196 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1698. 



imbued with Keithian doctrines. A list of those who con- 

 tributed towards fencing the grave-yard is also given. 



As travelling by land increased, the inhabitants of Chester 

 felt more strongly the inconvenience of being located at a 

 distance from the King's highway — the main thoroughfare of 

 travel between the northern and southern Provinces. To bring 

 the main road through the town, a bridge over the creek would 

 be required, and to secure this object, "several of y^ Inhabi- 

 tants of y" town & countie of Chester & others," presented a 

 petition to the Governor and Council. But this petition was 

 met by a strong remonstrance, and after the matter had been 

 considered in " Grand Committee," that is, a meeting of the 

 Council and Assembly together, it was put "to the vote of y* 

 s** grand committee, whether a bridge should be built over the 

 navigable part of Chester creek, as is petitioned, it was carried 

 in the negative, nemine contradicejite."^ So ended the matter 

 at this time. 



At the July Court, a deed was acknowledged to John Sim- 

 cocks, John Blunston, Samuel Levis, Jasper Yeates and Jonathan 

 Hayes, the Justices of the County, " for all that piece of land 

 whereon the neiv court house stands, contayning in breadth to 

 the street twenty nine foot back to Chester creeke, unto them 

 and theyr sucksessors for ever : the deed bearing date the ninth 

 day of the fourth month called June An. Dom. 1697."^ 



A road was in 1697 laid out "from Henry Hames, (in 

 Marple,) to Haverford Meeting House." The closing part of 

 the report of the Grand Jury in laying out this road is rather 

 remarkable for the evanescent character of the land marks they 

 fixed on to identify the route they selected. When they ap- 

 proach the meeting-house they say : " running up the said line 

 betwixt William Howell and David Lawrence — making the 

 fence the middle of the road till it comes to the fence where we 

 pulled downe, and so to the meeting house where we end." 



Andrew Job, Foreman. 



There was also a cart-way reported, " for the convenience of 

 the county, from the corner of Walter Faucetts fence to Darby." 

 This is the first laying out of the king's highway between the 

 points mentioned. 



The number of servants brought into Court to be "Judged," 

 has greatly increased. More than thirty were brought to a 

 single Court. In some instances the Justices direct that they 

 shall be taught to read and write. 



The Justices were exceedingly strict in seeing the law enforced 



' Col. Ree. i. 488-493. 



'^ This is the lot now owned and occupied by Frederick Fairlamb, Esq. It is 

 known as the "old prison" lot. — ^ee Appendix, Note H. 



