East Bradford Township near West Chester in Chester County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Gilbert Cope
1840 - 1928
Gilbert Cope, eminent genealogist and historian, was born in the house on this property. Author of a number of genealogies of Chester County families, he was dedicated to the preservation of Quaker records and of the archives of Chester County. He was a founder of the Chester County Historical Society and, with J. Smith Futhey, wrote a monumental History of Chester County.
Southdown, as this property is called, was named for the Southdown sheep Gilbert Copes father brought from England.
Erected 1985 by Chester County Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Quakerism series list.
Location. 39° 57.615′ N, 75° 38.36′ W. Marker is near West Chester, Pennsylvania, in Chester County. It is in East Bradford Township. It is on West Strasburg Road (Pennsylvania Route 162) half a mile west of Highland Road, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 901
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Greater Philadelphia. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Stroud Preserve (approx. 0.7 miles away); Down by the Waters Edge (approx. 0.7 miles away); 1107 W. Strasburg Road (approx. one mile away); Site of the Star Tavern (approx. 1.1 miles away); Jefferis Ford (approx. 1.4 miles away); Battle of the Brandywine (approx. 1.4 miles away); The Worth/Jefferis Rural Historic District (approx. 1½ miles away); a different marker also named Jefferis Ford (approx. 1½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Chester.
Also see . . .
1. Chester County Historical Society. (Submitted on May 19, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)
2. Link to a photo taken by Gilbert Cope. ...The first mowing machine in Chester, PA [Chester County] (Submitted on October 18, 2011, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 17, 2011, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,416 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 17, 2011, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania. 3. submitted on December 13, 2013, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania. 4. submitted on May 17, 2011, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.



