BULLETIN HISTORICAL 50CIETY MONTGOMERY COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA j\roRR}srowj/

S9HERY

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY AT 1T5 ROOM5 15 EAST PENN STREET NORRISTOWN.PA.

OCTOBER, 1945

VOLUME V NUMBER 1

PRICE 50 CENTS Historical Society of Montgomery County

OFFICERS

Kirke Bryan, Esq., President S. Cameron Corson, First Vice-President Charles Harper Smith, Second Vice-President George K. Brecht, Esq., Third Vice-President Nancy C. Cresson, Recording Secretary Helen E. Richards, Corresponding Secretary Annie B. Molony, Financial Secretary Lyman a. Kratz, Treasurer R. P. Hommel, Librarian

TRUSTEES

Kirke Bryan, Esq. Mrs. H. H. Francine H. H. Ganser Nancy P. Highley Foster C. Hillegass Mrs. a. Conrad Jones David Todd Jones Hon. Harold G. Knight Lyman A. Kratz Douglas Macfarlan, M.D. Katharine Preston Charles Harper Smith Franklin A. Stickler Mrs. Franklin B. Wildman, Jr. Norris D. Wright mm.

• •

Dial of Jacob Godshalk Clock with "Rocking Ships' Courtesy of Paul J. Franklin, Chatham, N. J. THE BULLETIN

of the

Historical Society of Montgomery County

Published Semi^Annually — October and April

Volume V October, 1945 Number 1

CONTENTS

Jacob Godschalk of Towamencinand Philadelphia, Clockmaker Rudolf P. Hommel ., B

Additional Colonial Land Titles in Hatboro Charles Harper Smith 7

Historical Gleanings South of Schuylkill HI. Communications Charles R. Barker . ., 12

Marriage Notices from Newspapers 23

Death Notices from Newspapers 31

Reports 49

Publication Committee

Mrs. Andrew Y. Drysdalb Hannah Gerhard

Anita L. Eyster Charles Harper Smith Charles R. Barker, Chairman

I :

Jacob Godschalk Clock in the "House of Mary Washington," Fredericksburg, Virginia Courtesy of the Mabel Brady Garvan Collection, Yale University Art Gallery Jacob Godsehalk of Towamencin and Philadelphia, Clockmaker* By Rudolf P. Hommel Montgomery County can proudly claim Jacob Godsehalk, a pre-revolutionary clcckmaker, as one of its famous sons. Biographical data about him are scant, but to atone for it, grandfather clocks with his name, survivals of his master- hand, speak an eloquent language. In the House of Mary Washington, the mother of George Washington, in Fredricksburg, Virginia, stands today a tall clock in a beautiful case, marked with the name plate, "Jacob Godsehalk, Towamencin." It was part of the Mabel Brady Garvan collection which was presented to the Gallery of Fine Arts of Yale University. With their kind permission we show a picture of this stately clock. Another Towamencin specimen, recently in the hands of a New York dealer, had a faded label pasted inside the door, telling that it was the property of John Bringhirst, who was born in 1725 and died in 1795, the son of Anna and George Bringhirst. The Bringhirsts were a prominent family in and around Trappe in the eighteenth century. General Washington, when he made his headquarters at Pennypacker's Mills on the Perkiomen in 1777, could not help but consult the Godsehalk clock on the premises, which was the property of Samuel Pennypacker and is today in the pos session of his descendants. Inquiring about the person of Jacob Godsehalk, we find the first documentary evidence, if we may call it that, to be the name plate on his clocks, graven in brass, which reads "Jacob Godsehalk, Towamencin." He was a contemporary of David Rittenhouse, and, no doubt, a native of Towamencin tovraship. Offsprings of the original Godsehalk family of Germantown, who spread into the Skippack region, had be come so numerous by the mid-eighteenth century, that search

• - *Read before the Society, February 22, 1945. 3 4 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY for the exact data of our Jacob has so far produced but meager result. The rural districts of Montgomery County (then, of course, Philadelphia County), had not enough business for able clock- makers, and we find that Jacob Godschalk removed in the late 1760s to Philadelphia. The tax lists of Philadelphia, as few as there are, show him as a resident of Mulberry Ward,' iSast part, from 1769 on, calling him clockmaker in 1774, and watchmaker in 1780. His shop was on Arch Street between Second and Third Streets. This was in the immediate vicinity of Edward Duffield's place of business, another famous clock- maker and friend of Benjamin Franklin, on the northwest corner of Arch and Second Streets. He had been annoyed too often by people inquiring the time of day and interrupting him in his work, so that he decided to put a stop to it. He effectually did so by fastening a clock at the height of the second' story to the outside wall with a double face, that people coming up and down the street, from north and south, could see the time. In the shadow of this clock Jacob Godschalk was appar ently thriving and marked his clocks henceforth "Jacob God- shalk, Philadelphia." The German sch he had changed to the English sh'. The Philadelphia State House of those days had a very interesting clock, apparently one on each of its gable walls, biit actuated by the one clockworks which stood in the center of the attic floor. From there iron rods led to the gable walls, one east and one west, to turn the hands of the clock face on the outside of the building. Pictures of this singular time piece are familiar, in the shape of a huge grandfather clock, propped against the gable wall and reaching from the ground to the attic above the second story. It was the work of Thomas Stretch, another famous Philadelphia clockmaker, who in 1759 was paid by vote of Assembly nearly 500 pounds (494-5-5i/^ to be exact) for "making the State-house Clock, and for' his Care in cleaning and repairing the same for six Years." The best artisans of the day, as Edward Duffield and.David Rittenhouse, had a share in the care of this precious State JACOB GODSCHALK, CLOCKMAKER 5

House Clock for the ensuing years, and among them was also our Jacob Godschalk. To complete the story of the State House Clock I digress to say that it did service until 1828, and was sold in 1830 by the City Council to Dr. Hurley of the Order of St. Augustine, to be placed in St. Augustine Church on North Fourth Street, Philadelphia. Here it did service with the original bell until Wednesday, May 8,1844, when both were destroyed by fire in the infamous race riots. On the west gable wall of Independence Hall the pedestal of this clock, of gray marble, is still in place, a mute witness of former grandeur, i The records of the Second Presbyterian Church of Phil adelphia list the marriage of Jacob Godshalk to Elizabeth Owen, on December 18,1770. She was probably a widow with a son, Griffith. At any rate, we find that in April, 1773, Grif fith Owen, with the consent of his mother, was apprenticed to Jacob Godschalk of Philadelphia, clockmaker, for a term of seven years. With the advent of the Revolutionary War Jacob Godschalk was called into service and commissioned second lieutenant, but is listed as absent with leave at one time, and his stepson and apprentice served his tour for him at another time. By 1780 the apprenticeship of Griffith Owen came to an end and he was then a full-fledged clockmaker. From 1781 to 1789 there are records of payment to him for attending to the State House Clock. Griffith Owen is still listed as a clock and watchmaker in the Philadelphia Directory for 1809, at 73 Mulberry Street. Jacob Godschalk paid taxes for the last time in 1781. Once more in that year, on September 10th, the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania had an order drawn in favor of Jacob Godschalk for ten pounds specie for repairing the State House Clock. In 1782 Griffith Owen paid taxes for Jacob God- schalk's estate. It seems then, that by that time Jacob God schalk had died. This is made certain by a reference in the Minutes of the Board of Property of April 7th, 1783, which speaks of Jacob Godschalk, deceased. As we have remarked, the data about our Jacob Godschalk are scant, but his honest, faithful artistry has survived in g BULLETIN OP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY many specimens, and we cannot but feel reverence when we behold and listen to one of his clocks which is ticking away the seconds as it did some 180 years ago when it first issued from the hands of its maker in Towamencin Township in the heart of Montgomery County. After this paper was read before the Society, we received additional data about Jacob Godschalk clocks. An outstanding example is described by Mr. Paul J. Franklin of Chatham, New Jersey, which has the year.1745 engraved on the semi-circular plate. Through the courtesy of the owner, we are able to show a picture of the dial. It is a thirty-hour clock, with singleweight on chains. Above the handsome brass dial are displayed three sailing ships which rock in unison with the ticking of the pendulum. The well-designed spandrels greatly add to the beauty of the clock face. In regard to the date we cannot help but register our doubt about its authenticity. Mr. Franklin was not fooled by it, for he bought the clock rather reasonably at a warehouse sale in Boston. The addition of an early date, to enhance its value, must have been done long before, to deceive a former owner. Brass is patient, and unfortunately some unscrupulous dealers have now and then yielded to the temptation of glorifying their possessions by adding dates, inscriptions, decorations, and what not, to gain a better price. We know of another splendid, eight-day, Jacob Godschalk —Towamencin clock, which was sold some fifteen years ago.in Lancaster County, and displayed in the arched space above the diaLa boss with the engraved date 1721. The whole appearance of the clock,' case and all, point to a date not earlier than the 1760's. Mr. Franklin also told us that Jacob Godschalk was a mem ber- of the Fishing Company of Fort St. Davids, a social club of old Philadelphia which rivalled and was finally absorbed by the famous Schuylkill Fishing Company, which is consid ered the oldest social club among English-speaking people in the world. Mr. Thomas Hart, Secretary of State of the Com pany confirmed this and added that "one of our priceless •possessions today is the old Stretch clock made by Peter Stretch, the father of Thomas, about the year of 1740." "Rocking Ships" Clock, made by Jacob Godshalk, Philadelphia, 1745 Courtesy, of Paul J. Franklin, Chatham, N. J. Additional Colonial Land Titles in Hatboro

By Charles Harper Smith

The Society was recently made custodian of thirty-two parchment deeds covering ancient real estate transfers in the Borough of Hatboro. They were deposited in our archives by Mrs. Penrose Robinson, whose late husband was a leading citizen of Hatboro throughout his lifetime, and had probably been acquired by his father, Dr. William T. Robinson, who opened an office in the village at the close of the Civil War and became a prominent physician, landowner and publisher. Seventeen of these deeds were dravm before 1750 and one other was dated June 8, 1752. They thus go back to the original subdivision of the town-site into lots. Since only one of the eighteen is of record, they were not available to this writer when his paper Colonial Land Tenure in Hatboro and Vicinity was published in our Bulletin in April, 1943. They supplement or invalidate a sufficient number of statements there made to require a brief summary of. their contents. Perhaps,the most important additional information is a partial list of the early ovmers of the small lot at the north east corner of York and Byberry roads, designated as Lot No. 6 in the previous paper. As there stated, there is no recorded ownership of this lot before 1791 anrf its previous title could only be inferred. In this collection are deeds of lease and release, dated September 11 and 12, 1734, by which John and Dorothy Dawson conveyed this lot, together with adjoining land to the southward, to John Simcock, a prom inent resident of Abington township not previously identified with Hatboro. The lot was then a long triangular sliver of land with a York Road frontage of seventeen rods, ending in a point opposite the present bank building. This point of land later became a part of Lot No. 10, the middle section was g BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY taken over by Byberry Road, and the base of the triangle became Lot. No. 6. It is interesting to note that when this deed was drawn the little settlement was already known, as "Hattborough." There were three houses on this little lot when the trans fer was made, further evidence that John Dawson was the founder of the town in a very substantial way. He is now known to have erected at least six houses on his property before September, 1734: these three, two on the Crooked Billet lot, and the sixth on approximately the site of the Methodist Church. While his daughter Ann may have helped lay the walls of the Crooked Billet, as tradition insists, Daw- sbn's building program must have depended largely on Wil liam Hancock, the carpenter who became his son-in-law in 1727, and on his oldest son, Daniel, who married a year later. Simcock seems to have sold his Hatboro property to Charles Haftee (or Hufty) before the year 1739 (Pd G 2, 299). In July, 1741, Lot No. 6 and the house on it were owned by one Anthony Kennard, who on that date was compelled by Hannah Harrison to clear his title. The Harrison deed was witnessed by the youthful surveyor, John Lukens, and his Hbrsham neighbor, Robert Iredell. It described lots 6 and 1.0 as contiguous, the dividing line being Dr. John Crosley^s garden fence. This would indicate that Byberry Road had not yet been cut through, although it had been made public property by Court order in 1720. However, other deeds. of the same period mention the Road as a boundary line, so it must be concluded that this description was copied from an earlier conveyance, executed between 1734 and 1741. By June, 1752, the" Kennards had moved to Bedminster township, Bucks county, and their house and lot were sold to Moses Van Court, already established on Lot No. 9 as a tanner. Other deeds in the collection record previously unknown changes in the title of Lot No. 9 prior to its purchase by Van Court, about the year 1750. It had originally belonged to Isaac Walton but was owned by Sampson Davis during the early 1730's. In March, 1739, it was said to belong to John Harrison (Pd G 2, 299), probably by seizure as attorney for ADDITIONAL COLONIAL LAND TITLES IN HATBORO 9

his mother. On November 20, 1740, however, the lot and the house erected thereon were released by Hannah Harrison tp one Terence Dunn, who sold them by deeds of lease and re lease dated May 14 and 15, 1744, to Andrew McBrom (also known as McGrome and McCroom). On December 25th of the same year McBrom transferred his title to Henry Van Dyke, then a tanner of Southampton township, Bucks county. Van Dyke apparently sold out to Moses Van Court a few years later, but he probably established the tanyard along the little stream running through the property which flourished for a century or more. Curiously enough, five early deeds to the Crooked Billet lot are also in the collection: (1) the transfer from Standish Ford to James Macky of Philadelphia, merchant, on March 25, 1739 (recorded in Pd G 2, 299); (2) from Macky to Patrick Handlon (or O'Hanlon) of Frankford on June 28, 1734;; (3) from Handlon to Thomas Campbell of Philadelphia, shop keeper, on January 7, 1745; (4) from Jane Palmer of Hof- sham, widow of Thomas Palmer, Jr., to Thomas Campbell op ^November 5, 1747; (5) from Campbell to Dr. John Crosley four days later. The intermediate deed, a mortgage from Thomas Palmer to Campbell on August 16, 1746, is recorded in Pd G 7, 265. The purchase of the tavern proved to be.,a "losing venture for the Palmers. They paid £470 for the prop erty and ft was sold back to Campbell at public auction for £201. He resold it to Crosley almost immediately for £240. Also among these deeds is the original conveyance by which John and Dorothy Dawson gave lots 2 and 4 on the west side Of York Road to their son, Daniel. It was dated April 30,1735, shortly before Daniel and his family moved to Philadelphia.... In the previous paper, it was conjectured that the portion of the Lawrence Thompson tract lying east of the Dungworth Mill property was sold by him to Peter Lycan, who then divided the land, selling fifty-three acres to Sampson Davis and ten acres to William Stockdale, of Bucks County. This assumption is now shown to have been erroneous, for one of these deeds records the sale of the entire tract by Thompson to one William Lunn on June 7 and 8, 1726. On December 23 and iO BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

24,1729, Lunn transferred title to Stockdale, who then divided the land into two pieces, one containing fifty-three acres and the other ten acres (Lot No. 17). Both were then sold to Standish Ford on June 2,1733. The fifty-three acres were later bought by Dr. Hugh Mat- hews, who also bought the west half of the Isaac Tustin farm along the Horsham line. Both of his deeds are in the collection. The fifty-three acres were bought on April 22, 1753, after Standish Ford had moved to Oxford township, and 100 acres of the Tustin place were acquired on the tenth day of the fol lowing August. Mathews was then described as a "Gentle man" ; that is, he had not yet completed his medical education. Tustin's 200 acres had passed through several hands during the previous twenty-five years. They had been bought from Peter Chamberlin by Joseph Kirkbride on September 9, 1718, "then sold to Robert Thomas on December 12, 1720, and ac quired by Tustin on December 12,1722. It is also necessary to make a slight revision in the early title of Lot No. 18 and its ancient stone residence, which stood on approximately the site of Smith's Garage. It was formerly believed that this property was sold by Jacob Chamberlin to William Stockdale, and by him to Dr. John Crosley. There was, however, an intermediate owner, a widow named Ann Morrell, who had for seven years owed Stockdale a sum of money which he was unable to collect. On August 30, 1735, it was seized by the High Sheriff on Stockdale's petition, and was bid in at public vendue by one James Radcliffe. The latter may have been only a straw man, for the property was o-wned by Stockdale a year or two later (Pd X 4, 17), and was probably sold by him to Dr. Crosley, owner of the adjoining Lot No. 9 Of the later deeds, the most important is the, unrecorded indenture of 5 mo. 3, 1782, by which Jacob Tomkins trans ferred lots 7, 17, and 18 to Mordecai Thomas. Draughts of all three lots appear on the back of the deed. They show that West Moreland Avenue was already a roadway, although it was not dedicated to public use until half a century afterward. It now appears that Lot No. 6 was not sold by Isaac Long- streth in 1776, as stated in the previous paper. It is fairly cer- ADDITIONAL COLONIAL LAND TITLES IN HATBORO ^ tain that both No. 6 and No. 9 were purchased by Joseph Long- streth from Moses Van Court about 1758 and were held alter nately by the two brothers until 1791, when all of No. 6 and a portion of No. 9 were sold by Joseph to Dr. Peter Yarnall (Md 6, 520). The collection contains this original deed as well as the transfer from Yarnall's executors to John Thomas in 1801 (Md 34, 464), from the Thomas estate to Dr. Charles H. Hill in 1846 (Md 68, 260), and from Dr. Hill to Dr. Wm. T. Robinson in 1865 (Md 139, 482). Other originals cover the title to the house and one-acre lot on Byberry Road adjoining Lot No. 6, which were sold by Joseph Longstreth to the cordwainer Henry Shaver (his spell ing) in 1791 (Md 6, 494). Shaver moved to Philadelphia in 1806 and sold his property to Mary Magill, widow of the former owner of the tanyard (this deed is not recorded). She removed to Danville, Pennsylvania in 1819 and sold her house and lot to Sarah Thomas (Md 37, 454), then the widow of John Thomas but later Sarah Roberts. Her estate was settled in 1846 and this property was sold to Dr. Hill (Md 68, 261), who later deeded it to Dr. Robinson. . Less noteworthy are the originals of Md 6, 516; Md 12, 334; Md 15, 466; Md 25, 608; Md 34, 293; Md 34, 469'; and Md 38, 120. These old deeds are worthy of attention, if only for their beautiful penmanship and their excellent state of preservation. Students of Hatboro's his.tory will find in them many signa tures of the town's founders not obtainable elsewhere. f;, Historical Gleanings South of Sehuylkilt

-•i ' By' Charles R. Barker

III. COMMUNICATIONS

/' Early petitions for roads stressed the need of ways of getting "to mill, to market and to meeting." Not included in this stereotyped phrase, but equally important, was the need :of reaching the lime-kilns. The earliest mills in the Merions were the grist mill of John Roberts, set up on the creek to which it gave a name— Mill creek, and that of Edward Griffith, at the Gulph. The earliest Friends' meeting-house in the Merions was that of Merion Pr^arative Meeting, within a few miles of the Roberts mill. The limestone out-croppings occurred in the Great Valley, (which intersected the Manor of Mount Joy) and in its con tinuation beyond the Schuylkill — the Whitemarsh Valley; while the best markets were naturally found in Philadelphia. These were the facts which determined the direction of the •roads as we find them becoming definite tracks, early in the •eighteenth century. Nature had proyided one broad highway— the Schuylkill—by which dugout and canoe, if skillfully guided, could go down to the city. But most travel had to be by land, and so, as the man on foot was followed by the man on horse back, and as the saddle-bag was still later replaced by the cart, some kind of road more definite than the old forest trail, be came a necessity. And so the public highway came into being. From the first settlement of the Province, so states a peti tion of 1734, a road was in use from the parting of the Ply mouth and Norriton roads (now Barren Hill) to Reece ap Edward's ford (later Young's ford), and thence to John Roberts' Mill road, in Lower Merion, "there not being on the saTd river any other ford near the said place, nor by reason of

12 HISTORICAL GLEANINGS SOUTH OP SCHUYLKILL ^3 its steep banks is elsewhere accessible with Carts or Car riages."^ A continuation of this road southward from the mill passed across the site of Ardmore, and joined Haverford road; parts of it survive as Glenn road and Argyle road in Ardmore, but even the "oldest inhabitant" does not realize that these two modern avenues are but parts of a once important link, be tween Ridge and Haverford roads.^ For the dwellers in the Merions, it was doubly important: it led to the lime region of Whitemarsh, and it connected with what was their earliest land highway to Philadelphia—the present Ridge road, form erly called Plymouth, or Wissahickon, road. The first petition presented to the Court of Quarter Ses sions of Philadelphia County, concerning a road in the Mer ions, was received at the session of March, 1703/4, and gives us the information that a road leading "over the Lower ford of Schuylkiln to the Road that leads from Wissahickon to Philadelphia," is already of about twenty years standing, "although not established by Law."^ Portions of this road are still in use, being known as Montgomery avenue, in Lower Merion, and Ford road, in Philadelphia. Levering's ford, at what is now Manayunk, was in use, "on the first settlement" of Lower Merion and adjoining town ships, as a means of communication between Roxborough, on the left bank of the Schuylkill, and the Merions, Haverford and Radnor, on the other side. Before any law for laying out roads had been provided by the Province, settlers of the region opened a way from Haverford past Merion Meeting-house to the ford, where stood Anthony Levering's mill, thence dovra the left bank to Peter Righter's ferry, near the mouth of the Wissahickon. Much of this road is still in use, but its contin uity is broken at Merion Meeting, and its identity is lost under a variety of names.^

^ Phila. Q.S. Recs.; Docket 2, p. 241. ^Ibid.; 3, pp. 151, 154. ^•Ibid.; 2, p. 10. *lbid.; 3, p. 435—Pa. Mag. of Hist, and Biog.; 58, p. 232, et seq. 14 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

- 'What is now Righter's Ferry road originally led from the market place of Germantown to Andrew Robeson's mill and ferry, thence through Lower Merion to "the great road leading from Conestogoe (Lancaster) to Philadelphia." A petition of 1723 asks that it be confirmed as a public road, it having been used "for upwards of thirty years," but no action was taken until 1765! Peter Righter, who was proprietor of the ferry for many years, has given his name to this road.® In 1693, inhabitants of Radnor requested the Provincial Council for a road "from the upper part of the said township of Radnor unto marion ford." At the same time a petition was presented asking confirmation "of the road that now is from marionford to Philadelphia, and that it come into the third street in the sd towne."® Just what direction the first of these two roads followed, if ever laid out, is uncertain. The nearest ford to the upper part of Radnor would be Matson's; but no evidence that this or any other ford, above or below, was called "Marion" (Mer ion ?) has come to light. The second road asked for might be identified as the Ridge road, except that the latter, in its present course, does not reach any ford, although connecting links may have existed even at that early day. From sundry rival petitions presented in 1714 and 1719, it appears that there were then in use three roads connecting the Gulph Mill with the Conestoga road, some of which dated back to about 1690. One of these was declared to be "of great service ... for bringing their Com to John Roberts's or Andrew Robeson's or Schuylkill mills where the best price presents." A draft presented with the petition forms what is probably the earliest map of the region, with roads, property lines and even the houses placed with evident care. The route finally confirmed, and the shortest of the three, was the one "along ye Division Line." This is the present Gulph road, which follows a practically straight line from the Gulph to Montgomery avenue, east of Bryn Mawr.

'Phila. Q.S. Recs.; 2, p. 108; 3, pp. 337-8, 340. * Col. Recs. of Pa.; I, pp. 356-7. HISTORICAL GLBANINGS SOUTH OP SCHUYLKILL

The establishment of a ferry at what is now Fairmount provided a better route, between the Merions and PhiladeJ- ,phia, than the one via the Schuylkill fords and Ridge avenuk All that was wanting was a .road to the ferry. In November, 1703, the Provincial Council received a petition from "the Principal Inhabitants of ye Welsh Tract," asking that a road be opened from Goshen, Chester county, past Haverford Meet ing-house, to Philadelphia. The Court so ordered, the road to be fifty feet wide, and to lead "from Willm. PowePs Ferry, on Schuylkill," by Haverford Meeting, "to ye Principal part of Goshen Township." In the spring of 1705, the road jury made its return, carrying the highway to "the upper settlement on .Brandywine," and the road was ordered "cut and cleared.""^ Today, it is known as Haverford road, and for a mile or two of its course intersects Lower Merion. Parallel with the opening of Haverford road, and returned at the same Court, was the laying out of a road from Merion .Meeting to Powell's Ferry, which its petitioners called "the Market Road for a great part of the Inhabitants hereaway Also the Road that all the Meal ... comes Carted from John Roberts Mill" — showing that it was already in common use, but through private property. Actually, this was the extension .e^tward of Lancaster road, which (as the petition shows) ,was already laid out from "the said Meeting House to the upper Part of Radnor."® Lancaster road (now variously kno^n as Old Lancaster road, Montgomery avenue, 54th street, and Lancaster avenue) was. extended, about twenty years later,'to High (Market) Street ferry.® •V Another old road, leading through private property "fro;m . Gulf Mill to Radnor Meeting House and likewise to Radnpr Church," was evidently obstructed by fencing in 1733, when ^t was complained that "liberty for" 30 years to pass and repsfss . ... is now stopped."^®

Mbid.; II, 111-2, 206. ®Phila. Q.S. Recs.; 2, pp. 10, 19. ®Ibid.; 2, pp. 106-7. '"Ibid.; 2, p. 214. 10 BUIXETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

What is now City Line avenue, from Haverford road to Ford road, was confirmed in 1705.^^ Inhabitants of the west side of Schuylkill, in 1712, asked for a road from Lewis Walker's line to Edward Griffith's mill; thence by John Roberts' mill to the road leading from Jona than Jones to Merion Meeting-house. In the following spring, a road along these general lines was confirmed, the descrip tion being as below: , "Beginning in road (Montgomery Ave.) that leads from Jonathan Jones's to Merion Meeting House at the comer of the said Jonathan's Orchard thence thro' his Field to the old road and along the same to the old Ford in a small run in John Roberts's land and thro' his Field to the said John Roberts's Mill thence along the old road to the Ford on Mill Greek in Edward Thomas's land;" (etc.).^°

Parts of this road, by which one finally arrived at "the Gulph," are today known respectively as Cherry lane, Mill Creek road and Old Gulph road, but other portions have been so long vacated that the ancient courses would not be recog nized as such by the owners of the properties on which they ^e found. A branch of this road, petitioned for and laid out -with it, led from Edward Griffith's mill to the ford called Cartledge's, and thence to the Swedes' ford. Cartledge's ford (of which more later) was situated midway between Conshohocken and Norristown, and was an important connection between Upper Merion and Plymouth.^® An outlet for the farm products of the Chester Valley was badly needed, but opinions differed as to the best route to be followed. At a meeting of the Provincial Council, January 25, 1722/3 (midway between Old Style and New Style New Year's Days!), one group of petitioners, thinking perhaps to fore stall their neighbors, appealed to the Council to lay out a road from William Paschal's, "on the great Conestogoe Road," in

Ibid.; ^®Ibid.; 2, pp. 46, 57, 58. Ibid. HISTORICAL GLEANINGS SOUTH OF SCHUYLKILL I7

-Whiteland township, to "the Swedes Ford over Schuylkill." A jury was ordered, but its work gave great dissafisfactipn to another group, and in the following November a second jury of nine men — three from Radnor, four from Merlon, and two from Easttown — was appointed. Both returns came before the meeting of January, 1723/4, which seems to have been a lively one, as the "arguments and reasons" were carried over into April, but in May, after the presentation of draughts, and the examination of David Llewellyn, the surveyor who had. laid out both routes, the Council found the southernmost road "most convenient for the publick, especially necessary for the Congregation of Baptists, and of least detriment to private Persons."" • Up to about 1725, there seems to have been no public road connecting the vicinity of Valley Forge with mill and market, and it was not until December of that year that residents of Upper Merion, with some adjacent settlers, presented the necessity for a road from the Valley Creek, through the Manor of Mount Joy, to the road that leads to Philadelphia by Widow GriiRth's Mill. No order for such a road appears of record at this time.^® The "widow Griffith" was Katherine, vdfe of Ed ward Griffith, who continued his business for several years after his death.^® Their mill must have been almost a commun ity center, where many grists of news and gossip would be brought along with the harvest, and later dispensed among new arrivals, finally reaching the remoter regions in a form I>erhaps as different from the facts as meal is from grain! The road from Griffith's to Lancaster road, whose route was so long a matter of controversy (see above), was finally opened in 1725, along the property, or "divisioh," lines, thus

Col. Recs. of Pa.; Ill, pp. 225, 229, 231. (Owing to the fact that the Council's proceedings, between November 19, 1722, and May 20, 1723, arje missing, our knowledge of the petition presented in January, 1722/3, is obtained only from the proceedings of a year later.) "Phila. Q.S. Recs.; 2, p. 131. Pa. Mag. of Hist, and Biog.; 53, pp. 171-3. ;J^g BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCliSTY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY assuring a public highway from Upper Merlon to Philadel phia.^"^ i After what would, today, seem an interminable wait, dwellers near Valley creek, in 1738, again petitioned for a public highway to the Gulph Mill. This time the route chosen was via "the house of one Thomas Mills to the fford commonly called the Sweeds iford," thence to the road leading to the mill. Order for the laying out of this road was granted at the same court.^® The highway of the early Eighteenth century was by no means a well-defined path. The Court order to "cut and clear" merely meant that the road supervisors were to cut down the trees and remove the trunks; stumps a foot or two high were left standing, and rocks protruding. If (as was usually the case) the abutting properties were unfenced, a quagmire or. windfall would cause the traveler to make a detour, resulting •(especially in the woods, where landmarks were few) in "a maze of tracks among which the unsuspecting stranger flound ered hopelessly. Such was the plight of Haverford road, when, in June, 1738, appeal was made to the Court to relocate'the lost highway, whose condition "has caused doubts and dis- •putes to arise concerning the true Situation thereof some removing and turning the same at their own pleasure into very unsuitable places ... to the great damage of such that have occasion to travel and use that Way." A year later^ thfe lost road was returned (sic), and confirmed.^® ' ''' In the fall of 1741, the Conestoga road, which had already been opened in instalments — between Merion and Radnbr; between Merion and Philadelphia; and then gradually west ward — was re-surveyed, by Provincial authority, throughout

- '"Phila. Q.S. Recs.; 2, p. 125. '' '"Ibid.; 2, p. 307. •. .U • "Ibid.; 2, pp. 324, 307, 344. (The petition of June, 1738, is recorded after the complaint of March, 1738, that the relocating has not been done properly! showing that the latter date should be March, 1738/9. .These papers were not recorded at the time, but some years afterward, and the recording clerk overlooked Old Style and New Style.) '• HISTORICAL GLEANINGS SOUTH OF SCHUYLKILL , jg its entire length from Lancaster to the ferry at the west end of High street, Philadelphia. The landmarks noted along its courses through Lower Merion were the Gulf Mill road, Rich ard Hugh's house (Ardmore), Merion Meeting-house, and the Pord road. This highway is now known, from Haverford to Merion, as Montgomery avenue, the remaining portions are ^till called Old Lancaster road.^° : That the Schuylkill fords were a convenient, if not always dependable, way of communication between the two banks of the Schuylkill has already been sufficiently shown by the fact of so many early roads having led to them. In 1777, Captain John Montresor, chief Engineer of the. British army in Phil adelphia, made a list of fords between Pottsgrove and Phila- delphia.21 As he had to depend, for this information, on chance sources, it is not surprising to find that he has failed to locate several of those much used. In the following table, the names of all fords between.Philadelphia and Valley Forge are given, together with the location of each, and the present day names of the roads which connect, or once connected, with them.^- 1. Robin Hood. At Laurel Hill Cemetery. Ford road (called Montgomery avenue in Lower Merion). Montresor calls this a "bad ford." 2. Levering's. At Manayunk. Levering Mill road; Green , lane. 3. Jones's (later known as Walter's). Below Flat Rock tunnel. Mary .Wa(l)ters Ford road. 4. Hagy's (also called Port Royal). At mouth of Mill ; Creek. Hagy's Ford road; Port Royal Avenue. 5. Rees ap Edward's (later known as Young's). Below Spring Mill. Young's Ford road. The Spring Mill road, at one time, also led to this ford.

Col. Recs. of Pa.; IV, p. 503. " N. Y. Hist. Soc. Colls.; Year 1881;. p. 419. " For greater detail about some of these fords, see Pa. Mag. of Hist, and Biog., vol. 50, p. 344, et. seq. 20 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

6. Matson's (earlierknown as Harry's). At Conshohocken. Matson's Ford road; Fayette street. 7. Bevin's (earlier known as Cartledge's, etc.). At Sw6di^ land. 8. Swede's. At Norristown. Swede's Ford road; DeKalb street. 9. Fatland. At Valley Forge. Montresor says of this ford, "Can ford it with Horse by people who know it and in low tides."

Of all these fords, the one known in the early 1700's as Cartledge's has sunk deepest into obscurity, it having neither a road which perpetuates its name, nor a bridge which suc ceeds to its travel. It was probably called for Edmund Cart- ledge, who in 1696, purchased 1,000 acres in what is now Ply mouth township.^^ In 1712 (as we have seen), a road was asked for from Griffith's mill to Cartledge's ford, but none appears to have been needed on the other side for some years. Meanwhile, Joseph Gray has established a mill there; in-De cember, 1726, he petitions for a road "from Manatawny (Ridge) road near David Meredith's Plantation to the said Mill and thence to Schuylkill to the Lower Swedes Ford into a .roa4-already laid out from the Gulph Mill in Upper Merlon to the same Ford." The return of the jury of view, made in the following March, terminates this road at "the Swedes Lower Ford."2^ In his "History of Montgomery County," the "late Howard W. Kriebel has indicated the course of this road.-^ ' Twenty years later, in a petition for Plymouth Mill 'Voad to Schuylkill, we read that "Elias Rambo hath built a boat which is of very great Service when the river Schuylkill is High, in helping the Neighbors over said river ... there was always an open road to and from the Landing place ... until

" Phila. Deed Book F-8, p. 162. " Phila. Q.S. Recs.; 2, pp. 142, 136-7. Howard W. Kriebel: A Brief History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; p. 204, and map. The road is numbered 45. HISTORICAL GLEANINGS SOUTH OF SCHUYLKILL 21 now,that the road on the East side of the said river is blocked up by one John Fletcher." Almost another decade has passed when, in 1764, a road is returned "beginning at a Road called the Sweeds Ferry Road about Thirty perches from John Groves's Mill." Here is a new miller—but perhaps he runs the same old mill. At any rate>' it is a grist mill, appurtenant to which is a tract of 130 acres, on both of which we find John Grove taxed, in 1769 and 1774.^® A return of a road in Plymouth in 1778, mentions "Jno. Groves Mill Road." Among the collection of Sir Robert Erskine maps,_ covering the Revolutionary period, but undated, there is one depicting the country from New Castle to Bethlehem, and west to the Susquehanna. On this map, midway between Swede's and Matson's fords, is shown Groves ford, with roads leading to it from each side of the river.®® And finally, parallel with the Erskine Collection of maps is that of Sir Henry Clinton, covering the same period, and among these latter we find one showing the lay of the land from Philadelphia to Easton, and west to Lancaster, on which a ford is indicated at Greves (Grove's?) Mill, with one road connecting it with "Gulph Mill," and another with "Seven Stars," on what is evidently Ridge road.®i Of this latter place, William J. Buck, writing in 1859, says: "The Seven Stars is a small place two miles from Norristown, on the Ridge pike, where the Plymouth creek and railroad cross it, and contains one inn and three houses. The old "Seven Stars" inn, now kept by Samuel Pippitt, is nearly one of the most ancient in the county, and is marked on Scull's map of Pennsylvania, published in 1770."'®

Phila. Q.S. Recs.; 3, p. 84. Ibid.; 3, p. 325. See, also, Phila. Mort. Book "X" 9, p. 6. =« Pa. Arch., 3d Ser.; XIV, pp. 84, 411. • "Phila. Q.S. Recs.; 4, p. 46. Sir Robert Erskine Maps, 1775-82; Photostatic Copies, MSS. Div. Hist. Soc. of Pa. "Sir Henry Clinton Maps, 1775-82; Photostatic Copies, MSS. Div. Hist. Soc. of Pa. Both this and the Erskine Collection are at the Univer sity of Michigan. "William J. Buck: History of Montgomery County Within The Schuylkill Valley; p. 81. 22 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

This fixes the location of road, mill and ford. In 1871, a map of Plymouth township indicates the road is still leading down to the left bank of the river, which it reaches at a place called Potts Landing—the site of the old landing place of ford and ferry.33 Having crossed at Cartledge's, just to show that it could be done, we have wandered away from the Merions. Perhaps we may return later.

G. M. Hopkins & Co.: Atlas of the County of Montgomery and the State of Pennsylvania; 1871; p. 29. Marriage Notices from Newspapers

From "Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser^'

On November 23, by Rev. Dr. Blackwell, Mr. Samuel Axford to Miss Molly Palmer, both of this city. (November 28, 1797.) Last Thursday evening, at Robesoh Mill, by Joseph Cow- perthwaite, Esq., Mr. Peter Robeson to Miss Shoemaker, daughter of Mr. John Shoemaker, of Abington. (June 9, 1798.) On Thursday Evening last, by Wm. Dean, Esq., of Mont gomery County, Mr. Thomas Norton, of this city, to Miss Ann Conrad, of Montgomery. (December 26, 1798.) On Monday last, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. Isaac Moore to Miss Miriam Wells, both of Montgomery county, Pennsyl vania. (April 3, 1799.) The 14th inst., by the Rev. Slater Clay, Mr. Jonas Ulm- stead, merchant, of this city, to Miss Kitty Horning, of Provi dence, Montgomery county. (April 28, 1799.) At Pottstown, on Monday the 5th instant, by the Rev. Mr. Herman, Mr. James McClintack, merchant, of that place, to Miss Patty Bull, daughter of Thomas Bull, Esq., of Chester County. (August 12, 1799.)

From "Poulson's American Daily Advertiser"

At the Great Valley, Chester County, on Thursday evening last, by the Rev. Slator Clay, Mr. John Hughes, of Mont gomery County, to Miss Hannah Bartholomew, daughter of Benjamin Bartholomew, Esq., of Chester County. (October 11, 1800.) Tuesday evening, by the Rev. Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. William Lukens Potts, of Pitts-Town, New Jersey, to Miss

23 24 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Kachael Hughes, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. (April 2, 1801.) On Wednesday evening last, at Walnut Grove, by the Reverend Slator Clay, Mr. David Rittenhouse, to Miss Sarah Hughes, all of Montgomery County. (April 11, 1801.) On Thursday last, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. William Richardson, of Montgomery County, to Miss Hannah Jones, of Delaware County. (April 27, 1801.)

Thursday, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. Titus Yerkes, of Germantown Township, Philadelphia County, to Miss Mary Streaper, of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County. (June 20, 1801.) - On Tuesday evening, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. Charles Moore, of Philadelphia, to Miss Mary Coates, of Montgomery County. (October 9, 1801.) At Abington, on Thursday evening last, by the Rev. Mr. Tenant, Mr. Stacy Thomas, of the Northern Liberties^ to Miss Eliza Vancourt, daughter of Mr. Cornelius Vancourt, of Moreland, Montgomery County. (October 24, 1801.) Last evening, by the Rev. Bishop White, John Jones, Esq., of Montgomery County, to Miss Rebecca Jones, daughter of the late Owen Jones, Esq., of this city. (January 8, 1802.) I On Saturday evening, by the Rev. Mr. Ustick, Mr. Israel Jones to Miss.Susannah Bell, both of this city. (February 13, 1802.) The 8th Inst. by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. Charles Jones to Miss Mary Alloway, both of Lower Merion, Montgomery County. (April 13,1802.) On Thursday, the 21st inst., by John Curwen, Esq.; .of Montgomery County, Mr. Issachar Lewis to Miss Mary Turner. (October 26, 1802.) At Germantown, on Tuesday evening last, by the Rev. William Hendel, Dr. John Hahn, of Montgomery County, to Miss Margaretha Sweyer. (April 22, 1803.) MARRIAGE NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS . 25

On the 5th inst., by John Curwen, Esq., Mr. John Elliot to Miss Margaretta Morgan, both of Montgomery County. (May 14, 1803.) At Friends' meeting, Haddonfield, N. J., the 13th instl. Dr.'Gove Mitchell, of Montgomery County, Penna., to Miss Rebecca Justice, daughter of Mr. Geo. Justice, merchant, of this city. (October 27,1803.) At Friends' Meeting, in Horsham, the 21st ultimo, Mr. John B. Ackley, of this city, to Miss Mary Miller, daughter of Mr. Solomon Miller, of Abington Township, Montgomery County. (November 9, 1803.) On Sunday last, by Joseph Lewis, Esq., Doctor Joseph Meredith to Miss Rachel Foulk, both of North Wales. (November 16, 1803.) Yesterday at Friends' Meeting, Abington, Rowland Jones, of Birmingham Works, N. J., to Martha Potts, daughter of I. Potts, late of Cheltenham, dec'd. (March 10, 1804.) On Thursday last, by the Rev. Mr. Milledoller, Mr. LeWis Knox, to Miss Margaretta Miller, both of Montgomery Clounty, Lower Merion Township. (April 24, 1804.) • • ^ On Saturday evening, by the Rev. Mr. Harman, Mr^ George Leaf, to Mrs. Eliza Shaw, both of Pottstown, Montgomery Cbunty. (May 29, 1804.) On the 4th inst., by the Rev. Dr. Rodgers, Mr. Edward Levis, of Springfield, Delaware County, to Miss Mary Price, of Lower Merion, Montgomery County. (October 8, 1804.) In Reading, on Wednesday evening, the 17th of October, by the Rev. Henry A. Muhlenberg, Levi Pawling, Esq., of Norristown, to Miss Eliza Heister, daughter of Gen. Joseph Heister, of the Borough of Reading. (October 24, 1804.)^, On Thursday last, at Friends' Meeting, Plymouth, Mr. Edward B. Potts to Miss Sara Williams, daughter of Mr. Isaac Williams, of Montgomery County. (May 18, 1805.) On Monday the 12th inst., in Montgomery County, Mr. Charles Wilson Peale, of Philadelphia, to Miss Hannah More, of Montgomery. (August 20, 1805.) 2.6 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

At Norristown, on Thursday the 31st of October, by the Reverend Slaytor Clay, Frederick Wiessel, Esquire, merchant, from Germany, to Miss Elizabeth Davis, daughter of George Davis, Esquire, of Philadelphia. (November 7, 1805.) • Oh Tuesday last, by the Rev. Dr. Greene, Mr. William Rakewell, of Montgomery County, to Miss Rebecca Smith. (December 12,1805.) On Friday evening last, the 28th inst., by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. Richard Kimble, to Mrs. Mary Kerr, both of Abington, Montgomery County. (March 31, 1806.) On Sunday evening, the 8th inst., by the Rev. Dr. Staugh- 'ton, Mr. Evan Rees, to Miss Sarah Pauling, both of Mont- goihery County, Pennsylvania. (June 11, 1806.) . On Thursday evening last, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. John Thomas, of Lower Merion," Montgomery County, to Miss Margaret Smith, of Blockley, Philadelphia County. (July 12, 1806.) On Thursday last at the Friends Meeting, Abington, Montgomery County, Mr. Charles T. Hollowell, of Abington, to Miss Ann Longstreth, daughter of Joseph Longstreth, deceased. (October 13, 1806.) On Thursday last, at Friends' Meeting, Abington, Mr. Samuel Potts, to Miss Sarah Fletcher, daughter of Mr. Thomas Fletcher, all of Montgomery County. (November 22, 1806.) On Thursday evening, the 20th ultimo, by Joseph Lewis, Esq., Mr. John Thompson, to Miss Phebe Evans, both of Montgomery county. (December 3, 1806.) At Lancaster, on Thursday, the 21st ult., by the Rev. Mr. Clarkson, Cadwallader Evans, Esq., of Montgomery county, to Miss Harriet Musser, daughter of Mr. John Musser, de ceased of that borough. (June 6, 1807.) At Bridgetown, West Jersey, on Monday evening last, by the Rev. Mf. Freeman, the Rev. John Jones, of Norris-Town, Pennsylvania, to Miss Hariet Potter, daughter of the late Col. David Potter, of the former place. (June 10, 1807.) MARRIAGE NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 27

On Thursday evening last, by the Rev. Philip F. Mayer . .1 Mr. Casper Goodman to Miss Martha Smith. (October 10, 1807.) On Saturday evening, by the Rev. Mr. Mayer, Mr. James Worth, of this city, merchant, to Miss Eliza Knight, daughter of Isaac Knight, Esq., of Montgomery county. (December 29, 1807.) On Friday evening, 5th inst., by the Rev. Mr. Helfinstine, Dr. William Southern, of Maryland, to Miss Christiana Snyder, daughter of the late George A. Snyder, deceased, of Montgomery County. (January 19, 1808.) On Tuesday, the 5th inst., by the Rev. Wm. Latta, Mr. J. Audubon, of Louisville, to Miss Lucy Bakewell, eldest daughter of Mr. Wm. Bakewell, of Fatland ford, Montgomery County. (April 8, 1808.) On the 12th inst. at Friends' Meeting in Frankford, Samuel Roberts, of Abington, to Priscilla Shallcross, of Lower Dublin. (April 19, 1808.) Yesterday, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. Samuel McDer- mond, of Blockley, Philadelphia County, to Miss Ann Ramsey, of Lower Merion, Montgomery County. (May 20, 1808.)', On Thursday morning, at Friends' meeting in Merripn, Mr.' Edward Harvey, of this city, to Miss Margaret Boyle, of that;place. (June 18, 1808.) i '"Last Thursday evening, by the Rev. Mr. Smith, Mr. Caleb Way, of this city, to Miss Susannah Holby, daughter of the late" Wm. Holby, deceased, formerly of Bristol -township, Montgomery county. (September 3, 1808.) On Saturday evening, the 3d instant, Mr. Samuel Dyer, of Montgomery County, to Miss Elizabeth Keen, of Philadelphia County. (September 7, 1808.) On Saturday, the 10th inst. by the Rev. Dr. Pilmore, Mr. Jesse Crouse of Moreland township, to Miss Ann Baggs,.pf Southwark. (September. 15, 1808.) , • 28 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

• At Germantown, on Sunday evening last, by the Rev. Mr. Charles Helfenstine, Mr. Samuel Sutter, of this city, to Miss Maria Hagy, daughter of Mr. William Hagy, of Lower Merion, Montgomery County. (October 11, 1808.) On 5th day last, in Friends' Meeting at Abington, Edward Edwards to Rebecca Craft, both of Montgomery County, Penn sylvania. (October 20, 1808.) On Thursday, the 12th inst., by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. John Evans, to Miss Hannah Thomas, both of Lower Merion, Montgomery County. (January 14, 1809.) On Thursday evening, the 2d instant, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. George Lowry to Miss Hannah Horn, both of Montgomery county, P. (March .7, 1809.) • On Thursday evening last, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, Mr. George Delany to Miss Mary White, both of Upper Merion, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. (April 1, 1809.) Thursday evening last, by John Goodman, Esq., Mr. Jacob Blackford, of Moreland township, Montgomery county, to Miss Hannah Truman, of this City. (April 1, 1809.) On fifth day the 12th inst. at Friends' meeting, at Abing ton, Amos W. Butcher, of the City of Philadelphia, Merchant, to Susanna Tyson, daughter of Thomas Tyson, of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. (October 16, 1809.) At Friends' meeting, Abington, on the seventh instant, Daniel Fletcher, son of Thomas Fletcher, to Joanna Potts, daughter of Isaac Potts, deceased, all of Montgomery County. (December 9, 1809.) On the 14th instant, at Friends' Meeting, in Abington, Samuel Longstreth, of this city, Merchant, to Sarah Redwood Fisher; second daughter of Miers Fisher, late of this ciiy, now of Ury in the county of Philadelphia. (November 19, 1811.) Last evening, by the Rev. Dr. Vaugh, Mr. Abraham Weaver, Merchant, of this city, to Miss Eliza Hittner, daugh ter of Daniel Hittner, Esq., of Marble Hall, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. (May 5, 1813.) MARRIAGE NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 29

On the evening of the 18th inst» by William Moulder;. Es quire, Thomas Zell to Hannah Ogden, daughter of the late Hugh Ogden. (January 20, 1815.) • At Friends' Meeting, Mulberry street, on the 4th inst. Isaac Williams, jun. of Whitemarsh, to Deborah Potts, daugh ter of Isaac Potts, deceased. (May 8, 1815.) On Wednesday evening, by the Rev. Mr. Doake, Mr. John H. Brautigam, Merchant, of Northumberland, formerly of Philadelphia, to Miss Margaret C. Myers, of Montgomery county, (April 12, 1816.) At Friends' Meeting, Plymouth, on the.13th inst., Isaac Bonsall, of this city, to Ann Paul, daughter of Jacob Paul, late of Wissahickon, deceased. (June 15, 1816.) On the 16th .instant, at Friends' Meeting House in By- berry, Nathanial Richardson, jun., of Horsham township, to Hannah Yarnall, jun. daughter of Peter Yarnall, deceased. (October 21, 1816.) • At Friends' Meeting-house, in Abington, on the 12th inSt. Nathan Harper of Frankford, to Elizabeth .Williams, daugh ter of George Williams, of Abington. (December .16, 1816.) • ' Oh '5th day, the 25th February, by Job Roberts, Esquire, Mr. Jonathan Jones, to Mrs. Mary McClenachen, daughter-of William Thomas, all of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County. •(March 13, 1819.) On Saturday evening last, in the Borough of Norristown, by the Rev. Thomas May, Mr. David Sower, Jr., Editor of the Norristown Herald, to Miss Cecilia Chollet, of this City. (April 13, 1819.) On Monday the 29th instant, by the Rev. Horatio G. Jones, Mr. George F. Curwen, to the amiable Miss Eleanor Ewing, daughter of Maskill Ewing, Esq. (December 1, 1819.) Yesterday morning,at Lower Merrion, Montgomery County, by the Right Rev. Bishop Conwell, Mr. John Saulnier, Mer chant, of this city, to Miss Sarah Wilson, daughter of the late Mr. Joseph Wilson, of the former place. (March 23, 1821.) go BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

;On Wednesday last,, by Robert Wharton, Esq., Mr. Samuel !firowne, to Miss Jane Tunis, both of this city. (September 7, 1821.) - •'•••"On Wednesday evening last, by the Rev. Thomas H. Skin ner, •Mi^-Miles N. Carpenter, to Miss Eliza, daughter of Mr. Algernon Roberts, late of Lower Merion, Montgomery County. .(October 24, 1821.) ''' On the 31st December, 1821, by J. Taylor, Esq., Mr. John S. Leibert, of Bristol Township, Philadelphia County, to Miss Guglielma Maria, daughter of William Grant, of Abbington .Township, Montgomery County. (January 5, 1822.) •' On Tuesday evening, the 12th instant, at Moortown, Mont gomery County, by the Reverend Robert Steel, Mr. Henry L. Bonsall, Merchant, of Philadelphia, to Miss Hannah Wentz, daughter of the late John Wentz, Esquire, of Whitpain Tovm- ship, Montgomery County. (February 16, 1822.) In Frankford, on Thursday, the 11th inst., before John Worrell, Esquire, Mr. Lloyd Jones, of Lower Merion Town ship, to Mrs. Lydia Cress, of this city. (April 15, 1822.) f On the 17th inst. by the Rev. Mr. Murphy, Mr. Tench C. .Kintzing, of Montgomery County, to Miss Mary Fentpn, of Buckingham Township, Bucks County. (April 24, 1822.) •< Last evening, Mr. Thomas R. Tunis, to Miss Anna Eliza, daughter of the late John Guest, Esq. (May 7, 1822.) Death Notices from Newspapers

From "Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser"

The 22d inst., at Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Mrs. Anna Carmick, of Philadelphia, in the sixty-third year of her age, after a long and painful illness. (September 28, 1797.) i. On the 24th inst., at Cheltenham, Mrs. Catherine Miles, the •wife of Col. Samuel Miles. (October 30, 1797.) On seventh day last, Isaac Mather, a fine hearty boy, about nine years of age, son of Isaac Mather, of Whitemarsh, miller, Was skaiting on the mill dam, on the Wissahiccon creek, he fell in and was unfortunately drowned; he was found about half an hour after the accident happened; every means were use'd to restore life, but ineffectual. (February 7, 1798.) On Monday last, Mr. Henry Kammerer, jun., one of the publishers of the Philadelphia Coi-respondent, a German paper, iprinted in this city. (September 24, 1798.)' ^ J At Merrion, early on Sunday morning last, aged twenty- xthree years, Mr. Rees Thomson, of this city, merchant; and on'Monday afternoon his remains were deposited in the burial ground of the Friends' meeting house at Merrion. (July 17, 1799.) I ' On Saturday, the 31st ult., at his seat in Merrion Township, Montgomery, Mr. John Brooks, of Philadelphia. (September l3;i799.)

From "Paulson's American Daily Advertiser" '

In Montgomery County, on the morning of the 23d inst., •in'the sixty-second year of her age, Mrs. Elizabeth Ferguson, daughter of the late Dr. Thomas Graeme, of this city. (Feb ruary 26, 1801.) 31 32 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

At Potts-town, Pennsylvania, on Friday evening, the thir teenth of March, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, Mr. John Nancarrow, formerly of this city. (April 13, 1801.) Yesterday morning, at Brookfield, Montgomery County, Mrs. Eleanor Jones, wife of Judge Jones. (April 16,1801.) On Tuesday night last, Major James Adams, of Norris- •town Township, in the forty-fifth year of his age. His death was occasioned by a fracture of his leg. ... He has left a wife arid three small children, and a few days will bring a fourth to .existence. (April 24,1801.) At Merion, in the county of Philadelphia, on the fourth day of the Fifth month, 1801, in the eighty-second year of her age, Susanna Jones, relict of the late Owen Jones. (May 16, 1801.) On the the 19th instant departed this life, at his late dwell ing in Montgomery County, Doctor Charles Moore, in the seventy-seventh year of his age.... His remains were deposited in the Friends' burial ground at North Wales, on the 20th instant. (August 24, 1801.) On Friday, the 6th of this inst., Mrs. Martha Potts, widow and relict of Zebulon Potts, deceased; and on the Sunday fol lowing her remains were interred in the Friends' burial ground in Plymouth. (August 19,1802.) At Norristown, in this state, on the 23d instant, Mrs. Mary Muhlenburg, widow of the late Reverend Doctor Henry Muh- lenburg, in the seventy-eighth year of her age. (September 2, 1802.) At Norristown, in this state, a few days ago, the Rev. Dr. John Ewing, of this city, late Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, and pastor of the First Presb3rterian Church in this city; an aged, useful and much regretted citizen. (Sep tember 10, 1802.) ' Departed this transitory life at Norristown, on Wednes day last, in the seventieth year of his age, the Rev. Dr. John Ewing, Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, and forty years pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in this city. (September 13,1802.) DEATH NOTICES, FROM NEWSPAPERS 33

" At Abingdon, in Pennsylvania, of which place he was a native, Joshua Morris, Esquire, in the ninety-fourth year of his age; he was many years a Member of the Legislature, and a useful member of society among the people called Quakers. (October 26,1802.) . On Tuesday, the 21st ult., John Bartleson, of Montgomery County, after a tedious illness in the thirty-fourth year of his age. (January 6, 1803.) •At Springfield, Montgomery County, on the 2d inst., Mr. William Hicks, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. (January 11, 1803.) On the 8th instant, at Horsham, Montgomery County, Wil liam Lewkins, aged ninety-one years, a native of Pennsylvania. (April 21, 1803.) At Germantown, on Fourth day evening, the 15th inst., Isaac Potts, of Cheltenham, Montgomery County, aged fifty- two years. (June 22, 1803.) On the 20th ult., of a paralytic affection, at his farm in Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, George Maris, aet about seventy, after an illness of less than twenty-four hours. (September 8,1803.) Yesterday evening, after an illness of four days, William Leedom, Senr., for many years a respectable inhabitant of Abington, Montgomery County, and lately of this city. (Sep tember 20, 1803.) Lately in Cheltenham Township, Mr. Jacob Lynn, in the eighty-eighth year of his age — many years a respectable ship builder at Kensington. (November 19, 1803.) On Saturday last, Mr. Christopher Zigler, in Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, aged ninety years. Mr. Zigler was an American bom, and an honest man. (April 18, 1804.) On Monday evening last, Mrs. Curry aged about 100 years —and on Wednesday following her remains were interred in the Norristovm Burial Ground in the same county. (April 18, 1804.) 34 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

• On Friday, the 11th instant, Thomas Goldsborough, Es quire, of Talbot County, Maryland — and on the day following his remains were interred at White Marsh. (May 18, 1804.) On the 8th inst., in Shoemaker Town, Cheltenham Town ship, Montgomery County, William Shoemaker, aged about eighty-two years, having closed a long and useful life with unblemished reputation. (June 11, 1804.) On Saturday evening, the 9th instant, in the sixty-third year of her age, Mrs. Rebecca Mayburry, relict of Thomas Mayburry, Esquire, formerly of Potts-town and daughter of the late Mr. Jeremiah Warder, merchant, of this city. (Feb ruary 12, 1805.) At- Horsham, in Montgomery County, on the 12th inst., Mrs. Margaret Edge, in her seventy-ninth year, widow df Jacob Edge, formerly of White Marsh. (July 18, 1805.) • • Departed this life, at Wilmington (Del.), on Monday,-'the 16th instant, after a short illness, Mary Gray, formerly^of Montgomery County, in the fifty-fifth year of her age. (Sep tember 24, 1805.) '^""6h a visit to his friends at Norristown, on Monday, the 23d instant, Mr. Henry W. Muhlenberg, Wine Merchant, s6h of uie late Frederick Augustus Muhleiiberg, Esquire. (Cictober 1805.) ' • Suddenly on Tuesday morning last,' at his father's, hoiise^ in. Moreland Township, Montgomery County, Mr. Thomas Shoemaker, aged about thirty-two years, sincerely regretted by 'airwho knew him. (December 19, 1805.) ..At-Cape Francois, on the 25th of. January last, after an ill ness of four days, Mr. John R. Tunis, eldest son of Mr. Richai;d Tjinis, a respectable Merchant of this city. (March 14, 1806,) In Montgomery County, on the 10th instant, Mr. Jacpjb Deayy, aged forty-five years. (January 28,1807). - - '^On Wednesday, the eleventh instant, at his plantation in Montgomery County,- Mr. Joseph Cauffman, in the eighty- seventh year of his age. The deceased was an old and resp'det- DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 35 aBle inhabitant of this city. His remains were deposited on Thursday following, in St. Mary's churchyard. (February 23, 1807.) ' . On the 23d instant, at Potts-Town, Pennsylvania, in the forty-second year of his age, Charles Jolly, Esquire, lately Merchant of this city. (April 25, 1807.) On Monday morning last, after a short illness, in the seevnty-fifth year of his age, Mr. Michael Cline, for many years a respectable inhabitant of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County. (August 5, 1807.) On Saturday, the 26th instant, in the fifty-second year of her age, Mrs. Jane Tunis, wife of Richard Tunis, Esquire. (September 29, 1807.) On Sunday, the 27th ult., in the seventy-eighth year of his age, Mr. John Evans, of Gwynedd, in the county of Mont gomery. He possessed a very superior understanding, was a conspicuous and influential Member of the Society of Friends, and a practical Christian. (October 3, 1807.) In Upper Dublin, Montgomery County, on the 29th ult., Michael Trump, in his ninety-fifth year. (He survived his wife eight years — she died in her eighty-fifth year.) He has left seven children, forty-seven grandchildren and twenty-six great grandchildren. The distinguished features of his character were that of an honest, industrious temperate man. He at tended to the business of his farm till far advanced in life, when he attained the innocence and simplicity of a child, and died without any apparent s3anptoms of pain or uneasiness of mind. He was interred on fifth day last, in Friends burial ground at Horsham, of which meeting he was all his life a member. (April 4, 1808.) On Friday, the 19th inst., aged forty-eight years, Mr. Rich ard Tunis. (May 24, 1808.) On Saturday, the second instant, at her residence in Upper Providence, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Rebecca Lane, widow and relict of Samuel Lane, aged eighty-nine years. (July 20, 1808.) 36 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

' - On Sunday evening last, at his mill, in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, George Helmbold, senior, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. (August 2, 1808.) . ' At his Father's house, in Montgomery county, on the 1st of September, Owen Foulke, Esq., Attorney at Law, late of Northumberland County. (September 14, 1808) In the county of Montgomery in Montgomery Township, on the 24th day of October, Michael Land, aged about seventyr-five years. He was a native of Germany but had resided in Penn sylvania many years; and by industry and economy had ac quired a handsome estate. (November 10, 1808.) At Horsham, Montgomery County, on the 7th inst., Alice Garrett, in the nintieth year of her age. She had twelve chil dren, sixty-eight grand children, and sixty-eight great gr^and- children, and thirty-four connected with her children by mar riage— making in all 182. (December 26, 1808.) •Departed this life on Sunday morning last, after a short but painfull illness, in the nineteenth year of her age, ^Irs. Sarah M. Gartley, consort of Dr. Samuel Gartley, of Nqrris- town, Pennsylvania. (March 1, 1809.) On Sunday morning, universally regretted, Mrs. Margaret Foulke, wife of Mr. Caleb Foulke, junior, of Montgomery County. (July 26, 1809.) In Abington, Montgomery County, on the 22d ult., Sarah Morris, in the seventy-sixth year of her age — relict of the late Joshua Morris- (November 8, 1809.) • Yesterday morning, about 9 o'clock, after a lingering, ill ness. Col. Francis Wade, in the seventy-eighth year of his age, formerly of this city, but late of Montgomery County in/this State. Funeral from his dwelling, 97 New Street, bet. 3d and 4th. (January 2, 1810.) The 30th of December last, after only ten hours illness, Conrad Ham, of Worcester Township, Montgomery County, aged seventy-four years. He was a worthy Elder of the Ger man Baptist Society, in which station he acted zealously and faithfully according to the ability the Lord was pleased to entrust him with. (January 8, 1810.) DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 37 I

On Tuesday, the second day of January last, at Chesnut Hill, Germantown Township, Christopher Yeakel, Cooper, aged ninety-one years and nine months. He sustained that character which is inseparable from a true Christian — uni versal love and peace to all men. He was one of the people called Schwenkfelders. (January 8, 1810.) On the 4th inst., in the ninety-third year of his age, Mr. Thomas Rooke, of Norriton; and on the 7th his remains were interred in the Baptist burying-ground, Colebrookdale, in the county of Berks, Pennsylvania. (January 20, 1810.) On the 12th instant, in Montgomery Township and County, Joseph Mather, in the eighty-second year of his age. (March 30, 1810.) At Willow Grove, Montgomery County, on Sunday, 29th ult., Mahlon Michener, aged about nineteen years, son of Israel Michener. (August 10, 1810.) Drowned, on Sunday, the 5th instant, in the Perkiomen, a child of Philip Yawn's, aged nine years. On Thursday last, as Mr. Abraham Latshaw, of Lower Pro vidence, was angling in a rivulet, a short distance from his house, he slipped from his position into the water, and was unfortunately drowned. He has left a wife and several chil dren to lament the irreparable loss. A few days since, a black man was drowned in attempting to swim across Schuylkill at the Flat Rock. (August 15, 1810; dispatch is dated Norristown, August 8th.) On Tuesday, the 6th instant, after a lingering sickness of eighteen months, Mrs. Margaret Hahn, wife of Doctor John Hahn, of Montgomery County, and daughter of Mr. Henry Sweyer, of Germantown. (November 10, 1810.) On Sunday morning last, after a lingering illness. The Rev. William Tenant, of Abington Township, Montgomery County. (December 11, 1810.) At Abington, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the 8d instant, the Rev. Doctor William M. Tennent, in the sixty- 38 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY seventh year of his age. On the Tuesday following, his remains ... wei'e deposited in the burying ground of the Presbyterian Church of that place. ... He was born in Somerset County, Maryland; educated at Princeton College, and was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity by the Corporation of Yale College, about the year '97. For about ten years he served as Pastor of the Church of Greenfield, Connecticut; from thence he was translated, in the year 1780, to Abington, where he became Pastor of the United Churches of Abington, Norriton and Providence. His health declining, for a few years past, he confined his pastoral labors to the Church of Abington ... till about six months ago. (December 19, 1810.)

On the 25th ult., Mrs. Elizabeth Yost, late consort of Mr. Daniel Yost, an old and respectable inhabitant of Whitpain Township, Montgomery County. (February 13, 1811.) On Wednesday last, much and deservedly respected and esteemed, and sincerely lamented, Mrs. Ruth Lohra, wife of Peter Lohra, Esq., of this City. The deceased was the youngest and only Survivor of Thirteen Sons and Daughters of John Potts, Esq., formerly of Pottsgrove in'Pennsylvania, and the original founder of that place. (June 1, 1811.) . On Wednesday night, the 11th instant, at Pottsgrove, Mont gomery County, Mr. Daniel D. Benneville, son of Dr. George De, Benneville, of Milesto-wn, Philadelphia County, in the twentieth year of his age. (September 20, 1811.)

ft •, In Lower-Merrion Township, Philadelphia County, on the 28th ultimo, Mrs. Mary Jones, aged ninety-four years, widow of Jacob Jones, of that township, who died at the age of ninety- seven years. (November 13, 1811.) > . Suddenly, on Friday morning, the 14th instant, at Pbtts- town, Montgomery County, General Francis Nichols, a much and deservedly respected officer of the Army of the Upited States, during the Revolutionary contest. Those who knew him well will tell his worth as a soldier, as a friend, and as a man whose eye was ready to see, and his hand to relieve, the wants of the distressed. (February 17, 1812.) DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 39

Norristown, Pa., Thursday, 15th inst., Mrs. Mary Swaine, wife of Gen. Francis Swaine, in her fifty-seventh year; buried the 19th at "the church at the Trap; of which her venerable Father, the late Dr. H. Muhlenberg, was the founder." (Octo ber 21, 1812.) Saturday last, in Coventry Township, Robert May, of Potts- grove, aged about sixty years. Caused by his horse running away. (November 26, 1812.) Twenty-fifth of 1st mo., after a lingering illness, Phebe Jones, of Lower Merion, in her seventy-second year, consort of Paul Jones. (January 30,1813.) Fourteenth inst., Miss Sarah Swift, dau. of Edward Swift, of Moreland Township, "aged, on the day of her death, sixteen years." Ill six weeks. (February 1, 1813.) In her twenty-third year, on Sunday last, Mrs. Ann Tra- quair, wife of James Traquair, stone cutter, of this city, and only daughter of Mr. Samuel Henderson, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. (January 11, 1814.) On the 9th inst., at the residence of her father, in Upper Merion Township, Mrs. Ann Traquair, consort of Mr. James Traquair, of Philadelphia, and the only daughter of Colonel Samuel Henderson, of the former place. (Aged twenty-three; left one child.) (January 15, 1814.) A little daughter of Mr. Joseph Evans, of Plymouth, Mont gomery County, Pennsylvania, was shockingly burnt on Mon day, the 31st ult., by her clothes taking fire, which were con sumed before aid could be given, and on the following morn ing she died. (February 5, 1814.) On the 14th instant, in the seventeenth year of her age, very deservedly esteemed and sincerely lamented by her num erous relations, friends and acquaintances. Miss Martha Rut- ter Potts, daughter of the late Jesse Potts, of Pottsgrove, Iron master. (February 19,1814.) ^ On the 30th of March last, at Brookeville, Montgomery County, Maryland, in the forty-fifth year of his age. Dr. Nich- 40 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY olas Wynkoop, eldest son of Henry Wynkoop, Esq., of Bucks County, Pa. (April 6, 1814.) At Evanburgh, on Thursday last, Mary Morgan, dau. of Mr. Daniel Morgan, about eight years old, while returning from school, was accidentally killed by a wagon. (December 26, 1814.) At Pottstown, Penn., on Sunday the 5th inst. after a pain ful and lingering illness, Thomas Walker Leonard, in the twenty-seventh year of his age, universally regretted and be loved. (February 13, 1815.) On Sunday evening, February the 19th, in Lower Merion Township, Samuel Dehaven, aged upwards of eighty-eight years. On Wednesday, the 22nd, he was decently buried in the Swedes' burying-ground, in Upper Merion Township, attended by his relatives and a number of respectable people. A sermon was delivered by Mr. Clay, of Norristown, suitable for. the occasion. (March 8, 1815.)

On Wednesday morning last, Mr. Reuben Morgan, of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, in the thirty-seventh year of his age, of a Consumption. (May 3, 1815.)

• i Distressing Accident — "In the midst of life we are in death."—On Wednesday, the 17th inst., a person of the name of Christian Comfort, of Hatfield Township, Montgomery County (in company with two other persons), while in the act of cutting down a tree, received so violent a blow on his head from a limb on which the tree fell, as instantaneously to de prive him of existence. He has left a disconsolate widow and one child to mourn the irreparable loss. (May 27, 1815.) > . On Friday evening last, in Norristown ... Clymer Ross, Esq., aged twenty-six years, son of Thomas Ross, Esq., of 'that borough, and formerly of Philadelphia. (November 3, 1815.) Yesterday morning, in his ninety-sixth year, Mr. Peter De Haven. (Funeral this afternoon, 3 o'clock, from dwelling of his son, Mr. Hugh De Haven, 45 North Sixth Street.) (Novem ber 13,1815.) DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 41

Monday morning last, Mrs. Martha Whitton, wife of Rich ard Whitton, of Abington. (December 15, 1815.) , On Sunday, Mrs. Mary Roberts, widow of the late Mr. Thomas Roberts, Merchant, aged fifty-eight years. (Funeral from her late dwelling, 60 South Sixth Street, at eight this morning.) (March 4, 1817.) On the fifteenth instant, at his residence in Cheltenham, John Shoemaker, aged about fifty-three years. (March io, 1817.) On the 15th inst., after a severe indisposition of eight months ... in the thirty-third year of his age, Mr. Joseph Hagy, late Papermaker of Lower Merion, Montgomery County, and on the 18th inst., his remains were interred in the burial ground, attached to the Dutch Reformed Church in Germantown. (April 22, 1817.) At Charleston (S. C.) on the 20th inst., after an illness of five days, of the prevailing fever, in the twenty-third year of his age, Mr. Richard Tunis, a native of Philadelphia, and partner in the house of Coates, West & Tunis, of Charleston. (October 2, 1817.) Yesterday was committed to the grave the remains of Jehu Roberts, of West Whiteland, an aged and respectable member of the Society of Friends. (January 9, 1818; dispatch from Downingtown, dated January 6th.) On Sunday, the 1st instant, Mrs. Christiana Hailer, late widow of Frederick Hailer, and formerly the widow of George Adam Snyder, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, aged sixty-nine years. (Funeral from late residence, 24 Arch Street, 3d inst., 3 P.M. (March 3, 1818.) March 11th, 1818, at his residence in Whitpain Township, Montgomery County, John Wentz, Esq., in the fifty-eighth year of his age, after a lingering illness. (March 20, 1818.) • ' At his late residence in Moreland, Montgomery County, on the 11th instant, Samuel Shoemaker, aged ninety-three years and four months. He was a member of the religious Society 42 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

of Friends, and a number of years in the station of an Elder. (April 2, 1818.) On Monday morning, Charles Kugler, Esq., another of our Revolutionary heroes. (Funeral, 3 this afternoon, from late dwelling, 89 Callowhill Street.) (May 13, 1818.) Last Wednesday evening, Susan F. Jones, daughter of Captain Lloyd Jones, aged nineteen years and seven months. (July 10,1818.) Yesterday morning, at half past 3 o'clock, in the ninety- sixth year of his age, Mr. Leonard Hydle, an old and respect able citizen, late of the Northern Liberties. (July 28, 1818.) At Norristown, Penn., on Saturday evening, the 5th in stant, after a severe illness, aged ten years, George Brown, junr., son of Mr. George Brown, late of Philadelphia. (June 19, 1819.) On the 27th inst., at the house of his daughter in this city, where he was on a visit to his children, Nathan. Potts, Esq., late of Norristown, Montgomery County, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. (June 28,1819.) On Tuesday evening, 17th inst^, in the twenty-fourth year of his age, at the house of his father, near Norristown, Mr. William Whiteman. (August 23, 1819.) At Norristown, on Monday, the 20th of September, after a short but severe illness, the Rev. Thomas P. May, Rector of the Episcopal Churches of St. John's, Norristown, and St. Thomas's, Whitemarsh, in that County ... Mr. May entered into the Ministry of the Episcopal Church about two and one- half years since, and was shortly after chosen rector of the above-named Churches. ... He died in the twenty-sixth year of his age, and has left a widow and two young children. (October 1, 1819.)

Yesterday morning, about 9 o'clock, Jehu R. Tunis, Mer chant, of this city, aged thirty-one years. (Funeral from his late dwelling, Walnut St. near 11th.) (November 1, 1819.) DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 43

In Abington Township, Montgomery County, on Sunday morning, the 28th of November last, Mrs, Susanna Tennent, Widow of William M. Tennent, D.D., late Pastor of Abington Church, aged sixty-seven years. On Wednesday following, her remains ... were deposited in the Church ... when her remains were interred by the side of her deceased husband and only child. ... With her the name of Tennent is extinct. (December 8, 1819.) At Norristown, on Monday morning, after a lingering ill ness, Capt. William Mitchel, formerly of this city. (Funeral from the dwelling of his brother, Jacob Mitchell, 131 Cedar St., 10 A.M. today.) (January 5, 1820.) On the 16th instant, at his late residence in Whitemarsh Township ... Ezra Comfort, in the seventy-first year of his age. (January 28, 1820.)

On Thursday last, the 13th inst., in the thirty-sixth year of her age, Mrs. Ann Stetler, wife of Christian Stetler*, of Upper Providence township. She died in Philadelphia. (April 21, 1820.) On Friday night, the 15th instant, after a painful illness of five months. ... Major General Francis Swayne of the borough of Reading, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. On Saturday, the 17th instant, his remains were interred in the burial ground of the German Lutheran Church at Reading. ... The funeral service was performed by the Rev. Bird Wilson, of Oakland. ... General Swayne was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to this country at an early age. In 1775 he was married to a daughter of •Henry Muhlenberg, D.D., of Philadelphia, the founder of the German Lutheran Church in the United States. From this connection resulted two sons and two daughters, who have long since paid the great debt of nature; and on the 13th of October, 1812 . . . the loss of his excellent wife. ... In 1814 he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Arndt, of Northampton county. ... At the commencement of hostilities with Great Britain, Gen. Swayne accepted a captain's command in the continental army. ... 44 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Broken down in health by ... the most arduous campaigns in the southern states, he resigned the rank of Brigade Major which he had acquired under the command of Gen. Peter Muhlenberg. ... Under Governor McKean ... he held the prominent office ... in the County of Montgomery, where he resided during the administration of that distinguished civilian and patriot. (June 27, 1820.) At her residence in Montgomery township, near Mont gomery Square, Penn., on the 24th May last, Mrs. Mary Drake, aged one hundred years. And in March last, Mrs. Mary Brunner, wife of Mr. David Brunner, aged about ninety years. They lived together in a married state for upwards of sixty-five years. (June 28, 1820.) On Monday last, the 26th instant, at the seat of W. Phil lips, Esq., near Holmesburg, where he was on a visit, Samuel Baird, Esq., of Pottstown, Montgomery County. . . . Mr. Baird represented Montgomery County, in the State Legisla ture, with great reputation. (Left a widow and children.) (June 30, 1820.) In the City of Philadelphia, Joseph Lloyd, Esq., Attorney- at-Law. On Tuesday, the 20th ultimo, his remains were de posited in Friends' Grave Yard at Horsham, in this county. (June 30, 1820.) On the 7th inst. suddenly, at his late residence in Gwynedd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Dr. Joseph Meredith, in the prime of life and public usefulness. His death was occa sioned by the rupture of a blood vessel in the lungs. (August 11, 1820.) August 18, at the residence of her son, in Merion Town ship, Mrs. Ann Ramage, aged seventy-eight years, of a short but painful disease. (September 28, 1820.) At Fredericktown, Md., on Wednesday evening last, in the thirty-second year of his age, Mr. Charles Sower, Editor of the Star of Federalism, after an illness of four or five days. ... The deceased has left no family to lament his loss, and no relatives near him to mourn his untimely fate. DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 45

This gentleman was a native of Pennsylvania, and form erly edited "The Norristown Herald," now conducted by his brother, Mr. David Sower. (October 27, 1820.) On the 11th instant, at her father's residence in Norris town, of a consumption ... Hannah, relict of the late B. Drum, Esq., of this city, and daughter of John Markley, of the above place. (Mentions that she had suffered eight years, and had nursed her husband two years and eleven months.) (January 15, 1821.)

At Norristown, on Sunday morning last, Philip Bryan, only son of James Bryan, of that Borough ... by trade a stone mason, and was considered by the late Engineer of the Schuylkill Navigation, one of the best workmen. (January 26, 1821.) -

' At Baltimore, on the 20th inst. at 2 o'clock A.M. in the twenty-third year of her age, Mary Tunis, formerly of Phila delphia. ... Her remains were on Thursday last interred at Ellicott's Patapsco Mills. (February 27, 1821.)

On Tuesday, the 6th instant, at his seat in Montgomery County, William Bakewell, Esquire, a native of Derbyshire (England) in the sixtieth year of his age; and on the fol lowing Thursday afternoon, his remains were interred in the burial ground of the Unitarian Church in this city. (March 10,1821.) . At his residence, in Lower Merion, on the 8th instant, Jonathan Jones, formerly a respectable Merchant of this city. (Funeral from his late dwelling, to Friends' Burial Ground, at Merion Meeting, 3d day next, 10 A.M. (April 9, 1821'.)

' On Friday last, William Ives, of Pottsgrove Township, Montgomery County—he was a very respectable member of the society of Friends, and much esteemed by all who knew him. (May 11, 1821.) On Thursday the 3d instant, at his dwelling in Flower- town, in the sixty-eighth year of -his age, Frederick Haws. 46 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

(On Monday, 30th ult., he walked to Worcester, ten miles, to see his son. Returned Tuesday; went to his frame, made a pair of thread stockings; on Wednesday, made two and one- half pairs; on Thursday, went to Germantown; returned about noon; expired suddenly. (May 18, 1821.)

Casualty — On Saturday last, while Mr. John Pluck, of l^orriton Township, was engaged in hauling timber for the re building of Stony Greek Bridge, near Daniel St. Glair's, Esq., on the Germantown and Reading turnpike,' he was unfortu nately precipitated from one of his horses with such force that the'vital spark became extinct in a few hours. (July 20, 1821.) At Montgomery Square, Montgomery County,' on the morning of the 27th inst., at the farm of her father, Mr. Peter Wager, Merchant, of this city, Elizabeth S. Wager, in the thir teenth year of her age, after a long and painful illness. (Fun eral from her father's house, 134 North Second Street, at 3 this afternoon.) (September 28, 1821.) September 25th, at his residence in Evansburg, Mont gomery County, the Rev. Slater Clay, near the seventieth year of his age, almost fifty of which were spent in preaching the gospel. (Long obituary.) (October 5, 1821.) In the borough of Pottstown, Montgomery County, on Sat urday last, John Shaner, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. (October 19, 1821.)

Within a few days we have heard of the following deaths.— Mrs. Fouike, wife of Mr. Cadwallader Foulke, of Plymouth.— Mr. Thomas Shepard, Mr. John Wilson, sen., Mrs. Williams, wife of Mr. David Williams, all of Whitemarsh Township. Mrs. Barbara Powel, wife of Mr. Samuel Powel, of Lower Merion. Mr. John Metz, of Worcester. Gen. John Heister, of Pottstown. (October 19, 1821.)

At his farm in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, on Saturday, the 27th inst., Mr. Adam Eve, aged about 104 years. ... According to his own relation, he emigrated DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS ' 47 from Germany to this country, at the commencement, of the Indian and French War (near seventy years ago). Upon his arrival in America, he was sold for a term of years to pay his passage.... By his industry, he acquired a handsome property, and raised a large family of children, (etc.) (November 2, *1821.)

On Sunday morning last, Mr. John Stevenson, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, aged about seventy years, and for nearly forty years a resident in the family of Mr. Jonathan Miller, Buck Tavern, on the Lancaster Turnpike. (February 25,1822:)

On Saturday, the 9th instant, at Pon Reading, the seat of her Father, in Montgomery County, Miss Mary Humphreys. (March 15, 1822.)

Mary Humphreys, daughter of Joshua Humphreys, de parted this life in the thirty-ninth year of her age, on the 8th inst. Her remains were interred in Friends' burial ground, Haverford, on the 13th. (March 16, 1822.)

In Skippack Township, Montgomery County, on the morn ing of the 29th ult., of a short illness, Michael Ziegler, in the ninety-fifth year of his age. (He was of the religious denomi nation of Mennonites. (April 4 and 12, 1822.)

On Thursday, the 2d of May, in Douglass Township, Mont gomery County, of a consumption, Mr. George G. Meyers, in the thirtieth year of his age, son of Mr. Henry Meyers,*of this city. (May 8, 1822.)

Distressing Accident—A few days since, while Mr. Leon ard Lear, of Whitpain Township, was proceeding with his waggon loaded with lime, to a neighbouring county, he was unfortunately precipitated, as we are informed, from the sad dle-horse, when the waggon went over his body, which instant ly put a period to his existence. (May 10, 1822.) On Sunday,' the 19th instant, in the seventy-ninth year of her age. Patience Morgan, widow of Thomas Morgan, de- 48 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY ueased, for more than fifty years a worthy and respectable inhabitant of Lower Merlon Township, Montgomery, County. (May 28, 1822.) ; ,0n the morning of the 27th inst., Mr. Samuel Leech, of Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, in the eighty- seventh year of his age. (May 29, 1822.) . [, Was drowned on the 17th of May last, Susanna A. Radcliff, daughter of J. Radcliff, of Hatborough, in this county, an in- t^esting little girl of two years old. (June 20, 1822.) Librarian's Report

It stands to reason that the work of the new librarian since the bCj^nhing of the yearwaslargely exploratory, to get acquainted with the resources, extent and limitations of the library. •v' .V .. » 0 5' , .It appears that our library is especially rich in genealogical|material, and„is therefore most rewarding to searchers for.data to compile fanuly histories. County histories of Pennsylvania are also well represented, and .rare, maps of the Chester P. Cook collection, now being catalogued .and jmade available, augment their usefulness. , In the course of investigation some valuable items have been found and put in the vault. Among them were copies of John.Tobler's Pennsyl vania Almanack, printed by Christopher Sower, Jr., for the years 1764, 1756,--,1762, and 1764. Those for 1754 and 1764, were not recorded in the checklist of the Library of Congress, and are probably the only copies that have survived. A large volume of 1356 pages, with the title page missing, has been identified as a rare Benjamin Franklin imprint made in 1751, of Johann Amdt's famous devotional book "Vom Wahren Christenthum." A curious broadside of Quaker origin was hidden away in an old folio, and well it might have been. Ownership of this broadside, protesting against rupture with England and counseling compromise was considered prima facie evidence of treasonable tendencies 5n the struggle for inde pendence. Shortly before the invasion of Philadelphia in 1777 by the British, the patriots searched the houses of Quakers, and those found with this or similar broadsides were banished to Virginia. Our broadside is subscribed by "John Pemberton, Clerk," in type, and in addition is signed in ink by John Pemberton. He was among the twenty who were forced into wagons and driven off to Virginia. His offence was, it is recorded, the publication of a seditious paper in behalf of certain persons in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which attracted the attention of Congress. Our broadside is entitled "The Ancient Testimony and Principles of the People called Quakers, Renewed, With respect to the King and Government," and ends up with the words: "Signed in and on behalf of a meeting of the Representatives of our Religious Society, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, held at Philadelphia, the 20th day of the first month, 1776." Friends of the society have been generous with donations. A report for the year, listing the more important items, will appear in the next bulletin. The names of donors are as follows: Mrs. P. M. Allen, John S. Wurts, Helen E. Richards, Edmund G. McAllister, Katharine Preston,

49 50 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

John Edwards, Mrs. E. R. Blough, Ellen Ambler, Montgomery County Sabbath School Association, Kenneth H. Hallman, Rev. R. H. HeliFerich, R. P. Hommel, Mrs. Chas. A. Gruber, Norristown Public Library, Kirke Bryan, Joseph Knox Fomanee, Mrs. Joseph Gillis Patterson, Mrs. Jerome G. Sheas, Mrs. Isaac Walker, Stuart B. Molony, Mrs. Penrose Robinson, ^rs. Ellwood J. Wanner. In conclusion the librarian may be allowed to make an observation. It is that we have a splendid, well-selected library, a collection of impbrtiht documents and manuscripts, an enviable reputation for aliveness as a historical society, which is reflected in the many volumes of valuable papers. With all these points in our favor we lack space and resources' to expand and be the more helpful. We have a lot adjoining our buildiiigi of larger area than the present building, occupies, and expansion is qiiite possible. May we, therefore, beg our friends to keep this possibility-in -mind and aid us by donations or bequests to do-more than we can do now to further the work of the society. R. P. Hommel, . ' lAhrarian

John Pemberton ' Clerk Report on Membership

At the Spring Meeting, on April 28, 1945, seventeen new.names were added to our membership list. We lost four members through death.

NEW MEMBERS

Ronald E. Ambler Anna Warren Ingersoll Mrs. Ronald E. Ambler Arthur H. Jenkins • Edward R. Anshutz Charles Francis Jenkins • John C. Bell, Jr. Harry T. Johnson Mrs. Ernest L. Brown Arthur Littleton Mrs. McClure Fahnestock William B. Read Mrs. Sara K. Puller Frederick P. Ristine Mrs. John Y. Huber J. Augustus Scholl Mrs. Harold B. Steinbright

DEATHS 0. B. Lessig Mrs. James R. McHarg . William A. Bookman Mrs. Lila C. C. Walker

The printed list of members should be an aid to gain new members for the society. There are a number of your friends who should and gladly would become members if approached by you. Don't hesitate to invite them to apply for membership, if you do not find their names in the list.

Helen E. Richards, Corresponding Seci-etary

51 Spring Meeting, April 28, 1945

As customary, the spring meeting was held in the Assembly Hall of the Society on the last Saturday in April. The immediate business was the election of seventeen new members which brought the membership up to 481. Mrs. Stuart B. Molony, chairman of the Prize Essay Committee, presented the names of-the winners. First prize of ten dollars went to Jean Abbott of Norristown High School, for her paper, which dealt with a station of the underground railway of fugitive slave transportation at Plymouth Meeting. Frederick Conlin of Springfield Township High School wa,s awarded second prize of five dollars for his essay, entitled: "I Saw Springfield Grow." The William'iPenn Tree at the top of a hill on East Mill Road in Flourtown wa% the imaginary observer who had seen the growth all around since the-coming of William Penn to our day. Next on the program came the lecture on Montgomery County's churches, charmingly illustrated by many slides, all taken by the lecturer, the Rev. Wilmer H. Long, of Norristown. This showing, with infor mative comments, was greatly enjoyed by the members and their friends. The meeting was well attended and tea was served by the Hospitality Committee at the conclusion of the lecture. To augment the lecture there was on exhibit a display of rare books and pamphlets concerning many of the old churches of the county.

Nancy C. Cresson, Recording Secretary

52 The Historical Society of Montgomery County has for its object the preservation of the civil, political and religious history of the county, as well as the promotion of the study of history. The building up of a library for historical research has been materially aided in the past by donations of family, church and graveyard records; letters, diaries and other manuscript material. Valuable files of newspapers have also been contributed. This public-spirited support has been highly appreciated and is earnestly desired for the future. Membership in the Society is open to all interested per sons, whether residents of the county or not, and all such persons are invited to have their names proposed at any meeting. The annual dues are $2.00; life membership, $50.00. Every member is entitled to a copy of each issue of The Bulletin free. Historical Hall, 18 East Penn Street, Norristown, with its library and museum, is open for visitors each week day from 10 to 12 A.M. and 1 to 4 P.M., except Saturday after noon. The material in the library may be freely consulted during these hours, but no book may be taken from the building.

To Our Frieruis

Our Society needs funds for the furthering of its work, its expansion, its growth and development. This can very nicely be done through bequests from members and friends in the disposition of their estates. The Society needs more funds in investments placed at interest; the income arising therefrom would give the Society an annual return to meet its needs. Following is a form that could be used in the making of wills:

I HEREBY GIVE AND BEQUEATH TO THE

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY,

PENNSYLVANIA, THE SUM OF .

DOLLARS ($ )