Date: Sun, 06 Jul 1997 14:15:15 -0400
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
From: Tom Rue [Tom@counsellor.com]
Subject: Lewis Rue and Mud Island
Dear Rues, et al.,
On 20 Apr 1787, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania let to Lewis Rue of Chester County "the meadow upon Mud Island in the River Delaware and the house thereupon" for seven years at a rent of Lœ15 the first year and £30 for each year thereafter (Phila. Co. LR D-18:335). Rue was also to have "the use and benefit of the wharves on said Island and the Fisheries," as well as "the Common use of the wharf belonging to the State on State Island for the purposes of going and returning to Mud Island." Rue was promised £100 for purposes of repairing the facilities on Mud Island. The monies appropriated were to be spent "first to under pinning the house next to the Wharf and doing such repairs to the wall at the north Corner as are Essentially Necessary and then to such other repairs of the Buildings there as may be agreed upon."
In 1777, 450 men at Fort Mifflin near Philadelphia withstood 40 days of bombardment from 94 ships of the British fleet. General Howe’s garrison in Philadelphia needed munitions and supplies before they could pursue General Washington’s Continental Army. Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer, straddling the Delaware River, blocked the delivery of these supplies, thus delaying the British. Fort Mifflin, which stands on Mud Island, still has its original moat. Some of the walls are from the Revolutionary period. The enlisted men’s barracks, underground bomb-proof vaults and fortifications have been restored. On Sunday afternoons, in addition to fort tours, there are militia guard drills and living history programs. A working blacksmith is often on hand to demonstrate how weapons were made. A museum completes the historical picture of events at Fort Mifflin.
FORT MIFFLIN, Pa., a United States military post on Mud Island in the Delaware River, near the mouth of the Schuykill River. It was built in 1771 as one of the defenses for Philadelphia. It figured in numerous engagements in the Revolution. Because it shut off the British in Philadelphia from communication by water with New York, Sir William Howe decided to attack it and also Fort Mercer. On 23 Oct. 1777 it was bombarded for several hours, but with little effect by a British fleet. Finally the British erected a strong battery on Provice Island and greatly reinforced their fleet. On 10 November they again attacked and after an almost constant bombardment for six days the Americans evacuated the fort and crossed over to fort Mercer.
Travel well,
-TSR
--
TOM RUE | CARMEN RUE | Opinions are the writer's alone. c. 1997.
Tom@counsellor.com | http://www.catskill.net/rue/
Replies
From: SURCHR@worldnet.att.net
Date: Sat, 06 Jun 1998 15:55:20 -0400
Reply-To: SURCHR@worldnet.att.net
To: Tom@counsellor.com
Subject: Mud Island
Hello,
Found you on the internet and the topic Mud Island interested me. My
community of Torresdale Manor faces Mud Island in the Delaware River,
Bucks Co., Pa. Some of your information was confusing - mentioning Ft.
Mifflin. The Mud Island here is just that - MUD and some growth but at
high tide it is under water. No house could be built there. I believe
it is now owned by Bensalem Twp. I'll check this out to be sure. Our
local History Book has a small notation that it was once called Fairview
Island. Our local children used to consider it a challenge to be able to
swim from our beach area to the island where they did "belly slides" in
the mud. Could there be TWO Mud Islands in the Delaware River?
History buff,
Arline
Thanks for your interesting note. I don't have anything else to tell you about Mud Island, but would you mind if I appended your e-mail to the file I have on the web? I believe we're probably talking about the same island. If you find anything out in your further checking, I'd be most interested. It seems possible, btw, that the size and grade of land above the water line has changed more than just a bit in the last 200 years. Dams upriver (on the East Branch of the Delaware, not the main stem) have noticeably altered the level and flow of the river in just the last few decades.
From: SURCHR@worldnet.att.net
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 22:42:46 -0400
Reply-To: SURCHR@worldnet.att.net
To: rue@catskill.net
Subject: Mud Island
Hello Tom,
Feel free to add my comments to your file. My curiousity has been
"tweaked" and I will look into this further. Since I look at Mud Island
almost every day I'd like to know more of it's history.
This is not verified but I believe, not too long ago, it belonged to A.
Mercer Biddle who owned the Estate next to my community.
Will let you know what I find.
Arline
From: SURCHR@worldnet.att.net
Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 00:16:03 -0400
Reply-To: SURCHR@worldnet.att.net
To: rue@catskill.net
Subject: Two "Muds"
Hello Tom,
I did a little furthur searching. Your Island and mine are two different ones and about 20 miles apart. I mentioned before that MY island was previously called Fairview. For many years it was "owned" by Mercer Biddle who held a 99 years lease. the Biddles moved and I'm not sure how or at what point it came under the jurisdiction of Bensalem Twp. Bucks Co.
In the Phila. Historical Soc. Library is a book called Encyclopedia of Phila. (3 Volumes) by Joseph Jackson (National Historic Assn - 1932.) There was not enough time to copy the entire article but this is a wrap-up. In Vol. 3.............
"Mud Island is in front of a portion of State Island and between Hog Island and the mouth of the Schuylkill River. In Jan. 1762 The Assembly of PA made an appropriation of 5000 lbs (British) for execution of a fort on Mud Island to be mounted with 20 canon. It was called Mud Fort and remained one of the defenses of the Delaware River at the beginning of the Revolution. In 1777 everything was knocked down by enemy attack. It was later rebuilt and named Mifflin in honor of Gen Thomas Mifflin."I hope to get back to the Library and finish copying. This Island is located at the South end of Phila. My island is past the north east boundary of Phila. If you can find a good map of Phila. it is near the International Airport. It is so close to the shoreline that one has to look closely to see that water surrounds it.
Arline
The Rue family in the U.S.A.