History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 135

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 135

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Another of the early settlers was Michael Shäffer, who took by warrant, a large tract of land lying west of what had been Millerstown. We find that upon the 27th day of August, 1839, one hundred and ninety Palatines came to Ameri- ca by the ship "Betsy," Richard Buden com- mander. Among these was George Friederich Schäffer, the father of Michael. Michael Shaffer built a massive stone dwelling upon the site of the present brick building later occupied by James

Shäffer, his great-grandson. He and his wife wife there lived to a ripe old age, surrounded by their children and grand children. His wife died at the age of ninety-eight.

His son, Jacob, was married and lived with his parents on the above-mentioned farm. He was twenty-six years of age at the time of the "Fries' Rebellion," 1798, and took an active part in the opposition to the "house tax," maintaining that the said tax was illegal. When the government officers came to Millerstown he hurried home, saddled his horse, filled his saddle-bags with pro- visions, and fled to South Mountain, which was not inhabited at that time. Soon after his flight the soldiers surrounded his house and made vio- lent demonstrations, demanding his surrender. When they were informed that he was not about they became furious, and entered the house to make a thorough search. They went into the bed- rooms and ran their sabers through the bedclothes, to satisfy themselves that he was not concealed therein. The only room of the house that they did not enter was one in which Jacob's young wife was at that very time giving birth to a child. When they failed to find him in the house they went into the barn, where they stuck their sabres into the hay and straw in the vain endeavor to ferret out his hiding-place. They now caught the boy who was employed upon the farm, whom they tried to persuade to disclose his master's whereabouts. He persisted that he did not know. They thinking, however, that he knew, procured a rope, one end of which was passed around his neck, while the other end was thrown over a rafter in the barn. They now proceeded to pull him off his feet, letting him down again before life was extinct. They kept this up for some time, but as his answer was invariably the same, they finally gave him his freedom, and, after feeding their horses from the provender they found in the barn, they took their departure.

After remaining in the mountains for several days, Jacob found his provisions giving out, and not daring to return home, he went to Trexler- town, to the hotel then kept by William Haines, now occupied by Philip Moatz. Here they tried to persuade him to remain, but he, fearing lest some one might have seen him enter the house, got a bag of provisions and left; and fortunate it was for him that he did so, for in a short time after his departure the hotel was surrounded by the soldiers, who were eager for his capture. Jacob that same night rode to Maxatawny, where he remained with his uncle, Jacob Hawk, until the danger had subsided, when he returned to his family and his friends. George Shäffer, a brother of Jacob, lived in the old stone house at Macungie where Mrs. Schulze and her daughter

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resided. David, another brother, was taken pris- oner during the "Fries' Rebellion," and died while held by the Tories at Norristown. He had also been a resident of Millerstown, where he left a wife and two children. His widow was afterwards married to a man named Miller, re- siding at the same place, and lived to be a very old woman. Many of Macungie's old citizens remember her under the name of "Granny Mil- ler."

Jacob Shaffer was a colonel in the war of 1812. He died in 1831, at the age of fifty-nine. He had a family of eight children,-four sons and four daughters. His son, George, was a retired farm- er, who died on April 23, 1881, at the age of sev- enty-seven years. One of George's daughters was married to David L. Barner. His other daughter was married to Meno Weiler, of Reading.

John, another son, bought the farm of his father, Jacob, whereon he resided until the time of his death, on Jan. 16, 1882, at the age of seventy-two years. He was married to Hannah Trexler.

His son, James, had bought the homestead, where he resided with his family of six children until he moved to Allentown.

Jacob, a son of John Shaffer, is married, and lived at Fleetwood, where he was station-agent for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad.

Willoughby was a bachelor, residing with his mother at Macungie, while Anna, the only daugh- ter of John, married Dr. S. R. Rittenhouse, of Reading.

Charles Shäffer, a son of Jacob, Sr., attained a ripe old age.

Jacob's daughter, Elizabeth, was married to John Lichtenwallner, of Fogelsville. When a widow, she resided at Allentown. In the same city also resided her sister, Lydia, also a widow, who has been twice married. Her first husband was Jonathan Beidler, her second, William Good.

Christian Ruth, who came to America about 1760, in 1764 secured a warrant for a large tract of land near Lehigh Church. A part of the or- iginal tract is at present in the possession of the Peter Ruth estate, whereon resides the widow of Peter, together with her son, Frank, and daughter, Mary. A large portion of said original tract had been sold by Mr. Ruth to Daniel Schmeier, who, by will, bequeathed the same to his son, Solomon.

George Ruth, a son of Henry and Sarah A. (Schmeyer) Ruth, is a descendant of aforemen- tioned Christian, residing at the Lehigh Church.

Adam Desh, who came from Wurtemberg, Germany, settled upon a large tract of land, lying along the South Mountain, about two miles south of Macungie. The patent for same bears date,

Sept. 23, 1788. In 1793, he bought an adjoining tract of 179 acres from Conrad and Hannah Haas. He and his wife, Gertrude, had a family of six children-Jacob, Philip, Catharine, married to Melcher Baer, Elizabeth, married to John Stahl, Mary, married to Christian Reinert, and Sallie, married to Frederick Gaumer. Philip had been taken prisoner by the Tories in 1798, and died whilst a prisoner at Norristown. Jacob was married to Elizabeth Bauer, residing on the old homestead. Jacob and his wife reared a family of seven children: George, Daniel, John, Jacob, Charles, Maria, and Catherine.

Another pioneer settler is represented by the . Butz's. The ancestor, John Butz, came to America about 1737, and resided near or at Phila- delphia, where he died. His son, Peter, in Feb- ruary, 1761, bought a farm of 212 acres, located in Lower Macungie township, from Catherine, widow of Joseph Albrecht and moved his family thereon. This farm is situated in what is known as the "Butz's Gass" and some of Peter Butz's descendants reside in the immediate vicinity to the present day.

Peter left three sons-Samuel, who settled in Longswamp, Berks Co .; Peter who moved to the Cedar Creek, Lehigh county, where some of his descendants now reside, and John, who at his father's demise, bought the old homestead where- on he settled and lived to his death, Jan. 7, 1827.

Philip Lauer, settled upon a tract of 47 acres of land, which he bought April 10, 1810, from Nicholas Klein. This was a part of a farm of 180 acres, which was surveyed and warranted to Casper Blylor, April 29, 1746. It lies about a mile southeastward from the borough of Alburtis, and on it now resides, Mrs. Jonas Lauer with her son, Frank. On May 28, 1827, Philip obtained a patent thereon from the Commonwealth upon giving an indenture of mortgage thereon for the sum of $141.29. He had been a tailor by trade, was married to Elizabeth Wieand, of Montgom- ery county, by whom he had 12 children- George, Catherine, Peter, Jacob, Samuel, Henry, Daniel, Joseph, Judith, Jonas, Nathan and Sarah. Jonas resided in Ohio, Joseph at Philadelphia, Nathan in Mercer county, this state. Sarah, married to Ephraim Geary, lived in Berks county. Daniel bought the homestead from his father, and in August, 1841, he moved thereon. He was married to Sarah Schwartz, a daughter of Daniel Schwartz, of Upper Milford. He was, for a term of eight years, road supervisor of his town- ship, and served a term of three years as county commissioner. He was a prominent member of Lehigh Reformed Church, where he held from time to time, various offices. He died March 12, 1878, at the age of seventy-two. He had a family

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of four children-Eliza, married to George Desh, of Macungie, Caroline, married to Michael Mil- ler, of Topton; Franklin, who resides with his family in Iowa; and Jonas, who lived on the homestead, which he had bought from his father in 1875.

The original Christman came from Wurtem- berg, Germany, and settled near Sigmund's Fur- nace, close to the line of Berks County, where Phillip Christman was born. It is related that while Phillip's father was out in the field on a wagon loaded with hay, he met with an accident by which he lost his life. The horse coming to a gutter refused to cross, when, standing on the loaded wagon, he urged him with a hay-fork which he held in his hand. This caused the horse to take a sudden spring forward, and he was thrown from the wagon upon the fork, one of the prongs of which pierced his heart, resulting in his almost instant death. After this accident Phillip's mother was married to Francis Wesco, and moved a short distance north of the borough of Macungie.

Philip Christman was married and had nine children, six sons and three daughters. His son, John Henry, was born Feb. 3, 1777, in the house now owned by the Dr. Herbst estate, of Allen- town, and situated upon the mountain road lead- ing from Macungie to Alburtis. When John Henry was four weeks of age, his father moved with his family upon a farm in Berks county. When John was a young man he went to Mont- gomery county, where he became a miller. Soon afterwards he got married and moved to a mill in Berks county, near Sigmund's Furnace.

Later he moved upon a farm situated on the line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, in the township of Lower Macungie, midway be- tween Macungie and Alburtis. His son, Jonas, lived upon this farm until it was sold by the sheriff.

John Henry Christman reared a family of twelve children,-seven sons and five daughters, -Jacob, Henry, Jonas, Daniel, Nathan, Samuel, Ephraim, Polly, Susan, Rebecca, Sarah and Lydia.

Ephraim resided at Macungie. Jonas although at one time the possessor of a fine farm, had lost all, and occupied with his wife and son, a small tract of land in Lower Macungie.

Daniel a son of John Henry Christman, settled on the farm now owned by Nathan Gehman, where he died April, 1856, at the age of forty- five. Benneville, one of her sons, had been the constable of Macungie, where he was also en- gaged in the ice cream business. Daniel, another son, had a shoe-store in Macungie.

Rev. Jacob Van Buskirk, of Hollandish descent,

with his family settled upon a tract of land which he purchased from Peter Miller on the 19th day of November, 1784. This tract had been war- ranted on the 23d of July, the same year, and contained one hundred and fifty acres, less so much of it as had been cut up into lots upon which the village of Millerstown had been laid out. It was the same ground which is now oc- cupied by that portion of the borough of Macun- gie lying east of Church Street. He lived in a house which stood at the corner of Main Street and the road leading to the village of Centre- ville. His wife's maiden name was Hollenbach, with whom he lived until his death, when he was buried at North Wales, Pa. His wife was a sister to the great-grandmother of ex-Governor Hartranft, and is buried at the Lehigh Church, this township.

Rev. Van Buskirk preached at the Trappe, then Germantown; afterwards Lehigh Church, to- gether with Milford, Salsburg, visiting his con- gregations upon horseback. He paid a number of visits to the camp of Washington during the Revolutionary War. He built, and for a long time operated, the tannery, situated in Macungie, which was owned by his great-grandson, James Singmaster. He was an ardent supporter of Adams' administration, and in 1798, during the excitement of what was known as the "Fries' Rebellion," his life was attempted. While sitting in his house, surrounded by his family, a bullet was sent crashing through the window, but he luckily escaped injury. He was the only slave- holder in the township according to the Federal census. His family numbered three sons and four daughters.

His son George moved to Pottstown, where he practiced medicine. Jacob was an old bachelor, who, when a young man, went to York State, where for many years he kept a hotel and ac- cumulated considerable property. When he died his estate was left to go to ruin, and was never settled up nor taken possession of by any of his relatives. John, a third son, settled in Virginia, where he owned a large plantation and a large number of slaves. Later, however, he sold out and moved to Market Street, Philadelphia, where he kept one of the principal hotels of the city. He was married to a Miss Eckert, from Berks county, and had two sons, one a lawyer, at one time Secretary of State of Maryland, where he committed suicide.

INDUSTRIES .- Reference has already been made to the various grist and roller mills in the township, there remain comparatively few in- dustries to be referred to, inasmuch as the ma- jority are located in the boroughs of Macungie and Alburtis, which will be referred to under

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the article "Boroughs." On the farm of the late Jonas Lauer, there used to be a saw-mill, which had been operated to within the last few years. At Spring Creek is located a creamery, built by the Loux's over a score of years ago. At pres- ent it is known as the West Auburn Creamery Company, which corporation has ceased to make butter, instead shipping directly the cream and milk to Allentown.

Another extensive industry in days gone by was the mining of hematite iron-ore. Within a few years previous to the "financial crash" of 1874 very rich and valuable deposits of this ore had been discovered in the township. The min- ing fever seized the people. Leases were made, shafts sunk, and the hidden treasure sought after everywhere. Ore-washeries sprung up abun- dantly. Many a farm was partly laid to waste, but no one cared as long as the returns came in the shape of rich royalties. Let coming genera- tions gaze upon the unsightly holes in beautiful fields, and strive to bring the mud-dams back to a state, so as to reward the husbandman for his labor expended. The section, known as the "Flats," situated eastward from East Texas was especially devoted to this mining fever. About a score of washeries were located in the space of a couple of city-blocks. The region had been originally covered with scrub-oak. A number of people had been making their livelihood by grub- bing the same by the day, and thus getting the land in shape for agriculture. These had been lamenting that the days of their livelihood would soon be undone, when the discovery of the ore, opened up the "golden-age" for them. However, now one can traverse the township from one end to the other, and scarcely anywhere even find the abandoned ruins of what were once active wash- eries. A goodly portion of the land has been re- claimed for agriculture, nevertheless many an acre will lie barren, because the expense of re- claiming would be almost unwarranted. At present it can be said that the principal industry of the township is that of agriculture.

RAILROADS AND TROLLEYS .- The East Penn branch of the Philadelphia and Reading traver- ses the entire length of the township. At Al- burtis, this connects with the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad, which at present is leased and operated by the Philadelphia and Reading Company. The traffic on these roads is steadily growing, and it had reached such an extent, neces- sitating the double-tracking of the East Penn Branch, a couple of years ago.

There are two trolley lines operating through the township, the Lehigh Valley Traction Com- pany, whose lines extend as far as Macungie, and the Allentown and Kutztown Traction Com-

pany, affording direct egress from Allentown to Reading.

VILLAGES.

EAST MACUNGIE (CENTREVILLE) .- This vil- lage lies very close to the borough of Macungie, and is often referred to as East Millerstown or East Macungie. Its history is identical with that of Macungie, where all its mail matter is di- rected, as it has no post-office of its own. The oldest house in the town is its only hotel, which was kept by George Gorr, at which time Andy Mohr lived in a house on the corner of the street across the way.

The people of Centreville (now East Macun- gie) Union School District pride themselves that they have the advantage over most country school districts in that they have from 9 to 10 months school every year. Every child of school age, living in a radius of 2 miles, is entitled to at- tend school free of charge, hence the name of Centreville.

On Aug. 21, 1790, John Wetzel and his wife, Jane, donated three acres of land for the purpose of a common and united Lutheran and Reformed school house, for the use and benefit of teaching, instructing and the learning of the youth, etc. The deed conveying the same to the trustees, and the witnessess to the same were acknowledged before Ludwig Stahler, one of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the said county of Northampton. Daniel Good and Isaac Jarret being named as the first trustees, and they at once began to erect a log school house on this land and named it the "Gorr School."

The logs for the building were furnished by Rev. Jacob Van Buskirk, of Millerstown (Ma- cungie) ; the other expenses were borne by the neighbors. The building was made into two apartments, one for an English, the other for a German school. The loft of it was used by the neighbors for smoking meat.

In 1841 the log school house was torn down, and was replaced by one of stone, which was used for school purposes until 1871, when an arrange- ment was made with the school directors of Low- er Macungie township, by the trustees, by which they took charge of the old stone school house, and bore the expense of laying the foundations for a new school upon said trust property.

Upon this foundation the school directors built a brick school building, and in 1878, made an ad- dition to it, two apartments, one for a primary and the other for a secondary school, which are now opened during the winter months.

In Jan., 1868, permission was granted to the trustees to sell part of this trust property on

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ground rent reservations, the interest to be paid annually by order of the court.

In consequence of said permission, so much thereof as had not been appropriated by the school directors of the township, was sold at public sale. The annual receipts thereof amounted to $100.00, which is spent for summer school in addition to what the regular winter term affords.

Later the ground rent reservation was modi- fied, by decree of the court, that all those who wished could pay for their lots for cash, and receive a clear title to them. Therefore the fol- lowing parties took advantage of this offer: P. & R. Railway Company, Fred J. Huber, Sr., George Knauss (now owned by Robert McClel- lan), Henry Eisenhard (now owned by George Wieand), Mrs. Annie M. Hauser. The rest hold their property on ground rent reservation.

Formerly the trustees were chosen by the peo- ple of the district, but they are now appointed by the county court, to whom they must report, at stated times, the financial conditions of the said trust. The following were among the trus- tees: Daniel Good, Isaac Jarrett, John Sing- master, Levi Giering, James Gorr, Charles Fos- ter, Aquilla Knauss, Benjamin Jarrett, Joseph Gaumer, C. A. Jarrett, William Dankel, W. C. M. Wickert and Laudon. The last two named are the present trustees.

The old stone school house was sold to John Huber, who is the present owner, and resides in it.

Among the teachers who taught this school since 1790, were the following: Mr. Grim, Philip Numbauer, Mr. Howe, John Figoda, John Van Buskirk, Charles Mohr, Mr. Miner, Mr. Brush, Mr. Gibbons, Jonas Miller, Jonas Gorr, Miss Eliza Roedler, O. J. Knauss, George Wim- mer, H. W. Stephens, Miss Sadie C. Gorr, Mark Wickert, Milton Ritter, John W. Schantz, James T. Hauser, Miss Katie Faust and Charles Dankel, the present teacher.

Among the representative men, who received their early education, were Joseph Gaumer, John Singmaster, Joseph Borltz, James Christman, John Maddern, Benjamin Jarrett, Jonas Wescoe and others.

The indenture, conveying the property to the trustees, is an instrument fraught with more than ordinary interest, and follows in full :

"This Indenture, made the twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety, and in the American Independence the Fourteenth, Between John Wetzel, of Macungie township, in the county of Northampton and Commonwealth of Pennsyl- vania, Esquire, and Jane, his wife, of the one part, and Daniel Good, of Upper Milford town-

ship, in the said county of Northampton, and Isaac Jarrett, of the said township of Macungie, both trustees, of the other part,

"Witnesseth, that the said John Wetzel and Jane, his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of Twenty Shillings in Specie, to them in hand well and truly paid by them, the said Daniel Good and Isaac Jarrett, at and before the en- sealing and delivery hereof, the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge, and thereof acquit and forever discharge the said Daniel Good and Isaac Jarrett, their heirs, executors, administra- tors, and assigns, and successor or successors, by these presents have granted, bargained, sold, re- leased, and confirmed, and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, release, and confirm unto them the said Daniel Good and Isaac Jarrett, as trustees, to their heirs and assigns, their suc- cesssor or successors, to and for the sole purpose of building, erecting, and holding a common and united Lutheran and Reformed house of school- ing, and to keep the instructions for the youth, &c., therein, All that certain lot, piece, or parcel of ground situate, lying, and being in the said township of Macungie, Beginning at a stone corner, in a line of land of Edward Jarrett; thence by same north fifty-eight perches to a white oak sapling; thence by the said John Wetz- el's land, and partly a public road, south thirty- six degrees and a half, east twenty-two perches and a half to a stone, south twenty-five degrees, east seventeen perches to a stone, and south forty degrees, west thirty-two perches, to the place of Beginning, Containing three acres, one hundred and nineteen perches of land, and the allowance of six per cent. for roads, etc. It being a part of a certain tract of land of about sixty-three acres, which the Honourable, the Supreme Execu- tive Council, of the said Commonwealth, by pat- ent of the fourteenth day of June, A. D. 1783, under the hand of His Excellency John Dicken- son, Esquire, President of the said Supreme Ex- ecutive Council, and the great seal of the said Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; for the con- sideration therein mentioned, granted, and con- firmed unto the said John Wetzel in fee, under the reservation of the fifth part of all gold and silver ore for the use of the said Commonwealth, to be delivered at the pit's mouth clear of all charges.

"As in and by the said recited patent, enrolled in the Rolls offices at Philadelphia, in patent book No. 2, page 39, more at large will appear.

"Together also with, all and singular, the buildings and improvements, ways, woods, wat- ers, water-courses, rights, liberties, privileges, hereditaments, and appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging, or in any wise appertain-

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ing, and the reversions and remainders, rents, is- sues, and profits thereof, and all the estate, right, titles, interest, use, possession, property, claim, and demand whatsoever, both in law and equity, or otherwise, howsoever, of them, the said John Wetzel and Jane, his wife, of, in, and to the same, and every part or parcel thereof, to have and to hold the said described lot or piece of three acres one hundred and nineteen perches of land, and the allowance, as aforesaid heredita- ments and premises hereby granted, or mentioned, or intended so to be, with the appurtenances unto the said Daniel Good and Isaac Jarrett, their successor or successors, their heirs and assigns, to the only proper use and behoof of the said Daniel Good and Isaac Jarrett, their successor or successors, their heirs and assigns, in fee forever. In trust, nevertheless, to and for the sole purpose of a common and united Lutheran and Reformed school-house, and a house for the use and benefit of teaching, instructing, and the learning of the youth, etc. And the said John Wetzel, for him and his heirs, doth covenant, grant, and agree to and with the said Daniel Good and Isaac Jarrett, as trustees, their successor or successors, their heirs and as- signs, that he, the said John Wetzel and his heirs, the said above described lot or piece of three acres one hundred and nineteen perches of ground, and the allowance as aforesaid, hereditaments and premises, hereby granted, or meant, or mentioned, or intended so to be, with the appurtenances unto the said Daniel Good and Isaac Jarrett, their successor or successors, their heirs and assigns, against him, the said John Wetzel, and his heirs, and against all and every other person or persons whomsoever lawfully claiming, or to claim by, from, or under him, them, or any of them in manner and form aforesaid, shall and will war- rant and forever defend by these presents.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 135

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158