History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 193

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

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VILLAGES.

township, and sustains a suburban relation to Reading. It is very eligibly located, about half a mile from the Lancaster bridge, and has in the few years of its existence been remark- ably prosperous. The village was laid out by John Bechtel on part of his farm, and contains more than thirty residences, all brick and many of attractive appearance. The village is being supplied with water from springs. The hotel in this locality was erected a number of years ago by Henry Kurtz, favorably known. It is a large, inviting building.

SHILLINGTON is very pleasantly located on the Lancaster road, three miles from Reading. It is named after Samuel Shilling, who sold off most of the lots. Prior to 1865 the improve- ments consisted of the tavern and a large stone farm-house. The tavern was opened at a very, early day. It was kept in 1820 by Valentine Straub. A later keeper was Jacob Shilling, who was succeeded by John Beidler, whose es- tate still owns the property. Recent improve- ments have made the tavern one of the largest in the county, outside of the larger towns. It is widely known as the " Three-mile House." Oliver Hinnershitz is the present landlord. Connected with it is the Reading Driv- ing Park, which was opened to the public in 1869. It has a good half-mile course and other improvements. In 1874 a store was opened by Miss Mary Deeds, which is contin- ued by Adam M. Rollman. He is also in charge of the Shillington post-office, established in July, 1884, which has a daily mail from Reading. There are a few mechanic-shops, a Reformed Church and about thirty residences, some of them being large and attractive in their surroundings.

GOUGLERSVILLE is near the southwestern corner of the township, on the old Lancaster road. It contains a fine Union church, a hotel, store, shops and twenty residences. The place took its name from John and Philip Gongler, who were influential citizens, and has been dis- tinctively known by this title since the establish- ment of the Gouglersville post-office, in 1855. The first public improvement was the inn of Jacob Reedy, put up in 1813. A later keeper

OAKLAND is the most recent village in the | was William Kohl ; and in 1842 John, Gongler

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

became the owner, who greatly enlarged it. He also put up other buildings in the place. A store was started in 1843 by John Gougler. Philip Gougler was a later owner and James Hartman is the present proprietor of these inter- ests. The post-office was kept for many years by Benjamin F. Hemmig, as deputy, who also served as justice of the peace. A daily mail is supplied by the Adamstown stage from Reading. The usual mechanic-shops have long been maintained. The manufacture of cigars has lately introduced new life. Small factories are carried on by Samuel and David Hornberger, each employing about a dozen hands. Near the village David M. Krill opened a factory in 1885 ; he employs thirty-five hands.

In 1881 the village contained seventeen dwellings and seventy-eight inhabitants, five carpenters, two wheelwrights, two hatters, two butchers, one undertaker, one blacksmith, two farmers and two yeomen.

During the active days of stage traveling between Reading and Lancaster, before the Reading and Columbia Railway was constructed, Gonglersville was a prominent stopping-place for changing horses.

The water-shed of the township is at Gouglers- ville, this point being the summit on the way between Reading and Lancaster. The waters of Muddy Creek rise to the south and flow into the Conestoga and thence into the Susquehanna, and the waters of the Wyomissing Creek rise to the north and flow into the Schuylkill.

MOHNSVILLE is five miles from Reading, in the valley of the Wyomissing Creek, and owes its existence to the fine water-powers of that stream at that point. Prior to 1840 the only improvement was a small log house, on a piece of pasture land overgrown with brambles and wild bushes. Soon afterward it became the property of Benjamin Mohn, who cleared the land for farming purposes. In 1846 he built a grist-mill, being now joined by his nephew. Within the past ten years the, manufacture of wool hats having become so important an indus- try at this place, the village has had the most of its growth in this period. It now includes one hundred and fifteen residences, five hundred and twenty-five inhabitants, a fine Evangelical

Church, two stores, a hotel and factories. Sam - nel K. Mohn opened the first store in the mill which he was carrying on, about 1854, but a few years later erected a building for store pur- poses, in which he traded fifteen years. Here was established the Mohn's Store post-office, in 1857, of which he was the postmaster, a posi- tion now held hy Jonathan H. Miller. Others in trade were William K. Ruth, John Y. Weid- ner, Joseph Gaul and Albert G. Miller.

The second store-stand was established by Ephraim G. Werner, who is still in trade. Benjamin Mohn built a residence, which was used first as a tavern by John Greiner aud later by John Mengel. The family of the latter now own the property. In 1886 Dr. W. B. Shaner was a practicing physician at the village.

In 1882 John A. Bohler began the manufac- ture of cigars at this place. He is the pioneer manufacturer in this industry. He occupies a three-story factory, twenty-four by forty feet, and employs sixty hands. Since 1885 George H. Leininger has carried on a factory employ- ing twenty hands ; and since April, 1886, Mohn & Seitzinger havein operation a factory employ- ing twelve hands. On June 1, 1886, Huyet & Co. opened their factory, affording employment for forty hands.

The Mohnsville Water Company was incor- porated September 9, 1885. It has water priv- ileges assurcd which will give an inexhaustible supply of water. About one mile of pipes has already been laid, the water being secured from springs elevated so as to cause the water to flow by gravity.

The Mohnsville Building and Savings Asso- ciation was organized in June, 1882. There are one thousand shares, whose par value is two hun- dred dollars per share. The association has erected eighteen buildings and has been an im- portant factor in developing the village. John A. Bohler is secretary of the association.

Mohnsville Council, No. 86, O. of A. M., was instituted about eighteen years ago. It is well established, having sixty-five members. A lodge of Knights of Pythias was instituted more recently and is also reported flourishing. Camp No. 211, P. O. S. of A., was instituted July 25, 1884, and has sixty members. In the same

TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

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hall an independent temperance organization, having fifty members, also holds its regular meetings.

Cumru post-office was established in 1858 at the Five-Mile House, on the old Lancaster road, which is one of the oldest tavern-stands in the township. It has had numerous keepers. Sev- eral mechanic-shops are carried on there.

Angelica post-office was established May 22, 1882, at the old Yost Tavern, in the Angelica Valley. Formerly the Groff Tavern was con-

John, May 18, 1794, who married Magdalena, daughter of Abraham and Mary Hirsh Yost. Their children were Jeremiah, Conrad Y., Isaac Y., Mary Ann (Mrs. Samuel Brobst), whose son, John B., is the only grandson of John and Magdalena Beidler and Abraham. Conrad Y. Beidler, the second son by this marriage, was born in Cumru township, near Reading, on the 17th of June, 1820, and received his education at the public schools of his township and in Reading. He then became familiar with the

Conrad 4 Beiden

ducted there. Other inns of the township which are of the nature of land-marks are Lauber's White House, on Neversink Moun- tain, and the Sorrel Horse Inn, which was known as Steward's in 1820.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

CONRAD Y. BEIDLER, of German descent, is the great-grandson of Conrad Beidler, and the grandson of Peter Beidler, who married Barbara Spohn. To this union was born a son,

work of the farm and a valuable assistant to his father in his farming enterprises. He was, in August, 1844, married to Catherine, daughter of William and Catherine Miller Spohn, who was born July 18, 1822, and resided in Spring township. Their only child is a danghter, Sarah Ann, born November 2, 1845, and mar- ried to William P. High, son of Ezra High, of Cumru township, Berks County, on the 29th of August, 1865. Their children are Kate M., Hannah C., Ezra (deceased), Conrad B., Mary

100

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

(deceased), William B., Sallie B., Magdalena B., Charles B. and Mabel B. (twins). -

Soon after his marriage Mr. Beidler, with his brother, assumed the management of the farm, which they jointly cultivated for eight years, when he removed to the hotel at Shillington, in Cumru township, of which he was for five years the popular landlord. Reading next became his place of residence, where he remained five years, and at the expiration of that time settled upon a farm in Cumru township, which he had meanwhile purchased. On retiring from agri- cultural labor he built a residence in Shilling- ton, and remained a citizen of that place until his death, on the 14th of June, 1883. Mrs. Beidler died on the 16th of September, 1863. Mr. Beidler was in politics a Democrat, but held no office other than that of school director of his township. He was a director of the Reading Savings-Bank, and frequently called upon to act as administrator, trustee and ex- ecutor. He was a member of the Reformed Church.

SPRING TOWNSHIP.

ERECTION OF TOWNSHIP .- In 1850 the township of Cumru included about thirty-three thousand acres of land. The population was thirty-eight hundred and fifty-three, the most populous district in the county outside of Read- ing; and the electors numbered about seven hundred and fifty. And in respect to area of territory it was the largest township in the county. Within the previous decade two unsnc- cessful attempts were made to effect a division of the township, on account of its great extent and incident inconvenience. In that year, with the state of affairs mentioned, a third attempt was made in this behalf. The petition prayed for a division line situated to the west of the line suggested in the previous petitions, begin- ning at the " Harrisburg Bridge " and extending southwardly to the Lancaster County liues, at the corner of Brecknock township ; and it was sub- scribed by only forty-five taxable inhabitants of the township.1 The Court appointed Aaron

Albright, Richard Boone and Michael K. Boyer as commissioners to inquire into the ad- visability of the proposed division. These com- missioners, after viewing the township, divided the township as proposed, and recommended the western part to be erected into a new town- ship under the name of SPRING. The bound- ary lines were described in the report.2 They enclosed about fifteen thousand acres. The re- port was presented August 5, 1850. Excep- tions were filed, which stated that the division would cut twenty-eight bridges in the eastern part and only three in the western, and also cut forty miles more of roads in the former than in the latter. But the Court disregarded the force of these exceptions, confirmed the report on November 23, 1850, and erected the new township with the name suggested.

The names of the early settlers are included with the taxables of Cumru township.

EARLY MURDER OF INDIANS .- In 1728 several of the Welsh settlers became involved in a serious trouble with the colonial govern- ment, which arose from killing three Indians at a place called Cucussea,3 in Chester County, (afterward changed to Cacoosing). The follow- ing proceedings have been published in connec- tion with the matter :

"On the 12th of May, 1728, Patrick Gordon, Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, issued a warrant for the apprehension of the murderers by hue and cry. It was as follows :

" To all Sheriffs, Coroners, Constables, and other his Majesty's subjects, within the Province of Pennsyl- vania, and every of them :

"' Whereas I have this day received information that Walter Winter and John Winter, late of Chester County, farmers, did on the 11th day of this instant set upon and kill one old Indian man, named Toka Collie and his wife, with one other Indian woman be- ing of our friend Indians, and being then in the peace of God and the King.

1 Of these thirty-five signatures were written in English. The previous petitions had been subscribed by nearly four times the number of subscribers.

2 "Beginning at Harrisburg Bridge, ten courses generally S. W. altogether in length 8 m. 672 ps. to Lancaster County line ; thence along said line N. 48 W. 8 m. 264 ps .; thence N. E. along Heidelberg township line (greater part of which is the Cacoosing creek, 8} miles ; thence from mouth of Cacoosing S. E. along Tulpehocken creek, 3} miles to its mouth, and along the Schuylkill river 1 mile to Harrisburg Bridge.'' -

3 This was in this township. The place can not be located.

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

" 'These are therefore in his Majesty's name to com- mand you and every of you to Levy Hue and Cry,1 with horses and with foot within ye Province of Pennsyl- vania, after the said Walter Winter and John Winter, and them and each of them to apprehend and bring before some justice of the Peace of the Province afore- said, to be examined and dealt with according to law.' " The coroner was dispatched to take an inquisition of the dead bodies and bury them wrapt in linen; he was further directed that if any of their relatives were there, he should present them with four strouds 2 to cover the dead bodies and to give two strouds to the Indian girls, and to employ some person to cure their wounds, and further to assure them that the offenders should not go unpunished. And messengers were sent to the chiefs of the different tribes to notify them of this unfortunate occurrence and to quiet their revengeful spirit by giving each of them two strouds.

"The following affidavits, made before Edward Farmer and A. Hamilton (two justices of the peace, of Philadelphia County), on the same day on which the warrant was issued, detail the facts in relation to the killing of the Indians :

"' Walter Winter, of Cucussea, in the County of Chester, being examined saith that on the tenth day of this instant he had heard by a Dutchman who lives at Tulpehocken, that the Indians had killed sundry Dutchmen, viz., had killed two and wounded three Christians, whereupon the said Walter went about the neighborhood, and desired the people to get together to his house to defend themselves against the Indians, and returning again to his own house, where he was making fast the windows, in case any attempt should be made upon them. One John Roberts's son, came to the house of the said Walter, and desired the said Walter to go to his father's house and assist him, for

" " Hue and cry " was a peculiar proceeding practiced in the early colonial days in pursuing a-foot after a person who bad committed a felony. The statute of Westminster, 13 Edward I. (1287), provided that " immediately upon robberies and felonies committed, fresh suit shall be made from town to town and county to county by horsemen and footmen to the seaside. The constable (with the description of the person, etc.) shall call upon the parishioners to assist him in the pursuit in his precinct, and give notice to the next constable, who shall do the same as the first, etc. And if the county will not answer the bodies of the of- fenders, the whole hundred shall be answerable for the robberies and felonies there committed, etc.," and this law prevailed here in 1728.

A person who was engaged in a hue and cry for appre- , hending a felon became entitled to forty pounds if the felon were convicted and the judge or justice certified thereto ; and also to the felon's horse, furniture, arms, money and other goods taken with him, subject to the rights of other persons therein.

2 A stroud was an article of clothing in the order of a blanket.

that there were some Indians at his father's house with a bow and a great number of arrows, and that his father was in danger of being killed, whereupon the said Walter, with his father-in-law, Morgan Herbert, each having a gun, went away to the house of the said John Roberts, (the gun of the said Walter being load- ed with one bullet and ten swan shot,) and as the said Walter and Morgan Herbert were going to John Rob- erts's they met with John Winter, who had with him a shot gun, and thereupon John Winter took the large gun and gave the small gun or pistol to Morgan Her- bert, and when the said Walter with Morgan Herbert and John Winter came over the log that lies over the run just before Roberts's door, he saw John Roberts standing in his own door, he saw him have a gun in his hand, but whether he had it in his hand before this examinant came up to the house, or whether he went in for it afterwards, this examinant cannot say, and this examinant saw an Indian man, some women and some girls sitting on a wood-pile before John Roberts's door. And the Indian man getting up took his bow and stepping backwards took an arrow from his back, putting it to the string of the bow, whereupon this examinant apprehending the Indian was going to shoot at him, this examinant presented his gun and shot at the Indian man, that he believes the Indian was wounded, for he saw blood upon his breast, that John Winter at the same time shot one of the Indian women, and then ran up and knocked another Indian woman's brains out, that two Indian girls ran away, that the examinant followed one and with the bow and arrow which he took up where the said Indians were sitting, he shot at one of the Indian girls and then overtook her and brought her back, and he then saw the Indian man get up and went staggering in a swamp near the house, that John Win- ter and the examinant with Morgan Herbert, the next morning found the other Indian girl in Tocacolie's cabin, she was much hurt about the head and face, and she was ordered to go to Walter Winter's house, where she went accordingly. That this examinant was told by John Roberts' wife that the Indian boy, that was in company with the other Indians, was in the house and made three arrows in the house but this examinant did not see him. That this exami- nant with John Winter and John Herbert took the corpses of the two Indian women and hauled them out of the road and covered them with some leaves.' 3

"Morgan Herbert said that he was present at this examination, and having been read distinctly to him, that it was true in all its parts, except that of John Roberts having a gun, which he said he did not see. "John Winter was examined before same parties, at the same time. His affidavit corroborated that of his brother Walter.4

"On the 15th of May, 1728, a warrant was issued for

3 1 Penna. Arch. 218-19.

4 1 Penna. Arch. 219-20.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the arrest of Walter Winter, John Winter and Morgan Herbert; and also a warrant for apprehending John Roberts by 'hue and cry.'

"It does not appear that the Winter brothers were tried, or even arrested. But Herbert was arrested, and convicted ' for aiding and abetting Walter Win- ter and John Winter in ye murder of certain native Indians.' During his imprisonment, however, in the Chester County jail, 'divers of ye inhabitants of ye said county, and some of ye county of Philadelphia, who give a good account of the said Morgan's good behavior and conduct amongst them,' made applica- tion to the justice of the court for a recommendation of mercy ; and, it appearing to them that he was not active in perpetrating the murder, but unhappily fell into the company of those that committed it, they were induced to recommend him as an object of the Governor's compassion and mercy, so far as to grant him a reprieve 'until the King's pleasure be known, and in ye mean time to release him out of prison upon paying for and giving security for his good be- havior towards all ye King's subjects and especially the native Indians of the province.'1 This recom- mendation was issued by the Justices (David Lloyd, Richard Hill and Jeremiah Langhorne). On the 6th of August, 1728, it was laid before the Executive Council, and upon considering it, they decided that mercy should be shown to him, and that the justices should be consulted as to the proper manner of doing it.2 The further proceedings in this matter were not published. But he was doubtless pard oned."

INDUSTRIES .- Near the upper tavern, in Fritztown, there wasa paper-mill as early as 1770 which was then carried on for some years and then converted into a grist-mill. The latter was a stone building, one-story high and had a small capacity. The mill had many owners, among them being George and William Hain, Addams, Van Reed, and the Marshals. Near by, Jacob Miller had a distillery in which, after it was discontinued, Jacob Spies started a store, the first in this locality. Both mill and distillery have been removed, and some eighty rods lower down the valley a saw-mill was built after 1850, by Philip Von Neida. It is operated by water and steam power. In 1885 it was the property of Augustus Keener. Farther down the Little Cacoosing, near Weitzelville, is the old Eberle mill site, improved soon after the settlement of the county, and continuously owned by the Eberle family. At first there was a saw-mill, but some twenty years ago

Joseph Eberle put up a good grist-mill, which is still operated by him. East, at the base of the high hills, in that part of the township, is a grist-mill, built about forty years ago by David Gring, and now operated by his son, David. The power is furnished by springs gushing from the hill side. After the stream has turned the machinery of the mill it sinks into the earth to reappear lower down the valley.

At Sinking Spring, John Miller put up a tannery which, after being carried on a number of years by him became the property of Thomas Mull, in 1840, then of Aaron Mull who carried it on until 1864, doing a large business. An- drew Fichthorn owned and operated it also for some years successfully.

The tannery has long since been abandoned. Lower down, on Cacoosing Creek, is the mill built by William Addams, long and favorably known by his name. It is now operated by John Van Reed.

On the Tulpehocken a number of mill seats abound, which were early improved. The lowest is in the township of Bern and is now known as Bushong's paper-mill. Samuel Bell had pioneer grist and saw-mills at this place, and after his death they were carried on by Samuel Bell, Jr. The next power above has its seat in Spring township and had been im- proved to operate an oil-mill for a man named Moyer. The building has been removed. Still another power, farther up, improved by Joshua Fisher, has also been abandoned. The mill had been put up about 1812.

The Daniel Gring mill, the next power, was built about the same time and is still in operation. The Zng and Lash mills, on the powers above, are carried on as the property of George Wertz.

At the mouth of the Cacoosing, the Van- Reed paper-mills2 constitute the most important industry in the township, and rank among the most successful enterprises of the kind in the county. The Van Reeds are a family of paper makers, the present proprietor, Charles Van- Reed, belonging to the third generation, here carrying on that business. As conducted by

11 Penna. Arch. 225-26.

2 3 Col. Rec. 326-27.

2 See engraving of mills in Lower Heidelberg township [ p. 1120.

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TOWNSHIPS OF COUNTY.

him, the plant consists of three mills, designated as Nos. 1, 2 and 3, the first and last being auxiliary to the second. No. 1 mill is in Lower Heidelberg, and is run by the water of the Tul- pehocken. In it Charles Van Reed, the grand- father of the present owner, made printing paper by hand at an early day, and for a time supplied the State Department at Harrisburg, with paper which was used in publishing offi- cial reports. In 1850 he leased this mill to his son, Henry Z. Vau Reed, and, in 1859, the lat- ter became the owner of the property, using the mill in connection with No. 2, on the Cacoos- ing, in Spring township, which he bought Jan. 4, 1854. This building had previously been used as a grist-mill by John Van Reed and was, later, the property of Daniel Dechert. In April, 1879, Charles Van Reed succeeded his father, Henry Z. and soon afterward supplied No. 2 mill with improved machinery which greatly increased the capacity. In the spring of 1882 he became the owner of the old Henry Van- Reed paper-mill, some distance above, on the Cacoosing, which had previously been opened by C. R. Leinbach, and also made it tributary to No. 2 mill. This arrangement enables him to manufacture three hundred and twenty-five tons of printing paper per year, giving steady employment to eighteen hands. The mills are substantial stone buildings. The property in- cludes a farm of eighty acres of land and eight tenement houses. Since January, 1886, the principal office of the mills has been in the city of Reading, where he then established a paper and rag warehouse.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 193

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