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 59

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 59


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


Cyrus Staudt


Samuel Kieffer


George Keller


Israel Kline Est.


Samuel - Schlegel


Charles Leise


Widow Strohm


Christian Laudenslager


Dr. L. R. Lentz


William Schlegel


Lentz & Maurer


John W. Leise Abby Leaman


Thomas Leinbach


Mary Messersmith


Messersmith & Shafer


Charles A. Messersmith John Maurer John Madeira


Amos Melot


Daniel Melot


Levi Madeira Madeira Shop


William Madeira


Lewis Wanner


Melot & Hilbert


Joel Wartzenluft John Yoder


Melot, Kline & Co.


Tenants


P. T. Brumbach


Koch Mill


George Sanders


Widow Schugar D. K. Snyder


Henry Schlegel


John Schollenberger William Schaeffer Levi Templin Templin Shop Melot Templin John Weiandt Lucy Weston Jonas Weaver Weaver Shop Peter Wentzel Kelchner Wanner Widow Wanner E. C. Weston


Florence Cullen


Ethel Peters 300


Norman Schoenly 125


Franklin Barto


George Dewees


260


HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


John Boyer Benneville Buskirk


George Krick


George D. Schaeffer 1889; 1903-06


Peter Koch


John E. Maurer .1890


Martin Boyer


Kline & Bros.


Isaac Mertz


1891-93


Jacob Lutz


John B. Bertolette


1894-1900


Peter Leise


John Merkel


Cyranus F. Boyer 1906-09


Charles F. Hill


1909-12


JUSTICES OF THE PEACE


Samuel Dumn 1873-76


George D. Schaeffer


1873-79; 1904-05


William Ehring


John Rothermel


Samuel Fisher


James Readinger


William Folk


Amos Rothermel


Henry Gehris


Jacob Gift


Jacob Reaser


Samuel Gruber Hiram Gamler


Jacob Rightenour


Daniel Heydt


Abraham Heck


P. P. Schaeffer


Joshua Schlegel


M. H. Brensinger, Treasurer


Titus H. Schaeffer


Mandon Hawk


Monroe Weaver


John Kline


Davis Weidner


Adam Kline


Peter Yoder


E. D. G. Yorgey


Jacob Zern


Single Men


Aber Adam


Wilson Leiby


John Boyle


Amos Madeira


Joel Bushey


Peter Mertz


William Becker


William Melot


William R. Becker


Samuel Madeira


Daniel Coller Daniel K. Rothermel


Levan Chauncey


Peter Rothermel


James Dumn Jacob Schlegel


Gideon Deisher


Henry Schlegel


Daniel Kramer


Obediah Keller


Daniel Schaeffer Edwin Strohm


Jacob Keim


Zacharias Schugar


Isaac Kline


Levi Wartzenluft


John B. Keller


Henry Wartzenluft


Daniel Kelchner


Peter Wanner


Cosmus Leise


In 1906 the taxables numbered 251; the taxable property was assessed at $452,980; money at in- terest was $198,734; and the borough then included the following :


Industries 12


Physicians 2


General Stores 4


Churches 4


Hardware Store 1


School Buildings 2


Drug Store 1


Restaurants 3


Coal and Lumber Yards. 2


LIST OF OFFICIALS .-- The names of the chief burgesses, town clerks and justices of the peace from the beginning of the borough to the present time, and the time when the incumbents filled their respective positions, are as follows :


CHIEF BURGESSES


Levi Templin 1874


John E. Maurer 1875-76


Lewis Schaeffer 1877


William H. Madeira 1878


William S. Merkel 1879-80


Cosmus Schwoyer


1881


A. C. Kemp


1882


E. M. Shollenberger


1883


John Herbein


1884


J. P. Hoch 1885-86


Isaac R. Merkel


1887-88


Uriah Eisenhart John W. Lease William R. Down Calvin H. Adams, Secretary


School Board, D. M. Herbine, President


O. M. Koller, Secretary E. D. Dengler, Treasurer Simon B. Stondt


John Brown N. S. Schaeffer


Justices of the Peace, Dr. A. N. Fretz


F. W. Balthaser


Constable, George Herring


.Auditors, George Schlegel Howard Herbine


Assessor, Elias Dries


Collector, Elias Dries


POST-OFFICE .- The post-office was established in 1852, and was named after the place, Coxtown; which name was continued until Fleetwood was in- corporated.


INDUSTRIES .- The first important industry at Fleetwood was the large foundry erected by the Schaeffer Brothers (Lewis, George D., Daniel, and Jonathan) in 1864 for the manufacture of farm- ing implements and mining machinery, and they carried on the plant successfully until 1872. The firm name was then changed to Schaeffer, Merkel & Co., and they carried on the business for thirty years, employing from 125 to 150 hands. In 1903 the buildings were destroyed by fire.


The industrial establishments now at Fleetwood are the following, the number of hands employed in- dicating the large extent of the business :


Reading Metal Body Works, 175 hands.


York Silk Mill, 100 to 150 hands.


Hosiery Mills : D. F. Kelchner, 75 hands ; Wan- ner & Madeira, 60 hands; Kutz Hosiery Mill, 35 hands.


Charles F. Hill Granite Works, 50 hands.


Scaman & Merkel Implements Works, 12 hands.


Eagle Roller Mills ( carried on by Webster D. and Llewellyn D. Schaeffer, trading as Schaeffer, Wan- ner & Co., whose business includes a large coal and lumber yard) ; 8 hands.


Jacob C. Gottshall Bakery, 3 hands.


William D. Becker Jacob Becker Benneville Brown Solomon Billman Levi Dumn


Benneville Dewees


Davis Dieffenderfer


Ephraim Peter


James F. Dumn. 1876-99


Clinton Ely


William Bernhart


1879-87


Dr. A. N. Fretz 1887-1912


John H. Reifsnyder 1899-1900


Harry D. Schaeffer 1900-04


David K. Kline


1905-10


BOROUGH OFFICIALS-1909


Chief Burgess, Charles F. Hill


Town Council, Ambrose Hoffman, President


Nathaniel Heck


Isaac Heydt


James Templin


Alfred Kamp Jacob Koch Jacob Kline


Henry Reifsnyder


John Shadler


Jonathan Mertz


Lucian Miller


Jacob Noll


William Reiff


Nathan Henry Gehris 1900-03


E. M. Mill


BOROUGHS


261


D. F. Kelchner Creamery.


William Down Tool Works, 3 hands.


Wesley Kern Pick Works, 2 hands.


Schlegel, Adam & Co., coal and lumber, 4 hands. Fleetwood Metal Body Company.


NATIONAL BANK .- The First National Bank of Fleetwood was chartered on June 20, 1907, with a capital of $25,000 and the business was started Dec. 7, 1907. In November, 1908, the resources of the


SCHOOLS .- In 1877, the borough erected a fine two-story brick school building on a large lot of bank were $143,675; and the loans and discounts, ground at a cost exceeding $6,000. A superior ad- $67,924; individual deposits, $56,429; and the sav- dition was built to it in 1908-09, costing $10,000, ings deposits, $34,050. The president from the be- with all the modern improvements. The schools ginning has been Daniel F. Kelchner (a prominent are graded, well managed, and the scholars number manufacturer at Fleetwood) ; and the cashier, War- over 500. ren G. Hartman.


PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS


Water Works .- In 1889 water works were estab- lished, for supplying the inhabitants of the borough with water, by George B. Schaeffer, Dr. Levi R. Lentz and Peter D. Wanner, who organized and in- corporated a company for that purpose with a capital. of $25,000. The reservoir was located a mile east of the town in an elevated position, with a capacity of 300,000 gallons, and since then the town has been supplied with an abundance of pure spring water. Steps have been instituted by the borough authorities for the purchase of the works.


TROLLEY LINE .- The trolley line was extended from Temple to Kutztown, passing through Fleet- wood, in 1904.


CHURCHES .- There are four churches at Fleet- wood :


St. Paul's Union Church (Lutheran and Reform- ed) is situated a short distance west of the borough on the road to Blandon. It is a two-story stone building, plastered, which was erected in 1841. Ser- vices have been held regularly in it until the present time. It has a large membership.


The Evangelical Association erected a two-story brick church on Franklin street in 1866 and worship- ed there until 1890, when they sold it and erected another on Washington street. In this the members continued until the separation occurred in 1894, when the United Evangelical Association became the owner, and the latter organization has since main- tained a congregation in it.


The United Mennonite Church was erected in 1868 by a small number of zealous Christians of that faith and they have shown much devotion un- til the present time.


A fourth church was erected in the borough by a number of members of the St. Paul's, Union Church, for the purpose of carrying on worship as an organized Christian body not connected with any synod. The movement was started in 1883 and culminated in the erection of a fine brick building on Franklin street, which was formally dedicated in 1884. The premises cost upward of $7,000. It was named St. Paul's Chapel. The organization, under the direction of a board of trustees, has been carried on successfully until the present time.


TOPTON


Topton is situated along the East Penn railroad, in Longswamp township, near the line of Maxa- tawny. It was started with the construction of the railroad in 1859 and derived its name from its lo- cation at the highest point on the railroad between Reading and Allentown. A branch railroad to Kutztown was opened for travel in 1870, the length being five miles.


When the railroad was completed in 1859, Top- ton became a prominent shipping point, more es- pecially for great quantities of iron ore mined in that vicinity, and this induced the immediate erec- tion of a hotel and several business stands. The coal and lumber yards are patronized extensively and have developed a large trade.


INCORPORATION AND FIRST TAXABLES .- The town was incorporated into a borough in 1877, and the following list shows the names of the first taxables :


Bear & Miller Adam J. Lighty


Charles Bear Michael H. Miller


Benjamin C. Bear


Lewis Moll


James Butz David Merkel


Henry Butz


John H. Miller


Henry C. Bear


James Madarey


John Bobst


Michael H. Miller


Bear & Merkel Co.


Benjamin Raut


Manoah Carl


Peter L. Diener


Tilghman DeLong


Philip Delong


William Fenstermacher


Frank Fenstermacher


Henry M. Freed


Peter W. Fisher


Llewellyn Shabbel


Fenstermacher, Trexler & Co.


Joshua Smith Sallie Siegfried


William M. Hoffman


Charles D. Trexler


Abraham Hilbert


John Hemmig Daniel D. Hinterleiter


Daniel Trump Jonas Trexler William Trexler, M. D.


Hilbert Hinterleiter


Charles D. Trexler


Hannah Hinterleiter


Trexler & Moll


Nathan Heffner


Benjamin Wisser


Levi Kunes


Reuben S. Leibelsperger


Tenants


Matthias Deckert


Henry Diener Stephen Dankle


Diener & Carl


John Delp


Thomas Eck


John Drollinger


Josiah Fisher


William Baus Bear, Dieroft & Miller Samuel Baus Jacob Bechtel


Bear & DeLong


Peter C. Conrad


Henry C. Raut


Joshua Smith


J. D. Sander


Casper Seyebartyn


Abraham Siegfried


Peter Sterner


Eugene Sholl


James George


Esther Zangley


Church services are held regularly. A flourishing Sunday-school is also maintained and heartily en- couraged by the members.


CEMETERY .- In 1867 a large cemetery was laid out in the place on a lot 221 feet by 769 feet, situat- ed on the main thoroughfare, and it has been made very attractive.


262


HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


Herman Fetterman


Wilhelm Frederick


Isaac Fegley John Gamler Charles A. K. Grime


William Reinhard


Thomas Reichelderfer


William Scheerer


David Gerhart


Joshua Hinterleiter


Jonathan Herring


Trexler & Moll


William F. Heener


William Weaver


E. J. S. Hoch Minial Wies


William Hilbert


J. S. Ward


Single Mon


Charles Butz


Solon H. Fisher


Benjamin Carl


Henry Ebert


Jonathan Sterner Henry Wiser


LIST OF OFFICIALS .- The following lists show the names of the chief burgesses, town clerks and justices of the peace since the incorporation of the borough :


CHIEF BURGESSES


Peter W. Fisher 1877; 1891


John Henning 1878-82


S. H. Fisher 1883-86


A. C. S. Herman 1887-88


B. F. Lichtie 1889


1890


Tilghman DeLong


Charles H. Wisler 1892


Daniel B. Heist 1893-96


Cyrus Lessig 1897-1900


Martin Croll


1900-03


W. E. Ebert 1903-06


Benjamin E. Bieber 1906-09


1909-12


James McKeever


TOWN CLERKS


E. J. S. Hoch 1878


(Record lost from 1879 to 1888)


C. D. Trexler .1888


F. H. Moyer 1889-92


A. S. Heffner 1893


M. H. Brendlinger


1894-1905


Charles H. Schlenker


1905-1910


JUSTICES OF THE PEACE


L. F. Kuhns 1877-85


E. J. S. Hoch


1877-82


Dr. W. D. Trexler 1882-89


John H. Miller


1885-90 Daniel H. Heffner 1889-1901


Cyrus Lessig


1890-94


D. D. Hinterleiter


1894-99


Harvey A. Miller 1899-1914


Eldridge Zimmerman* 1901-06


George E. Moll 1907-12


BOROUGH OFFICIALS FOR 1909


Chief Burgess, James Mckeever


Town Council, Jacob M. Gery, President


Tilghman De Long


Adam H. Folk


Jeremiah Titlow


C. H. Schwartz


Irwin Madeira


William H. Smith


Charles H. Schlenker, Clerk


School Board, Dr. C. D. Werley


Levi Walbert


Frank Moyer


Jacob Gallmoyer


Michael Miller


Elmer Croll


* Resigned upon taking office of Prothonotary, to which he was elected in November, 1906.


Assessor, Lewis Keller


Collector, Charles H. Wisler


Auditors, I. R. Madeira, Elwood F. DeLong, Frank J. Fister


Justices of the Peace, Harvey A. Miller, George E. Moll Constable, Jacob H. Wisler


Road Commissioner, Frank Fenstermaker


Water Commissioner, John G. Miller


POST-OFFICE .- A post-office was established at Topton in 1861. Daniel D. Hinterleiter became the postmaster in 1897 and he served until his decease, when he was succeeded by his widow, and then by his daughter Hannah, evidencing the satisfactory service to the community rendered by his family.


INDUSTRIES .- After the Kutztown branch of rail- road was opened, steps were taken to establish an iron furnace along the main line, a short distance east of the junction, and this was put in operation in 1871 by a company, of which Isaac McHose, of Reading, was the president. It was operated sev- erai years but then, owing to the panic, suspended. The Eckert Brothers at Reading carried it on suc- cessfully for about ten years until the decease of Henry S. Eckert ; then it was purchased by the Em- pire Steel & Iron Company, which since 1894 has operated it successfully. This was the only prom- inent industry at the place for upward of twenty years. Then the DeLong Furniture Factory was started in 1880, and the Rohrbach Roller Flour Mill in 1885, both of which have been kept in active operation ever since, with their trade extending many miles into the surrounding counties. The store, office and bar fixtures of the former have be- come very popular for their neatness and durabil- ity.


Since 1900, great improvements have been made here in the erection of industrial establishments and fine dwellings. Besides the industries named, the borough includes the following :


Underwear Factory, carried on by O. C. Rohr- bach; Silk Mill, by the Hartley Manufacturing Company ; Hosiery Mill, by the Crown Knitting Company; Creamery, by A. S. Heffner ; Bakery, by F. A. Trexler ; Topton Foundry and Machine Works (Inc.) (transferred from Bernville) ; two lumber and coal yards ; three general stores ; three hotels.


The number of employees in the several industries will indicate the extent of the business affairs in the borough in 1909: Furnace, 100 hands ; DeLong fac- tory, 60; silk mill, 100; hosiery mill, 100; under- wear mill, 30; Topton foundry, 25.


In 1907, twenty new dwelling houses were erec- ted; in 1908, six ; and arrangements have been made for erecting twenty in 1909.


William J. Fritz has been operating a large and successful saddlery for several years, which is equipped with the latest machinery for the manu- facture of harness, affording constant employment for six hands.


Business in mining and shipping iron ore here. is gradually resuming in 1909 after having been suspended for about fifteen years.


William F. Kerchner James Miller


John J. Reader


Henry Sox


Amentes Sterner


William Halman


BOROUGHS


Josiah Fisher carried on the manufacture of


SCHOOLS .- The borough supports three schools building brick for upward of thirty years until in in a superior two-story brick building. The scholars the spring of 1909, when the plant was sold to number more than one hundred and the annual ex- George Keiser.


Practising physicians at Topton are Dr. C. D. Werley and Dr. George Pflueger, the former hav- ing been here upward of twenty years.


The following persons prominent in business at Reading reside at Topton :


Martin S. Croll and William H. Smith, extensive wholesale dealers in hats since 1900. Mr. Croll had been the deputy Internal Revenue collector of the district comprising Berks county from 1893 to 1899.


James Trexler has been filling the office of stamp clerk in the Internal Revenue office at Reading since 1900.


Eldridge Zimmerman has been officiating as pro- thonotary of the county since January, 1907.


NATIONAL BANK .- A national bank was estab- lished in the borough in 1885 with a capital of $50,000, and carried on for several years. A sec- ond was organized in 1906 with a capital of $25,- 000, and since then Martin S. Croll has been its president, and Albert H. Smith, cashier. In Nov- ember, 1908, the total resources were $137,484; the individual deposits, 56,023 ; and time deposits, $25,- 427.


PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS


Water-Works .- In 1893, the borough established water-works, embracing two reservoirs with a total capacity of 350,000 gallons, in an elevated situation one mile south of the place, having secured a large supply of superior spring water.


The streets are lighted by oil lamps. A fire com- pany was organized by citizens of the town in Feb- ruary, 1909, and named the Topton Hose Company. It has secured a hose carriage with several hundred feet of hose and over fifty taxpayers have been en- rolled as members.


Trolley Line .- A trolley line of railway is about being constructed from Lyons to Allentown by way of Topton and Alburtis.


Auditorium .- In 1905, M. T. Butz erected a frame auditorium for entertainments. It has a seating capacity of several hundred, and is well patronized by church festivals, fairs, lectures and local institutes.


CHURCHES .- In 1872, members of the Lutheran and Reformed denominations residing at Topton united in erecting a brick church, and the congrega- tions have been carried on successfully since then, over 180 of the former having taken communion on Easter Day, 1909, and over 160 of the latter. Ar- rangements are being made for the erection of a larger building. The members formerly attended re- ligious services in churches at Bower's, Mertztown and Longswamp.


The Evangelical Association organized a congre- gation in 1885 and caused the erection of a church in 1886, which has been maintained until now.


penditures exceed $1,200.


ORPHANS' HOME .- In 1897, the Lutheran Church established a fine home for orphans in an elevated position a short distance south of Topton, which has been managed in a very successful manner. It was started with three inmates; now it has ninety (49 boys, 41 girls). Annual excursions in the fall of the year for the benefit of this worthy institution are very largely patronized. A similar home is maintained by the Reformer Church at Womelsdorf. [Mentioned in Ontelaunee Section, Chapter XII.]


LENHARTSVILLE


INCORPORATION .- Lenhartsville is the second smallest borough in the county. It is situated along the Ontelaunee creek in the western end of Green- wich township, from which it was taken at the time of its incorporation in 1887. It embraces 48 dwellings, 2 hotels, 3 stores and a blacksmith shop, with a population of 140, the number having grad- ually decreased for the last twenty years. The ho- tels are supplied with superior running spring water.


The place was named after the Lenhart family which settled in the township at this point before the erection of the county. It has been known by this name for over a hundred years. The opera- tion of several large grist-mills in the vicinity gave it prominence ; and its situation on the "State Road" (which extends across the northern section of the county parallel with the Blue Mountains) contrib- uted toward its importance as a business center.


FIRST TAXABLES OF BOROUGH .- The taxable res- idents of the borough at the time of its incorpora- tion were as follows:


Daniel Adam John B. Levan


Daniel Fenstemaker Mrs. George Leiby


James S. Focht Mrs. James Leiby


Mrs. Peter Fister


John Miller, Sr.


Malinda Greenawalt


Joseph Mattern


Samuel Gehret


J. William A. Mattern


George F. Huy


John Pfeifly


Henry Hardinger


Benjamin Riegelman


John K. Seaman


Jonathan G. Hinkle Frank Kramer Moses Stein


Charles A. Leiby


William Waxwood


Allen B. Levan


Benjamin Weiss


Francis B. Levan


Wilson M. Werley


William B. Levan


Mrs. Seth Ziegler


Jacob B. Levan


Tenants


William Adam


Jacob Rhoads


Glancy Dry


Daniel Reidenaur


William Eberly


Daniel B. Seip


James Grayham


O. G. Yenser


Frank Hill


Lafayette Zettelmoyer


Benjamin Leiby


Allen Zettelmoyer


John Miller, Jr. John W. Reber


Charles D. Ziegler


Single Men


Clayton Adams George De Long Irwin W. Leiby George W. Ziegler 1


LIST OF OFFICIALS .- The following lists comprise the names of the principal officials who have


263


264


HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


served since the incorporation of the borough. On- road was constructed along the creek in 1874, the ly one justice of the peace has been elected (though Lenhartsville station became a busy shipping point. entitled to two as a district), owing to the small- [Statistics relating to the borough will be found in Chapter IX.] ness of the place :


CHIEF BURGESSES


George F. Huy 1887-91


Charles D. Ziegler 1891-92


James S. Focht. 1892-95


Charles A. Leiby 1895-98; 1902-05; 1909-12


Daniel J. Seip. 1898-1902


William V. Herring


1905-09


TOWN CLERKS


Oliver G. Yenser 1887-89


Wilson M. Werley. 1889-91


George F. Huy. 1891-94


J. Wm. A. Mattern. 1894-1905; 1907-09


Dr. O. F. Kunkel. 1905-07


Dr. L. R. Rothermel 1909-10


JUSTICES OF THE PEACE


James S. Focht. 1887-95


J. Wm. A. Mattern 1893-1910


BOROUGH OFFICIALS-1909


Chief Burgess, Charles A. Leiby


Town Council,


William F. Peters, President


Albert Hein, Treasurer


William Waxwood


Benjamin Leiby


Alfred Balthaser


F. B. Levan Dr. L. R. Rothermel. Secretary


School Board,


Dr. L. R. Rothermel, President


J. William A. Mattern, Secretary Jacob Levan, Treasurer Glancy L. Dry Harvey A. Sarig Alfred F. Hein


Justice of the Peace, J. William A. Mattern


Constable, C. Clayton C. Adams


Auditors, George F. Huy


Jacob Rhoad


G. Frank Eberly


Assessor, Robert J. Peters


Collector, (Vacant)


FIRST TAXABLES .- The first taxables of the bor- POST-OFFICE .- The post-office was established ough were as follows :


in 1854, at the furnace store, east of the creek. When the borough was erected, it was removed to this place, and since then Glancy L. Dry and John W. Reber have been the postmasters.


BUSINESS .- F. B. Levan has been successfully and extensively engaged in the general store busi- ness for upward of twenty years. He is also oper- ating a creamery and butcher shop.


A. F. Hein for several years has carried on a wheelwright shop and blacksmith shop. He is also engaged as a dealer in farming implements.


Stage lines were operated from Lenhartsville to Strausstown to the west and to Allentown to the northeast, for upward of twenty years until 1904, when, on account of the Rural Free Delivery, the former line was discontinued, and the latter was limited to Weisenburg.


The Maiden-creek charcoal furnace was erected in 1854 by George Merkel a short distance east of the village, and successfully operated for thirty years, the last proprietor having been Jacob K. Spang of Reading. When the Berks County rail-


EDUCATION .- A school building was established upon the erection of the borough, and this has been occupied since for school purposes. But the num- ber of pupils has been small, being now 33. There is no church in the place and no factory, the spirit of manufacturing enterprise never having been en- couraged by the property holders.


The "Sons of America" (Camp No. 531) organ- ized here in 1893, and they erected a fine hall for their meetings, costing $1,400


"BLUE ROCKS" is a point of interest within two miles northwest of the town. It comprises a depos- it of large rocks, blue in appearance from exposure, which cover an area of thirty acres. The rum- bling of hidden waters underneath is distinctly aud- ible. The formation has the appearance of having been caused by a washout on the hillside many years ago, and is situated several hundred yards below the top of the hill.


BECHTELSVILLE


INCORPORATION .- The borough of Bechtelsville was incorporated on Sept. 11, 1890, the boun- dary lines including 19 acres. The territory was taken from Washington township. It was named after the John S. Bechtel family which has been prominent in that immediate vicinity from the time of the first settlements before the erection of the county. It is situated along the Colebrookdale-rail- road, three miles beyond Boyertown. The construc- tion of this railroad in 1869 was the direct cause of the formation of a considerable settlement at this point ; and the erection of a large iron furnace here in 1875 also encouraged building operations.


Elam Bechtel Est. Orlando Haas


Mary Bechtel Est.


William Haas, Sr.


Eli Bechtel


Thomas Hoffman


David H. Bechtel


William F. Knerr


Oliver Brunner


Frank Minner


James Bechtel


Thomas R. Miller


Sarah Bechtel


Tobias Moyer


William Conrad


Joseph H. Moyer Jeremiah Moyer


John Conrad


Charles Moyer


Allen F. Deysher


Jeremiah Dierolf Henry W. Miller


Nathaniel Dengler David Miller


Jacob Moyer


Mathias Dotterer Sarah Deysher


Amelia Moyer Amanda Morey


Horace Fisher


Walter Fisher


Jacob B. Oberholtzer


Ezra Frey Elizabeth Frehn


Amos Oberholtzer Lizzie Oberholtzer


Henry Geist William Groff


Henry H. Stauffer Charles E. Stangier


Henry S. Geist


Henry S. Gilbert


Harrison Schoenly Daniel Shollenberger


John S. Stauffer Henry Young


Joseph Heydt John Hoffman Jacob F. Heydt


Henry F. Sheiry


Jacob Bowman


265


BOROUGHS


Tenants


Ambrose Ackerman


Henry Kehl


David O. Bechtel


Daniel Keller


Fremont Borneman




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.