Some Early Townships of Berks County, Their Settlers and Enterprises

Source: Morton Montgomery, History of Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1909, extracted from pp. 298-310.

Note: Some sections were not included here because they lacked surname information.

Submitted by Bonnie Blau.

MANATAWNY SECTION

[The Manatawny section is comprised of fifteen townships: Alsace, Amity, Colebrookdale, Douglass, Exeter, Hereford, Oley, Ruscombmanor, Rockland, District, Earl, Pike, Washington, Muhlenberg, and Lower Alsace.]

FIRST SETTLERS. - The first settlement in this section was made by a small colony of Swedes in 1701 along the Schuylkill river, four miles above the outlet of the Manatawny creek, in the vicinity of where Douglassville is now situated. They took up large tracts of land, which extended from the river northward for five miles. Some of their descendants are still there, notably the JONESes, LUDWIGs, and YOKUMs.

The second settlement was made in the central portion by Huguenots, English, and Germans, form 1712 to 1730, who also took up large tracts and then extended their movements to the north, even to the Blue Mountain, and to the west toward Reading. Many of their descendants are still in the vicinity; and in several instances (BERTOLETs, BOONEs, DETURCKs and LEEs) the land has been transmitted in a direct line of descendants of the first settlers, from generation to generation, from the beginning until now, a period covering one hundred and eighty years.

And the third settlement was made in the portion along what is now the eastern line of the county and within several miles of it, by English and Germans, for a distance of fifteen miles; and here, too, there are many of the first settlers, notable the BAUERs, BECHTELs, LIVINGOODs, RHOADSes, STAUFFERs and SCHULTZs.

The hilly country of Earl township is the habitation of more old residents than any other district in the county. To the pure fresh air and most excellent water the old residents attribute their longevity. This township was the birthplace and home of Betzy TROUT, who lived to be 101 years old. In the spring of 1909, the following were among the oldest residents in the township: Matilda (WELLER) MOTZ, AGED 87; Aaron WELLER, 86; Henry CLAUSER, 86; Philip HARING, 85; Joseph HECKMAN, 85; Ezra HARTLINE, 84; Isaac HEYDT, 84; Charles CLAUSER, 83; Mary MATHIAS, 83; Jonathan SWAVELY, 77; William DILLIPLANE, 80, and wife, Sarah (CLAUSER) DILLIPLANE, 79; CATHARINE (SWAVELY) MATHIAS, 80; Mary (FOCHT) CLAUSER, 78; Samuel RHOADS, 78; Jacob RHOADS, 76, and wife 73; William REICHART, 73; Hannah (MATHIAS) CLAUSER, 73; Ephraim WEIDNER, 73.

Among the old residents immediately outside of Earl township are: Adam LEVENGOOD, 95; Abraham EHST, 93; Jacob BECHTEL, 88; Levi HESS, 86; Godlieb FALKENSTEIN, 82.

NOTEWORTHY ENTERPRISES

(selected and excepted by transcriber)

• Friedensburg Bank. - The First National Bank of Oley was chartered April 27, 1907, with a capital of $25,000, and located at Friedensburg. Israel M. BERTOLET was selected as president, and Sydney J. HARTMAN as cashier. In November, 1908, the total resources were $141,277.
• Reading Water Supplies. - The Egelman supply, appropriated in 1838, and the Antietam supply, in 1874, both from Lower Alsace; and the Bernhart supply, in 1858, from Muhlenberg....
• Mountain Railroads. - Mt. Penn Gravity railroad was constructed on Penn Mountain in 1890, length eight miles; and the Neversink, in 1890, length eight miles; both in Lower Alsace. They have had increasing success for the past ten years, thereby popularizing Reading very much.
• Carsonia Park, established by the United Traction Company in Lower Alsace in 1896, embracing 150 acres. It has become a popular resort, there having been 250,000 visitors during the season of 1908.
• Stony Creek Mills, established in 1864 in Lower Alsace by Louis KRAEMER & Co., for manufacture of woolen goods, and operated successfully since then.
• Temple Furnace, established in Muhlenberg in 1867 by CLYMER & Co. In 11873, the company secured a special charter. In 1900 it was re-organized with a capital of $30,000,000 for the purpose of operating anthracite coal mines. On account of its extraordinary powers it occupies great prominence in financial and industrial circles. The furnace produces 40,000 tons of pig metal annually.
• Seidel Forge, established in Exeter in 1870 by John HENNON. In 1872 Harry SEIDEL purchased the plant and has carried on operations since then. It produces forged iron for locomotive engines.
• Brooke Furnace , No. 3, established in Exeter along the P. & R. R. by the E. & G. BROOKE Iron Company in 1872. Annual product, 21,000 tons. Carried on with the Birdsboro works.
• Neversink Distillery, established by John H. CLOSE and A. H. KRETZ at Exeter Station (Lorane) in 1892. Plant was enlarged in 1899 by Neversink Distilling Company. Mashing capacity, 434 bushels.
• The Muhlenberg Brewing Company was organized in 1895 and a large plant was erected along the Kutztown road in the southern end of Hyde Park, with annual production exceeding 10,000 barrels. Simson BECKER served as president of the company for fourteen years.
• Colebrookdale Iron Works, established in Douglass by BRENDLINGER & Co. in 1867. Thirty years before, W. W. WEAVER had started a foundry and tilt-hammer for the manufacture of wood-burning stoves. The works were enlarged several times. They produced sad-irons, kettles, fixtures, etc.
• St. Michael's Seminary was founded by direction of the last will of Henry F. FELIX at Hyde Park, in Muhlenberg township, in 1874, for the education of young ladies by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of West Chester, Pa., they having secured fifty acres of ground and erected a superior building for that purpose.
• Suburban Towns. - Edward A. LARTER and Sigmund MORRIS purchased 120 acres of land in Muhlenberg township along he Kutztown road, beyond Hyde Park, and laid off eighty acres in 1903, and forty acres in 1907, comprising altogether 1,200 lots, which they named Rose Dale....
• Oldest Buildings. - The oldest buildings in the county are in this section. The Mounce JONES building was erected in 1716, in Amity, near Douglassville, along the Schuylkill, and it is still standing, though somewhat altered.
• Dwelling house on the eastern half of the BERTOLET farm in Oley, erected in 1754.

ONTELAUNEE SECTION

[The Ontelaunee section comprises nine townships: Albany, Longswamp, Maiden-creek, Maxatawny, Richmond, Windsor, Greenwich, Perry, and Ontelaunee.]

FIRST SETTLERS. - The territory embraced in this section was not released by the Indians to the heirs of William Penn until 1732, and on that account there was no general influx of immigrants before that time. Immediately afterward, a number of Friends entered and took up large tracts of land in localities now included in Ontelaunee and Maiden-creek townships. About 1752, nearly the entire area of these two townships was owned and occupied by Friends. The names of the more prominent families were MEREDITH, PARVIN, PENROSE, LIGHTFOOT, STARR, WILY and WILLITS; and some of the descendants are still in this vicinity. These settlers went there by way of the Schuylkill Valley.

About the same time, a considerable number of immigrants of different nationalities, but mostly Germans, entered the section by way of the Manatawny creek and the Oley hills, and also by way of the West Branch of the Perkiomen creek and the Hereford hills, and they took up great quantities of land which reached from one end of the section to the other; indeed, they were so numerous and energetic that by 1740, within the short period of eight years, they had established six townships, embracing the entire section. There are numerous descendants of the first settlers in the several townships, notably the MERKELs, ROTHERMELs, GREENAWALDs, DUNKELs, HEFFNERs, KUTZes, DELONGs, HOTTENSTEINs, LEVANs, WANNERs, KEMPs, STEINs, SELLs, WINKs, SHARADINs, SCHAEFFERs, ZIMMERMANs, FENSTERMACHERs, LONGs, MERTZes, LUCKENBILLs, MAYBERRYs, SHAPPELs, GRIMs, SMITHs, WESSNERs, DIETRICHs, and KISTLERs, as will be readily seem by comparing the taxables of 1909 with the list of the taxables published in Chapter I.

NOTEWORTHY ENTERPRISES

(Selected and excerpted by transcriber)

• Blandon Rolling Mill was built in Maidencreek along the East Penn railroad in 1867. It was been successfully operated since 1892 by Simon SEYFERT. Annual product, 22,000 tons; hands employed, 225.
• Brick Company. - The Clay Works were purchased in 1908 by A. A. GERY, who organized the Glen-Gery Brick and Cement Company, for the manufacture of vitrified brick for building and paving purposes, and established a plant with a daily capacity for 60,000.
• Inlaid Tile Company. - In 1907, the Reading Cement Inlaid Tile Company was incorporated by a Greek from Patras, Greece, names Constantinn H. GEANNAKOPOULOS, and he established a small plant in Reading at the southwest corner of Seventh and Chestnut streets. In June, 1908, it was transferred to Shoemakersville, where a place was secured with a capacity of 200 square yards. The company manufactures all styles, colors and designs, and employs six hands. The machinery was imported. It is the only enterprise of the kind in the United States.
• Cement Works. - A large cement works was established in Richmond township in 1899 by the Reading Cement Company (composed of Reading capitalists), at a cost of $350,000. The property comprised 100 acres, in which there is a large deposit of superior limestone, and the plant was equipped with machinery. It continued in operation for several years and employed from eighty-five to one hundred and thirty men and produced daily 450 barrels of cement. It was succeeded by the Vindex Portland Cement Company, which improved the plant and carried on operations several years with a daily capacity of 600 barrels. In 1908 the plant was leased to the Vindex Corporation under the control of Charles MATCHAM, of Allentown, an experienced manufacturer of cement.
  
  Mr. MATCHAM also organized the Allentown Portland Cement Company and secured a large adjoining tract to the north and west with intention of establishing a costly, modern plant with a daily capacity of 2,500 barrels.
• Gery Country Home. - In 1904, A. A. GERY, of Reading, erected a costly country home in the Ontelaunee, along the Maiden creek, on the old WILY Mill property, which has become known as Glen-Gery.
• Topton Orphans' Home, established in 1897 by the Reading Conference of the Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania, on a commanding site in Longswamp, near Topton. The property comprises 115 acres. The Home is a three-story brick, commodious structure, with modern improvements. Inmates, boys and girls, 90; all denominations.
• Leesport Bank. - A number of enterprising business men of Leesport and vicinity organized a bank with a capital of $25,000, for the accommodation of the neighborhood, and named it the First National Bank of Leesport. The following directors were elected as the first board, and the bank was opened for business in July, 1909: A. F. MOGUL, president; S. M. DECK, cashier; Charles DUNKEL, D. H. REISER, Jacob BAGENSTOSE, Charles O. COLLINS, James A. RIESER, O. A. KEIM, James H. WAGNER, James R. KEIM, M. S. RENTSCHLER, Joseph NAFTZINGER, Sassaman SCHAPPELL, Lloyd MILLER, James R. WEISNER.
• Electric Plant. - William F. KRICK established an electric plant at Sinking Spring in 1903 for supplying light to the residents of that town, and also at Wyomissing and Shillington and extended wires in and to the places named. George F. WERTZ, of Wernersville, established a similar plant at that place in 1904.

TULPEHOCKEN SECTION

[The Tulpehocken Section comprises thirteen townships: Bern, Bethel, Heidelberg, Tulpehocken, Upper Bern, Upper Tulpehocken, Penn, Lower Heidelberg, Centre, Marion, North Heidelberg, Jefferson, Tilden.]

FIRST SETTLERS. - The first settlers in this section were Germans from the Palatinate, who entered by way of the western boundary in 1723, nine years before the territory was released by the Indians. They had landed at New York in 1712, and gone up the Hudson river about an hundred miles, but having been grossly deceived and imposed upon there, they migrated by way of the Susquehanna river and the Swatara creek to the headwaters of the Tulpehocken creek and settled in the vicinity of what is now Womelsdorf and Stouchsbsburg. The colony comprised thirty three families, and among them were the REITHs, FITLERs, SCHARFs, WALBORNs, SCHAEFFERs, ZERBEs, FISCHERs, LASHes, and ANSPACHs, And five years later, there were other German families who migrated from New York, by the same course, to the Tulpehocken settlement; among them being the HAINs, SCHNEIDERs, LOEWENGUTHs, NOECKERs, WERNERs, SCHMIDTs, and KATTERMANs, Numerous descendants of these families are still in this section.

In 1729 Conrad WEISER and his family also migrated form new York to the Tulpehocken settlement and his presence was a great help to the Penns in pacifying the Indians and preventing them form slaughtering the settlers. He was an accomplished interpreter and a very useful man in various ways. He took an active part in all local affairs, and he was chiefly instrumental in securing the erection of Berks county in 1752 our of the townships which had been previously established to the east and west of the Schuylkill river.

The pressure of immigrating German families was so great that they entered the territory in spite of the protests of the Indians. The Proprietaries apologized and made various excuses and finally in 1732 secured a release from them. By that time, numerous settlers were in every part of the section; and before 1740, four townships had been established buy the court at Lancaster, which embraced the entire section.

NOTEWORTHY ENTERPRISES

(Selected and excerpted by transcriber)

• Charming Forge, established in 1749, in Tulpehocken (afterward Marion) township, along the Tulpehocken creek, three miles north of Womelsdorf; operated by George EGE from 1774 to 1824; and by Andrew TAYLOR and his sons William and B. Franklin, from 1855 to 1885. A part of the forge site, including the water-power, was purchased by the borough of Womelsdorf in 1906, and an electric plant was established for supplying the inhabitants with electric light on the streets and in their dewllings.
• Robesonia Furnace, established in Heidelberg on Spring creek in 1794 by George EGE and known for fifty years as the "Reading Furnace." During which time charcoal iron was manufactured. The first anthracite furnace was erected in 1845. Since then it has been much enlarged and improved by the Robesonia Iron Company. Daily capacity, 160 tons; men employed, 200.
• Hamburg Vitrified Brick Company, established in Tilden, above West Hamburg, near the Reading railway, in 1891, as a common brick plant and carried on as such until 1896, when the MACK brothers of Philadelphia purchased it and began the manufacture of vitrified brick. They have been operating it since them, running nine kilns, producing 10,000,000 bricks annually, and employing 75 men.
• Paper-Mills. - Henry VAN REED started a paper-mill near the mouth of the Cacoosing Creek, about 1825, and it continued in the family in a direct line from him, through his son, Charles, and his grandson, Henry Z., to his great-grandson, Charles L., for a period of over seventy years. The plant was then sold, remodeled and operated since by different parties.
• The Tulpehocken Paper Mill is a branch of the Reading Paper Mills, started by Jacob BUSHONG, in 1856, on the site of the old KISSINGER grist mill at the mouth of the Tulpehocken creek, and operated by him for twenty years.
• Dauberville Ice Plant. - Henry AHRENS and John R. GONSER established a large ice plant in 1888 in the lower eastern portion of Centre township on the Irish creek near its outlet into the Schuylkill. The dam covers thirty acres and the storage-house has a capacity of 25,000 tons. It was destroyed by fire in 1892 and immediately rebuilt.
• Health Resorts. - Lower Heidelberg township has become famous for its costly and successful resorts, established on the South Mountain for the restoration and preservation of health. In the order of priority they are as follows:
• Wenrich's Grand View, first established by Dr. Charles F. LEISENRING, in 1849. Greatly improved and operated by Dr. R. D. WENRICH since 1897.
• The Walter Sanatarium, established by Dr. Robert WALTER in 1877, and enlarged several times, and become within thirty years, under his management, one of the greatest resorts of the kind in the country.
• Preston's Sunnyside, established by Dr. James S. PRESTON, in 1880, and operated by his son James since 1882.
• Grosch's Sunset House, by Francis GROSCH, in 1876, and subsequently enlarged. His son-in-law Dr. J. D. MOYER, has conducted the place since 1892.
• Hassler's Highland House, started n 1890 by James SCHAEFFER, and after he operated it for some years, purchased by Richard HASSLER, how has carried it on since.
• Berkshire Country Club. - The Berkshire Country Club owes its inception to Alexander F. SMITH, John J. KUTZ, and a few other gentlemen, who in 1897 obtained some golf clubs and balls, and essayed to play the "the royal game of gold" on a six hole course which John REID, a professional golfer from Atlantic City, laid out on the grounds at Carsonia, where the present park is located. The Club was formally incorporated on May 10, 1899, by Wilson FERGUSON, William Kerper STEVENS, Herbert R. GREEN, F. C. SMINK, George F. BAER, G. Howard BRIGHT , M. Brayton MCKNIGHT, J. Lancaster REPPLIER, John M. ARCHER, William SEYFERT, and E. L. PARVIN.
  
  Owing to numerous streams and marshes, it was found that the grounds at Carsonia were not well adapted for the purposes of a country club and in 1899 arrangements were made the Reading Suburban Real Estate Company to occupy the vacant land surrounding the suburban town of Wyomissing, where a nine-hole course, 2,159 yards in length, was laid out by Alexander F. SMITH (architect), and where the club flourished until the end of 1902. The house built by John B. MULL along the Wyomissing boulevard was occupied as a clubhouse.
  
  In May, 1902, the Club purchased from George F. BAER sixty acres of farming land situated in Bern township near Reading, between the Schuylkill river (just north of HAIN's locks) and the Bernville road. A nine-hold golf course was laid out by John REID, as well as five tennis courts....
• ...the Silver Cup, presented by George F. BAER, Esq., for the Women's Golf Championship, was won in 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906 by Miss Elizabeth SMINK; in 1907 by Miss Margaret MOSS, and in 1908 by Mrs. Caroline DERR ARCHER; and the Silver Cup presented by F. C. SMINK, for the Men's Golf Championship, was won in 1902, 1905 and 1907 by Alexander F. SMITH; in 1903 and 1904 by A. Ellis BARRON and in 1906 and 1908 by T. Iaeger SNYDER. F. W. NICHOLLS won the Tennis championship in 1903, and Robert E. BROOKE in 1904. The Silver Cup, presented by George F. BAER, Esq., for the Tennis Championship , was won by Robert E. BROOKE in 1905, and by Randolph STAUFFER in 1906, 1907, and 1908. In the Handicap Shooting Match, Mrs. William SEYFERT won the 1905 Silver Cup, presented by E. E. STETSON, Hunter ECKERT and Samuel R. SEYFERT.
  
  The officers of the Club are: F. C. SMINK, president; William SEYFERT, vice-president; Frederick W. NICHOLLS, treasurer; George W. DELANEY, secretary.
• Glenside. - In 1902, George O. RUNYEON, C. Q. GULDIN, and A. J. BRUMBACH laid off seventy-five acres into about 1,700 building lots along the Bernville road in Bern township, near the Schuylkill avenue bridge, and called the place "Glenside."
• Wernersville Bank. - The Wernersville national Bank was chartered March 10, 1906 , with a capital of $50,000. George M. WERTZ was selected as president, and Leonard M. RUTH as cashier....

SCHUYLKILL SECTION

[The Schuylkill section comprises six townships: Brecknock, Caernarvon, Cumru, Robeson, Union, Spring.]

FIRST SETTLERS. - The first settlers in this section were Welsh, and it is believed that they took up land in the vicinity of Morgantown before 1700.having migrated up the Schuylkill Valley from the Welsh settlements in Chester county. Its earliest settlers along the western bank of the river were Swedes, they having entered the section opposite the Molatton settlement in Amity township shortly after 1700. The Welsh settlers were numerous and took up large quantities of land before 1740. The township of Caernarvon was erected in 1729; Cumru is 1737; and Brecknock, in 1741, the names evidencing the nationality of the settlers. A number of English settlers also found their way to the central portion of Robeson before 1740.

SUBURBAN TOWNS (selected and excerpted by transcriber). - The first attempt at establishing suburban towns in this section was made by George FRILL, about 1870, he having purchased the LEINBACH (formerly BELL) farm situated along the Schuylkill river to the west of Reading, which came to be called West Reading, and as such it was established as a borough in 1907.

...Henry T. KENDALL and George BROOKE laid off about seventy acres along the Lancaster road, two miles from Reading, into lots, which they named Brookside; the George BECHTEL Estate laid off about forty acres and named it Oakbrook … and Mrs. Mary A. BOYER laid off about fifty-five acres (234 lots) which came to be called "Boyer Heights." Along the river, George A. BOYER established in 1898 a bathing place with 100 booths for bathers, which came to be very popular....

• Springmont in Spring township, along the turnpike in Sinking Spring, was laid out by Benjamin KNOWLES in 1895, and embraced 950 lots.
• West Lawn, in Spring township, along the turnpike beyond Wyomissing, was laid out by Irwin B. DILL, Warren H. and Frank H. FENSTERMACHER, in October, 1907, and embraced 567 lots.

NOTEWORTHY ENTERPRISES

(Selected and excerpted by transcriber)

• Hendel Hat Factory was established in Cumru near Mohnsville, in 1878, and has been operated by George HENDEL and sons since then. Hands employed, 250.
• Mt. Penn Ice Company established a plant on the farm of William J. SHALTER in Cumru, on Flying Hill creek, in 1902, and enlarged it in 1904. Total storage capacity, 7,000 tons.
• Gibralter Iron Works, established about 1770 in Robeson and maintained ever since. The SEIFERT family became connected with the plant in 1835, and has operated it with the rolling-mill at Seyfert on the W. & N. railroad since 1882.
• Trap Rock. - A large quarry was opened a mile south of Birdsboro in 1893 by Dyer & Company, of Norristown, on the property of the E. & G. BROOKE Iron Company....
• Globe Rendering Company. - In January, 1909, Dr. M. R. ADAM, Dr. G. S. ROTHERMEL, John G. RHOADS, and Wilson ROTHERMEL organized this company for manufacturing carious oils, fertilizer products and poultry food out of slaughter-house offals and the carcasses of dead animals....
• Country Homes. - Costly country homes of Josiah DIVES, Richmond L. JONES, Mrs. Catherine ARCHER, Herbert M. STERNBERGH, George HOSRST and Jacob NOLDE, in Cumru township, are worthy of special mention.
• Stock Farms. - The Hillside Stock Farm of W. Harry ORR, of Reading, was established in Spring township in 1893, for the purpose of raising high-bred horses, breeding from the Ashland-Wilkes stallion particularly, whose colts have developed remarkable speed on the track. The farm embraces 160 acres, situated along the Cacoosing creek, two miles south of Sinking Spring.
• The Spring Valley Stock Farm of Abner S. DEYSHER, of Reading, was established in 1902, in the southern portion of Spring township, a mile west of Gouglersville, along the head waters of the Little Muddy creek. The farm comprises nearly 200 acres.
• Milk Station. - H. DOLFINGER, of Philadelphia, established a superior milk station at Joanna on the W. & N. Railroad, in July 1909. It is a large two-story brick building, equipped with the latest improvements for cooling the milk. A large warehouse and ice-house are connected with the plant. John W. JACOBS (who had been in the coal and ice business there for many years) is the manager.