Darby Borough.

on this occasion, so tradition says, that Washington was presented with a superb white charger as a testimonial of the high regard in which he was held by a number of his admirers residing in Darby and its vicinity. I can find no record of this presentation to Washington and doubt it, although I have seen it so stated in newspaper articles on several occasions. In 1790, after the formation of Delaware County, Samuel Ash had license at the old inn, and continued there until 1820, when, having become a very aged man, he was succeeded as landlord by Stephen Howe. The latter changed the title of the tavern to that of "The Drove," by which name it was known until 1833, when Samuel R. Lamplugh became the manager of the inn, and again the old sign in a measure was restored so far as the name "Compass" was concerned, the word "Mariner's" being omitted. In the year when Lamplugh obtained license L. Kittenger ran a line of stages between Darby and Philadelphia, which left the Cross-Keys on Fourth Street in the latter city daily at 9 o'clock A.M. and 5 P.M., while the schedule time of departure from Lamplugh's tavern was 7 1/2 A.M. and 5 P.M. In December of the same year, J. Tomlinson having purchased the line from Kittenger, placed on the route a large omnibus, the "William Penn," which, when it first rumbled into Darby drawn by four black horses, awakened the then quiet village to an unusual degree of excitement. In 1836 William Russell had license for the house, and the ancient and noted inn took again its time-honored title in full. In 1837, after Tomlinson sold his stage route to John Smith, Cameron & Keogh started an opposition line of omnibuses between Philadelphia and Darby, making their headquarters at Russell's house. The rivalry between the two inns and stage lines continued, and the enterprise apparently not proving remunerative to Cameron & Keogh, the latter disposed of their business to Evan S. Russell, a son of the tavern-keeper, who continued the stages as the "Express Line of Omnibuses," while to add to the attraction at his house, William Russell ran in addition "a safe and easy carriage and two horses from his house in Darby." In 1844 William Russell was succeeded by William Russell, Jr., and he, in turn, in 1849 by Evan E. Russell, a brother of the preceding host. Although I do not find previous to this time the inn styled the Buttonwood from the records, I distinctly remember that about 1846 it was popularly known by that name. The old tree from which the inn was called, which stood before the door and had become so decayed on one side that the cavity was built in and supported by brick-work, is among my earliest recollections of Darby. It is related that Thomas Leiper, who used to stop his horses at the inn, always had his carriage to stand some distance off, declaring the old buttonwood would fall some day and he did not propose to be under it when it fell. In 1855 James H. Malin became landlord of the inn, which he dubbed anew as the "Girard Hotel." The sign hung on a frame on Main Street, and it was not until 1866, in Malin's petition for that year, that the house was called "The Buttonwood Hotel." In 1871 Malin was succeeded by James H. Lloyd. In 1879 the old tavern was taken down and the present hotel erected on its site. The Buttonwood is now kept by Thomas H. Boyd.

In 1880 the stone house which had formerly stood near the old Steel mill, and was moved bodily several hundred feet to the main street, was licensed as the Arlington House, but after a brief period the court refused to continue the privilege there.

The noted Blue Bell Inn, which is located just over the county-line, on the east bank of Crum Creek, during the Revolution was kept by the Paschall family. Townsend Ward relates that on one occasion "Gen. Washington stopped there, and chanced to hear the girls in the kitchen (there were three of them) chatting about him, one of them saying she would like to kiss him. He opened the door and inquired which of them it was who was so willing, but none would speak, for they greatly feared the majestic man. 'Then I will kiss all of you,' he said, and descending, as Jove did, he kissed them all, but it was in that proper manner so becoming in the days of our grandfathers. Until 1855 the venerable dame, who long survived her sisters, was wont to relate the incident with no little pride."¹

A Few Old Houses and their Owners. - About a half-mile below Darby, on the Southern post-road, the residence of the late Judge Andrews, was the farm of Nathaniel Newlin. He was a man of great prominence in the county, and, notwithstanding his declaration during the Revolution that "he found King George's government good enough for him," he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1790; in 1791-92 was a member of the Assembly; in 1794-99, State senator from Delaware County, and was several times offered the nomination for Congress by the dominant party, but declined it. His residence subsequently became the property of Judge Andrews. On March 2, 1849, James Andrews and two Philadelphia police-officers made the arrest of a gang of thieves. His barn had been robbed of a number of articles, and suspicion rested on a colored family named Brown, living near Calcoon Hook. Armed with a search-warrant, Mr. Andrews and the officers searched the dwelling of Brown, and three hundred hams, three shoulders, and thirty-five chickens were found, besides watches, fine table-linen, clothing, harness, and many other articles. The colored man attempted to stab Andrews, but was prevented. Eight persons were arrested, committed to jail, and subsequently tried. On Friday, June 14, 1850, in the orchard of this estate, an unknown man was found suspended by the neck, where he had hung himself several hours before being discovered. The