History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 140

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 140

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13 Weber's 1790. 14 Kriebels, before 1800. 15 Pratt's, before 1820. 16 Steininger's (Schwartz's)

1820.

II Kern's, 1820.

12 Krauss', 1842.

3 Dillingersville, 1734

781

UPPER MILFORD TOWNSHIP.

Philip Mumbauer, John Oberholtzer, Elias Schaffer and others.

The Weber building was in the northeast sec- tion of Lower Milford. In 1844 it was more than 50 years old; the last school was taught there by Willoughby Artman.

The Mennonite school was maintained in the church near Zionsville. It was started before 1740 and carried on for many years. It had dis- continued before 1844.

The Bergenstock school was on the premises of John Bergenstock in Lower Milford. It was supported from the time of the Revolution to 1844. The last teacher was Henry B. Schleif- fer.

The Berg ( Hill) school was situated on the premises of St. Peter's church. It was a small stone building, having been erected after 1805. Several of the teachers were Andreas Lap, Jacob Oberholtzer, Bast, and George Gehman.

The Dillinger School was a "Gemein-Schule" on the premises of the old Upper Milford Luth- eran Church, held in the log building every Win- ter from 1735 to 1791, conjointly with the con- gregation, but when that was discontinued, the building was used exclusively for school purposes until 1799; then a stone building was erected in its place, combined with a dwelling-house, and this was used until 1845, when a third was put up. In 1845 the township accepted the common school system, and until that year the teacher was partly paid by the rent from the dwelling- house and partly by the parents whose children attended the school. In 1867 a society was in- corporated under the name of "Union School and Church Association." In 1870 this society was authorized by the legislature to sell the real property, and in 1871, they sold 27 A. 97 Ps., to John V. R. Bitting for $4,050, reserving 2 acres for the school and graveyard. The money was put at interest, and the income appropriated for school purposes. The Act of 1870 provided that not less than $100 should be expended be- sides the regular tax, and the district should cover an area within a radius of one mile from the schoolhouse. It has been maintained until now. Some of the known teachers before 1844 were John J. Loeser, John F. Vigera, John B. Goetz, John Golconci, Jacob Oberholtzer, Philip Mumbauer, and Samuel Kriebel; from 1844 to 1867, some of those recalled were Joshua Stahler, Aaron Schantz, David Oberholtzer, Charles F. Schantz, and William Eberhard. Since 1867, some of the earlier ones were E. S. Bitting, Benneville X. Schell, Milton H. Hill, Henry Schiffert, and John N. Bitting. This is the old- est place used for educational purposes in the county, and covers a continuous period of nearly

180 years. The "Summer School" is controlled by a board of three trustees who are chosen by the members of the association on the first Sat- urday of March, one each year for a term of three years.

Common Schools .- The common-school law of Pennsylvania, passed in 1834, was accepted by the majority of the voters of the township at the annual township election, March 17, 1843. One year afterward, the first school board of six direc- tors was elected: William Hittel and Daniel Stahler, for one year; Willoughby Gabel and Saul Wieder, for two years; David Kern and Anthony Krauss, for three years. They met on April 3, 1844, at the public house of Henry Dil- linger, in Dillingersville, to organize, and the following officers were chosen: Willoughby Gabel, president; William Hittel, secretary ; Anthony Krauss, treasurer. The first school tax levied was $426.60.

During the Summer of 1844, the directors and trustees of the respective school districts made contracts for the use of the several school houses for one term. They decided to establish five new sub-districts, to build four new school- houses, and to establish one school in the home of Daniel Schantz.

Thirteen old sub-districts were accepted from their respective trustees, and agreements were made for four new schoolhouses; at Miller's mill for $228; at Henry Koch's for $236; at George Klein's for $162.25; and at George Carl's for $181. Eighteen schools were recog- nized in the township for the first year and teachers were employed for 412 months of 24 days, at an average salary of $16.08 per month ; and the schools were to be opened on the first Monday of November.

The first report for the year ending the first Monday in June, 1845, was as follows: Whole number of schools, 18

Average number of months taught, 41/2

Number of male teachers (no females),. 18

Number of male scholars, 584

Number of female scholars, 383

Number learning German, 407

Average no. of scholars in each school, 533/4

Average salaries per month, $16 08

Cost of teaching each scholar per month, $0 331/2

Amount of tax levied, $429 66

Received from State appropriation, $6.857 26

Received from the collection of school tax, $403 76 Cost of instruction, 1.301 75

Cost of fuel and contingencies, 334 181/2

Cost of school-house, 1,059 52

Rent was paid for schoolhouses as follows : M. H. Albright, for school-room, $10 00 John Dubs, for Swamp church school-house,. 12 50 Samuel Stauffer, for Krauss' school-house, . 15 00 David Kern, for Kern's school-house, 10 00

$47 50

782

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

During the Summer of 1845, four new sub- school-districts were established and five new schoolhouses erected.

On Dec. 6, 1852, the district was separated into Upper and Lower Milford, a line being run through the middle of the district from northeast to southwest, and each of the divis- ions contained nine sub-districts.

From 1844 to 1853, the township as a school district received annual appropriations from the state amounting to $10,009.50.

DIVISION OF TOWNSHIP .- On Dec. 6, 1852, this township was divided by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Lehigh county, by a line run through the middle of the township from northeast to southwest. The upper or northwestern part was called Upper Milford, and the lower or south- eastern part, Penn; but the name Penn was after- ward changed to Lower Milford.

The first election in Upper Milford (as newly created) was held at the public house of George Neitz, in Zionsville, on March 18, 1853, when the following officers were elected : Justice of the Peace, Samuel Kemmerer; Con- stable, George Schantzenbach; Supervisors, Charles E. Roeder, Lazarus Weidner; Asses- sor, George Bachman.

The first election in Lower Milford was held at the public house of Solomon Kemmerer, on March 18, 1853, when the following township officers were elected : Justice of the Peace, Sam- uel Stauffer ; Constable, George K. Carl; Super- visors, Jacob Schantz, Samuel Derr; School Di- rectors, Aaron Dubs, William C. Roeder, Daniel S. Yeakel, Abraham Pearson, Samuel Stauffer, Samuel Hottel ; Auditors, Charles F. Dicken- shied, Ephraim Christ, William F. Cramer.

The following historical details relate more particularly to the upper sub-division of the or- iginal township of Lehigh county, as it has been recognized since 1853 under the name of UPPER MILFORD; and similar historical details will ap- pear in a subsequent chapter which relates more particularly to the lower division, as it has been recognized since 1853 under the name of LOWER MILFORD.

VILLAGES .- The township includes the fol- lowing villages :

Zionsville. Shimersville.

Zionsville Station.

Vera Cruz.

Powder Valley.

Zionsville .- The land here was taken up by Christian Crall and Philip Herzog. In 1734 Crall first secured 25 acres in the upper portion of the place and about 1740 Herzog 102 acres in the lower portion; and they erected dwellings

in their respective localities. The Lutheran church was built on a part of the Crall land, and the Reformed church on a part of Herzog's. In 1789, Crall's land was owned by Christopher and William Mohr; and Herzog's by Wendell Wieand.

Of the Crall land, Peter Hittel in 1757 do- nated one acre to the Lutheran congregation and in 1758 the first church was built of logs. Re- formed church was built of logs, 50 perches to the south, in 1753.

Philip Hittel put up the first general store in 1810, and the first hotel in 1830, and he carried on the business for a number of years.

The store was re-built by C. W. Wieand in 1848, and carried on subsequently by numerous merchants, the last Albert H. Sterner, since 1906.

Peter Miller started a hardware store in 1871, and carried on the business until 1876; his son, L. H. Miller, was associated with him from 1876 to 1896; his two sons, L. H. and M. J. Miller carried it on from 1896 to 1907; and his son, M. J., since 1907.

. The hotel had many different landlords until 1879, then James J. Gackenbach took possession and conducted the stand in a successful manner for upwards of twenty years. He was succeed- ed by different parties for short periods, the last being Martin L. Haller since 1913.

The Zionsville school was built previous to the year 1760 as a union "Gemein Schule" (church school), near the Lutheran church, and continued as such until 1841 when a new two- story building was erected by subscription. In 1844 it was offered by the trustees (Jacob Hille- gas, John Wieder, and Jacob Schneider) to the township directors who accepted it. Jacob F .. Keil was employed as the teacher and he report- ed the whole number of scholars to be 63, 40 male and 23 female, of whom 23 studied Ger- "man. In 1874 the school board purchased from Charles W. Wieand half an acre of ground for $100 and erected there a large stone school-house with a steeple, at a cost of over $1,200. The old building was then sold by the trustees of the churches at public sale to the highest bidder, and within thirty days it was removed. The names of the teachers who taught school here from 1844 for 40 years, were:

Thomas L. Worthing- J. R. Diller. ton. Sallie Wieand.

Aaron S. Wagner. E. Strunk.

Adam Snyder. Laurentius Weaver.

Silas Christman.

J. W. Stauffer.

John G. Glace. George W. Bassler.

Thomas R. Lynch.

George W. Roeder.

Charles W. Wieand.

Leon Snyder.

M. W. Stauffer.

W. B. K. Johnson.

J. D. S. Kneller.

783

UPPER MILFORD TOWNSHIP.

In the subscription schoolhouse, the first Sun- day school was organized in 1842, which was named "Zion's." It was conducted in this build- ing until 1858; then the members of the two churches (three congregations) went to the Sun- day-school in the basement of the Reformed church by which time the feeling against Sunday schools as an institution for the religious, as well as the moral, training of children had subsided. The Lutheran members withdrew amicably in 1877, to occupy their own basement room in their new church of 1876.

Post Office .- In 1849, a post office was estab- lished here by the name of Zionsville, and the store-keeper, C. W. Wieand was the first post- master. Since that time, the village has been known by this name. It was removed in 1854 to Shimersville on account of the great inconveni- ence in changing the mails from the stages late in the night; and its name was then changed to Shimersville. In 1886 an office was established here a second time and named "Old Zionsville," which has been continued until now. The names of the postmasters, with time of service are :

Leon L. Snyder, 1886-'89. O. D. Reese, 1889-'93; 1897-1900. L. H. Miller, 1893-'97; 1906. R. E. Reese, 1900-'05. M. J. Miller, 1906-'14.

Brick-making .-- About 1850, Charles W. Wieand embarked in the business of manufac- turing building bricks. He established a yard and kiln on a lot of ground a short distance to the south of the Reformed church and made many thousands of bricks. Most of the brick buildings in Old Zionsville were built of his bricks; also the Reformed church of 1858. In 1871, he sold the plant to Henry Roth, who car- ried on the business about ten years; and he fur- nished the brick for the Lutheran church of 1876. It was in operation during this time, ex- cepting from 1860 to 1871.

In 1869, Anthony Mechling erected a fine, large two-story brick dwelling-house on the King's Highway, opposite the hotel. The bricks were made on his premises, to the rear of the building.

Iron-Ore Mines .- Eastward of the hotel, on the properties of James J. Gackenbach, Charles Schoenly and Jonas Kern, mining operations were carried on by the Crane Iron Company, from 1880 for a number of years, and many thou- sands of tons of ore were removed. Several shafts were sunk to reach the beds of ore, the deepest having been 235 feet.

To the westward, on the property of Anthony Mechling, operations for iron-ore had started ten

years earlier, and shafts were also sunk to reach the ore to the depth of a hundred feet.

Marble Works .- Charles W. Wieand was en- gaged in preparing marble grave-stones for some years previous to 1860. He was followed by Wm. H. Kuhns who continued the business un- til 1911 ; since then Kuhns's son, Allen W., has carried on the place. Mr. Kuhns also filled the position of organist in each of the two churches for 25 years, supplying the church music for this community for 50 years.

Benneville R. Dellicker also embarked in the marble business in 1900, and has since carried it on in connection with undertaking.

Nathan Gehry followed undertaking here for about 30 years from 1850 to 1880, when he died.

Carriage Works .-- About 1860 a coach-maker shop was started by David Trexler, and he car- ried on the business until 1865; J. D. G. Knel- ler from 1865 to 1868; and Joseph Yeakel from 1868 to 1885.

Saddlery .- James F. Smith was engaged in the saddlery business from 1859 to 1898; then his son, Edwin F., became associated with him and since then they have conducted it in part- nership.

Shirt Factory .- In 1861, Peter Schuler erect- ed a small two-story frame shop for carriage- works, and it was so occupied until about 1885. Afterward Eisenlohr Brothers carried on there for upward of ten years a tobacco stripping fac- tory. Since October, 1912, Butz Brothers, from Alburtis, have operated a factory for mak- ing plain muslin shirts, and employed from 18 to 30 hands.

Beneficial Societies .- The I. O. of O. F. Lodge No. 1077, was instituted in 1894, mem- bership, 86; and the P. O. S. of A. Camp No. 244 in 1883, membership, 81.

Physicians .- Dr. Edwin Bingaman practiced as a physician in the village for 16 years from 1895; then removed to Hyde Park near Read- ing. The earliest practitioner for upwards of 20 years was Dr. Charles H. Appel, who built the first physician's home at Zionsville about 1872. He was followed by Dr. I. I. Kalbach, who was here for three years.

King's Highway .-- The King's Highway was extended through this section of territory in 1735 from North Wales by way of Hosensack valley, Zion's Hill and Macungie to Breinigsville. Mile- stones were planted along the northerly side in 1776, and many of the older residents still point out the spots to the eastward and westward of the village where they stood a mile apart. Only two remain as quiet but expressive witnesses of the early post-riders and the later mail stages

784

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

"in ye olden times," one at Hosensack and the other at Shimersville.

Status in 1913 .- The status of the village in November, 1913, was as follows: Two churches, two stores, post office; hotel; shirt factory; two marble yards; schoolhouse; population, 180; dwellings, 44.

Zionsville Station was established in 1876 on the Perkiomen railroad, where it crossed the old "King's Highway," from Philadelphia by way of Hosensack and Zionsville to Macungie and Weissenberg to the settlement along the Blue Mountains. The same year Abraham Geisinger erected a large three-story brick building for a hotel and store; and dwelling-houses were erect- ed by Rev. Uriah Schelly, Elias Rosenberger, Philip Miller, Solomon Hallman, Joseph Schultz,

A blacksmith shop was started in the village in 1878. It has been actively carried on since 1900, and by William H. Huber from 1911.

A coal yard was started in 1883 by O. S. Heil and after carrying it on for a short time trans- ferred it to Wm. W. Kuhns, (son of the railroad station agent), who has conducted the business until now.

N. A. Stahl located here in 1908 for the pur- pose of dealing in and supplying all kinds of farming implements, carriages and wagons, and he has since then carried on the business.

There is a picturesque horse shoe bend in the track of the railroad starting at this station, and extending to the south-eastward.

In 1913 the village included 17 dwellings. Taxidermist .- Henry B. Schantz was born

---

HOMESTEAD OF JOHN SHIMER, SHIMERSVILLE. SITUATED ON THE "KING'S HIGHWAY."

and Alfred Romig; and afterward by William M. Gehman, Samuel Schubert, Abraham Geis- inger and George Miller.

The hotel and store were conducted together from 1876 to 1883 by William M. Gehman (1876-79), C. Czarlinsky (1879-81), and O. F. Haas ( 1881-83). Since then they have been carried on separately; the hotel by James F. Rauch since 1909, and the store by Richard E. Reese and John Geisinger since 1910.

A postoffice was established here in 1878 by the name of Zionsville, with William M. Geh- man as postmaster, who served the office till 1882. The successors have been: Abraham Z. Schelly (1882- ), Manoah Geisinger, Charles Hammond, R. E. Reese.

in 1847 in Lower Milford, near Hosensack, on a farm and there he was brought up to farming. He showed an early inclination to hunting in the township near by and to mounting the specimens of birds and small animals which he shot. He started in 1875 to study the art of taxidermy and since then has successfully mounted many hun- dreds of local specimens for persons from differ- ent parts of this section of the county as well as for himself. His collection comprises 150. His residence has been at Zionsville Station on Perkiomen railroad since 1904.

Powder-Valley is a small village of ten dwell- ings and a general store in the valley of Indian Creek which took the name from the powder- mills erected at that point. The first mill was

785

UPPER MILFORD TOWNSHIP.

started in 1829 by Henry Kemmerer. After car- rying it on for a year, he sold it to Henry Trump and Henry Schell and they continued the busi- ness for a year when it was destroyed by an ex- plosion. Shortly afterward, Kemmerer put up another mill nearby and this was carried on by him for several years when it also was exploded, killing two negroes and a German named Lewis Reiber.

During this time Kemmerer was engaged in the store business, and after the second explos- ion he sold the premises to Christopher Schubert, who then discontinued the store and the build- ing was converted into a dwelling and has since been so occupied. He then erected in the place of the powder-mill a wool-carding mill and cas- sinet factory. He carried on this enterprise sev- eral years. Solomon Moyer became the owner in 1852 and he conducted this industry for sev- enteen years when he sold the property to Tilgh- man Stahl and a year afterward his cousin, Nathan Stahl, became a partner. They discon- tinued the woolen-mill business and erected a stave-mill which they carried on two years; then Nathan Stahl bought his partner's inter- est and built a new saw-mill including a steam- engine for power and he conducted the business until December, 1882, when the plant was de- stroyed by fire.

In 1883, Nathan Stahl erected a grist- and saw-mill and carried on the business for three years; then he sold the property to Tilghman Stahl and Daniel Yeakel. Besides conducting the mills they established an ice plant there. In 1900 they sold the premises to Amandus Miller and he has operated the grist-and saw-mill until now.

About 1886 Daniel Yeakel started his son, Harrison, in the store business, in a new build- ing. The son carried it on until 1890, when it was sold to Amandus Miller, his brother-in-law, who conducted the store with the mill till 1907, when he sold it to Solomon Sterner, and he was followed by D. N. Berkey, the present occupant.

A pottery was started by Charles Stahl in 1878 and carried on by him for twenty years.

During the ownership of Solomon Moyer he carried on various enterprises, such as weaving fancy woolen blankets, bending felloes for the rims of wheels, boiled molasses, etc., he having been a man with an inventive mind.

A postoffice was established here Oct. 19, 1889.

Shimersville is situated in Upper Milford, two miles south-east of Macungie, along the King's Highway, in an elevation which commands an extended view of the East Penn Valley to the north and northwest, reaching to Allentown and

Fogelsville. Dirck Jansen took up 350 acres of land here in 1734; afterward he sold part of it to Jacob Miller who was mentioned as an inn-keep- er as early as 1774 and conducted a public place for upwards of twenty years. John Shimer pur- chased the property about 1792 and resided here for upwards of thirty-five years. He served the office of Justice of the Peace from 1795 to 1805; he also conducted the hotel for a time. The village was named after him. He sold the hotel and farm to his son, Charles B., in 1828, who owned the property until 1865, having been landlord from 1828 to 1835. Several parties suc- ceeded, then George Beck carried on the business from 1845 to 1855. Charles S. Shimer, son of Charles B., was the owner and landlord from 1865 for several years, when he sold the property to Jacob Riegel, his brother-in-law.

For the next forty-five years numerous parties had pos- session of the place. Edward Gehring was the last proprietor for some years, and James Brophy became the occupant in November, 1913.

The store business was started here in 1839 by Joshua and Reuben Stahler, and carried on by them for five years. Numerous parties were the store-keepers in the next forty years; then Llewellyn S. Shimer for about twenty years, and he was succeeded by Henry S. Kern.

A postoffice was established here in 1854, with Reuben Stahler as the first post-master, who served two years; Charles B. Shimer, from 1855 to 1867; Dr. Albert M. Sigmund, from 1867 to 1875; John L. Schreiber from 1875 to 1885; since then by the store-keepers.

Rich beds of iron ore, emery and corundum were found in the vicinity of Shimersville, which were worked for a time in a limited way but without success.

In November, 1913, the place contained a store, hotel, chapel, 15 dwellings and 60 inhab- itants.

A small frame factory for the manufacture of pantaloons was started here by certain prop- erty holders to give employment to people in the village and vicinity, but the hands could not be secured and the enterprise had to be abandoned. In 1909 the Seventh Day Adventists organized a congregation in the building with Rev. George Unger as the pastor, and services have since been held every Saturday, including Sunday school. The building is rented by the trustees for the owners.

Wm. H. Huff started a blacksmith shop in 1884 and he has since carried on the business.

Ancient Milestone .- A large milestone, made of granite (24 inches high, 18 inches wide, and 6 inches thick) was planted by the government on the east side of the "King's Highway," from

786

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Philadelphia by way of Zion's Church and Ma- cungie to the early settlers of Weissenberg, at the barn of Jacob Miller ( afterward John Shim- er) about the time of the Revolution, to indi- cate the distance from that point to Philadel- phia. The distance to the Goschenhoppen Pike was added afterward when a turnpike was constructed from the western terminus of that pike to Macungie by way of Shimersville. The inscription is plain and this surviving monument of early travel through this country is in a good state of preservation.

Kern Gunsmith Shop .- Daniel N. Kern, after learning the trade of gunsmith from an expert mechanic, David Fischer, started a shop of his own in 1867 on his father's farm near Shimers- ville on the road to Vera Cruz, and carried on the business for 25 years. He made all the parts of the guns and rifles, purchasing the barrels and stocks in a rough, unfinished state. He also re- paired watches, clocks and sewing machines.

Kern Carp Ponds .- A short distance north- east of Shimersville on the road to Vera Cruz, opposite the local schoolhouse, Daniel N. Kern embarked in the business of raising German carp on April 9, 1881. He first constructed a pond covering one-fourth of an acre and secured nine small carp from the State-hatchery at Marietta. From this small beginning he developed a second pond of three-fourths of an acre, and the supply on hand grew to 10,000, some weighing upwards of fifteen pounds, even reaching eighteen pounds. Small fish an inch long he sold for ten cents a piece, but large ones for $1. He filled orders from all parts of the United States and came to be recognized as an authority on the subject, having prepared many articles relating to the character and development of this special fish for newspapers at Allentown, New York, and Chicago.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 140

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