Milford chronicle., 1946-02-22
w. J. Storey Speaks
At Texas Centennial
CONTINUED from First Page)

ldDIlSllpU al Fort CHRISTINA. HOW tllc
site OF Wilmington. This settlement
was not only the first permanent
one in Delaware, il was the seat OF
law and order. culture and civil
ZatiOn OF the whole Delaware River
Valley with the result that it had
profound effect on the future de-
VelOpment Of our nation.
The Swedes were superseded by
the Dutch in l635 and they in turn
capitulated 10 the English under the
Duke OF York in 1864. who then
conveyed the Delaware Counties TO
William Penn in l6H2 The Three
Lower counties. which controlled
access to the sea. We're thus added
as territories to the Province OF
Pennsylvania and remained in thai
capacity until the Revolution in
l17G.
We, like yourselves. became
restive and in seeking proper rep
resentati0n i'm the enactment OF
laws gained our general assembly
and governmental officers in l1n4.
With the Declaration Of IndcpeNd-
ancc. Delaware contributed tar be-
yOnd her shar" in men and sup
plies and her soldiers. fighting in all
major battles from Long Island TO
Yorktown. covered themselves with
glory although they faced near an
nihilatiOn.
In the critical period following
the Revolution DclaWarc'S states
men We're i'm the forefront aiding
the young republic. John Dckin-
son was president Of the Annapolis
Convention and Il leader in the
Constitutional Convention which
followed.
1T will be recalled that the pro-
pie OF our state quickly recognized
the advantages of the new Federal
Constitution and unanimously rat
flied il on December = l1N7. thus
becoming the FIRST state in the TN
ion.
Then followed period of de
velOpment and expansion The in
vention OF flour milling machinery
by Oliver Evans OF our state in
creased production greatly and
Delaware flour was being shipped
to all parts OF the world. Towns
grew, commerce increased. other
kinds OF mills were built and Ivy
1890 the population was 59,09G.
The early years of the 10Th ccn-
tury saw the establishment Of the
dupont mills near Wilmington and
the beginning Of the Delaware and
Chesapeake Canal. The increasing
trade and commerce. as we'll as the
expansion of farming in the TWO
lower counties. was seen To be an
rested by the shadows OF the i'm
pending war with Great Britain
"Situated on the Atlantic sea-
coast our citizens hastily prepared
defenses against the deprcdatiOus
OF the invading fleets. The deeds Of
these harassed defenders will long
he remembered as well as the hero
ism Of CommOdores Jacob Jones
and Thomas MHcDunoUgh. TWO ma
tive DelaWareanS serving in our
then young Navy.
Slowly the state recovered from
he dislOcati0ns and expenses OF
the war. The first railroad was
started, the public education laW
was passed banks increased. viii
mington and surrounding New Cas-
/ tie County became more industrial-
ized while Kent and Sussex Coun-
ties We're developing as greater
agricultural areas. BY 1910 tn"
states population was 1N.1N5 and
the prospects that seemed 50 bright
were clOuded in the next few years
by the news of war with Mexico.
"Although the Federal Govern
ment set DelaWare'S quota Oi men
at one battalion Of five companies,
more than that served in war for
your states Independence. The ma
jOrity Of these men served in the
llth Regiment of /. :. Infantry and
participated in numerous engage
ments and the triumphant march
of General SCOTS Army from Vera
Cruz to Mexico City. Others served
with General Taylor and in the
Navy. while several enlisted with
the Louisiana Tigers and other
regiments.
Traditional aid TO the cause Of
Texas was given lay us at that time.
The dupont Company received an
order for 20,00O pounds Of powder
from firm III Havana but rrfuS-
ed the order as it suspected it was
intended for McXic0 Al the same
time other supplies were being pro-
duced for the War. the cloth mills
of Charles |. DUPONT furnished TO-
0oo yards of k"rscyS and 2o,o0u
yards of blue cloth for the govern
ment. There is also the persistent
tradition in our state that your he
roic General sam Houston was
descended from our Houston family
OF Delaware.