Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-04-11
DELAWARE'S EARLY SETTLERS.
The English Suldiers Who Game Over and
Captured the butch FOrt----Swedes,
French and nuakers---AIen OF Brains
and Energy.

Captured the butch Fort--.-Swedss,
French and nuakers---AIen of Brains
and Energy.
Editor Gdsctie; In q former paper
Ishowed how Delaware was settled by q
regiment of English soldiers, composed of
young men recruited about the court OF
England aud sent uYer by the Duke of
York to capture tue Golony from the Dutch
government. And how. when they landed
at New Castle, without waiting for COM
mand they rushed on the butch fort with
the bayonet and captured it ont OF hand.
And this has been characteristic of Della
ware troops from that day to this. They
will run in with the bayonet.
When the Duke Of Works men came
over in 1861, they took possession of every
thing, though they did not disturb the
Swedes.
There were no cities or towns of any
account. nothing but land, aud that they
took; for land in those days was consii-
cred the most valuable Of anything.
This, however, was only the nucleus OF
the English settlement of Delaware. the
after flow in such cases being always
greater than the original settlement. The
State soon filled up with cnlonists, chiefly
English. The Duke of York had every
opportunity to promote the settlement OF
his lands rs he was brother to the King
anu his lands would be of very little Use
to him without colonists. He was also
Lord High Admiral OF England and
familiar with the ways of shipping and
the seas.
Two ship.loads of Scotch Presbyterians
came over and settled in Delaware, and
these were doubtless followed by many
more. And US say of the English, there
they are to speak for themselves to-day.
There is the White Clay Creek Church, in
White Clay Creek hundred; Parson Me
Cannons church in Mill Creek hundred,
aud the Centre Church in Cnristiaua hun
dred all with strong congregations; and
can give the names-the Elliotts. the Arm
strongs the Hamiltons, Lindseys, Craw.
fords, MontGomerys, MacDlniels and
scores of Others all well. known historical
Scotch families. Squire Burns lived where
liayard DerricksOn now does; Parson Nc
Cannon, where James klair now is, and
kirkwOod is Il Scottish name and he was
born in Mill Creek hundred.
Afterwards there was large infiltration
of Friends. chiefly by purchase, and they
furnished the brains for the large milling
works of Delaware, both of water anC
steam. Though Oliver Evans the inventor
Of the locomotive engine, was the son oi
an Episcopalian clergyman.
He was horn in Christiana hundred
hundred, nj the Brandywine Springs
Here was first introduced the elevator
which has come into sllch extensive us'
throughout the world It was next intro
duced into the mill OF Robert Phillips, tn,
| one next below.
For some reason large number of goo,
French families sought homes in Della
ware. some of whom were very useful {,
| the State. as the duPonts and Garesches
who introduced the manufacture of gun
| powder. Major Jaquett's father was
| r'renchmen, though his mother was
| 5wede.
In some histories Delaware is treated u
| an appendage of Pennsylvania. This is no
| true, as Delaware is the older colony, an(
was of much Use 10 the early settlers o
| Pennsylvania.
During the administration of the Duk
of York, Delaware and New York wer
| under the same Governor.
Delaware was a Royal colony. both unde
| the Swedish government and the Duke o
| York, and was thus different i'll its makeu
from the other colonies. There never wa
any religious contention in Delaware. Ii
| religion the Duke of York was Il Catholic
but he never made any conditions for hi
| settlers.
The SwedeS were good pioneer settler
and they made a good land-fall. Tn
waters swarmed with fish, shad and hel
ring, and the forests were full Of gamt
anu they never quarrelled with the Indian.
| 1t is a matter of conjecture how, in
hard wood country, chiefly oak an
hickory, they 50 soon brought the Ian
| into cultivation.
think it must have been by the girdlin
system. The hard wood trees shed all o
their leaves in the fall and stand bare dur
| ing the winter months. At this season
then, if the bark is cut all around tn
trees they will not put forth any leaves i
the spring and as there was no undei
growth, the land could be planted RICH
away, leaving the trees to stand until the
were used for tirewood and fencing.
| W. +. Quincy.
| WILMINGTON, April Sd, 1895.