History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 29

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 29

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Another institution of the present, though not ma- terial in nature, must be mentioned in this connec- tiou as at the bottom of nearly half the town im- provements which have sprung up during this era, -- we refer to building, savings, and loan associatious. These enable mechanical and manufacturing em- ployés in our towns to build themselves homes, with a reasonably sure opportunity of paying for them in installments, by help of loans which cannot be fore- closed until savings have secured a dwelling free of debt.

But in nothing has the progress of society been more marked and surprising than in the various so- cial or voluntary associations to protect individual members against the ills of life, as beneficial and in- surance companies, such as fire, life, health, and accident insurance companies, including farmers' in- stitutes, fairs, and the like.

The Montgomery Agricultural Society was formed, and buildings erected at Springtown, two miles north- east of Norristown, as early as 1848, which had a suc- cessful career for several years, its fairs being well attended and salutary in their influence. A few years after it was removed to near Norristown, and merged into the " East Pennsylvania Agricultural and Me- chanical Society," which continued a number of years ; but dissensions arising, many members of the original society reorganized under the old name, and purchased land at Ambler, Upper Dublin, and erected new buildings, which after some years has somewhat declined again, in consequence of the predominance of the sporting over the strictly farming class of pa- trons. These county agricultural associations and fairs, when properly conducted, cannot be too highly commended as educational institutions.

After nearly thirty years' experience the various fire, storm, and live-stock insurance companies have come to be among our most valued corporations, fur- nishing as they do reliable insurance at cost.

CHAPTER IX.

THE SCHUYLKILL.1

THE river Schuylkill has its origin from two small streams which rise in the Broad Monntain, in Rush township, Schuylkill Co. Following its windings to where it empties into the Delaware, which is five miles below Philadelphia, its total length is about one hundred and twenty-five miles, flowing in its general course, a southeasterly direction. Its prin- cipal tributaries in Schuylkill County are the Little Schuylkill, Bear, and Tumbling Creeks; in Berks County, Maiden and Tulpehocken Creeks ; in Mont- gomery County, Manatawny, Perkiomen, and Stony Creeks; in Chester County, Pigeon aud French Creeks; and in Philadelphia, the Wissahickon. Fol- lowing its courses the Schuylkill laves the shores of Montgomery County for about forty miles.

On it in this distance are located nine townships and six boroughs, namely : Pottsgrove, Limerick, Upper Providence, Lower Providence, Norriton, Plymouth, White Marsh, Upper Merion, and Lower Merion townships; and Pottstown, Royer's Ford, Nor- ristown, Bridgeport, Conshohocken, and West Consho- hocken boroughs. Within these limits it is spanned by no less than thirteen noble bridges; railroads pass on its eastern and western margins, while itself has been made navigable for boats of one hundred and eighty tons. These grand improvements, won- derful to relate, have been chiefly effected within three-fourths of a century. They show the energy, the thrift and enterprise of our countrymen in these latter days, for two hundred and sixty-eight years have passed away since its first discovery by the European. What a subject is here offered for reflec- tion !

Within these limits there are no mountains, though the country is most agreeably diversified by undulat- ing hills and valleys, interspersed with towns, villages, and various manufacturing establishments, all beau- tifully situated by its banks, or nestled near by in some lateral valley. Though not on a grand scale, yet few valleys in any country for the same distance can boast of more lovely and varied picturesque scenery, sometimes meandering through broad cul- tivated fields and fertile plains, on which are studded, like gems in a casket, substantial stone houses and barns; next, on some eminence, may be seen an ele- gant country-seat; then it sweeps past bits of wood-

1 By Wm. J. Buck.

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THE SCHUYLKILL.

land, tufting the hill-slopes, or contracted by a bolder bluff of rocks; then, again, follow in succession the park-like islands, so gently reposing on its bosom, and the long stretches of green meadow. Here is to be found the utile et dulce of the ancients to a greater degree than perhaps in any other section of equal ex- tent in our wide-spread republic. And however much the hand of improvement may alter this valley it will still present those ever-varying suc- cession of scenes which charm the landscape and are the admiration of every traveler.

In the year 1609, Capt. Henry Hudson, an English- man in the service of the Dutch East India Company, it is believed, touched at the mouth of what is now known as Delaware Bay; but, finding shoal water and fearful of grounding, he retired, and in a few days after entered the harbor of New York and sailed up the river to which his name has been given. In the summer of 1610, it is said, Lord Delaware, while on his voyage to Virginia as Governor, entered the bay which now bears his name, as well as the large river that empties into it. In 1612 the Dutch commenced settlements at Fort Orange, now Albany, and at Manhattan Island, the present site of the city of New York. Capt. Hendrickson, a Dutchman, having built a yacht at Manhattan, called the " On- rust," which in English means restless, of only sixteen tons burden, set out on a voyage of discovery in 1616. From a map which he made of this expedi- tion, it would appear as if he had sailed along the coast from Nova Scotia to the capes of Virginia. While on this trip he entered Delaware Bay and ascended its river as far as the Schuylkill, which he entered a short distance, and in consequence is, there- fore, entitled to the honor of being its discoverer.

The origin of any name that has for a long time been applied to an object which in itself is permanent and likely to remain so is ever interesting to the in- habitants of the vicinity, especially when of a local nainre. In consequence, before proceeding further in this undertaking, it may be well to venture on an explanation, if not rather an investigation of the name of Schuylkill, as well as of several others that have been applied to it. The Indians, it appears, had several names for this stream. One was "Nittaboc- kunk," which we know was applied in 1655, if not earlier. In the decds of purchase from the Indians to William Penn, in 1683 and 1685, it is called "Manaiunk." John Heckewelder, the missionary, says it was called by the natives "Ganschowehanne," which signified, in their language, a stream whose falls and ripples make a noise. Mr. Heckewelder's statement is doubted, for the reason that no authority has yet been found to corroborate that the Indians had ever called it by this name. The Swedes, as may be seen on Peter Lindstrom's map of " New Sweden," made in 1655, also called it the " Linde Kilen," or Linden Stream, from the large trees of this kind that grew along its banks. Its present name of Schuylkill

was given it by the Dutch, very probably hy Capt. Hendrickson, in 1616; if not, it bore this name at least seventeen years later. By means of a rare work, entitled “Woordenboek der Nederduit-che in Fransche Taalen," by François Halma, published at Amsterdam, in 1729, we are enabled to give some light as to the origin of the Dutch name of this stream. Schuil, or Schuilen, in the Dutch signifies concealed or hidden, that is, by land or otherwise ; Kil signifies a channel, stream, or river. Therefore the meaning of Schuil-Kil, or Schuilen-Kil (the way it is spelled in the Dutch, and as it should be now written), is Hid- den River, or Concealed Stream. This name was given it by its discoverers from the fact of its month being so concealed by several low islands that the river can- not be found till actually entered, to the truth of which the writer can vouch from personal observa- tion while ascending the Delaware and entering the Schuylkill.

Respecting a knowledge of this river, we can also glean some valuable additional information from early maps. The map of New Netherlands accompanying John Ogilby's " America," published at London in 1671, is remarkable for having it denoted thereon as the "Schuylkill," precisely the orthography of this day. According to Roggeveen's map, published at Amster- dam in 1676, its stream is represented up to about the present town of Manayunk. In Gabriel Thomas' " Historical and Geographical Account of the Prov- ince of Pensilvania," printed at London in 1698, the Schuylkill is represented from its union with the Delaware upwards of one-third its length, with the Wissahickon, Perkiomen, and the Manatawny, and their several leading branches emptying therein, with great accuracy considering so early a date, clearly demonstrating that at that time all of the present territory of Montgomery County must have been pretty well explored. In consequence this map pos- sesses an unusual interest, which it appears has hitherto entirely escaped the observation of our historians.

Orders were given in 1633 to Arent Corsson, the commissary of Fort Nassau, by authority of Governor Van Twiller, of Manhattan, to purchase a tract of land on the Schuylkill on which to erect a fort; for the Dutch had this year commenced upon its waters the vigorons prosecution of the fur trade with the natives, particularly for that of the beaver, regarded as not only the most valuable but profitable of all the peltries. This traffic had so increased along this val- ley that in 1643 no less than two thousand one hun- dred and twenty-seven packages of skins were shipped at one time to Europe. By 1648, Corsson concluded bis purchase from several Indian chiefs to the satis- faction of the West India Company, a record of which was placed in their office. The fort was now soon completed, called " Beversrede," and was stated to be a place remarkably well situated, and was named thus on account of the beaver trade which was carried on there so extensively with the Indians. This fort, it is

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

supposed, stood at or near the present Gray's Ferry, near the lower or western extremity of the city of Philadelphia. This trade, it appears, had increased so by 1656 that the documents of the company speak of it as the "great beaver trade of the Schuylkill." The result was that the business so stimulated the enter- prise of the Indians that by constant and persistent trapping and hunting the animals became scarce and higher prices were demanded. These skins were also used for currency, and in the payment for imported goods; the standard value fixed on each by the Gov- ernor was eight guilders, or 138. 4d., equivalent to three dollars, no inconsiderable value for that time. Their greatest resort, the Little Schuylkill, in consequence was called by the Delaware Indians "Tamaquan," signifying the Beaver Stream, from whence Tamaqua, the name of this animal. The Dutch under the auspices of the company, being actnated by mere traffic and a love for gain, did little for the progress or development of the country, hence at last their easy subjugation by the English.

Though unknown to the generality of our people, the Schuylkill was about a century and a half ago the scene of a violent struggle between those who resided on its shores in this county and those who navigated its waters in canoes from the upper country, now better known as Berks, while on their voyages with produce to the Philadelphia markets. This was a contest that lasted many years, and in which both parties contended for their respective interests, which here unfortunately came in conflict. With what nov- elty at the present day must we view such a struggle, when we reflect on the many and mighty changes that man and time have wrought on this river. When we behold its canals, with their deeply-laden boats, its several railroads, with their long dark trains, the many thriving towns and villages that adorn its banks, and the many busy manufactories and quiet, pleasant villa residences, what a tale is told of progress ! To the period to which we refer hamlets and villages were unknown ; even the spot where is now our popu- Jous county-seat was perchance unmarked by a single house. The hills and the valleys were covered with their majestic ancient forests to the very shores, with the exception of here and there, where occasionally the hardy settlers had effected clearings and erected rude log dwellings. The contrast is enough to make one smile, especially now, when we reflect that the dispute which we intend to speak of simply origi- nated from the obstructions placed in the channels of the Schuylkill by the shoremen for the purpose of as- sisting them to catch fish, and which considerably impeded, if it did not really render the navigation thereof dangerous.

It appears that as early as 1683, when William Penn and his colonists had not been a year in this country, that an act had been passed against the erecting of racks, wears, or dams in any navigable waters which might otherwise hinder the free inter-

course thereon, and also tend greatly to diminish the brood of fish. Through the influence of Governor Penn another act was passed in the year 1700, with the intent of more effectually securing this object. After this, from what we have been enabled to ascer- tain, the matter remained quiet for a number of years, or with but little agitation, till in May, 1724, when the Governor's Council introduced " A bill entitled an act for demolishing and removing fishing dams, wears, and kedles set across the river Schuylkill," which was read and ordered to be returned with amend- ments. It next appears that the Council on the 15th of August, 1730, passed a law entitled “ An Act to prevent the erecting of wears, dams, etc., within the river Schuylkill." Yet even this was found to he not altogether sufficient. It was by an act passed in 1734 further strengthened and rendered more effect- nal. The shoremen made a strong effort, in the years 1735 and 1736, to get an amendment, or rather a repeal, so as to get permission to erect wears in the months of April and May of every year, which was as warmly resisted by the navigators, or those living on the upper parts of the Schuylkill. The Governor, Patrick Gordon, being also opposed to any permission of the kind being given, the shoremen at length yielded so far as to look for any redress for their grievances from the Legislature.

It became a matter of complaint against the shore- men that for several miles above the racks and wears, they were in the habit of riding their horses in the river and striking the water as they came downwards with stakes and long brushes, so as to drive and frighten the fish into them, to their great diminution ; that they carried stones into the river to hold the stakes and wears, which not only obstructed but ren- dered navigation difficult and dangerous. They were also charged on these occasions, while chasing fish, of bringing the young people together, who would become riotous and quarrelsome, "which was a re- proach to good order, peace, and tranquillity." A number of depositions were taken in March, 1732, by George Boone, a justice of the peace residing in the township of Oley, in the present Berks County, but then belonging to Philadelphia, as did likewise the intervening territory now comprised in Montgomery. These Mr. Boone, who was equally interested with his neighbors, transmitted to the Governor and Legisla- ture, and the result was the stringent enactment of 1734, to which reference has been made. To these depositions we are indebted for the following adven- tures encountered by the navigators of Amity and Oley townships while on their canoe voyages to Philadelphia in 1731 and 1732.

Marcus Hulings states that as he was going down the Schuylkill with a canoe loaded with wheat it struck against a fish-dam and took in a great deal of water, which damaged the wheat considerably, caus- ing nearly a total loss of the load. He further says that on another occasion his canoe got in a similar

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THE SCHUYLKILL.

predicament, and he would have lost his whole load of wheat if he had not leaped into the river, and with much labor succeeded in preventing it from swinging around, otherwise it would have been capsized by the current. In so doing he " suffered very much in his body by reason of ye water and cold." Again, on another occasion, he got fast on one of the rack dams, and only by great hazard escaped with his life and freight. In the month of February, while it was ex- tremely cold, Jonas Jones relates that he got " fast on a fish-dam, and to save his load of wheat was obliged to leap into ye river to ye middle of his body, and with all his labor and skill could not get off in less than half an hour; afterwards proceeding on his journey with ye said clothes, they were frozen stiff on his back, by means whereof he underwent a great deal of misery." The next sufferer we shall mention was Jacob Warren, who relates that his canoe, loaded with wheat, got fast on a dam, when he and his part- ner were forced into the river, and while one, with all his power, was obliged to hold the canoe, the other had to open a passage to get through, which with great difficulty was effected.

Isaac Smally affirms that in going down the river with one hundred and forty bushels of wheat he got fast on a rack-dam, " and in order to save ye load from being all lost he was, much against his mind, obliged to leap into ye river, the water being to his chin, frequently dashed into his mouth, where be- tween whiles he breathed, and he and his partner held ye canoe with great labour, while a young man there present ran above a mile to call help to get off." Jonas Yocum and Richard Dunklin also state that they got fast on a fish-dam with a canoe, on board of which was Dunklin's wife and child, besides sixty bushels of wheat, and that for more than an hour they were in imminent danger of being overset and drowned. Barnaby Rhoades relates how he got fast with his canoe on a fish-dam for several hours in the winter season, when, being without any assistance, he had to suffer considerably from the severity of the cold, besides being in danger of losing both his life and load. The sufferings of the complainants might be much extended, but shall let this suffice, without going into details, that among them could also be mentioned Walter Campbell, George Boone, John Boone, and several others, who had been at divers times fast with their canoes on the fish- and rack- dams in the Schuylkill, and to preserve their loads had been forced at different times to leap into the river at the peril of their lives to save their property.

The freight carried in some of their canoes shows to what a prodigious size the timber had attained at the arrival of the early settlers, for it should be recol- lected that they were always hewn from out a single trunk. William Penn, in a letter from Philadelphia, dated 30th of 5th month, 1683, to Henry Savell, in England, mentions of his having seen a canoe made from a poplar-tree that carried four tons of bricks.

Isaac Smally's canoe, as has been stated, carried one hundred and forty bushels of wheat, which is a still heavier load, and consequently must have been larger. Our information so far has been to favor the cause of the navigators, but the shoremen no doubt believed that they had just reasons to complain from the stringent enactments passed against them. Their dams and wears were formed at a considerable ex- pense and labor, for the sole purpose of supplying fish to their families. They were always placed con- venient to their residences, and near their own lands. Generally the most advantageous place for them was where they were the most detrimental to the interests of navigation, such as below the mouths of creeks, ; and where islands and shallows rendered them of easy construction. The navigators, too, on many oc- casions did much injury by breaking through their dams and maliciously destroying them, with the racks, wears, and baskets. Nay, the shoremen charged them with stealing at divers times the proceeds of their honest labor, the fish.

Thus between 1731 and 1740 there was an intense excitement produced by these conflicting interests along the hitherto peaceful valley of the Schuylkill. Many deeds of heroism were achieved on both sides and prodigies of valor performed which no chroni- cler has thought proper to transmit to posterity. The result, however, was that at length it terminated in open war between the parties. Fleets of canoes would put off on the voyage together, for the pur- pose of mutual protection to themselves and the mutual destruction of all fish-dams, wears, and baskets. On the other hand, the shoremen would congregate in their respective neighborhoods for the protection of their property thus assailed, and should any un- lucky wights get fast with their canoes or venture too near the shore, they would bring their artillery to bear on them in a shower of stones. The navigators, being generally the greatest sufferers, at length con- cluded to call on the magistrates for assistance, when William Richards, the constable of Amity township, received a warrant from George Boone, Esq., "one of his Majesty's justices of the peace" for Philadelphia County, to remove the said obstructions as the true authors of the mischief. What Mr. Richards accom- plished in the undertaking we shall leave him state in his own words, given on oath before Ralph Asheton, Esq., and corroborated by Benjamin Milliard, who was one of his assistants on this memorable affair, which happened the 20th of April, 1738.

Having " received a warrant requiring him to take to his assistance such persons as this deponent should think proper, and go down the Schuylkill and remove all such obstructions as should be found in the said river. In obedience to which warrant took several persons, inhabitants of the said county, as his assist- ants, and together with one Robert Smith, constable of Oley, who had received a warrant to the same pur- pose, went down the said river, in three canoes, to

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Mingo Creek, where they found a large number of racks and obstructions in the said river, and saw four men upon an island near the said racks ; that this de- ponent and company removed the said racks without receiving any opposition. From thence they pro- ceeded down the river to the mouth of Pickering's Creek, near which they found several racks across the said river to an island, which racks this deponent and company also removed. Immediately about the num- ber of two hundred men came down on both sides of the river, and were very rude and abusive, and threat- ened this deponent and his company. Expecting from the ill language and threats given that some mischief or a quarrel would ensue, he took his staff in his hand and his warrant, and commanded the said men, in the king's name, to keep the peace, and told them that he came there in a peaceable manner, and according to law, to move the racks and obstruc- tions in the river, upon which some of the said men damned the laws and the law-makers, and cursed this deponent and his assistants; that one James Starr knocked this deponent down in the river with a large club or stake, after which several of the said men at- tacked this deponent and company with large clubs, and knocked down Robert Smith, the constable, as also several of his assistants ; that one John Wain- wright was struck down with a pole or staff, and lay as dead; that this deponent and company, finding that they were not able to make resistance, were obliged to make the best of their way in order to save their lives; proceeded down the river, in order to go to Philadelphia, to make complaint of the ill nsage they had received. As they came to Perkiomen Creek they found another set of racks, which were guarded by a great number of men. That this depo- nent and company requested the said men to let them go down the river, they would not meddle with their racks; upon which the said men abused and cursed this deponent in a very gross manner, that they should not pass them. One of the said men called ont aloud, and offered five pounds for Timothy Miller's head, who was one of the deponent's assistants; and after- wards the said men pursued this deponent and com- pany, who, for fear of being murdered, made the best of their way with their canoes to the mouth of the Perkiomen Creek, and then went ashore, and left their canoes there, with clothes, which are since re- ported split in pieces and the clothes turned adrift."

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 29

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