As a physician Dr. Wilson was a careful student, and successful practitioner for nearly the quarter of a century. He was not afraid to perform vaccination at the time it was unpopular, and wrote a paper upon the subject, which was published in Bradford's Pennsylvania Journal. He prepared a medical work, containing diseases in alphabetical order, with definitions, symptoms, and mode of treatment, which was never published.1 In Atkin's American Magazine, April, 1775, he published the history of a malignant fever in Sussex County, Delaware, and in the American Museum, published by Mathew Carey, there is an essay from his pen on "Miasmata." In the United States Magazine, published in 1779, at Philadelphia, are the following articles from his pen: in the April number, "A genuine letter on the design and evils of all religious establishments," addressed to Josias Polk, a member of the House of Delegates, Maryland; in the May number, an article on the Peach Tree Oak as a substitute for green Tea; and in the July number, "A breviate of Scripture Prophecy." Like Alison and McDowell, it was a pleasure to direct the studies of young men. One of his pupils was James, the brother of the late Dr. Samuel Miller, of Princeton, and in 1786 Dr. Wilson writes: "Mr. James Miller is poet-laureate to-day, by writing the best description." As a theologian, Dr. Wilson was discriminating. He believed that there was a Divine revelation in the Sacred Scriptures, and also that the Scriptures, by fallible men, were liable to misinterpretation. His faith was calm and reasonable, and therefore he did not sympathize with the emotional type of religion. While a Presbyterian in theory, he did not admire the rigidity of the Scotch type of his day, and was opposed to the carrying, by appeal, cases of discipline to the higher ecclesiastical judicatories. In 1773, at a meeting of the The manuscript, or a portion of it, the writer has seen in the library of the late Dr. John Neill, of Philadelphia. 2 Life of Dr. Samuel Miller, vol. i. p. 25. Synod of New York and Philadelphia,' he expressed the opinion that a Synod "was only a voluntary association of different Presbyteries, or a Council to give advice in difficult matters, and to secure peace, orthodoxy, edification, and mutual confidence, and has no power to make any arbitrary decisions." When the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America was formed, he was disappointed that provision was made for carrying up cases of discipline to the General Assembly. In a private letter to his old friend, the Rev. John Miller, written in August, 1788, he gives vent to his feelings. Among other words are these: "The two Scot's doctors, and the poor wrangling wiseacres of our mountains carried all. The Scot's unscriptural hierarchy was determined beforehand to be adopted." In appreciation of his standing as a theologian, in 1786, the degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by the University of Pennsylvania. March 31, 1790, his eyes were closed to the scenes of earth. Indulgent to the negroes to whom he was master, quick to aid the poor and distressed, affable in the presence of the young, courteous among his equals, acquainted with the world's progress in the arts and sciences, and an humble disciple of Christ, he was known to a large circle of acquaintances, and his departure from this life was sincerely mourned. 1 Minutes of May, 1773, in Records of Presbyterian Church. EARLY FURNACES AND FORGES OF BERKS BY MORTON L. MONTGOMERY. The first permanent settlements in Pennsylvania were made by Swedes in 1643, in the extreme southeastern section along the Delaware River. Previously, for over twenty years, the English had visited this locality in the interest of trade; but they had effected no foothold. Prospecting parties had explored the valleys and hills for many miles to the north and west; and practical observation had revealed to them the wealth of the surrounding country in respect to agriculture, mining, and commerce. And within fifty years afterward, by the time that William Penn came to be the Proprietor of the land, special attention was directed to minerals and mining. Similar explorations were made far to the north and northeast, and to the south and southwest, and similar discoveries were made. But there would seem to have been more energy and enterprise displayed in these directions by the English than they, or the Swedes, or the Dutch displayed in Pennsylvania; for, by the time that William Penn and the numerous settlers of his great province came to fully appreciate the value of the lands and streams for mining and manufacturing purposes, not only ores had been discovered elsewhere, but iron had in fact been manufactured. And yet the surrounding circumstances were about the same. Water-power was superior, ore was convenient, and wood was superabundant on the hills near by. This is rather surprising. The Swedes were the first permanent settlers in the Schuylkill valley for any considerable distance from Philadelphia. In 1701 they effected a foothold by taking up ten thousand acres of land at a point about forty-five miles from its confluence with the Delaware. This Swedish settlement, a score of years afterward, became Amity Township. Agri culture alone would seem to have induced them to locate here. And a similar reason induced the first German settlers in Oley valley to locate along the Manatawny Creek from eight to ten miles to the north. And yet within ten miles to the northeast and east of these respective settlements, along the Ironstone Creek-a tributary of the Manatawny-iron ore had been discovered before the settlements were made; and/ it had been successfully mined, and iron manufactured there' from certainly about 1720, before either Amity or Oley Township was erected. No iron ore nor furnace was in the Swedish settlement, or near by, either then or afterward. These Swedes were not even workers in iron; and, strange to say, their descendants were not subsequently, excepting in a few instances, when they entered this great industry as if by accident. The county of Berks was formed out of parts of Philadel phia, Lancaster, and Chester counties in 1752. The largest portion was taken from Philadelphia County, and comprised the entire upper section, about 280,000 acres, which lay east of the Schuylkill River. The portion from Chester County was comparatively insignificant, comprising only about 4000 acres. In each portion taken from the respective counties there were iron industries at an early period in the history of the county, especially in the lower part of the portion taken from Philadelphia County. These were scattered many miles from one another. They extended from the southern boundary to the northern, and from the eastern to the western. All were located along strong streams which afforded constant water power, and in the midst of thickly wooded territory which furnished an inexhaustible supply of charcoal. The greater number were east of the Schuylkill. The eight following streams were occupied before the Revolution: Manatawny and its tributary, the Ironstone, West Branch of Perkiomen, French, Hay, Allegheny, Tulpehocken, and its tributary, Spring. South of the "South Mountain" were the following: Furnaces: Colebrookdale, Mount Pleasant, Hopewell, and Oley. Forges: Pool, Pine, Hay-Creek, Oley, Spring, Mount Pleasant, and Gibraltar. North of this mountain, however, there were only one furnace, Roxborough or Berkshire, and one forge, Charming. The following historical facts are submitted, relating to the industries named. They conflict with and antedate numerous statements heretofore made and published. They were gathered almost entirely from the recorded deeds, etc., in the Recorder's Office of Berks County. For this reason they can be generally relied upon as correct. Notwithstanding my diligent search, this narrative is incomplete. Further investigation will doubtless reveal additional facts with respect to some of the industries named, as well before as after the Revolution, and these may modify certain statements made and opinions expressed. COLEBROOKDALE FURNACE. The Colebrookdale furnace was situated on the Ironstone Creek, an important branch of the Manatawny, in Colebrookdale Township, within a mile to the south of the Borough of Boyertown. A valuable deposit of iron ore here induced its erection at this point. It is supposed to have been erected in the year 1720, “or a year or two earlier," by a company, comprising, among others, Thomas Rutter, Anthony Morris, James Lewis, and Thomas Potts. Especial mention of it is made in Watson's Annals, in the Potts Memorial by Mrs. James, and in the able and exhaustive chapter on "Iron Making in Pennsylvania," by Mr. James M. Swank, in Pennsylvania and the Centennial Exhibition, vol. 1. The transmission of title to this furnace property is complicated. The facts about its inception, operation, and abandonment are involved in considerable obscurity. A correct statement of facts about it will therefore not be attempted. It is generally conceded to have been the first furnace which was erected in Pennsylvania. Thomas Rutter died in 1730. In November, 1728, he executed a last will, by which it would appear that he owned two-thirds of a furnace and of a forge; the former, it is supposed, was this furnace, and the latter "Pool Forge." In 1731 it was owned in one-twelfth parts, as |