History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 112

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418

USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 112

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"The petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Reading, in the county of Berks,

"MOST HUMBLY SHEWETH,-

" That about twelve years since this Tract of Coun- try, now known by the Name of Berks County, part of the Province of Pennsylvania, by Act of General Assembly was made a Separate County, and in con- sequence Whereof, by order of the Honorable Pro- prietarys, this part of the said County was Located, fixed and Surveyed for the County Town, and called by the Name of the Town of Reading, and very many Lots granted to your Petitioners and others, under certain Rents payable to the Proprietarys and their Heirs forever.

" That your Petitioners are Tenants under such Grants, and have been at very considerable Expences in Erecting Houses and making other Valuable Im- provements in the said Town, But humbly conceive that could we be favour'd with a Charter of Incorpo- ration, granting Liberty to hold and keep Publick Markets weekly, and Fairs twice in the Year on cer- tain Days, it would greatly tend to advance the Value of Lotts Lett and to be Lett, encourage many others to come and Settle among Us, Increase our Number of Inhabitants, bring More Wealth and render the Town of Reading more happy and abundantly more flourishing.

1 Letter to Pennsylvania Gazette.

2 See p. 463, chapter on Internal Improvements.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

" Wherefore your Petitioners pray your Honour to take the Premises in your Consideration, and promote and forward the Prosperity, Happiness and Increase of one of the Proprietaries' Towns by Incorporating and Granting them the Privilege of Fairs and Mar- kets, as aforesaid."

This petition was written, in a superior handwriting, by James Whitehead, Jr., au attor- ney, dated at Reading, February 10, 1764, and subscribed by two hundred and fifteen inhabit- ants of the town. The names were mostly written in German. Their application was favorably entertained, though somewhat de- layed, and on the 30th of July, 1766, a charter was granted, by which the town was authorized to hold weekly markets and semi-annual fairs. This charter was as follows :

CHARTER TO READING FOR MARKETS AND FAIRS.

" Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute proprietaries and Governors-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New- castle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, To All to whom these Presents shall come, send Greeting :

" Whereas it hath been represented to Us that the Inhabitants of the Town of Reading, in the County of Berks, in the said Province, are in great want of a Market, for buying and selling Provisions, and of Fairs for buying and selling Goods, Wares, Merchan- dize and Cattle, ---

" Now know ye that We, favouring the reasonable request of the said Inhabitants, and considering the flourishing State to which the said Town hath ar- rived through their Industry, have, of our free will, granted, and do, by these Presents, for Us, our Heirs and Successors, grant to the present and succeeding Inhabitants of the said Town that they shall and may forever hereafter have and keep within the said Town of Reading two fairs yearly, and every year, that is to say, the first to begin on the Twenty-seventh Day of October next, to be held in Penn Street and to continue that Day and the Day next following, and the other of the said Fairs to begin on the Fourth Day of June, to be held in Penn Street aforesaid and to continue that Day and the Day after. But in case either of those Days shall happen to fall on Sunday, then the said Fairs to be held the succeeding Day or two Days following together, and no longer, With all the Liberties and Customs to such Fairs belonging or incident. And We do also hereby graut to the Present and succeeding Inhabitants of the said Town of Reading, that they shall and may hold and keep within the said Town, in Penn Street Square, between Queen Street and Prince Street, two Markets in each Week, that is to say, one Market on Wednesday and one Market on Saturday in every week of the Year

forever. And We do also hereby grant and ordain that there shall be a Clerk of the Market for the said Town, who shall have the Assize of Bread, Wine, Beer and all other Provisions brought for the use of the said Inhabitants, who shall and may perform all things belonging to the Office of a Clerk of the Mar- ket, within the said Town; And that Henry Haller shall be the present Clerk of the Market, who shall be removable at the pleasure of the Justices of the Peace of the said County of Berks, for the time being, or a Majority of them, in their Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the said County of Berks; and another Clerk of the Market shall from time to time be by them appointed and removed in their said Sessions as often as they shall find neces- sary. And We do hereby further grant and ordain that the Clerk of the Markets, for the time being, shall and may erect so many Stalls and Let the same at such reasonable rates as the said Justices may from time to time direct and see necessary, and that such Clerk shall exhibit his Accounts to the said Justices, to be by them examined and passed in their Sessions, which shall be in the Month of May every Year forever, and the Moneys arising therefrom shall be appropriated by the said Justices to the erecting and maintenance of the said Stalls, the paying the said Clerk of the Market for his services, and to such other Publick Uses within the said Town as they the said Justices shall think proper and direct.

" In Testimony whereof, We have caused the Great Seal of the said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness John Penn, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in- Chief of our said Province, at Philadelphia, the Thirtieth Day of July, in the Sixth Year of the Reign of George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith and so forth, and in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. "JOHN PENN."

[SEAL.]

The semi-weekly markets were instituted in the fall of 1766; a large market-house was then erected in Penn Square to the east of Callowhill (Fifth) Street ; and then farmers and butchers began the sale of vegetables, but- ter, eggs, meat, etc., twice a week, in the morn- ing of Wednesdays and Saturdays, the articles named having been exposed for sale in the market-house.

The semi-annual fairs began in October, 1766. They were held regularly on the 27th day of October and 4th day of June during that period and they were generally well attended. All kinds of goods and merchandise were

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brought to the market-house and exposed for sale. The people of the country and of the town doubtless looked upon these fair-days with much pleasure. In the beginning their deal- ings were mostly of a practical nature. But gradually they introduced festivities of various kinds. The exhibition continued two days, the first by common consent having been taken by the farmers and country people generally, and the second by the town-people. Dancing, with music, produced on the violin, was a prominent part of the programme; and (if we may judge of the exhibition then by the practices of the people four-score of years after- wards) the conclusion was enlivened with fighting and revelry.

CITIZENS AGAINST CHANGE OF GOVERN- MENT.1-Several years previous to the granting of the charter to the town, a cousiderable agita- tion prevailed amongst the people of the country concerning the question of a change of government which had been recommended by the Assembly of the province for the reason, as it was alleged,-

"That mischievous disagreements subsist in this government, which proceed, as they conceive from the very Nature of it, and that a Spirit of Violence, Riot and Confusion prevails among us which cannot be controlled by the present Power of Government and renders a change of the same necessary."

But they were generally against a change which indicates a "Tory " feeling. Their dis- approbation of this movement was expressed in memorials to the King. These memorials were printed. In them the subscribers represented,-

"That they had received information that a certain petition praying for change of government had been drawn to the King; and alarmed at its nature, they asked for a copy to know its contents ; that they were informed that it had already been forwarded, and no copy could be granted without leave of Assembly at next meeting in September; and, apprehending that delay would prejudice them so that they could not submit their sense of the matter, they represented that they held their Frame of Government in the highest estimation; that though disagreements had arisen, others around them were not exempted from like misfortune, and that they were not incident to the Nature of their Government; that the Province en-

joyed" the most perfectinternal Tranquility; that the Spiritof Riot and Violence was foreign to GeneralTemp- er of the Inhabitants, that disturbances were quieted, the Civil Powers were supported and no offenders were screened from public justice ; and that if executive power were too weak, the Assembly could strengthen it-therefore they prayed the King to disregard the petition of the Assembly as grievous and not properly representing the state of the Province."

One of them was signed by citizens of Read- ing, eighty-six in number ; among these, prom- nent men, such as James Whitehead, Jr., James Scull, Isaac Levan, Abraham Levan, John Scull, Nicholas Scull, Conrad Baner, Christopher Witman, Anthony Fricker, Jasper Scull, Henry Vanderslice. The great majority of the signatures were in German handwriting.

Another from citizens of Reading was signed by Jonas Seely, James Read, John Patton, Henry Christ, Jacob Weaver, (sheriff), John Bishop, Samuel Weiser, (coroner), Jacob Mech- lin, Richard Lewis, (commissioner).

EARLY INN-KEEPERS .- The tavern was a prominent public place in the town. Licenses were granted by the Governor of the State upon the recommendation of the justices of the county. In 1762 over thirty licenses were issned for taverns in Reading. The following persons were recommended :

Christopher Witman. Michael Kraus.

Alexander Klinger. Leonard Rupert.

Peter Fetter. Frederick Braun.

Peter Withington.

Elias Yungman.

Henry Kehler.

John Hartman.

Henry Haller.

Jacob Shoemaker.

Jacob Jäger. Nicholas Seitzinger.

Anthony Fricker.

Abraham Weidman.

Jacob Graul. Conrad Longsdorff.

Jacob Keyser. Casper Pfatteicher.

Erhard Roos. Christian Maurer.

George Albert.

Peter Weiser.

Michael Brecht. Jacob Rabolt.

Peter Brecht.

Ludwig Byerle.

Andreas Engel.

Jacob Moyer.

William Frymyer.

A number of the tavern-keepers named were prominent, not only in the town affairs, but in the county political affairs. The pro- portion of taverns to the population was rather surprising, having been about one to every forty inhabitants. A prominent tavern was " Witman's," now the building occupied by the

1 Penn Manuscript Papers, pages 90 and 114, in posses- sion of Historical Society of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

"Farmers' National Bank." This building was erected in 1763 by Adam Witman, an inn- keeper, who, donbtless, erected it for an inn. He held it till 1778. In 1799, Michael Wood, also an inn-keeper, came to own it. He had leased it for some years previously. From his possession it took the name of "Wood's Inn," and it was so known till 1814, when the Farmers' Bank purchased it and took posses- sion. The bank has held it for banking pur- poses continuously till now, a period covering seventy years. This is the second oldest building in Reading.1 Washington sojourned in it whilst visiting Reading in 1793. He was very kindly received and hospitably enter- tained. He held a levee, and many persons called to show him honor and affection.

EARLY OCCUPATIONS,-The early industry of the town was very diversified. It comprised numerous trades. The mechanics were the life and development of the town. They were happy because they were employed ; and they were contented because they supplied their wants, not only by laboring for others, but also by cultivating lots and out-lots for themselves. And many of them were in good circumstances. Hat-making was then a prominent employ- ment.

The following list (in connection with the previous list, which embraces the patentees of town-lots) indicates the occupations which the town afforded and also the pursuits which cer- tain men followed. They were obtained from the records in the recorder's office of the county. The year indicates the date of the deed in which they appear. The persons mentioned may have lived in the town some time before the year given :

1754 .- Martin Kast, inn-holder ; Leonard Rupert, baker; Adam Wagner, baker; Moses Highman, merchant; Conrad Deboy, reed-maker; Andrew Steele, blacksmith ; Joseph Chammond, shop-keeper ; Michael Gretter, slaughterer; Jacob Kern, inn- holder ; Evan Jones, shop-keeper; George M. Gret- ter, slaughterer ; John Jackson, felt-maker; Samuel Jackson, felt-maker; Adam Werterherger, weaver.

1 The oldest building now standing in Reading is situated on the northwest corner of Fifth and Washington Streets. It was erected in 1760 by Michael Brecht. Then it was a two-story building ; the third-story was added in 1817.

1757 .- Jacob Yeager, carpenter ; Henry F. Degen- hardt, tinner ; Gabriel Shopp, saddler; George Diehl, cordwainer; Nicholas Shopper, joiner.

1758 .- John Shreidt, gunsmith ; Sebastian Grauser, carpenter ; Martin Krafft, inn-holder.

1759 .- Paul Lebo, blacksmith ; Isaac Lebo, hatter; Christopher Laman, joiner; David Henderson, law- yer; Adam Brosius, tailor; Bernhard Rorebauch, cooper; Henry Senger, leather-dresser; John Gross, book-binder.

1760 .- Robert Popkins, carpenter; Peter Haas, wheelwright; Jacob Yeager, inn-keeper; Edward Drury, inn-keeper; Nicholas Keim, wheelwright; Casper Jost, nailer ; Peter Holtzäder, cooper; Isaac Young, shop-keeper; Matthias Hineline, hatter; Lawrence Fix, cooper; Isaac Wickersham, carpenter.

1761 .- Meyer Josephson, shop-keeper; William Frick, barber; Jacob Hoffman, inn-holder; John Märchin, carpenter ; William Graeff, lock and gun- smith ; Edmund Rose, weaver ; Adam Scheir, carpenter.

1762 .- Francis Ficks, cooper; John Collier, tailor ; Samuel Weiser, scrivener ; Frederick Goodhart, wag- oner; Elias Yungman, hatter; David Meyerly, mason; Balthaser Bach, tailor; James Whitehead, Jr., lawyer; Paul Kerber, cordwainer; Ludwig Fillinger, weaver; Edward Biddle, lawyer; Jonathan Worrall, shoemaker; Andrew Schenck, wheelwright.

1764 .- Jacob Robold, brick-maker; Adam Schlegel, tailor ; John Bingeman, carter ; Peter Rapp, butcher ; George Shultz, hatter; Thomas Lincoln, mason ; Peter Rein, glazier ; John A. Gottschall, locksmith.

1765 .- Christopher Neidle, wheelwright; Henry Haller, tailor ; Peter Brecht, saddler ; Nicholas Keim, shop-keeper ; John F. Moyer, cordwainer; Henry Gossler, baker ; Andreas Fuchs, cooper ; John Wit- man, cordwainer; Valentine Urledig, clock-maker; Matthias Moyer, joiner; Jost Tietz, miner; Conrad Babb, tinman.

1766 .- Henry Eckert, brewer ; John Spohn, brewer; Conrad Geist, weaver.

1767 .- Peter Zimmerman, mason ; John Morris, joiner ; Michael Klein, cordwainer; Jonathan Jones, saddletree-maker ; Jacob Neithack, cordwainer.

1768 .- Alexander Murray, clerk ; Abraham Wit- man, cordwainer; Jacob Hoff, chirurgeon and barber. 1769 .- Frederick Stieff, cordwainer; Jacob Graff, hatter; William Miller, pump-maker.

1770 .- Casper Pfatteicher, cordwainer; Henry Printz, stocking-weaver; George Bernhard, skinner ; Jasper Scull, surveyor.

1772 .- Jeremiah Paul, school-master; Anthony Fricker, inn-keeper.

1774 .- Abel Morris, clock-maker; John Mears, cabinet-maker ; Daniel Levan, lawyer; Daniel Rose, clock-maker ; Peter Gross, hatter; Jacob Gross, hatter; John George, butcher; John Dissler, saddler; Jacob Boyer, carpenter ; Jacob Oswald, tailor; Jacob Bright, brewer.

1779,-Baltzer Henritze, hatter.

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A prominent business stand is worthy of special mention in this connection. Conrad Weiser began a store on the north side of Penn Street, above Callowhill (now Fifth), on lot No. 3. He obtained the patent in 1751, having probably erected the building (two-story stone) shortly before. Here Weiser carried on busi- ness intercourse with the Indians, in which respect the building obtained particular historic prominence. This stand has continued promi- nent thence till now, a period extending over one hundred and thirty years. For many years it was commonly known as the "Old White Store." It came to be owned by Nicholas Keim, in 1769 ; and the Keim family carried on business in it through this period and for seventy years afterward.

Three old buildings, which were erected in . this period, are still standing,-two-story stone tavern-stand, northwest corner of Fifth and Washington Streets, erected in 1760 (many years afterward improved and enlarged) ; two- story stone tavern-stand, on north side of Penn Street, below Fifth, 1763 (bank building since 1814); and two-story stone building, county prison, 1770, on northeast corner of Fifth and Washington Streets (store building since 1848).

RAINBOW FIRE COMPANY .- The town-peo- ple naturally, after having erected numerous dwellings and buildings in the town, considered the necessity of an organization for protecting them from fire. It is believed that they organ- ized a fire company soon after the town had be- gun to be rather compactly built up, though there is no record to establish the fact. A reg- ular company was, however, organized on March 17, 1773, and named the " Rainbow Fire Company." And this would seem to have been the only company of this kind here for thirty years afterward. Their apparatus for extinguishing fires was, indeed, simple but labor- ious, especially when compared with the appa- ratus of fire companies one hundred years after- ward. The fire was extinguished at first by buckets of water, hooks and axes. Water was carried in buckets and passed from hand to hand from the nearest pump (then numerous in town) to the burning building and poured upon the fire, and, if not sufficient, the hook and ax were

applied to prevent the conflagration from spread- ing to other buildings.

Then the force-pump, manipulated by hand, was introduced. What an improvement this must have been regarded over the slow, tedious and too frequently ineffectual and dangerous method with the bucket ? Instead of approach- ing the fire and pouring on the water, the fire- men could stand off one hundred feet and more and force the water through a hose and pipe in a continnous stream upon the burning building.

No NEWSPAPERS NOR INTERNAL IMPROVE- MENTS .- There were no newspapers in Reading during its history as a town. The Pennsylvania Gazette had a limited circulation among the peo- ple. This supplied the news, and this news was almost entirely "foreign." The local corre- spondence was only occasional. This important agent for preserving as well as communicating facts and particulars about a growing people, not being in existence then at Reading, affords no assistance whatever in ascertaining the con- dition of Reading before the Revolution. A " special " to the Gazette reported some of the Indian cruelties and wandering bears in the vicinity of Reading ; and a correspondent from Reading, in 1760, intimated the possible im- provement of the Schuylkill for navigation. The difficulty of gathering facts concerning this early period of Reading, upon which to found historical narrative, will therefore be appre- ciated.

And there was no bank nor post-office, no public water-works, no bridge nor turn- pike, no canal nor railway, no telegraph nor telephone, no gas nor electric light! How destitute of public conveniences and improvements were the inhabitants of the town compared with what the people have now -in the year 1886 ! We cannot imagine their situation. And yet they were satisfied, for they knew not of these things.

PUMP .- The pump was an important feature in the town ; in fact, it was an indispensable feature-and it continued to be for a hundred years, till the municipal government discouraged its use, for sanitary reasons, especially after the valuable water-works had been obtained from the " Reading Water Company." It is one of

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the first things mentioned in connection with the town, and it occupies a prominent position in the growth and well-being of the people. It stood in every locality, and was used by every- body; its utility cannot be over-estimated. There were some springs in the town, and one place was supplied with running water. This was the " Fountain Inn," which was located on the south side of Penn Street, about fifty yards above Tenth. It was conveyed in a wooden pipe from the spring at the " Gravel Hole," on the "commons," a distance of nearly half a mile. Many wells were in use-the water hav- ing been drawn up in a bucket by a chain or rope attached to a windlass.

FUEL, LIGHT, ENTERTAINMENTS. - The only substance which the inhabitants used for fuel for heating and cooking purposes was wood. The wood-stove was common every- where ; and so was the open fire-place. Great chimneys were a necessary part of every dwell- ing. Coal had been discovered in the upper section of the county, along the head-waters of the Schuylkill, some years before the close of this period, but its usefulness as a substance for fuel had not as yet been recognized or appre- ciated.

The light of that period was still in a primi- tive state. There was no step as yet beyond the lamp; wax and fat and oils were still the sub- stances commonly used for this purpose. Gas was known abroad ; but it had not yet been introduced for lighting public or private places. Thirty years more elapsed before it was adopted for lighting the streets of Westminster and Lon- don, in England. There was no demand for an improvement in this direction beyond the wants of social entertainment. The inhabitants worked while it was day, for when the night came they found that they could not work, realizing, in- deed, the literal significance of the divine in- junction. Work-shops closed at six o'clock or sun-down. The stores, however, were kept open till nine and ten o'clock ; and the taverns, especially. A dim light enabled the people to move around ; but talk, gossip and story-telling were carried on more than business. A country store or tavern of to-day is a fair sample of what the stores and taverns of Reading were

during the period when it was a town; indeed, its light, produced from improved coal-oil lamps, is superior to the light that they had then from oil, fat and tallow.

There were no evening dramatic performances -no entertainments of any kind. Balls and dancing parties were numerous then as they are now. But these were conducted at taverns and not at halls specially designed for such a pur- pose. The violin was the only musical instru- ment used, and the player was an orchestra all in himself, his energetic stamping and motions keeping the dancers in time and awaking con- siderable activity npon the occasion.

The people had various pastimes, just as they have had everywhere, time out of mind. Card- playing, racing, quoiting, rolling and throwing ball,1 running and jumping, ball-playing and hoop-rolling were most common. These were,. however, for men and boys. The women and girls devoted their spare time mostly to knit- ting, quilting, fancy-sewing and spinning. They did not have any sports which required physical exertion. Indeed, with them, such has ever been the case. It is even so now-excepting one instance, roller-skating.

HUNTING AND FISHING .- Hunting and fish- ing were especially interesting and successful sports in the days when the woods were great and wild and the waters rolled onward unpol- luted. This was indeed a great section, for woods and springs were in abundance. Before the town was laid, bears were numerous in this vicinity; and they continued here for some years afterward. Several were shot near by in 1754, of which special mention was made in a letter to the Pennsylvania Gazette at Philadel- phia. All kinds of wild game were plentiful -.- deer, rabbits, pheasants, partridges, ducks, geese and pigeons. The latter were here in flocks, estimated by the thousand. Gunning for food -if not for a livelihood-was common with every man. Traps and snares were used very successfully by many for catching game.

The Schuylkill and its many tributaries aboun- ded with fish. Fishers were just as successful as

" A ball of iron, varying in weight from seven to twenty- five, and even fifty pounds.

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gunners. They were not required to walk more than a mile or two at most from their homes. The abundance of shad made this locality fa- mous as a fishing-ground. Along the "Never- sink" and around the "Poplar Neck" they were plentiful. The name of the locality- Navesink1 fishing-ground, arose from this cir- cumstance. With the Indians it was a chosen district above all other districts. The name im- ports the preference. Other fishies of various kinds were here likewise. Different modes of catching them were used-the net and the rod and line being preferred. The gig at night was frequently adopted. But the first-named was used mostly for this purpose. A large propor- tion of the food of the early inhabitants consist- ed of wild game and fish.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 112

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards Number of Pages: 1418

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418