Historic Quaker Houses of Delaware County, PA

The Pusey House
The Oldest Anglo-American House in Pennsylvania
The Only House with William Penn Association
Built in 1683 and ca.1696
By Caleb Pusey

Above: The Caleb Pusey House. 15 Race Street, Upland, PA. Image source: Wikiwand

The Pusey House is considered the earliest surviving English-built house in Pennsylvania. The house was built in the vernacular tradition of 16th and early 17th century English models. It is also the only home extant in America known to have been visited by William Penn. The house was lengthened by1696, when Chester Monthly Meeting held sessions there.
Caleb Pusey (ca.1650 - 1727) was an English Quaker and one of the earliest settlers in Pennsylvania. Originally from Berkshire, England, he became a close associate of William Penn and joined him on the voyage to the colony aboard the Welcome in 1682. Penn appointed Pusey as his agent and manager of the Chester Mills, which included the first proprietary grist and saw mill in the colony.
Pusey served in the Assembly, the Executive Council, and the Council of State. He was an overseer of the Public School, now the William Penn Charter School.

 

 

 The Caleb Pusey House “has been certified by the 1949 State Commission as the earliest English-style and English-built house, unmodernized and intact, still standing in the Commonwealth. It has more connections with William Penn than any other house in the New World. His homes in Philadelphia are gone. Pennsbury Manor is a re-creation. But to this unmodernized cottage, locally called “the Billy Penn House,” Penn came on several occasions, both on business and in friendship.” Quote: Friends Journal, April 1, 1961m

 

 

Above: A gambrel roof replaced the gable roof ca 1752. Shed dormer were probably added at same time. In the mid-19th century window and door were cut in the east wall. Image source: Historic American Buildings Survey

 

 

Above: Image source: Internet Archive

 

 1961- Restoring the Caleb Pusey House:

Above: Image Source: Friends Journal, April 1, 1961. Illustration by H. T. MacNeill. Internet Archive.

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