1687.] niSTORY OF Delaware county. 103 



boy Chfito, who with the said dogg, have been found to worr^' & 

 kill the neighbours hogs as aforesaid." Anne was fined lOs., 

 altliough she denied the ownership of the vieious dog ; and An- 

 drew Friend' became bound "to tlie King and Governor in 20£ 

 for the Indian boy's Cato's good [behaviour] towards all the 

 Kings Leidge people." 



The rai)id spread of population over the whole extent of terri- 

 tory now included within our County, created a necessity for 

 highways. Hence we find the Grand Jury much engaged in 

 this and the following year in laying out roads. A road was 

 laid out from Birininghaui to Concord, from thence to the bridge 

 near Chester mill, and from thence to Chester. This road 

 passed "the Hamlet of Bethell," Another road was laid out, 

 " from Edgmont to the Kings High way in Chester, being a sixty 

 foote road;" another "from Newtown, Marple & Springfield to 

 the landing at Amosland," and also one from Darby to Haver- 

 ford. This last road was laid out " by the Grand Jury and 

 other neighbours^'' under an order from the Court "that the 

 township of Darby finde out a convenient High way from thence 

 to the township of Hartford." 



Neither was the Provincial Council neglectful in providing our 

 edrly settlers with highways. " Upon y* Reading y" petition of 

 y* Inhabitants of Radnor, Complayning y' part of y*" road y' 

 leades to the ferry of Philadelphia is fenced in, & more likely to 

 be, it was Ord'''' y' John Bevan, Henry Lewis, David Meridith, 

 John Evans, Barnabas Wilcox & Tho. Ducket, meet within four- 

 teen days, to view or agree upon as conveniently as may be, a 

 Road from y^ Place aforesaid to y^ ferry, and y^ Like Conve- 

 nient road from Darby to y^ ferry aforesaid, by y*" said Barnabas 

 Willcox, Tho. Ducket, with John Blunston & Joshua fearne, by 

 y* time aforesaid, and to return y" same &c." 



The early records that have been examined in the preparation 

 of this work, establish the fact that the wolves congregated very 

 much in the vicinity of the settlements — that they were more 

 numerous in the neighborhood of the Delaware after considerable 

 settlements had been made, than when the country was first 

 visited by the Dutch and Swedes. This is accounted for by the 

 introduction of domestic animals, which furnished an easy prey 

 for these voracious creatures- Their depredations had become 

 so alarming, that this year it became necessary to order a levy 

 for their destruction, as well as "other hurtful vermine." 



The rate of this levy was one shilling per 100 acres upon 

 occupied, and eighteen pence upon unoccupied lands, and a poll 

 tax of one shilling upon freemen between the ages of 16 years 

 and 60, and sixpence upon servants of the same age. 



1 Andrew Friend was the eldest son of Neals Learsou by his wife Anne. 



