History Unlocked-April 2017, Faith in Concord, Elam United Methodist Church
By: Karen Kendus, Concord Township Historical Society As a child, I had a pretty consistent schedule. During the week, I had school, sports, and music obligations. Saturdays were usually for more sports and music (depending on my age and the season). Sundays were family days, which included a morning of worship at our local church. We would be up, dressed in our suits and skirts, and out to 9:30am Sunday school. During the years both of my parents taught Sunday school, we joined them for church afterwards at 11am. Occasionally, my father volunteered to count offering, and for part of my childhood, my parents were also the custodians. In both instances, we would be at the church into the afternoons some Sundays. As I am sure you have noticed, Concord Township (and surrounding townships) is not short on places of worship. One even has his or her choice of denomination. In Concord Township alone, St. John’s Episcopal, St. Thomas’ Catholic, Elam United Methodist, Concord Friends, Concord Liberty Presybeterian, Valley Point and Covenant Fellowship are all located within its boundaries. I grew up attending Elam United Methodist Church[1], situated right down Smithbridge Road from Wilmington-West Chester Pike (Route 202), in Elam, Pennsylvania (previously known as Pleasant Hill). Elam UMC was not always located in that spot. As a matter of fact, Elam grew out of the Brandywine Summit Camp Meeting in 1875. Camp meetings[2] were part of a growing trend in the years following the end of the Civil War, as citizens sought spiritual healing and a closeness with God. After the Brandywine Camp Meeting that year, Reverend Edward Kenney, the pastor at Siloam UMC, continued preaching in a tent at Johnson’s Corner, where Beaver Valley Road meets Route 202. In the fall of 1875, a board chapel was built about 100 yards south of Johnson’s Corner, where the Camden-Valleybrook Apartments sit now. The building held sermons, Sunday school, and was also used as a schoolhouse to handle overflow students from the No. 3 schoolhouse located across Route 202. It was not until 1879 that the Ladies’ Aid Society purchased the land upon which Elam UMC now stands. It was part of Daniel Husbands’ farm. The wooden chapel was moved to the site in 1880, about the same time a charter was granted to the church. In September 1883, under Reverend Maris Graves, the wooden structure was replaced by a one-room, thirty by forty-five foot stone structure, using serpentine stone from Daniel Husbands’ quarry nearby. In my youth, this chapel served as the youth lounge. The beautiful stained glass windows in the chapel were not installed until 1892, when the pulpit furniture was also added. Even in the late 1990s, this room offered a subtle glow, mostly from the sun through the stained glass. Today, this portion of the church is once again a chapel and used for smaller ceremonies. It was recently renovated in 2005. In 1928, a vestibule was added and subsequently, in 1929, a social hall was added. The vestibule had classrooms for Sunday school when I was a child. The new social hall held more classrooms as well as a large main room where people could gather. The social hall also had its own door to the outside. Today, the social hall is used for Children’s Day Out programs. There were no additional significant renovations until 1967 when a new sanctuary and gallery area were added. The new sanctuary boasted a floor to ceiling stained glass window called the “Children’s Window.” The window is made of multicolored stained glass, and because of how the pieces are situated, one can see a distinct cross within the windows. When the sun is on that side, streaming in, the sanctuary is surprisingly bright and very warm. The hallway connecting the social hall and new sanctuary had floor to ceiling windows and lovely red brick flooring. In the winter, when the sun roasted those bricks, I loved removing my dress shoes and sliding around on the warm floor in my stockings. In more recent renovations, this area was expanded out and enclosed, but I will always remember those beautiful red brick floors. In 1986, a preschool complex, narthex, kitchen, and family life center were dedicated. The preschool complex is still used in that fashion. The narthex (like a vestibule) was used as a gathering space before and after services. The family life center and kitchen continue to hold potlucks, parties, and some casual church services. The features added in 1986 remain largely the same today. In the early 2000s, Elam UMC went through more renovations to add an education center, improved office spaces and additional meeting rooms. This particular renovation expanded the front hallway (with the beautiful red brick floor) out into the front courtyard. This created more gathering space in the foyer, larger offices, and improved space for the library. These renovations also added a second floor where the majority of Sunday school classrooms are located now. Elam UMC will always be a fundamental part of my childhood. My brothers and I spent a lot of our time there, and despite the physical changes, Elam UMC will always be an important and formative part of our youth. [1] Elam United Methodist Church started out as Elam Methodist Episcopal Church, as chartered in 1880. The name went through some changes as relationships changed. In the 1940s, the Methodist Episcopal Church merged with the Methodist Protestant Church, North and South. In the late 1950s, the Methodist Church merged with the United Brethren Church, which created our current United Methodist Church. [2] Camp Meetings were held in the summer. Entire families spent their summers in simple cottages surrounding a central meeting area for group sermons and prayers. References Ashmead, Henry Graham. 1884. History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. L.H. Everts & Co.: Philadelphia. Pp: 491 Brandywine Summit Camp Meeting Website. 2017. Brandywine Summit Camp Meeting – History. http://brandywinesummit.net/history/ Accessed: 3/27/17. Pennington, Beula. Unknown Year, but pre-1984. “History of Elam United Methodist Church.” Handwritten,
History Unlocked-March 2017, The Greens in Beaver Valley
By: Karen Kendus As spring slowly trickles into the Delaware Valley, I cannot help but dream of being outside for longer than a brisk walk to the mailbox. For me, the dawning of spring means more sunlight in the evenings for running outside, the start of Farmer’s Market season, and general happiness as my poor deprived body soaks in that glorious sunlight. At the first sign of warmth, I dust off my running sneakers and venture out into the budding green landscape, anxious to see how winter changed my favorite trail. Spring is truly a rebirth, not only of life in nature, but also of my motivation to actually move around, exercise, and stop curling up on the couch under a mound of blankets. Luckily, this area of Pennsylvania has plenty of running trails, walking paths and parks. In addition to the paved path at Concord Township Park, the dog park off Bethel Rd and the walking trails around the township building on Thornton Rd, the citizens of Concord Township and the surrounding areas can always find a place to be outside. Another beautiful park is found nestled in the southern part of the township in an area called Beaver Valley. Beaver Valley is an area that covers parts of Concord and Chadds Ford Townships, as well as Brandywine Hundred in New Castle County, Delaware. Today, most of it is preserved land, with trails that connect to Brandywine Creek State Park and a number of historic structures visible from the trail. Originally, the portion in Concord Township was settled in 1689 by Thomas and Margaret Green from Wiltshire, England. They acquired 400 acres, 150 of which was part of Beaver Valley. Thomas passed away by 1699, but his sons managed to grow the farm into a staple of society at the time. They built a commercial saw mill, powered by Beaver Creek, which meandered through their property. They also operated a smokehouse for them and their neighbors. They also built the oldest surviving bank barn in 1772 (found in present day Chadds Ford Township). In 1815, the Green property was parceled and sold off under the direction of the Orphan’s Court to accommodate the growing number of Green children and grandchildren. Many of the children were already settled around the property and the Orphan’s Court simply made the arrangements legal. Isaac Green, a grandson, received 50 acres on the north side of Beaver Valley Road, between the farms of his brothers, Thomas and Daniel. Isaac grew Indian corn, oats, potatoes, and hay to feed his livestock and his family. He was also able to produce 300lbs of butter per year, which was enough to sell at market after keeping a portion for his family. Isaac was profitable enough to build and improve several additional structures. He expanded the federal dwelling house he inherited and replaced a plank barn with a large stone barn. The house is still standing today, and one can still see the stone barn foundations. Isaac and his family remained on this property until the 1890s. Another member of the Green family, Thomas (Thomas and Margaret’s grandson), received the smallest parcel from the Orphan’s Court ruling in 1815. He inherited a log home, which he replaced in 1809 with a 2.5 story stone home. This house still stands today. We believe he also inherited the mill, found along Beaver Creek, to account for the small acreage he received in the Orphan Court settlement. In 1844, this property passed to the Twaddells, who lived there until 1908. It was sold to the Boulden family, who remained until 1967, at which point Woodlawn Trustees acquired the property. Beaver Valley remains an area of Concord Township frozen in time. While people still reside in the houses found in this area, much of the landscape remains how it looked before farmers tilled the land. Many of the structures from the Green family inhabitants also remain and offer a glimpse into their past. The volunteers at Concord Township Historical Society has put together a captivating exhibit on Beaver Valley, its natural resources, and its history. This display can be found in the Concord Township Historical Society Museum found in the Pierce Willits house on Smithbridge Road. Please stop in when the museum is open to review the lovely artist renditions of the landscape and additional information on this gem of Concord Township. References Michel, H. John Michel and Pam Rizzo. 2014. Beaver Valley: A Framework for Historical Analysis. The Beaver Valley Conservancy. 2017. Accessed: 2/15/17 http://savebeavervalley.org/
AME – Del Co Daily Times Article 2013
The Delaware County Daily Times (delcotimes.com), Serving Delaware County, PA Historic Concord church’s future remains up in air Tuesday, February 26, 2013 By LESLIE KROWCHENKO Times Correspondent CONCORD — “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled” (John 14:1), etched above a painting of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns, graces the altar of the former Spring Valley African Methodist Episcopal Church. The verse, often repeated following the death of a loved one, serves as a reminder that individuals do not face the end of their lives alone. The same could be said for the future of the building. The one-acre site containing the church is for sale, and the Concord Township Historical Society is hopeful the ultimate buyer will value the structure as much as it does. The sanctuary represents a period in the community’s history that the group would like to see preserved. “We are concerned about the fate of the church,” said historical society member Pennie Scott. “We would certainly like it to be saved.” Donated in 1880, the property at 270 Spring Valley Road was deeded to John Myers to build a house of worship for members of the AME church, a denomination formed by African-Americans in the late 1700s as a protest against slavery and sociological and theological beliefs. The most significant era of development occurred during the Civil War and Reconstruction, and by the year Spring Valley was formed, AME membership had reached 400,000. The congregation became the church home for many local families living on tenant farms. The township was a strong agrarian community and it served as their cultural center. “At the turn of the 20th Century, approximately one-third of Concord’s population was black,” said Scott. “Many people left during World War II, however, to work for Sun Ship and other industries in Chester.” Because of a declining and aging membership, the church closed in the 1980s, with the faithful transferring to Thornbury AME. The abandoned property, composed of the sanctuary and meeting hall, was purchased in November 1997 by local businessman and township resident Thomas Gillespie, who apparently wished to restore it for use as a start-up church or for community functions, said Scott. Several weeks later, however, the parish hall burned to the ground in a blaze labeled by investigators as arson. The southwestern corner of the sanctuary was also damaged, although firefighters were able to save it. The parcel, surrounded by open land owned by Meadow Run Estates, has been considered for several uses, including offices for a construction company, a farmers’ market and artist studio. Gillespie died last year and the property is now being marketed by his son, Jim. The township preservation ordinance outlines the parameters for maintaining historic structures on tracts purchased for development, with the intent of incorporating houses, barns and other edifices that reflect the township’s past into its future. Historical society members noted the possibility of receiving support from the AME Church or African-American community, either of which may be interested in protecting the building. URL: http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2013/02/26/news/doc512c2b744a3b9911598530.prt © 2013 delcotimes.com, a Journal Register Property
History Unlocked-Feb 2017, Society Founding
Polecat Road House – The Historic Landmark that Started It All – Part II By: Karen Kendus In the last installment of History Unlocked, I discussed an important landmark found within the borders of Concord Township called the Polecat Road House. The preserved building standing there today looked rather different than the building donated to Concord Township by Arters Brothers Realty Company. The house in question was in grave disrepair and according to one Daily Local reporter of the day, in a condition where “winter’s savagery” could do it in. As a result, a group of dedicated volunteers with a desire to preserve this 18th century structure established Concord Township Historical Society, which has lasted 50 years, without any sign of slowing down. In November 1965, Arters Brothers Realty Company acquired the Polecat Road House and surrounding pr operty. Arters Brothers planned to build a housing development named Fox Valley, which you can find today along Polecat Road. In July 1967, Arters Brothers transferred the Polecat Road House and the one acre upon which it sat to Concord Township for $1. Concord Township supervisor, Sam Upperman, saw a need for a separate group dedicated to preservation of the house. Through his contacts and friendships with fellow township residents, Mr. Upperman gathered a group at his home on the evening of January 30, 1967 to “discuss the organizing of an Historical Society.” Sixteen Concord Township residents formed the original Concord Township Historical Society. They chose office positions that night with Mr. Upperman as their president. The first order of business for the newly formed Concord Township Historical Society was to review the property and raise funds for the preservation of Polecat Road House. Concord Township Historical Society had several arc hitects look at the structure first. They dated it no later than 1750, which was crucial information. The records from the time are incomplete, and the actual date is still unknown. Unfortunately, even though the house had occupants only two years before the Township received it, the house itself was crumbling. The roof needed to be replaced. As with many old houses, the floor needed replacing in some areas, but reinforcing and leveling in others. The double fireplaces were plastered shut. The winding staircases on either end were missing pieces in places and would also need to be replaced. A portion of these funds was collected at the annual St. John’s Concord Episcopal Church house and garden tour, sponsored in 1967 by the Historical Society. The estimate for renovation at the time was $5,000. By 1978, the Historical Society had spent more than $16,000 on the restoration, all donated in the name of historic preservation, by way of selling funnel cakes, holding pig roasts and colonial suppers, selling prints of the house, and of course collecting membership dues. Renovations on the Polecat Road House were completed over the course of several years. Based on tax information for William Trimble at his death, the Polecat Road House was renovated according to how we believe it looked when it was first built. The doors were placed back at the ends of the house. The dormers were also removed. The fireplaces were restored to their previous glory, and the wall separating each half of the first floor was removed. Due to their hard work and continued maintenance of this property, Concord Township Historical Society has cared for Polecat Road House for the past 50 years. Note wooden insert at the edge of the two fireplaces in the photo at right – this is what remains of the wooden partition that separated the two families that lived in this building. In the years since 1967, Concord Township Historical Society has grown. Today, the Historical Society continues to offer tours of the museum located in the first floor of the Pierce-Willits House, at 659 Smithbridge Road, and sponsors a number of additional events throughout the year. This year marks their 50th anniversary. It takes an incredible group of people to realize the need to preserve our history, and turn it into a thriving group of volunteers, fueled by donations. I am proud to be part of this incredible organization, with its own rich history. In the coming months, History Unlocked will include a plethora of topics relating to the history of Concord Township to help celebrate Concord Township Historical Society’s 50th anniversary. Each article was researched using the materials collected and categorized by Concord Township Historical Society members since their inception. Please check back next month for our next History Unlocked article and stay tuned for upcoming events. Note: CTHS has replicas of the Polecat Road House for sale for $35.00. Contact them for how to purchase. References Brice, George. 1967. “Concord Township Historians Begin Restoration Project.” Daily Local News, 11 October: 16. Concord Township Historical Society. 1967. Meeting Minutes. Taken by G. DeNenno, unpublished. Indenture. 1967 July 3. Delaware County Recorder of Deeds. Media, PA.