VILLAGE OF DRAWBRIDGE

The village of Drawbridge was located on the Broadkill River, three or four miles east of the town of Milton. Today it is known as the location of Henlopen Memorial Gardens, a large cemetery, and a highrise bridge crossing the Broadkill.  Most locals call it 'Broadkill Bridge' today.
Early Sussex county days it was home to Miers and Aletta Clowes Clarke, among others,Miers keeping a sailing ship  on the river in the vicenity. Drawbridge had a store which Samuel Paynter kept. Samuel Paynter was one time govenor of Delaware. It had been passed down to his children and grandchildren until about 1857 when it became the property of a Mr. Coulter and family  for several years. It then was owned and operated by William B. Tomlinson who sold it to Captain David Burton and John B. Dorman who conducted business there many years.
In the 1860's and 1870's,  Drawbridge village had three  dwellings,  four grain mills, and a blacksmith shop and the store. At some time there was either one or two ship building sites on the river in the near vicinity. Also there was a ships landing and the hand operated drawbridge. Drawbridge had coastal vessel service to Philadelphia and New York, shipping 2500 cords of wood for fuel and 30,000 bushels of grain each year.  A post office was established in 1830 and Sam Paynter was first postmaster and John B. Dorman became postmaster in 1879.
The 1900's saw the Lockerman family at the store and tending the drawbridge.  The store eventially became an auto parts business which Layton, his wife and a sister kept many years.
From "History of Delaware"

Early Dover Newspapers

Dover Newspapers

The 'Federal Ark', the first newspaper issued at Dover, Delaware in the year 1802, was published by Augustus M. Schee. The Ark was the news paper of the Federalist Political Party, and it was published for two yeas.

In 1805 Mr. Schee published the Delaware Herald which lasted only one year. Also in 1805 "The Record and Federal Advertiser" was published at Dover by Joseph Robertson.

In the interest of the presidential candidacy of John Quincy Adams, the "Delaware Intelligencer" was printed by Samuel F. Shinn, February 1, 1925.

During the 1828 presidential campaigen, Joseph Robertson was editor of "The Political Primer / The Home Book for Jacksonites" that had for a motto "Retaliation" and it strongly advocated the re-election of John Quuincy Adams for President. Leading politicians of that time made contribution, men such as Caleb S Layton and Samuel M. Harrington. These gentlemen had no hesitancy in pouring hot shot into the ranks of their political opponents. This publication was published for six months or so.

Henty W. Peterson, who kept a stationary and book store in Dover in 1830, printed about six issues of "American Freeman and Legislative Reporter" during that year legislative session.

A man noted for his considerable literary ability, William Huffington, Esq., started in 1838 at Dover, a monthly magazine, "The Delaware Register and Farmer" which was discontinued after a year.

"The Sentinel" a Whig Party newspaper was published in 1851 by William Wharton. The "Delaware State Reporter" a Democrat and anti Prohibition newspaper edited by George W. S. Nicholson was published in Dover from 1853 to 1859.

7 May, 1859, Delaware Company, James Kirk, editor, issued the first number of the "Delawaran", a weekly newspaper. It became the Delaware State organ of the Democratic Party, well known throughout the Eastern States. Mr Kirk was editor until March 1876 when Eli Saulsbury became a proprietor until 1902.

A Republican party newspaper, the "State Sentinal" was started in 1874 by Henry W. Cannon who published the paper until 1891 when purchased by Edward W. Louderbourgh and was edited by John H. Bateman until his death in 1900. James E. Allee, Jr purchased this paper in 1814.

"The Index" was first published in 1887 by Francis M. Dunn and his son, Thomas, continued with it after his death in 1894. By 1928 James H. Hughes, Esq., was owner and his daughter, Caroline wrote a social column "Whispers" which had wide readership.

"The Delaware State News", was established in 1901 by Monroe Ashmore of Chicago who sold to James C. Wilkes , Arley Megee and Robert Wilson. By 1928 Wilkes was owner.

In 1929 there were four newspapers of issue in Dover. The Delaware Republican, a weekly, founded in 1907 by Benjamin Simmons, owner and editor. The Delaware State News, weekly, The Index, another weekly and the State Sentinel which ceased publication in 1941

1985 there were three newspapers of issue in Dover . "Delaware State News" daily since 1985, owned by Independent Newspapers Inc., with officers, Joe smyth, I.D. Baily and Karen Walters. A Sunday edition was added in 1871. "Delaware Post", weekly, Don Flood, editor, Marie Marchese and Ann Biyer staff wrighters, Jim Flood Sr., publisher. The "Sentinal" a weekly, Jack Costello, editor, Roy Shielfs, owner.

Transcribed from "Tricentennial View Of Dover, 1683-1983"

DELAWARE RIVER INDUSTRY OF THE PAST

Article from the August 8th 1891 issue of the newspaper PEOPLE.

A unique Industry on the Delaware River

That Lasts Three Months

Down along the shores of Delaware Bay, on both the New Jersey and Delaware sides, there is a thriving industry which is seldom heard of and still more seldom seen in operation or has fewpeople stop to inquire into it.

It is the King Crab fishery and last year 1,674,00 of the ha shelled crustaceous fellows were taken from their native element, while past years the yield has reached 5.000,000. The season lasts three months.

Thfishery for the king crab, while nit primarily intended to provide a food product does furnish one of the best fertilizers known.

A trip down the bay proves the industry to be flourishing condition and seems to center on the Jersey side, between Cape May Point and Heislerville, twenty mile above and seven/eights of the entire catch is made between Dennisville and Fishing Creek. At Goshen, Dias Creek and Green Creek the catch was between 335,000, 410,000 and 411,000 crabs respectively.

Two forms of appatatus are in common use along the Jersey Shore, one resembles a type of 'pound net', but the the other is unlike and thing used in waters of the United States and is designed especially for this fishery.

The wood stakes that form the frame for the 'pound' are 8 to 10 feet long and 4 to 6 inches diameter, pleaced 4 to 6 feet apart. To the bottom of the stakes, called the 'hedge' , one inch boards are nailed on, one foot or slightly higher. This forms the 'bowl'. The door to the first bowl is 18 or 24 inch wide and the door to the second bowl is in narrower to prevent too many crabs to enter. Netting is either twine or chicken wire.

Then there is the 'weir or stake net as it is called here, and is different than the pound net. It has poles driven into the muddy or sandy bottom so as to form a 'hedge', wings, bowl or pound . The poles are placed about 3 inches apart to allow the sea to flow through them. This bowl is semicircular in shape, the extremies of the brushwork is about midway the pound. The capacity is controled by the leader door to the pound and is the most important feature of the apparatus. It consist of a wedge shaped platform, five foot long, and is inclined at a gentle angle, not too smooth, otherwise the crabs canot walk upon it. There is a floor to the pound, made from cheap boards, so that the crabs will not scratch hols in the mud or sand, loosening the frameiing poles.

This story was told by Hugh M. Smith of the United States Fishery Commission.

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Veterans Pay / Civil War

News item, June 18th, 1864 in the Easton Maryland GAZETTE, as the war and the Union was in much disarray, title TO SOLDIERS FAMILIES.

"The widow, child, father, mother, brother or sister, &c., of any officer, soldier or seaman who dies in the service of the United States is entitled to bounty, pensions or back pay, &c. For full information and all such claims for prompt collection contact, William B. Hill, Government Claim Officer, 70 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, Maryland. All letters must contain stamps to ensure reply". Pay for enlisted men was $11 per month. A bounty was an inducement to volunteer enlistment, a bribe so to speak, paid by the well to do, who wanted to avoid service.

For the full story visit "Cincinnati Civil War Round Table/ Soldiers Pay" by William C. Moffat, Jr., by Google search.

INTERESTING PLACES ON THE DELAWARE/CHALKLEY MANSION

Philadelphia Inquirer July 4th 1909
Chalkley Mansion was said to have been built by the Quaker Missionary by that name around 1701, when he first settled on the plantation of forty five hundred acres at Frankford on the Delaware. Chalkley was also master of his own sailing vessel with which he traded in the West Indies and used to spread the Quaker Religion throughout the early colonies from New England to the Carolina's. For many years past the John Wetherill family has owned the property since early in the 1800's. A son, Edward later had greatly improved the property and made a handsome country home until the Pennsylvania Railroad built a bridge across the Delaware and ran its tracks within yards of the mansion. Lately the property has been a delightful country home for children and their mothers when Edward Wetherill loaned the stately mansion to the College Settlement of Philadelphia. It will soon be closed and become a municipal improvement, an industrial park.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT OF THE SWEDE, MARCUS JACOBSON, IN DELAWARE

It was near the middle of the year 1669 that the Swedish adventurer, one Marcus Jacobson, alias John Brickson, &c., but better known to the inhabitants of the Delaware Colony as "Long Finn" because of his lofty stature. Long Finn had succeeded in imposing himself on the Swedes as the son of Konnigsmark, a noted general of Sweden, and it was alleged , was inciting the settlers of that nationality to rebellion against the English authority. with the design of re-establishing the Swedish power to the province. With his was associated a wealthy Finn, Henry Coleman. The Rev. Lawrence Lock, former Swedish Chaplin , was said to have played the "Trumpeter" to the disorder, and Mrs Pappygoya, a daughter of Governor Printz, was charged with intermeddling " in so unworthy a design".
Governor Lovelace, of the New York Colony, issued an order for the arrest of Long Finn and his fellow conspirators on August 2, 1669. Along with the arrest order were instructions as to the manner in which a trial should be conducted and this trial became the first 'trial by jury' in Delaware..
A Captain Carry caused the arrest of the Long Finn, who was thrown into the fort at New Castle on Delaware in 'irons'. Henry Coleman \, learning of his intended apprehension , abandoned his property, fled to the Indians, with whom he seemed to have had a great influence, and is never more heard of. Dominic Lock and Mrs. Pappehoya gave security for their appearance to answer the charges against them when required.
The case was held at New Castle, December 6, 1669 and heard by the commission appointed by the governor and the jury. The jury, as was expected, found Jacobson guilty who was thereupon sentenced in accordance with the punishment prescribed by the Council, that Long Finn Maucus Jacobson, " shall be publicly and severely whipped and branded in the face with the letter "R" , with a larger inscription upon his breast, after which he be secured until he can be sent and sold to the Barbadoes or some other remote plantation".
On January 25, 1670, the "Long Finn" was put aboard the ship "Fort Albany" and transported and sold to the Barbadoes, after which date nothing further respecting him is known.
The accomplices were sentenced to forfeit to the King, one half of their goods and chattels, while a small fine was placed upon those of lesser note.
This case will always be an interesting one for it is the first recorded trial under the English on the Delaware in which a prisoner was formally indited, arraigned, and had a jury of twelve men impaneled, subject to challange of the prisoner, who are charged to render a verdict in accordance with the evidence.
Source: "History of Delaware Colony- Ashmead-Chapter XVIII"

Kboom

Mr. Grey, an ingenious gentleman of Sussex County, on the Delaware, invented a non-explosive burning fluid, and invited a few friends ro come witness a test of its qualities. He gathered a select circle around a barrel of the fluid in a garret and to prove how non-explosive it was, stirred it with a red hot poker. Within seconds, the inventor and his friends were seen to emerge through the roof, with pieces of wood, shingles and other 'things' on their heads, on the way northwest toward the river, all enjoying a birds eye view of Sussex county at some thousad feet above sea level. Mr. Grey observed to a friend nearest him that he thought he had made a mistake and mixed too much benzine in the fluid. Mr. Greys widow will sell the patent for the non-explosive fluid very cheap, she needing the money badly because Mr. Grey was scattered so much around Sussex County when he came down that she had to bury him gradually for the next three weeks.