History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 181

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

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

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lowing year purchased the entire interest, which he has since controlled. He isalso extensively engaged in lime-burning and the quarrying of stone for building purposes, and known as one of the most enterprising farmers in the township. He was married, August 30, 1855, to Amelia, daughter of Augustus Leiss, of the same township. Their children were William, born July 21, 1863, and four pre-

County, before the Hon. Robert Porter, president judge, and his associates (Gabriel Hiester and Charles Shoemaker), a petition, subscribed by one hundred and twelve inhabitants1 of Tulpehocken township, was presented, praying for a division of the township into two parts, by a straight line to

1 The first thirty-four signers were :

Jacob Batdorf, Andreas Edris,

Daniel Zerbe, David S. Seibert,

Jacob Shaffer

viously born, who are deceased. Mr. Shaffner was formerly a director of the Reading Fire Insurance and Trust Company. He is a pro- nounced Democrat, as were his ancestors. He has served as prison inspector of Berks County. Since the establishment of the post-office at Host he has been the postmaster.

UPPER TULPEHOCKEN TOWNSHIP.

ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- In 1820, at the November term of the Quarter Sessions of Berks

John Katterman, Balthaser Noll, George Bender, George Schäfer, Wilhelm Bender, Conrad Dauh, Abraham Behny, John Manbeck, George Wolleber, Peter Hettinger, Michael Hettinger, John Bechtoldt, Christian Fisher, George Winter, William Seibert,

George Kapp, John Lower, Peter Dieffenbach, Edward Good, John Fisher, Christian Fisher, Peter Shitz, David Behny, Benjamin Boyer, Philip Reinoehl, Jacob Glantz, Michael Kremer, Joel Weidman, Elijah Bowen, Samuel Moore.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

extend from the Tulpehocken Creek at the grist- mill of George Ege, Esq., to the little Swatara Creek, near the house of Philip Wilhelm; and on the same day (November 6th) the court ap- pointed Matthias S. Richards, John V. Epler and Jonathan Hiester as commissioners, and direct- ing them to view the township, and report their opinion as to the necessity of a division of the same, together with a draft of the township pro- posed to be laid off. On the 24th of No- vember following the commissioners viewed the township and reported in favor of its division ac- cording to the line suggested,1 regarding such di- vision " to be of much advantage and no inconven- ience to any of the inhabitants thereof, particu- larly on account of its great extent, being about eighteen miles in length and varying from six to ten miles in width ;" and they recommended, “ up- on the solicitation of a number of respectable in- habitants of Tulpehocken township," the name of Perry to be adopted for that part laid off,2 " as be- ing short and of easy pronunciation." Their report was presented to court on January 4, 1821, and held under advisement. But the recommen- dation of the short name " Perry," which was " of easy pronounciation," was not acceptable to a great many inhabitants of that part of the town- ship laid off; they therefore objected to its adop- tion, and presented a petition setting forth their reasons, as follows :

" Your petitioners have a predilection for the name of Tulpehocken for various reasons.

"First .- By long use the name is familiar to ns, and we can pronounce it with facility without deeming it to be too hard or too long.

" Secondly-It is an ancient name by which that part of Pennsylvania hordering on the banks of the Tulpe- hocken Creek has been known for more than one hundred years, and it has been generally understood that the settlement of Tulpehocken is in a fruitful country and consists of Germans and the descendants of Germans, noted for their industry, frugality, and their simple and virtuous habits of life. Your peti- tioners beg leave to say that they are proud of this distinction and do not only wish to deserve it in fu- ture, but also to preserve the appellation of 'Tulpe- hocken,' which has hitherto been indicative of the good qualities before mentioned.

" Thirdly .- The name is an original one and we think that the preservation of such names tends to the encouragement of patriotism and exclude invidions- ness, which is sometimes provoked by the application of the name of party favorites.

" In addition to our reasons for preferring the name of Tulpehocken, we would further remark that accord- ing to our title deeds, our lands are said to be situate in Tulpehocken township, which will not be true un- less the name shall be restored to us, and a great in- consistency will occur when it shall be said-' The lands of A. B. are situate in Tulpehocken township according to his title papers, and yet Tulpehocken is ten miles from A. B's land.'

"Your petitioners are also of opinion that names are matters of right, and should not be taken away for any other than strong reasons, unless by the consent of those who have a property or interest in them, and we assure your honors that we had not the least apprehension of being deprived of our ancient name, or we should have made known our wishes to the Court. We expected that each of the parts would re- tain the ancient name, with a distinction added, such as Upper and Lower, or North and South Tulpe- hocken. This was done with our neighboring town- ship 'Bern,' as has so frequently been done in other counties as Upper, Middle and Lower Paxton, in Dauphin County, Upper and Lower Mount Bethel, in Northampton County, etc., etc., that we had reason to believe the same thing would be done with the parts of Tulpehocken.

" Wherefore, we pray that our township may be called ' Upper Tulpehocken,' instead of ' Perry.'"

This petition was subscribed by sixty-five per- sons -mostly in German handwriting.

Four other petitions with ninety-four subscrib- ers (German handwriting almost entirely) were presented, asking for some name for upper part.

The court confirmed the proceedings, but named the parts as prayed for, by inscribing or the draft " Upper Tulpehocken " in the northern part, and "Tulpehocken " in the southerly part.

The area of the township is estimated to be six- ty-five hundred acres.

For first taxables, see Tulpehocken township.

EARLY SETTLERS .- Among the early settlers of the townships, the Reber family made substantial improvements east of Strausstown. The elder Reber had, among other children, a son named Jacob, who was the father of Peter, John, Jacob, Jonathan and Samuel. His daughters were married to Peter Weaver, Jno. Schwalm, Michael Boltz, Jacob Noecker and Andrew Daniels, whose descendants

1 The line was N. 23 W., 1882 perches.

2 The northerly part was to be called " Perry."

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form a large portion of the population of the upper section of the county. Valentine Boltz was the father of George, Johnand Michael Boltz and of a daughter who married Peter Reber. Jacob Klahr was another early settler and reared sons named John, Jacob, Benjamin, Joseph and Peter. Some of his daugh- ters were married to Joseph Berger, Daniel Strause and Peter Boltz.

The Goodmans, Jacob, Simon and Benjamin, removed from the township after attaining man- hood; but George, another brother, remained. He was the father of George, Henry, Daniel, Benja- min and Jonathan Goodman, the latter being the youngest and still living at Strausstown, at the age of eighty-five years. Daughters of the elder George Goodman married Christian Seaman, George Moyer, Jacob Batteiger and Adam Bat- teiger. Jacob Degler lived near the mountain, on a farm still owned by his grandson, John Degler. John Kline was in the same neighborhood and was the father of sons named Benjamin, Philip and William. The homestead is no longer in possession of the family. The Strauss family, the Spanglers, the Hiesters and others whose improvements made them noteworthy still have numerous descendants in Upper Tulpehocken.

INDIAN FORT .- The fort built for protection against the Indians was on the farm now owned by Jacob Ritzman, about two miles from Strausstown. It was located so as to command a gap in the mountain, through which a path led. This path is still kept up. Near by there were numerous springs of fresh water. The fort was on a small rise of ground facing the mountain and was intended, most likely, to guard approach from that direction only. It is probable that it was built of earth and stone, although some are inclined to think that it was surrounded by a palisade of logs. There are but faint traces of its existence.

DIEDRICH SCHNEIDER's .- A prominent and lovely building stood on the top of Blue Mountain for many years, which was famous in the days before the Revolution. It was called " Diedrich Schneider's."

CHURCHES.

ZION'S CHURCH, (LUTHERAN AND REFORMED), the principal church of the township, is located half a mile east of Strausstown. When first built, nearly a hundred and fifty years ago, the church

was called the "Blue Mountain Church," also " North-Kill Church." At first it was used by members of the German Reformed faith only. The Lutherans obtained an interest in the property when the present house was built, in 1819, since which time its affairs have been mutually managed. From the meagre records at hand it appears that among others who worshipped liere, as early as 1750, were Adam Sontag, George Weber, Valen- tine Van Huss, Henry Berger, John Pontius, Andrew Kremer, Peter Smith, John Dundore, Simon Eichler, Nicholas Long, Balser Henne, Stephen Kerr, Thomas Miller, Adam Weber, Jacob Kantner, Yost Schumacher, Valentine Baumgartner, Jacob Emerich, Peter Homan, Casper Smith, Jacob Stouch, Martin Troester, Conrad Reber, Frederick Stupp and Simon Graeff. The first meeting-house was of logs, of small size, and stood in the grave-yard. The present church is of very substantial limestone masonry. In 1863 it was covered with slate and in 1883 it was sup- plied with a new steeple and other improvements. The church property embraces nearly fifty acres of land.

The Reformed congregation reported two hun- dred and fifty members, with the Rev. Thomas C. Leinbach as pastor. Among those who preceded him, were Revs. Schwartz, Miesse, Zehring, Hassinger, Herman, Boyer, Meyers, Hendel and Stowe.

Rev. George Minnich was the first pastor of the Lutheran congregation, and under his ministry the church prospered. Later pastors were the Revs. J. M. Deitzler, H. G. Grahn, Joel Grimm and, for many years, the Rev. Aaron Finfrock. In 1885 the congregation had more than three hundred members.

On the church property a small school-house was built, soon after the first church, and schools were regularly taught by German teachers. Seventy years ago a Mr. Trewitz served as teacher. He had the reputation of being a strict discipli- narian. Other teachers were Peter Gilbert, Charles Butzer and William Miller. The latter also taught the English branches. David Garman is best remembered as one of the first successful English teachers. His school was kept in the eastern part of the village. Most of these teachers served the church as organists, a position which

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

has been held since 1862 by William A. Unger. A Sunday-school is maintained and successfully conducted in the church.

ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH is in the village of Strausstown. It is a frame building, erected in 1861 by Dr. W. J. Schoener, Jonathan G. Reber and John Strause, as a building committee. The membership was small when the church was built, only about a dozen belonging. Rev. J. M. Ditzler was their pastor. Subsequently the congregation had the ministry of the Revs. Graves, Mortz, Cut- ler, Lenhart, Croll and Fritsch. In 1885 there were twenty-eight members. A Sunday-school is kept up in the church.

VILLAGES.

STRAUSSTOWN is a pleasant village, a little north of the centre of the township, on the State road, twelve miles west from Hamburg. It was laid out in 1840 by John Strauss, a land-owner in this local- ity, after whom it was named. He lived west of the village, on the Himmelberger farm. After the village was laid out he moved to the centre of the town, where he died. The tract of land to the north was owned by John Batteiger, and east of him by Daniel Moyer; and upon each of these three tracts the village, with its additions, is now located. The first house in the place was built on a lot from the Batteiger tract, purchased by Joseph Boltz, March 28, 1835 ; and the house built by Boltz that year has been occupied by him since. The second house was also begun in 1835, but it was not completed until the following year. It was built by Jacob and Joseph Klahr, and now forms part of the Centre Hotel. After the lots were laid out by the foregoing land-owners, a num- ber of houses were built. Among the early citi- zens of the place were :

Joseph Boltz, tailor ; Joseph Heister, black- smith ; Benneville Clay, blacksmith ; Thomas Schaum, turner and painter; John Keener, car- penter ; Wm. Keener, carpenter ; Samuel Neun, hatter; Jonathan Reber, cabinet-maker : Joseph Ulrich, tailor ; Amos Sallade, tanner ; Daniel Moyer, inn-keeper ; Isaac Smith, shoemaker ; Isaac Fessler, shoemaker ; Jonathan Sauser, tin- smith ; Michael K. Boyer, merchant ; Daniel Bat- teiger, merchant ; Jacob Klahr, saddler ; John Berger, farmer ; Peter Holtzman, wagon-maker.

The first store in this locality was begun about sixty years ago, in what is now the eastern part of the village, by a man named Uhlman.

In 1836 Samuel Shollenberger opened a store in the building put up by the Klahrs, but it was shortly followed by Michael K. Boyer and Daniel Batteiger. Then came Daniel Boltz and others. Subsequently a school was taught in that building, and since 1865, Moses Henne has used it, with ad- ditions, as the " Centre Hotel." After 1840 Wm. Strauss used part of the present L. W. Ritzman stand as a store, and at which place Joseph Bat- teiger and George Heilig were in successful trade years afterward.

Wm. Shomo built the third store-house in 1854, and Samuel Strauss engaged in trade there. The fourth store was built by Joseph Batteiger after 1860.

The Strausstown post-office was established Nov. 18, 1847, with Jacob Boltz as the first postmaster. There was one mail per week from Allentown to Rehrersburg. Joseph Boltz had the office from 1852 to 1864. Solomon Strauss succeeded him, and since March, 1879, E. S. Strauss has been the postmaster. There are two stage lines supplying daily mails from Womelsdorf and Allentown, via Hamburg.

Daniel Moyer kept the first public-house at the east end of the village, having erected the present house about 1840. The present Filbert Hotel was kept first by Jacob Boltz, about 1845.

Strausstown has three hotels, four stores and all the mechanic shops maintained in a thriving village. There are good pavements and the few hundred inhabitants are prosperous.

To Dr. Charles McDonough is given the credit of being the first to locate in the practice of medi- ciue at Strausstown. Then came Dr. Isaac Wal- born, followed by Dr. Wm. J. Schoener, who prac- ticed for a dozen of years prior to his death, in 1865. Since the spring of 1864, Dr. I. S. Herbein has been here in suceessful practice, locating at this point immediately after his graduation. Since 1875, Dr. J. F. Flick has been his contemporary.

At Strausstown the manufacture of cigars was first carried on by Henry Degler. In 1885 there were three shops in which this industry was con- ducted. The largest was the factory of Potts & Herbein. A fine. building was put up recently for

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

this purpose, and in it are employed from ten to twenty hands.

The most important industry Strausstown ever had was the extensive tannery of Michael Miller. It was established as early as 1825 by John Him- melberger. At first it was carried on in a small way. Miller rebuilt the tannery and added im- provements from time to time, until it was an ex- tensive establishment. He used modern methods and made all grades of leather successfully. He continued for about thirty years, until 1876.

Of the grist-mill nearest the village, John Geo. Reber was the first owner. The property subse quently passed into the hands of John Miller, and was by him carried on. The site is one of the oldest in this section. The lower mill on the North-Kill was built by Joseph Seyfert, in 1849, on the site of a mill formerly owned by John Miller, which had been destroyed by fire. It is of stone and brick, with water and steam-power. It is capable of doing much work. Joseph Hiester is the present proprietor. In the eastern part of the township, on a branch of the North-Kill are the sites where were the forges and mills of Joseph Seyfert The first improvement was a small grist- mill. It was replaced by a mill of better capacity, which was built by Benjamin & Joseph Seyfert. This mill is still in operation, as the property of Wm. Shomo. Below this power an improvement was made to operate a forge by the Seyferts, about 1830, and the business was so successfully carried on, that some ten years later an old mill, a mile up the stream, was converted into another forge, which Seyfert also operated. These, in connection with the mills and several farms, which he had under cultivation, formed an industry which gave em- ployment to a large number of men. After the death of Joseph Seyfert, about the close of the late Civil War, the iron interests declined. The forges were practically abandoned about 1870. The Seyfert homestead is now the property of one of the sons of Joseph Seyfert, but the greater part of the once large estate has passed into other hands.

North of Strausstown, in the thickly-settled neighborhood along the base of the mountain, the Schubert post office was established, June 6, 1884, with Lewis Emerich as postmaster. The mail service is from Strausstown. 91

MARION TOWNSHIP.

ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- In November, 1843, a petition of sundry inhabitants (one hundred and sixty-one) of Tulpehocken and Heidelberg town- ships was presented to court, praying for the erec- tion of a new township, to be composed of parts of said townships, " The line to begin on the land of Sybilla Troutman, on the line between Tulpe- hocken and Upper Tulpehocken townships ; thence to a point at Wohleberstown ; thence the nearest and best route to the Lebanon County line; thence along said line to a point to the eastward of New- manstown ; thence to a point on the western line of the borough of Womelsdorf, near the land of Rev. Mr. Hendle; thence to a point on the line between the townships of Heidelberg and Tulpe. hocken, near George Keiser's mill ; thence by the best route to the beginning,"-and the court ap- pointed three commissioners to view and report upon the proposed new township,-Matthias S. Richards, Samuel Baird and Samuel S. Jackson. This application was strenuously opposed by very many of the taxable inhabitants of the townships.1 The report of the commissioners was presented to court on January 4, 1844, in which they returned the survey, by metes and bounds, of the new town- ship laid off, and recommended the name of MAR- ION, as follows : " Beginning on land of Sybilla Troutman ; thence S. 85 W., 172 perches; N. 84 W., 6 miles and 44 perches, to the Lebanon Coun- ty line ; along said county line, S. 47} E., 7 miles, 212 ps. ; thence N. 13} E., 354 ps., to the line of the Borough of Womelsdorf; thence along said Borough N. 11} W., 275 ps. to the Tulpehocken Creek; along said creek 1430 ps., to a stone corner set up for a dividing corner between Tulpehocken and Upper Tulpehocken ; and thence along the dividing line of said townships N. 23 W., 304 ps. to the Beginning." This report was confirmed on the 6th of April, 1844, and the new township thereby laid off was named MARION, as recom- mended

For first taxables, see Tulpehocken township. In 1865 a small triangular tract of land was taken from this township and added to Lebanon county. This was caused by the extending of

1 The handwriting is almost entirely German.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the Newmanstown improvements into Berks Coun- ty.1

Among the Palatines were the Reeds (originally Rieth) who in 1723 settled on the Tulpehocken, in what is now Marion township. They bore the Christian names of Peter, George, John Adam, Christopher, Jacob, Valentine, Nicholas, Frederick and Casper. Adam, John and Christopher settled in the neighborhood of what is now Reed's Church, so called on account of their prominence as early members. The land on which John Reed lived was one hundred and forty-four acres in extent, and it has been in the Reed family six successive genera tions, the proprietors in the order of time being John, Leonard, Valentine, Christopher, John and the present, Frank Reed, through marriage with Rebecca, daughter of John, who was a son in the di- rect descent. On the farm is an old house, partly built in 1740 and increased to its present size in 1804. It is of logs, weather-boarded and has im- mense timbers to support the upper floors. The house contains an old clock which has been part of its furniture the past eighty-five years. Its maker was Jacob Gorgas, and it is believed that it has been running since 1704. The dial is ham- mered brass and each of the weights weighs twelve pounds. The Rieths intermarried with the Lech- ners and both families have always been prominent in the affairs of the township.

In the neighborhood of the Rieths, Andrew Lash became the owner of a tract of land in 1735, upon which John Jacob Lash built a large rough- stone house in 1753. This date and other in- scriptions are cut in a stone in the gable of the house. John Kurtz, the great grandfather of the present owners, James, William and Samuel Kurtz, bought the property April 16, 1764, since which time it has been in the Kurtz family. The walls of the house indicate that the building may have been designed as a means of defense against Indians as well as a residence. The Lechners -- John George, his brother Christopher and the latter's son, also named Christopher-were among the early settlers of this section of country. The former reared a son named George, who united with his father in buying a tract of land extend- ing up both sides of the Millbach from its mouth,

most of which is still owned by their descendants. In all there were two hundred and thirty-five and a half acres, which were transferred to the Lech- ners May 9, 1776. These lands had previously been owned by Leonard Groh, Nicholas Rieth and Martin Weiser. John George Lechner dying in 1784, his son George became the sole owner of the land, and he bequeathed the southern half to his son Christopher, who built mills and made other important improvements on it. Most of this land is now owned by his grandson, Richard Lechner

An interesting incident in the lives of these families happened in 1793, when General Wash- ington visited the grave of Colonel Conrad Weiser. He requested the presence of his former body- guard, Christopher Lechner and the Reith brothers, Jacob and Valentine, who hastened to comply and spent several hours in the company of the great commander. These patriotic heroes lie in the grave-yard of the old Reed Church. Their places of earthly rest are marked by sandstones whose inscriptions are almost obliterated. Jacob Rieth died in 1821 and Valentine Rieth in 1825, aged respectively seventy-five and seventy-six years.

INDUSTRIES .-- A mill existed in Tulpehocken settlement in 1732. In October of that year the provincial treasurer paid £1 58. to the miller at Tulpehocken for ten bushels of meal delivered to Sassoonan (an Indian chief), who was then in want of provisions.

W. and B. F. Taylor continued to operate the Charming Forge property with its mills, etc .? Since the abandonment of the canal, the water power has been sufficiently strong for all necessary purposes. In 1885 three of the five fires of the forge were used and twenty-five men employed in the pro- duction of charcoal blooms of superior quality. The metal used was from the Robesonia and Clin- ton Furnaces. In 1884 the forge was improved by the addition of a Baker Rotary Blower, which greatly promotes its operation The saw-mill is in Marion, but the grist-mill is in North Heidelberg. The latter is a three-story stone building, put up in 1817 by George Ege. It has a separate water- power and, being a good mill, is largely patronized. All these interests give this place the appearance

1 Act of Assembly, passed March 16, 1865.

2 See account of " Charming Forge " in Chap. VII., Early Industries.

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

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of a busy hamlet. Passing up the Tulpehocken, there was, in Marion, a mill for making cement, carried on by the Reed family several years.

Where the turnpike crosses the stream, below the junction of the Millbach with the Tulpehocken, there was a grist-mill which had as its last owner the Lechner family. When the canal was built it was removed to make way for that improvement. Nearly opposite this old site is a carding-mill, put up by the Lechners, which is still operated on a limited scale as the property of Dr. J. C. Liven- good.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 181

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