254 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1742. 



rate being 2d. in the pound and "6s. a head upon freemen." 

 The house of John Chadds was favored with the meetings of the 

 Commissioners for several years. 



No less than three persons offered to serve the office of County 

 Treasurer, gratis, in 1741. The Commissioners appointed 

 Joshua Thompson, one of the numljer, but Joseph Brinton, the 

 late Treasurer, complaining that he still had unsettled business 

 in the office, and being willing to serve at the same cheap rate, 

 Thompson relinquished the office in his favor, upon the con- 

 dition, however, that he was to hold it during the year 

 following. 



A proposition was made to the Commissioners for a ferry on 

 the Brandywine " on the road from Concord to Maryland by the 

 erection of wharfs, where the creek overflows, & renders peoples 

 landing very difficult." 



In the trial of criminal cases, it appears to have been the 

 practice, since the early settlement of the Province, only to em- 

 ploy counsel in those of serious import. In these cases the most 

 able counsel in the Province were engaged. The following 

 minute from the Commissioners' books shows the amount of 

 compensation alloived in such cases : 



"Allowed John Kinsey Esq'^ an order on the Treas"" for the 

 sum of <£3 128. being his fees as Kings attorney at the tryall of 

 James O'Donnelly and Richard Graham, 26"* of May last." 



Besides the counsel, there was another officer specially em- 

 ployed for trials in the Oyer and Terminer, as will be seen by 

 another minute : 



"Allowed John Ross, Gent, an order on the Treasurer for the 

 sum of three pounds ten shillings, for officiating as clerk of the 

 Crown at a Court of Oyer and Terminer held at Chester, for the 

 tryal of James O'Donnelly & Richard Graham, the 26"" of May 

 last." 



Richard Graham was sent away in ^Hhe Privateer^'" for which 

 additional fees were allowed. 



Considering the scarcity of money in these early times, the 

 amounts collected by the Quakers in their meetings, for char- 

 itable and other purposes, is really astonishing. Haverford 

 Monthly Meeting contributed in 1741 X35 6s. lOc^., and Con- 

 cord meeting £21 10s. Qd. toward the relief of the sufferers by 

 the great fire at Charleston, S. C. 



A controversy brought before Chester Monthly Meeting in 

 1742, between Thomas Dell of the one part, and John Crosby 

 and Peter Dicks of the other, reveals the fact, that previous to 

 this time the latter had erected a forge on Crum Creek. The 

 precise location of this early forge cannot at this time be desig- 

 nated. 



