Isaac Cornog House
The Isaac Cornog House was built c. 1850 in Concordville near the intersection of Route 1 and Concord Road. It is a distinctive stone house with a wrap around porch. The Cornogs were a prominent historic family within Concord Township. The Cornog Family originally came to Pennsylvania in the 1730s from Wales. Isaac Cornog (1816-1880) was born in Haverford in 1816, but moved to Concordville around 1850 as a young adult and lived here for the rest of his life. He had 8 children with his wife Matilda Sharpless, all of which (with an exception of a daughter who died in infancy) were born and raised in Concordville. He was a carriage builder by trade, and known as one of the best builders in Delaware County. He was a lifelong Quaker, and is buried at the Concord Friends Meeting Graveyard in Concordville. His children and grandchildren were very active within Concord Township. His son Isaac Cornog (1861-1944) ran a grocery store in Concordville and served as the Concordville Postmaster. His son Albert Cornog owned a wheelwright shop in Concordville. His son Ulysses Grant Cornog was a local farmer, and also served as a Concord Township Supervisor for multiple terms. Through the years, the house passed to the Hibberd Family beginning in the 1930s then to the Aiello Family in the 1950s. The property was used from 1953-1997 as a dog kennel known as King Kennels. The Clinger Family owned the property from the 1990s until recently when the house was sold. This house is a private residence, and not open to the public. Historic Resource #176
Joseph Trimble — Jesse Palmer House aka Scotland Farm
Joseph Trimble originally purchased the land in 1782 from William Trimble, and was living in a 40 x 20 foot two-story stone house by 1798. The present house was built c. 1848 for Jesse Palmer. Palmer purchased 126 acres and the original stone house in 1843. Palmer likely tore down the original 40 x 20-foot house and used the stone to make the current home. It is also believed that he incorporated the original stone kitchen into the south side of the present house. Jesse Palmer was a farmer and owned over 100 acres of cultivated land. The property also consisted of a two-story barn with a wagon house and stabling for 40 heads of cattle, a smokehouse, a hog house, a stone springhouse, and various sheds. Jesse Palmer hired an apprentice farmer, Daniel Green, who ran away from the farm in 1848 at age 16 and advertised a six cents reward for his return. Alexander Scott purchased the home in 1856 and stayed with the Scott Family well into the 20th century. Alexander Scott owned and operated the thriving Alexander Scott & Son lumber and coal yard in Ward Village with his son Norris J. Scott. The Scotts were Quakers and staunch advocates against slavery. Norris J. Scott operated a haven out of his home for the Underground Railroad. Scotland Farm is an example of a typical mid-19th century farmhouse in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The earliest known picture of Scotland Farm appears in Ashmead’s History of Delaware County, published in 1884. An illustration of the Alexander Scott & Son mill complex can also be seen in Ashmead’s History of Delaware County. The property backs up to the Newlin Grist Mill park, overlooking Ward Creek and Valley. The house received extensive restoration in the 20th century by E. Mortimer Newlin and his wife, who founded the Newlin Foundation, which oversees the Newlin Grist Mill property. This house is a private residence and is not open to the public. Concord Township Historic Resource #148
John Larkin House
The John Larkin House is a stone farmhouse built in two sections: the earliest portion was built between 1790 and 1798, and the second was built in 1830. The house also has a 1980s kitchen addition and a 2003 family room addition. John Larkin was a farmer and Quaker. His son, John Larkin Jr., was born in this house in 1804. John Larkin Jr. became the first mayor of Chester in 1866 and served until 1872. The property remained with the Larkin family from 1785 until 1849, when it was sold to Job Hoopes. It then passed to Penrose Talley in 1866 and later to the Forwood family. In recent times, the John Larkin House was home to Dr. Leah Jordan, a longtime Chester High English teacher and professor at Kutztown and West Chester Universities. She affectionally referred to the house as “The Ruin.” The current owners are the brilliant gardeners and artists behind the beloved Renegade Flower Farm! An interesting early feature of the home, which has since been removed, was a wood panel that separated the stairs and doorways from the rooms. The panel, which could be drawn up or down, was attached to the ceiling. The houses’s inhabitants could move the panel to expand the size of the room or allow the summer breeze to circulate through the home. The barn on the property was also restored. The indentation of an early cartway can still be seen along the West side of the house. It leads from Kirk Road to Naaman’s Creek Road. This house is a private residence and is not open to the public. Concord Township Historic Resource #2
Bush Hill Farm
John Palmer purchased 100 acres in 1688, and went on to become Constable of Concord and played an important role in the development of the township. He and his descendants owned property throughout Concord and were prominent members of the Quaker community. Joseph Palmer, the great-great grandson of John Palmer, purchased 95 acres along the Concord-Bethel border from his father, Moses Palmer Jr., in 1789. He then sold 26 acres to his son Wilson Palmer, who was a weaver by trade. Wilson built a farmhouse on the property in 1834. However, he lost the property in 1844 at a Sheriff’s sale because of an outstanding debt. Charles Williams bought the property in 1846. Until Bethel Road was constructed c. 1875, the lane to this house came off Garnet Mine Road near the Joseph Palmer House. The Coburn and Pyle families farmed the land from the 1870s until 1944 when it was sold to a veterinarian. Much of the house was modernized after this sale. Concord Township purchased the 24 acre property in January 1999 to be kept as open space and to be used by the residents of Concord Township for park and recreation. The farmhouse unfortunately burned down in 2017. The springhouse and barn remain. The barn is presently used by Pepper’s Promise, a 501 (c)3 non-profit animal sanctuary for goats, sheep, and ponies. The name Bush Hill comes from the wooded area from Featherbed Lane to Garnet Mine Road which the Rose Tree hunt named when they would fox hunt in the area. It was this with underbrush, making good ground cover for foxes. This property is public open space, and includes walking trails, dog parks, and bucolic open fields. Concord Township Historic Resource #72