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Immigrant John Street arrived in Philadelphia at a time when a new nation was forming. Life must have been extraordinary
for him and his family. Philadelphia, the provincial capital of Pennsylvania was a true eighteenth-century metropolis,
the largest, wealthiest city in British America, and the most beautiful. The Delaware River had a continous traffic
of ships both great and small. It was America's busiest port, inbound ships bringing exotic goods from the West Indies
and outbound ships carring lumber and wheat. Pennsylvania was also known for its religious tolerance, and with an abundance
of good land to the west, Philadelphia was the principal entry point to America. By 1776 its population was approaching
30,000. As conceived by its English Quaker founder, William Penn, in 1682, the plan of Philadelphia was a spacious grid.
Its streets were tree lined and lamps lit by whale oil.
Public spirited Philadelphian's inspired by Benjamin Franklin had established the first volunteer fire company in the
colonies, the first medical school, the first botanical garden, and a library. As it was, Philadelphia manufacturers
and artisans produced more goods than in any city in America- boots, wigs, hardware, carriages, franklin stoves, mirror glass
and bricks. There were as many as thirty book shops and twice as many taverns and coffeehouses.
However, by 1775, Philadelphia had become a capital of a revolution. Troops were drilling; lavish entertainment
out of the question. Congress was in the throes of creating an army. The summer brought a terrible heatwave, followed
by an autumn of torrential rains. Smallpox and other diseases broke out and created panic amonst the citizens.
British spies had infiltrated the government and tensions ran high. War with the British was just on the horizon.
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List of Surnames
The Street surname is analogous to the French name De la Rue and the Italian Strada, meaning a public
road or highway. The English surname Street was undoubtedly assumed from the fact that so many parishes and villages
were so named. There are a great many "Street" place names in the Counties of Sussex, Somerset and Kent. The first
mention we find of Street as a surname is in the Hundred Rolls, where it is written in the old Anglo-Saxon fashion, Atte Strete.
There is no "official" Street family Coat of Arms, rather a number of different coat of arms which belong to individual surname
Street.
I am still searching for which family in England my ancestor John Street came from so I
do not know which Coat of Arms represent my family. During that time there was a common naming practice that eventually
may help me discover John Street's family in England.
The 1st son was usually named after the Father's Father (Robert)
The 2nd son was usually named after the Mother's Father (John)
The 1st daughter was usually named after the Mother's Mother (Elizabeth).
The second daughter was usually named after the Father's Mother (Jane).
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