USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 139
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to the purposes for which they are used. Up to January, 1870, a large home business was done, but since that time it has been extended into other connties in Pennsylvania and various States of the Union. At the close of the year 1885 the paid-up capital of the company was two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, with four hundred thousand dollars assets. The present officers are William A. Arnold, presi- dent; Adam Bard, vice-president ; S. E. Ancona, secretary and treasurer.
SINKING SPRING MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY .- This company was organized un- der an act of the Legislature, approved Febru- ary 10, 1843, and had its principal office at Sinking Spring until 1864, when it was remov- ed to Reading, where it has since been main- tained. The original corporators were Solomon Kirby, William Peacock, Aaron Mull, John Van Reed, James C. Livingood, Andrew Kurr, Isaac H. Mohr, George Whitner, John Kemp, Peter Kershner, John W. Gloninger, C. O. Meiley, Edward Kern. The company is purely mutual, issues perpetual policies on or- dinary risks and its management is safe and, conservative. Since its organization three hun- dred and thirty-nine thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars insurance has been paid. The in- surance carried at present aggregates nearly fourteen million dollars. The principal officers are James Y. Shearer, president ; Wellington Van Reed, secretary ; Philip R. Ball, treasurer.
AMERICAN PROTECTIVE AND DETECTIVE SOCIETY OF READING, was organized 1885. It was chartered on the 9th of March, of the same year, with a paid-up capital of twenty thousand dollars, with the privilege to extend the same to one hundred thousand dollars. It issued its first policy March 25, 1885, since which time the business has rapidly increased. The number of members is two hundred and thirty, the amount of insurance taken is two hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars.
SECRET ASSOCIATIONS.
FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS .- The first lodge of Masons in the county was instituted at Reading March 31, 1794, with five members. Its meetings have since been regularly held as
829
READING.
Reading Lodge, No. 66. It has at present more than three hundred and twenty-five mem- bers. Hundreds more have been initiated by it into the doctrines of Masonry. Chandler Lodge is the strongest, numerically, in the city, having about four hundred members.
The appeuded list shows the Masonic organ- izations of Reading :
Lodges.
Reading, No. 66, instituted March 31, 1794.
Chandler, " 227, " May 4, 1848.
Teutonia, " 367, " 30, 1867.
St. John's, " 435, 66
March 1, 1869.
Reading, " 549, " Dec. 28, 1876.
Chapters.
Reading, H. R., No. 152, instituted Nov. 20, 1827.
Excelsior, No. 237, 1870.
Commanderies.
De Molay, No. 9, instituted March 25, 1854.
Reading, " 42, Sept. 24, 1871.
Fraternal Temple, No. 2, Masonic tie, insti- tuted
Creighton Council, No. 16, instituted June 25, 1863.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD-FELLOWS .- The Independent Order of Odd-Fellows was established in the United States April 26, 1819, and the first prominent lodge in Reading was instituted in 1839. From that time the growth of the order has been steady, both in the city and the county. In 1849 there were 1613 mem- bers ; increased to 1707 in 1855.
The condition of the order in the county on the 1st of October, 1884, is shown in the fol- lowing lists :
No.
Name.
Date of Charter.
Member- ship.
Location.
59
Montgomery
March 26, 1838
258
Reading
103
Symmetry
Feb'y
17, 1845
123
Hamburg
105
Salome
March 25, 1845
232
Reading
122
Bernville
July
24, 1845
26
141
Leesport
Dec.
15, 1845
- 84
Leesport .
147
Metanora.
Jan.
14, 1845
228
Reading
158
Germania .
Feb.
16, 1846
195
Reading
159
Golden Rule
Feb'y
16, 1846
81
189
Emblematic .
March 23, 1846
157
Reading
218
Oley *.
Dec.
21, 1846
82
Reading
498
Continental +
Nov.
21, 1853
144
Reading
514
Neversink .
Nov.
20, 1854
82
Birdsboro'
518
Mount Penn
May
18, 1855
229
Reading
534
Longswamp .
Feb'y
21, 1857
52
Longewamp
834
Lyons
May
20, 1869
32
Lyons Station
820
Bethel
Dec.
16, 1872
55
Bethel
835
Wernersville
April
14, 1873
39
Wernersville
194
Vigilance .
Sept.
17, 1884
.
* Removed from Pleasantville to Boyertown, thence to Reading.
+ Formerly Rehrersburg Lodge ; removed to Reading and reorganized January 30, 1867.
The nine lodges in the city had seventeen hundred and twenty-five members, and the out- side lodges six hundred and forty-eight mem- bers.
The above lodges have assets amounting to seventy thousand seven hundred dollars and pay out about fifteen thousand dollars annually for the care of the sick and the burial of the dead. The assets of the lodges in the city alone are nearly forty-one thousand dollars, and its lodges are carried on at an expense of a little more than fifteen thousand dollars per year.
The following are the encampments in the city and the county :
No.
Name.
Date of Charter.
Member- ship.
Location.
8
Hebron .
April
3, 1841
207
Reading
43
Reading
July
13, 1846
215
Reading
106
Hamburg .
Jan'y
21, 1851
41
Hamburg
123
Longewamp
Nov.
19, 1856
22
Longswamp
152
Mt. Penn .
Feb'y
16, 1867
71
Reading
190
Birdebora'
Oct.
23, 1869
47
Birdsboro'
The Odd-Fellows' Mutual Life Insurance Association, of Berks County, was organized December 1, 1869, and has been fairly prosper- ous. Its office is in Reading.
TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES .- The Reading Temperance Society was organized on July 2, 1829, and two years later it had one hundred members. Prior to 1831 there were ten distil- leries in and near the city which were about that time discontinued, so that but one remained in 1832. The following year there was organ- ized the "Berks County Temperance Society," auxiliary to the State Society, for discouraging the use of ardent spirits. Its purposes were shown in its constitution :
"Article 10. The members of this society, believ- ing that the use of distilled liquor is, for persons in health, not only unnecessary, but injurious, and that the practice is the cause of forming intemperate ap- petites and habits, and while it is continued the evil of intemperance can never be prevented, do, there- fore, agree, that they will not, except as medicine, in case of bodily infirmity, use distilled spirits our- selves, or procure them for the use of our families, or provide them for the entertainment of our friends or for persons in our employment ; and that, in all suit- able ways, we will discountenance the use of them in the community."
348 441
Reading .
Feb'y
19, 1849
206
Reading
Monocacy
June
10, 1851
33
Douglassville
557
Caernarvon
Nov.
15, 1859
33
Morgantown
Reading
Bernville
Womelsdorf
830
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The officers for 1833 were,-President, Garrick Mallery ; Vice-Presidents, Isaac Heister and John P. Rutter ; Secretary, Henry Rhoads ; Treasurer, Lloyd Wharton ; Executive Com- mittee, Isaac Heister, Wm. Darling, John P. Rutter, James L. Dunn, Evan Evans, Elijah Dechert, Joseph Kendall.
In 1845 the Sons of Temperance established a flourishing division1 in Reading, and the fol- lowing year there were six hundred members in the county, most of them in the city. On the 18th of January, 1847, John B. Gongh lectured on temperance in the Reformed Church, the tickets of admission being sold at twelve and a half cents. "His lecture excited the most astonishing sensation," according to the report of a local paper. In October, 1853, Neal Dow lectured on the Maine Liqnor Law in St. Peter's Methodist Church, his address creating a favorable impression.
The first lodge of Good Templars in Read- ing was organized January 1, 1855, and was called Keystone, No. 254. About a year later Esmeralda Lodge was instituted, but both ceased to exist in a few years. Next came Reading and Norma Lodges of Good Templars, which were very flourishing for a number of years ; and in later years other lodges were established which had a short existence.
AMERICAN PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION .- This order has the following organizations : Reading Lodge, No. 74, instituted July 31, 1857 ; Germania Lodge, No. 1, instituted June 16, 1870; Esther Lodge, No. 2, instituted March 1, 1871; Aaron Lodge, No. 95, insti- tuted Ang. 23, 1871; Mount Sinai Encamp- ment, No. 4, instituted Jan. 1, 1866 ; Friend- ship Lodge (Junior Order), No. 7, instituted September 21, 1868.
BROTHERHOOD OF THE UNION .- This order has the following organizations : Freedom Circle, No. 7, instituted April 31, 1864 ; Friend- ship Circle, No. 17, instituted May 1, 1866 ; Lady Jefferson Home Commission, No. 5, in- stituted Oct. 8, 1867 ; Deborah Franklin Home Commission, No. 6, instituted May 19, 1868.
ORDER OF AMERICAN MECHANICS .- The Senior Branch has four councils, namely: Osceola, No. 34; Reading, No. 46; Seminole, No. 88; and Pocahontas, No. 235. The Junior Branch of the order has two councils : Perseverance, No. 19 ; and Resolute, No. 27.
PATRIOTIC ORDER SONS OF AMERICA .- The camps of this order in Reading are Wash- ington, No. 61, instituted Feb. 3, 1860 ; Wash- ington, No. 89, instituted March 13, 1868 ; Washingtou, No. 163 ; Lexington Command- ery, No. 2, instituted in May, 1868, and reor- ganized February 22, 1880. The order has more than seven hundred members in Reading.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS .- This organization has the following societies at Reading : Friend- ship Lodge, No. 5, instituted Angust 24, 1867; Mt. Penn Lodge, No. 65, instituted March 17, 1868; Allemania Lodge, No. 204, instituted October 14, 1869; Neversink Lodge, No. 313; Endowment Rank, Section No. 9, instituted December 1, 1877.
GERMAN ORDER OF HARUGARI .- This order has the following lodges : Herman Lodge, No. 16, instituted Jnne, 1849 ; Muhlenberg Lodge, No. 27; Goethe Lodge, No. 60, instituted March 3, 1857 ; Vereinigungs Lodge, No. 132, instituted July 31, 1866 ; Cherusker Degree Lodge, No. 11; German Mannie, No. 7, insti- tuted in 1857.
ORDER OF RED MEN maintains the follow- ing tribes in Reading : Juniata, No. 74, insti- tnted Angust 22, 1867; Opekassett, No. 122, instituted April, 1870 ; Mahala, No. 34, O. R. M.
ORDERS NOT CLASSIFIED.
Reading Lodge, No. 14, Kuights of Birmingham. '
Alpha Castle, No. 1, Knights of the Mystic Chain.
Koerner Conclave, No. 7, Order of Seven Wise Men.
Reading Castle, No. 49, K. of G. E., instituted March 27, 1885.
Reading Council, No. 1021, A. L. H., instituted August 1, 1882.
Mt. Penn Council, No. 495, Royal Arcanum.
Fidelia Chamber, No. 5, K. of F., instituted Feb- ruary 4, 1880.
Cavendish Lodge, No. 127, Sons of St. George, in- stituted September, 1883.
1 Phoenix Division, No. 41, instituted May 1, 1845.
831
READING.
Semlukie Tent, No. 26, D. of F., instituted June 5, 1866.
Reading Grove, No. 15, A. O. of D., instituted Au- gust 18, 1858.
Mistletoe Grove, No. 20, A. O. of D., instituted Oc- tober 27, 1847.
Chapter No. 2, United Order of Pythagoreans, in- stituted February 6, 1867.
Reading Conclave, No. 67, I. O. of Heptasophs.
Division No. 1, Railroaders' Brotherhood, instituted October 12, 1873.
Reading Division, No. 75, B. of L. E., instituted March, 1866.
Jochebed Lodge, No. 1306, G. U. O. of O. F.
Hermania Association, No. 32, Philozathians, insti- tuted 1849.
Star of Hope Association, No. 16, Philozathians, in- stituted November 30, 1848.
United Encampment, No. 6, Philozathians, insti- tuted July 6, 1854.
True Friends Lodge, No. 6, L. of P., instituted August 10, 1868.
United Sons of America, instituted 1855.
Beneficial Society, No. 3, American Workingmeu's, incorporated January 20, 1872.
Beneficial Society, No. 2, American Workingmen's. Equitable Beneficial Society, chartered January 17, 1882.
Washington Beneficial Society, instituted January 22, 1835.
Unterstuetzungs Verein, No. 1.
Mutual Relief Association, organized November 8, 1866.
Abigail Lodge, No. 8, instituted November 9, 1865. Samaritan, No. 32, Ancient Order Good-fellows, in- stituted January 1, 1867.
Bricklayers' Union, instituted October, 1883.
BANKS AND BANKING.
The first public financial institution of this country was the "Bank of North America." It was incorporated by the United States Congress on December 31, 1781. The idea of such an in- stitution was suggested by Robert Morris, and he also submitted a plan for its management. It arose from a conviction that the public finances would be supported thereby, and that the exigencies of the government rendered its establishment indispensable. Its operations began on January 7, 1782. Robert Morris then wrote to the president of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania "that it would have a tendency to increase both the internal and external con- merce of North America, and would undoubt- edly be infinitely useful to all the traders of
every State in the Union, if properly con- ducted."
This project necessarily stimulated the idea of a State bank. After the lapse of a decade, leg- islation was induced in this direction, and on the 30th of March, 1793, the " Bank of Penn- sylvania " was incorporated. It was empowered to establish " Branch Banks."
READING BRANCH BANK .- The directors were authorized to establish a branch at Read- ing. Subscriptions of the stock were directed to be made on the 3d of June, 1793, at Phila- delphia, Lancaster and Reading. The amount to be subscribed at Reading was two hundred shares, and the subscription was to be conducted by James Diemer, Joseph Hiester, James May, Jacob Bower and Thomas Dundas. The efforts of these men were not successful at that time. But the opportunity of establishing such an in- valuable agent for public progress was not laid out of sight, though fifteen years elapsed before it came to be permanently instituted. On the 26th of July, 1808, it was opened to the public, and it was commonly known as the " Reading Bank of Discount and Deposit." The directors were Daniel Udree, George Ege, John Addams, Peter Frailey, George De B. Keim, John Smith, Marks J. Biddle, Gabriel Hiester, Jr., Charles Evans, Joseph Hiester, William Bell and William Moore.
It will be observed that only one of the ac- tively interested persons at the beginning sur- vived, and this was Joseph Hiester. The busi- ness of this bank was carried on in the building now occupied by the " Union Bank " from the beginning of its career till its suspension in 1857. This building has been used for the pur- poses of a bank for nearly eighty years.
FARMERS' BANK. - This was the second bank instituted at Reading. It was authorized by an act of Assembly passed on the 21st of March, 1813, creating a general system of bank- ing for the entire State, divided the State into twenty-seven districts and provided a bank for each district. The counties of Berks and Schuylkill were made one district and given a bank, to be called the " Farmers' Bank of Reading ; " and the directors were authorized to establish an office at Orwigsburg, in Schuylkill
832
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
County, for the purposes of discount and de- posit only. The number of shares-at fifty dollars each-which were to be subscribed for was ten thousand five hundred in Berks County and fifteen hundred in Schuylkill County. Governor Simon Snyder was opposed to legis- lation on this subject, and especially to the system proposed. He therefore returned the bill with his objections, which, it can be added, were expressed with great force and sense, if not with effect.1 But a year afterward (21st of March, 1814) it was passed over his veto by two-thirds of both Houses.
The introductory steps towards establishing this institution were taken on the 11th of No- vember, 1813, at a public meeting which was held in the public building;2 the officers were John Spayd, chairman, and Frederick Smith, secretary.
The following resolutions, among others, were adopted ;
"That a well regulated Bank, with a competent capital, under the direction of Persons in whom the Citizens of the County of Berks and of the State at large would place confidence, established in the Bor- ough of Reading and authorized by Law, would greatly promote internal improvements and the Agri- cultural, Commercial and Manufacturing Interest of the County.
"That it is highly imprudent, unsafe and would speedily subvert every principle of good government for Banking Associations in Pennsylvania to com- mence operations contrary to the Laws of this Com- monwealth, and to oppose the constituted authorities of our Country in violating the Act of the 19th of March, 1810, on the subject of Banks, by establish- ing or organizing Banking Companies without pre- viously obtaining Charters.
" That S. D. Franks, John Spayd, John M. Hyne- man, Frederick Smith, Esqs., and Matthias Ludwig be a Committee for the purpose of drafting the Mem- orial, and that they be authorized to confer with a similar Committee should such Committee be appointed in Schuylkill County, and to embrace Schuylkill and Berks in the Petition for a Charter should the Citizens of Schuylkill County deem it proper. Capital, $500,000, with privilege of extend- ing it to $1,000,000."
The first directors were John Spayd, William Witman, Jr., John M. Hyneman, Jacob K.
Boyer, Lewis Reese, Daniel Kerper, Samuel Bell, Benneville Keim, Conrad Stauch, John Good, Ludwig Worman, John Wiley, Daniel Graeff. These individuals met at the court- house on the 14th of June, 1814, for the pur- pose of effecting an organization, and on the 22d of June, following, they elected William Witman president and John S. Hiester cashier. Having shortly before purchased the building now occupied by the bank, at 445 Penn Street, they began business on the day named.
A "Branch Bank " was not established at Orwigsburg.
As a matter of general interest, and being the earliest banking statistics which could be ob- tained, the following statement is presented :
Profits of Bank.
From June, 1814, to April, 1815. $18,776
From May, 1815, to Nov., 1815. 19,026
From Nov., 1815, to May, 1816. 18,961
From May, 1816, to Nov., 1816. 17,221
From Nov., 1816, to May, 1817 20,075
From May, 1817, to Nov., 1817.
18,544
From Nov., 1817, to May, 1818. 15,601
From May, 1818, to Nov., 1818.
16,225
Condition of Bank.
Nov., 1815.
Oct., 1818.
Notes of bank.
$40,475.00
$158,142.00
Western notes.
21,568.00
3235.00
Philadelphia notes ..
23,113.00
........
Foreign gold
7,899.49
1,678.83
American notes.
3420.00
2,847.50
Silver.
30,820.90
16,988.74
Total $127,296.39 $182,892.17
This will afford an idea of the extent of the business of the borough then. The Reading Bauk had trausactions as great, it not greater, in amount. Till September, 1819, the business had increased to five hundred and eighteen thousand seven hundred and forty-one dollars, having been almost trebled. In No- vember, 1840, it was six hundred and nine thousand seven hundred and seventy-oue dol- lars.
This institution has continued to prosper from the time of its organization to the present. The names of the presidents and cashiers, to- gether with their terms of service, are as fol- lows :
Presidents : William Witman, 1814-15; Lewis
1 Smith's Laws.
2 The State-House was commonly used in this work.
If Ht muhlenberg
833
READING. .
Reese, 1815-19; Frederick Smith, 1819-25; Benne- ville Keim, 1825-36; Isaac Eckert, 1836-7 -; Henry S. Eckert, 1873. Cashiers : John S. Hiester, 1814- 16; James Wilson, 1816-18; Benjamin Davis, 1818- 19; John S. Hiester, 1819-27; George M. Keim, 1827-36 ; Benneville Keim, 1836-42; H. H. Muhlen- berg, 1842-86 ; Cyrus Rick, 1886.
The cash capital at present is four hundred thousand dollars ; surplus, two hundred thou- sand dollars.
HIESTER H. MUHLENBERG was born at Reading January 15, 1812. His father, Rev. Henry A. Muhlenberg, was pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church of Reading; afterwards member of Congress and ambassador to Aus- tria, and at the time of his death the candidate of the Democratic party for Governor of Penn- sylvania. His mother was Rebecca Hiester, daughter of Governor Joseph Hiester. He acquired a preliminary education under the instruction of Rev. John F. Grier, in the Read- ing Academy. In 1826 he entered the sopho- more class of Dickinson College, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1829. He selected medicine as a profession and began the study of it in the office of Dr. Thomas Harris, a physician of excellent reputation in Philadelphia. He attended the medical lectures at the University of Pennsylvania during the winters of 1831 and 1832, and was graduated from that institution with the class of 1832.
Dr. Muhlenberg began the practice of liis profession in his native city and continued eight years. During this period and for some years following he took an active interest in politics, and until the breaking out of the Civil War he remained a firm and consistent Democrat. During the panic of 1837 the affairs of the Farmers' Bank of Reading became very much involved, and the complete ruin of the bank seemed close at hand. The integrity, capacity and financial ability of Dr. Muhlenberg were well known and he was placed temporarily in charge of the bank in order to restore its affairs to a sound and healthy condition. His manage- ment of the affairs of the bank was in the high- est degree successful, so that he was induced to give up his intention of resuming the practice of medicine and urged to accept the position of cashier of the Farmers' Bank in March, 1842.
He has been annually re-elected and has served continuously iu that position until this date (1886), a period of forty-three years. The in- tegrity, capacity and financial ability of the cashier preserved the bank from embarrassment during the panic of 1857, the financial troubles incident to the the Civil War and of the fiuan- cial crisis of the year 1873. During all these periods of financial depression the Farmers' Bank of Reading has always maintained the highest reputation for great financial strength and for the soundest business management. The success and reputation of the bank are mainly due to the ability and high character of its cashier.
Dr. Muhlenberg was for ten years a mem- ber of Councils of the borough of Reading, and a member of the first Councils after the city corporation in 1850.
Prior to the Civil War he took great interest and an active part in the volunteer military or- ganizations of his own county. He entered a noted company, called the Washington Grays, as a private, and afterwards became lieutenant. During the Catholic riots of 1844, in Philadel- phia, as lieutenant of the Washington Grays he formed part of the force sent to that city to as- sist in quelling the riot. During the Civil War he twice enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Volunteers-once before the battle at Antietam, and again after the battle of Gettysburg.
Dr. Muhlenberg was one of the original trus- tees of the Charles Evans Cemetery Company, and for many years was the president of that corporation. He was a director and president of the Reading Water Company.
Dr. Muhlenberg has been twice married,-first, to Amelia Hanold, and second, to Catherine S. Hunter, both of Reading, Pa. By the last marriage he has had seven children. He be- came a member of the Lutheran Church in 1830 and was a member of the vestry of Trinity Church for many years.
Dr. Muhlenberg has always been a public- spirited and enterprising citizen, and his gener- osity is well-known. He has favored and assisted the growth and development of his native city by every proper means within his power. He died May 5, 1886.
.
834
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ISAAC ECKERT, ironmaster and bank presi- dent, was born in the town of Womelsdorf, Berks County, in January, 1800. He was a son of Peter Eckert, a farmer and merchant of that neighborhood, and a grandson of Valentine Eckert, who represented Berks County as one of the delegates to the first Constitutional Con- vention of Pennsylvania, in 1776, and who served in the Revolutionary War as captain of a troop of cavalry. The maiden-name of his mother was Brown, a member of a well-known family near Erie, Pa. He was educated in the schools of his native place and in the grammar- school of the University of Pennsylvania.
Before attaining his majority, he and his elder brother, William, succeeded their father in the mercantile business at Womelsdorf, and, about 1828, they removed their business to Reading, where they continued the same busi- ness at the northwest corner of Fourth and Penn Streets until 1836, when he retired and became associated with his younger brother, Dr. George N. Eckert, in the manufacture of iron. In 1842-44 they erected at Reading the " Henry Clay Furnace," which was one of the largest anthracite furnaces in the State at that time; and, in 1855, a similar furnace was erected upon an adjoining site. Upon the death of Dr. Eckert, he became the sole owner of these iron-works, and continued to operate the same until 1873, when he retired, passing them over to his sons, Henry S. and George B. Eckert, by whom the furnaces have been since successfully carried on under the firm-name of Eckert & Brother.
In 1838 he was elected president of the Farmers' Bank of Reading, and he held this office without intermission until his death, in 1873, covering a period of thirty-five years. His eldest son, Henry S. Eckert, succeeded him in this position. He also served as president of the Country Bank Association for eight years,- this association having been composed of the national banks east of the Allegheny Moun- tains. In 1852 he was chosen president of the Leesport Iron Company, and he continued to act as the executive officer till the time of his decease, a period of twenty-one years. He was one of the largest stockholders of this extensive
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