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 23
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY. 1
large extent of territory. The first resident pastor was Father Manahan, who came in 1852. During the term of service of Rev. James Wynn, late in the seven- ties, a handsome parochial residence was built. The cornerstone of the present church edifice was laid on June 21, 1881. The new church was dedicated on the 10th of December of that year by Rt. Rev. J. F. Shana- han, Bishop of Harrisburg. St. Joseph's church is the mother of St. Ann's, of Lansford, and of St. Mary's, at Coaldale.
St. Philip's Episcopal church was once commonly known as the "Bell Church," because it was then the only house of worship in this vicinity equipped with a bell. The first baptism recorded in this parish was performed by the Rev. Peter Russell, September 13, 1845, although a parochial organization was not ef- fected until November, 1849. The cornerstone of the church building was laid on the first Saturday evening of July, 1850, by the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania. He was assisted by the rector, the Rev. Peter Russell. In 1882, during the incumbency of Rev. Charles E. Fessenden, the church was remodeled and improved. Like most churches planted in mining towns, St. Philip's has suffered greatly from removals. During its history many prominent coal operators and other influential men have been connected with this little parish.
St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church had its be- ginnings about the year 1849. Prior to that time, loyal Lutherans walked from this place to Tamaqua every Sunday to attend services in a church of their own de- nomination. Upon the organization of the congrega- tion here by Rev. Oberfeld, of Tamaqua, services were for a time held monthly in the Presbyterian church. Services were also conducted in the old schoolhouse.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
In 1865, the Reformed and Lutheran people erected a union church in which both worshipped until 1880, when the Lutherans secured the old German Methodist church, and thereby became independent. For some years the congregation had no regular pastor, and was served by theological students. In 1897, during the pastorate of Rev. H. C. Erbes, the present church was erected. The corner stone was laid on September 5th of that year, while the dedicatory services were held on the 12th of December.
The First Baptist church was built in 1852. This was the mother of the churches of that denomination at Nesquehoning and at Lansford. Its membership has been greatly depleted by deaths and removals.
St. Paul's Reformed church was organized by Rev. John Eichenbach. He came here from Allentown in 1856, serving the congregation for about twenty-five years. As has already been shown, the Reformed and Lutheran people of Summit Hill worshipped together until 1880, a union church having been erected in 1865. The Reformed congregation became the sole owner of this property, upon the withdrawal of the Lutherans. In 1904 a handsome new church was built, and the so- ciety to-day is thriving and prosperous.
The members of the Methodist Episcopal church also maintain a flourishing organization here.
The various fraternal and beneficial societies are well represented at Summit Hill. The Grand Army Post, which was organized in 1869, was named in honor of Colonel Eli T. Connor, one of Carbon county's most gallant soldiers in the Civil War.
Summit Hill is remarkable for the number of ceme- teries within its borders, there being eight, all told. This is partly accounted for by the fact that it is the place of interment for the people of both Lansford and
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1
Coal Dale, in which communities there is no suitable site for the location of a burying ground.
St. Joseph's Catholic church has two cemeteries- one adjoining the church and another to the eastward of the town. The latter was purchased late in the sev- enties.
The Presbyterian cemetery was opened at about the time of the establishment of that church, while that of the Grand Army has been in existence since a short time subsequent to the organization of the Post.
The other cemeteries are: St. Michael's Roman Catholic, St. John's Greek Catholic, Orthodox Greek, and St. Peter's and St. Paul's Polish cemetery, all of which are of recent date.
The romantic interest which naturally attaches to this vicinity, as the place where anthracite coal was first mined-the fascinating story of Ginter's discov- ery, and the wonders of the Burning Mine-annually draws thousands of sightseers and tourists to Summit Hill. The majority of these travel over the Switch- back Railroad from Mauch Chunk.
CHAPTER XVIII.
TOWAMENSING TOWNSHIP.
Towamensing township is bounded on the north by Penn Forest, on the east by Monroe county, on the south by Lower Towamensing, and on the west by Franklin township.
The Poho Poco, or Big creek, flows eastwardly across the full breadth of the township. Pine run and Wild creek, flowing southwardly, are its principal tributaries within the township. The surface of the land is of a rolling nature, and is principally given over to agri- culture.
Count Zinzendorf, the Moravian missionary, spent some time in this portion of Carbon county in the year 1742, when he negotiated a treaty with the Indians at the spot on which, a few years later, the mission of Gnadenhüttten was established.
This whole section of country was christened by him as "Saint Anthony's Wilderness," and it was so desig- nated on a map published in 1749. The name, however, did not strike a popular chord among the settlers, and, later, the term Towamensing, meaning a wilderness, was applied to all that section lying north of the Blue Ridge, and was known as Towamensing District.
In a petition for the division of the district, ad- dressed to the Northampton county court, dated June 22, 1768, the length of the district is given as thirty-six miles.
In response to the prayer of this petition, the Lehigh river was made the dividing line, and the territory west of the river was organized as Penn township, while that on the east retained the name of Towamensing.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
After this division was made, Towamensing town- ship embraced all of the territory north and east of the Lehigh river, within the confines of the county.
Chestnut Hill was taken from Towamensing anterior to the year 1783, as was Tobyhanna, at a later date. In 1836 these two became a part of Monroe county, while in 1841 the lower part of this territory became Penn Forest township, which in 1843 was attached to Carbon county.
During 1841 Towamensing was again divided, and Lower Towamensing was set off. Franklin township was taken from the territory of Towamensing in 1851, since which time there have been no territorial changes.
It appears that the first permanent settlement in what is now Towamensing township was made at about the time of the Revolutionary War.
Tradition tells of a family named Abbot, which re- sided on the banks of the Poho Poco creek, and the members of which were cruelly massacred by the In- dians. The luckless victims of the hate and fury of the aborigines were buried in the ground to their knees, while their bodies were stuck full of pine splints, to which the torch was applied, and they were literally roasted alive.
There is little record of the old families who settled within the present limits of the township. Among those whose descendants are still in the township, how- ever, were the Strohls, the Eckerts, the Smiths and the members of the Beer family.
In 1795, General Thomas Craig purchased the land where Stemlersville is now situated. The old house which he there erected is still standing; in 1814 he re- moved to Lehigh Gap. Daniel Stemler, of Northamp- ton county, became the owner of the property in 1829. He became possessed of a large tract of land through
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
additional purchases. Upon taking possession of the property, Mr. Stemler reopened the tavern which at an earlier date had been kept by a man named Frederick. He built the present brick building in 1852, and con- ducted a tavern therein until his death, which occurred in the year 1871. It is now kept by his son, Nathan Stemler. Daniel Stemler, in 1864, erected the building which has since been used for the purposes of a store. In 1866 it was purchased by Paul Kresge, his son-in- law, who, in turn has been succeeded by his son, Charles H. Kresge.
In 1855 a stage and mail route between Lehighton and Brodheadsville, and touching Stemlersville, was established. It was operated until 1911, when it was abandoned. With the establishment of the mail route, a postoffice was opened, with Daniel Stemler as post- master. The office was successively held after him by William Schoenberger, Robert Laubach, Nathan Stem- ler and Paul Kresge. The postoffice was abolished upon the introduction of the free delivery system throughout the township in 1903.
Trochsville, located in the western portion of the township, near the Monroe county line, is the namesake of Captain Lynford Troch, who was once the owner of the land here.
The tavern at Trochsville was built by Jacob Rickert about 1854. He kept it for a few years, and then sold it to Captain Troch, who was killed during the Civil War. It is now conducted by Joseph Schaetzel.
Lynford Troch opened a store here in 1856, while a postoffice was established, with Troch as postmaster.
The office was after a time abandoned, but was later re-established as Carbon postoffice. John Behler served for a time as postmaster, being succeeded by Harrison Kunkel, who also kept the store. His son,
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY. 1
H. F. Kunkel succeeded him as proprietor of the store in 1909, and, a year later, as postmaster. With the ex- tension of the rural delivery service to this locality, the office was finally abolished in 1911.
The hotel at Seiberlings is kept by J. S. Ettinger. A grove, which has grown popular as a camping place during the summer months, adjoins the hotel.
On the road leading from Trochsville to Little Gap, Peter Jones, many years ago, erected a brick house, which he kept as a hotel. The place became known as Jonesville. The hotel was used as a dwelling house after a few years.
Jerusalem church, at Trochsville, was erected in the year 1848. The society is union, being composed of members of the Lutheran and German Reformed churches. The present Lutheran pastor is Rev. H. E. Moyer, while the Reformed preacher is Rev. F. W. Smith. H. F. Kunkel is the superintendent of the Sun- day school of this church. A Sunday school is also maintained in the schoolhouse at Stemlersville.
This township accepted the free school law in 1841, prior to which there were no schools in the district. The population being scattered, nine schools, with as many teachers, are now necessary. For the same rea- son, Towamensing township has many miles of high- ways to maintain.
The farmers of the township market most of their produce at Weissport, Lehighton, and Mauch Chunk, and many of them are up-to-date and prosperous.
The Indian Ridge Rural Telephone Company, or- ganized in 1909, furnished local and long-distance serv- ice to many homes in the township. Its line connects with the Bell system at Lehighton. The line of the Consolidated Telephone Company also crosses the township.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
WEATHERLY BOROUGH.
The borough of Weatherly, which is the largest and most important town in the upper portion of Carbon county, had its beginnings in the operations of the Beaver Meadow Railroad Company. Its later growth and development were brought about chiefly through the agency of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, by which the first named corporation was in 1866 ab- sorbed. The place is picturesquely situated between the Broad and Spring mountains on the banks of Hazle creek and on the Beaver Meadow and Hazleton di- vision of the Lehigh Valley system. The distance by rail from this point to Mauch Chunk is about fourteen miles. The incorporated territory of the town com- prises four square miles, and is bounded on the north, east, and southeast by Lehigh township, on the north- west by Lausanne township, and in the west and south- west by Packer township. It is divided into four wards.
Formerly the town was called Black Creek, from the color of the water of the stream on which it is situated. Originally the dark color of the water of the creek was due to the fact that dense forests of hemlock grew in the swamps where the stream has its source; but it is now contaminated with sulphur water from the coal mines lying north of the Spring mountain. In 1848, upon the establishment of the postoffice here, the name of the place was changed to Weatherly, being so christened in honor of David Weatherly, one of the directors of the Beaver Meadow Company, who was a watch and clock maker. He promised to present the place with a town- clock in recognition of the compliment conferred upon him by the bestowal of his name, but failed to redeem the pledge. The warrantee owners of the ground upon which Weatherly is built were Samuel S. Barber and
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY. 1 339
John Romig, Sr. They purchased the land for the valuable timber that stood on it. The first settlement was made on the Romig tract about 1825, when Benja- min Romig erected a saw mill and a dwelling on the west side of the creek. The dwelling occupied the site of Elmer Warner's store, while the saw mill stood op- posite the Lehigh Valley depot. Benjamin Romig moved his family to this place in 1826. The first lum- ber sawed in his mill was for the building of a school- house in what is now known as Hudsondale. Soon after 1830 Romig erected a large house on the west side of the creek, near the "Rocks," and securing a license, conducted a tavern therein.
A portion of the Barber tract was purchased by Asa Packer, and about 1835, John Smith, who was con- spicuous among the early residents, came to the place to supervise the clearing of the land and to take charge of Mr. Packer's interests in the vicinity generally. Under his immediate directions a saw mill was put up about a mile below Black Creek Junction, while a store was opened just across the creek from Romig's saw mill. A little later than this William Tubbs opened a tavern on the present site of the Gilbert House.
Barring the saw mill, the first attempt at manufac- turing here was made by Samuel Ingham, president of the Beaver Meadow Railroad Company, and others. They made a certain kind of locks for a time, but the project was soon abandoned.
Black Creek could boast of but a few houses until the completion of the Beaver Meadow Railroad, in the fall of 1836. It was then made the stopping place for the heavy engines and crews of the company. The com- pany at first located its foundry and machine and re- pair shops at Beaver Meadow. To overcome the heavy grade above Weatherly, two inclined planes, each about
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
half a mile in length, were constructed. Difficulty was experienced in getting the locomotives up these planes to the shops for repairs, and, in 1840, the shops were removed to Weatherly. While this was detrimental to the interests of Beaver Meadow, it gave added impetus to the growth of Weatherly. The shops were located near the point where the town hall now stands, and were driven by water power. Hopkin Thomas, who became one of the most prominent figures in the indus- trial affairs of the Lehigh Valley, was the master me- chanic in charge. The shops were swept away by the freshet of 1850, being rebuilt the same year. In 1855 a stretch of new railroad was laid from Weatherly to Hazle Creek Junction, a distance of nearly two miles. Upon its completion, the inclined planes were aban- doned. The section of road replacing the planes is still in use, and is known to railroaders as the Weatherly Hill. It has a grade of one hundred and forty-five feet to the mile, and has witnessed many thrilling runaways. With the abandonment of the planes the company moved its shops to the east side of the creek. As the mines were developed and as railroading progressed, the capacity of the shops was increased from time to time, while the town grew and prospered correspond- ingly.
Weatherly was a part of Lausanne township until 1863, when it was organized as a borough. At the time of the taking of the census of 1870, it contained 1,076 people. During the succeeding decade, the population was nearly doubled.
Philip Hoffecker succeeded Hopkin Thomas as mas- ter mechanic in the machine shops early in the fifties. When the Beaver Meadow Railroad was consolidated with the Lehigh Valley he was retained by the latter company, spending the remainder of his life in its
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
service. Under his supervision many of the finest loco- motives in the country were built, his name standing as a synonym for excellence over the whole Lehigh Val- ley system. Not only did the shop over which he had charge turn out good locomotives, but it also produced good men. Those who served their apprenticeship under him readily found employment elsewhere, and Weatherly to-day takes pardonable pride in the success that many of her sons have achieved in industrial pur- suits in all parts of the country. Mr. Hoffecker died in 1891. Another prominent figure in the town for more than half a century was Daniel Rouse. In 1855 he was placed in charge of the car shops here, and during nearly two generations of service in that capacity, he achieved an enviable reputation for mechanical and executive ability. The car shops were totally destroyed by fire on the morning of July 8, 1880, the work of re- building them being completed the following year. The train crews which carried the coal produced in the Beaver Meadow and Hazleton region to Packerton, the general forwarding point, made Weatherly their stop- ping place for many years. For a long time Samuel Harleman was the dispatcher who had them in charge, and he enjoyed equal popularity with Hoffecker and Rouse.
Under the old regime of the Lehigh Valley, Weath- erly was contented and prosperous. Not only was there a great deal of new work turned out of the shops, but the location of the place made it an advantageous point for general repair work. The number of men em- ployed in the various shops of the company and on the railroad increased steadily until the early nineties, when the total numbered over a thousand. But Weath- erly was too much a town of one industry, and railroad towns are notoriously unstable. In 1894, as a result of 1
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
a change in management, all of the work which had until then been done in the machine shops here was transferred to Delano. This proved quite a blow to the prosperity of the place. Five years later, in further- ance of the idea of concentration, the company closed all of its shops here, besides sending most of the train crews to other points. For a time but about twenty-five men in the town remained in the employ of the com- pany, and an air of depression and gloom pervaded the place. It was not long before a large proportion of the houses of the borough stood empty, their former occu- pants being scattered in all directions. But while the workmen found no difficulty in securing employment in other fields and localities, the case was different with the business men of the community. They could not leave without sacrificing their investments, and made the best of a trying situation. It is interesting to note that during the hard times which followed, there was not a single business failure in Weatherly, a favorable commentary on the resourcefulness and financial sol- vency of her merchants and men of affairs. These men set about courageously to secure new industries and to rehabilitate the town. The Weatherly Foundry and Machine Company, controlled almost exclusively by local capital, was soon organized, and its plant put in operation. Among the leading spirits in the launching of this enterprise were Elmer Warner, W. P. Long, J. C. Sendel, J. F. Kressley, E. F. Warner, Fred Berto- lette, and others. This industry grew rapidly, and is now one of the largest concerns of its kind in this por- tion of the state. It employs several hundred men, and its products go to all parts of the world. Elmer War- ner has been the chief stockholder and general manager of the company since its organization in 1899. About the time of the establishment of this industry, the Le-
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
high Valley Railroad Company reopened its machine shops here, also establishing a frog department in another building which had been abandoned. The ma- chine shop was again closed in 1912. During 1899 the Allen Candy Manufacturing Company, which had been organized two years previously, removed its plant from Allentown to Weatherly. The output of this company has increased from year to year. About fifty people are employed, and the capital stock has been increased from $15,000 to $50,000. A. H. Horlacher has been the dominant figure in the affairs of the company since its incorporation.
One of the industries which Weatherly had prior to the abandonment of its railroad shops was its silk mill, owned and operated by the Read and Lovatt Manufac- turing Company. This mill, which, at the time of its erection, was the largest silk-throwing concern in the world, was completed in the spring of 1888. Jerome C. Read and J. Walter Lovatt, both of Paterson, N. J., originally owned it in partnership. A large amount of local capital was, and still is, invested in the enterprise, however. It is still among the greatest of its kind in existence, having 50,000 spindles and employing about 400 operatives. Most of these are boys and girls, and many have their homes in nearby towns.
Another establishment here of a similar nature is that of the Roscoe Broad Silk Mill. This is a silk weav- ing mill, employing sixty operatives. The business was started by local capitalists in 1905, under the style and title of the Onoko Silk Manufacturing Company, and the property was leased to the first mentioned com- pany in 1910.
Sand in large quantities is found on the eastern verge of the place, and the shipping of this natural
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
product to various points has grown to be quite a busi- ness in recent years.
Weatherly is one of the very few towns in Pennsyl- vania conducting a municipal lighting plant which gives satisfactory service and is financially successful. The streets and houses have been lighted by electricity since July, 1889. The original outlay for this service on the part of the borough was $16,000. This plant also fur- nishes electrical power to the town.
A volunteer fire company was organized in 1893, with W. B. Lovatt as chief. The borough purchased a steamer, while a hook and ladder, together with other necessary equipment, was bought with funds secured through a fair held for that purpose. This company was disrupted, and ceased to exist on September 27, 1897. A new company, known as Citizens' No. 1, was organized soon thereafter, J. C. Sendel being elected as its chief. E. F. Warner is the present head of the department. The membership is limited to sixty-five. The town hall, which is also the home of the fire depart- ment, was erected in 1893.
Weatherly was without banking facilities until 1902, the First National Bank having been chartered on the 28th of January of that year. Prior to this date the people of the borough depended on the banks of Hazle- ton and those of Manch Chunk. The bank began busi- ness with a capital stock of $25,000, being first located in the Horlacher Building. So well did it prosper that on June 30, 1903, a dividend of five per cent. was paid to the share-holders. A handsome new building cost- ing $15,000 was erected by the bank on Carbon street in 1907. An annual dividend of six per cent. is now regu- larly paid. On March 30, 1911, the capital stock of the institution was increased to $50,000. It has deposits approximating $300,000, while its surplus and undi-
NATIONAL
7BANK
...
出
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FIRST NATIONAL BANK, WEATHERLY.
SCHWAB SCHOOL HOUSE AND SOLDIERS' MONUMENT, WEATHERLY.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
vided profits amount to over $20,000. Elmer Warner has been president of the bank since its organization. Its first cashier was Ira W. Barnes, while C. F. Bretney is now serving in that capacity.
The majority of the people in Weatherly own their own homes, and nearly two-thirds of the houses in the borough were wholly or partially built with funds ad- vanced by the Anthracite Building and Loan Associa- tion. This institution was organized in 1882. Its first president was A. J. Lauderburn. From the beginning this association has been one of the most carefully and economically managed of its kind, and it has grown in strength and in the confidence of the people from year to year. Its resources now amount to more than $200,- 000.
In 1841 the first schoolhouse was here erected, being located on the hill in the eastern portion of the town, near the site of the present building. This served the purpose for which it was intended until 1855, when it was replaced by a new structure two stories high, and about twenty-five by thirty feet in dimensions. This building cost $1,000. In 1869 it was torn down to make way for a building costing $6,000. In 1883 a frame building, which is still in use, was erected in West Weatherly at a cost of $5,500. The building in the east- ern portion of the borough, erected in 1869, and known as the high school building was in 1903 replaced by a magnificent pressed brick structure valued at $75,000, being the gift of Charles M. Schwab, the millionaire steel manufacturer. Mr. Schwab's princely gift came as a graceful tribute to his wife, who spent much of her girlhood in Weatherly. Her maiden name was Eurena Dinkey. The day of the dedication of this building, September 19, 1903, was the most notable one in the history of the borough. Thousands of visitors were in
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