Middletown Township.
by Dennis Kelly, who placed Charles Kelly, his son-in-law, in charge of the business there. The unexpired lease Hastings sold to John Turner & Co., who operated the cotton-mill until Oct. 27, 1827, when the land and all the mills thereon was purchased by Peter and George W. Hill. The new owners rented the cotton- and woolen-factory to James Houghton. In 1831, John Garsed located at Pennsgrove, and, in partnership with ------- Wooley, rented the old fulling-mill as a machine-shop, where they built looms and other machinery for cotton- and woolen-factories. In 1834, Garsed rented the grist-mill, which he changed to a cotton-factory, and, in partnership with William France and James Roe, carried on the business there for a short time, when Garsed withdrew from the firm and France & Roe continued the business, but finally failed. After James Houghton removed from Pennsgrove, John Garsed leased the mill, and in 1840 John D. Peirce, a son of the then owner, entered into partnership with John Garsed. The firm continued there until April, 1843, when Samuel Riddle came into possession. On Aug. 25, 1840, Peter and George W. Hill conveyed the estate to Eli D. Peirce, and on April 1, 1843, the latter sold it to Samuel Riddle, the present owner. At the time Riddle purchased, the improvements on the land consisted of one cotton-factory, ninety-six by forty-two feet and three stories in height; machine-shop, which had formerly been the woolen-factory, sixty by thirty feet; a stone drying-house, twenty-eight by eighteen feet; and a stone cotton-factory, fifty by forty-five feet, two stories in height; a block of six stone tenement houses, and a large mansion-house, which had been built by George W. Hill in 1829. Samuel Riddle took possession of the premises in 1843, and, fortunately, the flood of that year inflicted but little damage to his property. In 1845 he made extensive additions to the mill, and in 1872 erected a stone woolen-mill one hundred and twelve by sixty-five feet, three stories and a basement in height. In 1881 he built the brick mill, one hundred and thirty-five by sixty-two feet. The Glen Riddle mills at the present time contain fourteen thousand cotton spindles, twenty-four hundred woolen spindles, and three hundred and sixty looms. Three hundred and eighty operatives are employed. The goods made at these mills are tickings, cheviots, and doeskins.
Parkmount Mills. - Samuel Riddle, a cotton manufacturer, in 1829, moved from Riddle to Chester Creek, Peter Hill having agreed to erect for him a cotton-mill above the forks of Chester Creek. This factory, known as the Parkmount Mills, was operated by Samuel Riddle until 1841, after which it was leased by John Dixon and others, finally by the Callaghan Brothers, during whose occupancy it was burned in 1863. In the year 1866, Burnley, Gledhill & Co. erected on the site the present mill, fifty by one hundred and fifty feet. They manufactured both cotton and woolen goods. In 1870 the Parkmount Mills Cotton and Woolen Company was organized, with George Mollison, president, John Burnley, secretary and treasurer, and Francis Butterworth, superintendent. The mill contains at present time ninety-six looms, five sets of cards, and eighteen hundred spindles.
John Burnley, the son of John and Mary Burnley, was born in Littletown, Yorkshire, England, May 14, 1820. After receiving a fair English education he learned the trade of a spinner, and soon after determined to seek a wider field of labor in America. On the 12th of September, 1838, he sailed from Liverpool, and on his arrival removed at once to Cobb's Creek, Montgomery Co., Pa., where George, his eldest brother, was already established as a manufacturer of cotton fabrics. With him he sought employment, and remained as one of his most valued assistants until May 2, 1844, when he removed to Darby Creek, in Delaware County, and became a partner with his brother in the manufacture of jeans. On removing to Lenni, in connection with George Mallison and George Gladhill, under the firm-name of Burnley & Co., he rented the Parkmount Mills at this point, and began the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods. He retired in 1870 from active business, but two years later, together with George Mallison and Francis Butterworth, resumed his business relations, the firm being known as Burnley & Co., which was changed in July, 1878, to "The Parkmount Cotton and Woolen Company, Limited." Mr. Burnley continued thus actively engaged until his death, on the 26th of November, 1883, being secretary and treasurer of the company. He married Mary Lomas, daughter of James and Mary Lomas, whose children are William, Adeline (Mrs. Edward Marland), Frances Ann (deceased), John Edward. Mrs. Burnley died Aug. 1, 1881, and he was again married, March 1, 1883, to Alice Lomas, sister of his first wife. Mr. Burnley was in politics a Republican, but devoted to the interests of his business, and gave little attention to matters associated with the political world. He possessed great business capacity, strict integrity, and a genial nature, which endeared him to all who were favored with an intimate knowledge of the man. His religious preferences were for the Protestant Episcopal Church, in which faith he was educated. Mr. Burnley was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of Protection Lodge of Independent Order of Odd-Fellows of Philadelphia. The business which he aided in establishing is conducted as formerly, his interest being represented by the estate. The grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Burnley are John H. Burnley, Florence B. Marland, and Mary Lizzie Burnley.
John and Mary Burnley were residents of Levisage, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, where their son, Charles, was born on the 21st of June, 1808. Here and in the immediate vicinity his youth was spent. After limited educational opportunities he entered a blanket manufactory, where his father