PRINTER'S NO. 3927
No. 755 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY FLICK, E. Z. TAYLOR, HERSHEY, RUBLEY, SCHRODER AND ROSS, MAY 26, 2004
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MAY 26, 2004
A RESOLUTION 1 Congratulating Willistown Township, Chester County, on the 300th 2 anniversary of its founding. 3 WHEREAS, Willistown Township is located in southeastern 4 Chester County and currently has a population of approximately 5 10,000 people; and 6 WHEREAS, The Holmes Map of 1681 holds the first written 7 reference to Willistown; and 8 WHEREAS, Willistown was a part of the 50,000-acre Welsh Tract 9 surveyed for William Penn in 1684; and 10 WHEREAS, In 1704 Willistown became a township; and 11 WHEREAS, Willistown Township was first represented in court, 12 by Thomas Garrett as constable, in 1705; and 13 WHEREAS, The English Quaker families who dominate the 14 Willistown history were agriculture-oriented, with interests in 15 history and natural science, and they cherished their 16 homesteads; and 17 WHEREAS, Major crops included wheat, rye, Indian corn, oats
1 and hay; and 2 WHEREAS, By 1753 the Quakers who had settled in Willistown 3 Township organized a Society of Friends school there for their 4 children; and 5 WHEREAS, Storekeepers and tradespeople, including 6 cordwainers, carpenters and wheelwrights, contributed to the 7 Willistown Township economy in the 18th century; and 8 WHEREAS, The Okehocking area featured Willistown Township's 9 most active milling enterprises; and 10 WHEREAS, Willistown was the site of the eastern terminus of 11 the first operating railroad in this Commonwealth, completed in 12 1832; and 13 WHEREAS, In the 20th century, Willistown benefited from 14 agricultural advances and transportation developments; and 15 WHEREAS, With commuter railways and proliferation of the 16 automobile came new jobs and new housing; and 17 WHEREAS, Willistown has retained its rural character through 18 the centuries, exemplifying conservation and preservation 19 despite modern expansion and trends; therefore be it 20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate 21 Willistown Township, Chester County, on the 300th anniversary of 22 its founding. E4L82JS/20040H0755R3927 - 2 -