USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > Old Schuylkill tales, a history of interesting events, traditions and anecdotes of the early settlers of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania > Part 13
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One of these, Father Boehm, an itinerant preacher at a salary of $64 a year, traveled from Philadelphia to Fort Au- gusta on horseback to look after the religious interests of the people and he is believed to have held the first religious service here, long before the incorporation of the town. It was held in the forge of the Greenwood furnace, built in 1806. There was no other place to hold it and it was this circumstance that led John Pott to donate the ground, on North Centre Street, for the log school house, to be used for school and church purposes. The few, sparse settlers united, had a log-rolling bee and built the first church which, however, being non-sectarian, was never consecrated, and, as previously stated, was used in turn by the Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians, to hold services in and here these first churches were incorporated.
The first consecrated church in Pottsville, was the St. Pat- rick's Roman Catholic, a small frame building, hastily thrown together for use in 1827, until the handsome church building then underway was completed.
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On September 3d, 1827, a meeting was held in the log school house and an Episcopal congregation was organized. The first vestrymen were: Abraham Pott, Francis B. Nichols, Sam- uel J. Potts, Joseph White, Mordecai Lewis, E. Chichester, M. D., George Shoemaker, Roseby J. Hann and John Curry. John Pott gave the lot upon which the present church stands. Rev. Norman Nash, a young missionary, officiated at the laying of the corner stone, and the new church was built and completed 1829-30. The St. Patrick's R. C. Church, which was started about the same time was completed a short time after.
At this date, 1827, Pottsville had forged ahead from a village of five houses to one of a hundred and sixty houses and a population of about eight hundred.
John Comly, an old-time Quaker from Philadelphia, held a Friends' meeting in 1828 at the York Farm colliery store, which stood on the site of the C. M. Atkins' mansion, South Centre Street. In 1830 Friend Comly again visited Pottsville, and held services, and the outcome of these meetings resulted in the building of a Friends' meeting house, on Sharp mountain, near the corner of Ninth Street and Howard Avenue. The building was of stone, whitewashed a bluish slate color. The basement story was used for a Friends' school. The building was completed in 1831.
A Methodist Class had in the meantime been started by William Mills and wife, late from England, Andrew Mortimer, and Jonathan Wynn, who was the leader and exhorter. A church organization was effected in the log school house and the Rev. Joseph McCool was the first pastor installed. Mr. McCool disliked the M. E. itinerant system of moving about and sub- sequently, after a short pastorate at Allentown, accepted a call
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to the First Presbyterian church of Pottsville, for which he filled a very acceptable and useful pastorate for over thirty years. Simultaneously with the M. E. church organization, a new building, for the worship of Almighty God, was begun on the site of the old building on Second Street and completed early in the '30's.
The Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian and Friends meeting house, were the first churches of Potts- ville and were completed in the order named. The other denom- inations, comprising fourteen churches, followed in the early subsequent years.
FIRST RELIGIOUS SERVICE
Of the first religious services held in Pottsville, Miss Emma Pott, daughter of Benjamin Pott and granddaughter of John Pott, relates the following :
"It was about 1870, I do not recollect the exact date, but it was during the lifetime of the late Benjamin Haywood, that Father Boehm, then over 90 years of age, visited Pottsville and was the guest of Mr. Haywood and his wife, at their home, now the Y. M. C. A. building. Mr. and Mrs. Haywood invited Miss Rebecca Schall, formerly of Orwigsburg, who was a guest of ours at the time, and I, to meet him. We took tea with the family and had a most enjoyable visit.
"Father Boehm spoke of his first trip through this region. He came here with Bishop Asbury, of the Methodist Episcopal
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Church, to establish a Class. This they did along the route from Philadelphia to Sunbury, as the aged man said, "wherever two or three praying souls could be found to meet together in His name." There was no place to hold this first religious ser- vice and my grandfather offered the forge of the old Greenwood furnace. It was swept out and put in order and seats were im- provised and such people as were here at the time attended with their families.
"Father Boehm, at this time, did not recollect any one in Pottsville as being here at that date except the Pott and Morti- mer families. He was very bright and entertained us with stories of his experiences in the olden times and sang for us several of the old Methodist hymns that were used in the early days and great favorites with the people."
HYMN BOOKS IN CLOTHES BASKET
Miss Clarissa McCool says :
"My father, the Rev. Joseph McCool, was in his early days, an itinerant Methodist Episcopal clergyman. His first work was largely of a missionary character. He traveled through parts of the State on horseback preaching to the people and en- deavoring to organize, such as desired it, into classes, that were the nucleus from which the organizations of the M. E. Church in these places were afterward formed.
"My father was a circuit rider and the first preacher, after the M. E. Church in Pottsville was organized, to preach for the
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congregation in the old log school house, corner of Center and Race Streets. He came to Pottsville, with my mother, from Lancaster in 1830. During this year, on his own responsibility, he purchased from Col. George Shoemaker, the lot on Second Street upon which the old Methodist Episcopal Church stands and on it was built and completed, in the same year, the first M. E. Church. My father's and my mother's families were of both the Methodist and Presbyterian faiths.
"I remember to have heard my father say that the hymn books, Bibles and other books used for worship were kept at our home, and prior to worship and after it were carried to and fro by the members of the church in a clothes basket."
A WILD TURKEY STORY
In response to an interrogation made by the author to Dr. Edward Heiser, veterinary surgeon, he said :
"Do I know any old settlers' stories ? Well ! if you would have asked me abont thirty or thirty-five years ago, I could have related a good many.
"I kept hotel then down the turnpike and drove np to Pottsville, frequently, stopping at the Penna. Hall, kept then by William Reed.
"The office was a great place for the prominent men and old settlers of Pottsville to congregate and there were many good stories swapped by such men as Larry Whitney, Major Wether-
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ill, L. P. Brooks, Judge Walker, Benjamin Pott, Major Huber, Oliver Roads, James Beatty and others.
On one occasion, Charles Cheny told the following story.
"My father, Charles Cheny, one of the first settlers, was a very religious man. He belonged to the first Class organized by the Methodists, under the leadership of Jonathan Wynn and William Mills. The class met for worship at the houses of the members, and meetings were frequently held at our home.
"I remember one time, it was on a Sunday, and Bishop Asbury, of Philadelphia, was to preach. Our family was up early and everything about the house was placed in readiness and in perfect order for the church service, which was a great event in those days. I was a small boy and rather in the way, and after being dressed in my best clothes slipped off and be- took myself to a point on Sharp Mountain overlooking the town where I discovered a wild turkey pen and in it, two large, wild turkeys.
"Delighted with the find and thinking only of what a fine meal they would make for the Bishop and the other company we were entertaining, I secured them and hurried home. The services were going on when I returned, but I hid the birds in a small building near the house and waited to tell my father at the close.
"It was some time before I could attract his attention and have him accompany me to the stable where the turkeys were. I related the story in high glee and expected him to commend me for having secured this addition to our larder, when to my astonishment, he said :
"My son ! Have I raised you only to become a thief and a Sabbath breaker ? Have all my religious instructions to you
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been in vain ? I will attend to you first, my son. Then you take those birds to the top of the mountain and free them. They are God's wild creatures and do not deserve to be trapped."
"Then followed the most tremendous whacking I ever got with a convenient barrel stave, for my father was not one who believed in sparing the rod and spoiling the child; and I sor- rowfully left for Sharp Mountain, where I did as he bid me, and set the turkeys free."
"Why you infernal, young scoundrel !" said old Jeremiah Reed, the first white child born in Pottsville, (both men were nearing their four-score mark), who was one of the number that listened to the relation of the narrative, "was that you that robbed our turkey pen? Col. Shoemaker and I built that turkey pen. Turkeys were scarce and we saw by the marks that someone had robbed us. Why, your father never gave you half what you deserved."
ST. PATRICK'S R. C. CHURCH
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church was the first build- ing in Pottsville erected and consecrated exclusively for religi- ous purposes. It was a small frame structure built at a cost of less than $1,000, on a lot near the corner of Fourth and. Mahantongo Streets and the present magnificent structure. The ground was donated by John Pott. Worship was held here.
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1827-1828, until the first permanent church was completed in 1830.
The first rectors were: Rev. J. Fitzpatrick, Rev. Edw. McCarthy, Rev. Hugh Lane, Rev. Dr. Wainwright, Rev. Edw. Maginnis and Rev. Joseph O'Keefe.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN GOOD FINANCIER
The Roman Catholic population was constantly increasing and the first St. Patrick's Church completed about 1830, was soon found to be too small to accommodate the members of the growing parish. It was the only Catholic church in the county, and people came from the entire Schuylkill Valley to attend Mass here. The church would be crowded almost to suffocation and large numbers of the faithful, who could not find accom- modations inside, knelt on the pavement outside, during the celebration of the Masses.
The church was enlarged several times, but it was not until other churches were built up the Valley, that relief was afforded St. Patrick's.
Abram Miessie, a prominent early resident of town, re- lated the following story. Mr. Miessie was a shoemaker and built and owned the upper two of the block of brick houses, east side of Centre Street, between Market and Callowhill Streets. He was one of a Class that formed for the organiza- tion of the first Evangelical Church, of town, in the 'Forties.
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"I was an early resident and remember when the Roman Catholic Church, at New Philadelphia, was built. I was in- terested in an early coal operation and went up there frequently. The priest was a fine man and very energetic. He did all he could to clear off the debt and pay for the building of the church, but the people were poor and the struggle a hard one.
"At last it was all raised except a certain sum for which he plead for in vain. One Sunday he locked the church door and placed the key in his pocket and told the assembled con- gregation that no one could go out until he had paid the sum of ten cents. Those that had no money could borrow from their friends. Many paid at once but others could not and those that had the cash were finally stripped of all they had by the borrowers. Twenty cents was still lacking when the bank treasuries were exhausted, when there was a tap on the window, and a hand was extended from outside with a silver quarter between the forefingers and the door was unlocked.
"A man outside who had been listening, becoming tired of waiting for his wife to prepare the dinner, furnished the quar- ter and the debt was cancelled."
OTHER EARLY CHURCHES
Trinity Lutheran Church was organized in 1834. Ser- vices by Lutheran pastors, from lower Schuylkill and upper
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Berks, were held in Keim's Kirche and in the old log school- house on Centre Street, in the earliest era of Pottsville and this locality. The first pastors of Trinity Church were the Rev. Wm. Minnig, who took charge 1834. The first church was dedicated October, 1837. The English Lutheran Church was organized out of this parent church in 1847. In 1850, a split occurred in Trinity Church and a number of members with- drew and organized Zions Church. The latter worshipped in a small frame church on the site of the Good Intent Fire House. The pastors of Zions Church were: Rev. C. F. Nanz, Rev. F. Walz, Rev. Julius Ehrhart. In 1864, under the latter, the two congregations reunited and Mr. Ehrhardt was retained as pastor of the congregation. During the long interim from 1834 to 1859, Rev. Wm. Minnig remained the pastor of Emanuel's Church (Trinity) except for a short period after the trouble, when he retired but was recalled.
Rev. C. F. Lampe succeeded him. He married Miss Sarah Kohler, of Pottsville. Rev. S. A. Holman, of the English Lutheran Church also married one of his congregation, Miss Fanny Hazen.
The frame church on Second Street was known as "Billy" Leib's church, he having subsequently purchased it with the adjoining property, now occupied as a residence by the Lee brothers.
The remaining pastors of Trinity Lutheran Church, which was rebuilt in 1868, were: Rev. Wm. Hoppe, Rev. G. A. Hinterleitner and Rev. J. H. Umbenhen.
The First Reformed Church was erected in 1860. Prior to this time, the people of the Reformed faith were supplied with services, according to their creed, by the Rev. John Felix
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and Rev. H. H. Knobel, who preached occasionally in Keim's Kirche and the old log school house. The Revs. Knoll, David Hassinger, C. T. Hoffman, and J. W. Hoffmeier supplied the Pottsville and other congregations of adjoining towns, from 1836 to 1853. Others who came after were Revs. John Gauten- bein, I. E. Graeff, Samuel Miller, J. C. Bucher (father of Mrs. John R. Hoffman) Kurtz, C. Baum, A. S. Steckel. Trinity Reformed Church was an offshoot of this church. The latter congregation purchased what was known as "Thompson's" Church, on Market below Fourth. This edifice was called the Associate Reformed and was known as the Scotch Covenanter's Church and was built and owned by Samuel C. Thompson. It was an independent Presbyterian or Congregational church. Its members were subsequently merged into the Second and First Presbyterian Churches. The Second Presbyterian Church, organized in 1857, for a time, under the pastorate of the Rev. 'Samuel Colt, a chaplain in the U. S. army, in the Civil War, held services in Thompson's Hall, the third story of the building corner of Second and Market Streets, now known as the Archbald building. The congregation also worshipped in Thompson's Church. They purchased their present church building, since handsomely remodelled and enlarged, from the trustees of the Second Methodist Episcopal Church, a congre- gation that flourished here for a brief period, in the early days. Dr. W. S. Plummer, Dr. G. W. Smiley and Dr. O. W. Law- son were renowned pastors of the Second Presbyterian Church.
The First Presbyterian Church was organized in 1831. The Rev. Sylvanius Haight was the first pastor who served. Rev. J. A. Mines came next. He, in turn, was succeeded by the Rev. Jos. McCool. In 1832 a church was dedicated. It
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was a small frame structure on the northwest corner of Third and Market Streets, built on ground rent to Jacob Eyre. In 1838, the corner stone was laid for the white frame church, corner of Third and Mahantongo Streets, on the site of the pres- ent fine mountain stone structure which was built in 1872-75. The old church was completed in 1842. A delay was caused, owing to the opinion of some of the members that the founda- tion was insecure. The lot was purchased from John Biddle, the ground at one corner was undermined by the Charles Law- ton and Samuel Lewis coal operations.
Some of the first members and attendants of the early church were the most influential and progressive citizens of the town; the Fosters, Solomon and Jesse; Oliver Dobson, David A. Smith, the Wrens, Stevenson, George Bright, Wm. Lerch, Wm. Pollock, the Thompsons and others but the church was not built and paid for without a struggle. Col. Robert H. Ramsey told many interesting stories of the early days of this church.
Col. Ramsey was subsequently a Superintendent of the Sunday School. On one occasion he related that after the building had been completed a bell was considered necessary before the work was done. Everybody had given and given again and again what they thought was their due apportion- ment toward the church when the women of the church volun- tecred to raise the money for the bell. His mother was an earnest worker and those were the days of genuine sacrifice. Mrs. Ramsey had contributed and worked for the bell but at last the amount still lacked two dollars and a half of being com- plete. Mrs. Ramsey made up the sum from money she had laid aside to buy a new winter bonnet and she wore her old
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bonnet another year. Col. Ramsey always spoke very feelingly of this and other incidents in his mother's history that told of her charitable and generous nature.
The pastors that succeeded Rev. Joseph McCool were, Rev. Isaac Riley, Rev. Prentiss De Veuve, Rev. J. W. Schenck, Rev. Jacob Belville and Rev. John Huse Eastman.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH
The German Catholic Church, now one of the largest con- gregations in Pottsville, with one of the handsomest and most imposing buildings, began with a very humble and unpreten- tious origin. In 1840, Rev. Hirslaus Steinbacher came to Pottsville from Reading, on horseback, once a month to celebrate mass for the German Catholics. In 1841, a lot was purchased, corner of Fourth Street and Howard Avenue, and the stone structure, now the Italian church, was erected.
The Rev. Jos. Burg was the rector of the parish until his death, in 1849. Rev. Peter Carbon, Rev. Daniel Overholtzer, Rev. Phillip Wigmeyer, Rev. Francis Newfeld and Rev. Fran- cis Wachter, succeeded Father Burg in the above order. Rev. Father Wachter built the present imposing structure, corner of Mahantongo and Tenth Streets. Then came Rev. Bernard A. Baumeister, from that date assistant rectors became necessary. In 1878, the present beloved and popular incumbent, Rev. Fr. F. W. Longinus, took charge of the parish, the affairs of which
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he has so ably administered for twenty-eight years, during which many improvements have been accomplished by him through his energetic endeavors.
The late Francis Alstatt, Adam Reith and others told many interesting stories of how the building of the first church was accomplished. The members met and cleared the lot of its! timber and undergrowth. The foundation was dug through their assistance. There were some stone masons among the mem- bers and they contributed day's work or overtime toward the quarrying of the stone and the erection of the stone walls. Fer- dinand Boedefeld, Francis Ackerman, Peter Woll, Peter Ochs, Lawrence Fisher and Anthony Redelberger, were among the first members.
OLD RECORDS DIFFICULT TO TRANSLATE
In searching for the past history of the County, the records of the old churches are invaluable. Most of these records are in the possession of the churches of which they form part. Some, however, were retained by the early itinerant ministers who had charge of a number of churches and traveled from place to place. If the descendants of any such still have these records in their keeping, if they will-no matter how meagre the facts-restore them to the churches they represent or to the Schuylkill County Historical Society, they will assist materially in completing or adding to their histories and in furnishing the historical link.
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The State of Pennsylvania, at present, has experts at work translating these old church records, and it is expected that several years, at least, will see the publication, in the "Archives" of these records. The new set of Pennsylvania Archives, now in the hands of the State publisher and printers, and which will be out soon, contain much that will be valuable to those search- ing for their ancestral line, Revolutionary War heroes, etc.
W. W. Brown, of Rock, a member of the numerous family of that name, who hold their annual reunions on the Brown ancestral acres near that place, and who is the caretaker of the records of the Summer-Berg church, the second oldest in this part of the country, says: "These old church records are very hard to read. Most of them are written half in English the other half in German. The paper is colored with age and the ink is so faded that it is almost impossible to make out the names.
"I have gone through our book many times and always find names I have not found before. It may be that in time to come I may find the names you have inquired about ?"
PREACHED AGAINST VANITIES OF DRESS
Parson M-was one of the early and ablest ministers of Pottsville. He was a God-fearing man, an earnest and zeal- ous preacher and endeavored to carry into practice precepts upon which he dwelt in the pulpit.
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His wife was a fine-looking woman and one of the most stylishly dressed of that period, in town. She wore her silks and laces with a grace peculiarly her own, and it must be admitted they were becoming to her.
She had been heard to say that she thought that, next to the consolations of religion, the satisfaction of being well- dressed came first; and that, indeed, if she had to choose be- tween the two, she would prefer dress even before the former.
The parson argued and expostulated against this love of dress, in private, but Madame M-, otherwise an exemplary wife and obedient to his wishes in other respects, pursued the calm and even tenor of her own way in this.
One Sunday the Parson preached a sermon on humility and bore down hard upon the vanities of dress.
He was very much moved, and at the conclusion he leaned over the high board of the pulpit, and, with streaming eyes, said to his congregation :
"My dear children ! You may think when I preach thus against the love of dress and the sin of it, that I ought to look at home. I want to tell you, dear friends, that I do look; and I look until my heart aches."
THE OLD TOWN HALL
The old Town Hall, on North Centre Street, was built in 1839 by the Town Hall Association. Charles Gillingham was
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the contractor. It was sold under a mortgage in 1840 to Messrs. Bray and Bancroft, who engaged Adam Eiler to complete it. It cost $34,000. In 1865 it was purchased by George Slater and is now owned by his son, Harry P. Slater. This building was burnt by fire, March 10, 1876, the fire originating in Mahlon Nichol's store room. It was rebuilt at once and has since been known as the Centennial Hall.
Prior to the Civil War and until the building of Union Hall, it was the rendezvous for all the balls, fairs, assemblies, theatricals and other entertainments in Pottsville, and there were many of them, for this was always a good show town. Prof. Kemmerer and Prof. Alexander, singing masters from abroad, held singing schools here for the school children and at the close of the terms gave concerts by their pupils that were largely attended by the public. The original Signor Blitz came here periodically, and Prof. Stouch taught the boys and girls how to dance in old Town Hall. Prof. Alexander was the father of Prof. James Alexander, band-leader and all-around musician, of Wilkes-Barre. He boarded with the family of 'Squire Lewis Reeser, but subsequently brought his family here.
It was here that ye olden time Old Folks' Concert was held. The singers dressed like the dames and 'squires of colonial times. It was in old Town Hall that Artemus Ward (Charles F. Browne), who came here almost unannounced, deliv- ered his lecture to one man, John T. Shoener, District Attorney under Howell Fisher, and "Tom" sat it out and said he never enjoyed anything more. Here Francis B. Bannan, dressed as a clown at a masquerade ball, made his famous hand-spring and jumped over the head of dignified John P. Hobart, six feet
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tall, and then with another jump, leaped up and turned out the gas of the chandelier.
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