|
a.
|
Note: Bingo! My mother and my cousin have a large Paisley "shawl" from this textile works. family oral history always had that they had invented the first permanent Blak ink and revolutionized the textile industry. My GGrandmother Maria Williams, Maria Saville's neice, lived on a trust fund set up by the Simpson family. We have an old picture of their house. Maria William's daughter Elsie went to visit them. http://www.ridleytownshiphistory.com/eddystone_history.htm ~ Some History of Eddystone ~ WILLIAM SIMPSON English for William Simpson about 1880. Founder of the Eddystone Print Works and the town of Eddystone. Saville Avenue was named in honor of his wife Maria Saville. THE EDDYSTONE PRINT WORKS William Simpson was born in Manchester, England on April 21, 1812. His father worked in a linen shop and William, Sr.’s family had long been identified with textile printing. The elder Simpson sold his shop in Manchester, England and sailed for America in 1818. The family landed in Philadelphia and William, Sr. worked in the textile trade before moving to New York where young William was apprenticed to learn the textile printing trade. William Simpson served a full apprenticeship and worked in his trade before moving to Jefferson, Ohio, where he kept a country store with a partner. About 1835 he returned to the Philadelphia area where he decided to go into the textile business. He went into partnership with his brother-in-law John Halliday. They purchased a former carriage factory at the Falls of the Schuylkill north of Philadelphia in June of 1836. In 1837, Halliday left the business and William Simpson worked alone until 1842 when he took Duncan McGregor as a partner and they expanded the plant which they now called “The Falls of the Schuylkill”. The Print Works printed Calicos and also silk. About 1845, Simpson and McGregor’s partnership broke up and Simpson went on alone. Simpson’s business, now called “The Washington Print Works”, continued to flourish and on January 1, 1869, he brought two of his sons, Thomas and William, Jr. into the business. The plant??s name was changed to William Simpson and Sons and now covered 17 acres. The Print Works manufactured and dyed plain shades and shirting’s and fancy goods. In 1870, the American Institute of New York awarded its Bronze Medal to William Simpson and Sons for “The Best Fast Blacks and Mourning Prints”. Two years before in April of 1868, the State of Pennsylvania gave the Fairmount Park Commission power to purchase and condemn property to expand the park in preparation for the Centennial exposition that was to be held in Philadelphia in 1876. Simpson, well aware that his Print Works property was t be condemned, began looking for a new location. He bought a site in Norristown, but changed his mind and decided on a farm in the southwest corner of Ridley Township. The farm was close to Chester City and the newly constructed rail lines. The new branch of the Philadelphia Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad was being built and would be opened in November of 1872. On February 20, 1872, William Simpson paid Chester Shipbuilder, John Roach $40,000.00 for the 168 acres that was Henry Effinger farm. In mid-May, 1872, Simpson ought four small tracts of land in Eddystone close to Chester Pike, covering about 35 miles. In June, Simpson paid $130,000.00 for the Spencer McIlvain farm of 58 acres, this farm is now Sun Village. Simpson and his sons would make other purchases and by 1885, the Simpson family would own all of Eddystone except for a few small homes in the north end of the borough. While getting ready to move to Ridley Township, William Simpson sent his son, Thomas, to Europe on a two year tour of textile plants for new ideas in bleaching, dyeing and printing. Simpson also recruited skilled workers for the new plant. While on his way home in 1874, Thomas passed the Eddystone Lighthouse on the southern coast of England. The Lighthouse was near the town of Plymouth and was the third lighthouse to stand on the Eddystone Reef. Thomas Simpson was impressed at the Lighthouse and its symbolism of strength and upon his return, he suggested the new plant be called “The Eddystone Print Works”. The name “Eddystone Print Works” was registered that same year as a trademark with the Library of Congress. While Thomas was away, William Simpson and William, Jr., had been working on the new plant. The original plant consisted of 15 buildings, covering everything needed in the textile business. Simpson also built 3 story brick tenement houses on the property which he rented to workers. The original trademark of the Print Works copywriter in 1874. The print works was still in Philadelphia waiting for completion of the buildings in Eddystone. Anchor Shirting’s were a popular item of the Print Works in the 1870’s. this advertisement is from 1874. These tenement houses are now known as the “Village” section of Eddystone. In 1880 the census for Eddystone showed over half the population was foreign born, with the majority from England and France. “The Company has 36 brick tenements and four brick stores with tenements overhead, which are in four rows of ten houses to the block. The occupancy is limited to one family for each house. Each tenement has a small flagged and dirt yard with outside privy and a hydrant for water supply. All the houses have a cellar over which is the kitchen and living room. The second and third floors have two bedrooms each of which are lighted by one or two windows. They are piped for gas, but in most cases kerosene lamps are preferred and used. Heating is done by stoves. The houses are comfortable, well arranged and in good condition; the rooms are neatly papered and the floors are sound and clean. They rent for $4.00 every two weeks.” By 1875, the Eddystone Print Works was completed and operational. From 2nd and Saville, looking down 2nd Street toward Concord Avenue. The streets were named in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the American Revolution which started at the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April of 1775. THE PRINT SHOP - EDDYSTONE PRINT WORKS - 1892 No. 1, ?; 2, Bill Greiser; 3, Geiger; 4, Alonzo Phillips; 5, Neil Connor; 6, Thomas Garlick; 7, Robert Martin; 8, Dave O’Connor; 9, Thomas Taylor; 10, Samuel Chandley; 11, Robert Reid, foreman; 12, Pat Harrahan; 13, Samuel Booth; 14, Joseph Tisdale; 15, Charles Croasdale; 16, John Hannigan; 17, Hugh Gordon; 18, Robert Ormond; 19, Charles Ericsson; 20, Walter Reid; 21, William Reed; 22, ?; 23, John Barkland; 24, John Kerfus; 25, James Kelly; 26, Howard Hacking; 27, George Major; 28 Burns; 29, Harry Hollins; 30, ?; 31, George Hollins; 32, Thomas McKinley; 33, Thomas Oussey; 34, Chriss Jensen; 35, Daniel Pylant; 36, George Reed; 37, Gennis Harrahan; 38, William Brammal; 39, Samuel McKnight; 40, Thomas Wilson; 41, Burns; 42, Joseph Duffy; 43, Nelson Ericsson; 44, Bernard Dougherty; 45, Peter Marvel; 46, Finney; 47, Ed Shields; 48, 49, 50, 51, ?; 52, John Taylor; 53, Joseph Jones; 54, William Delanney; 55, 56, 57, 58, ? In an effort to make his small town self-supporting, Simpson sold a small plot of ground at 2nd and Saville Avenues to the Ridley Township School District to have a school built. The ground was sold for $800.00 and a two story brick school was built and opened in the Fall of 1875. In late August of 1880, the Lighthouse Hall was opened. The Hall, which had a library and residing on the first floor was donated by the Simpson Family. The second floor had a stage and meeting room and could seat 200 people. The Simpson’s also donated two acres of ground in front of it as a park. Although there was a strike in the middle 1880’s, everything went well with the company and the Eddystone people. Except for about 20 houses close to Chester Pike, the Town of Eddystone consisted of the village area. Peter Hunter of Scotland was brought over to replace James Fields as Superintendent of the Print Works. Hunter, considered an expert in the field of textiles, ran the Print Works for the next 20 years. Under Hunters leadership, the Eddystone Print Works won the Bronze Medal at the Colombian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 for textiles. THOMAS SIMPSON gave the Print Works and the town its name after observing the Eddystone Lighthouse in 1874, while returning home from Europe. Thomas, who lived in Philadelphia, died September 1, 1884. Eddystone’s first Public School was named for him. JAMES SIMPSON was the favorite of the people of Eddystone. While all the Simpson’s gave money to the town, James was by far the most generous. He donated over twelve thousand dollars to the Methodist Church and five thousand to St. Rose’s plus park land for the borough. He died in Chicago while preparing for the Columbian Exposition to display Eddystone textiles in March, 1893. In his will he left over twenty thousand dollars to loyal employees of the Print Works. ******************************************************* a link to a picture of their house "Ashdale" http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/wh/ml/simws.jpg RESIDENCE OF MR. WM. SIMPSON, SR. ARCHITECT, P. A. WELSH. **SIMPSON, WILLIAM SR. - ASHDALE - WELSH, P. A. - F,H57G - bio: Simpson, William Sr. (d.1888) - merc, 1886:WS&Sons,cottongds&WSSons & Co, drygoods,com mers loc: ml - Overbrook - nsd Highland Ave, w/Old Lanc bldg: 1875 c? - - eye, 1877 PAFICo for HyS.- PAFICo 18:10510 Collection: Houses & Estates Title: "Ashdale," a.k.a. "Ashwood" - Data sheet Binder No.: 5 (Merion Station, Overbrook, Narberth, Penn Valley) Notes: Old Lancaster Road & N. Highland Avenue, Merion Station, PA; original owner: William Simpson, Sr., Founder, Eddystome Manufacturing Co.; subsequent owner: Henry B. Swope; original architect: Patrick A. Welsh; plot size: 40 acres; late 1800s; now demolished http://www.lowermerionhistory.org/photodb/mansions/m-392.html ***************************************************** from this site: http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:8lp2d90yjPUJ:www.ushistory.org/Philadelphia/street_conestoga.htm+history+of+old+houses+philadelphia+PA+old+lancaster+road&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&ie=UTF-8 Old Conestoga Road The Old Lancaster Road was the original stage coach road from Philadelphia to Lancaster. It branched off from Market Street as far as Hestonville, and then turning to the right at Fifty-second Street, and then again turned somewhat to the left. Then the road continued in a northwesterly direction, passing on the left, the properties of William Simpson and his son-in-law, Lincoln Godfrey, while on the right was the old homestead of the Latch family, whose name is given to one of the neighboring branch roads known as Latch's Lane ************************************************* 1850 census Note there is a Jonathan Smith gentleman listed at the end.... Blockley Twp, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania page 44 16 Aug 1850 28 274 278 William Simpson 39 M Manufacturer England Mariah Simpson 39 F England Thomas Simpson 6 M Phila Co PA William Simpson 4 M Phila Co PA James Simpson 1 M Phila Co PA Mary Simpson 2 mos F Phila Co PA Jane McCartney 26 F Ireland Frances McKenney 26 F Ireland Jonathan Smith 50 M gentleman England ************************** _________________ 1870 United States Federal CensusTaken in JULY Ward 10 District 28, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA Post Office Philadelphia Page274 and 275 out of 280 30 July 1870 Line 33 and on to next page 731 2007 Simpson, Wm 60 M W Cotton Manufr $150,000 $342,000 England Simpson, Maria 56 F W at home England Simpson, Thomas 26 M W Cotton Manufr $37,000 PA Simpson, James 22 M W Ameuer Artist PA Simpson, Mary 20 F W at home PA Simpson, Ellen 18 at home PA Smith, Sarah 35 W F Housekeeper PA McAnally, Mary 27 W F Dom Servt Ireland McAnally, Rose 25 W F Dom Servt Ireland Burns, Bridget 32 W F Dom Servt Ireland cannot read or write 1870 United States Federal CensusTaken in SEPT Lower Merion, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Post Office General Wayne page 123 of 123 line 8-18 9 Sep 1870 898 896 Simpson, Wm 57 M W Manufacturer $200,000 $100,000 England a male citizen over 21 Simpson, Maria 59 F W keeps house England Simpson, Thomas 26 M W Manufacurer PA Simpson, James 22 M W PA Simpson, Mary 20 F W Home PA Simpson, Ellen F W PA Neblets, Sarah 54 W F PA Graham, Mary 36 F W Housekeeper Ireland McDevitt, Ellen 25 F W Cook Ireland Gunn, Mary 30 F W Chambermaid Ireland McDermon, Henryy M W Coachman Ireland found his death cert on line and Doctor address was Arch street. His daughter Mary and her family the Godfreys lived at 1225 Arch street in 1880 census, They moved by 1900. Probably lived with daughter. ***************************************** http://lowermerionhistory.org/texts/1888_pla.html 1888 A Brief History of Lower Merion Township Stores A store was kept by Jacob Castner many years ago in the house where Edward Harvey died on Old Lancaster Road. The dwelling was torn down by William Simpson. Godfrey is now living on the property in the dwelling now occupied by James H. Hollands formerly James Litzesky and John Stanley kept a store BIOGRAPHIES Hires, Charles E. 1851-1937. Bought a Philadelphia pharmacy, 1869; experimented with sarsaparilla root. Sold dried roots to brew at home into "root beer." Sold it as a cold drink at Centennial Exposition, 1876. Organized a company in 1890. Later pioneered in processing condensed milk, sold process to Nestle Co., 1918. His home "Melrose" formerly owned by William Simpson, at corner of North Highland Ave. and Old Lancaster Pike, Merion. Active in Merion Friends Meeting. Published "A Short Historical Sketch of the Old Merion Meeting House, Merion, Pa." 1917. http://lowermerionhistory.org/texts/first200/towns_3.html In 1881 the roughly rectangular area of Merion bounded east and west by Old Lancaster Road and Lancaster Pike, and north and south by modern Rockland Road and City Line Avenue, was owned by 31 families: the biggest landowners on both sides of the railroad were Isaac Hazelhurst, James Sullivan, William Simpson, William F. Potts, Joseph B. Townsend, and Thomas Suplee, each owning between 36 and 88 acres, and Jacob Stadelman who controlled 155 acres along City Avenue stretching well beyond the boundary of Merion. In the following three decades, however, executives of the Pennsylvania Railroad as well as other wealthy refugees from the city increased the number of owners in Merion's basic rectangle to 82 in 1900 and 189 in 1913.
|