162 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1687. 



But the Court " considering the premises, and finding it to be 

 for the common good, dispenseth therewith." The propriety of 

 erecting this mill was not wholly left to the decision of our County 

 Court. The petition of " about three score people inhabitants of 

 Chester County," was presented to the Provincial Council, "set- 

 ting forth the great want of a Mill in their parts, and requesting 

 a permission for Thomas Coebourne to goe forward with y*" build- 

 ing, and setting up his mill on Chester Creek." Whereupon the 

 Council express a willingness " to give incouragement to y*" Pro- 

 cedure of Thomas Cobourne in the finishing of his mill that he is 

 now about, for y^ urgent necessity of y^ contrey, Reserving to 

 y* Gov'' his Proprietary Ship." This mill, it is supposed, occu- 

 pied the site of what is now "Button's Mill."^ 



At the June Court, the want of a bridge over Chester Creek, 

 on the King's road, is again presented by the Grand Jury ; the 

 same want, for Ridley and Crum Creeks, is also presented. Quite 

 a number of persons were presented and fined for being drunk, 

 and some for sufiering others to be drunk in their houses; for 

 selling liquor to the Indians, or for keeping an Ordinary without 

 license. In one "liquor trial," the terms '-^ Punch and Tife" 

 are used by a witness as names for drinks then in use. Drunken- 

 ness appears to have been a growing evil, and, as at the present 

 day, much of the time of the Court was occupied with cases con- 

 nected with the illegal sale or immoderate use of liquor. The 

 following is among the presentments of the Grand Jury this 

 year: — 



" The Grand Jury doe also present Anne Neales,^ Widow, for 

 keeping and harbouring doggs that \vorries and kills her neigh- 

 bours Hoggs ; as alsoe for deteining in her service one Indian 



1 Caleb Pusey made a further effort to prevent the erection of this rival mill through 

 the instrumentality of the Commissioners of Property. The following singular man- 

 date, issued by William Markham and Jno. Goudson, members of the board (which 

 Cobourne disregarded), will explain the whole matter: — 



" To Thos. Cobourne, of Chester County." 



" Whereas we the Proprietary Deputies (upon complaint made to us by Caleb Pusey 

 that thou wast about to set up a mill in Chester Co. to the great damage of the mill 

 there under the charge of the s"* Caleb pusey which hath been of vast charge to the 

 owners thereof & but of little profits (yet) toward defray? any part thereof,) did on the 

 22* Inst, obligingly send to thee to give thee notice thereof and to desire thouwouldst, 

 ye 29"' following answer the si^ complaint before us in the Council Room at Phil, but 

 instead thereof thou sent a letter of the 26"" inst. by w^^ we perceive thou dust not 

 only contemn the proprietarys authority & endeavour to subvert his dominion over all 

 the water and soile within this his province of Penns^^ as he is chief prop.^ thereof, but 

 likewise intended to persist in the builds the mill afores* to the damage of the other 

 mill and contempt of the proprietaryship " 



" We therefore in the propJ'^ name will and require thee to desist from building the 

 s^ mill (with' positive orders from the prop^ for the same) or any way hinder the true 

 course of the water of the s^ Cr or any part thereof by draws it out of its own proper 

 channel or stop or any other way molest the same upon thy peril. — GiV" &c. SO"" 5 mo. 

 1687." Minutes of Property Book C. p. 6. Harrishurg. — The closing paragraph was 

 ordered to be read to Thomas Cobourn, and then " to be nailed up at the mill he is 

 building." 



2 She was the widow of Neals Laerson. 



