History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 184

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 184

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).

844

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

evidently were made, for the mouth of the old mine is pointed out to the present day.

"The company," says an authority of more than fifty years ago, " opened a tunnel or drift from the Perkiomen Creek, extending six hundred and sixty feet to a shaft sunk eighty feet deep from the top of the liill, and it is said that they took out a large quantity of rich copper, but being unfortunate in the loss of one or two cargoes which they sent to England, they were obliged to abandon the mine after several years' hard labor and expending several thousand dollars. Previous, however, to leaving it they filled up the shaft again and shut up the mine, that the treasures of the earth might be hidden from the world."

In 1830 new attempts were made to find the veins of copper. A second excavation was discovered about ninety feet southwest of the tunnel. A silver- plated spur, which was lost in the tunnel by a gentle- man from South Carolina, who was in company with the late Judge Benjamin Markley, in the mine, about the year 1800, was found by the workmen at this time.

On Seull's map of 1759 the Caledonia Copper-Mine is marked on the north side of Swamp Creek, in the vicinity of its junetion with Perkiomen Creek, and the Perkiomen Mine is indicated on the south side of the Stone Hills; thus it appears that at that date two localities in the township were regarded as containing the metal.

Roads .- The first roads, from one new settlement to another, were simply paths through the forest. No notice was taken by the owner of the unenclosed land of the use made by the few neighbors of his premises as a roadway. After a time, as the number of settlers increased, it became necessary to place restrictions upon the privilege of passing and repassing over pri- vate property. Petitions were accordingly addressed to the Court of Quarter Sessions, at Philadelphia, praying that roads be laid out for public use. The petition for the principal road of the township, run- ning from the southeast to the northwest, formerly called the Skippack road, and now known as the Great road, was as follows:

"To the Worshipful the Justices at the County Court of Quarter Sessions held at Philada the - duy of March, 1724-5.

" The Petitions of the Westernmost Inhabitants of the sd County.

" Humbly showeth.

"That a road from Farmer's Mill to & thro Bebber's Township hav- ing been lately laid out, Your Petitioners humbly pray that the same for the Conveniency of a multitude of Inhabitants, may be Extended to the Northern End of Sprogells Tract, where George Warner's Mill stands on Swamp Creek, Issuing from Oley and falling into Parkyemeny, Which said road so to be Extended cannot (it's with Submission to he presumed) be injurious or detrimental to any, but on the Contrary Extraordinary beneficial and Commodious to all the adjacent Inhabitants. In hopes and Expectation of the obtaining of which reasonable request, your hum- ble petitioners shall gratefully & as in duty bound, Ever pray, &c.

" John Senseman. William Frey.

John Kenbenry.

Christian Stetler. Ilirouinins Doderer.

Anton Henckel. George Wanner. Valentine Geyger.

Michael Hörricher.

Michael Krebs.

Gottlieb Hörricher. Joseb Graff.

George tilib Dolderer

Verg Biderhard.

Michell Doderer.

Balthas Fauth.

Samuel Mayer.

Johnickel Adam Engelhart.

Heinrich Grob.

Ilanss Jorg Sprugel.

llans Jerg Schietz.

Martin Funk."

A petition was made to the court held on the first Monday of September, 1763, for a road from George Weickert's tavern, in Frederick township, to John Bargen's mill, " on Perkjomen Creek (late Henry Von der Shlise, his mill)," and thence to Goshen- hoppen Church. The signers were :

" George Weickert. Killian Gaugler. Daniel Ilister.

Henrich Beyer.

Johannes Niss. Vallentine Nungesser.

Jost Holbusch.

Michael MI K Kraus (his mark)

Wendel Horst.

Henrich Kranss.

Johann Peter Hollinsch.

John Miller.

Fillip F. K. Crepeller (his mark). George Michel.

Christian Hepler.

Michael Renn.

John Umstad.

Georg Schwenk."

The petition was granted and a road was laid out, but not to the satisfaction of Jacob Underhoffler, who petitioned for a review and change of course of the road, on the ground that " the road as now laid out and returned to this court passes through your petrs. improved land and meadows, to his very great Injury and damage." The return of the reviewers being defective, re-reviewers were appointed, and on the 26th of May, 1764, a final return was made. The road began " at Wickart's tavern, on a Great Road, commonly called Skippack road,"-without doubt the road laid out in compliance with the petition of March, 1725.

At the term of court held September 1, 1766, was presented the return of jurors or viewers who had laid out a road from the Bucks County line to Turkey Point, in Chester County, which passed through the entire width of Frederick township from east to west, through lands of Stephen Moyer, Peter Houk, John Hevener, Henry Grubb, Conrad Grubb, Henry Statler, Jacob Statler, Christian Statler, Frederick Antes, Henry Antes, William Antes and Falkner Swamp Reformed Church lands. This is the road from Perkiomenville, ria Green Tree Tavern, to Fagleysville. This highway was ofgreat importance at that date and for a long time afterwards. Over it passed the heavy teams which carried iron from the forges on the Perkiomen to Warwick Furnace and other iron-works in the vicinity of Pottstown.

Bridges .- The Perkiomen and the streams flowing through the township are spanned by bridges at the crossings of the principal roads. At Perkiomenville a stone bridge of three arches was built across the Per- kiomen in 1839, by the county, at a cost of upwards of eleven thousand dollars. An iron bridge over the same stream was built at Hendricks'Station, about the year 1874, and a stone bridge at Frederick Station about twenty-five years ago. A stone bridge over Swamp Creek, at Grobb's mill, was, in 1854, erected by the county commissioners, Michael Hartzell, Archibald Banes and John Cowden.

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FREDERICK TOWNSHIP.

The handsome stone bridge over Society Run, above Zieglerville, was built by the county commissioners in 1853. A stone bridge over the same stream at the point where it is crossed by the road from Perkiomen- ville to Keeler's church was built abont forty years ago.

Taverns .- As early as 1760, George Wickert kept a tavern in the lower part of the township. A hundred years ago a tavern was kept by aman named Hevener on the road from Perkiomenville to Keeler's church near where Old Goshenhoppen Run crosses. In 1797, Benjamin Schneider was recommended to the court for license. The Green Tree Tavern was owned by Schneider; it has been the place for holding elec- tions from time immemorial; and has been kept by many persons, the most widely-known of whom was Joseph Keeler, who conducted it more than forty years ago. George Weidman was recommended for license in 1772, and from 1777 to 1782; Valentine Boyer, in 1779; Jacob Kugler, in 1783 and 1785.

Post-Offices .- Frederick township has within its borders six post-offices, and enjoys daily mail com- munication with all points. 4

Frederick post-office, the first, was established in 1837, with Joseph Keeler as postmaster, whose com- pensation for that year was $4.61. In 1839, Jonathan Nyce became postmaster, holding the position until 1855, when Abraham Freyer succeeded him. In 1863, C. S. Stetler was appointed postmaster, and he retains the office at this date. For the year ending June 30, 1883, the compensation of the postmaster, was $77.76.

Perkiomenville post-office was established August 25, 1854, with Isaac Rahn as postmaster. William Ziegler is the present incumbent. For 1883 the compensation was $110.53.

Zieglerville post-office was established October 11, 1858, with Joseph Ganser as postmaster. V. G. Prizer now holds the office; compensation in 1883, $114.88.

Klein's post-office, at Frederick Station, on the Perkiomen Railroad, is in charge of Jacob W. Klein as postmaster; compensation in 1883, $78.74.

Obelisk post-office, on the Great road, in the cen- tral portion of the township, was established about 1881. A. Moyer is postmaster; compensation in 1883, 823.21.

Delphi post-office, at Zieglerville Station, on the Perkiomen Railroad, was established in 1884. 1ts postmaster is Daniel W. Stetler.

Revolutionary War .- The record of the part taken in the Revolutionary struggle by Frederick township is imperfectly preserved. We know that after the defeat of our armies at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, and during the time that Washington had his headquarters at Valley Forge, this region was largely drawn upon for needed supplies, and its people were called upon to contrib- ute assistance and render important services. The

larger farmers, if not regularly connected with the army, were impressed, with their teams, into the ser- vice when occasion demanded, to transport ammuni- tion, stores and wounded ; of the last named, so the story goes, a Frederick farmer hauled a load all the way from the field at Brandywine to the hospital at Bethlehem. During the winter of 1777-78, Washing- ton spent several days under the friendly roof of Col- onel Frederick Antes, in Frederick township, and every morning the Father of his Country walked over to neighbor Samnel Bertolet's house to drink the water of a noted mineral spring.

The names of a portion of the persons enrolled in Captain Michael Dotterer's company,-unfortunately the list is incomplete,-attached to the Sixth Battalion of Philadelphia County militia, in 1777 and 1778, are given below, some of the members of this company performed duty entitling them to pay. Colonel William Antes, Esq., a sub-lieutenant for the county of Philadelphia, paid Captain Michael Dotterer £321 10s., amount of his pay-roll, February 28, 1778, No. 3:

Peter Acker, Francis Bart, Jacob Belts, Samuel Berto let, Conrad Bick hart, Henry Boyer, Jacob Boyer, Philip Boyer, Valentine Boyer, William Boyer, Jacob Christman, Jacob Detweiler, Conrad Dieffenbacher, John Dotterer, John Geist, Mathias Geist, John Ililtebidel, Henry Hollobush, Jost Ilollobush, Daniel Krause, Henry Krause, Michael Krause, Michael Kuntz, Francis Leidig, Leonard Leidig, John Ley, George Michael, Zacharias Nyce, Jobn Beimer, Ludwig Reimer, Henry Sassaman, Gott- fried Saylor, Peter Saylor, George Schwenk, Jacob Schwenk, George Smith, Charles Solner, Christian Stetler, Henry Stetler, Jacob Stetler, Jacob Underkoffler, Henry Werner, Jeremiah Wiser, Jacob Zieber, John Zieber.

The War of 1812 .- In the month of July, 1814, Governor Snyder called out the Pennsylvania militia to oppose the advance of the British upon Philadel- phia. Captain George Sensenderfer, of the Mont- gomery Greens, and Captain Jacob Freyer, of the Montgomery Blnes, both of Falkner Swamp, with all possible haste marched their nien to Flourtown. Here they were incorporated into Colonel Humph- rey's regiment of riflemen, of which Philip Boyer was major, after which they pushed on to Philadel. phia, and thence to Camp Dupont, on the Delaware. On the 24th of December, 1814, they were mustered, inspected and dismissed. There was much suffering from cold experienced by the soldiers, who had left their homes in warm weather and had not been sup- plied with winter clothing. Among those from Frederick township were the following in Captain Freyer's company :

Jacob Bartman, Samuel Detwiler, Conrad Dotterer, Jolın Dotterer, Samuel Esterline (bugler), John Gougler, George Hanck, Jacob Hung- berger, Lewis Jones, Leonard Schuler, Henry Yost, John Yost, Peter Yost.

War of the Rebellion .- During the late civil war, 1861-65, the following Frederick township men volunteered their services to the United States gov- ernment.

Henry S. Acker, John C. Anderson, Daniel Bardman, Jacob Batzel, Abraham Bergey, John Berry, Jones Boyer, l'eter S. Boyer, Jacob W. Dechant, Henry Edelman, Aaron Faust, John E. Faust, Mahlon Faust, Isaac Freese, Leopold Gastinger, Jacob S. Gross, John W. Hauck, Nathan

846

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

B. Ilauck, Abraham Iferman, Mahlon Herpel, Henry G. Hunter, John Huzzard, Jacob Johnson, Edward Kepp, Adam N. Keyser, Jesse N. Key- ser, Milton Krause, Samuel Leidig, Albert S. Leidig, George Mack, Jacob W. Markley, George Meng, Adam Moyer, Augustus G. Neiffer, John G. Neiffer, Jolin Neiman, Samuel E. Nyce, John Poh, Daniel Pool, Jolin Pool, John Reiter, Dr. R. B. Rhoades (surgeon), Oliver Roshong, Henry Sassaman, Jacob Sassaman, Samuel Schlotterer, David Scholl, J. J. Scholl, Franklin Schuler, Jobn K. Schwenk, John Sloop. Jacob Smith, William Stuckey, Henry Styer, Harrison Weand, Jacob Weise, Adamı Wensel, Leopold Wetzel, Aaron Wick, Christian Wick, Jesse Wil- lauer.

HENRY ANTES .- One of the pioneer settlers of Pennsylvania, who wielded an influence-and wielded it for good-in the affairs of the colony during the thirty years between 1725 and 1755, the story of whose life is little known, was Henry Antes.

He was the son of Frederick and Anna Catherine Antes, and was born in Europe in 1701. The earliest record found concerning the Anteses in this country is a deed, dated the 20th of February, 1723, for one hundred and fifty-four acres of land in Philadelphia County, purchased by Frederick Anttos, of German- town, from Henerick Van Bebber, described as part of the " tract of twenty-two thousand three hundred and seventy-seven acres in Mahanitania," in the present township of New Hanover. Frederick Antes died in the latter part of the year 1746, leaving a wife and two children-the son, Henry, and a daughter named Ann Elizabeth, who was the wife of John Eschbach. It is believed that Henry Antes was born in Freinsheim, a town of two thousand inhabitants, in Rhenish Bavaria. On the 2d of February, 1726, after three regular notices given, Henry Antes and Christiana Elizabetha, daughter of William Dewees were married at Whitemarsh by John Philip Boehm, pastor of the German Reformed Church in Pennsyl- vania. The precise date at which Antes took up his residence in Frederick is not known. On the 2d of February, 1730, he is described as a resident of Han- over township, the name at that time sometimes applied to the territory afterwards erected into Fred- erick, as well as to the Frankfort Land Company's tract. Previous to this he, with his father-in-law, had built a grist-mill and paper-mill at Crefeld, Ger- mantown. In 1730 he was naturalized. On the 2d day of September, 1735, Henry Antes, of Frederick township, millwright, bought of John Hagerman, of Lancaster County, weaver, one hundred and seventy- five acres of land " near the branches of the Perkeaw- ming," in Frederick township, paying therefor two hundred pounds, lawful money of the province; bounded by lands of William Frey and Henry Stadler, land late of Andrew Frey and vacant lands. Upon this tract Mr. Antes resided during the remain- der of his life, except when temporarily called away. Upon this property, the same year, he built, in part- nership with George Heebner, a grist-mill. This grist-mill, located on Swamp Creek, was the first in this neighborhood. Prior to its erection the primitive settlers were obliged to send their grain to the Wissa- hickon to be ground. A tradition, handed down from

one of the first settlers here, avers that it was custom- ary to send the Indians of the locality to Wissahickon, distant twenty-five miles, to mill. They would start on the journey in the evening and return the next day, bringing the flour in exchange for the grain. For this service a small quantity of tobacco or some other slight compensation was given. By virtue of a war- rant dated March 25, 1741, a tract of ninety-six and three-quarters acres of land in that portion of Lim- erick township, now included in New Hanover, was surveyed to Henry Antes.

These transactions show the activity of Mr. Antes during the early years of his manhood. He was a man of tall stature and strong physique. "He was remarkable," says one of his descendants, " for being in appearance and dress an enormous Dutch farmer, and in language and manners a courtier of the ancien régime." He was a pioneer in the true sense of the word. He explored the wilderness, and ac- quainted himself with the streams and the character of the country. He knew the paths and Indian trails of interior Pennsylvania. The Indians themselves were his neighbors, and he learned their habits and peculiarities. He was adept in woodcraft, under- stood the varieties of soil, knew the value of water- courses and how to utilize them, instructed the new- comers from Europe how to " clear " their lands, and pointed out to them the springs beside which to build their rude habitations, on a site sheltered by a knoll from the bitter blasts of winter. His services were called into requisition in the selection of lands, the negotiation of purchases, the drawing of wills and the settling of estates. His prudence and in- tegrity in the performance of duties requiring ac- quaintance with legal formalities and knowledge of financial matters were recognized throughout the length and breadth of the then limited bounds of the inhabited parts of the province.

In matters of religion he displayed the same ac- tivity and earnestness that marked his business habits. He was a man of decided convictions and sincere piety, and he was an earnest supporter of the move- ments of his time for the advancement of the Chris- tian religion. He had received careful training in youth in Europe. Mr. Bæhm, in 1742 wrote : “ Un- der the clear light of the Gospel was he born, holy baptism did he receive, through which he entered the covenant which He has made for the faithful ; this covenant, I doubt not, was explained according to the word of God (for I knew his zealous and faithful instructor well) at his first participation in the Holy Communion." In the spring of 1736 he became acquainted with Spangenberg, founder of the Mora- vian Church in America, who was sojourning among the Schwenkfelders in Skippack. The friendship be- tween him and the mild and godly Spangenberg en- dured to the end of their lives. Antes, John Bechtel, Adam Gruber, Stieffel and others were in the habit of going, once in four weeks, on a visit to Spangenberg,

847

FREDERICK TOWNSHIP.

who made his home with Christopher Wiegner, and there they "enjoyed many blessed hours together." " Although but a layman," says another writer con- cerning Antes, " he undertook to instruct his fellow- countrymen in the province in the way of life, calling them together in their houses for singing, for prayer, for reading the Scriptures and for exhortation. Thus we find him employed in the populous district of Oley as early as 1736." His home was made a centre for religious efforts. On the 24th of April, 1740, Whitefield preached here in England. Rev. Dr. Dubbs places Antes before us in this connection thus:

" Ile stood by the side of Whitefield, And prayed in the German tongue When the clarion voice of the preacher O'er the hills of Frederick rnag. They knew not each other's language, Nor did they need it then ; For the one cried, Hallelujah ! And the other said, Amen ! "

On the following day, April 25th, Bohler and Seyf- fert, of the Moravians, with llenry Antes as guide, started from Antes' house to view a tract of five thou- sand acres of land in the Forks of the Delaware, which Whitefield had purchased some time before, and which the Moravians afterwards bought and settled upon. On Saturday, April 26th, the three explorers found themselves at an extensive Indian village, upon the spot where Nazareth now stands, and spent the night there in the woods. From this time forward Antes was closely identified with the Moravians in their spiritual and temporal affairs. Up to 1740 he con- tinued a member of the Falkner Swamp Reformed Church, in the charge of Rev. Mr. Bohm. At this time a difference arose between pastor and parishioner which resulted in alienation. In 1741, Antes became acquainted with Count Zinzendorf, whose labors are referred to in another portion of this article. In 1742, Antes assisted the Moravians in building the first large house, ealled the "Gemein-Haus," in Bethle- hem. It was built of logs. "Not only," says one of the brethren, "did he aid them with his own hands upon this house, but also with money and advice." He also assisted in building the grist-mills in and about Bethlehem, the grist-mill at Friedensthal and the grist and saw-mill at Gnadenhütten. The colony of Mora- vian immigrants who came in the "Catherine" ar- rived at the house of Henry Antes, in Frederick, towards evening on the 19th of July, 1742, and lodged there that night. This company numbered fifty-six souls. In November, 1744, Henry Antes presided at a Synod of the Moravian brethren, held in what is now North Heidelberg township. On the 21st of March, 1745, he attended a large church council at Muddy Creek. The second week in March, 1745, the Moravian Synod was in session at his house in Frederick. At this meeting the arrangements were made for establishing a boarding-school for boys (deseribed elsewhere) on the plantation of Antes. He now moved to Bethle-

hem with his family, excepting two sons, who remained at the school. December 15, 1745, he was appointed a justice of the peace for Bucks County, and under date of June 30, 1749, he was reappointed to the same office in the same county. He was sent, in 1746, as a deputy from Bethlehem, at the demand of the govern- ment, to be publicly examined in regard to an accu- sation made against the Brethren to the effect that they had three thousand stand of arms for the use of the Indians who should join the French in making inroads into Pennsylvania. The examination resulted in proving the entire innocence of the accused. On the 18th of February, 1748, the proprietaries granted to Henry Antes, Esq., for the use of the Brethren, license to construct a ferry, for a period of seven years, over the West Branch of the river Delaware, on the high road leading from Philadelphia to the Minisinks, and from thence to the northwest part of the province New York. On the 27th of October, 1748, he was appointed business manager of the Moravian brethren at Bethlehem, taking the legal care of the community's property and outward temporal affairs.

In April, 1750, the Moravians at Bethlehem intro- duced the wearing of the white surplice by the minister at the celebration of the Eucharist. Antes disapproved of this, and in consequence withdrew from their communion. "This unhappy circumstance," say Henry Harbaugh, " grieved the Brethren, because they esteemed him highly for his practical Christianity and many offices of love in their behalf. And he himself was not slow to lament the estrangement, while both parties adhered to their respective views."

Prompted by this occurrence, Mr. Antes, in 1750 upon the removal of the school from his property, re- turned to Frederick township. He permitted those of his children that preferred to do so to remain with the Brethren, while the others of his family returned to the Reformed Church. Whether Mr. Antes him- self renewed his connection with the church of his youth is uncertain.

On the 25th of May, 1752, Ilenry Antes was ap- pointed a justice of the peace in Philadelphia County, of which Frederick township was then a part.

Towards the close of the year 1752 the Moravians desired Antes to accompany Spangenberg and others to make a journey to North Carolina to select and have surveyed a large tract which they had bought for the purpose of settling a colony there. A mes- senger was sent to Antes to extend an invitation to him to aecompany the party. This incident, as deseribed by John Antes, shows the resolute character ofhis father :

" When the messenger arrived at my father's, and learned that he was sick, and that doubts were entertained of his recovery, he did not think it proper to extend this invitation to him and accordingly returned. My father, however, who had been apprised of the arrival of a stranger, inquired particularly about him, and as soon as he learned his business he dispatched my eldest brother after him with a request to come back. No sovner had he learned of the invitation than he resolved, withont hesitation to comply with it, and from that moment his health im-

848

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY,

proved so rapidly that he was soon enabled to carry into effect his reso- lution."

In the wilds of North Carolina Antes suffered a great deal from a wound in the hand, which he received in cutting tent-poles. The hardships and dangers en- countered by the party in the undertaking are de- scribed in the " Life of Spangenberg." In the spring of 1753 Antes was enabled to return home, bnt from that time he was often attacked with disease.

In 1754, when the movement by the London Society to introduce English schools among the Germans was set on foot, the philanthopic heart of Antes was at once enlisted in its favor. Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, in a letter addressed to Rev. William Smith, giving an account of the meeting held at New Hanover respecting the proposed schools, says,-

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 184

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