History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 173

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 173

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Before the introduction of railroads for traveling purposes, stage lines did an important business, more than can now be well realized. In 1794 the Reading stage started from the " White Swan," in Race Street, Philadelphia, on Wednesdays and Fridays, the fare being two dollars. Tradition states that this line in its upward trip remained overnight in Pottstown. A stage left Hayes' Inn for Pottsgrove every Wednesday at sunrise, in 1802. William Coleman, in 1804, became the proprietor and driver of the Reading mail- stage, starting from the " White Swan" every Tuesday and Friday, passing through Norristown, Trappe and Pottsgrove. Mr. Coleman put on an extra line in the summer of 1811, leaving John Boyer's "Rising Sun" tavern every Tuesday morning at six o'clock, and arriving in Philadelphia in the evening, re- turning from the "White Swan" on Thursday morn- ings at the same hour, and reaching Pottsgrove or

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BOROUGH OF POTTSTOWN.

Pottstown in the evening; fare, 82.25. In 1830 the Potts, the following year, proceeded to lay out the town on the east side of the Manatawny, in the townships of New Reading and Pottsville stages arrived daily, leaving the city at four o'clock A.M. A tri-weekly stage line : Hanover and Douglas. The foriner had been erected was established in 1828, starting from the Union Hotel, in this place, to Kimberton, by which route passengers could also proceed to Philadelphia or to Lancaster, Pittsburgh and the West.

The earliest information we possess respecting this section of the country is derived from a map in Gabriel Thomas' " Account of Pennsylvania," published at London in 1698. The Manatawny Creek in its whole course, with its several branches, is represented with tolerable accuracy to where it empties into the Schuyl- kill, thus proving at this early date that this vicinity must have been already pretty well explored. William Penn conveyed, October 25, 1701, to his son, John Penn, a tract of twelve thousand acres of land, which the latter sold, June 20, 1735, to George McCall, a merchant of Philadelphia, for the sum of two thousand guineas. On a resurvey it was found to contain fourteen thou- sand and sixty acres. This purchase comprised all Douglas township, nearly the upper half of Pottsgrove and about one-third of the northwestern portion of the present territory of Pottstown.

Adjoining the aforesaid purchase on the east was that of the Frankfort Land Company, containing twenty-two thousand three hundred and seventy- seven acres, surveyed October 13, 1701, which was afterwards elaimed by John Henry Sprogell, who came over from Holland by invitation of William Penn, and settled here with his family on a tract of land containing six hundred and thirty acres, upon which most of the borough is now located. From a road petition we know that he must have resided here before 1709, and, therefore, is entitled to the claim of ' thus showing that even at this early date it was known having been the pioneer settler. Thomas Rutter, Sr., of by its present name. Germantown, the ancestor of the family of this name, established iron-works and a forge on the Manatawny Creek, it is supposed, as early as 1717, about two miles and a half from the Schuylkill. This improvement invited further settlement. Thomas Potts, Jr., came hither from Germantown several years later, and also entered intothe manufacture of iron. After the death of Mr. Rutter, in March, 1729, his sons and Mr. Potts became the principal proprietors of the business in this section.

John Potts, the eldest son of Thomas, on the death of his father, purchased, September 8, 1752, of Samuel McCall, son of the former proprietor, a tract of nine hundred and ninety acres, which, with his previous purchases, made him the owner, probably, of all the land in and around the borough. He now removed from Colebrookdale, and commenced, in 1753, the build- ing of a large, substantial two-story stone mansion, still standing on the west side of the Manatawny Creek, which at the time was regarded with wonder by the people residing throughout this part of the country. It is now owned by Henry and Jacob Gabel, and about ten years ago was converted into Mill Park Hotel. Mr. | tending upwards on the western side of the river, we

in 1724 and the latter in 1736. The boundary between the two can be pretty nearly established by continuing a direct southwest line from the intersection of Char- lotte and Becch Streets to the Schuylkill. To the an- tiquary this line possesses considerable interest in de- termining early localities in the townships mentioned previous to the formation of Pottsgrove, in 1806.

To John Potts the credit is due of having laid out the streets of the town so regularly and at right angles, after the plan of Philadelphia. He took all possible means to promote the growth of the place, in the sale of building lots on favorable terms, giving employment and donating grounds, for two houses of worship and for burial purposes. Yet, with all his remarkable ex- ertions, and enterprise, the place at his death, in 1768, did not probably exceed twelve or fifteen houses. In the laying out here of aroad iu November, 1766, mention is made of its beginning at "Pottstown Ferry" and passing " through John Potts' land by the division line of New Hanover and Douglass," on through lands of William Mayberry, deceased, to the Bucks County line. If this road was afterwards opened, it must have commenced here at the foot of Hanover and passed out of the present borough on Charlotte Street. This con- firms the fact of a ferry having then been established here over the Schuylkill. In the Gentleman's Pocket Al- manac for 1769 the distances of several places are de- noted on the road to Reading, among which is mentioned " to l'otts', thirty-eight miles." On William Scull's map of the province of Pennsylvania, published in 1770, the place is also denoted thereon as " Potts T.,"

In the Revolution the place contained a public- house, one or two mills, at least one house of worship and probably twenty dwellings. The battle of Brandy- wine was fought September 11, 1777, and resulted dis- astronsly to the Americans. The next day Washing- ton and his army proceeded to Germantown, and after resting and refreshing the men one day, returned over the Schuylkill with the intention of giving another battle to General Howe. Near the Warren tavern they met, and owing to a severe storm and a heavy fall of rain a general engagement was prevented. The British then moved to Swedes' Ford, but beholding the entrenchments thrown up there on the opposite side to dispute the passage, proceeded up the Schuylkill to the vicinity of Valley Forge, which led Washington to believe that their object was to capture the military and other stores that had been collected at Reading. This now induced him to cross on the 19th to this side the Schuylkill at Parker's Ford, five miles below Potts- grove, and proceed down to the Trappe. At the latter place, Timothy Pickering states in his journal, "we halted a day or two, wheu hearing the enemy were

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

moved on the other, till we arrived at our camp near Pottsgrove. Here we lay till the 26th, on which day we marched downwards as far as Pennypacker's Mills. While we lay near Pottsgrove the enemy crossed over the Schuylkill, but it was two or three days before they entered the city, which was fortunate for us, as it gave time to our people at Philadelphia to complete the re- moval of stores."

From General Muhlenberg's orderly-book it is as- certained that the army did not arrive near Pottsgrove until the evening of September 22d. On this day orders were given to "the clothier-general immedi- ately to distribute all the clothing and shoes in his possession." The result of this was that Washington, in a letter to Congress, dated " Camp near Pottsgrove, September 23d," states that he had " early this morn- ing received intelligence that they had crossed the fords below. Why I did not follow immediately } have mentioned in the former part of my letter; but the strongest reason against being able to make a forced march is the want of shoes. Messrs. Carroll, Chase and Penn, who were some days with the army, can in- form Congress in how deplorable a situation the troops are for the want of that necessary article. At least one thousand men are barefooted, and have performed the marches in that condition." On this day general orders were issued that " each regiment is to proceed in making cartridges for its own use, that may be held in store. General Knox will furnish them with mate- rials. It is expected, as the weather is now growing cool, that the troops will never have less than two days' provisions by them." On the 25th a general court-martial was held for the immediate trial " of all persons who may be brought before them." The orders were on the morning of the 26th to march at nine o'clock, and that afternoon found them encamped on the hills of the Perkiomen, near the present village of Schwenksville.

From what has now been stated, it will be observed that Washington and his army were encamped in this vicinity from the evening of September 22d until the morning of the 26th, making all of three days and four nights. From Jesse Ives' relation in 1850, some of the soldiers while here had been quartered in the Friends' Meeting-house. Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg, who resided at the Trappe, states, in his journal, under date of Sep- tember 23d, that "the main body of the American army is up in New Hanover, thirty-six miles distant from the city, as it was supposed the British troops would go up the Schuylkill to Reading." The infer- ence of this is that the main body of Washington's army while here was encamped below Pottsgrove, very probably where Sprogell's Run crosses the Phila- delphia road, which would be about the distance men- tioned from the city, and then in the township.

About the close of the Revolution, General Arthur St. Clair having purchased one of the confiscated properties of John Potts, Jr., one of the justices of the courts, he removed hither and made it his residence

about 1783, when he held the office of member of the State council of censors. While here he was elected to Congress, November 2, 1785, and made president of that body February 2, 1787, which position he held until the expiration of his term, the following 28th of November. In 1786 he became a member of the American Philosophical Society, in Philadelphia. He was appointed Governor of the Northwestern Territory February 1, 1788, to which he shortly after removed. His stone mansion and lot, sixty by three hundred feet, was sold by Isaiah Wells, sheriff, January 1, 1803. The advertisement states it to be situated in "Potts- town, Douglass township." He was fortunate enough to be nearly a life-long holder of offices, frequently filling several at one time, but he had few business qualifications.

In accordance with the recommendation of the Presi- dent of the United States, the citizens of Pottstown and vicinity assembled January 13, 1800, to pay their trib- ute of respect to the memory of General Washington. who had died in the previous month. A bier, with a coffin, was carried in the procession, followed by Cap- tain MeClintock's company of intantry and several other military and civil organizations, who proceeded to the old Brick Church, where a funeral sermon was preached in English by the Rev. John Armstrong, of the Episcopal Church, and in German by Rev. L. F. Herman, of the Reformed congregation. The pall- bearers on this occasion were David Potts, William Mayberry, William Potts, Robert E. Hobart and Robert May.

The elections of Limerick and parts of Douglas and New Hanover, by an act of Assembly passed April 8, 1799, were ordered to be hell at the public-house of George Pflieger, of this town, and were so continued until 1807. In October, 1802, the district polled 271 votes. In 1824 the elections for Pottsgrove township and Pottstown were held at the house of Augustus C. Rutze, in the latter place. In 1838 they were held at the house of Samuel Smith, and this continued until changed by the Constitution of 1839.

In 1810 Pottsgrove is represented to have contained about forty dwellings, three taverns, a brewery, a weaving establishment, a wool-hat manufactory, two shoemaker-shops, two houses of worship, a grist-mill and several stores and shops. In June, 1803, Christian ' Willauer advertised that he had "lately moved here, and keeps a general assortment of drugs and medi- cines, wholesale and retail. Is well acquainted in the practice of physic, rheumatism, bleeding and drawing teeth." Peter Richards, in September, 1807, adver- tised at private sale " a valuable tan-yard and five lots of ground in Pottstown, each three hundred feet deep, or any quantity up to fifty acres, whereof one-third is watered meadow." Israel Bringhurst, John Jacobs and Joseph Tyson were appointed commissioners to erect the township of Pottsgrove from parts of Doug- las and New Hauover. They made in their report in August, 1806, to the Court of Quarter Sessions, who

791

BOROUGH OF POTTSTOWN.

confirmed it the 20th of that month, and thus was added one more township to the county.

Pottstown was incorporated a borough by an act of Assembly passed February 6, 1815. Its boundaries were then fixed as follows :

" Beginning at a stake on the northern bank of the river Schuylkill ; thence through Jacob Lesber's land, north 25 degrees east 100 perches, to a post on the east s'de of the road leading to the Manatawny ford on tbe Schuylkill to Glasgow; thence by the east side of the said road, north 15 degrees west 47 perches, to Beech Street ; tbence by Beech Street and on the line dividing the lauds of the estate of the late Mary Jones, de_ crased, from the land of Mary Graham, David Rutter, the estate of Clif- ford Smitlı, dleceased, and Joanna Potts, south 80 degrees east 225 perches, to a stake in a line of Peter Richard's land; thence through Peter Richard's land south 58 degrees east 63 perches, to a post, and south 24 degrees west 111 perches, to a post corner of Jacob Hubly's land from Peter Richard's land, south 41 degrees 30 minutes, west 83 perches to the river Schuylkill; tbence up the said river, the several courses thereof, 268 perches to the place of beginning."

The charter required the borough elections to be held on the second Tuesday in April of every year. Any person elected to the office of burgess, member of Council or high constable, and who, having received notice thereof, should refuse or negleet to take upon himself the due performance of the office to which he has been elected, was required to forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars. No person, however, to be com- pelled to serve more than one year in any term of four years. Under authority of an act of Assem- bly passed March 19, 1828, commissioners were ap- pointed by the court, under whose directions Thomas Baird was employed in the following September to make a complete survey of the borough, and to prepare a draft therefrom on a seale of two hundred feet to the inch, a copy of which has been placed on file in the elerk of the court's office.

The first borough election was held at Pottstown the first Tuesday in April, 1815, when Robert MeClin- tock was elected burgess, and John Heister, Jacob Lesher, William Lesher, Jesse Ives, Henry Boyer, William Mintzer and Thomas P. May were elected Councilmen. The minutes of the Council from 1815 to July, 1819, are missing, though careful search has been made for them. From 1819 to 1823 no mention is made as to who was elected burgess. From warrants to collectors and other sources it is ascertained that .Jacob Hubley was burgess in 1820-21. The record of burgesses, as ascertained from official sources, is as follows :

1815, Robert Mcclintock ; 1816-19, not known ; 1820-21, Jacob Iluh- ley ; 1822, not known ; 1823, Jacob Lesher; 1824-25, William Mintzer ; 1826, Augustus C. Rutze ; 1827, Joseph Mckean Potts ; 1828, William Mintzer; 1829, John Thompson ; 1830, Andrew Eckerd ; 1831, Jesse Ives; 1832-34, Jesse Kline; 1835-36, William Mintzer; 1837, George Richards ; 1838, Henry Potts ; 1839, Jonas Smith ; 1840-43, Jolin Thomp- son ; 1844-46, John S. Weiler; 1847-48, Aaron L. Custer ; 1849, John Thompson ; 1850-52, Jolin C. Smith ; 1853, Lesher Van Buskirk ; IS54, D. M. Root ; 1855, Hiram C. Feger ; 1856, William Ellis ; 1857, Lewis H. Davis ; 1858, Ephraim Hartranft ; 1859, Joseph E. Yeager ; 1860, Hiram G. Feger; 1861-62, Samuel 8. Daub; 1863, David P. Crosby : 1864-68, John A. Andre ; 1869-71, Joseph E. Yeager ; 1872, Alexander Malsber- ger ; 1873, Louis B. Byar ; 1874, Isaac Hoyer ; 1875-76, MI. S. Longaker ; 1877-79, Ilenry G. Kulp; 1880, Dr. Jacob II. Scbeetz ; 1881-82, George B. Lessig ; 1883-85, William B. Bach.

Among the aged and remarkable men now living in Pottstown may be mentioned John Thompson, of whom the writer has secured several interesting rem- iniseences. He was born here February 11, 1799, his parents being William and Mary Thompson. In 1823 he was elected a member of the Borough Council; burgess in 1829, 1840-43 and 1849; appointed a justice of the peace in 1833; elected to the Assembly in 1857 and the following year to the State Senate. He was for several years a director of the Pottstown Bank and late president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is still vigorous for his age, and pos- sesses a retentive memory. Before the construction of the canal and navigation he made a voyage in one of the "Reading " or river boats to Philadelphia, concerning which we have received from him the following particulars : These were long, open boats, generally used for carrying flour and sometimes iron and other products. He was taken a passenger as a matter of accommodation. When the river was high, a trip from Reading to Philadelphia could be made between sunrise and sunset. The boatmen made no use of sails, but in calm water plied their oars. In returning, the boats, at many places, to stem the cur- rent, had to be moved by poles shod with iron points. Their nsual cargoes consisted of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred barrels of flour. Mr. Thompson has resided nearly the whole of his life in Pottstown, and is now one of the very few men living that have made such a voyage, on which occasion, as more expe- ditions, he returned by stage. This was probably about 1817. He read the Declaration of Indepen- dence at celebrations in Pottstown in 1826 and in 1876.

The Reformed Congregations in Pottstown .- In looking over material that has been brought to- gether on this subject, it is found no easy matter to know where and how to begin, the accounts being somewhat conjectural and contradictory, and the long association of the Reformed Church with the Lutherans, renders the task more difficult when one is disposed to treat them separately. These remarks are offered in apology for our liability to be led thereby into error. The Reformed denomination was no doubt an early one in this vicinity. Rev. John Philip Leydich, who had charge of a congregation at the Swamp between the years 1747 and 1760, also attended to one here, as it was but five miles distant. We know by Nicholas Scull's map published in 1759, that they had a church at the former place before that date, as it is denoted thereon.

John Potts, on the laying out of the town in 1753, donated to the Germans a lot of ground expressly for a church and for burial purposes. When the log church was ereeted here is not known ; the earliest legible date found on a tombstone is 1770. It may have been possible that it was erected as a small log building before the Revolutionary war, for in 1796 it had gone so far to decay that a book was opened

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

February 23, 1796, and £1554 10s. 5d. ($4420) subscribed for a new church. This determined the two congregations (for the Lutherans had been asso- ciated with them from the beginning) to erect a new, commodious and substantial brick building, which had been so advanced that it was consecrated before the end of said year. It is still standing and has long been known as the Union or Zion's Church. The estimate for building was considerably exceeded, for the cost amounted to about six thousand dollars, and it was not until 1807 that it was all paid off.

The ministers of the Swamp or New Hanover con- gregation being the nearest, it formed for a consider- able time a part of their charge. After Leydich, Rev. Nicholas Pomp attendod from 1765 to 1783, Rev. Frederick Dillecker (De la Cour) from 1784 to 1799, whose earnest and laborious efforts materially contributed to the erection of the new church. The Rev. Frederick Herman succeeded in 1800 and con- tinued until his death, in 1848; however, a short time before he was assisted and followed by his son, Rev. L. C. Herman. The preaching was exclusively con- fined to the German language until 1848, when Rev. N. S. Strassburger formed an English congrega- tion. This led, for the use of the latter, to the build- ing of Trinity Reformed Church, which was com- menced in the spring of 1866, under the pastoral charge of Rev. J. H. Dubbs. It is a fine Gothic edi- fice, built of red sandstone, located at the corner of Hanover and King streets. The Rev. L. K. Evans is pastor.

In July, 1871, the Lutheran congregation now composing Emanuel Church sold out their interest in Zion's Church, and so from that date the Reformed have retained the ownership. This is now the oldest house of worship in Pottstown. The ser- vices are still exclusively confined to the German. The Rev. C. T. Herbst was succeeded in July, 1884, by Rev. C. S. Wieand. In 1872 the church was remodeled and put in good repair. Respecting this church, George Missimer, who was born in 1792, related that in his boy hood he came here to worship barefoot and that most of the men were without their coats. What is remarkable, no fire for heating .purposes was used in this church in winter until 1812, when Mrs. Joanna H. Potts, widow of Samuel Potts, presented the congregation with stoves for this purpose.

The Lutheran Congregations in Pottstown .- The German Lutheran congregation at New Hanover is regarded as the oldest in America, its first pastor, Justus Falkner, having come there in 1703. He was ordained for this purpose by Andries Rudman, the Swedish provost at Philadelphia In 1717 the Rev. Gerhard IIenkel settled there. From March, 1720, to October, 1723, they were frequently visited by Rev. Samuel Hesselius, from Morlatton. In 1732 Rev. Jolin Christian Schultze became pastor, and in the following year was sent to Europe by the congrega- tions to secure aid in the erection of churches and

additional pastors. It has been supposed that Rev. John Nicholas Kurtz, Rev. Frederick Schaum and Rev. Jacob Van Buskirk may have first preached at stated times in Pottstown. This will go to show that the Lutherans at this early date were already possessed of some strength throughout this section.

After the laying out of the town, in 1753, John Potts donated lot No. 89, located on Hanover Street and extending from Chestnut to Walnut, to be used as a burial-place and for the erection of a house of worship. The first log church, it is sup- posed, was erected here before October, 1772, but the ground had been used some years previously for burial purposes. Not long after that date the Rev. John Ludwig Voigt held stated services in Pottstown. It is probable that his visits were not very frequent until 1776, as he had, until then, no relief from the cares of his other congregations. Owing to the war, the Rev. Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg left New York and took charge of New Hanover, in the place of Mr. Voigt, who removed to Zion's Church, in Chester County. The former devoted more time to the congregation, to whom he preached once a month. Both Mr. Voigt and Muhlenberg speak of a church here.

From the earliest records existing we learn that in 1777 the elders and deacons were George Gilbert, Sebastian Keck, John Fritz, Henry Eckel, John Schoener and John Balde. In 1779, Christopher Schoener and Christian Lessig ; 1782, Jacob Yocum, Andrus Schoener ; 1785, Bartholomew Wamback, Andreas Missimer; 1788, Cassimer Missimer. The congregation in 1782 took measures for the erection of a school-house on lot No. 95, for which they received a deed dated August 24, 1784, from George Gilbert and Salome, his wife, and John Fritz and John Schoener, in trust for the use of the "Evan- gelical Lutheran congregation of Pottstown." In that house subscription schools were taught until 1841, since when it has been used as a dwelling, and is still standing at the southeast corner of Penn and Walnut Streets. In 1796 the early log church had gone so far to decay that it was proposed, in con- nection with the Reformed congregation, who had also held worship therein, to build a more substantial and commodious brick edifice, for which the sum of four thousand four hundred and twenty dollars was sub- scribed, and which was consecrated and finished within said year. At its completion the cost amounted to six thousand dollars, and it required nearly eleven years' efforts before it was all paid off. The Lutherans being decidedly the strongest, defrayed three-fourths of the expense. The new church at the time was considered a fine structure, very few in the county at that time surpassing it, as may be judged from its cost.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 173

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