USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > A history of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania; from the earliest settlements to the present time, including much valuable information for the use of schools, families, libraries > Part 4
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Then after an interval of 33 years of peace war broke out between the United States and Spain on account of Spain's mode of warfare in Cuba, and at tbe call of the President, Little Lehigh responded nobly by sending two full companies and others who enlisted in other companies. Companies B, Capt. Medlar and D, Capt. Spangler, 4th regiment National Guards of Pennsylvania.
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The regiment was commanded by Colonel D. B. Case, of Lancaster, Lieut Colonel O'Neill, of Allentown. They saw service in Porto Rico and they gave a good ac- count of themselves, showing the same spirit of patriotismi as the forefathers did in the Revolutionary war, War of 1812, Mexican war and Civil war, ready at a moment's notice to answer to their country's call in the hour of need.
During the war times many things happen which are both funny and heartrending, showing the anxiety of the people. Some are full of life and seem indifferent, while others taking a more serious view of the matter are wishing they could stay at home with their friends. It is a sad thing when time for part- ing comes, when the wife and children bid husband and father goodbye, friend bids friend good bye, etc., with the thought on their minds that perhaps they would never see each other any more. No one who has not witnessed the de- parture of the soldiers to the seat of war, can comprehend it. Waving of hands and handkerchiefs, cheering amid the sobs and cries of the dear ones that left. But when the soldiers came back from war the scene was different, everybody was in cheerful glee and trying to do all they could to give the brave defenders of their country a royal welcome.
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CHAPTER VI.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
HE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS of the county were begun with the ad- vent of the first settlers. The principal works of improvement are the Le- high Canal which was built from above Mauch Chunk to Easton for bringing the Carbon county coal to the Philadelphia and other markets, and by its construction it brought into operation the iron industries along the Lehigh Val- ley. The destruction of the same by the great treshet in June, 1862, led the Le- high Coal and Navigation Company who owned the canal, to abandon the idea of rebuilding their dams and locks above Manch Chunk and substitute a railroad in its place, thus began the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad, all the improve- ments had for their object the development of the Lehigh Valley.
In 1838, the Hamburg, Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton R. R. Com- pany was chartered by the Legislature. It was begun near Hamburg, passing through Kutztown to Allentown and from there to Bethlehem and Easton. The road was to have been commenced within five years and completed in ten, the road was never built, the building of the other roads led the projectors to abandon it. The Perkiomen R.R. Company was chartered in 1852 and finished in 1876, passing through the lower end of the county. The Catasauqua & Fogelsville R.R. was chartered in 1853 and finished in 1857. It passes through the centre of the county and is an outlet for the iron ore mines, and crosses the Jordan Valley by the celebrated iron bridge in South Whitehall township, a distance of 1165 feet, consisting of It spans of 100 feet each. It connects the East Pennsylvania branch of the P. & R. R. R. at Alburtis and with the Lehigh Valley and Lehigh & Sus- quehanna Railroads at Catasauqua. The Lehigh Valley R.R. connects Easton with Mauch Chunk and with its extensions and branches forms a great trunk line between New York and the West, passes through the beautiful Lehigh and Wy- oming valleys.
The East Pennsylvania R. R. Company was chartered in 1857, connects Allentown and Reading and has large and increasing trafic for freight and coal. The Ironton R.R. Company was chartered in 1859 and connects Coplay and Ironton. It was built by the Coplay Iron Company to bring ore for their furnaces. The Berks & Lehigh R.R. Company was chartered in 1871 and connects Reading and Slatington and runs through the upper part of the county and is an outlet for the products of that section. Besides there are many other improvements as can be seen in the cultivation of the farms and the improvements of the public road and the various manufactories, mines and quarries, etc.
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CHAPTER VII.
EDUCATION.
HE EARLIEST schools of the County were almost without exception, estab- tablished at or in connection with the Lutheran and Reformed churches and the pastor was the teacher. In most cases the school houses preceded the churches and served the double purpose of church and school. These schools were not strictly church schools, they were not supported by the church. Each parent who sent children to school was compelled to pay in proportion to the number of days sent. In those days the teacher generally boarded around. In- struction was given in reading, writing and arithmetic.
The first school in the County was established in 1725 in connection with the Swamp church, Lower Milford township, and remained open until recently. The Mennonites opened a school in Upper Milford, near Zionsville, between 1735 and 1749. A little later a school was established by the same denomination in a fine grove between Centre Valley and Coopersburg. At Dillingersville, Lower Milford, a school was established by the Lutherans in 1743. The congregation selecting a tract of land of about thirty acres, a little west of the village, for which they received a patent thereon in 1770, and erected a school house which served the double purpose of church and school until 1791. After that it was used only for school purposes and known as the Upper Milford school house.
By Act of Assembly, this property was sold in 1871, for the sum of $4,050 which amount is placed on interest as a special school fund, giving the sub- district at present a ten months' term. The children living within two miles of the school house are entitled to attend the school during the summer term, giving them a great advantage over the surrounding districts. The Moravians com- menced a school at Emaus in 1746, one year previous to their organization of the church in 1747. Christopher and Mary Heyne were the first teachers at Emaus, in 1752 the Moravian school at Oley, Berks county was removed to Emaus, and in 1753 both were removed to Bethlehem on account of the indian troubles in the County.
At Egypt, Whitehall township, a school was established in 1733. At New Tripoli, Lynn Township, the oldest school in the upper part of the county was established in 1750. At the same time schools were established at the Le- high church, Lower Macungie and at Heidelberg church, Heidelberg township.
In 1790, John and Jane Wetzel conveyed by deed to the trustees and their successors, two acres of land for school purposes at Centreville, near the borough of Macungie. The property was sold in 1868 on ground rent reservation and the annual receipts therefront, amount to one hundred and fifty dollars, which with the sum otherwise provided, enables the district to have ten months school termi annually. Andrew Eisenhard, Cornelius Hughes and John Herman, in 1790, donated two acres of land at East Texas for school purposes and erected
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thereon, at their own expense a school house, this property was sold in 1874 for $3,750. The district derives the sum of two hundred and twenty-six dollars an- nually, a portion of which is expended in maintaining a summer school.
In 1760, a great drawback was made in the schools of the county, caused by the teachers leaving their profession and entering the ministry, as many of the congregations could not secure regular pastors. And less qualified teachers took the places as teachers, consequently the schools suffered much from the change. When the schools were first started the instruction was exclusively in the German language until 1800. In 1820, the English language was introduced in most of the progressive schools of the County, and taught in connection with the Ger- man. During the same period very few entirely Engiish schools had been estab- lished in the County.
The first entirely English school was established at Egypt in 1809, and Jacob Kern was the first teacher at a salary of fourteen dollars a month, the school was kept open until 1857. The English School Society of New Tripoli was organized in 1812 and opened a school there which was kept until 1850. At the same time English schools were opened at Allentown and Balliettsville in 1816, in Upper Saucon in 1833. When the free school system in 1834 was first put into operation it met with fierce opposition, but which soon passed away and since that time the schools have made rapid progress. There are many graded schools in the County outside the boroughs. The schools are under the supervision of the County Superintendent of Public Schools, who is elected for three years by the school directors of the County, the first Tuesday in May every third year. His duties are to hold examinations for examining applicants for teachers certificates and grants the same to those who pass the examination successfully. He has power to grant two grades of certificates, the first one is a provisional certificate, good for one year only and cannot be renewed. The second one is a professional certificate which holds good during his term of office and is good for one year under the new superintendent, is granted only to those who have acquired pro- fessional skill in the art of teaching.
He holds teachers and directors meetings, the County teachers institute, local institute and other meetings that seem necessary for the benefit of the schools under his supervision. He has charge of all the schools outside of Allen- town, and his entire time is given to the attention of the schools under his charge.
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CHAPTER VIII.
SOIL, ANIMALS, ETC.
T HE SOIL of the County is very fertile and suitable for raising all of the grains pertaining to the temperate zone. The grains raised are wheat, rye, corn, oats, barley, buckwheat, potatoes, etc. Dairying and trucking are carried on a large scale. The products raised find ready market in Allentown and surrounding towns. The climate is delightful and healthy, well suited for the industry of the people, and the natural resources are great, nowhere can be found a people that are more industrious and frugal than the people of Lehigh County. The principal industries are cotton and woolen, boot and shoe, silk and knitting manufactories, hardware, cutlery, breweries, furnaces, foundries, flour mills, tobacco, cement, etc., which gives employment to many people. The other em- ployments are farming, mining, dairying and trucking.
The geological ages are as follows : Ist, Azoic, 2d, Palaeozoic, 3d, Mesozoic, 4th, Camozoic (new life), representing three period sand four divisions. To the Azoic age belong the South Mountain belt of rocks, extending from Eas- ton on the Delaware to Reading on the Schuylkill in a broken line, where they sink under a plain of the next higher order or Palaeozoic age, which constitute in our county, the limestone and slate in the valley and the sand rocks in the Kittatinny Mountains. In the past ages the South or Lehigh Mountains now averaging one thousand feet above the sea level, were an immense mountain sys- tem of five miles in height, covered by 30,000 newer rocks, comprising the lime stones and slate of the Lehigh Valley, the sand rocks of the Blue Mountains, the shales, hydraulic limestones and sand of Stroudsburg and Lehigh Valley. The red and white sand stones of the Mauch Chunk Mountain and the one north of it. Remnant of the Palaeozoic age are still found in the patches on the South Moun- tains. The character of these rocks are principally of two kinds :- Ist, strictly stratified. thick bedded, massive gneiss, a mixture of granular quartz, white or pink feldspar with the absence of mica, belonging to.that variety of gneiss called granulite. 2d, stratified syemite, a mixture of hornblende feldspar, little or no quartz, magnetic oxide of iron is found abundantly in the hornblende rocks In Lehigh county, the mountain mass is split in two by the Saucon Valley, the western half called the Lehigh Mountains, is a belt two miles wide composed chiefly of the harder syemite gneiss, extending from Bethlehem through Upper Saucon, Salisbury and Upper Milford townships The other belt is mostly con- fined to portions of Upper Saucon and Lower Milford townships.
The Palaeozoic rocks in the County are the Potsdam sandstone of which only two members have been found in the County, the sandstone, the upper slate, magnesian limestone and others. The Mesozoic age is found along the Bucks county line in Upper Saucon and Lower Milford townships. The Camozioc
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is the new age and is found sparingly in the mud and gravel along the Lehigh river.
Principal formations of the different townships of Lehigh county are as follows : Hanover, shale, slate and limestone ; Heidelberg, shale and slate ; Lower Macungie, syenite and limestone; Lower Milford, red sand, stone and syenite ; Lowhill, shale and slate; Lynn, shale and slate; North Whitehall, shale and limestone ; Salisbury, syenite, quartzite and limestone; South White- hall, limestone ; Upper Macungie, limestone and shale ; Upper Milford, shale and slate ; Upper Saucon, red sandstone, syenite and limestone; Washington, shale and slate ; Weisenberg, shale and slate ; Whitehall, shale and slate.
Mountains and Hills. The Blue Mountains form the northwest boundary of the county, the Lehigh or South Mountains in the southern part are the only mountains within the County. There are several hills or knolls which will be mentioned under the head of townships in which they are located.
Rivers and Creeks. The Lehigh is the only river in the County, and forms the boundary between the Lehigh Gap and the north line of Hanover town- ship, Lehigh county, and of Northampton county, and from there forms the boundary line between Hanover and Salisbury townships. Its most important branches in the county are Trout creek, which rises at the foot of the Blue Mountains in Heidelberg township, flows east in the Lehigh River two miles below thd Lehigh Water Gap, turning a number of mills. Antelawny or Maiden creek rises in Lynn township flows west along the Blue Mountains into Berks county where it empties into the Schuylkill river. It turns many mills. Coplay creek rises in North Whitehall township, flows southeast into the Lehigh River, between Catasauqua and Hokendauqua about 5 miles north of Allentown, turning several mills but often fails in the dry season. Jordan creek rises at the foot of the Blue Mountains in Heidleberg township flows in a very crooked course south- west into the Little Lehigh creek at Allentown about 100 feet above its mouth. This stream turns many mills and the quantity of its water depends on the season. The Little Lehigh Creek rises in Lower Macungie township flows east into the Lehigh river at Allentown, many mills are along its banks. There are numerous smaller streams in the county, which are principally in the townships where they will be described.
Animals. The following wild animals are found in the county, the red and grey foxes, raccoon, mink, rabbit, opossum, woodchuck, skunk, cat, flying, ground, red and grey squirrel, chipmunk and weasel. Birds. The birds are the eagle, turkey buzzard, screech and great horned owl, fish hawk, heron, whippor- ville, night hawk, mocking bird, swallow, quail, blue bird, black bird, crow, robin, gold finch, oriole, wren, jay, crane, cat bird, sparrow and others.
Botany. Among the plants that are found in the county are the daisy, calomel, mullein, bitterwort, thistle, burdock, golden rod, aster, balsam, bella- donna, bloodroot, buttercup, catmint, chamomile, etc. Trees. The forest trees are white, red, black, burr and scrub oak, chestnut, maple, hickory, birch, beech, pine, walnut, wild cherry, etc. ; the fruit trees are the apple, apricot, peach, plum cherry, pear, quince, crabapple and others.
Religious Denominations. The following denominations are found in the County : Protestant Episcopal, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, Evangelical Association, United Evangelical, United Brethren, Mennonite, Mennonite Brethren in Christ, Free Methodist, Sweden- borgian, Catholic and Moravian.
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CHAPTER IX.
GEOGRAPHY OF TOWNSHIPS.
H ANOVER. This township lies east of the Lehigh River, and is bounded on the north and east by Northampton county, south and west by the Lehigh river. The population was at the last census of 1900, 3,324. The Lehigh river aud Monocacy creek are the principal streams that water the township. The soil is fertile and of limestone formation ; The land is level and the principal occupations of the people are farming, stock raising, dairy, trucking, and there are also iron works, flour mills, silk mills, tanneries, brick works, fire brick works, lime kilns, limestone quarries, etc.
VILLAGES-Rittersville, a town midway between Allentown and Beth- lehem on the Allentown and Bethlehem turnpike and the Lehigh Valley Traction railway ; it has a fiue park and is a nice Summer resort for the city people, has numerous stores, hotels, churches, schoolhouse and cemetery. It was founded in 1808 by Michael Ritter. The population in 1900 was 525. Schoenersville, situ- ated on the boundary line between Hanover township, Lehigh county and Han- over township, Northampton county, the population in 1900 estimated about 200. It contains a store, hotel, post office, and was founded in 1784 by Adam Schoener. East Allentown was founded in 1828 is a suburb of Allentown, it contains several stores, hotels, mills, tannery, fire brick works, lumber yards and limestone quar- ries. The Lehigh canal, Lehigh and Susquehanna R.R. and the L. V. Traction railway pass through the place. It is connected with Allentown by a fine large bridge. Population 1200. Post office-Allentown. The earliest schools in the township were at Schoenersville, Rittersville and West Bethlehem. The free school system was accepted in 1834, while the other townships in the County rejected it in that year. It contains excellent schools both graded and ungraded. The first road in the township was the one leading from Bethlehem to Gnaden- hutten, (now Lehighton), and was laid out by order of the court of Bucks county in 1747, it was used as a military road from 1755 to 1761. The next road was the one leading from the Philadelphia road in Salisbury township crossing the Le- high river by a ford near the old house on the Geissinger's farm, passing through what is now Rittersville and Schoenersville.
This township is bounded on the north by Carbon county, east Heidelberg by Washington township, south by Lowhill township, west by Lynn township. Population in 1900 was 1411. It was organ- ized as a township in 1752, it included at first Lynn and Wash- ington township, and lies in the northern part of the County. The surface is hilly and the Blue Mountains cross the northern part of the township, Bake Oven Knob is situated in the northwestern part, the soil is white gravel and is, however, capable of producing good crops, if well cultivated. The principal streams that
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drain the township, are the Jordan and Trout creek with a number of smaller streams, and furnish abundant waterpower for mills and manufactories.
Alle-mangel, the whole region enibraced in Heidelberg and Lynn town- ships to Albany township, Berks county, known by that name, meaning wanting everything, namely, no roads, no place of defence against the Indians. The settlers were of German descent and were kept constantly in alarm, during the Indian Wars in the colonies in 1755-56, the township was nearly de- serted hy the settlers, who fled to Bethlehem and other places for refuge from the savages who had threatened their lives and properties. The next alarm was when the settlers heard of the Whitehall massacres in 1763.
The settlers helonged to the Lutheran and Reformed denominations, and churches were founded all over the township and were well attended. They strictly adhered to their faith and tried their utmost to bring their children up in the precepts of Christianity. They were honest to the core ; as the following il- lustration will show : When a man loaned $500 or $1,000 from his neighhor the lender did not even take a note but merely marked down the amount of the money and the time opposite. When the amount or interest, was paid, it was marked with a piece of chalk against the house joists or on the large house clock. When the money with interest was due it was always forthcoming and there was hardly a failure. It was considered a crime if one failed to fulfill his agree- ment. They held to the old maxim "His word as good as his note."
The oldest church in this township is Heidelberg church, organized in 1740 and is one mile east of Saegersville nearly in the centre of the township. Rev. J. F. Schertlein was the first Lutheran pastor and Rev. P. J. Michael was the first Reformed minister.
The settlers of this township were nearly free from incursions, scarcely a murder was committed while nearly all of the surrounding settlements were de- stroyed. Fathers Longnour, Kemmerer and others went to Gnadenhutten and assisted in burying the dead after the massacre there. The reason that the set- tlers were so free from indian troubles was due to the Providence of God and the fact that no indian villiage stood within the limits of the township. The nearest one was in Lynn township on the other side of the Blue Mountains and south of the Blue Mountains on the other side of the Lehigh River. An Indian path led in a straight line from Lehigh Gap through Saegersville. The first public road laid out was in 1770, and during the later years many good roads were made in this township. The highest point in the township is Bake Oven Knob on the top of the Blue Mountains, 1560 feet ahove the sea level, it heing the center of the county line of Lehigh and Carbon counties, and it has been for years a signal station in the United States Coast Survey. The summit of the knoh affords a fine view of the surrounding country. Bear Rock, two miles west of the Bake Oven Knoh, is another point 1,500 feet above the sea level. There are three rocks standing in a row connected hy smaller ones piled on top of each other ; it is the dividing line between Lehigh, Carbon and Schuylkill counties, a fine view can he had from its summit, looking southwest, the city of Reading can he seen, hy the naked eye, the smoke as it pours forth from the stacks of the numerous fur- naces, factories, mills, etc. Looking south over our county, Allentown and the beautiful Kittatinny valley dotted with thriving towns and villages can he dis- tinctly seen hy the naked eye at least twenty miles distant. Viewing Carbon county, Switchback, Delaware Water Gap, etc., are seen distinctly. Tourists proclaim the finest scenery they have ever viewed with the exception of the Alps. The scenery that one can view from the Bear Rock presents the grandest view
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that can be met with anywhere. In 1832 a rifle factory was established by Philip Hess, Jr., one mile west of Balliett's furnace, on a road leading from the road from Saegersville to Lehighton across the mountains ; the road is still known as the factory road. The factory was in successful operation for a long time and was later on used as a distillery. The first grist mill was erected in 1808 by John J. Snyder, on Jordan creek later known as Kressly mill. The Schuylkill and Lehigh R. R. passes through the township, giving an outlet to the farmers for their products. The schools compare favorably with those of the other town- ships in the County, and are steadily advancing : the teachers are progressive and the Board of Directors are energetic, doing the best for the schools under their supervision.
VILLAGES-Saegersville, a post village situated six miles west of Slat- ington, contains a carriage factory, hotel, one store, post office which was estab- lished in 1829, daily mail. It was founded in 1760 and is a popular stopping place for city folks who leave the confines and tumults of our large eastern cities during the sultry Summer months. Population 460. Deibertsville is situated two miles east of Saegersville, contains a post office and a number of dwellings, was founded in 1842, population in 1900 was 60. Germansville, one mile west of Saeg- ersville, contains a store, hotel, machine shop, brick kilns, post office, is on the Schuylkill and Lehigh R.R. Founded in 1742 by Adam German, and the present population is about 320. Pleasant Corner is one and one-fourthi miles southwest of Saegersville, contains a store, hotel, grist mill. Founded 1744 by John Rice and population in 1900 was 300.
Bounded on the northeast by Salisbury township, southeast by Lower Macungie Upper Milford township, northwest by Upper Macungie town- ship, southwest by Berks county. Population in 1900 was 2,920. It is one of the richest townships in the County, the soil is very fertile and productive and is of limestone formation. Rich and valuable hematite ores are found. The Flats near East Texas in this township are especially rich in iron ore. The principal streams that drain the township are the Little Lehigh and Swabia creeks. Industries are the Lockridge furnace near Alburtis, Macungie furnace, flour mills, etc. The people are largely engaged in farming, mining, dairying, trucking. The schools are in fine condi- tion and compare favorably with the schools of the County. The teachers and directors are working together for the welfare and advancement of the schools under their supervision. The first settlement was made in 1738, near Macungie, by some German settlers led by Michael Schaeffer.
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