History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 182

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 182

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).

Joseph Groff, "of Parkeyoming, weaver," on the 25th of February, 1728, purchased one hundred and twenty-five acres of Henry Pannebacker, part of the latter's tract of six hundred and twenty-two aeres. Previous to March 1, 1726, Joseph Groff had acquired a portion of the five hundred acres purchased by Michael Herger on February 7, 1717. April 20, 1734, Joseph Groff obtained by patent two hundred aeres on the west side of Perkiomen Creek, upon which he erected a grist-mill, for a petition was made on July 7, 1737, for a road from " a grist-mill lately erected by one Joseph Groff, at ye upper end of ye sd township of ffrederick."

May I, 1728, Ludwig Engelhart obtained from Andrew Frey one moiety or half part of two hundred acres. On May 25, the same year, the commissioners of property confirmed the title. At the Supreme

Court held in April, 1743, Engelhart was naturalized. Ile moved afterwards to Germantown, where he died in 1783.

Michael Krauss, on the 9th of October, 1728, bought of Humphrey Morrey and John Budd one hundred "and seventy acres on the banks of Swamp Creek. His wife was Catharina, widow of Hieronimus Doderer. Their children were George; Mary, married Peter Smith; Elizabeth; Salome, married Michael Renn; Catharine, married Jacob Beltz; Daniel ; Michael.

Henry Stetler was granted, on December 20, 1728, by patent of the proprietaries, fifty acres of land. On June 7, 1729, he purchased of James Steel one hundred and nine aeres, and on July 30, 1735, from the same party, one hundred and thirty-two aeres. lle was naturalized at the September court, 1740. Henry Stetler was twice married. The name of his second wife was Anna Mary Mayer, widow. His children were Anna Maria, married Joseph Kolb; Magdalena, married George Kolb; Barbara, married l'eter Binkes ; John, died December 30, 1812 ; Jacob; Ilenry, born in 1732, died May 9, 1780 ; Christian, boru February 3, 1741, and died December 5, 1813; Abraham, Samuel, Susanna, Sophia. Henry Stetler died on the 16th of September, 1763, aged fifty-seven. Ile owned a plantation in New Hanover township, which, in his will, he ordered to be sold, and his plan- tation in Frederick township, upon which he lived in his lifetime, he gave to his sons, Jacob and Christian subject to the payment of certain legacies. Henry Stetler, the son, was a potter, as the following codicil to his father's will shows :

"I give to my son, Henry, Stetler one-quarter of an acre of land, that is to say it is the place where he fetches his potter's clay ever since he followed the potter's trade for his own ; he is to have two percbes broad and ten perches long, to begin at the clay-pit, or corner-posts, which I do set, and so forwards ten perches along the clay ground ; aud that he is to have during his life, not longer ; after his death it is and shall fall back to the other land which I give to my sons JJacob and Christian, or to any one that dwells upon the land lawfully and agreeable to my tes- tament ; and my son Henry is to fill up the clay holes after he digged the clay, fit for the meadow, tu mow or to be mowed."

Henry Stetler, Jr., left no male children. Christian Stetler, son of the elder Henry, was born February 3, 1741; married, March 4, 1765, Catharine Kurtz; died December 5, 1813. He was the progenitor of the Stetlers now residing in Frederick township. His wife died November 3, 1826. Their children were Hannah, born in January, 1769; Henry, born August 9, 1771; Philip, born November 22, 1773; Abraham, born June 11, 1780; Adam, born October 9, 1787.

May 22, 1729, "William Frey, of Parkeawming, yeoman," bought of James Steel two hundred acres, part of the latter's purchase of December 17, 1728, located in the western portion of the township. Ber- tolet's Mennonite meeting-house stands upon this traet. He was the son of Henry Frey and Anna Catharine Levering, who were married on the 26th of April, 1692, at Germantown, before Francis Daniel Pastorius, justice of the peace. It is stated that

836

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Henry Frey came to Pennsylvania before the arrival of Penn. William Frey married Veronica Markley. Their children were Henry, married, January 25, 1756, Anna Maria Bnerstler; William; Catharine, married John Gesel; Magdalena, married, October 16, 1745, Christopher Baus; Veronica, married Joseph Miller; Jacob, born January 1, 1726; Christina, married, February 16, 1748, Johann Heinrich Seeg- ner; Matthias; Salome, married Christopher Hensel; Elizabeth. April 5, 1768, William Frey conveyed to his son, Jacob Frey, one hundred and fifty-seven and one-quarter acres, and about the same time, to Zacha- rias Nyce, the remainder of about forty-three acres. He died in the summer of 1768. He took part in the religious movement which grew into the Moravian Church, and his sons and daughters took positions of usefulness in the educational and mission work of that society. He is buried beside his wife, at Bertolet's Mennonite meeting-house. Many years after his death, when the correct date of that occurrence had been forgotten, the plain dwellers of the country side, void of sentiment, yet sensible of the respect due an even, upright walk, placed a stone to mark his grave, bearing the epitaph, couched in the dialect spoken there,-

" Zum Andenken an WILHELM FREY Der erste ansitler von diesem landgud er starb 1770 seyn alter ist uns unbekand docb war er hoch beijahrt."

Veronica Frey, who afterwards was the wife of Joseph Miller, sailed from New York, on the 9th of January, 1743, for England, in the ship "Jacob," which carried a Moravian company, and she afterwards, with her husband, was stationed at the Brethren's institution in Germany. Jacob, son of William Frey, was a carpenter. On December 17, 1749, Jacob Frey was one of twenty-two single brethren, who left Bethlehem for Christian's Spring, in Northampton County. He married Susanna Sophia Bertolet, daughter of Jean Bertolet, a Huguenot refugee, who came to Pennsylvania in 1726, and settled in Oley. Their children were: Esther, first wife of Samuel Ber- tolet; Elizabeth, married, January 26, 1790, Samuel Bertolet (his second wife); Magdalena, married, No- vember 5, 1792, Johannes Schlichter.

Henry Antes, an influential settler, came to the township early in 1730. His career is sketched else- where.

1758. His wife's name was Elizabeth. Their chil- dren were Elizabeth ; Salome, born April 15, 1719, in the Palatinate, married John Herger, and died November 24, 1800; Susanna; Barbara ; John l'eter, married, November 28, 1752, Rachel Zieber ; Johan- nes, married, January 23, 1760, Maria Catharina Kuntz; Ludwig, married, September 11, 1763, Susanna Kuntz; Anna Margaret; Catharina; Elizabeth, mar- ried Solomon Grimley.

Andrew Bayer arrived in the ship "Philadelphia Merchant," and signed the declaration September 11, 1731. He came from Grünstadt, in the Palatinate. He was naturalized on the 11th of April, 1749. He lived on the Perkiomen, near the present Ziegler- ville.

Thomas Addis, farmer, of Frederick township, died early in 1732. By his will, made January 2, 1731-32, and probated on the 14th of March of the same year, he bequeathed five pounds to "Saint James' Church, between Scheepack and Perehooman, on Manathana road side." He left a widow, Catharine, six married daughters, the eldest of whom, Catharine, was the wife of Henry Grubb, and one daughter, Elizabeth, under eighteen and unmarried.

John Miller, husbandman, on the 10th of August, 1732, bought of Humphrey Morrey and John Budd one hundred and twenty-five acres between Swamp Creek and Society Run, at the confluence of these streams. He was a practitioner of medicine. He was married, in 1732, to Elizabeth Frey, born in 1717, and a daughter of Henry and Anna Catharine Frey, maiden-name, Levering. Their children were Catha- rine, born November 8, 1733, married Henry Happel ; Salome, born September 7, 1735, married Daniel Knauss; Elizabeth, born January 24, 1737, married Jacob Eckel; John, born February 7, 1738; Anna, born November 2, 1739, married John Marburger; Joseph, born November 2, 1740 ; Henry, born May 8, 1743; Anna Maria, born in November, 1744; - , died in infancy ; Magdalena, born November 12, 1747; Jacob, born November 17, 1749; John Philip, born November 17, 1751 ; Christian. Dr. Miller died Sep- tember 16, 1755 ; his widow died in 1758.

George Trumbauer, by virtue of a warrant dated 16th October, 1734, had surveyed to him, on the 6th of November, 1734, a traet of one hundred acres, bounded by lands of George Philip Dodderer, George Haan and Gottlieb Herger. Old Cowissioppin Creek (Old Goshenhoppen) ran through it from the north- west to the southeast.

Frederick Reimer came from the Palatinate. He Balthasar Heydrick came in 1734; he was one of the colony of Schwenkfelder refugees who came in the ship "St. Andrew," and arrived at Philadelphia on the 11th of September, 1734, O. S., and signed the declaration on the next day. On the 20th of June, 1735, he bought of John Jacob Fauth two tracts of land of fifty acres each, which were located between Swamp Creek and Society Run, extending from their arrived in the ship "Thistle," and signed the decla- ration at Philadelphia on the 29th of August, 1730. On the 22d of January, 1731, he purchased of Henry Pannebacker one hundred aeres, and on the 6th of August, 1736, of Joseph Groff, forty-one acres, one hundred and six and a half perches, both tracts on Society Run. On the 29th of March, 1735, he was naturalized by act of Assembly. He died early in | junction along the former about one hundred and

837

FREDERICK TOWNSHIP.

seventy perches, and along the latter about two hun- dred and sixty perches. He was naturalized at the April sessions of Supreme Court, 1743. Balthasar and Rosina, his wife, had two children,-Christopher, died December 28, 1756 ; George, born September 22, 1737. Rosina Heydrick died October 23, 1738. Bal- thasar Heydrick married (second) Maria, daughter of Christopher Hoffrichter, May 15, 1741. Their chil- dren were Abraham, born November 5, 1742; Su- sanna, born October 5, 1745; Melchior, born October 23, 1747; Balthasar, born December 29, 1750 (was a captain in the Revolutionary war). Balthasar Hey- | born in 1737, died in Frederick township February 27, drick died January 12, 1753.

George Heebner, also a member of the Schwenk- felder colony of 1734, settled immediately in Fred- erick. On January 28, 1736, jointly with Henry ; Antes, he purchased twenty-eight acres of land in New Hanover township, for the better accommoda- tion of a grist-mill which had been erected upon the adjoining land, in Frederick township. of Henry Antes. November 5, 1736, he bought seventy-five and three-quarters aeres in New Hanover township, on the Frederick township line. February 24, 1741, he purchased one hundred acres in Frederick town ship previously held by George Hlaan. He was naturalized May 19, 1739. January 14 and 15, 1742, a religions conference, led by Count Zinzendorf, was held at his house. He died November 3, 1773. He left a legacy of forty pounds lawful money of Penn- sylvania to the son of his sister Mary, in Germany, " for a remembrance of his uncle." His sister was married to one J. Christopher Nicolai, at Görlitz, in Lusatia, gardener. One-tenth of the remainder of his estate he gave "to the school erected among the Religious Society called Schwenkfeldians, to be paid to the trustees of the school, to be applied by them to such purposes as the plan and articles of the school direct." One-tenth of his estate was also " to be paid into the alms-box of the people called Schwenkfeld- ians towards the relief of the poor among said people." George Heebner and Rosina Kriebel were married November 22, 1738, and had Melchior, born July 2, 1742, died December 21, 1744. Rosina Heebner died July 25, 1745. He married, May 16, 1749, Susanna Schultz, who died November 2, 1772, without issue.

John Heebner, a brother of George Heebner, also came with the Schwenkfelder colony. Before March 22, 1738, he acquired land in Frederick township, near Society Run. His wife's name was Maria. Their children were Hans, Melchior (who married Febru- ary 11, 1752, and settled in Worcester township), Anna. John Heebner, while assisting his son, Mel- chier, in taking in the second crop of hay, fell from the wagon, and of the injuries received he died Sep- tember 17, 1754.

Daniel Christman, who arrived in Pennsylvania September 5, 1730, bought of Martin Funk and Mag- dalena, his wife, on March 27, 1735, one hundred acres, and the following day sixty acres. These tracts were

located in Frederick township and had been pur- chased by Martin Funk previous to March 1, 1726; they were part of the five hundred aeres bought by Michael Herger, February 7, 1717. Daniel Christian belonged to the Lutheran Church; he contributed five shillings towards paying for a bell for New Hanover Lutheran Church in 1748. His chil- dren were Anna Ella, married in December, 1749, Johannes Grob, who lived in Coventry township, Ches- ter Co .; Felix, born in 1783, who moved to Vincent township, Chester Co .; Elizabeth, born in 1734; Jacob, 1804; George, born 1739, a joiner, lived in Frederick township; Henry, born 1744, a saddler, lived in Vin- cent township.

The early settlers were mostly Germans. Their descendants and the present inhabitants retain the German language in the modified form known as the Pennsylvania-German dialect.

Statistics .- The first official list of taxables of Frederick township is furnished in the return made by the proprietaries' agent, in 1734, as follows :

Adam Barsteller, 25 acres ; Michael Bastian, Ludwig Detterer, Johan- nes Dilbeck, George Philip Dotterer, 150 acres; Michael Dotterer, 100 acres ; Ludwig Englehart, 100 acres ; Baltus Fauth, 100 acres ; Jacob Fanth, 100 acres ; Daniel Frantz, Wilhelm Frey, 150 acres ; Jacob Fuchs, Martin Funk, 100 acres ; Joh. Geo. Ganser, Christian Getzendonner, Joseph Graaf, 100 acres; Job. Hein. Hageman, 100 acres ; Michael llendierks Johannes llerb, Gotlieb Herger, XD) acres ; Michael Herger, 200 acres; Adam Hill, Michael Ilill, Paul llippel, Martin Husacker, Johannes Kraus, 150 acres ; Juh. Georg Kraus, 22 acres ; Michael Krans, 150 acres ; Jacob Mecklin, Christian Müller, Johannes Neus (Nice), 200 acres ; Abra- ham Pfenning, Frederick Reymer, 100 acres ; Henrich Schmidt, 80 acres ; Christian Schneider, JJoh. Geo. Schwenbart, 100 acres; Joh. George Sprogell, 120 acres; Henrich Stettler, 140 acres ; Christian Stettler, 50 acres; Henrich Stover, 100 acres ; George Trumbauer.

In 1741, Frederick township had seventy-six tax- ables.

In 1785 the taxables were:

Francis Bard, Jacob Bernger, Sammel Bertolet, Conrad Bickhard, Anthony Bitting, George Boyer, Henry Boyer, Jarob Boyer, Leonard Boyer, Philip Boyer, William Boyer, David Broog, Philip Brown, Valentine Buff, Joseph Butterweck, Jacob Christman, John De Haven, __ Jacob Detweiler, Conrad Dotterer, John Dotterer, Michael Dotterer, Philip Dotterer, John Faust, Peter Faust, Jobn Ferer, Jacob Fingen- biner, Charles Fox, Peter Gable, Mathew Geist, Godshall Godshall, Isaac Goschin, Michael Gougler, Conrad Grobb, Henry Grobb, Abraham Groff, Henry Groff, John Groff, Jacob Groner, Jacob Grubb, Conrad Haffen- ger, Elias Hartenstein, Henry Hartenstein, John Hartenstein, Jacob Hartman, Jacob Hauck, John Heebner, I'hilip Heebner, Antony Herb, John Herger, John Hiltebidle, Peter llofstat, Adam HIollenbush, Henry Hollenbush, Joseph llullenbush, Balthaser Keiser, Michael Koons, Nicholas Koons, Christian Krause, Daniel Krause, Henry Krause, Michael Krause, Jr., Michael Krause, Sr., Adam Kugler, Jacob Kugler, Francis Leidig, Philip Leidig, John Ley, Martin Lightly, Thomas Mayberry, George Michael, Henry Miller, George Moore, George Nyce, Jr., George Nyce, Sr., Zacharias Nyce, Michael ŒEsterlein, Jacob Pennybacker, John Reimer, Ludwig Reimer, Henry Roschon, Peter Roschon, John Rotenbacher, Henry Sassaman, George Scheffey, Michael Schillig, William Schlotterer, Ludwig Schnitt- . ler, Frederick Schwartz, Abraham Schwenck, Daniel Schwenck, George Schwenck, Henry Smith, Jacob Smith, Benjamin Snyder, Valentine Snyder, Abraham Solomon, Christian Stettler, Jacob Stettler, John Sut- ton, David Underkoffler, Jacob Underkoffler, Jr., Jacob Underkoffler, Sr., Adam Wartman, Gottfried Wisler, Nicholas Wolfinger, George Woodley, Daniel Yost, John Yost, Jr., John Yost, Sr., l'eter Yost, John Zieber. Martin Zieler, Gottlieb Zink, Tobias Zink,-114.

838

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

In 1800 the population was 629, which included 1 slave; the number of taxables was 132.

In 1810 the population was 828; taxes assessed, $450.

The taxes assessed in 1816 were $475.29.

In 1820 the population was 927, including 17 free colored persons.

In 1830 the population was 1047.

In 1832, the township contained 215 horses, 478 cattle 10,989 acres under cultivation, valued at an average of $20 per aere.

In 1840 the census showed a population of 1217. Of these, 229 were employed in agriculture, 8 in com- merce, 106 in manufactures and trades, 3 in naviga- tion of the ocean, 5 in the learned professions; 2 persons were blind and 4 of unsound mind.

In 1850 the census returned 1431 inhabitants, of whom 17 were free colored; number of families, 268; number of dwellings, 232; taxes assessed, $862.54.

In 1860 the population was 1783; taxes assessed, $915.82; farms, 220; dwellings, 220.

In 1870 the population was 1818.

In 1880 the population was returned as 1944.

The persons who were appointed to offices in Fred- erick township prior to the beginning of the present century are given below,-

CONSTABLES.

1754, Henry Kraus and Henry Hartweck were appointed ; 1755, Henry Kraus; 1756, Jobn Umstadt ; 1757, - Schmidt ; 1758, John Herger ; 1759, John Hevener, Michael Renn; 1767, John Jost ; 1768, George Nyce ; 1769, Peter Hanck ; 1770, Conrad Grubb ; 1772, Anthony Houser ; 1773, George Michael ; 1775, John Rymer and George Wateman ; 1776, Henry Stetler ; 1777, Adam Hollobush, Jr. ; 1780, John Heebner, Henry Hollobush ; 1781, Henry Krauss, Charles Zellner ; 1782, Ludwig Reimer ; 1783, Henry Sassaman ; 1584, John Zieber; 1785, Philip Boyer ; 1786, Christian Stetler ; 1787, Matthias Geist ; 1788, David Underkoffler ; 1789, Philip Leidig; 1790, Peter Roshon ; 1791, John Gougler; 1792, John Yost ; 1793, John Nyce ; 1794, -- Bartolet ; 1796, Francis Leidig ; 1798, Jacob Underkoffler ; 1799, Michael Dotterer.

OVERSEERS OF HIGHWAYS.

September 1754, Andrew Boyer and Jacob Whiteman were appointed ; 1755, Felix Lea, Peter Ettleman ; 1757, John Jost, George Michael ; 1758, George Nyce, JacobUnderkoffler ; 1759, C'aspar Achenbach, Peter Werner ; 1760, Henry Smith, Wendel lloch ; 1767, Henry Royer, Michael Dotterer ; 1768, Barnet Tytele, Peter Hollobush ; 1769, Ludwig Schüttler, George Boyer ; 1770, Philip Boyer, John Yost ; 1773, Christian Stetler, George Weickert ; 1775, Jacob Christman, William Boyer, Henry Boyer, George Schwenk ; 1776, Michael Koons, John Heebner ; 1779, Ilenry Sassaman, Philip Boyer ; 1780, Jacob Detwiler, John Zieber ; 1700, Abraham Graff, Michael Gougler.

OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.

March, 1768, Zachariah Nyce and Jacob Underkoffler were appointed; 1769, George Deal, Christian Hollobush ; 1770, Jacob Christman, Christian Stetler; 1772, Ludwig Reimer, Ludwig Schüttler; 1773, Michael Dotterer, Jacob Stetler, Jobn Fried, Andrew Trumbaner; 1775, Adam Hollobush, William Boyer ; 1776, John Hildeheidel, Henry Kraus, Jr. ; 1779, Mathias Goist, Grorge Zellner; 1780, Jacob Zieber, Jacob Underkoffler ; 1795 Martin Detweiler, Henry Seipel.

The township officials at the beginning of 1885 are: Justices of the Peace, George W. Steiner, John H. Gottshalk ; Constable, Ambrose S. Keeler ; Super- visors of Roads, Henry Bolten, Jacob Welfly ; Asses- sor, Isaac G. Grimley ; Judge of Elections, N. W. Underkoffler; Inspectors of Elections, James Bern- hard, Jacob D. Daub.

In politics the views of the citizens of Frederick ac- cord with the principles enunciated by Jefferson and Jackson, and held by the Democratic party. For many years after the establishment of our present form of government and the erection of the county the voters of a group of a townships held their elections at one polling-place. Frederick township was at- tached to that district which voted at Krebs' tavern, in New Hanover township. The vote for candidates for President of the United States since Frederick votes by itself, from 1832 to the present time, was,- 1832: Jackson, 113; Clay, 22. 1836 : Van Buren, 109; Harrison, 34. 1840: Van Buren, 156; Harrison, 69. 1844 : Polk, 207; Clay, 73. 1848 : Cass, 216 ; Taylor, 69. 1852: Peirce, 216; Scott, 47. 1856: Buchanan> 274; Fremont and Fillmore combined, 34. 1860 : Breckinridge, Douglas, and Bell, (Fusion), 258; Lin- coln,65. 1864: McClellan, 289; Lincoln, 55. 1868: Seymour, 290; Grant, 96. 1872: Greeley, 219; Grant, 95. 1876: Tilden, 310; Hayes, 118. 1880: Hancock, 321; Garfield, 151. 1884: Cleveland, 307 ; Blaine, 100.

Churches and Burying-Grounds .- The early settlers were, with few exceptions, Germans, who were in most cases driven hither by the scourging wars, and religious persecutions then raging in Europe. Being pious men and women, they soon formed them- selves into religous societies.

John Philip Bohm, a schoolmaster, as early as 1720, " maintained the ministry of the Word, to the best of his ability and to the great satisfaction of the people," among the Reformed inhabitants of Falkner Swamp. From his efforts grew the Falkner Swamp Reformed congregation, which still exists in New Hanover town- ship. In 1729, Bohm was ordained to the ministry, and he continued until 1748 to exercise spiritual care over this congregation. In 1728, George Philip Dodderer, residing in the territory afterwards erected into Fred- erick township, was a member of the consistory of the Falkner Swamp Church. In 1742, Frederick Reimer and John Jacob Kraus, of Frederick township, were elders. In 1747 an event important in the history ot this church, occurred at the house of John Miller, who resided near the mouth of Society Run. On the 17th of March of that year Rev. Michael Schlatter, superintendent of the Reformed Churches in Pennsyl- vania and adjoining colonies, came, by invitation, from Philadelphia, and administered the sacrament. of baptism to the wife and eight children of Dr. Miller, in the presence of several hundred persons assembled to witness the solemn service. Dr. Miller was at this time an elder in the church, and continued to hold office until his death, in 1755. In 1748, Rev. John Philip Leydich came from Europe, and began to labor here, and continued to do so until 1765 The Reformed people residing in the eastern portion of the township connected themselves with the Old Goshenhoppen congregation, in Salford township, I near Perkiomen Creek, which was formed as early

839

FREDERICK TOWNSIIIP.

as 1732. Christian Hollobush and Peter Hollobush were among the earliest who did so.

The Lutheran people of Frederick township wor- shiped at the New Hanover Lutheran Church, located in the heart of Falkner Swamp. This congregation was organized about the year 1720. It is stated the Rev. Justus Falkner, a Lutheran minister, preached here in 1703; but this occurred probably at Morlatton (Douglasville), where the Swedes organized a Lutheran Church in 1700, and not at New Hanover, where the earliest settlers, according to the records, arrived later. About 1734 John Casper Stover was pastor. In 1742 Rev. Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg came, and he con- tinued in charge of the congregation until 1762. Daniel Christman and Michael Herger were of the Lutheran faith.

The means of religions instruction in the primitive times, although they differed from those of the pres- ent day, were by no means wanting. In the year 1740, Whitefield, the revival preacher, came to the house of Henry Antes, in Frederick township, and preached to the people, the number assembled on this occasion being two thousand. Seward's journal de- scribes this event as follows :

"April 24, 1740. . . . Came to Christopher Wigner's Plantation, in Skippack, where many Dutch People are settled, and where the famous Mr. Spangenberg resided lately. It was surprizing to see such a Mul- titude of People gathered together in such a wilderness Country, Thirty Miles distant from Philadelphia. . . . Our dear friend, Peter Buhler, preached in Dutch to those who could not understand our Brother ( White- field) in English. Came to Henry Anti's Plantation, in Frederick Township, Ten Miles farther in the Country, where was also a Multitude equally surprizing with that we had in the Morning. .. . There was much melting under both Sermons. . . . At Night I was drawn to sing and pray with our Brethren in the Fields. Brother Whitefield was very weak in Body, but the Lord Jehovah was his Strength, . . . for I never heard him speak more clear and powerful. They were Germans where we dined and supp'd, and they pray'd and sung in Dutch, as we did in English, before and after Eating.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 182

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