Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/43

 1808.] TJie Penn Treaty-Ground and a Monument to William Penn. 23 On Battery Hill, before and some time after Penn street was cut through it, there stood a very long brick black- smith shop, extending from Beach street nearly to Penn, which many of our present citizens well remember. The deed, conveying to Anthony Pal- mer the tract of land on which the treaty was made, runs as per memoran- dum attached : Robert Worthington to Anthony Palmer. Beginning at a point on the bank of Delaware river, in the middle of the old lane, thence up the same north 15° west 1 82 perches to a post by the King's road ; thence north ?-|° east 115 perches to a post in Isaac Norris' land ; thence south- east 156 perches to a post ; thence north- east by Norris' land 30 perches to a post in old lane; thence down the same southeast 60 perches to Gunner's run (Tumauaramingo creek) ; thence down the several courses to the riVer Dela- ware ; thence down the river about 130 perches to the place of beginning. Very respectfully, yours, &c, JONATHAN EGfOLETON. Charles J. Lukens, Esq., Philadelphia. Philadelphia, July 16, 1868. Dear Sir: There is a certain — perhaps a very uncertain — sense of awkwardness in changing from the impersonal it, or the editorial we, to the egotistical I. But as, from the nature of the case, this selfish personality is required properly to authenticate the new and valuable facts herein first adduced; as you have entered so cordially into the presenta- tion of the general subject and its graphic illustrations, and as this seems naturally to follow the letter of Mr. Eg- gleton to myself, for the moment I re- tain onj a cognizant view of the pub- lic, and look directly toward yourself, the public meanwhile remaining full partners of the conference. On Wednesday, July 15, 1868, an ex- ceedingly sultry day — and the seventh or eighth of like nature — in company with Mr. Jonathan Eggleton, draughts- man, of the City Surveyor's office, who, from his intimate knowledge of the district of Kensington and its people, was to present me, I vrent up into the immediate neighborhood of the treaty tree, to make inquiries from some of the old residents most likely to be conversant with facts now important to determine. We were fortunate enough to find at home, in the order named, Messrs. Ja- cob Tees* and Washington Vandusen ; — Mr. Tees at his store, within a few steps of his dwelling, both on Beach street, Nos. 1208 and 1220, a little below the treaty obelisk, on the opposite or west side ; — and Mr. Vandusen sitting under the grateful shade of a paper mulberry tree, in front of his residence, No. 915 Hanover street, east side, one door south of Allen. Mr. Jacob Tees, on Saturday, July 11, 1868, seventy-eight years old, is yet vigorous in body and mind, his recollec- tions being only affected by the general proportion of uncertainty in all oral human testimony, after the events or facts it concerns have lapsed many years. Mr. Tees, who in his time has built one hundred and two sea-going vessels, besides many coasters, said that, in company with other shipbuilders, in 1823 he contracted for, and in 1824 he built a frigate, whose name he had for- gotten,-)- for the government of Colum- bia, South America, which was finished, approved, launched, paid for, and de- livered, and in due time arrived out. In the former year, Fairman's Mansion, which had for quite a number of years been the property and the home of f On reading to him Washington Vandusen's reminis- cences, he recalled the name perfectly as the " De la Plata. "
 * Pronounced Teece.