treat all the said Indians with the same civil regard that they would an English subject; and that by all means they avoid that unbecoming practice of expressing or shewing their weak unhandsome fears, by which they greatly expose themselves to remarks that are dishonorable. But because, on the late alarms, apprehensions have been raised of insults from foreign Indians: To the end, that the inhabitants may not in any case (should it unfortunately happen) be unprovided, I do Lereby direct and require all His Majesty's liege subjects within the said province and counties, that they be at all times duly furnished with suitable arms and ammunition for their defence, to be used in case of real necessity by the order and direction of proper officers, who shall be duly appointed for that purpose. And that they fail not to appear with them in proper time and place, if there should be occasion to use them, in defence of themselves, their families and country.

"Given in Council at Philadelphia, under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, the sixteenth day of May, in the first year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George, the Second by the grace of God, over Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the faith, &c., Annoq Dom., 1728.

"GOD SAVE THe King."

Up to this period the present limits of Lancaster county, and indeed a large section of Pennsylvania, formed part of Chester county. The county seat was Upland or Chester on the Delaware, 15 miles S. W. from Philadelphia. The inconveniences arising from this circumstance are stated in the subjoined minutes relating to the erection of Lancaster county.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, Feb. 6th, 1728-9.

PRESENT:

The Honorable PATRICK GORDON, Esq., Lieut. Governor.

James Logan,

Richard Hill,

Isaac Norris,

Samuel Preston,

A petition of the inhabitants of the upper parts of Chester county was laid before the Board and read, setting forth, that by reason of their great distance from the county town, where Courts are held, offices are kept, and annual elections made, they lie under very great inconveniences, being obliged in the recovery of their just debts, to travel near one hundred miles to obtain a writ; that for want of a sufficient number of Justices, Constables and other officers, in those parts, no care is taken of the tigh-ways; Townships are not laid out, nor bridges built, when there is an apparent necessity for them; and further that for want of a Goal

there, several vagabonds and other dissolute people harbour among them, thinking themselves safe from justice in so remote a place; and therefore praying that a Division Line be made between the upper and lower part of the said county, and the upper part thereof erected into a county, with all the immunities, rights and privileges which any other county of this Province does now enjoy.

The Board taking the same into consideration, are of opinion that the Governor is fully empowered by virtue of his commission, to grant the prayer of the petition, if the same shall appear necessary; but as it is a matter of some moment and will require a mature deliberation, it was moved and agreed that the further consideration thereof should be deferred till to-morrow at nine o'clock, beforenoon, to which time the Council is adjourned.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, February 7th, 1728-9.

PRESENT:

The honorable PATRICK GORDON, Esq., Lieut. Governor.

The Minutes of the three preceding Councils being read and approved, the Board, according to order, entered into the consideration of the petition in the Minute of yesterday, touching the Division of Chester county, and after the same had been fully considered and debated, the Board came to the following Resolution: That, as well for the reasons set forth in said petition, as the security, peace and good order of the whole Government, there doth appear a real neccessity that a new county should be erected, according to the prayer of said petition; and although the power of erecting counties is wholly vested in the Proprietory, and therefore in the Governor, as his Lieutenant, yet, inasmuch as this will require the establishment of Courts of Judicature, with other alterations, for which a due provision will best be made by a Law, it may be convenient that the Governor should acquaint the House of Representatives now sitting, with the application made to him, that the same may be carried on with, and strengthened by the joint and unanimous concurrence of the whole Legislature.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, February 20th, 1728-9.

PRESENT:

The Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esq. Lieut. Governor.

Richard Hill,

Isaac Norris,
Samuel Preston,

Clement Plumsted,

Thomas Laurence,
Samuel Hazle.

Esq'rs.

The minutes of the preceding Council being read and approved, the Governor informed the Board that pursuant to the resolve of last Council, he had acquainted the House of Representatives with his intention to erect the upper part of the County of Chester into a separate county, in which they had concurred, and desired that an equal number of the inhabitants of the lower and upper part might run the division line; and, therefore, he was now to recommend to the Board to choose fit and well qualified persons for that service, and to consider of proper directions for their guidance therein. And after due consideration thereof

It is ordered that Henry Hayes, Samuel Nutt, Samuel Hollingsworth, Philip Taylor, Elisha Gatchel, James James, John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Samuel Blunston, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards and John Musgrave, or the major part of them, calling to their assistance John Taylor, the Surveyor of Chester County, meet at some convenient place near Octeraroe Creek or River, and cause a marked line to be run from the most northerly or main branch of the said Creek northward, or to the east or west thereof, as it shall be found most convenient, to the next high ridge of barren or uninhabited hills that trend from thence to Schuylkill River, keeping as near as may be to the ridge of the said hills, and to proceed along the ridge thereof, yet with as few changes in the course as their situation will admit, and fixing the same to the most conspicuous, natural and durable marks that may be the least subject to uncertainty or variation: to be bounded southward by the southern bounds of the province, and eastwardly the said Octeraroe creek; and from thence the northern line to be by them run as aforesaid, to the said hills, from thence the main northern or easterly branch thereof, above the forks of the said river, to lie open to the westward and northward till further order shall be given therein; and to make Report of their proceedings to this Board.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, May 2d, 1729.

PRESENT:

The Hon'ble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governor.

A Return being made by the Order dated the 20th day of February last, for running a Division Line in the County of Chester, and settling the boundaries of the county to be erected in the back parts of this Province towards Sasquehannah, pursuant to the minute of Council of the 20th of said February, the same was read, approved and confirmed, and is in these words:

"Pursuant to a Warrant from the Honorable Patrick Gordon, Esquire,

Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Pensilvania and counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware, bearing date the 22d day of February last past, We whose names are hereunto subscribed, met together on the 17th day of March, 1728-9, near the head of the Northern Branch of Octeraroe Creek, and with the assistance of John Taylor, Surveyor of the County of Chester, run a Line from the said Branch to the River Schuylkill, according to the courses following, viz: Beginning on a corner marked White Oak standing on the Eastern side of the said Branch on the land of John Minshall, thence north-east by north five hundred and eighty perches to a Chestnut Oak standing on the top of a barren mountain at the head of the branches of the said Octeraroe creek, thence along the said mountain north-east by east three hundred and forty perches to a Chestnut tree, thence north north-east four hundred and forty perches to a White Oak, by a branch of Pequea creek, thence continuing the same course along the said mountain four hundred and eighty perches to a Chestnut Oak, thence north by east seven hundred perches to a white oak near a small branch of Brandywine creek, thence north by west six hundred and sixteen perches to a Chestnut tree standing on the top of a mountain at the head of the Western Branch of the said Brandywine Creek, thence east north-east along the said mountain two thousand two hundred and twenty perches to a Chestnut tree near the Western Branch of the French Creek, thence north-east by east three hundred and fifty perches to a red Oak, thence north-east one hundred and ninety perches to a Chestnut Oak near another Branch of the said French Creek, thence north-east by north two thousand one hundred perches to a corner marked White Oak, standing by the said River Schuylkill, about three quarters of a mile below the house of John Burroughs."

"And the upper parts of this Province described as aforesaid, are hereby declared to be erected, and are accordingly erected into a County, by the name of LANCASTER COUNTY. And "TIS ORDERED that the same be signified to the House of Representatives, and the Return laid before them for their direction in describing the boundaries thereof in the Bill now before them for establishing Courts of Judicature, &c., within the them." The County owes its name, according to tradition, to John Wright, a native of Lancashire in England, who arrived in the province in 1714, settled at Chester and removed to Columbia in 1726. A sketch of his life will be found in the Biographical Division of this work.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, May 8th, 1729.

PRESENT:

The Hon'ble PATRICK GORDON, Esq., Lieut. Governor.

A Bill sent up from the House entitled an act for erecting the upper parts of the Province of Pennsylvania, lying towards Sasquehannah, Conestogoe, Dunnegal, &c., into a county was read, to which it was proposed and agreed that a clause should be drawn up and sent to the House, to be inserted therein, for continuing all such suits and actions as are now depending in the county of Chester, against any inhabitant of the county of Lancaster, and that the same may be brought to issue in the said County of Chester; which, with some other small amendments, were ordered to be carried down with the Bill.

Then the Governor recommended to the Board to consider of proper persons to be appointed Justices of Peace of the said county of Lancaster, and be commissionated for the office of Sheriff and Coroner, and the following persons were named for Justices, viz: John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Samuel Blunston, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards, Caleb Peirce, Thomas Reid and Samuel Jones, Esquires.

Robert Barber was likewise appointed Sheriff, and Andrew Galbraith Coroner, and Commissions were ordered to be prepared accordingly. May 10th, 1729, the House of Representatives waited on the Governor, and the Speaker presented among others the following Bill to be passed into law, which was accordingly by the Governor passed into a Law of this Province, and warrant was issued for affixing the great seal thereto. "An Act for erecting the Upper Parts of the Province of Pennsylvania, lying towards Sasquehanna, Conestogoe, Dunnegal, etc. into a county.

"WHEREAS, A great number of the inhabitants of the Upper Part of Chester county have by their Petition humbly represented to the Governor and Assembly of this Province, the great hardships they lie under by being at so great a distance from the town of Chester, where the Courts of Justice are held, and the Public offices kept; and how hard and hifficult it is for the sober and quiet inhabitants of that part of the county to secure themselves against the thefts and abuses almost daily committed apon them by idle and dissolute persons, who resort to the remote parts of the Province, and by reason of the great distance from a Court or Prison, do frequently find means of making their escape; for the removing which inconveniency, and relief of the said inhabitants, Be it ented by the Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esq., Governor of the Provace of Pennsylvania, etc., by and with the advice and consent of the