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 69
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SUBURBAN TOWNS .- The first attempt at estab- after 1700. The Welsh settlers were numerous and lishing suburban towns in this section was made took up large quantities of land before 1740. The by George Frill, about 1870, he having purchased township of Caernarvon was erected in 1729 ; Cum- the Leinbach (formerly Bell) farm, situated along ru, in 1737; and Brecknock, in 1741, the names the Schuylkill river, to the west of Reading, which evidencing the nationality of the settlers. A num- came to be called West Reading, and as such it ber of English settlers also found their way to the was established as a borough in 1907. central portion of Robeson before 1740.
HIGHWAYS .- This section is intersected by many roads, the following being the most prominent: Schuylkill road, along the west bank of the Schuyl- kill, from the mouth of the Tulpehocken creek, via Flying Hill and Birdsboro to the Chester county line ; the Morgantown road, via Green Tree Tavern and the Plow Tavern, to Morgantown; New Holland road, from Reading, via Angelica and Knauer's, to New Holland; and the Lancaster road, from Reading via Shillington, Five-mile House and Gouglersville to Adamstown.
1 Laid out as Oakland.
westwardly through Spring township to Sinking Spring, and southwardly to the Lancaster county line, a distance of eight miles.
The Lebanon Valley Railroad was extended through Spring township in 1857.
The Wilmington & Northern Railroad, in 1870, extending from Birdsboro southwardly to Chester county line, a distance of ten miles; and in 1874 to "Poplar Neck" on the High farm northwest- wardly, a distance of six miles.
Trolley Lines .- The Reading and Southwestern Street Railway was constructed in 1890, in Cumru township, from Reading to Mohnton, a distance of five miles; and in 1894 extended to Adamstown, a distance of five miles.
The Black Bear line extended in 1904 to Birds- boro, via Seyfert, in Robeson township, a distance of four miles.
CANAL .- The Schuylkill canal was constructed in 1828, in Robeson and Union townships along Shillington, in 1908. the river to the Chester county line, a distance of Waterworks have been established, at the bor- nine miles; one level of six miles from the Big oughs named, excepting the last, which is supplied Dam to Birdsboro; and another level of eight miles from Mohnton. to Laurel Hill, some distance beyond the county
EARLY INDUSTRIES .- Three iron works were es- tablished in Robeson, and one in Union, before 1800, as follows: Bird's Forge, 1740; Gibraltar Forge, 1770; Joanna Furnace, 1790; Hopewell Fur- nace, 1765.
Establishments at the first two places have con- tinued in operation until the present time, but the furnaces were abandoned and dismantled many years ago.
Numerous grist-mills were put in operation by the early settlers along the Wyomissing creek for a distance of seven miles, which evidences their ap- preciation of the stream for its valuable water- power.
Shortly afterward (1874) a number of cap- italists at Reading purchased the Muhlenberg farm along the Schuylkill river, to the south of Reading, which they laid off into building lots (about 500) and called Millmont (translation of the name Muhlenberg, mill-at-the-moun- tain). Some lots were sold, but the county authorities then refusing to erect a bridge across the river at the foot of South Sixth street, the establishment of a town there was not a success, and their continued refusal has kept the place back- ward. The construction of the Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley railroad through the proposed
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town in 1884 encouraged the erection of industries sequently it secured additional plants along the An- and a large natural ice plant there. The rail- gelica creek; total storage capacity, 60,000 tons. road company named the station "Orrton" after Jesse Orr, one of the founders of Orr, Painter & Co. The city "Disposal Plant" is near by along the river.
While this was going on at Millmont, Henry T. Kendall and George Brooke laid off about seventy acres along the Lancaster road, two miles from Reading, into lots, which they named Brook- side ; the George Bechtel Estate laid off about forty acres, and named it Oakbrook, where a post-office was established in 1897 but discontinued in 1906 on account of the rural route; and Mrs. Mary A. Boyer laid off about fifty-five acres (234 lots) which came to be called "Boyer Heights." Along the river, George A. Boyer es- tablished in 1898 a bathing place with 100 booths for bathers, which came to be very popular. It was washed away by a freshet in 1902, and rebuilt. For several years past efforts have been made to annex the land embracing these suburban improvements to Reading.
Springmont, in Spring township, along the turn- pike near Sinking Spring, was laid out by Benja- min Knowles in 1895, and embraced 950 lots.
Arlington Place was laid out in Union township, along Schuylkill road, near Monocacy, in 1895.
West Lawn, in Spring township, along the turn- pike beyond Wyomissing, was laid out by Irwin B. Dill, Warren H. and Frank H. Fenstermacher in October, 1907, and embraced 567 lots.
NOTEWORTHY ENTERPRISES
HENDEL HAT FACTORY was established in Cumru near Mohnsville, in 1878, and has been operated by George Hendel and sons since then. Hands employed, 250.
MILLMONT WORKS .- Orr & Sembower erected a plant in Cumru in 1884, for the manufacture of engines, and have been very successful. The firm was incorporated in 1890. They employ from 220 to 250 hands.
The Prizer-Painter Stove Company started the manufacture of stoves, ranges and heaters at Mill- mont in 1899 in a large building previously occu- pied by Orr, Painter & Co., in the same business. They employ 300 hands.
The Chantrell Tool Company was first started in 1888, at Reading, and after carrying on business there for four years, removed to Millmont. They manufacture household specialties, and builders' hardware. Hands employed, 160.
Mt. Penn Ice Company established a plant on the farm of William J. Shalter in Cumru, on Flying Hill creek, in 1902, and enlarged it in 1904. Total storage capacity, 7,000 tons.
GIBRALTAR IRON WORKS, established about 1770 in Robeson and maintained ever since. The Sey- fert family became connected with the plant in 1835, and has operated it with the rolling-mill at Seyfert on the W. & N. railroad since 1882.
TRAP ROCK .- A large quarry was opened a mile south of Birdsboro in 1893 by Dyer & Company, of Norristown, on property of the E. & G. Brooke Iron Company, and has been carried on very exten- sively ever since. They operate four crusher plants and produce daily from 2,000 to 2,500 tons of crushed material, of various sizes, which is shipped to all parts of the country. They employ from 120 to 150 hands.
The Schuylkill Valley Stone Company was or- ganized in 1907, by capitalists of Birdsboro, Nor- ristown and Philadelphia, who established a large crusher plant in Union township, one mile south of Monocacy, with a complete equipment for supply- ing crushed stone and Belgian blocks in great quan- tities. A railroad siding has been extended from the Pennsylvania railroad to the plant. Over half a million dollars has been expended thus far in this enterprise.
MONTELLO BRICK WORKS was started by A. A. Gery in 1891 at Montello, in Spring township, a mile south of Sinking Spring, for the manufacture of vitrified brick. In 1899, a second plant was es- tablished at Wyomissing; and in 1905 the adjoin- ing plant of the Reading Shale Brick Company was purchased.
GARBAGE PLANT .- In 1902, a plant was estab- lished in Cumru, a mile south of Grill village, to dispose of the garbage collected at Reading, which is delivered there by teams.
ELECTRIC PLANT .- The Metropolitan Electric Company has secured property at the mouth of the Wyomissing creek and has arranged to establish a large and powerful plant on this side, opposite Reading in this section, for supplying power and light.
POORHOUSE, established in Cumru in 1825, by the county of Berks, for the poor people of the county. Various improvements were made until 1874. The farm contains over 400 acres. It has been maintained there ever since by county appro- priations.
BELT LINE, extended through Spring and Cumru townships, along and crossing the Schuylkill, in READING DISPOSAL PLANT, established in Cumru 1901, and opened for traffic in 1902, for the purpose along the river below the city, in 1894, at a cost of of relieving the great congestion of traffic on the $130,000, for the purpose of disposing of the sew- main line of the P. & R. R. The length through age by a process of filtration, pumped there fron: this section is five miles.
the foot of Sixth street.
ICE PLANTS .- The Angelica Ice Company was FERTILIZER WORKS, erected in Cumru township organized in 1886 and then established its first near the "Big Dam" in 1905. A phosphate works had plant at Millmont for storing natural ice. Sub- been carried on previously for several years at Wy-
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omissing, which was discontinued on account of ad- The property embraces twenty acres of land, and the verse litigation. value is about $65,000.
GLOBE RENDERING COMPANY .- In January, 1909, Dr. M. R. Adam, Dr. G. S. Rothermel, John G. Rhoads and Wilson Rothermel organized this com- pany for manufacturing various oils, fertilizer pro- ducts and poultry food out of slaughter-house offals and the carcasses of dead animals. They estab- lished their plant in the Angelica barn at Millmont, adjoining the "Disposal Plant," one mile south of Reading. They employ four hands and ship their productions to all parts of the country.
COUNTRY HOMES .- Costly country homes of Jo- siah Dives, Richmond L. Jones, Mrs. Catherine Archer, Herbert M. Sternbergh, George Horst and Jacob Nolde, in Cumru township, are worthy of special mention.
STOCK FARMS .- The Hillside Stock Farm of W. Harry Orr, of Reading, was established in Spring township in 1893, for the purpose of rais- ing high-bred horses, breeding from the Ashland- Wilkes stallion particularly, whose colts have de- veloped remarkable speed on the track. The farm embraces 160 acres, situated along the Cacoosing creek, two miles south of Sinking Spring.
The Spring Valley Stock Farm of Abner S. Dey- sher, of Reading, was established in 1902, in the southern portion of Spring township, a mile west of Gouglersville, along the head waters of the Little Muddy creek. The farm comprises nearly 200 acres.
STATE POLICE .- A "Barracks" was established in Cumru in 1905 by the State Police for Troop C, but was removed to Pottsville May 31, 1909.
STATE ROAD .- A section of State Road, three miles in length, was constructed, in 1906, in Cumru on the road from Reading to Shillington. It was the first public improvement of this kind in Berks county. [See Chapter II.]
POLISH CONVENT .- A large institution was founded in Cumru township, beyond Millmont, by the "Bernardine Sisters of The Third Order of St. Francis, of Reading, Pa.," in 1905, for the purpose of educating teachers for Polish parochial schools, MILK STATION .- H. Dolfinger, of Philadelphia, established a superior milk station at Joanna on the W. & N. railroad, in July, 1909. It is a large two story brick building, equipped with the latest im- provements for cooling the milk. A large ware- house and ice-house are connected with the plant ; in different parts of the United States, being a con- tinuation of the Convent which had been carried on several years on "Flying Hill." An orphanage is included, which had fifty girls in 1909. Sixty-five teachers are connected with this worthy institution, who are sent to all parts of the United States where also a dam. John W. Jacobs (who had been in the needed to carry on Polish schools. This is the coal and ice business there for many years) is the "Mother House" of the Order in the United States. manager.
CHAPTER XIII-FAMILY REUNIONS
FIRST FAMILIES
The following article, prepared by the compiler of this history and published in the "Historical Register of Interior Pennsylvania," January, 1883, is regarded as applicable to this important chapter :
You have, no doubt, been already in a forest. There, in looking over the vast collection of trees, you saw, at different places, great oaks standing like hoary sentinels that witnessed, as it were, the coming in and going out of years until they numbered a century. Their wonder- ful arms overshadowed the earth below for a hundred feet, and their magnificent tops stood high above the many trees surrounding. Have you not compared with one of these a great family, whose progenitor, by his powerful manhood, gave to society vigorous sons and daughters, who, like the branches of the mighty oak, scattered their seed and their strength all over the land?
In every forest there are such trees. In every county there are such families. The giant oaks are conspicuous for their strength and breadth and height. So are the families conspicuous in similar respects-strength of phy- sical character, breadth of mind in the various affairs of life, height of moral grandeur. The former are the pride and glory of the forest; so are the latter of the counties which comprise our great Commonwealth. Nature and time have been from the beginning creating and de- stroying both, but both are still living and flourishing. And as the one is necessary for the mountains and the valleys in respect to water and air and the intercourse of
mankind, so is the other necessary for the counties in re- spect to government, growth, dignity, wealth and power.
Pennsylvania is a great State. She comprises a vast area of territory, rich in forests, fields and mines, and especially rich in internal improvements; and she is pos- sessed by a magnificent people. She is proud of all these; and she can well be proud, for her possessions are well possessed. At the beginning of her history, her soil at- tracted energy and industry. Through these she has been developed to her present greatness, and these are still im- proving her by an ever-increasing greatness. It was a fortunate circumstance for her that such characteristics first found lodgment on her territory; and fortunate, too, that they transmitted their virtues, without wandering away, from generation to generation. She still holds to herself the blood of the first settlers. She is therefore distinctive- ly Pennsylvanian in settlement, in growth, in wealth, and in government. Her sons, to a very great degree, possess all, control all. These constitute her great families. They are all distinctive as they are conspicuous. They appear in manufactures and trade as well as in agriculture; and they are as distinguished in jurisprudence as in legisla- tion.
Pennsylvania was formed and named in 1682. Then three counties were set apart-Bucks, Chester and Phila- delphia. Within a score of years afterward a great feeling in her behalf was developed, attributable mainly to the wisdom and excellence of the policy of William Penn. It induced hundreds, even thousands, to immigrate hither. Upon landing, many proceeded northwardly and north- westwardly. Settlements succeeded each other rapidly,
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and, for convenience in local government, township or- The great majority of the descendants have continued ganizations followed. For a period of forty-seven years, persistently engaged in agriculture upon or in the vicinity no additional counties had been formed. Then settlers of the original settlements. Some moved to other dis- began to formulate them. In 1729, Lancaster was erected : in 1749, York; in 1750, Cumberland; in 1752, Berks and Northampton; in 1771, Bedford; in 1772, Northumberland ; and in 1773, Westmoreland. These were erected in her history as a colony of Great Britain. As an independent State, they multiplied in rapid succession, numbering to the present time fifty-six, or averaging nearly one every other year. Altogether, the counties number sixty-seven. In each of these counties, local history is dependent upon families. Especially in the Provincial counties, prominent historical facts are inseparable from their respective first families. This feature is as plainly perceptible as the mountain ridges which extend through their territory.
In the several respects mentioned, Berks county is con- spicuous. Her first settlers began to establish themselves along the Schuylkill river, several miles westward from the Manatawny creek, between 1700 and 1705. This district of territory did not then have a name. It was identified bv being near the Manatawny. Now it is called Amity. It has been so called since 1720. In 1712, settlers began to locate in Oley. Then this district was so called. It in- cluded a large area of territory, at least sixty thousand acres. In Caernarvon, along the head-waters of the Con- estoga, they began as early as 1720; along the Tulpehocken in 1723, and along the Maiden creek in 1733. They took up the lands, first by warrant and survey, then followed by patent. They possessed and improved them by cultiva- tion, and they generally remained upon them until their decease, when they were transmitted by devise or con- veyance to their children. In many instances they have been handed down to the third, and fourth, even fifth generation.
In the several quarters mentioned, east, south, west, and north, the descendants of many of the first settlers are still flourishing in number, in industry, in wealth, and in social, religious, and political influence. In taking a hasty glance over its broad territory, I can mention in the eastern district, along the Manatawny and its tributaries, the Baums, Bertolets, Boones, DeTurks, Egles, Griesemers, Guldins, Hartmans, Herbeins, Hochs, Hunters, Kauffmans, Keims, Knabbs, Lees, Leinbachs, Leshers, Levans, Lin- colns, Lobachs, Ludwigs, Peters, Pottses, Reiffs, Rhoadses, Ritters, Schneiders, Spangs, VanReeds, Yocums, Yoders, Weavers, and Witmans; and, on the border along the headwaters of the Perkiomen, the Bauers, Bechtels, Ben- fields, Boyers, Clemmers. Ehsts, Funcks, Gabels, Gerys, Greg- orys, Reidenaurs, Rohrbachs, Rushes, Sassamans, Schalls, Schultzes. Stauffers, Wagoners, Walters and Wellers; in the southern district along the Allegheny, Hay creek, Little Conestoga, and Wyomissing, the Blands, Clymers, Eschelmans, Evanses, Gauls, Geigers, Grings, Harrisons, Huyetts, Joneses. Kurtzes, Morgans, Pennepackers, Planks, Redcays, Robesons, Scarlets, Smiths and Ziemers; in the western district. along the Tulpehocken and its tributaries, and the Little Swatara, the Adamses, Althouses, Batdorfs, Bergers, Boeshores, Bordners. Brechts, Conrads, Eckerts, Eplers, Deppens, Dundores, Ermentrouts, Fishers, Fitlers, Frantzes, Groffs, Hains, Hiesters, Keysers, Kissingers. Klingers, Kricks, Kurrs, Livingoods, Millers, Newcomets, Obolds, Potteigers, Rebers. Reeds, Rchrers, Riegels, Scharfs, Seiberts, Seltzers, Shaeffers, Speichers, Spohns, Tryons, Um- benhauers, Walborns, Weisers, Wenrichs, Wilhelms, Womelsdorfs, and Zerbes; and, in the northern district, along the Maiden creek and its tributaries, the Brobsts, Davises, Dietrichs, Delongs, Dreibelbises, Dunkels, Ger- nants, Greenawalds, Grims, Hahns, Heffners, Heinlys, Hottensteins, Kauffmans, Kaerchers, Kellers, Kemps, Kief- fers, Kirbys, Kutzes, Leibys, Lenharts, Levans, Merkels, Mertzes, Parvins, Penroses, Piersons, Prices, Rothenberg- ers, Rothermels, Saylors, Schaeffers, Shalters, Shappels, Shomos, Starrs, Trexlers, Wanners, Weilers, and Zach- ariases. Others could be mentioned, but these, however, stand out prominently in the development of the county from the first settlements of the several districts to the present time.
tricts of the county ; others to Reading. Many sons and daughters migrated to the West and settled, particularly in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas and Colorado. Some of the sons turned to the professions-divinity, law, and medicine, in which they shone with more or less distinction : others to trades and manufactures, in which they realized rich rewards for their industry and well- directed energy. In tracing down all the pursuits of life carried on in the county, it is only occasionally that a complete stranger appears and identifies himself with her onward movements for any considerable period of time. This is especially the case in our politics. The names of the old families are continually on the surface. Not par- ticularly demonstrative, they are like expert swimmers in deep water. They float onward majestically in the great stream of time; their heads are always visible; their endurance prevails.
In the development of the county through internal im- provements, the turnpikes, canals, and railways, they are likewise conspicuous. They began early, if not ahead of time, not behind it. Their correspondence in reference to the improvement of the Schuylkill river for navigation began before 1770, and their enterprise brought coal to light during the period of the Revolution. Transportation and its facilitation were always encouraged by them. Some opposition was developed in the general endeavors to es- tablish new motive power, as there is in most enterprises everywhere; but they were successful. In laying them down, they actually walked in the footsteps of their fath- ers; for the early settlers, in following the streams to locate their settlements, marked out, as it were, the courses for turnpikes, canals, and railways, which were to come after them, to facilitate the business intercourse of their children. In some respects, these improvements were slow; but a consideration of all things leads us to the conviction that they came to us just when they were needed.
In a political sense they have exhibited a persistent at- tachment to one leading principle. At first they were anti-Federal by a large majority. They opposed the great political movement whose object was the establishment of a Federal government and constitution. They preferred the right of States, as States united by a confederation, and of local self-government. Of these rights they were firm advocates, and though their political sentiments have been transmitted through three generations of government of, by, and for the people, and though party names have to a great extent been transposed, they have preserved this principle. Through this period, and through all the ex- citement of party strife for power and policy, they have been thoroughly patriotic. Now the great majority are "Democrats," a political namne created by party leaders, and by it they are known. But, in reality, with them it is not name; it is principle-it is self-government. This has their devotion, their love, their admiration. If, in a hun- dred years to come, party names should be re-transposed to. what they were a hundred years ago, the succeeding generations will nevertheless be found on the side of this principle which was advocated and sustained by their an- cestors.
This idea of local self-government won the first families, and induced them to locate here. It was simple. They soon understood it, and they carried it on successfully in their various local affairs. Their children took to it natur- ally, and naturally retained it. After the lapse of a cen- tury, it is now a fixed idea with them. Education has not changed it. The education, as dictated by the State, has not even changed it. But this educational policy is, how- ever, making apparent one consequence-a general ten- dency in many men for political preferment. It is produc- ing many professional men of various kinds. All of them manifest a desire at some period or other to serve the State in one capacity or another. Of course, this is com- mendable : the State expects it-she encourages it. But
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are. they seeking preferment for emolument, or distinction through earnest labor for the public weal? They obtain the one with ease, because it is common, because the State is generous. But they seldom obtain the other, because it is not common-because it is not the gift of the State; it is rather the gift of nature, improved by time and well- directed efforts. As yet this principle of government in them has not been affected. Its virtue still prevails. In politics, therefore, as in agriculture and religion, the great majority of these first families have preserved their strength and greatness. This idea is not the notion of "State Rights," which the late Civil war settled. That fallacious doctrine had not, in fact, their advocacy, though they had been identified with the party that was led on by certain leaders who claimed it as a most material part of their political creed. They promptly denounced seces- sion, and admirably sustained the National Government in her gigantic efforts to preserve the union of all the States. Their patriotism was then conspicuous as it had theretofore been in all the military periods.
For upward of ten years the descendants of some of the "First Families" above mentioned have formed and held "Reunions" at different places in the county, which have developed not only great interest in genealogy and genealogical research, but also much sociability and acquaintanceship amongst members of the respective families from all parts of the county, indeed, from all parts of the United States. The following families are among the more prominent which have kept up their reunions with much success and are therefore worthy of special mention :
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