Evening journal., 1916-11-29
Historical Society To Buy Old City Holt a

floor. From the start the Town Hall
was the home of the civic life OF the
inhabitants and also for the conduct
of all the important business Judge
BeliOrd held the United States Dis
trict Court there For many years it
was the home of the Society OF Free
Masons. One of the rooms in the sec
ond story was occupied exclusively by
the Masons The Odd Fellows also
had quarters there. The Town Lii
brary. for many years. occupied an
other room in the second story.
There the Fire Companies had their /
headquarters.
All the town life was centered in
he Town Hall Some OF the societies /
-egularly holding their gatherings in
the Town Hall were the following:
Philosophical Society Of Delaware.
.yceum of Delaware. the Abolition
Society. Society for the Suppression
Of Vice and immortality. Washington
Benevolent Society. Workman's As
sociation, Delaware Academy of Nat
ural Sciences. Female Temperance
Society. Medical Society of Delaware.
Horticultural Society, the Board Of
Trade. the Board of Public Education
In the early days the social and
I
Town Hall. The annual ball on Wash
ngton's Birthday was always given
here. There fairs were held. For
,xample. the fair for ST. Peters
Church. the Charity Fair for ST. An
J irew's Church. the Sewing Society
IF st. Andrews Church, the Central
! Presbyterian Church Fair All the
early lectures and concerts were
given in the Town Hall. Bass Otis, a
portrait painter. gave his sittings
here DR. John Vaughan lectured on
national philosophy, DR.. Munro gave
la course on physics: Dr. Warner and
DR.. Baldwin gave courses on chemis
try; DR.. Henry Gibbons. for a mum
Der OF years. gave various lecture
! courses on the sciences.
In the War of 1912. the Mexican
War and the Civil War recruiting
and drilling were done in the Town
( Hall. In the War OF 1912, the Veteran
! Corps and the Committee OF Safety
met there. The Wilmington Rifle
Rangers with Caesar A. Rodney. cap
tain. and the Wilmington Troop Of
Cavalry. with John Warner. captain.
had meetings there. The Drandywine
Rangers with f. T. DUPONT and Victor
dupont as captains We're associated
with It. In 1S45 the Delaware ORA
goons had the privilege of the lower
floor for sword practice and the lnde-
I pendent Delaware Light Guards for
drilling; two artillery companies were
also organized there The use Of the
Town Hall before and throughout the
whole period OF the Civil War is well
remembered by the old inhabitants OF
the city. On memorable occasions
throughout the history OF the Stat and
the country. our leading citizens,
who were at the same time of ma
tiOnal character. attended public
gatherings IN the Town Hall
Intimately associated with the old
hall and its record are the names OF
John Dickinson, Caesar A. Rodney
James A. Bayard, the elder: Louis
McLane, John NJ. Clayton. James A.
Bayard. the younger; John Wales Ed
ward G. Bradford, the elder: William
G. Whiteley and Edward ". Gtpin
All the travel north and south was
through Wilmington The early stages
and railroads from New York to
Washington passed through Whining
ton. All the national characters we're
: entertained here and frequently a.
public gatherings in the Town Hall.
] Among the notable men associated
! with the old Town Hall are Thomas
Jefferson. Aaron Burr General Lafay-
cite. Andrew Jackson. Henry Clay.
, Daniel Webster and most of the
Presidents in the first sixty years OF
our history