1758.] HISTORY i)F DELAWARE COUNTY. 267 



they were supported, partly at the puhlic expense, and partly by 

 private charity. Actuated by compassion for the distressed 

 condition of these poor people, the Assembly as soon as possible 

 passed an act providing for their distribution throughout the 

 counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Lancaster. Three 

 Commissioners were named in the act for each county, to make 

 this distribution, and to transact other business connected with 

 the comfort of these poor Frenchmen. The Commissioners for 

 Chester County were Nathaniel Pennock, Nathaniel Grubb, and 

 John Ilannum. 



The overseers of the poor were obliged to receive these poor 

 creatures, and to provide for their immediate wants ; but the 

 Commissioners were authorized to put them in a way to support 

 themselves, by the purchase of stock, &c,, which was to be paid 

 for out of a public loan recently authorized by the Assembly. 

 But one family could be located in a township. 



Notwithstanding this kind treatment, some of these French- 

 men, by their misconduct, subjected themselves to the suspicion 

 of having evil designs against the Government. Six were ar- 

 rested and imprisoned by authority of the Governor, two of 

 whom resided in this county, Paul Bujauld at Chester, and Jean 

 Landy at Darby. 



For some cause, an enumeration of the members of the Roman 

 Catholic Church was made in 1757. The number (who took 

 the sacrament) in the Province was 1365, of whom only 120 

 resided in Chester County. 



In early times it was usual for religious meetings to commence 

 at noon, or sometimes at one o'clock, P. M. The time of com- 

 mencing Darby week-day meeting of Friends, was this year 

 changed from twelve to eleven o'clock. 



Public attention now became almost wholly engrossed with 

 making preparations for the prosecution of the war and the 

 defence of the Province. Of these, the limited scope of our 

 work will only permit a notice of such as have a local interest. 



In the course of the discussions that ensued, several articles 

 appeared in a Dutch newspaper, published at Germantown by 

 Christopher Sower, which were supposed to be aimed against the 

 King and the Government. In consecpience, fourteen High- 

 landers, from a regiment lately arrived at Philadelphia, "^ere 

 dispatched to the printer, with a written order to meet General 

 Forbes " at the tavern sign of the Buck on the old Lancaster 

 road."* Sower repaired to the place indicated, and being sub- 

 jected to an examination bj Gen. Forbes and the Governor, who 



1 This tavern was located in the N. E. corner of Haverford township, and up to the 

 completion of the railroad to Columbia, continued to be regarded as one of the most 

 noted public houses in our county. 



