USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 51
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The United Brethren Church, formerly a branch of Lykens curcuit, was organized into a class in 1863. The building at Valley View was erected in 1862. The mem- bers most prominent in the church at that date were John Haldeman, John Haldeman, jr., Peter Hereing and Dan- iel Roessler. The Sunday-school was organized in 1863, with Dr. J. H. Shope as superintendent.
Friedens Reformed and Lutheran Church .- This church is the outgrowth of an organization of members belong- ing to the Reformed Church in America. It was first
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CHURCHES IN HEGINS-ODD FELLOWS-HUBLEY PIONEERS.
organized by Rev. William Reily in the year 1801. The stone was laid May 24th, 1874, and it was dedicated November 22nd of the same year. place of worship was an old log school-house in Deep Creek valley. Mr. Reily continued to preach at this The Reformed pastors of this congregation have been place to a few members until 1816 or 1817, when this Revs. Henry S. Bassler and B. S. Metzger. The Luthe- congregation and their Lutheran brethren agreed to ran pastor since the organization has been Rev. D. Sanner. The church has about 90 members and the Sunday-school about 115. build a union church. The site chosen for the new church building was Pine valley, about one and a half miles southwest from the place where the church was originally organized. The church edifice was built of ODD FELLOWS. logs, 40 by 55 feet, in the usual style; the pews so arrang- ed as to form a cross in front of the altar and pulpit. The building committee were Messrs. Michael Artz, Philip Artz, Michael Bressler, and Wilhelm Otto.
The first pastor of the Reformed denomination was Rev. Henry Felix, who was called in 1818. He was fol- lowed in succession by Rev. Hartman G. Kneble, in 1820; Rev. John Hontz, 1827; Rev. Benjamin Boyer, 1830; Rev. Isaac Stiehle, 1831; Rev. Rudolph Duenger, 1837; Rev. Henry S. Bassler (supply), 1854; Rev. Jarde Otto, treasurer. The presiding officers have been Joel Fitzinger, 1855; Rev. Henry Bassler, 1870; and Rev. B. S. Dinger, Edward Bressler, Joel G. Roessler, N. D. S. Metzger, the present pastor, 1877.
by 65 feet, with a basement, and a steeple sixty feet in Long, Elias Dilfield, Ben. Yoder, C. I. Laudenslager, H.
In 1874 a new church edifice was erected, of brick, 45 height. The corner stone was laid in August, 1874, and the house was dedicated on Christmas of the same year. The building committee were Michael B. Bressler, Solo- mon B. Otto, David S. Artz, and Nathan D. Yoder. The building cost about $3,500.
The congregation numbers about two hundred, nearly equally divided between the Reformed and Lutheran denominations.
The Sunday-school of this congregation was organ- ized thirty years since, and it now numbers, of officers, teachers and scholars, 150.
Christ's Reformed and Lutheran Church .- This con- gregation was organized August 2nd, 1873, with about sixty members. The officers were: William A. Stutz- man, president; August Dinger, recording secretary; and David Otto, treasurer. The erection of a church build - ing was resolved on in September, 1873, and Messrs. David Otto, George Dinger, Peter Stutzman and Isaac Shadel were appointed building committee, The build- ing, which is a neat wooden structure, 34 by 44 feet, stands at the eastern end of Pine valley. The corner
Heginsville Lodge, No. 726, I. O. O. F .- This lodge was instituted September 22nd, 1870, S. C. Schrope, E. G. Roessler, John Reed, Isaac G. Shadel, William B. Otto, Edward Bressler, Joel S. Dinger, Solomon G. Bressler, Jonathan B. Stutzman, N. M. Bressler, Joel G. Roessler, N. B. Otto, N. S. Bressler and John Stutzman being the charter members. The first officers were: Solomon G. Bressler, N. G .; Joel S. Dinger, V. G .; Joel G. Roessler, secretary; Edward Bressler, assistant secretary; N. B.
Yoder, W. B. Otto, Harrison Wagner, M. P. Stutzman, Augustus Dinger, John Roessler, Elias Kessler, J. F. H.
WV. Bressler, Joel A. Dinger, Harrison Wagner, B. S. Metzger, and M. G. Bressler. The present officers are: N. G., M. G. Bressler; V. G., E. M. Dunkelberger; secretary, N. D. Yoder; assistant secretary, Elias Otto; treasurer, S. C. Schrope. The present membership is 49. The lodge meets every Friday evening in its own hall, which was erected in 1871 at an expense of $3,000. P. G. N. D. Yoder of this lodge has served two terms as D. D. G. M. The lodge is prosperous.
Ellsworth Lodge, No. 568, 1. O. O. F. was organized May 24th, 1861. The charter members were Daniel Bohner, Solomon Anterline, Daniel Schucker, Henry Reedy, William Schwalm, George F. Wiest, George W. Moyer, Jacob D. Artz, John Stein and Jacob Umholtz. The first officers were: Daniel Bohner, N. G .; Henry Reedy, V. G .; George F. Wiest, S .; John Stein, A. S .; Jacob Umholtz, treasurer. The present officers are: William Schwalm, N. G .; Edward Osman, V. G .; Wil- liam Lebo, S .; Jacob D. Artz, A. S .; Charles W. Tobias, treasurer. The lodge meets every Wednesday evening at Valley View.
HUBLEY TOWNSHIP.
George Dietrich settled the farms now occupied by Paul Dietrich and William Stoney; Daniel Bixler, settling where Jonas Miller now lives; John and Henry Stoney, who settled the Stoney homestead and the Charles Tobias farm. John Haldemann and John Schmitz were Hubley's pioneers.
HIS township, erected from Lower Mahan- tongo in 1853, has very little pioneer history that is not contemporaneous with that of her sister towns. The earliest settlement here was made in 1804 by Michael Beigert, who made a clearing on the place where Jacob Artz Michael Beigert built the first log house, and for some years that style of architecture might be considered as now resides. Foliowing closely came Philip and Michael Artz, and in the same neighborhood John and the prevailing one. The first orchard was planted by
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
John Haldemann. The first saw-mill was built by John Stoney, on Deep creek, near the old homestead, about the year 1820; the first grist-mill having been built some two years earlier by Conrad Coil, where the Shortman mill now stands.
The first public thoroughfare in the town was the stage road from Reading to Klingerstown. The old In- dian trail running through this county into Northumber- land passed through this township near the Pottsville road.
John Coil taught a private school at an early day in a log house near the Sacramento Hotel. The township includes four school districts, each supplied with a build- ing and teachers.
Abraham Hoffa built the first hotel and the first store within the town limits. The tanning of leather was at one time an industry of some importance. John Stein in 1848 erected a tannery on the place now owned by Frederick Schwalm. Hiram Kimmel built his present works in 1866, and he is still operating them, using oak bark principally, and tanning upper leather.
The residents of Hubley who participated in the war of 1812 were George Harner, John Kawl and David Maurer.
The post-office of Sacramento was established in 1877, and kept in the building where Daniel Artz now trades.
The population in 1860 was 538; in 1870, 547; in 1880, 747.
UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST.
This denomination has two appointments in Hubley. One is at Sacramento, where a church edifice was built in 1873, among the members being William Artz, John Kone, Jonas Miller, Cornelius Meyer and Cornelius Herner. The Sunday-school connected with this church was organized in 1874. Its superintendents have been A. Runkel, William Artz, S. Licht, C. Herner, F. War- field and C. Moyer. The other appointment, which is at Schwalm's Church, in the west end of the township, was organized as a class in 1875 by George H. E. Hackman, the pastor at that time.
these appointments belong to the Valley View circuit, which comprises classes in Hegins, Eldred and Hubley. Its pastors have been Revs. L. W. Cranmer, Davis Moyer, Jabob Runk, J. Shoop, William Dissinger, S. Noll and L. Fleisher. Rev. J. Shoop was in charge in 1880.
KLEIN TOWNSHIP.
U P to 1873 Klein formed part of Rush township. It received its name in honor of Jacob Klein, who was then associate judge of the courts of Schuylkill county.
Nearly the entire population is engaged in coal industry. Coal forms the sole wealth of the township. The deposits are the Honey Brook basin and the Silver Brook basin. This township con- tains within its limits the highest land in this section of the State. A large part of the township is more than 2,000 feet above the level of the sea.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
The pioneer settlers of this township were principally of German extraction. The first settler was a man named John Stackhouse, at a place now known as the " green fields," situated at the foot of the Spring moun- tain, on the south side, at a distance of about forty rods from the main road between Tamaqua and Hazleton. Two large apple trees and the ruins of an oven mark the place where his log house once stood. It was built in 1815 or 1816. After his death, which occurred in Janu- ary, 1846, it was occupied by Jet Scheiner. Weaver and others, who may be considered as being among the early settlers.
In 1841 or 1842 a German named John Simmers set- tled where the Tresckow railroad crosses the main road leading from Tamaqua to Hazleton. His house was
partly of logs and partly framed, and he occupied it about four years. A German named Henry Betzenberger then occupied it until it burned down in 1852. The old well dug by Simmers at the side of the road, now used by the public, shows where the building stood. The third house was built in 1849, and stands near the road leading from Summit to Hazleton, in the little mountain village of Sil- ver Brook. It is a framed building, and it was first occu- pied by Herman Miller. It is now occupied by the widow of Henry Betzenberger, in possession of which family it has been since July, 1854. These were the only houses built in the township previous to the discov- ery of coal at Honey Brook in 1853.
The only clearing in the township is a small field of about two acres in extent, called the "green fields." It was cleared by John Stackhouse more than sixty years ago, and he raised potatoes and garden vegetables there. In 1856 and afterward Henry Betzenberger grew oats in this field-the only grain ever raised in this township.
The first marriages of this township were those of Casper Brell in 1854, and John R. Sewell in 1859. Mrs. Sewell, now a widow, resides at Silver Brook. Henry Brell, son of Casper Brell, George Betzenberger and Ellen Betzenberger were the first children born. In 1839 or 1840 occurred the death of Mrs. Stackhouse. John Sim- mers died about 1845, and John Stackhouse in 1846. John Stackhouse and wife were buried at Beaver Meadow, and John Simmers at Tamaqua. There is no grave- yard within the limits of the township.
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TRAVEL IN KLEIN TOWNSHIP-SCHOOLS.
FIRST ROADS AND STAGE LINES.
The oldest road is the main road leading from Tama- qua to Hazleton. It has been in existence more than a hundred years, and in early tinies it formed the main route of travel between Pottsville and Wilkes-Barre. Express teams, merchant teams, stage lines, and espec- The Catawissa Railroad was completed on the fourth of July, 1854. A branch about two miles in length was built from Summit to the Silver Brook colliery in 1865. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company leased this road in 1873, and it now forms the Williamsport ially the many lumber teams conveying lumber from the branch of that road. The Quakake Railroad, intending to intersect the Catawissa Railroad near Summit Station, in 1839 graded an inclined plane about half a mile in length at a place called Switchback, nearly two miles east of Summit. Before the track was laid the project was abandoned. The Beaver Meadow Railroad was con- structed to the mines at Honey Brook in 1855-6. All the coal mined in the Honey Brook basin previous to 1869 was transported over this road. The Tresckow Railroad was completed in 1869. Nearly all the coal mined in the Honey Brook basin goes over this road.
valleys of the Susquehanna to Tamaqua, Hamburg, and other towns, tended to make this road a great highway. In 1855 it was turnpiked by Roland Jones, of Tamaqua. It was discontinued as a turnpike in 1857, and has since remained a township road. It was upon this road that the first stage line ran through this township, in 1841 or 1842. It was owned by David Moyer, of Tamaqua. It carried the United States mail between Tamaqua and Hazleton and Beaver Meadow. Edward Everet was the first stage driver. In 1844 or 1845 this line was pur- chased by Peters & Co., of Philadelphia, who extended it to Wilkes-Barre and carried the mail between that place and Pottsville. This line was known as the mail line. Another line, known as the opposition line, owned by Adams & Co., ran over this road at the same time. Both these lines were discontinued in 1854. The second road was opened between Summit and Silver Brook as a turn- pike in 1854 or 1855 by Stephen Jones, of Tamaqua. It connects with the main road at Silver Brook. Another road, connecting Honey Brook with the main road, was opened about the same time. In 1854 John Schiefly and Stephen Jones opened a stage line between Summit and Wilkes-Barre and carried the mail between those places. This road has ever since been a mail route. The mail is at present carried by Thomas Casselberry, of Hazleton, who runs a stage line between that place and Summit.
EARLY TAVERNS.
The first tavern was kept by John Stackhouse more than fifty years ago. The accommodations were exceed- ingly poor. Teamsters and travelers were obliged to sleep on the floor on blankets, there being no sleeping apartments. For many years this was the only house be- tween Beaver Meadow and Lindnersville, and was a general stopping place for all travelers. It had a large amount. of custom, and had stable capacity for ten or twelve horses. After the death of John Stackhouse, this stand was kept open for several years by Jet Scheiner. The other early taverns were those kept by John Sim- mers in 1841, Henry Betzenberger in 1845, and Jacob Gardner at Summit in 1854. All these stands had much custom. The accommodations at Summit and Betzen- berger's were good. They were licensed taverns, and had stable room for ten or twelve horses each. The Summit Hotel is at present kept by Edward Cope. The other three have long been closed. Within the last seven years there have been four taverns opened at Silver Brook and vicinity. Their keepers are Patrick Carlin, Patrick Lafferty, James McBrarity and James Mullin.
RAILROADS.
SCHOOLS.
The public school at Honey Brook was opened No- vember Ist, 1858. It was held in a building rented of J. B. McCreary, situated at a short distance east of the town. The school was first taught by Charles Betzen- berger, for $25 per month. His successors up to 1865 were Abel Horlicher, J. S. Longacre, James F. Hagerty and Mrs. Langdon, at salaries ranging from $20 to $35 per month. Mrs. Langdon was the wife of W. F. S. Langdon, dockage boss at colliery No. 1, who was murdered by the Mollies in 1860. Jack Kehoe was the alleged mur- derer. Mrs. Langdon taught at Honey Brook several
years. This school was known as school No. 6, being the sixth public school opened in Rush township. The members of the school board in 1858 were: Henry Hauck, president; Isaac A. Blew, secretary; Jacob Faust, Henry Betzenberger, Aaron Boughner and Daniel Kester. In November, 1865, a school building, containing two school-rooms, was erected in the eastern part of the town at a cost of $1,225. David Mulhall and Mrs. Langdon were the first who taught in this building, where the schools were held for nine years, when a new one, cost- ing $2,700, was erected near the center of the town. It has three rooms, in which three teachers are employed. The second school was opened at Silver Brook in No- vember, 1865. It was known as school No. 9 of Rush, and was first taught by W. B. Stauffer at a salary of $40 per month. It was afterwards taught by Richard Morris, Thomas M. Frause, Mary Murrin and others. In 1880 a new building, costing the township $1, 115, was built. The school numbers about 75 pupils, and is taught by W. E. Malony.
SUMMIT STATION.
Summit Station receives its name from its situation at the highest point on the Catawissa Railroad, 1,547 feet above the sea level. It is built upon the tract of Messrs. Stauffer and Lindner. A store was kept at this place by John Anderson, civil engineer for the Catawissa Railroad Company, to supply those employed in grading
224
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
the Catawissa Railroad and constructing the tunnel at it ceased operations. It is now controlled and guarded Summit from 1835 to 1838, when it was closed. This by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. was the first store kept in the township. In 1854 Jacob Gardner built the Summit Hotel. This was a very im- HONEY BROOK. portant stand in its early days. Previous to the comple- Honey Brook is on the tracts of V. Lewis and J. Kun- kle. The first buildings were erected in 1853 by J. B. McCreary & Company, lessees of the Honey Brook coal basin. The town is the property of the Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre Coal Company. All the collieries in the vicinity of Honey Brook are owned by this company. The only public building is a large school-house, built in 1874. The only shops are those connected with the dif- ferent collieries. All the inhabitants are engaged in the collieries at Honey Brook and vicinity. Collieries Nos. I and 5 are situated at Honey Brook; colliery No. 4 at Audenried, a small portion of which village is in Klein. tion of the Quakake Railroad, connecting with the Beaver Meadow and Hazleton roads, Summit was one of the most important points of travel on the Catawissa Rail- road. Large quantities of freight were daily shipped at this station for Hazleton and vicinity. A large quantity of freight and coal transported over the Catawissa Rail- road is weighed at this station. It contains the only post-office and store in the township. The post-masters were A. Henrahan and Abraham Focht. The store was built by H. H. Roth, of Philadelphia, in 1879, and has quite a large trade. The most prominent and influen- tial residents are Abraham Focht and Frank Kentner. The former is the present land owner, and in 1879 built an addition to the village of a number of houses.
SILVER BROOK.
Silver Brook is built upon the tracts of G. Medler and others. The house of Mrs. Betzenberger was the only building there in 1864. It contained a company's store from then until 1871. The engine house and scale yards of the Tresckow Railroad are at this place. A large school-house was built in 1880. All the buildings there, except those belonging to the Tresckow Railroad, were owed by the operators of the Silver Brook colliery, and are now supposed to belong to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. They are fast decaying. One of these dwelling houses is a tavern stand kept by J. McBrarity. This place contained previous to 1877 a lodge of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Silver Brook Colliery .- This colliery is upon the tracts of A. Grove and others, afterward the estates of Messrs. Dilworth and Mitchel, and consists of a slope and shaft. The sinking of these and the building of the breaker were begun by Alexander Gray & Co. in 1864, and com- pleted in 1865. In 1865 or 1866 A. Gray sold his in- terests to S. P. Longstreet, of Wilkes-Barre. This col- liery was then known as that of Hosie & Longstreet. It was under the management of Longstreet, and was well conducted. It shipped from 50 to 60 cars of coal per day, and was in operation till November, 1871, when S. P. Longstreet ordered the workings of the colliery to be discontinued. Nothing has since been removed from the place. The breaker is in a dilapidated condition, and the engines and boilers are nearly ruined. The mines have become filled with water, which now flows out at the top of the shaft. Within the mine are an ex- cellent pump-engine and large quantities of pipe and iron. There still remain in this basin large quantities of coal. Only the south pitch of the veins has been worked. The north pitch, extending into the tracts of Messrs. Kelvey and Adders, remains unworked. There has been a dispute as to the ownership of this colliery since the time
Honey Brook Collieries .- The Honey Brook coal basin, which extends from Carbon county into Schuylkill, and unites with the Beaver Meadow basin, was opened in 1854 by J. B. McCreary & Company, lessees of the Honey Brook basin. There are six collieries in this basin in the vicinity of Honey Brook and Audenried, of which Nos. 1, 4 and 5 are in Klein township. They are upon the tracts of J. Kunkle, C. Kunkle and V. Lewis. These mines are extensively worked, and form the eastern limits of the coal works in Schuylkill county. All these collieries consist of slopes, the excavations of which, upon examination, have been found to extend into the adjacent counties. Colliery No. 1, or the Honey Brook colliery, was opened in 1854. The first coal was shipped in 1856 over the Beaver Meadow Railroad. Colliery No. 2 was opened on the same base as colliery No. 1, in 1860.
These collieries were superintended by Messrs. Meyers and Mumper. J. B. McCreary & Co., lessees, consoli- dated with the land owners in 1862, and formed the cor- poration known as the Honey Brook Coal Company, with Meyers and Mumper as superintendents. In 1865 A. Fellows became superintendent of both collieries, and held the position till 1867. From 1867 to 1871, during which time collieries Nos. 3 and 4 were opened, all the works of the Honey Brook Coal Company were superin- tended by William Hopkins. Colliery No. 3 is situated in Carbon county. In 1870 colliery No. 2 was abandoned and No. 4 was opened in its stead the same year. The coal mined at this colliery was shipped over the Tresckow Railroad. The breaker is situated within 50 feet of the Carbon county line. It requires 1,140 feet of rope to reach to the foot of the slope. Colliery No. 5 was sunk in 1872 and is situated at the western end of the basin.
The first coal was shipped in May 1873. The Honey Brook Coal Company in 1873 was merged in a corporation known as the Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre Coal Company, with E. B. Leisenring as superintendent. This company in 1877 went into the hands of a receiver. Since then all the collieries have been worked by contract by E. B. Leisenring. There are at present mined at these collieries from 1,000 to 1,500 tons of coal daily.
225
BEGINNINGS IN MAHANOY TOWNSHIP-INSTITUTIONS OF ST. NICHOLAS.
MAHANOY TOWNSHIP.
HE territory from which the old township of Mahanoy was formed was, until 1849, a part of Rush township, one of the original town- ships of Schuylkill county, and until 1811 a part of the great county of Northampton. At the latter date no general settlement had been made, and only here and there was an isolated log house, where hospitality was dispensed to the solitary horse- man, who, on his way from Reading or Easton to the older settlements of Columbia county, traversed the bri- dle paths of the wild mountain region, or sought pleas- ure and profit in the chase.
Rush township was originally bounded on the north- west by Union township, northeast by Carbon county, south by West Penn township, and southwest by Schuyl- kill township. In 1820 this territory contained only 253 inhabitants; in 1830, 359; in 1840, 370. It now contains four townships and five boroughs, inhabited by about 35,000 people.
The erection of the township of Mahanoy was render- ed possible by the completion of the Mill Creek Rail- road and the Mahanoy Plane, with the consequent open . ing of collieries and influx of population in the western portion of the old township.
Samuel May, John Eisenboth, Daniel Brobst and Eras- tus Williams came into the vicinity. Of these families H. H. Stauffer, justice of the peace in Mahanoy City, was in 1880 the only representative residing in the limits of the old town, and to him, whose residence dates back to 1829, the historian is indebted for many of the details of this sketch.
The first saw-mill in the township was built about 1820, by John Eisenboth, on what is known as Eisen- both's run, a small tributary of the Mahanoy creek, near Mahanoy City; and was operated on a small scale for many years. The occupation of the people was shingle making, chopping, farming and hunting. The Catawissa turnpike was the avenue of travel.
The population of the township in 1860 was 573; in 1870 9,400, and in 188o, after West Mahanoy and Mahanoy City had been taken from it, 4,451.
ST. NICHOLAS.
Cake, the surviving partner, named the place and col- liery St. Nicholas, and the post-office, established in 1863, and kept by B. F. Smith, was given the same name. In 1864 Mr. Cake disposed of the colliery to a party of capitalists and operators, incorporated as the St. Nicholas Coal Company. Some of its prominent members were George Ormrod, C. F. Shoener, John Donneston and W. F. Donneston. This company operated the colliery until February, 1880, when the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company succeeded it.
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