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 60

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 60

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).

George Moser

William Bechtel

Henry Miller

Amos Conrad Nathaniel Erb Allen Fretz

Samuel Mest

Horace Fisher

James Fronheiser

John Reitenauer

Jacob Gottschalk

Augustus Reinhart

Reuben Glaes

Joseph Reitenauer

Oliver Hoffman

William Specht

Henry R. Herb

Frank Specht

Henry Houck

Anthony Sharp

Jacob Haas

Reuben Styer

J. K. Hinkel

Lewis Weller

Josiah Hunsberger

Irwin Yoder

Single Men

John Kehl

David Stangier Samuel Stauffer

Samuel Kehl Menno Oberholtzer

In 1906, there were 82 dwellings in the place, and 147 taxables. The total assessed property amounted to $132,700; and the money at interest, $26,365.

LIST OF OFFICIALS .- The following persons filled the positions of chief burgess and justice of the peace :

CHIEF BURGESSES

Orlando Haas 1891-97

Irvin Yoder 1897-1900

Jacob B. Oberholtzer. 1900-03

Guldin G. Yoder 1903-06

Jeremiah Dierolf 1906-09

Anos B. Oberholtzer. 1909-12

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

M. H. Dotterer 1891-1907

H. C. Schoenly

1891-93

Frank H. Minner.

1893-96

Franklin M. Glaes

1896-1903

William A. Henry.

1903-13

Bernard L. Kutz.

1907-12

BOROUGH OFFICIALS-1909

Chief Burgess, Amos B. Oberholtzer

Town Council, Henry W. Miller, President George Bartholomew, Treasurer Orlando Haas

Adam Hess

Reuben Kramer

Henry H. Stauffer

Henry Shirey

Peter Brumbach

Irwin B. Kehs, Secretary

School Board, Jacob F. Moyer, President

Allen Erb, Secretary

James Fronheiser, Treasurer

William A. Henrv

Isaac Moyer George Bartholomew

Justices of the Peace, William A. Henry

Bernard Kutz

Constable, William M. C. Grofe

Auditors, Abraham Heydt Charles Hirsch

Assessor, Jacob F. Moyer

Collector, Horace B. Fisher

BUSINESS .- In April, 1909, the borough contained the following :

Hotels 2

Tinsmith shop

Stores

Shoemaker shop

Hardware store

Coal yard

Liveries

Flour and feed store

Millinery store

Blacksmith shops .2

Saddlery

Painters & paper hangers. . 2

Barber shop

Tailor

Printing office

Restaurant

Butcher shop

Physician

The estimated population then was 500; dwelling- houses, 100.

Since the erection of the borough, the streets have been lighted at night by oil lamps set on posts.

Pumps are still used for water supply.

INDUSTRIES .- The oldest industrial plant at Bech- telsville is the three-story stone grist mill which was operated as such for upward of seventy years, hav- ing been started by Alfred Siesholtz, It is equip- ped with roller process machinery for the manu- facture of flour. But for the last several years it has been engaged in chopping feed for the farm- ers of the vicinity. Previously it had been a prom- inent oil-mill for many years. It is now operated by Abraham Heydt (since 19.05), with two hands.

Another chopping-mill is run at the southern end of the town by Mahlon Reidenauer (since 1901) ; which had previously been a grist-mill for many years. In connection with this mill, Mr. Reidenauer established a planing-mill in 1908, which he has been operating with four hands.

Near this mill, Henry Young started a cream- ery about 1885 and carried on business extensive- ly for a number of years. It has been operated by H. H. Stauffer for about fifteen years.

William Conrad engaged in the undertaking bus- iness about 1875, and several years afterward es- tablished a large cabinet-making shop, which he carried on extensively in the manufacture of fur- niture. He is still in the business, and also deals in furniture and household goods.

Fisher Brothers (Walter and Horace) have been engaged in manufacturing carriages at Bechtels- ville since 1887. They employ five hands. A wheelwright shop is also carried on at this plant for heavy wagons and repairs.

Nathaniel G. Erb started a bakery here in 1886 and since then has developed a large trade which extends into the surrounding country for many miles. He manufactures and distributes daily about a thousand loaves of bread; also large quan- tities of cakes and pretzels. He employs nine hands and requires three delivery teams. During the summer season he manufactures many tons of ice-cream and candy for picnics.

Owen Hoffman has carried on a marble yard for

POST-OFFICE .- The post-office was established in upward of twenty years. He located at. Bechtels- 1852 by the name of Bechtelsville, evidencing that ville in 1877. the place was so known at that time. David Lat- shaw has been postmaster since 1903. He succeeded Jacob L. Reiff.

Effinger Erb started a cigar factory in 1908 and employs two hands. He also manufactures chew- ing tobacco.

Horace Miller

Joseph Morey Jacob L. Reif

266

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Kuts Knitting Mill .- In 1905 S. Jairus Kutz of and fifty-six acres of land there and took posses- Reading located at Bechtelsville and started the sion in 1841. He conducted the tavern several manufacture of men's and ladies' hosiery on the second floor of the tinsmith shop, but his busi- ness grew so rapidly that he was obliged to put up a building. In 1907 he erected a fine three- story cement block factory and equipped it with machinery. His two sons Calvin J. and Bernard L. are associated with him, and they are trading under the name of Kutz Knitting Mill. They em- ploy from forty to fifty hands.

Dicrolf Orchard .- Jeremiah Dierolf was engaged in the manufacture of pants at Bechtelsville for upward of fifteen years until 1905, when his hands left and entered the hosiery mill. He then direct- ed his attention to the cultivation of fruit and ber- ries on a tract of land adjoining the borough and he has been very successful. He planted upward of 2,500 trees-apple, peach and plum.

Crusher .- In 1875, a large blast furnace was erected here at a cost exceeding $150,000, and it was operated for ten years by the Pottstown Iron Company and the Gabel Brothers from Pottstown. Some years afterward it was dismantled and torn down by the P. & R. R. Co. The large and val- uable cinder bank induced the erection of a crush- er plant by Jacob V. R. Hunter and William Kline. who operated it until 1904, when Mr. Kline be- came the sole owner, and in 1907 he sold it to the Ehret Slag Company. The estimated deposit of cinder there is 100,000 tons, superior for concrete work.

CHURCH AND SCHOOLS .- A fine, large, two- story brick church was erected in 1886 by mem- bers of the Lutheran and Reformed denominations, and services have been conducted since. The mem- bers support a flourishing Sunday-school. The Lutheran members number 150; the Reformed, 75.

Two schools are maintained in the borough. The scholars number 72. A one-story brick build- ing was erected by the borough in 1890.

HALL .- The Patriotic Order Sons of America, Camp No. 324, erected a fine three-story cement- block building. The first and second floors are occupied for dwelling purposes; and the third floor A hose company, with hook and ladder truck, chemical engine, and modern appliances, was or- is set apart as the Camp's Hall. An auxiliary camp meets there also-the Patriotic Order of Ameri- ganized in 1903, and it has eighty members. A town hall was erected in 1906.

cans, No. 40, composed of women ; it has upward of fifty members. The cost of the building was $6,000.

MOUNT PENN

INCORPORATION .- Mount Penn was established as a borough out of a small portion of Lower Al- sace township on Nov. 7, 1902. The boundary lines inclose 242 acres, 116 perches. It adjoins Reading on the southeast.

The place was known as "Dengler's" from 1841 to 1902, having been named after George Den- gler, Esq., the first prominent citizen of that vicin- ity ; who, in 1840, purchased the Keehn tavern

times himself, altogether about ten years, but the premises were mostly rented until his decease in 1866. He served in the office of justice of the peace from 1855 to 1865, and was highly respect- ed in the community. The tavern was an old- established stand in 1840, and had been a popular stopping place for teamsters on their way from upper sections of the county to Philadelphia with grain, etc., before the opening of the railroad in 1838.

After the East Reading Street Railway line was extended to Black Bear and to Stony Creek in 1890, more especially after the opening of Car- sonia Park, dwelling-houses at this place began to increase rapidly. When the trolley line to Black Bear was extended to Birdsboro, the street cars to that place from Reading proceeded by way of Mount Penn.

In 1909, the borough included 140 dwellings; about 400 inhabitants ; two churches (Lutheran and Reformed), two-story brick school building, two carriage factories, organ factory, paper-sack fac- tory, coal yard, two hotels, four stores, and a res- taurant; there were three painters, a large con- tractor, and a physician. Many of the houses are attractive, and one is particularly worthy of notice, John G. Speidel's, formerly Dr. D. B. D. Beaver's, erected by Edward S. Kremp, Esq.

The Aulenbach cemetery is situated in the west- ern section; also the Antietam filtering beds of the Reading Water Works. The former was es- tablished in 1851; the latter in 1905.

In 1884, A. F. Reeser and Kendall Brothers laid out a town, including Dengler's, and named it "Woodvale." Many lots were sold, and a num- ber of dwellings were erected, but the name was not adopted by the public.

A post-office, by the name of "Dengler's," was established in 1884, and this was continued until the borough was erected in 1902.

The streets are lighted by arc electric lights un- der contract with the Metropolitan Electric Com- pany.

Il'ater Company .- In 1903, the Mt. Penn Sub- urban Water Company was organized and incor- porated with a capital of $12,000, for the purpose of supplying the citizens of Mt. Penn and vicinity with water for domestic uses and for protection against fire. The Adams farm, a mile east of Den- gler's, was secured and there the company estab- lished a reservoir with a capacity of 600,000 gal- lons, and a large dam with a capacity of 3,000,- 000 gallons. Mains were then put down, in length about six miles. The patrons number 210. The organizers were Dr. M. L. Bertolette, Martin D. Hunter, Louis Kraemer, E. D. Nein, and H. S.

BOROUGHS

267

Hinnershitz-, the first having been the president of the company, and the second the secretary and treasurer, since its organization. Pipe lines are extended to Stony Creek and Black Bear. The sanitary conditions are superior and highly com- mended by the State authorities.

FIRST TAXABLES .- The names of the first taxa- bles of the borough were as follows:

Daniel N. Albright

Daniel B. Keehn Peter B. Keehn

Marguerite Albright

William H. Albright

John B. Keehn

John D. Barth

Andrew Bernhart Est.

Henry E. Barth

Percival Leinbach George A. Levan

James D. Bady Henry S. Lutz

Catharine Bertolet Dr. M. L. Bertolette

Julia L. Brown

John T. Miller

Dr. Beaver

John H. Clark

David D. Dundore

Howard Deysher Emma A. Endlich

Henry C. Esterly

John S. Esterly

John R. Folk

Samuel Steiger

Charles R. Seyfert

Mrs. Solomon Stoner

Adam Schlegel

Charles Schlegel

Amos Schlegel Mrs. Ellen Trout James Texter John Zechman Joseph Zuber

Tenants

Charles M. Kline

Frank E. Kauffman Edward Kiebach

Harry Kemp

Harvey Keehn

John Lindemuth Levi Lessig Reuben Moyer

Charles Miller

James J. Madeira Samuel Nein

Milford Nein

Daniel R. Quinter

Charles B. Prutzman

Francis B. Palm

William O. Fry Daniel D. Gehras Peter Glasser Valentine Graeff

Charles H. Ruppert George W. Russel John Rudy Benjamin E. Rake

Howard E. Gerhard Edward Howard Thomas Hartman William Homan Jacob Hilbert William Hassen James H. Harner J. F. M. Koch Charles A. Keehn Charles Keffer

Mrs. Sarah S. Reider Ira J. J. Reber John J. Scarlet John Sutters Alvah O. Schaeffer

Boyd W. Von Neida G. W. Wagner

Thomas Weidner

Edward Yergey Charles Youse

Single Men

Frank Clark Jacob B. Esterly Harry S. Esterly George S. Esterlv James Finerfrock

Charles W. Hinnershitz George Irvin Longacre

Samuel Nein

Wilson Nein

John Schlegel

Albert Schlegel

Morris Trout

Samuel Texter

FIRST OFFICIALS .- The first officials were elect- ed in February, 1903, and their names were as follows :

Chief Burgess, George C. Hartline Town Council, John Clark, (3 years)

D. D. Nein (3 years) Dr. M. L. Bertolette (3 years) W. O. Leinbach (2 years) G. A. Levan (2 years) David D. Dundore (1 year) J. D. Brady (1 year)

Auditor, I. N. Manwiller Tax Collector, John R. Folk

School Director, E. W. Hinnershitz (3 years) Elmer E. Palm (3 years) John G. Esterly (2 years) George C. Hartline (2 years) Samuel Reifsnyder (1 year) David D. Dundore (1 year)

Judge of Election, Milford Nein Inspectors, Samuel Nein, Sr.

Peter B. Keehn

In 1906, H. S. Hinnershitz was elected as the sec- ond chief burgess for a term of three years.

BOROUGH OFFICIALS-1909

Chief Burgess, George L. Dengler

Town Council, Irvin N. Manwiller George Hartman Henry Barth Henry Esterly Ira Reber William Albright William Leinbach

Town Clerk, George C. Hartline-

School Directors, H. S. Beiteman, President George C. Hartline, Secretary

John Keehn Mason A. Bright

Edward G. Christian Albert R. Schlegel

Auditors, Joseph B. Gauter W. Hinnershitz R. Tomlinsen

Assessor, John Leedom

Tax Collector, John Folk Justice of the Peace, George C. Hartline Constable, Harry Neff

INDUSTRIES

Carriage Factory .- The first industry at this place was the carriage factory of Joseph Albright. He had been engaged in carriage-making at Kutz- town and Pottsville for some years and removed to Dengler's about 1867, where he continued in the business until 1886, when his sons William and Daniel succeeded him. After being together for a year, William retired and he then worked at different places as a journeyman coach-maker for several years, when he returned to Dengler's. His father dying then, William became the owner of the property, and he has since carried on the busi-

Louis Bernhart Harry Barth Harry Bitzer Charles Barth

Harvey Bernhart

William P. Hilbert Jacob L. Ketterer

Charles O. Levan

Blasius Leightham Charles H. Longacre

Howard Longacre

Emily D. W. Kline

William O. Leinbach

Elizabeth M. Brown

Philip Louman

James Longacre

Irvin Manwiller J. H. Mohn David Nein Jonathan Nein

Elmer E. Palm Adam Palm Daniel Q. Reider

Herman Fisher Annie Griesemer Elizabeth Glasser H. S. Hinnershitz Gregory Heine George B. Hartman Christian Hartman George C. Hartline L. W. Hinnershitz

Loyal Burkholder Charles Broodman Wesley M. Burd. A. Mason Bright George T. Brown Amos Boyer John W. Barth Christian Conz Sarah A. Canfel Joseph Davis Jacob Esterly J. W. Eyrich Michael Eyrich George Fox Jacob Folk

268

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ness, manufacturing carriages and light business hotel, bowling-alley, and a hose company for pro- wagons and making a specialty of rubber tiring. tection against fire. A beautiful stone chapel has When he took the old place, his brother Daniel been maintained since 1900 for Sunday-school pur- established a carriage factory on the opposite side poses. The place is supplied with water by the of the street, and he too has been engaged in the business until the present time.

Organ Factory .- Samuel Bohler was engaged in manufacturing pipe-organs at Reading from 1850 to 1890. Elmer Palm learned organ-building under Bohler and continued with him until his death when he established a factory at Dengler's, and here he has been engaged in the business un- til the present time, manufacturing organs accord- ing to orders received, for private dwellings and for churches. His trade is confined almost en- tirely to Pennsylvania. He employs from six to ten hands.

Paper Bag Factory .- Wellington Hinnershitz started the manufacture of paper flour-sacks at Mt. Penn in 1904 and has continued until the present time.

Nein Coal Yard .- In 1887, Augustus H. Went- zel and D. D. Nein established a large coal yard and a flour, feed and grain business. After con- ducting them for two years Wentzel retired and Mr. Nein's brother Joseph D. took his place. Since then the business has been carried on by them in a successful manner under the name of Nein Brothers.

General Store .- Irvin N. Manwiller established a general store at the place in 1893 and has con- tinued in business there until the present time.

Building Contractor .- Charles Schlegel located here in 1903, in the business of erecting houses, and has been successfully engaged until now, em- ploying upward of thirty hands.

CHURCHES .- In 1885, the Trinity Lutheran Con- gregation of Reading erected a one-story frame chapel at Dengler's, which was called "Faith," and church and Sunday-school services have been conducted in it until now.

In 1897, many adherents of the Reformed de- nomination (about thirty in number), who resid- ed at and near Dengler's, organized a congrega- tion and erected a fine one-story brick church; and since then they have held regular services.

SCHOOL .- The school board of Lower Alsace township erected a fine, two-story brick school building at Dengler's in 1898, and when the bor- ough was established in 1902 it became the prop- erty of the borough. In 1906 an addition was made to the building. It has three graded schools and 130 scholars.

STONY CREEK is a flourishing village which ad- joins Mount Penn on the east. It took its name from the Stony Creek Mills, which were estab- lished there in 1864. In April, 1909, it contained fifty single houses and fifteen double houses, three stores, wheelwright shop, blacksmith shop, cider- mill, grist-mill, broom factory, barber shop, and the Kraemer Woolen Mills; also a superior two- story brick school building (erected in 1905),

Mt. Penn Suburban Water Company, the pipe having been laid in 1908. It is the eastern termi- nus of the East Reading street railway, situated a short distance from Carsonia Park. Many years ago, the Burkhart Forge was carried on along the creek near-by ; and afterward, the Feger Paper Mill. The Antietam Lake, of the Reading Water- works, whose capacity exceeds 100,000,000 gal- lon's, is situated half a mile to the north. The growth and improvement of the place are attribut- able to the influence of the woolen mills. The estimated population is 400.

WOMELSDORF

The borough of Womelsdorf is situated in the western section of the county, about a mile from the line of Lebanon county. The town was laid out by John Womelsdorf in 1762 and from him it takes its name. In that year the first house was erected by Jacob Seltzer; which afterward came to be oc- cupied as a tavern and it has continued as such until the present time. It is the oldest tavern in the county. Whilst President Washington was on his way through Berks county to Carlisle, in 1794, he stayed over night at this tavern. The town-plan comprised seventy-five lots. The place was then called Middletown, because it was situated midway between Reading and Lebanon, and it was known by this name for upward of fifty years.

The following list comprises the taxable inhabi- tants in 1790:

Wm. Bergenhoff Jacob Pleini George Rapp

Christian Bricken

Imhoff Benedict John Rose

John Bonawitz George Seidle

George Bodle

Conrad Stouch

Jacob Egle

John Smith

John Fleisher

Jacob Seltzer

John German

Weyrich Seltzer

Daniel Graeff Maria Sherman

Henry Hersh

Nichola Saladin

John Henry Andrew Saladin

Christian Miller

Michael Wolford

Elizabeth Newman

INCORPORATION .- The town was incorporated in- to a borough in 1833, by an Act of Assembly, and the taxables assessed that year were as follows:

Adam Anspach Geo. Brownwell (of John) Daniel Claus

George Anspach

William Arnold Est.

Conrad Claus

John Arnold

Hannah Clark

Jacob Arnold Est.

George Conrad

Abraham Arnold

Henry Cornwell

Lot Benson Benjamin Bressler

Emanuel Deininger

Joseph D. Biles Magdalena Brownwell

Isaac Deppen Daniel Diehl

Samuel Dechert

Elizabeth Dreon (Tryon)

Peter Eckert

Tohn Ermentrout

John Bennethum David Bennethum Michael Bennethum James Bryan

Elizabeth Deppen Thomas Cox

George Brownwell

BOROUGHS

269

George Parson

John Vanderslice

1834-38

William Price

Peter Womelsdorf

1839-43

Lewis Richard

Henry Kendall

1844-45

Joseph Reutter

George Von Neida

1846

Samuel Reifsnyder

John Miller

.1847-50

Tohn Rees

James Moore 1851-52; 1874

George Redman

William Bennethum

1853

Abraham Guldin

Casper Reed

Joseph Smith 1854

John Goodman

Henry Reed

Henry Brinkley

.1855; 1860

John Reber

J. A. Claus. .

1856

Frederick Shulze

William Anderson

1857

Martin Manderbach

1858-59

William Hendel

William. Seivert

Henry H. Manderbach

1861

John Haak

Michael Seltzer

John G. Keiser

1862

William Hoff

Peter Stahl

William Smith

1863

Catharine Heffly

Catharine Seltzer

E. Penn Smith.

1864-65; 1869

Widow Hirsh

John Sallade

William G. Moore.

1866; 1868

John Horn

Christian Seiverd

Isaac Y. Kintzer.

1867

Thomas Horn

Philip Swalm

B. Frank Shortell

1870-71; 1879

Frederick Herman

John Smith, Jr.

John A. Matthew

1872

Jacob Ilger

Walker Steven

Charles B. Fisher.

1873

Conrad Iauch

Daniel Smith

Michael Kolbach

1875

Leonard Illick

George Sallade

Jacob A. Wolf

1876

George Keiser

Andrew Stouch

Samuel Mowry

1877

Adam Kalbach

Isaac Stouch

George K. Valentine.

1878

Henry Kendall

John Simon

Franklin S. Haak

1880-81; 1886-87

Adam Kantner

Daniel Snyder

Frederick A. Fidler

1882

Valentine Kantner

John Smith, Sr.

Simon P. Moyer

1883

Esther Krist

Tacob Sallade

Samuel Kurtz 1884

.1885

Jonathan Loas

Leonard Seltzer

John W. Petree, Jr

1888-89

Peter Leininger

George Sea

Henry Eberly

.1890

William Laucks

Samuel Shulze

Thomas L. Reed.

1891-94

Phillip Lippel

John Schoener

John M. Smith 1894-97

Daniel Leininger

Peter Sholl

C. Lewis Kintzer. 1897-1900

John Levengood

Henry Shaner

Peter Levengood

John Swalm

Jacob Lesher

John Sell

Henry Moyer

John Smith, Est.

Valentine Miller

William Sallade

Dr. Horace F. Livingood.

1909-12

George Miller, Jr.

John Schoener

Jacob Miller

Solomon Sea

Jacob Moyer (Inkpr)

John B. Smith

George Martin

Jacob Shartel

Jacob McCally

George Von Neida

Francis Moore

John Von Neida Est.

Isaac Y. Kintzer.

1870-71; 1873-86 ;* 1888-89

Tonathan Mover

Peter Womelsdorf

Thomas E. Haak.

.1890-1901

Michael Nunemacher

William Witmyer

Elizabeth Oswalt

Solomon Weiser

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

William F. Duncan. 1829

Frederick Foltz 1829

David Steach 1846-71

Isaac Womelsdorf

1850-76

Isaac Y. Kintzer

1871-86

James Moore

1876-81

John M. Smith.

1881-89

Charles B. Kintzer

1886-96; 1899-1904

William Fisher

Samuel Stahl

Daniel Fidler

Benjamin Seltzer

John Fidler

Samuel Seltzer

Henry Kendall

Hamilton Stouch

Adam Kantner

Henry Vanderslice

BOROUGH OFFICIALS-1909

Chief Burgess, Dr. Horace F. Livingood

Town Council,

Samuel H. Illig, President

Howard M. Hafer

Stephen Kintzer

Wilson Dundore

Jefferson T. Good

I. C. Christman Samuel Hoffa W. W. Lengel, Clerk

Lewis Richards

CHIEF BURGESSES

1833

TOWN CLERKS

Francis Wessels 1834-43

David Steach 1844-65

Franklin Zerby 1866

Wm. M. Sallade.

1867-69; 1872

John Mountz

John Vanderslice, Esq.

John M. Smith.

.1887

John Moyer

Godfrey Wiegenman

William W. Lengel.

1902-10

Samuel Petry

George Wiegenman

William Petry

Daniel Womelsdorf

Michael Petry

Adam Weber

Samuel Parson

John Yost

William Poff

Single Freemen

John Aulenbach

John Price

Daniel Brady

Isaac Reber

John H. Kintzer

1889-94

Thomas E. Haak.

1894-99; 1909-14

John J. Sallade. 1896-1911

Jacob H. Mays. .1904-09

Adam Kantner (of Val.)

William Vanderslice

Reuben Long

Aaron Weiser

Michael Nunemacher

Jabetz Weiser

OFFICIALS .- The following persons have filled the positions of chief burgess, town clerk and jus- tice of the peace from the incorporation of the bor- ough until now.

Isaac Petree

Charles J. Good.

1903-06

Harry D. Noll. 1906-09

1901-03

Daniel Bobb

Franklin Kreitzer .1900

Peter Lousdorf

George Seltzer

John F. Petree.

Assessor, Collector, Adam Lengel George Bright

Samuel Ermentrout Mrs. George Ege (widow) Abraham Fisher - George Fry Henry Fidler Adam Fidler William Gries, M. D.

John German Benjamin German Mary German

Conrad Stouch

270

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Justices of the Peace, John J. Sallade

Thomas E. Haak

Constable, Jacob Kintzer School Board, Charles P. Kreitzer Calvin Christman, Secretary Rev. Edwin Leinbach, Treasurer John I. Fitler Thomas Wilhelm William Moore

POST-OFFICE .- A post-office was established here in 1807. The postmaster since 1897 has been Wal- lace W. Oberly. Previous postmasters were Charles Petree, Cyrus Oberly, George Miller, Isaac Miller and William W. Petree.

INDUSTRY .- Besides the usual vocations incident to a country town, some of the inhabitants were en- gaged in the making of wool hats from the begin- ning of the place for nearly an hundred years. A tannery was operated for a longer time, and a gun factory was a successful enterprise for many years. The product was shipped by teamis to Reading and Philadelphia. About the time of the opening of the Lebanon Valley railroad in 1857, the manufacture of these articles was gradually discontinued and the extensive manufacture of cigars was begun, though these had also been made here and in the vicinity for a while in limited quantities. Unfortunately for the borough, the route of the railroad was selected a mile to the south because of an alleged indifference of certain capitalists at Womelsdorf to encourage the enterprise by subscribing for the stock; hence industrial shops were not developed from that time for about forty years. The articles now produced which are worthy of special mention are cigars, ci- gar-boxes and hosiery.

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.

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 60

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