USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 22
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 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186 | Part 187 | Part 188 | Part 189 | Part 190 | Part 191 | Part 192 | Part 193 | Part 194 | Part 195 | Part 196 | Part 197 | Part 198 | Part 199 | Part 200 | Part 201 | Part 202 | Part 203 | Part 204 | Part 205 | Part 206 | Part 207 | Part 208 | Part 209 | Part 210 | Part 211 | Part 212 | Part 213 | Part 214 | Part 215 | Part 216
73
GOVERNMENT AND OFFICIALS
divisions and provided offices of various kinds for members. These were apportioned by the State them in order to facilitate the regulation of local Legislature on April 22, 1794, when Berks and Lu- zerne counties were made the Fifth Congressional District for the next ten years, with one mem- ber. affairs, and the representation of the people in the legislative bodies of the State and nation. And these offices have been filled either by election or by appointment from the beginning of our political In 1802, Berks, Chester, and Lancaster formed the Third District, with an apportionment of three members. existence as a county until now. A sameness ex- tends throughout the whole period. Comparatively little special legislation has been done for our county in the way of creating positions.
Four Acts of the General Assembly are worthy of mention: One passed in 1824, relative to the management of poor affairs; another in 1848, rela- tive to the management of prison affairs; a third in 1869, relative to the election of an additional law judge; and a fourth in 1883, to the election of an Orphans' court judge.
A marked change was introduced by the Consti- tution of 1873, enabling the minority party to elect officials. In Berks county this applied to county commissioners and county auditors. Theretofore, these officials in the county were almost entirely Democrats since their election in 1841.
The first Republican commissioner and auditor under this provision were elected in 1875. And in 1873, the Act of 1848 creating the board of prison inspectors was so amended as to enable the minor- ity party to elect three out of nine inspectors or an- nually one out of three.
The Act of 1824, relating to the poor directors, which provides for the annual election of a director for three years, has not yet been amended to meet the spirit of the times and of the State Constitu- tion.
In 1867, when jury commissioners were author- ized to be elected, provision was made that each elector should vote for one person for this office, and the two persons having the highest vote should be the commissioners. This provision enabled the minority party in the county to elect one commis- sioner, and accordingly, the Republicans have elect- ed a jury commissioner since 1867.
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
The office of representative to Congress of the John Schwartz **
United States was created by the Constitution of the United States which was adopted Sept. 17, 1787, and ratified by the Convention of Pennsylvania Dec. 12, 1787. The term of office was then made two years; and so it has continued to the present time.
Representatives were apportioned among the sev- eral States according to population, which was enu- merated within three years after the first meeting of Congress, and every ten years thereafter.
The first apportionment by Congress gave Penn- sylvania eight representatives. These were appor- tioned by the State Legislature, March 16, 1791, to eight districts. Berks, Northampton, and Lu- zerne counties were erected into one district. with one member. In 1793, the State was given thirteen
In 1812, Berks and Schuylkill formed the Seventh District, with one member.
In 1822, Berks, Schuylkill, and Lehigh formed the Seventh District, with two members.
In 1832, Berks became a separate district, called the Ninth, with one member.
In 1843, and every ten years successively until 1887, Berks comprised the Eighth Congressional District, with one member.
By the Act of May 19, 1887, in the apportionment of the State, Lehigh county was included with Berks county in the formation of the Ninth Dis- trict, and through delegates of the Republican and Democratic parties from the two counties, respec- tively, an agreement was entered into that Berks county should have the nominee for three consec- utive terms and Lehigh for two as long as they continued together.
By the Act of July 11, 1901, in the apportion- ment of the State these two counties constituted the Thirteenth District.
The following persons represented Berks county in Congress :
Name Term
Daniel Hiester 1789-97
Joseph Hiester* 1797-1807; 1815-20
Matthias Reichert 1807-11
John M. Hynemant
1811-13
Daniel Udree
1813-15; 1823-25
Ludwig Wormant
1821-22
William Adams
1825-29
Henry A. Muhlenberg§
1829-38
George M. Keim
1838-43
John Ritter 1843-47
William Strong
1847-53
J. Glancy Jones|| 1851-53; 1854-58
Henry A. Muhlenberg, Jr.IT 1853-54
William H. Keim
1858-59
1859-60
Jacob K. McKenty 1860-61
Sydenham E. Ancona 1861-67
* Joseph Hiester was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in Oct- ober, 1820, and resigned his seat in Congress. Daniel Udree was elected in December, 1820, to succeed him for the unexpired term ending March 3, 1821.
John M. Hyneman was re-elected; but he resigned his seat, and Daniel Udree was elected to fill the vacancy for the nnexpired term ending March 3, 1815.
# Ludwig Worman died Oct. 17, 1822, whilst filling this office, and Udree was elected in December following to fill the unexpired term ending in March, 1823.
§ Henry A. Muhlenberg resigned his seat in February, 1838, and accepted the Mission to Austria as the first Minister. George M. Keim was elected in March, 1838; to fill the unexpired term ending March 3, 1839.
Il J. Glancy Jones resigned in October. 1858, and accepted Mis- sion to Austria. William H. Keim was elected on Nov. 30, 1858, to fill wexpired term ending March 3, 1859.
[ Henry A. Muhlenberg. Jr., died at Washington on Tan. 9, 1854. He had appeared in Congress only a single day. when he was taken sick with typhoid fever, and thereafter was unable to resume his seat.
** John Schwartz died in July, 1860, and Jacob K. McKenty was elected to fill unexpired term ending March 4, 1861.
74
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
J. Lawrence Getz 1867-73
Hiester Clymer
1873-81
Daniel Ermentrout
1881-89; 1897-99
David B. Brunner
.1889-93
Constantine J. Erdman*
1893-97
Henry D. Green
1899-1903
Marcus D. Kline* 1903-1907
John H. Rothermel 1907-1911
FOREIGN MINISTERS
Henry A. Muhlenberg, to Austria. 1838-40
J. Glancy Jones, to Austria. 1838-61
FOREIGN CONSULS
John Endlich, at Basle, Switzerland
Henry May Keim, at Prince Edward Island
UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS
William Strong Samuel L. Young
1853-1901
William J. Young
1901-05
Henry Maltzberger
1905-
REGISTERS IN BANKRUPTCY
Harrison Maltzberger 1867-92
Christian H. Ruhl 1898-1904
Samuel E. Bertolet . 1905 -
STATE REPRESENTATIVES
The "Continental Congress" passed a resolution on May 15, 1776, calling upon the respective Assem- blies of the "United Colonies" "to adopt such gov- ernment as shall in the opinion of the representa- tives of the people best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular and America in general." In pursuance thereof a Pro- vincial Conference was held in "Carpenter's Hall." at Philadelphia, on Tuesday, June 18, 1776. It was attended by representatives from all the counties of the province, then eleven in number. The repre- sentatives-or delegates, as they were called-from Berks county were :
Jacob Morgan Benjamin Spyker Joseph Hiester
Henry Haller Daniel Hunter Chas. Shoemaker
Mark Bird Valentine Eckert
Bodo Otto
Nicholas Lutz
This Conference decided that a Provincial Con- vention should be called to meet on Monday, July 15, 1776, for the express purpose of "forming a new government in this province on the authority of the people only"; fixed the qualifications of electors, the number of representatives from each county and the time of their election; ordered an address to the people; and agreed upon a "Declaration of In- dependence" of the province, the truthfulness, for- cibleness, and elegance of which are worthy all pos- sible praise and admiration.
Accordingly, on July 15, 1776, the Convention assembled, composed of delegates from each coun- ty. The delegates from Berks county were:
Jacob Morgan Benjamin Spyker Chas. Shoemaker
Gabriel Hiester
Daniel Hunter Thomas Jones, Jr.
John Lesher Valentine Eckert
A constitution was agreed upon on Sept. 28, 1716, comprising a Preamble, Declaration of # From Lehigh county.
Rights and Frame of Government. The "Declara- tion of Rights" was reported by a committee of eleven, of which John Lesher from Berks was a member.
By the 47th section of the "Frame of Govern- ment" a provision was made for the election of Censors in 1783 and every seventh year thereafter, who were "to inquire whether the Constitution was preserved inviolate in every part." The Censors elected in 1783 to represent Berks county were James Read and Baltzer Gehr.
The General Assembly of the State met at Phil- adelphia on March 24, 1789. The representatives from Berks county were :
Joseph Hiester Joseph Sands Daniel Brodhead
Gabriel Hiester John Ludwig
The Assembly decided that alterations and amendments to the Constitution of 1776 were nec- essary; and the Assembly met again on Sept. 15, 1789. A resolution was reported by a committee of the whole Assembly which favored the calling of a convention to amend the Constitution, and it was adopted.
Delegates were accordingly elected by each of the districts in the State, and those from Berks county were :
Joseph Hiester Abraham Lincoln Balser Gehr
Christian Lower Paul Groscup
The Convention assembled in the State House, at Philadelphia, on Nov. 24, 1789, and a New Con- stitution was agreed upon, all the delegates sub- scribing it on Sept. 2, 1790. It was soon afterward submitted to the people of the State by a special election, and adopted.
This Constitution was continued as the general political law of the State until the adoption of a New Constitution in 1873. In the mean time ef- forts were made to improve it. An Act of Assem- bly was passed March 28, 1825, which provided for an election to be held at the next succeeding election to ascertain the opinion of the people rela- tive to the call of a Constitutional Convention, but they decided by ballot that such a convention should not be called. The vote in Berks county was against it.
In 1835 a convention was again recommended, and the people decided that it was necessary. The vote in Berks county was against it again.
In 1837 a Convention was duly assembled at Har- risburg and various amendments to the Constitu- tion were recommended, which were adopted at the regular election in October, 1838. The vote in Berks county was for them. The delegates at this Convention from Berks county were :
John Ritter William High James Donagan
George M. Keim Mark Darrah
Subsequently, till 1873, various amendments were proposed by Acts of Assembly and adopted by elections of the people.
GOVERNMENT AND OFFICIALS
75
An Act of Assembly was passed in 1871 which provided for the calling of a general convention to amend the Constitution of 1790. It was submitted to the people at the general election of October, 1871, and ratified. The vote in Berks county was against the proposition.
"Delegates were accordingly elected; the Conven- tion assembled-first at Harrisburg, then at Phil- adelphia; and the result of their labor was submitted to the people in 1873, and adopted. The vote in Berks county was favorable. The delegates from Berks county were:
George G. Barclay Henry W. SmithHenry Van Reed
Under the Provincial Constitution, and after- ward under the State Constitutions of 1776, 1790, and 1873, the officers named in the subsequent pages were elected and appointed.
STATE OFFICIALS
The following persons from Berks county held State offices :
Charles Biddle, Supreme Executive Councillor, elected by the Legislature, 1784-87.
Joseph Hiester, Governor, elected, 1820-23.
Gabriel Hiester, Surveyor-General, appointed by the Governor, 1824-30.
Frederick Smith, Supreme Associate Justice, appointed by the Governor, 1828-30.
Jacob Sallade, Surveyor-General, appointed by the Governor, 1839-45.
John Banks, State Treasurer, elected by the Legisla- ture, 1847. William Strong, Supreme Associate Justice, elected, Constitution of 1873. Then the term was increased William M. Hiester, Secretary of State, appointed by Governor, 1858-60. to two years. In all these years-from 1752 to the present time-Berks county was a separate dis- William H. Keim, Surveyor-General, elected, 1860-61. trict, excepting after the erection of Schuylkill Warren J. Woodward, Supreme Associate Justice, elected, 1874-79. county out of portions of Berks and Northamp- David McMurtrie Gregg, Auditor-General, elected, 1892- 95. ton, when it was added to Berks, and continued so for a period of eighteen years-from 1811 to 1829.
SENATORS
The office of State senator was created by the Constitution of 1790. The State was thereby ap- portioned into senatorial districts; and again in 1793, and subsequently every seven years till the adoption of the New Constitution of 1873, where- by the apportionment was thereafter to be made on the decennial census of the United States. In the beginning, Berks and Dauphin counties com- prised a district with an allotment of two mem- bers; and they continued together till 1808, when Berks was erected into a separate district with two members. After the erection of Schuylkill county in 1811, it was added to Berks, and they together comprised a district with two members till 1836, when Berks was again erected into a district by itself with one member, and continued so from that time till now. The term was four years from 1790 to 1838; and three years thence to 1874, when the New Constitution fixed it at four years again.
The members from Berks alone are mentioned :
Name
Term
Joseph Hiester 1790-94
Gabriel Hiester
1795-96; 1805-12
Christopher Lower 1797-1804
John S. Hiester .1809-12
Charles Shoemaker 1813-16
Marks John Biddle
1817-20
Conrad Feger 1821-24
George Schall 1825-28
Daniel A. Bertolet 1829-32
Paul Geiger
1833-36
John Miller 1837-40
Samuel Fegely 1841-46
John Potteiger 1847-49
Henry A. Muhlenberg 1850-52
William M. Hiester*
1853-55
John C. Evans
1856-58
Benjamin Nunnemacher
1859-60
Hiester Clymer
1861-66
J. Depuy Davis
1867-73
Daniel Ermentrout
1874-80
Edward H. Shearer
1881-84
Frank R. Brunner
1885-88
Henry D. Green 1889-96
W. Oscar Miller
1897-1900
Edward M. Herbstt
1901-1908
ASSEMBLYMEN
The office of assemblyman was first created by William Penn in establishing a government for the province; and representatives thereto, from the several counties as they were erected, were elected annually till the Declaration of Independence and the adoption of a Constitution by the State in 1776. It was continued by this Constitution, and afterward by that of 1790, whereby members to the Assembly were elected annually till the adoption of the New
The number of representatives from Berks was as follows :
1752-71
1
1772-76
2
1777-81 4
1782-86 6
1787-1829 .5
1830-57
4
1858-74 3
In 1874 six members were apportioned to Berks, to so continue until an apportionment be duly made on next census of United States (1880)-namely, to the city of Reading. two members, and to the county of Berks four.
By the Act of May 12, 1887, in the apportion- ment of the State for representatives, the county of Berks became entitled to five members-the city of Reading as the First District to elect two members, and all the county outside of Reading
* William M. Hiester was elected and served as Speaker of the Senate for year 1855.
¡ Re-elected in November, 1908.
-
1857-68.
-76
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
as the Second District to elect three members ; which has continued unchanged.
The representatives from the county were as fol- lows :
Term
Daniel Rhoads, Jr.
1815-17; 1822
Jacob Dreibelbis
1815
Christian Haldeman 1816
D. Hottenstein 1816; 1822-24; 1827
William Schoener
1817
Name
Term
Moses Starr
1752-54
Francis Parvin
1755
Thomas Yorke 1756-57
James Boone
1758
John Potts
1759-61
Jacob Griesemer
1818-19
John Ross
1762-64
1819; 1822
Adam Witman
1765-66
Edward Biddle*
1767-81
Abraham Mengel
1820
Henry Christ
1771-81
John W. Roseberry
1820
Valentine Eckert
1776-79
George Gernant
1820-21
Henry Haller
1776-81
Samuel Jones
1821
John Lesher
1776-81
Joseph Good
1821
John Hiester
1782
Jacob Schneider
1821
Gabriel Hiester
1782; 1787-89; 1791; 1802-04
1822-24
Baltzer Gehr
1782; 1786; 1792-99
1822-23
Daniel Hunter
1782
1823-24
Benjamin Weiser
.1782
Henry Boyer
.1824-27; 1832
Joel Bishop
1782-84
James Everhard
1824-26
Daniel Clymer
.1783-84; 1787; 1791
Chris. Lower
1783-85; 1793-94; 1796
Abraham Lincoln
1783-86
Geo. M. Odenheimer
.1825
John Ludwig
1783; 1780; 1790-92
John Patton
1783
George Ege
Philip A. Good
1827-29
Nicholas Lotz
1784-86; 1790-94
John Rice
1784
Henry Spyker
1785-86
Thos. J. Roehrer
1829-30
David Davis
1785-88
George Klein
.1829
Martin Rhoads
.1785
Paul Geiger
1829-31
Philip Kraemer
1785-87
Tohn Wanner
1830-32
Joseph Hiester
1787-90
Charles Biddle
1788
William High
. 1832
Joseph Sands
1788-90
Daniel Brodhead
1789
Benjamin Tyson
1833
James Collins
1791
Adam Schoener
1839-40
C. Shoemaker
.1792-1801; 1810; 1812
William Hottenstein
1835-36
Paul Groscup
1792-98
Lewis W. Richards
. 1835
John Christ
1795-96
John Spayd
1795-1810
Peter Frailey
1797-1801; 1810; 1812
John Sheetz
1836-37
William Lewis
1797-98
Michael K. Boyer
.1837
Daniel Udree
1799-1803; 1805
Jacob Walborn
1838-39
William Witman
.1800-05
Abraham Hill
1838-39
Isaac Adams
1804-05
Henry Flannery
1840-41
Jacob Rhoads
1804-05; 1809
Jacob Epler
1805; 1816
Daniel B. Kutz
1840-41
Valentine Probst
1806-08
Samuel Moore
1841-43
John Bishop
Joseph Bachman
1842-43
Bernard Kepner
1808
John C. Evans
1844; 1850-52
David Kerby
1809-12: 1815; 1817
Jacob Tice
1845-46
John M. Hyncman
1809
Michael Hoffman
.1845-46; 1857
Henry G. Stetler
1845-46; 1848
Conrad Feger
1811-14
John Long
1847-48
Jacob Krebs
1813-14
Jacob Graeff
.1847
William Shaffner
1849-50
George Marx
1814
Alex. S. Feather
1850-51
Jonathan Hudson
1814
Jacob Reifsnyder 1851-52
Isaac Yost
1852-53
* In 1774 Edward Biddle was Speaker of the Assembly.
George Dengler
1852-53
John Potteiger
1831-34;
1842-44
Peter Klein, Jr.
1833-34
Daniel Leinhach
1790
Jacob M. Snyder
.1833-34
John Ulrich
1835-36
John Jackson
1835-37
D. Rose
.1799-1804; 1806-08; 1811-12
S. Fegely
1837-39; 1848; 1849; 1851
Frederick Smith
1802-03
James Geiger
. 1838
Peter Filbert
.1840
Elias Redcay
1806-07
Robert M. Barr
1841
Jacob Schaeffer
1806-08 1806
John Shenk
1842-43
Daniel Yoder
1807-08
Henry W. Smith
1844-45
Jacob Schneider
1809
Alfred J. Herman
.1844
James McFarland
1809
Adam Ruth
1810-11
Charles Levan
1846-47
John Miller
1813; 1815
John C. Myers
1847-49
John Adams
1813-14
Jacob Sassaman
1813
Daniel Zerbey
1849-50; 1853
Daniel Kerper
1815
Godfried Roehrer
1817; 1820; 1823
Michael Graeff
1817-19
Joseph Good
1818-19
Jacob Levan
1818-19
Elisha Geiger
1818
John Neikerch
John Kohler
1820
Jonathan Jones
1779-80
Jacob Rahn
1821
William Adams
John Gehr
George Rahn 1825; 1827-28
Jacob Gehr
18.25-26
Daniel A. Bertolette 1826-28
Michael Graeff
1826
1783
Mordecai Lewis
.1828
John Stauffer 1829-31
1834;
William Audenried
Name
77
GOVERNMENT AND OFFICIALS
Name
Term
Jacob Wicklein
1853-54
John B. Smith
1854
George Shenk
1854-56
Dan'1 V. R. Hunter 1854
Jeremiah Mengel
.1855
John F. Linderman
1855
Samuel Shearer
1855
Andrew M. Sallade
1855
J. Lawrence Getz*
1856-57
William Heins
1856-57
Benj. Nunnemacher
1856-58
Michael Hoffman.
.1857
Edmund L. Smith.
1858-59
Amos Weiler.
1858
Solomon L. Custer
1859-60
Augustus F. Bertolet.
.1859
Joshua S. Miller
.1860
Elijah Penn Smith 1860-61
Michael P. Boyer
1861
Henry B. Rhoads
1861;
1865-67
Charles A. Kline.
1862-64
Daniel K. Weidner.
1862-63
William N. Potteiger
1862-64
John P. Missimer.
1864-66
Frederick Harner
1865-67
Richmond L. Jones.
1867-68 Henry S. Hottenstein
Henry Brobst.
1868-70
Aaron T. C. Keffer
1870-72
Hiram H. Schwartz
1870-72
John A. Conrad.
1871-73
Benjamin E. Dry
1873-76
John Godfrey. 1752-61
Jacob Lightfoot. 1753-56; 1759-62
Aaron Smith
1874-76
Thomas Rutter 1756-59
Daniel L. Batdorf
.1875
William Reeser 1757-60
Nicholos Andre
1875-78
Samuel High 1760-63; 1773-76
Joseph B. Conrad.
1876-78
Christian Witman. 1761-64
George D. Schaeffer.
1877-80
John Hughes 1762-65
Stephen J. Smith.
1877-80
Fred'k Weiser. 1763-66
James Liggett.
1879-82
Richard Lewis 1764-67
1765-68
George K. Lorah.
1881-84
Isaac Z. Deck.
1883-86
Jacob Snyder
1769-71
Benjamin C. Baer
1884-88
John Jones.
1769-72
Henry Rightmeyer
1770-73
Davis Brecht. .
1771-74
Abraham Lincoln
1772-78
Cyrus W. Kutz
1889-92
Michael Brecht. 1774-77
1776-79
John Kerlin.
1777-80
Adam Witman
1778-81; 1784-87
Thomas Jones
.1779-82; 1783-86
Jacob M. Weible
1895-98
Charles B. Spatz ..
1897-1900
Frank H. Naftzinger
1899-1902
Lot W. Reiff
1899-1902
Conrad Eckert 1785-91
1786-89
John Keim.
1787-90
Jacob Boyer.
1789-92
Jacob Bower
1790-93
John Riegel.
1791-94
George Lorah.
1792-95
Philip Miller. 1793-96
Peter Kershner 1794-97
William Witman. 1795-98
Nicholas 'Dick. 1796-99
Isaac Addams 1797-1800
Jacob Rhoads
1798-1801
Peter Feather
1799-1802
Jacob Epler.
1800-03
Casper Merkel.
1801-04
John Cunnius. 1802-05
Daniel Yoder 1803-06
Adam Ruth. 1804-07
* Speaker of House in 1857.
the three commissioners in 1875 and every third year thereafter.
The board of county auditors also comprises three members. Previous to 1809 they were ap- pointed by the county judges. An Act was passed March 16, 1809, providing for the annual election thereafter of three auditors. In 1814, this pro- vision was modified so that a new auditor was in- troduced into the board annually thereafter. This practice prevailed until the Constitution of 1873, which provided for the election of three auditors in 1875 and every third year thereafter.
In respect to both commissioners and auditors, "each qualified elector shall vote for no more than two persons, and the three persons having the highest number of votes shall be elected." This was a marked departure from the old system, by which all of one political party were elected. It en- abled the opposite party to. elect one member. Since 1875, these officers have been elected-two by the Democrats and one by the Republicans.
COMMISSIONERS
Name
Term
Evan Price. 1752-53
Edward Drury 1752-56
Michael McCullough
1873-74
John H. Riegel.
1879-82
C. A. Seidel.
1881-84
Nicholas Harmony.
1766-69
Christian Merkel.
1767-70
James W. Sponagle 1883-86
L. P. G. Fegley
1884-88
N. S. Kauffman
1887-90
John E. Pautsch
.1887-90
Samuel B. Keppel
1891-94
F. Leonard Reber
1891-94
Jacob G. Herzog.
.1893-96
Cyrus J. Rhode
1895-98
Thomas Parry
1780-83
Daniel Messersmith
1781-84
Michael Forry. 1782-85
Daniel Leinbach.
Francis W. Balthaser
.1903-06
Thomas R. Houck.
1903-06
Jacob A. Lesher. 1905-06
1907-08
Irwin M. Sharman 1907-10
David H. G. Kuser
1907-10
Alvin K. Lesher
1909-10
COUNTY OFFICERS
COMMISSIONERS .- The board of county commis- sioners comprises three members. Previous to 1875, one was elected annually for three years. The Constitution of 1873 provided for the election of
.
Elmer E. Squibb 1901-04
Howard G. McGowan
Christian Lower
Isaac Levan.
18$8-69
78
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA
Name
Term
Name
Term
Henry Hahn
1805-08
Jeremiah R. Guldin.
1879-81
Henry Hottenstein ..
1806-09
Samuel G. Hatfield.
1882-84
Nicholas Leib
.1807-10
Peter Spang. 1882-84
Jacob Miller.
1808-11
David C. Keller. 1882-84
Valentine Boyer
1809-12
John L. Wagner 1885-87
Daniel Ruth.
1810-13
Samuel K. Fisher 1885-87
George Boyer
1811-14
David C. Keller.
1885-87
Jacob Gehr.
1812-15
Samuel G. Herbine
1888-90
William Addams
1813-16
Cyrus Levan.
1888-90
George Shreffler.
1814-17
Samuel R. Deppen
1888-90
Daniel Levan.
1815-18
Cyrus W. Kauffman
1891-93
William High.
1816-19
Jacob H. Reeser.
1891-93
Peter Stichter
1817-20
Franklin Seidel
1891-93
George N. Lechner
1818-21
Jeremiah Hartman
1894-96
David Bright.
1820-23
John Wunch*
1894-96
Fred'k Stamm.
1822-25
Wesley K. Loose.
1897-99
John Wanner.
1824-27
Alfred Gunkel
1900-02
John Hahn.
1826-29
Stanley Kirby
1827-30
George Gernant.
1828-31
Anthony Bickel.
1829-32
Daniel K. Hottenstein
1830-33
John Filbert.
1831-34
Jacob Goodman.
1832-35
Daniel Snyder
1833-36
John Deysher.
1834-37
John Y. Cunnius.
1835-38
John Seibert.
1836-39
David Kutz ..
1837-40
Michael Reifsnyder
.1838-41
AUDITORS
Name
Term
Thomas Lightfoot.
.1797-98; 1803-05
William Moore.
1797-1800; 1803-08
John Bishop
.1797-98
Fred'k Printz.
1844-47
Michael Gery.
Jacob Bower.
1799-1800
David Yoder
1846-49
Charles Fichthorn
1847-50
Conrad Clouse.
1848-51
George De B. Keim.
1801-02; 1809
Thomas Shaner.
1849-53
James May ..
1803-05
Joseph A. Schneider.
1850-53
John Witman
1896-08
John McGowan
1851-54
Lewis Reeser.
1809
Benjamin Kutz
1852-55
Fred'k Frick
1809
Jacob Young.
1853-56
John Bieber.
.1810
Gabriel Filbert.
1854-57
1810-11
William Knabb
1855-58
Daniel Yoder.
1810
Samuel Summons
1856-59
Christopher Shearer
1811: 1817-19
D. L. Wenrich.
1857-60; 1863-66
John S. Hiester.
1811
William Miller.
1858-61
George Lorah
1812
John F. Moers
1859-62
Paul Wenrich, Sr.
1860-63
John Adams.
1812
J. Donahower.
.1861
Henry M. Richards.
1813-16
William Addams
1813-14
H. R. Hawman
1862-65
Peter Trexler
1813
Adam Stein
1864-67
Abraham Mengel
1814-17
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.