USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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COAL OPERATIONS.
The energies of the former residents of the township were principally directed to the work of clearing and cultivating the land. Of this industrial period the old saw-mills and a few scattering farms were the landmarks when coal development brought people in comparatively large numbers to the hitherto thinly populated section.
The early residents had made openings here and there, and taken out small quantities of coal from time to time for their own use or to supply such meagre demand as was then afforded.
The first opening made for regular and systematic mining in Cass township was made on the Black Heath vein, about 1831. It was a tunnel, driven for Isaac Stauf- fer by Abraham Hoch. The colliery was soon leased by John Womer, who worked it two or three years, hauling its production over the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad to Schuylkill Haven. Messrs. Heilner & Bast were the next operators there, and at other new openings until 1853. Later A. M. Wood operated there for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. The Black Valley slope, waich had been put down by M. Heilner, was operated by Thomas Schollenburger until 1854 or 1855. The Diamond Coal Company were the next operators. Since 1871 the colliery has been idle.
In 1831 or 1832 Jacob Serrill excavated a tunnel which became known as the Black Heath tunnel, about a quarter of a mile up the creek from the Black Valley slope. Dr. Steinberg was the next operator there. He was succeeded by Jacob Serrill, who in turn gave place to Mr. Heilner, who operated the colliery from 1842 to 1852. Richard Heckscher & Co. were his successors. They erected a breaker on the top of the mountain, to which the coal was carried from the mine over a " self- acting plane." The New York and Schuylkill Coal Com- pany operated the colliery from 1865 to 1868, when it was abandoned. At a later date the breaker was burned.
A colliery was opened upon the Kantner vein, about 1833, by Wann & Reese Davis. After a few years it passed into the possession of M. G. & P. Heilner, who operated it until some time after 1853, when it was pur- chased by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. About the same time a drift was put down, on the Primrose vein, by a company of Englishmen. They were succeeded in operating it by Dr. Steinberg, and later John Thirlwell operated it about two years. Some time between 1845 and 1850 Richard Kear put down a slope on this vein, and built a breaker. He operated tilation is produced by a 16-feet fan.
the colliery till about 1866, when he died. His heirs, under the title of Kear Brothers, worked the colliery till 1868 and Kear & Austey till 1869, when it filled with water and was abannoned.
Wann & Reese Davis made a drift to the Big White- ash vein about 1842. In 1843 the colliery was sold to Gideon Bast, who put down a slope, greatly enlarging the producing capacity of the colliery. Here was soon erected the first successful breaker ever in use in the county, two unsuccessful attempts having previously been made at the mines of Charles Potts, with less effective machinery. Mr. Bast operated here until about 1850, when he sold the colliery to L. Audenreid, who worked it until 1869, when he abandoned it. The second breaker in the county was also erected in Cass, in 1844-45, at the col- liery on the Kantner vein, previously mentioned. The above were the principal mining operations on Wolf creek. A number of small enterprises were carried on from time to time. On the Primrose vein Richard Reckert made an opening, which was afterward worked by the Cornish Company during many years. They were suc- ceeded by Prior & Jenkins. Henry Harper was the next operator. He put down a slope and built a breaker pre- vious to 1850. The colliery has been long abandoned.
At Forestville the Diamond colliery was opened, about 1840, by William Hoch, who sold out to Johannan Cockill before he had shipped any coal. Cockill worked it five years, and it was then abandoned. Goodman Dolbin put down a slope in 1863 or 1864, and operated till 1869, when he sold out to John Wadlinger. A man named Whittaker began operating in 1873, and continued until the breaker burned in 1875 or 1876 Between 1845 and 1850 there were a number of small workings in the out- croppings by Dolbin & Rodgers, Robert Patton & Thomas Lloyd, and William Britton & Bristin.
The Forestville colliery was opened in 1841, by Sala- thiel Harris, who worked the Black Heath vein, by means of drifts above water level, until 1844, producing about a hundred tons daily. In 1844 Thomas Petherick took charge of the colliery as agent for the Forest Improve- ment Company. He continued to ship the coal as it came from the mine until 1848, when he built a breaker with a capacity of 100 tons daily. In 1852 Richard Heckscher & Co. began to work the colliery, and in 1857 they erected the present breaker, which has a capacity of 300 tons per day. The slope was sunk in 1854 a distance of 130 yards, to the Black Heath vein, working 1,400 yards east and 600 yards west. In 1859 it became neces- sary to sink 150 yards, working the same vein 1,400 yards east and 250 yards west, the average thickness being 6 feet.
In 1866 the New York and Schuylkill Coal Company was formed, and operated the colliery until 1868, when it passed into the possession of the Manhattan Coal Company, and was leased to Daniel Hoch & Co., who operated it until 1878, giving employment to 280 men and boys. The machinery of this colliery is propelled by 5 engines with a capacity of 160 horse power. Ven-
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
At Coal Castle Michael Sando put down a drift to the Mammoth vein, about 1832, and mined coal on a small scale about ten years. Lewis C. Dougherty put down a drift on the Daniels vein about 1833, and for some years mined about 20,000 tons per annum. His successor was John McGinness, who had seven years of equally large business, until, about forty years ago, the mine took fire in Dougherty's drift. It is still burning. It is said | feet. The colliery produced 25,956 tons of coal in 1876; that at a later date McGinness put down a slope which 31,769 in 1877; none worth mentioning in 1878, and 13,612 in 1879. opened upon the same vein below the fire, and worked it for a time. Salathiel Harris also operated at Coal Castle.
At Heckscherville William and George Payne opened Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company for on the Mammoth, Jugular and Church veins by drift and tunnel. They were soon succeeded by the Forest Im- provement Company, who operated there fifteen or twenty years, sinking slopes, putting in heavy machinery and doing a successful business. The land was sold to the Manhattan Coal Company, and by that corporation to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com- pany.
The Thomaston colliery was opened in 1858 by Heck- scher & Co., and operated by them until 1866. The first breaker was built the year the shaft was sunk, and had a capacity of three hundred tons per day. The shaft was 90 yards deep, tapping the Diamond, Crosby, and New veins. From 1866 to 1873 this colliery was worked by the Manhattan Coal Company. In 1870 the present workings were begun, the old ones having been exhaust- ed. The breaker was built by the Forest Improvement Company. The first coal was shipped from the new col- liery in 1872, when the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company purchased the property, which they have since operated. The total capacity of the breaker is 500 tons per day; the average production 400 tons. The machinery of the colliery is propelled by seven en- gines, the total horse power of which is nine hundred and thirty; 225 men and boys are employed outside, and 135 inside. In 1876, 65,996 tons of coal were produced; in 1877, 81,543; in 1878, 77,429; in 1879, 123,078.
At Meckeysburg, on land owned by George Meckey, he tunneled to the Mammoth vein, and put a drift down to the Jugular. This colliery has since been leased by General Wynkoop and others, but its production has never been large.
Phoenix Park colliery No. 2 was opened by John C. Offerman in 1839, and a drift was worked above the Heckscherville.
tilation is produced by a 15-feet fan. The openings are to the Primrose vein. The first slope extends 160 yards from the surface, at an angle of 30 degrees, work- ing the vein 150 yards east. The second slope is 227 yards from the foot of the first, descending at an angle of 27 degrees. The breaker is located 50 yards from the top of the slope. The average thickness of the coal is II
Phoenix Park colliery No. 3 has been owned by the some years, and operated by it since 1877. It was opened, and the breaker built, in 1873 by Lloyd & Glover, and worked by them till 1875, when Mr. Lloyd became the sole operator. He was succeeded by the corporation mentioned. The first coal was shipped from this colliery in 1874. The depth of the first slope was 187 yards, on an angle of 26 degrees, working Big Dia- mond vein 1,004 yards east and 1,080 yards west. In 1878 the present slope was finished 120 yards from the bottom of the gangway, working the same vein 636 yards east and 500 yards west. The average thickness of the vein is 6 feet. The number of employes inside is 108; outside 60. Only 5 lives have been lost at this colliery since it was opened. The capacity of the breaker is 250 tons per day. The average daily production is 200 tons. The colliery has 5 engines, with a total of 125 horse power; 22,557 tons were produced in 1876; 22,427 in 1877; 11,018 in 1878; 10,305 in 1879.
EDUCATIONAL.
Primrose school-house, still in use, was erected pre- vious to the formation of Cass township. In early times abandoned company houses and engine houses were used for school purposes, and they continued in use till the present stone structures were built. The first school house was erected at Heckscherville. It has since been enlarged, and it now accommodates 150 pupils.
The first board of directors consisted of Andrew Pat- ton, William Cooks (still living), John Kennedy, Robert Patton, Peter Fitzpatrick and John Delaney. The first meetings of the board were held at the house of Abra- ham Hoch. They have since met at various places. Their present place of meeting is McDonald's Hotel,
water level till 1842, when Charles Miller, of Philadel- During many years the average school terms amounted to ten months in the year, and the monthly salary of teachers was $28. In 1855 it came to be $35; in 1860, $40, and during the war of 1861-65, it rose to the maxi- mum of $60. phia, and Daniel Stall, of Pottsville, assumed control of the colliery, and operated it until 1865. George Frill operated it until 1866. His successors were Johnson & Dovey, who, in 1869, were succeeded by Z. Byer, and he, a year later, by Daniel Hoch & Co., until 1872, when James Knowles was the first teacher in the township, teaching at Primrose. A Mr. Thomas taught at Wood- side, in a company house; Michael Connolly at Jones- town, in an engine-house; Mr. Holt in Heckscherville, in a building now occupied for religious services. James Perso taught the first lessons in thepresent Heckscherville school-room. Master McGuire (still living) began his the colliery passed to the ownership of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company .. The breaker was built by Miller & Stall, and it has a capacity of 250 tons per day. The average daily shipment has been 185 tons. 108 men and boys are employed inside, and 52 outside. The motive power for the machinery is furnished by 8 steam engines with an agregate of 225 horse-power. Ven- | educational labors as early as 1850, first teaching in
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SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES OF CASS TOWNSHIP.
Woodside and subsequently in nearly every school in this township. Terence Cook, in 1855, taught in the "Old Log Cabin," at Black Valley, and a Mr. Gressang wielded the birch in the present frame building in that vicinity. The educated but eccentric Mr. Boland was among the earlier teachers, and he it was who "taught by day and studied the stars by night." The following teachers also taught previous to 1865: Martin Finley, Michael O'Brien, Mr. Mulhall, Thomas Fogarty, Charles McGee, Michael Goody, William Mealey, Robert Patton, jr., James McDougal, William H. Conolly, James Mohan, Samuel Clarkson and P. J. Ferguson.
Among the teachers since 1865 were the Messrs. Clark, Kelly, Butler brothers, Madden, Toole, Brennan, Dormer, Cavanaugh, Hughes, McAvoy and Brophy. Miss Maggie Kelly was the first female principal em- ployed, and she was quite successful. Messrs. McGuire and Boland were educated in Dublin, and the former taught in that city twelve years previous to his thirty years experience in this township; making a total of forty-two years. Mr. Boland was probably the most versatile and profound scholar who ever taught in town.
Library societies sprang up in Forestville and Jones- town, and semi-monthly township institutes were held from 1856 to 1870.
The financial management of the school system of the township has not been satisfactory. A large debt exists, and "school orders" have been sold at a discount of from 10 to 30 per cent. Efforts are being made to re- duce or extinguish the debt.
There are twelve school-rooms in the district and twelve principals are employed; supervised by a town- ship superintendent. The number of children of school age is 1,250; but the average attendance is only 650. The cost of teaching the school is about 98 cents per pupil.
By reason of the good attainments and training of the teachers the school system of Cass is leading the rising generation in the direction of good citizenship and cul- tivated manhood.
VILLAGES.
The mining operations in various portions of Cass township have caused the growth of settlements and vil- lages, which have become known as Meckeysburg, Heck- scherville, Coal Castle, Forestville, Woodside, Jonestown, Thomaston, Sheafer's Hill, Mine Hill Gap and Delaware Village. All of these settlements and villages have been small, comparatively speaking, and none of them are now as well populated as they once were. The most import ant of the above-named points are Forestville and Heck- scherville. Both of these villages were built up under
the auspices of the Forest Improvement Company. This corporation opened stores and carried on a general busi- ness in the township for a number of years. Later a store was kept open at Forestville by the New York and Schuylkill Coal Company till 1868. Goodman Dolbin had a store there for a few years subsequent to 1845 or 1846. Joseph Patton was a merchant there from 1873 to 1876. John Dolbin, John Reilly and James O'Donnell are the present merchants. J. O'Donnell and Thomas Connor are the present merchants at Heckscherville.
CHURCH HISTORY.
The Methodist Church of Hecksherville was built in 1853, by subscription, William Payne having been the principal contributor. Among the early members of the organization were William Payne, George Brown, Josiah Jenkins and Abraham Ayers. The first preacher was Rev. Mr. Banks. There have been no regular meetings held since 1873 and there are few Methodists now living in the neighborhood.
St. Keiran's Catholic Church, located at Heckscherville, was erected in 1858, 1859 and 1861. The first pastor was Rev. John Scanlan, who served from 1858 to 1868. Rev. John McHugh came in 1868, and officiated until his death, in 1875. His successor, Rev. Matthew O'Brien, came in 1875, and remained until 1877. Rev. Martin Welch was pastor from 1877 to 1879, and was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. P. McSwiggan. The attendance upon the services is large. The value of the church property is about $20,000.
St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal Church at Forestville is a stone building which will seat about 150 persons. The corner stone was laid in 1856, and the building was completed in 1857. The bell was hung in 1858. Charles A. Hecksher and family were the special patrons of the chapel. About 1870 and 1871 Mrs. Arthur B. De Sauls, daughter of Charles A. Hecksher (still interested in church work there), thoroughly renovated the building; refurnishing it very tastefully with new carpets, new chancel furniture, new books for the chancel. A large window of stained glass, a memorial to her father, was among the improvements. The chapel was consecrated by Bishop William Bacon Stevens. It has always been associated with St. Paul's Church, Minersville, and has depended upon its rectors for services. There have been a number of interruptions to church services, but the Sunday-school has been maintained without interruption from the beginning, first under the superintendency of Edward Noble, and for the last eleven years under that of James Nesbit. Rev. Harrison Byllesby was rector at the time of the building of the chapel. The present (1881) rector is Rev. Edward J. Koons, of Pottsville.
EAST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP.
AST BRUNSWICK is a farming and manu- facturing township, located in the southeast part of the county. It is bounded on the north by Walker, on the east by West Penn and on the west by West Brunswick. Its south- ern border is the southern limit of Schuylkill county. The surface of the township is uneven, and it is watered by the Little Schuylkill river and some small tributary streams, the chief of which is Koenig's creek. The township was formed from Brunswick in 1834.
Though the Indians had no village or trading point in East Brunswick, and never committed any massacres within the borders of the present township, the early set- tlers were often greatly annoyed by straggling savages, who came from a settlement on the Susquehanna river. A pioneer named Sherman once shot an Indian on the bank of the Little Schuylkill, near where New Ringgold now is. He was buried near the scene of his death.
Daniel, Jacob and Frederick Bensinger, Ulrich Heiser, Daniel Swebb, Daniel Koening, Christopher Boyer, George Buchert, John Bolick, Abraham Seltzer, Christian Koch, Bernhard Kepner, Andrew Benkes, and John Kenear were the first settlers in the township. The Bensingers, Philip Schwartz and John Kenear erected the first log cabins. The first brick house in the township was built by Daniel Kerschner.
The first mail was carried on horseback from Orwigs- burg through East Brunswick township to Lehighton, once a week each way. The only postmaster in the town - ship for some years was John Yost, son of Judge Yost. There are now three post-offices in the township, two of which receive a daily mail.
The Catawissa road was the first laid out through East Brunswick. It extended from a point about two miles above Port Clinton, via McKeansburg, Tuscarora and Mahanoy City, and thence via the Catawissa valley to the Susquehanna, and was the outlet by which the lumber of all the valleys through which it passed was taken to market. At that time lumbering and hunting contributed largely to the support of the residents of East Brunswick. Deer and smaller game were plenty.
An early and well remembered tavern in East Bruns- wick was that of Mr. Kepner, on the Catawissa road, a mile north of McKeansburg. Mr. Kepner died about sixty years ago at an advanced age. There are now four public houses in the township besides the two at New Ringgold.
Andrew Burkes, Bernhard Kepner, Philip Swartz, Henry Lutz and Frederick Bensinger, from the territory now comprised in East Brunswick, served in the war for independence. Daniel Yost, Isaac Moser, George Speas, Jacob Heisler and Jacob Waltz were participants in the last war with Great Britain. The first soldier from East Brunswick in the late war was Jacob Dreibelbeis, who went to Pottsville and enlisted.
SCHOOLS-EARLY TEACHER AND PHYSICIANS.
In 1835 the first attempt was made in East and West Brunswick to adopt the common school system, by creat- ing an independent school district out of a portion of East Brunswick and calling it McKeansburg. The first attempt to elect directors friendly to the system failed on account of its opponents being largely in the majority; but at the annual election the wisdom of the school men was aptly illustrated by their action to secure by strata- gem what they had previously lost by being in the minority. The prevailing idea among many was that the existing schools, which were simply what are now termed "pay schools," were "common schools "-a misnomer- and the new system, which they called " free schools," was a different thing. The anti-school men being thus confounded by the terms " common " and " free," the advocates took advantage of their ignorance by inveigling a well-known citizen who was strongly opposed to the system into writing the ballots for the opposing voters, a majority of whom could not write. Thus this man, by writing the ballots " for common schools," undesignedly secured, by only one dissenting vote, the introduction of the system, which otherwise might have been delayed for a considerable time. In 1849 two more independent districts were formed. They were called South Bruns- wick and Center districts. Other sections were formed into independent school districts as soon as a majority of the voters favored the measure.
The first school-house in the township, in which the scholars were taught in English, was erected at Mckeans- burg. One of the most noted teachers there was Joseph Silver, who was teaching there about 1828. Charles Focht, of McKeansburg, was one of his pupils. Mr. Sil- ver afterwards became a correspondent of the Philadel- phia Public Ledger, and now resides in California. There are now nine public schools in the township.
The first resident physician was Dr. Daniel Foltz, who resided at McKeansburg. He died about 1830. His successor was Dr. Jacob F. Treichler, who lived
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FORGES IN EAST BRUNSWICK-McKEANSBURG.
until about two years ago. He was succeeded by Dr. Stopp.
GRIST-MILLS-MANUFACTURES.
The first grist-mill built on the Little Schuylkill and, so far as is known, in the township, was erected about a mile below New Ringgold, many years since. About 1820 or 1825 Daniel Weaver bought it, and ran it many years successfully. In dry seasons farmers came many miles to Weaver's mill. There are three other small grist-mills in the township, on small streams, erected be- fore the recollection of any living man.
In 1812 Daniel Focht and Daniel Graeff built a forge on the Little Schuylkill for the manufacture of hammer- ed bar iron, refined with charcoal, and shaped by a ham- mer driven by water power. A good quality of iron was made, but the process was slow. This business was car- ried on by Daniel Focht about twenty-five years. In 1867 Francis W. Hughes, Gideon Bast, and Abraham Focht erected a large forge at the same place for the manufacture of blooms direct from the ore, under a patent granted to James Jameson. The process did not give complete satisfaction, and a few years later the forge was converted into a steel factory. This establishment was operated for several years at intervals, but is now idle. It is now the property of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company.
In 1829 Messrs. Mayers & Frego erected a charcoal forge on the Little Schuylkill. It was named the Susan- nah forge, in honor of Mrs. Mayer. The manufacture of hammered bar iron was carried on successfully by this firm for two years. In 1839 the property was sold to Messrs. Klein & Jones, who made bar iron and blooms for some years, when Daniel Bertolett purchased an in- terest in the works and converted the forge into a rolling- mill. In 1845 John Rausch bought the establishment, and continued the business till 1850, when the dam and several houses were swept away by the well remembered freshet of that year. The establishment was never re- paired.
In 1830 Jones & Keim purchased a large tract of land in East Brunswick, on the line of the Little Schuylkill Rail- road, and built a large charcoal forge on the Little Schuyl- kill river at Hecla, where they manufactured hammered charcoal iron till the works were damaged by the freshet above referred to. They have never since been put in order, and have gone to decay. In 1851 Matthias Rich- ards, of Reading, purchased the property for its timber, of which there were 2,400 acres. Lewis Audenreid built a small charcoal forge for the manufacture of bar iron, on Cold Run, about a mile above Hecla. This establish- ment was known as Mount Vernon forge. Business was carried on there many years, but the forge has for some time been in a dilapidated and useless condition. Wil- liam Audenreid erected a tannery near McKeansburg about 1830. It was operated successively by him, by Mr. Ertz and Mr. Van Read from Berks county and by Ben- jamin Matz. It long since went to decay.
VILLAGES.
McKEANSBURG was for many years the most promi- nent village in the section, and named in honor of Gov- ernor Mckean of Pennsylvania. The land there was originally owned by Solomon Whitstone, Baltzer Bock and others. The village was laid out in lots in 1803. Under the influence of the early business enterprises in that section of the county, and aided by its location on the Catawissa road, it attained to fair size and import- ance. It was a market for much of the lumber from Schuylkill, Rush, Mahanoy and the Catawissa valley, which was hauled by teams to McKeansburg, and thence rafted down the river to Reading, Pottstown and Phila- delphia. When the village was at its best it contained three taverns and three stores, all of which did a thriving business. There was little manufacturing interest de- veloped there. The village now contains two stores and two taverns, doing a small business. The elections of the township have always been held at McKeansburg. Lewis Audenried, later so prominently identified with the coal interests, was at one time a resident and a busi- ness man of McKeansburg. The present population of the village does not exceed 150.
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