USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 11
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From the beginning of the Thirty Years' war, in 1618, to the end of Queen Anne's, in 1713, their eap- ital city, Heidelberg, leveled with the ground three times, every decade an army of soldiers sweeping like a whirlwind over the Palatinate, leaving confusion and death in its train, erops destroyed and houses burned, men, women, and children driven into forests, where they were left to suffer and to die, leaving their native home, and seeking new homes in a foreign land, robbed on the high seas, and sold as slaves upon their arrival in America, harassed here and distressed by unmerciful savages, oppressed, down-trodden, perse- cuted by their English neighbors, this people has pre- served its identity, character, and language that they are till this day, as-
"Selbst schon in jenen grauen Jahren, da Tacitus geschrieben, Gesondert, ungemischt und our sich selber gleich."
The first Bible published in America was published in German by Christopher Sauer, thirty-nine years be- fore an English Bible was published. The first paper- mill erected in America was erected by Rittenhouse in 1690.
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, who came to this country in 1742 as a Lutheran minister, and who him- self was a distinguished divine, extensively known in America and Europe, was also the sire of a numerous family of descendants, many of whom became prom- inent as theologians, statesmen, and scientists. Gen. Peter A. Muhlenberg, the Revolutionary patriot min- ister, who divested himself of his clerical robe in the pulpit, and took up his sword in defense of his coun- try, his congregation joining him, F. A. Muhlen- berg, Speaker of the National House of Representa- tives in 1789, Rev. Dr. W. A. Muhlenberg, the
distinguished author of the well-known hymn, "I would not live alway," and Muhlenberg, the scientist and botanist, whose name is associated with a number of specimens, all were descendants of the Pennsylva- nia German patriarch.
Rev. Michael Schlatter, the patriarch of the Re- formed Church in America, through whose exertion a society was formed in England, in 1752, for the diffu- sion of knowledge among the Germans in America, should also be named in this connection. Conrad Weiser, the noted Indian interpreter, whose name and fame are intimately associated with the history of this State, David Rittenhouse, the astronomer and philosopher, second only to Franklin in his scientific researches and discoveries, Hartman, the discoverer of anthracite coal and its uses, Barbara Fritschie, the heroine of Fredericktown, Lorenz Ibach, who makes the calenlations for the almanacs of North and South America, Dr. Henry Harbach, the poet of the home and heart, Zinzendorf, the Indian missionary, Baron Stiegel, the first man who smelted iron ore in this part of the country, Mary Cleminer, the distinguished writer, and such inen as Herman, Helfrich, Schindel, Dubbs, Neitz, Waage, Demme, and Weiser, who by their oratory stirred and by their lore instructed the masses, were all Pennsylvania Germans.
Influences Exerted - Changes and Improve- ments Made by Them .- The Pennsylvania German has only of late begun to make his influence felt. For more than a century he was engaged in toil and labor, so that but little was heard or known of him beyond the limited circle of his immediate surroundings. He had no hankering for office, he did not seek for re- nown, nor attempt to press himself into prominence, preferring in his modest way to attend to his own business, and this remained in comparative obscurity. His character was as little understood as his lan- guage.
Within the past few decades, however, his worth has become very generally recognized. He has learned the language of the land, and converses very fluently therein. Instead of being a disadvantage to him, it has been found that his German is an advantage. That the saying that, as many languages as a man knows by so many times he multiplies himself, is applicable also to him. Ilis practical knowledge of an additional language besides the English has given him many advantages. His knowledge of the Penn- sylvania German enables him to understand the Iligh German when he reads it or hears it spoken.
In the Eastern Pennsylvania counties, and even be- yond the Susquehanna, the preaching of the gospel is very largely in German. In more than half of the churches in this part of the State the services are ex- clusively German. Of the remaining half, at least half' are alternately English and German. The Ger- man used in the sanctuary is a proper, grammatical Iligh German. The Pennsylvania Germans, though they may never have been taught to read the German
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of the books, have not the least difficulty in understand- ing it, besides they can learn to read the German ahnost without effort. The Pennsylvania German affords them an easy access to the rich treasures of German lore, of which those who do not understand German ean only acquire a knowledge by severe study. The chief diffi- culty of the Pennsylvania Germans in learning Eng- lish is in the articulation of those few sounds which do not occur in German. These are chiefly th, w, ch, and a few others. Many of them have, however, by faith- ful, persevering practice, entirely overcome these dif- fienlties, and pronounce the English so well that even the most practiced ear cannot detect any imperfec- tions. The ability to articulate German sounds not found in English is a great help to those whose mother-tongue is Pennsylvania German, in acquiring other languages, and constitutes a full offset to the labor required in overcoming difficult English sounds. Ch, as pronounced in German, 2, a, and other sounds not found in English, are more difficult for the Eng- lish tongue to acquire than th, w, and ch are to the German. Let any Englishman try to say acht un achtzig, and he will fail eighty-eight times in the at- tempt. But these and i are sounds which are found in Greek, Freneh, and other ancient and modern lan- guages. That it is much easier for a German to learn the pronunciation of those languages than for an Eng- lishman is hence very evident, and constitutes among others one of the advantages that a German has in acquiring foreign languages.
The towns and cities of Eastern Pennsylvania all have German newspapers, and the circulation of these is constantly increasing. The German weeklies of Allentown alone have a combined circulation of thirty thousand. This is far in excess of the propor- tionate increase of population during the past thirty years. There now are six or seven churches in Al- lentown in which German is preached exclusively, and fully as many more whose German is on an equality with the English. Thirty years ago there were in this city only three or four churches in which German was preached. A similar pertinacity of the Pennsylvania German is found throughout the Ger- man districts of the State.
In many sections of the State the original English and Scotch-Irish population has given way almost entirely to the Germans. In Berks, Lancaster, Leb- anon, Northampton, and other counties where, at the beginning of the present century, large and pros- perous settlements of English-speaking people were found, the Pennsylvania Germans have supplanted them so completely that if it were not for the inscrip- tions on the tombstones these English names would be entirely unknown.
The Pennsylvania Germans have made an impres- sion on the enstoms and habits of those with whom they have come in contact, and have, which is usually regarded most difficult, even introduced their forms of expression and idioms into the English of their
neighbors. Thus the expression right away, so fre- quently heard, as "I will come right away," is a Pennsylvania Germanism, from grandes wegs. Mon- days, Tuesdays, is from the German Mondairgs, Dinsch- dawgs. The German ethical dative mer, for me, is an- other example, as " my flowers all died for me last winter,"-mei blimua sin mer ol dod gonga, etc. Once, so frequently heard, is a similar Pennsylvania Ger- manism, as "come here once," "let me see once,"- Zum mol har, las mich emol schua. The word dumb is frequently used in its Pennsylvania German sense, as " he is a dumb fellow,"-er is en dommer kerl. The English word "dumb" means "not able to speak," but in German the word means "ignorant," and hence the expression " dumb fellow" is intended to mean an "ignorant fellow," " a stupid fellow."
The idiom it is all, so universally heard in Eng- lishi sections of country where German influences pre- vail, is another example. The German says, es is alles oll, "it is all all," and means " there is nothing lett," but the expression anglicized is nonsensical, and yet "the money is all," "the paper is all," "the ink is all," etc., are heard almost constantly. The adverb "so," as frequently used in English communities in which Pennsylvania German influenees prevail, is another illustration of how their idiom has insinu- ated itself into the English. "I can get along x0," ich könn so fort kumma ; " this will not go so," des geht No net, and similar expressions, are very common. The adverb then, as frequently heard, is also a Ger- manism. " Well then, you may go," well done mangst du geka ; "can you read then too?" kongeht du dann
While these influenees may be of a doubtful char- acter, there are others which the Pennsylvania Ger- mans have brought to bear on their neighbors that are of unquestionable benefit. Thus, for illustration, have they taught others, by precept and example, industry and economy. Laziness is disearded by these people to such an extent that no one is toler- ated among them who will not work. Even the in- tellectual laborer is sometimes not in the best repute among them, unless he is willing, at times, to " lay his hand to the plow," which, indeed, is to his ad- vantage physically. Book agents, drummers, and even profesional men find it greatly to their advan- tage, when they attempt to transact business among the Pennsylvania Germans, to give a specimen of their ability to work, should they come to the country in the busy season.
The farmer's wife and daughters exhibit specimens of their industry at the annual fair. One of the inter- esting features of the Allentown and Lehighton fairs is the needle-work, jellies, preserves, butters, canned fruits, wines, bread, cakes, pies, and various other articles displayed, which are the handiwork of the German ladies of Lehigh and Carbon. Similar ex- hibits are found at the fairs of other Eastern Penn- sylvania counties. Nor are these mere external show.
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THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS.
In the homes of these women may be found similar exhibits. Their garrets and otherwise unoccupied rooms are filled with large rolls of home-made rag- carpets, bags of schnitz and other dried fruits, crocks of apple-butter,-enough to supply several years' con- sumption, -clothing and underclothing of the most substantial kind, bed-quilts, sheeting, pillow-cases, stockings, gloves, and, in okden times, home-spun and home-made fabries of all descriptions to last the family for years. In the cellar, piekles, sour-crout, pickled cabbage, minee-meat, and other articles of diet are stored away in abundance. Besides this, the house, from eellar to attic, is kept serupulously elean. No dirt nor dust are allowed to accumulate on window- panes, stairways, floors, or furniture. The house is washed out several times a week, and swept and dusted daily. The beds are not infested with vermin, nor the clothes permitted to become moth-eaten. The Pennsylvania German women are not only seen on their knees in their devotions, but when scrub- bing, sweeping, and dusting, which constitutes also part of their worship, an article of their faith being that "cleanliness is next to godliness," or, better, that " labor is worship," or, better still, " in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread."
It would be folly to suppose that these examples of industry could remain without effect on those who come in contact with them. Their English neighbors will either imitate the example thus set them, or in shame sell them their property and remove to another locality. The young lady who is not German, if she marry one of these young men and comes to his home, where she forms the acquaintance of his mother and sisters, takes the lesson to heart and soon learns to imitate their example. The influenees thus shed abroad by these people have converted the hills and valleys of Eastern Pennsylvania into one vast hiye swarming with industry and economy.
Among the many improvements made by the Ger- man population of Pennsylvania, in late years, that of erecting school and church edifices deserves men- tion. In the city of Allentown, perhaps the most intensely Gorman city in the State, have been erected no less than five or six of the finest and most sub- stantial school buildings that can be seen anywhere outside of the largest cities. It is, indeed, a ques- tion whether any city of equal size in this country has better school buildings and accommodations than German Allentown. Nowhere in the United States are so many educational institutions found on the same area of territory as in Eastern Pennsylvania. Lafayette College at Easton, Lehigh University and While Judge Jeremiah Black, Hon. Simon Cam- eron, and President James Buchanan may not be ranked among the full-blooded Pennsylvania Ger- mans, these distinguished individuals have always claimed to have sprung from this people from their their veins. On the other hand, such men as Dr. the Moravian Female Seminary at Bethlehem, Muhl- ! enberg College and the Female College at Allentown, the Keystone Normal School at Kutztown, Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, the Millersville Normal School, Lebanon Valley College at Annville, . mother's side, or to have German blood coursing in Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, Dickinson Col- lege at Carlisle, the West Chester Normal School, the , Gross, the eminent surgeon, Dr. Krauth, one of the
Bloomsburg Normal School, the Cumberland Valley Normal School at Shippensburg, Lewisburg Uni- versity, and Palatinate College at Myerstown are all located either in German counties or receive their patronage largely from the German districts. Many of these institutions were built by the money of Pennsylvania Germans.
The many beautiful and costly church edifices which have been built in the rural distriets of German Pennsylvania, as well as in the towns and cities, in the last twenty-five years, are an abundant proof of the liberality and progressiveness of this people. No- where in the whole country, it has been repeatedly observed with great surprise by visitors from other sections of the United States, are so many church buildings found of equal size, so well built and fur- nished, and better attended services. These churches are mostly built of brick or stone, have high and well- proportioned steeples, are carpeted, and have improved furniture and large pipe-organs.
The manufacturing interests and public improve- ments in this territory are searcely exceeded by those of any other territory of equal size. The iron indus- tries, from the mining of the ore to the manufacturing of almost any article into which iron is capable of being manufactured, are simply immense. Lehigh, Berks, and other German counties are literally honey- combed with ore beds. The number of furnaces from Easton to Harrisburg is counted by the score, while the rolling-mills and other iron manufactories are equally numerous. These, however, constitute but one branch of the industries found in this territory. The manufacture of hats, shoes, tobacco, silk, furni- ture, clothing, paper, cotton goods, etc., is extensively carried on, and gives employment to the surplus pop- ulation not engaged in agricultural pursuits, as well ! as affording development for their inventive genius.
These external evidences of progress and improve- ment are but the index of an internal growth which is constantly going ou. While it is true that, as is sometimes asserted in disparagement of the Pennsyl- vania Germans, none of their number has ever occu- pied the bench as judge of the Supreme Court, it is egnally true that almost every other position of prom- inence, from Governor of the State to President of the United States, has been filled by representatives of this people; and not only this, but that for all the learned professions, as well as the different positions of trust and responsibility, they have furnished not only ereditable but distinguished representatives during the present century.
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
first theologians of the country, the Drs. Schmucker through three generations, and a dozen other promi- nent theologians, are Pennsylvania Germans " to the manor born." Many of the rising men on the bench, at the bar, in the pulpit, in the practice of medicine, in seience, and the professorial chair at this day, are Pennsylvania Germans, who are proud of their nation- ality and the language of their mothers. It is worthy of mention, in this connection, that whereas this peo- ple twenty-five years ago had not a single representa- tive on the bench, they now have no less than a dozen who are an honor to any nationality. The presiding judges of Northampton, Lehigh, Carbon, Berks, Schuyl- kill, Lebanon, Union, Montgomery, Centre, Somerset, Clearfield, Clinton, and other judicial districts of the State may be named in this connection.
In closing this subject, which has already exceeded its limits as marked out originally, it is but proper to add that a people, as the Pennsylvania Germans, so little known beyond their immediate surroundings, so often misunderstood and misrepresented, and yet a people who have acted so prominent a part in the his- tory of our country, and constitute so important a fae- tor among our population, a people who are by no means becoming extinct, either in language or influ- ence, are worthy of a more extended notice: an entire volume should be devoted to this subjeet.
CHAPTER VIL.
CIVIL HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY.
Its Township Divisions, Courts, Seat of Justice, and Public Buildings- Care of the Poor.
THE three original counties of the province of Pennsylvania, established by the proprietary govern- ment in 1682, were Philadelphia, Bucks, and Chester. The territory now included in Lehigh County was a portion of the vast county of Bucks, and it so re- mained until the erection of Northampton, in 1752. It was then an integral portion of that county until the increase of its population led to the setting off of Lehigh, in 1812.
For purposes of civil government the region which is now Lehigh County, with some additional territory, was in 1734 organized as a township. Settlements had been made in what was afterwards Macungie and Milford as early as 1729, and roads had been laid out from these settlements to Goshenhoppen (in what is now Montgomery County), and to other points, in 1730 and the early succeeding years. The people living here petitioned the court of Bucks County for the laying off a township on June 13, 1734. A survey of the territory was ordered, which was duly made, and the report returned on September 13th, and the
township was soon after established. It had been pro- posed that it should be called " Bulla," but for some reason the name of Milford was substituted. On the 10th of January, 1737, a petition was presented pray- ing for the division of this great township, which was granted, and a decree issued which created the town- ship of Upper Milford, with an area of twenty-one thousand one hundred and twenty-five acres, which was included in Lehigh County upon its organization.
In January, 1742, a petition was presented to the court of Bucks County for the organization of another township. Return of a survey was made on January 28th, which was accepted, and a decree of the court brought into existence the township of Macungie, with an area of twenty-nine thousand two hundred acres.
The next in order, and but a very short time later, was the laying out of the territory on the lower part of the river Lehigh. In the spring of 1742 the set- tlers along the south bank of the river, " on and near Saucon," petitioned the court of Bucks County for the 'laying off a township to be called Saucon. A survey was made in April, and confirmed by the court at the March term in 1743. No record is found of the division of this township; but that it occurred in the latter part of the same year is evident from the fact that constables were appointed for Upper and Lower Saucon. Upper Sancon became, on the organ- ization of Lehigh County, a portion of its territory.
On May 11, 1751, a petition was presented to the Assembly of Pennsylvania praying that a portion of the county of Bucks be set off as a new county. This project became the subject of considerable debate in the Assembly, and of contention outside of that body. The act erecting Northampton County was, however, finally signed by Governor James Hamilton, March 11, 1752. The territory thus set off embraced the townships of Upper Milford, Macungie, and Upper Saucon, afterwards in Lehigh County. On the 16th of June, in the same year, a petition was presented to the first court of Northampton County, asking that "the back parts of Heidelberg"! aud Macungie be formed into a separate township. This petition was granted, a survey was made, and a township set off which was given the name of Heidelberg, formerly applied to a division or district of Macungie.
Weissenberg and Whitehall townships were estab- lished in 1753, as appears by a record of the North- ampton court, under date of March 20th, which simply states that they were " made and allowed." Salisbury was " laid off by bounds" on June 9th of the same year.
Lynn township was organized and its boundaries established by the Northampton court at its June session in 1753. The territory which it comprised had previously been called "adjacents to Heidel- berg."
1 The back district of Macungie had been known as Heidelberg dis- trict, and was not until this time recognized as a township.
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CIVIL HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY.
Lowhill township was ordered to be laid out Dec. 18, 1753.
The next township in this territory was Hanover, taken from Allen by order of the court at the Janu- ary terin, 1798. The greater part of this township was embraced in Lehigh County upon its organiza- tion fourteen years later. In 1810 Whitehall was divided into the townships of North and South White- hall.
Erection of Lehigh County .- That part of the territory of Northampton lying west of the Lehigh, south of the Blue Ridge, and bounded on the south- west by the county of Berks, had by 1810 so inereased in population that the project of securing its organi- zation as a separate county naturally arose in the minds of its most active men. The people settled here were so far away from Easton that the journey thither to transaet business was a great inconvenience to them. Besides that, Allentown had for a number of years aspired to become a seat of local government, and in early days her citizens had even hoped and endeavored to have the town made the capital of Northampton County. These considerations led to the petitioning of the General Assembly for the or- ganization of a new county. The project met with favor, and upon March 6, 1812, the Assembly passed an aet erecting Lehigh County. It was decreed by that law-
"That all that part of Northampton County, lying and being within the limits of the following townships, to wit, the townships of Lyun, Heidelberg, Lowhill, Weissenberg, Macungie, Upper Milford, South Whitehall, North Whitehall, Northampton, Salisbury, Upper Sancon, and that part of Hanover within the following bounds to wit, begin- ning at the Bethlehem Fine where it joins the river Lehigh, thence along the said line nutil it intersects the road leading from Bethlehem to the Lehigh Water Gap, theuce along said road to Allen township line, thence along the line of Allen township westwardly to the Lehigh, shall be and the same are hereby, according to their present lines, declared to be erected into a county henceforth to be called Lehigh."
The townships which have been organized since the erection of the county are Upper and Lower Maenngie, formed by the division of the original Mnenugie, in the spring of 1832; Washington town- ship, taken from Heidelberg, on Dec. 6, 1817 : Lower Milford, set off from Upper Milford, in January, 1853; and Whitehall, set off in 1867.
Northampton township once existed and has been lost, principally by absorption into the borough, and afterwards the city, of Allentown. No record of its organization can be found, but it seems to have been recognized as a township as early as 1804. At that time the county of Northampton was redistricted for judicial purposes, and Northampton, Salisbury, and Whitehall townships were made to constitute District No. 7. Elections for justices, constables, supervisors, school directors, and other officers were held until 1852. In that year a portion of Northampton was added to the borough of Allentown, and the re- mainder was doubtless attached to one of the border- ing townships. At any rate it then ceased to exist as , 1811; John F. Holbach, 1848; George White, 1852.
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