Above is part of the old Ridgeway Farm bought by H. K. Mulford Co. about 1910. Mulford moved to Glenolden in 1896 and began making vaccines etc. In the early days vaccines where derived from animals and Mulford bought 140 acres south of today's Delmar Drive as their farm. They sold it in the early 1950's right before they merged with Sharp and Dome and left the area.
NOTE: A 110 years ago the unthinkable happened for the first time in Penna. Blacks living in Darby Township wanted to create their own boro, the town of Folcroft to become the Boro. Sorry this is late been without power for 4 days.
Folcroft Boro
“Shall Folcroft be incorporated as a borough or shall it
remain Folcroft precinct of Darby Township?”
This is the question which is agitating the minds of the colored
population of a settlement called Hook, in Folcroft. For several weeks past the colored citizens
of that place have been holding meetings and discussing the matter of applying
to the Court for a charter incorporating Folcroft into a borough. So far as could be learned there is not a
single white citizen Folcroft who will favor the proposition, and, in fact, it
will be fought bitterly when the proper time arrives. On Tuesday evening there was a meeting in
Madison’s Hall, Folcroft, and there were present more than sixty persons, among
the number being but two white men. The meeting was presided over by David
Kinsey, one of the leading colored men of Folcroft. The matter of forming a borough was discussed
at length, and all times present were unanimously in favor of applying for a
charter to incorporate Folcroft as a borough.
A petition was passed through the audience and was signed by nearly
every one present.
WANT
BETTER STREETS – A Times reporter interviewed a number of the colored residents
of the place yesterday on the subject of a borough and they were all very
enthusiastic, and felt that when they apply for a charter that the court will
grant their prayer. The colored man
claim that they pay a large percentage of the taxes of the township of Darby,
and that the money is spent in other parts of the township and that they are
being neglected as far as good roads Are concerned, and they believe that by
having the township incorporated into a borough that the taxes would be more
equally distributed.
Robert
Kelson, a prominent colored citizen, who is a contractor, said yesterday that
the object of forming the borough was to get better streets, which they do not
now enjoy, and besides that, Folcroft is sufficiently large to become a borough
and been self-sustaining. There are now
in the precinct more than 12100 houses and a great number of these are owned by
colored people, and many more are being built by members of the race at this
time. He also said that the colored
people desire to make it a town for colored people to reside in, and that at
the present time they are I the majority.
BUILDING
HOMES – From the appearance of things surrounding Hook, which is a part of
Folcroft, the colored man’s statement seems to be correct, as many new homes
are being erected by the more progressive colored people and these are being
inhabited by colored families. Most of
the stores are conducted by colored people and there is a large brickyard which
is being operated by William Balue, a colored man. The colored man also said that Folcroft had
nearly 300 voters, while Horntown precinct had but 71 votes, which has been the
same number of votes polled for many years and most of these are dead ones when
the vote is being counted. Glenolden
precinct has only 16 votes. “Why should
we not receive some recognition?” he asked.
He also said that they wanted their own school and own government, ruled
by colored people. He said that eight
per cent of the taxes came from Folcroft and are used in other parts of the
township. Among the prominent colored
citizens interested in the formation of a new borough are: J. B. Randolph, a local preacher; J. W.
Madison, a contractor and builder; Ephraim Robinson, John W. Ewing, James
Bennings, John Dowdy and others.
As far
as is known this is the first time in the history of this State that colored
people ever made an effort to have a borough of their own, but that it will not
be smooth sailing for them is indicated by the fact that the white citizens are
going to oppose the plan with all their strength and influence.
WHITE
CITIZEN’S VIEW – It was a hard matter to get an interview with any of the white
citizens yesterday as most of them are business men and professional men, with
their business in Philadelphia. They all
have handsome homes that are located along the Pennsylvania railroad. One of
these white citizens who was seen yesterday but who did not want to be quoted,
said that there is no doubt that the colored people are making a hard fight to
have Folcroft incorporated into a borough, but that their plans will be opposed
and before they would allow the colored men to take a part of their properties
into a borough they would apply to get into Glenolden borough. This citizen also said that the colored men
were in a majority when it comes to voting and that therefore they would have
the entire municipality governed by their own race, which would never do and
that it would not be tolerated. He also
said if the colored men want a borough why don’t they take in their own
settlement and not take in the part where the white people live. He believed if they did this they would not
be so bitterly opposed.
This
citizen also said that it is not the truth that the colored men pay a large
proportion of the taxes of the township, but that many of them who own houses
of property do not pay their taxes, and that their properties have to be
liened, and that they are not building any extra fine dwellings.
However,
the project is being watched by both sides and some interesting developments
are looked for. It is expected that when
the meeting is held by the colored men on next Monday night that more definite
plans will be formed, as the colored people are going to engage an attorney.
Among
the prominent white citizens residing in Folcroft are: J. H. Anderson, chief clerk of the second
vice president of the Pennsylvania Railroad; C. F. W. Boone,
cashier of the Evening Telegraph; William Wright, a furniture dealer; William
Allen, a grocer; Postmaster C. B. Shaw; Edward Rice, a plumber, and other
prominent Delaware County men.
Upcoming Workshop in Historic Sugartown’s Bindery
Paper Marbling Workshop
Saturday, March 17
9AM – 2PM
(Malvern, PA) Learn to create marbled paper in Historic Sugartown’s Bindery!
Marbling is the art of floating and designing watercolors on a base fluid then permanently transferring the design to paper. Colonial Williamsburg trained
instructor, Ramon Townsend of ColonialBindery.com, will lead the class through the
entire marbling process. Participants will take home their finished papers.
Workshop Admission: $65/Adult, $50/Child (Ages 8 – 17; must be accompanied by an adult).
All supplies included.
The workshop will take place from 9AM – 2PM. Pre-registration is required and space is limited to 8 participants.
Visit HistoricSugartown.org or call 610-640-2667 to register!
Historic Sugartown, Inc., a private, nonprofit organization, inspires the community to engage with the past through authentic 19th-century experiences, participate in the village’s present life and protect it for the future. Located in the heart of Willistown Township, Historic Sugartown stewards 9.2 acres of land and nine historic structures, including 4.2 acres of open space under conservation easement with Willistown Conservation Trust. Historic Sugartown’s Carriage Museum interprets Chester County’s rich transportation heritage through a rare collection of historic carriages and sleighs in partnership with Chester County Historical Society. Historic Sugartown offers guided tours of the village on weekends from May through November, as well as workshops in its Book Bindery and other programs throughout the year. School and group tours are available year-round.
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