FRANKFORD CHALKLEY-JAMES-YORKE-WETHERILL UST after passing Frankford Junction, from the train windows can be seen the upper part of a venerable building surrounded by trees and situated down in the Y formed by the divergent embankments of the New York division of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the branch turning off to the Delaware River Bridge. This ancient dwelling near the banks of the Frankford Creek is Chalkley Hall. In its happier days before the encroachments of railroads and industrial plants, it was one of the fairest and stateliest seats of all the region round the city. The main part of Chalkley Hall, erected about 1776, is an imposing square structure of cream-coloured Manchester stone brought from England as ballast. It is three storeys in height, with a hipped roof topped by fullthroated square chimneys. A range of five windows extends across the broad front, the central portion of which, embracing the three middle windows, stands forth somewhat beyond the rest of the front wall and is surmounted by a pediment whose summit rises to the ridge of the main roof. At the corners of the offset and of the building, pilasters rise from ground to cornice, while belt courses between the storeys traverse the field of the wall. Within the great hallway is a wonderfully constructed staircase and spacious chambers on either side. The iron-pillared verandah over the main door was an unfortunate addition of some fifty years ago-in the best taste of its day, to be sure, but that is saying very little. To the west is a low, two-storey wing with hipped roof pierced by dormers. Its front is lighted by a row of seven square windows, so that its length, as may be thereby inferred, is considerable. This wing is the older portion of the house and was built prior to 1723. Thomas Chalkley, merchant, ship-owner and Quaker missionary, who established the plantation and built the old house, says in his diary: I was born on the 3rd day of the Third month, 1675, in Southwark [London] and descended of honest and religious parents [the strictest of Friends] who were very careful of me, and brought me up in the fear of the Lord; and oftentimes counselled me to sobriety, and reproved me for wantonness; and that light spirit which is incident to youth, they were careful to nip in the bud: When between eight and ten years of age, my father to school in the suburbs of London. I went mostly by myself, and many and various were the exercises I went through by beatings and stonings along the streets, being distinguished to the people by the badge of plainness which my parents put upon me sent me About this time the Lord began to work strongly on my mind by his grace, insomuch that I could not forbear reproving those lads that swore one time I remember being among some men, one of whom I had reproved Being convicted in their consciences that what I said was true, they were all silent and wondered that I, being so young, could speak in such a manner; in which I remember, I had great peace and good satisfaction; Notwithstanding I hated to hear wicked words, I loved play exceedingly, being persuaded there was no harm in that, if we used no bad words I loved music, dancing and playing at cards, and too much delighted therein What I did in those sports and games I always took care to do out of the sight afraid of their reproofs of my parents; for I was I remember that, unknown to my parents, I had bought a pack of cards, with intent to make use of them when I went to see my relations in the country against the evil of gaming, and particularly of cards From this meeting at Wanstead I went to house of my relations The time drawing near that we were to go to our to me games, my uncle called to come and take a game at cards; at which motion I had a strong conviction upon me not to do it, as being evil; lifting up my eyes I saw a Bible lie in the window, at the sight of which I was glad I took it, and sat down, and read to myself, greatly rejoicing that I was preserved out of the snare So their sport for that time was spoiled as soon as I came home [I] offered my new and untouched pack of cards to the fire. I am certain the use of them is of evil consequence for which reason all Christians ought to shun them as engines of Satan; and music and dancing having generally the same tendency ought therefore to be refrained from. Poor, priggish, tormented little Thomas Chalkley survived this unnatural childhood and despite his joyless, leaden-grey youth became a real human being. In 1701 he settled in Philadelphia and pursued his mercantile calling. His strong religious bias, evinced in the distorted vagaries of his early years, disposed him to activity in the affairs of Friends. In 1723 he removed from the city to his Frankford plantation "in order to be more retired and for health's sake." |