HISTORICAL SKETCHES
A COLLECTION OF PAPERS PREPARED FOR THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PENNSYj^yANIA
published by the society Volume v
NORRISTOWN, PA. REGISTER PRINTING AND BINDING ROOMS 1925
OFFICERS
OF THE
Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pa.
1915
PRESIDENT
JOSEPH FORNANCE, ESQ., Norristown, Pa. VICE PRESIDENTS REV. THOMAS R. BEEBER, D.D., Norristown, Pa. HON. HENRY W. KRATZ,. Norristown, Pa. S. GORDON SMYTH, West Conshohocken, Pa. RECORDING SECRETARY GEORGE K. BRECHT, ESQ., Norristown, Pa.
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY MRS. A. CONRAD JONES, Conshohocken, Pa.
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MRS. WILLIAM M. GEARHART, Norristown, Pa. TREASURER DR. W. H. REED, Jeffersonville, Pa. LIBRARIAN
WILLIAM SUMMERS, Conshohocken, Pa. CURATOR
MISS FRANCES M. FOX, Norristown, Pa.
TRUSTEES
MRS. TACY F. CRESSON, Norristown, Pa. WILLIAM W. POTTS, Norristown, Pa. SYLVESTER H. ORR, Norristown, Pa. CHARLES H. SHAW, Norristown, Pa. WILLIAM H. WEBER ,Norristown, Pa. LIBRARY COMMITEE WILLIAM SUMMERS, Conshohocken, Pa. IRVIN P. KNIPE, Norristown, Pa. IRVIN C. WILLIAMS, Royersforcl, Pa- S. GORDON SMYTH, W. Conshohocken, Pa. MRS. TACY F. CRESSON, Norristown, Pa. MISS LILLIAN CHILDS, Norristown, Pa. EDWIN C. JELLETT, Germantown, Pa. J. K. HAUCK, Pottstown, Pa.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
HISTORICAL HALL, frontispiece.
BIRTHPLACE OF GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK ... 15
TOMB OF GENERAL HANCOCK, Montgomery Cemetery 20
THE LOWRY, OR McFARLAND HOUSE, at Gulph Mills. Pa 23
THE MANOR-HOUSE OF SIR WM. KEITH at Graeme Park 32
FIREPLACE IN THE HALL OF KEITH HOUSE, Graeme Park .... 32
AN ORIGINAL AUGUR FROM THE OLD FACTORY AT JEFFER-
SONVILLE, PA 35
WENTZ'S CHURCH OF TODAY 36
OLD ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, Centre Square, Pa. Front
and Rear Views 52
QUEEN ANNE COMMUNION SET AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH,
Centre Square 60
OLD ST. JOHN'S CEMETERY, 64
OLD MILESTONE NEAR ST. JOHN'S, Centre Square, Pa 64
NORRISTOWN AT MID-AGE, 1912-1915 73
PROGRAMME OF EXERCISES OF NORRISTOWN CENTENNIAL 78
MAP OF NORRISTOWN, 1784-1812, 1812-1S&3 92
MAP OF NORRISTOWN, 1812-1853, 1853-1913 94
SITE OF McKAY & STINSON'S STORE, 1814 120
LOWER MERION ACADEMY, Cynwyd, Pa 147
THE OLD DOVE MILL, near Bryn Mawr, Pa 152
THE RESTORED ROBERTS HOME OF 1690 . 152
YOST'S BLACKSMITH SHOP, Centre Square, Pa 155
YOST'S SAW-MILL AND TOOL FACTORY, Centre Square, Pa 156
THE AUGUSTUS LUTHERAN CHURCH, Trappe, Pa 159
FAC-SIMILE OF ONE OF CHRISTOPHER SOWER'S IMPRINTS,
1776 162
GWYNEDD MEETING, North Wales, Pa 167
DR. JOHN FOTHERGILL, Famous Quaker Minister, 1677-1744 ... 172
REV. ROBERT HAMILL NASSAU, S. T. D 180
DR. J. K WEAVER, Surgeon-General, G. A. R 187
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6 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Page
EDWARD FOULKE HOME, Penllyn, Pa 202
OUTCROPPING OF TRAP-ROCK AT WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. 210
POLISHED SLAB OF BLACK MARBLE FROM KING-OF-PRUSSIA
QUARRIES 213
HANNAH SIMPSON GRANT 220
EXAMPLE OF ANCIENT "SEARCH AND SEIZURE" DAYS 237
TENTH MILESTONE WITH PENN ARMS AND DATE 250
FIREPL ATE — ' 'ADAM AND EVE" 257
PEACOCK PATTERN COVERLET 260
ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Perkiomen, 1721 262
MORTUARY CHAPEL OF THE RESURRECTION AT ST. JAMES' 262
ANCIENT BIRTH AND BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE OF MICHAEL
H. REED 264
OLD INDENTURE PAPERS OF MICHAEL H. REED 264
CERTIFICATE OF APPOINTMENT, AS POSTMASTER, OF
MICHAEL H. REED 268
MICHAEL HARTMAN REED 272
INDENTURE PAPERS OF GEORGE SHEARER, of Plymouth, Pa.,
1819 276
NOTICE OF A PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP TAX RATING IN 1843 .. 278
LOWER PROVIDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH 293
REV. S. O. PERRY 298
DRAUGHT OF LT. AUBURY'S ' "INTERIOR TRAVELS IN
AMERICA" 303
BRITISH-HESSIAN ENCAMPMENT AT CHARLOTTESVILLE,
VA., 1778 320
BRITISH-HESSIAN ENCAMPMENT ON THE HUDSON RIVER,
N. Y., Sept., 1777 326
FAC-SIMILIES OF AMERICAN CURRENCY, Period of Rev. War 346
ST. JAMES* CHURCH OF PERKIOMEN AND PARISH HOUSE ... 350
INTERIOR OF ST. JAMES* CHURCH, Perkiomen, Evansburg, Pa. . 350
PROPRIETARY'S WARRANT TO MRS. RUDYARD 352
PLOT OF ANDREW ROBESON'S LAND AT PERKIOMEN 354
D. CURRIE'S LETTER OF RESIGNATION FROM ST. JAMES'
CHURCH 360
AN EARLY MAP 366
POWER HOUSE, Perkiomen Copper Mines 3SL'
PORTRAIT OF REV. JAMES MILNOR . . . 31i6
7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY,
Edward F. Boggs 23
AN OLD AUGUR FACTORY- Dr. W. H. Reed 35
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH,
Rev. D. D. Brendle 36
ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, Center Square, Pa.,
Clara A. Beck 52
CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF NORRISTOWN :
Invocation, Rev. W. Herbert Burk 78
Address of Welcome, Rev. Thomas R. Beeber, D. D 79
Historical Address, Hon. Samuel W. Pennypacker, LL. D 82
Montgomery County Court House, 1850, Joseph Fornance, Esq. . . 92
THE NORRISTOWN CENTENNIAL— A Poem. Eliza Crugar 106
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY,
S. Gordon Smyth 108
THE ALOE-AGE OF NORRISTOWN, A Poem. Eliza Crugar 113
NORRISTOWN AS IT WAS IN 1814-1815. Daniel Fisher 115
NORRISTOWN 65 YEARS AGO. Daniel Fisher 142
THE LOWER MERION ACADEMY. Luther C. Parsons 147
HISTORICAL REMARKS. I. Layton Register 152
MANUFACTURING SCYTHES AND SICKLES IN COLONIAL
DAYS. Clara A. Beck 155
REMINISCENCES OF TRAPPE. Rev. Jacob Fry 159
THE LAST YEARS OF CHRISTOPHER SOWER. Daniel M. Anders. 162 RECOLLECTIONS OF SWAMP DOOR. J. K. Hauck 163
HISTORY OF GWYNEDD MEETING AND VICINITY,
Mrs. Mary H. F. Merillat 167
8 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Page
JOHN FOTHERGILL, the Famous Preacher of the Friends,
Frances M. Fox 172
BOYHOOD REMINISCENCES OF MONTGOMERY SQUARE,
Rev. Robert Hamill Nassau, S. T. D 180
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. Dr. J. K. Weaver 187
MEN, WOMEN AND EVENTS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF
WHITPAIN TOWNSHIP. Clara A. Beck 202
THE ROCK OUTCROP AND MINERALS OF THE WHITEMARSH
AND CHESTER VALLEYS. Prof. O. S. Carter 210
MARBLE QUARRIES OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY,
W. M. Sullivan 213
THE KEITH HOUSE IN GRAEME PARK. Luther C. Parsons .... 216 THE BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY KINDRED OF
GEN. U. S. GRANT. Chas. S. Mann 218
OLD TIME ADVERTISEMENTS. Edward W. Hocker 237
ROAD MARKS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. Fred Perry Powers 244 STOVE PLATES AND TEXTILES OF THE EARLY PENNA.-
GERMANS. Wm. E. Montague 257
ST. JAMES' P. E. CHURCH, Perkiomen, Evansburg, Pa.
Mrs. A. Conrad Jones 262
MICHAEL H. REED, Postmaster at Skippack. Dr. W. H. Reed 264
PLYMOUTH ROAD TAX LISTS. S. Gordon Smyth 276
HISTORY OF LOWER PROVIDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH,
Rev. S. O. Perry . 293
PENNSYLVANIA MILITIA AND THE CONVENTION TROOPS.
Dr. W. H. Reed 303
ST. JAMES' CHURCH, Perkiomen, Evansburg, Pa. I. C. Williams 350 ST. JAMES CHURCH, Perkiomen, Evansburg, Pa., Supplementary
History. Rev. Charles F. Scofield 366
THE VALLEY FORGE RESERVATION. S. Gordon Smyth 369
THE PERKIOMEN COPPER MINES, A Company Report 382
HERSTEIN'S MEETING, Addenda to Vol. IV. of these Series.
Geo. F. P. Wanger 393
MEMBERSHIP OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOM- ERY COUNTY 397
INDEX 405
INTRODUCTORY
Since the publication of Vol. IV in 1910 — the tragedy of a great war has intervened and sweeping through Europe has set the world aghast with its tremendous scope ; its frightful horrors and devastations ; and the revolutionizing of our former se- renity and mode of life. Every phase of our business, social and cultural advancement has been distracted and more or less af- fected by the gigantic struggle and its consequences. And, not- withstanding our wonderful prosperity — as one of its results — the cost of living, and everything incidental to it has increased to nearly double the former values. In these later years our thoughts and energies have been given in an effort to arrange and stabilize a permanent peace throughout the world rather than procuring a further development of our social and cul- tural aims. This state of affairs has been one of the influences which has deferred the publication of Volume V of our series.
At the time when we should have given these sketches to the press the World-War was in the second year of its progress. Men were distracted from their pursuits and occupations ; the regular channels of industry were abandoning peace-time pro- ductions; and industry itself — was approaching a stage when it was expected that every bit of manpower ; every wheel, and all material and resource of whatsoever kind — would be diverted toward the needs of the forces of destruction, so that our countrymen — looking forward to going to war — gave little con- sideration to matters not akin to it. In brief — these were the chief causes of delay in bringing out this book at its fixed period. As rapidly as it is possible, Volumes VI and VII will be pre- pared and issued and an attempt made to restore the series to its regular order of publication.
With respect to the activities of this Society — we have made considerable progress not only in the number, character
IO HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
and scope of the papers presented and read at the meetings be- tween 1910 and 191 5 and through them a valuable prestige; but we have, also, enlarged our membership considerably; broadened our sphere of influence and attained a position of prominence as one of the leading institutions of its kind in the state, credit for which must be given to those whose careful re- search, unflaging zeal and personal devotion to the welfare of our organization have given it this enviable record ; and it is our hope that our enlarged clientele will find in this volume an ap- preciation of the work which will maintain that reputation and place it in the libraries of our own members and in those in public service throughout the country.
The purposes and aims of this Society have been upheld with dignity and fidelity from the date of its organization in 1 88 1, and there has been no deviation from the standards then intiated nor a lessening of the spirit of endeavor and research ; nor have any of its meetings been curtailed by the disturbances of the times — on the contrary; it has been necessary to hold special gatherings for the presentation of illustrated lectures and other forms of intellectual entertainment, and attendance upon them have been so popular as to warrant their continuance.
One of the outstanding features of common interest to the Society is the annual "Outing" which is held in the Fall of each year and we view with pride and satisfaction their growing popularity, informality and the thorough enjoyment which these occasions afford. Within the past five years we have visited by automobile or otherwise — such historic localities in this and the neighboring counties as have extended their hospitalities to us and have been amply rewarded by the pleasure thereof. In 1910 it was to Fagleysville and Pottsgrove; in 191 1 to West Norriton and Worcester; in 1912 we went to Upper and Lower Merion; in 1913 we spent the day at Gwynedd Meeting; in 1914 it was to Graeme Park, and in 191 5 we toured "The Perkiomen Region." All these trips were refreshing, inspiring and spirit- ualizing.
At the Annual meeting of the Society, (which is held on February 22d. " Washington's Birthday",) in 1910— action was taken on the approaching anniversary, or centenary, of the
INTRODUCTORY
II
founding of the Borough of Norristown. President Joseph Fornance, at the time, appointed a committee to co-operate with a local committee of the town for a proper observance of the event — in May, 19 12. The celebration was consummated with marked honor and success and an account of it will be found in these pages.
Among the varied matters which came before the Society for determination was the plan to retain the remains of General Winfield S. Hancock in Norristown instead of its proposed re- moval to Arlington National Cemetery near Washington. In this agitation the Society was successful in having his tomb undisturbed. A monument — commensurate with the high honors in which he was held — should be erected in some public spot in Norristown, in memory of the General. About this time also, the Society went on record in endorsing and recom- mending the movement to have the state acquire the Revolu- tionary camp-ground at FGrt Washington. This matter is still in abeyance. The Society has also agreed to erect a marker on the site of the camp of the Continental army at Pottsgrove — the land has been donated by the Bertolet family. The macker was placed thereon and dedicated by the Society in 191 3. In the same year, and in conjunction with the Valley Forge Chapter D. A. R., this Society unveiled a memorial marker at the corner of Main and Ford Streets, Norristown, to commemorate the crossing of Washington's army while on its march to camp at the Gulph Mills in December, 1777, a week prior to going into winter-quarters at Valley Forge.
The contemplated erection of a marker to David Ritten- house on the homestead farm at Fairview has not yet been carried out, but the ground has been deeded to the Society and awaits the realization of the project. The Memorial Bridge marking the site of the one erected by General Sullivan during the Revolutionary cantonment, between Valley Forge and Fat- land, is another unfinished matter.
In 1914 the legislature created the Penna. State Historical Commission. This body has been functioning freely in many laudable undertakings, assisting materially in the recovery, re- storation and marking of historic places; and in research work,
12
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
such as preserving documents and other public papers relating to the early history of the Commonwealth. In this work this Society has been, and is — in full accord, and appreciates its im- portance and mission.
It is a matter of vital concern to our organization that we are rapidly outgrowing our quarters and feel the need of a modern building to accomodate our increased membership, and house our collection and the library. It was thought possible at one time that we might afford to do this when one of our neighbors, a few years ago, opened up negotiations for the pur- chase of a portion of our property, but after the matter was canvassed and discussed it was decided to retain the premises intact and this conclusion ended the matter, for the present, at least. The subject, however, served to emphasize the necessity for expansion ; the need is imperative. It would be a hue thing if some of our public-spirited citizens or affluent members would endow a sum sufficient for us to realize our ambition in this re- spect, either by a contribution or bequest ; and it would be in line with the tendency, in these days, for men of philanthropic dis- position to create a trust in their lifetime for the operation of their benevolences — rather than found institutions that func- tion only after they are gone and unable to see the benefits of their bounty.
The Society has now a membership of over four hundred persons which are divided into four classes — honorary, life, ac- tive and associate ; and among them are not only native Mont- gomery countians who are more or less scattered over the coun- try, but there are those who have been attracted to enrollment by the association and fellowship of kindred minds in the objects for which this Society stands. The membership fees are trifling — barely sufficient to carry the overhead charges ; were it not for the rentals accruing from the leasing of a portion of the property. There is not enough however to provide for deprecia- tion, betterment or publication ; and were it not that the County Commissioners, through an Act of Assembly, are empowered to grant an annual subsidy of $200.00 — this Society would be unable to maintain itself in the modest way in which it does; and it is in grateful acknowledgement of the courtesy and assis-
INTRODUCTORY
13
tance of the Commissioners that we here record our thanks and appreciation, we feel justified, therefore, in presenting our serious and candid views with respect to these matters, hoping that some generous benefactor will assist to that extent — in furthering the aims of this Society. We must not let these con- siderations obscure the fact that while we have been enriched with a healthy growth in the number and character of the mem- bership we have also lost several of them whose decease is a distinct loss to us in counsel, companionship and service, and to whom we now pay our loyal tribute. They were : John W. Bickel Mrs. A. F. Jarret
Joseph C. Crawford Mrs. Jawood Lukens
Mrs. Theo. W. Bean Samuel P. Middleton
A. W. Dettra Mrs. J. D. Sallade
Mrs. P. Y. Eisenberg Howard Wood
Hiram C Hoover Chas. Heber Clark
George W. Hackman Mrs. Ida T. Bardin
Mrs. Henry W. Kratz Miss Kate C. Clevenger
E. B. Leaf Mrs. Miller D. Evans
Airs. Harriet Maloney Benjamin F. Goughler
Mrs. Hannah Weber Oliver Hough
John C. Boorse Walter M. James
Mrs. Anna H. Craig Mrs. Anna E. Leidy
Mrs. Alary A. Buckman John Meigs
Rowland Evans George M. Williams
Dr. Henry G. GrofT Charles Wetherill
David W. Harry
Historically, we are located in the very heart of a territory most affected by that critical period in American history which marked the turning point in its struggle for independence. The proximity of Valley Forge with its few remaining landmarks — is a physical reminder of those days, and it was where the martial activities of some of the most eminent men of Revolu- tionary times served their country and made its hallowed ground the source of pride and inspiration to us. One of the objects of this Society to teach our youth those lessons which this en- vironment offers in patriotism and veneration, and to this end we have invited school teachers to come and bring their pupils
14
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
to explore the museum and attend the meetings that they may have the benefit and profit thereof, and that no opportunity may be lost to stimulate and inculcate the spirit of Americanization among them.
For the continued interest, encouragement and support of this community we here again make grateful acknowledge- ment, and trust that what we may yet accomplish — will be worthy of their further consideration and favor.
DR. W. H. REED, Jeffersonville, Pa. EMELINE H. HOOVEN, Norristown, Pa. S. GORDON SMYTH, W. Conshohocken, Pa. WILLIAM M. GEARHART, Norristown, Pa. IRVIN P. KNIPE, Norristown, Pa. CHARLES R. BARKER, Lansdowne, Pa.
Committee on Publication.
Norristown, Pa., December 31, 1925.
HANCOCK LANDMARKS
By Edward W. Hocker
Three stages in the career of General Winfield Scott Han- cock are associated with Montgomery County — his birth and boyhood, his recovery from the dangerous wound received in the battle of Gettysburg and the last scene of all, the funeral and burial.
* * *
In the village of Montgomery Square the house where Winfield Scott Hancock and his twin brother Hilary were born, February 14, 1824, still stands. It is an odd-looking structure, part of it being a dwelling and part was used for many years as a school house. It stands on the east side of Bethlehem pike, south of the State road.
The two-story school house has a curious wooden tower at one corner. The dwelling at the rear is of three stories. In early days the teacher and his family lived in the dwelling. A two-acre lot is part of the school tract, and a branch of the Wis- sahickon Creek flows by.
At the front of the building is a tablet inscribed "Mont- gomery Public School, 1876." That does not invalidate the as- sertion that General Hancock was born here. It means that the original building was enlarged in 1876.
Montgomery Township, in which Montgomery Square is situated, adopted the consolidated school system, and built one central school in 1925, whereupon the three small school houses of the township, including the Hancock birthplace, were sold. Augustus Stoudt was the buyer, he paying $3400 for the Mont- gomery Square property.
Early in the nineteenth century, before the establishment of the public school system, this school at Montgomery Square was maintained through several endownments, and it gained a high reputation because of the capability of its instructors.
l6 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Benjamin F. HancGck, the teacher in 1824, had grown up in the family of John Roberts, the justice of the peace and lead- ing man of the community. Benjamin Hancock was born in Philadelphia, but upon the death of his father the widowed mother placed the son with the Montgomery Square squire.
Benjamin Hancock married Elizabeth Hoxworth, whose family lived farther to the north, in Hatfield township. The young couple made their home in the dwelling attached to the school house where the husband taught.
* * *
The Hancock family moved from Montgomery Square to Norristown some time before 1828, the exact year being uncer- tain. For several years the father taught school in Norristown, and at the same time read law in the office of John Freedley. He was admitted to the bar in 1828, and became one of the leading lawyers of the town.
The first home of the Hancocks in Norristown still stands — a two-story stone structure close to the entrance of Mont- gomery Cemetery. It is likely that the Hancock family were the first occupants of this house. Henry Pawling owned the land at that time and probably built the house. Benjamin F. Hancock never owned the property. While there is little defi- nite data as to the connection of the Hancocks with this house. General Hancock himself vouched for the fact that the early years of his boyhood were spent there. This was one reason why he had his burial vault built in Montgomery Cemetery in the corner nearest the old house.
After the father began making his way as a lawyer the fam- ily moved down into the heart of the town, and during the re- mainder of the lifetime of the parents they lived in the house on the east side of Swede street, south of Main street, where the Salvation Army has had its headquarters since 1907.
Benjamin Hancock, who served as a justice of the peace, in addition to practicing law, had his office in a small brick building adjoining the house. Mrs. Hancock for many years conducted a millinery shop in the house- Benjamin Hancock was a member of the Norristown School Board for thirty-one years, and he was superintendent
HANDCOCK LANDMARKS
17
of the Sunday School of the Baptist Church. Under President Johnson he was appointed collector of internal revenue, and he held that office until his death in 1867.
Here Winfield Scott Hancock lived until he went to the West Point Military Academy, in 1839. Entering the army up- on his graduation, he never returned to civil life, and never again made his home in Norristown, save during short visits to his parents.
* * *
To this house on Swede Street, General Hancock was brought when his life was imperiled by a wound received on the battlefield of Gettysburg. A ball passed through the pommel of the saddle in which Hancock sat, and, carrying a nail from the saddle with it, the missile entered the inside of the thigh, close to the body.
After treatment in field hospitals, General Hancock was taken to the LaPierre House, in Philadelphia, and there his father visited him on July 6. The general was suffering greatly from the wound, and surgeons were making further examina- tions, having come to the conclusion that a ball or a fragment of a shell remained in the wound. Notwithstanding repeated probing, which caused great agony to the wounded soldier, the surgeons could not locate the cause of the trouble.
Finally toward the end of the month it was decided to take Hancock out of the hot city to the home of his parents, in Nor- ristown. The trip was made on Monday, July 27, in an ordi- nary passenger coach on the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad. The general lay on a stretcher placed on the backs of several seats in the car.
At Mill street station, then the terminus of the railroad, the Invalid Corps, under Lieutenant Burns, was drawn up to act as a guard of honor. The Invalid Corps consisted of thirty soldiers recovering from wrounds or sickness. They had their headquarters in an armory on Green street, between Main and Lafayette-
Hancock was carried to the home of his parents. It had been the intention to give him a public reception, but this had to be abandoned because of his condition.
l8 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
About this time Dr. Louis W. Read, who had gained dis- tinction in the army as a surgeon, came home to Norristown on a visit. Learning that Hancock was not recovering, Dr. Read called to see the general and volunteered to probe for the bullet. General Hancock consented, though probably with little hope that the results would be any different from those of previous attempts.
Dr. Read's first endeavor was to have General Hancock as- sume an attitude similar to when he was wounded- So General Hancock sat astride a chair, and then Dr. Read inserted the probe in the wound. At a depth of eight inches he located the ball. It had passed around the thigh bone and was imbedded back of the bone.
Following the removal of the minie ball, General Hancock quickly gained strength. In September he left Norristown, but he had to use crutches for some months. He reported for duty in Washington in December.
* * *
Though his stay at Montgomery Square was so short that he could have retained few or no memories of the place, General Hancock was in the habit of making visits there when oppor- tunity offered. He also sought the home of his maternal ances- tors, in Hatfield township, and was interested in hunting out the genealogy of his progenitors.
To an inquirer he wrote a long letter in his later years telling of his recollections when as a boy he visited Grandfather Hoxworth, in Hatfield, and then accompanied the family to the Montgomery Baptist Church.
Though in the popular mind Hancock was the personifica- tion of the grim warror and the strict disciplinarian, yet many of his letters gave evidence of the real gentleness of his nature. It is difficult, however, to picture Hancock as a poet. Yet the Historical Society of Montgomery County possesses a set of verses that Hancock wrote when he left Norristown, in Decem- ber, 1839, to enter West Point. It is a tender effusion inscribed to one of the fair maids of the town who evidently had won the warm admiration of the handsome youth. There is nothing in
HANDCOCK LANDMARKS
19
this literary effort, however, to suggest that America lost a good
poet in gaining a great military man.
* * *
General Hancock's last public appearance was as chief marshal of the funeral of General U. S. Grant, in New York City, in the summer of 1885. Shortly after that his health failed. Besides suffering from diabetes, a carbuncle sapped his strength. He died at Governor's Island on Tuesday, Feb- ruary 9, 1886.
Some years before that General Hancock had had a vault built in Montgomery Cemetery, Norristown. In it was placed the body of his daughter Ada, who had died in 1875. General Hancock had often spoken of his desire to rest here, within sight of his boyhood home.
The day of the funeral was Saturday, February 13, — a dis- mal, rainy day. Escorted by three batteries of the Fifth United States Artillery, the body of the general was taken from Gov- ernor's Island to Trinity Church, New York City, where the service was conducted by an army chaplain and the Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix, rector of Trinity Church. There was only the ritual of the Episcopal Church, without eulogy or address. General Hancock had never been a member of any church.
The funeral train, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, arrived at DeKalb street station, Norristown, at 3 o'clock. All available space about the station was thronged with people, many of whom had come from a distance. In the town business was suspended, and many buildings were draped in mourning.
A reception committee of citizens was at the station. It consisted of Benjamin E. Chain, Irving P. Wanger, Professor T. S. C. Lowe, Jacob V. Gotwalts and Burgess John H. White. Professor Lowe, who was acquainted with many of the dis- tinguished men in the funeral party, was virtually in charge of the arrangements.
The military contingent accompanying the casket consisted of Battery F, Fifth United States Artillery, in charge of Major Wallace F. Randolph, who later rose to the rank of chief of artillery of the United States army.
The cortege comprised two carriages containing the Nor-
20
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
ristown committee, five carriages with the pallbearers, the hearse; accompanied by the military guard, members of the Hancock Veteran Association, of Philadelphia, and twelve more carriages with members of the funeral party. Mrs. Hancock was not able to make the trip to Xorristown.
The funeral passed up Main street to Montgomery Ceme- tery. In front of their headquarters, in the Opera House build- ing, the members of Zook Post, Grand Army of the Republic, stood at salute as the hearse passed. Two hundred and fifty members of the Loyal Legion left their train at Franklin Ave- nue station and walked to the cemetery.
In Montgomery Cemetery rain and thaw had softened the ground, and as the throng spread over the turf the surface was churned into a sea of mud- A detail of members of Zook Post, armed with muskets, sought to keep a passageway open for the funeral party.
At the vault the pallbearers formed in two lines, General William T. Sherman being at the head of one line, and Thomas F. Bayard, Secretary of State, at the head of the other line. The other pallbearers were: General Philip H. Sheridan, General William H. Franklin, General Alfred H. Terry, General Nelson A. Miles, General John Xewton, General James B. Fry, Gen- eral Francis A. Walker, General William F. Smith, S. M. Hart- shorne, Colonel W- P. Wilson and Major W. D. W. Miller.
Sixteen artillerymen carried the casket into the vault. As this was done three salvos were fired by Battery F, from four field pieces of GrifYen Battery, of Phoenixville, which were parked in the fields adjoining the cemetery. Then the artillery- men's bugler sounded "taps." and the battery fired a major general's salute of thirteen guns.
The pallbearers and other distinguished guests, most of whom had had nothing to eat since breakfast, were taken to Professor Lowe's Assembly Building, on Main street, opposite Arch, where a collation was served to -everal hundred persons. The visitors were much interested in the fact that the building was heated with gas stoves, an invention of Professor Lowe and then a decided novelty.
Among the guests were Governor Patti-nn, former Cover-
Norristown, Pa.
HANDCOCK LANDMARKS
21
nor Hoyt, General James A. Beaver, who later became Gover- nor of the state ; George W. Childs and General John F. Hart- ranft, a former Governor of the State.
Great crowds assembled about the building to try to get a glimpse of men who had helped to make American history, and General Sherman and General Sheridan were compelled to hold an impromptu reception to meet the numerous former soldiers who insisted upon shaking hands. At 6 o'clock a special train carried away the party.
* * *
Immediately after the funeral a movement was started to erect a monument to Hancock in Norristown. George Bullock was elected president of the organization; Charles Hunsicker, Esq., secretary, and Wm. Stahler, treasurer. Subscription books were distributed throughout the county. About $5000 was pledged, but the project never attained fruition.
In the ensuing twenty years there were frequent agitations about the alleged neglected condition of General Hancock's tomb, and several times bills were introduced in Congress to move the body of General Hancock to Arlington Cemetery. Finally, in 191 1, the Historical Society of Montgomery County, assumed responsibility for the care of the vault, and since then there has been no renewal of the effort to move the body.
Hilary B. Hancock, twin brother of General Hancock, spent most of his life in Minneapolis, Minn., where he was interested in milling. He died in 1908, and was buried in the lot of his parents in Montgomery Cemetery. In the same lot are buried two children of John Hancock, a third brother of Gen- eral Hancock, and also a grandson of the general, Winfield S. Hancock, Jr. son of Russell Hancock.
After General Hancock's death a fund of $55,000 was raised by popular subscription and presented to Mrs. Hancock, and also a house in Washington, costing $22,000. She died in 1893, and was buried in St. Louis, her early home.
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
BY EDWARD F. BOGGS
I have been asked to read to you a short paper on Colonial Architecture in Montgomery County , — or to be more correct, those buildings of Colonial type built before or during the Revo- lutionary period, and still existing in more or less original form. If it were only possible to take you with me across the border into Philadelphia County, I should not despair of holding your attention during the period allotted to me. As you well know, Philadelphia is the center of Colonial Architecture in this coun- try and combines in many ways the feeling of the spacious and dignified brick Colonial houses of the South with the quaint and picturesque architecture of the New England type and even re- minds one occasionally of the Dutch feeling so prevalent in New York.
Such houses as the Stenton at Wayne Junction ; the Wistar House, Germantown ; the old Morris House in Philadelphia ; the Mt. Pleasant house in Fairmount Park and others ; are classics of their kind ; worthy of careful study and may well awaken our enthusiasm.
Montgomery County has, I am sorry to state, very little worthy to be classed under the head of Colonial Architecture. The influences were against a consistent development of the style, — with the Swedes in Lower Merion and the German set- tlements in the northern portion of the County, the style was more or less effected by them.
We have however, some beautiful bits of Colonial work, and much more, which, although not pure, is interesting by the skilful adaption of its detail and massing to utilitarian and economic purposes.
While our forefathers were in a life and death struggle
24
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
subduing the country ; fighting the Indians and preparing the soil for cultivation, their cousins in England having finished their wars and political disturbances, were buisly engaged in de- veloping the Fine Arts. Architecture received its full share and the Georgian period of English Architecture abounds with ex- amples of highly developed forms of the Renaissance.
The art of this period, — including also the first twenty years of the nineteenth century, — is generally called "Colonial.'' Some object to the term : saying that there is too much variety of style to come under one head ; and that, moreover, — the best work was executed long after the original Colonies had become Provinces — and even later. But the term has been in use so long and is so suggestive and comprehensive, that it would be diffi- cult to find one more acceptable. Object as we may to the words : "Gothic" and "Colonial'', we cannot spare them, for no other words call up in the mind so completely a picture, not only of architecture and of the other arts, but of all the peculiar con- ditions, social, religious and political, which produced the Mediaeval ecclesiastical architecture of Europe and the eigh- teenth century domestic architecture of America.
In this domestic architecture there was evolution and growth, just as truly as in any other style. If the perfection of Greek Art remained unaccountable until the archaeological discoveries on the banks of the Nile and the Euphrates, still less would one understand Colonial art without a knowledge of the preceding styles. America owes Europe much, and we shall see that the emigrant left the mother country with neither empty hands nor empty heads.
As our merchants and others attained a state of affluence, they sent to England for plans of buildings such as were being built in that country. These houses were erected in the cities of Philadelphia, Baltimore and some in Boston. Bricks and other materials being sent from England. But almost immediately it was recognized that the difference in climatic and other con- ditions would change somewhat the style of architecture. In the South, and even in Pennsylvania, the presence of negro slaves made a separate building for culinary and laundering services advisable which caused the massing of the buildings
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY 25
into a main house with side wings connected by covered or closed passages. In the South the main house was usually addi- tionally accentuated by a covered porch, running up two stories with large columns and pediment over.
In New England on the other hand, the entire building is contained under one roof ; a kitchen or rear wing occasionally being added however, and later on spacious porches, — either front and back or at the sides — constituted another change from the English model. So we find a new style developing from the English Renaissance of the Georgian Period, having for its de- fining features a central building with side or rear wings formed by either buildings or porches.
In the matter of detail, the Colonial architect was again in- fluenced by the material obtainable. Wood was the almost universal material used for exterior and interior detail of cor- nices, entrances, porches and other architectural features, and wood being a much lighter material than stone (which was be- ing used in England) gave the artist the feeling that fine and delicate mouldings and ornament would be more artistic and appropriate.
Again, the Colonies were lacking in men versed in the In- dustrial Arts. No carvers, decorators or painters were at hand, so that instead of carving, other means of ornamentation were invented. Fluted, reed moulding — (holes bored in such a way as to form patterns) and festoons, are distinctive features of our Colonial style. The detail of our Colonial architecture has been severely criticized as an attempt to produce an imitation of carv- ed ornament with reed cane flute mouldings; festoons made by boring holes at intervals, and the like as I mentioned before; al*o, the pasting on of putty ornaments. Undoubtedly the criticism is well founded, but it must be allowed that with the limited means at the command of our forefathers, the lack of artists and carvers as before mentioned, the result is truly re- markable in showing what ingenuity and refinement of feeling they must have had to produce such results with so little from which to draw.
The covered porch or veranda with its classic columns, elongated to show the material; (wood). In its classic cornices
26 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
— lighter in dimensions than those in the Northern country — often crowned with a classic balustrade — we have seen to be dis- tinctly American Colonial feature. The dormer window may also lay claim to our Colonial architecture for its increase in size and embellishment. In England, ********* the dormers were made as small and inconspicious as possible, while we, on the other hand, — have enlarged and dignified it until it is the usual thing now — to see the window with its arched head ; its ornamented pilaster, cornice and pediment. The chimneys also have received much attention. In the houses which are gabled at the sides, the chimney forms a portion of the gable and are used to diversify the skyline.
So much for Colonial Architecture. Numbers of buildings throughout the county, especially in the northern part, are somewhat influenced by the German style. Brick pavements, long ridges, and a rather low appearance as the first floor is almost on the ground level. Large covered plaster cornices, pent eves and other points, — add to the picturesqueness and show a distinctiveness such as is not found elsewhere. With this preamble, suppose we examine a few examples of existing Colonial architecture and see what we can find. I had hoped to hunt up and visit many of the buildings of the Colonial period in the county but have only had one spare afternoon — since I was notified to inflict you with this paper and consequently will have to limit myself to the few buildings which I had pre- viously examined, and upon the information of friends who have been kind enough to supply me with data.
Let us journey first to Gulph Mills, where so much of his- toric interest has occurred. We traverse the winding road from Conshohocken with its steep hills on one side and its brook trickling among the stones and covered with underbrush on the other, — until we come to the bridge and see to the right the Bird-in-Hand Inn, which will be treated of later. Turning to the left and mounting the hill we come upon the McFarland house, (formerly old Squire Lowry's) which has better propor- tions and detail than hardly any other I know of in the county. I am very sorry to be obliged to state that this building does not come within the space of time known as the Colonial
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY 27
period, having been erected, according to the figures on the straps holding the conductor heads in 1803. The decadence of the Colonial style is supposed to have begun in the latter part of the 18th Century and buildings erected later than 1790 to 1800 — are usually faulty in proportions and detail. This house, however, seems to have retained much of the delicate detail and mouldings of the best period of Colonial Architecture and I shall therefore take the liberty of describing it to you and will try to be careful in the future not to transgress in this respect. We rind the walls built of local stone, which be- ing plentiful throughout the county, the houses were usually built of it. Brick was indeed costly as (at that time,) the out- side or facing brick was brought from England and only the wealthy could afford to have houses built of this material. There is however, a projecting brick band around the building, and the heads of all the windows are brick — excepting the first story front windows which are of marble. The front entrance is particularly well proportioned, and the detail is good and thoroughly Colonial ; the same may be said of the cornice. The dormers are exceptionally well designed. The interior is not so ornate. The mantels around the fireplaces are however good and well preserved. For the lover of Colonial work this house is well worth a visit.
The Isaac Potts' house now preserved in Valley Forge Park as Washington's Headquarters during the long to be re- membered winter of 1777-78 — is very interesting. This you will note has the kitchen wing separated by a covered passage. The hood over the front door is a distinctive feature, and there is only one other example in the country, Newport, R. I. You will notice the panelled wainscoting in the first floor rooms and the ornamental features on the mantel sides of the rooms, consisting of the fireplace in the centre with panelling over it and a semi-circular headed door with archibolt and key blocks on one side opening into a side hall. On the other, one of the various Colonial closets with semi-circular head to match the door, and the shelves are cut in quaint patterns with moulded ends. The walls are quite thick, and the windows have the sills forming seats, — some of which raise, making closets. This
28
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
building is supposed to have been built prior to 1768. Other buildings in this vicinity are Lafayette's headquarters, to the right of Valley Creek just beyond the road. This is said to be in a good state of preservation.
General Knox's headquarters is another building of Colo- nial lines ; north from Mt. Joy. Both these buildings are of stone and plastered.
Retracing our steps to Upper Merion again, we stop near the present Henderson Station of the Chester Valley Railroad to see the Holstein House, built in 17 14. The old porches have disappeared and the only architectural features worthy of note are the mantle-pieces with the moulded shelves and panelling and the quaint closets patterned like those in Washington's headquarters. Another building in the vicinity is the Abrams House at Abrams Station on the P. & R. R. R. The Ellis house, built in 1802. Zebulon Potts' house at the end of Sixth Avenue, Conshohocken, is of the regular Colonial plan — with the hall running from front to rear with two rooms on either side. Also a house on Hector Street, Conshohocken, a large stone mansion.
The house on Conshohocken Turnpike, known as the "Angel House" — received its name from the fact that the builder purchased and built into the front walls, a carved stone tablet brought from Italy and intended to adorn the house of Robert Morris which had been under erection at the corner of Eighth and Chestnut Sts., Philadelphia. (This building was finally abandoned owing to Morris' financial embarassments due to loans made in the founding of the United States Government.) On this tablet are two figures : one with a book — representing literature and other — brushes and palette — representing Art.
At Plymouth, the house now owned by Mrs. Thomas Hovenden was built in Colonial times, — also the house now oc- cupied by Mrs. Wm. Livezey ; and the Friends' Meeting House were also of the usual Colonial type. The King of Prussia Inn is mentioned here on account of its exceptionally large chimneys and fireplaces. The Anthony Morris house, at Spring Mill, is a very quaint specimen of Colonial Architecture and is unique in having a slight gambrel in the roof. There are few speci- mens of this type in this section of the country, they are usually
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY 20,
found in New England where they are quite common. This Morris dwelling is of the true Colonial style and well worth studying.
Further up the river, at Norristown, we come to another notable building which was erected about 1785, by General Andrew Porter and called "Selma' by him. This house passed into the Knox family in 1824 and is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fornance and family. It is in a splendid state of preservation. The exterior is well proportioned. The plan is a typical Colonial one, — a hall right through the building with two rooms on either side. Later on a kitchen wing was built and connected to the house by a covered passage. This house has the old-fashioned hand-moulded wooden sills to the win- dows. The walls, now plastered with fine pebble finish, — were originally of local stone, pointed with wide joints and arched over the windows. The cornice, with its medallions is well proportioned and moulded. The front door is a fine example, also in addition to being well preserved and having the Colo- nial details, it has also the unusual feature of the soffit of the crown moulding fluted. This gives a very pleasing effect. The dormer windows are admirably proportioned and moulded in the best of the style. The front steps are of marble. The in- terior of the house has little of architectural interest. The trim mould, the chair rail, baseboard, etc., are in good style. The old corner closet in the dining room has the moulded shelves. The wood trim around the windows comes down to the sill line with panelled pilasters below the trim, the corner rounded by a fluted quarter- round such as is often seen in Colonial furniture. The original mantel pieces have been removed and marble mantles substituted. I was glad however, to find the most ornate one in the loft. The shelf is exquisitely moulded with bob and reed moulding placed at intervals ; the centre ac- centuated by a panel which is ornamented with flutes and reeds ; the same being the case over the pilasters. The construction of the house is particularly interesting. In those days nails were forged by hand and were very expensive, so we find the joists and rafters secured by wooden pegs, the beams first being mortised into one another. This occurs where the joists are
30 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
framed into girders and where the rafters come together at the ridge. We find it in all of the buildings of the older period and it may be plainly seen in Isaac Potts' house, now used as Wash- ington's headquarters.
The old barn and out-building are in a good state of pre- servation and are picturesque in appearance.
Near the Porter house on the Cemetery Avenue, is the old Hancock house, it is of historical interest only. Further down the street was the house of Colonel Knox, occupied for several years by the Hon. I. P. Wanger and was demolished only last year. This was a small house with low ceilings but the old wainscoting and mantels were interesting. The houses built of brown stone opposite the First National Bank are said to be very old and one of them has a very interesting Colonial mantel piece. The old house at the corner of Alain and Cherry streets, now used as an office by Mr. Corson, has a Colonial doorway of good lines and proportions and is undoubtedly the best in Nor- ristown. The dormers too are of good Colonial type.
Proceeding along the Reading Pike, we turn off at Jeffer- sonville and take the road leading to Shannonville, and arrive in time at the Audubon house which is situated on the shore of Perkiomen Creek. This building was erected in 1789, I be- lieve, but alterations and additions have changed its character almost completely. However the old walls are still standing with the large carved cornice ; parts of the original stairway and many of the doors, architraves, etc.
The Abrams house in Upper Merion at Abrams Station on the Reading Railroad, is another very interesting house. It has been added to both at the side and rear and I have been unable to find the date of the original building. The ornamental cor- nice and the quaint mantel pieces with secret drawers in the frieze of the entablature over the pilasters. This feature, found in many of the mantel pieces in Philadelphia, I have not dis- covered elsewhere in Montgomery County.
The house of former Governor Pennypacker, at Schwenks- ville — has been referred to me as a very interesting specimen of the early Colonial architecture, but I have not been fortunate enough to have seen it for myself. The description which I
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY 3 1
have read of it and the photograph proclaim it to be an in- teresting structure. The pitch of the roof is considerably steeper than is usual and this may have been the German in- fluence. Although one of the distinctive features of the American Colonial is the steeping of the roofs to a greater ex- tent than the English for the reason no doubt of causing the snow to slide off. Washington is said to have occupied this dwelling for a few days in October of 1777.
Let us now7 retrace our steps to the extreme eastern part of the county and proceed from Philadelphia up the Bethlehem Pike until we come to "Hope Lodge" in Whitemarsh town- ship, which is built of brick, presumably brought from England. This house is supposed to have been built not later than 1700 and has a semi-circle headed doorway with two windows on either side. It is long and low with admirable proportions. A visit to the interior would doubtless reveal many treasures to the delver after historic Colonial Architecture.
"Dawesfield" is another old house in this vicinity. Situat- ed on a cross road connecting Morris Road to the Skippack Pike. This old mansion was built of stone with a rear wing; it evidently had, at first, an open terrace along the front as the windows — originally doors on this side of the house — come di- rectly to the floor. The rear porch seems almost as if it might be the original, — it is so exactly in keeping with the style of that period. The rear wing with the pent-eves, was built soon after the main house which was erected in 1736; the right hand side was built much later. This house is of much historic interest. Washington occupied the second story middle room, — Lafayette the room under it, and Wayne the room on the ground floor to the left.
"The Emlen House", of historic memory, in Whitemarsh Valley — seems also to have been "Washington's Headquar- ters" during the winter of 1777 — before the Army retreated to Valley Forge. I have a photograph of the exterior with me, kindly given me by Mr. Powers and one can see the extent of the front elevation and the proportions. The porches of course are of recent date.
"The Wentz House" in Worcester township, north of Skip-
32
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
pack Road, and east of Centre Point, — is an unusually interest- ing bit of work as it has pent-eves around almost the entire house. This gives it a quaint and Dutch-like appearance that is extremely pleasing. The house is built of stone and the front is laid up in range work and dressed, similar to many of the old Germantown houses facing the street. This house was, of course, also occupied by Washington, in October of 1777, is said to have been built in 1748. The only other house that I have a description of and which was built during this period — is the Manor-House of Sir William Keith erected in 172 1. It is situated on the boundary road between Montgomery and Bucks counties, a mile from Doylestown Road. Washington is said to have occupied it the night before he crossed the Dela- ware to fight the Battle of Trenton. I cannot but think that the roof, although very old, is of more recent construction than the house as it is a steep gambrel, almost a mansard — and very unsightly. The stonework of the house is built in coursed work and roughly tooled : it is quite large and pretentious com- pared with some of the other houses which we have examined.
Of the old places of worship in Montgomery County during the Colonial Period, we find Old Swedes Church in Lower Merion township ; the Lutheran Church at Trappe ; the Norriton Presbyterian Church on the Germantown Pike, near Fairview, and the Friends Meeting Houses situated at Ply- mouth, Merion, Horsham, Gwynedd and Abington.
The Abington Friends Meeting House was built in 1697 and has since been renovated and enlarged. The quality of the stonework is very fine indeed, being laid in long narrow lengths, artistically broken and pointed. There is not much else to be said of it as architecture.
Plymouth Meeting House, built about 17 14, has also been considerably added to., structurally — the cornice is well de- signed and seems to be of the original pattern.
Horsham Meeting House, originally built in 1718, and still standing seems to have been erected about 1803.
The Merion Meeting, originally dated 1695 — has been enlarged and almost entirely rebuilt and has lost much of the Colonial feeling it may have possessed.
Colonial Fireplace in Hall of Sir Wm. Keith's Manor House Graeme Park, Horsham, Pa.
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY 33
The Old Norriton Presbyterian Meeting House is a very unique structure as it stands at present ; it cannot be said to have any Colonial feeling whatsoever. It is situated on the corner of Germantown Pike and Trooper Road and dates about 1689.
The building is erected of stone laid up in front in regular range work ; and there are three large openings in the front of equal size, equally spaced, and with semi-circular heads with cut voussoirs — giving the structure quite a dignified appearance. Apparently none of the old woodwork remains.
The old Lutheran Church at Trappe, built in 1743, is thoroughly unique in being entirely German in character ; and it seems to be almost a copy of the Province church in northern Germany. The gambrel roof; the triangular apse; (which is not the chancel however), the exterior vestibules, with their semi-circle headed entrances ; the queer little windows opening in the gallery; the quaint woodwork of the gallery wTith the rough benches ; and steep pitch roof are all of German character.
The Old Swedes Church in Upper Merion, near Bridge- port, is known to so many of the members of your Society, and its history and associations are so dear — as to be known to all. The Church has been altered so often that little of the original architecture remains — so I shall not attempt a description of it at this time.
The old Taverns or Inns next occupy our attention and a few of them are most interesting. The Inn at ''King of Prussia" is principally noted for its immense chimneys and fire places. It has however, good proportions and a queer old air of homelike rusticity.
The most important building, architecturally, is Abraham Wentz's Tavern on Skippack Road, about one-half a mile east of Centre Square. This was built of brick in 1762. The stretchers are said to have been made on the place, but the black headers are said to have been gotten from abroad. It is the second house of the period that was built of brick, of which I know, in the county. You will note the large coved plastered cornice similar to the one on the Audubon House — which returns hor- izontally across and up the slopes of the gabies.
34
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
The Bird-in-Haad Tavern, at Gulph Mills, dates back to about 1774 and is situated, — as was often the case — with the side gable facing the street. This gave a wide space in front for the congregation of carriages.
I am much indebted to Mr. Frederick Powers who has been so kind as to lend me some of his photographs which he made at different times ; they seem, however, to be just what is neces- sary to show something of the old buildings which I have been talking about. I have also brought with me a few photographs of the best Philadelphia Colonial work so that you may note some of the features of the original Colonial style.
This paper has been written not so much to give informa- tion as to incite interest in our native architecture and specially those specimens found within the borders of our County. I therefore wish to caution you that any dates which I have mentioned, have not been verified and cannot be regarded as entirely authentic.
5
An Original Augur from the Old Factory at Teffersoxvclle, Pa. in possession of Historical Society of Montgomery County
1G66472
AN OLD AUGUR FACTORY
By Dr W. H. Eeed
At the close of the civil war, and upon his return home from participating in its strife, the late Colonel Theodore W. Bean — who subsequently became the first president of the Historical Society of Montgomery County — resumed his trade of blacksmithing in the shop he owned, located in the central portion of the village of Jeftersonville, where he then lived.
About this time an itinerant augur-maker chanced in the Colonel's shop where he was engaged at work, and interested the proprietor in the manufacture of augurs, bits, etc. In due time there developed quite an industry in this quiet village ; and this augur (see cut), is a product of that shop, and has stamped upon it "T. W. Bean."
To meet the demand for these tools of industry, additional room was necessary, and this was made by erecting a second story on the already large building. Many windows was built in the stone walls for a plentiful supply of light ; and rows of workbenches were placed around the walls in the interior of the room; these were provided with tools for the mechanics, and here the products of the shop were finished for the market.
The first story of the building contained several forges, where the first stages of augur making was done, — such as cut- ting bars of iron into proper lengths ; hammering one end flat with cutting-end and screw point. After a few further minor touches the product of the shop was ready for the market. The class of goods of this shop was of excellent quality, and pos- sessed a wide reputation for superior excellence.
Colonel Bean now becoming imbued with the study of law, upon graduating was admitted to the Bar, and, as a sequence the industry was suspended ; the building disappeared ; the neighborhood lost — what was at one time a promising industry of importance. Now naught remains but its fragmentary his- tory and traditions.
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH
In order to understand the origin of Wentz's church, or her parent, the old Skippack church, it is necessary for us to ac- quaint ourselves with the conditions which gave her birth, and this takes us back to the early settlement made in Pennsylvania.
Although the Swedes and Dutch had undoubtedly explored and were acquainted with the territory lying along the Delaware and Schuylkill, yet it is not probable that any permanent settle- ment was made by either, before the coming of William Penn.1
When Penn obtained the Royal Charter from King Charles II on March 4, 1681, granting to him the Province of Pennsyl- vania and Delaware, he appointed agents in Germany and Hol- land to form companies of such who desired to come to his land.
Under the leadership of Pastorius the first company of Dutch and German settlers came to Pennsylvania.
Landing in Philadelphia, October 6th, 1683, and finding the country along the river already occupied, they removed 7 miles further into the wilderness where they founded Germantown. The Welsh, Swedes, Dutch and Germans now flocking into the country. The companies that came over were for the greater part related by marriage and embraced the same faith. The streams of the Schuylkill, Pennypack, Wissahickon, Perkiomen, Skippack and Swamp furnished easy access into the interior and provided with natural grass, the locations desirable for settlement were eagerly seized by the immigrants, and along their banks we have to look for the fountains of the Reformed Church, in the United States.
1 Not*' — Samuel ftodyn and Samuel Blomaert were the first Dutch settlers to etYect a settlement on Delaware Bay. They colonized "Swan- endall," on the left hank of the Delaware river a few miles above Cape Henlopen — where they arrived the l-*th December, 16U0. The Colony was afterward abandoned
This settlement was followed by a croup of Swedes who came, about 1637, under charter from the Swedish West India Co. Wm. Isselinux was the projector — and Peter Minuet conducted the first expedition of settlers about 16,'JS. Both the Dutch and the Swedes continued to alternate In the possession of both shores of the Delaware until the English Con- quest and the errant to Win. Penn in li>*l. lid.
By the Pastort Rev. D. D. Brendle
Wentz's Church of today
HISTORY OF WENTZS REFORMED CHURCH
37
On February 22, 1702, Mathias Van Bebber purchased 6166 acres of land from his associates of Creheld and William Penn. This tract was nearly identical with the present town- ships of Skippack and Perkiomen. He disposed of his land at once, selling to whoever would buy. Bebber was a Mennonite and many of his Mennonite friends of Germantown settled along the Skippack. In spite of the unwarranted treatment that these people had received from the Protestant church in Switzerland and throughout Europe, they most cordially wel- comed into their midst Reformed people. The fact that the De- Havens, Reiffs. Schutts and other Reformed people, who were prominent in the old Skippack church, should be buried in the Lower Skippack Mennonite cemetery, instead of the Reformed cemetery on the North West Branch of the Skippack stream, where you would expect them to repose, indicates a relation between these two denominations in this section which would be interesting if it were unraveled.
Among the Reformed people who settled along the Skip- peck you have Henry Pennypacker, in 1704; Dirk and William Renberg, Gerhart and Herman DeHaven, in 1706; Cornelius and William Dewees and Johannes Schull, in 1708.
In a petition made in 171 3 for a road from Farmer's Mill to Skippack, we have the names of several other Reformed people, namely Peter Bon, Abraham Le fever, Peter Wentz and Lorentz Schweitzer. The records of Van Vlecq and a letter ad- dressed by the Skippack congregation to the Synod of Holland, in 1730, proves conclusively that they belonged to this denomi- nation.
James Heckler, who carefully studied the early settlement of this region, tells us that Garret DeHaven built the first house in Skippackville. It is now owned by Jesse Sholl, but has been entirely remodeled. Here DeHaven kept hotel and Heckler says that there are reasons for believing that public worship was held in this place. What evidence he refers to I do not know. Van Vlecq's records show, however, that he performed marriages and baptized children at Skippack in the years 1710-11-12. Several of the Reformed people mentioned above were members of Vlecq's Dutch Reformed congregation at White Marsh, and
38 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
it is therefore, probable that no organization existed at Skippack till Boehm began his active work in 1725. Considering the dis- tance from Skippack to White Marsh, the wild and rugged con- dition of the country and road at that time, and the poor accom- modation for travel, we are justified in concluding that the periodical visits of Vlecq to this neighborhood were prompted by a desire to hold worship for the women and children, who were naturally not strong enough to make the trip to White Marsh. And although we do not possess a scintilla of evidence to show that worship was continued here after the departure of the Dutch minister, still remembering the religious tenor of our ancestry, we are loath to believe that they were indifferent to these essentials till the arrival of Boehm in 1720. It would presuppose a condition of religious laxity rarely found in the lives of the other settlers in the country at the time.
We now start on the second lap of the history of this church. But in order that we may properly appreciate this turbulent period we must first know something about the per- sons who directed the frail bark and the location of the church building.
The first person we would call your attention to is Gerhard In den HofTen or DeHaven. He and his brother, Herman, pur- chased from Yen Bebber 430 acres of land in 1706. It was right in Skippackville. The tract was one mile in length along the line of Lower Salford and extended on both sides of the Skippack road. Herman removed to Evansburg and Gerhard bought some additional land and erected a mill on the Skippack, on what is now the Dotts property. Later he rented the mill to Felix Good, who was a member of the Skippack church. Among those who petitioned the Court of Quarter Sessions in Philadelphia on September 6, 1736, for a road from Isaac Klein's, now Harleysville, to Felix Good's mill, we find the names of Garret DeHaven and Jacob Reift. They state that such a road will be a great convenience for those who attend church on Reift's plantation. Due to misstatements of dis- tance in the application and the selfish motives of the petitioners the road was not granted. DeHaven was a man of property and influence in the community. He and his family are buried in the Lower Skippack Mennonite cemetery.
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH
39
It may be interesting to know that right east of DeHaven's plantation, the Renbergs had located, on a tract of land con- taining 300 acres. One or two of the members of this family had been married by Vlecq, but the entire family had left the community before 1725.
We now come to the second character, Jacob ReifT, who owned 540 acres of land, extending from the Morris road, in Lower Salford, to the DeHaven plantation, on the South. Henry S. Dotterer says the following concerning ReifT : " Jacob ReifT, an early settler of Lower Salford township, was inti- mately associated with the affairs of this region. He was a man of superior intelligence, held public office for several years, owned considerable land and was conspicuously identified with the interests of the German Reformed Church in Pennsylvania."
"John George ReifT, his father, on the 16th of May, 1724, purchased of Henry Pennypacker and Eve, his wife, a tract of 200 acres, located in Lower Salford township, Philadelphia county. He died shortly before the 7th of January, 1727, leav- ing a wife, Anna Maria ReifT, and four sons and one daughter, viz: George ReifT, the eldest son, Peter ReifT, Conard ReifT, and Jacob, who was appointed sole executor, and Anna Maria ReifT/'
''The exact date of the arrival of Jacob ReifT (who doubt- less came with his father) into this country has not been de- termined. From the diary of Gerhardt Clemens, who pur- chased in 1 718 of David Powell six hundred and ninety acres, in Lower Salford township, the following extracts are made, which indicate that Jacob ReifT was engaged in business here as early as July, 1723: "July 2> x723> settled with Jacob ReifT, balance due him on land 14 pounds and 18 shillings." James Y. Heckler justly remarks: "If he, Jacob ReifT, was entrusted by the colonial government as agent to go around among the >ettlers to collect partial payments on their land in 1723, he must have been here some time before, well acquainted and in the confidence of the leading men."
Jacob ReifT disposed of the greater part of his land so that in roc tax list of Salford township for 1734 he is returned as the owner of 150 acres. This plantation was located near the south -
40
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
east border, of the present township of Lower Salford, on both sides of the Little Branch creek, near the Skippack, and remain- ed the family homestead until recently of the pioneer owner's decendents.
Quoting Dotterer again : "It was here that he lived dur- ing the years of his social life, when he held the responsible po- sition of Deputy for the probate of wills, by authority from William Plumstead, Register General. The exact period during, which he acted in this capacity has not been ascertained by the writer but it covered at least the years 1743 and 1748 inclusive. Wills were brought for probate from many of the interior town- ships, including Salford, Hanover, Amity, Oley, Perkiomen> Skippack, Towamencin, Maidencreek, Saucon, Rockhill, Cole- brookdale, Worcester, Providence and Franconia. The object in having a German-speaking deputy located here was doubtless to accommodate those German-speaking inhabitants who lived a great distance from Philadelphia and were ignorant of the English language.
We now come to the third character, Gabriel Shuler. The Shuler family had located at an early date, at Georgetown along with the Mennonite settlers. According to tradition, Gabriel was fond of the chase and on one of his excursions into the wilderness chanced upon a tract of land located a little southeast of Harleysville, which greatly pleased him and upon which he settled shortly afterwards. Here he lived during the existence of the Skippack church. He was married to Margaret Aweegh, by Vlecq, September, 171 1. In 1770 we find him located in Frederick township and possessed of 700 acres of land. Ac- cording to local historians he lived to be 109 years old. He was a man of means and influence. His grandson having the same name, was married to Rev. John Philip Leydich's daughter. Gabriel Shuler, Sr., was a great worker in wood and made a pul- pit at his home and presented it to the church at Goshenhoppen. He and his wife Catherine, Margaret Shuler, Elizabeth Shuler and William Shuler were buried in the cemetery adjoining the Skippack church.
Undoubtedly Garret DeHaven, Jacob Reifl and Gabriel Shuler were the most prominent members of the Skippack
HISTORY OF WENTZS REFORMED CHURCH
41
church. If I were to attribute any mental characteristic to these men I would say that Shuler was always loyal to Boehm and must have heartily sympathized with his pronounced Re- formed faith. DeHaven was a man of initiative and may have had a strong inclination for the Mennonite church, while in ReirT we have the man of compromise as will be seen by the tradition that Dr. Weiser has preserved, that the people called ReiiT, "ah so" (auch so or just so) because he was in the habit of agreeing with those with whom he conversed. It is well to bear in mind wrhen we consider the later history of ReifT that while the Pennsylvania German is peaceably inclined, he also can become very stubborn. It is more than likely that on ac- count of the prominence of Reiff in the community the central position of his plantation between Shuler and DeHaven and the other Reformed people settled between Harleysville and Skip- packville that the church was located on the Reiff farm.
The fourth character I would introduce to you is Rev. John Philip Boehm. Boehm was a school teacher in Lambsheim, Germany, and came to Pennsylvania in 1720 and located at Blue Bell where he owned a farm. Since you are all well acquainted with this character I will simply state that to him belongs the honor of having first organized into congregations the German Reformed people of Pennsylvania, and concerning his initial labor I will permit him to speak for himself. In his report to the Synod of Holland, July 8, 1744, he writes thus:
"Formerly, when there was no Reformed services in this county, the Reformed people at Falkner's Swamp, Skippack and White Marsh came together and when they took communion it was with the Presbyterians in Philadelphia in the year 1725. But because this appeared to some as not in accord with our Reformed Church they stayed away and became much scattered, as wandering sheep having no shepherd, which was distressing to observe.
"Accordingly they resolved once more urgently to request me (J. P. Boehm), although for full 5 years had declined to do so, that I would become their pastor. This was so touchingly represented to me by two of their members thereunto com- missioned that our hearts melted together in tears, and in the
42 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
name of all the people it was pressed upon my conscience whether I had courage to answer for it at the last day of Judge- ment if I should leave them thus without help and allow so many souls to remain scattered among all kinds of sects, of which this country is filled. I thought indeed that it would be better for me if I could escape this yoke and support my family with my work and agriculture, but I was convinced by my conscience that I could not do otherwise. I allowed myself to be persuaded to this work. With humbleness of heart I ad- dressed myself to the Lord's work and drew up with my brethern as well as I could, a constitution of the church, so that all things might be done in good order. We divided the charge into three congregations mentioned above, and when the consti- tution had been presented to and accepted by the whole people I was regularly elected by each one of the congregations and a formal call extended to me by the elders. Whereupon I begun the ministry of the Lord in his name. After I had preached a few times to my dear congregations, namely Falkner's Swamp (which place is now called New Hanover township), Skippack and White Marsh, which had entrusted themselves to my min- istry, we celebrated the Lord's Supper and there communed for the first time on October 15, 1725, at Falkner's Swamp, 40 mem- bers ; in November, at Skippack, 37 members, and on December 23, at White Marsh, 24 members. This was the first be- ginning."
We see from the above that Boehm for a period of five years, or from the time of his arrival in this country in 1720 to 1725, served the people of Skippack in the capacity of reader and preached to them from time to time and after the year 1725, without being regularly ordained ; that he performed all the functions of the ordained minister a little over two years. Boehm, as pastor, carried on his work in peace, fondly looking forward to the time when it should bear grain. But it was the calm before the storm.
On September 18, 1724, there appeared in Philadelphia, a young man but 27 years old, who was destined to destroy the harmonious relations between Boehm and his congregations. This young man, the Rev. George Michael Weiss, had arrived
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH 43
at Philadelphia at the head of the Reformed people from the Palatinate.
Hearing about the work of Boehm and that he preached without being ordained, he declared at once that the work of Boehm was illegal and the congregations were not justified in tolerating his lawless proceedings. Boehm says in regard to Weiss : "He ran around everywhere, tried to push me violently out of my office and preached in all my congregations without first consulting me about it." Through Frederick Hillegas, of Skippack, and Dr. Jacob Diemer, Peter and Michael Hillegas, of Philadelphia, Weiss gained many adherents at Skippack.
From 1720 to 1728 public worship was held in private homes or barns, wherever it was most convenient. According to an unpublished letter by Boehm in Holland on March 10, 1728, they broke up a service which Boehm was holding in the private house of Jacob Reiff and compelled him to hold his ser- vice elsewhere. I may be indulging in a presumption that is unwarranted when I say that the direct cause for a division in the congregation was the determination of the location for the church building. While Weiss was the immediate cause of this disruption in the congregation, it is worthy of note that in spite of all attempts on his part to oust Boehm from his other con- gregations and belittle his work by aspersions on his ability as a preacher and his not being regularly ordained to the ministry, that these congregations did not swerve the least in their loyalty to their founder.
There are two other facts that corroborated the above state- ment. The first is that the Reiff faction, or the lower congrega- tion, as I prefer to term it, for I believe that a great deal of blame has been unjustly laid at the door of Jacob Reiff, built a very substantial church building a year after the division was made. This was the first church building of the German Re- formed Church in Pennsylvania. Furthermore, in a letter to the Deputies of Holland, Boehm, describing the strategical impor- tance of the recently bought farm at Harleysville, shows that he was by no means partial to the Reiff plantation for a proper location for a church.
After the service which was broken up in the Reiff home on
44 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
March 10, 1728, we have two streams to follow, one takes us to Harleysville and the other to the north west branch of the Skippack. Let us now follow the first. The members who followed Boehm lived mostly around Harleysville and he preached to them in their homes or barns. When I say Har- leysville I do not want you to think of a town of houses : for on March 22, 1735, Boehm, Gabriel Shuler and Ulrich Stephan bought a farm of 150 acres and 154 perches with a house on it. This was the first building in Harleysville. Boehm intended to use this house for a parsonage and to build a church right across the street. But he was disappointed. The farm had been bought by the three men for the congregation with the view that the congregation might pay for it.
The congregation, however, was poor, but desiring to have a place for worship, they rented the land away and kept the house for their services. This was done in order that the rent money might help to pay the interest of the money that was invested in the farm. This congregation was weak from the start and was becoming more so as the years rolled on. On July 13, 1742, Shuler and Stephen sold their interest in the farm to Boehm. On April 9, 1745, Boehm sold 100 acres to Henry Myers, and on December 28, 1745, disposed of the rest, 49 acres and 126 perches, to Henry Deering. The likelihood is that over an acre of land had been reserved out of this tract for a church.
Boehm continued to preach to his congregation till about Dec. 1748, when he makes the definite statement, in a conversa- tion with Mr. Schlatter, that "Skippack had scattered and was no more." We know that as early as Oct. 1735, he had collected 40 pounds in New York for the erection of a church and about the same time purchased the farm in Harleysville. On Sep- tember 3, 1747, at the first meeting of the Ccetus, Boehm was authorized to use the 40 pounds for the erection of a church in Witpen, and 4 pounds which was collected in Philadelphia to be given to the elders present for use of the Skippack congregation. Undoubtedly the faction represented by Boehm was the weaker and, while peaceably inclined, drifted away from the community and were finally lost to the congregation, so that the congrega-
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH 45
tion died a natural death. There communed in Skippack in the year 1734, 53 members; in 1737, 55 members; in 1740, 39 mem- bers, and in 1743, 36 members.
James Y. Heckler, who lived in this neighborhood in his youth and was acquainted here, tells us the following : "When I was a lad of ten summers the place where the church stood was strewn with numerous small stones, being the refuse of that demolished edifice. Near what was then Christian x\lle- bach's barn stood an old log house, the cellar of which has since been utilized for an ice house. About the year 1840 or 1841 Christian Allebach took down that log house and removed the material out on the church ground, where he had a cellar dug and built a house the first story of logs and the second story was frame. I have since been informed by members of the Reiff family that the log house which I have mentioned had been built of material which had been in the church building. Jesse Anderson moved into the new house on the old church ground and soon afterwards he was in want of a bake oven, he then began to dig the foundation for it, when, lo and behold ! he dug into the foundation of the old church and took out nearly enough stones to build his bake oven. If he had then taken the measurement of the foundation the exact size of the church might have been ascertained. Heckler also says that the Alle- bach Mill, which belonged to the Reiff plantation and stood some distance east of the ReirT homestead, was built of logs of the old church. This can not be true for we are sure that ser- vices was held in the church in 1744 by Rev. Straub. The ex- planation is, however, that when the church was torn down in 1760 that some of the material in the church was used in re- pairing or enlarging the mill.
Three hundred yards south from the church was located the graveyard. There are those still living who when boys played around the tombstones and who have faint recollections about it. The graveyard continued to be used as a burial ground till near the close of the last century, Heckler says. But in 1838 when I became acquainted there the fence was only along one side of the graveyard. All the grave stones with names on were soap-stones, but there were many rough stones
46 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
without names and some of them so sunk down to be visible only at the top. As long as the land belonged to the Reiffs and to Allebach the graveyard was not desecrated. But after that house was built there, 17 acres of land were sold to Jesse An- derson but the graveyard was not sold ; it was reserved in the deed.
Mr. Anderson raised a family of boys who did not have much to do as they grew up and they frequently tried their strength in pulling up of those stones. But in December, 1859, the property was sold by the Sheriff, John W. Stauffer, to George Nuss, a German, who cleaned out the grave yard and plowed it around. Several neighbors remonstrated with him against it, but he told them he had bought it all and he would farm it all.
About the year 1877 Rev. Schultz and Dr. Weiser visited the place when Jacob Clemens was on the place, they pro- cured a long stone which they took there and ordered him to plant it in the middle of the graveyard. As Mr. Clemens did not know where the grave yard had been, he sent for Jesse Ander- son, who came and, with the assistance of several neighbors, they dug down into a grave and planted that stone to mark the place where the graveyard had been. But after Dillman Sou- ders had bought the property he dug out the stone and took it away. So there is nothing there now to mark the place where the dead repose.
Visiting the place last Summer we found it covered with beautiful waving oats and the words of the poet for us were most strikingly exemplified :
"Yet a few days, and thee The all-beholding sun shall see no more In all his course ; nor yet in the cold ground, Where thy pale form was laid, with many tears, Nor in the embrace of ocean shall exist Thy image, Earth that nourished thee, shall claim Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again. And, lost each human trace, surrendering up Thine individual being, shalt thou go To mix forever with the elements,
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH 47
To be a brother to the insensible rock
And to the sluggish clod, which the rude swain
Turns with his share, and treads upon.
The oak shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mold.
Yet not to thine eternal resting place
Shalt thou retire alone — nor couldst thou wish
Couch more magnificent. Thou shalt lie down
With the patriarch, of the infant world — with kings,
The powerful of the earth — the wise, the good,
Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past,
All in one mighty sepulchre. The hills
Rock-ribbed and ancient as the sun — the vales
Stretching in pensive quietness between ;
The venerable woods — rivers that move
In majesty, and the compaining brooks
That make the meadows green ; and, poured round-all,
Old ocean's the solemn decorations all
Of the great tomb of men."
Before we turn to the lower congregation I wish to state one of the happy results of the misunderstanding between Boehm and Weiss. When Boehm was accused of being irregu- larly ordained to the ministry, his parishioners at once took steps to secure his ordination. Because there was no German Reformed Church in America, at that time, they made applica- tion to the authorities of the Dutch Reformed Church of New York, to perform the ordinance. These in turn referred the matter to the mother Church in Holland, which authorized the Dutch ministers in New York to comply with the request. This transaction marks the first steps taken in securing the good offices of the Dutch Reformed Church of Holland in helping the German Reformed people of Pennsylvania and fortunately brought about that excellent supervision which she exercised over us for about 60 years. It is a field . furnishing excellent material for speculation as to what might have been the reli- gious condition of the German Reformed people in Pennsyl- vania if the Dutch Church had not extended a helping hand. It is noteworthy that on account of a little flame of misunder- standing in a humble home in a little settlement in the very dawn
48
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
of the colony, the stream of the history of our church should have been turned by a pebble into a channel so conducive to her best interests.
The Skippack church was built in 1729 and dedicated on June 22, 1729. According to a letter in Amsterdam, Weiss preached in the Skippack church from 1727- 1730; Rev. Peter Miller, from 1730 to 1731 ; Rev. John Bartholomew Reiger, from 1731 to 1734: Rev. John Henry Goetchy, from 1735 to 1741, and John William Straub, till 1744. During this period service must have been held in the church quite regularly. The prevailing opinion is that the congregation gradually weakened and ceased to exist about 1748. But there is evidence to show that it still retained its ideuity as late as 1756 and the likelihood is that it never disbanded. In the Records of the Ccetus for the year 1756 we find the following minute? : "The money remain- ing of the collection by Reiff and the Bibles which Dr. Schlatter had kept in his hands thus far, he gave up as was proper, al- though he was sick. Of these moneys the people at Skippack received 100 florins and those at Germantown also 100 florins.'* The other minutes reads thus : " An elder sent by the congre- gation at Skippack called Witpen, appeared in our Ccetus, ask- ing that thenceforth those people might be visited by us. We promised them that Dr. Stoy should visit them twice a year on Sunday ; Dr. Weiss in like manner twice ; Dr. Leydich once, and during the week as often as they themselves would see fit.'' I would like to indulge in a fuller discussion of the history of our church at this period. I will only say that the erection of the first church building of Wentz's congregation in 1762, even before the arrival of the first minister, Alsentz, was not the result of the generated enthusiasm of a few weeks of a people who had entirely disbanded but the culmination of that quiet work performed by Dr. Leydich, Weiss and Stoy when they were commissioned by Ccetus to visit them "during the week as often as they themselves would see fit."
Let us now follow the fortunes of the Skippack church building and its adjoining cemetery.
The church was built of strong logs and stood on the border of an oak grove. The woods still stands in part and in
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH
49
the neighborhood where the church stood there is a modest looking house. The visitor beholds nothing to indicate the ex- act location and dimensions of the building. The plow has levelled all. There are those still living who remember the time when there was no building on the spot and when instead of the straight road now leading from the Morris road to the road leading past the ReifT homestead there was a road that curved from the Morris road towards the place where the church had stood and then crossed the fields diagonally to the road passing the Reiff farm. Vestiges of this old road are still to be seen.
A study of the names of the members of the Skippack con- gregation as given in 1730 in letters addressed to Holland com- pel us to think that the lower congregation became the founders of Wentz's church in 1760. The following were the members: Gerhard Dehaven, Hans George Reiff, Wendel Keupper, Chris- topher Schmit, Dewalt Jung, Johannes Scholi, Johannes Lefe- ber, Johannes Leman, Jost Ferer, Felix Guth, Henrich Huwer, Jerg German, Valentin Hans Ammen, Lorentz Schweitzer, Johannes Will, Sr., Peter Wentz. Nicklas Loescher, Christian Weber, Peter Borger, Carl Ludwig Keipper, Andreas Hack, Lutwick Shefer, Wilhelm Schmit, Jacob Keller, Marte Lichte- beudel, Ulrich Steffen, Johann Arnett, Hans Adam, Mauer Johann, Phillip Reid, Phillips Henrich Soeller, Johannes Lehr, Bastian Schmidt, Hans Philip Steinheindig, Jacob Hanschuh, Jost Scheuler, Jacob Hack, David Montandon, Hans Jerg Bau- man, Frederick Scholi, Jacob Leidy, George Dodder, Hans Meyers, Gabriel Schuler, Laenert Spaer, Lorentz Bingeman, Christian Neuschwanger and Peter Stephan. With very few exceptions these persons or their children were members of the Wentz church, when organized in 1762.
We enter upon the third lap of our history. Rev. Huber, who wrote a sketch of this church and who in his long pastorate was able to get in touch with those who were personally or through their elders acquainted with the early origin of W'entz's church, says that in 1760 a few isolated members of the Skip- pack Reformed church held a conference meeting, the object of which was the making of preparations for building a new church. After long consultation it was resolved to build a new
50 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
church on a spot a little in the rear of the one recently torn down, and that on the boundary line between the properties of two members who had each given an acre of ground for the purpose. According to the records, these members were John Lefevre and his wife Christianna who is supposed to have been a Wentz, and Jacob Wentz and his wife Elizabeth. The origi- nal deeds are dated June 2nd, 1726, and the land is conveyed to Peter Wentz, Philip Wentz, Jacob Weber, Philip Spare, Henry Conard and Jacob Reiff, in trust for the congregation, their children and those who may identify themselves with the church. The land which the shed and the parsonage now oc- cupy was purchased later.
The erection of the church building began in 1762 but on account of pecuniary obstacles and other difficulties was not completed till 1771. A few of the members still remember the old church. It was built of stone and its joints were closely filled out or pointed with mortar. Its roof was high and steep, after the old Holland style. It was provided with galleries, as was then customary. The pulpit was high and the walls painted with strong colors and highly ornamented with a number of in- scriptions. Above all it was an exceedingly strong and durable building. The building cost 250 pounds or about $678.00 and was dedicated Nov. 13, 1763.
The usual difficulties attending the building of a church — that of paying it — were very much in evidence. At first a sub- scription book was sent around in the community soliciting funds for the church. This, however, did not realize the ex- pectations of the members and finally the church resorted to a custom of that day by raising money by lottery. The building was then paid and a surplus was left in the treasury.
The first church building stood for 89 years. During the pastorate of Rev. Naille, in 185 1, it was torn down and a new church erected and dedicated on Jan. 29, 1852. In the spring of 1878 the second church was torn down and the church now standing was erected and dedicated on the 9th and 10th of Nov. 1878. This had been necessitated by the increase in member- ship in the Sunday school and church during the pastorate of Rev. Huber.
HISTORY OF WENTZ'S REFORMED CHURCH
51
I cannot enter into a full discussion of the different pas- torates and the work that was performed or note things that might interest you. But I wish to state that at first the mem- bership was small, but under the guidance of men like Alsentz, Winkhouse and Pauli the congregation continued to grow. The period of the Revolution was disturbing and the pastors were interlopers. During the 19th century we have the pastorates of Wack, Berkey. Xaille, Hackman and Huber, and with one ex- ception they were long. Notwithstanding that in their old age they did not show the vigor that they did in their youth and lost some of their influence. Still their work as it appears in the church records is most praiseworthy. My predecessor, the Rev. D. K. Laudenslager, also performed a good work, for in ad- dition to introducing modern methods in church government, he was instrumental in bringing about some very necessary im- provements in the church premises.
There is a small cemetery on what was once known as the Peter Wentz farm but now belongs to John Fisher. It is lo- cated about half a mile north of the church. This was the burial place of the Wentz family. At the present time there are 33 graves marked with tombstones and half of that number con- tain inscriptions.
The oldest inscriptions in the cemetery adjoining the church are: Antony Strouse, 1756, and Jacob Strouse, 1753. Why these dates should antedate the granting of the land to the church I do not know. In a spot toward the southwest corner of the cemetery lie buried the early ancestry of Wentz's church, unmarked and unknown. We hope to erect a proper memorial here some day.
There was a school house erected close to the church, pro- bably where the sexton's house now stands, in 1765, and where the children of the community attended school. The Sunday school was started in 1836, during the ministry of George Wack.
Much might still be said but we have come to the close of our sketch. Let us hope that those who gave cheer and comfort to our fathers and mothers may still in humbleness do the same for generations yet unborn.
ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, CENTRE SQUARE
By Miss Clara A. Beck
On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the founding of St. John's at Centre Square it was my privilege to have writ- ten its history. Since then I have gathered much interesting matter concerning its story, which, although traditional rather than statistical, is of interest as showing the change of thought and custom which follows generation after generation.
Has it ever occurred to you to think, that in this day of genealogical research, when the reading rooms of our historical societies are visited daily by men and women, who give much time and thought to the study of the "Colonial Records" and the "Pennsylvania Archives'' in order that they may establish, through the military achievements of their ancestors, a right to membership in the Colonial and Revolutionary societies of the state, that the Church also has a genealogical record, contem- poraneous in its development with that of our country, which gives it a historical prestige of which to be proud?
St. John's, which on June 18th, 1919, celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding, is such a church, and in order that we may more fully understand its history, we shall preface it very briefly with the story of St. Michael's, at Germantown, which, founded in 1730, was the mother of this church.
At the time of St. Michael's founding, Germantown was a small village with but one street and a population numbering three or four hundred people, many of whom were Germans and members of the Lutheran Church. These people having no house of worship, started to build one in 1730, but being poor and not able to secure a pastor the building was not completed until 1738, and it was so small and unpretentious that Muhlen- berg, coming to America and seeing it for the first time, wrote back to the church authorities at Halle, saying that it was noth- ing more than "ein kirkleiti" i. e., an unusually small church.
In 1 741 St. Michael's secured its first pastor but as there
Old St. John's (rear view)
st. John's Lutheran church, centre square 53
were not enough Lutheran preachers in America at the time to reach around among the churches, services were held here every alternate Sunday and the Parish was extended to include St. Peter's, at Barren Hill, founded in 1752; 'Tuffs," at Upper Dublin, founded between the years 1752 and 1754; St. John's, at Centre Square, founded in 1769, and St. Peter's at North Wales, founded between the years 1772 and 1775.
In 1769, the Rev. Jacob VanBuskirk, the then pastor of St. Michael's and its parish churches, was needed to organize con- gregations in Lehigh county, and in this emergency the German- town people sent an appeal to Halle asking that some young man might be sent who would be willing to minister to them. This appeal was answered by the Rev. John Frederick Schmidt, who in company with a friend, Rev. Justus C. Helmuth, reached America some time in April of 1769.
We have it on the authority of the old people of Whitpain, long since passed beyond, that in the early days preceding the organization of St. John's their fathers had been wont to wor- ship in private houses, in barns and on occasion in the open forest. Those desiring to hear the word of God more frequent- ly, however, were in the habit of riding on horseback either to the Trappe or to Germantown, and since the Skippack road had been built some years earlier and led to St. Michael's, quite naturally people along its route went there, and it was doubt- less owing to this fact that the attention of the Germantown church wras drawn toward Whitpain, and in 1769 the latter wTas included in its parish.
Although the congregation had been organized no church building had been erected, but steps were taken in this direction in 1771, and on June 26th, 1773, a deed for one acre of ground was given by George Castner and wife to Philip Bower (Boyer) and George Berkheimer, of Whitpain; Michael Henky (Hainge), George Gossinger, Adam Fleck and Peter Young, of Gwynedd, and George Heyberger, of Worcester, who were the men on the building committee.
Two days later, on June 28th, 1773, the building having been completed, the committee conveyed it with the grounds to Abraham Shenberger, of Whitpain, and Leonard Berkheimer
54 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
and Philip Hoffman, of Worcester, who were the trustees of the congregation which then had 48 communicant members, as is shown by the first records, beautifully kept in the German script by the first pastor, Rev. John Frederick Schmidt, and still in the possession of the congregation.
We think it quite fitting at this point and in this connection to offer a long deferred eulogy to the memory of this first pastor into whose life and character we catch brief and detached glimpses as we read the pages of church history.
He was but 20 years old when he came to St. John's, but young as he was he had already gained a reputation as a student and having been trained for the ministry under pietistic influ- ences, is said to have possessed in an unusual degree the spiritual graces of his office. As preacher he is said to have been in- structive rather than eloquent, and the elders of his congrega- tion are said to have voiced their regret on this point, by mildly suggesting that "he might put a little more salt into his ser- mons."
Although acknowledged an able theologian and strictly orthodox, he was also a gifted astronomer, as well as a recog- nized authority in mathematical studies, and in recognition of his general scholarship the University of Pennsylvania, in which he later held a professor's chair, conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Unfortunately for his work in Philadelphia, during the very first years of his ministry the American colonies were much un- settled politically and on the verge of the Revolutionary war. Rev. Mr. Schmidt's symphathies were with his adopted country, and because of this he took occasion to denounce England's at- titude from his pulpit with so much fervor that when the British took possession of Philadelphia, he was obliged with his family to leave the city and find refuge with a Jew who had been con- verted to Christianity, and was then living in Upper Mil ford.
So bitter were the British in their feelings against him that during his enforced retirement they used his church in German- town as a barrack, destroyed his pulpit, demolished the organ, defaced the pews, plundered the parsonage and carried off his furniture.
st. John's luthern church, centre square
55
After the British left Philadelphia, Schmidt returned to Germantown, gathered his people together, and by his tender though fuiness for them won their lasting love and devotion.
We may admire Rev. Mr. Schmidt for his scholarship; approve his orthodoxy ; applaud his patriotism ; but the qualifi- cation which must ever meet our warmest commendation is the beautiful spirit of self renunciation displayed by him during the fearful ravages of yellow fever in Philadelphia, in the year 1793. when, owing to the pestilence, the greater part of his con- gregation was wiped out and his wife and seven children were taken from him, in spite of which however, and in direct op- position to the commands of his vestry, he refused to relinquish his duties until he himself was stricken. He recovered, however, and, was permitted to serve the Philadelphia church 13 years longer. His ministry covered a period of 43 years altogether, 17 of which were given to St. John's at Centre Square, from 1769 to [786, and during this time 105 persons were confirmed by him in his church. This may not, at first thought, seem like a sufficient number of accessions to the church roll for such a length of time, but it must be remembered that as a part of a parish including five congregations, with services held in each once a month, and the Lord's Supper celebrated but once a year, to say nothing whatever about the sparsely settled condition of the country district at that time, the growth of the cnogregation was creditable to the pastor serving it.
Dr. Schmidt died on May 16th, 1812, and was buried in front of the chancel of the church he was serving in Philadel- phia at the time, i. e., St. Michael's at Fifth and Arch streets, this being at that time with Zion's church, part of a large con- gregation requiring two church buildings and two pastors.
On this occasion Dr. Helmuth, joint pastor with him, whose friendship he had enjoyed from boyhood, with whom he had emigranted to America, besides whom he had labored during all the years of his ministry, preached the funeral ser- mon, and his text was taken from the second book of Samuel, first chapter and twenty-sixth verse, reading as follows : "I am distressed for thee my brother Jonathan ; very- pleasant has thou been unto me ; thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of woman."
56 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
PASTORS AT ST JOHNS
The Rev. Anton Hecht was the second pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church at Centre Square. He was a school teacher by profession, and in 1785 the congregations at Tohicken, Upper Dublin and North Wales requested his ordination, but this re- quest being denied them, he was afterward ordained by some in- dependent minister, and became pastor of "Puffs" North Wales and Centre Square congregations. He was a man of learning and classical culture, and during his ministry here, lived very unpretentiously, in a small log house near the centre of the present borough of North Wales.
The Rev. Jacob Van Buskirk succeeded him in the care of these congregations in 1793. He came from a prominent family which had emigranted from Holland to America, and settled in Hackensack, N. J. He was educated for the ministry by Muh- lenberg, and with the exception of Muhlenberg's sons, was the first native born preacher to receive ordination in the Lutheran Church in America. Van Buskirk made a copy of the Liturgy and the service then in use, with his own hand, and this with another, rather imperfect, made by Peter Muhlenberg — are the only two original copies in existence. Van Buskirk remained pastor of St. John's until 1797, when he retired to a farm which he bought near the present borough of North Wales. He died here suddenly on August 5th, 1800, as he was mounting his horse to go to church, and was buried in the old cemetery at North Wales, near where stood the pulpit of the church in which he had officiated. The inscription on his tomb stone tells us that he had "been in Pennsylvania for 37 years."
Rev. Henry A. Geissenhainer, who followed Rev. Van Buskirk as pastor of these congregations, was born in Rhennish Prussia in 1773 and was educated at Mulheim-am-Rhein, and emigrated to America in 1793 in company with his mother, and elder brother who had been ordained to the ministry. Geissen- hainer was but 20 years old when he came to this country, and as there were no theological seminaries in America at the time, he studied for the ministry under his brother, and at a meeting of Synod in Baltimore, owing to the scarcity of Lutheran preachers, he was licensed to preach, instruct catechumens, bap-
st. John's Lutheran church, centre square 57
tise, perform marriage ceremonies and in case of extreme ne- cessity administer the Lord's Supper. In 1797 he was appointed to serve tinder the supervision of the pastor of St. Michael's, the charges at Upper Dublin, North Wales and Centre Square. He was ordained to the ministry at a meeting of Synod at Eas- ton, Pa., in 1804. He married Anna Maria Shearer, of Whit- pain, whose father owned a farm and grist mill, the latter still standing near Custer station, and known as "Arp's Mill". Rev. Geissenhainer had four sons and five daughters, and one of his sons, Rev. Augustus Geissenhainer, became prominent as a clergyman in the Lutheran Church.
During Rev. Geissenhainer's ministry here, about 1796, the old pipe organ was installed, and it was dedicated by his brother, Dr. Frederick Geissenhainer. He wTas taken suddenly ill while visiting a son in Philadelphia, was moved to the home of another son at Trappe, Pa.? and by a curious coincidence died in the house in which Muhlenberg breathed his last. He had the unusuual distinction of having been carried to his grave by five clergymen and five students of divinity, and stranger still, for some reason not stated, he is said to have been buried in the same grave with his mother who emigrated to this country with him, and who had died just a few years earlier.
Rev. Charles Frederick Wildbahn, D. D., succeeded Dr. Geissenhainer, and a few months after his instalation as pastor, he died and was laid to rest in the cemetery back of the church at Centre Square, and the inscription on his tomb stone tells us that he was born in December of 1773, and died Jan. 31st, 1804; he and one of the other pastors of St. John's, i. e. Rev Jacob Van Buskirk, were two of the eight Lutheran clergymen, who with two clergymen of the Reformed Church, (one of the latter having been Rev. M. Schlatter), were privileged to have fol- lowed Henry Melchior Muhlenberg to his grave.
It is well worth noticing at this point that Dr. Wildbahn's great-great-grand-son, Heister M. Hanold, of Reading, Pa., hearing that the tombstone marking his ancestor's grave was much in need of attention had the old stone removed and re- placed by a beautiful new one.
For a period of two years, from 1804 to 1806, St. John's
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
again came under the pastoral care of St. Michael's at German- town, and was served by Solomon and David Shaeffer, sons of Dr. F. B. Shaeffer, who was pastor at that time. These two young men with their two brothers, were students of divinity, and men cf wonderful moral and mental qualities, and are said to have possessed great personal attractions, to have labored in season and out of season, in town and in the country, on the Sabbath and during the week, and moreover to have held in- fluential relations to all important movements in and out of the church. Within recent years the Lutheran Church has been greatly benefited financially, by the generous gifts of the descen- dants of these men, among which gifts were the "Shaeffer- Ash- mead Memorial" church at Mt. Airy Lutheran Theological Seminary, and the Professor's houses which beautify the semi- nary grounds.
In 1806 Rev. J. C. Rebanach took charge of the congrega- tions at Centre Square, North Wales and Puff's at Upper Dub- lin. He remained until 181 1 when he was succeeded by the Rev, John Wiand. At the beginning of Rev. Wiand's pastorate, the sister church at L'pper Dublin separated from St. Peter's and St. John's. During Rev. Wiand's pastorate St. Peter's built, what was long known as "the yellow church". Rev. Wiand resigned in 1S26.
ST. JOHN'S REBUILT
What might well be called the middle period in the history of St. John's at Centre Square had now arrived.
Up to this time, i. e. 1833, the church building, erected in 1773, kac^ served as a place of worship. It stood on a line with the present building, but further back in what is now a part of the cemetery. The late Jackson Miller, who worshiped in it when a boy, described it as having been built of stone, in the same style as the old Barren Hill church, which was two stories high, with a sharp peaked roof surmounted with a small bell tower. The entrance to the church was on a level with the ground : [here was a high "'wine glass pulpit" in the northwest corner of the building, which was reached by a circular flight of steps, and above the pulpit was the regulation sounding board.
st. John's Lutheran church, centre square 59
In 1829, St. John's being without a pastor, called Rev. George Heilig to the pulpit. This gentleman being a man of progressive tendencies, and not at all familiar with the financial difficulties attendant upon extravagances indulged in by rural congregation, instituted " a drive'' for a new church building; having brought sufficient pressure to bear upon his people in order to gain their approval, even though reluctantly, the old church was torn down and the present structure erected.
Because of its peculiar architectural features, and especially its stepped, or battlemented front and back, and its odd little bell tower, it has always attracted much attention.
By the merest chance we learned quite recently that St. John's was modelled after its mother church, St. Michael's at Germantown, which latter, built in 18 19, was torn down and replaced by the present one in 1896. The one point of dif- ference between St. Michael's of 1819 and St. John's of today built in 1834, was, that although it had been the intention of the building committee of the Germantown church to have a bell tower, "because it was a matter of great consequence in the minds of the members, that the bells of the old church should continue by their familiar sounds, to gather the worshipers into the new, an accident occurred in the attempt to remove them for which no calculation had been made; in the midst of the effort to take them down, the bells suddenly fell to the ground and broke; this was so disheartening to the members that the project of building a tower was abandoned." Since however, the plans and specifications called for them, and these plans and specifications were doubtless borrowed by St. John's in 1834, the original plan obtained in the Whitpain church.
The interior of St. John's at the time of its building was also similar to that of St. Michael's, though of course not as elaborate; the pulpit was placed at the back of the church in an alcove, and was reached by two straight flights of stairs, one on each side with eight steps in a flight: the pulpit desk was a panelled box-like affair, and stood between two imposing look- ing, white painted pillars. This desk was much worn by the hammering it had sustained from a succession of pastors, who either wished to give emphasis to their teachings, or possibly
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
wake up their congregation. It later "passed out," and the one in use at the present time, the gift of Rev. D. Levin Coleman, a former pastor, took its place. The lecturn and chairs are very old, and the latter were the gift of the great-grand-mother of the late Rev. George D. Faust, who was one-time pastor of the North Wales congregation.
The pews, also modelled after those at St. Michael's were high backed, panelled and painted white, and the seats were narrow, unpainted and uncushioned. Every pew had a door, and when "the meeting was seated," it was customary to shut and latch or button these doors.
While speaking of pews, it might be interesting to note, that as St. John's had now acquired "an up to date" church building, and a progressive pastor, it became necessary to adopt aggressive methods of church work. The first innovation along this line was the introduction of the pew renting system, which divided the congregation into two classes of supporters, "sub- scribers" and "renters."
Among the latter were the following : Daniel Longacker James Bush, James Preston, Jacob Hallman, Henry Kerr, Jesse Barnes, George Spinner, John Knipe, David Knipe and Shen- berger, Hallman and Zearfoss, Mrs. Wack (widow of a Re- formed pastor), Levi Miller, George Werkheiser, Henry and Mary Fleck, Dettras and Henry Hallman, Samuel Zearfoss and Werkheisers, John Miller, Adam Kneedler and John Moyer.
The price of these "sittings" varied according to locality, and Daniel Longacker held "the first seat in the synagogue" at $10 a year, which in that day, and especially in a country church, was such a generous contribution to the church funds, that the man who offered it was in a position to become a church poli- tician.
The church building was heated at this time by two large iron stoves with earthen fire pots which were neatly white- washed every fall at church cleaning time. These stoves stood up front, one on each side of the church, and were used only on Sundays, "high days and holidays," this gave the sexton, (janitors had not arrived in that day), very little opportunity to master the art of heating the church, with the result that the
st. john's Lutheran church, centre square 6i
fire pot was either so red-hot that the stove door had to be opened to prevent it from bursting, or, having cooled off, the fire had taken on a fresh supply of fuel, which, owing to the circuitious route taken by the long pipes on their way to the flue, burned so slowly, that "Nunc Dimittis" was in order before a comfortable temperature was established.
On rare occasions, when services were held in the evening the church was lighted by means of oil lamps, the most resplen- dent of which was a chandelier arrangement suspended from the centre of the ceiling by means of a long iron hoop ; this chan- delier consisting of four lamps, each set in a brass receptacle from which dangled many colored prisms, was a source of great pride to the congregation.
The pulpit was carpeted, but the rest of the church was bare of covering, excepting the aisles which had a single width of carpet in the centre aisle, while cocoa mating was used in the other aisles.
Polished brass and silver collection plates had not yet been thought of, and the deacons lifted the offerings at this time in little black bags, which were attached to long poles, and made it possible for them to reach from end to end of the pew. The bags were afterward discarded in favor of boxes, velvet lined, into which it was possible with some degree of practice, to throw a penny without being observed.
The communion service, consisting of a flagon, chalice, baptismal bowl and two plates for the communion bread, was of pewter and seems to have come from England at a very early date in the history of the church, as the nearly defaced lettering on the reverse side of one of the plates, which reads "Queen Church,1 London/' would indicate. This pewter service was in constant use at St. John's until 1876, when Mr. Charles Norton, of Philadelphia, who was an attendant at the services here for some years, solicited subscriptions toward the purchase of the silver service now in use. The historic pewter service has now been placed for safe keeping in the Krauth Memorial library, at Mount Airy Theological seminary. Among the other sacred vessels belonging to St. John's is a silver chalice, the gift of St. John's "Messenger", a parish paper which was published over a
1 Queen Anne's Church. — Ed.
62 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
period of six years, and always had a balance in the treasury which it used for church purposes. A curious coincidence in connection with this chalice is, that it had been patented by two Lutheran clergymen, whose advanced ideas on making "the common cup'' as sanitary as possible led them to spend much time and money on the invention, and one of these men was the Rev. Paul Klinger, pastor at the time of St. Michael's, the mother church of St. John's at Centre Square.
"GROG HILL CHURCH"
It was during the pastorate of Rev. George Heilig, under whose administration the present edifice was erected, in 1834, that St. John's at Centre Square was first spoken of as "the Grog Hill Church."
Tradition says that in 1834 when the old church building was torn down and the present one took its place, the trustees decided to economize on the cost of building by having, — what was then quite customary under like circumstances — i. e. a "building frolic".
With this end in view they of course invited all the men of the congregation, as well as all the men of the neighborhood not members of the church— to help haul sand, stone and lumber, which service it was understood was to be given free of charge.
It goes without saying, however, that a strong incentive to this free contribution of labor was found in the bountiful supply of good things to eat.
Now the gentlemen of the "building frolic" period had never been called upon to vote for "Prohibition", neither had they heard of "the drys" — and so one day during the course of construction they sent one of their number for the refreshment mentioned above. He found it at the "Waggon Inn" down at Centre Square, and being in a hurry to transfer it to the weary toilers on the hill, became careless in attending to details in stowing it for transportation, with the result that as he was driving up the hill toward St. John's the tail board of his wagon slipped its moorings, the barrel of "stuff" rolled out and broke, and the contents ran back down the hill thus giving rise to the name "Grog Hill."
st. John's Lutheran church, centre square 63
This name applied to the Church was naturally a source of great mortification to many of its members, so the pastor, think- ing to overcome the difficulty, had a large sign board put up at the foot of the hill on which was painted in black letters the name CHURCH HILL; this attempted psychological stunt however failed of its intended purpose and the name "Grog Hill" has a periodical revival in the mind of the public.
During the pastorate of Rev. George Heilig, who seemed to known how to build a church but failed to count the cost to his congregation, St. John's became so financially embarrased that finally being unable to meet the demands made upon it by its creditors, the church building was advertised for sale under "the sheriff's hammer."
The story of the struggle of the church fathers at this period, as recorded in the minutes of the congregation is pathe- tic, and in the darkest hour when all hope seemed gone two trustees of the congregation, Mr. John Miller, of Jeffersonville, and Mr. Charles Hallman came to the rescue ; it has been told that the day before the one set for the Sheriff's sale, these two men together visited every member of the congregation and securing the pledge of each one to stand by them loyally, gave their personal bonds as security for the debts of the congrega- tion and it was not until 1843 that the congregation was able to release these men from the obligation they had assumed in order to free the Church from debt.
In the same year the pastor, Rev. George Heilig,, under whose administration the Church had been built, resigned, and a year later received a call to Monroe County, Pa., where he died in 1869.
INNOVATIONS AT ST. JOHNS
Rev. Jacob Medart succeeded Rev. Heilig as pastor at St. John's and St. Peter's (North Wales), and as he was unable to preach in the German language, the services from this time on were almost exclusively English, although occasionally a Sun- day afternoon service was held in German, even as late as 1880.
The German element, made up of the oldest members of the congregation, quite naturally lost interest in the church, some of
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
them going to other churches, all of which was a detriment to the work, resulting in a falling oft of membership so pronounced that in 1849 action was taken to "fine the officers 50 cents for non-attendance without good reason," and a motion made and carried, "to have a protracted meeting, (an innovation in Lutheran circles), to be held about the communion season and to last four days."
Rev. John Hassler followed Rev. Mr. Medart at St. John's in 1856. He was a man of genial manners, and the congrega- tion branched out in its activities. The young folks organized a singing school, which was taught by Nicholas Slough, the super- intendent of the Sunday school, and that this school was con- ducive to social intercourse, is evidenced by the fact that m 1864 the minute book of the congregation contains a record stat- ing that the singing schools of the Trappe and other places had asked permission to come to St. John's "to give a concert for their own benefit."
About this time the women of the congregation began to assert themselves in the affairs of the church, and the late Charles Hallman, then a member of the vestry, by espousing the woman's movement, immortalized himself for gallantry by as- suring his associates that "the ladies of the congregation, feeling an interest in the comfort of the congregation, have volunteered to collect money for blinds for the windows." Having thus gained a footing in church activities, they finally worked their way through fairs, and festivals, with the assistance of brass bands and other fetching attractions, to a point where the men of the congregation, finding them indispensible in working the financial interests of the church, were moved to draft an amend- ment to the constitution giving them the right to vote.
During his pastorate here, Rev. Mr. Hassler, who was a bachelor, married Miss Abbie Bolieu, of Centre Square. At the beginning of the Civil war. Rev. Mr. Hassler was called to the post of army chaplain, and his resignation was accepted with much regret, as is shown by the tribute of respect spread upon the minutes of the congregation.
From 1862 to 1867, covering the period of the Rebellion, Rev. Peter Rightmeyer served the congregation. During his
Old Milestone tx the Vicinity of St. John Erected about 1764
s Church
ST. JOHN S LUTHERAN CHURCH, CENTRE SQUARE
65
ministry St. John's was fortunate in receiving a legacy of about $6000 from the estate of John Boyer, of Norristown, and another from the estate of Nicholas Slough, and the interest from the latter, according to a provision in the will, has for more than half a century, been used, part toward the pastor's salary, part toward Sunday school work and part toward the cause of foreign missions.
In 1865 the congregation purchased the lot above, and ad- joining the church, from George Dotts. This purchase was made for two reasons ; first, because the old cemetery was too small, and second, because the time had come when it was necessary to have a sexton near the church.
The house on this lot was built of logs and dated back to pre-Revolutionary days, and served the purpose for which it was bought until 1883 when it was torn down and the present one built an a cost of $740.00 while the stable on the same lot was built for $119.85. We take pleasure in quoting these figures, because as over against present prices they are interesting.
Jacob Zearfoss wras the first regularly appointed sexton on record, and he lived in the old log house rent free, and re- ceived $4 a year for his services at the church. "A white Christ- mas and a fat graveyard" were an additional source of income. Even this was modified and regulated by the trustees, who ruled that he could ''not charge more than $2 for digging the grave of an adult, and from 75 cents to $1.50 for infants and minors, ac- cording to the size, and $2.50 for a grave with double coffins."
The first cemetery which adjoined the present parsonage lot at the rear and extended to a line with the sheds in time be- came so crowded that in 1841 the vestry decided to sell lots, a lot nine feet long and as wide as desired to cost the purchaser 25 cents a square foot. Later, however, this price was advanced to $2 a front foot. The first deeds on record for cemetery lots were granted to John Miller, of Jeffersonville, and Henry Kerr, of Whitpain.
It will be remembered that after the defeat of the American forces at the battle of German town, Washington's army was compelled to retreat into Whitpain and on up to Pennypacker's mill. On that occasion Boehm's, St. John's and the Bethel
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
churches were used as military hospitals, and many soldiers dying at the time were buried in the cemeteries adjoining. One of the former sextons at St. John's told us recently, that some years ago he discovered in the old part of the grave yard close to the Longacker monument, a spot which judging from certain findings, seemed to have been a trench grave". Just beyond the monument are the graves of George Gossinger and George Berkheimer, two of the men who helped to build the church of 1773. Close by these is the grave of Rev. Charles Wildbahn, D. D., one of the early pastors of the church.
There is something distinctly characteristic about the old cemetery which has a peculiar appeal. Here is found the granite shaft and the marble sarcophagus, elsewhere the tall mossgrown headstone of a century ago, containing on its inscribed front an exhaustive appeal, a veritable "sermon in stone" yonder the old-time pretentious marble slab, with its marble base, its marble columns and its monogram inscription ; and then in a far corner under the shadow of the stone wall, and in the protective shade of the ancient trees, lie the poor and nameless dead.
As in all other historic grave-yards, one finds curious epitaphs showing the peculiar sentiments with which surviving relatives regarded death and the great future.
One which we call to mind is indeed quite arresting in its admonition to the passer by, and is as follows :
"Reader be wise, what thou readest here of me,
Others soon will read of thee."
Another, that of Christian Moser, is very noticeable, and the stone, conspicuous for its size, contains the following in- scription :
"Christian Moser, an American Patriot and Soldier, who periled life and fortune in the eventful struggle of the Revolu- tion to secure the Independence and Liberties of America. He personally shared in the sanguinary conflict at the Paoli Mass- acre and the taking of Stoney Point and was also in the Battle of Germantown and in several other engagements during the Revo- lutionary war. After an exemplary life of 83 years, 10 months and 12 days, he was called from this Sublunary Sphere Dec. 1830."
st. John's Lutheran church, centre square
67
"How sleep the brave who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest."
As though a perpetual reminder of Him, the Supreme Master, under whose banner the church is enlisted, are two graves marked by stones surmounted by crosses. They are the graves of Ephraim H. Shearer and Mrs. Mary Shearer-Beck.
Among the names most commonly found here, (i. e. of pioneer families), are: Longaker, Boyer, Hallman, Zearfoss, Hoffman, Berkheimer, Lowens, Kibblehouse, Fetzer, Trexler. Lightkop, Clemens, Deem, Lutz, Knipe, Beideman, Moser, Cow- den, Markley, Gouldy, Weber, Sheneberger, Miller, Werk- heiser, and Needier.
The sextons on record as having served St. John's were Jacob Zearfoss, Thomas Lowens, Adam Frantz, Aaron Abbot. Joseph Abbot, Howard Beyer, George Slingluff, H. Hunsberger and Theophilus Fry.
In the early days the sexton's duties did not include clean- ing the church. This was done thoroughly once a year by the women of the congregation, who came on the job equipped with brushes and brooms, buckets and baskets, filled with good things to eat, so that their labors might be lightened in anticipation of a "social interlude" at the noon hour.
In 1869, however, the vestry ruled that the sexton, in re- turn for a small renumeration should work the organ bellows.
The side and singing galleries remained in the church until last year, (1919), when they were removed; the old pipe organ, an unusual possession for a country congregation a century ago, occupied a place in the singing gallery, (sometimes called "the organ loft,") and this organ purchased about 1798, had, of course, seen service in the old church, and according to the re- cords of the congregation, had cost $525,883/2, and had been paid for in English money.
The key-board of. this old organ was very odd, having had the natural keys black and the sharps and flats white, and the writer of this history whose privilege it was to have presided at this old instrument for several years, can testify, that so con- fusing was the reversal of the rule in its building, that it was far safer to play "by faith" than by "sight." It became suddenly
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
and hopelessly silent at a Sunday morning service in 1888, and later was taken down, and its several parts sold at auction to members of the congregation, to be kept as "souvenirs."
The congregation at once appointed a committee of three. Dr. S. C. Seiple, V. H. Baker, Esq., and Clara A. Beck, to go to Bethlehem, Pa., to decide upon the merits of an organ which had been offered to St. John's by the Roman Catholic church of that place. This committee was most cordially received by Father McEnroe, the then priest of the parish and treated to a private musicale in demonstration of the value of the instrument. As the Catholics had just finished a fine new Cathedral and had found the organ lacking in "capacity," they offered it to the com- mittee for $250, and as it had been in use but 25 years, and St. John's need was great and its funds limited, the organ came over to the Protestant church, was properly dedicated and is now thoroughly Lutheranized. This organ began its career at St. John's in the singing gallery and was later moved to the alcove back of the pulpit and was recently placed for the third time to its present position at the right side of the pulpit.
We regret not being able to find the names of the early or- ganists, but since 1865 the following persons have served in that capacity and all of them have been paid organists: Anna Right- meyer, (daughter of the pastor), J. D. Heebner, Anna Walker, Ida Baker, Lizzie Beideman, Walter Bauman, Kate Bevan, Clara Beck, Emma Bevan, John Pfleiger, Minnie Seiple, Katie Bird, Mary Gouldy, Susan Michael, Linford Katz and Anna Beideman, (now Mrs. Elwood Righter), the present organist, who has long and faithfully performed this duty in this church which her forefathers helped to found.
The church records give no data at all concerning choir leaders, probably because they never drew upon the treasury, but for many years Jonathan Baker led the choir, and when he laid down the baton his son Victor H. Baker Esq., took it up, and when he stepped down and out, he also left a son in the choir to help keep up the good work.
It was during the pastorate of Rev. E. L. Reed, who ac- cepted a call as successor to Rev. Mr. Rightmeyer that St. John's at Centre Square and St. Peter's at North Wales decided
st. John's Lutheran church, centre square 69
to separate, and in 1870 they became independent parishes, with Rev. Mr. Reed pastor at North Wales and Rev. H. Bickle, D. D., of Philadelphia, pastor of St. John's ; during his pastorate the clerical robe and bands were worn for the first time in this church.
In the early history of the church the congregation did not need a parsonage, as the pastors either lived in Germantown, North Wales or in their own homes, as was the case with Rev. Mr. Van Buskirk and Rev. Geisenhainer ; in 1870 however the vestry decided to buy a parsonage as Rev. Mr. Bickel preferred living in the parish, and Dr. S. C. Seiple and the late E. H. Shearer, Esq., were authorized to purchase the property adjoin- ing and just below the present parsonage, and this committee was allowed by the vestry to secure it if possible for $6000. At that time it belonged to the Osborne estate. These gentlemen, however, bought it for $5000, and later when Rev. D. Levin Coleman came as pastor and bought his own home in the village, they sold it to Mr. Jeremiah Frantz, for S5000, reserving how- ever one acre of ground.
Rev. David Levin Coleman, of Easton, Pa., accepted a call to St. John's in 1875, an<^ remained till 1881. During his pas- torate here he opened a school for young men and women de- siring to prepare for college. This school known as "The Cen- tre Square Seminary", was well patronized. After Rev. Cole- man's resignation, the church remained without a pastor for almost a year, during which time the interior of the church was thoroughly repaired.
Rev. Henry Strodach, who had been pastor of the German Lutheran church at Norristown, was installed pastor of St. John's in 1881, and remained little more than a year: He re- ceived and accepted a call to Brooklyn, N. Y. He died at Read- ing in Jan. 1900. Rev. David Levin Coleman, accepted a second call to St. John's in 1884, and remained until 1888, when he took a charge in Doylestown, Pa. He died suddenly, in July 1904, at his home in Easton, Pa.
In June of the year 1889, Rev. James C. N. Park, of Rural Retreat, West Virginia, was called to become pastor of St. John's Giurch at Centre Square, Pa.
70 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
He was of southern birth, a graduate of Roanoke college, and this was his first charge. Soon after coming here he was married, and as the congregation had sold the old passonage, it became necessary to either buy or build another, and it was finally decided to build the present one on the lot adjoining the church, which had been reserved for this emergency.
Many years previous to this time, Mr. John Boyer, of Nor- ristown, Pa., had willed something like $6000.00 to the congre- gation, and it was decided to use part of this bequest for the new parsonage. At the present time when building operations have reached the top-notch price, it is interesting to learn that this beautiful and commodious parsonage erected- in 1890, cost the congregation $2885, at which figure the contract for building was awarded to George W. Frantz, of Centre Square, Pa.
In this connection we wish to say that this seems to have been the third parsonage owned by the congregation, and in sup- port of this contention we quote from an old assessment paper lying on our desk the following: — "Lands owned by the German Lutheran Congregation of the neighborhood on the 1st day of April, 1815, lying and being in the fourth district of Penn'a., viz : — In the township of Whitpain, in the County of Montgom- ery, one parsonage farm, adjoining the Skippack Road, con- taining 75 acres, and having thereon one dwelling house, stone, two stories in height, 35 feet in length by 20 feet in depth ; also one barn, stone, 40 feet in length by 26 feet." It is to be as- sumed that the congregation must have bought this property in the very early years of its existence, as there are no deeds of record in Norristown, and therefore they are probably to be found, among early land purchases, in City Hall, Philadelphia, Pa.
Rev. James C. N. Park, who was the first pastor to occupy the new parsonage, remained with the congregation five years, when he resigned to accept a call to Beaver Falls, Pa. He died at his home, Indiana, Pa., in 192 1.
Rev. Charles C. Snyder was the next pastor. At the begin- ning of his pastorate, in 1894, the congregation which was now 125 years old, decided to have "A Silver Jubilee" in commem- oration of its founding. This was held on Sept. 5th, 1894. and
st. John's Lutheran church, centre square
7i
the members of the committee on arrangements were : — V. H. Baker, Esq., Dr. S. C. Seiple, James M. McClellan, Miss Ella Moser and Miss Clara A. Beck.
Cards of invitation were sent to all members, to the de- scendants of former members, to all the former pastors, to neighboring congregations and to the general public.
The day set for the important event was bright and sunny, and it was estimated that nearly 2000 people were present dur- ing the services, many coming from distant towns and cities who had not visited the old church for years, thus making the oc- casion one of happy reunion.
Five of the 17 pastors who had served the congregation at various periods were still living, and all were present to take part in the services which lasted the entire day and evening. The morning sermon was preached by Rev. James C. N. Park; the afternoon sermons, by Rev. H. Strodach, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Dr. John Hassler, of Lancaster, Pa., and the evening sermons by Rev. E. L. Reed, of Lancaster, Pa., and Rev. D. Levin Coleman, of Easton, Pa.
The history of the church written by Miss Clara A. Beck, was read by Rev. C. C. Snyder. Among visiting clergy was Rev. Matthias Sheeleigh, D. D., of Fort Washington, Pa., known as 'The Poet Laureate of the Lutheran Church in America," who read a poem which he had written in honor of this particular occasion.
Refreshments were served on the lawn of the church, by the ladies of the congregation, to whoever was willing to accept their hospitality, and the day, one long to be remembered, passed into history as one of great rejoicing.
At the end of Rev. C. C. Snyder's pastorate, Rev. Jeremiah Ritter, of Bath, Pa., accepted a call to the Centre Square con- gregation, coming in June, 1904, and remaining until June, 191 1, when he took charge of the "Home of the Good Shepherd" at Allentown, Pa.
Rev. Theodore HofTmeister was next called as pastor, tak- ing charge of the congregation Nov. 12th, 191 1, and resigning in October of 1915 to accept a call to Long Island, N. Y.
Rev. Frederick F. Haworth succeeded Rev. Mr. HofTmeister
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
as pastor, coming to St. John's directly from the theological seminary at Mt. Airy, Pa. He was a student of exceptional ability, and had gained quite a reputation for his gifts along the line of study in the art of ecclesiastical architecture. During his pastorate the church at Centre Square was remodeled, and al- though it was absolutely necessary to change the interior of the church, to provide room for growing Sunday school, Rev. Mr. Haworth's sense of historic values, were such that, the plans and specifications which he drew up for the contractor, made it possible to retain the Colonial character of the exterior of the building which remained practically unchanged, and the work as done, is especially commendable in view of the fact that St. John's organized a century and a half ago, stands in line with the Trappe and other colonial churches of the country, the state and the country at large.
During Rev. Mr. Haworth's pastorate (in 1919) the con- gregation celebrated the 150th anniversary, called "The 150th Jubilee", which in the character of its exercises was very similar to "The Silver Jubilee" of 25 years earlier. In 1920 Rev. Mr. Haworth accepted a call to Baden, Pa., where, beside serving a rapidly growing congregation he is taking a special course of study at the University of Pittsburgh.
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1 31
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THE CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF NORRIS-
TOWN
March 31st, 1812, was the date of the incorporation of the Borough of Norristown, Montgomery Co., Penna., when it was officially created by the signing of the Charter by Governor Snyder, and it is fitting, therefore that its centenary be observed with due and proper recognition and with ceremonial and public rejoicing and thus pay tribute and honor to those persons identi- fied with its struggles and triumphs ; and also to commemorate those events in the life, civic development and expansion of what is now reputed to be the largest and most prosperous Borough in the United States.
After elaborate preparations the ceremonies incident to the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the town was consummated; and beginning with Sunday, May 5th, 1912, they covered a period of six days and closed on Saturday, May nth, 1912. A program of unusual brilliance with bright days and balmy weather — brought great success to the celebration and great numbers of people to Norristown. Not only were the citizens of the town out in force, but from all parts of the country came the native sons of Montgomery, and thousands of interested visitors — to pay homage in the home reunion and enjoy the gaieties of the occasion. A brief recital of the leading events of each day and the principal participants therein will summarize the week's program and are set down here as a matter of record.
"The Anniversary Week" began on Sunday, May 5th, 1912, with appropriate devotions and historical sermons in all of the churches of Norristown. It is notable that Dr. L. W. Hainer, of the Calvary Baptist Church, preached from the text— 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." This, found in Psalm 127-1, and according to the reports of the day — expressed the dominant note of that Sabbath day, and the
74
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
keynote of the festival that followed. The official proceedings opened on the morning of Monday, May 6th, at the City Hall where the Reception Committee received, with due courtesy the Hon. John K. Tener, Governor of Pennsylvania, and staff, Hon. Rudolph Blankenburg, Mayor of Philadelphia and his party and other distinguished guests. Nicholas H. Larzelere, Esq., presided at the public meeting which followed and Burgess Lattimcre, of Norristown, made the formal welcoming address. He was followed by the addresses of Governor Tener, Mayor Blankenburg, and Judge Aaron S. Swartz, of the Montgomery County courts. The City Hall, all public buildings and institu- tions, business houses and private residences — were beautifully and tastefully decorated with flags, bunting and other manifes- tations of the holiday spirit — in honor of the Centennial and its distinguished visitors. In the afternoon there was a parade of several thousand Public and Parochial School children, mar- shalled by Mr. Louis N. McCarter, president of the School Board.
Tuesday, May 7th, was devoted to a parade of the Civic organizations, lodges, clubs and other social bodies. The demonstration was of fine spirit and effect, and successfully carried out
Wednesday, May 8th, was the day alloted to the display of the town's industrial forces; and the parade, of which Mr. Adam Scheidt was the Chief Marshall was filled with a numer- ous, extensive and instructive exposition of the Borough's manufacturing and commercial interests.
Thursday, May 9th, was " Fireman's Day". Justice of the Peace, Oliver F. Lenhardt, was the Chief Marshall, assisted by Theodore Lane Bean, Esq. This was the largest parade of firemen ever held in this county, no less than 72 companies, in- cluding the local men — were in line, many had their own ap- paratus— resplendant with decorations and accompanied by numerous brass bands. The procession, vivid in uniforms and shining engines — made a memorable impression as it moved along the route — which was not covered until very late in the day.
Friday, May ioth.— The climax of the week's manifesta-
THE CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF NORRISTOWN 75
tions of tribute was undoubtedly reached in the "Historical Pageant". Thousands of enthusiastic participants labored secretly or otherwise — to produce the most novel features in depicting the march of civilization in this valley through the centuries to the glorious achievements of this day. This brilliant scheme was conceived, organized and directed by Rev. Theodore Heysham, Ph.D., a member of the Historical Society of Mont- gomery County. The program comprised five divisions with Samuel Roberts, also a member of the above Society — as Grand Captain, who was assisted by Mr. J. Frank Boyer and Mr. Oliver F. Lenhardt. Each division had several scenes, or epi- sodes— representing the Indians and early inhabitants; the Dutch, Swedish, Welsh and English Quakers ; Germans and Scotch-Irish settlers ; etc.
The Great Divisions were led by the following citizens:
Division A. Chief Marshall, Dr. Albert R. Garner, as- sisted by Mr. Chas W. Walker and Mr. Lewis Y. Smith.
Division B. Chief Marshall Mr. J. Clarence Moyer. Assts Mr. Percy J. Fell and Mr. Wm. A. March.
Colonials representing Norriton and depicting the log- cabins, "Indian Trails", "Trappers and Hunters", "Trading Posts", "The Norris and Trent Purchase", "The Public Sale of the Norriton Plantation", "Settlement of the Strife between the Fishermen and the Boatmen", ''Location of the Court House", "The Presentation, by the College of Philadelphia, of the Court House Lot", and "The Fete at President William Moore Smith's home".
Division C. Chief Marshall, Mr. H. B. Tyson, assisted by Mr. James Cresson and G. Carroll Hoover, Esq.
Its features were — "The Wrar of the Revolution", "The Spirit of '76", "British Soldiers", "French Allies" &c. &c.
Division D. Chief Marshall, J Ambler Williams, Esq., assistants — Dr. Henry C. Welker and Mr. Thomas H. Livezey.
Depicting "The War of 1812", "Its EfTect on the Commu- nity", "Governor Snyder Signing the Charter", "Oath of the first President of the Council", "The Pat Lyon Fire Engine", "Woman's Suffrage". "Churches and Education", "Establish- ment of St. John's Episcopal Church in 1813", "The First Pres-
76
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
byterian Church in 1815", ''The First Baptist Church in 1833", "Old Ironsides," the first locomotive that ran into Norristown on the completion of the Philadelphia, Germantown and Nor- ristown Railroad, August 13, 1835"; and "The Mexican War Period."
Division E. Chief Marshall, Mr. Howard A. Simpson, as- sisted by Mr. Wm. L. Jarrett and Mr. Wallace C. Hitner. The Rebellion-— "The Spirit of '61", "Responding to the Call", "De- parture of the first Troops", "Abolition", "The Grand Army of the Republic", "Spanish- American War."
The Pageant then ends with a tableaux of "The Holy-City" in which is spiritually depicted the coming period of Peace and Good-Will, Friendship and Brotherly Love.
On the evening of this day, at the City Hall, a banquet was given to the prominent visitors, principal participants in the celebration, and members of the town's civic and patriotic or- ganizations. Theodore Lane Bean, Esq., presided as toast- master at this most agreeable function. After an invocation given by Rev. Theo. Heysham, Ph.D., and the reading of a poem written by Eliza Cruger— entitled — "The Aloe- Age of Norris- town"— the following toasts were given and responded to : —
"The State" by Former Governor, Hon. Samuel Penny- packer.
"The County" by Joseph Fornance, Esq., President of the Historical Society of Montgomery County.
"The Borough'' by Irvin P. Knipe, Esq.
"The Town of Norris" by Mr. Chas. N. Rambo, a lineal decendant of the Norris'.
"The Historical Society" by Mr. Samuel Gordon Smyth, Vice-president of the Historical Society of Montgomery County
"Valley Forge" by Rev. W. Herbert Burk.
Dr. Josiah H. Penniman, Dean of the University of Penn- sylvania was also present and made an address on behalf of the. University.
During the same evening the parade of the Mardi-Gras was given, led by Miss Alice Meeh who was chosen "Queen of the Carnival".
In the morning of that day, exercises, under the auspices
THE CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF NORRISTOWN JJ
of the Historical Society of Montgomery County were held in
the Grand-Opera House with Rev. Dr. Thomas R. Beeber, Vice- president of the Society, presiding. Interspersed by a musical program — addresses were made by Hon. Samuel W. Penny- packer, Joseph Fornance, Esq., President of the Society and others.
Saturday, May nth, was "Military Day" and it was the concluding feature of the week's celebration. Dr. J. K. Weaver was the Chief Marshall and on his staff were — Adjt. Gen. Thomas J. Stewart, Major Gen. C. B. Dougherty and Gen. John W. Schall — all of the National Guard of Penna. The parade including representative battalions of the National Guard, Veterans of the Civil and Spanish-American Wars, Sons of Veterans, independant military organizations and other visiting soldiers and sailors, and cadets from several military academies. The Second Troop, Phila. City Cavalry, under command of Captain Chas. Welsh Edmunds were among the visitors. The military paraded in three divisions and was reviewed by the Chief Marshall and his Staff from the stand in front of the City Hall. Thus were honors paid to the heroic Sons of Mont- gomery County, among whom were Major-General Winfield Scott Hancock — "The Superb" ; General and Former Governor — John F. Hartranft, and General Zook.
The Centennial proceedings throughout have been chrono- logically arranged, described and memorialized by the Rev. Theodore Heyshem, Ph.D., of Norristown, in a limited edition of fine cloth bound volumes entitled "Norristown-i 8 1 2- 1 9 1 2". These books, besides being descriptive and illustrative of the events of ''Anniversary Week" — are serving a useful and beneficient mission by teaching and popularizing local history in being used as a text book in the Public Schools. And that a pictoral record might be preserved of the celebration for the benefit and instruction of future generations of descendants of the actors and visitors of those days — Dr. Heysham has gather- ed together about 250 photographs of historical scenes, public buildings and prominent persons identified, or connected with this memorable occasion; these are contained in a handsomely
78 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
bound album now in the library of the Historical Society of Montgomery County.
INVOCATION
By REV. W. HERBERT BURK
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we, Thine unworthy servants— do give Thee most humble and hearty thanks for all Thy Goodness, particularly to those of us who have been identi- fied with this borough in its history and its life.
And Lord, we thank Thee for Thy Good Providence that Thou hast seen fit in the past to plant here those who shall give in their lives their best of thought ; their best of service.
We praise Thee for notable men and women who have built up the life not only of this community but of the state in which they lived. We bless Thee for the part which they have taken in national affairs, and we thank Thee for Thy Wise Provi- dence, for the blessing of prosperity ; for the large hearted de- votion to Thee and Thy service which have marked the history of this place in the past.
We implore Thy blessing upon the future — that day by day the citizens here shall seek Thee more and more to do Thy Will, and to render Thee service; that more and more there may develop in the hearts of the people of our country a love for Thee and for this great land and the institutions with which we have been blessed ; and O Lord, grant that the next century may be more full of achievement, more full of glory, and more full of blessing.
And above all, put into the hearts of Thy People the under- standing of Thee and of Thy ways that in seeking all else in this world they may seek Thee and Thy Glory and Thy Peace.
All these things we ask in the Name of Thee, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Programme of Exercises
Commemorating the 1 00th Anniversary of the Borough of Norristown
Held by the
Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pa. Valley Forge Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution Civic Club of Norristown
Friday Morning, May 1 0th, 1912
AT 10 O'CLOCK
AT GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Norristown, Pa.
Presiding Officer: REV. THOMAS R. BEEBER, D.D., Vice President of Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pa.
Music — ''America" Orchestra
Music — "Hail Columbia" Orchestra
Invocation Rev. W. Herbert Burk, Valley Forge
Music — "Stars and Stripes Forever" Orchestra
Address of Welcome Rev. Thomas R. Beeber. D.D.
Music — -"Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" Orchestra
Music — "Hail to the Chief" Orchestra
Historical Address Hon. S. W. Pennypacker
President of Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Music — Medley Orchestra
Historical Address — "The Montgomery County Court House in
1850" Joseph Fornance
President of Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pa. Music — "Star Spangled Banner" Orchestra
COMMITTEE MRS. H. H. FISHER, Chairman. Joseph Fornance. President of Historical Society of Montgomery County, Fa.
Mrs. F. I. >"aile, Regent of Valley Forge Chapter, D. A. R. Mrs. I. p. Knipe, President of the Civic Club of Norristown.
Miss Emeline Henry Hooven Miss Isabel G. Ralston
Mrs. George R. Kite Miss Lillian Childs
Mrs. J. K. Weaver Mrs. W. H. Reed
Mrs. John T. Dyer Hon. H. W. Kratz
Mrs. Mary G. Bloom Rev. Thomas R. Beeber, D. D.
Mrs. Hugh Mclnnes Theo. Lane Bean, Esq.
Mrs. Joseph Fornance Dr. W. H. Reed
Miss Frances M. Fox William Summers
Miss Katherine Preston William H. Weber
Albrecht Kneule
The doors of the Opera House will be open at 9 o'clock. Music from 9 to 10 by the orchestra.
ADDRESS OF WELCOME
By Bey. Thos. B. Beeber, D. D.
It is a pleasure I very gratefully appreciate which the Com- mittee on the Program for this morning has given to me, in asking me to preside at this meeting and to give you the address of welcome on behalf of the Civic Club of our town, on behalf of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and on behalf of the Historical Society of Montgomery County.
The law of chemical affinity that binds these societies to- gether is the law of unity in their aims, in their purposes and in their spirit.
It is the aim of the Civic Club to make our town beautiful, worthy of its past and prophetic of the better things of the future.
It is the aim of the Daughters of the American Revolution and of the Historical Society of Montgomery County to gather together and to preserve the glory of our ancestors, and the greatness of the deeds through which they have done so much to shape the life of the nation and of this community; and I think it is a fitting time for us to emphasize the worth of the work that we are trying to do and the greatness of our opportunities.
Our country is very rich in its historic interest as you all know. Our hills have echoed to the tread of the Army of the Revolution; our old-time farm-houses and inns are filled with recollections of its distinguished Commander; our ancient burial-places are indeed the "sepulchres of the illustrious dead", and our noble river is ever chanting a solemn requiem to their memory; while the hills of Valley Forge have been consecrated for all time by the men whose fortitude in meeting suffering was not surpassed even by their courage upon the field of battle.
In after years when the life of this nation which these brave men died to save was at stake, our country was rich in men and women who went forth to risk their lives that the nation might live, men who came to eminence and immortal fame in
So
HISTORICAL SOCIETY1 OF MONTGOMERY' COUNTY
connection with the battles of the Civil War and in connection with the hospital service.
The memories of our Zook and our Hartranft and our Hancock, and our Holstein, Chief Matron of the Hospital of the Second Corps at Gettysburg, ministering elsewhere to the needs of the sick and the broken soldiers with a loving and a tender hand, the memories of these men and of women like Mrs. Holstein have come down to us, and have made our county one of the most sacred places in our whole land.
It is altogether fitting that we should cherish these mem- ories and put them upon the historic page for all time. We should appreciate our inheritance in this county. Its earth and its water and its skies greet us at every turn with the rich and inspiring memories of great deeds and of heroic personalities.
Then again, it seems to me that we all ought to emphasize to-day for just a moment the deep-seated and wide-spreading historic instinct in which our societies are planted.
All the associations of this week are founded upon this historic instinct. Whether they realized it or not, the men who shaped our program for the week were moved by this instinct. They were moved by it when they asked the churches to in- augurate the services with a Religious Day, for they realized the part that the Christian men and women have had in de- veloping this community. They were moved by this instinct when they arranged these different pageants which have filled our streets with scenes in vital contrast to the equipment of to-day.
A single illustration will suffice. The procession of the children last Monday afternoon with those interesting costumes and floats which brought back the past— the Continental uni- forms and dresses, the Rural School of 1812, Uncle Sam, the Red. White and Blue parasols, the Minute Men, Betsy Ross and her Flag, the Colonial Dames and Pilgrim Fathers, the Landing of Columbus, and the Arrival of the Swedes, the Irish, the Germans and the Quakers, the Evolution of the American Flag — all those interesting and impressive scenes portrayed by the pupils of our high school and our parochial school under all these scenes ran this historic instinct.
INTRODUCTION
8l
Let us appreciate this heritage of our county. Let us hold fast to it, and let us remember that deep down in the heart of every man as we have been emphasizing in these services that are now drawing to a close, there lies this historic instinct com- ing to the surface from time to time, welling up out of the depths whenever men set themselves to deep and sober thought, to the cherishing of memories, and to seeking to discover the forces that have given strength and impetus to our Nation, our Commonwealth and our Community.
We of these societies have more friends than we realize; every man who loves his country and its institutions and honors its flag is our ally and our friend.
Let us appreciate their help and let us rely on them for sympathy and support.
INTRODUCTION
By Rev. Thomas B. Beeber, D. D.
It is our very great profit to have with us the first speaker of the morning.
As a young man a member of the 26th Emergency Regi- ment of Pennsylvania Volunteers that fought the first skirmish with the Confederate Invaders in 1863, just a week before the Battle of Gettysburg, and as one who in his retreat along with the others, pressed by overwhelming numbers suffered such hardships as might well break down a veteran of the Army of the Potomac ; a man in after years an able attorney in yonder city, occupying with increasing fame the distinguished position of a Judge of one of its courts, afterwards holding the highest official position which it is in the power of his fellow-citizens of the Commonwealth to bestow, and while Governor instituting a movement that lifted our patriotic associations of Valley Forge out of the limited embodiment which the local society could give, and making them the sacred memories of the whole state ; a man who has been a student of and who is now the acknowledged authority on the historic facts connected with the life of our county; a man whose attainment in scholarship and in the lore of his profession have won him recognition in the
82 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from two of the highest literary institutions of the state, and who is now the President of the PennsylYania Historical Society, one of the two great historical societies of our land — I assure you I have the very great personal pleasure, and I esteem it a very high honor to present to you the orator of our day, the Honorable Samuel W. Pennypacker, L.L.D.
HISTORICAL ADDRESS
By HON. SAMUEL W. PENNYPACKER. L.L.D.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : —
When the invitation of your committee to be present here to-day was accepted, it was upon the condition that I should not be expected to write an address.
I feel quite sure that rinding you impressed with the great success of these demonstrations up to this time and inspired by the beautiful decorations of your town, and thankful for the blue skies and the bright sun of today, you will not be at all critical, and I shall therefore venture to philosophize and talk about your history without any written paper, and with the feeling that it has this advantage at least — that when I grow tired, or, what is of more consequence, when I see that you have grown tired, I may bring it to a conclusion.
Men are of importance not at all as individuals, but by what they represent. This is likewise true of a community.
Norristown is of comparatively recent origin, and if you were to look over its streets and see what its people were doing you would probably find that it differed very little from many other communities throughout the world.
It is of little consequence really to know what is located at the corner of Main and DeKalb Streets, but when we stop to figure how that building got there, what it means, what is its significance, what are the forces which for countless ages made it possible, then it is an interesting thing indeed ; and Norris- town represents a county, is the county town and the center of population of a region which is classic and historic.
HISTORICAL ADDRESS
83
It appears to be a law of nature that the blending of allied stocks always leads to vital activities. A botanist will take an ordinary Johnny- Jump-Up and by his process will presently produce for you the Pansy with all its brilliant colors of purple and of yellow. The breeder will take the ordinary Rock Pigeon and in the same way, following the same law of blending he presently brings to you the Carrier and the Pouter and all those different breeds of birds which have impressed the fancier.
Now this law is just as true when applied to man as it is in the other realms of nature. If you look at the civilizations as they have arisen in the past of the world you will see that it has always been the result of the blending of the different races.
In Egypt, the Nile River bringing down in the Spring the fertile earth from above and scattering it over the bank made a very rich agricultural country, and the result of it was that from both sides of the Nile and from across the Red Sea the peoples flocked to that valley, and that intermingling of blood presently made the civilization of Egypt.
The same is true of Greece. Greece was a peninsula with a coast in which there were many bays which afforded op- portunities for commerce. This attracted people from the sur- rounding lands, and presently you had the civilization of Greece, in some respects the most remarkable in the world. It was true of Rome where the Etruscans intermingled their blood and the same is true of England, that greatest of civilizations where the blood of Celt and Saxon and Norman was inter- mingled..
If this be a correct diagnosis of the situation, then Mont- gomery County ought to be, and is, one of the most ideally situated of all the counties, containing the people of the earth.
Down in the eastern part of the county in the early days came the English Quakers. Nicholas Ford took up a large tract of land and brought the settler there. Nicholas Ford was a physician and he became one of the Chief Justices of the Com- monwealth. In those days they were not particular to draw very strict professional lines ; and if my friend Dr. Weaver had lived at that time, he too might have been a Chief Justice. But there were the English Quakers, and down in the eastern end of your county came the Welsh.
84
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
In the early time the Saxon pouring into England drove away the Celts who had occupied the island. They found re- fuge in the mountain regions, and in the hills of Scotland, and some in the hilly region of Wales ; and some of these people who came to Gwynedd and along the Main Line of the Penn- sylvania Railroad were the descendants of those Celts.
Up on the Skippack came Henrich Pennebacker and Matthias Van Bebber, wealthy Dutch merchants who brought to that region the Dutchmen of my people who settled along the Skippack. These people brought with them the form of wor- ship of the Mennonites which has the most romantic interest of all Christian sects. There were more Mennonites burned to death in the City of Antwerp alone than there were of all Christians of all sects who were put to death in all England in the days of Bloody Mary ; and this type of people were along the Skippack.
At Towamencin came the Silesians, the Schwenkfelders, followers of Kaspar Schwenkfeld, and speaking only inci- dentally about them I may say to you, having neither associa- tion by blood nor by any other ties, they were the most in- teresting people who came to settle in this great country. One thing they did when they reached Philadelphia on September 24, 1734, they set that day apart as a day on which to give thanks to the Lord on their escape from persecution. You have heard of many sects coming to New England and elsewhere who had come because of the persecution abroad, but this sect was the only one of them who showed their appreciation of what the Lord had done for them, and the first Thanksgiving Day was on the twenty-fourth of September, 1734.
And then, a little further north, in Hanover, Frederick and those townships — were the Dtmkards who came from the Pala- tinate and Switzerland, the StaufTers and the Wangers ; and in Limerick were the Irish and the Scotch-Irish, so you see what a blending of different places and of different races there were in your county, and the people of your town who live in Norris- town now, and who manage your banks and run your trolley lines and conduct your stores and your institutions are the des- cendants of these people whose vigor and knowledge and ac-
HISTORICAL ADDRESS 85
tivity represent the strength which has come from blending to- gether those different strains which make one strong race.
Norristown — in the beginning of its record — starts with the most important man who had ever been connected with the afrairs of this great Commonwealth. This was William Penn himself, a lawgiver, a philanthropist, a man who gathered the Quakers together and who to a great extent made them what they were.
He. looking over this Province of his, having a son named for him. selected for him a location which in his judgment woul 1 be the most suitable for that son. It is complimentary to you that having his whole Province from which to make the selec- tion his choice "■"•'as the land which has since become your town.
Here he set up a Manor of ten thousand acres. He in- tended it for his son William and he gave it the name of Wil- liamstadt: you have called it Norristown, but he intended that it should be William's House, and he gave that name to it.
But so often it ha; pens in life that when strong men. wealthy men, powerful men un dertake to do something to ad- vance the fortunes of their children that the errort results in failure, and it did in this case so far as Penn"s gift was con- cerned.
William Penn. Junior, was unlike his father ami he got into trouble of one kind and another, financial troubles and others, and as so often happens, as soon as he got possession of this land, the first thing he did was to sell it. He sold it in 1704 to Isaac Xorris. Trent was associated with Xorris but he soon withdrew.
Isaac Xorris was a Quaker and he lived down in Jamaica — the Island of Jamaica. His parents and the rest of the family were destroyed in the great earthquake that they had in Jamaica in 1692. one of the most noted earthquakes in the history of the world, and then he came to Philadelphia — no doubt he felt that Philadelphia would be a safer place — an! there he became a merchant. For his day he was quite an important and influen- tial merchant, and oresently he was Chief Justice of the Pro- vince and he was Speaker of the Assembly for year after yea- You see how important your early ass : c:at:ons were.
86 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Norris after he had secured possession often visited this region and his thought was to form a settlement here, and he divided it up into lots. Your town grew up along the Ridge Road which in later days was called the Egypt Road. That road was laid out from Plymouth Meeting over across the Perkiomen to a ford over the Schuylkill where Phoenixville now is. It is said that the reason it was called Egypt Road was that it led to this Perkiomen region where there were fat and rich lands, and it was thought that was going to the "flesh pots of Egypt", and therefore they called it Egypt Road. You see how creditable that is to those who have been wise enough to select their location along the Perkiomen.
At the mouth of the Perkiomen there lived a man named Joseph Richardson who was also associated with the earth- quake of Jamaica. His father Samuel Richardson lived in Jamaica likewise, and there is a very interesting and romantic story told about him which may take the attention of the ladies who are present. When this earthquake shook the island every- thing was disturbed, and as the waves began to subside which had swept over the town, out in the water was a chicken coop, and on top of the chicken coop was a young woman. Samuel Richardson went out into the water and captured the chicken coop, and bringing it in, as was very natural under the circum- stances, presently he married the young woman.
He had one son, Joseph Richardson, who himself was a Councillor in the early days and a Judge and a member of As- sembly and the richest man in Philadelphia next to Samuel Carpenter, owning all the land on Market Street from Second Street to the Delaware River. And he put it out on ground rents and gave it to Joseph, and Joseph, like a sensible man, came up to the Perkiomen. But he wanted a road : he was twenty-five miles out of town and had no means of getting down to those ground-rents, and he petitioned the court in 1722, but he got into a conflict with Isaac Norris, of Norristown. There was a road from Manatawney now, and Norris thought there was no occasion for two roads, and he did not want a road through his land, and he fought it, and he kept up this con- tention for eight years, but finally Joseph Richardson won out ;
HISTORICAL ADDRESS
87
and the survey still exists which shows the Main Street of your town as Joseph Richardson's Road running from Egypt, on the Perkiomen, down to Plymouth Meeting, and your town has grown up alongside of it.
Isaac Norris presently sold the tract to John Bull. John Bull was likewise a man from the Perkiomen. He was the Rector's Warden — at the time of the breaking out of the Revo- lutionary War — of St. James Episcopal Church at Evansburg. When the war came along Bull went into it. He had here a mill, farm buildings and a house, but when the British swept through, the mill and house and barns were burned and John Bull was left almost desolate. He was a Colonel in the Revolu- tionary Army and a member of the Board of War, so that down to this time as you see all of the people with whom you were associated were people of very serious consequence in the aftairs of the Province.
Bull sold this tract to the University of Pennsylvania, and that is our leading institution of learning. Of course, you are well aware that this university in the fields of scientific and literary investigation has extended its influence so that it is known world-wide by the work it has done. And it is to your credit, surely to your interest, to know that at one time the land on which your houses stand came through the University of Pennsylvania.
Looking at another phase of your life — in all the fields of ac- tivities, in all the work in which men have been engaged, the people whom your town represents have been conspicuous and efficient.
Let us glance for a moment at science. Are you aware — I do not believe you are — that the first time the distance of the sun from the earth was at all definitely ascertained it was done by the calculations of a man who took his observations within the limits of your town — David Rittenhouse. Of him, Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, said, "He has not in- deed made a world, but he has approached nearer to its Maker than any man who has lived from the creation down to this day."
When the atmosphere of Venus was discovered, when it became known that Venus had an atmosphere, that also was due to observations made within your town.
88
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
The greatest of ornithologists of his day, a man whose fame extends everywhere, was likewise a man with intelligence to go up to the Perkiomen. That was John James Audubon ; and he tells in his letters how in the winter-time he skated upon the ice there, and how in the summer he hunted for birds.
You want to look at Literature — the first essay upon the subject of Pedagogy, now regarded by every scholar who writes or thinks upon that subject, whose name appears in every book written in any part of the world that bears upon it, was a Dutchman living up on the Skippack, Christopher Dock who in 1750 wrote the first American essay upon that topic.
Has anybody ever told you what was the most important literary venture in the American Colonies prior to the Revolu- tionary Wars? It is a history and biography, small in size print- ed up in Ephrata in Lancaster County in 1749. It took thirty men three years to do the work on it. They made the paper, they printed the book and did the binding, and there was nothing like it from Maine to Texas in the LTnited States before the Revo- lutionary War. And who were the authors of that book — Dill- man Kulp who lived on the Skippack Creek and Henry Funk who lived on Indian Creek a branch of the Perkiomen, in the northern part of your county.
The most interesting of all the contemporaneous journals of the time of the Revolution, and this also ought to impress the women, was written by a young girl named Sally Wistar. She told her tale ; she was a bright and sprightly piece, and she flirted with the British and the American officers, and she does not hestitate to tell in her journals all about it, and it makes an ex- ceedingly interesting journal, and that was written down here in Germantown. I once had the successor to that journal, her own manuscript written later in life, but by that time she had grown sober and religious, and all that was contained in the later narrative wras an expression of her religious feeling and in- terest, and it does not have the sprightliness and interest of her former narrative. But all who tell the tale of the Revolution go to some extent to Sally Wistar for their inspiration.
Looking into another field, that of statecraft : Do you know how many men of distinction in public life, men who
HISTORICAL ADDRESS
89
have had a real influence on affairs have come from your own county ?
There was a man who lived in your county — he was sent over from England to be Governor of the Province, and he built himself a fine mansion, and with true wisdom he came into Montgomery County to build it. He did not know quite enough to go as far north as some of these other men ; but he came within the bounds of the county and he built the Hall which has been known as Graeme Park. There lived Elizabeth Graeme.
Those of you who have read "Hugh Wynne" and you have all read it or ought to, remember the character in Hugh Wynne of "That cat, Bessie Ferguson" one of the important characters of that novel of Dr. MichelFs. "That cat Bessie Ferguson" was Elizabeth Graeme; and when Sir Henry Clinton wanted an agent to approach General Joseph Reed who was the Adjutant General of General Washington throughout the Revolution, he selected Bessie Ferguson, and Bessie Ferguson is said to have gone to Reed with some very advantageous propositions, and Reed is said to have told her, "I am poor enough, but poor as I am the King of England has not money enough to buy me."
Now Elizabeth Graeme was a most interesting character, and it would be a good thing if some philanthropic man of affairs in Norristown would take charge of Graeme Park and re- habilitate it. I was there a year ago; the house remains as it was, but it is in a very dilapidated condition. To be sure, the location is not desirable ; but nevertheless there is an outlook and so much has happened at Graeme Park, and the house stands untouched, so that it would be a very interesting and proper thing, and I commend it to some of you gentlemen to look after it. Perhaps the Historical Society of Montgomery County will ^ome time acquire money enough to enable them to do it. This house was built by Sir William Keith.
After the Constitution of 1790, just one-fifth of the time tiut the Governorship of this Commonwealth has been filled, it lias been occupied by men of Montgomery County.
There was David Rittenhouse Porter and Francis R. Shunk and John Frederick Hartranft and one other whom it is not nere^siary that I should mention. But in addition to that fact
90 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
there were two other residents of Montgomery County who were nominated for the Governorship who did not succeed in obtaining it — Arthur St. Clair who was a Major General in the Revolution and Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg.
Perhaps there is another whom in your enthusiasm you will continue in the future.
The first President of the United States Congress came from Montgomery County, and one of your citizens was nomi- nated for the Presidency of the United States. He did not suc- ceed to the place, but that was not his fault but of the people of the whole country.
The only contest of that battle (if you choose to call it a battle), with the Indians in Eastern Pennsylvania occurred out on the limits of Montgomery County in Hanover Township in 1728.
The Continental Army in its marchings to and fro swept through the county. Their camp grounds are all over it — New Hanover, Pennypacker's Mills, Schwenk's Tavern, Kulpsville — all over the county. At Skippack their army was encamped.
An English baronet has written one of the best histories of the Revolutionary War, and he speaks of a certain camp as the most famous camp-ground in the history of the war, and he tells us what it is — and it is Valley Forge.
Your presiding officer has said that in that camp the men showed their courage equally as well as they did on the field of battle. I do not think that that is a fair comparison.
The War of the Revolution was won not by skill and courage in battle. Nearly all the battles that were fought by General Washington ended in defeat. That war was won by persistence, by resolution, by staying there until it was over, and this great quality which represents the spirit of the Ameri- can soldier and of the American citizen was nowhere exempli- fied in the way in which it was in that camp on the banks of the Schuylkill in Montgomery County.
At the outbreak of the W7ar of the Rebellion when the southern states began to secede, we were able to hold on to two forts in tnose states, but one of those in the future days, Fort Sumter was captured.
HISTORICAL ADDRESS
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The only fort in all those states which the Government was able to hold was a fort on the cost of Florida, Fort Pickens, and it was held by Captain Adam J. Slemmer of Norristown .
And when I speak of Hartranft, the hero of Fort Stead- man, or of Hancock of whom it is said, "He commanded a corps longer than any other man, and his name was never men- tioned as having been responsible for a blunder in battle," it is enough to say that these men are among the bravest of our Nation, and stand in the forefront of the battlefields of all modern times.
Their bravery has affected the future of this Nation for all the ages to come. It was their determination that made this country really a nation. It has affected the future of the whole world.
And when George G. Meade, that great Pennsylvania soldier, who fought that turning point of the war, sent a man as his executive officer to take command of the field, it was a man of your town, General Winfield Scott Hancock. A man whose career may be traced in the annals of the Civil War; but this, and the brilliance of his political campaign, are still fresh in your minds. His remains lie here, near his boyhood home, in a tomb which must ever be treasured in your possession-
So I might go on and multiply instances coming down to the present time where the men, and even the women— of Mont- gomery County have proven their valor in other fields, and have achieved success and honor — whether it be in the channels of Science. Commerce, Industry or what not — but these are so comparatively recent that I need not recapitulate them.
DR BEEBER:
The next is a paper on the Montgomery County Court House in 1850, prepared and now to be read by Joseph For- nance, Esq.
Mr. Fornance needs no introduction from me. Those of you who know what he has been to our Society will readily realize how utterly useless any words of mine would be to in- troduce him. For over twenty-five years he has been the lead- ing spirit of the Historical Society of Montgomery County, and
92 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
its president as well, exercising the functibns of his office with a dignity and discretion and consideration that have led to a unanimous re-election at all our meetings. No one has thought of anybody else in connection with this office, and if anybody thought he was equal to contending for the honor I am sure his own vote would be the only one he would receive. May he live long to guide and inspire us in our work.
MR. FORN ANCE :
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen :
I want to prelude my remarks by thanking the children of the schools for the interest they show in the local history by attending here in such large numbers. I also want to thank them for the display last Monday. I think it is the principal feature of the display we have had and will have during this centennial week.
When I was asked to prepare a paper, or to say something about old Norristown, it occurred to me that perhaps I could write best about the little plot of ground near which I had lived for two-thirds of a century — I refer to what is now called "The Public Square.''
When I was a boy it was called "Court House Hill," not a verv large tract of ground — about two-thirds of an acre. There were the county buildings, it was the heart of the county, its surroundings were all important, and I, therefore, remembering how things looked to me many years ago, have prepared this paper which I have called "The Montgomery County Court House in 1850."
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURT HOUSE— 1850
Norristown is now celebrating the one hundredth anniver- sary of its incorporation as a borough, and in connection with this celebration, various matters and places of interest and im- portance in the town's past history engage the public attention. Of such places of historic interest, there is one whose descrip- tion and history appeals more than that of any other to the citi- zens of this county at large, as well as to the residents of Norris- town, and that is the original Montgomery County Court House.
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The Town of Norms
Plan taken from Deed Book. Xo. 2, page 465, Court House of Montgomery County, area 28 acres.
THE TOWN OF NORRIS
93
"NORRITON PLANTATION AND MILL TRACT"
The earliest known map of what later became the borough of Norristown, is one which was made for the Charles Norris Estate in 1771. This map is now the property of our Historical Society. The tract of land shown in it is described as the "Nor- riton Plantation and Mill Tract," a tract of 543 Yi acres, and contains a little more than what was afterwards comprised in the Borough of Norristown, as originally incorporated. On this map but one dwelling house, one tavern, a grist mill and a saw- mill appear- The greater part of the tract is woodland through which run a few roads at about the present location of Egypt, Swede, Ford and Sandy streets.
THE TOWN OF NORRIS
Montgomery County was originally a part of the County of Philadelphia, but was detached therefrom and created and or- ganized as a separate county by an Act of the State Legis- lature on September 10, 1784, for the reason stated in the Act that "a great number of the inahbitants of the county of Philadelphia, by their petition, have humbly represent- ed to the Assembly of this state the great inconvenience they labor under, by reason of their distance from the seat of judicature in the said county." [II Laws of Penn- sylvania 267.] And it was in accord with the provision of this same Act of Assembly that a meeting was held at the inn of Hannah Thompson in Norriton township (now the Jefferson- ville Tavern ) at which the present site of Norristown was se- lected as the County seat. Afterwards, as authority by said Act of Assembly, land was purchased "in some convenient place in the neighborhood of Stony-run, contiguous to the river Schuyl- kill, in Norriton township" on which " to build and erect a courthouse and county prison, sufficient to accommodate the public service of the said county."
In 1785, the Trustees of the L^niversity of Pennsylvania, being the owners of the land upon which the Borough of Nor- ristown now stands, laid out upon it a village which they called the ''Town of Norris."
94 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
It consisted of Swede, DeKalb and Egypt Streets, then of their present widths, and also four 24 ft. wide alleys that after wards became Cherry, Penn, Green and Lafayette Streets. A map of the new village site was made and recorded in the Re- corder's Office of the new County in Deed Book No. 2, page 465 This is the second map of the town. It shows the land now occupied by the Court House and the Public Square, then being all in one tract, as the alley (now Penn Street) was not yet cut through it. It also shows 66 building lots around the "Court House Lot" and the "Public Square." That was the entire town.
THE COURT HOUSE LOT
This second map is recorded with the deed for the "Court House Lot." That deed is dated December 7, 1785, and was given by the said Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania to the five persons authorized by said Act of Assembly to purchase the land, viz : — Henry Pawling, Jr., Jonathan Roberts, George Smith, Robert Shannon and Henry Conrad. The land therein conveyed is a rectangular lot 140 ft. wide beginning at the corner of Airy and Swede Streets, extending S. W. 344 ft. along Swede Street, bounded on the N. E. by Airy St., and on the S. W., by the "Public Square to remain open forever." The deed recites that the grantees their survivors and his heirs shall hold the lots "in trust to and for the County of Mont- gomery aforesaid, and particularly for the use and purpose of erecting thereon a Court House and Prison sufficient to ac- commodate the public service of the said County according to the Laws and Constitution of the said Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in such case made and provided." The consid- eration paid for the lot was five shilling (about $1.25.)
The "Town of Norris" remained an unincorporated village for over a quarter of a century.
THE BOROUGH OF NORRISTOWN
Twenty-eight years after the County was created, Norris- town became a borough and obtained a charter granted by an Act of Assembly passed March 31, 1 812. It was still a small
Composite Map
Norristown, 1812-1853, 520 acres. Norristown. 1853-1913, 2265.01 acres, vornstown 1812-1912. Through courtesy of Rev. Theodore Hey sham, Ph. D.
REMINISCENCE OF THE COUNTY BUILDERS
95
village having a population of about 500. According to the limits described in the Charter it extended from the Schuylkill River to Elm Street and from Astor Street to Ford Street, comprising about the same territory shown in the old map of the "Norriton Plantation and Mill Tract."
In 1853 the town was further enlarged to its present dimensions.
REMINISCENCE OF THE COUNTY BUILDINGS.
But instead of writing a history of Norristown, I will tell you how the old Court House and its surroundings looked to me in 1850.
I was then a small boy and lived at the west corner of Swede and Penn Streets. The Court House and the Court House Hill (now the public square) were directly across Swede Street in front of my home.
My father was a lawyer in active practice. His office was in our dwelling house. ""* Boy-like, I often followed him in and about'the old county buildings and what I am now describing I saw then most every day. My recollection of the scenes aa they appeared to me 62 years ago, is still clear and distinct.
THE OLD JAIL
The County Jail, a small plain two story building of stone, roughly plastered over, stood on the southwestern side of Airy Street near Swede Street nearly on the site of the northeastern end of the present Court House. It fronted towards Penn Street. High steps led up to its front door. On the side of that door towards Swede Street it was a dwelling house. The other side, it was a prison and the windows had heavy iron bars. The Sheriff, Philip Hahn, lived in the jail and looked after the prisoners. The enclosed jail yard, behind the jail, extended back to Airy Street. In front of it was a green lawn down to Penn Street, over which was a brick paved walk. When the Sheriff came down that walk to Penn Street, and descended the steps there to Penn Street, he crossed that street to the
g6 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
steps in the rear of the County buildings and leading up to the space between them.
CHANGE OF GRADES
The surface of the jail lot and of the Court House Hill (now the public square) was then at its natural grade which was about 4 feet higher than now.
Rough stone retaining walls enclosed the Court House Hill along Swede and Penn Streets, and a brick wall extended along Main Street. Along Swede and Main Streets those walls were built up 2 or 3 feet above the surface of the hill, and were topped with stone and marble coping. Rough stone steps led from the street pavement up to the hill. There were a few steps up from Penn Street, back of the county buildings. Another ascent was from Penn Street, over the 12 ft. wide space between the Court House and Swede Street, with several steps from it, up to the hill at the W. Corner of the Court House. Another flight led up from Swede Street about 80 feet S. W. from Penn Street.
A brick wall, surmounted by a marble coping, was along Main Street. Three flights of marble steps led up to the hill from Main Street. A few linden trees were clustered round the center flight of steps there. Paths from the three Main Street steps up to the Court House and the County offices were worn, in the sod. A favorite short cut across the hill was the path from the steps at its South corner up to those at its North corner.
When the present Court House was building, in 185 1 to 1854, the grade of the old jail lot was lowered. And when the old Court House was torn down in 1855, the grade of the pre- sent public square was similarly lowered and the terraces along Penn and Main Streets were placed there.
Another notable change of grade, partly made then and afterwards finished, was the lowering of the entire pavement on the Northeast side of Main Street from Swede to DeKalb Streets. It was then from two to four feet above its present
THE OLD COURT HOUSE
97
grade. A stone wall topped with a marble coping served there as a curb stone along most of that side of Main Street.
THE OLD COURT HOUSE
In 1850 the Court House building and the County Office building stood at the North East end of the Court House Hill, close to Penn Street, about 18 feet apart. They were on a line as to their fronts, and faced South West with the Court House Hill sloping down to Egypt Street, in front of them. Each of the two buildings was two stories high. They were very plain outside and inside. Both were built of stone, roughly plastered on the outside with yellow plaster. They were 60 years old in 1850, and were then sadly in need of paint and other repairs. Both buildings had been somewhat enlarged before I knew them. The original Court House and jail were both commenced in 1787, and the office building in 1791.
The Court House was the larger building, being 70 ft. long by 40 ft. wide, with a small extension or recess at the back of about 26 by 6 feet, which brought its extreme rear flush with the South West side of Penn Street- Its North West end was 12 feet from Swede Street. It was surmounted by a wooden cupola in which were a bell and a clock with four dials. The clock had been made by a skillful local mechanic, Jacob Custer. Two front doors opened from the Court House out on the Court House Hill. Two doors in its rear were on either side of the recess. Another door was in the Eastern end. No vestibules or entries were at the door.
As to the interior, the basement was the borough lock- up. Its entrance was from Swede Street. The borough had no policeman. Its one constable or watchman, as I remember him, was first Jake Bason and afterwards Jake Aaron.
The Court room occupied the entire main floor. The three Judges were one President Judge, David Krause, and two lay- men associate Judges, Fenton and Hunsicker. They sat in a row on the bench in the recess along Penn Street and faced the bar in front of them. At the extreme right of the bench, in a small enclosure, sat the Court crier, John Keesey. Below and
98
/
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
in front of the bench sat the Prothonotary Jas. B. Evans and the Clerk of Courts A. H. Tippen. One long narrow counsel table was in the bar. In the end of that table farthest from the bench, a semi-circle space was cut, and in this space the attorney usually stood when addressing the Judges or the jury. In the western corner of the bar was the witness box, a small movable platform, with a railing around it two steps above the floor. Between the witness box and the bench sat the jury. It was customary for the entire Bar to be present in Court whenever it was in session. I recall seeing the following law- yers there: John B. Sterigere, John Freedley, "joseph For- nance, Wm. Powell, B- F. Hancock, G. R. Fox, Daniel II. Mul- vany, John H. Hobart, S. N. Rich, Addison May, James Boyd, B. M. Boyer, John R. Breitenbach, Benj. Powell, B. E. Chain and Charles H. Stinson.
I recall with interest one trial in the old Court Hou^e. It was the case of Commonwealth against Emily Higgs, who was charged with infanticide, and was tried in 1852 before Judge Smyser. The trial is mentioned in "The Forum" by David Paul Brown, Vol. 2 p. 455. The counsel for the defend- ant were David Paul Brown, a famous and able lawyer from Philadelphia, and James Boyd of this Bar. Benjamin E. Chain was the District Attorney and was assisted in this trial by Charles H. Stinson. Murder trials were then unusual, and much sympathy was felt for the defendant, and that, together with the reputation of Mr. Brown, crowded the Court room during the entire trial. Mr. Brown was extremely dignified and courteous in his manner, but his fondness for display made him conspicuous. He was a short, stout, swarthy man, with very fine teeth which he was fond of showing. On the street his dress was remarkable. He wore a white beaver bell crowned high hat, a swallow tail blue broadcloth coat with real gold buttons, a yellow vest with gold buttons, ruffled shirt bosom and lavender colored trousers. He had a very heavy gold fob chain and many rings and carried a large gold headed cane. But when he came in the Court Room his clothes wrere all of somber black and his rings were omitted. 1 remember him trying this case, seated at the counsel table on Purdon's Digest
THE OLD COURT HOUSE
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which he had put on his chair to lift him up, his large gold watch and chain on the table before him, nervously taking fre- quent pinches of snuff from his large silver snuff box, which also lay there, and scattering the snuff all around about and over himself.
The trial was a long one and was followed with intense interest. When the jury late one evening rendered a verdict of
not guilty, the crowded audience shouted their approval. The Judge was furious with indignation at this disturbance. He pounded on his desk to restore order, denounced the outburst and commanded the sheriff to arrest immediately and bring before him every one engaged in it. But the sheriff could not detect the offenders and no arrests were made.
The Court room was not attractive in its appearance. The wood work all needed re-painting, the bare plaster wails were dingy, and the windows were seldom washed. All the furniture was plain. The chairs were quaint. The desks and tables were covered with green baize fastened on with large brass headed tacks. The pens were made from quills and sand boxes were used instead of blotting paper. In- grain carpet was on the floor of the bench. Within the Bar and in the aisles were laid strips of rag carpet. The rest of the floor was bare. Around three sides of the room, facing in towards the Bar and a step or two above the level of the aisles, were long rough unpainted wooden benches for interested parties and the general public. Two large rusty iron cylinder stoves furnished the heat. Their long sheet iron stove pipes, hanging from the ceiling, ran to the pipe holes in the chimneys at the ends of the room. Tallow candles in tin candle sticks lighted the room at night. In the south corner an open stair- way led direct from the Court room up to the second floor which was divided into jury rooms.
The Court House was closed- and the shutters bolted, except when Court was in session or when the Court room was used for political meetings or other public meetings. The elections were held there, the polls being those of Xorristown, Xorriton, Plymouth and Upper Merion. Each poll had its separate voting window.
IOO HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
As there was no public hall in town the Court room was
sometimes rented out for concerts, exhibitions and lectures. I remember seeing P. T. Barnum exhibit Tom Thumb, and Signor Blitz give his performance of ventriloquism, legerde- main, trained birds, etc., and also attended several concerts, all in the old Court room. Balls and fairs were sometimes held on the second floor. I copy here a printed invitation to a dance held there in 1831, given by the gay young bachelors of the town. It is on a small sheet of note paper addressed to Dr. Leedom and family, Plymouth. It reads:
"Norristown Cotillion Party." "The pleasure of Dr. Leedom and Family's Company is requested at a COTILLION PARTY, on Wednesday evening the 19th of October next, at the Court House. P. S. Mark-ley Peter Dager John Freedley
D. H. Mulvany Managers: Wm. Corson "September 24th, 1831, T. P. Knox."
THE OFFICE BUILDING
The office building stood East of the Court House and was used only for the County Offices. It was a plain two story- building 50 by 36 feet. A hall ran through from the front door to the back door and four rooms, separated by stone par- tition walls, were on each floor. In order to make it fire proof, the floors were brick, the ceilings were stone arches plastered over, and the windows had heavy wrought iron shutters. Over the front door was a marble slab on which was cut " Montgom- ery County 179 1. " About ten feet back of this building was Penn Street and several rough stone steps led down to it.
The marble steps at the front doors of both the Court House atid the office building descended to the Court House Hill which extended down to Main Street. These steps reached the bare ground. No pavement or macadamized path led up to them.
THE FIRE ENGINE HOUSE 101
A small grove of trees, mostly lindens, stood in front 3 S both the Court House and the office building Under these trees public meetings, political, temperence or religious, were sometimes held. The speaker stood on the Court House steps, or on a small temporary platform by their side Samuel Aaron male sc me of his most her;-, invective speeches there. One Sunday afternoon, it -tad b een announced he would speak on Temperance a: the dure Mouse, a large crowd came there to hea; him. The County Commissioners refused him the use of the building-. The crowd broke in the doors, an: threw open the shutter-. They remove: the sash from one window and Mr. Aaron stood on the window sill or.d -poke to the crowds, inside and out.
In fine weather the lawyers and county cm rials often pitched quoits under these trees: arc the Toys played marble- and spun tops there, and sometimes were so noisy over toe game chat they disturbed the Court and a tipstaff came out to silence them.
THE FIRE ENGINE HOUSE,
At the West corner of the Hill, fronting Main Street, and along Swede Street, stood a small fire engine house, one story high, and surmounted by a cupola in which was a hre alarm bell. In it were housed the "Pat Lyon" an: another engine. Both were hand engines. When in service they were supplier with water drawn from the town pumps and passe: from hart 0 to hand along the bucket line in leather buckets
Of all the old town pumps only one - or rather its suc- cessor, still stands. It is behin 0 roe jaii yard. You will find it still bring business or rhe old stand at the North East end of the Court House, on Airy Street, opposite C.vi'c:\ Street.
I recall some six more pumps scattered through the town. Each, hkc the :ne on Airy Street, stood at toe curb with its spout pointing towards rhe roadway. Srmetimes. in walking along the street, a depression in the pavement reminds me of the oi i pump that ooce stood there.
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
When the Water Company brought the Schuylkill water into the town about 1850, and put in fire plugs, the pumps were no longer needed. They got out of repair and decayed, and in time were removed, and the wells were filled up.
THE COURT HOUSE HILL
The "Court House Hill" in front of the Court House was an uncared for common. It was a playground for the boys. There was an entrance from it to the adjoining hotel, the Washington tavern, now the hardware store. A bare spot in the sod, on which no grass grew, was in the center of the hill where the soldiers monument now stands. It was the location of the annual bonfire at midnight of July 3rd, when all the bells in town were rung and guns were fired to welcome the coming Independence Day, and blazing fire balls, made of cotton mill waste saturated with turpentine, were tossed about.
Nearly a dozen one-story offices, several of brick, the rest of frame, rented to lawyers, stood on the rear of the adjoining land, now belonging to the Historical Society, and fronted on the Court House Hill. They extended from the County office building to the "Washington House," and then belonged to Robert Stinson. The Borough of Norristown bought this property from his estate in 1856, tore down most of the offices and used the rest of them for a lock-up until 1884. It then erected there a building for a Borough Hall and lockup, and so used it till 1896, when the Historical Society bought it and converted it into Historical Hall.
THE BOROUGH MARKET
Along the Main and Swede Street fronts of the Court House Hill and along the Swede and Airy Street sides of the jail lot was the Borough market. Farmers sold produce there from their wagons, backed up to the curb. In time some regu- lar vendors claimed the right of selling from the same spot on each market day, and built rough board sheds extending over the pavement from their wagons at the curb to the top of the stone retaining wall of the Hill, sheltering the purchasers. They paid no stall rent but each regular attendant pre-empted a sell-
THE BOROUGH MARKET
ing place and built his shed over the place he regularly occupied.
The sheds extended along Swede Street from Main nearly to Airy Street. Often I climbed from the Court House Hill up on to the roofs of these Market sheds and from them got on the roof of the old engine house, and from there into its cupola where most of the boys I knew had cut their initials. On the big market days some farmers, who came only occa- sionally and had no regular stand, occupied the rest of the Swede Street curb up to Airy Street, and some backed up their wagons along Airy Street, behind the jail lot. Along the Main Street front of the Court House Hill the butchers backed up their wagons. Most of them had canvas awnings over the pavement at their stands.
In winter the boys coasted on the snow and ice on the Hill, often using for sleds inverted tables of the farmers and butchers which they had taken from the market sheds.
Of all the farmers who sold there I can recall only Joshua Molony, whose regular stand was at the East corner of Swede and Penn Streets, where he had built a substantial shed on which was a sign bearing his name.
Of the butchers who sold from their wagons along the front of the Court House Hill, I remember Othy Sands, John Freed, John and Charles Jacobs, and Andrew Hess.
The borough abandoned the old street market and built its first market building about 1851. It was a one-story frame shed starting at Airy and DeKalb Streets, and extending along DeKalb Street, where the City Hall now stands, some 200 ieet towards Marshall Street. Later it was further extended all the way to Marshall Street. This new Borough market was strongly opposed by many citizens. They claimed that because of having to pay stall rent the farmers and butchers would charge more for their goods.
On account of this opposition Abraham Eshbach, proprietor of the tavern at Main and Barbadoes Streets erected a substan- tial two-story stone building, (still standing, at Barbadoes and Penn Streets,) in the rear of his tavern, which he called Esh- bach's market. A large