Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Thornbury Township is a township in Delaware County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 7,093 at the 2000 census. It is adjacent to, and was once joined with, Thornbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
.
, the township has a total area of 9.3 square miles (24.0 km²), of which, 9.2 square miles (23.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.43%) is water.
of 2000, there were 7,093 people, 1,360 households, and 1,153 families residing in the township. The population density
was 769.1 people per square mile (297.0/km²). There were 1,387 housing units at an average density of 150.4/sq mi (58.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 64.68% White, 31.09% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.10% from other races
, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.72% of the population.
There were 1,360 households out of which 44.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.9% were married couples
living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.2% were non-families. 12.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 20.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 172.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 160.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $82,441, and the median income for a family was $91,179. Males had a median income of $65,671 versus $36,750 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $21,987. About 0.9% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
, Governor of the nearby English colony of Virginia
. The land was "discovered" and explored by Henry Hudson
in 1609, and over the next several decades it was variously claimed by the Swedes, the Dutch, and the English. Its original human inhabitants were the Lenni-Lenape tribe of American Indians.
Once the Dutch were defeated, King Charles II of England
made his grant to William Penn
in order to found the colony which came to be named Pennsylvania
. The land within the present boundaries of Thornbury Township was taken up by "first purchasers" from William Penn. The original grant documents were copper-plate prints on parchment; some still survive and show a price of 100 English pounds for 5,000 acres (a little over 2,000 hectares).
The Court of Equity in Chester
recognized a separate Thornbury Township in 1687, and appointed township officers. At the time, the area was only in Chester County
, one of the original counties chartered by William Penn; Delaware County had not yet been formed. Thornbury was named after the English birthplace
of the wife of George Pearce, who in 1685 had been granted title to 490 acres (198 hectares) in the Township.
The Battle of the Brandywine, the only major battle of the American Revolution
fought in Pennsylvania, was within sight and sound of the western part of the township; follow-up military operations took place in the township (see below).
In 1769, the Pennsylvania Assembly authorized the division of Chester County and the creation of Delaware County
. In plotting the boundary between the two, Thornbury Township was divided. Border landowners were asked if they wished to remain in Chester County or be in Delaware County. The line thus drawn was quite irregular, and as a result, the northern boundary of the Delaware County township (like the southern boundary of its Chester County counterpart) is distinctly jagged (see map).
Thornbury Township was enlarged by annexing the northern portion of Aston Township in 1837; that township was dissolved. The boundaries of Thornbury have remained unchanged since.
The township is the location of "Thornbury" house, home of Revolutionary War figure Persifor Frazer
. After the Battle of the Brandywine, his wife Mary stood down a British raiding party in a celebrated incident. The house and barn survived the war, but are now in ruins.
is partially located in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, and partially in Thornbury Township, Chester County.
, a residential facility for male juvenile delinquents, is in Thornbury Township.
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 7,093 at the 2000 census. It is adjacent to, and was once joined with, Thornbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Thornbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Thornbury Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,017 at the 2010 census. It is adjacent to, and was once joined with Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.-History:...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 9.3 square miles (24.0 km²), of which, 9.2 square miles (23.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.43%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,093 people, 1,360 households, and 1,153 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 769.1 people per square mile (297.0/km²). There were 1,387 housing units at an average density of 150.4/sq mi (58.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 64.68% White, 31.09% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.10% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.72% of the population.
There were 1,360 households out of which 44.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.2% were non-families. 12.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 20.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 172.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 160.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $82,441, and the median income for a family was $91,179. Males had a median income of $65,671 versus $36,750 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $21,987. About 0.9% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
History
Thornbury Township lies in the river and bay drainage area named "Delaware" in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La WarrThomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr
Thomas West, 3rd and 12th Baron De La Warr was the Englishman after whom the bay, the river, and, consequently, an American Indian people and U.S. state, all later called "Delaware", were named....
, Governor of the nearby English colony of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The land was "discovered" and explored by Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
in 1609, and over the next several decades it was variously claimed by the Swedes, the Dutch, and the English. Its original human inhabitants were the Lenni-Lenape tribe of American Indians.
Once the Dutch were defeated, King Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
made his grant to William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
in order to found the colony which came to be named 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...
. The land within the present boundaries of Thornbury Township was taken up by "first purchasers" from William Penn. The original grant documents were copper-plate prints on parchment; some still survive and show a price of 100 English pounds for 5,000 acres (a little over 2,000 hectares).
The Court of Equity in Chester
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
recognized a separate Thornbury Township in 1687, and appointed township officers. At the time, the area was only in Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
, one of the original counties chartered by William Penn; Delaware County had not yet been formed. Thornbury was named after the English birthplace
Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
Thornbury is a market town in South Gloucestershire, England, approximately 12 miles north of the city of Bristol, with a population of 12,342 at the 2001 UK census. The town hosts South Gloucestershire Council headquarters and is twinned with Bockenem in Germany. Thornbury is a Britain in Bloom...
of the wife of George Pearce, who in 1685 had been granted title to 490 acres (198 hectares) in the Township.
The Battle of the Brandywine, the only major battle of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
fought in Pennsylvania, was within sight and sound of the western part of the township; follow-up military operations took place in the township (see below).
In 1769, the Pennsylvania Assembly authorized the division of Chester County and the creation of Delaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
. In plotting the boundary between the two, Thornbury Township was divided. Border landowners were asked if they wished to remain in Chester County or be in Delaware County. The line thus drawn was quite irregular, and as a result, the northern boundary of the Delaware County township (like the southern boundary of its Chester County counterpart) is distinctly jagged (see map).
Thornbury Township was enlarged by annexing the northern portion of Aston Township in 1837; that township was dissolved. The boundaries of Thornbury have remained unchanged since.
The township is the location of "Thornbury" house, home of Revolutionary War figure Persifor Frazer
Persifor Frazer
Persifor Frazer was an American farmer, soldier, and industrialist, and the founder of one of the most prominent families of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. After the Battle of the Brandywine, his wife Mary stood down a British raiding party in a celebrated incident. The house and barn survived the war, but are now in ruins.
Government and infrastructure
The George W. Hill Correctional Facility (Delaware County Prison) Delaware County Prison is located in the township.Education
Cheyney University of PennsylvaniaCheyney University of Pennsylvania
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public, co-educational historically black university that is a part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Cheyney University has a campus that is located in the Cheyney community within Thornbury Township, Chester County and Thornbury...
is partially located in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, and partially in Thornbury Township, Chester County.
Community
Glen Mills SchoolsGlen Mills Schools
The Glen Mills Schools is a residential facility for juvenile delinquents located in Glen Mills and in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. David Barstow of the St...
, a residential facility for male juvenile delinquents, is in Thornbury Township.