USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a history, Volume I > Part 32
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as the members of the committee. Mr. Chain died March 28, 1893, and was, on the 18th of September, 1893, succeeded by Isaac Chism, who died November 20, 1895, and was succeeded, December 31, 1895, by Henry M. Brownback.
William F. Solly, judge of the Orphans' Court, became a member of the committee after his appointment to the Bench, on September 6, 1901. On the 24th of June, 1904, on motion of Judge Weand, the time for holding monthly meetings was changed from the last Friday, to the last Thursday, of every month.
On October 26, 1905, William F. Dannehower was elected secretary of the committee. Montgomery Evans was the treasurer then, elected in 1885. Both have held the same offices to the present day.
In 1907 Messrs. Dannehower and Evans devised a system of indexing which was adopted and has since been enlarged and perfected by Mr. Wright.
Mr. Strassburger died March 30, 1908, and on November 25th was succeeded by Franklin L. Wright. Judge John Faber Miller, on his appointment and election to the judicial office, in 1914, became a mem- ber of the committee, succeeding Judge Weand, deceased. Mr. Jenkins died January 19, 1921. No successor has been appointed. The present committee consists of Montgomery Evans, 1885; Judge Swartz, 1887; Wm. F. Dannehower, 1890; Henry M. Brownback, 1895; Judge Solly, 1901; Franklin L. Wright, 1908; Judge Miller, 1914; Judge Williams, 1923.
There is no salary attached to any of the offices, except a mere nomi- nal salary is paid the treasurer, and a small salary to the librarian.
The following shows the membership and officiary of the committee:
James Boyd, 1869; Daniel M. Smyser, 1869-73; Charles H. Stinson, 1869; Carroll S. Tyson, 1869-71; Benjamin E. Chain, 1869; Charles T. Miller, 1869-85; Charles Hunsicker, 1869; B. Markley Boyer, 1871 ; Henry K. Weand, 1873; Joseph Fornance, 1883; Henry R. Brown, 1883; Louis M. Childs, 1883; Neville D. Tyson, 1883; Judge Aaron S. Swartz, 1885 to date ; Montgomery Evans, 1885 to date; Henry K. Weand, 1887- 1914; B. E. Chain, 1890-93 ; J. P. Hale Jenkins, 1890-1921 ; Wm. F. Dan- nehower, 1890 to date; Jacob A. Strassburger, 1890-1908; Isaac Chism, 1893-95 ; H. M. Brownback, 1895 to date; Judge Wm. F. Solly, 1901 to date ; Franklin L. Wright, 1908 to date; Judge John Faber Miller, 1914 to date.
Presidents-Col. James Boyd, 1869; President Judge B. Markley Boyer, 1883-87; President Judge Aaron S. Swartz, 1887 to date.
Secretary-Chas. T. Miller, 1869-85; John S. Jones, 1895-1904; Wm. F. Dannehower (temporary), 1904-05 ; Wm. F. Dannehower, 1905 to date.
Treasurers-Chas. T. Miller, 1869-85; Montgomery Evans, 1885 to date.
Librarians-Howard Drake, 1870-73; Frank T. Beerer, 1873-75; Nathaniel B. Jacoby, 1875-95; John S. Jones, 1895-1904; Wm. D. White- side, 1904-08; John S. Jones, 1908-15; John O'Neill, 1915 to date.
CHAPTER XX. INDUSTRIES AND MANUFACTURING.
In 1920 the government reports stated that the agricultural products of Montgomery county amounted to $7,283,410, as against $246,000,000 in manufactured products, thus showing the great preponderance of manufactures over agriculture. The largest industrial interests are found in iron manufactures, textile fabrics, paper, glass and cigar production.
Early Manufactures-Iron works were first established in what is now Montgomery county, at Valley Forge, at least as early as 1750. These works were burned and generally destroyed by the British in 1777, and the new works were afterward built by the famous Potts fam- ily. Other iron works were operated in this county, but in 1820 there were only two forges, two trip hammers and seven naileries in the county. Coming down to 1884, there were a large number of furnaces, rolling-mills and steel works. The blast furnaces were: Plymouth, built in 1843; Merion and Elizabeth furnaces, erected at West Consho- hocken, in 1847; Swede, in 1850; William Penn, 1854; Montgomery, at Port Kennedy, 1854; Anvil, of Pottstown, in 1867; Edgehill, 1869; Nor- ristown, 1869; Warwick, Pottstown, in 1875; and Lucinda, at Norris- town. The rolling-mills and steel works were: Conshohocken, com- menced in 1832; Norristown iron works, 1846; Pottstown iron works, 1846; Stony Creek rolling mill, 1849; Pottstown Iron Company, 1863; Glasgow iron works, 1874; Plymouth rolling mills, 1881 ; Longmead iron works, 1882; and Ellis and Lessig's rolling mill, at Pottstown, in 1884. The Schuylkill iron works were built in 1858, at Conshohocken, and the Standard iron works at Norristown in 1857. The total value of the products from all nineteen of these mills amounted, in 1880, to seven million dollars.
From unquestioned authority, the first paper mill to operate in this county was the Langstroth paper mill, erected on the Pennypack, in Moreland township, in 1794. This mill was owned by Thomas Lang- stroth, and burned in 1809. The Rockhill and old Scheetz mill, built in 1798 in Lower Merion, produced hand-made paper for many years. The Riverside paper mill in Whitemarsh township was started in 1856, and made a fine grade of book, card and envelope paper. In 1860 the Ash- land dyewood mills were changed into a paper mill, and they produced only newspaper material. Ten years later, the Rebecca manila paper mills of Bridgeport, were started, and in 1884 Cox & Dagers built the Norristown manila paper mills. The total paper made in all six of these paper mills in 1880 was worth more than half a million dollars.
It was in the early days of the settlement of this county that out of
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necessity the manufacture of textile fabrics began, and this branch of industry was developed to quite a considerable extent. In 1810, besides ten thousand looms and three hundred carding machines in operation, there were two cotton manufacturing establishments in the county. The value of all kinds of cloth made in this county in 1810 was nearly $100,- 000. One of the oldest cotton mills in the State was the Simpson, in Norristown, built in 1826, by Benard McCreedy. Other mills of the county forty years ago were: Hunters, at Norristown, built in 1836; Merion mills; Washington or Watts, built in 1849, as Moy Craig mill : Conshohocken, 1856; Ford street mills, Norristown, in 1856; Albion Print Works, 1885; and the Jones' mill, operated before 1880. The Fair- view cotton mills were started in 1825, and the Jones' mills were opened prior to 1825 and burned in 1884. Many cotton mills were partly con- verted into woolen mills. The Valley Forge woolen mills were estab- lished in 1810 as a cotton mill by James Rogers. Of woolen and yarn mills, Worrall and Ratclift's mills were started about 1861, when the Rose Glen mill went into operation ; Bullocks, 1863; Lee's carpet mills, 1864; New Union, 1870; and Smith's, in 1883.
With the passing years there have been literally hundreds of factories in this county, producing everything from a common carpet tack (which were really produced by the ton weekly by those thus engaged), to the great products of iron for bridges, railways, etc. The boroughs of Potts- town, Norristown, and nearby places constituted a veritable beehive of miscellaneous industry. Many of these older plants have gone, while others of a more modern type have taken their places. With the machin- ery of to-day, almost endless quantities of goods can be put on the world's market in quick dispatch.
Numerous branches of industry have been mentioned in the several township and borough histories of this work, hence need not be dwelt on in this connection. From what has been already recorded about the past and present of the county's manufacturing plants, it can readily be admitted that the "Kingdom of Montgomery" is one vast work-shop, whose products go forth to all quarters of the globe and have no fear of competition.
All new counties must, as soon as possible, have the use of saw and gristmills. Perhaps no one branch of industry has been sub- ject to more changes in the last century than these mills. With the heavy forests there was a demand for many saw mills, and these were usually, in this county with so many fine streams, propelled by water-power. At one time in the county's history one might have hunted up more than a hundred sawmills, and many, many gristmills, sometimes combined, and again attached one to the other. Other writers in older accounts of this county have dwelt at length on this interesting topic, but the writer will hasten along to more up-to-date subjects, for bear in mind that the felling of the forests has done away with about
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all sawmills in Montgomery county. As to flouring mills, there are a few excellent modern mills in various boroughs, mention of which has been made in several instances. The old process of making flour by means of "upper and lower millstones" has long since departed, and well it is, for the present "roller" system is so far superior for all prac- tical uses that the old way will never be again installed in mills. But the old-time romance of "going to mill" was indeed a charming experi- ence. "The Old Water Mill" is sung in song and told in story, and will ever be held as sacred for the associations connected therewith. The custom mill has been displaced by the merchant mill system, and few people go to mill and wait their turn and watch the honest miller (?) take his toll, but the farmer sells his grain and purchases his family flour, as a rule, at the nearest grocery store.
A Philadelphia concern started the glass industry in Norristown in 1868. However, the enterprise failed, and the plant passed to the hands of J. M. Albertson, banker, of Norristown, who made the enterprise go forward to a success. In 1884 there were twenty pots running, giving employment to one hundred and forty men. They had six large build- ings on a tract of land of about four acres in extent. To-day the glass business is carried on along different lines at various places in the county. The making of bottles and window glass are specialties in this county in glass goods. (See another section of this chapter for number engaged in the business.)
Present Industries-The census of the United States in 1920 gave the following concerning the industries of Montgomery county at that date. The number of persons employed in each industry is given by boroughs or other sub-divisions of the county :
Ambler-Asbestos products, 1200.
Ardmore-Automobile works, 795; gas and electric, 1318; cut stone, 18; laundry workers, 66.
Bridgeport-Amboy Paper Company, 24; Diamond State Fibre Company, 364: worsted mills, 51; structural iron shapes, 100; Lee's Son & Co., yarns, 700; crushed stone works, 24; meat packing plant, 50; packing boxes, 26; worsted and felt goods, 121; pipes and tubing, 120; lime industry, 67.
Bryn Mawr-Ice plant, 50; planing mill products, 24; paper bags, 76; laundry workers, 78.
Cheltenham-Ames shovels and spades, 120; braids and tape works, 50.
Cold Point Station-Lime works, 20.
Collegeville-Flags and banners, 29; flour mills, employ three men; stoves and ranges, 39 men.
Conshohocken-Wood, iron and steel, 606; foundry goods, 30; ma- chine shops, 14; cigars, 152; scrap-iron and steel, 12; cotton mills, 190; stone quarries, 25; rubber goods, 773; glass bottles, 75; window glass, 29; boilers and tanks, 357.
East Greenville-Silk works, 56; cigars, 389; stone industry, 9.
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Fort Washington-Bar and steel works, 280.
Gilbertsville-Cigars, 120.
Green Lane-Silks, 50.
Harleyville-Montgomery Clothing Company, 57.
Hatfield-Braids and tape, 40.
Ivy Rock-Iron works, 907.
Kulpsville-Clothing, 98.
Lansdale-Shirts, 55; men's clothing, 50; cast iron and steel, 80; stoves and heaters, 212; flour products, 14; farm implement goods, 80; umbrellas, 10; pipes and tubing, 115; cast iron and steel, 82; ice, 5; shirts, 98; gloves, 45; men's clothing, 114; silver-plated goods, 18; cigars, 28; art stone, 4.
Linfield-Condensed milk, 6; pipes and tubing, 143.
Montgomery-Furniture, 25.
Norristown Borough-Asbestos products, 25; bolts and nuts, 39; underwear, 184; boilers and tanks, 54; carpets and rugs, 102; gas and electric, 102; patent medicines, 27; radiators, 39; planing mills, 112; cigars, 400; plumbers' supplies, 90; terra cotta work, 22; bakery pro- ductions, 17; chemicals, 27; machine shops, 9; lime industry, 105; meat slaughtering, 45; laundry workers, 115; electric railway, 26; machinery and parts, 170; fancy paper boxes, 47 ; printing and publishing, 15; other asbestos producing plants, 185; woolens, worsteds and felt goods, 239; paper goods, 46; nails and spikes, 40; condensed milk and cheese, 20; railroad shops, 84; hosiery and knit goods, 1,020; shirts, 246; hardware specialties, 128; malt liquors, 83; publishing and printing, 49; machine shops for "parts," 379; tape and braids, 48; castings from iron and steel, 84; suspenders, 3.
Oaks-Flags and banners, 150.
Ogontz-Ice plant, 38; hardware novelties, 43.
Oreland-Crushed stone, 9.
Palm-Gloves (other than leather), 70.
Pencoyd-Marble and granite, 20.
Pennsburg-Cigars, 244; silk and silk goods, 60; paper goods, 13, brick, 9; chemicals, 285.
Pottstown-Brick cheese and condensed milk, 20; pig iron, 330; farm implements, 60; paper boxes, 30; structural shapes, 863; silk and silk goods, 104; brass and bronze, 20; cast iron workers, 22; bar iron and steel, 300; shirts, 52; aluminum and products, 307; stoves and heaters, 79; shirts, 206; iron and steel plates, 100; metal workers, 24; scrap iron and steel, 29; ice, 29; printing, 25; cast iron and steel goods, 30; fancy boxes, 44; cigars, 84; silk and silk goods, 54; shapes and structural work, 208; boilers and tanks, 76; hosiery and knit goods, 254.
Red Hill-Cigars, 217.
Roslyn-Brick works, 45.
Royersford-Stoves and heaters, 492; wood works, 87; glass bottles, 191; underwear, 358; structural iron work, 20; machine shops, 114, dyeing and finishing textile goods, 20; cement blocks, 26.
Schwenksville-Cigars, 388; flour mills, 6.
Souderton-Hose and knit goods, 60; men's clothing, 172; silk goods, 38; crushed stone, 19; cigar boxes, 165.
Sumneytown-Cigars, 90.
Telford-Shirts, 70; cigars, III.
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West Conshohocken-Chemicals, 105; woolen goods and felts, 206; stone, 20.
Whitemarsh-Lime, 42.
William Penn-Paper goods, 345-
The above is a wonderful array of manufacturing plants and their products to be situated within one county. In 1921 Pennsylvania had manufactured products amounting to six billion dollars, and of this, Montgomery county furnished $136,347,900. Norristown alone was listed as thirty-sixth in rank of Pennsylvania boroughs, and in 1921 had plants producing fifteen million nine hundred thousand dollars worth of goods. The wage-earners that year received over three million dollars. The total paid in wages in 1920 in this county in the 606 establishments, amounted to $42,000,000. The number employed was placed at 32,430 men and women.
In Bridgeport, in 1921, was one of the ninety big industrial points in Pennsylvania. It had capital invested, $7,272,547; employees, 2,401 ; salaries and wages, $2,750,658; value of products, $10,996,000.
CHAPTER XXI. STATE AND COUNTY INSTITUTIONS.
One of the hospitals for the insane in the State of Pennsylvania is located at Norristown, and another at Harrisburg. These two, the people of this section of the State have always been especially interested in. The Norristown Hospital is situated in the northern part of the borough, on a two-hundred-acre tract of land commanding a fine view of the surrounding country. The Stony Creek railway passes near by. This institution was built under the administration of Governor Hart- ranft, who appointed a commission for the purpose in the spring of 1876. The Act provided "that the Governor shall appoint ten commis- sioners to select a site and build an hospital for the insane for the Southeastern District of Pennsylvania, embracing the city and county of Philadelphia and the counties of Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Northampton and Lehigh, four of said commissioners to be chosen from the city and county of Philadelphia, and one from each of the other counties embraced within the district aforesaid, who shall serve without compensation." During the two years in which the com- mittee was deliberating on the site and specifications, three of their number died, and others had to be appointed. It took one year to select the site, and another year to settle on the kind of a structure they would have built. The erection of the hospital began March 21, 1878, and it was completed February 17, 1880. The plans adopted were indeed unique, and entirely unlike any other in the country. Commonly speak- ing, it is called "the cottage plan;" that is, not one immense structure, with numberless wards on its numerous floors, but rather segregated or detached, smaller buildings set in groups, the total number being eight, and an administration building in the midst of all. Another new feature insisted on by those in charge was that as there were always to be both sexes represented in this asylum, that in justice to womanhood there should be two resident physicians-a man and a woman. So it was that Dr. B. H. Chase became the physician for the male depart- ment, while Dr. Alice Bennett was made the resident physician for the female department.
The last report for this institution shows the total number of patients to be: Male, 1,373 ; females, 1,544; total, 2,917. The cost per capita per week, $5.36; number of attendants, 515; doctors, eight; dentist, one; druggist, one. The total cost to date for buildings is $2,397,935 ; expense in 1922 was $887,820.01.
Like other counties of this Commonwealth, the care for the unfortu- nate poor from time to time has been a problem hard to solve to the
Mont-19
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satisfaction of all interested-the poor, and the taxpayer whose money must needs support the pauper element. In the early settlement of the country very little appears to have been done for the support of the poor. The population was sparse, labor was in demand, and the necessities of the people were limited to such few absolute requirements that pauper- ism could scarcely be said to exist. The Society of Friends, the Mennon- ites and the Dunkards have invariably supported their own unfortunate poor to the present time.
During the whole of the colonial period, down to the erection ot houses for the support and employment of the poor, they were main- tained by their respective townships or districts. For this purpose two overseers were appointed for each by the judges of the county courts. Their duties were to secure for those committed to their charge homes and employment at the most favorable rates. An act was passed in 1771 that provided for the appointment of two overseers in every township by the justices at a special meeting to be held every year. The expense incurred in providing subsistence, shelter and employment for those whom misfortune had rendered a burden to society, was to be supplied out of the regular county rate. The overseers were responsible for the collection of the amount assessed, and were required to pay over the moneys in their possession. Those who liberated slaves were required to give bonds in the sum of thirty pounds each to keep harmless, and to indemnify the overseers in case such negroes became a charge through sickness or otherwise and rendered incapable of supporting themselves. Among the duties of the overseers were supplying the immediate wants of families reduced to poverty, and in case of death to give them a decent burial. Those who were able to work had to do so among the farming class.
On the formation of the county, the justices of the court appointed twenty overseers in ten townships of the county. The subject of provid- ing a home and a house of employment for the poor, instead of the for- mer method of having them work or board around with whoever would receive them, began to be much agitated. Little was done except talk until March, 1806, when an act was passed authorizing the purchase of a farm and the erection thereon of suitable buildings for the purpose by the county. Other acts were passed and approved in 1807 and again in 1810. Strange as it seems to us to-day, the location selected for the erection of this humane, charitable institution, was in the then very much out-of-the-way place, namely, on the east bank of the Schuylkill river, in Upper Providence township, ten miles above Norristown. The farm was bought of one Cutwaltz, whose land, together with a few acres purchased elsewhere, amounted in all to two hundred and sixty-five acres. The necessary buildings were erected, as per bids sent out, and finally opened. The poorhouse was eventually completed and received its inmates from all over the county in the spring of 1808. Jacob Barr,
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of Pottstown, was steward from the first until 1816, at a salary of $400, including his wife's wages, she being matron of the institution. In 1821 this poorhouse was burned, but rebuilt. The barn and outbuildings were burned in 1867, and rebuilt that season. The poorhouse proving too small and not suitable, as the people viewed the question, in 1870 a contract for a new building was let to William H. Bodey, of Norristown, for $71,100. An additional expense of grading the premises called for $5,000 more. In 1874 steam heat was installed at an expense of $13,000. The main building was originally 75 by 241 feet, three stories high, sur- mounted by a stone belfry. Wings and other additions were made as time advanced. A three-story stone hospital building was also soon provided. Then the colored paupers of the county had to have a sep- arate building erected for them. Again fire swept the original building away in 1872, when the new building was about completed. In 1884 there were 305 persons listed as paupers in this county institution. At that date the farm contained 298 acres, and this included the ten acres of timber. In those days the policy was changed, and the entire institu- tion was in the hands of three directors, their term being for three years. with one elected each year. They must meet at least once a month for inspection, etc. The expense of running the farm is a matter of taxa- tion. What the farm does not produce, the county has to purchase for the poor.
Statistics show that January 1, 1815, there were 82 inmates ; in 1825, 106; in 1849, 198; in 1876, 265; in 1884, 305; the latest report shows the number of poor cared for is 119 males and 80 females ; total being cared for by the county is, according to the January 1, 1923, report, 199. The average for the year was 178. The number of deaths in the Home in 1922 was thirty-two. The amount received by the Home was $9,024.30. The products of the County Home Farm in 1922 were as follows: Bush- els of oats raised, 185; wheat, 2,400; potatoes, 2,200; sweet potatoes, 50; hay, 47 loads; corn fodder, 64 loads; bushels corn, 3,500; amount of home-made soap, 1,400 pounds; milk produced, 68,676 quarts; butter made, 2,881 pounds ; eggs, 2,869 dozens; pounds of beef killed on farm, 23,676. In garden products they had : 5,500 cabbage plants ; 1,500 tomato plants; 2,000 celery plants; 200 pepper plants; 200 egg plants; cauli- flower, 100. They also raised five bushels of lima beans and nine bush- els of soup beans. Number of watermelons grown, fifty.
CHAPTER XXII. TOWNSHIPS: ABINGTON-CHELTENHAM-DOUGLAS- FRANCONIA-FREDERICK.
Townships-The important facts and dates given in this chapter, so far as the formation of the county's townships and boroughs is con- cerned, may be relied upon, as they came from the research and written statements made by historian William J. Buck, long a resident of the county and vicinity.
Very few counties dating back to the colonial period have had com- plete accounts of the dates and general facts concerning their various townships, yet the township comes first, the county next, then the com- monwealth, and last, the Republic itself, but little was ever done in early days in preserving records touching on the formation of the sub- divisions of the counties in Pennsylvania. Old maps, charts and local as well as State historical volumes, have had upon their pages gross errors along these lines, many of which in later years have been corrected by painstaking historians.
Prior to the grant to William Penn, there is no positive proof that what is now Montgomery county had any settlements by Europeans. Dutch traders and fur gatherers had gone up and down the Schuylkill river, but were in no sense "settlers." Section 10 of Penn's grant said : "Unto the said Penn, his heirs and assigns, free and absolute power to divide the said country and islands into towns, hundreds and counties, and to erect incorporate towns into boroughs, and boroughs into cities, and to make and constitute fairs and markets therein, with all their convenient privileges and immunities, according to the merit of the inhabitants and the fitness of the places." The county was too sparcely settled until February, 1685, when the Provincial Council passed a reso- lution ordering the formation of townships and boroughs. It was on this authority that the first sub-divisions of this county were effected in the three original counties in Pennsylvania-namely, Philadelphia, Chester and Bucks. July 27, 1692, the townships of Bucks county were organized, and it is almost certain that the townships in Philadelphia were formed just prior to that meeting. Courts of Quarter Sessions were not established in these three counties until October, 1706, when it was ordered that a court be established in each county, "to be held four times each year, in which all actions and causes may be tried except matters of life and death."
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