USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume II > Part 10
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Difficulties arose between the Moravians and Whitefield, and the latter sold his estate to the Moravians. The main building, commenced in 1740, was completed and named "Ephrata," or "The Whitefield House." Here then was the first of that cordon of Moravian settlements gradually made during the next twenty years in this section of the country. Taking Ephrata as a starting point, we find old Nazareth, commenced in 1744, a few hundred rods south. One mile westward was Gnadenthal, whose spacious buildings were erected in 1745 and is the present site of the county almshouse. A short distance south of this location is Christian Spring, laid out in 1748. About a mile east of Ephrata was Friedenthal on the Lehicton (Bushkill). The Rose Settlement, containing the first inn, was begun in 1752 on the King's road ; the ancient hostelry was demolished in 1858.
The early history of Nazareth is interwoven with that of Bethlehem. A petition was presented in 1787 to the December session of the Northamp- ton county court, praying for the division of the township of Bethlehem. The petition was granted, a commission was appointed, and the following boundaries were adopted: "Beginning at the line of Allen township at a hickory, corner of Thomas Graham's land ; east three hundred and sixty-six perches to stone; east one hundred and twenty-three perches to a stone on H. Rehn's patented land; north fifteen perches to a white oak; and east two hundred and fifty perches to a stone; east eight hundred and seventy-three perches to a post in the line of Forks township; in all five miles and twelve perches." Two years after the erection of a township, its population was 889, and in 1800 it had increased to 1,130. On April 22, 1807, old Nazareth township was divided into the present townships of Upper and Lower Naza- reth. Three years after the division the population of the two townships was 1,300.
The township of Upper Nazareth is bounded on the north by Moore and Bushkill townships ; on the east by Palmer township; on the south by Lower
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Nazareth; and on the west by East Allen township. The first census re- turns of Upper Nazareth gave its population as 663, which had increased in 1850 to 1,116; all these figures include the village of Nazareth. In that year there were 181 farms; 158 dwelling houses, of which sixty-one were in the village, and 186 families, of which number 83 were inhabitants of the village. The agricultural products were 693 bushels of wheat, 22,624 bushels of rye, 19,949 bushels of corn, 10,693 bushels of oats, 8,712 bushels of potatoes, 282 bushels of buckwheat, 28,767 pounds of butter, 1,296 tons of hay, and 2,680 pounds of tobacco. The real estate, assessed on an average of $86.36 an acre, amounted to $417,244. There were 294 taxable persons in the township, three schools, two Moravian churches, two grist-mills, one foundry, one brewery, one tannery, eleven stores, two taverns, and two slate quarries.
The German language was used by a large number of inhabitants. The township is rich in many mineral productions. Just south of the village iron and limestone abound, also good clay for bricks; there are also beds of kaolin and of mineral paints, and to the north and west there are the widespread slate quarries, where the first discovery of that deposit was found in 1836 by Christian Fell. They were called the Christian Spring Quarries and were owned by the Moravians. The county almshouse roof in 1838 was covered with slate from their quarries. When first worked, the quarries yielded a product of two hundred squares per year, but its capacity was increased in later years. There are two small villages in the township, the old historical one of Shoeneck, which was first settled in 1761, and where an old stone church was built in 1793, and Georgetown, which is located in the south- western part of the township. The organization of the borough of Nazareth decreased the population of the township in 1870 to 740, and it has remained at about that figure to the present day.
Lower Nazareth township is bounded on the north by Upper Nazareth, on the east by Palmer township, on the south by the township of Bethlehem, and on the west by those of Hanover and East Allen. The first township officers of Lower Nazareth after the separation were: Constable, Daniel Clewell; supervisors, George Keim and Nathaniel Clewell; overseers of the poor, Christian H. Miller, Paul Micksch. The first census report of the township was made in 1820, at which time it contained 1,084 inhabitants. This had increased in 1850 to 1,297. There were then in the township 312 persons subject to taxation, the assessed value of the real estate being $557,- 351. The 243 families in the township supported three taverns, one store, and six schools, attended by 200 scholars. Hecktown, in the southern por- tion of the township, is a small village of about sixteen dwellings, a hotel, store, and a union church of the Lutheran and Reformed denominations. Newburg, in the center of the township, has about a dozen dwellings, and Smoketown, near the northern boundary line, about fifteen houses. Steuben Station, in the southwest corner of the township, is on the line of the rail- road. Steuben is a short distance from it, and Hollo or Nisky, in the north- east corner, are all small hamlets. The population of the township has de- creased since 1870, it averaging in the latter census reports about 1,000 inhabitants.
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Hanover Township-The form of this township is a triangle, and is bounded on the north by East Allen, on the east and southwest by Lower Nazareth and Bethlehem townships, and on the southwest by Lehigh county. Its southeastern boundary is Monocacy creek, the only stream of any importance within its limits. Hanover was taken from the territory of old Allen town- ship, August 8, 1798, and created into a township. At this time it had 736 inhabitants, but on the erection of Lehigh county a larger portion of the population was included in the new county, leaving but 358 inhabitants in the township of Hanover in Northampton county. In the past decades the population has fluctuated, sometimes showing a decrease and other times an increase. Its estimated population at the present time is in the neigh- borhood of 700.
The greater part of the town is included in what was originally known as the Manor of Fermor or Drylands, which in the early history of the county was called the Barrens, and were covered with scrub-oak, the lands being thinly inhabited and considered worthless. At the present time this section contains some of the most fertile and productive lands in the State.
Among the early settlers of the township were Peter Smith, David Hauseman, Peter Braidy, William Kammins, George Santee, John Johnson, Zopher Johnson, William Anderson, Peter Shelp, James Perry, Anthony Kleckuer, Stephen Koehler, Martin Lazarus, besides others. Monocacy creek in the early days furnished water power for several industrious grist and saw-mills, one of which, built by John Peter in 1856, was of stone, three stories high, and contained four run of stone and improved machinery. The mill of J. & H. Hummel a half century ago was famous for its manufacture of Bethlehem oatmeal and Bethlehem buckwheat flour.
Hanoverville, a post village, contains a tavern, store and a number of dwellings. Schoenersville is a settlement situated on the line between Han- over township in Lehigh county and Hanover township in Northampton county. It derives its name from Adam Schoener, who settled there in 1784 and opened a tavern which he named "Blue Ball." The first store in the village was opened about 1825 by Samuel Saylor, who came from Easton. He became the first postmaster, the office having been opened in his store in 1825, and was discontinued in 1908, due to its patrons being served by rural free delivery from Allentown. A telephone line in 1908 was built to the village from Catasauqua.
The oldest church organization in the town of Hanover in Lehigh and Northampton counties is Christ Church, located at Schoenersville. The church was organized in 1779 as a Lutheran and German Reformed Union church, by Rev. Johann Friederich Ernst, a Lutheran preacher, and Rev. Mr. Gross, a German Reformed pastor. Soon after the organization, efforts were made to erect a suitable house of worship. A plot of ground was purchased April 10, 1779, a log building was built, and the two congregations worshipped therein until 1819, when, on Ascension Day of that year, a cor- nerstone for a second church was laid. This edifice was of stone, and answered the needs of the congregation until 1872, when it was torn down, and on May 26, 1872, the cornerstone of the present brick church was laid. The complete cost of the present new church was about $17,000.
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The German Reformed pastors who have served the congregations are as follows: Rev. Mr. Gross, 1784-94; Rev. Mr. Hoffmeier succeeded him, served six years, and was followed by Rev. Mr. Van der Sloot, who remained until ISII, when Rev. Charles C. Becker was called. He served until his death in 1858. His son, Cyrus Becker, served until 1902, and was succeeded by Rev. F. A. Guth, who continued until 1911, when Rev. J. S. Bartholomew became pastor. The Lutheran congregation has been under the charge of the following pastors: Rev. Johann Friederich Ernst, 1780-92; Rev. George Joseph Wichterman, 1792-93; Rev. John Conrad Yeagle, 1793-1832; Rev. Joshua Yeager, 1832-85; Rev. A. R. Horne, 1885-1902; Rev. E. H. Eberts, 1903-04; Rev. A. O. Ebert, 1904-06: and in 1906 Rev. I. B. Ritter became pastor.
Bushkill Township-The surface of the township is undulating, and mostly of a gravelly nature, overlaying limestone in the southern part. The lime has had wonderful effect upon the unproductive soil, and where formerly grains could not be raised, the wheat crop now averages from fifteen to twenty bushels to the acre, rye fifteen to twenty, oats twenty to forty, corn twenty to thirty, and buckwheat fifteen to twenty. The main branch of Bushkill creek and many of its branches have their sources within the boun- daries of the township, thus furnishing many excellent water powers and pure ice cold springs.
The township of Bushkill was originally a part of Plainfield, and was then known as "The Plains." It was erected into a separate township August 13, 1813, bounded on the north by Monroe county, on the east by Plainfield, south by Upper Nazareth, and west by Moore township. It was early settled by the Germans; the Moravians, however, owned land in the southern part, and prior to 1770 erected a rude building where religious meetings were held. This was succeeded by another edifice in which the Moravians worshipped until 1793. The Moravians also built in 1752 what was known as the "Rose Tavern," which was used as a place of refuge by the inhabitants during the Indian troubles. Near this was a store or trading post kept by William Edmonds, where traffic was carried on with Indians and settlers as late as 1772, when it was removed to Nazareth.
One of the extreme outposts of the white settlements was a large stone building which was located in Jacobsburg, a small hamlet near the eastern boundary line of the township, and used as a tavern. On the opposite side of the creek was originally the gun works of William Henry, a branch of his factory at Nazareth. This was erected in 1799, made arms for the United States and the State government, and continued to be used for barrel boring and for the manufacture of gun locks for fourteen years, when it was transformed into a grist-mill.
The records of the early settlers are very scant and imperfect. Jacob Werner was a native of Sweden; Jacob Titus removed from Philadelphia to the township in 1776, and lived to a ripe old age, being over one hundred years old at the time of his death ; George Tuen was a Hessian, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Another early settler was James Wil- liamson, one of General Washington's staff officers. In the first census taken after the crection of Bushkill. the population is given at 1,262. It was
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purely an agricultural district ; the increase in its inhabitants was slow, and in 1870 had reached 1901. The great wealth that underlaid the surface had not been developed at this time; the first attempts to quarry slate were not a profitable undertaking. The average valuation of the land for agricul- tural purposes was about $20 an acre, but as the slate beds became success- fully worked, this valuation naturally was enhanced. At the base of the mountain there were originally forests of chestnut, white, black and red oak, and along the stream, maple, ash and hemlock were abundant. On the banks of the creek and its branches were grist and saw mills. Charcoal burning was at one time an important industry.
The German language was generally spoken throughout the township, though in the north English prevailed to some extent. The first school in the township was taught at the Union church in the German language, and an English school was not opened until 1820. There are several hamlets located within the limits of the town, small in population, and consist gen- erally of a store, a tavern and a few dwellings.
In the township of Bushkill is the Union Church, situated a short dis- tance from Belfast, erected and dedicated in 1829, and at first used by three denominations-Lutheran, Reformed and Moravian-but at the present time the latter has not a settled minister. The Methodist Episcopal church was erected in the northwestern part of the township in 1832, and was conse- crated in September, that year, by Rev. Thomas Millard. The Canaan church of the Evangelical Association was erected in 1851 and dedicated in Decem- ber of that year by Rev. Frederick Crocker, who was the first minister. The Lutheran and Reformed church at Bushkill Centre was erected in 1873 at a cost of $8,500. The cornerstone was laid in May, 1873, and the church dedicated in December of the same year. Of the four denominations the Lutherans are the most numerous, while the Reformed stand next in rank of members. The Methodists are located in the northern part of the town- ship, while the Moravians live chiefly in the vicinity of Cherry Hill. The population of the township in 1910 was 1,586, which shows a decrease of about twenty per cent. in the last forty years.
East Allen Township-East Allen township was a part of Allen township from the time of the settlement until 1845, when it became a separate organ- ization. It is bounded on the north by Moore township, on the east by Upper and Lower Nazareth townships, on the south by Hanover township, and on the west by Allen township. The township consists of rich rolling farming land, and is drained by the Catasauqua and Monocacy creeks. When Bath became a borough, it left the township with only three villages, Jackson- ville, Seemsville and Weaversville.
St. Peter's Church, usually called Schneider's church, is about three miles from Weaversville and about ten miles from Bath. It is located on a hill about two hundred and fifty feet above the beautiful level country stretch- ing at its base. Here was located for many years prior to the erection of the church, a school known as Schneider's school, hence the name Schneider's church. The cornerstone of the church was laid August 2, 1874, and the dedication took place June 6, 1875. The church was erected at a cost of $7,000. The first pastors were Robert J. Liesberger, Reformed church, and
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M. J. Kramlich, Lutheran. The present pastors are George Laubach, Re- formed, and A. E. Erdman, Lutheran. The Presbyterian or settlement church which is in this township is treated under Allen township. On the Henry Heistand farm is a private cemetery formerly used by the Heistand and Musselman families. The oldest burial is that of Jacob Musselman, born November, 1730, died May 16, 1784; and on the Solomon Steinmetz farm is the Gross burial ground. One of the headstones contains the inscription : "Peter Gross born 1729 and died 1782."
Weaversville is an attractive rural village situated about two miles east of Northampton in Allen township. It contains a tavern, a store and about two dozen houses. It was at one time the center of culture and influence in the western part of Northampton county. Here John Hay, Jr., erected a grist mill in 1790, which passed into the possession of the Fatzinger family in 1826. Near the mill is the very beautiful home of the late Jacob Fatzin- ger, Jr., who was a well-known surveyor and historian, whose family still resides on the homestead. Christofel Baer erected a mill on Hokendanqua creek, in the upper part of the borough of Northampton, the year after the Hay mill was erected. It passed into the possession of the Leh family, and was recently demolished by one of the cement companies. It was known as the Stoffe Baer mill.
Here was located the one-time famous Weaversville Academy. The building, now a store, was erected in 1856, mainly through the influence of a few well-to-do farmers and professional men, who appointed the following persons to execute a contract for its erection : Jacob Fatzinger, Jacob Baer, Isaac Baker, and John Laubach. The latter was selected as the builder. The first trustees were: President, George Hower; secretary, Samuel Weaver ; E. F. Martin, M.D., Jacob Fatzinger, Daniel Biery, Jonas Lichten- walner, and David Weaver. The catalogue for 1858 shows that during the year there had been in attendance 137 pupils, of whom ninety-eight were male and thirty-nine female. Among those who presided over the academy were Hiram F. Savage, R. L. Buehrle, Ralph Pendeton, Abraham F. Kind, Rev. F. P. Bender, C. E. Kummer, and Rev. Leo. F. Kunkel. The academy was closed in 1888.
Gen. Robert Brown was a lieutenant in Colonel Magaw's regiment, Flying Camp, and was captured at the surrender of Fort Washington, No- vember 16, 1776. He and his companions fought for forty-eight hours with- out food or water, surrendering only when their ammunition was completely exhausted. They were driven like cattle into a church in New York, fitted out for a prison. A handful of wormy crackers were given them several hours after their imprisonment. Of the two thousand more than three hun- dred died, some being buried while yet alive. After three days, Lieutenant Brown and some of the others were removed to more humane quarters. He was exchanged at Elizabethtown, January 25, 1781, and returned to his home in East Allen township. His title of "general" he received from holding that office in the militia under Governors Findley and Mckean. He was the first senator from Northampton county, and from 1796 to 1814 had represented the district in Congress, declining renomination. He enjoyed the personal friendship of Albert Gallatin, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and many other
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men of political fame. His ashes repose in the Presbyterian cemetery in Allen township. The unusual large Kentucky buckeye tree which over- shadows his former residence grew from seed given him by Robert Morris.
Palmer Township-The township of Palmer was originally a part of Forks township until May 5, 1857, when it was declared by the court a separate and independent township, and was named in honor of George Palmer, who was surveyor of the State for many years. The township is situated in the southeastern part of Northampton county, is about eight and three-quarters miles long in a northerly and southerly direction, in width east and west is about two miles, and embraces all that part of Forks township which is laid on the right and lowest bank of Bushkill creek. A portion of the township contiguous to Easton was annexed to that city. The.township is bounded on the north by Upper Nazareth and Plainfield townships, on the east by Forks township, the dividing line being Bushkill creek and the city of Easton, on the south by the borough of Glendon and Williams township, divided there- from by the Lehigh river, and on the west by Bethlehem, Lower and Upper Nazareth townships.
The township contains many fine farms, the soil being unsurpassed in its fertility, and there are not fifty acres of waste land in the township that cannot be used for agricultural purposes. Underlying the soil is a fine blue limestone, and in various places rich deposits of hematite iron ore in large quantities are found. There is plenty of water power furnished by the Lehigh river and Bushkill creek. On the Bushkill creek in former days were located a number of flour and grist mills, some of which are still in operation. Of the principal villages, Odenweldertown and Mutchlertown have become a part of the borough of West Easton. Seipsville is a small village three miles from Easton, and four miles from Nazareth.
The first fair and cattle show in Northampton county was held in the fall of 1855 by the Northampton County Agricultural Society, on what is now the southwest corner of Fifteenth and Butler streets in the city of Easton. Then arose a controversy where the permanent buildings should be located, Easton, Bethlehem and Nazareth were places spoken of, and each one claimed and pressed its advantages. Finally Nazareth was selected, grounds purchased and buildings erected. This caused dissatisfaction amongst the citizens of Easton, and led to organization of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Institute of Northampton County. A constitution was adopted October 24, 1855, and a committee appointed, who purchased twenty-nine acres of land in Palmer township and erected buildings. The first fair was opened Septem- ber 23, 1856, and was a grand financial success. During the spring and sum- mer of 1861, Camp Washington was established on the grounds. The first to occupy the camp was the First Regiment of Rhode Island Marine Artillery, commanded by Col. Ambrose E. Burnside. On the departure of this regi- ment to the seat of war, the camp was occupied by three regiments of the Reserve Volunteers of Pennsylvania, numbering nearly three thousand strong.
Hugh De Payens Commandery, Knights Templar, of Easton, gave in 1879 a ball in the hall of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Institute, which was the most elaborate affair ever given in Northampton county. The walls of the building were extensively decorated, entirely obliterating the woodwork.
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Washington Township-This township lies in the shape of an almost perfect triangle, and is bounded on the northeast by Upper Mount Bethel township, on the southeast by Lower Mount Bethel, on the west by Plainfield, and on the north by Monroe county. It was formerly a part of Lower Mount Bethel, and was erected into a separate township in 1871. The surface is principally rolling and hilly, underlaid with slate formations, except along the southern side of the Blue Mountain ridge, where there is a marshy tract or valley, which is a source of the springs that feed Martin's creek, which flows through its center, nearly the entire length of the township, furnishing abundance of water power for mills.
The settlement of the township dates back to 1730, at the time of the Scotch-Irish settlement at Martin's creek, when a group of cabins was erected at a point which is now Richmond. Other pioneers much later than this, however, were Philip Shuck, who built a loghouse where Bangor is now located; and the Kerns, Alberts, Oberholtzs and Funks were old pioneer families. Roads from Nazareth to the river were laid out before 1750, but the first local roads were laid out and worked about 1802, one running through Ackermansville to Fox Gap, and two years later one from Henry's Mill and Wind Gap to Williamsburg. A log mill was built at Ackermans- ville in 1788, which was soon afterwards followed by the erection of other mills. The first post-office was established in 1804 at Richmond, which is located in the southeastern corner of the township. This is a small hamlet, situated at a cross-roads, containing a hotel, general store, church, grist mill, and a few residences. The Richmond Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Rev. Charles H. Eyer was pastor in 1915, was organized and built an cdifice in 1840, with seating capacity for two hundred and fifty. It has a member- ship of one hundred and thirty.
The southern half of the township is fertile and well adapted to purposes of agriculture, but slate underlays the northern portion of the soil, making it less valuable for farming. The exact population of the township at the time of its erection from Lower Mount Bethel is hard to determine ; its history previous to its separation is chiefly merged in the original township from which it was formed. The erection of Bangor into a borough soon after the incorporation of the township, has led to the growth of population in late years in this borough rather than in the township. The slate industry, how- ever, has not, as is the usual case in townships wholly devoted to agricultural pursuits, decreased the population, but has materially increased it, as in 1910 there were 3.532 inhabitants in the township outside of the borough of Bangor.
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