History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 215

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

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CHAPTER LXVI.

NORRITON TOWNSHIP.

WILLIAM PENN, by a special order, dated Eleventh Month, 1689, directed Captain Thomas Holme, the surveyor-general of the province, "to lay out a traet of land on the canoable part of Schuylkill." In pur- snance of this order a survey was made,-

" Beginning at a hickory-tree hy the said Skoolkill, being the corner of Plymouth Township ; thence northwest by the same township nine hundred and fifty perches to another hickory-tree ; thence northwest in the line of a tract of land called Whitpain's Township, eleven hundred and sixty-nine perches, to corner oak in the line of said Proprietary's Manor of Gilberts (now Lower Providence) ; thence southwest, along said Manor line 1848 perches to a dog-tree, hy the said Skoolkill ; thence down the said River to the place of beginning."

The tract was said to contain seven thousand four hundred and eighty-two acres, and was designated

the "Manor of Williamstadt." It was intended as a princely gift for the son of the great proprietor, and lay directly opposite to a similar manor surveyed and laid out on the south side of the river for his daughter, Letitia Penn. A patent was granted October 2, 1704, conveying to William Penn, Jr., the manor or tract above described. The record disclosed the fact that on the 7th day of October of the same year, or five days after coming into the possession of this great estate, he parted with it to Isaae Norris and William Trent, merchants of Philadelphia. Eight years later, on Jan- uary 11, 1712, Mr. Norris acquired all the interest of Mr. Trent. The cost of the manor to Messrs. Norris and Trent was £850, a sum that has always been thought grossly inadequate, and by some writers believed to have resulted from the reckless and ini- provident character of the vendor. The ancient manor of Williamstadt remained intact until 1730, when, by the usnal proceedings upon the petition of resident property-owners, the township of Norriton was created and duly decreed by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia County. The original area of this town- ship was lessened by the creation of the borough of Norristown in 1812, which contained five hundred and twenty aeres, and subsequently (1853) extended its limits, embracing about fifteen hundred additional aeres, thus redneing the area to abont five thousand five hundred acres. At the time the manor was changed into a township there were twenty land- owners and tenants and five additional taxable in- habitants. It is manifest that the early settlers at- tached importance to the advantages of municipal government in the opening of publie roads and the construction of bridges over streams that had to be crossed in reaching saw and grist-mills, which at that day were of great importance to land-owners. The condition of the people from 1730 to 1784, fifty-four years, when the county was established, is greatly obscured. Being remote from Philadelphia, then the seat of municipal government, to which all assessments of property, justices' dockets and returns of all public officers were made, and the most valuable of these records being lost, we search in vain for authenticated facts to show the habits, manners and customs of the comparatively few people or families who lived and died in the early days of Norriton. The name of the township is in honor of the Norris family, the head of which, Isaac Norris, was prominent not only as a large land-owner, but also in public affairs. He was chosen eighteen times Speaker of the General Assembly, being first elected in 1713. He was finally appointed to the office of chief justice of the province, and was in the enjoyment of that position the year he died, 1735.

It was about this period that the people built a place of publie worship, known as the Norriton Pres- byterian Meeting-House. The stone structure now standing is the same in all its material parts as when built, though substantial repairs have undoubtedly

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

been made.1 Tradition says the building was used and greatly abused by the soldiers of both armies during the Revolution, and we are inclined to credit the story for the reason that it lay on the line of march of Washington when he moved to the battle of German- town, and on his line of retreat it was doubtless used by the stragglers and perhaps by wounded and worn- out soldiers for shelter and protection from the cold and frosty nights of that period of the year. The place was on the line of patrol between Valley Forge and Trenton, as traversed by the mounted men of Colonel Lacey, in keeping open communication be- tween the places named. This portion of the county was between the established lines and scouted by the horsemen of both parties. The main picket, east of the river, was stationed at the junction of roads now known as Jeffersonville, and where the old hotel was partially burned by the British in the winter of 1778. The danger to which the patriots was exposed at that time in this locality is referred to by David Ritten- house, who was then performing his duty as treasurer of the commonwealth at Lancaster City, and who wrote to his wife, then living with her children on the old Rittenhouse homestead, now occupied by Emanuel Gouldy. Mr. Rittenhouse wrote, January 26, 1778, as follows:

"I shall perhaps, before I seal this, Appoint a time to meet yon. In my last I partly promised to come to stay a fortnight with yon ; but I do not now think it so safe as I did then. In onr present situation, I should not think it prudent to stay above one night with you, as parties of horse are employed to pick up particular persons. For this reason I would rather meet yon at one of your Brothers', or at Sister's, but I apprehend the Schuylkill is at present difficult, if not dangerous, to cross, on account of the ice."

Mr. Rittenhouse seems oblivious of the fact that Washington had constructed a long bridge over the river at Valley Forge, and that he could have crossed at that point without hazard. The brothers he refers to were John and Israel Jacobs. The sister referred to was Mrs. Colonel Caleb Parry, whose husband was killed at the battle of Long Island, in July, 1776. Mr. Rittenhouse adds the following postscript to the above-mentioned letter :

"Tuesday Morning. Iam now nearly determined to appoint next Sat urday week, in the evening, to meet you at Brother John's ; and I fear it- may expose one or both to a very uncomfortable ride. I will, however, be there, if the weather be tolerable and health permits ; but do not come my dear H., if the weather be bad, because if I do not find yon there, I shall proceed to Brother Israel's, where I shall be glad to find you on Sun- day in order to accompany you home. If you can find any opportunity to write before then, I shall he glad to receive a line."

We are not advised whether the visit was made or not, but if it was, the distinguished citizen of Nor- riton certainly eluded the vigilance of the British scouts, who would have esteemed the treasurer of the commonwealth a prize of the first class.

1 William J. Buck, in his " History of Montgomery County," pub- lished in 1859, cites an act of Assembly, approved September, 1785, authorizing money to be raised by means of a lottery to make repairs to this meeting-bonse. Thie fact would indicate that repairs wero needed at the date hostilities ceased, while lotteries were nsed in those days for all manner of public improvements.

The personal property assessed in the name of the twenty land-holders at the time the township was created is reported to be one hundred and eighty- one horses, two hundred and sixty-nine horned cattle, fourteen negro slaves, two riding-chairs. The follow- ing places of business are noted : two grist-mills, four saw-mills, one tannery, six taverns, licensed to the following persons: Hannah Thompson, John Shannon, John Wentz, George Gilbert, Josiah Wood and Abraham Wolford. The land-holders assessed in 1734 were John Coulson, Samuel Evans, Henry Johnson, Evan Hughs, John Eastburn, Nicholas Robinson, William Hayes, Joseph Armstrong, Thomas Warner, Bartle Bartleson, John Hatfield, Aaron Roberts, Job Pugh, Jesse Pugh and Ellis Roberts. Persons named as tenants were Francis Mahony, Robert Roger, Robert Shannon, Charles Morris and William Robinson.

The population of Norriton in 1810 was 1336; in 1820, 1098; 1830, 1139; 1840, 1411; 1850, 1594. It appears remarkable that this township, composed of agricultural people, and without a transient popu- lation, should decrease so largely and lose two hundred and thirty-eight of its numbers between the years 1810 and 1820. The public highways of this township were opened early in its history. The Schuylkill River being of great importance to the people, and being fordable at ordinary stages of water, public roads led to and over it at many points long before the county was created. The Ridge and Germantown turnpike roads pass through the entire length of the township, while these are intersected by eross-roads at convenient distances, making it possible to reach almost every household from one or more of these public highways. There are about fifty miles of publie roadway in this township. Two supervisors have care of them, and they are kept in good repair, with substantial bridges built at all points where they cross Stony Creek, Indian Creek, Five-Mile Run, Saw-Mill Run and tributaries flowing into them. As the manners and habits of our ancestors changed in the matter of travel and transportation, public high- ways were improved and new ones were laid out and opened. So long as the farmers conveyed all their dairy products to Philadelphia on horseback, at- tended places of public worship, weddings, funerals, elections, militia trainings, and social gatherings in the same manner, indifferent highways answered their purposes, creeks and rivers were forded, and the slight dangers experienced in times of high-water or in sea- sons of sledding only added zest to the courage and horsemanship of the period. The supervisors would have been thought reckless in the expenditure of road tax if they would have cut down hills, filled trifling de- pressions, and planked over small water-courses, for our fathers and mothers, who galloped over these hills and hollows, could clear a trifling stream or ford a creek or river without moistening a skirt or soiling polished boot and buckskin in their merry rides.

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NORRITON TOWNSHIP.

When, however, the two-wheeled chair was sup- planted by the four-wheeled "Dearborn wagon," first with wooden and then with steel or elliptic springs, and subsequently, with still more luxurious means of travel, when pack-horses gave way to the stage-coach, and great Conestoga wagons and teams, and these were required to pass through Norriton, then it was that public highways were greatly im- proved and rapidly multiplied. The Egypt road, opened to public travel prior to 1776, was a very important one to through travel, while the con- struction and opening to public use of the Ridge and Germantown turnpikes, the former completed about 1800, the latter 1816, were deemed a matter of State interest, as they afforded certain high- ways at all seasons of the year for the transporta- tion of commodities to the interior, and connected with a system of turnpike roads leading to the Ohio River and settlements on the frontier. It was in this connection that the taverns or inns of Norriton enjoyed deserved prominence as houses of public accommoda- tion. It is still within the memory of the oldest surviv- ing people of the township when the hotels at Jefferson- ville, Trooper, Barley Sheaf, Penn Square, Spring- town, the old St. Clair House, near Hartranft Station, were crowded with teams and market people, two or three nights every week. Those were days when landlords " poured out " whisky and brandy for their patrons, and gave cordial welcome to the traveler who carried his eatables in his wallet, enjoyed his coffee and lunch in the " bar room," paid a levy for his bed, fed his own grain and hay to his horses and groomed them, gave a fip to the hostler, and was good- naturedly smiled upon by the jolly proprietor, who pressed all, in genuine hospitality, to " stop again." Time has wrought its changes upon the face of the country and its business, not less marked than in the manners and customs of the people. The wood-leaf or timbered lands have gradually disappeared, until but few groves are left; that remaining on the old Norris estate, now owned by Dr. John Schrack, is perhaps the largest. Log houses and barns have nearly all given place to substantial stone and frame improvements, neatly painted, indicating that sub- stantial thrift and fondness for home comfort that everywhere characterizes the permanently-settled people of this region of country.

The commerce of this township has undergone marked changes within the last thirty years. In 1850 Port Indian was an important point of local traffic. Lumber, coal, plaster, flour and feed, groceries and provisions were commodities dealt in by George B. Rieff and his successor, Philip Harley. A short distance below Port Indian, "Cherry-Tree Landing " was constructed, and E. C. Boorse for many years carried on the lumbering business there; between these two points Jonas Ashenfelter built a landing to transsbip coal for the supply of the Trooper Steant- Mills. All of these places of business have gone into

disuse and the trade transferred to other points. The Trooper Steam-Mills, built by Jesse L. Bean in 1847- 48, and operated for several years as saw and flour- mills, and subsequently, in 1855-56. remodeled by Dewalt Weber, and converted into cotton and woolen- mills, and as such operated by Christopher Blount and James Shaw, have also gone into disuse. The older residents will recall the store kept by William Hamill and Samuel Markley at the Trooper, more recently those at Harley's Corner and Penn Square ; these have been closed, and of the six hotels that public travel doubtless supported when the township was created only two within the present limits of the township are licensed, the one at Jeffersonville and the other at Penn Square.

The villages 1 in the township heretofore noted by writers are Jeffersonville, Norritonville, Penn Square and Springtown, to which we may now add Hoover- ton, or Hartranft Station, on the Stony Creek Rail- road, at the point where it crosses the Germantown turnpike. It is worthy of note that in the changes of time, and within a century, the place where stood two hotels, and (hence a village), where the first court in the county was held and many important conventions and assemblages in the history of the county occurred, should become obscure, and should so remain until the advent of railroads ; and then should become the loca- tion of a depot and place of business, promising to absorb rival villages on either side of it. Stony Creek flows by this new village, on which have been erected five saw and grist-mills, only three of which are still in use,-the Metz saw-mill, Wack's grist-mill and Sheetz's grist-mill.

The Post-Office was tirst established in this town- ship, January 1, 1829. It was located at Jeffersonville, and the mails were received from the line of stage- coaches that ran over the Ridge pike in going from Philadelphia to Reading and thence to Pittsburgh.

Subsequently post-offices were established at Penn Square and Norritonville. Within the last few years the office at Penn Square has been changed in name to Hartranft and located at Hartranft Station.

General Elections were first held in the town- ship under the act of Assembly approved May 3, 1852. The first election was held at the public- house of Reynard March, Jeffersonville, in the fol- lowing October, and by the terms of the act they were to be held alternately at the place first held and at Penn Square, and all general elections have thus been held since that date. Previously the vote of Norriton was polled at the court-house, Norris- town.

The mercantile appraiser for the year 1884 makes

! The villages of Norriton are all small in size, having the usual me- chanic industries. Jeffersonville was noted for many years as the place of manufacture of the famous Roberts and Foust plows ; the former pat- tern was patented by Seth Roberts, and were popular for many years among the farmers of Eastern Pennsylvania. The Foust plow was not patented, but acquired great favor by the superior workmanship of the mechanic who made them, Henry W. Foust.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

return of fifteen persons and places of public business in Norriton, viz. :

B. W. Baker, butcher ; John E. Bean, merchan- dise; F. Brusch, flour and feed; Joseph Custer, but- cher ; A. S. Clouser, flour and feed ; D. U. Cassel, merchandise ; A. S. Davis, merchandise ; D. C. Getty, agricultural implements ; H. C. Hoover, merchandise; Hoover & Son, lumber and feed ; Kennedy, butcher; T. L. Moore, butcher ; E. E. Ritter, butcher ; D. H. Ritter, live stock ; R. F. Wood, butcher.

The Common School system provided for by the general acts of Assembly, 1834-36, went into operation about 1838-39. Inquiry made of those connected with educational affairs of the township fails to dis- close the exact time, although we find Norriton noted among the early townships which took advantage of the system. Among the first directors who gave their aid and encouragement to the cause of popular education in the township were John Schrack, Daniel Getty, Robert Shannon, William Bean, A. W. Shearer1 and Samuel Miller. As early as 1845 they employed a female teacher. The person referred to was Miss Sarah Carson, who taught for several years at the Indian Creek school-house. The innovation was severely criticised by many tax-payers, who thought the " big boys " could never be controlled by a "young lady teacher." Experience, however, demonstrated that she maintained one of the best-conducted schools in the district. In the period referred to some por- tions of the district were certainly noted for incor- rigible "big boys." There are some gray-headed men, now residents of this township, who can recall with the writer the conduct of the scholars, greatly at variance with the uniform good behavior of the pupils of the present day. Charles Ames, a teacher in the Jeffersonville school, or "Yellow College," as it was facetiously termed in later years, being quite severe in his treatment of pupils, finally incurred the displeasure of the incorrigible boys of the old yellow school-house. A council of mischief was held and concerted action was at once agreed upon. Leaders remained at noon, while the teacher went to his din- ner at a neighboring farm-house. The little children were induced to leave the school-room as soon as they had eaten their dinners, and, in less time than we can describe the event, the shutters were closed and bolted on the inside, the iron poker was used to fasten the door leading to the school-room, and the last boy stepped out of the south-side window upon a rail held for his footing, and there securely nailed up the last shutter to the window-sill, his accomplices aiding him to reach the ground in safety.

The cellar-door had been securely fastened from the

inside, and the work of "locking the teacher out" was done. Mr. Ames came at the appointed hour, and to his mortification found the house closed. None of the little pupils could tell who did it, while all the "big boys " were in the adjoining woodland " playing ball." By the aid of the small boys and a bar of iron that happened to be at hand the teacher pried open the nailed shutter and repossessed himself of the school- room.

The event was the subject of neighborhood gossip for the time, and the question was, who was to be the "master?" The "lock-out" took place on Thurs- day, and the "big boys" who planned and executed it did not return for study until the following Monday morning. Meantime, parents and directors had been informed, and the " boys " were all ordered to school, there to account for their conduct. After the opening exercises had taken place the absentees were called from their seats and paraded in front of the teacher's desk. Many of them were young men in size and weight. All had not been participants in the work of "locking ont the teacher." A number had accompa- nied the leaders at the time of the event, and were induced to remain out of school until compelled to return by their parents. This fact was known to the teacher, who gave them the option of confessing their folly before the school or take the punishment to be inflicted ; or, if unwilling to do either, then to suffer expulsion. Not one of the line wavered, not one made any acknowledgment of error or pleaded any excuse. Then came the final alternative, " Will you leave the school or suffer punishment? " The moment was of supreme interest to all present. There were little boys and gentle sisters who had big brothers in the line of insubordinates. Some heads were bowed in conscious shame; some mischievons eyes gazed steadily at the teacher ; still others appeared stolid, having made up their minds to suffer the infliction, . but none were willing to leave the school.

Opening his desk, the teacher took out a heavy oak ruler, and, taking number one by the hand, pressing the palm open, he inflicted a number of blows upon it, the severity of which was keenly felt and silently suffered. To all the others he meted out the same measure of punishment, and then all were dismissed and ordered to their seats. Thenceforth, Mr. Ames was " master " of the situation; but he was not a suc- cessful teacher, and never returned to the school after his term expired. We instance this episode in a Nor- riton school as an illustration of what our schools were forty and fifty years ago, as contrasted with those conducted under a different system of discipline now. Had the good-will of these pupils been sought after, had their confidence been obtained by kindly offices, instead of seeking to control them by arousing their fears, results would have been widely different, and the relations between pupil and teacher would have been respectful and affectionate.

The boys and girls of this period, not less than their

1 The land on which the Indian Creek school-house and adjoining play-grounds stand, was given gratuitously by the heirs of the Norris estate, and the same is excepted ont of the deed executed by A. W. Shearer and wife, to the present owners, so long as the same shall be used for educational purposes. When no longer thus used it reverts to the premises from which it was originally taken.

NORRITON TOWNSHIP.

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parents, are to be congratulated upon the disuse of punishments that made the school-room a terror to timid and innocent children, and upon the prevail- ing kindness, yet firmness, of teachers who have been able to preserve order and discipline among boys and young men in attendance upon the common schools throughout the county.

There are five public schools in Norriton town- ship. They have one hundred and ninety-nine pupils enrolled, and are open eight months in the year. Teachers are paid thirty-eight dollars per month. Male and female teachers are employed, and receive equal salary.

Places of Religious Worship .- THE NORRITON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, located at the north corner

date as early as 1679. This, however, is traditionary, and must be taken with some allowance for the na- tural zeal of the antiquarian. While circumstances point to greater antiquity than is generally conceded this place of worship, we have but little definite in- formation of the congregation until about 1740. It is said that large accessions were made to the church, resulting from a general religious revival, which be- gan in New Jersey under the ministrations of Rev. John Tennent, and found its way to this community in 1832. It is certain that a division occurred in this congregation in 1741, which resulted in building a new meeting-house, called New Providence, being the same congregation that is now, and has been for many years past, presided over by the Rev. H. S.

THE NORRITON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI.

of the township, where the line crosses the German- town turnpike, was the first built by that denomination in the county. It has been designated "the mother of all the Presbyterian Churches in this vicinity, and is among the oldest in the State." 1

Historians of this religious persuasion, Rev. Messrs. Ralston and Collins, claim that it was known as a place of burial as early as the year 1700. It is said that a date stone, which had fallen from the gable wall many years ago, was observed to bear

1 The old stone building still stands, and in the graveyard adjoining it there were discovered, several years since, some tombstones dated between 1689 and 1700. It is said also that at the same time and place a sandstone tablet was found bearing the date of 1679 .- Historical Sketch of First Presbyterian Church, Norristown, Pa., 1876, by J. Grier Ruxton, D. D.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 215

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