History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 171

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 171

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).

Next in the list of pastors is the name of Rev. Henry Geisenhainner. The records show that while pastor here he was married to Anna Maria Shearer by the Rev. F. W. Geisenhainner, pastor at New Goshenhoppen.

The following names come next in the list, but the length of their pastorates cannot be determined : Rev. S. P. F. Kramer and Rev. Chas. F. Wildbahn ; the latter is buried at St. John's Church, Whitpain.

The next pastor was Rev. J. H. Rebenach, who commenced about 1805 and continued in charge until 1811. During his pastorate occurred the murder of Henry Weaver, which created great excitement. His entry of the burial merely states that October 5, 1805, the man was shot while behind his wagon in the vicinity of his father's house.

Next iu the list are the names of Revs. David and Solomon Shaffer, but the books give no further information concerning them.

The next pastor was the Rev. John K. Weiand, whose first entry is dated June 14, 1812, and who was pastor until 1826,-fourteen years. He was the last pastor to officiate in the first church building, and during his pastorate the second church edifice was erected. The original book of subscriptions is still in existence, and is a large book of about sixty pages, kept very systematically. It is dated November 8, 1815. The managers agreed to build as soon as three thou- sand dollars were subscribed. The collectors were George Neavil, Jacob Kneedler, Conrad Shimmel, Joseph Knipe and Philip Lewis. We cannot tell exactly when the building was commenced or finished, but a receipt for money collected the day the corner- stone was laid bears date of "May 27, 1817." The church was large and built of stone, plastered over and stained with a yellow wash, so that in due time it came to be called the "old yellow church," like its predecessor. The interior was high and roomy, had galleries on three sides, and a high goblet pulpit with a sounding-board.

The next pastor was the Rev. George 1leilig, who commenced October 22, 1826, and after the longest pastorate in the history of the church, resigned in 1843. He introduced an organ into the church. He also introduced the English language. During his time the Sunday-school was organized. He went from here to Monroe County, this State, and died September, 1869.

The next pastor was Jacob Medtart, who came in

The next pastor was Rev. P. M. Rightmeyer, who commenced 1863 aud continned until 1867. During his pastorate the organ now used by the Sunday- school was purchased by moneys he collected.

The next pastor was Rev. Ezra L. Reed. He was the last pastor who preached in the old church. Various circumstances suggested the building of a new church,-the old building was in a very bad state ; the Reformed congregation, which had worshiped in the same building, was about erecting a building for their separate use ; and the borough of North Wales had sprung up along the railroad, and many thought it an advantage to have the church in the town. It was resolved to crect a new building in the new borough of North Wales, half a mile distant, and a fine piece of ground was bought. The subscription- book bears date of March 1, 1867 ; corner-stone laid June 6, 1868; church was dedicated January 1, 1870, when the pastor was assisted by Revs. J. B. Ricmensnyder, HI. M. Bickel, G. M. Lazarus and J. A. Hassler, the last preaching the sermon. From 1786 to 1868 St. Peter's Church was connected in the same pastorate with St. John's, Centre Square. About the year 1870 this arrangement ceased, and St. Peter's selected its own pastor.

The next pastor was Rev. L. G. Miller, from June 21, 1874, to June 28, 1875. The next pastor was Rev. William II. Myers, from June 25, 1876, to February 11, 1878. The next pastor w was Rev. Theodore Heilig, from May 1, 1878, to June 30, 1880.

The present pastor is Rev. George D. Foust, who took this charge July 1, 1880. During the present pastorate an oppressive debt has been paid off, and at the Easter service, 1881, the church was publicly de- clared free of ineumbrance.

THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL OF ST. PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH,-The exact date of the organization of the Sunday-school cannot be determined. It was, how- ever, established early in the pastorate of Rev. George Heilig. Class-books are still preserved showing that the school was in full operation in 1834. The school was organized as an English school. Its first super- intendent was Noah Snyder. In those days blue and red tickets were distributed as rewards among the scholars. In 1837 a library was purchased, and the names of the subscribers are carefully preserved. At this time the school numbered ten teachers and sixty scholars. The library was enlarged in 1842. About 1840, John B. Johnson became superintendent, and served in that capacity thirty years. The first public

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BOROUGH OF NORTH WALES.

celebration took place about 1841, which was a union festival of St. Peter's and St. John's schools, and took place in a woods near Franklinville. About 1875, Mr. A. K. Shearer was elected superintendent, and is still faithfully filling that office. I. W. Wampole, Esq., was elected secretary in 1868, and has served continuously since that date. It may be mentioned that the secretary has been absent from his post per- haps less than a dozen times, and then only on ae- count of sickness or some other unavoidable cause. A good record this is for a term of nearly seventeen years.

THE PARISH UNION OF ST. PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH .- In February, 1869, a Lutheran Fund So- ciety was organized to raise moneys for church pur- poses. In January, 1875, it was reorganized as a | Ladies' Aid Society, with the same object. In 1881 the society was changed into a "Parish Union," the object being both to gather funds for the church and

The officers of the church are: Pastor, Rev. George D. Fonst ; Elders, Jacob H. Leister, Francis Ander- man, Samuel U. Brunner, Charles W. Hallman, W. W. Pope; Deacons, Francis C. Johnson, Samuel J. Fleck, Jacob Dannehower, Harry W. Moyer, John E. Ashford, A. R. Kuhns ; Trustees, Abel K. Shearer, I. W. Wampole, Henry Keller.

The officers of the Sunday-school are : Superinten- dent (ex-officio), the pastor; Acting Superintendent, A. K. Shearer; Secretary, I. W. Wampole; Libra- rian, William Pope: Principal of Infant Department, S. U. Brunner.

The officers of the "Parish Union" are: Presi- dent, the pastor; Secretary, Irwin Weber ; Treasurer, Charles Weikel.

The congregation owns a fine church property in North Wales. The lot has a frontage of one hundred and sixty feet, beautifully terraced. In the centre of this lot stands a neat, commodious church edifice, whose lofty steeple can be seen from great distances in the surrounding country. In addition, the church owns two burial-grounds a short distance south of the borough, one the site of the "old yellow church," and the other directly opposite.

years. His successors have been the Revs. N. B. Baldwin, A. J. Adams, Josiah Phillips, E. C. Davis and the present pastor, the Rev. A. J. Aldred. The church has a membership of about one hundred and fifty.

The Reformed Church of North Wales was a part of St. l'eter's Church (referred to above) until 1866, at which time the Reformed congregation erected the church edifice they now occupy in North Wales. The pastors who have served them from that time are as follows: Revs. - Aller, George Wolfe, Jonas T. Hetsell and Josiah D. Detrich, the present pastor. The membership of the church is about one hundred and fifty.

The Sanctuary Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1870, and a church edifice was erected on East Montgomery Avenue at a cost of five thou- sand seven hundred dollars in 1871. The pastors who have served the church are as follows: H. U. Se- to encourage sociability among the members of the bring, Amos Johnson, J. D. MeClintock, H. B. Man- congregation. Meetings are held monthly.

ger, F. A. Gilbert, William Smith, John Martin, Harry Bodine and the Rev. Ilenry Hess, the present pastor. The church has a membership of about seventy.

The following is a list of burgesses of the borough of North Wales since its organization : 1869, George Schlotterer; 1870, Isaac Wampole, Jr .; 1871-72, Isaac G. Freed; 1873, Henry F. Moyer; 1874, Samuel HT. Shearer; 1875, Charles G. Eaton ; 1876, Hiram C. Potter; 1877, Matthias Stover; 1878-81, Daniel Kohl; 1882, Oliver M. Weber; 1883-84, Hiram C. Potter; 1885, Charles N. Weikel.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ABEL K. SHEARER.

The Shearer family are of German descent, the or- thography ofthe name having originally been Schearer. John Shearer, the grandfather of Abel K., was a suc- cessful farmer in Whitpain township, Montgomery Co. He married a Miss Weber, whose children were Jacob, John, Joseph, Benjamin, Jesse, Margaret (wife of Joseph Knipe), and Elizabeth, (married to Joel Sellers.) Jacob, the eldest son, was boru in 1794 in Whitpain township, and followed the occupation of his father, a portion of his farm being now embraced in the borough of North Wales. He married Eliza- beth, daughter of Joseph Knipe, of Gwynedd town- ship, and had children,-Catharine (Mrs. Ephraim Neavill), Sophia (Mrs. Edward L. Jones), Euphemia, Franklin, Isabella (Mrs. George L. Brooks), Amanda (who died in youth), Eliza (Mrs. Jacob L. Weber), John, Abel K. and Mary (Mrs. H. F. Moyer).

The North Wales Baptist Church was consti- tuted in the winter of 1862-63 with twenty-five mem- bers, mostly from the Montgomery Baptist Church. In the summer of 1863 a brick church was erected in Gwynedd township, a short distance from Kneedler Station, which was used until the completion of the stone church edifice in the borough of North Wales. in the fall of 1884. It is forty by fifty feet, and cost five thousand dollars. The new church was dedi- cated in November of that year, and is still in use by the society. The pulpit was supplied by neighboring preachers until 1868, when the Rev. Maris Gibson Abel K. was born on the farm ofhis father, then in 'Gwynedd township, November 6, 1838, and received was called to the pastorate, and served two years. Rev. Dr. William Scott succeeded, and served three . his education at the schools in the vicinity, after which

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

his attention, until his twenty-third year, was directed to the labor of the farm, in the cultivation of which he rendered valuable aid. He then determined to em- bark in commercial ventures, and established at North Wales an extensive lumber business, which he still conducts. This enterprise speedily grew to such pro- portions as to make the addition of a steam planing- mill, in 1870, a necessity. Mr. Shearer soon created a demand for the products of the mill, and so increased the business as to secure patronage from portions of the county far beyond the confines of the borough.

ton Lodge, No. 308, of Fort Washington, Pa. In re- ligion he is a Lutheran and member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Wales, as also of the church council.

ABEL LUKENS.

Abel Lukens, son of George and Esther Lukens, was born in what is now Kulpsville, Montgomery Co., Pa., August 9, 1807. His early life was spent on his father's farm and at the old school-house near by,

He was married, November 6, 1867, to Annie C. | where he obtained his education. Prior to 1830 he,

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daughter of Rev. P. M. Rightmeyer. Their children are Carrie, Norman (deceased,) Estelle and Luther. Mrs. Shearer died on the 17th of June, 1877, and he was again married, on the 10th of March, 1881, to Emma J., daughter of Samuel Fleck, of Spring House, Montgomery County, Pa., whose children are Grace and Abby. While chiefly occupied in the management of his growing business, Mr. Shearer has found time to devote to local political issues. He has, as a Democrat, served in the Borough Council, as school director and in minor capacities. He is a director of the North Wales Building and Loan Association. He was identified with the Masonic fraternity as member of Washing-

with his brothers, remained at home, doing such work as is usual on a large farm. From about 1830 to 1840 he followed the business of a drover, or cattle speenlator, and at the same time carried on the butchering business.

In 1840 he rented the old "Golden Lamb Hotel," on Second, above Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, Pa., where he remained the popular "mine host" for fifteen years. He then retired from the hotel business, and for about one year was janitor of the National Club- house, Philadelphia ; but not finding the position of janitor just suited to his taste, he rented the North Pennsylvania Hotel, then on the corner of Third and

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BOROUGH OF NORTH WALES.

Willow Streets, Philadelphia, and for eight years was ' September 29, 1831, married, July 17, 1856, to Robert the popular landlord of that hotel. E. Taylor, who died May 8, 1871; their son, George

remained for one and a half years, when he took charge of the North Wales Hotel, where for eight years he served the traveling public with satisfaction to his patrons and to the people of the town gen- erally.

At the expiration of that time he retired from active duty, feeling that he had served well his time in the service of the public. He owns the farm of one hundred and twenty-eight acres upon which he was born, making that his home during the sum-

He then went on his farm at Kulpsville, where he | H., was born. December 28, 1870. Infant, born No- vember 18, 1832, died. Sarah J., born March 28, 1834, married, October 31, 1854, to David Jones ; they - have one daughter, Mary A., born September 9, 1864. Rachel, born July 12, 1835, married H. C. Stout in April, 1857; they have one son, Abel L. Stout, born in October, 1859. Charles J., born July 8, 1837, died young. Esther Ann, born October 5, 1839, died young. William Ilenry, born January 18, 1841, mar- ried, in January, 1862, to Miss Anna Little, of Phila- delphia ; they have two children,-Elizabeth L.,

Abel Lukens

mer months, and in winter his genial presence brings sunshine and happiness to the household of his son and daughter, in North Wales, where he is happy in the midst of a group of children and grandchildren, whose pleasant greetings smooth his pathway and lighten his burdens down the declivity of time towards the golden sunset.

He was married, in October, 1830, to Miss Naomi, daughter of John and Ann Jenkins. Mrs. Lukens died October 7, 1877, aged sixty-eight years. Mr. Jenkins, father of Mrs. Lukens, was the owner of a large portion of the land upon which the borough of Lansdale now stands.

The children of Abel and Naomi are Jane T., born

born May 22, 1863; Robert B., born July 8, 1870. George W., born February 24, 1843, married Catha- rine Harley in December, 1869; she was a daughter of Samnel Harley, of Kulpsville; their children are Laura H., born December 20, 1870; Jennie H., horn June -, 1872; Ann H., born in September, 1877. Edward, born November 27, 1846, married, June 10, 1874, to Miss Luey A., daughter of Alexander and Josephine Riddle; she died August 16, 1881, leaving one child, Carroll T., born May 21, 1880.

The progenitor of the Lukens family in this country was Jan (John) Lucken, a native of Holland, who came to America and landed at Chester, Pa., on Octo- ber 3, 1688, and subsequently settled at Germantown.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

This Jan or John Lucken was, no doubt, a man of means and of some social standing, and brought to this country an old Dutch Bible, printed by Peter Sebastian in 1598, which is now one of the ancient relics owned by the Lukens family. This Jan Lucken had children,-Elizabeth, born July 28, 1684; Elias, born in 1685; William, born in 1687 ; Sarah, born in 1689; John, born in 1691; Mary, born in 1693; Peter, born in 1696; Hannah, born in 1698; Matthias, born in 1700; Abraham, born in 1703; Joseph, born in 1705.

Abraham, the great-grandfather of Abel, purchased, ' town ; Joseph, with Catharine Reiff; Maria Margretta, in 1729, one thousand acres of land in what is now Towamenein township, where he lived till June, 1776, when he died. The name had by this time become The Christopher Sower just mentioned was, by marriage the great-grandfather of Jonas M. Harley, and at one time owned most of the land upon which the old part of the town of Germantown is now built. modernized into Lukens, and John Lukens, the sec- ond of Abraham's children, who was born Tenth Month 17, 1729, purchased from his father one hun- dred out of his one thousand acres, and upon this he Samuel, the fifth son of Rudolph the second, and in the direct line to Jonas M., had ten children, viz. : Daniel, born in 1787; Samuel, born in 1788; Mary (mother of Abram H. Cassel, the antiquarian), born in 1789; Sarah, born in 1791; John, born in 1792; Catharine, born in 1793; Joseph, born in 1795 ; Eliza- beth, born in 1797; Jacob ; and Abraham. lived until 1814. He had sold it, however, in 1805, to his son George, who occupied it until 1849. George married Esther Jeoms, of Whitemarsh township, on the Twelfth Month 12, 1805. Their children were Abel, born in 1807; Edith, born in 1809; and Wil- liam Lukens; Mary, born in 1811, married Samuel Rhoads; Seth, born Third Month 20, 1814; Saralı married C. Todd Jenkins; Hannah, married Aram Drake; Eliam, now living in Iowa ; Comly, living in Illinois.

Of these children, Seth married Mary, daughter of the late James Hamer, M.D., of Skippaekville, and they have children,-Fannie, married Edmund P. Zimmerman ; Esther, married George W. Bockius; Anna M .; David H .; and Carrie A.

The Lukens family have been a people of more than the standard of moral and intellectual excellence, and some of them quite noted in local history. John, of Horsham township, was a government surveyor in colonial times, and also selected by the Philosophical Society to assist David Rittenhouse, the astronomer, in observing the transit of Venus in 1769 and that of Mercury in 1776.

Most of the Lukens family have in their genera- tion been Friends or in sympathy with that society.

JONAS M. HARLEY.

Among the pious Germans who left the Father- land with the faithful and devoted Pastorius, and came to America and settled at "ye Germantown," was Rudolph Harley, who has a son, also named Ru- dolph.

This Rudolph was born in Germany in 1719, as was also a daughter, who married a man by the name of Graef, and moved West.

Rudolph, Jr., married Mary, daughter of Peter Becker, of Germantown, and became the father of thirteen children, as follows: Johannes (or John), born in 1741; Johanna, born in 1743; Lena, born in

1745; Maria, born in 1747; Rudolph, born in 1749 ; Elizabeth, born in 1750; Jacob, born in 1752 ; Henry, born in 1754; Sarah, born in 1756; Samuel, born in 1758; Joseph, born in 1760; Maria Margretta, born in 1762; and Abraham, born in 1765. These num- erous sons and daughters were thus intermarried : Maria, with Frederick Deihl; Rudolph, with Bar- bara Bach; Elizabeth, with Christian Dettra; Henry, with Elizabeth Groff; Sarah, with George Price; Samuel, with Catharine, only daughter of Christopher Sower, the old Bible printer of German- with Jacob Detweiler ; and Abraham, with Christiana Geisz.

Joseph Harley, the fourth son of Samuel, was born February 1, 1795 ; married Miss Sarah Markley, who was born January 10, 1800. Joseph died December 20, 1837, aged forty-two years, ten months and nine- teen days. Sarah died May 1, 1852, aged fifty-two years, three months and twenty-two days. They were the parents of ten children, who grew to man's and woman's estate, viz .: Samuel, born May 4, 1820; Philip, born January 6, 1822; Ann, born August 8, 1823 ; Joseph, born June 27, 1826, died in the army ; Edwin, born December 8, 1827; Deborah, born December 3, 1829; Jonas M., born September 18, 1831; John, born July 31, 1833; Sarah, born August 19, 1836; and Daniel, born April 4, 1838.

Jonas M. Harley is a native of Gwynedd town- ship, Montgomery Co. Pa., where he received a good common-school education, partly under the in- struction of his cousin, Abraham H. Cassel. At the age of fifteen years he was apprenticed to his unele to learn the trade of a cabinet-maker, which service he successfully performed, and for ten years subse- quently carried on for himself a large and prosperous business in Juniata County, Pa., where he spent thirteen years of his life. In or about the year 1859 he removed to Line Lexington, Bucks Co., Pa., where he, in partnership with his brother, John Harley, engaged in the mercantile business, in which they continued for eleven years, when they removed to North Wales, Montgomery Co., Pa., where they were also engaged in the mercantile business until March, 1884, when, with a sufficiency of earthly goods, he retired from the active duties of business life.

In whatever walk in society it has been the lot of Mr. Harley to travel he has borne well his part in

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BOROUGH OF NORTH WALES.

the great drama of life, having performed every : Norman, born February 14, 1838; Emeline, born known duty to the best of his ability. He has been September 17, 1840; Amanda, born November 30, 1842. honored by his fellow-townsmen, since a resident of Mr. Harley's second wife was Miss Susan C., daugh- ter of Joseph B. and Rebecca Cassel, of Germantown. From this union there has been born one child, Florence C., born December 17, 1881. North Wales, with several official positions of minor importance, and with that of school director for seven years in succession. Ile was, in 1858, an officer in the lower branch of the Pennsylvania Legislature.

Religiously he is a Baptist, having united with the North Wales Baptist Church, January 2, 1874, and baptized by the Rev. A. J. Adams, since which time he has been one of its office-bearers, and for the last two years one of its deacons.

Mrs. IFarley is a descendant of the old Rittenhonse family, of astronomical fame, and closely connected with other highly-respected families of this and ad- joining connties. She was born April 4, 1839, united with the Fiftieth Baptist Church of Philadelphia, Pa., December 17, 1873.

Jonas M. Harley

He was married, January 2, 1866, to Miss Emeline, Mrs. Harley was born in Norritonville, Worcester township, Montgomery Co., Pa., where her parents resided on a farm for thirty years, and in 1861 they removed to the northern part of the township, where she remained with them for seven years, at the end of which time they retired from the farming business. She then prepared herself for a teacher of musie, after which she went to Philadelphia, where she was engaged in teaching music at the time of her mar- daughter of Robert and Lydia Stoneback, of Bucks County. She was a member of the First Reformed Church, Dr. Willets, Philadelphia. The children from this union are Walter S., born December 10, 1867, and now a student at the Lewisburg University, Lewisburg, Pa .; Laura A., born February 27, 1870. Mrs. Harley died October 11, 1872. Her father, Mr., Stoneback, was one of the prominent men of Bucks Connty, and held several official positions, one of riage. Her father and mother are both living, the which was recorder of the county. He was also well and favorably known as one of the prominent business men of Philadelphia. His children are

former at the advanced age of eighty years and the latter seventy-nine years of age. They are the par- ents of children,-Mary, Amos, Sarah, Harry, Edith,

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Susan, Mahlon, Hannah, Christian and Leah. | Amos died at the age of twenty-seven years, shortly after graduating from Dartmouth College, and Mary died at the age of fifty-four years.

She is now one of the active members of the North Wales Baptist Church, and the leader in its musical department, being possessed of musical talents far superior to most persons. She was early educated in music, and was but twelve years of age when she first sang before a public audience. Since that time she has been before the public as a teacher of instrumental music, and when living in Philadel- phia was organist of the Fiftieth Baptist Church. She was baptized by Rev. E. C. Romine, who also performed the marriage ceremony when she married Mr. Harley.

CHAPTER XLIX.

BOROUGH OF POTTSTOWN.1

THE borough of Pottstown is situated on the north side of the Schuylkill river, below the mouth of the Manatawny Creek, twenty miles from Norristown and thirty-seven from Philadelphia. It contains an area of only two hundred and sixty-eight acres, wholly taken from Pottsgrove township on its erection to a borough in 1815, and, after Norristown, the first in- corporated in the county. It is bounded north and east by Pottsgrove, south by the Schuylkill and west by Pottsgrove and the Manatawny Creek. It has a front of three-fourths of a mile on the river, and ex- tends back from the same about half a mile. Few towns have a finer location; the land lies high and gently rolling, with plenty of room in the adjoining territory for its future growth. In its vicinity is a fertile country containing a number of fine farms, greatly im- proved within the last thirty years. The streets are laid out regular and wide, and cross each other at right angles. Beginning at the river and running parallel with it are the following: Lanrel, Cherry, Sonth, Queen, High, King, Chestnut, Walnut and Beech. At | right angles with these, beginning near the Manatawny Creek, are York, Hanover, Penn, Charlotte, Evans, Franklin, Washington, Warren and Adams. Besides the aforesaid are several smaller streets running in various directions. High or Main Street is one hun_ dred feet wide between the building limits, Hanover eighty feet, and the others from forty to sixty feet. The Reading turnpike is located on High or Main Street, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad on Queen, and the bridge over the Schuylkill at the foot of Han- over Street.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 171

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