Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-22
MEMORIAL STONE DEDICATED
Marks the Location of the Old
Crane Hook Church.
HISTORICAL SOClETYS GREAT DAY
Attendance Large and Exer-
cises Interesting.


Gated on Saturday afternoon under the
auspices OF the Historical Society OF
Delaware. 1t was an epoc-making day
in the life OF the society, for the stone
was the first memorial OF that sort ever
erected by the organization. The site
of the old church is about half way
between this city and New Castle, and
on Saturday more than 100 persons
gathered there to witness the exercises
OF dedication.
Chief Justice Lore presided at tho
exercises which opened with the sing
ing Of the hymn beginning, 80 God.
Our Help In Ages Past. The singing
was led by the choir OF Old SweGes
Church. In his opening remarks the
Chief Justice stated that heretofore no
effort had been made to mark historic
spots or buildings, and this was the
first step following what societies In
other States have been doing. For tine
labor In the matter the society was in
debted to Pennock Pussy, and Judge
Lore remarked that Friends had helped
before and cited the gift Of William
Penn OF 80 pounds sterling to the first
Old Swedes Church. He returned
thanks TO the owners Of the property,
the Richard Jackson estate, for allow
ing the stone to be placed upon it. and
to others who had taken an interest
and helped in the work.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. II.
Ashton Henry.
Chair:1au Pennock Pussy Of the ar
rangement committee made the formal
presentation of the memorial stone and
Mrs. Charles 9. Rumford unveiled the
stone. 1t was received in behalf OF the
society by Chief Justice Lore.
The stone is about four feet high, of
Brandywine granite In the rough, about
a foot square and resting on larger
bass. One side Is dressed and bears
this inscription. "This stone marks
the site OF Crane Hook Church, built
in 1867. Erected by the Historical
Society OF Delaware, 1896"
Mr.. Pusey read historical paper
appropriate to the occasion. He touched
upon the early fluctuations of the State
and referred to it's many changes OF
sovereignty. The narrow territory now
known as the State of Delaware was
under control, first. Of the Dutch In
1851 second, of the Swedes in 1898 !;
third, of the Dutch again In 1865 |;
fourth, OF the English in 1864; fifth, of
the Dutch again In 1878; sixth OF tho
English again in 1874, and seventh, OF the
Quaker government Of William Penn in
1852, while during most of this period
1t was also sought to be governed by
Lord Baltimore. After further con-
sideration Of the checkered history Of
the early history of the three lower
counties, he said eve unveil here
stone which marks the site of Crane
Hook Church, built in the year 1867.
1t ia a small unpretendirg memorial in
Keeping with the rude sim plicity Of the
primitive structure which stood on
this spot; being, as you observe, of
native undressed granite, as the edifice
it commentaries was of native uuhewn
logs. Yet humble as was the crude
little structure the time and circum-
stances of its erection clothe its history
with peculiar interest. 1t should be
remembered how early was this period
10 the then comparatively new country.
The broadly clustering noighborhood
settlements OF which this crane hook
was the centre much preceded the
Quaker emigration to Pennsylvania,
the first of the 10 Swadish expeditions
across the Atlantic having reached here
"A years before the arrival of William
Crane Hook Church was Is years before
Peun's surveyors staked out the streets
and squares of Philadelphia, and when
only Svenson's partially cleared farm
and an unbroken forest beyond jointly
occupied the site of the now teeming
City of Brotherly Love. OF course this
was long before there was any Will
mington, which was not begun until 65
years later, its predecessor and nucleus
the little Swedish Christinehamn, a
small cluster of rude cabins about Fort
Christina, having been scattered when
that post was captured by the Dutch, u
years before. New Amstel, its name but
lately changed to that of New Castle,
was then small collection chiefly OF
Dutch gabled houses and the only place
that could fairly be called town or
village throughout the entire westerly
side of the Delaware river and bay,
while on the easterly shore few or no
settlements had yet been com nienced
above the latitude OF Chester, then
known as Upland.
Coming after the little chapel built
within the walls, and as part Of Fort
Christina constructed in 1858, and fol-
lowing the church erected on Tinicum
Island In 1646, Crane Hook. was the
third structure Tor regular worship
erected on the river or bay. In addi-
tion, according to the historian Acre
Illus, there had been at an earlier date
small building used at Sandhook,
afterwards New Castle, for occasional
worship, which stood for short time,
while to meet growing wants soon after
the building OF this Crane Hook
Church, the old Block House at Wicaco,
in what is now lower Philadelphia,
was fitted up for temporary worship,
So we need not doubt the reyerent God
fearing character OF the people who
thus early, amid the exactions Of
pioneer life, made comparatively SO
much provision for their religious
needs"
The speaker gave picture of the
scene at the church on Sunday.
MAY we not, therefore. indulge the
fancy that here near the church en-
trance, under the grassy shade of the
wide-spreading buttonwood, the talk Of
colonial goodman and dame was wont
to grow eloquent over the prophecy Of
the tobacco yield, the prospect of the
beaver catch and the ravages of wolves,
intermingled with buster and gentler
reflections on sewing necessities, the
cure of children's ailments, the relative
merits of cookery and Of domestic man
agement generally, all giving later place
TO the more Jealous talk of the plans
and prospects for that coveted grand
new stone edifice, then fond dream
which their descendants have seen
realized in the nearly 200 years. ex-
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