Radnor Township.

years later, for, in 1721, committees were appointed in Haverford and Merion for raising funds for the completion of Radnor meeting-house.

During the winter passed by the American army at Valley Forge, an outpost of the patriot army was maintained in Radnor, on property which is owned by Tryon Lewis. About seven acres of heavy timber, near the middle of a large tract of woodland, was cleared by the troops while stationed here. This was afterwards cultivated, and was well known in the neighborhood for many years thereafter as "the campfield." Radnor Friends' meeting-house, which is a little more than half a mile distant from this campground, was occupied in connection with it, probably as officers' quarters and for hospital purposes. The records of the society show that they were deprived of the use of their meeting-house early in the year 1778, "in consideration of its being occupied by soldiers," and that it required considerable repairs before it was put in a condition for holding a Monthly Meeting, which was not till near the middle of 1780. Says Dr. Smith, "It is probable that during the winter and spring most of the scouting parties that served to restrain, in a measure, the foraging of the enemy within our limits, and at the same time to prevent disloyal farmers from carrying their produce to the city, were detached from the outpost at Radnor."

The meeting-house is still in a fair state of repair, and, with an addition (built in later years at the east end for school purposes), is used for holding occasional meetings of the society. The first body interred in the graveyard attached to this meeting-house was that of Gwenllian, the wife of Howell James, who was buried Eleventh month 31, 1686.

Radnor Methodist Episcopal Church. - About ten miles west from Philadelphia, on what is called "the Old Lancaster road," stands an old, time-honored building, which has been known for several generations past as the Radnor Methodist Episcopal Church. Standing on the summit of one of the most beautiful hills of Radnor, it commands a fine view of the surrounding country; and so long has the church been associated with the hill that the latter is generally termed "Methodist Hill."

The history of this church goes back to the primitive days of Methodism. Indeed, many of the illustrious pioneers of Methodism in this country have officiated on this ground, among them such men as Bishop Coke, Richard Whatcoat, and Francis Asbury. Dr. James¹ has stated that the first Methodists who visited Radnor were two local preachers named Adam Cloud and Matthew Greentree. They preached Sunday afternoons in Haverford, alternately at Hughes' and Effenger's. This was during the Revolutionary war. Soon after, or about 1780, Radnor became a regular preaching-place, and was supplied by circuit preachers. The place of worship was a house occupied by the James family, known then as the "Mansion House." This house is still standing.

It appears that the first class was organized about the year 1780, and that George Gyger was appointed first class-leader. Radnor was then embraced in the Philadelphia Circuit. The preachers officiating in this circuit in 1780 were John Cooper and George Main. In 1781 the name of the circuit was changed to Pennsylvania Circuit, and the preachers appointed were William Glendenning, Samuel Rowe, and Isaac Rollins. In 1782 the circuit and preachers remained the same, with the exception of Samuel Rowe, whose place was filled by John Coleman. In 1783 the name of the circuit was again changed and called "Chester," - Reuben Ellis, John Hagerty, and Thomas Haskins becoming the preachers. On the 20th day of October of the same year, Evan Jones and his wife, Margaret, appeared before Justice Thomas Lewis, and acknowledged to have sold for seven shillings a half-acre of land "on which a meeting-house was to be built for Francis Asbury and his assistants, in which the doctrines of John Wesley, as set forth in his four volumes of 'Sermons,' and in his 'Notes on the New Testament,' were to be preached and no other."

The church was immediately commenced, and ere the expiration of many months was completed, though under many difficulties. Dr. James relates that "one day while Aquilla McVaugh was at work hauling stones for the new meeting-house, one of his acquaintances passing along called to him, saying, 'What are you doing there, Aquilla?' He replied, 'I am helping to build a meeting-house for the Methodists.' ' Well, there is no use of you doing so, for they will all soon be as cold as cucumbers; there will soon be no more Methodists.'" Jacob Gyger, David and Isaac James hauled the water from the creek by means of a barrel on a sled with which to mix the mortar. However, despite the many disadvantages under which they labored, its builders had the church edifice completed and dedicated in 1784. The first trustees were Isaac Hughes, Sr., Edward Hughes, Michael Cline, Griffith James, Abram Hughes, Mark Evans, Jesse Yocum, and William Jennings.

The circuit this year (1784) was called Philadelphia, the preachers being Le Roy Cole, Joseph Cromwell, and Jeremiah Lambert. Under the various names already mentioned, the territory embraced in the circuit was the same.

In 1785, the church having been formally organized, the circuits were placed under the charge of elders, although they were not then called districts. The first presiding elder under whose supervision