USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 183
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The manufacture of cigars gives occupation to a large number of persons in the village. In ad- dition to those producing cigars for the factory of A. S. Valentine & Son, at Womelsdorf, there are factories operated by James Zerbe and Yocum Bros. The former was established in 1878, and employs twenty-five hands. The latter, when fully operated, employs about thirty hands.
Golden Rule Lodge No. 42, Ancient Order of Good Fellows .- This lodge was instituted at Stouchsburg, October 7, 1871, with the following members : D. Smith, Isaac L. Moyer, A. Burkholder, J. W. Manbeck, G. L. Groff, F. Kirst, H. W. Wenrich, and L. L Moyer. In 1885 there were seventy- three members.
The meetings are held in a fine lodge-room, in the American House block.
Washington Camp No. 237 P. O. S. of A., was instituted May 17, 1875. The principal offi- cers then were Isaac L. Moyer, Daniel Smith, Franklin Kirst, F. G. Eckert, J. F. Brendle and George Bruner.
In 1885 the camp reported fifty-four members.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- Divers inhabitants of Upper Tulpehocken township (one hundred and seventeen) represented to the court in April, 1851, " that it would conduce to the advantages and convenience of said townships, to have a new township erected by dividing the said
1105
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
township on account of the township busi- ness, and because the common-school system, although not yet in operation, soon will be;" and indicated therein by metes and bounds the south- ern section of the township (about two fifths in area) to be set apart. The court appointed George Fox, John H. Gernant and Reuben E. Addams as commissioners. The report of the commissioners was presented to court on the 6th of August, 1851, in which they expressed the opinion that there was a great propriety in divid- ing said township and forming a new township as prayed for, and reported the following metes and hounds :
" Beginning at a stone in the North-Kill creek, near a black oak tree on the land of John Riegel ; thence S. 89} W. 1306 perches to a black oak tee on land of Jonas Christman ; thence S. 62 W. 334 ps. to a point on the dividing line between Tulpehocken and Upper Tulpehocken townships, at or near a hickory tree on land of Daniel Kline .; thence along said dividing-line to a point where Marion, Tulpehocken and Upper Tulpehocken townships meet ; and thence continuing in the same course S. 23 E. to the Tulpehocken creek (alto- gether 1209 ps.) ; thence down the Tulpehocken creek to the North-Kill creek (about 1350 ps.) ; thence up the North-Kill creek, 1054 ps., to the beginning-the tract containing 10,493 acres." No name for this new township was recommended by the commissioners. Only one taxable excepted to the confirmation of the report, and his exceptions were technical. A large number of taxables rec- ommended the name of " Lower Tulpehocken." The court confirmed the report on January 28, 1852, and directed the township to be named " Jefferson." 1
For first taxables, see Tulpehocken township.
EARLY FAMILIES .- Accounts of the early set- tlers appear in township from which Jefferson
was formed. The Potteiger family settled first on the Wm. L. Klopp farm, in North Heidelberg township, and there John Adam Potteiger reared sons named Adam, Michael and Conrad. The former moved to Jefferson, settling on the farm now owned by his grandson, Adam N. He had two sons named John and Adam and a daughter who married Michael Miller, also of this township. Brothers of the first John Adam settled at Read- ing, also in Lebanon Co. A branch of the Pot- teiger family, commonly called . Batteiger, settled near Strausstown, where descendants still live. The Riegel family also made early improvements in the township, which are still owned by the family. John Riegel had sons named David, Michael, Abraham and Jacob, the first-named still living in Jefferson. On the Rehrersburg road John Miller made notable improvements. He was the father of sons named Samuel, John and Henry, whose descendants continued to live in the county. In the southern part the Smith family was promi- nent, and in the central the Shaeffer. John Shaeffer lived on the present Wm. Shaeffer farm, removing thence to Reading. He was a son of Michael Shaeffer and a brother of Moses. In the northwestern part lived another Shaeffer family as early settlers, but not related to the foregoing.
INDUSTRIES .- On the Little North-Kill there was a mill operated at an early day by Benjamin Miller, who was succeeded by Jonathan Miller, Moses Schock, Ephraim Moyer and the present Jonathan K. Potteiger, the latter operating the old mill in an improved condition. A distillery at this point, and carried on for a time by Benj. Miller, is no longer in use. On the North-Kill the Haag family had one of the first mills in this part of the county. It was successively owned by Jacob, John and Jonathan Haag and still belongs to the family. On the same stream, near Bern- ville, in Penn township John Haag built a mill in 1838, which is now operated by John Kissling.
In the southwestern part of the township is the old Jacob Gerhart mill, operated as the property of Wm. Derr. In the southern part there is a small water-power on a stream near the Tulpe- hocken, where David Brumbaugh had in success- ful operation a fulling-mill. This was enlarged and carried on more extensively by Isaac Yost. On account of its isolated location, the mill was
! The president judge upon the bench then was Hon. J. Pringle Jones, a sterling Democrat. The vote of the town- ship for Governor in November preceding was : Democratic, 293; Whig, 88. The judge doubtless appreciated this preponderance of political sentiment and named the new township after a typical Democrat. He did not appar- ently appreciate the public sentiment for a local name. In this respect he acted differently from Judge Porter, who named Upper Tulpehocken in 1821.
93
1106
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
closed and the machinery removed about fifteen years ago.
West of Shaefferstown, Samuel Miller carried on a tannery about sixty years. He made an ex- cellent quality of leather. The business is now carried on by Jacob Miller, who employs steam- power and tans after modern methods.
The tannery of Henry Miller, south of the vil- lage of Schaefferstown, worked in the old way, has long since been abandoned.
CHURCHES.
CHRIST'S CHURCH (Lutheran and Reformed) is situated on the Tulpehocken Creek, in the south- eastern part of the township. It is sometimes called the " Little Tulpehocken Church," to distinguish it from the old Tulpehocken Church, at'Stouchs- burg. For more than a hundred years the church was devoted exclusively to the worship of the Lu- theran congregation, but sinte February 18, 1853, the Reformed congregation has had a joint inter- est in the property. This consisted in 1885 of church building and thirty-five acres of land. The landed property was conveyed to the congregation in 1744 by Richard and Thomas Penn, proprie- tors, and in the instrument making this convey- ance Jacob Miller, Simon Minig, Conrad Ernst, Mathias Smith, Henry Gruber and Martin Bat- teiger are named as trustees. About this time a log meeting-house was built, and it continued in use until 1809, when the present edifice took its place. It is of stone, thirty-four by forty feet, two stories higlı, with gallery in the auditorium. The old church had a singular cresting on the roof, which consisted of a vane, crowned with a small rooster. The interior of the present church has been changed considerably, but the outside re- mains about as built in 1809.
In 1789 church regulations were adopted. From that time on the church flourished until many members moved away, between 1830 and 1850. The Lutheran congregation in 1885 numbered about one hundred and forty members, and the Reformed one hundred. The Lutheran pastor was Rev. A. J. Long, and the Reformed, Rev. Thomas C. Leinbach.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH (Lutheran and Reformed) is situated at Shaefferstown. It was built in 1884-85. The corner-stone was laid August 24, 1884, and the
church formally dedicated July 19, 1885. It is built of brick, and surmounted by a shapely stee- ple, in which a clear-toned bell is suspended. The cost was about five thousand dollars. In Septem- ber, 1885, the Rev. L. D. Stambaugh organized the Reformed congregation, and became the first pastor ; there were forty members. The Lutheran Congregation was organized November 22, 1885, by the Rev. B. E. Kramlich, president of the Syn- od, with about the same number of members.
SCHOOLS .- Soon after the township was settled a school was started at the Little Tulpehocken Church, in which instruction was imparted in the German language. It was kept up until about 1850. The first English school was opened sixty- five years ago, through the efforts of John Pottei- ger, in a room in a spring-house which stood on the old Potteiger farm. Thomas Shields, James Rogers and others were the teachers of schools well attended by the larger boys of the township. About 1845 Daniel Potteiger was instrumental in es- tablishing another English school in the central part of the township, which was kept until the free- school system was adopted.
SHAEFFERSTOWN .- This is the only village in the township, and takes its name from John Shaef- fer, who laid out the town-plan in 1836. That year the first house was built by Michael Fox. It is the second building east of the new church. Fox was by occupation a laborer. The same year anoth- er house was built by Zadock Weaver, a carpenter. This was destroyed by fire in 1839. The following year it was rebuilt. Another house was also built, which is now part of the tavern stand. This was owned by Christian Bombauer, who was the first inn-keeper. Joseph Manbeck enlarged the house, and in 1852 Isaac and Samuel Noll were the inn- keepers. John S. Holtzman enlarged the house still more. His family have kept the inn a num- ber of years.
The first store was kept by Moses Schock and William Shaffner, in a small building opposite the present church, in 1846, and removed two years later to the tavern building, and since that time stores have been continuously kept at that place. Among others in trade there have been Isaac and Samuel Noll, Joseph Manbeck, Frank and James Crissman and, since 1877, the Holtzmans. Criss- man & Lesher opened the second store, in 1864,
1107
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
in the building now occupied by Adamn Gotschall and Jeremiah Turk. The latter is the postmaster of the Tulpehocken post office, located at Shaeffers- town. It was first kept by Moses Schock. A daily mail from Reading is supplied, and telephonic communication with that place is also maintained.
The first smith at Shaefferstown was Michael Seitzener ; Isaac Miller, the tailor ; and Samuel Moyer, the cabinet-maker. The place had differ- ent mechanic-shops in 1885, and in addition to the foregoing had about twenty residences.
The first trading-point in this locality was half a mile east of the present village, where John Kersch had a store in 1813. Daniel Potteiger was the last in trade there. Close by, on the road leading to Strausstown, Christian Long had a country tavern, which was kept open until about 1851, when the place was converted into a farm- house.
HEIDELBERG TOWNSHIP.1
ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- The early history of Heidelberg township is inseparably connected with Tulpehocken district. The first settlements were made in the vicinity of Womelsdorf, to the east and west and north of the Tulpehocken Creek, and they took the name "Tulpehocken" naturally after the creek. The Indians had a settlement or village here before the early immigrants arrived, which was known by the same name. The town- ship of Heidelberg was laid off from Tulpehocken and erected in the year 1734,-this having been done at Lancaster at the same time that the town of Lancaster was erected as a separate district. The name was suggested by the settlers to hold in continual remembrance their " father-land" across the sea, where they were born and whence they had shortly before emigrated.
With the other territory west of the Schuylkill, it continued a part of Lancaster County until 1752 when Berks County was erected. During these eighteen years many settlers entered the township,2
took up large tracts of land and improved them with buildings and by cultivation. And about the same time that the inhabitants proceeded to estab- ish this township for their convenience, they also founded a church for themselves, near the centre, and about eight miles from the " Tulpehocken (or Reed's) Church." It was called "Hain's Church," after George Hean (Hain), who donated land for the purpose of erecting a church thereon.
The area of the township was about thirty-seven thousand acres, embracing territory about eight and a quarter miles long and seven miles wide. The boundary lines were as follows: Tulpehocken Creek from Lancaster County line to mouth of Cacoosing Creek ; thence by the Cacoosing Creek southeastwardly to the Lancaster County line and thence northwestwardly, along said county line, to the Tulpehocken Creek.
In 1833 the borough of Womelsdorf was erected out of a part of this . township, situated in the western section.
DIVISION OF TOWNSHIP .- The inhabitants find- ing the township too large for the convenient trans- action of public business 3 " thereto necessarily appertaining," presented four petitions, to court on April 3, 1832, asking for the division of the township-a small stream called "Spring Creek," which runs through the township, affording such a natural division line as to remedy completely the evils complained of. The court appointed John Miller, George Gernand and Joseph Schmucker as commissioners. These commissioners viewed the township and the proposed line of division, and on the 23d of May, 1832, recommended the division as prayed for, reporting the following line : " Beginning at a chestnut tree, a corner of Lancaster, Lebanon and Berks Counties ; thence through land of Matthias Wenrich, George Ege and Daniel Bechtel, N. 44} E. 286 ps. to a cherry tree ; thence through lands of Peter Leininger, Frederick Bechtel, deceased, Matthias Wenrich and David Wenrich, N. 35 E. 662 ps. to Spring Creek ; thence along said creek to the outlet there- of at the Tulpehocken Creek, a distance of 2045 ps.," the total length being nine and one-third miles. Exceptions were filed, setting forth that
' I examined the records at Lancaster for the proceedings in establishing this township, but I could not find anything, excepting the time of its erection.
" Refer to Tulpehocken township for names of earliest settlers.
8 Subscribed with 120 signatures, well written,-42 English and 78 German.
1108
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the greater part of the line was not described by bearing and distance ; that the line was arbitrary and did not divide the township in equal parts, but cut the greater part of the roads into the west ern portion, which would thereby make the road taxes oppressive. The report was set aside on the 12th of January, 1833.
Ten years afterward the application for a divi- sion of the township was renewed1-the petition- ers praying for a straight line from the corner of the counties namned to the " Big Spring," and thence by Spring Creek to Tulpehocken. The commis- sioners appointed were Samuel S. Jackson, Benja- min Tyson and Matthias S. Richards, who on June 17, 1842, reported the line suggested-the first line being "N. 42} E. 957 ps. from the county corner to the Big Spring, and thence by Spring Creek to the Tulpehocken Creek (by courses and distances) 2147 perches "-the entire line being in length nine and seven-tenths miles, and recom- mended the name of Lower Heidelberg for the eastern portion of the township. Their report was presented on September 15, 1842, and con- firmed nisi. No exceptions were filed against this report and the eastern portion was accordingly erected under the name of Lower Heidelberg.
TAXABLES OF 1759 .- The taxables of the township for 1759 are named in the following statement. The amount of tax levied was £134 19s. 6d. Andrew Boyer was the collector of taxes.
£
€
William Allen, Esq. 55
Jacob Boyer.
5
John Artz.
22
Peter Bricker.
14
Jacob Artz.
6
Charles Baumberger
6
George Aumiller. 1
Adam Brown
9
Martin Arnold 3
Frantz Bosserman.
9
Henry Kruber. 18
Lawrence Strunk
G
Christopher Amstecker. 2
George Brown
7
Philip Aumiller.
1
Assemus Boyer.
2
W. Bird, Esq. 20
Michael Berger.
1
John Boyer, Sr 25
Matthias Bopp.
1
John Boyer, Jr.
9
Bernbard Bopp.
1
Baltzer Koenig. 2
Jacob Smith. 3
Abram Stauffer. 12
Christn. Schweitzer. 1
Jacob Seltzer.
G
Henry Kieler
1
Jacob Smith (wcaver) 1
John Steiner 8
Jacob Schoab
1
Henry Kieler.
2
Henry Schwartz
4
Martin Lebr.
1
John Schorp.
16
Martin Link.
5
Jacob Schaeffer
2
Godlieb Loeffler
1 Ludwig Schweitzer
2
Martin Lang.
2
Michael Schaeffer. 3
Michael Lower 9 Frederick Stupp. 1
George Loucke. 20
Jacob Leininger
5
Eliozer Evans. 12
Conrad Ernst. 10
John Eckert. 25
Simon Eigler 1
Eliezer Evane. 17
Christian Eberhart. 2
Andreas Evart. 1
Christian Frantz. 6
Henry Fry 4
Yost Fox .. 2
Christr. Frymeyer 3
Peter Foust. 2
Conrad Finck 7
Christn. Mantle
1
Peter Feick 6
Valentine Fry
11
Peter Fisher. 4
Philip Filtzmoyer 20
Anthony Foust, 18
William Fisher. 24
Henry Fidler 20
Peter Peltzer
2
Michael Folmer
2
Adam Potteiger 2
Martin Potteiger 8
Michael Reiff. 8
Adam Reese 1
Gabriel Reeser & Sou. 20
John ROBA.
7
George Gelsinger
1
Nicholas Reed 25
Ulrich Richards 8
Peter Ready
10
George Ran
5
Casper Reed
1
Jacob Roehrer 5
Peter Riegle. 1
Peter Schney
20
Adam Shower
14
Jacob Sensenbach
15
Michael Shower. 22
Yost Shugart
30
Jacob Spatz
5
George Hain, 13
John Shugart
6
Peter Exor. Hain. 30
Michael Snyder.
2
Jacob Hawman 2
John Hopf.
1
William Spatz.
5
William Jones 6
Henry Spohn
9
Jacob Stouch 2
Casper Schaeffer
4
Michael Kessler 2
Heury Stear
R
Michael Keiser 9 Dietrich Sohl 2
Abram Kessler
2
Nicholas Schaeffer 5
Conrad Scharff.
Conrad Schneider.
2
John Keller.
6
Leonard Schnell
3
Daniel Ammy 3
Andreas Boyer. 25
Jacob Kehn 15
Conrad Smith
G
George Sees
1
John Koble 12
Christr. Kellbach 2
Jacob Kuhl 8
Henry Setley 1
Widow Benitch 7
David Broadbent
1
Casper Koble 2
Henry Boyer. 11
5
Andreas Crove
10
Michael Bueh
5
Jacob Creator
3
Peter Bollander
2
Johannes Dieter
8
Ulrich Brunner
2
Christian Deppen. 12
8 Henry Dechert.
6
Nicholas Bechtel
8
John Dontrich.
6
George Breadle
7
Nicholas Dornmeyer
1
Tobias Bechtel
7 William David
10
Johannes Blanck
8
Widow Durst
2
I There were 301 subscribers-108 names written in English.
Peter Eberly
15
John Last
6
Ulrich Michael 6
Christo. Michael 1
Michael Miller. 6
Henry Miller. 3
John Moyer. 10
Henry Martin. 8
Christr. Miller. 7
Dietrich Marshall 24
Michael Meuich
2
Jacob Moore.
2
Lawrence Moore.
1
Peter Newman.
7
Samuel Nicholas
4
John Nagle, St.
2
Michael Overheiser 2
Sebastian Ohold. 10
Chrisn. Paffenberger. 7
Leonard Grob. 15
John Gross
1
Henry Gehhardt
1
Adam Harris. 1
Adam Hain 24
Yost Hetterich .
8
Peter Hanse
8
Ludwig Heldt
5
Frederick Hain 22
Casper Hain
24
John Hertzmentz
3
Henry Hetrich
1
Christian Hain 14
George Michael Heldt.
4
Henry Hain 16
Thomas Jones 15
Sebastian Jerig. 1
Peter Kaufman
1
Peter Knabb 10
John Klenker 5
John Strohschneider
Michael Schmal 14
Adam Spoho 18
Philip Boppeumoyer
1
Michael Kleinfelter.
1
Henry Kerlitz
1
Peter Botte. 3
Nicholas Christ 1
Widow Koburn
1
George Kreek 3
Paul Lengle 2 Dietrich Stelabrecher.
2
John Schaeffer.
1
Peter Lamp 3 Frederick Schwartz
3
Adam Bonewitz
George Basehore
Frederick Kogle 15
Nicholas Sweigert 2
Frederick Gerhard 4
Andreas Gerberich 6
1109
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
Philip Weiser.
18
Peter Werlan 2
Frederick Weiser 19
Philip Wagn r
2
Peter Werner.
7
Frederick Werhein ..
1
Christr, Whitmore
1
Philip Zerbe
1
Balthaser Wenrich.
3
Jolın Zerbe 14
Matthias Wenrich, Jr ... 4
Jacob Zinn.
1
Lazarus Wingert.
9
Single Men.
Philip Baur.
Joseph Mountz.
Jacob Baur.
George Mountz.
Conrad Christ.
Matthias Miller.
Jacob Ernst.
Andrew Riegle.
Christopher Fidler,
John R. am.
Philip Fisher.
Henry Stear,
Adam Gruber.
John Snyder.
Thomas Jones.
Henry Sohl.
Griffith Jones.
Henry Seidle.
Christian Lercb.
Jacob Strunck.
OLD BUILDINGS .- Among the old buildings in the township is part of an out-building on the old Sheetz farm, now owned by Peter Marshall, which, it is thought, was put up by Conrad Weiser. It is a low two-story building. It contains a large fire-place in the upper and lower rooms. As the walls are very massive, the idea of using the building as a means of protection is suggested. The Weiser farm contained two hundred and forty-eight acres of land, not very remarkable for fertility ; and the selection was more likely made on account of the abundance of excellent water and the fine timber which covered the ground. East from this farm are several old buildings, used for public purposes when the highway was along the base of hills, where these houses stand. One of these is stone, the other of logs; but both are in a well-preserved condition. West, on the turn- pike, is a large, frame-building in which John Seltzer and others kept a tavern.
EARLY SETTLERS .- North of Womelsdorf one of the early settlers was John Deppen, who resided there until his death. He was the father of sons named Samuel, Joseph, Isaac, Adam and Michael. Some of their descendants still live in the township.
Among many other families who contributed to the development of the township were the Eckerts, Filberts, Fidlers, Leisses, Lauckses, Livingoods and Seltzers, most of whom have retained their landed interests.
GRAVE OF CONRAD WEISER .- The remains of Conrad Weiser and his wife still lie where they were interred a hundred and twenty-six years ago. The burial plat is in the orchard on the Sheetz farm, about fifty yards west from the house and three-quarters of a mile east from Womelsdorf. It is situated between the turnpike and Lebanon
Valley Railroad. When the place was visited by the writer, November 12, 1885, there was nothing to indicate the spot except a single head-sandstone, on which was engraved,-
" Dieses is die Ruhe Staette des
woyl ehren geachten M. Conrad Weiser, derselbige ist geboren 1696 den 2. November in Afsteat, im Amt Herrenberg, im Wittenberger Lande, und gestorben 1760 den 13. Julius, ist
++
alt worden 63 jahr 8 Monat und 13 Tage."
This inscription was recut, in 1884, by Peter Marshall, the present owner of the farm. The headstone on the grave of Conrad Weiser's wife lies prostrate ; and the numerous stone slabs, which formerly marked graves supposed to have been those of Indians, have been removed, the latter indicated graves having an east and west direction, while the Weiser graves are from north to south. A number of years ago the Sheetz family had en- closed this burial-plat with a neat fence, but at present no such division is shown, the graves being a con:mon part of the orchard.
INDUSTRIES .- As early as 1790 members of the Bennethum family had a small tannery, east of Womelsdorf, on the old State road. This interest has been carried on at that point ever since, and for the past twenty years by Henry J. Moyer. Since being the owner he very much increased the capacity, operating by steam since 1873. There are in all fifty vats, and the product is oak-tanned harness leather. In the early history of the tan- ning very fine calf and kip leathers were made.
Below this point, on the same road, an active industry has been developed in sand-mining, a very large deposit having been found, which, in 1885, was placed on the market by steam machinery, oper- ated by David Sheetz. West of Rohesonia, Sam- uel R. Deppen has manufactured lime for some years, producing yearly about thirty-five thousand bushels. The stone there quarried yields ninety per cent. of carbonate of lime.
"The Robesonia Furnace " is situated south of Robesonia, on Spring Creek. In 1794 George Ege here began the manufacture of iron in what was known as the Reading Furnace, erecting it
1110
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
after he had abandoned the Berkshire Furnace, in Lower Heidelberg township. He carried on the same successfully until 1824, when a depression in business caused him to suspend. In the course of years Robeson & Brooke became the owners, hav- ing the property until 1858, when Ferguson, White & Co. came in possession of it; while owned by them the name of the furnace was changed to Robesonia. Nathaniel Ferguson was a skillful and successful iron-master, but was obliged by weight of years to relinquish the busi ness in 1885. It is now carried on by the " Rohe- sonia Iron Company, Limited." In 1845, while owned by Robeson & Brooke an anthracite fur- nace was put up in place of the charcoal furnace. In 1858 another furnace of larger capacity was erected in its place, and other improvements were made afterwards. While putting up a new stack an accident occurred. on November 7, 1884, by the falling of a large furnace-stack, which had been in process of construction the previous June, which resulted in the death of seven men-Joseph Reed, Davilla Beckley, Henry Spangler, David M. Person, Monroe Peipher, Frederick Foreman and Henry Putt-and the wounding of eight others-Lewis Dietrich, Jacob Fox, John Wein- hold, James McCloskey, Charles F. Moyer, John Capp, Frank Spatz and Frederick Knause.
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