History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 176

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 176

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On the 6th of July, 1887, this neighborhood was visited by a terrible storm that sent fear and con- sternation to many hearts. The constant rolling and crash of thunder were something uncommon and the quick succession of lightning flashes, together with torrents of rain which poured from dark clouds, was an exhibition by the elements which even the oldest citizen had never witnessed before. At about five o'clock in the afternoon a shaft of elec- tricity struck the high steeple, passed down into the building, and ignited it in various places. The shaft was witnessed by the organist, Mr. Stump, who re- sided across the road from the church but unassist- ed he was not able to extinguish the flames; how- ever, with the help of a few neighbors, the com- munion service and baptismal font, together with the old, original Bible and a few other articles of furniture were rescued, but the building and all its remaining furniture were destroyed by the flames. Before night the church was entirely consumed.

The excitement was intense and soon a large concourse of people were on the premises witness- ing the conflagration, but bowing in humble submis- sion to what they interpreted as the unmistakable will of Divine Providence.

The following Friday evening, July 8th, the two church councils took official action and de- cided to rebuild the church immediately, and they elected two representatives from each congrega- tion as a building committee :

Lutheran .- Benneville Acker and James Lichtenwalner.

Reformed .- Stephen Smith and Jesse Loras.

Mr. Acker was selected as the overseer of the building operations, and the dimensions of the building were fixed at 50 feet front and 75 feet

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WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.

deep. The corner-stone was laid on Aug. 21, 1887; and the dedication took place with appro- priate ceremonies on April 7, 1889. The total cost was $13,232.14.

The building of 1863 had no basement, but the new building included a basement, and in general appearance was practically the same as the former, with the exception that the steeple was not so high.

The building of 1887 was also destroyed by lightning on Oct. 4, 1907, and steps were taken for rebuilding it in the following year. The joint building committee was composed of :

Lutheran .- Solomon Heffner and Benjamin D. Folck.

Reformed .- Peter F. Bear and Charles Bleiler.

The re-building was given out by contract and the total cost was $16,491.34. The walls were the same, and the steeple was made still less in height.

The dedication took place exactly one year after the fire.

The corner-stones in the front wall indicate the time when the four churches were erected, as follows:

1796 1863

·1887 1908

The Sunday school was first organized in 1840.

The original church and graveyard were on the south side of the public road. The second church (stone, 1796) was placed on the north side. In 1874, a cemetery was also established on the north side, which was enlarged in 1903.

The joint membership in 1913 was 800, about equally divided.

For some time the subject of individual cups in administering the Holy Communion had been discussed by different members of the Ziegel con- gregations without reaching any definite con- clusion. Finally two prominent and long-con- tinued members of the Reformed denomination, Mr. Henry F. Rupp and Mr. Peter F. Baer, quietly determined to secure a complete set of cups and present them, with the sanction of the vestry, to the congregation. Accordingly, they purchased a superior set, comprising 432 cups made of cut glass and twelve aluminum platters, and on Easter Sunday, 1913, the pastor, Rev. William M. Meckstroth, immediately after church service in the morning, requested the members to assemble in the Sunday school room for the purpose of participating in an unusual ceremony which would doubtless prove very in- teresting to them. Upon assembling there, the Reverend took great pleasure in announcing that Mr. Rupp and Mr. Bear had a surprise for them

and this was in the shape of a much-desired indi- vidual communion set, comprising 432 cups, but the members would have to take action in such an important change in their religious ceremony which had prevailed in the Ziegel Church for up- wards of 150 years. A motion was therefore made that the individual service should be adopt- ed and that the useful gift of the generous donors should be accepted by the Vestry with an expres- sion of appreciation by the congregation which was adopted unanimously. The presentation was then made by Mr. Rupp, and Rev. Meckstroth, in appropriate remarks, accepted the gift in be- half of the congregation.

The first use of the gift was made on the sec- ond Sunday after Easter, and its great utility and convenience were highly appreciated by the com- municants.

Lutheran Ministers .- Jacob F. Schertlein, Daniel Schumacher, Daniel Lehmann, Johann F. Obenhausen, Heinrich Geisenhainer, G. Wart- mann, J. Daering, Johann Konoske, Jeremiah Schindel, Owen Leopold, Elmer Leopold, J. Franklin Keller.

Reformed Ministers .- Philipp J. Michael, Peter Miller, Fritz, John Henry Helf- frich, Heinrich Diefenbach, Johannes Helffrich, William A. Helffrich, Nevin A. Helffrich, Wil- liam M. Meckstroth.

It appears that the Helffrich family supplied Reformed ministers for this church from 1778 until 1906, excepting eight years, a period of one hundred and twenty years.

Weissenberg Church .- This church was known during the 18th century as the Weissen Church. It stands in the northeastern corner of the township, near the line of Lowhill town- ship. It is a union church, all the buildings and lands being owned in equal right by the Reformed and the Lutherans. The congregations extend on the north to Heidelberg Church, on the south to Ziegel Church, and on the west to Jerusalem (Allemängel) Church. All the region in which the congregations dwell is very hilly, with nar- row valleys, well watered by many small brooks. Its settlement took place contemporaneously with that in Allemängel, indeed belongs to it. The later arrivals who could not conveniently find room in Allemängel moved farther towards the east and founded this community. The first pioneers were Petrus Herber and Peter Weiss. The former first dwelt at Oley, in Berks county, where his son, John Jacob, married Dorothea, a daughter of Jost Heinrich Sassamanshausen. The wanderers to this region were Swiss, Pala- tines, and Wurtembergers, and many of them had dwelt some time at Oley, Goshenhoppen, Falk- ner's Swamp, and other places south of the Le-

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

high Mountains before they settled in this region. Their relatives and acquaintances, who preceded them, had colonized these places, and many tar- ried with them before they settled in Weissen- berg. They could not find among them such farms as they cared to select; so the heads of families gathered together, hunted up suitable land and tracts, and later brought their families there. Many of their names appear on the colon- ial records, showing that they wandered hither about the year 1730; but most of them did not settle here until about 1740, between which year and 1750 the principal settlement took place. Many of the original families have died out or moved away from this region, and their names have disappeared entirely.

The following names appear on the church records as those of the first settlers :

Petrus Herber.

Jürg Knödler. Georg Schüssler.

Jacob Herber.

Peter Weiss.

Eberhard Schmidt.

Jacob Holben.

Jürg Kind.

Theobold Kempfer.

Johannes Ehrenhard.

Heinrich Krechloch.

Johannes Krechloch.

Jacob Bachmann.

Christian Müller.

Andreas Riess.

Friederich Säuberling.

Johannes Carral.

Mathäus Schneider.

George Zimmermann.

Johann Diedrich Her-

Valentin Derr (Dürr).

Heinrich Hartmann.

Heinrich Georg.

Andreas Eschbach.

Johannes Georg.

Peter Kocher

Adam Bär.

Peter Schopp.

Leonhard Frey.

Phillip Scholl.

Jacob Grünewald, Sr.

Friederich Weigand.

Wendel Holben.

Jacob Senser.

Michael Braucher.

Jost Diehl.

Nicolaus Kemp.

Sebastian Gehringer.

Martin Buchmann.

Michael Hallenbach.

Valentin Graumlich.

Peter Rabenold.

Michael Bieber.

Johann Meyer.

Michael Bock.

Peter Bahl.

Jürg Emmerich Schick.

Daniel Stettler.

Andreas Sinckell.

Johann A. Geiss.

Jürg Sieger.

Johann Knorr.

The congregations take their origin from the year 1747. Divine services had, however, been held at the homes of members before that time, undoubtedly by Rev. Kidenweiler, who resided in this neighborhood, and was known by the name of the "Swiss minister." By this time Jacob Holben had been elected an elder of the Weis- senberg Church. The construction of the first church building dates from June, 1754. Like all other churches in those early times it was built of logs, but was somewhat better constructed than most of them. In 1754 handicrafts were already better represented, and it is said there was at that time a saw mill in operation in the

Allemängel and Kistler Valleys turning out boards and shingles. The Rev. Daniel Schu- macher is authority for the statement that it was dedicated by the Revs. Rudolph Kidenweiler and Jacob Friedrich Schertlein, the first two pastors of the church. Soon after building the church, a school-house was also erected.

About 1765 there arose here an unfortunate fight, which increased until the greater part of the Reformed congregations seceded and formed the Lowhill Church. They were the original set- tlers, and numbered the most; but as they could not obtain any title for various reasons to the Allemängel Church in Kistler Valley, they had moved farther towards the east, and really origi- nated this church. They intended at the same time, however, to allow equal share to the Luth. erans. Now, it happened that the latter, having a better minister, Rev. Daniel Schumacher, ob- tained more influence than the Reformed mem- bers, who, under Rev. J. Michael, did not in- crease. This was the beginning of ill feeling. Soon there followed offensive expressions, and the fires of discord broke out. Whatever was de- sired by the one party was opposed by the other. So, after a while, the Bachman, George, Weiss, Mannebach, and a portion of the Holben fam- ilies, separated from this congregation, and be- gan the Lowhill as a purely Reformed Church. But some remained in Weissenberg, as the Herb- er, Fry, and the other part of the Holben fam- ilies. They could not tear themselves away from their old homes and their dead. The Weissen- berg Church remained a union church, but the Reformed members formed but a small part of it, as they do to the present day.

During the time of the Indian troubles this community suffered greatly. Several dwellings were burned down, and the greater part of the inhabitants fled to parts farther south.

In the War of Independence several members of the congregation served as soldiers. Their names are not known. When, in the winter of 1777-78, Washington's army lay encamped at Valley Forge, the people hereabouts sent down food and clothing to relieve its wants.

It is peculiar that in most of the settlements made by the Germans in America, warrants for the lands taken were not obtained by the squat- ters from the proprietaries till twenty, thirty, and more years after they had possession. The reason was this,-because the immigrants were led to believe in Germany that in America all the land was free, and that it was only necessary to enter and take possession of it, in order to be- come the owners of it. Under this impression nearly all the wanderers arrived here, hunted out such farms as suited them, and where they

Johannes Zerfass.

mann.

Peter Weiss.

Wilhelm Schmetter.

John De Long.

Jacob Heilmann.

Johann Adam Klein.

Sebastian Werly (Wer- lein).

Peter Franz.

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WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.

found them unoccupied, took possession of them without thinking they would ever be called on for pay. When the authorities insisted later on these squatters purchasing warrants for the lands taken, they did so gradually. The freeing of the land from the purchase money imposed by the State and the taking up of their deeds patent consumed a great deal of time, and valid titles for much of the land in this community were not obtained till the 18th century.

In the time of Pastor Schumacher many bap- tisms were held at the homes of the members, and these were always celebrated with feasts, after the manner of the Palatines. The church record shows that frequently two or three pair of godfathers and godmothers stood for one child. An example is taken from the church book: "At the baptism of Johannes Christianus Reiss, an infant son of Johann Daniel Peter, on the Ist of March, 1760, the following persons stood as godfathers and godmothers, viz: Daniel Schu- macher, the Lutheran minister, and Maria.Eliza- beth, his wife; Johann Heinrich Widersheim, elder of the Reformed Church in Lynn, and the Widow Anna Elizabeth Yuncker; Peter Bahl and Catharina, his wife; and also Johann Diel Hermann and Anna Barbara, his wife,-eight persons, besides the minister.

On the 7th of November, 1803, the congrega- tion having resolved to build a new church, a constitution was adopted, by which its construc- tion and the future conduct of the church should be regulated. The church was built of logs, well constructed, and appropriate for those times. It was completed in the year 1804, and dedicated with appropriate services, conducted by Rev. John Henry Helffrich, the Reformed minister, and Rev. J. F. Obenhausen, the Lutheran min- ister.

The consistory for that period who signed the attestation were Jacob Herber, Simon Georg, Heinrich Schneider, Mathias Sentell, Lorenz Holben, Abraham Grünewald, Philipp Herber, John Weiss, Heinrich Weiss, John Sieger, Hein- rich Kregloh, Theobald Holben, Sebastian Wer- lein, Michael Werlein, Andreas Buchmann, Georg Rau, Andreas Bittner, Nicolaus Wer- lein, Valentin Werlein, Jacob Schumacher, Peter Hallenbach, Peter Rau, Sabastian Ettel, Fred- erick Seiberling, and Theobald Werlein.

The third church was built in 1830, of stone. The congregation confirmed their old constitu- tion, according to which this building also was put up. On the 30th of May, 1830, the corner-stone was laid, with services conducted by Rev. John Helffrich, the Reformed minister, and Rev. Georg Wartmann, the Lutheran minister, both of whom preached sermons on that day. In

fall, the same pastors conducted the dedicatory services. The record of the building of the church is witnessed by the following:

Building committee : Nicolaus Werly, Mi- chael Frey, Andreas Bittner, Philipp Herber.

Lutheran elders: John Weida, Peter Buch- mann.

Reformed elders: Andreas Rupp, Philipp Herber.

Reformed deacons: Jacob Blessler, Michael Frey, Abraham Grünewald, Jacob Herber.

Lutheran deacons: Johannes Seibert, Solo- mon Rabenold, Frederich Dengler, Andreas Werly.

Treasurer : Jacob Herber.

School teacher : Heinrich Busse, served 42 years, born in Prussia, 1772, and died in 1857.

The centennial jubilee was held by the congre- gation on the 21st of September, 1851. In the morning Rev. Jeremiah Schindel, the Lutheran minister, preached, and in the afternoon Rev. William A. Helffrich, the Reformed minister. The venerable father, Rev. Johannes Helffrich, was also present, and took part in the celebra- tion.

The fourth (and present) church was built of brick, in the year 1864. The corner-stone was laid by Rev. A. J. Herman, of the Reformed, and Rev. O. Leopold, of the Lutherans.

The Reformed ministers of the congregation were :-

Rudolph Kidenweiler, a Swiss; he founded the church ; he preached also for the Long Swamp congregation seven and a half years. He left this church in obedience to the call from the "Grosse Schwamm" Church, south of the Lehigh Moun- tains, where he died and was buried. His head- stone still stands upon the cemetery of that church, with the following inscription: "Here lies buried the departed reformed Preacher, Jo- hannes Rudolph Kitweiler ; his age was 47 years, 9 months; he was born on the 2d of January, 1717, and died the 2d of October, 1764."

Philipp Jacob Michael, who began his service here in the year 1761.

Johann Heinrich Helffrich followed, and was the first preacher from the Synod, with which he brought this church into union. He served this congregation with the Lowhill before the latter had the dispute with the Weissenberg. Father Jacob Herber was a brother-in-law of Rev. Helf- frich, both having married daughters of Sassa- manshausen. Friendliness induced Rev. Helf- frich to serve this congregation, and through his efforts peace was restored. After the Lowhill Church became a Union Church the same min- isters served both that and this congregation, and the two were regarded as one.

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Heinrich Diefenbach preached from the death of Rev. Helffrich in 1810 till 1816.

Johannes Helffrich, the son of John Henry Helffrich was chosen after the completion of his studies in 1816, and preached up to the time of his death in 1852. In 1845 his son,

William A. Helffrich, was appointed his as- sistant by the East Pennsylvania Classis. He served till the year 1860.

Alfred J. Herman was chosen minister in the same year. He was followed by J. O. Oswald and Oswald by F. P. Laros.

The Lutheran ministers were :- -

Jacob Friederich Schertlein.

Daniel Schumacher, an able and well-educated minister from Germany. He came to this region when a young man, and married Maria Eliza- beth, a daughter of Georg Steigerwald. On the IIth of December, 1757, he delivered his first sermon. He lived with this community all his lifetime, died here, and lies buried in the old graveyard, with no stone marking his grave.

Hermann Jacob Schellhard, who preached here from 1770 to 1780.

Daniel Lehman.

J. F. Obenhausen, who resided within the limits of the Ziegel community.

Friederich Geisenhainer.

George Wartman and J. Däring, who dwelt with the Jordan community, and served the same congregations.

Jeremiah Schindel, elected in 1837.

Owen Leopold. He was followed by his son, Elmer O. Leopold, and afterward by J. Frank- lin Keller.

Schools .- No sooner were the Palatinates and the Swiss Germans, established in their new homes in Weissenberg, than they began to estab- lish schools; but in this, as in everything else, they had to contend against great difficulties. Be- ing poor and just settled in the wilderness, their means were scanty indeed. To cut down trees, build houses, clear the land, they were impelled by their bodily wants. Doing this was not the work of a day, and years of unremitting toil elapsed before they had anything to sell, and then, when they had it, there was no market at which to dispose of it. After they had gath- ered together congregations and schools, they often had no ministers, teachers, nor money to procure them. Hence churches and schools were few in number and far apart. At first there seem to have been no schools except those at the churches. These were under the control of the men that led in singing on occasions of public worship, and were termed church schools. For a long time this township had only two churches and probably only two schools, so it often hap-

pened that children had to go four or five miles to school. After a while, probably in 1770, other schools were established in parts most re- mote from the churches, wherever suitable rooms could be obtained. At these the teachers at the churches taught annually for a certain time, after their schools had closed. This state of affairs continued for about fifty years, probably to near the close of the 18th century.

During this time the schools were conducted entirely in the German language. The course of study was reading, writing, singing, arithme- tic as far as the fundamental rules, and probably the catechism. The course in reading embraced the A, B, C book, the Psalter, and the New Testament. The girls it was not thought neces- sary should study more than reading, the cate- chism, and singing. Many children grew up with no schooling at all, others with very little. The records, still existing, of transactions done during those times show that scarcely any of the women and a great many of the men could not even write their own names. Of those born in Germany, nearly all of the men and some of the women could write. The teachers during the beginning of this period were all men that had been educated in Europe, but some of them be- came ministers, and less qualified men took their places as teachers. So the schools suffered. From that time until the adoption of the common school system many taught school who had no qualifications whatever to recommend them.

Among the teachers in the township between 1834 and 1840 were Allenborn, Reichelhelm, Flotto, Joch and August Griebler, who were brought here by Rev. John Helffrich. The studies included German, Latin, Greek, Natural Philosophy, Geography, Ancient History, Physi- ology, Biblical History, religious instruction and letter writing for composition. The school building was where M. H. Smale's home now is, and it was known as Helffrich's Academy."

In 1841 Amandus Stettler began an English school at Daniel Helffrich's place (later Stein's store) ; and a year afterward William Cramer also began an English school near Hynemansville in the Xander school house. [From Rev. W. A. Helffrich's Autobiog.]

Eilen Thal Schuhl (Owl Valley School.)- Probably the third school in the township was the Eilen Thal School. About the year 1780 a movement was set on foot to erect a church and a school house in the western part of the township, about three-fourths of a mile south- east of the present village of Stein's Corner, in Lynn. The next year six acres of land were bought from George Grim by the Reformed and Lutheran congregations for the purpose of build-

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WEISSENBERG TOWNSHIP.

ing thereon a church and a school house. The school house was built, but the church was not. Preparations had been made for building, and the stones had been hauled there, when the pro- ject was abandoned. The school house stood upon a hill. It was built of heavy timber, and provided with a large stove, into which quite large logs could be put for heating the room.

Of the school we know but little, though it was kept up about forty years. The only teacher of whom we have any knowledge was a Mr. Widch, who taught there about the year 1810. About the year 1820, the building having become old and dilapidated, and a road having been laid out through the valley, an adjoining tract of land was bought from John Grim, and a new school house was erected in the valley, a short distance from the site of the old one. This was also a wooden building, built of chestnut timber given by one Nathstein. It was a double build- ing, one part for German teaching and the other part for English, or a dwelling for the teacher. Here the school was kept up until some time after the common schools had been organized.

When the township was divided into school districts and school houses built by the township, this school was discontinued, being succeeded by the Grim's and Gackenbach's schools. Among the teachers who taught in this second Eilen Thal school house may be mentioned George Heyneman (who taught English school), Ring, Wenzel, Everitt, Joe Pike, and David Stettler. When the school was discontinued, the land was sold and the money divided among the nearest churches.

An amusing anecdote is related of one of the early teachers at this last school house. It seems he had a particular place at which he always sat, where there was a hole in the wall. The pupils, who were nearly all large boys, conceived the idea of having some fun at the expense of the teacher. So every day one of them would go out, get a pole, thrust one end through the hole and poke the teacher's ribs. He would then jump up, seize his hickory, and run out, but by the time he reached the outside the miscreant had disappeared in the woods. This continued for a long time, but at last the teacher succeeded in catching one of them, and gave him such a thrash- ing as struck terror into the rest.

Moyer's School .- This was the fourth school in the township. The first building stood at a corner of a field on the farm of Nicholas Moyer, now occupied by Benjamin Fries, near Willow Creek. The district must have been organized and the school house built before the year 1800. The school house was built of logs and the school was kept up until the year 1830 or 1832, when

the building, being old and dilapidated, fell into disuse. The teachers were Dornecker, Lauhen- stein, and Conrad Dower, all Germans.

From here the school was removed to an old house on the farm of Jonathan Schumacher, now occupied and owned by Henry F. Rupp, about a quarter of a mile north of the present village of Seipstown, where it was kept up for about seven years, the principal teacher being Conrad Dower.

In the year 1839 the district was reorganized, and a new school house, known as the "schuhl- haus am Schmidt-schap" ("school house at the blacksmith shop"), was built on the land of Jonathan Wieand, near Heberly's blacksmith shop. Here the school was kept up until the spring of 1851. The teachers were John Hossy, Geiger, Berndt, Henry, Mühlhaus, Charles Ziegler, Frank Haines (two terms), and Det- weiler. The last two named taught common schools.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 176

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