History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 90

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

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VALENTINE ECKERT was born in Longaselva, in the Kingdom of Hanover, in 1733. He came to America with his parents in 1740, who set- tled in the Tulpehocken Valley at a point to the east of where Wowelsdorf is now situate. Hc was naturalized in September, 1761. In June, 1776, he was one of the ten members of the Provincial Conference who represented Berks County in that important body ; and in July following he was also selected as one of the eight members to represent the county in the Provincial Convention which was assembled for the purpose of framing a new government founded on the authority of the people. In 1776 and 1779 he represented the county in the Provincial Assembly. He offered his services to the government in the Revolutionary War, which were accepted, and he commanded a com- pany of cavalry Associators for a time. He and his company participated in the battle of Ger-

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mantown in October, 1777, where he was wounded. He was appointed sub-lieutenant of the county on March 21, 1777, and served in this office till his promotion to lieutenant of the county in January, 1781.

Whilst serving as sub-lieutenant he also acted as a commissioner for the purchase of army provisions. In 1784 he was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the county and occupied this office for a term of seven years, when, by the Constitution of 1790, a president judge of all the courts was appointed to take the place of the several judges. In the Penn- sylvania militia he was brigade inspector for the county from April 11, 1793, for a period of twenty years. About the year 1816 he moved to the State of Virginia and died at Winchester in December, 1821, in the eighty-eighth year of his age.

CHARLES SHOEMAKER was born at German- town about the year 1735. His grandfather emigrated to this country with Pastorious and settled in the vicinity of Germantown. At an early age, about the year 1765, he moved to Windsor township 1 and took up a considerable quantity of land. He exerted a large influence in politics and business in the upper section of the county. He represented the county as a member in the Provincial Conference and also in the Constitutional Convention of 1776. In 1777 he was appointed as one of the justices of the county for seven years, and at the expiration of his term he was re-appointed, serving doubt- less till the adoption of the Constitution of 1790. The State Assembly, in December, 1777, ap- pointed and empowered him to solicit and take subscriptions for the Continental Loan, this service having required a large measure of ability to conduct the duties of the office with success. He succeeded in obtaining a consider- able amount of subscriptions from various citi- zens of the county. At the close of the war much loss was suffered by farmers and merchants from non-redemption of these loans. The people exhibited their patriotism to the country by lending their aid in its extremity.

In November, 1777, he acted as one of the commissioners who assembled at New Haven, in Connecticut, to regulate the price of commod- ities in the colonies.

He represented the county in the General Assembly for twelve years-1792 to 1801, in 1810 and in 1812; and in the Senate for one term of four years-1813 to 1816. He lived a retired life for several years, and then died in April, 1820.

THOMAS JONES, JR., was the son of Thomas Jones, one of the earliest Welsh settlers in Cumru township, having taken up land there in 1735. He was born in 1742 in this town- ship. At the beginning of the Revolution he assisted in organizing the Associators of Berks County, and he was in active service for a time as a major in one of the battalions of the county. He was a member of the First Constitutional Convention from Berks County. He died in March, 1800, aged fifty-eight years. His resi- dence was in Heidelberg township.

DELEGATES AT CONVENTION OF 1789.

JOSEPH HIESTER .- (For sketch, see State Officials.)

GABRIEL HIESTER .-- (Sketch ante.)

DANIEL BRODHEAD .- (For sketch, see Chap- ter IX., " Revolution.")

DELEGATES TO CONVENTION OF 1837.

JOHN RITTER .- (For sketch, see Chapter XVII., on Newspapers.)

GEORGE M. KEIM .- (For sketch, see Chap- ter XIX., on Politics.)

WILLIAM HIGH .- (For sketch, see Chapter XX., Judges.

MARK DARRAH .- (For sketch, see Chapter XXI., on Medical Profession.)

JAMES DONAGAN .- (For sketch, see Chapter XX., on Attorneys.)

DELEGATES TO CONVENTION OF 1872.

GEORGE G. BARCLAY .- (For sketch, see Chapter XX., on Attorneys.)

HENRY W. SMITH .- (For sketch, see Chap- ter XX., on Attorneys.)

HENRY VAN REED .- (For sketch, see Chap- ter XX., on Judges).

1 In lower section on Schuylkill. Shoemakersvil e was named after him.

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STATE OFFICIALS.

JOSEPH HIESTER was born in Bern town- ship, Berks County, on November 18, 1752. His father, John Heister, emigrated to this country in 1732 in the twenty-fifth year of his age, from the village of Elsoff, in the province of Westphalia, Germany. Some years after- ward, he settled in Bern township, where he was then married to Mary Barbara Epler, a daughter of one ofthe first settlers in that section of the county. He and his two bro- thers, Joseph and Daniel (whoemi- grated in 1738), took up large tracts .of land comprising sev- eral thousand acres and extend- ing from the Bern church to the Tul- pehocken Creek, and there they carried on farm- ing. He died in 1757, aged fifty years. His wife was born in 1732; and she died in 1809. The re- mains of both were buried in the graveyard appur- tenant to the Bern church.

vals of farm labor he attended the school which was conducted at the Bern church, and there acquired the rudiments of an English and also a German education. The homestead was situ- ated about a mile northwardly from the church.

He removed to Reading before he was of age, and entered the general store of Adam Witman. Whilst in the employ of Mr. Witinan he be- came acquainted with his daughter Elizabeth, and he was mar- ried to her in 1771. He con- tinued with his father-in-law till the breaking out of the Revolu- tion. Then appre- ciating the spirit of the people for independence, he took an active part in discussing the principles of the Federalist party, and in en- couraging the en- listment of men for military ser- vice. He raised a company of eighty men in July, 1776 which became a part of the "Flying Camp " and par- ticipated in the battle of Long Island.1 He was taken prisoner in this engagement and confined on the notorious prison-ship "Jersey " for a time, and was afterward imprisoned in New York. Whilst a prisoner in the latter place he was taken sick with a low fever, and became so feeble that in passing up and down-stairs he was obliged to creep on his hands and knees.

Joseph Fresher

Joseph Hiester was brought up on the farm till he was a young man. It is said that he at times related his early experience at plowing- how he was put to the plow so young that when it struck a stump or stone, and was thereby thrown from the furrow, he was not able to re- place it till it had run a considerable distance; and when caught in a root its rebound would occasionally throw him prostrate. In the inter-

1 See Chap. ix. Revolution.

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He and the other men imprisoned endured many hardships and much suffering. After having been held in prison several months he was exchanged. He proceeded immediately to Reading, and remained at home only a short time, sufficient to regain his health and strength, when he again joined the army, which lay towards Philadelphia. He returned in time to participate in the battle of Germantown. In this engagement he received a wound on his head. He continued in active service till the close of the war. A record of his services, or of his company, unfortunately, has not been pre- served.

His earnest participation in the public meet- ings at Reading, which encouraged revolu- tion, led to his selection as one of the ten dele- gates from Berks County to the conference held at Philadelphia on June 18, 1776, which decided that a Provincial Convention should be called on July 15, 1776, for the express purpose of " form- ing a new government in this province on the authority of the people only." His first cousin, Gabriel Hiester, was elected as one of the eight delegates to this convention, but he himself be- came engaged in the military service of his country.

Upon his return from the Revolution he entered into partnership with his father-in-law, Adam Witman, in the mercantile business, and some years afterward became the sole proprietor of the store. He conducted his business opera- tions very successfully for a number of years. Public affairs also received much of his atten- tion, not only relating to political government, but also to the development of Reading and the county by internal improvement. Four years after his return he was elected one of the mem- bers of the General Assembly from Berks County, and re-elected twice, continuing in this office for three years,-from 1787 to 1790. He was a member of the General Assembly when that body ratified the Constitution of the United States, which went into operation in March, 1789 ; and also when it decided that alterations and amendments to the Constitution of 1776 were necessary, and that a convention for that purpose should be called. He was chosen one of the delegates to the Constitution-

al Convention of 1789, having been the first on list of delegates from Berks County, and he assisted in framing the Constitution of 1790. After serving in this representative capacity, he was chosen the first State Senator from this dis- trict for one term of four years,-from 1790 to 1794. In 1797 he was elected to represent. Berks County in Congress, succeeding his first. cousin, Daniel Hiester, who had held this office for the first four terms, from 1789 to 1797, under the national Constitution, and he was continued as the representative for five terms, from 1797 to 1807. After an intermission of eight years-which he devoted entirely to busi- ness at Reading-he was again sent to Congress in 1815 and re-elected twice. Whilst holding this office he was prominently identified with the political affairs of Pennsylvania, so much so that in 1817 he became the nominee of the Federalist party for Governor. Though not elected then, his great popularity was shown in the flattering vote which he received.

He was the first candidate on the Federal ticket who received a majority of the votes in the county of Berks against the Democratic candidate, and also in the southeastern section of the State, which comprised eleven very pop- ulous and influential counties. The party naturally selected him in 1820 a second time as the most available candidate, and he was elected. This was a great victory for him, but especially for his party, inasmuch as he was the first successful candidate which the Feder- alists had placed in the field against the Demo- crats. The political returns show his increased popularity. The majority against him at the election of 1817 was 7005, but the majority for him at the election of 1820, notwithstanding that his opponent on the Democratic ticket had been Governor for the previous three years, was 1605. A careful study of the election returns reveals the fact, however, that the de- votion of the people of Berks County to him caused his election. Theretofore the county had always been Democratic by a sure, if not a large, majority, and if it had continued stead- fast to the Democratic party in 1820 he would certainly have been defeated. The county is therefore entitled to the greater part of the

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credit for his election.1 Having been elected to this position, he resigned his seat in Congress. He had been induced by his personal and po- litical friends to become a candidate for this office upon the express condition that he would serve only one term, and notwithstanding his successful administration and a great pressure from partisans and many friends to be a candi- date for re-election, he resolutely refused to permit the use of his name.

The administration of Governor Hiester was characterized by great activity in promoting the growth of the commonwealth, especially through internal improvements. Political con- tests were conducted in that period with great bitterness. Harsh criticisms were made against those who occupied prominent positions and directed public affairs. The administration of his immediate predecessor, Governor Findlay, was condemned without measure. The con- demnation was so furious that it made a deep impression upon Governor Hiester, so deep, indeed, that he was led to refer to it in his in- augural address. Among other things, he said,-" But I trust, if any errors shall be committed, they will not be chargeable to intention. They will owe their origin to the imperfection of our nature and the narrow limits of human foresight. They will not pro- ceed from a willful neglect of duty on my part, nor from any want of devotion to the best in- terests of our beloved country. Such errors, I may justly hope, will meet with indulgence from an enlightened and liberal people. Where censure shall, upon a full and impartial view of matters, be merited, let it not be withheld. It is the duty of freemen to examine closely into the coudnet of those to whom they have delegated their power, or the guardianship of their rights and interests, to censure the abuse of the one, or the neglect or mismanagement of the other. Considering myself as elected by the people of this commonwealth, and not by any particular denominatiou of persons, I shall endeavor to deserve the name of chief magis- trate of Pennsylvania, and to avoid the dis-

graceful appellation of the Governor of a party."

The great patronage at the disposal of the executive had become very troublesome. This was particularly experienced by Governor Find- lay, and Governor Hiester, knowing this, asked the Legislature to devise some method by which the Governor could be relieved. He also sug- gested that the annual sessions of the Legisla- ture might be shortened without detriment to the public good, that public improvements could then be made advantageously and domestic manufactures encouraged with success, and that there existed an imperative duty to introduce and support a liberal system of education, con- nected with some general religions instruction.

During the session of 1822 the city and county of Lancaster were erected into a school district, called the Second, the First having been the city and county of Philadelphia, erected in 1819. According to his sentiments, expressed to the Legislature, Governor Hiester in every possible way encouraged the system of free education ; but a decade elapsed after his term before the system was perfected sufficiently by legislation to make it effective. And whilst Governor Hiester occupied the gubernatorial clair the State capital was removed from Lan- caster to Harrisburg. The building was begun in 1819 and finished in 1821, and the General Assembly convened in it for the first time on January 3, 1822. The capital had been at Lancaster since 1799, and previously at Phila- delphia.

In his last annual message to the Legislature Governor Hiester expressed many sentiments which indicated his strong love for the State and his zeal for her welfare and progress, con- cluding it as follows :

" Having been for nearly fifty years occasion- ally engaged in various highly responsible situ- ations in the service of my country, and having witnessed its progress from colonial vassalage to independence and sovereignty, it is with most sincere pleasure that, on quitting the theatre of action, I can congratulate you and our fellow-' citizens at large on the propitious situation in which it is now placed ; and I avail myself of the occasion it affords me of repeating my fer-

1 His election was celebrated by a grand festival at Read- ing. (See Chap. xix .- Politics).

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vent prayers to the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, under whose superintending influence it has attained its present eminence, that he may continue to cherish it with his foster- ing care, preserving its citizens in the free en- joyment of their just rights aud republican in- stitutions, until all earthly governments shall be terminated by the consummation of time."

Upon the expiration of his term of office he lived in retirement at Reading. His residence was situated on the northern side of Penn Street, midway between Fourth and Fifth Streets.1 The dwelling consisted of a two-story brick building, with a large frame stable on the rear of the lot. He owned a number of farms in Alsace (now Muhlenberg), Cumru and Bern townships, and also tracts of woodland on Mount Penn, altogether numbering nearly two thousand acres, seven prominent business stands and dwellings in Reading, valued at over fifty thousand dollars, and also ont-lots. He occu- pied and farmed the out-lots for his own use, and kept horses and cows-a custom carried on by the more prominent inhabitants of Reading in order to supply their families with vegeta- bles.

He frequently visited his farms. Upon one occasion, about 1825, he called to see John Sailor, who was farming the three hundred and twelve acre farm on the Kutztown road, at " Hiester's Lane " (now in North Reading, and owned by the Philadelphia and Reading Rail- road Company). Finding Mr. Sailor on the barn-floor, threshing grain with a flail, he pulled off his coat and handled the flail, not only vigorously but successfully. During his youth he was recognized as an accomplished workman at all kinds of farm labor. When Mr. Sailor reached an advanced age and lived in retirement, he narrated this circumstance with much pleasure.

Governor Hiester was a man of commanding presence and pleasing address. He was about six feet tall and weighed about two hundred pounds. His manners were simple and unas- suming, so much so, indeed, for a man of his

high station and large means, that the people of this community were thereby most favorably impressed. The men of to-day, now old and gray, who then were boys at Reading, recall him with pleasure and speak of him in the highest terms of respect. And just as they speak of him so do they also speak of his wife. He was a member of the Reformed Church. His wife died June 11, 1825, aged seventy-five years, two months and nine days. He died seven years afterward, June 10, 1832, in the home which he had occupied for two-score of years, aged seventy-nine years, six months and twenty-two days. His remains were buried in the burying-ground of the Reformed Church. The funeral was conducted without display of any kind, according to the known wishes of the Governor; but though the occasion was not sig- malized by a great military parade and other demonstrations of respect, because they were declined by the family, a great many people nevertheless assembled to witness the simple ceremonies which were performed in carrying to the grave him who had occupied for over fifty years the most prominent positions before them. Some years afterward the remains of the Governor and his wife were removed to the Charles Evans Cemetery.

He left an estate which amounted to four hundred and sixty-eight thousand dollars. The greater part consisted of bonds and stocks -the latter having included, it is believed, fifty thousand dollars in the United States Bank. His surviving children and grand- children were a son, John S. Hiester; two daughters, Catharine Spayd (widow of Hon. John Spayd) and Rebecca Muhlenberg (inter- married with Rev. Henry A. Muhlenberg) ; a granddaughter, Mary E. Muhlenberg (the daughter of Mary Heister, who was intermar- ried with Rev. Henry A. Muhlenberg); and seven grandchildren, the children of Elizabeth Hiester, who was intermarried with Levi Paul- ing, namely-Joseph Pauling, Henry Pauling, Elizabeth Pauling (intermarried with Thomas Ross), James Pauling, Rebecca Panling, Ellen Pauling and Mary Panling.

GOVERNOR JOHN ANDREW SHULZE, though not elected Governor from Berks County, his

1 On the western half of lot No. 30 in town plan, now occupied by Tobias Barto, No. 437.

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birth and earlier life in the county entitle him to a place in this history.

John Andrew Shulze was born in Tulpe- hocken township, Berks County, on July 19, 1775. He was the son of Rev. Christian Shulze, a Lutheran clergyman. His mother was Eve Elizabeth Muhlenberg, the oldest daughter of Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg. He was liberally educated for the ministry, and regu- larly ordained as a minister in 1796, and he assisted his father for eight years in the dis- charge of pastoral duties to several congregations in Berks, Lebanon and Lancaster Counties. Owing to a rheumatic affection, he, in 1804, was obliged to relinquish preaching. He then moved to Myerstown, then in Dauphin County, and pursued the business of merchant. In 1806 he was elected a member of the State Legislature, and afterward twice re-elected, serving his constituents with distinction for three terms. In 1813, upon the erection of Lebanon County, he was appointed to fill the office of prothonotary, in which he continued for eight years. In 1821 he was again elected to the Legislature, and, in 1822, he was chosen Senator, to represent the Senatorial district composed of Dauphin and Lebanon Counties. Whilst serving as a Senator he received the Democratic nomination for Governor, and was elected by a majority of twenty-five thousand seven hundred and six over Andrew Gregg, the Federal candidate ; and, in 1826, he was re- elected Governor with little opposition, the Federal party having run John Sergeant against him. In 1829 he was again brought out as a candidate, but, for the sake of harmony in the party, he withdrew, and George Wolf was nom- inated and elected. Whilst acting as Governor he had the honor of tendering the courtesies of the State to General Lafayette, who was then upon his celebrated tour through the country. His administration of the affairs of the State government during his official career was distinguished for integrity, wisdom and statesmanship.

During President Jackson's opposition against the Bank of the United States, Governor Shulze left the Democratic party. But he was not ac- tive in political life after his retirement from

the office of Governor, excepting upon one occasion, in 1840, when he was a member of the Harrisburg Whig Convention, which nom- inated General Harrison for President. In this connection he ran as a Senatorial elector upon the Harrison ticket, and was elected, and after- ward officiated as president of the State Elec- toral College.

Upon retiring from office he removed to Lycoming County, where he continued to re- side till 1846. During that period he was en- gaged in certain extensive speculations in this great and enterprising county, but he was not successful in them. Then he moved to Lancas- ter, where he continued to reside till his death, November 18, 1852. He was a superior man, and he enjoyed the high esteem of his fellow- citizens for his many excellent personal and social characteristics. He was one of the few really prominent men whom this county produced. His predecessor in the gubernatorial chair of this State was Joseph Hiester, who was elected to this high office from Berks County.

FREDERICK SMITH, one of the most distin- guished men that Berks County has produced, was born in the year 1773, and was a son of Rev. John Frederick Smith, an eminent divine of the Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania, and one of the pioneers of that denomination in America. Frederick Smith obtained a su- perior classical education, and, selecting the law as his profession, after a careful preparation, was admitted to the bar at Reading August 7, 1795. He soon thereafter won prominence and dis- tinction, both as a counselor and as an attorney in important litigation. In the mean time he became actively interested in the politics of his native State, and was a member of the Legisla- ture for two years-1802-3. He was appointed deputy attorney-general for Berks County in 1818, and occupied that position for three years.

He served from 1823 to 1828 as attorney- general of Pennsylvania, under Governor An- drew Shulze, by whom he was appointed as- sociate justice of the Supreme Court of the' State in 1828, which position he filled until the time of his death. His judicial career, though brief, was distinguished. His decisions are

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cited as emphatic expositions of the law, and are characterized by clearness and logical force of reasoning. Besides possessing superior liter- ary and professional ability, he was a man of genial spirits and affable manners, thus winning to him in social eircles a large number of inti- mate friends.

Judge Smith died in Reading ou Tuesday, October 4, 1830. He had returned to his home and family apparently in good health, and his heart buoyant with joy, only the evening be- fore his sudden and unexpected death. Having just finished his evening repast, he was stricken down with a fatal malady, from which he suf- fered but a few hours. His remains were in- terred in the cemetery of the Roman Catholic Church, but have since been removed to the Charles Evans Cemetery. The members of the Reading bar called a meeting, of which Marks John Biddle was chairman and David F. Gor- don secretary, and passed resolutions com- mendatory of his life and character.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 90

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