Powhattan Mills in Chester, Pennsylvania

David Reese Esrey (December 4, 1825 – April 11, 1898) was an American businessman and banker from

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester is ...

Early life

Esrey was born in

Ridley Township, Pennsylvania Ridley Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The population was 30,768 at the 2010 census. Ridley Township contains the census designated places of Folsom and Woodlyn along with the unincorporated communities of Crum Lynne a ...

to Jonathan and Margaret (Kerlin) Esrey. He was educated in the public schools of Nether Providence, Pennsylvania.

Career

In 1844, Esrey obtained a position in a general store in

Brookhaven, Pennsylvania Brookhaven is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,300 at the 2020 census. Geography Brookhaven is located at (39.870662, -75.390915) with an average elevation of above sea level. According to the U ...

. Within six years, Esrey became the owner of the business. In 1863, Esrey entered into business partnership with Hugh Shaw for the manufacturing of cotton goods. The firm purchased an interest in the Pennelton Mills in

Aston, Pennsylvania Aston Township is a township (Pennsylvania), township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 16,592 at the 2010 census. History Aston was first settled in 1682 as a municipality and was ...

and began making Powhattan Jeans. In 1866, Esrey and Shaw built a mill just outside the city limits of Chester, Pennsylvania and named the area Powhattan. Esrey and Shaw built a second mill in 1871 and third mill in 1877. The property containing the three mills was approximately 20 acres. The goods manufactured in these mills were known as Powhattans, Covingtons, Provident and all wool jeans. In 1878, Esrey became a director of the

Delaware County National Bank Delaware County National Bank is a historic bank building in Chester, Pennsylvania, located at the southwest corner of 3rd Street and Avenue of the States (formerly Market Square) adjacent to the Old St. Paul's Church burial ground. It was built ...

and served until his death. In 1879, the firm became a limited corporation under the name Shaw, Esrey & Company.

Philanthropy

Esrey was president of the Board of Trustees of the

Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church is a Methodist Episcopal Church built in 1874 in Chester, Pennsylvania, Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located at 701 Madison Street. The buil ...

and contributed generously to the construction of the church. Esrey was one of the managers of the Chester Hospital.

Personal life

In 1850, Esrey married Margaret Marker and together they had five children. Margaret died in 1866 and Esrey subsequently married Sarah E. Blakely. Esrey is interred at the

Chester Rural Cemetery Chester Rural Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery founded in March 1863 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Some of the first burials were Civil War soldiers, both Union and Confederate, who died at the government hospital located at the nearby building w ...

Legacy

Esrey Street in Chester, Pennsylvania (formerly known as Pine Street) was named in honor of Esrey.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Esrey, David Reese 1825 births 1898 deaths 19th-century American businesspeople American bankers American company founders American manufacturing businesspeople Burials at Chester Rural Cemetery Jeans Manufacturing company founders People from Chester, Pennsylvania People from Ridley Township, Pennsylvania