ferry superseded the old mode of poling, and was continued until the first bridge was built. A chronicler of that day, in noticing this improvement, observes with somewhat of enthusiasm, "that formerly in times of highwater, four men found it difficult to effect a passage in less than half an hour, the flat now crosses the river by rope usually in ninety seconds." John Garrison succeeded Kunckler in September, but in 1759 the latter was appointed ferryman for a second time. In 1761, Francis Steup followed next in succession, and the year following Augustus H. Francke, with Peter Petersen as assistant. The ferry, including flat-boats, ropes, wharves, chains, four canoes, and other equipments, was inventoried at £185.18.4, and the gross receipts amounted to £165.0.11, and the cost of maintenance £92.1.4 for the year. Valentine Fuehrer, who succeeded Francke, was ferryman from 1763 to 1784, and again from 1791 to 1794. In the autumn of 1765 a ferry-house was erected at the southern terminus, which in later years was occupied by the toll-keepers of the bridge. The spring freshet of 1766, the greatest since 1739, did very little damage at the ferry, owing to the precautions taken, notwithstanding the water had risen to one hundred and twenty-five inches above lowwater mark. In January, 1767, the following schedule of ferriage rates was printed and posted up in the villages and mills through the counties of Northampton and Bucks: "All such persons as bring wheat, rye, Indian corn & buckwheat, to the grist-mill at Bethlehem, for grinding, are free of ferriage, provided they observe the following regulations, to wit: One horse with two bushels of wheat, rye or Indian Corn. One wagon & 4 horses with 20 bushels of wheat. "Besides the above-mentioned quantities of grain, all kinds of provisions brought for sale in Bethlehem are allowed on the same wagon, cart, sled or horse. Furthermore, all persons that come to church at Bethlehem on Sundays or holy days are ferriage free, provided they do not come for the purpose of transacting business, or carry parcels,—in which case they are to pay the usual rates." The period of Fuehrer's incumbency between 1775 and 1783 was a particularly busy and exciting one, and twice the ferry-boats were impressed by the army and taken to the Delaware; the first time on December 16, 1776, to assist in the transportation of General Lee's division, and the second time in July of 1777, to transport troops and munitions of war of Washington's army. The first of the Continental troops to cross the ferry at Bethlehem was the company of Captain Michael Doudle, attached to Colonel William Thompson's Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion, en route to the camp at Cambridge, and the first British, detachments of prisoners captured in the Canada campaign. The year 1777 was, perhaps, the busiest in the annals of the ferry, when Bethlehem was crowded with delegates to Congress, officers, and civilians, the heavy baggage and wounded of the army, and soldiers and prisoners of war. On June 25, 1779, Lady Washington, in company with Generals Sullivan, Poor, and Maxwell, and on July 25, 1782, General Washington, with two of his aides, were conveyed over the ferry to the town. Fuehrer retired from the management of the ferry in April of 1784, and was succeeded by Massa Warner; but the veteran ferryman's services were again needed, and for the last time, in July of 1791, he took charge of its concerns, which he acceptably managed until September, 1794, when the bridge was completed and the ferry abandoned. On the opening of the bridge for traffic he was appointed toll-keeper, and filled the position until his death in 1808. BOONE GENEALOGY. [Our Genealogy, etc., Wrote in 1788, March 21.] Our Genealogy, or Pedigree; traced as far back as had come to the Knowledge of John Boone [the Son of George & Mary Boone]: Wrote by James Boone [Grandson of the Said George and Mary Boone]. GEORGE BOONE, I. (that is the first that we have heard of) was born in England. GEORGE BOONE, II. [Son of George Boone the first] was born in or near the City of Exeter in Devonshire; being a blacksmith; his Wife's Maiden Name was Sarah Uppey. He died aged 60; and she died aged 80 Years, and never had an aching Bone, or decay'd Tooth. GEORGE BOONE, III. [Son of George & Sarah Boone] was born at Stoak (a Village near the City of Exeter) in A. D. 1666, being a Weaver; his Wife's Maiden Name was Mary Maugridge, who was born in Bradninch (eight Miles from the City of Exeter) in the Year 1669, being a Daughter of John Maugridge and Mary his Wife, whose maiden name was Milton. They (the said George & Mary Boone) had nine Children that lived to be Men and Women: namely, George, Sarah, Squire, Mary, John, Joseph, Benjamin, James, and Samuel, having each of them several Children, excepting John, who was never married. The said George and Mary Boone with their Family, came from the Town of Bradninch in Devonshire, Old-England (which is a Town at 8 Miles Distance from the City of Exeter, and 177 measured Miles Westward from London); they left Bradninch the 17 Aug. 1717, and went to Bristol where they took Shipping, and arrived at Philadelphia in 1717, (September 29, Old-Stile, or October 10th New-Stile); three of their Children, to wit, George, Sarah, and Squire, they sent in a few Years before. From Philadelphia they went to Abington, and staid a few Months there; thence to North-Wales, and liv'd about 2 Years there; thence to Oley in the same County of Philadelphia, where Sarah (being married) had moved to some Time before. This last Place of their Residence, (since the Divisions made in the Township of Oley and County of Philadelphia) is called the Township of Exeter in the County of Berks: It was called Exeter, because they came from a Place near the City of Exeter. And, He the said George Boone the Third, died on the Sixth Day of the Week, near 8 o'Clock in the Morning, on the 27th of July, 1744, aged 78 Years; and Mary his Wife died on the 2d Day of the Week, on the 2d of February 1740-1, aged 72 Years; and were decently interred in Friends Burying-Ground, in the said Township of Exeter. When he died, he left 8 Children, 52 Grand-Children, and 10 Great-Grand-Children, living; in all 70, being as many Persons as the House of Jacob which came into Egypt. GEORGE BOONE, IV. [the eldest child of George & Mary Boone] was born in the Town of Bradninch aforesaid, on the 13th of July, 1690, about H. past 5 in the Afternoon; and died in Exeter Township aforesaid, on the 20 November 1753, in the 64th Year of his Age. He taught School for several Years near Philadelphia; was a good Mathematician, and taught the several Branches of English Learning; and was a Magistrate for several Years. His Wife's maiden Name was Deborah Howell. She died in 1759, January 26. GEORGE BOONE V. [the eldest Son of George & Deborah Boone] was never married, and died in Exeter Township aforesaid, aged about 24 Years. Sarah Boone [Daughter of George & Mary Boone] was born on the Fifth Day of the Week, about H. past 11 in the Forenoon, on the 18th of February 1691-2. Squire Boone [Son of George and Mary Boone] was born on the Fourth Day of the Week, between 11 & 12 in the Forenoon, on the 25 November, 1696. Mary Boone [Daughter of George & Mary Boone] was born Sept. 23, A. D. 1699: She was the Wife of John Webb, and departed this Life on the 16th of January, 1774, in the 75th Year of her Age; her Husband died in the same Year, October 18th, in the 80th Year of his Age. Joseph Boone [Son of George & Mary Boone] was born between 4 & 5 in the Afternoon, on the 5th of April, 1704; and he departed this Life on the 30 January, 1776, in the 72d Year of his Age. His Wife Catherine Boone died on the 31st of January, 1778, and was interred at Exeter the next Day exactly 2 Years after the Burial of her Husband. Benjamin Boone [Son of George & Mary Boone] was born on the 16th of July, 1706; and he died on the 14th of October, 1762, in the 57th Year of his Age. Susanna Boone [his Widow] died on the 5 Nov. 1784, in the 76th Year of her Age. Samuel Boone [the youngest Son of George & Mary Boone] departed this Life on the 6th of August, 1745, and was buried at Exeter the next Day; aged about 54 Years. James Boone [the sixth Son of George & Mary Boone] was born in the Town of Bradninch, in Devonshire, in Old-England, about Hour past 2 in the Morning, on the 7th of July (Old-Stile), or the 18th of July (New-Stile), Anno Domini 1709. And in 1735 May 15, (O. S.) he married Mary Foulke by whom he had fourteen Children, and nine of them lived to be Men & Women, namely, Anne, Mary, Martha, James, John, Judah, Joshua, Rachel, & Moses. The said James Boone, senior, and Mary, his Wife, lived together 20 Years 8 Months & 25 Days; and VOL. XXI.-8 |