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Home , Battle of Trenton, Betsy Ross flag, Flying Camp, Moland House, Robert Morris (Bartlett)

THE AND BUCKS COUNTY

Most people know the story of Betsy Ross and how she designed the first flag of the . Everyone also knows that this was done while Ross was living in . There is actually some debate as to Ross being the sole designer of the flag, with varying stories between Ross’s descendants and American scholars.

So what is the debate? Many scholars believe that Betsy Ross, while she did contribute to the design, isn’t the only designer. Scholars think that Ross’ role in the flag design was the 5-pointed , which was a change from the 6-pointed star in the original sketch given by George . Ross told Washington that the 5-pointed star was easier and faster to cut and thus the original flag had 5-pointed stars.

There is no historical evidence that the story of Betsy Ross and the first flag of the United States is true, except from the stories told by her grandson, William Canby. And while most do believe that Ross had a hand in the creation of our first flag, many others could have been involved as well.

Now where does Betsy Ross’s connection to Bucks County come from? Well, the first flag is still known as the , and it is believed to have been flown for the very first time in Bucks County. Where? At the . It is said that Washington flew the flag there for the first time during his 13-day stay at the historic house. And this is just another reason that the Moland House is a historic landmark, not just for Bucks County, but for the United States too.

For more information about the Moland House please visit https://moland.org/ WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL COMMISSION PROJECT

In the past several years the Warrington Township Historical Commission, led by Chairperson Constance Ace, and backed by the Warrington Township Board of Supervisors, has been working with land developers to honor Warrington Township history. The thought behind this project is that while the community can grow and prosper, its history is not left behind.

With this thought in mind, the historical commission will research historic properties within the township, and with the help of the land developer, honor those who owned these properties. This is done by naming the developments and streets after these people. The commission also tries to preserve any historic houses on these tracts of land. The citizens’ honors are all from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with developments being named the Perry Farm, the Emerson Farm and the Murphy Farm. One street is named after the McNaney's, a 20th century farm family. Another street, Craig Court, is named after Thomas Craig, a Revolutionary War solider.

Below is an article written about Thomas Craig by Constance Ace.

Thomas Craig, Warrington Hero of the Thomas Craig was the eldest son of Daniel Craig, who founded Warrington’s first business establishment, Craig’s Tavern, decades before Warrington became a Township. Thomas was born in Warrington on February 27, 1749.1 When war broke out with England, he joined a company known as the Associators of Warrington Township, Bucks County. “Associators” were military battalions which served with the Line of the from 1775 to 1777. In 1776 Thomas Craig was appointed a Captain in William Baxter's Battalion of the Flying Camp. Flying Camps were the Revolutionary-era analogue to today’s US Army Rangers: small elite fighting units which could be deployed quickly as needed. He was captured at the Battle of Fort Washington on November 16, 1777. He either escaped or was released, because he returned to service with the same Ninth Pennsylvania Regiment that he had been with before his capture. In 1780, he was promoted to Colonel and named Commissary of Purchases for Bucks County, analogous to today’s Army Quartermaster, where he served until the end of the Revolution. After the war, he returned to his farm in Warrington to farm. A modest man, he preferred not to use his military title of Colonel, choosing to be known simply as “yeoman,” a middle-class landowner, although his estate was among the richest in the Township, based on contemporary land records.2

On November 18, 1759, he married a local lady, Jane Jamison, daughter of Henry and Mary Jamison. Thomas died April 22, 1813. His probate records describe him as “very advanced in age”3 having outlived several of his children. In 1812, the last year for which we have his tax records, he had 50 acres of his 200 acre estate under cultivation, he owned 2 horses, 4 head of cattle and one dog.4 (Yes, Bucks County taxed dogs in those days.)

Clearly, Thomas Craig was a hero of the American Revolution and one of Warrington’s most distinguished colonial citizens. ______1 From family Bible of Thomas Craig (Warren S. and Josephine L. Ely Memorial Collection, Genealogical Society of Philadelphia). 2 Bucks County Recorder of Deeds, Deed Book 18, p 390, Deed Book 29, page 344, Deed Book 116, page 533 and others. 3 Bucks County (PA) Orphans Court, Will Book 8, page 333; will dated 29 Feb. 1812, proved 6 May 1813. 4 Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, PA, Bucks County Tax Records, 1782 – 1860 > Warrington > 1812; Ancestry.com (online database with images), accessed 19 June 2021.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR PROPERTIES IN BUCKS COUNTY

There is a lot of history here in Bucks County that pertains to the Revolutionary War and in honor of the 4th of July we would like to highlight some of those properties.

• The Moland House The Moland House was named for John Moland, who lived in the house with his wife and 8 children in the 18th century. John Moland was a provincial councilor for the crown while Pennsylvania was still a colony. The historical facet of the Moland House is that it was where the Continental Army decided to camp in 1777 and was Washington’s Headquarters for almost two weeks during the same time period. It is now a historic park and under the management of the Warwick Township Historical Society. The Warwick Township Historical Society offers guided tours of the house. For more information you can visit their website at https://moland.org/ The deed for when John Moland purchased this property is located in Deed Book 24 on pages 97-98.

• King George II Inn Overlooking the River, the King George II Inn is said to be one of, if not the oldest, continuously operated inns in the United States. Samuel Clift received a grant for the land with the contingency that a ferry to Burlington and a public house be established. The ferry service lasted for about 250 years until 1931 and the opening of the Burlington- Bristol Bridge. The King George II Inn had many names in its history, such as the Ferry House, the Fountain House and the Delaware House. It was called the Ferry House when a 25-year-old slept there in route to his first military commission in Connecticut. Owner Charles Bessonett named it the King George II Inn after rebuilding the inn making it larger. The inn was renamed the Fountain House later due to Yankee troops shooting down the pub sign painted with King George’s head during the Revolutionary War. Deed or Grant for Samuel Clift possibly found in Book 1 Page 347.

• Bird In Hand The Bird in Hand is thought to be the oldest frame building in Pennsylvania and is located at 111 S. State Street in Newtown. Originally built around 1686 by Shadrack Walley, it was renamed the Red Lion Inn sometime between 1726-1728, which is when the building housed the first tavern in Newtown. The tavern name was changed to the Bird in Hand in 1817. The name was changed because Edward Hicks painted a sign for the tavern that represented ’s adage, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” The Bird in Hand was the site of Revolutionary War action, the only action to take place in Newtown. The battle resulted in more losses than in the . The building was also used as an overflow jail to hold British officers after the Battle of Trenton. Deed for Shadrack Walley possibly found in Book 2 Page 45.

• Bogart’s Tavern First opened for business by Henry Jamison in 1763, Bogart’s Tavern (also known as General Greene Inn), was used by the Bucks County Committee of Safety in 1775 to organize opposition to British rule. It was in 1776 that General Nathaniel Greene used the tavern as his headquarters, ordering “sixteen Durham boats and flats down to McConkey’s ferry” to be used for the crossing of the . The inn is located at the intersection of Durham & York Roads, signified by the Pennsylvania Historical Marker that was placed in 2002. Deed for John Bogart found in Book 95 Page 223.

• Thompson-Neely House & Farmstead Located at 1112 River Road in Washington Crossing Historic Park, the house and farmstead served as a temporary regimental army hospital during Washington’s winter campaign on 1776-1777. The Thompson-Neely families helped treat ill and injured soldiers, one being , 5th president of the United States. Monroe, and , cousin of George, were both seriously injured during the First Battle of Trenton and sent here to recover. Still located on the property is what is known as the Soldiers’ Graves, Captain James Moore of the Artillery is buried here after dying of camp fever. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the property from the Neely family in 1926 and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Deed for Robert Thompson found in Book 10 Page 228.

• Trevose Manor Known by several names in its lifetime, including the Joseph Growden House and the General James Wilkinson House, Trevose Manor is located at 5408 Old Trevose Road in Bensalem. Joseph Growden purchased the property in 1686. Growden was very involved in politics for Bucks County, serving in the Colonial Assembly and Provincial Council. At one point, the manor was seized by the Revolutionary Army and occupied by General James Wilkinson. Wilkinson, governor for the Louisiana Territory for a short time, was accused of conspiracy and fraud for most of his adult life. Deed found for Joseph Growden in Book 1 Page 87.

• Liberty Hall Located at 1237 West Broad Street, Liberty Hall was built in 1772 as the first permanent residence in Quakertown. The two-story house is said to have stored the on the night of September 18, 1777, on its way from Philadelphia to Allentown. The bell stayed hidden in Allentown for the remainder of the war to prevent the from finding it and melting it down into ammunition. The house was used as a residence until 1805, later being used as a commercial property. It was purchased by Quakertown Borough in 1977 and added to the National Register of Historic places in 1978. Deed found in Book 27 Page 223.

• The Logan Inn Founded in 1722, The Logan Inn operated throughout the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, being one of the oldest continuously run inns in Bucks County. The Logan Inn, located at 10 West Ferry Street, New Hope, started as the Ferry Tavern and served travelers that crossed the Delaware River. It was the headquarters of in 1777 and was said to be a favorite watering hole for George Washington during the war. Continental soldiers were said to toast the success of the Revolutionary War and the downfall of King George II at the inn. The Logan Inn is still in operation today and is said to be haunted by at least 8 ghosts. Emily, the mother of a previous owner, haunts room 6, her presence is preceded by the smell of lavender. Deed for John Wells found in Book 7 Page 204.

• Summerseat Located at Legion and Clymer Avenues in Morrisville, the house was originally built by Adam Hoops in 1765. Hoops, born in 1708 on the Pennsylvania frontier, is said to be America’s first self-made man and one of the colonies’ wealthiest men. While this alone is enough to make it an historical property, a few other owners add to this list of reasons why Summerseat was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965. Thomas Barclay owned the property when George Washington made it his headquarters in December 1776. Barclay was also the first American counsel overseas and negotiated the first foreign nation treaty. Two other owners, and George Clymer, were both signers of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution. Besides being a signer of these documents Morris is also credited with being Morrisville’s Founding Father and campaigned to make it the nation’s new capital. Meanwhile, George Clymer was one of 34 signers of the Declaration of Independence that did not own enslaved people and was the first President of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. Deed for Morris in Book 26 Page 23 Deed for Clymer in Book 30 Page 333 I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH

As we start the month of July, we’d like everyone to know that it’s National Ice Cream Month! Started in 1984, Kentucky Senator at the time, Walter Dee Huddleston, had sponsored Joint resolution 298 to proclaim July 1984 as National Ice Cream Month, with Representative Kika de la Garza of Texas sponsoring Joint resolution 543 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill was signed later that year by President Ronald Reagan and although the bill was only meant for July 1984, the tradition of July being National Ice Cream Month has continued to this day. Included in the bill was National Ice Cream Day, which takes place on the third Sunday of July, making July 18, 2021, the big day.

What better way to celebrate National Ice Cream Month and Day by traveling the Bucks County Ice Cream Trail?!?! Check out the list and see what is close to you. Maybe make a special trip to a farther place along the trail on July 18th, National Ice Cream Day!!

For more information about the trail visit: https://www.visitbuckscounty.com/restaurants/planning-ideas/best-ice- cream-in-bucks-county/

SECURING A LOVED ONE’S PROPERTY AFTER DEATH

When a loved one dies it is always a sad and trying time for the family, and the last thing anyone wants to think about is the deceased one’s property and material possessions. Unfortunately, that is exactly what thieves are relying on, scanning obituaries to see what houses to prey on.

One of the first things you should do after the death of a loved one is secure their property. Make sure all doors and windows are locked. If possible, remove valuables from the home, and try to check on the property weekly, collecting mail or any packages that may show up. It would also be beneficial to take pictures of the inside of the home, documenting the contents.

Sadly, it’s not just thieves that you have to worry about, it could also be neighbors and other family members. Besides securing the physical property and its contents, another form of protection would be to sign up for our Bucks County FREE Fraud Alerts Program. Using your loved one’s name to sign up, you would be alerted to any activity recorded in our office in their name.

To sign up please go to https://www.landex.com/recordalert/?county=bucks THE BUCKS COUNTY SPCA

Last year, the Bucks County SPCA assisted 2750 animals in our county, including not only lost, abandoned, and abused dogs and cats, but, also, given the diversity of Bucks County, mice, ducks, sheep, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, cows, horses, goats and birds. The BCSPCA’s humane police officers investigated 437 complaints of animal cruelty, and its medical personnel performed 10,844 medical exams and 1438 surgeries. The BCSPCA saves the lives and releases to good homes 93 percent of all animals coming into its shelters, qualifying it as a leading no-kill shelter in the country.

Robin attended the Bucks County SPCA’s highly successful open house on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at its Upper Bucks shelter outside of Quakertown, where she and hundreds of other guests were able to tour the modern clinic, visit with dogs coming up for adoption in the kennel, play with kittens, interact with goats and a pig in the barn, participate in raffles and animal-related contests, pick up some pet goodies and treats at the yard sale, watch airplane demonstrations and performances by the Solebury police K-9 dogs , and, of course, sample some snacks from the food truck on site.

To continue to serve the needs of Bucks County, the BCSPCA is engaged in constant improvement and expansion of its facilities in both Upper Bucks and Lahaska, where it originated. The Lahaska shelter is undergoing major renovations to improve its ability to care for and find homes for dogs. Please visit the BCSPCA’s new website, https://buckscountyspca.org/ to learn more.