Those Places Thursday: Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, PA

Sadsbury Township is one of the earliest municipalities in Lancaster County. It is the rural municipality my parents moved us to when I was seven.

As early as 1744, another municipality – Bart Township – was formed from Sadsbury. The first industries included grist mills and iron forges. Later, many cottage industries popped up.

The Quakers were among the first settlers. In 1724 Andrew Moore and Samuel Miller petitioned for the establishment of a meeting house. Approved, the Sadsbury Friends built a meeting house the next year and in 1737 the Sadsbury Monthly Meeting was formed. The Quakers were – and still are – a peaceful non-combative people, believing in equality and fairness. To this end, it is no surprise then that Sadsbury Township was a known stop on the Underground Railroad in the years before the Civil War.

One such stop was the Coates House, located on the west side of Newport Avenue

. The house dates back to the late 1700s. A simple farmhouse, it belonged to the Coates family – a good Quaker family. Local tradition includes the house as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

The Underground Railroad brought many slaves through the area. On September 11, 1851, slaves from just below the Mason Dixon crossed up into Sadsbury and took refuge at the home of William Parker on Lower Valley Road. Slaves belonging to Edward Gorsuch of Maryland had escaped and were at Parker’s. Despite rumors that slave-hunters were en route with warrants for them, the four remained. Gorsuch, his men and a US Marshall arrived and words were exchanged. Simply stated, fear and tempers exploded. A horn was sounded for locals to help; shots were fired. In the end, over 30 citizens were charged with treason and Gorsuch lie dead. For more information on what has come to be known as the Christiana Riot
click here.

Many of the older building are still standing – including some of the older bridges too. Mercer’s Ford covered bridge, for example, was built in 1880. This bridge still remains standing intact at Creek Road

spanning the Octorara Creek. In 1980, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Devore House, along Creek Road, also now stands in ruins. This 2 ½ story farmhouse dates back to 1743.

Some admittedly are in ruins. The forge ruins along Creek Road, for example, date back to the late 1700s. The manufacturing of iron was an important industry to the area from the time of the Revolutionary War to about the mid 1800s. These particular ruins stand north of Brick Mill Road.

Sadsbury Township is west of Chester County. It surrounds Christiana Borough. It encompasses only 19.7 square miles now.

Coatesville's First Serial Killer

Young Alexander Meyer was a disturbed and angry young man with some major issues. He had failed sixth and seventh grade, and instead of having to repeat eighth grade again, he finally gave up on school. At age 16 he quit Downingtown Junior High. Meyer is not a relative, nor are his victims (that I am aware). I stumbled upon young Alex while reading Tortured Minds: Pennsylvania's Most Bizarre - But Forgotten - Murders by Tammy Mal. On 11 February 1937 Alexander Thweatt Meyer killed young Helen Moyer as she walked home from school in Coatesville along Modena Road. She was not his first. The jury was out only three minutes after hearing Dr. Michael Margolis' testimony on the death of Helen Moyer. The jury determined Meyer had murdered Moyer and should be held for first degree murder. The jury also condemned the parole system which had released Meyer back into the public, after having served just 14 months in Huntingdon Reformatory, for the murder of two other girls - Anna Blasc...

Thaddeus Stevens at the Lancaster Convention Center

Within the Lancaster Convention Center (Lancaster, PA) is a small section dedicated to Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith. The section is known as the Stevens & Smith Historic Site. It is scheduled for development this year. At the moment one can only get a glimpse of it through the Convention Center or by peeking in from the outside. Here at Queen and Vine Streets in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania, Thaddeus Stevens had his law office. Stevens was an abolitionist. An abolitionist is a person who favors the abolition of a practice or institution, especially capital punishment or (formerly) slavery. Stevens was born 4 April 1792 to Joshua Stevens and Sarah (Sally) Morrill in Danville Vermont. One of four children, he attended Vermont University from 1810 to 1812 when the War prompted its closure. He then went to Dartmouth, where he graduated in 1814. He then studied law and found himself set up in Gettysburg, PA in 1816. He practiced law there until 1828 when he...

52 Ancestors: Remembering the King

Today is Elvis’ birthday. He would have been 80 today. I was only eight when he died so obviously I am too young to have seen Elvis perform. However, when I hear his music, I go back in time. I am once again that young girl dancing in the living room to Elvis and other greats with my father. Back then girls learned to dance by dancing with their fathers not some video of scantly dressed people doing all sorts of things young ladies should not be doing in public! What is YOUR favorite memory - either of your father or of Elvis? 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a weekly genealogical challenge issued by Amy Johnson Crow, of No Story Too Small . Look for my weekly posts each Thursday! © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

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