ing in Gouge's meadow, where the first family of Shoe-maker lived, and where William Penn, standing on a rock in the lot, near the door, preached to the people. Several of the oldest houses are still standing, of one story, built of logs, and the interstices filled with riverrushes and clay, intermixed. In a house of 90 years of age, taken down, the grass intermixed in the clay, was as green as when cut! The windows generally were small and set in leaden frames.

As early as the year 1700, there were four hermits living in the neighbourhood-say, John Seelig, John Kelpius, Conrad Mathias, and one Bony. In later years, Benjamin Lay also settled near by, in a cave, as a hermit. All these were such from religious purposes; Kelpius and Seelig were scholars, who came out with forty others from the colleges in Germany, to seek a wilderness life, and to rest for the "coming of the bride," mentioned in the Revelations! Several of the MS. books of Kelpius are still in existence, and are preserved as curiosities; his journal and diary I have seen in Latin. He lived a holy and blameless life, and died young, while sitting in his garden, now the premises of Phebe Riter, in Roxborough, where he had his cave, near to the spring now there.

The Mnenonists built their first meeting house of logs, in 1708, near where now stands their house of stone. They were at first more numerous than now.

The Tunkers came out from Germany in 1709, and held their first gathering as a meeting at the log-house now in front of their present stone church. Alexander Mack, a rich miller from Germany, was their first leader and preacher. Many years ago, when the Tun

kers were numerous at Ephrata, they used to make visits of love, to those in Germantown, walking one after the other in Indian file, to the number of forty to fifty persons; all bare headed, and all habited with long coats, hooded like the Dominican friars.

It was not till after the revolution, that English was spoken in the place, except occasionally. German preaching was retained in the churches till within a few years. The Academy, called the "Public School," built in 1760, had full one half of it occupied by German scholars. There were even someIndian boys as scholars there. A German Newspaper was printed as early as 1739, by C. Sower.

The first Grist Mill set up in Philadelphia county was that latterly called Luken's or Roberts's Mill, in Church lane, just one mile north east from the Market Square. It was erected as early as 1683, by Richard Townsend, a public Friend: he has left this relation of facts, to wit: that the people brought their grist on their back, save one man, who brought it on a tame bull. On one occasion, while he was mowing in his meadow, a young deer came so near that he struck it down and secured it for diet in a time of great need.

It was at Germantown, they first used the invention of "Jamb stoves," the same, essentially, which have been since known as "Ten-plate Stoves." They were made for C. Sower. The same Sower cast his printing types, and printed the first quarto Bible in the colonies.

Godfrey, the inventor of the quadrant, was born near Germantown, and also Rittenhouse, the philosopher. James Logan was long a resident at Stenton farm close by. His mansion was built like a palace, in 1728, and

the country was then so new, that a bear about the same time, came and leaped over the garden fence.

Anthony Johnson, who died in 1823, aged 78 years, had seen a large bear near Chew's house in his youth; and his father had shown him, near the present R. Haines' house, where he had seen six wolves in one gathering! In 1721, a bear was killed in Germantown, and was so published in the City Gazette; and two more still nearer the city, were mentioned at the same time. Forty years ago a flock of six wild turkies were killed at the Wissahicon mills.

Germantown was once a place in which two distinguished conjurors, or "diviners for money," flourished: say Dr. Witt, and old Shrunk. The superstition then, was very great about witchcraft and ghosts; and many people came from à distance to inquire for stolen goods, and to ask cures for strange or bewitched diseases. One of the conjurors had for his sign some German verses, saying, "What God has given me, let no man despise," &c.

Some of the finest scenery, for rocky and woody wildness, is to be seen along the banks of the Wissahicon; well worth the ride and the inspection of all the inquiring youths of Philadelphia. The grounds of Germantown, too, are all rendered interesting by the events of the war of the Revolution. The inhabitants can still show where sundry British officers dwelt, and where their sections of command were stationed: and above all, point out all the grounds where the memorable battle of Germantown was begun and sustained at Chew's house, &c. Bullets and balls from the fields are still turned out by the plough, where they had been scattered

among the combatants. For many years after that strife, the boys could supply themselves with leaden balls for their chuckers and pencils; and often they could gather iron balls to sell to the blacksmiths for a few spending pennies.

SETTLEMENT OF NORRISTOWN.

This place, now so beautiful and numerous in houses, is a town wholly built up since the war of independence. At that time, it was the farm of John Bull; and his original farm house is now standing in the town, as the inn of Richard Richardson.

As early as the year 1704, the whole manor, as it was then called, which included the present township of Norrington, was sold out by William Penn, jr. for £850. From Isaac Norris, one of the purchasers, the place has since taken its name.

The original settlers about the neighbourhood of Norristown, Swedes Ford, &c., were Swedes, who much inclined to settle along the banks of the Schuylkill, and like the Indians, to make free use of their canoes for travelling conveyances. The Swedes church not far off, was much visited by worshippers going there in their boats; and in still later times, when horses became a means of conveyance, it was common for a man and woman to ride together on one horse, the women wearing for economy "safe-guard petticoats," which they took off after arrival, and hung along the fence until again required.

There are still remains below Norristown, nearly fronting the Ford, of a long line of redoubts, made by the Americans under the direction of Gen. Du Porteuil,

to defend the passage of the Ford against the British approaching from the battle of Brandywine, and which had the effect to compel them to pass six miles higher up the river at "Fatland Ford." Some of the cannon in an angle of the redoubt have since washed into the river bank, and may at some future day surprise a dis

coverer!

It was on the river bank at Norristown, that the first spade was set to excavate the first public canal attempted in the United States! This should be remembered! It was indeed abortive for want of adequate funds, as well as economy; but it tested the early spirit of enterprise of our leading citizens,-acting a few years in advance of the age in which they dwelt. This fact in connection with the MS. account of Mr. John Thomson of Delaware county, of his early adventure in a boat, the White Fish, by a navigation from Niagara to Philadelphia, by the water courses in New York state; showing beforehand, the practibility of the Grand Canal of New York, are so many evidences of our early efforts in the "Canal system!" The boat, after so singular a voyage, was laid up in the Statehouse yard in the year 1795, and visited as a curiosity. A sight of that boat, and a knowledge of the facts connected with it, is supposed to have prompted president Washington, at that early period, to write of his conviction of the practicability of a union of the waters of the lakes with the ocean. A subject, happily for all, now no longer a problem.

FRANKFORD.

The site of Frankford was originally held as the sawmill seat of a Swede, before Penn's arrival. That mill