History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 165

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 165

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).

The State road in the borough, called De Kalb Street, was laid out in 1830, forty feet wide, from New Hope, on the Delaware, to the Maryland line.

The Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad Company was incorporated by an act of Assembly passed February 17, 1831. It was com- menced that year, and was opened from the city to Germantown June 6, 1832, in what would now be considered a novel manner : namely, by nine cars, or rather carriages, each drawn by one horse in shafts, and containing twenty passengers inside and sixteen outside, making in all three hundred and twenty-four guests. This was in reality a passenger railway up- wards of fifty-two years ago. What is equally singu- lar, the road was opened in a similar manner to Manayunk October 18, 1834. Saturday, August 15, 1835, was a great day in Norristown. The road was now completed, and the opening was to be duly

celebrated. Two trains of cars, each drawn by a loco- motive, started from the depot, corner of Ninth and Green Streets, Philadelphia, at twelve o'clock, well- laden with invited guests. The locomotives were gayly dressed with flagsand a band of music enlivened the way, and the only stoppage was made at Mana- yunk. The approach to Norristown, as well as the ride along the entire way, was one continued triumph. Cheers and shouts of welcome were heard in all directions, while the waving of handkerchiefs expressed the congratulations of the fair. Thousands collected together to behold for the first time the iron horses, and gazed on them with wonder. For this occasion the company erected a large tent in the borough, near the river's bank, where three hundred and fifty guests sat down to a sumptuous banquet. This road, with its branch to Germantown, is twenty-one miles in length, and cost one million eight hundred and eleven thou- sand dollars. About 1856 the company built a large depot in the borough, on the corner of Mill and Wash- ington streets, and laid the entire road with a double track, and later built the Main Street Station. This improvement extends through Montgomery County somewhat over seven miles. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company leased the road December 1, 1870, and also the works of the Navigation Com- pany, July 12th previously, since which time they have operated both.

The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, which is on the opposite side of the river and extends to Pottsville, was opened the whole distance in 1872. The Swedes' Ford Bridge Company was incor- porated March 30, 1848, and the bridge completed in 1851, at a cost of forty thousand dollars. It is com- posed of four spans of two hundred and twenty feet in length. The Chester Valley Railroad crosses it, and forms a connection with the Norristown road, and also with the Pennsylvania Railroad at Downing- town. Where Main Street and the turnpike cross Stony Creek a broad and substantial stone bridge was built in 1854, by contributions from the borough, turnpike company and several citizens. A bridge must have been bere before the organization of the county, for in 1786 the grand jury reported that they " found the foundation of the main abutment uuder- mined dangerously, and that the first stone of the irch had given away." The Stony Creek Railroad has a depot near Main Street, on the west side of the stream, and passes through the borough nearly two miles and forms a junction with the North Pennsylvania Railroad at Lansdale. It was commenced in 1871, and opened for travel January 1, 1874, and is nearly ten and one-half miles in length. This has also been leased and operated by the Reading Company. The Schuylkill Valley Railroad, leading from Philadelphia to Pottsville, was commenced in 1883 and completed the following year, and enters the borongh on Lafay- ette Street. The depot is at the intersection of the aforesaid street with De Kalb. This improvement fol-

749

BOROUGH OF NORRISTOWN.

lows the Schuylkill and extend over half the length of the county. A new depot was erected in 1884 on Franklin Avenue. This railroad is now under lease to the Pennsylvania Railroad, and is known as the Schuylkill Division.

The Norristown Junction Railroad Company was chartered for the purpose of building a road to connect the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Rail- road and the Stony Creek Railroad, and thereby save the transfer of freight, by wagons, from one depot to the other. The road was built in 1880, and extends from Marshall to Washington Street, along and near to Markley Street. After completion it was leased to the Philadelphia and Reading and Stony Creek Railroads, by whom it is operated.

The water-works were incorporated in 1847, under the title of "The Norristown Insurance and Water Company." They were erected that year, at a cost of sixty-two thousand dollars. After using the insurance privilege a few years it was abandoned. In 1875 the company erected a new engine-house, with large pumps, to which they had the water conveyed from beyond Barbadoes Island in 1876, at a considerable expense. In 1879, the old basin being found too small, another, also on De Kalb Street, was constructed on higher ground, with a new ascending main, the whole costing eighty-five thousand dollars more. It is supposed that the company have now in use about forty miles of iron pipe. The water was first introduced in De- cember, 1847, and is forced from the Schuylkill to the basin, a distance of three-fourths of a mile.

The Fire Department consists of three steam fire- engines and one hose company. The Norristown Hose and Steam Fire-Engine Company, No. 1, was instituted in 1847. After outgrowing two previous cugine-houses, it is now located in a large three-story brick edifice, at the corner of DeKalb and Chestnut Streets. The building was erected in 1883, at a cost of nearly sixteen thousand dollars. It has an Amoskeag steamer. The company consists of two hundred and fourteen active and one hundred and twelve honorary and contributing members. The Montgomery Fire Engine Company, No. 1, also instituted in 1847. The engine-house is a three-story brick building, erected in 1870, at a cost of nearly fifteen thousand dollars, and is located on Penn Street, below Swede. They possess a Silsby steamer, of great power, that cost four thousand five hundred dollars; they have also two hose- carriages with eighteen hundred feet of hose. They have in charge the old " Pat Lyon " hand-engine, built by Patrick Lyon, of Philadelphia, in 1797. This com- pany comprises two hundred active members. The Hu mane Fire Engine Company, instituted in 1852, own a Button steam fire-engine, with a full supply of hose. They possess a large four-story brick building, ereeted in 1854, with a cupola, bell and look-out, located on Airy Street above De Kalb. The horses are kept stabled on the premises. They own real estate and per- sonal property valued at fifteen thousand dollars. They

have about two hundred active members. The Fair- mount Hook-and-Ladder and Hose Company was instituted in February, 1852. Soon after organization the company purchased a hand fire-engine, built by Agnew, of Philadelphia, which they used until 1868, when they sold it to the Keystone Fire Company, of Boyertown. In 1869 the company purchased the large hook-and-ladder truck they are still using. They have also a hose-carriage and fourteen hundred feet of hose. In 1854 the company erected an engine- house on De Kalb Street, above Lafayette, which was used until 1860, when a larger one was erected, on Lafayette Street, above Cherry, and used until the com- pletion of the present three-story brick building, in 1880, on the corner of Main and Astor Streets. The real estate and apparatus is valued at fifteen thousand dollars. It numbers one hundred and twenty-five active and fifty honorary members.

Two engines, with stone houses, are mentioned in 1830, and in 1858 two engines and two hose companies.

The gas-works are located on Washington Street, below Arch, and were erected in 1852, at a cost of forty thousand dollars. Most of the streets of the borough are nuderlaid with their distributing pipes. Three market-houses are in the place. The De Kalb Street Market-house is owned by the borough and extends from Airy to Marshall Streets, contains one hundred and fourteen stalls and was erected in 1850-51. The Farmers' Market belongs to a company and is located at the corner of De Kalb and Marshall Streets, is one story high, with a basement of brick, built in 1859; contains one hundred and twenty-seven stalls. The Western Market is located at Marshall and Chain Streets, built in 1875, of brick, two stories high ; contains fifty-one stalls. A company has been formed to build a street railway, and in July, 1884, the route was located to commence at the depot of the Phila- lelphia and Reading Railroad Company, on Mill Street, thence to Main, to De Kalb, to Brown, to Powell, to Main, to De Kalb, to Lafayette, at the lepot of the Schuylkill Valley Railroad.

Manufactories.1-Norristown has attained consid- crable importance as a manufacturing town, and we shall only attempt now to give but brief notices of its principal establishments. The extensive iron-work> of James Hooven & Sons are located at the foot of Barbadoes Street. A portion was erected in 1846, at which time Mr. Hooven had entered into partnership with Mr. Moore, whom the former bought out in 1853, and in 1862 associated with him his two sons, Joseph Henry and Alexander. In 1869 they erected here one of the most complete blast furnaces in the county, the ore used being from their own mines in Montgomery and Chester Counties. The annual capacity is ten thousand net tons. The chief manu- facture is skelp-iron and gas-pipes.

The Lucinda Furnace and Rolling-Mill was erected

1 See chapter " Manufactures."

750

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

in 1853, at the mouth of the Stony Creek, by William Shall & Sons. The former is now conducted by Samuel Fulton for the production of pig-iron. The latter is in charge of J. II. Boone, for sheared, skelp and plate-iron, and was originally erected in 1849, but rebuilt in 1879. The rolling-mill of the Standard Iron Company (Limited) is located on Washington Street, below Ford, and manufactures heavy plate-iron. Its annual capacity is fourteen thousand net tons ; this was also originally erected by William Shall in 1857. The Eagle Foundry and Machine-Works are con- ducted by R. S. Newbokl & Son, who manufacture all descriptions of heavy machinery. Christopher Rittenhouse & Sons, at Main and Arch Streets, pursue a general foundry business, and are extensively en- gaged in the manufacture of agricultural machinery, steh as horse-powers, threshers and winnowing-mills. About 1850 the proprietor entered into the business, and the works were enlarged in 1868.

The Norristown Iron Company (Limited) have erected new machine-works at the corner of Wash- ington and Market Streets. The Lowe Manufactur- ing Company produce machinery for "water gas- works," of which Professor T. S. C. Lowe is the patentee. The works were erected in 1878, and are located between Main and Lafayette Streets, on the line of Saw-Mill Run. The Pennsylvania Taek- Works, founded in 1870 by C. P. Weaver & Co., is an extensive establishment, located at the corner of Penn and Markley Streets, for the production of tacks aud fancy braids. The Globe Taek-Works, near Oak and Arch Streets, owned by Thomas & Kenworthy, manufacture the same articles. J. & G. Gibbons are extensively engaged in the production of steam- boilers.

Among the extensive manufactories in textile fab. rics is the large cotton-spinning and weaving mill of William Simpson & Sons, originally founded by Bernard MeCredy, at the foot of Swede Street, in 1826, the motive-power being derived from the Schuylkill. Mr. Simpson purchased this property June 20, 1865, to which belong seventy dwelling- houses, occupying two squares of ground. Samuel | the waters of Saw-Mill Run and the Schuylkill. It Jamison's extensive spinning and weaving-mill is situated at the foot of De Kalb Street, a portion of which was erected in 1837. In 1858 it was conducted by William & Samuel Jamison, and has been in the family for a considerable time.

The woolen-mill on the river-front in the First Ward, founded by William Hamill in 1840, was eon- siderably enlarged in 1861 by P. M. Hunter. Since 1868, William Watt has been proprietor ; the princi- pal product has been Kentucky jeans. George Bullock carries on the manufacture of fine broad and Union cloths at'his factory, located on Main Street and Saw- Mill Run. The Blue Mill, on the same stream, was erected about 1850 by Joseph H. Bodey, and has re- eently been carried on by Shaw & Kenworthy. J. Y. Cresson has a woolen-mill at Ford and Lafayette

Streets. The Good-Intent Mill, erected in 1863 on Barbadoes Street, is now carried on by Brown & Haines.

There are several manufactories of hosiery in Nor- ristown. Probably the most extensive is the Keystone Hosiery Company's establishment, conducted by Mor- gan Wright & Son, on Penn Street, above Barbadoes, in a new three-story brick building. The next is that of the Norristown Hosiery Company, in charge of Yost, Hengie & Roop, who have a large factory in the rear of the county prison. Both of these are propelled by steam-power. The Quaker City Shirt- Factory is owned and carried on by Chester L. Smith, and is located on Corson Street, near Marshall, erected in 1879. John C. Hathaway, on George Street, near Airy, also carries on the aforesaid manufacture ex- tensively by steam-power.

The Star Glass-Works, owned and carried on by J. Morton Albertson & Sons, are located on Washington Street, below Ford. This enterprise was started in 1865, but did not prove successful. The present pro- prietor purchased the works in March, 1871. The build- ings are about two hundred and fifty by three hundred feet in dimensions; the capacity is one hundred boxes of window-glass per day. Glass is produced here as large as forty by sixty inches. Articles from this material are produced in great variety and its manu- facture is carried on extensively. The oil-works of William Slemmer & Co., are located at Main and Ford Streets, extending to Lafayette Street. An exten- sive business is done here in distilling and refining petroleum for illuminating, but more especially for lubricating purposes. Buildings were commeneed here in the fall of 1861 by Jaeob C., William and Dr. Henry T. Slemmer, sons of Adam Slemmer. A pat- ent was seeured in 1866 for the lubricator.

The manufacture of Hubbard's gleaner and binder is carried ou by George A. Singerly in extensive buildings located at Oak and Astor Streets, erected in 1878. There are two large flouring-mills. The first is known as the Egypt Mill (late Heebner's), situated at the foot of Mill Street, and is propelled jointly by has conveniencies for doing a large business. The other is owned by George Morgan, occupying a new stone building at Marshall and Barbadoes Streets, and is propelled by Stony Creek and steam-power. Three lumber and planing-mills are in the place. Two are located near Main Street and Stony Creek. The first, on the right bank, is conducted by Botton's Sons, and the other, on the opposite side, by Bodey & Livingston, formerly Wentz & Co. Guest & Longaker carry on the business at the corner of Main and Arch Streets, in which they have been engaged since 1858, if not before.

Churches .- The borough at the present time con- tains seventeen churches, belonging to the following denominations : One Episcopal, two Presbyterian, one Baptist, three Methodist Episcopal, one Catholic, two

BAPTISTE

EPISCOPAL

PRESBYTERIAN

METHODIST.

LUTHERA

ROMAN

CHURCHES IN NORRISTOWN.

751

BOROUGH OF NORRISTOWN.

German Reformed, two Lutheran, one Friends, one Evangelical Association, one German Baptist or Dun- kard, and two Colored Methodist. In 1830 the only two churches were the Episcopal and Presbyterian, which at this date maintained Sunday-schools. In 1842 the churches had increased to five, in 1849 to eight, and in 1858 to thirteen. According to the census of 1860, the church property in Norristown was valued at one hundred and sixty-eight thousand nine hundred dollars.

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH was the first erected in the place, and was commenced in 1813 and dedi- cated for worship April 6, 1815. The building com- mittee consisted of Henry Freedley, Mathias Holstein and Levi Pawling. It was located on Airy Street, and built of stone in the Gothic style, fifty feet front by eighty feet deep. The congregation had been or- ganized December 17, 1812. Its first rector was Rev. John Curtis Clay, succeeded by Revs. Thomas P. May, Bird Wilson, John Reynolds, Nathan Stem, D. D., John Woart, Eaton W. Maxey, George W. Brown, Charles E. Mellvaine and Isaac Gibson, the present incumbent, who became rector in 1872. Rev. Thomas Potts May died in 1819, and was interred near the vestry-room door. Dr. Stem had the charge from 1839 until his death, in the fall of 1859, in which period several important improvements were made. A hand- some rectory was built about 1845. In 1856 and the following year the church was enlarged to the ex- tremes of fifty-six by one hundred and nine feet, buttresses and a belfry were added, besides extensive interior improvements, costing eight thousand dollars. A new organ was placed in the church in March, 1858. During Mr. Maxey's rectorship, in 1861, a spacious and ornamental chapel and other extensive improvements were added, at an expense of nine thousand dollars. Adjoining is a large cemetery, still used for burial purposes. In 1869 a bequest of about twenty-two thousand dollars was left to the church by John Boyer, three thousand dollars of which was specially to the poor fund of the church. The present membership is three hundred and twenty, with two hundred and eighty pupils attending the Sabbath- school.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was built in 1819, of stone, thirty by sixty feet in dimensions, at the northwest corner of Airy and De Kalb Streets. Its first pastor was the Rev. Joseph Barr, who also had at this time the charge of the Norristown and Providence Churches and also taught a school in the academy. The Rev. Charles E. Nassau was next succeeded by Rev. Robert Adair, to whom, in 1834, was given this church alone. The next was Rev. Samnel MI. Gould, from 1838 to 1850; Rev. Randolph A. Smith, until 1856, when Job Halsey, D.D., became minister until 1881. The present incumbent is Rev. William B. Noble, D. D. In 1839 the front was demolished, the side-walls underpinned and twenty-five feet added to thedepth of the building, thus providing a basement.

The whole structure was torn down in 1854, when the present handsome edifice was erected and completed the following year on its site. at an expense of thirty thousand dollars. Its steeple attains an elevation of two hundred feet, being the highest in Norristown. Attached in the rear is a cemetery and a cottage par- sonage fronting on Airy Street. Its membership is three hundred and seventy, and Sunday-school attend- ance three hundred.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH, corner of Swede and Airy Streets, was originally built in 1833, at a cost, includ- ing the ground, of seven thousand dollars, the con- gregation having been organized December 12, 1832. It was a plain stone structure, of medium size, the first pastor of which was Rev. William Jordan, who re- tired from the charge in 1834, succeeded by Revs. Hiram Hutchins, William E. Cornwell, Roswell Cheney, Alfred Pinney, Hardin Wheat and George Frear, D.D. Rev. Samuel Aaron was pastor from March, 1841, to 1844. A gallery was added in 1841, and in 1850, a legacy having been left for the purpose, a new front was added, with a cupola, in all about one hundred feet high ; at the same time the whole exterior and in- terior was improved, at a cost of about four thousand dollars. During the pastorate of Dr. Frear, from 1871 to 1875, the edifice was torn down and a new brown- stone Gothic structure erected, with buttressess of cut- stone and surmounted with a belfry, the whole costing twenty-five thousand dollars. Rev. Simcon Siegfried, who was chosen in 1875, died in 1879, and was suc- ceeded in 1880 by the present incumbent, Rev. Nelson B. Randall. Its present membership is five hundred and sixty-seven, and five hundred and eighty teachers and pupils in the Sabbath-school. A capacions and elevated cemetery belonging to the church is situated in the eastern suburb of the borough. Before the erection of the church, in 1833, the congregation worshiped in the academy and court-house.

THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 was originally built of >tone, on Main Street, below Arch, in 1834, of which the Rev. John Findley had charge as preacher on the circuit, who was succeeded by Revs. John Woolson and William K. Goentner. In the summer of 1857 this property was sold, and the pres- ent large two-story brick edifice erected in its place, on De Kalb Street, below Marshall, and dedicated in November, 1858, to which a parsonage has since been added, the ground having been originally part of a lot belonging to the First Presbyterian Church. The present pastor is Rev. S. H. C. Smith. Member- ship, three hundred and twelve, and three hundred and seventy-two pupils on the Sunday-school roll.

THE OAK STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH congregation was organized July 11, 1854, and the build- ing completed the following year. It is a brick edifice, to which belongs a neat parsonage. Its first pastors were Kevs. J. F. Meredith and J. Y. Ashton. The Rev. G.

1 See chapter, " Religious Denominations, Methodist."

752+

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

W. F. Graff has present charge. Membership, one ' membership is about four hundred, and attendance at hundred and eighty-four; teachers and pupils in Sunday-school four hundred and forty. A parsonage Sabbath-school, two hundred and seventy-five.

HAWS AVENUE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH is a stone builling, erected in 1875, standing at the corner of Marshall Street. Membership, eighty ; teachers and pupils in Sabbath-school, one hundred and fifty.

ST. PATRICK'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, situ- ated on Washington Street, below Barbadoes, was originally built in 1837, of stone, three-stories high, the congregation having been organized the previous year. The pastors have been Revs. Michael O'Con- nor, Patrick Nugent, Jeremiah O'Donohue, Dennis O'Hara, Pierce Maher and John Monahan, the present incumbent, assisted by Rev. James Monahan. The church becoming too small, another was erected, of stone, in 1859, sixty-five by one hundred and forty-five feet in dimensions, of which the corner-stone was laid by Bishop Neuman in August of that year. It is in modern style, with a belfry and large basement- rooms. Adjoining is a large brick rectory and three dwellings, in which schools are taught by the Sisters. The congregation is estimated at three thousand and

parochial school was started in 1875 and the pupils now number about five hundred. Two cemeteries belong to the church, one of which is on the south side of Main Street, beyond Stony Creek, the other on De Kalb Street road, a quarter of a mile from the borough line.

THE REFORMED CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION was built in 1847, and its congregation organized the previous year. It is a stone edifice located on Airy Street, below Swede. In 1859 it was enlarged and adorned with two handsome towers, surmounted with spires. The first pastor was Rev. J. R. Kooken, succeeded by Revs. George D. Wolfe, J. T. Ermentrout, P. S. Davis, D. Gans, E. O. Forney, Henry M. Keiffer and Rev. J. O. Johnson, the present incumbent. Membership, two hundred and forty-five, and attend- ance at Sabbath-school, about two hundred and seventy-two.

TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH is a stone edifice erected in 1876 at the corner of Marshall and Cherry Streets. Its first pastor was Rev. Daniel Feete, succeeded by Revs. A. B. Stoner and W. H. Hendrickson, the present incumbent. In 1883 the church was greatly improved. The membership is eighty, with about one hundred and fifty teachers and pupils in the Sabbath-school.

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH was erected on De Kalb Street, above Penn, in 1849. Rev. F. G. Miller was its first pastor, succeeded by Revs. McCrow, Schultz and Charles A. Baer. During the charge of the last the church was rebuilt, of stone, and enlarged in 1863, with the addition to its front of a portico with four Ionic columns. The pastors since have been Revs. L. H. Bork and A. J. Weddell. The

was built in the summer of 1884 in the place of the one removed.

ST. PAUL'S GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH was built of brick on Oak Street, below De Kalb, in 1872. The first pastor was Rev. Henry Reiff, succeeded by Revs. Frantz Badenfeldt, Engel, Pracht, Pohle and Gerlach. Its membership is eighty, and teachers and pupils in Sabbath-school one hundred and fifty.

CENTRAL OR SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH is located on the north side of Main Street, above Swede. The congregation was organized November 28, 1855, the corner-stone laid August 9, 1856, and the church dedicated in February, 1858. Itis a large brick edifice, with a portico in front containing six Corin- thian columns, has circular pews and ample rooms in the basement; it cost thirty-tive thousand dollars. Its pastors have been Revs. Daniel G. Mallery, Robert Adair, J. T. Ford and William Jenks. Rev. Joseph McAskie has present charge. Membership is two hundred and twenty-five, and teachers and pupils in Sunday-school three hundred.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 165

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