were lighted by small windows in the outer walls; on the side of the house stood a one-story office, which had long contained the records of Chester county, from the earliest dates, and which being since removed to West Chester, might prove curious, if now examined with antiquarian tact and skill.

James Sanderlaine, often written Sanderlin, was a wealthy Swedish proprietor of all Chester, and extending back into the country a considerable distance on the Chester side of the creek; from him descended all the land titles. Robert Wade, of the Essex house, was an equally extended proprietor of all the lands on the other side of the creek. Sanderlaine appears to have been an eminent Episcopalian, and probably the chief founder of the old Episcopal church there, of St. Paul, as I find his memory peculiarly distinguished by a large and conspicuous mural monument in that church, covering a space of six and a half by three and a half feet. It is formed of fine sand-stone, and is chiseled in relief and ornament, in a very elaborate and skilful manner. It is in itself a curiosity, as expressive of a death of a citizen which occurred as long back as 1692. Not one of the name of Sanderlaine remains! His daughter was married to Jasper Yates.

Jasper Yates, at an early period, built a great building, still standing, called the Granary, and sometimes the Bake-house, it having been formerly used for both purposes. In the cellar part was the bake-house, and above it were the grain rooms, intended in their day to receive and use up the grain from the fruitful fields of Lancaster county-a commerce disused for several years. The bakery, while it lasted, made biscuit by wholesale for shipping.

Near to that building was shown me the first used court house of brick, now a dwelling house and cooper's shop, and owned by John Hart. Near to it is a part of the stone wall of the first prison, now converted into a dwelling house.

The second, or present, court house and prison were built in 1724. We next visited the house of David Lloyd, a name of perpetual occurrence in our early annals, as a leading member of assembly opposed to proprietary interests; as a disturbing Friend, an educated lawyer-a man who had once been a captain in Cromwell's army, and who sought his peace by coming to this country. His house is the same building facing the river, now known as the altered house of Commodore Porter. It was built in 1721. Pestilent and refractory as D. Lloyd appeared in public life, he was excellent and amiable in his social relations. The body of himself and wife are marked by head stones in the Friends' ground.

In 1798, Chester was visited with yellow fever in its most appalling form, derived from the families who fled from Philadelphia to Chester for refuge. It spread in Chester with frightful rapidity, and depopulated whole families and streets.

Chester has been often called "Upland," in the Few, or none, have a right conception of the cause.

early history The name, I

am satisfied, was applied to the whole land held by the Swedes at and above Chester. They called the country of Philadelphia county, Upland County-wherefore the court town took the name of the country. The name was first given to contradistinguish the UpDelaware country, from the Low-Delaware country, or lower counties, where the Swedes first settled.

Bucks County.

This county had its first settlers located nearest to the neighbourhood of Bristol and Pennsbury. They were nearly all of them of the society of Friends; among these, James Harrison and Phineas Pemberton were most influential and conspicuous. Strong expectations were entertained by these first settlers, that the city of Philadelphia might have been located at either of those chief places; but it was deemed that the river channel was too shallow for ship navigation. All the first settlers who arrived were obliged to bring certificates of acceptable character, and to be enrolled in a record book, which I have seen, kept by P. Pemberton, as clerk of the court, giving therein the names of the parents, number of children, names and number of servants, and the vessels by which, and at what time, arrived. This, it must be granted, forms a curious record of consultation now, and may show some families their "ancestorial bearings" then.

The Indians were round about in small settlements in almost every direction. Some, long after, dwelt on the "Indian field,” near Penn's estate at Pennsbury, and some at Ingham's spring; others were on the Pownall tract, the Streiper tract, and Fell tract. 'The last of the Indian race went off from Buckingham in a body, in the year 1775. The general state of woody wastes was much the same as has been already described in the county of Chester. The Indian practice of burning the underbrush in the woods, made the woods in general easy of traversing and exploring.

The people of Bucks county have been, from the earliest settlement, trained and disciplined to a kindly spirit of good neighbourhood and frank hospitality. It arose at first from their universal brotherhood and mutual dependence; and it was long kept alive by the unreserved welcome, for ever cherished, under their eyes, by the Indians settled about them. A true Indian never deems any thing too good for his friend or visiter.

The greater part of the centre grounds of Bucks county were located as early as 1700. Such was Buckingham and Solesbury. Among the first of those settlers there, were Thomas and John Byle, William Cooper, George Pownall, Roger Hartley, and other Friends, from the neighborhood of the "Falls Meeting." Thomas Watson arrived and settled among them in 1704. For the first few years, considerable of their supplies of grain for any new comers had to be. drawn from the Falls, or Middletown; and until 1707, they had to

take all their grain on horseback, for grinding, to Gwin's mill, on the Pennepeck, near to the Billet. In the mean time, many persons had to be content to pound their grain at home in wooden mortars. Several of the houses of the original settlers are still standing. Such a house, built for Thomas Canby, now belongs to Joshua Anderson. The great portion of the houses were constructed of logs, and called log-houses, a rude but very comfortable kind of building.

Improved land was generally sold by the acre, at the nominal price or value of twenty bushels of wheat; so that when wheat was at 2s. 6d. a bushel, the land was actually sold at 50s.

The women were always industrious, clothing their families in general by their own hands-spinning and weaving for all their inmates, all the necessary linen and woollen clothing. For common diet, milk and bread, and pie, formed the breakfast meal; and good pork or bacon, and a wheat-flour pudding or dumplings, with butter and molasses, were given for dinner. Mush, or hominy, with milk and butter, and honey, formed the supper. Chocolate was only occasionally procured, and used with maple sugar; and deer-meat and turkeys, when the season answered.

Only a few of the wealthiest farmers had any wagons before the year 1745; about the year 1750 was the time of their more common use. Carts were the most in use in going to market. John Wells, Esq., was the only person who then had a riding-chair. Taverns were scarcely known any where; the one at Coryell's ferry was the first.

After the year 1750, a new era seemed to commence, by the influx of more wealth among the people. Bohea tea and coffee were introduced, and sundry articles of foreign fabric for the farmers' wives, brought among them by the pedlers,-such as silk and linen neckhandkerchiefs, some silk or figured gowns. The men, too, began to wear vests and breeches of Bengal, Nankin, fustian, or black everlasting, and cotton velvet. Coats also were made of the latter, But no man or woman, in any condition of life, ever held themselves above the wear, for common purposes, of home-made "linseywoolsey," of linen or woollen fabric..

Bucks county has the honour of having had located, at the forks of the Neshamony, the once celebrated "Log College," so called, of the Rev. William Tennant, commenced there in 1721; and from it issued some of our best men of earliest renown. It was then " the day of small things."

Bucks county, in the period of the revolution, was made conspicuous, by a daring "refugee family," called the Doans. Their numerous perilous adventures, in scouring the country for "whig families," and to make their plunder on such, brought them into great renown as bold desperadoes. There were five brothers of them, severally fine looking men, and expert horsemen. Great rewards were offered for them; and finally, two were shot in combat, and two were apprehended and executed. They were far above ordinary robbers, being very generous and humane to all

moderate people. The whigs had injured them, and they sought revenge at the hazard of their lives.

Dr. John Watson, of Bucks county, contributed to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania a very interesting account of the primitive state of society in Buckingham and Solsbury. From his account I add a few particulars. See Appendix, p. 119.

When wheat and rye grew thick and tall on new land, and all was to be cut with sickles, many men, and some women, became dexterous in the use of them, and victory was contested from many a violent effort. About the year 1744, twenty acres of wheat were cut and shocked in half a day in Solsbury. Rum was drunk in proportion to the hurry of business on all such occasions. In fact, rum being a British liquor, had to be used, if at all, as the common beverage. A bottle of rum was handed about at vendues, each taking his draw from the neck of it, by a swallow or more. At wedding regales, and even at funerals, mixed and stewed rum, called spirits, was an expected and common entertainment. Rum was even put on their toasted bread occasionally. It led to its evils, and serious and considerate persons got an act of assembly prohibiting the use of spirits at vendues. Now temperance societies impose its disuse in every thing; and we know of good apple orchards there, now, of which they will no longer make even cider. Apple pies, both green and dried, have ever been in plentiful use all the year round in this county.

The first settlers, and many of their successors, were accustomed to wear a strong and coarse dress-such as enduring buckskin. It was used for breeches, and sometimes for jackets; oznaburgs, made of hemp tow at 1s. 4d. a yard, was used for boys' shirts; sometimes flax, and flax and tow were also used. Coarse tow for trowsers, wool hat, strong heavy shoes, brass buckles, two linsey jackets, and a leathern apron, made out the winter apparel. Such apparel for the labouring class was common down to 1750.

A higher class, however, had means to procure such suits as would have purchased two hundred acres of land! The coat of broad-cloth had three or four plaits on the skirts; they were wadded to keep them smooth, as thick as a coverlet. The cuffs very large, went nearly up to the elbows. The hat was a good broad-brimmed beaver, with double loops, drawn nearly close behind, and half raised on each side. The ladies, in full mode, wore stiff whalebone stays, worth eight or ten dollars. The silk gown much plaited in the back. The sleeves were short and nearly twice as large as the arm; the rest of the arm covered with a fine linen sleeve, nicely plaited, locket buttons and long-armed gloves. The head was covered with a Bath bonnet and its cape. On marriage occasions the bride dressed in a long black hood without a bonnet. Two yards of rich paduasoy made such a hood, and used to be loaned for nuptial occasions. In time, came up the straw plait, called the bee-hive bonnet, and with it the blue or green apron. 9

VOL. II.-N

Before the use of upland grass and clover, they could only form or procure their grass in plains or swamps-often at several miles from home, in which case it was stacked on the spot, and hauled home as needed, on sleds during the winter.

In those days it was common to go ten or twelve miles to mill ou horseback; the same distance to get any smith work and repairs. Horses were seldom shod, and blocks to pound hominy were used, in imitation of the Indians.

The Indians were still much among them, very often bringing presents of game, beans, &c., and refusing any pay. The Indian children were very sociable and fond of play.

The prices, from 1724 to 1735, as seen marked in books of the time, set wheat at from 3 to 4s.; rye, 2 to 3s.; middlings, fine, 7 to 8s.; coarse, 4s. 6d. ; bran, 1s.; salt, 4s.; beef, 2d.; bacon, 4d.; pork, 2d. Swine were easily raised and fattened. Venison roasted and in stew-pies, were luxuries of frequent use in their homely log cabins.

Indian corn was not attempted to be raised in large quantities before the year 1750. Wheat was the great article for making money, it was cultivated with open fallows, and was generally ploughed three times a year.

In the neighbourhood of Doylestown is considerable of Indian remains, such as their graveyard, &c.; and on the Neshamony near there, is said to be the grave of the celebrated chieftain Tamanee, after whom we have now the popular name of "Saint Tamany."

It is said also, that the first court held in Pennsylvania was held in this county; and the oldest record to be found in our state, is to found in the county office at Doylestown. It is a record, or register of ear marks, for sheep and cattle, and showing, by a drawing of the head of the animal, the different crops upon the ears, as well as an accompanying description in words, and in the name of the individual who assumed it as his designating property. This record, it is said, was made a little before Penn's landing, and was continued in practice for a number of years subsequently. The date is now effaced, but was certainly as early as 1681.

The next record, in point of time, is a record of the Orphans' Court, No. 1; its first entry bears date the 4th day of 1st mo., 1693, and was held at the private dwelling of Gilbert Wheeler. "Present, the governor, Wm. Penn, with justices James Harrison, Jonathan Otter, Wm. Yardley, Wm. Beaks, and Thomas Fitzwater. Phineas Pemberton, clerk." The next court was held at Pennsbury; the next again at Gilbert Wheeler's, on the 7th of 8 mo., 1684.

At a court of Quarter Sessions, held the 10th of 10th mo., 1684, the eldest of Clark's orphans was bound to Richard Noble, until she attained the age of twenty-one, and was then to receive as her freedom, one cow and calf, and one sow. The above record book is complete to October 1692; and after that time the court was suspended or omitted for several years, having at times the record, "No