James Marshall, a relative of Humphry Marshall—the namesake of Marshallton—had a gift that was given to the scientist by Benjamin Franklin nearly 200 years ago in his attic, writes Bill Rettew for the Daily Local News.

Marshall was renowned for his studies Botany and Horticulture, a well as astronomy. Ben Franklin, one of history’s most famous scientists, had gifted Marshall a telescope and microscope, the latter which is on display at the Chester County History Center.

During a conversation between Mark Slouf, a board member of the Friends of Martins Tavern and Sue Brauton, the niece of James Marshall, Brauton revealed that her uncle had the telescope in his attic.

“I just about fell flat on my face,” said Slouf. “Now to most people unfamiliar with Humphrey Marshall, this would have meant nothing, but it was a find of many lifetimes.”

After examination, it was determined that a manufacturer’s stamp from Edward Naime matches the stamp on the microscope. Naime had built many of Franklin’s scientific instruments.

The telescope and microscope were reunited to be together on display at the History Center.

Read more about the find in the Daily Local News.