkill four hundred «nd ten feel long, \ 
ond a railroad of seven hundred feet in length. ■, 
AVhen we were here, last summer, the sclioon- '! 
ers Diamond State and William Penn, both of s 
Wilmington, Delaware, and two canal boats, ^ 
were loading. At the head of the railroad, ; 
above Plymouth Meeting House, and on or j, 
Hear the turnpike, George Mulvany has tlitee ; 
kilus. There are here, also, several old kilns, \ 
which have not been used for some time. Near ',] 
by Hiram Blee & Co. have six kilns, which are :^ 
owned by Daniel Mulvany, Esq., of Norristown. s 
Opposite the former kilns but in AVhitemarsh \ 
township, George Corson has five kilns. A < 
short distance down the railroad ar3 several 1; 
that belonged to the late John FreeJley. These, ;' 
we believe, constitute all in this vicinity. Fol- <, 
lowing the Schuylkill up from Coushehocken [ 
about a mile, the first kilns we arrive at are •] 
those of Elwood Norney and Brother, four in ) 
number. They have a track to the Norristown ) 
railroad about three hundred yards long. The 
limestone here shows its stratification and has \ 
a dip of forty-five degrees. The next are those > 
of Jesse W. Ramsey, who has eight kiln.°. < 
Next, Charles Earnest & Co. have eight kilns. | 
Their quarries show that a great quantity of ( 
limestone has been taken from them. Then we 'i 
come again to Elwood Norney's; he has here 
seveu coal and five wood kilns. Much lime- 
stone ha.'' also been quarried here. Next, Cor- 
son & Wells have eight kilns about a quarter 
of a mile up a small stream from the river, to 
"which they have a single track that connects > 
with the Norristown railroad. These kilns are \ 
about a quarter of a mile from Mogee's, al- ^ 
ready mentioned. These constitute about all 
the kilns in the township. Marble, we believe, \ 
is not quarried. '. 

Iron ore is nowobtained in great abundance, \ 
■while forty years ago it was but little known. ? 
In that part of the township which lies between s 
the Plymouth railroad and the Whitemarsh ) 
line, from Coushehocken to Plymouth Meeting '> 
House, appears, from recent discoveries, to be \ 
one immense bed of ore. On the aforesaid ;; 
tract, south of the llidge pike, ore has been \ 
dug on the farms of Robert Potts, William \ 
Wells, Samuel Pippitt, and others ; on tho \ 
north side it is obtained from lands of Reuben \ 
Lukens, Jacob Albertson and David Karns. \ 
At these pits, in August last, upwards of sixty < 
hands were employed. The ore is generally ( 



raised by horse and windlass, and on Albert- 
son's property is brought up from a depth of 
seventy-five feet. The ore obtained is chiefly 
sent to the Plymouth furnace, at Conshehock- 
en, and the Swede furnaces in Upper Merion. 

The inhabitants of Plymouth are principally 
the descendants of English and Welsh Friends, 
who were the first settlers. Of late years, 
through the lime business, a considerable 
number of Irish have emigrated hither. This 
town.ship contained, in 1741, forty-six tnxables; 
in 1823, two hundred and twenty-eight ; in 
1849, four hundred and forty-eight, and in 
1858, four hundred and five, .\ccording to the 
census of 1810 it contained eipht hundred and 
ninety-five inhabitants ; in 1820, nine hundred 
and twenty-eight; in 1830, one thousand and 
ninety-one; in 1840, one thousand four hun- 
dred and seventeen, and in 1850, one thousand 
three hundred and eighty-three. The erec- 
tion of Conshehocken in the beginning of 1850, 
and the extension of Norristown in 1853, has 
bsen the means of reducing its population. 
We are satisfied that Plymouth has rapidly in- 
creased Tvithin the last few years. This is 
especially observable from the number of new 
houses which have been recently erected in its 
villages. 

In May, 1858, Plymouth contained three 
inns, five stores, one steam grist mill, one pow- 
der mill, two coal yard? and a brick kiln. Ac- 
cording to the census of 1850 it contained two 
hundred and twenty houses and ninety-one 
farms. By the triennial assessment of 1858 
the real estate was valued at three bundled 
and fifty-nine thousand one hundred and fifty 
dollars, and the horses and neat cattle at 
eighteen thousand nine hundred and ninety- 
eiglit dollars. The Ridge turnpike traverses 
the township two and a-half miles, and the 
Germantown and Perkiomen pike about three 
miles. The turnpike leading from Conshe- 
hocken to the Broad Axe forms the entite 
southeast boundary of Plymouth, n-distanceof 
three and a quarter miles, and separates it 
from Whitemarsh. The Norristown railroad 
passes through the south west side of the 
township, along the Schuylkill, over two miles^ 
The Plymouth railroad is about three miles and 
three-quarters in length, and commences at 
the lime-kilns and quarries on the Whitemarsh 
line, above Plymouth Meeting House, and fol- 
lows Plymouth Creek to Colwell's furnace, at 
Conshehocken, where it connects with the Nor- 



PLYMOUTH. 



81 



ri.iown railroaJ. It consists of a single track ,; ancient settlement, Tvhose history dates tnck 
and the cars on it are drawn by horses. Lime ^s nearly to the arrival of Penn. and is marked 
is chiefly taken down on it and coal and wood \ as a village on Lewis Evans' map of 1/49. 
brought back. The company to whom it be- \ For some information respecting this place 
lon<rs was incorporated by act of Assembly j the reader is referred to the account of the 
pasted the 18th of March, 1836. \ meeting house. The post office was established 

Education is encouraged in Plymouth. For > here before 1827. In 1832 there were but ten 
the year ending with Tune 1st, 1857, it con- > houses here. 

tained within its limits six schools, which were < Plymouth is the name of a village at tho 
open ten months and attended by three hun- \ head of the Plymouth railroad, on the town- 
dred and forty-one scholars. The amount J ship Hue, about a mile above Plymouth Meet- 
taxed to defray the expenses of the same was \ ing House. It contains a store and five houses 
two thousand and sixty eight dollars. At this \ in this township, and on the Whitemarsh side 
place there is also a post office, and another at \ are seventeen houses and a Baptist church. 
Hickorytown. Plymouth Meeting is the only The church was built in 1841 and is situated 
house of worship in the township. \ on an eminence, from the door of which a fino 

The village of Hickorytown is situated on ) view is obtained of the surrounding country 
theGerraantownandPerkiomen turnpike, three for some distance, especially in a southern di- 
iniles south east of Norristown, and fourteen ) rection. The Pvcv. Mr. Trotter is its pastor 
from Philadelphia. It contains an inn, store, \ and resides in the village. 
school house, a blacksmith and wheelwright The Seven Stars is a small plnce two miles 
shop and twenty-nine houses. A number of from Norristown, on the Ridge pike, where the 
the houses have been built within the past few Plymouth creek and railroad cross it, and 
years. The post office was established in May, \ contains one inn and three houses. The old 
1857. The elections of the township are held \ " Seven Stars" inn, now kept by S.amuel Pip- 
here. In 1832 this village contained ten ] pitt, is nearly one of the most ancient in the 
, s county, and is marked on Scull's map of Penn- 

Harmanville is situated on the line of White- I sylvauia, published in 1770. The turnpike 
marsh township at the intersection of the ^ bridge here was built in 1706. 
Ridge and Plymouth turnpikes, one and a-balf \ At Mogee's Lime Works, adjacent the bo- 
miles from Conshehocken. It contains a store, \ rough line and between the Ridge pike and tho 
a wheelwright and blacksmith shop, and about Schuylkill, a village has grown up chiefly 
thirty-five houses. R. R. Ellis also carries on within the last six years, which contains a 
the coachmaking business extensively About (store, several mechanic shops and thirty-four 
one-half of this village is situated in White- \ houses. Of these eight were built in the sum- 
marsh. It has chiefly grown up within the s mer of 1858. There is a rope ferry hero 
last eight years and bids fair to become a rising I; across the Schuylkill, for transporting the 
town. The iron ore and marble procured in | horses and mules attached to the boats, tho 
the vicinity is v/hat has given an impulse to s navigation from here up being en the opposite 
its prosperity. \ side. About half a-raile east of Norristown is 

Plymouth Meeting House is the name of a \ another village extending from the Ridge pike 
village situated at the intersection of the Per- I to the river. Here is an inn, toll gate, brick- 
kiomen and Plymouth turnpikes, on the town- \ kiln, powder mill, a blacksmith and wheel- 
ship line. On this side is the meeting house, \ wright shop and twenty houses. The lime 
school house and four houses, and in White- ^ kilns of Corson and Wells are also here. This 
marsh two stores, a blacksmith and wheel- s place has chiefly grown up within the last eight 
vrright shop, post office and twenty-four houses. ^ years. 

The houses in this village are chiefly situated "< The Plymouth meeting house is a very an- 
along the Perkiomen or Reading pike, nearly < cient slone structure, one story high, and ia 
adjoining one another, and being of stone, \ the summer of 1858 was repaired and a galle- 
neatly white washed, with shady yards in front, \ ry placed in the east end. It is surrounded by 
present to the stranger an agreeable appear- \ an ample, shady yard, in which are several old 
ance. In the basement of the Library build- \ and venerable looking buttonwood trees. Tho 
ing the Methodists hold worship. This is an graveyard is large, and as is usual among 



82 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMEHY COUKTY. 



Frienda, no ancient atones witL inscriptions on 
them show who may repose here. On the 
house itself no date or inscription is found to 
indicate when or by whom it was bnilt. With 
all these disadvantages, fortunately ive have 
nearly sufBcient material in our collections to 
give what we desire. Abont the year 1685 the 
township of Plymouth was originally pur- 
chased and settled by James Fox, Richard 
Gove, Francis Rawle, John CheL^on and some 
other Friends who came from Plymouth, in 
Devonshire, England, who lived here for a time 
and kept meetings for worship at the house of 
the said James Fox, but being most of them 
tradesmen, and not used to a country life, they 
removed to Philadelphia, by which means the 
place became vacant. Not long afterwards, 
however, it was re-pnrchased and settled again. 
Among a number of others were David Mere- 
dith, Edmund Cartlege, Thomas Owen, Tsanc 
Price, Ellis Pugh and Hugh Jones, nearly all 
Friends. In the immediate vicinity, but in 
Whitemarsh, settled about the same time, John 
Rhoads, Abraham Davis and David Williams. 
It appears they were sufficiently numerous here 
to receive the consideration of William Penn, 
•who, in a letter from England to Thorcias 
Lloyd, dated the 14th of 4th month, 1G91, 
among other things says : "Salute me to the 
Welsh Friends and the Plimouth Friends, in- 
deed to all of them." The aforesaid members, 
in the year 1703, by the consent of Haverford 
monthly meeting, to which they had joined 
themselves, continued to hold their meetings 
at the same house which had now come in the 
possession of Hugh Jones, where it remained 
for a number of years, and then by consent 
was removed to the house of John Cartledge, 
where it continued for some time. Through 
the increase of population it was agreed to 
build a meeting house for their better accom- 
modation, which was accordingly done at the 
present spot, which for some time previous had 
been used as a burying ground. With the 
consent of the Haverford monthly meeting and 
the Philadelphia Quarterly meeting, the 
Friends of Plymouth and Gwynedd were per- 
mitted to hold a monthly meeting for business. 
Their first monthly meeting was held at Gwyn- 
edd meeting house, the 22d of 12th month, 
1714-5. It cannot bo ascertained from the 
records at what exact time this meeting house 
was built, but there is reason to.believe that it 
could not have been many years previous to 



tbe last date. John Rcc-s was appointed the 
25th of 12th month, 1723, to keep the records 
of the births and burials of the meeting. 

Plymouth derived its name from a seaport 
town in Devonshire, England, from which a 
number of the early settlers of this township 
originally came, as has been related in our 
account of the meeting Louse. On Surveyor- 
General Thomas nolmes' map of original sur- 
veys, made between the years 1G82 and 1G95, 
" The Plymouth township," as it is called, is 
laid out at that early period with the same 
boundaries it had down to 1850. Owing to a 
petition from James Fox and other early set- 
tlers, the Council gave a permit the 5th of 2d 
month, 1087, to lay out a "cart road" from 
Philadelphia to this township, which was 
shortly done. This is the same road leading 
from the meeting house to the city, now better 
known as the Germantown and Perkiomen 
turnpike, which was begun in 1801 and fiuishedi 
in 1804, at a cost of eleven thousand two hun- 
dred and eighty-seven dollars per mile. ' 

After having advanced so far in this work, 
it is with pleasure that we bring before the 
reader tbe first literary attempt, to our know- 
ledge, ever made in this county'. Ellis Pugh, 
whom, we have already mentioned as one of 
the early settlers of this township, was a native 
of Dolgelle, in Wales, where he was born in 
1G56. In his 18th year he became a member of 
the society of Friends through the influence of 
John Ap John, a celebrated preacher. At the 
age of twenty-four ho came forth in the minis- 
try. He arrived in Pennsylvania in 1G87, and 
shortly after settled in Plymouth. In the year 
1707, he went on a religious visit to the inha- 
bitants of his native country and shortly after 
returned. About this time he wrote a reli- 
gious work in the Welsh langunge with the 
following curious title : "A Salutation to the 
Britaius to call them from many things, to the 
one thing needful, for the saving of their souls ; 
especially to the poor, unarmed traveler, plow- 
men, shepherds and those that are of low de- 
gree like myself. This is in order to direct 
you to know God and Christ, the only wise 
God, which is life eternal, and to learn of him, 
that you may become wiser than their teach- 
ers." He died in the year 1718, at the ago of 
sixty-two years. This work was translated by 
his friend Rowland Ellis, of Gwynedd, and 
revised by David Lloyd, of Philadelphia, where 
it was printed by S. Kcimcr, in 1727. It is o 



NORRISTOWN. 



88 



ettiall octavo volume of two hundred and < 

tweuty-two pages, aud, of course, rare. It is| 

particularly interesting as an early specimen I 

of Pennsylvania typography. > 

The following were residents and landholders s 

> 
of Plymouth, in 1734 : Eleanor Meredith, Rice ^ 

Williams, Benjamin Dickenson, John Hamer, S 

John Davis, Joshua Dickenson, John Redwit- ( 

f.er, Peter Croll, Thomas Davis, Isaac Pr ice, j 

Joseph Jones, Mary Davis, Jonathan Rumford, \ 



Henry Bell, Philip John and John Holton. Of 

eome of the aforesaid we have the following ; 

information : By the Abingtou records we i 

learn that in 1C95, Isaac Price was married ^ 

to Susa nnah S hoema ker. David Meredith, the ^ 

husband of Eleanor, had settled here, we know, ? 

before 1703. John Redwitzer was a native of '> 

Germany, and settled at Germantown before s 

1700. In 1709 he was naturalized with the \ 

privilege to enjoy lauds. We have, also, some \ 

account of Jac ob R itter, who died in Plymouth, \ 

in 1841, which is given in the appendix. S 

During the Revolution, and while the British s 

s 
held possession of Philadelphia, Zebulon Potts > 

lived in this township, about half a-mile from I 

Conshehocken. He was an ardent whig, and ? 

through spies the British became informed of ) 

his opposition to their cause. They several \ 

times sent parties out to his house to capture > 

him, and once they prosecuted their search so | 

close as almost to find him. For his services ,; 

in the American cause the citizens elected him s 

the first Sheriff of the county, namely, from i 

1784 to 1787. 



XIV. 

NORRISTOWN. 

The borough of Norristown is situated on the 
Schuylkill river, about sixteen miles northwest \ 
of Philadelphia, and is the seat of justice for !^ 
Montgomery county. By its extended limits 
in 1853, it is nearly two miles square, and con- 
tains an area of about two thousand three hun- 
dred acres. Its front on the river is fully two 
miles and extends back from the same a dis- 
tance of from one and a-ha!f to two miles, and 
is bounded on the north, northeast and north- 
west by Ncrriton township, southeast by Ply- 
mouth, and on (he south and southwest by the 
Schuylkill. It was erected into a borough in 
1 812, with an area of five hundred and twenty 



acres, and all its territory has been taken from 
Norritou, with the exception of about one 
hundred and fifty-eight acres from Plymouth 
by its recent enlargement. 

Its surface is rolling, and that part on which 
the town is principally situated enjoys an ele- 
vated site, from the rear of which an extensive 
view is obtained of the fine scenery of the 
Schuylkill valley. Both adjacent and in the 
vicinity of the town the soil is excellent. Nor- 
ristown combines, from its situation, great ad- 
vantages, and in this respect few towns are^o 
favored. It is remarkably healthy, its location 
beautiful, its water excellent, and its neighbor- 
hood unsurpassed in the quality and abundance 
of its marble, iron and limestone. Within the 
limits of the borough two streams enter the 
Schuylkill. The larger is Stony creek, which 
has its source in Vv'hitpain township and is 
seven miles in length, two of which are in the 
borough. This stream, with its branches, pro- 
pels six grist mills, two saw mills, besides 
several manufactories. Saw Mill run rises also 
ia Whitpain, and is four miles in length, of 
which two are in the borough, and in its course 
propels a clover, grist and saw mill; besides 
several manufacturing establishments. 

As may be well expected from a town so ad- 
vantageously situated, and, above all, having an 
enterprising population, it has rapidly in- 
creased. According to the census of 1820, it 
contained 827 inhabitants ; in 1830, 1089; in 
1840, 2937 ; and in 1850, 6024. Its present 
population is estimated at nearly 11,000. In 
1850 its colored population was two hundred 
and sixteen out of eight hundred and fifty- 
seven in the county. In 1828 it contained 
231 taxables; in 1849, 989 ; and in 1858, 1954, 
In 1790 it contained eighteen houses; in 1832, 
one hundred and fifty-one ; and in 1850, one 
thousand and six. The following is the amount 
of valuation made by the triennial assessment 
of 1858:— 



Upper Ward, 
Middle Ward, 
Lower Ward, 



Jital Fslafc. UcrsfS and Caiile. 

$712,427 $10,040 

558,675 3,425 

550,679 4,330 



Total, $1,821,781 $17,795 

In May, 1858, the borough contained nine 
hotels, and one hundred and eight stores, as 
follows : seventeen grocery, twelve dry goods, 
nine merchandise, eleven confectionery, four 
trimmings, three book and stationery, five to- 
bacce, eight boot and shoe, three stove, throe 



84 



lilSTOIlY OF MOXTGOMEIir COUNTY. 



clothing and hat, Bcvcn clothing, four drug, 
throe furniture, two hat, five jewelry, two 
leather, four provision, one hnrdwsire, one gun, 
one ngricuUural, two shoe findings, and one 
Boap nnd candle store. The census of 1840 
gave but fourteen dry goods, grocery and other 
stores. It abo contains four lumber and eight 
coal and wood yards. 

Norrislown has attained considerable im- 
portance as a manufacturing town. William 
Bud Samuel Jamison have a very extensive 
cofton manufactory; also, Mr. Ewing, (late B. 
McCrcdy's,) and ]Mr. Ilurst a smaller one. 
Gen. William Schall has the Lucinda furnace 
and a rolling mill and nail factory ;. James 
llooven a rolling mill ; Thomas Saurman an 
iron foundry ; and Thomas, Corsnn & AVest 
lately the manufacture of eteam engines and 
boilers. Arthur McCarter & Brother have a 
machine establishmeHt, and Bolton, Christraan 
& Co., Fluck & Guest, and Samuel F. Groff, 
Imve steam planing mills and sash, door and 
blind manufactories. la addition to the afore- 
said, there are two large merchant flour mills, 
one saw mill, two marble yards, two brick 
yards, and gas and water works. In the place 
are also two market houses, two fire engines, 
and two hose companies. 

The various improvements leading to or by 
this borough have contributed much to its pros- 
perity. In the order of time the first that may 
be mentioned i.s the Ridge turnpike, leading 
from Philadelphia to Perkiomen bridge, twenty- 
four miles in length, and passing through the 
borough two miles on Main or Egypt street. 
It was commenced in 1812 and finished in 181G, 
and cost $7,000 per mile. The Schuylkill 
Navigation was commenced in 1816 and was 
sufficiently completed in 1818 to admit of the 
descent of a few boats ; but it was not until 
about 1826 that the whole line went into ope- 
ration. This work did much to advance the 
prosperity of the place. The company con- 
structed a dam here of nine hundred feet in 
width, between the abutments, which, in 1830, 
was raised to its present height and is the 
means of furnishing valuable water power to 
several manufacturing establishments. Boats 
of one hundred and eighty-six tons burthen 
pass on it and unload coal, grain and lumber 
in the place. The bridge over the Schuylkill, 
At DeKalb street, was commenced in the spring 
of 1829, and by September was so far com- 
pleted as to adiiiit foot-passengers to pass over. 



It was built by au incorporated company and 
was finished in 1830, at a cost of $31,200. It 
is eight hundred feet in length, or, with the 
jibutraentg, one thousand and fifty feet. The 
State road — in the borough called DeKalb 
street — was laid out in 1830, of forty feet in 
width, from New Hope, through this place and 
Bridgeport to West Chester, and from thence 
to the Maryland line, pursuant to an act of 
Assembly. The Philadelphia, Germantown and 
Nori-ittown railroad company was incorporated 
by an act of Assembly, passed the 17th of 
February, 1831. It was commenced that year 
and was opened from the city to Germantown 
on the Gth of June, 1832, in what would now 
be considered a very novel manner, namely — 
by nine cars, or rather carriages, each drawn 
by oue horse in shafts, and containing twenty 
passengers inside and sixteen outside, making 
in all three hundred and twenty-four guests, 
who had bsen particularly favored for the ex- 
cursion. Here was in reality a passenger rail- 
way twenty six years ago, about which, within 
two years past, there has been almost a mania 
of introducing. What is equally singular, the 
road was similarly opened with considerable 
display to Mramyunk, October 18th, 1834. 
Saturday, August 15th (anniversary of Napo- 
leon's birth-day), 1835, was a great day in 
Norristown. The road was now completed, and 
its opening was to be duly celebrated. Two 
trains of cars, each drawu by a locomotive, 
started from the depot, corner of Ninth and 
Green streets, at twelve o'clock, well laden with 
invited guests. The locomotives were gaily 
dressed with fl^igs, and a band of music enli- 
vened the way, and the only stoppage was made 
at Manayunk. Oa the approach to Norris- 
town, as well as the entire way, was one con- 
tinued triumph. Cheers and shouts of wel- 
come were heard in all directions, while the 
waving of handkerchiefs expressed the con- 
gratulations of the fair. Thousands collected 
together to behold for the first time the iron 
horses, and gazed on them with wonder. No 
doubt there were then to bo seen here and there 
knots of wise men (in their estimation) who 
looked down on the whole with contempt, 
thinking that a little time would prove it a 
failure — but, alas I grievously mistaken. For 
this occasion, the company erected a large tent 
in the borough, near the river's bank, where 
three hundred and fifty guests sat down to a 
sumptuous banquet. This road, with its 



NORRISTOWN, 



braucli to Germantowr., is twenty-one miles in 
length, and cost $1,811,000. Within the last 
three years, from the increase of its business, 
the company has built a large depot in this 
borough, and laid the entire road with a double 
track. This improvement extends through 
Montgomei'y county something over seven 
miles. The Reading railroadjextends, on the 
opposite side of the river, from the city to 
Pottsville, and was opened this whole distance 
in 18-42. The Swedes' Ford bridge company 
was incorporated the 30th of March, '1848, and 
was completed in 1851. The Chester Valley 
railroad crosses this bridge and forms a con- 
nection with the Norristown railroad, and with 
the Pennsj'lvania railroad at Downingtown. 
Where Main street and the turnpike cross Sto- 
ney creek, a broad and substantial stone bridge 
was built in 1854, by contributions from the 
borough, turnpike company and several citi- 
zens. For a fuller account of several of the 
above-mentioned improvements, the reader is 
referred to' our""articles on the Schuylkill, 
Bridgeport and Whitemarsh. 

The schools of Norristown, both public and 
private, have a high reputation ; and the Coun- 
ty Superintendent assures us that they are not 
excelled by those of any other borough in the 
State. Its inhabitants, from an early period, 
have bestowed considerable attention to the 
matter, and the result has been a continual 
progress in their condition. Schools, particu- 
larly in towns, perform a more important part 
in the affairs and duties of life than is generally 
accredited to them. By this we mean, more 
especially, their influence on order and morals. 
What would be the condition of any town of 
this size, if its schools were all closed for one 
year ? We have no hesitation in believing, if 
this experiment were tried, that some of the 
most clamorous and unwilling in paying their 
taxes would be the first to wish them opened. 
In this borough, about one-fifth of its whole 
population attends school ; if this number, in- 
stead of being there preparing for future 
usefulness, should be let loose on the streets, 
its character would soon change. The condi- 
tion of things that would ensue can be better 
imagined than described, and it is, therefore, 
useless for us to dwell upon it. The author 
can aver, from a brief residence, that he has 
found few places where better order and de- 
corum is observed, especially amongits juvenile 
population. ^^^ 



For the school year cndlogfwith June 1, 1857, 
; this borough had twenty public schools, in 
; which were employed two 'male and eighteen 
' female teachers, and were attended by two 
; thousand and ninety-one scholars. The amount 
; levied to defray the expenses of the same was 
; $11,009 14, These schools are .kept in three 
! large and convenient buildings, erected ex- 
: pressly for this purpose. The principal build- 
; ing, and in wliich the Grammar school is held, 
'. is three stories in height and stands within a 
; square, containing an area of several acres, 
; planted with trees. It was built in 1849, and 
; Rev. G. D. Wolff is principal. In addition to 
; the aforesaid, there is a frame one story school 
; house for colored children. InJ1842 there was 
; but one private seminary, which was for boys, 
I in the place, while at present there are no less 
; than three. The Oakland Female Institute, of 
; which the Rev. J. Grier Ralston is principal, is 
I one of the largest buildings|,in the county de- 
; voted to the purposes of education. Within 
I the past few years, a number of young ladies 
I have been educated here. The Tremount Sem- 
; inary, of which the Rev. Samuel Aaron is 
' principal, consists of two large three-story 
; stone buildings, and has also educated, for some 
I time, a number of young men .and boys. The 
i Adelphian Institute, by the Misses Bush, is 
! an excellent school, deserving encouragement. 
! In taking a glimpse at the educational estab- 
; lishments of the past, the old Academy 
' should not be forgotten ; for within its time- 
> honored walls many now on the stage of action 
] received ^their education. From application 
' made for the purpose, the Legislature passed 
an act the 29th of March, 1804, to empower 
certain persons, as trustees, to sell a lot of 
) ground and a school house for the purpose of 
! building an academy in its stead. In the year 
; 1805, the "Norristown Academy" was accord- 
) ingly erected, thirty by forty feet, two| stories 
; high, and of brick. In the order of time, it 
; was the tenth incorporated in Pennsylvania. 
! The State, the same year, appropriated §2,000 
; towards its completion. This building stood 
' till 1849, when the spirit of improvement razed 
: its walls to the ground, and DeKalb street now 
; passes over the spot. In 1832, there were but 
' two primary schools in the place. 

The Norristown Library company was found- 
edin May, 1790. The price of shares is $5 GO, 
with an annual payment of $1 00. In 1SG2, 
it had increased to about eleven hundred vol- 



86 



niSTOllY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



umes. la 1835 the prescut small one-story 
frame building (fifteen and a-lialf feet square) 
was erected expressly for the library. The 
first catalogue was printed in 1830, and con- 
tains forty pages. "^ In 1850 it contained two 
thousand five hundred and fifteen volumes, di- 
vided into four folios, thirty quartos, eight 
hundred and seventy-two octavos, and one 
thousand six hundred and nine duodecimos; 
besides pamphlets. At that time, R. Adamson 
•was the librarian ; his successor, now, is Chas. 
H. Greger. It contains, at present, about two 
thousand and eight hundred volumes. 

About the year 1830 a Cabinet of Natural 
Science was started, chiefly through the exer- 
tions of Peter A. Browne, Esq., of Philadel- 
phia. It continued to flourish for several 
years, and quite an extensive collection of 
objects in natural history was obtained, espe- 
cially in the geological and mineralogical de- 
partments. In the course of time it went 
down and its collections became dispersed, but 
we are pleased to'say it is about coming to life 
tgaia, we hope with renewed vigor after so 
long a rest. In September last, the first meet- 
ing for its re-organization was '^held, when a 
committee was appointed "to collect such of the 
property of the Cabinet as they rany be able to 
find." Alan W. Corson was'elected President, 
and Samuel Tyson Secretary. If specimens 
of each of the various kinds of stones and 
minerals to be found in Montgomery were 
collected, they would form a highly inter- 
esting collection for study, independent of the 
other departments of natural history. 

Four weekly newspapers are at this time 
published in the borough. First in the order of 
time is the ' ^Norristown Herald and Free Press," 
which is published by F^obert Iredell. This 
paper was the first printed in the place, and 
was commenced by David Sower, June 14th, 
1790, under the title of ^^ Norrislorvn Gazette,'" 
at one dollar per annum. la size it would now 
be considered a newspaper in miniature, the 
Bheet being twelve by twenty inches, with 
three columns to a page. The *' Korristown 
Register," now published by Dr. E, L. Acker, 
was the second, and begun its career in 1801, 
nnd was at that'iime the]|same in size as Sow- 
er's paper. The ^* Noriislotcn Rejniblican," 
now published by Moses Augc, has gone by 
this title since the beginning of 1857, but was 
started, we believe, about fourteen years ago. 
The " Xutional D'-fcnder," now puijlLshed by 



Edwin Schall, was commenced in August, 
1856. The aforesaid papers are now published 
at two dollars per annum, and are all issued oa 
Tuesday, except the Republican, which appears 
on Saturday. We have spoken of David Sow- 
er, the firsl jprinter in the place ; a further 
account may be interesting, lie was the sou 
of Christopher Sower, was born in 17G4, and 
was brought up to the printing business. AVe 
have said that he began his paper herein 1790. 
This was the first newspaper published in 
Montgomery county. In 1800 he changed the 
title'of his paper to its present one2of Karris- 
town Herald. About 1809 the establishment 
passed into the hands of his eldest son, Charles, 
who continued the publication until 1812. la 
1816 another sou, David Sower, Jr., took 
charge of it and continued it till 1834. Mr. 
Sower died in this Borough, after a lingering 
illness, in October 1835, aged seventy-one 
years. David Sower, Jr., is still living in this 
place, where he established the first book store, 
now in the bands of his son, Franklin D. Sower. 
In 1832 five papers were published in the 
county, of which three were here. At present 
there are eight papers in the county. The 
•' 3Iont<jomery Watchman" was commenced by 
D. Fry, in April, 1849, and was merged, last 
November, into the Norristown Register. Sev- 
eral works have^been written by residents of 
this Borough. B. F. Hancock, Esq., is the 
author of "The Law, Without the Advice of 
an Attorney," published in 1831. Elijah W. 
Beans is the author of " A Manual for Practi- 
cal Surveyors." E. F. Freedley is the author 
of the " Legal Adviser," "A Practical Trea- 
tise ou Business," and a I'ecent work on the 
" Manufactures of Philadelphia." L. E. Cor- 
son prepared a map of the Borough before its 
enlargement, which [was published several 
years ago, and Thomas A, Hurley, in 1857, 
issued quite a large map, showing its late im- 
provements. 

Norristown, at the present time, contains 
thirteen chui'ches, among which arc several 
large and handsome edifices. The St. John's 
Episcopal church was the first erected in the 
place. Itjwas commenced in 1813 and finished 
the following year.^It is in the Gothic style 
of architecturo and its, dimensions are fifty by 
eighty feet. The Rev. Nathan Stem is the 
present pastor. The first Presbyterian church 
was built in 1819, under the charge of Rev. 
Joseph Barr, who was at the same liice pastor 



xoRIlISTow^^ 



87 



of the Providence church." It stooil^till 185-5, 
when it was torn down and the present splen- 
did edifice was erected in its place. It is cer- 
tainly the most costly church in the Borough, 
and, excepting the court house, has the highest 
steeple. It belongs to the Old School Presby- 
terians. Its present pastor is the Rev. J. F. 
Ilalsey. The Baptist church was built in 1833, 
and is a commodioua building, on Swede street, 
and is in charge of Pvev. R. Cheney. The first 
Methodist church w.'is erected in 1834, and in 
the summer of 1857 the present large two 
story brick edifice was erected in its place. 
The Methodist church, in Oak street, was 
erected in 1854. r St. Patrick's Catholic church 
was built in 1837, and is a three story stone 
edifice, near the river. Its pastor is the Rev. 
Jeremiah O'Donoghue. The German Pieforraed 
church of the Ascension was founded in 1847, 
and is in charge of the Rev. John S. Ermen- 
trout. The Lutheran church was built in 1849, 
and the Piev. Charles H. Baer has recently 
become its pastor. The Central Presbyterian 
church, on Main street, is probably the largest 
in the place, and was built in 1856. It is in 
charge of the Rev. D. G. Mallory. The Old 
School Covenanters have a church at which the 
Rev. Joseph Nesbitt officiates. In addition to 
the above the Quakers have a meeting bouse, 
and the colored Methodists two houses of wor- 
ship. In 1842 there was but five churches in 
the place and in 1849, eight. 

The "Bank of Montgomery County," at 
Norristown, was chartered the 29th of August, 
1815, with a capital of four hundred thousand 
dollars. Its officers are John Boyer, President, 
and William H. Slingluff, Cashier. The pre- 
sent banking house was erected in 1854. It is 
a two story brick building with a marble front. 
Its name for a long time was not misapplied, 
for it was the only bank in the county until 
1857, when the bank of Pottstown was char- 
tered. By the statement of this bank, in Sep- 
tember last, it had discounted bills and notes 
to the value of over six hundred thousand dol- 
lars, and had notes in circulation to the amount 
of one hundred and fifty-eight thousand dol- 
lars. Th4 post office was established at this 
place before 1799, and was probably the second 
in the county, one having been in Pottstown 
in 1794. John Davis was post master in 1799, 
which office is now held by H. G. Hart. The 
Odd Fellows' Kail is a large three story brick 
building, erected in 1850, An account of the 



Court House and Prison Is given near the close 
of this article. 

As both the township of Norriton and Nor- 
ristown received their names from Isaac Nor- 
ris, of Philadelphia, some account of him in 
this work may not be amiss, as little has been 
published concerning him. He was a native 
of England, where he was born about the year 
1671. At what time he arrived in Pennsylva- 
nia we are unable to tell, but he early com- 
menced his career in Philadelphia as a succes- 
ful merchant. During his life he was a leading 
member of the society of Friends. With Wil- 
liam Trent, in 1704, he purchased all of what 
is now called Norriton township, containing 
seven thousand four hundred and eighty-two 
acres. In 1712 he bought out Trent's right 
and thus became its sola owner. Ho was 
elected to the Assembly in 1713, and was con- 
tinued in the same for eighteen years. He 
chiefly resided at Fair Hill, his country seat, 
which was in the present vicinity of Broad 
street, below Monument Cemetery. He was, 
for a number of years, a member'of theG over- 
nor's Council, and at the time of his death was 
Chief Justice of the province. He died sud- 
denly in the beginning of June, 1735, of an 
apoplectic fit, while attending the Germantown 
meeting. At the time of his decease he was 
about sixty-four years of age. He made his 
will the 17th of January, 1781, and appointed 
Mary, his wife, and sons Isaac, Charles and 
Samuel, jointly his executors. His eldest son 
Isaac, one of the aforesaid executors, was also 
distinguished as a merchant, and for his ser- 
vices in public life. He was long an alderman 
of the city and for twenty years Speaker of 
the Assembly. He died July 13th, 1766, aged 
sixty-five years. The Pennsylvania Historical 
Society have, in their collection, a portrait of 
him. He is represented as rather full faced and 
of a stout and heavy appearance, and in a 
plain dress. The William Trent alluded to was 
also an early merchant of Philadelphia, He 
had also been a Speaker in the Assembly and 
was one of the Judges of the Supreme Court 
from 1705 to 1716. He shortly afterwards re- 
moved to where is now^Treuton, New Jersey, 
and commenced the first settlement of the place 
by erecting severalraills in 1719. He died there 
the 29th of December, 1724, and at that timo 
was Chief Justice of that province. Trenton 
was called in honor of him. 

William Pcnn, the proprietary and governor 



88 



HISTORY OF xMONTGOMERY COUNTt. 



of Pennsylvaniix, by a patent dated the 2J of 
October, 1701, granted to his son, William 
Penn, Jr., a tract of land containing seven 
thousand four hundred and eighty-two acres, 
on the north side of the Schuylkill, which he 
called the "Manor of Williamstadt," but 
since known as Norriton township, and from 
which nearly the whole of the present Borough 
of Norristown has been taken. At this time 
William Penn, Jr., lived in this country and 
the allowance mongy he received through his 
father, from James Logan, not being sufficient 
to defray the expenses of his youthful follies 
and extravagances, he sold this manor, after 
holding it but a few days, to Isaac Norris and 
William Trent, the 7th of October, of the 
same year, for eight hundred and fifty pounds. 
The 11th of January, 1712, Isaac Norris be- 
came the sole proprietor of this ti'act, by pur- 
chasing William Trent's right to the same, for 
five hundred pounds. In the year 1730 the 
Court of Quarter Sessions for the county of 
Philadelphia, granted a petition for erecting 
the manor of Norriton into a separate town- 
ship, which rights its citizens continued to hold 
uninterrupted till the formation of this Bo- 
rough, in 1812. It appears that Isaac Norris 
must have sold off portions of this tract some 
time before his death, for in 1731 there resided 
in this township twenty land holders and ten- 
ants, whose names appear in the article on 
Norriton. Isaac Norris died in 1735, and his 
family retained the property for some time 
after, though occasionally selling portions 
of it. However, the greater part of the land 
on which the borough now stands came in pos- 
session of Charles Norris, son of the afore- 
said, who erected a mill by the side of the 
Schuylkill, a few yards above the present dam, 
and made other valuable improvements. After 
his death, Mary, his wife, sold, on the 17th 
of September, 1771, the mill and tive hundred 
and forty-three acres, situated on the east side 
of the river, to John Bull, of Limerick town- 
ship, for the sum of four thousand six 
hundred pounds, which, in our present curren- 
cy, would be twelve thousand two hundred and 
sixty-five dollars. In addition to the afoie- 
said, and included in the purchase, was Barba- 
does Island, which is stated to contain eighty- 
eight acres. Mr. Bull continued to reside here 
till the spring of 1777, having sold it the 2d 
of November previous, to the Rev. Dr. William 
Smith, of Philadelphia, for six thousand 



pounds. On Scull's map of 1770, an Inn, calleJ 
the " Norrington House," is marked as being 
situated on the south-east side of where the 
Ridge road crosses Stony creek. This, it is 
supposed, was the first house in Norristown. 
As John Bull was a native of this county and 
an early resident here, as weU as a conspicu- 
ous character in the Revolution, a biographi- 
cal sketch of him is given iu the appen- 
dix. 

But two days after the defeat of Washing- 
ton, at Brandywine, ho despatched General 
Armstrong, with a portion of militia, along 
the Schuylkill, to throw up ro-doubts at tho 
different fords which were to be occasionally 
occupied, that in case the British should at- 
tempt to cross they might be opposed. At 
this time the principal crossing place was at 
Swedes' Ford, and on this account it was ex- 
pected that they might cross here, and for this 
reason, under the direction of Chevelier Du 
Portail, an engineer, formerly in the French 
army, Armstrong's men threw up entrench- 
ments and breastworks opposite that place, and 
now in the Borough, and it is said that they 
were scarcely completed before the British 
made their appearance on the other side, but 
in consequence changed their line of march 
towards Valley Forge. Remains of these works 
were still visible a few years ago. While 
Washington was near Pottsgrove the enemy 
crossed the Schuylkill at Fatlandford, five and 
a-half miles above Norristown, on the night of 
September the 22d, and proceeded leisurely on 
their march to the city. On the 23d a portion 
of their army was over night in or near the 
present borough, on which occasion they burned 
the barn of Mr. Smith, erroneously published 
as having, at the time, belonged to Mr. Bull, 
this latter gentleman having parted with all his 
property here the previous fall. While in this 
neighborhood, we learn from the Rev. II. M. 
Muhlenberg's Journal, the American light cav- 
alry captured five English soldiers, who, at tho 
time, we presume, were out marauding, and 
brought them through the Trappe, on their way 
to the lYmerican army. 

When Washington broko up his camp at 
Whitcmarsh and proceeded with the army to 
Valley Forge, for winter quarters, it was in 
this borough where, on the 11th of December, 
they crossed tho river by making a bridge of 
their wagons by backing them together. Major 
Mathias Holstein, who witnessed tho proceed- 



KOKlUSlUW*?. 



80 



\\\g, relates lluU n utinibcr of trees then grew 
upou the banks. While the Biilish had pos- 
Bessiou of the city it is said they offered a re- ', 
ward of oue thousand pounds for the hend of < 
Colonel Andrew Kuox, and another officer of.; 
the army who lived in the vicinity, and who j 
had, as ardent patriots, incurred their displea- >. 
sure. Prompted chitQy by this offer, eeVen ;, 
lories undertook the office of assassins. They ! 
arrived about midnight and called him up, tell- ,; 
•lug him the enemy were upon hims, He re- '. 
plied that they must be the enemy, when one ,; 
of the number fired at him through the win- > 
vlow, but fortunately missed liia aim. He then \ 
seized a heavy broad sWord and came down i 
stairs and met them at the door. They fired ;. 
through the door and broke the lock, by which \ 
they were enabled partly to force open the s 
door. Col. Knox now attacked them as they ^ 
ndvanced and wounded two of them so severely > 
that they were caught the neit day and exe- s 
cuted at the present villago of Centre Square^ l 
Washington and Franklin, shortly after this ^ 
occurrense, visited him at his house and com- ^ 
plimented him for his bravery, and was pre- i 
sente»I with their ar«is, which they had left ; 
behind to facilitate their escape. The Colonel, '. 
in this attack, rexreived a uiUsket bull through ; 
Lis thigh, and some fifteen slight bayonet ; 
wounds, from all of which he soon after reco- 
vered. This house is still standing, in Whitpaiu 
township, nearly three miles north of the bo- 
rough, where the bullet holes, seven in number, 
are shown in the door. His grandson. Colonel 
Thomas P. Knox, late Senator from the county, 
resides within the present limits of Norristown. 
From the " Pennsylvania Packet" of October 
27th, 1778, we extract the following, from an 
advertisement, which is not without interest in 
tho history of this place, and which bears Dr. 
Smith's name : " To be let for a term of years, 
that valuable plantation at Norriton, on Schuyl- 
kill, lately occupied by Colonel Bull. Such 
petsons as desire to lease the same are re- 
quested to make their propositions to the sub- 
scriber, at the college, as soon as possible, as 
the farm and meadows now sufl'er for the want 
of a tenant." 

After an arduous straggle the n.evolu'ion at 
length passed away and the country achieved 
its independence, and on the 8d of September, 
1783, a definitive treaty was signed «ilh Great 
Britain. Peace, happy peace, now reigned 
Within our borders, and industry boon brought 



returning pT0?perity to the long-ncglectcd 
fields and wcrkshops. Above all, confidence 
was now restored, and the laborer wffs secure 
la his reward. Up to this period all the ter- 
ritory at present in the county was comprised 
in that of Philadelphia, which, from the dis- 
tance that many Lad to go to attend to county 
affairs, caused a great inconvenience. Pell* 
tions were accordingly got up and numerously 
signed by the people, praying for the erection 
of a new county. The petitions were heard 
and graciously acted upon by tie Legislature, 
and an act was accordingly passed the 10th of 
September, 1784, "for erecting part of the 
county of Philadelphia into a separate coun- 
ty." Thus did the present county of Mont- 
gomery, rich and populous as it now is, spring 
into origin. In the said act constituting it a 
separate county, is found the following extract : 
" At the time appointed by law the freemen of 
; the county of Montgomery shall meet at the 
' house of Hannah Thompson; inn-keeper, in the 
; township of Norriton, and there elect four 
; Representatives, one fit person for Sheriff, ouo 
! fit person for Coroner, and three Commissiou- 
;■ ers, and oue member of the Supreme Execu- 
) tive Council. That it shall be lawful for Heu- 
\ ry Pawling, Jr., Jonathan Roberts, George 
; Smith, Robert Shannon and Henry Cunnnrd, 
■ all of the aforesaid county, yeoman, or any three 

> of them, to purchase and take assurance to tbem, 
I in the name of the commonwealth, of a piece 
\ of land, situated in some convenienLplace iu 
^ the neighborhood of Stony run, contiguoua 
< to the river Schuylkill, in Norriton township, 
) in trust and for the use of the inhabitants of 
'', the said county, and thereon to erect and build 
\ a Court House and Prison, sufhcieut to nccom- 
) modate the public service of said county." 
\ At that time, where is now the large and 

> populous Dorough of Norristown, the land 
\ chiefly belonged to the Trustees of the Uni- 
\ versily of Pennsylvania, to whom it hnd been 
; transferred by the Rev. Dr. Smith, who had 
{ been the provost of the same. His eon, Wil- 

liam Moore Smith, however, became the final 
owner, under certain reservations to the trus- 
tees of that Institution, and got it laid out as 
the town of " Norris" into streets and lota. 
The lots were each divided into the width of 
fifty feet front, but of different depths. Those 
most advantageously situated brought as high 
as lour dollars per foot, while others less de- 
sirable were sold aa low us out dollar and forty 



00 



IIISTonY or MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



cents. There were in uU at iLia time (1785,) > climcnsious of the former wci c yoveuty by forfy 
eixty-four town lots, bounded on the north by ', feet, two stories high, and Burmouutcd with a 
Airy street, east by Green alley, south by La- i," cupola and bell. The stairs were placed 
fayette street and west by Cherry street. This ^ on the outside to-rcash the second story, simi- 
mny be considered the original size of the town, j lar to those of the court house in Philadelphia, 
As it was of course now satisfactorily asccr- / and wliich was common in those days, even 
taincd that it had become the county seat, and > with churches and private houses, when two 
that the county buildings would soon bo erect- ;; stories high. The cost to the county, for 
ed, the lots were soon all sold and a number / erecting these buildings, was iC4,774 II.5. Od. 
of buildings commenced, though, as will be ) Of tbis amount, £1 828 IDs. were received from 
eeen, its growth at first was very slow. < Philadelphia county, as the share coming to 

A further account of Wm. Moore Smith may ; Montgomery from the proceeds of the sale of 
not wholly be without interest. His father was M^e old prison there, according to the act of 
considered on© of the most accoirfpUsbed <: Assembly in establishing the county. The 
Bcholars of Philadelphia, and it was through ^ building containing the cuuuty oSccs was no* 
his exertions that the University owes its ori- \ erected till 1701. Several yaars after, it was 
gin and of which he was elected its first pro- ' enlarged to fifty by thirty-si.- feet. It is said 
vost. He was early admitted to the ministry > tl^at Colonel Tliomas Craig, who had been ao 
of the Episcopal church in Philadelphia, and ', officer in the Revolution, in 1781, and forseve- 
of which he was a pastor for many years. Wm. i ral years afterwards held atone time the officea 
Moore was his eldest son and was born in the I of prothonotary and clerk of the several courts, 
city, June Ist, 375'^. It appears as if he had i An act was passed June 14th, 1777, that the 
inherited a taste for letters, for be was early elections of Norriton, Providence, as well as 
dislinguii-hed for the extent and variety of his J several of the adjoining townships, be held at 
acquirements.' In bis general character he was I '■he house of Jacob Weutz, in Worcester town- 
n gentleman of ttie old school, of highly polish- \ ship. Previously, the elections of the wholo 
cd education and manners, an«}, ia his day, a | county were held at the inn opposite the State 
poet of considerable reputation, lie lived in { House, in Philadelphia. By the act of 13th of 
Norrietown for some time, and we know as late September, 2785, Montgomery coanty was di- 
ns 1789, if not later. lie afterwards moved vided into three eleciion districts. The first 
near Philadelphia, where he died the 12th of comprised the townships of Norriton, Plymouth, 
March, 1821. His remains were interred by Whitpain, Upper Merion, New Providence, 
the side of his father, in Laurel Hill cemetery, i Worcester, Skippaekaud Perkiomcn, and were 
The late Richard Penu Smith was his son. ? to hold their elections at the court house. 

As the court house and jail were not built They were held there fol all these townships 
for several years after the erection of the coun- till 1797, when the county was divided into five 
ty, the courts had to be held wherever they | districts, of which Norriton, Providence, Wor- 
cuuld get the most proper accommodations. | cester, Plymouth, Whitpain, Upper Merion and 
The first court was held at the public house of I Lower Merion continued for soi»e time after to 
John Shannon, the 28th of December, 1784. I hold their elections at the same place. 
Frederick A. Muhlenberg, James ?iloriis, Henry ^ Francis Swainc, a resident of the Trappo, 
Scheetz and Willia m Beau, Eijcjuires , Justices, \ while sheriff of the county, on the 12th of 
presided — the foruier^beiug president. To ' April, 1788, executed John Brown, who had 
show the spirit of the times, we learn from the < been sentenced to death fur burglary, and who 
records of the court, that one person, for com- > it appears was an old oftVuder. lie was exe- 
mitting two larcenies, was sentenced on the | cuted in the rear of the jail, on Airy street. 
28th of Scp<ember, 1785, to receive on his bare | This affair, for some time after, was the occa- 
back fifteen lashes, well la'd on, and en the ) sion of considerable controversy, if not cxcito- 
following 8th of October, the same number, to ' ment, between the sheriff and several citizens 
be repealed for the second offence. "Negro | of the town. It originated chietly through the 
William" was sentenced, at the i^ame time, to \ execution having been performed on the high- 
receive uinettcn laEhe?. < way and in the most public manner. The 

The court house and jail were both com- 1 sheriff, on the other hand, defended himself ou. 
incnetd iu 1787, and were built of stone. The | the ground that he could not get the permis- 



^"ORRISTOWN. 



91 



sion of any holders of lands in or near the place i only road that extended to the river ; and that 
to permit l.im, as an officer, to fulfil the due* there was a splendid walk along the banks of 
performance of that which was required of him ^ the river, from the mouth of Stony Creek to 
bylaw. This, it is believed, was the last, if ^Swedes' Ford, which was beautifully shaded 
uot the first, execution in the present county. \ with a number of buttonwood and beach trees. 
It is time, at this period, that we should have I; After the county had been formed and the 
something more to say about the improvements \ town laid out twenty-seven years, application 
and progress of the town in its early career. \ was made by a number of its citizens to have 
In 1790, it contained the court house, jail, four wt incorporated with Vie rights and privileges 
or five inns, eight dwelling houses, mill, school i of a borough. The act was accordingly passed 
house and a barn — in all, but eighteen build- > the 31st of March, 1812, and among its pro- 
ings. An intelligent lady of near eighty, who \ .visions were that the burgess, town council and 
was raised in the place and still lives in its vi- ^ high constable should bo elected annually, 
ciuity, gave us the following reminiscences : < The borough, as laid out at this time, was 
that the town in 1793 contained foHr taverns \ wholly taken from Norriton township, to which 
— one was the General Washington, then kept \ it had previously belonged, and contained aa 
by Alexander More, and is the same house now \ area of five hundred and twenty acres, being 
occupied by David Ileebncr ; one was the Rising \ nearly a mile square. It extended on the river 
Sun, kept by Jesse Roberts; and one, the Eagle, s from the mouth of Stony Creek to the Tly- 
kept by a person of the name of Rudolph. \ raouthline, somewhat over a mile. The popu- 
There were, at this time, (wo stores, one of | laticn of the town, at this time, was probably 
which was kepi by John Young. There was ^ five hundred, and wo know, by the census of 
not a house then within the present borough !; 1820, that it then contained but eight hundred 
below the Montgomery House. She well re- > and twenty-seven inhabitants, showing a slow 
members when shad, herring and rock fish were s growth after being laid out as a town and 
caught here in abundance, and remembers \ county-seat thirty-six years. Saw Mill Run, 
canoes and flats, on the river, but sh-e haa no \ which rises in Whitpain township and is about 



recollection of batteaus. Ou one occasion she 
went with her father to Philadelphia in a cance, 
and was considerably frightened in going 
through the falls this side of Manayunk. lu 



four miics in length, at this time divided th« 
borough into nearly two equal parts. 

The island in the Schuylkill, at this borough, 
is called Carbadoes, and, though not named, is 



returning with the canoe, at the most difficult > given with tolerable corre'^-tness on Holmes' 
places, it had to be poled to stem the current, map of original surveys, made between the 
On Reading Ilowell's map of Pennsylvania, | years 1GS2 and 1G95. It belonged, from the 
published in 1792, this place is marked as \ earliest period, to the manor of Norriton, aud 
"Norristown." Scott, in his U. S. Gazetteer I from the records we know that it bore ita pro- 
of 1795, speaks of it as then containing about | gent name in 1771. It is very probab!« that 
twenty houses, besides the county buildings. | this name was given it by Isaao Norris, who, 
An aged gentleman gives us his recollections of | as a merchant, carried on an esteasive trade 
the place in 1803. He says it then contained \ with Barbadoes, one of the British West India 
about fifty houses, and that most of them were \ Islands, which had been first setiled by the 
but one story high, and built of frame or logs. \ English in 1G05. In the purchase of the island 
Besides these, were th^court house, jail, three s here, by Colonel Bull, in 1771, mention is made 
taverns, cue store and a small school house, s that it was then four hundred perches in length, 
two or three lawyers and one doctor. He also > and at the broadest part sixty perches, and 
informs us that back of Airy street, in the vi- \ that it contained eighty-eight acres. In the 
cinity of the present prison, was the old jail beginning of this century there was a race- 
lane, with a stake and rail fence ou each side, > course on this island, which was kept up 
which was a favorite place for horse-racing and I for this purpose many years, and is still in the 
playing bullets; that in the spring and fall, when > recollection of some of our oldest citizens. la 
the condition cf the roads became almost ira- \ consequence of the Navigation Company build- 
passable, the people hauled tan from the dKi \ iug a dam across the river, below tha island, 
tan-yard and made walks of it before their | it was the means of considerably reducing its 
doors. Swede street, at this lime, was ti;c j urea ; at!,.! to avoiJ the expense nf litigation, 



lf2 



inSTOHY OF M.'jXTiiuMLf'.r COUNTr. 



rtie company purchnseJ it and l»y wbotn it i« 
etill owned. This island is nnder cnUivation, 
and contains farm buildings. Immediately 
beloir it there was a smaller island, which, by 
the erection of the dam, has di-appeared. 

Norrisiown did not become a manufacturing 
place till after the completion of the Schuylkill 
NuTigation, when the dam erected here gave 
HD impetus to the bu<(ines3. In 1832 the fol- 
lowing manufaclariog establishments were 
here : B. McCredy's cotton mill, of stone, five 
• lories high, outlining seven thousand Bpin- 
dles ; Mr. Freedley'd cotton mill, with nine 
hundred spindles ; and Mr. Jamison's weaving 
factory, with one hundred and forty-three 
looms. According to the census of 1840, the 
basiuess had considerably increased, the three 
fuctories h:iving nineteen thousand one hundred 
and sixty-four spindles, and a dye and 
print establishment, which, together, manufaC' 
lured products to the value of $4-j4,9.58 and 
ertvploycd five hundrC'l hands. Of course, since 
that time, the businesjs has been considerably 
extended, and probably at this time they give 
employment to three times that number. 

In consequence of the rapid increase of 
population, it became necessary to divide the 
borough into two wards, which was done by on 
act of Assembly, pii.ssed the 8th of February, 
1817. The upper ward, in 184r", contained 
679 taxables and the lower ward 410, making 
989 taxables. Tiirough an additional increase 
an act was passed in 18-02, dividing the borough 
into three ward;*, which remain to the present 
time. In 18j8, the upper ward contained 9L7 
toxablts ;^ the middle ward, "03 ; and t!je 
lower ward, 004 — making a total of 1054 
taxables in the borough at that time. On pe- 
tition of a number of its inhabitants, an act 
was passed the 20th of March, 18-33, to enlarge 
the area of the borough, which was according- 
ly done, to its present size. By its extended 
limits, it is fully one and three-fourths of a mile 
square, and has an ar^a of about two thousand 
Kcre«, which was all taken from Norriton town- 
Bhip, excepting a small, narrow strip from Ply- 
mouth, probably containing one hundred and 
^fty-*ight acres. 

The county buildings in this borough are the 
court house ami prison. The old court house 
and prison, mentioned as having been built 
here in 1787, were torn down in ISo-S. The 
jiresent tino buil-iings were erected in 18i>3-0. 
The fourt houst) is ouo of I ho finest buildingA 



• of the kinJ in the .'^tnte, nn I i* bni't of white 



marble, procured in the County. It contains 
the various county offices, and was erected at a 
cost of $1-jO,000. Tiie prison is situated ou 
Airy street, and is very mb-stantially built, two 
stories high, and the cells arranged for solitary 
confi.iement. Its cost was about $80,000. The 
Montgomery Cemetery, btyond Stony creek, on 
the wesi side of Main street, is a neat affair. 
Here the dead repose amidst shady lawn?, 
shrubbery and flowers. Another, called the 
Norris Cemetery, has been recently erected on 
.Swede slreet, just beyond the borongh limits. 
The lot o( ground on which the old court house 
and public otTices stood has, within the last two 
years, been beautifully laid out in walks, plant- 
ed with trees and ornamented with a fountain. 
The streets of Norristown are regularly laid 
out and generally cross at right angles. Main 
or Kgypt street, beyond .Stony Creek, containn 
a number of handsome residences, and is neatly 
planted with trees. Swede ttreet, north of the 
Court house, is another pleasant, shady street. 
Not many towns of equal size excel this in tho 
number of its splendid three and four story 
private residences. The frequent use of white 
marble, of late years, as a material for build- 
ing purpo.ses, has given a neatness to the ap- 
pearance of the houses and streets that is itjui 
generally found el.se where. 



XV. 



NORRITON, 



The township of Norriton is bounded north 
by Worcester, north-east by Whitpain, south- 
east by Plymouth, south by Norristown and 
the Hchujlkill, and west by Lower Providence. 
Its greatest length Is nearly six miles and 
width three and Ihret-fourths, with a front on 
the Schuylkill of about two and a-half miles. 
Its original area was seven thou.sand four hun- 
dred and eighty-two acres, but by the erection 
of r^orristown into a borough, in 1812, fivo 
hundred and twenty acres were taken off, 
which by the act of 18-'i3 was increased to 
about two thousand acres, thus leaving its 
^jresent area five thousand five hundred acres - 

The surf.ice of Norriton is slightly rolling 
and the soil is a clay and rcil shalR, which 
T-.k'js its rirpBpnt appe.'ininf'p in thi" (ownshij; 



NORRITON, ^"^ 



ns we proceed up the SchuylkUl. Naturnlly v towDship and is situated on the Ridge turu- 
Ihe soil is much inferior to that of Plymouth, \ pike, two miles above Norristown and eighteen 
Whitemarsh and Springfield. Now, no more, ■ and a-half from Philadelphia. It contains^'an 
for future descriptions in this work, need be < inn, store, a two story stoneji^chool-house and 
mentioned the rich lime stone bottoms-the • a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, and thir- 
never-failing, copious, chrystal springs-the ^s teen houses. The elections of the township 
noble chestnut timber and the vigorous under- ^, are held here and at Penn Square, alternately, 
brush in woods and thickets, for these will be s The post-office was established in January, 
missed. The best and most fertile lands will ^ 1829. la 1832 it contained a tavern, store 
be found along the river. The principal ^ and six or eight dwellings. A quarter of a 
streams are Stony creek. Indian creek. Five ] mile below this village on the pike by the toll- 
Mile run and Saw Mill run. They all furnish ^ gate are eight houses. About half a mile above 
water power to grist mills, saw mills and \ Jeffersoaville the Presbyterians have a two 
clover mills. < story stone church, erected about twelve years 

Norriton, in llSi, contained twenty land- j ago. 
holders and tenants ; in 1741, twenty-five tax- < NorritonviUe is situated on the Germantowti 
ables; in 1828, two hundred and forty-five; | and Perkiomen turnpike, eighteen miles from 
in 1849, three hundred and eighty, and in \ Philadelphia. It contains a church, school 
1858, three hundred and forty. According to | house, post office, blacksmith and wheelwright 
the census of 1810, it contained one thousand \ shop, and twelve houses. The church here is 
three hundred and thirty-six inhabitants; in \ under the charge of trustees and is free to all 
1820, one thousaad and ninety-eight ; in 1830, | denominations, several of whom hold worship 
one thousand one hundred and thirty-nine ; in S in it alternately. 

1840, one thousand four hundred and eleven ; > The village of Penn Square is situated at the 
and in 1850, one thousand five hundred and \ intersection of the State road, leading from 
ninety-four. The population was somewhat I Doylestown to Norristown, and the German- 
decreased by the erection of Norristown, in \ town and Perkiomen turnpike. It is two miles 
1812, and its enlargement, in 1853. By the 5 northeast of Norristown and sixteen and a-half 
triennial assessment of 1858, the real estate from Philadelphia. It contains an inn, store, 
was valued at $359,105, and the horses and \ posl-office, school house and a blacksmith and 
neat cattle, §18,215. The census of 1850 gave ] wheelwright shop, and eleven houses. The 
the township two hundred and eighty-six [ school-house is a two story stone building, 
houses and one hundred and forty-eight farms. ! erected in 1847, the upper story of which is 
Iq May, 1858, it contained four inns, four | used for public meetings, lectures and debates, 
stores, *six grist mills, two saw mills, two clover ^ This village has considerably improved within 
mills and one plaster mill. Two turnpike \ the last twelve years. 

roads pass through Norriton. The German- Springtown is situated on the Germautowa 
town and Perkiomen, but better known as the and Perkiomen turnpike, about half a mile be- 
Reading pike, has a course of four miles, being low Penn Square, and contains an inn and seven 
the entire width of the township. The Ridge \ houses. Here are the exhibition grounds of 
pike traverses it about two miles. Since the ] the Montgomery County Agricultural Society, 
borough extension, there are no manufactories, \ in the centre of which is a handsome large two 
excepting those mentioned.^ There are some htory frame building, for the display of vegeta- 
well improved andcultivated farms in Norriton. ^ bles and manufactures. There are also on tho 
Its villages are Jeifersonville, NorritonviUe. ^ grounds extensive sheds for hors^es and cattle 
Penn Square, Port Indian and Springtown. At ^ This society was started in 184 <, but did not 
the first three-named places are post-offices, s exhibit here, we believe, tHl several years 
The public sch'ools are five in number, and for \ afterwards. It is said that it originated With 
the school year ending with June 1st, 1857, ^ six farmers, who met in a small room in Uus 
^ere eight months open and attended by two \ township, and of whom three are st^lj^'^^g- 
hundred and seventy-seven scholars. The sum ' Their object was, by this means, to further ad- 
of $1,411 was levied to defray the expenses of \ vance the agricultural interests of the county, 
the same ^ Little did they then think that from that germ 

Jeffer.<,onville is the largest village in the should spring such a noble and expanded lusti- 



94 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



tution, wlioso groumls nnd buililings wouW 
cover twelve acres, and bowUncssod with gra- 
tifj'ing interest annually by thoup.inds of per- 
sons. The present oflicers are William B. Ro- 
berts, president, and George F. Roberta, sec- 
letary. 

Port Indian is situated on tbo ScLuylkill, at 
tbe mouth of Indian creek. It contuius a grist 
mill, two lumber yards and six houses. In this 
vicinity arc several fertile and well-improved 
farms. Indian creek has its source in Lower 
Providence township, is about two miles in 
length, and propels, in Norriton, two grist mills 
and a saw mill. 

The oldest house of worship now standing in 
the county — if we except the Lower Merion 
meeting-house — is undoubtedly the Presbyte- 
rian church on the Germantowu and Perkiomen 
turnpike, about three miles northeast of Nor- 
ristown. We .judge, both from the style and 
architecture of this building, that it must have 
been erected previous to 1740, which is tho 
year of the earliest date found on tho tomb- 
stones. This church is a small oue-story stone 
building, and from its appearance has under- 
gone no material alteration since its erection. 
The grave-yard comprises about a quarter of 
an acre of ground and contains a number of 
handsome tombstones. Tho most common 
names found on the stones are Armstrong, IIoo- 
ven, Smith, McCrca, Bryant, White, Christey, 
Hanna, Freeman, Porter, Trump, Thompson, 
Zeigler, Stuwart, Darrah, Burns, Richards, 
Curry, Patterson, Dunn, Stroud, McGlathcry 
and Fitzwater. Tho oldest stone informs us 
of the death of Joseph Armstong, who died 
April 29th, 1740, aged four years. Among the 
patriots of the Revolution, reposing here, may 
be mentioned Col. Archibald Thompson, who 
died on November 1st, 1779, aged thirty-nine 
years, and Col. Christopher Stuart, who died 
May 27th, 1799, aged fifty-one. la the Revo- 
lution, it is said, this church was considerably 
injured, by tho soldiers using it as quarters. 
There is a tradition in the neighborhood that a 
man at that time was killed in it, and that his 
blood stains may be still seen on the floor. 
There was formerly a superstitious belief .that 
the shutters of a certain window could not be 
kept shut and a certain pane of glass stay 
whole. In consequence of tho diimagcs this 
church puffcred through the war, the Assembly 
passed an act the 17th of September, 178-5, 
permitting mmey to be raised by nieun.^ of n 



lottery for repairing the same. Between tho 
years 1781 and 1810, the time of his decease, 
the Rev. William M. Tcnnent, of Abington, 
occasionally preached here, at stated times. 
Both the church and grave-yard are now con- 
siderably dilapidated and need repair; and 
neither, we believe, has been used by the con- 
gregation for a long time. There is here a 
cross-roads, three houses and a blacksmith and 
wheelwright shop. A short distance east of 
this church lived for many years the celebrated 
philosopher, David Pvittenhouse, of whom a 
biographical sketch is given in the appen- 
dix. 

As the early history of both Norristown and 
Norriton are so much identified till their sepa- 
ration, in 1812, is our apology for omitting 
here a number of particulars which may bo 
found under the former head. The "Manner 
of Williamstadt" is marked on Thomas Holmes' 
map of original surveys, with the same extent 
as tho present township before 1812. William 
Penu, the proprietary and governor of Penn- 
sylvania, by a patent dated October 2d, 1704, 
granted to his son, William Peon, Jr., a tract 
of land on the Schuylkill, containing seven 
thousand four hundred and eighty-two acres, 
called in said patent tho manor of William- 
stadt. This spendthrift son, but five days 
afterwards, sold the same to Isaac Norris and 
William Trent, both distinguished merchants 
of Philadelphia, for the sum of £850, or of our 
present currency, $2,26G Gl. On the 11th of 
January, 1712, Isaac Norris purchased all Wil- 
liam Trent's right to the same for the sum of 
£500. 

The bounds of the manor, in this latter con- 
veyance, are thus set forth: " Beginning at a 
hickory by the said Skoolkill, being the corner 
of Plymouth township, thence northeast by tho 
same township nine hundred and fifty perches 
to another hickory, thence northwest in the lino 
of a tract of land called Whitpain's townphip, 
eleven hundred and sixty-nine perches, to a 
corner oak in tho line of tho said Proprietary's 
Manor of Gilberts, thence southwest along tho 
said Manor line eighteen hundred and forty- 
eight perches to a dog tree by the said river 
Skoolkill, thence down tho same river on the 
several courses thereof to the place of begin- 
ning." 

By the yoar 1730, it appears, the population 
had sullicicutly increased within the manor for 
them to apply to the Court of riu'irt(;r Sessions 



LOWER rrvOViDEISCE. 



95 



of Philadelphia couaty to erect Norrilon iuto 
n towaabip, •which was granted, with the 
same exteut and boundaries already given. 
The landholders that resided herein 1731 were 
Aaron Roberts, Job Pugh, Jesse Pugh, Ellis 
Roberts, John Hatfield, Bartle Bartlestol, Tho- 
mas Warner, Joseph Armstrong, William Hays, 
Nicholas Robinson, John Eastburn, JohnCoul- 
Bton, Samuel Evans, Henry Johnson and Evan 
Hughs. Francis Meheny, Robert Roger, Ro- 
bert Shannon, Charles Morris and William Ro- 
binson, tenants — making in all, at this time, 
twenty landholders and tenants in the town- 
ship. Isaac Norris died near Philadelphia, in 
the beginning of June, 1735, and it appears 
made his will the 17th of January, 1731, by 
which he appointed his wife, Mary, and sons, 
Isaac, Charles and Samuel, executors. Isaac 
Norris, previous to hia death, sold off several 
email portions to most of the aforesaid settlers, 
amounting to about seventeen hundred and 
twenty acres. Though afterwards the family 
retained possession of the estate, they still oc- 
casionally kept selling off tract after tract, as 
the township increased in population. On the 
16th of November, 1738, they sold one hundred 
acres to Cadwallader Evans, who, in 1718, sold 
the same to Dennes Conrod. 

XVI. 



LOWEH PROVIDENCE. 



The township of Lower Providence Is bound- | 
ed northeast by Perkiomen and Worcester, | 
southeast by Norriton, south by the river I 
Schuylkill, and west by the Perkiomen creek, < 
which separates it from Upper Providence. Its \ 
greatest length is five and a-half miles, and 
greatest width five, with an area of nine thou- 
sand one hundred and forty-three acres. The 
surface of the country is gently undulat- 
ing, and the land slopes quite gradually from 
the Schuylkill and Perkiomen, with no eleva- 
tions along those streams worthy of notice. 
Methacton hill commences near the east corner 
of this township and extends into Worcester, 
nearly to the Wissahickon creek. It is about 
six miles long and runs in a northeasterly di- 
rection. It is of considerable elevation and is 
mostly under cultivation — the greater portion 
of the timber having been cut off. The soil on 



it is not naturally fertile, being a light-colored 
clay. On Scull's map of 1770 it is called Ma- 
tateken, and in a dispatch of 1777, Metuchen. 
It is aometimes called Mcthatchen, and is an 
Indian name. The soil of this township is 
generally a red shale, and along the Schuylkill 
and Perkiomen is very productive. 

Besides the Perkiomen, which forms tho 
western boundary of the township, it is water- 
ed by the Skippack creek and Mine run, both 
branches of the former stream. The Skippack 
has its source in Franconia township, a few 
yards from the Bucks county line. Its princi- 
pal branches are Little Branch, Towamencia 
and Zachariah creeks. It is about seventeen 
miles in length, and is remarkable for flowing 
in a straight southwest course nearly its wholo 
distance. It is a very sluggish-looking stream, 
of very little current, and appears almost to be 
a succession of pools, yet at times is subject to 
high freshet.?. The water is never clear, but 
fjrbid, and is tinged with a yellowish red co- 
lor. According to Heckewelder, Skippack is 
an Indian name, signifying a stagnant stream 
or pool of water. The earliest mention we 
have found of this stream is in 1734. It is 
also called by this name on Lewis Evan's map 
of 1749, and on Scull's of 1770. The Perki- 
omen, in this township, propels four grist mills, 
and the Skippack, two. Mine run rises near 
Methacton hill and is over three miles in 
length, but furnishes no water power, and 
empties into the Perkiomen below Shannon- 
ville. 

Lower Providence is rich in mineralogical 
specimens. The greater portion of the town- 
ship is occupied by the red shales and sand- 
stones of tho middle secondary formation, 
among which are found a variety of minerals. 
Not far from the mouth of the Perkiomen lead 
mines have been wrought, at times, for many 
years, but never, we believe, with much profit. 
Scott, in his Geography, speaks of this lead 
mine having been discovered in the year 1800, 
and we know it was worked by Mr. Wetherill 
before 1818. It appears that through working 
the lead mines copper was first discovered. la 
January, 1848, several gentlemen associated 
together as the "Perkiomen Mining Associa- 
tion," and purchased a considerable tract of 
land, lying between the Perkiomen and Shan- 
nonville, for $10,000, with the intention of 
working for copper. By the close of 1849, 
they had a twenty-five horse power engine ia 



96 



HISTORY Oi' MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



operation for pumping out water nnJ for rals- ; cacli, before that time, the number of early 
ing, washing and breaking the ore. At this \ landholders, tenants and taxables, as hereto- 
time, alao, they had sent one thousand four | fore. The two present townships in 1734 bad 
hundred tons of copper to market, and in pro- \ 74 landholders and tenants, and iu 1741, 14G 
curing it had sunk a pcrpendiculur shaft five 1; taxables — showing a considerable population 
hundred and eighty-five feet deep, with side- \ for that early period. According to the census 
drifts of one thousand four hundred and one I' of 1810, Lower Providence contained 904 in- 
feet, making the whole length of work in the ^ habitants; in 1820, 1146; in 1830, 1193 ; ia 
mine one thousand nine hundred and eighty- \ 1840, 1413; and in 1850, 1961. It contained, 
six feet, or over the third of a mile. The 20th 'i in 1828, 237 taxables; in 1849, 434 ; and in 
of August, 1858, we paid a brief visit to this < 
mine. We were told that but five hands were \ 
then working it, and that they were under the | 
charge of a Mr. Wheatley, of New York. \ 
These copper works are about a quarter of a 

mile northwost of Shannouville ; and four | sixty-four farms. In May, 1858, it contained 
steam engines have been erected in as many \ three inns, six stores and .six grist mills. The 
large buildings for the purposes of pumping ^ Germantownand Perkiomen turnpike traverses 
out water from the shafts and raising and s the township a distance of two miles. The 
washing the ore. A considerable amount of s Ridge pike crosses its whole width of about 



1858, 401. By the triennial assessment of 
1858, the real estate of this township waa 
valued at §411,500, and the horses and cattle, 
$22,982. The census of 1850 gives three hun- 
dred and thirteen houses and one hundred and 



cially in machinery, which has been built on a 
large scale. Both the works and machinery 
show that they have not been used evidently 
for some time, and we have not a doubt that 
more money has been sunk by the operation 
^han the value of the copper raised. Several 
shafts have been worked to the depth of four 
or five hundred feet. Close to these works a 
small stream flows by and empties into the 
Perkiomen, and is, in consequence, called Mine 
run. The lead mine, we have been informed, 
has not been worked for over thirty years past. 
The copper obtained here, it is said, yielded, 
on an average, twenty-two per cent, of pure 



Perkiomen bridge. AVithiu the limits of Lower 
Providence, two bridges cross the Perkiomen, 
and one the Schuylkill. The public schools are 
seven in number, and for the school year end- 
ing with June 1st, 1857, were open seven 
months and were attended by three hundred 
and ninety-three scholars. The sum of $1,779 
was levied to defray the expenses of the same. 
The villages of Lower Providence are Shan- 
nonville, Englevillo, Evansburg and Providence 
Square. At the first two places are post-offices. 
Evansburg is the largest village in the town- 
ship and is situated on the Germantown and 
Perkiomen turnpike, one mile from the Perki- 



metal. In and around these mines Lave been <; omen bridge, seven from Norristown, and 
procured the following interesting mineralogi- \ twenty-three from Philadelphia. It contains 
cal specimens: carbonate of copper, in minute > two churches, a two story stone school house, 
cbrystals and in very small quantities, of a ;• grist mill, store, blacksmith and wheelwright 
beautiful dark blue color; also, green carbo- ^ shop, and thirty-two houses. At the lower 
nato of copper, red oxide of copper, copper \ end of the place the pike crosses the Skippack 
pyrites, sulphate of iron, scaly red oxide of ^ creek by a substantial stone bridge, built by 
iron or red iron froth, arsenical pyrites of iron, \ the county in 1792. The Methodist church ia 
galena or sulphurct of lead, carbonate of lead, s a one story stone building, erected iu 1841. 
sulphate of lead, molydate or yellow lead, phos- < Of the Episcopal church an account will be 
phate of lead, brown and green lead, blende or ^ given hereafter. This village ia a very old 
sulphurct of zinc and sulphate of barytes— | place, having been settled at a very early peri- 
certainly a goodly variety of specimens, some ? od by Welsh Episcopalians, among whom can 
of which were exceedingly beautiful and so- j bo mentioned the Beans, Evans, Shannons^ 
veral rare. v Lanes, Pawlings and others. In 1832 it con- 

As Lower Providence was separated from \ tained nineteen dwellings, and since has con- 
Uppev Providence in 1-S05, and having prcvi- \ siderably improved. Sherman Day, who was 
ously been one township, called Providence, it \ here in 1841 gives, in his "Collections," the 
will therefore be inipobyblo for us to give to \ following account of one of its residents. 



LOWER rnOVIDENCE. 07 

«« Jesse Boans, Esq., who is still living in the \ Providence Square is on the Qermantowa 
village, about eighty years of age, was a boy at and rerkiomen turnpike, nearly a mile below 
the tiruo of the Germantown battle. He well \ Evansburg, and on the line of Worcester town- 
remembers the dismay that prevailed the night "> ship. It contains a store, school-house, black- 
after the battle, when the fugitives were quar- | smith and wheelwright shop, and five houses. 
tered in every house. The old gentleman is | At the south end of the Perkiomen bridge is a 
one of Ihe most active men in the place, and ^ store, tin-ware factory and four houses. Here 
in ISll was performing the arduous duty of a \ the Germantown and Perkiomen and Ridge 
superintendent of the turnpike." There is a \ turnpikes meet. 

fertile and well cultivated country in this vi- \ Pawling's bridge, over the Schuylkill, is situ- 
cinity. At its lower end, on the west side of \ ated a mile above Valley Forge, and a road 
tbe pike, near Skippack creek, stood, for a J; leads direct to it from Shannonville, from 
long time, what was called Funk's Menonist s whence it is two and a-ha!f miles, and which 
meeting house, which was a small one story \ passes through the centre of the Wetherill 
Btone church, and was torn down several ^ manor. The company that erected this bridge 
years ago. The grave yard, which is quite I; was incorporated April 3d, 1809. The bridge 
email, still remains, and is enclosed by a stone ;; was destroyed by ice in a high freshet, in 1820, 
wall. The most common names on the tomb- s and was shortly afterwards rebuilt. Near thig 
stones are Funk, Gotwals, Detwciler, Croll and \ bridge was Pawling's ford, well known in colo- 
Keiter. The earliest date found on a stone is s nial days. 
that of 1815. ^ The Saint James Episcopal church, at 

Shannonville is five miles distant from Nor- \ Evansburg, was the first house of worship 
ristown, and contains an inn, two stores, a s erected in Lower Providence. It is a large one 
post-office, church, school-houso, two smith > story stone edifice, with a tower at the west 
sbops and twenty-four houses. The Union s end, which is without a spire. The church 
church, as it is generally called, ia a one story I yard comprises over an acre of ground, on 
stone building with a steeple. It is now only ^ which are preserved a number of ancient oaks 
used as a house of worship by the Episcopa- I of the forest, Oppo.nte is the old grave-yarrl, 
Hans, under the charge of thePicv. G. Mintzer, \ which contains about the fourth of an acre, 
of Evansburg. Robert Shannon, of Norriton s enclosed 'oy a wall, and nicely laid with sod and 
township, is the only person of the name in \ planted with shrubbery and trees— the whole 
our list of 1731. Ho was a native of Wales, ^ bearing evidence of taste and management, 
where he was born in 1G67, and came early \ There are some elegant tombstones here. The 
with his family to this country, where ho set- I; most commou^amily names on them are Clay, 
tied. He died July 15th, 1747, in his eighti- s Tyson, Cisselberry, Eians, Christman, Burr, 
eth year, and was buried at St. James' church, s Shupe, Hallman, Rhoadcs, Saylor, Munshower, 
at Evansburg. There was a John Shannon, \ Fry, Force, Deeds, Dill, Boyce, Nungesser, 
who died in 1771, aged fifty-eight years, and s Coffoy, Fronefield, Reed, Dewees, Custer, Pugh, 
is buried at the same place. This village re- ^ Hobson, Criughurst, Skeen, High, Assheton, 
ccived its name from the descendants of this s Gray, Coatos, Davis, Markley, Lane, Gouldy,' 
family. About three-fourths of a mile from \ Bean, Keel, Jacobs, Morton, Church. Shannon, 
this place is the lower bridge over the Perkio- :; Pawling, L^wia, Vanderslice, Rambo, Prizer, 
men. It is of frame, covered, resting on \ Ilarwood, Wilson, Jones, St. Clair, AVoImcr, 
one stone pier, and is over two hundred feet in \ Fos, Moore, Newberry, Provost, Bate, Yorke 
length, between the abutments, and twenty- | and Robeson. The oldest stone containing an 
two feet wide. It was built by the county ^ inscription is that of a person who died Novem- 
and is one and a-half miles from tho mouth of > ber 2tth, 1723, aged forty-sis years. It is ex- 
the stream. , tremcly difficult to decipher and appears to be 

Eaglcvillo is situated on the Ridge turnpike, \ a mixture of English and German. The nest 
four and a-half miles from Norristown and s is "In Jleraory of Humphrey Bate, who de- 
twenty- one from Philadelphia, It contains ^ parted this life September 3d, 1727," aged 
one hotel, which is a large and well-kept house, i; nearly sixty years. There is on a stone tho 
a store, post-office, smith shop and ten houses. ^ following brief announcement of an offic r of 
The elections of the township are held here ; the Revolution: -In Memory of Capt. Vacbel 



98 



niSTORY or MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



D. Howard, of Maryland Light Dragoons, who 
departed this life March 15th, 1778, aged 30 
years, in defence of American Liberty." The 
Rev. Slater Clay, who died in 1821, and was for 
nearly thirty five years the pastor of this 
church, is buried hero. The Rev. Evan Evans, 
a native of \Yales and a missionary of the 
Church of England, came to Pennsylvania 
about the year 1G99 to visit the Episcopal con- 
gregations — especially those cf his coun- 
trymen, and to establish churches among them. 
It appears that Mr. Evans met with tolerable 
success, and, with others, succeeded in collect- 
ing a congregation for worship, between 
the years 1708 and 1714, of which he says that 
many persons "became attached to the Epis- 
copal Church, were baptized and committed to 
her Communion." About the year 1715 he 
went to England, but returned in i7lG and took 
charge of Christ church, Philadelphia, till the 
close of 1717, when he went to Maryland. In 
1721 the congregation had sufficiently increas- 
ed here that a church was built, of which James 
Shannon and Isaac Pawling were appointed 
church-wardens. The church was incorporated 
under an act of October 3d, 1788. In 1813 
the old church was torn down to make room for 
the present commodious edifice, more suitable 
to the wants of an increasing congregation. 
The Rev. G. Mintzer is its present pastor. 

The Providence Presbyterian church is situ- 
ated on the Ridge turnpike, fuur miles above 
Norristown, and on the southwest end of Me- 
thacton hill. It is a large one story slone 
building. From the church yard a fine view 
io obtained in a southwest direction. The Rev. 
Henry S. Rodenbaugh is its present pastor and 
has a large congregation. The grave-yard 
covers an acre of ground and contains a num- 
ber of handsome tombstones. The most com- 
mon names hero are Bowyer, Todd, Ilamill, 
Knox, Hallowell, Crawford, Morgan, Major, 
Batt, Francis, Hamilton, Logan, Lyons, Sloat, 
Mongo, Adams, Chosnut, Carabell, Chain, Van- 
fossen, Kirkpatrick, Burnside, Vanderslice, 
Armstrong, Brown, Baker, Roberts, Umstead, 
Horning, Curry, Baruett, Porter, Bodley, Mor- 
ris, Teany, Highly, Shambaugh, Cowdcn, Wil- 
Bon, Zeiber, Barton, (ietty, Shepherd, Detwei- 
ler, Fouat, Wilfs, Henry, McEwen, Dehaven, 
Carson, Beck uuJ Shearer. This church was 
founded in \1'M and rebuilt in 1844. It ap- 
j^earu that thb Rev. William M. Teunent, of 
At.jjgtou. pT»-:.t'beo bert i.uu ut NorritoL ut 



Stated times, between the year 1781 and 1810. 
The earliest tombstone containing a date is that 
of 1750. In the lower end of the yard is a 
tomb of white marble on which is an inscrip- 
tion to the "Memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Por- 
ter, widow of the late General Andrew Porter, 
who died May 18th, 18-1, aged G9 years and 9 
months." Tais hidy was the mother of twC 
Governors and a President Judge. 

The Baptists have a meeting-house on the' 
Ridge turnpike, about half a mile above Eagle- 
ville. It is a one story stone building, erected 
in 1836, and the Rev. David Jeffrey is its present 
pastor. It has a high situation and a splendid 
view is obtained from the 6hurch-yard, parti- 
cularly in an east and southeast direction, 
among which can be seen the Oley hills, in 
Berks county. It is surrounded by a number 
of shade trees, which, we regret to say, are 
often found wanting at such places. The grave- 
yard comprises nearly an acre of ground and 
is enclosed oy a newly erected stone wall. The 
family names on the tombstones are Sislei*/ 
Morgan, Baker, Fimple, Trites, Rees, Straw- 
bridge, Brumback, Miller, Grigg, Kurtz, John- 
son, Munshower, Casselberry, Funk, Zimmer- 
man, Custer, Reiner, Norris, Umstead, Dan, 
Roberts, Philips, Davis, Jones, Pennepacker, 
Hughs and Allen. As some of these stones 
date back to 181G, it appears as if the grave- 
yard had been here some time before the erec- 
tion of the present building. 

How the name of Providence became applied 
originally to the two townships is not easily 
ascertained. We know they were e9 called as 
early as 1734. Perhaps it was d'erived froia 
Roger Williams' settlement, in Rhode Island, 
which he had so called in 1636. From Holmes' 
map of original surveys and early records we 
learn that these two townships, before 1712, 
were called the "Proprietary's Manor of Gil- 
berts." Penn very probably gave this name of 
Gilberts in honor of his mother's family, who 
were of this name. 

Providence was settled at an early period, 
for in 1734 it contained seventy-four land own- 
ers and tenants, whose names were as follows : 
— Caspar Stull, John Bideler, Derick Rumsaw- 
er, Aubery Richardson, Edward Richardson, 
James ILimer, Conrad Rupel, Thomas Wyatt, 
Thomas Valuntine, Samuel Lane, John Jacobs, 
Adam Hammer, Arnold Francis, Thomas Mor- 
gan, Morris Lewis, Henry Pawling, Philip Fas- 
set, Rjbert Dunb, Woodrick Myor, Conrad 



UPPER PROVIDENCE. 



99 



"> 



Knoog, Conrad Stelne, Catharine Castleberry, 
DerickOastleberry, Daniel Rees, Edward Rob- 
erts, Arnold Hancock, Lewis Morgan, Thomas 
David, John Deemer. Stephen Bowyer, Paul 
Castleberry, John Morris, John Bull, George 
Phillips, John Lewis, Wm. Lane, Richard Ad- 
ams, Isaac Adams, Philip Cheadle, Peter Ram- 
bo, Abraham Adams. John Pierce, David Phil- 
lips, John Wyatt, Mathias Coplin, Wm. Adaras, 
Jacob Shrack, Harman Indehaven, Jacob Mil- 
ler, Jacob Pobulus, Richard Jones, Hanical 
Crisman, John Hanpull, Anthony Vandersluice, 
John Hendrick, Henry Hooven, Francis Plum, 
Bastian Miller, Thomas Howe, Daniel Long- 
acre, Lewis David, John George Wagemill, 
Roger North, D'tniel D j.gmond, Henry Jones, 
Joseph Wills, George^jurslion. Thomas Rose- 
ter, Henry Holstein, John Edwards, Thomas 
James, Evan Pugh, Benj. Walkins, and John 
Colling. The seven last were tenants. 

The Pawling family of this township, and 
after whom Pawling's ford was called, appears 
from an early time to have been conspicuous 
in the history of the county. Isaac Pawling 
was one of the wardens in 1721 of St. James' 
Church, at Evansburg. Henry Pawling, sr., in 
1734, owned 500 acres of land opposite "Valley 
Forge, in the present Wetherill manor, where 
he resided. His son Henry owned at the same 
time 1200 acres in Perkiomen township. In 
February, 1747, he was elected a captain of a 
company of Associaters, and in October, 1751, 
a member of Assembly from Philadelphia 
county. In 17C1 he was appointed one of the 
commissioners for improving the navigation of 
the Schuylkill. Henry Pawling, jr., was ap- 
pointed by tke act of Sept. 10th, 1784, a com- 
missioner for laying out the present county, 
and locating the county seat and buildings. 
Nathan Pawling was sheriff of the county in 
1795. Henry Pawling, Esq., lived on his es- 
tate during the revolution, and which we be- 
lieve the family retained down to the beginning 
of the present century. 

FatlaniJ ford is in this township, a short dis- 
tance below Valley Forge, on the present pro- 
perty of Dr. Wm. Wetherill, II was here, on the 
night of September, 22d, 1777, where the 
British army crossed the Schuylkill on their 
march to Philadelphia, which they entered on 
the 26th. Washington at this time was near 
Pottsgrove, thirty-six miles from the city. In 
their passage here they drove a scouting party 
of the American light infantry for some dis- 



: tance, but who the following sight encamped 
; at the Trnppe. 

; By a petition of the citizens of Providence to 
; the Court of Quarter Sessions of Montgomery 
' county, leave was granted in November, 1805, 
; to have the same divided iqto two separate 
I townships, making the Perkiomen creek the 
; division line. This was accordingly done, and 
I to which Upper and Lower Providence owe 

> their origin. 

; Wm. Bakewell, a wealthy English gentleman, 
; purchased in the beginning of this century the 
; large farm that had formerly been in posses- 
; sion of the Pawling family at Fatland ford. 

> He was a man of extensive scientific ncquire- 
^ ments, and was a brother of the celebrated 
? sheep raiser of the same name. He made on 
i his farm valuable improvements, and had 
I among the rest a valuable library and philoso- 
'■' phical apparatus. He was an intimate ac- 
quaintance of the distinguished Joseph Priest- 

; ley, and through him no doubt became interest- 
ed in philosophic investigations. Mr. Bakewell 
: died here in 1822. The family consisted of 
; his wife Rebecca, and children Wm. Gifford, 
; Thomas Woodhouse, Lucy, Eliza, Sarah and 
; Ann. John J. Audubon, the celebrated orni- 
'• thologist, resided for a number of years on the 
; adjacent farm belonging to his father, and 
; through this circumstance, became acquainted 
: with Mr. Bikewell and his family, and was 
: married about 180G to Lucy, his eldest daugh- 
ter. In 1810 Mr. Audubon removed to Louis- 
: ville, Kentucky, where he engaged in mercantile 
; pursuits?, and the Bakewell family subsequent- 
: ly followed him in 1823. A biographical sketch 
; of Mr. Audubon is given in the appendix. 
■ Both Mr. Bakewell's and Audubon's properties 
I are now comprised in the extensive estates,. 
; belonging to Dr. Wm. Wetherill and his bro- 
' ther, the late John Price Wetherill, containing 
; together nearly nine hundred acres. 

; XVII. 



UPPER PROVIDENCE. 

^ The township of Upper Providence is bound- 
s ed on the northeast by Perkiomen, east by 
\ Lower Providence, from which it is separated 
s by the Perkiomen creek, southwest by the 
J Schuylkill, and northwest by Limerick. Its 



100 



lIItJTOliY OF MONTGOMUIIY COUNTY. 



greatest length ia ucai ly six miles, and breadth 
five, witb an area of twelve (housiitul nnd uinc- 
ty-fivc acres. The surface of the township is 
rolling and the soil red shiile. The most pro- 
ductive land is in the vicinity of the Terkio- 
men and Schuy>kill below Black Rock. Above 
the latter place to the Limerick line the coun- 
try may be rcgarilcl as hill^', the greatest 
elevation being the P.lack Hock Hill, situ- 
ated on the Schuylkill, about half a mile above 
Quincy villc, which attains a height of about one 
hundred feet perpendicular. With this excep- 
tion the land rises gradually from the river. 
This hill has given a name to the d.im near by, 
which was erected by the Nav?gatiou company 
for the purpose of feeding the canal. 

The rcrkiomen crock is the largest stream 
in Montgomery county, and rises by two bran- 
ches in Lower Milford township, Lehigh county. 
Following its mcandcrings is nearly thirty miles 
in length, and with its tributaries waters half 
the area of the county. Its general course is 
south and receives the following streams : — 
West Drauch, Macoby, Deep, Swamp, North 
East Branch, Great Swamp and Skippack 
creeks. Where it empties into the Schuylkill 
the country is rather level and is subject to 
great freshets. Pcrkiomen is an Indian name, 
and, according to Zeisberger, signified, in their 
language, " where the cranberries grow." The 
earliest mention of this stream is in Penn's 
deed of purchase in 1G81, where it is called 
" Pahkehoma ;" on Holmes' map of original 
surveys " Perquamiuk," and on Lewis Evans' 
map of mo, " Poikiomy." By the latter 
name it is still called by the German inhabi- 
tants of the county. Mingo creek rises in 
Limerick township and after a course of about 
sis miles empties intu the Schuyllull. Its 
stream is weak, but subject to considerable 
freshets, and at its mouth the Pleading railroad 
crosses on a stone bridge of two arches fif- 
teen feet high. A few yards above the road : 
crosses it also by a two-arched stone bridge, ; 
built by the county in 1817. Here is a large '• 
grist and saw-mill, and Wissimer's ford nearby : 
across the Sclmylkill. This creek propels two 
grist-mills and one saw-mill, all in this township. 
A small stream rises near the Trappeand emp- 
ties into tiio Perkiomcn, which propels a grist 
and saw-mill. 

As previous to the year 1805 this township 
wa.'< connected with Lower Providence, we must 
refer the rc.i.lcr to that head for any informa- 



tion wo may have been enabled to procure re- 
lative to statistics. According to the ccnsua 
of 1810, Upper Providence contained 1305 in- 
habitants; in 1820, 1070; in 1830, 1682; in 
1810, 2244; and in 1850, 2457. In 1828 it 
contained 320 tasables; in 1819, 5G7 ; and in 
1858,501. By the triennial assessment of 1858 
the real estate was valued at $402,230, and the 
horses and neat cattle, $30,4-55, The census 
of 1850 gave four hundred and twenty-four 
houses and one hundred and ninety-six farms 
in the township. In May, 1858, it contained 
eight inns, eight stores, four grist-mills, three 
saw-mills and two coal yards. For the school 
year ending with Jun(|lst, 1858, it contained 
eleven schools, open six months, and attended 
by seven hundred and ten scholars. The sura 
of $2,805 was levied to defray the expenses of 
the same. There are, besides, three large pri- 
vate schools, which will be descrilvcd hereafter. 
The villages are the Trappe, Port Providence, 
Porkiomen Bridge or Freeland and Quincyville. 
The first three contain post offices. The Read- 
lug turnpike passes through Upper Providence 
a distance of three and a-half miles. Within 
its limits are two bridges over the Schuylkill 
and the same number over the Perkiomen. 

The largest as well as the most ancient vil- 
lage of Upper Providence townt^hip is the 
Trappe ; and, as it is a place rich in historical 
associations, we have concluded to defer a fur- 
ther account till the next article. The second 
in size is Port Providence, situated on the cast 
side of the Schuylkill, a mile below the bo- 
rough of Phcunixvillo. It contains one hotel, 
store, school-house, post-office, a hall, in which 
the Methodists hold worship, and thirty-four 
houses. Hammond's axe factory is an exten- 
sive building between the canal and river, and 
was propelled by steam, but has not been in 
operation for nearly two years. Samuel L. 
Hall has a boat-yard, established in 1855, for 
repairing canal boats. For this purpose be 
has a dry dock adjoining the canal. There 
are in this village several fine brick houses. 
Between this place and the lower bridge on the 
Perkiomen are some very fine farms with good 
buildings, among which we observed barns 
containing two threshing floors. 

Freeland or Perkiomen Bridge is situated on 
the Reading turnpike, seven miles from Nor- 
ristown. It contains two hotels, a store, post- 
office, church, Pennsylvania Female College, 
Frcolaud Seminary, public school house, grist 



UPPEll PROVIDENCE. 



101 



mill, carriage raaoufactory, blacksmith sbop, : tree (over six feet in circumference) standing 
and twenty-six houses. The Pennsylvania Fe- ^ at the corner of the meeting house, has receiv- 
male College was established in 1851 and in- ^^ ed the name of the Green Tree. It contains 
corporatcd byan act of Assembly in 1853, of ^^ six houses, a school-house, smith-shop, and, 
which .J. W. Sunderland, L. L., D., is president. \ till recently, a tannery. The Dunkard meeting 
It is a large four s-tory building, and a large \ house, here, was erected about ten years ago, 
number of young ladies have been educated ^ and is a large one story stone building. The 
here. Near by is the Freeland Seminary for presiding elder of it is John H. Omstead, and 
young men and boys, of which Henry A. Ilun- \ it numbers about two hundred communicants, 
sicker is principal. The Christian or Menon- s In the summer of 1858 the grave-yard was en- 
ite church was built in 1854, and is a handsome ^ larged. The most common names on the tomb- 
one Btory building. There are several fine ^ stones are Bean, Umstead, Gotwals, Keyser, 
three story dwellings in this village, and the '( Shunk, Obcrholzer, Davis, Dettra. Schrauger, 
country in the vicinity is rolling, fertile and ^ Rodda, Miller, Walt and Schrack. Half a mile 
well cultivated. On Scull's map of Pennsyl- \ from this place and about a mile below Port 
vania, published in 1770, there are two inns Providence is a large island in the Schuylkill, 
marked at this place—one at the present bridge^ which is cultivated and belongs to Mr. Om- 
called " Lanes," and farther up the road to stead. 

Reading, the <' Duke of Cumberland." The ^ About one and a-half miles northeast of Port 
bridge over the Perkiomen, at this place, is a | proyijence is the Friends' meeting house — a 



noble structure for its day, and was built by 
the county at an expense of $G0,000. It is 
made entirely of stone and has six arches, and 
was begun in 1798 and finished the following 
year. The county commissioners at this time 
were Frederick Conrad, Samuel Mauldsby, 
Conrad Boyer, James Bean and Henry Sheetz. 



I small one story stone building, with a grave* 
\ yard, both considerably dilapidated. It is 
\ shaded by several fine and venerable button- 
> wood trees. We know, by Scull's map of 1770, 
< that there was a meeting house here before 
I that time : the prvjsent one was erected in 1828. 

s We were informed of the following names of 

It is about five miles from the mouth of the ^ fj,Qiii;eg belonging to this meeting: Ambler, 
creek, which is here one hundred feet in width. \ -jygon^ Hopkins, llogers, Tuylor and Barnet. 
By an act of February 21st, 1797> the sum of ^ ryi^g land between this meeting-house and Quiu- 
$20,000 was permitted to be raised by lottery ^ (.yyiUg appears to be of inferior quality, the 
towards beginning this enterprise. Another '> g^jj being a light-colored clay, and the stone 
act, of March 28th, 1790, allowed the commis- \ approaching a dark-colored slate, 
eioners to raise sufficient money by toll for ( 

its completion. From the Journal of the Rev. Near the banks of the Perkiomen and about 
H. M. Muhlenberg we learn that during the two miles south of the Trappe, at the intersec- y 
Revolution there was no bridge here nor over \ tion of two roads, is the Menonist meeting- 
the Skippack creek on the Reading road. Four s house, a small one story stone building, with a 
turnpike roads at present meet at this bridge, \ school-house attached. Uenry Johnson, we 
the first of which was commenced in 1801. \ believe, is the principal preacher of the con- 
QuincyviUe is situated on the Schuylkill, op- \ gregation. The most common names on the 
posite Phoeuixville. It contains an inn, store, tombstones are ^ Kolb, Johnson, Ashenfelter, 
steam saw mill, lumber yard, and seventeen Kindy, Kepner, Reiner, Laudi?, Wair, Horn- 
houses. There was formerly an iron foundry ing, Shoalter, Rittenhouse, JDean, Alderfer, 
and machine shop here, which has been con- Rosenberger, Hallman, Wismer, Tyson, Buck- 
verted into a paper-mill, and is now carried on \ waiter, Hunsicker, Godshall, Bechtel,^etwei- 
by Joseph Jordiue. There was also a post ^ ler and Kratz. From the Journal of the Rev. 
oflice here, which was discontinued in the sH. JM. Muhlenberg we learn that when he first 
Bpring of 1858. The bridge across the Schuyl- $ came to the Trappe. in 1742, there were but 
kill was incorporated in 1844. The school s two houses of worship in Providence— one was 
house is situated half a mile east of the village. ^ the Episcopal church, at Evausburg, and the 
A mile from the mouth of the Perkiomen and ^ other at this place. There is an old grave- 
half a mile from the Schuylkill is a small vil- ^ yard in thi.- township, near the Schuylkill and 
lage, which, in consctiucucc of a large pine \ Limerick line, which contains a 



number of 



102 



HISTOHY. of MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



tombstones, on wliich nre the names of Rfttnbo, I 
Dismnnt, Tyson, Stnbl, (incl others. It is gene- \ 
ra'Iy calle.i Dismant 's ffrave yard. \ 

The Poor Hou.se of Montgomery county is s 
eituated on the east bank of the Schuylkill, in > 
this township, and is ten miles above Norria- ^ 
town and three southwest of the Trappe. There > 
are three commodious buildings : one is used ^ 
by the steward and male paupers, one by the ;. 
females and children, and one is a hospital for I; 
the sick and insane. In January, 1832, it con- '<> 
tftined one hundred and ten paupers ; in Jan- k 
uary, 1849, one hundred and ninety-eight ; and > 
in January, 1858, two hundred and thirty- \ 
three. The farm comprises two hundred and < 
eixty-five acres of ground, of which thirty are I 
wood sufficient to furnish the place with fuel i 
and fencing. For the year 1857 the produce ) 
Bold from the place amounted to $1059 78, and \ 
the expenses, $13,290 33. The land of the \ 



farm is quite rolling, and appears to be under 



better cultivation than some of the adjoining \ 
farms. This institution was established ac- \ 
cording to an act of Assembly passed the 10th \ 
March, 1806, and subsequent acts of January | 
26th, 1807, and December 22d, 1810, The \ 
government of the entire place is under the \ 
complete control of three directors, one of ? 
whom is elected every year. They appoint all s 
ofPcers of the institution, viz : stewards, ma- \ 
trons, clerks, physicians, &c., &c. They are ;; 
required by law to meet at least every month \ 
at the place and to see to the proper regula- j 
tions of the same. On the first Monday of ;i 
January, of every year, the directors, county 1; 
auditors and treasurer, meet here to adjust and \ 
make out the accounts of the previous year, s 
The expenses of this place are met by funds ) 
raised by tax levied by the county commission- < 
ers on requisition of the directors and disburs- s 
ed by the county treasurer by their order. \ 

A short distance above the Poor House, the I 
Reading railroad crosses to this side of Schuyl- > 
kill by a splendid ntznn bridge of four arches, \ 
each of seventy-two feet span, and, with the ^ 
ice-breakers, cost $47,000. Opposite this bridge ^ 
the railroad passes through a tunnel of solid s 
rock one thousand nine hundred and thirty- ;; 
four feet in length, or over one-third of a mile. •] 

This township, with Lower Providence, was I; 
originally called the "Manor of Gilberts," in j 
which Thomas Penn, in 1738, owned three \ 
thousand two hundred acres, valued at £2,240, \ 
or, of our present currency, $5,972. The 



aforesaid was the son of William Penn, and 
after his father's death was the chief proprie- 
tary of Pennsylvania. By order of the Court 
of Quarter Sessions, in November, 1805, Up- 
per and Lower Providence were erected into 
separate townships. Before this time, it was 
known ns Providence township, for the settlers 
of which, for the year 1734, see Tiowcr Provi- 
dence. Together, in 1741, they contained one 
hundred and forty-six taxables. 

XVIII. 



THE TRAPPE. 



The ancient village of the Trappe, so rich in 
historical associations and the birth place of 
several distinguished men, is situated in Upper 
Providence township on the Reading turnpike, 
eight miles from Norristown, twenty-five from 
Philadelphia, and twenty-six from Reading. 
Its situation is high and healthy and the land 
descends gradually in every direction. The 
houses are chiefly confined to a single street oa 
the pike, and the village is said to extend to 
the toll-gate, which is regarded as its south- 
ern limits ; from thence to the Perkio- 
men bridge, being included in the village of 
Freeland. The Trappe contains two inns, three 
stores, three churches, the Washington Hall 
Seminary, a post-office, library, school-house, 
Odd Fellows' hall, tannery, brickyard, cabinet, 
wheelright and blacksmith shops, and about 
forty houses. Washington Hall is situated in 
the centre of the village, and is a seminary for 
the education of young men and ladies. It 
was established in 1830, and Abel Rambo, A. 
M., is its present principal. The library is 
kept in this building, and contains over four 
hundred volumes. The German Methodists 
have a one story brick church, erected in 1851, 
and stands a short distance back from the eld 
Trappe church. The Odd Fellows' Hall is a 
large two story stone building erected in 1849. 
A handsome omnibus runs daily on the pike, 
from this village to Norristown, where a con- 
nection is made with the railroad. The Hon. 
Jacob Fry, late member of Congress, and at 
present Auditor General of Pennsylvania, is a 
resident of the place. 

One of the first settlers of this place was 
Jacob Shrack, who arrived from Germany ia 



THE TPvAPrE. 



10-3 



1717, accotapanied by bia wife Eva llosiua and 
four children. He purchased in the present 
villnge two hundred and fifty acres of laud, at 
which time there was but comparatively few 
inhabitants in the vicinity. It appeal's he took 
e, considerable interest in getting a church 
erected in the place, and for this purpose at 
different times wrote letters to Londob and 
Halle for help and Lutheran preachers. He died 
February 22d, 1742, at the age of G3 years. 
He is buried in the Lutheran church-yard, and 
the oldest stone there containing an inscrip- 
tion was erected to his memory. His widow 
lived till 1756. His son, Christian Shrack, re- 
sided here till his death in November, 1780. 

There has been much speculation concerning 
the origin of the name of Trappe. It is un- 
doubtedly original and of local origin. Of all 
the various theories on this subject, the moat 
feasible to us appears to be that given by the 
Bev. Henry M. Muhlenberg, the founder of the 
church. The following extract on this subject 
is taken from his journal, in which after speak- 
ing of Jacob Schrack and his family, he says ; 
" they built a cabin and dug a cave in which 
they cooked. They kept a shop in a small way, 
and a tavern with beer and such things. As 
once an English inhabitant who had been 
drinking in the cave fell asleep and came 
home late and was in consequence scolded by 
his wife, he excused himself by saying he had 
been at the Trapp. From that time this neigh- 
borhood was called the Trappe and known as 
Buch in all America." This tavern must have 
been in the family as late as the year 1770, for 
Scull, on his map, has it marked as " Shrock." 
In the order of time Mr. Muhlenberg's state- 
ment is the first on this subject, and is sus- 
tained by other authorities. On Reading How- 
ell's miap of Pennsylvania, published in 1792, 
and in Scott'a U, S. Gazetteer of 1795, it is 
called "Trap;" thus proving that this name 
did not originate from the German name of 
Treppe for steps, but from the English word 
Trap, signifying a snare, or rather a pit- 
fall. 

Mr. Muhlenberg first came here in Novem- 
ber, 1742, when he found a congregation of 
fifty members, who worshipped in a barn. 
Chiefly through his efforts the church was com- 
menced in the spring of 1743, and was not fin- 
ished till the fall of 1745, when he made his 
residence in the place. Ho was absent from 
1761 till 1776, wbcu ho returned aud spent the 



remainder of his days here. From his journal 
we have been enabled to procure some informa- 
tion respecting the revolution in this vicinity, 
from which it appears the inhabitants suffered 
severely. On the morning of September 11th, 
1777, the cannonading at Brandywine, thirty 
miles off, was distinctly heard. On the after- 
noon of the 19th the British camp was seen 
with a telescope on the opposite banks of thei 
Schuylkill, below Valley Eorge. The Ameri- 
can army, with Washington in person, the same 
day crossed to this side at Parker's Ford, five 
and a-half miles distant, and marched through 
the village to the Perkiomen. The procession 
lasted the whole night, and he says he had nu- 
merous visits from ofEicers, wet breast high, 
from wading through the river, who had actually 
marched in that condition the whole night, 
cold and damp as it was, besides suffering from 
Lunger and thirst. On the 23d a portion of 
the army encamped in the vicinity, and besides 
breaking down the fences and making fires of 
the rails, several houses were entered and the 
trunks and chests forced open. On the 27th 
he found that a regiment of Pennsylvania mili- 
tia had taken possession of the church and 
schoolhouse, and that they were filled with of- 
ficers, men and arms, and the floors covered with 
straw and dirt. The same day the schoolmaster 
complained with tears that they had destroyed 
his buckwheat in the field, and plundered and 
trodden down his garden vegetables. Mr. 
Muhlenberg had three acres in with buckwheat, 
which was then in blossom, in which he found 
twenty head of horses and oxen grazing. He 
says, when complaint was made about it by 
those sustaining damage, they were called to- 
ries, and their houses and stables threatened 
4rith fire. Major Gen. Armstrong, with about 
twenty-five hundred militia, continued in the 
vicinity till the 2d of October, when he joined 
the main division of the army near Skippack. 
He says the country in the neighborhood of the 
village looked as if it had been ravaged by an 
army of locusts, and that they had cut down 
and consumed for him near the church ten 
acres of woodland. The foregoing is an illus- 
tration of the evils attending a war and which 
will be occasioned more or less by any army, 
let it be friend or foe. 

This village, according to Scott's Gazetteer, 
in 1795 contained about twelve houses. Gor- 
don, in his Gazetteer of 1S32, mentions it as 
then having two taverns, two etorea and iilltca 



10-1 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



houses. By tho foregoing it will be obsorved I more attractive. The most common family 
that the place bas been steadily increasing to < names on the tomb-stones are ZoUcr, Emrich, 
the present time. According to an act of As- \ Heiacr, TVald, Rawn, Fry, Ileebner, Kallman, 



Bembly, passed January 19th, 1802, the elec- 
tions for the townships of Providence, Limer- 
ick and rerkiomen, being (he 7th district, 
were ordered to be held here at the public 
house then kept by David Dewees. 

On the Reading pike, about a quarter of a 
mile below the old church, is a large substan- 
tial two story stone house, now owned by the 



Wack, Spare, Royer, Gurber, Fritz, Goodwin, 
Prizor, Rambo, Miller, Gulp, Horning, Morgan, 
AUabaugb, Gross, Gristock, Shupe, Lonacre, 
Rittenhouse, Ptoudenbush, Eesick, Prutzman, 
Weidner, Ilildebeidlc, Neiman, High, Harpel, 
Young. Yerger, Sailor, Berk, Dehaven, S tetler, 
Schrack, Pennepacker, Fuchs, Custer,^jGraff|_ 
Trumbauer, Boyer, Bjutn, letter, Croll, Kleiae, 



Hunsberger family which is not without inter- | Casselberry, Walter, Beck, Shontz, Cressftan, 



est. After the return of the Rev. II. M. Muh- 
lenberg to the Trappe, in 177G, he made it his 
residence. He continued to live here till his 
death, which occurred the 7th of October, 
1787. Some time afterwards it became the 
residence of the Rev. Henry Geiscnhainor, who 



Buckwalter, Hatfield, Welcher, Johnson, Fox, 
Pawling, ReiiF, Marstellcr, Hollebush, Moyer, 
Derricks and Kugler. The oldest stone, con- 
taining an inscription, bears the date of 1742, 
and the next of 1755. Amongst the distin- 
guished dead reposing here cin be mentioned 



also breathed his last within its time-honored i the Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, General 
walls. Not long since it was owned by Dr. s Peter Muhlenberg and Governor Francis R. 
Philip Wack, and for awhile was the residence 



of Mathias Ualdeman,Esq. General Peter Muh 
lenberg, Hon. Fred. Augustus Mahlenberg,Rev. 
Henry Ernest Muhlenberg and Gov. Francis R. 
Shunk were residents of the Trappe, tho last 
four being natives of the place. Biographical 
sketches of these individuals appear in the 
appendix. 

The present new Lutheran church, built in 
1853, will rank nearly with (he finest houses 
of worship in the county. It is situated in the 
northern part of the village and about one 



Shunk, of whom a further account will be 
given hereafter. Jacob Custer, who was 
treasurer of the church from 1830 to 1857, 
kept a record of all those buried here within 
that time. The number was six hundred and 
ninety-two, of which the two oldest were fe- 
males, aged respectively upwards of ninety-nine 
and one hundred and four years. 

The old Trappe church is still standing, 
though upwards of one hundred and fifteen 
years have passed away since its erection. It 
was used by the congregation as a house of 



hundred feet northwest of the old church. It is s worship until the close of October, 1853, when 
built of brick, two stories high, and itsdimen- J the new church was completed. Since that 
Bions are eighty-five by fifty-five feet. The ^^ time it is ouly used by the Sunday school 
steeple is one hundred and ten feet high, and attached to the church, which was established 
from its elevated situation in a conspicuous ^ in 1 830, and numbers upwards of one hundred 



object for many miles around. The congrega- 
tion possesses also a school-house, with a dwe^- 
ing for the sexton or teacher, and a parsonage, 
erected in 183G, and five acres of land, together 
with a field to contain carriages, &c., during 
worship. The present pastor of the church is 
the Rev. Adam S. Link. 

Adjoining the church is the grave-yard, 
which comprises about an acre and a-haif of 
ground, and from its elevated situation aflfords 
a fine prospect of the surrounding country. It 
contains a great many tombstones, among which 
are several of interest. It is to bo regretted 



and twenty scholars, with a library of five 
hundred volumes. In its architectural stylo it 
is certainly unique, and in its day is said to 
have been considered a great affair. It is built 
of stone, two stories high, fifty-four feet in 
length and thirty-nine wide. At tho ends of 
the roof are two iron vanes, each bearing tho 
date of 1743. Its interior is well calculated 
to give one an idea of a building in the olden 
times. From the floor to the ceiling of the 
roof is about thirty feet. The original pulpit 
: is still here with its sounding board, all of 
' black walnut. The four pillars, as well as the 



that this yard is so deficient in shade. Trees hoists th.at support the galleries, are of hewn 
should have been planted here long ago, which oak, twelve by fifteen inches in thickness. The 
would not only have improved its appearance, pews have never been painted— In fact, all tho 
but as a place of resort would have made it s wood work of the church is done iu a very rude 



IttE TKA^^E. 



105 



unci rougb mnnner, Jenoliug simplicity, solidity 
and strength. AVith n little repair it may be 
preserved for a long time. Near its entra^Jce 
stands a pump in which has lately been placed 
a large wooden handle, copied at'tor its ori- 
gina.1. 

In the month of November, 1712, the lie v. 
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg arrived in this 
oountry from the kingdom of Hanover, where he 
had been pastor of a congregation in the village 
of Great liennersdorf. In September, of the 
previous year, he hud accepted a call of the 
congregalious in Fhiladelphia, Providence and 
New Hanover. When he first came here, he 
found the country very fertile, but almost un- 
improved ; a few houses scattered miles apart, 
along roads leading principally through forests 
yet unreclaimed. In Providence, by which we 
mean the Trappe, he found about fifty heads 
of families, with whom he held worship in a 
barn. Chiefly through his exertions it was 
determined to build a church and school-house. 
The latter was built of logs and finished before 
the former vas commenced. On the 2d day of 
May, 1743, the corner-stone was laid by Mr. 
Muhlenberg, on which occasion he preached in 
English and German. On the following 12th 
September the church was roofed, when he 
preached in it for the first time. He resided in 
the village from 1745 until the 18th of Oc- 
tober, 1760, when he preached his farewell 
sermon, and moved with his family to the city 
of Philadelphia. On the 17th of June, 1750, a 
general Synodical meeting was held here, which 
was attended by sixty-nine clerical and lay 
delegates. Another similar meeting was held 
here the 18th of October, 1760. To the time 
of Mr. Muhlenberg's return, in 1776, the con- 
gregation was attended by the Rev. Messrs. 
Hartwig, Van Buskirk and Voigt. During the 
Revolution the church was repeatedly used by 
the American soldiers in wet and cold weather 
as quarters. 

After the death of Mr. Muhlenberg, in 1787, 
the entire charge devolved upon the Rev. Mr. 
W«inland, who continued until his death in 
1808. It was during his ministry that the 
chuich was incorporated by an act of Assem- 
bly passed March 20th, 1805. It is stated to 
be a remarkable fact that the congregation 
worshipped in this church without any fire du- 
ring the winter seasons for a period of sixty 
years, or from the time it was first built to 



about the year 1803, and that even then its 
introduction was strongly opposed by several 
of its members as an impious innovation. From 
the death of Mr. Muhlenberg to the year 1823, 
when the Rev. Frederick Wm. Gaisenhainer 
received the charge, the preaching was wholly 
confined to the German language, but from 
that time the English has been gradually get- 
ting the ascendency. One of the most impor- 
tant events in the history of the church was 
the centennial anniversary held in commemo- 
ration of its foundiition. May 2d, 1843. On 
this occasion the sermon was preached by the 
Rev. J. W. Richards, of Gcrmantown, a grand- 
son of Mr. Muhlenberg, the founder. The fol 
lowing grandchildren were also present : the 
Hon. Henry A. Muhlenberg, Hon. M. S. Rich- 
ards, Mrs. Chailotte F. Oakeley and Mrs. Hetty 
Heister. As has been stated the last worship 
held in this venerable building was in the latter 
part of October, 1853, when the present church 
was completed. To a stranger this church is 
an interesting object of visit, particularly its 
interior, and is well calculated to carry Iho 
miud back to the early history of the country. 
It is sincerely hoped that the old building may 
be preserved not only as an object of antiqua- 
rian interest, but as a place for the instruction 
of the rising generation ia the moral duties of 
life. 

Near the lower end of the village on the east 
side of the pike, is St. Luke's church, belong- 
ing to the German Reformed congregation. 
The present building was erected in 1835, and 
is of stone, two stories high, and forty by fifty 
feet in dimensions. Its pastor is the Rev. A. 
B. Shingle. The churchyard comprises up- 
wards of an acre of ground, and a few of the 
ancient forest trees stand near the entrance. 
The earliest tombstone here with an inscription 
announces the death of " Lodwick Eualt, who 
departed this life, March 16th, 1760, aged 69 
years." The following are the most common 
names on the stones : Paul, Reed, Shenkle, 
Netz, Buckwalter, Hillboru, Casey; Ricknor, 
Daringer, Smith, Dull, Francis, Wiland, Schnei- 
der, Eseliu, Spare, Stauffer, Tyson, Thomas, 
Spear, Everhart, Garber, Eisenberg, Longa- 
bougn, Koons, Espenship, Wanner, Hanger, 
Shade and Beidler. From Wm. Scull's map of 
Pennsylvania, published in 1770. we learn that 
a church then stood here and which is marked 
aa the "Dutch Meeting." AVe were informed 



LIMERICK. i PiJ^il, au^i the otbcr at Limeriokvjlle. 



•^QQ HISTORY Oy MuMiiOAPKKY COUNTt. 

thnt the old church vraa fenilt of logs, end was ; bur yartKi, two conl yiml.'* nn.] one steam gil/?i 

left Btauding till llio ercetiuH of the prcstut j and eaw uiill. In 1850 it cotitniued tlir«o bun- 

commodioua edifice. i ^"-'^^ ""^ seventy-three houses and two huudrod 

■ aud forty-three farms. The Iveadiug railroaiJ 

I traverses the towuship its euiire Icuirth on the 
XIX ■■ I o 

" * ■: Schuylkill a distance of about five aud a-half 

'( miles and b-as two stations, one at Koyer'a 
5 Ford, aud the other at Limeriokvjlle. The 
( Heading tnrupikc cvosstfs for five miles through 
'■ its eenlre, and Hie Limeriek and Colcbrookdals 
The towuship of I/imerick is hounded north- • pike fgp abont tl^ree miles. Limeiick has 
east by Frederick, southeast by I'erkiomeu and ;■ eleven schools, and for the year ending with 
tipper Providence, southwest by the river j June Ist, 1857, were open only four months, 
Schuylkill, west by Pottsgrove and northwest < ,ind attended by &ix hundred aud seventy five 
by New Hanover. Its greatest length is nearly ^scholars. The snra of $1,440 was levied lo 
five miles and its breadth four and a half, with \ defray the expenses of the same. 
an area of fourteen thousand one hundred and s 'jhe villages of this lownahip n»e all sanal?, 
fifty-one acres, and, escepting Lower Merion, is \ but within the last fifteen years have consider- 
the largest township in the county. The sur- / ^i^iy improved. The largest is called Limerick 
face of the country is rolling, and in its north- s Square, and is Eiluated on the Reading pike, 
ern part is hilly, where the highest elevation is J; twenty-eight milts from Philadelphia. It coy- 
called Stone Hill. For about the distance of a :■ tains a store, brick yard, two smithships aha) 
mile and a-half along the Schuylkill, between ^ sixteen houses. George Gilbert has also here 
Limerick station and Royersfordville, there are 1; a large steam grist mill, saw mill aud wi%- 
pretty steep hills, rising immediately from the ; chine shop. This place has chietiy grown op 
water's edge to a height of from sixty to a ;, within the last twelve years and contains seve- 
Lundred feet, which are covered principally J ral fine three story brick houses. At the lower 
•with small pines and bushes. Between these { end of the village the German M-elhodists havw 
places are extensive quarries of hard red sand- '^ a small one story brick <;hureh, built in 1851, 
atone, which can be taken out in huge square j and a school house near by. At the upper e»d 
blocks. From Limerick station up the river j of the place the Limerick and Colebrookdale 
for more than a mile, the land recedes quite | turnpike strikes the Reading road, and is above 
eradaally. The soil along the Schuylkill is < nine miles in this county, aud was finished iu 
fertile and productive, but the remainder is \ 1855. This turnpike is located on the Swamp 
generally a stiff clay. Although the second in ^ road, which is marked on Scull's map of 1770. 
extent, it does not contain a stream that fur- s At its confluence with the Reading road, as we 
nishes water power. Mingo creelt has its ? learn from the same, wa« " Widow Lloyd's 
Bource near Limerick Square, and, after a s inn." 

course of four miles, turns into Upper Frovi- ^ Limerickvillc is a station en the Keading 

deuce. Lodlo and Mine creeks have also their ^ railroad and is situated on the Schuylkill, 

Bources in this township. Swamp creek, for a s thirty-four miles from Philadelphia. It con- 

Bhort distance, passes through the north cor- \ tains an inn, store.ipost-offiec, anextensivelum- 

ner. There are several other small streams, j ber yard, coal yard and twelve houses. Samuel 

but in coneequence of being easily affected by \ Kulp has also an extensive steam planing mill 

drought are not of much account. \ and sash and door factory. The post-of&ce 

Limerick, in 1741, contained 58 taxables; in i here is called Limerick Bridge. A short dis- 

1828, 315; in 1849, 4G1 ; and in 1858, 5C6. •; tance above this village is what is generally 

According to the census of 1810, it contained | called Lawrenecville bridge, which was built in 

1282 inhabitants; in 1820, 1577; in 1830, ) 1849. The name is applied from Lawrenceville, 

1743; in 1840, 1780; and in 1850, 2165. By \ on the opposite side of the river, in Cheater 

tbo triennial assessment of 1858, the real estate \ county. In the vicinity of Limerickville are 

was valued at $372,969, and the horses and ^ several fcrtilo farms which produce good crops. 

Beat cattle. $30,791. Iu May, 1858, the town- f Royersfordville is also a station ou the Rcad- 

Bhip coDtaiucd six inns, seven stores, two lum- i ing railroad, and h sitaated on (he river 



e 



LIMERICK. 



10? 



tliirty-lwo miles from Uie city. It contains i 
two-inus, a etore, post-office nuJ nine bouses, j 
I'here are severnl liiimlsome dwellings here \ 
?:)uilt within the past, few years. The bridge \ 
over the Schuylkill here was built in 1840, and j 
was washed away September 2d, 1850, and re- ^ 
built the following year. Opposite, in Chester J 
county, is Springville, a place of about fifty ! 
houses. Half a mile above the village is the , 
Araraingo Telegraph office, belonging to the j 
railroad company. Limerick Church is a I; 
small village on the Reading turnpike, twenty- ( 
nine miles from Philadelphia. Itcoutains two ) 
inns, a church, Fcliool-house, carriage factory, '> 
Vrbeelwright and blacktmith fchop and eight 
houses. 

The present Limerick church was built in 
1817 and is a two Btory stone biiilding held by 
the German Reformed and Lutherans in com- 
mon. Tlie GtTmaa Reformed pastor is the 
Eev. N. €. Straesberger, and the Lutheran, 
Rev. George F. Miller. This church is situa- 
ted OQ elevated ground and affords from the 
churchyard a fine view of the. surrounding 
country. We regret to say that we were not s 
-enabled to ascertain when it was first erected, ) 
bat no doubt considerably over a century ago. s 
The grave and church-yard contain about two \ 
acres of ground and should be planted with \ 
trees. A great many have been buried here, s 
particularly of the name of S vans. The oldest > 
Btone bears tke date of 1754 and several of i 
i787. The most common names on the tomb- \ 
etones are Evans, Shaner, Brooke, Kraus, \ 
Smith, Snell, Messimer, Nettles, Kobl, Groff, s 
Klein, Miller, Wagner, Cbristman, Schaffer, j 
Barlow, Ilallman, Beye r, Boyer, Fox, Geiger, s 
Royer, Walt, Mench, Brant. Ilunsberger, |; 
Grubb, Linderman, Johuson, Schwenck, Ken- \ 
dail, Warley and Stetler. \ 

Limerick no doubt derived its name from a .; 
city and county of this name in Ireland. It i 
was erected into a township at an early period. \ 
The following is a list of residents and land- \ 
owners in 1734: Edward Nichols, John Davy, { 
Enoch Davis, John Kendall, Owen Evans, Wra. j 
Evans, Joseph Barlow, Peter Umsteiid, Cliff > 
Pennypacijer, Henry Reynor, Wm. Woodly, j 
Jonathan Woodly, Wm. Maulsby, Henry Pe- 
terson, Peter Peterson, Nicholas Custard, Hi- '■ 
roniua Haas, Lawrence Rinker, Stephen Miller, j 
Barnaby Coulson and Martin Calf. \ 

Owen Evans was an early settler in this \ 
township, where he took np four hundred acres 5 



of land. He was appointed ft ju«tioe of the 
peace in 1732, and continued to hold the office 
till his death. lie appears to have been a 
conspicuous man in the neighborhood, onddied 
iu 1754, aged 55 years. Peter Umstead first 
settled in or near Germantown some time pre- 
vious to the year 1700, and afterwards removed 
to Limerick where he had purchased two hun- 
dred and fifty acres. From our list of 178i 
we learn that at thnt time there resided in th« 
present county two of the name of Pcnu*- 
packer. Henry purchased one hundred and 
fifty acres in Perkiomen township and Cliff 
two hundred and fifty acres in Limerick. The 
origin of the name is singular. It appears the 
father of the aforesai<l, whose name was Beer- 
man, came from Holland and settled at quite 
an early period at Rkippack, where he carried 
on tile-making. In the Dutch language paunp 
is the name of tile, which, added to backer, the 
German for baker, gives the clue to the origin, 
namelyPaunybacker, which, literally translated 
into English, is tiieha'ker. In consequence of 
his business this name was bestowed on hira 
by his German neighbors, and which be and 
bis family finally adopted as tUeir surname. 
The Pennypackers can therefore say, what very 
few in this country can, that their name is 
of American origin. The Evans, the iJmsteada 
and the Pennypackers at this time are ytvj 
numerous along the valley of the Schuylkill. 

Parker's Ford on the Schuylkill, is a quarter 
of a mile above the village of Limerickville 
and five miles below the borough of Pottstown. 
The road from the ford to the Trappe was laid 
out at an early period, and is about five miles 
and a-balf in length. The land rises gradually 
from the river, but on the Chester county side 
is more elevated. It was at this place on the 
19th day of September, 1777, were the follow- 
ing incident occurred, which we extract from tlit 
journal of the Eev. li. M. Muhlenberg. "la 
the afternoon we bad news that the British 
troops on t^e otber side of the Schuylkill had 
marched down towards Providence, and with a 
telescope we could see their camp. In conse- 
quence of this the American army, four miles 
from us, forded the Schuylkill breast high, and 
came upon the Philadelphia road at Augustus 
church. His excellency General Washington 
was with the troops in person, who marched 
past here to the Perkiomen. Tbe proceBsioa 
lasted the whole nigh', and we had Dumeroaa 
visits from officers, wci brea»t high, who bad 



loS 



HISTORY OF MONTOOMF,I:V COUXTV, 



POTTSGRbVE. 



lo march iu tliis comVition Juring the whole ' anJ chopping mill. It is «-iillfil b^' this nnme 
night. colJ and damp ns it wns, nrd to bear ;• on ScuH'ti noftp of 1770. Formerly ou itsbituks 
hunger nnd thirst at the snme time." For the ] nenr the ceDtre of the township n oppt r-mina 
first time on the 19th of August we stood at!; wtvs wnikeil. Saratogii run, though only about 
this place and as we gazed on the river mu.ied ) three and a-h'ilf mile» in length, furnishes va'u- 
on this occurrence, and after surveying the ; able water-power. It rises by two branches 
surrounding scenery, we were struck with the ^ iu New Hanover township, witii a general 
idea what a glorious subject it would be for a \ southwest course,ftnd propels in Pott.-«grove four 
painting. The crossing of the American army, J grist and three saw mills. This stream has an 
breast deep, over the Schuylkill I May some > Indian name, and we find it variously spelled, 
urtitit take the hint. \ On Scull's map of 1770, Seniloga, on Howell's 

I map of 1792, Saraloga, and on the county 
■^\^ •; maps of 1819 and 1857, Saratoga. 

I Among the natural curiosities ofMoutgomery 
\ county, may be mentioned the Ringing Rocki», 
< as they are called on Stone hi 1, which are situ- 
\ ated about three miles norlhcast of Pottstown. 
The township of Poftsgrove is bounded north- ! After enjoying the hospitalities of Isaac F. 
past by Douglas and New II:inover, southeast j Yost, Esq., late county commissioner, who 
by Limerick, south by the Schuylkill, south- ^ resides near by, he accompanied us to this noted 
west by Pottstown. and west and northwest by s place on the morning of the 21st of August, 
Berks county. Its length is five miles, and i f^i'd pointed out the most interesting ob- 
nverage breadth three and n-half, with au area \ jects for inspection. To him of course we are 
of eleven thousand, sis hundred acres. The \ much indebted for some valuable information, 
entire southern part of the township, especially ^ The Ringing Hocks consist of a bed of trap 
that portion which lies between the Reading | rocks, exceedingly hard and compact, and which 
turnpike and the river, is fertile and well cul- i ou being struck with a hammer ring like iron, 
tivated. The eastern part is more rolling, and | They cover about one and a-half acres of 
towards the Douglas, New Hanover and Lime- \ ground, and consist of a number of rocks piled 
rick line is quite liilly. Some of the eminen- ^^ on one another, within which space no trees or 
ces are of tolerable elevation, among the most \ bushes are found growing. They are entirely 
prominent of which can be named Pviiiging hill, ! surrounded by woods and are on the property 
Stone hill, Prospect hill and the Fox hills. The \ of Abraham Mench. The largest rockt we sup- 
noil on these elevations is generally thin and \ pose would weigh from five to twenty-five tons 
very stonj'. I each, and some of the apertures are visible to 

Pottsgrove is pretty well watered by the < the depth of twenty-five feet. A great many 
Manatawny and Sprogels creeks, Saratoga and i names have been pricked or scratched on these 
Goose runs and their various branches. \ rocks by visitors, some not without considcra- 
the largest of which is the Manatawny, which t ble labor. A number of impressions on them 
rises in Rockland township, Berks county, and ^ were nhown us, among which were three close- 
after a general southeast course of about eight- s ly resembling the human foot, from three to 
een miles, empties into the Schuylkill at 1; six inches in depth, and also a number resem- 
the borough of Pottstown. Of its length two \ bling the tracks of horses, elephants, and can- 
miles are in this township, iu which d stance^ non balls of from six to twelve inches iu diame- 
it propels three gristmills, the remainder being ^ tar. The sounds emitted by these rocks are 
in Berks. The earliest mention we have found s various, depending on their size and shape; for 
of this stream, is from a visit of Governor Gor- < some, when struck, resemble the ringing of an- 
don in its vicinity in 1728. He calls it the \ vils, others of church bells with all the inter- 
" Mahanafawny." It is an Indian name, and i mediate tones. In fact there is not a note in 
Ileckewelder snys in their language it signified ^ music that has rot here a corresponding key. 
"where we drank." Sprogels run is wholly in s As Aristotle has stated that in every block of 
this township and rises in the Fox hills, and I marble there is a statue, but it took a sculptor 
after a southeast course of four miles empties | to find it, bo it might be said of those rocks, 
into the Schuylkill. It propels only a clover \ in every one there is some note in music, 



POTTSQROVE. 109 

but it would still require the niil of a ( town ami Ringing hill, nmoup; wiilcli the most 
musician to verify it. In consequence, it has ) noted was Blaine's copper mine on Sprogel'a 
been proposed to hold a concert here, under ( run. However, they have all for yome time 
the direction of some experienced master, on < been discontinued, and wo believe have never 
some Fourth of July, for the purpose of play- \ proved profitable. 

ing our national airs by the music of theses Glasgow is thelargest village in the township, 
rocks alone. By the impressions and hard- s and is situated oh the Manatawny creek, about 
nes8 of them we are led to infer that they were \ a mile north of Pottstown. It contains about 
originally soft, but by being subjected to s twenty houses and a largo merchant, grist and 
an intense heat deep in the earth, have, by a \ sawmill, belonging to Gen. James Rittenhouse, 
violent eruption, been upheaved to the surface ^' who also owns the old forge and furnace. It 
and then cooled olT. Geologists thus account s is said, in consequence of the decline in the 
for the formation of trappean matter and \ iron business, the village is not as prosperous 
which we are led to believe is the cause of their i as formerly. Iron works are mentioned aa 
ehape, hardness, color and position, in small ; having been established on the Mnnatawny as 
surfaces of great depth. The German inhabi- '[ early as 1728 ; but we are unable tosay wheth- 
tants of the neighborhood from an early period '. er at this place. From Scull's map we know 
have given this hill the name of Klingleberg, \ that " McC all's Forge" was here before 4770. 
signifying Ringing hill. Of late years these > Crooked Hill is the name of a village on the 
rocks have become quite a harbor fol' foxes, who \ Reading turnpike, three miles below Pottstown 
commit considerable depredations on the poul- :■ and thirty-two from Philadelphia. It contains 
try of the neighborhood. On the west end of \ an inn, post ofBce, two blacksmith shops, a 
Stone hill, about two miles from Pottstown, a ; large grist mill, propelled by the Saratoga run, 
fine view is obtained of the surrounding coim- "- and thirteen houses. The land in the vicinity 
try. The hills of the Schuylkill can be traced '; is quite rolling and well cultivated. 
in Chester and Berks counties for thirty or :■ Near the mouth of Saratoga run is Rees' 
forty mile.". \ grist mill and two houses. The Reading rail- 

Poltsgrove, according to the census of 1810, \ road crosses the stream here by a handsome 
contained 1571 inhabitants; in 1820, 1882 ; in ■ stone bridge of two arches, twenty-eight feet 
1830, 1302; in 1840, 13G1, and in 1850, 1G89. i above the water. Near by is Heister's ford. 
In 1828 it contained 252 taxables ; in 1849, \ over the Schuylkill, which is considerably tra- 
f>51, and in 1858, 40G. By the triennial as- \ veled by wagons to and from Chester county, 
sessment of 1858, the real estate was valued at \ The country in this vicinity is extremely rugged 
$348,511,and the horses and neat cattle at §15,- \ and hilly. Just below the borough of Potts- 
136. In May, 1858, it contained three inns and '; town, near the Reading railroad, is a very an- 
three stores. Pottsgrove contains eleven ) cieut gravc-jard, where are buried mcmbera 
schools, and for the school year ending with i of the families of Sprogel, Grob, Bechtel and 
June 1st, 1857, were open only four months, - Rhoades. Some of the stones were deciphered 
and attended by four hundred and eighty-five > with difficulty. The most ancient announced 
scholars. The sum of $1,450 was levied to \ a death in 171G. 

defray the expenses of the same. The Read- > Pottsgrove was erected into a township in 
ing railroad passes nearly through the whole ;i 1S07, and its territory was taken from the 
length of the township, a distance of five miles, \ townships of Douglas and New Hanover. The 
but has no station. The Reading turnpike ^ upper half of its area was originally comprised 
passes through it nearly six miles. The only s in Douglas and the remainder in New Hanover, 
villages are Glasgow and Crooked Hill. At the \ William I'enu, the 25th of October, 1701, con- 
latter place there is a post-office. In 1850 \ veyed to his son, John Penn, a tract of twelve 
Pottsgrove contained three hundred and eight s thousand acres of land, which the latter, the 
houses and one hundred and sixty-eight farms. > 20th of June, 1735, sold to George McCall, a 
We are satisfied from the number of houses ■. merchant of Philadelphia, for the sum of 2,000 
erected in this township within the last six \ guineas, or, in our present currency, $9,333. 
years that the population must have consider s On a re-survey it was found to coBtain fourteen 
ably increased. Three copper mines were for- < thousand and sixty acres. This purchase com- 
merly wor'-ed between the borough of Potts- ^ prised all of the present township of Douglas 



110 mSTOllY OV M0NTG0MKJ1Y COirXTr. 

and the vipper lialf of Pottsgrovc niul t!ic whole , the same about half a mile. Faw towns have 
of I'ottstowM to the Schuylkill. We know from < tihnnilsoiner location; the lanr] lies high and 
the reconls that down to 1753 it was cnnimon- ■; gently rolling, with plenty of room for its fu- 
ly culled " .MoCaU's Manor." John I'oltt", in ;! lure growth. In its vicinity is a fertile coun- 
1753, lived in I'ottsgrove, now called Pottstown, s try on which are a nninber of fine farms which 
after whom both the borough and this township \ have Ijeeii much improved within the last ten 
have been called. The elections of Pottsgrove \ years. 

in 1807 were ordered to be held at I'ottstown. ^ The .streets of the town are laid out very reg- 
Among the first settlers of the township was \ ular and wide, and cross each other at right. 
John Henry Sptogel, who, with his brother, \ angles. 13pginning at the river and running 
Lodwick Christian Sprogcl, by invitation of ;• parallel with it, are the following streets : Wa- 
William Penn, came to this country from IIol- ;• ter, Laurel, Cherry, South, Queen, High, King, 
land. In the beginning of 1705 we know they • ('hcsnut. Walnut and Beech. At right angles 
were both naturalized. John Henry purchased ! with these, and beginning at the Alanatawny 
hero about six hundred ncre.s, on which he \ creek, are York, Hanover, Penn, Charlotte, 
settled with his family. Th.e present Sprogel'.s ; Evans, Franklin, Washington and Warren, 
run was called after hira and flows through this ; The Rnading railroad is located on Queen street 
tract* From a stone in the ancient grave-yard, > and the Heading pike on High street. Tiie 
east of the borough liiie, wc learn tliat his !; bridge over the Schuylkill is at the extremity 
wife, Dorothea, died the 7th of August, 1718, |; of ilanover street. Besides the aforesaid, there 
aged forty years. From another stone we learn \ are several smaller streets, ua Apple and Hub- 
a son, Frederick, died in 1710, aged one year, j ley. 

By these dates we infer that he must have \ The borough of late years has rapidly in- 
been nearly the first that resided in the vicin- '• creased in population. According to tiie cen- 
jty of the present borough. Lodwick Chris- ' sus of 1830 it contained six hundred and so- 
tian Sprogel, we believe, resided in Philadel- '> venty-six inhabitants; in 1840, seven hundred 
phia and was a man of education. In Decern- ? andtweuty-one, and in 1850, sixteen handred 
ber, 1728, he presented adonatinn of books to '>. and sixty-fouf. In 1828 it contained one hun- 
the library of Christ church, chiefly large ' dred and forty-one taxables ; in 1849, three 
folios, bound in parchment. The same year I hundred and eighty-eight, and in 1858, five 
the congregation of the church purchased the ^ hundred and nine. From the census of 1850 
organ from him for .£200, which was used till ; we learn that it then contained three hundred 
17G3, when a larger one was substituted. \ i^n^l twenty-eight houses and three farms. By 
These are all the facts we are at present ona- ■ 'he triennial assessment of 1858, the real es- 
bled to give of this family. ) tate was valued at $340,675, and the horacB 

( and cattle at $4307. At the present time it con- 
\ tains thirty-seven stores, as follows: six mer- 
< chandise, five boot and shoe, five confection- 
5 ery, four clothing, two stove, two hardware, 
POTTSTOWN ' ^^° g''Ocery, two jewelry, two drug, one trim- 

j ming«, one hat, one dry goods, one leather, 
. one book and stationery, one tobacco and one 
The borough of Pottstown is situated on the j' provision store, besides one lumber and six 
north side of the Schuylkill river, at the mouth < coal yards. It also contains seven churches, 
of Manatawny creek, twenty miles from Nor- < eight public and two private schools, five ho- 
ristown and thirty-seven from Philadelphia. <; tels, two rolling mills, two fire engines, a bank, 
It contains an area of two hundred and sixty- > library, tannery, gasworks and the extensive 
eight acres, which was wholly taken from Potts- ) machine shops of the Reading railroad, 
grove township, on its erection into a borough | The first house of worship built in Pottstown 
in 1815. It is bounded on the northeast and ,, was the Quaker meeting house which was erect- 
west by Pottsgrove, northwest by the Mana- j ed some time previous to 1795. The present 
tawny creek, and south and southwest by the ) meeting house is a small one story brick build- 
Scbuylkill river, on which it has a front of | ing. The Lutherans and German Reformed 
three fourths of a mile, and ex^enth back from hold worship in the Union church, whloh is a 



large two slorj biick edifice Kilii a cupola. > works v.cut into opuraiiou iu IHoCj. To this 
The Lutheiuu clergyman is the Uev. George '. time t!ie place possesses no waterworks. In 
F. Miller, aud the Germau Reformed the Uev. ( 1828 S. Royer published here two weekly 
N. C. Stra'jsburger. Attached to this church ^ newspapers, the ^^ Jfojilffovicri/ Rejiullican" and 
is a fine graveyard contaiuiug about two acres. •; '^D<r)- Adoocat," in German. In 1832 " The 
The Epi'copal church ij built of stone, in the \ Amcricari Star" was published here, which, not 
Gothic style, with a high sp're. Its pastor is ) long after, gave way to the " Foltstown Jour- 
the Uev. Aaron Christman. The present | nal." The only paper now published hero is 
church was erected iu 1847, wUeu the previous I the *^ 3Iont (joinery Ledger," by Davis and Wil- 
one, which bad been built, in 1883, was torn { liamson, which commenced its career in 1844, 
down. The Presbyterian church is a large \ The Perkiomen and Reading turnpike road 
aud handsome structure with the highest spire i was made under the acts o( March 20th, 1810, 
iu the town. Its present pastor is the Rev. ■, and February 13th, 1810, and passes through 
Robert Cruikshanks. The Methodist church. < Pottstown. It was commenced in 1811 and 
ia a one story building erected iu iS38. The \ finished in 1815, and extends from Reading to 
Catholic church at present is under the charge ^ the Perkioraeu Bridge, a distance of twenty- 
of the Rev. Mr. Davis. The Baptist church ) nine miles. It cost $7000 per mile, the State 
was built in the summer of 1858, aud is a large > subscribing $58,000. The canal of the Schuyl- 
and handsome two story building. The town \ kill navigation company is on the opposite sido 
contained one house of worship in 1795 ; two s of the river. The bridge over the Mnnatawny 
in 1832, and four ia 1842. The Rev. Edmund ) crsek is built of stone and was completed in 
Leaf, who is a native of this place, informed us ;'. 1805. The county commissioners, by an act of 
that not thirty years ago all the preaching, ) March 25th, 1803, were empowered to collect 
(excepting by the Quakers,) was done in the ; toll on this bridge which was to go towards de- 
German language. At the northeast end of the ■ fraying its expenses while building. The 
town is a cemetery which is laid out with walks ) bridge over the Schuylkill at this place was in- 
and planted with shrubbery and trees. It ^ corporatedby an act of March 5th, 1819. It 
contains a number of handsome monuments. '■', was commenced in 1820, and was made passa- 
Tho borough contains eight public schools, \ ble in 1821. It measures between the abut- 
which, for the school year, ending with June \ ments three hundred and forty feet, is twenty- 
Ist, 1857, were opeu six months and attended \ eight feet wide and eighteen feet above the 
by three hundred and ninety-two scholars. ;: water. Its total cost was nearly $14,000, of 
The sum of $1,400 was levied to defray the s which sum the State subscribed $3,000. The 
expenses of the same. The public school-house ; Pleading railroad crosses the Manatawny a 
19 a large two story brick building, erected iu s short distance below the turnpike by a sub- 
1854. The academy, which was built in 1834, .) stantial stone bridge of five arches and one 
is a remarkably quaint looking edifice of stone, ) thousand and seventy-one feet in length, 
one story high. Pottstown contains several' Of the various improvements passingthrough 
excellent schools. The Cottage Female Semi- ); the place none singly have contributed so much 
nary is a fine large three story building, of < to the prosperity of the town as the Reading 
which the Rev. Robert Cruikshanks is princi- '' railroad. The company by whom this grand 
pal. Mr. M. Meigs has a fine building, on an ^ work was constructed was chartered the 4th of 
elevation near the Female seminary, for boys. \ April, 1833. Surveys were shortly after made 
These institutions are both situated near the :; and before the lapse of another yexr it was placed 
Reading pike at the east end of the town. | under contract as far as this borough. On the 

The Bank of Pottstown was incorporated in j 9th of December, 1839, the road was opened 
1857, and went into operation in October of ; from the city to Reading, a distance of fifty- 
the same year. Henry Potts ia Pi-esident and \ nine miles. It was not completed toPottsville 
Wm. Mintzer cashier. The library was found- ; till the beginning of 1842, when it was opened 
ed about 1845, and contain.s at present one ' with considerable display. The total length of 
thousand and fifty volumes. D. II. Keim | the road is ninety-eight miles, and cost $10- 
is librarian. There was a previouH library ^ 262,720. For the year ending with January 
here which was commenced before 1831, but \ 1st, 1859, nearly one million, seven bundrecl 
eeveral years afterwarda went down. The gas- \ thousand tons of coal were sent over this liae, 



112 IlISTOKV OF MOKTCOMLRY COl MY. 

being (hreo Liiiidrod thousand tous luoro than John Potts haiUiiy niill. The incseut buildiug 
had pasai'd wiiiiiu the same time over the ■ was erected in 1814. 

Schuylkill navigation. The railroad company ; Washington, with bis army, crossed 1h 
Lave erected several extensive machine shops \ Schuylkill at Parker's Ford, five miles below 
ia Pottatown, chiefly for repairs of tracks, > t^is plac«, September lUlh, 1777, and proceed- 
bridges, cars and locomotives. The dimensions ', «^1 to this vicinity, where the army remained 
of the largest shop is one hundred and fifty- ^ while the British marched to Philadelphia. How 
one by eighty-one, the second one hundred ', lo^g the army continued in this neighborhood 
and eighty-one by forty-one, and the next in ] is not exactly khown, but probably not niuch 
Bite is eighty-one bv forty-four feet. The ] over a week, for we know that on thel'bth they 
passenger depot is a baudsomo two story stone ^ were encamped at Skippack. lu a letter from 
building with a cupola. At the east end of the \ tl^i* Pl«ce, dated September 23d, Wa.shingtou 
town the company have an establishment by J says that more than one thousand of his men 
steam for preparing sills. It is said if all the \ were barefooted, and that, owing to the want of 
locomotives and passenger and freight cars bo- '> sboes, he was unable to make forced marches, 
longing to the company were placed together on | l^foni Scott's Gazetteer we learn that in 1705 
R singfe track, they would extend in length a \ tbere was a postotfice here, which at that lime 
distance of over fifteen miles. The author has 5 ^'^^ "'° ""^^^ ""^^ ^" "'^ ca^x^<^^y. 15y an act of 
counted ninety-five cars loaded with coal on \ Assembly, passed April 8th, 1802, the elections 
this road drawn by a single locomotive, and "^ Limerick and parts of Douglas and New 
was told of the number being as high as one Haaovcr were ordered to be held at the house 
hundred aud fifty-five. } °f G^°''8^ Pfleiger, of this town. After' 

' the erection of the borough the town was laid 
The town received its name from John Potts, J ^^^ ^jjj surveyed by Thomas Baird, in Septem- 
an enterprising miller, who, in 1752, resided / ^gj.^ jgog. ju .January, 1829, the name of the 
here, and was then known as Pottsgrovc. Not ^ post-office was changed to its present one of 
long previous he had lived ou hi.« extensive j pottstown. In 1832 the place contained nearly 
plantation aud mills in Colebrookdale, in Berks ; ^^^ hundred dwellings, a mill, four stores, four 
county. It is said that he erected the first mill ^ taverns and two churches. In consequence of 
ou the Mauatawny creek, near the present bo- ; ^^^q increase of population, the borough, by au 
rough, and that ho built the large two story \ ^ct of Assemby, passed March lGth,1842, was 
Btouo house, on the north side of the creek, ^ divided into two wards, which continue to the 
now owned by Mr. Davis. Its dimensions are ; present time, one being called the East and the 
about forty-six by twenty-eight feet, and the j other the West ward. 

Htones have been nicely dressed into squares. ' Benjamin B. Yost, formerly Register of the 
It is said wheu this house was built, on account ;; county, aud now aged seventy-two years, in- 
of its size, it was regarded with wonder by the / formed us that he well remembers when they 
people of this Bection of the country. There ] caught shad and herring in the river here in 
is a tradition that Washingtonin the Revolution, ;! abundance. Hon. Jacob S. Yost, formerly 
while in this vicinity, made it his head-quar- ^ member of Congress, but at present United 
ters. Mr. Potts was the father of Isaac Potts, ', States Marshal for the Eastern District of 
who erected the first forge at Valley Forge. ;; Pennsylvania, is a resident of this borough. 
Mr. Davis also owns the large three story flour ' The population of Pottstown, at this lime, is 
Qiill near his residence. It was here where :J probably two thousand eight hundred. 



APPENDIX. 



BIOORAPHICAL SKETCHES. 



John Roberts, 

AmoDg the first that came l^om Wales and 
eettledin Lower Metiob, was the Roberts famii 
!y. They belonged to the Society of Ftiends 
and weto distingUiBhed for their industry, en- 
terprise and respectability. The subject of 
this notice, we may say, was born to wealth, 
and from his position in society exerted more 
or less influence with those he came in contact. 
\Ve may call him, by his business, a farmer ; 
but he was generally known as John Robeite, 
the Miller, to distinguish him from others 
bearing the name in that vicinity. Oiir infor- 
mation respecting his early life is scant, indeed, 
but we shall cheerfully give slich as we have 
been enabled to secure while prosecuting te- 
searches on other matters. 

In 1773, with several others, he was appoint- 
ed by the Assembly otie of the commissionefs 
to improve the navigation of the Schdylkill. 
A convention for the province of Pennsylvania 
was held at Philadelphia from the 23d to the 
28th of January, 1775, of which he Vraa one of 
the twelve delegates from Philadelphia county. 
The object of this convention Was to endeavor 
to get the Assembly to pass a law to prohibit 
the future importation of slaves. The Revo- 
lution next followed, and as the contest waxed 
warmer and warmer, the people accordingly 
espoused the cause of one or the other of the 
parties. Mr. Roberts at first remained neutral, 
and it is said was not at least an active parti- 
cipant till after the banishment of several in- 
fluential Friends by th-3 Americans from Phila- 
delphia under a guard to Reading, and from 
thence to Virginia. While the British were on 



their march with » powerful army to Philadel- 
phia, in the fall of 1777, Mr. Roberts joined 
them and gaVe in^tthation how they might 
capttfre iiis friebds, wbo were then on their 
way to exile. 

After the British had taken possession of the 
city, .Joseph GalloWay Was appointed superin- 
tendent gehetal of the police, and Mr. Roberta 
acted as sp^ &nii kgent for him, giving him in- 
formation of the residence and whereabouts of 
the most pfomlherit whigs who lived in the vi- 
cinity of the city. In June, 1778, the British 
evacuated Philadelphia and this placed Mr. 
Roberts In an unfortunate position, especially 
as the owner of valuable real estate. No 
dotfbt, if it would not have been for this, he 
would have followed their departure. The 
Atnericans arrested him, and after a long trial 
tind close examination he was found guilty as a 
traitor to his country. Powerful efforts were 
now made by his friends, as well as a number of 
ardent wbigs, to save him — but in vain. He 
was publicly e;cecuted in the city, with Abra- 
ham Carlisle, in November of the same year. 
His remains were interred by the side of his an- 
cestors in the grave-yard of the nncient Lower 
Merion meeting house. His real estate was 
confiscated and ordered to be sold at the court 
house, in Philadelphia, the 21st of June, 1780. 
His homestead contained three hundred acres, 
with a good mansion house, two grist mills, a 
saw mill, paper »>i>land several tenant houses. 
Adjoining this was a farm of seventy-eight 
acres, and on the Schuylkill another property 
of three hundred acres, with three dwelling 
houses, a saw mill, powder mtil and oil mill. 
The proceeds of these sales were ororered to bd 
applied to- the use of the Unmrfriity &f renn- 



114 



HISTORY OF MONTOOMERY COUST?. 



sylTftnift. All tlio aforeeftiJ property was In 
Lower Merlon, nnil a pnrt of the homestead is 
now owncJ by Samuel Robeson. 



Charles Thomson 



f 1824, at the advanced age of nrnety-foar years. 
I He was buried in a Presbyterian grate yard, 
j near the Baptist meeting house, on the Gulf 
'i road, where several years afterwards his re- 
I mains were removed to Laurel Hill cemetery, 
i where they now repose. His mansion house is 
) still Btanuing near the present Green Itev 
< tavern on the Gulf road, and is now owned 6y 
\ Levi Morris. 



Wag a native of Ireland, yihere ho was born 
in 1730. He came to America rn 3741, m com- 
pany with his three elder brotBers, and landed 
at New Castle, Delaware. They were all poor 
and entirely dependent on their own exertions 
for a livelihood. Charles received the greater 
part of his education from Dr. Allison, ^^^ 
afterwards became a teacher in an academy at 
New Castle. In the course of a few years he 
removed to Philadelphia and formed an inti- 
mate acquaintance with Dr. Franklin, The 
troubles of the Revolution were now approach- 
ing, and at the first meeting of the Continental 
Congress in the city, in 1774, he was called to 
the responsible duty of keeping the miuutesof 
their proceedings. He continued to hold the 
office of secretary till after the close of the 
war, in 1789, when he resigned. Ho was mar- 
ried to Hannah Harrison, and settled on her 
extensive estate called Harriton, in Lower 
Merion, where he continued to reside for the 
remainder of his days. The Abbe Robin, who 
was attached to Rochambeau's staflf, gives the 
following description of Mr. Thomson in the 
Revolution : " His meagre figare, furrowed 



Edwaud Farmer, 



The subject of this sketch arrived', with biff 
father, Jasper Farmer, at Philadelphia, the 
TOth of ninth month, 1G85, in the ship Bristol 
Merchant, commanded by John Stephens. Ed- 
Ward' settled on a large tract of land near Cher 
present village of Whitemarsh, which had beea 
purchased Tby his father. At an early period 
be here built a grist mill on the Wissahickon 
creek, which in its day was widely known. 
From the Colonial Records we know that this 
mill was erected some time previous to 1722, 
and stood on the same spot where is now Sam- 
uel Comly's merchant mill. From his remote 
situation in the woods, he early asquired a 
knowledge of the Indian language, and on 
•everal occasions acted as interpreter for- the 
government. With John Sotcher, in May, 
; 1701, he was sent as an agent to the Lehigh 
river, to ascertain the intentions of the Indians 



countenanet!, itis hollow sparkling eyes, his '/ ©f that vicinity. In 1710 the St. Thomas'" 



white, straight hair, that did not hang quite so 
low as his ears, fixed our thorough attention, 
and' filled us with surprise and admiration." 
Mr. Thomson, from his position, had an ex- 
cellent opportunity to judge not only the char- 
acters of all the members of Congress, but the 
contrast existing between the respective ses- 



> Episcopal church was built on a lot of gronndl 
I which he presented for the purpose. An Indi- 
'/ an council was held at his house the 19th of 
J May, 1712, at which was present the Governor, 
I Charles Oooken, and several of his friends, be- 
I sides a number of Indians. The most promi- 
', nent chiefs at this meeting were Sasunan, Ea- 
eions, in virtue and ability m ct)ndncting the t lochelan and Scolitchy, the latter being the 
war. Ke- often eapressed himself unfavorably 5 principal speaker. Mr. Farmer was commis- 
of the Congress of 1777-8, as not being near ^ sioned ono of the justices of the courts of 
80 zealous, patriotic and ablo a body as previ- ) Philadelphia county, in September, 1704, and 
ously. It was in this Congress that a certain > continued to hold the same for a period of 
few wished to supplant Washington for Gates, \ nearly forty years. In 1716 he was elected 
and it was chiefly owing to their tardiness that ;! one of the members of Assembly from Phila- 
the arnoy at WhitemareU and Valley Forge / delphia county. He died the 8d of Novem- 
BufTered so much from the want of proper \ ber, 1745, aged seveuty-thrce years, and was 
clothing and other necessaries. Mr. Thomson ', buried iu the grave-yard atfached to St. Tho- 
Icrminated his long-career the IGthof August, ^; mas' church, where a stone ia erected to hi» 



APPENDIX. 



115 



Nicholas Scull. 



memory. We believe there are none of tLel ing-ground, on Camp Hill, near the line of 
name of Farmer now living in Whitemarsh. | Whitemarsh and Upper Dublin townships. He 

published a map from his own surveys, in Phil- 
adelphia, in 1759, of the improved parts of 
Penn^^ylvani.v and Maryland. Mr. Scull died at 
an advance 1 nge, in 17G1, when John Lukena, of 
Horsham, was appointed his successor. His 
daughter, Mary Scull, was married to William 
s BldJle, whose son, Edward Diddle, was an of- 
We are inclined to believe that he was the j ^c^r in the Revolution, a member of Assembly, 
eon of Nicholas Scull who arrived at Philadel- \ ^ speaker of the House, and a member of Con- 
phia, with Jasper Farmer, in 1C85, and after- ^ S^ess. William Scull, who published a large 
vards settled ia Whitemarsh, where we know \ ^''P ^^ Pennsylvania, in 1770, was also a 
the subject of this article resided for some grandson. Mr. Lukens appointed him deputy 
time. Mr. Scull, as a land surveyor, had few \ surveyor general. Afterwards he served in 



equals, and for a knowledge of the Indian lan- 
guage no superior. From what information 
•we have been enabled to procure respecting 
tim, we ar« led to believe he must have receiv- 
ed a better education than was generally given 
At this early period of our colonial history. 
In 1722 he made the survey of the road leading 
from where is now the Willow Grove to Gover- 
nor Keith's residence, in Horsham, and from 
this latter place another road on the counly 
line to the York road. He was sent with h'a 
brother, John Scull, as interpreter, by Governor 
Gordon, in May, 1728, to hold a cowncil with 
the Indians at Conestoga. The game year, in 



the geographical department, under Mr. Ers- 
kine, from 1778 to 1780. 



Jacob Ritter. 



His parents were Jacob and Elizabefh Ritter, 
who came from Germany, and when they had 
I arrived in America bound themselves as ser- 
^ vants to pay for tJieir passnge. His father 
s served three, and hia mother lour years 
consequence of a disturbance between several ^ When their servitude was over, they married 
Indians and whites, residing in the vicinity of > and settled in Springfield township, Bucks 
New Hanover township, in this county, he woo ^ county, where Jacob was born in 1757. The 
Bent with presents to pncify the former, iu s Revolution breaking out he joined as a soldier, 
which object he was completely successful. \ and at the battle of Brandywine was taken a 
He was sent on a similar errand to Shamokin, s prisoner by some IleseJans and confined, with 
in 1729. Mr. Scull, we know, in 1731 resided I nine hundred others, in the prison at Philadel- 
in Philadelphia, and for several years after- 5 phia. Through the influence of his cousin and 
wards. Governor Thomas, in May, 1740, sent l Joseph Galloway, the superintendent of police, 
him to the Minesinks to settle a difficulty that \ he was discharged from confinement. In the 
had arisen between a white man of the name s spring of 1778 he married Dorothy Smith and 
of Henry Webb and an Indian, by which the I moved to the city. After a residence there of 
former was wounded. In October, 1714, he s several years ha lost his wife, when, in the 
was commissioned sheriff of Philadelphia coun- I spring of 1794, he moved with his children to 
ty, which office he held for several years. The \ Springfield. In 1802 he married Ann Williams, 
Indians from Shamokin having visited Gover- \ of Buckinnhara. Having sold his farm iu 
nor Thomas, in Philadelphia, in July, 1745, he I Richland and pur^liased nne in Plymouth town- 
was again solicited to serve as interpreter, s ship, ho move 1 on it in 1812 and continued to re- 
Through ill health, William Parsons resigned I side there f r the lOtiftinder of his life. He was 
the office of surveyor general of Pennsylvania, < a n inislcr nniins Frimds for fifty years, and of 
and in June, 1748, Mr. Scull was appointed in s Plymouth meeting neaily twenty-nine. Ho 
his place, and whicii he continued to hold to \ died the 15th of December, 1841, aged eighty- 
the close of his life— a period of thirteen years. \ five years, and his remains were interred in 
Abigail, bis wife, died ia 1753, in her sixty- 
fifth year, and was buried in the family bury- 



Friends' burial ground at Plymouth. Though 
he never received more than an ordinary edu- 



IIG 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUXTy. 



cation, he wrote a journtil And memoir of his I 
life, which was published io 18-44, with a pre- ^ 
face, additionfl and notes, by Joseph Fguike, ^ 
of Qwynedd. It is a small duodecimo of one < 
hundred and elercn pages, from whiph we have \ 
ohisfly prepared this sketch. ] 



Andrew Porter. 



Robert Porter was a native of Ireland and \ 
emigrated iu early life to this country, and set- < 
tied in AVorcester township, in this county, | 
where his son, Andrew Porter, was born Sep- \ 
temher 24th, 1743. His father furnished him \ 
with a good education, and in the spring of s 
1767 he removed to Philadelphia and took \ 
charge of an English and mathematical school, ]■ 
until the spring of 1776. On the 19th of June, x 
he was commissioned by Congress a captain of | 
marines, and ordered on board the frigate Ef- > 
(ingham. lie afterwards left the navy and j 



general in the ^mericaa army, and also the 
office of se.cretary of war, bot-h of which he 
declined. Mr. Porter rested ^P the ppper part 
of the borough of Norristown, near the Ridgo 
turnpike, in the mnnoion now occupied by Col. 
Thomas P. Knox. Robert Porter, the general's 
father, died iu 1770, at the age of seventy-two 
years, and U buried in the Norriton Presbyte- 
rjaa grave-yard, where a large stone is erected 
to bis menjory. fhe sons of Andrew Porter 
haye been quite distingiiisbed. Gen. David R. 
Porter wa? governor of Pennsylvania from 1838 
to 1844. Gen. .fames AJ. Porter has been a 
member of Assemljly, president judge of the 
twenty-second judicial district, and secretary 
of war under President Tyler. George P. 
Porter was judge. United States Marshal of 
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and sub- 
sequently governor of Michigan, in which 
office he died in 1834, in his forty-fourth year. 
All these sons are natives of this county, an^ 
the two former are still living. 



joined the army ns a captain and served with \ 



great gallantry at Trenton, Princeton and Bran- s 
4ywine. At Valley Forge he was a major of a i 
j:egiR;ent of artillery, and during the war was > 
i;i considerable eervice. With David Ritten- s 
ho;^8e, in ^e spring of 1785, he was appointed ;: 
a commJBSJouer on ^e part of Pennsylvania to \ 
ascertain the boundary ^elpecn tjjis State and I 
Virginia. In ,the spring of 1787, with ^.ndrew \ 
Ellicott, he cosjmeneed the survey of the nor- \ 
thern .boi;Lndary of the Slate, which was com- ^ 
p^eted by the middle of the following Novem- s 
ber. While engaged on this work, he says : — i 
"The Indians appear friendly jf,nd have ex- ;; 
pressed no dissatisfaction to oijr running the i 
line." For his services Goverijor JSnyder, the j 
4th of Aprij, ISO?, appoiniej him supveyor \ 
general of Pennsyjyania, which o§5ce ^e held \ 
till his death, which oocurred Kovember i,6th, ; 
1818, at the age of seyenty years. I>e died at 
Harrisburg, where he was buried F'tb military 
honors in the Presbyterian burying-grouad, and 
a neat white marble monument designates ^he 
spot. At the close of the Revolution Mr. 
Porter was colonel of the Fourth Pennsylvania 
Regiment of artillery and. subsequently briga- 
dier and major general of the second division 
of the militia. It is said that President Madi- 
son offered bim the commission of brigadier 



David Rittenhouse. 



As numerous biographical sketches of this 
distinguished philosopher have at different 
times appeared, an extended notice is therefore 
deemed unnecessary. He was the eldest soi^ 
of Mathias Rittenhouse, and was born the 8th 
of April, 1732, at his father's place on the AVisr 
sahiekon creek, near Germantown. While Da^ 
rid was an infant his father, with his family, 
removed to a farm he had purchased in Norri- 
ton township, this county, a short distance east 
of the ancient Presbyterian church, on the 
B,e{}-ding road. He was prifl.P'pally induced to 
settle here through his brother Henify who had 
preceded him several years and who had ta- 
ken up his abode iu Worcester township in the 
immediate vicinity. It was the design of his 
father that David should be a farmer, and from 
his earliest years we find him engaged ip c,p- 
sisting in the laborious duties of the farm. It i(i 
said that ia bis fourteenth year, he was actually 
engaged in ploughing the fields. He ezjiibited 
his mechanical genius quite early, for when 
barely eight years of age h« made a completd 
water-mill in miniature. His younger brother 
used to say, that while be was employed io t|)9 



APPENDIX. 



Ill 



^elJs, ihe ^epe^tedly obscrveJ tie fences, ftud j cases of astronomy." Fie afterwards construct- 
even the plough with which he had been work- \ ed another planetarium for the University of 
Jng, marked over with mathematical figures. | Pennsylvania. In 17G9 Mr. Rlt;enhouse was 



The construction of a wooden clock in his se- ■ 
yeuteenth year caused some nstonishment, as it ! 
,was known that he had not previously received 
instruction either in mathematics or mechan- 
ics. Owing to the Selycnay of his constitu- 
tion and the irresistible bent of his talents, 
with the consent of hi? parents, he gave up farm- 
ing, and in his eighteenth year built himself a 
small but commodious workshop on his fa- 
ther's farm by the side of a public road, and 
having obtained the necessary tools, sei up the 
business of a ciock and eiatbematical instru- 
ment maker. Besides devoting himself to 
these labors, in his leisure he closely applied 
himself to the study of mathematics and as- 
tronomy. So industrious was he, and with 
t)ut the aid of three or four books, before his 
twenty-fifth year he was enabled to read the 
Principia of Newton in Latin. It is even as- 
serted that he discovered the method of Flux- 
ions, and was not aware of it till several years 
afterwards that Newton and Leibnitz had con- 
tended for the honor of the discovery of which 
-he had deemed himself the author. In 1764 
Mathias Rittenhouse moved to his farm, which 
lay nearly adjoining in Worcester township, 
and gave the one he had previously resided on, 
of one hundred and fifty acres, to David, who, 
the 20th of February, 1766, married Elianor 
Colston, daughter of Bernard Colston, a re- 
spectable farmer in the neighborhood. After 
this event he continued to reside here for a pe- 
riod of about four years. In 1768 he made 
liis first planetarium for the Princeton college, 
which is regarded as a wonderful piece of sci- 
^entifie mechanism, and which may still be seen 
4,here, and for which he received three hundred 
pounds, Pennsylvania currency. Dr. Gordon, 



named one of the committee appointed by the 
American Philosophical Society, to observe the 
transit of Venus over the sun's disk, which hap- 
pened the third of June of that year. His as- 
sistants were the Rev. Dr. Wm. Smith, the pro- 
vost of the University, John Lukens, Surveyor- 
General of Pennsylvania, and John Teller, a 
member of Assembly from Chester county. 
Their observations on this occasion were made 
at his temporary observatory on his farm. It is 
said when he observed the contact of that plan- 
et with the sun at the moment predicted, his 
excitement became so great that he fainted. 
The same year he was employed in settling the 
boundaries between New ¥ork and New Jersey, 
afterwards between Pennsylvania and Virginia, 
Pennsylvania and New York, and the latter 
State and Massachusetts. In the autumn of 
1770 he removed with his family to Philadel- 
phia, where he continued to carry on his self- 
acquired occupation of a clock and mathemati- 
cal instrument maker. While the British forces 
under Sir William Flowe held possession of the 
city, Mr. Rittenhouse chiefly resided at Lan- 
caster, while his family remained with his 
wife's relatives in Norriton and Worcester 
townships. 

He held the office of treasurer of Pennsyl- 
vania from 1777 to 1789, He was elected a 
member of the American academy of arts and 
sciences, at Boston, in 1782, and of the Royal 
society of London in 1795. In 1791 he was 
chosen the successor of Dr. Franklin, as pre- 
sident of the American philosophical society, 
which office he held till his death. He was, 
also, in 1792, appointed director of the United 
States mint, and coBtinued in the office till 1795, 
when ill health induce4 him to resign. His 



.writing in 179G, says of this work:—" There \ constitution was naturally feeble and his last 



is not the like in Europe. An elegant ar.d 
.neatly ornamented frame riseg perpendicular 
^ear upon eight feet, in the front of which you 
are presented, in three several apartments, 
.with a view of the celestial system, the motions 
of the planets around thp sun, and the satal- 
lites about .the planets. T^e wheels, &c., that 
produce the moyement.^re bjehind the wooden 
perpendicular i|raii?>e in which the orrery is 



illness was short and painful, but his patience 
and benevolence did not forsake him. He died 
in the city the 2eth of June, 1796, aged sixty- 
four years. His remains were interred in the 
cemetery adjoining the Presbyterian church, 
in Pine street, where a plain marble slab indi- 
cates the spot. By order of the Philosophical 
Society, Dr. Rush delivered, in his ablest man- 
ner, a handsome eulogium on his life and 
virtues, which was afterwards published. 



fixed. By suitable contrivances you in a short 

time tell the eclipses of the sun and moon for ] Although Mr. Rittenhouse, in his youth, had 

f^ged p^tst o.cd age» to come; the like in other j enjoyed only thje advantages of a very limited 



118 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



educfttion, yet, in after life, by his imlustry, > socinte judges of tho Court of Common Plena 
energy and application, became an accomplish- \ of this county, was married to a daughter of 
ed scholar. He communicated several valuable .; General Dull. Wni. Bull, who was probably n 
papers on his favorite sludies, which were •: brother, resided in Norriton township in 1770, 
published in the three first volumes of the s where he had purchased a farm of Heury Con- 
Philosophical Transactions. IIo understood ; nard. 
the German and Low Dutch languages well, s 
and translated several articles from their most ^ 
celebrated writers. Tho life of David Ritten- ^ 
house is an instance of what can be success- s 

fully accomplished by assiduity when almost > IIeNRY MeLCIIIOR MuIILENBERG. 
unaided and under the most adverse circum- \ 
stances. > 

I The Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg, tho founder of 

\ the distinguished family of (his name, was born 

\ in Eimbeck, in the kingdom of Ilnnover, the 
:; Gth of September, 1711, His father died while 
s he was quite young, and at an early period had 
I to rely on his own exertions as a teacher for 
s support. On the 19th of March, 1735, he en- 
\ tered the University of Gottingen, where he 
; made rapid progress in his studies. In 1737 
I he was received in the Theological Sominary, 
\ where, after graduating, he entered the Univer- 
sity of Hallo for the purpose of fitting himself 



John Bull 



Was ft native of Providence township, in this 
county, where the family had resided for se- \ 
veral generations. In the beginning of 1771 he \ 
lived in Limerick where he resided till he pur- \ 
chased the mill and plantation of Charles Nor- ^ 

nsthe following 17th of September, where is s more perfectly for the ministry. About 1740, 
now the present borough of Norristown. He \ the early Lutheran settlers of Pennsylvania 
was at this time a justice of the county court, s having become tired of those who officiated 
which office^ he held for several years. In Umong them as clergymen, and whom they de- 
January, 1775, he was one of the twelve mem- \ nounced as impostors, wrote to the professors 
bers of Philadelphia county that met in a pro- \ of the University of Halle for a regularly or- 
vincial convention, whcse object was to get the | dained and commissioned pastor to take charge 
Assembly to pass a law to prohibit the future \ of their feeble flocks. For this purpose Mr. 
importation of slaves into the colony. This \ Muhlenberg was selected, and accordingly in 
same year, in consequence of the revolutionary | the spring of 1742 he left Halle for London, 
troubles, the Assembly authorized the enlist- | He then embarked in a vessel, and after a per- 
ment of a battallion of eight companies for the > ilous voyage, landed the 22d of September at 
continental service, to be under the command Charlestown, South Carolina, from whence ho 
of Col. Bull, until January, 1778. With three | journeyed to Philadelphia, where he arrived 
othersbe represented Philadelphia county in the \ the 25th of November. On the 28th he preached 
convention tiiat framed the constitution of the \ his first sermon at the Swamp, in New Hanover 
State, and which was adopted the 28th of Sep- \ township, this county. He found but three 
tember, 177G, In November of this year he I organized Lutheran congregations— one at 
disposed of all his property in Noniton town- 'Philadelphia, one at the Trappe, and one at 
ship to Dr. Wm. Smith of Philadelphia, for the >, New Hanover. The latter congregation had a 
eum of £6000. He was confirmed a justice of s log church and one hundred and twenty mem- 
the courts by the Assembly, August Gist, 1778. j; bers. At the Trappe were about fifty members, 
Not long after this date he moved to Berkeley s who worshipped in a barn. Churches were 
eounty, Virginia, where ho erected a mill on s soon built, and during his labors they prosper- 
the Opeckon creek. He was still living there \ ed abuHdautly. His services were divided be- 
in 1795, which is the last we know of him. \ tween the three congregations, and as may be 
Benjamin EiUenhouse, a brother of the cele- \ supposed, were very arduous, requiring him to 
brated philosopher, and who was commissioned ); travel in his regular journeys many miles 
by Governor Mifllin in 17'J;!, as oo£ uS Uie aa- ' through tho wilderness on horseback. In 1746 



APPENDIX. 



119 



he received the assistanco of Heveial other breth- ( world had ever seen, and that for only ti»o 
ren who arrived as pastors and teachers from | hundred copies of which he should receive the 
Germany. The 30th of April of this year he \ enormous sum of $160,000, he would almost 
married Anna Maria, daughter of Col. Conrad !; have been regarded as insane. Surely to have 
Weiser, the celebrated Indian interpreter, and | said this would, in the opinion of many, been 
Immediately settled at the Trappe, where he ^ looked upon as positive insanity, if not 
continued to reside till October, 1761, when he \ downright absurdity. But this is only one of 



moved to Philadelphia to take charge of the 
church there. In 177G he returned again to 
the Trappe to take charge of its congregation, 
and where he continued now to reside for the 
remainder of bis life. lie died October 7th, 
1787, aged 76 years. He was buried in the I 
Trappe graveyard, where also repose the re- < 
mains of several members of his family. The \ 
memory of his piety and usefulness will long s 
be cherished by the numerous Lutheran i 
Churches which have since sprung from the n 



the many instances that history can show 
where troth is stranger than fiction. Perhaps 
of all the many visionary schemes for literary 
success, tone have been so extravagant as the 
above, which really came to pass. What we 
particularly admire in the genius of Mr. Au- 
dubon, is his remarkable perseverance and 
success in accomplishing one of the greatest 
literary undertakings, unaided by governmento I 
appropriations, but relying solely on hia own 
exertions. It has been too much the case, both 
before and since, in producing great scientific 



three to which he ministered. Mr. Muhlen- 
berg had seven children that reached maturity, ^ undertakings (and perhaps none of this mag- 
three sons and four daughters. Peter was a \ nitude) for governments to lavish great sums 
Major General in the Revolutionary army ; j to assist their favorites in their particular avo- 



Frederick was a Speaker of Congress and Hen- 
ry a distinguished botanist. Among the daugh- 
ters, one was married to the Rev. John C. 
Shultz, and was the mother of Governor Shultz, 
and another was married to General Francis 
Swaine. Mr. Muhlenberg, we are aware, has 
been styled by several writers the father of 
the Lutheran church in America, and also the 
first regularly ordained minister sent here. 
This is an error which we will here take the 
liberty of contradicting. Long before he was 
born the Swedes had built Lutheran churches, 
and had regularly ordained ministers not only 



cations. It is especially when viewed in this 
respect, that we must award him a niche in the 
Temple of Fame, to which greater names in 
the world's estimation are not as deserving of 
being placed. 

John James Audubon, the celebrated Ameri- 
can ornithologist, was a son of John Audubon 
and Anno Moynette, his wile, both natives of 
the commune of Coucron, near the city of 
Nantes, in France. He had beenjan oflBicer in 
the naval service of his country, but in conse- 
quence of Louisiana being then a French pos- 
session, ho removed there, and settled on a 



in Pennsylvania, but in several of the adjoining ^ plantation near New Orleans, where his son 
States, which churches exist tothis day, though 
generally as respects worship we believe have 
before this become Episcopalian. Mr. Muhlen- 
berg could speak Latin, German, Dutch and 
English well, besides having a knowledge of 
several other languages. 



was born the 4th of May, 1780. Under the 
instruction of his father, who was a man of 
education, he was early taught a love of natu- 
ral objects, to which he afterwards attributed 
his inclinations to those pursuits. While quite 
young he was sent to Paris to pursue his edu- 
cation. While there he attended the school of 
natural history and arts, and in drawing took 
lessons from the celebrated David. He re- 
turned in his eighteenth year, when his father 
resided in Philadelphia, and who had as early 
as March 28th, 1789, as we learn from the 
<, county records, purchased of Augnstin Pre- 
Ilad any peison predicted, near the close of ' vest, in Providence township, at the mouth of 
the last century, that a yoath was then \ the Perkiomen creek, a tract of two hundred 
living in this country that almost unaided \ and eighty-five acres of land, with a grist and 
would in the course of time produce one \ saw mill. Mr. Audubon, the younger, about 
of the most magnificent works on birds the ■; the beginning of the present centwy, reside<i 



John James Audubon. 



120 



HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY^ 



on this pluntatioD, and In the charming preface ,can Ornithology. By hla own SiiteMiit, Uf, 
to hie '• Birds of Ameribfl,*' gives the following < Audubon appwars to have recciTeJ him rathef 
Bcoount'of it: "In PenDsJ-lVania, a beautiful j coolly, perhaps, at Ihat time, hu^ing^ fof'tted 
State almost central on the line of our Atlan- I the idea of becoming his rival. Shortly after 
tic shores, my father. In his desire of proving \ this period of his life, Mr. Blake, in his Bio- 
my friend through lire, ga^o tnS what Ameri- | graphical Dictionary, thus speaks of Audubon ; 
cans call a beautiful • plantatidt!/ tefreshed \ " His life was one of bold and fearless adven- 
during.the summer heats by the waters t)f the ^ ture, of romantic incident, and constantly vary- 
Schuylkill river and traversed by a Gfeek named | iug fortune. Hardly a region in the United 
rerkioming. Its fine woodlands, its extensive I States was left unvisited by him, and the most 



fields, its hills crowned with evergreens, offered 
many subjects to agreeable etudiea, with as 
little concern about the future as if the world 
had been made for me. My rambles invariably 
commenced at break of day 5 and to return 
wet with dew and bearing a feathered prize, 



inaccessible haunts of nature were disturbed 
by this adventurous and indefatigable ornith- 
ologist, to whom a new discovery or ft fresh 
experience was only the incentive to greater 
ardor and farther efl'orts in his favorite depart- 
ment of science." In April,1821, he sought pa- 



was, and ever will be, the highest enjoyment \ trouage in Philadelphia for the publication of 



for which I have been fitted." It vras here 
where he conceived the plan of his great work 
and in reality laid its first foundation ; it was 
here too where he married his wife and his 
eldest son was born. 
On an adjoining farm lived William Bake- 



his work, but he appears tohave been unsuccess- 
ful, for he at least relinquished it. "America," 
he says, " being my country, and the principal 
pleasures of iny life having been obtained there, 
I prepared to leave it with deep sorrow, after 
in vain trying to publish my illustrations in 



well, an Englishman by.birth, a gentleman of 5 the United States. In Philadelphia, Wilson's 
a highly refined mind and cultivated manners. < principrfl engraver, amongst others, gave it aa 
Ho had a valuable library and an extensive \ his opinitfn to toy friends, that my drawings 
philosophical apparatus. To his house, as may | could not be engraved. In New York other 
be well supposed from congeniality of taste \ difficulties presented themselves, which deter- 
and dispositions, Mr. Audubon was a frequent 5 mined me to carry my collections to Europe." 
▼isitor, which resulted in an intimacy with < In August of this year, while fifteen hundred 
Lucy, Mr. Bakewell's eldest daughter by a first < miles from home, in Upper'Oauada, on one oc- 
wife, and which resulted in a marriage about J casion he mentions that his money was stolen 



1806. Some time in the following year Mr. 
Audubon and Ferdinand Ilozier entered inter 
partnership as merchants, in Philadelphia, 



from him, when he took to painting portraits, 
by which he got plenty to carry him home. 
To meet with better encouragement he at last 



where he resided a portion of Lis time, till in \ sailed for England, where he arrived in 1826 

the summer of 1809, when ho and his partner 

removed to Louisville, Kentucky, to continue 

in the same business. lie sold the farm given 

him by his father to .Joseph Williams, Ja the 

spring of 1810. As a merchant he confesses 

that he was not successful and that his lave for 

the fields, the flowers, the forests and their 

winged inhabitants unfitted him for trade. We 



He commenced the publication of his work at 
Edinburgh, iu 1827, but afterwards transferred 
it to Loudon, where the first volume was com- 
pleted iu 1830, containing one hundred plates, 
William Swainson, Esq., iu a review of this 
work, published in the Natural History Maga- 
zine, for May, 1828, says : " The size of the 
plates exceeds anything of the kind I have 



find mention made of his visiting his father-in- \ ever seen or heard of; they arc no less than 
law, in Lower Providence, in 1810 and 1812, in \ three feet three inches long by two feet two 
pursuit of rare and curious birds. Indeed, he \ inches brood. On this vast surface every bird 
several times mentions J,in his great work the I is represented in its full dimensions. Large 
discovery of new species of birds iu this county, > as is the paper, it is sometimes (as in the male 
which had heretofore remained undescribod. ^ wild turkey) barely sufficient for the purpose. 
While at Louisville, in M-arch, 1810, he was \ In other cases, it enables the painter to group 
visited by the celebrated Alexander Wilson. \ his figures in the most beautiful and varied 
He says he entered his counting-room and j attitudes, on the trees and plants they frequent, 
aektid him to aubscribo to his work on Ameri- >. Some are feeding, others darting, pursuing, or 



APPENDIX. 



121 



capturing tbeir prey : fill have life and anima- | 
tion. The plants, fruits and flowers which I 
enrich the scene are alone still. These latter, < 
from their critical accuracy, are as valuable to } 
the botanist as the birds are to the oiiiilholo- 
gist." The applause with which it was re- 
ceived was enthusiastic and universal. The 
Kings of England and France had placed their 



Peter Muhlenberg. 



He was the eldest son of the Rev. H. M. 
Muhlenberg and was born at the Trappe, in 



names at the head of his subscription list ; he ^ this count;?, October 1st, 1746. When sixteen 

was made a Fellow of the Royal Societies of | ^^ was sent, with his two younger brothers, 

London and Edinburgh, and a member of the 

Natural History Society of Paris. With the 

first volume he obtained one hundred and 

eighty subscribers at eight hundred dollars 

each for the work, of which only six were in 

the United States. The second volume was 

finished in 1834. This edition contained in all 

about eight volumes, of which there is a copy 



Frederick Augustus and Henry Ernest, to 
Halle, in Germany, to receive an education. 
AVhile here he became restive from the re- 
straints imposed on him and ran away and 
joined a German regiment, from which he was 
only extricated through the influence of an 
English officer, with whom he came to Ameri- 
ca. On his return home he completed his 



in the library of the American Philosophical \ studies under the direction of his father who 
Society, in Philadelphia, which the writer has \ prepared him for the ministry of the Swedish 
examined. '' Lutheran church. Episcopal ordination being 

\ necessary he went to England in 1772, with 

Mr. Audubon in 1839 returned to his native s ^.^^^^ ^^^.^^^ ^^^^ .^^^^ ^ candidate for holy 

country and established himself with his fami- s ^^^jg^g^ ^^^^ ^oth were ordained to the priest- 

ly on the banks of the Hudson, near the city of ^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^j^^^p^ ^^ London and Ely. On 

New York. The following year he commenced ^ ^.^ ^^^^^.^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^1 p^^i^j^^^ 



I near Woodstock, Dunmore county, Virginia. 



\ He was not long here before the difficulties 



the publication of his Birds of America, in se- 
ven imperial volumes, of which the last was is- 
sued in 1844. The plates in this edition, re- s . ^ .■ n i j *t i • 

^ ^ ' J between the mother country and the colonies 

duced from his larger illustrations, were en- 
graved and colored in a most elegant manner by 
Mr. Bower, of Philadelphia, under the direction 
of the author. His labors as a naturalist did s 
not cease here, for with the assistance of the 



Rev. John Bachmau, he prepared for the press 
"The Quadrupeds of America," in three large 
octavo volumes, illustrated byfine colored draw- 
ings which, was published the year of bis death 
by his son, V. G. Audubon. The last years of 
his life were spent on his country seat, in a 
quiet and retired manner, mixing little with 
the world at large. The celebrated naturalist 
'Cuvior, in speaking of his great work, said it 
Ifas "the most splendid monument which art 
has erected in honor of ornithology." Hiss 
death took place the 27th of January, 1851, at 
the age of 71 years. It is a singular fuct that 
Wilson and Audubon, the two greatest writers 
on American birds, both caught their first in- 
spirations on the banks of the Schuylkill. On 
this stream, too. Dr. Godman, the zoologist, and 
Say, the entomologist, also pursued Iheir fa- 
vorite studies. 



were becoming wider and wider, with every 
prospect of war. From the beginning he was 
\ an ardent whig and was quite zealous in the 
cause of his country, and was sent by his re- 
publican friends a delegate to the House of 
Burgesses. A circumstance now transpired 
which showed that his martial spirit was too 
strong to be bound any longer to the pulpit. 
About the middle of January, 1776, he preach- 
ed his farewell sermon to his congregation on 
" The duties men owe their country," and at 
the conclusion of the services he exclaimed 
that " there was a lime for all things — a time 
to preach and a time to fight — and now was 
the time to fight." Suiting the action to the 
words, as he descended from the pulpit he de- 
liberately took off his gown for the last time, 
which had thus far covered his martial figure, 
and stood, to the surprise of all, before them 
in full uniform, as a girded warrior. He then 
read his commission as colonel, and ordered 
the drummers to beat for recruits. The ex- 
citement that followed became intense, and 
three hundred men of the several frontier 
churches enlisted that day under his banner 



122 



HISTORY OF MONTaOMERY COUNTY. 



Peter, had left, and became an accomplialipd 
scholar. He also studied the theological course 
and was ordaiucd there to the ministr}'. On 
his rctura to thin country, he took cbiirge of h 
country congregation, but not long after wss 
called to a cburch in New York. The Kt-volu- 
tion breaking out and the city coming in pos- 
session of the British, he retired to theTrappe. 



HuA tbus, without difhculty and in a short l 
lime, hiid his regiment full. His first campaign 
was in Georgia and iT^outh Carolina, and he 
became quite popular witii his soldiers, and 
trom Washington ho received fluttering corn- 
roondalions. On the 21st of February, 1777, 
be was promoted to the rank of a brigadier 
general, and in the autumn of that year was 
»iu actiTe participant in the battles of Brandy- | which he made his home for some time, while 
wiue and Gormnntcwn. With his brigade lie he hud for several years in charge several cou- 
!«pent the terrible winter at Valley Forge, and i gregations in this county. Like his brother, 
was engaged in the battle of Monmouth and > he was a firm and ardent patriot, and in 1779 
the capture of Stony Point. He was present \ he was elected to the Continental Congress, in 
Mt the siege of Yorktown, which closed the \ which he served two terms. He was next 
struggle between the two countries, where he \ sent thiee years to the Assembly. On the 
commanded the first brigade of light infantry. \ formation of this county, in 1784, be served 
He continued in the army until it was disband- | for a short time as president of the courts. In 
ed, when, for his many services, he was pro- \ 1787 he was elected a delegate to the State 
(noted to the rank of major general. On the i convention to ratify the constitution of the 
termination of the war he again made the i United Spates, and was chosen president of this 
Trappe his homo for a brief time. He was \ body. He was elected to serve in the first 
immediately elected to the Supreme Executive ^ Congress, iu 1789, by the citizens of thiscoun- 
Council of this Stsito, and in 1785 was chosen I ty, and had the honor of being its first speaker, 
its vice president. In 1789 he was elected to \ He remained in Congress until 1797, when 
the first Congress of the United States, from ^ shortly after he was appointed by Governor 
this State, in which he served three terms. In I Mifflin register of the land office, which beheld 
February, 1801, he was elected a member of | till his death. He died in 1802, aged fifty-two 
the United States Senate from Pennsylvania, < years, 
bat on the following 30th of June he resigned ? 
the office, and was appointed by Mr. Jefferson ) 

supervisor of the revenues for ihii- State. In i 

1803 he was appointed collector of the port of | 
Philadelphia, which situation he held to the \ 



time of his death, which occur redOctober 1st, 
1807, at the age of sixty-one years. His re- 
maina repose in the Trappe grave yard, by the 
•ide of hia parents and wife. Tho following 
extract from his tomb-stone sums up his char- 
fcofcer in a few words: " He was brave in the 
field, faithful in the cabinet, honorable in all 
hiatranaactiona, a sincere friend, and an honest 



FrBDERICK AnaUSTUS MuHIiENBERO. 



HeNBY £ARlfE8!r MuQLKNBERQ 



Was bora at the Trappe, November 17tU, 
Had, and was the third son of the Rev. H. M. 
Muhlenberg. With his two elder brothers b* 
received his education at the University of 
Halle, in Germany. He returned in 1770, aad 
several years afterwards was ordained an »•- 
eistant pa.^tor of the liutherao church iu Phil- 
adelphia, lie remained in the citj until tb« 
approach of the British is tho fall of 177Z, 
when, for bla personal safety, be sought refu|}e 
in flight. Having boeu, Uko bis brolhera, M 
ardent patriot, the enemy several times esdea- 
TOred to capture him, but without success. He 
now retired to the country, and being for se- 
veral years without a congregation, he devoted 
the greater'portion of bis leisure to sgientifio 



He was Cbe second aon of the Hev. n. M. 
Wuh'lenberg and was born at the Trappe the 
2<J of June, 1750. He remained at tbt Uni- 1 pursuits, particularly to botany and mineral- 
Y«r»it7 of Halle seTCTftl yeart after his brother, ■ ogy. In 1780 be moved to Lancaster, wher» 



4PPBNDIX. 



ist 



he iook charge of the Lutheran obnreh, in 
which he rema'med till his death, which oc- 
earred May 23d, 1816. He was distingnished 
f©r his talents, piety, usofulaess and extensive 
scientific acquirements. Though he died young 
he was a member of several learned aocieties 
at home and abroad, and held correspondence 
with several of the most learned and scientific 
men of Europe. His chief works are Catalogus 
Plantarum, Gramina Americce Septenirionalis, 
and Flora Lancastriensis . They are remarka- 
ble for their proficiency, and place him favora- 
bly amongst our early scientific writers. From 
the earliest period even to this day, the Muh- 
lenberg family has been distinguished for its 
talents; it has mattered not whether as clergy- 
men, statesmen, warriors, physicians, authors, 
naturalists or professors of colleges, for they 
have alike been celebrated in these various de- 
{>artment8. 



he waa appolaied clerk to the Boerdof OumI 
Commissioners. He was ohoQOB by Oftwany 
Porter, in 1838, Secretary of Btate, asd M M> 
tiring from that office be established hifliMlf 
in the practice of the law at Pittsburgh. la 
1844 he became Qovornor of the State, and at 
the espiration of three years was re-elected to 
the same. Ho had not entered long on the da- 
ties of his second term, when, on account of 
ill-health, he was induced to resign. His diB* 
ease terminated his career, July 20, 1848, at 
the age of sixty. According to his request, be 
was buried at the Trappech arch-yard, aadhii 
funeral was attended by a large number of 
people. A handsome white marble monumeot, 
twenty-five feet high, was erected over his re- 
mains, July 4th, 1851, by the citizens of hie 
\ native State, as a testimonial of their high 
regard for his public character, services and 
private worth. There are still living, in Upper 
Providence, several of the name and family. 



Francis Rahn Shunk. 

Francis Shunk, the governor's grandfather, 
Arrived from the Palatinate, in Germany, about 
the year 1715, and settled, not long after, in 
Providence township, in this county. His son, 
John Shunk. married Elizabeth llahn, a woman 
of great excellence and talents, and who did 
much toward giving her son a careful instruc- 
tion, which no doubt did much towards laying 
the faundation of his future fame. Francis 
was born, at the Trnppe, in this county, Au- 
gust 7th, 1788. His parents being in humble 
circumstances, he was compelled, in his six- 
teenth year, for his support, to teach a small 
school, and eubsequently the village school of 
his native place. When not thus occupied he 
spent his time in manual labor on a farm. 
General Andrew Porter, of this county, having 
teen appointed surveyor general by Governor 
Snyder, in 1812, the former selected Francis 
R. Shuuk his clerk. While thus employed he 
commeiic'-d >ind prosecuted the study of the law 
with Thomas Eliler, Esq., of Harrisburg. In 
1814 lie (ifi formed the duty of a soldier in the 
defenc-; of ISiltimore. Not long after he was 
elected an assistant and then principal clerk of 
the HoHsfl of Representatives of this State, in 
which capacity he served several years. In 1829 



William Potts Dewees 



Was a native of Pottstown, in this county, 
where he was born. May 6th, 1768. He wae 
early left fatherless, with but little property ; 
and he did not receive the advantages of a 
saperior education, but by bis industry he 
nevertheless improved himself by all the means 
at his command. While quite young he stu- 
died Latin and French, served awhile with aa 
apothecary, attended medical lectures, and in 
1789, without a diploma, commenced the prac- 
tice of medicine, at twenty-one years of age. 
In 1793 he removed to Philadelphia, where, 
through his knowledge of obstetrics, he obtain- 
ed a successful practice. To this branch of 
the profession, from his skill, he was induced 
especially to devote himself with a view of ex- 
tending his knowledge. His reputation in thie 
department spread throughout the community, 
and he very shortly commenced giving lecture* 
to medical students. He was so successful in 
his labors that he was chosen one of the pro- 
fessors of the University of Pennsylvania, but 
from ill-health was compelled to resign in 1836. 
In 1823 he published a volume of Medical 
Essays; next followed his System of Mid- 



124 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 

wifery; then, his Treatise on the Treatment of / May 20th, 1841, aged seventy-three years. 
Children ; then, a Treatise on the Diseases of '/ He was remarkable for his industry and at- 
Females; and, lastly, a Treatise on the Prac- J tachment to hid profession, wbich accountj for 
tice of Medicine. He died at Philadelphia, ^ his proficiency and success. 



INDEX. 



Ul 



Kelics of V«lley Forge (ramp 
Reuts' Mills 

Kefolutionary history of Whitemarsh 
V«lley Forg 



Revolutionary incidents, 

Reeres, Buck and Company 
Rhoads, Barnaby 
Richards, Wm., constable 
Ritter, Jacob, biography 
Rittenhouse, David, biography 
Rittenhouse, Benjamin 
Ringing Rocks 
Roberts, John, biography 
Roberts. Edward, a just'lce 
/Roberts family of Lower Merion 
Roberts, lion. Jonathan 
Rogers, Charles II ., lactory 
Rock Hill creek 
iiaudel, Rev. Andrew 
Sandstone quarries 
Saratoga run 

Savell, Henry, letter from Penn 
8cull, Nicholas, biography 
Schools in townships and boroughs 



60 

109 

70,76 

47,61 



5,41,44,78,82, 

94, 99,99,103, 107. 112 

47,65 

10 

10 

115 

116 

lis 

108 
113 
41 
34 
42 
48 
29 
22 
106 

log 

10 
115 

SO, 38, 62, 65, 77, 



81, 90, 93, 96, 100, 106, 109, 111 

Schuylkill River 7,14 

Scenery of Upper Merion 40 

Schuylkill Bridge 43 

Schuylkill Navigation 43' 77 

Seven Stars iua 81 

Shannonville 97 

Shannon, Robert, notice of 97 

Schrack, Jacob 102 

Slleaff, George, farm 69, 70 

Shunk, Gov. F. R., biography 123 

Skirmish at Whitemarsh 73 

Skippsck creek 95 

Sleighing in the olden time 45 

Smith, Rev. William 13, 89 

Smith, Wm. Moore 90 

Smith, Robert, constable 11 

Soil, observations on 93 

Soapstone quarry 61 

Sower, David, notioe of 86 

Soldiers whipped 42 

Springtown 93 

Spring Mill 65 

Springfield township 61 

Springfield; early settlers ol 63 

Sprogel family 110 

Sprogel run 108 
Statistics of ♦oHrnships and boroughs 29, 30, 35, 38, 42 
43, 46, 01. 64, 76, 80, 83, 93,96, 100,106, 109, 110, 112 

State Road laid out 43 

Steuben. Baron 63, 55 

Stone Hill 108 

Stuart. Col. Christopher 94 

St. Gabriel's church 27 

Bt. James' Episcopal church 97 



St. Luke's church, Trapp« 
St. Peter's Lutheran church 
St. Thomas' Episcopal church 
St. Patrick's day at Valley Forg« 
Swaine, Gen. Francis 
Swamp creek 

Swedes and Indians, friendship Of 
Swedes, the early 
Swede Iron company 
Swedes' Tract 
Swedes' church 
Swedes' Ford Bridge 
\ Swedes' Ford, account of 
Swedesburg 
Sweden, ministers from 
Swedish, Lord's Prayer in 
Swedish families of Upper Merlon 
Thomson, Charl»s, biography 
Thompson, Col. Archibald 
Townsend, Richard 
Townships and boroughs on SchuylEi 
Trappe 

Trappe, origin of name 
Trappe church, old 
Trappe Lutheran church 
Tiemount Seminary,. 
Trent, Wm., sketch of 
Treaty with Indians, 
Tributaries of the Schuylkill, 
Trout run, 

Umstead. Peter, account of 
Union Church of Whitemarsh, 
Union Church of Pottstown, 
Union Canal Company, 
Upland Settlement, 
Upper Merion township. 
Upper Merion, early settlers of 
Upper Providence township, 
Valley Forge, History of 
Wampum described, 
Warren Tavern, 

Washington. Gen. George, 49, 

Washington Hall Seminary, 
Wards of Norristown, 
Wayne. Gen., court-martialed, 
Weise.-. Conrad, 
Welsh Settlers, account Of 
Wetherill. Dr. Wm., 
Whitefield, Rev. George, 
Whitemarsh township 
Whitemarsh, early settlefS Of 
Whitemarsh village, 
Wicaco st-ttled, 
Wissirae »., Ford, 
Wissahickon Creek, 
Williamstadt, Manorof 
Wrangle. Rev. Charles M. 
Yocum family, 
Yobt, Hon. Jacob S. 



10» 
87 

67 

64 

90,119 

106 

14 

19,28 

39 

41 

27,40 

48 

44 

88 

23 

21 

28 

114 

94 

23 

11 7 

102 

103 

104 

104 

s 

18 
7 

20 
107 

88 
110 

^,23 
86 
41 
M 

47,81 

"•S 

80,70,73, 103, 107 

102 

92 

34 

d9 

68 
d3 
89 
66 



28 
112 



ERRA^TA.. 



In tbe rollowing list, p stands for page, c lor column, and I for line. 

4 p., 1 c, 3 I., insert a comma after " learning." 

4 p., 1 c, 4 I., for " Douglasville," read DouglassTille. 

4 p., 1 c, 7 1., from bottom, for " Gazateer," read Gazetteer. 

24 p., 1 c, last line, for " Andrew Boude," read Andrew Bonde. 

25 p., 1 c, 3S 1., omit the comma after '• Mathias," and read Mathias Ilolftteio. 

25 p., 1 c, 4 1. from bottom, after " this" insert tract. 

26 p., 1 c, 6 1., insert <he word " one" after " some." 

27 p., 2 c, 3 1., from the bottom, read the sentence to begin with" A." 
tS p., 1 c, 9 1., from bottom, for " trunna," read Gaaner. 

29 p., 2 c, 14 1. from bottom, after '• of insert the. 

50 p., 2 c, 27 1., for " draper," read diaper. 

51 p., 1 c, 6 1., omit " off." 

31 p., 2 c, for " Charles Thompson," read Charles Thomson, and for *' Harrington," read Uarritou. 

33 p., 2 c, 3 1., insert " a," before "cross-road." 

34 p., 1., 7 1 , for " Wui. Pennin," read Wm. Penn in." and omit the comma. 

34 p., 2., 20 and 24 1. trom bottom, let " 1790" and '• 1797," reid 1690 and 1697. 
86 p., 2 c, 22 1. from bottom, foi " exclusively" read extensively. 

40 p., 1 c, 10 1. from bottom, insert " If," at the beginning of the sentence. 

41 p., 2 c, for '• DerCoudray," read Du Coudray. 

44 p., 1 c, 22 1. from bottom, lor " county," read country. 

50 p., 2 c, 23 1. from bottom, for " day," read dry. 

50 p., 2 c, 19 1. from bottom, omit the first " the." 

54p., 1 c, 10 1., omit «• the." 

54 p., 2 c. , 19 1., for " save," read .saving. 

50 p., 2 c., 31 1., for " quarters," read quarter. 

68 p., 1 c, 27 1., for " 1760," read 1769. 

74 p., 1 c, 20 1., for " meusere," read measure. 

75 p., 1 c, 29 1. insert " present," before "owner." 
75»p., 2 c, 23 1., for " muskets," read musket. 

77 p., 1 c, 14 1. from bottom, for " six," read sixty. 

77 p., 2 c, 13 1. from bottom, omit " the." 

78 p., 2 c, 11 1. from bottom, insert " laid," before " out." 
80 p., 1 c„ 13 l.,omit " and." 

99 p., 1 c, 19 1., tor •' Benjamin Walklns," read Benjamin Watkins. 

99 p., 1 c, 17 1., for " Joseph Wills." read Joseph Wells. 
108 p., 1 c, 5 1., for " mused," read musing. 
Ill p., 2 c, 13 1., for " 1810," read 1811. 
118 p., 1 c, 5 1., for '• three first," read first three. 
118 p., 1 c, 31 1., for " battallion," read battalion. 
121 p., 1 c, 22 1. from bottom, for " Bower," read Bowen. 
Yil p., 1 c, 11 1. from bottom, for " Cuvior," read Cuvier. 



COHIlECTIOlSrS. 



Righter's Ferry, in Lower Merion, was not at Flat Rock, but nearly two miles below, nearly opposite the movth 
of Wissabickon creek. Worship is still held at stated times in tbe Norriton Presbyterian Church. 






' J 



UTTjNTJjMTfiT.