Milford Hundred, Kent County, Delaware
Previous to 1830 the land included in
Milford Hundred formed a part of Mispillion Hundred. Ou July
28th of that year an act of the Legislature was passed for
dividing the latter. The road leading directly from the division
line between Murderkill and Mispillion Hundreds to Williamsville
was fixed as the dividing line. This was the same road which had
formerly been used and occupied by the "Philadelphia, Dover and
Norfolk Steamboat and Transportation Company." All land west of
the road was called Mispillion Hundred, and all east Milford
Hundred. It is bounded on the north by Murderkill Creek, on the
east by Delaware Bay, on the south by Mispillion Creek and on
the west by the hundred of the same name. The land is well
watered by numerous small streams and produces peaches, wheat,
corn and oats in large quantities. The streams on the north and
south are navigable and afford a suitable means for the shipment
of the products of the hundred. The Delaware, Maryland and
Virginia Railroad runs through the southwestern part of the
hundred and affords additional accommodations for shipping and
travel.
Early
Settlements
Possibly the first white people to land
on the territory new included in Milford Hundred was a boat-load
of Swedes, Finns and Lavonians, who landed on Paradise Point
(Clark's Point), a short distance north of Mispillion Creek, in
1638. No settlement, however, was effected by them. The same
name was applied to a point at Lewes, by the same party, but no
settlement made.
An organization called ''The Barbadoes
Company'' was brought into being in 1685 by merchants, of whom
were Ralph Frettwell and Francis Gamble, of the island of
Barbadoes. On October 20, 1685, they purchased of John Edmonson,
a merchant of Talbot County, Maryland, several large tracts of
land as follows: "Edmonds' Berry," one thousand acres; "Plains
of Jerico," twelve hundred acres; "Long Acre" one thousand
acres; and Longford, six hundred acres, all lying on or near the
main branch of Murderkill Creek and mostly in Milford Hundred.
The most of this land was subsequently sold by Francis Gramble
to the Pennsylvania Land Company. The latter company was formed
in London a few years after Penn's arrival in this country, and
in 1699 purchased of him sixty thou-sand acres of land situated
mostly in Pennsylvania and partly in New Castle County, an
account of which will be found in the hundreds of Brandywine and
Christiana, They continued in operation buying and selling land
till about 1780, when their lands were all sold. The purchasers
in Kent County were for the most part in Milford Hundred. A
recital of some of the early lauds is given before they came
into the possession of the company.
Under a warrant granted to Hermanius
Wiltbank for twelve hundred acres, there was surveyed December
22, 1685, for John Brinkloe, of whom much has been said in other
chapters, a tract of one thousand acres on the north side of
Mispillion Creek, for which he received a patent April 2, 1686,
under the name ''Longfield." On the 20th of the same month,
Brinkloe conveyed this tract to William Clark, of Lewes.
"Improvement," a tract of six hundred acres, was patented to
John Manlove at the same time; this was also conveyed to William
Clark, who, on July 9, 1686, sold both tracts to Francis Gamble,
of the Barbadoes Company. On August 3, 1714, they were sold to
Thomas Story, who, December 24, 1720, conveyed them to John
Haddon and Benjamin Kiston, authorized agents of the
Pennsylvania Land Company, in London. Swan Creek forms the
eastern boundary of Improvement.
They also purchased "Long Acre,"
"Golding Mine," "Springfield," "Angleford," "Wheatfield," "Longford"
and "Corbion," all in Milford Hundred, and several tracts in
Duck Creek Hundred (now Kenton), amounting in all to five
thousand one hundred and sixty -four acres.
The above tracts were all old surveys.
"Long Acre" was taken up by Nicholas Bartlett; "Corbion," by
Henry Stevens; "Longford," by John Rawlings; "Angleford" was
surveyed under warrant to Robert Taylor, assigned to Renner
Williams, November, 1680, and contained seven hundred and
forty-four acres; "Springfield" was warranted to John Cropper,
November 15, 1681, surveyed December 20, 1685, for Thomas
Stratton, to whom a patent was granted April 12, 1686, and
contains eight hundred acres; "Wheatfield" was taken up December
20, 1681, by William Emmett.
These lands were leased by the company
for many years, and on the 5th of July, 1762, were offered for
sale in Philadelphia. The majority of the land was sold at this
time, and the remainder on August 20, 1765. The agents of the
company in Philadelphia at the time were Jacob Cooper, Samuel
Shoemaker and Joshua Howell. The names of purchasers are here
given, with the dates of the deeds:
Zadoc Cooper, May 11, 1762, one
hundred and thirty acres of the tract "Longfield,"
adjoining the New Wharf lot, No. 17, on Miller's Branch;
August 17, 1763, to Josiah Bradley, lot No. 19,
containing 238 acres adjoining "Saw Mill Range";
September 15, 1763, to Thomas Peterken, lots No. 11, 37
acres, and No. 16, 115 acres (Peterken passed this deed
to William Frazer and Adam Mawril); August 24, 1763, to
Robert Willcocks, lot No. 9, containing 225 acres; same
date to John Cox, 225 acres of the tract " Wheatfield ";
same date to James Hunter and William Craig, lot No. 34,
containing 316 acres on Miller's Run; same date to
Cornelius Dewees, 305 acres of the tract "Middletown";
same date to Thomas Home, lot No. 23, containing 125
acres, part of "Wheatfield"; same date to William Bowen,
140 acres, part of "Golding Mine"; November 28, 1763, to
William Thorp, two tracts, 165 and 126 acres, part of
"Golding Mine," except two acres condemned by John
Manlove for a mill; December 8, 1763, to Joseph Brown,
180 acres; December 10, 1763, to Richard Reynolds, lot
No. 26, containing 82 acres; September 10, 1762, to
Thomas Arrowsmith, of Freehold, N. J., lot No. 3,
containing 150 acres, part of "Middletown"; March 21,
1763, to Benjamin Resin, lot No. 4, containing 150
acres; June 23, 1763, to Mathias Davis, 325 acres of
"Golding Mine"; September 4, 1762, to Levin Adams, lot
No. 18, containing 81 acres of the tracts "Longfield"
and "Improvement"; August 4, 1766, to Jonathan Brady,
lot No. 22, containing 128 acres; March 24, 1767, to
John Haslet, lot No. 20, containing 250 acres; May 10,
1768, to Levin Cropper, 141 acres of "Wheatfield";
December 15, 1758, to Cornody Candy, lot No. 8,
containing 150 acres; April 21, 1767, to Edward
Fitzrandolph, 10 acres of "Middletown," and 341 acres of
"Angleford"; November 14, 1767, to Joshua Clark, lot No.
7, 195 acres of "Springfield"; November 13, 1768, to
Richard Bartlett's widow, lot No. 6, containing 120
acres; August 22, 1769, to John Dill, lot No. 24,
containing 142 acres; November 12, 1770, to Moses
Clampitt, 213 acres, parts of "Longford," "Long Acre,"
and three other ancient surveys, one of which was on
Murderkill Creek; November 1, 1771, to Joseph Mason, lot
No. 29, 83 acres of "Wheatfield"; December 11. 1773, to
Joseph Calloway, 47 acres of "Long Acre"; June 7, 1774,
to James Craig, lot No. 8, 128 acres of "Longford"; same
date to Nahur Golden, 122 acres of "Corbion," "Longford"
and "Long Acre." |
"Longfield" is east of "Saw Mill
Range," on which Milford is situated, and is now principally
owned by the estate of Benjamin Potter, Peter L. Lofland and the
heirs of W. N. W. Dorsey.
"Improvement," bounded on the east by
Swan Creek, on the south by Mispillion Creek and on the west by
"Longfield," is now mainly owned by James Griffin and the heirs
of Benjamin Henderson.
"Golding Mine," the majority of which is
owned by the estate of David Riggs, is south of "Hunting
Quarter," a tract of fifteen hundred acres warranted January 21,
1681, to Luke Watson. The larger portion of "Hunting Quarter" is
in Milford Hundred, and the remainder in Mispillion Hundred. The
part in Milford Hundred is now owned by the heirs of Charles
Townsend, Isaac S. Truitt, Mrs. Curtis S. Watson, Mrs. Sarah E.
Polk, David Scott, Rev. W. Richardson and John H. Johnson.
Swan Creek separates "Improvement" from
Bridgetown, a tract of one thousand acres, surveyed November 21,
1685, for Wm. Spencer. On the north of Bridgetown is
"Springfield," on the east "Angleford," and on the south
Mispillion Creek. It is now in the possession of Chas. T.
Fleming and the estate of Benjamin Potter.
"Angleford," the next tract on the east
of Bridgetown, is bounded on the east by "Gooseberry" and
Fishing Creek and on the south by Mispillion Creek. It is now
owned by C. T. Fleming, the heirs of George Davis and the heirs
of Dr. John Owens.
"Gooseberry," a tract of six hundred
acres, was surveyed for Peter Groenendike under a warrant of
Dec. 21, 1680, granted to Cornelius Verhoofe, who died before
the survey was made. Groenendike as his administrator sold the
property in 1687 to David James. It is bounded on the north by
"Springfield," on the east by Fishing Creek, on the south by
Betts' Branch of the same, and on the west by Angleford. It is
now owned by Silas T. Jenkins and Eli F. Hammer.
"Springfield" lies north of Gooseberry,
between Swan and Fishing Creeks, and is now principally owned by
Charles Barker and the estate of Benjamin Potter.
"Middletown," a tract of one thousand
acres, lying between the branches of Mispillion and Murderkill
Creeks, was taken up by John Betts on the 1st of April, 1686. On
June 13th of the same year he conveyed the tract to William
Clark, who sold it to the Barbadoes Company, and from them it
passed to the Pennsylvania Land Company.
"Mount Pleasant," a tract of four
hundred and twelve acres of "fast" land and two hundred acres of
marsh, on Mispillion Creek, and bounded on the east by Beaver
Dam and on the west by Fishing Creek, was surveyed January 16,
1681, for William Betts, by Ephraim Herman. In 1683 Betts sold
to Mathew Manlove, who, at his decease, devised the property to
his children, Mark and Mary. Mary married Curtis Brinkley, and
became seized of the entire estate, and at her death it passed
to their only child, Phoebe, who married John Beswick. The
estate is now owned by William P. Beswick, K J. Beswick and
Angeline B. Herring, grandchildren of John Beswick and J. A
Bickel.
"Increase," a tract of six hundred acres
on the north side of Mispillion Creek, and adjoining "Mt.
Pleasant," was warranted to Baptist Newcome on March 15, 1681,
and the patent returned April 10, 1685.
Fairfield, a tract of nineteen hundred
and fifty acres, was surveyed January 18, 1681, for William
Clark. Its beginning was the three runs of the Mispillion
(Clark's, Main and Bowman's Branches), and extending northeast
was bounded on the south by "Saw-Mill Range" and "Longfield."
"Robin Hood's Range," a tract of sixty-three acres on Clarks'
Branch and adjoining Fairfield, was warranted to Dr. Robert
Cummins, October 24, 1737. A large portion of these tracts is
owned by the estate of Benjamin Potter.
Peter Baucom, who in 1680 was
recommended by Francis Whitwell, a justice of the peace, to
Governor Andros as a suitable person for sheriff of Kent County,
and was appointed by him and reappointed by William Penn in
1682, took up several tracts of land on the bay between
Murderkill Creek and the stream that bears his name and that of
John Briggs, viz.: Baucom-Briggs. He also took up land below
this stream. "Arundel," a tract of eight hundred acres, was
warranted December 17, 1680, and patented July 5, 1684. He also
took up "Staning," containing twelve hundred acres, surveyed
April 2, 1681. Six hundred acres of this tract passed to Timothy
Hanson, March 17, 1717, and was on the bank of Baucom-Brigg.
West of this land was "Partnership," a tract of thirteen hundred
acres, located April 1, 1681, by Thomas Flowers and Thomas
Davis.
John Bell located a tract of land and
made improvements. It was warranted December 21, 1680-81, and
patented Jan nary 29, 1684, to John Betts for one thousand
acres, and was known as "Betts' Purchase." In 1772 it was owned
by Benjamin White.
A portion of the Baucom land is now
owned by J. W. C. Webb, Edward Short, James D. Sipple, J. W.
Kirby and the estate of Benjamin Potter.
Richard Williams, who is mentioned in
1684 as an old renter, owned a tract called "Richmore," which
before 1784 belonged to Henry Molleston and Elijah Sipple, and
was divided among the heirs in that year. He was also granted a
tract "Williams' Choice," on December 21, 1680.
John Walker, December 20, 1680, took up
a tract of three hundred acres called "Wadford," adjoining the
tract "Angleton."
Brown's Branch rises in Mispillion
Hundred, flows through a portion of Milford Hundred, and empties
into the Murderkill Creek at Fork Landing. Daniel Brown, from
whom this stream took its name, obtained a tract of three
hundred acres in this vicinity in 1680. There were also surveyed
for him, August 26, 1684, nine hundred acres on the north side
of Murderkill Creek, which, January 24, 1685, he Bold to Richard
Mitchell and Mary Wells.
Among the many tracts taken up by John
Brinkloe was one called "Wild Goose Chase," situated on Brown's
and Manlove's Branches. It passed to his son John, and February
6, 1746, two acres on Brown's Branch was condemned for the use
of a mill for Richard Brinkloe. The mill and land in vicinity is
now owned by J. L. Smith.
On the north side of Brown's Branch, at
the pond then called Isaac White's mill-pond, there were
surveyed, October 6, 1740, three hundred and three acres of land
for the heirs of William Jacobs. The survey shows three houses
on the bank of the pond above the dam. The land lying to the
north was owned by Nathaniel Luff, and down the branch below the
dam was a tract called "Rawling's Lot," and west and south was
Melvin's Adventure, 272 acres taken up by Edmund Melvin at an
earlier date.
On the bay, in the bottom of Milford
Hundred, between the mouth of old Strunkill Creek and the old
"Great Fishing Gut," a tract of salt marsh was taken up and
surveyed April 22, 1785, for George Manlove, and resurveyed
October 15, 1765, for a company composed of William Molleston,
Luke Manlove, William Betts and Thomas Juster, who called the
tract "Company's Adventure."
Religious
Matters
The first mention of Friends in the
present limits of Milford Hundred is found in the minutes of
Duck Creek Meeting, on the 19th of Third Month (May), 1707, at
which time it is reported that "Joseph Booth and Mark Manlove
appeared for Mushmillion " (Mispillion). William Horn brought a
note from the Quarterly Meeting, signifying their approbation of
settling a meeting of worship at Mushmillion Creek, upon the
first day of the week. Weekly meetings had been held at the
house of Matthew Manlove, and on the 20th of Ninth Month, 1710,
request was made that the place of meeting be changed to the
house of Reynear Williams, which was granted. No mention is made
of the Friends in this vicinity erecting a meeting-house until
after 1790. On the 13th of November of that year, John Dickinson
sold to the trustees of Murderkill Meeting five acres of land
near Milford, for the erecting and sup-porting a meeting-house
and school- house. The meeting-house was then erected and used
for many years, but has now entirely passed away. The land on
which it stood is now owned by J. J. Rosa.
In 1781 the first Baptist
meetings in Milford Hundred were held by Revs. John Boggs and
Thomas Fleeson. Under their ministration five persons were
converted and baptized. Revs. Baker, Hughes and others also
preached here shortly afterwards. On May 10, 1788, the following
persons were constituted a church: Joshua Dewees, Elizabeth
Dewees, Rachel Dewees, Cornelius Dewees, Cornelius Dewees, Jr.,
Ann Dewees, John Dewees, Mary Dewees, Isaac Dewees, Mary
Furchase, Martin Purchase, Peter King, Ann King, Ruth Merony,
Coelia Jester, Avery Draper, William Merony, Esther Draper and
James Thistlewood. In 1791 eighteen families comprised the
congregation. Meetings were held in the house of Cornelius
Dewees until the meeting-house was completed, in 1797. The
church was incorporated in 1796, with Peter King, Vincent
Beswick and Cornelius Dewees as trustees. On August 15th of that
year David Dewees granted to the trustees one hundred and
sixteen square perches of land, on the road from Dover [to
Milford. The erection of a church was immediately begun and the
building was completed the following year.
Regular services were held in this
church till about twenty years ago, when they were discontinued.
The old building still stands, surrounded by the graves of its
dead, at the edge of a forest, and is occupied by an old colored
man and his family. The following ministers have served this
church in the capacity of regular pastors: Rev. Eliphaz Dazey,
Rev. Joshua Dewees, Rev, Joseph Flood, Rev. S. Snead, Rev.
Samuel Broadaway, Rev. Peter Meredith. Trustees, J. B. Coursen,
Jos. Frazier, Jno. B. Jacobs, James H. Postles, Chas. C. Case.
Previous to 1850 the Methodists of the
southwestern part of the hundred worshipped in the schoolhouse
in District No. 47. In that year a lot of land near
Williamsville was donated by W. T. Griffith to the trustees for
church purposes. The trustees were Parker Lofland, C. L. Sharp,
Josiah Dickerson, J. H. Johnson and W. T. Griffith, and under
their super-vision a neat one-story frame building, twenty-four
by thirty-six feet, was erected, and named Griffith's Chapel in
honor of the donor. Rev. Flannery was the pastor in charge when
the church was built. The church originally belonged to Milford
Circuit, but later formed a portion of Houston Circuit. Services
were conducted here till 1884, when this church was merged into
the congregation at Houston.
The Houston Methodist Episcopal
Church was erected in 1886, and dedicated the same year
by Rev. Davis. Under the direction of a building committee
composed of Rev. McSorley, William Marvel, Henry Vineyard,
George L. Counselman and Zachariah Johnson, a neat one-story
frame structure, sixty by thirty feet, was built at a cost of
two thousand seven hundred dollars. It forms a portion of
Houston Circuit, and services are conducted once in two weeks.
The church is in a flourishing condition, and numbers two
hundred communicants. A Sunday school containing one hundred and
ninety scholars, under the superintendence of Zachariah Johnson
and George L. Counselman, is connected with the church. The
officers of the church at present are as follows: Pastor, J. T.
Mitchel; Trustees, William Marvel, David Scott, Benjamin
Manlove, Zachariah Johnson, Henry Vineyard, L. H. Wilson, George
L. Counselman.
On April 7, 1802, Marcy Smithers
conveyed to Joshua Laws, William Hughlett, Thomas Sipple, Sorden
Lister and Jacob Calloway one-quarter of an acre of ground "for
the express purpose of building a church or preaching-house
thereon for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church." A frame
building, twenty by twenty-four feet, was erected and, in honor
of Joshua Laws, was named Laws' Chapel. The old building
remained till 1856, when it was torn down and the present
building erected. The trustees at this time were Thomas B.
Coursey, Jas. Downs, James Postles, Joseph Frazier, Josiah
Marvel and Molten Jacobs. The building is a neat frame
structure, forty-two by sixty feet, and was erected at a cost of
eighteen hundred dollars. The chapel first belonged to Milford
Circuit, afterwards to Frederica, Vernon and Harrington
Circuits, and now forms a part of Houston Circuit. Services are
held once in two weeks. A flourishing Sunday-school, under the
superintendence of John B. Jacobs, is connected with the church.
There are at present about seventy-five communicants.
The early Methodists in the northeastern
part of the hundred worshipped in a building erected for church
and school purposes. Meetings were continued in this building
till 1840, when the name was changed from Sardis to Wesley and a
new structure, twenty-six by thirty-six feet, was built. The
land was donated by John Wood to Nathaniel Luff, James
Hendrickson, Thomas Sipple, John Parsons, Isaac Jester, John
Taylor, Thomas Smith and' James Bell, and contained two and a
quarter acres. The building was remodeled and enlarged in 1874
and is now twenty-six by fifty feet and two stories high. The
membership at present is one hundred. The church has been
connected with Milford, Harrington, Frederica and Houston
Circuits.
The present board of trustees is
composed of Joshua Bennett, Benjamin Needles, Jehu Davis,
William Abbott, John W. Hall, Matthew Mitten and George W.
Thomas.
In 1880 a church was built near the "Tub
Mill," on land donated by Mrs. Mitchell. Services were held in
this building by the Methodist Protestants for about a year and
a half, under the leadership of Bev. Irving. It was then
converted to the use of the Methodist Episcopal denomination,
and dedicated by Rev. Willis. It has been used regularly for
Sunday-school purposes and occasional preaching services have
been held in it, but it has never been connected with any
circuit It is a neat one-story frame structure, twenty-seven by
forty feet, and cost one thousand dollars. William J. Polk is
the superintendent of the Sabbath-school. The present board of
trustees is composed of the following persons: William P. Polk,
Nathan Thomas, Luther Cubbage, Houston Cubbage, Robert McColley.
Mechanical
Industries
Isaac White's mill-pond is mentioned in
a survey of three hundred and three acres, made October 6, 1740,
for the heirs of William Jacobs. It was on Brown's Branch, and
very probably occupied the site of the mill now owned by William
Wilson, as there have been only two mills on this stream, and
the land for the use of the J. L. Smith mill was condemned six
years later. In 1816 this mill was owned by Joseph Cheairs, and
contained one water-wheel and two pairs of stones. The mill was
afterwards owned by John D. Smithers and by him sold to Alfred
Newsome, whose administrator sold the mill to Paris D. Carlisle.
William Wilson, the present owner, purchased the property of
Carlisle in 1863. By him the mill was enlarged, and is a
two-story frame building. William Wilson operated the mill till
October, 1887, when his son, James A. Wilson, took charge. The
grinding is done by burr, and consists mainly of custom work.
A condemnation for two acres of land on
Swan Creek for mill purposes for Joseph Mason was returned
December 7, 1771. A mill was accordingly erected and has since
been known as the "Tub Mill;" at his decease the property was
inherited by his son Joseph, who, March 28, 1806, conveyed the
mill and land in the vicinity to James Henderson. It descended
to his daughter Priscilla, who conveyed it to John Brinkloe. It
was afterwards owned by Dr. James P. Lofland, William Saxton and
James Williams, the latter of whom sold to Silas T. Jenkins in
1875. A few years afterwards a saw-mill was built. The mills are
operated by John D. Wilson and are chiefly employed on custom
work. Water and steam are both employed in operating them.
The date of the erection of the first
mill on the main branch of the Mispillion on the site of the
mill now owned by Daniel Griffith has not been ascertained. The
present mill, a three-story frame building, is the third one
that has occupied this site, and was built in 1858 for William
Griffith, whose wife Sarah inherited the property from her
father, David Riggs. It was devised by Mrs. Griffith to her son
Daniel, who is the present owner. The mill is now operated by
William Edington. The grinding is done by burr and consists
mainly of custom work.
On May 25, 1785, James Douglas purchased
of John Clayton, sheriff, "all that lot of ground or mill-seat
with part of a mill thereon on the south side of Brown's
branch,'' which was offered at public sale as the land of Thomas
Ogle. The land formerly belonged to John Harmenson, who sold to
Thomas Muncy, for whom two acres was condemned for a grist-mill.
Thomas Ogle purchased from Muncy. A very large merchant mill was
erected by Douglass, which was known as "Mordington Mills." In
1816, it was in the possession of his son, Walter Douglass, and
then contained two water-wheels and three pairs of stones. He
operated the mill till his death, which occurred in 1827. On May
14, 1829, it was purchased by Charles Kinney, who sold to Samuel
A. Short on November 12, 1882. While in his possession the mill
was burned, and a new one about half the size of the former mill
erected. A saw-mill was also built by him. He retained
possession till January 1, 1848, when he sold the mills to
Joseph O. McColley, who February 23, 1876, conveyed them to Mrs.
Eliza B. McColley, wife of Edward B. C. McColley. J. L. Smith,
the present owner and proprietor, obtained' possession May 8,
1878.
The mills on this stream nearer its head
were erected by Ezekiel Riggs, and at his death descended to his
sen David, who owned them in 1816, when they consisted of a
grist-mill, containing one water-wheel and two pairs of stones,
and a new saw-mill. At the decease of David Riggs it was
selected as the dower property by his widow, who afterwards
inter-married with C. L. Sharp, by whom the present grist-mill
was built in 1875. It next came into possession of David Riggs'
daughter Sarah, who was the wife of William Griffith. By Mrs.
Griffith the property was devised to her son, David R. Griffith,
who owned it until 1884, when it became the property of J. B.
Wilson, the present owner and operator. The present mill is a
three-story building.
In 1875 Charles Barker began to
evaporate fruit with one machine. In 1878 he erected a building
on the present site, which, with the addition since made,
constitutes the present establishment. Since 1882 four
evaporators have been in operation, with a capacity of five
hundred baskets per day. During the season seventy-five hands
are employed and thirty tons of peaches, apples and berries are
evaporated and find a ready market in Baltimore, Philadelphia,
Chicago and Boston.
J. B. Counsel man erected a building and
fitted it up for the canning of vegetables and fruits in 1878.
Additions have been made and the establishment now covers one
hundred and forty-seven thousand square feet of ground, and is
the principal industry of Houston. The factory is in operation
for seven months each year and during this time employment is
given to three hundred hands. The sixty thousand cases of goods,
of which forty thousand are tomatoes, packed each year are
shipped to all parts of the country. Twenty men are employed
during the entire year manufacturing cans for their goods.
In 1882 Zachariah Johnson opened a
canning establishment about a mile from Williamsville. During
the season he employs twenty-five hands, and packs two thousand
five hundred cases of canned goods, which are shipped
principally to New York and Philadelphia.
J. L. Smith erected a canning
establishment in the northwestern part of the hundred in 1882.
In canning peaches and tomatoes employment is given to forty
operatives for three months of the year. Three thousand cases
are packed annually and shipped to New York and Philadelphia.
In 1884, E. C. Peck moved a steam
saw-mill from Frederica to Houston. The mill was operated by him
until the latter part of 1886, when it came into the possession
of J. J. Nivison, who has since conducted it. The work consists
solely of custom work.
Samuel W. Darby opened a brickyard in
1884, on land owned by Benjamin Hydron. He employs four men and
manufactures two hundred thousand bricks per annum.
In 1884 J. L. Smith began to manufacture
a fertilizer from king crabs, dried and ground. One hundred tons
are manufactured per year, for which ready sale is found in the
vicinity.
In 1849, George S. Grier opened a
machine-shop in the town of Mil ford. Shortly afterwards, this
was burned, and the present foundry and machine-shops, on the
Mispillion Creek, about half a mile from Milford, were erected
in 1851. Additional buildings have been constructed at different
periods, and the establishment now covers two acres of ground.
Steady employment is given to sixteen men, who are engaged in
performing all kinds of work pertaining to a foundry and general
machine-shop. The special features of the establishment are the
manufacture of fruit evaporators and corn-shellers, and the
repair of steam-engines.
Kent County
Source: History of Delaware, 1609-1888,
Volume I, by J. Thomas Scharf, L. J. Richards & Company,
Philadelphia, 1888.
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