USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 156
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Rev. C. J. Cooper, D.D., History of Jerusa- lem Church, Eastern Salisbury, in Volume II. Proceedings of Lehigh County Historical So- ciety, page 74.
In the rear of the church record one comes across the following entry :
"ALPHA OMEGA."
"A list of articles that have been bequeathed and contributed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, as follows:
"Anno 1759, Elizabeth Ottern gave a white table cloth for the Lutheran congregation. Anno 1760, Martin Schneider gave a pewter cup for use in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, for the Lutheran congregation, and also a white cloth."
The numerical growth of the congregation was slow, impeded probably by the organizations of other union congregations in comparative close proximity. So that when at the close of the 18th Century, when the log structure of 1759 became delapidated and unsafe the spot was abandoned for church purposes because the con- gregation was too small and the people were too poor to erect a new house of worship. Another reason for the decline of the congregation is found in the gruesome tale of how, shortly after the close of the Revolutionary War, the devil one night slew, dismembered and carried away from the cemetery the body of a certain Tambour Yokel. That this legend powerfully affected the community cannot be gainsaid, for even to- day the story is widely circulated and frequently credited and there are still people to be found who will drive several miles extra on a dark night to avoid passing the cemetery.
THE LEGEND OF TAMBOUR YOKEL.
By JOSEPH HENRY DUBBS, D.D., LL.D.
Tell the story with bated breath-
A story of horror, and gloom, and death. A little church on a lonely hill ;
A churchyard near it, calm and still. Fair in the morning's early light Dark and gloomy it seems at night. Then it is said in the olden time, Happened a nameless deed of crime : And stalwart men with swiftest pace, Haste when they pass that dreadful place.
Home, with the troops from the war had come Tambour Yokel, who beat the drum:
A worthless wretch, who on his way Had learned but arts of a bird of prey ; Who had sold, it was said, in the dreadful strife, His soul to Satan to save his life.
"Now where," he cried, "is my ancient foe? I have come from the battle to lay him low."
"Peace! Peace!" they answered. "Your boast is vain;
That man will never fight again;
The foe you hated, and sought to kill Now rests in the churchyard on the hill." "Ho! What of that?" the drummer cried, "Perhaps it was well the coward died ;
But I know a way, as you'll see to-night, To bring the man from his grave to fight." Then a dreadful oath the ruffian swore, He would call him forth to fight once more. In their cups that night, at the tavern near, His comrades met him with mock and jeer: "Ho, wizard!" they cried, "why don't you go To the churchyard now to meet your foe?" Then Tambour Yokel cursed and swore, And sallied forth from the tavern door.
"Come forth!" he cried, through the startled night,
"Come forth, thou fiend, from the grave and fight !"
He reached the churchyard gate and then The fearful challenge was heard again. But soon a cry that was wild and shrill Was heard from the churchyard on the hill. "Help! Help!" he cried, but none drew near, His comrades trembled, aghast with fear, In silence waiting-that godless crew --- While cries still fainter and fainter grew. Next morning they came, with silent tread Seeking their comrade among the dead. There, mid the graves, the man they found, Naked and cold on the trodden ground : Scattered his garments, far and wide; Bloody the soil where the wretch had died. And this was all: but who can tell
SALISBURY TOWNSHIP.
873
Who wounded the victim, and how he fell? Did a panther perchance, of the forest tear The limbs of the wretched boaster there? Or, was it the fiend, as the neighbors say, That bore his godless soul away? Ah! none can tell,-nor cared to know But a mighty hand had laid him low.
ganized and the present edifice was erected. The cornerstone was laid on Ascension day, May 13, 1847, and the church dedicated October 9th and IOth of the same year. The building committee consisted of David Giess, David Moritz, Solo- mon Diehl, Solomon Boehm.
The growth of the congregations was very
JERUSALEM CHURCH, EASTERN SALISBURY, LEHIEM COUNTY, PA
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH, EASTERN SALISBURY.
Yet, with a shudder, men still relate The tale of Tambour Yokel's fate;
And none forgets the legend grim-
How a fearful judgment was sent to him.
In 1847 after a period of more than 50 years the congregation of Eastern Salisbury were re-or-
slow, not being located in an industrial center, the drift has been away from them. The mem- bership has rarely exceeded one hundred on either side. The church was renovated in 1884 and again in 1898, when a steeple was placed upon the church. In 1885 the Morgenland Cemetery Association was formed, composed of members
874
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of the congregation, for the purpose of enlarg- ing, improving and maintaining the cemetery. In the two cemeteries rest the ashes of over 700 persons, among whom are 25 veterans of the Civil War. Many of the early graves have no head stone; while others, time has so effaced that the inscriptions are no longer legible.
The oldest graves on whose tombstones the names can be deciphered are: Christian Giess, born in Nassau, Europe, 1720; died May, 1803. William Moritz, born May 12, 1720; died May 25, 1797. Eva Moritz, born September 29, 1727 ; died April 26, 1791. John Moritz, born April 15, 1760, died June 29, 1847. Helena Catharine (nee Ebert), wife of John Moritz, born March 16, 1766; died January 29, 1862. John William Stuber, born August 19, 1768; died October 6, 1853; 85 years, I month and 17 days. Jacob Jacoby, born August 28, 1789; died March 7, 1867; 77 years, 6 months and 8 days. Elizabeth Jacoby, born September 15, 1788; died December 15, 1857; 68 years and 3 months. There is one stone marked "Oct. 7, 1769, ist Jacob Sam, I year, 3 mos."
The organization of the Reformed wing of the Union congregation of Eastern Salisbury antedates the erection of the union church in 1759 by more than a decade, and was originally known as the church on the Lehigh or Big Le- high. Schlatter, the official visitor of the Re- formed churches in Pennsylvania, makes the fol- lowing entry: From Wednesday to Saturday the 24th, 25th, and 26th (June, 1747), I visited the congregations in Manatawny, Maguncly, Egypt and on the Lehigh, a circuit of forty-five miles and came near to Bethlehem, a location of the Moravians, and here in the providence of God I met Jacob Lischy, who was at time at- tached to that sect," “In the afternoon ( June 28) I went nine miles fur- ther (from Saccony) to a place called Spring- field or Schuggenhaus, . In this region there are four or five small congregations, namely Saccony, Forks of Delaware, Springfield and Le- high, which would be able to contribute about thirty-three pounds or 233 Dutch guilders for the support of a minister. Here, too, there is great need of an able minister, since Bethlehem the seat of the Moravians is near to it. This would be the tenth charge."
In 1752 Rev. Schlatter reports to the Authori- ties in Holland, under whose care the Reformed church in Pennsylvania were then, that the con- gregations of Great Lehigh, Little Lehigh, Forks of Delaware, Saccony, Springfield, Heidelberg, Egypt, Jordan, Magunchy, Allemangel, Schmaltzgass and Manatawny are without shep-
herds and long for faithful guides. Reverend Leonard Schnell, a Moravian Missionary, and one of the founders of the Emaus congregation, left the Moravian church in 175- and is said to have preached to congregations in Salisbury and Saucon. The outbreak of the French and Indian war and in particular the Massacres in the upper parts of the county threw everything. in state of confusion and it was left for Rever- ends Kidenweiler and Schumacher to re-organize the work in 1759, "After the Indians had again ceased to burn and kill":
LIST OF PASTORS SINCE 1847.
REFORMED.
Rev. Maximilian Stern, D.D., 1848-1852
Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs, 1852-1855
Rev. Simon K. Gross, 1855-1857
Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs, 1857-1864
Rev. D. F. Brendle, D.D., 1866-1872
Rev. N. Z. Snyder, D.D., 1872-1907
Rev. F. C. Brown, 1908-Present.
LUTHERAN.
Rev. Joohna Yeager, 1847-1883
Rev. W. Wackernagel, 1882-1886
Rev. W. F. Schoener, 1886-1901
Rev. W. Wackernagel, 1901-1902
Rev. E. H. Eberts, 1902-1903
Rev. H. A. Kunkle,
1903-1907
Rev. C. J. Cooper, . 1907-Present.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The following is a partial list of the early settlers of Salisbury township and vicinity, with places of birth as they appear on the Emaus Moravian church record :
Sebastian Knauss, Titelsheim, Wetteran; An- na Catharine Knauss, Palatinate; Jacob Ehren- hardt, Marstadt, near Worms; Barbara Ehren- hardt, Boehn, near Manheim, Palatinate; Sam- uel E. Koop, Sindelfinger, near Stutgart; Anna Catherina Kopp, Bushweiler, Lower Alsace, near Strassburg; Johannes Knauss, Titelsheim ; Maria Catherina Knauss, Mutterstadt, near Manheim; Johannes Kohler, Brettach, in Wurtenberg; Eva Kohler, Swabia; George Hartmann, Bischofs- heim, Palatinate; Christina Hartmann, Kelle- bach, Baden; Fred Rauchenberger, Widmus in Marienborn, erzogen in Wurtenberg; Maria Goetschy Rauchenberger, Berneck-Winthal, Switzerland; Rosina Moz, Kalkendorf, Alsace; Catharina Wezel, Oppa-Manheim, Palatinate; Christopher Schuez, Seifhennerdorf, Saxon; An- na Christ Schuez, Seifennerdorf, Saxon; Andrew Giering, Boll, Wurtenberg; Matthew Wesner, Dornhammer, Wurtenberg; Andrew Eisenhardt,
-
SALISBURY TOWNSHIP.
875
John Bogert. Abraham Bidelman.
Jacob Buchecker.
George Bieber. Jacob Bierey. Jacob Brang.
Michael Bauer. Henry Bairie.
Henry Bauer.
Tobias Barnet.
Jacob Christ.
John Deatrich. Stephen Dool. George Deily .. Christian Dutt.
John Diehl.
Daniel Diehl.
Jacob Diehl.
Henry Suttler.
Israel Dool.
Henry Shiffert. Jacob Shiffert.
Christian Deiley. George Ehrich. George Eshbach. John Eshbach.
Conrad Stare.
Jacob Sheaver.
Peter Bauer,. 4 Ulrich Sanrit, ... . .
6
Thomas Everett.
Philip Krauss.
Peter Bogger,. 20 Bernit Winsh, 5 William Espelling.
George Stoud,. 16 George Weis,. 7 Henry Fetter.
Frederick Bassman,. Henry Burger, .. Daniel Creutz,
7
Jacob Mine,.
5 4
Jacob Fox. Peter Fink.
John Keck. Peter Kline.
Michael Danner,. . .
6 George Ziegler, .....
5
John Gernet.
George Adam Klein.
Henry Kemmerer.
Michael Fink,
7
John Jennings, Esq., 46
abated 6
George Geissinger.
Andrew Keck, Sr. Andrew Keck. Jr.
Christian Giess, ... .
Geo. Adam Blank, .. 23
John Goebel.
Nicholas Kleckner.
Andrew Gearing, .. 7
Michael Hutler, .... 13
5 II
Christian Gernet. Daniel Gross.
Adam Klein. Michael Klein.
Peter Hartman,. . . Henry Jacoby,.
4 6
4 6
Abraham Horlacher.
John Kemmer.
George Heist.
John Knauss.
George Wolf,
8
Jacob Horlacher.
Joseph Klewell.
Laurence Kols, . . Bastian Knaus,. . .
4 22
George Louer,.
Casper Kleckner.
Joseph Knauss.
Henry Keck, .. IO
Jacob Moor,.
John Klewell.
George Keck.
Philip Kunius
6 Peter Miller,.
4
William Kruver.
Peter Shitz.
Henry Kuhns' wid- ow,
15
John Martin Dör, .. David Deshler, ... . . . John George
4 9
Adam Laudenslager.
Peter Schlecter.
Michael Ott,. 5
Schnepf,
4
Joseph Line.
Adam Uberroth.
John Melchert,. 9
Simon Leiber,.
5
France Ludwig. Nicholas Uberroth.
Henry Ritter,. 18
Peter Shwab, 4
Michael Rothrick, .. 8
Adam Grisher,. 6 Leonard Reichert, .. 6 Single men.
Casper Ritter.
Philip Ebert. Godfried Richard. Michael Martin.
Jacob Neass.
John Kidd.
SALISBURY TOWNSHIP.
The assessment made by the Commissioners of Northampton County for Salisbury township in 1812 contains the following names :
Simon Reinsmith. Jacob Reise. Ludwig Reinbold.
Abrahamı Worman.
George Yohe. Abraham Ziegler.
1
Id d
Dachtel, Wurtenberg; Fred. Romig, Itlingen, Palatinate; Henrich Tesch, Igelheim, Kur- Pfaltz ; Abraham Zeigler, Freudenstadt, Schwartzwald, Wurtenberg; Christopher Weis- er, Wurtenberg.
In addition to these among the first settlers were: Philip Geisinger, Solomon Jennings, Abraham Körper, Mathias Egner, Henry Roth, John Martin Barmberger, George Stoudt, Gott- fried Serfass, John Reiss, Abraham Transo, Val- entine Steinmetz, George Klem, Jacob Mohr, Frantz Ritter, Peter Bogert, Rudolp Smith, Henry Ritter, Andreas Hertz, Michael Hittel, Christian Kaup, Conrad Jacoby, William Albert, George Weber and a family named Schneider.
TAX LIST OF SALISBURY, 1762. Christian Kaup, Collector.
Andrew Astrum, 8 Rudolph Smith,. 8
William Albert, .. ..
I2 Christopher Shitz,. 6
Jacob Elirenhard.
Frederick Kocher.
Jacob Kachline.
4
5 Tobias Wandel,. . .
4 George Gernet.
Stoffle Kline. Jacob Knauss.
George Dut,. IC
Jacob Zimmerman,. 9
George Geiss.
Martin Kemmerer.
Bernard Straup, .... 13
Philip Gross.
John Gering.
George Keiffer.
Andrew Gabel, ..
6 Mathias Wesner, .... Mathias Gurt,. . 8 Henry Heiser, ... . . Andreas Hartz,.
IO
Adam Witter, ... ... Jacob Sauerwine, .. Yost Walb,.
IO
John Hutchinson.
Philip Klein.
Peter Hertzog, .. 4
4
Christian Heiberger.
Daniel Klein. Solomon Keck.
Christian Weiser, ... Conrad Jacoby ... IO Peter Spengler, .... Christian Kassel, ... Simon . . Christian Kaup, .... 7 20
4
George Henry.
John Horlacher.
Henry Keck.
6
Martin Frölich,.
7
Joseph Jost, Jr. Tohn Knauss.
Martin Leibert. Solomon Lukes.
Peter Swager. Samuel Toon.
Michael Loury,. 4
Abraham Rinker, .. Leonard Able,.
8
John Line.
George Uberroth.
John Moritz.
David Uberroth. George Wetzgar.
Peter Waldman.
Sam Masteller. Christian Nagle. Widow Nagle.
Jacob Wild. Jacob Weil.
John Rese. Martin Ritter. Henry Ritter. John Weider. Peter Weber. Philip Weber. Martin Ritter. Hartman Reinhard. Frederick Winsh.
George Weber. John Wagener.
Michael Kern. John Graus. George Richard.
John Weaver, 4 George Meyer.
John Mcyer.
Michael Streibich.
George Leibert,. 22
Balter Riegel.
7 Martin Lazerous.
4 6
William Reinbold. Nicholas Remmel. John Ritter. Abraham Spinner. David Sholl. Rudolph Smith. John Stuber. William Stuber.
Daniel Seigfried. John Snyder, Sr. John Snyder, Jr. George Single. John Spinner. Jeremiah Shiffert.
Jacob Spinner.
David Spinner. Jacob Shnyder.
Christian Stump. Joseph Jost.
Philip Wagner
Richard Freeman,. .. 30 abated 14 8
876
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Leonard Geiger.
Matthias Greiling.
Frederick Winsh. Abraham Neuhard.
Single Freemen.
Michael Fink.
George Moritz.
Henry Bower.
Jacob Reese.
John Bower.
Christian Klewell.
Peter Graver.
John Rau.
John Spinner.
Ludwig Reinbold.
John Reinbold. Jacob Sutor.
David Geissinger. Daniel Ritter.
Samuel Masteller.
William Dool.
Henry Masteller.
Peter Slyter.
Jacob Fox. Adam Nagle.
Abraham Stare.
Benjamin Keck.
Unseated lands, sixty-five different names.
Abraham Transeau and his wife, Elizabeth Munster, migrated from the Palatinate in 1730. On March 30; 1736, he took out a warrant for J 50 acres in the township. This tract adjoined the Peter Bogert plantation. On Jan. 1, 1741, his daughter, Anna Catharine, married Sebastian Knauss. The name Transeau has long disap- peared from the annals of the township, but is still extant in Northampton county.
Henry Roth, by a warrant dated Sept. 28, 1738, secured 300 acres of land in the town- ship. On Dec. 15, 1743, he, totegher with Mar- tin Bamberger, gave a deed for the land on which the Salisbury church had already been erected. He was born June 16, 1688, and arrived at Philadelphia Aug. 17, 1733, together with his wife, Catherine, aged 40 years, together with the following children: Anna Eve, Francis Wil- liam, and Catherine. His son, Francis William Roth, was born Dec. 19, 1721, and died very suddenly Dec. 28, 1857. He was married to Anna Margaret Grim, a daughter of Egidius Grim, who was born July 22, 1727, and died November 22, 1746. They had one son, Frantz. To him and his second wife, Elizabeth, there were born five children: Henry, who in 1770 resided in Hampshire county, Virginia; Mary Magdalena, married to George F. Knauss; Elizabeth, married to Abraham Seider; Mar- garet and Catherine. It is quite probable that Henry Roth was related to Daniel Roth, a Swiss pioneer, who settled in Whitehall township, at what is now the village of Sherersville.
Adam Blank settled in the township at a very early date in 1760, four years before his death, he presented the Lutheran congregation of West- ern Salisbury with a pewter baptismal dish (see illustration). His wife, Margaret, died in the month of February, 1770, aged 65 years. Their children were: Christopher, George, George Adam, John, Anna Margaret, Catherine, and Anna Elizabeth. The communion tankard of the above-named congregation, date 1769, con- tains the following initials, A. B., G. M., G. B.,
of which A. B. and G. B. in all probability stand for Adam Blank and George Blank. George Adam was in 1764 assessed for 300 acres of land.
Adam Wieder was taxed in 1762 to the amount of ten pounds. He died in 1798. His children were: John Adam, born Oct. 13, 1750; died July 20, 1825. He married Christina Duth, and had six sons and four daughters: Michael, John, Valentine, Casplar, Ludwig, Margaret, wife of Henry Kern, Mary Eliza- beth, wife of Dorias Aeck; Eve, wife of Chris- tian Meyberger, and Elizabeth, wife of John Tapper.
Frederick Rauschenberger was born May 14, 1715, in Widmus in Marienborn, but was reared in Wurtenberg. He was married April 3, 1736, in Worcester township, by Rev. J. P. Boehm, to Fiana Barbara Goetschy, a daughter of Maur- ice Goetschy, and a sister to Rev. John Henry Goetschy, the boy preacher of the Colony. She was born in Berneck, in Winthal, Switzerland, and came to Pennsylvania with her parents May, 1735. Some time after marriage they removed to Salisbury township. His residence was on the northern slope of the mountain, southeast from Emaus.
Martin Ritter came to Pennsylvania in 1732, and soon after his arrival secured a patent for a tract in Salisbury township, west of the pres- ent village of Waldheim. He was the father of seven children: Martin, Henry, John, Daniel, Michael, Jacob and Gretchen (Mrs. Solomon Klein).
Henry Keck, a native of the Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, landed at Philadelphia Oct. 12, 1732. He and his wife were sold as redemptioners to a party in Chester county for a period of about four years. Several years after the expiration of their term of service they came to the Zim- merman tract in Salisbury township. The date of the warrant is 1734. When they came to the township a log house and barn had already been erected and an orchard planted. In 1753 Mr. Keck purchased the tract, paying for it 15 pounds and 10 shillings. Tradition has it that when he first came to the township all the grist had to be taken to White Marsh or Sandy Run, Montgomery county. Among his children were four sons: Frederick, Henry, John and Andrew.
The Kline families, which are numerous, are apparently from two distinct lines. The first of which is the Lorenz Kline family. His father, Philip Wendel Klein, settled in Weisenberg prior to 1750. Among his children were John Adam, Peter and Lorenz. The latter was born Feb. 15, 1735, and died Jan. 6, 1819, and his
877
SALISBURY TOWNSHIP.
wife, Eva, nee Stettler, was born Dec. 25, 1740, and died Nov. 25, 1824. They lived in the township and raised the following children : Christofel, Elizabeth, Peter, Anna Margaretha, Berndt, and Magdelena. The other line of this family are descendant from two brothers, Philip and Adam, who came from Goshenhoppen to Salisbury in about 1790. Philip was married to Anna Margaretha, a daughter of Lozefne Klein. They had issue: Solomon, Daniel, Elisabeth, Anna, and Susanna. Adam married Elisabeth Sneider, and had issue: David, George Adam, Samuel, a minister of the Gospel; Frederick, Hannah, Catherine, Susanna, Mrs. Deily, Fran- cis, and Eva.
In 1753 Peter Bogert, a native of the Middle Palatinate purchased from Abraham Körper a tract of 294 acres, to which he later added sev- eral more tracts, most of which is still in posses- sion of his descendants. Mr. Bogert was born Dec. 13, 1721, his sponsors were his grand- parents, Bardel Bogert an his wife, Anna Bar- vel. He had two sons, John and Jacob.
John Henry Knauss and his brother, Sebas- tian, settled in the township about 1740. They were born in Titlesheim Veteravia, and came to Pennsylvania with their father, Ludwig Knauss prior to 1728. They both became the progeni- tors of large families.
Jacob Bieber, at the close of the Revolutionary period, purchased the Roth homestead. The family had became financially embarrassed on account of the War. Mr. Beiber was born Dec. 24, 1731, and died Oct. 16, 1798. To him and his wife, Christina Steinbrenner, with whom he lived in holy wedlock forty years, were born cight sons and two daughters. Henry G. Bie- ber, a descendant owns and lives on the original tract.
Michael Biery, of Swiss ancestry, Canton of Bern, migrated from Longswamp township at about the time of the War of Independence. He was born Aug. 2, 1739, and died Sept. 5, 1800. He reared a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters.
A family by the name of Stout were settled on the farm now owned by Reuben Spinner be- fore 1768. In that year Jacob Spinner came from Philadelphia, attracted by the shad-fisheries in the Lehigh River. He married one of the daughters of the Stout family, and in 1781 his name appears on the assessment list. He settled on the Stout farm. He had four sons: Jacob, Abram, David, and John. They all settled in the township. Jacob settled where John Miller now owns; his family all emigrated. Adam settled where Edwin Miller now lives;
his family all died in early life. David settled where Addison Morey-whose wife is a grand- daughter -- now lives. John settled on the Stout farm, and married Susan Walton. He was born in 1777, and died in 1869, aged ninety-two years. He left two children: Reuben and Mrs. Solomon Diehl. The old Stout house is still standing and is probably the oldest in the township.
The Giess family are descendants of Christian Giess, who was born in Nassau, Germany, May 12, 1720, and died May, 1803. His remains lie buried in the Eastern Salisbury cemetery. In 1860 Philip Giess built the tavern known as the Salisbury Square Hotel. He had two sons: Solomon and David. Solomon lived and died on the homestead. The tavern was kept for many years by Mrs. George Gauf, a daughter of David. A distillery was built many years ago on the place and in operation. It was re- built in 1862, but not again opened.
William Moritz came from Germany before 1781, as in that year he is assessed on real estate. He had a son, John, who also settled in the town- ship. John had three sons: Daniel, David, and John George. Daniel was born in 1800, and settled on the farm of his father; David, now living, was born in 1803, and settled near the homestead, where he still resides. John George settled in Saucon township.
Daniel Diehl came to Salisbury township from Upper Saucon, and settled on the Lehigh Moun- tain, where Winfield Butz now lives, about 1790. He was at that time married. His sons were: John, Jacob, and Abram.
Jacob Merkle was assessed on property in Sal- isbury in 1781. He lived in Bucks county, near Quakertown. His son, William, was born there about 1793, and about 1813 came to Salisbury, and settled on the property, part of which is now owned by Jacob Moritz. William Markle died in 1872, and left six children: Jacob, Juliana (Mrs. Solomon Boehm), Mary (Mrs. David Sheetz), Reuben, Adam, and Diana (Mrs. Jo- siah Siegers).
In the extreme eastern end of the township Tobias Weber built a house in 1744, on what is known as the Simpson tract. He sold it Nov. 2, 1747, to Jobst Vollert, who the year previous removed from Coventry, Chester county, to Beth- lehem and became landlord at the Crown inn. In September, 1754, he added to his holdings Anthony Albrecht plantation. These two tracts he sold in 1755 to the Moravians.
George Hartman was another one of the early cccupants in this eastern section. He purchased a tract of eighty acres of mountain land in 1744. It was occuied for a number of years by Cor-
ed n st .
tred 36, ur- hry the
to the His 1750; istina hters: Iwig. bliza- 'hris- Job
stand George tres of
id,
T
878
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
nelius Weygandt. It is supposed that the old farm house, still standing, was erected in 1759. This tract too soon passed into the hands of the Moravians, who added to their holdings until they owned about five hundred acres, on the south side of the Lehigh. In 1769 they began to rent out these tracts for farming purposes.
For more detailed information of many of these early families see the biographical part of this work.
EARLY ROADS.
In the year 1753 the road from Bethlehem to Macungie (Emaus) was proposed. The Mo- ravians, in their travels between the two places
firm the original. It was not laid out until 1760, and passed through the plantations of George Stoudt, Rudolph Smith, Henry Ritter, Adam Wieder, Adam Plank, Andreas Hertz, Sebastian Knauss, Michael Hittel and Lewis Klotz, respectively. Where the road met the old Philadelphia Road, which led from the lat- ter place to Mauch Chunk and which is said to follow an old Indian trail, at what is known as Schwartz's Crossing. This road became a part of the trail of the Moravian missionaries, which led from Bethlehem to the Carolinas. Their stopping places in the province were : Macungie, Longen Platz, Ziegler's Platz, Weis- er's Platz, Oley Schoolhouse, Reddingston,
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