On this St. Patrick’s day, you may find yourself raising a pint of Guinness at Jasper’s Backyard, a popular bar and grill in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
From their website,
“The earliest purchase of land in the vicinity of Conshohocken can be traced to deeds from the Tammany Native Americans to William Penn in 1683. In that year, William Penn sold 5,000 acres to Jasper Farmer, an Irishman, whose family established the first limestone quarry in the area. Son Thomas Farmer sold 1250 acres of land, 200 of which were in what is now Conshohocken, to Radnor Quaker David Harry in 1700. In 1710, David Harry met David Jones at the Friends Meeting and subsequently sold him 160 acres of land. At the time of the borough’s incorporation 140 years later, the Jones and Harry families would own the entire east side of Conshohocken…”
Jasper’s Backyard
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Major Jasper Farmar was an officer in the English Army. For his military services, he was granted a 5000-acre plantation in Garranekinnefeake Parish, village of Midleton, County of Cork, Ireland. Although living in Ireland, the Farmar’s were English, and hated by the Irish for living on confiscated land. By the end of the Irish Uprising in 1641, most of the land was confiscated from the Farmar’s and the family lived in exile in Exeter, England. Although, some of the land was returned, life in Ireland was never the same.
One of Major Jasper’s neighbors in Ireland was William Penn, who encouraged Major Jasper to immigrate to “Penn’s Land” in the Americas.
Major Jasper sent his son Jasper Jr. to investigate the Province of Pennsylvania. Liking what he saw, Jasper Jr. purchased 5,000 acres of land by patent dated January 1683 on behalf of Major Jasper and his sons Jasper Jr. and Richard Farmar. This land would become known as Farmersville (or Farmer’s Town), although most commonly known as Whitemarsh Township.
During the trans-Atlantic voyage on the Bristol Merchant in late 1685, Major Jasper, his son Jasper Jr., and his daughter Katherine Farmar, died and were buried at sea.
During the disposition of the wills, Major Jasper’s wife, Mary Batsford Farmar (“Madame Farmar”), along with Jasper Jr.’s wife, Katherine Batsford Farmar (“Widow Katherine,” the daughter of Mary), partitioned the 5,000 acres. 2500 acres went to Edward Farmar (Major Jasper and Mary’s son), and 1250 acres each went to Richard Farmar and Widow Katherine.
Through a series of transactions, Richard sold his land to his step mother Madame Farmar and returned to Ireland. By the end of 1685, Madame Farmar was now the owner of 3750 acres of land upon which a large deposit of limestone was found. Madame Farmar died in late 1686, and her son, Edward Farmar inherited the land.
Edward would continue limestone burning, build the first grist mill, build St. Thomas Episcopal Church, become a judge, and serve on the Provincial Assembly from 1710 until his death in 1745. His daughter, Rachel, would marry William Mehls Deweese, and their children would own Valley Forge when George Washington’s troops camped there in the winter of 1777-1778.
Edward’s son, Samuel Farmer, would move from Whitemarsh Township to Rowan County, North Carolina. Samuel’s son, William Farmer, would later move north into Grayson County, Virginia. While William’s son, David Farmer, would remain there, his other son, Stephen Farmer, would later move to Harlan County, Kentucky.
Sometime between 1685 and 1689, Widow Katherine remarried to Captain Christopher Billopp. Her Staten Island home, Billopp Manor, is now the Conference House, where Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge met with Lord Admiral Richard Howe in 1776. The meeting was hosted by Major Jasper’s great, great grandson Colonel Christopher Billopp to negotiate a peaceful means out of the American Revolutionary War.
Katherine Billopp died before April 1700. In June 1700, her son, Thomas Farmer, sold the 1250-acre tract to David Harry, who in later years, parceled the land to other buyers. Thomas Farmer was personally appointed by William Penn to be High Sheriff of Philadelphia City and County in June 1700. It was an office he held until he resigned in 1703 to travel to England and marry Anne Billopp, the daughter of Captain Christopher Billopp. Thomas would return to America and enter politics in New Jersey.
The Farmar’s weren’t true Irish, but having lived in Ireland, they adopted Irish customs. It is reported that in the 1800’s when they demolished Widow Katherine’s home in Philadelphia, two Irish pennies were found.
So on this St. Patrick’s Day, we celebrate the Irish spirit in all of us!
Philip Farmer is the author and publisher of “Edward Farmar and the Sons of Whitemarsh,” a 500-page, 155-year biographical history of the family immigration from Ireland into Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Harlan County, Kentucky. Complete with bibliography and footnotes that supports the research. Check out the current discounts through our printing partner LuLu.com which may save you money than purchasing through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, or other retailers.
“Very well written and researched…” Ms. L. King
“I love your work… Very interesting!” Ms. B. H. Baker
“Amazing research!” Ms. J. Shipley
“Wonderfully researched, well written… recommend it even if you’re not related to the Farmar’s…” Mr. D. Roark
“Excellent book! We highly recommend!” Ms. E. Wolf
“Very informative and interesting. I could not put it down.” Ms. E. Farley