History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 164

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 164

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

people, and their untiring energy is generally re- warded with success. And their economic habits en- able them to live well and comfortably. More world- ly refinement would indispose them to give personally the same amount of labor to agriculture, and they would therefore be obliged to resort gradually to speculation for sustenance. I have observed these characteristics to be general throughout our coun- ty.

"The people, being contented, scarcely feel the force of government; taxation is light, crimes are lim- ited, serious offenses are very seldom committed, a high order of morality is exhibited everywhere, un- tiring industry and a rather rigorous economy are daily practiced. These are certainly the elements of a law-abiding and prosperous people. And I think I can say that they are principally attributable to the form of religion which has been transmitted from generation to generation during this comparatively long period without any change. To us, therefore, it has been a fortunate circumstance in the preservation and development of our people. Their honses have not grown into costly palaces, their roads into rail- ways, their horse-power into steam-power, their mail communication into the telegraph and telephone, their farms into out-lots, and their labor into specula- tion,-all these are generally the same as their fathers had them ; but their rugged hill-sides have been made more fruitful, their mannal labor has been gradually decreased by the introduction of labor-saving machin- ery, their intelligence has been improved by the en- couragement of more schools and teachers, their gen- eral wealth has been increased, their health and longevity have been preserved, their names have been made stronger in influence and their sons and daugh- ters have been multiplied. Who will say that the latter accomplishments are not of more importance to the well-being, stability and equality of a free people than the former ?

"Steam and electricity are important agents amongst our people-particularly in our rapidly-growing and beautiful county-seat, whence they are extending in every direction. They are producing wonderful changes as well here as elsewhere. They are bringing us into closer proximity with each other every year. By our present condition and mode of life they are indispensable. But we cannot overlook the fact that they are gradually making us to be too much a spec- ulative people, developing more and more our feelings into passions and our comforts into luxuries, and causing a more apparent social inequality through the enrichment of some at the expense of others ; and we cannot deny the fact that they-though they should be valuable instruments in our hands for our uniform development-are in reality, to a consider- able degree, misguided influences, which are working in us a gradual physical weakness and transmitting vast accumulations of wealth and high-spirited blood not much beyond a single generation. Why shall suc-

cessful business 'men, whether in stocks or trade, or in or out of the useful professions, leave mostly only asylums, cemeteries and monuments for a gaping multitude ? Why not blood, a living and self-perpet- uating blood, that shall manifest itself in an ever-in- creasing nobility ? Why not sentient living temples, instead of pyramids, sphinxes and tombs? Are we growing into a period when millionaires shall cele- brate an age with uplifted brick and stone, iron and gold, carried aloft by a dependent people, as Cheops did with his subjects thousands of years ago? We want no golden calves to worship, no false gods to mock us. We rather want a hundred thousand people in every community to construct, without expense or suffering, by a common impulse, a social organization that shall carry us into a higher, real civilization and a certain immortality. We want a posterity that can take care of itself and that shall not be dependent upon trustees from an ordinary man with uncertain sureties to an extraordinary corporation with expert officers, whose financial management generally brings unto themselves self-aggrandizement and remarkable affluence and ease. We want a people that shall thrive by industry in productive labor and not by ac- tivity in consuming speculation. We want a posterity that shall transmit physical strength and laudable in- dustry to the next generation, instead of great wealth and pride, resulting in imbecility and idleness. The contrast is apparent. By the latter we cannot fail to suffer eventually ; but by the former we must continue to prosper and produce in ourselves and for our pos- terity a physical development and moral grandeur that shall make us a better, and preserve us a free people.

"This beautiful hill is expre-sive of our most prev- alent religion. This inspiring religion has charac- terized and is still characterizing the great majority of our people. The qualities it has produced in us are the basis of our moral and substantial welfare. These have influenced our daily life, discouraged evil of every sort, and encouraged good, and directed indus- try into not only profitable, but useful channels. Our agricultural communities e-pecially, from which we are daily receiving so much benefit, have been con- trolled and benefited by them. These results in us are apparent, not only lately, but from the beginning until now.

"A beacon light set upon this hill would scatter its bright rays far and wide in every direction and glad- den many hearts. Every township in the county has a number of religious lights, who-e beneficent rays have been directed by upright Lutheran and Reformed ministers from churches on the hills and in the val- leys. Their ministrations have been blessed. They have not made us a brilliant but a successful people,- successful in having preserved an average develop- ment which is not inferior to any other. Health, lon- gevity, industry, economy, wealth, intelligence, mo- rality, increase in population and contentment-these

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

make a strong, good and reliable people. And these qualities our people generally possess in a degree su- perior to that in which our ancestors possessed them. To what is this attributable? It must be attributable to some good influence, for they could not have been thus developed spontaneously through so long a pe- riod of time. And I may here observe that the county has received comparatively little benefit from immi- gration or any other outside influence, excepting the railway. So that the development has arisen princi- pally from our own people themselves, under the con- tinual guidance of some beneficent influence. This influence has been our simple bnt powerful religion.

"This is in reality the spirit of our people. It is the vitality that disposes us to be a good rather than a rich people. It tends more and more to create and preserve a general equality upon which the perma- nence of our free government depends. It teaches us that our highest ambition should and must ever be life, not wealth-rather to live well than to die rich; rather to transmit reliable principles than to be- queath property. A noble teacher is this, whose great and constant aim for us is nobility now and immor- tality hereafter. And, like 'Zion's Hill,' it will always have the bubbling waters of purity and excel- lence to flow in amongst ns for our spiritual delecta- tion; and it will remain permanent through all the fluctuations of an advancing civilization."

VILLAGES AND TAVERNS .- At Stony Creek Mills there is a collection of buildings which give the place the appearance of a village. Most of its inhabitants find employment in the woolen-mill and the neighboring vineyards. It contains no store. A tavern near by the mills is kept by George Babb. It was established in 1859 by John Babb, and has since been carried on by him. A post-office, bearing the name of the mills, was established in 1879 with Louis F. Cramer as postmaster, and Henry Cramer as deputy. There is a daily mail on the Frie- densburg route, via this office, which also sup- plies the Alsace office, established in 1863.

On the Perkiomen turnpike a number of houses have been built, and the locality begins to assume the aspect of a business place. In 1884 Kendall Bros., of Reading, laid out a small town and named it " Woodvale." They sold some lots at public sale, and several build- ings and a fine Lutheran chapel have been erected since. In 1820 there was a public- house kept by the Fry family. The present Mount Penn Hotel is kept by Charles Dengler, successor to George Dengler. A lumber and |

coal business is carried on by Aug. H. Wentzel, and several mechanic sliops are main- tained. A dozen dwellings are along the turn- pike towards the Black Bear Inn, and a black- smith-shop, carried on by Percival Leinbach, who has been there for a number of years.

North of the Stony Creek Mills is the oldest tavern in the township, kept since 1839 by Peter Fies. It was opened in another building on this site about seventy years ago, by Benja- min Tobias, and became the property of Wil- liam Hartman, who was followed by Abraham Spies. Before the building of the East Penn Railroad the place had a large patronage and was a central point for a large scope of country. Several miles from here Jacob Hartman, a blind man, had a public-house which was well patronized on account of the misfortune of the owner. It was originally an old log building, but after Hartman's removal to the West a new tavern was built by a German named Roth- houpt. In the extreme corner of the township the Heckman tavern has afforded the public needed accommodations, and is still continued by that family.

HESSIAN CAMP .- On the southern declivity of "Penn's Mount," near Reading, certain prisoners, taken in the War of the Revolution, were encamped for a period of six years, from 1777 to 1783. They were mostly Hessians, and hence the place was called "Hessian Camp "-a name which the locality has retained to this day. Huts had been erected by them for their quarters. Depressions in the ground there still indicate the locality where they once stood.

MINERAL SPRING .- About 1815, Charles Kessler and John Spade erected a woolen-mill on Rose Valley Creek, in " Rosenthal," for the purpose of encouraging home industry. But the importation of foreign goods obliged them to abandon the experiment in 1818. About this time, Dr. Isaac Hiester discovered mineral water at a spring near by. He analyzed it and reported that it "contained iron, held in solu- tion with carbonic acid gas, together with a small quantity of muriate of soda." Then the dwelling was converted into an inn, and Jacob Schneider advertised it as a health resort. In

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

1837 it was converted into a " fashionable hotel," and carried on until 1856, when the Reading Water Company purchased the prop- erty. The mineral spring was walled out and an octagonal building erected over it, consisting of eight iron pillars, with open sides and covered with a roof. This building is still standing; but the spring is very nearly run dry, not so much from want of water as from want of care. The hotel has been famous for many years as a banqueting place. Before the Civil War the leaders of the Democratic party generally assembled here on the 4th of July for many successive years, and celebrated the day by responding to patriotic toasts and senti- ments, etc. Madam Susan Roland and her most delicious "chickens and waffles" con- tributed much toward the popularity of this pleasant retreat by the side of the gurgling brook, over-shaded by tall oaks and button- woods. Her pleasant manners and superior cooking will be remembered for many years. She died April 6, 1883, aged seventy-nine years, after having occupied the place since 1850.

SCHILD MURDER .- A " most horrible mur- der " occurred on the hill several hundred yards southwardly from the Shalter Church, on Au- gust 12, 1812. The following account appeared in the Weekly Advertiser, August 15, 1812 :

"It falls very unfortunately to our lot to communi- cate one of the most barbarous and murderous acts ever committed by a monster in human shape. On Wednesday, the 12th inst., after four o'clock in the afternoon, a man named John Schild, in Alsace township, about four miles from this place, began with an axe to cut up everything about and in the house. When his father (who lived close by) heard it, he went to him, and said, 'John ! John! what are you doing?' John turned upon his father with the axe and cut him in the breast, when the father imme- diately turned around, holding his breast, and re- treated to the house. John pursued him, cut him down, chopped half of his head off, threw it from him, then cut his body open, tore out his entrails aud heart. His mother approaching him with ex- clamations, be cut her down in the very same manner, taking her bowels, heart and liver out, and threw it in the bake-oven, which had just before been lieated by the family to bake bread. A younger brother, being near by, this monster now made at him with the axe, but the brother catching his arms, threw

him down and fled. The monster then tried to set a dog after him, but the dog would not obey him, so he seized the dog, chopped his legs off, and threw his body also into the bake-oven. Then he set fire to the barn, which with all its contents was soon reduced to ashes. His wife and family had in the mean time fled to the woods, where they lay all night under a tree. His brother in a little while after came back to the horrible scene with some neighbors, to whom the monster, after having thrown away his deadly weapon, surrendered himself, and said, 'I am the person who has done all this.' The monster was arrested and conveyed to the gaol of this place (Reading), where he is now confined. A coroner's inquest was held over the mangled remains of the parents of this savage monster ! It is not in our power at present to add anything more. We wished rather to have passed it in silence, but something was expected."

Immediately after the murder the neighbors were terrorized so much as not to be willing to approach the place. But Dietrich Shalter (father of Benjamin, who was known to have great influence over Schild) went there, and finding Schild walking about with the axe on his shoulder said to him (in German), " Oh, John, what have you done !" He replied (also in German), " Yes, what have I done ?"

Schild was tried in November following, con- victed of murder in the first degree and sen- tenced to be hanged. His execution took place on the "Commons," at Reading, on January 30, 1813. An unusually large number of people assembled from all parts of the sur- rounding county to witness the scene. A full confession was made by the murderer before his execution.1 His body was buried on the hill near by the place where he committed the murder. Schild's father was sixty-eight years old and his mother sixty-five, when they were killed. Their bodies were buried in the bury- ing-ground now a part of the Shalter Church property.

WENTZEL HORROR .- On Sunday morning, April 19, 1885, a small out-building on the property of Augustus H. Wentzel was burned. At the time of the occurrence the two sons of Mr. Wentzel and two workmen named Hettin- ger were sleeping there, and they perished in the flames. Albert Knoll, a weak-minded son

1 Reading Adler, February 2, 1813.

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

of a neighbor, was arrested for the deed, but he was acquitted on the ground of insanity. This produced a profound sensation and moved the hearts of the entire community. The funeral services conducted at Zion's Church were at- tended by a multitude of sympathizing people from all parts of the county.

POLITICAL PRIZE BANNER .- In 1852 the Democratic citizens of Reading proposed to present a " Prize Banner " to the political dis- trict which would show the largest increase in majority at the Presidential election. After the election it was ascertained that the largest in- crease had been made by Alsace township. Accordingly, a committee was appointed to make the presentation, on February 19, 1852, and a township committee was also appointed to re- ceive the banner, which comprised the follow- ing active political workers of the township :

Jacob Seidel, Sr. Simon Lies.

Joseph Marks.

Reuben Shalter.

Daniel Gotshall. Benjamin Hill.

Abraham Hartman. Samuel Fick.

Franklin Rothenber-

Jacob Marks.

ger. Jacob Seidel, Jr.

Henry Hinnershitz.

Frederick Seidel.

John Seidel.

Michael Lies.

Benjamin Barto.

The banner contained the following: On the obverse side there was a fine portrait of President Pierce, on white satin, with the pa- triotic motto in a scroll underneath :

" No North. No South.

No East. No West."

And on the reverse side, the following inscription, in gold, on a blue silk ground :

" Prize Banner,-Presented by the Democratic Citizens of Reading to the Democrats of Alsace for their devotion to the principles of Democracy."

The presentation was made at the public- house of Peter Fies, by A. M. Sallade, Esq., chairman of the committee; and the banner was received by Hon. Henry A. Muhlenberg in behalf of the township. Other addresses were made, after which a bountiful dinner was enjoyed. About three hundred persons attended this exceptional meeting.

During the last thirty years the hill lands of Penn's Mount, overlooking Exeter township,

have been highly improved. The grape has been largely cultivated.

Recently a resort has been established on the top of one of the hills of this township, and a distinguished Pennsylvania German poet, H. L. Fisher, Esq., of York, Pa., made it the sub- ject of an interesting and expressive poem, after a pleasant visit with Mr. Thomas C. Zim- merman and others. With his permission it is introduced,-

KÜCHLER'S RUUSCHT.

(Der Ehrvoller Alsace Fuszganger Klubb Gewitmet).

" Drei Meil hinnig Red'n" do isch 'en Weiberg, Un der Weeg nuf isch ziemlich geh ;

Dort leewe die Herre so luschtig wie Lerch, Un freue sich, dort, in der Höh.

Im Frühling, so wan die Fögel z'rück kumme, Un singe un peife so schö;

Im Summer-die Luft, wohlriechend mit Blumme- Wie lieblig isch's dort in der Höh !

Im Herbscht, wan der Wald isch brau, geel un roth, Un die Fögel, die, singe, " Adee,"- Wan die Felder im Dhaal sin grü mit der Soot, Wie herlich isch's dort uf der Höh !

Im Winter, wan Bam un Felder sin bloosz, Un's Blümli schlooft unner 'm Schnee- Wan alles isch schtumm un weisz wie der Doot, Doch heemelt's em a' uf der Holı.

Der Weeg nuf isch üwerecks, eng, un krumm, Un laaft üwer Felse un Schitee; Was gewwe die luschtige Fuszgänger d'rum, Mit Wei un Gesang uf der Höh ?

Im Morge, so wan die Sun sich erhöht, Un Aurora gukt wie der Roth See-

Am Owet, so wan die Sun unnergeht, Wie 'r götzlich isch's dort uf der Höh !

Der Schnee mag so dief sei-bis an die Knie, Doch traue mer als zu de Bee ; Mer saddle juscht uf un laafe dort hi', Un schtelle dort uf-uf der Höh.

En jede, der, traagt sei eegne Lascht nuf- Ja, des muss er dhu- all allee;

Wie 'n Dampfgaul, doch macht er als "huff! huff huff!" Un der Dampf schteight hooch in die Höh!

Ich hab schun geleese fun Himmel uf Erd, In Länder weit üwer de See,- Was wäre sie all zumm'e Fuszgänger weerd, Im Häusel dort hooch uf der Höh !

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Ich hab, a'h, schun g'heert fum e' "Häusel am Rhein,"- En Häusel, "net grosz un net klee;" Doch, geb mer die Freiheit, Ferknüge, un Wein, Im Häusel, do, hooch uf der Höh.

'S isch net all in Geld, un hat mer die Welt, So wöt mer doch immer noch meh; Hier sin mer so luschtig un frey wie die Held' Un die Adler, do, hooch in der Höh.

So luftig un heftig wie'm Adler sei Nescht, Uf de Alpen-weit üwer 'm See- So schtandhaft wie 'm Kaiser sei Schloss un sei Fescht,

Schteht's Häusel, do, hooch uf der Höh.

Im Winter bloost Boreas grimmig un scharf, Un die Luft isch lewendig mit Schnee; Dan schpielt alt Eolus sei bescht's uf der Harf, Uf'm Häusel, do, hooch uf der Höh.

Es Wasser, die Luft, uu alles isch rein- Do gebt's ke' Malari, O! nee;

Ke' Hausel am Neckar, ke' Palascht am Rhein, Wie's Häusel, do, hooch uf der Höh !

Es kummt a'h, net bal, en Kätzer do heer -- Ke' Kranket, ke' Krampet, ke' Weh ;

Un es gaus Johr-rum wert's Fassli net lehr, Am Weiberg, do, hooch uf der Höh.

Es Leewe isch flüchtig un kurz bey uns' all, Un der Wandel isch krümig un geh ; Doch heemelt em a' der Hall un der Schall, Am Weiberg, do, hooch uf der Höh.

Endlich, " Aschen zu Aschen und Schtaab zu Schtaab," Un en Felse zum Denkmal-Schtee!

O, dan schenk uns hier, en friedliches Kraab, Un Seligkeit, dort, in der Höh !

H. L. FISCHER. Dec. 11th, 1884.

MUHLENBERG TOWNSHIP.

ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- The western sec- tion of the township of Alsace, from the upper to the lower extremity, is comparatively level, and comprises mostly fertile, lime-stone land ; and the eastern section is remarkably hilly, and comprises rather sterile gravel land. The roads in the former were easily and cheaply repaired, but in the latter the repairs were frequent and expensive. This was a subject of complaint by the tax-payers of the former section for some

years ; finally, it culminated in an application to court, in 1849, for a division of the town- ship. Aaron Albright, Dennis W. O'Brien and Henry Schoener were appointed commis- sioners to make and report the desired division. On June 14, 1849, they reported a division, having run a line almost straight from a point near the Ruscomb-manor corner to the northern- most point of the Schuylkill bend, near the Big Dam, and having suggested for the western section (exclusive of the ground included in the limits of Reading) the name of " Neversink township." This report met with great oppo- sition from the prominent men of the eastern section, among them Benjamin Shalter, Adam Heckman, Valentine Hartman, Peter Hartman and John Bernhart. Their exceptions pre- vailed, and the report was "set aside upon merits " on November 24, 1849. A review was asked for, and the court appointed M. S. Rich- ards, Richard Boone and Benjamin Tyson com- missioners. A re-survey was made by them on March 25, 1850. They considered the advisa- bility of continuing the name of Alsace town- ship for the western section, and of suggesting the name of "Manor township " for the east- ern, inasmuch as the eastern was principally composed of the " Manor of Penn's Mount." Their report could not be found amongst the records in the Quarter Sessions of the county.

In May following a large and enthusiastic meeting was held at the public-house of Jacob Kerlin by tax-payers of the proposed western section who favored a division. Jacob S. Eb- ling was president of the meeting ; John Ha- beracker, John Gehret, John Leinbach, John Schneider and Henry Leinbach were vice-pres- idents ; and Francis Parvin and T. J. Weber secretaries. The following prominent men re- ported appropriate resolutions, which were adopted by the meeting : Daniel Shepp, Jacob Gehret, John Ulrich, George Spengler, Daniel Shell, John Dotterer, Peter Rothermel, Daniel Maurer, Jacob Maurer, Jacob Moyer, Daniel Zacharias, Sr., J. P. Ulrich, Simon Moyer, Ja- cob Gehret, Sr., Edward Leader, Jonathan King, Henry Spengler, Henry Body; and a vigilance committee, consisting of sixty-nine members, was theu appointed to promote the

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

interests of the movement in behalf of the pro- posed new township. Shortly afterward the division was made by the court,1 and the west- ern division was named Muhlenberg, the family of this name then owning a large quantity of land within its limits. It may be remarked, in this connection, that this is the only township named after a representative man of the county.

INDUSTRIES.

The old Leize mill, near the mouth of Laurel Run, was one of the first improvements of the kind in the present township.

The second mill, built of stone, by Adam Leize, was long operated by his son, Henry. The present brick mill was built by a later owner, Wm. Rothenberger. It has been sup- plied with steam-power, and it is now carried on hy Peter Rothenberger.

On Spring Creek (commonly known as Bernhart's Run) near the mountain, the Leizes had a saw-mill, on a power which was later made to operate a hat-factory, owned by Wertz and others. Cotton batting was also made there. Twenty years ago the power was used to operate a grist-mill, which is now owned by John Grim. At the lower part of the valley there was the pioneer Rothermel saw-mill, and on its site such a mill was maintained until 1883, the property having passed into the hands of the Bernharts. A short distance above, clover and grist-mills were erected, both of which were demolished. The grist-mill was replaced by the present mill, which was built in 1856 by John Bernbart, and steam-power was introduced in 1876. The building is a large three-story brick, and is the property of the city of Reading, being on the tract purchased to obtain a water supply. Large reservoirs have here been constructed, from which the water flows by gravitation to the distributing reser- voir and also through the streets of the city.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 164

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