History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 158

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 158

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).

711

BOROUGH OF BRIDGEPORT.

of the Thirty-sixth Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia, and in October, 1805, General Francis Swaine appointed him quartermaster of the First Brigade in the Second Division. In 1808 he went into partner- ship with David Thomas, and continued for several years storekeeping at the corner of Main and Swede Streets, where they also kept a lumber-yard. In 1812 he was elected a member of the Borough Coun- cil, a Presidential elector of the Clinton ticket, director of the Ridge Turnpike Company and one of the building committee of the new Episcopal Church. From 1800 to 1829 he was the proprietor of the principal mill for manufacturing flour, in which he did an extensive business. Eliza, his first wife, died February 22, 1815. In the summer of this year the Bank of Montgomery County was chartered, and he was made the first cashier, which position he held for some time. When the bridge over the Schuylkill was built he was one of the directors. In 1837 he be- came the ticket agent of the Philadelphia and Norristown Railroad. He died August 10, 1849, aged upwards of seventy- seven years, and his remains were deposited in the graveyard attached to Christ Church, below Bridgeport. He was a man en- dowed with more than ordinary powers of observation, and withal enjoyed a strong, retentive mem- ory, and before his death few minds could be found better stored with the reminiscences of the past.

or boat in transporting passengers, horses, wagons, cattle and sheep to the other side. The ford or main crossing-place was about one hundred yards above the present bridge, and is not now readily recognized from the great changes made here by the improvements of more than sixty years. The white-pine spoken of was a remnant of the forest, and stood till 1847, when, through decay, it was deemed prudent to cut it down. It had been a twin-tree; its companion had been blown down in a violent storm in 1822. From their great height they had long served as conspic- uous marks to the surrounding country, and thus became an object of interest to trav- elers.

Samuel Hender-

A view of Swedes' Ford was taken from an eminence on the SWEDES FORD IN 1828. View of Church at Swedes Ford. east side of the river, by Mrs. Mary Ann Potts, in 1812. In thissketch a rope is repre- 'son, as has been mentioned, in 1806 purchased sented stretched across the Schuylkill, fastened to the trunks of two trees, and a boat on the western shore. The only buildings seen are the stone tavern and its barn to the northwest. A short distance south of the ' house is the sign, suspended beneath a stout and ele- vated frame; standing near it is a tall white-pine and in the front a row of five fair-sized Lombardy poplars. It has been supposed that the said Mrs. Potts was a resident of Valley Forge, and a daughter- in-law of Isaac Potts, who was known to sketch land- scapes. Another drawing was made in 1828 or a short time previous by William L. Breton, which is superior to the former, engraved by Gilbert. The the Swedes' Ford property, which he afterwards sold to Jacob Ramsey, who kept the public-house and carried on the farm until his death, in 1827. Lewis Ramsey, his son, and Daniel Schupert, as administrator>, advertised the property at public sale August 15, 1829, wherein they state it to be a "valuable and desirable Tavern-stand and Ferry, " containing one hundred and sixteen acres and one hundred and one perches, situated half a mile below Norristown, adjoining lands of Elisha Evans, Samuel Coates and the river Schuylkill. "The improvements are a large two-story stone Tavern-house, large stone barn and other out-build- house is very well-done; the road in front of it lead- | ings. A fountain of spring water at the door, from a ing to the Schuylkill is represented as passing over the canal on a bridge. Only one pine and one Lom- bardy poplar are given, but of a large size. Imme- I now used for that purpose. The canal passes through diately on the river's bank by the road-side the same trunk is represented with its ferry-rope to aid the flat

large and never-failing spring, which is sufficient to turn a wheel for grinding seythes, axes, etc., and is the premises, and affords one of the most eligible situa- tions for factories on the Schuylkill." From this we

712

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

learn that the water-power of thestream had been used some time previous to its present application by the Reading Railroad Company. The aforesaid property was purchased by Davis Henderson, who, in 1846, sold it to Colonel James Bush and John Freedly, who divided it into building lots and made many improve- ments in the lower portion of the borough. Mr. Bush converted the old house into a private residence, which is now occupied by his widow. It is still in good condition and its former appearance has been preserved.

After the incorporation of Bridgeport into a borough, in the winter of 1851, Perry M. Hunter, L. E. Corson, M. McGlathery and Alexander H. Supplee were ap-

thence north 66 degrees east 73 perches to a point in a line between lands of John and Lindsay Coates ; thence by lands of Sammel Coates, south 83 degrees, east 145 perches and four-tenths of a perch to a point ; thence by lands of said Samuel Coates, north 63 degrees 30 minutes, east 253 perches to low water-mark of the river Schuylkill aforesaid, and along and up said river the several courses thereof to the place of beginning."

The following is a list of the burgesses of the bor- ough of Bridgeport since its incorporation: 1851- 52, Washington Richards ; 1853-56, Francis Mul- vaney ; 1857, George W. Holstein ; 1858-59, Francis Mulvaney ; 1860, George Pechin; 1861-62, Philip Bowman ; 1863-64, F. Mulvaney ; 1865-George S. Patterson ; 1866-A. D. Delp; 1867-68, Benjamin B. Ilughes ; 1869-70, F. Mulvaney ; 1871, C. D. lless ; 1872-73, Thomas Thomas; 1874, Charles I. .

93 lys 3 Hughes

pointed commissioners to lay out its territory from the | Corman ; 1875-78, Benjamin B. Hughes; 1879, John township of Upper Merion. The following boundaries were then agreed upon :

"Beginning at low water-mark of the river Schuylkill, in said town- ship ; thence on a line dividing lands of E. C. Evans and the Schuylkill Navigation Company, south 20 degrees and 20 minutes, west 34 perches and two-tenths of a perch to a point in a public road in the great valley ; thence along the middle of said roud, south 65 degrees and 40 minutes, west 165 perches and five-tenths of a perch to a point in the middle of a road leading to Swedes' Ford road ; thence along the same sonth 26 de- grees 30 minutes, west 156 perches to a point in lands of Henry Novioch ;

A. Keiger; 1880-82, C. D. Hess ; 1883, Isaae Ram- sey ; 1884, William Rennyson ; 1885, William Renny- son.

In 1830 Bridgeport contained but three dwelling- houses, a tavern, and a large three-story stone mill, still standing near De Kalb Street and the canal, built in 1826. The erection of the Norristown bridge in 1829, and the opening of the State road the year after, began to give the first impulse to improvement,

713

BOROUGH OF CONSHOHOCKEN.

which has not since been materially checked. In

time married, in 1858, to his present wife, who was 1832, besides a store, the houses had increased to ; Miss Mary J., daughter of David Brooke, of Upper eight; in 1840, to fifty-three, and in 1849, to ninety- six. Elisha Evans, who did much through his enter- prise to promote the growth of Bridgeport, kept in the beginning of this century the Rising Sun Hotel, in Norristown. He died in 1830, his wife having some time preceded him. His son, Cadwallader Evans, still resides here, the owner of considerable real estate. Gas was introduced in 1876, from Norristown, by means of a large pipe over the De Kalb Street bridge. Water is still procured from wells, being readily ob- tained at a depth of twenty feet of excellent quality.1 Merion. Mr. Hughes was formerly a Whig in politics, and has more recently affiliated with the Republican party. Though not ambitions for the distinctions of office, he has served as county auditor and heen repeatedly chosen burgess of the borough of Bridgeport. He is a director of the First National Bank of Norristown, and has filled the same position in the Montgomery National Bank. His in- tegrity and excellent judgment have caused his ser- vices to be much in demand in the capacity of guardian and as the custodian of important trusts. He is a member of Christ (Old Swedes) Protestant Episcopal Church, of Bridgeport, in which he has served for forty years as senior warden.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

BENJAMIN B. HUGHES.

Mr. Hughes is of Welsh descent, his great-great- grandfather, John Hughes, having emigrated from Wales about the year 1750, and purchased a tract of nine hundred acres in Upper Merion township, Mont- gomery Co. He had two sons, Isaac and Ilugh, the latter of whom had a son Isaac, the grandfather of Benjamin B., who married Hannah IIolstein, and had children,-four daughters and one son, John, who married Ilannah Bartholomew, of Chester County. Their children were Rachel (Mrs. Jacob Dewees), Isaac, Benjamin B., Slator C., Francis W., Theodore J., Collin and J. Curtis. Benjamin B., of this num- ber, was born June 27, 1808, on the Walnut Grove farm, in Upper Merion township, which is a portion of the ancestral estate. After such educational oppor- tunities as the nearest school afforded, he determined to render himself independent by the acquirement of a trade, and chose that of tanner and currier, serv- ing his apprenticeship at Frankford, Pa. Very little time was spent, however, at this trade, Mr. Hughes having soon after returned to the farm, which he pur- ·chased of his father. Upon this land were extensive deposits of iron-ore and a limestone quarry of much value, to which his attention was mainly devoted un- til 1851, when he removed to Bridgeport, since that date his residence. Though released from the re- sponsibilities of active business, much of his time is absorbed in the management of his varied interests. Mr. Hughes was, in 1829, married to Miss Mary, daughter of Jonas Rambo, of Upper Merion township. Their children are John, Isaac W., Nathan R. (de- ceased), Collin, Mary (Mrs. H. O. Blackfan), Henry C., Hannah (deceased), Kate (Mrs. E. M. Evans), William C. and Francis (deceased). He was a second

1 Acknowledgments are dne to Dr. George W. Holstein, of this bor- ! ough, for information, he having also kindly furnished the writer with some materials on the same subject for two previous works on the county, -namely, in 1858 and 1876.

CHAPTER XLI.

BOROUGH OF CONSHOHOCKEN.I

THE borough of Conshohocken was incorporated by an act of Assembly May 15, 1850, and in population is now the third in the county, It is situated on the east bank of the Selinylkill, four miles below Norris- town and thirteen from Philadelphia, and is bounded on the north and northwest by Plymouth, east and southeast by Whitemarsh, and south and southwest by the Schuylkill. In its territorial extent it is one mile square, and therefore contains six hundred and forty acres, one-half of which was taken from Plym- outh and the remainder from Whitemarsh. The land on which it is situated slopes gradually from the river for the distance of a quarter of a mile, when it attains, by a moderately steep elevation, the height of upwards of one hundred feet, after which it becomes level. Just below the borough and along the Schuyl- kill is an extensive flat reaching nearly to Spring Mill.

Though of recent origin, Conshohocken has become an important place, particularly in the variety and extent of its manufactures, According to the census of 1850, it contained 727 inhabitants; in 1860, 1741; in 1870, 3071; and in 1880, 4561. In the assessment for 1882, 1110 taxables are returned, holding real estate and personal property valued at $2,085,555,being an average of $1869. Licenses were issued in 1883 to 18 hotels, 7 restaurants, 3 dry-goods, 15 grocery, 3 tobacco, 3 drug, 2 meat, 4 confectionery, I carpet, 3 boot and shoe, and 2 clothing-stores, besides I lumber and 5 coal-yards. The First Ward in 1880 contained 1726 inhabitants, and the Second 2835. The place in 1832 contained only 1 store, 1 tavern, a rolling-mill, grist- mill and 6 houses; in 1858, 4 taverns and 22 stores; the census of 1860, 323 families and 324 houses. The

1 By Win. J. Buck.

714

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

manufacturing establishments in 1870 were 4 rolling- mills, 3 furnaces, 1 cotton-mill, 1 print-works and a woolen-mill.

The first improvement which laid the foundation for its prosperity was the Schuylkill Canal and Naviga- tion, which was commenced in 1816, and sufficiently completed in 1818 for the descent of a few boats of sixty tons burthen, but was not finished till 1824. It was the water-power of the dam here that gave the impetus to this manufacturing town. The bridge over the Schuylkill was built in 1833. In August, 1835, the railroad was finished through here to Norristown. The railroad to Plymouth was completed in 1836, and extended in 1870 to Oreland, where a junction is formed with the North Pennsylvania Railroad. A turnpike was made in 1849 to Plymouth Meeting, which was extended in 1855 to the Three Tons where it strikes the Limekiln pike. The Schuylkill Valley Railroad was opened through here in 1884, affording additional facilities for transportation to Philadelphia and the coal regions. These several improvements have all tended to promote the prosperity of the place. In addition to these, the abundance of excellent iron- ore, marble and limestone found in the neighborhood, afford unusual facilities for the borough to become a large manufacturing town.

The first rolling-mill in Conshohocken, and among the first in the State, was built by James Wood in 1832. It was erected for the manufacture of sheet- iron, saws, shovels and spades. The saw and shovel- works were built in 1835, and after running a few years were removed to Philadelphia. The rolling- mill was propelled by water-power furnished by the canal, and at the time was regarded as a great curi- osity, people coming many miles to witness it in operation. It was rebuilt and enlarged in 1845, agam in 1867, and also in 1883, when its capacity was more than doubled. When first started three hundred tons of sheet-iron were thought a good production for one year, but now, under the management of John Wood & Brother, sons of the former proprietor, it has been in- creased to fifteen hundred tons. This firm, in 1852, built a new steam-mill on the opposite side of the canal, which has also been rebuilt and greatly im- proved. They also erected a second steam-mill in 1864, which was destroyed by fire in 1882, but since rebuilt and enlarged. The production of their mills is now about six thousand tons of sheet and plate-iron per year, giving employment to two hundred and fifty men, who receive one hundred and twenty-five thou- sand dollars for wages. The Schuylkill Iron-Works of Alan Wood & Co. have a capacity of fifteen thousand tons of sheet and plate-iron per annum, ten acres of ground being inclosed for their opera- tions and buildings. They employ between five hundred and six hundred hands, and pay out thirty-five thousand dollars monthly for wages. Be- fore 1858 they employed twenty hands, but in that year they built their large steam rolling-mill, to which

they have since several times made additions. John Wood, Jr., has an establishment for making boilers and machinery, with a foundry and car-shops, giving em- ployment to twenty-five skilled hands. W. T. Bate & Son also carry on the manufacture of patent boilers and machinery, employing from thirty to forty men. The Longmead Iron-Works, Jawood Lukens, pro- prietor, employ about sixty hands in the manufacture of muck-bars. They possess a capacity of five thou- sand tons annually.

The Plymouth Furnaces and Rolling-Mill, be- longing to a company, are in charge of Samuel Fulton, as general superintendent. They have a capacity of twenty-two thousand tons of iron per annum, and give employment to three hundred men. They also carry on the Lueinda Furnace, at Norristown. These works were originally started by Stephen Colwell, an enterprising citizen of Phila- delphia, in 1844, and in the following year he had the furnace in operation. He also erected here, at the same time, a large foundry for the making of various kinds of water and gas-pipes. So extensive had this latter manufacture become that it is reported on re- liable authority that for several years previous to 1849 three thousand tons of iron were used for this purpose alone. Mr. Fulton is a nephew of the late Mr. Col- well. The second furnace was built here in 1864. A company has been recently incorporated with one hundred thousand dollars capital, called the Consho- hocken Tube Works, A. L. Murphy, manager.

The Conshohocken Cotton and Woolen-Mill, Stanly Lees, proprietor, employs one hundred and eighty hands. It contains one hundred and forty looms and produces twenty-five thousand yards of cottonades weekly. This mill was built in 1856, one hundred and forty by sixty feet in extent, and the present pro- prietor has been a manufacturer here since. The Conshohocken Woolen-Mill of H. C. Jones & Co. employs seventy-five hands and has capacity for making three thousand yards of cloth per week. This establishment in 1858 was condneted by James and Lawrence Ogden. The Albion Print-Works, Lea & Cresson, proprietors, is an important industry, employing two hundred and fifty hands. This estab- lishment is on the site of Walter Cresson's mill, who was an early manufacturer here. The Conshohocken Warp-Mill, Hamilton Maxwell, late proprietor, is not now in operation. Jones & Yerkes have a steam planing-mill giving labor to twenty-five hands. Evan D. Jones & Co. carry on an extensive lumber- yard. The East Conshohocken Stone Quarry Com- pany carries on a large business. They have supplied the heavy foundation-stones for the railroad bridges lately built over the Wissahiekon and Schuylkill at Manayunk. The North Conshohocken quarry also gives considerable employment.

The public schools are twelve in number, open ten months, with an average attendance of four hundred and thirty-four pupils for the school year ending June

715

BOROUGH OF CONSHOHOCKEN.

1, 1882. These are all hellin two buildings, Professor J. Warren Schlichter, principal the primary depart- ment occupying four rooms, with four teachers; the higher, eight rooms in four division with eight teachers. The buildings are of stone, rough-cast and two-stories in height. The grammar department possesses a col- lection of chemical and philosophical apparatus and a library of upwards of nine hundred volumes of stand- ard works for reference. The public schools in 1857 were only three in number, attended by two hundred and thirty-two pupils, kept in one building, erected for this purpose in 1855, at the corner of Fayette Street and Second Avenue, in which the elections were also held.

The churches of Conshohocken are six in number,- Presbyterian, St. Matthew'> Catholic. Methodist Episcopal, Calvary Episcopal, Baptist and African Methodist Episcopal.

Presbyterian Church .- The first organized con- gregation was the Presbyterian. In 1846 the Rev. Thomas Murphy, then pastor of a Presbyterian Church at Frankford, visited this place and inter- ested the members to organize a church and erect a house of worship. Service was held at various times. and early in the year 1847 a church was constituted. A lot was donated for church purposes at the corner of Maple and Ehm Streets, and the present church was erected in 1848. It was used until 1868, when repairs and additions were made to the extent of five thousand dollars. The pastors who have served from the organization to the present time are as follows: Revs. - Panll, - Martin, Joseph Nesbitt, James Laverty, Henry B. Townsend. John Symmes and the present pastor, the Rev. William H. Fulton.

St. Matthew's Catholic Church was organized in 1850 by the Rev. Patrick Nugent, pastor of the church at Norristown. A lot was purchased at the corner of Hector and Harry Streets, and a house of worship erected and used without material change until 1865, when an addition was made to the rear, and in 1881 the present front was erected. It is now the largest church edifice in Conshohocken. In 1870 a lot was purchased on Hector Street, and a building, seventy- six by fifty feet, two stories in height, was erected, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars, which is known as St. Matthew's Parochial School. It contains five hundred pupils, and is under the charge of Edward McDonald and nine assistants. The parish has a membership of two thousand five hundred souls. 1 cemetery containing two acres of ground, adjoining the borough limits, in Whitemarsh township is the property of the church. Soon after the organiza- tion, in 1850, the Rev. James Maginnis was called to the charge, and remained pastor until 1863. He was succeeded by the present pastor, the Rev. R. Kin- ahan.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at this place in 1856 through the exertions of the Rev. Lewis C. Pettit, then pastor of Merion Square

Methodist Episcopal Church, and Joseph Lees, a resi- dent of Mill Creek and a member of that church. They visited this place and held service in the old Temperance Hall. Among the first Methodists in this place were John Major and Caleb Collins. Services were held by the Rev. Mr. Pettit until the Conference of March, 1857, when the congregation was organized and was made a charge, aud the Rev. Rufus Owen, D.D., now of Philadelphia, was appointed pastor. The church was erected in that year, and has since been remodeled. Among the pastors who have served since the organization are the Revs. Jerome Lindemuth, W. W. Wythe, George Haycock, John O'Neal, Samuel G. Hare, Rufus Owens, Daniel Patter- son, W. C. Johnson, Samuel Pancoast and the present pastor, the Rev. J. T. Miller. The church has a mem- bership of one hundred.

The Calvary Episcopal Church is situated on the corner of Fayette Street and Fourth Avenue. The first service of this denomination was held in Consho- hocken on the 25th of July, 1858, in the old school- house (Temperance IIall). The rectors present were the Rev. William H. Reese, Rev. Marmaduke Hurst and the Rev. J. W. Claxton. Service was begun by the Rev. E. L. Lycett, August 15th, in that year, who continued preacher until September 1, 1863. On the 17th of December, 1858, resolutions were passed to organize a parish to be called Calvary Episcopal Church Parish. The first communion service was adminis- tered February 27. 1859, to eight communicants. The present church lot was selected ; plans for a church were adopted July 19, 1859, and the corner-stone of the edifice was laid on the 25th of August in that year. The church was first used for worship Febru- ary 19. 1860. It is a one-story stone Gothic structure, and with its parish building, which is now a part of it. presents a picturesque appearance. In 1873 a rectory was erected on the church lot at a cost of four thousand nine hundred dollars, and in 1880 the parish buikling adjoining the church was built at a cost of nine thousand dollars. In this building is the free library and reading-room. The library now contains about two thousand volumes, including the private library of George Bullock, which was under charge of the parish in December, 1882. The library is circu- lating and is open two evenings and an afternoon in each week. The reading-room is supplied with the leading periodicals of this country and England and three daily newspapers. It is open three evenings in the week and is well patronized. A chancel was added to the church in 1884, at a cost of six thousand five hundred dollars. The Rev. E. L. Lycett resigned September 1, 1863, and the following are the names of pastors and terms of service from that time: John Tetlow, March 22, 1864, to March, 1866; Thomas S. Yokum, April 1, 1866, to May 31, 1870; T. William Davidson, October 1, 1870, to June 23, 1872; A. E. Tortat, December 1, 1872, to November 14, 1876; James J. Creigh, April 1, 1877, to January 1, 1881;

716

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

A. B. Atkins, March 15, 1881. The last is the present rector. The parish has about two hundred and thirty communicants.

The First Baptist Church of Conshohocken was constituted June 10, 1870, with forty-two members. The Rev. J. G. Walker, who was active in the organ- ization, had preached to the people in this place about three years. In 1868, George Nugent, of Norris- town, deeded to three trustees a lot in the village for the use of the first Baptist Church when organized. This lot was deeded to trustees of the church soon after they were properly constituted, and the present chapel was erected at a cost of four thousand dollars. A parsonage was erected upon the lot in 1884 at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars. The pastors who have served the church are as follows : Revs. J. G. Walker, Ebenezer Packwood, H. H. Lemy, T. J. Siegfried and the present pastor, Thomas A. Lloyd.

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 Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 158

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