Upper Darby Township.

In 1869 the brick building used for the parochial school of St. Charles Borromeo Church at Kellyville was erected. The school-house is forty by sixty feet, two stories in height, and is under the control of the Catholic Church there, from which it receives its name.

The following are the directors of the public schools for Upper Darby, as found in the election returns on file at Media:

1840, Dr. George Smith, John Kirk; 1842, Nathan H. Baker, William U. Black; 1843, George Smith, John Kirk; 1844, John Sellers, William Jones; 1845, John Sellers, Lewis Watkins; 1846, John Kirk, George Smith; 1847, William Jones, James Shillingford; 1848, John Sellers, Nathan H. Baker, Joseph Hibbard; 1849, John Kirk, George Smith; 1850, Nathan Garrett, Edward Garrett; 1851, John Sellers, Samuel G. Levis; 1852, George Smith, John Kirk; 1853, Nathan Garrett, Edward Garrett; 1854, John Sellers, Samuel G. Levis; 1855, George Smith, John Kirk; 1856, Nathan Garrett, Jacob Shoester; 1857, Samuel G. Levis, John Sellers; 1858, Dr. George Smith, Thomas Kirk; 1859, Nathan Garrett, Jacob Shoester; 1860, no report; 1861, Thomas Kirk, Amos Bonsall; 1862, Jacob Shoester, Nathan Garrett; 1863, Samuel G. Levis, John S. Maris; 1864, Amos Bonsall, Thomas Kirk; 1865, Nathan Garrett, Jonathan Evans; 1866, John Sellers, Samuel G. Levis; 1867, J. Harrison Levis, Jonathan Wolfernden; 1868, Nathan Garrett, Jonathan Evans; 1869, John Lewis, Dr. R. A. Givin; 1870, John Sellers, William Watkins; 1871, William H. Ring, J. Harrison Levis; 1872, John Levis, Nathan Garrett; 1873, J. D. Rhoads, John Sellers; 1874, Jonathan Evans, Nathan Garrett; 1875, John Levis, William Watkins; 1876, James D. Rhoads, Joseph Powell; 1877, Oliver B. Moss, George Hearle; 1878, John E. Levis, William Watkins; 1879, Joseph E. Bowers, James D. Rhoads; 1880, George E. Burnley, Albert Johnson; 1881, William Watkins, John Levis; 1882, George Heath, George Lyster; 1883, George Burnley, William A. Johnson; 1884, William Watkins, H. M. Hoffner.

First New Jerusalem Church of Delaware County. - Prior to 1830, James Robinson, a manufacturer, then operating the factory now known as Clifton Mills, who had been a lay preacher of the Swedenborgian Church in England before emigrating to Pennsylvania, began the dissemination of the tenets of that religious faith in Upper Darby, a Sunday-school being organized in the picker-room of the old factory building at the mills now operated by Thomas Kent. Occasional services were also held in the Academy building at Haddington. From this movement a church organization was effected, with the following persons as members: David Snyder, Charles Sellers, Samuel Sellers, Jesse Hayes, Edward Levis and wife, Morris W. Heston and wife, Benjamin Thomas and wife, George Trites and wife. On June 7, 1830, the corner-stone of the present church edifice, on the Marshall road, near Naylor's Run, was laid, a large number of persons being present from the neighborhood and Philadelphia. Mr. Robinson conducted the services, explaining the fundamental principles of the New Jerusalem faith, during which a heavy shower of rain interrupted the ceremonies for a short time. After the stone was in place, Rev. Mr. Carll, of Philadelphia, addressed the assembly, and in his remarks stated that "they had laid the corner-stone of that church in the name of Jehovah, one God, and that Jesus Christ was that God," and he hoped "that the church erected thereon might never be appropriated to the worship of a Trinity, or more than one God, as distinct and separate beings." Mr. Carll was followed by the Rev. Mr. Roach, and the services were concluded with a prayer by Mr. Robinson. The church thus built was erected on the land of Frederick and Edward Levis long prior to the lot being donated, for it was not until July 31, 1833, that the owners of the real estate conveyed the half-acre of ground to Morris W. Heston and George G. Trites, trustees of the church. Rev. Manning B. Roach and Rev. Isaac C. Worrell were in charge of the church. On Sept. 2, 1861, the court incorporated the New Jerusalem Society of Edenfield, Delaware County. At the present time the church is without a pastor, and services are rarely held in the old building.

Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal Church. - In 1834 a society of Methodists effected an organization in Upper Darby, meetings for public worship being held at the private houses of the members until early in 1837, when it was resolved to erect a meeting-house. On Thursday, June 27th of that year, the corner-stone was laid at Pleasant Hill, about a quarter of a mile from Palmer & Marker's paper-mills, which were subsequently known as Tuscarora Mills. Rev. M. Coomes conducted the services on that occasion. The locality was selected because of its proximity to the paper-mills, for from the employés there its membership was largely drawn. The struggling church was under the care of the Philadelphia Conference, and, after the paper-mills had been converted into factories, by George Burnley, the society grew rapidly. After the organization of the Clifton Methodist Church, in 1871, the elder church was placed under that charge. In May, 1884, Pleasant Hill Church celebrated the semi-centennial anniversary of its founding. The church membership is now about fifteen persons.

Clifton Methodist Episcopal Church. - This religious society was organized in 1871, and immediately began the erection of the present brick church, forty-five by sixty-five feet, the building fund being largely the contribution of Richard Young, of Springfield. The church was at first under the charge of the Rev. M. H. Sisty, who was untiring in his efforts to establish the organization on a firm basis. The corner-stone of the church building was laid Thursday, Aug. 10, 1871, the pastor, Rev. M. H. Sisty, Rev. F. A. Fernley, and other clergymen taking part in the ceremony. The edifice was erected at a cost of eight thousand dollars. Rev. Mr. Sisty has been succeeded in the pastorate by the Revs. J. Y. Ashton, J. P. Miller, William Magee, M. Barnhill, and N. Turner, who at the present time is in charge of the church, including that at Pleasant Hill. The membership now consists of seventy persons, and there is also a Sunday-school with one hundred and thirty pupils, of which Isaac Lord is superintendent. The foundation for a parsonage is now (July, 1884) laid on a lot adjoining the church.