Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

to eat in, should be wainscotted up. The doors had best be large between the other parlour and the withdrawing room.

"If the cattle of Col. Lloyd are not brought home from Maryland, dissolve the bargain, because I will supply beef from Ireland. The last I sent went by way of Barbadoes.

"Let Ralph this fall get about twenty young poplars, of about eighteen inches round, beheaded to twenty feet, to plant in the walk below the steps to the water.

I mentioned the kinds of out-houses wanted, but I know how to shift. I am a man of providence tost to and fro."

"The 11th of 5th month, 1685, he writes and says, "Tell Ralph I must depend on his perfecting his gardens-hay dust [is not this seed?] from Long Island, such as I sowed in my court yard, is the best for our fields. I will send divers seeds for gardens and fields. About the house may be laid out into fields and grass, which is sweet and pleasant. I trust to provide myself at my coming with carpenters, husbandmen, bricklayers and makers. I hope care is had of my three mares and their colts. I intend to bring more when I come, and a fine horse. A good dairy my wife will love."

The 4th of 8th mo., 1685, he says, "I hear poor Ralph is dead. Let Nicholas then follow it (the garden) diligently, and I will reward him. Do not much hiring of carpenters and joiners. That I sent will do. Assure my servants, if they prove faithful and diligent, I will be kind to them in land and other things at my return. By this ship, I purpose to send some haws, hazelnuts, walnuts, garden seeds, &c."

In another letter he says, "I have now sent a gardener (in place of Ralph, deceased,) with requisites. Let him have help of two or three men when needful. He is to have his passage paid and £30, and sixty acres of land, at three years, and a month in each year to himself; he to train me a man and a boy. There comes also a Dutchman, a joiner and a carpenter, that is to work one hundred and fifty days, and pay me £5 or £7 country money, for £7 sterling lent him. Let him wainscot and make tables and stands: but chiefly help on the out-houses, because we shall bring much furniture."

"I would have Nicholas (the gardener) have as many roots and flowers next spring, by transplanting them out of the woods, as he can."

7th of 9th month, 1685, he writes and says, "I am glad the Indian fields bore so well. Lay as much down as you can with hay dust, and clear away the wood up the river to open a prospect upwards as well as downwards. Get some wooden chairs of walnut, with long backs, and two or three eating tables for twelve, eight, and five persons, with falling leaves to them."

17th of 9th month, 1685, he says, "P. Ford has sent James Reed more trees, seeds, and sciences, (scions) which James, my gardener here, bought. Tell James I would have him lay in a good stock

before he parts with any thing I send him. I would send free stones for the steps, if he had the dimensions. What you build is best done with bricks. The man I sent can make them. A better kitchen would do well, with milk-house, stable, &c., but all by degrees. There is gravel for walks, that is red at Philadelphia, near the swamp. In what you build, let there be low lodgings over head of eight feet. Let all be uniform, and not ascu from the house. Get and plant as much quick, as you can, about fields, and lay them out large, at least twelve acres in each."

In 1686, he writes: "I send a wheelwright, who can also work as a carpenter. I should be glad to see a draft of Pennsbury, [and so might we!] which an artist would quickly make, with the landscape of the house, out-houses, their proportions and distance from each other. Tell me how the peach and apple orchards bear. Of what are the out-houses built, and how do they stand to the house. Pray don't let the fronts of the house be common. I leave thee whether to go on with my son's land above Welcome creek or no."

Such is the early history of the munificent expenditures and intentions of Penn.

[ocr errors]

A letter of Wm. Penn to James Logan, of the 23d of 5th mo., 1700, then at Pennsbury, says, "That, because of an injury done his leg, he is unable to meet the council, &c., and therefore desires that four of the counsel, the collector and minister, and witnesses, to come up to him by his barge, which he will send to Burlington." He adds, too, "Let the Indians come hither, and send in the boat more rum, and the match coats, and let the council adjourn to this place. Here will be victuals." At this time he speaks also of his coach or "calash" and horses, then in Philadelphia, and of his man John (a black man) to drive it.

The above letter seems to indicate an assemblage or gathering for a treaty. It would seem there must have been a plurality of such Indian assemblages; for, in 1701, John Richardson, in his journal, tells of his being there when many Indians and chiefs were then to revive their covenants with Wm. Penn, before his return home. There they received presents, and held their cantico or worship, by dancing around a fire prepared on the ground.

In 1703-4, when young William Penn came to this country, there assembled as many as one hundred Indians, and nine kings, at Pennsbury, to greet his arrival there.

It may further serve to give us a more direct insight into household economy and domestic concerns of such a man as Penn, and as marking the state and style of the grandees of olden time, to give here a list of the furniture and plate, which once was deposited at Pennsbury, to wit:

J. F. Fisher got from Stoke Pogis, of John Penn, two papers containing an account of what goods and plate Penn had at Pennsbury, and left there on the 3d of 10 mo., 1701, to wit:

VOL. II.-O

[ocr errors]

In the best chamber, sundry tables, stands, cane chairs, a bed and bedding, and a suit of satin curtains, &c.

In the next chamber, a bed and bedding, six cane chairs, a suit of camblet curtains, &c.

In the next chamber, one wrought bed and bedding, six wooden chairs, &c.

In the nursery, one pallet bedstead, two chairs of master John's, and sundries, &c.

In the next chamber, one bed and bedding, one suit of striped linen curtains, four rush-bottomed chairs, &c.

In the garrets, four bedsteads, two beds, three side saddles-one of them my mother's, two pillions.

In the lower rooms. Best parlour, two tables, one couch, two great cane chairs and four small ditto, seven cushions-four of them satin, three others green plush, and sundries more.

The other parlour, two tables, six chairs, one great leather chair, one clock, a pair of brasses, and other mentioned things.

In the little hall, six leather chairs, five maps.

In the great hall, one long table and two forms, six chairs, pewter dishes, five mazarins, two cisterns, and sundries others.

Linen and plate, damask, Irish diaper, fine Dutch diaper, hugabag, five sideboard cloths, one large tankard, one basin, six salts, one skillet, five plates, seven spoons, two forks, two porringers, &c., small articles. A chest of drawers containing an invoice of linen, alí marked W. P. H.

In the closet and best chamber, bed and bedding, two silk blankets and white curtains, also two damask curtains for windows, six cane chairs, one hanging press.

In the kitchen, a grate iron, one pair of racks, three spits, one pair of great dogs, &c.

I see also another paper entitled, " Plate carried to Pennsylvania," from which I extract some of the items: one large tankard, one caudle cup, three tumblers, six spoons, two forks, three chafing dishes, with things to burn spirits, one large plate with the Springet arms, that Springet's grandmother gave him, one little strong-water bottle, G. M. S., one save-all, G. S., six spoons with a cross, six egg spoons, W. P. G., six porringers, G. W. P., eighteen spoons, G. W. P., six forks with W. P.'s arms, one skillet, J. P. M., one sucking bottle, M. P.-W. P., one sugar dish, J. J. M., one large chafing dish with gridiron, a top, which Letitia's grandmother Penington gave her, also one skimmer, from the same to her, one large plate with the Springet arms, that Springet's grandmother Penington gave him. (Several other items are named.)

In conclusion, we add hereto three original letters of Penn, to John and Mary Sacher, while overseeing his concerns at Pennsbury. They are so primitive, frank and friendly, as to set the spirit of the man before us, while we read them.

Lond. 12, 8 mo., 1705.

Honest John and Mary.-My reall love is to you, and desire you and your little ones preservation heartily, and I know so does my dear wife and loving mistress. We are all, through the Lord's mercy, well, save little Hannah at Bristoll, whose arme has a weakness. She is a sweete childe, as Thomas and little Margaret.

I doubt not your care and good husbandry, and good housewifery, to make that place profitable to me, after the hundreds, yea thousands, yt have been sunk there from the beginning. Though if that could be lett, to one yt would not misuse it, and you upon a plantation for my deare Johnne, I should like it better, and pray tell James (Logan) so; for I think I have spent too much there already. Johnne grows a fine childe, tall, brisky as a bird, his mother's limbs, but my countenance, and witty, as others say, and as healthy as any of them. Let me hear from you how Sam and Sue attend, and if the black boy and little Sue begin to be diligent. The Lord be with you, and all his humble and faithful ones, on both sides the Farewell your reall friend,

water.

WM. PENN.

Lond. 18, 3 mo., 1708.

John Sacher-Loving friend.-I had thy letter with satisfaction, and glad to hear of thy and family's welfare. I am glad to hear of the good condition of poor Pennsbury, beloved of us all, and there, in the will of God, we wish ourselves. If thou leavest it, give J. Logan an acct. of ye fruit of thy labour, as acres cleared, and fence, and of both plow and sow land. Likewise, deliver all ye plate, linnen and household stuff into his possession and care. [This may account for my Penn-chair received from Mrs. Logan.] I bless God, we are all alive and well, save our dear sweete Hannah, whom the Lord took four months ago, at 4 years, the wittiest and womanliest creature that her age (of 4) could show, but His holy will be done. Thy loving friend,

WM. PENN.

To Honest Mary.-I had thine by our frd. Mary Dannester, with the pair of gloves to Johnne, which both pleased and fitted him well. I was well pleased to heare of yr well doing while at that place of my pleasure, poor Pennsbury, which I like for a place better than I have ever yet lived at, and I hope since 'tis lett, (which to be sure James (Logan) does to our advantage,) it will be kept as it deserves, and be fitt to receive me, if the Lord please to make way for our coming thither again. My dear father has been dangerous ill, which hurry'd me to Bristoll lately. There I saw thy brother, who has three children, and thrives in person and trade.

With true love to thee and thy husband, and honest friend Jane, remain thy friend, W. P.

Græme Park. Mrs. Hart, an aged lady, remembered the park when, in the affluence and circumstance of the Græme family, it was stocked with deer, and when all the woods, of five hundred acres, was cleared of underwood, and through the whole were several open avenues, (since grown up.) One place only was left uncleared, called the thicket. The place was surrounded by privet hedge. Miss Stedman, who dwelt with, and survived Mrs. Furguson, the talented daughter of Doctor Græme, retained all the poetic and other papers of Mrs. Furguson, and at the death of Miss Stedman, the papers fell into the hands of Mr. Smith, of Lehman and Smith, druggists in Philadelphia. Mrs. Furguson was a remarkably ready talker, even when a very aged woman, and always talked well. She was habitually called "Lady Furguson" by the neighbours of Græme Park. This same place was sold to French, in 1836, as a poor farm, at a very small price. Sic transit gloria mundi! Mrs. Furguson, it will be remembered, was the lady who was employed, as it was said, to offer the British bribe to Governor Read.

Historical Notices of Lancaster, and Lancaster County.

Lancaster was laid out as a town in 1728.

In 1729 Lancaster county was erected out of part of Chester county. The German settlers, in consequence of the new county being formed, applied to the proper authorities for leave to enjoy the rights and privileges of British subjects, which was granted. The law containing their names and their petition is signed by Emanuel Zimmerman, (now Carpenter,) in behalf of others. A large number of Irish emigrants settled at Pequea, also sundry Welsh.

A court house and prison is begun at Postlewaite's, and £300 were lent by the governor upon bills of credit to defray the same. £300 additional were afterwards lent to the same object.

1730, Stephen Atkinson built a fulling mill at great expense upon the Conestoga, but the inhabitants on the upper part of the creek assembled and pulled down the dam, as it prevented them from rafting and fishing. Mr. Atkinson then altered his dam with 20 feet passage for boats and fish.

In 1731 a great excitement was caused throughout the settlements, by the shameful murder of three Indians, by the settlers on Swatara creek. This creek was called after a town in Ireland, by Mr. Patterson, one of the original settlers.

In 1732 a violent contest for a member of assembly took place between Andrew Galbraith and John Wright. On that occasion Mrs. Galbraith rode throughout the town at the head of a numerous band of horsemen, friends of her husband. In consequence of her activity, her husband was elected.

In 1734 an Episcopal church was built in Conestoga, fifteen miles from Lancaster. The same year a Lutheran church was built in Lancaster.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »