Thornbury Township.

Snyder appointed him president judge of that court, and when the court was continued, the same Governor recommissioned him. After presiding for eight years he resigned, and was elected to Congress, where he served three terms, until 1831. He was a partner with Tucker, in Philadelphia, in the manufacture of porcelain, which resulted in a pecuniary loss. He died in Philadelphia, May 29, 1842.

Roads. - That part of the road from Thornbury to Middletown which extends from Westtown road through Thornton to the western end of the township, at Brinton's farms, is said to have been laid out by the grand jury over an old Indian trail. At the court held in the latter part of the year 1687, "The Inhabitants of the Township of Thornbury Petitioned for a Highway to y^e River Delaware, Ordered that y^e Grand Inquest doe lay out a Convenient Highway, & y^t George Pearce be assisting." At the court on "y^e 5th of y^t 1st month, 1688/9," the grand jury had performed that duty, for on that it appears that "Wee of y^e Grand Inquest for y^e County of Chester have laid out y^e Road from Thornbury to Middletown, Beginning att a Spanish Oake vpon Thomas Bradford's lands, near Thomas Evinson's, along y^e lyne of marked trees, through Edward Beason's Land; thence along y^e lyne of mark^t trees through John Simcock's Land to a marked Walenutt standing by Chester Creeke; thence Crossing y^e Creeke along Edward Blacke's Land, along y^e lyne of marked trees, through Joshua Hasting's land, along Crossing y^e head of Caleb Pusie's land; thence through David Ogden's land to Middletown road, ending att a marked white Oake standing by y^e Road side."

Although the grand jury so accurately returned the highway which they had agreed upon, it appears not to have been immediately opened to public use and travel, for, on the 9th of Tenth month, 1691, to the justices was presented "a petetion of Inhabitants in & about Thornbury for a cart way to Chester, Ordered the clerk to send an order to y^e Grand Inquest to Lay out a convenient Road for y^e Town of Thornbury to Chester." This order was obeyed, and early in 1692 the grand jury report the following as their "return of a road to Thornbury :"

"Beginning at a marked tree by Edward Carter's, which was marked by a former Grand Jury, and so along a line of marked trees to John Baldwin's fence, and then by John's consent over a corner thereof through a corner of his field, and so along to a black oak, being a corner of John Nield's land, and from thence down to John Nield's field, and by his consent over a corner thereof, and so through the creek and up the hill by Gilbert Williams' Barn."

Perhaps this return was so plain to the understanding of the justices that no further difficulty was encountered in laying out the highway. At all events, the good people of Thornbury got the road they so much craved.

The tax rate of Thornbury in 1715, then including the original township, was:

The list of the taxables in the township in 1799 is as follows:

George Brinton, Daniel Broomall, John and Joseph Brinton (miller), Thomas Brinton, Joseph Baker, Nehemiah Baker, John Cargrove, Mary Cheyney, Edith Cheyney, Samuel Cheyney, Jesse Cheyney, Joseph Cheyney, Curtis Cheyney, John Cheyney, Eleanor Davis, Joseph Eveson, John Edwards (justice of the peace), Mary W. Frazer, Abel Green, Wills Hemphill, Ann Hemphill, Thomas Hall (wheelwright), Abner Hoopes (saddler), Thomas Hickman, Joshua Hoopes, Ezra Hoopes, John James, John Harvey, Lewis & Hemphill (forge and appurtenances), Lewis & Yarnall, Josiah Lewis (storekeeper), Joseph Moore (storekeeper), John Marshall (wheelwright), Richard Mercer, Henry Myers (grist- and saw-mill), Caleb Pyle (woolcomber), Levi Pyle (weaver), Stephen Pyle, Thomas Candes, Richard Parker. Jacob Parker, John Pence, Sr., Caleb Peirce, Joseph Peirce, Esther Hughes, Robert Pennell, John Reed, Hugh Reed, Thomas Scott, Abraham Sharpless, William Thatcher, Daniel Thompson, Daniel Trimble, Sarah Thompson, Joseph Woodward, William Williamson, Abraham Williamson, William Yarnall.

Inmates. - Ezekiel Johnson (shoemaker). John Harvey (weaver), John Johnson (tailor), David Esbin, Edward Churchman, John Cheyney (tailor), John Woodward, Joseph James (blacksmith), James Bailey (blacksmith), George Fox (tailor), Jonathan Lewsley, John Bail (forgeman), James Hannum (carpenter), Robert Logan, James Hickman, Esther Hughes, Thomas Condes.

Single Freemen. - John Smith (shoemaker), William Thatcher, Jr., Jacob Pyle (shoemaker), Isaac Pyle (weaver), James Pyle (weaver), John Lindsay (blacksmith), George Stanley (wheelwright), Samuel Cheyney (saddler), Joseph Cheyney, Aaron Holms (tailor).

The following persons have served as justices of the peace for Thornbury township:

Wayside Church. - This handsome stone sanctuary was erected by an association whose membership is composed of persons associated with different Protestant religious sects. The society was organized in 1871, with the avowed purpose of erecting a church edifice which should be free to all Protestants to hold service in. The lot was donated by William H.