History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 243

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 243

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General Henry Scheetz, son of the aforesaid Henry and Catharine Scheetz, was born at the homestead on Sandy Run, in Whitemarsh, in 1761. His education was received in the schools of the neighborhood. During the rebellion of John Fries, in 1798, the com- mand of a county brigade was assigned him. When they arrived in the vicinity the affair had subsided; he returned and the troops disbanded. In 1805 he was elected a member of the Assembly, followed, in 1808, as one of the directors of the new poor-house. In September, 1811, was appointed by Governor Sny- der major-general of the Second Division of the Penn- sylvania militia. After the breaking out of the war with England he marched with his command to Marcus Hook and the protection of Dupont's powder-works, near Wilmington. After the unsuc- cessful attempt of General Ross on Baltimore the militia were recalled and discharged. In 1817, Gen- eral Scheetz was elected one of the directors of the Montgomery Bank, at Norristown. He was appointed, in 1830, one of the six viewers for laying out the State road from New Hope,on the Delaware,through Doyles- town, Norristown and West Chester, to the Maryland line. Though in his seventy-seventh year, he was elected, in 1837, one of the members from Montgomery County to frame a new Constitution for the State, the duties of which he faithfully performed. Having a competency, he retired from business, making his home in Valley Green, where he died September 4, 1848, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. The plain, substantial two-story house he occupied is still stand-

ing on the east side of the turnpike, near the Springfield line, above Flourtown, and is now owned by Samuel Van Winkle, Jr. He left nine surviving children, all by his first wife. His descendants are numerous, bear- ing the names of Scheetz, Hitner, Seehler, Wentz and Aeuff. His daughter Catharine was married to Dan- iel Hitner, of Marble Hall, and was the mother of Daniel O. and Henry L. Hitner, long and well-known business men of the county.

Among the eminent teaeliers of the past may be mentioned Patrick Menan, a native of Ireland, who resided on a farm of fifty acres at the east corner of the cross-roads at the present Marble Hall. Here, in addition to school-teaching, he followed for a long time conveyancing and surveying. He wrote, in 1746, the deed for the old burying-ground near Williams' school-house and witnessed it, which indicates that he must have resided in the township some time previously. He was made one of its trustees in 1786. Among the pupils of his school can be mentioned General Andrew Porter and the eminent philosopher, David Rittenhouse; to attend, they came daily from the homes of their parents, in Norriton and Worces- ter, six miles distant. Through his instructions they made rapid progress in mathematics. In the assessment of 1780 he is reported as being "aged" and as keeping a horse. He died February 5, 1791, aged eighty years, and is interred in the graveyard mentioned, where a tombstone has been erected to his memory.

The road from Plymouth, through Whitemarsh, to the eity was laid out quite early, as also that from the present village of Whitemarsh. The latter, we know, was opened in 1703. What is now known as the Reading or Manatawny road was laid out, fifty feet wide, from Wissahiekon Mill to Edward Lane's, at the Perkiomen. In 1714 the Skippack road was opened, striking the road to the eity at Farmar's mill, in the present village of Whitemarsh. What is now termed the Church road, leading from St. Thomas' Church to Oxford, was laid out in 1811. The Germantown and Perkiomen turnpike was completed in 1804, twenty- five miles in length, at a cost of two hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars, and solely built by indi- vidual subscription. In 1874 the company forfeited its charter through a snit with the city of Philadel- phia, by which the latter was required to pay to the stockholders ninety-one thousand dollars, and the whole road made free to travel. Since said date the several townships in the county through which it passes are required to keep it in order. The Skippaek road was turnpiked in 1855, and the Township Line road, from Plymouth Meeting to Upper Dublin, the same year.

The mill built by Edward Farmar, on the Wissa- hickon, before 1713, stood where the Gwynedd and North Wales and Philadelphia roads cross the Skippack. In 1722 a well-traveled pathway is men- tioned leading from the present Bridge Point, on

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the Neshaminy, below . Doylestown, through Græme Park, to this mill, thus showing a necessity of coming hither for flour, a distance of thirteen miles, previous to said date. After the death of Edward Farmar it came in possession of Samuel Morris, thence to his brother, Joshua Morris, and next to his son-in-law, Isaac Mather, who ereeted the present mill and mansion- house. After his death it passed to William Miller, who owned it but a short time, when Samuel W. Comley became the possessor, who carried on milling for many years; next, Wm. H. Witte, from whom it passed to Charles Otterson, Esq., of Philadelphia, the present owner. A violent tornado visited this property in 1837, unroofing the buildings, twisting off the tops of trees and carrying them towards Camp Hill, on which occasion also a huge spiral column of water arose from the dam to a great height, dropping the fishes in the neighboring fields. Its fury was chiefly confined to this locality.

What was known as Joseph Lukens' grist-mill, near the Upper Dublin line, has been converted into a manufactory of woolen goods, but has not been in operation for some time. Before the Revolution it was owned by Daniel Morris. A grist-mill was erected on the Sandy Run, beside the Spring House turnpike, which has been converted into an auger factory, before 1850, by Albert Conard, and who still carries on the business. The mill now owned by Silas Cleaver is near the Springfield line, and has been greatly improved. He is now enabled, with the as- sistance of a steam-engine, added in 1882, to grind two hundred bushels of wheat per day. This mill was also originally built by Edward Farmar, on whose death it passed into the hands of his son-in-law, Peter Robe- son, thence descended to his son Jonathan, after which William Dewees, Esq., beeame owner. About the beginning of this century it came in possession of Nicholas Kline, of Flourtown, who erected the present mill and was for some time its owner. There is also a grist-mill on the Wissahickon, three-quarters of a mile above this, belonging to J. B. Comly, the history of which we have not ascertained. The average volume of the Wissahiekon, like that of other streams, by the removal of forests and the drainage and cultivation of the adjacent land for nearly two centuries, has been materially reduced.

On the farm lately owned by Lewis A. Lukens, near the Wissahickon, is an old burying-ground that de- serves notice. It was used for this purpose in 1722 and most probably earlier. Samuel Farmar, a son of Edward, conveyed, by a deed dated September 2, 1746, half an aere of ground to Henry Bartleson, Peter Knight and James Strond, for the purpose of a burying-ground and place of worship, for the consider- ation of five pounds Pennsylvania enrreney. Peter Knight, as the last surviving trustee, continued the trust, August 2, 1786, to George Hocker, Nicholas Kline, Patrick Menan, Peter Bartleson and Bartle Bartleson, for the object contemplated. For its better

preservation and eare the whole was inclosed in a wall, which has now become greatly dilapidated. The earliest tombstone here containing an inscription is that of John Nieols Knight, who died December 29, 1729, aged forty years and ten months. It is of some size, deeply paneled, with antique-looking letters, which, for that early day, must have cost some labor as well as expense. Isaae Knight and Isaac Knight, Jr., who were land-holders in Abington in 1734, may have been relatives. A stone is inseribed to the mem- ory of Elizabeth Bartleson, who died March 24, 1769, aged sixty, and another to Bartle Bartleson, deceased February 17, 1777, aged eighty years. The names of Trump, Menan, Siddon, Hench, Coleman, Mason and Bilger are also found here. A number of the graves are unmarked, which, of course, cannot now be ascer- tained. Among those were some of the Kline family and George Heydriek. That no house of worship was built here, as originally designed, was probably owing to the erection of Barren Hill Church, in 1761.

On the main roads passing through this town- ship from the northwestward, and leading to Philadel- phia, there was, before the introduction of rail- roads, a great amount of travel, which, of course, necessitated a nse for inns. From the records we learn that Joseph Norris was licensed in 1773 and James Stringer in 1774; in 1778, Conrad Bean, Jacob Hauser, George Hitner and Isaae Lyle. Besides Bean and Lyle, the following year the names of Ludwig Dagen, Frederick Houseman and Andrew Gilkison are mentioned. In 1785 five public-houses were licensed ; four of these were kept by George Daub, George Eckhart, Christian Steer and Ludwig Dagen. Conrad Bean kept at Barren Hill and George Eck- hart at Whitemarsh, where the elections were so long held. Sandy Run tavern was advertised for sale in 1809, with stabling for one hundred horses ; it has recently ceased as a public-house. George Streeper advertises the "Rising Sun " tavern for sale, on the Ridge road in 1810, eleven miles from the city. The stand of George Eckhart, on the Spring House turn- pike, must have been an old and noted one. It was kept by a Mr. Bisbing ; next by Philip Sellers, who was here at least in 1811 and continued in the business until after 1829. Ile kept the post-office here in 1816, and was sheriff from 1819 to 1822. Jacob W. Haines afterwards became the owner and kept it and the post-office many years. On coming into the possession of William H. Witte, of Philadelphia, who moved here, he converted it into a private dwelling, which it still remains.

Among those who held township offices in the past may be mentioned Nicholas Stiglitz, collector in 1721, and Peter Robeson in 1742; Samuel Morris, ap- pointed, in 1745, justice of the peace, as successor to Edward Farmar; John Kitler and Jacob Edge, super- visors in 1767, John Kitler and James White in 1773, Joseph Lukens and George Freas in 1785, and in 1810, Jacob Gilbert and Andrew Fisher. Samuel

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Williams was constable in 1774; John Bower collector and Leonard Streeper assessor in 1780. From the assessment of 1780 we get some additional informa- tion. The manufacture of paper was then carried on by Henry Scheetz, Henry Katz, William Kagge and Jacob Hagge, in four paper-mills, showing that this was quite an industry. Jonathan Robeson, Evan Meredith and Joseph Paul carried on grist-mills ; the latter, in addition, a saw-mill. Christopher Shupart is mentioned as having in operation two stills, and Leonard Kulp one, probably for the manufacture of apple whiskey. We next find the names of Henry Kuntzman and Peter Streeper, smiths; Samuel Mor- ris, tanner; Jacob Jones and William Fitzgerald teachers; Richard Maers, millwright; Jacob Cook' weaver; Samuel MeCool, James White and Benjamin Krouse, tailors; John Clinton, Robert Kane, Henry Seabolt and Israel Everly, shoemakers. William West is rated for two hundred and eighty acres, part of the property being now owned by Thomas Wentz. An- thony Williams' estate of four hundred and seventy acres, in tenure of Isaac Williams, is now chiefly owned by Charles Williams; Joseph McClain, two hundred and thirty acres, now partly comprised in the Sheaff estate; Evan Meredith rented three hun- dred acres and a grist-mill from Robert Walls. The latter is now Eberhart Flues' woolen manufactory, near Fort Washington.

Whitemarsh is rich in Revolutionary associations and on its hills are still to be seen the remains of re- doubts and entrenchments erected in that memorable struggle. While the British held possession of the city they made several excursions out here, and the damages thus committed upon the people of the town- ship were estimated by commissioners appointed for the purpose at six hundred and sixty-one pounds. The large stone building used by Washington as his headquarters is still standing in Upper Dublin town- ship about half a mile over theline, owned by Charles K. Aimen, and may be seen from the passing cars on the North Pennsylvania Railroad, just above Sandy Run Station. The army was encamped here from about October 20th to December 11, 1777, when they proceeded on their march to Valley Forge for winter- quarters. From his autobiography we learn that Col. Samuel Miles, in 1774, removed from Philadelphia to a farın he purchased at Spring Mill. While here he took an early and active part in opposition to the ar- bitrary proceedings of the British government. He states that the second company of militia raised in Pennsylvania for the service was organized by him in Whitemarsh, and that he commanded forces raised in Whitemarsh, Plymouth and Germantown. At the battle of Long Island he was taken a prisoner and retained above two years before being exchanged, when he returned to his farm to recruit himself after his long and severe confinement. He shortly after- wards sold his place and removed to Cheltenham, where he died in 1805, in the history of which town-

ship additional particulars are given concerning him.

Before the Revolution the electors, not only of this township, but of the whole county, voted at the inn opposite the State-House, in Chestnut Street, Phila- delphia. By an act passed June 14, 1777, the elec- tions of this and all adjoining townships were re- quired to be held at the public-house of Jacob Cole- man, in Germantown. After the erection of Mont- gomery County an act of Assembly was passed, Sep- tember 13, 1785, which divided the same into three districts, and the freemen of the townships of White- marslı, Springfield, Cheltenham, Abington, Moreland, Horsham, Upper Dublin, Gwynedd, Montgomery, Towamencin, Hatfield, Lower Salford and Franconia were required to hold their elections at the tavern of George Eckhart, in the present village of White- marsh. By an increase of the number of districts, in 1797, the townships voting here were reduced to Whitemarsh, Springfield, Upper Dublin and Horsham. This district in October, 1802, polled 476 votes. In 1838 the townships of Whitemarsh, Upper Dublin and Springfield still voted here, the house being then kept by Jacob W. Haines. Springfield continued voting here until 1847, when the elections of that township were ordered to be held at Flourtown. By an act of Assembly passed April 18, 1853, the elections were ordered to be held at Barren Hill. By a decree of the court, July 2, 1875, Whitemarsh was divided into two districts, to be called the Eastern and West- ern, the elections of the former to be held at the Clifton House, at Sandy Run, below Fort Washing- ton, and of the latter at Barren Hill.

Samuel Morris, of Whitemarsh, having died in 1772, by an unsigned will donated a lot of land for the purpose of a school, extending the benefit to the neighborhood around for the distance of a mile and a half, and five hundred and thirty pounds in addi- tion for the erection of a school-house and keeping it in repair, for which the interest was only to be ap- plied. The aforesaid objects were fully carried out by his brother, Joshua Morris, to which was after- wards added the sum of $33.33 from Mr. Ulrich. A conveyance from the aforesaid was executed, January 13, 1773, to Jolin Cleaver, of Upper Dublin, Thomas Lancaster, Joseph McClean, Jacob Edge, Joseph Lukens and Henry Scheetz, of Whitemarsh, in trust. The school-house was built not long afterwards, with a building attached on the lot fronting on the Spring House turnpike, about half a mile below Fort Washı- ington. It was incorporated by an act of Assembly passed May 12, 1797. The first entry in the minute- book is dated 11th of Fourth Month, 1791, but the school was opened several years before this. The first teacher was Ezekiel Hill, who retained the posi- tion for several years; afterwards Thomas Livezey, who became a justice of the peace ; Francis Murphy, ahout 1812, followed by Robert Kerr, William Kerr, John M. Jones, Daniel Sellers, Samuel Davis, Thomas

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Bitting and others. It was known as the Union School and used as such until 1869, when the school directors of Whitemarsh built the house adjoining for the public school, when the former building was remodeled by thetrustees. It is now used principally for lectures, concerts, etc.

A lot of ground, containing two acres and eighty perches, adjoining the aforesaid school-ground was conveyed, 23d of Sixth Month, 1791, by Joshua Mor- ris to Joseph Lukens, Isaac Mather, John Wilson, Thomas W. Pryor, Joseph Jeanes, Thomas Lancas- ter, Jr., and Jesse Trump, of Whitemarsh, and Jesse Cleaver, of Upper Dublin, in trust to Gwynedd Monthly Meeting, for a meeting-house and burial- ground forever. Four of the surviving trustees, the 25th of Second Month, 1815, continued the trust, which, in 1847, was again transferred, to William Longstreth, Charles Williams, Joseph Jeanes, Ellis Cleaver, Thomas Livezey, Daniel Foulke, John L. Jones and Henry Jones. The present meeting-house and dwelling on said lot was erected about 1860. Friends hold occasional meetings here, the dwelling part being occupied.

The first school-house where is now the Williams Public School was built by a committee of Plymouth Preparatory Meeting in 1816. It was octagonal in form and hence bore the name of Eight-Square School- house. The first teacher was Thomas Paxson, father of Judge Edward M. Paxson, of the Supreme Court, who died in Buckingham, Bucks Co., April 19, 1881, in his eighty-eighth year. He was followed by his sister, Grace Paxson, next David Enkens, John H. Callender, llughs Bell, Jacob Paxson and others. When the common-school system went into operation the building was taken in charge by the board of directors, who, in 1866, had it torn down and a more commodious one erected in its place.

Iron-ore has been obtained in considerable quanti- ties in Whitemarsh for some time. Mention is made in Gabriel Thomas' "Account of Pennsylvania," published at London in 1698, of the discovery of ore in the province several years previous, but the locality is not specified. Near the present Edge Hill village, in Abington township, the existence of mines is stated in 1725. Just a short time previous to the completion of the Schuylkill navigation, in 1826, iron-ore was discovered in abundance near Spring Mill, trom whence great quantities were shipped to furnaces in New Jersey and elsewhere. It was pro- uounced to contain seventy-five per cent. of pure iron, for which, in 1827, a royalty of fifty cents per ton was paid on the ground and when delivered in the city, $4.50. From the quantity of ore taken from his farm, at Marble Hall, Henry S. Hitner had, to 1858, attained to a depth of ninety-five feet perpendicular, a steam-pump being used to remove the water. Great quantities have also been dug in the vieinity of Harmanville, Barren Hill, Cold Point and Lancasterville. According to the census of 1870,

nineteen iron-ore mines were worked in the county, employing two hundred and twenty-seven hands, producing 52,179 tons, valued at $152,736. It is prob- able that Whitemarsh may have produced one-third of this amount, the other iron-producing townships being Abington, Upper Dublin, Springfield and Upper Merion.

Marble has also been procured for some time in Whitemarsh. Several quarries were worked before the beginning of this eentury. The Hitner quarry, at Marble Hall, in 1858 had reached a depth of two hundred and forty-two feet, showing that a consider- able amount of marble must have been taken out to cause such an excavation. The Fritz quarry, which had been opened before 1800, in 1858 had attained a depth of one hundred and seventy-five feet. Besides these may be mentioned the Lentz and Dager or Potts quarries, that have also produced considerable of this material. The marble is of various colors and differs in quality,-white, blue and clouded, the former being the most valuable. Considerable of the marble used in the construction of Girard College was obtained from Mr. Hitner's quarry and Henderson's, in Upper Merion. The census of 1870 returned five marble-quarries in the county, which are limited to Whitemarsh and Upper Merion, the former producing the most. The business appears to be a very fluctu- ating one, at times the mills and machinery connected therewith being in full operation, and at intervals long idle or applied to other purposes. James Traquar had a marble-yard established near Marble Hall, in 1801, if not some time earlier, in charge of William Bush, keeping on hand a supply of tomb- stones, mantel and chimney-pieces, steps, sills, etc.

Lime was. burned for building purposes in White- marsh, we know, in 1686, and in the vicinity of Plym- outh Meeting before 1698. Its excellence and white- ness are known over the Union. According to the census of 1840, Whitemarsh produced lime to the value of fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty- eight dollars, but the business has since been greatly increased through the extension of the railroad to Oreland. It is most extensively burned in the vicinity of Plymouth Meeting, Corson Station, Williams Station, Sandy Run and Whitemarsh village.

Peter Le Gaux, a native of Lorraine, France, where he was born in 1743, was a counselor of law by pro- fession, and came to America in 1785 and settled the following year at Spring Mill. He resided on the hill to the north of the railroad station in an imposing, substantial two-story house, now ocen- pied by his granddaughter, Mrs. Toland, to which was attached a considerable plantation. An act was passed by the Assembly, September 8, 1787, empowering him to establish and keep a ferry here. From 1786 to 1790 he was a contributor to the Columbian Magazine, published in Philadelphia, especially on meteorology, of which he was a close and practical observer and a man of scientific ae-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

quirements. He was on intimate terms with the Audubons, father and son, of Lower Providence. While residing here he entered into vine-growing, with a view to the manufacture of wine. Robert Sutcliff, an English traveler, in a visit here, in August, 1804, thus mentions it in his work : "We crossed the Schuylkill at Spring-Mill Ferry, and had a sight of a vineyard of about five acres, under the management of a Frenchman. As the vines were not suffered to grow more than three feet in height, it had somewhat the appearance of a field of raspberries." No doubt he endeavored to introduce the cultivation of the foreign grape; hence, like many others, was unsuccess- ful. Mr. Le Gaux died here in 1828, aged seventy-five years. His will, in the register's office, is quite lengthy, and exhibits an eccentric mind.

With a view to changing the boundary line between Whitemarsh and Springfield, William Sibley, Michael ('Brian and Florence Sullivan were appointed com- missioners, and madea report, which the court, Novem- ber 11, 1876, modified and confirmed as follows :

" That instead of the Ridge turnpike road being the northeastern bound- ary, the dividing line shall be the line dividing the lands of J. Kratz and Wm. I. Rittenhouse, on the southwesterly side of said Ridge turnpike oad, so that the township of Whitemarsh shall comprise that part of Springfield lying between the River Schuylkill, the line of Philadelphia City and county and the said line, between lands of J. Kratz and Win. L. Rittenhouse."

By this change Springfield township no longer ex- tends to the Schuylkill, and Whitemarsh has gained about one hundred and sixty acres of additional ter- ritory.

About half a mile southwest of Flourtown, on the Wissahickon, is the residence and farm of Norman W. Kittson, of St. Paul, Minnesota, containing four hundred acres, devoted to the rearing and improve- ment of blooded horses; with this purpose in view, Aristides Welsh, about 1861, purchased here a farm of one hundred and fifty acres, which he increased to two hundred and fifty acres. Among the most noted horses owned or bred by him may be men- tioned Rysdick, Strathmore, Lexington, Susquehanna, Leamington, Lady Duke, Alarm, Reform, Iroquois (the winner, several years ago, of the Prince of Wales' stakes at the Ascot races), Harold and others. He likewise became the owner of Flora Temple, the famous trotter of thirty years ago. In May, 1882, Mr. Welsh sold the property known as Erdenheim to Mr. Kittson for one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, who has increased its area by adjoining pur- chases and making additional improvements, with a view to the enlargement of stock-raising. Three tracks for training and exercising the horses and colts have been recently laid out, of a mile, half-mile and the eighth of a mile in length, the latter under cover, so that it can be used in bad weather. For the pur- pose of affording readier communication between the grounds on the opposite sides of the Wissahickon, Mr. Kittson, in the summer of 1883, had a stone bridge erected across the stream, which, as a private enter-

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 243

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