Phineas Eachus son of John Eachus & Hannah Haines, was at one time a large landowner, Owning much of the present site of West Chester. Where he was from 1762 to 1768 the proprietor of the first inn, which was called the Turks Head Tavern**. He was also the owner of the Original Homestead. Becoming surety for his friends, he lost the property, The land passing into the possession of Isaac Matlock. and the Inn being purchased by John Hoopes. Goshen MM minutes: 9th Dec 1768 Phineas Eachus uncle, William Eachus lost money by being security for him. 6th Jan 1769 Phineas Eachus disowned. 8th Feb 1771 Sarah wife of Phineas disowned. List of Capt. Joseph Johnsons Company of the Township of Goshen 1781. Phineas is listed as private 3rd class..
** His Grandfather Robert Eachus sailed to America with one of the ships provided by the Minshull Family, The Turks Head was the Minshull Family Coat of Arms
Background; The history of West Chester is intimately connected to its role as a transportation hub. West Chester is situated on high ground between the Brandywine and Chester Creek watersheds, at a point that attracted travellers since the earliest days of recorded history, The Great Minquas Trail of the Lenni Lenape passed through the area in the 17th century, connecting settlements and trading posts in the lower Schuylkill Valley with fur-producing regions to the west. The first roads in the area were laid out in the early eighteenth century. Although neither the "Old Lancaster Road" (US30) not the "Old Baltimore Pike"(US1) passed through West Chester, William Penn's "Street Road"(PA926) passed a short distance to the south, and the "Strasburg Road" passed along what later became the north edge of the borough. A road from Wilmington to Reading (PA100) passed directly through the centre of the future borough, and another early road(PA100) ran southwest from the site to Jefferis' Ford on the Brandywine, near modern Lenape Park. In 1762, a local cooper named Phineas Eachus applied to the Pennsylvania Legilsature for permission to open a "public house" for travellers on the Wilmington-to-Reading Road, at the intersection (presently Gay and High Streets) with the road from Jefferis' Ford to Philadelphia. Permission was granted, and Eachus' house became the "Turks Head Tavern", named for the sign used to mark its location. That Tavern, and its surrounding community, became the nucleus for the borough of West Chester, which was incorperated on March 20, 1799. (taken from "A Brief History of Transportation in West Chester" by Jim Jones)
Archive; Family Group Sheet (FG1/2) A Brief History of Transportation in West Chester (A1-17)
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