USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 171
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1 The other sides were reported : From said road, along said township line, south sixty-five west five hundred and forty-eight perches to the Schuylkill River; down the river fourteen hundred perches to the Alsace township line ; thence along said line north sixty-five east seven hundred and sixty-four perches. The lines inclosed about five thousand seven hundred acres.
2 Subscribed by two hundred and eighteen signatures,- one hundred and forty-four English.
3 This spelling had been used for a century by different persons in deeds and church records ; but it was erroneous The proper spelling is " Ontelaunee."
In pursuance of an act passed, the question was submitted to a vote of the inhabitants, and the division was sustained by a majority of twenty-one. The whole number of votes polled was two hundred and five. The new township was erected into a separate election district by act passed February 28, 1850.
In Outelaunee township, as in Maiden- creek, the first settlers were Friends, some of whom entered the territory as early as 1721. Among the first was Moses Starr, who bought a tract of land containing five hundred and fifty-one acres, situated along the Maiden- creek. This tract has been subdivided and is now owned by the Forneys, Hottensteins and others. Upon this land a mansion was built in 1729, which was well preserved until recently. The Starrs have long since ceased to be citizens of the township. About the same time Francis Parvin built a log house, which stood in what is now the orchard of his great-grandson, Jacob Parvin, at Berkley. This house was kept un- locked for the accommodation of such Indians as might chance to visit Parvin, he having been on very friendly terms with them. They cou- sidered his place their home when in that viciu- ity. Iu 1758 Francis Parvin, the son of the first Francis, built a house at the place now known as Berkley, upon the same lot of ground as the first, but nearer the creek, which is still standing and is the home of the Parvins. It was constructed of stone and consisted of two rooms and a hall below. In 1856 Jacob Par- vin, the present owner, built an addition to it at the east end, and plastered the whole build- ing on the outside, thus destroying the original appearance of the old part of the house. The old building, in its improved condition, forms a very comfortable residence. The elder Par- vins also interested themselves in the welfare of the colored people, several of them having had their homes with them at Berkley, being com- monly known as Joe, Bill and Frisbie Loyd. The latter removed to Reading, where he opened a restaurant and also became a dealer in lottery tickets.
In the southern part of the township Bal- thaser Schalter, a native of Germany, settled on a tract of land which is commonly called
1031
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
Schuylkill Bend. The farm embraced two hundred and eighty acres. He there reared his sons-Dieter, Michael and Jacob. The former took up his abode at what is called Shalter's Church, in Alsace township, while the other sons remained on the homestead. Part of this farm still belongs to one of the descendants, Jonas Shalter, who was born in 1815.
This locality suffered a great deal from the flood of September 3, 1850. At the bend of the Schuylkill eight acres of heavy timber were washed out, and the canal in that locality was much damaged. East of Leesport John Ger- nant, son of George Gernant, settled on the farm now owned by John Gernant. A barn built in 1784 was recently torn down. Some of the Gernant daughters married into the Eckert, Huy and Miller families, the latter being the ancestor of Levi Miller, the coal operator at Pine Grove. Jacob Rahn was a neighbor of the Gernants, living on the farm owned by the Rahns. He was the father of sons named Jacob, John, Philip and Adam, and grandfather of the older Rahns of that part of the county. The Dunkels, Huys and Hottensteins were also among the first German families who effected settlement among the Friends. 'All of these have descendants occu- pying the original places, and some owning the first improvements.
BERKLEY is a name applied to the hamlet on Willow Creek, where it is crossed by the Cen- tre turnpike and the Berks County Railroad. It is said to have received the name on account of its relative position to Reading, as Berkley in England to the Reading of that country. It is beautifully located in a valley and contains a tannery, grist-mill, distillery, hotel, several shops and residences. A station of the same name is on the railroad, and a post-office is main- tained there, called East Berkley. A store was formerly kept in the place by a man named Dief- fenbach, but carried on a few years only, dis- continuing about 1830. John Eckert was an early keeper of the inn and part of the house built by him remains. But John Stichter was the first landlord who gave the inn a reputa- tion. Before 1825 he had a large patronage and attracted a number of guests as summer
boarders. In 1829 William Dunkel became the owner. He was succeeded, in 1857, by the present proprietor, James Dunkel. The house is large and bears evidence of its former popu- larity.
A mile below, at Schuylkill Bend, a store was opened by F. B. Shalter, in 1826, which, since 1835, has been carried on by Jonas Shal- ter, the latter engaging there in trade when he was only eighteen years of age. The public- house was first kept by a man named Medlar. For the past twenty years Samuel Mengel has been the landlord. These interests and the few houses along the turnpike, from the hamlet, are sometimes called Shalter's Store, but more prop- erly Schuylkill Bend.
LEESPORT is the only town in the township. It is finely sitnated on the Schuylkill, about nine miles above Reading. It derives its name from its founder, Samnel Lee, who laid it out in 1840. On the 12th of April, 1839, Lee bought a farm of seventy-five acres from John Miller, a part of which he set aside for town lots, which now form the site of Leesport. Prev- iously, there was a public-house at the place, called in early times George Gering's Inn, and where, later, Isaac and Reuben E. Addams were well-known landlords. In 1841 there were the following additional land-owners: James Bell, Jacob Miller, Jacob Dunkelberger, Josiah Zellers, John Althouse, George Weidenbaum, Henry Ropp and Henry Garrett. Lee closed out his unsold lots to Young & Darrah, who, for a number of years, were the principal lot- owners of the town. Althouse lived at the canal-lock, where he kept a public-house, and the bridge, which was built across the river at that point, was long known by his name. His public-house is now known as the Peter Hot- tenstein place. It had a number of other keep- ers, among them William Gift, Henry Gawker, George Gernant and Reuben Wirner. The hotel kept by Jacob Graeff for the past twenty years was built, in 1842, by John Fuss, but not opened as an inn until 1844, by Jacob Ebling. Other landlords of that time were Solomon Keim, John Yeager and Jacob Boyer, eleven years. The Leesport post-office was established in 1851, with Reuben Addams as the first post-
1032
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
master. Jacob Graeff is the present incumbent. Nathan Young and Dr. James Darrah had the first regular store in the Althouse building at the canal, near which they also had a large warehouse. They had an immense trade and first made Leesport a business point. In 1854 Benjamin Lenhart engaged in trade. The store which he occupied has been used the past eight years by William Willits. Reuben Werner has also carried on business many years.
Young & Darrah built a good steam mill, in 1840, near the canal and close by their ware- house, which they successfully operated a num- ber of years. They also built themselves fine mansions, which are among the finest residences of the town. After a period the mill machinery was removed from the mill and the building was converted into a woolen-factory by Butz & Levan. It was successfully operated for sev- eral years, the goods having a high reputation. In 1871 the building was destroyed by fire.
A Doctor Evans was one of the first resident practitioners in the township. In 1836 Dr. Strawbridge lived at Berkley, but subsequently built a house at Leesport and died there, some time after 1842. He was succeeded by Dr. Zollers, a German physician of good repute, who lived in the house now occupied by Jacob Boyer. Dr. Penrose Wily was next in prac- tice, continuing until his death, in 1874. Dr. William Schlemm was here about one year, and Dr. Levan three years, removing thence to Philadelphia. Other physicians are noted in connection with West Leesport, in Bern town- ship.
Leesport is connected with the latter place by a bridge and the two places are practically one. On the west side is the station of the Philadel- phia and Reading Railroad, also three stores, two hotels, one church and a school-house; on the east side are a like number of similar inter- ests and the station of the Pennsylvania Rail- road, opened to the public in 1885. A furnace and a number of shops contribute to its busi- ness. The population is about three hundred and fifty.
INDUSTRIES.
One of the first manufacturing interests in the township was the tannery of Francis Parvin,
on Willow Creek, at Berkley. The tannery was established in 1730, and it has been continuously carried on by the Parvin family since that time, the successive owners being three Francis Par- vins, one in each generation. The present Ja- cob Parvin has had the property during the past forty years. For a long time the tannery included only three vats, but each successive owner increased the capacity until at present there are thirty-five vats and two large build- ings adapted for tannery purposes. In 1852 steam was introduced and has since been eni- ployed. The production is twenty-five hides per week (oak-tanned), making calf-skin and harness-leather.
On the opposite side of the stream John Stich- ter had a tannery, about 1810, which was al- lowed to go down; but, in 1880, Rufus H. Dunkle erected a stone building on its site, in which he has since carried on the distillation of pure rye whiskey. On the same stream, to the east, Benneville Moser carried on for some years a distillery, after the late Civil War, which produced a considerable quantity of whiskey. The buildings have been removed. Below the tannery, on the same stream, the Parvins built a mill which in the early part of this century became the property of Mark Davis, who afterward rebuilt the mill. It has been further improved by the present owner, Reese Davis, and is now one of the best mills in that part of the county. Above Berkley, where the turnpike crosses the Maiden Creek, a paper- mill was put up, by Jacob Ulrick, on one side of the stream, and a fulling-mill, by Michael Ulrick, on the other side. This was about 1820. Some fifteen years later the fulling-mill was changed into a grist-mill by Jacob Parvin, and it is still so operated by Charles W. Faust. The paper-mill was also converted into a grist- mill by George Fox, after he had for a time distilled liquor in the building. The latter mill is now owned by David Schlegel. The next power above was improved to operate a mill built by Penrose Wily, soon after 1800, and which in its day did a large business. A later owner of the improved mill was Dr. Owen H. Wily: Still farther up the stream is the Evans mill, noted elsewhere.
1033
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
In the western part of the township the quar- rying of limestone has been a great industry for many years. Below Leesport there are ex- tensive quarries, operated by the Atkins Bros., of Pottsville, from which ten car- loads of stone per day are shipped. Near by are the lime- kilns of Wm. Baltzer, and the Richenbach lime-works, each carried on largely. These in- terests employ several dozen men, in addition to those engaged in taking out stone for the Leesport Iron Co. The quarries are reached by the tracks of both the Philadelphia and Reading and Pennsylvania Railroads.
LEESPORT IRON COMPANY .- The industries of this company are the most important in the township. On the 27th of November, 1852, the following-named persons associated them selves to carry on the manufacture of iron at Leesport : Wm. Eckert, Nicholas V. R. Hun- ter, W. H. Clymer, John G. Kauffman, Geo. N. Eckert, James Millholland, Samuel Kauff- man, Wm. M. Heister, Isaac Eckert, Fred. S. Hunter and Edward M. Clymer, having organ- ized with the above name. They obtained a tract of land, embracing four acres, which for- merly belonged to Darrah & Young, upon which they erected furnace buildings and made other necessary improvements. These were completed to such an extent that the work of filling the furnace stack took place at twelve o'clock, on the 17th of September, 1853, and the first run-out made the following day. The capacity of the furnace was small at first, the entire yearly product being only a little over six thousand tons. This capacity was more than doubled in 1871, when the furnace was re- built to its present size. As such it was in suc- cessful blast for some years, under the manage- ment of L. M. Kauffman. A season of de- pression followed, which caused this furnace, as well as many others in the Schuylkill Valley, to go out of blast and to remain idle for some time, or to be operated only on a limited scale. In May, 1885 the company was reorganized with R. F. Leaf (president), P. R. Stetson (secretary and treasurer) and M. P. Jenney (general man- ager). The furnace was overhauled and its capa- city increased, In Nov., 1885, itwas putin blast, since which time it has been in operation.
The property of the iron company consists of three farms in Ontelaunee township, near Lees- port, two of them containing superior limestone, adapted for use in the furnace. Upon one of these farms a fine mansion for the use of the manager was built in 1885. The company has a well appointed office and thirty-seven tenements located in various parts of Leesport. It has also several miles of sidings, connecting with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, half a mile below the furnace. It uses ores from the Le- high section and from the Miller farin at Topton, in Berks County. About sixty men were em- ployed in 1885, these embracing the greater part of the working population of Leesport.
CHURCHES.
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH (Evangelical Luthe- ran and German Reformed) .- This is the oldest church in the township, and one of the oldest in that part of the county. On account of its proximity to the Gernant farm, it is often called the Gernant Church, and as such obtains wide local recognition. The site on which it stands is very commanding, making the church a prominent object for many miles. It is a large brick edifice, erected in 1868, by a building committee, composed of William Rahn, John Gernant, Franklin Rodenberger, Henry Gromis and Henry Gawker. The lot on which it stands contains thirteen acres and ineludes a cemetery which has been partly improved, and which, when fully completed, will be one of the finest in that section of the county. The property was en- larged to the present area when the present church was built. John Gernant donated six arres, and six more acres were purchased from the farm of Adam Gernant. The old cemetery embraced about one acre of ground, and on it stood the old church. Part of this land was ob- tained from the Gernant lands and one-half acre was granted by Mordecai Lee, in 1795, to the trustees of the two congregations,-Jacob Rahn, Yost Sies, Nicholas Schaeffer, John Althouse, Ludwig Bausler and Jacob Huey. It is be- lieved that the church building had been put up in the previous year and most likely it was the second house used as a place of worship. The first building was a plain log house. The
87
1034
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
second church was also of logs, but it was built in a more attractive style. It was rough-cast on the outside. Its general appearance was that of a two-story building and it was supplied with a gallery after the manner of that day.
The Lutheran congregation has had as pastor the Rev. B. D. Zweitzig for the past twenty years. Some of the ministers who preceded him were the Revs. Ditzler, Harple, Wagner, Miller and Minnich. The earlier service was the same as that of other Lutheran congrega- tions in this part of the county. This was also the case of the Reformed congregation. The Reformed pastors within the recollection of present members were the Revs. William Pauli, A. L. Herman, Fred. Herman, J. W. Steinmetz and the present pastor, S. A. Leinbach. The congregation has about one hundred and seven- ty-five meinbers.
BURIALS .- Among other interments in the St. John's Cemetery the following are noted :
Born.
Died.
Samuel Hain.
1795
1879
Jacob Engel
1795
1870
Jacob Dunkel
1794
1880
David Hottenstein.
1796
1880
Jacob Rahn
1790
1874
Isaac Fisher
1775
1864
Catherine Fisher
1780
1879
Benjamin Staudt.
1797
1876
Sallie Huy
1796
1870
Abraham Hottenstein
1793
1872
Elizabeth Hottenstein.
1795
1881
John Keim.
1798
1867
Catherine (Mohr) Keim
1799
1876
John Grett.
1794
1863
William Hottenstein.
1791
1860
John Hallenback. 1783
1861
Bennewell Mengel
1816
1860
Samuel De Turk.
1792
1864
George Hinkel
1781
1864
John Moser.
1782
1847
George Dunkel.
1776
1841
Charlotte Dunkel.
1780
1852
Mary (Dunkel) Parvin
1811
1878
Jacob Graeff.
1762
1840
Isaac Graeff
1803
1843
James Anderson
1784
1853
John Henry Heffner.
1763
1830
Elizabeth Heffner.
1766
1843
Philip Snyder
1768
1841
Adam Rahn.
1762
1842
Margaret (Snyder) Rahn
1760
1853
Daniel Maurer
1774
1832
John Huy.
1784
1840
John Gernant
1788
1864
John Jacob Mohr. 1769
1827
Susan (Huy) Mohr. 1779
1849
John Jacob Huy.
1781
1826
John Gernant
1749
1821
Anna Gernant.
1765
1830
Jacob Huy
1748
1820
Jacob Engel.
1753
1800
Henry Shucker. 1765
1801
John Schaeffer
1771
182
Catherine Schaeffer. 1789
1736
1796
Catherine Schaeffer. 1745
1811
J. Henry Moll
1777
1865
Elizabeth Moll
1776
1856
Henry Moll.
1734
1801
John Stondt.
1737
1801
Christian Fox
1746
1814
Jacob Schalter
1777
1853
Frantz B. Schalter
1735
1813
Susan Schalter
1784
1841
Jacob Rahn .. 1757
1823
Benjamin Hottenstein
1764
1844
Peter Addams
1784
1852
Barbara (Eckert) Addams
1787
1842
Henry Hottenstein 1796
1815
Jacob Seidel. 1776
1846
Elizabeth Seidel,
1786
1843
Sebastian Phillips. 1775
1843
Isaac Addams.
1779
1844
Catherine (Eckert) Addams ..
1780
1841
Catherine Zoller
1847
TRINITY CHURCH (REFORMED AND LUTH- ERAN) .- This house of worship has a beautiful location in the eastern part of Leesport. It was founded in 1867 and then erected, at a cost of nearly twenty thousand dollars, in which the congregations prospered until the night of De- cember 25, 1872, when it was destroyed by a fire, resulting from an overheated furnace, warmed for the Christmas exercises of that evening. Not disheartened, though feeling the loss keenly, steps were at once taken to rebuild it and the present house was erected the follow- ing year under the direction of Reuben Werner and John V. Epler as a building committee. It is of brick, built in modern style, and while not as large nor as fine as the first house, it is of ample proportions and attractive in appearance. It was completed at a cost of about $12,000. The trustees in 1885 were Abraham Kauffman,
1863
John George Alspach. 1779
1861
Nicholas Schaeffer.
1035
William Rahn, Daniel Schlegel, Jared Miller, and David L. Fetherolf, secretary.
The Lutheran congregation, numberiug about one hundred and thirty members, has had the pastoral service of the Rev. B. D. Zweitzig many years. The Reformed congregation has the Rev. Samuel A. Leinbach as pastor. Both congregations have had the same ministers as those officiating at St. John's Church. A very prosperous and largely attended Sunday-school is connected with Trinity Church. A short distance from it is a well-kept cemetery of four acres, opened by a church in 1868.
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP.
The district of territory now comprising the township of Richmond was settled at the same time as the surrounding townships, and gene- rally with the same class of people. The names of the first settlers will appear from the list of members who connected themselves with the Moselem Church in 1746. It was known as a district before the county was erected, in 1752. A survey of the territory was made whilst it was a part of Philadelphia County, the bearings and distances of the large tract surveyed hav- ing been as follows :
"Beginning at a corner of Maiden Creek township on the bank of the Maiden Creek, about 200 perches below the outlet of Moselem Creek ; thence along said township S. E. 1370 perches, and thence S. 65 W. 50 perches to a corner of the Minor of Ruscomb ; thence along said manor land, S. E. 132 ps., No. 65 E. 500 ps., and S. E. 123 ps., to a corner of a district subsequently named Rockland; thence along said district N. E. 620 ps., to a corner of Maxatawny town- ship ; thence along said township N. W. 880 ps., and N. E. 200 ps., to a corner of a district subsequently named Greenwich, thence N. 30 W. 590 ps. to the Sacony Creek, and thence down the Sacony and the Maiden Creek to the place of beginning, containing 12,480 acres."
This district was then called Musseeley (Moselem) after the creek running through its central portion. I could not ascertain from the records of Philadelphia County when the town- ship, by the name mentioned, was erected.
It is probable that the proceedings for the erection of the township were not successful at that time. The surveyor, in preparing the
draft, did uot affix a date or even his name. Benjamin Lightfoot was doubtless the surveyor. The township, by the name of Richmond was organized subsequently, supposed to have been in 1755. The lines were the same as men- tioned. In the erection of Greenwich town- ship the lines on the north were changed, and a number of acres inclined with that township. The lines along Ruscomb-manor and Rockland were changed so as to add a considerable area of laud to Richmond township, the former in 1839 and the latter in 1840. This was done to accommodate the townships in respect to roads, taxes, etc.
The township comprises some of the finest farms in the county. Valuable deposits of iron- ore have contributed much to its wealth, the prominent mines being the Moselem, Rothermel and Heffner. These mines were worked at an early period in the history of the county. A forge, known as the " Moselem Forge," was in existence as early as 1767, and occupied a site on the Moselem creek in the vicinity of the furnace.
The borough of Fleetwood was erected out of a portion of the township in the extreme southern section.
TAXABLES OF 1759 .- The following list con- tains the taxable inhabitants of the township in the year 1759. Dewald Beaver was the col- lector, and the tax levied amounted to £41 18. 6d.
£
£
Frederick Brown.
1
David Kamp.
6
Melchior Brown
4
Henry Kelkner. 12
Nicholas Kiefer 3
Abraham Kiefer 12
Deoliald Beaver 10
Michael Kelchner.
2
Peter Biehl 10
Jacob Lupler
2
Jobn Claus
4
Vincent Lesher.
7
Frederick Cramer
2
Conrad Miller
10
Henry Dilbone.
4
Peter Merkle 16
George Merckle 22
Andreas Milsleagle.
2
Stephen Deisher.
9
Casper Merckle.
7
Henry Eartly
6
George Merckle
3
David Ely.
12
Christian Merckle ....
4
Peter Ettleman.
1
George Merckle, Jr. 2
Nicholas Merckle.
1
George Nutts
3
George Owl
2
Michael Hessler.
2
Christian Hoffman, 3
9
John Ressler
3
Baltzer Reem
9
Christopher Rodarmel.
6
Frederick Hill 19
12
Michael Reaver
3
Valentine Hoffman. I
John Rodarmel 10.
Nicholas Raush 1
Charles HeyIman.
1
Derrick Johnston 56
4
George Foulk
Jacob Foust.
3
Peter Greenawald.
8
Adolf Peter 2
Richard Peters 30)
Henry Heffner
7
George Heffley
Daniel High
Jacob Shoemaker.
5
Henry Burkard 2
Jacob Beaver 3
Peter Dilbone.
2
George Michael Derr
1
1
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
1036
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Philip Soue. 2
Jacob Dreibelbie. 30
Peter Spohn 3
Michael Weinman
2
Christian Shich
2
Michael William.
3 2
George Shaffer .. 10
George Zerr.
Christian Schleagle 6
Single Men.
Nicholas Barron.
Michael Gellinger.
Peter Grub.
Christopher Rink.
Philip Grub.
Jacob Sherer.
Michael Grist.
Jacob Wanner.
EARLY SETTLERS .- Ou the Jonathan Shel- lenberger farm, at Fleetwood, the Dreibelbis family made a settlement in 1740, coming from Hannesthal, Germany. Daniel Dreibelbis had sons named Daniel, Abraham and Jacob. The first settled at Milton, Pa .; the second in Schnylkill County ; and Jacob married a Merkel, and lived near Virginsville. Here he reared sons named Jacob, John, Samuel, William and David, the latter still living at a very old age. The Leshers and Heffners settled in Greenwich, but some of the descendants early became identified with the history of Rich- mond.
John and Henry Stein settled on the Sacony, in Richmond, on what is now the Fegely farm. The former had sons named Jacob, Peter, Daniel, Benjamin and Solomon, all deceased. Jacob died in Greenwich at the age of eighty years. He was the father of Adam Stein.
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