THE RED LION INN. BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, BUCKS COUNTY, penna. [Abstract of a paper prepared by Mr. William J. Buck and read at the meeting of the Bucks County Historical Society, 17th July, 1888.] The first highway used for travel by land was the route leading northeastwards from the present city of Philadelphia to the Falls of Delaware, where is now Trenton. In 1677, we find it called the "King's Path," whereof the court at Upland appointed, March 14th, 1681, Clause Johnson to be overseer "from Poquessink Creek to Samuel Cliff's," at the present Bristol borough, and John Arkaman from thence to the Falls; they being required to " repair the highways within their respective precincts, which is to be done before the last day of May." William Penn writes from Pennsbury to his secretary, James Logan, in Philadelphia, the 22d of the 6th-month, 1700, to "urge the justices about the bridge at Pennepecka and Poquessin, forthwith for a carriage, or I cannot come down." These extracts reveal to us the early condition of affairs respecting travel in this vicinity. After the use of this ancient highway for upwards of half a century, Philip Amos, in 1730, determined to set up an inn, and applied for a license to keep a public-house "near Poquessing Creek, on the highway from Philadelphia to Bristol," which later was given the name of the Red Lion. After his death we know that his widow, Ann Amos, in 1744, received a license to keep the same, there being at this date but one other public-house in the township. From the colonial records we learn that on the 5th of April, 1747, a resurvey of the road was made "from Philadelphia to Poquessing creek, and over it to the Widow Amos', being eleven and three-quarters miles from the city." Nicholas Scull, on his map of the Province, published in 1759, notes "Widow Amos;" also, William Scull on his map of 1770, and Reading Howell, on his large township map of Pennsylvania, published in 1792, calls it "The Red Lion." Henry Tomlinson, an old resident of Bensalem (where he died in April, 1800, aged 79 years), for upwards of forty years kept a journal, noting therein the principal occurrences of his neighborhood, to which we are indebted for the following interesting facts: "October 30th, 1763, there was a smart shock of an earthquake. "May 18th, 1775, Joseph Cox went to learn the military exercise at Red Lion. "August 5th, a great muster among the soldiers. "June 24th, 1777, two soldiers took away two of my horses out of the plow. "January 4th, 1778, the soldiers took away from me two cattle. "March 6th, much wheat and hay burnt by the soldiers. "March 15th, a horse taken by the soldiers. "March 27th, a mare taken for the use of the Continental army. "April 17th, all night the English ranging to Bristol and Bensalem. August 17th, 1780, had a horse taken out of the plow for the army wagons." As Mr. Tomlinson relates, the people of this vicinity during the Revolution suffered severely from the marauding parties of the hostile forces. It was between the Red Lion and Dunk's Ferry that General Lacey destroyed a large quantity of forage in the beginning of March, 1778, to prevent its falling into the hands of the British while in possession of Philadelphia. Benjamin Loxley, captain of the Philadelphia artillery, on his march to Amboy, makes the following remarks in his journal, under date of March 22d, 1776: "That they had started from Frankford at four o'clock in the morning and arrived at the Red Lion by nine, where they halted and ordered breakfast, which the landlord refused supplying, stating he had not enough bread for five men; that he wondered how he could expect it for one hundred." During the Revolution, distinguished men sought accomodation at the Red Lion as they journeyed to Philadelphia while it served as the national capital: as members of Congress from Massachusetts, Messrs. Bowdoin, Cushing, Robert Treat Payne, Samuel Adams, and John Adams. The latter mentions in his diary as stopping here, August 29, 1774, again December 9, 1775, and October 13, 1776. Washington, the 28th of August, 1781, with the combined French and American army, suddenly left the vicinity of New York, which he had threatened to attack, for the purpose of investing Yorktown and compelling Cornwallis to surrender. Henry Tomlinson states in his journal that the army passed through Bensalem August 30th, and that "General Washington went to Philadelphia, escorted by forty or fifty men, who rode sword in hand as a guard." It was this night, that a portion of the army encamped at the Red Lion, a locality favorable for the encampment of a large army. The turnpike from Philadelphia to Trenton was commenced in 1803, and in the following year finished to the Poquessing, but from the Red Lion to its termination, at Morrisville, not until about 1813. The Hall family are now the proprietors in the third generation of this ancient hostelry. RECORDS OF CHRIST CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. BAPTISMS, 1709-1760. CONTRIBUTED BY CHARLES R. HILDEBURN. [Philadelphia September the 14: a. do. 1710-The Clarks buck of accounts of the churg of Ingland In philadelphia Cept by him to Passefie and Sartyfie baptised bans published marreg and burialls from the year a domy: 1710 for the Publick good of the afore Said Church In Philadelphia In amaraca. by me Johnathon ashton Clack of the curch of Ingland in philadelphia in penselvania.] 1758 April 2 Abercrombie James, s. of James and Margaret, b. Jan. 26 1758 1711 Jan. 2 Abbett John s. Joseph and Mary 2 weeks 1710 Oct. 7 Abbott Thomas s. Joseph and Mary 1712 Dec. 23 1738 Feb. 8 1737 Jan. 18 Mary d. Joseph . . . 1 day ... Rachel d. Richard and Sarah 3 days June 4 Acre Susannah d. Henry and Hannah 4 days Jan. 18 Jan. 18 John s. Tarver and Elizabeth 2 years John s. Tarver and Elizabeth 3 weeks 1758 Jan. 22 Adam William s. William Jan. 13. 1757 1730 Aug. 23 Adams Elizabeth d. William and Rachel 5 mo. 3 weeks 1732 June 25 Margaret d. William and Rachel 8 months 1733 Nov. 25 1735 June 21 John s. William and Rachel 4 days 1737 Nov. 13 1740 Feb. 25 1741 Dec. 26 1743 Dec. 26 1744 Oct. 14 1745 June 16 Aug. 18 1749 Mch. 5 1752 Nov. 19 1754 Aug. 8 1754 Aug. 18 1755 Nov. 26 Alexander s. William and Rachel 1 month Charles s. William and Rachel 5 months Salomea d. William and Rachel 3 months Rachel d. William and Rachel 3 months 18 days Adams George s. William and Elizabeth July 28 1754 1757 July 6 Nov. 4 1758 July 28 Nov. 16 1759 June 7 Sept. 16 Elizabeth d. William and Elizabeth June 8 1757 Mary d. Robert and Mary Dec. 1 1757 Charles Henry s. Alex. and Mary Aug. 17 1759 1750 April 15 Adamson Anthony s. Anthony and Dorothy Aug. 27 1749 1742 Dec. 11 Aedes Mary d. Robert and Ann 4 months 1727 Jan. 29 Afflick William 8. Willyam and Ann 2 yrs. 2 mo. Owen s. William and Ann 2 years 7 months Elizabeth d. Willyam and Ann 6 weeks 1730 July 24 July 24 1742 April 19 1746 Oct. 18 Albright Elias s. Anthony and Catherine 3 weeks 1721 July 30 Aldridge Rebecca d. Peter and Elizabeth . . . 1759 June 1 ... Timothy s. William and Catherine April 3 1759 1757 July 30 Alridge Robert s. Timothy and Katherine July 11 1757 1742 June 25 Alemby James s. John and Mary . . . 1716 Dec. 21 Allen Elizabeth d. George and Dorothy 1720 Oct. 9 1725 Aug. 6 Aug. 6 1742 Feb. 15 July 28 1743 May 25 1744 April 10 1745 Sep. 18 1746 Dec. 27 1758 Jan. 1 1759 Sep. 23 1743 Nov. 27 1746 May 28 1746 May 28 1726 Dec. 2 1728 Dec. 5 1730 Mch. 18 1732 April 24 1733 Sept. 27 1734 Oct. 27 ... ... George s. George and Dorothy Hannah d. Richard and Rebecca 3 weeks 4 days Anderson Hannah d. Capt. Lawrence and Susannah... Mary d. Lawrence and Susannah 2 days Jane d. James and Sarah 2 years 2 months 1736 April 28 1739 June 29 1743 Dec. 30 1746 Aug. 13 Jane d. William and Jane 20 months James s. James and Eleanor 2 weeks Laurence s. Laurence and Abigail 1 month 18 days 1717 June 4 Andrews Ann d. Thomas and Abigail 1 year 1 month 1721 Dec. 25 Susannah d. Vidle... |