History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 167

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 167

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In 1819, Rev. Benjamin German was called. He accepted, entered upon his pastorate in the spring of 1820, and continued to serve until his death, which occurred in September, 1848. He was buried in Allentown. His brother, William German, succeeded him, and he too remained in the service of the congregation until his death, June 26, 1851. He was buried at the Salsburg Church. The vacancy occasioned by the death of William German was temporarily filled by Augustus L. Dechant, then a Reformed licen- tiate.

On March 3, 1852, Rev. John Vogelbach ac- cepted a call from the congregation, and served

them until March, 1857, when he followed a call to Philadelphia.

In May, 1857, Rev. William Rath assumed the pastorate, was assisted during the later years of his service by his son, Rev. Mron O. Rath. He resigned in 1888, was succeeded by Rev. E. A. Yehl, who resigned in 1893, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. W. W. Kistler, the present in- cumbent.

When where and by whom the Reformed con- gregation now worshipping in the Blue church was organized and who its members were does not now seem possible to ascertain if indeed there was such an organization prior to the nineteenth century. Almost certain it is that they had no church building, nor perhaps a regular place for their services, prior to 1802, when Rev. Hoff- meier's record was made. This record was con- tinued in the handwriting of Rev. Hoffmeier un- til 1806, when it stops, not to be resumed again until 1825, and then by Rev. Daniel Zöller. In 1826 Rev. Samuel Hess assumed the pastorate and continued to serve until 1867, when he re- signed on account of advancing years and de- clining health. He was in turn succeeded in 1868 by Rev. Amandas N. Zeigler in 1873 by Rev. Robert C. Weaver, in 1891 by Rev. Jacob G. Dubbs and in 1913 by Rev. Thomas M. Kres- sley.

Frieden's Church, at Friedensville, was built in 1793, enlarged in 1817, and rebuilt in 1839. It is a Union Church of the Lutheran and Re- formed denominations. The Lutheran congre- gation here was organized by Rev. John Conrad Yeager, who continued to preach for them until 1731, when he was succeeded by his son, Josh- ua, who served until 1885, when he resigned, was succeeded by Rev. A. R. Horne, D.D., who served until 1902, was succeeded by Rev. H. A. Kunkle who served until 1907 and was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. C. J. Cooper, D.D.

The Reformed congregation was organized by Rev. John Henry Hoffmeier, who preached for them until about 1815, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. Dechant. Dechant was suc- ceeded, "at what time we know not," by Rev. Daniel Zöller, who served till 1857. In 1857, Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs was called, and ministered to them until 1871, when he resigned. He was succeeded by Rev. Richard T. Apple, who served two years, and was succeeded, in 1873, by Rev. R. C. Weaver. The present incumbent, Rev. Jacob G. Dubbs, has served since.

The Meeting House of the United Mennonite Brethren in Christ, near Coopersburg, was erected and the congregation organized in 1869.

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UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP.

This organization was effected principally by Rev. Abel Strawn, who preached for the con- gregation until the close of the year 1881, when, according to a decree of Conference, which pro- vided in substance that no minister should serve the same congregation for a period exceeding three years, he was succeeded by Rev. Abraham Kauffman, who, in 1884, was succeeded by Rev. Jonas Musselman ..

The Meeting House of the Methodist Episco- pal congregation at Friedensville, was built by Dr. H. S. Clemens, and the congregation organ- ized in 1863, by Rev. Nathan B. Durell, of the Philadelphia Conference. The congregation was served by the following pastors: Rev. Durell, from 1863 to 1865; Rev. Cummings, from 1865 to 1868; Rev. Kimble, from 1868 to 1871; Rev. Harrison, from 1871 to 1874; and Rev. Harkins, from 1874 to 1877, since which time the congregation has remained without a pas- tor. The church building has recently passed into the hands of the new Reformed Church and the congregation worshipping there are minis- tered to by Rev. D. G. Wiegner.

The Meeting House of the Free Methodists, at Centre Valley, was erected and the congre- gation organized in 1883. The congregation was ministered to by Rev. Manshart, but it soon de- clined and the Meeting House was acquired by the Baptist denomination, since which time the services there were conducted by Revs. West, Hanna and Sutton. The chapel at Centre Val- ley was erected in 1885 by an association con- sisting of Lutherans, Reformed and Mennonites. Those who worship there belong to congrega- tions elsewhere. The pastors of the congrega- tions at the Blue Church preach there regularly.

SCHOOLS .- The first schools established in the township were parochial or church schools, and were opened simultaneously with the organiza- tion of the congregations to which they be- longed; the first about 1738, by the Mennonites, the second about 1740 to 1745, by the Luth- elans. The buildings in which they were held are noted and described under the head of churches. A third building, used for school and doubtless for church purposes also, was erected by the Quakers about 1745, on lands of John Thomas, now Clayton DeWitt, but the school, the congregation, and the church have all passed away; and this might almost be said of the old, well-filled cemetery; for it is obliterated and its site is occupied by the house-yard of Mr. De- Witt. The names of but two teachers of this era are preserved to us,-Vigero, who taught and preached at the same time for the Luth- erans and Peter Knepley, of whom we find the

following entered in the first church book of the Lutheran congregation now serving at the Blue Church: "June 23, 1757, Peter Knepley, the schoolmaster, married to Christina Gangaware." Later, as the settlements pushed farther away from these places, more school accommodations became necessary, and schools were opened in private houses. Of the earlier of these we know nothing, but schools of this kind are known to have been held at the houses of John Egner, now James Kidd, Erhard Weaver, now Charles E. Weaver ; William Samuels, now Alfred A. Sell; Frederick Wittman, now John Yoachim; David Horlocher, now I. B. Meyers and doubtless others. It is impossible to define or limit the era of this kind of schools. Some of them were con- tinued in neighborhoods long after school-houses had been erected in others, and some were opened even in the neighborhood of school-houses,- these latter to meet a desire then beginning to be felt for instruction in the English language, "the teaching in the school-houses, except that of the Quakers being almost exclusively in German.

During the last quarter of the eighteenth cen- tury school associations began to be formed in the several neighborhoods, funds raised, school- houses erected, and teachers employed. Some of the earlier of these teachers scarcely deserved the name ; there was no system in their employment. Frequently an individual, "who was none other than a tramp," would go into a neighborhood, make some pretense to mental culture, open a subscription for pupils at so much per head, and if successful in collecting a sufficient number, would open a school, or an apology for one, with his birch on his desk and his flask inside or in his pocket. It is related of the last one who taught at the Quaker school-house, heretofore referred to, that he loved his dram, and that on the last day of his term some of the larger boys presented him with a bottle of whiskey, got him drunk, and persuaded him to play on the violin, while they engaged in dancing. One or two lessons of this kind would suffice to make the people more cir- cumspect in the employment of teachers, and thus the schools were improved. About 1825 English began to be slowly introduced. In 1828 pro- vision was made for the education of the poorer class, and Upper Saucon paid for that purpose as follows: 1828, $12.95; 1830, $14.42; 1833, $30.22; 1834, $76.41 ; 1835, $137.95; 1836, $142.61 ; 1838, $167.92.

In 1834 when the common-school law was passed, it produced intense excitement in the township. Violent opposition to it developed itself, and at the election upon the question of its adoption but few votes were cast in its favor, its supporters became the objects of the enmity

936

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of whole neighborhoods, and in this way were induced to abandon the contest. So intense was the feeling against it that during the time that its adoption was optional, when a politician de- sired to have the full vote of the township, brought out all he did was to have a rumor spread that the school law would be voted upon, and almost the last man would be out. It was not adopted until 1848, when its adoption be- came obligatory. Six schools had been estab- lished prior to this time by associations at the following places: Blue Church, Friedensville Church, Mennonite Meeting House, Coopers- burg, one near Heller's Tavern, known as Hel- ler's, and one near Seider's store, known as Seider's.

Of the teachers of the last two described and overlapping eras, the names of the following are preserved : Frederick Arnold, who taught at the house of John Egner and at Seider's school- house ; Jesse Samuels, who taught at the house of William Samuels and at Seider's; Daniel Fried, who taught at Frederick Wittman's; Proctor, Oberholtzer,

Jenkins, Peter Gerhard, Michael Urffer, Anth- ony Loutenberger, Joseph Wittman, Andrew K. Wittman, and George Blank, who taught at Seider's; John Lobb, David Minichinger, John H. Bernd, and a Mr. Musselman taught at the Blue Church; Gibson Innes, John Wilson, Lew- is Bannister, and Joel Tarre, who taught at Coopersburg;

Barthalmus, Rudy, and Riedy, who taught at Heller's; and Henry Knipe, who taught at a school-house which stood near the site of the residence of Enos Rechenbach, and which was superseded by the one built later at Coopersburg. An old school- house stood where the Saucon Iron Company's railroad crosses the road near the residence of Reichard. It was taken down about the year year 1800, and another one built on the present site of Heller's. This was destroyed by fire in 1808, another erected in 1809, and the present one in 1895.

We have now reached the day of public schools and of records. The township took the first step toward the adoption of the new sys- tem at the spring election in 1848, when the fol- lowing board of directors were elected: Sanford Stephens, Henry Erdman, John Brunner, Jacob Rice, Charles E. Christ, and George Blank. These organized by electing Charles E. Christ as president ,and George Blank as secretary. They riased by taxation for school purposes the first year $536.86, but this was found to be in- sufficient, and three hundred dollars were bor- rowed. They built two school-houses the first year, one called the Socritarian, opposite the site

of the present Centre Valley school-house, at a cost of two hundred and twenty-five dollars, and another, called the Franklin, near the residence of Philip Gangaware, at a cost of two hundred and ninety-five dollars. The following teach- ers were appointed: Aaron L. Butterwick, to teach at the Blue Church; Augustus F. Hallen- bach, at Friedensville; Mary Jenkins, at Hel- ler's; George Blank, at the meeting-house ; George R. Gates, at the Socritarian; Uriah Brunner, at the Franklin; William T. Cramer, at Coopersburg; and Solomon Fehr, at Seider's. The school-term was fixed at six months, and the salary of teachers at twenty dollars a month. The schools were attended by five hundred and fifty-three pupils,-three hundred and four males and two hundred and forty-nine females. The average attendance was thirty-four. Four hundred and twenty-nine learned English, one hundred and twenty-four German, thirty-six grammar, sixty-five geography, and two hundred and thirteen arithmetic. Since then additional school houses were built, and schools opened as follows: Locust Valley, in 1850; Washington, in 1853; Yoder's, in 1858; Dillinger's, in 1859; Hartman's (called Union), in 1861 ; Webster's, at Friedensville, in 1873; and a second one in Coopersburg, in 1876. Until 1854 the school at Friedensville was held at the church, but in that year a school-house was erected. The school at the Blue Church was held in the basement of the church until 1868, when a school-house was built. The school at the Meeting House was held in a school-house belonging to the Mennonite congre- gation until 1883, when a new one was erected. The old school-house at Coopersburg, which, on account of its shape, was called the Octagon, was replaced by a new one in 1857. The one at Centre Valley in 1859, the Franklin in 1874, the Wash- ington in 1875, and the Locust Valley in 1879. Seider's and Heller's schools until recently were held in old association school houses but these were replaced by modern brick structure with steeples and bells, the former in 1896 and the latter in 1895.

The school-houses are all furnished with black- boards, patent desks, maps, charts, globes and flags. The pupils are furnished with the neces- sary text-books and stationery at the public ex- pense.

The estimated value of school property in the township is $30,000. Twelve schools were in operation during the term of 1912-13, and these were attended by 511 pupils. The expense of maintaining them was $7,000.00.

GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS .- Upper Saucon is bounded on the northeast by Lower Saucon, Northampton county, on the southeast by Spring-

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UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP.

field, Bucks county, on the southwest by the Up- per and Lower Milford, and on the northwest by Salisbury. The surface is undulating. On the northwest is the Lehigh or South Moun- tain. Entering the township near its southern- most corner is the Chestnut Hill range which divides the southern part into two watersheds, each of which is drained by a branch of Saucon Creek, but as the latter range runs out near the centre of the township, the two branches of the creek unite. One branch of Saucon Creek enters the township at Limeport, the other rises near Locust Valley. A third small tributary, near the western corner of the township. It flows out near Saucon. The township abounds in iron, limestone and zinc. Its vegetable productions are wheat, rye, oats, corn, potatoes, clover, timo- thy and the various fruits and garden vegetables incident to the latitude. The leading industry, as in most rural communities, is agriculture. Of grist-mills there are eight ; two at Centre Valley, J. J. Geissinger and Young Bros., proprietors, three near Coopersburg, J. M. Ritter, J. H. Stroud and A. F. Landis, props., one near Lime- port, Ambrose Miller, prop., one at Standard, Wm. Mast, prop., and one near Lanark, Wm. Cressman, prop. Of saw-mills, three : Mast's, at Standard, and Ritter's and Stroud's near Coopers- burg. Of stores, nine: Frank Mullen's, Horace Fulmer's and Gum Bros.', at Center Valley ; Morris Ritter's and Thomas Couner's at Fried- ensville; William Slifer's, at Saucon; Elmer Carl's, at Locust Valley; Lewis Trexler's, at Lanark and H. T. Erdman's, at Standard. Of coal yards, two, both at Center Valley: J. A. Fulmer and George Hartman, props. Of ho- tels, seven: The Windsor, J. R. Weaver, prop. ; The Grand, J. R. Wilt, prop., and the Bald Eagle, J. A. Fulmer, prop .; at Centre Valley, Heller's, at Lanark, Wm. Trumbore, prop .; The Eagle, at Friedensville, Charles H. Keller, prop., and the Saucon, Lewis Kemmerer, prop. One foundry and machine shop at Locust Valley, Hersch & Hartman, props. One creamery at Lanark, Robert Schaffer, prop. One carriage factory at Centre Valley, Charles H. Schantz, prop., besides, there are two or three each of smitheries, tinware, and cobbling establishments. Of the eight or ten iron ore beds so vigorously operated before, all are idle. The zinc mines at Friedensville, formerly a hive of industry are abandoned and the machinery dismantled. The tanneries and brick-yards have disappeared.

The assessed valuation of real estate is $1,244,- 471 ; occupations, $102,270; horses (684 head), $70,985; cows (780 head), $31,110; total, $1,- 448,836.

According to the several census reports the 1

population was as follows: In 1820, 1,642; in 1830, 1,906; in 1840, 2,072; in 1850, 2,372; in 1860, 2,943; in 1870, 3,487; in 1880, 3,224; in 1890, 2,832; in 1900, 2,271; and in 1910, 2,415. There are 1,054 taxables in the township, 603 freeholders, 315 tenants, and 136 single men.

There are 14,896 acres of cleared land and 1,081 acres of timber land in the township. The township contains five villages, viz: Centre Val- ley, Friedensville, Colesville, Locust Valley and Saucona. The larger portion of Limeport is in Lower Milford. Lanark and Standard are ham- lets.

Post-offices were established as follows: What is now the Centre Valley post-office was estab- lished Nov. 27, 1827, under the name of Fry- burg: This name was changed to Coopersburg, June 25, 1832. The office was removed to and named Centre Valley June 9, 1849. Saucon Valley post-office was established Aug. 25, 1841, and discontinued July 16, 1861. It was held at the present location of the Lanark post-office. Friedensville post-office was established Feb. 16, 1843. The present Coopersburg post-office, Feb. 8, 1850. Lanark, July 25, 1862. Locust Val- ley, Feb. 4, 1863 (lately discontinued). Stan- dard, Aug. 21, 1893 (discontinued June 15, 1904).

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE .- The earlier justices of the peace were appointed by or through the authority of the king of England. They were known as "His Majesty's Justices of the Peace." The names of two of these who resided in Up- per Saucon have come to our knowledge. They were Thomas Owen and Henry Kooken. Be- ginning in 1763, the justices of the courts were commissioned from among the justices of the peace and Henry Kooken was thus promoted in 1776.

After the organization of Lehigh county, the justices of the peace were elected by districts of two or three townships each. Upper Saucon and Upper Milford constituted district No. 2. The justices elected under this arrangement were the following:

Daniel Cooper, commissioned. . . . Dec. 12, 1815 William H. Long, commissioned .. July 3, 1821 Peter Cooper, commissioned. ... Aug. 13, 1821 Thomas Romig, commissioned . July 29, 1831 Daniel Fritz, commissioned. Dec. 9, 1831

Philip Pierson, commissioned . .. . May 12, 1834 Charles W. Wieand, commissioned Apr. 1, 1836 Andrew K. Wittman, commissioned Mar. 8, 1837

Since 1840 the justices have been elected as now. They were: Andrew K. Wittman, 1840 and 1845; Philip Pierson, 1840; Charles E. Christ, 1845; Joshua Fry, 1850; Charles W. Cooper, 1850, 1855 ; George Blank. 1855, 1865,

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938

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

1865, 1870; Henry B. Person, 1856, 1861, 1866, 1871; William H. Snyder, 1875, 1880, 1885, 1890, 1895; G. W. Brinker, 1876, 1881, 1886, 1891 ; P. S. Fenstermaker, 1895, 1900; A. H. Huff, 1896; O. J. Biehn, 1901, 1906; W. H. Walbert, 1904, 1909; C. E. Biehn, 1911 ; A. E. Rinn, 1912.

Among the citizens of the township who served in public positions above those of town- ship offices we know of the following: Joseph Fry, in the state legislature, constitutional con- vention of 1837-8, and in congress; Jacob Erd- man, in the state legislature, congress and as as- sociate judge; Dr. Thomas B. Cooper, in con- gress ; Dr. Jesse Samuels as prothonotary and in the state legislature; Peter Cooper, as deputy surveyor-general; John Philip Wint, William Stehr, Joshua Fry, Peter Knepley and Frank B. Heller in the state legislature; W. H. Snyder, as prothonotary; Philip Pierson and Henry B. Pierson, as commissioners; George Blank, as county surveyor, and John Blank as poor direc- tor.

PRESENT APPEARANCE OF DAVID OWEN'S HOTEL, OPENED IN 1748.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES .- In 1748 David Owen, of Upper Saucon, applied for and was granted a license to open a tavern. He then re- sided on the farm now of Frank B. Heller and is not known to have owned any other improved land in the township at the time, hence it is safe to assume that the hostelry was located there and now forms a part of the tenant house on said farm.

About 1745, George Bachman opened a hotel, known as "The Seven Star," on the site of the present Barron House, in Coopersburg. Hel- ler's tavern was opened by a Mr. Keimley about the beginning of the nineteenth century. About the same time another was opened on the site of the old Weidner residence along the turnpike,

by Jacob Seider. This was discontinued about 1831, and the Centre Valley Hotel took its place. The Colesville Hotel was opened in 1815 by Philip Bahl. Peter Knepley opened a store in the hall of Heller's tavern soon after its erection. Solomon Keck another in Coopersburg and John Seider a third opposite Seider's school-house. An- other store, and very probably the first in the township, was held on the site of the present residence of Mr. Deily beyond Coopersburg, late Aaron N. Laros. George Zewitz appears to have been the owner of a mill which stood on the site of the present Geissinger mill at Centre Valley, prior to 1752, and Henry Kooken built a grist and saw mill on the site of the late Dillinger's mill near Limeport prior to 1773. David Owen operated a saw mill and hat factory on the site of the present Mast's mill at Standard about the middle of the eighteenth century.

John Philip Wint operated a tannery on the farm now owned by W. S. Stephens. Andreas Kurtz another on the farm now owned by Au- gustus S. Ohl, and Andreas Wint a third on the site of the present residence of Mrs. Jonathan Schwartz at Centre Valley. All these were erected prior to the close of the eighteenth cen- tury. A fourth tannery was located in Coopers- burg nearly opposite the present creamery, and a fifth on the late Dubbs farm at Locust Valley. All of them have disappeared. Old cemeteries are known to be situated on farms now owned by John Yoachim, Alvin Kehm, Joseph E. Illick, Clayton De Witt, Stephen Sabler, Mrs. James Marsteller, Solomon Hartman and Solomon Mory. Some of these are entirely obliterated, others in ruins, while one ( that at Solomon Hart- man's) is surrounded by a wall and some of the graves marked by neat tombstones.

FRIEDENSVILLE ZINC MINES.

THE ZINC-MINES AT FRIEDENSVILLE .- The discovery of zinc at Friedensville, (like many another important discovery), is generally ac- credited to the one who first made it known rather than to the real discoverer. The follow- ing develops the true process of its discovery, and will serve to place the honor where the same is due. On the west side of the road leading from Friedensville to Bethlehem, at a distance of about 150 perches from the base of the Lehigh moun- tain, in the middle of a field fertile and produc- tive in every other part, there was a depression resembling in shape a large bowl, about three hundred feet in diameter, and about twelve feet in depth. On this spot, with the exception of a few sickly weeds, no vegetation would grow. This sterility was attributed by many to the presence of mineral substances in the soil deleter-

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UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP.

ious to plant-life, but beyond this no one ven- tured. The place was visited by one of the State geologists, but he made no report of his observa- tions. On the edge of the hollow a number of bowlders, resembling limestone, projected from the surface. These Mr. Ueberroth, the owner of the land, attempted to convert into lime by the usual process, but failed, the whole mass melt- ing together in the kiln. After this the place was made a repository for rubbish and the stones picked from the farm, and so it remained until 1845, when Mr. Andrew K. Wittman was called as surveyor to trace a line between lands of Mr. Ueberroth and one of his neighbors. While thus engaged his attention was attracted to these bowlders, and he took pieces of them along hotne to add to a collection of minerals he was then forming. Taking much interest in minerals, and being of an investigating turn, he resolved upon a test of his recently-acquired specimen, resorting first to the blowpipe, then to acids, and finally to the crucible. By the latter process he suc- ceeded in obtaining about two ounces of metal, which, from his knowledge of metals, he knew to be zinc. On the following day he met Mr. Ueberroth, told him of his discovery, and gave him a portion of the metal. On the afternoon of the same day Ueberroth visited Bethlehem, and stopped at Leipert's Hotel, where he exhibited his metal to some friends. Among the sojourners at the hotel at the time was Professor T. H. Roep- per, who overheard the conversation between Ueberroth and his friends, saw the metal, and lost no time in proceeding to Friedensville and getting a supply of ore, of which he soon suc- ceeded in making brass by mixing it with copper. Roepper then went to Philadelphia, made the dis- covery known, and has since been accredited with it by nearly every one who undertook to write about it, while Mr. Wittman, the real discov- erer, has hardly been noticed or mentioned by any.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 167

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