Evening journal., 1907-01-18


called Christinham and in 1861 lots
were granted to the settlers. The
town vas then next In Importance to
New Castle. In 1864 Fort Aftena was
captured by the English and the fort
and town allowed to go 20 ruin, and
/ lChristinham from that time ceased to
exist.
In October. 1881, Thomas Willing Sc
cured a tract Of land from the Dutch
and laid it out into building lots and
ltnen began the Village Of Wiling
town, from which Wilmington really
grew The first house known TO have
been erected on the plan for a town
made by Willing stood at the north
west corner Of Front and Market
streets. 1t was of brick and bore the
date Of 1882. It stood eight feet out
from the present western line OF Mar
ket street and was torn down in 1926
by Eli sharp. who kept a tavern there.
Mr.. shipey the Virtual founder.
on August Q. 1875, william shipley
bought OF Andrew Justison and Thorn
as Willing eight acres for 104 pounds,
| all lying between Market and West
streets and between Second and Fifth
streets. It may be said Mr.. Shipley
was virtually the founder of Whining
ton by his purchases and Investments.
| In 1875 he built a large house at the
southwest corner Of Fourth and Ship
ley streets, which house was eventual
/ ly sold TO Gawthrop and Brother, who
in 1888 removed the venerable and his
torical mansion and erected the pres
ent Gawthrop building.
After the settlement of Shipiey and
his family the town grew rapidly At
the close Of the year 1886 there were
3S houses in Wilmington, all owned
by families whose names are well
known among the inhabitants OF this
city.
The First Government.
wnngtown was up until this time
without any municipal government and
on June 10, 1886, 103 citizens petitioned
EGovernor Thomas Penn for a charter.
The granting Of the charter was de-
ferred until November 16, 1889. when
it was allowed The name Of the
town then became Wilmington. BY
this charter the burgess was clothed
with the functions of a Justice Of the
peace. on March 81, 174O, the bur-
gesses bought from William Shipley a
piece OF ground on which was erected
a "cage" or prison, the stocks and
whipping post and for forty eight
years this was the most prominent
building in the city. 1t stood on the
west side OF Market street four doors
above Third street Il was a quaint
one story brick building 10 feet long
i and feet high with two apartments,
one for women and the other for men.
In 1898 this building was torn down
and In the same year the present city
hall was erected and in its basement
all the prisoners OF the city were con-
fined
The First Chief Burgess.
The first borough election was held
on September 8, 174O The officials
elected and the number OF votes each
lreceived were as follows;
Chief burgess, William Shipley. 81.
lsecond burgess, Joseph Way. so. high
constable, Charles Empson, 54; assist
ant burgesses, Thomas West 90
David Ferris 81; George Howell. rs;
Robert Hannum. 5S; Joshua Way. SO;
Joshua Little. 45; town clerk Could
smith Edward Folwell. 90. In 1889 the
] DoUuldlion pl inc CITY Wde ulNs but NJ
the beginning of the revolution in 1775
! It was 1872 whites and 81 colored. In
1890 the city had 2335 inhabitants.
Z Wilmington existed under Governor
PENIS charter until 1909, and in jan
uary OF that year the Legislature pass
! ed an amendment to the charter by
which new boundaries were defined and
city government was established by
a chief burgess, one assistant. a Town
Council OF thirteen members, an as
SCISSOR. a treasurer and a high consta-
Bile. Under this amended charter the
first officials chosen were: Chief bur-
CESS. George Monroe; assistant, Isaac
Stevenson; clerk. James Wilson; Town
Council. John Torbert Cyrus Newlin
Isaac II. Starr, Samuel Bush, jeremiah
Wooleston. William Seal, Isaac Dixon
Carson Wilson, John Reynolds. John
Hendrickson. Matthew r. Lockermar
and James Collins.
Chartered in 1882.
In 1892 the Legislature granted a
charter that made the town the city OF
Wilmington. and provided for a mayor
one alderman. CITY Council OF hfteer
members. a treasurer, an assessor, on,
inspector OF elections and two assist
ants for each ward. on January 25
l1SS3. Wilmington Hundred was erect.
ed by an act Of the General Assembly