TOWNSHIPS	Farms	Acres assessed	Sowed	Acres. in farm	Per cent. sowed.
Birmingham East Bradford East Caln Concord Upper Darby Haverford Londongrove East Nantmeal East Nottingham Pikeland Radnor Sadsbury Springfield Thornbury East Whiteland West Whiteland	59 74 132 62 60 49 77 83 109 82 79 63 36 52 42 40	6,898 9,440 19,195 7,452 6,395 5,564 9,606 16,539 13,784 10,283 7,138 11,971 4,086 7,129 5,724 6,170	620 761 1342 508 437 491 860 932 652 830 570 456 301 585 504 532	117 128 145 120 106 113 125 199 126 125 90 190 113 137 136 154	.09 .08 .07 .07 .07 .09 .09 .06 .05 .08 .08 .04 .07 .08 .09 .08

At the present time the proportion of wood and other unimproved land probably varies from 5 to 15 per cent., and that of sowed land is about double what it was in 1784, or from 8 to 18 per cent., while the average size of farms is considerably less. Indian corn was found under cultivation by the Indians, and has continued to be one of our most important cereals. * Wheat was introduced by the first settlers, while barley, oats, and rye were early cultivated. The Mediterranean wheat was introduced about the year 1838. Barley continued to be cultivated for a long time ; it was principally used in the making of' malt, and mostly sold to the Philadelphia brewers. About 1822 the farmers of Chester and Delaware Counties, under the impression that the brewers were combined to keep the price of barley at a low figure, organized the " Farmers' Brewery Company," and erected a brewery at Tenth and Filbert Streets, Philadelphia. But this venture was not successful, and after a few years the building was sold at a considerable loss to the stockholders. The raising of barley gradually declined in this county, and after 1840 comparatively little was grown. In the earlier days rye seems to have succeeded better than wheat on poor ground, and was frequently used in making bread. Col. William Gibbons, writing of his farm in West Nantmeal, 1779, says,- " I do not expect my wheat yielded well, but hope I have a considerable quantity of rye, which is good enough for me, and I suppose for any man that sets a right value on his liberty, if the fortune of war gives that turn to our affairs. Sooner would I eat rye-bread to my dying day than meanly surrender my liberty and sell posterity." Buckwheat and flax were also generally raised in the county during the last century. But little of either is now grown. Clover was early introduced, it is thought from Lancaster County, as that section seems to have been the source of seed supplied to this county. † Notwith- * Several varieties, under the general name of "sweet corn," have been generally raised, and have become increasingly popular as an article of food within the last thirty years. † John Taylor, of Thornbury, in writing to a person at Lancaster, 1754, says,— " Desire James Webb to send me down to James Way's or Downing's mill as much red clover-seed as will sow tcn aeres of land for pasture. I am told it takes two quarts to an acre. If be cannot send it down, I must send up on purpose for it." The following letter, addressed to James Marshall, a brother of Humphry Marshall, of West Bradford, is further evidence on this point : standing this early introduction, the practice of sowing clover had not become universal sixty years ago. Forty years since clover-mills were numerous in Chester County, but the greater part of the seed now sown is brought from the West. Silk-culture was introduced in Pennsylvania as early as 1734, and probably into this county soon after, as we find that in 1771 the quantity of cocoons taken to a public filature established in Philadelphia was a trifle r over 1754 pounds, of which Chester County produced 335 pounds. The Pcnnsylvania Gazette of Oct. 3, 1771, says, " Jane Davis, of Chester County, claims the prize offered for raising silkworm cocoons." In 1836 the " Chester County Silk Company" was incorporated, and organized with a capital of $50,000, and a fair amount of stock was subscribed for at once. Some sixteen acres were purchased of what was then known as the " Matlack Estate," in West Chester, now a portion of Hoopes, Brother & Thomas' nurseries, near the Catholic convent. A large cocoonery was erected on or near the site of the residence of Mr. George Thomas, near the railroad. The company during that spring set out a plantation of some four to five acres of white Italian mulberry-trees, presented by the Hon. Charles Miner, editor of the Village Record, and who was then, or shortly before had been, a representative in Congress from Chester County. About this time, or a little before, the new Chinese mulberry (Moms multicaulus) was introduced from China, which at once sprung into popularity to such an extent that its culture became a speculating mania. Millions of dollars were invested in it during the winter of 1837 and spring of 1838, and such was the increased product in the fall (as every bud produced a large, salable tree in a season's growth) that the supply greatly exceeded the demand, so that a corresponding reaction came on, and a panic of losses and disasters followed, carrying in its train a loss of confidence in the enterprise, and with that the closing up of hundreds of companies that had been organized as the Chester County Company, fully intending to test the enterprise with the Italian trees. The company continued to operate during the three years named, and in the fall or winter of 1839 disposed of the property and closed up its affairs, leaving the subject in doubt as to whether at that time silk-culture could have been made a profitable branch of productive interest for Chester County. ‡ "Respected ffrd.—I herewith send thee one Bushel of Cloverseed, and four Roules of tobacco, as thou will see by the Inclos'd account. I Expect I must give the wagoner £1 6d. for Cariage to the signe of ye Ship [Downingtown]. The price of the Clover seed will Not be less than three pounds, it being very scarce to be had. Pleas to take Care of ye Bag, it being None of mine. "Conclude thy "LANCASTER, 3d mo. 1 st, 1764. ffrd JAMES WEBB. "P. S. I should have sent it sooner but for Want of oppertnnaty." ‡ June 12, 1838, the West Chester Silk Company had a sale of handkerchiefs manufactured from their own silk. There were thirty-five, which sold at from $1.75 to $3, and aggregated the sum of $71.05. One of these silk handkerchiefs, together with an interesting collection (now relics) of the culture of the company named,—a box containing specimens of silk through all its stages of culture and manufacture, from the cocoon up to sewing-silk,—from the crop of 1837, was on exhibition at the State Fair held in Philadelphia in 1880. These specimens, which have been carefully preserved for the past forry-three years, are highly interesting mementoes of the enterprise and skill of the citizens of Chester County in this department of industry at that early day. AGRICULTURAL - 337 Although goats are said to have been the first domestic animals introduced into the colonies, about 1634,* it is believed the horse was the first in our county to receive special care in breeding. Samuel Holman, of Chester Springs, by his importation of Norman horses in 1851, and John J. Parker, of West Goshen, by his introduction of the Percheron stock in 1869, deserve mention. Little was done towards improving the breeds of cattle until the beginning. of the present century. About 1818 sonic grade Durhams were brought into East Bradford from Kentucky, and after this Joseph Kersey, of Downingtown, owned a half-blood bull, " Oakes," which he sold in 1824 to Thomas S. Woodward and others. Joseph Cope, of East Bradford, procured in England in 1839 a cow, " Donna Maria," and a yearling calf, " Yorkshireman," from Thomas Bates, of Kirkleavington. From this importation some of the herd-book animals of this county are descended. The Holstein cattle were introduced soon after the Durhams, but have not been so popular as the latter. The Spanish merino sheep were introduced here soon after 1810. † After some time the Saxons found their way to this county, and at a later date the French merinoes, etc. By fortunate crossing of blood and careful management this county has produced a breed of hogs, known far and wide as " Chester Whites," which for good qualities rival those of any other variety. In the early settlement of this country, when fences were scarce, and only the cultivated ground was inclosed, all kinds of stock were allowed to run at large, and the farmers identified their own by branding with a hot iron, and by clipping the ears in a certain manner. These peculiar marks were entered upon the court records, and are frequently mentioned in the proceedings in Common Pleas. Thus in 1684 it is recorded that " George Maris' cattle-marks, a slitt in the tip of the near year ; his brand marke, G. M." In 1703, " Thomas Woodward's Eare marke is a slit on the top, and a half-peony cut out of the fore side of' the near Eare ; his brand is T on ye near shoulder, and W on the near butock." One of the county officers of that day was the ranger, ‡ whose duty it was to see that the stock at large were properly marked, and to take up strays. A result of this system was that, with scanty forage at times, the animals became stunted, and by promiscuous interbreeding the stock degenerated in quality. To remedy in part these evils a law was enacted in 1724, by which it was provided that no stallions under a certain age and size should be allowed to run at large, and that the ranger or other interested persons might take proper measures to abate the disadvantages at the owner's cost. Bells were attached to cows that they might more readily be found at milking-time. * Hazard's Annals, 50. † John D. Steele, Jesse Evans, of Downingtown, and Ziba Vickers, of East Caln, were possessed of Spanish merinoes in 1811.  ‡ “Notice is hereby given that William Hartley, of Charlestown, Chief Ranger for Chester County, hath now in his hands the following strays:" being 21 horses & mares, and 3 cows and heifers. Apr. 10, 1744. William Hartley, ranger of Chester County, advertises 35 horses and mares, 27 of Ahem branded. Apply at his " house in Charles Town in said County." June 28, 1744. - 43 - The number of farms in Chester County in 1784 was 3558 ; the number of horses, 8020 ; cattle, 10,107 ; and sheep, 11,896. Philadelphia was early, as now, the principal market for the dairy products of Chester County. In the early days butter, eggs, and poultry were taken thither from this county, often by women, on horseback, with butter-pails suspended at the horse's sides. Peddlers also, with horses and carts, gathered up the surplus provisions of those who did not wish to attend market in person. As the demand increased farmers from the eastern townships drove their wagons to the city loaded with produce for the weekly markets. James McClune says that before the opening of the Lancaster turnpike the inhabitants of West Nantmeal,Honeybrook, and portions of Wallace used the Boot road as the nearest route to market ; and that " at an early day the marketing was carried in panniers, arranged for the purpose on each side of the saddle. The farmers forty years ago, and later, seldom went to market more than once a year, with some pork, poultry, butter, eggs, etc." Now the railroads carry thousands of tons annually tc feed the teeming population of that city, and rapid transit has developed dairy-farming into a prominent interest. A. daily supply of many thousand quarts of milk is shipped to Philadelphia from the different railroad stations within the county, while butter-factories, or "creameries," have been established in different parts of the county. Gigantic strides of improvement have taken place in agriculture during the past century, not Only in the system of' rotation of' crops, but in the mechanical appliances by which the operations are performed. The plow, although of great antiquity, was a most rude affair even so recently as seventy years ago. Pearson Embree, of West Chester, has one which is said to have been made near East Marlborough about ninety years ago. It is about ten feet in length, and the heavy but shallow wooden mould-board, near three feet long, is shod with sheet-iron. Such as this were in use in the early part of this century, but some of the mould-boards were without any protecting iron. The beam being low, there was much trouble from choking with grass, stubble, or manure, and it was often a boy's unpleasant duty to walk by the side of the plow to dislodge the accumulating rubbish. In 1814, John and Joshua Butler, of Brandywine township, obtained a patent for a bar-share plow, and soon after 1820 cast-iron mould-boards were used. Thomas Peacock, of Willistown, 1820, was a maker of plows; but the most popular furrow-turner was the Wiley plow, genes-ally supposed to have been invented by Bernard Wiley, of Kennet Square,§ about the year 1830. The first hoe-harrow or cultivator in the neighborhood § The Kennct Advance (June, 1880) says, "James Wiley, an older brother of Bernard, left his father's farm, in Rennet township, and went to Peekskill, N. Y., where he operated a foundry. An apprentice of his, named Harvey Conkling, invented a plow, but, lacking the means to push his claim, James Wiley took out letters patent in his own name, and at once began their manufacture. He did so for several years, and at his death left his business to Bernard Wiley and Harvey Conkling as equal partners. Bernard later sold his interest, removed to Kennet, and set up in the same business. Previous to this, however, Hiram Hall, of Rennet, manufactured a very similar plow, purchasing his castings through Bernard." 338 - HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. is said to have been used on the farm of Jonathan Gheen, in Goshen township. It was stolen from the field one night and found the next summer in Valley Forge dam. In 1801, Samuel Taylor, of East Bradford, completed a straw-cutting machine, with knives and a feeding-roller, " which," says his diary, " several persons came to see at work." * Moses Pennock, of East Marlborough, and his sons, Samuel and Morton, since of Kennet Square, have been among the most enterprising inventors and manufacturers of agricultural machinery. In 1841 they obtained, a patent for a grain-drill, the first in the country, and subsequently improved it considerably: Generally in the attempt to adapt .hand-machines to horse-power, the primitive form is, to a great extent, retained, and this is said to have been the case with horse-rakes. A wheel-rake, with wooden teeth, was not successful, but one like a big comb, ten feet in length, with fifteen or eighteen teeth, twenty inches long, and resting flat on the ground, was the first in general use. Nathan H. Sharpless, of West Chester, made the first he saw from the description given by a traveling " Yankee." Moses Pennock, with the assistance of his neighbor, Samuel Peirce, added teeth to the other side of the head, and contrived a plan to empty the rake when desired, by revolving motion. Patents were obtained on this instrument in 1822, 1824, 1825, and 1827. These have been driven out of' use by the steel-toothed wheel-rake within the last twenty-five years. † The first mowing-machine of which we have knowledge has been facetiously styled the Armstrong, and consisted of a thin blade, a little over three feet long, attached nearly at right angles to the end of a crooked pole somewhat longer. By a sweeping motion from right to left, the mower cut the grass, and left it in a swath covering less than half the ground. All the able-bodied men on the farm would mow at once, each one falling a little behind his neighbor on the left, and cutting over a space from five to six feet in width. At each crossing of the field, and sometimes oftener, a pause was made to whet the scythe with a stone about ten inches long, carried for that purpose. Upon a keen edge depended the ease of the work, which at best was very laborious. The first noticeable innovation upon the old-fashioned scythe was in 1822, when Jeremiah Bally, of East Marlborough, obtained a patent for a machine to mow by horse-power. Ezra Cope, of' East Bradford, and his nephew, the late Thomas Hoopes, improved this Machine by making the gearing more simple, and obtained a patent therefor, May 18, 1825. Fifty or more of these machines were made and used for several years with tolerable success. The Allen machine, Made by Caleb Peirce and his partners, Lee and Thompson, at Ercildoun, in East Fallowfield, was introduced in 1854. The Pennock mowing-machine appeared about this time. E. T. Cope & Son, of East Bradford, built a large number of the " Buckeye" for some years. Several persons in Chester County have displayed much ingenuity in inventing these machines or improvements thereon, but, so far as known, none of these inventions are now in use. * He also fixed a flax-brake, to go by water-power, which was set in motion 1, 16, 1801. †Patent, Jan. 8,1856, to Randall Pratt for a steel tooth-rake. Reissue extended, 1870, for seven years. Grain-cradles were introduced in the early part of this century, ‡ but the farmers were slow to abandon the use of the sickle, which had been so long and so universally employed, and in the use of which not only farm-hands but tradesmen and women also took part. Joseph Smith, of Newlin township, and later James Embree, of Marshallton, manufactured cradles. The latter invented a machine for turning scythe-poles, patented in 1844 and his son, William G., still continues to make cradles and scythe-poles, but the demand is small to what it once was. One hundred years ago the flail was the champion threshing-machine. Other means were also employed : homes were driven around the barn-floor to tramp out the grain, and Richard Barnard, of Newlin, in his diary, 1774 to 1792, frequently mentions treading wheat as the work of' the day. In 1770 mention is made § of " An act to invest John Clayton with an exclusive privilege and benefit of making and selling a machine for threshing of wheat, on a model by him invented." Noses Pennock obtained in 1827 a patent for a vibrating threshing-machine. Other machines came in later, and for a few years past steam-power has been successfully used. In the inventory of the estate of Matthew Hall, of Marple, 1766, a " Fann for cleaning corn" was set down at 3s. 6d. In 1773, George Ashbridge, of Goshen, had " A Dutch Fan," valued at £1 10s. ¥ Some old people can remember when a sheet, held by two persons, was used to create a breeze, before which the grain was allowed to fall in a light shower. It is likely our farmers soon learned the necessity of restoring to the soil the refuse vegetable matter which had grown thereon, in order to keep up its fertility, but at what time lime was first used we are not informed. James McClune says the first lime-kiln was built by Matthias Shoener, of Honeybrook, in 1806. It was said, fifty years ago, that with the introduction of plaster of Paris ¶ the use of lime declined very much for many years, and it is perhaps On this account that elderly people now speak of liming as a custom that has cone up within their recollection. The large deposits of limestone in the Great Valley and at other points in our county furnish a convenient supply. Forty years ago it was common for farmers to buy the stone at the quarry and haul it near their homes to be burned, but, with the general tendency of all industries to become specialized, the quarry-owner now burns and ‡ Samuel Taylor says in his diary, 7, 7, 1800, "Father went to Dennis Whealin's store & Bought an English Cradling Scythe." Samuel Hunt, of East Caln, under date of 7, 24, 1775, says, " Leathe Ingram began to Cradle Oats at is. 6d. pr acre & 1 Pint of Rum a Day." § Colonial Records, ix. 698. ¥ Benjamin Hawley, in his diary, 8, 16, 1770, no doubt refers to such a fan when he says : " Winnowed Phebe's (Taylor) flax seed . . . and carried Isaac Yearsley's fan home." ¶ Richard Barnard, of Newlin, under date of 1st mo. 4, 1790, makes a brief note of his son Richard bringing home from Wilmington " 1500 of plaster paris; cost 12 5. 0." Samuel Taylor's diary, 5, 14, 1801, says, " My brother went with the team for a ton of plaster." From a pamphlet published in 1797 by Richard Peters, it appears that John Hannum had used it since about the year 1784, and Philip Price, Jr., from about the year 1786 (on two different farms), while Judge Peters himself had used it about twenty-five years (since 1771), being among the first to use it in the State. AGRICULTURAL - 339 delivers the lime in the farmer's field, miles away. The ruins of old lime-kilns may be seen in many places by the roadside, remote from any quarry. Dr. A. L. Elwyn is said to have been the first to use guano on his farm in East Bradford. It was quite extensively used from about 1840 to 1860, when it was superseded by bone-dust, and later by phosphates. Plaster of Paris has been but little used during the past twenty years. Irrigation is older than history, and our ancestors availed themselves of its benefits as soon as the county was settled. Near the river there were marshes rwhich produced a large supply of hay and pasture, the assessment of Tinicum, in 1784, showing 1579 acres of marsh to 533 of upland, and a larger ratio of cattle than any other township. Irrigation is, or has been, a more important feature in the history of our county than many suppose. Such canals as were made by the Hindoos, and other eastern nations, were not found here. but where a man could convey the water from a stream on his farm, so as to water any considerable part thereof, he did so. The right to take water from the lands of others was often the subject of leases for ninety-nine or some other term of years. Sometimes the right to use the water was limited to certain clays in each week, and, as with every other species of property, disputes and litigation frequently arose. A farmer, dividing his land between his sons, was careful to give each a portion of meadow, and hence resulted great irregularity in the shape of farms. Sometimes the meadow was separate from the rest of the farm. Formerly the term meadow denoted, equally, mowing ground and ground capable of irrigation, they being practically the same. Since the introduction of artificial grasses, and the mowing of upland, the term has, in many parts of our country, clung to the operation, but we believe, in this county, meadow nearly always means low ground. Under the old system of farming, the same fields were plowed year after year, until they became impoverished, and the farmer was forced to break up new ground. After the crops of grain, nothing was better to bring the land to pasturage again than clover and timothy. At length it was found that good hay could thus be made on upland, though not quite in such abundance as on watered land ; yet the trouble of attending to the ditches was a drawback to the latter, and the custom fell into disuse. The only example of watered meadow that we have known for many years, is that of Thomas B. Darlington, in East Bradford. So lately as fifty years ago, advertisements of land for sale seldom failed to set forth its advantages in the possession of a good proportion of meadow. The following extract from the correspondence of Thomas Cheyney, Esq,, of Thornbury, in 1796, to relatives in England, will best illustrate the methods of farming at that time : " Our land is mostly good, but we have dropt our old method of farming. We used to break up our fields in May, cross or stir them in August, and sow them with wheat and rye in September. This was done once in three or four years in rotation ; in the intermediate spaces between they were pastured. The land would produce from twelve to twenty bushels per acre. This way was followed until the land run out, as we call it. We planted corn, sowed barley, oats, and flax, likewise buckwheat, in small portions of land allotted for that purpose, which took the greatest part of our dung to manure it; our meadows got some, and we had very little left for our winter grain. We followed this old way until we could scarcely raise our bread and seed. But there is as much superstition in husbandry as there is in Politicks or Religion, therefore those that broke off from the old rule were laughed at by those who were bigoted in the old way. "I shall now give you some account of the success in the new method of farming. In March and April we plow our land where we had our Indian corn the year before, draw our dung and spread it, and sow our barley, oats, and flax, then break up our tough land, and from the 10th to the 20th of May is about the proper season for planting Indian corn. We then break up a piece of our tough ground for buckwheat, sow it about the middle of July on the tough furrow, and harrow it well. Our barley will be ripe about the 20th of July, flax a little sooner, oats a little later. We commonly dung for the last-mentioned spring grain. We plow this again in August, and sow our wheat and rye in September ; the two first weeks are counted the best. In the month of March following we sow red clover-seed, from three quarts to the gallon per acre. Ahout the middle of April we sow about one bushel of the plaster of paris to the acre. Some do not sow their plaster until the next spring, after their wheat crop comes off. Those who intend mowing their clover ground have a heavy roller, made of a log of wood, with a pair of shafts, heavy enough for three or four horses to draw. This levels the ground fit for mowing, which seldom fails to yield less [sic] than two tons of hay to the acre. "Those that are got into this way of farming find they can keep a much larger stock of creatures to a much greater advantage, make a much larger quantity of dung, and two horses will plow the land that used to require the strength of four, the ground being so much looser and mellower, and the land produces three or four times as much as it did in the old way. I have not above 100 acres of plow-laud, and about 20 acres of meadow, chiefly watered by artificial ditches, drawn by the level of the water along hillsides, which we turn in streams, and spread by cutting small ditches over the land below, which produces excellent grass. "I find by this way of working there is no danger of wearing out the land, which many foolishly imagined. I find I cannot work it enough; the more it is worked in a right manner, the better it will produce. Our new mode of farming is in a state of infancy. New improvements are making every year, and greater exertions in industry can hardly be made than are here. This occasions want of barn room, and many have built, and many are building, barns on new constructions. Some take the side of a hill; they dig a large cellar, —one side comes out level with the ground,—some 50, some 60 feet, and some more in length, and from 40 to 50 in breadth, the first story to put their dung in, the second for stabling of horses, cattle, etc. Above this they build a barn about 20 or 22 feet high to the square over the whole, for storing up their hay and grain. They have strong floors under the stables, with racks and mangers in each stable, and a trap-door under the manger which they raise and shovel the dung, which falls below. These barns they build with stone and lime, and they that have tried it say the dung rotted under cover is much better. " We feed many cattle and sheep. We raise horses. A good work-horse will sell for £40 or £50. We have very good orchards, make cider in great plenty, and almost all sorts of fruit of different kinds." Thomas Cheyney, writing in July, 1796, mentions the bountiful harvest, and adds,— "Every one that is able to do anything are as busy as nailers. I know many men that are worth thousands of ponnds that will mow, make hay, reap, and draw hay and grain into their barns as steady as hirelings; and those that are able, if they do not work, are looked upon with kind of contempt. Here in the country they are slighted, and are not company for anybody." It would be interesting to trace the changes in the condition of the agricultural community as regards the comforts and luxuries of home-life, but we get few glimpses into the past beyond our memories. As all performed labor, the master and his servants or slaves were thus, to some extent, placed on an equality, and generally ate at the same table. Stoves are comparatively modern, and the 340 - HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. cooking was formerly done over or in front of the open fire. The old houses contain huge fireplaces, especially in the kitchens, where back-logs of such size were burned as required a horse to draw them in, and a seat in the chimney-corner by the fire was a favorite position. Salt-pork and beef, with rye-bread, potatoes, cabbage, and hominy, formed a large proportion of the daily fare, with a frequent supper of mush and milk. Tea and coffee were luxuries to be enjoyed only occasionally, and butter was not eaten with meat. Clothing was largely of home manufacture from the flax, hemp, and wool grown on the farm.* To learn to spin was an essential in a girl's education, and the thread so produced was readily woven into various fabrics by the neighboring weaver. Considerable spinning was done as late as 1825, but it may now be styled one of the lost arts. John Sugar, of West Bradford, was a maker of spinning-wheels, some of which may be found in the garrets of old. farm-houses. Under-clothing, as now known, was seldom worn. Linsey-woolsey was in common use ; indigo and white-walnut bark were used for dyeing garments, and fulling-mills, now entirely disused, were scattered here and there over the county. Leading a rugged and laborious life, the people had less Opportunity for intellectual and aesthetic culture than in the present age, and their pleasures consisted more largely in the gratification of animal passions or appetites. The drinking of beer and distilled liquors was common among all classes, and they figure alike in the expenditures for the entertainment of justices holding court, at funerals, and at vendues. Carts and wagons were used for hauling grain, etc., but riding for pleasure was on horseback. In 1786 the whole number of carriages (mostly " chairs") within the present limits of our county did not exceed twenty-five. The weeping-willow and Lombardy poplar were, perhaps, the earliest ornamental trees to adorn the farmer's home, and the latter, once so common, is now seldom seen but in decay. Except in the grounds of our early botanists, these were probably about the only kinds .planted prior to this century. Pines and sugar-maples followed, but the planting of trees simply for ornament is almost limited to the last fifty years. Professor James McClune contributes the following concerning agriculture in the northwest portion of the county : "Timber.—When the country was first settled the forests were far from dense, the Indians having kept the timber from growing by fire on the high ground for greater facility in pursuing the deer, acid in the low grounds and valleys to enable them to hunt the buffalo. The tradition is that a wagon could be driven anywhere without difficulty through the standing timber. I have counted the annual ring-growths' of a number of large oak-trees when felled, and I could find none that exceeded one hundred and fifty. After the In-. dians had retired the growth of timber was rapid, and about the period of the Revolutionary war the forests were dense. Of late years the amount of timber-land has been greatly reduced. There is not more than one-third of the woodland in this part of Chester County that existed forty years ago. The clearing away of the forests has been followed by the usual consequences,— a failure of springs, diminution of Water in the streams, more frequent and destructive storms, and occasional blight of the cereal grains. Reforesting must ere long be resorted to. * Until the close of the last century oil-cloth cloaks and covers for hats supplied the place of umbrellas. "Fruits, Vegctables, and Grasses.—Orchards were planted extensively at an early period, and apples especially were abundant. Peach-trees also flourished and produced a large amount of fruit. Distilleries were erected in many places, by which apples were-converted into whisky, and peaches into what was called peach-brandy, the favorite drink of the numerous anti-temperance men of that day. But the Peach has almost entirely disappeared, and apple-trees are much less produetive, while the plum and red cherry, formerly loaded every Year with fruit, are no longer seen. The principal garden vegetable which has been• introduced is the tomato. It was first planted for. show rather than use, but about 1837 began to be used as an article of. food. It was then far from palatable, and has been greatly. improved by cultivation. Turnips and root-crops in general, except potatoes, were little attended to by the early settlers, carrots and rutabagas not at all. About twenty years ago there was somewhat of a furor in regard to sorghum. Several farmers planted patches of it, and a few mills were erected for the crushing of the plant and the manufacture of- sugar and molasses, but, owing either to the cost or the article obtained being of. an inferior quality, the raising and manufacture were discontinued in two or three years. " Clover was introduced in 1793 or 1794. The seed first sown, in Honeybrook township, was brought from Lancaster County, and cost twenty dollars per bushel. Owing to the great dryness of the season and the ravages of the grasshoppers in the fall of 1838, clover-seed was also twenty dollars per bushel in the spring of 1839. Millet-grass and Hungarian have been tried sometimes by farmers, but the cultivation of them has always been soon discontinued. The seed of the millet was occasionally ground and made into cakes, in the same manner as buckwheat, but they were far from palatable, and the hay or straw of it made but poor food for stock. Hungarian grass, though cultivated in the Western States, has found little favor either as subsistence for cattle or when sown to be turned down with the plow as a fertilizer. " Crops, Etc.—Rye and corn were- the principal crops, though some flax was generally cultivated. The corn was planted in rows, which ran in one direction, usually north and south, and about six feet apart. It was topped and bladed,' and rye was sown between the rows. After the corn was husked the stalks were cut and removed.- Even fifty years ago but little wheat was grown, and coffee made of rye was in common use. Buckwheat, which generally produced well, was raised in small quantities. Farmers depended for subsistence for their stock in winter on the blades of corn for their horses, and the hay obtained from their watered meadows for their. cattle and sheep. After the introduction of clover and timothy, and the necessity which arose of preparing the higher ground for the use of the: scythe, the old method of planting and sowing was abandoned, the corn being cut off and entirely removed before the sowing of the winter grain. When oats were introduced I have not been able to learn. This grain, however, was raised in but small quantities until after the completion of the Horseshoe Pike, when the large number of teams passing along that road with goods for the West made a market for this grain at the taverns along that highway. It is only within the last fifty years that the present rotation of crops—corn, oats, wheat, and grass—has been followed. "Farming Implements.—The grain until about 1810 was cut almost entirely by the sickle. Grain-cradles were then introduced, which only within the last ten years have, to a great extent, been super-: seded by the reaping-machines. The plows first used were composed, with the exception of the coulter and share, of wood. The first plow with an iron mould-board was used in Honeybrook in 1826, the first plow entirely of iron about 1834. Hay was generally gathered- by first being thrown with a fork into windrows; and then the remainder collected by a hand-rake. This was succeeded by the man-rake, a rake of larger size, drawn after the person using it. A rake drawn by a horse, and which had to be lifted wherever a windrow was formed, was the next in use. To this succeeded the revolving rake, and this has given way, within the last fifteen years, to the one now generally employed with a seat for the driver, a lever, and strong wire teeth. Threshing:. machines were introduced about forty years ago, but they did not come into anything like general use until ten years later. Grain-drills were little used twenty years ago. Mowing-machines date within thirty years. One of the first reaping-machines, large and cumbersome, was used by James Moore, near Glenmore, twenty-five years ago; but it (as well as all the machines. for that purpose) for several years failed to give satisfaction." AGRICULTURAL - 341 AGRICULTURAL. SOCIETIES. The first agricultural society is supposed to have been the one organized in 1820. A preliminary meeting was held January 1st. A month or so later a constitution was adopted. At a meeting held June 10th (Dr. William Darlington being chairman, and Isaac Sharpless secretary), committees were appointed on the following subjects : 1. On farm buildings, fences, and implements of husbandry. 2. On the veterinary art. 3. On natural history, particularly mineralogy and entomology. 4. On politieal economy. 5. On domestic animals. 6. On grasses, grains, and roots. 7. On manures. S. On fruit- and forest-trees. 9. On irrigation and draining.. 10. On horticulture. The members were desired to try experiments, keep accurate accounts, and report matters of interest to the appropriate committees for the benefit of the society. The Plough Boy (Albany, N. Y.), commenting on the above, says,- " We cannot pass over in silence the proceedings of the Agricultural Society of Chester Co., Pa., in our columns of this day. The topics therein recommended to the consideration of agricultural societies are of the highest importance to our public and private prosperity, and we cannot but hope that the board of agriculture of this state may in due season, in connection with the county societies, adopt similar regulations. We recommend this document to the earnest attention of our agricultural readers." Dr. Darlington has said that when the first agricultural society was formed in the county Philip Price was unanimously chosen president, but the doctor himself was doubtless one of the leading spirits of the organization. Isaac Sharpless was the secretary, and David Townsend treasurer of the society. Perhaps the first exhibition held within the county was that of the State Agricultural Society, at Paoli, Oct. 22, 23, 24, 1823, that being the first by the State. Society and the second was held at Chester, Oct. 14 and 15, 1824. In 1838 an agricultural society for Chester and Delaware Counties was organized, the call for a preliminary meeting being signed by M. Pennypacker, John Worth, Jr., Isaac Trimble, Townsend Lamborn, and forty-four others. This society held exhibitions for several years, one being at West Chester in 1845. About this time the Chester County Horticultural Society was organized, and after a few exhibitions in the courthouse and elsewhere a hall was built, in 1848, for the annual display of fruit, flowers, and vegetables, which continued, to be made for seven or eight years. The hall, now somewhat enlarged, is used for the accommodation of teachers' institutes, lectures, and other entertainments. The present County Agricultural Society held its first exhibition Sept. 16 and 17, 1853, on a lot bounded by Walnut, Washington, Matlack, and Biddle Streets, in the borough of West Chester. About 1856 a permanent location was effected on the southern limits of the borough, where the society has a valuable property. About 1870 the Oxford Agricultural Society began to hold annual fairs at that borough, almost rivaling the county institution in the display and attendance, and continuing to the present time. In the beginning of September, 1879, a fair Was held at Market Hall, in Coatesville, under the auspices of the Brandywine Farmers' Club, and was successful in arousing considerable local. interest. Of the early agricultural journals circulating among our farmers, we may mention the Plough-Boy, Albany, N. Y. The American Farmer, a weekly paper, by John S. Skinner, Baltimore, 1819 The Genesee Farmer, American Agriculturist, The Cultivator and Country Gentleman, the latter two being quite popular, and the last probably the best agricultural periodical in the United States. The Farm Journal (monthly) was established at Lancaster, Pa., beginning with the year 1851, A. M. Spangler editor. Afterwards it was purchased by Paschall Morris and J. Lacey Darlington, and removed to West Chester, with the latter gentleman as nominal editor, but almost the entire management was by P. Morris. Early in 1855 the journal was removed to Philadelphia. Pr. Edmund C. Evans established the Rural Economist at West Chester about 1861, and it was issued for one year. In 1868 the State Agricultural College purchased from Thomas M. Harvey a farm of 100 acres, in London-grove township, which is known as the " Eastern Experimental Farm," the object being to test such crops, manures, implements, and methods of farming as might be thought worthy of trial. Thomas M. Harvey remained on the property for some years as superintendent, after which he was succeeded by John I. Carter, and he in turn by Warren J. Shelmire, who has lately retired. The Experimental Farm Club, composed of the enterprising farmers of the neighboring townships, meets at this place on stated occasions to discuss all matters of interest to agriculturists. Their proceedings, together with the reports of the superintendent, being duly published by the press of the county, are read with interest by many others. 'The Chads' Ford Farmers' Club is another association which brings the highest intelligence to bear upon the subject of farming. It meets at the houses of its members. The benefits derived from these meetings of farmers' clubs and granges are not limited by the mere information disseminated, but include also those arising from social intercourse. The farmer stands at a disadvantage with regard to his brother in the city, mainly on account of his isolation. In cities men are brought more in contact with their fellows, and in the resulting conflict of ideas the thinking powers are quickened, and the intellectual life stimulated. Then let the farmers, their wives, and children meet together more frequently. Let them study to adorn their homes, and lighten the severer labors, and instead of indulgence in temporary yet expensive pleasures, or the gratification of the lower appetites, let them seek more intellectual enjoy- 'lints, and the country will become such a paradise that the weary, pent-up dweller in towns shall long for a home therein. A mention of the several granges of the Patrons of Husbandry will be found in anOther portion of this work, under the head of " Societies." NURSERIES. In September, 1836, Jason M. Mahan, of Sadsbury township, was the proprietor of a nursery, in which he claimed to have over 2,000,000 trees and plants, including 342 - HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. 53 varieties of peaches. He was also much interested in the subject of silk culture, and issued a prospectus for a sixteen-page, octavo monthly, called The Silk Grower's Instructor, having had several years' experience in the culture of the mulberry and silk-worm. His place he called New Italy. About the year 1846, John Rutter, Esq., established a nursery at West Chester, which flourished for several years. THE MORRIS NURSERIES. The " Morris Nurseries" of' George Achelis were founded about thirty-two years ago by Paschall Morris, who is well known as the founder of the Practical Farmer, an agricultural paper published in Philadelphia. The nurseries were sold by him to Messrs. J. L. Darlington & Co., and were named, in honor of the founder, " Morris Nurseries," which name they bear up to the present time, In 1866 the firm changed to Otto & Achelis, and in 1875 the latter purchased the interest of Mr. Otto, thereby being the sole proprietor of the concern, which is now doing an extensive business, shipping trees to all parts of the Union. CHERRY HILL NURSERIES. These nurseries were established in the year 1853, and have steadily increased in extent until at the present time they occupy about 300 acres of land. The green-house department consists of 26,000 square feet of glass, and embraces not only the ordinary bedding plants in general use, but the rare and costly species from tropical countries in every portion of the globe. In the nurseries proper the section devoted to fruit-trees takes precedence for extent. Here may be seen hundreds of thousands of apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, apricots, nectarines, quinces, etc., as well as an immense assortment of the smaller fruits. In the ornamental section is the splendid collection of shade-trees, flowering shrubs and vines, etc:, for which these nurseries have been justly famous for many years, embracing kinds that were formerly only imported from Europe, but which are now grown here by the thousands to supply their exhaustive trade. The business relations of this firm extend over the entire Union and Canada, in addition to large exportations to Europe, which necessitates a large corps of trained employees in the preparation of their goods for market. Their system of delivering small plants by mail has of late years grown into a prominent feature at Cherry Bill, so that a considerable force of men and boys are kept constantly employed in preparing the mail orders alone. Altogether this is one of the largest commercial establishments at the borough of West Chester. Since the accompanying sketch of the office, grounds, and green-houses was prepared an elegant new structure has been erected for office purposes. The firm is composed of Josiah and Abner Hoopes and George B. Thomas, trading as Hoopes, Brothers & Thomas. THE DINGEE & CONARD COMPANY, ROSE-GROWERS. The establishment of the Dingee & Conard Company, widely known as the most extensive growers of roses in the United States, is located at West Grove, on the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad. This large establish. ment has quite an interesting history ; like most other important industries, it has grown up gradually, and is the result of many years' patient labor. About the year 1865 the nursery firm of Dingee & Conard began the propagation and culture of roses as a special branch of their nursery business. At that time the demand for roses was limited to supplying nurserymen and florists with a few plants for retailing. For many years rose-growing proved a slow and unprofitable business ; the art of propagation was imperfectly understood, prices were low, and the demand small. having started the business of' rose-growing, however, the firm were not disposed to give it up, but followed steadily on, gradually learning better methods, accumulating suitable facilities for the work and a valuable stock of the best varieties of roses. When at last they had learned, by long experience and at large expense, how to grow roses, they were still confronted with the difficulty of selling them in quantity to make the business remunerative. What follows can perhaps best be told in their own language : " While casting about for some avenue of sale, we became impressed with the belief that there were plenty of people to buy roses if they could be assured of getting reliable plants at a fair price, delivered safely and cheaply. We therefore tried advertising roses extensively in the newspapers, and sending the plants by mail. This did not prove immediately successful ; new difficulties constantly arose, and were only overcome by persistent effort and long experience. Though finding ourselves in a new and untried path, where every detail had to be learned, and in many instances new methods invented, we kept pressing on, constantly aiming to furnish a good article and please our customers, whose orders were now coming in considerable numbers from all parts of the country. After years of study and experiment we learned how to produce hardy, vigorous plants of the choicest varieties, specially adapted for safe transportation, and certain to bloom quickly when planted out. These gave immense satisfaction, and our prompt and liberal dealing gained friends for us everywhere, so that our utmost exertions were required to keep up with the increasing demand. The old firm of Dingee & Conard was merged into the Dingee & Conard Company, chartered by the State in 1871, shor tly after which we discontinued our general nursery business so that we could give exclusive attention to roses. We are probably the only establishment in the United States who make a special business of growing roses. We have upwards of fifty large rose-houses, and employ all the year round a heavy force of skilled operatives in the various departments. The business is still growing, and its demands necessitate carrying a stock entirely unequaled in extent and variety in this country, and it is confidently believed that we now annually produce and distribute more roses than any other establishment in the world. We advertise largely in the leading newspapers, and di: ribute every year to the individual addresses of our customers nearly ten tons of our 'New Guide to Rose Culture,' a finely-illustrated book of seventy pages. Our roses are favorably known all over the United States and Canada, and are hlooming in nearly every hamlet between the Atlantic and the Paeific." The officers and active members of the company are Charles Dingee, Alfred F. Conard, and Antoine Wintzer. MILLS, IRON MANUFACTURE, ETC. THE first mill erected in Pennsylvania was built in 1643 or 1644, on Cobb's Creek, immediately above the bridge near the Blue Bell tavern. In the year 1683 the noted " Chester Mills" were erected on Chester Creek, a little above the site of the present manufacturing village of Upland. Richard Townsend, who came over with William Penn, in a letter written in 1727, says,- " After some time I set up a mill on Chester Creek, which I brought ready framed from London, which served for grinding corn and sawing of boards, and was of great use to ns." Richard Townsend was, however, only one of ten partners interested in this mill. The location of the mill-dam referred to in the following minute is uncertain ; but, judging from the residence of the persons mentioned, it was probably on the Brandywine, near the line of New Castle County. It is from the records of Chester Quarterly Meeting, held 6, 7, 1699: "New-wark Monthly Meeting being called they present a matter of differance between Cornelius Empson of ye one party & George Harlin & Robert Waye of the orher party, about ye throwing downe of some old ruins of a mill dam, which differance was debated in this meeting and ye said partys mutually reffering tjme determination thereof to the meeting, which is yt Cornelius shall pay e Court Charges on George Harlin's account and two thirds of ye Charges on Rob,. Waye's account, and that George . Harlin & Robert Way() shall acknowledg that they were to forward in doeing what they did without ye said Cornelius' Leave, and that e sd Cornelius shall acknowledg to this meeting his forwardness in prosecuting of them by Law without the consent of friends. " The said partys haveing heard the above sence of the meeting they joyntly acknowledg their satisfaction." Some of the earliest mills within the present limits of our county, with the dates when first mentioned, were these: Francis Chads', in Birmingham, 1710 ; Thomas Jerman's, in Tredyffrin, 1710 ; John Miller's, at Avondale, 1714 ; Thomas Moore's, Downingtown„ 1716 ; Gayen Stevenson's, in Kennet, February, 1715-6 ; Goshen Mill of George Ashbridge and others, 1717 ; Ellis Lewis', in Kennet, 1717 ; James Huston's, Birmingham, 1719; Abiah Taylor's, in Bradford, in 1719 ; Thomas Miller's, Coventry, 1719 ; John Jones, Sadsbury, 1721 ; Carter, Scott, and Willis, East Bradford (now Strode's mill), 1721 ; Joseph Taylor (now Darlington's mill, in Pocopson), 1724. Abraham Emmit had a mill in New London in 1724, on Big Elk Creek, and Henry Hollingsworth had one on Little Elk at the same time. William Pusey built one in Londongrove about 1730, and the property is still in the family. John Allen and Shadrach Scarlet built another, below Pusey's, about the same year. John Jones, of Sadsbury, sold a "gryst" mill in 1722 to Thomas Moore, of Caln, being the same which he had bought from James Hanlon Thomas Moore assigned it to his brother John in the same year. William Dickie owned a mill on Buck Run, in Sadsbury, soon after this. Nathan Evans took up land in Nantmeal in 1718, " where he intends to build a mill." Richard Thomas, Samuel Phipps, William Williams, and Magdalen Howell were the owners of " Vale Royal" mill in Whiteland, which was built on Richard Thomas' land perhaps by 1730. It is now Trimble's mill. Benjamin Johnson erected a " water corn mill," as they were mostly styled, near the present Embreeville between 1745 and 1750. Joseph Taylor devised in 1744 some land to his daughter, Sarah Jones, upon which her husband and sons built a mill where now is Sager's mill, on Brandywine. The first mill on the west branch of Brandywine, in West Nantmeal, was built about 1740, a little above the Beaver Dam, where one of the stones could be seen some years ago. After Mackelduff's mill (now in West Brandywine) was erected, in 1762, the last mentioned was permitted to go to decay, ,the fall of water being insufficient. Lewis' mill was built in 1762 by Mordecai Piersol, and Ackland's about 1770. Moore's mill, at Glen Moore, was started in 1766, and White's mill, near Cupola Station, in 1811. In early times long races were made, rather than dams, being perhaps less expensive and not so liable to damage by freshets. James fiance built a mill in West Whiteland in 1817, and is said to have hauled the timber for the most important parts from his native place at the forks of Brandywine. George Hoopes purchased the mill in 1831, and it is now owned by his son, Robert F. Hoopes. It has two run of burrs. An old saw-mill stood there before 1817. Thomas Arnold, Anthony Arnold, and Samuel Scott erected a fulling-mill in West Bradford about 1730. John Evans, of London Britain, devised fulling- and grist-mills in 1738. Fulling-mills were numerous fifty years ago, but are now generally idle. On Beaver Creek and on White Clay Creek, in New Garden, large woolen manufactories have been established in recent times. EARLY IRON MANUFACTURE. This industry, which has grown to such vast proportions and great importance in these days, began in Pennsylvania in a very small way about the year 1716. This was at Pool forge, on the Manatawny, perhaps three miles above Pottstown, where Thomas Rutter established the business. The evidence in this case is contained in a letter, written by Jonathan Dickinson, in 1717, in which he says,— " This last summer one Thomas Rutter, a smith, who lived not far from Germantown, hath removed farther up in the country, to the Manatawny, and of his own strength has set up on making iron. Such it proves to be, as is highly set by by all smiths here, who say that the best Swede's iron doth not exceed it and we have heard of others that are going on with thc iron works." - 343 - 341 - HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. The next place of manufacture was on French Creek, in Chester County, but there seems to be some uncertainty and obscurity about the time. Samuel Nutt, who came from Coventry, in Warwickshire, England, in 1714, was styled " of Birmingham" in 1718, but prior to this, on the 28th of October, 1717, he had obtained a survey for 250 acres of land in what is now Warwick township. This included an iron mine, and was patented to Nutt Aug. 20, 1718. The warrant for taking it up called for 400 acres, and was dated Sept. 18, 1717. Another warrant, dated Oct. 2, 1718, called for 800 acres near the branches of French Creek, and in pursuance thereof a tract of 300 acres was laid out in Coventry, Oct. 21, 1720. A tract of 650 acres on French Creek, including the subsequent site of Warwick Furnace, was surveyed to him May 2, 1719, and 150 acres more Oct. 21, 1720. On May 23, 1721, he purchased from James Pugh 300 acres on 'French Creek, in Coventry. Prior to July, 1720, a forge had been set up on this creek, as will appear by the following letter : " PHILADELPHIA, July 2nd 1720. " My Good friend "I was In hopes I should have seen thee at the Forge before this time but suppose some other Important affairs Prevented it-however since I had not that happiness; I make bold to Trouble thee with a flew Lines; to acquaint that Wee proceed on; In our Intentions of puting up another forge this flail upon the ffrench Creek a 'Little above James Peughs upper Line and shall Darn up above the fforks of the North & South Branches ; so that we shall be under an absolute nessessity of taking up all that Tract as lyes betwixt the said James Peughs line & Phillip Rodgers upon the North branch & all-though I do not think the Land is Inviteing to any other body to medie with it-yet if any one should attempt to do so; I desire thee t) Interpose thy good offices In our favour & in doing so thou will In a Perticuler manner obleige thy ffr to serve thee at all times "SAM NUTT " I Intend to take a turn Down Into Chester County In a Little time & to pay thee a visit. In the mean time pray give my Respects to thy wife & family and accept of the same Thy Self . . . vale [Addressed] "To Doctor Isaac Taylor at his House In Thornbury in Chester County" What other person or persons were intended by the pronoun " we" does not appear, but it has been suggested that Samuel Savage, whose wife was the daughter of Thomas Rutter, and subsequently the wife of Samuel Nutt, had become interested in the iron business on French Creek. His will, dated Sept. 25, 1719, styles hint of " Mahanatania," in the county of Philadelphia. The will was proved July 19, 1720, but his death may have occurred soon after the will was written. It is scarcely probable that Samuel Nutt had married the widow before the date of his letter written as above. As Nutt had taken up the mine tract in 1717, he is doubtless one of the " others" referred to by Jonathan Dickinson in that year as going on with iron-works. We have not met with any evidence that the second forge was erected as proposed in 1720. In 1719, SamUel Nutt is assessed in." Skoolkill" district as a non-resident. In 1722 " The forge" is assessed in Nantmeal, but in 1724 it is in Coventry, the lines being at first uncertain. From this time until 1736 we have little information about matters at the iron-works. A return of a road laid out in 1725, from Moore Hall towards Philadelphia, mentions " the path leading to the forge ;" and on Feb. 24, 1726 -7, a road was laid out from " the Iron Works on St. Vincent River in the township of Coventry Leading to UwchIan meeting house." This began at the forge, and at the distance of four miles passed over " Mount Austrie." This was called Nutt's road at a later date, but it was not the Nutt's road from the iron-works to Philadelphia. Thomas Moore was appointed one of the jurors, but removed to Naaman's Creek before the road was laid out, and Thomas Green was appointed in .his place at the special request of Nutt, who wrote to the court from Philadelphia. James Steel wrote from Philadelphia, 1, 6, 1732-3, to John Taylor, the surveyor : " Our ffrd Sam' Nutt having paid a Good sum of money to me for the Propr's use hath requested a further addition to his Lands to accommodate his Iron Works, which the Proprietary was pleased to Grant him. I doe therefore request thee to make such surveys for him as may answer his purpose." Nutt appears to have received a warrant Oct. 20, 1733, by which a survey was made of 705 acres, connecting his , former tract of 650 acres on the creek with the mine tract. Mrs. James, in her memorial of the Potts family, gives the language of an agreement, dated March 15, 1736, between Samuel Nutt and William Branson of the first part and John Potts of the second part, in which the latter agrees to carry on a furnace called " Redding," recently built near Coventry, for the former, who were styled " joint owners." The partnership of Nutt and Branson dates back to March 29,1728, when they offer a reward of 40s. for Richard Snaggs, who had deserted from their works on French Creek. On Feb. 24, 1729-30, Samuel Nutt at the works, and William Branson in Philadelphia, offer 40s. for the return of John Bartam, a tailor, or Nathaniel Ford, who ran away from the iron-works at French Creek. On Jan. 25, 1736-7, a petition was read in Council from inhabitants of Lancaster County asking for a road to Coventry Iron-Works, " One Branch of which Road to goe to the new Furnace, called Redding's Furnace now erecting on the said Creek." The business relations of Nutt and Branson were not en tirely satisfactory, and each partner made preparations to erect a new furnace of his own. The death of Nutt about the close of the year 1737 did not prevent the execution of his design. He devised to his wife Anna 120 acres on the north side of the south branch of French Creek whereon to build a furnace, and later writings show that she, in conjunction with her daughter. Rebecca, wife of Samuel Nutt, Jr., built a furnace, known afterwards by the name of " Warwick." Samuel Nutt's will was dated Sept. 25, 1737, and proved March 9th, following, wherein he devised to his wife, Anna Nutt, "One half of all my Right to the Furnace and Forgge, togeather with all Buildings thereunto belonging; secondly, the halfe of all my Right to the Lands whereon they stand or are Appropriate there-, Unto, viz: The halfe my shear of a hundred acres whereon the fforggo standeth and the halfe of the Land whereon the Furnace standeth, and to her heirs forever." This was, doubtless, Reading Furnace, in which he had an interest. - The inventory of his estate, taken in May, MILLS, IRON MANUFACTURE, ETC. - 345 1738, is divided into two parts, the first being that which he held in company with William Branson, and amounting to the sum of £2912, which was to be divided equally between them. His private estate amounted in addition to about £5444, which was a pretty good sum for that day. Some of the items from the first part are here given :

A Ring Round the shaft at the old Furnace and an old.Broken Hammer, 10 cwt 100 Load of coal at the ffurnace 24 tonn pigg iron 10 husks, weight one tonn 730 loads of coal at the fforgge 2 Negroes at £50 each 250 acres of land with the fforge, dwelling and sundry out houses erected thereon	£ s. d. 1 5 0 100 0 0 130 0 0 5 10 0 730 0 0 100 0 0 1500 0 0
From inventory of private estate :
One ton of sow mettle at new ffurnace  18 stove plates, 10 cwt  The mine tract containeing 250 acres of land. 650 acres land, in Nantmill on which the new ffurnace is building, with sundry out houses 287 acres land in Coventry being the land on which Samuel Nutts house stands   A negro boy named Cudjo  A negro boy named George  2 hhds Rum  78 ells of Ozenbrigs	£ s. d. 5 10 0 8 16 0 1500 0 0    525 0 0 300 0 0 30 0 0 15 0 0 26 1 3 7 7 0

The partnership with Branson was continued by Nutt's widow and nephew, as appears by the inventory of the latter's estate, taken in February, 1739-40. By this time the forge property had increased in value to £2000, and in the separate estate of Anna Nutt. and Samuel Nutt, Jr., the 650 acres " whereon Warwick Furnace is Built," were set down at the same amount. The partnership probably ceased soon after this, and the Warwick and Reading estates were carried on independently of each other. At August court, 1741, suit was brought against William Branson,. " late of Reading in the County of Chester, Iron-Master," in the name of Anna Nutt, Robert Grace, and Samuel Savage, charging him with taking iron ore from their property. At the same term William Branson brought suit against Anna Nutt, Robert Grace, Gent., and Rebecca his wife,— "Of a plea that they render unto him their reasonable accompt for the time in which they were Bayliffs to him the said William Branson in the County afd, &c. "And thereupon the said William Branson, by John Kinsey his attorney, saith That Whereas the said Anna Nutt and Rebecca (now the wife of the said Robert Grace), whilst she was Sole, were Bayliffs to him the said William Branson, of the moiety of Five messuages, Two Hundred and Fifty acres of Land and of the moiety of one Iron Work called a Forge, Three Coal-Houses with the appurtenances, all situate in Coventry in the County aforesaid, and also of the moiety of an Iron mine and six acres of Land situate in the same County, with the appurtenances, from the first day of December In the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight to the first Day of May in the year one thousand seven hundred and forty, . . . and during that time had and Received of him the said William eighty one Tonns Fourteen hundred, a Quarter of a hundred and fifteen pounds weight of Pigg-Iron att the Forge afd to manufacture into Barr-Iron and their Reasonable account of the same Pigg-Iron and other the premises to him to render when they be thereunto required." A further quantity of over 94 tons 'of pig-iron had been received by them since the marriage of Robert Grace and Rebecca Nutt, for all which they refused to account. They, by .Tench Francis, their attorney, make the defense that they never were the bailiffs of William Branson, but the further proceedings have not been traced. - 41 - Warwick Furnace was built on the land devised to Anna Nutt by her husband for that purpose, which, however, was but a small part of his land, there being over 1600 acres in three contiguous tracts. The property remained in the possession of the descendants of Anna Nutt, by the name of Potts, though in 1771 Thomas Rutter purchased a half-interest therein from Samuel Potts. It is said the first " Reading Furnace" was at or near Coventry Forge. A second furnace was erected in what is now Warwick township, one and a half miles above Warwick Furnace, by William Branson. Tradition says that Reading was started first, but that Warwick melted the first ore. The name of Thomas Green* is found mentioned in connection with projected iron-works in Chester County as early as 1724, and Branson appears to have been a relative. He was the son of a shoemaker, Nathaniel Branson, who resided in the parish of Soning, in Berkshire, England, a purchaser of 1250 acres of land from William Penn, though he never came to reside in this country. By deed of Aug. 28, 1707, he conveyed this land to his son William, who came to Pennsylvania in the early part of the next year, a passenger on the " Golden Lion," and obtained two separate warrants for the locating of the land, which was laid out in one tract in Caln township. It is now the central part of the combined townships of East and West Brandywine. In 1709, William Branson resided in Philadelphia, on the east side of Second Street, and was then and at other times styled a joiner. In 1720 he was a " shop-keeper," and in 1726 termed a merchant. He obtained a warrant July 12, 1733, for 2000 acres " on French creek near the Iron works," and on Nov. 29, 1736, another for 1500 acres " in Nantmel, near French creek." Feb. 16, 1740-1, the surveyor-general gave a list of surveys for William Branson, of which draughts were in the office. These were 13 in number, varying from 754 acres in the largest tract to 95½ in the smallest, and aggregating 2519 acres, of which all but two tracts of *" PHILADA., 28th, 6mo., 1724. "Loving Friend Isaac Taylor : " I writ to thee a few days ago and therefore need say the less now. The bearers hereof, Brother [Thomas ?] Shute &c., are in search after a fit place to erect an Iron work, and are informed of that place of Green's on Brandywine Creek. I have treated with them about thyself and I holding at least a quarter part of it between us, which if thou thinkest of please to give them the best Instructions thou eanst, how to secure the land, for I have told them it cannot be well had without thy assistance. "J. Logan is upon recovery after a dangerous illness, and I hope will be soon abroad. I wish thee thy health and in much haste remain, Thy real loving ffriend. "JAMESTEEL." " PHILADA. 24th Xbr 1724. " Loving Friend Isaac Taylor : "I received thy letter and also my instrument by thy son Philip. The affair with Thomas Green is settled; he was up with us this week and we have agreed with him to go on with an Iron work. I proposed to have thee for a partner but he and brother Shute assured me that thou hadst utterly declined it. . . . "JAME STEEL." What became of this project is unknown. The proposed site was probably near what is new Dowlin's "Mary Ann Forge." 346 - HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. 200 and 150 acres were in right of the two warrants above mentioned. He also says,— " Draughts of 4 other Tracts, viz: one of 015, one of 340, one of 225, and another of 200 acres were sent to me by John Taylor, but the waters not being shelved in those Draughts, at W. Branson's request I sent 'em back to J. T., but he returned them back again without any amendment; and W. Branson being very desirous to have the waters shewed in the Draughts, received them from me (as I believe), to get that done, since which time I have not seen them." A memorandum on the same paper says that further surveys of 183 and 714 acres were returned on the above warrants. It is not stated upon what warrants the missing surveys were made, but without them we have 34161 acres, or nearly all that the two call for. Some of the surveys were adjoining Nutt's land, and J. Steel, writing to John Taylor, Nov. 26, 1735, says,— "I have not seen Samuel Nutt since I received thy letter which informs me of his returns being sent up. I hope Wm. Branson's are also sent that thereby the long depending affair between them may be at length settled." William Branson's first wife was Mary, daughter of Robert Tate, of Philadelphia, and to her death he refers, 1727, in a letter to his cousin, Thomas Green. In 1731 a wife Elizabeth joins him in a deed for some land in Caln, and in 1738 we find him again taking a partner in the person of Sarah, a daughter of Joseph Wilcox, of Philadelphia. She had been twice a widow under the names of Bryant and Warren. The first wife was doubtless the mother of his children. These were Rebecca, who married Samuel Flower ; Mary, who married Bernhard Van Leer; Hannah, who married Richard Hockley ; and Elizabeth, who married Lynford Lardner. In 1744, William Branson, by three separate deeds, vested in each of his three daughters, Rebecca, Mary, and Hannah (with their husbands), one-fourth part of all and singular the messuages, plantations, lands, tenements, forges, furnaces, iron and other mines and minerals, and hereditaments of the said William Branson within the several counties of Lancaster (now Berks) and Chester, and of all the servants, negroes, household goods, cattle, utensils, implements, live and dead stock, etc., thereunto belonging. A similar conveyance of the remaining fourth part of the estate was made in 1750 to Lynford Lardner and wife, but by these conveyances only a life estate was vested in his daughters and sons-in-law, after whose deaths it was to become the inheritance of their children. William Branson died in 1760, having survived all of his children except Elizabeth. His grandchildren, who inherited the property, were fifteen in number. Rebecca Flower left three children,—Mary, married to Gerardus Clarkson ; Hannah, to Thomas Assheton ; and Samuel, who was a physician. Mary Van Leer's children were William, George, Branson, Benjamin, and Samuel. Hannah Hock-ley left two,—William Branson and Mary, who married John Wilcocks. The Lardners were John, Frances, Hannah, William, and James. The interests of all these heirs were purchased by Rutter & Potts, of the Warwick Furnace, by several conveyances in the years 1778 to 1783, the shares of William and James Lardner being the last obtained. Acrelius, a careful historian, in the "History of New Sweden," 1759, writes thus of iron-works in Chester County : "Friend's [French] Creek, in Chester County, near the Schuylkill. The mine is rich and abundant, from ten to twelve feet deep, eommencing on the surface. Its discoverer is Mr. Nutt, who afterwards took Mr. Branz [Branson] into partnership. They both went to England, brought workmen back with them and continued together. Each has his own furnace—Branz at Reading, Nutt in Warwick. Each also has his own Forges—Branz in Windsor. Nutt supplies four forges besides his own in Chester County. "Sarum belongs to Taylor's heirs; has three stacks, and is in full blast. " Crum Creek belongs to Peter Dicks ; has two stacks, is worked sluggishly, and has ruined Crosby's family. " Two others are in the Great Valley. "At French Creek, or Branz's works, there is a steel-furnace, built with a draught-hole, and called an air-oven.' In this iron bars are set at the distance of an inch apart. Between them are scattered horn, coal-dust, ashes, etc. The iron bars are thus covered with blisters, and this is called blister-steel.' It serves as the best steel to put upon edge-tools. These steel-works are now said to .be out of operation." The location of the works in the Great Valley is uncertain, but it may have been in the neighborhood of Valley Forge. Sept. 26, 1751, Stephen Evans and Joseph Williams advertise for sale a two-thirds interest in 375 acres near the mouth of Valley Creek, with a forge and saw-mill thereon. The works of Peter Dicks, mentioned by Acrelius, were established as early as 1742, by Jan Crosby and Peter Dicks, whose dam on Crum Creek overflowed Thomas Dell's land, and caused the latter to complain to Chester Monthly Meeting, 8th month 25th of that year. In the petition of William Trego, of Goshen, 1739, for license to keep a public-house, he represents that he is on the great road from the north branches of Brandywine to Chester, Concord, and Birmingham, which road is much more used than in the previous year, " by reason of the Great Quantities of iflower and Pigg mettle carried down the sd road." What became of this pig-metal is not clear, but if not used on the river it was probably exported from Chester. John Taylor, who established Sarum Forge, on Chester Creek, at the present Glen Mills, had a store, and seems to have been using iron in 1742, as appears by the following order : "SON ISAAC: Let sister Mary [Brogdon] have goods to the value of three pounds, five shillings, being for half a Tun of Pig Iron, & charge it to account. Jno TAYLOR. "July 22d, 1742." We find Taylor, on Jan. 18, 1745, making an agreement with Thomas Wills, forgeman and finer, who was to work in the forge two years, making anconies, at 22s. 6d. per ton. June 10, 1746, Rees Jones agrees to coal for John Taylor 200 cords of wood in Middletown, at 11s. 8d. per 100 bushels, " half money, half goods, as customary." In 1751, Taylor sent an invoice of bar-iron to Mr. Plumsted, of Philadelphia, for shipment to Boston, and asked for the returns to be made in oil, loaf-sugar, and rum. The policy of England towards her colonies was adverse to the exportation of American products, and a duty was imposed on iron taken to England. Thomas Penn, writing, Aug. 19, 1743, to Richard Hockley, mentions his endeavors to have the duty taken off, and adds,— MILLS, IRON MANUFACTURE, ETC. - 347 "I am told that it is a mute point whether the duty could be recovered upon Bar Iron if it was disputed, and intend to have some opinion upon it : if that should be the case it might be worth Mr. Branson's or some of the Iron masters' while, together, to send over a few Tons and order their Correspondents to try it. I should be very ready to bear a part of the Expense." When at length this duty was partly taken off, a more unjust measure took its place, and an act of Parliament was passed which provided " That from and after the 24th day of June, 1750, no mill or other engine for slitting or rolling of iron, or any plating-forge to work with a tilt-hammer, or any furnace for making steel, shall be erected, or after such erection continued, in any of His Majesty's colonies in America, . . . and further that every such engine, forge, or furnace so erected or continued, contrary to the directions of this act, shall be deemed a common nuisance, to be abated," etc. And the Lieutenant Governor, on the 16th day of August, 1750, issued his proclamation to the sheriffs of the several counties, commanding them to furnish lists of such establishments or owners thereof as came within the provisions of the law. John Owen, the sheriff of Chester County, reported that there was but one mill or engine for slitting and rolling iron within the county, which was situated in Thornbury township, and• erected in 1746 by John Taylor, and that there was no " Plateing fforge to work with a Tilt Hammer, nor any ffurnace for making of Steel" in the said county. July 1, 1750, Thomas Penn writes to Richard Hockley : " You will before this time be informed of our success in getting the Duty taken off Pig Iron from the Plantations to any part in Great Britain, and of Bar Iron to the Port of London or any of the King's Yards. There never was a stronger opposition to any common business that was carryed, I believe, in Parliament and tho' we could not get all we wanted, I hope what we have got will be of great advantage to America in time. I enclose you the Act you will find there must not be any more Steel Furnices or Slitting Mills erected. I think Mr. Branson has one of the first which you will take care to keep upp and in time it may be of great advantage to you." Some extracts from a statement prepared by John Taylor, May, 1754, in regard to one of his workmen, will give some insight of the iron manufacture at that day : "By Article of the 25th of June, 1748, said Caesar Andrew did agree to work with me ns a Hammer man for three years at 158. per Tun, unless he could improve himself so as to become a compleat Hammer-man, and then ho was to receive half the customary wages, being then 17/6d. per Tun : But in consideration that he released his claim to all arrearages of standing wages and on the 2d of February, 1750, agreed not to charge anything for cutting of Hammers & anvils for the future I allowed him 20s. per Tun to ye expiration of the three years, and then he agreed with me to work on ye same terms for one year more but upon an agreement he afterward made with his partner, Richd Helton, I paid him 17/6 only for the last 36 Tun, 17 hundd & two quarters of Iron he drawed and he then absconded, not having settled accots with me. Caesar neglected my business, destroyed my hammers & geers and wasted my anconies Jo coals so that upon a moderate computation I am damaged by his ill conduct above £100. The anconies he wasted or converted to his own use are charged at £28 per Tun, when I sold ye Iron to ye Best customers at £30 per Tun, as appears in Book I, page 208 & 156. The anconies are drawn out for 35/ per Tun and five shillings per tun is allowed for coals. Each Tun, finers' weight is 22 hundred, which will yield 20 hundred bar Iron, and what more the Hammer-man useth, he always pays for, and this is ye rule amongst all Iron masters who understand their business. " Caesar will say we want water at ye forge & he cannot be fully Employed but must go to other work. This is not so for the works being rebuilt go with less water than ever." Reading Furnace, in East Nantmeal, now Warwick, after its purchase by Rutter & Potts, was allowed to fall into disuse, and it is likely the object was principally to get possession of the lands belonging thereto. In 1788, Capt. Samuel Van Leer, a grandson of William Branson, was assessed with a forge, which it is said he built on the site of the old furnace. Isaac W. Van Leer, a grandson of Samuel, says of it,— " The forge was carried on successfully for many years by Capt. Van Leer & Sons, but, like most sublnnary things, it had its decline and fall. William, the second son, who had chief management, died at the early age of thirty-two. The dam-breast broke, and was never rebuilt ; the monotone of the ever-falling water and the ' go-pennycompound' of the old hammer (which we children used to think it spoke as .plainly as the whippoorwill repeats its name) are silenced forever." In 1786, Jesse Potts is assessed in Coventry with a steel furnace, but in 1787, Ellis Jones & Co. appear to be the operators, and these, in 1788, give way to North & Evans. In West Nantmeal, David Moore had a forge in 1786, and in 1788, James Moore appears to have the same, with 564 acres of land. Vincent Forge is frequently mentioned in the records of the last century, particularly in the shape of advertisements in the Philadelphia Weekly Mercury, in a manner to show that it often changed ownerships.* John Young, of Vincent, forge-master, made his will March 2, 1781. He devised his forge to his son John, at age of twenty-one. Possibly his wife, Susanna, held it in trust meanwhile, as it is assessed to her in 1785-87. In 1788, James Templin appears to have had the forge,—perhaps on lease. " Rebecca Furnace," which drew its supply of ore from " Jones' mines," was built by Mordecai Peirsol about the year 1764. † In 1793 it was owned by Jacob Vinance, Thomas Rutter, Sarah May, and Samuel Potts. It was discontinued in 1794, on account of the inability to obtain wood for charcoal, the farmers refusing to sell it. " I have seen," says Prof. McClune, " stoves purporting to have been cast at Rebecca Furnace which bore the date of 1768, but the late Dr. Happersett informed me that they were cast for Peirsol at Warwick Furnace." Old historic Warwick Furnace is now no more, having been out of use and dismantled for several years, and upon its site (where cannon used in the Revolution and a * The following are some of the advertisements referred to, in a condensed form : Oct. 29, 1767.—John Davis warns persons from buying Vincent Forge, advertised by sheriff for sale as the property of George and Myrick Davis, as he bought it of the last sheriff and paid all the purchase money. March 10, 1768.—John Davis offers at public sale 200 acres in Vincent, good forge, three fires, two hammers; also between 200 and 300 acres of timber land. March 9, 1769.—John Evans and John Davis offer to sell at public sale a forge for making bar-iron-3 fires, 2 hammers—known by the name of French Creek ; stock of coals, etc. ; 206 acres of land-30 acres of rye in the ground in Vincent. Nov. 23, 1791.—Thomas Bull and Henry Christman, guardians, offer to let for two years Vincent Forge, 4 fires, 2 hammers, 300 acres' grist- and saw-mill, on French Creek. Feb. 26, 1800.—John Young advertises Vincent Forgo. † In 1788 he was assessed with a furnace, grist- and saw-mills, and 180 acres of land. 348 - HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. bell which did duty in the days of '76 were cast)* the peaceful occupation of butter- and cheese-making is now carried on, a creamery being there erected the present year (1881). " Isabella Furnace" was established by David Potts about 1830. VALLEY FORGE. Valley Forge was built on the western side of Valley Creek, in Chester County. The original site was about five-eighths of a mile from the mouth of the creek. It was owned and operated by members of the Potts family from the spring of 1757 until its destruction by the British, about two months before the American army encamped there, in 1777. From 1771, Col. William Dewees, son of Sheriff William Dewees, of Philadelphia, was associated with the Pottses, and in 1773 appears to have bought an interest. The iron used at this forge was hauled by teams from Warwick Furnace. After the close of the war, another forge was erected about three-fourths of a mile farther down the stream, on the Montgomery County side, on ground now covered by part of the cotton and woolen factory, and a new dam was built, raising the water partly over the site of the old Mount Joy Forge. (This second forge was in ruins in 1816.) About the same time a slitting-mill was erected on the Chester County side, most probably being constructed out of one of the buildings used by the artisans for the army. The forge and slitting-mill were built by Isaac Potts and his brother David. In 1786 they were operated under the firm-name of Isaac Potts & Co., the company consisting of David (Isaac's brother) and his son James. The property subsequently passed through the hands of Joseph Potts, Ralph Peacock, Rebecca Robbins, and Jacob Vogdes, until, in 1814, the latter, who had not operated the works, sold them to John Rogers and. Joshua Malin. Malin, who was a cousin of Rogers, was the manager. He rebuilt the rolling- and slitting-mill, making it about 30 feet wide by 80 feet long. There was a " tilt-mill" in one end, and between the main building and the dam a small foundry, the cupola of which was blown by a water-blast. He also commenced a three-story stone building on the present cotton-factory. This was intended for the manufacture of hardware. In 1816, Malin became involved, and John Rogers was by suit proven to be his partner and compelled to pay his debts. April 1st of that year Rogers bought Malin's half-interest in the property, and in the fall of the year James Wood went there as a partner of John Rogers and manager of the works. Isaac Smedley was also a member of the firm. Wood completed the mill, which was intended by Malin for a hardware-factory, and made it into a saw-factory principally, though shovels, spades, files, etc., were also made. He also operated the rolling-mill, * Along with the old cannon cast by "Warwick," on exhibition at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, was a bell, cast at the same furnace in 1757 by the ancient firm of Potts & Rutter. It was used to call the men to work from the date of its manufacture until May 15, 1874, when it was sent to Col. J. M. Feger, of Philadelphia, by Thomas W. Potts, Jr., of Warwick. While Washington was at Valley Forge this bell was rung to assemble the citizens in order to bury the cannon, that they might not fall into the enemy's hands. made boiler-plate and sheet- and band-iron. Part of this was slit for the nail-mill at Phoenixville, where as yet they had no such facilities. (Lewis Wernwag operated the nail-mill at Phoenixville at the time.) Malin had- Made nails by hand in a frame building nearer the road. The iron used by Wood in the rolling mill was obtained from Laurel Forge, Coventry Forge, and Springton Forge. About 1818, John Rogers sent John Parkins and his son, John, Jr., to Wood to see if they could successfully make cast steel, to be used in their saws. These men had during 1812 made an attempt to make cast steel in New York City, but failed. A furnace was built in the back end of the rolling-mill, but did not prove large enough then a large stack was erected between the rolling-mill and the smith-shop (part of the smith-shop is still standing and used as a stable), and six furnaces were built around it. Here cast steel of good quality for use in saws was made. Sixty barrels of clay for crucibles were brought from Perth Amboy. Early in 1821, Brooke Evans, of Sheffield, England, went to .Valley Forge, having leased the property from Rogers. He converted the saw-factory and rolling-mill, then being vacated by James Wood, into gun-factories. He raised the roof of the rolling-mill and added two stories to it. (He made at Valley Forge 20,000 muskets.) This building was subsequently destroyed by a freshet, and no traces of it remain. The building on the Montgomery County side, after being vacated as a gun-factory, was enlarged and converted into a cotton and woolen factory. † Mary Ann Forge, on the north branch of the Brandywine, two miles north of Downingtown, was built in 1785, and Springton Forge, on the same stream, five miles north of Mary Ann Forge, was built in 1766. Springton is still active. ‡ Hibernia Forge, on West Brandywine Creek, four miles north of Coatesville, was built in 1793, and a small rolling-mill was added in 1837 ; they were abandoned and dismantled in 1880. Rokeby Rolling-Mill, on Buck Run, four miles south of Coatesville, was built in 1795, and Brandywine Rolling-Mill, at Coatesville, was built in 1810. Sadsbury Forges, on Octorara Creek, near Christiana, were built in 1800 and 1802. One of these continued in operation until December, 1880, when it was burned down. Ringwood Forge, on Octorara Creek, also near Christiana, was built in 1810, was in operation in 1856, .and has since been abandoned. Pine Grove Forge, sixteen miles south of Penningtonville, on Octorara Creek, in the same county, was built about 1800 ; a small rolling-mill was added in 1844, on the Chester County side of the creek. These enterprises have been abandoned. Pleasant Garden Forge, five miles southeast of Oxford, and two miles southwest of New London, was built in 1806, and abandoned about 1848. A small rolling-mill was built in 1845, which is also abandoned. GERMAN STEEL, ETC. Frederick Sheeder, who was born at Saarbriicken, Germany, in a history of Vincent township, gives an interesting † For this sketch, written by Joseph E. Thropp, we are indebted to a " History of Iron-making in Pennsylvania," by James M. Swank, Secretary of the American Iron and Steel Association. ‡ "This is the only forge ever built in West Nantmeal, and is the oldest now in operation in the county."—Prof. McCline. MILLS, IRON MANUFACTURE, ETC. - 349 sketch of some attempts to manufacture iron and steel in that neighborhood, from which we condense the following : In the spring of 1793 my father, with his family and seven families more, left for Ameriea on account of the then French Revolution. Father, Henry Sheeder, and Clemens Rentgen, steel factors, had received letters two years before that time, and One shortly before they left, from the Messrs. Potts and Hobart, of Pottsgrove, in which they promised to erect a forge for them to make German steel in this country. They never would have left Europe but for those flattering letters. Hillarius Baker, then mayor of the city, a German, and brother-in-law of Mr. Hobart, used to write the letters for them. We arrived at Philadelphia in October of the first sickness. In two weeks wagons were sent by Messrs. Potts and Hobart to take us to Vincent township, where they were then erecting works. First a slitting-mill, which was under roof when we arrived, and as father had intended me to he his journeyman to make steel (though I had learned the tailor trade before leaving Europe), we all worked, helping to make the dam and to erect the stabling and forge to make steel. The proprietors came over almost every Saturday to see how we were coming on, there being from 35 to 40 hands at work. Nearly every time they came after the foundations for the steelworks were staked off, father and Rent en cautioned them not to allow the millwright to go on as he had been, for it would never do to make steel in such a thing as this seemed to be. None of our folks could talk to the Pottses, as they did not speak German, but Mr. Hobart did, and his answer was to be satisfied, that they had a wise and ingenious millwright, and he would make all right. " Yes," was the reply of father and Rentgen. " He will empty your purse for you, and then you will see." They told him the millwright had never seen a German steel-factory, and could not be expected to erect one. When at last the work was pronounced to be finished, the proprietors had notice to be present and see it 'go into operation. Father objected to drawing the gate, and they asked his reasons, and he quickly replied that even if the machinery for conveying the air to the furnace would answer, none of the rest would. The millwright had his horse saddled, and when father was prevailed on to draw the gate, off he went like wind, and I never heard that they saw him again. In less than no time the gentlemen were convinced of their error. They altered the works so as to make some tons of raw steel. I went to Philadelphia to work at my trade, and father and Rentgen left soon after. If it was not for posterity to know where, and that German steel had been manufactured in this country and in this township, I should not have mentioned it. It was not brought to perfection, however, at Potts' works, which were changed to make or forge iron, which business was carried on some fifteen years, when Clement Rentgen purchased them, but they lay idle ever since. Father was induced by Jacob Lesher, of Pottstown, to go to him, and works were erected for making steel at a place called Long Swamp, in Berks County, now Trexier's Iron-Works. Father made steel at that place for six or nine months, but the stream was too light, and he quit it, after which Lesher turned it into an iron forge, which takes but about half as much water. Mr. Eckerd, above Reading, turned his forge into a steel forge, and bought of Lesher the tackling, and father went there and workcd for some time. In the mean time Clement Rentgen went to Christopher Knauer, on French Creek, in Nantmeal township, and Knauer erected a tilt for him, where he made shovels, spades, and hoes. He .also invented the making of round bar-iron, and obtained a patent thereon. Being unable to supply the demand with one tilt, he in the year 1804, or thereabouts, purchased a site of Samuel Hirsh where the Royal Spring Run empties into French Creek, and erected a tilt there, to which he moved as soon as a house was finished for his family. He left Peter Grund at the one he moved from to carry on the business in Rentgen's name, paying him $30 for every ton he could make. Rentgen had all the trouble of providing the bar-iron and disposing of the product, besides being responsible to Knauer for the rent, for all which he had $5 per ton for all that Grund made. Peter Grund was an apprentice to Rentgen in Germany, and worked three years as journeyman with him before coming to America. Rentgen brought him here to be his journeyman, but as the business did not prosper at first Grund learned the blacksmith trade, and followed that until he took charge of the tilt-mill. Mr.. Knauer persuaded Grund to sell the iron himself in Philadelphia, and put the $5 in his own pocket; so he went to the city and let the works stand while he was absent, and when he came back he had to go from forge to forge to get bar-iron. Rentgen tried to prevail on Knauer and Grund to desist from this course, and at last had a notice served on them by the United States marshal. The matter came to trial, and Grund testified that Rentgen was not the inventor of making round iron, for he had learned his trade with him, and so Rentgen lost the suit, and his patent was void. Now it was a fact that Grund learned his trade with Rentgen. but that was refining steel, and in the time Rentgen worked at Knauer's he refined for the Pottses that raw steel that father made at Vincent works. Peter Grund came to Rentgen, which is quite bright to my recollection, and neither of them had ever seen or heard of any round iron being made such as that by a blacksmith, but I often had heard Rentgen relate that he had a brother many years in advance of him who was the inventor of wire-drawing. After all this Rentgen invented the rolling of round iron, of which word flew to England, and the market was' soon overstocked, since which Rentgen's works 'are idle. He then invented the making of cannon- and grape-shot as smooth as ever a small shot was made. Ile sent two boxes to Washington for inspection, and the War Department approved of them, but he got no further encouragement. A Mr. Voigt, or Vocht, then head of the United States Mint, at Philadelphia, pronounced the steel that was made here better than any that had come from Europe. They then .used none but German steel for the dies for coining. In Swank's history of iron manufacture, already referred to, it is stated that Rentgen obtained a patent Nov. 17, 1796, for forging bolts. or round iron ; and on June 27, 1810, another patent for rolling iron in round shapes, " proving that Cort's rolls had not then been introduced into the United States." His various enterprises were known as the " Pikeland Works" from being situated in that township. THE FIRST ROLLING-MILL, not only in Chester County, but in the State and nation, is thus described (2, 15, 1881) by A. F. Huston, of Coatesville : " My great-grandfather, Isaac Pennock, moved into East Fallow-field township, to a place now called Rokeby, about 1793, and established a mill for rolling sheet- and strip-iron. Its name was 'Federal Slitting-Mill,'. and run by water-power,—Buck Run. This was the first rolling-mill in America, so far as I have been able to learn. " The strips were slit up (hence the name slitting-mill) into rods for making nails. All nails were then forged out of rods by hand on the anvil. There were no boiler-plates made or needed at that time: I ' have an old ledger of the slitting-mill, bearing the date of 1798, which was probably about the date of the first work done at the mill.* Rebecca, daughter of Isaac Pennock, married Dr. Charles Lukens, the latter going into partnership with his father-in-law. But in 1816 the doctor and his wife moved to Coatesville, where he operated the mill called Brandywine (now Lukens). It was the first, and for many years the only, mill at that place. It was there the FIRST BOILER-PLATE MADE IN PENNSYLVANIA was manufactured. It is probably, too, the first in America. So Dr, Charles Lukens (my grandfather) was the pioneer in this branch of the iron manufacture. " At the death of Dr. Lukens, in 1825, the business was carried on by his wife, Rebecca W. Lukens, who greatly increased it, and con,- ducted it successfully for many years. As a tribute to her memory the name of the works was, after her death, changed to Lukens Rolling-Mill.' It has been operated continuously in the family from 1816 to the present day." " Lukens Rolling-Mills," (formerly Brandywine) were established in 1810. Dr. Charles Lukens operated them from 1816 until his death (1825), and afterwards his widow for many years. Its present owners and managers are Charles, A. F., and C. L. Huston, and Charles Penrose, under the firm-name of Huston, Penrose & Co. This mill has four * The "Federal Slitting-Mill" has long since been abandoned for manufacturing iron, and a paper-mill now occupies its site.