The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-04-24
Historic Mount Holly.

ANAOaAb A4OlAIs
One OF the most fascinating things
connected with the collection of relics
OF the past history of Mount Holly,
and the traditions of it's early inhabi-
tants, is the way in which information
appears Unexpectedly from unsupported
sources. After a careful search has
been made, and every source of in
formation about some particular per-
son or incident apparently exhausted,
some neglected deed or moth eaten
record will be discovered, and new
light thrown on subject which was
thought to have been completed. This
has been the case since the publication
in this series, of the sketches of John
Brainerd and Stephen Girard, and
their connection with Mount Holly.
In biography of the Brainerds,
found among the New Jersey archives.
the statement is made that, "the name
il spelled both ways, but the brothers
themselves invariably wrote it Brain
erd." This may be regarded as author
itative, and seems to settle that ques-
ton. 1t has also been learned that the
land which Mr.. Brainerd sold to the
Friends at High and Garden streets,
was not part of the Edward Tonkin
estate, as had been supposed, but was
acquired by Brainerd by deed from
Thomas Atkinson.
New light has also been thrown upon
Stephen Girard's residence here by the
discovery of deed from William Cal
vert to Girard, dated January 4, 1879.
1t conveys small lot on Mill street ad-
joining land which Girard purchased
from Isaac Hazlehurst. This deed is of
great interest, as it shows that .Girard
added to his land holdings here two
years after the famous kissing episode,
which has been covered in a previous
article, and which had been considered
to have had something to do with his
removal from Mount Holly.
There is little doubt that Girard's
business sagacity saw the great oppor-
tunity for wealth in Philadelphia after
the Revolution, and caused him to re-
move there from Mount Holly. He
was too shrewd man to remain in
little village longer than necessary.
EARLY RED CROSS" WORK
In these days of preparation for war
it is interesting to note that the spirit
of relieving suffering and distress,
which actuates the Red Cross Associa-
ton of today, was early manifested in
this neighborhood.
A subscription paper circulated in
Burlington county in 1775, is still ex-
tant. During the early days of the
Revolution, the condition OF the
Friends in New England was precar-
ious. Because of their love of peace,
and refusal to bear arms, they were
treated with contempt by both sides,
and suffered many indignities and
severe persecution. Friends in other
states quickly set about providing re-
lief, as is shown by the following copy
of the paper mentioned above:
I'VE the subscribers, In consideration
Of the distresses to which many Of our
fellow-subjects in the Province of the
Massachusetts Bay and the adjacent
provinces are subjected through the
unhappy connections now prevailing,
being DESTROYS of contributing towards
their relief, do agree and promise to
pay the sums by us respectively sub
scribed, to Benjamin Haines, Josiah
Evans, Joseph Wilcox or Bethuel
Moore, to be by them paid unto John
Reynell, of Philadelphia, or Samuel
Smith, of Burlington, treasurer Of the
Yearly Meeting of Friends in Penn
sylvania and New Jersey, in order that
the same may be transmitted at such
time and in such manner as the said
Yearly Meeting or the Meeting for
Sufferings at Philadelphia may Judge
most expedient, to the committee late
ly appointed by the Yearly Meeting of
Friends in New England, to adjust,
advise and relieve such who are, or
may be, reduced to necessitous circum-
stances through the present calamitous
state OF affairs there, or to be otherwise
distributed to and among such suffer
ers.
Witness our hands the 10th day of
the 7th month, 1775."
The paper is signed by 100 individ.
uals. Space will not permit the publ
cation OF the entire list. but many old
Burlington county names are repre-
sented, among them being Darnell,
Evans, Moore, Borton, Buzby. Haines,
Stratton, Lippincott, Sharp, Ballanger,
Engle, Austin, Woolman, Garwood,
Howell and Prickett. The largest sub
scription was 10 pounds, by VIM. Eos
ter, Esq, and the smallest Z shillings
and 6 pence, by John Sharp, Jun.