USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 186
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The doctor is an earnest advocate of the principles of the Republican party, but, aside from the position of delegate to the State Convention of his party which nominated James G. Blaine for the Presidency, he has taken no ac- tive part in politics. He now affiliates with the Prohibition party. Dr. Walter wields a ready pen on subjects relating to his profession. He is the editor of " The Laws of Health " and " Health, " and author of " The Philosophy of the Health Reform," the " Nutritive Cure " and " The Best Means of Preserving and Regaining Health." He has been latterly engaged in the preparation of a large work entitled " Science in Health and Disease," which gives a scientific solution of all the great problems of medical science, and establishes a system of treatment based on definite scientific principles. The doctor is a believer in Evangelical Christianity and often conducts worship in his own institu- tion, though not a member of any church or denomination.
NORTH HEIDELBERG.
ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- The township of Heidelberg embraced at first about thirty-seven thousand acres and continued so large without any reduction for over one hundred years. In 1842 it was divided, and the eastern portion, about eighteen thousand acres, was erected into a township named " Lower Heidelberg." The remaining portion comprised about nineteen thousand acres. In April, 1844, a portion was taken away and contributed toward the erection of " Marion," in area about one thousand eight hundred acres. The township of Heidelberg
was then left with about seventeen thousand two hundred acres.1
During the fall of 1844 the inhabitants of the township thought that their township was too large and inconvenient. The population was about one thousand six hundred and the electors about three hundred. They therefore considered the propriety of dividing it. A tract had just been cut off. But this small re- duction was not to stand in the way of improv- ing their situation in respect to elections and roads. So they applied to the court for viewers.2 And the court was sufficiently generous to en- courage their application by appointing Mat- thias S. Richards, Samuel Beard and Samuel S. Jackson as prayed for. The spirit of divi- sion and of erecting new townships and new counties had taken a strong hold upon the people during this decade.3 Fortunately, the spirit did not succeed in carrying away any of the territory from the county of Berks towards certain projected new counties round-about to the north, east, south and west.
The commissioners examined the township, " and being satisfied that the late practice of subdividing large townships has received gene- ral favor from experience, because of the con- venience for township transactions and of the better attention to keeping roads in repair," they therefore surveyed and marked off a divid- ing line, which began at the "Ege Forge," on the Tulpehocken Creek and extended thence "S. 71 E. 1140 ps. to a corner and S. 55 E. 487 ps. to Spring Creek," and they recommended the northern section to be named " North Hei- delberg." The portion laid off contained about seven thousand two hundred acres. Their re- port was presented January 9, 1845, and con- firmed nisi. A remonstrance was filed against the proposed division, signed by thirteen tax-
1 The population of Heidelberg in 1840 was three thou- sand five hundred and thirty-nine. When the township was divided, in 1842, the population was about three thou- sand seven hundred and the lower portion had more than half.
2 This was on November 9, 1844. Only thirty signatures (ten English ) were attached to the petition.
3 Eleven new townships were erected from 1839 to 1851, four to the east of Schuylkill and seven to the west.
1126
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ables who resided therein, representing the division inconvenient and burdensome; but the court confirmed the report absolutely, and erected the territory laid off into a new town- ship by the name recommended.
See Heidelberg township for list of first tax- ables which inhabited this section of the county.
EARLY FAMILIES .- The descendants of the Klopp family have for many years constituted a large portion of the population of North Heidelberg township. It is said that one of three brothers who came to Eastern Pennsyl- vania settled in Lebanon County and was killed by the Indians, another settled in Lower Heid- elberg and Peter, the third, in North Heidel- berg. The last-named had seven sons-Peter, Adam, John, Benjamin, Daniel, Joseph and Isaac. Some of his daughters married into the Ernst, Gerhart and Faust families. Peter, the eldest son, moved to the central part of the township, on the farm now owned by William D. Klopp ; several of the sons moved to Tulpe- hocken township, and Daniel became a citizen of Illinois.
The Kalbachs, Dundores and Lengels were also very numerous, but most of them have died or removed, a few descendants of each family only remaining. Along the Tulpe- hocken there was an early settlement of Mora- vians, some of the members residing in what is now North Heidelberg, the others in Penn and Bern townships. Near the North Heidelberg Church Tobias Bickel made his home in the fall of 1736, and his brother, George Frederick, lived in Bern (now Penn) township. They were both young men and reared families in these townships. The former had a son named Anthony and a grandson by the name of Joseph, who was the father of some of the older Bick- els in the county at this time.
Most of the other Moravians removed. De- scendants of the Gerhart, Bright, Fisher, Moyer and Conrad families in the fourth and fifth generations are still snear the cenes where, a hundred and fifty years ago, the simple homes of their forefathers were erected.
MILLS AND STORES .-- The people of the township are almost wholly given to agricul- tural pursuits. On the Tulpehocken, at the
old Seyfert mill-site, Abraham Krick put up a good mill, which is still known as the "Krick mill," although owned by different persons, among them John K. Derr and Benjamin Bickel, the present proprietor. A saw-mill is attached to this mill. Below, on the same stream, the Zerby family had early saw and grist-mills, whose sites are occupied by mills long owned by Jacob Wilhelm, and at present the property of Jacob Sunday. In this part of the township the distillation of liquor was for- merly carried on by the Seyferts, and in other localities there were small stills which have been removed.
Lamm's mill, in the eastern part of the town- ship, on Spring Creek, was built soon after 1800 by the Fisher family and long carried on by it. At present saw and grist-mills are successfully carried on.
In the township are two post-offices, Krick's. Mill and North Heidelberg. The former is in the western part of the township and was es- tablished in 1865 with Abraham Krick as postmaster. His successor was John K. Derr. Joshua Moyer is the present postmaster. The office has a tri-weekly mail via the North Heidelberg office. This latter office was estab- lished in 1864, and Jonathan L. Klopp has been the postmaster. It is kept in connection with the only store in the township at a stand opened in 1851 by J. L. Reber, and where, since 1857, Jonathan L. Klopp has suc- cessfully carried on business. In connection with it there is a public-house, the whole oc- cupying large and well-appointed buildings. Near by there was formerly an old public- house, opened about 1800, and kept by Michael Kalbach and others. The inn was known for many years as Kalbach's. It was converted in- to a farm-house in 1851. The building stood until September, 1885, when it was destroyed by fire. In it was kept the first store in the township by Adam Fisher, Charles Rick and others.
CHURCHES.
NORTH HEIDELBERG CHURCH is the only house of worship in the township. It is situ- ated in the eastern part, upon land donated for church purposes, by Tobias Bickel, as early as
1127
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
1744. Prior to that time the people of this locality attended the meetings held at Reed's Church, on the Tulpehocken, in the present township of Marion. A settlement of Morav- ians having been made in the eastern part of North Heidelberg, and the meetings at Reed's Church having been held only at irregular in- tervals, they decided to have their own meeting- house, in which the Moravian doctrine might be preached without interruption. A plain log house was therefore built, in the summer and fall of 1744, upon the lot set aside by Bickel, and it was formally dedicated November 4, 1744, by a Moravian Synod, over which Henry Antes, presided. On the 9th of April following, a Moravian congregation was organized by Bishop August G. Spangenberg with the follow- ing members : Tobias Bickel, George Fred- erick Bickel, Stephen Brecht, John Fisher, Sr., John Fisher, Jr., Frederick Gerhart, Nicholas Glass, John Graefer, John Zerby, and their wives, and John Keller, a widower.
A building comprising a school-house and parsonage combined was built at the same time, and it was occupied by Daniel Neihart when the congregation was formed. Later teachers of this school were Werner, Weile, Blatzer and Polk.
The Moravian congregation had its member- ship augmented by new settlers, among whom were the Klapp, Conrad, Minnich and Zuber families, and then it flourished. The ministers visited the congregation statedly, coming from Bethlehem and other Moravian settlements. After 1830 a number of families removed to the West. This caused the congregation to weaken and decline, and eventually only few meetings a year were held.
The congregation was then disbanded, and the meeting-house came to be occupied by per- sons of the Lutheran and Reformed faith in that vicinity. About 1835, congregations were organized by them, and then regular preaching began by the Revs. Miesse and Minnich. In 1846, with the assistance of the Moravians who remained, the congre- gations united in building the present church upon the Moravian Church lot. It is a plain brick building of moderate size, and is
supplied with a gallery. The cemetery attached is neatly inclosed. The German Reformed congregation had more than a hundred mem- bers, and Rev. Thomas C. Leinbach as pastor. The Lutheran congregation was smaller, and the minister was the Rev. J. J. Cressman.
The Moravians have still an interest in the property, but no meetings have been held within the past four years.
BERN TOWNSHIP.'
ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- A petition was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Lancaster County on May 2, 1738, praying for the erection of a new township out of the east- ern section of Tulpehocken township, lying between the Schuylkill River and Tulpehocken Creek, and extending from the mouth of the creek to the Blue Mountain.2 The court shortly afterward ordered the erection of the township according to the prayer of the peti- tioners, and named it " Bern." The name was taken from Bern, a large division of territory in Switzerland, the native country whence many of the inhabitants emigrated.
When the county of Berks was erected the lands of this township extended beyond the Blue Mountain. In August, 1767, a petition was presented to court, asking for a division of the township on account of its extent. Commis- sioners were appointed (William Boone, Samuel Hoch, Thomas Wright, Joseph Penrose, Frederick Weiser and Thomas Jones), who laid down a line along the top of Blue Mountain,- S. 91 W. 1836 perches. In November follow- ing the proceedings were confirmed, and the northern portion beyond the mountain was named " Brunswick."
In 1789 an act of Assembly was passed, requiring the township to be divided. William Wheeler surveyed the line, which extended
1 I examined the records at Lancaster, but I could not find any papers relating to the erection of this township.
2 The township included territory and taxable inhabit- arts beyond the mountains till 1771, when the portion beyond the top of the mountain was laid off into a separate township named Pine Grove.
.
1128
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
from the Tulpehocken Creek, near the mouth of the North-kill, across the township, N. 67º 51' E. seven miles and six perches to the Schuylkill at Noecker's mill. The upper por- tion was called " Upper Bern."
In 1841 Penn township was erected out of a portion of Bern and Upper Bern, and in 1843, Centre township.
In 1849 the estimated area of Bern township was twenty thousand acres.
TAXABLES OF 1759 .- The taxables of the township in the year 1759 are named in the following list. John Reber was the collector. The tax levied amounted to £89 5s.
£
£
John Althouse 7
Jacob Albrecht .
6
Michael llentzel
6
Christian Althouse 5
Peter Harpide
. 11
Jacob Allwine 3
Ludwig Albrecht
1
Val. Himmelberger 5
Abraham Haas 3
John Hochstatter
1
Christian Herachberger
6
Jacob Hetzler
1
Christian Berger 6
Ulrick Backenstoe
4
Jacob Burcky
9
Philip Beyer
4
Adam Bohn 4
Jacob Beck 1
Christian Beyler 2
Joha Bucke
9
David Brecht .
20
George Belleman
4
Sebastian Butz
10
Jacob Conrad
12
Jacob Criem
2
Henry Close 4
Matthias Dornebach 9
William Doniliason 9
Joba Domliason 2
Titua Denning . 12
Frederick Deglar 5
Joha Epler
. 21
Jacob Epler
. 18
John Eppert
6
Valentine Eckert . 3
John Fauat 10 Jacob Fuche 4
Philip Faust. . 15
Henry Freemen
1
Samuel Filbert . 8
John Feyck 7
Christian Feyck
4
George Mettler . 2
Nicholas Miller
6
Jacob Meyer .
Jacob Miller, Jr
1
Killian May .
1
Jacob Miller
9
Christopher Mensch
3
Simon Menech
5
Valentine Mogle
1
Philip Machemer
Joseph Obold .
8
T. Heck . .
15
Nicholas Haller
8
Daniel Hieater
8
Ulrich Rathmacher . 5
Nicholas Ruackle 3
John Runckle 3
Peter Ricken bach
2
Nicholas Soder .
15
Jacob Reichardt
1
Jacob Teeter .
5
Adam Rickenbach
9
Jolın Rickenbach
5
Matthias Weber
16
Jacob Roth
2
Herman Weber
7
Christian Roth.
28
John Reber
8
Conrad Schneider
5
Michael Wommer, Sr
7
John Schneider, Jr
8
Jacob Wetzler
2
Joha Schneider, Sr.
8
Michael Staudt .
. 10
Matthias Staudt
9
Ludwig Seaman
2
Samuel Wollison, Jr
4
John Schock
1
Samuel Wollison, Sr
10
George Schell
3
James Williamson
13
Werner Stein
8
Nicholas Weiminger
4
Albrecht Strauss
16
Jacob Strausa
6
Moaea Weyerich
10
Daniel Zacharias 1
Peter Zuber
5
Christian Stutzman .
2
Bernhard Schartel
5
John Seibert .
11
Joseph Zallebarger
5
John Staudt
3
Moritz Zuck
8
Single Men.
George Belleman.
Jacob Belleman.
Jacob Gackley.
Joha Reber, Jr.
John Heck.
Henry Reeser.
Joha Hauger.
Joseph Sumbread,
Philip Heck.
Paul Schaeffer.
George Ludwig.
John Sealy.
Conrad Landerdorf.
Matthias Weber.
John Joder 1
Christian Joder 1
Martin Kershoer
9
Conrad Kershner
4
John Klein
5
George Kershaer
2
Stephen Kauffman
3
William Koppersmith
1
Hearich Kettuer 6
Michael Kehl 4
Jacob Kaufman 1
Jacob Kaufinan, Jr
3
Bonjamin Kepler.
. 15
Stephen Kurtz .
7
John Kurtz
. 10
Christian Koenig
2
Chrlatiao Kanffman
7
Nicholas Klee .
7
Valentine Long
7
Frederick Long
1
William Leymaater
3
George Looa .
3
Nicholaa Ludwig
2
John Meth . .
8
George Gernand
23
Jacob Geia
3
Adam Gele . 3
Ulrich Geatzelberger
2
Eberhard Geach wind 7
Jacob Grim 5
David Grim 3
Adam German 2
Hendrick Gicker 7 Casper Phillipe . 3
Henry Reeser, Jr .
6
Jacob Reeser, Jr .
9
Jacob Reeser, Sr . 22
.
John Adanı 7
Christian Albrecht 7
John Arwegast .
1
Christopher Bickel
3
John Hoffmann
9
Hieronymua Hemig
7
John Eyors Hiester.
10
William Hettrich .
8
Christian Joder
4
EARLY SETTLERS .- Among the carly set- tlers of what is now comprised within the bounds of Bern township, the Hiesters were unusually prominent. They purchased several thousand acres of land along the Tulpehocken, and built mills, which proved great con- veniences. They were in good circumstances. Their sons came to figure in public affairs prominently. Few of the descendants now remain in the township.
On the Schuylkill, Peter Herbein became the owner of two hundred and thirty-five acres of fine land, in 1734, adjoining the lands of Henry Reeser, who was also an early settler. Both families have retained possession of their lands, the Herbeins now being represented by John, Thomas and William, great-grand- sons of Heury Herbein, the father of sons named Abraham and John. Below this point the Rickenbach family became the owner of a tract of land on which descendants still live. They had a small burial-plot near Rickenbach Station, but later interments have been made in cemeteries.
INDUSTRIES .- Although the people of Bern
Charles Schmidt 2
Jacob Stein 3
Casper Stein
1
Baltzer Umbenbauer 8
Michael Wommel, Jr 6
Widow Wise
6
George Wagner, Jr 8
George Waguer, Sr 3
Andreas Winter 3
Joseph Wollieon
3
Philip Strauss
7
Yost Shoemaker
8
Michael Zuber
2
John Zimmerman
1
Martin Moore.
Nicholaa Phillips.
Frederick From 7
George Gentzle .
1
1
4
Yost Hieater .
. 12
Jacob Heck
5
1129
TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.
are almost exclusively devoted to agricultural pursuits, the ordinary industries are not wholly neglected. On Tulpchocken Creek the Hiester family built a mill, soon after the settlement of the township, which, in a changed condition, is still kept running. Gabriel and Jonathan Hiester are best remembered as successful millers at this point. After a number of owners, John B. Reber, now of Reading, became the proprietor. The mill is of stone and has a large capacity. The site lower down the stream was improved by Joseph Reber and the mill operated by him and by others of that family for many years. It is still known as " Reber's mill," though owned by Frank Hain.
Along the Schuylkill are valuable out-crop- pings of limestone of superior quality, both for building and for manufacturing purposes. They are easily quarried and readily shipped. William Silvis was one of the pioneers to develop this industry. About forty years ago he opened a quarry near Leinbach's store, which has been pretty generally operated since that time. He encouraged the workmen to build homes near the quarry. This was the begin- ning of a cluster of houses in this locality com- monly called Mechanicsville. The present operators of this quarry are the Leinbach Brothers. There are six, lime-kilns, with a capacity to produce annually over one hundred thousand bushels of lime. The next quarry was opened by Henry Lerch and is now owned by George Hartman. About twenty-five thousand bushels of lime per year are made. The Stout quarries, opened by a man named Griscom, are now operated by William Fisher. Large quantities of stone are shipped from here and all these quarries employ from twenty to fifty men.
Farther up the river are the old Herbein quarries, first opened by William Herbein, about 1855, and developed by him so as to employ from twelve to eighteen men. It is at present owned by William Herbein, who employs steam to carry on its successful operation. Here is Rickenbach Station, with sidings to the quarry, which afford good shipping facilities. Near West Leesport, on the main line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, are the
lime-kilns of Rahn & Kauffman, which were opened by Leinbach & Epler soon after the completion of the railroad. From one hundred thousand to one hundred and thirty thousand busliels of lime are manufactured and shipped annually. Near by the manufacture of brick proves a profitable occupation.
Near Rickenbach Station are the Herbeiu mill and distillery, now idle, and the property of Jonas Shalter. The first improvement was a small distillery by Abraham Herbein, about sixty years ago. After the property passed into the hands of Reuben Herbein, the latter built the present mill and distillery, operating the same successfully some years. The Reeser mill, on the same stream, a mile above, is one of the first in the township, and has been run by that family since its erection. The present proprietor is Jonathan Reeser, who has also a saw-mill and large ice-houses at that point. The motive-power is water and steam.
Canal-boat building has been successfully carried on for about a score of years by James Rickenbach, on the canal, below Rickenbach Station. At his docks from twelve to twenty men find employment at building boats. James Rickenbach is also the owner of a number of boats in the carrying trade from that point.
At Hiester's Mill is a post-office, established in 1865. It is supplied with semi-weekly mails from Reading. Formerly small stores were kept in that locality as well as on the State road, almost north from that place, by J. Klein and others. In connection was a public-house, built about fifty years ago, which is now well remembered as the "Haiu Tavern." East, on the same road, is Leinbach's post-office, store and tavern. The latter was first opened by Christian Leinbach in 1848, and a store kept in the same building until 1867, when the present stand opposite the tavern came to be occupied by E. A. Leinbach. He has also been postmaster since the establishment of the office, in 1852. There are four mails per week.
The Epler tavern, three-quarters of a mile towards Reading, on the same road, was the oldest public-house in the township. The building, which has been removed, was put up
95
1130
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
in the Revolutionary period, and was the scene of a disturbance in 1799-in consequence of the putting up a liberty pole by Epler, which cer- tain parties threatened to cut down.1 The tav- ern was last kept by J. Mowry, about forty years ago.
CHURCHES.
BERN CHURCH (Reformed and Lutheran) was originally the exclusive property of a German Reformed congregation. This may have been organized as early as 1739, for there are records of baptism bearing that date. In 1743 about fifteen acres of land was surveyed by the Penns for the use of the society, and which was conveyed, in 1748, to Henry Reeser, trustee, for the use of the Calvinists residing in Bern, Cumru and Heidelberg townships. Upon this tract of land a log meeting-house was built, which was in use until some time about 1762, when a rough stone building was put up for a place of worship. This stood until the present edifice took its place, in 1837. In the previous winter the Lutherans arranged to secure an own- ership in the property and the present house was built by the joint efforts of both societies. The corner-stone was laid July 30th, and the build- ing completed in the fall of the same year. The church is constructed of brick, two stories high, with galleries, and it presents an attractive ap- pearance. In 1762 the church lot was enlarged by the purchase of land from Daniel Hiester, which was conveyed to David Brecht (Bright), Matthias Stoudt and Yost Hiester, of Bern, and Henry Spohn and Martin Arnold, of Heidel- berg, as trustees. Another purchase was made in 1792, when John Dundore, John Reber and Nicholas Stump were the trustees, making the entire church property about twenty acres. Upon this is a good residence and other im- provements.
The church prospered until 1867, when dis- sensions reduced the membership of the Re- formed congregation, and very greatly impaired its usefulness. It has had an increase of membership during the past few years. In 1885 there were three hundred and twenty-five members and Rev. Samuel S. Leinbach was the
pastor. His immediate predecessors were Revs. Aaron Leinbach, Franklin H. Swartz and Isaac Miesse.
The Lutheran congregation has prospered under the ministry of the Rev. Thomas T. Iaeger. In 1885 it reported two hundred and eighty members.
The church is situated near the north western line of the township.
FRIENDS .- In 1745 the proprietaries grant- ed two acres "to John Ellyman for the use of the congregation of people called Quakers, to be laid out in an oblong where there are some graves already." A trust was declared and acknowledged September 7, 1758. Friends were evidently in the township at that early day.
EPLER CHURCH (Lutheran and Reformed) is a plain, substantial brick building, occupying a commanding site near the centre of the town- ship. The corner-stone was laid June 1, 1851, and the house was almost completed the same year, under the direction of Abraham Koenig, Wm. Herbein, Jacob Gerhart and John Fox, as a building committee. The formal dedica- tion took place in the spring of 1852. The present church took the place of a rough-cast log building, erected in 1788. Previously there was a log building of small size built soon after the settlement of the country, the exact date not being known. It was intended solely for the use of German Reformed people. In 1825 Rev. Waltz commenced holding services for the Lutherans, and in 1833 an arrangement was effected by which the Lutherans secured a joint interest in the property. A cemetery comprising four acres is included with the church property. Among the first members of this church was the Epler family, who warmly encouraged the erection of the first building and after whom it was named. Others associated with them were the Reeser, Herbein, Fisher, Lerch, Geiger, Al- bright, Bodie, Koenig, Moser, Young, Medlar, Kerscher, Hain, Emerich, Baer, Woomer, Stoudt and Machemer families.
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