Evening journal., 1896-11-17
"YE OLDEN TYMES'
Recalled at the Meeting of the
Delaware Historical Society.
PAPERS OF GREAT INTEREST READ

PAPERS OF GREAT INTEREST READ
HENRY c. CONRAD GIVES A COM
PLETE HISTORY OF DELAWARE's
-FOUR CONSTITUTIONAL CON-
MENTIONS - MANY MEMBERS
PRESENT.
Members OF the Delaware Historical
Society enjoyed an exception
ally interesting meeting last night
E. T. Warner, DR.. John Palmer
and Colonel Benjamin Nields were
elected active members, and Mrs. Ben
jamin Nields, Mrs 10. Il. Warner and
Mrs. William Drein were elected asso-
ciate members. Chief Justice Lore
presided.
The annual meeting OF the society
will be held next month, and notice was
given OF a new bylaw requiring Off
GERS and the chairman Of the various
committees TO make annual reports.
George A. Elliott, Pennock Pusey and
Mark A. Cleaver were appointed a COM
mittee on nominations.
These donations were received last
night: Steel engravings OF John Dick
inson and Thomas Mexican, and other
old photographs from Henry G. Con-
rad; a picture of Belmont Hall, where
the first Legislature met, from Mrs. c.
E. c. Peterson -Speakman, a lot of
books and pamphlets, and a lot OF ar
row heads from Dr. II. w. Morrow.
Two interesting papers were read.
The first was by DR.. William T. Skin
ner on the old Presbyterian Church at
Glasgow. DR. Skinner stated that the
church was among the first organized
in the state, and was known as the
welsh Tract Presbyterian Church, "
this name being recorded by the New
Castle Presbytery in 17l7. 1t remained
as such until 1923, when il became
known as the "Pencader Church" II
sprung from the Welsh Tract Church
of the Great Valley of Chester county.
David Evans was the first pastor, and
after preaching several years he was
''silenced" in 1710 by the Philadelphia
Presbytery and told to study for year
He was licensed to preach in I'LL, and
graduated from Yale in 1913 in a class
OF three. In 1921 he left the Pencader
church and went to the one in the
Great Valley.
The first church building, which is
still standing, was built some time be
tween 1901 and 1710. II was built of
wood. The second church was of brick
with a brick floor, and was built in
1888. The present place of worship was
erected in 1852. Dr. Skinner, in his
paper, gave a short history OF the va
rious pastors who served the church.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
HISTORY.
Henry c. Conrad read the second
paper which proved a complete history
of the movements that resulted in Con-
stitntional Conventions. In part, Mr.
Conrad's paper was as follows:
The first Constitution for the State OF
Delaware was framed by a convention
which met at New Castle on the 27tf
day OF August, 1776, George Read wai
elected president, and James Booth sec.
retary. The Constitution framed by
this body was adopted on the Goth day
of September, 1776. II was written by
Thomas Mexican, who claimed that h'
wrote it in a tavern the night before
the convention met, and that he wroti
IL without consulting a book, havinl
nothing whatever to refer to.
The second Constitution for the stat
was framed by a convention that me
at Dover on the 29th of November, 1871
This convention held two ses
sions, first session lasting fror
November % to December 81
1891, and the second session meetin
on May %. 1882, and adjourning o.
June -, 1892, the Constitution bein
adopted on the last day of the session
John Dickinson was president of tn
convention at it's first session, but q
the second session he asked to be e,
cused on the ground OF his impaire
health, and Thomas Montgomery wa
elected president in his stead. Jane
Booth acted as secretary. During ii
session James Sykes, one of the men
bers-elect from Kent county, died. an
his place was filled by Andrew Bai
rett, who was elected at a special ele
tion held for that purpose.
The third Constitution for the Sta
OF Delaware was framed by a CONVEX
tion that met at Dover on November
1881. Like its predecessors, il W,
composed of ten members from eaC
county. Charles Polk, OF Kent count
was president, and William p. Bro
son secretary. The convention W,
only in session for twenty-seven day
and the Constitution adopted by II, nj
der date OF December 2, 1881, was Il
handiwork of John NJ. Clayton, at tn
time in his 34th year.
The fourth convention for the pu
pose of framing a Constitution for Il
State of Delaware met at Dover on ID
cember z, 1852. AT the election,
which the question of calling this co
vention was submitted to the people.
majority of the qualified voters of ii
state did not participate and MAJ
were led 10 doubt the legality of d