USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > Blue book of Schuylkill County : who was who and why, in interior eastern Pennsylvania, in Colonial days, the Huguenots and Palatines, their service in Queen Anne's French and Indian, and Revolutionary Wars : history of the Zerbey, Schwalm, Miller, Merkle, Minnich, Staudt, and many other representative families > Part 33
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The Shumacher Bible, brought to America by Henry Frederick Haeseler and his wife, Amalia Shumacher, which has been in possession of the family since 1555, and handed down from son to son in the Shumacher family until Amalia,
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who had no brothers, is treasured as an heirloom in the Her- man Haeseler family of Philadelphia.
Dorothea Haeseler (Henry Frederick), b. 1812, m. Phil- lip Rossweiler, at Orwigsburg, removed to Millersburg, Pa., subsequently to Napirville, Ill. They had several children, among them a son, Henry, who is living at the age of sev- enty-five years at the above place.
Frederick Haeseler was the last of his family to come to the United States, which he did only at the urgent solicita- tion of those who preceded him. He had served his term of military duty and was a clerk in the German government em- ploy with prospects of advancement under civil service rules. He came to Orwigsburg, 1839, and married Catharine Schwalm shortly thereafter. He settled on a farm a mile and a half south of that place, 1840, where he ran a fulling and clover mill, was a Justice of the Peace and farmed a tract of land. He removed with his family to Pottsville about 1865 and bought the John's property, corner of East Norwegian and Centre Streets, north side, the family living on Centre Street, where he and his wife died.
John Henry Haeseler (Henry Frederick) came to Or- wigsburg with his parents. He began life as a weaver, studying medicine in the interim. He was a Doctor of the Homoeopathic School and practiced in Orwigsburg. He mar- ried Sarah Linder. They had a number of children, among them Charles H. Haeseler, shoe salesman, of that place, wf. Mary Beck ; Mary, m. - Edwards, lived and died in Read- ing; Thomas, in the shoe factory business at Landingville : Charles Haeseler, da. Annie and other children. Thomas is married and has a family.
Johannes Haeseler (Henry Frederick), m. John Koehl. a minister in the Evangelical church. They had one son, Dr. Jere Koehl, who practiced in Pottsville and Reading, subse- quently removing to Iowa, where he died. He was twice
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married and is survived by a widow and several children. The widow of Rev. John Koehl and children are living at Allentown, Pa.
REMINISCENCE
Mrs. W. M. Zerbey, d., eighty-three years of age, 1914, said: "Before my father, Andrew Schwalm, built the house on the lower street, Orwigsburg, there was a one and a half story brick house, in which we lived, that stood on its site. Joseph Morgan (father of Mrs. Jere Seitzinger, Mrs. Aurora Baum and Mrs. Fred. Foster) was a cabinet maker on the main street, south of our shop. When he removed to Pottts- ville my father bought his property and we moved and lived there until our new home was built. When we removed to our new house the Haeseler family, which had just arrived from Germany, rented our house on Main Street and occu- pied it for several years. Phillip Rossweiler lived with them. They established several looms for carpet and woolen quilt weaving, then a good paying business, when they removed to Millersburg. My father opened a grocery and general store in the building, which he conducted for five or six years. Samuel Yost I think, bought that house. Frederick and Henry Haeseler remained at Orwigsburg and Dr. Charles H. Haeseler returned to Pottsville from Millersburg and opened up practice. Mr. and Mrs. Haeseler, the old people, died at Millersburg. I remember well visiting them twice at that place when small; we drove there, the railway was not built then, stopping over night on the way. Once we went with a sleigh and the snow disappeared and we had to borrow a wagon to return. My brother-in-law, Frederick Haeseler, took us on both occasions."
Mary Ann Schwalm was married to John Hesser, 1842. He was b. March 12, 1822, and d. January 18, 1845. One daughter was the result of this union, Elizabeth Hesser, b.
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October 26, 1843, d. January 12, 1852. Both are buried in the Evangelical cemetery, Orwigsburg. John Hesser was a son of Frederick Hesser, drummer boy in the War of the Revolution, and brother of Henry Hesser.
Mary A. Hesser, m. Henry Washington Hoffman, 1848, Orwigsburg. Henry Hoffman was a cabinet maker. He manufactured chairs and ran a factory worked by horsepower in Orwigsburg. He removed to Cressona, where he con- ducted a furniture shop, subsequently entering the employ of the Reading Company at the Cressona shops. He is bur- ied at Cressona. Two children were born to them, Carrie and Anna. Caroline Louisa Hoffman m. David Stitzer, of Cressona, a painter, before the Civil War, when he entered the three years' service in the 48th Schuylkill Co. Regiment. On his return he was made Despatcher at the Gordon Planes of the Mine Hill Railway, a lateral road of the Reading Com- pany. On the abandonment of the planes he took charge of the company's lumber yards at Pottstown, from where he resigned and moved to Rush County, Kansas, where he took up several tracts of land and followed ranch life and where he died and is buried in the Union cemetery. McCracken, that county. They had no children.
Anna Katherine Hoffman, b. February 10, 1853, m. Edwin Krecker, July 19. 1872, d. August 13, 1896, leaving these chil- dren : Heber A., Henry F., both m .; Raymond H., Anna C .. Louisa H., single, the latter of McCracken, Kan., the others reside in Philadelphia. Two children deceased. Edwin Krecker was raised in Schuylkill County, where his father. Rev. Frederick Krecker, of Revolutionary descent, filled the pastorate of several churches of the Evangelical Association. He was employed as weighmaster for the Reading Company, at Cressona, and removed later to Philadelphia, where he was engaged as clerk in the Reading Company offices at the Terminal and where he died, being interred in Cressona.
(Note-Cornelius Hoffman emigrated from Switzerland to Pennsylva- nia, 1768, and located in Montgomery County. He was a captain in Col.
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Magraw's 6th Penna. Regt., 2d Brig., Continental Line 1776, and was with Washington when he crossed the Delaware. A sword presented to him by General Washington is in possession of the George Hoffman fam- ily, formerly of Cressona. Cornelius Hoffman came to Brunswick Town- ship, Berks County, about 1780, where he married Elizabeth, da. of Phil- lip Alspach, a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Jacob Hoffman, his son, m. Catharine Bensinger, whose mother was a Dreher. They settled in Orwigsburg, where they had the following children: Lavina, m. - Feg- ley; Catharine m. Jacob Day; George m. Anna, da. of John Morris, of Pottsville; Henry W. m. Mrs. Mary A. Hesser; Caroline m. Charles Boyer; Elizabeth m. H. Gross; Perry m. Eliza Sillyman. With one or two ex- ceptions, all had large families.)
WILLIAM E. BOYER
Hannah Elizabeth Schwalm married William5 E. Boyer (William4, Charles3 B., John2 Henry, John1 Phillip), 1847; born October 29, 1823, d. July 29, 1898. Their children were: Francis W., Laura H., and Edmund S. William E. Boyer was born in Orwigsburg and came to Pottsville in the early forties, entering the tobacco business, in which he was en- gaged up to the time of his death. Although nominally in the retail business, the latter years of his life were spent in whosesaling to other firms. He made many trips to the to- bacco fields in the West and in Pennsylvania, his knowledge as an expert enabling him to buy up whole crops of the plant at a venture and oftentimes with great financial success. He amassed a comfortable fortune in the business and was looked upon as one of the most successful self made business men of Pottsville.
(Charles B. Boyer, b. about 1758, enlisted December 17, 1781, Berks County Militia.1)
Francis W. Boyer, graduate of Hahnemann College, and holding degrees from other supplementary medical courses, is one of Pottsville's most successful medical practitioners, en- joying the confidence and patronage of a large clientele of patients and their families in this city and throughout the
(Note 1-Feb. 17, 1782, Revo. War, Penna. Archives, Vol. 5, p. 293; Fifth Series, Vol. 4, p. 256.)
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surrounding county. He m. Caroline G. Hammekin (of Gouv- erneur, Ogden, old Colonial stock, New England), January 7, 1874, Pottsville, Pa. On the maternal side, Mrs. Boyer is a descendant of Frederick McCutcheon, private, and John Ayer, ensign, of the Continental Line, Revolutionary War. Their children are: Anne A., teacher in the Pottsville High School; Marion G., b. December 26, 1879, d. February 21, 1896; Gouverneur Boyer, practising physician with offices with his father, Pottsville, Pa .; Laura Frances, Caroline G., b. July 1, 1888, d. March 9, 1903; Judith Mccutcheon Boyer, m. James A. Sprenger, of Cressona, July 19, 1911 ; teacher in the Country Day School for Boys, of Boston, at Newtonville, Mass., where they reside. They have one child.
Laura H. Boyer (William E.) married James A. Medlar. manager of the Schuylkill Trust Company, Pottsville. He was formerly employed in the Reading company offices, was a member of the Pottsville School Board, and is interested in Y. M. C. A. and other philanthropic work. They had one daughter, Louise G., b. June 28, 1881, d. January 3, 1895.
Edmund S. Boyer (William E.), a prominent lawyer of Somersworth, N. H., married Charlotte R. Burleigh, of that place. They have two sons: Francis B. and William E., the former m., and manager of a paper mill. Charlotte Burleigh, wife of Edmund Boyer, traces her ancestry back through the Russel, Copp, Robison, Hall, Dudley and Hilton families to Edward Hilton, one of the founders of New Hampshire, and to Governor John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Col- ony. She belongs to the society of the Colonial Dames.
THE BOYER FAMILY
The Boyers are descended from the Gallic Boii, who were scattered over the Rhine domain during the wandering of the races and who were active from the second century. The Beyers, Bayers (Boyers) were Huguenots and involved in the complications resulting from the revocation of the edict
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of Nantes, many fled thence to the Palatinates and about forty of that name came to Chester, afterward Montgomery, Lan- caster and Berks Counties, before 1775. The first two of whom we have any record are Heinrich and Hans Boyer, who came from Alsace with the immigrants, 1709-'10, and settled in Livingston Manor, N. Y., coming to Chester Coun- ty (Berks) Pa., with the second influx of immigrants, 1728.1 (See Pioneer Map for land of Hans Boyer, and History of Heinrich Boyer, whose wife was Elizabeth Zerbe, on previ- ous page.)
I11 1728 there arrived from Rotterdam a Jacob "Bayer," wife and sons Valentine, Phillip and Jacob, who settled in Berks and Montgomery Counties, near the line and from whom sprang the Boyers in the vicinity of Boyertown. Col. Zaccur Praull Boyer, (b. 1832, d. 1900) commander of the 96th Regt., P. V., Schuylkill County, in the Civil War, was of this line. 1731 there arrived others from Grunstadt, Palatinate, nine of them in the same vessel and of the same name, who settled in the same vicinity. John Phillip Boyer was among them. He died 1753 and is buried in Oley, Berks County. His son, John Henry, and Grandson Charles B. are both bur- ied at Amityville, Berks County. Charles B. had seven sons, of whom William4 E. of Orwigsburg, was one2. He had the following children with his first wife: Phillip, Rufus, St. Clair; Thomas, Iowa; Charles, Pottsville; Lewis, who went to Nebraska ; and William E., and one daughter, Maria, wf. of John Moyer, Pottsville, all deceased.
JOHN ANDREW SCHWALM
Was engaged in the furniture business in Orwigsburg prior to the removal of the family to Mahanoy City, where he entered the shoe business, being one of the pioneer shoe
(Note 1-Colonial History, New York.)
(Note 2-Ship Lists, Penna. Archives, 2d Series, Vol. XVII.)
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dealers of that place. He subsequently removed to Shenan- doah with his son, where he died and is buried in the Baber cemetery, Pottsville.
John Andrew Schwalm m. Catharine W. Hoy, December 25, 1848, da. of Henry Hoy, of Orwigsburg, who was b. May 5, 1829, d. January 3, 1887. Their children are :
Emma E., wf. of Albert J. Luberg, d., who was promi- nently engaged in the hardware business in Shenandoah when he removed to Philadelphia where he engaged in the manu- facture of light furniture and the well-known Luberg chair upon which he secured a patent. He died March, 1914; c., Carrie S., m. Howard L. Kaucher, one da.,; Guy A. Luberg, m., and an infant deceased.
Henry A. Schwalm, wf., Sarah K. Bowman ; c., Stella L., b. November 9, 1884, d. February 19, 1907; and Phaon H., electrician, of Philadelphia. Mr. Swalm is engaged in the merchant tailoring business in Mahanoy City, where the family has resided for many years.
Thomas W. Swalm, one of the prominent homoeopathic physicians of Pottsville, with a lucrative practice. He is president of the Pottsville School Board, having been elected to serve several terms. He m. Annie T. Rickert, da. of Col. Thomas Rickert, of Pottsville. No children.
Allen H. Swalm, wf. Margaret W. Moffatt, of Mahanoy City. They have two sons, John M., m. Dorris Richards, da. of W. J. Richards, Managing Superintendent of the Phila- delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and Robert A., single. On the removal of A. J. Luberg to Philadelphia, A. H. Swalm, with his father, John A., purchased the Luberg hardware business, Shenandoah, which he conducted many years, removing later to Pottsville, where he became the head of the Swalm Hardware Company doing a large business and with his sons is also connected with the automobile business and Swalm garage.
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Joseph M. Schwalm, b. in Orwigsburg, learned the trade of coach maker and entered early in that business in Schuyl- kill Haven, where he owned property and had a shop about two blocks from the Reading depot. He removed from there to Mahanoy City, entering the grocery and truck business, his store being one of the leading ones in that line in the city. He removed from there to Philadelphia where he died. Joseph M. Schwalm married Angelina Boyer Allebach, of Middleport, b. December 9, 1828, d. October 29, 1912. Their children were: Andrew J., b. September 22, 1850, d. June, 1913, m. Martha, da. of William A. Garrett, b. August 7, 1854, d. April 1, 1906; c., Gertrude L., Florence M. and Marion K., d., wf. of E. K. Berlew, of Washington, D. C. They had two c., Ebert Garrett, d., b. September 17, 1907, and John Swalm Berlew. Andrew J. Swalm was for many years manager of the Hooven Grocery Company at Sunbury, where the family have a handsome home and where he died. Sallie C. Swalm m. Robert A. Harper, of New Castle, Wyoming, rancher and English capitalist. No children. Three children deceased.
Charles O. Swalm m. Carrie M. Ochrle. Is in the fringe, upholstery supply manufacturing business, Philadelphia. Children : Dr. Charles J. Swalmn, pathologist, of the State Asylum, Norristown, m. Dr. William A. Swalm and Edna Caroline, also a graduated physician at the Women's Hospi- tal, Phila., and Ralph O., m. and in business with his father.
Hannah E. Swalm, m. Madison Plish, November 24. 1880, live in Hollis, L. I., N. Y. ; da. Marian Plish, teacher.
Mary E. Swalm, m. Thomas J. Andress, of Philadelphia ; children, Mabel S. and Thomas J.
Ella A. Swalm, teacher in Philadelphia Normal School, b. September 3, 1866, d. December 19, 1905.
Mabel A. Swalm, b. October 27, 1874. d. July 5, 1899; both of the above and the parents are buried in the Evangeli- cal cemetery, Orwigsburg.
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Sarah L. Schwalm (Andrew4) m. William M. Zerbey, (Zerbe history on previous page.)
Amanda L. Schwalm m. Thomas Clouse, January 1, 1854, b. April 4, 1831, d. March 4, 1903; cigar manufacturer and wholesaler, of Orwigsburg, with home in the large square near the old court house. He was a man of the strictest in- tegrity, one of the leading citizens of the town. Their chil- dren were:
Clara L. Clouse, m. Charles W. Yost, owns mill at Lickdale, Lebanon County, Pa., where they live; c., Ella S. Yost, teacher of music in the public schools of Harrisburg, and Herbert C., at home; one deceased.
Alice A. Clouse, b. August 17, 1859, d. 1861.
Ella H. Clouse, m. Newton H. Moyer, underwear manufacturer, of Or- wigsburg; lives in handsome home on Main St. No children.
Franklin S. Clouse, twice married. First wf., Hannah S. Carpenter, one child, Clara; 2nd wf., Mrs. C. J. Yates; one son. Chief engineer, power house, Phila. Rapid Transit Company.
Ida M. Clouse, m. George W. Garrett, cashier of the National Bank, of Orwigsburg; one son.
Susan J. Schwalm, m. Thomas K. Wagner, of Schuylkill Haven, Pa. He was a boat builder at Landingville. They lived in the old Schwalm homestead, Orwigsburg, until boat building at Landingville was abandoned, when they removed to Cressona and from there to Rush County, Kan., where they took up government land and where both died and are buried. Their children were: John A. Wagner, m. Susan A. Wagner, of Cressona, prosperous farmer and ranchman, Rush County, Kan., insurance and land agent, lives in McCracken, Kan .; c., Bard D., died in young manhood, R. Susan and Bella E., at home : John A., Jr., assistant to his father.
Hannah Wagner m. John T. Boyle, lives in Chicago, da .. Fdith Boyle.
Joseph S. Wagner m. Minnie Elias. Lived at Ness City, Kan., where he was city clerk for a time and held other politi- cal offices. They have a son, Joseph R., and live at present in Los Angeles, Cal. Harry Zerbey Wagner and Harvey T. are two other sons living in the West.
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SCHWALMS OF THE HEGINS VALLEY
It is claimed that John Schwalm, b. May 31, 1752, came to America from Germany, 1775, and settled in Hubley, orig- inally Mahantongo Township, Berks (Schuylkill) County, 1776. He died December 24, 1834. His wife was Odilla Bobb. b. February 16, 1765, d. February 24, 1836. The couple are buried at Coleman's church, Dauphin County, near the boundary line of Schuylkill County. They had but one child, Frederick Schwahn, from whom is descended all of the Schwalms of the west end of the county, now numbering about eight hundred persons of that name and inter-married. This branch are mainly farmers, although the professions are well represented among the younger representatives; all are a highly prosperous, and intelligent, well-to-do, God-fearing race, some quite wealthy and all respected in the localities in which they live.
Those that have made a research for the early records of the Schwalms in this county (Schwalms on previous page) find in the fact that John Schwalm (1752) was buried in Dau- phin County, where he had at his own expense built a church prior to settling in Mahantongo Twp. (This church was Mennonite, afterward United Brethren), the fact substantiated that he lived there and migrated to Mahantongo Township, Berks County, from another part afterward included in Dau- phin County, instead of coming there from Germany as claimed.
The tax lists show a John Schwalm of the third genera- tion, (John2, John1), as having lived there, but there is, for reasons aforestated, no other record. If John Schwalm, of Hubley Township, was this man, then Odilla Bobb was his second wife, she having been thirteen years younger. Andrew Schwalm, of the other line, of the fourth generation, and John Schwalm, grandson of John (1752) were well acquaint- ed with each other and claimed kinship, although tradition does not state how it was proven.
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Frederick? Schwalm (John1, 1752), first wf. Catharine, with whom he had thirteen children, six of whom are now living. Second wf .. Sarah Suffing, no issue; third wf., Harriet Dieter, three children. They were: William, re- tired farmer, Valley View, m., has family: Emanuel, Post- master, Hegins; Daniel, farmer, Hegins; Peter, retired far- nier, Reiner City, b. August 21, 1836; twin sister, Catharine, Indiana ; Louisa, Illinois. All married, with large families ; Jackson lives in Hegins Township; two deceased. John Schwalm, son of Frederic, b. Mahantongo Twp., December 25, 1818, served two years, 1857-'58, as steward of the Schuyl- kill County Almshouse. His father, Frederick, was a director of the first public school in the township. Samuel, brother of Peter, served three years and three months in the Civil War, Peter taking charge of his farm. Peter bought the Schrob grist mill and farm of 129 acres, which he improved until it is now one of the model farms of the county, and upon which his son George M. lives, Peter having built a residence in Reiner City, to which he retired. He has been school di- rector and tax collector, and is a member of the Reformed church at Orwin. He married Maria Schrob, b. October 29, 1843, by whom he had seven children, two deceased : Ira, wf. of Elizabeth Jobe; son Elbert, Ellsworth, farmer, Hegins Township, seven children; Albert T. (son of George), school teacher for eighteen years, Porter Twp .; William O., retired merchant, Tower City. John P., hardware merchant, Rei- nerton.
Emanuel Schwalm and wf. Maria had eight children. Son, Morris, for thirteen years assistant on the survey of Schuylkill County, and for nine years managed a farm for Preston Miller, of the State Survey Corps. Charles is fore- man in a chair factory, Sheboygan, Wis.
Alfred A. Schwalm, of Hegins, one of the prominent men of that name in the West End, Justice of the Peace, lives re- tired, farming a small tract more for pleasure and recreation
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than remuneration. He was engaged in school teaching for nineteen years. He married Alvaretta Fisher, by whom he had four children. He has educational certificates of high order and owns a fine library. He was a son of William and Sarah Schwalm.
Joseph Schwalm is a prosperous merchant of Pinegrove, with one of the largest stores in that town. His mother, Sarah (Deibert), of Orwigsburg, wf. of William Schwalm, died 1904, aged 65 years. Joseph Schwalm worked on the farm, taught school and clerked in Pine Grove before em- barking in business for himself, being now one of the leading merchants. He married Lizzie Saltzer, by whom he had seven children : Alvin Quay, Allen Clay (twins), Harry, Guy. Stanford, Esther, living. Mr. Schwalm was president of borough council three years, but declined renomination.
Andrew J. Schwalm, of Klingerstown, secretary and his- torian of the Schwalm Family Association, lives at Klingers- town. He owns a tract of land and is in the green grocery and truck business. He is married and has four children : Andrew J. Schwalm, (Daniel E., John, Frederick, John). (1752.)
The Schwalms are family men and it would be impossi- ble to note all of their connections and the names of their offspring. If the reader doubts this assertion let him visit the annual family reunion held annually, August 15, at Valley View, and he will verify it beyond a doubt. The following is an incomplete list of the heads :
Schwalms of Hubley Township, Formerly Mahantongo.
Henry C. Schwalm, Fearnot: Samuel P. Schwalm, Val- ley View; Rev. Clarence Schwalm, Valley View; A. T. Schwalm, Muir; Henry G. Schwalm, Fearnot; Albert Schwalm, Klingerstown ; Ellsworth Schwalm, Valley View; Frank Schwalm, Valley View; M. S. Schwalm, Hegins; Samuel E. Schwalm, Hegins; Harrison Schwalm, Elkhart.
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Ind .; Ellis Schwalm, Valley View; Reilly Schwalm, Donald- son ; Daniel E. Schwalm, Valley View; A. P. Schwalm, Klin- gerstown; S. E. Schwalm, Hegins; A. A. Schwalm, Valley View; C. H. Schwalm, Gratz; Harvey Schwalm, Williams- town; William and Clarence Schwalm, Williamstown; Ezra Schwalm, Tremont; Ira Schwalm. Valley View; John Schwalm, Samuel Schwalm, Frank H. Schwalm, S. E. Schwalm and Ellis P. Schwalm, all of Valley View.
Of the many women of the Schwalm family, over a hun- dred of them have intermarried with other families and no record of them has been taken for these pages.
(Note-Some of the younger members of this branch have adopted "Swalm" as the spelling of their name.")
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Pottsville Erected
THE GREAT ROAD OR KING'S HIGHWAY
HE Lightfoot survey, of 1759, was the forerunner of the Great Road or King's Ilighway, built 1770. This sur- vey led from Reading to Fort Augusta, Shamokin (now Sunbury). From the Conrad Minnich tract (Seven Stars, Manheim Twp.), on which there was a roadhouse when the road was built, 1770, and from Francis Yarnall's tract ad- joining, there was not a single dwelling till Fort Augusta was reached, where food or shelter for the surveyors could be obtained. Nothing but a howling wilderness for a distance of forty miles.
January 30, 1768, Governor John Penn laid before the Provincial Council, a petition from the people of Berks County, stating that "the building of such a road to the head of the Susquehanna would tend greatly to advance trade and com- merce with the Indians."
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