History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 175

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 175

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The population of the village is about one hundred.

SHAMROCK, on the East Pennsylvania Rail- road, near the county line, was laid ont in 1859, and received its name from Engineer Lyons, who located the station. The affairs of the railroad company, since 1860, have been in charge of L. S. Hawerter. The present depot building was erected in 1883. A hotel is conducted by C. A. Fegeley and a general store by Romig & Wet- zel, who have been in trade since 1869. Their new building, completed in February, 1886, is seventy feet long, and part of the second story is set aside for tailor, saddler and shoemaker- shops. The Shamrock post-office was estab- lished in 1884, with Uriah Beiry as postmaster. Four mails per day are supplied. A. Trexler is a dealer in coal and grain. A large amount of ore was formerly shipped from this point, 1

but the annual shipment was only about fifteen thousand tons the past few years. Shamrock contains a fine school-house, an Evangelical Church, about thirty residences and a hundred and fifty inhabitants.

MERTZTOWN is a station on the East Penn- sylvania Railroad, a little more than a mile west of Shamrock. It is an old place and took its name from Martin Mertz, an old settler. It contains fine residences, a good school-house, a church, hotel and store. The greater part of the village has been built up since the opening of the railroad. In 1858 a grain warehouse was built by Nathan Trexler and Levi Leiss, in which a large business has since been done and which has attracted other interests. The occu- pants of this house in 1885 were E. H. & D. S. Trexler. In this place was kept the Mertz- town post-office, established in December, 1857. Nathan Dresher has been the postmaster since August, 1885. It has four mails per day, and is the distributing point for Schwoyer's post- office. The first postmaster at Mertztown was Levi Leiss, and his successors were Marcus and Nicholas Long and James L. Trexler. Nathan Trexler was one of the first prominent business men of the place. In 1831 he built the house now occupied by E. H. Trexler, and kept it as a public-house until 1861, when it was con- tinued fourteen years longer by E. H. Trexler. In 1874 the latter built the present hotel, a very large brick building. Levi Leiss was, for a number of years, a successful merchant at Mertztown, having been succeeded by Haas & Klein. The present merchants are T. L. Fritch & Brothers.

In March, 1885, the Mertztown Creamery be- gan operations under the ownership of Miller & Klein. In September of the same year E. H. Trexler became the proprietor. About eighteen hundred pounds of butter are made weekly. Near by, Uriah Butz has a coach- making establishment.

KLINE'S CORNER is situated north of Mertztown, containing more than a dozen houses, many of them being occupied by miners. In 1885 a post-office was established there with the name of Schwoyer, the name being derived from the first postmaster, James Schwoyer, who

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

also carries on a store. At this place A. H. Schwoyer bas a public-house.

West is the small hamlet of OREVILLE, which has not yet become a business point.

HANCOCK, a flag-station between Topton and Mertztown, owes its existence to S. Long & Son, wbo opened it for settlement about fifteen years ago, and who are at present carrying on an ex- tensive coal and lumber business. A paint- mill has recently been started, and a public-

position in Ayrshire. His great-grandfather, Hugh Findlay, of Kilmarnock, was prominently connected with the coal mining interest of his native country, and a son by the same name, was identified with his father, and for many years was manager for the well-remembered Sandy Gawtry, the great Scotch coal operator. He had eight children, of whom James was the eldest, born in 1802, and, trained by his father in the business of coal mining, in early man-

James Findlay

house was opened, about a year ago, by Francis W. Schwartz. A dozen residences constitute the other features of the place. Southwest is a collection of houses called Kutzville, but there is no special interest connected with it.

The borough of Topton was erected from this township.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

JAMES FINDLAY is of Scotch descent. His ancestors for centuries occupied an honorable

hood was made one of the managers of the mines. He was married in 1822 to Miss Eliz- abeth Holland in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, by Rev. Mr. McGinlay. When thirty years of age, himself, wife and four children took passage on the sailing vessel "Mercator," and, after a voyage consuming thirty-five days, landed at New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, early in 1832. He at once engaged in the pursuit with which he was very familiar, and connected himself with the

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Henry, John Richard, Katie Louisa, Carrie Agnes and Nicholas Frederick.

WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.

EARLY SETTLERS .- It is difficult to give a full and authentic account of the early settle- ment of Windsor township, inasmuch as there is so little recorded matter to refer to for ac- curate data, and so many changes of ownership have taken place. There are some few farms remaining in the possession of descendants of the original owners. In general the first improve- ments were made ou the high lands, on account of the ease of clearing the same, and their sup- posed greater healthfulness. Later, finding the level lands more desirable, many of the first tracts were sold and new homes were selected. The development of the country was slow, as is shown by the amount of work done on the pub- lic roads. From an auditor's book begun in 1765, and used for this purpose continuously since, we learn that the total expenditures for the improvement of the roads the first year were only £3 11s. Pennsylvania currency. The workmen were paid at the rate of three shillings per day and the supervisor four shill- ings for going to Reading to be inducted to his office and a like amount to make his report. Lawrence May was the first supervisor and Eberhard Shappell, Peter Focht and Jeremiah Shappell the auditors. Among the men em- ployed on the roads were George Yoh, Leonard Reber, Conrad Kerschner, George Lindenmuth, John Buck, Baltzer Buck, Michael Yoh, Peter Yoh, Michael Hallenbach and Henry Kalbach. When any of these persons furnished a team they were paid ten shillings a day for the use of the same. Accounts were kept in pounds, shill- ings and pence until 1820, when the present system began to be used.

The early settlers were not entirely free of the superstitions entertained by people in other localities, and a " witch dance " is said to have existed in the present township. Not quite two miles from Windsor Castle, on a vacant piece of land, a spot was designated as the trysting- place of the spirits of the evil one. Thither, witches, ghosts and spooks hied themselves, at

certain periods, and with measured steps trav- eled around a common centre until a deep cir- cular path had been worn in the earth, closely resembling the track made by horses hitched to a sweep-power. In late years the practice has not been kept up, and only a few traces of the " dance " remain.

Among the natural features of the township there are several trees which are remarkable for their unusual size or other peculiarities. A tree on the farm of Jacob Jacoby is thirty feet in circumference. In the road near Windsor Cas- tle stood a white oak, which was an object of much attention. Its diameter at the base was forty-six inches. During a heavy storm the tree was blown down and upon being cut up yielded ten cords of wood. Some twenty feet from the ground, a main limb, growing out of the trunk and being two feet in diameter, was supported by another limb, about a foot in 'diameter, which grew out of the trunk and downward into the lower and larger limb, so as to form a perfect triangle. This curious freak of nature is still preserved by Mahlon A. Sellers. The township is not generally subject to storms, but on the 5th of July, 1877, there was a severe visitation by that destructive element, which un- roofed thirteen barns and damaged all kinds of property to the amount of sixty thousand dol- lars.

The names of the earlier settlers in the town- ship, appears in the following statement, which comprises a list of the taxable inhabitants for the year 1759 :

€

Geo. Angstadt.

John Houeer

Matthias Alsbach.

Conrad Heaiser

Reinhard Alebach 4

Philip Hill

Peter Bartholomew 6

Jacob Hill

George Bowman 3

Daniel Hill.

Casper Bronch

Jacob Hill

Wm. Bueler

Philip Honekel

Daniel Bealy.

Christopher Houseknecht. 7

Geo. Hollebach 1

Jacob Homel

John Buck 2

Jacob Hower.

Clement Donkleberger.

Wendle Hower

Michael Davold

Geo. Hower

Leonard Dietrich 9

John Hess 5

Killian Dunkle. 5

Conrad Houseman 5

Wendle Ernst.

John Heffner 2

Geo. Heffner 4

Nicholas Fry.

Philip Hensel 3

Geo. Folk

Widow Hughes, 5

John Garber. 11

Michael Kreiser. 6

Geo. Gotshall 3

Joseph Kreieher 2

John Hart

8 Conrad Kersner 16

Christopher Brininger 4

Henry Bopst. 5

Michael Eeseman 2

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

1059

Henry Keulbach

Geo. Roslar 3

Geo. Krause ..

Leonerd Raver. 15

Geo. Kortoer

Michael Reneler

Bastian Kreisher

Thomas Right. 12

Melchior Keeper

Widow Rodermel

Leopard Keplinger. 4

Everhard Shopple

Geo. Kearl.

Jeremiah Shopple

Jecob Kraff.

Henry Sheirer

Daniel Konipf

Michael Schlear.

Henry Kross

Geo. Spider

Lawrence Kuntz.

Andreas Seidle

Adeor Klein.

Geo. Stenger 9

Henry Kime

Elias Stein 10

Wendle Kiefer

Matthias Terhar 5

Adam Kuhn

Wm. Tomlineon 3

Michael Unger. 2

Nicholae Wenger 4

Martin Werner

Joho Moyer

Dewald Weroer.

Geo. Poust.

Jonathan Worald

Jacob Petrie

Gerhard Will

Jacob Rouso

Jacob Wingord.

Jacob Raesh

Adamı Wagner

Martin Roush

Single Men.

Anthony Adam.

John Homel.

David Alebach.

Jacob Link.

Casper Breininger.

Geo. Plat.

Hans Conrady.

Benj. Wily.

Inmates.

Martin Epley

Philip Martin

Chas. Heafley.

Jacob Schock

Andreas Homel

Casper Smith

Michael Kinttel.

Matthias Sowermilk

Jacob Mertin

Peter Weaver.

John Miller.

Philip Winsel

Geo. Monty

Henry Wittenberg 1

The total tax levied then was £40 88. 6d. and Michael Greisher was the collector.

It is not known when the township was reg- alarly erected. It had a legal existence before 1752. The name was taken from Windsor, in England, and given to the township by the Friends, who were the earliest settlers, espe- cially along the Schuylkill River. The forego- ing list discloses the fact that numerous Germans were in the township at an early period.

The original description of the township by metes and bounds was as follows : " Beginning at the corner of Maiden-creek township on tlie eastern bank of the Schuylkill ; thence N. 65 E. 1400 prs. ; thence S. E. 140 prs. to Maiden Creek ; thence up said creek 1300 prs. to a point ; thence N. W. 1383 prs. to the Blue Mountain ; thence S. 60 W. 1235 prs. to the Schuylkill, and thence down the river 2750 prs. to the beginning ; and this tract was estimated to contain 26,481 acres." When this description was given, the townships to the east and north (Richmond, Greenwich and Albany) were not

mentioned, which would indicate that Windsor township had been set apart about 1746. The survey was doubtless made by Benjamin Light- foot, who surveyed nearly all the townships in this section of the county.

In 1790 a tract of mountain land was added to the township on the north, containing about four thousand acres.

WINDSOR FURNACE is near the base of the Blue Mountain, in the northeastern part of the township, on a stream of water called Furnace Creek. It is believed that the first improvement at that point was made soon after the settlement of the county. On November 2, 1768, Henry Moll conveyed to Jacob Winey, of Philadelphia, one hundred and seventy-six acres of land, together with a forge for the manufacture of bar- iron, and a water grist and saw-mill thereon erect- ed, which had come into the possession of Moll the same fall, through purchase at a sheriff's sale of the property of Frederick Delaplank, report- ed as an iron-master. After this sale the forge does not seem to have been operated, and we next learn of the establishment of a small charcoal furnace at that site by Valentine Eckert, an en- terprising iron-master in the northern part of the county. Later, George Reagan became the manager, and the furnace was operated in con- nection with Union Furnace and the forges in Albany township. Thence the operators were Boyd & Ammon, Jones, Keim & Co., Darrah and Jones, who discontinued about 1850. While Jones, Keim & Co. had the furnace they made castings of various kinds, and in 1834 ventured upon the production of artistic work, which is thus described : "' The Last Supper,' after Leon- ardo da Vinci, made at the Windsor Furnace, by Jones, Keim & Co., was presented to the Phila- phia Exchange by D. M. Keim. It was cast from pure ore in common sand and oiled. This firm made the first attempt to bring to perfec- tion, castings of this description. Many of our public institutions are in possession of speci- mens of their taste and skill." 1

After the furnace had been idle some time, William Metzler obtained the property and established a tannery on it, which he carried on

1 Commercial Herald, Philadelphia, November, 1834.

Geo. Miller.

Jecob Miller

. Adam Luckenhill

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

very extensively until he was accidentally killed in his grinding-mill by being caught up by the machinery. Another period of inactivity fol- lowed, when the property was again converted into a charcoal furnace by George Merkel and equipped so that it could produce about thirty tons of iron per week. He operated it success- fully a number of years and was succeeded by the present owner of the property, Daniel B. Fisher. The furnace was in blast till 1882. Connected with the furnace are a large tract of land, mills and about ten tenements, constituting together a valuable property.

A short distance north from Hamburg, on the Schuylkill, was the Keim Furnace, which was last operated by Jones, Keim & Co., in con- nection with the Windsor Furnace. When the canal was widened it was found necessary to destroy the property, and then it passed out of existence. It was never operated extensively, employing usually only about twenty-five men. Among other productions, some fine castings for the railings of fences were manufactured and other ornamental work. In this locality there was also, for a time, a mill.

In the eastern part of the township on the lower waters of Furnace Creek, is a mill-site which was improved many years ago by the Miller family, and the mills erected there have always been operated by them. Steam-power was added at a later day, and the mill was thereby improved, so that it enjoys a good repu- tation. The present owner is George S. Miller.

The other interests of the township are such as pertain to purely agricultural pursuits. These engage the attention of most of the citizens, and therein they have achieved a repu- tation as skillful farmers.

WATER-CURE ESTABLISHMENT .- About 1850 a Dr. Quinadon, an eccentric but well educated man, of foreign extraction, appeared in Wind- sor and avowed his purpose to establish a water- cure. He secured a location near the Windsor Furnace, where he put up frame buildings for the accommodation of his patients and provi- ded bath-houses, where shower, hot and cold baths could be taken. He obtained the neces- sary water from the race which carried the water to the furnace. At that point the furnace

was elevated a considerable height from the ground. He opened his establishment in a pub- lic way and by having religious services, preach- ing a sermon wherein he endeavored to impress his hearers with the importance of his mission. Occasionally he would also preach in the neigh- boring churches, filling the appointment of some regular preacher. For a time he conducted his place with success, and, it is said, persons afflicted with rheumatism were especially benefited. His patronage, however, was never large and the enterprise was soon abandoned. Some of the buildings were removed and others converted into a residence. Dr. Quinadon removed, it is said, to Washington Territory.

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH is on the State road, two miles northeast from Hamburg. It is the third house erected for religious purposes in that locality. The first church was of logs, put up for the accommodation of a Lutheran congrega- tion, formed some time after 1750, as the result of the missionary labors of the Revs. Krug and Decker. It was dedicated November 6, 1756, by the Rev. Daniel Schumacher, as the " Leba- non Evangelical Lutheran Church, at the Blue Mountains." The latter part of the title has been most generally applied to the church. At that time the elders were Martin Rouch, Jacob Mueller and George Gardner, who also served as the building committee. The members were at first few in numbers and the preaching at long intervals. But the increase of popula- tion and consequent increase of membership caused a desire for a larger and better building, and it was determined to erect it as soon as the necessary funds could be collected. Nearly all the people of that locality having been poor, authority was asked of the Lieutenant-Governor of the province to collect funds among charita- ble people in other sections to assist the enter- prise, and a petition to that effect was issued September 25, 1767. It set forth that they wanted a " Brief to collect money for the pur- pose of erecting a church, in which they were desirous of having the Gospel of Christ preached to them and the Holy Sacraments administered to them ; and stating that they were living near the Blue Mountains, from which place they had lately been driven by the Indians." This paper .

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

was signed by the Rev. Peter Mischler, at that time the preacher, Jacob Mueller and George Crove, on behalf of many others. On the 9th of October, 1767, such a letter was granted, giving permission to collect five hundred pounds within the next two years. This means, added to their own efforts, enabled them to dedicate the new church in the summer of 1769. Soon afterward the Rev. Frederick Miller assumed the pastorate of the congregation and sustained that relation until his bodily infirmities com- pelled him to relinquish his charge in 1826. Hedied in August, 1827, and was interred in the cemetery of the church. On the 9th of July, 1826, the Rev. G. F. E. Iaeger became the pastor and ministered to the congregation until 1870. His accession was marked by two important events,-the beginning of preaching by the German Reformed congregation and the agitation of the question of building a new church of more substantial material than the old one. This was also of logs, and after the new edifice had been provided, it was taken down and the material used in building the schoolmaster's house, now used as the residence of the sexton.

In carrying out the latter purpose the corner- stone was laid April 29, 1832, and the church built during the summer and fall of that year. It was dedicated October 20, 1832, as the St. Paul's Church, union in nature, the two con- gregations to have equal rights and privileges in the property forever.

New church regulations were adopted, which are still in operation. In this condition the church was occupied until September, 1868, when some improvements were made on the in- terior of the building and new furniture sup- plied. At that time the pastors were: Lutheran, Rev. G. F. E. Iaeger, and Reformed, Rev. Aug. L. Herman, who had commenced serving the congregation in 1834.

The occupancy of the renovated church was made the occasion of celebrating its centennial, although twelve more years than a hundred had elapsed since the church was founded. The church is a plain, almost square, stone struc- ture, very high and in a fair state of preserva- tion. In connection with it there is a large

cemetery, whichi shows good care and is the resting-place of hundreds of pioneers of that part of the county.

In 1870 the Rev. F. K. Huntzinger became the Lutheran pastor and those subsequently preaching were the Revs. B. S. Smoll, Drum- heller and the Rev. Oscar Miller, since 1884. The Reformed congregation had less changes of pastor, the Rev. A. L. Herman being succeeded, in 1872, by the present, Rev. B. F. Wise. His congregation has about seventy-five members, while that of the Lutheran is somewhat more. The elders in 1885 were : Lutheran, Daniel Boyer and William Hollenbach ; Reformed, Jacob Stamm and Joseph Arndt.

An early record of baptisms shows, among . other members belonging from 1767 to 1784, the following : Michael Lindenmuth, George Gardener, Yost Greim, John Huber, Jacob Heil, Jacob Resch, George Heilman, Henry Bolender, Jacob Will, Christopher Lindenmuth, John Peter Gephart, Conrad Bolender, Henry Raush, Jacob Keller, Henry Billig, Jacob Seidel, James Mohr and Jacob James.

As a rule, the citizens of Windsor have taken a commendable interest in their public schools, and as early as May, 1850, decided to build six new school-houses and to levy a tax of nine mills for this purpose. In them the usual periods of school have since been maintained each year.

WINDSOR CASTLE, the only business point in the township, is a hamlet, three miles soutlı- east from Hamburg, containing a store, hotel, creamery, blacksmith-shop, etc., and half a dozen residences in the immediate neighborhood. It took its name when the post-office was estab- lished, in 1856, through the efforts of Mahlon A. Sellers, Esq., who was appointed postmaster, and has had the office ever since. The office is on the Hamburg and Allentown stage route, and a daily mail is supplied since July, 1885. Prior to that time the mails were tri-weekly. The hotel in which the office is kept is one of the oldest buildings in the township, and has been used for tavern purposes since the general settlement of the country. It was originally the home of Jeremiah Shappell. Ferdinand Yoh was one of the early keepers. During the

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Revolution a hickory liberty pole which stood in front of this tavern was cut down by British soldiers on their march to Bethlehem. In 1820 Jacob Heinly became the proprietor of the inn, and kept it until 1845, when he was suc- ceeded by Mahlon A. Sellers, who has since been the proprietor. The place is more widely known than any other tavern in the northern part of the county and is sometimes also called the " Black Horse Inn," from its old-time sign. The first stores in this locality were kept in the old tavern building by Charles Heinly and others, more than sixty years ago. Later, in 1849, a store-house was built on the opposite side of the road. This was burned down after · having been occupied a few years by John Weightman. The present house was built in 1852 by Mahlon A. Sellers, and occupied by him the following year for store purposes. He was in business until 1870, since which time a number of dealers have occupied the stand.

The Windsor Castle Creamery occupies a building forty by forty-four feet, which was erected in 1885 by the Windsor Castle Creamery Association, which was organized on the 7th of April of that year. The first directors were Jacob D. Hoffman, Alfred K. Rentschler, Jeremiah M. Shappell, Daniel Smith and Peter Strasser. In 1885 the officers were Jacob D. Hoffman, president; Daniel Saul, treasurer ; and M. A. Sellers, secretary. The creamery is operated under a lease by Milton L. Ritter, and the past year manufactured about ten thousand pounds of butter and fifteen thousand pounds of cheese. The patrons of the factory number. about sixty.

Near Windsor Castle, on the Auburn and Allentown Railroad, partially completed, is a projected tunnel one thousand four hundred feet in length. In 1870 abont four hundred feet of this tunnel was built on the south side of the hill, when work on the railroad was suspended.

North of this place, on the upper State road, in what is now the residence of William D. Merkel, was for some years a public-house, which was well patronized when Windsor Furnace was in active operation.

Gold was discovered in the neighborhood of

Windsor Castle in 1850, on the farm of George Focht, and indications of silver also abounded, but not in quantities large enough to warrant mining operations.

The Windsor Mutual Assistance and Fire In- surance Company is the oldest of the mutual companies originated and maintained in the township. It was organized in 1844 and has been successfully carried on ever since. At one time the policies carried amounted to more than $3,000,000 ; but the formation of a new com- pany has reduced this amount somewhat. Both farm and village property are insurable, by the terms of the amended charter, and the annual meetings must be held at Windsor Castle. In 1885 the principal officers were William Um- benhauer, president ; James L. Merkel, secre- tary ; Angustus R. Shollenberger, treasurer.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 175

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