“About 8 Oclock Mr. Corbin and myself set out, and dined at Chester (Mrs. Withy’s) where I was met by the Genls. Mifflin (now Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly), Knox, and Varnum – The colonels Humphreys and Minges and Majors Jackson and Nicholas – with whom I proceeded to Philada. At Gray’s Ferry the City light horse commanded by Colo. Miles met me, and escorted me in by the Artillery Officers who stood arranged & saluted me as I passed. Alighted through a crowd at Mrs. Houses – but being again warmly and kindly pressed by Mr. & Mrs. Rob. Morris to lodge with them. I did so and had my baggage removed thither. Waited on the President, Doctr. Franklin, as soon as I got to Town. On my arrival, the Bells were chimed.”
This is the entry for May 13, 1787 in George Washington’s personal diary, a simple remembrance noted for its brevity and modesty.
Yesterday Washington crossed the Susquehanna, the longest river on the east coast which meanders through the heartland of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. The weather had been threatening for several days and almost prohibited the crossing. He spent the night in Wilmington with Patrick O’Flynn, an immigrant from Ireland who had served in the Delaware militia. Later, he opened a tavern, the Sign of the Ship, popular for ceremonial dinners, including occasional meetings of the Society of the Cincinnati.
Late in the afternoon Washington was overtaken by Francis Corbin “who took a seat in my carriage.” Corbin was a member of the Virginia legislature on his way to Philadelphia, apparently to fill a vacancy in the Virginia delegation to the convention.
This morning, as Washington’s diary records, the two men resumed their journey, arriving at Chester, just sixteen miles from Philadelphia. Washington had not made public his itinerary, so when his carriage rolled through towns and past villages and farms, he had been greeted by surprised but delighted citizens who shouted their huzzahs and blessings. However, Philadelphia was ready for him. And so was Chester, the last stop before Philadelphia. Chester is the oldest town in Pennsylvania, established in 1682 by members of the New Sweden Colony. First called “Finlandia,” then “Upland,” and finally Chester, named after the city in England by William Penn on his first visit to the province in 1682. Chester was a thriving tobacco plantation that has become a hub for business and trade because of its easy access to the Delaware River.
Waiting for Washington in Chester was an honorary guard of seven men prepared to escort him to the anxious crowds already gathering in Philadelphia. Each had served Washington and the cause for independence and is now retired from military service. General Thomas Mifflin is the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly and has been selected as a delegate to the convention. General Henry Knox is serving as Secretary of War under the appointment of the Confederation Congress.
General James Mitchell Varnum was an early entrant into the impending hostilities with England. In October 1774 he was a member of the militia in his hometown and served under Nathanael Greene, one of the most distinguished officers in the Continental Army. He endured the harsh winter of 1777 and 1778 at Valley Forge, and in 1777 advocated allowing freed slaves to enlist in the Continental Army, which resulted in a racially integrated unit in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment the next year. A founding member of the Society of the Cincinnati, Varnum also served as president of the Rhode Island Society. One can only wonder about his views regarding Rhode Island’s refusal to participate in the convention.
Majors David Humphreys and William Jackson have especially close relationships with Washington. At the end of the war when Washington resigned and presented himself to Congress, Humphreys was one of two aides who accompanied him. He then traveled with Washington and Martha back to Mt. Vernon and has remained a friend and confidante. Jackson served as one of Washington’s personal secretaries after the war and is studying law under a Philadelphia lawyer. In late April, he wrote to Washington asking for his help to secure for himself the position of secretary at the convention.
When Washington’s carriage reached Gray’s Ferry, a floating bridge spanning the Schuylkill River, the group was escorted by the Philadelphia Light Horse, festooned in their black and white silver-trimmed hats, white breeches and high boots. Artillery fired a thunderous thirteen-gun salute (one for each state) while church bells rang out and cheering crowds lined the street. The Pennsylvania Packet described “the joy of the people on the coming of this great and good man.” Mercifully, he had not been prevailed upon to deliver a speech.
Washington was immediately conducted to Mrs. House’s boardinghouse where he had arranged for accommodations. Robert Morris had written to Washington, inviting him to stay at his home, an invitation Washington had declined. However, Morris and his wife Mary were now at the boarding house to extend the invitation once again. This time, Washington agreed, recognizing he could not refuse such an offer in person. The Morris mansion was one of the finest in the city and only a short walk from the boardinghouse.
While his baggage was being unloaded, Washington “waited on the President, Dr. Franklin.” Revering Franklin as “wise, a great and virtuous man,” he and Franklin had not met since the country declared independence years ago. This was, indeed, an historic reunion.