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 54
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7th
3,541
4,130
5,185
3,861
Sth
3,690
3,874
4,403
3,789
9th
6,024
4,206
4,800
5,454
10th
2,834
6,156
4,759
11th
5,195
3,899
5,460
ASSESSMENT FOR 1898 .- The city assessors of Reading made an assessment of property in the several wards from September to December, 1897, which was revised by city councils from January to March, 1898, with the following result :
·
READING
235
5th Ward, 1st Precinct 163
127
2d Precinct.
127
50
6th Ward, 1st
Precinct 128
71
2d Precinct. .204
3d Precinct.
.181
244
1st
1,272
983
$ 2,046,200
$ 250,400
2d
1,992
1,407
2,311,500
30,000
3d
1,600
1,306
3,682,000
357,700
4th
1,040
682
3,370,250
238,500
5th
1,173
881
2,074,300
42,000
6th
2,291
1,874
3,688,225 ·
88,000
2d Precinct
217
182
7th
1,887
1,079
5,266,100
1,101,000
8th
1,269
996
2,902,550
499,500
9th
1,661
1,381
2,144,100
342,800
10th
1,524
1,100
1,270,300
76,800
11th
1,742
1,319
1,773,300
192,400
12th
1,805
1,606
2,277,875
443,800
2d Precinct
198
209
13th
1,899
1,450
2,345,850
244,800
14th
1.126
872
2,806,808
187,650
15th
931
659
1,957,291
149,600
16th
1,227
1,048
2,168,884
451,700
Total
24,439
18,643
$42,085,533
$4,696,650
The property exempted from local taxation em- braces all churches, parsonages, school-houses, pub- lic buildings, charitable institutions, and corpora- tion buildings not including establishments that pro- duce revenue.
PRESIDENTIAL VOTE, NOV. 3, 1908
Taft
Bryan
Rep.
Dem.
1st Ward, 1st Precinct.
154
75
2d Precinct.
135
75
3d Precinct.
130
66
2d Ward, 1st Precinct.
57
79
5th Precinct.
. 121
92
2d Precinct.
75
104
Precinct
150
131
2d Precinct.
250
140
3d Precinct
172
176
3d Ward, 1st Precinct.
143
140
2d Precinct.
.188
205
Totals
7,825
6,950
3d Precinct.
129
84
Taft's plurality
866
4th Ward,
.295
156
Roosevelt's plurality over Parker in 1904
.3,369
TABLE OF STATISTICS*
READING
Taxables
Real Estate
Real Estate Taxed
Property Taxable by County
Tax Levied $ 5,948
Money at Interest
1st Ward
1,426
$ 295,500
$ 1,855,550
$1,982,650
$ 754,338
2d Ward
2,235
44,800
2,292,500
2,497,475
7,492
126,085
3d Ward
1,826
2,799,200
3,286,400
3,486,100
10,458
816,515
4th Ward
966
423,000
3,621,050
3,757,600
11,273
1,781,995
5th Ward
1,161
20,000
1,763,325
1.883,465
5,650
600,422
6th. Ward
3,373
93,700
3,660,000
3,993,520
11,981
384,732
7th Ward
1,714
1,260,000
5,463,825
5,727,250
17,182
4,626,042
8th
Ward
1,567
697,400
2,792,435
2,963,875
8,892
573,006
9th
Ward
1,945
390,000
2,078,275
2,269,080
6,807
187,845
10th
Ward
1,827
97,000
1,230,820
1,389,055
4,167
91,115
11th
Ward
1,921
172,700
1,817,395
1,992,440
5,977
95,632
12th
Ward
2,698
104,000
2,392,850
2,645,375
7,936
170,432
13th
Ward
4,761
328,450
4,004,490
4,409,180
13,228
170,600
14th
Ward
2,476
348,500
4,170,440
4,445,990
13,338
2,142,325
15th
Ward
3,315
264,000
3,823,650
4,160,500
12,481
300,012
16th
Ward
2,203
507,400
2,660,145
2,884,445
8,653
613,751
Total for City
35,414
$ 7,845,650
$46,913,150
$50,488,000
$151,463
$13,434,847
County
31,337
2,835,846
37,709,346
41,807,680
125,476
8,977,902
Total for County
.66,751
$10,681;496
$84,622,496
$92,295,680
$276,939
$22,412,749
4
Wards
Taxables
Voters
Property
Assessed
Exempted
Property
4th Precinct.
97
61
5th Precinct. 73
86
7th Ward, 1st Precinct. 174
299
126
8th Ward, 1st Precinct
176
133
9th Ward, 1st Precinct
78
122
2d Precinct.
93
123
3d Precinct.
79
133 240
10th Ward, 1st Precinct 138
195
11th Ward, 1st Precinct. 149
110
225
3d Precinct.
122
151
12th Ward, 1st Precinct.
118
93
2d Precinct.
133
169 264
4th Precinct.
132
134
13th Ward, 1st Precinct.
143
140
2d Precinct
200
175
3d Precinct.
323
309 197
4th Precinct.
170
14th Ward, 1st Precinct.
169
57
2d Precinct.
135
75
3d Precinct.
51
40
4th Precinct.
225
116
2d Precinct.
43
44
3d Precinct.
.285
136
4th Precinct
269
215
3d Precinct.
64
69
4th Precinct.
128
140
16th Ward, 1st
15th Ward, 1st Precinct. 149
156
3d Precinct.
203
161
2d Precinct.
4th Precinct.
80
112
2d Precinct.
141
Horses, 2,266 ; assessed at $150,010. Cows, 32; assessed at $1,200.
* Assessment reported by County Commissioners to. State, August, 1908.
Exempt
236
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT-1898
Popula- tion
Taxa- bles
Property Assessment
Total Debt
City
School
County
Allentown
35,000
9,000
$19,500,000
$ 423,200
3 %
6
2 }
Easton
20,000
11,000,000
305,900
6 %
6
2.8
Lancaster
40,000
15,416,646
644,500
9
4
3
Lebanon
16,000
4,738
8,680,000
267,600
4 1
31
2
Harrisburg
60,000
12,750
24,000,000
1,000,000
7
6
4
Reading
73,000
24,439
*42,085,533
1,352,500
6
4
2 %
Scranton
106,000
38,789
23,452,916
579,538
12.8
4
7
Wilkes-Barre
55,000
11,200
** 7,000,000
464,500
23
18
7
Williamsport
33,000
7,000
9,150,060
729,500
15
7
5
* Not including exempted real estate, $4,696.650.
** One-fifth valuation.
NUMBER OF BUILDINGS
3d Ward
12,900
4th Ward
30,150
5th Ward
17,500
6th Ward
114,850
Brick buildings
18,993
Stone buildings
1,552
8th Ward
10,650
9th Ward
2,800
10th Ward
30,925
11th Ward
27,500
12th Ward
6,750
13th Ward
19,450
14th Ward
7,550
15th Ward
58,750
16th Ward
36,300
Grand Total
$459,950
LIQUOR LICENSES FOR 1909
1st Ward
5
10th Ward
4
2d Ward
17
11th Ward
9
2d
2
4
6
10
1,510
3₫
1
2
1
4
8
1,218
4th
1
2
3
13
1,009
5th
4
4
4
1,003
6th
9
13
9
31
50
2,526
7th
7
7
2
1
17
3
1,171
8th
4
4
1
9
5
924
9th
2
4
6
37
1,356
10th
11th
17
2
2
21
46
1,376
12th
2
4
6
37
1,642
13th
2
8
11
1
22
139
2,326
14tl
2
1
2
5
102
1,508
15th
19
2
5
1
27
153
1,881
16th
2
14
4
1
21
156
1,546
Total
48
95
59 7 209 790
23,179
BUILDINGS, 1908
Statement showing the amount of money invested in the construction of buildings in the several wards in the city during 1908 :
1st Ward
$ 20,400
2d Ward
8,775
Total, 1908
Total, 1907
No. of Build-
ings in Read- ing, 1908
Stone
Brick
- Iron and Frame
Cement
1st
6
6
13
7
1,014
3d Ward
19
12th Ward
7
4th Ward
11
13th Ward
13
5th Ward
.10
14th Ward
3
6th Ward
14
15th Ward
4
7th Ward
25
16th Ward
5
8th Ward
13
9th Ward
15
174
In Boroughs
49
In Townships
91
Total
314
Iron .
402
Cement
37
Grand total:
.23,179
The following statement gives a comparative list of the buildings erected during 1907 and 1908 :
WARDS
7th Ward
64,700
Iron and frame.
2,195
14
20
1,169
10
4
VARIETY AND VALUE OF INDUSTRIES IN 1900 .- The great extent, variety and value of the indus- trial affairs at Reading in 1900 are exhibited in the accompanying, comprehensive table. The informa- tion was secured and published by the Census Department of the United States Government, and it is the first time that this important subject re- ceived so much attention at Reading, showing the exact situation as it then existed. It is extremely valuable for reference.
Tax Rate in Mills
Statement showing number of buildings in Reading Dec. 31, 1908 :
237
READING
NATURE OF INDUSTRIES, 1900
Establishments
Males Employed
Females
Employed
Employed
Capital
Wages
Value of Products
Bicycles
354
$ 656,816
$ 165,106
$ '816,332
Bicycle Repairs
7
7
7,276
2,508
16,306
Blacksmiths and Wheelwrights.
27
27
21,640
12,721
48,318
Book-binding
3
14
19
27,100
10,671
26,071
Boot and Shoe Repairs.
52
12
3
21,065
6,642
57,526
Bottling
6
28
63,150
12,478
88,541
Boxes-Cigar
3
35
35
4
67,030
19,892
104,456
Paper
5
26
66
19
66,109
27,444
99,544
Brass Castings
3
15
31,763
9,170
34,503
Bakeries
51
212
2
3
284,713
104,412
501,197
Breweries Brick and Tile.
3
19
5
9,750
7,887
17,525
Brooms and Brushes
7
35
5
3
27,550
12,805
73,604
Carpenter Shops
47
267
194,492
132,190
782,571
Carpet Works
8
5
11,425
1,910
13,529
Carriages and Wagons.
12
203
443,721
83,115
307,859
Car Shops
4
1,962
2,069,203
1,045,675
6,315,128
Cigar Factories and Tobacco.
76
526
541
41
750,497
421,775
1,683,466
4
46
114
12
185,292
52,583
359,771
Clothing, Custom-Men's ..
41
129
185
1
236,094
111,504
407,149
Women's
11
4
50
9,850
15,109
30,869
Confectionery
21
191
111
26
164,191
71,076
420,169
Dyeing
4
21
36,771
9,050
32,942
Electrical Construction
6
13
15,311
6,805
61,163
Foundry and Machine.
27
1,565
2,799,240
681,574
2,437,355
Furniture, etc.
14
18
28,326
9,272
37,010
3
498
198
35
623,408
283,000
1,133,688
Hardware
4
1,280
80
227
1,734,544
600,861
1,611,268
Hosiery
21
183
1,184
300
710,128
390,857
1,326,397
Ironwork-Architectural
4
49
50,663
21,299
113,267
Jewelry
22
-25
1
34,326
15,735
46,327
Lime and Cement.
3
5
950
1,605
6,100
Marble Works
15
108
169,045
55,788
148,217
Masonry-Brick and Stone.
14
275
·
64,547
26,136
163,102
Newspapers
10
147
14
391,723
88,999
309,266
Optical Works
3
14
126
4
268,090
34,640
184,770
Painters and Paper Hangers.
45
167
99.273
75,671
208,786
Paint Works
5
21
2
154,776
9,484
168,846
Paper Factories
3
90
39
549,913
52,021
429,205
Pattern-makers
4
5
7,517
1,728
7,61Y
Picture Frames
4
7
9,675
2,778
11,195
Paving Materials
9
' 57
17
49,287
16,254
52,116
Planing Mills
5
146
178,949
69,467
302,339
Plastering
8
40
2
125,583
58,808
249,163
Pottery and Terra Cotta.
3
84
248,815
27,011
105,128
Printing
17
54
9
121,607
27.485
99,447
Roofing
8
43
24,945
19,995
73,725
Saddleries
7
15
25,235
6,116
28,261
Shirts
5
3
71
41,456
16,905
76,155
Tin and Copper Smiths.
38
82
1
158,281
37,585
200,746
Other Industries
67
1,056
675
197
4,154,734
585,200
3.682,006
Reading, 1900
843
24,442
3,706
955
$27,975,628
$7,544,950
$36,902,511
Reading, 1890
435
14,083,374
1 4,780,470
20,855,165
5
4
39
6
18,465
12,013
55,341
Coffee and Spice Roasting
3
3
12,158
1,728
24,761
Hats- Fur Wool
4
157
104
34
450,149
126,558
328,150
Iron and Steel.
7
3,732
8,132,619
1,612,011
9,530,286
Millinery
11
81
11,911
19,353
57,837
Photography
9
20
12,170
18,179
43,966
Plumbing, etc.
25
128
87,902
129,945
314,184
6
119
1,032,510
66,361
881,665
Clothing Factories-Men's Women's
Children
238
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Other Industries
Other industries of Reading in 1900, as enumerated by the U. S. Census, were as follows :
Artificial Feathers and Cotton Goods 1
Flowers
1
Cotton Small Wares 1
Bags-Paper 2
Cutlery & Edge Tools 1
Baskets and Willow Ware 2
Dveing and Cleaning. . .
1
Boots & Shoes-Factory. 1
Boxes-Wood Packing .. 1
Fancy Articles
1
Leather Curried, etc. 1
Lock and Gun Smith. 1
1
Washing Machines 1
Cars-Street Ry., etc. 2
Cheese & Butter. 2 Gas Illuminating
Condensed Milk 1
Glass
1 Patent Medicines 1
Wood Carving'
1
1
CHAPTER XI -BOROUGHS
ERECTION
The county of Berks was erected in 1752. All the districts in the county at that time were town- ships, the simplest form of local government, and it was not until 1783 that the first borough was established. This was Reading, the county-seat, and it was erected by a special Act of Assembly. The next was Kutztown, in 1815, situated six- teen miles northeast from Reading, and the third was Womelsdorf, in 1833, fourteen miles west from Reading; which were also established by Act of Assembly.
In 1834, the State Legislature empowered the courts of Quarter Sessions of the several coun- ties, with the concurrence of a grand jury, to es- tablish boroughs, but the territory to be set apart was to include three hundred inhabitants; this was modified by the Act of 1851, since when appli- cation and decree have been made without regard to population. From that time, the boroughs in the county have been established in this manner, and until 1909, fifteen additional boroughs have been created.
Reading was advanced to a city in 1847, but no other borough in the county has been similarly advanced.
The boroughs are seventeen in number. The following table shows their names, when estab- lished, the taxables, the voters and assessment of property. Other facts might be mentioned in con- nection with the several boroughs, especially of an industrial nature, but they have been omitted to avoid repetition, because they are mentioned in the sketches of resident patrons of this work.
General statistical information relating to the boroughs will be found in the tables which include the whole county, in Chapter IX.
COMPARATIVE TABLE-1908
BOROUGHS
Eastern Division
Founded
Erected
Taxables
Voters
Assessment
Kutztown
1779
1815
658
486
$ 793,175
Hamburg
1779
1837
912
675
951,910
Boyertown
1835
1866
761
592
1,188,444
Fleetwood *
1800
1873
497
364
609,514
Topton
1859
1875
297
219
347,250
Lenhartsville
1854
1887
55
46
65,410
Bechtelsville
1852
1890
77
119
137,485
Mount Penn **
1800
1902
277
200
426,705
Western Division
Womelsdorf
1762
1833
608
375
552,439
Bernville
1819
1851
151
111
135,310
Birdsboro
1760
1872
885
731
1,246,204
Centreport
1868
1884
48
32
48,910
West Leesport
1842
1901
189
136
154,275
Wyomissing
1896
1906
626
205
774,809
West Reading
1873
1907
598
483
658,725
Mohnton
1850
1907
495
405
338,910
Shillingtont.
1860
1908
461
387
421,765
* Formerly Coxtown.
** Formerly Dengler's.
¡ May, 1909.
INDUSTRIES
CIGARS .- The manufacture of cigars is a large industry in all parts of the county. Nearly one hundred establishments are carried on in the coun- try districts, almost wholly in the boroughs. The largest plants, producing over 500,000 annually, are :
Christian Brothers, in Womelsdorf.
John J. Eshelman, in Mohnton.
Otto Eisenlohr & Bro., in Boyertown.
H. F. Fidler, in Womelsdorf.
George Gruber, in Stouchsburg.
W. H. Goodman, in Millersburg.
1
Hairwork Hand Stamps
Hats and Caps
2 Silk Mill
1
Slaughtering and Meat
1 Packing 1
Soap 1
Stereotyping, etc. 1
Tobacco, Chewing, etc. 2.
Toys and Games 1
Brassware 1 Flour-mill
1
Food Preparations 1
Carriage and Wagon Material 1
Furnishing Goods for Men
1
1 Mirrors
1 Wire-rope, Cable, etc. 1
Cordage & Twine. 1 Glass, Ornamental, etc ... 1 Photolithographing, etc. 1 Woolen Goods
Grease and Tallow
1 Regalia and Society
1 Banners
Sewing Machine Repairs. 1 1
House Furnishing Goods. 2 Ice
Iron Bolts and Nuts. 1
Iron and Steel Forgings. 1
Electroplating
1
Lamps and Reflectors. 1
Trunks and Valises 1
Umbrellas 1
Malt Mattress
1 Window Shades 1
9
239
BOROUGHS
Henry Hackman, in Womelsdorf. Kramer Brothers, in Shillington. C. S. Peiffer, in Stouchsburg. Pioneer Union Cigar Company, in Shillington. John J. Seiz, in Stony Creek. A. S. Valentine & Son, in Womelsdorf. C. M. Yetter, in Shillington.
STATEMENT OF BANKS
The following statement exhibits the financial condi- tion of the banks in the boroughs in November, 1908.
Borough
Established
Capital
Resources
Deposits
Und. Profits
Bernville
1907 1888
$ 25,000 50,000
$ 122,462 | $ 81,405 358,896 177,844
$ 2,973 81,852
Boyertown
National
1874
100,000
1,118,378 267,006 143,675
690,760 162,756 90,479
3,296
Hamburg Savings. 1872
First Nat'l. ! 1908
50,000 25,000
642,710 129,818
495,232 78,176
97,300 1,509
Kutztown
1897
50,000
448,262
250,404
86,187
Mohnton
1907
25,000
137,702
1,270
Topton
1906
25,000
137,484
91,422 82,750 316,352 |
35,159
MERCANTILE LICENSES
The mercantile appraiser, John G. Herbine, appointed by the county commissioners for the year 1909, reported the business places in the several boroughs of Berks county, liable to county tax, their number being as follows :
Bechtelsville 14
Shillington
20
Bernville
.19
Topton 20
Birdsboro
.49
West Leesport 10
Boyertown .70
West Reading 30
Centreport
6
Womelsdorf 29
Fleetwood
.32
Wyomissing 18
Hamburg .61
65
491
Lenhartsville
.12
Reading
1,546
Mohnton
12
Townships
894
Mount Penn 11
Total
2,931
LIQUOR LICENSES
Bernville
2
Mohnton
2
Birdsboro
.3
Mt. Penn
.2
Boyertown
. 4
Shillington
1
Bechtelsville .2
Topton
.3
Centreport .0
Womelsdorf
4
Fleetwood
4
West Reading
2
Hamburg
.8
2
Kutztown
6
Wyomissing
. 2
Lenhartsville
2
-
49
CHURCHES OF BOROUGHS
LUTHERAN AND REFORMED
(L., indicating Lutheran; R., Reformed; and U., Union, both using the church, alternately.)
Bechtelsville: Name
Founded
Members
65
Bernville:
Name
Founded
Pastor
Members
Friedens (L.), 1739-1791-1897
(Vacant)
St. Thomas (U.), 1897
Birdsboro: St. Paul's (R.), St. Mark's (L.), Chapel
1881
1877
1899
Boyertown:
St. John's (L.), (Union, 1811 .to 1871)
1811
A. M. Weber, 1,046
Good Shepherd (R.), 1871
G. G. Greenwald, 428
Fleetwood: St. Paul's (U.), 1841
M. H. Brensinger (R.), 840
Chapel (U.), 1884
Hamburg:
St. John's (L.), 1789-1811-'57-'98 (Union from 1789 to
1898, when destroyed by fire and rebuilt by Luth- erans.)
First (R.), 1898
(Vacant),
$12
Kutztown :
St. Paul's (R.),
St. John's (U.), 1753-1790-1876
E. H. Leinbach (R.),
451
Trinity (L.),
1874-1894
R. B. Lynch,
296
Lenhartsville
Friedens (U.),
1856-1892
R. S. Appel (R.),
110
Mohnton:
St. John's (L.),
1900
M. H. Stetler,
393
Mt. Peun:
Faith (L.),
1885
J. F. Snyder,
93
Trinity (R.),
M. L. Herbein,
112
Shillington:
Emanuel (R.),
1874-1908
W. J. Kershner,
80
Grace (L.),
1902
F. F. Buermyer,
40
Topton:
St. Peter's (U.),
1869-1881
G. B. Smith (R.),
130
West Reading:
St. James (R.),
1893
George W. Gerhard, w. O. Laub,
238
Womelsdorf:
Zion's (U.),
1793-1867-1893
L. D. Stambaugh (R.), O. E. Pflueger, (L.),
357
Wyomissing:
Reformed
1909 H. H. Rupp
OTHER CHURCHES
MENNONITE
Boyertown: OLD, 1790-1819-1879
S Andrew Mack , John Ehst
New, 1883
A. S. Shelly,
26
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL
Birdsboro 1852-1885
Francis Yarnall, 145
METHODIST EPISCOPAL
Birdsboro 1839-1869
A. F. Collom, 185
54
Homburg
1854
E. F. Hoffman, 113
352
EVANGELICAL
Birdsboro (Trinity), 1904
Mohnton (Salem), 1849-1872
B. W. Luckenbill, F. Solver,
145
UNITED EVANGELICAL
Birdsboro
1874-1895
George S. Kauffroth, 155
Boyertown
18-1895
C. W. Heffner, C. E. Hess,
65
Fleetwood
1866-1895
161
Hamburg
1872-1895
SI. J. Reitz
Kutztown
1850-1885-1895
125
Mohnton
1895
J. R. Hensyl,
303
Shillington 1904
C. D. Haman,
125
Topton 1895
J. R. Hensyl,
303
West Leesport
1872-1895
¡ A. S. Mengel
Womelsdorf
1835-1867-1895
F. B. Yocum
1
Trinity (U.),
1886
Pastor George W. Roth (R.), J. J. Kline (L.),
. T. C. Leinbach (R.), 450
J. V. George, 30
Z. H. Gable, 230
J. O. Henry (L.), 375
H. C. Kline, 571
. J. Cressman (L.),
315
Farmers
1883
1907
50,000 25,000
4,739
Fleetwood
Womelsdorf
1903
50,000
405,985
Surplus and
Birdsboro
G. B. Smith, 1,120
D. D. Trexler (L.),
110
J. O. Henry (L.),
204
Bethany (L.),
1896
Boyertown 1876
F. Herson,
.
West Leesport
.
150
1 A. S. Mengel H. J. Kline,
TI. J. Reitz
245
Kutztown
196,713
3,875
240
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
UNITED BRETHREN Name Birdsboro CHURCH OF GOD Flectwood (United),
Founded 1886
1868
SCHOOL AFFAIRS-1908
Borough
No. of Schools
Male Scholars
Female Scholars
Cost
State
Bechtelsville
2
151
129
$ 1,176
$ 320
Bernville
2
23
24
1,369
337
Birdsboro
11
236
222
10,206
1,988
Boyertown
9
185
217
7,695
1,561
Centreport
1
14
19
429
120
Fleetwood
5
103
120
4,808
707
Hamburg
12
240
226
16,110
1,866
Kutztown
4
97
106
5,220
1,041
Lenhartsville
1
11
12
517
137
Mohnton
7
148
151
4,361
1,909
Mount Penn
3
73
62
2,774
495
Topton
3
77
65
2,773
513
West Leesport
3
30
43
1,549
424
West Reading
7
161
144
4,323
2,022
Womelsdorf
6
89
124
5,195
981
Wyomissing
3
52
65
- 30,486
859
* Established after report published and appropriations made.
ODD FELLOWS
Lodge No.
Borough
Members
, Value of
Property
122
Bernville
65
$ 4,000
514
Birdsboro
295
7,000
708
Boyertown
118
1,500
103
Hamburg
260
12,000
159
Womelsdorf
160
2,000
Busby, Samuel, shoemaker
20
Bieber, Dewald, merchant 1,617
2,904
Becker, Ephraim, doctor.
705
Barner, Michael
390
Benjamin, John, hatter.
20
Cupp, Conrad, town-crier.
600
Cupp, Andrew
150
Cupp, Christian, cabinet-maker
20
Dennis, John, shoemaker.
752
Dum, Thomas
812
Deisher, John
350
Dennis, Jacob
Ernst, Nicholas, farmer.
1.122
Essert, Jacob, cabinet-maker.
1,384
67
Womelsdorf
136
$ 7,440
78
Hamburg
321
11,901
103
Fleetwood
180
6,994
104
Boyertown
224
8,668
113
Bernville
207
10,270
Fritz, Peter, cabinet-maker.
532
172
Topton
211
6,262
Gross, Joseph
92
211
Mohnton
233
7,791
Geehr, Philip, Esq., justice.
32
324
Bechtelsville
130
5,931
417
Birdsboro
293
11,134
446
Centreport
116
3,393
531
Lenhartsville
64
1,670
Grube, Christina
350
Glasser, Daniel, hatter
420
Camps at Reading (14)
3,835
113,398
Geschwind, John
Geehr, Samuel, and Levan, Jacob.
580
9,369
$343,004
KUTZTOWN
INCORPORATION .- Kutztown was the second bor- ough erected in Berks county, Reading having been the first. It was incorporated by a special Act of Assembly in 1815, the Act having been framed after the Act of 1783, by which Reading was incorporated. It is situated in the northeast- ern section of the county along the Sacony creek, and the territory within the boundary lines was taken from Maxatawny township.
The lands in this vicinity, embracing one thou- sand acres, were patented to Peter Wentz in 1728; and he, in 1755, conveyed 130 acres to George Kutz. In 1779, Kutz laid out a town and named it Kutztown, and soon afterward the first dwell- ings were erected. In 1817, there were 106 tax- ables, with a total valuation of $56,465. The tax- rate was 13 mills. In 1835, there were 159 tax- ables; 105 dwellings; 800 population. In 1908, there were 622 resident taxables, with a total val- uation of $670,500.
Proceedings were instituted in the council to add to the borough the improved and connected portions of Maxatawny township which adjoin it on the east, north and west, comprising 567 acres and making the total area of the borough 742 acres; and these proceedings were filed in court on March 1, 1909, for legal action.
TAXABLES OF 1817 .- The first list of taxable in- habitants, of the borough was prepared in 1817, and the following list comprises their names, with their rating, numbering altogether 106:
Angstadt, Joseph, gunsmith. $ 20
Balty, Jacob, Sr., blacksmith
592
Biehl, Daniel, tinman.
905
Balty, Jacob, Jr., blacksmith.
32
Bryfogel, George, Sr., farmer.
932
Reading, seven lodges
73,792
Townships, eleven lodges
36,400
$136,692
P. O. S. OF A. CAMPS
No.
Borough
Members
Value of
Property
Essert, Daniel, cabinet-maker.
20
Essert, George, cabinet-maker.
20
Fister, George, inn-keeper 1.572
Fister, John, saddler.
20
Gifft Peter, clock-maker
102
Geehr, Benjamin, saddler.
20
Graeff, Jacob, blacksmith
760
2,115
$ 81,454
Camps in townships (28)
3,419
148,152
Grim, Jonathan
2,852
Appropriations
Shillington *
$26,500
Bast, Dewald, farmer.
BOROUGHS
241
Geisweit, Peter, laborer
32
Herbine, Samuel, cooper.
954 32
LIST OF OFFICIALS .- The names of the chief burgesses, town clerks and justices of the peace from the beginning of the borough to the pres- ent time, and the time when the incumbents filled their respective positions, are as follows :
882 CHIEF BURGESSES
Harmony, Benjamin, tailor
Jung, John, laborer
Kutz, Peter, tinman ..
1,272
George Breyfogle
1819-21
Kutz, Adam, carpenter ..
1,762
Henry Heist 1822
John Kutz .1823
Knoske, John, minister.
772
Jonathan Prime
.1824
Keaffer, Joseph
302
John Palsgrove
.1825-26; 1831
Keiser, Joseph
1,037
Geo. A. Odenheimer.
1828
Kutz, Peter, Revolutionary soldier.
1,209
John Fister 1829; 1832; 1834-35; 1854
Kutz, Daniel
462
Daniel Bieber
1830; 1846; 1848
Kemp, George, Jr.
900
Peter Gifft
. 1833; 1837
Kohler, Henry, proprietor of Kutztown Hotel.
1,600
William Heidenreich.
1836; 1842-43; 1847
Klein, Philip
500
Kaup, Andrew, wheelwright.
20
John V. Houck.
. 1840
Klein, Jacob, tailor.
20
Dr. William Bieber.
. 1841
Keller, Israel, shoemaker
20
David Fister.
1849; 1865-67; 1871
Kutz, Solomon, butcher
722
Kister, George, tailor.
820
David Levan
.1851
Keiser, Jacob, weaver
432
Reuben Sharadin
1853
Levan, Jacob, Esq.
1,107
Fayette Schaedler
.1856
Levan, Daniel, inn-keeper
1,602
Levan, Jacob, inn-keeper
1,923
J. S. Trexler
1859
Lehman, Jacob, tinman
20
B. H. Kutz
1860
Levan, Charles, inin-keeper
95
William Helfrich
1861
Levan, Isaac, inn-keeper.
44
Jacob Sunday
1862
Neff, John, mason
1,494
Paul Hilbert
1868-69
Nevel, Jacob, laborer
John Humbert
1870
Neff, Henry, mason
692
Neff, Peter
1,464
Neudorf, Susanna, widow.
420
Owerbeck, Jacob, tobacconist.
140
Old, Gabriel, carpenter.
32
Palsgrove, John, weaver
854
Rudenauer, Samuel
52
Walter B. Bieber 1879-80
D. W. Sharadin.
1881-82
Sharodin, John, hatter
1,072
D. F. Bieber.
1883-86
Sander, Henry
820
J. D. Sharadin.
1887
Strasser, Michael, carpenter
70
Jacob B. Esser
1888
Seigfried, John, Sr ...
490.
Dewalt F. Bieber
1889
Seigfried, John, Jr.
50
Reuben Dewalt
1890
Selfridge, Mathias, merchant.
32
Conrad Gehring
1891-97
Schofield, Ebenezer, shoemaker
232
Smith, Catharine (estate of)
300
Till, Jacob, teacher
40
Wolff, Peter, laborer
20
Wickert, Jacob, tailor
20
Wilson, Motheral
2,110
Winck, Dewald, hatter.
744
Wanner, Abram, hatter.
1,052
Rate of taxation, 1} mills on the dollar.
Single Freemen, each 75 cents
Bast, Jacob
Mehrman, William
Becker, Samuel
Owerback, Henry
Becker, Benjamin
O'Neal, David
Essert, Jacob
Odenheimer, George
Glasser, Jonathan
Smith, James
Harmony, Jonathan
Total valuation
.$56,465
. Houses, 69 ; horses, 47; cows, 63.
GEORGE BREYFOGLE, Assessor.
TOWN CLERKS
James Scull
1816-17
John Fister
1818-19
James Donagan
.1820-23; 1825-32; 1834
Lloyd Wharton .1824
Henry Heist
1833
George Bieber
1835-36
Wm. F. Sellers.
1837-40
David Neff 1841-42
George Hartzell .1843
Wm. S. Bieber
1844-51; 1853
Henry C. Kutz .1852
James M. Gehr. 1854; 1859
H. B. Van Scheetz 1855
J. David Wanner. 1856-58; 1860-66; 1871; 1879; 1881-96
16
Humberd, Jacob, carpenter Hottenstine, Catharine
682
Heist, Henry
962
Heist, Hannah, widow
500
Heninger, John, shoemaker
Dewalt Bieber 1816-17
Daniel Levan 1818
Kutz, Jacob, mason.
32
Kutz, John, tailor
1,077
Jacob Esser 1827
1838-39; 1845
Klein, Isaac
430
Jacob Graeff . 1844; 1852
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