USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of Carbon County, Pennsylvania; also containing a separate account of the several boroughs and townships in the county, with biographical sketches, 2nd ed > Part 13
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One of the early residents of Beaver Meadow was Henry Brenckman, a native of Germany. He had be- come skilled in the art of brewing beer and had ac- quired the trade of a cooper in the Fatherland. Upon locating in Beaver Meadow he erected a small brewery, probably the first in Carbon county. He personally made the barrels which contained the output of his plant, and kept a tavern. His death occurred in 1860.
The early growth and prosperity of Beaver Meadow resulted from the operations of the Beaver Meadow
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Railroad and Coal Company, the Beaver Meadow Mines, where coal was first produced in Banks town- ship, being situated about a mile west of the town. The railroad to the mines was finished and opened for transportation in tlie fall of 1836.
The machine, blacksmith and car shops of the company were located at Beaver Meadow. The first master mechanic of the shops was Hopkin Thomas, a Welsh immigrant, and one of the pioneer inventors of the Lehigh Valley. Through one of his inventions anthracite coal was first made avail- able a's fuel for the use of locomotives. He also in- vented and successfully used the chilled cast-iron car wheel, as well as the most improved and successful mine pumps and machinery of the day.
Under the supervision of Mr. Thomas, a ten-wheel locomotive, said to have been the first of its kind built in this country, and named the "Nonpareil," was con- structed at Beaver Meadow. The shops were removed to Weatherly in 1842.
In 1848, N. R. Penrose erected a foundry here, which he conducted for a short time, then disposing of the property to S. W. and B. W. Hudson. In 1859, B. W. Hudson purchased the interest of his brother and con- tinued the business until 1865. Much of the iron work used in constructing the Mahanoy division of the Le- high Valley Railroad was turned out from this foundry. After the retirement of B. W. Hudson, the shops passed into the ownership of the Spring Mountain Coal Company, and were torn down in 1868 and re- moved to Jeanesville. These shops formed the nucleus of the Jeanesville Iron Works, since established at Hazleton, constituting one of the largest industries of that city. Beaver Meadow was already quite a vil-
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lage before Hazleton was born, and the people of the last named place once did their trading here.
The only coal operation within the borough limits is the Number 4 slope of Coxe Brothers & Company, which was sunk by Jonah Rees, about 1867. It was for a time abandoned, but during the eighties it was sunk to the basin by Coxe Brothers & Company. It is from the foot of this slope that the drainage tunnel through the Spring mountain to Quakake Valley is driven.
A postoffice was established here in 1830, with Wil- liam H. Wilson in charge. The second postmaster was A. G. Brodhead, who, in turn, was succeeded by Mr. Wilson. The present incumbent is Robert Trezise.
The first school in the place was kept by Miss Lydia Bidlack, and was opened about the year 1835. A later teacher who served for many years was Thomas Mc- Curly. There are now five graded schools in the town, all being housed in one building.
A Presbyterian church was here organized about 1838, largely through the influence of A. H. VanCleve, who was then superintendent of the Beaver Meadow shops. The edifice in which this congregation wor- shiped occupied the site on which the hall of the Pa- triotie Order of Sons of America now stands. The re- moval of the shops to Weatherly affected the congrega- tion, and it declined. The Methodists subsequently conducted services in the church, and upon the erec- tion of a new building by that denomination, in 1874, the adherents of the German Reformed faith found a meeting place in the old edifice for a time.
St. Mary's Roman Catholic church was founded in 1841. The original church building stood on the ceme- tery of the parish, a short distance beyond the town on the road to Hazleton. St. Nicholas' church, of Weatherly, and St. Joseph's, of Laurytown, were for-
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merly missions of this church. During the pastorate of Rev. Francis Brady, the old church was removed to the site of the present building, which was erected during the pastorate of Rev. John J. McEnroe. The cornerstone of the new building was laid in 1904, while the church, which cost about $15,000, was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Edmund F. Prendergast. Formerly St. Mary's was the only Catholic church in this part of the coal region, and the people of Hazleton, Audenried, Weatherly, Buck Mountain, and other places journeyed hither to worship.
St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church was built in 1897. Rev. J. O. Schlenker, formerly pastor of Christ church, Hazleton, and Rev. D. G. Gerberich, of Weath- erly, were the leading spirits in the organization of this congregation.
St. Peter's and St. Paul's Greek Catholic church was erected in 1895, the cornerstone being laid during the month of May.
The town is supplied with water by the Citizens' Water Company, organized at about the time of the erection of the borough.
Both the Anthracite and the Bell Telephone Com- pany have lines connecting with this place. A rural line connecting with the system of the latter company at Hazleton was built in 1908, Robert Trezise being the local agent.
The streets of the borough were allowed to remain unlighted until 1911, when the Harwood Electric Light and Power Company extended its lines to this point. The town has a fire company, but its equipment is meagre. Thomas Grenfell is the present chief burgess.
BOWMANSTOWN BOROUGHI.
Bowmanstown, which is a neat and prosperous vil- lage, and which was recently incorporated as a bor- ough, derives its name from John Deter Bowman, who
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settled here in 1796. He was a grandson of the original settler of that name.
In 1808, he built the old stone hotel, which is still occupied and which was a stopping place on the route of the Lehigh and Susquehanna turnpike.
The place attained but little significance until the building of the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad, now known as the Central Railroad of New Jersey, through here.
About the year 1855, Henry Bowman uncovered paint ore in the Stony Ridge, near here, and soon there- after began the manufacture of metallic brown paint in its dry state. Later he organized the Poco-Metallic Paint Company, which engaged successfully in the manufacture of this product. This company was suc- ceeded by the Carbon Metallic Paint Company, which is still in existence.
Henry Bowman was the father of this industry, being closely followed by Robert Prince, who in 1858 established the Iron-Ore Metallic Paint Company at Lehigh Gap. In 1879, the plant of the last-named concern was brought to Bowmanstown, where, under the name of the Prince Manufacturing Company, headed by A. C. Prince, the business has since been continued. This company also operates, under lease, the mills of the Carbon Metallic Paint Company.
Sand in large quantities is found in the region about Bowmanstown, and the quarrying and shipping of this natural product has been carried on for perhaps fifty years. The first to engage in this business was Jacob Scherer.
The vein varies in thickness between twenty and thirty feet, running along the north side of the Stony Ridge. Most of the loose sand has been exhausted, while that which is now being quarried is rock-like in.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
texture, and grinding machinery is employed to re- duce it and prepare it for use. About seventy-five men are employed in this industry hereabouts.
Another product of the Stony Ridge, which is the treasure-house of this section, is building stone. The stone is a kind of gray granite, for which there is a good demand.
The Bowmanstown Silk Company, employing about fifty operatives, was established in 1909, with W. F. Hofford as its president. These are the principal local industries upon which the town depends, but many living here find employment at nearby points.
A postoffice, with John Rush in charge, was opened here in 1883. Two rural routes emanating from this office were established in 1904. One runs through East Penn, while the other passes through portions of Towa- mensing and Lower Towamensing townships.
The first school in the village was opened in 1844. The original stone building was replaced by a frame structure in 1879. The present handsome two-story brick building, housing all the schools of the town, was erected in 1903, at a cost of $5,000.
The Patriotic Order of Sons of America and the Order of Independent Americans both own large and attractive halls which have been recently erected.
The congregation of St. John's Evangelical church dates back more than thirty years, when meetings were held in private houses. The present church build- ing was dedicated in 1892.
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran church was erected in 1895, previous to which time the Lutheran people wor- shiped in the public school house.
Emmanuel's Reformed church was built in 1905, Charles A. Butz being the first pastor. Meetings had previously been held in the Evangelical church.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
In 1856 a German Catholic congregation built a church a short distance from Bowmanstown. This building was destroyed by fire some years ago, after which worship was conducted in the old school house. During the summer of 1911 this building was struck by lightning and was partly demolished, being repaired and re-dedicated during the same season.
The only tavern in the place until 1891 was the Bow- manstown Hotel, built in 1808, and kept for many years by John D. Bowman and his descendants. During the . latter year, the Center House was opened by Henry Ernst, who conducted it as a temperance house for a time.
EAST MAUCH CHUNK BOROUGH.
The principal cause which operated to bring the town of East Mauch Chunk into existence was the scarcity of land available for building purposes in Mauch Chunk proper, of which it originally formed a part. It is situated on the eastern bank of the Lehigh river, opposite to its sister borongh, and is a town of homes rather than of industries and business estab- lishments.
The locality was known during the early years of its settlement and growth as "The Kettle," a designa- tion that had a certain degree of appropriateness in view of the great bowl formed by the surrounding mountains.
John Burns took up his residence here in 1824, while John Ruddle came at a later period.
The spot being favorable for the location of a town, affording a large tract of comparatively smooth land, gently sloping towards the river, the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, in 1850, laid out about sixty
CENTER STREET, EAST MAUCH CHUNK,
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
acres in lots, which were soon disposed of at one hun- dred dollars each.
The place grew rapidly, and additions to the original plot were made from time to time.
Isaac Butz was the first merchant in the town; at the expiration of five years he, in 1864, disposed of his business to Elwin Bauer, who, after nearly fifty years still retains it. Others, who later established themselves in various lines of business were, Samuel Kennedy, John Muth, Robert Bauchspies, John Dick- man and Hoover Brothers.
The Centre House, built by Solomon Dreisbach, a native of Northampton county, who came to this local- ity in 1850, was the first hotel. It was kept by him for many years.
The wharf of the Beaver Meadow Railroad and the Honeybrook Coal Company was the town's initial in- dustry. After the freshet of 1862, it came under the control of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, being abandoned in 1887.
In response to a petition of its people, East Mauch Chunk was incorporated as a borough on January 1, 1854.
John Ruddle, who has already been mentioned as one of the earliest settlers, was chosen as the first chief burgess. The original members of town council were: Jacob S. Wallace, Lucas Ashley, Thomas L. Foster, David Mummey, J. R. Twining and John Beighe.
A frame school house, built in the woods, where Fourth and North streets now intersect, was erected in 1851. It was occupied in November of that year. Ellen Thompson was the teacher in charge, while there were twenty pupils in attendance. This was the first school in the town. Mrs. George Barker succeeded Ellen Thompson as teacher. In 1856, another frame
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
building was erected on the same lot as the first, while still another was opened at the weigh lock.
The old building now in use was erected in 1871, when the schools were first regularly graded. R. W. Young was the first principal. In 1900, the present high school building, which is a handsome, well- equipped structure, was built.
During the past twenty years, the educational inter- ests of the borough have been under the supervision of P. H. MeCabe, a man of practical ideas and general efficiency. The parochial schools of the town were es- tablished under the auspices of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church, in 1874. They were first kept by Sisters of Christian charity, who had been exiled by the Prussian government.
The postoffice was here opened in May, 1870, with J. M. Dreisbach, now president of the Mauch Chunk Trust Company, as the postmaster. His deputy was Elwin Bauer, who attended to the duties of the office.
Six churches now supply the means of grace to the people of East Mauch Chunk :
St. John's Episcopal church was started as a mis- sion of St. Mark's, of Mauch Chunk. This was during the rectorship of Rev. Peter Russell. On August 16, 1867, the cornerstone of the present church edifice was laid by the Rt. Rev. William Bacon Stevens, D.D., Bishop of Pennsylvania. The building was conse- crated on December 23, 1875, by the Rt. Rev. M. A. De Wolfe Howe, D.D., Bishop of Central Pennsylvania. St. John's was organized as an independent parish on October 12, 1891, Rev. A. A. Bresce, now of Lehighton, being the first rector. The rectory was completed two years later.
The Methodist Episcopal church was also founded as a mission of that denomination in Mauch Chunk.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
General Charles Albright and R. Q. Butler purchased the lot on which, in 1868, a chapel was erected, while Rev. Charles Bickley was appointed as pastor. The chapel, which has since been replaced by a larger and more modern building, was dedicated on the evening of December 16, 1868. A flourishing Sunday school was at once established, constituting one of the principal sources of the congregation's strength. C. A. Rex, the well-known Mauch Chunk merchant, has been the su- perintendent of this school for nearly forty years.
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church was founded in 1871, the first pastor being Rev. G. Frende, who was then stationed at Lehighton. During the following year he was succeeded by Rev. William Heinan, one of the ablest and best-known members of the priesthood in this section of Pennsylvania. He was particularly suc- cessful as a church builder, having been instrumental in the erection of churches in various localities. It was under his leadership that the massive and costly temple in which St. Joseph's congregation now wor- ships was erected in 1897.
On September 5, 1878, the Reformed and Lutheran people of the borough organized a union church. Prior to this religious services had been conducted in the public school house at Fourth and North streets at occasional intervals for many years. The cornerstone of the union church was laid in September, 1878. In 1893, the Lutherans purchased the interest of the Re- formed people, since which time the two congregations have been independent of each other. The original building is still in use, although it was remodeled in 1905.
After the separation, the Reformed element, under the leadership of Rev. Morgan Peters, now of Palmer-
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
1
ton, built a new church. This was erected during the same year in which the division took place.
The Memorial Presbyterian church was the out- growth of a mission started here by the First Presby- terian church of Mauch Chunk. The congregation has been on a self-sustaining basis since February 14, 1903. Its house of worship was erected twenty years previ- ons to that time. Rev. A. J. Wright was the first pas- tor in charge. The church now has an active member- ship of about one hundred and forty.
The plant of the Dery Silk Mill constitutes the largest industry of East Mauch Chunk, affording em- ployment to more than four hundred operatives. The mill has been in operation for more than twenty-five years. A. W. Leisenring was prominent among those who secured its establishment.
Charles Neast & Company have also operated a large planing mill here for years.
The Eagle Brewery was built by Easton capitalists about the time of the Civil War. Since 1879 it has been owned and operated by Pius H. Schweibinz, who re- built and enlarged the original plant.
There are several smaller establishments giving em- ployment to labor within the limits of the borough, among the number being a facing mill, located in the Narrows, and owned by the Lehigh Coal and Naviga- tion Company. The power plants of the Mauch Chunk Heat, Power and Electric Light Company and the Carbon Transit Company are also situated in the bor- ough.
East Manch Chunk has two fire companies. The first to be organized was the Onoko Hose Company, the building of which was erected in 1890. This also is the meeting place of town council.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Edward Armbruster, son of Charles Armbruster, the present burgess of the town, was the leading spirit in the organization of the Fairview Hose Company, in 1907. Both companies have fine buildings and good equipments.
The town has been supplied with water by the Mauch Chunk Water Company since the beginning, deriving its light from the Mauch Chunk Heat, Power and Elec- tric Light Company.
Since 1892 it has been connected with its sister bor- ough by means of an electric railway, now operated by the Carbon Transit Company. During the same year the Progressive Building and Loan Association was organized. This institution has been a distinct and material benefit to the town. Many of the substantial, and beautiful homes in the place were erected through its agency. Charles Neast is the president of the as- sociation, while Philip Swank is its secretary.
Prior to 1906 the town depended for banking facili- ties upon Mauch Chunk. But on the twenty-eighth of November of that year the Citizens' National Bank of East Mauch Chunk was chartered. Quentin Stemler and J. H. Leibenguth have served as president and cashier, respectively, since the opening of the institu- tion, which declared its first dividend in July, 1910. The capital of the bank is fifty thousand dollars.
East Mauch Chunk has two burying grounds, that of the Evergreen Cemetery Association, started in 1876, and that of St. Joseph's Catholic church.
The first census of the borough, taken in 1860, showed the population to be 833. In 1910, the number had risen to 3,548. The place is divided into three wards, of which the Third is the least populous.
East Mauch Chunk is primarily a railroad town, the majority of its people depending directly or indirectly,
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
on the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Central Rail- road of New Jersey.
EAST PENN TOWNSHIP.
The township of Penn, embracing that portion of the territory of Carbon county lying between the Blue mountain and the western bank of the Lehigh river, together with a part of Schuylkill county, was set off from Towamensing in the year 1768.
In 1808, East Penn, West Penn and Lausanne were formed from Penn township. East Penn embraced the present township of Mahoning and the greater part of Mauch Chunk. West Penn became a part of Schuylkill county in 1811.
In 1827 the territory of East Penn was reduced by the setting off of Mauch Chunk township, the major portion of which was taken from this district. Fifteen years later, Mahoning was carved from East Penn, since which time there have been no changes in its boundaries.
It is bounded on the north by Mahoning township, on the cast by the Lehigh river, on the south by the Blue mountain, which separates it from Lehigh county, and on the west by the Schuylkill.
Lizard creek flowing eastwardly through the town- ship to the Lehigh, is the principal stream. The valley drained by this stream is devoted principally to agri- culture, containing many fine farms and comfortable homes. The Lizard Creek branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which was opened in 1890, and an extension of the Lehigh and New England Railroad completed in 1912, pass through the township.
The first settlers of East Penn were English people, bearing the family names of Tipple, Pearsoll, Rhoads, Johnson, Meyers, Washburn, Thomas, Custard and
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
others. They received the grants for their lands about the year 1750.
Subsequent to the Revolution, most of them emi- grated to Canada, being succeeded here by Palatinates with whom the remaining families became intermar- ried, and, in time, by them entirely absorbed.
It was formerly believed that the Indian missionary village of Wechquetank, established by the Moravians soon after the destruction of Gnadenhütten, was situ- ated in the Lizard Creek Valley; but recent research has demonstrated that this village was located in the present township of Polk, Monroe county.
The eastern section of the township, especially along the Lehigh, was not permanently settled until after 1800. The western portion was settled by English and Germans, who came in soon after the close of the war of Independence. The locality about Ben Salem church was the center of the settlement.
Among the best known of the German pioneers of the township was Conrad Rehrig, whose father came to America at an early day, locating at or near Phila- delphia. Conrad served in the Revolution, after which he married and built his home in the Lizard Creek Valley. He was one of the founders of Ben Salem church, in the graveyard of which repose his remains. His descendants in this portion of the state are quite numerous.
The father of the Andreas family in East Penn bore the Christian name of Martin. He emigrated from Alsace, on the Rhine, on board the ship "Leslie," ar- riving in Philadelphia in 1749. He, too, served as a soldier in the Revolution.
Jacob and Peter, his sons, jointly purchased and oc- cupied, in 1793, what is now commonly known as the Nimson farm, at Ashfield. Their brother, William,
14
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
came to the township in 1807, locating in the western portion.
Jacob Dinkey, who in 1810 purchased the property first occupied by Jacob and Peter Andreas, was a na- tive of Whitehall township, Lehigh county. Removing to East Penn, he opened a tavern, store and black- smith shop.
Upon his farm was built the first school house in the eastern part of the township. He served for many years as a justice of the peace, and was in 1843 elected as one of the first associate judges of Carbon county.
Reuben, one of his six children, succeeded his father in the conduct of the tavern and as justice of the peace. He was the father of Eurana Dinkey, who be- came the wife of Charles M. Schwab, the millionaire steel manufacturer.
Her brother, Alva, is the president of the Carnegie Steel Company, and another brother, Charles, is the head of the Edgar Thompson steel works.
It appears that Andrew and Charles Steigerwalt were the first representatives of that family in the township.
A. B. Nimson came here in 1824 as a school teacher, afterwards taking a prominent part in the political affairs of the county, being thrice elected to the office of register and recorder.
Stephen Balliet and Samuel Helffrich, in 1828, erected Penn Forge and Furnace, near the present vil- lage of Ashfield, which was then called Pennsville. The last-named of the partners died in 1830, after which Balliet became the sole owner. In 1837, he es- tablished his home in the locality and, purchasing sev- eral thousand acres of land, started a furnace about three-quarters of a mile farther down the mountain, employing charcoal as fuel.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Following the death of Mr. Balliet, in 1854, the fur- nace was successively operated by Solomon Boyer, C. H. Nimson, and John Balliet, a son of Stephen. It was abandoned years ago.
Ben Salem Lutheran and Reformed church, the first to be organized in the township, was founded about 1790. The first house of worship was of logs, hav- ing galleries on the sides. It was completed in 1797 and stood until the erection of the present brick building, in 1855. In the burial ground adjoining the church sleep many of the forefathers of this region, among the number Rev. Johannes Schwarbach, the first Lutheran pastor of the congregation, who died before the completion of the church.
The Lutheran and Reformed church at Ashfield was erected in 1851, being rebuilt thirty years later.
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