ter, sons of Gen. James Potter. It contains a large flouring-mill, woollen factory, store, an excellent tavern, three elegant mansions, and several smaller dwellings. The Lewistown and Bellefonte turnpike passes through the village. The heirs of Gen. Potter are here enjoying the fruits of his early enterprise and patriotism, and augmenting the property by well-directed industry. Potter's old fort is on the turnpike, four miles north. There is a new Presbyterian church on the site of an old one, between the two places.

BOALSBURG is a pleasant and flourishing village, at the upper end of Penn's valley, on the main branch of Spring cr., 10 miles southwest of Bellefonte. It is principally settled by Germans. It contains about 30 or 40 dwellings, a Lutheran church, woollen factory, grist-mill, &c.

AARONSBURG and MILHEIM are two villages, 20 miles east of Bellefonte, on each side of Mill cr., a branch of Penn's cr., and on the road between Boalsburg and Northumberland. They contain together about 60 or 70 dwellings.

There are several smaller villages in the county-EARLEYSBURG, PATTONSVILLE, WALKERSVILLE, in Penn's and Nittany valley; and one or two villages in the valley of Fishing cr., on the road between Bellefonte and Lock Haven.

CHESTER COUNTY.

CHESTER COUNTY is one of the three original counties established by Wm. Penn in 1682, and included at that time Delaware co., and all the territory (except the small portion now in Philadelphia co.) S. W. of the Schuylkill, to the extreme limits of the province. Lancaster was separated in 1729; Berks, (partly formed from Chester,) in 1752; and Delaware in 1789. Length 37 miles, breadth 20; area 738 sq. miles. Population in 1790, 27,937; in 1800, 32,093; in 1810, 39,527; in 1820, 44,451; in 1830, 50,910; in 1840, 57,515.

The county embraces every variety of soil and surface. The northern part is rugged; the Welsh mountain, a sandstone chain of considerable elevation, belonging to the lower secondary formation, forms the northwestern boundary. A wide belt of red shale and sandstone, and a considerable area of gneiss rock lies to the south of the mountain, and to this succeeds the North Valley hill. The "Great Valley," of primitive limestone, forms the most distinguishing feature of the county, and constitutes one of its greatest sources of wealth. This valley, which is generally from two to three miles wide, crosses the county a little north of the centre, in a southwest and northeast direction. It is shut in on both sides by parallel hills of moderate elevation, and from either of these the whole width of the valley may be comprehended at one glance; presenting, with its white cottages, and broad, fertile, highly cultivated farms, and smiling villages, one of the most lovely scenes in the United States. Its numerous quarries furnish splendid marble for the palaces and monuments of Philadelphia; and a great abundance of lime to fertilize the less favored townships of the co. It must have received its name of "Great" in the ear

lier days of the province, when the greater limestone valleys of the Kittatinny, and those among the mountains were yet unknown. Compared with these it is rather diminutive. To the south of the valley lies the extensive primitive formation of gneiss and mica slate, covering the whole southern section of the county, and forming a gently undulating country, with occasionally a few abrupt elevations. In this formation there occur frequent beds of serpentine, hornblende, trap-dykes, and deposits of pure feldspar. The appropriate name of barren-stone has been given to the serpentine, on account of the extreme sterility of soil whereever it appears. Many tons of the clay formed from the decomposition of feldspar were formerly transported from New Garden township to New York, for the manufacture of porcelain.

The principal streams are the Brandywine, Elk creek, and Octarara cr., running southwardly; and Pickering's cr., Valley cr., French cr., and Pigeon cr., tributaries of the Schuylkill. The original Indian name of the Brandywine is said to have been Suspecough.

The Columbia railroad passes across the centre of the co. The Valley railroad, intended to reach Philadelphia without an inclined plane, has been located and partly constructed, down the Great Valley to the Schuylkill, but is now in a suspended state for want of funds.

road of about nine miles connects Westchester with the Columbia railroad at the Paoli.

Excellent roads cross the county in all directions, of which the principal are the Lancaster turnpike, the Downingtown and Harrisburg turnpike, the Strasburg road, and the Chadsford road. The Schuylkill canal and the Reading railroad pass along the northeastern boundary.

There are several localities of iron ore in the northern hills, and very extensive iron works at the mouth of French creek. The ancient iron works at Yellow Springs and at Valley Forge have been long discontinued. The principal manufacturing enterprise of the county has its location on French cr., and the others tributary to the Schuylkill. There are also many mills along the Brandywine and other streams, but they are principally for flour and lumber. Agriculture is the great business of the county; and a more intelligent, industrious, thrifty, and orderly set of farmers are not to be found in the state. They are generally the lineal descendants of the early Welsh and English pioneers, who came over in Wm. Penn's time, and of the Germans, who came in at a somewhat later date. The Quakers predominate.

Chester co. is famous for its excellent schools, which will be noticed in another place.

In the year 1824 there appeared in the Village Record at West Chester, then edited by Charles Miner, Esq., a long and elaborate series of communications written, evidently, after careful research and personal inquiry, by Joseph J. Lewis, Esq., then a young law-student, and now one of the most distinguished members of the bar of Chester co. The following copious extracts have been made from those communications, generally in the language of the original; though the liberty has been sometimes taken of condensing some passages, and of changing the arrangement of others, to adapt them to the restricted limits of this work.

The Indians formerly inhabiting Chester co. belonged to the Lenni Lenape, more generally known as the Delaware nation. They appear to have been most thickly settled about Pequa,

now in Lancaster co., and along the great valley. In other parts of the co. they were evenly distributed, and west of White Clay cr. rather sparsely. They were scattered through the forests, generally near some spring, and on the sunny sides of the hills, in clusters of five or six wigwams in a place. They were usually engaged in their natural employment of hunting and fishing, and occasionally manufacturing baskets. These baskets were beautifully stained in plaid-work, by berries and mineral earths, known only to themselves. Since the natives have retired, the baskets have gone out of vogue, and the more trim handywork of the French has taken their place.

The last of the Lenape, resident in Chester co., died in the person of old Indian Hannah, at the poorhouse, in 1803. The circumstance of her being for many years the sole survivor of her people, (in this section of country,) entitles her to a notice, which the merit of her character alone would not have procured. She was one of a family that called themselves Freeman, and inhabited for a number of years one of a small cluster of wigwams in Marlborough township. Her principal abode after she set up for herself in the world, was a wigwam upon the Brandywine, but during the summer she travelled much through different parts of the co., visited those who would receive her with kindness, and distributed her baskets. She was a doctress, as well as basket-maker. Her fame was at one time so great, as to induce the venerable Mr. Parker, of Kennet, to seek her prescription for his children, who were ill. She furnished him a few herbs and pounded roots, her only medicines, with directions for their use, and charged him five shillings for her recipe. Though a long time domesticated with the whites, she retained her Indian character, with her copper complexion, to the last. She had a proud and haughty spirit, hated the blacks, and deigned not to associate even with the lower order of the whites. Without a companion of her race-without kindred-surrounded only by strangers, she felt her situation desolate; often spoke emphatically of the wrongs and misfortunes of her people. In her conduct she was perfectly moral and exemplary, and by no means given to intemperance, as many of her race were. At her death she was over 90 years old.

There is a place near the Brandywine, on the farm of Mr. Marshall, where there are yet a number of Indian graves that the owner of the ground has never suffered to be violated. One of them, probably a chief's, is particularly distinguished by a head and foot stone. Indian Hannah wished much to be buried in this ground, and her wish should have been complied with. The territory now included in Chester co., together with much lying in other counties, was honorably purchased of the Indians by Wm. Penn, and was conveyed in several distinct deeds. The first, bearing date June 25, 1683, and signed by an Indian called Wingebone, conveys to Wm. Penn all his lands on the west side of Schuylkill, beginning at the first falls, and extending along and back from that river, in the language of the instrument," so far as my right goeth." By another deed of July 14th, 1683, two chiefs granted to the proprietary the land lying between the Chester and Schuylkill rivers. From Kikitapan he purchased half the land between the Susquehanna and Delaware, in September, and from Malchalola, all lands from the Delaware to Chesapeake bay, up to the falls of the Susquehanna, in October. And by a deed of July 30th was conveyed the land between Chester and Pennypack creeks. This last instrument is a quaint piece of conveyancing, and will show the value attached by the natives to their lands. "This indenture witnesseth that we, Packenah, Jackham, Sikals, Portquesott, Jervis Essepenaick, Felktrug, Porvey, Indian kings, sachemakers, right owners of all lands from Quing Qingus, called Duck cr., unto Upland, called Chester cr., all along the west side of Delaware river, and so between the said creeks backwards as far as a man can ride in two days with a horse, for and in consideration of these following goods to us in hand paid, and secured to be paid by Wm. Penn, proprie tary of Pennsylvania and the territories thereof, viz.: 20 guns, 20 fathoms match coat, 20 fathoms stroud water, 20 blankets, 20 kettles, 20 pounds of powder, 100 bars of lead, 40 tomahawks, 100 knives, 40 pair of stockings, 1 barrel of beer, 20 pounds of red lead, 100 fathoms of wampum, 30 glass bottles, 30 pewter spoons, 100 awl blades, 300 tobacco pipes, 100 hands tobacco, 20 tobacco tongs, 20 steels, 300 flints, 30 pair of scissors, 30 combs, 60 looking-glasses, 200 needles, 1 skipple of salt, 30 pounds of sugar, 5 gallons of molasses, 20 tobacco boxes, 100 jewsharps, 20 hoes, 30 gimlets, 30 wooden screw boxes, 103 string of beeds-do hereby acknowledge, &c. &c. Given under our hands and seals, at New Castle, 2d of the 8th month, 1685."

Chester co. received its name in the following manner. When Wm. Penn first arrived at Upland, now old Chester, turning round to his friend Pearson, one of his own society, who had ac. companied him in the ship Welcome, he said, "Providence has brought us here safely. Thou hast been the companion of my perils. What wilt thou that I should call this place ?" Pearson replied, "Chester, in remembrance of the city from whence I came." Penn also promised that when he divided the territory into counties, he would call one of them by the same name. In the beginning of the year 1683, the governor and council established a seal for each of the counties, assigning to Chester the plough-the device still indicative of the thrifty agricultural character of the inhabitants.

Before the close of the year 1682, no less than twenty-three ships had arrived in Pennsylvania from Europe, conveying more than two thousand souls. They were principally Friends, who had purchased allotments, and came to occupy them. Many were of opulent families, upon whom no common consideration could have prevailed to leave their homes; and whom, perhaps, nothing

but the goad of unceasing persecution could have driven entirely away. All were industrious, discreet, and prudent, and every way fitted to render a colony prosperous, flourishing and happy. Not an inconsiderable number of these settled in Chester co. Some had taken the precaution to bring with them frames of houses, and other conveniences: some, who arrived early, were enabled to erect temporary cabins of logs; and some were compelled to pass the winter in rude shanties, or caves dug in the side of a hill.

At the time the European emigrants first settled in the county, it was principally overshadowed by forest, with here and there a small patch cleared by the natives for the purpose of raising corn. Owing to the Indian practice of firing the woods once or twice in the year, the small timber and bushes were killed in their growth, and of course the forests were but thinly set. One of the first settlers said, that at the time of his first acquaintance with the country, he could have driven a horse and cart from one of its extremities to the other, in almost any direction, without meeting with any material obstruction.

The early settlers of Chester co. were from different parts of Europe, England, Wales, Ireland, Holland, and Germany. Of these, the English, as they arrived first, seated the southern parts adjoining the Delaware, and a few took up lands bordering upon the Maryland line. They were principally from Sussex, (the residence of Wm. Penn,) Cheshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire. The Welsh occupied the eastern parts, and settled in considerable numbers. The oppression which they suffered in their native country from the tyranny of the nobles, first determined their emigration, and the happy consequence resulting to the first adventurers, from their change of situation, induced many to follow them. Soon after their arrival here they gener ally joined the society of Friends, and established meetings. Wm. Penn once paid them a visit, but as they neither understood his language, nor he theirs, they could only enjoy the satisfaction of seeing him. It is said, however, that they were highly gratified with this mark of his attention and good-will, and took even their little children with them to the meeting which he attended, that they also might have a sight of the great proprietor. Rowlan Ellis was one of their most conspicuous characters.

The Irish emigrants located the north and western sections of the co. Those who first arrived were generally men of some standing and character, and were welcomed as an accession of virtue and intelligence to the little community. They were almost all Protestants, and many of them Friends. The Dutch and Germans, who are now the principal landholders in many of the northern townships, are not the descendants of the original settlers of those parts. Within the memory of those now living, they formed the smallest portion of the population in those very districts where they are now the most numerous. Their untiring industry, and stubborn perseverance, seem to have peculiarly qualified them to become successful tillers of a soil such as obtains there-fertile, indeed, but hard of cultivation; and the posterity of the Irish, who are not so remarkable for the patient qualities of character, seem to have gradually relinquished to them the possession of the land.

For a number of years the improvements in those parts of the co. seem to have been much in the rear of those in other parts of the co. The log-cabins of the early pioneers were still prevalent as late as 1760. This was partly owing to the uncertain tenures by which the real estate was held.

Soul-drivers. This was a name given to a certain set of men who used to drive redemptioners through the country, and dispose of them to the farmers. They generally purchased them in lots consisting of fifty or more, of captains of ships, to whom the redemptioners were bound for three years' service, in payment for their passage. The trade was brisk for a while, but at last was broken up by the numbers that ran away from the drivers. The last of the ignominious set disappeared about the year 1785. A story is told of his having been tricked by one of his herd The fellow, by a little management, contrived to be the last of the flock that remained unsold, and travelled about with his master. One night they lodged at a tavern, and in the morning the young fellow, who was an Irishman, rose early, sold his master to the landlord, pocketed the money, and marched off. Previously, however, to his going, he used the precaution to tell the purchaser, that though tolerably clever in other respects, he was rather saucy, and a little given to lying. That he had even been presumptuous enough at times to endeavor to pass for master, and that he might possibly represent himself as such to him!

The long period of 80 years that elapsed between the settlement of the co. and the war of the revolution, was a peaceful era, unfruitful of incident. During all that time the settlers were left to pursue their peaceful occupations, uninjured and unmoved by the commotions that shook the rest of the world. They plied the arts of commerce, brought new lands into culture, established schools and meeting-houses, and advanced with uniform progress towards a state of superior opulence and refinement. The contests indeed of 1736 and 1755 occurred within the period mentioned, but these little affected the settlers here. They were principally Friends, took no active part in military concerns, and were not molested by them.

The cloud, however, which had been long gathering and rumbling on the horizon, had at length spread itself over the land, and the awful moment arrived when it was to burst. The citizens of Chester co. were now to see their fields crossed by hostile armies and made the theatre of military

operations, while they themselves, throwing aside the implements of husbandry, and forgetting the employments of peace, were to mingle in the general strife.

The first military force raised in the co. was a regiment of volunteers, of which Anthony Wayne, Esq., was appointed Col., and Richard Thomas, Lieut. Col. Wayne afterwards joined the regular army, and the command of the corps devolved upon Thomas. This regiment marched to New York previous to the battle of Long Island, but, with the part which joined the flying camp, was neither engaged in that, nor in any of the subsequent actions which took place in that vicinity. A second regiment was raised and officered principally by the inhabitants of Chester co., soon after the first had been formed. Mr. Atlee, of Lancaster, was appointed Col. ; Parry, of Chester co., Lieut. Col.; John Potts, Major; and Joseph McLellan, of Westchester, was among the captains. Thus it will be seen that Chester co. contributed a full proportion of men for the service, and evinced a spirit scarcely to be expected among a people so generally opposed in principle to the practice of war. Early in the contest Chester co. became the scene of active operations.

The battle of Brandywine took place on the 11th Sept., 1777. The following spirited account of the engagement is from Botta's History of the American Revolution. Botta was himself a soldier in Napoleon's campaigns: he describes the manœuvres of the battle with a soldier's enthusiasm.

Late in August, 1777, Washington was informed that the enemy had appeared with all his forces in the Chesapeake. He then saw distinctly the course he had to pursue. He despatched orders to all the detached corps to join him, by forced marches, in the environs of Philadelphia. The militia of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and the northern parts of Virginia, were ordered to repair to the principal army.

On the 25th of August, the British army, 18,000 strong, was disembarked not far from the head of the river Elk. It was plentifully furnished with all the equipage of war, excepting the defect of horses, as well for the cavalry as for the baggage. The scarcity of forage had caused many of them to perish the preceding winter, and a considerable number had died also in the late passage.

This was a serious disadvantage for the royal troops; who, in the vast plains of Pennsylvania, might have employed cavalry with singular effect. On the 27th, the English vanguard arrived at the head of the Elk, and the day following at Gray's hill. Here it was afterwards joined by the rear guard under Gen. Knyphausen, who had been left upon the coast to cover the debarka. tion of the stores and artillery.

The whole army took post behind the river Christiana, having Newark upon the right, and Pencada, or Atkins, on the left. A column commanded by Lord Cornwallis having fallen in with Maxwell's riflemen, routed and pursued them as far as the farther side of White Clay cr., with the loss of some dead and wounded.

The American army, in order to encourage the partisans of independence, and overawe the disaffected, marched through the city of Philadelphia; it afterwards advanced towards the enemy, and encamped behind White Clay cr. A little after, leaving only the riflemen in the camp, Washington retired with the main body of his army behind the Red Clay cr., occupying with his right wing the town of Newport, situated near the Christiana, and upon the great road to Philadelphia; his left was at Hockesen. But this line was little capable of defence.

The enemy, reinforced by the rear guard under Gen. Grant, threatened with his right the centre of the Americans, and extended his left as if with the intention of turning their right flank. Washington saw the danger, and retired with his troops behind the Brandywine; he encamped on the rising grounds which extend from Chadsford, in the direction of northwest to southeast. The riflemen of Maxwell scoured the right bank of the Brandywine, in order to harass and retard the enemy. The militia, under the command of Gen. Armstrong, guarded a passage below the principal encampment of Washington, and the right wing lined the banks of the river higher up, where the passages were most difficult. The passage of Chadsford, as the most practicable of all, was defended by the chief force of the army. The troops being thus disposed, the American general waited the approach of the English. Although the Brandywine, being fordable almost everywhere, could not serve as a sufficient defence against the impetuosity of the enemy, yet Washington had taken post upon its banks, from a conviction that a battle was now inevitable, and that Philadelphia could only be saved by a victory. Gen. Howe displayed the front of his army, but not, however, without great circumspection. Being arrived at Kennet Square, a short distance from the river, he detached his lighthorse to the right upon Wilmington, to the left upon the Lancaster road, and in front towards Chadsford. The two armies found themselves within seven miles or each other, the Brandywine flowing between them.

Early in the morning of the 11th of Sept., the British army marched to the enemy. Howe had formed his army in two columns; the right commanded by Gen. Knyphausen, the left by