History of Tredyffrin Township (1881); Chester County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Ferguson <ferg@ntelos.net>.

***********************************************************************
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);
 
Tredyffrin twp is situated in the Great Valley, in the most easterly part of the 
county.  It is part of a large tract which was surveyed for the Welsh, an was 
principally taken up and settled by them.  The name is Welsh and signifies 
"valley town or township".  Tre or Tref is the welsh for "town" or "township" 
and Dyffrin is a "wide cultivated valley", hence the compound Tredyffrin , the 
town or township in the wide, cultivated valley - a very appropriated name.  The 
township is sometimes called Valleytown or Valleyton, in old writings - an 
evident effort to Anglicize the name.  In a deed of conveyance from Lewis Walker 
to Llewellyn David in 1708, the grantor is recited as 'of the township of 
Valleyton, in the county of Chester."  The name Tredyffrin has been said by some 
historians to signify "stony valley", but this is not correct.  In the 
assessment for taxes made in the year 1722, the name is spelled 
"Tre:Yr:Dyffryn."
    The organization of the township is not certainly known, but it was prior to 
the year 1707, as in that year Thomas David represented the township as 
constable.   A rule seems to have been adopted at an early period that the land-
owners should serve in the office of constable by turns.