Moland House
Encyclopedia
Moland House is an old stone farmhouse built around 1750, by John Moland (b. 1700 London, England d. 1761), a prominent Philadelphia and Bucks County lawyer. Although physically located in Hartsville, Warwick Township
, Bucks County
, Pennsylvania
, its mailing address is in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
. The house served as the headquarters for General
George Washington
during the American Revolutionary War
from August 10 to 23, 1777 while on the way to the Battle of Brandywine
. The encampment stretched along both sides of Old York Road
, on the slope of Carr's hill to the north; both sides of Bristol Road from Mearns Road to Meetinghouse Road. The Battle of Crooked Billet
ended near here on May 1, 1778.
Moland House is owned by Warwick Township and is being restored and maintained by the Warwick Township Historical Society through grants from Warwick Township, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the federal government, plus by private foundation
s and individual donors. Restoration began in 1997, and although it is nearly complete, a number of projects remain to be funded.
and militia
soldiers were marching up York Road towards the Cross Roads with Bristol Road (which is known today as Hartsville, PA) on their way to Coryell’s Ferry (now New Hope
), intending to camp four miles beyond the Delaware River
in New Jersey
.
General George Washington received a dispatch from John Hancock
, President of the Second Continental Congress
, which told Washington that the 260-vessel British fleet
, hauling 17,000 British Army
and Hessian troops under General William Howe
, was fifty miles south of the Delaware Capes (Cape May
and Cape Henlopen
) on August 7.
Unsure and wary of Howe’s intentions, Washington immediately halted his force to encamp around the bridge over the Little Neshaminy Creek
in Warwick Twp.
Knowing the area and having ridden through only ten days earlier, he selected the substantial stone dwelling of Widow Moland as his headquarters on the farm north of the bridge. General Washington held a "Council of War" with his four major general
s and six brigadier general
s in the Moland House.
While in Warwick Township the Betsy Ross flag
, an American flag that was allegedly designed by Betsy Ross
, was first presented to General Washington. Verbal history of the area alleges that the encampment was the site where the American flag was first flown. It was also here that the Marquis de Lafayette and Count
Casimir Pulaski joined the American Revolution and distinguished themselves soon at the Battle of Brandywine
and for many years thereafter in the fight for American freedom from England
.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Moland House was recognized as an important landmark, however, it did remain a private residence. The Moland house was the site of meetings of history-interested groups during the first half of the 20th century. Members of Sons of the Revolution met there in 1903 and a group of French educators and military officers taking part in the Lafayette College Centennial Celebration met there 1932.
During the 1960s or early 1970s the Moland House ceased to be a private residence and became a rooming house. According to local residents, as a rooming house, it was frequented by members of motorcycle gangs. It fell into disrepair and was abandoned by 1985. It was then that a concerned group of local citizens began to take action and in concert with a local housing developer and local authorities, rescued Moland House.
Gen. Washington's headquarters Aug. 10-23, 1777, during the Neshaminy encampment of 11,000 troops. Here, the Marquis de Lafayette functioned for the first time as Major General at the Council of War on Aug. 21, and Count Casimir Pulaski of Poland met Washington for the first time. An experienced military commander, Pulaski was later appointed Brigadier General of mounted troops and is remembered as the "Father of the American Cavalry."
Archaeological studies on the Moland House property have been performed by the Millbrook Society of Hatboro, PA., a non-profit organization
, whose archaeological projects at the Moland House have included excavations, geophysical scanning, and the analysis of building features. You may find their reports under ARCHAEOLOGY at Millbrooksociety
Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Warwick Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,437 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.1 square miles , all of it land. It is drained by the Delaware River via the...
, Bucks County
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, its mailing address is in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
Warminster Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 32,682 at the 2010 census.The town was named for the town of Warminster in Wiltshire, England.-Geography:...
. The house served as the headquarters for General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
from August 10 to 23, 1777 while on the way to the Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
. The encampment stretched along both sides of Old York Road
Old York Road
Old York Road or King's Highway is a roadway that was built in the 18th century to connect Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with New York City, New York. Through New Jersey it was built along the Raritan "Naraticong Trail"...
, on the slope of Carr's hill to the north; both sides of Bristol Road from Mearns Road to Meetinghouse Road. The Battle of Crooked Billet
Battle of Crooked Billet
The Battle of Crooked Billet was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on May 1, 1778 near the Crooked Billet Tavern...
ended near here on May 1, 1778.
Moland House is owned by Warwick Township and is being restored and maintained by the Warwick Township Historical Society through grants from Warwick Township, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the federal government, plus by private foundation
Private foundation
A private foundation is a legal entity set up by an individual, a family or a group of individuals, for a purpose such as philanthropy. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest private foundation in the U.S. with over $38 billion in assets...
s and individual donors. Restoration began in 1997, and although it is nearly complete, a number of projects remain to be funded.
History
In the early evening of August 10, 1777, 11,000 Continental ArmyContinental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
and militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
soldiers were marching up York Road towards the Cross Roads with Bristol Road (which is known today as Hartsville, PA) on their way to Coryell’s Ferry (now New Hope
New Hope, Pennsylvania
New Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,528 at the 2010 census. The borough lies on the west bank of the Delaware River at its confluence with Aquetong Creek. A two-lane bridge carries automobile and foot traffic across the...
), intending to camp four miles beyond the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
General George Washington received a dispatch from John Hancock
John Hancock
John Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
, President of the Second Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after warfare in the American Revolutionary War had begun. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which met briefly during 1774,...
, which told Washington that the 260-vessel British fleet
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, hauling 17,000 British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Hessian troops under General William Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...
, was fifty miles south of the Delaware Capes (Cape May
Cape May
Cape May is a peninsula and island ; the southern tip of the island is the southernmost point of the state of New Jersey, United States. It runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean...
and Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen is the southern cape of the Delaware Bay along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It lies in the state of Delaware, near the town of Lewes, Delaware...
) on August 7.
Unsure and wary of Howe’s intentions, Washington immediately halted his force to encamp around the bridge over the Little Neshaminy Creek
Neshaminy Creek
Neshaminy Creek is a stream that runs southeast through Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Neshaminy Creek proper rises south of the borough of Chalfont, where North Branch Neshaminy Creek and West Branch Neshaminy Creek meet. Neshaminy Creek flows lastly between Bristol Township and Bensalem Township...
in Warwick Twp.
Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Warwick Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,437 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.1 square miles , all of it land. It is drained by the Delaware River via the...
Knowing the area and having ridden through only ten days earlier, he selected the substantial stone dwelling of Widow Moland as his headquarters on the farm north of the bridge. General Washington held a "Council of War" with his four major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
s and six brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
s in the Moland House.
While in Warwick Township the Betsy Ross flag
Betsy Ross flag
The Betsy Ross flag is an early design of the flag of the United States, popularly attributed to Betsy Ross, using the common motifs of alternating red-and-white striped field with five-pointed stars in a blue canton. The flag was designed during the American Revolution and features 13 stars to...
, an American flag that was allegedly designed by Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross is widely credited with making the first American flag. There is, however, no credible historical evidence that the story is true.-Early life:...
, was first presented to General Washington. Verbal history of the area alleges that the encampment was the site where the American flag was first flown. It was also here that the Marquis de Lafayette and Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Casimir Pulaski joined the American Revolution and distinguished themselves soon at the Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
and for many years thereafter in the fight for American freedom from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Moland House was recognized as an important landmark, however, it did remain a private residence. The Moland house was the site of meetings of history-interested groups during the first half of the 20th century. Members of Sons of the Revolution met there in 1903 and a group of French educators and military officers taking part in the Lafayette College Centennial Celebration met there 1932.
During the 1960s or early 1970s the Moland House ceased to be a private residence and became a rooming house. According to local residents, as a rooming house, it was frequented by members of motorcycle gangs. It fell into disrepair and was abandoned by 1985. It was then that a concerned group of local citizens began to take action and in concert with a local housing developer and local authorities, rescued Moland House.
Historical marker
Marker Text:Gen. Washington's headquarters Aug. 10-23, 1777, during the Neshaminy encampment of 11,000 troops. Here, the Marquis de Lafayette functioned for the first time as Major General at the Council of War on Aug. 21, and Count Casimir Pulaski of Poland met Washington for the first time. An experienced military commander, Pulaski was later appointed Brigadier General of mounted troops and is remembered as the "Father of the American Cavalry."
Preservation
Preservation of the Moland house is in the hands of the Warwick Township Historical Society, P.O. Box 107, Jamison, PA 18929-0107.Archaeological studies on the Moland House property have been performed by the Millbrook Society of Hatboro, PA., a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, whose archaeological projects at the Moland House have included excavations, geophysical scanning, and the analysis of building features. You may find their reports under ARCHAEOLOGY at Millbrooksociety
External links
- Moland House
- Gen Washington's HQ at GW Papers
- Article at Millbrook Society
- Moland House article at the Library of Congress
- Article at Philadelphia Reflections
- https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce_imagery/phmc_scans/H087212_01H.pdf Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) web site for Pennsylvania’s Historic Architecture & Archaeology (PA ARCH)
- IMAGES https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce_imagery/phmc_scans/H087212_01B.jpg
- Rebuilding the House Where Washington Slept
