86 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Chester, accompanied by a considerable staff. The inhabitants of this place flocked to the Inn as the distinguished guests alighted at thè Washington House (as it was then called). The Chief Burgess , Dr. William Martin, delivered an address of welcome to which Washington made a brief and unostentatious response. In 1840, after William Henry Harrison had received the Whig nomination for the presidency, the old gentleman, accompanied by friends from New York, stopped to dine at the Washington House, and while there received the congratulations of the citizens. April 19, 1902, the 127th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington , the Delaware County D. A. R. with appropriate ceremonies unveiled a bronze tablet which had been placed in the wall on the right side of the main entrance to the Washington House, whereon in raised letters are inscribed several of the noted historical incidents which are associated with the story of the old hostelry. The building was tastefully decorated for the occasion. The two large American flags at the door of the Washington Room had been used twenty-six years before that time at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. For a time the owners of the Washington House venerated the wealth of historic associations, but alas, in the past few years the ownership has changed many times, and there is now little or nothing inside the building to remind one of the former days. JOHN MORTON By Amandus Johnson * We stand upon historic ground today. Near here landed two hundred and fifty years ago, one of the great personalities of the seventeenth century, a leader in a new religion and the founder of a new Commonwealth. Here lies buried and, not far from here, was born the greatest and most renowned citizen of this town, and indeed of this entire district, John Morton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, who, as chairman of the Pennsylvania delegation cast the deciding vote of his colony for that immortal docu1 A paper read at Chester, Pennsylvania, 5 mo. 21, 1932, at the summer meeting of Friends' Historical Association in observance of the 250th anniversary of the first arrival of William Penn in America, 1682-1932. JOHN MORTON87 ment, and thereby enrolled his name on the imperishable scroll of history. It is fitting that John Morton should be mentioned in connection with any noteworthy historic event which you may celebrate in Chester, for his life, his personality, and his patriotic sacrifice will always stand forth as an inspiration and as an example for the citizens of this good town. There is a special reason, however , why John Morton should be mentioned today. His father and grandfather were undoubtedly among those Swedes who welcomed William Penn and who gave shelter to some of his followers, for Morton Mortonson, the original name of this famous family, was living in this neighborhood then and was among the prominent settlers. John Morton was born in March, 1725, in a log cabin that is still standing a few miles from here. He received but a meager education , even measured by the standards of those days, but through efforts of his own and his stepfather, he acquired a wide range of knowledge. As a young man he became a surveyor in his county and through natural ability and hard work, he rose from one position to another, becoming in turn sheriff, member of the colonial assembly, speaker of that body, justice of the peace, member of the supreme court of Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the famous so-called First Congress in America, which met in New York in 1765, and in 1776 he was chairman of the Pennsylvania delegation appointed to consider secession. To be chairman of a body in which such men as Benjamin Franklin and James Wilson served, meant much, and shows the confidence Morton enjoyed among his great contemporaries. It was as chairman of this delegation that he performed his most enduring service to his colony and to his country. He was called upon to cast the deciding vote for Independence , as there was a tie in the Pennsylvania delegation. John Morton did not live to see the results...