History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 125

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 125

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In 1853 Mr. Smith quit the milling business in the vicinity of Reading, and united with his son, George Smith, Jr., as a partner in the same business at Birdsboro'. They continned at that place until 1859, when he permanently withdrew from the business, and thereafter gave his attention to his real estate interests, which had grown to large proportions through- out city and country.

Although strangely indifferent to the value

of education in his youth, he realized his error in after years and afforded all his children ample opportunity for a liberal training. With great quickness of apprehension and a tenacious memory, he availed himself of every opportun- ity to compensate for his own deficiencies.

Besides his widow, already mentioned, he leaves surviving six children, as follows: Mrs. Angeline E. Stewart, Mrs. Colonel J. De Puy Davis, Judge J. Bright Smith, Miss Kate A. Smith, all of Reading; Major E. L. Smith, of Denver, Col., and George Smith, Jr., of Union township.

Although an inflexible Democrat, and, indeed, by many regarded as a stanch partisan, he was singularly free from bigotry of every sort, and tolerant of the opinions and professions of honest political opponents. He believed fully in the utmost freedom of thought and speech and con- ceded it as freely to others as he claimed it for himself. "Judge not, lest ye be also judged," was a favorite Scriptural injunction which he habitnally quoted and inculcated, and it can with truth be said of him, as was said of his great ancestor, John Frederick Smith, " that he practiced what he preached."

In his habits and manner of life George Smith was modest, plain and nnobtrusive. The natural and the real were what he affected-the artificial and the showy were his aversion. As in the affairs of State, so in the household, he advocated and insisted upon good husbandry, but he recognized clearly the distinguishing line between the benefits of a prudent economy and the evils of parsimony. Mingling with all classes, he was familiar with the poor and dis- tressed, many of whom survive and gratefully attest the tenderness of his sympathy and his quiet deeds of charity. With these attributes of head and heart it is scarcely necessary to add that as son, husband and father he was dutiful, affectionate and exemplary. On the 29th of September, 1878, at his residence, in the city of Reading, surrounded by those he loved, he quietly passed to his eternal rest.

JOHN SALLADA PEARSON, the son of Elijah and Mary Pearson, was born March 10, 1805, in the town of Womelsdorf. After mode- rate advantages of an education he entered

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the dry-goods store of O'Brien & Raiguel, at Reading, and, on attaining his majority, with his cousin, organized the firm of John S. & Charles M. Pearson, which was one of the oldest and most extensive dry-goods firms in the city. After completing a business career of half a century, he retired in 1871 from active mercan- tile life, having built up not only a successful trade, but a character for probity and sterling worth. He was a man of strong individuality and great industry; was firm in his convictions and prominent in the cultivation of a spirit of benevolence. Mr. Pearson was agreeable, ac- commodating and attentive to his customers and just in his dealings. By this means he estab- lished a trade which made him a successful merchant and gave him high standing and ex- cellent credit in the commercial world. It was said by one of his friends that he was the most upright and conscientious business man he ever knew. Kind and benevolent by nature, he contributed to every deserving charity and never refused the petitions for the relief of poverty and distress. Mr. Pearson was noted for his kind- ness to young men about starting in business life. During his business career his establishment was a school for the training of many who afterwards became some of the most successful business men of Reading. His nature was bright, cheerful and buoyant, his form erect and his step elastic, even in advancing years. With excellent health and a heart always light and joyous, life had for him much of happiness and sunshine. Mr. Pearson was always in politics a Whig or Re- publican, but never participated in the strife for office. He was a director of the Union Bank of Reading, a trustee of the Charles Evans Cemetery, a member of the Reading Relief and the Reading Benevolent Societies, and for thirty- three years a consistent member of the First Presbyterian Church, of which he was both trustee and treasurer, and to which he contrib- uted with great liberality. He was one of the committee appointed to select the site for the Widows' and Single Women's Home and the first contributor to the Reading Dispensary. He was also in earlier days connected with the Montgomery Lodge of Odd-Fellows. Mr. Pearson was twice married,-first, to Miss Mary

Jones, and second, to Mary, widow of Captain Thomas Leoser. By his first marriage he had two children,-Annie C. (deceased) and Almira R., married to Henry A. Hoff, whose children are Harry K., D. Pearson, Charles J. and Mary Pearson. Mr. Pearson died on the 8th of July, 1885, in his eightieth year. As a touching tribute to his character and influ- ence, the business men of Reading closed their stores and offices on the occasion of his funeral.

CALEB WHEELER, is of English descent. He was born in Sussex County, N. J., on the 1st of July, 1805, and at the age of four years re- moved to Morris County, in the same State, his youth having been spent at Denville near Mor- ristown. His education was confined to such instruction as was obtained at the country schools and for a short period at a boarding- school in Morristown, after which his time was devoted to the management of the business in- terests of a relative in the same county. He then entered a store and was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits until his subsequent removal to Hackettstown, Warren County, N. J., where he remained as an active business man until 1830, the date of his advent in Schuylkill County, Pa., where he continued his career of a success- ful merchant. In 1830 he was married to Nancy H., daughter of Silas Riggs, of Morris County, N. J., who died in Reading on the 5th of April, 1873. Mr. Wheeler soon after his marriage engaged extensively in the coal busi- ness, being one of the first to develop the coal interests of the western end of Schuylkill Coun- ty and among the most active operators and successful shippers of that product. He mean- while for many years acted as agent of the Swatara Coal Company, who were large owners of coal lands in the county. Mr. Wheeler, in April, 1857, removed to Reading, and while making that city his residence, still retained his extensive business interests and continued to manage the finances of the firm. Formerly a Whig and later a Republican in his political convictions, he has ever been a strong and earn- est advocate of the principles of his party, but declined all proffers of office. He was a zeal- ous supporter of the government during the

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

late war, both with his means and influence. He was a former director of the Farmers' National Bank of Reading, and otherwise identified with the business interests of the city. Mr. Wheeler is an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Reading. He is greatly interested in the benevolent enterprises of Reading, which receive from him substantial support. He was one of the projectors of the Reading Hospital, is now a member of its board of directors, and was one of the committee appointed to make the purchase of land for the site of the Home for Widows and Single Women, of Reading. Having retired from active commercial life, he finds pleasure in the advancement of these and other benevolent interests.

JAMES T. REBER, a prominent and success- ful hardware merchant at Reading for nearly thirty years, was born April 29, 1834, at Sink- ing Spring, then in Cumru, now Spring town- ship, this county. He is of German descent.

The progenitor of the Reber family in Berks County was Johannes Reber, who emigrated to this country in 1742, when six years old, from Langenselbold, then in Hesse-Cassel, now be- longing to the kingdom of Prussia, having ac- companied his parents. His father's name was Johann Bernhart Reber, and his mother's Jo- hanna Magdalena, daughter of Conrad Hahn. Another son was included in this party, named Ludwig Friedrich August, who was then only two years old. They arrived in the same year at the port of Philadelphia, proceeding imme- diately to the Tulpehocken settlement, and locat- ing at the "big bend " of the Tulpehocken Creek at a place then and still known as the "Blue Marsh," where the father took up a tract of land and began farming. Three sons were af- terward born at that place, named Thomas, Valentine and Peter. From these five sons it is believed that all the persons by the name of Reber in this country have descended. Valentine and Peter Reber, the last two named, proceeded to the West upon obtaining their majority.

Johannes Reber pursned the life of a farmer all his life in the neighborhood where his parents first settled. He was married twice, the name of his first wife having been Orbengast, and of his second, Haas. By the first marriage he

had two children,-John and Magdalena (who intermarried with John Richards),-and by the second three children,-Nicholas, Abraham and Michael.

John Reber, the third, was born September 20, 1768, in Heidelberg (now Lower Heidel- berg) township, where he afterwards also car- ried on farming. By the manuscript papers which he left, it appears that he settled up nu- merous estates, having acted as a fiduciary for many people in his neighborhood. He was married to Magdalena Rathmacher, of Macun- gie, in Northampton (now Lehigh) County, and had issue fifteen children, namely,-Magdalena, Barbara, Christiana, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Sarah, Anna Maria, Joseph, John, Benjamin, Susan- nah, Jonas, Daniel and Samuel, and one who died in infancy. He died May 12, 1844, aged nearly seventy-six years.

Benjamin Reber, the fourth generation, was born April 14, 1807. He was a saddler by trade, and afterwards, for fifty years, he followed farming on the homestead, of which he became the owner about 1840. He had seven children by the first wife,-Richard T. (married first to Sarah Kerschner and afterward to Catharine Bickel), James T. (married to Sarah Potteiger), Charles (married to Eliza Z. Van Reed), Sarah (intermarried with Harrison Weitzel), Rebecca (intermarried with Calvin J. Lorah), Eliza (died single) and John (died in infancy).

James Tobias Reber, the subject of this bio- graphical sketch, was raised on the farm of his father, assisting at general farming labor and attending the schools of his native township till his sixteenth year, when he went to the select school of Professor Henry G. Stetler, at Boyertown, for one term, and afterward the Strassburg Academy, in Lancaster County, then conducted by Rev. J. M. Carter, also for a term. Upon returning home he became engaged in teaching school, which he followed for two seasons, first in Lower Heidelberg township and afterward in Muhlenberg township. In 1853 he removed to Reading and entered the general hardware-store of George de B. Keim & Co., then located at the southeast corner of Third and Penn Streets, where he was employed as clerk for three years.

James J Pelas

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In 1856 he entered into a co-partnership with Adam Bard for the purpose of carrying on the general hardware business, under the firm-name of Bard & Reber, and on October 6th of that year began at No. 741 Penn Street, where they continued to do business under the same name for twenty-two years. During this time they were very successful, and their business requir- ing larger facilities for carrying on the same, they, in 1877, purchased the property at the southeast corner of Eighth and Penn Streets, where they erected the present large three-story brick store building, in dimensions twenty-four by two hundred and seventy feet, and into which they removed in 1878. The senior member, Adam Bard, then sold his interest in the business to his son, George W. Bard, and his son-in-law, David P. Schlott, and retired from active mercantile life. Albert F. Kraemer, an employee with the firm for many years, was admitted as a partner, and the firm-name became Bard, Reber & Co. Under this name they have since conducted the business very snccess- fully, and have extended their trade through- out this and the surrounding counties. Not- withstanding the active life of Mr. Reber in the hardware business, he became interested in the development of a superior plumbago mine in Chester County, of which he was the gell- eral manager for eight years; and during this time the enterprise was an entire success. He has acted as administrator, guardian and trustee in the settlement of a number of valuable estates.

Mr. Reber represented the Eighth Ward in Common Council during the years 1863 and 1864, and he served a term of three years as a prison inspector, from 1876 to 1879. In poli- tics he is a Democrat.

He is a member of the Reformed Church. He has filled various church offices, among them being trustee of Synod, of Palatinate College, and of Bethany Orphans' Home, a member of the Board of Publication and other minor posi- tions.

In 1854 he was married to Sarah Potteiger, a daughter of John Potteiger, who served one term, from 1850 to 1853, as sheriff of Berks County, by whom he has now living five chil- dren-C. Alice (intermarried with Joseph H.

Templin), Valeria E. (intermarried withi Isaac L. Deeter), Morris B., Clara R. and James C., -one son, Benjamin F., having died in the ninth year of his age, and another son having died in infancy.

AUGUSTUS F. BOAS, son of Jacob and Sarah (Dick) Boas, was born at Reading in the year 1813. His paternal grandfather was the Rev. William Boas, an emigrant from Germany, who became the first pastor of the First Reformed Church of Reading. He attended the schools of his native town first, aud afterward entered the Reading Academy, then under the princi- palship of Rev. John F. Greer. Some of his other teachers in this institution then were Jos- eph Barrett, Archibald McElroy and a Mr. Daw- son. Under the last-named he received excel- lent instruction in the Latin language. At the age of sixteen he engaged as a teacher of a school in Alsace township. Finishing one term there, he was engaged eighteen months continuously as a teacher in the village of Kutztown. At the age of twenty he went to Allentown and entered the law-office of Charles Davis, Esq., as a student, remaining two years, when he returned to Reading, and completed his legal studies under Elijah Dechert, Esq., and was admitted to the bar August 4, 1835. After practicing law a short time he became chief clerk of the Berks County Bank, which had just been organized. At the time of its collapse, in 1842, Mr. Boas settled up the affairs of the bank, and, at the same time, en- gaged in the lumber business on an extensive scale. In 1855 he obtained the charter for the Reading Savings-Bank and became the presi- dent of it and was the principal stockholder. In 1863 he was one of the founders of the First National Bank, and was elected its cash- ier, serving from the time of its organization until 1878. He was also president of the Reading Savings-Bank until its suspension, in 1877, at which time, in order to protect the interest of the bank's creditors as best he could, freely surrendered all of his real estate and personal property, and retired from the business with an unblemished reputation. In Novem- ber, 1883, he was tendered a position in the Commonwealth Guarantee, Trust and Safe De-

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

posit Company, at Harrisburg, and soon after entered upon its responsible duties.

No person in the city of Reading was a more devoted worker in the Sunday-school cause than Mr. Boas. In 1820 he became a pupil of the first Sunday-school in his native city, which was organized in the academy in 1819. When but sixteen years old he became superintendent of the first African Sunday-school of Reading. When the church Sunday-schools were organ-

PART V.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

City Buildings-Post-Office-Cemeteries-Gas and Electric Light-Halls-Private Market-Houses-Hospi- tals-Private Parks- Street Railways.

CITY BUILDINGS .- The city buildings1 in- clude the market-houses, water-works, city hall, fire company buildings, commons and park.

MARKET-HOUSES. - Immediately after a

ized he was chosen superintendent of the one connected with the First Reformed Church in Reading, and continued in that position for thirty years. He greatly assisted in establishing the Reading Library and in organizing St. Paul's Memorial Reformed Church, and in the en- couragement of local charities.

Mr. Boas was married, in 1835, to Emma E. Boyer. During the Civil War he associated with the influential men of Reading in encour- aging voluntary enlistment and the raising of money for bounty purposes.

charter had been granted to the town of Read- ing, in 1766, authorizing the holding of semi- annual fairs and weekly markets, the town-peo- ple erected a market-house on Penn Square, east of Callowhill Street. It extended from the eastern line of the Central Square eastwardly about one hundred and twenty feet along the middle of the highway. It was about twenty feet wide. It consisted of a number of small

1 The buildings of the city government comprise all con- structions or improvements established at the public ex- pense,

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square brick pillars, arranged in a row on each side, covered by a shingle roof with a plastered ceiling.

A similar market-house was erected in 1799 in West Market Square, about the same distance from Callowhill Street. A belfry was on the eastern extremity.

There were paved, uncovered extensions to the market-houses-from the eastern market- house to Sixth Street and from the western to Fourth Street. In the eastern market-house and extension there were thirty-two stalls and fifty-eight stands, and in the western thirty- eight stalls and fifty-eight stands. Numerous stands were on the outside of and between the market-houses. The stalls of the eastern market- house were mostly occupied by butchers. Their rental was high through competition. The income from that market-house was, therefore, much larger than the western. In the former the stalls rented from ten dollars to forty dol- lars each ; in the latter, only five dollars; and outside benches were $2.50. From the begin- ning till about 1840 many of the stalls were not taken. This arose from the supply of country produce, meats, etc., delivered to the citizens at their homes. And many of them did not re- quire supplies from the country, because they had their own gardens in which they raised fruits and vegetables. The owners and occu- piers of. lots on Penn Street generally owned and farmed out-lots for this purpose ; and they also kept cows and raised and fattened pigs and poultry.

The total revenue from rents in 1851 was $494.62;1 in 1857, was $2021.32; in 1869, $12,643; in 1870, $5822; and in 1871, $1656.86. In the year 1871 the market-houses were sold for seven hundred and fifteeu dollars.

These two market-houses were rebuilt- western, thirty by one hundred and ninety-two feet, in 1846, for thirty-four hundred dollars ; eastern, in 1847, for twenty-nine hundred and ninety dollars. In the rebuilding, iron pillars were substituted for brick pillars as supports for the roof. They were continued till 1871 ; then, by the encouragement of City Councils, private,

commodious buildings, for the purpose of weekly markets, were erected in the several sections of the city, and the old buildings weredemolished.2

TOWN PUMP .- In the former market-house there was a pump. It was known as the "old town pump." About the time that the town- lots were sold, a town-pump was projected by Richard Peters, agent for the proprietors, " for the encouragement of the town," and he con- tributed ten pounds towards the expense. Conrad Weiser selected the place for the well. It was situated in the middle of Penn Square, about seventy-five yards east of Callowhill Street. Good water was found at the depth of fifty- three feet. An order for the money was drawn by Peters, in Weiser's favor, dated August 1, 1750, in which Peters certified that the well had been dug, and Weiser acknowledged the receipt of the ten pounds. Sixteen years afterward it came to occupy the centre of the market-house, which was erected over it. And there it stood till the market-house was torn down in 1871, a period of over one hundred and twenty years. What a history it has! Who, of the many cit- izens horn before 1860, does not remember it with pleasure ? Many a thirst was quenched with a hearty draft of cold lime-stone water out of the rusty iron ladle, with a long handle, at- tached to the pump by a chain. During the semi-annual fairs, and also during parades and demonstrations on Penn Square, it was particu- larly convenient and useful.

At the November sessions of court, in the year 1806, a petition was presented to the judges, which represented "that there is fre- quently a great scarcity of water in the town of Reading, which is not only a great inconve- nience to the inhabitants and farmers passing through with their teams, but excites serious alarm in case of any buildings taking fire. That a pump of water is particularly wanted near the new market, in the said town, which would be free to all inhabitants and others ;" and prayed that the grand jury would allow a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of sink-

1 Highest price then paid was by William Lotz, for No. 2, Eastern Market-$43.50. Sold by public outcry.

2 George W. Garst bought them at public sale on May 13, 1871-eastern, three hundred and fifteen dollars ; western, four hundred dollars. He removed them during May and June following.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ing a well and putting in a pump at the west end of said market-house. The prayer was granted, and a sum allowed ; and the pump was established at the place designated. But this pump was not so popular as the older pump in the eastern market-house-the water was not so palatable.

FAIR-DAYS .- By the charter the semi-annual fairs were held on the 27th day of October and the 4th day of June of each year.1 These fairs were instituted for the exhibition and sale of all kinds of products, manufactures and merchan- dise. And they were not alone for the town people, but for the farmers. The eastern mar- ket-house was the most popular. The first fair was held in October, 1766. They were held regularly for about seventy years, during which time they encouraged trade and contributed much pleasure to the people. Dancing was carried on by men, women and young people at certain taverns in the town, the "Green Tree" (now the Keystone House) having been conspic- uous in this respect. Besides dancing there was much general jollification. Two days were usually spent in this manner, the first day hav- ing been by common consent for the " country folks" and the second for the "towu folks."2 Fighting was a common practice, and "rowdies" and "bullies " were conspicuous. This rough and boisterous element in public brought the fairs gradually into disrepute. About 1836 they began to be objectionable, so much, indeed, that the better class of people of the town uttered complaints. The noise and disturbance was not caused by men alone. Boys took part in the demonstration by shooting off and exploding fire-crackers and yelling vociferously till mid- night. "What times ! What manners !" Just then the common school was fighting its way into public favor ; and as the school came nearer to the people the fair-day, with its hilarity and profanity, departed. The following notice3

of the " Fall Fair-day " appeared in one of the local weekly newspapers :

" The semi-annual fair on Wednesday [October 27, 1847] was a dead failure. A few rowdy-looking in- dividuals of both sexes rendezvoused at the lower market-house, but elsewhere the streets maintained their usual quiet appearance. These fairs are now brought down to the lowest standard and must soon he entirely abolished by general consent. No one, either in town or country, laying any claim to respect- ability, will attend them ; and none but the vilest grog-shops and dens of iniquity afford them house- room to practice their drunken orgies and vulgar ' hoe-downs.' This is as it should be."

Year after year these great days lost favor till 1850, when they were abandoued. A new institution arose to take its place, which was more adapted to develop respectful behavior and encourage agriculture and manufactures. This was the Agricultural Society. And from the highway at the market-houses the exhibition was transferred to the "Commons," which the society inclosed and improved for the purpose. The selling feature of "fair-day" was discon- tinued, and the semi-annual town fair became an annual county fair.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 125

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