GREME PARK.

Graeme Park (p. 316), originally a tract of twelve hundred acres, appears to have been given by patent from commissioners May 26, 1706, to Samuel Carpenter, and conveyed by Hannah Carpenter as executrix Feb. 3, 1718. (Patent Book A, vol. vi. p. 40.)

Sir William Keith built the fine large house, still standing, in Græme Park, at Horsham, Montgomery county, in 1722. Dr. Thomas Græme came to America with Sir William, Lady Keith, and her daughter Ann Diggs by a former husband, Robert Diggs. Dr. Græme married Miss Diggs in 1719 in Christ Church. Dr. Græme was a man of very pleasing manners and a very popular physician. He was a member of Council, port physician, judge of the Supreme Court, surgeon at the Pennsylvania Hospital, and collector of the port. He lived in the house built by Joshua Carpenter. Besides Mrs. Ferguson, he had another daughter, Jane, who married James Young and had three children, one of whom married Dr. William Smith.

Sir William Keith went to England in 1728, where he pub lished An Account of the North American Colonies. He never returned to America, and died in the Old Bailey in London Nov. 18, 1749. Lady Keith lived retired in Philadelphia until her death July 31, 1740, at the age of sixty-five, and was buried in Christ Church burying-ground. Sir William in his Account spoke highly of the prosperity of the colonies, suggesting a plan of taxation for their defence against the French and Indians-a plan which probably led to the one against which the Revolution was fought.

Græme Park House, still standing in 1855, was the object of an excursion made by my father and other members of the Historical Society. The house is on the farm occupied by Mr. Penrose, about six miles from Gwynedd Station on the North Pennsylvania Railroad, and on County-line road between Montgomery and Bucks, about three miles from Hart's Corner. It is a two-story stone double house, sixty feet by twenty-five feet, rooms wainscoted; an iron chimney-back in the south room second story has a date of 1728 on it; very heavy banisters, and stairs of oak; rooms not very large, but finely finished, with ceiling mouldings, etc. It has been a very fine house in its day. It was used by General Lacey as head-quarters during the Revolution. It was uninhabited in 1855, except by a miserable insane old woman, who could not speak intelligibly, and who locked herself in an upper corner room, and went to Mr. Penrose's house for her victuals. In front of the house are two very large trees-one on each side of the gate leading to the front door; the back of the house appears toward Mr. Penrose's. There is

between them a considerable pond fed by the spring which empties into Park Run. The park is about one-fourth of a mile from the house, and is now a pretty piece of woods.

The United States Hotel, which was vis-à-vis the Bank of the United States, p. 377, was pulled down in 1856 to make room for the present granite building of the Philadelphia Bank, which corporation bought it from the Bank of Pennsylvania at its failure, and finished it.

The Tilghman Mansion, p. 377.-The old mansion of the late Chief-Justice Tilghman, which stood on the site of the late Arcade building, was an old-fashioned, double two-story house, looking very antiquated, with a low brick wall, a wooden paling on the top, and an entrance in the centre. It stood back from the street about fifty feet, with a lawn in front. After Judge Tilghman bought it he built a fine addition in front of the old house about the year 1809. It was a conspicuous ornament to Chestnut street. It was taken down to make way for the Arcade in 1826. Judge Tilghman moved into Walnut street above Ninth, where he died in the spring of 1827, and lies buried in Christ Church graveyard at Fifth and Arch streets. John Welsh, father of the minister to England, and other well-known merchants and lawyers of that day, lived in Sixth street below Chestnut.

William Tilghman was the chief-justice of Pennsylvania and president of the Athenæum at the time of his death, April 30th, 1827, having for more than twenty years presided over the administration of justice with a measure of wisdom and learning, purity of purpose and dignity of demeanor, talents, taste, and temper, which have seldom been united in one individual. Appointed to office without application from any quarter, his judicial ermine was as unblemished as his judicial life was fruitful of blessings and benefits for his profession and the Commonwealth. Soundness and steadiness of decision, integrity and impartiality, the gentle demeanor of a man of education and refinement, a deep conviction of the solemn importance of his official duties, these were the characteristics of that eminent magistrate.

CHRIST CHURCH.

Christ Church, p. 379.-(See the History of Christ Church, by Rev. Dr. Dorr, printed in 1841.)

Humphreys, on p. 146 of his History of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, says: "The English had no minister till 1700, when Rev. Mr. Evans was sent over to Philadelphia by Bishop Compton." But probably the Rev. Mr. Clayton was the first minister-or rather missionary-sent out by

the society-or before it was established, as it was not established till 1700-as it is a settled fact that the first building of wood and brick was built in 1695-97, when the parish was organized, twelve years after the laying out of the city by Penn and during the reign of William III. It was enlarged in 1711 and in 1720.

Dr. Sprague, in vol. v. of his Annals of the American Pulpit, p. 22, article "Evan Evans," says: "He was probably sent to Philadelphia by Bishop Compton." "On his arrival he found that a church had been built there in the year 1695, and had then a congregation of about fifty, who were said to have left the Quakers under the preaching of George Keith, who also had separated from them a few years before. About a year after the church was built the Rev. Mr. Clayton, through the influence of the Rev. Dr. Bray, who was about that time made the bishop of London's commissary for Maryland, was sent over to minister there. In about two years, under Mr. Clayton's ministry, the congregation increased to seven hundred, and just at that time he was called away by death." He died in 1699 at Sassafras, Md. He was succeeded by Rev. Evan Evans in 1700; who officiated. with the omission of several years, until 1718, when he removed to Maryland. While on a visit to, and officiating in, Christ Church, he had an apoplectic fit in the pulpit, and died the following Wednesday. He had been assisted by Mr. Talbot and Rev. John Hughes at various times, and by Rev. Dr. Rudman, formerly of Swedes' Church, until his death in 1708.

After Dr. Evans's death the pulpit was filled at different times by Rev. Messrs. Talbot, Humphrey, Ross, Sandel, and by Rev. Thomas Hughes of Virginia from September, 1718, until the arrival of Rev. John Vicary in September, 1719, who was sent out by the bishop of London. Ill-health caused him to relinquish the pulpit in 1722. It was then occasionally filled by Rev. Mr. Weyman until 1723, and by Rev. John Urmston. The bishop of London not having sent any one to minister, the church called Rev. Dr. Richard Welton in July, 1724, who officiated until his departure to Portugal in January, 1726. The pulpit was filled by Rev. Robert Weyman, Rev. Jonas Lidman, and Rev. Mr. Holbrook until the arrival of Rev. Archibald Cummings in September, 1726. He was sent out by the bishop, and was active and successful. Under his pastorate, the next year was commenced an addition of thirty-three feet to the west end and the foundation for a steeple. In September, 1728, it was resolved to buy an organ, imported by Lodowick Sprogell, for two hundred pounds. This one was superseded in 1766 by a new one at a cost of five hundred pounds, built in this city by William Firing; this served for seventy years, or until 1837, when a very fine instrument with sixteen hundred pipes, built by Henry Erben of New York, was placed there.

In 1735, Rev. Richard Peters came from London. He had

studied law for seven years in the Temple, and two years of the civil law. But "his honesty and candor" made the law unpleasant to him, and induced him to assume the clergyman's gown. He had been unfortunate in his first marriage at the early age of fourteen, and had left his first wife, who was unworthy of him. Upon her supposed decease he had married again, but, hearing that she was still living, he left for this country. He assisted Rev. Mr. Cummings for six months, but on account of disagreements he resigned in May, 1736. He became secretary of the governor's Council, and was employed in several offices of trust under the Proprietaries. He is alluded to several times in this work as Secretary Peters. In September, 1762, he resigned his civil offices and again became rector of Christ Church, and so continued until his resignation in 1775. He died July 10th, 1776.

Rev. Archibald Cummings died in April, 1741, and was succeeded by Rev. Eneas Ross, who had been invited by the church to officiate. He gave such satisfaction that the vestry requested the bishop of London to send him a license. In the mean while the bishop had licensed Rev. Robert Jennings of Hempstead, N. Y., who, hearing of the favor with which Mr. Ross was held, declined to accept, but finally did, with Mr. Ross as assistant; the latter remained until July, 1743. In 1747, Rev. William Sturgeon was made an assistant for teaching the negroes and as catechist.

Jacob Duché was licensed in 1759, and became assistant minister under Dr. Jennings, finally having charge of St. Peter's Church when Richard Peters was again rector of Christ Church, and whom he succeeded in 1775. He opened the Continental Congress in 1774 with a remarkable prayer, and was appointed chaplain to Congress July 9th, 1776; which position he resigned in about three months. On the occupation of the city by the British in September, 1777, he showed his Tory proclivities, and wrote a letter in October to Washington urging him to give up the cause; which angered the general exceedingly. Before the evacuation he went to England; his house was confiscated and sold to Thomas McKean, afterward chief-justice. On his return after the peace he received no employment, and died January 3, 1798. His wife died a year before him; she was sister to Francis Hopkinson.

Rev. Thomas Coombe had charge of the churches during the occupation of the city by the British, and went to England in 1778.

Rev. William White, who had been appointed assistant minister in November, 1772, was made rector in 1779, and so remained until his death, July 17, 1836, in his eighty-ninth year

-a service of sixty-five years.. He was a firm patriot, and was chaplain of Congress during the Revolution, and afterward of

the United States Senate. He was consecrated as bishop of Pennsylvania at the same time as Rev. Samuel Provoost was consecrated bishop of New York-in England, Feb. 4, 1787, by the archbishops of Canterbury and York. Bishop White's only sister, Mary, married Robert Morris. Rev. John Waller James succeeded him, but died in four weeks. Dr. Benjamin Dorr was elected in 1837, and officiated thirty-two years, until his death, September 18, 1869. Rev. E. A. Foggo, the present rector, suc

ceeded him.

The present church was commenced in 1727, and was nine years in being completed. It was built of brick, some of which were brought from the old country. Franklin was one of the managers of the lottery in 1753 for raising funds for the steeple and bells.

Dr. Kearsley assumed the superintendence of the architecture of the church. The corner-stone was laid April 27, 1727, and the alterations were completed by July, 1737, and it was determined to remove the eastern wooden end. Subscriptions came in slowly, but a determined effort was made in 1739, and the names of two hundred subscribers were obtained with various efforts, and after moving the pulpit twice, enlarging the gallery, altering the seats, and hanging the chandelier of twenty-four branches, the body of the church was completed in 1744. The accounts of Dr. Kearsley were audited, a balance paid him, and a vote of thanks and a piece of plate of the value of forty pounds ordered for him as a lasting memorial of his services in rebuilding and ornamenting the church. The tower and steeple were completed in 1753-54, and a chime of eight bells, costing five hundred pounds, was imported.

The

Upon the eastern end, above the great arched window, at the time of the Revolution was a profile bust in relief of George II., carved in wood, and on the steeple a crown. The English arms had also been placed over the governor's pew in colonial days. These remained in place until after peace was declared, when an excited state of public feeling compelled their removal. They are now to be seen in the vestry-room. figure-head of the king and the crown became the property of the Library Company of Philadelphia. The date of these being taken down, and whether it was exactly at the behest of excited citizens, are not quite certain. If Cobbett (who lived opposite Christ Church) is to be believed, the figure-head of the king, in a mutilated condition, was in front of the church as late as 1796. "Peter Porcupine" (William Cobbett) published in the Scarecrow for 1796 the following: "To return to the print indicative of British prowess, have I not as good a right to exhibit a proof of this prowess at my window as the Democrats have to exhibit proofs of theirs on the front of the church opposite? The half-destroyed bust of George II. remains is a