Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-24

The Oldest Wooden Manufacturer OF
Delaware County and Founder of the
Bancroft Mills.

The Oldest Woolen Manufacturer OF
Delaware County and Founder of the
Bancroft Mills.
Samuel Bancroft the founder of the
Bancroft wooden mills near Media, died
Tuesday week at his residence, Tod
moraen, in the 8Sth year of his age. He
was born in Manchester, England, July
Goth, 1904.
At the time Of his death he was the
Oldest manufacturer In Delaware county.
lie was married twice. His first wife
was the daughter of William Halo
well of Philadelphia, and his second tho
daughter of John Patrick Hare also of
Philadelphia. His only child, Mrs.
Thomas Rice died some years ago. A
grandson, Philip Rice, survives and now
resides in California. Mr.. Rice was at
the bedside of his grandfather when he
died.
Samuel Bancroft was the third of 13
children, IL of whom attained maturity.
He came to this country in 1922. In
1881, in conjunction with his father, he
purchased 131 acres in Neither Provi-
dence, on Ridley creek, and erected II
large wooden mill there. Subsequently
additional buildings were erected and
the capacity of the mills increased to
5000 spindles. Samuel Bancroft CON
tinued to operate the mills from 1854
until the failure of the dry goods house
of Lewis Bros, Of Philadelphia, two
years ago. The firm was interested in the
business and its failure necessitatcd the
stoppagc of the mills. Mr. Bancroft re-
sided at Todmorden Hall the old mansion
on the property. The peculiar name
"Todmorden" has aroused the attention
of people familiar with the old place.
Todmorden Hall (the den of the great
fox) is the family seat near Halifax,
Yorkshire, England, of the Fieldens,
who, Professor Freeman in recent
article on the topic of "lIeredity,"
claimed to be, with one other Saxon
family, Of prior antiquity to the appear
ance Of the Normans in 1865. Samuel
Bancroft's grandmother was u Miss
Alice Fielden of Todmorden Hall and IL
was in memory of the old family con
nection that the mansion at Neither
Providence was named.
Joseph Bancroft, the next older
brother of the 10 children arrived here
| from England about the end of May
1926. He served his apprenticeship to
jacob Bright, father of the famous
English Liberal. He came here and
Joined his parents when he became of
age.
John Bancroft, the father Of the
brothers, lived in the house since oc-
cupied by Joseph Tatnall, in Brandy
wine village. They engaged in the
manufacture of ilannels in "A mill, which,
many years ago, stood on the north side
OF the Brandywine, close to where the
branch railroad crosses Market street.
This building was subsequently, occupied
by Jesse Urmy as machine shop and
agricultural implement factory, from
1928 to about 1881.
Joseph Bancroft was the father of
William p. and Samuel Bancroft, Jr., of
this city. The evening of his arrival
here from England was the first time
his father, John Bancroft, his wife and
IL children were together under the
same roof. The younger members of
the family were some of them either
away at school or else at their various
business places, growing up in the voca-
ton which they had chosen, thus pre-
venting at any one time a complete
| family Reunion.
The funeral took place at II o'clock
Friday morning at Todmorden Hall.
Mr.. Bancroft was buried at the old
Friends burying ground at Neither
Providence Meeting House, beside his
father and mother and first wife and
| daughter.