USA > Pennsylvania > Ancient and historic landmarks in the Lebanon Valley > Part 8
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Therefore, leaving the comfortable and ancient old manse of the Reformed by the Tulpehocken, we will go up its waters, along which our forefathers inade the first settlement in this valley. First, then, we come to the old mill property, known for over a century as the "Church Mill," because until recently it was owned by
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
the congregation and turned out one grist for the tem- poral support of the church and another to furnish the supporting staff of the temporal life of its membership. Thence, going up the windings of this stream, there is not an old homestead from here to its source, five miles west, that has not a story of earnest struggle and anxious fear, because of the many depredations of the savages, hid away in its early history. Here the land was first occupied by the earliest settlers, because of the water convenience. Here the Schoharie fugitives first squatted and developed their plantations, for which most of them afterwards paid. Along this stream, the Millbach and the Swatara, the very first homes in the valley were founded. Many of these homesteads have come into other hands, but until recently many were still in the possession of the direct descendants of tlie original owners.
If we would take our stroll up the turnpike, just a quarter of a mile at most places north of this creek, and running in the main parallel to it, we could the better point out these old settlements, because this excellent highway is on higher ground. And thither let us re- pair to gain the best point of view. Our line-a line of vision, however-will still be long enough to let the baited look drop into this stream to our south, and also into the "Owl Creek," that rises in the hillsides to our north and flows in a westerly and southwesterly course, emptying into the Tulpehocken just east of Myerstown.
Along the Tulpehocken are the Haack and Kreitzer
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A STROLL ALONG THE TULPEHOCKEN.
and Briddebach (Breitenbach) estates and others. Along the Owl creek are the homesteads of the original An- spachs, Walborns, Lauers, Noackres, Lenne, and so forth. The whole of this territory to the north and south, and even more than is included in this described district, lying east of Myerstown, situated in what is now Jack- son township, was originally taken up by one Casper Wister, who is described in all ancient documents as " the brass-button maker of Philadelphia." The writer was recently shown, by the present owner of the Brei- tenbach farm, Mr. Richard Miller, of Myerstown, an old parchment deed, dated August 7, 1754, which legally conveyed the small tract of about four acres from Martin Noacker and wife to Philip Breitenbach, for the sum of 35 pounds, 8 shillings and 6 pence. Said tract was a portion of a farm which Martin Noacker bought of John Noacker in 1750, who had purchased it from Casper Wister, "the brass-button maker of Phila- delphia," who had received, November 10, 1738, by in- denture from the proprietaries, the amount of 1, 724 acres, at an annual quit rental of one red rose for 10,000 acres. On this four-acre tract an Indian fort was erected by Philip Breitenbach, to which the neighbor- ing inhabitants were wont to flee in cases of emergency during the war period with the Indians. We are told that the great-hearted Breitenbach "was wont, 011 inany occasions of alarm, to take his drum and beat it on an eminence near his house, to collect the neighbors from work, into the fort. On one occasion the Indians
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
pursued them close to the house, when one of the in- mates took up a gun and shot the Indian dead on the spot."-Rupp's History of Berks and Lebanon Counties.
On this "eminence " of Breitenbach, evidently east of his home, where we find it as of old, let us take our stand and " view the landscape o'er." We are just half a mile east of Myerstown. Our feet now rest on truly
THE BREITENBACH INDIAN FORT HOMESTEAD, EAST OF MYERSTOWN.
historic ground. Facing the west, before us lies the Breitenbach homestead, on the south of the pike. The headstone on barn (second building) bears date of 1802. By it, at the base of the brow of this historic "emi-
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A STROLL ALONG THE TULPEHOCKEN.
nence," flows the "Owl Creek," in which, tradition says, General Washington watered his liorse on one of his visits to or journeys through this valley. To the left, but a little over a stone's throw from the pike, stands an old stone residence, with arched cellar, seven- teen steps deep, for safe refuge from the savages, which may be the Indian fort which Breitenbach built, though another spot near the Owl creek is pointed out as the place where, until recently, the ruins could be seen. This old relic, still standing, but fast going into decay because no longer occupied, is now the property of Mr. Harry Kreitzer, of Philadelphia, who, just a little east of our observation point, has a comfortable residence for lıis summer quarters. Near this place, on the Kreitzer estate, is the stone crusher-long since idle, after a futile attempt at gold mining. To our right, on the north side of the pike, almost near enough to touch the roofs of the buildings, is the present Tice homestead, but for a long time used as a hotel, and built by Peter Len, in 1777. It is a large and well-kept limestone country house, surrounded by ample grounds as yard. A special stone in the side of the house facing the road- way, bears the somewhat common legend found on old homes in this district, namely:
GOTT . GESEGNE . DIE- SES . HAVS . WER DA GET EIN . VND . AVS . 1777. PETR . LEN . EFA LENIN
II
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
As a door-step, a broken milestone has done service for many years. It bears the following information to the wayfarer that may chance to try the knocker of this hospitable home, and who casts his eyes downward while awaiting a response:
17
To PH
76 M
To RĘ
20 M.
HR B LCC
-
Over this door-step have walked the Tice family, as they took leave of the old home-some of whom have since gone out to their long home. One son has used it as a stepping-stone from a peaceful and quiet home- life into the prominence and usefulness of a professor's life, and is now employed in some institution in Mont- gomery county.
A little north of the Tice homestead is the Noacker farm, with its imposing farm dwellings, settled early, as we have already seen, on a portion of the "brass-button maker's " tract. Beyond this place is the Lauer home, where the greatest benefactor (?) to the bibulous of old Berks and of East Pennsylvania generally, was reared- the noted beer-brewer of Reading, Mr. Frederick Lauer.
Between the Tice homestead and the Noacker farm, the grading of the land still shows where the old road wound around the steep "eminence" of Breitenbach, before the Berks and Dauphin turnpike was located right over it. It crossed the Owl creek at about the same place the pike does, and took a westerly and
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A STROLL ALONG THE TULPEHOCKEN.
south westerly course from thence to the Tulpehocken, south of Myerstown, where still stands the residence of this town's founder, Mr. Isaac Myers.
And right here, in front of the old Breitenbachı home, where this pioneer parted this life, we will part com- pany for the day. Let me only add that Mr. and Mrs. Breitenbach lie buried side by side on the Christ Tulpe- hocken Lutheran graveyard, and their graves are marked by fitting stones. The following is a specimen of their tombstones, the wife's (Elizabeth) being similar to his :
Hier Ruhet
PHILIP BREITENBACH War gebohren den 6 October 1725 und starb den 26 October 1790 War alt 65 Jahr und 20 Tage.
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CHAPTER XVII.
TULPEHOCKENTOWN, ALIAS MYERSTOWN.
IT may not be generally known, even to the inhabi- tants of the town itself, that Myerstown-the place we are about to "do" historically to-day-was originally called Tulpehockentown. It is a question whether all the Lebanon county towns had not better kept their first names and thus carried out the evident wishes of their modest founders, who stood as sponsors when these local communities were originally christened. There certainly seems more beauty and taste in such names as Newburg, Heidelbergtown, Nassau, Williamburg and Tulpe- hockentown, than such bold appellations of ownership as a later generation attributed and expressed in the present sobriquets of Newmanstown, Schaefferstown, Stumpstown, Jonestown, and Myerstown. Lebanon has done wisely in dropping the assumed name of its founder and adopting instead the euphonious Scriptural name first given to the township in which it was located. Think of such a city as Lebanon being called by the German jawbreaker, Steitztown !
But what is there in a name? Well, in the instance of most of our country towns, it preserves a fact in the history of their founding. And since they teach us his-
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TULPEHOCKENTOWN, ALIAS MYERSTOWN.
tory, we shall let them stand. Only what I have to say concerning first names is history also, and therefore I insist on being heard when I recall to the minds of my readers what is evinced from old documents, that the original name given to Myerstown was Tulpehocken- town. It does not require any extensive search, or any stretcli of the imagination, to find a reason for this. The town was located on the banks of this streamn, close to which stood, and still stands, the house of its founder, Mr. Isaac Myers. Let me therefore lead iny readers to this landmark, from which to take bearings.
Leaving the Breitenbach "eminence," just east of town, the old road was identical with the pike, from the east about a square into town, from whence its course branched off this present main thoroughfare of the borough to the southwest, till it reached the Tulpe- hocken, at where the Myers residence is still found, about a quarter of a inile due south of the town center. There is an old log house-now encased in weather- boards-that still stands at this junction of the pike with the old road, which faced this original highway and stands therefore at an angle to the pike, which it also attempts to front. When Isaac Myers in 1768 laid out the village, this old highway still led through a dense forest, and within it were planted, as the first scattered homes of the new settlement, the houses of Christian Maurer, Henry Brill, Nicolas Gast, Messrs. Haussegger, Schumacher, Hoffman, Schnell, etc., most of them honest German artisans. As early as 1738 a tract of
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
321 acres was conveyed by "the brass-button maker of Philadelphia " (Casper Wister), to Henry Bassler, whose descendants of the fifth generation still "hold the fort " in the western end of town. This family has been
THE ISAAC MEIER HOMESTEAD, MYERSTOWN.
prominent in the annals of the town. The grandfather of the present John H. Bassler, who attained a reputa- tion for brilliant services in the late rebellion, Simon Bassler, Sr., "was detailed as one of the company called upon to guard the captured Hessians imprisoned for a time at Hebron."
Mr. Isaac Myers, the founder, was a native of this val- ley. He built his home on the banks of the Tulpehocken
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TULPEHOCKENTOWN, ALIAS MYERSTOWN.
about the middle of last century. Here he reared his fainily, some of whose descendants have made their mark in life. Among them are such names as the Hiesters and Reilys and Woods-families into which his daughters were married. Both Captain John Reily and Col. Joseph Wood, two sons-in-law, achieved notoriety during the revolution. The late Prof. Win. M. Reily, Ph. D., long at the head of Palatinate College* (Re- formed) located here, was a descendant.
The old house has passed out of the family hand and name, and is now the property of Dr. W. C. Kline, the enterprising druggist of town. It is quite a relic of antiquity. Its walls are three feet thick, it having often sheltered the neighbors from the attacks of the Indians. The present owner has carefully kept in their original condition the garret rooms, which were once occupied by the colored slaves of its first, likewise their owner and master.
The manner in which so conspicuous and enterprising a career as that of the founder of Myerstown came to an end is worthy of note. Being elected to the office of magistrate, there were public acts of his to be performed which incurred the enmity of some persons. Hence a snare was set for taking vengeance on him. Being sum- moned away from home one night on the ostensible pur- pose of transacting business at some wayside inn, Mr. Myers answered the call, and here fell a victim into tlie
* This school is now (1895) the Albright Collegiate Institute of the United Evangelical Church.
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
hands of his secret foes. Sitting with his back to a window, he was fatally shot from the outside. He lived long enough to be taken to his home, however, whither lie summoned a few friends with whom he held an interview, after which he requested his wife never to search for his murderers nor prosecute them if discovered, as their guilty conscience would be punishment enough for them. He thien died in the bosom of his family. We found his grave in the old Tulpehocken Reformed graveyard marked by a large, flat stone, about 212 by 6 ft., covering his entire grave. The following inscrip- tion is still quite legible :
HIER LIGT IN GOTT SELICH ENTSCHLAFEN
ISACK . MEIER IST GEBOHREN
1730 DE 4TE
IANVARI. IST GESTORBEN 1770 DEN 5TE
IVLI. SO WAR
SEIN GANZES ALTER 40 IA-
HR V. 6 MONAT
SEIN LEIGEN TEXT STET
IN DER ERSTEN EPI. PETRI
IM 5TE C H. IM 8. V. 9. VE.
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TULPEHOCKENTOWN, ALIAS MYERSTOWN.
Dr. Kline is also the owner and occupant of another noted landmark of this town. This is the residence of the late Governor J. Andreas Shultze. It is a well known fact that after this illustrious son of the pious
THE SHULTZE HOUSE, MYERSTOWN.
Lutheran pastor at Tulpehocken had himself studied for the ministry and made an attempt of its arduous labors, finding himself physicially incapacitated for its trials and hardships in that day, relinquished the sacred call- ing and entered secular life. He settled in Myerstown, and for a number of years carried on the mercantile business here. This place is somewhat centrally located
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
on the north side of its main street. It has been used for the past sixteen years as the site of the town postoffice, and only abandoned as such recently at a change of the complexion of our National administration. Since 1879 this old store stand and home has been the property of Dr. Kline, whose family occupies the domestic portion of the historic edifice, while the doctor's drug-store fills the newer portion of the building, not used by the post- office, which latter is a room of about 30 by 25 feet in dimensions, now vacant since the ex-postmaster, Mr. Milton Myers, was obliged to hand his keys and co111- inission over to his Democratic successor. The stone barn erected on the rear of the lot still bears the date of its erection and the initials of the once illustrious owner and dweller here, through whose veins flowed at suc- cessive stages of his life the blood of theology, business and statesmanship. The following is a fac-simile of this date stone :
J. A. S.
1808
It would seem as if ownership or occupancy of this Shultze house brought distinction in its course, for there has not been a possessor of it since, who has not grown
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TULPEHOCKENTOWN, ALIAS MYERSTOWN.
into some degree of local fame. From Shultze the prop- erty passed into the hands of Daniel Stine, esq., who was afterwards elected to the legislature. He trans- ferred it to Mr. Joseph Coover, who; was elected associ- ate judge of the county in 1866. So likewise it was owned by Mr. Burkholder, who attained some promi- nence; and by W. M. Ulrich, who rose in the rebellion to the distinction of General, and who has since the late war founded an independent settlement in Virginia, about 20 miles south of Washington, D. C., which he has named "Mt. Herndon," and where he resides in af- fluence and honor. The writer gives this timely notice to the present owner to prepare himself for the "light- ning " of greatness which has been accustomed to take this old building as a favorite conductor. "Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, but some have greatness thrust upon them."
By going a few hundred yards to the west of this Shultze house, we come to the spot where until recently stood, to the south of the pike or main street, an old landmark of historic interest. This was the old school house of ante-revolutionary founding. The site is now occupied by a modern frame house owned by a Mrs. Dundore. The writer was recently shown a parchment deed by ex-Judge Coover, dated Sept. 12, 1765, wherein Simon Bassler and his wife, Eva Maria, conveyed to Nicholas Swingle, jr., and Nicholas Hauseker, trustees, a certain tract of land or lot described as bordering on lands of Isaac Myers, &c., for the sum of one pound
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
and 10 shillings for school purposes forever. This was acknowledged before the noted J. P. DeHaas, esq., and recorded at Lancaster by Edward Shippen, recorder. On this lot a school house was erected, which was as a "city set on a hill " to enlighten four or five generations of Myerstown's young Americans. When finally these subscription or parochial schools were superseded by our free schools, this old friend gradually grew into dis- favor until the building alone was left to tell its story of foriner blessedness. When Mr. Daniel Stine represented this district in our state legislature he was authorized by an act of assembly to vacate or sell the property and with the money to buy a burial ground, where the com- munity for "six miles around " might find the right of sepulture, Messrs. Bassler and Mosser being trustees. In this deed, to which are affixed quaint seals, the town is named " Tulpehockintown."
Another old school house, octagonal in shape, still stands at the eastern end of town, but is now used as a blacksmith shop.
On the old cemetery (Lutheran and Reformned) located in the western portion of the town, next to the Frieden's Lutheran church, are found the graves of the old sires and settlers of this community. Such names as the Leys, Valentines, Spanglers, Batdorfs, Grohs, Mossers, Stoevers, Burkholders, Koppenhavers, Basslers, Zart- mans, etc., are among the oldest. Close to the church walls are two graves that meant more to me than others, because here we know stood the ex-Governor Shultze
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TULPEHOCKENTOWN, ALIAS MYERSTOWN.
when their enclosed remains were solemnly laid aside. They are the graves of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Immel, the parents-in-law of this noted governor. The follow- ing epitaph marks the resting place of this sturdy illustrious farmer, whose rural home to the southwest of town the young, ambitious preacher-merchant entered to carry away as prize an accomplished and winsome daughter :
Denckmal Der Liebe Fur LEONHARD IMMEL Sohn von Johann und Barbara Immel. Er erblickte das Licht dieser Welt auf den 14ten Tag October 1747 und starb den 2ten Tag Juny A. D. 1839. Brachte seine irdische Walfarth auf
91 Jahre, 7 Monate und 20 Tag.
Leichentext die 2 Epistle St. Paull an Timotheum, das 4 Capital, Der 7 u 8 vers.
The wife's tombstone is similar in form and its inscription akin in substance to liis. And here where these illustrious kindred parted company for life we will end this chapter.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A WALK OVER HISTORIC GROUND.
HAVING parted company with my readers in the shadow of the Myerstown Lutheran and Reformed churches, which lift up their tall spires towards the skies as memorials of the piety of the generations that have passed away, as constant indices pointing to and reminding one of a protecting and beneficient divine Ruler, and as so many marks of grace and ornament to the thriving borough that has spread itself about their base, let us prepare to take a walk to-day of several miles up the pike, which leads through truly historic ground. Casting our eyes to the north and south-es- pecially to the south, where flows the story-laden Tulpe- hocken-we shall pass not a single old homestead that is not linked by a chainwork of interesting events to the earliest days of this valley's settlement.
Before leaving, however, this long-time meeting place of these lionored German ancestors and this final gather- ing place of their bones, where most of the illustrious sires sleep, whose once thriving homes we shall visit to- day, let us take a brief look into the history of these churches. Thus we learn that originally this locality worshipped at the Tulpehocken churches, as few others
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A WALK OVER HISTORIC GROUND.
besides Lutherans and Reformed had settled here. In course of time, however, distance and the increase of population in this vicinity suggested the planting of churches at Myerstown. Accordingly as early as 1811, steps were taken towards organizing the Lutheran church by the westernmost members of the Tulpehocken flock. At the original meeting, held June 23, 18II, it was resolved to build a church, and as a building committee the following persons were chosen, viz .: Christian Ley, Leonard Immel, Leonard Rambler, Jacob Laehn, Christopher Liess, Christian Artz and Martin Moyer. We have already learned that Messrs. Michael Mosser and Simon Bassler donated a lot for building and burial purposes-the latter common to Lutherans and Re- formed alike-to all "living within a radius of six miles." All of these leaders named lie buried on this ancient graveyard, and into most of their homes we shall have occasion to peep to-day. The first trustees were Michael Ley, Leonard Immel and J. Andreas Shulze, the future governor.
In 1812 the church was built and consecrated. It was a stone structure, and was of sufficient dimensions for the time (55x36 ft.,) and at once equipped with a bell and soon with a pipe organ. In 1857 the present impos- ing brick edifice was erected. The following pastors have served the same :
Rev. William Baetes 1812-1824 Rev. W. G. Ernst, D. D. 1824-1849 Rev. G. F. Krotel, D. D. 1849-1852
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LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY.
Rev. T. T. Jaeger 1852-1855
Rev. L. G. Eggers . 1855-1866
Rev. F. J. F. Schantz, D. D. . 1867-date
The Reformed did not withdraw from the mother (Tulpehocken) church until 1860, when 250 members, who had been for some time previously served as a branch congregation, separated and organized the church and erected the large and commodious limestone struc- ture now gracing this end of town. The Mossers, Diehls, Basslers, Sherks, Looses, Spanglers, Muths, Baneys, Tices and others have been the leading families of this flock, now about 500 strong. Only Rev. Dr. George Wolff and his son, David, have preceded the present pastor, Rev. Mr. Gonser, in the sacred office here. The latter assumed the charge only about two years ago.
There are other churches of town, such as the United Brethren and the Evangelical, which have doubtless ex- erted their healthful influence upon the community, but they do not stand so much in the line of the ancient and the historic, and therefore we shall not enter into their records, but bid this ancient "Tulpehockentown " a re- luctant good-bye, and begin our march up the valley to where many of the earliest noted actors of this com- munity first planted their American homes.
Turning to the south from West Myerstown, the first plantation west of Myers' is that of Heinrich Bassler, who in 1738 purchased of "the brass-button maker of Philadelphia " a tract of over 300 acres and reared his
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A WALK OVER HISTORIC GROUND.
home on the banks of the Tulpehocken. Here he raised a family that has continued to this day of the fifth or sixth generation to hand down the mantle of this pio- neer's energy and far-sightedness. These have kept the name untarnished, some of them adding to its celebrity for valor and patriotism. They have also kept the old homestead in the family name and hands. The present owner is Mrs. Sallie Bassler.
The next western neighbor, settled even before Mr. Bassler and also on the Tulpehocken, was Leonhard Ramler. The original buildings have all been super- seded by second buildings, though these are quite old. The present owner is Mr. John Gockley. There hangs about this place the story, so common throughout this valley, of shelter against Indian depredations. A11 along this valley, in truth, the tomahawk and scalping knife were used. (It should have been said in connec- tion with the first long-historic German school-house of Myerstown, that tradition reports the massacre of seven white persons there by the Indians.) From this home wended the first funeral procession to the Myerstown cemetery, when Mrs. Anna Barbara Ramler, at the age of 78 years, was borne hence for burial there.
Going still westward along the banks of this stream, we come next to the Immel homestead, originally one plantation, but later subdivided into two farms. The easternmost house, which may have been the first, so inferred on account of traces of an old road near it and the story of fortifications here, has yielded to the exac-
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