Introduction
"Sarah Price hurried down the narrow dirt road from Newtown to
her home in a tiny village in Northampton Township and in her haste
stumbled over some freshly cut branches. "Why, oh, why didn't
the men appointed to improve the roads do a better job!" she
thought. It had been a long day, and she was weary.. She had been
up long before daybreak to get her chores done and make breakfast
for the children, before setting out for Newtown and an appointment
in court.
When Sarah thought back over the day's
events, her stomach churned. Perhaps it was the piece of cold pork
she had for lunch. There hadn't been enough food for the children
for many weeks, breakfast was just a little hot porridge and hard
bread, and supper often the same. Sometimes the neighbors gave her
some corn meal, potatoes, and last week when Sarah did some sewing
and weaving for old Mrs. Cornell, she was given a piece of salt pork
for payment. That had been a real treat, but now that, too, was gone.
He mind occupied with thoughts of food, she stumbled again, and cried
out in anger and frustration. If only she had some money!
For many months Sarah had thought about
a solution to her problems, and the only answer had been to sell her
husband's tavern. For eight years, now, John Price had been away in
King's service in New York. He had gone in 1741, promising to be back
in a year, but had disappeared without making an provisions for her
and their children. She often wondered if he had died in combat with
the French, or if an unfriendly Indian had surprised him on the trail,
or, the worst thought of all perhaps he had tired of the hard life
here and remained in New Amsterdam, leaving her to fend for herself.
After all, in 1738 she had accused John in court of beating her and
denying her suitable sustenance according to his ability. The court
ruled that John should pay Sarah two shillings monthly, toward her
relief and separate maintenance, and to keep the peace. Now he was
gone.
Before going into the King's service,
John had petitioned the court to "open a public house to sell
strong liquor in small measure". Unfortunately, records of
tavern petitions prior to 1742 have not been found. From their tiny
house on the Middle Road they sold refreshments to travelers from
Log Town (Penns Park), Buckingham and from Philadelphia. Sometimes,
when court was in session in Newtown, the tavern was filled with neighbors
from Tinkertown and Smoketown. With John gone though, the tavern was
too much work for Sarah. The huge stone fireplace took so much wood,
meals had to be prepared and wash water boiled, the cabin walls needed
whitewashing again, the children required constant care, and if there
was any spare time, the spinning wheel or the loom got her attention.
Sarah leased the tavern to James Comins, but the few shillings she
received each week just couldn't be stretched to pay all the bills.
To make matters worse, the government had just fixed the sale price
of rum at 4 pence a gill, "syder" at 4 pence a quart and
wine at 12 pence a pint! The customers were complaining of the high
prices. It was time to send a petition to the justices of the Quarter
Sessions Court to give her permission to sell the tavern.
Last Tuesday, Sarah received notice
to be at court "on the Tuesday, next, forenoon," and
so early this morning she had started her long walk to Newtown. For
an hour the justices had questioned her, but without proof of her
husband's death, the petition had been denied. They offered her no
help other than the advice to apply to the overseers-of-the-poor of
the township for assistance. Sarah knew what she must do. Tomorrow
she would have her son bound over to some family as a field worker,
unless Mr. Heaton, the miller, would take him as an apprentice. When
reaching 18 years old, he would have a trade, and be given his freedom
and a suit of clothes. Times were hard!
N.B. One year later, the Court which had refused Sarah Price's petition
to sell her public house, now directed the sheriff to seize her tavern
and part of her ground and sell it at auction to pay her debts. Times
were indeed hard."
For
more information on this section you can purchase
"A History of Northampton Township"
at the Northampton Township Building
55 Township Road
Richboro, PA 18954
or for more information call: (215) 357-6800
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