USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a history, Volume I > Part 36
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Of the villages within New Hanover township, Pennsburg is treated in the chapters on borough history elsewhere in this history. Palm Sta- tion, located on the Goshenhoppen and Green Lane turnpike, about three
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miles northwest of East Greenville, is a sprightly village where all retail business is carried on such as the surrounding farming community demands. Kleinville was named for two brothers who owned a number of farms in the vicinity, in the northeastern part of the township. What was formerly known as Hillegassville, finally divided into upper and lower villages, was established by the various members of the Hillegass family, but now the name, as denoting a village, is not on the county maps, but instead, the borough of Red Hill is found, the same being a railway station. This particular part of the place was commenced in 1836 by Jacob A. Hillegass, who there built a large store. See other chapters on Boroughs for Red Hill and Greenville boroughs.
Norriton-The part of the county in which Norristown is situated is within an old tract of 7,842 acres of land, ordered surveyed by William Penn, the order reading, "to lay out a tract of land on the canoable part of Schuylkill." This tract was designated the "Manor of William- stadt." It was to be a princely gift to his son, and lay directly opposite a similar manor surveyed and laid out on the south side of the river for his daughter, Letitia Penn. A patent was granted October 2, 1704, conveying to William Penn, Jr., the manor or tract above described. Five days after the son came into possession of this great estate, he parted with it to Isaac Norris and William Trent, merchants in Phila- delphia. Eight years later, Norris acquired the whole property. The cost to the two purchasers was £850 sterling, a mere nothing as to what its value was even at the time it was sold by young Penn. The ancient manor of Williamstadt remained intact until 1730, when in usual form, the civil township of Norriton was created as decreed by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia county. The original area was consid- erably cut down by the incorporation of the borough of Norristown in 1812, which contained five hundred and twenty acres, and in 1853 was extended to take in fifteen hundred additional acres. At the time the manor was changed into a township, there were twenty landowners and tenants. Up to the time Montgomery county was set off from Phila- delphia county, 1784, the history of this people is obscured by the fact that it was not in close touch with Philadelphia, and roads were not yet provided. It is, however, known that the township took its name from the Norris family, the head of which was Isaac Norris, a large owner of land and a man of much influence in the country of William Penn. He was chosen eighteen times as speaker of the Assembly, being first elected in 1713. Thus was Norriton township brought into public record. It remained as first organized until 1904, when East and West Norriton townships were made out of the territory first known as "Norriton."
At the time the township was created, there were twenty landowners; 181 horses, 269 horned cattle; fourteen negro slaves, two riding chairs
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There were two gristmills, four sawmills, one tannery, six taverns, and the usual number of small shops and trading places. The population of the original Norriton township was, in 1810, 1,386; in 1820, 1,098; in 1830, 1,139; in 1840, 1,411; 1850, 1,594; in 1880, it was only 1,360; and in 1920, is given by the Federal census as 1,375, in both East and West Norriton townships. The history of the borough of Norristown is so completely interwoven with that of the two civil townships that the reader is referred to the borough history for much that might be looked for in this connection.
The first post office here was established at Jeffersonville, January I, 1829. Mails were then received by stage lines running over the old Ridge pike from Philadelphia to Reading, thence on to Pittsburgh. Later post offices were established in Penn Square and Norritonville. Later the office at Penn Square was changed to Hartranft Station. The first general election in the township was held at the public house in Jeffersonville, October, 1852. The free common school system went into operation here in 1838-39. (See Educational chapter; for church history also see general chapters on Churches.)
Perkiomen-This is one of the central townships of Montgomery county, and was bounded at one time, north by Upper and Lower Sal- ford, east by Towamencin, south by Lower Providence, southeast by Worcester, west by Upper Providence, and north by Frederick and Limerick townships. Its extent was about three and one-quarter miles by six miles, and contained an area of 11,400 acres. Unlike many parts of this county, there are few springs found bubbling forth from the way- side, cheering the heart of the passerby, who looks for the "spring- house" in vain while in this township. However, there are a number of good sized streams flowing hither and yon. One is Perkiomen creek, on the banks of which have many years been saw and gristmills, until such mills were no longer a utility-the farmer buys his bread, and the timber is all hacked down and used up. The name Perkiomen is of Indian origin, and its meaning somewhat clouded. But these boundaries have materially changed with passing years. It is now numbered among the least in extent of almost any township within the county. It is triangular, southeast of the Perkiomen creek, extending between and connecting the boroughs of Schwenksville, Trappe and Collegeville. Upper Providence is at its south, and Limerick and Frederick at its west. Its acreage is small. Greatersford and Iron Bridge are the only ham- lets. The population in 1800 was 781 ; in 1900, 1,082 ; in 1920, 1,024.
The Revolutionary history of this vicinity is very interesting, and to it a brief reference will be made. The battle of Brandywine was fought September II, 1777, and resulted disastrously to the Americans. On the 23rd Washington arrived near the present Pottstown, while the day before the British crossed below Valley Forge to this side of the Schuyl-
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kill, proceeding leisurely on their march to Philadelphia. The Amer- ican army came from near Pottsgrove into this township on the after- noon of September 26th, and encamped on the hills of both sides of the Perkiomen. Washington made his headquarters at the house of Henry Keely, about three-quarters of a mile southwest of Pennypacker's Mill, using, however, "Camp Perkioming," as well as the latter name, in his orders to designate the vicinity.
CHAPTER XXV. TOWNSHIPS: POTTSGROVE, UPPER, LOWER AND WEST- PROVIDENCE, UPPER AND LOWER-PLYMOUTH- WHITEMARSH.
Prior to 1890 the Pottsgrove townships were all known as one town- ship, called Pottsgrove, hence its settlement and general history will be treated as one civil subdivision of Montgomery county and not especially as three distinct townships. This territory lies in the extreme southwestern corner of the county, and was erected as a township in 1807, its domain being taken from Douglas and New Hanover townships. As originally constituted, its territory was bounded northeast by Doug- las and New Hanover, southeast by Limerick, south by the Schuylkill and the borough of Pottstown; to its west and northwest was Berks county. It was three and a half by five miles in extent, and had an area of 11,600 square acres, nearly eighteen square miles. The southern por- tion of this township is exceedingly well adapted for farming, its soil being of the best for this part of our country. The eastern part is much more hilly and rolling. Among prominent hills and elevations are Ring- ing Hill, Stone Hill, Prospect Hill and Fox Hills. On these elevations the soil is very thin and not productive of profitable crops. The township is well watered by Manatawny and Sprogel's creeks, Sanatoga and Goose runs, together with their numerous branches. The largest stream is the Manatawny, rising in Rockland township, Berks county, and after a general course of eighteen miles empties into the Schuylkill river at the borough of Pottstown. Only two miles of this stream, how- ever, are within this township, but in this distance it had many years ago three gristmills on its banks. Governor Gordon speaks of this mill in 1728 and calls it the "Mahanatawny." It is from Indian dialect, and means "where we drank." Sprogel's run, all within this township, rises in Fox Hills and falls into the Schuylkill. It propelled a clover and chopping mill at one date. Schull shows this stream on his maps of 1720. Formerly on its banks near the center of the township, a copper mine was worked successfully for a number of years. Sanatoga run, three or four miles of which are within this township, gives a valuable water power, at least did thirty-five years ago. Four gristmills and three sawmills were propelled by its waters.
Among the county's natural curiosities may be mentioned the "Ring- ing Rocks," on Stone Hill, three miles northeast of Pottstown. They consist of trap rocks, exceedingly hard and compact, which on being struck with a hammer, ring like iron. These rocks are piled one on another, and cover about one and a half acres of ground, within which
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no trees or bushes are found growing. It is supposed that the largest rocks would weigh from five to twenty-five tons each, and some of the apertures are visible to the depth of twenty-five feet. A number of impressions can be seen on them, among which are three closely resembling the human foot, from three to six inches in depth; also a number resembling the tracks of horses, and elephants, and cannon- balls from six to twelve inches in diameter. The sounds emitted by these rocks are various, depending on their shape and size. Some when struck resemble the ringing of anvils, others of church bells, with all their intermediate tones. As was well said by old Aristotle, there is a statue in every block of marble, but it takes a sculptor to find it, so it might be said of these rocks, in every one there is some note in music, but it would still take the aid of a skilled musician to discover it. It was the early German settlers who gave these rocks the name of Kling- leberg, meaning Ringing Hill.
October 25, 1701, William Penn conveyed to his son, John Penn, a tract of twelve thousand acres of land, which the latter, in June, 1735, sold to George McCall, a merchant of Philadelphia, for the sum of two thousand guineas, or in our present-day money would be worth $9,339. On a resurvey it was found to contain fifteen thousand acres. This tract comprised all the present township of Douglas, the upper half of Potts- grove, and the whole of Pottstown. Down to 1753, this tract was com- monly known as the "McCall Manor." McCall was a native of Glas- gow, Scotland, and in Philadelphia became a wealthy merchant. It is supposed that he built the first iron works in this township, which he called after the place of his nativity, and which name has been retained and familiar to the traders in iron to this day. Among the first to settle in the township was John Henry Sprogel, who with his brother, Ludwick Christian Sprogel, by invitation of William Penn, came to this country from Holland. They were both naturalized in 1705, and John Henry purchased here six hundred acres on which he settled with his family. Sprogel's run was named for him. From gravestone in- scriptions, he was among the very earliest to take up a residence in the township. In 1753 John Potts lived in Pottsgrove (now called Potts- town) after whom both the borough and the township were named. By the act of April 11, 1807, it was enacted "that the Sixth Election District shall be composed of the township of Pottsgrove, lately erected from a part of New Hanover and a part of Douglas, shall hold their elections at the house of William Lesher, Pottstown, and the electors of the remain- der of the township of Douglas and New Hanover at the house of Henry Kreps, New Hanover." June 10, 1875, the Court of Quarter Sessions divided the township into Upper and Lower election districts. Just prior to 1890 this territory hitherto known as Pottsgrove township was subdivided into what now are known as Upper, Lower and West Potts- grove townships. The Philadelphia & Reading railroad runs through
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the entire length of the old original township; the Colebrookdale road also has a course of over two miles within the territory. The various census enumerating periods have given this township (before separa- tion) as follows: 1810, 1,521 ; 1820, 1,882 ; in 1830 it was 1,302; in 1840, 1,361 ; in 1850, 1,689; in 1880 it was 3,985; in 1890 the population in 1910 (after the township had been divided) was, for West Pottsgrove, 1,507: Upper Pottsgrove, 454; Lower Pottsgrove, 704. The Federal census in 1920 gives "Pottsgrove township," 3,057.
Before the division of the original township took place, the villages were listed as Crooked Hill, Glasgow, Grosstown and Half-Way. Glas- gow, a small manufacturing village a mile and a half north of Potts- town, is the site of the well known Glasgow iron works and rolling mills. George McCall, the owner, in his will left five hundred acres of what was known as McCall's Manor to his son, Alexander McCall, and which later became known as the Forge tract. Alexander McCall sold his Forge property to Joseph and John Potts and James Hackley. In 1789 it was sold at sheriff's sale to David Rutter and Joseph Potts, Jr. The same year Rutter sold his interest to Samuel Potts, who by will in 1793 authorized his sons to sell his interest, and February, 1797, it was conveyed to Joseph Potts, Jr., who was the owner of the other half. It remained in the Potts family until 1832, when it was sold to Jacob Weaver, Jr. In 1820 there was at this place a small sheet iron mill, two bloomeries, a gristmill, two mansion houses, ten log tenant houses, and two stone tenant houses. After Weaver bought the property, he constructed ten stone tenant houses. This Weaver also built a furnace, which proved a failure. The forge property in 1864 passed to James Hilton, and in 1873 to Joseph Bailey and Comley Shoemaker. In 1883 Glasgow village consisted of the iron works and several fine residences. With the change of times and the shifting of industries to other parts, the village has been absorbed and is not commercially known to-day.
Grosstown, a small village two miles west of Pottstown, on the old Philadelphia, Reading and Perkiomen turnpike, was started by a fam- ily named Gross, who lived there about one hundred and twenty-five years ago. It was only a hamlet of a few houses, a schoolhouse and a blacksmith shop. Its interests have long since been absorbed by Pottstown.
Crooked Hill, another hamlet, situated on Crooked Hill run, north from the station known as Sanatoga, on the Reading line and three miles east from Pottstown, near a century ago had a tavern kept by Levi Windermuth. A gristmill and post office graced the hamlet at that date, as well as many years thereafter. It was a favorite stopping place for teamsters and travelers on the turnpike. To-day the various business interests of these three Pottsgrove townships have long since been absorbed by the greater industries of Pottstown.
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Providence-The three Providence subdivisions of Montgomery county will all be here treated, to contain the history of Providence township, Upper Providence township and Lower Providence township.
When William Penn, the founder of this Commonwealth, sold off lands from his possessions, he reserved for himself a large tract on the east side of the Schuylkill river. It embraced the whole of the present Upper and Lower Providence townships, and parts of the townships of Perkiomen and Worcester. This tract was named by the founder, "The Manor of Gilberts." This name was selected in honor of his mother's family name. One of the early purchasers of land herein was Jacob Tellner, one of the founders of Germantown, who owned a large tract along the Skippack creek, which now constitutes the northwest corner of present Lower Providence township. For many years the land lying along the Skippack was known as Tellner township, while that between the Skippack and Perkiomen was called "Perkoming," the pres- ent township of Perkiomen being then known as "Van Bebbers Town- ship." In March, 1725, a petition was presented the court to establish a township of the territory upon which they resided. This was along the then called Perquomin creek. Nothing was done in the petition matter until 1729, when a new one was presented, accompanied by a draft of the proposed township. March 2, 1729, the court decreed that the prayer of the petitioners be granted, and that day the court created the township of Providence. The name is uncertain ; it may have been after Roger Williams' Providence in Rhode Island, and may have been for some other geographical point in the world. This territory faced the Schuylkill river front, and is south centrally located in the county. There is a good shale soil, and but very little waste land within the domain of these two townships as known to-day. Perkiomen creek forms a natural line between the two townships and is the largest stream in Montgomery county. It is about thirty-two miles long, following its meanderings. The name indicates in Indian language, "place where grow the cranberries." It has been spelled an endless number of ways, but of recent decades has come to be as just given.
Mingo creek rises in Limerick township, and runs through a part of Upper Providence, where it empties into the Schuylkill river. Another small stream known as Zimmerman's run rises near Trappe and empties into the Perkiomen near Yerkes. Lower Providence has two fair sized streams, the Skippack and Mine run. The former is seventeen miles long and is tributary to the Perkiomen. Mine run rises in the township, and after flowing three miles empties into the Perkiomen at Oaks. The wagon roads or highways are too ancient and complex to be given any intelligent account of in this connection. One of the most ancient roads is the Great Road from Philadelphia to the Perkiomen; in 1709 it was being extended on to Reading. The Perkiomen and Reading turnpike runs through this part of the county, and was built in 1815. The Per-
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kiomen and Sumneytown turnpike was finished in 1845. In Lower Providence there are two main pike roads, both beginning at the eastern end of Perkiomen bridge at Collegeville. Three railroads pass in and out of this township. The Philadelphia & Reading runs two miles through Upper Providence, with a station at Mingo, the Perkiomen Val- ley running from Perkiomen to Allentown. This road was open for travel in the year of 1868. The Pennsylvania & Schuylkill Valley rail- road passes along the east side of the Schuylkill; this was finished in 1884. Its four original stations were Port Kennedy, Perkiomen, Port Providence and Mont Clare. There have been numerous bridges in this township, and several were pay or toll bridges up to the eighties.
This township was settled first by an Englishman named Edward Lane, who came from Jamaica in 1684, and in 1698 bought 2,500 acres of land, confirmed to him by William Penn in 1701. This land was situated on both sides of the Perkiomen, upon which now stand the boroughs of Collegeville and Evansburg. He built a gristmill on the Skippack in 1708. These Lanes were instrumental in establishing the Episcopal church in Lower Providence. Another pioneer was Joseph Richardson, who bought a thousand acres here in 1710. He left eight children at his death, and many of his descendants still live in the county. In 1717 John Jacob Schrack and wife came from Germany to this township. He it was who after much persistency got Rev. Muhlenberg to locate in America. During the Revolutionary War he made a wonderful record, and aided in founding the first churches in Pennsylvania of his religious faith. From the earliest time down to 1777 the settlers had to go to Philadelphia to cast their votes. The elections were then held at the Inn opposite the State House. Later the people voted at Norristown. In 1734 the township had only seventy-four landowners. In 1741 it had taxables amounting to 146. In 1785 the township contained twenty slaves and had six hotels.
Lower Providence township as now constituted is bounded on the west by Upper Providence, on the northeast by Perkiomen and Wor- cester townships, on the southwest by Norriton, and on the south by the Schuylkill river. Its area is 9,143 acres. Red shale greatly pre- dominates in the soils of this part of the county. Near the Perkiomen, at Oaks, at an early day lead mines were worked, but never to profit. The mines were opened in 1800, and were being operated in 1818 by Mr. Wetherell. With lead mining came the discovery of copper, and in Jan- uary, 1848, the Perkiomen Mining Association was formed. The land cost about $10,000 ; much costly machinery was placed in position, and a shaft was sunk 585 feet. There many thousands of tons of copper were taken from the earth, but later all was abandoned and the machinery rusted out with the passing years.
In 1810 the population was 904; in 1820 it was 1,146; in 1850, 1,961 ; in 1880 it was 1,856; in 1900 it was 1,625; in 1920, it was 2,221. As to
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schools and churches, the reader is referred to separate chapters on these topics elsewhere in this work. There are six mills, three upon the Per- kiomen and three on the Skippack, "all doing a good business," it was said in 1883.
The villages of Lower Providence were as listed forty years ago: Evansburg, Shannonville, Eagleville, and Providence Square. At that date each village had its post office. The largest of these places was Evansburg. The land on which it was built was a part of the old Lane estate. In 1721 an Episcopal church was built there, and in 1725 a post office obtained. Edward Evans, the postmaster, was the son of Owen Evans, American ancestor, who engaged in gun-making for the govern- ment .. The place was named for this family of Evans. The nickname that stuck to this place for more than a generation was "Hustletown." It is supposed that Mr. Hustle Town was a resident there when the place got its nickname. Shannonville, another village of this township, was first so called in 1823, when a post office was established there. It was named for the large, influential family of Shannons near by. Jack's tavern was at this point, and the place like its sister had a nickname- here it was "Hogtown." Mr. Shannon was a large swine farmer, and hence the wags called the place Hogtown. But with a more dignified age, these rude names have been forgotten only by the very aged, who smile at hearing them mentioned.
Eagleville was a good sized village in the early eighties. It is on the Ridge turnpike, at the top of Skippack Hill, near the center of the town- ship. Town meetings were held there many years. Hotel, stores, post office, a carriage shop, all sprung up around the large building erected by Silas Rittenhouse. It still remains a hamlet of the county. Provi- dence Square, another collection of houses and shops, sprung from a small beginning in 1855, when Thomas Miller erected a large shop for the making of wagons and carriages on the Germantown pike. It lives by name and a few houses at present. Wetheral's Corner, another place of this township, came up by reason of Dr. William Wetheral in 1865, who erected some buildings at the corner of Egypt road and another public highway, a half mile south of Shannonville.
Upper Providence township, as established in 1805, is bounded on the north by Perkiomen township, on the east by Perkiomen creek, separating it from Lower Providence; on the southwest by the Schuyl- kill river and on the northwest by Limerick township. It is three by six miles in extent, and contains 12,098 acres. It was the third best agri- cultural township in the county forty odd years ago. The villages within the township are: Trappe, Freeland, Collegeville, Oaks, Port Providence, Green Tree, and Quinceyville or Mont Clare. The history of many of these have been incorporated into the Borough history chap- ters of this volume, which see.
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Plymouth-This township is bounded on the north by Whitpain, east by Whitemarsh, south by Schuylkill river and the borough of Con- shohocken, and west by the borough of Norristown and Norriton. It originally contained 5,641 acres. The surface is rolling, but in no sense hilly. It was stated by those engaged in research work as farm experts forty years ago, that no township in this county has more acres of fer- tile all workable land than Plymouth. However, it lacks the beautiful streams found in other parts of this county. Plymouth creek is the largest stream; Saw Mill run is another, too small to be utilized for power purpose at any time of the year. Two-thirds of the township is underlaid with limerock, at places near the surface. Nearly the whole river front is a bluff of pure limestone, which has for long years been a source of revenue and profit to the burners of excellent lime which has been shipped both by rail and water to distant parts of the country. In 1840 the government reports gave this industry here at $45,480. In 1858 seventy-five kilns in operation produced over 100,000 bushels at one "burning." Later, the industry grew to be very extensive. Places where a century ago there appeared to be no traces of iron ore, now have developed into an inexhaustible amount. For an account of railroads including those touching this township, see chapter on Rail- roads in this work. Special chapters also on Educational and Religious societies are devoted to these subjects for the county in general. The population in 1800 of the township was 572; in 1840 was 1,417; in 1880 it was 1,916; in 1900 only 1,449; and in 1920 3,201.
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