USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 54
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
wide and 50 feet high; the erecting shop, 70 feet long by 35 feet wide; the smith shop, 60 feet long, 30 wide and 16 high, and an office 32 by 17 feet.
The works are supplied with costly machinery and a valuable assortment of patterns, and are capable of turn- ing out a large amount of first class work. The firm at one time employed some sixty hands, but since the Phil- adelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company became owners of most of the collieries in the vicinity the demand for their work has decreased. They manufacture steam engines and pumps, rolling mill, furnace and mining ma- chinery.
COLLIERIES.
Mahanoy City Colliery .- The drift here was opened and a breaker built in 1863, and the first coal was shipped in the spring of 1864, by Hill & Harris, who operated the colliery until 1873, and then sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. The veins worked are the Primrose and Mammoth. The depth of the first slope is 180 yards, with gangways running a mile and a half west from the bottom of the slope. About half a mile from the bottom of this slope another has been sunk to the depth of 100 yards. The power and ventilation are sup- plied by nine powerful engines and two air compressors. About 90 men and boys are employed outside, and 100 inside. The breaker has a capacity of 500 tons, and about 400 tons are produced daily.
Harris, Sparr & Co.'s Colliery, opened in 1878, com - menced shipping during the following year. The capac- ity of the breaker, operated by one small engine, is fifty tons daily. The number of men and boys employed is twenty-five. The vein worked is the Skidmore. A drift has been worked about two hundred yards.
Reynolds, Roberts & Co.'s Colliery was opened by R. Phillips & Co. in 1872, and operated by them until 1877, when it was sold to its present owners. It capacity is one hundred tons daily. It works fifty men and boys, in headings extending 1,400 yards from the slope. There are four engines in use, aggregating 48 horse power. The works are at the head of Fifth street, Mahanoy City.
The Webster Colliery was opened by John Holland, in 1874, and the first shipment of coal was made in December of that year. The capacity of the breaker is 100 tons daily, and the power is furnished by one 'engine. Mr. Holland sold the colliery to King, Tyler & Co., and during their administration occured the riot of 1875, which was caused by an attempt of a mob to close the works. E. Baldwin purchased the interest of the last named operators in 1879, and he is the present owner. The workings consist of a tunnel of about forty yards in the Buck Mountain vein, which is there about 10 or 12 feet in thickness. The colliery, which is known by the local name of the Penitentiary, supplies some of the best coal sold in Mahanoy City, and is shipping up to its full capacity to other points.
of $85,000, and operated it until 1874, when it was sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com- pany, the present operators. The slope has a depth of one hundred and twenty yards on the Primrose, Mam- moth and Seven-feet veins. The capacity of the breaker is 500 tons daily, and the average shipment about 300 tons. Fifty men and boys are employed inside, and seventy-five outside.
SOCIETIES AND LODGES.
Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 94, D. O. H. was organized June 28th, 1863, with the following officers: P. C., Daniel Becker; Com., Valentine Bender; V. C., William Krause; secretary. Adam Wild (deceased); treasurer, John C. Knapp. The other charter members were Adam Gob- bert, William Schwitzer, Frederick Becker, Joseph Short, George Gref, Bernhard Bunk, George Shining and Charles Kaier. The officers in 1880 were: C., Adam Stehling; secretary, Frederick Becker. The lodge has a benefi- ciary fund from which have been paid sick benefits and death claims since the date of organization.
General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I. O. O. F. was insti- tuted June 18th, 1864, with twelve charter members. The first officers were as follows: N. G., A. Cathers; V. G., C. Bartholemew; secretary, John R. Porter; assistant secretary, Townsend Hines; treasurer, G. F. Brendle. The officers for 1880 were: N. G., Thomas Woolcock; V. G., Charles King; secretary, William L. Ballantine; assistant secretary, John H. Williams; treasurer, Solomon Faust. The lodge had in 1880 one hundred and sixty- six members, and was growing in numbers and financial strength. It is one of the most successful lodges in the county. Its payments for benevolent purposes have been, it is claimed, greater than those of any other in Schuylkill county; and equaled by but few in the State.
Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 351, F. & A. M., was insti -. tuted August 24th, 1865, by George H. McCabe, acting as R. W. Grand Master, who installed as the first officers of the lodge: Philip Conrad, W. M .; F. F. Kolb, S. W .; Peter Harman, J. W .; Wesley Hammer, T .; John R. Porter, S. The present membership is eighty-four. The present officers are: Phaon Hermony, W. M .; John W. Hardley, S. W .; John S. De Silva, J. W .; William L. Yoder, T .; Thomas L. Hess, S.
Mispah Chapter, No. 252, was constituted February Ist, 1875, by M. E. G. H. P. Andrew Robeno, jr., with twenty-one charter members. The first officers were: Philip Conrad, M. E. H. P .; Thomas L. Hess, K .; Wes- ley Hammer, S .; Samuel Parmley, treasurer; Isaac Y. Sollenberger, secretary. The past high priests are Philip Conrad, Thomas L. Hess, Wesley Hammer, Samuel Parmley, Edward J. Phillips and James Wooley. The present officers are: Phaon Hermony, M. E. H. P .; Henry G. Dentzer, K .; George F. Brendle, S .; William L. Loder, treasurer; Thomas L. Hess, secretary. The membership is 32.
St. Patrick's B. A .- This society was organized in March, 1866, with twenty-four charter members. The
The Elmwood Colliery was opened at a point opposite the Grant Iron Works, in 1871, by R. R. Lee & G. H. Wren. They erected a breaker and machinery at a cost |first officers were: President, M. M. Ketner; secretary,
235
MAHANOY CITY SECRET SOCIETIES-FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
E. D. Cronin; treasurer, Miles Roach. The following officers have served the association: Presidents-M. J. Murphy and Richard Gill; secretaries-John A. Diven, Owen Dunn and Edmund Barrett; treasurers-Patrick Dillon, John Quinn, D. McNamara and Patrick Dillon. The membership is thirty-two.
Severn Post, 110, G. A. R .- This post was named after Captain E. L. Severn, one of its most prominent members, and a popular officer. The imperfect data furnished the historian did not co .tain any list of charter members, or any account of the organization. The post numbered in 1880 thirty-five members, with the following officers: P. C., J. L. Bricker; S. V. C., E. J. Phillips; J. V. C., Lewis Delong; adjutant, G. M. Miller; quarter- master, J. S. De Silva; surgeon, G. M. Miller; chaplain, J. F. Shoener; officer of day, John Cameron; officer of guard, John Elletts; sergeant-major, James Connor.
The Citizens' Silver Cornet Band, organized in April, 1868, won the interest and confidence of the people of Mahanoy City by its excellent musical attainments, and by the gentlemanly demeanor and good social standing Mahanoy City Council, No. 162, Royal Arcanum .- This organization is a mutual beneficiary brotherhood, giving moral and material aid to its members, and those de- perdent on them. It pays sick benefits, and life insur- ance of $3,000 for full rate members, or $1,500 for half rate members. of its members. Its first leader was Jacob Britz, who was succeeded by William Smith, and he in turn by Henry Ferg, Stephen Gorman, John Harlan, E. N. Reed, and Louis Selkraft. Since January, 1880, Mr. Britz has been leader. The band has a pleasant music and read- ing room on South Main street, over Knapp's market, and numbers among its honorary members some of the eleven charter members. Its officers in 1880 were: Re-
leading citizens of the borough. In 1880 it obtained a complete and elegant new uniform which, with the fine instruments and well-balanced musical qualities of the band, make it the leading one in upper Schuylkill county. For the past five years the citizens' has been a popular band with the 7th regiment National Guards, and has furnished the music for their receptions and parades.
Pamphylia Lodge, No. 719, I. O. of G. T., was institu- ted June 14th, 1869. Among its charter members were Charles Bensinger, Sallie E. Bensinger, John Bensinger, Rev. J. S. J. McConnell, G. H. Laury, James Matthias, George Dennis, O. C. Tiffany, Hattie Cowley and some thirty others. Its first officers were: W. C. T., J. S. J. McConnell; W. V. T., Sallie Bensinger; W. S., George H. Laury; W. M., James Matthias; Chap., S. L. Pang- lace. The lodge has met regularly since its organization at Bensinger's Hall, No. 30 Center street, on Friday evenings; and has initiated some five hundred persons Its membership in October, 1880, was sixty-seven, and its officers were: W. C. T., W. D. Reynolds; W. V. T., Ella Holland; W. S., H. H. Dobson; W. F. S., William Shoener; W. T., C. Bensinger; W. M., Bessie Seligman; W. Chap., Sara Parker; W. I. G., Daniel Gouge; W. O. G., John Moyer.
Rhenonia Lodge, No. 414, K. of P. was instituted No- vember 26th, 1873, with a large list of charter members, from whom were elected the following officers for the first term: P. C., Simon Trier; C. C., Frederick Becker; V. C., Jacob Myers; P., Adam Stehling; secretary, Charles Hartung; treasurer, G. F. Dippert; F. S., Dr. Philip
Weber; V., William Spehl; I. G., Jacob Mahle; O. G., William Encke. The past presiding officers are Henry Lochman, Henry Hagelgans, G. Mayer, Charles Perry, J. Leibenberger and George Graff. The officers for 1880 were: C. C., Louis Kehlman; secretary, F. Becker; V. C., Henry Goppert; P., Henry Lochman; W., Jacob Becker; I. G., Hartman Becker; O. G., Henry Hollgal- gus; treasurer, G. F. Dipper; F. Sec., Ferdinand Petrey. The exercises are in German.
Emerald Beneficial Association, Branch 39, was organized January 25th, 1874, with twenty-two charter members. The first officers were: President, M J. Murphy; vice- president, Daniel Gill; secretary, John J. Hughes; treas- urer, Patrick Dillon; marshal, John T. Quinn. The present officers are: President, M. J. Murphy, who has served every year since organization; vice-president, James McCabe; secretary, A. J. Connor; treasurer, Pat- rick Dillon; librarian, John Kelley; messenger, Patrick Stamford. The organization, which is literary as well as beneficial, has a large and valuable library.
This council was instituted September 10th, 1878, with gent, M. W. Price; vice-regent, R. B. Platt; orator, Thomas W. Duncan; past regent, O. C. Lewis; secretary, Frank Myers; collector, J. J. Dilcher; treasurer, Phaon Hermony; guide, E. C. Price; warden, W. H. Habblett; sentry, Samuel Platt; chaplain, Joseph A. Schoffstall; medical examiner, P. Hermony, M. D.
A Young Men's Christian Association was formed in October, 1876. For nearly two years it held regular meetings, and maintained a fine reading room, which, however, was abandoned in 1878, at which time the society suspended operations.
Other Organizations .- There are several societies of German origin, of but slight importance, the secretaries of which failed to furnish any data; also a band, which did not respond to the historian's request for information.
CHURCH HISTORY.
First Presbyterian Church .- During the summer of 1860 there was occasional preaching in the old Spruce street school-house by Rev Messrs. Colt, Bryson and Thompson, and in 1861 regular appointments were made here. This was the first organized effort by any Prot- estant denomination here.
October 14th of the same year a Congregational meet- ing was held at the house of Dr. L. M. Thompson, and Dr. Thompson, Frank Carter, David Stewart, Edward F. Smith and Dr. Turner were chosen trustees to select a site for a church. Building began April 29th, 1862, and on Thursday, September 18th, the building was dedicated by Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, then of Philadelphia, now of Brooklyn. The church was a long, low, one-storied
236
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
framed structure, very unpretending. For a short time Rev. William Thompson preached every week.
On June 23d, 1862, mainly by the efforts of Mrs. Dr. Thompson, the first Sunday-school was organized. For some time she was superintendent and teacher. Mr. Manck was the next superintendent. Mrs. Thompson by her personal efforts secured the necessary outfit for the school, and was rewarded by seeing it largely at- tended.
December 8th, 1864, Rev. F. F. Kolb was elected stated supply, and he filled the pulpit nine months, when he was succeeded by Rev. W. H. Dinsmore, under whose charge the church membership was increased. At the session of the presbytery at this place September 22nd, 1869, Rev. A. M. Woods was installed as pastor, and dur- ing his residence he has become popular and influential. By his efforts all debts on the church and parsonage were extinguished, the church was remodeled, and made what it now is, perhaps the most tasteful structure of its char- acter in the borough. Among the improvements was a convenient Sunday-school room. The cost of the church property, including parsonage, was $11,500.
The elders in 1880 were E. F. Smith and E. K. Weber. The trustees were E. F. Smith, Dr. G. F. Brendle, A. W. Brown, C. F. Batesman, Joseph Porter, A. C. Lewis and Samuel Parmley.
The Sunday-school is superintended by Rev. A. M. Woods, with Joseph Porter as assistant. It numbers one hundred and seventy-one scholars, teachers and officers, and has a library of more than six hundred volumes.
The present pastor, Rev. A. M. Woods, was born in Lewistown, Pa., in 1831. He graduated at Princeton College in 1850, and in the theological department in 1858. He taught several years during the time of his preparation for the ministry. He was ordained at Harts- ville, Bucks county, in 1859.
The Church of Faith, P. E .- The earliest attainable data of Episcopal services in Mahanoy City are furnished by Rev. D. Washburne, in a letter to Hon. John Parker, of Parker's Record, in which he relates that in company with Judge Helfenstein he drove from Pottsville, one Easter Sunday afternoon, and stopped at an unfinished hotel, walking from there to a school-house, lantern in hand, where the first services were held. This is be- lieved to have been early in the spring of 1860, and from that time services were few and far between until the Rev. Henry Styles Getz commenced services, September 2nd, 1864, at the same time preaching at Hazleton; hold- ing services at each place only on alternate Sundays.
On the 18th of August, 1864, a parish was regularly organized under the title of the Church of Faith, and the following persons chosen wardens and vestrymen: F. M. Nicholas and Henry Jackson, wardens; Charles M. Hill, jr., Charles Cowley, James Morgan, Thomas G. Westcott, Wesley Hammer, Philip Conrad and John R. Cunningham, yestrymen. The same day Rev. H. S. Getz was elected rector of the parish. Tuesday, Novem- ber 29th, the corner stone for a church was laid, William Bacon Stevens, D. D., assistant bishop of the diocese;
Rev. William Wilson, of Tamaqua, and the rector assist- ing. The church was formally opened August 2nd, 1865, the Schuylkill and Lehigh convocation, then in session at Tamaqua, attending in a body and assisting in the ceremonies.
The Sunday-school was organized Sunday, August 13th, 1865, with twenty-eight scholars. Wesley Ham- mer was its first superintendent.
On Thursday, August 29th, 1866, the church was ded- icated, Bishop Thomas Vail, of Kansas, presiding; as- sisted by Rev. Messrs. Elsegood, Potter, Pecke, Bowers, Adams, Allen, Shinn and Getz; the sermon being preached by Bishop Vail.
On the Ist of May, 1867, the rector, have resigned his charge at Hazleton, took sole charge of this church. During the next two years he established a mission at Delano, and added Calvary Church of Tamaqua to his charge, resigning his pastorate May 31st, 1869. At a vestry meeting held January 13th, 1870, Rev. Joseph W. Murphy was elected rector, and during his term of ser- vice here he established mission services in Shenandoah. After a pleasant sojourn of five years Rector Murphy resigned May 31st, 1875. Rev. Charles J. Hendley, B. D., then filled the pulpit for a few months, after which it remained vacant until December 17th, 1876, when Rev. C. J. Kilgour, of Catoctin, Md., the present rector, was called.
The church buildings are of wood, the main audience room seating two hundred. The rectory, in the same en- closure, was built in 1868, and the total value of the property is $11,000, on which there is no indebtedness.
The Sunday-school numbered in 1880 eighty scholars and teachers. Its officers were: Rev. C. J. Kilgour, superintendent; John Dunn, assistant superintendent; Charles P. Derrick, secretary; J. D. Jones, treasurer.
The church wardens for 1880 were George C. Crook and John Holland. The vestrymen were E. S. Silliman, John Holland, - Carter, Wesley Hammer, John Dunn, George C. Crook, Charles P. Derrick, Charles H. Lewis and George Gilgour.
The Guild of the Church of Faith was organized, as an aid to the general work of the church, on the 2nd of December, 1877. Henry Jackson was elected president, John Hodges secretary, and John Holland treasurer. At the election of 1880 officers were chosen as follows: George C. Crook, president; Thomas Holland, vice-presi- dent; George W. Seltzer, secretary; John Pott, treasurer. The guild has purchased an organ, attended to and de- frayed the expenses of janitor's service, superintended and paid for repairs, visited the sick, and looked after the local charities of the church.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- In 1862 Rev. Mr. Kess- ler, of Ashland, came here, preached and formed a small class. The class held meetings at private houses, and in 1863 Rev. H. Cleveland, of Tamaqua, received instruc- tions to preach occasionally at Mahanoy City. In the same year two lots and $1,000 were donated toward a church erection fund, and the society took immediate steps toward building a church, but the builders used
237
CHURCHES OF MAHANOY CITY.
poor materials and the succeeding winter damaged the walls so much that they were rebuilt.
In March, 1864, Rev. H. H. Davis was sent as the first pastor, and held his first service in the house of a man named Myers, at the corner of Centre and Catawissa streets. Subsequent meetings were held at private houses and at the Spruce street school-house, until June 5th of that year, when the place of meeting was made Yost & Reagon's lumber yard, where the English Lutheran church now stands. During a heavy gale October 28th, 1864, the gable end of the new church was blown down. On the 26th of April, 1865, the first work was done on the foundation of the present edifice, and on the 17th of De- cember it was dedicated, though not fully completed. The dedication was participated in by Revs. J. B. McCul- lagh, J. Aspril and H. H. Davis. During the exercises a communion service from friends in Pottsville was pre- sented.
Rev. H. H. Davis was pastor from 1864 to 1867; Rev. Samuel H. Reisner from 1867 to 1869; Rev. J. S. J. McConnell from 1868 to 1870, and during his pastorate the church was completed. Rev. Matthias Barnhill served from 1870 to 1872; Rev. Thomas Montgomery from 1872 to 1874; Rev. N. D. McCornas from 1874 to 1876; Rev. J. Wesley Harkins from 1876 to 1879; and Rev. G. Oram, the present pastor, was appointed in 1879.
The Sunday-school was organized in December, 1865. William L. Yoder was superintendent until 1879, when E. P. Lear, the present superintendent, was elected. The number of scholars and teachers in 1880 was 306.
St. Paul's Reformed Church .- During the year 1862 the few members of this denomination in Mahanoy were gladdened by the arrival of a considerable number of " like faith and practice " from Tamaqua, who called on their former pastor, Rev. L. K. Derr, of Tamaqua, to preach to them. He held his first service in the old Spruce street school-house, preaching to scarce a score of listeners. He visited the plaee frequently, and it was not long ere the old "goat stable " was too small for the audience that gathered to listen to his eloquent sermons; and an arrangement was made with the Presbyterians for the use of their building. On the 17th of January, 1863, an organization was effected by the election of a consistory.
In August, 1864, the congregation decided to build a church. A lot was donated by the land company, and on the 18th of September of that year the corner stone was laid. Rev. D. W. Wolff preached a few months. In the spring of 1865 the basement of the new building was opened for service. On the 17th of September the church was dedicated.
Rev. L. K. Derr, of Tamaqua, became pastor. His first sermon as such was delivered in January, 1866, and his term of service closed in December, 1869; the church membership having grown from sixty in 1866 to two hundred and twenty-five in 1869. On Christmas morn- ing, 1869, the present pastor, Rev. H. A. Kevser, preached his first sermon here. The membership of the church has increased until it stands at the head of the Protestant churches of Mahanoy City. In 1880 it was 500.
The church property has been increased in value under Mr. Keyser's administration to $8,000. A fine pipe organ has been purchased at a cost of $1,650.
The Sunday-school numbers 450 scholars and teachers, and has a library of Soo volumes. The pastor is the su- perintendent.
Rev. Henry A. Keyser was born near Allentown, Pa., in 1844; educated at Heidelberg College, Tiffin, Ohio; graduated in September, 1869; was ordained in May, 1870, at Pottsville, by the Lebanon classis. He married Isabella Newcomet, of Croskill Mills, Pa., in 1866. She died at her home at Crosskill, November 23d, 1871, aged 21 years, leaving one child.
Welsh Congregational Church .- This organization held its first meeting in Mahanoy City in a private house on Mahanoy street, June 3d, 1863. The " nucleus " of the church was there represented by three Welsh families- those of Rees P. Williams, John Morgan and William Richards. The next Sabbath, at the Spruce street school- house, a Sabbath-school was organized. In September of the same year the first sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Price. December 20th, 1863, the church was duly organ- ized, with a membership of 111. Rev. John E. Jones, then of Minersville, and Rev. Mr. Price officiated.
In the spring of 1864 the society commenced build- ing a church on a double lot donated by Richard Kear, of Minersville. By autumn the church was completed and services were held in it. Mr. Price was not a regu- larly ordained minister, but a working man, who willingly lent his talents to pulpit work, and he is kindly remem- bered by his old congregation. March 6th, 1865, Rev. R. D. Thomas, of New York, became pastor here. He raised a debt of $800 and labored acceptably four years. It was during his pastorate, in the year 1869, that the Eisteddfod was organized here, and his church choir made one of the competing choirs. In various competi- tions, four at this place and one each at Ashland, She- nandoah, Tamaqua and Minersville, this choir won the highest prize, and at the contest in Shenandoah all of the prizes offered, amounting to $200.
After the resignation of Mr. Thomas the pulpit re- mained vacant for eighteen months. Rev. D. F. Jones assumed the pastoral charge in October, 1870. In April, 1875, Rev. Lot Lake became pastor. While he was in charge the church edifice was renovated and improved, at an expense of about $2,000. Mr. Lake resigned in 1877, and another vacancy of rather more than a year occurred before the church secured, some time in 1878, the services of Rev. R. J. Matthews, of Bevier, Mo., who is the present pastor. During Mr. Matthews's pastorate eighteen new members have been received, making the total number in 1880 one hundred and seventy-five. The Sunday-school numbers one hundred and thirty.
Rev. R. J. Matthews is a native of Glamorganshire, Wales. He came to America in 1863, was educated at Western Reserve College and Andover Theological Sem- inary, ordained in Fair Haven, Vt., in 1874, and has filled pulpits at Fair Haven and at Bevier, Mo., where he married, in 1877.
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
St. Canicus Church, situated at the northwest corner of Pine and Catawissa streets, was dedicated by Bishop Wood, of Philadelphia, in July, 1866, three years after the laying of the corner stone, October, 1863. Previous to that time, services were held in a temporary church building, on the opposite corner to that on which the church now stands. The Rev. Daniel Kelly, at that time pastor of St. Jerome's Church, Tamaqua, of which parish Mahanoy City then formed a part, died in the early part of 1873, and Bishop (now Archbishop) Wood sent the Rev. Michael McAvoy to organize a parish in Mahanoy City and district. An idea of the extent of Father McAvoy's labors may be formed in giving the boundaries of the parish, which extended down Mahanoy valley to Gilberton, including it and also Shenandoah, and all the mining villages lying between those places and Mahanoy City. Add to this the fact that the popu- lation of the parish was mainly composed of miners, who were, for the most part, depending on their labor for their support. As soon as he arrived, Father McAvoy commenced erecting a church, capable of accommoda- ting his people, which he finished in three years. About this time a small church was erected in Shenandoah, where Father McAvoy held service once a month. These labors, together with the work of collecting monies for the payment of building and other expenses incurred in organizing the parish, undermined his health, and made it advisable for him to take a short trip to Europe, which he did in 1867. During his absence Father Bodin had charge of the parish. In 1870 Father McAvoy returned from Europe, and remained in charge of this parish until January, 1871, when he was removed to Coatesville. He died at St. Teresa's Church, Philadelphia, on the 6th of September, 1875, at the age of 46 years.
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