New Garden Historical Commission - Researching the Establishment Date for New Garden Township

<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#990099" > <table border="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%" bgcolor="#999999"> <tr> <td><p align="center"><img src="../lyceum/lyceum.jpg" width="200" height="114"></p> </td> <td align="center"> <h1><font color=black>New Garden Historical Commission</font></h1> <p><a href="../index.htm" target="_top"><font color=black>Click here</font></a> <font color=black> to return to the home page and links to other articles</font></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Researching the Establishment Date for New Garden Township</strong></font></p> <p>In order to determine the most likely establishment date for New Garden Township, the Historical Commission worked with the staff of the Chester County Archives to locate the phrase New Garden Township in all legal documents pertaining to the area of New Garden Township between the years 1682 to 1720. This was the period when the general area was surveyed and there was a sufficient population to be recognized as new municipality in Chester County. </p> <p>The results of the records search were as follows:</p> <ul> <li>1682-1710: The phrase New Garden Township was not found in any County Court records during these years. </li> <li>1700: Surveys were completed for William Penn, Jr.'s warrant that included land in today's as New Garden Township. </li> <li>1708: The earliest known land patent from Penn Jr. Manor in today's New Garden Township was granted<b> </b>to Mary Rowland, however the phrase Township was not used in this document.</li> <li>1710-1713: Records from this period are missing or lost from the archives. It is possible they may have contained the Court Decree that established New Garden Township. </li> <li>1714: At least 6,000 acres were sold to settlers in "Penn Jr. Manor", however none of the records refer to "New Garden Township".</li> <li><strong>1714: A Chester County Court of Quarter Sessions document lists the constable from "New Garden Township".</strong> This is the earliest extant record referring to New Garden as a Township.</li> <li>1715: The earliest extant deed for land in New Garden Township" is dated 1715.</li> </ul> <p>This established 1714 as the earliest documented date for the establishment of New Garden Township.</p> </body>