History of Hatboro-Horsham 

Several hundred years ago, there was a little hamlet named Hatborough and a municipality known as Horsham... 

A long time ago, a hat maker named John Dawson founded a town called "Hatborough". The original land was purchased by Nicholas More from William Penn but it was not subdivided until 1705. Dawson was one of those people who acquired some land in the area at that time. The name of the place is said to be derived from one of the first stone houses built here, which was about 1705, and in which, shortly after, John Dawson followed for many years his occupation of making hats. This building likewise became a tavern and had for its sign a crooked billet, suggested by a popular inn then kept in Water Street, Philadelphia. It stood near the centre of the present town, on the old York road, where is now the dwelling-house of Oliver Watson, and into which, on being modernized, a portion was incorporated. By 1757, the budding town of Hatborough had a gristmill, a blacksmith shop, two taverns, and the Inn owned by John Dawson. But it wasn't until 1809 when the post office opened, that the name was shortened to "Hatboro" to save space on cancellation marks. 

Horsham was named after a town in Sussex County, England. In 1684, Horsham Township was 17-square miles. Samuel Carpenter, who lived in the original Horsham in England, bought 5,000 acres.

When Mr. Carpenter became Treasurer of Pennsylvania, he began selling tracts of his land to migrating Quakers. Horsham Township became a municipality in 1717. The first significant settlement in the township was at the junction of Horsham and Easton Roads and was known as Horshamville, Sir William Keith, acquired 1,200 acres of Carpenter's land to build an estate for himself. The road that led to his home actually helped to promote closer ties between Horsham and its neighboring communities. That was the beginning of Easton Road.