Bethel Township.

from Europe, which it is proper to state is one of those deeply-seated and widely-diffused popular errors the historian encounters in all old settlements in the Middle and Eastern States. The fact is that the clay was dug and the bricks burned near where the house stands, a general custom in the last century. The original structure was a story and a half in height, the bricks being laid in headers and stretchers, in the style known as "Flemish bond," the black-glazed ends of the headers alternating with the red stretchers laid lengthwise for the purpose of ornamentation, as was frequent in early days. The old building has been raised in height and added to in recent years.

During the few days the British were encamped in Birmingham and Aston, after the Battle of Brandywine, the good people of Bethel were annoyed and plundered by the foraging parties of the enemy. The latter appropriated the personal property which the Continentals had forgotten to impress, for many of the Revolutionary soldiers swore and stole equally to any troopers under the sun. After both armies had marched away it was a lucky household that could boast of a pair of blankets, while poultry and pork, silverware and silver money, whiskey (essential as bread in those days) and watches had almost wholly disappeared. That section of country was swept comparatively clear of horses and neat cattle, while in a number of cases the residents were left entirely destitute of food. This loss occasioned by the presence of armed forces was large in Bethel, but the value of the articles taken by the British plundering parties cannot now be ascertained, for no returns were made, so far as has been learned, in that township, in conformity with the act of Assembly providing for the filing of sworn statements of the damages sustained by the people in those sections of the State through which the invading army made its way.

In June, 1872, a reunion of the descendants of John Larkin, Sr., and Martha, his wife, took place at the old homestead in Bethel. There were eighty persons present, among whom were three brothers and four sisters, the eldest being seventy-seven and the youngest sixty-three years old. John Larkin, the first of the family in Delaware County, was born in Lower Chichester early in the eighteenth century, and after his marriage with Esther Shelley, of Chichester, 1731, he removed to Bethel. In 1799 his two sons, Isaac and ____, were living in the township, the first owning a farm of two hundred and seven acres, and the latter one hundred and twenty-one acres. Ex-Mayor Larkin, of Chester, as well as all the Larkins in Delaware County, are descended from John, who settled in Bethel about 1750. I have failed to learn when the first of the family came to the American colonies, but it was certainly before the coming of Penn. That this is so the records of Cecil County establish. In a deed made by Ephraim Augustus Hermen to Thomas Larkin of eight hundred and eighty-three acres of land 1715, the indenture recites that previous to Aug. 14, 1682, John Larkin. father of Thomas, had patented that number of acres, which tract was afterwards, including many more acres, patented to Augustine Hermen. In the deed made in 1715 it is stated, "and that the said Thomas Larkin had made his right to the said land appear to be prior to the right of the Hermens, for these reasons, and for divers other good and valuable considerations, Hermen, who was then lord of Bohemia Manor, and his wife, conveyed their interest in the land to Larkin."¹

Bethel has two villges and one Corner. Chelsea, which is in the north part of the township, was formerly known as Corner Ketch (Catch). In 1833, Reece Pyle sold the land at the Corner to Robert McCall, who, in that year, built the stone dwelling he now occupies, and in the following year built the frame store. Previous to the purchase by McCall, in the last century, Caleb Perkins had a store and shoemaker's shop at the Corner; and about 1820 a small store was located, then kept by Norris Hannum, but he had discontinued business before 1833. At the latter date Mrs. Sturgis was conducting a little shop in a building occupying the lot now owned by Samuel Jester. Robert McCall continued in business there for many years, and was succeeded by John Hoffman, who in time gave place to Daniel Dutton, he to George Adams, he to James C. Armstrong, and the latter to Samuel H. Pierce, who is now conducting it, as well as discharging the office of postmaster of the village. About 1858 Chelsea was accorded the dignity of a postal station, and John Hoffman appointed its first postmaster.

Booth's Corner is located in the western part of the township, almost midway between Concord and Upper Chichester townships. In 1831, William Mousley had a log blacksmith-shop on the corner where the store of Isaac Booth is now located. In that year Wesley Clark purchased the opposite corner, and erected a wheelwright- and blacksmith-shop. In 1835, Isaac Booth purchased the ground whereon Mousley's shop stood, erected the store building, and from that time the corner took its present name.

Zebley's Corner is at the extreme southern part of the township, bordering on the Delaware State line, and boasts a store and a few dwelling-houses.

The following is a list of justices of the peace for Bethel township:

Siloam Methodist Church is a branch of the Bethel Church of Delaware, the former having been organized in 1852, at which time about fifty persons