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Chapter XX
Traveling And Transportation.
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points were from Thurlow to Ridley Creek, a distance of about four miles. The incorporators were John M. Broomall, William Ward, William A. Todd, Samuel Archibald, Amos Gartside, James A. Williamson, James Kirkman, William H. Green, and Samuel H. Stephenson. Previous to the date of incorporation, Messrs. Broomall and Ward had constructed a spur track from a point below Thurlow Station of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad to the bridge works in South Chester, for the accommodation of those works. The Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company furnished the rails and cross-ties at an annual rental. The demand of other manufacturing establishments along the river soon became urgent for similar accommodations, and the owners of those industries joining with the original projectors, and the authorities of South Chester borough acting in unison with reference to granting privileges on Front Street, the railroad was extended up to the city limits. When the boundary was reached the same demand arose from establishments in Chester, and the city authorities, following the example of the Borough Council, gave a hearty support to the enterprise, and the result was the extension of the road to Penn Street. At this period, (1872) the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company became the lessee of the old bed of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad from Gray's Ferry to Ridley Creek. The Reading company being owners of a large tract of land on the river near Marcus Hook, assumed control of the railroad on Front Street, finished its extension across Chester Creek, and connected it with its branch purchased from the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company. The Chester and Delaware River Railroad Company still preserves its separate corporate existence, the present officers being those of the Reading company, excepting William Ward, who is one of the directors. The completion and operation of this railroad has been followed by the most marked results. Many manufacturing establishments of the largest capacity have been erected on the line, owing to facilities afforded for transportation of heavy freights.
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| Chapter XXI
Redemptioners And Slavery In Delaware County. | |||
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When the system of redemptive servitude first appeared in our history I fail to ascertain, but certain it is that it related in the first instance to English emigrants solely, and did not show itself until after the territory had been subjugated by the arms of Great Britain. I am aware that Professor Keen states that the only person, so far as known, who came to New Sweden on the "Griffin," on the first expedition in 1637, and remained in the colony, was Anthony, a bought slave, who served Governor Printz at Tinicum in 1644, making hay for the cattle, and accompanying the Governor on his pleasure yacht, and was still living there on March 1, 1648. But he was a slave (the first on our shore), and was not a redemptioner, who, to reimburse the owners and master of a ship for his passage and provender on the voyage, agreed that his services might be sold for a stipulated period. In the Duke of York's Laws occurs the first notice of the system, which, while it had many harsh and objectionable features, gave to the colonies great numbers of energetic and thrifty settlers, who, by reason of their poverty, never could have come to the New World had it not been for the redemptive system. The law mentioned provided that "no Christian shall be kept in Bondslavery, villenage, or Captivity, Except Such who shall be Judged thereunto by Authority or such as willingly have sould or shall sell themselves."1 | 1 Book of Laws, p.12. | ||
The first record of the transfer of a redemption or indentured servant previous to the grant to Penn was at a court held at Upland, June 13, 1677, and is set forth in the quaint phraseology of that period: "Mr. John Test brought In Court a certaine man-servant named William Still, being a taylor by traede, whome hee the sd Test did acknowledge to have sold unto Capt'n Edmond Cantwell for the space and tearme of foure years, beginning from the first of Aprill Last past; The sd William Still declared in Court to bee willing to serve the said Capt'n Cantwell the aboved tearms of foure yeares."2 | 2 Record of Upland Court, p. 51. | ||
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After Penn came to the province, in 1682, the subject of indentured servants received the immediate attention of the Governor, and among the laws enacted by the first and succeeding General Assemblies were those requiring a registration of persons so held to servitude; forbidding the assignment of servants to persons residing without the province; exempting them from being levied on in executions against their masters; forbidding the harboring of a servant for a longer period than twenty-four hours without giving notice to a justice of the peace of the whereabouts of such servant; interdicting bartering with a servant for goods belonging to his master, and limiting the period of servitude for all unindentured servants of seventeen years of age at five years, and those under that age until they should attain the age of twenty-one years. Masters were also required to bring such servants before the court within three months after their arrival in the province, that the term of service might be determined by the justices. The early records contain many cases growing out of this species of servitude, which for a century and a half maintained in this State, and gave to it many of its most respected families. At the court held the 3d day of 1st week, Seventh month, 1686, Thomas Usher, the then sheriff, complained that William Collett was holding Thomas | |||