Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware
This hundred is located south of the
central part of Sussex County and borders on two arms of the
Atlantic Ocean, called Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay, which
have a common inlet. The upper part of the latter sheet of water
bears the name of Indian River, from which the hundred takes its
title. This stream is wide and shallow at low tide, and has been
so much filled up that but a small part of its length remains
navigable. It forms the southern boundary of the hundred,
separating it from Baltimore and Dagsboro' Hundreds. On the west
and north are Georgetown and Lewes and Rehoboth Hundreds.
Separating it from the latter are Bundick's Branch and Love
Creek, which empty their waters in Rehoboth Bay. Extending from
the southern part of the latter is a large arm, into the upper
part of which fall the waters of Middle and Herring Creeks.
These arms or indentures of the bays give the eastern shore a
very irregular appearance and form a number of necks and
islands. Of the latter, Burton's Island, near the Indian River
Inlet, it the largest. Above it is the Long Neck, whose main
characteristic is ex-pressed by its name. It contains some fine
lands. Angola Neck, northwest of Rehoboth Bay, has also a large
acreage of good lands, whose possession was much desired by the
early settlers. The general sur-face of the hundred is level,
much of the soil being of a sandy nature, and, consequently, the
lands are not as fertile as those of the contiguous hundreds.
Yet, with careful cultivation, they can be made fairly
productive. And there are some fine farms, with good
improvements, many of the latter being the results of
intelligent labor in recent years. A large area remains covered
with original forests and, in ether sections are the growths of
trees, principally pines, on lands once under cultivation, which
have been abandoned or turned out as commons. In later years
much of this has again been cleared up, the wood being converted
into charcoal, which has become a profitable industry. This work
and ordinary agriculture constitute the chief occupation of the
in-habitants of the hundred, who numbered eighteen hundred and
thirteen according to the census of 1880.
One of the first patents for lands in
the hundred was for a tract of six hundred and eighty acres,
upon Indian River and Rehoboth Bay. It was designated as
"Cruder's Neck," and was granted to Captain Nathaniel Carr,
October 28, 1667. "Avery's Rest," on King's Creek, out of
Rehoboth Bay, was patented to John Avery July 1, 1676. A part of
this tract was transferred to John Morgan in 1702.
In 1677 William Burton received a
warrant from Governor Andross for the survey of one thousand
acres, called the "Long Neck," of which he sold five hundred
acres to Thomas Bagwell, October 9, 1679. This tract, at a later
day, became the property of Bagwell Burton. William Burton had
eleven sons, whom he settled along the Indian River, principally
on '' Long Neck," where the family owned thousands of acres of
land. From them have descended the numerous Burtons of the
county, and to each generation belonged a number of John
Burtons, there being at one time more than thirty persons
bearing that name in the hundred. On the Indian River was built
the ancestral home of one line of Burtons, which became widely
known as the "White House," and for more than a century it was
owned by successive John Burtons. In 1887 it was the property of
Mrs. John M. Houston, a daughter of the late John Robert Burton.
The main part of the house is of brick, one and a half stories
high, and was whitewashed; hence its name. It is believed that
the house was built as long since as 1722. This home farm
embraced two hundred and sixty acres in 1887, and was one of the
best-known landmarks in the hundred.
Some of the Burtons became eminent in
the affairs of the State, Dr. Wm. Burton being the Governor at
the breaking out of the Civil War. Robert Burton, another
well-known member of the family, was born near St. George's
Chapel in 1772. He was a man of unusual sound judgment and
purpose to benefit the public. Through his efforts the general
act was passed by the Assembly to ditch the low lands of
Baltimore Hundred. But this measure was at first so violently
opposed by some of the citizens, who claimed that it would
produce oppressive taxation, that they threatened to do him
bodily harm, if he should appear in their midst. Yet most of
them lived to see time justify his wisdom. That system of
drainage has made the lands of the hundred the most productive
in the county. He died at Lewes in 1849, having rounded a good
and noble life.
In 1684 the "Brothers' Patent,"
containing six hundred acres of land, adjoining those of "Long
Neck," were warranted to Thomas and John Jones, but were
resurveyed to William Burton, June 16, 1736.
In 1685 the tracts called "Timber
Hill" on the south side of Mill Creek, and "Spring Ford," on the
south side of the Great Kill, were warranted to William Clark,
eleven hundred and fifty acres in all. In 1687 "Maiden's
Plantation," ''Batchelor's Lott," and "Farmers' Hall," all on
the "creeks proceeding out of Rehoboth Bay," were located to
parties who sold them within a few years. "Bradford Hall" twelve
hundred acres on the south side of Rehoboth Bay, was located in
1688, and warranted to Nathaniel Bradford. Part of this tract
was sold to Roger Corbett, of Lewes, who transferred three
hundred acres of the same, situate along Love Creek, to Woodman
Stockley, Sr., in 1706. John Stockley had purchased five hundred
acres of William Clark in 1691. Another part of the Bradford
tract was conveyed to Richard Paynter and the land was divided
in 1691
John Barker became the owner of
"Lancaster" a tract of one hundred and fifty acres on the north
side of Indian River, in 1698, and the same year two hundred
acres of "Farmers' Hall" passed to Jacob Kollock.
In 1701 "Kinney's Adventure," seven
hundred and twenty acres in the bottom of Angola Neck, was
resurveyed to Robert Burton. In 1702 John Gibbs purchased four
hundred and seventy-four acres along Love Creek, and in 1705.
James Drake became the owner of two hundred acres on what is now
Herring Creek, at that time called Fishery or Goldsmith's Creek.
In 1706, Richard Hinman purchased of
John Paynter three hundred and forty-four acres on Angola Neck;
and the same year Anderson Parker and Matthew Spicer purchased
"Good Hope," six hundred acres in all, on the south side of the
Marshes Creek.
In 1715 Richard Bundick became the
owner of twelve hundred acres of land at the head of Love Creek
(hence the name of that part, Bundick's Branch), but soon after
sold the most of it to Thomas and John Jones and John Pettijohn.
In 1818 the latter disposed of some of his purchase to John
Allen and George Dodd. "Bottle & Oakes'' three hundred and forty
acres at the head of Long Neck was di-Tided, in 1716, between
William Hanzer and Thomas Geese. A part of the former's land
became the property of John Lingo, November 10, 1761, and from
that date the Lingo family became identified with Indian River
Hundred. Henry Lingo purchased land in Slaughter Neck as early
as 1748. The descendants have become a large and influential
family. E. M. Lingo, a leading farmer of Angola, is a member of
this family.
The settlement of the Robinson family
in the hundred was much earlier. In March, 1693, Wm. Robinson, a
tanner, purchased four hundred and fifty acres of land in Angola
Neck, called "Robert his fortune," which had been patented as
early as 1677. Subsequently this estate was enlarged by other
purchases, and remained for many years in the hands of the
Robinson family. As the property of Benjamin Robinson, it was
subdivided among his sons, William, Benjamin, Parker, John and
Peter. The upper or William's farm of one hundred and
thirty-eight acres, and the improvements thereon, became the
property of Peter R. Burton, who was the owner in 1887. In 1763
Thomas and Peter Robinson, merchants, bought of Elizabeth
Flemming two hundred and thirty-two acres on the north side of
Herring Branch, which had been warranted to Christopher Topham
in 1718. Soon after Thomas Robinson settled in the vicinity of
St. George's Chapel, where he opened a store. During the
Revolution he was a Tory and in 1779 his property was
confiscated. He then returned to England and later to Canada,
but after peace was declared again took up his abode in Indian
River Hundred, where he lived until his death; His son, Peter,
born in 1776, became a lawyer and jurist of distinction, and his
son Thomas was a member of the Legislature. Peter Robinson, the
brother of Thomas, the merchant, lived at the head of the Angola
tracts where he was well-known as a business man. He was
appointed a justice of the Supreme Court in 1793. The site of
the farm of Thomas A. Joseph, of Angola, is a historical tract.
He is a descendant of the old Josephs family, which was
prominent in the early history of the State and large tax-payers
in 1785.
On the Indian River, above the White
House and below Millsborough, a settlement was made by the
Waples family on a farm which was once part of a large tract of
land called "Warwick," consisting of three hundred acres, which
was bought by Peter Waples of John How, September 8, 1693. He
had bought three hundred acres of John Barker November 10, 1692,
and on April 24, 1694, bought of William Clark four hundred
acres. These lands were adjoining on the Indian River. It is
supposed that his home was at the narrow part of the river, now
known as 'Terry Landing." On the 2nd of September, 1696, he
petitioned court for license to keep a ferry across the river
from his house, for greater convenience for travelers to and
from Maryland, which was granted. The road from Lewes, which was
the principal settlement at that time, came to St. George's
Chapel and down to the river, and in later years was joined near
that place by the road from the upper part of the State. Before
1750 a town was laid out on this tract on the river, which was
called Warwick, and May 7th of that year lots in the town were
sold as the property of Woolsey Burton.1
The name of "Ferry Billy" Burton is
still remembered by older citizens as the ferryman at this
place. For a further account of this ferry, reference is made in
the article on ''Internal Improvements" in the general history.
Peter Waples also owned land on the south side of the river in
Dagsborough Hundred in Pine Neck. He had three sons, William,
Peter and Paul, from whom the family in his State have
descended.
The first representative of the Frame
family, who settled in the hundred, was named George, who early
located a large tract of land on the upper part of Indian River.
From him the property passed to his son George, whose son Robert
was the next owner by right of primogeniture. Breaking through
the custom, the latter divided the land with his brother Paynter,
who deceased in 1812. In addition to his being a farmer, the
latter carried on a store and distillery in the neighborhood of
the old Presbyterian Church, which was built on the Frame tract.
Near the fruit distillery was one of the largest and oldest
peach orchards of this part of the State. This tract of land is
yet mainly owned by Henry C. Frame, while his brother Paynter
owns another part of the large estate in the northern section of
the hundred.
The latter tract of four hundred
acres includes ''Black's Savannah," of twenty-five acres, which
was originally bare of trees. Here are the head-waters of
numerous streams, which attracted much game to the locality, and
it was also a favorite resort of Indian hunters. Many relics and
a few Indian graves have been found. Next above this land was
the "White Horse" tract of Joseph Warrington, the ancestor of
that numerous family in Sussex County.
Paynter Frame has given this section
local celebrity by growing on his farm some of the finest melons
and fruit ever produced in Delaware. He has also propagated new
species of fruits and vegetables.
The first American ancestor of the
old Delaware family of Frame was George Frame, who emigrated
from England at an early period, and patented several thousand
acres of land in what is now Dagsboro', and Indian River
Hundreds. Several of his children subsequently immigrated to
Ohio, where they were among the earliest settlers in Pickaway
County, in that State. George Frame, son of the emigrant,
married Elizabeth Paynter, aunt of Gov. John Paynter, who bore
him two sons, Robert and Paynter Frame.
Robert died at the early age of
thirty-four. His widow, whose maiden-name was Mary Vaughan,
first married a Mr. West, and bore him one child, Elizabeth.
After his death she married Wm. Burton, and had four children,
Dr. William Burton, late Governor of Delaware; John Hammond, a
well-known surveyor; Lydia and Carolina. After the death of Mr.
Burton, she became the wife of Mr. Frame, and bore him three
children, Elizabeth Paynter, who married James Anderson, of
Georgetown; George, the father of the subject of this notice;
and Robert Frame, who later became Attorney-General of Delaware.
Mrs. Frame died soon after her husband, and the children were
reared by their uncle, Paynter Frame, who had no children ef his
own.
George Frame, son of Robert, when he
arrived at the age of fourteen years, was bound as an apprentice
to Baxter & Bird, hardware merchants of Philadelphia, and
remained with that firm until he attained his majority. In 1819
he made a journey to Havana, but returned soon after, and
settled in his native county of Sussex, devoting himself to the
improvement and development of the four hundred acres of land he
had inherited from his father's estate. He manifested great
energy, industry and executive ability, and added greatly to his
landed estate; was a skillful surveyor, and owned about one
thousand five hundred acres of fairly productive and well
cultivated land at the time of his death. He was active in
political affairs; was elected to the Legislature of his State
in 1831; served as sheriff of Sussex County in 1834, and was a
popular candidate for gubernatorial honors in 1840. He died
September 13, 1845, in the forty-ninth year of his age. His wife
was Elizabeth Jefferson, daughter of Joseph and Ann (Jefferson)
Warrington, and a distant relative of President Thomas
Jefferson. She bore him twelve children, of whom eleven grew to
years of maturity, namely: Robert, Mary Vaughan (wife of Manlove
Wilson) Paynter, Ann J. (wife of R. H. Davis) Henry Clay,
Elizabeth West (wife of Nathaniel Williams), George W.,
(deceased), Thomas Jefferson, Rev. Clement T., (of the Baptist
denomination), Jennie W., and Thalia H. M. Frame. Mrs. Frame led
an exemplary Christian life, was possessed of remarkable energy
and business ability, as well as a high order of intelligence,
and it is said of her that she read the Bible through thirty
times in course. She died January 5, 1879, in her
seventy-seventh year.
The subject of this sketch was born
in the house where he now resides, in Indian River Hundred, on
October 21, 1826. He attended the public schools of his
neighborhood until he was fourteen years of age, and then
enjoyed academic instruction in Georgetown, Seaford and
Millsboro' until past the age of twenty. The last year of his
attendance at school he paid his own tuition in gold, derived
from the sale of rabbits which he had caught. After completing
his educational career he remained with his mother, on the
family homestead, at her request, and assisted her in the care
and management of the undivided estate of his father. He never
married, but has proved an enthusiastic farmer, paying special
attention to the grafting and improvement of fruit. He owns over
five thousand peach trees, also pear and apple trees in
abundance, as well as numerous varieties of small fruits. He
owns several tracts of land, and raises large quantities of
wheat and corn, his fences being lined with the choicest
varieties of grapes grafted onto the wild vines. He is widely
known in connection with the growth of watermelons, having also
originated several excellent varieties, such as the "Iron-Clad,"
and the "Prize," and frequently preserves this luscious fruit
during the winter. He has also recently developed a peach of
great merit which he has named "Frame's Favorite."
In 1876 he was one of the nine
commissioners appointed to represent Delaware at the Centennial
Exhibition, and served effectively as a member of the Committee
on Agriculture, and as chairman of the Committee on
Horticulture. He was also appointed by Governor Hall a delegate
to represent Sussex County in the National Agricultural
Convention, which met in New York City, in December, 1879. At
that session the American Agricultural Association was formed,
of which organization he is a member.
He has frequently been selected to
fill positions of trust and responsibility, and acted as the
executor of the estate of his uncle, Peter Warrington. He is
part owner of a vessel trading between Milton, Del., and
Philadelphia and New York. Like his father, he has always taken
a deep interest in politics, and in 1854 was the nominee of the
Democratic Party for the State Legislature, but was defeated. He
was elected, however, in 1856, and served with credit and
acceptability; and was again chosen to represent his party in
1866 and in 1874. He has, with but few exceptions, been a
delegate to every convention of his party in the country for the
last thirty years. He has also been a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church for many years, and much of the time has acted
as trustee and steward. He was a delegate to the Peninsula
Convention of all denominations in 1860, and has long been
identified with the Sussex County Bible Society, and has served
as its vice-president. He was made an Odd Fellow in 1850, a
Mason in 1852, became Master of the lodge in 1854, and a member
of the Royal Arch in 1858. He was a delegate to the General
Grand Convocation of Royal Arch Masons in Baltimore in 1872, and
is Past Deputy Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of the
State of Delaware. He was a prominent candidate for Governor in
1870, and again in 1872. He is of an agreeable and social
temperament, popular and respected, and one of the foremost
farmers of his county.
In the hundreds of Indian River,
Lewes and Rehoboth and Dagsborough are a numerous class of
colored people commonly called yellow men, and by many believed
to be descendants of the Indians which formerly inhabited this
country. Others regard them as mulattoes and still others claim
that they are of Moorish descent. From the fact that so many of
them bear the name of Sockum, that term has also been applied to
the entire class of people. Of their genealogy, Judge George P.
Fisher said:
"About one hundred and fifty years
ago a cargo of slaves from Congo River was landed at Lewes, and
sold to purchasers at that place. Among them was a tall,
fine-looking young man about five and twenty years. This man was
called Requa, and was remarkable for his manly proportions and
regular features, being more Caucasian than African. Requa was
purchased by a young Irish widow, having red hair, blue eyes and
fair complexion. She afterwards married him. At that time the
Nanticoke Indians were still quite numerous at and near Indian
River. The off-spring of Requa and his Irish wife were not
recognized in the white society, and they would not associate
with the Negroes, and they did associate and intermarry with the
Indians.
"This statement was made on oath of
Lydia Clark, at Georgetown, in 1856, in the trial of the case of
the State against Levin Sockum for selling, contrary to law,
powder and shot to one Isaiah Harman, alleged to be a free
mulatto. The question upon which the case turned was whether
Harman really was a free mulatto, and the genealogy of that race
of people was traced by Lydia Clark, then about eighty-seven
years of age, who was of the same race of people.
"The court was so well convinced of
the truth of Lydia's testimony that. Sockum was convicted of the
charge preferred against him.
''This race of people are noted as
peaceable, law-abiding citizens, good farmers, and are known as
Moors, but without any foundation. The name Requa or Regua is
now handed down as Ridgeway.''
The exclusiveness spoken of continues
to the present time. This class of people maintains its separate
social life (so far as it is possible to do so) seldom
intermarrying with the Negroes or mulattoes, and support
separate churches. The number in the county is diminishing,
owing to removals and natural causes but enough remain to make
it a distinctive element.
In 1785 a
List of Taxables in the hundred.
In 1822 there were three hundred and
ninety-eight
Taxables in the Hundred owning real estate
and personal property.
The
Business
Interests
Business
Interests of the hundred are confined to a few small trading
points and the operation of mills by the feeble water-powers of
the sluggish streams, flowing into the Rehoboth and Indian River
Bays. On the Middle Creek, at the head of Angola Neck, the
Robinson family had one of the first mills, different members
owning it until 1843, since which time Peter R. Burton has been
the proprietor. The saw-mill was abandoned many years ago, but
the grist-mill is still operated in a limited way. Higher up the
same stream and on Herring Creek, prior to 1825, the Robinson
family also had mills, suited to the demands of those times,
which have passed out of existence so long since that scarcely a
trace of them can be seen. In 1797 Woodman Stockley was
authorized to erect a mill-dam across Rood's Creek, probably
where was afterwards the Ennis mill. That site was vacated by
order of the court, on account of the overflow caused by the
dam. In 1806 an act was also passed to enable Joshua Jones to
remove his mill and erect a dam on Swan Creek, one hundred and
seventeen perches down said creek, and two acres on the west
side of the creek were condemned for a mill-site. On this steam
Samuel Lockwood operated a mill as early as 1816, which did
quite a heavy business for those times. The channel of the
stream permitted boats to be loaded below the mill so that flour
was shipped from here direct to Philadelphia. Higher up the
stream, Robert and Cornelius Waples had a mill, which has also
gone down.
On the Deep
Branch of the Indian River the Pool Mill did good service for
the settlers after 1800, and as the power is constant the mills
have since been continuously operated, being later known as the
property of Burton Morris. Several miles below, the Frame family
had a saw-mill, near which the Presbyterian meeting-house was
afterwards built, and which circumstance of locality gave rise
to the name "Saw-mill Church." Later, Col. Wm. Waples improved a
power, lower down the stream, the breast of the dam being used
as a causeway for the road across the river. This became locally
known as the Doe Bridge, one of these animals having been killed
near this spot. The grist-mill put up became widely known as the
property of Col. Waples and later of Robert Morris; but since
1864 it has been known as the property of Benjamin B. Jones. The
latter was, also, in 1887, the owner of the mills at Millsboro'.
That power was improved at an early day by Elisha Derrickson,
and was first made to operate but a small mill; this gave place
to a large mill, having two water-wheels on the outside of the
building. There was a kiln for drying corn, and much grain was
ground, which was loaded upon vessels coming up to the mills.
The property was destroyed by fire in 1839, while owned by Col.
William D. Waples and while being operated by Henry C. Waples,
whose residence near the mill was burned at the same time. The
present mill was built in 1840, and soon after became the
property of Gardiner H. Wright. In 1852 it was remodeled and has
been enlarged within more recent years as the property of
Benjamin B. Jones. It has a strong and constant power. The
usefulness of a large saw-mill on the Dagsborough side of the
stream has been superseded by many portable steam saw-mills,
located in the forests of the hundred, among the principal ones
being those of J. A. Lingo, near Warwick, and R. Lingo, on the
Long Neck.
Villages
Millsboro' is located in both Indian River
and Dagsborough Hundreds, but had its beginning as a business
point in the former. The furnace store connected with the
furnace and grist-mills at this place was opened near the mills,
on the Indian River side, about 1820, and as the furnace alone
had about seventy employees, it had a large trade until its
removal to the Dagsborough side (which was then known as
Washington), about 1840. The store was supplemented by an inn,
kept by Philip Short and later by Burton Waples and Thomas
Hayworth, and as this place was also the headquarters of Colonel
Waples' stage line across the Peninsula, there was much business
activity. The inn was closed to the public many years ago, but
stores have been pretty continuously kept at the old stand until
the present time. In 1887 Derrick B. Morris was in the trade and
there were, besides the mills and the store, half a dozen
residences in the Indian River part of the village, the general
business being confined to the Dagsborough side, where is also
the railway station.
At
Angola
the Robinsons had a store prior to the Revolution, the building
in which they traded being on the side of the present barn of
Peter R. Burton, who was a merchant of more recent times. In a
still more recent period James Maull opened another store, and
for the past ten years D. D. Burton has been in trade, also
being the postmaster of the office established about thirty
years ago. A small hamlet has grown up at this place.
At
Warwick Landing was formerly a store, which has long
since been discontinued, but at the head of Long Neck a business
stand was established many years ago by Levin Sockum, where
afterwards traded Henry Groome and, since 1873, John A. Lingo.
Lower down the Neck a store, kept by Captain Baylis, has been
discontinued.
At
Johnson's Cross-Roads (St. John's Church) Peter Parker
had a small store as early as 1830. Here later merchants were
John T. Burton and James W. Lynch. East from this place, in a
locality known as Holleyville, Burton C. Prettyman opened a
store, about 1842, which is still continued. The post-office is
of more recent origin. It receives its mail from Harbeson
station, and also supplies the Angola office.
Nearer the
central part of the hundred is the new hamlet of
Fairmount, which consists of the Unity Church, store,
shops and a few houses, nearly all the buildings being new and
presenting an attractive appearance. The business interests at
this point are solely the creation of Daniel C. Townsend, who
their engaged in trade in 1879. Since that time he has succeeded
in making it a good business centre. A Grange Hall, in this
neighborhood, is a two-story frame building, in which public
meetings are also held. The membership of the Grange was small
in 1887.
In the
vicinity of St. George's Chapel there were, besides the mills,
already mentioned, about eighty years ago, two taverns and a
small store, the latter kept by the Robinson family as early as
the Revolution. Nearer Lewes was a race-course and a bullet
path; the latter was a sort of bowling alley, only they used
large bullets and rolled on a firmly-beaten path. Half a century
ago that was a popular pastime in rural sections. All the
foregoing have long since disappeared, leaving the chapel as the
sole interest in that community.
Religious Matters
The St. George's Chapel
(Protestant Episcopal) is the representation of the
earliest organized religious effort in the hundred. As early as
May 8, 1706, Roger Corbett "made over to the public, for a
religious place of worship or church, one acre of land situate
on the south side of Love's Branch, to have and to hold the same
for ye use aforesaid, with war-rants from him, his heirs and
assigns forever, by deed of gift." It is said that about this
time a small log church was built on this tract of land, but the
account appears to be purely traditionary. In a report of the
missionary, the Rev. William Beckett, October 11, 1728, is an
authentic statement of the chapel as follows: "In Indian River
Hundred, nine miles from Lewes, was raised in December, 1719, an
oak frame, twenty by twenty-five feet, and twelve feet high. The
walls and roof were covered with red oak boards, and so remained
until 1725, when fifteen feet were added to the length of the
building, but this part was not finished. In the old part was
the pulpit, gallery and floor. In 1728 it was proposed to cover
the whole building with cypress shingles and otherwise improve
the appearance of the chapel. About two hundred people steadily
attended the services of the chapel."
In subsequent
years this building was further repaired, and was used until
about 1792, when it was destroyed by fire, the flames being
communicated from a burning building nearby. In 1794 the present
edifice was erected of bricks burned near the church. It was
built two stories high, having double rows of windows and
galleries all around the church. The pulpit was tulip-shaped and
was supplied with a sounding-board. In this condition it was a
well-kept place of worship for nearly a hundred years; but the
walls becoming badly cracked, it was deemed unsafe, and, in
1882, it was determined to rebuild the church. The height of the
building was cut down, the galleries being removed, and the
architecture was changed to Gothic style. These repairs were
completed in April, 1883, at an outlay of seven hundred and
fifty dollars. At this time William C. Burton was the junior
warden and much of the work was done under his direction. In
1887 the building presented a plain but not unattractive
appearance.
St. George's
Chapel was for many years a part of the parish of Lewes, and
had, consequently, the same rectors as St. Peter's Church, these
being, after 1820, the Revs. Daniel Higbee, Charles C.
Pleasants, George Hall, the latter being ordained a priest at
St. Mark's, Millsboro', October 8, 1848.
The Rev.
William Wright became the rector of St George's Church and the
Chapel of the Holy Comforter, December 1, 1855, and continued
until September, 1860, when the Rev. J. Rambo was appointed to
take charge of these churches, serving in the capacity of
missionary until June, 1863. Since that time the rectors, in
connection with other churches, have been the following: 1867,
the Rev. John A. Parsons; 1868-73, the Rev. John L. McKim. From
July, 1873, until the fall of 1887 the minister of the Episcopal
Churches in the hundred was the Rev. George W. Johnson. The
membership is not large, many of those formerly belonging having
removed. In December, 1887, the communicants at the church and
its chapel did not exceed thirty. The vestry of the former was
composed of D. D. Burton and William C. Burton, wardens; Alfred
Joseph, M. B. Marvel, Thomas W. Turner, Thomas W. Burton and
John E. Burton, vestrymen.
The
Chapel of the Holy Comforter was consecrated May 25,
1847, and was erected for the convenience of members of St.
George's residing in the lower part of the hundred. It is a
frame building, twenty-eight by thirty-eight feet, with a
chancel added, and was placed in good repair in 1880. In its
ecclesiastical relation it has always been a part of St.
George's Parish, the two places of worship having a common place
of burial at the old church.
The cemetery
at the old St. George's Chapel (now Church) has been kept in a
good condition. A fine brick wall was built around it in 1857,
and a neat iron fence separates it from the public highway. The
location is a good one, being on a sandy knoll. There are some
fine monuments in the yard, and among the headstones noted were
memorials to members of the following families: Kalloch, Lingo,
Robinson, Der-rickson, Phillips, Baylis, Dodd, Stockley, Wilson,
Prettyman, Cary, Long, Collins, Hill, Turner.
The
Indian River Presbyterian Church. This body has passed
out of existence, leaving no record of its early history. The
organization of a congregation near the "Head of Indian River"
antedated 1750, and it may have been as early as 1730 or soon
after the organization of the congregation at Cool Spring, with
which some of the Presbyterians residing in the hundred would
naturally have been first connected. Soon after 1750 a
dissension arose in the Indian River congregation, between the
"Old and New Light" members, which prevented their agreeing upon
the Rev. Matthew Wilson, of the Lewes Church, as a suitable
pastor, and on the 12th of October, 1754, the "peace was
preserved" by electing the Rev. John Harris as the first
separate pastor of whom any account has been preserved. The
congregation retained him in that office until 1759, when it
confessed its inability to pay his salary any longer, and the
pulpit became vacant. After it was supplied a short time by the
Rev. Moses Little, a union was again effected in 1767, with the
churches at Lewes and Cool Spring, and the Rev. Matthew Wilson
then became the pastor, serving the three congregations until
his death. In 1788 these congregations were incorporated under
the provisions of the act of 1787, with the name of "The United
Presbyterian Congregations of Lewes, Cool Spring and Indian
River." All their temporalities were thus united, and for a
number of years "they called and paid their pastors in the name
of the trustees of this Directory."
In 1800 the
ruling elders of the congregation were Robert Houston, Benjamin
Prettyman, David Richards and Jacob Burton. In 1811, Edward Hall
and William Rodney were elected, and in 1836 the session was
composed of Dr. S. K. Wilson, C. Waples, P. Marvel, Aaron Marvel
and Peter Waples. At this time the communicants numbered
sixty-eight, and the Rev. Cornelius H. Mustard was the pastor.
In 1811 the membership was still stronger, there being
seventy-four communicants. After the latter period the
congregation appears to have declined very rapidly, and was soon
so weak that no regular minister could be maintained, the Rev.
Henry Fries being the last to serve in that relation. The Civil
War still further disrupted the church, which has not had an
active existence since that time.
The place of
worship of the congregation was in a meeting-house erected on
the Frame farm, one and a half miles about Millsboro', an acre
of land in a fine grove having been set aside for this purpose.
The first building was replaced by a better frame structure in
1794, which was well finished, the interior being of heart pine,
in panel work, while the entire outside was covered with cypress
shingles. In 1838 it was repaired for the last time, and after
1866 was practically abandoned. In 1887 the frame of the
building was still standing, but most of the lumber entering
into the construction of the building had been carried away, and
the cemetery was no longer used.
The
Methodist Episcopal Church has had an active,
aggressive membership in the hundred for more than eighty years,
and in 1887 it was stronger numerically than all the other
denominations combined. An account of its work in this division
embraces the history of five white and three colored churches.
Of these, "Zoar" and "Unity" both appear to have been built in
1810; but the organization of the classes occupying them, as
parts of old Lewes Circuit, was undoubtedly a number of years
earlier.
Zoar was incorporated
November 5, 1810, with fifteen families represented, among them
being those of William Ennis, Asa Johnson, Jeremiah Joseph,
Thomas Grice, Peter Mayer, John Sharp, Spencer Lacy and Isaac
Atkins. A frame, shingle-covered meeting-house was built, on the
main road, several miles north of Millsboro'. This house was a
regular place of worship many years, but it now stands
neglected. Its further regular use was made unnecessary by the
changes in population and the building of Bethesda Church, in
Dagsborough Hundred, to accommodate most of the members formerly
attendants at Zoar. On the church lot is a small burial lot, and
the building is yet occasionally used for funerals and other
gatherings.
The
Unity Church was built on sixty square perches of land
deeded September 22, 1810, to Trustees Selick Hazzard, David
Hazzard, Perry Pool, James Lingo and Thomas Mcllvaine, by Arthur
Milby. The original house was rebuilt in 1842, and this, in
turn, gave place to a new church, in the fall of 1887. It is a
frame house, thirty by forty feet, with eighteen feet posts, and
was erected by a building committee composed of Daniel C.
Townsend, John H. Prettyman, Robert Burton, Joshua Burton and
Rev. Robert Rowe. It was finished plainly and cost one thousand
dollars. The church has a central location at the hamlet of
Fairmount.
St.
John's Church is in the northwestern part of the
hundred, at Johnson's Cross-Roads, and has a pleasant site in a
well-kept cemetery which is enclosed by a substantial brick
wall.
The church is
a frame building, which was erected during the ministry of the
Rev. John Hough, on the Georgetown Circuit, of which it still
forms a part. Prior to its occupancy meetings were held at the
houses of James Johnson, John Walls and the school-house. John
Walls was still living in this locality in the fall of 1887 at
the age of eighty-eight years, and was one of the earliest
Methodists in this part of the county.
The church
was plain but not unattractive, and had these trustees Albert J.
Johnson, John Walls, Josiah Simpler, Paynter Frame, G. S, Walls,
K. D. Wilson, Joseph W. Wimbrown, Peter P. Dodd and Peter W.
Rust.
Connelly's Chapel is at the head of Angola Neck, and
was built in 1837, largely through the efforts of the Rev.
Connelly, who was a carpenter by trade, and who did much of the
work himself. In re-cognition of his services the first chapel
was named for him, and when the present house was built, in
1876, the title was retained. It is a plain frame, with
sit-tings for about one hundred and fifty people, and the
surroundings are neatly kept by the community. In 1887 the
trustees were William Hopkins, John A. Marsh, Peter Walls,
Joseph Walls. Wm. S. Robinson and Peter R. Burton. The
appointment is a part of the Nassau Circuit, while the Unity
Church and the Central Church belong to Millsboro' Circuit. The
latter was built in the upper part of Long Neck after 1867,
several years elapsing before it was completed. In 1887 it was
enlarged and repaired, making it an attractive country place of
worship.
The colored
people of the hundred maintain churches which bear the names of
"Friendship," "Harmony" and Johnson's Meeting-House. The latter
was built in 1879. The former has been in use more than fifty
years. The churches are plain wooden structures, having good
seating capacity.
Footnotes:
1. May 8, 1746, Wm. Burton, father of Woolsey
Burton, sold to the latter the place called "Warwick," including
the ground-rents, which implies that the town had already been
laid out and some lots sold.
List of Taxables, 1785|
List of Taxables, 1822 |
Sussex County
Source: History of Delaware, 1609-1888,
Volume I, by J. Thomas Scharf, L. J. Richards & Company,
Philadelphia, 1888.
|