USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 82
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 82
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the pioneer family of the Lehigh Church. The anees- tor was Jeremias Trexler, who apparently settled in a quite isolated situation at the sources of the Spring Creek about 1720. In 1733 the first road was laid out through Upper Milford, from Goshenhoppen to Trex- lertown. The principal settlements, however, took place about 1735. Along the banks of the Little Lehigh, which rises above in Longswamp township, and flows through the middle of the Lehigh Church's lands, the new arrivals settled down. So the creek which starts behind the Schlossberg furnished the sites for the most beautiful homes. So, also, others chose the slopes of the Lehigh Mountains, and even the high siles of the same, for their future homes.
Among the first immigrants, who came principally from Würtemberg, were the following :
Jeremias Trexler (Drechsler). Simon Him.
Johann Matthias Ligner (Lichner). Lorenz Schod.
Michael Knappenberger. Andreas Trexler ( Drechsler).
Johnun Peter Fetherolf.
Martin Boger (Poger).
Wilhelm Fegley ( Vogelein). Peter Mattern.
Daniel Schmeier.
Emanuel Pfeiffer.
Christian Schmeier.
Lorenz Kiichele.
Friederich Seitz.
Mathans Ludwig.
Jacob Barth.
Andreas Eisenhard.
Johann Peter Klein.
Jacob Herman.
Jacob Wagner.
Valentin Meckley.
Jacob Danner (Tanner).
Michael Warmkessel.
Georg Ruch.
Bastian Druckenmiller, Sr.
Mathius leinli.
Georg Christ, Sr.
Georg Adam Bortz.
George Acker.
Johannes Dee. Michael Schiffert (Schevert).
Nicolaos Schmidt.
Badzer Federmann.
Adamı Moser.
Jacob Shank weiler.
Johannes Dietrich Ganmer.
Leonard Kuhns (Kuhn).
Mathias Steinlein.
Conrad Kolb.
Jacob Koller. George Seiler.
Jacob Stephy (Stephan). Joseph Albrecht.
Philipp Drescher ( Dröscher). Johannes Weber.
Stophel Miiller.
Adam Desch (Teschi).
Christian Gorr.
Heinrich Koch.
The Breinig family belonged from the earliest times to the Ziegel Church.
Daniel and Christian Schmeier, above named, are described in the church records at the time of their confirmation as being step-sons of Wilhelm Fegely.
The congregation was organized about the year 1745. The immigrants early provided themselves with a suitable piece of ground lying in the middle of the settlement, which they withheld from their successors and devoted to church and school pur- poses. When it was taken it was still called vacant land. Upon their taking steps to build a church, Matthias Eigner and Michael Knappenberger were designated a committee to take possession of the land and obtain a legal title to it. This was done at Philadelphia on the 2Bd of February, 1749.
The first church was built directly after the pur- chase of the land, and in 1750 was dedicated to the service of God by the Rev. Philipp Heinrich Rapp, who had resided with the congregation before the building of the church, and was the principal pro- moter of its organization. The church was founded, built, and dedicated entirely as a Lutheran one. It
1 By the Rev. William A. Helffrich.
3-11
LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP.
was a simple log structure, and stood in the north- eastern corner of the churchyard. At the same time a school-house was built, which was soon enlarged, and in the course of time was used both as a school- house and parsonage.
The circumstances of the primitive church here . A few members of the Reformed faith settled within were the same as elsewhere. The only peculiarity the congregation had was that they possessed the most fertile soil in the State. The farmers raised wheat, hay, etc., devoted themselves to cattle-raising, and soon attained a high degree of prosperity. A publie road was laid ont about 1730 through Upper Milford, from Goshenhoppen to Trexlertown, afford- Between this and the Longswamp congregation there existed for many years a sharp rivalry, which often culminated in collisions between the members. For here they were genuinely Lutheran, and above strongly Reformed, and they constantly strove to surpass one another. These contests left the Lehigh Church in the advance, since its members were richer, and the old, kindly-disposed Suabian disposition caused them to cleave more closely together. ing a convenient market to the neighborhood. Many of the members became very rich, as the Eigner family and others, and these frequently purchased ju Philadelphia the services of poor inumigrants, who were sold for a number of years into a specie of bond- age, until they should, with their service, pay their passage-money. In this manner Matthias Eigner bought the services of Catharine Nathstein, whose ! parents were not able to pay her passage-money, kept A consistory is first mentioned npon the church- book under date of the year 1769, and appears to have been composed of the following persons: Martin Boger, Simon Hain, elders; and Jacob Hermann, Daniel Schmeir, Heinrich Eigner, Heinrich Wetzel, deacons. her in service, treating her well, and having her con- firmned. In religious development the Lehigh con- gregation surpassed most of the Lutheran Churches of the last century, becoming a centre of Lutheran | teaching. Here the pastors of all the neighboring churches resided, and generally they were capable men, whose instruction was not lost upon the congre- gation. Rev. Rapp, the founder of the church, em- ployed a school-master, who taught under his super- intendence and condneted an excellent school. Rev. Rapp was a shining light for this church, whose 'affairs he directed upon the European methods, as did also his successors. Upon the building of the church he introduced a church-book, and observed and followed strict discipline. Children were bap- tized within the church, and marriages were cele- brated, after the publication of bans, at the altar, and entered upon the church records. For example, here is one: " By authority of a license, bearing date Feb. 9, 1772, Johannes Fogel (Vogel), and Anna Rosina Schad are lawfully married, after three separate pub- lications : Jacob von Buskirk." Also funerals were recorded in the books, as for example: " On the 21st of June, 1771, Mathaus Eigner was buried here at Macungie, aged 78 years." Pastor Buskick also kept the records of marriages and deaths in other congregations, such as Tacony and Upper Milford, in this book, between the years 1770 and 1774. The names of those who were confirmed were also regularly entered. The church record contains seventy-one names of catechumens for the year 1774, thirty-eight for 1776, forty-nine for 1779, forty-five for 1781, fifty- five for 1783, sixty-six for 1786, ninety-one for 1793, and ninety-four for the year 1799. These names show that among these were children belonging to other congregations, who were, however, all confirmed by Rev. Buskirk, at the Lehigh Church.
The congregation was at first small, since the immi- grants took up only the best tracts of land. The well- known desirability of the neighborhood and the ex- cellence of the church government soon attracted strangers, who speedily occupied all the vacant lands. the limits of the congregation, but were compelled to go to Longswamp (the Ziegel Church ) or to Salisbury, to worship according to their consciences. During the year 1760 there resided here an able physician named Frederick Spiegel, who was undoubtedly in- dueed to come here by Pastor Sehertlein.
The second church was constructed in 1785, and was dedicated the same year by the loeal pastor, Rev. Jacob Buskirk and Johann Friedrich Ernst, of Brunswick, N. J. The consistory, which signed the attestation, was composed of Heinrich Eigner, Peter Trexler, elders; and Valentine Haupt, Heinrich Warmkessel, Adam Hawerther, Christian Weber, dea- cons. The building committee were George Breinig, Michael Schmeier, Johannes Heinli, and Daniel Schmeier. Heinrich Knappenberger was the school- master at that time.
The attestation concludes with the following words : " Der Herr unser Gott segne zeitlich und ewig Alle, die dieser Stiftung getreulich nachkommen. Der . Herr aber sche drein und riche es, wo dawider ge- handelt wird. Amen! Gotte- Wort und Luther's Lehr, vergeht nun und nimmermehr." (The Lord our God bless now and forever all our successors who shall remain faithful to the purpose of this under- taking. May he look upon and avenge whatever is done to thwart aud oppose it. Amen ! God's Word and Luther's teachings shall never disappear. )
The new church was built of stone, and was made unusually strong and massive, and so stand- to this day despite many alterations and repairs, It was finished, both within and without, in the style of architecture of that time. (See the description of the Second Ziegel Church.) The ground floor of the church was laid with brick, upon which sand was then spread, and for days horses were driven over this sand so as to make the floor hard and firm. Since the Lehigh congregation had put up a new
342
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
building, necessarily the Longswamp congregation must also have one. This was completed in five years, about 1790. But they were not satisfied with this. They must have something better than the Le- high Church, and therefore they purchased an organ. But would the Lehigh congregation permit themselves to be passed in this manner? Oh no; they were rieher ; and so it was not a long time before an organ was also erected in their church, and a far better one, too, than the Longswamp congregation had. This the latter would never admit. They examined and eriticised the Lehigh organ, and their general opin- ion was voiced by old Jack Long, who said aloud to his neighbor in the church after hearing it, "You there ! I don't know, but it seems to me this organ is not a bit better than ours!"
Soon, however, these rivalries disappeared, being discouraged by the pastors. The New World con- stantly brought Lutheran and Reformed ministers into closer intimacy, because they were brethren, few in number, and with more work on their hands than their united efforts could dispose of. The better disposition of the fathers, too, overeame these follies, and those who were anxious to fight over externals, only met with ridicule. Soon the members, living with each other, beeame neighborly, and the dividing barriers were soon torn down by intermarriage be- tween the sons and daughters of the old families.
The congregation resolved, in the year 1843, to re- pair the church. Its walls stood as firm and strong as on the first day; the interior only was torn out, the floor relaid, the pulpit and the organ placed against the shorter walls, and everything finished in modern style. On the 26th of August, 1843, the con- gregation entered into an agreement with the ad- herents of the Reformed belief, who had settled more and more within the limits of the parish, that they should hold the church building in common with the Lutherans, and have equal right and title to the church land with them. Upon Christinas-day the church was dedicated as a Union Church. In the following year (1844), npon Whitsunday, the organ, which had been repaired, was also dedicated to the service of God.
The members of the Reformed faith were at first only a few, as follows : Charles Ruth, James Weiler, George Dankel, John Blank, Dietrich Meitzler, Peter Ruth, Henry Ruth, William Walbert, Nathan Wal- bert, Daniel Laner, Sr., Daniel Lauer, Daniel Meitzler, Hensinger, - - Romich.
The celebration of the one hundredth anniversary took place on the 5th and 6th days of October, 1850. The consistories at that time were : Lutheran elders, Peter Klein, Stephen Sehmeier; Reformed ellers, Charles Ruth, John Blank ; Lutheran deacons, Samt- uel Schmeier, Joseph King, Reuben Schank weiler, Thomas Fogel ; Reformed deacons, Dietrich Meitzler, William Walbert, Daniel Lauer, Daniel Meitzler; Trustees, George Dankel, Jesse Breinig, James Wei- ! in the following year. ler ; Treasurer, John Goebel.
Some years later a tower was erceted, and a bell hung in the same; at the same time, also, the church received a new coat of paint aud was frescoed. In 1881 the entire church, both within and withont, was repainted.
A Sunday-school, was carly begun here, and was kept alive from year to year by the industry and faithfulness of Peter Ruth and others.
The pastors of the congregation were :
1. Philipp Heinrich Rapp, the founder of the church. He resided with the congregation before the first building was constructed, and preached at the homes of the members. He was an able minister, and had received his education in Europe. Unfortu- nately, he conld not remain for a long time with this church. In the year 1751 he received a call from a church in New York City, which call he felt himself impelled to obey. There he is quoted as having said, " It pains me inexpressibly to desert the congregation which I have brought into existence."
2. Jacob Freiderich Schertlein, who served here from 1753 to 1765, and resided at the same time in this vicinity. Although Rev. Rapp was an able man, Rev. Schertlein was much more so. In the twelve years of his work he laid the foundation for the future development at which the church arrived.
3. Johann Georg Wiessner, who preached here from 1765 to 1770.
4. Jacob von Buskirk began his ministry here in 1770, and served till 1800. He resided also with the congregation. His labors were blessed. Under his ministry the church flourished and attained its greatest prosperity, till the Trexlertown Church was founded, and through its foundation diminished the Lehigh Church. Rev. Buskirk, also, by instruction of Dr. Muhlenberg, educated certain young men for the Lui- theran ministry, as Rev. Lehman.
5. J. F. Obenhausen was chosen minister in 1800, and preached till 1806.
6. Freiderich Gaisenheiner served from 1806 to 1808.
7. Heinrich Heyne preached eight years.
8. Rev. Stecher served for three years.
9. Benjamin German served seventeen years.
10. Jeremias Schindel preached a year and a half.
11. So did Christoph A. Friedrich.
12. Josua Yäger was chosen in 1841, and is the present pastor.
The Reformed ministers were :
1. C. G. Hermann, who was chosen pastor in the i year in which the church became a Union Church. He afterwards resigned.
2. Joshua Derr was chosen in -, and served the congregation till 1868.
3. In the spring of that year William A. Heltfrich was elected, and the call was ratified, after some objec- tions, by the East Pennsylvania Classis at Mertztown
East Texas .- This village, which was at first
Stephen Bubi
1
-
5
Aaron Gramun
1
343
LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP.
known by the name of Macungie Square, is situate upon a high bluff of the Lchigh Creek, and has at present two hundred and thirty-eight inhabitants. In 1830 there were three buildings upon the site of this now prosperous mining town,-an old school- house, of which we shall make mention hereafter ; an old stone house where the hotel now stands, and a building near by in which a general store was kept. In 1845 the first hotel of the village was erected, which has since been enlarged. At this hotel all the inhabitants of Lower Macungie township, outside of the borough of Macungie, cast their votes. The second name given to the village was that of New Texas, which name it kept until the year 1872. A number of unsuccessful attempts had been made pre- vious to this time to have a post-office established in the village. Finally Stephen Acker, the " leading spirit" of the place, got up a petition signed by six citizens and several outside postmasters, asking the government for an office. His efforts were rewarded with success, and a post-office was established in the year last mentioned, and at the suggestion of Mr. Acker its present name, East Texas, was given to both the village and the office. The office was first kept in the store of Benjamin K. Keck. At present it is kept in the store of Lauer & Hoffman, and Cyrus E. Acker is postmaster. There are in the village two hotels, two general stores, and two churches.
. On the 24th of September, 1790, three men, viz., Andrew Eisenhard, Cornelius Hughes, and John Herman, entered into an agreement, and made them- selves responsible for the donation of two acres of land; the first-named to give one acre, and each of the other two half an acre, " for a school place, and for no other purposes, forever." "And we do further promise and agree by these presents that we will build a house on the said described land that shall be suf- ficient for a school-house; this we promise to build free and complete this fall." The same year a log honse was built upon the above tract, which is situate in East Texas. Sixty years ago this house was torn down and a second one built of logs, which in 1857 was replaced by a brick building with steeple and bell.
On the 24th of October, 1874, the greater part of the ground not occupied by the building was eut into lots, which were sold subject to ground rent, the an- nual interest of which amounts to the sum of two hundred and twenty-six dollars. Part of this sum is annually expended for summer school.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
STEPHEN BUT%.
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chased and removed to a farm of two hundred and twelve acres, situated in what is known as "Butz's ( Valley," which has since been in possession of the family, and is now owned by his great-grandson, Ste- phen Butz. Peter Butz had three sons, Peter, Samuel, and John, the last-pamed having inherited the home- stead. He had four sons and four daughters, one of whom was Peter, the father of the subject of this bio- graphical sketch. Stephen, the second in a family of nine children, was born June 3, 1808, in Lower Ma- cungie township. His limited education was received at the log school-house near his home known as Butz's school-house, under the guidance of a German teacher named Andres Ring, who, with his family, occupied the limited quarters as a dwelling. At the age of eighteen he was apprenticed to Henry Shaffer, and on attaining his twentieth year became a skillful shoe- maker, which trade he followed for three years. Ile then changed his occupation to that of a farmer, and having inherited the homestead, moved thereon, and continued for twenty-nine years to cultivate the land. In 1877 he retired from the farm, and having por- chased the mill property one mile west of the village of Alburtis, conducted for four years the business of milling. In 1881 his sons, Allen and John, and his son-in-law, F. S. Lichtenwallner, became his succes- sors in business, and in 1883 remodeled the mill and introduced the roller process. Mr. Butz was, in Feb- ruary, 1850, married to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Henry Seidel, of Martin Creck township, Berks Co., whose birth occurred Jan. 30, 1821. Their children are Henry, Allen, John, Mary (Mrs. F. S. Lichten- wallner), and Amanda ( Mrs. Charles L. Hottenstine). Mr. Butz has ever been a strong Republican in his political sentiments, but not active as a politician. Ile is a member of the German Reformed Church of Long Swamp township, Berks Co., in which he has officiated both as elder and deacon. In 1852 he was chosen one of the building committee for the erection of a new church edifice. He manifests much inter- est in Sunday-school work, and has served for ten years as superintendent of what is known as Butz's Sunday-school. ?
AARON ERDMAN.
The great-grandfather of Mr. Erdman was John Yost Erdman. Afnong his children was Andrew, who emigrated from Darmstadt, Germany, about the year 1732, his father coming to the United States about five years later. Andrew married a Miss Sieg- fried and had five sons,-Jacob, Andrew, Yost, Jo- hannes, and John George, besides several daughters. The birth of Jacob occurred on the homestead where he resided during his lifetime. He married Catha- rine Romig, of Upper Saucon township, to whom were born children,-Jacob, John, Isare, Aaron, Elizabeth (Mrs. Erhard Weaver), Catherine (Mrs.
Peter Butz, the great-grandfather of Stephen, emi- grated from Germany in 1752, and first settled in Long Swamp township, Berks Co., Pa. In 1761 he pur- [ Solomon Reichard), Theresa (Mrs. S. Reichard, Ju-
344
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
dith ( Mrs. John Bruner). Aaron, of this number, was born Nov. 8, 1813, in Upper Saucon, and after such opportunities of education as the neighboring schools afforded, devoted his youth to farm labor. He . then became elerk for W. P. Hooper, at Wescocsville, afterwards learned the trade of a stocking-weaver, which was prosecuted for two years, when his atten- tion was directed to the more congenial employments eonneeted with mercantile life, and he became elerk in a country store at Breinigsville. Later he returned to Upper Saueon, and opened a store for the sale of such wares as were adapted to a general trade. He soon after purchased the property now occupied by him at Macungie, to which place he removed in 1838. Here he has since conducted an extensive business, having in 1876 transferred the store to his son and son-in-law, the firm being A. Erdman, Son & Co., and embarked in an exclusive hardware trade.
Mr. Erdman was married on the 23d of February, 1837, to Miss Anna Breinig, of Breinigsville, Lehigh Co., to whom were born two sons,-William B., a physician at Macungie, and August J., an attorney. Mrs. Erdman died Feb. 4, 1844, and he married again, March 26, 1846, Miss Mary Weider, of Upper Milford township, whose children are Sarah (Mrs. A. K. Desch), Mary ( Mrs. T. M. Probst), Emma (Mrs. HI. F. Neumoyer), and John, engaged with his father in business. Mr. Erdman has, in connection with other business interests, been a considerable dealer in lumber, coal, and grain, in Macungie. He has been largely identified with the development of the bor- . ough, and foremost in all movements tending to its growth and prosperity. He has been during his life- time a Democrat, and although not an aspirant for office, has held various minor positions in the borough. He is a member of the Baptist Church of Macungie.
JONATHAN B. WIEAND.
Seminary in Bedford County, Pa., and returning, in : 1858, taught the township school, after which he, in 1859, attended the Freeland Seminary. Mr. Wieand
and in 1868 purchased the store, of which he con- tinued proprietor until, the spring of 1884, when he retired from active mercantile pursuits, and devotes his attention to farming and the management of other business interests. Mr. Wieand was, in 1865, married to Miss Susan E., daughter of Israel Wescoe, of Wes- coesville. He is in polities a Republican, but has never aspired to public office other than that of post- master of Wescoesville, which he has held since 1868. He was in his religious preference formerly a Lu- theran, and is now a member of the Evangelical Association, in which he is active as elass-leader, steward, and Sunday-school superintendent. Mr. Wieand has been a leading spirit in promoting the advancement of Wescoesville, both by his business enterprise and iu the buildings he has erected. IIe has also been an carnest friend to the cause of educa- tion, which by his influence and means he has ma- terially aided.
CHAPTER XXIX.
UPPER AND LOWER MILFORD TOWNSHIPS !!
[As these two townships were one until a compara- i tively recent date, and possess at the present time many elements of common interest, they are here treated in a single chapter. ]
Description .-- Upper and Lower Milford were or- ganized as separate townships on Dec. 6, 1852. Pre- vious to this day they had been included in one town- ship, under the name of Upper Milford.
Jonathan B. Wieand is of German parentage. His . These two townships are situated in the most southern part of Lehigh County, and are bounded as follows : on the northeast side by Salisbury and Upper Salem townships; on the southeast side by Milford township, Buck& Co. ; on the southwest side by Upper Hanover township, Montgomery Co., and Hereford township, Berks Co .; and on the northwest side by Lower Maenngie township. grandfather, Henry Wieand, was a native of Weissen- berg township, and early removed to Salisbury town- ship, where he was a prosperous farmer. His children Were David, Judith (Mrs. Reuben Kline), and Jonas, The last named was born in Salisbury township, where his active life, with the exception of a few years in Allentown, has been spent as a veterinary surgeon. He married Henrietta, daughter of Christopher Bortz, 1 The form of each of the townships is rectangular, and they are nearly equal in size. The townships as com- of Lower Macungie township, and had children,- Jonathan B. and Louisa ( Mrs. Philip Roth). The . bined are from southeast to northwest six miles long former was born Feb. 19. 1838, in Lower Macungie, (as per survey of John Chapman, of the 18th day of March, 1737), and from northeast to southwest five miles, containing thirty-three square miles, or twenty- one thousand one hundred and twenty acres of land. Later surveys show quite a difference, the territory appearing to be about six and a half by six and a quar- ter miles, and containing nearly forty and three-fifth square miles, or twenty-six thousand acres of laud. and when a child became an inmate of the house of his maternal grandfather, where he remained until the age of ten years, meanwhile enjoying but limited advantages of education. From that date until the age of fourteen he resided with his nele, Henry Wieand, in the same township, and meanwhile learned the tobacco trade, at which he worked for a period of five years. With the fifty dollars thus earned he became a pupil of the Allegheny Male and Female
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