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 36

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018

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 36

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In case of invasion, or assistance were asked by Congress, the militia was called out by classes. The first draft consisted of class one of each company, and if insufficient, then class two, and so on, as oc- casion required. Each class was liable to serve two months, and it was relieved by the next class in

142

IIISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Pay and Rations .- The pay and rations were the

Proffer Services to President .- In 1798, a mis- same as Continental troops. They were to com- understanding arose between our National govern- mence two days before marching, and to be allowed at the rate of twenty miles a day till the men re- turned home. ment and the French on account of their seizing and detaining many of our vessels for examination, to ascertain whether or not we, as a neutral govern- ment, were carrying English commodities. Some conflicts arose on the sea, but Napoleon, upon tak- ing control of the French government, soon estab- lished a cordial understanding between the two countries and American vessels were no longer mo- lested; and two years afterward Louisiana was purchased by the United States.

During this excitment, the officers of the Berks County Brigade met at the Court-House in Read- ing on June 30, 1798, and addressed a patriotic letter to, President Adams, offering their services to assist in resenting the insult of the French to our government ; to which the President gave them a very appreciative acknowledgment.

Military Division .- In 1807 Berks and Dauphin counties comprised the Sixth Division. In 1814 two new counties, Schuylkill and Lebanon, were added to this division, Dauphin and Lebanon forming the 1st Brigade and Berks and Schuylkill the 2d; and in 1849, Dauphin, Lebanon and Berks comprised the 5th Division. The last Act before the Rebellion was passed in 1858, by which Berks was still a part of the same division.

Encampment at Reading .- A large and success- ful encampment of militia was held at Reading in 1842. It was arranged along the base of Penn's Mount and continued from May 18th for one week.

The following troops attended:

Company Men

Reading Troop 30

Reading Artillerists 52

Washington Grays (Reading) 40

National Grays (Reading)

National Troop (Oley)

Hamburg Troop 30

Hamburg Artillerists 52

Womelsdorf Legion.

Bernville Rifle Grays

Berks Rifle Rangers.

Pottsville Cavalry.

Pottsville Infantry 44

Orwigsburg Grays 40

Allentown Guards. 34

595

Attendance from Reading. 157; from country districts, 292. Brig .- Gen. William High was in command of the Berks County Brigade. The commander-in-chief of the State was also present.

The daily duty at the encampment was similar to army regulation during actual war. It was as follows :

Morning gun at daybreak Grand parade, 10 A.M.

Reveille

Dinner, 12 M.

Roll-call

Regular parade, 4 P.M.

Morning parade

Evening gun, 6 P.M.

Breakfast

Tattoo and countersign, 10

Detail of guards P.M.

Inspection Lights extinguished, 11 P. M.

And from 11 P.M. to daylight "the sentry walked his lonely round."

Days of Drill .- Days of drill were set apart in the spring and fall for military exercises ; in companies, on the last Monday of April, and first three Mon- days of May; also, on the last two Mondays of August, the last two Mondays of September, and the third Monday of October ; and in battalions, on the fourth Mondays of May and October.

Fines .- Enrolled men who refused to parade were fined 7s. 6d. per diem; absent officers, 10s .; non-commissioned officers and privates, 5s. On field days, the fine for non-attendance was £5, and for non-commissioned officers and privates, 15s.

Pensions .- Pensions were allowed for incapaci- tating injuries not exceeding one-half the pay re- ceived; and for persons who died from wounds, or were killed in service, the Orphans' Court was authorized to allow support to the families in amounts not to exceed one-half the pay of such persons.

Persons Exempted from Service .- The excepted persons from bearing arms were delegates in Con- gress, members of the Executive Council, judges of the Supreme court, masters and faculty of colleges, ministers, and servants purchased bona fide.

Subsequent Returns .- Militia returns were made and reported for the succeeding years of the Rev- olution until 1783, and those for the years 1778, 1780, and 1783 have been published in the Penn- sylvania Archives.

SINCE REVOLUTION .- The military spirit of the people continued to prevail after the Revolution, and the State encouraged it for the purpose of maintaining familiarity with its affairs. Compan- ies, regiments and brigades were organized and drilled at certain fixed times and places within the county. The meeting was commonly called "Bat- talion Day." It preserved a strong general interest in public affairs, especially in public defense. This interest enabled the several organizations to re- spond promptly to calls for their services, and their promptness was a distinguishing characteristic. Fortunately for them and especially for the coun- try, their services were not needed frequently. Not to mention the "Whiskey Insurrection" and "North- ampton Affair" as of any military consequence, there were but two occasions for a period covering over sixty years in which their services were re- quired, one having been the English war of 1812-15, and the other the Mexican war of 1846-48, each, by a strange coincidence, occurring after a period of about thirty years. These military exercises were continued until the beginning of the Rebellion ; but this outbreak of the Southern States against the Northern was of such a serious, long-continued and costly nature that the spirit for a return to military exercise had come to be entirely exhausted.

WAR PERIODS

143

A review of the troops was held on Saturday, ried on successfully, but without causing any public May 21st. The day was fine, and thousands of excitement, excepting during the time and in the persons were in attendance.

Gen. Winfield Scott, accompanied by his aids, arrived at Reading on the day of the review. He was met at the "depot" (Seventh and Chestnut streets) by a detachment of military and escorted to "Herr's Hotel" (United States, north side of Penn Square, between Fourth and Fifth streets), followed by many citizens. He spent Sunday at Reading. On Monday, 23d, he reviewed the troops at the encampment and during this day medals were shot for. General Scott expressed himself as highly pleased with the discipline and appearance of the encampment and he paid a special compliment to the "Reading Artillerists." Whilst here he presented each of the Revolutionary survivors with a $20 gold- piece.

Battalions in 1856 .- In 1856 there were in the county twenty-four companies of militia, arranged in six battalions, which comprised the 1st Brigade, of the 5th Division of Pennsylvania Volunteers:

Battalion Section

Officer Company Men

1st Reading Major W. H. Keim 6 539

2d Hamburg Major J. A. Beitenman 4 206

3d Maiden-creek Major D. B. Kaufman 3 133

4th Oley Major Isaac Schroeder 5 311

5th Union Major W. J. Schoener 3 135

6th Marion Major John Bechtold 3 139

Total men, 1,463; total force of troops in the county, 6,644.

These battalions were in active existence when the Civil war broke out in 1861.

STATE NATIONAL GUARD .- In 1864, a new sys- tem was provided which still prevails. The assess- ors of the county are required to enroll "every able- bodied male citizen resident within the State, of the age of twenty-one years and under the age of forty- five years," excepting certain persons specified; and this roll of persons is placed on record in the office of the county commissioners; and the whole num- ber of persons liable to military duty is reported by the commissioners to the adjutant-general of the State. The enrolled militia shall be subject to no active duty except in case of war, invasion, riot, etc. The commander-in-chief may order the militia to be drafted from the persons liable to duty or ac- cept as many volunteers as may be required. The organization is similar to the previous systems, but the State is divided into twenty divisions, each county to form a separate brigade. Berks, Leb- anon and Dauphin counties comprise the 5th Di- vision. Subsequent modifications have been made.

Daniel de B. Keim, 1794-1830.

George May Keim, 1830-34. William H. Miller, 1834-39.

William Strong, 1839-44.

Thomas S. Leoser, 1844-49.

Marks John Biddle, 1849-50; 1852-55.

Daniel R. Clymer, 1850-52. William I. Clous, 1855-57. George W. Alexander, 1857-61.

William H. Andrews, 1862.

Thomas M. Richard, 1862-63.

Robert H. Savage, 1881-82.

William H. Souders, 1882-83. Samuel H. Stahr, 1883-85.

Henry J. Christoph, 1885-95.

Samuel Willits, 1895-99.

Edward E. Machamer, 1899-1902.

Reuben C. Potteiger, 1902-05.

H. Melvin Allen, since 1905.

The active militia is styled the "National Guard of Pennsylvania." In time of peace it shall com- A military company was organized at Hamburg, April 13, 1875, and became attached to the N. G. P. as Company E, 4th Regiment, having been a con- tinuation of the "Blue Mountain Legion." It was called into active service to assist in quelling the prise an aggregate not to exceed ten thousand of- ficers and men and "consist of two hundred com- panies, fully armed, uniformed and equipped. to be distributed among the several military divisions of the State according to the number of its taxable riots at Reading in July, 1877, at Homestead in July, population." And provision is made for drilling, inspections and encampments. This system is car-

vicinity of any encampment.

Reading Artillerists .- The Reading Artillerists is one of the most prominent military organi- zations in Pennsylvania. It was organized at Reading, March 23, 1794, and has continued in ac- tive existence until the present time, excepting from the close of the Civil war in 1865 until 1881, when it was re-organized. At first it was known as the Reading Union Volunteers, and in the English war of 1812-15 as the Reading Washington Guards, and about 1820 it took the name of Reading Artil- lerists which it has retained until now. The first captain was Daniel de B. Keim and he served as such from 1794 to 1830. It was engaged in the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794; in the Northampton riot of 1799; in the English war of 1812-15; in the Phil- adelphia religious riots of 1844; in the Mexican war of 1846-48; in the Civil war of 1861-65; in the Homestead riots of July, 1892; in the Hazleton riots of September, 1897; in the Spanish war of 1898; in the Schuylkill riots of 1900; and in the Northumberland and Luzerne riots from Septent- ber, 1902, to April, 1903.

The captain of the company since Feb. 6, 1905, has been Dr. H. Melvin Allen, and he has devel- oped the company to a high grade of efficiency ; for, in the first year the company ranked fourth in the regiment, the second year it ranked second, and the third year it ranked first, having in 1907 reached the average of .99 55-100. In the fourth year, how- ever it dropped to second place, the company which it had surpassed in 1907 having reached first place in 1908 by the remarkable average of .99 65-100 (the Artillerists being .99 60-100).

The following is a list of the captains of the company :

1892, in Schuylkill county, in 1900, and in North- umberland and Luzerne counties from September,

14-1

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1902, to April, 1903. It was also engaged in the an increase of 2,198 over the number for 1905. Spanish war with the 4th Regiment of Pennsylvania Reading contained over half, 16,383. The number for the several districts was as follows : Volunteer Infantry, having been mustered into the National service May 10, 1898, and mustered out Total District Enrolled Nov. 16, 1898. It participated in the movements of the army in Porto Rico, and was then commanded Albany Ontelaunee 157 Pike 83 by Capt. William Kummerer. [See reference to Alsace, Lower 139 156 Company and Armory in description of Hamburg, Amity Alsace 118 187 Perry Penn Chapter XI.] It was commanded by the following Bern 197 106 captains : Bern, Upper Richmond Robeson

Edward F. Smith, 1875-83.

Charles F. Seaman .* 1883-93.

John F. Ancona, 1893-97.

Benjamin F. Gehris, 1897-98.

Bernville

Topton

116

Birdsboro, E. W.

304

Tulpehocken

228

Birdsboro, W. W.

157

Tulpehocken, U. 253

Centre

209

Washington

225

Cumru

630

West Leesport West Reading

308

Colebrookdale

237

Windsor

Douglass

152

Womelsdorf

214

District

Wyomissing

135

Exeter

320

First ward

587

Fleetwood

217

Second ward

739

Greenwich

189

Third ward

834

Hamburg, E. W.

314

Fifth ward

479

Heidelberg,

236

Sixth ward

1,722

Heidelberg,

583

Eighth ward

866

Jefferson

133

Ninth ward 1,060

Kutztown

275

Tenth ward

910

Lenhartsville

Eleventh ward

875

Longswamp

200

Twelfth ward 1,349

Maiden-creek

253

Thirteenth ward

1,919

Marion

135

Fourteenth ward

1,063

Maxatawny

443

Fifteenth ward

1,791

Muhlenberg

455

Mt. Penn

I31

Total for city and

Oley

311

county

.29,105

STATE POLICE

The inefficiency of the local police authorities throughout Pennsylvania, more especially in the coal regions where many foreigners from different nations had come to be residents, was a subject of serious discussion for many years without any re- lief or satisfactory protection, notwithstanding the gradual increase of lawlessness and crime. Finally, the Legislature, under the recommendation of Gov- ernor Pennypacker, passed an Act for the estab- lishment and regulation of a new department of gov- ernment called the State Police, which he approved on May 3, 1905. In pursuance of this Act, a super- intendent was appointed by the Governor and four troops were carefully qualified, the system going into operation throughout the State on the same day, Dec. 15, 1905.

The superintendent, Capt. John C. Groome, se- lected Reading as one of the four stations in the State for the location of Troop C from which to carry on the patrol of the surrounding country within a radius of thirty miles, in the performance

* Elected major of regiment in 1903.

164

250

262

Bethel

227

Rockland

141

Brecknock

126

Ruscombmanor

177

Boyertown

317

Spring

585

Bechtelsville

Tilden

162

Dr. John R. Wagner, 1898.

William Kummerer, 1898-1902.

Monroe M. Dreibelbis, 1902-07.

Wilson S. Lewis, since 1907.

Company G, of the 9th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, was organized at Reading by Henry D. Green (a prominent attorney) in response to a sec- ond call of President Mckinley for 75,000 addi- tional troops, and mustered into the National service July 27, 1898. It was encamped in Kentucky dur- ing August and part of September, and was mus- tered out of service Oct. 29, 1908.

These three companies (Company A, Company E, and Company G) from Berks county participated in the great Peace Jubilee at Philadelphia on Oct. 27, 1898, after the successful termination of the Spanish war.

Company I, of the 4th Regiment, N. G. P., was organized in 1898 as a provisional company in order to maintain a military organization of the National Guard at Reading during the absence of Company A, and mustered in June 9th, with a full quota. It became attached to the National Guard of the State in 1900. Harry M. Phillippi was the captain until he resigned in 1901: Jerome Seider from 1901 to 1903, and Ralph R. Koser from 1903 to 1906.

The company was re-organized by Capt. Charles G. Miller in October, 1906, after it had been allowed fo retrograde for five years to the point of disband- ing, with only thirty-five enlisted men. In two years he brought it to the standard of sixty men and three officers, and secured for the company an average of 97, and a rating as the fifth company in the reg- iment : which evidences in a high degree his superior character and ability as its commanding officer.

The company was called out to assist in quelling the labor troubles in Schuylkill county in 1900, and in Northumberland and Luzerne counties in 1902-03.

This company is a re-organization of the historical company known for many years as the "Reading Rifles.'

The 4th Regiment, N. G. P., comprises the com- panies from Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh and Schuylkill counties.

ENROLLMENT FOR MILITARY SERVICE .- In Au- gust, 1908, the county had 29,105 men en- rolled for military service as reported to the Com- missioners by the assessors of the several districts ;

Union

200

Caernarvon

Earl

129

Reading-

Hamburg, W. W.

208

Fourth ward 346

Heidelberg, N.

101

Seventh ward

815

Hereford

131

Mohnton

295

Sixteenth ward

1,028

Centreport

369

145

WAR PERIOD

of their duty; and he established a "Barracks" on Cornwall, and serious trouble with them having been anticipated, the "State Police" at Reading was notified. A detachment of thirty-five troopers under the command of Lieutenant Smith was sent there denced their influence and power in such an emer- gency and justified the establishment of this im- portant 'branch of the government. the Seitzinger homestead, situated, along the Wy- omissing road, a short distance west of the Schuyl- kill river (having leased the premises for two years, and afterward extended the term for two years. and they soon controlled the situation, which evi- more). Ten sub-stations have been established in the district, with two in Berks county, one at Ham- burg and the other at Manatawny, along the Cole- brookdale railroad.

William P. Taylor, of Reading, was appointed Nov. 11, 1905, as the captain of Troop C, and he filled the position until June 15, 1906, when he resigned. The Troop comprised a captain, a lieu- tenant, four sergeants and thirty privates, which were subsequently increased to fifty-seven. Anoth- er trooper was selected from Reading, C. M. Wil- helm, first sergeant.

Upon the resignation of Captain Taylor, the lieu- tenant was promoted, and he discharged his duties as the captain of the Troop in a superior manner until Aug. 16, 1908. He was succeeded by Capt. Lynn G. Adams, who was transferred from Troop B at Wyoming; and at the same time Lieut. Wil- liam Marsh was transferred from Troop D, at Punxsutawney, to Troop C, to fill the same posi- tion; and they have discharged their trying duties in their respective positions in an admirable man- ner until now.

Immediately after establishing its quarters at Reading, Troop C began to patrol the district and though for a time the moving troopers along the highway in different directions from Reading were more or less objectionable, and excited adverse criticism, their dignified, straightforward, cour- teous behavior soon won the respect of the people, and their utility came to be appreciated for the pro- tection to life and property which they cheerfully and promptly gave whenever required, and the ap- preciation of the taxpayers has been so universal in this district that they have come to regard the troopers as a necessary part of the government.

In March, 1906, a strike occurred amongst the laborers at a stone-quarry between Lebanon and 10

A month afterward, a more serious incident oc- curred at Mt. Carmel, in Northumberland county, and again Lieutenant Smith, with forty-three troop- ers, was dispatched to that place, and the troopers again caused the threatening excitement to subside ; however, not without the unavoidable shooting of twenty-two rioters and the injury of five of the troopers. And in April, 1908, a detachment was ordered to Chester on account of the strike of the trolley-car operators, and the troopers remained there two weeks, until their assistance and presence were no longer required.

On the night of Sept. 15, 1907, Timothy Kelle- her, one of Troop C, while on his way from Read- ing to the "Barracks" by the short cut over the Pennsylvania railroad bridge, was stabbed and killed by two Italians, who were apparently assault- ing a woman along the railroad. Kelleher, hearing the disturbance, went boldly to the woman's assist- ance, and the Italians, thinking that he was interfer- ing with them, assaulted him with fatal result. They were caught several days afterward, while trying to escape, tried and convicted; one of them of mur- der, he being hanged, and the other of man- slaughter, he being sentenced to the Eastern pen- itentiary for twelve years.

The State Police, in four years, came to be highly regarded in the vicinity of Reading, and the county officials treated the troopers with the utmost con- sideration.

On May 31, 1909, Company C was removed to Pottsville, Schuylkill county, because its presence in that community was found to be more necessary.

CHAPTER IX- CENSUS

No regular enumeration of the inhabitants of of others. For instance, Alsace in 1850 had a pop- Pennsylvania was made previous to 1790. The ulation of 2,697; but in 1860 it had only 1,299. first provision for enumeration was made by the The township of Muhlenberg was cut off in 1850 Constitution of the United States, adopted Sept. and erected into a separate district. Also, Windsor 17, 1787. Therein provision was made for the in 1870 had 1,211, but in 1880 only 830. The township was reduced in area by the extension of the limits of the borough of Hamburg. This ex- tension was made in 1871. apportionment of representatives from the several States to Congress, and of direct taxes; and to effect a just apportionment the actual enumeration was required to be made within three years after For convenience in making comparisons, the fol- lowing statement is presented in order to show when the districts with the blank spaces were erected, and from which districts they were taken; the first meeting of Congress, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct.

It has been ascertained that in 1741, the follow- ing taxables were situated in the eastern division of the county, then part of Philadelphia county :

Amity

Allamingle*

Colebrookdale

Douglass

Exeter

Maiden-creek

Manatawnyt

111

Total

512

Estimated Population

2,500

The number of taxables in the various counties of Pennsylvania in 1760 and 1770 are shown as follows : #

1760

1770

Philadelphia

8,321

10,445

Bucks.

3,148

3,177

Chester

4,761

5,483

Lancaster

5,631

6,608

York

3,302

4,426

Cumberland

1,501

3,521

Berks

3,016

3,302

Northampton

1,987

2,793

31,667

39,665

The first census of Pennsylvania was taken on Sept. 7, 1791; and within every ten years there- after, the census has been regularly taken to the present time. The result of each enumeration is set forth in the following table. The figures were taken from the Census Reports of the Unit- ed States, published by order of Congress. The blank spaces in the table opposite certain districts indicate non-existence of those districts at the time of enumeration.

Where large decrease of population in certain districts for a succeeding census is observable, it indicates reduction of the districts by the erection

* Albany.

i Doubtless intended for Oley.

# 14 Col. Rec., 336.

Alsace, Lower, taken from Alsace 1888

Bechtelsville,

Washington 1890

Bern, Upper, taken from Bern 1789

Bernville, taken from Penn 1851

Birdsboro,

Union and Robeson 1872

Boyertown,

Colebrookdale 1866

Centreport,

Centre

.1881

Hamburg,

Windsor

1830

Heidelberg, Lower, taken from Heidelberg 1842

Heidelberg, North,

1844

Jefferson, taken from Tulpehocken and Tulpehocken,

Upper

Kutztown, =

Maxatawny

1815

Lenh'rtsv'le, “

Greenwich

1887

Marion,

Mohnton, 66

Cumru 1907

Muhlenberg, taken from Alsace 1850

Ontelaunee,

Maiden-creek 1850

Penn,

Bern and Bern, Upper 1840

Perry,

Windsor

.1849

Pike,

" District 1813

Shillington, ¥

Cumru

1908

Spring,

Cumru

1850

Tilden

Bern, Upper

1887

Topton,

Longswamp

1877

Tulpehocken, Upper, taken from Tulpehocken

1820

Washington, taken from Colebrookdale ford

1839

West Reading, taken from Spring

1907

Womelsdorf,

Heidelberg

1833

Wyomissing,

Spring 1906

In 1800, Berks county included three organized townships which lay north of the Blue Mountain, whose enumeration was as follows:

Brunswick 1,214

Manheim

1,072

Pinegrove 959

Unorganized 993

Total Population . 4,238

The population of the county is given in the table at 32,407, but the number of inhabitants then in that part which lay south of the mountain was 28,169.

In 1810, the county included seven townships north of the mountain, whose enumeration was as follows :

85 Centre,

66 Bern and Bern, Upper 1842

Fleetwood,

Richmond 1873

Tulpehocken 1843

and Here-

.1851

147

CENSUS

Brunswick

1,770

Mahantango,

Lower

637

Mahantango, Upper

489

Manheim

1,354

Norwegian

415

Pine-Grove

1,290

Schuylkill

353

Total Population

6,308

The population of the county for 1810 is given at 43,146, but the number then in that part of the county south of the mountain was 36,838. The townships named were cut to Schuylkill county in its erection in 1811.

CENSUS OF COUNTY, 1800 TO 1900

1800

1810

1820

1830

1840

1850

1860 23,162

1870 33,930 1,510

1880 43,278 1,603 1,523

1890 58,661 1,491 1,691

78,961

Albany

858

995

1,182

1,129

1,057

1,406

1,586

1,299

1,294

1,598

1,552

1,372

Bechtelsville

381

Bern

2,049

2,266

1,791

2,154

3,149

1,734

2,516

2,124

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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 36

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1018

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018