Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-05-29

HOPE FOR MlLFoRD.-lt wi Il be remember |
ed, that on Saturday last, we Published an |
| article stating that one Thomas Oliver, of West |
Chester County, New York, had laid claim to
! the ground on which the town of Milford stands
with apparently good grounds for substantiating
| the same. The claim, however, is denied, and
the people Of Milford comforted, by the follow
| ing article, written by legal gentleman of
Georgetown, which We copy, from the Milford
| Ne,vs:--
| do not think that Our friends need be much
| troubled about this stale claim-f indeed, q
claim is seriously contemplated to your town.
Mr.. Joseph Oliver, the elder, owned the lands
on which the town Of Milford was built | re-
member the old gentleman very well. He lies
buried in a small private burial ground, OH the
lot back of where Mis-. Ann Hail. widow, or of
the lot where Dr. Clark lived, southwest of the
lot on which r. S. Hemmons, Esq, resides
Mr.. Oliver was called in nay days, or when l
was a child, "The Lord Mayor of Milford, :"
which annoyed him very much. have fire.
quently heard my father say that he under.
stood that Joseph Oliver purchased the lands
: on which Milford is located, of man named
Walton-snd if remember couecily-Harman
Walton. There was then but one house on the
land-tbe Old Walton Notwithstanding, think.
on the lot where Thomas Wallace, Esq, lately
resided and kept store. A. w. Zadock, or
Levin Chopper, built the house in which Mrs.
Governor Causey now resides, afterwards
owned by my father), in the year 1770. lie
was engaged in large merchantile business;
and was wealthy man. Milford was then
called Choppers Landing. Mr.. Chopper died
leaving widow, whom Gov Daniel Rodgers
afterwards married, by whom he had four sons
james Rogers, who became Encouragement
Thomas w. Rudgers, afterwards n Judge of the
. Sapieme Court in Pennsy lvanil, and Danie
/, Rogers.
{ III the year 1850, Joseph Oliver obtained al
IS Act OF the General Assembly to erect a brdg,
e over Mispillion Creek this was at Chopper.
it Landing AT Milford. This Act was afterwart
S repealed. Before the destruction Of this bridge
It and the subsequent erection of the Milfort
: Mills, tile State Kings Road leading iron
Dover to Lewes, crossed the Mispon Creel
: at point called "rhe Three Runs"-traces o
n the causeway are still to be seen, above the up
e per island in the Milford mill pond. This roa,
a ran from the Presbyterian Westinghouse, OF
e the south side of the creek, called the "Thre
= Runs Meeting House." A burial ground be
T. longing to that church can YET be seen. Thi
n road then ran across the lands of Mr.. Chopper
e by, or near, the old Rogers burying ground
l.. The tide of the Alisplion then flowed up to til
lie Haven Mills l remember when vessels passe
N through the drawbridge up to --aranary
&c Mr. Joseph Oliver, the Lord Mayor sold off YER
Or many town lois,at an annual rental, or gloun
IL rent ofthe lands he then owned and these groun
rents are very valuable and still hold, and or
III g1sulaily collected.
at Mr.. Oliver left a will, in which he devise
is some lots 10 his son Joseph known as Cap
l. Joseph Oliver and TO his daughter Mrs. Reyill,
S. VILE OF MIR. Reve, the father of VIM.
Reville, Esq, but the bulk of his estate the oil
I'd "Lolu Mayor" devised ~ his youngest sol
h tnuei oliver, OF whom Elias Slockley, Esq
in was guardian. | well remember all these pc,
II, pie But in regard TO the ''claim" said to be 10
T. set up by Mr.. Thomas Oliver, | am inclined t
funk 1t is, and will be found To be a myth.