USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 110
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Topton taken from Longswamp in 1877.
Tulpehocken, Upper, taken from Tulpehocken in 1820.
Washington taken from Colebrookdale and Here- ford in 1839.
Womelsdorf taken from Heidelberg in 1833.
In reference to the counties,-
Lebanon was taken from Dauphin and Lancaster February 16, 1813.
Lehigh was taken from Northampton March 6, 1812. Schuylkill was taken from Berks and Northampton March 1, 1811.
In 1800 Berks County included three or- ganized townships which lay north of the Blue Mountains, whose enumeration was as follows :
Brunswick 1214
Manheim 1072
Pinegrove 959
Unorganized 993
Total population. 4238
1 After 1770 additional counties were erected. Those named comprised all erected in the State before 1770. The population of the State for 1760 and 1770 can be approxi- mated by increasing the totals five-fold. By other estimates the results, however, would appear far short of the number supposed.
2 Bernville was not separately enumerated till 1870.
$ Hamburg not enumerated till 1850.
4 Kutztown not enumerated till 1840.
646
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The population of the county is given in the table at thirty-two thousand four hundred and seven. The number of inhabitants in that part which lay south of the mountain was twenty- eight thousand one hundred and sixty-nine.
And in 1810 the county included seven townships north of the mountains, whose enumeration was as follows :
Brunswick 1770
Mahantango, Lower. 637
Mahantango, Upper. 489
Manheim 1354
Norwegian 415
Pinegrove 1290
353
Schuylkill.
Total population 6308
The population of the county for 1810 is given at forty-three thousand one hundred and forty-six. The number in that part of the county south of the mountain was thirty-six thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight. The townships named were cut to Schuylkill County in its erection in 1811.
RATE OF INCREASE OF POPULATION .- The per centum of increase of Reading and the county of Berks, etc., for the several decades is as follows :
INCREASE OF READING.
1790 to 1800
1800 to 1810
1810 to 1820
1820 to 1830
1830 to 1840
1840 to 1850
1850 to 1860
1860 to 1870
1870 to 1880
1810 to 1880
6.8
45
25
35
43.6
87.2
47
46.5
27.5
1150
INCREASE OF BERKS COUNTY.
7.4
33 -
22.3
- 14.9
21.5
19.5
-
22
13.7
14.9
224
INCREASE OF ELEVEN COUNTIES.
22.7
29.4
26.6
24.2
22.2
38
29.8
10.9
20.3
383
INCREASE OF STATE.
38.7
34.5
29.3
28.7
27.9
34.9
25.7
21.2
21.0
429
ELEVEN COUNTIES COMPARED WITH STATE.
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
51.7
45.7
44
43
41.6
39.8
40.9
42.2
40.7
40.3
The increase in Berks County for seventy years was two hundred and twenty-four per cent. ; that of the eleven counties, three hundred and eighty-three per cent .; and that of the State, four hundred and twenty-eight per cent. This is wonderful ! But what is more wonderful still, is the fact that in these seventy years the proportion of the eleven counties to the State in 1810, compared with the proportion in 1880, decreased only four per cent. ! And this, too, notwithstanding the great extension of rail- ways to the north and west, and the develop- ment of the State and people through trade, manufactures, agriculture and education. In other words, in 1810 these counties had forty- four per cent. of the whole population, and in 1880 forty per cent. ; and yet only one-tenth of the area in territory ! And in respect to trade, manufactures, agriculture and wealth, these forty-six hundred square miles would exhibit a similar proportion if the tables were published herewith.
But Reading had the surprising increase of eleven hundred and fifty per cent. in seventy years, or about two generations, from 1810 to 1880. The figures in the table are very inter- esting. In this period the increase at no time in any decade fell below twenty-five per cent. After 1830 a marked increase is. perceptible. This arose principally from the introduction of the railway, and manufactories of iron goods, after 1836. From 1840 to 1850 the increase was eighty-seven per cent. ; and for twenty years following it kept near fifty per cent.
In Berks County, in the decade before 1860, the increase was twenty-two per cent .; but in the decade after, only thirteen per cent. The effects of the Civil War, 1861-65, are apparent.
THE CENSUS.
CENSUS TABLE OF COUNTY, 1790 TO 1880.
1790.
1800.
1810.
1820.
1880.
1840.
1850.
1860
1870.
1880.
Reading (city)
2235
2,386
3,462
4,332
5,856
8,410|
15,743
23,162
33,930
43,278
Albany.
858
995
1,182
1,129
1,057
1,406
1,586
1,510
1,603
Alsace ..
890
1,275
1,640
1,942
2,498
2,697
1,299
1,294
1,523
Amity.
817
1,090
1,279
1,384
1,664
1,566
1,596
1,646
1,598
Bern ....
2,049
2,266
1,791
2,154
3,149
1,734
2,516
2,124
2,176
Bern, Upper.
1,342
2,017
2,117
2,906
1,747
2,027
2,008
2,179
Bernville (borough).
Bethel
817
924
1,294
1,482
1,458
1,871
2,159
2,285
1,705
Brecknock
338
495
536
866
935
876
844
813
923
Caernarvon
453
723
829
862
813
977
953
927
951
Colebrookdale.
671
792
1,046
1,229
1,124
1,102
1,359
1,660
1,150
Cumru
1,413
2,017
2,462
2,688
2,939
3,853
2,182
2,573
3.064
District
753
805
509
562
583
842
786
724
798
Douglass.
450
660
709
839
1,133
1,018
1,120
1,072
1,151
Earl.
489
794
934
990
1,158
1,047
1,143
1,022
1,141
Exeter
802
1,194
1,381
1,455
1,911
2,074
2,308
2,239
2,469
Fleetwood (borough).
1,004
1,104
1,337
1,407
1,629
1,842
2,041
2,151
1,988
Hamburg (borough).
329
2,802
3,605
4,124
3,539
805
1,013
.1,193
1,281
Heidelberg, North ..
844
956
979
950
Hereford
923
1,140
1,431
1,709
1,235
1,244
1,372
1,260
1,406
Kutztown (borongh)
203
915
945
1,198
Longswamp ..
863
998
1,371
1,695
1,836
1,868
2,217
2,910
3,426
Maiden-creek
770
918
1,192
1,350
1,749
1,284
1,531
1,615
1,714
Marion
929
1,630
1,847
2,108
1,897
1,740
2,093
2,531
2,843
Muhlenberg.
968
1,284
1,410
1,469
1,877
1,799
2,056
1,986
2,175
Ontelaunee.
1,045
1,398
1,339
1,265
Penn.
1,476
1,444
1,515
1,530
Perry.
1,320
1,526
1,680
1,527
Pike.
Richmond
731
971
1,135
1,379
1,997
2,056
2,575
2,874
2,226
Robeson
1,232
1,807
2,065
1,966
2,016
2.404
2,461
2,458
2,322
Rockland.
848
1,026
1,130
1,342
1,649
1,369
1,707
1,451
1,527
Rnscomb-manor.
375
932
1,057
1,256
1,189
1,235
1,566
1,408
1,466
Spring.
2,004
2,253
2,340
Topton (borough)
Tulpehocken.
2,119
2,294
3,238
3,200
2,941
1,803
1,956
2,013
2,092
Tulpehocken, Upper.
669
766
921
1,046
1,272
1,665
1,968
2,165
1.540
Windsor
993
1,358
1,950
2,298
2,882
1,115
1,450
1,211
830
Womelsdorf (borough) Counties :
370
T
43,146
46,275
53,152
64,569
77,129
93,818
106,701
122,597
Bneks.
25,401
27,496
32,371
37,842
45,745
48,107
56,091
63,578
64,336
68,656
Chester.
27,937
32,093
39,596
44,451
50,910
57,515
66,438
74,578
77,805
83,481
Dauphin
18.177
22.270
31,883
21,653
25,243
30,118
35,754
46,756
60,740
76,148
Delaware.
9,483
12,809
14,734
14,810
17,323
19,791
24,679
30,597
39,403
56,101
Lancaster
36,147
43,403
53,927
67,975
76,631
84,203
98,944
116,314
121,340
139,447
Lebigh
Montgomery.
22,929
24,150
29,703
35,793
39,406
47,241
58,291
70,500
81,612
96,494
Philadelphia.
54,391
81,009
111,210
135,637
188,797
258,037
408,762
565,529
674,022
847,170
Schuylkill ..
11,311
20,744
29,053
60,713
89,510
116,428
129,974
Total of Eleven Counties ...
224,644
275,637
356,570
451,617
560,764
686,293
945,351
1,226,764
1,433,279
1,724,513
Total of State
434,373 602,365
810,095 1,047,507
1,348,233
1,724,033
2,311,786
2,906,215
3,521,951
4,282,891
..
· 16,975
20,557
21,872
26,071
31,831
34,096
38,476
18,895
22,256
25,787
32,479
43,753
56,796
65.969
Washington
1,210
1,154
1,600
1,609
1,924
849
947
1,076
1,031
1,097
Berks
30,179
32,407
645
752
790
883
1,178
925
921
Heidelberg, Lower.
2,144
2,398
2,480
2,862
Jefferson
1,122
1,133
1,072
693
640
1,628
1,837
1,392
Maxatawny ..
1,676
1,547
802
Greenwich ..
1,035
1,334
1,590
2,010
Boyertown (borough).
690
1,099
Centre
1,216
1,346
1,392
1,529
1,627
Birdsborn' (borough) ..
......
457
405
NOTE .- The first publication of a complete census of Berks County by districts from 1800 to 1880, according to the enumerations of the United States government, was made in Montgomery's Political Hand-Book of Berks County. The figures for the decades 1800, 1810, 1820 and 1830 were specially furnished by the Superintendent of the Census, at Wash- ington, for this Hand-Book. The figures for the subsequent decades were taken from the published reports.
* Hamburg in 1840-648.
+ 103 Taxables.
# Population, 727.
1,125
1,196
1,274
1,456
1,581
1,983
Union.
1,913
Oley.
515
Heidelberg.
1,569
1,530
2,329
·
647
Lebanon
648
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
TABLE OF HOUSES, FARMS, ETC., IN COUNTY, 1850.1
Houses.
Families.
Farms.
Establishments.
Reading :
N. E. Ward.
601
641
19
19
N. W. Ward.
456
495
19
37
S. E. Ward.
593
665
6
30
S. W. Ward
646
697
4
54
Spruce Ward
581
591
8
2877
3089
48
148
Albany
228
243
151
53
Alsace
452
485
157
18
Amity
254
283
132
37
Bern
266
278
164
12
Bern, Upper
272
308
178
21
Bethel
338
379
173
41
Brecknock
141
156
83
17
Caernarvon
J82
182
53
23
Centre
206
228
117
15
Colebrookdale.
197
209
88
33
Cumru
595
641
241
49
District
136
137
99
10
Douglass
172
187
72
15
Earl
192
194
62
7
Exeter.
328
362
127
18
Lyons
458
Stransstown 310
Greenwich
300
309
211
71
Marysville
122
Hamburg.
168
189
22
23
Hereford.
205
205
145
45
Heidelberg.
125
140
56
10
Heidelberg, Lower.
338
362
202
17
Kutztown
115
131
32
37
Longswamp
327
344
209
96
Maiden-creek
216
221
114
7
Marion
247
278
105
39
Maxatawny
287
295
177
59
Oley
272
306
135
6
Ontelaunee
183
183
70
23
Penn
234
258
120
40
Perry
211
227
99
TAXABLES IN COUNTY, 1876 AND 1885.
1876.
1885.
Albany
422
378
Alsace
502
397
Amity
453
464
Union
279
300
94
18
Washington
186
191
120
30
Windsor
174
183
68
7
Womelsdorf
146
192
17
42
12,931
13,925
4,997
1,283
1 U. S. Census Report, 1850. The author of this history endeavored to arrange a similar table for the year 1880, but the Census Department at Washington, D. C., could not supply the figures. In 1880 there were in the county 6847 farms and 1044 manufacturing establishments.
CENSUS OF VILLAGES, 1880.
Amityville. 188
Moselem 195
Baumstown
139
New Berlin 209
Bechtelsville
..
Benderville.
66 Pleasantville.
128
Barto
79
Pricetown
200
Bern
58
Rehrersburg 366
Blandon
376
Robesonia
284
Blue Marsh 134
Bowers
192
Robesonia Furnace 156 Rothrocksville 104
Brownsville
65
Schaefferstown 83
Churchville
Coffeetown.
155
Shamrock
135
Douglassville.
95
Shartlesville. 212
Shillington 136 Shoemakersville
429
Farmington
74
Schultzville.
44
Shanesville 150
Freidensburg
379
Sinking Springs
517
Frystown
92
Smithville
50
Fritztown
83
South Evansville ... Spangsville
87
Gouglersville
75
Stony Point.
50
Jacksonwald 75
Lenhartsville 161
Lobachsville
25
St. Lawrence. 200
Temple
Tuckerton
Unionville 100
Millersburg
349
Virginsville.
46
Heidelberg, North.
132
151
82
11
Mt. Ætna
304
Walnut Town 141
Mt. Pleasant
188
Wernersville.
198
Molltown
69
Wessnersville
Mohnsville
267
West Reading.
170
Mohrsville.
216
West Hamburg 148
Monocacy
200
West Leesport ..
355
Morgantown
166
Pike
154
160
72
14
Richmond
343
361
221
59
Robeson.
405
410
157
26
Rockland.
225
235
106
6
Ruscomb-manor
198
216
100
2
Tulpehocken
297
346
131
32
Tulpehocken, Upper
328
371
187
46
Bern
549
513
Bern, Upper
584
548
Bernville
111
123
Bethel.
726
617
Brecknock
285
235
Birdsboro'
374
499
Boyertown
261
345
Caernarvon.
267
275
Centre
386
359
Centreport
43
Colebrookdale
338
337
Cumru
756
770
District.
214
187
Douglass
305
312
18
Geigertown
...
Stonersville.
87
Stouchsburg
356
Maxatawny
1196
Mertztown
99
Siesholtzville 82
Eschbach's Crossing
...
East Berkeley. .......
..
Fetherolfsville.
Productive
New Jerusalem 89
Taxables. Taxables.
649
Earl
232
294
Bernville
101
101
Exeter
671
637
Bethel
545
547
Fleetwood.
249
242
Birdsboro
337
393
Greenwich
527
475
Boyertown
213
333
Hamburg
543
569
Brecknock.
206
195
Heidelberg
352
309
Caernarvon.
212
237
Heidelberg Lower
733
737
Centre.
365
322
Heidelberg North
250
220
Hereford
399
348
Colebrookdale
270
309
Jefferson
320
268
Cumru
625
700
Kutztown ..
377
382
District.
175
176
Longswamp.
1065
839
Douglass
248
279
Maiden-creek.
471
499
Earl
259
269
Maxatawny
787
673
Muhlenberg
486
504
Fleetwood.
184
212
Marion
435
446
Greenwich
451
462
Ontelannee
316
335
Hamburg
423
485
Oley
520
605
Penn
457
389
Heidelberg, Lower
635
673
Perry
308
441
Heidelberg, North
191
209
Hereford
341
324
Richmond.
572
509
Robeson
507
630
Rockland
476
399
Ruscomb-manor
451
348
Spring
665
688
Tulpehocken
503
530
Tulpehocken, Upper.
323
348
Topton
123
Union
387
383
Washington.
532
545
Windsor
258
180
Womelsdorf.
327
322
21378 20879
READING :
1st ward
831
892
2d ward
2245
1458
3d ward
1160
1525
4th ward
852
839
5th ward.
1042
993
6th ward.
1075
240
7th ward
1287
1212
8th ward.
1039
1102
9th ward
2271
1201
10th ward
951
11th ward
1865
11802 13279
Total in county
33180 34158
REGISTERED VOTERS OF COUNTY, 1876 AND 1885.
1876.
1885.
Albany
384
357
Alsace.
324
348
Amity
390
419
Bern.
484
485
6th Ward
( 2d Precinct ...
487
630
...
Ontelannee.
292
278
Penn
373
360
Perry
328
387
Pike
240
239
Richmond.
488
481
Robeson
532
575
Rockland
360
357
Ruscomb-manor
306
310
Spring.
537
630
Topton
.....
121
Tulpehocken.
405
501
Tulpehocken, Upper.
291
327
Union.
325
373
Washington
374
513
Windsor
180
179
Womelsdorf.
268
284
17,612
18,843
Reading :
1st Ward
561
824
[ 1st Precinct ...
604
639
2d Ward
( 2d Precinct ...
597
671
[ 1st Precinct ...
389
446
3d Ward
(2d Precinct ...
570
725
4th Ward.
[ 1st Precinct ...
390
477
5th Ward
.2d Precinct ...
403
387
[ 1st Precinct ...
306
469
Bern, Upper.
490
493
Jefferson
276
242
Kutztown.
281
316
Long-swamp
853
740
Maiden-creek.
427
443
Marion
349
364
Maxatawny.
613
594
Muhlenberg
360
450
Oley
491
536
Heidelberg
270
296
Pike
346
260
Exeter
543
578
Centreport.
41
..
..
673
713
THE CENSUS.
650
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
[ 1st Precinct ... 451
472
Perry
901,259
111,039
7th Ward
2d Precinct ...
526
667
Pike
329,935
54,243
Richmond
1,223,167
175,014
8th Ward
2d Precinct ...
446
531
Robeson
951,427
117,688
1st Precinct ...
460
577
Rockland.
518,315
80,062
9th Ward
2d Precinct ...
362
595
10th Ward.
[ 1st Precinct ...
404
365
11th Ward
2d Precinct ...
499
241
Tulpehocken
1,104,424
190,019
Tulpehocken, Upper ...
602,707
123,508
Union.
607,398
136,493
Washington.
941,451
255,949
Windsor.
472,828
76,003
Womelsdorf
402,532
182,420
9,022
11,676
Total
26,634
30,519
PROPERTY AND MONEY ASSESSED IN COUNTY, 1885. 1
Total Valuation of Real and Personal Property.
Money
at Interest.
Albany
$734,446
$195,126
Alsace
505,199
135,954
Amity
966,646
215,582
Bern
1,264,862
208,261
Bern, Upper.
1,228,166
166,722
Bernville.
146,380
116,127
Bethel
1,203,383
249,926
Birdsboro'
764,033
403,874
Boyertown
648,780
242,678
Brecknock
421,363
68,011
Caernarvon.
522,558
60,842
Centre
875,349
104,682
Centreport.
45,600
21,610
Colebrookdale
709,090
109,821
Cumru.
1,415,878
234,944
District
283,442
41,323
Douglass
453,411
131,012
Earl
293,252
65,920
Exeter
1,432,830
189,329
Fleetwood.
295,233
203,492
Greenwich
954,967
132,729
Hamburg.
628,848
188,917
Heidelberg.
1,181,743
123,774
Heidelberg, Lower
1,484,363
289,014
Heidelberg, North.
564,021
52,521
Hereford.
749,171
189,923
Jefferson
592,774
76,572
Kutztown
430,833
240,775
Longswamp.
1,111,986
239,340
Maiden-creek
1,057,563
159,683
Marion.
1,124,984
241,445
Maxatawny.
1,776,988
502,410
Muhlenberg.
1,237,837
216,996
Oley
1,676,734
657,240
Ontelaunee.
866,987
140,139
Penn.
844,340
159,666
.....
350
12th Ward
l 2d Precinct ...
.....
228
f 1st Precinct ...
.....
275
13th Ward
2d Precinct ...
.....
$40,806,570 $8,741,821
Reading :
1st Ward.
1,448,814
290,542
2d Ward.
2,066,294
104,870
3d Ward.
2,291,378
551,397
4th Ward.
2,807,592
707,692
5th Ward.
1,435,405
334,943
6th Ward
2,228,830
952,248
7th Ward.
3,894,550
1,066,136
8th Ward.
2,285,955
595,606
9th ward
1,530,541
192,395
10th Ward
998,799
72,269
11th Ward.
952,710
119,118
12th Ward.
902,355
46,218
13th Ward ..
936,999
16,048
$23,780,222
$5,049,482
Total in entire county ... $64,586,792 $13,791,303
CHAPTER XXIII.
READING.
PART I .- TOWN FROM 1748 TO 1783.
Selection of Town-Site-Town Laid Out-Lots Sold at Public Sale-First Patentees-Ground-Rent-List of Taxables, 1759-District of Reading Erected-Churches -Schools-Public Buildings- Markets and Fairs- Charter to Reading for Them-Citizens against Change of Government-Early Inn-keepers - Early Occupations -- Rainbow Fire Company-No Newspapers nor Internal Im- provements-Fuel, Light and Entertainments -- Hunting and Fishing-Indian Invasion-Revolution-Prominent Men-Pound Sterling-Old Style to New Style.
SELECTION OF TOWN-SITE .- William Penn owned the territory upon which Reading is sit- uated by right of grant from King Charles II .; and he also purchased the interest of the In- dians therein. He died in 1717, possessed of
1 Figures supplied by clerk of county commissioners.
Ruscomb-manor.
419,727
111,257
Spring
1,698,004
274,738
Toptor
139,357
77,008
[ 1st Precinct ...
494
749
1st Precinct ...
400
424
220
651
READING.
it. By his last will he devised it to his chil- dren. In the general desire to dispose of the lands to settlers, the commissioners of the Penns, upon application to them, sold the land which lay to the east of the Schuylkill, at the "Ford," where the great highway from Tulpehocken to Philadelphia crossed the river. The patentee was Thomas Lawrence. He first obtained a patent for three hundred acres in 1733; and afterward, in 1739, another patent for one hundred and thirty-seven and one-half acres which adjoined the first tract on the east. A month before the first tract to Lawrence was surveyed, a large tract for eleven hundred and fifty acres, which extended thence north wardly along the river, had been set apart and surveyed for Richard Hockley, for the use of the Penns.
Some years after these grants had been made, it would seem that the Penns conceived the idea of laying out a town at this point. Doubtless the efforts of the settlers to obtain a county stimulated them in this behalf. Finding that the land had been sold, they endeavored to re- purchase it. In this, however, they were not immediately successful. Lawrence declined to sell. Their agent at Philadelphia, William Parsons, was directed to investigate the matter. On September 28, 1743, he addressed a letter to them in reference to the proposed " Town of Reading." In this letter he stated that it was not to their interest to lay out the town on the land of Mr. Lawrence, becausea hollow 1-which lay between his land and Hockley's-rendered the locality inconvenient for that purpose. He regarded Hockley's land as better adapted for a town, though its distance from the ford at Law- rence's land was an objection, and he therefore recommended it to their interest for town pur- poses.
1. Richard Hockley, tract for 1150 acres ; surveyed February 19, 1733.
2. Thomas Lawrence, tract for 300 acres ; surveyed March 19, 1733; patent October 27, 1733.
3. Thomas Lawrence, tract for 137} acres ; sur- veyed April 22, 1738 ; patent February 16, 1739.
4. Samuel Finney, tract for 150 acres ; surveyed February 19, 1733.
5. Proprietary land, tract for 126 acres ; surveyed July 3, 1741.
6. Part of tract 1, on which lots were laid out, after- ward called Hockley out-lots.
-
174.
120
220
1
172
34
S 20
E
128
96
S 20
E
120
8
100
100
106
N 70 €
191 PS.
I
40
80
96
364
268
220
5
4
207
N 70 E
2
FORD'
EARLY SURVEYS OF READING.
Some time afterward the Hockley land was laid out into town-lots by Nicholas Scull. The . exact day is not known. Thomas Penn was pres- ent. William Parsons addressed a letter to Penn on the 24th of November, 1746, in which, in connection with the recommendation of certain alterations from the town-plan of Lancastor for the town-lots of Reading, he said,-
"The situation of that part of the town to the South of the Great Hollow2 is very elegant, upon rising ground, which descends very easily towards South and West, and is included chiefly within Mr. Scull's survey, made when you were on the spot."
The survey was accordingly made before the date of this letter. But water for convenient honsehold use was fonnd to be scarce and to lay deep on the Hockley land. It was abundant on the Lawrence land, where it was near the sur- face, and at many places bubbled up in strong springs. The Penns therefore endeavored to obtain the latter, for the purpose of removing the town thither. Though their efforts at first proved unsuccessful, their action in laying out lots for a proposed town on the Hockley land induced Lawrence to part with his property. He conveyed his two tracts to Thomas Jenkins on the 30th of December, 1745, and four days afterward Jenkins conveyed the same to Rich- ard Peters and Richard Hockley-parties inter- ested in the reconveyance to the proprietaries. On the 6th of March, 1748, they executed the
" This hollow was a ravine which extended northeast- wardly from the " Ford."
2 Mr. Parsons alluded to the depression of the land which lies to the north of the Reading Hospital.
310
6
ciety of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia.
1 A copy of the conditions is with the valuable collection of manuscript papers in the possession of the Historical So-
2. Lots on the great square were to be built upon
1. Every whole lot of sixty feet was to be subject to a ground-rent of seven shillings, payable to the proprietaries; to begin on March 1, 1750.
LOTS SOLD AT PUBLIC SALE .- The Penns appointed three prominent representative men of the surrounding settlements as commissioners for the purpose of making a prompt sale of these lots. The commissioners were Conrad Weiser, Francis Parvin and William Hartley. Publication of the proposed sale was made, and on the 15th of June, 1749 (doubtless in Penn Square), the conditions of the sale1 were read to a great number of people. These conditions published the appointment of Weiser, Parvin and Hartley as commissioners for the purpose of treating with persons who should apply for lots in the town, and were signed by William Parsons. They were briefly as follows :
cality was fixed at a point 40° 19' 26" north latitude, and 1° 5' east longitude, with an elevation above the sea of about two hundred and fifty feet. At that time there was not a town, not even a village, in all the terri- tory now included in the county, though the population was about ten thousand. The near- est town was Lebanon, twenty-eight miles to the west, which was laid out in 1740, and the next was Lancaster, thirty miles to the southwest, which was laid out in 1730. The latter place was the county-seat for the inhabitants of the county to the west of the Schuylkill for nearly twenty years. The inhabitants of the county to the east of the Schuylkill had Philadelphia as their county-seat. The people in this vicinity were still separated as a political body. A county had not yet been erected for them, and then there was only one house in this immediate locality. A church (Lutheran and Calvinist) was distant about two miles to the north, in Alsace town- ship, and another (Baptist) in Cumru township, about the same distance off. The plan com- prised five hundred and twenty town-lots and two hundred and four out-lots, numbered consecutively.
TOWN LAID OUT .- During the fall of 1748 a town was laid out on the Lawrence land and named " Reading," after the county-town of Berkshire, in England. Its geographical lo-
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$20
377
379 21353
394
409
410
476
447
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1473
474
518
380
379
1390
3951
412
434
493
459
470
4755
515
516
381
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398
413
414
430
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462
477
478
514
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384
512
385
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403
390
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921
472
437
45 97
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069
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392
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568 0572
576
160
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526
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302
317
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$50
365
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287
304
303
1320
098
497
273
279 4 280
290
306
321
499
500
276
275 2
₩ 292
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$23
140
339
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502
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270 m 293
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title to the land to Thomas Penn and Richard Penn. The proposition of founding a town on the Hockley land was therefore abandoned.
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
652
T
ט
A
A
TI
S
T
425
427
-
454
450
479
383 x 400
.399
386
407
217
419
433
434
440
150
465
466
481
942
510
5
CHUYLK
195
566 1570
574 X
VIGOUR
504
$41
537 4
47 0 48
T.
R
39 ₩ 40
STICCT
STRECT,
73
72
18
86
38
42
220
219
220
227
230
221
222
229
STREET
233
134
STRECT
LL REVER>>
552
551
544
546
536
532
$30
24
23
21
20
19
14
12
9
120
118
S TREFT
STREET
TRECT
S
T
R
WEST
P
9 534
Z 531
579
44
42
34
176
193
200
205
/
5 45
535
2 533
135
16
1157
2 169
1950 196
199
20
203
206
207
$43
577
522
251
27
29
30
3
107
10:
140
147
149
161
161
17
179
123
190
151
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