History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 190

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 190

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To Thomas, brick house called the "Sine (sign) of the sun."

To Samuel, house occupied by John Owen.

To Peter, 500 acres, called "Neversink."

By this will it would appear that he then owned in this vicinity over twenty-three hun_ dred acres of land. He died February 19,1719- 20, aged sixty-six years, and was buried in Molatton church-yard (now St. Gabriel's, Doug- lassville.) A sand-stone still marks the grave.

1149

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

On the obverse side there appears the following inscription :

"Removed from noise and care This silent place I chose ;

When death should end my years To take a sweet repose.

Here in a peaceful place, My ashes must remain ;

My Saviour shall me keep And raise me up again."

Andrew Robeson was a Swede, a man of large wealth and of great social and political influence. His prominence was worthy a special testimonial to perpetuate his memory, and this was appropriately given to him by naming a township after him.

Besides the Robesons, some of the earliest settlers of this district were the following Friends : Gaius Dickinson, John Scarlet, Peter Thomas, John Hugh, William Hugh, Edward Hugh, William Morris, John Webb, James Webb, Joseph Webb, Benjamin Webb and Samuel' Webb ; and associated with them were Mordecai Ellis, Thomas Ellis, George Boone, John Boone and Thomas Boone, who had set- tled on the other side of the Schuylkill.

The territory of this township extended east- wardly, originally, to the Chester County line, several miles beyond Hay Creek. The early iron industry of William Bird, begun along the banks of Hay Creek about 1740, was in this township. This industry has been kept up un- til the present time, a period embracing nearly one hundred and fifty years. Upon the erection of the county, in 1752, the eastern portion, which lay between Hay Creek and the Chester County line, was added to a small portion of Chester County, which was cut to Berks in its erection ; and these two portions, united, were formed into a township and called " Union." Bird can be claimed as having begun in Robe- son ; and, as Robeson in his day (1719) was the largest resident land-owner in this upper region of the settled portion of the province, be, like- wise, a generation afterward, came to be the largest owner of land, if not the richest inhab- itant, of the county. And, before the close of the eighteenth century, a third name (Smith) came to be prominent in this township for the possession of property and influence, which has

continued here with increasing strengtli for over four-score years till the present day.

TAXABLES OF 1759,-The following list comprises the assessment of taxable inhabitants of the township for the year 1759. The total tax levied was £42 19s. 6d. Christian Arecot (Ehrgood) was the collector :

Christian Arecet .

Michael Kearn 14

Richard Andersen 5

Jenas Lyken

Jeslab Boene 10

Jacob Long 1

John Adam Baum 5

Samuel Landis 4

Jacob Bechtel 9

Peter Lyken .

Daniel Bead 10

Michael Miller 8

Adam Bickle 2

Jenkin Morris

James Cadwallader 6

Nicholas Miller 1

Jonus Chaniberlage

Conrad Moore

Gulus Dickinson.

. 12

William Norton 3

Christopher Geiger .

. 15

Samuel Overholtzer 3

Garrett and William Dewees .10

Matthew Patecrew 6

Jehn and Roger Davis . . 12

John Phillips 6

George Dykes 10

- Pennybecker 12

Jos. Dickinson 8

Israel Robinsen 18

David Robinson 6

Samnel Robinsen 3

Elias Bache 10

Adam Reitenaur 5

John Griffith 3

Heury Reichert

Edward Graff

James Richardson

David Garradt .

Jehn Scarlet . 17

Adam Stall 3

Arnold Sheafer

Paul Geiger 6

Michael Stoufer

Elizabeth Griffith

Balthaser Snider 2

John Holmes

Michael Suider

Philip Hart

Philip Hoyle

Themas Thomas 18

David Themas

Sebastiao Harleman

Peter Thomas . 12

Williso Harferd . 8

James Thomas 3

Joho Holman 6

George Tayler 12

Owen Humphrey . 13

Michael Walter

David Jones . 3

Benjamin Williams 8

Ephraim Jacksen, Sr . 14

Jaceb Weiler 6

Ephraim Jacksen, Jr 3

George Weadle

Jeha Jenkia

Single Men.

James David.

Andrew Lykens.

George Ellis.

Robert Morris.

Robeson is one of the largest townships in the county. Its surface is for the most part mountainous, about three-eighths of its area being chestnut wood-land. Its entire area com- prises about twenty-two thousand four hundred acres.

NEW TOWNSHIP NOT ESTABLISHED .- In 1845 a petition was presented to Court asking for the erection of the southern section of the township into a new township. The court ap- pointed commissioners (Samuel S. Jackson, Lewis Reese and N. I. Richards) to examine the ter- ritory to be set apart for a new township ; and these commissioners reported that a new town-

Jeha Evan 3

Enos Ellis . 6

Valentine Emmis 10

Francis Eckerman 1

Richard Geerge

Edward George

Christian Tritt . 2

Valentine Hatın

. 10

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ship could be conveniently erected, reporting a line through the township from the extreme eastern corner of Brecknock township S. 842 E. 504 ps., N. 84 E. 647 ps. and east 186 ps. to the Union township line, at Hay Creek, 26} ps. north of the Union township corner, and they recommended " Hay Creek " as a proper name for the new township. This report was confirmed by the Court on November 3, 1845. But this proceeding had developed much oppo- sition, which led to the passage of an act of Assembly1 directing the matter to be submitted to a vote of the electors of the township. This election was held on March 7, 1846, and the vote was unanimous against a division of the township.

INDUSTRIES.

In 1792 Potts & Rutter erected a charcoal furnace in the southern section of the township, near the line, and named it " Joanna," after Joanna Potts. They conducted the iron busi- ness there for four years, and then sold the property to Thomas Bull, Thomas May and John Smith. In 1798 Smith purchased the interests of his co-partners, and moved thither from " Dale Forge," where he had been located for some years. He conducted this furnace suc- cessfully until his death, when it passed into the hands of his son-in-law, Hon. William Darling, and his son, Levi B. Smith, who then carried on the business for some years, under the name of Darling & Smith. Smith after- ward obtained entire possessiou and continued the iron business till his decease, Angust 9, 1876. In 1877 one of his sons, Colonel L. Heber Smith, purchased the furnace property. He has since carried on the business success- fully. The furnace has a capacity of one hun- dred tons a month, and affords employment to fifty men. About six thousand acres of wood- land are connected with it. Besides the stone homestead, near by, there are fifteen tenement houses and large stables and sheds on the prem- ises, for horses, mules and charcoal. The water- shed of this vicinity is near "Joanna," it following along the township line for the greater part, the waters which rise to the north flowing into Hay

Creek, and those to the south into the Cones -- toga.

GIBRALTAR IRON-WORKS, on Allegheny Creek, consist of a rolling-mill, with a capacity of three thousand tons per year, one forge of three fires and one of four fires. , About fifty men are employed. These works are connected with the " Reading Iron-Works," a corporation owning extensive industries at Reading.2

SEYFERT'S IRON-WORKS, at Seyfert, consist of rolling and puddling-mills, with a capacity of five thousand tons of iron per year. The rolling-mill was erected in 1880, and the latter in 1882. One hundred and twenty men are employed, and there are, besides the mills, a number of tenements belonging to the property.

Grist-mills began with the early settlements. The superior water-power of Hay Creek and Allegheny Creek invited their erection. The "Scarlet Mill," on Hay Creek, was one of the first mills. John Scarlet took up two hundred and eight acres of land at an early time along this creek. In 1748 he obtained a patent, and in 1766 he conveyed the land, including corn- mill, saw-mill, etc., to his son John ; and the mill at the mouth of the Allegheny Creek, known for many years as the " Beidler Mill," but latterly as the " Reed Mill," occupies the site of one of the first mills. In 1800 an application was made for a stone bridge over the. creek at this mill. It was granted, and the grand jury (of which James May was foreman), on January 5, 1801, recommended an appropriation of two hundred and fifty pounds. Notwithstanding these successsful proceedings, it would seem that this stone bridge was not erected, for in 1831 another application was made and allowed, and a bridge was erected at the same place.

On Hay Creek, below Joanna Furnace, the old Brunner mill has been replaced by a new mill owned by Kurtz & Plank, which was erected in the fall of 1885. The building is three- story stone, and includes two runs of burrs.

The old Geiger mill was built in 1781 by Paul Geiger, and remains in many respects as then put up, having a Master wheel which was in use more than one hundred years. The pres-

1 Passed February, 1846.

? See Chapter VII, Early Industries.

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

ent owner is John Marquart. Near this build- ing John Geiger had a carding-mill, and Paul Geiger a sickle-factory, both of which have been discontinued. Near this place is the Cold Run Creamery, owned and operated by an association since August, 1885. It is substan- tially built and well supplied with machinery, etc.

Below Scarlet's Mill, Ephraim Scarlet, a grandson of John Scarlet, got in operation a woolen-factory nearly sixty years ago, which was discontinued about 1870. This building and the mill have become the property of the Wilmington and Northern Railroad Company. Several scythe-factories were also carried on by the Scarlets for some years, one having been discontinued about 1840. The factory below the mill was carried on afterward by Peter Brown and others, and at one time quite ex- tensively.

CHURCHES.

FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE, near the central part of the township, is a large sand-stone building, fast going to decay. The grave-yard is inclosed with a stone wall, which is still in good condition. Some of the first settlers of Robeson were Friends, and they had a very early meeting-house. They also attended the meetings in Exeter and Reading. The active members were John Scarlet, Isaac Bonsal, John Williams, William Morris, Judah Thomas, Benjamin Scarlet and Enos Morris. The com- mittee of the Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, to which they were attached, said, in their report, after one of their visits to Robeson : "We found more Friends there than we had expected, who appeared devoted to the cause of truth." For a long term of years the meetings were held with regularity, but owing to the reduced number of members, they were discontinued in 1872, and the property, containing about twenty acres, was sold to Jacob Kurtz, excepting the grave-yard, which was reserved as a permanent place of interment for such as might choose to use it for that purpose. Some of the descendants of the Friends are still among the citizens of the township, but do not adhere to the faith of their fathers.

ROBESON CHURCH "(Lutheran and Re- formed) is sometimes called the "Forest," also the "Plow " Church. It was built in 1767 as the exclusive property of a Lutheran congrega- tion, and was unpretentious in its appearance: The first pastor was Rev. William Kurtz, who began in 1770. He remained until 1779, and for a short time the pulpit was vacant. A minister was proposed by some members, but failed to receive the office, because he was not properly ordained, and was suspected of being unsound in doctrine. This objection was expressed in the form of a protest, drawn up March 20, 1779, and was presented to the Synod by the Rev. Henry M. Muhlenberg, in behalf of the follow- ing members : John Fehr, John Moyer, Sr., Paul Geiger, Jacob Seifrit, Philip Wert, Mel- choir Schweitzer, Jacob Hoffman, Casper Wolf, Peter Böhm, Philip Fehr, John Moyer, Jr., George Wicklein and Jacob Fehr.

At the end of two years the Rev. T. F. Ill- ing became the pastor, serving from 1781 to 1797. His successor was the Rev. John Plitt, from 1799 till 1812; and it was in the latter years of his pastorate (1810) that the present church was erected, by the joint efforts of the Lutherans and German Reformed, the latter having then obtained an interest in the property. As the expense of building was greater than the congregations felt able to bear, consent was sought to hold a lottery, to raise part of the money.1

1 " LOTTERY ! !

" Scheme to raise by means of a lottery five thous- and dollars to enable the Lutheran and Reformed congregations to build a church and school-house in Robe- son township, Berks County." The following prizes were offered : One prize each for $600, $500, $300, $150; four each for $100; $51 ; fifty for $50; ten for $40; one hun- dred for $20 .; and one hundred and fifty for $5 .; etc. Five hundred tickets, at three dollars per ticket, were is- sued. All prizes were subject to a discount of twenty per cent. and were to be paid in thirty days after the lottery was drawn. Prizes not demanded in one year were consid- ered as relinquished for the benefit of the church and school-house. The commissioners were Abrabam Mengel; Christian Treat, Jacob Geiger, John Westley, Christian Donnehaur and John Ziemer ; and the circular was dated January 15, 1810. The drawings were published in Feb- ruary, 1813, and it is said that many of the prizes were not demanded.

1152

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The building is constructed of sand-stone and remains substantially as erected. The situation is elevated and the building may be seen many miles. The cemetery near by is kept in good or- der. It was enlarged in 1885, by the addition of several acres from the farm of Jacob. Good, un- der the general cemetery act. On the 19th and 20tli of September, 1874, the church celebrated its first centennial, a large concourse of people having been in attendance.

In the new church the Lutheran pastors have been since 1813 Revs. Peter Filbert, J. W. Richards, C. A. Welden, C. P. Miller, Marcus Harpel, Jeremiah Harpel, Thomas T. Iaeger, J. R. Focht, F. A. M. Keller, H. S. Miller, Aaron Finfrock, F. T. Hoover, D. K. Hum- bert and Zenas H. Gable, the latter having served since 1873. The congregation numbers four hundred members. The Reformed con- gregation has one hundred and fifty members, and has had the following pastors since 1811 : Rev. Aug. Pauli, Amos Dick Thomas Lein- bach, Fred. Herman, Aug. Herman, M. L. Fritch, the last name having served since 1872.

FRIEDEN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, was built in 1866 on a lot set aside for that purpose by Daniel Wicklein. It is a stone building, with basement and was never wholly completed. The congregation occupying this church was in- dependent of synodical connection and had the Rev. Jacob Wicklein as its only pastor, who preached a few years. He also served some congregations in Schuylkill County where he was accidentally killed. A cemetery is con- nected with the church, and about the only use the building is put to is when funerals are held.

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, (LUTHERAN AND RE- FORMED), is a plain, old-fashioned stone edifice, a short distance below Gibraltar. The ground on which it stands, including about half of the present grave yard was sold by Elias Retge (Redcay) to Valentine Geiger and Herman Um- stead, in trust, for the use of such Christian con- gregations as should contribute to the mainte- nance of the grave yard and the church to be erected thereon. The original plot contained one acre and ten perches, and the consideration was five shillings. The deed for this land was

dated April 29, 1791, and states that this place had been used for divers years past by the above named Valentine Geiger, Herman Umstead and other inhabitants of Robeson township and parts adjacent. If a purpose had been formed to build a church, at the time this conveyance was made, it was not realized until eighteen years later. The present and only edifice. at this place was erected in 1809. But who were instrumental in this work is not now positively known, for all accounts bearing on it, and the early history of the congregations, have been mislaid or destroyed. This much is known that, though nominally a Lutheran and Re- formed Church, Episcopal and Baptist minis- ters also preached in it, the Revs. George Mint- zer and Andrew Collins being remembered in this connection. The uncertainty as to the tenure of the building and the natural opposi- tion to Sunday-schools, caused much trouble and local feeling in 1850 which was set at rest when the church became an incorporated body, April 9, 1851. In this charter the ownership of property is vested entirely in Lutheran and Reformed congregations and it is declared that the church should be used solely for preaching services by ordained and registered clergymen of those denominations. The church is also declared to be free from all synodical connec- tion, and to be the exclusive property of the associated congregations. The trustees named in the charter were .Jacob R. Hill, Benjamin H. Hill, Henry Moyer, Philip Hartz, Benjamin Clauser and John Haws. The latter and R. B. Seidel are at present trustees.

The Reformed congregation has one hundred and twenty-five members with Rev. M. L. Fritch as pastor since 1873. The ministers preceding him were the Revs. A. S. Leinbach, A. L. Herman, Aug. Pauli and William Pauli. The Lutheran congregation has had the Rev. Zenas H. Gable as the pastor since 1873. Other Lutheran ministers who officiated in the church were Revs. Peter Filbert, J. W. Richards, J. Harpel, J. L. Schock, J. A. Brown, F. A. M. Keller F. T. Hoover and D. K. Humbert.

EVANGELICAL CHURCHES .- The Evangel- ical Association has several churches within the bounds of the township, the oldest of which is

1153

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

the Bethel Church, south of the Plow Tavern. It was built in 1845 and rebuilt in 1872. It is a plain sand-stone building with sittings for two hundred persons. There is also a small grave-yard attached, in which are interred some of the early meinbers, belonging to the Witman, Belim, Hoffman, Brown, Gorman, Gable and Hines families. In the spring of 1874 a class of this faith was formed at Scarlet's Mill, and in that neighborhood a small house of worship was built, called the Hay Creek Chapel, which was completed in the fall of that year. Those interested in this work were J. Rhoads, William Pierce, Alex. McAllister, R. Sands, David Kurtz and William Linderman. At one time there were thirty members, but owing to re- movals and deaths the congregation has de- clined.

JOANNA HEIGHT CAMP MEETING GROUNDS were opened to the public in 1879. They are under the general management of the Rev. H. M. Sebring. They embrace about eight acres of natural forest, which is abundantly supplied with spring water. They are elegantly situated and have been extensively improved with num- erous buildings. The frame dwellings number two hundred and fifty. The yearly meetings of the Methodists have been well attended and the grounds have become very popular.

VILLAGES.

BECKERSVILLE is a small post hamlet, in the southwestern part of the township, deriving its name from Jacob Becker, who was in business at that point a number of years, and who was instrumental in having the post-office estab- lished in 1852. Benjamin Dickinson was in business at that place as early as 1827, having a tavern, store and distillery, the former only being now continued. The office has a daily mail from White Bear Station. Several me- chanic shops complete the other industries of the place. Dr. Isaac Haldeman has practiced as a physician at that place the past thirty-five years.

PLOW TAVERN is a small business point, nine miles from Reading, on the Morgantown road. It was widely known in the early part of the century as a centre for the "Forest Dis-

trict," where elections and battalions were held. The sign of the inn had a plow painted on it; and teamsters reckoned distances from it to many points north and south, the highway on which it stands having been much traveled fifty years ago. John Kerling is remembered as a landlord in the old log tavern, on the west side of the road; he was succeeded by Jacob Yerger. About 1839 George Coleman opened a tavern on the east side of the road, which has since been continued as the "Plow Tavern," and the keeper for the past twenty-one years has been Augustus Eshelman. In this locality stores have been kept, some in the tavern building, but latterly in a room prepared for that pur- pose, and in which J. J. Eshelman has traded since 1883. Near Robeson church Dr. Tobias S. Gerhart has resided since 1864, as a practi- tioner in this part of the county.

GEIGERTOWN. - A hamlet of twenty-five buildings, in the southern part of the township, took its name from the Geiger family, who were the early settlers in this locality, and engaged in the first business enterprises. It is located on Hay Creek, at almost equal distances from the Geigertown and Cold Run stations, on the Wil- mington and Northern Railroad. The post- office was established in 1828, with the name of "Geiger's Mill," and has been so continued. It has usually been kept by the different pro- prietors of the stores, and among those in trade were Isaac Geiger, John Slonacker, Jacob G. Zerr, Joseph Potts, Jacob Moyer, H. J. Hoff- man and Francis Umstead. Taverns were kept for short periods. In the spring of 1886 J .. G. Zerr began the manufacture of cigars, in the three-story building formerly used by the "Brothers of the Union." For eighty years mechanic shops have been maintained at this place.

Among the physicians in this locality were Drs. A. T. Allison, Charles A. Heckley and H. Palm, the latter being the last in practice. WHITE BEAR INN is near Geigertown. It is kept at present by Mrs. Sarah E. Beard. A station on the railroad is also called " White Bear." The inn by this name was opened more than sixty years ago by Herman Beard, and the family has entertained. the public ever since.

1154

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

An older inn was kept by Mordecai Morris, in 1810, which was called the "Red Lion," both houses taking their names from the signs which indicated them. The latter house was built be- fore the Revolution, and had other keepers. Joseph Dickinson became the owner of the Morris property and established a tannery, which he carried on till 1840. The tannery was discontinued about thirty years later, when Jackson Beard became the owner of the property.

The post-office in this locality is called "Scar- let's Mills" and was established in 1869. It is kept in a small store, near the station. Amos Boyer was the first postmaster, he having kept the office at the Scarlet mill. A store was kept in 1836 by George Pierce and last by Amos Boyer in 1876.

NAOMI is situated in the northwestern part of the township and contains about forty build- ings, occupied principally by the workmen em- ployed in the "Seyfert Iron Works." There have been public-houses and small stores, but none of historic interest.

GIBRALTAR is the name of another hamlet, one mile lower down. The canal and railroads have stations on each of the lines. It was formerly called Seidelsville, after the owner of iron-works located near the place. A post-office was established with that name in 1836, but was changed to Robeson and afterward to Gibraltar, under which name the office is continued. There have been no noteworthy business inter- ests, aside from those connected with the iron- works. Two forges, known as "Do-Well," were carried on near by for a time by the Seidel family.

GICKERSVILLE .- Near Birdsboro is a small hamlet called Robeson, though locally it has also been called Gickersville and Junction. It is not distinguished as a business place.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

THOMAS B. SMITH, son of John and Eliza- beth (Bull) Smith, was born at Dale Forge, in Berks County, August 17; 1793. He gradu- ated at Dickinson College, studied law and was admitted to practice at the bar, Reading, 1814. In 1816 he married Annetta Old and assumed the management at Joanna Furnace, where he died February 24, 1825.

Horace Smith, his son, was born at Joanna Furnace, graduated at Kenyon College, Gam- bier, Ohio, studied law in Reading, removed to Pottsville, where he practiced law. In 1850 he was appointed consul to Portugal. His health not improving, he returned in the spring of 1852 to Reading, where he died a few weeks afterward.

LEVI B. SMITH was of Scotch descent. His great-grandparents, John and Susanna Smith, emigrated from Ulster County, Ireland, in 1720, and settled in what is now Uwchlan township, Chester County, Pa., in a locality long known as the Brandywine Settlement. The family name was originally Macdonald, and that branch of it from which he was descended formed an important part of the earliest Scottish emi- gration across the North Channel into Ireland in the time of James I., of England. Near the end of the seventeenth century the family lived in the northeastern part of Ireland. Just before the Battle of the Boyne, as the soldier-king, William III., was personally reconnoitering the locality, which was so soon to become famous; liis horse cast a shoe. There was no farrier in attend- ance to replace it, but Macdonald, the father of John Smith, in whose neighborhood the acci- dent occurred, and who, like many other farm- ers in thinly peopled districts, was something of a blacksmith, volunteered to repair the injury, shod the horse, and so enabled the King to pro- ceed. The legend says that his neighbors, who, like himself, were in sympathy with the cause of which William was the champion, called him " the Smith." In that district there was a sur- feit of Macdonalds, and there were hardly enough names to individualize the members of the clan. Smith was to them a novelty, and this particular Scotchman, proud to have his name linked with that of a great man and a de- cisive battle, as that of Boynewater was soon known to be, accepted the cognomen and handed it down to his posterity as the family name. Among the first of the Scotch-Irish emigrants to Pennsylvania were John and Susanna Smith, who left their home in 1720, one year after the enforcing of "the Test," and whose special grievance was not the raising of the rent of their homestead, but the absolute refusal of

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 190

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