USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks County, Pennsylvania, in the Revolution, from 1774 to 1783 > Part 14
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political freedom, but when these were no longer nec- essary, they laid them down peaceably to become again good, industrious citizens as they had been for eight years devoted and patriotic soldiers. The manner and time of the return of Berks County troops from the seat of war have not as yet been ascertained.
REVOLUTIONARY SURVIVORS.
In 1823, there were forty-six survivors of the Revolution, still living at Reading. During the gubernatorial campaign of that year, thirty-nine of these survivors held a public meeting on the 19th of August, for the purpose of endorsing Andrew Gregg, the Federal Candidate for Governor. Their names
were :
Peter Nagel.
Andrew Fichthorn.
Alexander Eisenbise.
John Strohecker.
Peter Stichter. Balser Ottenheimer.
Nicholas Dick.
James Haiden.
George Slear.
George Snell. John Giley.
John Bingeman.
Henry Miller. John Sell.
John Fox.
Henry Stiles.
Frederick Heller. Henry Hahn.
Michael Reifsnyder.
John Snyder.
Christopher Diem.
Michael Spatz.
Michael Madeira.
George Yerger.
John Snell. Jacob Dick. John Row.
George Price.
Daniel Rose. Ludwig Katzenmyer.
David Fox.
Gottlieb Christine. Christian Hoffman.
Christian Miller. William Mannerback. Samuel Homan.
Jacob Petree.
Philip Nagel. Henry Diehl.
Capt. Peter Nagel acted as chairman of the meet- ing, and Michael Madeira as secretary. Daniel Rose, John Strohecker and Balthaser Ottenheimer reported appropriate resolutions, which were unanimously adopted. The following expressive and enthusiastic language was used in the introductory part of the resolutions :
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"Our hoary locks and trembling limbs forbid the expectation that many of us will assemble again in this life on a similar occasion. We wish to retire from the world and its cares, but when the Constitution of our country is assailed, whose rights are invaded for which we have seen so much blood and treasure expended, when the men of the Revolution are denounced as Tories, because they refuse to join the standard of the enemy of that constitution and those rights, shall we, who, regardless of the name of Rebel, and in defiance of British bayonets, once step- ped forward in defence of our country, now shrink from our duty to that country at the cry of Federalist or Tory, blue light or Hartford conventionist ? No, forbid it the memory of our de- ceased fellow-patriots. No, by the spirit of '76, which is yet glowing in our bosoms, we come an united band of soldiers for life in our country's cause, to rally round our constitution, offer- ing our example to the rising generation, and solemnly declaring that if the public liberties must fall, we are ready to be buried in the ruins. [Berks and Schuylkill Journal, Aug 23, 1823.]
The candidate on the Democratic ticket was the Rev. John Andrew Shulze, a native of Berks County, but then a resident of Lebanon County. The sur- vivors of the Revolution cxerted a strong political in- fluence at Reading, but Shulze was elected by 25,706 majority, and the constitution was not assailed. Its principles were so successfully upheld by him, and its provisions carried out, that he was re-elected three years afterward with little opposition.
In 1840, the Census reported nine surviving Revolu- tionary soldiers in Reading, who were then drawing pensions from the State Government, the figures indi- cating their age at that time :
Michael Spatz, 78. William James, 79. Henry Stiles, 84.
Peter Stichter, 78. Sebastian Allgaier,83. Joseph Snablee, 84.
Aaron Wright, 78. John P. Nagel, 83. Christian Miller, 85.
In 1846 two still survived-Michael Spatz and William James.
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BOOK II.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
EDWARD BIDDLE.
Edward Biddle was born in 1732. He was the fourth son of William Biddle, a native of New Jersey, whose grandfather was one of the original proprietors of that State, having left England with his father in 1681. His mother was Mary Scull, the daughter of Nicholas Scull, who was Surveyor-General of Pennsyl- vania from 1748 to 1761. James, Nicholas and Charles Biddle were three of his brothers.
On February 3, 1758, he was commissioned an en- sign in the Provincial Army of Pennsylvania and was present EBiole at the taking of Fort Niagara in the French and Indian War. In 1759 he was promoted to lieutenant, and in 1760 he was commissioned as a captain, after which he re- signed from the army and received 5000 acres of land for his services. He then selected the law as his pro- fession, and after the usual course of study at Phila- delphia, most likely in the office of his elder brother, James, he located at Reading, and soon established himself as a lawyer.
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In 1767, he was elected to represent Berks County in the Provincial Assembly, and he was annually re- elected until 1775, and again in 1778. In 1774 and 1775, he officiated as Speaker, but he was obliged to resign this responsible position on March 15, 1775, on account of illness. He had previously been placed upon the most important committees, and had taken an active part in all the current business.
When the citizens of Reading held a public meet- ing on July 2, 1774, to take initiatory steps in behalf of the Revolution, they selected Edward Biddle to pre- side over their deliberations, and the expressive reso- lutions then adopted by them were doubtless drafted by him. His patriotic utterances on that occasion won their admiration, and they unanimously gave him a vote of thanks in appreciation of his efforts in the cause of the rights and liberties of America.
On the same day, while he was presiding at this meeting, the Assembly of Pennsylvania was in session and elected eight delegates as representatives to the " First Continental Congress," and among them was Edward Biddle, of Reading. When this Congress as- sembled at Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, the subject which principally occupied its attention was referred to a committee of two delegates from each Colony, and Biddle was selected as one of them. They were directed "to state the rights of the colonies in general, the instances in which those rights were vio- lated, and the ineans most proper to be pursued for obtaining a restitution of them." The able declara- tion, which the committee reported, was earnestly supported by Biddle, though opposed by his colleague.
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The report of the Pennsylvania delegates to the As- sembly was approved by it, and this action gave Penn- sylvania the credit of being the first constitutional House of Representatives that ratified the Acts of Con- gress.
Biddle was again selected as one of the delegates to the new Congress, which was to be held on May 10, 1775. On his way from Reading to Phil- adelphia, by boat, to attend the second convention, he accidentally fell overboard into the Schuylkill, and circumstances compelling him to sleep in his wet clothing, he took a cold, which resulted in a violent attack of illness. Besides leaving him a confirmed invalid for the rest of his life, he was deprived of the sight of one of his eyes. He was one of the twenty- two members of Congress who did not sign the " Dec- laration of Independence." His illness may account for his non-attendance and non-subscription of that great document for our political freedom. He was elected three times as a delegate to Congress. The first two terms extended from September 5, 1774, to December 12, 1776, and the last from 1778 to 1779. I could not find any information of his public actions, from 1776 to 1779, excepting his attendance of the meetings of the Committee of Safety at Philadelphia in the beginning of January, 1776.
The public records in the county offices, especially in the Prothonotary's office, disclose a large and lucra- tive practice as an attorney-at-law, and this ex- tended from 1760 to the time of his decease in 1779. It seems to have been as much, if not more than that of all the other attorneys taken together.
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He died on September 5, 1779, at Baltimore, Md., whither he had gone for medical treatment. He was married to Elizabeth Ross, a daughter of Rev. George Ross, of New Castle, Delaware, by whom he had two daughters, Catharine (married to George Lux, Esq., of Baltimore), and Abigail (married to Capt. Peter Scull.) His connection with this distinguished family gave him great social and political prominence. After his decease, notices appeared in various publications highly complimentary of his character.
MARK BIRD.
Mark Birey dexx Mark Bird was the son of William Bird, one of the most prominent iron men of Berks County fron1 1740 to 1762, whose works were situated near the mouth of Hay Creek, in Union township. He was born at that place in January, 1739, and learned to carry on the iron business. After his fa- ther's death, he took charge of the estate, and, by par- tition proceedings in the Orphans' Court, came to own the properties consisting of 3000 acres of land, three forges, a grist mill and saw mill. About that time he laid out a town there and named it Birdsboro. By the time the Revolution broke out, he had enlarged his possessions very much and had come to be one of the richest and most prominent and enterprising men in this section of the State. The Recorder's office shows that he also owned at different times various properties at Reading.
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In the popular demonstrations at Reading for the Revolution, he took an active part. At the public meeting on Dec. 5, 1774, he was selected as one of the Committee on Observation recommended by Con- gress, and on January 2, 1775, he was chosen one of the Delegates to the Provincial Conference, and also placed on the Committee of Correspondence. He was also prominently identified with the military move- ments, and at the meeting at Lancaster on July 4, 1776, for the election of two Brigadier-Generals, he received seven votes. During the years 1775 and 1776, he officiated as one of the Judges of the County Courts.
In 1775 and 1776, Mark Bird was the Lieutenant- Colonel of the 2nd Battalion of the County Militia, which was forined out of companies in the vicinity of Birdsboro ; and in August, 1776, as a colonel, he fitted out 300 inen of his battalion with uniforms, tents and provisions at his own expense. I could not ascertain that he led them into any engagement. They were in service at or near South Amboy in the Fall of 1776, and may have constituted a part of the " Flying Camp."
In 1785, his landed possessions in Berks County in- cluded 8000 acres, upon which were the extensive iron works at Birdsboro, and also the Hopewell Fur- nace on Six Penny Creek, which he had erected about 1765. And it is said that he owned large property interests in New Jersey and Maryland. The wide distribution of his investments led him to remark boastfully upon one occasion that he could not be overcome by fire, wind or water. By a strange coin-
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cidence, he actually became embarrassed by losses through fire, wind and water in the several localities where his possessions were situated, and in 1786, he was compelled to make an assignment of his estate for the benefit of creditors. About 1788, he removed to North Carolina, where he died some years after- ward, the exact place and time I have not been able to ascertain.
He was married in 1763, to Mary Ross, a daughter of Rev. George Ross, by whom he had children, but the number and names could not be ascertained. He was a brother-in-law of Edward Biddle ; also of George Ross, of Lancaster, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
JACOB BOWER.
Jacob Bower was born in 1757 and entered the Revolution as first lieuten- ant in the company of Capt. Benjamin Weiser, which was raised in Heidelberg township, in the vicinity of Womelsdorf. At that time he was still a young man under age. Subse- quently, he was promoted to captain, and as such served until peace was declared in 1783. At the close of the war, he settled at Reading and became a promi- nent county official. He first filled the office of sheriff for one terin, from 1788 to 1790 ; then county
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commissioner, from 1790 to 1793 ; recorder, register and clerk of the Orphans' Court, from 1792 to 1798; and county auditor for the years 1799 and 1800. Some time after 1800, he removed to Womelsdorf and be- came an invalid, where he died Aug. 3, 1818.
The following obituary notice appeared in the Berks and Schuylkill Journal, Aug. 8, 1818, at the time of his decease :
" Died at Womelsdorf, in this county, on Monday last, after a tedious and severe illness, aged 61 years, Gen'l Jacob Bower. The deceased was a faithful and active officer during the whole of the Revolutionary war. He sacrificed at the shrine of Liberty a large patrimony, but, like many other veterans of the Revolution, was doomed to feel the stings of adversity in his old age."
He was a son of Conrad Bower, innkeeper, of Read- ing, who died in 1765, and whose widow became the second wife of Michael Bright.
MICHAEL BRIGHT.
Michael Bright was born November 24, 1732, in Heidelberg township, Lancaster (now Lebanon) County, near Sheridan. His father, Michael Brecht, emigrated from Schriessheim, in the Palatinate, to Pennsylvania, in 1726, when 20 years old. He learned the trade of saddler and located at Reading about 1755. He carried on this occupation success- fully until 1762, when he became an innkeeper and owner of the Farmers' Inn, on the north-west corner of Fifth and Washington streets, which is still stand- ing, though enlarged and owned by his grandson,
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Francis Bright. In 1774, he was elected as a county commissioner and served three years. This position at that time was one of large responsibility. In De- cember of that year, he was appointed one of the "Committee of Observation " of the county, whose duties were to collect funds for the relief of Boston, to watch the disaffected citizens and require them to give up their arms, and in general to provide for the common defense. This committee was also known as the "Standing Committee." He was a man of considerable character and acquired a large amount of property. He died at Reading in August, 1814. He was married twice, first to Sarah Stoner, by whom he had two sons, Michael and Jacob; and next to Catha- rine Bower (widow of Conrad Bower), by whom he had three sons, David, Peter and John, and a daughter Sarah, married to Leonard Rupert.
DANIEL BRODHEAD.
Daniel Brodhead.
Daniel Brod- head was born at Albany, N. Y., in 1725. In
1738, his father migrated to Pennsylvania, and set- tled in Monroe County, now East Stroudsburg, where he grew up in a frontier life. Their house was attacked by Indians in 1755. In 1771, he removed to Heidelberg township, Berks County, where he pur- chased and carried on a grist mill. Soon afterward, he
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was appointed deputy-surveyor under John Lukens, Surveyor-General. In July, 1775, he was appointed a delegate from Berks County to the Provincial Conven- tion at Philadelphia. In March, 1776, he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of Miles' rifle regiment ; and in October following, he was transferred to the 3rd Penn- sylvania Battalion, known as Shee's. On March 12, 1777, he was promoted to colonel of the 8th Pennsyl- vania Continental Line, to rank from September 29, 1776. Upon the capture of Colonel Miles, at the battle of Long Island, in August, 1776, the command of the remainder of the battalion devolved upon him; and he was, in fact, after the battle, in command of the whole Pennsylvania contingent, being then the senior officer remaining in the army. Shortly after- ward, he went home on sick-leave, and wlien he re- joined the army it was as colonel of the 8th Regiment.
He was stationed at Fort Pitt, in the western part of Pennsylvania, in 1779 and 1780. His correspond- ence from April, 1779, to October, 1780, while there, is published in the Appendix to the Pennsylvania Archives, and covers 173 pages. In January, 1781, lie was transferred to the Ist Pennsylvania Line, and he was still colonel of the regiment in September, 1783. He inade some important treaties with the Indians, and for this he expected to be ordered to move into the Indian country, but he was disappointed, the command having been given to Colonel Clark, a Virginia officer. The war having then been virtually ended, he was not assigned to any command. It is believed that he received the appointment of brigadier- general before the close of the war.
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In 1789, he represented Berks County in the Gene- ral Assembly and participated in the important dis- cussion relating to the alteration and amendment of the Constitution of 1776. He voted in the affirma- tive. Subsequently, in the same year, when the As- sembly reconvened, he voted for the calling of a con- vention to amend the Constitution. In 1789, he received the appointment of Surveyor-General of Penn- sylvania, which he held for eleven years. About that time he removed to Milford, Pike County, Pa., where he died November 15, 1809.
In 1778, he married the widow of Samuel Mifflin, of Philadelphia, who was the brother of Gen'l Thomas Mifflin, afterward Governor of Pennsylvania. They then lived at Reading, and at her death in 1788, they were residents of the same place.
EDWARD BURD.
EdwBundle
Edward Burd was a practicing attorney at Reading, having been admitted to practice in the courts of Berks County in 1772. He moved to Reading from Lancaster. When the company of Capt. George Nagel marched to Cam- bridge, in Massachusetts, during July and August, in 1775, Burd was one of a number of devoted and patri- otic sons who went along at their own expense ; and when the "Flying Camp " was raised, he was chosen major of Haller's Regiment. In the Battle of Long
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Island, in August, 1776, he was taken prisoner, and while imprisoned addressed a letter to Hon. Jasper Yeates, at Lancaster. On August 12, 1778, he was appointed prothonotary of the Supreme Court, and he continued to officiate in this position by reappoint- ment until January 2, 1800.
HENRY CHRIST.
Henry Christ was a man of prominence at Reading in 1760, and officiated as sheriff of Berks Coun- Henry Charity ty for the years 1761 and 1762. He showed a proper enthusiasm in the first movement at Reading for the Revolution in 1774, and was appointed by Edward Biddle as one of the Committee on Correspondence. In 1776 he raised and commanded a company of rifle-men in the cam- paign of Long Island, though not actually engaged in the battle. In 1777 he was placed on the Commit- tee to collect arms, &c.
Upon his return, he was appointed a justice of the peace of Reading, and in 1784 he was reappointed for another term of seven years. While holding this office he also served as recorder, register and clerk of the Orphans' Court of the county from 1777 to 1789, excepting the last-named office for the year 1789; and he was also clerk of the Quarter Sessions for 1779.
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He died at Reading in August, 1789, and left a large estate. He had four sons-Henry, Jacob, John and Daniel-and six daughters-Barbara (married to John Gallentine), Maria (married to George Spangler), Catharine (married to Capt. Jacob Graul), Margaret (married to Jacob Zimmerman), Susanna (married to Frederick Gossler) and Magdalena (married to Mich- ael Lutz).
PETER DECKER.
Peter Decker was a retired gentlemen at Reading in 1768, and at the beginning of the Revolution raised a company which was to have been a part of the regi- ment from Berks County in the "Flying Camp," commanded by Lt .- Col. Nicholas Lotz, but the county quota was made up without his company and it became connected with the regiment com- manded by Col. Robert Magaw, of the 5th Pennsyl- vania Battalion. He participated in the Long Island Campaign. In 1779, he was a resident of Cumru town- ship, where he carried on a taven until he died in 1784.
GEORGE DOUGLASS.
George Douglass, son of Andrew Douglass, and Jane Ross, (a daughter of the Earl of Ross,) was born at Pequea, in Lancaster County, Pa., on February 25, 1726. He removed to Berks County when a young
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man. He was located in Brecknock township in 1757, and by 1760 came to own a large grist mill and plantation of 247 acres which he carried on for some time. About 1761 he settled in Amity township, and there he remained until his decease. He served as a Justice of the Peace of the township named for several years before 1770, and he officiated as one of the Judges of the county courts from 1772 to 1784.
In the organization of Lotz's Battalion for the "Flying Camp," a company was included that was commanded by one Douglass whose first name is not given in the returns. It is believed that George Doug-
geo. Douglaff
lass was this captain, for there was no other George Douglass in the county in 1776, excepting his son George, and he was only nine years old. The men in his company resided in Amity township and vicinity.
His wife was Mary Piersol. He died March 10, 1799, and left six children-Richard, Andrew, George, Elizabeth (married to John Jenkins), Rebecca (mar- ried to Mordecai Piersol), and Bridget (married to James May.) Andrew, the second son, was married to Rachel Morgan, a daughter of Col. Jacob Morgan, Jr.
THOMAS DUNDAS.
Thomas Dundas was a prominent merchant at Reading for many years. He was the third son of
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the Earl of Dundas. When the feelings of the inhab- itants were being excited in behalf of the Revolution, he was found among the number that favored the cause of freedom. He took an active part at the first public meeting which was held at Reading, on July 2, 1774, and was appointed on the committee to carry on correspondence with the similar committees from the other counties of the Province. During the year 1776, he officiated as Prothonotary of the county. He died at Reading on April 25, 1805, and left a son William, and a daughter Jane, who was married to Marks John Biddle, a lawyer at Reading.
Thomas Dundas
The Weekly Advertiser, a newspaper published at Reading, made the following mention of his decease in the issue of April 27th :
"Thomas Dundas was a very respectable inhabitant of this borough, where he had resided nearly forty years. As a man of business, and as a gentleman of sound understanding and liberal manners, his death may be regarded as a public loss ; but by a numerous circle of private friends, his memory will be long and affectionately cherished for his urbanity and social virtues."
He was a particular friend of Dr. Jonathan Potts- the doctor having appreciated his kindness so highly that upon his death in 1781, he bequeathed to him 100 guineas in money, and his Revolutionary sword and pistols.
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VALENTINE ECKERT.
Valentine Eckert was born at Longasalza, in the Kingdom of Hanover, in 1733. He came to America with his parents in 1741, who settled in the Tulpe- hocken Valley at a point east of where Womelsdorf is now situate. He was naturalized in September, 1761. In June, 1776, he was one of the ten members of the Provincial Conference who represented Berks County in that important body; and in July following, he was selected as a delegate from the county to the Provincial Convention which was assembled for the purpose of framing a new government founded on the authority of the people. In 1776 and 1779 he repre- sented the county in the Provincial Assembly. He was a resi- dent of Cum- Valentine Eckert. ru township
and a blacksmith by occupation. He offered his ser- vices to the Government in the Revolutionary War, which were accepted, and he commanded a company of cavalry Associators for a time. He and his com- pany participated in the Battle of Germantown, in October, 1777, where he was wounded. He was ap- pointed Sub-Lieutenant of the county on March 21, 1777, and served in this office until his promotion to Lieutenant of the County in January, 1781. He con- tinued to act as Lieutenant until the close of the war. While serving as Sub-Lieutenant, he also acted as a commissioner for the purchase of army supplies.
In 1784, he was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the county and occupied this office
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for a term of seven years, when, by the Constitution of 1790, a president judge of all the courts was ap- pointed to take the place of the several judges. In the Pennsylvania Militia, he was brigade inspector for the county from April 11, 1793, for a period of 20 years. About the year 1816, he moved to the State of Virginia, and died at Winchester in December, 1821, in the 88th year of his age.
CONRAD ECKERT.
Conrad Eckert was born at Longasalza, in the Kingdom of Hanover, on February 6, 1741. During that year his father, John Eckert, emigrated from the place named to Pennsylvania, and settled in Heidel- berg township, Lancaster (now Berks) County. He was brought up at farming, and when a young man became a blacksmith, which he pursued for some time. When the Revolution began, he was one of the active Associators of the county. As such he com- manded a company which was raised in Heidelberg township, and became a part of the Ist Battalion, commanded by Col. Henry Haller. This battalion marched to service in New Jersey in December, 1776, but the companies left and returned home without permission, because they had not been paid according to the terms of their enlistment. Captain Eckert is the "Captain Echard " mentioned by Gen'l Israel Putnam as one of the captains who informed him that "their companies had run away to a man, excepting a lieutenant, sergeant and drummer." His company
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