The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-06
DELAWARE CLOCK MAKERS.
An Interesting Paper Presented Before
The Historical Society Of Delaware
By H. c. Conrad, Esq.
The First Delaware Clock.


An item clipped from one of the dailies
of January 10, 1850. says that edward
B Humphrios, Is gentleman quito celebra-
ted as all antiquarian, has Just arrived in
New YORK from Holland, Whilst there
he came across an old Dutch clock made
by john Mo!l, who was an old and we'll
known Delaware magistrate, and who
held power here anterior TO the arrival of
William Penn both under the English
and Dutch dynasties. He lived and re.
sided upon u large tract Of land near Will
mingtOn. The clock was sent to Holland
to have the movements put in. Upon it
is the 'drniorlal bearings OF the Mol fun
lily.
at was made rs a matter OF amusement
by Magistrate Moil, and derives Its celeb
rity not only from being made more than
two hundred years ago by Delaware
ruler who was All amateur mechanic, but
because it was probably tine first clock ever
constructed In Delaware" This item
presume WAS furnished by Francis VIM
cent, to whom a description OF the
clock had been sent, and the owner
promised to send photograph of the
clock but the photograph l assume never
came, and have been unable to ascertain
anything further about this clock.
1t is recorded that complaint was made
that Judge Moll WAS not fit to sit us
JuukSi buU ulUul q lukI uSuIluB VI UlO IHdl-
ter the judge was vindicated, and resumed
his duties on the bench.
John Moll was identified with tho COL
ony of Labadists that settled on Bohemia
Manor in 1854 He was one of the leaders
In the movement and In company with
Ephraim Herman aud Arnoldus De LII
grange, early settlers In this county, 70.
moved to Maryland and became member
Of that peculiar religious sect, where he
f,yyyr Il fcpu .tt ht,,l,
but little Is known OF him. In lG93 there
Is mention made Of John Moll, Jr.,
among the Laballsts, very likely son Of
the judge,
GEORGE CHOW,
Among the earliest clock-luakers In
Wilmington was George Grow Tho first
mention find of him Is In I1I6, when he
was elected high constable Of the borough
of Wilmington. He served one year. In
1876 no was elected one of the burgesses Of
WilmingJon, aud reelected in 1855 and
1888. The records Of Old Swedes show tho
marriage OF George Crow to Mary I4uu-
donet in August, l746.
have seen several high clockt bearing
his name. but none Of them bore any date,
He was evidently In the watch and clock
business until his death, which occurred
in 177i or 1772. l know of a Surveyors
SoHI'usSi HON oNu uCu W ohCOb IL.
son, of Middletown, which bears the dale
1854 and tho namo "Guurgo Crow" The |
name of K. Bryan is also scratched on 1t,
and the present. owner tells me that Bry- |
an was one of the early surveyors who laid
out much land In the vicinity Of Middle.
town and the Bohemia Manor l find
deed of record from Gabriel Springer, one
of the earliest hatters in Wilmington, to
George Grow, dated March. 26, 1861, for n
nd 1nt n, the mat SjIn pf Wnlpnt
Street just above Spring Alley. 1t Is rea-
sonahle to believe that Grow lived In this
house and carried Oh his business there,
and | am of opinion that the Identical
house in which he lived is still standing,
In addition to this property he owned at
the time of his death, in i77l or 1772, a
property at Third and King streets, where
the markethouse now stands (southwest
corner) and a large lot at the northwest
;orner of Tenth and Market streets, having
A frontage OH Market street to the westor-
" side of the Friendship Engine. House.
All of his property, after his death, was di-
1ided among his widow and four children,
who survived him, by n deed of partition
lated March %, 1918, made by John Nc
iinly, William Poole, and Bancroft
Woodcock, all of whom were leading and
influential citizens of WilminAton at that
lime.
+ William Poole was one of the carly and
successful millers on the Brandywine,
and the father of numerous family, of
whom j. Morton Poole was one. Bancroft
Voodcook WAS noted silversmith here
more thana century ago, and owned tho
I'D house on Broome Street which for the
'ast forty years has been the Rowland
He was great walker and
kater, and was SO spare and thin in flesh
hat old people used to say. he woald
George Crow left two sous, Thomas aud
ieorge, and two daughters. Sarah, who
larried William Nash, and Mary, who
larried Samuel Goodman. George Grow,
r., died prior to 1902. l Have not been
bic to find any living descendants of
ieorge Crow; nor could l establish his
xact age or place of burial, but there is
easonable presumption that he was
uried in the Old Swedes' graveyard