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Colonial Garden at Stenton Bescrihbed in OlD Letters

MRS. WILLIAM REDWOOD WRIGHT

Read at the First Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of America, on Thursday, May First, Nineteen Hundred and Thirteen

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The Colonial Garden at Stenton Described in Old Letters

By Mrs. WILLIAM REDwoop WRIGHT

, This paper was read at a meeting of the Garden Club of Philadelphia, October 19th, 1911; at a meeting of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America, May 16th, 1912; and at the first meeting of the Garden Club of America, May Ist, 1913. All these meetings were held at Stenton.

The letters from which these extracts have been taken, were written in Colonial days and they have been in the possession of the family ever since. They were brought to light in 1911 when every effort was being made to obtain data for the restoration of the Stenton Garden. No exertion has been spared to make its planting historically correct, for nothing has been put into the garden unless there was a record of its having been there in colonial times. There are only a few shrubs of later date, probably planted by Deborah Logan, which have been allowed to remain, owing to their beauty and the fact that they were already established when the Dames obtained possession of the Mansion and grounds.

In the park stands the memorial recently erected to old Dinah, the faithful servant who saved Stenton from the British torch through her quick wit and loyalty.

May those who visit Stenton take more interest in its Garden from this short account of its former importance. It is but a pigmy compared to the garden it is supposed to represent which extended beyond the graveyard, with

orchards about it, while in its midst were the smaller fruits. East of the garden and of the graveyard, which was not built till after the revolution, the ground sloped to a pasture where cattle grazed and through which ran a limpid stream. Let us rejoice that the city has taken part of the old plantation, which originally comprised about 600 acres, for a park; and also that they have given the Mansion with grounds of its own enclosed in hedges, to be cared for by the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America to be enjoyed by the public as an object lesson of a Colonial home.

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THE GARDEN AT STENTON

AMES LOGAN, who built Stenton and laid out its J original garden, was descended from _ illustrious families whose histories are interwoven, from the earliest years, with the history of Scotland. Although so nobly descended, Voltaire’s saying “He who serves his country well has no need of ancestors” might well apply to him. He was born in 1674 and came to America in the ship “Canterbury” in 1699 with William Penn, as his secretary.

When Penn returned to England he left Logan as his representative, and wrote to him, “I have left thee an uncom- mon trust, with a singular dependence on thy justice and Gare)?” }. ” and most faithfully and devotedly was that trust fulfilled. He represented William Penn and his family in Pennsylvania till his (Logan’s) death in 1751. A public-spirited and disinterested patriot, a generous and sympathetic friend, a pure and noble character, he bore almost alone the responsibilities of the province and to him is largely due the credit of its success, which was ever in his thought.

He held many public offices as follows: Secretary of the province, Receiver General, Member of Provincial Council, President of Council, Commissioner of Property, Justice, Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Mayor of Phila- delphia and one of the Founders of what is now the University of Pennsylvania.

The genesis of Stenton, and therefore of the Garden, is in a letter written by James Logan to his friend Thomas Story, under date of 3rd month 29th, 1714, in which he states that he is about purchasing a plantation to retire to, situated in the City Liberties next to German-Town.

In 1717 he built and furnished a small house for his mother, who came to America in that year, for under date of gth month 25th, 1717, he writes to his brother, Dr. William Logan, at Bristol, England: “Our Mother is well and is settled, I hope to her content, on the plantation I proposed to her, etc. Be civil to Captain Cowman, ye bearer, on whose ship our mother came over.”’

Stenton was begun in 1728 but was not lived in till two years later. The delay in building Stenton is accounted for in a letter from James Logan to Thomas Story, dated 29th of 7th month, 1729: “I formerly told thee my plantation is next to Germantown on this side. I have built a large brick house on it of 51 feet by 40, two good stories in height, very convenient and not unsightly, if it stood better.

‘“‘T had expected to have been in it before this time, but being not fully plastered, I now know not whether we shall get thither before winter.

“T made a great mistake in building it, I designed it a plain, cheap, farmer’s stone house, but my quarries intirely failed me. It then lay 2 years to find others, but none could be had that would not cost me dearer than brick. I there- fore resolved on this SATS

It may be interesting here to note that James Logan’s Quarries which “‘intirely failed’ him, have been probably identified as situated at the extreme north of Stenton property, on that part which afterwards became the portion of his grand daughter Sarah Logan, who married Thomas Fisher, of Wakefield, in whose descendants the fee of the property still remains. I say probably, because the stone is of the same texture as that in the foundations of Stenton, and more especially because on the heaps of spalls or refuse are growing several oak trees of about 180 years growth.

Stenton mansion was finished and the family moved into it in 1730, for James Logan wrote to his brother William, 10 month 15th, 1730: “We have been removed to our new house in the country about three weeks. I have proposed to call ye place ‘Stenton’ after the village in East Lothian where our Father was born.”

Among colonial gardens the one at Stenton was important; for it was there that men like John Bartram, of Philadelphia, and Abraham Redwood, of Newport, received the inspiration which prompted them to establish gardens which became noted the world over. It was at Stenton that James Logan undertook a series of experiments on maize

or Indian corn. ‘These he described in letters to Peter Collinson in 1735, which were printed in the Philosophical Transactions.* As a result of these experiments he wrote a Latin treatise on the generation of plants, published at Leyden, 1739, which was later translated into English (in 1747) by Dr. Fothergill.+ Dr. Pultenay in his Sketches of Botany (published in 1790) says in regard to this treatise: ‘This work was considered and appealed to as among the most decisive in establishing the doctrine of sex in plants.”

About fifty years after James Logan’s death, Robert Brown, ‘‘the first of botanists,’”’ named, in his honor, a new plant, the Logania. Into this family many plants grouped themselves that had been found earlier, among them the beautiful and sweet-scented yellow Jessamine of South Caro- lina, now known as the Gelsemium sempervirens, described so glowingly by Mark Catesby in his “History of the Carolinas,”’ etc., (published in 1730).

Gardening in England during our colonial period was in a state of great activity and enthusiasm. Unknown plants, from all parts of the world, were being shipped to England from all its colonies. Eminent botanists vied with each other in the rarity of the plants in their collections.

William Logan, the son of James, took great interest in our native trees, shrubs and flowers. He was active in procuring them from the interior of the province of Pennsy]l- vania and from the more distant provinces as well. He corresponded at great length with Jared Eliot, of Connecti- cut, author of “Essays on Field Husbandry,” one of the earliest works of its kind published in America. Eliot was a great authority on agriculture and was the grandson of John Eliot known as the “Apostle to the Indians.”

William Logan writes to William Bodicker at the Durham Forge,t Bucks County, 2nd month 20th, 1753: “Send me down, carefully planted in two tubs, two or three

* Philosophical Transactions Vol.. XXXVI P., 192.

7 Title “Experimenta di plantarum generatione.”’

= An interesting account of the Durham Forge is given in Forges and Furnaces in the Province of Pennsylvania published by the Penna. Society of Colonial Dames of America in 1914

handsome Bay trees or broad laurels. Let them be straight bodied, about 3 feet high at most, and about the thickness of one’s thumb—not too large a head in proportion to its roots. They should come by water and be often wet by ye boatmen.”’ And again, 3rd month 28th, 1754: ‘“‘When an opportunity offers, send me two or three young gooseberry bushes of the wild sort carefully planted,” and yet again 4th month roth, 1754: “Don’t neglect sending me some pretty flower roots when ye opportunity offers.” From Reading, Logan’s cousin, James Read, sent him laurels and rhododendrons, receiving in exchange fruit trees, shrubs and roses. |

Among the earliest gardens in Charleston, city of gardens, were those of Mr. John Hopton and Mr. Henry Laurens, both correspondents of William Logan. Mr. Laurens sent over to England for a gardener to lay out his grounds—by name, John Watson, who later established a “Botanick Garden” in the neighborhood of Charleston, to which the gentry drove of an afternoon for a “dish of tea.’’* From him Logan bought a great number of new plants, a list of which was forwarded to Logan’s friends in England. Watson’s letter, dated Charleston, October 7th, 1765, thanks Mr. Logan for the seeds sent him and continues: “I have sent You inclosed a List of our Plants that grows in this provance but mostly in the woods for the Gentlemen heare is not so curious as to gait many into their gardens. You will pleas to lett me know by ye first Opportunity what you want and I shall do my indeavour to procure them for You. I am Sir your most Humble & obed’t serv’t.

John Watson.”

Another correspondent from Charleston was John Gordon, whose plantation, Belvedere, lay somewhat out of the city proper. He speaks of John Bartram and his son having passed through Charleston on their grand tour through the Southern provinces; of his giving them letters to a friend who could help them with the Creek and Chickasaw

* Ramsay’s History of South Carolina contains an interesting account of these gardens.

Indians “‘when passing through the Indian towns of those savage countries.” In a letter from John Gordon dated Charleston, Jan. 4, 1765, the following passage occurs: ‘‘I cannot boast of a turn for Botany, tho’ if I had, & could spare the time from my other affairs, I should have great advantage from my intimacy with Doctor Garden whom you have doubtless heard of. I desire you will send me a list of the flowers and shrubs you have in your garden & I will try with the help of my friend the Doctor to make your collection more compleat. Lord Adam Gordon is now here and will leave these parts about the beginning of March to finish a Tour of this Continent as far as from Mobile to Quebeck, consequently he will take Philadelphia in his way. He has a very pretty Botanical turn, is very new and curious in his observation. I will recommend him to your acquaintance, and I am certain you will be much pleased with his. He will give you a very particular account of the plants of this country. I beg you will make my respectful compliments acceptable to Mrs. Logan, and that you will remember me kindly to Mr. Pemberton. I wish you many returns of the New Year and am, with real esteem ‘Your most ob’dt serv’t

‘John Gordon.”

General Lord Adam Gordon alluded to above, became Commander of the forces in Scotland in 1782, and Governor of Edinburgh Castle in 1786.

Doctor Garden was a physician much beloved by the people of Charleston, a botanist of reputation, and the author of Flora Carolina. In his honor Linnaeus named the beautiful Gardenia. Philip Miller* describes the finding of this plant at the Cape of Good Hope by a Captain Hutchin- son, “being drawn to it by the great Fragrancy of the Flowers, which he smelt at some Distance from the Plant, which was then in full flower.” ‘Trained as most captains

* Gardener’s Dictionary by Philip Miller was first published in 1724— this passed through many editions and was translated into several foreign languages. In his seventh edition (Published in 1759) Miller adopted the Linnaean system of classification.

were to bring back any new plants they saw in their travels, he had this one put in a tub “‘where it continued a Succession of Flowers the whole Voyage”’ till the vessel reached a colder climate. It was then placed in the ‘Curious Garden of Richard Warner, Esq., at Woodford in Essex, who was so obliging as to favour” Philip Miller with a branch from which a drawing was made for his illustrated work published in 1760.

There were many disappointments and losses on both sides, notwithstanding the great care planned for the plants, bulbs and seeds in their long journey from England to the provinces. In 1749 two large orders for fruit trees from Elias Bland were ‘‘sent to the proper account and risque of William Logan, Merch’t,” although at this time his father was still living at Stenton. I shall quote one to show the style:

“6 named varieties of cherries 6 « “ Plumbs let them stand upon the 1 as Carnations open deck

Take care the mise don’t Eat them & keep them from stormy whether, you may lett them have gentell Rain but not too Mutch of itt nor too mutch Sun Shine don’t lett the Salt Water wash them

Roots of tulips

Ranunculus

Narcissus

Dutch poppys

Seeds of double Larkspurs

Stocks of severall sorts

French & African marygolds

Sweet scented peas, with directions

with them when to be sowed.”

Sweet peas were not known at the time of Parkinson or Evelyn. They were first cultivated by Dr. Uvedale at Enfield in the year 1713.

William Logan had many difficulties with his orders to Thomas Bincks, seedsman and gardener, who apologizes on May 20, 1751: .

“TI am sorry that the perennial floweryetc. rec’d such damage, the design of the lids being with a good view & I

Take care the mise don’t eat them.

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THE SOUTH DOORWAY

am apprehensive if due care had been taken would have been of service. For the future shall! follow thy directions.

“P.S. The charge of the former boxes thou mentioned to dear is the neat expense I paid.”

William then tries his inventive faculty on lids:

Stenton 12m. 17-1754*

Aare Sir Thos. Bincks—Altho’ I have had very bad luck with what flower roots and plants I have had from thee, yet I am writing to make one more trial. I think I had nothing to show out of all that came from thee, except’s some double hyacinths & jonquils & a very few anemones.”

The order enclosed reads as follows:

“Blower roots to be sent— 24 earliest Tulips sorted 30 largest and very best hyacinths sorted 50 double jonquils 100 yellow and blue crocus yt bloy in ye fall of ye year 50 snow drops 24 Persian Iris 12 naked ladies 20 double anemonies (if tuberose roots are plenty and cheap send me some of them dry also) Let them be Good and the Potts be put into a course Rough Box made with a shelving 8 pots of carnations } lid so as it may throw ye water at sea when 8 pots of auriculas the weather is bad and yet be half open when good so as the Sun may not come too Violent- ly on ye Auricula plants.)

Seeds—A few of the best Carnations. What I had of thee before for such, proved when blown to be only common red five leaved pinks.

Best double Holyhocks various colors

Several sorts of stocks

Hepatica

Dbl China Pinks

Snap Dragon

Catipellars & Snales.”

The placing of ‘‘Caterpillars and Snails’ among the garden seeds seems puzzling. If one turn to Parkinson’s Paradisus} published in 1629, one will see among the fancy

* This letter was copied from Wm. Logan’s letter book in the possession of the Penna. Society of C. D. A. at their library at Stenton.

j Paradisus in sole, Paradisus terrestris, or a Garden of all sorts of pleasant flowers by John Parkinson 1629—is an enchanting old book, full of quaint instructions and giving “the place, the Time, the Name, the Vertue.” of each plant named therein.

grasses ‘‘Caterpillars & Snails.’ Parkinson calls ‘‘Cater- pillars’ Scorpioides maius and minus saying ‘‘Under one description I comprehend both these sorts of Scorpions grasse, or Caterpillars, or Wormes, as they are called by Many, SNies the greatest sort which came to me out of Spain,” was not known unto Lobel, he tells us. They have a tart flavor and are cultivated even now in some parts of Europe for “surprises in salads & soups.” They are now known as Scorpiurus Vermiculata.

Parkinson names the snails ‘‘Medica spinosa, prickly Snailes or Barbary buttons.” ‘‘The plant that beareth these pretty toyes for Gentlewomen, is somewhat like unto a Threeleaved grasse or Trefoil, ale? ister edible as are the caterpillars, is a native of Europe, and is now called Medicago Scutellata.

Another seedsman, Thomas Sanders, thinks that boxes nailed down are the best, and writes—

‘That you may not be disappointed this season I have had a box made to nail down so yt may not Move in the most tempestuous sea, have only sent you a small box as I thought that would be better.”

There is a pleasant thought accompanying the gift of fruit trees, sent with an order from Hunt & Greenleaf :—

gth 4—1749

“I have not charged thee with the cost of the Fruit trees, desiring thou’ll Please accept them as a Present—and tho there may be little Probability of my Partaking of the Fruit of these Trees with Thee, yet who Knows but I may some years hence.

‘“T am with much Regard “Thy affectionate Friend for self & Co. John Hunt.”

The following lines, at the close of a letter to William Logan, dated London, Sept. 27, 1776, show appreciation of favours bestowed.

“It would give me good Pleasure if you would please to give me a list of anything either England or Holland

affords in the plant way I will send it and take it a favour of your acceptance as a small acknowledgement for the trouble you have been at. The Calmeas, Azaleas and other Pretty Plants you have will be very acceptable, the Yucca is very scarce with us and if not too much trouble a few young plants would also be acceptable. I am sr. “Your most Oblig’d & Humble Serv’t ‘James Gordon.” *

The Gordonia (Pubescens) which Bartram found in the South was named by him for this noted nurseryman of London. An unsuccessful effort was made later to get more of these plants, but it was never re-discovered and all those put on the market were obtained from the tree in Bartram’s garden.

Not only through the nurserymen of England were plants obtained for the Stenton garden but exchanges were made with botanists, scientists, investigators and collectors. Such a one was Peter Collinson (1694-1768), early friend of American botany, for whom Linnaeus named a native wild flower of our province the Collinsonia. Southey says of him “he was the means of procuring national advantages for his country, and possessed an influence wealth cannot produce.” Another was Dr. Fothergill (1712-1780), an English physician distinguished for his benevolence and pro- fessional skill, a botanist and conchologist. Dr. Franklin said of him “I can hardly conceive that a better man ever existed.” To his care William Logan confided his two sons when he sent them to England to be educated. An ornamental hardy shrub which blooms in the early spring was named for him the Fothergilla.

One of the most interesting correspondents William Logan had was John Blackburne (1690-1786), a noted botanist of Orford near Warrington who maintained an extensive garden, including many exotics. He wrote of

plants, their treatment and care, going over in detail those * James Gorden is alluded to by Richard Pulteney in his Sketches of

Botany as one of those whom he “cannot omit to mention with applause” for their practical help in the advancement of horticulture.

he received from Logan, who sent cuttings, roots, seeds and bulbs of native growth; also mocking birds, flying squirrels, rabbits, turtles, butterflies, beetles, etc.

To William Logan, under date of Sept. 6, 1766, J. Blackburne writes as follows:

“Tam much obliged to you for your many fine presents of seeds & roots wh. have given me great pleasure. Against another season we’ll endeavor to send you some larks, but it would be in vain to send birds new caught before they were settled in their cage & would feed quietly. My daughter’s birds came in fine order, but ye rabbits were all dead but one. They seem to be rather too young to undertake ye journey. I should be very glad to have a breed of them. The tortoises came safe also. Your favours will make a large addition to my collection of Exoticks, for which I am much obliged to you.” etc.

Sept. 20, 1767—

‘Both the Cardinals are now in full bloom with me & blow as strong as you describe them to do with you; having plenty of plants we set ’em in all situations & find they do best in moist ground. The orange colored asclepias hath flowered elegantly in my stove this summer and we have a seedling plant set under a South wall of ye same sort. The purple flowered asclepias is very hardy with us and is full of flowers in ye common borders. I have a plant of Saracena alive but it does not flower.

“P. S. As I understand by a letter from my son, the larks he brought were reduced to six in number when they were sent to you from New York; however, as they are 3 cocks and 3 hens you have a chance to introduce a breed of them. Tho’ I am in tolerable good health yet old age I find subjects me to forgetfulness and to many blunders

Notwithstanding which, on April 19, he seems planning a new garden venture.

‘I have just made a piece of new ground to contain more shrub flowers & in ye midst of it a bog for plants that

grow in bogs. I am going to make a piece of rock work for plants yt grow in the rocks, viz: sedums, stonecrop, licopodiums, lychens, mosses, etc., most likely your part of America affords many pretty sorts of these as well as bog plants wh., as we have not many of them, would be very acceptable. My daughter desires your acceptance of her compliments. Her time you must know is more taken up in the study of nature, viz: Botany, insects, fossils, etc., in which for the time she is tolerable proficient, than in cards and such other pursuits as ladys of these days spend too much of their time. I wish you could see her blow of auriculas, she hath now more than 100 pots of that plant in high beauty, & a great variety of fine sorts—but enough of this subject, a fond father will tire you with an account of his only daughter

With the above comes a . letter from the daughter, Anna herself and tho’ by no means her only one, will suffice to show her style and interests:

April 19, 1768.

“Good sir—As my father is writing and sending you a few seeds I shall send this along with them, & the box you | returned with the butterflys for which I am obliged to you.

* * * * * * ** *

““As it is very difficult to ketch moths and butterflies without spoiling them, do not give yourself any trouble about them, but if you can ketch beetles of any or all kinds, with which your country abounds, with very curious ones, those will be as welcome to the full. I have been told that as our country people call them all clocks, so yours call them with- out distinction Buggs. Bees, wasps and common winged flys, I should value, and these are not injured by a touch as the others are, & are more easily ketched.

‘Which is all with the compliments of the season from your

“Very much obliged & humble servant “Anna Blackburne.”

In May 19th, 1775, Blackburne writes:

. “I am extremely obliged to you not only for these late but also for your many former favours. My garden abounds with many fine plants wh. I am obliged to you for. We have been very agreeably entertained with ye Cranberrys you sent and my daughter joines me in Compli- ments & thanks for them.”’ etc.

Johann R. Forster, who traveled with Captain Cook, perpetuated the names of John and Anna Blackburne by naming a palm found in Bermuda, after them, Sabal Black- burnia. This plant was the first of its kind to flower and fruit in England or Europe, and was of great interest to all botanists. ‘The trunk of it, now dead, is preserved in the museum at Kew Gardens.

A catalogue of John Blackburne’s garden was made by his gardener Adam Neale, and was published in 1779. The only copies of this work that we know of is one in the British Museum and one owned by the Blackburne family in England.

Anna Blackburne had a botanic garden of great renown, and was accomplished in natural history. At her death she left a large and valuable collection which now forms the Hale Museum at Warrington. She was a friend and constant correspondent of Linnaeus. Thomas Pennant named our American warbler after her, Silva..Blackburnia. .

Trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs were not all that were exchanged but vegetable and grass seeds also.

Among the vegetables were cabbages, carrots, cauli- flowers, beans of various kinds, the sweet potato of which J. Blackburne, writing to William Logan, January 8th, 1768, says, “The potatoes I am very fond of & shall endeavor to propagate them, I like that sweet taste which I find is not agreeable to every palate.”’

To Stenton were sent fruit trees in many named varieties, Apples, Pears, Plums, Peaches, Figs and Cherries. The history of the Cherry is interesting. About the year 75 B. C., Lucullus, after his victory over Mithridates, brought

from Cerasus in Pontus the Cherry tree, and introduced it into Italy. It was planted in Britain a century later, but the cultivated sorts disappeared during the Saxon period. In the 15th century “Cherries on the ryse” (or bough) was one of the London cries. These were probably the native wild cherries as the cultivated ones were not reintroduced till the reign of Henry VIII whose fruiterer* brought it from Flanders, and planted a Cherry orchard at Tenham in Kent.

Some of the names of plants are very different from those in use to-day and it has been an interesting labor to trace the nomenclature to the present time. There were certain favorites sent from England in nearly every shipment these plants being at that time a great rage. Among them the carnation,} which has an ancient and interesting history.

Theophrastus, in his history of plants (about 300 B. C.), says ‘“The Greeks cultivate roses, gilliflowers, violets, narcissus & iris.” Gilliflower is the old English name for carnation. About the middle of the 16th century the gardeners of Italy, France, Germany and Holland developed the original flesh color of the carnation (from the Latin carno, flesh), into so many varieties that in 1597 Gerarde writes, that to ‘“‘describe each new variety of carnation were to roll Sisyphus’ stone or number the sands.’’ He assures us that the conserve made of the flowers of the clove gilliflower and sugar is ‘‘exceding cordiall and woonderfully above measure doth comfort the heart being eaten now and then.”’ Chaucer tells us that the clove gilliflower was cultivated in Edward the III’s reign. In those days it was used to give a spicy flavor to wine, hence its name of ‘‘sops-in-wine.’’t Philip Miller says in his Gardener’s Dictionary (published 1737), ‘some of the Ancients have supposed it called Vettonica, or Bettonica, from the Vetones a People of

*The “fruiterer”’ who did so much to increase the varieties of apples, cherries, pears, etc., was “one Richard Harris of London.” An interesting account of this is given in a rare pamphlet published in 1609 and titled “The Husbandman’s Fruitful Orchard.”

t+In Cyclopedia of American Horticulture by Prof. L. H. Bailey there is a very interesting account of the Carnation.

t Spenser alludes to this in his “Shepherd’s Calendar.”

Spain.” This enables us to trace it to the Vettonica coron- aria of the old herbalists, so called because the flowers were used in the classic corona or chaplets.

From the foregoing letters a list of trees, shrubs and flowers has been selected for the garden at Stenton, only such being planted as were there during the colonial period; the list mostly collected from the correspondence of William Logan who lived there after his father’s (James Logan’s) death. We have even ventured to try some evergreens, with the hope that the smoke of the city will not prove too much for them. Let us not think that we have a monopoly of smoke in these days, for did not Cowley, who died in 1667, write in London:

‘Who that hath reason and a smell Would not among Roses and Jessamine dwell, Rather than all his spirits choak With exhalations of dust and smoak, And all uncleanness which does drown In pestilential clouds a populous town.”

It was an important place that Stenton held in colonial history, for it was where both Indian chieftains and colonial statesmen came to confer with James Logan as the personal representative of William Penn. It was where Godfrey discovered the quadrant so indispensable to those who navigate the seas. John Hadley later claimed to have made the same discovery, but this is a disputed point. At Stenton were written the many books through which James Logan did so much to increase human knowledge; and where he assembled from all parts of the world that wonderful library which he afterwards presented to the city of Philadelphia, and which, as the Loganian Library, is now housed in the magnificent Ridgway building. It did not lose in importance during our revolutionary period, for it was at Stenton that Lord Howe established his head- quarters at the battle of Germantown and later where refugees from South Carolina received hospitality. Washing- ton, Franklin, Jefferson and other patriots were frequent and welcomed visitors, while men of science and diplomats from

other countries, paid their homage to Doctor George Logan and his charming and clever wife, Deborah Norris Logan.

Next to Mt. Vernon, in Virginia, it is towards Stenton that the footsteps of those interested in colonial homes are turning. It is impossible to over-estimate its growing importance to the coming generations as an example of how our colonial forefathers lived and conducted their homes both inside and outside.

It is well for us to venerate our forefathers, for ‘People will not look forward to posterity who never look back to their ancestors,” it is also wise for us to reflect that while “St is indeed a desirable thing to be well descended the glory of it belongs to our ancestors!”

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