402 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 



BIRMIXGIIAM. 



The origin of this name for the township is not difficult to ac- 

 count for. Its earliest settler, William Brinton, migrated from 

 the neighborhood of the ancient English city of that name, and 

 it is not wonderful that he should have selected for his wilder- 

 ness home the name that would recall to his memory the earliest 

 and most pleasing associations of his life. Birmingham was 

 organized as a municipal district in 1686, by the appointment 

 of John Bennett constable. Richard Thatcher served that office 

 for Birmingham afterwards, although he at that time resided on 

 the Thornbury side of the line that divided the two townships. 



Birmingham was also one of the townships that was divided 

 in running the line between Chester and Delaware Counties. 

 Nearly tAvo-thirds of the original township fell to the share of 

 Delaware County. 



In very early times a small company mill stood on Brinton's 

 run near the site of the present mill of George Brinton. A 

 little lower down was the " Town Pound," extending a little 

 into the water. The miller's house belonging to the old mill is 

 still standing. 



There are many localities in Birmingham where events of in- 

 terest occurred during the battle of Brandywine, that have been 

 pointed out to me, but it is believed that those of most interest 

 are embraced in the account of the battle already given. 



Brandywine Baptist Church has already been noticed. The 

 present church edifice is a substantial stone building situated 

 more than a mile west of Chadds' Ford. 



