Area History: History of Schuylkill County, Pa: W. W. Munsell, 1881: Township and Borough Histories pp. 156-176 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by R. Steffey. Typing and editing by Jo Garzelloni and Carole Carr. USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. New York: W. W. Munsell & Co., 36 Vesey Street, 1881 Press of George Macnamara, 36 Vesey Street, N.Y. ____________________________________________________________ page 156 TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH HISTORIES. _________________ BARRY TOWNSHIP. The settlements in this township, then a part of lower Mahan- tongo, date back to about 1808, and of the original settlers the names of John Garivy, who settled where William Hoch now lives; John Baily, on the Daniel Smith farm, and the Yarnall family, who came from New Jersey, and settled the place still owned by one of its descendants, Miss Lydia Yarnall, are among the most promi- nent. In 1815 the families of Charles Marwine, of Philadelphia, and John Clauntz, John Heter and a man named Shupert, from Berks county, settled in the township and took up farms. Dr. George Long also settled here, and was the first and for many years the only resident physician. Three thousand acres of land in the township were owned by Joseph Reed at the time of its first settlement, and were sold by him to John S. Heister in 1812, the deed bearing November 5th of that year. It was divided by him into tracts of three hundred acres, and sold to settlers. The tract now contains some twenty farms, and comprises the lands lying between the farms of Elias Kessler and Seth Geer, extending north to the top of Mahantongo mountain, and south to Little Mount. The first log house was built by John Clauntz, and the first crops were raised by Issac Yarnall. The earliest traveled road was one running from Reading to Sunbury through Taylorsville, and the first bridge was built near where Calvin Reed now lives. The only cut stone dwelling on the township was erected by Israel Reed, in 1848 near the east end of the town, and is now occupied by his sons. I.D. Rupp, in his history of Schuylkill county, says that in 1840 Barry contained two stores, one forge, three grist-mills, twenty-three saw-mills; population in 1830, 443; in 1840, 639; in 1850, 689; in 1860,943; 1870, 950; 1880, 1,587. Pioneer Industries And Schools A grist-mill was erected in 1810 where the Isaac Reed mill now stands. Another, which is now owned by C. M. Milliman, was built some twenty years later on Deep creek, and in the west part of the township Daniel Klinger built a mill in 1940. The first saw-mill was built by George Kessler, on Deep creek, about the year 1815. A small tannery was erected at an early day on the banks of the Mahanoy creek, near the John Rice place, by a man named Johnson. The opening of a foundry by John R. Fisher, who carried on in it the manufacture of coffee mills until 1869, when it was de- stroyed by fire. The first merchant of Barry was Amos Yarnall, whose log store, opened about the year 1820, was located on the old Yarnall farm. The pioneer hotel, kept by Jesse Yarnall, was built of logs, and opened in 1810. It is still standing and is the resid- ence of Calvin Reed.. In 1820 the people built a log school-house opposite the site of St. John's church, and hired William Bolich to teach a school in Barry, still living in the township, are Charles Marwine and Charles M. Billman. The free school system was adopted in 1847, and in 1880 there were six districts in the township. Post Villages And Hotels Taylorsville.-The first post-office established was that of Barry, at the little hamlet of Taylorsville,of which Frank Den- gler was commissioned postmaster. It was kept in the building now occupied as a residence by his widow. The village at which it is located comprised in 1880, the Taylorsville hotel, owned and kept by C.M. Billman, a blacksmith shop, and eight of ten houses. The Taylorsville Cornet Band was organized August 18th, 1880, with sixteen members, and the following persons elected to office: George P. Bolich, president; J.G. Starr, treasure; A.L. Schneider, secretary; Gideon Welkel, leader; A.M. Derr, assistant leader. The entire expense of equipping the band-some $300-was born by its members, who comprise the best and most reliable of the young men of Taylorsville. Weishample was named after J. F. Weishampel, an ___________end page 156._____________ page 157 VILLAGES AND CHURCHES IN BARRY TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. _____________________________________________________________ itinerant preacher belonging to the Winebrenarian sect, about the year 1855,when a church of that denomination was built. The post-office was established in 1870, and given the same name, the department merely changing the spelling to "Weishample." The place contains one store, kept by C. W. Hoch, the church before mentioned, a blacksmith shop, carriage shop, school-house, and half a dozen dwelling houses. Weishample Camp, No. 85, P.O.S. of A.-This lodge was organized in 1872, with membership of eighteen, and since that time from seventy to eighty members have been initiated. In 1876 C.W. Hoch built a hall for the lodge by adding a story to his residence. Mable post-office was established in 1869 with Isaac F. Betz as postmaster. The place contains a store, blacksmith shop, hotel, kept by Benjamin O. Reineart, shoe shop, and eight houses. Wayside Inns.-G. M. Hornberger keeps a popular hotel, known as the Buckhorn Mountain House, on the Pottsville road in the south eastern part of the township, and about one mile west of his place, on the same road, the McKown House, kept by James McKown, extends a welcome to hungry or thirsty wayfarer. Barry Station.-A railroad station was established at Bolich's switch, on the Shamokin branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, in the summer of 1880, and it is known as Barry Sta- tion. Civil Government. The township was erected from Norwegian and Schuylkill in 1821, and the first election was held at the house now occupied by Frank Bolich as a shoe shop. The first justices elected were John A. Otto and Elijah Yarnall. The following persons have held the office from that date to 1880: John A. Otto and Elijah Yar- nall, from 1845 to 1850; Israel Reed and William Hoch, from 1850, the former until his death in 1876, when he was succeeded by Charles M. Billman, and the latter continuously until 1880. The township officers for 1880 were: C. W. Kramer, town clerk; William G. Kehler, treasurer; George A. Sly, assessor; William Hoch, Michael Snyder and Ephraim Yarnall, auditors; Gideon Weikel constable. Franklin Colliery No. 2. This colliery is located on lands of Riegel, Fortenbaugh & Brentzel, and operated by S. S. Bickel. A tunnel is driven north one hundred and two yards to the Lykens Valley vein, with east and west gangways; west gangway worked out, east gangway driven nine hundred yards and working four a breast. The men and boys employed number about 40, with one fifty horse power engine. The ventilation is by natural means. Tobias Bickel is the superin- tendent. Churches. The Church of God.-The denomination of which this body is a representative deserves a passing mention as a body of Christians originating in the State, and in a great measure comprised within its limits. Its founder was Rev. John Winebrener, of Harrisburg, who in the year 1830 formulated a creed, based on the Holy Scrip- tures. The creed expresses a positive in three perpetual ordinan- ces-baptism, by immersion; feet-washing, as taught by Christ's example and non-conformity with the world are especially enjoyed. In this belief a little body of Christians gather in 1842 at what is now Weishample, and were organized into a church by Elder Thomas Strahm. John Ghist was chosen elder, and in 1855 the chapel, or Bethel, as it is called, was built at a cost of $1,000. The church numbered in 1880 thirty-two members, with John Ghist and John Kessler as elders, and William Kessler and William Frimayer as deacons. It has a flourishing Sunday-school of 113 officers and members, with John Ghist and John Kessler as elders, and William Kessler and William Frimayer as deacons. It has a flourishing Sunday-school of 113 officers and members, with Michael Wolfgang superintendent. The pastor in charge is Rev. J. Hay, of Mahantongo circuit. A burial ground is connected with the Bethel. United Brethren in Christ.-In 1862 a mission of this church was established at Barry, and Rev. L. W. Cranmer was assigned to it by the East Pennsylvania Conference. In 1863 this circuit, then comprising Valley View and Huxley township, was attached to the Lykens circuit and supplied by Rev. Messrs, David Moyer and Jacob Runk. In 1864 the place of Pastor Moyer was filled by Rev. H. E. Hackman. In 1865 Rev. John Lowery succeeded Pastor Runk, and in the following year these appointments were detached from the Lykens circuit, and again called Germantown mission, the name first given to them. Rev. F. List was assigned to the work of pastor. From 1867 to 1870 Rev. J. Shoop ministered to the cir- cuit, in 1871 Rev. William Dessinger, and from 1872 to 1874 Rev. J. M. Mark. During the two years following Rev. H. E. Hackman again filled the pastorate, followed by Rev. S. Noll in 1876, and Rev. L. Fleisher in 1877. In 1878 the mission was converted into a circuit, now called Valley View; and from that time to 1880, inclusive, Rev. J. Shoop has had charge of it. The church building, which was built in 1855 in Barry, is located about midway between Mabel and Weishample, on the main road. The earlier and most active members of the church were Jacob Klinger, Daniel Kessler, Daniel Klinger, Simon Licht and Jeremiah Klinger. The Sunday-school, which was organized in 1866, has a good library and is well managed. Union Church at Berry.-In 1816 several citizens built a school-house near the site of what is now known as the Union church, and this was for some years used for religious services. The first minister who preached there was George Eyster, who organized a church composed of the following persons: Peter Ziegenfus, Jacob Ziegenfus, Peter Zerbey, John Kimmel, Charles Marwine, George Kessler, John Deitrich, George St. Clair, Michael Bolich, Henry Bolich, John Yarnall, Jesse Yarnall, Gideon Mirkel and Michael Madeary. Pastor Eyster ministered to the church ten years and was succeeded __________end page 157_________ page 158 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. _____________________________________________________________ by Rev. Isaac Steely, who was of the Reformed church, his prede- cessor having been a Lutheran. Mr. Steely served for fifteen years, and during the last five years of his work he was assisted by Rev. John Schultz. From 1843 for ten years Rev. John Felty was the pastor. In 1850 the church building was erected on the south side of the road to Ashland. From 1853 to 1863 Rev. Mr. Bergner was its pastor, and under his ministry the membership was increa- sed. Pastor Bergner was a Lutheran, and noted for his fine musi- cal ability. Rev. Daniel Sanner succeeded him and preached here five years, proving a popular and successful pastor. Rev. John Webber was pastor from 1868 to 1873, and was succeeded by Rev. Henry Weicksel, the present Lutheran pastor. Father Weicksel is an elderly man, loved and revered by his people. In 1879 Rev. Mr. Baum, of Pottsville, a Reformed minister, commenced holding services here, and he now preaches monthly. The first superintendent of the Sunday-school was Robert Neal. In 1880 the school was in good condition, superintended by an able an energetic young man, C. W. Kramer, whose efforts have quickened its pulses, and during his management a new organ has been purchased, which adds much to the interest of the exercises. ______________________ BLYTHE TOWNSHIP. Blythe township was set off from Schuylkill in 1846. The central portion is traversed by the valley of the Schuylkill. The northern and southern portions are broken and mountainous. The most notable tributary to the Schuylkill in this township is Sil- ver creek, which rises near the northern border and has its con- fluence with the river as New Philadelphia. Near the head of this stream is the Silver creek reservoir, constructed as a feeder to the Schuylkill canal. Blythe is bounded by Ryan, Schuylkill, Walker, West Brunswick, North Manheim, East Norwegian and New Castle. It was named in honor of Judge Blythe. COAL. The central portion of the township, east and west, is in the coal belt of the first coal field of the Schuylkill district, and formerly mining was prosecuted within its boundaries very exten- sively, and it was a stage of business and speculative activity, where many fortunes have been made and lost. Almost immeasurable deposits of anthracite underlie the surface of the township, but at such a depth that it cannot be mined successfully in competi- tion with coal obtained more cheaply nearer the surface in other sections. When the era of deep mining arrives, Blythe will again be the scene if great activity in coal production. The presence of coal in the territory now known as Blythe was known at a very early day, and it would be impossible to state when or by whom the first opening was made in the township with a view to bringing it to light. Coal was taken out in small quanti- ties, in various localities, by the early residents of the town- ship but the lack of a market prevented any considerable traffic in it for many years. The first notable coal operation in Blythe was on the Mammoth vein at Silver Creek. An early operator was S. Chadwick, some time after 1840. Before 1850 the colliery passed into the hands of Benjamin Haywood, and previous to 1860 into the possession of Beattey & Garretson. Later an eastern company operated it, under the management of a Mr. Starr, three or four years. The successors of this company were the Welsh Company, as they were known, residents of Minersville. The last operator was a Mr. Boyce, of Baltimore, and the mine was under the superintendency of John Harper, of Pottsville. This colliery is on land formerly belonging to the Valley Furnace Company, but now the property of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. It was operated until a few years ago. The first opera- tor on the Ledger vein, or the Valley Furnace Company's lands, was Henry Gueitterman, who built a large breaker, and did a successful business until he sold his lease to the eastern compa- ny before mentioned. The colliery is now idle. After passing through the hands of several operators the opening to the Mammoth vein in Blythe fell into the possession of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, who worked it until 1860, when they leased it to John J. Dovey, who, after a few years, sold out to a New York company. Later it was operated by Marcus Heilner. George Bright, of Pottsville, was next operator. He was succeeded by Murray, Winlack & Randall, who operated it about three years. Since 1869 it has been lying idle. A man named McNeil opened the Primrose vein. Rev. James Neil sunk a slope in 1849, and the first wagon load of coal was hoist- ed from it by Richard Winlack in the fall of 1850. Later Mr. Neil took Benjamin Milnes into partnership in the enterprise, which was abandoned in about eight years. As early as 1852 or 1853 a man named Dodson had an opening in the small red ash vein overlying the Seven-foot. It has been long abandoned. __________end page 158.__________ page 159 COAL MINING IN BLYTHE TOWNSHIP. _____________________________________________________________ In the early days of active coal mining in the township the name of Caleb Parker was well known, and it is remembered by nearly every old inhabitant. He began operations on the Primrose vein, on the second dip, at Valley Furnace, a little to the left of the turnpike, above the old furnace site. He had a dam made on Silver creek and propelled his machinery by water power. This opening was on the Glentworth tract, owned then by Bast & Thomp- son. Capwell & Dovey became operators there. Enoch McGinness was a later operator. Maize, Miller & Co. operated this colliery during the war, and were succeeded by A. Focht & Co., from whose hands the colliery reverted to the land owners. Under the direc- tion of Gideon Bast, William Harmon, superintendent, made under- ground borings which proved the Mammoth vein to posses a good quality of coal. Bast & Thompson sold the property to the Phila- delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, who operated the colliery for some time. It has been dismantled and abandoned. On the Valley Furnace Company's tract, about a mile southeast of New Philadelphia, Kastenbaugh, Miller, Hine, & Bansler made an opening about 1870, and after work it unprofitably a few years abandoned it. Between New Philadelphia and Combola an opening was made, before 1850, by George Rickett, which was afterwards worked by J.O. Rhoades. A man named Zehner, from Lancaster,Pa., operated here a while, and finally abandoned the colliery, which was on lands now owned by the Alliance Coal Company. The mine has been reopened and supplied with good machinery, and is now being successfully worked by this company, under the management of General Superintendent John B. Church, and Inside Superintendent William McQuail. It is known as Palmer vein, and yielded 11,447 tons of coal in 1876; 17,240 tons in 1877; 27,361 in 1878; and 17,066 in 1879. At a place called "the Five Mile Board" an opening was made on a red-ash vein, by Lawrence Hannon, at an early date, but little coal was taken out. There were many early openings about Middleport, in small veins, but little coal was mined there. North of Middleport about a mile a man named Thompson opened on several red-ash veins, and worked them to a considerable extent until they they became unprofitable. Louis Lorenz has lately sunk a slope to one of these veins, which is down to a depth of about 150 yards below water level. A new breaker and machinery have been erected, and the opening is now being operated success- fully. A little less than 2,000 tons of coal were mined here in 1879. This colliery is called the Middleport, and is on land owned by Franklin B. Gowen. About a mile north of the Middleport colliery is an abandoned opening on the Mammoth vein. This is east from Silver creek about a mile and a half. It was early operated by several suc- cessive operators. Rogers, Sinnockson & Co. operated it many years under the superintendency of Francis Daniels. About 1860 it passed into the possess in of the Kaskawilliam Coal Company. The vein took fire, and after several futile attempts to extin- guish it the colliery was dismantled and abandoned. The property is now owned by the alliance Coal Company. About a mile east from Kaskawilliam, as this locality is called, an opening was made on the Wood and Abbott property by a Mr. Whitfield, who drove two long tunnels, one cutting the red-ash, and one the Mammoth vein. He did a small business for a time, and abandoned the opening prior to 1855. In 1862, Murray, Winlack & Randall sunk a slope on the Prim- rose vein to the depth of one hundred yards, and begun to exca- vate a tunnel at the bottom of the slope to cut the white-ash vein, but before reaching this they were obliged to abandon it, on account of depression in the price of coal, which rendered the enterprise unprofitable. The working was abandoned in 1865, and the property is now owned by Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. About a mile east of Middleport Pliny Fisk opened a colliery, which drew its product from Skidmore vein, and worked it success fully and profitably for a time, in consequence of its yielding an excellent quality of anthracite. Some time between 1860 and 1865 he sold out to Henry Gueitterman, who abandoned the colliery about twelve years ago, after working it with considera- ble success. It has since been idle. On the Da Costa tract, between Gueitterman's opening and Middleport, S. Chadwick sunk a slope to the Big Gate vein. During the following winter water froze in the pipes, bursting them and causing the abandonment of the enterprise. About a half a mile north of Gueitterman's opening, on the Robb & Winebrenner tract, one of the Huntzingers sunk a dry slope to the water level, hoisting his coal to the breaker. About 1862 or 1863 this work- ing passed into the hands of Issac May, who sold out to Jesse Foster, who began to sink a slope on the Clarkson vein, but abandoned the enterprise before it was finished. The breaker was burned, and the mine has since been idle. A quarter of a mile south of this colliery, and on the southern dip of the same vein, Samuel Sillyman sunk a slope and mined there successfully for some years. Previous to 1860 the breaker and the engine house burned, and the mine has since been idle. A small quantity of coal is being mined at the Hiawatha colliery, near middleport, by S. Kentbaugh. SETTLEMENT AND EARLY MATTERS. The names, location and the date of the settlement of the pioneers in Blythe are unknowns. The earliest inhabitants of the township were farmers, and it was not until about the time of the opening of the Schuylkill canal that there were many families living in the valley between the present eastern and western borders of the township. With the opening of the canal coal mining began to be active,and the interest increased in import- ance with the construction of the Schuylkill Valley Railroad, and became more and more important year by year, until it is decaden- ce on account of the exhaustion of the anthracite deposits near the surface, and the depression in the coal trade generally. During the active period of coal mining ___________ end of page 159____________ page 160 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ in the Schuylkill district Blythe was the scene of much bustle and enterprise. The first township election was ordered "to be held at the public house of M. Balliett, in Middleport." Mails, in that portion of the Schuylkill township which is now Blythe, were somewhat irregular until 1830. Early in August that year arrangements were made with a Mr. Reeside to carry a daily mail between Pottsville and Tuscarora, via Middleport. From Tuscarora it was carried, tri-weekly, to Mauch Chunk. the first post-office in the township had been established at Middleport early in the previous May, with Jacob Huntzinger as postmaster. THE VALLEY FURNACE. The earliest manufacturing enterprise in the vicinity was the Valley Furnace, near Silver Creek, just north of New Philadelphia, and at that point centered the small laboring population of the township. The furnace was built as early as 1804 or 1805, states Abraham Pott, by Rev. F.W. Geisenheimer & Co. Mr. Geisenheimer was a New Yorker, and a man of much scientific knowledge. Of course the furnace was a primitive affair in the beginning; but under the direction of Mr. Geisenheimer, it was improved from year to year, and it is said to have been, during the whole period of its existence, abreast with if not in advance of the times. Previous to 1836 many experiments had been made in the manufacture of iron with coal as heating agent. They had been uniformly unsuccessful. In that year Mr. Geisenheimer made, at the Valley Furnace, with the assistance of Abraham Pott, an effort so triumphant as to enable him to obtain the iron separate from the cinder. The result of this experiment, says a writer, was such as to "place the name of Mr. Geisenheimer high upon the list of those who have enlarged the power of man over materials around him." It is stated that Mr. Geisenheimer made the first anthracite iron with the coal blast, and that the more efficient hot blast was introduced from England at a later date. During the summer of 1836. Governor Ritner visited the Valley Furnace and was much gratified with what he saw of the successful new process in iron manufacture. The old furnace had been substantially rebuilt in 1835 and 1836. The blast failed at first, but a second one was successful. A few years later Geisenheimer & Co. leased the furnace to other parties, who were in time succeeded by other lessees, until operations ceased entirely on account of the furnace becoming inefficient, and the establishment of simi- lar enterprises on a larger scale in close proximity. ___________ MIDDLEPORT BOROUGH. ____________ ______________________________________________________________ Adam Stahl is said to have been the first settler at Middle- port. Members of his family were prominent landowners there for many years. In 1821 Jacob Stahl sold the burying-ground to the Lutheran and the Presbyterian congregations, which were repre- sented in the transactions by John Settzer and Andrew D. Long. In 1828 Jacob Huntzinger bought a tract of land, including that portion of Middleport north of the Schuylkill Valley Rail- road. Soon a man named Rausch became Huntzinger's partner. Prior to 1830 the land was laid out in village lots, which were offered for sale. The balance of the territory within the borough lim- its, and lying south of the railroad, was included in the Da Costa tract. Jacob Huntzinger was the pioneer business man in the borough. He opened a store there in the spring or summer of 1829. The second store was that of Ferguson & Jones, established in the later part of May, 1830. In March, 1830, there were only two dwellings in the settlement. Evidence of the success of Mr. Huntzinger's enterprise is apparent in the fact that June 1st following the number of dwellings had increased to eight. One of these was a tavern which had been opened about a year, and was kept by George Kershner. A grist-mill, a saw-mill, and a black- smith's shop were in operation. The railroad, and the state roads from Pottsville to Mauch Chunk and from Orwigsburg north, passing through the village, made it prominent on lines of local travel, and the activity in the coal trade in the valley after the com- pletions of the railroad brought with it a steady and healthy growth to Middleport. In 1845 the population of the miners, and mechanics, and there were then three stores and two taverns. The first meeting of the borough council of Middleport was held May 2nd, 1859. The first burgess was Charles Bensinger, and Francis W. Bechtel was the first borough clerk. Joseph Eustace, and John C. Feedtrappe were the first councilmen. The succeeding burgesses have been Joseph Miller, George Medlar, David B. Shafer, George Hinly, Thomas Jennings, William Wall, William Herman, Richard Winlack, William Basler, and C. Frank Horn, the present incumbent. __________end page 160.___________ page 161 CHURCHES OF MIDDLEPORT AND NEW PHILADELPHIA. ______________________________________________________________ The population of the borough in 1880 was about 230. There are two stores, those of William Basler and Mary A. Miller, and two taverns. Eli T. Miller's stream saw-mill was built about 1870. CHURCH HISTORY. The date of the first preaching in Blythe cannot be obtained. The Lutheran and the Presbyterian denominations held meetings early in Middleport, and in 1821 we find them purchasing land of Jacob Stahl, as has been stated. A small church was built on a portion of the lot. The balance was devoted to burial purposes. In 1852 the Presbyterian built a stone church. Later, the con- gregation becoming financially weak, an interest in the property was sold to the Lutherans. Services are held irregularly, seldom oftener than once in four weeks, and mostly in the German lan- guage. Methodist services have been held in the vicinity from time to time with more or less frequency for many years. A class of this denomination worships in a former furniture store. I.O.O.F. Middleport Lodge No. 474, I.O. of O.F. was instituted October 1st, 1852, with the following officers; E.K. Webber, N.G. Henry Meyer, V.G.; M. Dormetzer, S.; Charles Bensinger, T. The present officers (1881) are: William Murry, N.G.; William Miller, V.G.; J.F. Hiney, S.; Louis Lorenz, T. ____________ NEW PHILADELPHIA BOROUGH _________________________________________________ Shadrach Lord was the first settler here. New Philadelphia was incorporated in 1868. Charles Tanner was burgess in 1868 and 1869. James O'Hare in 1870; P.J. Kelly in 1871; John Haggarty in 1872 and 1873; Michael Whalen in 1874 and 1875; W. H. McQuail in 1876 and 1877; L. Ennis in 1878, 1879 and 1880. In 1841 there were only two houses inside the present borough limits. One of these was built by Andrew Bubb, the other by Nathan Barlow. Barlow was an early justice of the peace in Bly- the, serving twenty years. His successor, John Haggarty, the present incumbent, has served eighteen years. The principal business men of New Philadelphia have been Edmund Ellis, Michael Rooney, Wesley Dodson and Nathan Barlow. Prominent resident coal operators were Samuel Potts and Conner & Rhoads. The Alliance Coal Company has been doing a large business more recently. The local business is now done by Michael Rooney and John E. Egan, merchants; John P. Feeley, tea and spice merchant; Charles Tanner, liveryman; William McQuail, superintendent for the Al- liance Coal Company; and Mrs. James Ennis, dealer in boots and shoes. The postmaster is Michael Egan. The population in 1870 was 558; in 1880, 360. Cumbola, near the west border, is a small village of the township, which grew up during the days of coal mining in that locality. CHURCHES. The first church at New Philadelphia was the Lutheran church, built in 1852. Rev. Mr. Glenn, who resided at Tamaqua, was the first pastor. The congregation was weak, as were other denominat- ions in the place, and for a time this building served all who chose to worship in it. Early Methodist preaching was irregular. The first salaried Methodist preacher here was Rev. John Jones. Rev. James Neil, the first operator at Neil's hill, and Thomas & Niles, two other operators, assumed the chief burden of the preacher's salary for a time. Later the local class was attached to the Port Carbon charge. The number of Methodists having greatly increased, in 1855 those in the valley east and west from New Philadelphia were constituted a separate church. Services at Middleport, Big Vein, and Tucker's Hill. The membership was from fifty to sixty, and the services were attended by two hundred and fifty to three hundred. The first primitive Methodist preacher who held meetings in New Philadelphia was William Donaldson, who used to preach in Squire Barlow's stone tavern. Later preachers, supplied from the Tamaqua conference, were Revs. Buttenrik and Spurr. At Tucker Hill, under the encouragement of John J. Dovey, a primitive Methodist church was organized by the Greene and Beach families and others. In November, 1867, the Catholics in the Schuylkill valley growing so numerous, it was deemed advisable by the authorities of the Diocese of Philadelphia to erect a new parish at New Phil- adelphia. A temporary building was procured, and a pastor, Rev. John A. Loughran, was appointed. He was succeeded in time by Revs. M.L. Reynolds, D.I. McDermott, S. O'Brien, J.J. O'Reilly and P.V. O'Brien, the present pastor. Owing to the dullness of the times, and many of the works in the valley being abandoned, the congregation were unable to erect a church. They improved and renovated the old structure to such an extent that it served them as a place of worship. December 10th, 1880, the old building took fire and was destroyed. On the same site it is intended to speedily erect an elegant and commodious church. ______________end page 161.______________ page 162 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ BRANCH TOWNSHIP. ______________________________________________________________ This township was formed out of a portion of Norwegian, in 1836. A portion of it was included in Frailey at the organization of that township in 1847. Its area was further reduced by the organization of Cass from its territory in 1848, and a portion became part of Reilly; and much of it is included in the first coal field of the Schuylkill district. The township is four and three eights miles long, by three and three-fourths miles wide, and contains 10,500 acres. The surface in the north is undulating and hilly, but most of it is arable and moderately well cultiva- ted. The southern part is mountainous, the Sharp and Second moun- tains running through it east and west, the summit of the latter forming the boundary. The township is drained by several creeks, the west branch of Schuylkill being the principal one. Indian run, a fine trout stream, flows between the mountain, and affords ample water power to run a power-mill built on its banks. The Muddy branch is a stream flowing through the northwest portion of the township. EARLY SETTLERS. Settlement was begun in Branch prior to 1750. Philip and George Clauser located on the Muddy branch, and the Adams family, Andrew Steitzel and a man named Fox were their neighbors. On the site of Llewellyn Jacob Hime is claimed to have been the first settler. He was engaged in farming and lumbering. The date at which he erected his primitive saw-mill there cannot now be ascertained. Abraham and Jacob Faust located on the site of the village at an early day, their coming having been not long after the beginning of improvements by Jacob Hime. Mark Britton located a mill southeast of Llewellyn, and was the first in his neighborhood. His cabin was near the west branch . A family of Biddles settled between Britton's clearing and the Sunbury road. The first settler near the northern border of the township, where Phoenix Center has since grown into prominence, was Thomas Reed. His family was quite numerous and a number of his descendants were later well known is the neighborhood. Other comparatively early settlers in the township were George Hafer, Peter Starr, Johannan Cockill, John and Jacob Weaver, and John and Peter Zerbey. EARLY MATTERS OF INTEREST. When settlement began evidences were found here and there of the previous occupation of the township by Indians. At a compara- tively late period it was common to find arrow heads while plough- ing. The first log house of any pretensions in the township was built at Llewellyn by Abraham Faust. It was a two-story struc- ture. The first framed building was erected in 1830 by Willing, Shober and Bunting. It is now owned by Thomas M. Cockill, and occupied by G.W. Sponsler as a boot and shoe store. Messrs Smith & Howell built the first frame store house in 1830, and opened a general store. The stock of goods was made up of about everything in demand in a country neighborhood, and whisky, brandy, gin, rum, and other liquors were sold by the gallon and drink. The first and only brick dwelling house in the township was erected by John Rodgers, in 1861. Dr. Leonard was the first resident physician, and came in 1849. Drs. Witheral, A.M. Robins, J.B. Brandt, and W.F. Schropp have practiced in the township longer or shorter per- iods since. The first hotel was built in 1832, on the site where Cornelius Colman is now domiciled. The tavern keepers were Johan- nan Cockill, Isaac Eisenhower, and Henry Bressler. Jacob Hime kept a tavern in 1836. FIRST TOWNSHIP ELECTION-OFFICERS. The first township election was held at the public house of Jacob Hime, in 1837. Two supervisors were chosen. They were Jacob Hime and John Moon. The first justices of the peace were Thomas B. Abbott and Samuel Harlman. Abbott served twenty years. Then the township was without a magistrate many years. Johannan Cockill served two years. Henry Reed and Hiram Chance each served five years. Jacob F. Hime was elected to the office in 1857, and has has served continuously since. The first township road passed through the southern part of Llewellyn, crossing the creek at a point a hundred yards below Coleman's Hotel. For some time there was no bridge, and a fordway was in use. The township now contains twenty-one miles of public road. Business Interests. Farming and lumbering early gave employment to the few scat- tering inhabitants within the present township limits, and it was not until after the beginning of the development of the coal interests that population increased with any degree of rapidity. The population of the old township of Norwegian, which embraced Branch and a large territory besides not now included in Norwe- gian, was so small previous to 1825 that there were not in the whole township children enough to make up a district school, and in 1828 there were only 421 taxable inhabitants. Under the influence of the coal mining interests the population of the whole Pottsville field grew rapidly. In 1842 the population of Branch, which then included Cass and portions of Frailey and Reilly, had so increased that there were in the township 1,058 taxable inhabitants. In 1849, when Branch comprised its present area and a portion of Reilly, it had 600 taxable inhabitants. As in other sections of what is now known as the first coal fields of the Schuylkill district, the presence of coal within the present limits of Branch township was early _________end page 162___________ page 163 MINING IN BRANCH TOWNSHIP VILLAGES AND SCHOOLS ______________________________________________________________ known. On William Scull's map of the "Province of Pennsylvania," published in 1770, and claimed to be the earliest authority for the existence of coal anywhere in the vicinity of Pottsville, coal is designated at three points commencing about two miles west of that borough and extending in a southwesterly direction for about four miles. A glance at a map of the territory will show that some of the outcroppings discovered by the surveyor must have been within the borders of Branch township as now bounded. The first mining enterprise of any prominence if Branch was started in 1831, on the Salem river, on a tract of land half a mile south of Llewellyn, by Samuel Brook and John Miller. Five years later, not having succeeded as well as had been anticipat- ed, Brook sold his interest to Mr. Heilner. There was considera- ble dispute at the time about the lease of the land owners to the operators, which resulted in a suspension that continued dispute at the time about the lease of the land owners to the operators, which resulted in a suspension that continued two years. The difficulty was satisfactorily adjusted in time, and work was res- umed. Fritz & Seltzer operated on the same vein several years. They sunk a slope and put up a small breaker with a capacity of twenty-five cars a day. Their successors were Tyson & Co., who worked the colliery seven years. Then Tyson & Kendrick leased it two years. Finally Jones & Focht purchased it, and a year later the breaker was destroyed by fire, and never rebuilt. Martin Cunningham and Daniel Hoch, jr., have small breakers on the tract, and are operating on a limited scale. West West colliery was opened about the same time as the Salem, and operated by Samuel Brook five years; Richard Wesley operated it three years. It was unprofitable and was sold at constable's sale. Mellon, Snyder & Haywood became the purchasers and worked the colliery successfully and profitably, employing nearly three hundred men and boys. Later, David Oliver and Theo- dore Garretson operated this mine a while, but soon it reverted to the land owners, Crisson & Brother, who built the West West breaker, which has a capacity of over a hundred cars per day. The colliery was worked successfully three years, when an explosion of sulphur ignited the coal in the mine, Repeated attempts to quench the fire failed, and the mine has since been flooded. West Wood colliery was opened in 1840, by Miller & Spencer, who sunk the first slope in the county. They worked the colliery fifteen years and sold out to Fogarty & Co. Robert Leeler worked the Gate vein on the Dundas tract, near the present site of the Black Mine colliery, operated by H.A. Moodie & Co. two years. Messrs. Hill & Betting then became the possessors of the colliery mining and shipping coal many years. John Clausen developed his coal land and began shipping coal in 1842. Folden Wonn shipped coal from the same vein in 1852. Phoenix Park colliery was opened in 1838 by the Offerman Coal Company, on the Peach mountain and the north dip of the Diamond veins, but not long afterwards mining operations were suspended. Stockman & Stephens were shippers for several years. Charles Miller worked the colliery and built a breaker in 1845, which was burned in 1849, and has never been rebuilt. The land is now owned by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. The first powder mill in the township was built by Mr. Alli- son, at Indian run. He manufactured several years and finally leaded the mill to Captain William C. Wren. It exploded early in April, 1868, killing Albert Leopold and William Kreider, who were employed there. John Rodgers began the manufacture of bricks in the edge of Llewellyn in 1846. He was succeeded by Henry Trautman and Joseph Miller in 1856. Later Joseph Kauffman carried on the business extensively and successfully several years. VILLAGES-CEMETERIES. There are several small villages in the township. They are known as Llewellwn, Dowdentown, West Wood, and Phoenix Park. Llewellwn is the largest and best known. It is a brisk village, situated two miles south west of Minersville, on the west branch of the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad, on the main road leading from Pottsville to Millersville, Dauphin county. It was named in honor of a coal miner and it contains 400 inhabitants. Its population in 1870 is said to have been 500. Much of the early history of this village if given elsewhere. In January, 1851, it contained 82 houses, 3 taverns, 2 stores, and 1 public school with an average attendance of 90 to 100. The population was 419. Thomas M. Cockill, general merchant, Lewis Zimmerman, grocer, D.H. Wilcox, John Sinsel and Cornelius Coleman, hotel keepers, Peter Doerr, boot and shoe maker, Peter Sinsel, cobbler, and John Hicks, blacksmith, are well-known business men of the present day. The population of the township in 1880 was 1,000. There are two cemeteries in the township. One is attached to the Reformed and Lutheran church. It was laid out in 1819 and deeded by Lewis Reese, of Reading, to J.F. Faust and Jacob Hime, trustees for the respective congregations. It is known as Claus- er's cemetery. The other is attached to the Methodist Episcopal church, but the ground was donated upon such conditions that any person, a resident of the township at the time of death, is entitled to burial therein. It is known as Llewellyn cemetery. EDUCATIONAL. Early schools were held in private rooms, furnished for the purpose by liberally disposed settlers. After a few years log houses were built for school purposes, and these, with their furniture, harmonize, with the pioneer life of the builders. The course of instruction given in German, comprised reading, writ- ing, the elements of arithmetic, psalm sing and exercises from the catechism. The pioneer teacher was Philip Delcamp, who first taught in the old log church. It was, for a time, customary for parents to pay fifty cents monthly tuition for each child. John Clark and Henry Miller were teachers as early as 1833. The first public school was ____________end page 163._____________ page 164 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. _____________________________________________________________ held in a room in a private dwelling built, and owned and occup- ied by Abraham Faust, in 1834. Edmund Holt a horse farrier, taught ten years. The first public school house was built in 1839, and was used exclusively for school purposes until 1857. During that year a brick school-house was built on Bunting street, in Llewellyn, against the strenuous opposition of many residents of Branch, outside of the village, who remonstrated against being subjected to taxation for the erection of an expen- sive school-house which could accommodate only the scholars residing at Llewellyn and vicinity. A lengthy remonstrance, signed by 254 persons, was presented to the board of directors. The first teachers in this building were D.J. Evans and Miss M.J. Watson. The present teachers (1881) are E.G.Faust and Miss Jennie Garland. The present board of directors is made up as follows; Thomas B. Thomas, president; D.H. Wilcox, Secretary; Peter Doerr, treasure; Michael Connolly, Jacob Myer and Michael Bonchart. Societies. Several secret societies have been organized in Branch and held their sessions in Llewellyn, where in 1845 a hall was erect- ed for their use. The principal stockholders in the Llewellyn Hall Association are H.F. Heine, J.F. Faust, Ezra Cockill, George Gable, William Zimmerman, and William Hoch. Freeman Council, No. 68, Order United America Mechanics was organized in 1848, with J.F. Heine, Ezra Cockill, Jonas Kauffman, Jacob Barnhart, Hiram D. Chance, Damond Schropp, William Hoch, William Berkheiser, Charles Doner, and S.K. Sherman as charter members, and disbanded in 1858. Line Council, No. 121, Order United American Mechanics was organized in Minersville in 1869, was removed to Llewellyn in 1872 and resigned its charter in 1880. The charter members were Moses Weiser, H.J. Alspach, J.Z. Starr, Washington Loeser, J.Q. Geiger, Henry Heisler, Charles Berger, Lewis Garrison, Jacob Heller, and Nathan Herb. Llewellyn Council, No. 142, Junior Order United American Mechanics was instituted in October, 1871. The charter members were T.C. Cockill, E.L. Cockill, J.B. Heine, J. Allen Heine, Abram Start, F.P. Boyer, Jonathan Ernst and Theodore Harris. Post No. 59, Grand Army of the Republic was organized in 1857 and disbanded in 1870. Among the charter members were J.B. Brandt, H.J. Alspach, Hiram Chance, Henry Brodt, Thomas B. Thomas, Louis Zimmerman, A.T. Trautman and William Straw. CHURCH HISTORY. German Reformed and Lutheran.-The first church building in Branch was a log structure, erected by the united congregations of the German Reformed and Lutheran denominations, in 1819, on eight acres and one hundred and thirty-eight perches of land donated by Lewis Reese. The organization of each denomination reserved the right to provide its own ministers. The first Re- formed pastor was Rev. Frederick C. Kroll, who dedicated the church. He was succeeded by Rev. Messrs Schultz and Steahle. Rev. George Minnich was the first Lutheran pastor. He was suc- ceeded, on his removal to Berks county, by his son, Rev. William G. Munich. At times one or the other denomination was without a pastor; sometimes both were unprovided. But either attended the services of the other. In 1806 a brick church, known as Claus- er's church, was built a hundred yards north of the little old log house. The building committee consisted of Philip Gihres, P.A. Clauser, J.G. Faust, Henry Zimmerman, J.F. Hine and Joseph Zerby. J.F. Hine was contractor and one of the trustees. In January 1857, the congregations began worshiping (sic) in the new building, which has since been occupied by them on alternate Sundays. Rev. Jacob Kline was the first Reformed pastor who officiated in the new church. His successors have been Revs. J.B. Parner, Samuel Miller, Dechaub, Stein, Schultz, Baum, and Christian, the present pastor. The first Lutheran pastor who held services in the brick church was Rev. Daniel Sanner, the present pastor of the Lutheran congregation. Methodist Episcopal. - The Methodist Episcopal church was built in 1839, on a lot of one acre and thirty perches of ground in the northern part of Llewellyn, donated to the trustees, Henry Bressler, Johannan Cockill and William Delcamp, by Messrs. Will- ing, Shober & Bunting. Revs, Elliott, Arthur, and Heston, from the Minersville circuit, filled the pulpit about three years. For about twenty years thereafter the congregation had no regular pas- tor. Revs. Richard Morley, ------ Kaines and ----- Arnold have been later pastors. The church is now connected with the Miners- ville charge. United Brethren.-The United Brethren church is situated near the Methodist church. It was built in 1850 by Ezra Cockill, contractor and builder, for a school-house, and was used as such until 1857, when, through the liberality of John Schultz and others, it became the property of the above named congregation. The first pastor was Rev. ----- Lowery. He was succeeded by Rev. Messrs. Uhler, Fritz, Kramer and others. The church is now with- out a pastor. Sunday Schools.-The first Sunday-school in Branch was organ- ized, at Llewellyn in 1840, by Mr. R.C. Hill, then general super- intendent of the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad, who came from Cressona, on his car, accompanied by a minister and assistants. In 1843 the Welsh opened a Sunday-school, which continued successfully nearly ten years. At present there are Sunday-schools connected with each of the before mentioned churches. ___________end page 164.___________ page 165 EARLY HISTORY OF MINERSVILLE. _______________________________________________________________ MINERSVILLE BOROUGH _______________________________________________________________ In a brief sketch by Charles W. Taylor, it is said: "Miners- ville was founded in 1830 by Titus Bennet, who laid out the town in that year on parts of two tracts of land. One of these was patented to Titus Bennet on the 7th of December, 1830, and en- rolled in patent book 'H,' vol. 28, page 567. The other was patented to Lawrence Lewis and Robert M. Lewis on the 20th of July, 1829, and recorded in patent book 'H', vol. 26, page 493. "The borough of Minersville was incorporated on the 1st of April, 1831, and the act was approved by Governor George Wolf. The original limits of the borough were the following boundaries; 'Beginning at a spruce tree on the corner of lands of Bennet and Walton, adjoining lands of Wetherill and others; from thence south 60E west, 131 perches, to a white oak stump; thence north 30E west, 63 perches; thence north 51E west, 127 perches; thence north 66E east, 128 perches; thence north 60E east, to a point on the division line of lands belonging to Bennet, Walton, and John White; and thence, by said line, to the place of beginning.' "Minersville was so named because of the fact that a large portion of the inhabitants were engaged in coal mining." In the Miners' Journal of December, 1830, it is said: "A little more than a twelvemonth ago the present site of town dwelt in all the loveliness of uncultivated nature, since which its aspect has undergone a wonderful change in improvements and population. Along the margin of the stream the West Branch rail- road extends, and terminates at Schuylkill Haven (distance seven and one-half miles from Minersville), affording an easy and expeditious mode of transportation. The principal street bears the name of Sunbury, on which are situated all the stores and public buildings. It was formerly the old Sunbury road, communi- cating with the rich valleys in the direction of the Susquehanna. The northern portion of the village is of firm dry soil, gradual- ly rising and affording a southern exposure, of favorable charac- ter for private dwellings. Seven large houses have already been erected during the present season on this spot by Messrs. Bennet and Gilmore, together with a number of small buildings in the same quarter. Last spring there were but six dwellings in all, since which there has been an increase of forty-nine substantial houses. The place contains six taverns, in any one of which are to be found respectable accommodations; eight stores, well suppl- ied with every article for country consumption; six blacksmiths' shops, one saddlery, one bakery, two tailors' shops and two butchers'-all seeming to be in a thriving way. The population is estimated to be 500." Since the incorporation of the borough it has been twice enlarged, and its corporate limits include about double its original area. The first settler here was Thomas Reed, who came in March, 1793, built a saw-mill in the west branch if the Schuylkill, just below the mouth is Wolf creek, and a log house near it. This, it is believed, was the first residence in the place. He soon after ward built a tavern on the south side of what was then the Sun- bury road, now Sunbury street, on the present site of the church of St. Vincent de Paul. At about the same tine he erected a distillery for converting his surplus coarse grain into spirits. This was a log building, and it stood on a portion of the site of a brick house nearly opposite the Catholic parsonage. A portion of the timber of this distillery has been used in the construc- tion of an outbuilding in the rear of this house. Besides the tavern and log house no other residences are known to have been built in Minersville till the latter part of 1828. The hotel was long known as the "Half-Way House" between Reading and Sunbury. It also had the local name of the "Red House." Mr. Reed kept this hotel till his death in 1814. It is remembered that during the war of 1812 a body of troops were coming from Northumberland over the Sunbury road, and a boy, mis- taking them for Indians, ran in his fright and reported what he thought he had seen to Mr. Reed, who sent away his family and secreted himself, rifle in hand, to await the coming of the savages. His alarm was of course dissipated on learning that they were American soldiers. The first child born in Minersville was Susanna, daughter of Thomas Reed, December 18th, 1793. The first resident of this place married was Jacob Reed, to Rebecca Bittle, January 13th, 1813. The first death was that of Thomas Reed, in 1814. He was buried in the cemetery at the rear of his hotel. A body had previously been buried there-that of the man who carried the mail, on foot, between Reading and Sunbury. He was found mur- dered at what is now called Primrose, about a mile and a half above Minersville. His body was guarded by his large dog, and after it was, with some difficulty, taken away and buried, this dog snuffed a short time at the grave, then ran away and went to Sunbury. The appearance of the man's dog alarmed his friends for his safety, and they came and learned the facts of the case, but the murderers were never apprehended. Robbery was supposed to be their motive. The first cemetery was in the rear of the old red tavern, adjoining the present cemetery of the church of St. Vincent de Paul. The ground was donated by Thomas Reed. The other cemeteries are St. Mary's, in the northwest part of the borough; the German Lutheran and German Reformed, southeast from the borough on the road to Llewellyn; the Welsh Baptist, on Spencer street; the Congregational, near St. Mary's; and that of St. Vincent de Paul in the rear of the church. Peter Dilman resided in the log house near the saw-mill after Mr. Reed removed to the red tavern. He was the sawyer in the mill. The lumber that was manufactured in this region at that early period was manufactured in this region at that early period was rafted down the Schuylkill and found a market at Reading and the places below it. Lumbering was the principal business ___________end page 165.___________ page 166 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ of the few settlers here. When the Mine Hill Railroad was built, and an outlet was thus given to the mineral wealth of this re- gion, the influx of settlers was very rapid. Among the first settlers in 1829 was Joseph Dobbins, a carpenter, who built some of the earliest houses here. The first blacksmith was George Den- gler, whose shop was a board shanty near where the tavern of Mr. Mock, on Sunbury street, now stands. He also boarded railroad hands in a newly built house near his shop. The first store was established in 1830 by John Swaine and his partner, a Mr. Duncan, on the north side of Sunbury street, near Third. Drs. Robbins and Steinberger were the first physici- ans. In 1830 or 1831 Francis Finselbach established a brewery on the south side of Sunbury street, between First and Second stre- ets. Among the people who came in 1829 and 1830 were Samuel Rickert, Daniel R. Bennet, N. Baker, B. McLenathan, Joseph Mills Jacob Bruner, Samuel McBride and others, whose names cannot be recalled. As before stated, the growth of the place was very rapid after 1829. Thomas Reed was early appointed a justice of the peace. It is said that on the re-election of Governor Snyder, Jacob Reed, his son, was also appointed, as a reward for having cast his first vote for Mr. Snyder, in opposition to the wishes of his father. The son was a magistrate here during many years, and had his office in the log house which has been mentioned as the first residence erected in the place. The first election for borough officers was held at the house of David Buckwatler May 1st, 1831, and resulted in the choice of the following officers: Samuel Rickert, Chief burgess; John Provost, John Patrick, Dr Anthony Steinberger, John L. Swaine, Daniel R. Bennet, John B. Hahn and Daniel Buckwalter, councilmen. Daniel R. Bennet was elected the first president of the council. John Bruner the first borough treasurer; Thomas J. Harman town clerk, and Milligan G. Gable high constable. The burgesses elected since have been: Danile R. Bennet, 1832; Jacob Bruner, 1834; John F.G. Kumsius, 1838; Blair McClana- gan, 1839, 1843; Samuel Kauffman, 1842; John Trayer, 1844, 1847, 1864, 1872; David F. Jones, 1845; Evan Evans, 1849, 1859; Thomas A. Wiliams, 1857; Moses Weiser, 1860; John Oerther, 1861; Joseph Thirlwell, 1863; William Matthews, 1865; Philip Jones, 1866; E.M. Heilner, 1867, 1869; John J. Rees, 1868; Joseph Morgan, 1870; Joseph Levan, 1876; Frederick Friend, 1877; Levi King, 1880. Minersville has ten hotels, thriteen dry goods and grocery stores, a drug and hardware store, three drug stores, five green groceries, two book and stationery stores, six shoe stores, six mill- iners, four clothieries, two jewellers, six liquor stores, three tobacco stores, three furniture stores, a foundry and machine shop, a shoe factory, seven meat markets, two stove and tin shops, six barbers three wheelwright and blacksmith' shops, two lumber yards, two breweries, a screw factory, and a soap factory. A public hall was finished in 1876 in a block on the corner of Sunbury and Third streets, by Kear Brother. This hall is 85 by 50, and it has a stage 35 by 50, with ample scenery. The seating capacity of the hall is 700. MINERSVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. In or about 1837 the first public schools were taught in Minersville by Chester Stratton and his sister Eunice. These schools were opened in a framed building on South street, which was puchased in 1842 by the English Baptists. It is said that a Mr. Tomlins also taught a school about the same time, in a build- ing still standing on the northeast corner of Fifth and Sunbury streets and occupied by Lemuel D. Jones. Minersville, thought incorporated as a borough April 1st, 1831, was at this time included in the school district consisting of Cass and Branch townships. March 7th, 1843, Minersville became a separate school distrtct (sic), and in September of the following year 119 pupils were admitted into the schools. The number enrolled during the term immediately preceding the division was 277. These schools were taught by Chester Stratton, Benjamin C. Christ, Miss Eliza- beth A. Christ and Miss E.W. Tomlins. Dr. William N. Robins was at this time and for a number of years afterward secretary of the school board. Subsequently Mary Stratton, Rachel Morris, Arthur Connelly, Heman Hall, Jonathan J. Dickerson, Eber Dickerson, Amos Y. Thomas, a Mr. Butler, Levi King and several others were, previous to 1853, employed as teachers. In September, 1853, Jonathan K. Krewson, of Bucks county, became principal of the schools, which were then, for the first time, graded. Mr. Krewson having been elected superintendent of the public schools of Schuylkill county, J.W. Danenhower, M.D., the present incumbent, was in September, 1854, appointed to take charge of the schools as principal teacher and superintendent. The several appointments then made were as follows: High school, J.W. Danenhower teacher; grammar school, Levi King; secondary school No. 1, Ellen Parks; secondary school No. 2, Lucy Green- wood; primary school No. 1, Sarah Davis; primary school No. 2 Maggie P. Sorber. Miss Sorber taught at Minersville twenty-eight years, resigning June 30th, 1880. The high school numbered at this time about 40, and the members of the school board were Anthony S. McKee, president; William N. Robins, secretary; Ches- ter Stratton, William Sterner, John H. Detwiler and Abraham Trout. During the term of 1854-55, a third primary school was opened and a Miss Connelly and Matilda Schenk taught that term. A two-story stone school-house containing two rooms on a floor was built in 1839, on Twin street. Schools were also opened in the basements of the Welsh Baptist and Welsh Congrega- tional churches. The large three-story brick school-house on Third street was completed and occupied in September, 1856. It accommodated six schools, including grammar school __________end page 166.__________ page 167 MINERSVILLE SCHOOLS AND BUSINESS INSTITUTIONS. ______________________________________________________________ No. 2, then just opened with Juliet Robins as teacher. The next term (1857-58) an "ungraded school", taught by Levi King, was opened for the accommodation of boys who could attend school for a short time only. This school has been continued in the winter season to the present time. In 1868 another large and commodious brick school-house was occupied; and at the same time "secondary school No. 3" (now Gra- mmar) was started, Eliza A. Sutton teacher. The remaining rooms of this building were first occupied in 1880. Object lessons and language lessons are given in the primary schools, and drawing is taught in all the schools. Other branches were gradually added to the curriculum till the course embraced mathematics in general, with mental arith- metic and book-keeping; the natural sciences, German and a full course of English. We find the following note in the school register, dated June 30th, 1870: "Since the grade was first established, in 1853-54, there have been connected with the Minersville High School 348 pupils, of whom 157 were males and 191 were females. Of this num- ber about 40 obtained the county or State certificate and taught school; 65 became clerks, book-keepers or merchants; and 9 are professional men." The greatest number of admissions to all the borough schools (1,141) occurred in the term of 1864-65; and the least (792) in the term of 1878-79. The first district institute was held September 18th, 1869, and it continues its meetings on alternate Saturdays. We append the names of the directors and teachers connected with the Minersville public schools since 1854: Presidents of the School Boards.- B.C. Christ, George Spen- cer, Louis C. Dougherty, Jacob S. Lawrence, John Sterner, Joseph C. Gartley, Solomon A. Philips. Secretaries.- Dr. William N. Robins, John Witzeman, Dr. Oscar M. Robins, David A. Jones. Other Members.- Joseph Bowen , Thomas Jones, Chester Strat- ton, John H. Detwiler, Frederick Roehrig, James H. Richards, Jacob Maurer, John D. Jones, John R. Jones, Dr. U.B. Howell, John Shellenberger, John Mohan, Jacob Osman, Engelhard Hummel, Wil- liam Lloyd, James Evans, Richard Evans, Dr. Theodore Helwig, Frank C. Lawrence, Henry Hammer, Mark Hodges. Teachers.-J.W. Danenhower, Levi King, A.J. Gerritson, Richard Humphriss, C.C. Carpenter, Thomas P. Davis, James G. Cleveland, George W. Channell, H.H. Spayd, Joseph Jones, Dennis O'Neill, Lemuel D. Jones, Maggie P.Sorber, Matilda Schenk, Ruth A. Smith, Ann Williams, Sallie Humphriss, Sarah Davis, Mary Lloyd, Martha Jones, Sallie Sixsmith, Christie Snyder, Sallie Bowen, Lizzie Beach, Ettie Prevost, Emma C. Hoffman, Juliet Robins, Lottie Trout, Minnie Aspril, Jennie Dier, Susie Sterner, Sarah J. Hoch, Eliza A. Sutton, Kate E. Auld, Essie Dier, Alice Robins, Estelle Williams, Kate S. Richards, Mary Dando, Mary J. McDonald, Hattie M. Telford. THE PRESS IN MINERSVILLE. The Schuylkill Republican was established in December, 1872, by Charles D. Elliot and John A. Beck, both of whom had been connected with the "Miners' Journal". It entered at once on a prosperous career, and assumed an influential position as a Republican organ. In November, 1874, Mr. Beck retired from the firm, and the paper was conducted by Mr. Elliot till September, 1879, when J.H. Zerby, the present editor and proprietor, pur- chased the establishment. Mr. Zerby had been connected with the Republican in different capacities from its commencements, and he feels a just pride in the fact that he became an editor at the age of twenty-one. LEADING BUSINESS INSTITUTIONS. The First National Bank of Minersville was incorporated in 1863, under the national banking system, with a capital of $50,000. The first directors were Richard Kear, Samuel Kauffman, Jacob Wist, Jacob S. Lawrence, John Witzeman, John Mohan and John Wadlinger. The presidents of this bank have been, in succession, Richard Kear, Jacob S. Lawrence, William Kear, and Jacob Lawrence, the present president. The first cashier was Samual Kauffman, who was succeeded by the present cashier, Robert F. Potter. The banking house, which is owned by the bank, is on the corner of Sunbury and North Third streets. The Minersville Iron Works was founded in 1838 by William De Haven. It was at first a blacksmith shop and a car shop. A foundry, machine shop and boiler works were soon added; and the shops were enlarged as the increase of business required till they reached their present dimensions. Mr. De Haven conducted the business till his death, and in 1864 the present firm, Gas- tler & Fox, purchased the works, and the business has since been conducted by this firm. At first the business was limited to machinery for collieries; but it has been much expanded and made to embrace a very wide range. The works have a capacity for a business of $200,000 per annum. The Minersville Water Company was incorporated by an act of Assembly passed April 30th, 1855. Under this act the company was organized in 1856, with William Sterner president. Water was introduced in the borough in 1861. It was brought from Big run or Dyer's run on Broad mountain, four miles north from the borough, in pipes which pass through Mine Hill Gap. The dam from which the pipes are supplied is 470 feet higher than the lowest point in the borough, giving a pressure sufficient to throw an inch and a quarter stream to a height of 120 feet, of course obviating all necessity for fire engines. Pipes are laid through all the principal streets of the bor- ough, which is supplied with water of a purity not excelled. The engineer under whom the work was laid out was Samuel Lewis. FIRE DEPARTMENT. The fire department, of which Jacob S. Lawrence has long been the head, consists of three hose companies and a hook and ladder company. __________end page 167.__________ page 168 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ Mountain Hose Company was organized August 15th, 1864, with 31 members. John Hehr was the first president, Jacob S. Lawrence vice-president, H.C. Taylor secretary, and R.R. Levan treasurer. The company is fully equipped with hose-cart and hose. Its hou- se is in Mountaineer Hall, corner of Third and Sunbury streets. The present number of members is 27. George F. Dando is presi- dent, Myer Hexter vice-president, and C.H. Roehrig secretary. Good Will Hose Company was incorporated September 2nd, 1867, with Matthew Beddow president, John Mohan vice-president, F.C. Bender secretary, and John Wadlinger treasurer. The company is fully equipped and has three full sets of uniforms. J.W. Loeser is president and A.W. Sterner secretary. Independent Hose Company was organized in 1869, with 35 mem- bers and the following officers: John Mohan, president, W.J. McElroy, vice-president, H.J. Mohan, secretary, Wm. Matthews, treasurer. The company furnished their own hose carriage and uniforms. The present number of members is 25. The officers are: T. Mohan, president, Matthias Feeney, vice-president, W.J. McElroy, secretary. The company's house is on Sunbury street, above Fifth. Rescue Hook and Ladder Company was organized October 11th, 1871, with 26 members. John Matthews was president, John Rob- bins vice president, John N. Fisher secretary, John Deitrich treasurer, and John N. Fisher foreman. The company were fur- nished with apparatus by the borough, and furnished their own uniforms. Their house is on the corner of Third street and the railroad. The present number of members is 34. The officers are: Richard D. Mainwaring president, Joseph Dando vice-president, John N. Fisher secretary, Ivor D. Jones assistant secretary and treasurer. SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES. Social Lodge, No. 56, I.O.O.F. was the instituted in 1837, with the following officers: Charles H. Fitch, N.G.; Jacob F. Thumm, V.G.; John Bruner, S.; Charles Warn, Asst. S.; John Thurlwell, T. It has maintained an uninterrupted and a prosper- ous existence since its institution. The lodge holds, by its trustees, $3,670 of stock in Odd Fellows' Hall, a brick building on the south side of Sunbury street, between Second and Third streets, where it meets every Wednesday evening. The present number of members is 140. The officers are: John L. Williams, N.G.; Alexander Scott, V.G.; John T. Parry, S.; John W. Jones, Asst. S., and Cyrus Moore, T. Anthracite Lodge, No. 136, I.O.O.F. was instituted November 20th, 1846. The charter members were: John P. Harris, N.G.; B.C. Christ, V.G.; William H. Cherrington, S.; E.P. Burkert, Asst. S.; Augustus Witman, T. It has always prospered, and now holds, by its trustees, $1,882 of stock in Odd Fellow's Hall. The present number of members is 77. The present officers are; Thomas Tovey, N.G,; Daniel Roberts, V.G.; S.A. Phillips, S.; Thomas Morgan, Asst. S.; Abraham Hexter, T.; Abraham Hexter, William L. Killinger and Ivor D. Jones, trustees. Minersville Lodge, No. 222, F.&A.M. was instituted December 2nd, 1846. The charter members were: William M. Robbins, W.M.; Samuel Gumpert, S.W.; S.C. Foster, J.W. Lewis, secretary; J.F.G. Kumsius and Samuel Heilner, deacons; Moritz Heilner, Tyler. The present number of members is 90. The present officers are: William T. Beach, W.M.; Samuel Taylor, S.W.; Jacob Faust, J.W.; J.F.G. Kumsius, secretary; Cyrus Moore, treasurer. The lodge meets at Odd Fellows' Hall on the Tuesday next preceding each full moon. Schuylkill Chapter, No. 159, R.A.M. was reinstated at Pottsville, July 19th, 1847, with the following officers: B. Potts, H.P.; D.N. Robbins, K.; S. Gumpert, S.; John C. Loessig, treasurer; and J.F.G. Kumsius, secretary. Its place of meeting was at Pottsville till 1849, then till 1852 alternately at that place and Minersville, and since that year it has met regularly at Minersville, and since that year it has met regularly on Thursday at or before each full moon. The present officers are: William Clark, H.P.; S.A. Phillips, K.; James Murray, S.; F. Bedford, treasurer; and J.F.G. Kumsius, secretary. The German Beneficial Society was organized August 10th, 1853, for mutual aid in sickness. The charter members were Englehard Hummel, Frank Reifer, Michael Weierich, Christian Weber, Peter Burkhard, Friederich Molly, Daniel Young, Philip Flarres, Anthony Panley,Jacob Kerfer and Theodore Ludes. The first officers were: Englehard Hummel, president; Michael Weierich, secretary; Frank Reifer, treasurer. The society meets on the first Wednesday in each month at Pauley's Hall. The present officers are: Balthasar Hummel, presi- dent; Christian Weber, secretary, and Michael Pauley, Treasurer. Sons of America. -The charter of Washington Camp, No. 46, P.O.S. of A. was granted March 19th, 1857, to the follow members: H.C. Taylor, John S. DeSilva, N.B. Moore, M.B. Musser, John Thi- rlwell, C.M. Brumm, George Spencer, R.R. Levan, John T. Freck, William H. Dier and Simeon Wythes. The first principal officers were: H.C. Taylor, P.P.; John S. DeSilva, P.; N.V. Moore, V.T. The camp continued its work till the outbreak of the Rebellion, when all its members who were eli- gible enlisted in the army, leaving scarcely a quorum behind. Several years after the close of the war the camp suspended, but it was soon rechartered, and now it has a membership of 125. The present officers are: A. Roehrig, P.P.; George Merkel, P., and Meyer Hexter, V.P. The trustees are R.R. Levan, George Merkel and A. Roehrig. Steuben Lodge, No. 112, A.D.O.H. was instituted May 7th, 1861. The first officers were Conrad Seltzer, Louis Pfeilsticker, George Oerther, Paul Neugart, Henry __________end page 168__________ page 169 MINERSVILLE CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATIONS. _____________________________________________________________ Oerther and John Oerther. The other members were Louis Freund, David Neiser, Henry Steffee, Henry Buech, Daniel Holpp, Valentine Gerlach, Frederick Abendroth, ------ Abraham, Andreas Heckman, Michael Clenems, John Kern, Daniel Young, Henry George and Wil- liam Halbaur. The present officers are Frederick Zimmerman, Jacob Orf, August Orf and Michael Ferg. There were two lodges, one of the U.D.O.H. and one of the A.D.O.H. Their principles were the same, and in 1870 they unit- ed. The lodge meets at Felsburg's Hall on the first and third Monday in each month. Captain George J. Lawrence Post G.A.R., No. 17, was instituted December 17th, 1886, with 24 charter members, of whom C.M. Brumm was P.C. The post was named in honor of Captain George J. Lawrence, Company A 129th Pa. V., who died of wounds received at the battle of Fredericksburg. Of the comrades in this post G.L. Brown has held the office of department commander. The present officers are: R.R. Levan, P.C.; Elijah Hoffman, S.V.C.; D.H. Zimmerman, J.V.C.; R.F. Potter, L.M.; A.W. Sterner, adjutant; William Kuehn, C.; George L. Brown, O.D.; Thomas Fowler, O.G.: John Lawrence, I.S.; John Hass, O.S. The C. of A. are J.H. Levan, G.L. Brown and Joseph Schmidt. The post meets every Wednesday evening at its headquarters in Odd Fellows' Hall. The Frugal Saving Fund and Building Association of Miners- ville was organized in 1872, with John Miller president, Charles R. Taylor secretary and F.C. Lawrence treasurer. The eleventh series of shares is now being issued. The present total number is 381. The present officers are: A.J. Crawford, president; Albert Roehrig, secretary, and James Murray, treasurer. Flower of Charity Lodge, No. 24, Cambro-American Order of True Ivorites is a branch of a Welsh benevolent association estab- lished at Wrexham, North Wales, in 1836. It was named in honor of Ivor Llewellyn, more generally known among the Welsh people as "Ifor Gael", a charitable Welsh gentleman, Lord of Maesley and Wenaltt. The society has flourished greatly, and it has thou- sands of members both in Great Britain and America. The first lodge of this order in America was established a few years since at St. Clair in this county. November 15th, 1873, Flower of Charity Lodge was instituted at Minersville, with the following charter members: John D. Evans, Stephen Lewis, Watkin Price. David J. Harris, Job R. Jones, John L. Anwyt, David T. Lloyd, John W. Davis, Morgan Howard, Edmond Edmonds, Thomas R. Jones and William T. Davis. The first chief officers were: David J. Harris, President; John D. Evans, vice-president; Job R. Jones, secretary; Mark Hodges, treasurer. The present officers are; Thomas R. Jones, president; John D. Evans, vice-president; Joseph Turner, secre- tary; Mark Hodges, treasurer. The lodge meets on the first and third Saturdays of each month in O'Malley's Hall. This society is not only beneficial in its character, but it has also a literary feature. One of its objects is to maintain the Welsh language pure and intact; and to that end its business is done entirely in that tongue. To further the objects for which this lodge was established (benevolence and maintenance of Welsh literature), an Eisteddfod was held under its auspices in 1876 and another in 1878. These added to the treasury of the lodge $180. This society continues in a flourishing condition and does its share to ameliorate that distress which would cover the land but for the opportune aid of benevolent associations. MINERSVILLE CHURCH HISTORIES. Horeb Welsh Baptist Church was first organized in 1831, and during two years William Owen preached occasionally to the small congregation in a rented room, but the society was not prosper- ous. It was reorganized in 1834 with 14 constituent members. Rev. William Morgans and Rev. Theophilus Jones officiated at its reorganization, and the former, who was the pastor of a church at Pottsville, preached to the congregation during several years. He was succeeded by a resident pastor, Rev. John P. Harris, who remained in charge during 17 years. He was followed by Revs. John Spincer James, John Roberts, Owen Griffiths, and John B. Jones, the last regular pastor. There were other brief pastorates that are not remembered. The first house of worship was a small wooden structure, built in 1835 and 1836, on the corner of Church and Spencer streets. In 1847 the present church building was erected on the same corner. It is of wood, 40 by 50, with a abasement and gal- lery. The present membership is about 65. The Sunday-school of this church was organized in 1837. The superintendent have been changed nearly every year. The number of scholars has ranged from 50 to 300. The school has a large library. The First Congregational Church of Minersville (Welsh) was organized in 1836. The first church edifice (12 by 14 feet) was on the corner of North and Second streets. It was consecrated April 1st, 1834. The second stood on a portion of the site of the present building. It was 30 feet square and its cost was $700. It was consecrated December 25th, 1840. The present house of worship stands on the south side of Sun- bury street, between Third and Fourth. It is a brick structure, 38 by 55, and it was erected at an expense of $4,000. It was dedicated February 9th, 1848. The pastors and the terms of their pastorates have been: Revs. E.B. Evans, 8 years; R.R. Williams, 18; J.E. Jones, M. Watkins, and D.T. Davis, 4 years each. Sunday-schools have been maintained from the beginning. The present number of scholars is about 120. Methodist Episcopal Churches.- Minersville was made a regular preaching appointment, in connection with Pottsville Methodist Episcopal Church, during the pastorate of Rev. H.G. King, 1834- 35. He first preached in McPherson's (afterwards Trout's) store, now occupied __________end page169__________ page 170 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ By J.K. Burns as a drug store, Second and Sunbury streets. In 1836 Rev. James B. Ayars, who was established at Potts- ville, formed the first class as the result if a camp-meeting held on the site of the Gate Vein colliery. This class was held in the house of Joseph Dobbins, Father of Rev. J.B. Dobbins, now of the Philadelphia Conference; the latter was a member of this class. In 1837, during the pastorate of Rev. Thomas Sovereign, a neat frame church was built on the site of the present one. It was dedicated on the last Sabbath of November, Rev. James W. Dandy preaching in the morning; Rev. John Jones, a local preach- er, preached in Welsh in the afternoon; Rev. Thomas Sovereign preached at night. In 1838 Minersville M. E. Church was connected with Orwigs- burg Mission and served by Rev. James Flannery. In 1839 it was associated again with Pottsville charge, Rev. William Cooper and Rev. William H. Elliot being the preachers. In 1840 Rev. J.B. Hagany and Rev. J. W. Arthur were in charge. In 1841 Minersville M. E. Church was made a separate charge, Rev. L.K. Berridge being the pastor. In 1842 Rev. James Aspril was the minister, and in 1843 Rev. William Campbell, who enlarged the church building. In 1844 this society united with Pottsville under Rev. R.W. Thomas and David Titus. In 1846 Minersville M.E. Church became a separate station again, Rev. Newton Heston being pastor. The pastors since have been: 1847, 1848, Joseph H. Wythes; 1849, 1850, Rev. P. Hallowell; 1851, 1852, Rev. J.B. McCullough (who built the present church); 1853, 1854, Rev. J.E. Meredith; 1855, 1856, Rev. J. Humphries; 1857, 1858, Rev. R.M. Greenbank; 1859, Rev. B.F. Price; 1860, 1861, Rev. J.F. Meredith; 1862, 1863, Rev. J.H. Turner; 1864, 1865, Rev. Joseph Aspril; 1866-1868 Rev. Noble Frame, during whose pastorate the church building was thoroughly repaired, reseated and frescoed; 1869, 1870, Rev. J.M. Dalrymple; 1871, 1872, Rev. G.G. Rakestraw; 1873, 1874, Rev. George Heacock; 1875, 1876, Rev. J.M. Hinson; 1877, 1878, Rev. G.D. Carrow; 1879, 1880, Rev. H.H. Bodine. The last name, who is now serving the charge, furnished this historical sketch of his church. The first year the church was made a separate charge (1841) the membership numbered 85; the present membership is 275. The Sunday-school was started in 1830 by Peter Stroup, but no regular Sunday-school society was organized until 1838. James Russel was president; Thomas Bayley was vice-president; S.G. Dobbins, treasurer and J.B. Dobbins, secretary. From July 3d, 1838, J.B. Dobbins, was superintendent until 1841, when he en- tered the Methodist ministry. His successors as superintendent have been Samuel G. Dobbins, William Oldknow. William V. Stroup, Isaiah Wells (fourteen years), Rev. W. Dalrymple, Rev. G.G. Rakestraw, Albert Roehrig, Thomas Lawrence, Rev. H.H. Bodine and William Mapstone. From 1847 to 1855 the number of scholars varied from 137 to 160; the present membership is about 300. In 1854 the infant school was organized by Mrs. Lucy A. Stren- beck and numbered 30 scholars. She was superintendent until 1871; then Mrs. Heilner, her daughter, until 1878, and since then Miss Lizzie Christ, Miss Mary Kissinger, and in 1880 Mrs. Heilner again. The class now numbers about 100. October 28th, 1859, the school held its first anniversary, when addresses were by Rev. B.F. Price, the pastor of the church, and Benjamin Haywood. In July, 1871, the Berean Lesson Leaves were introduced. The present officers are: William Mapstone, superintendent; George Tovey, assistant superintendent; Miss Lizzie Christ, female superintendent; Calvin Phillips, secretary; William Rich- ards, assistant secretary; Matthew Deal, librarian; G.W. Heckman, treasurer. The missionary money contributed by the school since 1853 amounts to $3,074. The "First English Baptist Church of Minersville" was organ- ized May 14th, 1840. Its constituent members were George Lewis, Aaron Kelly and James Rowe and their wives, Thomas Williams, Edmund Holt, Susanna Vaughn, Eliza Bacon, and Hannah Spencer. In a rented house on the northeast corner of Second and North streets, which had formerly been occupied by the Welsh Baptist and the Welsh Congregational churches, this church held its first meetings. Here a Sunday-school was organized, with George Lewis as superintendent. In 1842 the church bought a small framed school- house on South street, in which for several years if met for worship. This was subsequently sold in order to secure an eligi- ble lot on the northwest corner of Third and South streets. Upon this lot was erected in 1865 the present framed church building, 30 by 40 feet. Before it was built preaching services and Sun- day-school had some time been held in the Odd Fellows' Hall on Sunbury street. The superintendent of the school was J.W. Danen- hower. It has often numbered more than 100 pupils. From the organization of the church till the spring of 1841, Rev. G.M. Spratt was pastor; then Rev. A.B. Wright six months; Rev. A.M. Tyler till April, 1873; Rev. J.R. Morris from April 1st, 1844, till Dec. 18th, 1847; Rev. John R. Ross from July to November, 1848; Rev. John M. Lyons from December 31st, 1851, till October 25th, 1852; J.H. Brittain from July 31st, 1862, till August 30th, 1863; Rev. A.B. Pendleton from November 8th, 1863, till April 1st, 1864; Rev. Theophilus Jones from September 11th, 1864, till January 1st, 1866; Rev. A.J. Hastings from August 12th, 1866, till September 3rd, 1867; Rev. D.T. Davis from Sep- tember 21st,1873, till July 25th, 1875. __________end page 170.__________ page 171 CHURCHES OF MINERSVILLE. _______________________________________________________________ Although this church has had repeated accessions to its member ship it has rarely for any length of time been entirely self-sustaining, owing mainly, perhaps, to the removal of many of its members to distant places. During the ten years from 1852 to 1862, when the church was pastorless, Revs. J.H. Castle and R.H. Austin, both of Potts- ville, frequently supplied the pulpit. From September 19th, 1869, to April 29th, 1872, Rev. A.H. Sembower, in connection with his pastorate of the Pottsville Baptist Church, supplied this church. For several years past, Rev. A. Myers, of Pottsville, has with much acceptance supplied the pulpit a part of the time and has rendered some pastoral services. Since 1871 Dr. J.W. Danenhower has frequently officiated as a supply; and in this service he has been greatly assisted by Pro- fessor H.H. Spayd, who became a licentiate of the church in 1878. Emmanuel's Church (Reformed) was organized in 1840. Among the first members were Messrs. A. Goufer, M. Merkle and one Weaver. The pastors of this congregation and the years of their pastorates, as nearly as can be learned, have been: Revs. ----- First, 184-: C.Y. Hoofmeir, 1847; Jacob Kline, 1857; J.B. Poerner, 1865; C.A. Rittenhaus, 1868; F. Dechant, 1871; J.A. Schultz, 1874, and D.M. Christman, 1880. The congregation worshiped (sic) in the Lutheran church building till 1867, when their present house of worship was erected. It stands on the corner of Church and Centre streets. It is of brick, 36 by 54. The building committee were G. Wagner, W. Dernbargh and G. Gable. A Sunday-school is maintained by this congregation. St. Vincent de Paul Church.-The Roman Catholic parish of St. Vincent de Paul was established in January, 1846, with Rev. Hugh P.Fitzsimmons, then assistant at St. Patrick's church, Potts- ville, as the first pastor. Father Fitzsimmons, upon assuming charge of the parish, erected a small frame building, 20 by 30 feet, in the cemetery lot, where he celebrated mass for his flock. On April 21st, 1846, digging for the foundation walls of a new church 50 by 100 feet, was commenced, and the cornerstone of the building was laid the following August by Bishop Newman, of Philadelphia, in the presence of a large number of the clergy and about three thousand people from the surrounding districts. A sermon was preached by Rev. Father McElhone, from Philadelphia. The church building was under roof the following Christmas, and the first mass celebrated therein by the pastor. This new parish of St. Vincent de Paul in those days covered an area of about 240 miles; extending in a westerly direction 30 miles, and 8 miles from north to south; having a Catholic popu- lation of 7,000 souls. The church was only partially finished under the pastoral charge of Father Fitzsimmons. August 12th, 1884, Rev. Michael Malone was appointed pastor of this church, who finished the interior of the building, and in August, 1860, adorned it exteriorly by building a tower at its southern extrem- ity at cost of $700. In December, 1861, he placed therein the present very handsome bell, weighing 1,086 pounds and costing $403. In 1852 Rev. Father Malone built a very handsome brick pasto- ral residence, 40 by 60 feet, two and a half stories high, ad- joining the church, at a cost of about $4,000. Father Malone very often attended sick calls at a distance of 40 miles from the church. He died April 16th, 1877, having been pastor of this church for 28 years and 8 months. His remains lie in a vault in front of the church, on Sunbury street. The pastors who succeeded him are: Revs. James McGeveran, P.J. Egan (deceased), John Scanlan and the present pastor, Mat- thew P. O'Brien, appointed by Archbishop Wood, of Philadelphia, October 27th, 1879. He is now engaged in making improvements and additions to the church by frescoing the walls and ceiling, painting the pews, erecting three altars (the main altar to be marble), and building a sacristy 16 by 18 feet. The present Catholic population of the parish is about 2,200 souls. St. Paul's Church (P.E.) was incorporated in 1845. The corpo- rators were George Spencer, Robert, William, Andrew, Thomas and George Patten (brothers), John and George Scott, Henry Ellis, Fre- derick Longabach, John Wightman, William Best, William N. Robbins, S. Heilner and Joseph Wightman. The church edifice was built in 1849. It stands on North Second street, and the site was donated by Joseph Jeanes. It is a wooden building 40 by 50. By reasons of inaccessibility of the records a complete list of the rectors cannot be given. The following are remembered: Revs. Marmaduke Hirst, Robert B. Peet, Harrison Byllesby, William Wright, ---- Pastorius, A.E. Fortat, George B. Allen, J. Thompson Carpenter, Luther Wolcott, F.W. Winslow. The present paster (sic) is John W. Koons. German Lutheran Church.--One of the first Protestant organi- zations in Minersville was the "German Evangelical Lutheran Zion's Congregation." The date of its organization is not known. The first officers mentioned were Philip Merkle, Joseph Reber, Carl Koller, Jacob Farne, S. Heilner, Heinrich Henig and Jacob F. Thumm. The first place of worship was a school-house, but on the 21st of June, 1849, the corner stone of the present church building was laid, on the corner of Lewis and Fourth streets. This house was afterward remodeled and improved. The first pastor was Rev. William G. Mennig, whose pastorate terminated about 1859. He was succeeded by Daniel Sanner, and he in 1871 by Rev. G. F. Guensch, the present pastor. The membership is more than 300. The present church council consists of W. Baker, Engle Scanner, Jonas Laubenstein, Michael Ferg, William Neudhard, Adolph _________end page 171.__________ page 172 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ Kuhns and Peter Drummeler. The Sunday-school numbers about 160 scholars and 28 teachers. John Heilner is the superintendent. English Lutheran Church.- This congregation was organized in 1851. Daniel Hock and Isaac Straub were the first elders; Levi Dietrich and Joseph Weaver the first deacons. The congregation first worshiped (sic) in a small Baptist church on South street; thence removed to Odd Fellows' Hall, on the south east corner of Sunbury and Second streets, being, supplied with preaching by Rev. Daniel Steck of Pottsville. During that time the present church was erected, and in the autumn of 1853 it was dedicated. It is a wooden, 40 by 60, on the corner of Third and Church streets. The following are the names of the pastors who have served the congregation: Revs. J.K. Kast, Jacob Steck, E.A. Auld, H.C.Shindle, Charles Fickinger, R. Wiser, J.B. Anthony, A.M. Warner, and the present pastor, I.P. Neff. St. Mary's Church of Mount Carmel (German Catholic) was built about 1855, on Second street in the north part of the borough. It is a brick building, 50 by 66. From the baptismal record it appears that Rev. Matthew Joseph Meurer was the pastor till 1859. Then the church was a mission, attended by several priests from Pottsville, till 1866, when Rev. Anthony Schwarze, the present pastor, took charge. According to an estimate from the number of baptisms it appears that the number of souls in the church at first was about 720. At present there are fifty families. Zoar Baptist Church (Welsh).- This church was organized in 1874, with R. M. Richardson pastor and fifty constituent members. The same year the present church edifice was built, on North street a short distance from Fourth. It is a wooden house, 36 by 60. Mr. Richardson continued in charge till 1877, since which there has been no regular pastor. A Sunday-school was organized in 1874 with William Kendrick superintendent, and about 90 scholars. The superintendents have since been many times charged, William M. Evans holds the posi- tion at present. The number of scholars is 60. The library has about 150 volumes. __________end page 172._________ page 173 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES-MINERSVILLE. ______________________________________________________________ CHARLES N. BRUMM was born on the 9th of June, 1838, at the southeast corner of Centre and Minersville streets, Pottsville, Pa., and is the son of George and Salome Brumm, both of whom were of German birth. In 1841 his family moved to Minersville, then a large and thriv- ing town, and he has resided there ever since excepting about a year at Philadelphia. Charles received a good common school education in the schools of his home, but, with the exception of a year spent at Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, was unable to obtain a higher education. His mother died when he was fourteen and his father when he was twenty years of age, but already at the age of seventeen he went out into the world to struggle for himself. He learned the trade of watch making, spending two years therein, and then two years longer as a journeyman at that trade. he possessed a remarkable mechanical mind, as was shown in later life by the invention of a meat cutter, for which he had letters patent granted, also a brick and mortar elevator, a railroad snow shove, and a self-starting car-brake, each of which inventions involved several combinations of mechanical movement; and, as is believed by a number of master mechan-ics, they are based upon the proper principles for accomplishing the intended work. However, being fond of disputation and naturally a good talker, he was led to enter his name as a student in the law office of Hon. Howell Fisher, a highly successful practitioner of the law, then residing in Minersville. With Mr. Fisher Charles studied for nearly two years, until the first gun was fired on Fort Sumter, and President Lincoln made his first call for volun- teers for a three month's service. Mr. Brumm closed his Black- stone, shouldered his musket and marched off with the first company of soldiers, to leave Minersville, a few days after the President's call. He was soon after elected lieutenant of his company, in which position he served until the expiration of his term of service, when he immediately re-enlisted for three years in Company K, 76th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers. He was shortly afterward detailed assistant quartermaster and served in that capacity on the staffs of Generals Barlow and Pennypacker, tenth army corps, until the end of his term. After the war he was engaged in the drug business two years, but in the winter of 1866 and 1867 he resumed the study of the law in the office of Judge Edward Owen Parry. In the meantime much disorder existed in Schuylkill county and he was sent to Harrisburg by a number of leading citizens to obtain if possible the passage of a law creating a special police force; a new criminal court, having special jurisdic-tion in Schuylkill coun- ty, and the present jury commissioner law, it being believed by them that this would lead to the suppression of the then prevail- ing violence and disorder. Largely through his efforts these laws were enacted. Shortly afterward he sought admission to the bar of his home county, but was unexpectedly met with refusal, not on the ground of incompetence nor want of good character, but because it was alleged that in the effort to have enacted the before-mentioned laws he had spread reports derogatory to the judge of the old court. For two years and a half he was refused admission upon this pretext, but finally, on the 7th of March, 1870, he was admitted to practice at home the profession for which he was so well adapted, and to which he had already been admitted in Lebanon and Dauphin counties. Mr. Brumm has always taken an active part in politics, being an uncompromising anti-slavery, anti-free trace, anti-monopoly and anti-rebel advocate. As a Republican he has stumped his county and his State, powerfully denouncing the free trade and State rights doctrines of the Democratic party. In 1871 he was a candidate for district attorney, but was defeated by Hon. James B. Reilly, the Democratic candidate, Schuylkill county being at that time being overwhelmingly Democratic. Mr. Brumm was very early attracted to the study of national finances, and long before the organization of the Greenback party he had espoused the doctrines which have since become distinctive of that party. He made numerous efforts in the Republican party of his county and State to induce them to adopt those principles, but failing in that he joined hands with others having the same faith and aided in the formation of the National Greenback-Labor party. He voted for Peter Cooper for President in 1876, and since then has been untiring in his efforts to spread the faith in the financial and economical doctrines to which he is attached. In 1878 he was nominated for Congress by his party in Schuylkill county, and ran against his old preceptor, Hon. John W. Ryon, the Democratic candidate, the latter being elected by a plurality of 192 votes. In 1880 he was again nominated for Congress by his party, and being endorsed by the Republicans he was elected over Mr. Ryon by an overwhelmingly majority. Mr. Brumm had always been an eloqu- ent advocate of the rights of the oppressed, whether oppressed by the slaveholder, by the monopolist or the social aristocrat. He has believed in the equal rights of all men to work out their own personal and social prosperity without special restriction from law, custom, cast or prejudice, although as positively opposed to the demoralizing and destroying tendencies of so-called Commu- nism. He strongly urges the necessity of governmental control of great corporate influence and believes that the immense power wielded by the corporations of our country must be restrained by the all-powerful hand of the nation. __________end page 173.__________ page 174 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ____________________________________________________________ A line art drawing of Dr. WILLIAM T. BEACH was in this position on this page in the original book. It is listed as PAGE 174 in the Table of Contents. The text of the page is below the dividing line. ____________ Dr. WILLIAM T. BEACH. This gentleman, the leading practitioner in Minersville, was born in Monmouthshire, Wales, December 2nd, 1839. His parents were George and Mary (Thomas) Beach, and with them he came to America in 1840 and located at Haverstraw, N.Y., soon removing to Phoenixville, Pa., where his father opened a boot and shoe shop. In 1848 they removed to Pottsville, where for two years Mr. Beach was book-keeper in what has since come to be known as Atkins furnace; then the family removed to Minersville, where Mr. Beach went back to his trade of boot and shoemaker, doing a successful business till 1873, when with his wife he removed to Hyde Park, a portion of the city of Scranton, Pa., where he died February 19th, 1879, and where his widow still lives. Dr. Beach was educated in the common schools, and began to study medicine with Dr. Brown, of Port Carbon, in September, 1858. he attended his first course of lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadel- phia, in the winter of 1860-61; was a medical cadet in the United States service for a year, at Hampton Hospital, Va., and on board the side-wheel steamer Daniel Webster, plying between Annapolis and City Point, and graduated in the spring of 1863 and began practice in the fall of that same year at Shenandoah city, Schuylkill county. In April, 1865, he removed to Minersville, where he has since been engaged successfully in the practice of his profession. Dr. Beach was two years secretary of the Schuyl- kill County Medical Society. He is a member of Anthracite Lodge, No. 136, I.O.O.F., Minersville Lodge, No. 222, A.Y.M., Schuylkill Chapter, No. 159, R.A.M., and Constantine Commandery, No. 41. Though not an active politician he is a staunch Republican from principle. He was married in 1872 to Sophia Matthews, of Miners- ville. ____________ JACOB S. LAWRENCE The subject of this sketch was born in Milton, Northumberland county, Pa., July 13th, 1826. His parents were George and Esther Lawrence. Andrew Straub, his mother's father, was the proprietor of a very large tract of land embracing Milton, which town he laid out. At the age of fourteen Mr. Lawrence removed to Minersville with his father's family. His father was a prominent early business man in Minersville, where he built a steam flouring mill. About 1846 he sold his property there and returned to Northumberland county, where he located on a farm about five miles from Milton. Mr. Lawrence remained in Minersville and learned the moul- der's trade in the foundry of DeHaven & Brother. Later he en- tered the drug and hardware store of James B. Falls and familiar- ized himself with the details of those branches of trade. April 1st, 1850, he opened a drug and hardware store in the building now occupied by his brother, Franklin C. Lawrence, as a dry goods store. January 1st, 1857, he removed to the store now occupied by Lawrence & Brown. From 1854 to the spring of 1861 his brother George was his partner. His nephew, George L. Brown, became a member of the firm of Lawrence & Brown in 1865. January 1st, 1848, Mr. Lawrence was married to Mary Ellis, of Minersville, who died August 31st, 1880. They had eight chil- dren, of whom three daughters are living. Mr. Lawrence has always been prominent in all measures tending to advance the interest of the place. He was president of the Minersville Coal and Iron Company about two years, has for many years been presi- dent of the First National Bank of Minersville, and is president of the Minersville Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Since the organization of the Republican party he has always been an active worker in its ranks, but has never sought nor accepted office. During the Rebellion he was thirteen days in the service of his country, commanding a hastily formed company of his neighbors, in 1862, with the 17th Pennsylvania militia, in Maryland. In 1868 Jacob S. and Franklin C. Lawrence, Michael Merkel and Philip Mongold, under the firm name of Lawrence, Merkel & Co., secured a lease of some valuable coal lands at Frackville, or Mahanoy Plane, and opened the Lawrence colliery. In two or three years Matthew Beddow succeeded Mr. Mongold, the style of the firm remaining as before. The Lawrence colliery is one of the first- class collieries of Schuylkill county. __________end page 174.__________ page 175 A line drawing of FRANK G. KEAR is in this position in the original book. Original text follows the line break. __________________ Frank G. Kear is a son of William Kear, now retired, and for many years engaged in mining. The latter and his wife, Elizabeth (Gregg) Kear, were both natives of South Wales and came to Ameri- ca about 1828. Richard, Kear, brother of William and uncle of Frank G., was born in Wales, also, and was for a long time a prominent and successful coal operator, residing at Minersville, where he died. Frank G. Kear was born in Minersville March 10th, 1854. He attended the high school at Minersville, and in 1869 entered Dickinson Seminary at Williamsport, Pa., where he re- mained three years, afterward, for a time, studying architecture and civil engineering at the Polytechnic Institute, at the corner of 8th and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia. In 1879 the firm of F.G. Kear & Co., proprietors of the American Brewery, at the corner of 3d and Laurel streets, Minersville, was organized and a brewing business established, which was conducted about a year. October 24th, 1878, Mr. Kear married Miss Kate Henich, of Miners- ville, whose father, Henry Henich, was a well known mason, and whose grandfather served as an officer in the American army during the Mexican war. __________end page 175.__________ page 176 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ________________________________________________________________ MICHAEL MERKEL. ________ Michael Merkel, now about fifty-eight years old, was born at Cressona, Schuylkill county, Pa. His father was Philip Merkel, a native of Berks county, Pa., who removed to the site of Cressona at an early date and owned a large tract of land which embraced the present borough. Between 1835 and 1839 he removed to Miners- ville, where he lived until his death. He had several sons and several daughters. Early in life Michael Merkel was a driver on the old horse railway to Schuylkill Haven and was afterward a stationary engi- neer in the employ of Richard Kear, at the Wolf Creed mines, a number of years. For two or three years during the war Mr. Merkel, Adam Cunfire, Daniel Hock, Thomas Jones and Frederick Vunderheider operated the mines upon the lands of the Forest Improvement Company. In 1868, under the firm name of Lawrence, Merkel & Co., Jacob S. and Franklin C. Lawrence, Michael Merkel and Philip Mangold, leased some lands rich in coal deposits, at Mahanoy Plane, or Frackville, and opened the well known Lawrence colliery, a promi- nent enterprize (sic) in the Schuylkill coal region. Two or three years later the interest of Mr. Mangold became vested in Matthew Beddow. Thus it will be seen that Mr. Merkel has been from his youth familiar with coal operations. By energy, industry and integrity he has made his way in the world in a manner that stamps him as one of the notable self-made men of Schuylkill county. As a citizen of Minersville Mr. Merkel has ever been identified with all movements looking to the advancement of the best interests of the borough, and he is regarded as a good neighbor and a useful man in the community. His connection with the Lawrence colliery, aside from his interest as a member of the firm, is important, as he holds the responsible position of general outside manager. Mr. Merkel married a Miss Bender, now deceased. His present wife was Miss Margaret Heilner. His home is one of the pleasant- est and most attractive in Minersville. __________end page 176.__________