Call Number:

04

Repository:

Concord Township Historical Society

Extent:

11.3 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

1682-2004 (inclusive)

Creator:

Concord Township Historical Society (Delaware County, Pa.)

Abstract:

Concord Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania was incorporated in 1683, and includes the four villages of Concordville, Elam, Markham and Ward. Originally in Chester County, the township became part of Delaware County when Chester County was partitioned in 1789. The Concord Township Historical Society local history manuscripts collection, 1682-2004, includes organizational records, family and personal papers, photographs, and other manuscript materials relating to local people and groups from Concord Township.

Concord Township, Pennsylvania was formed in 1683. Originally located in Chester County, the township became part of Delaware County when Chester County was partitioned in 1789. "Concord Township encompasses four villages [Concordville, Elam, Markham and Ward] whose past tells the story of Pennsylvania and early America's development. Located at a vital transportation hub, the Township's development has always reflected major national and regional economic and demographic trends."

"Modern Concordville occupies the junction of two of the earliest public roads in the English colonies: Baltimore Pike or U.S. Route One, and Concord Road, laid out by William Penn's surveyors. The original path of Baltimore Pike lay roughly along the driveway that separates today's Concord Friends' Meetinghouse from "the Grange" building (today's senior center). The buildings on Concord Road at the intersection of Thornton Road and the Friend's driveway (old Baltimore Pike) constitute the Concordville National Register Historic District. Modern Concordville is larger, including houses and businesses along Route One, and extending further down Concord Road. Many of these buildings qualify for inclusion on the National Register.

"Elam, on Smithbridge Road at Route 202, the next north-south road, and the link between the Lower Counties (Delaware) and the western Pa counties was home to a thriving tavern and inn industry as early as the mid 18th century."

"The village of Markham, named for the first governor of the colony of Pennsylvania, lies in the valley of the West Branch of Chester Creek where the present Cheyney Road crosses Baltimore Pike. The village encompasses the Newlin Mill Historic District (Newlin Mill and its buildings, Markham Railroad Station and Post Office, and the William Trimble House and property), including the only operating Colonial mill remaining open to the public in the United States.

"Ward covers the old Concord Creek bridge (also called Ward Run) at Concord Road, near the intersections of Creamery Road, Station Road and Spring Valley. The earliest Pennsylvania mushroom farms and canneries were established there, near the mill complex on Concord Road, and the product called "Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese" was first produced at the dairy on Creamery Road."

Concord Township was also the site of the Willcox (family) Ivy Mills, one of the most significant paper mills in the country that produced the paper used for the first currency printed by the Continental Congress. The family mansion also served as the beginnings of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish (est. 1729), the oldest parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Bibliography:

Quoted text from Concord Township Historic Commission. "The Four Villages of Concord." Accessed May 22, 2013. http://www.townshipofconcord.com/sitecontent/index/page/Historic%20Commission.

This collection consists of various manuscript materials including organizational records, family and personal papers, and photographs, relating to local people and groups from Concord Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Following is a summary inventory of the collection's contents. (More detailed, item-level inventories are available on-site for some drawers and boxes of materials.)

Betty's Restaurant, Inc. minute book (1935-1957), ledger (1935-1942), menus, and other records, 1935-1998 Brinton-Concord papers, 1789-1889 Bullock, Lewis, account book (Concordville-Brandywine, Pa. farmer and merchant; many entries concerning Brinton's Mill), 1830s-1860s Chester First-Day School roll book, 1902-1914 Cloud, Orlando H., family papers, including photographs/daguerreotypes, correspondence, legal documents, school books, and genealogy, 1818-1980 Commonwealth Savings Fund and Loan Association (Chester, Pa.), 1897, 1898 Concord Branch of the Needlework Guild of America, minutes and clippings and other records, 1894-2004 Concord Dairy Association, farm and small expense accounts Concord Township Bicentennial Committee records, 1975-1977 Concord Township School Directors minute book, 1836 Concord Township Tricentennial Committee records, circa 1983 Concord Union Lodge, minute book, 1877-1879 Cooper, Neal papers Cressman family photos, circa 1950s Davis, Anne Pennock Bishop, papers (families represented: Windle, Garrett, Sharpless, Heyburn, and Dilworth), circa 1880-1940 Delaware County Temperance Society, 1844 Delaware County Women's Association (Helen H. Alexander) scrapbook on political history of Delaware County, circa 1940 Edward B. Meade, General Contractor and Builder (Chester, Pa.), account books and cancelled checks, 1945-1962 Evans, Jenny Richards (Glenn Mills, Pa) photo album, circa 1910s Franklin Building and Loan Association (Chester, Pa.), satisfaction of mortgages, 1906-1909 Hannum family deeds, 1682-1945 Johnson, Ida, librarian, ledger, 1883-1906 Kennett Township employee time book, 1951-1953 Larkin, Isaac Edward, math workbook, 1840 Maps, including genealogical maps 1708-1996 Maris Grove development files Mark Willcox, Jr. Mendenhall genealogy Miller, Robert M., account book, 1858 Newlin Mill 300th Anniversary, 2004 Palmer, Charles, journal and cash book, 1886-1904 Palmer, Lewis, diaries, 1897-1902 Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, Committee on Temperance, 1896-1914 Pierce-Willits House renovation records Posters and prints Republican Women of Lansdowne scrapbook, 1957-1959 School district of Concord Township, cancelled checks and financial ledger, 1937-1943 Schrader, W. L., diary, 1903 Sharp, Sarah, scrapbooks, circa 1936-1959 St. John's, Concord Episcopal Church scrapbook Temperance Committee of Concord Quarterly Meeting of Friends minute book, 1881-1894 Thatcher/Phipps house history Unidentified court docket, circa 1820-1825, repurposed as housekeeping scrapbook, circa 1870 Unidentified account book, 1870-1872 Unidentified ledgers (2) Unidentified music lessons ledger, 1892 Unidentified photo album, circa 1885 Unidentified scrapbook on horses, circa 1946 Unidentified temperance scrapbook, 1880s Unidentified volumes regarding properties, circa 1910 Upperman, Charles A., Justice of the Peace (Concordville, Pa.), dockets, including criminal and automobile, 1934-1957 Various deeds and indentures Willcox genealogy Young Men's Prohibition Club of Chester, 1889, 1892

Various photographs and other original documents, such as deeds, are on exhibit throughout the museum.