The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-08-20
Penn's Cottage
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Passing down Chestnut street 10 a
point Just above Front. the pedestrian
comes u Leititia street, which Is
nearly built up with cotton and wool
warehouses, and Is q perfect maze Of
commerce during the week, but on
Sunday perfectly still in every part
except near Market street, on the west
side, where stands one Of the oldest
structures on the continent-the man
or house OF William Penn, built ex-
presslv for him and 20 his order.
most Of the material having been
brought here from England The
cid house Is now almost ready 70
crumble with age. but, with proper
care and some underpinning and
snoring Up, could BE- preserved for
several centuries 70 come. II has
been entirely neglected for many
wears, and IS Al present occupied a.
q beer saloon and l0wprice boarding
house. Ii has called the William
Penn Hotel and the sign i sur
mounted by portrait which would do
Is well for Oliver Cromwell. Our
reporter entered and looked around
the place, but every thing was in
such confusion that verv little Ct the
ancient walls and fittings could be
identified In the back part Of the
house there were a score Of little
gamins; some playing, and others
exhausted were sleeping on the
floors. literally covered with house
flies and filth. Along the area Of the
side-yard great heaps Of rubbish lit
ter up the space which was once the
garden Of the founder OF our city.
Ia the saloon a dozen draymen were
quafing their libati0ns and making
the sacred precincts ring with ribald
jokes and talk Of good cheer, while
the chunky little landlord divided
his attention between taking in cash
and setting them up for the boys
Such scenes naturally knocked al
the poetry out Of the place. and the
reader VIII BE- grateful for 8 digres-
sion towards 4 historical sketch Of
the old building.
Build me a house in the middle
OF the town which fronleth On the
harbor," was Penn's orders 70 his
friend Colonel Markham, who pot
the structure up as had been directed.
and lived 10 occupy it as Deputy
Governor Of the State. In 1884
Penn wrote 10 James Harrison 10
allow his cousin Markham TO live,
in his house in Philadelphia, and that
Thomas Lloyd, the Deputy Governor,
should have the use Of his periwiss,
and any wines be NAV have there
left for the use of strangers"
This mansion erected in the mid
die OF the seventeenth century, still
remains with Us, and, with proper
care, might be preserved 10 future
renown, ike the residences Of Mel I
ancthon or Peirarch in the Old
World. Thousands Of patriots from
all parts Of the country would seek
II out in 1876, and be glad TO spend
& few moments in the rooms once
hailowed by the presence Of great
the Propritary of Pennsylvania.
About the beginning Of the eish-
ieenth century the ground around
Penn's mansion was devided up into 4
thirty city lots and sold -Four Of
them brought s450 In 1921 the
Governors lot was presented by
the Grand Jury as a nuisance, be-
cause Of excessive muddiness-
MANY wears ago the Penn Cot
tage" was purchased by the Penn I
Association, but it appears that they
were never prepared TO reSt it pro-
Perly. and il was finally rented out,
and has been used mostly as a board
ing or public house ever since. As
the old slate roof Penn Mansion, at
Second street and Norris alieE, has
been torn down, the Penn Cottage
IS the only relic left Of the great and
good Friends rresidenee in the city
helaid out. 4