NANTMEAL TOWNSHIP


This name was formerly - and properly - written Nantmel, being derived from Nantmel, in Radnorshire, Wales, whence some of the early settlers came. In 1717-1719 surveys were made on the head of the north branch of Brandywine for Thomas Callowhill, Howell Powel, Edward Thomas, William Iddings, Thomas Rees, John Broomal, David Thomas, Daniel Moore, William Trego, John Moore, Richard and John Peirson.

Prior to 1720 the settlement was assessed with the tax district on Schuylkill. In 1722, the name of Nantmel first appears, and about 1734 a petition for the division of the township was presented to court, but rejected. In Feb of 1739-40 another division was proposed and the new line was then agreed upon.

The first settlers were mostly Welsh, and principally confined to the eastern part of the township. The Scots-Irish came up from the southwestern part of the county from 1730 to 1740, and peopled the western part.

In 1789, West Nantmeal was divided, and the name of Honeybrook was given to the western part. In 1852 the remainder was again divided by a line from a corner of East and West Nantmeal, south to a corner of West Nantmeal and Honeybrook, at the intersection of the old Furnace Road with the turnpike. The southern division was named Springfield, and then changed to Wallace. In 1860 the lines between Honeybrook, Wallace, and West Brandywine were changed, and a portion of the SE corner of Honeybrook was added to West Brandywine. The territory added to West Brandywine was a part of the old manor of Springton. East Nantmeal was divided in 1842 by the south branch of French Creek, and the northern part called Warwick.





This page updated on February 28, 2009