THE OLD GARDENS OF PENNSYLVANIA. IV 
The figures in the 
map indicate the 
locations of the 
gardens and their 
sequence in the 
series 
IV.— THE PEIRCE ARBORETUM 
AT LONGWOOD, CHESTER COUNTY 
JOHN W. HARSHBERGER 
Professor of Botany, University of Pennsylvania 
Inaugurated Nearly a Century and a Quarter 
Ago by the Peirce Brothers, Possibly at the Sug- 
gestion of Their Mother’s Uncle, Humphry 
Marshall, Author of the First American Botany, 
This Interesting Old Arboretum Still Flourishes, 
Having Been Skilfully Incorporated Into a Mod- 
ern Planting Scheme at Longwood, Now the 
Home of Mr. Pierre S. Du Pont 
ENTERING about Kennett Square, Chester County, 
fl 'T-j Pennsylvania, are a number of features of intense 
.V ; ~ , .=> 4 horticultural interest. A mile west of the town is 
LAS/ Cedarcroft, the country seat of Bayard Taylor, who in 
his ‘‘Story of Kennett” has immortalized many of the places 
in his neighborhood. About Kennett and Oxford cluster the 
Carnation and Mushroom industries, which have helped make 
Chester County — already remarkable for its agricultural rich- 
ness — further famous. Some of the best-known varieties of 
Carnation such as Ophelia, Aurora, Sweetbrier, Pride of Ken- 
nett, Duke of Orange, Lad” Emma, Field of Gold, Blizzard, 
Edelweiss, Dorothy, Brutus, Caesar, Nellie Bly, Angelus, and 
Grace Darling originated here in the “Carnation Belt.” Long- 
wood Cemetery, a beautiful City of the Dead, is near by the 
arboretum laid out by the Peirce twin brothers, Samuel and 
Joshua. Nothing which is accessible has been published about 
the Peirce family, so that such a noted authority on arboreta and 
trees as Prof. Charles S. Sargent, Director of the Arnold Ar- 
boretum, recently wrote asking if any information about them 
was available. On a special visit to West Chester and Kennett 
Square the following data were secured from Gilbert Cope of 
West Chester, the historian, from Miss Laura Johnson, and from 
Mrs. William W. Polk of Kennett Square. 
George Peirce (or Pearce as the name appears to have been 
written by him) of the parish of Winscom in the County of 
Somerset, England, and Ann Gainer of Thornbury in the 
County of Gloucester, England, were married February 1 st, 
1679. George with his wife and three young children emi- 
grated from Bristol, the seaport nearest his English home, in 
1684, and the same year came into possession of a tract of four 
hundred and ninety acres of land in what is now Thornbury 
township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. On February 14th, 
1700 or 1701, George Peirce obtained patent for land included in 
the present Peirce Arboretum, or “Evergreen Glade,” as it was 
named by the owner. George Peirce conveyed it to his son 
Joshua on August 6th, 1725, who in turn devised it to his 
son Caleb, August 23rd, 1752. Samuel Peirce and his brother 
Joshua, twin sons of Caleb, born on March 3rd, 1766, came into 
possession of the farm some time prior to 1800; for about that 
date Joshua Peirce, annoyed by having the peach orchards to 
which the farm was devoted continually denuded by thieving 
boys, decided to plant instead trees less attractive to such 
marauders. This decision may also have been due to the in- 
fluence of Humphry Marshall, the botanist, with whom the 
Peirce brothers probably came into frequent contact, as their 
mother was his niece. 
The planting of purely ornamental trees, then a novel idea, 
provoked some comment from the neighbors. The two bro- 
thers set energetically to work and soon established a consider- 
able arboretum, the finely grown trees of which remain to this 
day. Thus was inaugurated a collection of plants, that ante- 
dated the one at Marshallton by about two years. According 
to Miss Mary Woodward, who wrote an historic account of the 
place, there were more than a hundred varieties, among them the 
Norway Spruce, Canadian Spruce, Laurel, Swamp Cypress, 
several kinds of Magnolia, European and American Horse- 
chestnuts, Japanese Ginkgo, Yew, Beech, and Holly. The 
trees were planted in long rows forming several avenues along 
which the oldest and loftiest specimens are now found. East- 
wardly from the house stretched a lawn across which strutted a 
few gorgeous peacocks. 
Samuel Peirce died on February 25th, 1838, and after the 
death of Joshua Peirce on March 28th, 1851, the park passed 
into the hands of his son, George W. Peirce, who spent much 
time in caring for it and adding to its beauty. He provided 
rustic summer houses with benches so that the visitors to the 
place might be invited to rest a while. Swings for young people 
were provided and two well-made croquet courts for the use of 
those fond of games. There is a story that four Indians, a 
remnant of the Lenape tribe, lived in the woods on the place. 
A cross on top of a mound of earth used to mark the resting 
place of “Indian Hannah,” the last of the Lenape tribe in 
Chester County, who died in 1803 in the county almshouse. 
On the death of George W. Peirce, the property passed to the 
Stebbins family from whom the present owner, Mr. Pierre 
S. Du Pont, bought it. A few years ago Mr. Du Pont, at dinner 
in New York with a number of friends, casually remarked that 
he would like to own an old southern plantation and develop it. 
A gentleman seated near by remarked that there was a place 
with great possibilities at Longwood only a few miles outside of 
Wilmington, and it was, he thought, for sale. On his return to 
Wilmington Mr. Du Pont made an initial visit to Peirce Park, as 
it was locally called, and eventually purchased it. 
The old house built by Caleb Peirce of bricks imported from 
England, bears the date of 1730; it probably was preceded by 
one of earlier date. The Du Ponts have added a wing, between 
which and the older part of the house a glass covered court with 
central fountain has been placed, where tropical and other 
flowering plants in season add attractiveness and gaiety. 
The grounds also have been developed by the present owner. 
New roads have been built and extensive areas are devoted to the 
formal garden, the English garden, and the private golf course. 
The approach to the house from the road is by a lane shaded with 
overarching Maples, Copper Beeches, and Hackberries. Rhodo- 
dendrons and Azaleas are planted in rows to the left of the main 
entrance drive, while to the right has been placed a large con- 
