The Borough Of Media.

Up to this time meetings had been held in private dwellings, in the court-house, and elsewhere.

On Sept. 12, 1872, the society, consisting of twenty-two members, was reorganized as "the First Baptist Church of Media" by a council composed of ten neighboring churches. The Rev. H. C. Applegarth, who had filled the pulpit since 1875, became the regular pastor in 1877. He was succeeded, in October, 1878, by Rev. T. G. Wright, who served the congregation until April, 1881, when the present pastor, the Rev. W. R. Patton, assumed charge.

This church has about seventy-five members, and its Sunday-school about one hundred and thirty.

Hicksite Church - Providence Meeting-House. - The Minshall Meeting was first held in the house of John Minshall far back in the last century. The foundation of the house and the old well are still to be seen. Their location is such that State Street when extended will pass over them. The first meeting-house here was built on an acre of ground given by John Minshall for the purpose, and he subsequently gave another acre for a graveyard. The house, which was of stone, with a hip-roof, was used for many years, but was torn down about 1812 to make place for the j present one. Phoebe Foulkes is a member of this meeting, and preaches here occasionally. The meeting has about one hundred members.

Friends' Meeting-House. - In 1875 the Friends of Media and its vicinity, withdrawing from the various meetings round about, bought a lot from John M. Broomall, - one-eighth of an acre on the north side of Third Street, opposite North Avenue, - and erected upon it a one and a half story stone meeting-house. Here their regular meetings are held. In an iron safe in this house are kept the records of Chester Monthly Meeting, dating from 1682 to the present.

Media Bible Society. - An undenominational Bible society was organized at a meeting held in the Episcopal Church early in June, 1870, of which Rev. James W. Dale was president, and William Russell, secretary. Addresses were delivered by Rev. Mr. Terrence and others, after which a society was formed under the name of "The Media and Vicinity Bible Society." A constitution was then adopted, and the following officers elected: President, Dr. Joseph Parrish; Vice-Presidents, Rev. J. W. Dale, Rev. S. Hallowell, Rev. S. Lucas, William Russell; Secretary, S. B. Thomas; Treasurer, D. R. Hawkins; Managers, Miss H. Brooke, E. E. Boardman, T. J. Byles, Mrs. Mary Bishop, Miss Lizzie Haldeman, N. F. Walter, William Copperthwaite, Mrs. C. W. Rudolph, J. C. Beatty, and Mrs. Craine. The purpose of this society is to promote the circulation of the Scriptures without note or comment.

Newspapers. - The first newspaper in Media was The Union and Delaware County Democrat, a small sheet started prior to June, 1852, by Charles B. Stowe. The town was then quite small, and it is not strange that the obituary of the little sheet should have appeared in the Republican as early as Dec. 29, 1854. It read as follows: "DEAD. - The Union and Delaware County Democrat, published at Media in this county, has adjourned sine die, its editor having removed to West Chester. A good opportunity is now presented to an enterprising man with a few thousand dollars, who desires to embark in the printing and publishing business." The story of its life is sufficiently suggested by the announcement of its death.

The next newspaper venture in the new county-seat was destined to be a more successful one, and to result in the permanent establishment of what is now known as The Delaware County American. The paper was started as the Media Advertiser by Thomas V. Cooper and D. A. Vernon, and the first impression, a seven-column sheet twenty-four by thirty-six inches, came from the press on March 1, 1855. Its politics were Republican. The publication offce was on State Street.

The Delaware County Republican in its notice of the appearance of the new paper said, "It takes the place of the Media Union, a paper the publication of which was suspended for want of sufficient support to keep it alive." But it did not take the place of the Union in the Delaware County newspaper mortuary list. The proprietors had a large capital of tact, perseverance, industry, and economy, and they soon gave the paper a respectable standing among the local journals of the State. One enlargement after another added to its size until it assumed its present generous proportions, and journalistic ability kept the standard of quality fully up to the measure of quantity in its contents, The name of the paper was changed Feb. 27, 1856, from the Media Advertiser to the Media Advertiser and Delaware County American, and on March 2, 1859, the first part of the title was dropped, leaving that which at present stands at its head, The Delaware County American, although several changes have ensued at different periods. Mr. Cooper retired from the partnership July 4, 1860, and re-entered on July 12, 1865, the firm-name then becoming Vernon & Cooper, as it now exists.

The American is now a ten-column sheet, thirty-three by fifty inches in dimensions, and is a bright, newsy chronicle of Media and Delaware County affairs, and of the world's happenings as well. It is generously patronized by the people of the town and surrounding country.

Benjamin F. Niles, who for several years was the