History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 161

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 161

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The "Instrument of Partnership," as it was called, was signed by Charles Beatty, Joshua Potts, Jonathan Du Bois, Joseph Hart, John Lukens, Isaac Hough, David Rees, David Davis, William Loufburrow, John Thomas, John Watts, Joseph Dilworth, Abel Dungan, Peter Lukens, Thomas Potts, Samuel Swift, Joseph Dungan, Silas Yerkes, John Jarret, Daniel Thomas, John Shoemaker, Samuel Irwin, Isaac

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Shoemaker, Jacob Cadwallader, Benjamin Powers, James Vansant, Peter Craven, Job Lancaster, Nathan Bewly, Clement Dungan, Samuel Shoemaker, John Bartolet, Alexander Edwards, John Jones and Joseph Gilbert, who may therefore be considered the original members and founders of the same. The number is thirty-five,-certainly quite a favorable beginning,- and the residence of each was probably within a dis- tance of four miles of Hatboro'. There is no doubt that the aforesaid list composed the most intelligent and respectable persons of the neighborhood and, as far as we know, they were all holders of real estate.

The Instrument of Partnership states the title to be " the Union Library Company of Hatbourrough, in the Mannor of Moorland, in the county of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania ;" that it was agreed upon "The Second day of August, in the Twenty- ninth year of the Reign of our Sovereign, Lord George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc." It was thereby ordered that theyearly meetings should be held on the first Saturday in November, the first payment for each member to be twenty shil- lings, and from thence forward at every annual meet- ing ten shillings, "and no less, it being for the pur- chasing a collection of books and defraying all other necessary charges of said library, and for no other use whatever," the directors to have the charge of all the company's effects, affairs and the buying of books and general management of the library, for which purpose they were to meet every three months. The library was to be open on every other Saturday after- noon, commencing with the yearly meeting, and no book was permitted to be taken out if under a quarto in size longer than four weeks, if larger from eight to twelve weeks. Section 16th contains this provision : "Provided always that no supplement, addition or article whatsoever shall be made or become in force which may divide or alienate the books and effects of said library company aforesaid, but forever, and from time to time to be and remain the undistinguishable property of the members of the Union Library Com- pany from time to time being, according to the true intent of this our present Instrument of Partnership."

At the annual meeting held November 1, 1755, John Jarret, Samuel Erwin and Joseph Hart were elected directors, William Loofbourrow, secretary, and Daniel Thomas, treasurer. At the directors' meeting held on December 19th the sum of £44 78, was given in charge to the Rev. Charles Beatty, who was directed to send the catalogue of books ordered to the stationer in London, who was to secure the same. At this meeting a gift of four pounds was received from Hon. Lawrence Growdon, £1 78, from John Lukens, and one pound from Joha Ross, Esq. At the meeting of the directors, held August 14, 1756, announcement was made that the books sent for had safely come to hand, and were placed in a room in Mr. Potts' house, where they would be delivered for the use of the

members. In August, 1757, John Lukens was author- ized to make a purchase of books to the extent of ten pounds, which were bought on the following Novem- ber 5th. On this occasion £19 19x. 6d. were given to Mr. Beatty for an additional purchase in London, " which he was ordered to get insured." These were received October 24, 1758, and were found to be "much damaged on shipboard from water." At the meeting held February 10, 1759, the secretary was permitted to hire out books, the charge for large folios being eighteen pence, quartos one shilling, and all smaller volumes sixpence. This year the yearly payments, loans and fines amounted to £13 10s. The secretary, Joshua Potts, was allowed one pound for the use of the room and attendance. May 10, 1760, books were purchased of Charles Beatty to the amountof £6 78., and as he was going to England, he was requested to make an additional purchase there. Labels were ordered to be printed and placed in the books.

Joseph Galloway having presented four volumes through the hands of Joseph Hart, the directors, in return, sent him their thanks, wherein they say " you may depend not only on our endeavour to perpetuate the utility of this institution, but the memory of all its benefactors also." James Young, of Philadelphia, desired to know through his friend, John Erwin, the full value of a share in the library. This was rated at £3 10%. The payments, loans and fines November 7, 1761, amounted to £14 10, 9d. David Rees made the generous offer that for ten shillings he would give a year's attendance as librarian and dothe advertising, on condition that the directors speedily secure a book- case for the books, which they consented to do. In the fall of 1762 a catalogne was prepared, from which we learn that the library contained one hundred and twenty-five works, comprised in two hundred and thirty-nine volumes, and had cost £124 13s. 2d., of which amount £3 Ss. 1d. had been paid for freight and insurance from England. David Rees having died May 31st of this year, aged forty- nine years, the books were removed in November to the house of Jacob Tomkins, the secretary. A handsome dona- tion of books having been made in November, 1763, by Dr. Thomas Græme and Elizabeth, his daughter, of Græme Park, thanks were returned therefor.

The newly-printed catalogue was brought in by the directors August 4, 1768, from which we learn that the library now contained two hundred works, in four hundred and sixty-one volumes. Du Hamel's " Hus- bandry," the gift of Hon. Thomas Penn, was deposited in the library May 5, 1770. February 22, 1771, the forfeited share of John Watts was soll at public sale, and purchased by Arthur Watts, of Southampton, for three pounds, being equivalent to eight dollars of our present currency. David Hall, of Philadelphia, was paid €22 6s. 3d. for books purchased from him. November 2, 1776, the company met and chose for di- rectors Isaac Cadwallader, Daniel Longstreth and Abraham Lukens; Daniel Thomas, secretary and

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Jacob Tomkins, treasurer. It was agreed to omit the was applied to the erection of a new and more com- modions building, completed in 1849, and the balance invested and the income applied to the purchase of books. It is a neat and classic stone structure of the Doric order, designed by John Sloan, of Philadelphia, and its erection was superintended by the lite Jeseph B. Yerkes, who was appointed for the purpose. The lot of one acre on which it stands was purchased from annual payment, and as David Kennedy had gener- ously offered the company the use of a room in his house for one year, the offer was thankfully accepted. May 3, 1777, a lock was secured to the room and given in charge of Isaac Longstreth. It appears from November, 1778, for one year the directors held no quarterly meetings. In November of this year John Fitch be- came a member. November 6, 1779, the company , Robert Radcliff in November, 1848, for the sum of taking into consideration the depreciation of the cur- four hundred dollars, and the books removed to the new building in March, 1850, when the former one was directed to be sold. In commemoration of its eenten- niał, in 1855, a committee was appointed, consisting of Charles H. Hill, William J. Buck and David New- port, for its due observance, but, from the conditions imposed on them, their plan could not be carried into effeet, and in consequence only a brief mention was made thereof in the minutes. rency, think that the fines on delinquent members are too small and therefore appoint a committee to regu- late and fix the same according to the currency. In the spring of 1780 the library was moved to the house of William Wilson and placed under his charge. The committee having neglected to regulate and fix the fines, it was ordered 'that they be paid in specic or in other money equivalent to the depreciation. June 14, 1783, Humphrey Waterman was employed to alter the shelves on purpose to accommodate the books. Mrs. Ferguson made a donation of fifty volumes to the company, valued at £18 18%, for which the secretary was directed to return thanks.

In 1787 the library was incorporated by an act of Assembly, and a second catalogue prepared, in which are mentioned two hundred and ninety-five works in six hundred and twenty volumes. The annual pay- ments November 1, 1788, amounted to £36 8s. 11d. Up to February 3, 1787, eighty-five had been received as members, who had signed the Instrument of Part- nership, and we herewith present a list of their names in the order they were received, omitting those men- tioned as its founders,-Benjamin Lukens, James Spencer, John Bond, Moses Cherry, William Van- sant, Titus Yerkes, John Johnson, William Folwell, Evan Lukens, Thomas Hallowell, Abraham Lukens, James Scout, Peter Lukens, Abel Morgan, Daniel Dungan, Jouathan Jarret, James Young, Daniel Longstreth, Josiah Ilart, John Longstreth, Isaac Longstreth, Jacob Tomkins, fesse Lukens, Daniel Thomas, Amos Watson, John Hart, Evan Lloyd, Isaac Cadwallader, Joseph Longstreth, Arthur Watts, John Folwell, Mordecai Thomas, Robert Anderson, H. Hugh Ferguson, Joseph Lukens, Clement Dungan, James Ogilbee, Seneca Lukens, Stephen Yerkes, John Hough, John Jarret, John Fitch, Isaac Ilough, Jr., Joseph Folwell, William Vanhorne, Archibald Mc- Clean, Nathaniel Irwin, Abraham Duffield, John Shoemaker, Abel Marple, Isaac Leech, John Hough, William Todd, Thomas Hough, William Crawford and Robert Loller.

Nathan IIolt, a native and resident of Horsham, who died in 1848, in his eighty-fourth year, donated most of his property for the benefit of the library com- pany. lle had been a member since 1791, and stated, not long before his death, that for most of his knowledge he was indebted to this institution. The amount realized was five thousand eight hundred dollars, whereof three thousand eight hundred dollars

The library contains at present upwards of ten thous- and volumes and the association numbers one hundred and forty-six members. The directors are A. L. Philips, Edward Reading and John B. Carrell, with Mrs. Jane E. Carr, librarian. Theseventh and last catalogue was printed in 1874, a duodecimo of one hundred and eighty-eight pages. The annual income now amounts to about four hundred dollars. The membership in 1857 was ninety-eight; in 1861, one hundred and five; and in 1876, one hundred and thirty-six. By an act of Assembly, passed in 1852, the house and lot are exempt from taxation, except for State purposes. Among the rare and valuable works on its shelves may be mentioned forty-one volumes printed between the years 1593 and 1730, and one hundred and thir- teen volumes relating to the history of America printed before 1800. The formation of a cabinet of curiosities was eommeneed in 1857, and it now num- bers upwards of four hundred objects in the several departments of antiquities, mineralogy, botany, ento- mology and ichthyology, and which it is hoped will steadily keep increasing. It is considerably the old- est library in the county, and, with only one recent exception, is still the largest. That it has been the means for upwards of a century and a quarter of diffusing considerable information to those who have availed themselves of its advantages there can be no question. An institution of this nature flourishing so long through voluntary efforts speaks well for the intelligence of the neighborhood.

Loller Academy .- Robert LoHler resided in the house that has so long been occupied by the principal of the academy. lle was the son of Robert and Grace Loller, and was probably born in Horsham. In carly life he was a school-teacher, and followed the business of surveying and conveyancing, which must have impressed him with the importance of education. During the Revolution he became a colo- nel in the army, a member of the library in 1787, a member of Assembly and an associate judge of Mont- gomery County for many years. In 1805 we find him

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

assessed for fourteen acres of land, a horse and a cow. Being afflicted with a painful malady, he was taken to Philadelphia, where he died under treatment October 21, 1808, aged sixty-eight years, his wife surviving him only a short time, leaving no children. He had made a will, dated June 4th of that year, in which after leaving small legacies to his brothers, sister and several nieces and nephews, twenty pounds were directed to be paid for the use of a room for the Hatboro' Library, fifty pounds to the Norristown Academy; the remainder of his estate he bequeathed " unto N. B. Boileau, his heirs, assigns, etc., forever in trust for the only use, intent and purpose o erect a suitable building for an academy or seminary of learning,

LOLLER ACADEMY.

which shall be called by my name, either on my own land or elsewhere, provided the same be within one mile of the centre of Hatboro', and on such place as he may think most suitable, and after defraying the expenses of erecting the said building, direct the residue of the incomes and profits of my estate, real and personal, for the purpose of keeping up said building in repair and paying the salaries of such teacher or teachers as the trustees of said institution may from time to time employ, and for no other use, intent or purpose whatsoever, and in order that the said bequest herein before made for the purpose of establishing the said academy or seminary of learn- ing may be secured and perpetuated, and for that purpose forever, I will order it to be incorporated as soon as convenient, and hereby nominate, constitute and appoint N. B. Boileau executor of this, my last will and testament, hereby giving and granting unto him full power and authority to execute the same."

We see by the aforesaid extract that his near neighbor, the Hon. Nathaniel B. Boileau, was in- vested with full authority in carrying out the re- quirements of the will. After this lapse of time there is not a doubt that he faithfully and honestly per- formed all the important duties assigned him as executor by his deceased friend, and who, in addi- tion, was serving as Secretary of State under Governor Snyder. The building for the academy was com- menved in 1811 and finished the following year. Nine trustees were assigned to the charge of it, to be elected annually in December by the patrons of the schools held therein. On March 14, 1812, they held their first meeting, appointing George Murray principal of the educational department. The academy was built, at a cost of upwards of eleven thousand dollars, on a portion of Judge Loller's estate, and within a hun- dred yards of his residence. It was incorporated by an act of Legislature February 12, 1812, and was at that time the thirty-fifth academy chartered since the settlement of Pennsylvania. It is a substantial two- story stone edifice, sixty-one by forty-two feet, stand- ing on a commanding site, and from a distance its enpola attracts the attention of the traveler. The clock was made by Isaiah Lukens, an ingenious mechanic, of Horsham, but has been out of repair now for some time. On a final settlement of the estate, after the cost for building, there remained an annual in- come from the endowment for its support, amounting to two hundred and eighty-three dollars,-certainly a handsome sum for this period, calculated, if judi- ciously expended in the extension of knowledge, to greatly benefit the neighborhood.

On the erection of the academy there may have been five school-houses in Moreland township, one near Hatboro' and another near the present Mor- gan's mill, also, within three miles, one at Horsham, one in Warminster and another on the Welch road, by the Upper Dublin line. The one near Hatboro' stood on the north side of Byberry road, nearly half a mile east of the village. It was a small stone structure, supposed to have been built about 1730, where N. B. Boileau informed us he had first been to school in 1768. On account of the academy, it was now deemed unnecessary, and by an act of March 12, 1812, N. B. Boileau, Thomas Montanye and Gove Mitchell were authorized to sell it, with the lot of ground pertaining thereto. The proceeds were appro- priated, one-half to the academy and the other to the erection of a new school-house on the land of Isaac Pickering, a mile east of Hatboro', on the county line, near the intersection of the Newtown road. George Murray remained principal of the academy nntil March 27, 1814, when Jared Schofield was elected his successor, who was succeeded, August 15, 1815, by (Files McDowell, who retained the position into 1818, when the Rev. Robert Belville became his successor until July 12, 1819, when Nathaniel Furman received it, followed, April 4, 1825, by Caleb Frazier, then

Loculner.

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BOROUGHI OF HATBORO'.

in October, by John McNair, who served until Decem- ber 15, 1828, then Benjamin Shoemaker to May 5, 1833, thence by Walter Hibbs to December 13, 1834, then by William M. Hough to December 21, 1834, who was succeeded by Hugh Morrow. In addition to the ordinary branches, all the aforesaid taught the Greek and Latin languages and the higher mathema- tics. Instructions were also sometimes given in French and drawing.

Of the aforesaid principals, but three were person- ally known to the writer. George Murray was a Scotchman by birth, and, we presume, not long after leaving here settled in Doylestown, where he kept a boarding and day-school for boys in 1833 and, likely, on down to about 1860. He was regarded as a good teacher, partly deaf, and spoke with a decided Scottish accent. He saved sufficient money to buy himself a farm in the vicinity of Doylestown, on which he removed and continued until his death, but a few years ago, having attained nearly a century in years. John McNair, who was married to a sister of the late Captain John W. Yerkes, of Hatboro', afterwards removed to the present village of Abington, where he successfully established a boarding and day-school for boys, which, we believe, he continued there for some ten or fifteen years. He was afterwards elected clerk of the courts of Montgomery County, and twice a member of Congress. About 1856 he removed to Virginia and settled upon a farm in the immediate vicinity of the Bull Run battle-ground, where he | have one hundred and sixty-seven pupils. For the died somewhere about 1862, or in the midst of the war.

An act was passed by the Assembly June 30, 1836, establishing public schools throughout the State, by which every township was made a school district. The provisions of this act left it to the voters of the township whether or not they would accept the com- mon school system, by which the schools should receive an annual appropriation from the State, with power to raise by taxation a sum sufficient to make them. free to all, and to be kept open as long as the direc. tors thought proper. Moreland township, under its provisions, became a non-accepting district, and the old system was continued, by which the trustees of every school selected their own teachers and the parents paid the teachers so much per day or quarter for the schooling of their children, and a small sum was annually raised by taxation to pay for the educa- tion of those whose parents could not defray the expense. On the lith of April, 1848, an act was passed extending the school system over the entire State, and on the 3d of July following the school direc- tors, acting under the said law, put the same into BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. operation by the opening of five schools for six months and ending by the close of the school year, June 1, 1849. From arrangements thus made WILLIAM KRIDER GOENTNER. Mr. Morrow combined the public school with his own, which he taught for about six years, having on his list from eighty to one hundred and ten pupils, ber 24, 1814. His father was a native of Breslau

when the former was separated and taught in another part of the academy, under the superintendenee of Edwin S. Ritchie. He continued to conduct the private and classical department successfully down to his resignation, in 1865.

As a teacher, few can be found who have had more experience than Hugh Morrow. At the early age of sixteen he became an assistant in the Milton Academy, under the charge of the Rev. David Kirkpatrick. He has also taught at Alton, Ill., and other places. Of Loller Academy he was the principal teacher in charge for almost a quarter of a century, in which period alone he probably here gave instruction to some two thousand pupils, the survivors of whom are now widely scattered, and no doubt will long hold in regard their now venerable preceptor. He has had the satisfaction of seeing some of those that he summoned to their studies with the old Academy bell advanced to honor in the army and navy, as well as in the legal, clerical and medical professions and in other pursuits of life. Ilis fellow- citizens have not been unmindful of his services, for on the incorporation of Hatboro', in 1871, he was elected a justice of the peace, and twice since made burgess. Although now in his seventy-seventh year, we are gratified to say age appears to have touched him lightly.

The public schools for this borough continue to be held in the academy, and in 1875 were reported to school year ending June 1, 1882, the average daily attendance for ten months was stated to be seventy- ; nine. The present principal of the grammar depart- ment is A. R. Place, who is assisted in the secondary by Sue 11. Fulmor and in the primary by Emma McIntosh, William H. Walker having been the previous principal. Few places of similar size, for nearly a century, have had such advantages of receiv- ing and diffusing knowledge as Hathoro'-we mean through its Loller Academy and Library, and thus raising a higher intellectual standard of culture among its population than would have otherwise been ex- peeted. Reflecting, too, upon the numerous debating societies, lyceums, lectures and instructive exhibitions that have been so long held within its building, one can not calculate the extent of their influence upon the intelligence and morality of the people. Then let the source thereof, Judge Loller's bequest, be kept in grateful remembrance as a noble benefaction.

William Krider Goentner, the oldest son of John L. and Maria Goentner, was born in Philadelphia Octo-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Prussia, and his mother the daughter of Wm. Krider, who owned a farm on the north side of Market Street, the farm-house in which they resided being directly opposite to where John Wanamaker's store now stands.

Soon after his birth his father removed to Sonth Carolina. The boy carly evinced a fondness for study, and while quite small began his education in a log school-house. He made such progress that he was sent to a school in Charleston, where he was greatly praised by his teacher for his aptitude in ac- quiring a knowledge of language.

After his father's death, from yellow fever, his mother returned to Philadelphia, where, at the age of fourteen, he became a member of St. John's Metho- dist Episcopal Church. At the age of eighteen he was licensed to exhort ; during his boyhood his most intimate friend was Abel Stevens, who has since gained a world-wide reputation as preacher, writer and historian. Together they used to visit constantly and exhort at the House of Refuge, the Almshouse and the jails.

On the day he was twenty-one he went to Norris- town, where a little band were struggling to organ- ize De Kalb Street Methodist Episcopal Church. Here he founded a Sunday-school, added to the small society nearly a hundred members and had the church built and dedicated. From there he went to Fair- mount, where he spent a very successful year; the re- vival that repaid his efforts is still remembered and talked of by the older members of the church. He was then sent to Lehman's Chapel, Hatboro', where at that time there were five members. Mr. Lehman, a wealthy old gentleman, had built the church; Mr. Goentner dedicated it, and during his pastorate added fifty members.

His next appointment was an old-fashioned Metho- dist circuit centring at Stroudsburg, but with twenty- four different preaching-points each month. During the year he traveled five thousand miles over the mountains on horseback, and his rather delicate health became wonderfully improved. HIe acquired the habit of reading while his horse was in motion, and during clear weather almost always rode with his open book in hand. He had now completed the four years' course of study required by the Conference.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 161

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