HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 399 



In early times,' no provision whatever was made for heating 

 the hody of tlie Middletown church even in the coldest weather. 

 At such seasons, a fire was provided in a small session room ad- 

 joining' the church, to which the people resorted hefore taking 

 their seats in tiie congregation. For nearly a century and a 

 half, Middletown was the only Presbyterian Church in Delaware 

 County — a number of the members residing at a distance of from 

 eight to ten mdes from their place of worship. 



One of the tombstones in the grave-yard, bears the following 

 inscription : — 



" Here lieth the body of Bernhard Vanleer, M. D. Physisian 

 in Physick — who departed this life, January the 2Gth 1790 

 aged 104 years. 



" Friends weep not for me, for all your tears are vain. 

 Prepare to meet the Lord, that we may meet a;;ain." 



"His wife Christiana— died March 29th, 1815, aged 88 years 

 & 7 months." 



The earliest inscription noticed bears the date of 1724. 



Since the division in the Society of Friends, a second Friends' 

 Meeting-house has been erected in Middletown. The Methodists 

 also have one in this township. 



One of the most costly and imposing buildings in Delaware 

 County is the " Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble Minded 

 Children," located on an eminence one mile west of Media, in 

 Middletown township. The last wing of the building, which is 

 of stone, has just been completed, which enables the Managers 

 to accommodate 160 pupils. The present number is 125, of 

 whom 60 are beneficiaries of the State of Pennsylvania. 



The farm and buildings have cost about |l40,000, which 

 has been furnished by private subscription and aided by the 

 State. 



The County House, for the support and employment of the 

 poor, is also located in Middletown. 



Glen Riddle, and other manufacturing villages on Chester 

 Creek, are partly in this township. 



The site of Knowlton, up to the year 1800, was a perfect 

 wilderness. Near the head gates of the mill, there was formerly 

 the mark of a grave, the occupant of which tradition named 

 Moggey, and from that circumstance the crossing of the creek 

 was named Moggey% Ford. As Moggey had the reputation of 

 making her appearance occasionally, it required no little courage 

 in the traveler in early times to cross the ford at night. 



