USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 30
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PORTER TOWNSHIP.
Porter township, named after Judge Porter of the county court, was separated from Lower Mahantongo in 1840, and in 1847 a portion of Porter was detached in the formation of Frailey township. The earliest settlers «within the present bounds of this township were Daniel and Ennier Williams, who took up two tracts of land in their own names, and others under the names, of Cline, Scull, Mifflin, Cox and Lengel. Lands under these various names were taken up by the Williamses in 1774, and the evidence is fairly conclusive that Ennier Williams, the son of Daniel, lived in the valley which bears his name, for a few years during the Revolution; but the absolute truth of this statement cannot be verified. It is true, however, that the picturesque Williams Valley derived its name from Daniel and Ennier Williams. Peters mountain divides this township into two valleys, the other one being known as Clark's Valley, and both extend
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to the Susquehanna. Much of the land in the township which was not taken up by the Williamses, was once the property of James Wilson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the United States supreme court judges. There was considerable litigation as to the ownership of these lands but finally they, like most other coal lands, became the property of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron company, which corporation further developed and operated the coal lands.
Daniel Green, in 1803, built the first cabin in this township, it being located on the top of Broad mountain. This was later known as the "Keffer Tavern Stand," which, being located on the road between Tulpehocken and Sunbury, became and still is a well-known landmark. A saw-mill was built near this tavern in an early day which was characterized as a rendezvous for drafted men during the war of 1812. Postoffices were established in the township, first at "Bearmont," where the first store was also opened. This postoffice was abandoned in 1869, and the offices at Joliet, Johnstown and Tower City were established in the year last written. Seven schools are sustained in the township, and the Methodist Episcopal, Evan- gelical, Lutheran, and United Brethren have church organizations, but none of them can be considered in the list of pioneer churches. Coal mining is the principal industry, though agriculture is carried on with a considerable degree of success, and there are some good farms in the township. But since 1820, interest has been centered in the development of coal lands, of which there are some valuable tracts. Dr. Benjamin Becker and Joseph W. Cake were among those who were first to engage in the enterprise; but they were soon joined by speculators from abroad, some of whom became residents of the locality, but most of them remained but temporarily. Ebenezer Seeley and his son, John T., took up their residence in the valley with the avowed purpose of opening up the coal region; but their efforts were futile, a misfortune which befell many others of limited means. Wendel Houtz was another early settler, attracted here by the promising prospects, more apparent on paper than in reality. He and his family became thoroughly identified with the early history of the locality, and some of his descendants have held prominent positions in the township. John Hand was considered the "father of the valley," a man of sterling integrity and exemplary life. He was a friend to progress along all lines of moral and intellectual develop- ment, and freely contributed of his means to that end. He donated to certain men of the Lutheran and Reformed faith, and members of what churchly associations then existed in trust, about eight acres
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of valuable land for church and school purposes, and otherwise contrib- uted to the public interests. Numerous descendants of this worthy pioneer still reside in the township.
Tower City, named after Charlemagne Tower, then of Pottsville, the owner of the land, is a prosperous and growing borough within the territory of Porter township. It is the most important town in the western part of the county, though one of the youngest. It was laid out as a village in 1868, and incorporated as a borough in 1892, and has a present population of 2,167. The town is surrounded by a thrifty farming community, but the collieries within the borough limits and of easy reach are its principal source of support. Every line of mercantile business is represented in the wideawake and enter- prising little city, while active operations in building, street-paving, the recent installment of an electric light plant, the perfecting of the water system and fire protection, all indicate a progressive town with bright prospects for future growth.
The Echo and The Press are the only newspapers published in the place, the former being established in 1892, by Dr. R. B. Wilson, . the present owner and publisher. It is a well-printed and ably edited weekly, showing evidence of liberal home patronage. The Press is a more recent acquisition to journalism established by Mr. Kuecht. Both are weekly publications devoted principally to local news and advertising, and independent politically. Numerous church organi- zations are sustained in the city, and several new churches, and others well kept and bright in new paint, show an appreciative citizenship. The schools of the town are its special pride, and the carefully graded system with a full high school course enables the youth of the borough to receive complete academic instruction at home. The Grand Army of the Republic, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Patriotic Order Sons of America, and Knights of Pythias constitute the principal lodge organizations in the place. In addition to these are several insurance orders, church societies and social and political organiza- tions. Tower City is located on the line of the Brookside & Lykens division of the Williams Valley railroad, and the Lykens & Williams Electric railroad, and is the western terminus of the Reading com- pany's railroad from Tremont out. There is one banking institution in the town, fifty-seven licensed retail houses, and two wholesale establishments. Reiner City is a village of some local importance east of Tower City at or near old Bearmont. It has a population of 728. The postoffice name of the place is Muir. Johnstown, Sheridan and Ostermanville are at present designations of hamlets rather than
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towns. There are forty business places in Porter township, most of which are located in the villages named above.
RAHN TOWNSHIP.
Rahn township, named after Associate Judge George Rahn, was organized in 1860, from territory previously embraced in West Penn township. It is almost exclusively coal territory, though some attempt is made at farming in the Owl Creek valley. This township has lately been greatly reduced in size, population and importance by the incor- poration of the borough of Coal Dale.
Coal was mined in this township as early as 1838, but up to 1860 the output was small. In the year last written, Charles F. Shoener and William T. Carter purchased the Greenwood breaker property and commenced extensive developments. Mr. Shoener soon bought his partner's interest and invested a million dollars in perfecting the improvements which subsequently became very valuable. During the first year the property yielded an income of $50,000 a month, and was sold in 1866 for $500,000. The breakers were burned in 1874 by the Mollie Maguires. In 1868 the Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre. Coal and Navigation company came into possession of the property, and have since operated it. Other developments where made in this prolific field at Coal Dale, in the Panther Creek valley, in Dry Hollow and elsewhere, one opening on the Mammoth vein reaching an average thickness of sixty feet, with apparently inexhaustible extent. Two boroughs were created within Rahn township-Tamaqua and Coal Dale, the latter quite recently. The villages formerly in the town- ship were: Bull Run, Gearytown, Centerville, Spring Tunnel and Dry Hollow, all mining hamlets of transitory population and but little commercial importance-now all merged in the new borough of Coal Dale. There are nine schools in Rahn township conducted in five school houses. Much interest is manifested in the cause of education, and the schools are well organized and good teachers are employed, all being now in Coal Dale, a borough which is assuming importance with surprising rapidity.
Tamaqua Borough. This now important business center was laid out as a village in 1829, from territory then embraced within the townships of Schuylkill and West Penn. The borough now extends into the territory of Rahn, Schuylkill and Walker townships, as at present organized. The first settler on the site of Tamaqua was Berkhard Moser, a German who came from Northampton county in 1799, established a humble home for his family, and commenced clearing a farm. His location was at the junction of Panther creek
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with the Little Schuylkill river. In September of the year of his coming, he erected a saw-mill which also answered for a home for his family until 1801, when he built a log house, this, and the mill, being the first buildings on the village site. The first death of an adult person in the village was that of Mrs. Moser, who died on the 15th of February, 1822. The pioneer Moser was accompanied by his son Jacob, a lad of nine years, and John Kershner, who, it seems, was employed by Moser. Mr. Kershner's daughter Mary, born in 1808, was the first white child born on the site of Tamaqua. Barbara, daughter of Berkhard and Catherine Moser, married John Whetstone, Dec. 25, 1820, this being the first marriage solemnized in the township.
The first business relied upon for support in the infant town was farming and lumbering, the few scattered settlers applying themselves to these industries for more than twenty years. In 1817 Berkhard and Jacob Moser discovered anthracite coal, but its value was little known for some years afterward. Their first sales were made to blacksmiths, and small quantities were transported in sacks across the mountain, and sold for seven to twelve cents a bushel. Fourteen thousand tons were sold in this way up to 1832, when the coal business practically commenced. Within the succeeding forty-two years, or up to 1874, Tamaqua alone gave to the markets of the world more than 23,000,000 tons. During the twenty-five years following the first settlement in 1799 there were comparatively few additions to the embryo town. In 1829 there were about one hundred and fifty inhabitants on the village site. In 1832, when the town was incorporated, the population had doubled, and was rapidly increasing. Many of the new comers were miners who were attracted to the place by the phenomenal developments in the coal industry, while enter- prising business men took advantage of the prospect for successful trade developments. The first town officers were: John Franklin, chief burgess; David Hunter, president of the council; Charles D. Cox, William Caldwell, William George, John N. Speece, and Lewis Audenreid, councilmen. Under the provisions of a law passed in 1851 a charter was granted creating the borough of Tamaqua. The name of the town is of Indian derivation, meaning "running water." There was also an Indian chief named "Tamaquay" who signed many of the early deeds to Indian lands.
The earliest school in Tamaqua was taught at the house of John Kershner, by Rev. Mr. Schellhart, the exact date of which is not known; but as Mr. Kershner died in 1822, it is probable that the school ante-dated that event. A school house wes erected in 1830, later known as the "little school house," having dimensions of 18
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by 20 feet. This served for several years as a meeting house, polling place at elections, and for general gatherings of the people. The friends of the public school system won the election held in 1834 to test that question, as appears more fully in another chapter, and Tamaqua was among the first districts to organize under the free school system. The borough has an excellent school organization of sixteen schools under the instruction of a corps of efficient educa- tors. Prof. R. L. Ditchburn was borough superintendent for many years, and connected with the schools of the town in the capacity of an instructor or superintendent for considerably more than thirty years. In 1849 the water system of the town was installed, at a cost of more than $150,000. The Rabbit run, and springs, furnish the supply, which is fully commensurate with the needs. The reservoir is located two miles from the town, in Walker township, and has a capacity of 15,000,000 gallons.
The well-equipped fire department of the present was commenced in 1852, when the Perseverance Hose and Steam Fire Engine company was organized. The membership roll of this company contained the names of the leading citizens of Tamaqua of half a century ago. B. T. Hughes served as president of this company for twenty-eight years. It occupied elegant new quarters erected by the borough, in 1879, and has a fine library of nearly two thousand books, a nice parlor, and the best equipments for its perilous work. Reliance Hook and Ladder company was organized in 1860, and in 1878, it was reorganized, and designated as American Hose company, No. I. The Citizens' Fire company is a more recent organization in the town.
In 1885 the Edison Electric Illuminating company was incorporated, and the borough is handsomely lighted by this system, but the old reliable gaslight of former years still holds a prominent place in the estimation of many citizens.
There are two banking institutions in Tamaqua, the first of which was organized in 1850 under the state banking laws, and was known as the Anthracite Bank. It surrendered this charter in 1865, and was merged into the First National Bank of Tamaqua, with a paid up capital of $100,000. By reason of temporary embarrassments in 1878, it suspended operations for one month, when it resumed a successful business career, practically uninterrupted from the begin- ning. The Tamaqua Banking and Trust company commenced busi- ness in 1865 with a capital stock of $78,000. The official directory of these institutions includes the names of prominent financiers and business men of the town.
The Tamaqua and Lansford Street Railway company was organized
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in 1891, with a capital of $50,000. The line connects Tamaqua with Summit Hill and Lansford, there being some seven or eight miles of road in operation. From an early day Tamaqua has been considered a prominent railroad center in the county, and its shipping facilities are excellent. Two lines of the Philadelphia & Reading radiate from the town to the mining districts and the sea board, while the Central railroad of New Jersey comprises a trunk line through the place. This is also controlled by the Philadelphia & Reading. The coal industry in the vicinity of Tamaqua was seriously crippled for a number of of years by the destruction of breakers and other mining property by the Mollie Maguires. Some of the most productive mines were idle for years because of the depredations of this lawless band, the owners not caring to incur the risk of further destruction, should they rebuild. Nearly all of the coal lands in the vicinity are now owned and operated by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron company and the Lehigh Coal and Navigation company. Extensive manufacturing, especially in iron products, has been carried on at Tamaqua since 1846, when the first machine shops were erected. This plant, known as the Allen Machine shops, is one of the largest of its kind in eastern Pennsylvania. All kinds of mining machinery, engines, boilers, cotton presses, etc., are the products, the large estab- lishment giving employment to several hundred men. The shops were destroyed by incendiary fire in 1872, during the reign of Mollie Maguireism, but were rebuilt the following year. Robinson's foundry was removed from Taggartsville to Tamaqua in 1863, and engaged in the manufacture of stoves, castings and iron railings. Greenwood rolling-mill was built in 1865 and operated, with varying degrees of success, in the manufacture of cotton ties for the southern markets, and in making merchant iron. Through various changes in propri- etorship, this plant was merged into the Vulcan Iron works, which is an extensive manufacturing concern of the present day. The Tamaqua Manufacturing company is another of the continuing indus- tries in the borough, engaged in making mining machinery, and the owners of valuable patents, notable among which is their famous "Jig." The Eureka Signal company is of comparatively recent origin, now occupying the building erected for the Tamaqua shoe factory which passed out of existence as a manufacturing organization. The Eureka Signal company are engaged in the manufacture of electrical signals and other appliances for use on electric railways. The Phila- delphia & Reading railroad shops are located at Tamaqua, the out- growth of a similar institution established there by the Little Schuyl- kill Railroad company in 1848. These shops give employment to
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a large number of mechanics and laborers in the various departments. There are two hosiery manufacturing establishments; two breweries; a planing-mill and furniture manufactory, and many mechanical shops giving employment to a few men in each. Tamaqua is to be complimented on the superior excellence of her hotels. Few towns of double the size can boast of better hotel accommodations than are found at Tamaqua. The first tavern in the town was kept by the Kershners in a house erected by Berkhard Moser, the widow continu- ing the business for some years after the death of Mr. Kershner in 1822. Other houses of entertainment were established in 1827, in 1836, in 1847 and in 1850. Since the latter date the principal hotels of the town have been opened.
The great flood of 1850 submerged the greater part of the town, caused the death of sixty-two persons, and destroyed property valued at thousands of dollars. The tracks of the Little Schuylkill railroad were entirely washed away, and Tamaqua was without communication with the outside world for six days. Much suffering resulted from the devastation of the flood, many families being rendered homeless, while sixty-two mourned for loved ones lost. The town has been devastated by two very destructive fires, the first of which occurred on the night of Jan. 25, 1857, when twelve buildings occupied as stores and residences were destroyed. On the morning of May 31, 1872, an entire block was destroyed, rendering eighteen families homeless. The first theatrical performance was given in Tamaqua in 1855. In 1869 Seitzinger's hall was erected, and this served as a place of amuse- ment until the erection of Walker's opera house, a specially designed and carefully constructed theatrical building. All of the principal secret organizations of the country have an existence at Tamaqua, including four Masonic organizations, three lodges of Odd Fellows, Grand Army of the Republic, Patriotic Order Sons of America, Inde- pendent Order of Good Templars, Knights of Pythias, and a number of mechanical, social and beneficial organizations. The mercantile business of Tamaqua is represented by one hundred and forty-eight retail business places and eight wholesale establishments. For munic- ipal and election purposes the borough is divided into four wards, designated as the North ward; East ward; Middle ward and South ward.
The first newspaper published in the borough was the Tamaqua Legion, established in 1849, by J. M. and D. C. Reinhart. In 1855 the name was changed to the Tamaqua Gazette, and two years later it became the Tamaqua Anthracite Gazette, under which title it was sold in 1861 to R. N. Leyburn who enlisted in the army the next year,
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the paper being published by Fry & Jones during the absence of the proprietor, the title then being the Anthracite Journal. It was sold to the Monitor Publishing company, and appeared under the manage- ment of Albert Leyburn as the Saturday Courier until again sold in 1872, Eveland & Shiffert being the purchasers. In 1871 the name of Harris became connected with this transitory publication, and it was published by Eveland & Harris as the Tamaqua Courier until 1875, when it absorbed the Anthracite Monitor, a labor journal which was started in 1871, and had built up a large circulation and attained considerable influence. Through various evolutions, the Monitor conveyed title to the old Legion, and thus the Courier became the oldest paper in the town, and was then the only one. In 1878 Daniel M. Eveland retired from the paper, and the firm became Harris & Zeller until 1881, when Robert Harris became the sole proprietor, continuing such until his death in 1897. The Courier was published as a weekly (except for a few months when Mr. Harris tried the experi- ment of making it a daily), until 1893, when he issued it as a semi- weekly, continuing publication as such until it appeared as a daily under the management of J. M. Harris. The plant is one of the assets of the Robert Harris estate. The Evening Courier has become one of the leading dailies of the Anthracite coal region. It is popular at home and abroad, and has been successful as the only daily in Tamaqua. The Evening Recorder was started in 1892, and is published tri-weekly by E. Mac. Hirsh, editor and proprietor. It is a well edited local paper, full of spice and humor. The founder of this paper was R. H. Hirsh. The Tamaqua Register is a comparatively recent ven- ture in journalism promoted by the Register Publishing company, of which Dr. A. W. S. Loewen is president and treasurer, and W. F. Leopold is secretary. Typographically the Register is perfect, while its advertising patronage evinces a liberal support. It is the only weekly paper in Tamaqua. In 1875-6 the Item, published by Levi Huppert, was launched as a daily during the effort of the Courier in that direction; but each had an ephemeral existence, and the Item was discontinued.
Religious services were held in Tamaqua in 1810 by Rev. John A. Schellhart, a German Lutheran, and the Methodist people began to hold regular services in 1830. The Primitive Methodists also occupied the field in that year. The Roman Catholic congregation built the first church in the place in 1833. For a number of years the Protestants held services in the old school house, and later in a union church build- ing, but finally all erected buildings to accommodate their own con- gregations. The Pioneer Sunday school was organized in 1831, and
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included children of all Protestant denominations in the town. With the establishment of churches, this union effort was abandoned, and sixteen flourishing Sunday schools have grown from this small begin- ning in 1831. The churches organized in the place are: the Primitive Methodists, St. John's Lutheran, St. Jerome's Roman Catholic, St. John's Reformed and Lutheran (a union organization), First Meth- odist Episcopal, Evangelical, Welsh Congregational, Calvary Episcopal, First Presbyterian; Zion's English Evangelical Lutheran, and Trinity Reformed. Handsome church edifices adorn the sites of nearly all of these early churches, and some of them are specially noticeable for their elegance and architectural beauty.
The first public burying ground was laid out in 1831, previous inter- ments being made in private grounds. The Catholic and Methodist Episcopal grounds were laid out in 1837. The Odd Fellows' cemetery was opened in 1865, and has since been enlarged from a small plat to more than thirty acres. This is the handsomest burial place in Tamaqua, and a fitting tribute to the worthy benevolence which estab- lished it. It is more often used than any of the various church ceme- teries, excepting, possibly, the Catholic grounds. A handsome monu- ment, erected to the memory of fallen soldiers, occupies a prominent spot in the Odd Fellows' cemetery. This is the result of the labors of the members of Doubleday post, No. 189, Grand Army of the Repub- lic, assisted by patriots of a less remote period. Zion's cemetery was laid out in 1876, and is owned principally by people of the Lutheran faith. Other burial places are provided by most of the prominent churches for the repose of their dead.
Coal Dale, the youngest borough in Schuylkill county, has been noted as the center of extensive mining operations since 1846, when the first houses were erected on the site of the present borough. The euphonious title of "Bugtown" was the name by which the village was best known in the early days. New Wales, or New Coal Dale, began to attract attention in 1868, and buildings were erected on the line between Schuylkill and Carbon counties in 1870. A church of the Evangelical society was established in 1869, and the Welsh Con- gregational church of Coal Dale was organized in 1871. Church - buildings to accommodate these organizations were erected in 1869 and 1877, respectively.
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