USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a history, Volume I > Part 43
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capacious halls; the first especially is one of the stateliest edifices in the town, and it is not an over-estimate to value the apparatus and real estate of all the firemen of Norristown at near a hundred thousand dollars.
The DeKalb street bridge, already mentioned briefly, is of enough commercial importance to have an additional explanation as to its origin, and present owership, and also its condition in this year, 1923. It was commenced in the early spring of 1829, and by September was so far finished as to admit foot-passengers. It was built by an incorporated company in 1830, at a cost of $21,200, and commenced taking toll Janu- ary 9th of that year. It is eight hundred feet in length, exclusive of its abutments. The company's first president was Mathias Roberts ; Joseph Thomas, treasurer ; Thomas M. Jolly, secretary ; and William LeBarrow, builder and contractor. Soon after the Civil War it had to be rebuilt. It was then the county held stock in the enterprise to the amount of $23,000. The people clamored for a free bridge, and while it was first strongly agitated in 1870, nothing definite was accomplished until in 1872 it was talked that unless a free bridge was made of it, the county would construct another in the vicinity. The Legislature passed an act in 1872 prohibiting the building of a bridge across Pennsylvania rivers within three thousand feet of any toll bridge then in operation. The fight was then on between a corporation and the public. A Free Bridge Association was organized, and after a long hardfought battle the bridge was declared free October 13, 1884, the county taking it in charge. DeKalb street, remember, is on the old State road, and was forty feet wide from Delaware county to the Maryland State line. This quite well preserved wooden arch-covered wagon, street car and foot bridge struc- ture, has carried its tens of thousands of persons to and from Bridgeport during its existence. Its age and much needed repairs called for action this year, when the county commissioners finally agreed to repair the structure at an expense of $35,000, rather than build a new structure throughout. The work is now progressing.
The various churches and schools of Norristown, and they are numerous and most excellent in their standards, have all been treated in separate chapters of this work; also the prodigious manufacturing plants of this and other nearby boroughs, form a chapter under the head of Industries of the County, hence need no further mention in this connection.
Libraries, Historical Society-Besides school libraries, Norristown has two libraries. The Norristown Library was founded in 1794, incor- porated April 30, 1796, and its charter was signed by Governor Thomas Mifflin. It has had various locations, but is now situated in a permanent home in a two-story brick building on DeKalb street, near Airy, to which it moved in 1859. Its first catalogue was printed in 1836 contain-
12SOIRSTAN ASSOCIATION
M.CA
AIRY AND DE KALB STREETS, NORRISTOWN (CITY HALL AND Y. M. C. A.)
WEST MAIN STREET, NORRISTOWN (SHOWING MASONIC TEMPLE)
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ing forty pages. It is still a subscription library and the price of shares is $5.00 each. Life membership costs $20.00. Present number of books in excess of 27,000.
The other library is situated on Oak street, opposite the High School, and is the gift of a retired business man named William McCann, who in about 1879, while walking through the then new school building remarked that it ought to have a room fitted up for a library. Two years later, following out the idea, his will made a bequeathment of $14,000- $2,000 to fit up a building, and the remainder to be invested and only the income used in support of the library. This income now amounts to about $300 each year. He gave it to the Norristown School Board with provision that in case they ceased to care for the same, it should be turned over to the borough council. Another clause in the provision was that "it is to be a free public library to all citizens over the age of ten years." The money was received from the McCann estate in 1884; the first books were bought and the library opened to the public March I, 1885. It was reorganized in 1899, and Miss Mumford was appointed to catalogue the books. The library outgrew its room in the school building in 1910 and new quarters had to be secured, and it was then moved to its present quarters in the second story of a brick building on Oak, near DeKalb street. The last report rendered by the librarian, Helen A. Bomberger, in 1922, shows the library to contain S,002 volumes of bound books, besides numerous collections of periodicals. The libra- rians include the following: The Misses Erskine, Harriet A. Mumford, and Miss Zimmerman, who was the first. The present librarian has been in charge since 1910. If the borough is lacking in anything of public utility it certainly is in the matter of a larger, better public library, cen- trally located.
The Montgomery County Historical Society was founded February 22, 1881, under a call from fourteen prominent citizens of Norristown and outside boroughs. It was not incorporated until 1883. The first officers were: Theo. W. Bean, president; Reuben Kreible, Prof. R. T. Hoffecker and Dr. Hiram Corson; recording secretary, J. S. Shrawder, M. D .; Isaac Chism, treasurer ; librarian, Nathaniel Jacoby. Its first great undertaking was the holding of the county's centennial celebration, in 1884.
As set forth in their own language "The object of a County Historical Society is to perpetuate a record of important events occurring within the confines of the county, or in any way affecting its welfare, and also to preserve the memory of eminent persons who have lived within its borders, or who have advanced its general interests." Much of the suc- cess of the early undertakings of this society was due to the unstinted labors of Colonel Theo. W. Bean, who was largely influential in its organization. He labored for it and worked hard to keep it up. At his death the society lost one of its most active members. He was its first
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president, and served .in such capacity until 1889, when he declined reëlection any longer. He was succeeded as president by Hon. Jones Detwiler, and the latter by Hon. Hiram C. Hoover. Year after year the society has been collecting historic volumes, until a recent invoice shows they have upwards of three thousand volumes in binding, besides other publications of great historic value. They also are making a collection of curiosities and relics of interest to all Eastern Pennsylvanians. They purchased the old red brick borough building (City Hall), near the court house, on January 6, 1897, for $5,500. The present officers of the Historical Society are: President, Irvin P. Knipe, Esq .; first vice-presi- dent, H. Severn Regar ; second vice-president, Edward W. Hocker ; third vice-president, Samuel Yeakle, Esq .; treasurer, Dr. W. H. Reed ; record- ing secretary, George K. Brecht; corresponding secretary, Miss Lillian Childs ; financial secretary, Mrs. William M. Gearhart; curator, William M. Gearhart.
Washington and the British Both Here-To digress from modern his- tory a little, the writer desires to here relate the appearance of the British soldiers, in this place, as well as of General Washington and his soldiers having crossed the Schuylkill river at this point. Our authority is that nearly always correct local writer, William J. Buck, who treats this as follows:
Only two days after the defeat of Washington at Brandywine he dis- patched General Armstrong, with a portion of the militia, along the Schuylkill to throw up redoubts at the different fords which were to be occasionally occupied, that in case the British should attempt to cross they might be opposed. At that time the principal crossing-place was at Swedes' Ford, and on this account it was expected that they might pass there, and for this reason, under the direction of Chevalier Du Portail, an engineer, formerly in the French army, Armstrong's men threw up entrenchments and breastworks opposite that place, and now in the bor- ough, and it is said that they were scarcely completed before the British made their appearance on the other side, but in consequence changed their line of march towards Valley Forge. Remains of these works were still visible forty years ago. While Washington was near Pottsgrove the enemy crossed the Schuylkill at Fatland Ford, five and a half miles above Norristown, on the night of September 22, 1777, and proceeded leisurely on their march to the city. On the 23rd a portion of their army was overnight in or near the present borough, on which occasion they set fire and burned down nearly all the buildings in the place. So great was the damage done that on a valuation being made, the State allowed to Colonel Bull for his loss £2080, to the University £ 1000, to Hannah Thompson £807 and William Dewees £329-the whole equivalent to $11,240 of our present currency.
Other sections of this work have mentioned many pioneer hotels or inns, hence no detail need be had here as to the many Norristown tav- erns, further than to say that in 1837 the place had nine public houses. The "Washington" was kept by Abraham Markley, the "Rising Sun"
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Dy Samuel Sharpless, the "Eagle" by Henry Kerr, the Norristown Hotel by Jacob Spang, and the "Pennsylvania Farmer" by Daniel Emery. In 1880 all had disappeared except the Eagle, which was rebuilt and greatly enlarged and afterward called the "Rambo House," and it is still con- ducted. To-day there are the Hamilton, the Montgomery, the Penn, the Hartranft, the Lincoln, and a few others, but the traveling public claim there is still room for others of the right type.
In the public square adjoining the court house has been erected a monument of white and blue marble-a base bearing the inscription of the 547 soldiers who lost their lives in the struggle known as the Rebel- lion, between 1861-65, and surmounting this square base is a handsome shaft with an American eagle with extended wings on its topmost peak. Nearly eight thousand men went from this county as members of the Union army. As has been said, "Patriotism has ever been a part of our business in Montgomery County."
Barbadoes island is in the Schuylkill river, opposite Norristown bor- ough, and was mentioned in a warrant from William Penn to Ralph Fretwell, a merchant from Barbadoes, as early as August 16, 1684, as "the long island called Barbadoes." They were both at this time in this country, the latter having arrived in Philadelphia, according to his cer- tificate to the Friends' meeting there, in the beginning of that year. The island appears on the map of Thomas Holmes in original surveys exe- cuted 1695. It became attached to the Manor of Williamstadt, granted to William Penn, Jr., October 2, 1704, and a few days later sold to Isaac Norris and William Trent. The former, in 1720, purchased the right of his partner, and thus it was retained in the Norris family. Documentary evidence of the foregoing is as follows :
In pursuance of a Warrant from the Proprietaries, to me directed, December 17, 1733, I certify I have surveyed unto Isaac Norris, of Fair Hill, Esq., all that Great Island lying in the River Schuylkill, opposite the Manor of Williamstadt, situate in the County of Philadelphia, the said Island being in length about 400 perches, and in breadth in the broadest place about 60 perches, containing 88 acres. Returned into the Secretary's office, 8th of 12th month, 1733-34.
BENJAMIN EASTBURN, Sur .- General.
Charles Norris, during his lifetime, which was previous to 1770, erected a dam from the northern shore across to Barbadoes Island to propel his gristmill, which in reality led to the great water-power obtained from the Schuylkill in later times. At that time this island was heavily timbered, and in the autumn of 1804 an advertisement appeared calling for men to cut thereon one hundred and fifty cords of wood, and a year later it was advertised for sale, and described as containing forty acres of standing timber. Early military and other parades were held on this island "off the coast of Norristown." It later became quite a sum- mer resort and had a floating bath house and other unique attractions. In
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the spring of 1805 hand bills were out calling attention to the "Barbadoes Island Races" of May 8th, when $400 were given as prizes. To-day the island is the seat of factory and electric power enterprises, with no sem- blance of trees or handsome parking, as once was the design of its pro- prietors. There was a fine, strong spring of pure water flowing on the island for generations. The land was finally all reduced to agricultural purposes, the soil being of the most fertile quality.
The first post office in Norristown was in 1799, with John Davis as postmaster. From that date to 1884 the postmasters have included Messrs. James Wells, Isaiah W. Davis, Philip Hahn, John Sutlee, Henry G. Hart, Dr. E. L. Acker, Robert Iredell, 1861-66; Henry Quilman, Sam- uel Brown and Robert Iredell. From that time to the present the post- masters have been : George Schall, Albrecht K. Kneule, John W. Schall, Henry M. Brownback, Albert K. Kneule, and present incumbent H. Stan- ley Drake. The beautiful and substantial government post office struc- ture is situated at the corner of Main and Barbadoes streets, was finished in 1905, and cost the United States $100,000. There are now twenty clerks and twenty carriers to do the work in the Norristown post office.
APPENDIX
CHAPEL, URSINUS COLLEGE, COLLEGEVILLE
APPENDIX. Ursinus College.
The General Assembly of Pennsylvania on the 5th day of February, 1869, granted a liberal charter for the founding of "an institution of learning, for the purpose of imparting instruction in Science, Literature. the Liberal Arts and the Learned Professions," to a board of directors previously chosen. The corporation of the new college was organized at a meeting of the directors held in the city of Philadelphia, February 10, 1869. The original board of directors consisted of the following-named persons: James Koons, Sr., J. Knipe, W. D. Gross, H. W. Kratz, A. Kline, H. K. Harnish, Abraham Hunsicker, Sr., J. W. Sunderland, John Wiest, A. W. Myers, H. H. W. Hibshman, A. Van Haagen, J. H. A. Bomberger, J. G. Wiehle, J. Dahlman, Jr., Emanuel Longacre, George Schall, W. L. Graver, William Sorber, Nathan Pennypacker, N. Gehr,
The causes which led to the founding of the new college lay in the conditions which prevailed at that time in the Reformed Church in the United States, to which body a majority of the directors of the college belonged. The decades immediately preceding had been a period of theological discussion and debate. The Reformed Church was divided into two parties or wings, a high church party and a low church party. The institutions in the eastern part of the church were in the hands of the high church party, which at that time showed decided Romanizing tendencies. As a protest against these tendencies, and for the purpose of providing an institution for the training of ministers and "an institution where the youth of the land could be liberally educated under the benign influence of Christianity," the conservative or low church party founded Ursinus College. The founders chose as a name for the new institution that of Ursinus, one of the authors of the Heidelberg Catechism, and a professor in the University of Heidelberg in Germany.
In seeking a location for the new institution, the board of directors chose Collegeville (then known as Freeland), Montgomery county. At this place a boys' school, Freeland Seminary, had been conducted suc- cessfully for more than twenty years, having been founded in 1848. In this school more than three thousand young men had received preparation for college and training for their life work. This school property, well and favorably located, was purchased; Freeland Seminary was incorpor- ated into the new institution as its academic or preparatory department, and on September 6, 1870, Ursinus College was formally opened and instruction was begun. The college began its career without any endowment. Men of ample means, who had planned to provide for its maintenance, were interested in the new institution, but the financial
NOTE-This important narrative reached the editor too late for its appearance elsewhere in our work.
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panic of 1873 swept away the funds intended to be devoted to this cause and the college was destined to undergo the severest financial struggles. During the first two decades it was maintained and supported chiefly by contributions from individuals and congregations. The founder and first president, the Rev. J. H. A. Bomberger, D. D., and those associated with him in the management of the institution, were frequently confronted with great difficulties in securing sufficient funds to keep the college open.
The original faculty of Ursinus College consisted of President Bom- berger, the Rev Henry W. Super, A. M., J. Shelly Weinberger, A. M., Dr. J. Warrenne Sunderland, the Rev. John Van Haagen, A. M., and Dr. J. Warren Royer. These were all men of thorough education and large experience, and the new college had therefore the advantage of starting its work with a strong faculty. Dr. Bomberger was a graduate of Marshall College; he had been a successful minister for upwards of thirty years; he had occupied prominent pulpits in the church, and had served on its most important boards. He had knowledge of the man- agement of educational institutions. In addition to the executive duties, he took charge of the intellectual and moral sciences, evidences of Christianity and Biblical studies. The Rev. Henry W. Super was also a graduate of Marshall College who had served both in the pastorate and the professor's chair. He became professor of the higher mathematics, mechanics, the harmony of science and revealed religion. Prof. Wein- berger was a graduate of Yale College, who for ten years had been teacher of the ancient languages in Freeland Seminary. He became pro- fessor of Latin and Greek in the college. Dr. Sunderland, a graduate of Wesleyan University, was a trained educator who had had experience as a teacher in several institutions, east and west; he became professor of the natural sciences. The Rev. John Van Haagen, a thorough scholar of American and European training, became professor of the German language and literature, history, etc. Dr. J. Warren Royer, a graduate of Princeton College and of the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, offered lectures in physiology and anatomy. Besides these heads of departments, several instructors were employed.
During the first twenty years of history, covering the period of the presidency of Dr. Bomberger, the college carried forward its work amidst many discouragements. At its founding the patronage was good, but owing to financial and other difficulties it soon began to fall off. Because there was no adequate endowment, the financial problem was ever present, and the first generation of men, who devoted themselves to the cause of higher education in Ursinus College, had to make many sacrifices. President Bomberger died on August 19, 1890. During the years immediately preceding his death he had a fixed conviction that in order to save the struggling college, some forward step must be taken
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to bring it prominently before the public. The tender of a contribution of $25,000 by Robert Patterson, of Philadelphia, a member of the board of directors, for the erection of an administration building, opened the way for this advance step. At the commencement in June, President Bomberger had the pleasure of announcing this gift. This splendid gift gave the now aged president new hope. The day was saved, and the college for which he had labored so earnestly would have a brighter future. But, like Moses of old, he was not permitted to enter the prom- ised land ; he could only view it from the distance, for before the building could be erected, Dr. Bomberger had passed away.
After the death of President Bomberger, Dr. Henry W. Super, then vice-president of the college, was made acting president by the board of directors. He served in this capacity during the year 1890-91. During the following year (1891-92), Dr. George W. Williard, for many years president of Heidelberg College, in Tiffin, Ohio, who had become a member of the faculty, served as acting president. In the summer of 1892 the board elected Dr. Super president of the college. He filled that office for one year until June, 1893, at which time on account of increas- ing age he retired from the college and from active life.
With the retirement of President Super, the first period of the history of Ursinus College may be said to have been brought to a close. The edu- cational work of the college during the three years since the death of Dr. Bomberger was carried on upon the same lines as during his presi- dency. However, it was during this period that the new administration building, made possible by the gift of Robert Patterson, was erected. The board of directors under the leadership of its president, Henry W. Kratz, and under the inspiration and guidance of Dr. Henry T. Spangler, erected the splendid building which in memory of Dr. Bomberger was named Bomberger Memorial Hall. The corner-stone of the new build- ing was laid on commencement day, 1891, and the building was dedicated on commencement day of the following year.
Upon the resignation of Dr. Super from the presidency, the board of directors elected the Rev. Henry T. Spangler to that office. Dr. Spangler was an alumnus of the college, having been graduated in its first class in 1873. He had served for some years in the pastorate, and as financial agent of the college had collected large sums of money for the mainte- nance of its work and for the erection of Bomberger Hall. He had also become a member of the faculty, and was therefore familiar with all the problems, both financial and educational, that confronted the institution. The new president saw that if the college was to take a place among the colleges of the State and the Nation, it would have to move forward. The new administration building just completed furnished the equipment on the physical side for a forward step. He proceeded at once to move forward on the educational side. After carefully studying the systems
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of educationai organization in the best colleges in the country, he decided upon what came to be known as the "group system." "By this system the courses of instruction are offered in carefully arranged groups, each comprising (1) dominant subjects which adapt the group to the intellectual tastes and the future pursuits of the student; (2) other pre- scribed subjects essential to a liberal education and required of all stu- dents; and (3) elective subjects from which may be selected studies meeting the particular objectives of each individual." This system was then new, but has since that time, with various modifications, been adopted by many of the best colleges in the country.
The men who had filled the chairs during the first two decades were gradually making place for new men. They had been college professors of the old type-fine, gentlemanly, scholarly in the broad sense of that term. As their places became vacant, it was the policy of the new presi- dent to fill them with university-trained men who were specialists in their departments. This was the means of giving the college better standing with the universities and professional schools, and the Ursinus gradu- ates experienced no difficulty in entering the best institutions in the country for graduate and professional study. The training under the latter type of teacher stimulated a number of the graduates of the col- lege to pursue further study, and in turn to occupy prominent places in the educational world.
Another distinct step in advance was the establishing of thoroughly equipped laboratories for the study of physics, chemistry and biology. This meant the transition from the old method of pursuing these branches largely from text books, to the newer and more practical method of pur- suing them in the laboratory with apparatus and experimental material at hand. All this was in keeping with the rapid progress which these sciences were then beginning to make. The library also was moved into larger and better adapted quarters, was completely reorganized, and greatly enlarged by the purchase of books, magazines, journals and reviews.
When President Spangler entered upon his office, the college owned only eight acres of ground, the plot purchased in 1869. With a view to future expansion, he purchased during his administration adjacent tracts until the acreage was increased to fifty-two. Including a few small plots which have been purchased since then, the college now owns fifty-six acres.
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