Marple Township.

Friends' graveyard, Haverford. In some pathetic rhymes written on the occasion, it is stated that seventeen hundred persons attended her funeral."¹

In September, 1868, Hector Brown, a colored man, who it was asserted had reached the age of one hundred and seven years, died in Marple. He had been a hired man in the Fawkes family, and his recollections were said to be very vivid of the war of the Revolution, so far as the incidents of that struggle came under his notiee.

Taxables of Marple. - In the list of taxables returned in 1693, under the act providing for a tax-levy of one penny per pound on real estate and six shillings per head upon freemen, the township of "Marpoole" was thus returned:

The taxables in Marple township in 1715 were as follows:

David Morris, Thomas Pearson, Joseph Worrall, Bartholomew Coppock, Joseph Roades, Peter Worrall, Joseph Powell, Robert Pearson, Henry Lewis, Mordecai Massey, Robert Taylor, John Evans, Evan Lewis, Richard Marris.

Freemen. - Daniel Broom, Joshua Thompson, Enoch Pearson.

The taxables in the township in 1799 were:

William Afflich, Isaac Burn, John Bartram, Samuel Black, William Bolton, Mordecai Bevan, Thomas Courtney, John Cunningham, Isaac Cochran, Alexander Dorvell, Dennis Derrah, Edward Evans, John Farr, John Frame, John Grim, Jr. (weaver), John Grim, David Hall, Jr., James Heacock, Thomas Holland, David Hall, Mary Jones, Henry Lawrence, Thomas Leech, Joshua Lawrence, Jonathan Morris (physician), Mordecai Markward, Joseph Maris (weaver), Richard Maris, Jr., Elizabeth Morris, Jr., Frederick Marks (saw-mill), John Morris, Philip Moore, Elizabeth Maris, Elizabeth Morris, Thomas Manley, David Maris, Samuel McClure, Robert Neal, Christian Peterman, Samuel Pancoast, Seth Pancoast, David Pratt, Thomas Pratt, Samuel Pharaoh, Davis Reed (store-keeper), Joseph Rhoads (tanner), Algern Roberts, Hannah Rhoads, James Rigbey, Isaac Rees, Jacob Siters, Robert Scott (shop-keeper), William Sheldon, Benjamin Taylor, Levi Tyson, Mordecai Taylor, Bernard Van Leer (physician), Robert Wright, James Williamson, Abel Worrell, Joseph Worrell, Seth Worrell, Owen Worrell, Isaiah Worrell, Daniel Worrell, Joseph Worrell, James Worrell, Aaron Worrell, Nathan Worrell, John Worrell, Eneas Worrell, Benjamin Yard, James Anderson (mason).

Inmates. - William Evans, Eli Rees, Agnes Effinger, Collins McClester, Richard Price, Christina Van Leer, Joseph Sheldon, David Dunn, James Anderson (mason), John Shillingford (blacksmith), William Black (weaver), Nathan Field, John Broomall (blacksmith), Rachel Rhoads, Michael Temple, Jane Burn, Nathaniel Fawkes (mason), David Catharine.

Single Freeman. - William Grim (blacksmith), Mordecai Lawrence (carpenter), Isaac Maris (mason), Lewis Morris (tanner), James Manley, Joshua Thompson, David Peterman, Joseph Laurence, James Maris, Thomas Holland, James Heacock, John Worrell, Aaron Worrell.

At Springfield meeting-house is a small settlement known as Marple Post-office, on the line of Marple and Springfield townships. The land at this locality was sold, Dec. 31, 1742, to Robert Taylor, and in 1747 some to John Morris, a weaver, whose descendants still own a portion of the tract. Prior to 1831 a store was kept at that location by William Edwards, who was succeeded in business there by Hampden and Burdsell. In 1831 E. R. Curtis established a store there, and in 1849 he was appointed postmaster, the office being established by the United States in that year and located in his store. He has continued the store to the present time, and has acted as postmaster for thirty-five years, the duties of which he is still discharging.

At the present post-village of Broomall, in 1798, a stone dwelling was built by Hugh and Rebecca Lownes, the date-stone,

being built into the walls of the house. It was licensed in October, 1800, as the Drove Tavern, David Reed being the first landlord. About 1832 a store was established at the cross-roads by Isaac Haldeman. In 1868 a post-office was established, and named Broomall, in honor of John M. Broomall, the then member from the Seventh Congressional District. George Esrey was the first postmaster, and has been succeeded by Bernard Hawley, Garrett Williamson, Samuel Moore, and Philip Moore, Jr., the present incumbent.

Presbyterian Church. - In 1834, before the organization of the Presbyterian Church in Marple, John Lindsey, David Lyons, Daniel Conroy, and William Black, as trustees, bought of the heirs of John Craig one acre of ground at the cross-roads, a short distance from the Broomalls. The corner-stone of a church building was laid Aug. 4, 1834, by the Rev. John L. Grant. The present stone edifice was erected at a cost of $1834.73. It was completed May 17, 1835, dedicated June 1, 1835, and the Rev. Seth Bunnell preached there as a supply during the summer. On the 27th of September, 1835, a church organization was effected, with ten members, by the Rev. John L. Grant. On the 6th of December, 1835, the Rev. J. M. Bear was called to the pastorate. He was ordained and installed May 19, 1836. In September, 1838, he resigned, and on Oct. 18, 1838, Rev. John McKnight, of the Presbytery of Lewes, Del., was called. He continued in the duties of the pastorate until 1844, when he resigned, to take effect April 9th of that year.

The Rev. Marcus E. Cross, then pastor of the Knowles Presbyterian Church, acted as a supply until 1852, when the Rev. A. Rood was chosen pastor and served until 1857. In the summer of that year the Rev. James C. Laverty became pastor, and remained in charge of the church until the spring of 1859. The Rev. Beriah B. Hotchkin was then called, and was installed in October of that year by the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia. He continued in charge