History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 113

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

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INDIAN INVASION .- In the early part of this period the inhabitants of the town were thoroughly aroused, if not terrified, by the horrible cruelties of the Indians along the Blue Mountain, just twenty miles away. The safety of the community was more or less uncertain during the continuance of their invasion from 1755 till 1763. A military depot was stationed in the town. Soldiers were quartered here to inspire confidence and the assurance of protec- tion, and their movements must have kept the people in constant excitement. Conrad Weiser was the most prominent citizen by reason of his active participation in the warfare, not only as a commander of colonial troops, but also as an interpreter for the Indians and as a mediator between them and the government. Many of the settlers were murdered in the townships along the mountain. But the citizens of the town did not suffer any loss at all, for no lives were sacrificed, no persons were seized and carried away and no property was burned or stolen. They were fortunate. The Indians feared the town. It was too populous for them and too well-guarded. The nearest point to the town which they reaclied was six miles away. But then they were not in a squad, not in force sufficient to commit outrages if they had been so inclined ; only a single Indian was seen, and he was apparently fleeing from impending harm or imprisonment. It is rather surprising that a

This name should be substituted for " Neversink."

single Indian dared to venture twenty miles away from his associates in and beyond the mountain, but, more surprising that he escaped with his life after having come so far into the county. The citizens must indeed have rejoiced when the declaration of peace was published in 1763.

REVOLUTION .- The rest and quiet which this declaration of peace produced were certainly very encouraging to them during their efforts in developing the town into that degree of importance which its position as a county-seat naturally demanded. But these had scarcely made an impression before a new subject began to agitate their minds. This was in reference to their personal and political rights as subjects of the King. The importance of these rights was not wholly understood or appreciated. Infringe- ment upon them did not then awaken a public spirit of opposition. The people as a community were satisfied with the government over them. They were not even inclined to unite in a move- ment for a change. But in the course of ten years their sentiments changed ; and just as they were indisposed at the close of the " French and Indian War" to consider any subject which tended to disturb the quiet that was settling round-about them, so were they prompt and active in preparing the way for the Revolution. They enunciated their feelings and principles at public meetings. They expressed earnest and bold sympathy for their fellows in the distant colony of Massachusetts, and encouraged them in the stand which they had manfully taken against the encroachments of the British govern- ment upon their political rights. "No taxation without representation " was a great public sentiment to which our community could then readily subscribe and about which they could formulate a strong and unconquering spirit for war. In that time a new leader grew into popular favor, and they unhesitatingly and unanimously looked to him for political repre- sentation, just as they had looked to Conrad Weiser twenty years before in their alarming days with the savage Indians. This was Edward Biddle.2 Companies of troops were

2 He came into Berks County from Philadelphia in 1757. Then was ensign in Captain Conrad Weiser's company, in

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

formed and forwarded. Military supplies of all kinds were furnished in answer to all demands. Moneys were collected and paid over; and general activity prevailed in the community through the entire period of the Revolution for eight years. And naturally, this activity, this noble exhibition of patriotism, won the favor of the government, for the leaders in the great movement, recognizing the loyalty of the citizens, established in the town a large depot for military stores, and also a large barrack for prisoners of war. Altogether this was quite a centre in the movement for independence, though the rolling valleys and elevated hills round-about were not drenched with the blood of men in actual war- fare, though the county was not even invaded by the enemy. The nearest point reached was Valley Forge. Some of the prominent generals of the Revolutionary army were at Reading during the war. One of them, General Thomas Mifflin, was so pleased with the land in this locality that he purchased a large farm in Cumru town- ship, and remained upon it with his family for some time. But it is not known that the commander-in-chief, General Washington, visi- ted Reading. He was at the "Reading Furnace " in 1777, which was near the county line in Chester County, abont fifteen miles southeast from Reading.

PROMINENT MEN .- During the first period of Reading, from 1748 till 1783, a number of its citizens distinguished themselves, some as political representatives, some in the pursuits of business life and some in military service. I can mention the following men :

Political .- Conrad Weiser, Edward Biddle, Charles Biddle, James Read, Henry Haller.

Business .- Nicholas Keim, Nicholas Scull, John Jackson, Mark Bird, Gabriel Hiester, John Patton, Jacob Graeff, Henry Hahn, Samuel Jackson, Peter Gross, Henry Eckert, Jacob Bright, Baltzer Henritze, Nicholas Lotz, Dr. Jonathan Potts, Bodo Otto, Adam Witman, Michael Bright, Christopher Schultz, George Douglass, Anthony Fricker.

Military .- Daniel Brodhead, Joseph Hiester, George Nagel, John Spohn, Jacob Morgan, Jacob Graul, Jacob Maurer.

active service in the French and Indian War. 2 Penna. Arch. (2d series), 543. And see sketch in chapter on Revolution.

Many other men stood out prominently, but they were from the several districts of the county round-about Reading.

Sketches of some of the men named appear elsewhere in this history.

NICHOLAS KEIM .- John Keim, the progeni- tor of the Keim family, emigrated to America in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and became one of the first settlers iu Oley township, Berks County, having taken up land before 1718, and located in the upper section of the township, near the present village of

NICHOLAS KEIM

Lobachsville. He carried on farming there till his decease, in 1732. He was a "Friend," a follower of Pastorius.

Nicholas Keim, a son of John Keim, was born in Oley township April 2, 1719. He pursued the life of a farmer till 1755, and then with his wife, Barbara (Snyder), and an only son, moved to Reading, where he then began the business of a general hardware-store, and a dealer in grain, etc. In 1769 he purchased from Mark Bird the " Weiser Store Stand," on Penn Street, near Fifth, commonly known as the " Old White Store," and there carried on business very successfully for a number of years. At that period he was one of the prin- cipal merchants at Reading, Adam Witman

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READING.

having then also been largely engaged in trade. He resided in a large two-story stone dwelling on the northwest corner of Penn and Ninth Streets. He carried on extensive business trans- actions with the leading merchants of Philadel- phia and Germantown. His receipt-book for the years 1763, 1764, 1765 and 1766 includes the autographs of the Wisters and Benezets, Samuel Miles (afterwards a colonel in the Revo- lution), Christopher Saur (the prominent pub- lisher), Amos Wickersham, George Dillwyn, Owen Jones, John Coxe, Caleb Foulke and others. About the year 1785 he transferred his store to his only son, John, and retired from active business. He was a man of progressive spirit, who encouraged everything relating to the development of the community in which he lived. He died on August 3, 1802, at the ad- vanced age of eighty-three years, "after a long, lingering consumption, which he bore with Christian fortitude and entire devotion to the will of the Almighty." [ Weekly Advertiser, August 28, 1802.]

POUND STERLING .- The term " pound sterl- ing " arose in England under King Richard I., about the year 1190. It is supposed to be an abbreviation of the word " Easterling," the name of an oriental coin which was introduced into England by distinguished coiners from the East. It is also supposed to have been a small coin worth about one penny which was stamped by merchants from Germany called Esterlings dur- ing the reign of King John, 1199-1216.

In the provincial days of Pennsylvania a pound was equal to $2.42. The pound sterl- ing of England is now represented by a " sove- reign," a gold coin valued at $4.84.

The terms "pounds," " shillings," " pence," were used in reckoning for some years after the establishment of independence. The county records show a change from the use of these terms to dollars and cents in the year 1796. The early inhabitants of Reading were obliged to understand the value of the foreign coins in order to carry on satisfactory business inter- course with one another. Before the change was introduced there were two units of value : the English pound and the Spanish milled dol- lar, and the values of these standards were not

common. The matter of reckoning value, mak- ing change and exchange, etc., was a complicated matter for them, much more so than we, who are accustomed to simple units of value, would imagine.

CALENDAR-Old Style to New Style .- The old style of reckoning time (Styli Veteris) was the Julian Style, derived from Julius Cæsar- 46 B.C. The length of the year by this reckoning was afterward found to be incorrect. But centuries elapsed before it was changed. In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII., issued a brief in which he abolished the use of the Julian Calendar and substituted a corrected calendar according to the calculations of a learned astron- omer of Naples, named Aloysius Lillius. The correction added ten days to the old style. The name of this calendar was called, after the Pope, " Gregorian," and came to be recognized as the new style. The difference between the two styles continued to be ten days till 1700. In the eighteenth century it was eleven days. The order of the Pope was first recognized only by governments under the influence of the Roman Catholic religion. But the change was gradually introduced into the reckoning of all the governments. In 1751 an act of Parlia- ment was passed by the British government adopting the new style in all public and legal transactions, and directing that the next year 1752 should begin on the 1st day of January, instead of the 25th day of March ; that the names of the months (as January, February, March, etc.) should be substituted for the num- bers (as 1st, 2d, 3d, etc.), and that the day fol- lowing the 2d day of September, 1752, old style, should be reckoned as the 14th day of Septem- ber, new style. Previons to the time that this act went into effect in the American colonies, the Assembly of Pennsylvania passed an act on March 11, 1752, recognizing the act of Parlia- ment, more especially for the purpose of pre- venting disputes in reference to the dates of legal conveyances.

666

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

PART II.

BOROUGH FROM 1783 TO 1847.

Charter of Incorporation-Election Districts-Newspapers -Post-Office-Internal Improvements-Ferries and Bridges-Fire Companies, Banks and Water Supply- Light-Public Buildings-Stages, Canals and Railway- Manufacturers-Traffic-Merchants of Reading in 1830 -Occupations in 1889-Distinguished Visitors-Memor- ial Services-Streets, Change of Names-Executions- Early Exhibitions.

CHARTER OF INCORPORATION .- After the close of the Revolution, with independence not only boldly declared but admirably won and firmly established throughout the United States, the town was ready for a step forward into a distinct political body, with the powers and privileges of municipal government. It then contained about four hundred taxables,1 or fully two thousand inhabitants. Nine-tenths of the population were Germans ; and it was generally, recognized as the largest, most important and progressive inland town in the entire country. Accordingly, a petition in this behalf was pre- sented to the General Assembly of the State, and on the 12th day of September, 1783- thirty-five years after the town-plan had been laid out-it was erected into a borough. This length of time would seem to indicate a slowness of political action in respect to advancement be- yond the ordinary and limited powers of a town- ship ; but it would also seem to indicate a good, orderly and contented people, who were able to get along satisfactorily without the aid of police regulations. By that time the county had come to contain a population numbering twenty- five thousand ; and towns had come to be laid out and established in the county round-about Reading-Womelsdorf to the west, fourteen miles, in 1760; Hamburg to the north, sixteen miles, and Kutztown to the northeast, eighteen miles, about 1770 ; Birdsboro' to the southeast, nine miles, about 1770;2 and Morgantown to the south, fifteen miles, about 1770.

The following letter is worthy of preservation in connection with the incorporation of the bor- ough :

"Sir .- I have proposed a few amendments to the Bill for erecting Reading into a Borough, which you left with me; they are written on the sheet accompanying the Bill. If I heard the objections to the Borough being bounded by the Western bank of the river Schuylkill, I could be enabled to give you my opinion better with respect to that matter than at present, but as I am now circumstanced I cannot divine what they can be; nor do I perceive the particular advantages that may attend it, being thus bounded so as to render it a point of moment; per- haps it is intended that the Burgesses shall be True Trouts.

"The question, whether the Burgesses can be con- stituted Justices of the peace for the county of Berks, has been duly attended to ; and if the majority of the freeholders within the town and district incorporated request it, I can see no reason to suppose that the Legislature cannot gratify them, not only agreeable to the spirit but the letter of the 30th section of the Constitution.

"I am, Sir, in haste,

" Your most obedient, humble servant, "THO. M'KEAN."

"Phila., "Aug't 28, 1883, "Daniel Clymer, Esquire."

[Original letter written in neat, legible handwrit- ing.]

ACT OF ASSEMBLY.

" An Act for erecting the town of Reading, in the county of Berks, into a borough; for regulating the buildings, preventing nuisances and encroachments on the squares, streets, lanes and alleys of the same, and for other purposes therein mentioned, passed by the General Assembly September 12, 1783:

" Sec. 1. Whereas the inhabitants of the town of Reading have represented, by their petition to the As- seinbly, that the said town has greatly improved,and is yearly increasing in buildings and number of inhabi- tants ; that a good court-house, jail and four churches 3 or houses for public worship are erected, and that the courts of justice for the county are held there ; that encroachments and nuisances have been committed in the public squares, streets, lanes and alleys of said town, and its out-lots ; that contentions happen rela- tive to partition walls and fences, and a variety of other matter, to the great annoyance and inconven- ience of the inhabitants.

"Sec. 2. And whereas it is necessary, as well for the benefit of the inhabitants of the said town as those who trade and resort there, and for the advant-

" Some one bas fixed the number at three hundred and sixty-two. By the assessor's list of the town for 1780 the resident taxables numbered four hundred and seventeen.

2 The year is not known. Bird, the founder, did not sell any lots by deed ; hence definite information could not be obtained. It is the same as to Morgantown.

3 Trinity Lutheran, First Reformed, Friends' and the

- fourth probably Catholic.

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READING.

age of the public in general, that the encroachments, nuisances, contentions, annoyances and inconven- iences in the said town and out-lots thereto belong- ing, should for the future be prevented. And for the promoting industry, rule, order and the better govern- ment of the said town.

" Sec. 3. Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted by the Representatives of the Freemen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and by the authority of the same, That the said town of Reading and the country herein after described shall be, and the same is hereby erected into a borough, which shall be called 'The Borough of Reading ' for ever, the ex- tent of which borough is and shall be comprised with the following boundaries, to wit. : Beginning on the westerly bank of the river Schuylkill, opposite Lardner's lane of Hockley's out-lots; thence across said river and Lardner's lane, north sixty-six degrees east, six hundred and fifty-nine perches to a post in a line of land late of Adam Witman, Esq., deceased; thence with said line, and Philip Sayler's, south twenty-four degrees east, one hundred and seven perches to a stone, being a corner of land late of Jonathan Potts, Esq., deceased ; then with the lines of said Witman and Potts, north sixty-six degrees east, fifty-three perches to a stone, being a corner of said Potts' land ; thence with the lines of Potts and Bright, south twenty-four degrees east, seventy perches to a stone, being a corner of said Bright's land ; thence across the mountain, south six degrees west, four hundred and seventy-eight perches, to a post, being a corner of Michael Bright's land ; thence south sixty-six degrees west, ninety-three perches, to a stone, being a corner of Isaac Levan's lands ; thence by the same and Michael Crowser's land, south twenty- four degrees east, ninety-eight perches to a stone; thence by the same, south sixty-six degrees west, one hundred and fifty-six perches to a black oak, being a corner of said Levan's land, on the eastern bank of the said river Schuylkill ; thence across said river to the western bank thereof; thence up the said river, along the several courses and distances on the west- erly bank, seven hundred and forty perches to the place of beginning.

" Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That Daniel Levan and William Scull, Es- quires, be and they are hereby appointed the present Burgesses ; and the said Daniel Levan shall be called the chief Burgess within the said borough ; and Peter Nagle, John Spoon, Benjamin Spyker, Jr., and James May, assistants, for advising, aiding and as- sisting the said Burgesses in the execution of the powers and authorities herein given them ; and John Fry to be High Constable; and Collinson Reed, Es- quire, to be the Town clerk; to continue Burgesses, Assistants, High Constable and Town Clerk, until the first day of May, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four, and from thence until others shall

be duly elected and appointed in their place, as here- in after is directed.

" Sec. 5. Style of the corporation. 'The Burgesses and Inhabitants of the Borough of Reading with its corporate powers and privileges enumerated.'

" Sec. 6. Election of Burgesses and other officers regulated. Time of Election fixed on first of May of each year.

" Sec. 7. Powers of the Burgesses specified.

" Sec. 8. Qualifications of Borough officers enumer- ated.

" Sec. 9. Provisions for markets and fairs. The markets to be held twice every week-on Wednesday and Saturday ; and the fairs twice every year,-on the fourth of June and on the twenty-seventh of Octo- ber,-each fair to continue two days. John Hart- man is named as clerk of the market, 'who shall have the assize of bread, wine, beer, wood and all other provisions brought for the use of inhabitants.'

" Sec. 10 .- Penalty on officers elected who refuse or neglect to act.

" Sec. 11 .- Power to make rules and ordinances for the good government of the borough.

" Sec. 12 .- Buildings heretofore erected that en- croach on any street shall not be deemed nuisances; but they are not to be rebuilt nor shall future en- croachments be made.

" Sec. 13 .- No foundation of any party wall shall be laid by any person before applying to the regula- tors, who are to be appointed by the Burgess.

" Sec. 14 .- Owners not to build on streets en- croached upon.

" Sec. 15 .- Parties finding themselves aggrieved in respect to foundation wall may appeal to Quarter Ses- sions.

" Sec. 16 .- Parties to pay regulator for service.

" Sec. 17 .- Regulator to regulate partition fences, etc.

" Sec. 18 .- Freeholders to choose supervisors and assessors annually on third Monday in May.

" Sec. 19 .- Notice of their election to be given

" Sec. 20 .- Supervisors and assessors to levy a tax annually, not exceeding one shilling in the pound, on the clear yearly value of the real and personal estates, etc., after first being qualified.

" Sec. 21 .- Supervisors, etc., refusing to serve, Bur- gess to appoint others ; compensation fixed.

" Sec. 22 .- Burgess to approve tax levied before col- lected.

" Sec. 23 .- Tenants' goods liable to be distrained for tax.

" Sec. 24 .- Tenants may deduct tax paid out of rent.

" Sec. 25 .- Supervisors to repair streets.

" Sec. 26 .- Supervisors may enter lands adjoining to cut drains or ditches for carrying off the water.

" Sec. 27 .- Supervisors to be fined for neglect of duty.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

" Sec. 28 .- Supervisors to present just accounts to Burgesses or to settle the same.

" Sec. 29 .- Borough declared to be one distinct dis- trict.

" Sec. 30 .- Magistrates empowered to act in all mat- ters appertaining to their office.

" Sec. 31 .- Justices of Borough not to determine any appeal.

" Sec. 32 .- Persons who shall make improvements required to remove earth from the streets, etc.

" Sec. 33 .- Penalty on persons laying shavings, ashes, etc., on any pavement.

" Sec. 34 .- Penalty for casting rubbish in any pub- lic street.

" Sec. 35 .- Distillers, etc., shall not discharge nau- seous liquor so as to run through the streets.

"Sec. 36 .- Penalty for leaving carrion in any unin- closed grounds.

" Sec. 37 .- Penalty for obstructing the common sewers.

" Sec. 38 .- Penalty for making pavement contrary to regulation.

" Sec. 39 .- Encroachments by cellar doors on streets regulated.

" Sec. 40 .- Owners of porches exceeding the limits to be assessed till removed.

" Sec. 41 .- Penalty for removing or damaging pipes or trunks used in conveying water.

" Sec. 42 .- Persons not to keep more than twenty- five pounds of gun-powder in their houses.

" Sec. 43 .- Manner of recovering and applying fines.

" Sec. 44 .- Act relating to public roads shall not ex- tend to the Borough.

" Sec. 45 .- Suits under this act regulated."1

A new charter was provided by an act passed March 29, 1813. This gave the borough en- larged powers, and it continued in force till 1847, excepting several modifications with re- spect to elections and the election of certain officials.

ELECTION DISTRICTS .- In 1789 Reading and eleven townships of the county (Alsace, Bern, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Cumru, Exeter, Heidelberg, Maiden-creek, Oley, Robeson and Ruscomb-manor) were erected into an election district. The poll was at the court-house. The several townships named were taken away during the following fifty years and erected into separate election districts.

In 1817 Reading was divided into two election wards,-North and South,-Penn Street having been made the dividing line. In 1840 it was divided into four election wards,-North- east, Southeast, Northwest and South west,- Penn and Sixth Streets having been made the dividing lines. And, in 1844, a fifth election ward, called Spruce, was erected out of that part of Reading which lay between the Schuyl- kill River, Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and Spruce Street.

NEWSPAPERS .- There was no publication of any kind at Reading before 1783. In fact, the people of the town were without every great agent whose mission is the rapid development of a community. We must indeed wonder how they could exist without a newspaper, a post- office, a turnpike, a canal, a railway, and, espe- cially, without some affair upon which to bestow much public attention and treasure. The in- troduction of municipal government amongst them marked the beginning of real progress, and Time thence would seem to have been gen- erous in bestowing his blessings upon the com- munity. By reviewing the whole period of the borough from 1783 to 1847, the newspaper occupies a very prominent position. It was the first evidence of real advancement hy the town- people beyond their previous condition. And that this instrumentality in a new era of Read- ing should be the first was as natural as it was reasonable and necessary. The contents of the earliest publications were, doubtless, interesting to its readers, notwithstanding that they con- sisted of advertisements and foreign news almost entirely ; but to us of to-day they would be decidedly uninteresting, inasmuch as we liave heen taught to expect and to read and to know many matters pertaining to persons not only round-about us, but distant many miles as well abroad as at home. Then these local matters must have been considered of no consequence, inasmuch as they were carried from house to house, and from place to place hy speech. Now, however, they are, and even before the borough had run its course they were, carried by the press.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 113

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