SETTLEMENT OF DARBY TOWNSHIP.

Page 8

The settlers in this township were mostly from the English counties of Derby and Leicester, with a few from Nottingham, and appear to have been of a high order of respectability and intelligence. They kept the best township record known to the writer, and the following extracts copied from notes collected by the late Dr. George Smith, of Upper Darby, author of the History of Delaware County, 1862, are of much interest to genealogists:

[Title page.]

"UPPER DARBY RECORDS.

"Transcribed from the old Record Book since the Division in the year 1786:

"Containing an account of the first adventurers from old England, with an account of all the settlements in this township--in what year they were settled and in whose occupation they are in at this present time. [Several other matters enumerated.]

"The Originall Record of the Township of Darby in the County of Chester and Province of Pennsylvania as it was settled by the English under William Penn Esquire, Proprietor and Governor in Chief of the said Province in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and eighty-two:

giving an account when each settlement was begun for the better regulating the inhabitants in serving the respective offices of said township as constables, overseers of the Poor, Supervisors, &c., &c.

"The following are the names of the first adventurers from Old England who settled in the Township of Darby, viz."

Samuel Bradshaw and Thomas Worth came from Oxton in the County of Nottingham.

John Blunston & Michael Blunston from little Hallam in the county of Darby.

George Wood from Bonsall in the county of Darby.

Joshua ffearn from Darby in the county of Darby.

Henry Gibbins from Parividge in the county of Darby.

Samuel Sellers from Belper in the county of Darby.

The above came in the year

1682.

Richard Bonsall from Mouldridge in the county of Darby.

Edmund Cartlidge from Ridings in the county of Darby.

Thomas Hood from Brason in the county of Darby.

John Hallowell from Hucknal in the county of Nottingham.

John Bartram from Ashburn in the county of Darby.

William Wood from Nottingham.

Thomas Bradshaw from Oxton in the county of Nottingham.

Robert Nailer from Manniash in the county of Darby.

Richard Tucker from Warminster in the county of Wilts.

The above came in the year

1683.

Robert Scothorn from Oxton in the county of Nottingham.

James Cooper from Bolton in the county of Lancaster in 1675, and from Mayfield in the county of Stafford in the year 1683.

John Hood from Castledunnington in the county of Leicester.

William Garratt from Harby in the county of Leicester.

Samuel Levis from Harby in the county of Leicester.

John Smith from Harby in the county of Leicester.

William Smith from Harby in the county of Leicester.

Robert Cliffe from Harby in the county of Leicester.

Thomas Smith from Croxton in the county of Leicester.

Richard Parker from Upper Bolton in the county of Nottingham.

Adam Rhoads from Codnor in the county of Darby.

Thomas Fox from Sutton upon Trent in the county of Nottingham.

The above came in the year

1684.

Thomas Coates from Sprixton in the county of Leicester.

William Gabitas from East Markham in the county of Nottingham.

Joseph Need from Arnold in the county of Nottingham.

The above came in the year

1686.

Edward Peirson from Wimslow in the county of Chester.

John Kirk from Allfreetown in the county of Darby.

John Marshall from Elton in the county of Darby.

These settled in the year

1687.

Thomas Collier from Nottingham.

John Ball from Darby in the county of Darby.

John Wood from Nottingham.

Nicholas Ireland from Laxton in the county of Nottingham.

These settled in the year

1689.

Anthony Morgan from Cardiff in Glamorganshire.

John Hood Jr. from Castledunnington in county of Leicester.

Robert Smith from Sawley in the county of Darby.

Lewis David.

Ralph Lewis.

These settled in the year

1691.

"Note: That Calconhook was added to Darby in the year 1686, containing six settlements, viz. Morton Mortonson, Peter Peterson. Hance Urine, Swan Boone & Mathias Natsilas."

It may be stated that not only is the original book lost, but in recent years the copy made for Upper Darby has been lost or secreted.