History of Borough of Kennet Square (1881); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Ferguson . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** from THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA, by Futhey and Cope (1881); The borough of Kennet Square was formed from the township of Kennet, and was incorporated in 1855. The village, which formed the nucleus of the borough, bore the name of Kennet Sq, and has been so called from a period before the Rev War. It is situated on the line of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central RR, in the midst of an exceedingly fertile district of the country, at the hed of the Toughkenamon Valley. The inhabitants of Kennet Sq, and of the twp from which it was taken, are largely the descendants of the original settlers, and are noted for their intelligence and culture. The anti-slavery sentient has always predominated strongly, and in the days of slavery it was esteemed a hot-bed of abolitionism. The inhabitants, however glorified in their sentiments, and many a wayfaring bondsman received aid and comfort from the on his passage towards the North Star. It would have been a dangerous experiment in those days for any of its inhabitants to have proclaimed their nativity south of Mason and Dixon's line. Its academies and seminaries have for years ranked high, and many youth from a distance are educated here. The old Unicorn tavern building - said to ave been the scene of one of the outlaw Fitzpatrick's exploits - was accidentally burned about the year 1875. The send of Bayard Taylor's "Story of Kennet" is laid in this land and the adjoining twp. In 1769, William Dixson, of New Garden, conveyed to Joseph Musgrave, of Kennet, a lot of ground 'near a place called Kennet Square, " which is the first mention of the name which has come under notice..