1. “When still a young man, he removed from Philadelphia to the ajoining county of Chester, settling in the town of the same name, his certificate of removal being dated 12 mo., 23, 1707. Upon this point a writer has said:
‘Removing to the city of Chester, the county seat of the then county of Chester (now Delaware), in Pennsylvania, in 1707, he purchased a large tract of land, erected buildings, and engaged in mercantile business. These old buildings still (1896) stand, but a large stone which had been built in the front wall with the initials J.H. 1707 and some characters in the Welsh language cut thereon, has been removed in making alterations in the past few years.’
The following year (1708) he erected a commodious dwelling house on his property on Edgemont Street. He had learned the tanner’s trade in Philadelphia, and this avocation he followed after settling in Chester. That he was financially successful in business is evident by the extent of his estate at the time of his death. As early as 1722 he was the third largest taxpayer in Chester. That, also, he was recognized as a leader among his fellows is proved by the fact the he was chosen in 1731 and again in 1743 as county commissioner of Chester County, and in 1752 he was selected a representative in the Provincial Assembly. Among his other activities may be noted the fact that he very often acted as arbitrator on road-juries, commissions for public buildings, etc., for which positions only the more prominent of the colonists were chosen. That Jacob Howell was influential in Society of Friends is evidenced by the fact that he was a duly recognized minister or ‘Public Friend’ of that sect. His services in this direction covered a period of over half a century. He was also, for many years, treasurer of the Chester Quarterly Meeting. His death occurred March 17, 1768, announcement of the event appearing in the Philadelphia Gazette of March 24, 1768, as follows: ‘Since our last died Mr. Jacob Howell, at Chester, aged eighty-one years, a preacher of note among the people called Quakers.’ ” [48]