History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 83

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 83

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).

"Permit us to suggest to you to request the editors of your papers to adopt such other measures as in your opinion will enable your fellow citizens most easily to remit to the proper officers of our

finance committee whatever they may feel disposed to contribute in aid of the sufferers.

JOHN S. GIBBONS, M. HANNUM,

R. E. WRIGHT,

J. D. STILES, C. S. BUSH, Committee on Address."

After receiving the reports of the several com- mittees to ascertain losses on immediate relief, &c., &c., the following resolutions were unan- imously adopted :

"Resolved, That the distribution of the monies which may be collected for the relief of the suf- ferers, be referred to a committee of Finance, con- sisting of 15-no one of whom shall reside or own property in the burnt district, and who are hereby directed to appropriate the same in such manner as to give the largest portion of the funds to those who are left most destitute. Whereupon the chair appointed the following committee :

"Christian Pretz, Jacob Dillinger, Jesse Samuels, William H. Blumer, Michael D. Eberhard, Jacob D. Boas, Benjamin Ludwig, Aaron Troxel, Simon Sweitzer, Robert E. Wright, Charles S. Massey, Charles G. Von Tagen, John D. Lawall, Jonathan Cook, and Dr. John Romig.

"Resolved, That the committee of finance be au- thorized to appoint a treasurer and other officers, also to appoint collectors to proceed to such dis- tricts out of this county as they deem proper, and on such conditions as they consider just,-and also to distribute circulars.

"The above named committee met and organized by electing the following officers :

"Jacob Dillinger, chairman.

"R. E. Wright, corresponding secretary.

"M. D. Eberhard, treasurer.

"J. D. Lawall, secretary.

"All remittances to be made to the treasurer, M. D. Eberhard, Allentown, Lehigh county, Pennsyl- vania.

Extract from the minutes of a public meeting of citizens of Lehigh county, held at the Court House, in Allentown on Saturday the 3d day of June, A. D. 1848.

"Attest :

HENRY KING, President. J. M. LINE, J. D. LAWALL, Secretaries."

The fire, great as was the loss it caused, was a blessing in disguise for Allentown. In some cases the lots in the burnt district sold for more a year or so after the fire than they would have brought before it with the buildings. The first notice that the Republikaner contains of rebuild- ing on the ruins of the fire was that of a house erected by Joseph Weiss, which is mentioned under date of Oct. 5, 1848. Others began at the same time or soon after, the town received acquisitions of a desirable nature in the arrival of men of means, and improvement went rapidly forward. The town had in 1848 a population of 3,700, and numbered 619 houses, and in 1854,

436

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ALLENTOWN IN 1853.

437

ALLENTOWN AS A BOROUGH .- 1811-1867.

six years after the fire, when a special census was taken to ascertain the amount of growth, it was found that the population was 5,250, and the number of houses 970,-a gain of 1,550 in pop- ulation and of 351 in the number of houses. The establishment of the iron-works, a short time be- fore the fire, had done something towards bring- ing about this result. The building of the rail- road was begun in 1855, and materially advanced the interests of the town.

Fire Companies .- The first fire company in the borough was the Friendship Fire Company, organized Nov. 2, 1818. The Lehigh Hose Company existed already in 1830, and the Le- high Engine Company was organized about 1835. The Humane Fire Company was or- ganized about 1837. The Good Will Company was organized in 1850, the Columbia, in 1853, and the America Hose Company in 1864. The detailed history of these companies appears in the history of the Fire Department.

Churches and Schools .- During the fifty-six years of Allentown's existence as a borough there were ten church buildings erected within its lim- its, two Lutheran, one Reformed, one Presby- terian, one Methodist Episcopal, one Episcopal, two Evangelical, one Catholic, and one Free Hall. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church, on South Eighth street, a brick structure, was erected in 1855, to replace an older building. The old stone church, with its wine glass pul- pit and sounding board, high altar, high backed pews, and high galleries, arched windows and large double doors, aisles without carpet, pews without cushions, large stoves and massive chan- deliers, is still remembered by a few of the older inhabitants. St. John's Lutheran church, on South Fifth street, was erected in 1855, and consecrated on May 6th, of that year. Zion Re- formed church, at Hamilton and Church streets, began the erection in 1838 of a brick building to replace the historic stone structure erected in 1774. It was completed and dedicated in June, 1840. As the hour of service in the Lutheran and Reformed congregations was not the same, the attendance at each church was large. St. John's Reformed congregation was organized in 1865, but did not erect a building until 1868.

In 1830 a Presbyterian church was built on North Fifth street, succeeded by a larger struc- ture on the adjoining lot in 1838. The pulpit stood in the west end of the church, between the two doors, opening from Fifth street. At- tendants at the service, on entering the church, faced the audience in their pews. There was an end gallery for the organ and choir. In 1855 and 1856 the church was remodeled.

The Methodist Episcopal church, on Linden,

between Fifth and Sixth streets, built in 1844, was a brick structure, without galleries. Many young people attended the evening services of this congregation.

The Episcopal church at Fifth and Linden streets was built in 1866.

The Salem Evangelical church, at Linden and Ninth, built in 1838, was succeeded by one above Ninth in 1857; an Evangelical chapel was built in 1853, on Turner street, near Second.

The only Catholic church in the borough was built on Ridge avenue, in 1857.

The Free Hall, on Linden street, near Ninth, was built about 1840, in which any denomina- tion was permitted to hold services, even infidels, and also served as a public meeting place.

The United States Gazetteer, compiled in 1795, by Joseph Scott, states that Allentown con- tained about 90 dwellings, a German Lutheran and a Calvinist church, an academy, and three merchant mills. This statement indicates that an academy had been established in Allentown prior to the establishment of the Allentown Academy by Act of 1814. The writer has in his possession a "Reward of Merit" card, which reads as follows: "The Bearer, Mr. Edward Rhoads, excels this week in Learning for which he deserves the praise of his Parents and Instruc- tor herewith bestowed. E. Porter, Preceptor. Allentown Academy, 1816." The card is a printed form, with spaces for the insertion of the name of the pupil and the study and bears in the margin the words, "Allentown, Printed by Charles L. Hutter."

A bill for tuition rendered by John Ryan, dated June 9, 1823, read as follows :

Four months teaching of Edward, @ $5.00 per quarter, $6 25

Four months teaching of Stephen, @ $2.50 per quarter, 3 121/2

Three months teaching of Augustus, @

$2.50 per month, 2 50

Contingent Expenses, 1 00

$12 871/2

Among the early teachers was Henry Eber- hard, who died in 1822. He was the father of Michael D. Eberhard, also a teacher.

Charles Weaver had an English school on South Seventh street in 1813.

A school for girls was opened in 1813. Night schools were kept by various teachers from 1813 to 1845. John Ryan had one in 1819, in a large room in the old jail building, where a Mr. Ellis had previously kept school. Ryan's rates were $3.00, $4.00, and $5.00 per quarter ac- cording to the studies taught. C. L. Arnold had one in 1838 and a number of years prior to that time, in the school building adjoining the

438

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Presbyterian church. He taught reading, writ- ing, arithmetic, and book-keeping, and pupils paid one dollar per month. "The Schoolmas- ters' Synod," an organization of teachers, met, as early as 1827, at Worman's Spring. In 1829 Zachariah Anselmus was president, and John O. Adams, secretary. The history of the Allentown Academy, chartered in 1814 and opened in 1827; the Allentown Seminary, and other schools will be found in the chapter on education. The large Temperance House on Union street, west of Seventh, was occupied by a school and Mr. James Lee had a private school on Union street.

On the Jarrett map of 1842, the academy is marked at Eighth and Walnut streets, and there are three schoolhouses located; one between the Academy and the Lutheran church, on South Eighth street; one on North Fifth street, between the Presbyterian church and the old

the seminary, proposed to take $2,200 for the good will and fixtures and that the rent of the building was $650 per annum. His diary reads: "Splendid affair, amply sufficient to accommo- date 100 boarding scholars, and 300 day schol- ars. At present 100 scholars all told, Oct. 21, 1857. The omnibus being ready we left for Allentown. Fare $1.65 for three. Arrived 6 p. m. In evening to German Reformed church, where our Synod met yesterday, Rev. Miller preached in German." Nov. 2, 1857, there were six teachers, II boarders, II primary scholars, and 9 female day scholars. The number of male day scholars is not given. Among the scholars at the Seminary in 1852 were G. D. Hart, W. H. Gabriel, J. P. Reichard, A. S. and J. F. Weinsheimer, W. H. Snyder, A. S. Guth, C. H. Roney, H. G. Reichard, A. G. Weikel, J. P. Leisenring, O. A. Miller, S. P. Kern, D. F.

THE FIRST

SCHOOL HOUSE IN ALLENTOWN PA

SCHOOLHOUSE AT FRONT AND WALNUT STREETS.

jail, and one on Union street, at the point where Walnut street extended, then called Middle street, adjoins Union, which building is still standing. Between 1820 and 1830 a small building on North Seventh street, where C. H. Ettinger's store now stands, was used as a school- house. In the 40's a female seminary was es- tablished by Rev. Andrew Young, in the south Homeopathic College building on Penn street. After his death his widow conducted it for a time, assisted by Miss Baldwin, later the wife of William S. Marx, Esq.

An interesting item relating to the Allentown Seminary is found in the diary of Rev. William Phillips, a Reformed clergyman, who took charge of the seminary Nov. 1, 1857. He was then principal of the Northampton Academy, at Easton, and recorded that Rev. Reynolds, of

Mertz, T. C. Yeager, J. A. Blumer, Oliver Hol- ben, J. Y. Krauss, A. C. Pretz, C. E. Meyer, C. E. V. V. Clark, D. J. Kuntz, J. P. Schindel, J. H. E. Dubs, F. J. F. Schantz, W. R. Hofford, H. M. Nagle, and R. F. Saeger, and in 1857, Alexander, Rosina, and Victor Blumer, Maggie Kern, Ann Kessler, Frank Weil, Maria Wright, and Oscar Weinsheimer.

An act passed in 1824 provided for the in- struction of the children of the poor at the ex- pense of the county. In 1828, under the pro- visions of that act, the borough of Northampton (Allentown) and the townships of Salisbury and Northampton paid $421.71 and in 1830 the sum of $270.63, for the education of their poor chil- dren. In 1833 the borough alone paid $434.77.

The act of 1824 had prepared the people in a great degree for the new school law of 1834,

439

ALLENTOWN AS A BOROUGH .- 1811-1867.

and it was accepted on its first submission to the people. One of the additional means used to influence public opinion and secure a favor- able result in the election appears to have been "a numerously attended and influential meeting of the citizens of the borough at the public house of George Wetherhold, Friday evening, Sept. 12, 1834," at which the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :

"WHEREAS, We believe that education contributes to the happiness of man and the welfare of society, and we desire, so far as is in our power, to improve the moral conditions of the community, and to per- petuate free institutions; therefore,

"Resolved, That we solemnly believe that an act passed at the late session of the legislature entitled 'an act,' etc., if put in force will be of advantage to the poor as well as the rich, and we will there- fore apply all honorable means at the next election to secure the success of the system."

The efforts of the friends of the new law were successful, and it was adopted in the borough by a vote of one hundred and thirty-seven against one. The first board of school directors con- sisted of Jacob Mohr, J. S. Gibbons, Esq., George Haberacker, William Fry, Alexander Taylor, and George Keiper.

The first public examination and school ex- ercises were held Dec. 11, 1838, an announce- ment being made in the papers by Christian Pretz, secretary of the board. The forenoon was devoted to the examination of the pupils in their respective rooms, and in the afternoon all as- sembled at the German Lutheran church, where an address on education was delivered by Charles Davis, Esq., president of the board. Prior to the opening of the schools, Sept. 2, 1839, the di- rectors published a card in which they said they would "make it their especial duty to see to it that on the part of the teachers employed every- thing possible is done to promote the moral and spiritual education of the pupils entrusted to them, and therefore again ask the active co-opera- tion of the parents and guardians, without which the best system must fail of attaining its object." The next year a "female teacher" was wanted, according to an advertisement which appeared in one of the newspapers, and in 1841 three of the six teachers were ladies.

The following letter, applying for a school at Allentown, was written to the postmaster of the borough :

UPPER MOUNT BETHEL, Stone Church, P. O., Feb. 22, 1836.

SIR: I have just been informed that the Trus- tees of Allentown Academy or the Directors of Public Schools, had advertised for four male and two female teachers. My apology for troubling you upon the subject is, that I have not seen the advertisement, and do not know whom to ad-

dress. . I was in Allentown last fall for the purpose of taking charge of the Academy but ar- rived too late, as a principal and assistant had been employed a few days previous. I called on Messrs. Davis and Hornbeck, Esqrs., and I think, showed them the recommendations I have from some of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Vermont, members of Congress and other gentlemen of rep- utation. I am an attorney by profession, but while pursuing my academical and legal studies, I em- ployed a part of my time in teaching, and my wife and myself are now teaching in this place; and the time for which we engaged will expire this week, and we have concluded to teach a few weeks longer, by the scholar, unless a better opportunity can be obtained in some larger place. We are now employed by the month. We keep in the same building, but in separate apartments; my wife takes charge of the girls and I of the boys, and our employers are pleased with the arrangements, and will furnish us with testimonials of their approba- tion of our management and qualifications. I can teach all the branches usually taught in academies, except the Greek language. I had a tolerable knowl- edge of the Latin and French languages, six or seven years since, but have had but little occasion to pay any particular attention to them since that time, though I have had a few students who have studied Latin. The knowledge I have of the French language I acquired while I was a Cadet at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. My wife is well qualified to teach Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, etc. We think of employing our time for one or two years to come, in teaching, if we can obtain a favourable opportunity for that pur- pose in one place; therefore if you have not al- ready engaged teachers, please inform me immedi- ately, whether you wish to engage us, and how much you will be willing to pay us by the month, quarter, or year, and I will return an immediate answer to you. You undoubtedly wish to obtain teachers who are well qualified, and will be willing to pay them a fair compensation for their services. Col. Porter, some time ago, informed me that the Directors in Easton paid the teachers of the public or free schools, $30 per month, each. I hope to receive an answer from you or some of the trus- tees in the course of the week; you are probably aware that the mail will leave Easton on Friday morning very early, on the route through this place, and will not leave Easton again until Mon- day.

Yours very respectfully,

J. J. DEAVITT.

Another application read :

To the Board of School Directors.

GENTLEMEN: Being anxious to obtain a station as a teacher in the ensuing free school, I hereby offer my services in one of the establishments for the annual compensation of $400, for which I en- gage myself to give instructions in the German and English Languages, if required.

Should I be so fortunate as to meet with success, I'll endeavor to give general satisfaction to the board of directors as well as to the parents of the pupils.

Your most obedient Servant,

JOHN F. HALBACH.

Allentown, March 22, 1836.

440

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Mr. Halbach taught in the school-house on North Seventh street, where he also had a sing- ing school.

In 1838, the school board allowed a debating society to meet one evening a week in the school room occupied by Mr. Good on payment of one dollar a month, and the same privilege was al- lowed to a society that met in the room occupied by Mr. Arnold or Mr. Philips. The board. also disapproved of Mr. Arnold's action in not having kept any school on two half-days, with- out the consent of the board. The members pres- ent at this meeting, Sept. 11, 1838, were Charles Davis, Henry Ebner, Jacob Mohr, and Chris- tian Pretz.

At this meeting the deeds for the school- house property were accepted and an order was drawn on the treasurer for the amount of the same.

On Jan. 4, 1843, Robt. E. Wright, secretary of the board, announced that the following set of books would be used in the schools: Cobb's New Spelling-Book and Juvenile Readers Nos. I and 2 (primary books), the New Testament, Frost's History of the United States, Mitchell's Geographical Reader, Frost's American Speaker (Reader), Frost's Grammar, Mitchell's Pri- mary School Geography, Keith's Arithmetic, Frost's Exercises in Composition, and Cobb's Abridgment of Walker's Dictionary.

In the year 1849 the first public appeal was made to the directors to appoint a superintend- ent of schools.

Notwithstanding there were only ten teach- ers employed, the Lehigh Register, of Sept. 14, 1849, said, "We would suggest the appointment of a general superintendent of the schools. We are far behind the progressive spirit of the times in this important matter. We have no doubt if the directors would move in the mat- ter it would meet the approbation of all the friends of public-school education."

At a meeting of the Lehigh County Associa- tion of Teachers, directors and friends of educa- tion, Feb. 23, 1851, the following resolutions were adopted, which clearly indicate the then ex- isting need in the public-school system:

"Resolved, That the appointment of district su- perintendents is wisely recommended, and that the necessity for them is becoming daily more impera- tive.

"Resolved, That in the opinion of the association much of the incompetency of teachers, at present so general a cause of complaint, would in a great degree be corrected by the establishment of teach- ers' seminaries under the control of district su- perintendents."

When a county superintendent was to be elected, in 1854, the Allentown school directors,

F. E. Samuels, C. H. Martin, Joseph Young, Jonathan Reichard, David Menninger, Jonathan Schwartz, and Nathan Gaumer, participated in it.

In the year 1856 the county superintendent reported that "among the ten first-class school- houses is that of Lehigh Ward in Allentown"; and continued, "there are thirteen graded schools, well provided with outline maps, globes, orrery, blackboards, geometrical blocks, etc., but in the style and arrangement of the seats and desks, they are not equal to some in the rural districts. The directors of the boroughs of Al- lentown and Catasauqua are the most assiduous in their attention to the schools."

The Allentown High School for both sexes was established in 1858, under the charge of R. W. McAlpine, "a young gentleman fully com- petent to the task." This vastly increased the influence of the educational system. In the same year the first school-house built by the board of directors was erected on Turner street, above Eighth, in what was then known as the North ward. Previous to this all the schools were kept in buildings erected for other pur- poses, but purchased by the board and converted into school-houses. The new building at once took rank among the best in the county. In 1859, by a vote of six to two, a separate high school for each sex was established, and Augus- tus Armagnac was appointed teacher of the male, and Mrs. Hannah L. Romig of the female high school. Thus the organization of the schools as primary, secondary, grammar, and high was complete, but serious difficulties arose in admin- istering the system. There seems to have been no regular time for promotions, and hence we find them made in September and January, and in 1861, it was resolved "that three of the schol- ars attending the male grammar school be ex- amined by the county superintendent, in pres- ence of the president, visiting director of said school, and the secretary, who should be au- thorized to promote said scholars without ref- erence to the board." A closer approach to perfect system was made in April, 1861, when C. W. Cooper, Esq., offered, and the board passed, th efollowing resolution :

"Resolved, That a committee of three be appoint- ed for the purpose of drafting questions for the different grades, and that the same be presented to each scholar in attendance during the last week of the term, and that the admission of scholars into schools shall be governed in accordance with such examination."

Among the citizens who interested themselves in the public schools of the period of which we have written, Charles Davis, Esq., held a prom- inent place. He was appointed as one of the in-

441

ALLENTOWN AS A BOROUGH .- 1811-1867.

spectors by the court, and afterwards was pres- ident of the school board. He had an able suc- cessor in Jonathan Reichard, Esq., who had the honor of successfully performing the work of grading the public schools and of being chosen the first president of the Teachers' and Direc- tors' Educational Association, organized in 1852. Tilghman Good, elected county superintendent in 1860, and R. W. McAlpine, the first teacher of the high school and editor of the Teachers' Journal, which appeared in 1858, also deserve to be mentioned. As active friends of the pub- lic schools at this period, as well as promoters of higher education, should be mentioned such men as Christian Pretz, R. E. Wright, Esq., Eli J. Saeger, Rev. S. K. Brobst, C. W. Cooper, Esq., Reuben Guth and Dr. T. H. Martin.

Mercantile Growth .- In 1811, the store- keepers of the new borough were James Wilson, at the southeast corner of Seventh and Hamil- ton; George Graff, at Eighth and Hamilton; Charles Deshler, on South Centre Square; Wil- liam Eckert, on South Seventh street; John Haines, at the southwest corner of Hamilton and Seventh streets; Peter Snyder, at the north- west corner of Seventh and the Square, and Peter Rhoads, on Seventh above Linden. In 1815, Spangenberg and Gangewere opened a store on South Seventh, opposite John Keiper's tobacconist's shop; Wagner and Dobbins one at the southwest corner of Eighth and Hamilton, and Frederick Eckert and John F. Ruhe, Jr., opened a store on North Seventh, on the east side, between Hamilton and Linden. Jacob and Daniel Saeger established a general store in 1815, opposite the Reformed church. In 1822 they sold out to Godfrey and Christian Pretz, who carried on the business until the death of Godfrey Pretz, in 1830. The business was then conducted by Pretz, Saeger & Co., and Pretz, Kern & Co., and Pretz, Guth & Co., until 1859, when Christian Pretz retired, when the firm became Hiram Guth & Co. The Saegers built the building at the southeast corner of Hamilton and Sixth streets, where the firm later located. Pretz, Saeger, & Co. reported a business of $60,000 in 1843. James Wilson was succeeded by his son, John Wilson, and he by the firm of Selfridge and Wil- son, who did business until 1845. Charles Deshler was succeeded by his son-in-law, Wii- liam Boas. Frederick Eckert died in 1821, after which John F. Ruhe, Jr., continued the business alone and was succeeded by his son, Charles A. Ruhe. The first hardware store was opened by Peter Newhard, who was succeeded in 1843 by his son, Edmund R. Newhard. Dr. John Fred- erick Ruhe opened the first apothecary shop about

1795. . He died in 1841 and was succeeded by Ludwig Schmidt.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 83

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