46 Early Pennsylvania (1683)
(a series of excerpts from letters Penn wrote to various correspondents)
The first planters in these parts were the Dutch and soon after them the Swedes and Finns. The Dutch applied themselves to traffic [commerce], the Swedes and Finns to husbandry. There were some disputes between them for some years, the Dutch looking upon them as intruders upon their purchase and possession. Which was finally ended in the surrender made by John Rizeing, the Swedish governor to Peter Stuyvesant, governor for the States of Holland, anno 1655.
The Dutch inhabit mostly those parts of the province that lie upon or near the bay and the Swedes the freshes [tidal tributaries] of the river Delaware. There is no need of giving any description of them, who are better known there than here. But they are a plain, strong, industrious people, yet have made no great progress in [agri]culture or propagation of fruit trees; as if they desired rather to have enough than plenty or traffic. But I presume the Indians made them the more careless by furnishing them with the means of profit. To wit, skins and furs for rum and such strong liquors. They kindly received me as well as the English, who were few before the people concerned with me came among them. I must needs commend their respect to authority and kind behavior to the English. They do not degenerate from the old friendship between both kingdoms. As they are people proper and strong of body, so they have fine children and almost every house full. Rare to find one of them without three or four boys and as many girls; some six, seven, and eight sons. And I must do them that right, I see few young men more sober and laborious.
The country lies bounded on the east by the river and bay of Delaware and Eastern Sea. It has the advantage of many creeks, or rivers rather, that run into the main river or bay; some navigable for great ships, some for small craft. Those of most eminency are Christina, Brandywine, Skilpot, and Sculkil. Any one of which has room to lay up the Royal Navy of England, there being from four to eight fathom water. Our people are mostly settled upon the upper rivers which are pleasant and sweet and generally bounded with good land. The planted part of the province and territories is cast into six counties: Philadelphia, Buckingham, Chester, Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, containing about four thousand souls. Two general assemblies have been held and with such concord and dispatch that they sat but three weeks and at least seventy laws were passed without one dissent in any material thing. I cannot forget their singular respect to me in this infancy of things who, by their own private expenses, so early considered mine for the public as to present me with an impost upon certain goods imported and exported. Which, after my acknowledgment of their affection, I did as freely remit to the province and the traders to it. And for the well government of the said counties, courts of justice are established in every county with proper officers as justices, sheriffs, clerks, constables. Which courts are held every two months. But to prevent lawsuits there are three peacemakers chosen by every county court, in the nature of common arbitrators, to hear and end differences between man and man. And spring and fall there is an orphans’ court in each county, to inspect and regulate the affairs of orphans and widows.
Philadelphia: The situation is a neck of land and lies between two navigable rivers, Delaware and Sculkill. Whereby it has two fronts upon the water, each a mile, and two from river to river. Delaware is a glorious river but the Sculkill, being a hundred miles boatable above the falls and its course north-east toward the fountain of Susquehanna (that tends to the heart of the province, and both sides our own), it is like to be a great part of the settlement of this age. I say little of the town itself because a platform will be shown you by my agent in which those who are purchasers of me [who buy land from Penn] will find their names and interests. But this I will say for the good providence of God, that of all the many places I have seen in the world I remember not one better seated. So that it seems to me to have been appointed for a town, whether we regard the rivers or the conveniency of the coves, docks, and springs. The loftiness and soundness of the land and the air, held by the people of those parts to be very good. It is advanced within less than a year to about fourscore houses and cottages, such as they are, where merchants and handicrafts are following their vocations as fast as they can while the countrymen are close at their farms. Some of them got a little winter corn [grain] in the ground last season and the generality have had a handsome summer-crop and are preparing for their winter corn. They reaped their barley this year in the month called May, the wheat in the month following. So that there is time in these parts for another crop of diverse things before the winter season. We are daily in hopes of shipping to add to our number. For, blessed be God! here is both room and accommodation for them. The stories of our necessity [hardship] being either the fear of our friends or the scarecrows of our enemies. For the greatest hardship we have suffered has been salt meat, which by fowl in winter and fish in summer, together with some poultry, lamb, mutton, veal, and plenty of venison the best part of the year has been made very passable. I bless God I am fully satisfied with the country and entertainment I got in it. For I find that particular content which has always attended me, where God in his providence has made it my place and service to reside. You cannot imagine my station can be at present free of more than ordinary business. And as such, I may say it is a troublesome work. But the method things are putting in will facilitate the charge and give an easier motion to the administration of affairs. However as it is some men’s duty to plough, some to sow, some to water, and some to reap, so it is the wisdom as well as the duty of a man to yield to the mind of providence and cheerfully as well as carefully embrace and follow the guidance of it.
For your particular concern I might entirely refer you to the letters of the president of the society, but this I will venture to say: your provincial settlement both within and without the town, for situation and soil, are without exception. Your city lot is a whole street and one side of a street, from river to river, containing near one hundred acres not easily valued. Which is, besides your four hundred acres in the city-liberties, part of your twenty thousand acres in the country. Your tannery has plenty of bark. The saw-mill for timber and the place of the glass-house are so conveniently posted for water-carriage, the city lot for a dock, and the whalery for a sound and fruitful bank. And the town Lewis by it to help your people that by God’s blessing the affairs of the society will naturally grow in their reputation and profit. I am sure I have not turned my back upon any offer that tended to its prosperity. And though I am ill at projects, I have sometimes put in for a share with her officers to countenance and advance her interest. You are already informed what is fit for you further to do. Whatsoever tends to the promotion of wine and to the manufacture of linen in these parts, I cannot but wish you to promote. And the French people are most likely in both respects to answer that design. To that end I would advise you to send for some thousands of plants out of France, with some able vinerons [winegrowers] and people of the other vocation. But because I believe you have been entertained with this and some other profitable subjects by your president, Nicholas Moore, I shall add no more but to assure you that I am heartily inclined to advance your just interest and that you will always find me your kind and cordial friend.
Source: “The Infant Colony of Pennsylvania” (1683), by William Penn. Source: Samuel M. Janney, The Life of William Penn (Philadelphia, 1852), 246-249. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45493/page/n573/mode/2up
