Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-08-19
ROMANTIC.
A Second william PeDn-A Limerick
Quaker GENES 10 America for Free
dom and Makes "A Discovery : A
Much PerAecUted uau

dom and Makes "A Discovery A
Much Prosecuted Wan.
Philadelphia Times of Friday.
The arrival of Joshua Jacobs, wealthy
and influential citizen and member of the
Society of Friends, of Limerick, Ireland,
at this port yesterday, with his family and
servants and luggage, recalled something
of old associations of William PENIS time.
The pictures of Penn, which every school
boy has been wont to see in the old
histories and aliases, with his queer old
knees breaches and broad brimmed hat,
were faithfully reproduced in the personal
appearance of Mr.. Jacobs. Then there
are other traits of resemblance. Mr..
Jacobs is man of quality and distinction
in his native city his leaving it was
matter of regret among his townsmen,
and his arrival here is an event of import.
ance among his future friends and neigh
bors. His leaving his native country, too,
is not entirely unlracesble to causes of per-
secution. He has shaken the dust of the
Old World from his feet and come over to
the New World with his wife and ii inter
estiug children and three servants and
four tons of luggage, to find q home in
country where the people acknowledge no
allegiance 10 II law on compulsory veccina-
ton.
Otherwise as peaceshle and law abiding
citizen az his great Quaker prototype, on
this point Mr.. Jacobs and the English
Government could not agree. His oppo-
sition was not of the character of a freak
or of a captious spirit, but the result OF
firm and sincere conviction brought about
by serious and alarming experience in
bis own family. Several years ago, in the
vaccination of his children, one of the
elder ones was dangerously inoculated
with the virus, and, though, thanks to
medical skill, the poison was eliminated
from its system, the father resolved
solemnly and firmly that never again
should any of his offspring undergo the
ordeal of vaccination, the express law to
the contrary, notwithstanding. By his
adherence to this resolution he has suffered
no little pecuniary loss. There is penalty
of e. Involved IN refusal to obey this
law. This the Government authorities
enforced time and again. Prosecution
followed prosecution, but with no effect
other than to mulct Jacobs out of the fine
and costs each time. His case attained a
national importance.
Ga one occasion. the first time of his
appearance in court, he pleaded his own
cause. In company with him was his
second daughter, remarkably beautiful
little girl, under ten years Of age. In the
midst of an eloquent and imprisoned
argument against the injustice of the law
Jacobs seized his little daughter, and hold.
ing her up, rosy. checked, dlmpled and
smiling, the picture of health, i'll full view
of the court and all the spectator, said in
a tone that sent an electric thrill through
out the whole audience 81 will never
allow this beautiful child to be mutilated
and distigured for life by submitting to
such law"
The case resulted in the Judge i'm posing
the penalty. Almost dozen times Jacobs
hss been brought up before the court and
liued. Il has cost him several hundred
dollars, but he has ali along steadily and
firmly maintained his resolution. His
coming to America was partly owing to
this and partly to a belief that with his
growing family the New World afforded
butter opportunities for the schooling OF
his children and for their ultimate settle
ment in life. He came to this country
about i year aga to look out place tc
settle on, and finally selected farm oil
the Baltimore Central railroad, in Har
mony Valley, near West Grove station, abou
l | miles from the Delaware State line, il
the midst Of that beautiful and fertile sec
ton lying between Kenneth Square anC
Oxford. 1t Is known US the old jackson
farm. A most singular coincidence il
found in connection with Jacobs pur
chase of the place. The original owne
Al
great grandfather of Jacobs mother
though Jacobs know nothing about hi
relationship to the first owner of tn
farm when he went to buy il
! knew nothing about the American brancl
. of his family and stumbled upo1
that section of Chester county thickl
popullted by u branch of his mother
family without ever Bnowing it. Tn
i coincidence is Of that rare and singula
nature that cannot be accounted for. lsaa
a jackson, the founder of the family i
, America and an influential aud respecle
;. member OF the Society OF Friends in til
old country, came to this country frol
4 BAllitore, Kings county, Ireland, in th
: year l72O. He bought 300 acres of lau
n IN what is now called Harmony Va
! ley, in Londongrove township, Chest,
n county then wild, unclesred aud almo
- uuinhabited wilderness. He left benin
him one son, Thomas, whose daughte
~ Hapnah, married Samuel Jacobs, IL
q grandfather of Joshua Jacobs the subje
n of this article. Meanwhile the wor
Al prospered with Isaac jackson, and duriL
his lifetime he was esteemed and respectt
by all who knew him as the bulwark
q. the Society of Friends in that part of Il
county. He died leaving several childre
err one of whom, William, succeeded to
property, William became promne
err minister in the society, whose work
~ after life was not confined solely to 4
he people of his own immediate peighbc
ii. hood He enlarged his field of labor al
~ for time conducted meetings on Lo
ho Island, where he married his wife, q
lis ultimately he paid visit to Europe, whe
he was well received by the Friends
nd England and Wales, among whom
an remained some months conducting me
oil lngs.
prs After William Jacksons death 10
he jackson succeeded him on the farm, "a
are from John it descended to his +
The William, who, some years ago, represent
ted bis native district in the State Sena
nul Williams daughter married Evert
led Uonard, into whose possession the ia
OF finally came, and was held by them vi
ost the advent of Joshua Jacobs to his cDun
ses about one year ago, who, without any p
er. arrangement or previous planning, for
,rs himself out in Chester county loukit z
wn land Unsuspicious of his close proxiul
md to the descendants of his own great, gra
.ry- father be went to the house Of Thou
lntp Harvey who owns the farm ad ION
that OF the J4cksou's Here he was
.ext cpiyed courteously and Hospitality, a
.lon upon learning the obi ct of Ills visit,
ped Harvey went around with him.
he" SURPRISE UPON SURPRISE
.pIy The first place they visited was
~ Jackson farm, Mr. Harvey having h, ar
.ler il was for aa'e. Mrs Consfd in the co,
ted. of conversation with the stranger has
the learned that his mothers maiden n
she was Jackson, took down book contain
II &c tue biography Of some of tue oldest m
Mr.. ber4 Of the Society Of Friends, in ri
II ). dolphin and vicinity, and turning to
p. as jackson family. asked him i! he had
Is HI head of any Of them.
ould "Why," said Mr.. Jacobs in surp
"Mary jackson was my aunt
"Does thee know this namel" a
Mrs, COnard not any less surprised at
pointed to the name of Thomas Jack
why, Thomas Jackson was NV un
t7,eh sad the ustonshed man. compal
Vi of notes followed, resulting in the di-
A7'N cry Of their relationship, upon which
~ ~ safe to say that no two people In Oh
l"es- county were ever more surprised
CAL fhsEt. t1yn wore at that mnmput Npu