History of the Janney-Brown House

(AOY Art Center on the Patterson Farm)

Pre-1690:  Original Stone Cottage was constructed by settlers of Swedish or German descent (original stone cottage and well) 

1681-1691:  William Penn/Quakers/land grants by King Charles II (England) in repayment of a debt owed the Penn family

1691:  Thomas Janney purchases 280 acres extending from the Delaware River to what is today, Yardley-Langhorne Rd.  He later purchases 1000+ acres traversing the Makefields, Newtown and Middletown Townships 

1695:  Thomas Janney returns to England, property goes to his sons Jacob and Thomas Jr.

1730 - 1830:  Property purchased abt. 1730 and farm owned by John and Mary Brown for 100 years.  We believe that the Browns built the original 1.5 story stone farmhouse consisting of the stone hearth, cellar and an upstairs sleeping loft. 

1830:  A Janney descendant, Jacob, inherits home that is now Pritchard's Antiques and decides to purchase original Janney family land from the Browns.

1830-1837:  Jacob Janney greatly expands the 1.5 story stone house to the current federal-style, adding the extensive west addition, second and third stories and modifying the facades. We know when the house was finished by the date stone found in the apex of the west wing addition.

1837:  Economic Panic of 1837 forced Jacob, who mortgaged heavily to improve the building, into bankruptcy and the Janney family lost the property to the courts.

1841:  Property was purchased by the Yardley family. The Yardleys had large families over several generations and added wood/frame additions to the federal stone structure.

1949:  Property is sold to Thomas and Alice Patterson.  The wood/frame structures are found in poor condition and taken down.  Pattersons build Kitchen, install indoor plumbing, and construct the Porch.  They also build several “outbuildings” in support of farming operations.  The Pattersons had no children to pass along the farm.

1998:  Lower Makefield Township purchased the 233-acre Patterson Farm for preservation. A conservation easement is enacted to protect most of the property.

2010:  Artists of Yardley leases the building for a community Art Center.  The farm is leased to a community farmer and is actively farmed today.  Efforts are underway by the Township with the County to enact a conservation easement to ensure the entire remaining farmland is preserved for future generations.