History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 166

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 166

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FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE is a plain brick build- the Sunday-school attendance seven hundred. The ing located within a large shady lawn, at the corner

of Swede and Jacoby Streets. It was erected in 1852 as an indulged meeting, under care of Gwynedd Monthly Meeting.

THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION, OR GERMAN METHODISTS, erected a brick house of worship in 1859 on Cherry Street, above Airy. Its first pastor was Rev. Seneca Breifogle, succeeded by Revs. E. Batz, Thomas Harper, James O. Leihr, S. G. Rhoades, R. M. Lichtenwalter, B. F. Bouher, W. T. Black and Francis Leilir. Membership, one hundred and six- tren ; teachers and pupils in Sunday-school, one hundred.

THE DUNKARDS, OR GERMAN BAPTISTS, possess a small briek meeting-house on Barbadoes Street, above Airy, erected in 1869. No stated or regular worship is held therein.

THE COLORED ZION METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, on Chain Street near Lafayette, was erected in 1845. A larger one having been built on Powell Street in 1853, the former one was vacated. Its first pastor was Rev. Thomas Gibbs; the present one in charge is Rev. Amos Wilson. Membership, about one hundred, with an attendance of seventy-five in the Sunday-school.

THE COLORED EBENEZER PROTESTANT METHO- DIST CHURCH was organized in June, 1849, and a stone building erected in the autumn of 1853, at a cost of eight hundred and seventy-five dollars, at Arch and Basin Streets. In 1872 it was rebuilt of brick and enlarged. Its pastors have been Rev. Sam- uel N. Amos, Isaiah Taylor and Charles Williams. Membership, fifty-six, and Sunday-School attendance about forty.

Public Schools .- The schools of Norristown, both

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BOROUGH OF NORRISTOWN.

public and private, have a high reputation, and are probably not excelled by those of any other borough in the State. Its inhabitants from an early period have bestowed considerable attention upon the matter, and the result has been a continual progress in their condition. Schools, particularly in towns, perform a more important part in the affairs and duties of life than is generally accredited them. By this we mean, more especially, their influence on order and morals. What would be the condition of any town of this size if its schools were closed for one year? In this borough about one-fifth of the whole population at- tends school ; if this number, instead of being there

the number in the borough had increased to twenty public schools, in which were employed two male and eighteen female teachers, attended by two thou- sand and ninety-one scholars. The schools were kept in three buildings erected expressly for the purpose, and a one-story frame building for colored children. The public schools in 1872 had increased to thirty- one, and in 1875 to thirty-eight, taught by this num- ber of teachers and attended by two thousand four hundred and one scholars. The High School was established in 1870, when A. D. Eisenhower became principal. In 1878, Anne Y. Gilbert (Mrs. Dr. C. Z. Weber) was chosen assistant; upon her resignation,

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HIGH SCHOOL, NORRISTOWN.

and preparing for future usefulness, should be let loose in the streets, its character would soon change.

The public schools are forty-fonr and are taught by this number of teachers. For the year ending June 1, 1884, the whole number of pupils enrolled was two thousand three hundred and thirty and the aver- age daily attendance one thousand six hundred and eighteen. Joseph K. Gotwals is superintendent of the borough schools. Those outside of these limits, but within the county, are in charge of the county superintendent, the positions being independent of each other. The public-school system was accepted July 27, 1835, but did not go in operation until March 2, 1836. The first directors' meeting had been held September 24, 1834. In 1832, strange to say, there were bnt two primary schools in the place. In 1857 48

in 1884, Miss Ella Detwiler and Miss Bertha Lime- bach became assistants.

The public school buildings are now six in number, and can all be considered as comparatively new and of modern construction. The High School building is on De Kalb Street, fronting on Oak, the lot of ground containing several acres. It was erected in 1880, is built of brick. three stories high, with handsome stone facings to all the windows, doors and basement. The furniture and apparatus is of modern and approved con- struction. It contains accommodations for five hun- dred and twelve pupils. All the higher branches are taught, including Latin, Greek and German. The principal is A. D. Eisenhower, with ten additional teachers; the grammar department being in three divisions.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Oak Street Public School building was originally erected in 1849, on a large lot fronting on said street. It is built of brick, three stories high, and was en- larged in 1859, and again in 1868, and contains accom- modations for one thousand pupils. It is divided into numerous class and recitation-rooms. William J. Wells is principal, assisted by fourteen teachers in five divisions. Chain Street School is located at the corner of Airy and Chain street, in the south-west- ern part of the borough. It is a two-story stone building erected in 1870, with eight school-rooms, and has capacity for four hundred pupils. The lot embraces half a square of ground. Joseph V. Bean is principal, assisted by five teachers in six divisions.

Sandy Street School is located at Walnut and Sandy Streets. It is a two-story brick edifice, originally built in 1851 and enlarged in 1874, and contains ac- commodations for four hundred and fifty pupils. George H. Coe is principal, assisted by seven teach- ers in three divisions. Cherry Street School is lo- cated at the corner of Penn, is built of brick, three stories high, erected in 1851. It has capacity for one hundred and fifty pupils, and is used as a second- ary school, with two teachers. Powell Street School, at the corner of Willow, is a stone building, erected in 1874 for colored pupils, with capacity for accommo- dating one hundred and twenty scholars, and is now unused.

Cemeteries .- The Montgomery Cemetery Company was organized in September, 1847, and was incorpo- rated April 4, 1848. It contains thirty acres of land, and is located on the Schuylkill, adjoining Norriton township. The first interment made therein was March 16, 1849, and up to April 1, 1859, the number had reached six hundred and fifty-two, but since has greatly increased. Here the dead repose amidst shady lawns, shrubbery and flowers. It possesses a diversified surface, and the ground descends towards the river. Norris City Cemetery is situated outside the borough limits, beside its northern boundary, and is approached by Swede Street. The company was incorporated in November, 1857, and the first inter- ment made the following spring. This tract was pre- viously known as the Rossiter Farm. St. Patrick's Burial-Ground is situated on the south side of Main Street, beyond Stony Creek. A tract was purchased of Levi and Elizabeth Pawling May 14, 1809, as a public burying-ground, at the corner of Swede and Violet Streets. It is known as Potter's Field, con- tains thirty-three perches, and is under the control of the Borough Council. Respecting its condition, a public meeting was called in June, 1809, probably with a view of having it inclosed.

Public Halls .- The earliest hall in the place of any pretension was that in the Odd Fellows' building, which was erected by a company in 1850, and was three stories high, built of brick. The first story was occupied by stores, the second by the hall, and the third for the purposes of the lodge-rooms. In 1877 it was

sold to Philip Quillman, who placed a mansard roof on its fourth story and vacated the hall. In 1872 a company was formed who erected Music Hall, on the north side of Main Street, above De Kalb. It is a handsome three-story brick structure, faced with marble, fifty feet front and one hundred and forty feet deep, and cost sixty thousand dollars. The first story in front is occupied by the post-office and stores. The second story contains the hall, fitted up for concerts, lectures and exhibition purposes, and has a capacity for seating one thousand persons. It possesses in addi- tion a stage, scene-fixtures and a dressing-room. The third story is finished up and used as a Masonic lodge-room. There are several other halls fitted up for such purposes in the place, as Acker's, Fisher's, Albertson's and Meeh's, and others of less note.

The Norristown Library is kept in the second story of a brick building erected by the association, com- menced in October, 1859, into which it was removed in the following April. The building was thirty by forty feet in dimensions, situated on De Kalb Street, above Airy. It is open every week-day, and contains at pre- sent about six thousand volumes. It was founded in 1794, and incorporated April 30, 1796, and its charter signed by Thomas Mifflin, Governor. The original members were Henry Pawling, Andrew Porter, John Pugh, Seth Chapman, Dr. Isaac Huddleson, Dr. Wil- liam Smith, Joseph Potts, Ezekiel Rhoades, Robert Brooke, John E. Allen, James Adams, John Davis and Samnel Maulsby, having been its earliest friends and incorporators. In January, 1801, Andrew Por- ter, Levi Pawling, John Davis, Robert Kennedy, David Lukens, Isaiah Wells and six others were elected trustees. At this time it contained about seventy members, with an annual payment of one dollar from each. The treasurer reported that there were due one hundred and forty-four dollars, besides a considerable sum for fines, and requested the same to be paid so as to enable the purchase of additional books.

For many years the library was kept in a building upon a site belonging to the Bank of Montgomery County, on Main Street, which was afterwards re- moved to the corner of De Kalb and Penn Streets. A one-story frame building, fifteen and a half feet square, was erected for it in 1835, where it re- mained until the completion of the present building. In January, 1825, it contained six hundred and eleven volumes, for which a building that cost $153.43 had been erected by private subscription on the leased lot. The members at this time were twenty- four. In 1836 the annual meeting was changed from the first Saturday in January to the first Tuesday of the same month. The first catalogue was printed in 1836, containing forty pages. In 1832 the library had in- creased to eleven hundred volumes, and in 1858 to about two thousand eight hundred. The last catalogue was printed in 1883, containing one hundred pages. The annual payment is [now two dollars, the price of

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BOROUGH OF NORRISTOWN.

shares five dollars and of life memberships twenty dol- lars. Miss Irene Hallman is the present librarian.

The Historical Society of Montgomery County was founded February 22, 1881, by a call from fourteen prominent citizens. They have held several meetings and have had papers read before them on historical subjects of local interest and commenced the forma- tion of a library and a collection of manuscripts. It was incorporated in May, 1883.

The officers of the society from the first have been,- President: 1881-85, Theodore W. Bean. Vice-Presi- dents: 1881-82, Reuben Kriebel, Professor R. T. Hof- fecker; 1883, Professor R. T. Hoffecker, Dr. Iliram Corson ; 1884-85, Dr. Hiram Corson, Hon. Hiram C. Hoover Recording Secretary : 1881, J. S. Shrawder, M.D .; 1882-85, F. G. Hobson. Corresponding Sec- retary : 1881-84, S. M. Corson; 1885, Isaac Chism, Esq. Treasurer : 1881-85, Major William HI. IIo]- stein. Librarian : 1881-85. Nathaniel Jacoby. Sten- ographer: 1881-85, William N. Clift. Trustees : 1884-85, Benjamin P. Wertsner, William McDermott, Hon. William llenry Sutton, Charles F. Corson, HIon. William A. Yeakle, Professor Joseph K. Gotwaltz, Hon. James Detwiler, Mrs. Jacob L. Rex and Mrs. Caleb R. Howell.

The post-office is kept in the first-story front of Music Hall building, on Main Street. It has been fitted up under government authority, the office being now of that rank that the appointment is made by the President ofthe United States. Robert Iredell, the present incumbent, except a short interval from 1866 to 1868, has held the office continuously since 186I, while his deputy, William Acker, has officiated therein a still longer time. The post-office was established in Norristown before 1799, when John Davis was post- master. It was the second in the county, the Potts- town office having preceded it near the close of 1793.

The first postmaster of Norristown was John Davis, in 1799; since 1820 the following have served : James Wells, Isaiah W. Davis, Philip Hahn, John Sutlee, Henry G. Hart, Dr. E. L. Acker, Robert Ire- dell, 1861 to 1866; Hlenry Quilman, Samuel Brown and Robert Iredell.

An advertisement of the several letters remaining in this office uncalled for in October, 1799, is a curiosity. Several of the names mentioned are stated from their address to reside in Nockamixon, Chester County, Great Valley. Montgomery township, Lower Merion, Trappe, Horsham and Upper Hanover. This, of course, was then owing to the comparatively few post-offices in the country. Indeed, in Pennsylvania, in 1796, there was but thirty-three, and even in the county, as late as 1827, only twenty. John Coates was postmaster in 1816.

Early History .- By reference to the history of Norriton township it will be seen that the land on which Norristown is situated was part of the tract owned by Isaac Norris. The greater part within the present borough came in possession of his son, Charles

Norris, who erected a mill1 by the side of the Schuyl- kill, a few yards above the present dam, and made other valuable improvements. After his death, Mary, his wife, sold, September 17, 1771, the mill and five hundred and forty-three acres on the river-side to John Bull, of Limerick township, for the sum of four thousand six hundred pounds, which, in our present currency, would be twelve thousand two hun- dred and sixty-five dollars. Included in said purchase was Barbadoes Island, which is stated in the con- veyance to contain eighty-eight acres. Nicholas Scull, in his map of the province, published in 1759, men- tions an inn called the "Norrington House," situated on the southeast side of where the Ridge road or Main Street now crosses Stony Creek. This, no doubt, was the first site of the earliest settlement anywhere within the present limits of the borough, and which subsequent researches seem to confirm.

As both the township of Norriton and Norristown received their names from Isaae Norris, of Philadel- phia, some account of him in this connection may not be antiss. Ile was a native of England, where he was born about the year 1671. With his father he went to Jamaica in 1678, where he established himself as a merchant, and after a residence there of fourteen years arrived in Philadelphia, where he commenced a successful business career. During his life he was a leading member of the Society of Friends. With William Trent, in 1704, he purchased all of what was called Norriton township, and in 1712 became its sole owner. Ile was elected to the Assembly in 1700, and was continued in the same for many years. IIe re- sided chiefly at Fair Hill, his country-seat, which was in the present vicinity of Broad Street, below Monu- ment Cemetery. He was married, March 7, 1694, to Mary, the youngest daughter of Governor Thomas Lloyd. Ile was very active and influential in civil and religions matters. In 1715 he became one of the justices of the Philadelphia County Courts, a member of the Governor's Council and was, at the time of his death, chief justice of the province. He died suddenly in the beginning of June, 1735, of an apoplectic fit, while attending Germantown Meeting. At the time of his decease, he was about sixty-four years of age. HIis will is dated Jannary 17, 1731, and appointed Mary, his wife, and his sons Isaac, Charles and Samuel, jointly, his executors. His eldest son, Isaac, one of the afore- said exeentors, was also distinguished as a merchant and for his services in public lite. He was long an alderman of the city, and for twenty years Speaker of the Assembly. He died July 13, 1766, aged sixty-five years. William Trent, alluded to, was also an early merchant of Philadelphia, speaker of the Assembly and one of the judges of the Supreme Court from

1 Since the aforesaid was written, wr have learned from the report of the road survey from Swedes' Ford to Gwynedd Meeting-house, in March, 1738, of a mention made in this vicinity of "Norris' Mills." The question arises,-were those quills beside the Schuylkill or on Stony Creek ? Most likely on the latter stream.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

1705 to 1716. lle shortly after removed to where Trenton, N. J., now is, where he commenced the first settlement, by the erection of several mills, in 1719. Ile died there in 1724, chief justice of the province, and after him Trenton was called.

An act having been passed by the Assembly, Feb- ruary 26, 1773, for "clearing, scouring and making the river Schuylkill navigable, and for putting in execution all and every other the purposes in the said act mentioned," the commissioners appointed to carry out the aforesaid state that they

" Did agree with Charles Norris, Esq., Jate decensed, that he should be permitted and suffered from time to time, as occasion shall require, to repair, keep up and maintain a certain mill-dam running across the eastern channel of the said river, from the main eastern shore thereof to Barbadoes Island, which, before the date of the said agreement, had been mudr and ererted by the suid Charles Norris, for the use of his mill, on condition that he should and would build, erert and carry out, from the ujjwer end of the said island, a dam, or wall, of at least twenty perches in length, and inclining in some degree to the eastern side of the said river, unul of auch height us should be above the waters at all times, other than in freshes, so as to direct the waters into the western channel, and also should und would, in the building of the said wall or dam, make use of the stones lying in the said western channel. And whereus, since the agreement aforesaid, the administrators of the said Charles Norris did convey and make over the said mill, with the appurtenances, to John Bull, Ksq. Be it therefore enacted, that the said John Bull, his heirs or nssigns, shall, and he or they are hereby enjoined and required within the space of eight months from and after passing this net, to build the said dam or wall as mentioned, and in case he shall refose or neglect it, then the com missioners to prostrato or remove the said mill-dam, which, should they be compelled to do, then the said John Bull to have a reasonable com- pronaation therefore and forever thereafter to keep open the said enstern channel of the said river, free and clear from all manner of impediment and obstructions to the navigation thereof."

This important statement goes to show under what circumstances the first mill was erected here and in what way its motive-power was secured from the river. It may have been possible that on the breast of this dam at certain times the island may have been reached by persons crossing on foot; a matter that occasioned some speculation when it became somewhat of a resort for racing, bathing and military trainings.

Only two days after the defeat of Washington at Brandywine he dispatched General Armstrong, with a portion of the militia, along the Schuylkill to throw up redoubts at the different fords which were to be occasionally occupied, that in case the British should attempt to cross they might be opposed. At that time the principal crossing-place was at Swedes' Ford, and on this account it was expected that they might pass there, and for this reason, under the direction of Chev- alier Du Portail, an engineer, formerly in the French army, Armstrong's men threw up entrenchinents and breast-works opposite that place, and now in the bor- ough, and it is said that they were scarcely completed before the British made their appearance on the other side, but in consequence changed their line of march towards Valley Forge. Remains of these works were still visible forty years ago. While Washington was near Pottsgrove the enemy crossed the Schuylkill at Fatland Ford, five and a half miles above Norristown, on the night of September 22, 1777, and proceeded

leisurely on their march to the city. On the 23d a portion of their army was overnight in or near the present borough, on which occasion they set fire and burned down nearly all the buildings in the place. So great was the damage done that on a valuation being made, the State allowed to Colonel Bull for his loss £2080, to the University £1000, to Hannah Thompson £807 and William Dewees £329,-the whole equivalent to $11,240 of our present currency. The aforesaid may be depended on as accurate, being derived from official manuscripts on the subject. The result may be arrived at from an advertisement in the Pennsylvania Packet of October 27, 1778, and bearing the Rev. Dr. Smith's name,-

" To be let for a term of years, that valuable plantation at Norriton, on Schuylkill, lately occupied by Colonel Bull. Such persons as desire to lense the game are requested to make their propositions to the sub- scriber, at the College, as soon as possible, as the farm and meudowe now suffer for the want of a tenant."

Colonel Bull continued to reside here from 1771, making extensive improvements, and most probably until the destruction of his property. He was assessed in the spring of 1776 for holding in Norriton five hundred acres, two negroes, two bound servants, five horses and seven cows. In 1768 he had been ap- pointed one of the justices of the Court of Quarter Sessions for Philadelphia County, which office he con-

tinued to hold until the Revolution. He had been in the service as a captain in the French and Indian war, and was commissioned, November 25, 1775, a colonel of the First Pennsylvania Battalion of eight companies, afterwards De Haas' regiment, which posi- tion he resigned January 20, 1776. He was appointed adjutant-general of Pennsylvania June 17, 1777, and when General James Irvine was taken prisoner, near Chestnut Hill, was appointed, in December of that year, to the command of the Second Brigade of Penn- sylvania Militia. In 1780 he was appointed to pur- chase horses in the county for the use of the army. In January, 1775, he was one of the county members that met in provincial convention to prohibit the im- portation of slaves. Hle, with three others represented the county in the convention that framed the Consti- tution of the State, which was adopted September 28, 1776. We see by these several positions that he had become an active partisan in the war, and it was for this reason and his carrying on the manufacture of powder that the British were induced to burn his property here September 23, 1777, while on their march to take possession of the city. Ile was contin- ued by the Assembly, August 31, 1778, as one of the justices of the County Courts. Colonel Bull sold all his real estate here, excepting about fifty-five acres, to Rev. Dr. William Smith, of the city of Philadelphia, October 30, 1776, for the use of the University of Pennsylvania, of which he was provost, for six thon- sand pounds. The tract is mentioned as containing a grist-mill, saw-mill, powder-mill and other buildings. The deed for the same was not given until the following November 2d. These were the buildings

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BOROUGH OF NORRISTOWN.

that the British in the following year destroyed. Benjamin Rittenhouse, brother of the celebrated philosopher, who was commissioned by Governor Mitfin, in 1791, one of the associate judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Montgomery County, was married to a daughter of Colonel Bull. William Bull, who was assessed in Norriton in 1776 for hold- ing three hundred acres and two negroes, was proba- bly a brother of the aforesaid. He had purchased a farm here of Henry Conard in 1770.

While the British army was destroying property in this neighborhood, we learn from the Rev. HI. M. Muhlenberg's journal that the American light cavalry captured five English sobliers, who at this time, we pre- sume, were out marauding, and brought them through the Trappe on their way to the American army. When Washington broke up his camp at White- marsh, and proceeded with the army to Valley Forge, for winter-quarters, it was on the banks of the river at this borough that they eneamped for about two days, suffering severely at this time, Colonel Jolin Laurens states, for the want of provisions. On the afternoon of December 18th they crossed at the Swedes' Ford by making a bridge of wagons backed to each other, on which were laid fence-rails as a substitute for plank, and which formed very unstable footing. This novel mode of crossing was witnessed by the late Mathias Holstein, then a boy, accompanied by his father, which faet has since been corroborated by the letters and journals of several who were then present.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 166

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