USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume II > Part 7
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There are now in the township ten school houses, furnished with all modern apparatus and appliances of education. There are five small vil- lages- Middletown, north of Freemansburg, has about sixteen dwellings ; Butztown, on the cement road between Easton and Allentown, is in the center of the township, a post-office, with a tavern, store and about twenty dwellings; Altona, one mile north of the city of Bethlehem, is a small ham- let, with about sixteen dwellings: Brodhead Station is in the northeastern part of the township, near the line of Lower Nazareth. Farmersville, in the eastern part of the township, is situated on the trolley line between Easton and Bethlehem; here is about a dozen houses. a school, and St. John's Church. This church owes its foundation to a meeting held in January, 1846, at the stone school house. It was resolved at this meeting to purchase a lot and build a union church for the Lutheran and Reformed congregations. The cornerstone was laid May 30-31. 1846, and the dedica- tion took place the following January. The cost of the church was $3,500. Among the Lutheran pastors were Revs. Marcus Harpel, - --- Smith,
Bergenmyer, J. B. Rath and I. W. Barber, who was pastor from 1871 to 1881. Some of the Reformed pastors were: Revs. Max Stein, D. F. Brandlee, W. D. Rodrock, H. H. W. Hepburn. Shimmertown and Hopes- ville, in the southern portion of the township, are two small hamlets. The population of the township of Bethlehem by the census of 1910 was about 3,000.
Williams Township-The organization of Williams township in 1750 preceded the erection of Northampton county by two years. William Allen, one of the carly purchasers of colonial lands, took possession of lands beyond the boundaries of those acquired by the Proprietaries, and in early days he attempted to obtain possession of a large tract in the northern part of the province belonging to the Indians, which he was obliged to relinquish. He
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purchased, August 29, 1728, a 20,000-acre tract, mostly situated in what is now Williams township, and which became known as Williams' Land. This had formerly belonged to William Penn, a descendant of the founder of the colony, and had been bequeathed to him by the latter's will. The boundaries of this tract was a subject of dispute, the white settlers claiming the Lehigh Hills, the red men the river, but in an early day John Logan, the land agent of the colony, established a southern line as a division between Bucks and Northampton counties. The surface of the township is one continuous hill and valley. The carly German settlers simply took possession of whatever lands they desired, without right and title, many of the titles not being per- fected for nearly thirty years. Prominent among the hills was one named by the early settlers as Hepikoft Hill. This hill was an Indian shrine, and to the south of it in Bucks county was another hill known as Rattlesnake Hill. On the latter hill was a jasper mine, from which was made spear- heads by the Indians and was zealously guarded by a tribe of Shawnee Indians. At the foot of Hepikoft Hill there are still to be found shavings of jasper which were made in the manufacture of the spear-heads. At the top of this hill is a natural rock formation which in the distance has all the resemblance of a huge bear. Members of the western tribes of Indians visited this locality for the purpose of purchasing jasper for their spear- heads, but the source of the production was kept an inviolate secret. On the arrival of the white settlers the jasper mines were discontinued, and the location was given the name of Witch's Head. It has been the subject of numerous weird and mysterious stories, which in course of time have died out, being only revived at the present time by professors of witchcraft.
The township is situated in the southeastern corner of the county, and is bordered on the north by the Lehigh river, separating it from Palmer township and the city of Easton, on the east by the Delaware river, on the south by Bucks county, and on the west by the township of Lower Saucon. Nearly the entire surface of the township is covered by the Lehigh hills, beginning at the Delaware and extending southwest. The soil along the river is limestone land, which is very productive, while the hills are more gravelly, but have been raised to a high state of cultivation by the farmers utilizing the lime of the low lands.
At the time of the organization of the town the population was fully one hundred and fifty. Among these were: Melchoir Hay, Michael Schu- macher, Philip Bozzerd, Martin Lehr, George Raub, Uri Bast, Nicholas Bast, Adam Merkle, Jeremiah Bast, George William Kale or Koehl, and George Bast, all of German stock; there were, however, a few of the English speak- ing race among the early settlers. In 1760 the population had increased to 250. In 1773 the total valuation of real estate in the township was £966; in that year the taxes amounted to f9 5s. Iod., and the number of taxables was seventy-eight, the single men being five. The population in 1850 had increased to 2,634, but by the census of 1870 there were only 2,428, an apparent decrease of 206, but it must be remembered that in 1850 the popu- lation of South Easton and Glendon was included in the township's popu- lation. At the last census of 1910 the population was given at 1,819. The iron ore deposits and furnaces have been dealt with elsewhere in this work.
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Along the banks of the Delaware there is an inexhaustible supply of lime- stone.
Raubsville, a post-office situated in the eastern part of the township on the Delaware river, is a small gathering of dwellings. It was named for the family of Raubs, who were the first settlers in that vicinity. Among the early settlers of this hamlet was Dr. Peter Sailer. He was exiled from his native land, Germany, for witchcraft, and on coming to America went to a fellow countryman at Phillipsburg, New Jersey, but finally located at Raubs- ville. He gained a reputation for his miraculous cures from Massachusetts to Georgia, and of two of these we take note. Meeting on the road a set- tler suffering from a cut made by an axe, he treated the wound, which was in his foot, by gathering an herb or weed by the wayside, which he chewed in his mouth and applied as a poultice, and after one or two treatments the wound healed. Another case was a woman who had been given up to death by Philadelphia practitioners. She was suffering with a throat disease, and by squeezing her neck and applying medicine, in a short time, after several treatments, she was restored to health. Dr. Sailer practiced medicine for over fifty years at Raubsville, and administered to patients who sought his advice not only in his immediate vicinity but to those who came a great distance to receive relief. He died in 1805. His posterity gained an envi- able reputation in the medical world, and at the present time Dr. Wilhelm Sailer, of the fourth generation, a graduate of the University of Pennsyl- vania, still practices at Raubsville. His predecessors had no established fees for their services, but accepted whatever the patients chose to bestow on them. Their services were in demand throughout the eastern section of the country.
About four miles from the Delaware river, on a road leading from Raubsville to Hellertown, is the Old Williams Township Church. In a field at the foot of Morgan's Hill, on the site of the present reservoir, in what is now Cedarville, stood a church in 1730, organized by Rev. John Casper Stoever, Jr., and was called "Die Germande Am Delaware Revier von der Luthensche Religin." The olden time church of logs was used several years, but was finally demolished in December, 1762. This was probably the largest Lutheran congregation of that period in America. Here wor- shipped all the Lutherans of Upper Jersey. During the first few years serv- ices were held only on important religious anniversaries. Later they were held more frequently or whenever an itinerant preacher could be procured. On the day preceding these special services, to notify the inhabitants of the event, huge bonfires were built on the summit of Morgan's Hill, which illuminated the country for forty miles around. The members of this remarkable congregation, whose names are here recorded, constituted nearly the entire population at the Forks and the regions round about :
George Raub, Jacob Raub, Peter Raub, Martin Manlin, Michael Raub, Jacob Kister, John Lerch, Michael Meyer, John Bast, Jacob Bast, Jeremiah Bast, Leonard Kister, John Adam Schnell, John Schuch, Magnus Decker, Henrich Decker, Bernhard Wilhelm, Leonard Hartzell, George Wilhelm Kochl, Adam Bayer, John Henrich Kleinhans, Balzer Hess, Peter Hess, Con- rad Hess, Michael Hess, Frederich Hess, Michael Bernhard, Laurence Mer-
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kel, Frederick Giehrast, Nicholas Ensel, Nicholas Kern, Wilhelm Gahr, Wendel Brechbiehl, John Bleyler, John Feit, John Adam Schwartzwelder, Peter Reiser, Powel Reiser, Mathais Bruchi, Jacob Abel, Daniel Wormbsea, Peter Quattlebaum, Leonard Vogelmann, Elias Hesel, John Berger, Frede- rich Lunger, Dr. Peter Sailer, John Conrad Vogelman, Michael Wilhelm, Jacob Geyer, Henry Frantz, Henry Gichrast, Paul Reeser, Jacob Roden- hoster. Wilhelm Volbrecht, Peter Moelich, Johan Yost, Rothenber- ger, Johan Michael Enders (Andrews), Wilhelm Kern, Johan Philip Oden- welder, Jacob Maurer, Jacob Koch, Johan Frantz Mehrbos, Christian Miller, Jacob Gukert, Powell Frantz, Jacob Brotzman, Christian Mohr, Bodrik De Winne, Gerhardt Mohr, Peter Wohleber, Frederick Brotzman, Gottfried Moelich, Michael Schumacher, Johan Schumacher, Godfried Reich, Jacob Zug, Peter Lerch, Jacob Ritschy, Elias Meyer, Mathias Fraunfelder, John Faas, Thomas Fein, Jacob Bentz, Rudolph Dantzeler, Henrich Luck, John Adam Frickeroth, Jacob Beutelman, Wilhelm Kern, Christian Eckert, Christopher Kintzel, Jacob Dech, John Melchoir, Godfried Klein, Andrew Grub, Peter Grub, Wilhelm Phillip, Elias Dietrich, George Mathias Otto, Conrad Fritz, Adam Schmidt, John Weiler, John Feber, John Michael Leder, Christopher Falkenburg, Leonard Kiefer, John Bartholomew, Peter Lantz, Nicholas Lantz, Conrad Zeller, John Sherffenstein, Johan Peter Richer, Jacob Schaup, John Bast, Mathias Unzinger, Johan Philip Dick, Philip Bozzerd, Michael Koch, Jacob Paddendorfer, Valentine Schultz, Peter Wolleber, George Reimel, John Peter Edelman, Andrew Miller, George Dit- man, John Wildrick, Peter Herring, John Klackner, Johan Philip Weltz. Jacob Miller, Sebastian Keyser, Mathias Schmidt, Mathias Pentz, Henry Reimschmidt, Jacob Weltz, Johan Pohl, Jacob Reich, Jacob Trieb, Joseph Aninger, Anton Hener, Johan Drumheller, George Shick, John Daniel Rein- heimer, George Henry Unangst, Philip Opp, George Michael Krauss, John Peter Schonfelter, John Christian Heil. Geo. Sickman, Jacob Kutzler, John Enneger, Henry Schrenk, Jacob Loeffler, Christopher Falkenberger, Lud- wig Ditman, Johan Jacob Peisher, Henry Haudenshield, Jacob Ritter, John Conrad Wollenweber, Jacob Rumfelt, John Ludwig Repsher, Philip Wen- del Opp, Jacob Klipel, Powel Kuntz, Henry Salmon, Baltzer Dielman, Frederich Kuhn, Mathias Unsinger, Jacob Zeller.
Not only these but their wives and grown children helped to swell the membership, making a congregation of nearly three hundred people. The later history of this church is given in an article on Easton, in this work. The records of the church, which was organized in the middle part of the eighteenth century, are still extant. Among the successors of the Rev. Dr. Stoever were Johann Justus Birkinstock, who ceased his labors in 1749, when Rev. Rudolph Heinrich Schrenk became pastor, and his charge of the con- gregation continued until 1756, when he was succeeded by Rev. Johannes Andreas Friederics, who preached the gospel to the congregation until 1760. For the next nine years the Rev. Johann George Weisner officiated ; he was succeeded in 1770 by Rev. Christian Streit. A new era of the church scems to have begun with the adoption in 1792 of a "Church Discipline." From 1783 to 1826 the following ministers officiated: Revs. Johann Andreas Friederics, John Conrad Yeager, Christian Endress, John Augustus Brobst, John P. Hecht, and Johann Heinrich Hoffmeister; the latter was pastor in 1831. The church was formerly used by the Lutheran and Reformed congregations, but afterwards became known as St. Luke's Lutheran Church. In the early seventies of the past century it was remodeled, and the one hundredth anniversary was celebrated in 1913. From 1877 to 1913 the fol- lowing were pastors: Revs. J. O. Upp, William Bieber, H. B. Ritter.
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There was standing in the township in 1884 a stone structure built by John Zeller, used by the Lutheran and Reformed congregations in an early day, and called St. John's Church. On the old Philadelphia road was built in 1872 a Methodist Episcopal church, a frame building with a stone base- ment, on a site where a church had been erected in 1839. Located in Stout's Valley was a small frame building built by the Methodist denomination. The Raubsville Methodist Episcopal Church was erected about 1876.
Immediately south of Easton is what is known as Morgan's Hill, where in the early part of the nineteenth century a store and tavern were main- tained by Mrs. Morgan. She gained a wide reputation, and was in derision called by some people a bad woman, a witch woman, but without any founda- tion whatsoever. She was a refined and highly educated lady, her advice being sought by her neighbors in any sickness or disputes that might arise, and she became known as der mommy among the Germans, which, in her day, was a great distinction. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Bell; she was the pretty daughter of Jacob and Ann Bell, Orthodox Quakers, residing prior to the Revolutionary War on Front street, Philadelphia. There was in that city at this time a young grocer, Hugh Bay, son of Rev. Andrew Bay, a chaplain in the Provincial army, who succumbed to the charms of the young Quaker maiden. Being not of their faith, his suit was frowned upon by her parents and he was refused admittance to the Bell domicile. At the report of the British army coming towards Philadelphia, Elizabeth removed the leaden weights from her father's clock and converted them into bullets for her soldier lover, who was a member of the noted artillery com- pany in the Continental service. This act caused a flurry in Quakerdom and so enraged her father that he forthwith transferred her to Europe to finish her education. Four years elapsed, and her father, thinking his daughter had outlived her carly infatuation, allowed her to return home. Elizabeth was, however, true to her first love, and married Hugh Bay in Swedes' Church, Philadelphia, August 16, 1781. This act so shocked the Orthodox Quaker congregation that at a special meeting Elizabeth was expelled for marrying a worldly man. Her father died a few years later, leaving her a part of his wealth. Her husband maintained a fine home on a fashionable street in Philadelphia, but unfortunately died three years after his marriage, leaving one child, Anna. After six years of widowhood Elizabeth married, September 2, 1790, Dr. Abel Morgan, a prominent physician of Philadelphia. and formerly a surgeon in the Continental army. Two months later her mother died, and with the exception of the birth of another daughter nothing eventful transpired until 1793, the year of the great epidemic in Philadelphia. Dr. Morgan removed his family from that city to the Lehigh Hills, leaving his home in charge of colored servants. He selected for his retreat a hotel on the top of a hill overlooking the "Forks of the Delaware." This location was a favorite one of Dr. Morgan, as he encamped there with his regiment during his military service. After seeing his family comfortably settled, he returned to Philadelphia to help stamp out the epidemic. His wife not receiving any communication for two months, and the quarantine of the city being removed, concluded to return home. On arriving in Philadelphia she found the servants had decamped from her home, ransacking and con-
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fiscating everything of value. Her husband had contracted the malady and died within a few days after his arrival, being buried in the trench along with those who had succumbed to the disease. This affliction required for- titude on the part of the widow, who disposed of her home and all her interests in Philadelphia and returned to the Hills in Williams township with the purpose of living in quiet retirement with her two daughters. She never returned to Philadelphia, but purchased the hotel property, where she lived for upwards of fifty years. Mrs. Morgan made use of her excellent education ; she possessed a fine library, and her favorite pastime was reading law books, of which she had a complete set. These were kept on a bench in the public room, where she would dispense law when occasion required. This room in time became the popular retreat for those of her neighbors who could not settle their differences themselves. They would invariably refer their case to this improvised court. A request for her decision was never refused; both old and young respected her judgment and seldom was there an appeal to a higher tribunal. This condition of affairs brought forth a protest from the legal fraternity of Easton, who endeavored by various methods to break up the practice. Reflections as to her character and the character of the place were made, bringing her name into ridicule with the unthinking. All this unkindness toward the "Widow Morgan" only in- creased her popularity. Few of these gentry of the bar could boast of a better legal education than Elizabeth Morgan, and none of a better univer- sity training ; her last will and testament (written by herself), for scholarly composition and legal construction, is the peer of any like instrument of any member of the legal fraternity of her day. Steeled to adversity, never showing resentment towards her traducers, living a good and true life, a kind and generous neighbor, ministering to the afflicted, adjusting neigh- borly disputes for many years, she died October 16, 1839, aged eighty years, and was buried in the Reformed cemetery on Mount Jefferson (now the site of the new library). Her obsequies were attended by people from far and near, her funeral cortege being nearly two miles long, reaching from the cemetery gates to a point along the Philadelphia road beyond Lachenour Heights, South Side.
Forks Township-Forks township is one of the original townships of Northampton county, and was incorporated in 1754. Formerly it extended westward to the townships of Bethlehem and Lower and Upper Nazareth, and southward to the Lehigh river. The present boundaries are: on the north, by Plainfield township; on the northcast and east by Lower Mount Bethel and the Delaware river; on the south, by Easton; and on the west, by Palmer township. The township is well watered and supplied with power by the Bushkill creek and the smaller streams flowing into it.
The first settlers were chiefly German, which has always been the pre- ponderating nationality in the township. Among the names of the first are those of Melchoir Stecker, George Stecker, Michael Messinger, Jacob Shoe- maker, George Messinger, David Owens, John Lefevre, a French Huguenot, Jacob Young, Joseph Potts, William Bingham, Samuel Powell, John Van Etten, James Young, John Young, William Smith, Jacob Uhler, and John NORTHI .- 1-31.
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Nicholas Kemmerer, Frederick Lerch, Valentine Uhler, and John Koehler, as well as those of Sandt, Werkheiser, Schwartz, Fraunfelder, Sigman, Kocker, Rippel, Raesley and others. Col. Jacob Arndt was not among the first comers; he removed from Bucks county into the township in 1762, locating a mill site at what is now Bushkill Park. He was a captain, after- wards a colonel in the French and Indian wars, and was the father of Capt. John Arndt, of Revolutionary fame. Among others who served in the Revo- lutionary War were: Valentine Uhler, Sr., George Stecker, Henry Laux, John N. Kemmerer, Henry Stecker, Andrew Stecker and others.
The pioneer mill, Friedensthal Mill, was one of the first put into opera- tion in the county. It was built by the Moravians about 1746 and served its purpose until 1791, when it gave place to a stone structure. This mill, as well as one built in 1760 by Michael Messinger, was within the bounds of Palmer township on its formation. Colonel Arndt owned and carried on one of the oldest mills in Forks township; it was located on Bushkill creek, and was destroyed by fire in 1866, but was rebuilt. Prior to the Revolution, Jacob Shoemaker started a fulling mill about two miles from Easton, on the Bushkill creek. These early industries have passed away and Forks township is purely an agricultural district. It was the last of the original townships of Northampton county to acquire a church. This was caused principally by its environments, the peculiar formation and its close prox- imity to Easton. The Forks church, while not located centrally in the town- ship, is equidistant with the other township churches. For many years the first settlers of the township attended church at Easton. Some in the western district were members of the Dryland congregation.
Within the bounds of the township were established two burial grounds, which became preaching places for the itinerant. One of these was Arndt's and Messinger's burying ground; the other was what became known as Stocker's burying ground. The latter was begun as a private cemetery when the property was in possession of John Lefevre, who resided a short distance below in a stone house in which he conducted a hotel. This prop- erty passed through various hands and was conveyed by deed to Andrew Stocker, April 2, 1787. From this time on the burials became more numer- ous. Congregational meetings were held in the barn of Andrew Stocker in 1798, and the probability is that the congregation was under the charge of regular ministers, as none of the names of the persons living in the vicinity occur in any other church records.
The Arndt and Messinger church is so named in honor of Jacob Arndt and Michael Messinger, who donated the site for church and cemetery pur- poses. The burial ground was laid out and used fifty years before a church was creeted. The first interment was that of Mrs. Arndt, wife of one of the donors; she was buried there January 31, 1776. The first church building was a stone structure erected in 1812, intended to serve as a school as well as a church. The building was demolished and a new building erected on the same site in 1855. This gave place to the present church, the corner- stone of which was laid October 25, 1914. The church was erected at the cost of $17,000, and was reconstructed January 23, 1916. Since the erection of the first church it has been occupied by the Lutheran and Reformed con-
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gregations. Among those who have presided over the congregations we name the following: Reformed-Rev. Thomas Pomp, Rev. Theodore Hof- fiditz, Rev. E. W. Reinecke and Rev. G. S. Kleckner; Lutheran-Rev. John August Brobst, Rev. George Wentzell, Rev. David Kuntz and Rev. E. G. Ehret.
Capt. John Arndt, son of Col. Jacob Arndt, was born June 3, 1748, and died May 6, 1814. He was captain of the company credited to Forks town- ship in the Revolutionary War, of which we give the muster roll :
Captain-John Arndt; First Lieutenant-Joseph Martin; Second Lieu- tenant-Peter Kicklein; Third Lieutenant-Isaac Shimer.
Sergeants-Robert Scott *; Andrew Herster; Philip Arndt *; Andrew Keiferį.
Corporals-Jacob Kichline *; George Edelman; Peter Richter *; Elijah Crawford *.
Drummer-John Arndtt. Fifer-Henry Allshouset.
Privates-Daniel Lewis *; Benjamin Depue *; Thomas Sybert; John Wolft ; James Hindshawt ; John Middagh* ; Alex. Sylliman* ; Jacob Difford}; Jacob McFarran *; Robert Lyle *; John Rosst; Richard Overfield}; Jacob Miller *; Martin Derrt; Henry Siegel; Christian Stout *; Jacob Andrew ; Joseph Stout#; Jacob Weidnechtt; Henry Onangst *; George Fry}; John Smith; Jost Dornblaser; John Busht; Macheas Steininger}; Jacob Wagner *; Paul Reasert; John Shurtzt; Lawrence Erb}; Isaac Berlint; Adam Yohe *; Frederick Riegert; J. McCraeken *; James Farrel *; Jacob Englert; Geo. Ryman : Conrad Smith *; Geo. Essigh *; Val'n Yent *; Philip Reeser; Lewis Collinst; Joseph Kellert; Peter Byer}; Conrad Metz; Peter Kern}; Henry Fatzinger *; Jolin Kessler *; Geo. Shibly; M. Kress *; M. Kailor *; Wm. War- randt; F. Wilhelmt; Peter Lehrt; M. Deal *; Philip Bosh}; Peter Freest; Henry Wolf, Sr.1; Isaac Shoemaker* ; Dan'l Sailor* ; Fred'k Wagner} ; Sam'l Curryt; Henry Fretzt; Henry Bosh, Jr.t; Henry Strausst; Isaac Koont; Chr. Harpelt; Joseph Minert; Bernh'd Miller}; John Falstich ; Henry Weid- knechtt; Ad. Weidknechtt; J. Fraunfeltert; John Yent *; Geo. Eddingert ; Ab. Peter1; Adam Bortzt; Jacob Kreider}; Christ'n Harpel, 2dt; Christian Rotht: Con'd Bittenbendert; Henry Bush, Sr.#; A. Frutchey#; Henry Wolf, Jr .*; A. Everts; Jos'h Chasst; Jolin Harpel}; James Symonton *.
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