History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 225

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 225

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" May 20th, 1776.

"GENTLEMEN :

"Age and infirmities having rendered me unable to officiate in publick at this time, you are not to expect me at church any more till circumstances are altered, and when it shall please God to a better

state, and I can again with safety return to ye exercise of my functions. I will confine myself to your church if ye congregation will make ye Glebe House fit for me to live in.

" From your loving Pastor, "Wst. CURRIE."

During and immediately after the Revolutionary war it was impossible to have a clergyman of the Episco- pal Church ordained; so this church was without a rector for several years. In 1787, August 14th, at a meeting held at Norristown by two delegates each, from St. James', St. David's, Radnor, and St. Peter's, Great Valley,-it was agreed to apply to Bishop White1 for an Episcopal minister to officiate at the above churches. In consequence of this invitation, the Rev. Slaton Clay was assigned to that field. He took up his residence at the parsonage of St. James', where he continued to live and served as rector for thirty-four years. He was followed by Rev. John Reynolds, who came in 1832. In 1839, Rev. N. Peck was elected pastor of the church, and in 1843 the Rev. George Mintzer. It was during his charge that the present large and commodious church building was erected on the west side of the Germantown turnpike road. From that time to the present the names of the rectors and the time of their election are as follows: Rev. Robert Paul, August 7, 1857 ; Rev. M. R. Stockton,

1 Bishop William White, D. D. born Philadelphia March 26, 1748, died Philadelphia July 17, 1836 in the eighty-ninth year of his age,-" Father of the American church."

Bishop White frequently officiated at the St. James' Episcopal Church, Perkiomen (Evansburg). Miunte book No. 2 of the vestry of the parish

BISHOP WILLIAM WHITE, D. D.

records that Slaytor Clay was confirmed by this distinguished Divine in the year 1787. Mr. Clay subsequently became Rertor of the parish, Of a class confirmed by Bishop White in this church 1816 there are two sur- vivors, Mrs. William Bean, and Mrs Charlotte Weber, both over ninety years of age and residing in Norristown.

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LOWER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.

October 25, 1858; Rev. Mr. Allen, March 16, 1863; Rev. Mr. Tays, June 25, 1865; Rev. Mr. Ireland, April 2, 1868 ; Rev. Peter Russel, April 19, 1869 ; Rev. Mr. Karcher, July 1, 1873; Rev. E. P. Brown, April 27, 1874; Rev. J. L. Heysinger, April 1, 1876. Rev. Mr. Heysinger resigned the charge November 1, 1884, so that the church is now without a rector.

The cemetery connected with the church contains many ancient tombstones ; the oldest is that of a per- son who died November 24, 1723. Among those bur- ied here the principal family names are Asheton, Burr, Boyce, Bean, Bringhurst, Casselberry, Christ- man, Custer, Coates, Church, Deeds, Davis, Dill, De- wees, Evans, Fry, Force, Fronfield, Fox, Gray, Gouldy, Hallman, High, Holson, llarwood, Jacobs, Jones, Keel, Lewis, Lane, Markley, Munshower, Newberry, Morton, Pugh, Pawling, Prizer, Prevost, Rhoads, Rambo, Reed, Robeson, Shannon, Skeen, Saylor, St. Clair, Shupe. Tyson, Vanderslice, Wilson Wolmer and Yorke. A handsome granite monument marks the grave of Wright A. Bringhurst.

The Providence Presbyterian Church stands on the west side of the Ridge turnpike road, on a high ridge of land, just below the village of Eagleville. The origin of this church is to be found in the Norriton Church, which still stands in Norriton township, where services were held as early as 1678. The deed for the land is dated 1704, purchased of the an- cestors of David Rittenhouse. The first church built in Providence was in 1730, although the time of its organization is not known. The families prominent in its organization were Scotch-lrish, and inelude the names of Stewart, Armstrong, MeFarland, Patter- son, Bryan and Porter. The two churches stood sep- arate until 1758 when they united and took the name of Norriton and Lower Providence Presbyterian Church. Among the families at this time are found the names of McCrea, McGlathery, Todd, Hamill, White, Getty, Stinson, etc. The present church edi- fiee was built in 1844, is a large and imposing struc- ture, and was greatly beautified and enlarged in 1875, by building a new front of dressed stone. The fol- lowing persons have served as pastors of this eongre- gation, viz. Malachi Jones, David Evans, Richard Treat, Samuel Evans, John Rowland, John Campbell, Benjamin Chestnut, David MeCalla, William M. Ten- nent, D.D., Joseph Barr, John Smith, Charles W. Nassau, D.D., William Woolcott, Joshua Moore, Thomas Eustis, R. W. Landis, D.D., Sylvanus Haight and Henry S. Rodenbough.

John Campbell was struck with palsy, in the pul- pit as he had just read the psalm,

" Dear in thy sight is thy saints' death. Thy servant, Lord, am I."

On his tombstone, in the cemetery adjoining the church, is written,

" In yonder sacred House I spent my breath, Now silent mouldering here I lie in death ;

These silent lips shall wake, and yet declare

A dread Amen, to truths they nttered there."

The pastorate of William M. Tennent, D.D., con- tinued for thirty years, while the present incumbent enjoys the distinguished honor of being the oldest pastor in continuous service at his present church in the county. He was called to this field of labor on January 29, 1845, and on January 29, 1885, the for- tieth anniversary of his pastorate was very appropriate- ly celebrated by his members and many ministers and friends from the surrounding community.

The Lower Providence Baptist Church was es- tablished about the year 1809, and in the summer of that year the first church edifice was erected on the site of the present building. This structure was of stone, twenty-eight feet by thirty-five feet, and its entire cost was 8951.98. The land upon which it stood was donated to the congregation by Benjamin Davis. The building was dedicated and opened for divine service on the 1st day of June, 1810. The formalinstitution ofthe church organization took place Angust 5, 1810, at which time a constitution was adopted, and Wil- liam Johnson and Daniel Morgan chosen and ordained to the deaconship.

Rev. Daniel James, formerly of the Third Baptist Church of Philadelphia, was ordained as the first pas- tor of the congregation on December 20, 1812.

Ax the congregation grew in numbers it was found that their building was too small, and on the 6th of June, 1835, a committee was appointed to devise a remedy, and upon its report a building committee was appointed, consisting of Daniel Morgan, David Allebach and 1. Kurtz, to superintend the ereetion of a new house, forty by fifty feet.

This second house was dedicated, with interesting ceremonies, on the 19th of November, 1836, the dedi- catory sermon being preached by Rev. Simeon Seig- fried. Sr. This building stood for seven years, until on the evening of February 21, 1843, when it was burned down. The congregation decided to rebuild at onee, and appointed John Sister, Nathan Davis, John Reese, Isaac Johnson, David Allebach and Theodore Morgan a committee for that purpose.

This building was dedicated August 6, 1843, Rev. Samuel Aaron, of Norristown, preaching the opening sermon.' In a few years this third building was found too small for the continually increasing mem- bership, whereupon, on August 5, 1876, the congrega- tion decided to ereet a larger house of worship. A building committee, consisting of William J. Reese, I. Johnson, H. C. Harley, E. C. Keelor, J. C. Saylor, Jos. Miller and Samuel O. Perry, was appointed, and under their supervision the present edifice of pointed stone-work, seventy-two feet by forty-eight feet, was erected. The dedicatory service took place December 13, 1877, making four church buildings in less than three-fourths of a century. The church has a mem- bership of over two hundred, sustains two Sunday- schools and maintains regular services in a neat chapel, owned by the church and located in the vil- lage of Shannonville.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Evansburg ix a substantial stone structure, with a seating ea- paeity of about two hundred and fifty. It stands upon the east side of the Perkiomen and Germantown turn- pike road, and was erected in the year 1841. It has been used as a house of public worship from that time until the present.

At the lower end of Evansburg is a Mennonist com- etery. Quite a number of old tombstones mark the last resting-place of the Funks, Gutwals, Detwilers, Crolls and others. The most distinguished of the dead here buried is Jolin Funk, who was very well known in the times of the Revolution as the author of " The Mirror of All Mankind," in which the rights of the colonies to resist British oppression were ably ad- vocated. The oldest tombstone bears date 1815.

Among the eminent men of Lower Providence may be mentioned the Lanes, Shannons and Pawlings, also Marsteller and Diemer, already spoken of among the early settlers of Providence. In addition are several deserving of mention. Perhaps the most distinguished citizen that ever lived within the limits of the town- ship was John James Audubon.

JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, the celebrated American ornithologist, was a son of John Audubon and Anne Moynette, his wife, both natives of the commune of Coucron, near the city of Nantes, in France. He had been an officer in the naval service of his country, but in consequence of Louisiana being then a French possession, he removed there, and settled on a planta- tion near New Orleans, where his son was born the 4th of May, 1780. Under the instruction of his father, who was a man of education, he was early tanght a love of natural objeets, to which he after- wards attributed his inclinations to those pursuits. While quite young he was sent to Paris to pursue his education. While there he attended the school of natural history and arts, and in drawing took lessons from the celebrated David. He returned in his eighteenth year, when his father resided in Phila- delphia, and who had, as early as March 28, 1780, as we learn from the county records, purchased of Augustin Prevost, in Providence township, at the mouth of the Perkiomen Creek, a tract of two hundred and eighty-five acres of land, with a grist and saw- mill. Mr. Audubon, the younger, about the begin- ning of the present century, resided on this plantation, and in the charming preface to his "Birds of America," gives the following account of it :

"In Pennsylvania, a beautiful State almost central on the hne of our Atlantic shores, my father, in his desire of proving my friend through life, gave me what Americans call a beautiful 'plantation,' refreshed during the summer heats by the waters of the Schuylkill River and traversed by a creek named Perkioming. Its fine woodlands, its exten- sive fields, its hills crowned with evergreens, offered many subjects to agreeable studies, with as little concern about the future as if the world had been made for me. My rambles invariably commenced at break of day ; and to return wet with dew and bearing a feathered prize was, and ever will be, the highest enjoyment for which I have been fitted."

It was here where he conceived the plan of his great work, and, in reality, laid its first foundation ; it

was here, too, where he married his wife and his eldest son was born.

On au adjoining farm lived William Bakewell, an Englishman by birth, a gentleman of a highly refined mind and cultivated manners. He had a valuable library and extensive philosophical apparatus. To his house, as may be well supposed from congeniality of taste and dispositions, Mr. Audubon was a frequent visitor, which resulted in an intimacy with Lucy, Mr. Bakewell's eldest daughter by a first wife, and which resulted in a marriage about 1806. Some time in the following year Mr. Audubon and Ferdinand Rozier entered into partnership as merehants, in Phila- delphia, where he resided a portion of his time, till the summer of 1809, when he and his partner removed to Lonisville, Ky., to continue in the same business. He sold the farm given him by his father to Josepli Williams in the spring of 1810. As a merchant he confesses that he was not successful, and that his love for the fields, the flowers, the forests and their winged inhabitants unfitted him for trade. We find mention made of his visiting his father-in-law, in Lower Providence, in 1810 and 1812, in pursuit of rare and curious birds. Indeed, he several times mentions in his great work the discovery of new species of birds in this county, which had heretofore remained unde- scribed.

While at Louisville, in March, 1810, he was visited by the celebrated Alexander Wilson. He says he entered his counting-room and asked him to subscribe to his work on American ornithology. By his own statement, Mr. Audubon appears to have received him rather coolly, perhaps, at that time, having formed the idea of becoming his rival. Shortly after this period of his life, Mr. Blake, in his " Biographical Dictionary," thus speaks of Audubon,-

" Ilis life was one of bold and fearless adventure, of romantic incident, and constantly varying fortune. ITardly a region in the United States was left unvisited by him, and the most inaccessible haunts of nature were disturbed by this adventurous and indefatigable ornithologist, to whom a new discovery or a fresh experience was only the incentive to greater ardor and further efforts in his favorite department of science."

In April, 1824, he sought patronage in Philadelphia for the publication of his work, but he appears to have been unsuccessful, for he at least relinquished it. He says,-

" America being my country, and the principal pleasures of my life hav- ing been obtained there, I prepared to leave it with deep sorrow, after in vain trying to publish my illustrations in the United States. In Phila- delphia, Wilson's principal engraver, amongst others, gave it as his opinion to my friends that my drawings could not be engraved. In New York other difficulties presented themselves, which determined me to carry my collections to Europe."

In August of this year, while fifteen hundred miles from home, in Upper Canada, on one occasion he mentions that his money was stolen from him, when he took to painting portraits, by which he got plenty to carry him home. To meet with better encourage- ment he at last sailed for England, where he arrived in 1826. He commenced the publication of his work at

LOWER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.

1055

Edinburgh in 1827, but afterwards transferred it to London, where the first volume was completed in 1830, containing one hundred plates. William Swain- son, Esq., in a review of this work, published in the Natural History Magazine for May, 1828, says,-

" The size of the plates exceeds anything of the kind I have ever seen or heard of ; they are no less than three feet three inches long by two feet two inches broad. On this vast surface every bird is represented in its full dimensions. Large as is the paper, it is sometimes (as in the male wild turkey) barely sufficient for the purpose. In other cases, it enables the painter to group his figures in the most beautiful and varied attitudes, on the trees and plants they frequent. Some are feeding, others darting, pursuiog or capturing their prey : all have life and animation, The plants, fruits and flowers which enrich the scene are alone still. These

in the library of the American Philosophical Society, in Philadelphia.

Mr. Audubon in 1839 returned to his native country and established himself with his family on the banks of the Hudson, near the city of New York. The following year he commenced the publication of his "Birds of America," in seven imperial volumes, of which the last was issued in 1844. The plates in this edition, reduced from his larger illustrations, were engraved and colored in a most elegant manner by Mr. Bowen, of Philadelphia, under the direction of the author. llis labors as a naturalist did not cease

Laut Gbuster

latter, from their critical accuracy, are as valuable to the botanist as the birds are to the ornithologist."

The applause with which it was received was enthusiastic and universal. The Kings of England and France had placed their names at the head of his subscription-list ; he was made a Fellow of the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, and a member of the Natural History Society of Paris. With the first volume he obtained one hundred and eighty subscribers at eight hundred dollars each for the work, of which only six were in the United States. The second volume was finished in 1834. This edition contained in all about eight volumes, of which there is a copy

here, for, with the assistance of the Rev. John Baeh- man, he prepared for the press "The Quadrupeds of Ameriea," in three large octavo volumes, illustrated by fine colored drawings, which was published the year of his death by his son, V. G. Audubon. The last years of his life were spent in his country-seat, in a quiet and retired manner, mingling little with the world at large. The celebrated naturalist Cuvier, in speaking of his great work, said it was "the most splendid monument which art has erected in honor of ornithology." His death took place the 27th of January, 1851, at the age of seventy-one years. It is a singular fact that Wilson and Audubon, the two

1056

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

greatest writers on American birds, both caught their first inspirations on the banks of the Schuylkill. On this stream, too, Dr. Godman, the zoologist, and Say, the entomologist, also pursued their favorite studies.

William Bakewell owned a fine farm in this town- ship, where he died in 1822. He was a wealthy English gentleman of very extensive scientific ac- quirements. He had a very fine library and many philosophical apparatus. His daughter Lucy became the wife of the ornithologist, AAudubon. Bakewell's plantation was formerly in possession of a friend named Vaux, who kept open house during the Revo- lution when the American army was encamped at Valley Forge. One day he had the honor of having Lord Howe to breakfast and Washington to tea.

Samuel D. Patterson was a native of this township. He became an eminent author, poet and journalist For several years he edited Graham's Magazine with great credit. His widow yet survives him and lives in Evansburg.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

JACOB G. CUSTER.

Mr. Custer is the grandson of Jacob Kishter, who emigrated from Holland at an early date and pur- chased a tract of land in Worcester township, Mont- gomery Co. He had four sons and four daughters, among whom Jacob, the father of Jacob G., married Mary Gouldy, of Norriton township, and had chil- dren,-Jacob G., David, Samuel G., Mary (Mrs. Jesse Davis), Barbara (Mrs. Abram Detwiler) Rebecca (Mrs. Andrew Hleiser), Charlotte (Mrs. Samuel Tyson) and Elizabeth (Mrs. William Getty). Jacob G. was born April 2, 1814, on the homestead in Worcester township, where the days of his boyhood were spent. His delicate health precluded a thorough education, and rendered it desirable to engage in active out-of-door employments. He was, therefore, early made familiar with the labor peculiar to the life of a farmer. He was, on the 23d of February, 1841, mar- ried to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Colonel John Getty, of Lower Providence township, their only child being Anne, wife of Benjamin F. Whitby, of Eagleville. Mrs. Custer's death occurred in September, 1867. Six years after his marriage Mr. Custer purchased a farm in Lower Providence township, which he cultivated for many years, dairyiog being made a specialty. His son-in-law, Mr. Whitby, subsequently managed it for twelve years, after which it was rented, Mr. Custer and his family having meanwhile removed to Eagle- ville, his present home. In politics the subject of this biographical sketch is a Republican, having formerly been allied with the Whig party. His business pur. suits have, however, left no leisure for participation in matters of a political character. He is one of the

managers of the Montgomery Mutual Insurance Com- pany, of Norristown, and has frequently been solicited to exercise the office of guardian. He is a member of the Lower Providence Presbyterian Church, in which he has for thirty years held the office of trustee.

CHAPTER LXXIL.

UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP. !

THE township of Upper Providence, as established in 1805, is bounded on the north hy Perkiomen town- ship; on the east by the Perkiomen Creek, separating it from Lower Providence; on the southwest by the Schuylkill River and, on the northwest by Limerick township. Its length is nearly six miles, and breadth three miles, and it contains twelve thousand and ninety-five acres of land. The lands are nearly all productive, the assessment of 1882 showing the total valne of real estate in the township to be $2,420,405 ; number of taxables, 877. The census of 1880 shows the number of inhabitants to be 3592, which is only surpassed by two townships of the county, to wit : Lower Merion and Pottsgrove.

From the formation of the township to the year 1832 the general elections were held at the public-house of David Dewees Trapp; from 1832 to 1844, at the tavern of Jacob Heebner, and from that date to the present at the "Lamb Tavern," Trappe, excepting since Decem- ber 2, 1878, the township being divided into two elec- tion districts, the electors of the new, or Lower District, have been voting at the Port Providence Band Hall.

The township elections are held at the public-house of Jacob Frederick, known as the "Fountain Inn." They have been held here since 1852 or 1853. Before that time they were held at the house of Catharine Dewees, widow of David Dewees.

The names of the justices of the peace up to the year 1838 are given in Providence township. Since that date the following persons have been elected and have served in that office, with the respective dates of their elections: 1840, 1845 and 1850, John Dismant ; 1840, 1845 and 1853, Matthias Haldeman ; 1850, Joshua Place ; 1855, 1860 and 1865, Samuel Hunsicker; 1857, David Beard; 1862, 1867, 1872 and 1877, Henry W. Kratz; 1869 and 1874, Roger D. Shunk; 1879, David R. Landis; 1881, R. A. Grover; 1882, Abraham D. Fetterolf.

The following constables have served in the township : 1807, George Urmiller ; 1808, Jacob Vanderslice ; 1809, Peter Waggonseller; 1810, John Groves; 1811, Jacob Shire; 1812-14; Abraham Trechler ; 1815-16, Samuel Smith; 1817-19, Christian Stetler ; 1820 -21, Isaac HIall- man ; 1822, Joseph Goodwin; 1823, Philip Koons; 1824, Abraham Showalter; 1825-28, James Miller; ]<29-30,

1 By F. M. Hobson.

UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.

1057

Henry Shields; 1831, Jacob Shuler; 1832-41, John Patterson; 1842, Andrew Boyer; 1843-46, Charles Tyson ; 1847-54, William Gristock; 1855, Aaron Fretz; 1856-58, Samuel Hendricks; 1859, Henry Fox ; 1860-63, Israel Place; 1864, Thomas Garber; 1865, Joseph Walter; 1866-69, Davis A. Raudenbush ; 1870, Abner W. Johnson ; 1871-75, David Hunsicker; 1876- 81, Francis R. Shape; 1882, Samuel R. Pugh ; 1883, William B. Logan, Jr. ; 1884, Jonas R. Umstead.

The villages of Upper Providence are Trappe, Freeland, Collegeville, Oaks, Green Tree, Port Provi- dence and Quincyville, or Mont Clare. The post- offiees are Collegeville, Oaks, Port Providence, Trappe and Yerkes.

The oldest village, and the one around which clusters the richest historial associations, is the an- cient village of Trappe. Many men of considerable im- portance in State and nation have been born and bred within its limits or in its neighborhood. The first name of this village was Landau. Samuel Seely bought one hundred and fifty acres of land in the village Octo- ber 19, 1762. This land lies on the west side of the turnpike road, nearly opposite the Lutheran Church. Some time between 1762 and 1765, Mr. Scely divided this land into town-lots, and named the town "Lan- dau." An old draft shows fifty-seven lots thus laid out, the first nineteen fronting on the old Manatawny road, called Front Street. The lots were sixty-six by one hundred and sixty-five feet. The lots were all sold as follows : No. 1, Peter Hicks; 2, Israel Jacob; 3, James Richardson ; 4, Thomas Bower; 5, 34 and 35, Thomas Bunn; 6, James Hamer; 7, Richard Lewis; S, Joseph Ramsey ; 9, John Buckwalter ; 10, 16, 23 and 29, Joseph Seely; I1, P. Flanagan; 12 and 27, Adam Hallman; 13 and 26, John Schrack ; 14, Jacob Peterman ; 15, George Essig; 17, Edwin De Haven; 19 and 20, Abraham Brosins; 28, John Carter. This town, which was expected, no doubt, by the founder, to rival the metropolis, existed mostly on paper, and would, no doubt, have been entirely lost had it not been recently reseued and brought to light by Dr. James Hamer, of Collegeville.

About the time Mr. Seely was trying to impress this name upon the village at the upper end another name was being applied to it at the lower end, which was more successful. Before this the name of Trap or Trapp was given to the hotel, which then stood on the present site of Mr. John Longstreth's house. From this hotel the village derived its name Trappe. Con- eerning the origin of the name Trappe there has been considerable speculation. That the name was of local origin seems the most reasonable. Two theories of the origin of the name are worthy of attention,-the Muhlenberg and the Shunk theories. The Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the venerable and honorable founder of the Lutheran Church, made this entry in his journal kept at the time,-

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 225

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