The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-01-18
LEWIS S. CORYELL.
SOME MENTION OF NEW HOPE AT
THE TIME IT WAS CALLED
CORYELL'S FERRY.

During the Revolution, aud Tor
some time afterward, New Hope WAS
known as Coryell's Ferry. The name
occurs with some frequency in the
military papers of these days. Wash
ington's army twice crossed the Del
aware at Coryell's Ferry. 1t was
named after George Coryell, who
maintained II ferry on the New Jersey
side of the river. Before l770 it was
known as Wells Ferry, after John
Wells, who operated a ferry on the
Pennsylvania side. After him, also,
no doubt, Wells Falls is named. 1t
is to be regretted that the name
! "CoryelPs Ferry" was abandoned i,
for the student of the history of the
Revolution cannot always indentify
readily Coryell's Ferry as the present
Newhope.
Many persons still living recall
Lewis S. Coryell's family that settled
on the Delaware about 1882. He was
born at Lambsrtville, New Jersey,
III 1888. In 1903 he was apprenticsd
to Benjamin Smith, house carpenter,
of Buckingham, for six years and one
month At the end of three years and
nine months he purchased his indie
pendence for forty dollars and form
sd partnership with Thomas Martin,
who had been fellow apprentice.
They established themselves at Nor
risyllle, where they carried on bust
ness for several years. Mr.. CorysIl
afterwards engaged in the lumber bus
mess ut New Hope. and there he spent
the remainder of his life. He was IA
useful and public spirited citizen.
New Hope owed much of its prosperity
and business activity to his enterprise.
lie WAS an influential politician, though
never an officeholder. His acquaint.
ance with men of prominence was very
extensive. During the presidency of
James Munroe, with whom he was a
| great fayorite, he WAS frequent visi-
tor at the White House He assisted
Ihaddeus Stevens to escape from the
back window of the House of Repre-
sentatiyes at Harrisburg, during the
'Buckshot War" in 1898. In the War
OF 1912. he was baggage master at
Camp Marcus Hook. Altogether he
| led an active life, occupied with many
and varied interests, until his death
IN 1865.
He was an early and ardent advo-
cate of the system of internal improve
ments by the Commonwealth, which
resulted III the construction of canals,
among them the Delaware Division OF
the Pennsylvania Canal from Bristol
to Easton. For time he WAS one OF
the engineers on the line and at all
times lent the aid of his sympathy and
counsel. The construction of the
canal was beset with many difficulties
there were physical obstacles and III
nancial vicissitudes to overcome; but
MIR. Coryel's courage never failed.
aud he never ceased to urge the pros
ecution of the work until its final com
pletIon.
There are few things more interest
ing to succeeding generations than
the letters written by those who have
played their part on the stage and
made their exits Especially is this
no when the letters are not written
with view to publicati on. In no
other way can we obtain 80 vivid
impression of the actors III the events
which combine to form local or gene
raj history. Mr.. Coryell, as depicted
IN his letters, was impulsive, bold to
the point of rashness aud keenly alive
to the correction of unfaIrness and
injustice. He used plain, vigorous
English which left no doubt as to his
meaning. Perhaps some specimens
of his epistolary style may be OF igter-
est to those that know him personally
az well as to those to whom he is II
shadowy figure of the past
There was constant complaint of
delay III paying for labor aud mat
erlal In the construction of the
Delaware Division. The Common
wealth WAS hard put TO 1t to furnish
the funds to pay its debts. The
States creditors found willing
advocate in Mr. toryell. He address
ed the Canal commissioners on this
subject III language more forcibl e
than diplomatic. Among many
letters from him on this topic, the
following are selected as ilustru.
tive.
New Hope. 18th May, 1899
James Clarke, Fro,
Pr Board,
c. Comsrs.
Sir:-Onr line il now in full opera
ton which has peen effected mainly
on credit and by poor men. | an
often offered their claims for six
cents per day discount. This is
quite too bad, and | fear this shave
IL practiced by cOrmorants that are
IN every community. am with much
respect.
Yrs,
Lewis $. Coryell. "