History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 136

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 136

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MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

58.

pay-roll of four thousand five hundred dollars a month.

sold to tobaeconists. In 1855, Mr. Shaw found em- ployment at Troop's mill, in Norriton township, as finisher and general manager for C. Blounts & Co., which position he filled until 1861, when, in connec- tion with C. Blounts, Joseph Shaw-an elder brother-

JAMES SHAW was born at Paddock, a district of Huddersfield, in Yorkshire, England, on the 21st of May, 1824, and was one of nine children of Jonathan Shaw, whose birth occurred September 27, 1794. The and James Kenworthy, a partnership was formed under the firm-name of Blounts, Shaw & Co., for the manufacture of woolen goods, and which, in 1866, upon the retirement of Mr. Blounts, became the firm of J. & J. Shaw & Co., as at present. This business relation was both successful and harmonious, and

latter married Elizabeth, daughter of George Ellam, who was born June 19, 1795. When a youth the subject of this sketch was taught the value of labor, his education having been limited to a period of six weeks at a day-school and such important instruction as he received at Sunday-school. He early entered a | continued until failing health compelled Mr. Shaw to

Janco Herworthy

woolen-mill and became familiar with the trade of a | retire from the firm a short time prior to his death, cloth-dresser. On completing his term of service he which occurred on the 26th of April, 1881, in his fifty-seventh year, leaving a wife, son and daughter, who reside at " White Hall," near Jeffersonville. determined to seek a more favorable field of operation in America, and embarked iu 1846, landing in Phila- delphia after a tedious passage of five weeks. He at Mr. Shaw possessed great industry, accompanied by self-reliance, which enabled him to say truthfully that he had never failed in any enterprise he had | undertaken. He was an intelligent student and reader of the best literature, especially of scientific works, collecting a valuable library, which was a source of much pleasure to him. His whole life was one of charity and kindness. In his religious belief he was a Presbyterian and among the foremost in the erectiou once found employment at Breack's mill, Brandywine, Del., and on the destruction of the mill by fire, in 1848, removed to Manayunk, where he was employed by various parties. Being a mechanical genius, he also made electric machines, galvanic batteries, and also repaired and cleaned clocks at night or when a leisure hour occurred. He at this time manufactured many Lobereiner's inflammable lamps, which were

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

of the Centennial Presbyterian Church at Jefferson- ville, and was also active in the promotion of many worthy projects in bis township.

JAMES KENWORTHY .- Mr. Kenworthy is of Eng- lish birth, bis grandfather, John Kenworthy, having resided in Saddleworth, Yorkshire, England. His family consisted of four sons and four daughters, of whom John, a native of Saddleworth, became master of the trade of machinist. He married Mary Andrew, whose children were Wright, John, Mary A.,

James and Jane. James, the third son in order of 'ing-machines. The old building was purchased by birth, was born March 21, 1827, in Newton Moore, Samuel O'Neal about the year 1856, and he conducted Cheshire, England, where his youth was devoted to ! the business of making cotton cloths and yarns up to

labor in a cotton-factory in the vicinity, which he entered at the age of twelve years. On attaining his twentieth year he began an apprenticeship to the business of hardware dealer, and remained thus em- ployed until twenty-six years of age, when his emi- gration to the United States occurred. After a brief period in Philadelphia he was attracted to Montgom- ery County, and in 1855 found employment in the woolen-mill of C. Blounts & Co., in Norriton township. In 1861, in connection with C. Blounts, Joseph Shaw and James Shaw, the mill was leased which is still operated by Joseph Shaw and James Kenworthy, jeans and kerseys having been the staple article of production. Mr. Blounts' connection with the busi- ness was severed in 1866, leaving J. & J. Shaw & Co. the proprietors. James Shaw's ill health occasioned his withdrawal from the firm in 1881, since which date the mill has been conducted by the present part- ners, and is chiefly devoted to the manufacture of jeans. Mr. Kenworthy has been twice married, his first wife having been Miss Henrietta Froeh, of Loben- stein, Saxony. Their two surviving children are Milton and Mary. He was again married, to Mrs. Sarah Jenkinson Caldwell, a native of Yorkshire, England, who has one daughter, Leah. Mr. Ken- worthy is a strong Republican in politics, and has, as a representative of that party, served two terms in the Borough Council. He is in his religious views a Pres- byterian, and member of the First Presbyterian Church of Norristown.

FARNUM'S MILL .- The operations of Farnum's Mill, on Washington Street, below Mill, have been stopped since 1882. There are two distinct buildings, one modern, built by the late proprietor, F. D. Farnum. It is about fifty by seventy feet, four stories in height, and contains one hundred and sixty looms for the manufacture of ginghams, sixteen hun- dred and eighty spindles, ten ring-frames, six boilers, a one hundred horse-power engine, and requiring in all about one hundred and twenty-tive hands.

The old mill, which is not connected with the new, contains the spinning machinery, and is thirty-five by one hundred and forty feet. This mill was purchased from Samuel O'Neal by F. D. Farnum.

The old mill, however, has a history almost hidden by the curtain of time. Mr. John M. Baird, foreman

of the Eagle Works foundry, worked in the mill fifty years ago. He was then a boy, and the building was standing long before his time. It was then a machine- shop, operated by Freuch & Miller, and the first en- gine ever put into Jamison's Mill, at De Kalb Street bridge, was built by that firm in their little shop. It was subsequently used as a factory for making cotton laps; Levis Cornog, and, after him, Cornog & Hurst, operated it as a cotton-factory, Charles Custer using part of the building as a factory for building thresh-

about 1862, when he sold it to F. D. Farmim.

GARDNER & HARRISON .- On the 25th of August, 1884, Messrs. Benjamin Gardner and Johu Har- rison started a small factory on Arch Street, between Marshall and Chestnut, for the manufacture of Turk- ish towels. The building was erected by Mr. James Newton, of Norristown, and is thirty by fifty-six feet, two stories in height. There are eighteen looms, with thirteen hands employed, and a ten horse-power en- gine supplies the motive-power.

THE QUAKER CITY SHIRT-FACTORY .- This fine modern establishment is located near the Stony Creek depot, in the west end of the borough, and was built in 1879by Chester L. Smith, who had already established the manufacture of shirts at Philadelphia, in 1865. It is a three-story building, forty-two by one hundred and forty feet, and is filled up with every modern appli- ance and invention for the manufacture of shirts. The monthly pay-roll amounts to over four thousand dollars, and about twenty thousand dozens are pro- duced per annum. The whole work, from the cutting out of the shirt to the completed laundried article, is done by machinery.

HATHAWAY'S SHIRT-FACTORY .- Mr. John C. Hathaway established his shirt-factory, in the year 1869, in Norristown. It is located at the corner of George and Marshall Streets. One hundred hands are steadily employed in the factory upon sewing- machines, and one hundred more are employed at their own homes hand-sewing. They produce six hundred dozen shirts a week, with a pay-roll of seven hundred dollars a week. Mr. Hathaway has a branch factory at Reading, where four hundred dozen shirts a week are made. Mr. Hatbaway's machines are operated by steam, furnished by an eight horse-power engiue.

NORRISTOWN SHIRT-FACTORY .- This establish- ment is on Lafayette Street, between De Kalb Street and Strawberry Alley. It was established by Mr. George Wright, and after him was carried on by Miss Fanny Davidson for three years. At the present time it is owned by Mrs. Fanny Kahn, who runs fifty-six machines, with sixty hands, producing three hundred dozen shirts a week, with a pay-roll of nine hundred dollars per month.

NORRISTOWN HOSIERY COMPANY .- The hosiery

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industry was established in 1880 by D. M. Yost, dry- goods merchant, corner of Main and De Kalb Streets, and began with six machines, six hands to work them and a production of about seventy-five dozen stockings per week. The firm at present is D. M. Yost, John D. Haenge and Frank Roop, under the title we have before stated, viz. : the Norristown Hosiery Company. They operate sixty knitting- machines and employ sixty hands at their new establishment, in the rear of the Montgomery County Prison lot. The building is of frame, thirty-two by one hundred feet, with boiler-house and engine-house. The product is about twelve hundred dozen a week, and the company pay in wages one hundred and twenty-five dollars a week, exclusive of the conviet labor in the county prison, for which they pay one hundred and fifty dollars a month. In addition to these industries, the company have a branch hosiery department in Limerick township, to which they pay twenty-five dollars a week. They also manufacture about five hundred pairs of pants per week, for which they pay one hundred dollars to their working-people. During the past year the company have paid out in wages over fourteen thon- sand dollars.

THE KEYSTONE HOSIERY COMPANY .- The man- ufacture of hosiery is one of the recent additions to the industries of Norristown, and after two or three

market-house, in 1853, by James Moyer. They are now occupied and owned by George W. Smith, who has been connected with the establishment for over twenty-one years. The capacity in 1853 was very small, only about three hands being employed. The present proprietor has more than quadrupled the production of the works and the value of the property. It has a frontage on De Kalb Street of eighty feet, a depth of one hundred feet, and is worth to-day fully thirteen thousand dollars.

ISAAC LANDIS' MARBLE-WORKS. - Mr. Landis commenced business at the corner of Marshall Street and the railroad, early in 1879, as a dealer in marble. His specialty is the manufacture and placing of curb- stones, gutters, door and window-sills, etc. He employs seven hands and pays in wages about four thousand dollars annually.

KELLER'S POTTERY .- C. F. Keller nineteen years ago purchased a small pottery-works on Pearl Street, near Stony Creek, from J. Kesler. The pottery was built by John Linker, and since it came into the hands of the present proprietor the property has been improved. Mr. Keller and his sons run the kiln and its accompaniments, but no record has been kept as to the amount produced or the cost of production.

EGYPT MILLS .- This establishment is one of the ancient landmarks of the industrial development of Norristown. In 1809, John Markley erected a two- : experiments resulted in the establishment of the : story stone building, obtaining the inside timber from above-named company by Morgan Wright & Son. Barbadoes Island. The building fell into the hands of Matthias Holstein, who, in 1825, introduced water from the Schuylkill River to obtain additional motive- power. Up to that time it had been driven by water from Saw-Mill Run. In 1835 the mill was sold to the late Christopher Heebner, who operated it most successfully up to the time of his death, which oc- I curred near the close of the year 1883. During his It was opened on Swede Street, below Main, November, 1880, and, being extremely successful, the company have extended their business and removed their machines to the large building erected for them by Heury A. Derr. It has a frontage on Penn Street of thirty-four feet, and is seventy- two feet deep and three stories high. There are one hundred and eighty knitting-frames in operation, and ' long incumbency of nearly half a century Mr. the production is about two thousand three hundred dozen a week.

STEAM MARBLE-WORKS, HENRY A. DERR .- The works were founded in 1842 by Franklin Derr, father of the present proprietor, upon a very small scale. The industry and business taet of Mr. Derr very soon made themselves felt in the community, and some of the largest public buildings in the borough are the works of his hands, amongst the rest the county court-house. The present proprietor succeeded his father in the establishment in 1877, and these niarble-works are now the most extensive in Montgomery County. The main building is at 127 Main Street, with an imposing front, which attracts much attention from visitors and strangers. 'The marble saw-mill is forty by sixty feet, with a twenty horse-power engine and the usual complement of saws and polishing-machines for preparing the slabs of marble for trade uses.

Heelmer was constantly engaged in improving the property and increasing his capacity for the manu- facture of the highest grade of flour. In the year 1842 a large store-house was built at the river-side. In 1857 a large additon was erected at the east end of the mill. In 1868 ten feet were added to the height of the building, all the old machinery was taken out and replaced with the newest and most improved inventions known to the trade.

The building stands at the foot of Mill Street, fronting one hundred feet on Schuylkill Street. The motive-power is obtained by means of one turbine and one overshot water-wheel, the capacity being about seventy-five barrels a day.

At the sale of the real estate the mill was bought in by Messrs. Samuel Moore and J. J. Brooks, and was finally purchased by Messrs. Freitsch & Baugh, who took possession August 4, 1884. The property is valued at twenty-six thousand dollars.

Forty years ago the late Christopher Ileebner held

MOYER'S MARBLE-WORKS .-- Moyer's marble-works were established on De Kalb Street, opposite the the monopoly of the manufacture of flour in this

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

section, and guarded what he considered his rights with jealous care. He then owned what is known as the old Fizone Flouring-Mill, which stood on the site of the present Main Street Station on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, near Stony Creek. He also owned the Egypt Mills here mentioned, and also leased the Bridgeport Mills, now operated by Hibbert & Brook. These gave him complete control of the flouring trade, and as he was a man of great energy of purpose, looking after his interests with keen watchfulness, he kept the trade in his own hands to the exclusion of all others.

CHRISTOPHER HEEBNER .- The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Christopher, a son of David Heebner, who married, in 1757, Susanna, daughter of Hans Wiegner. Their children were Melchior, born in 1759; John, in 1761; Sarah, in 1763; Abraham, in 1766; Christopher, in 1770; Su- sanna, in 1773; and David, in 1778. Christopher, of this number, married, in 1792, Susanna Smith, and had children,-David, born in 1793; Sarah, in 1795; Margaret, in 1796; Abraham, in 1799; John, in 1802; Susanna, in 1804; Christopher ; Ann, in 1811; and Myra, in 1815. Christopher Heebner was born June 11, 1809, in Norriton township, and resided upon his father's farm until 1826, when he became an apprentice to the trade of miller at the Perkio- men Mills. On acquiring his trade he continued three years as a journeyman, and in 1831 came to Norristown, forming soon after a copartnership with Jacob Freedley in the milling business. Later he purchased what was known as the Egypt Mill, in Norristown, to which he made extensive improve- ments, built two warehouses, and in 1868 and 1880, respectively, remodeled the structure, adding much new and valuable machinery. Mr. Heebner was a Republican in polities, but not active as a politician. He was, however, for a number of years a member of the Borough Council and the school board of Norris. town. He was a director of the Philadelphia, Ger- mantown and Norristown Railroad, the Montgomery Cemetery Company, the Norristown Insurance and Water Company, the Norristown Gas Company, the Montgomery and First National Banks, the King of Prussia Turnpike Company, and a liberal and influ- ential member of the Montgomery Fire Company. He was also actively identified with the Corn Ex- change of Philadelphia. Mr. Heebner was widely known as a business man of great sagacity, combined with ceaseless energy and the most serupulous integ- rity, -qualities which enabled him from the beginning to make his presence felt as a power in the commer- cial world. He married, in 1833, Ann, daughter of John Mitchell, and had children,-Elizabeth (Mrs. Daniel Dresher, deceased), George, Martha (wife of Lane S. Hart), Edward, James (deceased) and Henry (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Heebner, in No- vember, 1883, celebrated their golden wedding, when distinguished guests greeted the venerable pair and

showered congratulations npon their aged heads. The host on this auspicious evening entered into the spirit of the occasion with the eager gladness of youth. A few weeks later he was prostrated by a sudden illness, which proved fatal on the 19th of December, 1883.

STONY CREEK FLOUR-MILLS .- These mills were built by the present proprietor, George C. Morgan, in 1879, near the site of the old Freedley Mill, on Marshall Street, at the edge of Stony Creek. The building is four stories in height, thirty-eight feet front by fifty-six feet deep. At the time of its erection there were four run of stones, a twenty-five horse-power engine and two turbine wheels of twenty-one horse- power; but the proprietor some time since adopted the new roller process, and put in five sets of Stevens' break rolls, one set smooth rolls, three purifiers and seven bolting rolls, nsing two run of stones for mid- dlings and one for feed. The capacity of the mill is forty-five barrels of flour of good quality daily.

LONG'S SOAP MANUFACTORY. - With a frontage on Lafayette Street of one hundred and fifteen feet, and of seventy feet on Markley Street, the soap-fac- tory of Patrick and Samuel J. Long, the present proprietors, has held its place for over half a century. Fifty-three years ago Abraham Buckart was engaged in the business in a small way, being able to make now and then during the year, at distant intervals, a boiling or casting of two thousand pounds of soap. Mr. Buckart sold the establishment to John Cascaden, Mr. Patrick Long, who was Mr. Cascaden's brother- in-law, buying it for him. Mr. Cascaden failed, when Mr. Long assumed the responsibility, and the place changed hands more than once, until it came into the present firm. Samuel J. Long, as the heir and representative of his father, superintends the hide and tallow department ; his uncle, Mr. Patrick Long, attends to the soap trade, which has assumed grand proportions, having the capacity of ten thousand pounds of soap at one boiling.

A. R. COX's BREWERY .- This extensive estab- lishment fronts on Main Street, near Markley, close to Main Street Station on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, connecting with the Stony Creek road. It is owned and operated by A. R. Cox, by whom it was built and has been operated for nearly forty years. Away back in 1830, Morgan James ran a small brewery in a frame house on this site, in partnership with Abraham Eschbach, brewing, perhaps, about half a dozen barrels of beer a week. Morgan James drew out of the firm, when A. R. Cox, who then lived in old John Freedley's house, joined Eschbach in the business on the same small scale.

The property of John Freedley being offered for sale, Mr. George Cole, Mr. Cox's father-in-law, in- duced Mr. Cox to purchase the property and furnished the money. The buildings and improvements cost twelve thousand dollars, and improvements were made in every department of the premises. Levi

Clint options Hace buen

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MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

Haas, Justus Leaver and Frederick Gilbert built the large cedar vats, each holding two hundred gallons, which are standing to-day, and are in good condition. The work and the men who performed it are all to-day in a good state of preservation, and we may here say that several of the men who worked at the old frame brewery forty years ago are working for A. R. Cox now.

There are nine hands employed steadily all the year round ; the production is about three thousand barrels a year of ale and porter, and the property is to-day worth over one hundred thousand dollars.

LAGER BEER BREWERY .- In 1866, Moeshlin Bros. commenced the brewing of lager beer in Norristown, in a small one-story building, on a lot off Marshall Street, along Stony Creek, with the crudest and most primi- tive appliances. The material produced was in ac- cordance with the means of producing it, and was certainly a failure ; but in 1870, Mr. Charles Scheidt, a skilled brewer, purchased the business from John C. White & Co., and applying his skill, with ample means, he soon made his mark. Atter operating the brewery for some years he admitted his brother Adam into the business, and it is now conducted under the firm-name of C. & A. Scheidt. New ice-houses and brewery buildings have been added, and the small one- story building, with a capacity of fifteen hundred barrels a year, has expanded into an imposing edifice, five stories in height, sixty teet front by one hundred and sixty feet in length, producing ten thousand barrels a year.

HERCULES CIGAR-FACTORY .- Wm. K. Gresh, now senior proprietor of Hercules Cigar-Factory, began to manufacture cigars at Centre Point, Worcester town- ship, in 1861, and in 1867 removed the business to Per- kiomen, and in 1872 again made a change, and settled at Norristown and opened a factory on Marshall Street, between Astor and Corson Streets, which, in 1875, was much enlarged. The increase of business demanded larger accommodations, and in 1882 he moved to Western Market Hall, corner of Chain and Marshall Streets. In May of the same year E. P. and H. C. Gresh, sons, became partners, under the firm-name of W. K. Gresh & Sons. They now occupy a building one hundred and twenty by forty feet and sixty by forty feet, and have an average of seventy-five hands employed. The firm also deal in leaf tobacco and manufacture about four million cigars annually.

WILLIAM K. GRESH .- Nicholas Gresh, the grand- father of William K. Gresh, on his emigration from Germany, settled in Berks County, and at a later period became a soldier in the war of the Revolution. His children were Charles, Nicholas, Daniel and one daughter, Elizabeth (Mrs. Wentzel). Daniel, who followed his trade of weaver in Berks County, mar- ried Susanna Kuser, who was of French descent, and had children,-Augustus, Edwin, John, William K., Rachel (Mrs. Harman Custer), Leah (Mrs. Alexander Hummel), Emeline (Mrs. George Hesch), Elizabetlı

(Mrs. William Glase), Henry Abel, and two deceased, Kate A. and Milton. William K., of this number, was born on the 23d of January, 1834, in Pottsgrove township, Montgomery Co., his early youth having been spent in Berks and Montgomery Counties. At the age of seventeen he left his home and sought, by industry, to render himself independent. Not, how- ever, being satisfied with the limited advantages of education he had already received, he added to his stock of knowledge by attendance upon the sessions of a winter school. At the age of eighteen he started a brick-yard at Centre Point, Worcester township, and at the same time erected several dwellings, indi- cating always a desire in his various undertakings to be his own master and not subservient to the will of others. While engaged in brick-making Mr. Gresh found much of the winter unoccupied, and during this period of leisure sought a field for his energies in the manufacture of cigars, which he began in his own house. This he continued for some years, and in 1867 removed to Perkiomen township, where land was pur- chased ; the business greatly increased in proportion. For five years he continued at this point, and in 1872 sought a wider field of operation in Norristown. Here he purchased land and erected a factory, but soon finding his limited quarters inadequate to the increase of business, the factory was enlarged. In 1883 he removed to his present spacious quarters, which have also been enlarged to meet the demands of an increasing trade. Mr. Gresh was, at the age of twenty-one, married to Mrs. Leah Detwiler, daughter of Peter Hendricks, of Worcester township. Their children are Edwin Pierce, Hervey Clinton, Eraminda (deceased), William Perry, Kate A. (Mrs. John S. Geller) and Unett Earley. His sons Edwin P. and Hervey C., after being thoroughly educated in all departments of the business, were, in 1883, admitted to the firm. The members of the Gresh family are all musical, understanding the theory of music and exe- cuting on one or more instruments. They have grati- fied this taste in the organization of an orchestra, which is rendered serviceable for religious worship as on other occasions. Mr. Gresh is a Democrat in his political convictions, but was in a strong Republican district elected a member of the Borough Council. He is identified with Trinity Reformed Church of Nor- ristown, in which he has for many years been an elder and representative in the various church bodies. All the members of Mr. Gresh's family are actively interested in religious work, and exemplify in their daily walk and conversation the Christian virtues of which the head of the family is the worthy exponent.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 136

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534