History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 158

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

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The Monocacy Valley Creamery was built, in 1881, by George K. Lorah, James B. McLane, Cyrus Moser, Alfred Gross, Ammon Kline, Jacob Guldin and M. L. Lorah, There are sixty-five patrons, and the creamery is carried on by the association, under the superintendency. of Jacob F. Guldin.

CHURCHES.

MOLATTON CHURCH .- Next after a public road the Swedes considered the necessity of a meeting-house for their religious well-being. They erected a log house for this purpose sev- eral years before 1720. It was called the "Swedes' Church."

It stood near the eastern line of the St. Gabriel's Church property, at Douglassville, about twenty paces south from the turnpike. The door-way faced toward the east. The di- mensions of the building were about twenty-four by thirty feet, one story in height.

Abrahem Andrew 7

Adam Briner 1

Martio Becker 8

Nicholas Boyer. .12

George Kranl

Daniel Ludwig.

.18

George Lotte.

.16

Jobn Lincoln

Philip Ludwig.

John Lorah 28

Michael Messinger 18

Christopher Metz.

Joho Marshall 3

John Monty

Henry Piper.

John Potts, Esq. 15

John Raeffsoider 8

Leonard Rodermell 6

Owen Richard

.. 16

Jacob Ronde,

Baltzer Stutte

Joho Sinclair

John Smith

Bernhard Spankock 2

John Sande.

Abijah Sands

,12

Michael Tramp

Henry Veo Reed

Jagiel Freilich 2

John Fretts 9

Jacob Fix

Christopher Havener. 1

Andrew Hutteoloch 2

Martin Hartter

Rowlaod Harrig

Michael Hewet.

Jacob Weaver, Esq.

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

John Carling.

948

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Conferences between the Indians and the government officials of the province, which are referred to in the Colonial Records, were held in this meeting-house. It was the first house for worship erected in the large area of territory now included within the limits of Berks County, and it was used for this purpose for many years. It took fire in some unaccountable way during a cold winter night in the year 1831 and was entirely destroyed. For some years previously it had been used for school purposes. Some of the teachers were Francis R. Shunk (afterwards Governor of Pennsyl- tion. Upon this application he went up to

SWEDES' CHURCH.

vania), Mrs. Jacob Warren, Abraham Bannan (father of the distinguished editor and political economist, Benjamin Bannan, of Pottsville), Henry Mckenty and William Mendenhall. The building was burned whilst the last-named carried on the school. The private schools kept there by the persons named were very success- ful. Upwards of fifty scholars attended during a term. Desks were arranged along the walls. The backs of the scholars were toward the teacher, who had his desk and seat situated in the centre of the room. The heat was supplied by a large wood-stove. The tuition was four cents a day, or two dollars and a half for three months. The branches of education comprised spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic. Very few schol- ars were taught grammar and none geography.

A meeting of members from all parts of the Wicocoa congregation was held on Sunday, March 27, 1720, to determine the arrangements for the services and support of the two pastors (Lidman and Hesselius). Many attendants from Manathanim were present. They repre- sented that they had always held to the Wicocoa congregation and had contributed their share for the building of the church and for the sup- port of the minister and church, and therefore prayed that Hesselius should dwell among them and exercise his office for their spiritual edifica- them. The following year he com- plained that his hearers were few and unable to support him. He was the first settled pastor at Molatton.1 Rev. Gabriel Falk was the second resident pastor. The earliest records of the congregation were begun by him in 1735. No record of the previous years has been found. In the be- ginning of his career at Molatton, Falk succeeded in erecting a log church, which was begun in 1736 and completed in 1737. It is be- lieved that a church had previously stood here for about twenty years. The land on which the church build- ing stood was obtained from Andrew Robeson.

In 1742 and for some years afterward the Moravians made efforts to get possession of the congregation. Zinzendorf, who came to Penn- sylvania in 1742, brought with him a number of spiritual co-laborers, and they together made earnest efforts to gather new believers from dif- ferent religious denominations. A young Swede was sent to this place, and having won over to him some Swedish, English, Irish and German people, tried, with their help, to take possession of this church. Services were announced by him to take place on a certain day. On this day the

1 The name given to the settlement of the Swedish col- ony was " Molatton.'' This word has been spelled differ- ently,-Molatton (Muhlenberg), Malatten (Handschuh), Morlatien (Lidenius) and Molatton (Murray). Acrelius called it Manathanim.

949

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

regular pastor (Falk) went early to the church and in the pulpit awaited the arrival of the young emissary. Upon his arrival, after the people had assembled, Falk (who was an old man) went from the pulpit to meet him, and said : "You enter the sheep-fold as a thief and murderer," and then gave him a heavy blow on the mouth. Before a fight arose the members separated them. The Moravians obtained a foot-hold through the absence of Falk, who was not always at home, and could not win over the people to himself as the young Swede did. But they did not remain long in this field. The practical results of their labors amongst other congregations ended in discord.

A third resident pastor was John Abraham Lindenius, who was sent by Acrelius, near the close of 1752, to reside at Molatton. Falk having left in 1745, the congregation had no regular pastor for the following seven years. During that time Muhlenberg preached to them repeatedly. Lindenius remained till the spring of 1755. He was the last Swedish pastor at Molatton.

Rev. Muhlenberg continued his occasional visits at Molatton till August, 1761. From the beginning till that time the congregation was Lutheran in denomination and only Li- theran pastors officiated. Soon afterward it became connected with the Protestant Episcopal Church. This change was effected through applications to the "English Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts" for assistance in carrying on religious work at Molatton. Rev. Alexander Murray was sent by this society as a missionary to live at Read- ing and form a congregation there, and also to minister to the congregation at Molatton. He arrived in 1762. He reported (April 9, 1763) the membership of the congregation to consist of thirty-six families and two hundred and thirty-two persons, of whom sixty-five were under seven years of age; also that there was then a ruinous kind of a church there, "built of logs or rough timber about thirty years ago by the Swedes, and as a great part of the con- gregation there consisted of these, I have been hitherto allowed the use of it, but it matters very little whether I am or not for the future,

as it will cost as much to repair it as it would to build a new one of like materials and dimen- sions." In January, 1764, he reported twenty- nine families and one hundred and eighty-five persons, and added, " I can no more prevail on that people than these in town [meaning Reading] to engage heartily in any scheme for building a church; so I despair of seeing one erected in either of the places for some time to come."

ST. GABRIEL'S CHURCH .- Shortly after the arrival of Rev. Alexander Murray, in 1762,1 he succeeded in having a vestry chosen to officiate for the Episcopal congregation at Molatton.

This organization was effected in April, 1763. In 1765 the congregation erected a log church of hewn timber, near by to the west of the "Swedes' Church," and continued to occupy. it till 1801, when they demolished it and built a stone structure. This latter building is still standing, having been in use over four-score years.

In 1880 measures were taken to erect a new church, in which the rector, Rev. John Long, was particularly earnest and successful. A building committee was appointed, consisting of Rev. Mr. Long, John Y. Yocum and Jere- miah Yocum, and Mr. Henry Messchert, a resident of the vicinity, generously donated a fine lot of ground for the purpose. Work was commenced in June, 1880; on the 19th of Oc- tober following, the corner-stone was laid, and on January 23, 1884, the building was conse- crated. The liberality of John Crouse towards encouraging and completing this church in- provement is worthy of special mention. A small, neat spire, eighty-five feet high, is con- structed at the lower front angle. It contains

1 The members of the Molatton congregation decided, at a mecting, April 28, 1758, to obtain the canons of the Church of England, "in order that their affairs might be attended to in an orderly and Christianlike manner." This having been done, it was afterward decided to ask the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Lands," in England, to supply them with a minister. Such a request was made July 18, 1760, and again at a general meeting April 17, 1761. Under the direction of this soci- ety the Rev. Alexander Murray assumed a pastoral care of the missions at Molatton and Reading in November, 1762.

950

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

a clear-toned bell, weighing nineteen hundred pounds. The total cost was nearly twenty-one thousand dollars.

The interior is finished and furnished in a most pleasing manner. Beautiful memorial windows enhance the attractive appearance of the auditorium. The building is also supplied with an organ of twenty stops, a large furnace for heating purposes, and gas, which is gener- ated upon the premises.

The first Sunday-school was organized during the pastorate of Rev. George Mintzer in a barn near by, and comprised scholars who are citi- zens of the townships and members of the church. A Sunday-school is conducted in the old church building. The membership of the Sunday-school is sixty, and of the congregation, seventy-two.

A burying-ground is attached to the old church building, and contains the oldest grave- stones in the county, one of which-that of Andrew Robeson-is still legible.

During the ministry of Rev. Edmund Leaf a parsonage was erected at Douglassville at a cost of three thousand dollars. Rev. Alexan- der Murray officiated as rector from 1762 till the Revolution ; afterward he served the con- gregation again from 1790 to 1792. The suc- ceeding ministers were, ---

1796, John Wade.

1801-4, John Armstrong. -, Levi Bull, D.D. 1827, Caleb Good.

1828-36, George Mintzer. , William Homman.

-- , H. F. M.Whitesides. 1839, Oliver A. Shaw. 1840, George Burcker. 1844-72, Edmund Leaf.

1872-76, J. Karcher.

1876-86, Rev. John Long.

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH (Reformed and Lutheran) is situated at Amityville, and occupies a very fine and conspicuous position. The earliest members first worshipped at Molatton Church, but after the change which took place there a central lo- cality was sought upon which to build a church for themselves. A small tract of land at the inter- section of three important roads was selected, and eleven rods purchased from the Boyer estate, and there they erected, in 1753, a log building, which served for both church and school pur- poses; it was used until 1796, and then a new church was substituted. The small church lot was enlarged by the purchase of three acres and

thirty-six rods of land from the farm of Philip Boyer, and upon part of it a log school-house was built, which was used until 1839. Having determined to build a new church of stone, a subscription list was started February 14, 1795, in which the amounts pledged ranged from three pouuds down to a shilling, and when seven hundred and thirty-eight pounds had been promised, building operations were commenced in the spring of the same year.

This house was to be used alternately by the congregations, and it was provided that all denominational differences " should be settled in a Christian-like manner, so as to promote the worship of God and the honor of the Sa- viour." The corner-stone was laid September 18, 1795, the clergy present being the Revs. Carl Frederick Wildbahn and Daniel Lehman, Lutheran ; the Revs. Philip Pauli and William Ingold, Reformed. At that time the vestry was composed of Jacob Roth and George Fuss, Lutheran ; and Jacob Hoerner and Michael Ludwig, Reformed. The building committee was George Lorah and Matthias Roth; the mason was Carl Boyer and the carpenter Jacob Gerber. The church was completed in 1796 at a cost of two thousand three hundred and twenty-five dollars, but was not consecrated un- til the following year. It was covered with cedar shingles, and most of the lumber used was brought from Orwigsburg. The building of the church was a great burden, and it was not fully paid until 1816.

The corner-stone of the present (or third) church was laid August 12, 1872, and a little more than a year later (August 16 and 17, 1873) the consecration took place. It is an imposing edifice, with a steeple one hundred and twenty feet high, which is visible many miles in the surrounding country. It has a seating capacity of eight hundred. The bell in the steeple weighs two thousand pounds.

The building committee was John Frooes, George Lorah, David Horner, Joshua Fulmer and David Rhoads.

South of the church a large new cemetery was opened in 1860. It has been much beauti- fied and contains a large number of fine monu- ments. It is controlled by the consistory.

951

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

For many years the services of the congre- gations were exclusively in German, and as the English-speaking element developed and the demand for preaching in that language was un- heeded, a separate English Lutheran congre- gation was formed in 1841, and carried on services in the school-house, with Rev. J. L. Schoch as pastor. In 1844 this congregation put up a small, plaiu brick church, which served them as a place of worship until the members again connected themselves with the old church. Mr. Schoch's ministry continued until after 1850, when the Rev. J. A. Brown preached for a short time. Meantime, in 1848, the Rev. Geo. F. Miller, pastor of the Old Lutheran congregation, commenced holding English ser- vices every four weeks,-a custom which was also followed by the German Reformed pastor- thus removing the principal cause which led to the formation of a new church, and afterward it was deemed inadvisable to keep up a separate organization. The building has since been used statedly as a place of worship by a small congregation of the sect called the United Brethren. It is held in trust for the Lutherans by Ezekiel Rhoads, surviving trustee of the congregation. Prior to the building of this house an English Sabbath-school was established in the school-house, which later held its meet- ings in the new church, and, under the superin- tendence of Ezekiel Rhoads, was so prosperous that it threatened the vitality of the old Sunday- school, causing that body also to encourage the use of English in its school.

The first English Sunday-school has main- tained its existence since its organization, and is still in a flourishing condition. This Sunday- school is now one of seven schools maintained by the congregations, which together have an aggregate attendance of nine hundred scholars, and the exercises in all of them are exclusively English.

The services of both congregations were almost wholly in the German language until 1848, when English preaching was introduced and the ser- vices increased to twice per month ; and a few years later they became alternate with the German. Since the organization of the congregations the following have been the Lutheran pastors :

1753, H. M. Muhlenberg. 1761, John H. Schaum. 1767, John L. Voight. 1778, A. Gerresheim. 1783, Christian Striet. 1789, John F. Weimland. 1799, Carl F. Wildbahn. 1801, Henry A. Geiden- heimer.

1806, Fred. Wm. Giesen- hamer. 1809, John P. Hecht. 1814, Ernst Braineseus. 1815, Jacob and Conrad Miller.

1848, George F. Miller.

1872, Charles Koerner. 1880, Uriah P. Heilman.1

The congregation has a membership of nearly five hundred.

The pastors of the Reformed congregation for the same period were,-

1791, John C. Gobrecht. 1791-96, John W. Ingold. 1802-40, Fred. Herman. 1840-44, H. S. Bassler.

1849-64, N. S. Strassbur- ger. 1864-69, J. H. Dubbs.

1869-80, D. Leberman.

1844-49, Samuel Seivert.

1880, John H. Leinbach.

A membership of four hundred was reported in 1885.

The United Brethren congregation, worship- ping in the small brick church at Amityville is weak numerically, and has not been able to maintain regular services. In 1885 the num- ber of members did not exceed twenty and no regular organization was reported.

VILLAGES.

WEAVERTOWN is the oldest business point in the township. Half a century ago it was more important, relatively, than at present. It has twenty buildings, which are but a few more in number than the place had sixty years ago. It took its name from Jacob Weaver, on whose farm the village was laid out, and who lived on the present William K. Lorah place, where he died. The house he occupied was partly of stone and logs, and served as a pioneer inn. After it was abandoned for that purpose, au inn was opened in a log house farther up the road, which was last kept by Henry Yerger, a number of landlords having been his predeces- sors. The first settlers were nearly all German mechanics. Ludwig Spiese had a small store for a time. Henry Wiebeck was a shoemaker; Adam Knauer, tailor; Michael Klinger, hatter ; John Bridenbaugh, cooper; David Dehart, shoemaker ; Henry Yerger, clock-maker; and

1 The latter still continues and has furnished the data from which the above sketch is written.

952

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

old blind man, named Hatfield, basket-maker, who peddled his wares about the country. Henry Auman was a German teacher, who conducted schools at the church at Amityville and at the Yellow House. In the last years of his life he taught at his house, in Weavertown. In 1853 Daniel Lorah built a store-house, which he occupied, and it has been a place of business ever since, the merchant at present occupying it being A. S. Strassburger.

The post-office at this place was established in 1828, with the name of Brumfieldville, in compliment to Jesse Brumfield, the first post- master, who had the office at his residence, half a mile from the hamlet. For a long time the office was kept at the house of Henry Auman, the old school-teacher. The present postmaster is Milton Schaeffer. A daily mail from Read- ing is supplied.

The Sabbath-school chapel was built in 1879, and the neat brick school-house in 1876, both being very creditable buildings.

The Union Sunday-school Chapel at Weaver- town, was erected, in 1879, on a lot donated for that purpose by William K. Lorah. It is a neat frame building, and cost twelve hundred and twenty-eight dollars.

The Sunday-school occupying this house was organized May 19, 1867, and has since been maintained. It has eighty members and a library of two hundred volumes.

AMITYVILLE is a beautifully located village, on the Amity turnpike leading to the Yellow Honse, a little east of the centre of the town- ship. It contains two churches, school-house, hotels, store and several mechanic-shops. A number of fine residences adorn the place. This locality was called "New Storeville " as early as 1782, on account of a new store having been established there by Ludwig Spiese, who first began trading at Weavertown. In 1818 Adam Miller was also in trade at both places. Later, his son-in-law, John Yocum, built a new store-stand, where he traded some ten years, about 1850. J. M. Mauger has been in trade the past few years. He is the postmaster of the Athol post-office, established January 23, 1885, and which has a daily mail on the Boyertown route. About 1852 the name New Storeville

was abandoned. The place has since been called Amityville. In the beginning of the century a man named Luther had a public- house near the angle of the roads, where is now the Schaeffer residence, the building being a quaint log structure, and the sign having a coon painted on it, whence it was called the " Coon's Nest." Luther was a coffee-mill maker and had a small shop where he carried on that busi- ness. In 1840, J. J. Wagner located here as a cabinet-maker and undertaker ; also followed the carpenter's trade. He has built most of the houses in the place. In the former business he was succeeded by his son, Henry B., who maintains a shop. In 1858, William Yocum a wheelwright shop and the Pottses afterwards also engaged at that trade, their shops being still carried on.

Near Amityville, Dr. R. B. Rhoads estab- lished a nursery, which is continued by B. J. Rhoads, and is the only industry of this nature in that part of the county.

Physicians .- In 1840, Dr. John F. Baum resided near Yellow House, and in the same neighborhood was Dr. Mark Darrah, each having had a large practice. Dr. Elias C. Kitchen located between Amityville and Weavertown, and has, for a number of years, been in active practice. On the same road, north, are located as physicians, Doctors D. McLane and Ira Moser, both being recent graduates. At Amityville lived, for a num- ber of years as a successful practitioner, Dr. Reuben B. Rhoads, who has now become a citizen of Boyertown.,

The cause of education found many warm friends in Amity at an early day, and as early as 1820 Samuel Boyer had a private English school, which was well patronized. In 1842 S. L. Rhoads established an academy, which flourished until 1852, when the free schools seem to supply the wants for schools of that nature, and it was then discontinued. The present school-house was built in 1869, and is a large brick building with an attrac- tive exterior. In the summer months it is conducted as the Amity Seminary by J. C. Holloway.

Amity Library Association .- On January

953

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

12, 1878, a meeting was held to discuss the advisability of forming a library association, which should be auxiliary to and be governed by a literary society ; and then a committee was appointed to reporton the organization of such a body. A week later another meeting was held, the society organized and officers elected.

An unlimited number of shares of stock in the Library Association were offered at one dollar per share, and were so freely taken that the nucleus of a library was very soon gathered. To this, additions were made from time to time until, in March, 1886, the library contained five hundred volumes of standard books and about two hundred volumes of public documents. A library- room has been fitted up in the old school- house at Amityville, and since its organ- ization the association has been faithfully kept up.

Washington Camp No. 213, P. O. S. of A., was instituted at Amityville (Athol) May 7, 1874. In 1885 it had forty members, and held its meetings in a neat hall in the Stetler House. The camp has about five hundred dollars in its treasury and twelve hundred dollars invested in real estate.

EARLVILLE is a post hamlet two miles north from Amityville, on the line of Earl township. It derived its name when the post-office was established, in 1838. Until that time the locality was called Klinesville, after Jacob Kline, who opened a public-house there about 1800, and a store twenty years later. These interests have since been continued, the property being owned in later years by Isaac G. Stettler, and whose heirs still control it. The office has a daily mail on the Boyertown route.

YELLOW HOUSE is a similar hamlet on the Oley line, on the turnpike from Douglassville, and derived its name from a country tavern at that point, kept by the Nagles, which was painted yellow. It became widely known by this name and when the post-office was estab- lished, in 1866, it took the same name. The hotel and store were long the property of the Guldin family. A creamery was lately erected here by W. D. Kehl.

DOUGLASSVILLE is a station on Philadelphia and Reading and Pennsylvania Railroads. Few stations on these great railways are so highly favored in the matter of depot accommodations as this place. It is the railway point of large sections of country, north and south of the river. The village contains the handsome St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, some fine residences, a forge, two stores and a hotel. After the removal of some of the early Swed- ish settlers, Jacob Warren, by trade a carpen- ter, became the owner of some lands here and built several houses, one of which was after- ward known as the Ludwig mansion, and the place became locally known as Warrens- burg. Failing in business, his property passed into other hands. George Douglass, having be- come an extensive land-owner along the river, including the old Jones house, the hamlet was called Douglassville; and with this name the post-office was established in March, 1829. For many years the office was kept by Dr. Michael Ludwig, Theodore, his son, and L. B. Holloway, the latter from 1865 to January, 1886, when George S. Reider was appointed. There are five mails per day. In this old build- ing George Douglass once carried on business, and in the next building below was an inn, called the " White Horse Tavern." Another inn was opened by Jacob Rahn, called the "Black Horse Tavern," and which, in an enlarged and improved condition, is continued, by Samuel Van Reed, as the Douglassville Hotel. In this building Henry Mckenty opened a store and also followed his occupation as a tailor. The room has been much enlarged and occupied by L. B. Holloway, Charles Hine and the present John H. Egolf in transacting a general mercan- tile business. McKenty also built the large resi- dence which is now the Egolf mansion. In 1877 a Union Co-operativeStore was started by the Patrons of Husbandry of this section, in the old Ludwig building, which was continued a few years under the management of E. H. Prutzman. The directors controlling the store were D. B. Mauger, H. P. Leaf and J. Y. Yo- cum, as officers. The same building has also been used for hotel purposes. Walter and David Young are dealers in lumber and coal.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 158

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