Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-06-25
ANCIENT oocuMEN RS.
The Three Old deeds OF the Asbury Church
Property.


Property.
Tho three old deeds uf the Aabury
Church property, which have been
in the possession Of Col. O. NJ. Leitch,
arc interesting documents. The oldest
Of them was made in January, 1742.
l743. The double dato is due to u
change in the calendar, as the year ut
ono time began on the Goth OF March
instead of January lst Tho next doed
is dated in l749 and tho third in l7GG
While the writing is well preserved
the parchment on which the deeds
wero made out has become broken at
the folds and each decd is in several
picns.
The first document was u decd from
Thomas Broom and Elizabeth Broom
to David Bush, under date of January
9th, l7i2.43. in tho sixteenth year Of
the reign of George the Second. For
the consideration of to pounds lawful
current money OF the government 80
pcrches anG six parts of land were
transferred to Bush. Tho property
was on the easterly side of Walnut
street = spelled Walnut - and the
southerly side of Second, extending
southerly 5S degyees east l3 perches TO
u stake in Second street and Mulberry
Dock; thence down the dock three
perchos to stake, thence northorly
5S degrees west l3 perches aud four.
tenths TO stake in Walnut street,
and thence up Walnut street throe
nerehos to tho place of beginning.
1hie deed bears out tho probability
that the church property ut ono time
extended from Third ana Walnut
street to the water front. The deed
was sealed and delivered in the
presence Of William Stewart and John
Porter.
The second deed bears tho datc OF
April 18th, l7l9, and in it Timothy
Stcdham and Henry Colesberry of the
county OF New Castle upon Delaware,
are parties of the first part and David
bush OF the borough of Wilmington is
the party of the second part. From
the decd il appears that in l736 the
congregation Of the Swedes Church in
Christiana hundred authori2ou trustees
to grant land ut ground rcnt, for any
term or forever, In March of that
year the trustees had granted Broom
two ots of land in the borough of vii,
mingtcn, then called Wilmington, at u
yearly ground rent of 10 shillings. ard
Broom by nn indrnture Of january
2dh, lIi2-3 for valuable consideration
therein mentioned had granted land ON
the casterly side of Walnut street 10
David Bush for 10 shilings ground
rent. The congregation by indenture
OF May 22d, lIij, for the considcratinn
of 900 pounds, had granted Stedham
and Colesberry all that part Of 800 acres
lying in the southeasterly side Of the
Kings Road leading from BraEd,wire
Ford TO Newport aud extending from
the Kings Road southeast down TO the
Christiana river, with all and singular
tho yearly ground rents. Then tho
deed comes to the point of the trans.
action with Bush to whom Stedham
and Coleaherry sell property on tho
eastory side of Walnut street and tho
south side of Second street for eight
pounds, six shillings aud eight pence.
Tho writer Of this deed made his es
very like o'H.
The last deed was from Thomas
Elliott to Caleb Way and was made in
liGG, being acknowledged at the
August term Of the court Of common
pleas of which Theodore Maurice was
the prothOnotary The consideration
was liO pounds for ll5 perches of land
on the suutheasterly side of Walnut
street
Col. Leitch, who is tho recording
steward of Asbury Church, had
thought it good thing to present tho
deeds to the Historical Society of
Delaware, but tho churcn officials
think they had better keep them and
they will he delivered TO the com.
mitteoe of church records by the official
board.