History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 173

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 173

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Weissenberg was thickly settled during the French and Indian war, and while the Indians drove many of the inhabitants of the surround- ing townships from their homes, Weissenberg was very little molested. The early settlers passed into Weissenberg, and naturally it became at once more thickly inhabited than the townships farther north and west. And while the Indians drove the people away in Lynn and Heidelberg, they found them too numerous in Weissenberg to commit serious outrages, although on several occasions the people were also greatly alarmed.

Clothing of the Pioneers-Domestic Employ- ments .- When the clothes that the settlers

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

brought along with them were worn out they made them out of sail cloth, a coarse stuff which they bought at Philadelphia. But these were not warm enough for the winter weather, and they aften had to put on three to four pairs of panta. loons, and also as many coats. Next they turned their attention to the cultivation of flax and the raising of sheep. Then they commenced to wear linen clothes in summer and woolen in winter. But they were all home-made, the women doing the spinning and the men the weaving. Musical was the sound of the spinning wheel from early morn till late at night, and many are the anec- dotes that could be related of it. All the women were able to spin, and often three or four spin- ning wheels were used by the women of one family. Looms were also to be seen in a good many houses, at least a third of the men being weavers. The people for a long time wore home-made clothes, both during week days and Sundays, in summer, linen, and in winter the men linsey-woolsey and the women flannel. After calico had become cheaper, women com- menced to wear it, and many a lass felt proud if she could boast of a calico dress. Nearly all the people wore clothes of home-made stuff till about 1850; after that time it became rarer every year, until about 1890 when it was seen no longer.

Character and Customs .- The people were re- ligious, honest, sober, and industrious, and were thus well fitted for settling a new country; and as a whole they were very sober and moral until after the Revolutionary war. After the return of the soldiers their condition greatly changed. Many of those who had served in the war lost their habits of steady toil, and after the excite- ments of a soldier's life did not feel like farming or working at the bench or anvil. Many had also become habituated to the excessive use of strong drink. Whiskey then was in plenty, nearly every farmer distilling his own apple-jack, and selling to all who wanted to buy which cause much drunkenness among the people for a long time. Hotels also became more numerous, and every Saturday evening the landlords used to have frolics. It was seldom that a frolic was held without several fights. It was customary for a long time for the farmers to make "corn matches," to husk corn in the day and have a frolic in the evening.

"Schnitzing" parties were also held. People who wanted to cook apple butter invited their friends to come and help make the "schnitz." After the schnitzing was done a frolic was held and the dancing often kept up till near daylight.

"Shooting in the new year" was another habit of the German people. All the people went "to

shoot in new year." Sometimes there were crowds of from twenty or thirty together, start- ing at midnight and going from house to house, shooting the old year out and the new year in. On all these occasions it was customary to have plenty of whiskey, and to give as much as people wanted to drink. "Frolics," corn matches," "schnitzing" parties, and "shooting in the new year" are things that nowadays seldom hap- pen. While drunkenness is still a great evil, it is not near as great as it was one hundred years ago. For a long time people thought they could not perform a day's work without having as much whiskey to drink as they wanted, and un- til 1870 it was customary for farmers, during hay-making and harvest, to give plenty of whis- key to their hands. .

The gayety of the Palatines, from which has arisen the saying, "The Merry Palatinate: may God preserve it so!" the kindly disposition ot the Swabian, known over the whole world; the tenacity of the Swiss, who does not permit him- self to be beaten in any way, and the hard-head- edness of the old-time German,-these are char- acteristics to be found in Weissenberg and Low- hill down to the present day. A merrier disposi- tion will hardly be found anywhere, there is rot a more hospitable people, but it will also be diffi- cult to discover harder and more obstinate heads than here. During the long winter evenings, and especially in times of good sleighing, it has always been the custom for social gatherings, consisting of relatives and friends, and perhaps three or more families, to gather together at each other's homes. The large wooden sleighs are hitched up and loaded to their utmost ca- pacity, and driven to the designated place, where already many of the invited have gathered. Then the evening is passed in enjoying the hospitalities of the host and in festivities, extending often into the early hours of the morning.' Driving and visiting are among the established customs of this community.

A wedding was the occasion for the greatest display of hospitality and merry-making, and the sport was often mad and wild. The threshing- floor was bedecked with greens and turned into a dancing floor, where young and old swung in merry circles.

It is not wonderful that the long and numer- ous harvest-time festivities often required from six to eight large, fat hogs, and frequently more than an ox; and that old John Wickell, the butcher, who received many invitations to these feasts, said, "When I have butchered the hogs and made the sausage, I get nothing for it but the devil's thanks!"

Hardships-Early Occupations-A Distant

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WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.

Market .- The first settlers of Weissenberg had to endure many hardships and difficulties, Long Swamp, a large strip of unsettled land, lay be- tween themselves and Oley, and they had to pass it when they wanted to have any intercourse with the people of the latter place. Over this unoccu- pied region there were no roads, simply paths, through which it was difficult to get with teams.

The people not being able to build mills dur- ing the first years, took their grain on horseback to Oley to mill, a distance of from ten to fifteen miles.

The first settlers had trades, such as carpenters, weavers, shoemakers, smiths, tanners, wheel- wrights, nailmakers, hatters, dyers, tailors, etc. As weavers came Daniel Stettler, David Xander, Casper Sunn, Bernd Rupert, Nicholas Beesaker ; as a baker, Daniel Zoller; as tanners, Philip Henn and Jacob Greenawald ; as a tailor, Jacob

Support of Revolution .- The people of Weis- senberg took an active part in the Revolu- tionary war. As soon as the war broke out, Michael Bobst, of Hynemansville, raised a regi- ment of soldiers in Weissenberg and adjoining townships. Bobst was to be their colonel, David Xander major, and Jacob Mummy a captain. A great many of the men of Weissenberg joined this regiment, as, for instance, four out of the Boger and two of the Holben families. They went to New York, joined the army of Wash- ington, fought in the battle of Long Island, under Gen. Sterling. Many of them were captured after the defeat of the American army, among them being Jacob Mummy and three of the Bogers. Only one of them, viz., Adam es- caped. The three captured were among those that were imprisoned in a church for some time, and later in ships; all three died. Later in the

BARN ON HENRY RUPP FARM, BUILT IN 1794.

Stine; as a hatter, Gottlieb Ettinger; as black- smiths, Adam Bear and Killian Leiby; as nail- makers, John and Killian Leiby; as a sickle- maker, Daniel Knouse.

For a long time the only market at which the farmers could sell their products was at Phila- delphia. Everything they wanted to sell had to be hauled on a wagon to Philadelphia. It took them from Monday morning until Friday eve- ning to make a trip. Usually a party of from fif- teen to twenty went together. They took horse feed and their own food along for a whole week. They slept in the bar rooms of the hotels, lying on the floor around the stoves. This was the only way of transportation until the Schuylkill and Lehigh Canals were built. After that they sold their products to dealers along the canals, who sent them by boat to market. The farmers generally were very rough in going to and re- turning from Philadelphia, and played many tricks on people living along the road.

war, while the British army was lying at Phila- delphia, there was an encampment at Hynemans- ville to recruit and drill soldiers for Washing- ton's army. They joined the army when the British evacuated Philadelphia, and were en- gaged in the pusuit of the British through New Jersey.

After the close of the war, those that had been Tories were required to take the oath of allegi- ance to the government. Some of the Tories of Weissenberg refused, one of them, George Koster, abandoning his property and fleeing the country. Another, a Mr. Grow, was requested to come to Hynemansville to take the oath, but when he came there he refused to swear. The officers then took hold of him with the intention of tarring him. He was a very strong man, and a scuffle ensued, in which he kicked over the tar keg. At last they succeeded in getting him down, they rolled him around in the tar till he was dripping when they let him go and he started

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

for home. It is said that his path could be traced by the tar from Hynemansville to his house. Several days later he came and took the oath of allegiance.

Improvement of Condition .- As soon as the condition of the settlers had somewhat improved they commenced to put up better houses. By this time saw mills had been built, board and shingles became plenty, and stone was always to be had in abundance. About the years 1750 to 1760 we find that many of the first houses were torn down and new ones built. People also built two-story houses with cellars under them. At first they used to go up from one story to the other by means of ladders, but now they put in stairs. Some of the houses that had been built were

out large orchards of apple trees. The trees grew rapidly, and soon the farmer found him- self amply rewarded for his labor. About the year 1765 distilleries were built, and the dis- tilling of rye and apple-jack commenced. All that the farmers wanted to sell had to be hauled by wagon to Philadelphia, and they at once saw that the best way was to convert their surplus grain and apples at home into whiskey, as that greatly lessened the cost of transportation. The sale of whiskey was the main means for a long while by which farmers raised money. As the old trees gave out, new ones and more were planted, and thus the supply of apples was in- creased till about 1820; then the people neglected their orchards, and the quantity of apples yearly

BLEILER HOMESTEAD.

propped up and cellars dug out under them. The houses were as yet all built of logs. About 1775 the people commenced to build of stone; but it was after 1800 that those large stone build- ings were put up which are still standing.

As soon as the settlers had cleared a small tract of land they fenced a portion of it as a garden. In that garden a part was set aside for planting the seeds that they had brought along with them, which included, besides the usual garden seeds, those of apples, pears, peaches, and cherries. Thus in the very outstart they com- menced the raising of fruit trees, the most im- portant being the apple. By the time that they had portions of the land cleared they had also raised fruit trees. Thus they commenced to set

diminished during the next thirty years, when nearly all the distilleries were torn down. From 1870 the people again commenced to set out fresh orchards, and the supply of apples was largely increased. The distilling of rye was kept up till the building of the Lehigh Canal, which ope :ed a better market for the surplus grain of the farmers.

Weissenberg was overgrown with heavy wood when the first settlers arrived. Being a hilly country, interspersed with fine valleys, they com- menced first to clear the valleys, and sowed tl em with grain. The first crop was buckwheat, and then followed rye. The virgin soil yielded heavy crops. So they kept on, clearing yearly more land and treating it in the same way, till

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WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.

towards the latter part of the last century when the fertility of the soil was greatly decreased and in many cases the land became so poor that it was not cultivated for years. Sometimes that which was cultivated would hardly yield more than the seed. It thus became a serious question with farmers what to do and they turned their attention to the application of gypsum, or land plaster. This improved their crops for a while, but it soon became apparent that it would do only for a time, and that in the end it would make the land poorer. Many of the farmers sold out and went to other regions, and those who remained could not do more than make a living.

About the year 1820 the farmers began to put lime on the soil, and it greatly increased its fer- tility. Since that time much lime has been ap- plied and always with marked effect. While hardly anything grew before the application of lime, afterwards all the grains grew abundantly. The grains usually cultivated were rye, oats, corn, wheat, and buckwheat. Buckwheat, which one hundred years ago was the main crop, is now seldom seen. The grasses cultivated are clover and timothy. Flax also, for a long time largely raised, is now not seen, and has been very little cultivated during the last seventy years, except from 1853 to 1868.

During the war, cotton had greatly risen in price, and many people sowed flax, and old spin- ning wheels that had been stowed away for years were again brought into use. Potatoes, now one of the principal crops of the farmers of Weissen- berg, of which every year from sixty to seventy thousand bushels are raised and sold, were not raised for sale till about the year 1840, and then they were mostly sold in the coal regions.

Efforts to Retain German Language and Ex- clude English .- Weissenberg was mostly settled by Germans. The Werles, Bittners, and Geh- ringers, were of French descent and left France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. They first went to Germany, and by the time they reached this country they spoke the German language. This language was spoken by all the people prior to the year 1800. Soon after that time several Englishmen settled here and they made efforts to have English taught in the schools. This was strongly opposed by the peo- ple, and in many of the schools, particularly the church schools, it was positively forbidden.

About the year 1830 the Germans of Pennsyl- . vania made a general effort to retain the German language. Die Alte und Neue Welt (the Old and New World), a German newspaper printed at Philadelphia by Dr. Wesselhoeft, defended it with great ability. A general State conven-

tion was called to defend the German rights, and the German counties were urged to send dele- gates, and each township to hold meetings and pass resolutions in regard to the matter. Such a meeting of German farmers and mechanics was held June 3, 1837, at Hynemansville, in Weis- senberg township, and the purpose of the meet- ing was explained in speeches by Dr. Wessel. hoeft and others. A committee was appointed to draft a preamble and resolutions, which were unanimously adopted by the meeting. They were as follows :

"Es gewährt uns ein besonderes Vergnügen, heute zu einem Zwecke uns versammelt zu haben, welchen wir vor einem Jahre noch kaum zu erreichen hofften. Doch eine gerechte Sache schreitet immer voran und wir werden sehen dasz wir vor unpartheiischen Rich- tern siegen werden. In der Convention ist der Vorschlag gemacht worden, 'in deutschen Countys auch die Verhandlungen der Courten in deutscher Sprache zu führen.' Das war schon längst unser aller Wunsch, und unser ganzes Bestreben gehe dahin dies zu erreichen. Da dieser Vorschlag aber so ganz günstig für unsere Sache ist, so müssen wir aus allen Kräften ihn zu unterstützen suchen; denn lassen wir diese Gelegenheit unbenutzt vorüber gehen, so ist unsere Sprache unterdrückt, unsere deutsche Kirchen gehen zu Grunde, und mit ihnen lassen wir unseren Kindern das Beste rauben, deutsche Red- lichkeit, Glauben, und Fleisz. Das darf aber nicht sein so lange wir es noch verhüten können. Und das können wir jetzt,-in die Constitution müssen wir einen Artikel haben, der unserer Sprache gleiche Rechte mit der englischen gibt, wenigstens in deut- schen Countys die deutsche Sprache bei der Court einführt; und um dies zu erreichen laszt uns Peti- tionen an die Convention zu Tausenden schicken,- dann musz sie es thun wenn sie gerecht sein will. Aber alles was geschieht musz schnell geschehen, damit es noch früh genug an die Convention kom- men kann: Daher

"Beschlossen, Dasz wir einen Artikel in der zu- bildenden Constitution, welche die Einführung der deutschen Sprache bei den Courten in deutschen Countys beabsichtigt, unseren vollen ungetheilten Beifall geben.

"Beschlossen, Dasz wir alle gesetzliche Mittel ergreifen wollen, dasz ein solcher Artikel in die Constitution komme, und zwar ouf dem Wege der Petition durch Subscription.

"Beschlossen, Dasz wir völlig übereinstimmen mit dem Vorschlage am 17, Juni, Samstags, am Wirth- shause von Guth in Süd-Whitehall eine allgemeine County Versammlung zu halten.

"Beschlossen, Dasz wiralle Townships von unserem County dringend ersuchen ihre Deputirten zu der County Versammlung zu schicken.

"Beschlossen, Dasz auszerdem jeder Einwohner, der der Sache günstig ist, eingeladen wird, bei der County Versammlung zu erscheinen, um mit Nach- druck an dem Werke helfen zu können.

"Beschloszen, Dasz alle deutsche County im Staate aufgefodert werden so schnell als möglich ähnliche Maszregeln zu ergreifen, um durch Versammlungen und Petitioner den Vorschlag in der Convention durchzusetzen.

"Beschloszen, Dasz alle deutsche Zeitungsdrucker in unserem Staate, welche der deutschen Reform günstig sind, gebeten werden, diese Verhandlungen

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

in ihren respectiven Blätter aufzunehmen; dagegen alle Drucker, welche der Sache just halber oder gar nicht günstig sind, hiermit dringend ersucht werden diese Verhandlungen nicht aufzunehmen, damit wir endlich einmal in den Stand gesetzt werden Freund und Feind zu unterscheiden."

Translation.

"Preamble: It gives us particular delight to be assembled to-day for a purpose which a year ago we did not hope to obtain. Yet a righteous cause always moves forward, and you will see that before impartial judges we shall win. The proposition was made in the convention to have in the German counties the proceedings of the courts held in the German language. This was already for a long time our wish, and our whole exertion will be to obtain it. As this proposition is so entirely favorable to our cause, we must try to assist it with all our strength, for if we let this chance pass by without making use of it, then our language will be suppressed, our Ger- man churches go to destruction, and with them we shall rob our children of that which is the best, German honesty, faith, and diligence. This must not be so long as we can prevent it; and this we can do now. We must have an article in the constitution which gives to our language equal rights with the English, at least the use in German counties of the German language in the courts, and to obtain this let us send petitions by thousands to the convention, then the convention will do it if it be just. But all that is to be done must be done quickly, so that it will reach the convention before it is too late. Therefore,

"Resolved, That we give our full and un- divided assent to an article in the new constitu- tion, which in German counties tends to intro- duce the German language into the courts.

"Resolved, That we use all lawful means, by the way of subscriptions to petitions, to have such an article in the constitution.

"Resolved, That we fully agree with the propo- sition to hold a general county meeting at the public house of Guth, in South Whitehall, on Saturday, the 17th of June.

"Resolved, That we urgently beseech every township in our county to send deputies to the county meeting.

"Resolved, That besides these deputies every inhabitant who is favorable to the cause is in- vited to be present at the county meeting to assist the cause by his presence.

"Resolved, That all German counties in the State are requested as soon as possible to take like measures to put, by meetings and petitions, the proposition through in convention.

"Resolved, That all publishers of German newspapers in our State who are favorable to

the German reform are requested to publish these proceedings in their papers, whilst all pub- lishers that are not favorable, or are only partially favorable, are hereby earnestly requested not to publish these proceedings, so we shall at once be able to distinguish our friends from our ene- mies."

By such strong efforts the German fathers suc- ceeded for a long time to prevent the speaking of the English language in our township.

Pioneer Families .- The following pioneer settlers located in the township and became the heads of families many of whose descendants have continued here until now. The time of their arrival was prior to 1750.

Jacob Bachman.

Abraham Knerr. Philip Wendel Klein.

Hans Bär.

George Schumacher.

Michael Brobst.

Jacob Schumacher.

Leonard Danner.

Rev. Daniel Schumacher.

Nicholas Gehringer.

Christian Seiberling.

Valentine Graumlich.

Frederick Seiberling.

Jacob Greenewald.

Daniel Stettler.

Egidius Grimm.

Peter Weiss.

Rev. Johann Heinrich

Sebastian Werle.

Helffrich.

George Rupp.

Peter Herber.

David Xander.

Jacob Holben.

Frederick Hyneman.

TAX LIST OF WEISENBURG TOWNSHIP, 1762.

John Beaker, Collector.

Michael Acker, 5

Jacob Herber, II

Michael Braucher, .. 14 Frederick Hirsch, 6

George Braucher, ... 4 Ernest Kloss,.

George Brinich, . ..

9 Melchert Kloss,

Philip Bogger, . .

6 Philip Kleinert,

John Brown, 5 Daniel Knaus,

Michael Bauerman,. 12 Martin Karg,

Frederick Beck,

9 Jacob Klein,

7 6

Thomas Baltzer, 8 Peter Kroh,

Thomas Baltzer, . ..

5 Adam Klein,

7 6

Casper Bauer, ..

7 Valatine Kramlich,.

Jacob Bachman, ..

8 Philip Kiessener, ...

Jacob Bieber,

Nichs. Kindt, ..

Jacob Bogger,

4 Adam Leibelsperger,

Peter Dick,

6 Dewald Meyer, .....

Valatine Dear,

5 George Miller,.

Rudolp Ehebrecht, .. 5 George Merkel,

Mendel Fry,

4 Jacob Merkel, poor, 0

Nichs. Gift,

8 John Nichs. Mane- bach,

Nichs. Gerringer, ... Adam Gift, IO

Mathias Gift,

I2 Leonard Soul,

I2 Michael Shatz,

14 Philip Smith,

Sebastian Gerringer, 5 George Smith, 4

Jacob Holve,

IO Paul Shoemaker, ... 15

John Diel Herman,.

4 George Shreader, ... 9

I3 I2 4 6

John Nichs. Gift, ..

0 7 Jacob Newman, poor, Michael Nottstein, .. 6

John Gackenbach, ... George Gudekunst,. . Joseph Gerber, ..

17 4 8 John Rudolph, 6 Ludwig Reichart, ... George Reichert, .... George Sieger,

Jacob Grünenwald, .. Henry Gackenbach, .. Conrad Grim, .....

John Becker, .. 5 Peter Konfort,

Jacob Barner.

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WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.

Daniel Steadler, 6 Philip Wageman, ... 4

Christian Sheib,. 5 Anthony Walther, .. 12

Henry Shaffer,. 4 Adam Weaver, .... 4

Everhard Smith,. II Andrew Wild,. 8

Christian Syberling,. 8 Peter Weis, .. 20

Martin Shob, .. 9 Sebastian Werle, ... 6

Henry Switzer, . .

4 Jacob Yentzer,. 7 Daniel Bear.

Andreas Wagner, .. 6

Single men.

Laurence Bachman.

Taxables in 1781 .- The commissioners of Northampton county on Dec. 27, 1781, made the following assessment for the township of Weissenberg, which shows who were then its taxable inhabitants : Michael Brobst.

Jacob Bare.

John Kutz.

Michael Barner.

John Bare.

Ernst Kloss.

Nicholas Bachman.

Adam Bare.

Daniel Knouse.

David Bachman.

Nicholas Bachman.

Philip Kissner.

Jacob Billig.

Peter Kocher. Henry Kramer.

Michael Bowerman.

George Koster. George Kroh.

Christian Boger. Christian Boger, Jr.

Adam Boger.

John Leibel. William Leibel. John Leibel. Balzer Lutz. Andrew Lindemuth.

Christian Boger. Jacob Bawall. Jacob Bemer.

Jacob Musgenung.

Leonard Derr.

John Lichtewalter.

Nicholas Bisecker.

Christian Marburger. Henry Moser.

Jacob Edinger.

Jacob Miller.

Conrad Beesinger. Philip Benninghoff. Conrad Bapp.

Valentine Miller.

Daniel Falk.

Widow Merckle.

Leonard Myer.

Solomon Falk.

Daniel Moyer.

Nicholas Myer.

Daniel Moyer, Jr.

John Derr. John Delong. Stofle Dresher. Conrad Deel. Adam Deel.

George Nungesser.

Conrad Neft.

George Freth.

Henry Notestine.

Abraham Fenstermacher.

Jacob Mume. Peter Maurer.

Stoffle Ettinger.

George Richard.

Jacob Geho.

Ludwig Nolf. John Notestine.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 173

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