History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 72

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

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READINGER DEMOCRAT ( The Reading Democrat) was a German weekly, instituted by Jeremiah Schneider (a son of Jacob Schneider, who assisted in founding the Adler) and Samuel Myers, on October 4, 1826. It was published by them for several years, when Daniel Rhoads became the owner. Rhoads conducted it till July, 1833, and then transferred it to Mr. Myers. It was carried on by Mr. Myers, under a new name, Der Democrat, till February, 1835, and then discontinued. For some time before its discontinuance, Charles F. Egelman was asso- ciated with Mr. Myers in its publication. The size of these newspapers was eighteen by twenty- four inches, with four columns on each page.

CHARLES FREDERICK EGELMAN was born at Osnabrück, in Hanover, on May 12, 1782, and emigrated to this country in 1802, landing at Baltimore. He learned the trade of coach- making and remained there for a time, when he removed to Berks County. His last piece of work executed there was the body of a coach for Jerome Bonaparte. He was thien engaged at teaching for a number of years, officiating in this time also as organist for several German Churches in country districts. About 1830 he settled at Reading and assisted in the publi- cation of a German newspaper, entitled Der

CHARLES FREDERICK EGELMAN.

Readinger Democrat. He was recognized as a' man of great scientific attainments, having been particularly accomplished in astronomy. His ability in this branch of learning was utilized for the period of forty-three years in furnishing astronomical calculations for the principal al- manacs published in the United States. The study of perpetual motion received his earnest attention for a number of years, he having de- vised and constructed various machines in his efforts towards accomplishing this object, re- garded as impossible. In the matter of copper- plate .engraving he was a skillful artist, and executed a number of superior designs. He died at Reading, November 30, 1860, aged nearly seventy-nine years. His residence was at the northwest corner of Ninth and Penn Streets. He left to survive him seven children, -Ferdinand ; Edward; Charlotte, married to

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Daniel Hafer; Julia, married to Henry Hafer; Wilhelmina, married to Solomon Seidel; Catha- rine, married to John Brissel; and Amelia, mar- ried to Dr. H. W. Bergner,-and two children (Solomon and Lydia) of a deceased daughter, Henrietta, who had been married to Solomon Seidel.

BERKS COUNTY PRESS .- Upon the suspen- sion of Der Democrat, Samuel Myers began an English weekly paper, in size, twenty by thirty- two inches, six columns on each page, with the title Berks County Press. The first number was issued March 10, 1835. About 1840 he introduced his son, John C. Myers, a practical printer, as a joint owner and editor. About 1854 he retired, transferring his interest to his son, Henry R. Myers, also a practical printer. Franklin L. Myers was the last publisher, who sold it to Rauch, Lacier & Co., proprietors of the Evening Record. It was published till November, 1865, when it was suspended. In 1854 the size was increased to twenty-four by thirty-six inches, with seven columns on each page. It was a radical advocate of Democratic principles, and conducted for nearly thirty years. Its able management by Mr. Myers and his sons won for it a strong patronage. During its publication John C. Myers was in the Assem- bly for three years, 1847 to 1849.

SAMUEL MYERS was born near Morgantown, in Chester County, in 1800. When twelve years of age he removed to Reading. Some years afterward he entered the printing-office of George Getz and learned the art of printing. In 1821 he was married to Mary, daughter of John Christine, of Reading. He was connected with the publications of newspapers at Reading from 1822 for a period upward of thirty years, principally the Chronicle of the Times, Readinger Democrat and Berks County Press. His name is mostly associated with the latter. He died in 1870, leaving to survive him a widow and four sons, John C., Henry C., Franklin L. and Al- bert, all of whom had learned and followed printing under him.

LIBERALE BEOBACHTER. - The German newspapers published at Reading during the course of its history as a borough for over forty years were altogether Democratic in political

faith.1 A German Catholic Whig then ap- peared upon the field of journalism and broke the monotony in this respect by instituting a German weekly newspaper whose mission was to advocate and disseminate Whig principles. This was Arnold Puwelle, a man recognized for his unpretentious, straightforward demeanor. He entitled his paper Liberale Beobachter (Lib- eral Observer). The first number was issued in September, 1839. In 1858 it was said by a contemporary to be, in the cause of Whig and afterward Republican principles, " consistent, never swerving from its allegiance to the good old cause." It had a large circulation. Pu- welle continued its publication successfully till May 10, 1864. Then a new character, humor- ous, if not erratic, appeared upon the stage. This was Edward H. Rauch. He purchased the Beobachter. Not regarding the title as defi- nite in respect to locality, he substituted the name of the county, calling the paper the Berks County Zeitung. The first number was issued on May 5, 1864. It was devoted to the meas- ures for the vigorous and successful prosecution of the " War for the Union ;" but its earnest en- deavors in this behalf were soon exhausted, not for the want of energy and ability and courage, but for the want of sufficient patronage from the German people of the community which it was named to represent, they, apparently, hav- ing still clung too devotedly to its aged and well-established contemporary-the Adler.

ARNOLD PUWELLE was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1809. He emigrated to Pennsylva- nia when twenty-five years old and settled at Skippackville, Montgomery County. He there carried on the occupation of a stone-mason for a time and then the publication of a German weekly newspaper, entitled Freiheits Wächter. In 1839 he removed to Reading and shortly afterwards started a German weekly called Der Liberale Beobachter, which he continued to pub- lish successfully till May, 1864, when he sold

1 It would seem from a local notice in the Journal that Charles F. Egelman had started a Whig weekly paper, in the German language, on May 6, 1834, bearing the title, The Berks County Adler, but I have not been able to ascer- tain any particulars respecting the continuance of its pub- lication,

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the printing-office and the newspaper to E. H. Rauch, who merged it with the Berks County Zeitung. A complete file of the Beobachter is amongst the valuable collection of the Pennsyl- vania Historical Society at Philadelphia. It was Republican in politics. He took an active part in the conventions and work of the Repub- lican party in this county. Upon withdrawing from the business of newspaper publication, he continued to carry on a book and station- ery-store till his decease, on September 14, 1879. In 1860 he acted as a deputy-marshal in enumerating the census of this district. During the Civil War, when small denominations of money were scarce, he was the first business man to issue personal scrip. It circulated freely upon his good credit and was entirely re- deemed. He, was a Roman Catholic, highly esteemed for his quiet, unpretentious manners.

READING GAZETTE AND DEMOCRAT .- On the 9th of May, 1840, Jacob Knabb and J. Lawrence Getz began the publication of a neu- tral family newspaper, called the Reading Gazette, with three hundred subscribers. Mr. Getz became the sole owner in November, 1846. Mr. Knabb sold his interest in 1844. William H. Boyer owned the interest of Mr. Getz for several years, the publication having been carried on by the firm of Knabb & Boyer. The size of the sheet was twenty-four by thirty-six inches.

The Jefferson Democrat was instituted about the beginning of the year 1838, by Robert W. Albright. In June, 1841, it was sold to A. S. Whitman, who conducted it for a short time; and afterward, till 1848, it was owned and issued by Joel Ritter, Henry Longenecker and Reinhart (John M.) & Snyder (Geo. B.) It was then purchased by Mr. Getz, who consolidated the two papers, under the name of Reading Gazette and Democrat. Under this title the paper was conducted very successfully by Mr. Getz till he was elected to Congress from the district com- prising Berks County. During the Civil War he displayed a high order of ability in its pub- lication, first as a Democrat in advocating the principles of the Democratic party, but then as a patriot in standing by the Constitution, in ad- vocating the preservation of the Union and in encouraging voluntary enlistment for carrying on

the war successfully for that purpose. His official duties obliged him to sever his connec- tion with this strong and influential publication, and in 1868 he transferred it to William S. Ritter and Jesse G. Hawley. Its size had in- creased to twenty-eight by forty-two inches. It was then conducted by the firm of Ritter & Co., in connection with the Readinger Adler, a Ger- man weekly, and the Daily Eagle, an English daily, till they dissolved partnership, in Novem- ber, 1874, when Mr. Ritter retired with the German weekly, and Mr. Hawley continued the publication of the English newspapers.

On September 28, 1878, Mr. Hawley substi- tuted Reading Weekly Eagle in place of the familiar title Gazette and Democrat ; and thus ended the career of a superior newspaper which occupied a high position in the journalism ot Reading for nearly forty years. Since 1848 it was an able, earnest and successful advocate of the principles of the Democratic party. Tlie Adler was begun in 1796, twenty years afterward the Journal, and twenty-three years more the Gazette. These three publications traveled side by side as companions through the most progressive periods of the county and county-seat,-a progress which arose to a great degree from their own introduction and growth, as well as from the introduction and growth ot internal improvements and manufacturing in- dustries ; and the names of Ritter, Knabb and Getz became prominent in the field of journal- ism, just as others in banking, manufactures and politics.

J. LAWRENCE GETZ was born at Reading, September 14, 1821. His father was George Getz, an officer of the United States navy, and founder of the Berks and Schuylkill Journal and its publisher for a number of years. His grand- father, on the maternal side, was a soldier in the Revolution. He received an academic ed- ucation, read law in the office of Hon. William Strong and was admitted to the bar August 6, 1846 ; but he never engaged in active practice.

In 1840 he founded and began the publica- tion of the Reading Gazette, an English weekly newspaper at Reading, with Jacob Knabb as a co-partner. Some years afterward he purchased the Jefferson Democrat, and then, as sole pro-

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prietor, merged the two into one, and issued the paper under the name of the Reading Gazette and Democrat. He conducted its publication very successfully till 1868. In politics it was a strong advocate of Democratic principles. During the Civil War he was a firm Union man, advocating the preservation of the union of the States and the enforcement of the Constitution. With the national administration in the hands

J. Laurengelen

of the Republican party, whose principles were opposed to his own, the course which he pur- sued in publishing a Democratic newspaper was commendable. His patriotic sentiments con- tributed much towards creating a proper spirit of submission in the adherents of the Democratic party. As an editor he displayed a high degree of ability and energy.

In 1856 he was elected as one of the repre- sentatives of the county to the State Legislature, and re-elected in 1857. During the latter term he was made Speaker of the House by the unanimous nomination of his Democratic col- leagues, an evidence of his popularity and ability. In 1866 he was elected to represent this district in the Fortieth Congress of the United States, and re-elected to the Forty-first and Forty-second Congresses, serving three suc- cessive terms from March 4, 1867, to March 4, 1873. After his retirement from public life he edited for a time the Spirit of Berks, and lie

has since been an occasional contributor to the press of Reading and other cities.

ALT BERKS. - Alt Berks-Der Stern im Osten, (Old Berks-The Star in the East) was a Ger- man weekly, instituted by William B. Schöner, on January 28, 1840. It was a Democratic organ, and started out with Martin Van Buren as a Presidential candidate for re-election. It was continued five years by the same publisher and editor, who advocated with earnestness and ability the principles of Democracy. The sheet was twenty-eight by forty-four inches, with five columns to each page. Mr. Schöner sold the paper and printing material to Charles W. Guenther.

SONNE VON ALT BERKS .- When Charles W. Guenther purchased Alt Berks, he continued its publication under a new title,-Sonne von Alt Berks (Son of Old Berks). Its politics re- mained the same under his management. It was conducted by him successfully at Reading for three years, when it was sold and trans- ferred to Pottsville, where its title was changed to Pottsville Adler. At the time of its discon- tinuance here the list of subscribers numbered twelve hundred.

EVENING HERALD was an English semi- weekly newspaper instituted by Abraham S. Whitman in June, 1846. The size of the sheet was eighteen by twenty-four inches, with five columns to each page. The price was one cent a copy, or one dollar a year. It was continued by him for a year, with increasing patronage. Feeling encouraged in this departure from the weekly issue, he took another step forward, and in June, 1847, he began the publication of the-

MORNING HERALD, as a tri-weekly. In August following he enlarged its size, improved its general appearance and conducted its editor- ial department, in respect to politics, in a neu- tral manner, in order to elicit a favorable spirit in the community towards the publication ; and he fixed the subscription price at one dol- lar and twenty-five cents per annum. It was issued on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. He stated that the circulation was larger than that of any English newspaper in Reading, and "rapidly increasing." But it was not large enough for the expense, and a short experience

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compelled him to change the tri-weekly to a weekly, and substitute for its title the-

READING HERALD .- This weekly English paper was issued by Mr. Whitman on Thurs- days ; size of sheet, twenty-two by twenty-eight inches, with six columns on each page. The price was three cents a copy, or one dollar a year. On July 7, 1849, he began a new vol- ume, price two cents a copy, and dimensions reduced to sixteen by twenty-four inches, and changed the day of issue to Saturday. It was continued till June, 1850, when it was merged in the People's Advocate.

THE PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE AND CHRONICLE OF THE TIMES was an English weekly neutral newspaper, instituted by A. S. Whitman and Joseph E. Berret on June 20, 1850; size of sheet, twenty by thirty-two inches, six columns on each page, and the price was one dollar a year. Iu December following, its appearance in a new dress called forth from a cotemporary paper the following complimentary notice : "It has a neat, tasty look, is conducted with much spirit, and deserves to be well patronized." But this patronage, however well deserved, was not realized. Its publication was suspended in July, 1852, the editor (Mr. Whitman) announ- cing, as a reason, that he gave " too much labor for too little compensation." The subscription list (comprising several hundred subscribers) was transferred to the Gazette and Democrat.

BERKS COUNTY DEMOCRAT was an English weekly newspaper, instituted on September 16, 1858, by Samuel L. Young and Andrew M. Sallade, two young attorneys of the county bar, for the special purpose of advocating the election of John Swartz as the representative to Con- gress from this district, and of opposing, in connection with many prominent men, that branch of the Democratic party which was known as the "Jones Faction." It was suc- cessful in the cause which it espoused. They continued its publication till December, 1858, when they sold it to J. Robley Dunglison, by whom it was issued for some time and then suspended.

THE SCHOOL ALBUM was a school journal instituted September 25, 1858, by two scholars of the " Reading High School, " James Millhol-

land and Albert R. Durham. It was issued semi-monthly. The price was one dollar per annum .. Its publication was continued with energy and success till February 5, 1859, when it was suspended on account of the sickness of the junior editor. At first these enterprising young men had circulated amongst the scholars a written journal entitled The Album. The principal of the school, appreciating their earnest labors in this behalf, encouraged its publication in a printed form.

THE WEEKLY LEADER was an English weekly newspaper, begun on the 10th of May, 1860, by J. Robley Dunglison, Esq. He con- ducted it as a weekly till the 23d of August following, when he suspended its publication for several weeks, whilst preparing to change it into a daily morning paper. He issued the first number of the Daily Leader on the 12th of September, and continued it as a morning paper till March, 1861, when he changed it into an afternoon paper. But as an afternoon daily it had a short life, having suspended with issue No. 159, on the 18th of March.

REFORMIRTEN HAUSFREUND .- This is a German weekly religious newspaper, edited by Rev. Benjamin Bausman D.D., pastor of the St. Paul's Reformed congregation of Reading, and published by Daniel Miller, in the Repub- likaner building. It was begun in 1867. Its size is thirty-six by forty-eight inches. It is conducted with spirit and success, and devoted mainly to religious topics. Its circulation num- bers nearly three thousand, and extends through- out Eastern Pennsylvania, principally, if not alto- gether, amongst the Pennsylvania Germans.

BANNER VON BERKS .- The Adler contin- ucd to be the representative German weekly newspaper of our people for nearly seventy years. It passed through trying periods, but it had nothing to fear, supported as it was by the people in all parts of the county, with compar- atively little opposition. In December, 1864, William Rosenthal, a practical printer aud edi- tor, and a German scholar, who had resided at Reading for four years, acting as editor-in-chief of the Adler, conceived that this territory would afford sufficient patronage to support another German newspaper, not so much in opposition

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to or competition with the Adler, as to occupy a new field, and represent the immigrant por- tion of the German population, just as the Adler represented the sentiments of the German families who had settled hcre many years before. He therefore began the publication of a German newspaper, and entitled it Banner von Berks. It was an eight-page paper in the beginning, thirty- two by forty-four inches, the printing having been done at Philadelphia, on account of not hav- ing a press large enough, and continued to be done there till September, 1867, when the size was re- duced and a Sunday paper was established by him, entitled Die Biene, to supply literary matter ex- eluded by the reduction. The size then became twenty-eight by forty-three, four page, with nine columns on each page. It has been issued reg- ularly till now, with increasing patronage. In politics, it is devoted to Democratic principles ; but it is not so much inclined to serve party politics as to elevate the notions of the German people, especially those who come as strangers into our community, to a proper conception of their duties, responsibilities and privileges under a free representative government. Its circula- tion is general throughout the city and extends also into surrounding districts.

DIE BIENE is the only German Sunday news- paper published in the county. It was established in September, 1867, by William Rosenthal, as a literary supplement to the Banner von Berks when that sheet was reduced in size and a new press was introduced to accommodate his in- creasing business. It is a folio printed on a sheet twenty by twenty-six inches. Its circula- tion is mostly in Reading.

DIE DEUTSCHE EICHE is a German weekly newspaper issued on Wednesdays. It was es- tablished by William Rosenthal on October 19, 1869. It is an eight-page paper, printed neatly on a sheet twenty-six by thirty-six inches. It is the recognized organ of publication for the Order of Harugari in the United States, and has a wide circulation, being addressed weekly to two hundred and seventy-six post- offices. This order was first instituted in the country on March 9, 1847, and afterward (Au- gust, 1848) a lodge was begun at Reading named "Hermann," No. 16. Three others

were subsequently instituted here. The total membership of the order in the whole country is about twenty-five thousand.

WILHELM ROSENTHAL was born November 20, 1823, at Nordhausen, at the foot of the Harz Mountains, in Prussia, and educated in the gymnasium of that place, in which he pursued a collegiate course and graduated in 1840. He then entered the large publication-house of Dr. Philip Phoebus and continued there employed for nearly five years. After conducting a pub- lication-house himself for a short time he, in December, 1846, emigrated to America, on a sailing-vessel named " Biene." He landed at New York in May, 1847, and was engaged for several months at practical printing in Ludwig's large establishment. In September following, he removed to Philadelphia and established and carried on a general book-store. Whilst in this business, the Revolution of 1848 in Germany developed a considerable excitement among the German citizens of Philadelphia, and he, with other earnest Germans, organized a " German Workingmen's Association," the object of which was to awaken proper sympathy for the move- ment in hehalf of representative government and for the interests of the working people. He was elected as the first president of the associa- tion, and re-elected annually for five years. The members numbered one thousand. During that time the association erected a large three- story structure, sand-stone front, on Third Street below Green, aud he superintended the build- ing operations. This building is still standing and known as "Mechanics' Hall."

Mr. Rosenthal began his career as an editor in this country in 1848. In May of that year he was employed by F. W. Thomas to assume the editorship of a new daily paper at Philadel- phia, entitled Free Press, and its issue was successfully edited by him till 1855. In poli- tics it was. Democratic. Then he established and published a German weekly, entitled Woch- enblatt, continuing its publication for three years, when it was purchased by Hoffman & Morwitz and merged into their paper, known as the New World. This latter paper he then edited till July, 1860, and also acted in that time as assistant editor of the Philadelphia

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Democrat, which was published by the same firm. Whilst thus employed he received a call to edit the Readinger Adler, and accepting it he removed to Reading.

When Mr. Rosenthal assumed the editorship of the Adler for its proprietor, Mr. Charles Kessler, the country was in a state of political agitation owing to the Presidential campaign of 1860. He was an earnest Democrat, and the Adler was a pronounced advocate of principles

the Republican administration in carrying on the war. He was prominent in the Union meetings held at Reading, and exerted himself with success in encouraging voluntary enlist- ment, especially after the rebels had invaded our State. He continued in this position till Mr. Kessler sold the Adler to Ritter & Haw- ley, in 1864, and for a short time afterward. In the month of August of that year he was a delegate from Berks County to the Democratic

similar to his own, so he was in his natural ele- ment in directing the publication of this influ- ential paper. The election of Breckenridge was encouraged with all the power that he could command, and he and Major J. Lawrence Getz, of the Gazette and Democrat, held the party together admirably.

The Republican party took the government in hand and the Civil War followed. Mr. Rosenthal, in editing the Adler, advocated the preservation of the Union, but denounced many of the extreme measures brought into effect by

National Convention at Chicago, when General George B. McClellan was nominated for Presi- dent. This selection was a high compliment to him as a comparative stranger in the county, and indicated that his course as a Democratic editor had been satisfactory to the party in the county.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 72

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