The City Of Chester.

Hotel, which after the Revolution was known as the "Ship George Washington." A full investigation of the records establishes the fact that Mather never was a publican, but a practicing attorney of the courts of Chester County. He resided in this house, and by his will, June 28, 1768, devised it to his grandson, John Mather Jackson, who, on March 26, 1783, sold the premises to Edward Vernon. The latter had rented the dwelling in 1780, and had obtained license for the house, which he purchased at the date mentioned. In 1784, Vernon sold the property to Frederick Engle, who devised it to his daughter, Sarah, wife of Thomas Killie, and in 1804 the latter sold it to Preston Eyre. In the fall of the year 1814 the Bank of Delaware County was established in this dwelling, - the home of the cashier, Preston Eyre. In 1844 the latter conveyed the premises to his son-in-law, Hon. Edward Darlington, who resided there until 1858, when he in turn sold it to Mrs. Jane Flavill. On March 25, 1863, Thomas Moore purchased the house and lot, and carried on therein a hardware-store with success. Mr. Moore retired from active business several years ago, since which time he has devoted himself to scientific studies, and to him more than all others the city is indebted for the establishment of the Chester Institute of Science and Mechanic Arts.

The Old Lloyd House (Second and Edgmont Avenue). - David Lloyd obtained title for the green, or the church land lying between the creek and Welsh Street, and south of Neeles Laerson's tract of ground to the river Delaware, Dec. 28, 1693, by deed from the church wardens to the Swedish congregation "at Wiccocoe," which act on his part is criticised severely by Rev. Mr. Ross in his letter, June 21, 1714, to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. "Ye Glebe lands," he said, alluding to this tract, "was irreligiously sold by some Swedes under ye name of church-wardens, to a powerful Quaker, who now plows and sows it, and disposes of it at his pleasure, but 'tis hoped his precarious title will be one day inquired into, and the Church restored to her rights again." This tract, which had been given to the Swedes' church by Armgard Pappegoya, could not be wrenched out of the strong grasp of David Lloyd, and notwithstanding the determined opposition of Jasper Yeates, he succeeded in having the land confirmed to him by the proprietary government.

That the house at the southeast corner of Edgmont Avenue and Second Street was built by David Lloyd seems absolutely certain, since in his deed to William Pickles, May 4, 1703, it is specifically set out in the indenture that the house was at that time erected. Its appearance supports the statement, for its architecture marks it as contemporaneous with the Logan and Hoskins houses. The executors of the estate of William Pickles sold the premises to John Baldwin, and the estate passing to Baldwin's grandchildren, John Baldwin and John Pierce, they sold the house to Jonas Preston. The latter built a wharf on the creek, part of the stone placed there for that purpose being removed when the present Second Street bridge was erected. Adjoining the wharf by the creek-side he erected a stone store-house, which stood until after the middle of this century, when it had degenerated into a place to keep swine. After the death of Jonas Preston the premises were purchased by John Wall, a merchant of Philadelphia, who had married Hannah Grubb, widow of Richard Flower, of Chichester. The purchaser never lived in the house, but after May 16, 1777, John Flower (Wall's step-son), on his marriage to Elizabeth Beethom, at the Chester Meeting, resided in the old building. It is traditionally stated that Elizabeth Flower was so alarmed when the battle of Brandywine was fought - the noise of the distant cannonading could be heard in Chester - that she was taken ill, and so serious were the effects of her fright that she lingered a long time on the eve of dissolution, and died in October of the following year. In 1782, John Wall sold the property to William Siddons, who kept a tavern there in 1778-79.

A short time prior to the Revolutionary war Siddons was charged with the murder of a peddler of jewelry, who was found with his throat cut near Munday's Run, and the body robbed of all the money the dead man was supposed to have about him at the time of the homicide. When the crime was perpetrated, and Siddons was under suspicion, a rhymster of rude verse of that day composed a ballad, beginning, -

Siddons was arrested, indicted, and tried, but on the hearing of the case he was enabled to prove a complete and uncontradicted alibi, while the prosecution was predicated purely on circumstantial evidence, which failed to connect the accused in any direct way with the commission of the crime. The fact that he was charged by some of his neighbors with a felony of such hideous character embittered his entire after-life. William Siddons died June 22, 1820.

The dwelling subsequently was purchased by Lewis Ladomus, and in 1869 was occupied by John Hanley, a well-known citizen of Chester, from whom the Hanley Fire Company derived its name. "Jack" Hanley, in the latter ten years of his life, was totally blind. He died in 1874. The old Lloyd house is now owned by Jonathan Pennell.

The Barber House. - David Lloyd, under date of June 14, 1699, conveyed a lot on the northeast corner of Second Street and Edgmont Avenue to Robert Barber, and he it was who erected the dwelling adjoining the present Edgmont House to the east. The house was an imposing one in its day. The pent-roof over the second-story window still remains, although