The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-01-20
THE CHEW HOUSE, CLIvEDEE.
fContinxed from last soeek.)

of Congress wrote as follows regard
ing Penn and Chew: These gen.
tlemen, as Crown officers and hold
ing commissions under the authority
of the King of Great Britain prior to
the Declaration of Independence, and
yet taking no active part Chat we
know of against us since that period,
renders their situation very peculiar.
In the first point of view, they seem
under their present restraint prison
ers of the United States what is to
be done with them consistent with
justice and the public safety, is a
question of much Importance. If
enlarged and permitted to go into
Philadelphia, what mischief may our
enemies do under a color of their au-
thority, even with our consent ? If
permitted to go at large in those parts
of Pennsylvania in possension of the
Wings, as they are so intermixed with
Tories, very mischevous consequences
may arise. If confined in Pennsyl-
vania for refusing test, it may oc-
casion discomfort and caballing."
President Wharton suggested that
''those who are not for us are against
u.s." and as John Penn and Samuel
Chew had declined to acknowledge the
authority of the State as free and inde-
pendent, aud neglected to resign the
commissions given them by the King
they were adopting an adversary part.
Messrs. Penn and Chew were convey
ed into the State of Pennsylvania and
discharged from their parole. Pres
ident Wharton regarded this action as
summary and said 1--WE are who'll
ly at loss to know why they have
been discharged in this manner rather
than at the request of this council
some time ago. The rerect we have
for the determination of Congress in
duces US to suppose there may be
good and sufficient reasons for it. Z"
The true opinions of the govern
ment of Pennsylvania were not en-
bodied in President Wharton's polite
method of expression. The British
evacuation of Philadelphia took place
about a month after Penn and Chew
were released.
Chief Justice Chew was noted as the
occupant of fine mansion in the city,
where hospitality ruled, and also own
ed country house in Germantown,
which is still standing and which was
connected with the operations of the
two armies in Pennsylvania and which
has become historic.
Mr.. Chew established "Cliveden,"
the old homestead, in 1863, in the
upper part of the village of German
town. On the I4th of July he pur-
chased from Edward Pennington and
wife piece of ground upon the high
road, which was originally the John
son property. 1t was bounded east
by the road, or Main street, and was
near where Johnson's lane opened in
TO the main road To the original
estate Mr.. Chew added by purchase
ground from Richard Johnson, in 1865,
and from Thomas Nedrow, 1916.
Upon this ground there was built for
Mr.. Chew fine stone mansion it
was planned according to the archi-
tectural taste of the period. 1t was
a fine dwelling, spacious and elegant.
1t was two stories high, with central
doorway and great vestibule at the
entrance. The garret was lighted
by dormer windows, and urns or
namented the roof, gable, pediments
all characteristics of the eighteenth
century. The kitchen was separate
from the house, being connected with
the main building by a corridor !;
there was also laundry. Beautiful
and spacious were the grounds, and
grand the great shades trees. Give
den was completed in provincial days
aud was the resort of the elite of
Philadelphia.
1t was at this historic house that
on the fourth of October, I777, oc-
Cured some the most memorable in
cidents of the battle of German
town. In describing the effect Of the
attack made upon Chew's house by
the Americans, General Wilkinson,
in his memoirs of My Own Time, /"
says:
"The doors and shutters of the
lower windows of the house were shut
and fastened, the fire of the enemy
being delivered from the iron gratings
of the cellars and the windows above
it was closely beset on all sides with
small arms and artillery, as is mani
tested from the multiplicity of traces
still visible from musket-ball and
grapeshot on the interior wall and
ceiling which appear to have entered
through the doors and windows in
every direction marks of cannon
balls are also in several places on the
exterior wall and through the roof,
though one ball only appears to have
penetrated below the roof and second
story. The artillery seems to have
made no impression upon the walls oi
the house, a few slight indentures
only being observed excepted from
one stroke in the rear, which started
the wall"
It has been claimed by historical
writer's that the delay at Chew's house
house was an incident which contrib
uted more than any other event oi
the battle of Germantown to the non
success of the American arms. This
however, is a mere surmise, as the il
success of the two columns on the
east of the main road, and the panic
which occurred in consequence of tht
log which prevailed, and which lee
the American troops to mistake theil
comrades for the enemy, causing then
to fire on each other, together will
the misfortune which exposed Colo
mel Matthews Ninth Virginia regi
ment to the full force of the British
regiment in front and the Fourth Bri
gade under Agnew, and finally causes