USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 32
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The doctrine that " the education of the people by this school system was a solemn duty which could not be safely neglected" was not believed to be sound by the great majority of the people of Brecknoek town- ship. They did not feel that there was any necessity for improvement or progress in education. In fact, many well-meaning people honestly believed that the education of the masses was not merely useless but dangerous. They stated their argument about as fol- lows : " Advanced education is unnecessary in the or- dinary affairs of life. Past generations, from time immemorial, have lived and made their way honestly through the world without the aid of the free school system, and succeeding generations cannot have any greater need of it than the present or past. To spend time over books is time wasted, which every able- bodied person is in duty bound to employ in useful manual labor." These prejudices were carried to such an extent that a young man suspected of pursuing his studies with a view of qualifying himself for the business of teaching was in some circles severely os- tracized, and was by no means a popular character among the honest farmers of the community.
These honest hnt misguided people rejoiced over their privilege annually to vote down the hated school law which was about to insinuate itself into their midst, fraught with all its attendant evils. Who then can imagine their indignation when this was changed by act of Assembly of April 11, 1848? This act pro- vided that the " common school system from and after the passage of that act should be deemed held and taken to be adopted by the several school districts of the commonwealth."
When the passage of this law became generally known the neighborhood of Bowmansville was stirred into a ferment resembling that of Boston occasioned by the passage of the British Stamp Act of 1765. The citizens generally resented the enactment of this statute as a wanton invasion of their most sacred rights and the assumption by the Legislature of un- warranted powers. They protested that this law in- flicted a final and fatal stab on their cherished liberty to vote down the hated free school. They now spoke of American liberty as a thing of the past, and of the right to vote and the boasted privilege of the ballot as a mockery. The term "free schools" applied to
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the schools thus established by compulsory legislation was especially inveighed against as utterly inappropri- ate. These schools, forced on them by the tyranny of unjust legislation against their will, repeatedly ex- pressed at the ballot-box, ought to be designated " Zwing Schulen" ( forced schools). It was the almost unanimous opinion, honestly and conscientiously en- tertained, that it was their solemn duty to resist the execution of this iniquitous law by all the means in their power.
At this period there were five or six school-houses in the township to furnish accommodations for a popu- lation of thirteen hundred and sixty-six souls, accord- ing to the census of 1850. These buildings were mostly log cabins, rudely constructed, without furniture and without ventilation, excepting the pure air that clan- destinely intruded through the crevices of the un- plastered walls. They were generally situated in out of the way places along the wayside or at the cross-roads in the woods.
The most important school in the district, perhaps, was the one situated in Bowmansville, which village at that time contained as yet no hotel, but consisted of a store, containing the post-office, and three or four private dwellings. The neighborhood embraced the most densely populated and probably the wealthiest portion of the township. Ilere an attempt was made soon after the passage of the act of April 11, 1848, to put the school system into operation. A tax was laid by the school directors, but the opposition aroused by the proceeding was such that the idea of collecting the same was soon abandoned, and no further efforts in that direction were made in that year.
On April 7, 1849, an act of Assembly was passed for the regulation and continuance of a system of education by common schools, of which the eighth section provides that if all the members of any board of directors shall refuse or neglect to perform their duties by laying the tax required by law, and to put or keep the schools in operation so far as the means of the district will admit, the Court of Quarter Ses- sions of the proper county shall, upon complaint in writing by any six taxable citizens of the district and on due proof thereof, declare their seats vacant and appoint others in their stead until the next election. Under this provision of the law the school directors of Brecknock township were ousted from their offices upon the petition of several taxable citizens of said township, among whom Daniel Sensenig appeared at the head and front. This man had been born and raised in the adjoining township of Earl ; had in his earlier history been engaged as a teamster between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, at a time when railroads had not yet been heard of. He was a farmer, residing in Brecknock township. Above all others he felt in- terested in the establishment of the common schools in his adopted township, and he bent all his energies, regardless of opposition, to the successful accomplish- ment of his project.
When the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, at their sessions in November, 1849, came to appoint a new board to fill the places made vacant by the re- moyal of the old delinquent directors, the name of Daniel Sensenig appeared at the head of the list. It was evidenteto him and his friends that he was encounter- ing the most violent opposition, but he did not shrink from the assumption of every responsibility connected with his darling project, and he at once set about or- ganizing the board and to employ teachers for the sev- eral schools in the district.
At this time a man named Frederick Leinbach was teaching school at Bowmansville under the old system. This man's principal fitness for the business of teaching consisted in his utter unfitness for anything else. Hewas a quiet, unoffending being, whose mental and physical weakness effectually put him under bonds to keep the peace with everybody. Being poor and incapable of earning his bread by manual labor, his friends thought it would be no disgrace for him to " keep school." So the thing was all properly arranged, and Frederick was duly installed as schoolmaster, and was now ac- tually swaying the pedagogical sceptre with all the awful dignity of his august calling, when Mr. Sense- nig and his colleagues were engaged in employing teachers under the new system for the several schools of Brecknock district.
A young man named Samuel L. Herts was appointed teacher for the Bowmansville school. He was the son of a clergyman of the German Reformed Church, who was at that time, and had been for years, the pastor of several congregations in the neighborhood, including Muddy Creek and Centre Churches. It required a good deal of tact to install the new incum- bent. Mr. Sensenig tried soft words and persuasion, and, to the surprise and chagrin of Leinbach's friends, he vacated the school-house and young Hertz took possession. Before the anti-school men were fairly aware of the state of affairs the free school had been inaugurated in Bowmansville, and, what seemed strange, the number of pupils in attendance was, under the circumstances, quite creditable.
But now the revolt commenced. As the lowering thunder-clouds gather on the distant horizon and spread their ominous masses over the darkened sky, ready to discharge their angry bolts, so the storm of popular indignation gathered over the village of Bow- mansville, which was destined to break on its devoted head on the 8th of January, 1850, which day, by some strange coincidence, happened to be the anni- versary of the famous battle of New Orleans. On that day there was a general gathering of the anti- school men in Bowmansville. On every face sat ex- citement and anger. At first, as the neighbors as- sembled, they formed themselves into groups lor earnest discussion. In the mean time several of the few school men of the neighborhood also arrived. Towards noon the anti-school men made a rush to- wards the school-house and several entered it. Somt
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altercation between the two hostile parties ensued. Blows were threatened, if none were actually struck. The children, affrighted, fled from the school-house. The teacher was ejected, and the anti-school men locked the door, took possession of the key, and re- treated, claiming to have achieved a complete vie- tory over Mr. Sensenig and his friends, But the school men, and especially Mr. Sen-enig, were not dismayed in their effort, to establish the schools. Criminal prosecutions were promptly instituted against the rioters, as they were now generally termed, and after a hearing before John S. Stager, Esq., of New Holland, they were all bound over to appear at the approaching January term of the Court of Quarter Sessions, to be held in Lancaster, to an- swer the charge brought against them.
When court day emine, Brecknock township sent a larger delegation to the criminal court of the county than had ever been witnessed before or since that time. The day was inelement, with snow and sleet overhead and frozen snow and ice under foot. The defendants, to a man, made their way-a distance of over twenty miles-on foot. Among them were some of the sires and grandsires of the neighborhood. Most of the school men of the vicinity were sub- pænaed as witnesses on the part of the common- wealth. These traveled in carriages. On the road the carriages overtook the pedestrians, and the meet- ing was said to have been neither cordial nor pleas- ant. Arrived at Lancaster they all attended court. The first day of the criminal court week was spent in the usual routine of constables' returns and other current business. When the shades of evening de- scended on Lancaster City most of the rioters, never accustomed to be away from home, and some of whom had never before been in the county-seat, ardently longed to return to their homes and families. They were informed, however, that they could not depart until they had been tried for the charge which had been brought against them. With heavy hearts and longing desires for their far-away homes in Breck- nock, they retired to their lodgings, no doubt heartily tired of their situation. They, however, held out until Wednesday, when negotiations were opened with Mr. Sensenig which eventually resulted in a settle- ment of the prosecution. The defendants agreed to pay all the costs, and promised to properly conduct themselves in the future, and especially to obey the school laws, and not to show malice or ill will against any one on account of the recent unpleasantness in school matters.
But these promises were much easier made than kept. It is seldom that a more bitter and implacable resentment is cherished by any man or set of men than by these baffled anti-school men. Not only were those who had actually taken part against them in the late troubles relentlessly- proscribed and ostra- cized in business and social intercourse, but also others who, ou account of their social position or known lit-
erary tastes, were suspected of sympathizing with the cause of education were made to suffer their hate and vengeance.
There were, besides Mr. Sensenig, especially two objects of their spleen that deserve notice. These were Sanftel Bowman, Esq., the original founder of the village, who was then postmaster and engaged in the mercantile business at that place, and Rev. Daniel Hertz, the father of the young school-teacher who had been mobbed and expelled on the day of the famous riot. There was not a particle of proof of any kind that these venerable and respectable gentlemen had done, or even said, anything as partisans in the cause of free schools. Nor was it pretended that they had been aiding or even counseling the late prosecutions against them. But by some intuitive instinet they thought these men must sympathize with the cause of education, and to be suspected of such an enormity was for them sufficient cause to resort to harsh meas- ures. Many families residing in the immediate neigh- borhood of Bowmansville that had been accustomed for a series of long years to trade off their farm pro- duce for store-goods in their own village now passed that store, to deal with other merchants miles away. Some of these same persons were members of the churches of whom Rev. Hertz was pastor, and these raised or strenuonsly tried to raise dissensions and destroy the peace in these congregations. And Daniel Sensenig, who belonged to the Mennonite communion, had to suffer the application of their strict discipline, which positively forbids the invocation of the strong arm of the municipal law in the vindication of public or private rights.
Among the rioters who assembled in Bowmansville on that memorable 8th of January, 1850, was a char- acter that stood forth in prominent and bold relief. His conduct on that day had attracted the attention of some of the citizens, who had dubbed him " the general" or "commander-in-chief." This man was Elias Leinbach, the father of Frederick, the school- master. He was now far advanced in years, well known in the neighborhood as a skillful brushmaker and repairer of clocks. But he was still more famous as a believer in witches and hobgoblins and as one who frequently dug after concealed buried treasures. Ile, as a champion of his son, the schoolmaster, had become a violent and demonstrative anti-school par- tisan. He had also been indicted with the rest of the rioters, and had been among them when the proseen- tion was compromised, and his proportionate share of the costs had either been paid by him or by some of his friends for him. But as for him, he was unwilling to let the matter rest there. If the iniquitous free school system was to be introduced into Brecknock township, with a high hand and against the carnest opposition and protesty of its honest yeomanry,-if liberty was to be trampled into the dust by the iron hand of oppres- sion,-he, for one, at least would not stand idly by without seeking to be avenged on these presumptu-
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ous tyrants who thus wantonly assailed his dearest rights.
In taking a survey of the whole field of action he found no fitter subject for his vengeance than Daniel Sensenig. For the purpose of finding the proper method of proceeding eminent legal counsel were con- sulted. It was determined that a suit against Mr. Sen- senig for malicious prosecution was the best means that could be adopted to obtain the desired end. Whether the experienced counsel he employed really believed that he could recover damages in the case is, of course, impossible to tell. At this distance of time, in passing judgment on that point, great allowance should be made for the intense feeling that existed at that period. But, be that as it may, the suit was brought, and on the 12th day of February, 1851, the summons was issued and the writ duly served ou the defendant.
Subsequently a rule was taken by the plaintiff to have arbitrators chosen to whom the controversy should be referred, and on the 20th of June, 1851, the parties and their attorneys appeared in the pro- thonotary's office at Lancaster, and chose David Wit- mer, Christian Hoffman, Jr., and John Styer arbi- trators, and the time and place of meeting were fixed in the village of New Holland, on Thursday, the 7th day of August, 1851, at one o'clock P.M.
This suit attracted almost as much attention as the original prosecution of the rioters. Numbers of wit- nesses on both sides were in attendance. Besides the parties, arbitrators, counsel, and witnesses, there were crowds of excited spectators. The witnesses on the side of the plaintiff were ready and willing to testify, and under cross-examination attempted to be imper- tinent and witty. The result was, as is almost inva- riably the case under similar circumstances, that the tact and experience of the trained advocate proves an overmatch for the witness, and turns the laugh of the crowd against the pseudo wit. This was especially the fate of one of plaintiff's witnesses, who made up by a superabundance of pluck what he lacked in stature. On account of his diminutive size, he was by the counsel for the defendant called the " Bantam- cock," an appellation that was remembered by some of the spectators as long as he lived.
At last the evidence was closed, the counsel pro- ceeded to argue the case before the arbitrators, and then submitted it to their decision. The arbitrators came from the retirement of their room, where they had been secluded during their consultations, and announced their award to be " No cause for action." This report was duly filed in the prothonotary's office at Lancaster on the 8th day of August, 1851.
It might perhaps be expected that with this last scene in this "strange, eventful history" the curtain should finally drop, and the tale should end here. But there was still another act to follow, and when the curtain rises again we behold the chief executive officer of the court in hot pursuit of the venerable
form of Elias Leinbach, the plaintiff in the late suit, with a capias ud satisfaciendum for the costs incurred in the action which had just been determined.
The poor old man now experienced the glorious uncertainty of the law. He had instituted this legal proceeding with the object of being revenged on Daniel Sensenig, and now -could he trust his senses ?- here were the stern officers of the law in- exorably demanding from him a sum of money quite beyond his pecuniary ability to pay, and in default of payment threatened to quarter him in limbo. Were these the sweet waters he had hoped to drink from the cup of revenge and retaliation? Had he really dug a pit and fallen into it? But these reflec- tions were interrupted by the rude arrest made by | the sheriff, who started him on his way for a second involuntary trip to Lancaster. Arrived there, he has- tened to consult his counsel, who at once applied to the Court of Common Pleas for the benefit of the in- solvent laws of the State. His sons did not forsake their old and distressed father in his extremity, but procured for him the necessary sureties. His bond was then filed for his release under the insolvent laws, and he was set at liberty. After having in this manner regained his freedom, he proceeded on his way homeward, a wiser though probably a sadder man than he had been previous to his experience in the glorious uncertainty of the law.
Highly discreditable as the events just detailed appear in the light of present surroundings, it is gratifying to every true friend of popular education that a radical change for the better has since been effected, and that a new era of marked improvement, not only in education but also in agriculture and general prosperity, dates from these days of strife and commotion in Brecknock.
By reference to the reports of the county super- intendent it appears that in 1858 the number of school-houses had increased to seven, and the total receipts for school purposes were fourteen hundred and fifty-two dollars and ninety-five cents. These figures in 1880 had increased to nine school-houses, and total receipts to five thousand one hundred and seven dollars and nineteen eents, of which sum, how- ever, a large portion was used for the erection of new school-houses. This process of building has been carried on till all the old school-houses have been replaced by substantial structures built of sandstone, of which large supplies are nearly everywhere at hand.
At the present time not only the school-houses, with their furniture and apparatus, will bear a favor- able comparison with those of other districts which heretofore were generally considered as more ad- vanced, but some of the young men and women of this township, embracing probably lineal descendants of the rioters of 1850, are engaged in the laudable employment of instructing the youths of the district according to the most approved methods of modern
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times. At the annual examinations the native teach- ers of the district exhibit abundant proof of their mental eapacity, their industry and ereditable ac- quirements.
A few of her youths have even aspired to higher education than what the common schools afford. While some have creditably mastered the mysteries of medical science and the healing art, another has lately graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with the highest honors at the head of his elass.
Nor has the progress of the township in material prosperity been less rapid or marked. Farms whose fields were once exhausted and sterile have been vastly improved, and their barns, though capacious, often prove too contracted to contain their prolific produce. The improvements in the methods of agri- culture hold even pace with the general advance- ment. All the modern labor-saving machines and approved implements of agriculture are now found in use among the farmers of this district.
The improved condition of the roads will strike every traveler. Thirty years ago the roads were mostly deep ravines, rudely plowed with ruts. At other places the weary wayfarer had to climb over huge rocks of sandstone or iron bowlders. All this is changed. Well-formed drains on either side of the road now protect them against the formation of ruts, Rocks and stones have been removed from the road-beds, while large quantities of small sand- stone, gathered by cleaning the fields, have been hauled on the roads, and long distances of excellent turnpikes have thus been constructed.
The justices of the peace who held jurisdiction over this township from 1777 to 1840 will be found in the civil list of the county in Distriet No. 5, of which it composed a part with Caernarvon. It was also a part of District No. 6, with Cocalico.
The names of the justices who served from 1840' to the present time are here given :
Jacob Stiner, April 14, 1840.
Abralının Bixler, Aqui! 14, 1840.
Andrew Shrimp, April 9, 1844
John B. Good, April 13, 1847, to April 13, 1852.
Henry S. Michael, April 13, 1852. John B Good, April 14, 1857. William Vaneida, April 14, 1857. Henry B. Becker, May 3, 1859.
William Vaneida, April 15, 1862. HI B. Becker, April 12, 1864 Heury E Shrimp, April, 1867. Reuben Shuber, April, 1869. H. B. Becker, April, 1870.
S G. Seifiit, April, 1874
R. G. Shober, April, 1874, to 1879. S. G. Scifiit, April, 1880.
Bowmansville is situated in the valley formed by two branches of Muddy Creek, issuing from the rocky hills along the Berks County line, which form the water-shed between the Delaware and the Susque- hanna. The State road from Blue Ball to Reading here crosses the Reamstown and Plow Tavern road. The land on the south side of the latter road is part of the large traet surveyed in 1737 to Christian Good, embracing the mill a quarter of a mile to the south. On the other, on north side of the road, the soil is
part of the Ulrich Burkholder tract. On each of these tracts one-story log farm-houses were erected at an early date, both near the site of the village, that on the Good tract really within its borders. About 1794 the Mennonites, forming the principal part of the surrounding population, built a sandstone meeting-house on the southwest corner of the cross- roads, near the last-mentioned farm-house. At this time what few store goods the people needed were supplied either from Reading, twelve miles to the northeast, or from Adamstown, four miles northwest from this place. No nearer store was in existence then.
Samuel Bowman, Esq., after whom the place was named, was born Dec. 1, 1789. He was a lineal de- seendant of Wendell Bowman, who about 1707 im- migrated to Germantown and thence to Laneaster County. One of his descendants, named Christian, settled in the Allegheny Valley, now Berks County, four miles east from Bowmansville, where in 1749 he built a log house which is still standing. Young Samuel by industry and perseverance acquired a re- speetable education, As a young man he had for several winters taught school in the Mennonite mneet- ing-house and other places in the neighborhood. In 1820 he built the large two-story sandstone dwelling and store-house still standing on the southeast corner of the eross-roads, and commenced the business of country store-keeper, surveyor, and conveyaneer. He prospered in business, and, being skillful as a sur- veyor and serivener, was appointed a justice of the peace. He accepted his commission solely for the purpose of taking acknowledgments of the many deeds of conveyance and other instruments of writing he prepared. On the 1st of April, the general settle- ment day, his store was crowded. . Deeds were exe- cuted and delivered, the purchase money eounted and paid over, and the settlements of the surrounding neighborhood were made there.
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