History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 251

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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Joseph P. Conard, fourth child, of John and Sarah

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Conard, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, was horn Twelfth Month 24, 1812, upon the original Con- ard tract in Whitpain township. His early life, until he was sixteen years of age, was spent upon the home farm, and he followed the pursuits incident to his method of life. At that age he began to acquire the trade of screw auger making, which he followed till twenty-one years of age, when he purchased the Wentz farm upon the Skippack Road, ncar Blue Bell. Upon this farm he has lived the period of forty-six years, till 1882, when he sold it to his son, Henry Fasset, and now resides with his daughter, Mary S., wife of Charles Shoemaker, of Whitpain township.

Alice, born 10th of Fifth Month, 1843, married John Walton, of Horsham township.

Elizabeth, born 15th of Third Month, 1847, married Frank Stackhouse, of Upper Dublin township.

Henry Fasset, born 22d of Tenth Month, 1849, married Sarah, daughter of Harper Nice, of White- marsh township.

Ellwood, born 25th of Ninth Month, 1852, has a large roller grist-mill, at Kellogg, Jasper Co., Ia., and was married to Ella Burke, of Kellogg, Iowa, formerly of the State of Ohio.

Israel S., born 1st day of Sixth Month, 1856, mar ried to Jane Cline, of Whitemarsh township.

Joseph. P. Gmarch

He has been for many years a prominent farmer and market gardener, supplying the Philadelphia markets. Though now in his seventy-second year he is hale and hearty, and is enjoying, in his declining years, the fruits of an industrions and useful life, He was married in Meeting, Third Month, 1834, to Rebecca A. Shaw, formerly of Richland township, Bucks Co. To them have been horn the following children,-Sarah, who died in infancy.

Ann, who was born 13th of Sixth Month, 1837, and married Jacob T. Buckman, of Abington township.

Mary S., born 9th of Twelfth Month, 1840, married Charles Shoemaker, of Springfield township.

Rebecca A. Conard, died 28th of Fourth Month, 1874.

The Conard family are nearly all Friends, and Joseph P., is a birthright member of that Society.

CHARLES KRIEBLE.

Charles Krieble, who resides near Centre Square, is a descendant and bears the name of an old family of ·Schwenkfelders. His ancestors upon hoth sides were early settlers in this region, and his paternal grandfather, Melchior Krieble, was born in America. His son John married Agnes Yeakle, daughter of the Christopher Yeakle who built the historic house still

WHITPAIN TOWNSHIP.

1183

standing, at Chestnut Hill, a cut of which appears in this volume.

Charles, the eldest of five children of John and Agnes Krieble, of whom the juniors were Samuel, now a resident of Norristown; Mary (Mrs. Schultz, of Colebrookdale); Susannah (Gerhart), deceased, and Sarah (Anson), of Worcester township, was born in 1814, at Chestnut Hill. Working during his youth upon his father's farm be acquired a practical knowl- edge of agriculture, which he put to good nse when he began for himself, in 1842, upon the farm of eighty- five acres, where lie now lives, and which his father

Mr. Krieble was married the year he made his home in Whitpain, February 18th, 1841, to Sarah, daughter of Abraham Anders, of Worcester township, and enjoyed her loving companionship until her death, November 21, 1884. They were the parents of two children,-Hiram A. Krieble, who is a farmer and lives with his father at the old homestead, married Susannah, daughter of Rev. Jacob Meschter, of Up- per Hanover. They have had four children, viz., -- Alan (deceased), May, Charles (deceased), and Edna. Mary Ann Krieble is the wife of Dr. George K. Meschter, of Worcester township.

Charles Krieble

assisted him to procure. Ten years after he removed to this spot, one of the evidences of his prosperity appeared in the erection of the substantial house in which he now lives. Other improvements were made from time to time. His life has been a busy one, and the thrift which has followed industry has enabled him not only to enjoy comparative ease during his later years but to help others. He is a lib- eral sustainer of the Schwenkfelder Churches in Worcester and Towamencin. He has been a friend of the educational and other interests of the commu- nity in which he dwells, and has served a number of years as a school director.

ENOS ROBERTS.

Enos Roberts, of Whitpain, is a descendant of the Roberts family of Gwynedd, which figures largely in the history of that township, and whose progenitors were among the earliest Welsh settlers of Montgomery County, coming over the sea soon after William Penn. Sketches of several other representatives of this fam- ily, we may remark in this connection, have places in the present volume. The grandfather of our subject, Enos Roberts, was a resident of Gwynedd, and his remains repose with those of many others of his kin- dred and faith in the burying-ground at the Friends' Meeting in that township. The parents of the gen-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

tleman we now have in consideration were Nathan and Barbara (Ruth) Roberts (the latter the offspring of David Ruth). He was born in Gwynedd, Novem- ber 25, 1856, and was the oldest of three children, the younger of whom were David and Annie (now Mrs. David Wismer, of West Point, Gwynedd township).

Enos was left an orphan by the death of his father when about four years of age, and was brought up by his paternal uncles, John and Edward Roberts, both of whom are now deceased. He was reared to the vocation of a farmer, which he now follows, and on April 1, 1878, bought his present farm of about eighty acres near Blue Bell, which he has brought by judi- !

CHAPTER LXXXI.

WORCESTER TOWNSHIP.

Ix its location Worcester in the most central town- ship in the county, and is bounded on the north by Towamencin, south by Norriton, east by Gwynedd, southeast by Whitpain, west by Perkiomen and south- west by Lower Providence. Its greatest length is four and a half miles, greatest breadth four and a quarter iniles, with an area of 10, 180 acres or 1575 square miles. The surface is rolling, the soil red shale and under good cultivation. Methacton Hill is a considerable

Error Roberto

cious labor into an excellent state of cultivation, and upon which he has a comfortable home. The farm absorbs his attention, and he ranks among the most successful agriculturists of the neighborhood. He is a Republican in politics, but is not a very active worker in the cause of the party, and is not in any sense a seeker for place, being satisfied with such activity as his occupation calls for.

The family, of long descent in Montgomery County, is still farther perpetuated through Enos Roberts, for he is married and the father of three children. Miss Clara E. Ralston, of Philadelphia, became his wife npon May 23, 1878. The offspring of this union are Edith E., Annie V., and Kate A.

clevation, that commences in Lower Providence and extends in a northeast direction across almost the entire southern part of the township for a distance of five miles. The summit of these hills, more familiarly known as the Fairview Hills, is equal in altitude to the highest point of the Chestnut and Chelten Hills, in the southeastern portion of the county, or those near Green Lane, to the northward. From points on them the traveler obtains beautiful and extended views of the Schuylkill and Perkiomen Valleys. The forests that once covered these highlands have, during recent years, been cleared away, and the land is well cultivated and improved by thrifty farmers.

It was the commanding prospect afforded by these

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WORCESTER TOWNSHIP.

hills that enabled General Washington's advance-

resided at Germantown before 1700; Conrad Conrad guard to observe the movement of the British army in settled at Germantown before 1700. The population in moving on Philadelphia in the autumn of 1777, and 1800 was 782; in 1830, 1135; in 1850, 1453 ; in 1870, 1587; in 1880, 1641. Taxables in 1741, 70; in 1828, 249; in 1858, 425 ; in 1875, 426; in 1884, 478. from which he subsequently moved to attack them at Germantown. Washington broke up his camp at Pennypacker's Mill October 8, 1777, and the army proceeded on its march down the Skippack road and Reading and Ridge turnpikes. On the 16th, Washington established his headquarters at the house of Peter Wentz, near said church, from where he wrote an interesting letter to Congress, in which he says, --

"It is with the highest satisfaction I congratulate Congress on the success of our arms north ward in the action of the seventh, an event of the most interesting importance at this critical juncture. From the happy train in which things are now, I hope we shall soon hear of the most decisive advantages. We oroved this morning from the encatup- ment at which we had been for six or seven days past, and have just arrived at the grounds we occupied before the action of the 4th. One motive for coming here is to direct the enemy's attention from the forts. "

This communication establishes the fact that it was from the encampment at Wentz's church that the army proceeded to make the attack at Germantown. Having retreated to these same hills after their defeat in this battle, they maintained a strong position on them for several days, when they took up their march and proceeded to Whitemarsh township, where they established Camp Hill.

Zacharia Creek is the prominent stream of Wor. cester township, and has a course of about four miles across its northern angle, in which distance it propels three grist-mills and a saw-mill. In 1758 mention is made of a saw-mill where the Zacharia Creek crosses the Skippack road, near the present Centre Point. It may be possible that the singular name given to this creek has been applied from Zachariah Whitpain, an early resident of the adjoining town- ship. A branch of the Skippack crosses near the western extremity of this township and furnishes power to a grist-mill. Five-Mile Run and Stony Creek have their sources in its southern and eastern parts.

The name of Worcester has been applied from a city and county in England, and is supposed to be derived from the Saxon word Caester, signifying. a ; station or camp. It was at the battle of Worcester, in 1650, where Cromwell and his party defeated the Royalists and took eight thousand prisoners, most of whom were sent to America and sold as slaves. Ac- cording to the list of 1734, this township contained twenty-five taxables and land-holders. Amongst these may be mentioned Robert Jones, James Baine, Law- rence Switzer, Henry Flower, Leonard Spare, Conrad Conrad, John Lefevre, John Baine, Adam Vanfossen, Jacob Engle, Henry Rittenhouse, Stephen Stahr, John Vanderslice, Peter Keyser, Richard Osborn, William Robert Foulke, Conrad Vanfossen, Daniel Chrisman and Anthony Conrad. Derrick Keyser and his son, Peter, were naturalized in 1709 the better to hold and enjoy lands. One bearing the latter name

For the last twenty-five or thirty years this town- ship has remained alnost stationary in population. In 1785 there were within its limits two taverns, two grist-mills, one saw-mill and five slaves. In 1884 the following licenses were granted according to the mer- cantile appraiser's list : Beyer & Swartley, live-stock ; William H. & W. R. Baker, merchandise ; Daniel Cassel, merchandise; Daniel Cassel, hardware; S. L. Frank, live-stock; M. J. Harley, merchandise ; Krebel & Son, flour and feed; A. B. Schults, live- stock ; Joseph Shults, flour and feed ; Frank Swartley, live-stock.

In 1884 the value of improved lands was $1,316,180; value of unimproved lands, $34,295; value of 378 horses, $47,975 ; value of 526 cattle, 846,500 ; value of property taxable for county purposes, $1,493,398.

The Germantown and Perkiomen turnpike road, commonly called the Reading, passes through the west- ern extremity of Worcester about two miles. The Stony Creek Railroad has a course of about a mile near its southeastern angle. The villages are quite small, and are Centre Point, Fairview and Cedar Hill. The post- office at the first-mentioned place is Worcester, and at the second, Fairview Village. The township was formed into a separate election distriet in 1828, and the township elections are held at Centre Point.

There are eight public schools in Worcester, with three hundred and sixty pupils in attendance. The school term is seven months, and eight teachers (three males and five females) are employed at a salary of forty dollar» per month.

Wentz's Reformed Church is situated on the Skippack road, nearly a mile above Centre Point. The congregation existed as early as 1727, but was known as "Skippack Reformed Church," which was then located in Lower Salford township, in the vicinity of the Northwest Branch of the Skippack Creek, on the tract of land known for many years as the farm of Benjamin Reiff'. The church was built of strong logs and stood on the border of an oak-grove, on the farm mentioned. Close by, the visitor beholds a small circular rise in the ground, which marks the place once held sacred. It was on that spot where the Rev. George Michael Weiss and other German emigrants from the Palatinate settled down, after they had, on the 21st of September, 1727, subscribed the oath of allegiance, by which they promised to be true to the British crown and the laws of the prov- ince of Pennsylvania. The organization of the Skippack congregation, with its consistory, was con- stituted of the emigrants who accompanied the pastor named, and followed immediately upon their settle- ment, and the Rev. Mr. Weiss became the first pastor, who also, at a later period, served, in connection with .

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

it, the Falkner Swamp and Old Goshenhoppen con- gregations. The first officers of the old Skippack Re- formed Church were Jacob Deimer, Michael Hillegas, Peter Hillegas, Yost Schmidt, Henry Weller, Jacob Seigel and William Rodrick. How long Mr. Weiss preached to this congregation cannot be definitely determined. It was doubtless, however, until 1746, when we again find him in Old Goshenhoppen after his return from Rheinbach, Dutchess Co., N. Y., from which neighborhood he had to flee on account of Indian troubles. The Rev. Michael Schlatter re- marks, in his journal, among other things, in reference to the Skippack Reformed Church, as follows : "This congregation, which was, previous to this time, one of the most respectable, has been so much reduced through the seducing influences of the many various sects that the number remaining are not able to

WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH.

collect for the support of a minister more than eight pounds, which is equal to fifty-three Dutch guilders," or twenty-one dollars of the present day. The old log church already named stood from 1757 until 1760, when it was torn down and never rebuilt. About this time the congregation transferred its place of meeting to the spot now occupied by Wentz's church, inasmuch as the majority of those who faithfully adhered to the church resided in that neighborhood. It is said that the logs of the old church building were, at a later period, used in erecting a grist-mill, known as Allebaugh's mill, on the Skippack Creek, where they still at the present day form a part of the walls of the old building. The graveyard of the congregation, located not far from the church, or, more correctly speaking, all traces thereof, with the grave- '

stones which were once there, have long since disap- peared, and the plow of the busy farmer draws its furrows over the resting-place of the silently-reposing pioneers.

According to recollection, supported by the facts indicated, the assumption is fully correct that Wentz's church is the same organization of the former Skip- pack congregation, and that the only difference is to be found in the change of the name and place of meeting. It has been asserted that this was the first Reformed Church organized on this new continent.

This statement, however, has been earnestly called into question, and as there cannot be found any direct evidence in regard to this point, no positive claims are set up for this honor. The name Wentz is de- rived from the well-known families of this name which at that period were quite numerous in this neighborhood; but at the present time there is not one of this name, still held in honor, to be found among the large membership of the congregation. In 1760 a few isolated members of the Skippack Re- formed Church held a conference meeting, the object of which was the making of preparations for building a new church. After long deliberation and consulta- tion it was resolved to build a new church on a spot a little in the rear of the one recently torn down, and that on the boundary line between the properties of two members, who had each given an acre of ground for the purpose. According to the records, these mem- bers were, on the one part, John Lefevre and Chris- tiana, his wife (the latter's family name is supposed to have been Wentz), and on the other part, Jacob Wentz and his wife, Elizabeth. The original deeds are dated January 2, 1762, and the land is conveyed to Philip Wentz, Peter Wentz, Jacob Weber, Philip Spare, Henry Conard and Jacob Reiff, in trust for the congregation, as a legacy for their descendants and those who may connect themselves with the Spiritual Reformed Zion. At a later period a small piece of ground was added to the original grounds, so that the whole then contained two acres and twenty-seven perches, the strip at the upper end, where the sheds stand, and the acre and a half on which the parsonage is erected not included.

The first church building, after the removal and as- sumption of the new name, was commenced in 1762, but, on account of repeated pecuniary troubles, was not completed until nine years later (1771). It was painted inside with strong colors, and highly orna- mented with a number of inscriptions on the walls, as is still remembered by many of the older persons who frequented the first church on this spot in earlier years. The few highly-colored pieces of wood, found underneath the wood-work of the recently demolished church, and which are remains of the old church, still indicate the remarkable character of the painting. The congregation, at that time poor and numbering only about fifty members, was not able of itself to provide the means required to finish

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WORCESTER TOWNSHIP.

the church, and hence a subscription-book was sent around, in which the names of neighboring clergymen appear, encouraging contributions, the recommenda- tions being written in German, Low Dutch and Old English. Owing to an extraordinary money-pressure which prevailed at that time, the subscriptions were but small, and the congregation still lahoring under a heavy debt, they at length resolved to raise money by means of a lottery, a method by no means uncom- mon in those days. In this they were successful, for the proceeds furnished not only enough money to pay off' the debt, but also left a small balance in the treasury. The first church was an exceedingly strong and durable building, erected of stone, with the joints closely cut and pointed with mortar, and the roof was high and steep, after the old Holland style. The build- ing cost two hundred and fifty pounds, and was dedi- cated on the 13th of November, 1763.

This building withstood the storms for eighty-nine years, during which time it was served successively by fifteen different pastors, all of whom, except one, have closed their labors and rest peacefully in their graves.

With the removal of the old Skippack Church, and the change of name which followed, all further con- nection of its former pastor, Rev. G. M. Weiss, with it ceased, and the Rev. John George Alsentz became the first pastor of the recently organized congregation. He continued in charge until his death, a period of seven years. His remains repose in the old cemetery of what was once the Reformed Church of German- town, Pa. The successor of Alsentz was the Rev. Christian Fohring, who continued in this relation only two years. It was during his ministry that the interior of the church received the peculiar gaudy painting for which it was characteristic until it was torn down. He was succeeded by the Rev. John Gabriel Gebhard, who also remained only two years. During his pastorship the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered on Easter Sunday of 1772 to fifty-eight members. In the following year Mr. Geb- hard was succeeded by Rev. John W. Ingold, whose connection with the congregation was short. At the opening of the Revolutionary war, in 1776, Rev. John H. Weikel was pastor of the congregation. His con- nection with the charge, however, did not continue many years. Various difficulties arose, growing out of the war, of such a nature as to lead to his separation from the congregation. At the commence- ment of the Revolution he preached a sermon from Eccl. iv. 13: "Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished." This sermon so excited a great por- tion of the congregation that the dissatisfaction led at last to his resignation of the charge. Mr. Weikel resided at the time on the parsonage farm owned by the two congregations (Wentz's and Boehm's). He was often seen, after having turned his horse into an inclosure in front of the house, firing pistols over his

head from the windows for the purpose of training him to the fire should his services be needed in the war. His sympathies were warmly with the colonies during the struggle for freedom. The congregation was now vacant for several years. In 1784 the Rev. John Hermann Winkhaus became pastor and contin- ued in this relation until 1787. After a vacancy of three years the church received a pastor in the per- son of Rev. Philip Pauli. He remained four years and then removed to Reading, Pa. From this time forward the church was for a number of years with- out any settled pastor, but was served interchangeably by the Rev. Nicholas Pomp and his son, who, in ad- dition to the church at the Trappe, preached to the congregations at Falkner Swamp and Old Goshen- hoppen. The pastor who next served Wentz's church was the Rev. Dr. S. Helffenstein, who also remained only two years, and then accepted a call from the Race Street Church, Philadelphia, which he served during the following thirty years. His successor at Wentz's church was the Rev. Gabriel Gobrecht. At the end of eighteen months, however, his labors here were also brought to a close. The congregation re- mained vacant until 1802. A call was then extended to the Rev. George Wack, at that time a young man who had just brought his studies preparatory to the ministry to a close. He accepted the call, and soon thereafter commenced his labors amongst this people. They were attended with marked success, and he added largely to the congregation by baptism and confirmation. His pastorate extended through forty- three years, during which time he baptized seven hundred and five children. In consequence of grow- ing infirmities, he resigned the charge of the congrega- tion in 1845, and retired to private life. He died at the house of his son-in-law, Philip S. Gerhard, near Centre Square, Pa., on the 17th of February, 1856, at the age of seventy-nine years. His remains lie in- terred in the cemetery attached to Boehm's church. Rev. Abraham Berkey became successor to the Rev. George Wack. He did not succeed, however, in gathering together the members who had become scattered during the last years of the ministry of his predecessor. Hence he resigned at the close of the first year of his pastorate.

On the 21st of February, 1846, the Rev. John Naille became pastor of the congregation. He at first served it only as a supply, as he belonged to the Goshenhop- pen Classis, and the congregation then was connected with the Philadelphia Classis.

At a later period the congregation was transferred to the Goshenhoppen Classis, and along with Keely's and Towamencin congregations constitute what has been since then known as " Wentz's charge of Gosh- enhoppen Classis." Rev. Mr. Naille found his hands full in contending with existing difficulties. How- ever, through the help of the Great Head of the Church, he succeeded in overcoming them in a short time, and as the congregation was now in a flourishing

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

condition, but were still without a parsonage, steps were taken for the purchase of a lot on which to erect one. The contract for building the house was given to Mr. Naille himself, who handed it over com- pleted to the trustees of the congregation on the 21st of October, 1849. The congregation continued to grow still stronger, so that in 1851 the pastor began to remind them of the necessity for a larger house of worship. The church was, it is true, in a good con- dition, but it was not by any means convenient, and was, besides, too small for the congregation, and as it also did not meet the taste of the people any longer, the congregation soon gave its consent to the erection of a new church. Within the same year a resolution to that end was unanimously adopted, and preparations being made immediately for the erection of a new church, the corner-stone was laid on the 21st of Au- gust, on which occasion the Rev. Dr. Samuel Helffen- stein preached in the German and the Rev. Jacob Keller in the English language. The new building was ready for dedication on the 29th of January, 1852, when the same brethren officiated who had partici- pated in the services at the laying of the corner-stone, and were assisted by the Rev. Mr. Medtard, of the Lutheran, and Rev. Reuben Kriebel, of the Schwenk- feldian Church. The new church was a plain one- story building, with a gallery at the end, and with difficulty would seat only three hundred persons. It was soon felt that the house was too small to comfort- ably accommodate the continually increasing congre- gation. After Rev. Mr. Naille had served the church eleven years, he resigned charge of it in February, 1857. Notwithstanding his advanced age, Rev. John Naille is still laboring in the vineyard of the Lord, as a minister in the Reformed Church. A vacancy of eleven months followed, at the close of which a call was extended to Rev. William G. Hackman, which he accepted, and commenced his labors in January, 1858. His efforts in the interests of the congregation were from the very first crowned with success. The Sunday-school largely increased, and as there was not room for its accommodation in the old school-house, it was resolved, in the fall of 1858, to build a school-house for its special use. This was erected during the following year and dedicated on the 4th of August. General satisfaction prevailed at this time, and the congregation continued to pros- per for some years to come. After a pastorate of eight years Rev. Mr. Hackman resigned and accepted a call in St. Joseph's County, Mich., in which he has con- tinued to labor up to the present time. The people were extremely sorry to see their pastor removed from their midst, and hearty prayers for his welfare accom- panied him to his new field of labor. He had succeeded in getting a fast hold upon the affections of the people, and was highly esteemed by the community generally outside of the congregation. After the resignation of the Rev. William G. Hackman, the church succeeded in securing the services of the present pastor, Rev. S.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 251

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