Morton Boros oldest House

Many people pass this house in the 500 block of Morton Ave, in Morton Pa. and have no idea how old the house is. The house built about 1740 is the oldest house in Morton. The once brick house is now covered in stucco.

 

CHESTER TIMES 

 October 17, 1904

            MORTON’S ANCIENT LANDMARK A STUDY 

 Interesting Facts Concerning the Oldest Resident and Oldest Residence

            One of the oldest and most picturesque houses in the borough is situated along the roadside of Morton Avenue, which is known as the Edwards Homestead, and which has stood the blasts of many a storm since 1740.  This ancient brick dwelling, now modernized, once belonged to a rich sea captain, William Brown.  John Saffer lived here in the 30’s and his son, William F. was a great man with the quill, he teaching a flourishing writing school at night in the old yellow schoolhouse.  By its old spring house and buttonwood trees before the Baltimore Pike was laid, out, ran the “Great Marlborough Road” to the south stretched the broad acres of the Thomson farm.  John Thomson was a noted engineer.  He died in 1842.  His son, J. Edgar Thomson, was president of the Pennsylvania Railroad for 27 years.  On the east of Morton Avenue, the Garrett Edwards farm lay, between the Amosland Road and the Newlin’s property.  Previously it had belonged to George Bolton Lownes, to whom it had passed from Thomas West.  The quaintly venerable brick house is a landmark.

            In 1830 Garrett Edwards got possession of the farm and house, which passed into the hands of the present owner, his son, Dr. James Edwards, who is today probably the oldest resident living in the oldest house in the borough.  Dr. Edwards was born near Village Green, September 1819, and came with his parents to the present place in the year already stated above.  He went to the public schools and when a very young man, entered Jefferson College, from which institution he graduated an M.D. in 1847.

            He then went to Wilmington, Del., where he practiced medicine until 1850, when he left for California where he resumed his practice; returning to Morton in 1882.  Dr. Edwards was a Democrat until 1852, when he broke away from the party which at that time was the dominating power of this country, but he, with a number of other citizens of California organized a club opposing Democracy and its method of government, which afterward became the great Republican Party.

            Dr. Edwards is hale and hearty for his weight of 86 years and is also very active, although he has given up the practice of medicine.