Petition of Caleb Jones

To the honourable the Justices of the General Court of Quarter Sessions to be held at Chester the last Tuesday in August 1770.

The Petition of Caleb Jones of Tredyffrin Township in the County afforesaid

Humbly Sheweth

That your Honours petitioner having lately removed from the sign of the Red Lion in Uwchland Township and county afforesaid, to the sign of the General Paoli the Tavern lately occupied by Joshua Evans, and whereas your Honours have been pleased for some years past to recommend your petitioner to his honour the Governor for a license to keep a publick house of entertainment, when at the Red Lyon afforesaid, and as your petitioner was therein favourd by your Honours, now prays that your Honours would be pleased to recommend him to his honour the Governor to grant hima license to keep a publick house of entertainment at the sign of General Paoli afforesaidand your petitioner in duty bound shall pray.

Caleb Jones

This may satify the Court that the above petitioner lived at the sign of the Red Lyon which is within a few perches of our meeting house and we never was disturbed by any noise etc. made at said house but found the subscribers being personally acquainted with your Honours petitioner and look upon him to be a sober and proper person to keep a publick house of entertainment, as such we recommend him to your Honours.

signed by: John Denning, Joseph Bentley, Charles Reed, James McClure, David Davis, John Gronow, John Griffith, Samuel Davis, John Cloyd, Benjamin Batholomew, Lewis Gronow.

Petition of Lynford Lardner

To the Worshipful the Justices of the County Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace & for the County of Chester in the Province of Pennsylvania.

The Petition of Lynford Lardner of the City of Philadelphia Esquire humbly sheweth

That your petitioner about six years ago for a large sum of money has purchased the Estate of George Assheton & wife in Chester County on which was then established an ancient and well accustomed tavern at the distance about three miles and a half from the Blue Ball and of about three miles from the White Horse which circumstance induced him to a much higher price for the premises than he would have given for the farm itself without such a tavern, or if any other public house house had been nearer to it.

That your petitioner is informed that one Joshua Evans by some mis-representation of facts & circumstances alledged in his petition preferred to your Worships in the last years August Court obtained a license for setting up a new tavern between the Blue Ball and your petitioners said tavern and that the said Joshua Evans had since let or disposed of his said tavern to one Caleb Jones who will at this sessions petition your Worships for a license to keep tavern at the said Joshua Evan's house.

May it please your Worships, your petitioner humbly conceives that by this new tavern his interest is much hurt without any advantage to the public or ease of travellers, that his tenant will be discouraged from keeping so large a stock of provisions and provender as hitherto and since the business of one house which in the late wars was held sufficient on all the emergent occasions should be divided in our days between two houses when it is notorious that there is at present rather less than more travellers upon Lancaster Road as there was some years since.

And your petitioner humbly prayeth that your Worships will be pleased to reconsider the facts alledged in the said Joshua Evans's petition of August last and such other facts or circumstances as may be alledged for the support of the said Caleb Jones petition to this Session

And that your Worships will not grant to the said Joshua Evans or the said Jones your recommendation to his Honour the Governor for a license without it being made evident to you that a tavern between your petitioners premises and the Blue Ball is for the good of the public and necessary for the accommodation of travellers on the said Road, and your petitioner as in duty etc.

Philadelphia August 28th 1770 Lynford Lardner