1684.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 



151 



whicli it lijul been divided. As collectors, Thomas Worth and 

 Joshua Fearne were appointed for Darby ; Mons. Stacket and 

 William CoI)l>, " for Amoseland & Calcoone Hook;" Thomas 

 Usher and Jeremy C«dlet for Chichester ; Richard Crosby and 

 Andrew Nelson for Providence ; James Kenerly and Randolph 

 Vernon for ''Ridley and in the woods;" Richard Crosby and 

 Edward Carter for Chester; Jonathan Hayes and James Stan- 

 field forMarple; John Minall and Thomas King for Concord 

 and Bethel. 



For Supervisors of the Hiffhways, the following appointments 

 were made; "from Naaman's Creeke to Marcus Hook, alias 

 Chichester, Walter Martin ; from Chichester Creeke to Chester 

 Creeke, John Childe ; from Chester Creeke to Croome Creeke, 

 Robert Taylor." John Hendrickson was appointed for Amose- 

 land and Calcoone Hook, ^lichael Blunston for Darby, and for 

 Marple, Thomas Person [Pearson]. 



So numerous had the live stock become that were allowed to 

 range the woods promiscuously, that it became necessary for 

 each farmer to have a particular mark and brand, and the 

 law required that a record of these marks should be made. 

 A goodly number of such records is found in the minutes 

 of the Court, and is continued through many years. The 

 following are given as specimens of such records made this 

 year : 



" George Maris' Cattle marks, a slit in the tip of the near 

 year: — his Brand Mark G. M. ' 



" The ear mark of John Blunston of Darby, a crop in the 

 near ear and a hole in the far ear : — his Brand Mark I. B." 



At the Court held in December, 1G84, " Joseph Cookson was 

 presented by Robert Wade for taking a wife contrary to the 

 good and wholesome laws of this Province." He was ordered 

 "to finde security in tenne pounds," but appears not to have 

 been troubled any further about the matter. 



The first report of '' the Peace Makers" was made to the 

 Court this year, though from its date, the case had been acted 

 on nearly a year previously. It diflfcrs but little from an award 

 by arbitrators, except that one half of the amount awarded was 

 to be paid " in good and merchantable wheate and rye att the 

 common market price on this river." 



The acknowledgment of deeds, as has been mentioned, was 

 now made in open Court, and the practice was continued until the 

 number acknowledged at a single Court became a large item of 

 business. The following is a specimen from the minutes of the 

 September Court of this year : 



"Arnoldus Delagrange past over a deed in open Court unto 

 Christopher Taylor for the Island commonly known by the 



