SADSBURY.
In old records this is sometimes written Sudbury, and it may have been named for Sudbury in the county of Suffolk, England. The name of Sadsbury occurs as early as June 1, 1708, in a deed for land therein, but the township was not organized till 1717. That part of the township lying in the Great Valley was taken up at an early date in right of purchases made in England, and that part north of the valley at a somewhat later period.
In 1718 the taxables were but nine in number,—William Grimson, James Hamer, Thomas Hayward, John Musgrave, William Smith, Moses Musgrave, William Marsh, John Whitesides, and John Moor. For several years after this Sadsbury and Fallowfield formed one assessment district. The first township officer mentioned
was William Mash (Marsh), who appeared at court Nov. 26, 1717, and was succeeded, 1718, by William Grimson ; 1719, by Moses Musgrove; 1720, by William Smith ; 1721, by Robert Stanford ; 1722, by John Musgrave; 1723, by Gainer Peirce ; 1724, by David Hastings ; 1725, by Simeon Woodrow ; 1726, by John Bowles ;
1727, by George Leonard ; 1728, by James Swaffer (E. S.) and John
Guy (W. S.) ; 1729, by Amos Williams (B. S.) and John
Matthews (W. S.) ; 1730, John Minshall.
The following petition was presented to the August
court, 1728 :
“The Petition of the Inhabitants of Sadbury Sheweth That Whereas we your petitioners humbly Conceiving The Great Necessity There is of haveing our Township distinctly Located and bounded from the Township of fallowfield, and further Conceiving the hardship Imposed upon our Constable and other officers in our Township To serve both in Sadsbury and fallowfield for the Want of ye Two Townships being divided and their bounds Separately Known We, your Petitioners, humbly take Leave to Exhibitt to you how far the Township of Sadsbury, since it was so Called and Settled Extends (viz) The east end beginning in ye Land that was formerly Nathan Dick’s, but now in the possession of Samuel Jones and William Mickle, and from thence a Long ye valley to ye Land and Plantation of Caleb Pierce, being seven miles in Length, and in breadth, three miles Consistent With the Length aforesaid, making the South Mountain the division Line Betwen Sadsbury and fallowfield Now your Petitioners Craves That you Would be pleased to take the premises to your Mature Consideration, and Grant that our township of Sadsbury, may be hereafter Setled, Located and bounded Within the Limits aboves* and that our Constable over seers of ye poor and of high Ways may be no other ways Burthened then To serve as their several and Respective duties may Command within our Township of Sadsbury Exempt and Clear from fallowfield, and your Petitioners Will Gratefully acknowledg ye same.
“William Mash, Samuel Jones, William Dickie, William Mickle, Caleb Pierce, Samuel Miller, Francis Jones, James Williams, Ritchard Coblen, James Swaffer, William Grimson, Amos Williams, Samuel Jack, Andrew Moore, Robert Boyd, John Henderson, James Boyd, Daniel Henderson, Adam Boyd, Richard Moore, John Minshall.
At a court held Nov. 27, 1728, it was ordered that,—
“Upon the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Township of Sadbury, in the said County, praying that the said Township of Sadbury may be Divided, made into Two Townships and called East and West Sadbury, and that the Township of fallowfield may be separated from Sadbury and made one Intire Township as heretofore it has been, as also that the limilts of ye said Three Townships may be fully Determined. Its ordered that the said Township of Sadbury shall be Divided into Two Townships and ye Eastern part thereof called East Sadbury, shall be Bounded as followeth : Beginning at the South East Corner of Caleb Pierce’s Land by Octararoe Creek, thence along the South lines of the Lands late of Isaac Taylor, John Powell, Sarah Weight, the heirs of John Weight, Wm. Marsh, Wm. Grimson, and Nathaniel Dicks, to the South Bast Corner of the said Dicks’ Land, and from thence along the mountains on the south side of the Great Valley, to the settled Western Boundaries of ye Township of Caln, and from thence Crossing the Valley by the west line of ye Land late of William Flemming, to the far side of the plantation, late of Arthur White on the Top of the mountain on the north side of the Valley, and from thence to the north side of the Land Surveyed to Francis Worley, and thence along the top of the Ridge of mountains that Divides the Branches of Brandywine from ye Branches of Doe Run and Octararoe to the top of the mountain opposite to ye North East Corner of the Land, late of William Pusey, thence along ye Top of the said mountain to the North East Corner of a Tract of Land late of Thomas Hayward, thence along the East line of the said Tract to ye South East Corner thereof, and from thence along the East line of a Tract of Land Surveyed for the proprietor’s use to the South East Corner of ye same, and from thence to the North East Corner of the said Caleb Pierce’s Land, and then down the said Caleb Pierce’s line to the Begining; and it is also ordered that the Western Division of the said Township of Sadbury shall be bounded as is hereinafter mentioned, viz.: Begining at the said North East Corner of the said Thomas Hayward’s Land, and from thence Extending Westward along the Top of the mountain that Divides the Branches of Pequea and Beaver Creek from those of Octararoe, to the North West Corner of John Kyle’s Land, and from thence by ye Western line of the said Kyle’s Land, to the South West Corner thereof, and Extending from thence South six hundred perches, and then East to Octararoe Creek, and thence up the said Creek to the South East Corner of the said Caleb Pierce’s Land, and thence by the line of East Sadbury to the Beginning.”
Upon the erection of Lancaster County, in 1729, the line between the two divisions of the township was made to conform to the county line.
In 1813 the line between Sadsbury and West Caln townships, at its eastern end, was relocated and settled. In 1852, Sadsbury was reduced in size by the formation of Valley township, previous to which it extended eastward to the Brandywine at Coatesville.
In 1867 the township was divided by decree of court into two election districts, the Limestone road being made the division line, and the places of voting fixed at Sadsburyville for the eastern division, and the ” Swan” for the western division.
The township was further reduced in size by the erection of the borough of Parkesburg, by act of Assembly of March 1, 1872, and by the erection of the borough of Atglen, by decree of court of Dec. 20, 1875. The latter borough includes within its limits the former village of Penningtonville.
In 1878 the township was divided and West Sadsbury erected, the line being the same that had separated the two election districts since 1867.
The early settlers were a mixture of Friends from England,
and of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The Friends came first, and were followed by the Presbyterians.
As a historical item worth preserving, it may be mentioned that about the close of the late war with Great Britain there seems to have been a mania for laying out towns. John Pettit, who was the owner of a tavern-house and 50 acres of land in Sadsbury township, Chester County, on the Lancaster and Philadelphia turnpike road, sold it, in the year 1814, to Abraham Brenneman and others for the sum of $16,000. They laid out thereon a town, to which they gave the name of “Moscow.” Lots were sold to various persons at prices ranging from $250 to $500, calling for such streets as Cossacks, Wyburg, Alexander, Charlesburg, and others. One lot was set apart for a church, and another for a seminary. Fifteen lots, including the
tavern-house, and containing altogether about four acres, were sold to Daniel Heister and John Duer for $8000.
The town flourished, however, only on paper. The plot was gotten up in fine style, and presented an attractive appearance. The project failed, and the lots which had been purchased for $8000, and on which a prudent money-loaner had invested $3000 on mortgage, were sold by the sheriff for $1300. Cossacks Street became again the common turnpike-road, and the others returned to the bosom of the farm from which they had sprung.
It was on this property the “Moscow Academy” was subsequently located, and from which it derived its name.
Among other noted citizens of Sadsbury township in the olden time were Col. Andrew Boyd, son of Rev. Adam Boyd, who was, during a part of the Revolutionary war, lieutenant of the county of Chester, a position of much responsibility; John Fleming, Sr., who was a member of the convention which framed the State Constitution in 1776, and also of the Assembly in 1778; Dr. Joseph Gardner, who was an active man among the Revolutionary patriots of Chester County, was three years a member of Assembly, a counselor of the colony in 1779, and a member of the Continental Congress in 1784-85; and John Gardner, son of Dr. Joseph Gardner, who was also active during the war of the Revolution, and was sheriff of the county from 1781-83, to which office he was unanimously elected.
The following were the taxables in 1753 :
Adam Boyd, Wm Boyd, Daniel Henderson, Rachel Moor, Thos Truman, Wm Marsh, Gravenor Marsh, Wm Armstrong, Wm Moor, junr, Michael Finley, Joseph Cowan, James Williams, Joseph Williams, Wm Moor (miller), James Boyd (farmer), James Boyd (smith), James Boyd (weaver), James Maharey, Robert Miller, Andw McCleary, John Hamle, Wm Ramsy, Robt Gilky, David Caldwell, Alexr Simrel, Robt Cowan, Sam. Erwin, James Miller, John Jones, James Adair, Job Hasting, Robert Boyd, Andrew Stirling, Wm Mitchell, Robt Kerr, Thos Hope, Geo. Wilkin, John Scott, James Patton, Miles Swiny, John Kinkead, Hugh Cowan, Walter Gilkey, John Shaw, Robert Patton, John McPharson, Wm Gilkey, John Dickey, Walter Stuart, Joseph Powell, James Montgomery, Robert Cooper, James Sharp, Barney Curry, David Beard, Hugh McCown, Wm Cowan, Wm Gamble, Robt Lucky, Wm Simonds, Thos Bullard, Henry Marsh.
Inmates.—Jas. MoCown, Jas. Leonard, Joseph Talford, Edwd Cuningham, Danl Smith, Henry Oneal, Levs Huston, Jas. Kenan, John
Kinkead, Charles Ackles, Sam. Miller, Wm Moor, John Wray, Wm
Beaty, junr, Wm Henderson, Joseph McDowol, Wm Beaty (farmer),
John McDonald, Robt Allison, John Camble, Joseph Rickmond.
Freemen.—John McCasson, Neal Oinahan, John Robb, Patrick
Pike, Wm Brown, Henry Goorly, Sam. Rankin, Gerrard Allison.
Poor Men and Women.—Jas. Allison, Margt Craighead, Elizabeth
Hutcheson, Susannah McCalb.
LAND-OWNERS, 1774.
William Armstrong, James Blelock, James Boyd, Thomas Boyd, Andrew Boyd, Matthew Boyd, George Boyd, Thomas Bulla, Jonah Chamberlin, Robert Cowan, Hugh Cowan, Joseph Cowan, Samuel McClellan, James McClellan, David McClure, John Elton, Gideon Erwin, Josiah Erwin, Thomas Davis, Rev. Wm. Foster, William Fulton, John Henry, Joseph Henderson, Robert Hope, Thomas Heslip, Chas. Kinkaid, George Kenny, John Moore, Andrew Moore, William Marsh, Henry Marsh, James Miller, Thomas Maxfield, William Moore, Samuel Martin, Gravner Marsh, Robert McPherson, Alexander McPherson, Joseph Parke, Esq., William Powell, William Pim, John Lee, John Lee, jr., George Richmond, James Sharp, John Sharp, Andrew Stewart, John Scott, Thomas Truman, John Truman, Joel Willis, James Williams, Joseph Williams, William Wilkins, John Wilkins, Anthony Robertson, George Robison, John Taylor, Andrew Wilson.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
SADSBURY MEETING.
Samuel Smith says that in 1724 Samuel Miller and Andrew Moore made application, on behalf of themselves and their friends settled about Sadsbury, for liberty to build a meeting-house, which being granted by the Quarterly Meeting, they built one in 1725, which goes by the name of Sadsbury.
In 1722 a committee appointed by Chester Quarterly Meeting visited Friends of Conestoga and Octorara, and reported that they inclined to meet together. In 1723 it was reported that at Octorara were some “of a contentious spirit, and not worthy to be esteemed of our society.”
In the latter part of 1723 “meetings” are mentioned at both places, but they were probably of an informal character. 9th month 9, 1724, things at Octorara are reported hopeful, and in the 12th month they desire a committee to help fix on a site for a meeting-house. The committee failed to settle the question, but on 9th month 8, 1725,
“This meeting being informed that those friends of Sadsbury have agreed amongst themselves of a place to Build a meeting-house on, which this meeting approves of.”
The relation of the following letter to this subject is not entirely clear if the meeting-house was built in 1725:
” I have just now wrote to thee in behalf of an honest friend (Isaac Jackson) and am now further to acquaint thee with another application, made to me by one Simon Hadly, who represents that several friends being seated near that place called the Gap, in Lancaster County; they hope in a little time to establish a meeting there, in order to which they desire some vacant Land near that place may be secured for two or three friends that would shortly come and settle it. I shall not undertake here to give thee any description of the place but shall leave that to Simon himself, and shall only recommend the Request to thee as fitt to be encouraged. I am
“Thy real friend,
“J. Logan.
” Philada., 23, 7, 1729.”
The old Sadsbury meeting-house is on the edge of Lancaster County, but many of the members resided in Chester County.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES
UPPER OCTORARA.
The Upper Octorara Church, in Sadsbury township, one mile north of Parkesburg, was organized in 1720. The prefix ” Upper” was subsequently given to distinguish it from Middle Octorara, in Lancaster County, and Lower Octorara, now Lower West Nottingham.
Prior to 1724 it was supplied by Rev. David Evans and Rev. David Magill. The first regular pastor was Rev. Adam Boyd, a native of County Antnm, Ireland, who was installed Oct. 13, 1724. Previous to this date a log church building had been erected. Mr. Boyd was at that time thirty-two years of age, and ten days after his ordination
was married to Jane, daughter of Rev. Thomas Craighead. His original field of labor was quite extensive, and embraced that now occupied by several congregations.
In 1741 the church was rent in twain by the “Old Side” and “New Side” controversy, and a new church organized by those of the “New Side,” bearing the name of ” The Second Congregation of Upper Octorara,” over which the Rev. Andrew Sterling was pastor from 1747 to 1765. They worshiped in a church edifice which they erected on the farm lately of Cyrus Cooper, now belonging to David
Parke, overlooking the Great Valley. During this division Mr. Boyd continued his relations to the old church, and also ministered to the “Old Side” portion of the Brandywine Manor Church. In 1768 the divisions were healed, and the two churches of Octorara became again one. Mr. Boyd died Nov. 23, 1768, aged seventy-six years, having been pastor for a period of forty-four years. The stone covering his grave records that he was “eminent through life for modest piety, diligence in his office, prudence, equanimity, and peace.” Early in his pastorate the second church edifice, built of stone, was erected. He left four sons and six daughters, and his descendants are now numerous. One of his sons. Col. Andrew Boyd, was lieutenant of the county of Chester during the Revolution.
In 1768, Rev. William Foster became pastor of the reunited congregation. One of their first acts after the reunion was the enlargement, in 1769, of the old church to double its former capacity, making it substantially a new building, and also the erection of a “session-” or “study-house,” as they were then called, which is still standing in a corner of the present graveyard. The church edifice which had been used by the “New Side” was sold and
removed. An old graveyard still marks the spot where it stood.
Mr. Foster was pastor until his death, Sept. 30, 1780, at the age of forty-one years. He was evidently a man of very superior mind, and was much esteemed by all who knew him for his solid sense and unaffected piety. His wife was a daughter of the celebrated Rev. Samuel Blair, of Fagg’s Manor, and he was a brother-in-law of Rev. John Carmichael, of Brandywine Manor. Rev. Robert Smith, D.D., of Pequea, the father of the celebrated Samuel Stanhope Smith and John Blair Smith, was an uncle of Mrs. Poster. During the Revolutionary war Mr. Foster was an ardent patriot, and so obnoxious did he become to the British by his zeal in the cause of the patriots that they planned an expedition to capture him, but it was foiled through the vigilance of his friends. Many of his descendants have filled positions of prominence and usefulness both in church
and State, among them the late Hon. Henry D. Foster, of Westmoreland Co., Pa.
Rev. Alexander Mitchell succeeded Mr. Foster in the pastorate, and served from 1785 until 1796. He was a scholar and a man of excellent mind, and social in his disposition, but as a preacher he was not popular. He died Dec. 6, 1812, at the age of eighty-one years.
The following list gives the surnames of families connected with the congregation at different times during the last century. In this list of 82 surnames about 30 are borne by members of the congregation at the present day:
Alison, Allen, Arthur, Boggs, Blelock, Boyd, Boyle, Bailey, Crawford,
Cowan, Clingan, Cochran, Copeland, Dickey, Davidson, Divan,
Dougherty, Filson, Fleming, Foster, Futhey, Forsyth, Fulton, Grier,
Gilfillan, Gardner, Good, Glendenning, Heslip, Hope, Hamill, Henderson, Hershberger, Irwin, Kerr, Kinkead, Kyle, King, Keys, Kilpatrick, Liggett, Lookhart, Luckey, McAllister, McNeil, McClure,
McPherson, McClellan, McCune, McKim, McWilllams, Mitchell, Morrison, Moody, Officer, Parke, Pinkerton, Porter, Rowan, Richmond, Ramsay, Robb, Ruth, Sharpe, Scott, Sloan, Sandford, Summeril, Stewart, Smith, Stille, Thompson, Wilkin, Wiley, Wilson, Withrow, Wentz, Wright, Wells, Wallace, Wigton, and Young.
After 1796 the congregation was without a regular pastor until 1810, when Rev. James Latta was installed. He remained in charge until 1850, a period of forty years. The present church edifice was erected during his pastorate, in 1840, and the graveyard enlarged, covering the site of the former edifice. Mr. Latta died May 30,
1862, at the age of seventy-five years. The house in which he resided had at the time of his death been the residence of ministers of the gospel about one hundred and twenty years.
The Rev. James Latta was a man of remarkable energy and firmness in every good cause, and discharged with ability, high fidelity, and unceasing earnestness the duties of the Christian ministry over fifty-two years. About the year 1828 societies for the suppression of the vice of intemperance were formed. Mr. Latta, from the initiatory movement, was an ardent friend and advocate of the cause, and during the whole course of his ministry did all in his power for its advancement. The community in which he had his home bears upon every hand the clear and deep traces of his life and character. None that ever crossed his threshold can forget his cordial welcome, his graceful hospitality, or his genuine kindness, and there will long linger pleasant memories of his warm and abiding friendship, and his ministries of sympathy. He was extensively known, and so highly esteemed as a faithful Christian minister that he became the centre of a very extended circle of acquaintanceship.
Since 1850 the following clergymen have been pastors of the church: Rev. James M. Crowell, from June 3, 1851 to April 14, 1857; Rev. Alexander Reed, from Dec. 8, 1857, to Oct. 1, 1864; Rev. John Jay Pomeroy, from Nov. 14, 1865, to Feb. 9, 1875 ; Rev. William B. Reed, from Nov. 3, 1875, to Oct. 2, 1878 ; and Rev. James A. Marshall, the present pastor, since May 29, 1879.
The church has under its charge four church edifices,—the main building on the old grounds, and buildings for afternoon and evening services and Sunday-school purposes at Sadsburyville, Highland, and Parkesburg. The present membership of the church is about 350. Sept. 14, 1870, it celebrated its sesqui-centennial anniversary, on which occasion J. Smith Futhey delivered a historical discourse.
METHODIST CHURCHES
SADSBURYVILLE—VILLAGE OF SADSBURY.
In 1833 or 1834 the church was built. A committee to estimate the expense of “building a meeting-house” was appointed by the Quarterly Meeting Conference, held at Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pa., Nov. 24, 1832. Committee, Charles Saxton, John Adams, and Richard Nichols. It was connected with Strasburg and Columbia Circuit.
Preachers.— 1832, Thomas Miller, Eliphalet Reed, John Edwards; 1833 (Soudersburg Circuit), Thomas A. Miller, William Ryder; 1834, John Lednum, Robert E. Morrison, Thomas Sumption (part of the year); 1835, J. Lednum, John Edwards; 1836, J. Edwards, John Augustus Watson; 1837, Robert Anderson, Dallas D. Lore; 1838, Enos R. Williams; 1839, E. R. Williams, D. Best (sup.); 1840, Samuel Grace, Thomas S. Johnson, David Best (sup.) ; 1841, Samuel Grace, John D. Long, D. Best (sup.) ; 1842, Gasway Oram, John C. Owens; 1843, G. Oram, G. D. Carrow; 1844, William K. Goentner, David Titus; 1845, W. K. Goentner, Henry Sanderson; 1846, Allen John, J. Addison Whitaker; 1847, Allen John ; 1848, James Harmer, Allen John (sup.); 1849 (Cochranville Circuit), John Bayne; 1850, John Bayne, John Thompson; 1851, William L. Gray, John J, Jones; 1852, Samuel G. Hare, Francis B. Harvey; 1853, S. G. Hare, John O’Neill; 1854 (with Brandywine Circuit), Geo. W. Lybrand, E. S. Wells (six months), Edward T. Kenney (six months); 1855, G. W. Lybrand, E.T. Kenney ; 1856, T. Snowden Thomas, A. M. Wiggins ; from 1857 to 1880, connected with Coatesville station. (For pastors see history of Coatesville M. E. Church.) 1881, with Hibeinia and Thorndale,
Stephen 0. Garrison.
SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES
The Brandywine Boarding-School, established in West Brandywine township, and conducted by George Pierce, was opened in 1816 and closed in 1823. Many of its pupils afterwards became leading men in the county and elsewhere.
The Moscow Academy—Mantua Female Seminary.—
Moscow Academy, a classical and literary institution, was established by Rev. Francis Alison Latta, in Sadsbury township, in 1826, and flourished with varying success, I under different teachers, until 1840. Mr. Latta was a superior classical and Hebrew scholar, a poet of no mean order, and an excellent instructor.
Mantua Female Seminary, in some sense a companion school to the Moscow Academy, and located a short distance from it, was opened under the auspices of the Rev. James Latta in 1830. It enjoyed for several years a very successful career.
J. Williams Thorne commenced the first session of his boarding-school in Sadsbury township, Chester County, four miles north of Parkesbarg, in the summer of 1856. He taught the Latin and French languages, and lectured on English classics, history, and astronomy. With the exception of three years, the school was vacated in summer. It was discontinued in 1866.
From History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches. by J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope. (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1881. Press of J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia).