188 HISTORY or DELAWARE COUNTY. [1694. 



Thomas for Merion, see y' sufficient fences be kept in his respec- 

 tive neighborhood." And again in the proceedings of the 

 following month, this minute occurs : 



"It is ordered by this meeting and consent of the inhabitants 

 of the townships of Haverford and Radnor, in pursuance of a law 

 in that case made y* y^ inhabitance of y*" s'^ two townships should 

 pay Is. per hundred^ toward y** takeing of Wolves. Wm. 

 Howell, William Jenkins, for Haverford, and David Meredith 

 and Stephen Bevan for Radnor, to receive y^ s'* Taxe." 



Previously to the disownment of George Keith, as has been 

 mentioned, the minutes of the several monthly meetings are silent 

 in regard to him. Since that time he is frequently noticed, but 

 not with respect. The first is by Chester Meeting, which orders 

 " that [copies] of the paper written by Jane Biles as a testimony 

 against George Keith and his company and separation and 

 abusing friends, (which said paper being read and well approved 

 of), be obtained," to be disposed of "for the general service of 

 truth." The first meeting-house at Chester appears to have 

 been completed in 1693.^ A meeting-house at Radnor was 

 also completed and brought into service about the same time. 



The Society of Friends have been in advance of other religious 

 sects in providing comfortable quarters for their horses at their 

 places of worship. The first provision made for this purpose, of 

 which there is any record, was at Haverford in 1694, when a 

 committee was appointed by the meeting, " to get a stable made 

 adjoining this meeting house." 



In early times, township meetings assumed the right of enact- 

 ing rules and regulations, or rather to make laws, for their re- 

 spective townships. Unfortunately but few of the ancient records 

 of our townships have been preserved. The following items 

 have been extracted from the Darby township book : 



"Agreed that this meeting begin at Eleven o'Clock in the 

 forenoon, and that the constable give notice the first day before." 



"And it is also agreed that the said town's meeting be held on 

 the third day of the last week in the twelfth month, (yearly) to 

 appoint officers for the ensuing year, at which time the officers is 

 to give up their accounts." 



" Agreed that none of the inhabitants of this Town take any 

 horses or mares either to keep in winter or summer, nor no cattle 

 in summer except they keep them within their own fenced lands, 

 upon the penalty of five shillings per head for every month." 



1 Hundred acres of land. 



2 This meetinghouse has been torn down within a few years past. Since the 

 earliest recollection of "the oldest inhabitant" this building lias been pointed out as 

 that in which the first Assembly of Pennsylvania held its sittings. That the main 

 building was erected by the society of Friends at this period for a meeting-house, on 

 a lot that had been purchased by them for that purpose, the evidence is conclusive ; 

 and the author has failed to discover that it was used for any other than meeting 

 purposes while it continued to be owned by the Society of Friends. 



