USA > Pennsylvania > Ancient and historic landmarks in the Lebanon Valley > Part 2
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LANDMARKS OF THE LEBANON VALLEY.
illustrious grandson of Weiser, General Peter Muhlen- berg, who, in various battles of the Revolution gave such gallant and signal service to the great leader of the colonial forces.
It would be interesting to lead the reader into the very interesting sketch of this Pennsylvania German leader in church and civil affairs, but we are rather interested now in historic landmarks than in biography. Besides, the general reader knows the honored role this man played. Let it suffice to say that our State furnished no character, not even the illustrious Franklin excepted, with whom he was frequently associated in public service, who, in that colonial period of our history, did so much for the amicable settlement of land disputes with the aboriginal Indians as Weiser did. Where Penn inade one famous treaty, this man inade scores, only alas ! for the poor German's future reputation, they were never blazoned so conspicuously on the pages of our histories. In every significant dispute or settlement of lands with the In- dians from Albany, N. Y., to Richmond, Va., between 1732 and 1760, it is safe in assuming that Conrad Weiser played a prominent part. Now we find him with Benja- min Franklin, at Albany, N. Y., attending the first con- ference for Colonial Federation ; now with Governor Dinwiddie, of Virginia, settling a dispute and acting as Indian interpreter. Again we see him settling church disputes and healing factions in his own Tulpehocken Lutheran field ; and then he travels with Count Zinzen- dorf to Shamokin (now Sunbury) and aids in the estab-
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CONRAD WEISER'S HOMESTEAD AND GRAVE.
lishment of a Christian mission there among the Indians. At one time he is at the head of a regiment of German farmers, armed with flint-locks, pitch-forks, etc., march- ing against the invading French and Indian foes, and leading them all through the length of our valley from Reading to the Susquehanna. At another time he is in correspondence with Governor Morris for state aid and protection. Now lie is a plain farmer in his Heidelberg homestead, which was a landmark already in 1740, and known on old mnaps simply as "Weisers ;" then we find him as merchant or jurist in the city of Reading, or else assisting in laying out its streets.
So, while we turn away from this grave, we know we have stood above the dust of a truly great man, for whose life our German people especially, and all the State as well, should ever feel a profound respect and grateful indebtedness.
In the next chapter we shall pay a visit to the ancient town of Womelsdorf, founded by a relative of Weiser, and located on the edge of Weiser's original farm.
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CHAPTER III.
MIDDLETOWN ALIAS WOMELSDORF.
LESS than half a inile to the west of Conrad Weiser's homestead and grave, situated on part of this pioneer's original farm of one thousand acres, and on the Berks and Dauphin turnpike, well shaded by an abundance of lindens and other copiously foliaged trees, nestles the healthy and handsome little town of Womelsdorf, formerly known as Middletown, because situated mid- way between the early advancing and out-striding towns of Reading and Lebanon. It is laid out on rolling ground, thus enabling the slightest rain to carry off every vestige of filth and decay from its streets into a streamlet of purest spring-water that flows by its base, and because of which superior surface drainage, it enjoys the reputation of being one of the healthiest towns in Eastern Pennsylvania. Its streets are regularly laid out, and the chief of them are lined with comfortable, and in a few instances, with elegant and palatial residences. These qualities, together with its quiet and its beautiful rural scenery and its close proximity to the mountains, (a spur of the South Mountain Ridge), and its many springs of excellent water, have made it a rendezvous in summer months for a considerable number of former
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MIDDLETOWN ALIAS WOMELSDORF.
residents and their friends, who, when the dog-days drive them from their sweltering city homes, hie away to its cool abodes and shady streets. Thus it comes that modern Womelsdorf is quite a summer resort, and that every year a certain increasing number of pilgrims (the scions of old residents here), wend their pilgrimage to- wards this Mecca, and enroll themselves among its mid- summer guests. Nor have these any cause to regret their choice, based upon any inferiority in the social or intellectual qualities of its present citizens.
So much for modern Womelsdorf. But we seek to explore the olden village of Middletown, and must, therefore, enter its ancient highway and walk along its original thoroughfares. An old map shows that one of the first roads of this portion of the county led from the Schuylkill Ford (where Reading now is located) to Weiser's, and past his residence on beyond the Blue Mountains, by way of Relirersburg on to Sunbury. This road led past the Conrad Weiser home, just one field's breadth south of the present pike, and entered the town, as now built, through the corner lot of Mrs. Rev. Chas. Leinbach, obliquely across the pike where Mr. Fogel- man's residence is now located, past an old hostelry that used to stand on the fine lot of Mr. Harry Fidler, on across present building lots to where the present Rehrersburg road branches off from Franklin or "Blue" street. From this main thoroughfare two streets ran north and south, known by the suggestive names of "Schmalz-gass" and "Gnocken-strose." Along these
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
old streets are found to-day the oldest architectural landmarks in the shape of low, one-roomed, one-storied log cabins. Some of them have been repaired and re- modelled into convenient and inore modern looking homes, while a few have been left undisturbed under the ravaging influence of time and weather since their
SCHMALZ-GASS, WOMELSDORF.
first erection, more than a century and a quarter ago. One of the best specimens of this latter class is the di- lapidated log-hut at the corner of Franklin street and Rehrersburg road, at present owned and occupied by Mrs. Williams, a soldier's widow, and another widow
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MIDDLETOWN ALIAS WOMELSDORF.
woman by the name of McDonougli. The mnost inter- esting historic association attached to this old building is the fact that the same is pointed out as the place where the celebrated Baron Henry W. Stiegel, of Man- heim fame, when reduced in his worldly circumstances, ended his days in poverty, teaching an old-time school.
THE STIEGEL SCHOOL HOUSE, WOMELSDORF.
It is said that the Rev. John Nicholas Kurtz, of Tulpe- hocken, knowing the worth of the inan, secured him this position. It is known also that this once wealthy and philanthrophic Baronial prince served as clerk, and either with, or before, or for Mr. Ege, carried on the Charming Forge (on the Tulpehocken) and the Reading
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
Furnace (now the Robesonia Furnace). The Baron sleeps his last sleep in an unmarked grave of the Corner (Eck) church, north of Robesonia, while Mr. Ege rests in the Womelsdorf cemetery, with a humble stone marking the spot.
Another old landmark is the stone house next the
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THE SELTZER HOUSE, WOMELSDORF.
Lauck's mill in the eastern end of town, now occupied and owned by Mr. Isaac S. Bechtold. It was built in 1756. Another is the Seltzer House, one of the few hotels of the place. It is built of solid limestone, origi- nally but two stories high, but since enlarged, and occupies a conspicuous place along its main street at
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MIDDLETOWN ALIAS WOMELSDORF.
the head of a diamond-shaped town square. It is said to be the oldest built house of the town, and claims to have lodged General Washington on one of his visits to this place. Certain it is that President Washington lodged here on the night of November 13, 1793, but two other hotels make rival claims for the honor of having furnished this shelter, viz., the Central Hotel, a public house at present kept by Mr. Isaac Y. Kintzer, and a foriner log hostelry known as the Middletown Hotel, occupying the lot on which now stands Mr. H. P. Fid- ler's handsome residence. It is quite probable that the illustrious General made several stoppages here, and that more than one of these old hotels had the honor of entertaining this distinguished guest. It is certain that in 1838 President Martin Van Buren, passing through town, breakfasted at the Seltzer House.
The town itself was laid out about 1767 by Jolin Womelsdorf, who was either a son-in-law or grand-son- in-law of Conrad Weiser. There are old persons still living, among others Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kalbaclı, octogenarians and life-long residents liere (she being a daughter of Peter Womelsdorf, Esq., a soldier in the war of 1812-15, and a grand-daughter of the founder of the town), who claim the former, but investigation into Conrad Weiser's family record disputes this claim and confirms the latter opinion. These aged informants recently helped the writer on the track of finding the original manuscript autobiography of Conrad Weiser, which contains most valuable historic and genealogical
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
information, and from which a careful transcript was inade. This account places the matter of John Womels- dorf marrying a daughter of Conrad Weiser in great doubt, and therefore almost settles the question of his marriage to a grand-daughter.
This being part of the Tulpehocken settlement, all its first residents worshiped either at the Reed or the other Tulpehocken churches, or else later at the Heidel- berg or Eck's church, until the year 1793, when the first church of the town was erected. After this date most of the surrounding community worshiped liere and buried their dead on the first graveyard here laid out. Hence, we find many of the old settlers here sleeping their last long sleep. The original walls of the Union (Lutheran and Reformed) church edifice are still standing, the building itself having undergone several remodelings. Last year the united congrega- tions celebrated the centennial of its erection and pub- lished a brief historical sketch, from which it appears that this church was served from 1793-1809, on the Lutheran side by Rev. C. Emanuel Schultze, for a few years assisted by his son, J. Andrew, afterwards Gover- nor of the State.
Other Lutheran pastors :
Rev. Wm. Baetes . 18IO-18II
Rev. Daniel Ulrich . 18II-1851
Rev. Thomas T. Yaeger . . 1851-1855
Rev. Aug. Theo. Geissenhainer 1855-1856 Rev. Lewis G. Eggers . 1856- (?)
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MIDDLETOWN ALIAS WOMELSDORF.
Rev. Jeff. M. Dietzler (?) -1865
Rev. Aaron Finfrock . 1865-1891
Rev. W. W. Kramlich 1892-date
The Reformed pastors were the following :
Rev. Wilhelm Hendel, D. D. 1793-1829
Rev. Frederick A Herman 1829-1834
Rev. Charles A. Pauli . 1834-1855
Rev. Jacob D. Zehring . 1855-1860
Rev. George Wolf, D. D. 1861-1879
Rev. David U. Wolf . 1879-188I
Rev. Lewis D. Steckel 1881-1883
Rev. Levi D. Stambaugh 1884-date
Of all these pastors, the body of Dr. Hendel is the only one buried here. He sleeps near the church door by the side of his wife, suitable stones marking the spot. He was quite a power in the pulpit, and in the ranks of the Reformed ministry, in his day. The sec- ond Reformed pastor was a native of Germantown, and one of five brothers in the Reformed ministry. They were long independent of Synodical ties, but formed with others a sort of "Free Synod." To this pastor the common remark, indicative of correct preaching but somewhat inconsistent living, is traced as author, viz. : "Folget meinen Worten und nicht meinen Werken."
A stroll over the old cemetery shows us the names of old residents, long passed away, chiseled in fading epi- taphs on crumbling sandstone or erasive marble, and the experience is somewhat like turning the pages of an
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
album containing the pictures of old-time friends. Among these names are such as Fidler, Laucks, Leben- guth, Sallade, Buck, Moore, Tryon, Seibert, Kalbach, Bennethum, Schultze, Leiss, Ritschhart (Richard), Rieth (Reed), Ege, Ulrich, Stouch, Eckert, Ermen- trout, Weiser, Womelsdorf, Stites, etc. We found here the graves of a few children of Governor Shulze, who at one time resided in town, and also that of his brother Frederick, for years a successful merchant of this town.
We arrange here a number of the oldest tomb-stone records, abbreviated, as it may serve some genealogical purpose some day, and be convenient for reference :
I. W. S., 1728, U. S., 1799.
2. ROBERT WOODS [M. D. ], B. 1765, D. ISIO.
3. JABETZ WEISER, B. 1753, D. 1829. He was blind last years of life. His wife, Marialis Weiser, a born Wengert, B. 1754, D. 1835.
4. ANNA CATHARINE SALLADE, wife of Nicholas, B. 1727, D. 1806. 5. CHRISTOFER ERMENTROUT, B. 1754, D. 1825. Also Daniel Er- mentrout, B. 1798, D. 1836, and Samuel (son of Samuel and Maria Ermentrout, ) B. 1835, D. 1838, and Maria Magdalena, born Moyer, wife of Johannes Ermentrout, B. 1774, D. 1846.
6. GEORGE EGE, B. 1748, D. 1829. His wife Elizabeth, born Uber- feld, B. 1746, D. 1831. Also a son, Michael Ege, and his wife, A. M. Margaret. She was a daughter of Frederick A. Shultze. Another daughter of Shultze, Harriet, was married to John Ermentrout, of Reading, whose daughter, an invalid, is deeply interested in history and genealogical lore.
7. MAGDELA RITSCHARD (Richard), a born Reber, wife of John R., B. 1765, D. 1829.
S. PETER B. ECKERT, son of Peter and Susanna E., B. 1805, D.
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MIDDLETOWN ALIAS WOMELSDORF.
1824. David Eckert, son of Peter and Susanna E., B. 1795, D. 1825.
9. FREDERICK A. SHULTZE, son of Rev. Emanuel S., B. 1777, D. 1836. Maria R. Shultze, his wife, a born Hiester. Catharine E. Shultze, his sister, daughter of Rev. Emanuel S., B. 1782, D. 1845. Elizabeth Shultze, daughter of (S. M.). Andreas Shultze, B. 1802, D. 1802.
IO. JACOB SELTZER, B. 1732, D. 1788.
II. ELIZABETH WEISER, daughter of Benj. and Cath. Weiser, B. 1801, D. 1803.
12. JOHN BENNETHUM, B. 1765, D 1828, and wife, Maria Barbara, a born Minnig, and son George.
13. PETER WOMELSDORF (son of John), B. 1787, D. 1843.
14. REV. WM. HENDEL, D. D., oldest son of Rev. John William and Elizabeth H., a born DeRoy, B. 1768, preached 50 years, D. 1846. Revs. J. C. Bucher and Thos. Leinbach officiated.
Here also is the burial place of Conrad Stouch, born 1757, died 1840, who with Calder, of Harrisburg, owned the old-time stage line between Reading and Harris- burg, for whom Peter Kahl, of Lebanon, was a long familiar stage driver. He used to be proprietor of the Central Hotel.
Other old congregations of town were the Presbyter- ian, Universalist, New Lutheran and Evangelical, all of which are now defunct, save the last named. The most prominent adherents of the Universalist church were the Longeneckers, the Manderbachis (then keeping a hotel and summer resort at the Springs, where now the Bethany Orphans' Home is located), the Von Neidas, and others. Its first pastor, Rev. Mr. Longenecker, lies buried on the Union cemetery. The church, which was
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
a branch of the one at Reading, never prospered, and after some years the congregation was obliged to dis- band. So have the other churches disbanded and merged their membership with the two or three now existing congregations.
The town enjoyed the distinction of being a far-famed business place at the end of the first quarter of this cen- tury. This was the case immediately after the opening of the Union canal, and for a decade or two afterwards it rivalled Reading itself as a business centre. Not less than ten flourishing stores were then found here, which drew their custom for many miles around. These were kept by the Moores, the Eckerts, Fred. A. Schultze, Hirsch, etc. The Erinentrouts (ancestors of the Judge of Berks county, and the other Reading Ermentrouts), and other parties here carried 011 a flourishing business in hat-making.
Womelsdorf has also been noted for its eminent inedi- cal men. The Tryons of several generations, and the Livingoods of at least three generations, the first of whom was a student and married the daughter of Dr. Michael Tryon (whose wife was Elizabeth Seltzer, and is buried here), the father of Drs. James C. and Louis A. Livingood, have given this town a reputation for its prominence in the medical science for a century past. Other doctors have been here to add to this reputation, such as Drs. Wood and Moore and Sallade and others.
At present, and for some time past, the chief industry here is cigar manufacturing, which has flourished in
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MIDDLETOWN ALIAS WOMELSDORF.
such hands as those of the well-known firms of A. S. Valentine & Son, Harry Fidler, Messrs. Balsley, Shaff- ner, Hackman, etc. When all these manufactories run full they employ several hundred hands, and furnish a self-sustaining revenue for these people and this town.
CHAPTER IV.
THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE VALLEY.
TO-DAY I mean to take you to the site of the first church built within the valley. While the Scotch-Irish of Lancaster county founded a settlement north of the South Mountain ridge early in the last century, and soon established churches at Derry, Paxtang, etc., yet there is not any doubt that the Gerinans, who settled along the Tulpehocken, in the eastern portion of this valley, preceded these Presbyterians in the planting of their first church, and that therefore the first church ever erected in the valley, between the Schuylkill and the Susquehanna, was the original Tulpehocken church of the Lutherans, built in 1727, now known as the Reed's church. Though this first edifice has long since given place to another, and this to a third, yet we shall visit the interesting spot and look into the remarkable life and history of this first local Christian congregation.
From Womelsdorf we can travel up the turnpike until we have crossed the bridge that spans the Tulpe- hocken creek and the old Union canal, just a little east of Stouchsburg, and then turn to our right, where, a quarter of a mile to the north, on a slight eminence, stands the present church, a plain stone building bear-
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THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE VALLEY.
ing in its western wall a stone with the following in- scription: "Die Zion's Kirche Erbaut im Jahr, 1837." A better and more historic highway would be to take the narrow country road that skirts the Tulpehocken, and as this is the way the first settlers traveled, we shall choose it and accompany them to church. Hence, tak-
VIEW OF THE TULPEHOCKEN.
ing the Rehrersburg road at Steigel's famous school- house, and following it for half a mile to the northwest, we catch the first glimpse of the historic creek, along whose banks the events of this early settlement were enacted. Crossing this stream we turn to the left and follow the ancient road running parallel to this water-
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
course. The second farm-house is the old Lösch home- stead, where lived an old Moravian family, by whom the early Moravian bishops and missionaries were often entertained while riding over this circuit. The house was erected by Johannes Jacob Lösch in 1754, and his son or brother, George, was a leader in the Hebron Moravian church for many years.
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THE LÖSCH HOMESTEAD.
A little farther up the road is the Reed homestead, which remains substantially the same internally as when erected in 1723, by Lonhardt Rieth, the donor of the eight acres of ground upon which the church was built in 1727. The seventh lineal descendant, Mr. Franklin B. Reed still occupies this ancient homestead, and has gath-
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THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE VALLEY.
ered into it many valuable local church documents, some family bric-a-brac, and a large collection of Indian relics.
A short distance from this latter house stands the old Reed Church. Its location on a small knoll is alluded
THE REED HOMESTEAD.
to in the following lines, from the pen of Mr. L. A. Wollenweber :
" Do droben uf dem runde Berg, Do steht die alte Riethe-Kerch ; Drin hot der Parre Stoever schon Vor hunnert Jahr manch Predigt thun ; Gepredigt zu de arme, deitsche Leit In seller, ach ! so harten Zeit.
4
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
Auch wor die Kerch'n gute Fort
Gegen der Indianer wilde Hort- Un schliefen drin gar manche Nacht, Die arme Settlers wo hen bewacht."
FIRST TULPEHOCKEN (REEL) I,UTHERAN CHURCH.
The history of the erection of this first church, and the checkered story of its congregational life, to the present time is very interesting. It was in 1723 that about 60 families of German Lutherans immigrated
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THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE VALLEY.
hither from the Schoharie Valley of New York, where they had taken up a temporary abode in their flight from French Jesuitical persecutions in the Fatherland. Queen Anne of England proved to them a benefactress in sheltering them first of all in London, and then gratuitously transporting them to these new colonies of her realm. But the English money sharks up the Hud- son took the advantage of these innocent Germans, and soon beat them out of their possessions, when many of them came to this Tulpehocken country, and once more planted their humble huts in the wild forests among the Indians. They reached these parts by following the Susquehanna, until they came to the mouth of the Swa- tara creek, where now is situated Middletown; thence up this latter creek and across the divide, where they found this rich valley along the Tulpehocken. They were followed in 1729 by another exodus from Scho- harie, among whom was Conrad Weiser and his family.
But scarcely had the first party arrived, and built for themselves humble sheltering homes, when they con- templated the erection of a house of worship. Accord- ingly a public meeting was called in 1727, to which they invited all the settlers in a circumference of twenty miles. This convention was held in a log house or Indian fort, standing on the banks of the Millcreek, near Newmanstown, which fort had been erected for protection and defence against the Indians. It gave place in 1745 to a stone-fort still standing, and to which I propose to lead my readers in a later excursion.
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
At thiis called meeting the widely scattered German settlers were well represented. It is generally supposed that there was present also the Rev. Johann Casper Stoever, who afterward resided at Conestoga, Lancaster county, and in 1737 took up his abode in what is now Lebanon county, (two miles west of Lebanon, along the Quittapahilla), and lies buried at the Hill church on Lebanon county soil. But that statement is a mistake, for he did not land at Philadelphia from the Fatherland until September II, 1728, or over a year after the above event. He did, however, soon after his arrival, become intimately associated with this church enterprise. But the erection of this first house of worship was wholly the work of the laity, and the credit belongs to such pious leaders among them as the Reith (Reed) brethren, Adam and Leonhardt, the former of whomn is said to have presided at this meeting, and the latter to have donated sufficient land for church, school house and burial purposes, over eight acres in all. One George Scholl is said to have made the inotion to erect a house of worship, which was unanimously carried. Other leading lights in this convention were Michael Reith, Frederick and Michael Schaeffer, and Christopher Lechner, upon whom fell the choice of the superinten- dence of the erection of the building. It is asserted that in the devotions conducted at this meeting, Lu- ther's famous battle-hymn "Ein Feste Burg," was sung. If it was not as well rendered as it was at the "Luther Entertainment " at the Fisher opera house
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THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE VALLEY.
recently by the hundred of Miss Munshower's trained singers, it must have been equally appropriate and just as thrilling.
Under Mr. Lechner's superintendence, and by the assistance of men and women helpers, this first Tulpe- hocken church was completed in five months and dedi- cated in October of the same year (1727). It is not likely that any pastor was present at this dedication service, though it is generally claimed that Rev. Stoever officiated. If this, indeed, be true, then the church was not consecrated until a year after its completion. But as the parochial teacher stood next to the minister in official rank in those days, and as we know one was long employed to conduct religious worship in absence of a pastor, and that the parochial school was estab- lished here from the beginning, it is possible that the first teacher, whose name was Jacob Hannmer, a native of Manheim, Germany, officiated at the dedication of this first church.
The building consisted of hewn logs, with roof of thatch or tiles. The pews were made of the same ina- terial (logs with a hewn side for seats), while the pulpit was made of rough boards. An ordinary walnut table, 34x48 inches in dimensions, donated by one of the Reiths, was used as altar and communion table, which identical table is still intact, the property of Aaron Snyder, Esq., a lineal descendant of donor, living at Mt. Ætna, Berks county, Pa .- a relic of 167 years.
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