The daily gazette., 1879-01-08
A Glimpse of Chester.

II1un DSt Oh SOtSbGEs
The following his orical article con-
cerning Chester, Pa, We find in Fio'cers'
Family Magazine, of Tren'on, n. j., for
January
The first white set lers in Delaware
county were the Dutch and Swedes. In
1851, Captain David fieterszen DE VI es
arrived in the Delaware with two ships
and thirty colonlsts, and attempted sell
tlement on the Delaware river. The
Swedes were on the Delaware as early as
1888. aud had made settlement in 1913.
| The Indian name for Chester was Mocn-
panacka, but the Swedes called it Up
| lard. When William Penn arrived In
Delaware in 1852, he determined to
change tie name of Upland. He asked
his tliend Pearson, "What shall call
this place ?" Pearson said, "Chester,"
in remembrance of this city whence he
came. At a monthly meeting held on
the llth of 7:h month, (September,)
1852, il Was agreed "that meet 'ng
should be held for the service and wor-
ship of God every First-day of the week
at the Court House, at Chester" In
1855 it was agreed by the Chester Month
ly Meeting, ''that Bartholomew Coppock,
James Kennedy, Randall Vernon ana
Caleb Pusey, do agree and contract with
such workman or men as they shall see
fit, to build Westinghouse at Chester,
twenty -four feet square and ten feet high
| in the walls
Chester was not fee from wars alarms
during the Revolution. After the disas-
trous affair at the Brandywne, in l777,
| Washington's army retreated to Chester,
and on September llth, the Genera-in-
Chief reported to Congress that the days
engagement had compelled hlm to leave
the enemy master of the field, and that
Marquis Lafayette had been wounded.
1t is often said that from 1850 to 1850,
period of one hundred hundred wears,
the population OF Chester increased one
hundred. At the latter date Hon. John
Larkin bought eiehty-th acres of land
northeast of the ancient town, and laid
il out IN streets, and sold building lots on
easy terms to bona tide settlers. This
gave the place all impetus. Ii has grown
rapidly ever since. Its population is
now about fourteen thousand.
Chester is emphatically manufactu-
+ ring city. Some thirty manufactures of
cotton and WOODEN goods, six machine
shops, one extensive rolling-mill, a tube
| Woi Ks, pottery, a mammoth sugar re-
finery, a brass fuunCry, aXe-Woi ks, ,chemi-
cal works, etc, are now in active opera
ton.
: by far the largest manufacturing estab-
/ lslment III the city is the iron ship
building works of john Roach. They
occupy IA very advantageous position on
the river font, and turn ont annually
every variety Of iron G. aft, from the
pleasure Yacht to the mammoth ocean
steamer and invulnerable iton-clad. Al
average OF one thousand two hundred
{, men is employed and the pay roll i,
about $1,000 per week.
II Some fifteen churches of various de-
{ no,ni' ations betoken the activity Of til,
/, cause Of religion among the people. II
: 81. Paul's Episc pal graveyard repos
: the remains of John Morton, signer @
u the De larat'on of independence. Upol
r. the east side of the monument over III
) grave is the following inscription: 81
a voting by States upon he question Of tn
Independence Of tbe American colouic,
d There was tie until thcvote of Pcnnsy
as vania was given. two members Of whic
v voted in the affirmative, and two in I'll
nj
vote of the last member. John Moitol
= decided the promulgaliOn Of the Glor
is Gus Diploma of American Freedom
OF In the Friends grave yard rcposc II
al remains of the noted David and GraC
Llol d.
= There are two daily papers and fol
us weekly papers published in Cheste
of Chester was organized a borough /
,,f Penn, in 1862, and in 1866 it became
city. Its city hall dates f ON 1924. ,Jol
d- Larkin, Jr, was the first Mayor
on Chester, serving two terms, without
ne salary.
=, Chester has an excellent public scho
system, and besides there are adjace
ha the Grocer Theological Seminary, Pen
ler sylvania Military Academy, Col. III,
is dore Hyatt, president, and Chest
a, Academy, George Gilbert, principal.
'"' The Crozcr Theological Seminal
IN Rev. Henry &. Weston, president, i,
om popular Baptist Institution. The co
of modious buildings are located near CHI
n TEL Many young men are titteu for I
~ ministry at the Seminary. Thorou
hG instruction is given in Hebrew, Gre,
the Christian Theology, Practical Theolo
The and Church History.
ars The Pennsylvania Military Acaden
." Col. Theodore lily att, president, is a
ma finely located. One can observe
not building upon entering Chester, fir
be Philade lphia. Here students have III
al. excellent physical and moral traini
A'A They are educated for the prac ical dul
of life. They are not required TO beco
soldiers. The regular habits required
cry students, cOndLces not only TO II
hia 1"tn' ou. h'o eieiii ioi 'ic eoii