History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 184

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 184

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The demoli-hed stack stood on cast-iron col- umns thirty feet high, and the body of the stack was forty feet more in height and fifty feet in diameter. Within were the seven men engaged on the lining and they had almost reached the top, within fifteen feet, working on the scaffolding on the in-walls. Below were the bricklayers and tenders. Beneath all was Henry Putt, an old man, whose labor consisted in filling the buckets with fire- brick and clay. The cause of the fall was the break- ing of the columns, which fell like a flash all in a heap and without warning. The wall did not fall at once, but the scaffolding fell and then the walls gave way, covering the victims within a living grave By the stack stood the casting-house, part of which was carried away by the fall. The col- umns twisted clean out before the fall. The cause was the weakness of the support on which the stack rested, the weight having been three thousand tons.

The damage to the property was repaired as

speedily as possible, but it was deemed best to practically rebuild the furnace in 1885. Accord- ingly, the present owners availed themselves of all the improvements suggested by the most approved systems of iron manufacture, so that the capacity is now about one thousand tons per week, making the furnace in all its appointments and attendant interests one of the most valuable properties in the eastern part of the State. Employment is given to more than one hundred and fifty men. The ore used is procured from the celebrated Cornwall mines, in Lebanon County, on which the furnace holds a perpetual ore-right for the gratuitous sup- ply of as much ore as will keep one stack in blast. Owing to improved methods, this amount is now thirty times greater than when the contract giving this right was entered into.

The fine cut-stone mansion, built by George Ege, at the furnace, in 1807, has also been re- paired, and the grist-mill, long in operation, has been improved to meet the wants of present cus- tomers.

. East of Robesonia is a spring of unusual size and beauty, popularly called, from its former own- er, Gernant's Big Spring. In 1775 it was known as " Allen's Spring." Its water is very clear and refreshing, with a volume large enough to furnish power for a mill several hundred yards below the spring. One of the early owners of this mill was Daniel Bechtol. The present improved mill is the property of James T. Reber, hardware merchant of Reading. The next water-power below opera- ted a woolen-mill for John Eckert, now discon- tinued, as well as a distillery, which was carried on some time in the same building.

On the farm of the Orphans' Home is one of the finest springs in the county. Its volume is great. Power was afforded to operate a grist-mill and dis- tillery a few hundred yards below it. This place became widely known as " Manderbach's Summer Resort," and was largely patronized. The distil- lery produced a fine quality of whiskey. Large wagons conveyed it to distant counties There were also grounds for target practicing, Mander- bach himself having been well skilled in the use of the rifle. The mill still remains, but the distil- lery has long since been demolished.

CHURCHES.

ST. DANIEL'S CHURCH is situated a mile north

1111

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

of Robesonia, at the intersection of several roads, from which fact it is sometimes called "Die Ecke Kirche." The present building was put up in 1814. It has been remodeled and improved inside so that it bears little resemblance to its original condition. It is the third house used as a place of worship at this point, the first having been of logs, and built during the early settlement of the country. The building preceding the present one was put up in 1757; the congregation had the ministry of the Rev. John Nicholas Kurtz, who lived at Stouchsburg.

Upon the dedication of the present church the pastor was Rev. Daniel Ulrich, who served the congregation thirty-nine years. Then came the Revs. T. T. Iaeger, eleven years; H. S. Miller, one year ; and the Rev. Aaron Finfrock, since 1863.

Until December 25, 1876, the church was entirely under the control of the Lutherans; then Rev. T. C. Leinbach organized a German Re- formed congregation, with twenty-nine members, which prospered to such an extent that in 1885 the membership was one hundred and fifty-five. Mr. Leinbach is still pastor.

The affairs of the church are now controlled by the two congregations. The property includes well kept cemeteries and a residence. In the latter is the home of John S. Henry, for many years the organist.

In the same locality are the grounds of the " Heidelberg Cemetery Company," embracing several acres of land, which was opened to the public in 1880. It has been made an attractive place.

UNION CHAPEL is situated at Robesonia. It is a neat stone chapel, built in 1869 by Fergu- son, White & Co, furnace owners, for the free use of such religious bodies as may choose to maintain worship there. It was dedicated May 1, 1870. Originally intended for the accommodation of the furnace employees, it has proven a great con- venience to the people of the village. A Sunday- school is regularly conducted in it, which is well attended by all classes. For many years Nathaniel Ferguson was the superintendent. The Presby- terians and German Baptists most frequently worship in the chapel.

BETHANY ORPHANS' HOME. - This charitable

institution is located near Womelsdorf Station, on the Lebanon Valley Railroad. It was founded September 21, 1863, at Philadelphia, Pa., by a number of Synods of the German Reformed Church of North America, but at present is maintained by but two Synods of that church. The location at Philadelphia not being desirable, the home was moved to Bridesburg July 13, 1864, where it remained about three years. On account of the prevalence of sickness among its inmates, a new location was sought where greater healthful- ness could be obtained in connection with otber advantages. Accordingly, for this purpose the property known as " Manderbach's Summer Re- sort," comprising twenty-six acres of land, on which was a three-story brick building, thirty-six by one hundred and twenty feet, mill and other improvements, was purchased in 1867 and fitted up to adapt it to the wants of the Home, and the in- stitution was transferred October 1st of that year. In the fall of 1872 a farm of sixty acres of good land was added to the property and the necessary buildings provided to carry it on as part of the Home. The last improvement was a fine harn, in 1885, at a cost of two thousand three hundred dollars. Here the Home enjoyed uninterrupted prosperity until the midnight of November 11, 1881, when the main house and some other build- ings were destroyed by fire, with all their contents, the inmates only escaping. The old mill and remaining buildings were fitted up, and after a short interruption the work of the Home was carried on as before. Steps were at once taken to rebuild the Home, and under the management of Mr. Isaac McHose, of Reading, as chairman of the building committee, the present superior three- story brick structure was erected and ready for use in December, 1882. The building is finely finished, heated throughout hy steam and lighted by gaso- line. Water is supplied on each floor from a reservoir on the mountain side and from a tank on the top of the building. The upper floor has the dormitories of the Home. The second floor con- tains the chapel, with a seating capacity for three hundred persons, music and recitation-rooms, parlors and offices for the matron and the superin- tendent. The lower floor is devoted to the house- hold affairs of the Home. The entire cost was nearly thirty thousand dollars.

1112

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The Home is controlled by a board of managers, under the direction of the Reformed Churches contributing to its support, and is composed of twelve members and the superintendent ex officio. It passes upon the applications for admission to the Home, basing its action upon the recommenda- tions of the congregations forwarding such appli- cations. Orphan children more than six years old may enter the Home and be entitled to all its benefits, remaining on the terms of their indenture or until an equally good home is provided else- where. The inmates are instructed in the common English branches, German reading and writing, the common sciences and algebra, teu months of

whose vigilant care has done much to promote the welfare of the Home. He resigned in January, 1886, and was succeeded by Rev. Thomas M. Yundt, who is the present superintendent.

VILLAGES.

WOMELSDORF STATION is fifteen miles from Reading, on the Lebanon Valley Railroad, and three-quarters of a mile south of the borough of Womelsdorf. Near by is the Bethany Orphans' Home. Around the depot a dozen buildings have been erected. The hamlet dates its beginning from 1858, when the station was established on lands given for this purpose by John Sheetz. The large

BETHANY ORPHANS' HOME.

school being afforded each year. Religious in- struction is imparted by daily worship, preaching in the chapel every Sunday and in the Sabbath- school, upon all of which attendance is required.

In connection with the school work each pupil is required to labor several hours per day, the in- mates being divided into four sections for this purpose. By this meaus the physical condition of the pupil is promoted, and it has been found so beneficial that not a single case of sickness, re- quiring the care of a physician, was reported in 1885. The highest number of inmates the Home has had was one hundred and five. In the fall of 1885 there were but sixty-nine. These were in charge of the superintendent, a matron and two lady teachers. The superintendent since Novem- ber 12, 1868, has been the Rev. D. B. Albright,

hotel building was put up in 1867 by Isaac Kintzer. Some years later Lewis, Jacob and William Livingood put up a fine, large factory building and supplied it with machinery for the manufacture of bolts and nuts. After a short op- eration the works were closed and the machinery removed. Afterward the building was used for some years as a creamery, but latterly it has not been occupied for manufacturing purposes.

ROBESONIA was laid out on lands of the Robe- sonia Furnace Company in 1855, by Robeson &. Brooke, and it was named after Henry P. Robe- son. The plan contained one hundred and fifteen lots. Before 1857 there was only one house on the present village site. It is still standing on the turnpike, and forms part of the public-house of Frank Filbert. At that time it was the property

1113

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

of Leonard Kohl, and Samuel Dechert occupied it as a store. Afterward John L. Fisher, Jacob Wenrich, Samuel Wenrich, I aac Sohl, Jacob Noll and Win. Filbert became residents of the village.

In 1885 there were about fifty residences, three stores, three taverns, a good school-house, a chapel for common worship, and, in addition, the interests connected with the furnace. Gideon B. Noll is the oldest merchant in the place. Hiester Filbert has been in trade for fifteen years. Before the

BIOGRAPHICAL.

REILY L. FISHER is the great-grandson of Peter A. A. Fisher, who resided in Spring town- ship, this county. John Fisher, son of Peter, was born in Lower Heidelberg township, of the same county, where he established a paper-mill, since converted into a woolen-mill, and conducted the business of paper manufacturing.

He married Rosina Hain, daughter of John and Margaret Hain, born in 1796. Their children

Rely Lofisher

village was founded, stores were kept in connection with the furnace by Leonard Kohl and others.

Dr. James C. Cress was the first to locate bere as a physician ; and other practitioners have been Doctors C. Strohm, Jacob Ammon, Adam Dun- dore, John A. Conrad (since 1873) and Harry H. Bollman.

The manufacture of cigar-boxes by machinery was begun here in 1880, by Wm. Fidler, and is still continued by him. 94

were Elenora, born in 1797 ; Samuel, October 28, 1799 ; Peter, in 1801; Anna C., in 1804; Eliza- beth, in 1805, deceased in youth ; John, in 1808 ; who also died in early life; Anna, in 1810; Elijah, in 1812; Daniel, in 1815 ; Sarah, in 1818, and Jeremiah, in 1821.

Samuel Fisher spent his life as a farmer, in the township of his birth. On the 28th of De- cember, 1821, he was married to Elizabeth, danghter of Peter Laucks, of the same township.

1114

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Their children were Reily L., born Nov. 12, 1822 ; Mary, March 27, 1824; Adam, March 27, 1825 ; David, April 7, 1829 ; Elizabeth, May 14, 1834.

Reily L. Fisher was born in Heidelberg town- ship, where he has since lived. His educational ad- vantages were such as the paid schools of the neigh- borhood afforded, after which, for a limited time, he assisted in the labor of the farm, and later was engaged as clerk at Sinking Spring and Werners- ville.

On the 23d of January, 1851, he was married to Matilda B., daughter of Conrad and Magda- lene Reber, of Bern township. The children of this union are Mary Magdalene, (Mrs. Albert A. Wenrich, of Heidelberg township) born March 13, 1852; Samuel, January 10, 1854, married to Ellen, daughter of Michael Ruth ; Anna Eliza- beth, September 21, 1856, deceased ; Sarah Re- becca, (Mrs. David H Hain), March 8, 1859; Amelia Catherine, June 9, 1861 ; Rosa Ellen, January 2, 1865 ; and Matilda Lucetta, March 21, 1872. Mr. Fisher remained on the farm one year after his marriage, and then embarked in mercantile business at Sinking Spring. He eventually returned to the farm, and on his abandonment of active labor placed his son Samuel in charge of the property, which he now cultivates. In 1874, on his retirement, he removed to his present home, in Heidelberg township, and is occupied in the im- provement of a small tract of land adjacent to residence. Mr. Fisher is a strong Democrat in his politics. His ability and integrity have caused him often to be solicited for the offices of guardian, trustee and administrator, which duties have ever been fulfilled with scrupulous care. He is a sup- porter of the Reformed Church, of which his wife and children are members.

NATHANIEL FERGUSON was born iu Lancaster County, Pa., November 20, 1817, and is the son of John and Elizabeth Ferguson, who emigrated to the United States about the year 1800, from near Dublin, and located in the above county, where they lived and reared a family of twelve children. The youngest son, Nathaniel, left home when eighteen years of age, with fifty cents given by his mother and her blessing and wishes for success. Having graduated at the Moscow Academy in Lancaster, where he had shown himself a diligent pupil, in 1839 he became clerk at

the Elizabeth Furnace, in Lancaster County, then owned by the heirs of James Coleman, one of the proprietors of the Cornwall mines, two and a half years later rising to the management of the business, which position he held for seven years. He then removed to Swa- tara Furnace, Schuylkill County, and became one of the firm of Eckert, Gilbert & Co., assuming meanwhile the active management. The co-part- nership lasted until 1855, when they ceased oper- ations, as the use of anthracite coal had superseded charcoal. In 1857 he removed to Robesonia Furnace and assumed the management. In 1860, at the death of Henry P. Robeson, he purchased an interest and became a partner in the firm of White, Ferguson & Co. In 1863 the firm became White & Ferguson, and remained so until 1875, the interest of Mr. White, who died in 1868, hav- ing been continued for the benefit of his heirs. The surviving partner then purchased the interest of one of the heirs and the firm became Ferguson, White & Co. One furnace being abandoned in 1874, after the enlargement of No. 2 stack, it was deemed advisable to manufacture but one brand of pig-iron - "Robesonia," - made exclusively of Cornwall ore, working under an ore-right used at Robesonia (formerly the Reading) Furnace since 1793, which right had been purchased from Peter Grubb, the original owner of the Cornwall ore- banks, and transferred from the Berkshire Furnace (originally named Roxborough), near Werners- ville, in Berks County, subsequently abandoned. In 1885 Mr. Ferguson sold his interest in Robeso- nia, and, retiring from active business, removed to Reading, where he now resides. He was married, in 1856, to Miss Amanda Davenport, grand- daughter of Judge William Adams, a member of Congress in the early part of the present century. As a man of self-reliance, sound education, untir- ing energy and great executive ability, the re- sult, a successful manufacturer and clear-sighted business man, seemed as much a natural conse- quence as that Mr. Ferguson should win the re- spect and regard of all who knew him for his unswerving integrity, benevolence and liberality toward all. Patriotic and public-spirited, generous and kind, after a life of great activity he is resting from his labors, surrounded by his family of seven children, at his home in Reading.

Eng ª by A.H.Putchic

Nathe Ferguson

1115

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

HEIDELBERG LOWER.

THE township of Heidelberg Lower was laid off from Heidelberg in 1842,1 with an area of about eighteen thousand acres. The population was about nineteen hundred. In 1850 the population was twenty-one hundred and forty-four, and in 1852 the total vote polled at the Presidential election was three hundred and ninety five.

Ten years after the erection of the township the inhabitants felt the inconvenience of its ex- tended territory, especially in respect to holding elections. They presented a petition2 to court, on April 10, 1852, asking for its division by a line extending from a point in the Cacoosing Creek, where the turnpike crosses the township line; thence in a straight line, north west wardly, to a point in the Tulpehocken Creek at Peter Hain's mill-dam ; and the erection of the northern section into a new township-and the court appointed Michael K. Boyer, Henry Nagle and Richard Boone as viewers. These viewers examined the territory, and decided that there was a great propriety in making the division, reporting the line suggested- "N. 58¿ W., 920 perches," and suggesting " Ca- coosing township" as a proper name for the northern section laid off. This subdivision cnt off about seven thousand five hundred acres 3 in the proposed township. Their report was pre- sented on Angust 12, 1852, and held under ad- visement. Technical exceptions were filed, and a remonstrance signed by one hundred and fifty-nine inhabitants,4-representing the divi- sion to be against the best interests of the town- ship,-was also filed. In February, 1853, the court decided not to confirm the report, and so the proposed township of " Cacoosing " was not granted.

One of the most prominent settlers of the township was George Hean (Hain), who, with

the Kricks, Ruths and Fishiers, came some time about 1730. He was a man of remarkable energy and became a large land-owner, having purchased in 1735 nine hundred and twenty acres ; in 1741, one hundred and ninety acres ; in 1742, two hundred and ninety-two acres ; and in 1743, three hundred and twenty-seven acres. For the Allen tract (included in the first quantity) he agreed to pay one hundred and sixty-five pounds and a yearly rent of one and one-half bushels of wheat per hundred acres, to be paid forever after the 1st of No- vember, 1736, and to be delivered at the city of Philadelphia. The Hain homestead was west of the village of Wernersville, on what is now known as the Hill farm. The original build- ings have been removed. He died in 1746, and on the 24th of June, 1747, his sons, Peter, Adam, George, Frederick, Henry, Cas- per and John Christian, met and agreed to pay their mother, Veronica, each two pounds per year, on every 24th day of June, during her natural life.

Among the later improvements made by the Hains was a honse of limestone, built by a German mason, said to have been a " Redemp- tioner," on the farm now owned by Henry Werner. It is one of the oldest buildings in the township. The houses on the farm of Thomas Reber, near Wernersville, and the one on the Eberle place are also very old. De- scendants of the Hain, Dundore, Fisher, Krick, Ruth and Reber families still live in the town- ship, on some of the original purchases.

INDUSTRIES .- The people of Lower Heidel- berg are distinctively agricultorists, there being but few water-powers which admitted improvement for manufacturing purposes. Be- fore the woods were cleared off, the brooks, flow- ing from South Mountain, had greater volume than at present and upon them small mills were built. One of the first was the old Hain mill, put in operation soon after 1755. Its ca- pacity was small. The mill which afterward occupied the site was also a simple affair. It was replaced by the present mill, which is owned by George W. Wertz. Above this im- provement is the gun-barrel factory of Lerch, Hassler & Co., worked on a small scale. This

1 See Heidelberg township.

2 Subscribed by eighty-three signatures, fifty-five of which are English.

3 In all the returns of surveys for new townships, the area was not calculated or mentioned. This is a singular oversight, as though the area were not an important fact in the matter.

+ Seventy-two English signatures.

1116

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

business was begun here about fifty years ago by Jacob Siegfried, who turned ont good work. On Spring Creek proper, John Fisher had a paper-mill before 1800, which, after being oper- ated some time, was converted into a joiner's shop. Another change was also made by John Keim, in the manufacture of gun-barrels for a few years. Then Peter Hain established the fonndry business, which was successfully carried on by him several years. Common castings were made. Some of the buildings remaining and other improvements by Peter Hain were next de- voted to a woolen factory, which is the industry now carried on under the proprietorship of Ulysses Hain and Wm. Klopp. The motive- power is water and steam and the products are common woolen goods, carpets and yarns. The next power below operates the Hain grist-mill, the mill-house in nse being the second at this site. It was long the property of Peter Hain. At Brownsville Philip Von Neida employed the power (formerly used for a saw mill) to operate a grist-mill, which he built in 1855 and which is still carried on by John B. Flickinger. At Wernersville a later industry is a creamery, established in 1882 by Eirich & Klopp, and of which Lewis M. Klopp has been the sole owner the past year. It is devoted to the man- ufacture of butter and cheese and is well patron- ized. Here also the quarrying and shipment of limestones was once an important business, among the firms engaged in it being Samuel, Charles and John Fiant, John Widmayer & Co., Eirich & Hassler, Zinu & Binckley and Deppen & Wenrich. The latter operated on a large scale. When the three quarries at this place were fully worked, employment was given to a large number of men. Latterly but little quarrying has been done, on account of inflow- ing water.

The only industry which had any historic interest attaching to it was the old Berkshire Furnace. It was located on the small stream near Dr. Walter's Monntain Home. It was a small charcoal furnace, erected by William Bird previous to 1760, and was at first operated by him. The ore was mined at the base of Cushion Hill, in what is now Spring township. After the death of William Bird, a few years after

the building of the furnace, his widow became the owner, and, in 1764, George Ege leased the property from her and operated the furnace about thirty years. About 1790 Ege became the owner of the property and soon afterward discontinued running it on account of the scarcity of water. Meantime, he had built the " Reading Furnace," on Mill Creek, to the west. Frequently cannon-balls were found on the site of the furnace and also other articles of iron.

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, (Reformed) commonly known as " Hain's Church," is the only house of worship in the township. It is located in an elevated position, about a mile north from Wernersville. The church lot contains about seven acres of land, of which five were donated before 1735 by George Hain, after whom the church was named. The building was con- structed of logs in 1735, small in size but strongly built. A school was carried on in this building at that time. The male members (it is re- ported by tradition) always carried their rifles with them when the presence of the enemy was reported. Some were posted as sentinels on the ontside to watch the movements of the In- dians, whilst the others worshipped inside. After peace was assured, there came an era of prosperity which enabled the congrega- tion to build a better church. It was erected in 1766, and was a substantial stone edifice, forty by fifty feet, with walls three feet thick. A large sandstone was placed in the wall, with the fol- lowing inscription:

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 184

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