Haverford Township.

"Beginning att the school kill, thence running W. S. W. by the City liberties 2256 perches to Darby Creek, Thence following up the several courses thereof to New Towne Line, Thence up the said line N. N. W. 448 perches, Thence S. S. W. and by W. by New Towne, 998 perches, to a corner post by Crumb Creek, Thence down the several courses thereof 460 perches, Thence W. and by S. by a line of trees 1920 perches, Thence N. N. W. by a line of trees ----- perches, Thence E. and by N. by a line of trees 3040 perches, Thence E. and by S. 1120 perches, Thence S. S. E. 256 perches, Thence E. N. E. 640 perches, Thence S. S. E. 1204 perches, Thence E. N. E. 668 perches to the School kill, Thence down the several courses thereof to the place of beginning."

The only draft of the "Welsh Tract" that has been found in the surveyor-general's office does not entirely agree with the above description. However, the original survey included the townships of Haverford and Radnor, in the present county of Delaware, besides Merion, Tredyffrin, Whiteland, Willistown, Easttown, Goshen, and part of Westtown, in the counties of Chester and Montgomery.

Meanwhile complaints concerning the actions of Charles Ashcom and others continued to be forwarded to the proprietary, and finally were noticed in the following instructions to the commissioners of property, William Markham, Thomas Ellis, and John Goodson, dated at Worminghurst, Twelfth month 1st, 1686, and read at a meeting held 3, 13, 1687:

"4thly. And whereas I formerly granted a Warr^t for forty Thousand acres for the Welch people, to Lye Contiguous on the west side of Schoolkill, and that I am informed Incursions have been made upon those Lines Contrary to Equity, as also that Charles Ashcome Refuses to make Regular Returns to Thomas Holme, Surveyor Generall, or pay him his old dues, which was one-third, from the first of his serveing under him. These are to will and Require you to Look into the same, and to do Justice both to the Welch and to the Survey^r Generall. Charles Ashcome Promising me to pay y^e said one-third part of the money for survey to the said Thomas Holme, and in Case the said Charles Ashcome shall be disorderly or Refractory, you are hereby Impowered to Displace him, otherwise to Continue him in his Imploy."

It also appears that the Welsh settlers not only contemplated having their settlements together, but expected to constitute one municipal district or "barony," in order that they might manage their affairs in their own way. They certainly had grounds for this expectation, and consequently when the division-line was run between Philadelphia and Chester Counties, through the Welsh Tract, thus separating the settlements of Haverford and Radnor from those of Merion, it gave rise to much dissatisfaction, and resulted in sending forward, through Col. William Markham, the following petition to the proprietary:

"Therefore yo^r pet^cs humbly request that what has been so as afores^d granted by parol may be Confirmed unto them & other purchso^rs & Inhabitants of the s^d Tract & their heires by Grant Charter or Ordinances containing such Jurisdictions, powers, Liberties, & under such services, Restricons and Denominacon as in Wisdom you shall Judge Expedient, &c.

It seems that no notice was taken of this petition by the proprietary, at least an answer has never been found. The Welsh, however, remained steadfast in the position they had assumed. They declined to recognize the division that had been made previously, and this led to proceedings in Council, 1, 25, 1689, as follows:

"The Secretary produced a Petition ffrom severall Justices and Inhabitants of y^e County of Chester, directed to y^e Gover^r and Councill. The Gover^r asked by Whom Subscribed: 'twas answered by none. He replyed He should not receive it without a Subscription: it was delivered to y^e persons who attended about it. They Subscribed it. The Gover^r then directed it to be read: it was read: y^e Coppy Thereoff ffolloweth (viz.):

"To John Blackwell, Esq^r., Gover^r, and the Provinc^ll Councill of Pennsylvania, &c.

"The Humble Petition of y^e Justices of Chester County in the behalfe of themselves and Inhabitants of y^e said County Sheweth: That whereas y^e said County is but a Small tract of Land, not above 9 miles square, & but thinly seated, whereby y^e said County is not able to support the Charge thereoff; Vppon our humble Request to the Proprietor & Gover^r and his Serious Consideration of our weak Condition, was pleased out of Compassion to us, to grant an Enlargement of y^e same, in manner ffollowing, viz.: to runn up from Delaware River, along darby mill Creek, y^e several Courses thereoff, untill they took in Radnor and Herford townshipps; Then downe to y^e Skoolkill; Then vpwards along the severall Courses thereoff without limmitt.

"Therefore, wee humbly pray you will be pleased to Confirme y^e said bounds, whereby the County of Chester may be in some measure able to defray their necessary Charge, and wee shall, as in duty bound, &c.

"Signed by Joⁿ Blunston, Tho: Brassie, Rand^ll Vernon, Caleb Pusey, Tho: Vsher.

"The Gover^r Demanded of y^e Petitioners how they would make out their alligations. They began to relate some passages w^ch had passed ffrom y^e Proprietor about settling the bounds of y^e County of Chester.