USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 83
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SCHOOLS.
In 1829 Christian Meyer, a young teacher just from Strasburg, Germany, opened the first school in Wayne. in a private house. A few years later a few others were opened, and school houses built. Mr. Meyer taught forty - one years, in private and public schools, and then became a farmer. Many of his former pupils are living. Other early teachers were Messrs. Miller, Grater, Clay and Grover. The early school-houses were in Snyder valley, and at the place locally known as "Reedsville," from the fact that a number of families of the name of Reed have lived in the neighborhood.
The date of the first school in Friedensburg is not re- membered. Charles Krecker was an early teacher there. The present school-house in that village was erected in 1871, at a cost of $400.
The citizens of Wayne voluntarily accepted the com- mon school system in 1841. There are now twelve schools in the township. They were being taught in the winter of 1880-81 by Miles Staller, William Heffner, Ir- win Fessler, Jared S. Brown, Francis Reber, Lewis J. Brown, D. T. Schlappich, W. H. Kremer, Jerry Hoffman, Joel Ney, W. B. Staller and F. A. Brown.
LODGES.
Farmers' Lodge, No. 649, I. O. O. F. was chartered November 17th, 1868, and instituted December 12th following.
The first officers were: J. H. Lenhard. N. G .; H. Trumbo, V. G .; E. Roeder, secretary; J. G. Kern, assist- ant secretary; Anthony Roeder, treasurer.
J. J. Moyer, V. G .; F. P. Schroeigerb, secretary; J. B. Ludwig, assistant secretary; Jonathan Bressler, treasurer.
The largest membership to which the lodge ever at- tained was 65; the present membership is 38. The num- ber of charter members was 20.
Washington Camp No. 145 P. O. S. of A. was organ- ized with 17 charter members. The present membership is 15.
The first offcers were: D. R. Ney, D .; W. W. Brown, V. P .; A. Reed, M. F. and C .; J. B. Kremer, secretary; Joel Ney, financial secretary; John Steinback, treasurer.
The officers in February, 1881, were: F. A. Brown, president; H. N. Boyer, vice-president; D. R. Ney, sec- retary; J. S. Brown, financial secretary; Elias Roeder, treasurer.
There is a lodge of the Jr. O. U. A. M. most of the members of which are residents of Wayne.
All of the societies above referred to hold their meet- ings in a large room, fitted up for their occupancy, in the third story of the Hummel tavern building.
The membership of neither of these organizations is as large as it was a few years ago. The diminu- tion in numbers is due chiefly to the recent financial depression.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, located three-quarters of a mile west of Friedensburg, is owned jointly by the Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed con- gregations. The erection of the building which pre- ceded it was begun in 1796, and it was dedicated the fifth Sunday after Easter, 1797, Revs. Henry Hertzel and Emanuel Schultz being present. The present edifice was built in 1868, and is valued at $4,000.
The original church organization was effected in 1796. The present membership is about 200. The Sunday- school was organized May 13th, 1852. John Mullin was the first superintendent; the present is Mr. Brownmiller. The membership is 50.
The following Reformed ministers have served the church: Revs. John Kobrecht, William Ingold, Philip Meyer (37 years), Henry Wagner, J. P. Stein (5 years), C. H. Mutchler, I. E. Graeff, Eli E. Heister (6 years), Blocadus S. Metzger.
The Evangelical Lutheran preachers have been Revs. Andrew Schultz, Daniel Schaefer, John Knoske, George Mennig, William Mennig, Frederick Conrad, August Joekel, Nathan Jaeger (4 years), T. Bristenbach (2 years), Elias S. Henry, A. Roeller (3 years), Joel Grimm, Hoppe, G. F. Woerner, Robert Jacoby, W. H. Kuntz.
The Reedville Church, the original Evangelical church in this neighborhood, was built in 1845, at a cost of about $800. The present edifice was erected in 1875, the cor- ner stone having been laid May 6th of that year. The church property is valued at $3,300. The organ was purchased in 1878.
The original members of the church were John (sen.), George, Peter John (jr.), David and Daniel Reed,
The present (1881) officers are: Frank Brown, N. G .; |Jacob and John Wommer, Samuel Machmer, and John
CHURCHES IN WAYNE TOWNSHIP-WEST BRUNSWICK.
361
Clay, and their wives, and some other members of some of their families, to the number of about 30.
The first Sunday-school was organized in 1846, and was attended by 40 or 50 scholars. The first superin- tendent of the more recent organization was Osman Air- good. The present superintendent is John H. Reed. The school has a membership of 36, and there are 150 volumes in the library.
The church has been served by the following pastors: Revs. C. Moyer, J. Lieb, L. Snider, J. Shell, C. S. Har- man, E. Basht (each 2 years), F. Krecker (6 years), J. Q. Lehr, W. Yost, E. Miller, H. A. Neitz, L. S. Worman, D. A. Medlar, W. Shoemaker, T. J. Reitz (each 2 years).
St. Peter's Reformed Church .- The earliest meeting to consider the advisability of organizing this church was held on the spot where the house of worship now stands, as early as 1847. The society purchased 72 acres of land a mile west of Cressona, in Wayne township, on which they erected the church in 1852 and 1853. It was dedi- cated May 15th, the latter year. The following have been the pastors of the church: Revs. Jacob Kline, J. P. Stein, C. H. Mutchler, - Johnson, Eli E. Heister and Blocadus S. Metzger, the present pastor.
The first Sunday-school superintendent was Dr. Ben- jamin Baker. The present one is Mr. Hontzberger.
English Protestant Union Church (Friedensburg) .- At a meeting held at the house of George Witman, in Frie- densburg, March 15th, 1859, for the purpose of discussing | larger. measures for the erection of a church edifice, the follow- ing persons were present: William Lerch, sen., D. K. Reed, A. S. Riland, S. B. Riland, Michael Fritz, George Wit man and Charles Krecker. Michael Fritz was chosen president of the meeting. William Lerch, A. S. Riland and D. K. Reed were appointed a committee to purchase a lot for a church and cemetery and draft a constitution and by-laws for a proposed organization, which was soon afterward effected. The corner stone of the church was laid a little later and before the close of the year the building was completed and dedicated.
The church is owned jointly by the local societies of United Brethren in Christ and the Evangelical church. The original members of the church of United Brethren were A. S. and Annie Riland, Thomas Morgan and wife, Martin Miller and wife, Mary and Elizabeth Miller, An- netta Luckenbill, and Magdelina Fessler. The constituent members of the Evangelical society were Charles and Abraham Krecker, Samuel B. Riland and Jacob Wommer and wife.
The United Brethren pastors have been Revs. J. Low- ery, L. W. Cramer, W. H. Fritz, S. Noll, J. Fleischner, J. G. Clair, S. Etter, J. Shoop, John Binkley, J. Hackman, - Shaeffer, - Uhler, Urias Gambler, - Dunkle- berger, W. H. Cramer and George Shindler. The pastors of the Evangelical faith have been Revs. C. S. Haman, E. Miller, J. Q. Lehr, H. A. Neitz, L. S. Worman, Fred- erick Krecker, D. A. Medlar, William Shoemaker and F. J. Reitz.
The Friedensburg union Sunday-school was organized in 1859. A. S. Riland has been the superintendent from the first. At the invitation of this school and the churches with which it is connected, July Ist, 1880, the centennial anniversary of the Sunday-schools of Wayne township was celebrated in the union church. The present (February, 1881) membership of the school is 74. It is provided with an organ, and a library of 500 volumes. During the summer the membership is much
De Binder's Church .- In Summit Station valley there is a small congregation known by this name. The pres- ent pastor is Rev. F. W. Berkheiser.
A Sunday-school has been in continuous existence at Summit Station about twenty-five years. At present the superintendent is D. R. Ney. The scholars number 130.
The united Sunday-school, held in school-house No. 5, has been in progress since 1850. John W. Heffner, sen., was the first superintendent; Jared S. Brown is the present one. The total membership is 121.
WEST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP.
B RUNSWICK was one of the original townships of Schuylkill county, formed when it was set off from Berks county in 1811. In 1834 it was divided into East Brunswick and West Brunswick. The population has ranged as fol lows: 1840, 1,593; 1850, 1,693; 1860. 1,567; 1870, 1,163; 1880, 1,358.
INDIAN DEPREDATIONS.
Tradition has it that at the junction of the little creek which flows around Orwigsburg with the Schuylkill, was
once an Indian town of importance, on or near Sculp hill, which is pierced by the Schuylkill canal at the local- ity known as "the tunnel," or "the narrows."
During the French and Indian war the few scattering inhabitants contiguous to the Blue mountains and the pres- ent boundary of Berks county were occasionally alarmed on account of murders committed by Indians marauding through that section. The following account of massacres by these savages will be interesting not only for the inci- dents which it contains, but also as indicating the loca- tion of pioneer families along the Blue mountain.
In West Brunswick township, early in February, 1756,
57
362
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
the Indians perpetrated several cruel and barbarous mur- ders. On the 14th of that month a band of Indians went to the house of Frederick Reichersdorfer, shot two of his children, set his house on fire, and burned all of his grain and live stock. Then proceeding to the house of Jacob Gerhart they slew one man, two women and six children. Two children escaped their notice by hiding under a bed. One of them was burned with the house; the other escaped and managed to join some white settlers about a mile away.
When the intelligence of this massacre had reached Maxatany, Berks county, many of the inhabitants of that township repaired to the scene of death and rapine to as- certain what damage had been done. While on their way they received accounts of other murders. "When," says Jacob Le Van in a letter to Mr. Seely, dated Feb- ruary 15th, 1756, "I had got ready to go with my neigh- bors from Maxatany to see what damage was done, three men that had seen the shocking affair came and told me that eleven were killed, eight of them burnt, and the other three found dead in the fire. An old man was scalped; the two others, little girls, were not scalped."
"On the 25th of March following," says the Pennsyl- vania Gazette of April, 1756, " ten wagons went up from Maxatany to this township (then New Albany), to bring down a family with their effects. As they were return- ing, about three miles below a Mr. George Zeisloff's, they were fired upon by a number of Indians from both sides of the road, upon which the wagoners left their wagons and ran into the woods. The enemy killed George Zeis- loff and wife, a lad of twenty, a boy of twelve, and a girl of fourteen, four of whom they scalped. A boy was stabbed in three places, but his wounds were thought not to be mortal. Three horses were killed and five taken away by the Indians."
Some time in November, 1756, the Indians appeared again in the territory now included in West Brunswick and carried of the wife and three children of Adam Burns. The youngest child was only four weeks old. Later the Indians murdered one Adam Trump. They took Trump's wife and son (nineteen years of age) prisoners. Soon, however, the woman made her escape, though it is said she was so closely pursued by one of the Indians, of whom there were seven, that she received a severe wound in the neck from a tomahawk which he threw after her as she fled.
Subsequently the remaining settlers built a fort, which afforded them more or less protection from their red foes. This structure stood on the farm now (1881) owned by Lewis Matberger, about a mile and a half from Auburn borough.
Paul Heins was an early settler who, it is said, was never molested by the Indians, who are said to have borne him the utmost good will in consequence of the kindness and hospitality with which he ever treated them. The story goes that it was his custom to set a dish of bread and milk before every Indian visitor to his cabin, and that none of them ever offered to touch the arms which. hung conspicuously on the walls of his forest domicile.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORV.
The first settlements having been made in the agricul- tural parts of the county, its educational history com- mences there. Brunswick was the first township to consider the education of its children, and the last to adopt the public school system. The early residents evidently had little conception of the advantages a well disciplined mind gives its possessor, in making him capa- ble of thinking and acting for himself. They merely wished their children to be able to read their Bible, study their catechism, and keep their accounts. To this end only they established schools. These schools were held at first in private rooms. As the settlers multiplied in number log houses were erected for school purposes. These first school-houses were built at an average cost, in money, not exceeding twenty dollars. The branches taught were simply rudimentary, and much of the in- struction was in German. The only institution within the whole township that furnished a higher grade of in- struction was the Orwigsburg Academy, established in 1813. This academy was purely a county institution, as the charter creating it provided for the election of eight trustees, two to be elected annually. It was in its merid - ian glory from 1836 to 1850, when it was accounted one of the first academies in the State in point of literary ability and character. During this period its pupils were prepared for the second classes in leading colleges; but at the latter date commenced its decline, and it soon sank into oblivion. After being used a few years for common school purposes the building was demolished, and the bricks, &c., removed to serve a less important purpose.
The Arcadian Institute .- After the demise of the Or- wigsburg Academy Prof. W. J. Burnside opened a semi- nary for young ladies and gentlemen, under the name of the Arcadian Institute, in the old court-house and county offices. The first session opened April 10th, 1834, with 35 students. The course of study embraced all the branches of an English education, ancient and modern languages, and music. In 1855 Elias Schneider, A. M., succeeded Mr. Burnside as principal, and he in turn was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Fries. These gentlemen were all professional teachers, but their praiseworthy endeavors to build up an institution second to none of the same character in the State were not properly encouraged, and after struggling bravely for a time the institute ter- minated its existence in 1864. The building has since been converted into a shoe factory.
The Public School System .- It appears that the first meeting called to consider the provisions of the school law of 1834 convened in the court-house at Orwigsburg, November 4th of that year. It was a joint meeting of the county commissioners and delegates from the several districts of the county. At this meeting the conditions of the law were accepted by Orwigsburg and three other districts, while the rest rejected it by action of their delegates.
Orwigsburg, being then the county town, accepted the
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ZION'S CHURCH, WEST BRUNSWICK.
system with scarcely any opposition. Two schools were opened, employing a male and a female teacher. An old log house and a one-room stone house, built for the oc- casion, furnished school room accommodations for all classes and grades outside of the academy, until the old jail was fittted up for school purposes. Since 1865 the schools, three in number, have been graded, and have been inculcating ideas within their massive walls as val- uable as any developed in more pretentious buildings.
In 1775 a school was opened at the "Red Church." The first attempt to elect directors friendly to the school system in 1835 failed, on account of its opponents being largely in the majority. West Brunswick was the last to yield to the system, and only acquiesced when compelled by order of the court. The annual school term has never exceeded five months.
ZION'S (THE " RED ") CHURCH.
Zion's Church, in which both the Evangelical Luther- an and German Reformed congregations worship, is on the Centre turnpike, about a mile east of Orwigsburg. By the year 1755 a considerable number of German Lutheran families had settled in Brunswick township, designated at that time as "the land beyond the Blue mountain." At this time they commenced to agitate the subject of organizing a congregation on the basis of the principles they had learned and practiced in their father- land. In this undertaking they were greatly encouraged and aided by Rev. Daniel Schumaker, at that time labor- ing as a missionary in the counties of Lehigh and Berks, who occasionally visited them, sometimes crossing the mountain on foot, to preach to them, baptize their chil- dren, and instruct and confirm their sons and daughters. His self denying labors among them commenced as early as 1755 and continued to 1782.
In 1765 the settlers began the erection of a house of worship, and completed it in 1770.
The congregation was regularly organized in 1765, un- der the name of " Zion's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brunswick Township, Pa." The church building was dedicated on the first Sunday in Advent in 1770, by Rev. Daniel Schumaker, who preached from Psalms xxvii. 4.
The men most prominent in this work were Peter Schmelgert, Peter Weyman, Jacob Schaeffer, Michael Deibert, Gottfried Beyer, Paul Heim, Philip Pausman, Christian Schaber, Casper Prag and George Hunsinger. The original membership was about one hundred. The congregation was scattered over a large territory, as this was the only church north of the Blue mountain.
The ministers who served this congregation as supplies after Rev. Daniel Schumaker were Revs. Frederick D. Miller, 1782, 1783; Abraham Deschler, 1783-88; Daniel Lehman, 1789-91, and John Frederick Obenhausen, 1792-1803.
that year, by P.ev. J. F. Oberhausen. On the 29th and 30th of May, 1803, it was dedicated by Revs. Daniel Lehman, J. F. Oberhausen and David Schaeffer.
In 1833 the congregation sold half of their interest in the house to the Reformed church, and since that time the church has been the property of the two congrega- tions jointly.
In 1803 the united congregations, which had been until then supplied along with four others, decided to constitute a charge. This charge called as its pastor Rev. John Knoske, who served it from 1803 to 1811. Then Rev. George Mennig was pastor to 1833, and his son, Rev. William G. Mennig, to 1845. The following ministers followed Mr. Mennig: Nathan Yeager, 1845-51; G. W. Scheide, 1852; Julius Ehrhardt, 1853-64; J. Leon- berger, 1865-69; G. F. Woerner, 1870; D. K. Kepner, 1871, 1872. The present incumbent, Rev. I. N. S. Erb, commenced his labors in 1873.
The most flourishing period of this church on the Lutheran side was during George Mennig's ministration; the number of communicants being at one time 270. The present Lutheran membership is about 125. For a num- ber of years, up to the time of public schools, a parochial school was connected with the church.
In the summer of 1750 Peter Weyman purchased from the sons of William Penn all of that large tract of land extending from the confluence of the two branches of the Schuylkill river to within a mile of the present limits of Orwigsburg, with the exception of a few smaller tracts, one of which was bought by Peter Schmelgert, who be- cane very prominent in the history of Zion's church. Peter Weyman disposed of the greater portion of his large tract to John Schnider, of Berks county, who sold it to George Ege, from the same section, a man largely interested in furnaces and forges. Other Germans fol- lowed, so that in 1755 quite a number of families had settled in Brunswick township, including the tract on what is known as Sculp hill, which did not originally be- long to the Weyman tract, the first settlers on the hill having been Paul Heim and Michael Miller. It was at this time that these German settlers, nearly all of whom were Lutherans, feeling the want of something to unite them into a closer community and fellowship of sym- pathy in their trials, organized themselves into a congre- gation, and publicly held religious services.
From the following statement, taken from their church record, in which they recounted their troubles, it appears that they were actually driven from their homes between the years 1760 and 1765.
"Inasmuch as we felt ourselves in duty bound to erect a church, after having suffered great calamities from the wild and heathenish people, the so-called Indians, but afterward by the grace of God succeeded in again restor- ing peace and quiet to live in our former homes, we, therefore resolved to build a new church, which was completed in the year 1770."
The membership having considerably increased after the erection of the first church, it was decided, in 1799, to erect a new house of worship, larger and more com- This first church erected was commenced in 1765, and, modious than the old one, which was a log house. The as mentioned, completed in 1770, the slowness of its pro- corner stone of the new building was laid October 14th, gress showing that most of these settlers were in destitute
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
circumstances, as indeed is also known from other sources. The first church building was a small, incommodious structure, built of roughly hewed logs, and only intended to meet the temporary wants of the people. The church which was begun in 1799 and completed in 1803 is yet standing, and is at present occupied by both the Lutheran and Reformed congregations, who worship in it alter- nately.
The above interesting facts show that, one hundred and thirty-eight years ago, not only was so much territory taken possession of in this county by a brave and noble- minded people, but that a community was here established with which have since been associated lofty principles which have aided not a little to form the sturdy, honest character of the successive generations of residents in the township.
ORWIGSBURG BOROUGH.
RWIGSBURG was laid out in town lots by Peter Orwig in 1796, and named in his honor. In 1811 the town commenced to attract emi- SOCIETY HISTORY. grants from Berks county. The county of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. & A. M. was organ- ized June 17th, 1813. The charter members were The- ophilus Hughes, W. M., Robert Scott, S. W., and William Nice, J. W. The number of presiding officers elected from the above date to 1881 has been 55. Schuylkill was formed March Ist that year, and Orwigsburg became the county seat; there- fore Reading, in Berks county, sent her sur- plus population to the seat of justice of the new county. In 1813 an act of incorporation was granted, making this the oldest borough in the county. From this time Orwigsburg attracted attention as a growing lodge first held its regular meetings in Graeff's Hotel, now and progressive town. Between 1809 and 1829 the larger part of the village was built. It consists of about 200 dwellings, some of which are three-story brick buildings, convenient and handsome.
There are several churches in the borough (the Luth- eran, German Reformed and Evangelical), four stores and three hotels.
As early as 1747, George Gottfried Orwig, with his wife Glora, had emigrated from Germany and taken up their residence at Sculp Hill. Their children were four in number: George, Peter, Henry and a daughter. The latter went west. About 1773 George married Mary Gil- bert, and located at the place since known as Albright's Mills, where, prior to 1790, he built a house and a mill on Pine creek. His son Isaac, about 1809, married a daugh- ter of Conrad Yeager. Peter Orwig was the founder of Orwigsburg.
In 1830 the population of Orwigsburg was 773; in 1840, 779; 1850, 909; 1860, 828; 1870, 728; 1880, 792. A part of the increase between 1840 and 1850 was due to the extension of the borough limits.
Orwigsburg in 1845 contained 163 houses, 4 of which were fine three-story brick stores and dwellings. The court-house had recently been enlarged. It and the other county buildings were substantial brick structures. There was a brick academy, a brick Lutheran church with a cupola, and a stone German Reformed church with a cupola, two Methodist churches (one brick and one framed), and two school-houses. There was one print- ing office, from which was issued the Stimme des Volks- a German newspaper. This paper is said to have been
established very early. Since its suspension, in 1858, its place has been filled by the Orwigsburg Times, edited by George F. Stahlen.
The present officers are: John T. Shoener, W. M .; H. S. Albright, S. W., and Charles H. Haeseler, J. W. The used for the post-office; afterward in the court-house. When the latter building was leased for manufacturing purposes the lodge rented the hall of the I. O. O. of F., where the meetings are now held. The present member- ship is 54.
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