History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 18

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 18

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

order more in these Parts, as in Dute Bound Wee shall Ever Pray."

(Signed by 41 persons, whose names appear chiefly in German.)

From this we see that Lieut. Wetterholt was then in Lynn Township "against Fort Frank- lin," that is south of Fort Franklin. The peti- tion of the people, urging the retention of sol- diers with them, was successful. In February, 1758, Adjutant Kern reports Capt. Wetterholt still on duty at Fort Everett with 41 men, dis- tant from Fort William 12 miles, and having 12 men stationed at "A Block House," 110 miles from Fort Everett and 20 miles from Fort Al- len. The detailed report shows at Fort Everett, Capt. Wetterholt, 41 men, 22 Province arms, 21 Private guns, 4 months provisions, 10 cart- ridges, and at the Block House, 10 miles from Fort Everett, Lieut. Geiger (absent), who had relieved Lieut. Hyndshaw then at duty at Dietz Block House, below Wind Gap, 12 men, 8 Province Arms, 5 Private Guns, 4 mos. pro- visions, 8 cartridges. Jacob Levan, Esq'r, was their Commissary.

Fort Everett was visited by Jas. Burd during his tour of inspection, in February, 1758. His journal gives the following record :

"26th Sunday

"Marched from hence (Fort William) at IO A.M., went over the Mountains to Mr. Ever- ett's, where Captain Weatherholt is stationed, the snow exceedingly deep could make little way, at 3 P.M. arrived at Valentine Phileprots, 20 miles, here I stay all night.

"27th Monday.

"Marched this morning at 8 A.M. for Mr. Everett's, arrived at 9 A.M., 4 miles, ordered a Review of that part of the Company that is here, found Cap't Weatherholt, Lieut. Geiger & 24 men, 3 being sick & absent, 3 months' pro- visions, 5 pounds powder, no lead, each man has a pound of powder in his Cartouch box & lead in proportion, no Kettles, nor blankets, 25 Province Arms.

"Ordered to Cap't Weatherholt 56 blankets, 25 lb of powder & 50 bars of lead & 400 flints, Cap't Weatherholt to Scout to the Westward 10 miles & to the eastward 10 miles, Lieut. Geiger from thence to his post in Coll. Arm- strong's Battalion.

"Marched from hence to Fort Allen at II A.M. gott to the top of the Blue Mountain at 2 P.M., from hence saw Allamingle, it is a fine Country, but the Country on the North side of the Mountain is an entire barren wilderness, not capable of Improvements.

"Arrived at Fort Allen at 12 after 2 P.M. a prodigious Hilly place, and poor land, 15 miles

from Mr. Everett's. Ordered a review of this Garrison tomorrow at 8 A.M."

Captain John Nicholas Wetterholt, who was in command at Fort Everett the major portion of the time it was garrisoned, was born in Ger- many in 1724. He sailed from Rotterdam with his brother Jacob in the ship Halifax, and arrived at Philadelphia October 22, 1754.

He entered the military service soon after his arrival, as he was commissioned Captain in the First Battalion of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment on December 21, 1755.

Records of the colonial period show that dif- ferent sums of money were paid to him for his company's services, and for provisions, viz : 1756-April 29-To Captain John

Nicholaus Wet- terholt, for his Company's pay, .. £332 3s od

1756-May 28-To Captain John Nicholaus Wet- terholt, for pay for himself and Company and al- lowance for thirty- six guns furnished

by his men, ..... £166 rs 6d 1756-June 21-Samuel Depuy, in full, for his ac- count for pur- chasing provisions for a detachment of Captain Wet- terholt's Company, £33 Is 8d

1756-Dec'r 15-Samuel Depuy's order for victual- ling Captain Wet- terholt's Company, &c., £108 Is 8d

In the year 1762 Captain Nicholaus Wether- holt resided in Heidelberg Township, North- ampton County, now Lehigh, and his name is on the tax list of 1764, at the same place as the owner of 75 acres.

In the Pennsylvania Archives is found the follow- ing :

"Muster Roll of all the men who have enlisted for the space of three years of the company under the command of Captain John Nicholas Weatherholt, stationed in Heydelberg township, Northampton county, for the months of March and April, 1758."

[Name, age, where born, date of enlistment and occupation.]

Captain-John Nicholas Weatherholt, 34, Ger., Dec. 16, 1755.

Lieutenant-James Laughrey, Dec. 20, 1757.

Ensign-John Lytle, Dec. 11, 1757.

Surgeon-Jacob Streader, 33, Ger., Sept. 1, 1757. Drummer-Leonard Hayshill, 36, Ger., Dec. 4, 1757.

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

Fifer-John Kaup, 25, Ger., Sept. I, 1757.

Sergeants-Cass, Peter, 26, Ger., Sept. I, 1757, shipper ; Wassum, Conrad, 39, Ger., Sept. I, 1757.

Corporals-Acre, Henry, 23, Pa., Sept. I, 1757; Lutz, John, 25, Ger., Sept. I, 1757, tailor. Privates :

Althain, Nicholas, 24, Ger., Jan. I, 1758. Billik, Frederick, 19, Penn'a, Sept. I, 1757.

Bowman, Christian, 22, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Brining, Philip, 27, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Brown, George, 23, Ger., Sept. I, 1757, butcher. Buckhamer, John, 25, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Crantlemeyer, Philip, 21, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Dadson, Richard, 24, Pa., Nov. 28, 1757. Deatenberger, Henry, 36, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Deatry, Nicholas, 18, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Dormeyer, Jacob, 23, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Everhart, Conrad, 23, Ger., Oct. 13, 1757, weaver. Flack, John, 25, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Fisher, Matthias, 20, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Frydel, Christopher, 24, Ger., Feb. 7, 1758. George, Adam, 17, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Gips, Nicholas, 20, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Granshaar, John, 21, Ger., Dec. 5, 1757, house carpenter.

Gregory, George, 16, Penn'a, Sept. I, 1757. Henry, George, 35, Ger., Oct. 25, 1757. Husley, Jacob, 23, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Kline, John, 24, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Kline, Philip, 34, Ger., June 14, 1757. Koch, William, 25, Penn'a., Sept. 6, 1757. Laughry, Dennis, 20, Ireland, Feb. I, 1758. Lieser, Frederick, 19, Ger., June 21, 1757. Miller, Nicholas, 17, Ger., Sept. 1, 1757. Miller, Peter, 22, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Neifert, Jacob, 21, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Paul, Nicholas, 21, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Preis, John George, 21, Ger., Sept. I, 1757.

Reag, Peter, 37, Ger., Sept. 1, 1757, baker.

Reifel, Jacob, 23, Ger., Sept. I, 1757, carpenter. Road, Godfried, 26, Ger., Sept. 6, 1757, blue-dyer. Road, Jacob, 23, Pa., Sept. 6, 1757. Rost, Henry, 23, Ger., Feb. 15, 1758. Sealner, John, 35, Ger. Sept. I, 1757. Shenk, Jacob, 20, Ger., Nov. 6, 1757. Shmaus, Conrad, 22, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Stahl, George, 23, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Steap, Peter, 22, Ger., Sept. I, 1757. Stouter, Casper, 25, Ger., Sept. I, 1757, fiddler. Weyerbacher, John, 30, Ger., Sept. I, 1757, tailor. Wurtenberg, Michael, 22, Ger., Dec. I, 1757. Yoder, Jacob, 22, Pa., Nov. 6, 1757, saddler. Zips, Joseph, 20, Ger., Sept. I, 1757, tailor.

John Jacob Wetterholt came to this country in the same vessel with his brother Nicholaus. He was commissioned Lieutenant in Major Parson's Town Guard, December 2Ist, 1755; in April, 1756, as Lieutenant, stationed at Dietz's; and as Captain, in September 2Ist, of the same year; 1757, September, 2d, he was paid, for enlisting 53 men in the Provincial serv- ices, £88 6s 6d.

Captain Jacob Wetterholt possessed un- daunted courage, which was accounted for in his firmly believing he had the power of making himself invulnerable (kugelfest) ; that is that he could not be killed by a gun shot ;

he was therefore well suited for the military service on the frontier. (He bravely met his death, however, in 1763, as will appear later.)

In 1762 he resided in Lynn Township, now Lehigh county; his widow still resided there in 1764.

It so . chances that the two brothers, both eventually of the same rank, operated in the same general territory. They practically had charge of the country along the southern base of the Blue Range from Fort Everett to the Delaware river, and both reported to the same superior officer, Timothy Horsfield. Unfor- tunately, in the records of the time, the last name only is given in most cases, so that it be- comes difficult in many instances to know which is meant. It may be generally taken for granted, in the case of Fort Everett, that wherever Cap- tain Wetterholt is mentioned it refers to Nicho- laus, and where the term "Lieutenant" is used it refers to Jacob.

Captain Wetherhold made a list on Dec. 27, 1757, of all the people killed and taken prisoner by the Indians west of the Lehigh river, in the townships of Lynn, Heidelberg and Albany, which totaled 56 persons killed and 10 taken prisoners. In this list under date of November, 1756, is given the name of Jacob Staynbruck as killed and Boldis Yeager's daughter taken pris- oner.

The name Steinbruch is found in the vicinity about this period but the name Yeager is not found.

An account of this occurrence was brought to Bethlehem by John Holder, who stated that it took place on the evening of Sunday, Novem- ber 28th. Holder was a member of the Mo- ravian church and was born in London, Eng- land, March 12, 1694, the son of Rem Holter. He came to America in 1710 and married in 1722, Barbara, daughter of Andreas Volck.

Timothy Horsfield writes to Gov. Denny from Bethlehem, November 30th, 1756, that "John Holder came here this Evening from Allemangle, and Informed me that last Sun- day Evening, ye 28th Inst. three Indians Came to the House of a Certain Man Named Schlos- ser, and Nockt at the Door, the People within called who is there? Answer was made, A good Friend; they within not Opening the Door, they Nockt Again, they within Answer'd Who is there? No Answer being made from With- out, Then one of the Men Named Stonebrook, Lookt Out of the window, when an Indian Dis- charged a gun and kill'd him on the Spot. They then Open'd the Door, the Woman & two children Endeavoring to Escape, and the In-

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

dians pursued & took Both the Children; One of the Men Fired at the Indians, and Saw One of them fall, when one of the Girls he had pos- session of, made Ner Escape from him, but the other they took away; the Indian y't was fired at which fell Cryed Out Very much, but in a Short time he got up & made off.

"The above said Holder Informs me he had this Acco't from good Authority, said Schlos- ser's House is situated in Allemangle."

In Albany township in November, 1756, the wife of Adam Buss and four of his children were taken prisoners by Indians. On April 28, 1757, occurred the next incursion of the sav- ages in Lynn township, when John Eckroth was killed and one of his children taken prisoner. His widow and seven small children were left

his body. This murder happened in a violent thunderstorm, which a letter of that date says was the most serious in twenty years. On July 9, 1757, occurred the last invasion of Lynn town- ship. by Indians that is recorded. On this day ten persons were killed at the house of Adam Clauss, in Lynn township. They were Martin or Adam Yeager and his wife (one account gives the name as Martin and another as Adam) Abraham Sechler's wife and one child, John Krauhaar's wife and three children, a child of Adam Clauss and a child of Philip Anthony. The house in which the Sechler family resided is still standing and is now owned by Senator Miller. It has been reproduced on this page, showing the yard, in which tradition says that Mrs. Sechler was killed. Philip Anthony lived

Sechler House, Lynn Township.

to mourn the father's loss. It was at Eck- roth's house, about three miles from Fort Ev- erett, that sixteen men were stationed by order of Colonel Conrad Weiser in November, 1756, when the name was written Eckenroth. The eldest son of Eckroth was Henry and his other sons were George and Christopher.

On June 22, 1757, Adam Drum, of Albany township was killed. His wife and his son, aged 19, were taken prisoners. His wife es- caped, but she was so closely pursued by one of the Indians, of whom there were seven, that he threw his tomahawk at her, and wounded her badly in the neck. After scalping Drum, or Trump, the Indians left a knife and a hal- bert, or spear, fixed to a pole of four feet, in

in Lynn township and was the owner of 150 acres of land. It was his wife that brought the alarm to her husband, who at once hastened to where Lieut. Jacob Wetherhold was stationed and informed him of the attack. Wetherhold on the same day wrote the following letter to Major Parsons at Easton, which is reproduced verbatim. "Northampton County, Lynn Township,

July 9, 1757.

"Honored Sir :

"These are to Acquant you of A murder hapened this Day at the Houce of Adam Clauce, in said Township of Lynn, whaire three or fore Nabors was Cutting said man's Corn; as they Was Eating theaire Dinner they waire fell one By A Perty of Saviges, Indians, and Five of

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

the Whits Took to there Heals, two men, two Women, and one Gerl, and Got saf out of theire hands. Was killed and Scalped, Martin Yager and his Wife, and John Croushores wife and one Child, and the Wife of Abraham Secler and one Child of one Adam Clauce and the Wife of John Coucehere, and the wife of Abraham Secler was Sculpt and is yet Alive, But Badly wounded, one Shot Thro' the Sid and the other in the Thy, and two Children kild Belonging to said Croushere, and one to said Secler, and one Belonging to Philip Antone Not Sculpt, and this Was Don at Least three Miles within the out side Settlers, and 4 miles from John Ever- ett's, and Philip Antone's wife was one that Took her Tilit and came hom and acquainted her husband, and he came and Acquainted me, and I went Emeaditly to the Place With Seven men Besides my Self and Saw the Murder, But the Indians was Gon and I Derectly Purs'ed them about 4 Miles and Came Up with them in the thick Groves weaire Wee met with Nine Indians, and one Sprung Behind a Tree and took Site at me and I run Direct at him, and another one the sid Flast at me, and then Both took to there Heals, and I shot one as I Goge Thro' the Body, as he fell on his face, But I Loaded and after another that was Leding A maire, and ye meane time he Got up and Run away and I fired on the other, and I think I shot him in ye Buttux, and my Soldiers had opper- tunity to shot three times, and then they Got out of oure Site in the thick Groves, and Wee Cold Not find them No more, But I Got from them one maire and two Saddels, one Bridel and Halter, & one Bag with a Cag of Stil Licker in it, and Cloths and one Brace Cittel and fore Indian Cake Baked in the ashes of wheat meal and to Aquat you further, that I have several New Soldiers that has No Guns, and were Little Powder and Led, and I have sent this Express to you Hoping that you Wold Help me with Arms and Ammenishan, and so I Remaine yours friend and humble Servent

"JACOB WETHERHOLD."

I am told Seven in number, came away imme- diately, and came to the Place where the mur- der was committed, where, by that time, a num- ber of people had gathered. Wetherholt pro- posed to pursue the Enemy but none would go with him, so he took his Seven men & pursued the Enemy a few miles from the House & found the Place where they rested themselves, and in ab't three miles He overtook them in thick Brushes, at a very little Distance. It seems they saw one another at once. One of the In- dians was before hand with Whetherholt & aimed at him, but his Gun flashed. Wether- holt, a moment after, fired at the Indians, and thinks he hit him, but is not sure. Several Guns were fired by our People but did no Execution, and the Indians Guns missing Fire they ran off & left two Horses behind them, one belonging to the man they killed, laden with the best of his Household Goods."

About the same time the Indians carried off a young lad named John Schoep, about nine years old, whom they took by night, seven miles be- yond the Blue mountain; where, according to the statement of the lad, the Indians kindled a fire, tied him to a tree, took off his shoes and put moccasins on his feet; that they prepared themselves some mush, but gave him none. After supper they marched on further. The same In- dians took him and another lad between them, and went beyond the second mountain, having gone six times through streams of water; and always carried him across. The second evening they again struck up fire, took off his mocca- sins, and gave him a blanket to cover himself ; but at midnight, when all the Indians were fast asleep, he made his escape, and by daybreak had traveled about six miles. He passed on that day, sometimes wading streams neck-deep, in the direction of the Blue mountain. That night he stayed in the woods. The next day, ex- hausted and hungry, he arrived by noon at Uly Meyer's plantation, where Charles Folk's com- pany lay (probably at or near Fort Franklin), where they wished him to remain till he had regained strength, when they would have con- ducted him to his father. He was accordingly sent home. (C. Sauer's German Paper, March, 1756.)

Referring to this sad occurrence, Col. Weiser writes Gov. Denny from Easton on July 15th : "In coming thro' the Maxitawny, I heard a melancholly Account of Ten People being killed by the Enemy Indians. They passed by two or three Plantations on this side of the moun- tain before they attacked. A certain woman ran off towards her Place and told her Husband of the attack, who cut the Gears off his Horses then in the Plow, and rid as fast as he could to Lieut. Wetherholts, about three miles off. . guarded by a man with a gun near by. An In- Lieut. Wetherholt, with a small Detachment,

In September, 1757, occurred one of the bold- est forays of the Indians that is recorded. A party of redskins crossed the Blue mountains and passing through Heidelberg township came to a creek where two young girls were washing flax (or another account, says, cleaning an apple butter kettle). Tradition has it that they were dian snatched one of the girls, named Margaret

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Frantz, aged 12 years, and the guard was un- able to fire for fear of hitting the girl. The other girl is said to have been named Solt.

Margaret Frantz was the daughter of Henry Frantz, and was born in Lorraine, May 8, 1745. Henry Frantz, arrived at Philadelphia on October 20th, 1747, together with Abraham and Peter Frantz. On December 4th, 1749, a warrant was granted to Henry Frantz for 50 acres "behind the land of one Silby in a hollow over the Blue mountains." He paid at the rate of £15 10 s per 100 acres and 12 penny quit- rent per acre. Henry Frantz settled in Hei- delberg township where he took out a warrant for land on Nov. 14th, 1758. In 1762 he was taxed ten pounds in Heidelberg township, and in the tax list of 1764 we find his name written "Henry France, 200 acres," with no amount of tax stated, and these words, "Killed by In- dians." From the most reliable account obtain- able, he was killed and scalped by Indians in the year 1764, while butchering hogs. It is said that the Indians pricked a mark resembling a hen's foot, or, as some say, leaves, on the right wrist, rubbing it in with powder.

Letters of administration on his estate were taken out by his brother Peter Frantz, and in the proceedings of the Orphans' Court of June 19, 1764, we find that Henry France, deceased, left two children, Barbara, aged about 16 years, and Peter, aged 12 years. Barbara chose Abra- ham Frantz as her guardian and the Court ap- pointed him also guardian of Peter Frantz. No mention is made here of Margaret, the eldest daughter, of whom we shall speak later. Peter Frantz, the son, was born May 4, 1752, and died May 25, 1832. He married Anna Cather- ine Buchman, and is buried in the old Allentown Cemetery.

Years after her return from captivity Mar- garet Frantz related to Peter Hecker that the Indians placed her on a horse and crossed a big water (probably the Lehigh river near Weiss- port), on the way towards Stroudsburg, and turned into the famous hunting grounds through the Delaware Water Gap. Here we lose all trace of her until her return after seven years in 1764. Of the manner of her return we have no information. Five years after her return from captivity, on May 9, 1769, she was married to Nicholas Wotring. She became noted far and wide for her knowledge of herbs and simples, which she acquired from the Indians, and her services in curing the sick were in great demand. Her journeys while on these errands, she always accomplished on horseback. She died June 29, 1823, aged 78 years, I month and 21 days, and is buried in the old cemetery at Unionville.

Nicholas Wotring, her husband, was born in Pistorf, Lorraine, in April, 1745, and died July 15, 1818. They had six children: Samuel, born Sept. 9, 1772; John Peter, born Sept. 17, 1774, died in infancy ; John Nicholas, born June 24, 1776, died Jan. 16, 1827; John Peter, born June 24, 1776, twin, died Feb. 25, 1833; John Henry, born Nov. 9, 1778, died March 25, 1850, married Maria B. Heintzelman and had two children, and Mary Susanna Wotring, born Nov. 15, 1780.

John Peter Wotring, one of the twins, born in 1776, married Elizabeth Deshler, daughter of Adam Deshler, Jr., and his wife, Mary Cather- ine Balliet, and had nine children.

For some reason the Frantz family suffered severely from the Indians, as in June, 1758, John Frantz's wife was killed and three children cap- tured in Tulpehocken township, Berks county.

At Lehigh Gap, on the north side of the mountain, a blockhouse was erected in the lat- ter part of the year 1755, by various families of the neighborhood, in which they sought ref- uge when in danger of Indian attacks. It was a position of importance, but was never occupied by a large force of soldiers. Franklin, in his let- ter of January 26, 1756, from Fort Allen, to the Governor, says :

"Sir :

"We left Bethlehem the 10th instant with Foulk's Company, 46 men, the Detachment of McLaughlin's 20, and 7 waggons laden with Stores and Provisions. We got that night to Hays' Quarters, where Wayne's Company, joined us from Nazareth.

"The next day we marched cautiously thro' the Gap of the Mountain, a very dangerous Pass, and got to Uplinger's but twenty-one miles from Bethlehem, the Roads being bad and the Waggons moving slowly."

The only other record we have is from the Journal of Jas. Young, when inspecting the various forts in June, 1756, viz:

"June 22-At 4 P. M. Sett out (from Fort Allen), at 6 came to Leahy Gap where I found a Serjeant and 8 men Stationed at a Farm house with a small Staccade Round it, from Fort Al- len here the Road is very hilly and Swampy, only one Plantation ab't a mile from the Gap. I found the People here were a Detachment from Cap't (Nicholas) Weatherholts Comp'y, he is Station'd on the other side of the Gap, 3 miles from this with 12 men, the rest of his Comp'y are at Depues and another Gapp 15 miles from this. I dispatch'd a messenger to Capt'n Weatherholt, desiring him to Come here in the morning, with the men under his Com'd, to be muster'd the People Stationed here and on

-----

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

the other side the Gapp I think may be of great service, as it is a good road thro' the mountain and very steep and high on each side, so may in a great measure prevent any Indians to pass thro' undiscovered if they kept a good guard, here the River Leahy Passes thro' the mountain in a very Rapid Stream.

"23 June-Leahy Gapp, North Side .- At 7 in the morning, I mustered the men here, the Serjeant inform'd me that Capt'n Weatherholt was gone 12 miles from this and he believed on his way to Philad'a for there pay, which was the reason the people did not come here, and I finding this Comp'y so much dispers'd at differ- ent Stations in small parties, I could not regu- larly Muster them therefore at 8 A. M. I sett out for Fort Norris."

On February 5, 1758, Adjutant Kern reports. Lieut. Engel in command of Fort Lehigh, with 30 men, 16 provincial arms, 14 private guns, 40 lbs. of powder, 80 lbs. of lead, 4 months provisions, 10 cartridges, Jacob Levan, Commis- sary, the distance from Fort Allen 10 miles, and from P. Doll's Block-house 8 miles.

We see from this that it was considered a position of sufficient importance to be not only retained, but to have its garrison increased.

Its distance from Craig's store, at which is the Lehigh Gap Post Office, is about one-half mile. It stood on property originally belonging to Nathaniel Irish, adjoining that of Nicholas Opplinger, where Benjamin Franklin stayed all night, when on his way to Fort Allen. The fort was on slightly elevated ground, at the foot of which a small run of water flows down to the Aquashicola creek. The importance of its position is easily seen. It commanded the en- trance to Lehigh Gap, and was at the junction of the road to Fort Allen, at Weissport, on the north, and the road to Fort Norris, on the East. Its site is now included in the town of Palmer- ton.

STATION AT KERN'S MILL, SLATINGTON.

On June 22, 1756, James Young, on his visit to the fort at Lehigh Gap wrote in his Journal that Captain Wetherhold was stationed on the other side of the gap, three miles away, with twelve men. This station was at William Kern's mill, now in Slatington.

Nicholas Kern, father of William, had se- cured 500 acres of land in the years 1737 and 1738 along the Lehigh, to which he removed from Whitehall township about 1741. On this tract, he erected a grist mill and a saw mill, which he mentions in his will, dated Dec. 28, 1748. He died in 1749, leaving surviving his widow and nine children, seven sons and two

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 18

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