USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Lower Heidelberg > History of St. John's (Hain's) Reformed church in Lower Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Penna > Part 5
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Rev. Mr. Boos died on November 28, 1814, aged 75 years. He had been married to Barbara Epler, of Bern township, and was the father of eight children. He always wrote his name Boos, but his descendants changed the name to Boas. The change seems to have been made by his children. His son John was a consistent worker in the Church, and Jacob was the father of Augustus F. Boas, the well-known banker of Reading.
Independent Preachers
The question suggests itself, why were there so many inde- pendent preachers? By examining the records of the lives of the men, there can be but one conclusion, viz., that all reformations do not come from the head, but from the bottom. "The voice of the people is the voice of God," and such must have been the case in those formative periods of our country when the rule of the people took form and overturned those ideas of kingship and those who thought they were called of God to rule over the people and direct the affairs of mankind.
In examining the pages of history in the Roman Empire we have the Plebs, the lower order of the ancient Roman people, as distinguished from the upper order, or Patricians-originally, conquered Latin tribes that were allowed no share in the govern- ment. After a long struggle they obtained equal influence and authority with the patricians, until in 300 B. C. the distinction practically vanished, to be followed by an aristocracy of office and wealth, to which both alike had access. In Europe we have the peasant, a small landed proprietor or leaseholder, who tills the soil; a petty farmer; a farm laborer; any rustic workman; an uncul- tured countryman. We have Greek and barbarian; Jew and hea- then. It is true that our forefathers came from a land where freedom was born, but be it ever remembered that those who had to face the trials of life, and through it lost all, were by force of circumstances better qualified to make the all important change than those who were more favored by station and wealth and ed- ucation.
Caste, that is the division of society on artificial grounds, such as hereditary privilege, wealth or social orders; this is best illus- trated in the life and labors of Rev. Dr. William Stoy.
Dr. Stoy came to this country as a young man in July, 1752. He was of the six ministers whom Mr. Schlatter brought with him on his return to this country. They had been ordained by the Classis of Amsterdam, and appointed to labor in the destitute Churches in America.
In 1756 the congregation in Philadelphia became vacant by the resignation of the Rev. Steiner, who removed to Frederick, in Maryland. Mr. Stoy was requested by Coetus to supply that congregation for a year, with the hope, as it seems, that he
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would become its permanent pastor. This was also Rev. Stoy's wish. He was not successful, however, in retaining the good-will and confidence of the congregation. Difficulties arose soon after he came to Philadelphia, growing out of the circumstance of his contracting and consummating marriage in a clandestine manner, which the congregation regarded as both imprudent and im- proper-imprudent, because his choice fell upon a "stocking- weaver's daughter," and improper, because she was at the time, by the consent of her parents, solemnly-engaged to a young shoe- maker. In regard to the first point, our fathers may have been too severe; since virtue and worth may also be found in humble life. Whether this was the case in this instance the documents do not reveal, but charity hopes so. A feeling of settled dislike was thereby awakened against him, and in a little more than a year he was forced to leave Philadelphia.
It would seem that Mr. Stoy also at one time resided in Read- ing. We have before us now a long original letter and document from him, directed to Joseph Reed, Esq., President of the Supreme Executive Council of the State of Pennsylvania, on "The Present. Mode of Taxation." It is dated "Reading, December 17th, 1799," and the endorsement which the recipient made on it is: "Rev. William Stoy, of Reading; his remark on the present mode of taxation !" This interesting and characteristic letter and doc- ument is written in English, in Mr. Stoy's own hand. It ex- hibits the extent of his knowledge of the English language, shows what interest he took in political matters, manifests much of his spirit and manner of thinking and speaking, and is in many re- spects of much interest.
It shows his patriotism, his hatred to aristocracy and monop- olies, his sympathy with the laboring class and with the poor, his honesty, sincerity, and earnest desire to preserve the rights of private citizens and promote the welfare of the State. It is said that frequent communications, on political subjects, from Dr. Stoy appeared in the "Reading Adler" at an early date.
Dr. Stoy was the first to introduce inoculation against the small-pox, that merciful remedy, in the Lebanon valley. For some time there were only six families in the valley who per- mitted him to operate; the general feeling was that it was a wicked attempt to thwart Providence; but his influence, and with it the remedy, gradually prevailed over all prejudice.
In dress and manners he appeared as one of the people. He had a strong prejudice against black clothes and was in the habit of speaking in strong terms against "black coats."
From the fathers of the Reformed Church we learn that Rev. Boos had a great influence over Rev. Stoy, as is manifested by the life and character of these two men, and more especially so in
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their identity with the people whom they served and the inde- pendent spirit that was rife with the people in the formative period of our country.
These men were against all things that made a distinction. be- tween the people, such as all castes, escutcheons, crowns, heral- dries, sacerdotal robes, signs, insignias and badges. They be- lieved in a true democracy, and anything that savored after the old order of things was discarded and held in derision; no more kings, monarchs, potentates, popes, dignitaries and priests; the cross, crown and scepter shall no longer hold sway and cause the people to march under the yoke of oppression, humiliation and shame and degradation, but the people, the whole people and nothing but the people, shall rule in this land of freedom and re- ligious liberty, where equal opportunity shall be to all and favor- itism to none :-
"God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the time before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device."-Acts 17 : 24 29.
During the Revolution.
At this time the country was but sparsely settled, and com- munication was exceedingly difficult. Rev. William Stoy re- ports that Reading in 1756 had 520 lots, of which 241 were sold, and it has been estimated that Reading had at that time about 200 dwelling houses and nearly a thousand inhabitants. It was in every sense of the word, as it has proved itself up to the pres- ent time, a prosperous and enterprising town. Reading was laid out in the fall of 1748. The place was named after Reading in Berkshire, England, the native place of the Penns. The land upon which the city is located had belonged to William Penn. He received it by a grant from Charles II, king of England, and he also purchased the interest of the Indians in the land. After his death the property passed into the possession of his two sons,
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Thomas and Richard Penn. The town was located at the ford of the Schuylkill, which was the great highway from the Tulpe- hocken settlement under Conrad Weiser to Philadelphia.
The first reference to a Reformed church or congregation is in the year 1753. The earliest record of the first church in Reading was commenced in 1755. Thus Hain's Church kept a record 10 years before there was a church in Reading; but for a century there existed the closest relationship between the people of St. John's (Hain's) Reformed Church and that of the people of Read- ing. and they were often served by the same minister, and in- spired by the same zeal, patriotism and religious liberty.
Many of the founders of the Reformed Church had left their homes in the Palatinate on account of religious persecution. They had longed for a country of civil and religious liberty, and they sought it in America. It was only natural that when England oppressed her American colonies that the Reformed people re- solved to throw off the foreign yoke and be an independent na- tion. Our people always protested against slavery, as they were a liberty-loving people.
WHIG AND TORY.
These two nicknames, which came into use about 1680, im- mediately became familiar words, and have since been retained as designations of opposite political sides, the Tories being, gen- erally speaking, the adherents of the ancient constitution of Eng- land without change, and the supporters of regal, ecclesiastical and aristocratic authority, while the Whigs had been advocates of such changes in the constitution as tend in the direction of democracy. Now these names have been superseded to a great extent by the names of Conservative and Liberal as party desig- nations.
An attractive and fertile place as the Lebanon Valley would naturally bring within its bounds people who believed in slavery, as is proven by the following advertisement copied from a Read- ing newspaper :
"To be sold for cash or short credit: viz. A Negro Wench, between 30 and 35 years of age, and fit for either town or coun- try business. For further information enquire of the printer or the subscriber, living in Heidelberg township, Berks county, Pennsylvania.
"October 13, 1790.
ISAAC COPLAND."
This was not the only case, for there were other cases where slaves were kept; and the cruel treatment they received by the hand of their owners arouses a feeling of indignation as you lis- ten to the recital of the same, but be it said to the honor of our people that they never kept slaves, but fought against the very idea with all their might. It is due to the German and the Pa-
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latinate that the country was saved from the English yoke of op- pression, and the members of the Reformed churches in Heidel- berg, Bern and Reading came to the aid of Washington, and sup- plied his army with everything this community could produce in the form of horses, wagons, flour and ammunition. Rev. J. W. Boos was the pastor at Reading and at Hain's Church in Heidel- berg township during the Revolution. During this period the Reformed Church at Reading was for some time occupied as a hospital for sick soldiers. There were then only three churches in Reading-the Reformed, the Lutheran and the Quaker-and all were used as hospitals.
REV. JOHN WESLEY GILBERT NEVELING.
Rev. John Wesley Gilbert Neveling was born in Westphalia, Germany, in the year 1750, and came to this country in 1763, and was ordained in July, 1772.
During the War of the Revolution Neveling served in the army as chaplain, and was held in high esteem by General Wash- ington. As an evidence of the important influence he exerted, it may be mentioned that the British government offered a large re- ward for his apprehension, and that on one occasion Washington placed a troop of horses at his disposal to protect him against those who sought his life.
Rev. Neveling had hardly been in Reading a year, apparently very successful in his work, when his useful ministry was cut short by a sad accident. One day as he was riding on horseback to one of his country congregations, with a pipe in his mouth, the horse stumbled and fell, pushing the stem of the pipe so vio- lently into his throat that it injured his vocal organs and perma- nently disabled him from preaching again. Thus he was cut off in the prime of his life, and after a few years paralysis lamed him completely. Some years later he became blind. Henceforth he remained a helpless invalid for more than sixty years. But the full measure of his sufferings was not yet exhausted, for an- other affliction soon befel him. When the War of the Revolution broke out and Continental Congress was sorely in need of money, he turned all his property into cash and loaned the government the whole sum, amounting to $25,000, receiving only the certifi- cate of Congress as his security. Of this he was in some way de- frauded, and as a result lost all his money, which reduced him to absolute poverty. By the noble efforts of his brethren in the ministry he and his large family were kept from starvation. This noble patriot and champion of American liberty, ready to sacri- fice all his possessions for the cause of his country, died as a very old man of 94 years, in Philadelphia, on January 18, 1844.
At a meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of Berks county, held in the Court House at Reading, July 2, 1774,
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Edward Biddle, Esq., in the chair, the following resolutions were adopted :
This assembly, taking into their serious consideration the present critical situation of American affairs, do unanimously re- solve as follows, viz. :
"1. That the inhabitants of this county owe, and will pay due allegiance to our rightful Sovereign, King George the Third.
"2. That the powers claimed, and now attempted to be put into execution by the British Parliament, are fundamentally wrong, and cannot be admitted without the utter destruction of the liberties of America.
"3. That the Boston Port Bill is unjust and tyrannical in the extreme, and that the measures pursued against Boston are in- tended to operate equally against the rights and liberties of the other colonies.
"4. That this assembly doth concur in opinion with their re- spective brethren of Philadelahia, that there is an absolute neces- sity for an immediate congress of the deputies of the several ad- vices, in order to deliberate upon and pursue such measures as may radically heal our present unhappy disturbances, and settle with precision the rights and liberties of America.
"5. That the inhabitants of this country, confiding in the prudence and ability of the deputies intended to be chosen for the general congress, will cheerfully submit to any measures which may be found by the said congress best adapted for the restora- tion of harmony between the mother country and the colonies, and for the security and firm establishment of the rights of America.
"6. That, as the people of Boston are now suffering in the grand cause of American liberty, Resolved, That it is the duty of all the inhabitants to contribute to the support of said sufferers, and that the committee hereafter named do open subscriptions for their relief. And further, that the said committer do lay out the amount of such subscriptions in purchasing flour and other provisions, to be sent by them to our suffering brethren.
"7. That Edward Biddle, James Read, Daniel Brodhead, Henry Christ, Esq., Christopher Schultz, Thomas Dundas and Jonathan Potts, gentlemen, be, and they are hereby appointed a committee to meet and correspond with the committee from the other counties of the Province."
DANIEL BRODHEAD.
Daniel Brodhead was born at Albany, New York, in 1725. In 1738 his father migrated to Pennsylvania and settled in Mon- roe county, now East Stroudsburg, where he grew up in a frontier life. Their house was attacked by Indians in 1755. In 1771 he removed to Heidelberg township, Berks county, where he pur-
.
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chased a grist mill and carried on the milling business. Soon after he was appointed deputy surveyor under John Lukens, Surveyor-General. In July, 1775, he was appointed a delegate from Berks county to the Provincial Convention at Philadelphia. In March, 1776, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of Miles' Rifle Regment; and in October following he was transferred to the Third Pennsylvania Battalion, known as Shee's. On March 12, 1777, he was promoted to Colonel of the 8th Pennsylvania Conti- nental Line, to rank from September 29, 1776. Upon the capture of Colonel Miles, at the battle of Long Island, in August, 1776, the command of the remainder of the battalion devolved upon him, and he was, in fact, after the battle, in command of the whole Pennsylvania contingent, being then the senior officer remaining in the army. In 1789 he represented Berks county in the General Assembly and participated in the important discussion relating to the alteration and amendment of the Constitution of 1776. He voted in the affirmative. Subsequently, in the same year, when the Assemble reconvened, he voted for the calling of a convention to amend the Constitution. He died November 15, 1809.
CONRAD ECKERT.
Conrad Eckert was born at Longasalza, in the Kingdom of Hanover, on February 6, 1741. During that year his father, John Eckert, emigrated from the place named to Pennsylvania and settled in Heidelberg township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. He was brought up at farming, and when a young man became a blacksmith, which he pursued for some time. When the Revolu- tion began he was one of the active Associators of the county. As such he commanded a company which was raised in Heidelberg township, and became a part of the First Battalion, commanded by Colonel Henry Haller. His company afterwards formed a part of Spyker's Battalion, and participated in the campaign at and about Germantown and White Marsh during the fall of 1777. In this service he was wounded in the battle at the former place, and his health in consequence became so impaired that he never fully recovered. Upon his return from military service he car- ried on farming on the Eckert homestead, near Womelsdorf, until his death, August 25, 1791. He was married to Elizabeth Hain, in Heidelberg township, by whom he had seven sons. John, Peter, George, David, Daniel, Solomon and Conrad, and two daughters, Catharine (married to Henry Copenhaven) and Bar- bara (married to Daniel Reeser). His remains were buried in the graveyard connected with Hain's Church.
JOHN PATTON.
In the campaign beginning with the battle of Long Island he commanded a regiment, but the only mention of it was found in connection with the march of the company of Captain John Lesher
CHESTNUT TREE UNDER WHICH MICHAEL WALLINGER ENLISTED JUNE 2. 1777
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from Womelsdorf, by way of Kutztown and the East Penn valley, to Perth Amboy, in 1776. The regimental officers were from Tulpehocken and Heidelberg townships. In 1774 John Patton was assessed in Heidelberg township. By the amount of the as- sessment, he was evidently a rich property owner. By the Colo- nial Records it appears that he supplied the Continental army with cannon balls; and to this day many of those cannon balls can be seen as ornamentations on gate posts and in the yards.
JACOB SCHAEFFER.
Jacob Schaeffer, born in Heidelberg township, January 6, 1754; married to Margaretha Filsmeyer; served in the Revolu- tionary War; died December 6, 1816, aged 59 years and 6 months. His body is interred in Hain's graveyard.
BATTALION.
The following names are mentioned in the Battalions from Heidelberg township:
4th Battalion, 6th Company-Conrad Eckert, Adam Hain, Pe- ter Young, Mathias Wenrich, Peter Kuhl and Simpson Hain.
1st Company-John Lesher, Isaac Depuy, John Anspach, Valentine Reed, Martin Stupp and Jacob Weiser.
4th Company-Conrad Weiser, Daniel Womelsdorf, Henry Walter, George Gensemer, Jacob Seltzer and George Brown.
8th Company-Philip Filbert, Philip Moyer, Francis Artel- lia, Leonard Zerbe, Henry Knopp and Samuel Boyer.
COMPANY OF CAPT. JACOB LIVINGOOD.
By the Colonial Records it appears that Jacob Livingood, of Womelsdorf, formed a company of riflemen in Heidelberg town- ship during the latter part of September, 1781, but there is no record of their names.
The members of the Reformed Church throughout the county · stood as a man for the cause of freedom, and stood shoulder to shoulder for the defense of their country, such men as Joseph Hiester, of Bern township; Nicholas Dick, Joseph Dick, Henry Diehl, David Fox, John Fox, Andrew Fichthorn, Henry Miller, Michael Madeira, Peter Nagel, Philip Nagel, George Price, Dan- jel Rose, John Row, Michael Reifsnyder, John Snell, George Snell, John Strohecker, George Yeager, and many others. In all wars we hear but little of the soldier who has to face the cannon and bear the brunt of the battle.
FIRST RECOMMENDATION FOR PRAYER.
The first recommendation for prayer made by Congress on December 11, 1776, is as follows:
"WHEREAS, The just war into which the United States of America have been forced by Great Britain is likely to be still
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continued by the same violence and injustice which have hitherto animated the enemies of American freedom.
"AND WHEREAS, It becomes all public bodies, as well as pri- vate persons, to reverence the Providence of God and look up to Him as the Supreme Disposer of all events, and the Arbiter of the Fate of Nations, therefore the Congress hereby resolve
"That it be recommended to all the States, as soon as possi- ble to appoint a day of solemn fasting and humiliation, to im- plore of Almighty God the forgiveness of the many sins prevail- ing among all ranks, and to beg the countenance and assistance of His Providence in the prosecution of this just and necessary war. The Congress do also, in the most earnest manner, recom- mend to all the members of the United States, and particularly to the officers, Civil and Military, under them, the exercise of repentance and reformation; and further, do require of the said officers of the Military Department the strict observation of the Articles of War in general. and particularly that of the said Ar- ticle which forbids profane swearing, and all other immoralities. of which all such officers are desired to take notice. It is left to each State to issue Proclamations, fixing the day that appears the most proper for their several bounds.
"For Pennsylvania, Thursday, April 3, 1777."
A PROCLAMATION.
"The time is at length come in which the fate of ourselves, our wives, children and property must be speedily determined. General Howe, at the head of a British army, the only hope and last resource of our enemies, has invaded this State, dismissing his ships and disencumbering himself of his heavy artillery and baggage. He appears to have risked all upon the event of a move- · ment which must either deliver up to plunder and devastation this Capitol of Pennsylvania and of America, or forever blast the cruel designs of our implacable foes.
"Blessed be God, Providence seems to have left it to ourselves to determine whether we shall triumph in victory and rest in freedom and peace, or, by tamely submitting or weakly resisting, deliver ourselves up a prey to an enemy, than whom none more cruel and perfidious was ever suffered to vex and destroy any people.
"View then, on the one hand, the freedom and independence. the glory and happiness of our rising States, which are set before us as the reward of our courage. Seriously consider on the other hand the wanton ravages, the rapes and butcheries which have been perpetrated by these men in the State of New Jersey and on the frontiers of New York. Above all, consider the mournful prospect of seeing Americans like the wretched inhabitants of India stripped of their freedom, robbed of their property, de-
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graded beneath the brutes and left to starve amid plenty at the will of their lordly masters, and let us determine once for all that we will DIE or be free.
"The foe are manifestly aiming either by force to conquer or by strategem and stolen marches to elude the vigilance of our brave commander, and declining a battle with our countrymen, they have attempted to steal upon us by surprise. They have been hitherto defeated, but numbers are absolutely necessary to watch them on every quarter at once. The neighboring States are hurrying forward their militia, and we hope by rising as one man, and besetting the foe at a distance from his fleet, we shall speedily enclose him like a lion in his toils.
"The Council therefore most humbly beseech and entreat all persons whatsoever to exert themselves without delay to seize this present opportunity of crushing the foe now in the bowels of our country, by marching forth instantly under their respective offi- cers to the assistance of our great general, that he may be able to environ and demolish the only British army that remains formid- able in America or in the world. Animated with the hope of heaven-as before it has done in all times of difficulty and dan- ger-will again crown our righteous efforts with success, we look forward to the prospect of seeing our insulting foe cut off from all means of escape, and by the goodness of the Almighty, the Lord of Hosts and God of Battles, wholly delivered into our hands."
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