History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 145

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 145

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

"The individual who first conceived, suggested and urged the erection of a Normal School at Kutz- town was Prof. John S. Ermentrout, then Superin- tendent of Common Schools in Berks Co. The Hon. H. H. Schwartz, a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa., procured the architectural design. He, Profs. Nicks and Ermentrout, and the Rev. B. E. Kramlich deserve great credit for the zeal with which they encouraged the great work to its final completion.

"The corner-stone was laid Sept. 17, 1865, by the County Superintendent of Berks County ; and ad- dresses were delivered by Hon. J. Lawrence Getz, William Rosenthal, Esq., Hon. Daniel Ermentrout, Llewellyn Wanner, Esq., and Prof. Albert N. Raub.

"On September 13, 1866, the school was recog- nized by the State Superintendent, Hon. Chas. R. Coburn, and the Committee of Inspection, as the State Normal School for the Third District, which em-

braces the counties of Berks, Schuylkill and Lehigh. The Inspectors were the Hons. W. Worthington, G. Landon, S. Elliott, Thaddeus Banks and the County Superintendents, John S. Ermentrout, of Berks, Jesse Newlin, of Schuylkill, and E. J. Young, of Lehigh."1

On the 15th of September, 1866, the building was formally dedicated, " with the celebration of ap- propriate religious and literary exercises, to the honor of Almighty God, to the service of a sound Christian morality and to the educational interests of the State of Pennsylvania."

The first principal of the Keystone Normal School was John S. Ermentrout, A.M., Professor of Mental and Moral Science, and of Theory and Practice of Teaching. From 1866-71 he dis- charged the duties of this position. During the first year of its existence there were enrolled three hundred and eighteen students.

During the first year the following teachers were employed : H. R. Nicks, A.M., Associate Princi- pal, and Professor of Mathematics and Physics; Albert N. Raub, A.M., of English Language and Literature and Vocal Music ; Samuel Transeau, A.M., of Ancient Languages and History; Ed- ward T. Burgan, M.E., Superintendent of Model School ; Rev. G. F. Spieker, of German Language and Literature; Lesher Trexler, M.D., of Anat- omy, Physiology and Hygiene; Miss Julia E. Bullard, M.L., of Instrumental Music, French, Painting and Drawing ; Mary Morrison, of Read- ing, Geography ; and P. S. Umbenhauer, Pupil Assistant.

In 1871 the Rev. A. R. Horne, A.M., was elected as the principal, Professor Ermentrout hav- ing gone to another field of labor ; but he did not take charge of the school until March, 1872. Meantime Prof. N. C. Schaeffer was the acting principal, and, upon the retirement of Professor Horne, in the summer of 1877, he became princi- pal, which office he has since filled with great suc- cess.

Professor Schaeffer was born in Maxatawny in 1849, educated at the Keystone Normal and grad- uated from Franklin and Marshall College in 1867. Studied theology, was ordained to the ministry and pursued a course of study in the Universities of Berlin, Tubingen and Leipzic from 1873 to 1875.

. R. R. Koch.

869

BOROUGHS OF COUNTY.

Returning to this country, he taught several years in Franklin and Marshall College and then re- signed his professorship to become principal of the Keystone Normal School.

In 1885 the organization of the school was as follows :

Trustees representing the stockholders : John Hum- bert, Esq., Daniel Dietrich, U. J. Miller, J. Howard Jacobs, Esq., Hon. H. H. Schwartz, Nathan S. Kemp, I. L. DeTurk, David H. Hottenstein, Rev. B. E. Kramlich, Dr. J. S. Trexler, David Schaeffer, Prof. Henry R. Nicks.

Trustees representing the State: John G. Wink, Joseph N. Shomo, Col. Thomas D. Fister, George J. Kutz, Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs, Gen. J. A. M. Passmore.

Officers : Rev. B. E. Kramlich, president of board of trustees; John Humbert, secretary of board of trus- tees ; David H. Hottenstein, president of board of stockholders ; Dr. Edward Hottenstein, secretary of board of stockholders; Prof. John J. Hottenstein, treasurer; Dewalt F. Bieber, steward.

Board of Instruction: Rev. Nathan C. Schaeffer, Ph.D., principal; Rev. George B. Hancher, A.M., vice-principal ; Henry F. Bitner, A.M., secretary ; Ellwood L. Kemp, A.M., librarian; J. J. Hotten- stein, M.E., book-keeper; Miss Katharine A. Find- ley, preceptress.

Allen Hottenstein, James H. Marx and F. K. Berndt have been superintendents of the Model School.

In 1868 the first class was graduated, consisting of six young men, namely,-W. M. Achenbach, George H. Heffner, R. N. Lehman, J. H. Marx, A. D. Rowe and F. F. Springer. Since that time the number of graduates annually in the elemen- tary course has been as follows :

1869

1878 10

1870

1880 21

1872

1883

1875

1884 30

1876

1885 36 1877

The following have been the graduates in the scientific course :

1871, Rev. W. J. Andres, M.S., Rev. T. K. Bernd, M.S., Rev. Jacob G. Neff, A.M., Jairus G. Neff, A.M. ; 1874, Rev. U. P. Heilman, M.S .; 1876, F. P. Matz, Ph.D .; 1877, F. K. Flood, Esq., M.S., Mrs. Clara J. Mohr Wehb, M.S., Alice Hottenstein, M.S.

Of the two hundred and seventy graduates,

ninety were from Berks County. A majority of the graduates have devoted themselves to teaching. Fourteen of the graduates have been awarded State certificates .

The total enrollment of students in 1885 was five hundred and forty-four.

The Normal School buildings are located upon an elevated campus, ten acres in extent, which have been highly beautified. The observatory of the main building commands a magnificent view of the surrounding country. In addition to the origi- nal buildings, a building for the ladies' depart- ment of the school was erected in 1880-81.

In 1884 the trustees erected another building, which contains a dining-room and kitchen, a com- modious chapel and four recitation-rooms, and a number of dormitories.

The building presents a front of three hundred and fifty feet and a depth of one hundred and ninety feet. The property is estimated to be worth one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Two literary societies, connected with the school, con- tribute to the progress and culture of the students. Each has a library of one thousand volumes.

The school is well supplied with illustrative philosophical apparatus, geological and ornitho- logical cabinets, and an extensive herbarium, con- taining the entire flora of the county.

Centennial Monument .- On the 4th of July, 1876, a fine monument was erected in the inclo- sure of the Keystone State Normal School, before the main building.

The base is a granite stone, weighing two tons and a half. On this rests an octagonal die which supports an octagon spire, both of Italian marble, and upon the spire there is an octagonal cap, surmounted with an eagle. The whole work reflects great credit on the sculptor, Mr. Philip Wentz. The cost was two hundred and fifty dol- lars. Of this sum, Mr. Wentz himself subscribed seventy five dollars, and the remainder was col- lected in town and in the Normal School by Mrs. Dr. Charles H. Wanner and the Misses Alesa Helfrich and Harriet B. Swineford. On the four larger sides of the die the following mottoes are inscribed, which were selected by a committee consisting of Rev. Professor Horne, Professor John S. Ermentrout and County Superintendent Sam- uel A. Baer.

1879 18 1871

1881 17 1873

1882 16 1874

870

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

On the north side, -" Unser Frei Schul Wesa- kumt fun da Pennsilfownish Deitsha har. Der Govaner Wolf hat's geplant un g'start un der Rit- ner un der Shunk hen's ausg'fuehrt."

On the south, -- " Nec scire fas est omnia."

On the east,-" Wie gott mit unsern Vaetern war, so sei er auch mit uns."

On the west,-" Virtue, Liberty and Independ- ence."

The following articles were deposited in that part of the monument on which the spire rests :

The history of Kutztown and Maxatawny ; the latest newspapers of the county ; ancient coins ; almanacs and coins of 1876; a catalogue of the Normal School for 1876; the names of contribu- tors to the monument ; and the late census of Kutz- town, continental scrip, and a silver quarter dated 1776, donated by A. J. Fogel. Professor John S. Ermentrout deposited these articles, and delivered an appropriate address. The chairman of the monumental committee, County Superintendent S. A. Baer, presented the monument to the chief burgess of the borough, and the chief burgess to the trustees of the Keystone Normal School, who received the same through their president, the Hon. H. H. Schwartz.

BANKS .- Kutztown Savings-Bank was chartered in 1869, with a capital of twenty-four thousand dol- lars in twelve hundred shares at twenty dollars each. It began business with a paid-up capital of six thou- sand. The first president was J. H. Fogel, and Edward Hottenstein was the first cashier. The bank suspended business in November, 1876, on account of the general stagnation of trade which crippled its loans. In 1876 W. C. Dietrich was the cashier.

Peabody Savings-Bank was organized a year later, with J. D. Wanner as cashier. It met a similar fate after being ten years in business.

National Bank of Kutztown obtained its charter under the general banking laws of the United States in 1871. Its authorized capital was sixty thousand dollars, with the privilege of increase to two hundred thousand dollars. John H. Fogel was the president, and Thomas D. Fister the cashier. J. G. Wink succeeded the former as president, and held that position until the bank was removed to Reading, in the spring of 1883, when the name was changed to Keystone National

Bank. A branch of this bank for receiving de- posits is still maintained in the Trexler Block at Kutztown.

PRESS .- The history of the press of the borough is noted in detail in Chapter XVII., Newspapers.

In 1886 there was a finely-equipped office, the property of A. B. Urich, from which he regularly published the Journal and the Patriot, German and semi-English papers, edited by Conrad Geh- ring, both of which were well patronized.

POST-OFFICE at Kutztown was established in 1805, and had for many years poor mail facilities. Henry Heist was one of the first postmasters, and was succeeded by his son Joseph, who held the office until after 1850. His successors were George Fister, Reuben Bast, Charles Helfrich, Jonathan Bieber, Christian Bieber, and since April, 1885, William Sander. The office is supplied with half a dozen mails per day, and distributes a large amount of matter.

PHYSICIANS .- Among those who first practiced medicine at Kutztown was a Dr. Ephraim Becker, of whom but little more than the name is now re- membered. The Baums, Drs. David and William, came soon afterward, but did not remain long, both removing to the West. At a later date Dr. Christian L. Schlemm (who died in Richmond township) was a practitioner of high repute. Dr. James Donagan was long in practice, serving also as town clerk. He removed to Reading where he studied law, and in the latter years of his life fol- lowed that profession. Dr. Evan Slough came from Easton, to which place he returned after a few years' stay.

Dr. Charles A. Gerasch came to the county in 1829, settled first at Mertztown, but later at Kutz- town, where he became one of the foremost physi- cians of the county. He died July 22, 1876, and his funeral was the largest ever held at Kutztown. Dr. Reuben Haines was in the borough from about 1836 until his death, eight years later. Dr. William S. Bieber was in the place about the same time, and died two years afterward. He was the father of Dr. Lewis Bieber, of Phillipsburg, N. J. Dr. Edward Hottenstein first practiced in Maxa- tawny township, and since 1870 in the borough. Dr. Elmer K. Hottenstein is also in practice at Kutztown. Dr. Jeremiah S. Trexler succeeded Dr. Charles A. Gerasch, and is now in active

871

BOROUGHS OF COUNTY.

practice. Dr. Charles H. Wanner practiced at Kutztown till his death, November 12, 1869, at the age of forty-two years. Dr. Cyrus Wanner has been at Kutztown in active practice since 1875. Dr. L. C. Berkemeyer came to the place as a druggist, but has been professionally engaged the past few years. Additional physicians have been Drs. J. H. Helfrich, I. N. Shoemaker and Solo- mon Becker.

In dentistry may be named H. L. and A. B. Johnson, Samuel and James O'Boyle and William Steller, A. B. Johnson and James O'Boyle con- tinuing to the present.

As graduates from medical colleges, who re- moved from Kutztown and vicinity, may be named David Hottenstein, Levi Thompson, Charles Schlemm, W. S. Bieber, Edward Hottenstein, W. Reichard, Thomas Strasser, L. Bieber, A. C. Hottenstein, E. N. Bieber, W. Reber and T. T. Thompson.

LAWYERS .- Among the attorneys at this place were Silas E. Buzzard, John K. Longenecker, Henry Kutz and Frederick John Haller, who was also a teacher.

H. H. Schwartz was an attorney at Kutztown from 1860 till 1883, when he was elevated to the office of Orphans' Court judge of Berks County.

James H. Marx has been a successful attorney in the borough since 1878.

FARMERS' MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COM- PANY OF BERKS AND LEHIGH COUNTIES was or- ganized in 1857. Its directors in January, 1886, were Benneville Smith, president ; William Sieg- fried, treasurer ; Jonathan Biehl, secretary ; C. H. Dietrich, Thomas D. Mohr and Stephen Smith. The office of the secretary is at Kutztown. The company carries twelve hundred risks, represent- ing three million dollars, in farm and detached vil- lage property. The average cost of insurance, up to this period, has been about $1.25 per thousand per annum.

SECRET SOCIETIES .- The Odd-Fellows organ- ized the first secret society in the borough.

Brotherly Love Lodge, No. 77, was instituted in October, 1842, and for many years flourished. The war and removals decimated its numbers to such an extent that its meetings had to be discon- tinued in January, 1879. -

ican Mechanics, instituted March 22, 1858, was the next in the order of time. It, too, was weak- ened by the war and by the stagnation of business which followed the panic of 1873. At one time it had a membership of one hundred and twenty, but it weakened so that, in 1876, it was forced to disband.

Friendship Link, No. 6, Daughters of Liberty, was instituted February 21, 1867, with thirty-six members, as a beneficiary society for ladies, to pro- vide a fund in case of sickness or death. The or- der proved highly beneficial so long as it was kept up, but lack of interest and changes in the social relations of the ladies belonging to the society forced it to disband March 30, 1876.

Kutztown Lodge, No. 307, Knights of Pythias, was instituted in 1872, but, after a few years of successful existence, in which period more than one hundred members were enrolled, it was obliged to surrender its charter in 1878, on account of lack of interest in the welfare of the order.

Tuscaledo Council, No. 116, Junior American Mechanics, was instituted in 1870, and disbanded in 1878.

Maxatawny Grange, No. 14, Patrons of Husban- dry, was instituted in the fall of 1873, and had for its first Master George Kutz. His successors were William DeTurk and Lewis Wagenhorst. The meetings were first held at Kutztown, but later in the township, where a sort of co-operative store was also maintained. At one time there were more than fifty members, but their interest in the good of the order declined to such an ex- tent that the meetings could no longer be kept up, and it was discontinued in 1876.

Huguenot Lodge, No. 377, F. and A. M., was instituted November 29, 1866, as a lodge of the Ancient York Masons, by J. L. Stichter, of Read- ing. It has had a flourishing existence, the mem- bership being more than a hundred.

Kutztown Lodge, No. 214, D. O. Harugari, whose motto is " Freundschaft, Liebe und Humanität," was instituted May 20, 1870. Unlike most lodges of this order, the membership is composed largely of native-born citizens, only a few Germans of foreign birth belonging to it. In the first five years of its existence the lodge had more than a hundred members, but the panic of 1873 reduced

Kutztown Council, No. 48, Order of Senior Amer- | the number to sixty-three. In January, 1886,

872

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ninety members were reported. The lodge has an invested fund of two thousand dollars and holds its meetings in a very fine room. On the 4th of July, 1876, the lodge dedicated a lot in Fairview Cemetery for the use of its members, upon which it planted an oak-tree as its symbol.

Adonis Castle, No. 70, Knights of the Golden Eagle, was instituted January 14, 1886, with thirty-seven charter members.

CEMETERIES .- Hope Cemetery Company was in- corporated September 17, 1861. The cemetery was consecrated June 22, 1862. The subscribers were Samuel Shearer, Daniel Bieber, John W. Bieber, William Heine, David Kutz, Jacob R. Heffner and Charles W. Esser. Purchasers of lots in the cemetery obtain a mutual membership in the company, whose affairs are controlled by nine trustees. In 1886 these were George J. Kutz, president ; John Humbert, secretary ; Jonathan Biehl, treasurer; J. R. Heffner, Reuben Kutz, D. S. Kutz, David Schaeffer, William Shaedle and William Sanders. The cemetery consists of about three acres of land, near St. John's Church. A neat iron fence was erected along Church Alley, at a cost of sixteen hundred dollars. The lot- owners number about two hundred. The first burial was John D. Bieber, December 30, 1861.

Fairview Cemetery was consecrated June 15, 1861. It consists of five acres of finely-located land, lying beyond the campus of the Normal School. It is also controlled by an associa- tion, having no ecclesiastical connection. This body was organized April 12, 1861. In January, 1886, it had one hundred and ninety-two members. The officers then were : President, Isaac F. Christ ; Secretary, Jonathan Hoch ; Treasurer, J. D. Wanner. The cemetery has been inclosed with a substantial stone and iron fence and presents an attractive appearance. Isadore Weiser was the first person interred.

KEYSTONE AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTU- RAL SOCIETY was chartered in 1870, with forty-one stockholders. Its first officers were Elijah De Turk, president ; John R. Gonser, secretary ; and L. K. Hottenstein, treasurer. Fifteen acres of land, near the borough limits, were purchased and improved for fair purposes. A race-course was constructed and substantial buildings were erected for the display of textile and manufactured goods. The outlay

was nearly fifteen thousand dollars. Notwithstand- ing the exhibitions first held were successful, the receipts were inadequate to defray the amounts expended, which embarrassed the society to such an extent, in the course of a few years, that a fore- closure was inevitable. At a sale of the same, Jacob R. Heffner and Joshua A. Levan became the owners, and by a subsequent transfer the prop- erty passed into the hands of W. H. Heffner. The society attained its zenith in 1876.

From that time on the business depression which affected Kutztown caused a diminished in- terest in the affairs of the society ; and, although the annual exhibitions have been maintained, they have not reached the high standard of the first meetings. In 1872 Horace Greeley visited Kutz- town and delivered the annual address before the society ; in 1874 the orator was the Hon. Alex- ander Ramsey ; and in 1875 Judge Humphreys, of Washington, D. C. The meetings are now held under the direction of the owners of the property.

BERKS COUNTY POULTRY ASSOCIATION was or- ganized at Kutztown, in the latter part of 1875, with L. C. Berkemeyer, president ; Conrad Gehring, sec- retary; J. H. Marx, corresponding secretary ; S. S. Schmehl, treasurer. Its first and only exhibition was held January 11-14, 1876, the association dis- banding soon afterwards.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

NATHAN LEVAN is descended from Huguenot stock, and the great-grandson of Jacob Levan, who resided in Maxatawny township. His son John, who later occupied the homestead, married a Miss Schwoyer, whose children were Daniel, Gideon, John, Samuel, David, Perry, Harrison; and daughters, Mrs. Levan, Mrs. Kahl, Mrs. De Turck aud Mrs. Houpt.

John, of this number, was born in the year 1800, and resided on a farm adjacent to the home- stead in Maxatawny township. He married Susan, daughter of Jacob Glasser, of the same township, and had children,-Nathan, Jacob (deceased ), Joshua (deceased), Susan, Mary (deceased) and Louisa. John Levan died in 1850 His son Nathan was born on the 12th of November, 1828, , in Maxatawny township, and remained at the home of his parents until his seventeenth year.

BOROUGHS OF COUNTY.

873

He meanwhile attended the academy at Kutz- town, and on completing his studies entered the tannery of William Hine, of Rockland township. On the completion of his apprenticeship, he removed to Philadelphia, and pursu d his trade in that city for five years. Returning to his rative county, he built a tannery in Kutztown, and for five years conducted a successful business. Selling the property at the expiration of this

and attention. Mr. Levan, in politics, is a Demo- crat, and, during the war, was president of the Borough Council of Kutztown, manifesting then great patriotism, by his efforts to fill the required quota and hy earnestly supporting the Union cause during that eventful period. He is a member of the Reformed Church of Kutztown, in which he is an elder. Mr. Levan was, on the 24th of No- vember, 1880, married to Ella F., daughter of

Nathan Levan

time, he built a distillery for the manufacture of [ Samuel and Harriet F. Berlin, of Cherryville, rye whiskey, and managed it for six years

Mr. Levan had meanwhile evinced a practical interest in the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, and contributed largely both by means and personal effort to its completion. He was, in 1867, elected steward of the school, and filled the office for seventeen years.

On tendering his resignation, which was ac- cepted with regret, he, with other citizens, estab- lished a shoe-factory, under the name of Levan, Stein & Co., to which he at present gives his time

Northampton County, Pa. Their only child, a son, John Nathan, was born in August, 1884, at Kutztown.

WOMELSDORF.

The borough of Womelsdorf is situated on the " Berks and Dauphin Turnpike," fourteen miles from Reading and about a mile north of Womels- dorf Station, on the Lebanon Valley Railroad. It contains three churches, a fine public school build-

874

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ing, four hotels and about a dozen places of busi- ness. It is an old town, laid out in 1762 by John Womelsdorf, from whom it takes its name. The town-plan comprised seventy-five lots. Until sixty years ago it was known and designated in the re- cords as Middletown, probably from its location midway between Reading and Lebanon. In 1885 the population was nearly eleven hundred, but as three hundred were reported in 1800, the increase since that time has been only about ten per year. The place has been substantially improved and con- tains a number of fine buildings.

Among the first settlers of the borough were families bearing the names of Seltzer, Sallade, Bressler, Sicherthaler, Bennethum, Moyer, Sim- mons, Reed, Pliny, Hersch, German, Stouch, Lesher, Ermentrout, Petree, Brownell, Arnold, Yeiser, Smith, See, Vanderslice, Diehl, Livingood, Voneida, Stephens and Kintzer.

The old landmarks have nearly all been re- moved. No direct descendants of John Womels- dorf remain. Jacob Seltzer, grandfather of Mich- ael Seltzer, built the first house in 1762. It was long used as a tavern and well adapted for that purpose. It was constructed of large limestone blocks and stood on the lot now occupied by the mansion of Harry A. Fidler. It was demolished about fifteen years ago. It was at this house that Washington sojourned all night November 13, 1793, and where John Pliny addressed him in be- half of the citizens. The road at that time passed direct by the Conrad Weiser house, along the rise of ground, and at the tavern turned northwest in its course across the mountain.

The following list comprises the taxable inhabi- tants of Middletown (Womelsdorf) for the year 1790 :

Wm. Bergenhoff.

Jacob Fleini.

Christian Bricken.

George Rapp.

Imhoff Benedict. John Rose.

John Bonawitz.

George Seidle.

George Bodle.

Conrad Stouch.

Jacob Egle.

John Smith.

John Fleisher.

Jacob Seltze.

John German.

Weyrich Seltze.

Daniel Graeff.

Maria Sherman.

Henry Hersh. Nichola Saladin.

John Henry.

Andrew Saladin.

Christian Miller.

Michael Wolford.

Elizabeth Newman.

INCORPORATION .- In 1833 the town of Womels- dorf was incorporated into a borough. The first election was held in 1833 and resulted in the choice of the following officers :

Burgess, Lewis Richards ; Council, Wm. Gries, John Schwalm, Michael Seltzer, David Bennethum, Peter Womelsdorf, George Keiser, Jr. ; Clerk, Joseph D. Biles ; High Constable, George Sallade. 1

Since that time those named below have served as burgesess and clerks.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 145

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