History: Local: Chapter XXXIX: Abington Township - Part I: Bean's 1884 History of Montgomery Co, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Susan Walters USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file 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/pa/montgomery/beantoc.htm URL of html Table of Contents and illustrations. ¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼ BEAN'S HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA ¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼¼ 678 CHAPTER XXXIX. PART I ABINGTON TOWNSHIP. [By Wm. J. Buck.] THE township of Abington is situated in the extreme southeastern section of the county and is bounded on the northwest by Upper Dublin, northeast by Moreland, southeast by Philadelphia, and southwest by Springfield, Cheltenham and the borough of Jenkintown. It is five miles long and three and a quarter wide and contains ten thousand one hundred and sixty acres. By the erection of Jenkintown in 1874 its area and population have been reduced. The surface is generally rolling and in the northwestern section the limestone and iron-ore belt commences about half a mile in width and continues in a southeast course to the Schuylkill. Edge Hill is the most considerable elevation and confines the limestone valley entirely to its northern side. The soil is a fertile loam and where the limestone abounds among the best in the county. Lime is extensively manufactured and considerable ore is obtained for the neighboring furnaces and shipped by railroad. The Pennypack Creek flows through interesting scenery for a mile and a half across the eastern angle, in which distance it receives several tributary streams. Sandy Run has its source within a few yards of the Moreland line and flows for a distance of nearly three miles across tire northern part of the township, but furnishes no water-power. The Cheltenham, the Willow Grove and Germantown and the Middle Road turnpikes cross the township in several directions. The former was finished in 1804, the second in 1857, each costing eight thousand dollars per mile. The North Pennsylvania Railroad was completed in 1856, and passes through Abington nearly a mile. The North East Branch, completed in 1872, has two stations Hillside and Rubicam, and a course of three and a half miles. The Jenkintown Branch to Yardley passes nearly four miles, and has Noble, Benezet, and Meadow Brook Stations. This line was opened through to New York May 1, 1876. The Philadelphia and Newtown Railroad, completed in 1877, extends across the eastern angle of the township upwards of two miles with Harper Station. The village with post-offices are Abington and Weldon. The population in 1790 was 881 in 1840, 704 and in 1880 2,185. For 1882, 613 taxables were returned rated for $2,655,380. Next to Springfield it is the highest rated township in the county averaging $4331 per taxable. For 1883, licenses were issued to two hotels, four general Stores, one dealer in flour and feed and two coal-yards. Abington contains nearly sixteen square miles with one hundred and thirty-eight inhabitants to the square mile. For the school year ending June 1882 seven schools were open ten months with an average attendance of one hundred and eighty-four pupils. In 1850 the census returned three hundred and fifteen houses, three hundred and sixteen families and one hundred and forty farms. In 1785 two gristmills, two saw-mills and a fulling-mill are mentioned; the former only now remain. The name of Abington has been applied from several parishes so called and formed more than nine hundred years ago in Northampton and Cambridgeshire, England. In records of 1696 to 1702 we also find this called Hill township probably after Philip Hill, who was at the time an extensive landholder here. From Thomas Holme's map of original surveys, probably filled up before 1696, we secure some additional information as to the first taking up of the lands. Beginning at the present Philadelphia line on the south side of the Susquehanna Street road: Thomas Livezey Robert Fairman Walter King Richard Dunworth William Chamberlain Joseph Phipps Sarah Fuller John Barnes Samuel Cart Widow Shorter John Rush Israel Hobbs and William Powell. On the north side of Susquehanna Street road from the Philadelphia line: Silas Crispin William Stanley Daniel Heap Thomas Holme Samuel Allen Elizabeth Martin Philip T. Lebinan Silas Crispin and Samuel Clarridge. All these several tract extended halfway across the township, Susquehanna Street road being the centre or dividing line from which the surveys were made, and was reserved as an original road and we know from early deeds actually bore this name before 1695. It seems remarkable that it should have been so called. From a return made by the constable at the order of Thomas Penn, Abington was reported in 1734 to contain forty-two resident landholders and taxables, as follows: Morris Morris, 400 acres Thomas Fletcher, 200 Stephen Jenkins, 250 Nicholas Austin, 150 Thomas Parry, 100 John Bond, 200 Daniel Thomas, 300 Isaac Knight, 100 Malachi Jones, 80 John Harris, 100 John Thompson, James Paul, 500 679 Thomas Kenderdine, 200 Lewis Roberts, 200 Widow Roberts, 80 John Roberts, shoemaker, 100 John Roberts, on the hill, 100 John Roberts, Jr., Widow Hufty, John Webster, 50 Thomas Marpole, 50 Phineas Jenkins, 100 Lambert Dorland, 50 Joshua Williams, 50 John Kirke, 250 Abraham Stevenson, 100 Jeremiah McVaugh, 100 John Weems, 100 Isaac Tyson, 100 John Tyson, 60 Rynear Tyson, 100 Peter Tyson, 200 Abraham Tyson, Isaac Waterman, 100 William Johnson, 100 William Hallowell, 100 George Bewly, 100 Benjamin Hallowell, 100 Isaac Knight, Jr., 100 William Watkins, 80 Humphrey Waterman, 100 Richard Trott, 100. Descendants of the Fletcher, Thompson, Paul, Roberts, Webster, Kirk, McVaugh, Tyson and Hallowell families still exist in this section. Sarah Fuller's patent for six hundred acres from Penn is dated 18th of Fifth Month, 1684, and extended from Jenkintown eastward beyond the meetinghouse. John Barnes purchased two hundred and fifty acres adjoining on the westward of the aforesaid tract, for which he received a patent 1st of Sixth Month of said year. The latter not long after this purchased Sarah Fuller's tract, which gave him eight hundred and fifty acres. By deed the 5th of Second Month, 1697, he vested in the trustees for the use of a Friends' meeting and school-house one hundred and twenty acres, which adjoins the eastern portion of the present borough of Jenkintown. It was thus that the meeting-house came to be built there as a substitute for the one that had been used at Oxford, three miles distant. To the Abington Friends' Minutes we are indebted for some additional information respecting several of the early settlers, -Sarah Fuller, in Seventh Month, 1687, was married to William Dillwyn; John Barnes, tailor, in Eighth Month, 1688, to Mary Arnold, probably of Germantown; John Worrell, in Fourth Month, 1680, married Judith Dungworth, probably is daughter of Richard Dungworth; Samuel Cart, in Twelfth Month, 1690, married Sarah Goodson. William Jenkins, the founder of the family bearing the name in this section, is stated to have come from Wales, and must have resided in the township at least as late as 27th of Tenth Month, 1697, when he was appointed with Joseph Philips to solicit subscriptions in Philadelphia towards the erection of the new meeting-house. He purchased of John Barnes June 16, 1698, four hundred and thirty-seven acres of the northwesterly portion of his tract. It is probable that he erected thereon the first improvements, for in his will, dated 11th of Twelfth Month, 1711, he bequeathed his dwelling-house and plantation, called "Spring Head," to his wife, Elizabeth. The fact that the will was proven August 16, 1712 will denote that he may have died but a short time before. He had two children, Stephen and Margaret, the latter married to a Paschall. The former married Abigail, eldest daughter of Phineas Pemberton, of Falls Township, Bucks Co., 14th of Second Month, 1704. He resided on the present property of Samuel W. Noble, on the York road, about half a mile north of Jenkintown, and it appears in the summer of 1717 his buildings were burned; in consequence the meeting ordered that they "raise something by way of subscription to help to supply his family with corn this year." His wife, who died 22d of Ninth Month, 1750, aged seventy years, was a minister in Abington Meeting. Phineas Jenkins, owner of one hundred acres in the list of 1734, was no doubt his son, called after his grandfather, and who is mentioned in the assessor's list of 1780, at that time evidently well in years. On this list we also find the names of Jesse, Lydia, a widow, and William Jenkins, the latter rated a gentleman and holding one hundred and seventy-three acres of land. Ryner Tyson came from Germany, near the boundary of Holland, and settled at Germantown, where he was a lot-holder in October, 1685, and was naturalized, with a number of other Germans, May 7, 1691. in 1709 one of this name was overseer of Abington Meeting, whether the aforesaid or his son we are unable to state. In the list of 1734 five Tysons are mentioned as being, land-holders in the township, showing that they were already numerous. In the assessment of 1780 we find the names of Joseph Abraham, Sr. Thomas, Ryner, Sr. Abraham Peter, Ryner Isaac, Matthew, Samuel and Joseph Tyson, Jr. They have been a land-holding family, still retaining in their possession considerable real estate. The lime used in building the State-House, from 1729 to 1735, was hauled from the kilns of Ryner Tyson, in this township, fourteen miles from the city. Those kilns and quarries have ever since been in the family, and the business of lime-burning is still carried on by his descendants. The original seedling of the well-known Tyson pear was dug up from Friends' school property by Jonathan Tyson, and planted in the rear of Charles Harper's store, in Jenkintown, and by its quality the fruit attracted attention, and has been since widely disseminated by grafting. Its origin dates between the years 1790 and 1800. Among the early settlers of Abington may be mentioned John Hallowell, who came from Huckwell, Nottinghamshire, about the close of 1682, and first settled near Darby. In 1696, having purchased six hundred acres adjoining the line of Moreland and Upper Dublin, he came to settle there, and left numerous descendants. John Fletcher is mentioned in the Abington Minutes as a member of the meeting as early as 1688. Thomas Fletcher, on the list or 1734, probably his son, was commissioned a Justice of the County Courts in 1738, and continued until 1749. In the assessment of 1780 the names of Thomas and Robert Fletcher are mentioned as considerable land-holders. James Paul came from Yorkshire, England; the tract on which he settled lay near the present village of Fox Chase. 680 Morris Morris, who, on the list of 1734, is represented as holding 400 acres of land, was probably the son of Evan Morris, who is stated to have settled at an early date about a mile west of the meeting-house, and from whom the Morrises of Whitemarsh are descended, long known as an influential family there, holding official positions and being owners of valuable real estate. John Kirk, mentioned on the list of 1734 as holding two hundred and fifty acres, was very probably the same that made a contract with Governor Keith, December 12, 1721, to do the mason-work of his mansion in Horsham which was completed the following year. In the assessment of 1780 we find the name of Jacob Kirk, holding two hundred acres and the owner of a "stage -wagon." Also on this list is mentioned the name of Isaac Knight, of a family that appears to have owned considerable land here in 1780. In 1779, for acts of disloyalty the estates of Joshua and John Knight, Jr., containing two hundred and forty-one acres, were confiscated and applied to the support of the University of Pennsylvania. On what the charges were based we have not been able to ascertain. Jacob Taylor, who was surveyor-general of the province from 1706 to 1733, taught school for some time in Abington. Benjamin Lay, the eccentric philanthropist, was long a resident in Abington. He was a native of Colchester, England, and on reaching manhood followed for some time the life of a sailor. About 1710 he resided in Barbadoes, and thus came to witness the cruelties practiced on the slaves in the West Indies, which made a profound impression on him. He is stated to have been a member of the Society of Friends, and after the death of his wife sought out a retired spot about a quarter of a mile east of Abington Meeting-house, belonging to John Phipps, now the estate of the late Joshua Francis Fisher. He improved a natural excavation on the hillside, so as to afford him a commodious apartment. Here he kept his library of books, which amounted to nearly two hundred volumes, and in this seclusion he devoted his time chiefly to meditation, reading and writing. It was here he wrote his treatise against Negro slavery, entitled, "All Slave-Keepers that keep the Innocent in Bondage, Apostates." This he had printed by Franklin, in 1737, in a duodecimo of two hundred and eighty pages, which he circulated at his own expense. In the preface he states that it was written at Abington, and in the work he is pretty severe against slave-holding Friends, making therein numerous personal changes. The style is coarse, and corroborates his eccentricity. Traditions respecting him are still current in the old families of the neighborhood. He was opposed to the introduction and use of tea and coffee as a beverage, and on this account broke to pieces, in the streets of Philadelphia, a set of China cups and saucers. He threw himself flat on the ground before the door of Abington Meeting, before its dismissal, that they might have to step over him in coming out, as an example of humility. A small girl, the daughter of a slave-holder in the neighborhood, was detained several days at his house, that they might realize the feelings of parents when their children were stolen from them and sold into slavery. On one occasion he was addressed as "your humble servant," when he replied to the person, "If you are my servant, I command you to tie my shoestrings." Near the close of his life be attempted to fast forty days and nights, which brought on a sickness and probably hastened his death. He died in February, 1759, aged eighty-two years, at the residence of Joshua Morris, a well-to-do farmer in the vicinity, the place being now occupied by Rudolph J. Mitchell. He was interred in the Friends' burial-ground at Abington, and by a verbal will left the members of that Monthly Meeting the sum of forty pounds, to be appropriated to the education of poor children. An engraving was published many years ago from a painting of him, in which he is represented unshaven and holding in one hand a cane and his work against slavery. The expression of the countenance denotes him as a person of a sensitive nature and of a melancholy temperament. The writer visited lately the spot where his cabin stood, the excavation yet remaining, being in a retired spot surrounded by woods. An interesting biographical sketch has been written of him by Dr. Benjamin Rush, which was first published in the Columbia Magazine of March, 1790. Accounts of his life have also been prepared and published by Robert Vaux and Thomas I. Wharton. The York road, which extends through this township upwards of three miles, was laid out from Philadelphia in the fall of 1711, and was an important improvement. Abington Meeting-house was made an early terminus for several roads. The road therefrom to Byberry Meeting-house was laid out in 1712; to the present Fitzwatertown in 1725, in the report of which, remarkable to say, mention is made "of the mines at the Gap of Edge Hill," where iron-ore is now extensively procured; from the said meetinghouse to Germantown in 1735, and now called Washington Lane; also to Jacob Leech's dwelling-house and mill on Tacony Creek, now Myers & Ervien's fork-factory, in 1751. The road from the Susquehanna Street road, at the northern part of Edge Hill, to Paul's Tavern, (now Willow Grove) was confirmed in 1768. Mills no doubt were erected quite early in the township. Mention is made in the Abington Minutes, under date of 25th of Twelfth Month, 1711, of relief being furnished to Joseph Satterthwaite for "having had his mill burnt." We cannot locate it, but it was evidently in this vicinity. The mill, now the property of Daniel R. Rice, on the Tacony Creek, below Abington Station, was built before 1725 by Isaac Knight, and carried on by Andrew Keyser in 1780. Lewis Roberts in 1780 owned a grist-mill where is now Smith Harper's hoe-factory. Robert Paul at said date owned a mill near Huntingdon Valley. The saw-mills have some time since disappeared, two being mentioned in the township in 1785. Mention is made of wool-carding being carried on in 1808 at Israel Hallowell's mills, on the Pennypack. 681 Five houses of worship are in the township, two belonging to Friends, two to Presbyterians and one to the Episcopalians. The early Friends' Meeting- house and Presbyterian Church will form articles by themselves. The Orthodox Friends' Meeting-house is a small, one-story stone building, erected in 1832. It stands about half a mile south of the old meetinghouse on the Cheltenham road. Carmel Presbyterian Church is a neat, one-story stone building, erected in 1876, located on a lot beside the Limekiln pike and Cheltenham line, at Edge Hill village. St. Peter's Episcopal church, at Weldon, was consecrated June 17, 1883. Through a gift of the late Thomas Smith it was rebuilt of stone in the summer of 1884, and enlarged from a frame structure. A spire has since been added; there is also in contemplation a rectory and a parish school-house. It possesses several handsome memorial windows and a pipe-organ. Its present rector is Rev. William S. Heaton. The village of Abington is an old settlement; the intersection of the old York and Susquehanna Street roads, here dates back to 1712. It contains one hotel, two stores, a post-office, several mechanic shops and about forty houses. Gordon, in his "Gazetteer," says it contained in 1832 "ten or twelve dwellings, a tannery, a boarding-school for boys, a tavern, two stores and a Presbyterian Church." The post-office was established in 1832 [See NOTE.] and the elections have been held continuously here at least since 1824. On Reading Howell's map of 1792 it is called "Shepherd's," and "Abington" in Scott's "Gazetteer" of 1795. Mary Moore kept the tavern here with the sign of the "Square and Compass," at least from 1787 to 1808, and the village for this reason is still popularly known as Mooretown. It was probably where Thomas Dungan kept a public-house in 1779. The present blacksmith-shop standing at the corner of York road and Susquehanna Street is an old stand, the business having been carried on here by John Brugh in 1807. The congregation of the Presbyterian Church was originally formed by the Rev. Malachi Jones in 1714, tombstones in the graveyard dating back to 1728. John McNair, who was principal of the Loller Academy from October, 1825, to December, 1828, subsequently kept a boarding and day school here for boys, with considerable success. He was afterwards elected county auditor, clerk of the courts and a member of Congress for two terms from this district. He afterwards moved to Prince William County, Va., where he died August 12, 1861. [NOTE: By subsequent research ascertained that there was a post-office in 1816, John Nulter post-master, but was discontinued in 1818.] Weldon, a thriving village on the Germantown and Willow Grove turnpike, half a mile from Abington Station, dates its origin since the completion of the North Pennsylvania Railroad. It contains a store, hotel, twenty-eight houses, a hall, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, a post-office and several mechanic shops, The hall was built in 1864, and the post-office established since 1877. A severe skirmish took place December 8, 1777, in this vicinity between the British army, under the command of General Howe, from Philadelphia, and several regiments of the American army at Whitemarsh, which resulted in more than one hundred being killed and wounded. The former in the night ingloriously hastened to the city, having come out with the evident intention of attacking Washington in his camp. Abington Station, at the intersection of the North Pennsylvania Railroad and Germantown and Willow Grove turnpike, is situated on the Cheltenham line, contains six or seven houses, a public-house and a lumber and coal-yard. In this vicinity are several handsome country-seats. Harper Station is on the Newtown Railroad, in the eastern part of the township. The manufacture of hoes, garden-rakes, pump and water-engines is carried on here extensively by Smith Harper. In this vicinity the name of Harper is an early one, John Harper and his sons John and Charles being mentioned on the Oxford township tax-list for 1693. At Benezet, on the New York Railroad, a handsome new station-house was built in the summer of 1883. Several handsome country-seats have been lately built in this vicinity. An organization called the Abington and Cheltenham Anti-Tramp Association wag formed July 18, 1877. The object is stated to be "an association for the purpose of protecting their families and property against tramps and professional thieves." The first year it was supported by sixty-five subscribers, for which they secured the services of five constables, who were duly equipped to carry into effect their orders. They have been the means of arresting several thieves and burglars, who are now serving out long sentences, and who otherwise might have gone without punishment. At their meeting in the beginning of 1884 it was resolved, "That the Executive Committee be authorized to employ some suitable person whose duty it shall be to see that no one imprisoned by the action of this association be pardoned without its knowledge. Also to advise the association of the discharge of any such person by reason of the expiration of his term of sentence." The Wharton Railroad Switch Company was originally established in 1868, and removed in 1873 to Washington Avenue, between Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Streets, Philadelphia. In March 1882, they purchased forty acres of land from the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company, formerly a portion of Edward Mather's farm, situated at the junction of the North Pennsylvania and New York Railroads and approaching within one-eighth of a mile of Jenkintown Station. 682 Here they soon after commenced the erection of extensive buildings, with a view of ultimately transferring the whole business from Philadelphia. In the summer of 1884 a foundry and additional buildings were erected, and it is proposed, besides the manufacture of the patent switches, railroad crossings and frogs, to enter on the production of Wooten locomotives, of which they have secured the patent. They have given employment here to a considerable number of hands, and propose before long to greatly increase the force. The officers of the company are Abraham Barker, president William Wharton, Jr., superintendent Wharton Barker, treasurer. Nearly a mile east of Jenkintown is situated the extensive nursery, fruit-growing and stock-raising farm of Edwin Satterthwaite, who has been in this business for a considerable time. As a successful fruit-grower he has probably not been surpassed by any one in the State, having repeatedly secured therefor the highest premiums at State Fairs. THE LONG-LOST OXFORD MEETING. -It has been known for a long time to those familiar with early Friends' records that there is mention made of a meeting-house in Oxford, in which for some time worship was held as well as Monthly Meetings. But the question would arise again and again, Where was this meeting-house? and, above all, what became of it, and why no further mention of it in the records? In confirmation the writer has received various letters, on this matter from members of the Society of Friends within the past thirty years as to this mystery that remained unexplained. It is proper first to show authority that for some time such a meeting and house of worship had an actual existence. In the records of Abington Monthly Meeting we find that "at a quarterly meeting of Friends in ye City of Philadelphia ye Sixth Month, 1683, it was then and there agreed and concluded that there be established a first-day meeting of friends at Tookany and Poetquesink, and that these two make one Monthly Meeting, and that there be at least six men and six women friends chosen out of ye said Monthly Meeting to have recourse to every Quarterly Meeting of friends in Philadelphia." At the Monthly Meeting held 3d of Seventh Month of said year "of Friends in Truth about Tookany and Poetquesink Creeks being met together for ye better ordering and governing ye affairs of ye church, It was agreed yt Thomas Fairman provide a book for this meeting, that ye next Monthly-Meeting be at John Hart's, at Poetquesink, and a log house be built for a meetinghouse upon a certain piece of land given for yt service by Thomas Fairman, in ye township of Oxford." "At a Monthly Meeting held 5th of Third Month, 1684, at ye new meeting-house at Oxford, John Goodin and Sarah Kitchen, both belonging to this meeting, declare their intentions of marriage." We find again a Monthly Meeting at ye new meetinghouse near Tackeny, 8th of Eighth Month, 1684." On the 5th of Sixth Month, 1685, a "Monthly Meeting at Oxford is mentioned again. "At Cheltenham ye 30th of First Month, 1686, "when it is agreed that meetings be held "at Byberry on ye 1st Fourth day in ye month, at Oxford ye 1st Third day of ye month, at Cheltenham ye 1st Fifth day of ye month, because it is ye weekly meeting at each respective place." At the Monthly Meeting 24th of Seventh Month, 1688, "Thomas Fairman desired to make a deed of gift for ye land belonging to ye meeting-house, against next Monthly Meeting, and to make it to Robert Addams, William Preston, John Fletcher and John Worral in behalf of ye meeting." With the aforesaid terminates all information to be found in the Minutes of Abington Monthly Meeting concerning the Oxford Meeting-house, but there is a sufficiency to offer in connection with other information to unfold what has hitherto remained so obscure. It may be necessary to explain that Tookany or Tackeny and Oxford, as respects locality at this early date, mean all the same. The meeting-house, as is stated, was built in Oxford township, and the Tacony Creek approaching it within half a mile's distance will account for these several names. It is probable that Thomas Fairman gave the deed for the lot of ground for the meeting-house at the time specified. In consequence of letting William Penn have the use of his house at Shackamaxon soon after his arrival, he removed, according to Friends' records, "near Frankford," where his son William was born the 3d of Seventh Month, 1683. Isaac Comly, in his "History of Byberry," published in the "Memoirs of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania," in speaking of the early Friends, states that "harmony prevailed among them and religious unity was maintained in general till 1691, when the disturbances raised by George Keith reached them. The controversy was carried on so sharply amongst the members of the meeting of Poetquesink that a division took place. John Hart, Nathaniel Walton and divers others in the southern part of the neighborhood adopted the Keithian profession and creed and kept possession of the meeting. Some of them turned Episcopalians, and are said to have been concerned in founding All Saints' Church, in Lower Dublin. Others attached themselves to a Keithian meeting in Southampton most of them turned Baptists. John Hart was one of them." Mr. Comly is in error respecting All Saints'; he doubtless meant Trinity Church, in Oxford, as no other early place of worship existed in that section belonging, to the Episcopalians. George Keith was disowned on the 20th of Fourth Month, 1692, and on the 27th of that month the Abington Minutes state "a paper of condemnation given forth by a meeting of Public Friends at Philadelphia against George Keith and his separate company was this day read in our Monthly Meeting." 683 Respecting this movement, Samuel Smith, a leading Friend, states, in his early account of the Society in Pennsylvania, published in the sixth volume of "Hazards' Register," that "George Keith and the party that had joined him now set up a separate meeting, but still called themselves Quakers, yet with this distinction: that they were Christian Quakers and Friends. We are next to consider him in the light of an open and acknowledged sect-master, for three months had not elapsed after being disowned before the party he had made were grown to a considerable people as to number. Several among them had been Friends of the ministry and well approved, which contributed not a little to strengthen the hands of their less important followers. They had meetings for worship at stated times at Philadelphia, Burlington and other places; built a meeting-house in Burlington; set up a Monthly Meeting for business in Philadelphia; and George Keith, George Hutchinson, Thomas Budd and others used to preach among them, but the weight of the whole seemed to lay chiefly upon these three, who all of them had been men of good esteem." The causes that led to this dispute and the subsequent troubles attending it we have no desire to enter on, but will confine ourselves as closely as possible to the subject under consideration. However, at that time it made a great commotion, that led to the issue of numerous controversial pamphlets filled with bitter animosity. A letter was sent from London, dated 21st of Fourth Month, 1693, signed by William Penn and nine others, directed to George Hutchinson, Robert Turner, Francis Rawle, John Hart and Charles Reed, in which says Samuel Smith, "they gave them and the others who had gone over much brotherly advice, calculated to reconcile the widening difference." As to the results in this connection, the Rev. D. C. Millet mentions, in his "History of St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh," that "it was about 1695 that a clergyman of the Church of England, Rev. Mr. Clayton, first established the services of the church in Philadelphia. He died, however, in 1698. He was followed by the Rev. Evan Evans, for many years rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia, who came to this country in 1700, and within two years after his arrival more than five hundred of the followers of George Fox joined themselves to the Church of England." George Keith remained in this country about two years after the separation, when he went to England, where he joined the Episcopal Church. In 1702 he was sent to America as a missionary by the society for propagating the gospel among the heathen. Ebelung, in his "History of Pennsylvania," states that "he was not sent thither, however, to convert the heathen Indians, but to make proselytes to the high school, principally from among the Quakers. He remained there two years, which he employed in traveling through the different colonies; but he remained longest in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where he preached with indefatigable zeal. In the account which he has published of his travels, he relates, evidently with malicious pleasure, his victories over the Quakers, of whom he brought over many, a part of whom, however, returned to their profession." On his return to England in 1706, as a reward for his services, he was appointed rector of Edmonton, Sussex, where he died about 1715. The results of his travels as a missionary were published in a small quarto volume, a copy of which has been preserved in the Philadelphia Library, and is entitled "A Journal of travels from New Hampshire to Caratuck, on the Continent of America, by George Keith, A.M., London, 1706." This work gives us some desirable information as regards the Oxford Meeting. He calls said meeting "Franckfort alias Oxford," thus proving that they are the same, and mentions, also two other churches that had come over, one at Philadelphia and another at Upland, or Chester. He thus speaks therein of the former: "The place at Franckfort, in Pennsylvania, where the congregation assembles on the Lord's day, is called Trinity Chapel; it was formerly a Quaker Meeting-house, built or fitted by Quakers, but some time ago has, been given to the Church by such who had the right to it. Some land adjoining was given by a person well affected by the church, for the use of the minister, who should reside there, for a house, garden and small orchard." From what is stated it is evident that a majority of the congregation constituting Oxford Meeting must have become Keithian and retained possession of the premises until the organization went down, when they attached themselves to the Church of England, which was probably about 1702; judging by Mr. Millet's statement, certainly not earlier than 1700. In this connection we shall give a list of taxables residing in Oxford Township in 1693, which may hereafter be the means of giving still more information as to these original Keithians who had been Friends: John Tissick Jacob Hall Erick Mullicker Wm. Taylor Ann Salter Richard Whitefield Widow Kean Herman Enock Wm. Busby John Fletcher Atwell Willmerton Joseph Paul John Harper and sons John and Charles George Burson John Wells Daniel Street John Bunce Henry Waddy Daniel Hall Yeaman Gillingham Thomas Graves Robert Addams Richard Seary John Worrell. The latter was at this time the assessor. As this had been the first and only house of worship erected for the Friends within the bounds of the present Abington Meeting, their other places being private houses, the people must at first have been put to some inconvenience. But in this dilemma they found a friend in John Barnes, a resident and principal land-holder in and around the present borough of Jenkintown, who, by a deed dated 5th of Second Mouth, 1697, vested in trustees for the use of the meeting-house and school-house one hundred and twenty acres of land, which thus accounts for the location of the present house of worship. At the Monthly Meeting held the following 27th of Tenth Month, "William Jenkins gave Friends a relation of Friends' proceedings at Philadelphia, concerning the assistance towards building a new meeting-house at Abington," which owing to the difficulty of procuring the requisite means, was not, however, finished until the year 1700. 684 The questions, Why have Friends to this day remained in such ignorance as to what became of the Oxford Meeting-house? and Why has no explanation been found in their records? are thus readily accounted for. The earliest existing book of Minutes known has the following on its title-page: "Abington Monthly Meeting-Book -Containing a Chronologie of the most Material Occurrences and Transactions that have been acted and done in the said Meeting, &c., since ye first settlement thereof: Transcribed From Sundry Manuscripts by George Boone, 1718." It may be that when the "Sundry Manuscripts" were "Transcribed," whatever was related therein concerning the Keithian members and the troubles arising through the separation of Oxford Meeting was omitted; hence the silence on the matter. But no doubt, should it prove possible that hereafter these "Sundry Manuscripts" are turned up, some additional revelations will be made. The history of the long-lost Oxford Meeting possesses now a twofold interest, -because it led to the early founding of two considerable congregations, namely: the Abington Monthly Meeting and Trinity Episcopal Church, with which it has become associated; and in justice and truth cannot now be separated. The other important matter is in throwing more light on the origin and rise of the Keithian troubles, which in its day appears to have been a much more serious matter to Friends than has been generally admitted. Since the aforesaid has been written some additional information has been secured on the subject, chiefly from the "Collections on the Episcopal Church in Pennsylvania," edited by the Rev. W. T. Perry. In a petition mentioned therein to the bishop of London, dated Philadelphia, March 7, 1714-15, signed by the names of Peter Worrall William Preston John Williams John Williams, Jr. John Leech Robert Kanady as church members, establishing the fact that William Preston, one of the original trustees, had gone over to the Keithians, and also very probably Robert Addams and John Worrall. Peter Worrall probably was a son of the, last named. Peter Taylor and James Morgan, on behalf of the Oxford Church wardens, state, since the decease of Rev. John Club, "having no minister, we meet every Sunday where one Nathaniel Walton, our school master, every Lord's day reads unto us the Holy Scriptures, and also catechises the children, twenty in number." The Rev. Evan Evans, in his report of October 5, 1704 (page 504), speaks of the Oxford Church as having "been long since built, and the people reduced from Quakerism are not so able or willing as could be wished to support a minister". The Harper family mentioned in the tax-list of 1693, it is ascertained, also united themselves to this congregation. ABINGTON MEETING-HOUSE. -This is one of the earliest congregations belonging to Friends established in Pennsylvania, and dates back its establishment at the house of Thomas Fairman, at Shackamaxon, before the arrival of Penn. In the preceding article we have mentioned its first meetings in 1683 and the three following years in Oxford and Byberry, and that a meeting-house had been built at the former place in 1683. It was agreed on the 31st of First Month, 1687, that it should be continued there, and at the house of Richard Wall, Jr., in Cheltenham. About 1691, the members of Oxford Meeting-house having joined the Keithians, the Friends continued their worship at private houses until John Barnes, by deed dated 5th of Second Month, 1697, vested one hundred and twenty acres in Abington township, near the present borough of Jenkintown, in trustees for the benefit of a meeting-house and the maintenance of a school, which was willingly accepted, and thus led to its present location. On the 27th of Tenth Month following William Jenkins gave a relation about Friends in Philadelphia giving "assistance towards building a new meeting-house at Abington," when the aforesaid and Joseph Phipps were appointed to proceed there the following month for securing additional aid. On the 25th of Twelfth Month, 1699, the collections of the meeting, amounting to £5 10s. 6d., were paid to the treasurer, Everard Bolton, and Joseph Phipps, Thomas Canby and William Jenkins were appointed by the Monthly Meeting to inspect the accounts of the aforesaid and of Samuel Cart, "concerning ye building of ye meeting-house," for which they had been employed. The committee reported to the Monthly Meeting 24th of Fourth Month, 1700, that they have examined the, accounts and find that there is due Everard Bolton 18s. 6d., which was ordered to be paid. This meeting-house was the second built in the present limits of the county, being preceded by the one in Lower Merion by only two years. On the 26th of Twelfth Month, 1704, the Friends of Germantown stated their intention to build a new meeting-house, and desired the assistance of the several Preparative Meetings, which was granted. In 1709, Thomas Canby and Ryner Tyson are appointed overseers of the meeting. George Boone, who had arrived from Bradninch, in Devonshire, in the spring of 1713, was married the following summer to Deborah, the daughter of Wm. Howell, of Cheltenham. Being a skillful penman, he was employed in 1718 to transcribe "from sundry manuscripts the most material occurrences, and transactions that have been acted and done in the said Meeting since the first settlement." Richard Martin was appointed 26th of First Month, 1722, in place of Thomas Canby, who had removed to Solebury, one of the trustees of the legacy that John Burnes, deceased, had given to the meeting for maintaining a school. Friends residing in Bristol having lost considerable from fire, it was ordered that each meeting raise for their relief five pounds. 685 At this date Abington Monthly Meeting comprised four meeting-houses, built as follows Abington, in 1697 Germantown, 1704 Byberry, 1714 Horsham, in 1724. Although the latter meeting-house is mentioned in a road report in April, 1722, yet application was made 28th of Seventh Month, 1724, for assistance from the Monthly Meeting "towards ye finishing of their new meeting-house," when it was directed that the several meetings should extend their aid. This shows that the early meeting-houses, as small as they were, required some time to build, and that the means therefor required no small effort to raise. John Griffith, in his journal, under date of 1734, mentions Abington Meeting, of which he was a member, as a "large and valuable weighty body of Friends therein." Although Benjamin Lay, an attendant of this meeting, had written a work against the evils of slavery, and had it published in 1737 and circulated it at his expense, yet the German Friends had long preceded him in a protest, dated at Germantown, 18th of Second Month, 1688, and addressed to their Monthly Meeting. The majority, however, were so conservative on the subject that little or no attention was given to the matter until the dawn of the Revolution, brought about by the excitement of the Stamp Act, when the rights of mankind began to be inquired into. In corroboration, John and Isaac Comly, in an account of this meeting in vol. ix. of "Friends' Miscellany" (for 1831-32, pp. 25-35), make the following remarks: "Committees were appointed to visit such members as held slaves, or were concerned in buying or selling them. In 1769 report was made that all such had been visited, and there appeared a disposition prevailing in divers to set their slaves free at a suitable time. In 1776 it is noted that the labors of Friends on this occasion were generally well received, and those slaves under care of Friends appeared to be well treated in most instances. The next year two slaves are reported to have been manumitted by Jonathan Clayton. Several other cases of manumission are afterwards noted. Selling slaves at this time was considered a disownable offense, and against holding them Friends earnestly remonstrated with great patience and perseverance; and at length those members who continued obstinate in refusing to get their slaves free were disowned. It is much to the credit of Abington Monthly Meeting that but few cases of this character had occurred within its limits." In consequence of the several meetings becoming too large, it was agreed, with the approbation of the Quarterly Meeting in 1782, that Abington Monthly Meeting comprise the meetings of Abington, Germantown and Frankford, the meeting-house at the latter place having been built in 1776, Byberry and Horsham constituting a new Monthly Meeting, known by the latter name. Abington Friends had hitherto belonged to the Quarterly Meeting held in Philadelphia, but in 1785 a proposition was forwarded for the establishment of another Quarterly Meeting, to be held at Abington, and composed of said Monthly Meeting, with those of Horsham, Gwynedd and Richland, which was approved of, and the first Quarterly Meeting was held at Abington in Fifth Month, 1756. For the suitable accommodation of the aforesaid the east end of the meeting-house was enlarged with galleries, at the cost of about three hundred pounds. Eleven years later, for the same reason, the western end was similarly enlarged, at an expense of five hundred and fifty pounds. Between the years 1780 and 1800 the meetings here were often attended by such eminent ministers as James Thornton Peter Yarnell James Simpson John Forman John Lloyd Ezra Comfort and others. Robert Sutcliff, a prominent English Friend, in his "Travels in America," under date of 8th of Eighth Month, 1806, thus mentions a visit here: "I accompanied a party of Friends to Abington Quarterly Meeting, which was very large. The meeting-house is a regular, well-built, stone building, and capable of holding a great number of people. It is situated on a piece of ground containing several acres, and which is covered with a great number of large forest-trees." The meeting in 1813 contributed two hundred dollars towards the erection of Friends' Asylum, near Frankford. A new Monthly Meeting was founded in 1815, composed of the meetings at Frankford and Germantown, when Abington became a particular Monthly Meeting to which have since been attached Horsham and Upper Dublin Meetings. The graveyard to the northwest of the Meeting-house was considerably enlarged between the years 1842 and 1844, and now comprises an area of several acres. Here repose beneath common stones some of the earliest settlers in this vicinity with several generations of descendants. Inscriptions can be found only on the latter stones, by which we can recognize that numbers of the names of Walton, Williams, Palmer, Jenkins, Fletcher, Jones, Tyson, Shoemaker, Mather, Lukens and Satterthwaite have been interred here. There is a commodious two-story stone school-house in the west corner of the meeting-house yard, under the control of the meeting, its support being derived from the proceeds of the bequest of -one hundred and twenty acres given it by John Barnes, in 1697, since improved and divided into two farms. During the troubles attending the separation in 1826-27, Halliday Jackson stated that in Abington Quarterly Meeting up to 1829 there was, inclusive, a total of three thousand one hundred and fifty-three men, women and minors. Of this number the Orthodox possessed three hundred and twenty-one and three remained undecided as to their views. The two hundredth anniversary of this Monthly Meeting was celebrated at the meeting-house on the afternoon of the 3d of Twelfth Month, 1882, at which about five hundred persons were present. On this occasion Charles Linton, clerk of the meeting, read a compilation from its early records; David Newport an original poem entitled "William Penn's Holy Experiment," followed by an address from Hon. John M. Broomall, of Media. 686 ABINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. -The Rev. Malachi Jones, a native of Wales, where he had received his education and ordination in September, 1714, made application to the Presbytery of Philadelphia, which then numbered only eleven ministers, and by whom he was received in fellowship. In the aforesaid year the organization here of the congregation was accomplished, Benjamin Jones, Abednego Thomas, Stoffel Van Sand and Joseph Breden being chosen elders, besides sixty-five additional members. At this early date the Presbytery had been only formed about eight years. Half an acre of ground having been secured, for which a deed was given August 15, 1719, a log church was very probably soon after erected, the first house of worship possessed by the denomination within the present limits of Montgomery County. It stood within the graveyard at the intersection of the Old York and Susquehanna Street roads until 1793. The elders of the church in 1728 were Abednego Thomas Joseph Breden Benjamin Jones Garret Wynkoop Charles Hasse Joseph Charlesworth, deacons. Mr. Jones continued his labors here with apparent success for fifteen years, or until his death, which took place March 26, 1729, he being seventy-eight years old. With only one exception, his tombstone is the oldest here containing an inscription, and it is mentioned thereon that "He, was the first Minister in This Place." From the death of Mr. Jones the charge remained vacant until December, 1731, when Rev. Richard Treat was ordained a minister and duly installed. During his ministry the Rev. George Whitefield came hither Thursday, April 17, 1740, and in his journal states that he "Rode last night after a sermon about eight miles. Lay at a Friend's house, and preached this morning to, near three thousand people at Abington, a district under the care of Mr. Treat, a Presbyterian minister, to whom God has been pleased lately to shew mercy. When I had done I took a little refreshment, baptized a child and hastened to Philadelphia." Concerning Mr. Whitefield here the late Rev. Robert Steel relates the following reminiscence: "An old Revolutionary soldier, Mr. Martin, has told me in my youthful days that he was accustomed to take an early breakfast and walk from Southwark to Abington, full twelve miles, to hear Mr. Whitefield preach. He said the house would be full and the graveyard would be filled." The Rev. David Brainerd, the missionary among the Indians at the forks of the Delaware, occasionally preached here and assisted at communions, and also Rev. Charles Beatty, of Neshaminy, one of the founders of the Hatboro' Library in 1755. Mr. Treat continued in the charge the long period of forty-seven years, and also died and was buried here in November, 1778, in his seventy-first year. The pulpit was now supplied by various ministers, among these Dr. McWhorter and Rev. William Mackey Tennent, who was chosen pastor in 1781. He was the son of Rev. Charles Tennent, the youngest of four brothers, all ministers in the church, and grandson of Rev. William Tennent, the founder of the famous "log college" in Bucks County. In this connection Dr. Tennent gave a portion of his time to the small congregations at Norriton and Providence, preaching there about every third Sabbath. The Abington congregation was incorporated by what is termed a private act of Assembly passed February 22, 1785. The original church having now become too small for the wants of the congregation, and needing repairs, a new stone structure was commenced in the spring of 1793, nearly opposite, on the west side of the York road. This was sufficiently completed to be occupied for worship in the following October. In 1798, Isaac Boileau, as the only remaining trustee, conveyed to the use of the church the adjoining farm, given by Simon Thomas and wife, containing one hundred acres. Dr. Tennent died in December, 1810, and his remains also repose in the old graveyard. He was a distinguished member of the church; in 1797 moderator of the General Assembly and one of the trustees of Princeton College. A vacancy now remained in the church for nearly two years, when the Rev. William Dunlap was chosen pastor, who assumed the charge July 2, 1812. He was the son of Rev. James Dunlap, president of Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, and had been ordained to the ministry in 1809, when he was sent on a missionary tour to Canada. He there contracted a severe cold, which terminated in consumption, from which he died in December, 1818, at the early age of thirty-six years. The Rev. Robert Steel received the charge November 9, 1819, to continue in this pastorate for the long period of nearly forty-three years. As the church was again becoming too small, the congregation resolved, at a meeting held March 12, 1833, to enlarge the same, which was done in the following summer, at a cost of nearly nineteen hundred dollars. While this improvement was proceeding worship was held in a neighboring grove. Dr. Steel, on Thanksgiving day, 1855, preached a sermon before his congregation from the text "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us" (1 Sam.7-12), wherein he stated that "since I have commenced my labors here there have been added to the membership of this church 359 persons. I have baptized 280, from infancy to hoary hairs, united in wedlock 256 couples and detained from the sanctuary by sickness but two Sabbaths in all that time." This was subsequently published in the "Presbyterian Magazine" (for February, 1856, vol. vi. pp. 80-87), with a historical account of the church, its author at the time presented the writer with a copy, and which appears since to have been made extensive use of without acknowledgment. With the exception of two acres still retained, the farm given by Mr. Thomas was sold in 1856, and brought $18,872.50. A tract of thirteen acres to the rear of the church and fronting on the Susquehanna Street road was subsequently purchased. Dr. Steel, like a faithful sentinel, remained at his post to the last, where he died September 2,1862, in his sixty-ninth year. One interesting fact remains now to be noticed in connection with the history of this church: that from its first organization for the long period of one hundred and forty-eight years only five ministers had served it, and who in all of that time lived and died here in their several charges and lie buried in its ancient graveyard, indicating a degree of faithfulness on the part of the pastors and harmony in the congregation that is creditable to both as a noteworthy example. 687 The Rev. John Linn Withrow was installed pastor in May, 1863, and remained until November, 1868, when he received the charge of the Arch Street Church, Philadelphia. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel T. Lowrie in May, 1869, who left in July, 1874, to accept a professorship in the Theological Seminary at Allegheny. In his farewell sermon to the congregation he stated that in liberality this church ranked the fourth or fifth in the Presbytery; that in this year twelve hundred and twenty dollars had been given to benevolent purposes outside of its own operations; and that its three Sabbath-schools and two hundred and fifty scholars in 1869 had increased to four, with four hundred and fifty pupils and thirty-nine teachers. The Rev. L. W. Eckard, the present pastor, was installed May 25, 1875. Abington has been the parent of Huntingdon Valley Presbyterian Church, built in 1860; of Grace Church, at Jenkintown; and of Carmel Chapel, at Edge Hill village. The membership of this congregation in September, 1884, was two hundred and fifteen, with two hundred and fifty pupils in the Sabbath-school. The present handsome brown sandstone structure was erected in the place of the former church in 1863. It is of one story, with stained-glass windows, the main part being about forty by sixty-six and one-half feet, with a rear addition, making the total length one hundred and eighteen feet. The tower and spire is also built of dressed stone and is one hundred and eighty feet in height, and from its elevated position forms a conspicuous landmark for miles around. The graveyard has been enlarged again and again, and now contains about one and a half acres, the whole inclosed with a substantial stone wall. As it has been undoubtedly used now as a place of interment for more than one hundred and sixty years, it may be well supposed that being in such a populous section, there must be many buried here. The earliest stone containing an inscription bears the date of 1728. Among the numerous names we find those of Barnes Hill Ramsey Adams Murray Vancourt Beatty Nash Boutcher McNeal Shelmore Dixon Yerkes Collom Boileau Briton Wood Ottinger Kline Huston Folwell Walker Fulton Wynkoop Wells Henry Fetters Carr McDowell Major Brown Elliott Dubree Roberts Nicholas McVaugh Kesler Wilson Foster Hart McAdams Krier Larzelere Gillingham Lukens Rogers Stevens Dananhower Mann Paxson Wigfall Allen Thornton Solliday Nicholson Ritchie Keightley Kennedy Torrance Dubois Evans Chilcott Bockius Streaper Tomlinson Morrow Bennett Rex Shaw Lambaert Morgan McCalla Ervien Homiller Morrison Scott Booskirk Vansant Blake Ayres Shipps Dean Harvey Holmes Willard Benezet Tennent and Stewart. Among the distinguished dead that repose here may be mentioned Gilbert Tennent, Samuel Finley (president of Princeton College), Robert Loller, William Dean, Hiram McNeal and N. B. Boileau. EDGE HILL. -The appellation Edge Hill we know is neither peculiar nor new, for there is an elevation in Warwickshire, England, that has long borne it, and which is noted for the first battle fought on it between Charles I. and the Parliamentary forces. Our impression, however, is that it has been applied either from the structure of its rock standing upright or in perpendicular strata, hence the common phrase "standing on edge," or for forming the southern boundary of the great limestone basin commencing in Abington township, within less than a mile of Moreland, and extending southeastwards into Maryland. It is also remarkable as being the first elevation crossing tide-water on the Delaware, forming what has so long been known as the "falls" at Trenton. In several deeds of purchase from the Indians to William Penn, two being dated July 14,1683, and another July 30, 1685, it is distinctly mentioned as "the hill called Conshohocken," and as forming at the time the upper or northern boundary between the Schuylkill and Pennypack Creek. On the western side of the Schuylkill to this day it is called Conshohocken. The two flourishing boroughs bearing this name have helped to perpetuate it, being situated just above where it crosses the river, the former having been so called about 1832, when it was first laid out as a town. In the report of the road survey made in June, 1725, from the present Fitzwatertown to Abington Meeting-House, mention is made of its "beginning at a run at Thomas Fitzwater's lime-kilns, in Upper Dublin township, thence 23 degrees east, 240 perches south, 42 degrees east, 140 perches to the mines at Edge Hill." This is the earliest mention of the popular name of this elevation known to the writer. The aforesaid also mentions it as passing through the gap here, which has become now an important thoroughfare. The North East Pennsylvania Railroad crosses the hill at this place, and here a quarry is extensively worked and the stone sent off by railroad; it is excellently adapted for lining furnaces in resisting the action of fire. Near by iron-ore has also been for the last ten years extensively obtained. These are probably the mines above referred to. 688 A tradition exits in the neighborhood that a silver-mine had once been worked in this vicinity, but it needs further corroboration. On Lewis Evans' map of the Middle Colonies, published in 1749, this hill is denoted as commencing in the township, on the west side of the York road, and extending southwestwards to the Susquehanna, a short distance below the month of the Conestoga. On Nicholas Scull's map of Pennsylvania, published in 1759, it is represented as crossing just above the falls at Trenton, and at the Schuylkill a few miles below Swedes' Ford, and thence into Chester County. Reading Howell, in his large township map of the State, represents it in 1792 as commencing in Abington and extending through Springfield and Whitemarsh. No name, however, is mentioned on any of those maps. The engineer of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, in his report, stated the track of the road on this hill was two hundred and eighty-four feet above tide-water level at Philadelphia and one hundred and eight feet higher than that at York Road Station and one hundred and twenty-three feet higher than at Fort Washington. From this it may be inferred that its highest elevation in Abington is about five hundred feet above tide-water and three hundred feet above the adjoining valleys. This hill possesses several peculiar features: Its whole surface abounds in valuable chestnut timber, excellently adapted for fencing materials, and which grows so rapidly as to bear cutting off every twenty-five or thirty years, being a great benefit to all the adjacent country in which this timber is not common. This young growth of wood has tended to preserve through this well-settled section that beautiful game-bird, the ruffed grouse, more familiarly known as the pheasant, which, however, is becoming rare. The stone prevailing in this hill has been for a long time extensively quarried, being chiefly used for flagging. It forms the southern boundary of lime-stone, iron-ore, marble and of the secondary red sand-stone formation, none of the aforesaid extending nearer towards the Atlantic coast ; hence it possesses a geological importance that has heretofore in our State surveys been almost overlooked. In the attempt of the British army from Philadelphia, under command of General Howe, to surprise Washington at Whitemarsh on the morning of December 6, 1777, they came within a mile of the American camp, near the present Edge Hill village, where they remained quietly and advantageously posted until the next day. On Sunday the 8th, they inclined still further towards the northeast, and from every appearance there was reason to apprehend that they were determined to bring on a general engagement. In this movement their advance and flanking parties were warmly attacked by Colonel Morgan and his corps, and also by the Maryland militia, under Colonel Mordecai Gist, who were also supported by General Potter's brigade and Colonel Webb's regiment. Near where the Susquehanna Street road crosses Edge Hill, Morgan met the British, and a short but severe conflict ensued and four officers and thirty men fell before the unerring, rifles of his men. The British concentrating their forces, Morgan and the militia withdrew on account of superior numbers. The enemy now fled off still farther towards the east, and in the evening built a long row of fires on the summit of the hill. As soon as it was dark they withdrew with great rapidity and silence by way of the old York road to the city, burning several houses on the way. The American troops were not allowed to pursue the fugitive army nor to withdraw from their post on the hills of Upper Dublin and Whitemarsh. General Howe was thus permitted to make his solitary way to the expressed dissatisfaction of his officers, and reached the city at nine o'clock that evening. In this engagement twenty-seven of Morgan's regiment were either killed or wounded and some sixteen or eighteen in Colonel Gist's command. It is stated that in this excursion the British lost in killed and wounded three hundred and fifty men, and showed that they did not dare attack Washington within his position, thus making of the expedition a discreditable failure. Some of Morgan's wounded men after the action were hauled to Joseph Butler's tavern, at the present Willow Grove, to be cared and provided for. Where the Americans buried their dead on this occasion is deserving of inquiry. THE HALLOWELL FAMILY. -John Hallowell, the progenitor of this family, came with a number of other Friends, from Nottinghamshire, England, and arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682, and settled near Darby, where he was one of the original members of the meeting established there. Silas Crispin, as executor of the estate of Thomas Holme, sold to the aforesaid John Hallowell, on the 15th of Sixth Month, 1696, for £58 16s., a tract containing six hundred and thirty acres, in Abington township, which lay adjoining Upper Dublin and on the line of the Manor of Moreland three hundred and forty perches, or for upwards of a mile's distance. The aforesaid, soon after his purchase, moved hither, living first with his family in a rude cabin, which he constructed partly in the ground, on the sunny side of a hill, which was called a cave, after the manner of some of the early settlers of Philadelphia. This was at or near the present summer residence of Philip R. Theobald, of Philadelphia, about a mile and a half southwest of the Willow Grove, whose farm formed a portion of the original tract. It was not till his purchase, about 1850, from Benjamin Hallowell, the son of Isaac and Sarah, that the property passed from the family; but the adjoining tract of B. T. Hallowell, Esq., has ever since been retained, the title covering, almost two centuries. From the old homestead mentioned came, probably, all the Hallowells in Montgomery and Bucks Counties, at least those of Abington, Moreland and neighboring districts. 689 John Hallowell conveyed to his eldest son, Thomas, on the 1st of Eighth Month, 1702, two hundred and twenty acres of his tract, with the improvements thereon. The balance of four hundred and eight acres he divided equally, on the 11th of Fourth Month, 1706, between his younger soils, Samuel and Benjamin, as they became of age. The aforesaid Thomas Hallowell, on the 25th of Twelfth Month, 1730, conveyed his farm of two hundred and twenty acres to his eldest son, William, who was a carpenter by occupation. The latter purchased of William Dunn, in Moreland, one hundred acres, in 1730, which he conveyed, on June 3, 1736, to his son, Thomas Hallowell, weaver, who had previously occupied it. This tract was situated a short mile northwest of Willow Grove, and is still owned by a descendant, Dr. William Hallowell, the son of Joseph (now of Norristown), who was born thereon upwards of eighty-three years ago. The said Thomas was his grandfather, and consequently this farm has been owned by these three the long period now of one hundred and forty-eight years, showing a remarkable instance of longevity. Thomas died in 1788, and his son Joseph near the close of 1843, at upwards of eighty-five years of age. Thomas Hallowell, the son of John, died near the end of 1734, and his wife, Rosamond, in 1745, both buried in Abington Meeting-house graveyard. Their children were John, born in 1703 Mary, 1705 Thomas, 1706 William, 1707 Rosamond, 1709 Elizabeth, 1711 Sarah, 1714 Thomas, 1715 Samuel, 1717 Joseph, 1719. William, who was born in 1707, resided on his farm in Abington until 23rd of Eighth Month, 1794, when he died at the age of eighty-seven. The children of Samuel and Mary Hallowell were Joseph, born in 1739 Benjamin, 1741 Elizabeth, 1743 Rachel, 1744 Mary, 1747 Martha, 1751 John, 1753 Samuel, in 1756. Thomas Hallowell, Jr., the son of Thomas, the weaver, of Moreland, was married, on the 16th of Eleventh Month, 1762, to Margaret, the daughter of Peter Tyson, of Abington. We find another marriage of Thomas Hallowell, yeoman, of Moreland, the 30th of Tenth Month, 1746, to Margaret, the daughter of John Tyson, of Abington. It may possibly be that in these two marriages the aforesaid Thomas Hallowell may have been the same person. We also find a Thomas Hallowell married to Mary Craft in 1735. Owing to a similarity of names, these are some of the puzzles that frequently attend the researches of genealogists into extensive families. Thomas Hallowell, having purchased the share of John Johnson, deceased, became a member of the Hatboro' Library in 1758, served as a director in 1761, and in 1767 sold it to Isaac Cadwallader. Among the original members of the Abington Library in 1803 we find the names of Isaac, William and Charles Hallowell. William and Jonathan Hallowell were owners of real estate in Willow Grove between the years 1784 and 1803. In this connection we should mention Charles Hallowell, one of the most respected men of Moreland, so long residing oil the adjoining property of Dr. Hallowell mentioned, who died 13th of Tenth Month, 1855, aged seventy years. He has also descendants residing in this section and in the West. Thomas Hallowell, the weaver, son of William, who resided in Moreland on a farm of one hundred acres given him by his father in 1736, also carried on farming. He died the 4th of Eleventh Month, 1788, aged nearly seventy-four years, and was a noted hunter and marksman. He related that, in the spring of the year, when the early-budding forest-trees would be cut down, the deer would come and browse upon them, even, at times, close to the house. About 1744 he happened to bring down at one shot two deer that were together in a thicket. This remarkable feat was done on the farm recently owned by Tabitha Kirk, but little over a mile from his home, and still lingers in tradition among some of the old families of that vicinity, as, for instance, the Tysons, Kirks and Homers. A deer was also shot by him on the farm lately owned by Washington Kimball. He shot, one spring, on a tall hickory-tree, an eagle of an unusual size that had carried off two of his small lambs. Joseph Hallowell, son of the aforesaid, who was born on said farm in 1758 and became its subsequent owner, also became a distinguished marksman. He survived till the 18th of Eleventh Month, 1843, when he died at the age of eighty-five. He related, that when a school-boy, he heard several of the larger boys boasting of having killed bears with clubs. As he was returning one evening from school, on the farm of the late George Spencer he observed in the bushes a flock of eleven wild turkeys. Previous to 1779 he had shot four of those birds on or near the vicinity of his farm. He stated that James Dubree had shot a wild turkey by moonlight in 1762, on a tall hickory tree, that weighed thirty-two pounds. This tree was pointed out to the writer in 1850, and it stood about half a mile northwest of Willow Grove. It was fully nine feet in circumference, and owed its preservation to being on a boundary line, but a storm several years afterwards blew it down. On the morning of May 1, 1778, Joseph Hallowell happened to be up early, and hearing the noise of wild turkeys, hastened in pursuit. About the break of day he came into the woods near the Welsh road, a short mile's distance from the west of his house, when his attention was soon arrested by most peculiar sounds coming from down the road. He stooped among the bushes, and as he peeped therefrom, to his surprise, beheld a detachment of the British army from Philadelphia hastening northwards, piloted by several he knew, who had resided in Horsham. He estimated the number at about six hundred men, one-half of whom were mounted on horses, being now on their way, by Horsham Meeting-house to attack General Lacey on the rear of his camp near Hatboro'. Fortunately they were too late, for the division that had proceeded up the Middle road made the attack too soon, and Lacey, by moving northeastward with his forces, escaped the danger. The detachment he saw was under the command of Major Simcoe. 690 Joseph Hallowell stated that, when a boy of fifteen, he could, in some directions, journey through the open woods to the Schuylkill River, and that he had several times done so on horseback in pursuit of his father's cattle when they had gone astray, the one that carried the bell being called the "king-cow." John Tomlinson, a neighbor of his, having gone with produce to Philadelphia while it was in possession of the British, on his return was captured by a party of Lacey's men, who sheared off closely the hair on one side of his head, deprived him of his clothing, and, instead, gave him an old shirt and a pair of breeches which he found filled with vermin. The neighbors afterwards jested on the matter by saying that he was a fortunate man to have safely returned to his home with so much more than what he had taken with him. Mr. Hallowell stated that after 1785 he had no knowledge of any wild turkeys having been seen anywhere through all that section. He verified the great abundance of wild pigeons seen at times near the close of the last century, and of their still breeding in the woods of that vicinity as late as 1810. ASSESSMENT OF ABINGTON FOR 1780. John Collum, assessor, and Alexander Means, collector. Patrick Megargle, 99 acres, 3 horses, 3 cows George Shrivel, 60 a., 4 h, 3 c. Esther Berrell, widow John Nash, laborer William Shriver, lab., 1 h. Arnold Michener, cordwainer, 15 a., 1 h., 1 c. Andrew, Keyser, miller 6 a., grist-mill, 1 h., 1 c. George Webster, 60 a., 2 h., 1 c. Charles Alexander, lab., 1 h, 1 c. William Caho, wool-comber, 1 c. Isaac Knight, Sr., 200 a., 4 h., 4 c. 250 a. in Merion, 300 in Haverford Hugh Tolan, lab., 1 c. Matthew Tyson, 150 a., 2 h., 3 c., 200 a. in Springfield, 150 a. in Bucks County Jacob Lukens, 1 h., 1 c. Conrad Kemp, 12 a., 1 h., 2 c. George Morris, lab., 1 h. Isaac Knight, Jr., 200 a., 6 h., 2 c. (confiscated) Abraham Bunnell, lab., 1 c. Isaac Tyson, 150 a., 3 h., 2 c. Joseph Fisher, cordwainer, 12 a., 2 c. Baltus Neal, lab., 1 h., 1 c. Rynear Tyson, son of Peter, farmer and lime-burner, 200 a., 4 h., 3 c. Peter Tyson, Jr., 5 h., 2 c. James Middleton, carpenter, 1 h. Jacob Lippincott, 100 a., 2 h., 4 c. Rynear Tyson, son of John, 167 a., 3 h., 2 c. Abraham Tyson, Sr., 130 a., 4 h., 5 c. John Collum, 100 a., 4 h., 4 c. David Coombs, tailor, 27 a., 1 h., 1 c. Jacob Craft, lab., 1 c. Alexander Means, 2 h., 1 c. Daniel Logan, lab., 1 c. Robert Wilson, 9 a., 1 h., 1 c. Christian Smith, 1 h., 1 c Jacob Huffty, 94 a., 2 h., 2 c Bernard Craft, wheelwright, 4 h., 2 c. George Fisher, cordwainer Joseph Austin, 165 a., 2 h., 5 c. Joseph Tyson, 155, a., 4 h., 5 c. Jacob Kirk, 200 a., 5 h., 6 c., 30 a. in Upper Dublin, 107 a. in Bristol, 1 stage-wagon William Hallowell, 80 a., 2 h., 4 c., 1 chair, 50 a. in Upper Dublin Thomas Leech, 100 a., 3 h., 2 c. Sarah Francis, widow, 130 a., 2 h., 2 c. Abraham Tyson, Jr., 146 a., 3 h., 4 c. Rynear Hallowell, 144 a., 3 h., 2 c. Thomas Tyson, 113 a., 4 h., 3 c. Jeremiah Boileau, 2 h., 4 c. William Sheperd, 78 a., 2 h., 2 c. Jesse Collum, 1 h., 1 c. Elijah Tomlinson, inn-keeper, 2 h., 1 c. William, Webster, 10 a., 1 h., 1 c., 82 a. in Cheltenham David Lockhart, lab., 1 h., 1 c. John Child, lab., 1 h., 1 c. Nathan Thomas, 100 a., 2 h., 2 c. John Waterman, Jr., 17 a., 1 h., 1 c. John Waterman, Sr., 115 a., 3 h., 3 c. John Pemberton, of Philadelphia, 15 a. of woodland Lydia Jenkins, widow, 65 a. George Stirk, aged, 50 a., 1 c. Ebenezer Jones, 1 h., 1 c. Peter Phipps, 190 a., 2 h., 1 c. Joshua Hallowell, 70 a., 2 h., 2 c. Grace McGargle, widow, 30 a., 2 c. Caleb Hallowell 65 a., 2 h. John Peters, 60 a., 1 h., 2 c. Henry Cline, lab. Isaac Waterman, 124 a., 3 h., 4 c. William Johnson, miller, 2 a., 1 c. Daniel Vancourt. 62 a., 2 h., 2 c. Abraham Cadwallader, 58 a., 2 h., 2 c. Joshua Morris, 400 a., 3 h., 4 c. Isaac Fisher, cordwainer, 1 c. Abraham Caster, 3 h., I c. William Hendricks, 122 a., 3 h., 2 c. Benjamin Simpson, Samuel Simpson, 188 a., 4 h., 4 c. Lewis Roberts, 197 a., 3 h., 3 c., grist-mill Robert Henry, weaver, 34 a., 2 h., 2 c. John Knight, 1 h., 1 c. Joseph Phipps, Jr., lab., 1 c. Jacob Fisher, cordwainer, 1 c. Joseph Phipps, Sr., 70 a., 2 c. John Kinman, 2 h., 2 c. Charles Roberts, carpenter, 2 c. John Hoogle, weaver Henry Krier, 100 a., 3 h., 4 c., 100 a. in Moreland John Shaw, Sr., 70 a., 1 h., 3 c. John Norman, 120 a., 3 h., 2 c. Phineas Jenkins, Sr., 60 a., I c. Jesse Jenkins, 14 a., 3 h., 2 c. John Fry, 50 a., 2 h., 2 c. David Krier, 2 h. Jacob Paul, 288 a., 7 h., 7 c., 2 negroes, 1 chair John Yerkes, 69 a., 3 h., 1 c. Daniel Hone, treas., 50 a., 2 h., 3 c. Robert Paul, miller, 101 1/2 a., grist-mill, 3 h., 4 c. Richard Whitton, 95 a., 3 h., 3 c. Benjamin Albertson, 55 a., 2 h., 2 c. Thomas Fletcher, 175 a., 3 h., 5 c. Elizabeth Ashbridge, 103 a., 1 c. Joseph Gold, 1 h., 1 c. John McMasters, weaver, 2 c. John Brant, lab., 1 c. Thomas Beans, 145 a., 4 h., 4 c., 2 negroes William Roberts, 100 a., 1 h., 2 c Susanna Fletcher, 70 a., 1 h., 1 c., 1 chair Jacob Holcombe, tailor, 4 1/2 a., 1 h., 1 c. John Whartenby, blacksmith, 2 c. Thomas Dungan, inn-keeper, 44 a., 1 h., 1 c., 1 chair Peter Merkle, 1 c. Duncan McDermott lab. Joseph Webster, 60 a., 1 h., 3 c. Thomas Randall, 1 h., 4 c. Amos Harmer, carpenter Jacob Coffin, lab., 24 a., 1 h., 1 c. John Nice, of Northern Liberties, 69 a. in Abington John Jenkins, 2 h., 2 c. Demas Worrall, cordwainer, 1 h., 1 c. Robert Fletcher, 297 a., 6 h., 7 c. Naylor Webster, 36 1/2 a., 2 h., 1 c. Martin Ague, weaver Jesse Roberts, 100 a., 2 h., 1 c. John Yerkes, Sr., 1 h., 1 c. Thomas Webster, Sr., 112 a., 3 h., 3 c. Thomas Webster, Jr., 1 h., 3 c. William Parker, lab. Edward Jeffreys, lab. Thomas Hallowell, 15 a. woodland and meadow, resides in Lower Dublin John Megargle, 10 a. Abner Bradfield, of Cheltenham, 50 a. Benjamin Hallowell, 260 a., 4 h., 3 c. Moses Shepherd, 137 a., 1 h., 2 c. William Jenkins, gent., 173 a., 1 h., 5 c. George Bewly Samuel Tyson Jonathan Morris Jonathan Leech John Craft James Megargle Jonathan Peters Jesse Clark Jacob Fulmore (weaver) William Connel (weaver) Jacob Albertson (tailor) Clement Remington Jacob Baughman John Roberts Joseph Tyson William Bremmer Charles Shaw Jacob Shaw Abraham Harmer Stephen Reese Jacob Harmer Aaron Lockhart Stephen Beans William Peters Isaac Knight. End Part I