The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-16
"REMINISCENCES or OUR CITY
A Glimpse Into the Past Of the Numerous
Manufactures Of Our City.


The proprietoIs Of these mills having
thus continued the Brandywine manu-.
| facture OF paper on the estate for exactly
| fifty years 1t was discontinued and the
estate sold, and the buildings were then
| appropriated to the manufacture Of cot
ton. Citizens and strangers often resorted
to this estate forp pleasant walk, and to
| enjoy its beauteous scenery, as we'll as to
soc the novelty and skill Of mechan ism,
visited the wonder working machine that
could turn out an endless sheet Of paper.
Flat bouts often conveyed paper GU the
water from one mill to another; but 1t
was generally taken In wagons to the
Wilmington wharves The mill was burn.
ed down.
ment formerly owned by respectable
inhabitant OF early days, Vincent Gilpin,.
who knew Wilmington as a village In Its
simplicity and beheld 1t rise to the glory
Of Il borough aid amid all the changing
scenes he sustained his integrity as wor-
thy man. When full of plans he ended
life's pilgrimage, leaving to his heirs this
property, which was a good old-fashioned
house and grist mill. They were sold to
Lewis Lane moro than 30 years ago. who
established cotton mauufactory and call.
ell the place R)keby.
a Hageley was tho Oldest building and
most Improved grounds. For many years
it was summer retreat.of Richard Dawes
wealthy merchant Of Philadelphia 1t
was aGterward purchased by Messrs. Du.
Points for $50, 900 to erect powder mills.
In the last century these banks looked
like bowling wilderness studded with
rocks so untitled for tillnge, that, appar.
entity, no act of man could change the face
Of nature. Rnttle-snakes and copper.
heads, 1t is said, fourishel here in count
less plumbers, when Jacob Broome, in
1895 selected the eligible spot for q cotton
Notwithstanding first in this region.
The mill was not long in operation ere 1t
was burned down and never rebuilt.
About the year 1900 the MessrS. dupont
and Company made their first purchase
here, that caused rumors to float through
tho country. The former was at his wits
end to conjecture what schemes were in
view.
10 buy barren tract Of rocksl Why,to
.expend cart loads Of money would not fit
1t for tillage. Others pitied the strangers
for wasting their substance In wild nd.
venture and when the blasting of rocks
commenced, said 1T will surely exhaust
mint. Many of those farmers lived to
witness mighty obstacles surmounted,
pnd their wise predictions to fail Neigh.
boring estates have been enhanced in
value, neither has ruin befoll the projec-
tors.
1t was said that E. 1. DuPont's house
was built of the stone from single rock,
on the spot where it stands. From tho
balcony you overlook the powder yard
and mills giving employment to several
hundred men. Tho first big explosion oc-
CURED in these lnills,in March 1873 killing
several men. The widows of tho men
were allowed an annuity and rent free
during their widowhood by MIR. DUPONT.
Fine mansions now adorn this rocky
spot, clusters of cottages, and hamlet
after hamlet rises upon the view, while
this region, more than others, xhibits u
hustling active life on every hand. Those
energetic operations in thu immediate
vicinity of Wilmington have no doubt.
added to its prosperity.
In the year 1926 General Lafayette made
a visit of h few days o the MessrS. DUPONT;
and with those gentleman reviewed the
battle ground, Cbadds Ford, Of which he
bore the mark Of u brave man. A public
dinner was given to him on the spot, where
he remarked astonishing change in the
whole region.
Tho Messrs DUPONT, ST., in life was
highly esteemed and in death lamented.
II. |. DUPONT died in tho autumn of 1885.
In 1873 William Young, a worthy lner-
chant in t. book business in Philadelphia,
erected paper mill in this region. He
built numerous substantial houses for his
workinen to live in. His place was called
Roclllnnd He passed away beloved by all
who knew him.
The Old mansion of james Brindley, Oh
this side of the Brandywine, claims our
passing notice, because here General
Washington took his breakfast YIN the
morning Of the battle of the Brankywine,
walking the floor in deep thought OF stand
ing with his cup Of coffee in his hand eat
ing and soon fastening on to Chadd's
Ford. Part of this farm was owned by
Swede, Il. Stidham, who lived, to great
age, the life of II hermit and for ono hun.
bred acres of arabic land, paid the propre
tory ageht one bushel of,wheat yearly quit
rent.
There were many families in this dis
trict whose ancestors wero Swedish, Colo
nists-Hendrickson, Armstrong, Poulson,
Springer, etc.
The settlements of the Swedes on the
Delaware preceded those of the English.