Birmingham Township.

"Earl Percy succeeded his father in 1786, but was summoned to Parliament in 1777, as Baron Percy. He married, in 1764, Lady Anne Stuart, 3d daughter of the Earl of Bute, by whom he had no issue, and from whom he was divorced by act of Parliament in 1779.

"In the register of Westminster Abbey the following entry duly attests his burial there:

"1817. July 19. The most noble Hugh Percy, Duke and Earl of Northumberland, Earl and Baron Percy, Baron Lucy, &c., &c., (died) at Northumberland House, Strand, July 10th, aged 75. (Buried) in the Northumberland vault in St. Nicholas Chapel.'

"Earl Percy's father was Hugh Smithson, 2d son of Sir Hugh, who was 3d Baronet of Stanwick, county of York. Hugh Smithson succeeded to his father's title and estates to 1749-50, and married Lady Elizabeth Seymour, whose father was Charles Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset (known as the proud Duke of Somerset), and who was, in 1749, created Earl of Northumberland, he having married Lady Elizabeth Percy, only daughter of Josellne, 11th Earl of Percy, who died in 1670, at the age of twenty-six, without male issue. Sir Hugh Smithson assumed the name of Percy, and was created, in 1766, Earl Percy and Duke of Northumberland. He was succeeded by his 2d son in 1786, who died in 1817, and was buried, as before mentioned, in Westminster Abbey.

"A glance at the Percy pedigree in Burke's 'Peerage' is sufficient to convince any one that Earl Percy (of 1777) could not possibly have had any male relatives of his name who could have been present at the battle of Brandywine in 1777. There were, however, several children of the Duke's (Earl Percy's father) who were recognized as his illegitimate offspring by different mothers, two of whom were buried in Westminster Abbey, in the South Cross. They were named Philadelphia and Dorothy Percy. The former died in 1791 and the latter in 1794.

"They had a half brother James Macie, who some years after assumed his father's name of Smithson, and who died in Genoa, Italy, in 1826, and is the same person who left his fortune, which was large, to found the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, D. C. He commences his will thus, 'I, James Smithson, son of Hugh, first Duke of Northumberland, and Elizabeth, heiress of the Hungerfords of Audley, and niece of Charles, the Proud Duke of Somerset.' So that this James Smithson was well born both on his father's and on his mother's side.

"The Proud Duke of Somerset received this sobriquet on account of his intolerable pride. After his wife's death he again married, and it is recorded that on one occasion his new spouse, who was also of high birth, placed her hand upon his shoulder. Thereupon he drew himself up in a haughty manner and said, 'Madam! my first wife was a Percy, and she never dared to take that liberty.' He was also fond of remarking that he really pitied Adam, 'for he had no ancestors.'

"After reading Judge Futhey's communication, one feels inclined to think that there must have been some foundation for the various statements and traditions current in the neighborhood of the battle-field, coming down, as they have done, from the life of such respected and truth-telling old Friends as he cites, and it is not at all improbable than an illegitimate son of the Duke of Northumberland was wounded and died and was buried on the battle-ground. But supposing there was such a one, his name need not necessarily be looked for amongst the British list of dead, under the name either of Percy or Smithson, for many of different names claimed paternity of Earl Percy's father."

Mills. - The story of the Brandywine in reference to the industrial establishments located along that creek, as well as those on its tributary streams in Delaware County, is interesting. In attempting to relate it, I propose to begin at the Delaware State line, and follow the creek up to where the line dividing Chester and Delaware Counties intersects with that stream. Beaver Creek empties into the Brandywine just south of the circular line, and there, partly located in Delaware County and partly in the State of Delaware, is the grist-mill of Marshall Brinton. "The Beaver Valley Mills" at one time were owned by Thomas Gibson, a practical millwright, who, in 1808, sold them to John Farra, who repaired or rebuilt the mills. At the latter's death the estate was sold to Lewis Smith, and he subsequently conveyed the mills to Marshall Brinton, who enlarged the building by addition of an upper story and put in improved machinery. The mills are now owned by Joseph Brinton. Following Beaver Creek, near the highway leading to Smith's bridge, was a woolen-factory, built in 1817 by John Farra, who leased it to La Forrest brothers, but in 1824 it was burned, and remained as the flames had left it until 1830, when it was rebuilt on part of the old walls as a paper-mill. As such it was occupied by William and John Gilmore for a year, when Farra took possession, and manufactured paper therein until his death, in June, 1832. He was succeeded by his son, Daniel. On May 15, 1851, the paper-mill in its turn was destroyed by fire. The property then passed into the ownership of Frank Tempest, who rebuilt the mill and added to the machinery an engine, so that either water or steam-power could be used. Still following the east branch of Beaver Creek, on the same highway, near Tempest's mill, in 1809, Peter Hatton built a fulling-mill, and in 1817 he erected a woolen-factory, wherein were manufactured flannels, satinets, cloth, etc. The fulling-mill has gone to decay, but the factory is still standing, now idle for the purpose it was built, the water which formerly furnished it power being now used to assist in driving the machinery in Tempest's paper-mill, both mills now being owned by the Tempest family. In 1826 the two mills were supplied with water by the same race. The machinery consists of one pair of stocker and two carding engines. The business was carried on by his sons, Samuel and Gideon Hatton. In 1843 the Hatton mill was owned by Philip Hizer, and the dam there was washed away in the flood of that year. In the bend of Beaver Creek, just beyond the circular line, in the State of Delaware, was the woolen-factory built in 1825 by Charles Dupont, and operated by Lewis Sacriste, but the structure was washed entirely away in the flood of Aug. 5, 1843. Farther along its east branch, in close proximity to the line of Concord township, is located the old Green saw-mill. It was built shortly after the beginning of this century, and subsequently became the property of Reece Perkins, who owned it in 1843 at the time of the flood; afterwards it was owned by Daniel Farra, Jr., then by Samuel Talley, and now by William Hinkson. On the west branch of Beaver Creek, according to the map of Dr. Joshua Ash, in 1848, there was an axe-mill, - edge-tool works, - owned by William Morrison. I have no information respecting this establishment.

Returning to the Brandywine, just below the Delaware State line is Smith's bridge, which was built on piers in 1816, and in 1822 was swept away in a freshet. It was rebuilt, to be again carried off by the water in 1839. At the side of where the single-arched bridge now stands is a ford, which is occasionally used to this day. Following the creek above Smith's bridge, in the bend of the stream, is Willis' or Corner Ford. On the day of the battle of Brandywine, Gen. Armstrong's lines extended to that point for the purpose of preventing the English troops from crossing there.