As we mentioned in a recent Gazette, a descendent of the Penrose family has submitted some documents for acquisition by the PHMC. Among these were the road return which ordered the creation of Governor’s Road from Willow Grove to “Fountain Low” – the original name of Graeme Park. The document is dated March 28, 1722 […]
A descendent of the Penrose family recently donated a ledger book and a book containing copies of letters written by Charles Stedman (Dr. Graeme’s son-in-law), the road returns detailing the request Governor Keith made to have a new road surveyed out to his new buildings in Horsham, and a few other documents for consideration to […]
A ledger book was recently donated by a descendent of the Penrose family and contained copies of letters that Charles Stedman, who was Dr. Graeme’s son-in-law, wrote to various business contacts. Many of them from the fall of 1752 reference (see below) having heard “the melancholy news of great damages done….by the violent hurricane.” At least […]
With the recent earthquake experienced in the Philadelphia area and the upcoming solar eclipse, I bet you were wondering if Elizabeth Graeme experienced either of these events in her lifetime. No? That’s OK, I get paid to wonder about such things. And the answer is “Yes.” In fact, a very strong earthquake struck New York […]
The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) will celebrate the Commonwealth’s 343rd birthday on Sunday, March 10, with free admission to many of the historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History and an exhibit of William Penn’s 1681 Charter at the Pennsylvania State Archives. Pennsylvania was created when England’s King Charles II […]
For most of Graeme Park’s history, what happened to Henry Hugh Fergusson after he left America remained a mystery. We knew he petitioned the British government for restitution for “his” loss of Graeme Park when it was confiscated under the Confiscation Act of 1778. We knew he kept in touch with Elizabeth for a time, […]
On November 17 or 18, 1749 Sir William Keith, for whom the Keith House at Graeme Park was built, died in London. Death notices ran in the London Magazine (vol. 18, 1749, pg. 529) and the Gentleman’s Magazine (vol. 19, 1749, pg. 524). London Magazine reports his death as occurring on November 17, 1749 and […]
October 6 marks the anniversary of the marriage of Sir William Keith to Ann Newbury Diggs which occurred in 1704 at The Collegiate Church of St. Katharine by the Tower – a medieval church next to the Tower of London. While the church was demolished in 1825, it was rebuilt from 1826-28 as St. Katharine’s in Regeant’s […]
September 28 marks the anniversary of the death of the Graemes’ son-in-law, Charles Stedman, which occurred in 1784. Charles Stedman was born in Scotland in 1713, supported the Stuart cause and fought at Culloden. He escaped to Pennsylvania c. 1746 with his brother Alexander, with whom he ran a successful shipping business and engaged in […]
Written by Margaret Marshall Strawbridge, September 25, 1929 I am basking in the sunshine, gray squirrels are skipping along the fence, a proud hen is cackling from the barn yard, the starlings and blackbirds are whistling to each other from the branches above me and the woods near by. I am living in memory [of] […]