Pearsons Corner, Delaware
| Pearsons Corner, Delaware | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
 Pearsons Corner
Pearsons Corner
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| Coordinates: 39°9′14″N 75°38′59″W / 39.15389°N 75.64972°WCoordinates: 39°9′14″N 75°38′59″W / 39.15389°N 75.64972°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Delaware |
| County | Kent |
| Elevation | 66 ft (20 m) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code(s) | 302 |
| GNIS feature ID | 216176 |
Pearsons Corner is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Delaware, United States. Pearsons Corner is located at the intersection of Delaware Route 8 and Delaware Route 44 west of Dover.
In 2009 a cultural resource survey was undertaken by the Delaware Department of Transportation. This survey has illuminated early life in Pearsons Corner. Much of the following information is extracted from this report.
Pearson’s Corner is located in West Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, approximately ten miles west of Dover. What is now Kent County was originally part of the Whorekill County, as it was named by early Dutch settlers. It became an independent territory under the name St. Jones County in 1680 and was transferred to William Penn in 1682. Though there is no extant record of the change of name to Kent County, historian J. Scharf contends that it was likely done at the time of this transfer. There were few settlers and no village of real importance in St. Jones/Kent County in the 17th century. A census taken just after the formation of the county in 1680 enumerated only 99 people and subsequent settlement occurred slowly, driven mostly by migrants from Maryland who settled along the streams and waterways of central Delaware (Scharf 1888:1028-1029).
In the early 19th century a new road was laid out connecting the Road from Dover to the Horse Head to the community at Dinah’s Crossroads to the north. The area of present-day Pearson’s Corner continued to be marked by large farms as the Rash and Pearson families became increasingly strong presences in the community.
By the second half of the 19th century, a road had been constructed from Pearson’s Corner south to Hazlettville (or George Town) and a small village had coalesced at the crossroads formed by this road and the road to Dover. By the middle of the 19th century, the intersection was home to dwellings as well as a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, store and granary that served both the rural community and travelers. The roads leading away from Pearson’s Corner were dotted with scattered farmsteads.
Before Joseph Rash Sr. died in 1837, he had sold a 15 acre parcel at what is now the northeast corner of Pearson’s Corner to Joseph Rash Jr. (Kent County Deed S2/214). After his death, the remainder of Joseph Rash Sr.’s 300 acre tract was divided into four smaller farms. A 60 acre parcel adjacent to the aforesaid 15 acre tract was devised to John H. Rash who subsequently purchased the 15 acre parcel from the heirs of Joseph Rash, Jr. Thus, by 1840 John H. Rash owned a contiguous 75 acre farm at the northeast corner of Pearson’s Corner. In 1845, John H. Rash sold the farm to Moses Rash who owned the property until his death in 1887 (Kent County Deeds P3/117 and A4/61). Moses Rash was a farmer who cultivated grain and fruit for the market. He erected a “fine residence” on his property in 1849 (J.M. Runk & Co. 1899:1370) and Price and Rea’s map of Delaware confirms that a dwelling was certainly standing on the property by 1850. Located approximately on the lot at present 5752 Forrest Avenue, this dwelling remained standing into the 20th century. In 1846 Elijah Crouch purchased the 100 acre farm that had previously been laid off to Elizabeth Course in Elizabeth Roe’s will, from John and Elizabeth Jones, the heirs of John Jones. Though a dwelling house existed on the property when the Kent County Orphans Court ordered the division of the lot in 1839, it is unknown whether this dwelling was standing at the time of Crouch’s purchase. Regardless, Crouch built a new dwelling house on the property between 1850 and 1859 and this house is still standing today at 3299 Hartly Road. Crouch also built a house on the south side of the road from Dover to the Horse Head between 1850 and 1859, but this house was removed by 1868.
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