HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.
 

251
 

CHAPTER  XVI.
 

W R I GHTSTCWN.i
 

ITOS.
 

A small township.—.John Chapman first settler.—First house erected.—Death of John
Chapman.—William Smith.—John Penquite.—Francis Richardson.—James
Harrison.—Randall Blackshaw.—William Lacey.—General Lacey.—Township
organized.—Townstead.—When divided.— Effort to enlarge township.—Richard
Mitchell.—Settlers from New England.—Friends' meeting.—Meeting-house built.
—Ann Parsons.—Zebulon Heston,—Thomas Ross.—Improvements.—Croasdale
W^arner.—Charles Smith.—Burning lime with coal.—Pineville, Penn's Park and
Wrightstown.—The Anchor.—Population.—Large tree,—Oldest house in countv.
—First settlers were encroachers.
 

WpvIGHTSTOWN, one of the smallest townships in the county, lies
wedged in betwen Buckingham, Upper Makefield, Newtown, North¬
ampton, and Warwick, with the Neshaminy creek for its south¬
west boundarv. The area is five thousand eight hundred and ei^htv
acres. It is well watered by a number of small streams which inter¬
sect it in various directions, the surface is rolling, and the soil fertile.
A ridge of moderate elevation crosses the township and sheds the
water in opposite directions, toward the Delaware and the Nesha¬
miny.    The ground was originally covered with a fine growth of

1 We acknowledge the assistance received from Doctor C. W. Smith's history of
Wrightstown townsliip, and from the Chapman MS. kindly loaned us by Judge Chap¬
man.