Document Collection

Richard Graham Land Purchases and Sales

"In 1890, a news item appeared in the Coatesville Weekly Times, noting the building of a station at Daylesford, on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The naming of this station came about through the interest in Warren Hastings of Mr. Graham, who then lived in the old Blue Ball and owned a large amount of land in Daylesford and Paoli. The Pennsylvania Railroad had produced several horrid choices which Mr. Graham deplored, so he was asked to choose a name himself and to send it in within twenty-four hours. He was at the time deep in a history of the famous trial of Warren Hastings whose family estate at Daylesford, England, figured in the account. Mr. Graham suggested that name, it was accepted, and appeared for the first time in a railroad guide of 1893"1.

[The first mention of Daylesford found so far is from a deed dated 5/14/18912]

"He [Warren Hastings] returned to England, where his trial dragged out until 1795, when he was cleared of all accusations. however, he had spent all his fortune in his defense and in consequence was penniless. With an annuity for life from the East India Company, in addition to a large load, he bought an English estate which he named “Daylesford”. One of his interested friends in the United States was Richard Graham, who had bought a large tract of ground near the present station of Daylesford. When the railroad sought a name for its new station Mr. Graham suggested Daylesford, in honor of his friend. And by that name it is known today"3.

The name Daylesford appears on the 1897 atlas, and is not on the previous atlas in the series, the 1887 atlas.

From

To

Date

Area

Cost

Reference

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Northwest corner of Easttown

William Morrison, Sheriff

Elizabeth Walton

8/12/1875

 

 

Sheriff’s deed 7-387

Elizabeth Walton

Richard Graham

6/13/1879

58a 123p

$5,745 6c

F9-456

Easttown 1883

Richard Graham from Breou’s 1883 atlas

Richard & Clara Graham

James Eva

8/16/1888

0.321a

$2,000

O10-33; Easttown

Richard & Clara Graham

C. Wesley Talbot

1/24/1891

36.919a

$16,000

B11-235; Eastttown

Richard Graham

Wesley M. Graham

2/27/1893

0.488a

$250

U10-398

Richard Graham

Margaret A. Tingley

6/15/1894

18.188a

$5,900

D11-501

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Easttown

Jonathan & Elizabeth Morris

Hannah & Sarah Morris, daughters

12/12/1885

0.765a

$1

O10-39; Easttown; purchase deed not found

Hannah & Sarah Morris

Richard Graham

4/6/1889

0.765a

$600

P10-106

Richard & Clara Graham of Daylsford

John H. Barsby

3/9/1892

0.765a

$700

C12-351

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Daylesford

Robert & Mary Glen

William J. Latta

3/29/1889

112.489a

$52,896

O10-126; subdivided; Daylesford properties

William J. Latta

Richard Graham

5/28/1890

1a

$1,000

T10-89; Tredyffrin

Richard & Clara Graham

C. S. Schwarz

6/10/1896

1a

$3,000

O11-294

 

 

 

 

 

 

William J. & Kitty Latta

Wayne Title & Trust Co.

1/13/1891

55.9a

$1

V10-124

Wayne Title & Trust Co.

Richard Graham

5/14/1891

1.589a + 1a

$2,589

X10-135; Tredyffrin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard & Clara Graham

John P. Croasdale

9/28/1894

1a

$3,500

K11-140

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Paoli

Paoli Heights Land Company

Robert M. Tschudy

3/11/1882

3.38a + 1.14a + 13.13a

$16,732 27c

Q9-186

Robert M. Tschudy

John M. Kennedy

4/4/1882

3.38a + 1.14a + 13.13a

$16,732 27c

Q9-190

Paoli 1887

John M. Kennedy tract from 1887 atlas4

John M. Kennedy

John & Florence Mole, builder

4/15/1890

0.835a + ?

$1

R10-256; Tredyffrin

John & Florence Mole, builder

John M. Kennedy

2/14/1891

0.384a

$1

U10-2

John & Florence Mole, builder

John M. Kennedy

5/14/1891

?

$7,000

T10-298

John M. Kennedy

Richard Graham

10/9/1893

? + 0.384a

$9,600

K11-3; Tredyffrin

Richard Graham

Felix B. Hackett

1894

0.384a

$500

K11-127

Richard Graham

Albert W. Snyder

6/2/1896

?

$1,300

P11-452

Richard & Clara Graham

Emmon F. Dean

4/20/1897

?

$3,569

S11-315

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Graham

Emily E. Croasdale

1903

 

 

S12-24

Richard Graham

William J. Latta

1902

 

 

P12-358; quit claim

References and Notes

1. Notes on Daylesford by Louise Kneass, TE History Quarterly, vol. 8-3 (April 1955).

2. Chester County deed X10-135.

3. Radnor Historical Society, https://radnorhistory.org/archive/articles/ytmt/?p=60

4. Atlas of Properties Along the Pennsylvania R.R. from Overbrook to Malvern Station, 1887
G. Wm. Baist, Published by J. L. Smith.