History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 182

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

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A short distance up the Millbach, on the old Christopher Lechner farm, is a good water-power which was improved by Christopher Lechner after 1776, to operate a wool-carding mill and an oil- mill. The carding-mill was torn down about 1825, but the oil-mill stood until after 1850. In it was organized the first Sunday -- chool in this neighbor- hood, about 1834. Its meetings, subsequently, were held elsewhere. A saw-mill took the place of the oil-mill, and the power of the former card- ing-mill was used to operate new grist and clover- mills, put up by the family of Christopher Lechner.

Of these latter mills only the saw-mill remains, the clover-mill having been recently removed, although not used for mill purposes for a long time. From 1829 until 1858 this mill property, containing fifteen acres of land, was out of the possession of the Lechner family, and while owned by Michael Wolf, in 1834, he built a mill for saw- ing what he supposed was marble, but which turned out to be a soft white limestone; conse- quently that enterprise was soon abandoned. Peter Walborn owned the property from 1838 until 1858, when J. George Lechner became the owner, and his heirs still own the site.

South of Stouchsburg, on the Tulpehocken, on the site of a clover-mill put up by Peter Sheetz, a grist-mill was erected by Adam Klopp, which, in a rebuilt condition, is now operated as the property of Augustus Burkholder. The next power above, and the last in the township on this stream, in early times operated the Anspach mill. Later, Edward Good owned the property, which is still carried on as a mill.

In this locality was the dynamite factory of Henry W. Stump, which exploded with such dis- astrous effects.

DYNAMITE EXPLOSION .- In 1883 Henry W. Stump erected a dynamite factory in this town- ship, within half a mile of Stouchsburg. The in- dustry comprised six frame buildings. At half- past two o'clock in the afternoon of November 7, 1884, the entire plant was carried away by two terrific explosions, including three employees, Johu Capp, Frederick Knause and Frantz Spatz. Much damage was done in the vicinity, caused by the concussion, which was felt within a radius of many miles. The factory was not rebuilt.

CHURCHES.

ZION'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, more generally called the " Reed Church," is on an elevated site, one mile east from Stouchsburg and one-fourth of a mile north of the turnpike, where it crosses the Tulpehocken. Zion's congregation is one of the oldest in the county, and its early history is full of stirring events. As early as 1725 the people living along the Tulpehocken agitated the ques- tion of building a house of worship, where in- struction might also be imparted to their children. Accordingly, a preliminary meeting was held in a block-house which stood on the right bank of Millbach (Mill) Creek, on the land now owned by William Zellers, near Newmanstown, to discuss this matter. The Rev. Casper Stoever, afterwards pastor of the Hill Church, in Lebanon County, came to preside, and to urge the brethren to take action. George Scholl moved that such a house be built on lands which Adam, Christopher and John Rieth offered to donate, in addition to the seven acres which the proprietor of Plumton Manor (John Page) had already set aside for church purposes, in case such a house should be built. Upon the fourteen acres of land thus selected, on account of its central position and eleva- ted site, Christopher Lechner, as building-master, supervised the erection of a small but strong log meeting-house, in 1727. The labor was done hy the people from many miles around. Living in dread of the wily savages, whose hostility might endanger their lives almost at any moment, the building was so arranged that it could be used as a fort in case of attack, and a sort of vault was made. under the earthen-floor (with which the church was first supplied), where arms and ammu nition might be stored.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

"Do droben auf dem runde Berg Do stehet die alte Riethe Kerch, Drin hot der Pfarrer Stoever schon Vor hunnert Yohr manch Fredigt tohn; Gepredigt zur die Deutsche Leit. In seller, ach ! so harten Zeit ! Anch war die Kerch en gute Fort, Gaegen der Indien wilde Hord. Un schliefen drinen gar monche Nacht Die arme settler wohl beracht."

In this rude house the people assembled statedly to worship, and having had no regular minister, one of their number served as lector, reading a sermon and conducting the services. Occasionally they were visited by Lutheran or Reformed mis- sionaries, who preached for them and encouraged them to hope that they would soon have a pastor In 1729 Conrad Weiser, and others who accompa- nied him to this country, became a member of the church, and more diligent efforts were made to secure a minister. In 1733 Casper Leutbecker, a tailor by trade, and who had been secured to teach the school, began to serve the congregation as a lector, and through him an effort was made, the year following, to secure a pastor, on a promise of a salary of thirty pounds (Pennsylvania currency). Meantime a parsonage was built, and, as no pastor could be secured from abroad, Leutbecker was inducted into that office, and occupied the parson- age. His ministry did not prove acceptable to all the members, and as Rev. John Casper Stoever had begun preaching at this place, in connection with the Hill Church, in Lebanon, and other ap- pointments, the disaffected ones adhered to hira and endeavored to have him installed as pastor. Thus arose a contention, which lasted several years and which has not inaptly been styled the "Confusion of Tulpehocken." This strife was very strong in the summer of 1736, and as there were then two ministers and two sets of church officers, each claiming the property which had been set aside by William Webb, the attorney of John Page, he was appealed to to decide which party should predominate. He visited the church, called into council the two so called pastors and their members, and after a patient hearing author- ized Leuthecker as the regular pastor of the Lutheran Church, and so declared on the 13th day of September, 1736.

He also appointed Frederick Schaeffer, Michael Rieth, Michael Schaeffer and Leonard Rieth church wardens, and delivered the keys of the church to them to be held by them and their suc- cessors as the wardens of the Lutheran Church. He stipulated, however, that when no regular services were held by Leutbecker, as the regular minister, Stoever or any other preacher who would behave himself might occupy the house for worship. Under this condition, and with the full approbation of the Leutbecker party, who avowed themselves ready to harmonize, Stoever continued to preach once a month. But his adherents were not disposed to submit without protest and in- stigated a series of persecutions which made the life of Leutbecker far from pleasant. He was molested in the discharge of his duties, and on one occasion, at least, his life was imperiled by an attempt to explode a piece of firewood, charged with gunpowder. Fortunately, the plot miscarried by the stick's being thrown out of the fire without doing any damage. Leuthecker's labors were ended by his death in 1738, and although Stoever continued to preach until 1742, he failed to unite the factions. Meanwhile, a new element appeared, and a second strife ensued in consequence of the effort of the Moravians to obtain possession of the property. After Leutbecker's death the party adhering to him were without a minister until the spring of 1742, when, through an acquaintance of Conrad Weiser with Count Zinzendorf, the latter promis d to send them a minister free of expense, who should serve them until they could obtain a regular pastor from Europe. The pastor secured was J. Philip Meurer, who began his labors in September, 1742. Pending his arrival, Zinzendort sent, as the minister above stated, a young man, Gottlob Buettner, who had just been ordained by the Oley Synod. He began preaching at Reed's Church in March, 1742, and soon had arrayed against him the friends of Stoever, who denounced him as an interloper and non-Lutheran. The wardens accepted him as the successor of Leut- becker and gave their official support, regarding him as a supply until Meurer's pastorate should actually begin, some months later. The Stoever faction, having been strengthened by the arrival of new settlers, again made a vigorous effort for the mastery, and being stronger in numbers than those

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

who followed Buettner, again claimed the property on the plea that no title had been given to the wardens and that they now demanded the title. Again the attorney, Webb, came to the help of those opposed to Stoever and deeded the property to the wardens upon their assurance that they would hold it in trust for a Lutheran congregation. Chagrined at what they considered a defeat of their plans, and acting under a belief that the Moravians were using covert means to obtain the property for their own use, the feeling became so strong that when Zinzendorf visited the place to preach, in August of that year, they threatened him with personal violence. This act was the subject of a correspondence from this place which apprised the public of the unhappy state of affairs and gave the locality an unenviable reputation. To correct these matters, the wardens prepared a statement, which was attested by Conrad Weiser, and published August 11, 1742, under the title of " The Confusion of Tulpehocken." The publica- tion of this account and the arrival of Pastor Meurer had the effect of influencing many who had before been neutral. so that the Stoever party soon found themselves in the minority Unwilling to accept Meurer as their pastor and strengthened in their belief that the preaching at the Reed Church was Moravian and not Lutheran, they re- linquished their efforts to obtain possession of the church and withdrew, in the fall of 1742, to form a new congregation. In this they were successful, and the following year Christ Church was founded. The pastorate of the Rev. J. Philip Meurer does not appear to have been successful, beyond the building a new stone church in 1744, his members being prompted thereto, most likely, by the action of the other congregation in building a stone house. His congregation did not increase, and, as the element which was distinctly Moravian with- drew, in 1745 (on account of having a church of their own built, about seven miles farther down the Tulpehocken, where a Moravian settlement was founded), those remaining were so few that services could hardly be maintained. Meurer added to his unpopularity by his action (February, 1747) in refusing to allow the then pastor of the Christ Church to hold the funeral services of a man who

formerly belonged to his congregation, although he (the deceased) wanted the burial performed by the Rev. Kurtz. Some of his members, condemning his conduct, became connected with Christ Church, and as so little interest remained in Zion's Church, it came to pass in the suminer of 1747 that the proposition to have the pastor of the Christ Church enter in and preach was acceptably received. The Rev. Kurtz began preaching there on September 13, 1747, and thenceforth the church was prac- tically Lutheran and one with the other congrega- tion, except in the matter of a preaching-place. It still remained for decision how much of an ownership the Moravians had in the property, in- asmuch as most of the means for building the new church, in 1744, had been furnished by them. A suit was brought to test the matter and a decision reached, April 26, 1755, which affirmed the claims of the Lutherans on the ground of the original in- tention of the donors of the land and the large majority of membership of the Lutherans at the time the suit was brought.

R v. John Nicholas Kurtz continued pastor of the church until April, 1770, when he moved to York. The pulpit of Zion's Church was thence successively occupied by the same pastors as those of Christ Church, namely, the Rev. C. Emanuel Schulze, 1770 until 1809; and by the Rev. Daniel Ulrich from 1811 until 1851. In 1853 Zion's Church called the Rev. T. T. Iaeger as a separate pastor, who remained until 1865, when the present pastor, Rev. Aaron Finfrock, took charge of its spiritual affairs.

In 1837 the present church building was erected. It was repaired in 1879 by a slate roof and crowning it with a steeple. Like its predecessor, it is a stone house, and though not large, is well- built.

CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH .- The causes which led to the formation of this Lutheran congregation are stated in the account of Zion's Church. A beautiful building site was selected, about one mile west from Stouchsburg, on the south side of the turnpike, where a tract of fifteen acres of ground was donated for church purposes by Sebastian Fisher, Christian Lauer and George Unruh, each giving five acres. The corner-stone was laid May 12, 1743, and a stone church built during the sum- mer of that year, dedicated on Christmas day fol-

1 Now in North Heidelberg township.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

lowing. At that time there were one hundred and sixty male members. Some of them were not in hearty accord with those who really desired to build up an active Lutheran congregation. The preaching of the Rev. Stoever failed to satisfy them and they secured the pastoral services of Rev. To- bias Wagner, who took charge of the congregation October 25, 1743. His connection with the church was terminated April 30, 1746, when he became the pastor of the Alsace Church. While he was the minister he performed the marriage ceremouy of the Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg and An- na Maria Weiser, daughter of Conrad Weiser, in the spring of 1745. The congregation was then supplied by Lutheran pastors of Eastern Pennsyl- vania, among whom was Muhlenberg, who visited Christ Church twice per year, preaching, confirm- ing and administering the holy sacrament. He had as a helper Rev. John Nicholas Kurtz. The latter created so favorable an impression that the congregation asked him to settle in their midst as pastor. This he did, occupying the newly-built parsonage September 5, 1747. His pastorate was successfully continued until 1770, when he was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Emanuel Schulze, who was a son-in-law of the Rev. Muhlenberg. He removed to Christ Church in December, 1770. He had charge of a number of congregations and was as- sisted by his brother-in-law, Rev. Frederick Au- gustus Muhlenberg. His pastorate was long and faithful, and it continued until his death, March 9, 1809. He was the pastor of Governor Schulze, who was born in the parsonage of Christ Church July 19, 1775.

After the Rev. Schulze died, Rev. Daniel Ulrich became the pastor, in 1811, and faithfully served until December, 1851. In February of the fol- lowing year the Rev. L. G. Eggers became the pastor, and he served Christ Church until 1867. His three predecessors had also served Zion's Church, but the ministry then became separate.

In 1868 the Rev. F. P. Moyer began serving Christ Church, and he continued until 1873. He was succeeded in 1874 by the present pastor, Rey. A. J. Long, under whose efficient ministrations the congregation continues to prosper.

The stone church built in 1743 becoming too small, the present large stone edifice was erected in its stead in 1786. It was badly wrecked by a

dynamite explosion, which occurred near by, in November, 1884.

In the summer and fall of 1885 this church was thoroughly remodeled and repaired at a cost of six thousand dollars. A basement story was con- structed, a new gallery provided, the windows were lengthened and colored glass put in. The interior wood-work is made of walnut and yellow pine, and new furniture and carpets were also provided. The walls are frescoed in water colors, and on the ceiling are four life-size paintings in oil, representing the Birth, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. In the rear of the pulpit is Christ in Gethsemane. The congregation has three hundred members. The church organ is seventeen and a · half feet high; it was rebuilt by Dieffenboch, of Millersburg.

TULPEHOCKEN TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH is not within the hounds of Berks County. but it is so near the western line and so many of its citizens belong to its membership, that a short sketch of its history is here given. The congregation was or- ganized some time before 1745, when the first church building was put up of logs, on the south corner of the old cemetery, and near the present parsonage. This house was in use until 1772, when a new church was built in the upper part of the old cemetery and on the south side of the present highway. In 1853 the present house of worship was built on the north side of the turnpike, and adjoining the new cemetery, which was opened in 1864. It is about two miles from Stouchsburg, and on an elevated site. The building is of stone, spacious and attractive, and accommodates a very large membership. In 1885 they numbered nearly five hundred.

The church property includes two well-kept cemeteries, an old but substantial parsonage, and about thirty-five acres of land.

The Rev. Michael Schlatter was one of the pioneer preachers at this place in 1746 and the year following ; and his labors as a missionary were shared by Revs. Rieger, Boehm and Weiss. They preached at irregular intervals varying from four to ten weeks. The rapid settlement of the country and the increased interest in the work made a regular pastorate possible, and such a min- isterial service began in the summer of 1747. Since that time the pastors of the church have

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

been the following. Revs. D. Bartholemae, H. W. Story, Johannes Waldschmidt, Wm. Otter- bein, John J. Zufall, J. Wm. Hendel, Sr., Andrew Loretz, D. Wagner, Wm. Hendel, D D., Thomas H. Leinbach, Charles H. Leinbach, H. J. Welker.

ST. PETER'S UNION CHAPEL is in the eastern part of Stouchsburg. It was built in 1849 as a Union Church. A committee of seven persons solicited funds to put up the building. It is a small brick edifice. It has been remodeled so as to adapt it for Sunday-schools, which is one of its chief uses. The first Sabbath-school in it was superintended by Wm. H. Seibert. Other super- intendents have been Thomas S. Searle and the present, Samuel Keiser. The chapel is controlled hy a board of trustees, under whose sanction meet- ings are held by various persuasions, but chiefly by the Brethren, or Dunkards.

SCHOOLS.

The early settlers along the Tulpehocken estab- lished some of the first schools in the county. The first school was opened in a log building (which stood near the present Reed Church), about 1730. Casper Leutbecker was the teacher. His services continued until his death, in 1738, when Valentine Kroft taught at the same place. George Lecliner was subsequently a teacher in this neighborhood and imparted excellent instruction. In 1747 John Nicholas Kurtz taught a parish school at Christ's Church, where he was also pastor ; and he was probably preacher and teacher as long as he remained in this locality. At the Tulpehocken Reformed Church there was also a parochial school, established by the direction of the Rev. Michael Schlatter, which had an existence as early as 1752, and probably received aid from the charity fund shortly after that time. In each of these localities schools were maintained with more or less regularity for nearly a hundred years. Near Christ's Church, west of Stouchsburg, the Tulpehocken Academy was founded in 1831. The school occupied a log building and was managed by a board of trustees. My les Green, an Irishman, was the teacher who gave the school its reputation. Some of the leading men of this section received their English education in that school. He re- moved to the West in 1837, and was succeeded by J. C. Kessels. The academy was kept up until

after 1840. Latterly it was not largely patronized. The building became the property of the Public School Board and stood until 1879, when it was replaced by the present brick school-house.

STOUCHSBURG ACADEMY was established in 1838 in a building erected for the purpose in the eastern part of the village. Among the promoters of the enterprise were Samuel Moore, George Lechner, Samuel Lindenmuth and Jacoh Seibert. When first opened the school was not as successful as the patrons had hoped it would be, and, after a year or two, it passed out of the management of the trustees and was conducted as a private enter- prise by Jacob Seibert. He secured as a teacher William H. Seibert, who taught with much success from 1840 until 1854. Among other teachers who followed him were Thomas S. Searle, Simon S. Miller, Isaac S. Moyer and W. Z. Deck. The house was converted into a residence about ten years ago.

In the fall of 1873 the public schools of Stouchs- burg were graded into primary, secondary and grammar departments, and each taught in different buildings. This arrangement continued until the fall of 1877, when the present school building was occupied. It is a two-story brick, thirty by seventy-two feet, having four rooms. The average attendance of the schools is one hundred and ten, with a yearly increase, especially since the town- ship board has authorized the attendance from all parts of Marion township of pupils who desire to enter the grammar school after attaining a certain standard in their own schools. W. Z. Deck has for many years been connected with the schools of Stouchsburg. Through his efforts they were graded.

STOUCHSBURG .- This is the only village in the township. It is on the Harrisburg turnpike, seven- teen miles from Reading and one and a half miles from Sheridan, the nearest railway station. It contains a church, school house, several taverns and stores, with residences enough to accommodate about six hundred inhabitants. Many of the homes appear attractive and the village is kept very neat and orderly. The place was first called Stouchstown, after Andrew Stouch, who laid out the first lots, but received the present name when the post-office was established, in 1832. Stouch lived in the western part of the village, on the"

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Wintersville Street. In the same part lived Ben- jamin and Peter Spycker. Both were well edu- cated and figured prominently in the early affairs of the county. Benjamin lived on the north side of the present turnpike. It was at his house that Colonel Conrad Weiser's forces rendezvoused, in October, 1755, before marching against the Indians on the Swatara. He left no issue, but reared an adopted daughter Peter Spycker was one of the early justices and executed many legal papers of the people living in this part of the county. His house was on the south side of the street. One of the houses built by him is still standing, now the property of Dr. Newcomet. Peter Sheetz subse- quently was the land-owner there, and sold off the village lots from his farm. The elder Spyckers died in this locality, but what few descendants they had, removed.

In addition to the foregoing, other early settlers at Stouchsburg were, --

Samuel Moore, merchant; Andrew Stouch, inn- keeper; Samuel Lindenmuth, blacksmith; John Reed, farmer; Daniel Hackman, saddler; Jacob Burkholder, Daniel Burkholder, wheelwrights ; Jacob Tice, merchant; George Peiffer, farmer; Jacob Spatz, drover; John Baum, Zep. Baum, James Livin- good, Lewis Livingood, William Gruber, David Ray- hock, Moses Gruber, Isaac Y. Reed, John G. Kline, Jonathan C. Klopp, Daniel Smith, Henry Stump, Wm. Lindenmuth, Francis Retter, Isaac Rauch, Ja- cob Jones.

John Dieffenbach was one of the first tavern- keepers, his house being the old Stouch stand. George W. Crumb, Peter Walborn and others kept tavern in a house which stood on the site of the residence of Aaron Spohn, at the lower end of the village. The " Eagle Hotel " was opened by Henry Bennethum; the " Marion House," by Wm. Dieffenbach before 1832, and it has been a tavern since. The " American House" was built in 1870 by Isaac L. Moyer.

Samuel Moore had the first store near the centre of the village, before 1825, trading in the present Searle house many years. Where James Zerbe lives Jacob Tice traded. Ephraim Stein was in the upper part of the village and there, later, Abra- ham Stein had a store. M. Thierwechter and Ephraim Hartler engaged in trade in 1840, which was afterwards carried on by Thierwechter alone John C Reed was a merchant more than twenty

years and Moyer & Gerhart came later. In 1866 E. G Fisher and Samuel Keiser formed a co- partnership which continued until 1872, when Samuel Keiser became sole proprietor of the store. F S. Fisher is carrying on business on the opposite side of the street.

At the Keiser store is kept the Stouchsburg post-office, established in 1832. A daily mail is supplied from Sheridan Station.

The early physicians were Drs Nathaniel Rauch and Adam Stouch ; others were Drs. Edward Il- lick and Augustus Fisher (both moving to Ohio), James S. Fisher (about twenty years) and Dr. H. W. Newcomet, the last a cotemporary of Dr. I. W. Newcomet, who has been in practice twenty years.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 182

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