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Chapter XXXI
Birmingham Township. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Justices Of The Peace For Birmingham.
Schools. - The first school-house in Birmingham township, in this county, was located on a lot conveyed by John Burgess, April 30, 1806, to Jesse Green, Peter Hatton, James Smith, John Chandler, and John Hecklen, in trust, for "the use of a school, but for no other purpose whatever." In the deed Burgess reserved the timber growing on this lot. A stone school-house was built there by the contributions of the neighboring residents. It was located in the southeastern part of the township, and for many years was known as Mount Racket, the name being derived from the noise made by the children in play. Brinton Dick was the teacher here at one time. In 1825, Eli Harvey gave the use of an old hipped-roof house, which had been built before the Revolution by Chads, it is said, for school purposes, and, in addition to the house, furnished the firewood gratis. This building was used as a school until the public school system was adopted. About 1826, Joseph Russell lived at the Baptist Church, and taught school in a shed adjoining his dwelling. He also taught in the hipped-roof house already mentioned and in Chads' spring-house, then owned by Haddock, at the village, which was used before and after the school law went into effect. Milcena Gilpin taught a subscription school in the dwelling-house that stands near the old Butcher Mill, the property being then owned by her father, Isaac G. Gilpin. This was about the years 1828 to 1830. Near Dilworthtown, on Thomas Williamson's property, was a frame school-house, the lot being an acre of ground, which Williamson sold for one dollar. This school was discontinued in 1841, when the directors purchased a tract containing sixty-one square perches from John D. Gilpin, and the old school building and lot thereon reverted to Gideon Williamson. The school law having been accepted, the following named school-houses were built by the school directors. In addition to these places where "the young ideas were taught to shoot," there was an octagon building erected near Squire Robert Frame, known as the Frame School-House; another, near the property of Robert Bullock, and therefore known as the Bullock School. After the public-school system was adopted these old buildings ceased to be used or became the property of the township. On May 23, 1837, forty-four square perches of land was purchased from John Heyburn, on the highway leading from |
1 Brinton seems to have conducted himself in his office in such a manner that complaint was made to the Senate and House of Representatives. In the journal of the latter body for Jan. 11,1816, from the report of the committee it appears that Brinton had been charged with demanding and receiving illegal fees, altering his docket by interlining without the knowledge of one of the parties to the suit, to the injury of the latter; refusing to furnish transcript of his docket when demanded and legal fee tendered for such transcript, fining persons for the violation of laws unknown to the people of the commonwealth, demanding and receiving the cost from a man's back to satisfy costs, and on one occasion it seems he commanded a person brought before him on a writ to go down on his knees and ask his (the justice's) pardon, which the man did. The House and Senate, on Jan. 16, 1816, adopted the following address:
"To Simon Snyder, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The address having been forwarded to the Governor, the latter, on March 19, 1816, sent the following message to both Houses of the Legislature:
"A supersedeas under the great seal of the State has issued, predicated upon, and carrying into effect the address of the Legislature for the removal of Joseph Brinton, Esq., late Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Delaware. The following is the supersedeas and the sheriffs return, as appears of record in the recorder's office, at Media:
"Whereas by a commission under the hand of my predecessor, the late Governor McKean, and the great seal of the state, dated at Lancaster the 20th day of May, in the year One thousand Eight hundred, you, the said Joseph Brinton, were appointed a justice of the peace in and for the district numbered two, composed of the township of Concord, Aston, Birmingham, Upper Chichester, Thornbury, & Bethel, in the County of Del. And, whereas, by an address to me from both houses of the Legislature for the reasons therein contained, it is recommended and requested that you may be removed from the said office.
"Now know you that in compliance with the recommendation & request contained in the afsaid address from the General Assembly, and by virtue of the authority of same in such case given in and by the Constitution of this Commonwealth, I do hereby revoke and annul the afsaid Commission of Justice of the peace, & all and every the powers rights & duties incident thereto. Given under my hand And the Great seal of the State at Harrisburg, the thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixteen and of the Commonwealth the fortieth.
"Aff. & Sub. Feb. 8. 1816, "Dan'l Thomson, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||