Biographical Sketch of William & Walter DENNY; Delaware County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Ferguson <ferg@ntelos.net>.

Copyright 2004.  All Rights Reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
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from CHESTER AND ITS VICINITY DELAWARE COUNTY IN PA, by Martin 1877

"John Sharples came from Ratherton or Hadderton, in the county of Chester, 
England.  He married Jane Moore of the same place, in 1662.  They had 7 
children, Phebe, John, Thomas, James, Caleb, Jane and Joseph.  The whole family, 
with the exception of Thomas, who died at sea, 5mo, landed at Upland on 6mo 4, 
1862, more than 2 months before the arrival of the "Welcome."  IN one place 
(Chester MM records, "Thomas Sharpless, son of John and Jane Sharpless, dyed the 
17th 1st mo, 1682, at sea."
    At Sharpless; Mills on Ridley Creek, there is quite a curiosity.
Engraven on a rock on the banks of the creek, are the initials I.S. 1682, which 
marks the spot where John Sharpless, the original settler, erected his cabin, on 
his purchase that year.  In the records of the Sharpless family, it is set forth 
that they took up part of the land purchased of Wm Penn on Ridley Creek, about 2 
miles NW from Chester, where they fell a large tree and took shelter among the 
boughs thereof, about 6 weeks, in which time they built a cabin against a rock, 
which answered for their chimney back,  and now contains the date of the year 
when the cabin was built - viz, 1682, in which they dwelt 20 years, and there 
they all died, except the mother and 3 sons, in which time Joseph learned the 
trade of house carpenter, and when of age built the first dwelling house, which 
is now standing *(1877) and occupied by one of their descendants.  Part of the 
original floors are still in use, being fastened down with wooden pins of about 
an inch n diameter, instead of nails.  It is a sizeable 2 story dwelling; the 
walls of stone."