USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 139
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Daniel Reinert.
David Spinner.
Michael Engelman.
John Ott.
Peter Reinert.
John Stadler.
John Fischer. Jacob Ott.
Peter Reichert.
George Stahl.
George Flores.
Jacob Reichenbach.
Andrew Riesser.
John Stahl.
Henry Flores.
Michael Reichenbach.
John Riesser.
Daniel Stahler.
George Hittel.
Lorenz Ruch.
Solomon Riesser.
David Stahler.
Philip Hittel.
George Rudolph.
William Riesser.
Henry Stahler.
John Rudolph.
John Smith.
Samuel Rinker.
Jacob Stahler.
Jacob Schaub. Stoffel Schubert.
John Strassberger.
John Roeder, Jr.
Nicholas Stahler, Sr.
Jacob Schuler.
David Trexler.
Samuel Roeder.
Nicholas Stahler, Jr. .
Christian Schwartz.
John Wieder.
Peter Schwartz.
Leonhard Wieder.
David Seibert.
Philip Zerfass.
David Rothenberger.
George Rothenberger.
Lorenz Stahler.
Abraham Stauffer.
George Rothenberger. Jacob Rothenberger.
Jacob Stauffer.
John Rothenberger.
Peter Standt.
Peter Rothenberger.
Adam Steininger.
David Rothrock. Jacob Rothrock.
Jacob Stephan
George Ruch.
Andrew Straszberger.
Michael Rudolph.
George Truckenmiller.
George Schaffer.
Adam Trump.
George Schaffer.
George Trump.
Peter Schaffer.
Baltzer Urffer.
Peter Schaffer.
David Urffer.
Abraham Schantz.
Michael Urffer.
Christian Schantz. Jacob Schantz.
Bernhard Vogele (Fegely).
John Schantz.
John Schantz. John Schaub.
George Vogt, Jr.
George Schell.
George Vogt, Sr.
John Wagner.
Andrew Schenkler.
John Wagner.
Adam Schiffert.
Jacob Walker.
John Schiffert.
Daniel Walter.
Ulrich Schitz (Schutz). John Schlotterer.
David Walter. Philip Walter.
Jacob Wieandt, Jr.
Henry Ortt.
Daniel Schwartz.
Henry Ott, Jr.
Daniel Schwartz.
Henry Ott, Sr.
Jacob Schwenck.
Widow Ott.
Jacob Seibert.
Samuel Paul.
Peter Sell.
George Reichenbach.
David Sicher.
Peter Diehl.
Casper Riesser.
Christian Stahler.
Henry Henry.
Adam Reinhard.
John Roeder, Sr.
Ludwig Stahler.
Friederich Romig.
Nicholas Stahler.
Adam Rothenberger.
Peter Stahler.
Philip Stahler.
Stoffel Seibert.
Prominent Early Citizens .- Many prominent men have lived in the townships of Upper and Lower Milford, and during their careers ex- erted a strong and guiding influence in the ag- ricultural, industrial, religious, educational, fi- nancial and political affairs of their extensive ter- ritory covering upwards of thirty square miles, which is worthy of notice in this historical com- pilation.
Ludwick (or Ludwig) Bitting, a farmer of Upper Milford, owned a farm of over 146 acres on the Hosensack Hill ( now Lower Mil- ford) from 1744 to 1771. He was elected to the State Legislature for Northampton county in 1758, 1759, and 1760.
Daniel Stahler was born in Upper Milford, March 31, 1781; established the first hotel in Dillingersville (then Stahler's) in 1812; was appointed the same year postmaster of the new postoffice (which was the first in Upper Mil-
John Ortt.
Baltzer Schultz.
Casper Wieder.
Jacob Schneider.
Christopher Weiss. Jacob Weiss.
John Wieandt. Jost Wieandt.
Widow Urffer.
Nicholaus Vogele.
Michael Schelly.
Adam Stephan.
Jonathan Stahl.
776
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ford), and he held the office until 1827; was elected Commissioner of Lehigh county in 1842 for one term; and died Aug. 31, 1854, aged 73 years, 5 months.
Lorenz Stahler, (brother of Daniel), was born in Upper Milford, April 18, 1779; was ap- pointed justice of the peace in 1812, and con- tinued in office until 1840, when he was elected under the new law for one term of five years; continued in office 33 years, until 1845; died Aug. 15, 1854, aged 75 years, 3 months, 27 days.
Joshua Stahler, (son of Lorenz), was born Oct. 2, 1814, in Upper Milford ; was elected jus- tice of the peace in 1845, and re-elected in 1850; elected Register of Wills for Lehigh county in 1851 ; elected coroner in 1855 ; elected associate judge in 1856; and re-elected in 1861.
David Gehman was born in Hereford town- ship, Berks county on Aug. 26, 1802, removed to the Hosensack Valley in 1828, when he pur- chased from George Kline, Jr., a tract of land, on which he established a country store, and conducted it for a number of years until 1860. In 1841 a new postoffice, by the name of Hosen- sack, was established and Gehman was appoint- ed postmaster, and he filled the position for twelve years. In 1861 he was re-appointed and after serving eleven years he resigned. In 1873 removed to Quakertown, Bucks county, where he died March 5, 1881, aged 78 years, 6 months, 9 days. He left two daughters: Mrs. Charles Schoenly and Mrs. John Brunner.
Samuel Moyer, a tanner in Upper Milford (at what is now Burkhalter's tannery, in Lower Milford), was elected to the State Legislature for one term in 1826.
Charles W. Wieand was born March 13, 1809, at Zionsville, where for several years he carried on the business of store-keeper and deal- ing in tombstones; then purchased the farm of his father, David Wieand; was appointed in 1831 justice of the peace of Upper Milford, and in 1840 was elected for a term of five years. He also served as a surveyor. By his influence a new postoffice was established at Zionsville, in 1849, and he was appointed postmaster for four years. In 1866, he purchased the Mensch mill property from John B. Gehman. In 1876, he removed to East Greenville, Montgomery county, where he assisted his son, Rev. C. J. Wie- and, in establishing the Perkiomen Seminary.
Frederick Sigmund, ironmaster, was born in Würtemburg, Germany, on March 31, 1809, and came as a boy to this country; purchased (1850) Hampton Furnace, in Upper Milford, and conducted the same very successfully until his death. He was also a number of years sec-
retary of the Board of Common Schools of Up- per Milford, and died June 25, 1860, aged 53 years, 2 months, 25 days.
Henry M. Sigmund (eldest son of Frederick Sigmund, ironmaster), was born in Upper Mil- ford, June 25, 1836. Upon his father's death he and his brother, Dr. Albert M. Sigmund, be- came the owners of the Hampton Furnace, which they carried on for nearly seven years, when it was discontinued and sold to Peter Faust. He died Aug. 10, 1876, aged 40 years.
Samuel Stauffer (son of Abraham Stauffer), was born in 1811, in what is now Lower Mil- ford, at Kraussdale; obtained his first education in the schools of his neighborhood ; was employed for several terms as a teacher; served several terms as school director of Upper Milford (be- fore the division) and several years as secretary of the school board; was elected in 1853 as the first justice of the peace of Lower Milford for five years, and four times re-elected, serving in all 20 years ; was appointed notary public in De- cember, 1882; and with his son, Henry, as a partner, he assisted in carrying on a farm, grist- mill and saw mill.
Charles Foster (a son of John Thomas Foster, of Philadelphia), was born in that city on March 24, 1801. His father and mother died when he was only three years old, and he was adopted and educated by Jacob Frey, of Montgomery county. He became a blacksmith, settled in Upper Milford, and in 1825 married Magdalina Fischer, daughter of John Fischer. The same year he purchased Fischer's Hotel, which he con- ducted for over thirty years, and during this time he was also a progressive farmer. In 1838 he was elected to the State Legislature ; elected com- missioner of Lehigh county in 1844 for three years; elected county auditor in 1859 for three years, and served as a school director of Upper Milford for eighteen years. He died in Upper Milford on July 6, 1875, aged over seventy-four years.
Jacob Schwenck, a farmer and carpenter and joiner, of Lower Milford (then Upper Milford), was elected commissioner of Lehigh county in 1832 for one term of three years; died in 1838.
John Yeakel, was born Nov. 15, 1774, in Lower Milford (then Upper Milford) ; was elected one of the first county commissioners of Lehigh county for two years (1812-'14). In 1816 he was re-elected for a second term of three years, and in 1819 for a third term of three years. He became the proprietor of the hotel at Hosensack in 1820, and conducted the place until he died, March 17, 1825.
Willoughby Gabel was born in 1810; for a number of years was a successful storekeeper
777
UPPER MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
and farmer of Lower Milford (then Upper Mil- ford) ; was elected justice of the peace in 1845, and re-elected in 1850 and 1855; served as county commissioner of Lehigh county from 1862 to 1865. He served as one of the first school directors of Upper Milford, after the acceptance of the common-school law in 1844 by the town- ship, and officiated as president of the school board.
Michael H. Albright, Esq., born Jan. 19, 18II, settled in his early boyhood with his mother in Lower Milford (then Upper Milford). He served as a justice of the peace of Lower Milford for thirteen years (1860-'73), and over ten years as school director of the same township. During this time he was one of its most promi- nent citizens and as such widely known through- out the county. He taught school for a number of years in the township. He moved in 1873 to Allentown, and died in 1892, aged 81 years.
George K. Carl, born June 28, 1828, was elected assessor of Lower Milford in 1854, and re- elected for twelve terms, and was elected, No- vember, 1881, county commissioner of Lehigh county for one term of three years.
Edwin Albright (son of Michael H. Al- bright), was born Nov. 28, 1838, in Lower Mil- Ford (then Upper Milford), received his early education in the school of his father; went to Allentown in 1860, studied law, and became a prominent attorney. He served as solicitor under Sheriff Herman Fetter from 1862 to 1865; as district attorney from 1866 to 1869; as State Senator from 1871 to 1877; and as president judge of Lehigh county from 1878 for 24 years until his decease on Dec. 13, 1902, aged 64 years.
Philip Wetzel Flores, the first vice-president of the Lehigh County Historical Society, was found dead in the library connected with his home at Dillingersville, February 24th, 1908. He was stricken with apoplexy during the night. Mr. Flores was descended from Michael Flores, who emigrated from Wittemberg, Germany, about 1740, settling in the neighborhood of Dillingers- ville, where he was a farmer and blacksmith, and obtained a large tract of land. His son, John Michael Flores, was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War. The latter's son, Peter, who died October 1, 1865, was the father of Philip W. Flores, who was born at the old home- stead August 9, 1832. He was a farmer, kept the village store and was appointed postmaster on October 17, 1865, serving for a number of
years. In October, 1862, he enlisted in the 176th Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, was com- missioned Second Lieutenant of Company K, December 6, 1862, and was in service in Vir-
ginia, North Carolina and South Carolina for over ten months. He was honorably discharged August 18, 1863. Following this service he was Assistant Assessor of the United States Internal Revenue for Upper Saucon, Upper Milford and Lower Milford townships for two and a half years.
Mr. Flores was a very well read man and was especially proficient in local history. He devoted much time to studying and writing the history of the lower end of Lehigh county, especially of the Milfords, in which he was a recognized au- thority. He contributed historical articles to newspapers and magazines and was for forty years a correspondent for the Allentown Frie- densbote. He was the author of the history of Upper and Lower Milford Townships in the History of Lehigh and Carbon counties, pub- lished in 1884, and of several chapters in the "Skizzen aus dem Lecha Thale." He was one of the organizers of the Lehigh County Histori- cal Society, having been present at the time the organization was effected.
Mr. Flores left one son and three daughters. He was a member of the Reformed congregation at Zionsville, of E. B. Young Post, No. 87, G. A. R., of Allentown, of Coopersburg Lodge, No. 390, I. O. O. F. and of the Pennsylvania Ger- man Society. He was buried with military and Grand Army honors, February 29th, in the burial ground connected with the Zionsville Re- formed Church.
OLD ROADS .- By order of the proprietary government of Pennsylvania, there was in the month of August, 1735, surveyed and laid out a public road by the name of "The King's High Road," beginning in Macousin (Macungie) township, a short distance northwest of Breinigs- ville, on land of Peter Trexler; running through the present borough of Macungie and Upper Milford (then Bucks county) ; crossing the land of Derrick Jausen (Shimersville), Christian Crall (Zionsville), John Meyer, Dewalt Mech- lin, Henry Geber ( Hosensack), Peter Walber, Ulrich Rieszer, and Alexander Diefenderfer, crossing the county-line between Bucks and Philadelphia counties (now Montgomery
county) through Geryville into Gussenhopen (Goshenhoppen), to North Wales where it join- ed the road leading from Goshenhoppen to Phila- delphia. It was reported that this road was laid out 52 feet wide. This was the first public road within the limits of the present Lehigh county. The "Great Philadelphia Road," 25 feet wide, was laid out in 1755. It begins at the "King's Highway," on the line between the townships, and extends northwardly through Upper Mil-
778
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ford, Lower Macungie, Salisbury, South and North Whitehall, and Washington township to Slatington; and thence in later years extended over the Blue Mountains to Mauch Chunk.
The third public road (nearly as old) is the one leading from Emaus across the South Moun- tain in Upper Milford and the Chestnut Hill in Lower Milford, and thence into Bucks county.
The next historic road is that leading from Zi- onsville eastwardly across Upper Milford and Lower Milford, passing Dillingersville and the Great. Swamp Church; thence to Spinnerstown, in Bucks county. On this road, the first mail- route crossing Milford from Fogelsville to Trumbauersville was established in 1812.
ANCIENT MILESTONES .- There are three re- maining old milestones still standing along the "King's Highway" through this section of ter- ritory; two on the highway from Hosensack to Emaus (one of them in front of the "Buck-Horn Tavern" with the inscription very plain-1773, 43 M To P), and the other half a mile south of Vera Cruz still upright but in a damaged condition with no inscription; and the third on the highway from Old Zionsville to Macungie, at Shimersville, at the northwest corner of Llewellyn Shimer's barn with the inscription very plain-47 M to Ph'a & 41/8 M to G P (the G P meaning Goschenhoppen Pike at Treich- lersville, in Berks county).
47 × M to Phax
24"
4% M to
G . P.
18"
Another principal road leads from Zions- ville in Upper Milford to Hereford, in Berks county. A turnpike was constructed on its bed in 1853 by the Berks and Lehigh Turnpike Co
There are other prominent roads in the town- ship, those worthy of mention being from Hosen- sack, in Lower Milford, to Spinnerstown; from Dub's mill (now Schelly's) to Limeport; from Hosensack to Hereford; from Zionsville to Coopersburg; from Vera Cruz to Lanark ; from Shimersville to Emaus; and from Shimersville to Seisholtzville.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE .- The following elected officials served in the township from 1840 till its division in 1853:
Charles W. Wieand, Willoughby Gabel,
1840-'45 1845-'52
Lorenze Stahler, 1840-'45 Reuben Stahler, 1852-'53
Joshua Stahler, 1845-'53
[See respective Divisions for officials since 1853.]
POLLING PLACE .- The polling place of the township from the beginning until its division in 1853 was at Dillingersville.
779
UPPER MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR .- The first resident of Upper Milford to take an active part in the movement for the freedom of the colonies was Andrew Engelman, who was elected a member of the Committee of Observation for the county on Dec. 21, 1774. In the following Spring, in May, 1775, 26 companies of Associators were en- rolled in the county and the Upper Milford company of 64 men was commanded by Capt. Christian Fisher and Lieut. Philip Walter. On June 20, 1775, Jacob Miller and George Kreibel were appointed committee-men to assist Mr. Engelman. At the election on Sept. 27, 1775, Andrew Engelman was again elected committee- man, and in 1776 he was re-elected with Fred- erick Limbach. Limbach was appointed a jus- tice of the peace in 1777 and a judge of the courts in 1784. On March 30, 1780 he was ap- pointed a Sub-Lieutenant of the county and in 1783 was elected to the Assembly. He removed from the county in 1787.
In January, 1777, Capt. William Shaffer, of Colonel Geiger's Second Battalion, was in com- mand of the Upper Milford company of 73 men. In 1778, the muster roll of the Second Battalion, commanded by Colonel George Breinig, Lieut. Colonel Stephen Balliet, and Major Frederick Limbach, gives Capt. Peter Schuler in command of the third company, with Lieutenants Thomas Mechlin and James Derr and Ensign James Eberhard. Among the privates were John Ja- coby, Peter Dietz, John Youndt, Michael Eber- hard, Daniel Stauffer, John Shantz, Adam Rod- enberger John Dillinger, John Dubbs, Philip Eberhard, Joseph Eberhard, George Kline, Ma- thias Ochs, Jacob Dillinger, Jr., Peter Eberhard, Michael Derr, and Jacob Holtzhauser. In Capt. Christian Fisher's company were Ensign John Ord and Privates Peter Mayer, Conrad Neimeyer, Adam Engelman, Adam Deal, Henry Ott, John Neiss, George Wetzel, Michael Shaut, George Shaffer, John Schuler, John Landis, George Fetterman, Conrad Meyer, Peter Engelman, Jost Wentz, Nicholas and An- thony Stahler, Michael Fetterman, Nicholas Kline and Michael Bastian.
WAR OF 1812 .- In the English War of 1812- 15, the following men enlisted from Upper Mil- ford township :
Dr. C. F. Dickenshied, Henry Fegely.
(surgeon). Charles Ross.
Henry Flores. Jacob Krammes.
George Flores. John V. Buskirk.
George Schmoyer. Nicolaus Fegely.
Jacob Ortt.
CIVIL WAR .- Names of the men who served in Civil War with the 176th Reg't Penna. Militia
for ten months in Virginia, North and South Carolina: (* from Upper Milford; ** from Lower Milford.)
Capt., Geo. Neitz .** I Lt.,, Chas. H. Foster .* Privates. Jonathan H. Bickel .** 2 Lt., Philip W. Flores .** Franklin Flores .** David Gery .**
I Serg., Addison Sei- bert .**
3 Serg., John G. Rosen- berg .*
4 Serg., Charles Heil .**
5 Serg., Wm. H. Wie- and .*
2 Corp., Wm. M. Roe- der .**
3 Corp., John F. Fegely .*
4 Corp., Willoughby Sandt .*
6 Corp., Henry Bauer .* Drummer, Michael
Daniel Heinbach .* Wm. H. Schiffert. Martin Ackerman. John Brecht .** William Dony .* Wm. Ettinger .** David Fischer .* Solomon Hallman .* Joseph Kuhns .* Gottlieb Pflueger .** Lewis Reinhold .*
Sam'l Rothenberger .** William Sicher .*
Nuss .*
Three year men in the Civil War:
UPPER MILFORD.
427th Regt. 104th Regt.
Solomon Wieder.
William Schlicher.
David Wieder. Jacob Diehl.
Daniel Hittel. Edwin Diehl. John Lynn.
LOWER MILFORD.
Solomon Hillegass.
Milton Engleman.
Levinas Hillegass. Reuben M. Schaffer.
Charles Miller.
John J. Brunner.
Anthony Kleinsmith.
Daniel Kleinsmith.
EARLY SCHOOLS .- The greater proportion of the early settlers were Germans. The Moravians principally settled at the northern portion of the township in the vicinity of Emaus, while the Schwenkfelders spread into the lower or southern portion, adjoining Berks, Montgomery, and Bucks counties. Some settlements were made previous to 1725, even as early as 1715, by the so-called squatters. The Mennonites, Lutherans, and Reformed came in large numbers, and settled from 1730 to 1750.
They had a fair share of school learning, and only a few of them could not read nor write. They early established schools to educate their children, and it was a feature with them that they were hardly seated in their new houses before they began to organize congregations and build churches. Their schools were numerous and well attended, and they gave the common- school system a generous support.
Almost without exception the earliest schools were established at churches; and frequently the school-house preceded the erection of the church, and served the double purpose of school and church. These schools were church-schools so far as instruction was concerned, but they were not directly supported by the church. Each parent who sent children had to pay in propor- tion to the total number of days sent. In most
780
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
cases the teacher "boarded 'round," which, in those days, was not an easy task.
The instruction was imparted in reading, writing and arithmetic; also in the catechism and the doctrines of the church, with singing. These schools were not denominational, but gen- erally admitted the children of other denomina- tions. After a time passed many of these schools became overcrowded, and some children had to go from three to four miles to school; thus a de- mand was created, for schools at other places, as Birkenstocks, Schwartzs, Brunners and Krausses. Some were first held in private houses until build- ings could be erected. School-houses were com- monly constructed of logs and had low ceilings ; in everything defective, but ventilation. The instruction was exclusively in the German lan- guage. The teachers were foreigners. Those at the churches were generally the leaders of sing- ing at religious worship. Before the Revolu- tion some of those teachers quit as school-teach- ers and commenced to preach, and less qualified men were taken as teachers, and the schools lost greatly thereby.
Almost any person who came along and made pretensions to education was employed as teach- er. This often brought into the school-room per- sons entirely unfit, morally and mentally. Nearly all the old schools were noted for severity in discipline. Some teachers were not only severe but cruel.
Till 1800 the German language was taught almost exclusively. From 1800 to 1820 the English language was gradually, but at first very slowly, introduced.
Previous to the adoption of the common-school system here in 1844, there were 17 school dis- tricts in Upper Milford, which were known by the following names, the years indicating the time they were established :
I Swamp church, 1727 to 1730. 1805.
8 Berg, (St. Peter's),
2 Hosensack, 1734 of 1735.
9 Brunner's (Bild-
haus'), before 1800.
IO Chestnut Hill, -; or 1735.
4 Mennonite Church,
1735 to 1740.
5 Zionsville, before 1760.
6 Berkenstock's, before 1775.
7 Schwartz's, before
1790.
17 Ruch's (Schwartz's). No. 2 was on the county line. Nos. 4, 8 and 16 were discontinued before the adoption of the common school system in 1844. No. 10, estab- lished very early, discontinued for a time, then re-opened. No. 17, was kept for three years at John Ruch's by Michael H. Albright, estab- lished in 1842.
Numbers 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 15 were prominent old districts adopted by the school board in 1844. Previous to 1844 the school- houses were owned by the respective communi- ties.
The Great Swamp Church school was the first in Lehigh county. It was established by the Reformed congregation as a "Gemein-Schule," and maintained by the trustees for about 115 years. When the common-school law was adopted in 1844, the school-board adopted the district for one year and paid $12.50 rent for the building. The teacher, Joseph Conover, was employed four months and a half, at $16 a month. It was the last school at this place. John Dubs and Philip Mumbauer were the trus- tees.
The Hosensack school was established in the Hosensack Valley as early as 1735 by the Schwenkfelders. Schools were conducted prior to 1740 in private houses. The first school was under the control of three trustees elected by the denomination. A "Gemein-Schule" was be- gun in the home of Christopher Krausz (or Krauss) in 1765, on the premises where the Carl school-house is situated. The record says: "April 22, 1765, An agreement was made with Charles Guss to serve as school-teacher for us at the private house of Christopher Krausz for the term of four years, for a salary of thirty-five pounds and eight bushels of grain ; besides a free dwelling, garden, feed for one cow, and fuel, per annum. School to commence at said Christopher Krauss' house on May 22, 1765."
On Dec. 12, 1768, there was another agree- ment made with Charles Guss to teach a second term of four years at the same place. The sal- ary was the same, except instead of eight bushels of grain twelve bushels were delivered. . The Latin and Greek languages were taught, besides the usual branches.
School was also taught in the home of George Yeakel. A special building was erected on his premises in 1790 and used until 1840. The teachers were :
Charles Guss, 1765-69; 1769-73 ; Jost Vollert, 1777-78; George Kriebel, 1780-83; 1786; George Martin, 1781; G. Carl Stock; Christo- pher Yeakel ; John Schultz; Isaac Schultz; John Krauss.
A school-house was situated on Chestnut Hill where the Union Church stood, and controlled by the Reformed congregation. It was erected at an early period and carried on for a number of years. A new building was put up in 1820, out of the materials of the old church, and the school was continued for 30 years. The teachers were
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