USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 75
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 75
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reappear in the following building). A new building was a necessity, and the work of construction was willingly undertaken. The consistory resolved to erect a two-story ehureh upon the site of the old. In the course of the year it was constructed. This elureh was also built of logs, but had galleries and all the conveniences of those times. The dediea- tory services were held by Rev. Johannes Roth, the Reformed minister, and Daniel Lehmann, the Lu- theran.
Concerning the construction of the Third Church, there are complete records at hand. The congrega- tion adopted a new constitution, founded upon the former contracts made between the Reformed and Lutheran members, under which constitution they resolved to maintain the church-a union one-as it had been originated by their fathers. This constitu- tion answers its purposes better than that of any of the neighboring churches. The corner stone was laid on the 16th of May, 1824, and the services of the day were conducted by the pastors of the church, Revs. Johannes Helffrieh and Daring and Wartman, as- sisted by Rev. Johann Gobrecht, of Whitehall, and Conrath Yaeger, of Hanover, who were present by invitation. The teacher of the school at this time was Jacob Salem.
The members subscribed towards the building the sum of $2433.53; the cost of erecting the church was $2425.04. The church was dedicated in the fall of the same year. The building still stands, firm and sound. It is of stone, and is more beautifully fin- ished, and provided with more conveniences than any other in the neighborhood.
The consistory at the time of building the Third Church were as follows: On the Reformed side, Philipp Ebert, elder ; Jacob Oswald, trustee; Daniel Oswald, Abraham Fenstermacher, Peter Mayer, Jo- hann Miller, deacons ; Philipp Ebert, and Jacob Fen- stermacher, building committee. On the Lutheran side : Jacob Mosser, elder ; David Mosser, trustee; George Trein, Heinrich Straub, Jacob Kistler, George Bansch, deacons ; Jacob Mosser and George Trein, building committee. The work of George Fusselman, the carpenter, and of Peter Nett, the mason, puts to shame that of many of the artisans of the present. day.
A new organ was built under contract by Charles Heinzelman during the summer of 1850. It was dedicated on Saturday and Sunday, the 19th and 20th days of October, with services conducted by Revs. Johannes Helfrich, William A. Heltfrich, J. S. Dubs, and Jeremiah Schindel. The Lutheran pastor, Rev. Zacharias Peter Oberfeld, was drowned on the 2d of September preceding in the great flood at Tamaqua, where he lived. The teacher at the time was Fred- erick Schmidt.
Some years after the building of the organ, in 1853, a new Swiss barn was erected upon the church lands. Frederick Schmidt, who had served the congrega-
tion well and faithfully as a schoolmaster and organist for many years, had also brought the church lands -which had always lain neglected-by his industry to a fine state of cultivation. The old barn being about to fall into ruin, and there being no room for storing the products of the soil, the new barn was put up. Schmidt was a man in every sense of the word ; he was not only a well-educated school-teacher from Germany, devoting himself with his whole heart to his ealling, but was also faithful and honest without wavering.
The old school-house which was first occupied by Jacob Salem, another capable teacher, was of stone, and stood several feet farther within the meadow than the present one. It had one story, with a hall running through the middle. On the left was the school-room, on the right a room used as 'a living and sleeping-room, and another small room used as a kitchen. The children slept in the loft where the snow was often blown in, and lay in heaps upon their beds in the morning. But the old ways have disappeared even here. The congregation built a new dwelling-house recently appropriate to the times. Here the old teacher, worn out by his manifold labors, spent with his spouse, a worthy German matron, and surrounded by their children, the declining years of his life in peace. Friederich Schmidt died in April, 1876, and was interred on the 27th of the month, with services held by Revs, William A. Helifrich and H. S. Fegeley, the pastors of the church, in the cemetery of the congregation, whither his wife had already a short time before preceded him. His son, Theodore, became his successor.
At the same time with this house a two-story brick school-house, with two rooms-one for the school, the other for the congregation -- was also erected.
The old God's-aere had been filled and enlarged and filled again, and a cemetery was therefore laid out upon a regular plan and interments begun.
The Reformed preachers of the church were :
1. Philipp Jacob Michael. He was elected in 1760, and preached till 1770, Before his time there was a reader here by the name of Andreas Steiger, who also remained for some time after Rev. Michael came, but must soon afterwards have died or moved away. There is also mention made of' a certain Peter Miller, likewise a reader, who came about this time to Heidel- berg and the surrounding country, and is yet spoken of in Lynn. Rev. Michael is the same minister who preached in the Ziegel Church.
2. Peter Miller, formerly a reader, was afterwards accepted as pastor. He did not serve for a long time. He died here, and his remains rest in the old ceme- tery.
3. Heinrich Hentzel, commonly called Herzel, who was also only a reader, but preached in several of the churches of this neighborhood. How long he labored here cannot now be told.
4. Johannes Roth, also a man who, without being
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educated, elevated himself to the ministry, and was accepted as minister by the congregation, because no other was to be had. Both Hentzel and Roth had made application to the Synod for ordination, but were both rejected on account of their unfitness. None of these four were ordained, nor did they ac- knowledge any higher churchly authority. They undertook the office like a trade. The worthiest of the four was Michael; but he was not fully qualified for the ministry. Roth lies buried at Jacob's Church. He was buried beneath the altar, but it is said the new church does not occupy the same location as the old.
5. J. Friederich van der Slat, a minister belonging to the old Synod, was called by the congregation, but he preached only occasionally. Yet with this the con- gregation were well satisfied : they wouldl sooner have none than incompetent preachers.
6. Johann Heinrich Helfrich, who served from 1804 to 1810, when he died. He brought the congre- gation into subjection to the Synod.
7. Heinrich Diefenbach, from 1810 to 1816.
8. Johannes Heltfrich, from 1845 to 1852. He had his son, William A. Helfrich, as assistant.
9. William A. Helfrich, from 18445 to 1867.
10. E. J. Fogel in the last-named year was appointed his assistant, who, however, served the congregation alone till 1874, from which year till 1879, Rev. Wil- liam A. Helffrich again served as the pastor.
II. Nevin A. Helffrich was in the latter year ap- pointed his assistant.
The Lutheran ministers were (1) Melchior Muhlen- berg, and his assistants preached occasionally ; (2) Hermann Jacob Schellhardt; (3) Daniel Lehman ; (4) Friederich Gaisenheimer ; (5) Johannes Knoske; (6) G. F. J. Yeager ; (7) Däring and Wartmann ; (8) Jeremias Schindel; (9) Peter Z. Oberfeld ; (10) August Bauer; (11) W. Siegelin ; (12) Owen Leopold; (13) S. S. Klein ; (14) -- Zuber; (15) HI. S. Fegeley.
Steinsville.1-The land on which Steinsville was originally located was granted to Michael Stein by warrant about the year 1756. After the Steins, J. 1 .. Probst possessed the hotel and store until the year 1878, when it was conveyed to Dr. J. D. Graver. It is ocenpied by Joseph Rose.
Steinsville at present includes the property of Jacob Miller, which was by warrant granted to him about the year 1760, conveyed to Philip Wanne- macher in 1791, and in 1812 to Christian Wanne- macher, who began to improve the same in 1825. He built a grist-mill at the Antalaunee stream, which with the farm was conveyed to his son, Daniel Wan- nemacher, in 1810, who rebuilt the mill in 1866. In 1874 the Schuylkill and Lehigh Railroad was ent through the property, and the Steinsville depot was located upon it. Soon after that year a hotel was built near the depot by Benjamin Swan, a stone
building erected by William Fusselman, steam saw- mill by Jerry Klingman, and a foundry by Klotz & Billig, and a marble-yard by Milton Kergner. In 1878 the Wannemacher farm was conveyed to Dr. D. S. Shade, and the mill property to Willington B. Griessamer, and in 1881 Benneville Lutz became the owner of the mill and occupies it at present.
The village of Steinsville is situated in the north- western part of the county, one mile south from the foot of the Blue Mountains, and one-fourth of a mile north of the Antalaunee Creek, on the Schuylkill and Lchigh Railroad. It was founded by John Stein in 1810, a son of Michael Stein, who emigrated to this country from Germany. The Stein family consisted of eight sons and one daughter. The father being a man of industry, decided to provide homes for his children in the West, and traveled as early as 1825 to the Scioto, at Circleville, Pickaway Co., Ohio, and secured land for all his children, and afterwards one by one, from the oldest to the youngest. all moved to their Western homes, and finally the father, after the decease of his wife, followed his children as late as 1847. Dr. Joseph Soliday came to Steinsville, footing his way from Sumneytown, Pa., in 1826, and settled down to practice medicine. After being in practice several years, he became wedded to the daughter of John Stein. Ile was engaged in con- tinuous practice until 1856, when he removed to Cir- cleville, Ohio, with his family, consisting of four sons and one daughter. Two of his sons are physicians, and two practice dentistry. In the year 1818 a young German Reformed minister, Rev. John Zuliek, came on foot from Philadelphia, and began to preach not only at Steinsville but also to congregations across the Blue Mountains, in Albany, Berks Co., and Jack- sonville. He was fond of travel on horseback, and followed his calling in that style until he died in 1874. He was married to Rebecca Hermany, a daughter of Philip Hermany, of Jacksonville, and was blessed with seven daughters and one son, John, who was prepared in 1855 to take upon himself his father's labors, when he was taken with consumption and died. The homes of both the clergyman and doctor are at present in the same state as they left them, the former being occupied at present by two of his daughters. The hotel and store building, built by John Stein in 1832, is a spacious brick structure. The carriage-factory is operated by its founders, Ely & Waidelich. It was established in 1852. Dr. D. S. Shade was the successor to Dr. Soliday in 1856, and is at present following his practice, in connection with his partner, whom he took in with himself in 1870, viz., Dr. J. D. Graver. In 1860 several people of Steinsville and vicinity obtained a charter and organized The Steinsville Hall Association for re- ligious, society, and educational purposes, and in 1861 erected a fine brick building, where from that time to the present the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows have held their lodge meetings. Religions services
1 By Dr. J. D. Graver.
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
are held, and a good school is open for children and the more advanced scholars. In the fall of 1881 a few men in the village and surrounding country started a creamery to manufacture butter and cheese, which has proved a success and is highly appreciated. The country immediately surrounding Steinsville is produetive and healthy. Slate was first discovered here by three brothers,-John, Michael, and Samuel K. Lutz,-sons of Sammel J. Lutz, in 1851, and quar- ries were opened and first operated by Foulk, Daniel, and William Roberts, No especial interest was mani- fested in the slate industry until in the year 1869 a storm uprooted a willow-tree on lands of Samuel F. Lutz, which nnearthed a slate-bed that was after- wards quarried and is now owned and operated ex- tensively by George W. Griessamer. In 1874 the Berks and Lehigh Quarry was opened by Mosser, Krumm & Roberts, and is at present operated by Lutz & Keever. In 1876 the Centennial was opened on lands of Charles Foust. In 1880 the Standard was opened by a foreign party on the same tract, and in 1882 the Quaker City Quarries on lands of Wil- loughby and Charles Lutz.
The Steinsville post-office was established in 1858.
Jacksonville .- The land on which this hamlet is located was in 1781 owned by Daniel Hamm, who ! resided where William Long now lives. He gave the land for the church and churchyard. It lies on a ridge of land north from the Antalaunee Creek, in the direction of the Blue Mountains, and on the line of the Berks County Railroad. The first house was built there about 1820 by Martin Baer, and was later purchased by John Hermany, who made additions to the house, and opened a hotel and store. A post-office was established about 1845, with Zachariah Long as postmaster. His successors have been John Oswald and Jacob Oswald, John Hermany, E. F. Entz, and the present incumbent, John Folweiler. The hotel and store is now conducted by E. F. Lutz. The store was for a time owned by Uriah Long.
Jacob's Church.1-This church stands in Jackson- ville, Lynn township. It is a Union Church, held in common by the members of the Reformed and of the Lattheran faith, as is generally the case in churches in Eastern Pennsylvania. The first settlement of this region took place about the same time as that of Allemangel. The same throng of settlers which came from Oley and Goshenhoppen, and originated the Zie- gel, Allemangel, Weissenberg, and Ebenezer Churches, i also caused the beginning of this congregation. The beautiful tracts of land bordering on the Antalannce attracted these wanderers, and soon the valleys and hills were dotted with their small log hnts. These set- ; In the beginning of the present century Henry Dief- tlements were made between 1780 and 17440.
Among the first settlers were the following fami- lies : Vollweiler, Oswalds, Wannemacher, Corell, Lutz, Tittell, Hamm, Koenig, Probst, Franz, Mosser, Baer,
Nungesser, Sechler, Everett, Friess, Stumpf, Miller, De Long, Krietz, Klingemann, Fussellman, Reitz, Straub, LEnos, Wietzel, Lanenberger, Gerhard, Wit- terstein, Hless, Billman, and others.
About the year 1750 the first church was built, and with it a school-house. The dedication of this little log church, which stood on the spot now occupied by the third church, was held by the Revs. Philip J. Michael and II. J. Schellhardt, who were also chosen the first pastors.
No church records were kept in the early times. It was only about the year 1774 that the first church book was kept, and the first baptismal records were entered by the Rev. Conrad Steiner, Jr., who at that time was the minister here. Probably a church book was kept before that year, but was no doubt destroyed by fire during the Indian troubles. The want of these records leaves ns very much in doubt as to the early history of this congregation.
. The second church building was erected about the year 1808. The corner-stone was laid, and the church dedicated according to the customs of both faiths. At the same time a constitution was adopted, which was changed and extended in the year 1854.
The third building was constructed in the year 1864. It is of briek, surmounted with a tower and bell, and is a beautiful buikling, suitable to the-e : times.
In the course of time the okl log school-house was remodeled in the year 1780, and in later years, after the construction of the new church, a new school- house of brick was erected. This was dedicated on the 9th and 10th days of October, 1858.
The members of the Reformed faith of this church owned in earlier times a parsonage in conjunction with three other congregations. About the year 1812 this house with the surrounding land was soll.
The Reformed ministers were Rev. Philip J. Mi- chael, followed by the Rev. Peter Miller, who was the regular preacher of the Ebenezer Church. Hein- rich Hertzel ( lentzel) also preached here for a time. Then came - Roth. None of these preachers had been admitted to ordination. The congregation could not obtain the services of any minister from the Synod, and the congregation preferred having these rather than none. Johannes Roth was followed by Rev. Conrad Steiner, Jr., who was a preacher from the Synod, and served here from 17744 up to the close of 1777. He began the church records, which are still in existence. Rev. C. Steiner was called by sev- eral other congregations, and Peter Roth was again elected because the Synod would not send a minister. fenbach came to this church, being sent by the Synod. Ile was followed, about the year 1816, by the Rev. John Zulich, and served till some time later. Rev. J. M. Bachman became his successor, and he is the present pastor.
The Lutheran ministers were Rev. Herman J.
I By Rov. W A. Helfrich.
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Sehellhardt, Daniel Lehmann, Frederick Geissen- hainer, Johannes Knoske, G. F. J. Yaeger, Elias B. Kramlich, Owen Leopold, F. Zuber, S. S. Klein, H. S. Fegley.
Lynnville .- The first person to build on the site of Lynnville was Valentine Stull, in the year 1806. He opened a store, which he carried on for many years. He had no children, but adopted a nephew of his wife, named Peter Haas, who carried on the business after his uncle's decline. He ( Haas) was elected to the Legislature several terms, also served as associate judge for some years. John Sieberling built a house in 1807, and opened it to the public. He was the landlord and proprietor of the Lynnville Hotel up to April, 1846, when his son James became possessor by purchase. The post-office at Lynnville was estab- lished in July, 1820, and John Sieberling made post- master. He continued as such up to his death in De- eember, 1875. He died at the age of ninety-two years, and served as postmaster fifty-five years. Solomon W. Baelman is the present postmaster.
The hotel is now the property of Dr. F. C. Sieber- ling.
The village at present contains a hotel, school house, post-office, store, harness and blacksmith-shops, and six dwellings.
The elections of the township were held at this place ' the position till 1884, when William Stein, the present
for many years till 1879. At what is known as Green- walt's, on the Schuylkill and Lehigh Railroad, a store ! was opened about 1850, and kept for a short time by Henry Nell.
St. Peter's Church. 1-This church stands upon an elevation along the Sieberlingsville road, south of Lyunville, and is in Lynn township. This is also a , which were kept by him for five or six years. A post- Union Church for Lutherans and Reformed. The ' office was also established at the place and kept by church was founded in the year 1857, members of the ' him till 1866, when it was removed to Mosserville.
Weissenberg, Lowhill, Lynntown, and Jerusalem | communions uniting in forming a new congregation here.
The corner stone was laid on the 30th of Angust, 1857, on which occasion appropriate services were held by Rev. W. A. Helfrich, the Reformed min- ister, and Rey. Siegh, the Lutheran minister.
On Whi-Sunday the 23d and Whit-Monday the . 24th days of May, 1858, the building was dedicated to the service of God. Sermons were preached by Revs, J. Derr, Jeremiah Schindel, and William A. Helffrich.
Lynnport. - Marcus Wannemacher was the orig- inal owner of the land on which Lynnport is situated. He lived in a house that stood near the railroad depot by the spring. Michael Everett, about the year 1814, erected a part of what is now the hotel, in which he lived, and opened a store for the use of the people roundabont. Levi Kistler, Feb. 8, 1843, opened a tavern in the building. David and William Kistler kept the store at the time. Lewis HI. Oswald, the present proprietor, came to the place in April, 1865,
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and keeps hotel and store and post-office, the latter having been established under Levi Kistler. In addi- tion to the hotel, post-office, and store, there are two school-houses, depot of Schuylkill and Lehigh Rail- road, a slate quarry, and about forty dwellings.
Slate quarries were opened near Lynnport first about 1844, by James M. Porter, McDowell, and Daniel Jones, and the same who opened Slatington. David Folweiler was the superintendent. They have been worked more or less from that time.
A mantel factory was started by Anthony Donnon, of Philadelphia, in 1860, and continued by Henry F. Martin. It is carried on by Jesse B. Keim, of Phila- delphia.
Lanrel Hill Mantel Factory was established in 1880 by Alvin F. Creitz, Moses K. Jacob, and Charles K. Ilenry, who sold to Potter & MeHose, who are now running it.
Stein's Corner is situated in the southeast corner of the township. The land on which it is located was formerly owned by the Grims. About 1855 Simon Lentz erected a hotel and was the landlord from that time till 1865.
About 1875 a post-office was established with Joshua Weida as postmaster, who kept it till his death, when he was succeeded by William Seaman, who retained postmaster, was appointed.
About 1874 William Stein opened a store, and now " has charge of the hotel, store, and post-office.
Oswaldsville, now called Raber's Corners, was started about 1860, at which time Jonas Oswald, who owned a farm at the locality, built a hotel and store,
New Slatedale contains twelve or fifteen dwell- ings and a hotel kept by Joseph L. Lutz. The place was started by the opening of slate quarries about 1854 by Daniel Fanlk. Quarries are now worked by Lutz & Keever, and Griesemer & Brothers.
Reitz .- At the store of Samuel Reitz, nearly in the centre of the township, the elections of the township have been held since 1879. Prior to that time they were held at Lynnville. The old stone house at this place was built by Andrew Straub, Jr., in 1817, his father, Andrew Straub, Sr., having taken up ninety- two acres of land at that place on the 224 of March, 1800, and transferred it to his son, Andrew, on the 230 of May the same year. It later passed to JJohn Ulrich, who in 18-19 erected a store and kept it for many years. In 1862 Jonas Reitz purebased the property now owned by his son, Samuel.
An Old Graveyard .- In Kistler's Valley, in Lynn township, on the farm of Mr. Jonas J. Kistler (being the same farm which was formerly owned by the late Rev. Sanmel K. Brobst, deceased, grand father of Philip Kistler, deceased, and Father JJacob Brobst, deceased ), : exists a graveyard established by the Moravians over a
1 By Rev. W. A. Helfrich,
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
hundred years ago. The sacred spot is well preserved. The first congregation brought into existence in those parts was formed by Moravian missionaries from Bethlehem, and was ealled the Allemangel Mora- vian Church. Later, Rev. Muhlenberg established a church in the same vicinity, and ealled it the Alle- mangel Lutheran Church, now known as Jerusalem. The old Moravians' burial-ground is numerously dotted with clayed mounds, underneath which repose members of the ancient brotherhood from that section. Among them a preacher by the name of Wirs or Wirz.
In the old burial-ground at Miller's, near the Baush sehool-house, many old tablets are standing. Some of the names and dates are here given :
Christian Miller, Sr., born June 25, 1706; died July 11, 1785, age sev- enty-nine years, nineteen days.
Christian Miller, Jr., born Jan, 6, 1741; died Oct. 9, 1778, age thirty- seven years, nine months, and three days.
Maria Elizabeth Hansin, born April 10, 1809; died Sept. 18, 1820, age eleven years, five months, eight days.
Anna Elizabeth Miller, died Dec. 16, 1830, age seventy-three years, one month, four days.
Andreas Miller, died 1817, ago seventy-eight years, three months.
Salome Miller, wife of Jonas Miller, daughter of Jacob Bausch, born May 20, 1802, nge twenty-five years, six months, fourteen days.
William F. Miller, son of Stephen Miller, born June 21, 1854, age eight months, twelve days.
Mary Kuhus, wife of John Kubus, died April 2, 1843, age forty-seven years, nine months, fifteen days.
Mary Cathilla, daughter of John Kunhs, died Sept. 18, 1838, age six- teen years, eight months, Twenty-eight days.
Apolona Ellinger, daughter of Peter Miller, died May 29, 1813, age thirty-one years, ten months, three days.
Prter Miller, Sr., born Jan. 19, 1772, age eighty-three years, seven months, three days.
Maria Magdalena Miller, wife of Peter Miller, born Oct. 20, 1770, age ninety-there years, seven months, six days.
David Miller, born Dec. 30, 1829, age twenty-nine years, four days.
George Miller, born Feb. 10, 1798, age sixty-seven years, three months, twenty-five days.
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