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Upper Chichester Township. - In the early days of the province of Pennsylvania the term Chichester was
used to indicate that part of Chester county now known as Upper and Lower Chichester townships. Chichester had
been surveyed prior to 1686, and at the October court of that year the justices ordered "that the township
of Chichester extend its bounds as formerly laid out by Charles Ashcom until further order." The peculiar
western line, which separates Upper Chichester from Bethel township, was run to conform to the lines of the tracts
surveyed to the early settlers and certainly a more irregular lin.e it would he difficult to lay out.
Among the earliest settlers was Walter Martin, founder of St. Martin's Church. Adjoining his land to the east were
250 acres surveyed to Jeremiah Collett, June 16, 1682. The latter was an earnest churchman, and by will devised
a certain sum of money for the support of the rector of St. Martin's Church. Other settlers came in rapid succession
roads were built; churches, schools and mills followed; and the routine of a prosperous rural township constitutes
the history of Upper Chichester. The water courses are Naaman's creek, its east and west branches, and Marcus Hook
creek; good roads prevail, and the Baltimore & Ohio railroad crosses the township with stations at Twin Oaks,
Boothwyn and Ogden. The public schools are excellent, being known as Larkin or No. 3, Twin Oaks or No. 2, Boothwyn
or No. r. Two Friends' Meetings exist in the township; the Presbyterian and Methodist, also having places of worship.
The population in 1910 was 671. The villages are Boothwyn, population about 125; Twin Oaks and Ogden Station (Hance
P. O.)
Lower Chichester. - This township includes that part of Chester county lying between Upper Chichester and
the Delaware river, including the now borough of Matcus Hook. The division was made early in 1700, the Lower township
being part of the grant made by Queen Christianaof Sweden to her subjects on the Delaware, the remaining part of
Lower Chichester being patented by Gov. Andros, March 28, 1679, to Charles Jansen, Olle Rawson, Olle Nielson, Hans
Hopman, John Hendrickson and Hans Olsen, the tract containing 1,000 acres, The principal history of the town. ship
centres in the present borough of Marcus Hook. The Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad crosses the
township, with stations at Trainer and Linwood, trolley lines Connecting with the Chester systems of transportation.
A grammar school near Trainer, and the Rockhills school, constitute the public school system of the township outside
of Marcus Hook, there also being a Methodist Episcopal church near the Grammar school. The population in 1910 was
1250.
Borough of Marcus Hook. - At Upland court, in 1678, a record appears acknowledging from
Hans Ollsen a deed to William Clayton, for all his land, "right and interest of & to his houses and appurtenances
Lying and being all Marretties hooke." In 1682 the ancient name of Marcus Hook was changed by an order of
Upland Court to Chicliester and for many years the latter name was born in legal documents, but the popular name
was so fixed in the public that it would not accept the new name and the village retained the old name Marcus Hook
in spite of legislation and executive power. After the coming of Penn in 1682, Marcus Hook grew rapidly, becoming
a formidable rival of Chester, the two towns being about equal in size in 1708, each consisting of about one hundred
houses. Pirates at an early day came to Marcus Hook, a record of the Provincial Council stating that Gov. Keith
in 1716 called their attention to "the great losses which the colony had already sustained beyond any of its
neighbors, by our Trade's being blocked up and infested with pirates at the Capes of this river and bay."
He further informed them "that one Trench, a noted pirate who has done the greatest mischief of any to this
place, has been lurking for some days at this town."
At a meeting of the council at Philadelphia, at which Gov. Markham presided, the minutes show that the town was
granted permission to hold "a weeklye market on friday's to be kept in broad St as is desired." Penn
seven months later granted a full charter to Marcus Hook as a market town, with all rights and privileges fully
set forth. Boat building was an important industry, Peter Kahn, a Swedish naturalist, recording: "they build
here every year a number of small ships for sale, and from an iron work which lies higher up in the country, they
carry iron bars to this place and ship them." In William Howell, of Marcus Hook, was a leading shipwright.
The ancient town Continued prominent in Shipbuilding until the larger vessels required, were beyond the capital
or plants of the yards, which restricted the industry in Marcus Hook to small coasting and river craft. The industry
gradually died out, although as late as 1884, Samuel J. Barton launched, a large schooner from his yards. William
Cranston and Simon Sherlock were noted ship builders.
The Wooden piers of Marcus Hook were erected bt the state of Pennsylvania, prior to the Revolution In 1785, Philadelphia
merchants memorialized the state governmant, praying for construction of new piers along the. Delaware in the interest
of the commercial supremacy of that city. This agitation resulted in the construction of piers at Marcus Hook.
April 28, 1893, Marcus Hook was incorporated a borough, Samuel Vernon being elected the first burgess; Henry A.
Lewis is the present incumbent. The United States Pipe Line enters the borough, which is the seat of a large refining
interest. The principal plants are the Pure Oil Company, Sun Oil Company, Union Petroleum Cbmpany, Atlantic Refining
Company, A. K. Knabb & Co., (barrel factory) American Viscose Company (artificial silk), Hardwood Package Company
(barrels). The Episcopal, Baptist and Methodist Episcopal churches all have houses of worship in the borough, there
also being an African Methodist Episcopal church. St. Martin's, the Episcopal church, owes its first land to Walter
Martin, an embittered Quaker, who donated an acre and one perch of ground or a church and burial place for the
inhabitants of Chichester (Marcus Hook), "Quakers and reputed Quakers only excepted." The Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, Improved Order of Red Men, Knights of Pythias, and Modern Woodmen, all have lodges, and an
excellent public school system is maintained. The State Quarantine Station formerly existing on Tinicum Island,
has been in recent years established and is still maintained in Marcus Hook. The Marcus Hook Fire Company is the
strong defense of the borough against the fire fiend, and has done excellent service whenever called upon. The
population of the borough in 1910 was 1573.
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