It  then  passed  into  the  possession  of  his
heirs,  who  conducted  it  as  their  property  until
1849.  It  was  long  known  as  the  "  Brown-
ing Ferry."  In  1849  a  charter  was  obtained,
as  is  evidenced  by  the  following :

"  Wliereas,  Abraham  Browning,  Maurice  Brown-
ing, Charles  Browning,  Edward  Browning,  Eleanor
Browning,  and  Catharine  Browning  now  own  the
ferries  between  Market  Street,  in  the  city  of  Cam-
den, and  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  with  the  real
estate,  boats,  ships  and  appendages  belonging  there-
to, which  property  not  being  in  its  nature  suscep-
ble  of  division  without  great  prejudice,  and  liable
to  embarrassment  or  inconvenience  by  death  or
other  misfortune  while  thus  jointly  held,  the  said
owners  desire  to  be  incorporated,  that  they  may,
with  greater  security  to  themselves  and  advantage
to  the  public,  improve  said  ferries."

The  name  was  the  "West  Jersey  Ferry
Company,  and  Abraham  Genge,  Maurice,
Charles  and  Edward  Browning  were  made
directors  by  the  act,  to  serve  as  such  until  Oc-
tober following,  when  others  were  lo  be
elected  and  the  number  of  directors  increased
to  nine.  This  was  the  second  of  the  ferries  to
pass  into  the  hands  of  an  incorporated  com-
pany, the  Federal  Street  Ferry  having  passed
into  the  hands  of  the  Camden  and  Philadel-
phia Ferry  Company  nine  years  before  and
the  Kaighns  Point  Ferry  to  the  South  Cam-
den Ferry  Company  three  years  later.
The  presidents  of  the  company  have  been
Joseph  Porter,  William  Clark  and  James  B.
Dayton  ;  secretaries  and  treasurers,  Edward


Browning,  Isaac  Porter,  Amos  Rudderow.
Benjamin  Sutton,  was  the  first  superintendent,
taking  charge  in  1849,  followed  by  Daniel
Bishop,  and  in  1852  by  Wm.  Morrell,  who  re-
mained until  January,  1857,  when  John  G.
