Marple Township. — This township adjoins Haverford on the west, separated from it by Darby creek. It is further bounded east, sbuth, west and north by Springfield, Upper Providence, Newtown and Radnor townships. Marple is almost exclusively an agricultural township, its milling industries being principally the saw and grist mills, located on Darby and Crum creeks. The first mention of Marple occurs in the records of a Chester county court held “5th day of the Sixth month 1684,” at which time Jonathan Hayes and James Stamfield were appointed tax collectors “for the publick aid of Marple,” and at the same time Thomas Pearson was appointed “constable and supervisor for the highway for Marple.” The great road of Marple, which enters the township at its southern boundary just above the Springfield meeting house, was laid out in 1683, and ran almost due north through the centre of the district, uniting with the West Chester road a short distance south of Newtown line. A list of the taxables of Marple in 1693, contains fifteen names—Jonathan Hayes, Peter Worrall, James Stamfield's estate, William Huntley, John Person, Thomas Person, Ralph Dralcutt, Geo. Williard, Thomas Marcy, John Howell, Josiah Taylor, David Morris, Henry Cadman, John Shaw aiid John Hoopes. Thomas “Person,” mentioned in the list, is the Thomas Pierson (Pearson) who tradition states came in the “Welcome” with Penn, and on whose suggestion the name Upland was changed to Chester. Margaret, wife of Thomas Pierson, John, his brother, and Mary Smith, his sister, came from England in the “Endeavour” in September, 1683, nearly a year after Penn’s arrival. Sarah Pierson, daughter of Thomas, married John West, they becoming the parents of Benjamin West, the famous American artist. Peter Worrall (Worrell, Worrall) was a tanner from Berkshire, England. Jonathan Hayes, the largest land owner in the township, was a member of assembly in 1689, and a justice in 1703-11. In 1715 he was murdered by Henry Pugh, a millwright, and Lazarus. Thomas, a laborer. The trial of his assassins is the first case of homicide known in the records of Chester county. Although Marple during the Revolution was removed in a great measure from the din of war, British foraging parties and their Tory allies caused a loss to the residents that is partly shown in the bill for damages, amounting to £217. A small settlement known as Marple post office is on the line of Marple and Springfield townships. Prior to 1831 a store was kept there by William Edwards, and in 1849 E. R. Curtis, who established a store there in 1831, was appointed postmaster, a position he was still holding thirty-five years later. Broomall post office, in the northern part of the township, contains a stone dwelling built in 1798 by Hugh and Rebecca Lownes. It was a licensed house in 1800, known as the “Drove Tavern,” kept by David Reed. About 1832 a store was established at the crossroads by Isaac Haldeman. In i868 a post office was established and named Broomall in honor of John M. Broomall, then member of Congress from the Seventh District. George Essey was the first postmaster. Foxcroft, a station on the Philadelphia & Delaware Count railroad, is in the extreme northern part of the township on the Haverfor line. The population of Marple in 1910 was

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