Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: April 1938 Volume 1 Number 3, Frontspiece

Editorial

Tredyffrin and Easttown in the County of Chester in early Colonial times occupied a somewhat unique position near the borderline of the great Welsh tract. Settled largely by the Welsh Quakers, Episcopalians, Baptists and Presbyterians, the ancient Cymric tongue prevailed in the meeting houses for at least two generations, though the official language was English.

Editor's Note: The term "Mennonists" used below may be more familiar as its more frequently used alternate "Mennonites."

The Scotch-Irish followed shortly in waves, and the German Mennonists and Lutherans prior to the Revolution when the Menonists joined the Quakers in opposition to war. The Baptists and Episcopalians were divided, leaving the Presbyterians, reinforced by the Scotch-Irish bearing the ancient grudge to Great Britain, to stand united as Revolutionists. A Presbyterian minister in the Valley thanked God in open meeting that there was not a single Tory in his congregation.

There were other early nationalities represented: English, Scotch, French, Swiss, Dutch and Swedes, who, during this period, amalgamated through intermarriage with the Welsh, Scotch-Irish and Germans to make the typical American of our community.

Latterly there arrived the Irish, a worthy warm-hearted race; followed in recent times by the Italian in huge wave, a thrifty Latin race swift to adjust itself to American liberty, and last of all a great invasion from the Southland of the Negro. All these add new social, religious and racial problems to the community and weal or woe to our institutions. It is not our purpose to discuss political measures but to place on record historical events, personages, folklore, etc. too often neglected until forgotten. Let us enter into the lives of these men and women who made America what it is and depict the times as they actually were.