History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 14

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 14

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In those primitive years and in many years that followed garments were made at home without any directions given by fashion books and with- out the aid of sewing machines. In later years tailors were engaged to come to the homes of families to make garments for men. The prim- itive mothers and daughters had an abundance of work in making garments for members of the household. They were also frequently engaged in knitting to supply the family with stockings, socks, mittens, scarfs and caps. They likewise spent much time in making from tow, linen and woolen materials a variety of articles for use and ornament in the home.

Shoes were not constantly worn. In summer many persons wore no shoes. In winter they were worn by all. During the summer they were, however, worn on special occasions. Tradition informs us that shoes were carried by hand by church-goers until the vicinity of the church was reached, when they were put on and removed again soon after the worshippers had left the church building. Shoemakers traveled and did not only mend shoes, but often also remained with a family to make shoes for all its members.

Hats and caps worn by men were made in this country at a very early period. An abundance of materials for making the same was found here. Mothers and daughters made hoods at home. A bonnet of large dimensions was a desirable acqui- sition, to be made only by purchase in towns.

With the increase of wealth and opportunities to secure wearing apparel from the country store, the ancestors were also able to purchase other materials for various uses. There was a marked difference between clothing made of domestic ma- terials and clothing made of store goods. People in the country began to follow the customs of the people dwelling in towns, and in the course of years people in the country also had fine clothing for their appearance on special occasions.

In earlier periods there was no constant change of fashions as in our day. The good clothing worn by parents was handed down to their chil- dren, who were not ashamed to wear the same. Garments were worn for a much longer time than in our day. When journeys were made great care was taken of extra apparel, if made on foot the knapsack was carefully packed, if made on horseback then saddle bags were of great service, when made later on in wagons and coaches the requisites for the journey were placed in wallets, in strong paper and leathern boxes of varied style and in trunks covered with skins of ani- mals.

Such was the life of the ancestors of the ma- jority of the present inhabitants of Lehigh county. Far from the land in which their forbears had lived for generations, in a wilderness, which, cul- tivated under their skilful hands and by their de- scendants, has developed into a rich and fruitful region, they founded a new race, the Pennsylvania Germans. The characteristics of the early Ger- man settlers which are most to be admired are their strong religious tendencies, their energy and thrift and their honesty and uprightness. The character of the Swiss emigrants who settled here gave a higher moral tone to the community, as these families were noted for their high ideals and good citizenship, which has ever characterized the inhabitants of the Swiss Republic.

It is to be hoped that their descendants will cultivate these praiseworthy characteristics and give to the world a race of high-minded, moral citizens, which shall add lustre to Pennsylvania's history.

Dr. Benjamin Rush, the noted physician of Philadelphia, wrote, in 1789, an account of the manners of the German inhabitants of Pennsyl- vania which is one of the best descriptions of the early Germans that has ever been written. In it, in writing of their customs and habits, he says :

"They feed their horses and cows well, of

FIRST SETTLEMENT AS PART OF BUCKS COUNTY.

which they keep only a small number, in such a manner, that the former perform twice the labor of those horses, and the latter yield twice the quantity of milk of those cows, that are less plen- tifully fed. There is a great economy in this practice, especially in a country where so much of the labor of a farmer is necessary to support his domestic animals. A German horse is known in every part of the state; indeed, the horse seems to 'feel with his lord, the pleasure and the pride of his extraordinary size or fat.'

"The fences of a German farm are generally high, and well built, so that his fields seldom suffer from the inroads of his own, or his neigh- bors' horses, cattle, hogs, or sheep.

"The German farmers are great economists of their wood. Hence, they burn it only in stoves, in which they consume but a fourth or fifth part of what is commonly burnt in ordinary open fire places; besides, their horses are saved by means of this economy, from that immense labour, in haul- ing wood in the middle of winter, which fre- quently unfits the horses of their neighbors for the toils of the ensuing spring. Their houses are, moreover, rendered so comfortable, at all times, by large closed stoves that twice the business is done by every branch of the family, in knitting, spinning and mending farming utensils, that is done in houses where every member in the family crowds near a common fire-place, or shivers at a distance from it, with hands and fingers that move, by reason of the cold, with only half their usual quickness.

"They discover economy in the preservation and increase of their wood, in several other ways. They sometimes defend it, by high fences, from their cattle; by which means, the young forest trees are suffered to grow, to replace those that are cut down for the necessary use of the farm. But where this cannot be conveniently done, they surround the stump of that tree which is most use- ful for fences, viz: the chestnut, with a small tri- angular fence. From this stump, a number of suckers shoot out in a few years; two or three of which in the course of five and twenty years, grow into trees of the same size as the tree from whose roots they derived their origin.

"They keep their horses and cattle as warm as possible, in winter, by which means, they save a great deal of their hay and grain ; for those ani- mals when cold, eat much more than when they are in a more comfortable situation.

"The German farmers live frugally in their families, with respect to diet, furniture and ap- parel. They sell their most profitable grain, which is wheat, and eat that which is less profita- ble, that is rye, or Indian corn. The profit of a farmer, from this single article of economy, is

equal, in the course of a life time, to the price of a farm for one of his children.

"They eat sparingly of boiled animal food, with large quantities of vegetables, particularly sallad, turnips, onions and cabbage, the last of which, they make into sourcrout. They likewise use a large quantity of milk and cheese in their diet. Perhaps the Germans do not proportion the quantity of animal food to the degrees of their labour ; hence, it has been thought, by some peo- ple, that they decline in strength sooner than their English or Irish neighbors. Very few of them use distilled spirits in their familes; their common drinks are cider, beer, wine and sim- ple water. The furniture of their houses is plain and useful. They cover themselves in winter with light feather beds, instead of blankets; in this contrivance there is both convenience and economy, for the beds are warmer than blankets, and they are made by themselves. The apparel of the German farmers is usually homespun. When they use European articles, of dress, they prefer those of the best quality, and of the high- est prices. They are afraid of debt, and seldom purchase anything without paying cash for it.

"The German farmers have large or profitable gardens near their houses. These contain little else but useful vegetables. Pennsylvania is in- debted to the Germans for the principal part of her knowledge in horticulture. Since the set- tlement of a number of German gardners, in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, the tables of all classes of citizens have been covered with a variety of vegetables, in every season of the year ; and to the use of these vegetables, in diet, may be ascribed the general exemption of the citizens of Phila- delphia from diseases of the skin.

"The Germans seldom hire men to work upon their farms. The feebleness of that authority which masters possess over hired servants, is such, that their wages are seldom procured from their labor, except in harvest, when they work in the presence of their masters. The wives and daugh- ters of the German farmers frequently forsake, for a while, their dairy and spinning-wheel, and join their husbands and brothers in their labor of cutting down, collecting and bringing home, the fruits of the fields and orchards. The work of the gardens is generally done by the women of the family.

"As members of civil government, the Germans are peaceable, and exact in the payment of their taxes. Since they have participated in the power of the state, many of them have become sensible and enlightened in the science of legislation. Pennsylvania has had the speaker's chair of her assembly, and the Vice-president's office of her council filled with dignity, by gentlemen of Ger-

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

man families. The same gentlemen have since been advanced to seats in the House of Repre- sentatives, under the new constitution of the United States. In the great controversy about the national government, a large majority of the Germans in Pennsylvania decided in favor of its adoption, notwithstanding the most popular arts were used to prejudice them against it.

"The intercourse of the Germans with each other, is kept up chiefly in their own language; but most of their men who visit the capital, and trading or country towns of the state, speak the English language. A certain number of the laws are now printed in German, for the benefit of those of them who cannot read English. A large number of German newspapers are likewise cir- culated through the State, through which knowl- edge and intelligence have been conveyed, much to the advantage of the government. There is scarcely an instance of a German, of either sex, in Pennsylvania, that cannot read; but many of the wives and daughters of the German farmers cannot write. The present state of society among them renders this accomplishment of little con- sequence to their improvement or happiness.

"If it were possible, to determine the amount of all the property brought into Pennsylvania, by the present German inhabitants of the state and their ancestors, and then compare it with the present amount of their property, the contrast would form such a monument of human industry and economy, as has seldom been contemplated in any age or country.

"I have been informed that there was an ancient prophecy which foretold, that 'God would bless the Germans in foreign countries.' This predic- tion has been faithfully verified in Pennsylvania. They enjoy here every blessing that liberty, tol- eration, independence, affluence, virtue, and rep- utation, can confer upon them.

"How different is their situation here, from what it was in Germany. Could the subjects of the prince of Germany, who now groan away their lives in slavery and unprofitable labour, view from an eminence, in the month of June, the Ger- man settlements of Strasburg or Manheim, in Lancaster county, or of Lebanon, in Dauphin county, or Bethlehem, in Northampton county- could they be accompanied on this eminence, by a venerable German farmer, and be told by him that many of those extensive fields of grain, full fed herds luxuriant meadows, orchards promis- ing loads of fruit, together with the spacious barns and commodious stone-dwelling houses, which compose prospects that have been men- tioned, were all the product of the labour of a single family, and of one generation; and they were all secured to the owners of them by certain

laws; I am persuaded, that no chains would be able to detain them from sharing in the freedom of their Pennsylvania friends and former fellow subjects.

'We will assert our dignity (would be their language)-Will be men-we will be free-we will enjoy the fruits of our own labour-we will no longer be bought and sold to fight battles in which we have neither interest nor resentment- we will inherit a portion of that blessing which God has promised to the Germans in foreign coun- tries-we will be Pennsylvanians.' "

"I shall conclude this Account of the Manners of the German inhabitants of Pennsylvania, by remarking that if I have failed in doing them justice, it has not been the fault of my subject. The German character once employed the pen of one of the first Historians of antiquity. I mean the elegant and enlightened Tacitus. It is very remarkable that the Germans in Pennsylvania retain, in a great degree, all the virtues which Tacitus ascribes to their ancestors in his treatise, De Moribus Germanorum. They inherit their integrity, fidelity and chastity, but Christianity has banished from them, their drunkenness, idle- ness and love of military glory. There is a sin- gular trait in the features of the German char- acter in Pennsylvania, which shows how long the most trifling custom may exist among a people who have not been mixed with other nations.

"Tacitus describes, in the following words, the way in which the ancient Germans built their villages :

" 'Suam quisque domum circumdat sive advers- us casus ignis remedium, sive inscitia aedificandi'." (Each man leaves a space between his house, and those of his neighbors, either to avoid the danger from fire, or from unskillfulness in architecture).

"Many of the German villages in Pennsyl- vania, are constructed in the same manner. The small houses are composed of a mixture of wood, brick and clay, neatly united. The large houses are built of stone, and many of them after the English fashion. Very few of the houses in Ger- mantown are connected together. Where the Germans connect their houses in their villages, they appear to have deviated from one of the cus- toms they imported from Germany."

Another account by Prof. John David Schoepf, who travelled through Pennsylvania in 1783 and 1784, says:

"The German nation forms a considerable part, probably more than a third, of the state of Penn- sylvania. The Quakers, who at first gave the tone in political affairs, strove for that reason to win to their side the Germans, who were scattered about the country and commended themselves by their retired, industrious, and frugal manner of

FIRST SETTLEMENT AS PART OF BUCKS COUNTY.

life. The Quakers have never gone very far from Philadelphia, individual members of the sect not liking to settle far from the rest, but prefer- ring to draw together in little colonies. It was therefore a policy with them to be on good terms with the outlying inhabitants and they found it easier to come by their ends through a good under- standing with the Germans, since these together outnumbered any one of the other nationalities among the colonists, English, Scottish, Irish, and Swedish. The ancestors of these Germans came to America all in similar circumstances, as indeed many have come during and since the war. That is to say, they left the fatherland out of poverty or in the hope at least of finding better fortune, able to grow rich with less trouble. Many of them, indeed very many of them, have seen their desires fulfilled, although at first they were obliged to bind themselves out for a term of years so as to pay the cost of the voyage, if, as it often happened, they did not bring with them property in that amount. From very insignifi- cant beginnings the most of them have come to good circumstances, and many have grown rich. For here the poor man who is industrious finds opportunities enough for gain, and there is no excuse for the slothful. Where a German set- tles, there commonly are seen industry and econ- omy, more than with others, all things equal-his house is better-built and warmer, his land is bet- ter fenced, he has a better garden, and his sta- bling is especially superior ; everything about his farm shows order and good management in all that concerns the care of the land. The Germans are known throughout America as an industrious people, but particularly those of them that come over from Europe, and in all the provinces it is desired that their numbers increase, they being everywhere valued as good citizens, and I dare- say that Pennsylvania is envied for the greater number of them settled there, since it is univer- sally allowed that without them Pennsylvania would not be what it is. The greater part of the German emigrants were originally of humble origin and meagre education, nor have they or their descendants greatly changed in their prin- ciples of action. On the whole they show little or no zeal to bring themselves up in any way except by small trade or handicrafts or farming. To use their gains for allowable pleasures, aug- menting the agreeableness of life, this very few of them have learned to do, and others with a bad grace. The lucre is stuck away in old stock- ings or puncheon chests until opportunity offers to buy more land which is the chief object of their desires. In their houses, in the country especially, they live thriftily, often badly. There is wanting among them the simple unaffected neatness of the

English settlers, who make it a point, as far as they are able, to live seemly, in a well-furnished house, in every way as comports with the gentle- man. The economy of the German farmer in Pennsylvania, is precisely the same as that cus- tomary in Germany-even when his next neigh- bor every day sets him a better example. A great four-cornered stove, a table in the corner with benches fastened to the wall, everything daubed with red, and above, a shelf with the universal German farmer's library; the Almanack, and Song-book, a small 'Garden of Paradise,' Haber- mann, and the Bible. It is in vain to look for other books, whereas in the cabins of the English there are not seldom seen, at the least, fragments of the Spectator, journals, magazines, or diction- aries."

FIRST ROAD LAID OUT IN 1735.

The first road laid out in what is now Lehigh county, then a part of Bucks county, was in 1735. It began at a black oak tree situated at a corner where the lands of Peter Trexler and Henry Shade adjoined, about a quarter of a mile north- west of Breinigsville, in Upper Macungie, where John Smith now lives. At or near this point Jer- emiah Trexler had a tavern already at this early date, his father, Peter Trexler, having purchased the land in 1729.

The road passed through the present site of Breinigsville and Weiler's Store, crossed the Lit- tle Lehigh, and passed through what is now Macungie, Shimersville, Old and New Zions- ville, over the hills through Hosensack, Kraus- dale, and Geryville, into Montgomery county to North Wales, where it joined the road leading from New Goshenhoppen to Philadelphia. The district of New Goshenhoppen extended from Treichlersville to Sumneytown, north and south and from the Bucks county line to the Perkio- men, east and west, and was so called to distin- guish it from Old Goshenhoppen, further south. The name is derived from Enschockhoppa and Shakahoppa, two Indian chiefs who owned tracts of land in the vicinity. Hoppenville is a name derived from it. The survey of the road, and the proceedings of the Provincial Council regarding it were as follows:

"A Return of the Road laid out from Macon- sie to the Road leading from New Quessohoppen thro' North Wales to Philadelphia, pursuant to an Order of this Board, bearing date the 27th day of March last, being this day read in these Words:

"To the Honble the Governor and Council.

"In Pursuance of an Order from the Honble Board of the 27th March, 1735, having viewed

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the Road leading from Maquenusie to the Road leading from New Cosshehoppa, thro' North Wales to Philadia, we do find there is great Oc- casion for the said Road, and accordingly have caused the same to be laid out. The Courses and Distances whereof are as followeth, vizt: Beginning at a marked black Oak Tree, at a Corner of the Lands of Peter Traxler and Henry Sheat, in Maquenusie aforesaid, Thence extending South Sixty seven Degrees, East fifty six perches, to a Post, Thence along the Line dividing Peter Traxler and Jeremiah Traxler's Lands, South twenty seven Degrees, East one hundred perches, to a marked Hickory, Thence by vacant Land crossing a Branch of Lehy Creek, South seventy one Degrees, East eight hundred and fifty four perches, to a marked Hickory and White Oak Standing together on a barren Hill; Thence South sixty two Degs. 30 Mints., East, Crossing another Branch of Lehy, Four hundred and eighty four pchs to a marked black Oak; Thence South fifty three Degrees, East crossing another Branch of the same Creek, two hundred & forty pchs to a marked black Oak; Thence South fifty six De- grees 30 Mints, East crossing another Branch of the same Creek, Eighty pchs to marked White Oak; Thence South sixty one Degrees 30 mints, East eighty six pchs to a Post; Thence South fourteen Degs, East one hundred and forty two pchs to a marked Hickory; Thence along the land of Derick Jansen, South twenty nine Degs, East Sixty two pchs to a Post South one Deg. West twenty six pchs, to a marked Ches- nut, South nineteen Degs, East eighty six pchs, to a marked black Oak; Thence along the Land of Christian Crawl & vacant Land, South twenty eight Degs, East one hundred & eighty pchs to a marked Chestnut, South East eighty four pchs, to a Post, South eighty nine Degs, East forty four pchs to a Post, South sixty nine Degs, East along Vacant Land and John My- er's Land, & crossing a Branch of Perkiomy Creek two hundred & one pchs to a Post, Thence South thirty six Degrees, East forty eight Per- ches, to a small Hickory marked, South two Degs, East Seventy four pchs to a Post, South eighteen Degs, East fifty four Perches to a marked Hickory, South three Degs, East forty perches, (part along Dewaldt Maighling's Land,) Thence along the same Land South one Deg. East ninety seven perches, to a marked black Oak, Thence South twenty nine Degs, West sixty six pchs to a marked Chestnut, Thence South three Degs, East twenty six pchs to a marked Hickory, Thence South twenty one Degs, East forty pchs, part along Henry Geb-

er's Land, South fifteen Degs, West thirty two pchs to a marked Hickory, South forty nine Degs, East twenty pchs, to a marked Hickory, South nine Degs, East thirty eight pchs, to a marked white Oak, South ni e Degs, West twelve pchs to a Post, South thirty eight Degs, (crossing another Branch of Perkeomy Creek,) sixty four pchs to a Post, South four Degs, West along vacant Land fifty four Perches to a Post, South thirty eight Degrees, East twenty pchs to a Post, South fifty nine Degs, East one hundred & two pchs to a Post, South five Degs, West one hundred & two pchs to a marked Chestnut, South twenty five Degs, East twenty pchs to a Post, South forty, East fifty two pchs to a marked Red Oak, Thence along Peter Walber's Land, South nine Degs, West forty perches to a marked Red Oak, South twenty three Degs, West thirty six pchs to a marked Hickory in the Line dividing between Walber and Ulrich Ries, Thence along the same Line South, crossing two small swamps eighty pchs to a Post, Thence along sd Walber's Land South fourteen Degs, East sixty pchs to a Post, in a Line leading near sd Walber's house; Thence along the same Lane South fifteen Degs, East crossing a Small branch sixty pchs to a marked White Oak, Thence by the Land of Alexr. Tippen, South twenty seven Degs, East eighty two pchs to a Post, Thence by Land of Leonard Knup, South forty one Degs, East Sixty eight pchs to a post, (all the above Courses in Burks County. ) Thence by the Lands of sd Knup & George Smitt, and of Robert Thomas, in the German Tract, South nine Degs, East (crossing the line dividing between the Counties of Bucks and Philadia, at the Distance of one hundred and sixty pchs,) Six hundred and forty perches to a marked Tree, Thence along Robert Thomas' Lands, South ten Degs thirty Minutes, West sixty pchs, to a small black Oak marked near sd Roberts Lane, Thence North sixty five Degs, East crossing another Branch of Perkeomy six- teen pchs, to a marked white Oak South twenty Degs, East one hundred and fifty four perches to a marked white Oak, South sixty one Degs, East sixty pchs, to a Post, Thence along the Lands of the sd Robert Thomas & Danl. Levar South seven Degs, East one hundred & thirty two pchs to a Post, Thence along Levar's Land South twenty three Degs, East one hundred & sixty pchs to a marked white Oak, thence South one Deg, East sixty pchs to a marked white Oak, thence South nineteen Degs, West thirty six pchs to a marked white Oak, Thence along Bar- tell Kuchar's Land, South fifty five Degs, West fourteen pchs to a Post, South twelve Degs,

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 14

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