Haverford Township.

Although it has frequently been asserted and generally believed that Penn's colonists and the Indians lived together with the utmost harmony and cordiality prevailing at all times, yet that such was not the case is shown by the following: In 1685 the Friends of Haverford and other adjacent townships complained to Council against "Y^e Indians for y^e Rapine and Destruction of their Hoggs."

Haverford Street or road was laid out in 1683, probably by David Powell, who executed most of the surveys and resurveys in Haverford and Radnor townships. The Haverford and Darby road was laid out "by the Grand Jury and other neighbours," Twelfth month 7th, 1687. On May 8, 1696, a road was laid out from David Meredith's plantation in Radnor township to Haverford meeting-house. This road passes White Hall and west of Haverford College. At the same time, May, 1696, Ellis Ellis, supervisor, was ordered to cut and clear the roadway "which leads to the Limestone Hill from Darby thro Harford." A road from Henry Hames' (in Marple) to Haverford meeting-house was laid out in 1697. In describing the last part of the line, the foreman of the jury, Andrew Job, says, "running up the said line betwixt William Howell and David Lawrence, making the fence the middle of the road till it comes to the fence where we pulled downe, and so to the meeting-house where we end." Until the year 1700 the public highways were laid out by order of the grand jurors; after that date by viewers.

The men who controlled the township in early days were among the most prominent in the Welsh tract, and we may add of the county. In speaking of them Dr. George Smith has said, "It is even still more wonderful to see the large amounts that were appropriated to charitable purposes. This was particularly the case among the Welsh Friends. Every reasonable want was attended to. If a newly-arrived immigrant or a 'poor friend' stood in need of a house, it was built for him; of a plow or a cow, he was provided with one. The fields of the sick and the weak were not allowed to remain uncultivated, and their pecuniary wants and other necessities were liberally supplied. Nor was their care in these respects confined to their own little communities. Wherever suffering humanity was found our Quaker ancestors were ever ready to contribute liberally to its relief."

The following proves the last assertion of Dr. Smith to be correct, it being a receipt given by Edward Shippen, the first mayor of Philadelphia:

"This may certify that Friends of y^e Monthly Meeting at Hartford y^t David Lewellin paid into my bands for y^e distressed in New England, fourteen pounds four shillings, ass^d about y^e 7th Mo. last passed, for which sum I gave him a Receipt as witness my hand in Philadelphia, y^e 23^d of 12th Mo., 1697/8.

The taxables residing in the township in 1722 were Richard Hayes, Samuel Lewis, Henry Lewis, John Havard, Daniel Humphrey, David Llewellyn, David Lewis, Humphrey Ellis, John Parry, Henry Lawrence, Thomas Lawrence, Edward Jones, John Thomas, Samuel Rees, Rees Price, Thomas David, Walter Lloyd, Joseph Lewis, Griffith Evan, and Daniel Rees.

In 1754, in accordance with an order issued by the justices of the peace then sitting as a Court of Quarter Sessions, etc., a list of township officials from 1682 to 1753, inclusive, was made out, which also showed the date of settlement in the township of such officers. From this list, which is still in part preserved in the township records, we learn that the following-named early residents of Haverford, to 1700, began their residence here during the years indicated:

Lewis David, Henry Lewis, William Howell, 1682; John Lewis, David Lawrence, Morris Llewellyn, Ralph Lewis, John Richard, William Sharpus, 1683; William Lewis, 1686; Richard Hayes, Thomas Rees, 1687; Humphrey Ellis, Ellis Rees, 1690; Robert Wharton, 1696; John Rees, 1698; Evan Williams, Abraham Lewis, and David Lewis, 1700.

In August, 1758, the tax-payers of Haverford were as follows:

Henry Lawrence, Samuel Humphrey, John Wilcox, Edward Humphrey, Lewis Davis, Charles Humphrey, Rowland Parry, William Lawrence, Jeremiah Ellis, Daniel Lawrence, Thomas Vaughan, Jane Lawrence, Anne Miller, David Llewellyn, Cloise Johnson, Obediah Wilder, Thomas Cornock, William Young, John Johnson, Samuel Johnson, William Brown, Philip Foreman, Daniel Thompson, John Lewis, John Ebelon, Tesley Guyger, Samuel Tuston, Isaac Tuston, Ludwick Knull, Griffith Owen, Frederick Bittle, William Ellis, Alexander Soley, William Thomas, David Cornock, Michael Kimball, James Dockerty, John Cook, Philip Tupper, James Sampson, William Townsend, John McCormick, George Schofield, Alexander McDowell, James Harper, Benjamin Hayes, Abraham Musgrove, John Vaughan, Robert Taylor, Isaac Vaughan, Thomas Ellis, Thomas Vaughan, Thomas Simons, and John Erle.

The early inhabitants of Haverford, being chiefly Friends, were opposed to wars and the fitting out of warlike expeditions among them. Yet that some of its residents participated in the expeditions under Braddock, Forbes, and Stanwix, as wagoners, etc., is proven by Roger Hunt's account-book, wherein are found the following entries:

"Haverford. Robert Armor entered one wagon Sept. 25. Credited by 5 bags of Speltz, weighing C, 8, 2, 22, and 6 bbls flour, weighing C, 13, 2, 22; mileage from Harford to Carlile and back, 222 miles. Whole amount £27 18s. 5 3/4d. Settled Oct. 27, 1759.

"Thomas Hubbart entered one wagon; credited by 112 days, July 11 to Oct. 31, 1760, @ 15s. 0d. Cash advanced, £30.

"Copy of Mr. Ourrey's Certificate and Discharge of William Jones, Wagon Driver for Mr. Thomas Hubbart's wagon for Haverford Township:

"'This certifies that I have this Day discharged W^m Jones, wagoner of George Aston's Brigade, with his wagon and Geers and two horses;