USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 172
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The Genuine Franklin Slate Co .- This com- pany was incorporated February 21, 1907, the incorporators being: E. D. Peters, Harry Shertz- inger and O. A. Neff, with a capital of $20,000. The quarry is located near Emerald. They manufacture roofing slate. The following are the officers: Edw. M. Peters, president and sec- retary ; Charles D. Peters, treasurer. They em- ploy 26 men.
Thomas Zellner operates a factory near Slat- ington. Capital invested, $10,000. He manu- factures blackboards and all kinds of structural products. He employs 15 men.
Leander Snyder has a small factory at Slate- dale. He manufactures mantel stock in the rough. He has a capital invested of $700.
Monarch Blackboard and Structural Slate Co. -This company is located at Custers, and manu- factures finished blackboards and all kinds of structural products. Mrs. W. W. Bowman is the principal owner, and has associated with her Thomas Wertman. They employ 6 men.
Hazel Dell Slate Co .- This company began operations in 1893, and comprised the follow- ing members: D. D. Roper, A. L. Rice and S. M. Rice. They continued in business for twenty years, when a new company was formed, which is composed of the following named mem- bers: O. Halloran, president; A. S. Morgan, secretary and treasurer ; James Paules, superin- tendent ; John Stewart, Edward Schenerlein, A. Klotz, S. M. Rice, agent for the Estate of A. L. Rice. They were incorporated Jan. 15, 1913, with a capital of $30,000. They employ 40 men.
The Crescent Slate Company of Slatington, was incorporated on November 27, 1909, with a capital of $20,000, fully paid. The officers are: Dr. J. S. Mack, secretary and treasurer ; J. W. Mack, president, and Mrs. S. A. Mack. The . firm employs 40 people. They manufacture roof- ing slate and rough blackboards. The quarry is located at Slatedale. The company is under the management of J. W. Mack, and is noted for the manufacture of the Federal Government roofing slate.
The Washington Slate Company of Slating- ton, Pa., was incorporated in 1891 with a capital of $30,000. They have 1,700 feet of open vein, of hard, excellent slate. The organizer of this company was A. P. Berlin, who served as the first president. The present officers are: Hon. A. J. Kern, president; A. S. Morgan, secretary and manager ; Hon. A. S. Haines, vice-president, and W. W. Morgan, treasurer. They employ 80 people and have markets all over the world.
The Carbon Slate Company was organized in 1888 and incorporated in 1902, with the follow- ing officers: Ellis Owens, president Robert G. Pierce, treasurer, and Joseph Richards, secretary, and with a capital of $45,000, fully paid. Their offices are located at 549 Main street, Slatington, Pa. They are the principal exporters in the United States and shipped as many as 120 car- loads on one occasion. They make mostly roof- ing slate and employ 175 men.
The Bachman Slate Company, was organized and incorporated in 1903 by J. N. Bachman, president and treasurer ; O. W. Bachman, secre- tary; M. A. Bachman and I. P. Bachman. The above are officers and directors. This is a close corporation with a capital of $50,000. They manufacture roofing slate and everything in the line of slate products. They employ 35 people and have one of the largest factories in this re- gion.
The Blue Mountain Slate Company is a pri- vate partnership concern and employs 45 men. They manufacture roofing slate and other slate products. They have their offices at 620 Main street. The company began business in 1898, and has continued up to this time. Their quar- ries are located in Washington township, near Slatedale. This firm sold slate to the govern- ment and has as its head James Owens.
The Manhattan Slate Company has officers: A. L. Rice, president and general manager, and C. S. Stettler, superintendent, and employs from 60 to 70 people. It is in operation since 1905.
The Thomas Slate Company, Limited, was or- ganized in 1909. They operate a quarry at Slatedale and employ 25 men. They manufac- ture roofing slate and blackboards. They have invested about $15,000. The officers are: O. A. Blose, president; James P. Kern, treasurer and secretary, and Howard Smith, Superintendent. .
The Highland Slate Company is a private partnership and was organized in May, 1905, by Alvin Weiss, Henry H. Kern, Oliver F. Kern and Henry J. Balliet. This company operates on the Saegersville or Meadow Brook vein, and employs 30 men. They manufacture roofing slate and structural stone. The officers are: Oliver F. Kern, president; Alvin Weiss, secre-
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
tary and treasurer, and Henry J. Balliet, super- intendent. Mr. Weiss is also secretary and treasurer of the Royal Blue Slate Company.
The Royal Blue Slate Company was organized in 1902 by Alvin Weiss, Henry H. Kern and . Oliver F. Kern. The quarry is located at Slate- dale. They manufacture roofing slate and school slate and employ 55 men. The quarry is 250 feet deep and the capital invested is about $30,- 000. The officers are: Oliver F. Kern, presi- dent ; Alvin Weiss, secretary and treasurer, and Henry H. Kern, superintendent.
M. J. Roberts & Company was organized in 1894 and have their offices at Slatington and their quarry near Slatedale. They employ 25 men and manufacture roofing slate and black- boards. It is a close company. There are three owners: M. J. Roberts, Hugh J. Roberts and William E. Roberts, among whom the business is transacted.
The Bittner Slate Company was incorporated in 1900 with a capital of $10,000, but the invest- ment amounts to $50,000. The president is Edwin W. Bittner; Adam Bittner is the secre- tary and treasurer, and Phaeon Bittner is the vice-president. The company operates on the Saegersville vein and have all the large vein slate. They manufacture bolt blackboards and roofing slate. In 1912 they abandoned their old quarry, which was almost 300 feet deep, and opened a new one 60 feet in length on the same vein. They employ 21 men.
ELECTION DISTRICTS.
On September 10, 1892, the township was di- vided into three election districts, viz: Eastern, Western and Southern. The polling place for the Eastern district was established at Emerald, for the Western at Slatedale, while the Southern retained the old place at Peter's Hotel. The fol- lowing election officers were appointed :
Eastern District .- Judge, Preston Mantz; in- spectors, Oliver A. Krum, Oscar Kern registra- tion assessor, Wm. C. Kuntz.
Western District .- Judge, James Krum; in- spectors, Owen Lewis, J. A. M. Riedy; regis- tration assessor, John M. Jones.
Southern District .- Judge, J. K. Ward; in- spectors, Lewis O. Blee, Elias Best; registration assessor, Lewis Kemmerer.
The present election officers are :
Eastern District .- Judge, Charles Moyer ; in- spectors, George Reitz, Nathaniel Mack; regis- tration assessor, John J. Peter.
Western District .- Judge, Ralph L. Blose ; inspectors, Elmer Werley, Samuel A. Sowden ; registration assessor, John M. Jones.
Southern District .- Judge, Charles 'P. Os- wald; inspectors, Wesley Peter, Edward Miller ; registration assessor, Alvin Blose.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
The justices elected for this township since its organization have been as follows:
Commissioned.
Stephen Schlosser, April II, 1848
Boas Hausman, April 9, 1850
Lewis C. Smith, April 9, 1850
Levi Krause, April 10, 1855
Henry Kuntz, April 10, 1855
William F. Mosser, May
2, 1859
Henry Kuntz, April 10, 1860
Alexander Peter, April 14, 1863
Benjamin J. Schlosser,
April II, 1865
Alexander Peter,
April 14, 1868
Lewis C. Smith,
April
, 1870
Lewis H. Roth,
April 9, 1872
Alexander Peter,
April 15, 1873
Lewis H. Roth,
April 19, 1877
Alexander Peter,
Mar. 25, 1878
Lewis H. Roth,
Mar. 30, 1882
Osville S. Peter,
April 6, 1883
Alexander Peter,
April 6, 1883
A. C. Nolf,
April II, 1884
Alexander Peter,
April 12, 1888
A. C. Nolf,
April 20, 1889
Alexander Peter,
April 20, 1893
A. C. Nolf, April 24, 1894
Wilson Rex, April 16, 1898
James S. Peter,
April 4, 1899
Wilson Rex, April 9, 1903
James S. Peter, April 9, 1904
Wilson Rex,
April 9, 1908
James S. Peter,
April 26, 1909
CONSTABLES.
Names of constables who have served since 1848:
1848-Moses Lentz, Nathan Miller.
1850-Gideon Lentz, Daniel Saeger.
1851-Gideon Lentz.
1852 -- John Kern.
1853-John Kern.
1854-Tilghman Kuntz.
1855-Nathan Eck.
1856-John Kern.
1857-Stephen Miller.
1858-Daniel Geary.
1859 -- John Anthony.
1860-John Kern.
1861-Joshua Dorward.
1862-Joshua Dorward.
1863-Menno D. George.
1864-Tilghman Yehl.
1865 -- Tilghman Yehl.
1866-Tilghman Yehl.
1867-Tilghman Yehl.
1868-Joshua Dorward.
1869-Joshua Dorward, James Krause.
1870-Joshua Dorward.
1871-Joshua Dorward.
1872-Samuel Kunkle.
1873 -- William Deibert.
1874-William Deibert.
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1875-William Deibert. 1876-Wilson Blose. 1877-John C. Hankey. 1878 John C. Hankey. 1879 to 1905-Daniel A. Weiss. 1905-George F. Thomas. 1908-Frank B. Williams. IgII-George T. Williams.
AUDITORS.
The following is a list of the auditors who have served from 1848 to 1913:
1848-John Rex. 1849-Reuben Peter.
1850-John Fenstermaker.
1851-Charles E. Beck.
1852-Thomas Kuntz.
1853-Charles Peter.
1854-Reuben Peter.
1855-William Mosser.
1856-Henry Kuntz.
1857-Jonas Hoffman.
1858-David Peter.
1859-Henry Kuntz.
1860-Stephen Schlosser.
1861-Joel P. Geiger.
1862-David Peter.
1863-Tilghman Kuntz, Emanuel Wehr. 1864-Benjamin Schlosser.
1865-David Peter.
1866-David Hollenbach.
1867-D. J. Peter.
1868-Thomas Casey.
1869-William Blose, I yr; Moses Lentz, 2 yrs .; William Sourwine, 3 yrs.
1872-David Hollenbach.
1873-Monroe Peter.
1874-Francis Kuntz.
1875-Benjamin D. Wehr.
1876-Daniel Thomas.
1877-Daniel Sourwine.
1878 Charles Fenstermaker.
1878-Wm. F. Andreas.
1879-Chas. Blose, George Krause, Daniel Thomas. 1880-Chas. Blose.
1881-Chas. Blose.
1882-Henry Sourwine.
1882-Chas. Blose.
1883-Robert Kern.
1883-Chas. Blose.
1884-Henry W. Dorward.
1884-Lewis Kemmerer.
1885-Lewis Kemmerer, Robt. Kern. Chas. Fenster- maker. 1886-Lewis Kemmerer.
1887-Lewis Kemmerer.
1888-Lewis Kemmerer, Emanuel Wehr, E. W. Bitt- ner. 1889-Lewis Kemmerer.
1891-Benneville J. Blose.
1892-Benjamin George.
1893-Paul W. Lentz.
1891-Lewis Kemmerer, E. W. Bittner, Robt. Kern
1892-Lewis Kemmerer.
1893-Lewis Kemmerer.
1894-Lewis Kemmerer. 1895-Oscar B. Peter.
1898-Oscar B. Peter. 1901-Oscar B. Peter. 1904-Charles Blose.
1901-Frank E. Shenton. 1902-Alfred Dorward.
1903-Leon P. Rex.
1904-Frank E. Shenton. 1905-Alfred Dorward. 1906-John F. Peter. 1907-Frank E. Shenton, Pearl Prutzman, I yr. 1908-Pearl Prutzman.
, 1909-Edwin Follweiler. 1910-Frank E. Shenton. 19II-William N. Rauch.
NAMES OF ASSESSORS, WASHINGTON TOWN- SHIP.
1848-Thomas Kuntz.
1849-Chas. E. Beck, George Rex. Stephen Schlos- ser. 1850-John Balliet.
1851-David Peter.
1852-Lewis C. Smith, Chas. Kern, Benj. S. Levan.
1853-Levi Haas.
1854-George Rex.
1855-Thomas Kuntz, Nathan Peter, D. Reinhart. 1856-Levi Krause.
1857-Levi Krause. 1858-John C. Hankey.
1859-John C. Hankey.
1860-John C. Hankey.
1861-John C. Hankey.
1862-Lewis Henritzy.
1863-Lewis Henritzy.
1864-Thomas Kuntz.
1865-Albert Kunkle.
1866-Daniel Sourwein.
1867-Lewis C. Smith, William Blose, Jacob Wert 1868-Daniel Sourwein.
1869-Daniel Sourwein.
1870-Daniel Sourwein, Wm. Blose, Moses Lentz.
1871-Daniel Sourwein.
1872-Daniel Sourwein.
1873-Daniel Sourwein, Chas. Fenstermaker, Henry Fenstermaker.
1874-Daniel Sourwein.
1875-Chas. Fenstermaker.
1876-Chas. Fenstermaker, Robt. Kern, Wm. Blose.
1877-Chas. Fenstermaker.
1879-William Blose. 1880-Elias Best. 1881-Ezra Peter.
1885-Henry Sourwine.
1886-Daniel Sourwine. 1887-James S. Peter.
1888-Henry Sourwine. 1889-Wilson Rex. 1890-J. A. M. Riedy.
1890-Lewis Kemmerer.
1895-Wilson Rex, I yr.
1896-Wilson Rex. 1897-Benjamin D. Wehr. 1898 Frank E. Shenton. 1899-Alfred Dorward. 1900-Leon P. Rex.
1907 -- Charles Blose. 1910-Charles Blose.
CHAPTER XLVI. .
WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.
SUPPLIED BY SOL. F. RUPP, EsQ.
Topography .- Weissenberg township is situ- ated in the western part of Lehigh county, north- west from Allentown, the eastern corner being about 12 miles distant. It is bounded on the northeast by Lowhill, on the southeast by Upper Macungie, on the southwest by Berks county, and on the northwest by Lynn. It is six and a half miles long and five and a half miles broad, and contains an area of 21,120 acres. The sur- face is hilly and broken.
A ridge or water-shed extends in a curve through the township, dividing the waters of the Lehigh from those of the Schuylkill basin, about three-fourths of the township being in the former and one-fourth in the latter. The prin- cipal waters are the following, viz: Schaeffer's Run and Spring Creek in the south; the two forks of Haas' Creek in the east; Lion Creek, with its branches, Willow Creek, Weiss' Run, and Holben's Creek, in the centre and northeast ; the tributaries of Sweitzer's Creek, named after the first settlers on its headwaters, in the north and northwest; all of which belong to the Lehigh basin ; and the Silver Creek, with its branches, forming the headwaters of Saucon Creek, in the west and southwest, in the Schuylkill basin. The township is thus well watered, a spring of run- ning water being found on nearly every farm.
The soil is mostly gravel, varying from light and poor on some of the hills to a heavy and fer- tile sandy loam in many of the valleys. Nearly every creek and rivulet is bordered by meadows.
This is almost entirely an agricultural town- ship. The farms vary in size from a few acres to several hundred, and are generally well culti- vated. A kind of mixed husbandry is practiced, and a judicious rotation of crops is observed. The farmers are careful to save all the manure they can, and a great amount of lime, together with some phosphate, is applied. The principal productions are rye, corn, potatoes, oats and wheat. Some parts of the township are especially adapted to potato growing. Horses, cattle, and hogs are raised in numbers, together with some sheep and poultry. Bee-keeping is also engaged in. Nearly all kinds of fruits common to the temperate latitude flourish here, such as apples,
cherries, pears, plums, grapes, and peaches, to- gether with berries of many sorts. Grapes and cherries seem to be indigenous to the soil, and could be raised in great quantities. Apples are not now raised as abundantly as formerly, but quite a number of orchards are cultivated, in- cluding peaches. For the past eight years most of the apple orchards have been injured by the San Jose scale and some of them entirely de- stroyed.
In early times the greater part of this town- ship was covered with forests, and at present perhaps six per cent. of the entire area is cov- ered with woods. The woods that remain are mostly situated on the tops and sides of hills, and consist mainly of chestnut timber, with here and there tracts of hickory, chestnut, oak, and white oak, interspersed with pine, maple, ash, walnut, birch, and wild cherry. The chestnut blight has affected a large proportion of the chestnut timber in every section of this township since 1910 and apparently with increasing damage.
No minerals are found in the township, but building stone, such as sandstone and a kind of slate, are found on most of the farms. Quartz is also found in many places, but is of no value.
The houses, nearly all two stories high, are mostly built of wood or stone; very few of bricks. Of the wooden houses, those more recently built are frame and the older ones log. The barns are mostly frame, with stone basements, and are generally quite capacious.
There are in the township at present five grist mills, three saw mills, five hotels, five stores, three postoffices, one carriage factory, two villages, four churches, and eleven school houses.
The inhabitants are the descendants of Ger- man settlers, who still speak the Pennsylvania German language. They are, as a rule, indus- trious, frugal, and intelligent, and very few can- not read and write. They mostly belong to Re- formed and Lutheran Churches, but a few are members of the United Brethren organization.
Organization .- Weissenberg township was formed out of the "Backparts of Macunjy" and part of Allemangel, the greater portion being of the latter, and was erected as a township in
967
968
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
I 753. Weissenberg is derived from Weiss, meaning "white," and burgh, a "castle" or "for- tress," and was named after Weissenberg, a for- tress and town in Alsace, from the vicinity of which most of the settlers had come. Weissen- berg was settled by Palatinates and Swiss. The first settlements took place in 1734, on and around the highlands in the vicinity of the pres- ent Ziegel Church. The first settlers came from Germantown, through Oley, and later over Goshenhoppen, through Rittenhause Gap. The Palatinates had moved to Long Swamp; but Long Swamp being a level plain, deficient in water and heavy wood, and overgrown with ground-oak did not suit them. So they went over the plain toward the Blue mountains, and found- ed the settlement of "Allemangel," their road be- ing along the Indian trail on the high ridge in Weissenberg, which forms the water-shed be- tween the Lehigh and Schuylkill Rivers. In "Allemangel" and Long Swamp, in what was then called the "Backparts of Macunjy," settled those who followed, and formed what is now Weissenberg.
The Palatinates .- During the wars of Louis XIV., of France, in the year 1674, Marshal Turenne disgraced his name by barbarously rav- aging the Palatinate, which was abandoned to the ferocious license of his troops, and became a scene of indescribable desolation. In 1685 the King revoked the Edict of Nantes, annulled the privileges granted to the Huguenots, prohibited the exercise of their religion, and ordered their temples to be leveled with the ground. Multi- tudes of the Reformed then went to England, Holland, Germany, and Switzerland.
Again, in 1688, the King gave orders for the wholesale devastation of the Palatinate, and so successfully was it carried out that this once rich and smiling land was converted into a desolate wilderness. The houseless peasants, to the num- ber of a hundred thousand, wandered about in abject misery imprecating the vengeance of heaven upon the cruel tyrant who had caused their ruin. And again, from 1 702 to 1713, dur- ing the war of the Spanish Succession, the Pala- tinate was the scene of ruin and devastation. Thus their homes were destroyed and their lands laid waste three times within a period of thirty years. It is no wonder that the Palatinates con- cluded to find a home in the wilds of America. By these successive visitations the people had been reducted to abject poverty, and many found themselves without means to get away. Some by selling their all were enabled to pay for their transportation; and others when brought to Philadelphia were sold by the ship captains for their passage. These settled mostly in Gosh-
enhoppen. By the time they settled Weissenberg the Palatinate had partially recovered from its ruinous devastations, and their financial condition was much better than that of those who had emi- grated before.
Some of the first settlers of Weissenberg came to Pennsylvania as early as 1725. They first went to Goshenhoppen and Oley, where they stayed for several years. Egidius Grimm, one of the pioneer settlers, passed over Rotterdam to Deal, and then to Pennsylvania in 1728, but did not settle in Weissenberg till 1734.
In Goshenhoppen and Oley the land had mostly been taken up before the year 1730; so those that came at that time stayed there for several years, and then went over Long Swamp to Weissenberg. Some of those that settled in the vicinity of the present Ziegel's Church, among them Adam Braus, Peter and Egidius Grimm, were there in the summer or fall of 1733 to look out places for settlement, and the following spring moved there with their fami- lies. During 1734 only a few families settled within the present limits of Weissenberg; but the following year more came, among them Lud- wig Reichard and Conrad Neff. From that time the township rapidly filled up and by 1750 all the most suitable places for homes were occu- pied.
Leonard Danner settled early in Weissen- berg where he bought a farm which had been taken up by William Weirich. He had seven chil- dren: Jacob, John, George, Judith, Polly (who was married to Emanuel Rupp), Catharine (married a Mr. Arnold), and a daughter (mar- ried a Mr. Tilghman). He sold his farm to his eldest son in 1815; and the son sold it in 1820 to Peter Lichty and moved to Buffalo Valley in Union county, Pa. John located in Allentown. George remained in Weissenberg, bought a farm adjoining his father's and afterward also a part of the homestead and carried on farming. He married Catharine Barner and had four children. Charles (who became the owner of the home- stead, George (located in Allentown), Catharine (married. Joseph Bear), and Lucy (married Daniel Kuhns). Some descendants of this fam- ily name have continued in the township.
Frederick Hyneman was of English descent and emigrated to Philadelphia where he mar- ried Catharine Kline, of that place. He left in 1793 on account of the yellow fever and went to Lancaster, Pa., later he located at Bobst's Manor House, in Weissenberg township, North- ampton county, afterward named Hynemansville. He had eight children: George, John, Frederick, Jacob, Kitty, Elizabeth, Sallie and Mary.
George had three children, John, William and
969
WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.
Elnora, who resided at Philadelphia. He served for many years as a teacher in Weissenberg and adjoining townships, having been one of the first teachers who taught English in this township.
John went to Reading, married, and remained there.
Frederick also went to Reading, married there, but located at Allentown and had two sons, Augustus and Charles. He was born June 26, 1783, and died May 9, 1829.
Jacob and Elizabeth died single.
Kitty married a Mr. Goodman, of Philadel- phia, and lived there.
Sallie married Jacob Kramlich and had four- teen children, who lived at Hynemansville many years. All moved to Ohio, excepting George, who located in Longswamp, and Kitty, who married Charles Weitknecht.
Mary married Conrad Ihrie, of Philadelphia, and upon his death she and their five children (Charles, Eliza, Catharine, Edmund and Ann Louisa) moved to Hynemansville. Charles, the first named, served as sheriff of Lehigh county from 1847 to 1850.
No one of this family name has survived in the township.
The following list is taken from the Colonial Records, and show the names of some of the first settlers, the day of registry in Philadelphia, and the name of the ship upon which they arrived :
Jacob Weiss, June 22, 1728, on ship "Albany" from Rotterdam.
Hans Ulrich Frey, June 21, 1729, on ship "Mar- tenhouse" from Rotterdam.
Christoph Frey, June 21, 1729, on ship "Marten- house" from Rotterdam.
John Daniel Werly, June 21, 1729, on ship "Mar- tenhouse" from Rotterdam.
Michael Thomas, Aug. 29, 1730, on ship "Thistle of Glasgow" from Rotterdam.
Casper Hartmann, Aug. 29, 1730, on ship "Thistle of Glasgow" from Rotterdam.
Caspar Hartmann, Aug. 1730, on ship "Thistle of Glasgow" from Rotterdam.
Hans Jacob Bär, Nov. 30, 1730, on ship "Joyce" from Rotterdam.
John Bar, Nov. 30, 1730, on ship "Joyce" from Rotterdam.
Heinrich Schüssler, Sept. 26, 1732, on ship "Mary" from Rotterdam.
Georg Schüssler, Sept. 26, 1732, on ship "Mary" from Rotterdam.
Hans Jacob Schüssler, Sept. 26, 1732, on ship "Mary" from Rotterdam.
Heinrich Schüssler, Sept. 26, 1732, on ship "Mary" from Rotterdam.
Hans Peter Werly, Sept. 26, 1732, on ship "Mary" from Rotterdam.
Christian Hoffmann, Sept. 30, 1732, on ship "Dragon" from Rotterdam.
Leonard Schlosser, Sept. 30, 1732, on ship "Dragon" from Rotterdam.
Peter Schlosser, Sept. 30, 1732, on ship "Dragon" from Rotterdam.
Georg Ludwig Schutz, Sept. 30, 1732, on ship "Dragon" from Rotterdam.
Georg Bär, Oct. II, 1732, on ship "Pleasant" from Rotterdam.
Hans Peter Frey, Aug. 17, 1733, on ship "Samuel of London" from Rotterdam.
Friederich Leiby, Aug. 17, 1733, on ship "Samuel of London" from Rotterdam.
Heinrich Brunner, May 29, 1735, on ship "Mer- cury" from Rotterdam.
Johannes Weiss, May 29, 1735, on ship "Mercury" from Rotterdam.
Casper Bleuler, May 29, 1735, on ship "Mercury" from Rotterdam.
Valentin Diehl. Sept. 12, 1734, on ship "St. An- drew" from Rotterdam.
Abraham Diehl, Sept. 12, 1734, on ship "St. An- drew" from Rotterdam.
The settlers usually put up temporary huts ; or they stayed with a family that had come be- fore, and went to find a suitable place for loca- tion. They always chose places by the side of a spring of pure water, and usually at the entrance of a valley or where several valleys met. After they found a place for location they built a log hut or house upon it, with the bare earth for a floor, and covered it with leaves. Some had bark and boards for roofs. After they had built their houses, they selected a tract of land by marking the trees along the lines around it. Some marked off large tracts in this way, from 400 to 600 acres; but they soon received notice from the proprietors to pay for the land, which they at first refused, alleging that the proprietors' agents had offered to give the land gratis if they would only come and settle on it. Some refused for a long time to pay for the land. The greater part of the land was taken up by applications for from 50 to 100 acres, one man often making three or four applications, usually at intervals of several years. After the township had been considerably settled many applications were for smaller tracts. From 1760 to 1780 there were speculators, such as Daniel Knouse, Michael Bobst and Jacob Greenewald, who took up va- cant tracts and held them, and afterwards sold them at large profits.
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