Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: Summer 2007 Volume 44 Number 3, Pages 107–111

The Yohn Farm in Chesterbrook

Mike Bertram

Page 107

Yohn Farm in 1963. Notice the Valley Forge Music Fair and Tally Ho Motel south of the farm. Property Atlas of the Main Line, Penna. Volume Two Embracing the following municipalities in Chester County: Townships of Tredyffrin, Easttown, Willistown, East & West Whiteland, East & West Goshen and the Borough of Malvern. ... Philadelphia: Franklin Survey Company, 1963. “Part of Tredyffrin Township,” plate 6.

The Yohn Farm was the southeast corner of the 800 acres that John Havard purchased in 1707. John gave this property to his daughters, Anne, Hannah, and Sarah. The daughters rented out the property and lived with their bachelor brother, Samuel Havard, at his Lafayette's Quarters farm.

During the Valley Forge encampment pickets were set up around the encampment to control access and to give warning of any surprise British attack on Washington's army. One of these pickets was the stone chimney picket post that was set up on the tract next to the ruins of a tenant building. On Mondays and Thursdays a market was set up at the picket post for local people to sell their produce to the soldiers of the encampment. In 1939 the Tredyffrin Eastown History Club commemorated the site of the picket post with a plaque. This plaque was disturbed during the widening of Route 202 but was re-installed in 1980. [Note 1]

Page 108

Photograph by the author, April 2007

By 1798 the property—which had no buildings on it—was owned by Hannah and Sarah Havard, Anne having died. Over the years the ownership of the tract passed down through the Havard family. Susanna Havard inherited it in 1823. She married William Roberts in 1841. An iron ore mine was developed near to the farmhouse in the mid-19th century. The rich ore from the mine was used at the Port Kennedy iron furnace, which was in operation at that time. [Note 2]

Remains of the iron ore mine. ABOVE: 1963 photograph by William Warnock.
BELOW: 2007 photograph by the author.

Susanna and William continued to own the property into the 20th century, when it passed outside the family. John Yohn acquired the farm in 1945. In 1963 the property was reduced in size as the front—south—side of the property was used in the expansion of Route 202. [Note 3] The Yohns put the farm up for sale. William Warnock, a realtor, took photos of the property in 1963. That same year part of the farm was sold to the school district for the Valley Forge Middle School. In 1970 another portion was sold to the St. Isaac Jogues Parish, and in 1973 the final portion was sold to the Picket Post Village incorporated and developed for housing. A number of the farm buildings are still in existence.

Page 109

Looking north at the eastern edge of Yohn farm c. 1920s/30s. The road in the foreground is the old Swedesford Road—now Anthony Wayne Drive. The road on the right side is Valley Forge Road. Mount Misery is the hill in the background. Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society Collections.

Main farm residence. ABOVE: 1963 photograph by William Warnock.
BELOW: 2006 photograph by the author.

Garage and apartment building. ABOVE: 1963 photograph by William Warnock.
BELOW: 2006 photograph by the author.

Page 110

Views to the north in 1963. ABOVE: Valley Forge Road.
BELOW: Mount Misery. Both photographs by William Warnock.

Views to the south in 1963. ABOVE: Valley Forge Music Fair.
BELOW: Tally Ho Motel. Both Photographs by William Warnock.

Route 202 under construction in 1963. ABOVE: looking east.
BELOW: looking west. Both photographs by William Warnock.

Page 111

References

1. S. Paul Teamer. “The Stone Chimney Picket.” Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 4 (October 1939). pp. 104-106. “Club Again Marks Site of Stone Chimney Picket Post” (Notes and Comments). Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 3 (July 1980). pp. 96-100.
2. Franklin L. Burns. “The Stone Quarries, Ore Mines, and Sand Pits of Easttown and Tredyffrin.” Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 2 (December 1949). pp. 33-41. Hob Borgson. “Nineteenth Century Iron Mines.” Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly, Vol. 27, No. 4 (October 1989). pp. 139-142.
3. Chris Gent. “History of New Centerville.” Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly, Vol. 13, No. 1 (April 1964). pp. 17-24.

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Tredyffrin Township for the use of the William Warnock photographs.