542 APPENDIX. — NOTE H. 



made directing the fitting up and finishing the House of Defence at Upland " fitt 

 for the Court to sitt in against y^ next Court." 



2nd. At the March Court, 1GT9, Neeles Laerson is " ordered to make or Leaue 

 a lane or street from Upland Creeke to ye House of Defence or Country House' 

 — the term Country House indicatiug that the building was dedicated to the uses 

 of the public, and, (traveling then being nearly altogether by water,) the neces- 

 sity of a lane from the water's edge to the building, shows that it was then being 

 used by the people of the County. 



3rd. The expenses of the sittings of the Courts are considerably reduced after 

 the order for fitting up the House of Defence ; and in making an order in respect 

 to a small levy that had been previously authorized by the Court, they speak 

 only of defraying " their charges of meat and lodgeing att their sitting." [Record 

 of Upland Court, p. 120.] 



4th. An order issued by Governor Andros in October, 1678, in respect to 

 Quit-rents, is directed to be published " and sett up at the Court houses of Up- 

 land, Xew Castle and Whoorkill in the Delaware." (New Castle Records.) 



5th. At a Monthly Meeting of Friends held " at Chester," the 11th of the seventh 

 month, 1682, (before the arrival of the Proprietary,) it was agreed to hold a meet- 

 ing every first day of the week " at the Court house at Chester." 



This last fact is alike conclusive that there was then at Upland a building well 

 known as " the Court House" which could hardly be any other than the House of 

 Defence, as it is that the town had been called Chester before it authoratively re- 

 ceived that name from the Proprietary. 



The second Court House was erected in 1684-5, and its location is established 

 by a deed from Robert Wade and wife to Henry Hollingsworth, executed in 

 October, 1695. This deed describes the lot as " directly opposite to the old 

 Court House fronting the said Chester street." The location of this Court house 

 is marked B on the draft. A jail was erected at the same time, but there is 

 reason to believe that it was built nearer the creek, and that the street was laid 

 out between the two buildings. The same deed recites that the northern line 

 of the lot it describes, passes back from the street " along the south side of the 

 newly erected Court House." Henry Hollingsworth, who was a Friend, was ■ 

 dealt with hj the meeting the same year, •' for cutting the eves of the new 

 prison." Besides this fact there is evidence in abundance that there was a prison 

 as well as a Court House erected on the lot next north of the lot conveyed by 

 Robert Wade and wife to Henry Hollingsworth. A Court House and prison were 

 erected on that lot about the year 1694, the site of which is marked C on the 

 draft. They probably occupy nearly the site of the prison erected in 1684-5. 



The deed last mentioned establishes another important fact. The lot conveyed 

 by it is described as having " a passage six foot broad on the south side" extend- 

 ing from the street to the creek. This passage, now built up, is marked a on the 

 plot. Its location, nearly opposite the House of Defence leaves little room to doubt 

 that this passage is the identical lane that Neeles Laerson was directed by the 

 Upland Court to leave open. 



The next Court House, erected in 1724, still serves the purpose of a Town 

 Hall for the borough of Chester. In 1725, the lot with the Court House and 

 prison, marked C, was sold iu pursuance of an Act of Assembly. In 1686, there 

 was an apparent sale made by the Court on behalf of the County of Chester to 

 Robert Wade, of the Court House and prison built in 1684-5, but this was pro- 

 bably a mere pledge of the property to secure money that had been advanced, 

 and was in the nature of a mortgage. James Saudelandes, at the same Court 

 oftered a piece of land to the County, on which to erect a Court House and prison, 

 but this offer docs not appear to have been accepted at that time, for the next 

 Court House marked C, was erected on land purchased from John Hoskins, and 

 in which it does not appear that James Sandelandes ever had any title. 



The records of the Court show that John Simcock had purchased the Court 

 House marked B, in 1696. But this sale was made without authority of law. 

 An act of Assembly was obtained, giving the necessary authority, and a sale was 

 effected to the same purchaser on the 6th of the 3rd month, (May) 1702, but be- 

 fore the conveyance was completed, he died. In his will, proved April 24th, 



