Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/320

BENJAMIN CHEW, who drew up the report on the petition of the Vice-Provost and the Professors, was elected a Trustee on 1 1 January, 1757, to fill the vacancy made by the death of Dr. Zachary. The son of Dr. Samuel Chew, he was born at his Father's residence, on West River, Maryland, 29 November, 1722. He was young when his Father removed to the Lower Counties. After completing his education, he entered the office of Andrew Hamilton, the Councillor, but the latter dying in 1741, Chew went abroad and entered the Middle Temple in London. He returned to America in 1743, on hearing of the death of his Father, and was admitted an attorney of the Supreme Court of the Province of Pennsylvania in September Term, 1746, but it appears did not practice until about nine years later. His residence was at Dover, Delaware, and in 1751 he was included in the Boundary Commission as a repres- tative of the Lower Counties. He removed to Philadelphia about 1754. His reputation largely exceeded his age, and though so new a resident of Philadelphia he in January 1755 became Attorney General, succeeding Mr. Francis, and in August following, became Recorder of the City. And at the close of the same year he was called to the Governor's Council, in the midst of the excitement following Braddock's defeat. His was a busy life, filling these public offices ; and in 1765, to these were added that of the Register-General of the Province. In 1761 he built his Mansion, "Cliveden," at the then outlying town, Germantown. When William Allen resigned the Chief Justiceship of the Supreme Court in 1774, Chew was appointed his successor on 29 April. At the outbreak of the Revolution these offices fell with the Royal authority, which was their derivation, though his continuance as Register-General was made necessary by force of circumstances, and his acts were in 1778 validated by the Legislature. As a suspect he was under surveillance, during the Revolution, and was for some time under arrest; but he was released in June, 1778, and remained at his house in peace until the quietness of the times removed him from all suspicion. During his absence his house was the conspicuous figure in the Battle of Germantown, Octo-