Revolution to Civil War (1800-1870)

Early commerce

Alice Shoemaker at the Northbrook General Store

Earlier in this history was the story of the mills which served the farmer.  But there was also a need for other supplies.  In 1853, the Locust Grove store was advertising “store goods at public sale,” featuring dry goods, groceries, queensware and hardware.  Household and kitchen furniture were available there, as well as two fat shoats, a load of hay, corn fodder, post and rails, farming utensils, and “one York wagon in good repair.”

Agriculture

photo courtesy Chester County Historical Society

In the early 1800’s, agriculture was the leading occupation in all of Chester County.

Railroad

Northbrook

In the middle of the 19th Century, there were railroad connections from Chester County into Philadelphia, and soon these connections became overburdened, and locals  began to seek another route for their products and produce.  One report suggested a connection with Wilmington, Delaware: “A glance at the maps of New Castle and Chester Counties will show that Wilmington is the natural outlet for the produce of a large district of rich and populous country, whose trade she has heretofore enjoyed to a large extent.”

Roads

Following Penn, Court Orders were issued to require landowners “to make good and passable ways” for neighbors to use.  Eventually, these developed into roads.  For Chester County, the most important was from Philadelphia to Marlborough Village, laid out about 1704.  It was called Marlborough Street Road, but eventually shortened to “Street Road” (Route 926).  So important was this road to the development of Pennsylvania that it has been called “the springboard to the west” for emigrants moving inland.    

Bridges

The location of the new township was advantageous in that both the Brandywine and Pocopson Creeks served as power and water resources. But these creeks were also a barrier to road transportation, and a further complication when the creeks flooded – which was all too often.  As early as 1685, the Courts ordered the construction of many bridges – most of these replacing established fording spots – which provided easier access to and through what would eventually become the township. The earliest bridges were of wood (covered and open), and later of stone, and then of iron and steel. 

Description of the Township when Founded

The 1850 Census gives some picture of the size of the township.  There were 101 dwellings occupied by 104 families.  Total population was 592.  Roughly 70 per cent of workers described themselves as either farmers or laborers.  There were also masons, shoemakers, millers, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, carpenters, merchants, manufacturers, and one tailor.

Founding of the Township

The official story starts with a petition to the Court of Quarter Sessions in late 1848, signed by 28 male inhabitants of Pennsbury, West Bradford, East Marlborough and Newlin Townships, pleading that “they labor under great inconvenience for want of a new township to be composed of part of (their existing) townships.”  Of the 28 signers, some families were heavily represented: the Sellers (Samuel, Samuel W., Isaac, Israel and Johnathan) ; the Barnards (William, Eusebius and Vincent); the Martins (George, Thomas, Simon and Samuel); and the Woods (John and William T.)

Eusebius Barnard

Sara Painter and Eusebius Barnard

Eusebius Barnard was born in July of 1802 and educated in Chester County.   He attended Westtown School and devoted his energies to the farming interests in his community.

He is widely known as a strong abolitionist and an earnest advocate of womens rights and temperance reform.

He was also a strong community leader.  Eusebius signed the Petition for the Division of Pennsbury Township on November 3, 1848 which resulted in the creation of Pocopson Township.  He was described by Gilbert Cope as “a man of great force of character”

Diary of Jennie Sellers

Many of our young residents were very aware of the Civil War and its potential impact on our community. They received information from newspapers, from neighbors and by going into West Chester. Jennie Sellers, a 17 year old from Locust Grove discussed the war in her diary.

Jennie Sellers 1861

Diary of Edward Marshall

Pocopson Township – Historical Diaries

 

In the mid-1800’s, our community was focused on education, politics and community debate. Resident often attended educational events or “lyceums”. Edward J. Marshall, a teenager from Pocopson Township spoke of such events in his dairy:

 

1860

  • September 11 . Tuesday – We all went to Chadds Ford to a political meeting – went in the two-horse wagon.  The meeting was very large.  There was about 5 or 6 thousand persons in attendance. 

1861

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