on the 6th of the 1st month, 1752, well possessed both in lands and goods.

During the years of the Revolutionary War Philip Price (2d) was a farmer and grazier on the Bonsall acres in Kingsessing. He made a record, under the date of 12th month, 22d day, 1777, that General Howe, commander of the British army, took up his quarters at his house and remained there until the 28th. He also made a written statement of his losses by reason of the British occupancy of his possessions and of the property he was compelled to yield to the invading forces: 200 panels fence on meadows

700 panels good cedar posts and rails

200 panels oak, worth 1s 6d

Wood

Oxen, cattle, horses and sheep

24 cattle taken by the commissary at £135, worth twice
that

£ 37 10

126 09

15.00

20.00

98 10

135 00

£452 05

This forcible occupation and appropriation of property took place when the British forces were in possession of Philadelphia following the battle of Brandywine; and tradition says that the sons of Philip Price annoyed and amused, as they happened to take it, the British officers by refusing to "hurrah" for King George, but persistently "hurrahed" for General Washington.

Hannah Bonsall, wife of Philip Price, was buried on the 10th day of the 5th month, 1802, in the burying-ground of the Old Hill meeting house in Darby. Her husband survived her nine years, and died on the 17th of the 9th month, 1811, and was buried beside her.

In

Philip Price (3d), son of Philip and Hannah (Bonsall) Price, was born on the 1st day of the 8th month, 1764. He was a farmer with his father in Kingsessing until three years after his marriage, and then lived for four years on a farm in East Nantmeal, in Chester county. 1791 he purchased the plantation lying between West Chester and the Brandywine. At that time, in common with much of the land in the region, the plantation was in a low condition, exhausted, unproductive; its areas washed into gullies and stripped of verdure and partly overgrown with poverty grass, briars and alders. Such was the condition of the estate to which Philip Price removed with his family in 1791; but he was a skilled farmer, patient, tireless and determined. More than that, he held progressive ideas and theories on the question of practical farming, and here came the opportunity to put them into effect. He was one of the leaders of new and advanced thought in matters pertaining to agricultural pursuits, and after consulting men of his kind he began a systematic course of manuring, rotation of crops, etc., that soon showed surprising results, and his lands became fertile and productive under his careful management. He brought lime from the valley, gypsum and plaster from tidewater, and spread both freely with good judgment over his broad acres; and in their turn these once almost abandoned lands yielded to his treatment and gave back into his graneries an abundant harvest. Of Philip Price's practical methods and their result, Judge Peters wrote: "I have heard of none who have been more remarkably successful in the plaster system than Mr. West and Mr. Price. They have brought old worn-out lands to an astonishing degree of fertility and profit by combining the plaster with other

manures." This careful husbandry transformed the exhausted hills of the Brandywine into beautiful and productive areas and made them the garden place of Pennsylvania, as they are known even to the present day; and the part in this which Philip Price took more than one hundred years ago brought wealth to him and the appreciation and gratitude of many men whose congratulations counted for much and were more than mere empty honors; and his work was in a measure recognized by his neighbors when on its organization the Chester County Agricultural Society elected him its first president.

On the 20th day of the 10th month, 1784, Philip Price married Rachel Kirk, in accordance with the ceremonial of the Society of Friends, of which both were devout members. Their two eldest children were born at the Kingsessing home near the "Old Swede Church," and the next two at the plantation at Nantmeal; the other children were born in the old homestead at East Bradford, in Chester county. Here they lived until 1818, and then removed to take charge of the West Town Boarding School as superintendents, remaining there until 1830, when they opened their West Chester Boarding School for Girls. In that house Philip Price died on the 26th day of the 2d month, 1837, and his widow, Rachel Kirk Price, on the 6th day of the 8th month, 1847. Both are buried at Birmingham. They were foremost in the daily and devotional life of the Society of Friends, and early in life Rachel Price became convinced that it was her duty to make a public appearance as a minister of the Society. This conviction was the occasion of much deep thought in her own mind, and distressed her not a little because of a sense of the responsibility of the duties she was about to undertake. About the year 1792 she first appeared as a minister, and afterward continued to appear in that capacity with every devotion throughout the remaining years of her noble life; and in what she undertook and in what she accomplished she always had the encouragement and support of her husband and family.

In 1795 Philip Price was appointed one of the committee in charge of the work of construction, opening and subsequent supervision of the Friends' Boarding School at West Town. In the capacity of superintendent he devoted much of his time to the work of the school until 1830, and was identified with the institution in some capacity for thirtyfive years. For twelve years beginning in 1818 he and his wife were superintendents of the school, and all of their children were educated

there.

Rachel Kirk, wife of Philip Price (3d), was a daughter of William Kirk, and granddaughter of Alphonsus Kirk, the latter having been the founder of the family in America and its ancestor. He was a son of Roger and Elizabeth Kirk of Lurgan, province of Ulster, Ireland. He sailed from Belfast and landed at Jamestown, Virginia, on the 12th of the 1st month, 1689, after a voyage of fifty-two days; and arrived in 'ennsylvania on the 29th of the 3d month following. Alphonsus Kirk was a young man when he came to Pennsylvania. Proud mentions him with the Friends who arrived in 1682 and settled on Brandywine creek and about Center, which is west of the Brandywine, but family documents indicate that his arrival was a few years later than 1682. On the 23d of the 12th month, 1692-3, he married Abigail Sharpley, a Friend, daughter of Adam Sharpley, at the house of her father, on Shilpot creek. Proud's narrative mentions Adam Sharpley's arrival under the date of 1682 and places him among the settlers on the east side of Brandywine creek in New Castle county.

Vol. III-2

The tenth child born to Alphonsus and Abigail (Sharpley) Kirk was William Kirk, born 1st month, 4th day, 1708. He married twice, his second wife being Sibilla Davis, who was born 1st month, 1st day, 1726. They were married 3d month, 27th day, 1754. Rachel Kirk was their sixth child, and was born on the 18th day of the 4th month, 1763. John Davis, father of Sibilla, came from Wales in 1715. His wife was Elizabeth Harris, daughter of Daniel and Sibyl (Price) Harris, both of whom were born in Wales.

It will be seen from what has been narrated in preceding paragraphs that the ancestry of the present generation of the Price family in Pennsylvania traces in all its several branches to the time of the Colony, and that the nationalities there represented are about evenly divided between the Welsh and the English, with a fair sprinkling of Scotch-Irish and German. As showing the characteristics of the Welsh, it is interesting in this connection to note the petition which those settlers on the forty thousand acre tract presented to the governor and council on the 13th day of the 10th month, 1690, to the end that they be constituted a distinct barony, with power to govern themselves and their jurisdiction, being somewhat jealous of their own nationality and desirous to preserve its established habits and customs. In the petition they say:

"We, the inhabitants of the Welsh tract, in the Province of Pennsylvania, in America, being descended of the Ancient Britons, who always in the land of our nativity, under the Crown of England, had enjoyed that liberty and privileges as to have our bounds and limits by ourselves, within the which all causes, quarrels, crimes and titles were tried and wholly determined by officers, magistrates, and juries of our own language, which were our equals: Having our faces towards these countries, made the motion to our Governor that we might enjoy the same here, which thing was soon granted by him before he or we came to these parts, and when he came over he gave forth his warrant to lay out forty thousand acres of land, to the intent that we might live together, and enjoy our liberty and devotion in our own language as afore in our own country," etc. In this, however, they were disappointed through having spread over too much territory and other settlers having obtained portions of the lands allotted to their people.

The historian of the Price Family concludes his record with the following pertinent observations: "In the review of our ancestry we may here state, I think with a just satisfaction, that but few of them, on any side, appear to have held public office, or to have sat in a legislative body. They all belonged to the industrial classes, as all must in a new country; all maintained their families and their own independence by their intelligence and honest industry and thrift; and happily so for themselves and for us, for thereby they acquired and preserved health, and left to us good constitutions. We inherited from them no taint, physical or moral, except the general liability to temptation and sin, common to all the children of Adam. They generally remained in the dignified position of private life; risked not all their character or peace by the inordinate pursuit of gain; nor sullied their honor by political arts or unscrupulous ambition. They and their associate colonists and Quakers lived and died 'the noblest work of God,' honest men and honest women, with the virtues that characterize a religious society, who were as pure as the purest Puritans, but possessed much greater amenity of manners, much more Christian charity, and cherished the tenderest sentiments of humanity."

The following are the children of Philip and Rachel (Kirk) Price: 1. Martha Price, born November 3, 1785; married Nathan H. Sharpless; died September 11, 1852. 2. Hannah Price, born March 26, 1787; married David Jones Davis; died January 10, 1861. 3. William Price, born September 17, 1788; married Hannah Fisher; died January 27, 1860. 4. Sibbilla Price, born February 19, 1790; married John W. Townsend; died August 6, 1853. 5. Margaret Price, born April 19, 1792; married Jonathan Paxson; died Benjamin Price, born December 17, 1793; married Jane Paxson; died. 7. Sarah Price, born November 6, 1795, married Caleb Carmalt; died. 8. Eli K. Price, born July 20, 1797; married Anna Embree; died. 9. Isaac Price, born November 30, 1799; married Susanna Payne; died August 25, 1825. 10. Philip M. Price, born July 7, 1802; married Matilda Greentree. 11. Rachel Price, born July 10, 1808; died September 25, 1808.

6.

7.

William Price, eldest son of the parents above mentioned, was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and by profession was a physician and surgeon. He made several sea voyages, spent three years in Paris attending medical lectures and courses, and on his return settled for practice in the city of Philadelphia. Later he removed to Ohio, where at one time he was a member of the state legislature. He practiced medicine and surgery in Cincinnati and lived in that city until his death.

Benjamin Price, the second son, remained on the farm and spent his life there.

Eli K. Price, the third son, early entered mercantile pursuits, which he eventually forsook for the law. In practice he was particularly identified with real estate litigation and land titles, touching which he at one time published a professional work. He was elected to the Pennsylvania senate from Philadelphia in 1853. He wrote a memorial of his father and mother, which, with the assistance of his brother Philip, was printed and circulated; and he also wrote other works of a genealogical and personal character of the Price family, and was author of various miscellaneous works. His was decidedly a literary mind and he employed himself well in work of that character.

Isaac Price, the fourth son, lived at home on the farm until his death, which came before he had attained his twenty-sixth year of life.

Philip M. Price, tenth child and youngest son of Philip, and Rachel (Kirk) Price, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the 7th of July, 1802. His young life was spent in his native county, and he was educated chiefly in the school at West Town, which was conducted by his parents. Later on he took up the study of medicine with his friend, Dr. John D. Goodman, and also attended upon the courses of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was graduated and came to the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Throughout the period of his life he always retained his interest in the science of medicine, but the practice of the profession proved distasteful to him and he abandoned it for more congenial pursuits. As a temporary occupation he accepted a position as civil engineer for that part of the present city of Philadelphia which then was known as the District of Spring Garden. It was a growing suburb, and Mr. Price soon became. deeply interested in his work in the development of the municipality and also in all public enterprises; and his fellow citizens were quick to discover that by reason of his energy, business ability, integrity, good sense and general breadth of view his counsel and assistance were invaluable in shaping the future of the District. The result was that the

office he had previously accepted as a convenient employment for a limited period became a permanency. He remained there thirty years and his name is to be found in the record of every important enterprise begun or completed in the community during that time. During his incumbency of office he laid out the streets and made the plans for the whole District.

After the consolidation, in 1854, of all the districts and townships of Philadelphia county into the one great municipality of the city of Philadelphia, Mr. Price was continued in his office as city engineer for the wards formed from the old District of Spring Garden, but afterward he took less interest in local affairs than before the consolidation was effected. His mind had already been occupied for some time with the question of railroad connection between Philadelphia and Lake Erie, and now he turned all his energies toward the solution of that question by the construction of the Sunbury & Erie railroad, and its feeder, the Bald Eagle Valley railroad. He served as treasurer of the first and as president of the latter company, and bitterly opposed their ultimate absorption by the great Pennsylvania system, although he had been one of the original promoters of that enterprise. He was intimately associated with Mr. Thomas Scott and other prominent railroad men in the work of railway planning and construction, and it is fairly within the truth to say that without Mr. Price and his persistent efforts the building of the old Sunbury & Erie road would have been long delayed, although doubtless sure to be accomplished in the end.

On

While engaged in this work Mr. Price visited Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and becoming much impressed with the possibilities of the place and its locality and the natural beauties of the region, soon began to purchase land there until he had acquired several hundred acres. this he laid out that part of the city of Lock Haven known as Price's Addition, opened and fenced streets and planted the hundreds of foliage trees which now are the pride and beauty of that section. About 1860 Mr. Price removed with his family from Philadelphia to Lock Haven, and lived there until the time of his death in 1870. His wife died there in 1864. Her name before marriage was Matilda Greentree. They had six children: Helen F. Price, Hannah P. Price, Mary Price, Anna Price, Philip M. Price, Jr., and Charles S. Price.

Philip M. Price, Jr., elder of the two sons, was educated at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and at the time of his death (1894) had attained the rank of captain in the engineer corps, and his last public service was that of engineer-secretary of the Light-House Board in Washington, D. C. He also had served as assistant professor of mathematics and instructor of practical military engineering in West Point Academy, and had been engaged in geographical explorations and surveys of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi river.

Philip M. Price, the senior, always was interested in the buying and selling of real estate, and in this his remarkable judgment and foresight made him very successful. By means of it he gained a competency, and had he so desired he could have accumulated a large fortune; but it was a part of his creed, and he steadfastly adhered to it, that whatever a man gains beyond the needs of his physical, intellectual and domestic comfort and welfare he holds in trust for the good of his fellow men. He lost no opportunity to aid in the cause of education, whether through public instruction or by direct assistance to deserving individuals. During the last half of his sixty-eight years of life hardly a year passed in which he did not assist at least one young man or woman, not of his