Cities: Philadelphia PA
| Name |
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| Birthname | Independent City | ||
| born on | 8 November 1701 | ||
| Place | Philadelphia PA, USA, 39n57, 75w10 | ||
| Timezone | LMT m75w10 (is local mean time) | ||
| Data source |
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| Astrology data |   16°06'   or 
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Biography
U.S. city. Population 1,417,601 (1999) -10.6% 1990-1999. Independent City.
First charter as a city was signed: May 30, 1691 N.S.
Second charter as a city signed by William Penn:
Nov. 8, 1701 N.S.
Incorporation as a city: Mar.11, 1789
Consolidated with Philadelphia County: Feb. 2, 1854
On July 26, 1684 O.S. (August 5, 1684 N.S.), the Provincial Council appointed a committee "to draw up a Charter for Philadelphia to be made a Burrough" but Young (1895) says, "there is no record of any further action on the subject" (Memorial History of the City of Philadelphia, Vol. I, edited by John Russell Young, 1895, New York: New York History Co., p. 77). Young (1895) conjectures that William Penn's departure that year for England caused the matter to drop (ibid).
On the "20th day of the third month [May] 1691" O.S. (May 30, 1691 N.S.), Deputy Governor Thomas Lloyd signed, with the advice and assent of the Provincial Council, the city's first charter that erected "said Town and Borrough of Philadelphia into a City" (from an exerpt of the original hand-written document reproduced in Young, 1895, pp. 87, 103). Although there is reference, in the minutes of the Provincial Council session of August 3, 1691, to the Mayor and Aldermen of Philadelphia appearing before the Council with a request, Young (1895) contends that this charter "[fell] into abeyance, if indeed it was ever put into operation, and the town consequently continued for ten years more without any municipal organization, administrative details being the business, as at first, of the Governor and [Provincial] Council" (p. 86).
The charter that erected "said town and borough of Philadelphia into a city" is dated October 25, 1701 O.S. (November 5, 1701 N.S.) but "The Papers of William Penn" edited by Dunn and Dunn (1987) note that the minutes of the Provincial Council state that it was signed by Penn on October 28, 1701 O.S. (November 8, 1701 N.S.), the same day he signed the Charter of Privileges (p. 110, footnote 15).
This city charter remained in effect until an act incorporating the city was enacted into law March 11, 1789 (1789 Pennsylvania Laws, Chapter 8, pp. 21-36).
The city was consolidated with Philadelphia County in an act approved February 2, 1854 (1854 Pennsylvania Laws, No. 16, pp. 21-46).
Copyright © 2002 by Gary Brand. All rights reserved.
For more city records call 434/823-6161
Source Notes
Dates of charters from replicas or reprinted documents in Memorial History of the City of Philadelphia, Vol. I, edited by John Russell Young, 1895, New York: New York History Co. Date Penn signed second charter is from Provincial Council minutes. Other dates are from legislation.
Categories
- Mundane : City Population : more than 500,000 population
