HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 401 



to Edgmont, or more likely in a review of that road, Henry 

 llollingsworth, the surveyor, caused an apple-tree to he planted 

 at the end of every mile. The surveyor happened to be at 

 variance with Richard Crosby, who then resided in Middletown 

 township. It8ohai)pened that one of the miles ended on Richard's 

 land, but instead of planting an apple-tree the surveyor took an 

 axe, and bent two saplings so as to cross each other at the spot, 

 saying at the same time, " Richard Crosbie, thee crosses mc, and 

 I will cross thee." Henry Hullingsworth wrote to his friends in 

 England, that he had planted an orchard nine miles in length. 

 It is said that some of the apple-trees then planted were stand- 

 ing till within a very recent period. 



Castle Back, in Edgmont, near Crum Creek, where it is crossed 

 by the West Chester road, is often visited as a natural curiosity. 



The Temperance Hall in this township has recently been pur- 

 chased by a Methodist congregation, and will hereafter be used 

 as a church. 



THORNBURY. 



One of the earliest and most influential inhabitants of this 

 township was George Pearce. The native place of his wife Ann 

 was Tliornhury, in Gloucestershire, England. Hence we can 

 readily account for the name of the township, and at the same 

 time cannot fail to appreciate the tender afi'ection that prompted 

 this pioneer settler in its selection in preference to the name of 

 his own native town. The township was organized in 1687, by 

 the appointment of Hugh Durborow as constable, when not more 

 than five or six families had settled within its limits. About 

 three-fourths of the original township was retained in Delaware 

 County, when it was separated from Chester, which still retained 

 the name of Thornbury, as did the lesser part included in 

 Chester County. 



This township was enlarged about a quarter of a century since, 

 so as to include a portion of the north end of Aston. The ex- 

 tensive paper manufacturing establishment of the Messrs. Will- 

 cox called " Glen Mills," is located in this part of the township. 



The road in Thornbury passing the farm of Henry W. Brinton 

 towards that of William D. Pennel, it is said, was laid out on an 

 old Indian trail. 



There are three Methodist churches in Thornbury, one of 

 which is for colored persons. 



