History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 150

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

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On the 5th of March, 1873, the first ordinances were adopted.

On the 6th of June, 1873, George W. Harrison, on behalf of the committee on a "lock-up," reported a plan, which was adopted, and Moses Stubblebine was awarded the contract for building the same, a two-story building, which was ready for occu- pancy December, 1873. The upper story has been fitted up for the business meetings of the borough

officers, and the expense of the building was $1275.

In December, 1878, Edward Brooke died while holding the position of president of the Council, and that body passed appropriate resolutions of condolence, and ordered his chair in the council- room to be draped in morning.

On the 27th of January, 1883, the council pre- sented a purse of fifty dollars to the Reading Hose Company for its assistance in putting out the fire in the De Witt shop.

In September, 1883, Kendall Bros. established the grade of the streets of the borough. October 17, 1883, resolutions of condolence were passed upon the death of Jacob E. Hook, a member of the Council; and December 29th, of the same year, President George Brooke reported that the system of water supply, established by his company, was completed to allow the water to be put in the mains for the use of the borough. Twenty-seven fire-plugs were erected at convenient points in the borough, to afford protection against fires, the Council agreeing to pay two hundred and fifty dollars for the use of the first twelve hydrants, and fifteen dollars apiece for the use of the remainder. The reservoir is in the mountains, two miles from Birdsboro, on Indian Run, and is fed by springs of pure water. It has an area of about eight acres, and a capacity of thirty-seven million gallons. The pressure is eighty-four pounds to the inch, and a stream of water can be thrown two hundred feet high in the lowest part of the borough. The water is conducted to the borough in a ten-inch main and thence distributed through three miles of smaller pipes to the different parts of the village.

December 31, 1884, the Council contracted with the Pennsylvania Globe Gas-Light Company, to erect twenty street lamps in the borough, at a cost of eighteen dollars per lamp ; and the same were put up and have been used since the spring of 1885.

The principal streets of the borough have been curbed and some substantial sidewalks built.

CHURCHES-Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first Methodist Episcopal Church in this locality was erected in the Mt. Airy neighborhood in 1839, and had as its first board of trustees, J. Beard, David Gilmore, John Kupp, Daniel Fox, John Harrison, John Rorke and Chas. Hoyer. The building was of stone, one-story high, and dimen-

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

sions, twenty-five by forty eight feet. It well served its purpose a number of years. In 1869 the present edifice was erected in Birdsboro by a building committee composed of John Rorke, L. R. Bland, L. L. Bush, Wm. Morris and Joseph R. Minker. It is a spacious brick structure, with basement, forty-four by seventy feet, and cost eight thousand dollars. It was dedicated Novem- ber 7, 1869, and on the 16th of May, the following year, the society became an incorporated body with the following as trustees : John Rorke, Jos. R Minker, William Morris, Charles Hoyer, Adam Hoyer, L. R. Bland, Jeremiah Beard and Daniel Gilman The church has a membership of three hundred, with the Rev. Thomas S. Mutchler as pastor (he serving also the Monocacy Church). A Sunday-school of two hundred and eighty members is connected with the church, and has J. Beard as the superintendent.

St. Michael's Episcopal Church .- The congrega- tion occupying this house of worship had its origin in missions, which were established at Birdsboro and Mt. Airy by St. Gabriel's Church, of Doug- lassville, of which the Rev. Edmund Leaf was at that time rector. The interest thus developed led to the building of a small church at Birdsboro, the corner-stone of which was laid by Rev. Leaf, May 31, 1852, and the building consecrated Feb- ruary 12, 1853, by the Rev. Alonzo Potter, D D. Rees Evans and Joseph R. Kerst were chosen war- dens; and Edward Brooke, Levi E. Hook, George Brinley, George Brooke and David J. Lincoln, vestrymen. Some time afterward, through the lib- erality of E. and G. Brooke, a chapel was built on the same lot, in which a well-attended Sabbath- school has been maintained. For a few years a mission Sabbath-school was maintained at Mt. Airy, in the building which was formerly the Philomathean Academy, discontinued ten years ago. In 1877, E. and G. Brooke built a rectory at a cost of six thousand five hundred dollars, and presented it to St. Michael's Church It is built of cut sandstone and presents a fine appearance. In 1885 the Brookes again manifested their interest in the welfare of St. Michael's Church by remodel- ing and rebuilding the church, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars, making it one of the finest churches of its size in the county. Its exterior has been made very substantial, and the interior is

beautifully decorated, containing also memorial windows, perpetuating the remembrance of Ed- ward Brooke, Caleb Harrison, Rees Evans, the family of Hiester Clymer and others.

The last improvement was the erection of a li- brary hall, in 1884, which contains a reading room, free to all, upon the payment of a very small membership fee. It has been supplied with eight hundred standard books, and is under the direc- tion of the church officials. In 1886 they were : Wardens, David J. Lincoln1 and William Young; Vestry, George Brooke, George W. Harrison, H. G. Hunter, James King and William Brusstar. These also control St. Michael's Cemetery, in Union township, which includes the old Philoma- thean Academy property. The building has been fitted up for a chapel, for use when inter- ments are made, and the ground . has been en- larged, so that it now includes about six acres. Thus far, two hundred and sixty lots have been laid out, and upon which about four hundred in- terments have been made. In the past sixteen years it has been open to the public. About two thousand five hundred dollars have been expended in the improvement of the property, which is becom- ing one of the handsomest cemeteries in the county.

The parish, when the first church was built, in- cluded the churches at Pottstown and Douglassville but has for many years been limited to the church at Birdsboro, and the Rev. Edmund Leaf has been the only rector. Through his efforts the work has grown from a small mission to a well-es- tablished church, having one hundred members.

St Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church was built in 1877 by a committee composed of Ray- mond Moore, Harry. E. Hook, C. K. Rhoads and F. B. Kern. It is a plain brick building, with the rear wall recessed to form pulpit space, and cost two thousand three hundred dollars. The congregation was organized in 1875, with forty- five members (the first services in this behalf hav- iug been held in November, 1873) ; at present it numbers one hundred and fifty. Rev. Z. H. Gable has been the only pastor. A flourishing Sunday- school, numbering two hundred members, has C. K. Rhoads as its superintendent. It was organ- ized in 1878.

1 Died in 1886.

899

BOROUGHS OF COUNTY.

Birdsboro Evangelical Church is a plain frame building, erected in 1874 in South Birdsboro. It is part of a charge called the Birdsboro Circuit. The membership was at first small, and the con- gregation has had many obstacles to contend with. It has, however, prospered, and numbers one hun- dred and ten members, with the Rev. N. A. Barr as pastor. The Sunday-school superintendent is William Homan, and has one hundred and thirty- eight members.

St. Paul's Reformed Church .- The congregation which occupies this church was organized in March, 1880, with thirty members, most of whom had previously belonged to the Schwartzwald con- gregation, in Exeter township. S. R. Hofer and E. R. Hain were chosen as the first elders. The following year a building was commenced by Sam- uel R. Hafer. John Wuuch and Frederick De Turk, as a committee appointed by the congregation, consecrated it in the fall of 1882. It is a rough stone structure, thirty-five by fifty feet, plastered on the outside, and cost three thousand dollars. The church has no settled pastor, having been supplied by ministers residing at Reading, the Rev. W. J. Kerschner being the present supply. The mem- bership has been increased to sixty persons, and there is also a Sunday-school, having an attend- ance of a hundred, of which S. R. Hafer is the superintendent.

SCHOOLS .- In the locality of Birdsboro, com- mon pay-schools were maintained soon after 1820 Among the teachers there were Samuel Bard, Thomas Graham and John Paulding. After the free schools had been established, so that a general interest was awakened in educational matters, a demand arose for a local High School. This feel- ing received material encouragement at the hands of Henry S. Kupp, who was instrumental in secur- ing the services of B. F. Boyer, a graduate of Yale College, and opening a select school in a building on the Kupp farm, east of Birdsboro, in Robeson township, and near the Mount Airy neighborhood. His success as a teacher encour- aged the building of the Philomathean Academy, on the same farm, iu 1855, in which Prof. Boyer taught four years. Other teachers continued the school until 1865, when the building was vacated and set aside for religious uses. St. Michael's Cemetery was opened on adjoining lands.

The following year another school, called the " Birdsboro Academy," was opened, and Prof. J. H. Swindell, of North Carolina, became the first teacher, receiving a salary of one thousand dollars per year. This school was discontinued in 1871.

In 1866 the borough maintained nine schools, in five buildings, which were attended by four hundred and fifty pupils, whose instruction cost about ten dollars per pupil. These schools were under the principalship of Prof. H. D. Hunter the past twelve years, and were graded by him into primary, secondary, grammar and high schools. The board of directors at this time is composed of William K. Young, president ; Dan- iel K. Miller, secretary ; L. E. Hook, treasurer ; George Brooke, John I. Reeser and David Watts.

The old public-school building on Mill Street was demolished by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company when its road was built through the place in 1884, and in its place a spacious build- ing, costing eight thousand dollars, erected. The school building in the Brooklyn addition, which was erected in 1873, was enlarged also in 1884, and the edifice on First Street was built in 1881, at a cost of about three thousand five hundred dollars.

PHYSICIANS - In the practice of medicine Dr. Caleb Liggett (who located here about thirty- eight years ago) may be regarded as the first. Dr. Jonathan Pounder, an Englishman, who suf- fered shipwreck on his voyage to America, and who died at Morgantown a very aged man, was also an early practitioner. Dr. B. F. Bunn has been in Birdsboro continuously since 1867, having come from Chester County. He opened the first

drug-store in 1867. Dr. J. B. Holman, a Scotch- man, was in practice from 1865 till his death, in 1873. Dr. H. B. Brusstar, who graduated in 1873, located in Birdsboro in 1875, and since 1883 has carried on a drug-store in connection with his profession. Dr. James Lincoln, after being in practice three years in Chester County, located at Birdsboro in 1880, and since 1881 has also been in the drug business. Dr. M. A Hengst has been in practice there since his graduation in 1877.

SECRET SOCIETIES .- Neversink Lodge, No. 514, ·I. O. O. F., was instituted December 16, 1854. Among the surviving members are Levi E. Hook,

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Henry Yeager and Jacob Bower. In 1886 there were one hundred and seven members, having a fund amounting to two thousand four hundred dollars.

In 1848 Seminole Council of American Mechanics was instituted at Birdsboro. In June, 1850, a hall was built for its accommodation, and dedi- cated September 28th, the same year. After a season of prosperity it went down.

In 1868 Council No. 37, Order of Junior American Mechanics, was instituted, and its meet- ings are still continued with succeess, the members in April, 1886, numbering one hundred and twenty-two.

FIRE COMPANY .- Friendship Fire Company, No. 1, was incorporated August 2, 1883, and is the first distinct fire company organized in Birds- boro. In 1886 it had eighty-six members and occupied a very handsome building, which was erected in the fall of 1884 and delivered to the company January 20, 1885, by the contractor, L. H. Focht. The lot was donated by George Brooke. The building is two stories high, twenty- three by forty feet, of very pleasing architecture, and cost three thousand dollars. The upper story forms a neat parlor, and in the lower the apparatus of the company is kept, consisting of five hundred feet of hose and a carriage for the same, which was presented by Friendship Fire Company, No. 4, of Reading, on the 12th of May, 1883. The present property of the company is valued at four thousand five hundred dollars.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

LEVI H. FOCHT is descended from German ancestry. His grandfather, George Focht, was born February 1, 1773, and died March 1, 1839. He resided in Robeson township, and devoted his life to farming. By his marriage with Catherine Huyett, the following children were born : John, June 14, 1804 ; Samuel, August 8, 1805 ; Daniel, April 20, 1807 ; Mary, January 18, 1809 ; Charles, January 5, 1812; George, January 1, 1814; and Jacob, July 18, 1815. Jacob, the youngest son, is the only survivor, and now resides in Reading. Daniel Focht, the third son of George Focht, was born on the homestead in Robeson township, and. from his boyhood until his death, October 14,

1871, gained a livelihood by working upon the Schuylkill Canal as a repair man, and by culti- vating the homestead farm after the death of his father. He married Catherine, daughter of David Hemmig, and had the following children : Mary Ann, born May 12, 1834, and now the wife of Raymond Mohr ; Sarah, born November 12, 1835, married to Lewis Fritz; Catherine, born Septem- ber 19, 1839, married to David Mock ; David, born October 30, 1841, now deceased, leaving a widow, Martha Lincoln ; Elizabeth, born March 21, 1845, married to Jeremiah Weidner ; Hannah, born April 17, 1846 ; and Levi H., the subject of this sketch, who was born August 3, 1850. The last-named is a native of Robeson township. He obtained his education in the public schools of Birdsboro, and at the age of thirteen secured employment with the Schuylkill Navigation Company, and worked upon the repairs to the canal for two years. He was next apprenticed to learn the trade of a car- penter with his brother-in-law, Raymond Mohr, of Birdsboro, and was then employed on the Perkiomen Railroad, and afterward entering the service of Berton & McDonald, bridge-builders, of Philadelphia. He assisted them in the erection of a number of bridges in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. When the large wooden bridge spanning the Pompton River, on the line of the Midland Railroad of New Jersey, was built, he was given charge of the construction of it, then being but eighteen years of age. On the 23d of May, 1874, Mr. Focht was married to Alice, daughter of Jeremiah Beard, of Birdsboro. They had two children,-George Walter and Levi Roy, deceased. In 1873 Mr. Focht established himself in Birdsboro as a contractor and builder, and has prospered through his energy and determination to make the excellence of his work a guarantee of success. His most important orders include the stock-farm buildings of Mr. A. J. Cassatt, the majority of the stations on the line of the Philadelphia and Read- ing Railroad, and many large and elegant resi- dences along the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He has recently completed an addition to the Haverford College buildings, at Haverford Col- lege, Pa. ; also the Wood Memorial Chapel, adjoin- ing Christ Cathedral, Reading, Pa. Mr. Focht has done the major part of the building in the town of his adoption, and is the projector of

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BOROUGHS OF COUNTY.

that portion of Birdsboro known as Lincolntown addition, in which the greater part of the many attractive residences were erected by him in con- formity with his own plans and designs. Mr. Focht is a Republican in politics, and has represented that party in the Borough Council. As a Free and Accepted Mason, he is connected with Chandler Lodge, No. 227, of Reading, with Excelsior Chapter, No. 237, and with Reading Commandery, No. 42, K. T. He is also a member of Neversink Lodge,

section of Berks County, and near the Montgomery County line. It is the most important station on the Colebrookdale Railroad. The inhabitants are wide-awake and intelligent, having numbered about fifteen hundred in the year 1885; and the place contains an unusual number of large and at- tractive buildings.

In 1769 Henry Stauffer became the owner of a large tract of land on part of which Boyertown is now located. He sold off from this tract to Jacob

Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, No. 514, and of Mount Pleasant Council, No. 37, Jr. O. U. A. M.

BOYERTOWN.

The borough of Boyertown is comparatively recent in point of political existence, yet it has a degree of prosperity which places it amongst the most thriving and enterprising towns of Eastern Pennsylvania. It has a charming and healthful location, in Colebrookdale township, in the eastern

Latshaw in 1775 ; to Jonathan Rhoads in 1786 ; and to Henry Baer in 1795. But upon part of this land John Salter lived as early as 1720; and he was, probably, the first resident of that imme- . diate section of country. Henry Stauffer was a son of Jacob Stauffer, one of the first settlers of Hereford township, and died in 1803. His son Jacob, born in 1754, died in 1839, and was the father of Henry and John Stauffer, both of whom lived on the homestead until their death. The Shaner family was also one of the first to settle in

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

that vicinity. Soon afterward came Henry Boyer and the Schaeffers, who settled on the Latshaw place. Boyer secured a central location on the above farm and opened a public-house, and his sons engaged in other business at the same point, which, through them, received the name of Boyer- town, long before it was laid out in town lots in 1835.

BOROUGH INCORPORATION .- The first attempt to incorporate Boyertown into a borough was made iu 1851 ; then thirty-three persons signed a petition for such a purpose. But it was not successful. A second effort was made in April, 1866, which received the consideration of the grand jury, a favorable report having been made October 20, 1866, and then the decree of incorporation was accordingly made. An election was held and the first Council was organized at the Union Hotel November 19, 1866, with William Fegley, presi- dent; Samuel Shaner, treasurer; H. B. Rhoads, clerk ; Dr. John Todd, Samuel Leaver, William Binder and Philip Gabel, Councilmen. Jonathan Kepler was the first burgess.

Since that time the following have been the burgesses, clerks, treasurers and presidents of Council :

Term.

Burgess.

Clerk.

1867

Jonathan Kepler H. B. Rhoads.

1868. Jonathan Kepler Jacob L. Fritz.

1869. Samuel Shaner Jacob L. Fritz.

1870-75. Thomas J. B. Rhoads ... J. K. Grant.

1876 W. K. Grim.

J. K. Grant.

1877 W. K. Grim

.J. K. Grant. 1878. .W. K. Grim. .J. K. Grant.

1879-80 .W. K. Grim

L. M. Koons.

1881 W. H. Grim. L. M. Koons.

1882 W. H. Grim. C. F. Emes.

1883. John Stauffer. .C. F. Emes.

1884-85 ..... John Stauffer. C. F. Emes.

In 1886 the officers were,-

Franklin Hartman, burgess ; C. F. Emes, clerk ; Levi H. Lefever, treasurer; Jeremiah Romig, presi- dent.

Councilmen, George E. Bleim, Samuel G. Sands, Zep. Gottshall, John Schaeffer.

The justices since the organization of the borough have been William K. Stauffer, L. M. Koons, William Fox, J. B. Hankey, Henry B. Rhoads and C. F. Emes.

The solicitors for the borough have been B.

Frank Boyer, Daniel and James Ermentrout and J. K. Grant, the last-named serving at present.

In 1867 the grades of the streets were established by D. S. Zacharias and William K. Stauffer. Since that time several of the principal streets have been graded in a very substantial manner, and the `benefits sought by the incorporation have been generally realized.

INDUSTRIES-Iron-ore .- The oldest and most important pursuit of the citizens of Boyertown has been iron-mining, an employment engaged in with more or less activity the past one hundred and sixty years.

As early as July 29, 1718, David Powell obtained a patent for two hundred acres of land, which afterward became known as the " Furnace Tract," and a source of great profit to the pro- prietors. On June 4, 1719, Powell sold this land to Thomas Ruter, and on May 22, 1733, Samuel Potts obtained an interest in the same. These parties were the first to develop the mineral re- sources on the land. The Colebrookdale Furnace was erected about 17201 in that locality, and sup- plied with iron-ore obtained from the land near by, where mining operations are still carried on. When they sold the land to Henry Stauffer, December 29, 1769, they reserved the mineral right, retained one acre where the iron vein cropped out and exacted a condition whereby they might have the privilege of mining at the " Red Bank," holding themselves liable for damages resulting from mining operations. In later years, a claim for con- sequential damages having been made, the owners of the mineral right purchased six acres of land at that point, including the " Red Bank." This land, including the mineral right of the old " Furnace Tract," is now the property of Robert and Morris Lewis, of Philadelphia, but is worked under a lease by the Phoenix Iron Company, which was the first to carry on operations on an extensive scale and to employ machinery to increase the product. Before this the owners of the Colebrook- dale Furnace, the Eckerts at Reading and others, had mined at the " Red Bank " in the old way. After working the mine on a limited scale, from 1852 for a few years, the Phoenix Iron Company began using steam-power in 1855, and so continued

1 See Early Furnaces, etc.

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BOROUGHS OF COUNTY.

at the '. Red Mine " until 1881, since which time operations have been confined to the lower mine, or the acre lot. At that place steam-power has been employed since 1869. At the lower place slope-mining is carried on, the slope at present being four hundred feet long and running at an angle of forty degrees. The ore is black magnetic and yields fifty-five per cent. of pure iron.

The lands contiguous to the " Furnace Tract" have the same vein of iron, though at much greater depths, and generally having a horizontal position. On the Biuder lot, tests made for the Warwick Iron Company, in 1873, gave proof of the presence of rich ore, which has been developed and mined by that company. The shaft has a depth of six hundred and seventy feet. Sixty meu are employed.

Gabel, Jones & Gabel are extensive miners on the Ritter tract, having operated since 1877. Their shaft has reached the depth of six hundred feet. They employ forty-five men aud mine large quan- tities of first-class ore.

The fourth mine is on the John Rhoads tract, and has been worked by the present operators since October, 1883. Fifteen men are employed.

The united product of these mines is about six thousand tons per month, all of which is readily moved by direct tracks or sidings of the railroad from the mines.

CIGARS .- The manufacture of cigars is another industry which has quickened the business life of the borough, and affords employment to hundreds of persons. The pioneer manufacturer is D. S. Erb, the proprietor of the

Keystone Cigar Factory .- Mr. Erb began busi- ness at Boyertown as a tobacconist in 1864, employ- ing two hands, but increased the force from year to year until, in 1883, he had five hundred hands em- ployed. About that time he changed the grade of of his work, and has since produced fine cigars only, employing at present two hundred hands. His fac- tory is one of the most complete in the county, occupying the greater part of a three-story brick building, seventy-five by seventy-five feet, which he erected in 1882.

Enterprise Cigar-Factory is conducted by Wil- liam M. Riegner & Brother. It was established in 1880, and also had a small beginning. In 1882 sixty persons were employed, but on raising the

grade of the work, the number was reduced to thirty two.

Boyertown Cigar Factory (P. A. Brauss & Co., proprietors) was established in the summer of 1884, and enlarged to its present size in the spring of 1886,-a frame factory, two and a half stories high, sixty by fifty-three feet. It contains eight rooms, heated by steam, and affords working space for one hundred and seventy-five men. This factory is operated with other factories elsewhere.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 150

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