History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 180

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 180

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In 1785, the year following the creation of the county and before the township of Pottsgrove was in part cut off from it, this township returned, among other taxable property, four hotels, four grist-mills, five saw-mills, one paper-mill, one tannery and one forge. Its boundaries then, however, extended to the Schuylkill River, and one of the mills and the forge referred to were located upon the portion cut off and known as Pottsgrove township and Pottstown borough. There are three villages in the township, Gilberts- ville, Douglas, and Engleville,. Post-offiees are located at the two former, and recently a third post-office has been established in the northern part of the township, close to the Berks County line, known as Niantic. post-office. Gilbertsville is a large and flourishing village, containing sixty-six dwellings, including the hotels and stores.

Among other industries usually carried on in an inland village such as wheelwrighting, smithing, plow-making, carpet-weaving, tinsmithing and car- pentering, there are also a great many segars manu- factured at this place. It is noted as a place where frequent public sales of horses and live stock are held for the accommodation of the agriculturists of that vicinity.

The following places of public business were re- turned by the mercantile appraiser for the year 1884: A. L. Bausman, dry goods ; - Bechtel, merchan- dise; Matthias Custer, live stock; V. B. Emery, live stock ; - Eschbach, tobacco; Eshbach & Weand, live stock ; J. Fegley, merchandise ; Charles Fegley, live stoek ; A. Gresch, coal and lumber ; F. B. Geyer, live stock ; Jonathan Geyer, live stock ; J. Ilimmel- wright, flour and feed ; Hillegas & Hoffman, dry goods; J. J. Leinbach, boots and shoes ; Leidy & Rit- ter, live stock ; J. Matthias, butcher; H. Renninger, live stock ; F. A. Streicher, merchandise; Robert Taggart, feed ; Amandus Weand, live stock ; Yerger & Ritter, butchers.

The farm land of this region is in a high state of cultivation and very productive. Modern machinery is generally used by skillful laborers, and crops are harvested in a husbandman-like manner. Among the improvements that distinguish this and other town-

ships in the northern part of the county are the substantial residences and commodious barns that are the pride of the characteristic German farmer; most of the barns are built of stone or brick, and conspicu- ously ornamented, having noticed some located on the prominent highways so neatly painted as to leave the impression in passing of actual brick-work. Public roads traverse the township in all directions, one of the main thoroughfares being the Colebrook and Limerick turnpike. Otber highways of equal importance run parallel to and at right angles with it, all of which are kept in good order and repair, with bridges and plank and stone culverts placed over all the creeks and streams of any importance to pub- lie travel. In recent travels over this township we observed that the supervisors fulfill their duties with fidelity in keeping in place index boards at the many and important cross-roads,-a matter of great import- ance to the traveler from a distance.

Educational .- The common-school system is in operation, and increasing in popularity. There are ten schools, having an enrolled attendance for the year 1884 of four hundred and thirty-two pupils. The term tanght is five months. The teachers receive a salary of thirty dollars per month. The school- houses are substantially built, casily ventilated, and all have ample grounds for the recreation of the pupils. Although the German language is generally spoken in the daily intercourse of the people of this region, and the religious worship of the two churches in the township is partly condneted in the same language, yet all the instruction in the common schools is in English. All the teachers employed in this township are males.

Religious Worship .- There are two established places of public worship in the township. The one known as Huber's Church, Lutheran, is located at or near Niantie; there is a large congregation in regu- lar attendance upon this church, which is a substan- tially-built edifice, with a seating capacity of from three to four hundred persons. The present pastor is the Rev. L. Groh, who resides in the borough of Boyerstown, Berks Co. The burial-grounds are am- ple, well inclosed, and evince commendable care for the many dead who are buried within the inclosed grounds. The other church referred to is located at Douglas. This church unites the Lutheran and Reformed congregations of that neighborhood. The pastor is Rev. William B. Fox. It is eligibly located in the midst of an agricultural people and is largely attended. The burial-grounds are well in- closed, and exhibit that care and solicitude for the dust and memory of the dead that everywhere pre- vails among the kindly-hearted German people of this region.

Elections .- This township was first created an election district by act of Assembly approved April 16, 1827. The first election was held at the public- house of Abraham Stetler. The township was di-

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vided into two election districts by decree of the Court of Quarter Sessions dated Mareh 5, 1873; these districts are designated East and West Douglas.

Taxables and Taxable Values .- Number of tax- ables, 464; value of improved lands, $792,335 ; value of unimproved lands, $47,560; number of horses and mules, 361; number of horned cattle, 773; assessed value of all cattle, $50,245; total value of taxable property for county purposes, $890,140.

The name Franconia is derived from an old duchy which afterwards formed a circle of the Germanic Empire, and signifies " Land of the Franks," whence also France. On Holme's map of 1682 it is called "The Dutch township," from which we infer that the

i Germans were its earliest settlers.

In 1734 the township contained thirty-four taxables and land-holders, nearly all German. Amongst these may be mentioned John Fry, 150 acres ; Henry Rosen- berger, 125; Jacob Oberholtzer, 150; Christian Meyor, 150; Ulrich Hunsberger, 150; Jacob Hunsberger, 50; Frederick Gottschalk, 100; Michael Bing, 75; Michael Hentz, 100; George Hartzel, 50; Andrew Barndt, 75 ; Henry Barndt, 100; Frederick Sholl, 100; Jacob Bayard, 100; and John Wilhelm, 50. Most of these have descendants residing in the township.

Christian Meyor arrived in 1727 ; Frederick Sholl in 1728 ; Hans Jacob Oberholtz, George Ilartzel and Ludwig Hartzel, IIans Michael Wilhelm and Johan- ! nes Fry in 1730; and Jacob Oberholtzer in August, 1732. These, perhaps, all came from the Palatinate or Pfaltz.

One of the first settlers of the township is said to have been Christian Funk, who settled on Indian Creek, below the mill of George S. Reiff. The Soud- ers of the township are descended from his family, and some of the name are still in the township.

Leidy's tannery, one mile south of Souderton, was founded in 1780 by Jacob Leidy, grandfather of the present proprietor.

In 1785, there was one tavern licensed, two grist- mills, one tannery and two slaves assessed.

In 1794, George Bilger, a tax collector for that year, returned ninety-six owners and occupiers of improved lands in the township. Seventy-three of the number are assessed for taxable valuables over two hundred pounds, and twenty-three for sums less than two hundred pounds.

The tax assessed was for the purpose of " defraying the public expenses of the county." The total sum of duplicate was seventy-four pounds, five shillings and two pence. In addition to this tax laid upon real and personal property, the sum of three pounds CHAPTER LIV. and ten shillings was laid upon eleven single men. This latter subject of taxation seems so remarkable in FRANCONIA TOWNSIIIP. these days that we give place to their names : George Hertole, Jacob Landes, John Hunsberger, George FRANCONIA is situated in the northeastern part of | the county, joining Bucks County on the northeast, and joining Upper and Lower Salford and Hatfield townships on the west, south and east. Its area is 14,875 square miles, or 9520 acres. The surface is generally level, but sufficiently undulating to be sus- ceptible of surface drainage into the headwaters of the Skippaek and Indian Creeks, both of which flow Cope, Christian Hunsberger, Abraham Rosenberger, Abraham Moyer, Samuel Moyer, Christian Halteman and Joseph Smith. The law under which these young bachelors were taxed was general throughout the State at the date of this assessment. Among the assessed land-holders of 1794, were John Althouse, George Bilger, Henry Berndt, Isaac Bergey. Christian Benner, Samuel Brode, Captain John Cope, through the township, atfording light but useful water- | Peter Conver, George Cressman, Henry Deitz, Peter powers and mill-sites. The East Branch of the Perkio- men Creek flows along the northwestern boundary of the township.

Donb, Abraham Dulp, John Detwiler, Henry Fuhr- man, John Fried, Jacob Gerhard, Andrew lentz, George HIertzell, Christian Hunsberger, John Hack- man, Jacob Hagey, John Kindig, Abraham Klemmer, George Kriebel, John Leister, Yelles Landes, Henry, Isaac, John and Benjamin Landes, John Leidey, Su - sana Moyer, John, Isaac and Christian Moyer, Abra- ham Neiss, Jacob Oberholtzer, Philip Oberdier, Jacob Oberdorf, Isaac, Henry, Christian and Jacob Souder George Shoemaker, George Sholl, John Schwertly, George Schnieder, Andrew Schwartz, Jacob Wambok, Daniel Wambold, Michael Weirman, John Wilson, George Wunderlick and James Yocum. It will be ob- served, by reference to the tax duplicate of 1884, that many of these family names are to be found, doubtless descendants of those named ; possibly some may be the progeny of the "Single men," who were made the invidious subjects of taxation, and thus hastened in their steps towards married life. The number of taxable persons has increased in a just ratio with values in this township. In 1734 there were 34; in 1741, 59; in 1828, 190; in 1858, 380; in 1884, 678. The estimated value of all real and per- sonal property assessed in 1794 was $127,470; the value as returned by the assessor for the year 1884 is $1,456,330. The per capita taxable value to each person assessed in 1794 was $1327, and in 1884 it was 82148. The inerease in population has been in like ratio,-in 1800 it was 629; in 1830, 998; in 1850, 1270; in 1870, 1950; and in 1880, 2556.

The last two decades seem to have been the most favorable of any in the history of this township; an increase of thirteen hundred and eighty souls, in a

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

total population of two thousand five hundred and fifty-six persons within a period of twenty years, argues well for an inland township. It is doubt- less due, in some measure, to the opening of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, and the local commercial en- terprise and village life brought with it. The fol- lowing exhibit, as taken from the return of the mer- cantile appraiser for 1884, shows the capitalized energy and thrift of the Franconia people.

H. G. Barnes, live stock ; A. H. Barndt, live stock ; C. G. Barndt & Son, hay ; C. G. Barndt & Son, flour and feed ; B. C. Barndt, hardware; Clemmers & Al- derfer, flour and feed ; Clemmers & Alderfer, coal ; Joseph Derstein, agricultural implements ; Freed & Hackman, live stock ; W. H. Freed, butcher ; J. Fred- erick, boots and shoes; John A. Freed, butcher ; A. H. Gehman,. merchandise; John Gerhab, lumber; Enos Hagey, boots and shoes; H. F. Hackman, mer- chandise; G. Z. Hunsicker, flour and feed ; S. D. Hunsberger & Brother, hay; S. D. ITunsberger & Brother, flour and feed ; C. S. Hunsberger, jeweler ; J. W. Hoff, merchandise; M. S. Kulp, live stock; S. D. Koffle, flour and feed ; M. S. Kulp & Brother, lumber ; M. S. Kulp & Brother, feed and corn ; M. S. Kulp & Brother, hay; J. M. Landis & Co., merchan- dise ; J. M. Landis & Co., furniture; W. Landis, butcher ; Abm Landis, butcher; J. G. Leidy, mer- chandise, Moyer & Brother, flour and feed ; Moyer & Brother, hay ; George S. Reiff, flour and feed ; A. G. Reiff, merchandise ; Samuel Steiner, confectioner ; L. L. Sholl, flour and feed; W. M. Souders, Inmber; H. H. Souders, coal and lime; A. G. Stover, tobacco and cigars; William Wach, butcher; M. D. Zendt, merchandise.

The villages of this township are Franconia Square, near the centre ; Franconiaville, in the southern end of the township ; and Souderton and Telford, situ- ated on the line of the railroad, in the eastern portion of the township. The post-offices are Franconia, Geh- man's, Souderton and Telford.

The ground on which Telford village stands was bought, in 1737, by Conrad Detterer from Humphrey Murray. It embraces about one hundred and twenty acres, the greater part lying on the Montgomery County side, and quite early it became an important junetion of public roads, what is known as the County Line road being opened in 1752. Since the location and construction of the North Pennsylvania Railroad it has become an important place of business, sup. porting the usual industries of a village,-wheel- wrighting and carriage-making, smithing, tinsmith- ing, stone-cutting, harness-making, carpentering and cabinet-making. Mention may also be made of a steam planing-mill, a steam cheese-box factory and a steam agricultural repair-shop,

The County Line Hotel. in this village, was erected in 1857. The wash and bake-house still attached to the hotel was the first building erected in the village, and Jonathan Barnet, still Jiving near the place, hauled

the first load of stone for its erection. There are stores and dealers in lumber, coal, feed, flour, hay and live stock, all of which attract to it the patronage of a fine agricultural neighborhood. There is also located here a large, brick Union Chapel, built in 1876, used principally for Sunday-school purposes. The railroad facilities have made the place desirable for residences, and the population now numbers about six hundred.

The village of Souderton is situated on the line of the North Pennsylvania Railroad and about twenty- seven miles distant from Philadelphia. It contains over one hundred residences, with all the industries and commercial thrift that mark the enterprising towns along this line of railroad from Philadelphia to Bethlehem. The Union National Bank of Souder- ton is located here. It was established in 1876 with a capital of ninety thousand dollars. It has been well managed, and is an indispensable institution to the community.

Franconia Square and Franconiaville are old-time land-marks, founded by the opening of hotels, stores, mechanical industries and post-offices, the origin of which is now scarcely known to the oldest inhabitant of the vicinity. The buildings of these old villages are plain and substantial, but have about them the evidence of the solid comforts and necessities of life characteristic of the unassuming and self-denying people who possess and inhabit them.

Educational .- There are twelve public schools in this township. There were five hundred and thirty- six scholars enrolled for the school year ending June, 1884; the length of time taught for the year named was five months. The salary paid to the teachers was thirty-five dollars a month. One of the number re- ceived thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents, one thirty- two dollars and fifty cents, and one thirty dollars per month. Male and female teachers are employed in these schools. The school buildings are plain but substantial, with ample grounds surrounding them and conveniently located with reference to population.

Taxables and Taxable Values .- Number of tax- ables, 678 ; value of improved lands, $1,262,290 ; valne of unimproved lands, $27,515 ; number of horses, 518; assessed value of horses, $39,620; number of cattle, 1051 ; assessed value of cattle, $31,135; total value of taxable property for county purposes, $1,456,330.

Religious .- The Indian Field or Zion's Lutheran Church is among the oldest Lutheran congregations in Pennsylvania, and was from the beginning entirely Lutheran. A log church was built about 1730, en- larged in 1766, and gave place to the present stone church in 1792, which, in 1868, received for the third time a new roof of slate. An organ was procured in 1820. A fire in 1834 unfortunately destroyed many of the old documents of the church. The creation of a congregation at Sellersville took away many members, but there were still, in 1878, two hundred communicants. As a part of the Goshenhoppen

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charge, it has since 1753 been connected with the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. Some of the names of the early founders are still represented in the church,- Wambold (Wampole), Cressman and Rees.

The present constitution of the congregation was adopted in 1836. The existing church record was begun in 1753 by Pastor Frederick Schultz. The earliest pastor known was John Conrad Andraea, who came to this country from Zweibruecken in 1742, landed in Philadelphia, and soon settled at Goshen- hoppen. He assumed charge of Goshenhoppen, New Goshenhoppen and Indian Field Churches, where he remained until 1751. In that year Lucas Raus began service as catechet under Pastor H. M. Muhlenberg's direction. He closed his services in 1752, when the Rev. Frederick Schultz became pastor and served until 1763, when Rev. John Joseph Roth succeeded him. From 1768 to 1770, Rev. John Mi- chael Enterlein was pastor. From that time to the present it has been served in connection with the Old Goshenhoppen Church, and since 1865 served by the Rev. Frederick Wolz, who also has charge of the church at Sellersville.

The Reformed Church on Indian Creek was founded in 1753 by the Rev. Jacob Rees, who was its first pastor, and began his labors June 3d, in that year. Among the founders of the church were John Nice, Jacob Arndt, Peter Gerhart, Jacob Leidy, John Schellenberger, John Henry Sellers, William Althouse and Abram Arndt. With the exception of Arndt, these families are all represented in the con- gregation at present. In 1754 the present church lot was purchased of Michael Bergey, and in that year a log church was erected. This was replaced, in 1775, by a rough-stone church, with a hip-roof, which was used till 1826, when the third church, forty-two by forty-eight feet, also of stone, was erected. The pres- ent church, forty-two by sixty-five feet, was built of brick in 1879, and is still used. The Rev. Jacob Rees remained as pastor from 1753 to 1766, and was succeeded as follows: Revs. Christopher Gobrecht, 1766 to 1772; Caspar Wack, 1772 to 1780; John Theo- bold Faber, 1780 to 1787 ; John Michael Kern, 1787 to 1788, and died ; Nicholas Pomp, 1788 to 1796; Jacob Lenn, 1796 to 1818, and died ; John Andrew Stras- burger, 1818 to 1854; Joshua Derr, 1854 to 1858, P. S. Fisher, 1858 to 1871 ; Jacob Kehm, 1871 to the present time. The church has a membership of four hun- dred.

What is known as the Leidy Reformed Church, is located below Souderton, and was built in 1858. A school house was there and a graveyard over one hundred years ago. The school-house was also used for public worship. Its members were from Indian Creek Church, of which it was for a time a part. Its pastors have been Revs. P. S. Fisher, and J. G. Dengler, the latter of whom is still in charge.

The first Menonnite meeting-house in Franconia township was of stone, and built between the years

1730 and 1750. The second, also a stone house, forty- five by seventy-five feet, was built in 1833, and has a seating capacity of over seven hundred. The pres- ent membership is between four hundred and five hundred. Bishop Josiah Clemmer was elected in 1861.

The Souderton meeting-house. was built, in 1879, of brick, forty-three by fifty-three feet. The Leidy's Church was built in 1858. A school-house and graveyard were there over one hundred years be- fore, the school-house being used for public wor- ship.

Elections .- By act of the General Assembly, ap- proved March 16, 1847, the township of Franconia was first formed into a separate election district, and by the terms of the act the elections were ordered to be held at the store-house of Daniel L. Moyer. By a subsequent act approved April 26, 1850, the elections were ordered to be held at the public-house of Tobias Gerhart.

The postmasters of Souderton have been William Sonder, W. B. Sleifer and M. D. Zendt, the present one; of Telford, T. S. Weird.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

J. TREMPER.

The paternal grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch was a native of the north of Europe, whence he emigrated to America before the war of the Revolution, and settled on the banks of the Hudson River, in the province of New York. After the close of the war he removed to Philadelphia, where he made his home until his death, which occurred some years afterwards. His youngest son, Henry, engaged in commercial pursuits in Philadelphia, and became one of the prominent merchants of the city during the latter part of the last, and beginning of the present century, amassing a large fortune, and retiring from business in 1811. 1Ie was a large owner of real estate in the city, and he also, in company with his brother-in-law, Mr. Maley, purchased and owned large tracts of valuable land in the Mohawk Valley and more western parts of the State of New York, one of which was a tract of about twelve hundred acres, which had been embraced in the Royal Grant of " Kingsland" to Sir William Johnson, and including the " Johnson Hall" mansion, which had been the home of Sir William and, after him, of his son, Sir John Johnson, and which, at the time here referred to, was the residence of Mr. Tremper's brother-in-law and partner, Mr. Maley. Within the walls of that manorial mansion Mr. Tremper and Mr. Maley de- bated their projects, and from it they set out to explore the Seneca country and view the rich lands of which they became the purchasers. Mr. Tremper, however,

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

did not live to carry out the plans which he had formed ' Seneca Lake, which place was reached in the even- for the development of his land projects in New York. ' ing of the fitth day from Philadelphia. He died in Philadelphia in 1826. The family resi- Prior to the commencement of the present century Philadelphia was the monetary centre of the country and the home of the leading capitalists, the principal of whom was Robert Morris. A number of Philadel- phians, among whom was Henry Tremper, were members of what was called the Lessee Company (under the old Genesee Land Company), who had dence at that time was in the west part of the city, to which they had not long before removed from the house which Mr. Tremper had occupied during the years of his active career as a merchant. It was located on Front Street, north of Market, Front Street being at that time the most important street of the city.

J. Tremper was born in the Front Street mansion | obtained from the State of New York a great tract of in the year 1805. He obtained his preparatory educa- tion in the principal schools of the city, and atter- | wards studied law in the office of the learned Peter S.

nine hundred thousand acres of land, lying west of Seneca Lake, and which, with what was known as the Robert Morris Purchase, extended westward to within

2. Tremper 0

Duponceau. Upon the death of his father (he being then twenty-one years of age) it was thought neces- sary for him to go to the State of New York to take charge of the large landed interests there, which formed a large part of the estate of Henry Tremper, as has already been mentioned. He set out on the journey (which at that time was considered a long and difficult one) in the fall of 1826, starting from the "Swan " stage-house, in Race Street, above Third. The route was hy the way of Bethlehem and Wilkesbarre (passing the scene of the Wyoming massacre of 1778) to Montrose, Pa .; thence to Ithaca, N. Y., and from there to Geneva, at the foot of | young town," with its genial and hospitable people,

about twenty miles of the Niagara River. The settle- ment at Geneva had been made under the auspices of the Lessee Company. When Mr. Tremper went there in 1826 it was still a new town, but many of the settlers were people of education, and all were kind and hos- pitable. From Mr. Bogert, the resident professional agent, and from Captain Remer, the lay agent of the owners, Mr. Tremper received much kindness and consideration. Upon his arrival he was pleasantly domiciled in the family of Dr. Hazzard, whose man- sion was surrounded by a noble farm of twelve hundred acres. The adjacent forests, the beantiful lake, the brisk

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FREDERICK TOWNSHIP. '

offered attractions which rendered the prospect of a eminence, and in the southwest, between Swamp protracted stay at that place far from disagreeable to Creek and Mine Run, where rise the bold and rocky the young Philadelphian. Afterwards he purchased Stone Hills. The soil in the western portion, embrac- a fine farm, having a frontage of one mile on Seneca Lake, with a mansion situated within fifty yards of the water's edge. There he made his home during the years of his residence in Western New York.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 180

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