USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 86
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John Keim. 1787-90
Charles Fichthorn 1847-50
Jacob Boyer. 1789-92
Conrad Clouse 1848-51
Jacob Bower. 1790-93
Thomas Shaner. 1849-52
Joseph A. Schneider
1850-53
George Lorah. 1792-95
John McGowan.
1851-54
Philip Miller. 1793-96
Benjamin Kutz
1852-55
Peter Kershner
1794-97
William Witman. 1795-98
Nicholas Dick 1796-99
Isaac Adams
1797-1800
Jacob Rhoads.
1798-1801
Peter Feather. 1799-1802
Jacob Epler 1800-03
Casper Merkel 1801-04
John Cunnius 1802-05
Daniel Yoder. 1803-06
Adam Ruth 1804-07
Henry Hahn. 1805-08
Henry Hottenstein. 1806-09
Nicholas Leib. 1807-10
Jacob Miller 1808-11
Valentine Boyer. 1809-12
Benjamin Levan
1867-70
Daniel Ruth 1810-13
George Boyer. 1811-14
Jacob Gehr. 1812-15
William Addams. 1813-16
George Shreffler. 1814-17
Daniel Levan. 1815-18
William High 1816-19
Peter Stichter. 1817-20
George N. Lechner. 1818-21
Peter Knabb 1819-22
David Bright 1820-23
George Kemp. 1821-24
Frederick Stamm 1822-25
Henry Reeser. 1823-26
John Wanner .. 1824-27
John Potteiger. 1825-28
Daniel K. Hottenstein. 1830-33
John Filbert. 1831-34
Daniel Snyder 1833-36
John Deysher 1834-37
Michael Reifsnyder. 1838-41
John Long .. 1840-43
Michael Gery 1845-48
John Riegel. 1791-94
Jacob Young 1853-56
Gabriel Filbert 1854-57
William Knabb 1855-58
Samuel Summons 1856-59
D. L. Wenrich.
1857-60
William Miller
1858-61
John F. Moers 1
1859-61
Paul Wenrich, Sr. 1860-63
J. Donalower. 1861-62
George K. Lorah 1861-64
H. R. Hawman
1862-65
John Kurtz. 1863-66
Adam Stein .. 1864-67
William S. Young. 1865-71; 1879-81
Jacob Schartle 1866-69
John L. Moyer
1869-72
William Rahn
1870-73
Joseph Muthart 2 1871-74
David Lord. 1872-75
Henry Seidel. 1873-74
William Fry. 1873-75
William Umbenhauer 1874-75
1 Moers died on March 7, 1861, and Henry R. Hawman was appointed on March 14, 1861, by the court and the re- maining two county commissioners, to fill the vacancy till the election of a successor at the next succeeding election. In October following, J. Donahower was elected for one year to fill the unexpired term. .
2 Mutbart died in April, 1873, and Seidel was appointed to fill vacancy for unexpired term.
John Hahn .. 1826-29
495
POLITICS AND CIVIL LIST.
Henry W. Smith. 1876-78
William Davidheiser 1876-78
William G. Moore. 1876-78
John Walborn
1879-81
Jeremiah R. Guldin
1879-81
Samuel G. Hatfield
1882-84
Peter Spang.
1882-84
David C. Keller 1882-84; 1885-87
Samuel P. K. Fisher 1885-87
John L. Wagner 1885-87
AUDITORS.
Name.
Term.
Thomas Lightfoot. .1797-98; 1803-05
William Moore.
1797-1800; 1803-08
John Bishop.
1797-98
Paul Groscup,
1799-1800
Jacob Bower.
1799-1800
William Green
1801-02
William Bell.
1801-02; 1806-08
George De B. Keim.
1801-02; 1809
James May.
1803-05
John Witman
1806-08
Lewis Reeser.
1809
Frederick Frick
.1809
John Bieber.
1810
George Boyer
1810-11
Daniel Yoder
1810
Christopher Shearer.
1811; 1817-19
John S. Hiester.
1811
George Lorah.
1812
Philip Moyer.
.1812
John Addams.
1812
Henry M. Richards
1813-16
William Addams.
1813-14
Peter Trexler.
1813
Abraham Mengel.
1814-17
William High
1815-18; 1835-38
Peter High.
1817-20
Peter Sheetz.
1818-21
George Getz.
1819-22
Jacob Dick
1820-23
George U. Odenheimer
1821-24
Jacob Schneider.
1822-25
Peter Addams
1823-26
Henry S. Klein
1824-27
Elijah Dechert.
1825-28
John S. Pearson
1826-29
John Beitenman
1827-30
Simon Seyfert.
1828-31
John Jackson
1829-32
John Seltzer.
.1830-33
John M. Keim
1831-34
Daniel V. R. Hunter.
1832; 1839-42
Thomas Wanner.
1833-35
John Klein
1833-36
Jacob Fricker 1834-37
Daniel Young
1836-39
William Wuuder.
1837-39
John L. Rightmyer 1838-41
H. H. Muhlenberg 1839-40
John F. Moers
1840-43; 1852-58
Jacob K. Boyer.
1841-44
David Schall.
1842-45
John L. Reifsnyder. 1843-46
Charles H. Addams. 1844-50
Jacob Dick.
1845-48
Michael Kraemer
1846-49; 1864-67
Paul Geiger
1848-51
John Y. Cunnius
1849-52
Charles J. Cummens
1850-56
Daniel Lancks.
1851-54
Reuben R. Kline.
1854-57
Samuel M. Klee.
1856-62
Amos K. Strunck
1857-60
Henry F. Felix.
1858-61
William Steffe.
1860-63
Joseph S. Hoyer
1861-64
Ezra D. Yorgey
1862-65
Andrew Kurr
1863-69
John G. Glase
1865-68
James Bell.
1867-70
Peter S. Albright.
1868-71
William Y. Shearer
1869-72
Daniel G. Knabb.
1870-75
Henry H. Dubson.
1871-74
Harrison M. Reber
1872-75 ; 1876-78
Wm. H. Sallade
.1875; 1876-78
Henry Z. Van Reed.
1876-78
Jacob D. Hoffman
1879-81
Charles S. Tobias.
1879-81
William H. Clark
1879-81
Isaac S. Bagenstose.
1882-84
Jacob S. Yoder.
1882-84
James M. High
1882-84
Morris H. Boyer
1885-87
Jared B. Kramer.
1885-87
Allen B. Aulenbach.
1885-87
TREASURERS.
Previous to 1841 the county treasurer was appointed annually by the county commission- ers. On May 27, 1841, an act was passed pro- viding for the election of this officer in October following, and every two years thereafter. The Constitution of 1873 increased the term to three years after 1875.
Name.
Term.
Jonas Seely
1752-68
Christopher Witman. 1768-79
Daniel Levan.
1779-89
Daniel Messersmith
1789-1807;
1809-11; 1814-17
John K. Messersmith
1807-09;
1811-1814; 1817-20
Daniel Rhoads
1820-23
496
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
David Bright 1823-35
Peter Nagle. 1835-43
Henry Nagle. 1843-45
William Arnold
1845-47
Henry Hahs
1847-49
Adam Leize. 1849-51
William Ermentrout.
1851-53
Charles Van Reed 1. 1853-55
George Feather 2
1855-59
David Plank
1859-61
William Herbst 1861-63
David L. Wenrich
1863-65
Isaac R. Fisher
1865-67
Charles H. Fritz.
1867-69
Samuel Merkel 1869-71
Abraham Y. Yoder. .1871-73
Hiester M. Nagle 1873-75
Abraham H. Schaeffer. 1876-78
Adam M. Dundore.
1879-81
John Kerschner.
1882-84
John S. Holtzman
1885-87
SHERIFFS.
The Duke of York's Laws, introduced into Pennsylvania 22d of September, 1676, provided for the nomination by the justices of the county, of three persons within their jurisdiction, ont of which the Governor should make choice of one to be sheriff for the year ensuing. By virtue of his office, the sheriff was then a justice of the peace.
In the frame of Government prepared by William Penn for the province in 1682 it was provided that the freemen of the counties should annually elect and present to the governor a double number of persons to serve for sheriff, justices and coroner for the year next ensuing, out of which the Governor should nominate and commission the proper number for each office. After the erection of the county the first appointments of sheriff and coroner were made October 4, 1752.
The Constitution of 1790 provided for a sim- ilar election and appointment of sheriff and coroner, but the term of service was increased
1 Van Reed was the first Whig who was elected treag- urer, because of the general opposition to the regular nominee of the Democratic party, Adam Leize, which arose against him on account of attempted legislation to increase the term of office.
2 William Runkel was elected for the full term, but he having died before the term began, the county commis- sioners appointed the incumbent, George Feather.
to three years, and no person was to be twice appointed sheriff for any term of six years. The Constitution of 1838 provided that one person for said offices respectively should be elected by the people for the term of three years. And these offices have thence been so filled.
Name. Term.
Benjamin Lightfoot. 1752-54; 1757-58
William Boone 1755-56
Jacob Weaver. 1759-60 ; 1763-64
Henry Christ. 1761-62
Jasper Scull 1765-67
Jacob Shoemaker. 1768-70
George Nagle. 1771-73
Henry Vanderslice. 1774-76
Daniel Levan 1777-79
Henry Hoffa. 1780-81
Philip Kraemer. 1782-84; 1791-93
Peter Filbert. 1785-87
Jacob Bower.
1788-90
Peter Fraley 1794-96
John Christ. 1797-99
Nicholas Dick. 1800-02
John Spycker 1803-05
Conrad Feger 1806-08
George Marx 1809-11
Daniel Kerper 1812-14; 1824-26
Peter Aurand. 1815-17
John Miller. 1818-20
Henry Betz. 1821-23
John Bickel 1827-29
James Sillyman .1830-32
Henry Bowman 1833-35
George Fox .. 1836-38
Henry Binkley .1838-41
Daniel Esterley 1841-44
George Gernant. 1844-47
John S. Shroeder.
1847-50
John Potteiger
1850-53
John Manderbach. 1853-56
Henry H. Manderbach 1856-59
Jeremiah D. Bitting 1859-62
Abraham R. Koenig. 1862-65
Tobias Barto. 1865-68
William B. Albright. 1868-71
Evan Mishler 1871-74
George R. Yorgey
1875-77
Alfred C. Kemp.
1878-80
Levi M. Gerhard 1881-83
George D. Boyer.
1884-86
CORONERS.
Name.
Term.
William Boone
1752-54
Benjamin Parvin. 1755
John Warren 1759
POLITICS AND CIVIL LIST.
497
Jacob Kern 1760-61.
Adam Witman 1762
Samuel Weiser 1763-65
Christopher Witman. 1766
John Otto. 1790
George Eckert. 1792-1800
John S. Hiester. 1801-08
Gabriel Hiester, Jr. 1809-17
Samuel D. Franks 1818
John Addams. .: 1819-20 ; 1824-26 ; 1830-35
Marks John Biddle. 1821-23
Jacob Sallade 1827-29
Alexander H. Witman 1836-38
Benjamin Tyson. 1839-42
Daniel Young. 1842-45
Peter Strohecker 1845-48
Michael K. Boyer. 1848-51
Charles H. Hunter 1851-54
Josiah Hearing. 1855-57
David Fister 1857-60
Adam W. Kauffman. 1860-63
Jonathan L. Reber 1863-66
Wellington B. Griesemer 1866-69
George K. Levan. 1869-72
Ephraim Armstrong. 1872-75
Charles F. Rentschler 1876-78
Amos Weiler 1879-81
William D. Althouse. 1882-84
Levi F. Dietrich 1885-87
RECORDERS.
Name. Term.
James Read. 1752-76
Henry Christ. 1777-89
John Christ 1790-91
Jacob Bower. 1792-99
Peter Frailey 1800-08
Jacob Schneider 1809-17
John Addams 1818
Daniel Rhoads. 1819-20
John Miller. 1821-23; 1830-35
John Frederick Smith 1824-29
Joseph Allgaier 1836-38
John Green. 1839
William Wunder. 1839-42
Henry H. Maurer 1842-45
John W. Tyson 1845-48
Israel R. Laucks. 1848-51
John Bush. 1851-54
Hiram S. Getz 1854-57
Nicholas Heckman 1857-60
Charles N. Keller 1860-63
Isaac Laucks. 1866-69
Henry Reider
Daniel Hummel 1869-72
Charles Hill. 1872-75
Jefferson M. Keller. 1876-78
Daniel Zimmerman 1879-81
Isaac M. Bechtel. 1882-84
W. Benton Stoltz. 1885-87
49
Thomas Dundas 1776
Jacob Shoemaker. 1778
Daniel Levan 1778-89; 1791
Henry Haller 1767
James Whitehead, Jr 1768-69; 1779-80
Samuel Jackson .1770
Isaac Levan, Jr 1771-72
Peter Brecht. 1773-75
Philip Kreamer 1776-78
Peter Nagle. 1781-87
Peter Feather. 1788-93
Thomas Wildhahn 1794-99
Peter Aurand. 1800-02
Daniel Kerper
1803-05
Henry Rieser.
1806-11
J. Christian. 1812-14
Samuel Feather. 1815-17; 1821-29
Samuel Ritter. 1818-20
Adam Reitmyer 1830-32
John Hahn 1833-34
John Fox. .. 1835-37; 1859-64; 1868-76
William Stahle. 1838-49
John H. Seltzer. :1850-52.
William Keen 1853-58
Henry Palm 1865-67
George S. Goodhart. 1877-79
William H. Kelley 1880-82
Henry D. Schoedler
1883-85
Frank H. Denhard.
1886-88
PROTHONOTARY, RECORDER, REGISTER, CLERK OF ORPHANS' COURT AND CLERK OF QUARTER SESSIONS .- The several offices named were created with the County Courts. Imme- diately after the erection of Berks County they were established at. Reading, the county town, and filled by appointment of the Governor. The amended Constitution of 1838 changed the manner of filling the offices named from appointment by Governor to election by the people ; and the act of July 2, 1839, passed in pursuance thereof, fixed the term of office at three years. The first officers were elected in October, 1839. No change has been made since. From this time the terms of the officers began on the 1st day of December following their election till the adoption of the new Constitution, when the time was changed to the first Monday of January following their elec- tion. The change included also the other county officers.
PROTHONOTARIES.
Name.
Term.
James Read .......
... 1752-75; 1777
1863-66
·
498
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
REGISTERS.
Name. Term.
James Read 1752-74
Collinson Read. 1775-76
Henry Christ. 1777-89
John Christ
1790-91
Jacob Bower.
1792-99
Peter Frailey 1800-08
Jacob Schneider.
1809-17
Daniel Rhoads
1818-20; 1824-29
Peter Aurand ..
1821-23
George Smith
1830-35
William Zieber.
1836-38
Joel Ritter 1839-42
John Green
1842-45
Isaac Ely 1845-48
Joseph Ritter 1848-51
Jacob Snell
1851-54
Daniel Buskirk. 1854-57
Tobias Barto.
1857-60
Benjamin E. Dry
1860-63
Michael S. Thirwechter .. 1863-66
J. Daniel Wanner
1866-69
Hiram S. Getz. 1869-72
Henry C. Croll
1872-75
Peter Y. Edelman.
1876-78
Solomon S. Kindt ..
1879-81
Jonas M. Shollenberger.
1882-84
Amon S. Ştrunk
1885-87
CLERKS OF THE ORPHANS' COURT.
Name.
Term.
James Read 1752-76
Henry Christ. 1777-88
James Scull 1789-91
Jacob Bower.
1792-99
Peter Frailey 1800-09
John M. Hyneman 1810-15
John Addams. 1816-17
William Schoener 1818-22
Matthias S. Richards. 1823
Jacob Sallade 1824-26; 1830-31
Nathaniel P. Hobart. 1827-29
Jacob Marshall. 1832-35
Henry Rhoads 1836-38
William H. Miller.
1839-41
James Donagan
.1842
William Shearer
1842-45
Zacharias H. Maurer, .1845-48
William W. Diehl. 1848-51
Charles J. Wink
1851-54
Daniel Potteiger 1854-57
Ephraim Fritz. 1857-60 Daniel Hahn. 1860-63
Solomon Close.
1863-66
Levi H. Liess 1866-69
Mahlon F. Wolff. 1869-72
. Isaac K. Knoll
1872-75
Charles M. Clouse
1878-78
. Ephraim Dunkle.
1879-81
William H. Gilmer1
.1882-83
CLERKS OF QUARTER SESSIONS. Name. Term.
James Read 1752-76
James Whitehead. 1777-78
Henry Christ. 1779
Daniel Levan. 1780-91
George Eckert. 1792-99
John S. Hiester. 1800-08
Gabriel Hiester, Jr
1809-12; 1814-17
John M. Hyneman .1813
Samuel D. Franks. 1818
John Addams
1819-20
Henry M. Richards. 1821-22
Jacob Marshall .. 1823
Jacob Sallade 1824-26
Nathaniel P. Hobart.
1827-29
Philip A. Good.
1830-32
William Schoener
1833-35
Charles Troxell.
1836-38
William H. Miller. 1839
Samuel Myers.
1839-42
John L. Rightmyer 1842-51
Zacharias H. Maurer
1851-54
Edwin H. Brockway 1854-57
Joseph S. Hoyer. 1857-60
James Bell.
1860-63
Francis Roland 1863-66
Levi M. Gerhart
1866-69
Adam H. Sailor.
1869-72
Jacob H. Hain. 1872-75
Mahlon A. Sellers 1876-78
Enoch S. Matthias 1879-81
Isaac Eckert.
882-84
Morris H. Shaeffer.
1885-87
SURVEYORS.
The office of surveyor-general of the State was created April 9, 1781, and the officer was then empowered to appoint a depnty or deputies in any county of the State. The first appoint- ment of a deputy-surveyor for Berks County was made in 1800. One deputy was appointed from that time to 1834, when two deputies were appointed. The appointment of two was con- tinued till the passage of the Act of April 9, 1850, which provided for the election of a county surveyor in October following for the term of three years, and every third year there- after. Since 1850 this officer has been elected by the people.
1 Upon the establishment of a separate Orphans' Court, in 1883, this officer was discontinued, and the register be- came the clerk, as provided by law.
499
POLITICS AND CIVIL LIST.
Name.
Term.
Joseph Hoch.
1800-13
John M. Hyneman 1814-22
John Bickel 1833-35
Matthias S. Richards
1823-34
Daniel A. Bertolette.
835-37
Thomas H. Jones
1837-38
Aaron Albright. 1838
Michael K. Boyer. 1839-44
William Fisher.
1838-40
Benjamin Delong.
1839-40
Daniel J. Wanner
1841-47
Daniel Potteiger
1845-50
Samuel Hoffman.
1848-50
Augustus F. Bertolet.
1850-56
Andrew Kurr. 1856-62
Daniel S. Zacharias. 1862-77; 1881
Henry C. Zacharias
1877-80
Solomon K. Dreibelbis.
1882-86
POOR DIRECTORS.
Previous to 1809 "overseers " of the poor were appointed by the justices of the county. On March 11, 1809, an act was passed author- izing the election of the overseers annually. The poor of the county were provided for by overseers till the passage of an act of Assembly on March 29, 1824, especially for Berks County, which provided for the election of poor direc- tors. At the following election, in October of that year, three directors were elected in pursu- ance of the act-one for one year, one for two years and one for three years; and annually after said election one director was elected for three years. This law has not been altered. The directors appoint a steward and other officers annually, to superintend and carry on the management of the institution successfully. The board organizes annually on the third Monday of November.
The first seven directors named were ap- pointed by the act to serve till the election of three directors as required :
John Ritter.
John Beitenman.
Jacob Mast.
Samuel Addams.
David Bright.
John Wanner.
Abraham Knabb.
Name.
Term.
John Beitenman 1824-25
Daniel K. Hottenstein. 1824-26
David Bright. 1824-27
George Gernant. 1825-28
John Levan. 1826-29
George Boyer. 1827-30
David Ludwig 1828-31
David Deysher. 1829-32
Henry Reeser .. 1830-33; 1835-36
Daniel Oyster 1831-34
Joseph Schmucker 1832-35
Jacob Gilbert. 1834-37
John Filhert. 1835-38
Henry Schoener. 1836-39
Daniel Kauffman 1837-38
Peter Fister
1838-41
Abraham Kerper. 1839-42
John Shollenherger
1840-43
Jacob W. Seitzinger.
1841-44
Abraham Kerper.
1842-45
Daniel Baum 1843-45
William Bertolet.
1844-47
John Dotterer. 1845-46
Michael H. Nunemacher. 1845-48
John Gernant. 1846-49
Daniel Sohl 1847-48
Conrad Reber. 1848-49
Jacob S. Ebling. 1848-51
Peter Kershner. 1849-53
William Knabb 1849-52
William Arnold. 1850-57
William Lorah. 1852-55
John Richards. 1853-56
John R. Edelman 1855-58
George K. Haag 1856-59
Jacob Malsberger. 1857-60
Samuel Shaner. 1858-61
Samuel Filbert 1859-62
Aaron Getz. 1860-66
R. F. Drumheller 1861-64
Peter Marshall 1862-75
Ezra Z. Griesemer. 1863-67
George Lash ' 1865-68
Joseph Muthart. 1866-69
Silas W. Fisher. 1867-70
Daniel B. Lorah 1868-71
Jacob B. Mast. 1869-72
Daniel Y. Peter. 1870-73
Henry Ammon. 1871-74
Michael Goodman 1872-75
Samuel Strunk 1873-76
Isaac Y. Beidler. 1874-77
George Heckman 1875-78
John Herbein 1876-79
Mahlon Vogelman 1877-80
Francis Roland 1878-81
John H. Bauer
1879-82
Elias Obold 1880-83
Elias Bickel. 1881-84
Henry Shearer 1882-85
John P. F. Marshall. 1883-86
Michael E. Geiger 1884-87
George Herbein.
1885-88
1 Lash died in March, 1868, and Elias Obold was ap- pointed on April 18, 1868, to fill the unexpired term.
500
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
STEWARDS.
Namo.
Term.
Abraham Knabb
1825-32
Henry Boyer
1833-37
Marshall B. Campbell. .1838
Daniel Kauffman.
1839-45
Daniel Baum
1846-48
Daniel Sohl.
1849-52
Jacob Conrad.
.1853-68
Philip Eagle
1869-70
Silas W. Fisher 1870-77
Benjamin Anderson
1878-82
Reuben Hetrich
1883-84
Joseph Hornberger
1885-86
MERCANTILE APPRAISERS.
Previous to 1846 only dealers in foreign merchandise were required to take out a county license to enable them to make sale thereof. But on April 22, 1846, an act was passed re- quiring all dealers in goods, wares and mer- chandise to take out a county license, and thereby the county commissioners of each county were empowered to appoint annually a mercantile appraiser, who was directed to as- sess and classify all dealers, and furnish a list of them to the county treasurer. From 1830 till this act was passed, the constables of the town- ships, etc., of the county furnished under oath a list of the foreign dealers to the clerk of the Quarter Sessions, and the associate judges and county commissioners classified them and de- livered a list to the county treasurer. Before 1830 the foreign dealers were returned by the constables to the clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions ; the clerk certified the returns to the State treasurer, who forwarded a list to the county treasurer for the collection of the license fees.
In Berks County the constables still made their returns for the years 1846 and 1847. The county commissioners made the first appoint- ment for 1848.
Name.
Term.
Mahlon Bertolet. 1848
William Karns 1849-51
Adam Leize 1852
Solomon Close. 1853
J. H. Kelly 1854
Isaac S. Hottenstein 1855
Ephraim Fritz. 1856
Daniel S. Kutz 1857
George K. Lorah. 1858
Albert C. Henry 1859
Henry Reider ..
1860
Franklin S. Ludwig. 1861
Henry R. Hawman 1862
Elias Filbert. .1863
David Lord 1864
Caspar H. Reifsnyder.
1865
William H. Kelly
1866
Andrew S. Strassburger.
1867
Joseph Harvey.
1868
John C. Reed.
1869
Alfred Driebelbis. 1870
Charles Hill
1871
Aaron Snyder
1872
Charles Hottenstein 1873
Abraham Schaeffer 1874
Henry F. Bush. 1875
Jonathan L. Rhoads. 1876
Michael Seltzer 1877
Benjamin Klahr. 1878
Morris Guldin 1879
Edward Schmeltzer 1880
William A. Young. 1881
Levi J. Fisher. 1882
George M. Fryermuth .1883
Peter Spang, Jr. 1884
John Stangier 1885
J. M. S. Stertzler 1886
SEALERS OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
In 1834 a law was enacted which required the Governor to furnish the county commis- sioners of each county with standards of weights and measures, which were to be used for the purpose of adjusting weights and measures; and these standards were to be examined, and, if necessary, corrected at least once in every ten years. The standards as required were fur- nished to the county commissioners, and de- posited in the court-house for the purpose in- tended. But there was no provision for an officer whose duty it was to test all weights and measures. In 1845 this discrepancy was sup- plied by an act passed on April 15. It authorized the Governor to appoint a sealer of weights and measures for such respective counties of the State as should apply for and obtain copies of the standards, as provided in this act, for the term of three years. And it was made the duty of the sealer " at least once in every year to go to stores, houses, stalls and offices of the makers, venders, or proprietors of beams, scales, weights and measures within the county, and try and adjust all beams, scales,
501
POLITICS AND CIVIL LIST.
weights and measures, and seal the same with the initials of his last or surname, and the cur- rent year." Under this law the first appoint- ment was made on June 16, 1853. This office, however, became burdensome and offensive to the people of the county, and accordingly they, with the people of seven other counties of the State-Bucks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Franklin and Westmoreland- who felt similarly burdened and offended, ef- fected the passage of a special act on March 22, 1859, whereby the office within the counties named was abolished. After the lapse of eighteen years thereafter it would seem that the weights and measures of this county, as well as other counties of the State, needed the test of the standards. So they were brought to the notice of the people again by the passage of a general law on April 4, 1877. By it the Gov- ernor was authorized to appoint one person as sealer, in the several counties where no such office existed, for the term of three years. The first appointment under this law was made April 30, 1877. And strangely enough, as pre-, viously, the office only survived six years, and was again abolished, an act for this purpose having been passed on March 8, 1883. The standards are, therefore, not carried around throughout the whole county to remind the dealers and store-keepers that they must at least give true measure, if not good, pressed down and running over. The market com- missioner of Reading, who visits the markets under the city ordinance, is the only tester now with the standards. The sealers were :
Name.
Term.
Michael S. Thirwechter. 1853-54
Solomon Spohn 1855-57
George K. Boyer. 1858
William Geiger' 1877-78
Matthew Rhoda
1879-81
James D. Long.
1882
PRISON INSPECTORS.
The first county prison was erected in 1770. It stands at the northwest corner of Fifth and Washington Streets, Reading, still in good condition.2 Under the law then prevail-
ing, thesheriff had control of the prison during his official term, and he was authorized to ap- point keepers. This practice continued till the passage of the act of April 8, 1848, expressly for Berks County, whereby seven prison inspec- tors were to be appointed, four by the judges of the Court of Quarter Sessions, and three by the county commissioners, who were to com- prise the " Board of Inspectors," the terms of office to be as follows : For three, three years ; two, two years; and two one year ; and after- ward, all terms three years. The inspectors were authorized to appoint, with sanction of the court, a keeper, matron, etc. This act of As- sembly continued in force till the passage of the act of April 10, 1873, wherby nine inspectors were to be elected at the next regular election, when each elector was to vote for six candi- dates, and the nine highest to be the inspectors. The elected candidates were to draw lots for one, two and three years. And annually there- after, three inspectors were to be elected for three years, the electors to vote for two, and the three having the highest vote to be the inspectors.
The following persons were the first inspec- tors under the act of 1848 :
(Appointed by the Court August 7, 1848.)
Name. Term.
Jacob Lightfoot. 3 years.
J. Glancy Jones. 3 years.
William Heidenreich 2 years.
Thomas Shaner I year.
(Appointed by County Commissioners August 10, 1848.)
Name. Term.
John Banks 3 years.
Henry Nagle 2 years.
Charles Kessler 1 year.
Inspectors appointed from 1848 to 1873.
Name. Term.
Jacob Lightfoot 1848-57
J. Glancy Jones 1848-51
William Heidenreich 1848-50
Thomas Shaner. 1848-55
John Banks 1848-49
Henry Nagle. 1848-59
Charles Kessler. 1848-51
William Peacock. 1849-51
of Penn Street, in 1847, the prisoners were removed thither, and the "Old Prison " was sold and converted into a store-building.
1 Resigned January 6, 1879.
2 Upon the completion of the " New Prison," at the head .|
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