Middletown Township.

tition" (remonstrance), signed by Robert McClellan, James Ewing, William Lindsay, and sixteen others, was presented, which stated that "Peter Trego," (doubtless an error in the first name) "had set up keeping a publick house or Ale House in Middletown, in which were already two Taverns, - one on Philada. road and the other on Chester road. Besides this is situated so very near that place which many of us have set appart in a peculiar manner for our meeting together to worship the Great Creator of Heaven and Earth, having our younger people to accompany us, &c." The court refused the license, for the petition is indorsed "not allowed."

William Noblit, in 1738, petitioned for license to keep tavern in Middletown, but on Aug. 29, 1738, a remonstrance was presented, signed by Elizabeth Jack, Mary Pennell, Mary Pilkinton, Rebecca Chance, Mary Grible, Ann Wills, Martha Blace, and Elizabeth Campbell, denying the necessity of the license, "since there are two taverns already in the township," and designate them as kept by William Hill, eight miles from Chester, on road to Valley, and Charles Crosley, on Concord and Philadelphia road, about one mile from Noblit's, and his application failed.

Black Horse Hotel. - William Noblit again, Nov. 27, 1739, presented his petition, in which he informed the justices that he "having newly built a Commodious stone house upon the great road Leading from Chester to the Valley, about three-quarters of a mile from the Presbyterian meeting-house where Commonly is a great resort of people, and as some having ten or fifteen miles to travel to the sd place of worship," is necessary for the public generally. His petition is indorsed by one hundred and forty signatures. A remonstrance bearing date November 16th, signed by sixteen persons, set forth that his "house is not above one and a half miles from William Hill's tavern, and a mile from Charles Crosley's." The court, however, yielded to the majority and allowed the license desired, and thus was established the now ancient public-house, whose history is interwoven with so many noted incidents in our county annals, the "Black Horse Hotel."

William Noblit had license continuously from the date last given until the year 1763, although his name does not appear on the list of licenses from 1754 to 1758, both years inclusive; but inasmuch as his name occurs again in 1759 to 1762, in all probabilities during the five years before mentioned he had license granted to him. In 1763, as stated in the account of Hill's tavern, one or other of the names there given - Thomas Caldwell or Joshua Bean - had charge of the old house, while in 1764, Thomas Carrell, or Carvell, was "mine host." In 1765, Nathan Edwards (who on Aug. 31, 1742, asked for license on the "Great Road from the Valley to Chester," and whose signers on that occasion represented that "the Publick houses near him on the sd road for a Considerable time have been disorderly kept, as we are informed, to the General disatisfaction of the neighbourhood," without, however, obtaining Edwards the license sought), became the landlord of the tavern and continued so until 1783, in which year Ezekiel Leonard assumed the business, and remained there until he became sheriff of Chester County, in the fall of 1786, when he was succeeded by Richard Cheyney, whose petition, in 1787, for the first time presents the now familiar name "Black Horse" as the title of the inn. Cheyney was licensed the following year, and in 1789 Benjamin Johnson prayed for and was granted the right to keep there a public-house. Johnson continued there until 1792, when he gave place to Joseph Gibbons. In 1793 James Pennell had license from the court of Delaware County for the "Black Horse," and again in the following year, 1794, when he died.

This James Pennell had previous to his removal to Middletown kept tavern in Chester, and respecting his death Mrs. Rebecca Brobson, of Chester, who died in 1863, at a very advanced age, used to relate the following particulars: While a resident of the latter place, as an attraction for the public, he kept a tiger, whom he had taught to perform a number of tricks, and as the creature was apparently very docile, he had no fears of the animal. This unusual spectacle, at a time when there were no monstrous traveling shows to entertain the masses, drew many persons to Pennell's tavern, and frequently the owner of the beast could be seen exhibiting to a crowd of gaping rustics how tractable it was and how promptly it obeyed his commands. Pennell, when he became the landlord of the Black Horse, took the animal with him and continued the exhibitions. One day, while showing the people his entire control of the tiger, he forced it to do many tricks over and over until it became enraged, and, springing upon Pennell, it tore him with its claws so badly before it could be driven back that the unfortunate man died in a few hours thereafter.

In 1795 his widow, Lydia Pennell, received the license, and annually thereafter until 1802, when she intermarried with David Esbin, who in that year became the landlord. The following year the house was kept by Elizabeth Vernon, who remained there until 1806, when George Pearson was "mine host" of the Black Horse, to be succeeded in 1808 by James Fairlamb, and he in the following years had the license transferred to Frederick James. In 1811, James Hansley was the landlord, and in 1813 John Clayton had the court's approval, while in the following year Jacob Pyle did the honors of the house, and in 1816 Reuben Taylor was his successor.

The Black Horse Tavern in 1817 was presided over by Sarah and George Hawkins, and they in 1820 gave place to George Irwin. The latter in 1822 was followed by George Malin. The central position the venerable inn occupied made it a point where frequent public assemblages were had to discuss important political