COATSVILLE

The borough of Coatesville was incorporated by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Chester County in 1867. It was taken wholly from Valley Gap, and is situated in the Great Valley where it is crossed by the west branch of Brandywine, and embraces territory on both sides of that stream. A village long known as Midway, situated on the Pennsylvania RR west of the Brandywine, was included within its boundaries and is now generally known in common parlance as West Coatesville. The village of Midway was just half way between Philadelphia and Columbia, the original termini of the RR, and hence its name.

Coatesville was named in honor of the Coates family. Moses Coates, the ancestor of the family, along with his wife Susanna, came from Ireland ca 1717 and settled in Charlestown Township, Chester County, whence some of their children removed to East Caln. William Fleming was an early settler near Coatesville. His wife Mary was a sister of John and Thomas Moore, who settled at Downingtown. The Fleming family are now quite numerous.

The noted marauder during the Rev. War, James Fitzpatrick, had one of his hiding-places at what was known as Hand's Pass, a gap in the North Valley Hill, a short distance west of Coatesville, near where the Pennsylvania and Lancaster Turnpike leaves the valley.

This page was updated on February 28, 2009