Samuel Trimble – Hillborn Darlington House
The Trimble-Darlington House was built c. 1783 for Samuel Trimble as a two story stone field house on 43 acres that once belonged to John Hatton. Samuel Trimble was a hatter by trade. It is alleged that the Marquis de Lafayette visited the Trimble family in 1824 at this house during his farewell tour! The property stayed within the Trimble family until 1836 when it was sold to Nathan Middleton. Middleton farmed the land until 1850 when he put the house up for sale. It was described as being a two story stone house with a front piazza, multiple parlors, a dining room, and a kitchen. Also on the property was a pump well, a stone and frame barn with stables and granaries,, carriage, straw, and corn outbuildings. The farm was valued at $5,000 in 1850. Middleton sold the property to William Scattergood who owned the property until his death in 1857. The property was then sold at a public sale to Dr. Hillborn Darlington, a local physician. Dr. Darlington operated his practice out of the home, and later used the house as a nursing home. His son, Dr. Horace Darlington, owned the property after him. Dr. Horace Darlington’s son Canby Darlington, organized the Concord Fire Department and was at one time the Fire and Police Chief for Concord Township. The home and land remained in the Darlington family until 1948. The property is now subdivided into private apartments, and not open to the public. Concord Township Historic Resource #120
Bayton Hickman – Frederick Mitchell House
The Bayton Hickman-Mitchell House is a farmhouse along Schoolhouse Lane built c. 1840. In 1848, the property was described as having the two story stone house with attached kitchen, a stone and frame barn, wagon house, wood house, hog house, ice house, milking shed. An interesting feature of the property was that the barn and house were fed by hydraulic water pumps. Bayton Hickman was a school director for Concord Township and a farmer. He lived on the property with his wife, two sisters, his brother, and three boarders. By 1844, Hickman owned 91 1/4 acres and farmed 88 of those acres according to the 1850 census. The farm was valued at $10,000 at that time. A picture of the house and barn were featured in the 1875 Stuart Atlas when Samuel Benington owned the property. The barn has a date stone that reads “F.M.M. 1937,” however it is believed the that the barn is much older and the date stone relates to an addition. The barn was used for cattle until the later half of the 20th century when it was converted into offices. This house is a private residence and not open to the public. Concord Township Historic Resource #186
Robert Pyle House
The Robert Pyle House is a stone and brick farmhouse built c. 1820 with several later additions. The land was originally part of a 200 acre land grant to George Lea from William Penn in 1702. After various land owners, Robert Pyle received 18 acres of land and a stone house from his father Daniel Pyle’s will in 1823. There is a date stone on the oldest section of the house that reads” 1820.” Robert Pyle built a brick addition onto the home in 1934. Robert Sharpley purchased the house in 1845. In 1850, Sharpley farmed hay, buckwheat, corn, wheat, potatoes, and fruit on 25 acres. The farm was valued at $1,000 at this time. The property stayed within the Sharpley family well into the 20th century. This house is a private residence and not open to the public. Concord Township Historic Resource #6
Dick! The Story of a Civil War Horse
This photograph and story was found in an old wooden file cabinet donated to the Concord Township Historical Society by the Willits Family. The cabinet was full of papers and various other objects. This photograph was written by Frederick Cushman Newhall (signed “F.C. Newhall” on the photograph). The Historical Society of Pennsylvania summarized Mr. Newhall’s life in their archive description: “Frederick Cushman Newhall (1840-1898) was born in Philadelphia to Thomas Albert Newhall and Sarah Jane Cushman Newhall. During the Civil War he served as lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry, with Major General Philip H. Sheridan. He recounted his military service in a work titled “With Sheridan in the Final Campaign against Lee.” The back of the photograph reads: “Dick! Taken 8 mo. 13th. 1883 He is 27 years old this spring. He was raised in New Jersey, and is of the “May-Day” stock. I bought him 8 mo. 1861 in entering the Army, and and rode him all through the war. He was in many cavalry engagements, and in all the principal battles of the Potomac, except Chancellorsville, at which time, he was with me on the Cavalry expedition known as the “Stoneman Raid,” which occurred while the battle of Chancellorsville was going on. I rode this horse also in Gen’l Sheridan’s campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, and in the last campaign against Gen’l Lee — which terminated in Virginia; in this campaign he was wounded in the leg, in the battle. On the day of Lee’s surrender after the Rebel flag of truce was displayed, I went on this horse to find Gen’l Grant and conducted him to Appomattox Court House to meet Gen’l Lee. In May 1865 I took the horse with me to New Orleans, and after terminations of hostilities in that region, I resigned from the Army, and brought the horse home with me. F. C. Newhall. He is in all respects a splendid horse.” Photograph scanned by architect and CTHS volunteer Mr. Robert Little.