USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Families of the Wyoming Valley: biographical, genealogical and historical. Sketches of the bench and bar of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, vol. I > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
.144
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
it. The three years that this book was on the press were an admirable preparation for spiritual martyrdom, although their worldly affairs were in the meantime unfortunate and permitted to fall into neglect. If this is considered, and the small price and how far those who worked on it were removed from all self- interest, it cannot fail to appear how valuable must have been to them the descriptions therein contained of the lives of the holy martyrs.'
"In this rather remarkable way have been fortunately preserved the particulars concerning the publication of the Ephrata martyr book. The Vorsteher referred to in the chronicle was Conrad Beissel, the founder of the Cloister, who among the brethren was known as Vater Friedsam. The greater part of the literary work upon it was done by the learned prior, Peter Miller, who later, at the request of Congress, according to Watson the annalist, translated the Declaration of Independence into seven different European languages. The publication of the first pait was com- pleted in 1748, and the second in 1749. It is a massive folio of fifteen hundred and twelve pages, printed upon strong thick paper, in large type, in order, as is said in the preface, 'that it may suit the eyes of all.' The binding is solid and ponderous, consisting of boards covered with leather, with mountings of brass on the corners, and two brass clasps. The back is further protected by strips of leather studded with brass nails. Among the additions made at Ephrata were twelve stanzas upon page 939, concerning the martyrdom of Hans Haslibacher, taken from the Aussbundt or hymn-book of the Swiss Mennonites. Some of the families in Pennsylvania and other parts of the United States, the suffer- ings of whose ancestors are mentioned in it, are those bearing the names of Kuster, Kulp, Hendricks, Yocum, Bean, Zimmermen, Rhoads, Shoemaker, Keyser, Landis, Meylin, and Brubaker. The story of the burning of Maeyken Wens, at Antwerp, in 1573, is more than ordinarily pathetic. 'Thereupon on the next day,' says the account, 'which was the 6th of October, this pious and God-fearing heroine of Jesus Christ, as also her other fellow be- lievers, who in like manner had been condemned, were with their tongues screwed fast, like innocent sheep brought forward, and after each was tied to a stake in the market place, were robbed of
145
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
life and body by a dreadful and horrible fire, and in a short time were burned to ashes. The oldest son of this aforementioned martyr, called Adrian Wens, about fifteen years old, upon the day on which his dear mother was sacrificed, could not stay away from the place of execution, so he took his youngest brother, called Hans Matthias Wens, about three years old, on his arm, and stood on a bench not far from the burning-stake to witness his mother's death. But when she was brought to the stake he fainted, fell down, and lay unconscious until his mother and the others were burned. Afterward, when the people had gone away and he came to himself, he went to the place where his mother was burnt, and hunted in the ashes until he found the screw with which her tongue had been screwed fast, and he kept it for a memento. There are now, 1659, still many descendants of this pious martyr living well known to us, who, after her name, are called Maeyken Wens.'
"The before-mentioned Heinrich Funk and Dielman Kolb were appointed a committee by the Mennonites to make the arrangements with the community at Ephrata, and to supervise the translation. Their certificate is appended, saying: 'It was desired by very many in Pennsylvania that there should be a German translation and edition of the martyr book of the defense- less Christians or Tauffs-gesinneten, before printed in the Dutch language, and the brotherhood in Ephrata, on the Conestoga, offered and promised not only that they would translate the book, but would take care that it should be of a neat print and a good paper and at their own cost, if we would promise to buy the copies and have none printed or brought here from any other place. Thereupon the elders and ministers of those communities of the Tauffs-gesinneten, which are called Mennonites (to which communities the said book is best adapted), went to Ephrata and made there with their said friends an agreement that they, the said Tauffs-gesinneten, would buy the said books at a reasonable price, and would not give orders elsewhere, provided they should receive assurance of good work, paper, and translation, but if the print should not turn out well they should be released. Heinrich Funk and Dielman Kolb had such a great love for this book that they both, with common consent, gave their time and labor to it,
146
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
and, as the leaves came from the press and were sent to them in their order, went over them one at a time, comparing them with the Dutch, and in this work have not omitted a single verse. They have not found in the whole book one line which does not give the same grounds of belief and sense as is contained in the Dutch. They have, indeed, found a number of words about which they have hesitated and doubted, and which might have been improved both in the Dutch and German, but it is not to be wondered at that in so large a book a word here and there is not used in the best sense; but nobody ought to complain for this reason, for we are all human and often err. Concerning the errata placed before the register, it has been found that many that were in the Dutch edition have been corrected, though not all, and some have been found in the German, although, as has been said, they are not numerous. We have, therefore, at the request of the rest of our fellow ministers, very willingly read through this great book from the beginning to the end and com- pared it with the Dutch, and we have according to our slight ability and gift of understanding found nothing that would be disadvantageous to this book, or in which the teachings of the holy martyrs have not been properly translated, but we believe that the translator has done his best, with the exception of the typographical errors, of which, in our opinion, there are few for such a great book. But should some one go through it as we have done, and find some mistakes which we have overlooked or not understood, it would be well for him to call attention to them, because two or three witnesses are better than one. We further believe that the best thing about this book will be that the Lord through his Holy Spirit will so kindle the hearts of men with an eager desire for it that they will not regard a little money but buy it, and, taking plenty of time, read in it earnestly with thought, so that they may see and learn in what way they should be grounded in belief in Christ, and how they should arrange their lives and walk in order to follow the defenseless Lamb and to be heirs of the everlasting Kingdom with Christ and his Apostles. In this book are contained many beautiful teachings out of both the Old and New Testament, accompanied with many examples of true followers, from which it is apparent that we must
·
147
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. Acts xiv. 22. We see in it many true predecessors who have followed the Lamb, of whom Paul says, Hebrews xiii. 7: Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Although the road is small and narrow, nevertheless it leads to everlasting joy.'
"There is still another event in the history of this publication recorded in the chronicles of the Cloister. 'This book had finally in the Revolutionary war a singular fate. There being great need of all war material and also paper, and it having been discovered that in Ephrata was a large quantity of printed paper, an arrest was soon laid upon it. Many objections were raised, and among others it was alleged that since the English army was so near, this circumstance might have a bad effect. They were determined, however, to give up nothing, and that all must be taken by force. So two wagons and six soldiers came and car- ried off the martyr books. This caused great offence through the land, and many thought the war would not end well for the country, since they had maltreated the testimonies of the holy martyrs. However, they finally again came to honor, since some judicious persons bought what there was left of them.'"
The ancestors of Mr. Kulp were, as we have said, among the leaders of the Mennonite church, the founders of all Baptist organizations. They refuse belief in infant baptism, and in the realism of baptism without faith and repentance. Dielman Kolb, the brother of Henry, gave his big brain and bigger endeavor to the translation of "Der Blutige Schau-plats oder Martyrer Spiegel" All the Kolbs, or Kulps, of the older time lent their efforts to good works, and from the earliest settlement of the Germans in Pennsylvania to the present time there has been a large number of Mennonite preachers of the name of Kulp, particularly in the counties of Bucks and Montgomery, in this State.
For many of the facts herein contained we are indebted to Samuel W. Pennypacker, Esq., author of "Historical and Bio- graphical Sketches," particularly of the Mennonites, of whom he is a descendant, and a most capable and industrious writer, whose
·
148
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
worth is fully appreciated in circles where the literature treating of early Pennsylvania is understood.
Henry Kulp died in 1730, and left a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters, viz., Peter Kulp, David Kulp, Tielman Kulp, Mary Karsdorp, Dorithy Gotshalk, Annie Swarts, and Agnes Kulp. Peter, the eldest of the three sons, was born in this State, and died in 1748. Jacob was the eldest son of Peter, and was born March 7, 1740. He died June 28, 1818, aged seventy-eight. His bones lie away in the Mennonite church yard, at Kulpsville, Montgomery county, Pa. His marriage cer- tificate, dated November 6, 1766, states that he was a resident "of the township of Whitepain, in the county of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania." It is in the possession of the subject of this sketch, his great-grandson, and is a remarkably well preserved document, being looked upon by its present owner as possessing a value far in advance of its intrinsic sub- stance. The document being historically interesting, is here reproduced :
WHEREAS, Jacob Kulp, of the Township of Whitepain, in the County of Philadelphia, in the Provence of Pennsylvania, and Mary Cleamans, Daughter of Abraham Cleamans, of Lower Sol- ford, in the County and Provence aforesaid, having Published their Intentions of Marriage with each other according to law in that case provided, & nothing appearing to obstruct their proceed- ings, Did Appear at the house of Samuel Buchman, in the County and Provence aforesaid, on the 6th day of November, in ye year of our Lord 1766, in an Assembly for that occasion Mett; & the said Jacob Kulp, taking the said Mary Cleamans by the hand, Did, in a solemn manner, openly Declare that he took her to be his wife, promising, by the Lord's Assistance, to be unto her a Faithful & Loving husband until death should separate them ; and there & therein, in ye said Assembly, ye said Mary Cleamans Did, in Like manner, openly Declare that she took ye said Jacob Kulp to be her Husband, promising in like manner to unto him a Faithful & Loving wife until Death should separate them; & there & then the said Jacob Kulp & Mary Cleamans, she, according to the Custom of Marriage, assuming ye name of her husband as a Further Confirmation therefor, Did to these presents put their hands ; & we, whose names are underwritten, being amongst others present at the solemnization & subscription,
149 1
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
in manner aforesaid, Witnesses thereunto, have also set our hands the Day & Year written.
JACOB KOLB.
her MARY X KULB. , mark.
ABRAHAM DAWES.
WM. T. MILLER.
JOSEPH MATHER.
LEVI FOULKE.
his
my SAMUEL X HENRIKS. mark. ANDREW BARGE.
WILLIAM X NASH.
mark.
HENRY SWEITZER.
SEBASTIAN JARRETT.
BERNHARDT FREYER.
SAMUEL BACHMAN.
GEO. J. KEYDER.
ELISABETH KOLB.
Done before me.
WM. DEWEES.
William Dewees, at the above date, was a resident of Chestnut Hill. The names of Bernhardt Freyer, Geo. J. Keyder, Samuel Bachman, and Elisabeth Kolb, attached to the above certificate, are written in German.
Jacob Kulp had eight children, viz .: Abraham, Jacob, David · C., Elizabeth, intermarried with - Lloyd, Catharine, inter- married with Abraham Sellers, Mary, intermarried with David Reiner (Rev. Jacob K. Reiner, the venerable minister of the Dunker church, at Indian Creek, Montgomery county, Pa., is a son of David Reiner), Susanna, intermarried with Christian Stover, and Nancy, intermarried with John Snare. Mrs. Snare was the youngest child, and was born September 5, 1784.
Abraham Kulp, who was the eldest son of Jacob, was born in Towamencin township, then in Philadelphia, now in Mont- gomery county, Pa., July 19, 1770. His first wife, the grand- mother of Geo. B., was Barbara Sellers, the daughter of Leonard Sellers, and granddaughter of Philip Henry Soller (now written Sellers), who emigrated to this country from Weinheim, Germany, in the ship "James Goodwill," David Crockett, master, from Rotterdam, September 11, 1728, accompanied by his wife and four children. He first settled near Skippack, Montgomery county, but soon thereafter purchased a considerable tract of
150
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
land near Sellersville, Bucks county. He ended his earthly pilgrimage near by, at the age of sixty-five, leaving seven sons and three daughters. Sellersville received its name from Hon. Samuel Sellers, a brother of Leonard, and who occupied a posi- tion in the Pennsylvania Legislature, from which the title of Honorable was acquired. He was also Sheriff of Bucks county. Hons. Tobias and Mahlon S. Sellers were members of the same family, which is spread over Bucks and Montgomery counties, to the discredit of neither. Abraham's second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Wampole. She was born May 21, 1775, and died May 28, 1870, having lived a married life from March 12, 1809, and a widow from 1847. Daniel Wampole was a son of Henry, of the same name, who emigrated from Germany with his brother, Frederick, in 1743, and purchased a large agricultural tract in Franconia township, on the north branch of the Perkio- men creek, in Montgomery county, where Daniel first saw the light of day. A genealogical history of the Wampole family is now being prepared by Rev. Jacob F. Wampole, of Freeburg, Snyder county, Pa. Abraham Kulp died February 11, 1847, near Linden, Lycoming county, Pa. His only living son by his first wife is Elder Jacob S. Kulp, of Pleasant Hill, Mercer county, Ky. David C. Kulp, a brother of Abraham, was one of the most prominent and distinguished men of his native county of Mont- gomery. He was a Justice of the Peace in the county named for over forty years, and held the positions therein also of Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner, and other county offices, all acceptably to the people he served. He was a good and faithful servant, whose memory abides green in the heads of those who knew him. Eli Sellers Kulp was the second son of Abraham, and the father of George B. He was born near Kulpsville, in Towamencin township, Montgomery county, Pa., on February 2, 1800, and removed to Saint Georges, Delaware, at an early day. He was a teacher by profession, and one of the leading educators of his day, whose heart was in the enterprise, and who gave time and talents to his duties irrespective of the trifling compensation awarded him. He was connected with the first Teachers' Asso- ciation of New Castle county, Delaware-the first, perhaps, in the State-as its President, and when he died, July 6, 1849, at
1
1
151
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
Saint Georges, Delaware, of cholera, the others attested their love of him by the adoption of the following resolutions :
Resolved, That in the death of our worthy President, Mr. Eli S. Kulp, this association sustains a great and irreparable loss.
Resolved, That we can bear testimony to the fair and impartial manner in which he discharged the duties of his office, and to his courtesy and gentlemanly deportment while a member of this association.
Resolved, That we feel for the people of St. Georges, in the loss they have sustained, and we deeply sympathize with his family in their melancholy bereavement.
Resolved, That these resolutions be published in the papers of Wilmington, and that a copy be sent to the family of the de- ceased.
George Brubaker Kulp, lawyer and editor, was born at Reams- town, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, February 1I, 1839. He had a common school education, but, suffering the loss of his father at an early age, was compelled to seek work on the canals and railroads to earn a livelihood. While thus employed, most of his spare time was devoted to study, and with such good effect that at the age of seventeen he was found fitted for and entrusted with the charge of a village school, and this though he was left an orphan at the age of ten years. One year later, while yet pursuing the avocation of a teacher, he began the reading of the law. In the year 1853 he removed to Luzerne county, to whose bar he was admitted August 20, 1860, having studied the law in the office of Lyman Hakes, Esq. He then entered into a legal partnership with Hon. W. G. Ward, of Scranton, Pa., under the firm name of Ward & Kulp. This partnership continued until January 1, 1861. In October, 1860, before he had arrived at the age of twenty-two, he was elected Register of Wills of the county for three years, and it was upon this fortunate circumstance, founded upon the esteem in which he was held, despite his extreme youth, that much of his after success was builded. In 1863 he was re-elected for another three years by over three thousand majority.
The limited education which his exertions had procured for him having netted him so handsomely thus early in life, it was small wonder that Mr. Kulp's thoughts were turned to the com-
152
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
mon schools as one of the most benign of our country's institu- tions, and as calling loudly for the aid and encouragement of all good citizens. In 1864 there were but three school houses, all one-story buildings, in the then borough, now city, of Wilkes- Barre, and at these there were but one hundred and eighty- seven scholars in attendance, and this in a borough with a popu- lation at that time of from six to seven thousand. In 1865 Mr. Kulp was elected a School Director, as were also Hon. Daniel L. Rhone, now President Judge of the Orphans' Court of this county, and the late Rev. Geo. D. Miles, of the Episcopal church. During that year, principally through the efforts of these three, the present large Washington school building was erected. In 1866 ex-Governor Henry M. Hoyt and ex-Attorney General Henry W. Palmer became members of the board. This twain, seconding the progressive policy of the aforementioned trio, the handsome Franklin school building was soon in course of erec- tion, and before the close of the year it was completed and ready for occupancy. The number of scholars had now increased to six hundred and seventy-six, and at the conclusion of Mr. Kulp's directorship this number had augmented to seventeen hundred and sixteen. The Conyngham school was also built during Mr. Kulp's membership in the board, which covered a period of twelve years continuous service, ending in 1876. During most of this time he was either President or Secretary of the board, and upon his retirement his fellow directors unanimously passed the fol- lowing preamble and resolution :
WHEREAS, Our fellow member, Geo. B. Kulp, the presiding officer of this board, in consequence of his recent election to the important and honorable position of Councilman of the city of Wilkes-Barre, has at this meeting of the School Board resigned as a member thereof; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the School Board of the city of Wilkes-Barre, that we, his colleagues, desire thus publicly to testify our regret at his retirement from this body, and our admiration of the indus- try, integrity, and ability with which he has discharged, for the past twelve consecutive years, the duties of a member of the School Board of this city.
It is worthy of remark that during Mr. Kulp's term as a School Director three colored men, who afterward achieved marked dis-
153
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
tinction, were employed as teachers of the colored school in the borough. These were Hon. J. J. Wright, subsequently Judge of the Supreme Court of South Carolina, Hon. John H. Smythe, present Minister to Liberia, and Geo. W. Mitchell, at one time Professor of Latin and Greek in the noted Howard University.
Mr. Kulp was appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, on January 29, 1867, Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Twelfth Congressional District. On June 1I, of the same year, he was appointed specially by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to make assessments for all taxes imposed on legacies and distributive shares of personal property and succession to real estate in Luzerne county. These two offices he held until June, 1869. He was attorney for the county, with but one year's intermission, from November 13, 1874, to January, 1879, and in that office, as is attested by all cognizant of the facts, did the county signal service.
In 1876 he was chosen a member of the City Council, in which body he continued until 1882, during which six years he was one of the most conspicuous of its debaters, and one of the most stubborn contestants for the rights of the people. Principally through his efforts, he succeeded in having the Court House tower lighted every evening and the mall along the river bank provided with seats. There was also a reduction of the tax rate, and while the city was paying twenty dollars for water plugs per year on Mr. Kulp's entrance to the Council, upon his retirement they paid only twelve dollars and a half per year. In the same manner with gas posts, Mr. Kulp had the price reduced from forty-four dollars to seventeen dollars and a half each per year, and during his service in the Council the city was lighted with gasoline for three years, owing to the fact that the gas company were unwilling to take the price offered by Mr. Kulp and his col- leagues. The debt of the city was also reduced from $146, 125.06 to $46,584.45. Upon his retirement from the City Council, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the thanks of the Council of the city of Wilkes- Barre are eminently due, and are hereby tendered, to Geo. B. Kulp for his faithful service and fidelity to duty as a member of the Council from the Fourth ward, he now voluntarily retiring,
154
GEORGE BRUBAKER KULP.
after a continuous service of five years and ten months, signalized by an integrity of purpose, honesty of action, and devotion to pure and economical government.
Resolved, That in his retirement the city loses the services of one who has ever firmly adhered to the best interests of her peo- ple; one who, by his devoted efforts, has ably contributed to retrenchment in all departments of the municipal government, and economy in the expenditure of public moneys.
Resolved, That the clerk enter these resolutions in full upon the minutes of the Council, and that a copy, properly attested, be presented to Mr. Kulp.
In January, 1872, he established the Luzerne Legal Register, of which publication he is still editor and proprietor, confessedly one of the best legal publications in the State. He has also in preparation a history of the Bench and Bar of Luzerne County. This work when completed will be one of the most valuable his- torical and genealogical histories ever published in the county. In February, 1877, in connection with Jos. K. Bogert, he estab- lished the Leader, a weekly Democratic newspaper, which, in January, 1879, absorbed the Luzerne Union, then the only other Democratic paper (English) in the county, and became the Union-Leader. In October, of the latter year, a daily edition of the Union-Leader was established by the firm, from which Mr. Kulp retired in April, 1880, his interest having been purchased by Mr. Bogert.
In addition to the editorial labors thus recorded, Mr. Kulp has compiled and published two legal works of great local value, being the Rules of the Courts, of which a second edition has been emitted, and an Index to and Digest of the Corporations and Local Laws of Luzerne County. He is also the publisher of the Luzerne Legal Register Reports, of which one volume has been issued, and another is in preparation.
Mr. Kulp is a member of the Wyoming Historical and Geolog- ical Society, and of the Southern Historical Society. He has a choice library of over seven hundred volumes, mostly of a histo- rical and biographical character, many of them rare and valuable publications.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.