Passyunk (A place of sleep). The name of an In clian village and a tract of land computed at i.ooo acres, was originally given by Queen Christiana, August 20, 1653, to Lieutenant Sewn Schute and to his wife and to his- heirs, in consideration of good and important services rendered to the King of Sweden by the said gallant Lieutenant. On Jan- uary i, 1667-68 Colonel Ricard Nichols of New York granted Passyunk to Robert Ashman, John Ashman, Thos. Jacob Dunkin Williams, Francis Walker, Thos. Hewelin, Fred’k. Anderson, Joshua Jacob, and Thos. Jacob at a quit rent of ten bushels of wheat per year.
Passyunk was the first tract of land above the Marshland in the Neck, which latter since has become fast land. It fronted on the Schuylkill River from above Point Breeze up to a little stream called Penney’s Creek, or Piney Creek, which Mr. Henry says means in the Delaware language “A place to sleep/’ Passyunk, according to Henry, means “A level place/’ A place below the hills.” There were no villages in this township, but it was at one time a favorite place for country-seats.