RESOURCE LINKS Obituaries

~ Crossing the Neshaminy

 

EASTBURN
MILLS
ATTLEBOROUGH
TEMPERANCE
NESHAMINY
RIVERS
FERRIES
UNDERGROUND RR

Delaware Valley Advance, 1929

by Samuel C. Eastburn

Silver Spoon Lane

The road which leaves the old Lincoln Highway southwest of Langhorne, was a lane on which there was one house or the north side of the top of the steep hill. The man who lived there was a "tinker" who mended things, baskets and furniture made bullets for rifles and mended the pots, kettles, silver and pewter spoons that many had brought from England, and it was called "Silver Spoon Lane" it is now the Tevose Road. Further down to the east, now known as the parkland road, was the lane to "Comfort's Saw Mill." The road by Jesse Porter's new place, was laid off from the Yardley road to get to "Flower's Mill, " and was almost continuous with the one laid off from the Philadelphia and Trenton road, by Mr. Schneider's place for the same purpose; it was locally known as the "Mill Road." Those who wanted reasonably smooth going stuck to the main roads. the several roads crossing at "Chicken Foot" and Three Bridges were early cross trails from the various ferries by which persons coming from West jersey, and desiring to get up into the county or visit its county town at Newtown, or were the side roads from which travelers left the main roads to visit or to do business with the many important people who lived about there.

Wm. Biles, who married Grace Langhorne, was a member of the first Assembly that adopted Penn's "frame of government." Phineas Pemberton, the first recorder for the county, and whom Wm. Penn called "the Father of it," "John Larrew of Strawberry How," and ancestors of the Morris and Watson families lived in that locality.

Some years ago Middletown was one of the earliest townships in the state to issue bonds for road building, and built $75,000 worthy of good roads radiating from Langhorne. These were well and cheaply at the then low prices of labor and material and the taxpayers have had the use of them. As there are more townships abutting on Middletown, than any other township in the county these were urged as a matter of economy and cooperation; to join and do the same but they did not. These bonds have all been paid off, and the State now repairs the roads. The other townships have had poor roads and now when good roads are demanded have to build them at a greatly increased cost. The advantages to the community have been very marked, the township has had a long period of good roads, it has received more state aid on account of its evident desire, the salable value of its lands and its enclosed boroughs has increased greatly beyond the value of the principal of the bonds.

Early Fords

In the early days, the fords of the Neshaminy were much in the minds of the settlers. All of the most thickly settled parts of the county could not get to Philadelphia, or visitors from there, or immigrants coming in, without crossing the Neshaminy at one or other of its fords. This continued up to nearly 1800, before bridges were generally built. These bridges were near the fords, if possible, as the roads ran there. Large spaces were cleared of timber each year, and they made frequent feshets in the stream, and its bottom was changed, or filled in with logs and brush, the banks changed and approaches washed out, so that after every rain they had to be carefully inspected. In writing to their friends they said, "Come by the lower ford as since the recent rains the upper ford is unsafe."

There are several drownings on record at these fords. They were well known places, and hunting parties gathered there, road viewers met "at the ford," camp meetings were held near the ford, teamsters gathered there and helped one another to cross. Doubtless many Lochinvar lovers fleeing hastily from obdurate parents, dashed across them, in the wild hunt for an accommodating or out-of-the-neighborhood squire. When Washington had hidden his army back of Bowman's Hill, and evidently feared that the British might cross, and he might have to retire to the hills back of Germantown, he sent a company "to inspect the fords of the Neshaminy" to see if they were safe for his army and equipment to cross.

Galloway's Ford

The most important of these fords for many years was Galloway's Ford. It was at the foot of Belmont just back of the present Parkland. The road ordered laid out as a "Better" road "from Philadelphia to the Falls," in 1697 crossed at this ford. It was first called Growden's but later when Joseph Galloway lived there so actively it was known as Galloway's. Nearly all of the important men of that time crossed here, and the settlers on the north and east on their way to Philadelphia and West Jersey. It was almost a direct line to "Dunk's Ferry," which was the main ferry on the Delaware to south and west Jersey. Jeremiah Langhorne and Lawrence Growden, who lived at either side, one Chief Justice, and the other Recorder of the County, must have often crossed here to consult on the growing politics of the state, George Fox, the Quaker leader, on his first visit "to Friends on the Delaware" crossed here, as did Benjamin Franklin on his many visits to his learned and scientific friend Joseph Galloway.

Wm. Penn also, in a visit to Governor Growden and his friend "Cutty" Hayhurst, who was located on the east side of the Neshaminy between the present Mitchell and Reed bridges. Hayhurst died of "fever" shortly after his log house was built. When Wm. Penn heard of it he said, "Cutty would build his house near the creek when he had plenty of high lane back of it which was much more healthy." It is said that on this visit they went to an Indian encampment; this is now assumed to be the reat Indian encampment of Playwicky. By this ford the inhabitants of Bensalem crossed to the two mills on this side of the creek.

Oak Ford Important

The next ford above, was known as the "Oak Ford," and probably was marked by an Oak tree on the bank. There was a ford at the crossing of the Buck Road, then but a road to get to and from the mill there. there was a ford near the mouth of Catawissa, by which the people of Northampton crossed to and from "Four Lanes End."

The next most important ford was known as "Story's". Two roads ran to it, west from the Durham road, and between Langhorne and Newtown. One of them to the north of Mr. Gray's place, and one where the old toll-house used to stand, which was a continuation of the Jenks Road down Core Creek. The former is still open but not used. People crossed here to go to "Black Bear," (now Richboro), and to the "Crooked Billet" (now Hatboro).

There was one west of Newtown near Spring Garden, known as Schoefeld's Ford. One about two miles above known as "Twinings," and one west of Wrightstown known the "Island Road." There were roads or trails to all of these from the Durham Road. This was the earliest road in Bucks County and was ordered by Penn himself, "to my lands in Durham." There had been for some years a ford at Hulmeville, and under favorable conditions, one at Flushing, which could be crossed when the tide was out. Galloway's Ford was made useless by the bridge at Oakford, and the diverting of the road to meet with the Byberry and Bensalem turnpike.

 

 
 

 

 

Page last updated:    2021-07-15          Broken Links and to contribute additional data email - Nancy

ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1864) 2nd Inaugural

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan - to do all which may achieve a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. 

 

 
  • The Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), the state tree of Pennsylvania, is one of the dominant trees of the Commonwealth's forests...
One website can not be all things to all people
- Nancy Janyszeski

"I haven't failed. I've found 10,000 ways that don't work."

- Thomas Alva Edison

Copyright© 1997-2021

Nancy C. Janyszeski All rights reserved.     Information submitted remains, to the extent the laws allows, the property of the submitter who by submitting it agrees that it may be freely copied, but never sold or used in a commercial venture without the knowledge and permission of the rightful owners.   

This website was created as a guide to the history and genealogy of Bucks County Pennsylvania. All efforts have been made to be accurate and to document sources. Some of the material has been contributed and published, with permission, in good faith. All effort has been made to be accurate as possible, and to refer to sources used. If you see an error, please let me know. This website was designed to be informative, a guide to Bucks County history and genealogical research, and hopefully fun. I can't guarantee that all the data is accurate.

Broken Links:  NancyJanyszeski@yahoo.com Bucks County