Bethel Township.

acres surveyed to them in the northeasterly end of the township. On this estate Bethel hamlet, afterwards known as Corner Catch or "Ketch" - the name having, it is said, originated from the fact that so many roads centred there that five corners are the result, and a traveler could easily be confused as to the proper highway he show take, - and at present the village of Chelsea is located. Southeast of this tract, in the same year, Francis Smith had three hundred acres set apart to him by the provincial surveyor. Adjoining Bezer's and Brown's land to the west, on the line of Concord township, was a plot of one hundred and fifty acres which had been surveyed in 1683 for John Gibbons, and south of that tract was an estate of the like size, part of five hundred acres purchased from Penn by Gibbons, which in the year mentioned he transferred to Robert Southey, to whom it was surveyed. West of these last-mentioned estates, and divided from them by the road leading from Concord to Booth's Corner, was an oddly-shaped tract of two hundred acres, which was patented to Francis Harrison in 1686. South of the Wilmington road, from Booth's Corner to the circular line of Delaware State, was a tract of a hundred and odd acres, which was part of a large holding of four hundred acres, the greater part in Delaware, which had been surveyed to Isaac Warner in 1683, while on the middle branch of Naaman's Creek, and crossing over the line into Upper Chichester, was a tract of about one hundred acres, being about half the tract of two hundred acres surveyed to Robert Cloud in 1685, and by him transferred to William Cloud the year following.

At a court held the third day of the first week, Fourth month, 1686, the grand jury reported that they had laid out the road from Bethel to Chichester (Marcus Hook). The ancient return is exceedingly interesting, and is as follows:

The Grand Inquest made returne of a Highway from Bethell to Chichester of sixty foote broad as follows (viz). Beginning at the Side of Concord towards the River on the street or Highway of Concord first through the land of John Gibbons his House on the Right Side then through the land of Robert Southey late Deceased his house on the left Side thence through Robert Piles Land his house on the right hand then through Joseph Bushells land his House on the Left hand, thence through ffrancis Smith's land thence through Thomas Garretts Land, his house on ye Right hand thence through ffrancis Harrison and Jacob Chandlers Land downe the Point to a small branch of Namans creek thence up ye Hill to the first Inclosed of ffrancis Harrisons, the field on ye left hand Then through James Brownes land thence downe to another Branch of Naman's Creeke through Walter Martens land up the Point his House on ye right hand thence through Jeremy Colletts land Bearing towards the left hand his house Standing on ye left hand from thence to the lands of Chichester beginning att the head of a small swamp on the left hand thence downe Cross the Kings road or Highway towards ye foote of ye Hill to a lyne tree marked with 5 notches thence downe ye Rivers Side the line between James Browne and William Clayton Junior. Whereunto wee the Present grand Jury of ye County of Chester have sett our Hands.

		"Joseph Richards, foreman,
	"Thos Worth	"Joseph Bushell
	"Jn Gibbons	"Michaell Blunstone
	"Tho. Coleborne	"Randall Vernon
	"Joseph Baker	"John Bartrome
	"Edward Beasar	"Wm Brainton
	"Walter Marten	"Saull Levis."

From this report, following the road from the Concord line to that of Upper Chichester, we can form an idea of the location of the early settlers' houses in the western end of the township at that date. We learn that John Gibbons' dwelling was on the right side of the road, and that Robert Southey had died, but his late dwelling stood on the left-hand side of the highway, near a little feeder of Green's Creek; that Robert Pyle had his house on the right side of the road, and above the present highway leading from Booth's Corner to Chelsea. (At the dwelling of Robert Pyle and Edward Bezer, the monthly assemblings of Chichester Friends' Meeting were frequently held.) Joseph Bushel at that time owned a tract of one hundred and forty acres south of Robert Pyle's plantation, and his dwelling stood on the right side of the road. At this time Thomas Garrett had taken up on rent two hundred acres of land, now part of the farms of Charles M. Cheyney and William Goodley, and had built a house thereon to the right of the road as a person moved in a southerly course. Thus it seems at that date there were five settlements made along the road thus laid out, which crossed the township in a northwesterly direction.

Notwithstanding the unusual demonstration of pleasure by which the people of Bethel and Concord expressed their satisfaction with the road, they certainly did not improve their opportunities, for at the court held 3d day, 1st week, First month, 1688, it appears that "Wee of ye Grand Inquest doe psent ye Townships of Bethell and Chichester for neglecting ye clearing of a Road in ye respective Libertyes between Concord and Chester," and further that "Wee alsoe psent ye Road lying between ye Townships of Bethell and Chichester for not being Cleared and made passable." This presentment was due to the fact that a change had been made in the course of the road, for on the 3d day of 1st week, Tenth month, 1688, the grand jury altered the line of the highway decided on in 1686, as follows:

"Beginning at Concord street end and so along ye Road formerly laid out to a marked White Oake below Walter Martens by a lyne of marked trees on ye South West Side of ye Old Road to a marked great White oake from thence along ye road formerly laid out to Delaware by or near James Brown's House."

Although the change in the highway to Marcus Hook was made in the township of Upper Chichester, doubtless to please Walter Martin, it aroused such public opposition in the townships bordering on the circular line between New Castle and Chester County that, at the June court, 1689, "The Inhabitances of Concord, Bethell and Chichester Petitioned