USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume II > Part 9
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smaller streams which flow into the Lehigh river. The Lehigh Water Gap, where the river breaks through the Blue Mountains, at the northwestern corner of the township, is one of nature's beauty spots, and is frequented by tourists and geologists. Near the eastern limit of the township is another gap in the mountains known as the Little Gap or "Die Klee Kaft."
The early settlers were mostly Palatines, Alsatians and Swiss. The fol- lowing table shows the increase in population : 1740, 30; 1750, 100; 1770, 350; 1780, 500; 1800, 884; 1820, 1,550; 1850, 2,343; 1870, 3,496. In 1773 the valua- tion of real estate in the township was £853 and the taxation was fio 3s. 4d. At the time there were three grist-mills in the township, owned and operated by Thomas Wilson, Jost Driesbach and George Driesbach.
The earliest place of worship in the township was a small log church known as the Driesbach Church, at Howersville. The location is not defi- nitely known, but is supposed to have been near the old burial ground in the field on the crest of the hill on the south side of the road leading to Cherry- ville. Among the Reformed pastors who preached here were John Egedio Hecker, Casper D. Weyberg, John Daniel Gross, John Philip Leydich, Philip Jacob Michael. The congregation, in union with the Lutheran and Reformed settlers, who were supplanting the Scotch-Irish, united and erected the Stone church at Kreidersville, as the following document shows :
On November 6, 1772, it was further resolved by the undersigned on the Reformed side as follows:
We, the undersigned, hereby attest, that since we have united with Moore township and Allen township to erect a union church and since the church is now finished and we have abandoned the church at Jost Dries- bach's, we deem it reasonable that we shall have no further use for the church vessels here, but desire to transfer them to the new Stone church. And that we hereby transfer and hand over the same to the Stone church at the township line between Lehigh and Allen townships, namely : the bap- tismal dish, the chalice, the table cloth and the collection bags ( glingel secklein ). to be devoted there to the same use.
Jost Dreisbach, Henrich Strauss, Conrad Bachman, Simon Dreisbach. Adam Dreisbach, Christian Lauffer.
A true copy made by me, Simon Dreisbach, February 1, 1781.
The change from Howersville to the present location of the congrega- tion, the Stone Church. at the boundary line between Allen and Lehigh townships, is accounted for in a letter written by Simon Driesbach to Rev. John Henry Helfrich, dated January, 1773, which is here quoted in part :
Now I shall relate to you the beginning of this church and congrega- tion, but as briefly as I can, in order that you may know the conditions here. First of all, I must name the three congregations. There is the Inschen Land (Indian Land) congregation which is located at the Blue Mountains, on the Lehigh. Then there is our congregation, on the Inschen Creek (In- dian Creek), at Jost Dreisbach's, in the centre and the strongest Reformed congregation, and then there is the congregation of Moore township, where now Rev. Hecker still lives and preaches. The Indianland congregation has not more than eight or nine men (on the Reformed side) and these are almost half Lutheran. Those of Moore township have more people, but they cannot make up even as much as those of Indianland. Then there is our old congregation which has also been unable to make up a large salary. From this it can be seen that these three congregations were too weak to
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keep up three churches and that they hardly make one good congregation. This we have known for a long time and both parties (denominations) always implored those of Moore township and those of Indianland to unite with us in our church, but it was never done until about two years ago, when the question was fully considered, especially because considerable number of Germans had settled in Allen township.
Then they took counsel with some of the leading church members in the three named congregations and for the first time our wish was fulfilled, that all should unite with those of Allen township to build a union church. I must mention some of these men. In the Indianland congregation there was Conrad Schneider, who now lives in Heidelberg, a schoolmaster. He was one of the first of the Indianland congregation (to agree to it) and he promised at once five pounds. But later when he had the whole congrega- tion together to sign for it, he alienated the whole congregation again. Then there is Johannes Ditter, our old, above mentioned elder (Vorsteher), who gave his consent until we began to build, then he turned against us. Then some of Moore township, by the persuasion of Hecker, got the notion to build up their church again, but it is still uncertain.
Thus the beginning was made according to our desire, but then the enemy sowed more and more weeds among the wheat and now seeks to choke out the wheat. but thanks be to God that the congregation grows still and the church of God or the congregation is again rising and prospering under all this tempest of affliction, so that now we are able, if God be gra- cious to us to give a regular minister ; the people of Indianland see now that they have done wrong and those of Moore township do not know what they will do, because daily more are leaving them.
As I have been for a long time an onlooker on church affairs in this region, I cannot forbear mentioning some of the things in the hope that you will patiently hear me.
About 17 years ago (1756) when I first came to live here, the church attendance, or divine services were very irregular, for hardly half of the time did the minister come when the services had been announced and the people had assembled, hence most of the time the people had to go home without a sermon, at which the people were much annoyed. At that time the people of this region knew nothing of the Coetus Ministers. Then it was decided to appeal to the Coetus for a minister, that, if one could be secured, and this evil (of the irregular services) could be done away with, the effort would not be in vain. This was done about 14 years ago (1759), when my father (Simon Driesbach) and Johannes Ditter, the elders, went with much trouble to Easton and Plainfield and Greenwich ( Grunitsch) in order to induce said congregation to unite with us in asking for a minister. This was done and they went unitedly before the Coetus. A minister was promised to us, as soon as one should come in (from Holland). Meanwhile Rev. Mr. Leydich and Rev. Michael were to supply us until a minister should come in. Each of these congregations gave 12 pounds to the said minister to come to us on a week-day, every three weeks for one year, which was done and our con- gregation got its share, until several ministers came in (Stapel 1761 and Weyberg 1762). Meanwhile a congregation was gathered on the Dryland and when Mr. Weinberg (Weyberg) preached at Easton, Greenwich and Plainfield, he came several times to us. Afterwards they received the Dry- land congregation (into the charge) but they abandoned us. Here we were excluded and forgotten until Rev. Gross came. He supplied us the first two years after he came to this country, on a week-day, but when he had enough. he abandoned us utterly. That is the forgetting, of which I said that it took place before.
What was the cause, we know not, for certain, but it is possible that at that time we were too weak, and it was too far for them, it is now much
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easier to reach us and we are certainly much stronger, for we constitute now fully a quarter and even more, yet we gave our fourth part just, like Easton and the rest. This angered the people very much and they turned again to their former minister, Hecker. But, we always aimed how to strengthen ourselves. Thus it has continued until now, nor could it be otherwise, be- cause there are three churches here in a district of five miles, and since they were so close together, that they have always been weak until now, when more Germans have settled in Allen township. Now we have united with them. We are in the centre of the above mentioned three congregations. Two of the other congregations have united with us and those of Allen township. This fills us with good hope, for it is the strongest congregation of these three and nothing is lacking but a good minister.
On February 25th, 1771, a large number of citizens from Allen, Moore and Lehigh townships met and decided to erect a Union church of stone 36 by 46 fect, at Indian Creek, along the King's highway at the township line between Allen and Lehigh townships. Adam Driesbach, Caspar Erb and Simon Driesbach (Reformed), and Valentine Waldman, George Edelman and George Michael Sebastian (Lutheran) were appointed a building committee. The church was dedicated November 15, 1772, Rev. John Henry Helfrich (Reformed) and Rev. Frederick (Lutheran), officiating. Rev. Helfrich one month later (December 15, 1772) administered the holy communion to the Reformed congregation. The present edifice was erected in 1836, the corner- stone was laid May 23, and the church was dedicated December 10-II. The cost was $2,720. It has been renovated several times and is in good state of preservation. In 1870 the first reunion was held of the former pastors and members, people coming from far and wide. These reunions have been repeated every five years, and are increasing in popularity. Many of the neighboring congregations have imitated the congregation in these quinten- nial reunions.
A Sunday school was organized by Rev. J. C. Becker and Col. George Weber in 1825, one of the first in the county.
The pastors who have served the congregations are: Reformed-1772-75, supplies, Helfrich, Blummer, Faber and Steiner; 1777-81, Conrad Steiner ; 1782-86, supplies, Helfrich, Nalch; 1787, F. W. Van der Sloot, Sr .; 1782, F. W. Van der Sloot, Jr .; 1811, J. C. Becker ; 1852, C. J. Becker ; 1854, A. J. G. Dubbs; 1857, R. A. Vancourt; 1859, J. Gauntenbein ; 1865, R. A. Liesberger ; 1870, S. A. Leinbach ; 1871, Charles Rittenhaus, J. N. Mayberry, H. A. Frantz, G. E. Kopenhaver. Lutheran-J. A. Friederick, J. C. Yeager, H. A. Geisen- heimer ; 1812, F. W. Mendsen; 1852, W. Rath; 1857, D. Kuntz ; 1870, R. B. Kistler, W. J. Andres, Dallas Green, J. D. Koch.
A large and well-kept cemetery adjoins the church. A list of the inscrip- tions on the tombstones has been published by the congregation.
The Union congregation of St. Paul's, near Cherryville, was founded, according to Rev. Becker, about 1750. The Indian uprisings hindered its progress. The Lutheran Protocol opens thus: "Krichenbuck for die Evan- gelische Gemeinde an der Lagan, genannt auf dem Inschenland, aus Licht gestellt im Jahr unsers Herrn und Heiland Jesus Christi 1762, den 8 ten Octo- ber, und in zweiten Jahr der Regierung unsers Koenigs Georg dem III." At that time Johannes Andreas Friedrich was pastor, and Michael Keppel, Con-
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rad Geissel and Jacob Roth, elders of the Lutheran congregation. On the gallery of the edifice hangs a large card, with the following inscription :
Ist Church
3d Church
Built 1756
Built 1833
2nd Church
4th Church
Built 1772 Built 1876
Executed and designed with pen and ink by
George T. Oplinger, Slatington, Pa., presented May 19, 1877.
The second edifice was dedicated November 8, 1772, by Rev. Christian Streit (Lutheran) and Rev. Johan Wilhelm Pithan (Reformed), of Dryland. The cost of the log structure was fiol 5d. The members of the consistories were: Reformed-Johann Dorn and Nicolaus Schneider, elders; Jacob Buchman and George Leibenguth, building committee; Lutheran-Christo- phel Feigner and Jacob Keppel, elders; Bernhardt Kuntz and Peter Anthony, building committee.
A large and beautiful burial ground adjoins the church. A record of the burials was published in 1808, which contains a record of 1,107 marked graves, giving dates of birth and death, and also states that there were about 1,300 unknown graves, i. e., without tombstones or inscription of any kind. Since then a thousand more burials have been made in the cemetery.
The village of Cherryville, located on the old State highway leading from Bethlehem to Mauch Chunk, about one and one-half miles from Treichlers, is the oldest village in the township. It was before the days of railroads, the centre of the township's life. Here was the old Indian Land church, here dwelt the ministers and doctors, to the stores the produce was brought for exchange, here the stage arrived and departed, here the mail was obtained, and here the voting was done. It was the place for battalion meet- ings and the shows. Its schools were of a high order, and the number of men from the village who attained prominence are abundant proof. Besides the old Indian Land church, treated elsewhere, the village has two Evan- gelical congregations-Emmanual Church, erected in 1872, and Bethany in 1894.
The village of Kreidersville, on the old road from Bethlehem to Lehigh Gap, and about one and one-half miles from Northampton, consists of a tavern, store, foundry, and a score of dwellings. It takes its name from Con- rad Kreider, a native of Switzerland, who settled here quite early. He was born September 7, 1736, came to Allen township as a young man, probably with his parents, and was married to Regina Bastian. He died on the anni- versary of his birth in 1828, having reached the age of 92 years. He con- ducted a store and tavern, and owned and operated several mills on the Hockandauqua creek. He was appointed "wagonmaster general" by the justices of Northampton county, June 26, 1777. Having taken the census of the wagons of Northampton county (which then included what is now Lehigh county), Conrad Kreider reported that there were 550 wagons in that county. On September 4, 1777, by executive council orders, 30 wagons were sent to Philadelphia from Allentown, where the wagons were assembled. It has been estimated that Northampton county, as then constituted, furnished upwards of two hundred wagons during the Revolutionary War. Conrad
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Kreider left a number of descendants, among whom were Conrad and Abrahamı.
Danielsville, at the terminal of the Blue Ridge trolley line, is a village of about 800 population. It lies at the foot of the Blue Mountains, on the Lehigh and New England railway. It contains three churches, a Welsh church, the services in which, however, have been abandoned, and two Evan- gelical churches: the Brick Evangelical Church, erected in 1887, and the New Evangelical Church, erected in 1897. The village is the home of two physicians, Dr. E. E. Bush and Dr. M. E. Kemmerer.
The National Bank of Danielsville opened its doors for business in the month of April, 1906. Its capital stock is $25,000, and its surplus almost the same. It pays 5 per cent. dividends, and has total resources of $250,000. The officers and directors are: S. J. Drumheller, president; Tilghman Henry, vice-president ; H. H. Hower, cashier ; Lewis W. Green, A. W. Hower, H. T. Marsh, E. E. Vogel.
The Allentown Silk Company 'operates a mill in the former power- house of the traction company.
Berlinsville, a small village, lies in the center of the township, and in it is located the township high school. It is a school of the second class, and efforts are being made to make it a vocational school. The building was erected in 1915. Two Evangelical churches are located in the town, due to the sad division that occurred a generation ago. Of these, Zion, the white church, was erected in 1872, and the United Evangelical Church was erected in 1887.
To the east of Berlinsville, along the trolley, is located the beautiful park of Edgemond, and near it the place known as Harpers, where St. Nich- olas Catholic Church is located. To the south of the village is the hamlet known as Benningers.
The village of Treichlers takes its name from Henry Treichler, who for many years owned and operated a grist-mill. This mill now forms one of the chain of mills of the Mauser Milling Company. The village, noted for its fine residences, among which are the homes of G. B. Mauser, H. J. Lerch, A. L. Lentz, W. W. Kuntz and J. J. Moyer, is located on the east bank of the Lehigh river, and before the days of the railroad was known as Kuntz's Ford. The Kuntz family, numerous in Lehigh township, is descended from John Jacob Kuntz, who was born at Niederbroun, Alsace, February 19, 1692. He migrated with his family to Pennsylvania and settled in the Oley Hills, Berks county. His son Bernhard, whose ashes repose at the Indian Land Church, was one of the early settlers of Lehigh township; his son Frederick was captain of a company of militia during the Revolutionary War. The village has two stores, one conducted by Irvin Newhard, and the other by Henry Frederick. Immediately beyond the village is the beautiful farm of D. G. Derry, the silk manufacturer.
Lchigh township has fifteen public school buildings, employs twenty- two teachers, and has an attendance of six hundred and sixty. The town- ship has always taken pride in its schools, which explains why so many inen of prominence have come from it.
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Lower Mount Bethel Township-This township is bounded on the north- west by Washington township, on the northeast by Upper Mount Bethel township, on the southeast and south by the Delaware river, and on the southwest and west by Forks and Plainfield townships. The surface is diver- sified, some portions being hilly, others quite level. The soil in the southern portion is of limestone formation, and is excellent farming land. The north- ern portion is slate and gravel, and near the Delaware is iron ore deposit, while hydraulic cement stone makes its appearance at Martin's creek. The township is drained by Martin's creek and branches, and by Richmond creek, which furnish power for grist and sawmills.
The township originally formed a part of old Mount Bethel, and on a division of that township the erection of Lower Mount Bethel was con- firmed, in 1787, by the September Court of Quarter Sessions. One of three points selected by Alexander Hunter and his Presbyterian followers in 1730 for a permanent settlement was the fertile and heavily timbered section adapted for farming purposes in the neighborhood of Martin's creek. Among the early settlers were Miller, Moore, Lockard, Lyle, Moody, Martin, Nel- son, Buchman, Hutchison, Ross, McFarren, McCracen, Silleman, Crawford, Galbraith, Boyd and others. At a comparatively early day, after the settle- ment of Mount Bethel, the spirit of emigration began to manifest itself to a considerable extent. This spirit seemed to be characteristic of the Scotch- Irish people. One of the results was that the name of some of the originally large families are no longer found in the township. Members of the families of Copland, Gaston, Moore, Galbraith, Wilson, Boyd, Hutton, Moody, Mor- ris, Miller, McFarren, Mason, Nelson, Benward, Morr, Beard, Silleman, Scott, Henderson, Covert and Foresman emigrated westward to undevel- oped sections of the country.
Early in the eighteenth century a little band of devout worshippers sat together for the first time in a small building of rude structure, and there reverently worshipped the God of Israel. This was the germ from which grew the Presbyterian church of Mount Bethel or, as it was originally called, of the Forks North. The first building was a rude structure of logs, but this soon gave way to a frame building. It was in September, 1738, that the con- gregation asked the New Brunswick Presbytery for supplies, the Rev. Gil- bert Tennent was assigned there in the fall to preach, and it is probable that the church was organized at that time. The Rev. Mr. Tennent was an able preacher, a great exhorter, and was the first to plant the standard of the cross in Mount Bethel. From 1742 to 1746 the church was supplied by members of the Presbytery conjointly with the church at the Irish Settle- ment. Among the ministers supplying these churches were the Revs. James Campbell, William Dean, Charles Beatty. At the request of the congrega- tion, the Rev. Daniel Lawrence was sent to supply them for a year, with a view to settlement. The call was accepted by Mr. Lawrence, who continued until 1752, but he was compelled to resign on account of his health, not being of robust constitution. The church was again served by supplies, among whom were Revs. Charles Beatty, Richard Treat, Benjamin Chesnut, An- drew Hunter, Benjamin Hait and William Kirkpatrick.
The next regularly called pastor was the Rev. John Clark, who was in-
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stalled in October, 1762. Owing to opposition to him by a portion of the congregation, also of failing health, he was released from his charge in November, 1767. Early in the summer of 1769 the church of Mount Bethel began to be served for a portion of his time by Rev. John Roseborough, of Revolutionary fame. In February, 1774, Mount Bethel and Oxford churches united in calling Rev. John Debow, who was installed May 19, 1775, but his pastorate was short, and again the church was dependent upon the Presby- tery for occasional supplies. The Rev. Francis Peppard was installed pastor in August, 1783, and during his pastorate the frame church building was enlarged. This was done in a singular manner. The old building was sawed into two equal parts. the parts were separated some twenty or thirty feet, and the intervening space filled up, the building being originally almost square.
The next regularly installed pastor was the Rev. David Barclay. It was during his ministry that the congregation was incorporated and a charter obtained from the Legislature (February, 1809). The Rev. Mr. Barclay was in charge eight years, when rumors were circulated alleging immorality on his part. There was, however, no serious criminality proved against him, but his indiscretion was so apparent to the Presbytery that he was restricted from preaching on January 11, 1814. The sympathy of the majority of the members of Lower Mount Bethel church seems to have been in favor of Mr. Barclay, as they sent three petitions to the Presbytery desiring his services be retained as pastor. From this time until 1839, the records show that there were only stated supplies, among whom were the Revs. Benjamin I. Lowe, John Gray, Robert Love, John McCullough, Azariah Prior and James Clark.
It was during the pastorate of the Rev. Azariah Prior that a new church was erected in the summer of 1838. In the old churches there were three congregations that worshipped-the Presbyterians, Reformed and Lutherans -but contention sprang up on the question of building a new church, and a division was effected. The Rev. Andrew Tully was pastor from November, 1840, to October, 1853, and previous to his pastorate the church had always been associated with some other church or churches in the support of a pastor or stated supply. The next to assume the duties of pastor was the Rev. Robert B. Forsman, who began his labors on the first Sabbath of April, 1854, his pastoral relations continuing until the last Sabbath of December, 1872. The installation of the Rev. A. H. Holloway took place June 18, 1873.
Upper and Lower Nazareth-The religious followers of the staunch Bo- hemian martyr, John Huss, formed themselves in a close church fellowship with like-minded believers from Moravia and assumed the name of the "United Brethren." The descendants of thesc sorely tried professors of the gospel threw off the shackles of oppression by leaving their native land, escaping into the kingdom of Saxony, where they founded, in 1722, the town of Herrnhut. Five years later saw the birth of the Renewed Brethren's church, whose members are now commonly called Moravians. The first Moravians crossed the Atlantic in 1735, landing at Savannah in the province of Georgia. Here they met the great Methodist preacher Whitefield, who NORTH .- 1-32.
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secured their services to erect a large building for a school for negro orphans on a tract of five thousand acres of land in the Forks of the Delaware. He had named this tract Nazareth, but it was also known as "The Barony," because when this purchase was released and confirmed by William Penn to Sir John Fagg for the sole use of his beloved daughter, Letitia Aubrey, it was done on the condition of the payment of one red rose yearly, if demanded, in full for all services, customs and rents, with the privilege of holding therein court baron and views of frank privilege pledge for the conservation of the peace. It was on May 30, 1740, that a small band of hardy mechanics under the leadership of Peter Boehler reached Nazareth and before the completion of six months two log houses were built. The leader of the little band, Peter Boehler, was born in Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, December 31, 1712. He was intended by his father for the medical profession, but entered the University of Jena as a divinity student. Here he made the acquaintance of some Moravians, whose communion he joined, and in 1737 he was sent to missionate among the negro slaves on the plantations near Savannah, Geor- gia. Three years later he proceeded to Pennsylvania, which became the principal field of his future activity. He visited Europe several times, and died in London, England, in April, 1775.
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