Penn Township

Chester County, Pennsylvania

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Penn Township municipal offices are located at 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390.
Phone: 610‑869‑9620.

Neighborhoods

"Penn twp was formed by a division of Londonderry, in 1817. The greater part of it was originally included in Fagg's Manor, and the settlers were largely from the north of Ireland. Among those who originally took up lands were John McKee, Daniel McClane, George Miller, Henry Charlton, Samuel Fleming, Hugh Luckey, Robert Brown, James Strawbridge, John McGrew, Matthew Harbeson, Richard Carson, Thomas Province, John Hayes, William Young, William Finney and William Graham.

"The southern line of Penn twp, separating it from New London, was the southern line of Fagg's Manor. In 1875 the line between Penn and Londonderry twps was partly altered, so as to include in Londonderry a small portion of Penn. This was done for the accommodation of the school districts." [1]

Fagg's Manor

"About the year 1702 some surveys were made to the west of the London tract, as Londongrove was then called, for Letitia Penn and her brother Wm. This land, however, was so far beyond the regular settlements that nothing could be done towards selling it to actual settlers, and so it remained for many years. There were 2 tracts of 5000 acres each, although there is some evidence that Leticia's, which lay nearest to the London tract contained at first 7125 acres. Her tract was called Fagg's Manor, in honor of Sir John Fagg, and the name has been handed down to the present time, being more particularly kept alive by the Presbyterian church, which is situated near the NW corner of the manor. After a time the land became exposed to the encroachments of irresponsible squatters, who destroyed the timber in order to raise a little grain, but made no great improvements" (this is noted in contemporary papers and letters.)

"The manor was resurveyed by warrant dated 5th April, 1737 and a patent for the same signed by Thomas Penn the following May.

"The land in Fagg's Manor was divided among the settlers into many tracts, and the divisions numbered on a plan of the whole, but with a few exceptions, the settlers did not pay for the land or get deeds for the same for several years after, and in the meanwhile the improvements passed from one owner to another, so that the deeds in many cases were not granted to the original settlers, owing to the very great irregularity in shape of the surveys, and the uncertainty in regard to the township lines, it would be difficult to give with any certainty the exact locations of the early settlers." [1]

  1. Futhey, J. Smith and Gilbert Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches, Philadelphia, Louis H. Everts, 1881

Nearby Towns: Avondale Boro • Elk Twp • Franklin Twp • London Britain Twp • London Grove Twp • Londonderry Twp • Lower Oxford Twp • New London Twp • Upper Oxford Twp • West Fallowfield Twp • West Grove Boro • West Marlborough Twp •


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