Upper Providence Township.
rine, daughter of Hugh Low, of Philadelphia, whose children were John, born in 1797; Hannah G., in 1798 ; Hugh L., in 1800; Mary, in 1801; Annie, in 1805; and William, in 1806. Mr. Tyler died Oct. 8, 1823, and his wife, March 21, 1825. Their son, Hugh Low, was born March 20, 1800, in Salem County, N. J., where he resided until the year 1852. He enjoyed such advantages of education as the schools of the neighborhood afforded, after which, at the age of twenty-two, he engaged with his brother, John, in the business of tanning in Salem, N. J. Three years later he continued the business on a farm owned by him. In the year 1840, having decided to retire from the active pursuits he had followed, he became a successful farmer, and added to his landed property by the purchase of another farm in the same county. In 1852 he removed with his family to Delaware County, Pa., on a farm owned by his wife. Mr. Tyler was married on the 16th of December, 1835, to Mary Miller, daughter of George Miller, of Upper Providence township, Delaware Co., whose children are William Levis, whose birth occurred Sept. 12, 1834, and his death July 18, 1871; George Miller, born May 8, 1836; and John Edgar, born Oct. 5,1842, who resides upon the Miller homestead in Upper Providence. George M., also of the same township, married Emma V. Weaver, daughter of Jacob Weaver, of Philadelphia, and has four children. J. Edgar married Anna, daughter of Edward Hicks, of East Goshen, Chester Co., Pa. Mr. Tyler was actively associated with the Whig party in politics, and later became a Republican. He was identified with the township in various official stations, and was at one time a candidate for the State Legislature. He manifested much interest in matters tending to advance the development of the township both in its social and material aspects. He was in religion a Friend, having been educated in the faith of his fathers. The death of Mr. Tyler occurred March 8, 1883, aged eighty-three years, and that of Mrs. Tyler, Nov. 24, 1881.
Radnor Township1
The township of Radnor, as regards its area, location, and population, the wealth of its inhabitants, its commercial advantages and traveling facilities, the fertility of its soil, and its picturesque views, is surpassed by but few rural districts in a broad region teeming with the essentials, and, it may be added, the consequentials of affluent modern life. It embraces the extreme northern portion of this county, thus having for its boundaries Montgomery County on the east, Chester County on the west, and Haverford township on the south. Its first settlers were natives of Radnorshire,2 Wales, hence its name.
2 Radnor is mentioned in Welsh history as early as A.D. 1196, during which year, it is stated, it was burned by an invading foe.
As already intimated, this township was settled by Welsh Friends, and was included in the "Welsh Tract," of which Haverford, Merion, and a number of other townships formed part. In 1681 a Welsh gentleman, named Richard Davies, purchased five thousand acres of land from William Penn, in England, which he sold soon after to various purchasers. The whole, or nearly the whole, of this tract was located in Radnor, - chiefly in the southern half, - though there is no evidence that the grantor, Davies, ever visited this country.
The highway known as Radnor Street or road, which in its straight course through the central part of the township, in a direction nearly north and south, divides it into two parts almost equal in extent, was laid out in 1683, and it is probable (from the fact that settlers were then becoming numerous in Haverford) that the first settlements were made here during the same year. John Jerman, or Jarman, as it is frequently written, Stephen ap Evan, David Meredith, Richard Miles, John Morgan, Evan Protherah, Richard Ormes, William Davis, Howell James, and about as many others, were the first to settle in Radnor. All were Welsh Friends, and all were domiciled here in less than four years from the date of William Penn's first arrival in this province.
The first white child born in Radnor was John Jerman, Sr.3 This event took place Ninth month (November) 12, 1684, in the vicinity of the present Friends' meeting-house. Stephen Evans' daughter, Sarah, whose birth occurred Fifth month 25, 1686, was the first female child born of European parents in the township.
In 1687, "Upon ye Reading ye petition of ye Inhabitants of Radnor, Complayning yt part of ye road yt leades to the ferry of Philadelphia is fenced in, & more likely to be, it was Orded yt John Bevan, Henry Lewis, David Meredith, John Evans, Barnabas Wilcox & Tho. Duckett meet within fourteen days, to view or agree upon as conveniently as may be, a Road from ye place aforesaid to ye ferry, and ye Like Convenient road from Darby to ye ferry aforesaid, by ye said Barnabas Wilcox, Tho. Duckett, with John Blunston & Joshua ffearne [Fearne], by ye time aforesaid, and to return ye same, &c."4
Until about 1690 the Welsh settlers of the "Welsh Tract" refused to participate in any measures, or to attach themselves to any district in which municipal government had been established, claiming a promise from the proprietary (William Penn) that they should