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WINFIELD  SCOTT  HANCOCK 


MONTGOMERY 
COUNTY 

PENNSYLVANIA 


A  HISTORY 


BY 


CLIFTON  S.  HUNSICKER 

Member  of  the  Montgomery  County  Historical  Society;  Journalist 
and  Author  of  Letters  of  Travel;  Ex-President  and  Chairman 
of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Press  League  of  Bucks 
and  Montgomery  Counties;  Chief  of  Newspaper  Divi- 
sion of  the  United  States  Food  Administration  in 
Montgomery  County  during  the  World  War. 

WITH  THE  CO-OPERATION  OF  THE 
HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


VOLUME  I 


LEIVIS  HISTORICAL  PUBLISHING  COMPANY,  INC. 

NEW  YORK  CHICAGO 

IQ23 


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F/57 

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COPYRIGHT,   1923 

LEWIS   HISTORICAL,   PUBLISHING   COMPANY,    INC. 

NEW  YORK — CHICAGO 


PUBLISHERS'  NOTE 


I  HE  Publishers  of  this  "History  of  Montgomery  County"  desire 
to  express  their  obligations  to  the  officiary  of  the  Montgomery 
County  Historical  Society  for  affording  their  representative  all 
possible  assistance  through  their  valuable  Library,  and  in  point- 
ing to  avenues  of  information ;  as  well  as  to  Mr.  Clifton  S. 
Hunsicker  for  his  intelligent  and  continued  effort.  An  additional 
interest  attaches  to  the  work  for  the  exhaustive  history  of  the  Bench 
and  Bar  of  the  County  by  William  F.  Dannehower,  Esq.  In  the  general 
narrative,  the  History  by  the  late  Colonel  Theodore  H.  Bean,  and  the 
name  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  A.  Conrad  Jones,  most  fittingly  come  into 
association  through  her  valuable  contributions  covering  Women's  Activ- 
ities from  the  day  in  which  he  concluded  his  work.  Under  the  Educa- 
tional head,  particularly  valuable  assistance  was  rendered  by  the  manage- 
ments of  Bryn  Mawr  College,  the  Theological  Seminary  of  St.  Charles 
Borromeo  at  Overbrook,  Ursinus  College,  and  the  Hill  School  of  Potts- 
town,  besides  other  gentlemen  in  their  various  towns  and  boroughs, 
interested  in  school  affairs.  Dr.  Herbert  H.  Bostock  rendered  efficient 
aid  in  the  procurement  of  material  which  makes  up  the  chapter  of  Medical 
History.  The  very  full  details  of  Newspaper  History  were  procured  in 
great  part  from  Hon.  D.  Whitman  Dambly,  fittingly  supplemented  by 
the  ready  information  afforded  by  the  newspaper  men  of  the  County 
generally,  and  with  few  exceptions.  A  similar  meed  of  appreciation  is 
due  Bank  officials  all  over  the  County,  who  cheerfully  furnished  the 
information  called  for  by  our  representative  on  questionnaire  blanks. 
Rev.  Father  Wachter,  of  Pottstown,  was  most  industrious  in  affording 
general  information  pertaining  to  Catholic  Churches  of  the  County; 
while  individual  ministers  of  all  denominations  were  also  intelligent 
contributors.  To  name  all  who  afforded  aid  would  make  up  a  goodly 
roster  of  prominent  names.  Taken  all  in  all,  it  is  believed  that  this 
History  will  be  received  with  favor,  and  will  be  a  valuable  book  of 
reference  in  years  to  come.  The  Publishers. 


CONTENTS 

Pace 

Chapter  I— Topography  and  Geography i 

Chapter  II— Geology,  Mining,  Etc 1 1 

Chapter  III— The  Original  Residents  and   Owners 25 

Chapter  IV— The   First    Settlements 29 

Chapter  V— William  Penn  and  the  Founding  of  His  Colony 35 

Chapter  VI— The   Colonial    Era 43 

Chapter  VII — Military  Operations   47 

Chapter  VIII — County  Organization  and  Government 97 

Chapter  IX — Transportation 107 

Chapter  X — Centennial  Celebration    115 

Chapter  XI — Religious  Denominations    119 

Chapter  XII — Educational   Institutions    I45 

Chapter  XIII — Agriculture  and  Agricultural  Societies 157 

Chapter  XIV — Journalism 161 

Chapter  XV — Banks  and  Banking i79 

Chapter  XVI — Fraternal  Orders  of  the  County 193 

Chapter  XVII — The  Work  of  Montgomery  County  Women 199 

Chapter  XVIII — The  Medical  Profession 223 

Chapter  XIX— Bench  and   Bar 235 

Chapter  XX — Industries  and   Manufacturing 283 

Chapter  XXI — State  and   County  Institutions 289 

Chapter  XXII — Townships  :  Abington — Cheltenham — Douglas — Franconia — Fred- 
erick    293 

Chapter  XXIII — Townships:     Hatfield — Horsham^ — Limerick — ^Lower  Merion 303 

Chapter  XXIV — Townships  :  Marlborough — Montgomery — Moreland — New  Han- 
over— Upper  Hanover — Norriton — Perkiomen    315 

Chapter  XXV — Townships  :      Pottsgrove,    Upper,    Lower    and    West — Providence, 

Upper  and  Lower — Plymouth — Whitemarsh 325 

Chapter  XXVI- — Townships  :       Springfield — Towamencin — Upper     Dublin — Upper 

Merion — Upper  and  Lower   Sal  ford 335 

Chapter  XXVII — Townships  :    Upper  and  Lower  Gwynedd — Worcester — Whitpain 

— Skippack 347 

Chapter  XXVIII — Boroughs :    Ambler — Bridgeport — Collegeville — Conshohocken — 

East     Greenville — Hatboro — Hatfield — Greenlane — Schwenkville — Jenkintown  355 

Chapter  XXIX — Boroughs  :     Lansdale — North  Wales — Narberth 367 

Chapter  XXX> — Boroughs  :  Pottstown — 'Pennsburg — Royersford — Red  Hill — Rock- 
ledge — Souderton — West  Telford — Trappe — -West  Conshohocken 375 

Chapter  XXXI — Norristown  Borough    386 

Appendix ;  Ursinus  College,  395  ;  Montgomery  County  Post  Offices,  402 ;  Principal 
Towns  and  Cities,  405;  Burgesses  Since  1812,  406;  Presidential  Vote  Since 
i860,  407;   Miscellaneous   Subjects,  409;  Bench  and  Bar,  416. 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


CHAPTER  I. 
TOPOGRAPHY  AND  GEOGRAPHY. 

September  lo,  1784,  marked  the  "birthday"  of  Montgomery  county. 
On  that  date  this  now  prosperous  and  enterprising  district  of  Pennsyl- 
vania was  carved  out  of  Philadelphia  county  by  an  act  of  the  General 
Assembly,  which  reads  as  follows : 

An  Act  for  erecting  part  of  the  County  of  Philadelphia  into  a  separate 
county. 

Sect.  I.  Whereas  a  great  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  County 
of  Philadelphia  by  their  petition  have  humbly  represented  to  the  Assem- 
bly of  this  State  the  great  inconvenience  they  labor  under  by  reason  of 
their  distance  from  the  seat  of  judicature  in  the  said  county:  For  remedy 
whereof, 

Sect.  II.  Be  it  enacted  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  Representa- 
tives of  the  Freemen  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  in  General 
Assembly  met,  and  by  authority  of  the  same,  That  all  and  singular  the 
lands  lying  within  that  part  of  Philadelphia  County  bounded  as  herein- 
after described,  beginning  on  the  line  of  Byberry  township  and  the 
township  of  the  Manor  of  Moreland,  where  it  intersects  the  line  of 
Bucks  County ;  thence  westward  along  the  northern  lines  of  Byberry, 
Lower  Dublin  and  Oxford  Townships  to  the  line  dividing  the  townships 
of  Cheltenham  and  Bristol ;  and  thence  along  the  same  line  dividing 
Germantown  township  from  the  township  of  Springfield ;  and  thence 
along  said  line  to  the  line  dividing  the  township  of  Springfield,  afore- 
said form  the  township  of  Roxbury  to  the  river  Schuylkill ;  thence  down 
the  said  river  to  the  line  dividing  the  townships  of  Blockley  and  Lower 
Merion ;  and  thence  along  said  line  to  the  line  of  the  County  of  Chester ; 
thence  by  the  line  of  Chester  County  to  the  line  of  Berks  County ;  thence 
by  the  line  of  Berks  County  to  the  line  of  Northampton  County ;  thence 
by  part  of  the  line  of  Northampton  County  and  the  line  of  Bucks  County  : 
thence  along  the  said  line  of  Bucks  County  to  the  place  of  beginning; 
be  and  hereby  are  erected  into  a  county,  named  and  hereafter  to  be  called 
Montgomery  County. 

Sect.  III.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  inhabitants  of  said  County  of  Montgomery  shall,  at  all  times  here- 
after, have  and  enjoy  all  and  singular  the  jurisdictions,  powers,  rights, 
liberties,  and  privileges  whatsoever,  which  the  inhabitants  of  any  other 
county  in  this  State  do,  may,  or  ought  to  enjoy  by  any  charter  of  priv- 
ileges, or  the  laws  of  this  State,  or  by  any  other  ways  or  means  what- 
soever. 

Sect.  IV.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  inhabitants  of  each  township  or  district  within  the  said  county  qual- 
ified by  law  to  elect  shall  meet  at  some  convenient  place  within  their 
respective  townships  or  districts,  at  the  same  time  the  inhabitants  of 
the  several  townships  of  the  other  counties  within  this  state  shall  meet 
for  like  purposes,  and  choose  inspectors ;  and  at  the  time  appointed  by 
law  the  freemen  of  the  said  County  of  Montgomery  shall  meet  at  the 
house  of  Hannah  Thompson,  inn  keeper,  in  the  township  of  Norriton, 

Mont — 1 


2  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

and  there  elect  representatives ;  and  the  freemen  of  the  County  of  Phila- 
delphia shall  meet  at  the  State  House,  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  and 
there  elect  representatives  to  serve  them  in  Assembly  (one  counselor), 
two  fit  persons  for  sheriffs,  two  fit  persons  for  coroners,  and  three  com- 
missioners, as  by  the  Constitution  and  the  laws  of  this  State  are  directed 
in  respect  to  other  counties,  which  representatives  so  chosen  shall  be 
members  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  shall  sit  and  act  as  such,  as  fully  and  as  freely  as  any  of  the 
other  representatives  of  this  State  do,  may,  can,  or  ought  to  do ;  (and  the 
said  counselor,  when  so  chosen,  shall  sit  and  act  as  fully  and  as  freely  as 
any  of  the  other  members  of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  this 
State  do,  may,  can  or  ought  to  do. 

Sect.  V.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That 
the  County  of  Montgomery  shall,  until  otherwise  altered  by  the  Legisla- 
ture of  the  State,  be  represented  in  the  General  Assembly  by  four  mem- 
bers and  the  County  of  Philadelphia  shall  be  represented  in  the  General 
Assembly  by  five  members. 

Sect.  Vn.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That 
the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  this  State  shall  have  like  powers, 
jurisdictions  and  authorities  within  the  said  County  of  Montgomery  as 
by  law  they  are  vested  with  and  entitled  unto  in  the  other  counties 
within  this  State ;  and  are  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  from  time 
to  time  to  deliver  the  gaol  of  the  said  county  of  capital  or  other  offenders, 
in  like  manner  as  they  are  authorized  to  do  in  other  counties  of  this 
State. 

Sect.  X.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That 
it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  Henry  Pawling,  Jun.,  Jonathan 
Roberts,  George  Smith,  Robert  Shannon,  and  Henry  Cunnard,  of  Whit- 
paine  township,  all  of  the  aforesaid  county,  yeomen,  or  any  three  of 
them,  to  purchase  and  take  assurance  to  them,  and  their  heirs,  in  the 
name  of  the  Commonwealth,  of  a  piece  of  land  situated  in  some  conven- 
ient place  in  the  neighborhood  of  Stoney-run,  contiguous  to  the  river 
Schuylkill,  in  Norriton  township,  in  trust  and  for  the  use  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  said  county,  and  thereon  to  erect  and  build  a  court  house 
and  prison  sufficient  to  accommodate  the  public  service  of  said  county. 

Sect.  XI.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
such  part  of  the  money  as  shall  arise  from  the  sale  of  the  old  prison  and 
workhouse,  and  lot  of  ground  thereto  belonging,  in  the  City  of  Phila- 
delphia as  directed  by  an  act  of  General  Assembly  of  this  Common- 
wealth to  be  sold  for  the  use  of  the  City  and  County  aforesaid,  be  appor- 
tioned for  the  defraying  the  charges  of  purchasing  the  land,  building  and 
erecting  the  court  house  and  prison  aforesaid,  in  the  ratio  or  proportion 
of  taxes  as  paid  between  the  said  County  of  Montgomery  and  the  County 
of  Philadelphia  and  this  city;  but  in  case  the  same  should  not  be  suffi- 
cient, it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  commissioners  and 
assessors  of  the  said  county,  or  a  majority  of  them,  to  assess  and  levy, 
in  the  same  manner  as  is  directed  by  the  act  for  raising  county  rates  and 
levies,  so  much  money  as  the  said  trustees  or  any  three  of  them  shall 
judge  necessary  for  purchasing  the  said  land  and  finishing  the  said 
court  house  and  prison. 

Sect.  XII.  Provided  always.  That  the  sum  of  money  so  to  be  raised 
does  not  exceed  three  thousand  pounds  current  money  of  this  State. 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  GEOGRAPHY  3 

Sect.  XHI.  Provided  also,  and  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority- 
aforesaid,  That  no  action  or  suit  now  commenced  or  depending  in  the 
County  of  Philadelphia  against  any  person  living  within  the  bounds  of 
the  said  County  of  Montgomery  shall  be  stayed  or  discontinued,  but  that 
the  same  action  or  actions  already  commenced  or  depending  may  be 
prosecuted  and  judgment  thereupon  rendered,  as  if  this  act  had  not  been 
made ;  and  that  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  justices  of  the  County 
of  Philadelphia  to  issue  any  judicial  process  to  be  directed  to  the  Sheriff 
or  Coroner  of  Philadelphia  County,  for  carrying  on  and  obtaining  the 
effect  of  the  aforesaid  suits,  which  Sheriff  and  Coroner  shall  and  are 
hereby  obliged  to  yield  obedience  in  executing  the  said  writs,  and  make 
due  return  thereof  before  the  justices  of  the  said  court  for  the  said 
County  of  Philadelphia,  as  if  the  parties  were  living  and  residing  within 
the  same. 

Sect.  XXI.  And  whereas  it  is  represented  by  petition  to  the  General 
Assembly,  that  by  the  lines  hereinbefore  mentioned  a  long  narrow  neck 
or  point  of  land,  being  part  of  the  manor  of  Moreland,  and  lying  between 
the  townships  of  Byberry  and  Lower  Dublin,  in  the  County  of  Phila- 
delphia, would  be  included  in  the  County  of  Montgomery,  to  the  great 
inconvenience  and  injury  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  neck  of  land, 
who  have  prayed  that  they  may  remain  within  the  County  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

Sect.  XXn.  Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That 
the  boundary  line  of  the  said  County  of  Montgomery  shall  be  as  follows, 
that  is  to  say,  beginning  in  the  line  of  Bucks  County  where  the  same  is 
intersected  by  the  line  which  divides  the  townships  of  Byberry  and  the 
Manor  of  Moreland ;  thence  southwesterly  along  the  last  mentioned  line 
to  the  first  corner  or  turning  thereof;  and  thence  on  the  same  south- 
westerly course  to  the  line  of  Lower  Dublin  ;  and  thence  westwardly  along 
the  Northern  line  of  Lower  Dublin  and  so  on,  as  the  lines  of  the  said 
County  of  Montgomery  are  hereinbefore  described,  to  the  place  of 
beginning ;  anything  hereinbefore  contained  to  the  contrary  in  anywise 
notwithstanding. 

Passed  Sept.  10,  1784. 

Thus,  in  the  more  or  less  quaint  phraseology  of  the  time,  was  Mont- 
gomery county  created.  The  boundaries  thus  erected  cause  it  to  be 
bounded  on  the  southeast  by  the  line  of  the  City  and  County  of  Phil- 
adelphia ;  on  the  northeast  by  Bucks ;  on  the  north  and  northwest  by 
Lehigh  and  Berks ;  and  on  the  west  and  southwest  by  Chester  and  Del- 
aware counties.  Its  greatest  length  is  thirty  miles,  running  from  the 
southeast  to  the  northwest  lines.  Its  greatest  breadth  is  about  fifteen 
miles  from  the  northeast  to  the  southwest  lines.  The  county  has  an 
approximate  area  of  473  square  miles,  or  by  the  usual  farm  measurement, 
303,080  acres. 

Topographically,  the  entire  county  is  a  series  of  hills  and  valleys. 
Many  of  the  hills  attain  the  eminence  of  small  mountains,  chief  among 
the  latter  being  those  which  constitute  the  historic  and  sacred  Valley 
Forge,  the  presence  of  which  within  the  boundary  lines  draws  to  Mont- 
gomery county  visitors  from  not  only  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  but 
from  all  over  the  civilized  world.     Also  in  the  "mountain"  class  are 


4  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

many  which  border  upon  the  Perkiomen  creek,  and  which  have  aided 
within  the  last  decade  to  transform  the  Perkiomen  region  into  a  typical 
summer  resort  frequented  during  the  vacation  months  by  many  thou- 
sands of  visitors  chiefly  from  Philadelphia,  mostly  of  the  working  class, 
who  here  find  means  of  recreation  at  a  price  within  their  modest  means. 

With  the  exception  of  the  hilly  country  of  the  character  just  referred 
to,  the  entire  rural  territory  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  although  the 
last  twenty  years  has  changed  the  county  from  chiefly  a  rural  district 
of  Pennsylvania  to  a  manufacturing  and  high-class  residential  district. 
The  many  large  towns  have  been  built  up  around  great  manufacturing 
concerns,  while  the  lower  end  is  almost  solidly  built  up  with  the  great 
mansions  of  the  extremely  wealthy,  interspersed  with  communities  made 
up  of  the  beautiful  but  less  pretentious  homes  of  the  well-to-do  but  non- 
plutocratic  class.  Most  of  these  residents  of  the  county  have  their  busi- 
ness places  in  Philadelphia,  and  commute  daily. 

The  Schuylkill  river  forms  the  southwestern  boundary  line  between 
Montgomery  and  Chester  counties  until  it  reaches  the  Merion  town- 
ships; from  thence  it  passes  through  the  country  in  a  southeasterly 
course  until  it  reaches  the  Philadelphia  line.  The  county  is  watered  by 
many  streams  flowing  into  the  Schuylkill — the  Wissahickon,  Plymouth, 
Sandy  Run,  Mill,  Rock  Hill,  Gulf,  Valley,  Indian,  Stoney,  Skippack, 
Perkiomen  and  Manantawny  creeks.  The  Pennypack  and  Neshaminy 
creeks  rise  in  Montgomery  county  and  pass  through  Bucks  county  to  the 
Delaware  river.  The  waterflow  and  fall  of  these  streams  and  their  tribu- 
taries, which  form  a  network  of  irrigation,  fed  by  thousands  of  perennial 
springs,  rising  in  every  part  of  the  county,  were  early  utilized  by  the 
settlers,  who  erected  dams  and  built  on  the  shores  many  primitive 
"manufacturies." 

It  was  reported  in  a  paper  published  in  1795  that  there  were  within 
the  confines  of  the  county  96  gristmills,  61  sawmills,  four  forges,  six 
fulling  mills,  and  ten  paper  mills.  Many  of  these  gristmills  existed  prior 
to  and  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  doing  active  service  for  the  con- 
tending armies  while  in  occupancy  of  this  section  of  the  country. 

Very  early  in  its  history  as  a  political  entity,  Montgomery  county 
was  well  traversed  by  public  highways  leading  from  Philadelphia  to 
the  interior  settlements  of  the  State.  The  Lancaster  road,  the  Ridge 
Pike  and  similar  highways,  with  many  parallel  cartways,  opened  up  the 
country  settlements  at  a  very  early  period.  These  trunk  thoroughfares 
were  soon  intersected  by  public  roads  running  from  the  Delaware  to 
the  Schuylkill  river,  increasing  in  number  and  importance  until  the 
region  was  accessible  from  all  points  by  well  graded  roads  leading  in  the 
direction  of  Philadelphia,  then  the  capital  of  the  State,  as  late  as  1799, 
and  the  capital  city  of  the  nation  as  late  as  1800.  Until  the  advent  of  the 
automobile  these  roads  remained  in  the  same  general  condition  as  when 
laid  out  by  the  early  settlers,  but  now  a  number  of  the  State  highways 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  GEOGRAPHY  5 

run  through  this  section,  and  the  surfaces  of  the  chief  thoroughfares  have 
either  been  macadamized  or  concreted  by  the  State  Highways  Depart- 
ment. The  county  government  has  been  equally  assiduous  in  giving  the 
traveling  public  good  roads,  and  many  of  the  county  roads  have  been 
placed  in  the  same  high  class  condition  as  the  State  roads,  and  more 
mileage  is  being  added  to  the  class  of  "good  roads"  every  year. 

In  miniature  the  general  conformation  of  the  surface  of  the  county 
repeats  that  which  has  rendered  the  natural  scenery  of  New  York,  Penn- 
sylvania, Maryland,  and  West  Virginia  so  notable.  The  ranges  of  hills 
run  uniformly  northeast  and  southwest,  as  do  the  more  distant  lines  of 
the  Catskills,  Blue  Ridge,  and  Alleghenies.  As  the  Hudson  river  forces 
itself  through  the  Narrows,  the  Delaware  at  the  Water  Gap,  the  Sus- 
quehanna between  Harrisburg  and  Port  Deposit,  the  Potomac  at  Har- 
per's Ferry,  so  the  Schuylkill  river  in  finding  its  way  to  the  Delaware, 
in  the  same  direction,  cuts  its  way  through  rock  hills  at  Conshohocken 
and  again  at  Fairmount,  Philadelphia. 

Originally  the  county  was  heavily  timbered  with  oak,  hickory  and 
chestnut.  The  consumption  of  wood  for  fuel  prior  to  the  introduction  of 
anthracite  and  bituminous  coal,  was  very  great  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania. 
Large  quantities  were  used  in  making  charcoal  for  furnaces ;  lime  was 
made  by  use  of  wood  for  fuel ;  every  household  had  its  woodpile,  while 
the  supply  for  Philadelphia  constituted  a  profitable  business  for  many 
owning  and  residing  on  lands  within  twenty  or  thirty  miles  of  the  city. 
There  was  a  time,  but  it  is  not  now  within  the  memory  of  any  one  living 
in  the  county,  when  it  was  part  of  the  work  of  each  succeeding  year  to 
clear  one  or  more  acres  of  woodland,  and  the  wood  sold  counted  as  part 
of  the  profits  of  the  farm.  This  wealth  of  primitive  forest  was  the  foun- 
dation of  many  substantial  fortunes,  the  purchase  of  woodland,  its  clear- 
age  and  sale  of  timber  paying  for  the  farm,  and  incidentally  opening  up 
the  way  for  the  growing  of  crops  on  rich  ground  that  required  no  fertil- 
ization for  years.  It  has  been  said  by  a  writer  of  this  period  that  this 
"new  land"  as  it  was  called  was  a  test  of  the  character  of  the  owner.  If 
he  was  a  provident,  industrious  man,  his  "new  land"  would  soon  blossom 
with  crops.  If  he  were  thriftless,  selling  his  wood  to  pay  taxes  and 
incidental  expenses  of  his  attendance  upon  militia  training,  horse  races 
and  other  functions  which  made  up  the  "sporting  life"  of  the  day,  his 
new  land  would  remain  uncultivated  and  overgrown  with  briers  and 
brush. 

Seventy-five  or  more  years  ago  farms  denuded  of  woodland  were 
exceptional,  and  their  market  value  greatly  depreciated.  The  old-time 
farmer  of  Montgomery  county  took  a  commendable  pride  in  maintain- 
ing from  ten  to  twenty  acres  of  primitive  forest.  It  was  useful  in  many 
ways — for  fuel,  building  and  fencing,  and  probably  had  a  charm  for  him 
aside  from  its  utilitarian  aspect.  It  was  these  patches  of  woodland  that 
preserved  for  many  years  the  haunts  of  game  and  made  the  county  a 


6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

paradise  for  hunters.  But  these  conditions  disappeared  a  half  century 
ago,  and  nowadays  the  owner  of  a  farm  or  a  country  estate  reverses  the 
ancient  process,  and  spends  large  sums  of  money  to  restore  woodlands 
instead  of  making  money  by  their  sale. 

In  different  parts  of  the  county  the  surface  soil  varies  greatly.  In 
passing  inland  from  tidewater  levels,  alluvial  flats  and  submarine  for- 
mations, rockfaced  bluffs  are  found  at  Chestnut  Hill,  four  hundred  feet 
above  tidewater  mark.  The  northwestern  slope  of  these  hills  descends 
to  the  basin  of  Plymouth  Valley,  through  which  runs  a  belt  of  limestone 
some  two  miles  in  width,  with  rich  beds  of  menatite  iron  ore,  white  and 
blue  marble,  limestone,  soapstone,  and  large  masses  of  gray  rock  easily 
quarried  and  largely  used  in  heavy  masonry.  This  limestone  belt  crosses 
the  Schuylkill  river  between  Conshohocken  and  Swedes  Ford,  and 
extends  in  a  westerly  direction  to  Howeltown,  in  the  Schuylkill  Valley. 
The  soil  of  this  locality  is  very  productive,  and  is  considered  by  many 
the  most  valuable  in  the  county  for  agricultural  purposes.  Contiguous 
to  the  Plymouth  Valley  are  the  Sandy  Hills,  a  light  luminous  soil,  easily 
worked  and  productive,  but  often  seriously  affected  by  drought. 

The  rolling  lands  northwest  of  the  valley,  drained  by  Indian,  Skip- 
pack,  Perkiomen,  and  Manatawney  creeks  and  their  tributaries,  are 
principally  of  the  red  shales  and  sandstones  of  the  "middle  secondary 
formation,"  with  many  intervening  areas  of  clay  soil.  The  primitive 
condition  of  this  soil  was  unproductive  as  compared  with  that  of  the 
Schuylkill  and  Plymouth  valleys,  but  under  the  skillful  treatment  of 
long  generations  of  practical  and  efficient  farmers  and  a  liberal  use  of 
fertilizers,  this  vast  region  of  country  yields  abundant  harvests  and 
supports  a  prosperous  farming  population. 

As  a  result  of  generations  of  successive  ownership  of  the  original 
territory,  it  has  been  pretty  well  subdivided,  as  the  records  of  any  title 
insurance  company  will  show.  In  1681  it  consisted  of  manors  and  large 
tracts,  or  proprietary  grants,  held  by  comparatively  few  persons,  who 
lived  a  frontier  life  in  almost  daily  contact  with  members  of  various 
tribes  of  Indians.  Since  then  its  broad  acres,  due  to  the  operation  of 
American  laws  which  forbid  the  descent  of  estates  as  a  whole  along  a 
direct  line  beyond  the  second  generation  of  the  devisee,  have  been  cut 
into  comparatively  infinitesimal  bits,  and  now  thousands  own  that 
which  in  the  early  days  belonged  to  but  one. 

Macadamized  highways  from  tidewater  to  the  interior  marked  the 
first  era  of  public  improvements.  So  far  as  their  routes  are  concerned, 
these  highways  still  exist,  monuments  to  the  early  engineers  who  graded 
them  over  hills  and  mountains.  But  only  the  lines  of  the  roads  remain 
as  a  memorial.  The  old-time  surfaces  would  not  last  a  day  under  the 
stress  of  modern  motor  car  travel.  In  their  early  days,  there  were  but 
few  bridges,  most  of  the  highways  being  directed  so  as  to  cross  rivers 
and  creeks  at  shallow  water.    But  the  increase  of  traffic  on  these  roads, 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  GEOGRAPHY  7 

particularly  freight  traffic  in  the  old  Conestoga  wagons — the  precursors 
of  the  modern  motor  truck — soon  induced  the  bridging  of  all  important 
streams  on  the  main  highways. 

The  Schuylkill  river  was  next  the  subject  of  public  improvement,  and 
by  a  system  of  dams,  locks  and  canals  connected  it  with  the  Susque- 
hanna, by  means  of  which  lumber,  coal  and  all  manner  of  merchandise 
found  its  way  through  Montgomery  county  to  Philadelphia.  There 
were  also  passenger  boats,  known  as  the  "fast  packet  line,"  now  not 
even  a  memory  in  a  human  mind,  although  an  occasional  freight  or  coal 
boat  may  be  seen.  Many  travelers  used  these  packet  boats,  which  were 
drawn  by  frequent  changes  of  horses  at  a  trot ;  and  old  letters  reveal 
the  fact  that  the  tourists  of  those  days  considered  this  method  of  trans- 
portation a  far  more  luxurious  and  pleasant  way  of  going  from  point  to 
point  than  by  stage  coach.  This  system  of  navigation  now  exists  on  the 
Schuylkill  only  in  theory.  Passenger  travel  was  long  ago  abandoned, 
and  even  for  freight  it  is  non-existent,  except  that  the  canal  company 
runs  just  enough  boats  in  a  year  in  order  to  maintain  its  charter  rights 
and  prevent  its  being  seized  by  a  corporation  that  would  run  freight 
boats  in  competition  with  the  railroads,  at  a  much  lower  tariff,  as  is  the 
case  in  territory  where  such  competition  exists.  The  canal,  so  far  as 
Montgomery  county  is  concerned,  is  therefore  no  longer  a  rival  of  the 
railroad  for  mail,  freight  or  passenger  traffic,  not  to  speak  of  motor 
traffic  on  the  highways. 

The  canal  first  sank  into  desuetude  when  the  use  of  steam  opened 
up  a  new  era  of  public  improvement.  The  construction  of  railroads 
speedily  followed  until  Montgomery  county  became  almost  a  gridiron  of 
iron  rails.  The  county  is  traversed  by  two  great  systems — the  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading,  with  their  subsidiaries.  Then 
came  electric  power,  with  the  result  that  there  are  but  few  communities 
in  the  county  that  are  not  connected  more  or  less  directly  by  trolley 
roads.  The  Philadelphia  &  Western  railroad,  which  runs  between 
Norristown  and  69th  street  in  Philadelphia,  is  a  third-rail  electric  system 
that  rivals  in  speed  and  comfort  the  steam  trains.  While  steam  and 
electricity  are  now  the  main  sources  of  power  for  the  operation  of  the 
county's  many  great  industries,  the  surface  elevations  and  topographical 
structure  of  the  district  in  the  early  days  and  even  up  to  a  comparatively 
recent  period  was  greatly  contributory  to  the  growth  and  development 
of  the  region  by  utilizing  its  flowing  waters  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
pelling mill  wheels. 

With  great  precision  the  true  latitude  and  longitude  of  Montgomery 
county  was  ascertained  by  David  Rittenhouse  and  his  distinguished  scien- 
tific contemporaries  at  some  period  between  1769  and  1770.  The  astro- 
nomical observations  which  preceded  the  terrestrial  measurements  were 
made  taking  the  Norriton  Observatory  as  a  place  of  beginning.  The 
extraordinary   importance  attached  at   the  time  to  the   work  of  these 


8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

learned  men,  and  the  high  standard  of  authority  conceded  to  them  by 
their  successors,  renders  some  account  of  their  labors  and  the  circum- 
stances connected  with  the  event,  of  interest  to  the  historical  investigator. 

By  judicial  proceedings  in  1730,  Norriton  township  was  created,  at 
that  time  becoming  a  geographical  subdivision  of  Philadelphia,  and 
enjoyed  at  the  time  a  worldwide  celebrity  in  having  had  situated  within 
its  borders  the  "Norriton  Observatory,"  at  which  place  astronomical 
observations  were  made  and  reported  as  "An  Account  of  the  Transit  of 
Venus  over  the  Sun's  Disk,  observed  at  Norriton,  in  the  County  of  Phil- 
adelphia and  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  June  3,  1769." 

It  was  at  the  point  where  then  stood  the  Norriton  Observatory  that 
David  Rittenhouse,  assisted  by  Archibald  McKean  and  Jesse  Lukens, 
met  on  July  2,  1770,  to  commence  the  work  of  surveying  a  line  from 
the  Observatory  to  the  State  House  Square  in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Rit- 
tenhouse having  ascertained  the  latitude  and  longitude  at  the  point  with 
acknowledged  precision,  and  his  reputation  for  exactness  in  all  astro- 
nomical observations  and  calculations  being  duly  credited  in  scientific 
and  official  circles  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  he  was  elected  to  report 
the  difference  of  latitude  and  longitude  between  the  Norriton  Observa- 
tory and  the  State  House  Square  at  Philadelphia,  and  harmonize  the 
work  with  that  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  observatory  at  the  south  point  of 
that  city. 

The  first  description  and  catalogue  of  the  plants  of  Montgomery 
county  was  effected  by  Dr.  P.  Y.  Eisenberg,  and  was  given  in  full  in 
Bean's  "History  of  Montgomery  County"  (1884),  found  in  any  public 
library.  There  the  Doctor  classified  more  than  seven  hundred  species 
of  flowering  plants,  and  thirty-three  species  of  the  flowerless  plants. 
This  work  makes  a  highly  interesting  and  authentic  study  of  the  county's 
plant  life. 

The  animal  life  or  zoology  of  Montgomery  county  has  only  been 
thoroughly  handled  by  William  J.  Buck,  whose  catalogue  of  quadrupeds 
contains  thirty-five  species,  embracing  eight  kinds  of  bats,  three  of 
shrews,  five  of  squirrels,  the  wild-cat,  the  rats  come  in  for  seven  species ; 
the  red  fox,  weasel,  mink,  otter,  skunk,  raccoon,  and  opossum.  Mr. 
Buck  gives  us  in  his  catalogue  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  species  of 
birds  and  embraces  thirteen  kinds  of  hawks,  two  of  eagles,  eight  of  owls, 
two  of  cuckoos,  eight  of  woodpeckers,  six  of  swallows,  seven  of  herons, 
nine  of  fly-catchers,  four  of  thrushes,  twenty-one  of  warblers,  eight  of 
wrens,  ten  of  sparrows,  three  of  plover,  five  of  snipe,  five  of  sandpipers, 
four  of  rails,  fifteen  of  ducks,  three  of  geese,  three  of  gulls,  three  of 
grebes,  two  of  blackbirds,  two  of  crows,  two  of  orioles,  two  of  robins. 
He  also  has  in  his  list  of  birds  of  this  county,  the  turkey  buzzard,  hum- 
ming bird,  whip-poor-will,  kingfisher,  pewee,  blue  bird,  great  shrike,  or 
butcher  bird,  creeper,  nuthatch,  red  bird,  yellow  bird,  linnet,  finch,  indigo 
bird,  cow  bird,  meadow  lark,  wild  pigeon,  turtle  dove,  pheasant,  par- 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  GEOGRAPHY  9 

tridge,  snake  driver,  killdeer,  turnstone,  swan,  coot,  loon,  and  pelican. 
Of  reptiles  is  given  thirty-three  species  known  to  be  common  here.  The 
rattlesnake  and  copperhead  are  quite  common,  or  were  in  earlier  years, 
but  now  foi'tunately  are  rapidly  becoming  extinct.  Mr.  Buck  names  a 
dozen  kind  of  snakes,  eight  of  turtles,  eight  of  frogs,  two  of  lizards,  and 
six  kinds  of  salamanders.  Of  fishes  are  given  twenty-five,  including  the 
sunfish,  bass,  perch,  trout,  chub,  roach,  sucker,  catfish,  carp,  eel,  and 
lamprey. 


CHAPTER  II. 
GEOLOGY,  MINING,  ETC. 

From  time  to  time  at  various  places  throughout  the  county,  various 
precious  metals  have  been  found,  but  in  such  small  quantities  that  their 
discovery  never  attained  a  commercial  possibility.  Their  presence 
therefore  savors  more  of  scientific  interest  than  of  practical  value  to 
the  community.  Gold,  for  instance,  has  been  found  by  geologists 
throughout  the  county,  but  mainly  in  what  the  scientists  call  the  Azoic 
rocks,  the  most  antique  formation  known  to  the  student.  Particularly 
has  the  presence  of  this  metal  been  detected  in  the  river  sands  or 
alluvial  deposits  which  have  been  formed  by  the  disintegration  of  these 
old  formations. 

The  lower  end  of  the  county  from  the  Philadelphia  city  line  to  Con- 
shohocken  is  made  up  almost  entirely  of  strata  of  these  oldest  rocks,  but 
only  slight  traces  of  gold  have  been  found  therein,  although,  according 
to  tradition,  many  years  ago  a  number  of  attempts  were  made  by  the 
"get-rich-quick"  promoters  of  the  day  to  capitalize  these  finds.  Accord- 
ing to  Bean's  history.  Dr.  Charles  M.  Wetherill  found  traces  of  gold  on 
the  property  of  a  Mr.  Yoder,  in  Franconia  township.  The  gold  was 
found  in  quartz  rock  and  in  iron  pyrites.  In  the  sand  and  gravel  thrown 
out  while  digging  a  well  he  found  brilliant  scales  of  gold.  From  an 
analysis  he  found  that  every  hundred  pounds  of  gravel  contained  gold 
worth  26^  cents. 

Of  silver,  like  gold,  only  traces  have  been  found,  associated  with  a 
sulphide  of  lead.  This  lead  ore  holding  silver  was  found  at  the  Ecton 
mine,  Shannonville,  about  four  miles  from  Norristown,  but  this  mine 
was  abandoned  about  the  time  of  the  Civil  War.  The  ores  from  this 
mine  when  they  were  assayed  for  silver,  yielded  only  from  five  to  ten 
ounces  of  silver  per  ton  of  ore. 

It  was  at  this  mine  and  the  vicinity  that  the  greatest  traces  of  copper 
have  been  found.  As  early  as  1800  it  was  known  that  copper  ore  existed 
in  this  locality.  Neither  tradition  nor  documentary  evidence  tells  with 
any  degree  of  certainty  who  first  discovered  the  ore  or  who  it  was  who 
sunk  the  first  shaft  or  mined  the  ore  in  this  vicinity.  On  the  well  known 
Wetherill  estate,  ore  was  first  discovered  by  some  teamsters,  it  having 
been  turned  up  with  the  mud  by  the  wheels  of  their  heavy  wagons. 
Stephen  Girard,  one  of  the  pioneer  exploiters  of  the  day,  became  inter- 
ested in  these  surface  indications  and  he  had  a  shaft  sunk,  but  the  effort 
was  without  practical  value.  Some  ore  was  taken  out,  together  with 
some  lead  ore,  but  neither  in  quantities  to  warrant  the  continuance  of 
the  operation.  With  similar  results,  so  far  as  practicality  is  concerned, 
Samuel  Wetherill  sunk  shafts  along  the  Perkiomen  creek  near  Wether- 


12  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

ill's  mill.  Of  the  only  extensive  operation  to  mine  copper  in  the  county, 
and  the  only  one  that  gave  even  a  promise  of  profitable  results,  Bean's 
history  interestingly  narrates: 

From  time  to  time  copper  ore  had  been  found  in  considerable  quan- 
tities at  Shannonville,  along  the  creek  which  empties  into  the  Perkiomen. 
Several  parties  became  interested  at  different  times  in  these  deposits. 
At  last  the  ore  was  found  in  such  abundance  and  the  indications  were 
so  promising,  that  the  attention  of  practical  miners  was  directed  to  this 
locality.  About  the  year  1829,  John  and  Robert  Rowe,  who  were  Eng- 
lish miners  from  the  Cornwall  mines,  became  interested  in  these  mines 
and  sunk  shafts.  They  obtained  copper  ore  of  a  good  quality.  The 
mines  changed  hands  several  times  during  the  next  twenty  years.  The 
Ecton  mine  was  managed  by  the  Ecton  Consolidated  Mining  Company, 
who  sunk  a  shaft  two  hundred  and  forty  feet  deep,  and  drove  a  few 
levels. 

The  Perkiomen  mine  was  managed  by  the  Perkiomen  Mining  Asso- 
ciation, who  sunk  a  shaft  over  three  hundred  feet  deep  and  mined  much 
more  successfully  and  extensively  than  the  Ecton  company.  They 
erected  Cornish  pumping  engines  of  great  value,  and  were  provided  with 
all  the  necessary  running  machinery.  These  two  companies  were  finally 
bought  out  by  a  new  company,  known  as  the  Perkiomen  Consolidated 
Mining  Company.  They  purchased  the  real  estate,  mines,  machinery 
and  other  property  of  the  Perkiomen  Mining  Association  for  the  sum 
of  $iog,ooo,  and  the  property  of  the  Ecton  Association  for  $111,000. 
This  new  company  carried  on  mining  operations  very  extensively. 

It  was  a  stock  company.  George  Cadwalader,  of  Philadelphia,  was 
president,  and  Samuel  Wilcox  secretary.  The  directors  were  George 
Cadwalader,  Charles  Macalester,  David  Longacre,  of  Lancaster,  and  Sam- 
uel F.  Tracey  and  Horatio  Allen,  of  New  York.  The  company  was 
organized  in  1852,  and  they  issued  fifty  thousand  shares  of  stock ;  the 
par  value  of  each  share  was  six  dollars.  At  the  Perkiomen  shaft  there 
was  some  valuable  machinery — a  fifty-inch  cylinder  Cornish  pumping 
engine  of  one  hundred  horse-power;  at  the  Ecton  shaft  a  one  hundred 
horse-power  high-pressure  pumping  engine,  twenty  and  a  half  inch  cyl- 
inder. Besides  these  pumping  engines  there  was  a  whim  engine  at  both 
these  mines.  Powerful  crushers  were  in  the  mine,  and  other  machinery 
at  the  surface,  such  as  tram  roads  and  wagons,  capstans  and  shears, 
whims  and  whim  chains,  pulley  stands,  etc.  The  value  of  the  machinery 
at  the  surface  was  $30,212;  the  value  of  the  underground  machinery — 
plungers  and  drawing  lifts,  main  rods,  bobs,  ladders,  bucket  rods,  etc. — 
was  about  $9,842. 

The  Perkiomen  mine  was  located  on  low  ground  near  the  creek, 
while  the  Ecton  mine  was  situated  on  high  ground  about  eighteen  hun- 
dred feet  distant.  The  method  of  mining  was  to  sink  shafts  and  then  to 
drive  levels  in  the  direction  of  the  ore.  When  a  bed  of  ore  was  reached 
it  would  be  taken  out,  and  this  would  leave  an  open  chamber  of  rock 
known  as  a  stope.  *  *  *  After  the  main  shaft  of  the  Perkiomen 
mine  had  been  sunk  two  hundred  and  forty  feet,  and  the  main  shaft  of 
the  Ecton  mine  had  reached  a  depth  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  feet,  it 
was  determined  to  connect  these  two  shafts  by  a  level  or  tunnel  which 
would  be  eighteen  hundred  feet  in  length.  This  level  was  afterwards 
completed,  and  the  mines  were  connected  underground.     *     *     * 


GEOLOGY,  MINLNG,  ETC.  13 

But  few  lodes  or  mineral  veins  were  found  in  the  Ecton  mine.  The 
miners  were  Englishmen  who  had  been  brought  over  from  the  Cornwall 
mines  in  England.  In  1852  about  two  hundred  men  were  employed  at 
the  mines.  The  miners  were  not  under  a  regular  salary  by  the  week  or 
month,  but  a  number  of  them  would  club  together  and  agree  to  extend 
a  level  or  a  stope  so  many  feet  for  a  certain  sum.  This  method  of  work- 
ing sometimes  proved  profitable  to  the  men,  but  occasionally  they  would 
be  losers  by  the  contract.  The  men  went  to  work  in  the  mines  with 
candles  in  their  hats,  which  is  a  rather  primitive  mode  of  illumination. 
One  great  difficulty  they  had  to  contend  with  was  the  water  which  accu- 
mulated in  the  shafts  and  interfered  with  their  mining.  The  pumping 
engines  at  both  shafts  were  kept  at  work  draining  the  mines.  The 
farmers  in  the  vicinity,  also,  were  sorely  tried,  as  their  wells  were  drained 
dry,  and  no  water  could  be  procured  unless  it  was  pumped  from  the 
mines. 

Charles  M.  Wheatley,  who  was  manager  in  185 1,  says  that  "all  per- 
sons acquainted  with  mining  operations  that  have  examined  the  work- 
ings at  Perkiomen  have  expressed  astonishment  at  the  regularity,  size, 
strength  and  productiveness  of  the  veins,  and  the  high  percentage  of 
copper  ore  obtained  from  them.  The  Perkiomen  is  the  first  regular 
copper  lode  opened  in  this  country,  and  bears  a  true  resemblance  to  the 
Cornish  system." 

Professor  H.  D.  Rogers,  former  State  Geologist,  in  speaking  of  the 
mines  says:  "I  hesitate  not  to  declare  that  I  entertain  a  very  firm  belief 
that  your  region  is  destined  to  become  an  important  mining  district  and 
that  ores  of  lead  and  copper  will  return  remunerative  profits  upon  the 
exercise  of  skill  and  prudence.  The  remarkable  regularity  and  parallel- 
lism  of  the  lodes  is  an  excellent  indication  of  their  consistency.  Another 
fact  is  the  exceedingly  well  defined  character  of  these  mineral  lodes, 
which  do  not  spread  or  lose  themselves  or  their  ores  in  the  adjoining 
strata,  but  insulate  themselves  from  the  rocks  of  the  country  by  plainly 
marked  parallel  walls,  between  which  all  the  metallic  ores  of  the  region 
and  associated  gauge  stones  are  found.  The  veins  are  true  and  regular 
metalliferous  lodes.  A  very  important  features  is  the  gradation  in  pass- 
ing downwards  from  the  outcrops  of  these  veins.  First  we  have  only 
the  vein  stones,  the  metals  being  weathered  out  or  dissolved ;  then  at  a 
few  fathoms  below  the  surface  we  find  mingled  with  these  vein  stones 
iho.^^e  metallic  ores  of  lead,  copper  and  zinc  which  are  readily  vaporized 
by  heat;  and  deeper  still  the  same  vein  stones  containing  the  sulphurets 
and  other  permanent  ores  of  copper." 

There  were  no  smelting  furnaces  at  the  mines  and  none  of  the  copper 
ores  were  smelted  in  the  neighborhood,  but  were  sent  to  New  York  and 
Baltimore  for  reduction.  The  ore  was  first  sent  to  Umpstead's  landing 
at  Green  Tree,  and  thence  to  Philadelphia  by  canal  boats  and  from  there 
to  New  York.  *  *  *  During  the  year  1853,  143  tons  were  raised,  and 
sold  for  $9989.39.     *     *     * 

The  mines  were  worked  until  the  year  1858,  when  they  were  closed 
— not  enough  ore  being  taken  out  to  meet  the  running  expenses.  The 
shafts  had  been  sunk  much  deeper,  that  of  the  Perkiomen  mine  being 
over  four  hundred  and  eighty  feet  in  depth,  while  that  of  the  Ecton  was 
over  six  hundred  feet  deep.  The  mines  from  the  time  they  were  opened 
until  they  were  closed  never  paid  the  amount  of  money  invested  in  them. 
Many  interested  in  the  mines  were  heavy  losers.     It  is  said  that  George 


14  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Cadwalader,  of  Philadelphia,  who  was  president  of  the  company  in  1851, 
invested  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  many  others  invested  large 
sums  in  the  enterprise.  It  seems  to  be  the  general  opinion  that  the  mines 
were  managed  extravagantly  and  without  prudence,  and  that  there  were 
too  many  needless  ofificers  drawing  high  salaries.  In  1856  a  quantity  of 
refuse  ore  was  worked  at  a  profit  by  C.  M.  Wheatley,  of  Phoenixville, 
and  Captain  Cocking,  of  Cornwall,  England. 

The  property  was  subsequently  purchased  by  Richard  Ricard,  of 
New  York,  for  $40,000.  Plain  traces  of  the  mining  operations  can  still 
be  seen  by  the  curious  in  the  shape  of  piles  of  debris  near  the  openings 
of  the  shafts  and  the  latter  themselves.  The  buildings  and  machinery, 
of  course,  long  ago  fell  into  decay. 

Another  copper  mining  operation  of  the  early  days  but  on  a  much 
smaller  scale,  was  in  upper  Salford  township.  This  vein  of  copper  ore 
was  found  on  Abraham  Kober's  farm,  in  the  vicinity  of  Sumneytown. 
The  ore  was  first  discovered  on  the  surface  in  a  small  outcrop,  and  these 
surface  indications  led  to  further  developments.  Excavations  were 
immediately  begun,  and  at  a  depth  of  fifteen  feet  a  vein  eight  inches  in 
thickness  was  discovered.  Shortly  after  this  discovery,  the  farm  was 
leased  by  Samuel  Milligan,  of  Phoenixville,  who  set  a  force  of  men 
digging  deeper,  and  finally  a  rich  vein  of  ore  was  reached,  which  at  the 
beginning  was  only  an  inch  in  thickness,  but  which  increased  in  width 
until  a  thickness  of  three  feet  was  reached.  About  four  tons  of  copper 
ore  was  taken  out.  Some  native  copper  was  also  found  in  small  quanti- 
ties. The  mine  was  also  finally  abandoned,  as  the  process  was  expen- 
sive, and  the  manifestation  was  merely  superficial,  no  ore  at  all  being 
found  below  a  depth  of  thirty  feet.  Operations  at  this  mine  were  first 
begun  in  1878,  and  the  mine  abandoned  in  1880.  The  old  reports  state 
that  while  the  ore  was  of  very  fine  quality,  it  did  not  exist  in  paying 
quantities.  Another  locality  where  copper  was  found  but  never  mined 
commercially,  was  about  one  and  a  half  miles  below  Norristown,  along 
the  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  railroad.  This  was  but  a  small  deposit  in 
the  limestone  belt,  and  was  thrown  out  by  a  dynamite  blast  when  the 
railroad  was  being  built. 

There  are  but  slight  traces  of  tin  in  Montgomery  county,  and  this 
was  found  before  the  Civil  War  in  a  native  state  of  purity  in  the  gravel 
of  Franconia  township.  The  largest  pieces  were  found  adhering  to  the 
gravel  and  forming  a  rounded  mass  of  white  malleable  metal,  which  was 
analyzed  and  found  to  be  pure  tin. 

The  chief  mineral  mining  industry  of  Montgomery  county  is,  how- 
ever, and  always  was,  the  extraction  from  the  earth  of  iron  ore.  No 
very  important  deposits  of  magnetic  ore  have  been  found  in  the  county. 
At  the  soapstone  quarries  near  Lafayette,  now  called  Miquon,  and  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  near  an  abandoned  soapstone  quarry  there 
have  been  found  some  slight  deposits.    In  many  of  the  creeks  and  in  the 


GEOLOGY,  MINING,  ETC.  15 

Schuylkill  at  places  have  been  found  traces  of  the  crystals.  What  is 
known  as  brown  hematite  is  a  common  iron  ore  in  the  county,  and  many 
thousand  tons  of  it  have  been  mined.  The  ore  occurs  in  the  limestone 
belt  from  Edge  Hill  westward  to  the  Chester  county  line.  It  is  also 
found  in  extensive  deposits  of  clay.  It  is  said  that  the  first  ore  ever  dug 
in  the  county  was  near  Spring  Mill,  on  the  farm  of  J.  Kirkner,  in  1828. 
From  the  mines  near  Marble  Hall,  immense  quantities  of  ore  have  been 
taken.  Other  parts  of  the  county  were  marked  by  iron  ore  deposits,  but 
most  of  these  have  been  worked  out,  and  only  the  huge  craters  remain  to 
tell  the  tale  of  what  an  important  industry  this  once  was. 

The  iron  ore  belt  began  in  the  neighborhood  of  Edge  Hill  and  Ore- 
land.  The  next  important  deposits  were  in  the  vicinity  of  Marble  Hall, 
and  were  owned  by  Daniel  O.  Hitner.  The  next  neighborhood  in  the 
limestone  valley  where  iron  ore  was  dug  in  extensive  quantities,  was  at 
the  Tracey  iron  ore  pit,  about  one  mile  east  of  Conshohocken.  There  is 
still  one  large  open  pit  where  the  ore  was  formerly  dug,  which  showed 
the  crude  way  in  which  the  ore  was  mined  in  the  early  days.  Shafts  are 
now  sunk  vertically,  and  when  a  deposit  of  ore  is  found,  the  opening  is 
made  in  the  direction  in  which  the  ore  extends. 

There  was  also  a  deposit  of  iron  ore  between  Potts  Landing  and  Har- 
manville,  and  one  of  the  last  big  deposits  to  be  opened  there  was  in 
August,  1883.  The  ore  was  found  a  few  feet  from  the  surface,  in  the 
clay.  Another  mine  that  was  opened  in  1872  that  gave  more  promises 
than  performance  was  that  on  the  property  of  William  Wills,  near  the 
Ridge  Pike,  on  the  Plymouth  railroad.  Ore  was  first  dug  here  in  1872, 
and  the  mines  were  shortly  afterwards  bought  by  the  Phoenix  Iron 
Company,  who  went  to  considerable  expense  in  erecting  machinery  and 
engines.  It  appeared,  however,  that  the  project  was  not  a  paying  one, 
and  finally  the  place  was  abandoned. 

West  of  the  Schuylkill  river,  in  Upper  Merion  township,  are  or  rather, 
were,  extensive  deposits  of  iron  ore,  which  were  worked  years  ago.  Be- 
tween Henderson  Station  and  the  Gulf  Mills  there  are  many  abandoned 
ore  pits  which  show  the  direction  of  the  iron  ore  belt.  A  short  distance 
from  Henderson's  marble  quarries  ore  was  at  one  time  mined  quite 
extensively.  Engines,  washers  and  screen  were  used,  as  the  ore  was 
mixed  with  a  large  amount  of  clay.  It  was  screened  and  washed  before 
being  sent  to  the  blast  furnaces.  Many  of  these  pits  are  exhausted  and 
practically  all  the  remainder  abandoned. 

Even  coal  has  been  found  in  Montgomery  county,  but  never  in  work- 
able quantities.  One  deposit  was  found  in  Norristown  years  ago,  on 
Elm  street,  near  Markley,  about  twelve  feet  below  the  surface  when  the 
street  was  first  graded.  The  vein  was  in  what  the  geologists  call  new 
red  sandstone,  extended  but  a  few  feet,  and  was  not  very  thick.  Samples 
were  sent  to  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  It  burnt  very  well,  was 
of  a  deep  black  color,  with  a  somewhat  pitchy  appearance,  and  was  verv 


i6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

brittle.  Similar  traces  oi  coal  have  also  been  found  in  Gwynedd  and  in 
Lower  Providence. 

Many  fossil  remains  of  plant  and  animal  life  have  been  found  in  the 
red  shale  and  sandstone  foundations.  This  rock  covers  the  upper  and 
middle  portions  of  the  county,  and  the  remains  are  very  interesting  and 
instructive.  The  reptilian  relics  found  in  Montgomery  county  are  the 
teeth  and  bones  of  large  lizard-like  animals  which  lived  in  the  ancient 
seas.  These  remains  have  been  found  to  a  considerable  extent  in  the 
Phoenixville  tunnel.  Specimens  of  coprolite  have  also  been  found  in 
the  same  rock.  The  vertebral  bones  of  these  large  lizard-like  reptiles 
are  slightly  concave,  or  hollowed  out  at  their  articulating  surfaces. 
Remains  of  fishes,  belonging  to  the  order  known  as  ganoids,  have  also 
been  found  in  this  tunnel.  These  are  fishes  which  have  a  cartilaginous 
skeleton,  and  are  covered  with  enameled  scales  or  bony  plates.  The 
sturgeons  and  gar-pikes  are  living  examples  of  this  ancient  order. 
Batrician  remains,  such  as  bones  and  teeth,  are  found  in  this  locality. 

Specimens  of  coniferous  wood,  either  petrified,  or  having  the  nature 
of  coal,  and  still  retaining  the  woody  structure,  have  been  found.  This 
substance  is  technically  known  as  lignite,  and  has  been  found  in  Ply- 
mouth creek,  below  Norristown.  In  the  small  coal  vein  previously 
referred  to,  on  Elm  street,  Norristown,  a  piece  of  sandstone  was  found 
in  the  bottom  of  the  vein,  which  bore  the  imprint  of  a  fossil  plant.  Near 
Gwynedd  was  found  on  one  occasion  a  bed  of  carbonaceous  shale  which 
contained  vegetable  remains. 

Montgomery  county  has  the  honor,  geologically  speaking,  of  having 
given  to  science  the  oldest  fossil  remains  yet  found  in  Pennsylvania.  It 
is  known  technically  as  Scolithus  linearis,  and  was  found  in  the  Pottsdam 
sandstone  at  Edge  Hill  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Willow  Grove  and  Rubicam 
station.  It  consists  of  a  straight,  cylindrical,  stem-like  impression  in 
the  sandstone,  usually  smooth,  but  sometimes  grooved  transversely  to 
its  axis.  Its  diameter  varies  from  one-eighth  to  half  an  inch,  and  its 
length  from  a  few  inches  to  two  or  three  feet.  Its  position  in  the  rock  is 
perpendicular  to  the  bedding,  and  from  this  fact  many  think  that  the 
impression  was  produced  by  the  boring  of  a  marine  worm.  The  end  of 
the  fossil  terminates  in  a  head,  which  is  always  found  at  the  upper  sur- 
face of  the  sandstone  enclosing  it.    The  impression  looks  like  a  large  pin. 

The  most  notable  find  of  fossil  remains  in  the  county  was  in  the  bone 
cave  at  Port  Kennedy,  four  miles  from  Norristown.  The  following 
account  of  the  cave  is  taken  from  the  "American  Journal  of  Science  and 
Arts,"  Vol  I,  1871,  p.  235: 

Before  the  discovery  of  the  remains  in  the  Port  Kennedy  cave,  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  walls  had  been  removed  in  quarrying.  A  tooth  of  a 
mastadon  having  been  found  by  one  of'  the  workmen.  Dr.  Quick,  of 
Phoenixville,  showed  it  to  Mr.  Charles  Wheatley,  and  these  two  gentle- 
men immediately  visited  the  cave  and  commenced  the  search  for  the 


GEOLOGY,  MINING,  ETC.  17 

remains.  They  found  one  end  of  the  cave  still  remaining  and  having  the 
form  *  *  *  of  an  oval.  *  *  *  The  width  at  the  top  is  about 
twenty  feet;  below  it  gradually  expands  to  thirty  feet,  and  then  there  is 
a  rapid  contraction  downward  until  at  the  depth  of  about  forty  feet  it  is 
ten  feet  wide.  The  whole  of  the  space  above  this  level  is  filled  with  the 
debris  of  the  adjoining  mesozoic  red  shale,  with  occasional  angular  frag- 
ments of  auroral  limestone,  without  any  trace  of  organic  remains. 
Where  the  cave  narrows  to  ten  feet,  the  floor  is  composed  entirely  of  a 
black  clay  eighteen  inches  thick,  filled  with  leaves,  stems  and  seed  ves- 
sels of  post-tertiary  plants.  Scattered  all  through  this  mass  of  vege- 
table remains,  and  also  in  a  red  tough  clay  underneath  for  six  to  eight 
inches,  are  found  fossils. 

The  remains  were  subsequently  identified  and  found  to  be  numer- 
ous specimens  of  animal,  insect,  reptile  and  plant  life  of  a  prehistoric 
age.  The  remains  of  most  of  the  animals  were  found  in  the  tough  red 
clay  directly  under  the  plant  bed,  but  the  remains  of  the  rodents,  snakes, 
tortoises,  birds,  plants  and  insects,  were  mostly  confined  to  the  plant 
bed. 

Minerals  of  the  non-precious  or  profitable  commercially  type  are 
found  in  great  variety  and  abundance  throughout  the  county.  But  few 
specimens  are  found  in  the  new  red  sandstone  except  in  those  localities 
where  metallic  veins  of  copper  have  been  found.  Here  are  found  not 
only  copper,  but  ores  of  zinc  and  lead.  At  Henderson's  marble  quarry 
near  Bridgeport,  graphite  and  crystals  of  dolomite  have  been  found,  and 
occasionally  small  pieces  of  malachite.  At  Conshohocken,  quartz,  flint, 
chalcedony,  chloritoid  and  cacoxenite  have  been  found ;  at  Bullock's 
quarry,  fobrolite,  calcite,  and  occasionally  a  small  seam  of  iron  pyrites 
have  been  found.  At  the  iron  mines  near  Conshohocken  the  hematite  is 
sometimes  coated  with  a  manganese  mineral  called  pyrolusite.  Edge 
Hill  furnishes  specimens  of  hematite,  braunite,  pyrolusite,  turgite  and 
goethite.  The  soapstone  quarries  when  they  were  operated  at  Lafayette, 
now  Miquon,  yielded  many  mineral  specimens  to  the  searcher  for  geo- 
logical trophies.  On  the  other  side  of  the  river,  at  the  abandoned  soap- 
stone  quarry,  talc,  asbestos  and  very  fine  octahedral  crystals  of  magne- 
tite have  been  found. 

Montgomery  county  excels  in  its  production  of  excellent  building 
stones  and  marbles,  from  which  many  of  its  homes  and  public  buildings 
are  constructed.  The  new  red  sandstone  which  covers  the  greatest  por- 
tion of  the  county,  is  much  used  as  a  building  stone,  and  nearly  all  the 
stone  houses  in  the  upper  section  of  the  county  are  built  of  it.  The 
Potsdam  sandstone,  which  is  found  in  Moreland,  Upper  Dublin,  Spring- 
field, Whitemarsh  and  Plymouth  townships,  is  a  fine  grained,  white  or 
gray  sandstone,  with  scales  of  a  light  colored  mica.  This  stone,  how- 
ever, is  not  in  such  general  use  locally,  especially  in  the  country  dis- 
tricts, as  the  new  red  sandstone,  quarries  of  which  are  worked  in  nearly 
every  township  in  the  northern  and  central  portions  of  the  county.     In 


i8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

some  localities  the  stone  is  white  and  makes  a  beautiful  building  stone. 
The  county's  most  important  building  stone,  however,  is  marble,  the 
many  quarries  throughout  the  district  furnishing  this  building  material 
not  only  to  the  county,  but  to  Philadelphia  and  other  sections.  The 
magnificent  court  house  at  Norristown  is  constructed  entirely  of  local 
marble,  as  is  the  United  States  post  office  building. 

The  soil  of  Montgomery  county  is  regarded  by  agriculturists  as  being 
normally  fertile  throughout  the  county.  The  two  chief  constituents  of 
the  soil  are  limestone  and  sandstone.  There  are  extensive  and  valuable 
clay  beds  in  the  county.  They  are  found  chiefly  in  the  limestone  belt, 
generally  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mica-slates  and  schists.  The  principal 
clay  beds  are  found  in  Upper  Merion,  Plymouth,  Whitemarsh  and 
Springfield  townships.  The  clay  in  all  these  townships  is  found  in  the 
limestone.  There  seems  to  be  a  depression  in  the  limestone,  which  may 
have  been  the  former  bed  of  a  stream,  and  the  clay  is  found  resting  on 
the  limestone  and  filling  up  this  depression  or  bed.  Most  of  the  clay, 
however,  had  been  derived  from  the  mica-slates  and  schists,  and  the 
beds  are  parallel  to  the  limestone  and  occupy  the  position  of  those  rocks 
from  which  they  have  been  derived.  These  are  the  old  clays,  while  the 
clay  which  is  found  occupying  the  depressions  in  the  limestone,  and  not 
parallel  to  it,  is  said  to  be  a  more  recent  clay. 

Running  across  Montgomery  county  is  a  great  limestone  belt,  referred 
to  several  times  in  the  foregoing.  It  is  this  belt  that  has  furnished  such 
immense  quantities  of  marble  and  lime  for  shipment  both  at  home  and 
abroad.  It  commences  in  Abington  township,  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
north  of  Abington ;  at  this  point  it  is  quite  a  narrow  belt,  but  it  widens 
as  it  extends  westward,  entering  the  northern  corner  of  Cheltenham 
township,  and  becoming  a  broad  belt  of  limestone  extends  through 
Whitemarsh,  Plymouth  and  Upper  Merion  townships.  It  extends  as  far 
south  as  Conshohocken  and  Spring  Mill,  and  to  within  a  short  distance 
of  the  towns  of  Barren  Hill  and  Edge  Hill,  continues  along  the  Schuyl- 
kill from  Conshohocken  to  Norristown,  and  crosses  the  river,  extending 
into  Chester  county.  The  general  structure  of  this  main  belt  of  lime- 
stone is  that  of  a  long  slender  basin  or  trough,  the  southern  side  of 
which  is  much  steeper  than  the  northern.  From  the  neighborhood  of 
Gulf  Mills  to  a  little  west  of  the  Schuylkill  this  formation  prevails 
generally. 

So  far  as  rock  of  igneous  origin  is  concerned,  Montgomery  county 
has  replicas  of  the  Giant's  Causeway  in  Ireland  and  Fingal's  Cave,  Island 
of  Staflfa,  with  the  exception  that  the  formation  instead  of  being  colum- 
nar is  in  the  shape  of  dykes  and  boulders.  This  rock  is  known  as  trap, 
which  came  to  the  surface  in  a  melted  state  through  a  fissure  in  the 
earth's  surface  in  prehistoric  days.  When  an  opening  was  filled  with 
this  formation  and  cooled,  it  became  what  is  called  to-day  by  geologists, 
a  dyke. 


GEOLOGY,  MINING,  ETC.  19 

Montgomery  county  has  a  trap  dyke  running  through  the  limestone 
belt  for  several  miles.  This  extensive  trap  dyke  commences  in  Spring- 
field township,  at  Flourtown,  in  the  limestone  belt,  and  extends  west- 
ward in  a  straight  line  through  Whitemarsh  township;  it  follows  the 
southern  end  of  the  limestone  belt  through  Conshohocken,  where  it 
crosses  the  river  and  can  be  seen  in  its  bed.  It  outcrops  again  in  West 
Conshohocken  and  extends  through  Upper  Merion  township,  where  it 
can  be  traced  without  interruption  to  the  Chester  county  line,  a  short 
distance  above  the  Gulph  creek. 

From  the  Chester  county  line  to  the  Schuylkill  at  West  Consho- 
hocken there  is  no  difficulty  whatever  in  finding  excellent  exposures  of 
trap,  especially  along  the  river  at  West  Conshohocken,  where  there  is 
an  abutment  of  trap  and  numerous  weathered  boulders  along  the  rail- 
road. Between  Conshohocken  and  Marble  Hall  the  dyke  can  be  traced 
easily.  It  passes  directly  through  Conshohocken  and  crosses  five  of 
the  county  roads  before  it  reaches  Marble  Hall ;  between  these  two 
points  there  are  many  loose  boulders  of  rock.  From  Marble  Hall  to 
the  Wissahickon  creek  the  dike  can  not  be  seen,  as  it  is  covered  with  a 
deposit  of  clay ;  but  there  is  a  fine  exposure  on  the  Wissahickon  creek, 
where  it  cuts  through  the  dike,  and  at  one  point,  by  contact  with  the 
formation,  the  creek  is  turned  from  its  course. 

There  are  numerous  evidences  of  trap  rock  formations  in  various 
sections  of  the  county,  but  none  to  approach  this  one  in  size,  and  none 
to  approach  in  general  popular  interest  that  natural  curiosity  in  Potts- 
grove  township,  known  for  miles  around  as  "The  Ringing  Rocks,"  and 
around  which  for  a  decade  or  more  has  been  maintained  a  summer 
park  and  picnic  grounds  known  as  Ringing  Rocks  Park.  These  rocks 
are  widely  known  throughout  the  country,  and  are  visited  by  thousands 
every  year.  In  formation  they  resemble  the  debris  cast  up  by  a  glacier. 
Some  of  the  rocks  are  small,  while  many  are  of  tremendous  size.  These 
boulders  are  scattered  around  the  surface  for  a  considerable  area ;  some 
are  weathered,  and  many  have  fresh  surfaces  exposed.  When  these 
rocks  are  struck  with  a  hammer  or  any  metallic  substance,  they  give 
forth  a  musical  note.  Diflferent  tones  are  produced  by  striking  different 
rocks,  the  sound  varying  with  the  size  of  the  rock.  These  rocks  are 
trap  rocks  of  the  same  formation  as  those  which  form  the  large  dike. 
Near  Pottstown  can  also  be  found  two  or  three  small  trap  dikes  which 
extend  through  the  new  red  sandstone,  and  the  boulders  which  com- 
prise ringing  rocks  belong  to  one  of  these  dikes. 

There  are  two  extensive  belts  of  serpentine  in  the  county.  The 
longest  belt  commences  on  the  northern  brow  of  Chestnut  Hill,  between 
the  two  turnpikes,  and  extends  westward  across  the  Wissahickon  creek. 
It  passes  through  Springfield  township.  This  belt  crosses  the  Schuyl- 
kill near  Lafayette,  now  Miquon.  It  extends  through  Lower  Merion 
township  to  Bryn  Mawr.     Along  the  eastern  and  central  parts  of  its 


20  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

course  the  southern  side  of  the  belt  consists  chiefly  of  a  talcose  steatite, 
the  northern  side  containing  much  serpentine  in  lumps  dispersed  through 
the  steatite,  but  towards  the  western  side  this  separation  seems  to  dis- 
appear. The  serpentine  belt  is  plainly  seen  from  Chestnut  Hill  to  Wis- 
sahickon  creek,  where  enormous  blocks  cover  the  surface  of  the  bed. 

Near  the  Schuylkill,  the  large  blocks  of  serpentine  and  soapstone 
are  again  seen,  and  they  choke  the  bed  of  the  ravine  north  of  the  soap- 
stone  quarry.  On  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill  this  serpentine  and 
steatite  rock  is  still  visible  in  large  blocks  a  little  above  the  soapstone 
of  that  bank  of  the  river.  Near  Merion  Square  the  exposure  is  promi- 
nent, the  surface  being  strewn  with  large  masses.  These  rocks  may  be 
distinguished  from  others  by  the  enormous  size  of  the  loose  blocks  and 
by  the  coatings  of  lichens  and  mosses  which  flourish  over  them.  The 
rock  is  visible  in  the  Pennsylvania  railroad  cut  south  of  Bryn  Mawr. 

Near  the  Schuylkill  river,  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  beyond  Miquon, 
to  the  north,  is  found  the  next  serpentine  belt.  It  extends  east  to  the 
brook  which  flows  into  the  Schuylkill  at  Lafayette,  and  begins  in  White- 
marsh  township,  whence  it  extends  westward  across  the  Schuylkill 
through  Lower  Merion  township  to  the  Gulf  road,  about  one-third  of 
a  mile  north  of  Bryn  Mawr.  This  deposit  occurs  along  the  northern 
edge  of  the  mica-schists,  and  runs  almost  parallel  to  the  first  belt 
described,  they  being  but  about  a  mile  apart.  South  of  Gulf  Mills  is 
another  outcrop  of  serpentine.  This  exposure  has  only  a  length  of  a 
few  hundred  feet,  but  it  is  at  least  three  hundred  feet  wide. 

As  has  been  stated  before,  the  Mesozoic,  or  new  red  sandstone,  is 
the  chief  geological  characteristic  of  the  northern  and  central  parts  of 
the  county.  They  extend  from  the  Bucks  county  line  to  Norristown 
and  Valley  Forge,  and  the  sandstone  and  red  shale  can  be  traced  along 
the  Schuylkill  river  from  Norristown  to  Pottstown.  In  other  words,  all 
that  portion  of  the  county  north  of  the  limestone  belt  and  north  of  the 
Pottsdam  sandstone  and  syenite,  is  covered  with  new  red  sandstone  and 
shale.  The  shales  and  sandstones  are  generally  of  a  red  color,  which  is 
due  to  the  oxide  of  iron  which  they  contain.  Many  varieties  of  sand- 
stone belonging  to  this  formation  are  found  in  the  county.  In  some 
localities  much  clay  is  mixed  with  the  sandstone.  Elsewhere  the  rock 
is  chiefly  composed  of  grains  of  sand,  with  scarcely  any  clay  or  oxide  of 
iron  in  it.  In  the  vicinity  of  Norristown  and  Bridgeport  and  in  other 
nearby  localities  is  found  white  sandstone  containing  feldspar  and  mica, 
and  which  makes  an  excellent  building  stone,  extensively  used  locally. 

The  principal  exposures  of  Pottsdam  sandstone,  which  geologists 
call  a  primal  sandstone,  are  found  flanking  the  limestone  region  on  the 
north  between  Valley  Forge  and  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  limestone 
basin  east  of  Fitzwatertown.  It  encircles  the  eastern  end  of  the  lime- 
stone belt,  and  extends  westward  as  a  narrow  belt  south  of  the  lime- 
stone to  Spring  Mill.     At  Henderson's   Station,   Bridgeport,   Hickory- 


GEOLOGY,  MINING,  ETC.  21 

town.  Cold  Point  and  Oreland,  folds  of  this  sandstone  are  found  pen- 
etrating the  limestone.  Pottsdam  limestone  compose  the  historic  hills  of 
Valley  Forge.  The  formation  is  well  developed  at  Edge  Hill,  Rubicam 
Station  and  Willow  Grove. 

Near  Chestnut  Hill  and  Bryn  Mawr  there  appear  at  the  surface  some 
curious  patches  of  an  ancient  gravel,  which  has  been  named  by  geolo- 
gists, "Bryn  Mawr  Gravel."  It  is  found  at  elevations  of  from  300  to 
400  feet  above  the  Schuylkill,  and  the  theory  of  scientists  is  that  these 
deposits  are  the  remains  of  an  ancient  ocean  beach  and  the  remnants  of 
a  once  continuous  formation.  The  gravel  consists  of  rounded  or  sharp 
pebbles  of  quartzite,  or  grains  of  sand  cemented  by  iron.  Sometimes 
the  pebbles  are  coated  with  a  brownish-black  glaze.  They  are  very 
hard.  The  gravel  is  ten  feet  deep,  and  rests  upon  the  gneiss  rock,  which 
is  decomposed.  This  is  held  by  the  scientists  to  be  the  oldest  surface 
formation  in  Pennsylvania. 

Mica  schists  and  slates  are  found  in  the  southern  part  of  Upper 
Merion  township.  They  cross  the  river  at  Conshohocken,  and  extend 
into  Whitemarsh  township.  Near  the  Gulph  Mills  the  hill  divides  into 
two  spurs.  The  main  deposits  of  clay  in  the  county  are  found  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  slates,  and  it  is  supposed  that  some  of  the  clay  beds  are 
derived  from  the  decomposition  of  the  mica  in  the  slates.  The  rocks  of 
this  formation  rest  on  limestone  and  are  of  more  recent  age,  according 
to  the  scientists,  who  assign  them  to  the  Hudson  river  age  in  the  geo- 
logical development  of  this  section  of  the  country. 

Syenite  and  granitic  rocks  extend  from  Moreland,  at  the  Bucks  county 
line,  westward  across  the  Schuylkill  river  to  the  Delaware  county  line. 
The  hills  at  Spring  Mills  are  syenite.  The  cuts  in  the  Pennsylvania 
railroad  at  Spring  Mill  were  made  through  this  rock.  The  Schuylkill 
river  between  West  Conshohocken  and  Spring  Mill  is  turned  from  its 
course  by  the  resistance  offered  by  this  extremely  hard  rock.  It  is  the 
oldest  formation  in  the  county,  and  no  fossils  are  ever  found  in  it. 

An  interesting  account  of  the  early  quarrying  of  limestone  is  given 
in  Bean's  history,  and  is  reproduced  here  in  part  as  follows : 

*  *  *  The  earliest  mention  we  have  been  enabled  to  find  of  lime- 
stone and  of  lime  being  made  therefrom  to  be  used  for  building  purposes, 
is  in  a  letter  written  by  Robert  Turner,  of  Philadelphia,  dated  3rd  of 
6th  month,  1685,  addressed  to  William  Penn  in  England,  from  which  we 
learn  that  "Samuel  Carpenter  is  our  limeburner  on  his  wharf.  Brave 
limestone  found  here,  as  the  workmen  say,  being  proved." 

The  next  mention  found  is  in  another  letter  to  Penn,  written  by 
Nicholas  More,  dated  "Green  Spring,  the  13th  of  September,  1686," 
wherein  he  states  that  "Madame  Farmer  has  found  out  as  good  limestone 
on  the  Schuylkill  as  any  in  the  world,  and  is  building  with  it :  she  ofifers 
to  sell  ten  thousand  bushels  at  sixpence  the  bushel  upon  her  plantation, 
where  there  are  several  considerable  hills,  and  near  to  your  manor  of 
Springfield."  The  aforesaid  was  evidently  the  wife  of  Jaspar  Farmer, 
who  had  arrived  here  in  November,  1685,  and  had  taken  up  in  the  pres-' 


22  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

ent  Whitemarsh  township  a  tract  of  five  thousand  acres  of  land,  but 
died  soon  thereafter.  His  son,  Edward  Farmer,  subsequently  became 
the  owner  of  about  three-fourths  of  this  purchase. 

For  building  purposes,  the  Swedes  and  other  early  settlers  first  used 
lime  prepared  from  oyster  shells,  of  which  we  find  mention  made  by 
several  writers.  Thomas  Budd,  in  his  account  of  Pennsylvania,  printed 
in  1685,  says :  "We  make  lime  of  oyster  shells  which  by  the  sea  and  bay- 
side  are  so  plentiful  that  we  may  load  ships  with  them."  He  further 
informs  us  that  there  is  no  limestone,  "as  we  yet  know  of,"  from  which  we 
are  led  to  infer  that  Samuel  Carpenter  and  Madam  Farmer,  as  has  been 
mentioned,  must  have  been  among  the  earliest  to  convert  limestone  into 
lime.  Even  prior  to  the  summer  of  1685,  considerable  building  had  been 
done  in  Philadelphia  and  its  vicinity,  which  required  no  small  amount 
of  the  article  as  prepared  from  oyster  shells. 

William  Penn,  in  a  letter  to  the  Marquis  of  Halifax,  dated  9th  of 
I2th  month,  1683,  mentions  that  "about  one  hundred  and  fifty  very  tol- 
erable houses  for  wooden  ones"  had  been  erected  in  Philadelphia.  In 
his  "Further  Account  of  Pennsylvania,"  written  in  December,  1685,  he 
states  that  the  number  had  been  increased  to  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  houses,  "divers  of  them  large,  well  built,  with  good  cellars,  three 
stories,  and  some  with  balconies."  He  also  mentions  in  the  same  of 
"divers  brickeries  going  on,  and  some  brick  houses  going  up."  Robert 
Turner  in  a  letter  from  Philadelphia,  3rd  of  6th  month,  1685,  states  that 
"we  are  now  laying  the  foundation  of  a  plain  meeting  house,  sixty  by 
fourty  feet,"  and  that  "Pastorius,  the  German  Friend,  with  his  people, 
are  preparing  to  make  brick  next  year."  These  statements  show  the 
necessity  for  lime,  for  which  purpose  no  inconsiderable  quantities  must 
have  been  required,  and  that  the  discovery  of  limestone  so  near  the  city 
created  at  once  a  demand  for  its  superior  quality  ranking,  as  has  since 
been  proven,  among  the  best  found  in  the  country. 

John  Goodson  wrote  from  Philadelphia,  24th  of  6th  month,  1690, 
"that  six  carters  have  teams  daily  employed  to  carry  and  fetch  timber, 
bricks,  stone  and  lime  for  building,  which  goeth  on  to  admiration.  We 
have  rocks  of  limestone,  where  many  hundreds,  yea  thousands  of  bush- 
els of  lime  are  made  in  one  year  for  this  town."  John  Holme,  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  Philadelphia  County  Court,  in  his  poem  on  "The 
Flourishing  State  of  Pennsylvania,"  written  in  1696,  mentions  therein 
that  a  few  years  previously  lime  had  been  burned  from  oyster  shells,  but 
since  "a  great  store"  of  limestone  had  been  discovered  in  the  ground 
from  which  "now  is  made  good  stone  lime,"  which  was  not  only  superior 
but  cheaper  than  the  former  article.     *     *     * 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Provincial  Council,  held  May  19,  1698,  a  road 
was  ordered  to  be  laid  out  from  White  Marsh,  for  the  purpose  of  hauling 
lime  from  the  kilns  there  to  the  city,  and  to  meet  the  Plymouth  road 
near  Cresheim,  or  the  upper  part  of  Germantown.  In  1703,  Nicholas 
Saul,  and  others,  of  "Sandy  Run,"  in  the  "Manor  of  Springfield,"  peti- 
tion that  they  had  formerly  received  the  grant  of  a  road  from  the  lime- 
kilns to  Philadelphia  on  the  Germantown  road,  which  the  court  now 
ordered  should  be  speedily  opened.  This  is  evidently  the  road  proposed 
by  the  council  aforesaid,  and  the  present  highway  leading  from  the  vil- 
lage of  Whitemarsh  through  Chestnut  Hill.  In  1713  the  road  was 
opened  from  the  aforesaid  kilns  to  Skippack,  over  which  also  consider- 
able lime  was  hauled. 


GEOLOGY,  MINING,  ETC.  23 

The  Plymouth  highway  was  laid  out  as  "a  cart  road"  in  the  spring 
of  1687.  This  is  the  road  leading  from  Plymouth  to  Philadelphia  and 
now  known  as  the  Germantown  and  Perkiomen  turnpike,  which  was 
laid  on  its  bed  and  finished  in  1804.  It  is  likely  that  this  is  the  first  road 
opened  for  the  transportation  of  lime  to  the  city.  What  is  now  known 
as  the  Limekiln  road  was  laid  out  from  Germantown  to  Upper  Dublin 
in  1693,  and  probably  first  opened  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  lime  from 
the  vicinity  of  the  present  Fitzwatertown.  The  road  from  the  latter 
place  to  Abington  Meeting  House  was  confirmed  in  1724,  and  opened  the 
following  year.  From  the  petition  it  is  ascertained  that  Thomas  Fitz- 
water  carried  on  there  the  business  of  lime  burning  in  1705. 

Gabriel  Thomas,  who  arrived  here  in  1683,  in  his  account  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, published  in  London  in  1698,  mentions  that  where  "there  is  also 
very  good  limestone  in  great  abundance,  plenty  and  cheap,  of  great  use, 
in  buildings,  also  in  manuring  lands."  The  Manor  of  Mount  Joy,  con- 
taining seven  thousand  eight  hundred  acres,  was  granted  by  Penn  to  his 
daughter  Letitia  the  24th  of  8th  month,  1701.  This  tract  was  partly 
situated  in  Upper  Merion,  and  we  have  the  authority  of  Oldmixon's 
"British  Empire  in  America,"  published  in  1708,  that  it  abounded  in  lime- 
stone, which  had  been  made  use  of  for  some  time.  Edward  Farmer, 
whose  settlement  in  Whitemarsh  was  known  in  1708  as  "Farmer's 
Town,"  supplied  lime  at  various  times  from  there  for  the  buildings  of 
Springettsbury,  erected  by  Thomas  and  Richard  Penn,  between  the 
years  1732  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1745.  Francis  Rawle,  who  had 
settled  in  Plymouth  about  1685,  in  his  "Ways  and  Means,"  printed  by 
S.  Keimer,  of  Philadelphia,  in  1725,  and  written  the  previous  year,  states 
on  page  54  that  "of  limestone  we  have  a  great  plenty,  of  which  stone  lime 
is  made,  which  gives  the  opportunity  to  the  inhabitants  to  build  good 
stone  and  brick  houses  in  town  and  country." 

The  lime  used  in  the  building  of  the  State  House,  from  1729  to  1735, 
was  hauled  from  the  kilns  of  Ryner  Tyson,  in  Abington  township,  four- 
teen miles  north  of  the  city.  Those  kilns  and  quarries  have  ever  since 
been  in  the  family,  and  the  business  of  lime  burning  is  still  carried  on  by 
the  descendents. 

The  county  commissioners  in  March,  1804,  invite  proposals  for  haul- 
ing by  the  bushel  a  quantity  of  lime  from  Plymouth  to  Pottstown  suffi- 
cient to  complete  the  bridge  over  the  Manatawney,  a  distance  of  about 
twenty-three  miles. 

In  1810,  if  not  earlier,  the  limestone  burners  of  the  county  formed 
themselves  into  an  association,  of  which  Alexander  Crawford  was  presi- 
dent and  John  Fitzwater  secretary,  meeting  for  several  years,  in  Janu- 
ary, at  the  house  of  Philip  Sellers,  White  Marsh.  In  February,  1824, 
they  met  in  the  house  of  Andrew  Hart,  Plymouth.  The  members  at 
this  time  were  George  Tippen,  Samuel  Davis,  John  Shepherd,  Daniel 
Fisher,  Benjamin  Marple,  Eleazer  Michener,  Enoch  Marple,  John  Hell- 
ings,  George  Egbert,  George  Lare,  Henry  Johnson,  Abraham  Marple, 
William  Sands,  Joseph  Harmer,  and  Daniel  Davis.  It  appears  they 
soon  afterwards  dissolved,  their  proceedings  being  deemed  unlawful,  but 
we  presume  no  more  so  than  any  other  combination  of  a  similar  char- 
acter. Among  their  objects  was  to  fix  the  price  of  lime  and  the  wood  they 
either  purchased  or  received  in  exchange. 

On  so  great  a  business  as  the  production  of  lime,  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  there  are  so  few  statistics.    It  should  be  interesting  to  possess  a  list 


24  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  the  several  manufacturers,  the  number  of  kilns  operated,  and  the 
amount  respectively  made.  The  quantity  sent  off  by  water  must  be 
considerable,  especially  to  the  States  of  New  Jersey,  Delaware,  and 
Maryland,  as  also  by  railroad  to  adjoining  counties,  Philadelphia  and 
other  places,  for  building,  manufacturing  and  agricultural  purposes. 

The  townships  of  Montgomery  that  possess  limestone  are  Abington, 
Upper  Dublin,  Springfield,  Whitemarsh,  Plymouth,  and  Upper  Merion. 
The  limestone  surface  here  may  probably  compose  about  fifteen  square 
miles.  Plymouth  no  doubt  is  now  the  greatest  producer;  next  Upper 
Merion,  followed  by  Whitemarsh  and  Upper  Dublin.  Norristown, 
Swedesburg  and  Port  Kennedy  are  extensive  shipping  points  of  this 
material.  The  lime  of  Montgomery  county  for  all  building  purposes 
possesses  a  high  reputation,  and  is  regarded  as  the  very  best  produced. 


CHAPTER  III. 
THE  ORIGINAL  RESIDENTS  AND  OWNERS. 

The  first  residents  and  owners  of  the  land  that  comprises  Montgom- 
ery county  were,  of  course,  like  with  all  the  remainder  of  North  America, 
the  Indians. 

That  section  of  territory  now  embraced  within  the  geographical  boun- 
daries of  the  county  was  purchased  in  sections  by  William  Penn.  The 
earliest  recorded  transaction  by  Penn  for  a  section  of  what  now  con- 
stitutes the  county  was  made  the  26th  of  June,  1683,  of  Wingebone,  a 
chief,  for  all  his  rights  to  lands  lying  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill, 
beginning  at  the  lower  falls  of  the  same,  and  so  on  up  and  backwards 
of  said  stream  as  far  as  his  right  goes.  The  next  purchase  was  made 
the  14th  of  July  of  the  same  year,  from  Secane  and  Idquoquehan  and 
others  for  all  the  land  lying  between  the  Manayunk  or  Schuylkill  river 
and  Macopanackhan  or  Chester  river,  and  up  as  far  as  Conshohocken 
Hill,  which  is  opposite  the  present  borough  of  the  same  name.  On  the 
same  day  another  purchase  was  made  of  Neneshickan,  Malebore,  Nesh- 
anocke  and  Oscreneon  for  the  lands  lying  between  the  Schuylkill  and 
Pennypack  streams,  and  extending  as  far  northwest  as  Conshohocken, 
but  now  better  known  as  Edge  Hill.  On  the  3rd  of  June,  1684,  all  the 
right  of  Maughhongsink  to  the  land  along  the  Perkiomen  creek  was 
duly  sold  and  conveyed.  On  the  7th  of  the  same  month  and  year,  Met- 
tamicont  relinquished  all  his  right  to  lands  on  both  sides  of  the  Penny- 
pack.  July  30,  1685,  Shakhoppa,  Secane,  Malebore  and  Tangoras  con- 
veyed all  their  rights  to  lands  situated  between  Chester  and  Pennypack 
creeks,  and  extending  up  into  the  country  in  a  northwest  direction  from 
the  sources  of  those  streams,  two  full  days'  journey. 

These  grants  from  the  Indian  chiefs  as  just  set  forth,  comprise  most 
of  the  territory  now  embraced  within  the  confines  of  Montgomery 
county,  excepting  that  portion  lying  east  of  the  Pennypack  creek.  July 
5,  1697,  another  purchase  was  made  from  Tamany,  Weheeland,  Wehe- 
queckhon,  Yaqueekhon  and  Quenamockquid  for  all  their  right  to  lands 
lying  between  the  Pennypack  and  Neshaminy  creeks,  and  extending  in 
a  northwest  direction  from  the  Delaware  as  far  as  a  horse  could  travel  in 
two  days.  The  last  right  and  title  of  the  Indians  to  any  portion  of 
Montgomery  county,  as  now  constituted,  was  thus  finally  extinguished 
by  purchase. 

By  previous  appointment,  a  council  of  the  Indians  and  whites  was 
held  at  the  house  of  Edward  Farmer,  where  is  now  the  village  of  White- 
marsh,  on  May  19,  1712.  The  Governor,  Charles  Gookin,  was  present, 
with  the  sherifif,  John  Budd,  Conrad  Richard  Walker,  and  others.  The 
Indians  were  represented  by  a  delegation  of  eleven  Delaware  aborigines 


26  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

headed  by  Sassunan,  accompanied  by  Ealochelan  and  Scholichy,  the 
latter  being  speaker.  The  duties  of  interpreter  were  performed  by 
Edward  Farmer,  who  was  quite  familiar  with  the  Indian  language. 
Scholichy,  in  his  address  to  the  governor,  mentioned  that  as  the  Dela- 
wares  had  been  made  tributary  to  the  Mingoes,  or  Five  Nations,  many 
years  ago,  they  had  thought  proper  to  call  on  him  previous  to  their  seeing 
those  tribes,  and  that  they  had  brought  their  tribute  along,  which  was 
duly  presented  to  the  governor  and  consisted  of  thirty-two  belts  of 
wampum,  and  a  long  Indian  pipe  called  a  calumet,  made  of  stone,  the 
shaft  of  which  was  made  of  stone,  adorned  with  feathers  resembling 
wings.  Their  business  was  amicably  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  all 
parties.  On  this  occasion  the  journey  of  the  governor  and  his  associates 
was  made  on  horseback  from  Philadelphia  to  Whitemarsh. 

It  may  be  of  interest  in  this  connection  to  state  that  wampum  passed 
as  current  money  between  the  early  whites  and  the  Indians.  There 
were  two  kinds  of  it — white  and  purple.  They  were  both  worked  into 
the  form  of  beads,  generally  each  about  a  half  an  inch  long  and  one- 
eighth  broad,  with  a  hole  drilled  through  so  as  to  be  strung  on  leather  or 
hempen  strings.  The  white  was  made  out  of  the  great  conch  or  sea- 
shell,  and  the  purple  out  of  the  inside  of  the  mussel-shell.  These  beads, 
after  being  strung,  were  next  woven  by  the  Indian  women  into  belts, 
sometimes  broader  than  a  person's  hand,  and  about  two  feet  long.  It 
was  these  that  were  given  and  received  at  their  various  treaties  as  seals 
of  friendship;  in  matters  of  less  importance,  only  a  single  string  was 
given.  Two  pieces  of  white  wampum  were  considered  to  equal  in  value 
one  of  purple. 

The  calumet  was  a  large  smoking  pipe,  made  out  of  some  soft  stone, 
commonly  of  a  dark  red  color,  well  polished,  and  shaped  somewhat  in 
the  form  of  a  hatchet,  and  ornamented  with  large  feathers  of  several 
colors.  It  was  used  in  all  their  treaties  with  the  whites,  and  it  was 
considered  by  them  as  a  flag  of  truce  between  contending  parties  which 
it  would  be  a  high  crime  to  violate.  In  fact,  the  calumet  by  them  was 
considered  as  sacred  and  as  serious  an  obligation  as  an  oath  among  the 
Christians. 

It  is  also  interesting  to  note  that  not  a  single  title  in  Montgomery 
county,  or  anywhere  else,  for  that  matter,  in  Pennsylvania,  is  traced 
back  to  these  original  grants  to  Penn  by  the  Indians,  despite  the  fact 
that  there  is  not  a  foot  of  ground  in  the  county  that  could  not  be  reduced 
by  conveyancers  to  these  titles.  But  even  if  they  were,  they  would  not 
be  in  law  a  good  title.  Lawrence  Lewis,  in  his  "Essay  on  Original  Land 
Titles  in  Philadelphia,"  endorses  this  contention  after  holding  to  the 
contrary  to  the  first  part  of  the  proposition,  namely,  that  "it  is  impos- 
sible to  trace  with  any  accuracy"  the  titles  to  land  in  Philadelphia  ceded 
by  the  Indians.  Nor  is  it  necessary,  it  is  further  held,  to  trace  a  title 
which  is  of  no  value.    The  Indians  could  not  sell  land  to  individuals  and 


THE  ORIGINAL  RESIDENTS  AND  OWNERS  27 

give  valid  title  to  it  in  any  of  the  colonies ;  they  could  sell  if  they  chose, 
but  only  to  the  government.  Upon  this  subject  the  lawyers  are  explicit. 
All  good  titles  in  the  thirteen  original  colonies  are  derived  from  land 
grants,  made  or  accepted  not  by  the  Indians,  but  by  the  British  Crown. 
Thus  Chalmers  ("Political  Annals,"  677)  says:  "The  Law  of  Nations 
sternly  disregarded  the  possessions  of  the  aborigines,  because  they  had 
not  been  admitted  into  the  society  of  nations."  At  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  every  acre  of  ground  in  this  country  was  held  immedi- 
ately by  grants  from  the  Crown.  All  our  institutions  recognize  the 
absolute  title  of  the  Crown,  subject  only  to  the  Indian's  right  of  occu- 
pancy, and  recognize  the  absolute  title  of  the  Crown  to  extinguish  that 
right.  An  Indian  conveyance  alone  could  give  no  valid  title  to  an 
individual. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  FIRST  SETTLEMENTS. 

Among  the  first  settlers  in  Montgomery  county  were  natives  of 
Sweden,  from  whom  so  many  prominent  residents  of  the  locality  are 
lineal  descendants.  The  events  connected  with  and  resulting  from  the 
discovery  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  rivers  by  the  Dutch  from  1609 
to  1638  are  closely  interwoven  with  the  settlements  of  the  Swedes  on  the 
shore  of  the  Schuylkill. 

A  lineal  descendant  of  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  Matts  Holstein,  the 
late  Dr.  George  W.  Holstein,  of  Bridgeport,  in  his  response  to  a  toast, 
"The  Swedes,"  at  the  first  annual  banquet  of  the  Montgomery  County 
Historical  Society,  held  at  Norristown  on  the  evening  of  February  22, 
1882,  paid  an  interesting  tribute  to  an  ancestry  which  pioneered  civili- 
zation and  Christianity  in  the  Schuylkill  Valley.  Dr.  Holstein  said  in 
part: 

As  a  lineal  descendant  of  those  Swedes  who  crossed  the  ocean  as 
early  as  1636,  I  am  deeply  conscious  of  the  compliment  thus  paid  to  their 
memory,  and  yet  I  feel  that  it  is  justly  due,  in  view  of  the  results  accom- 
plished by  them  and  their  influence  in  moulding  the  destinies  of  this 
great  country. 

Trained  at  home  in  a  love  for  the  practical  teachings  of  the  "Sermon 
on  the  Mount,"  and  the  general  truths  of  revealed  religion,  they  early 
planted  the  Cross  of  Calvary  upon  these  shores,  and  in  all  their  inter- 
course with  the  natives  and  others  illustrated  the  principles  heralded 
thereby.  By  fair  and  honorable  dealings  they  gained  the  confidence  of 
the  Indians,  and  lived  among  them  upon  the  most  amicable  terms.  Their 
influence  over  them  was  remarkable,  as  was  evinced  by  many  of  the 
natives  attaching  themselves  to  the  religious  and  educational  institu- 
tions established  by  them,  thus  rendering  much  more  easy  the  great 
work  accomplished  by  William  Penn,  who  came  over  here  later  as  the 
representative  of  the  British  Crown,  supported  by  all  the  vast  influence 
of  that  powerful  nation,  commissioned  by  King  Charles  H  to  act  as 
Proprietory  Governor  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  having  received 
a  grant  of  land  lying  north  of  that  occupied  by  Lord  Baltimore,  and  west 
of  the  river  Delaware.  This  was  in  lieu  of  a  claim  of  sixteen  thousand 
pounds  due  him  for  services  rendered  by  his  father.  Rear  Admiral  Penn, 
a  distinguished  officer  of  the  British  Navy.  The  charter  for  this  grant 
still  hangs  in  the  ofifice  of  the  secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  at  Harris- 
burg,  dated  March  4,  1681.  William  Penn  reached  here  in  October, 
1682,  and  now  in  this  bi-centennial  year  of  that  event,  when  it  is  pro- 
posed to  celebrate  it  with  distinguished  honors,  while  I  would  not  for  one 
moment  detract  from  the  glory  to  which  I  believe  he  is  eminently  en- 
titled, yet  I  do  not  wish  the  fact  to  be  lost  sight  of  that  the  Swedes  were 
among  the  first  to  establish  friendly  relations  with  the  natives,  that  the 
first  translation  into  the  Indian  dialect  was  the  Swedish  (Lutheran) 
Catechism  by  Rev.  John  Campanius,  a  Swedish  (Lutheran)  missionary. 


30  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

In  1642,  six  years  after  their  arrival,  Colonel  John  Printz,  of  the 
Swedish  army,  was  sent  over  as  the  governor  of  the  colony.  His 
instructions  dated  Stockholm,  August  15,  1642,  contain  twenty-eight 
articles  embracing  his  duties — first,  in  relation  to  the  Swedes ;  secondly, 
to  the  Europeans  living  in  the  vicinity ;  and  thirdly,  to  the  Indians. 
With  respect  to  these  latter,  the  Governor  was  directed  to  confirm,  im- 
mediately upon  his  arrival,  the  treaty  with  them  by  which  they  had  con- 
veyed to  the  Swedes  the  western  shore  of  the  Delaware  from  Cape  Hen- 
lopen  to  the  Falls  of  Sanhickan,  since  called  Trenton,  and  as  much 
inland  as  should  gradually  be  wanted.  Also  to  ratify  the  bargain  for 
land  on  the  east  side,  and  in  these  and  future  purchases  to  regard  them 
as  rightful  owners  of  the  country.  He  was  to  treat  all  the  neighboring 
tribes  in  the  most  equitable  and  humane  manner,  so  that  no  injury  by 
violence  or  otherwise  should  be  done  to  them  by  any  of  his  people.  He 
had  also  in  charge  to  accomplish  as  far  as  practicable  the  embracing  of 
Christianity  by  them,  and  their  adoption  of  the  manners  and  customs  of 
civilized  life. 

He  was  accompanied  by  Rev.  John  Campanius  as  chaplain  of  the 
colony.  In  1653  Governor  Printz  was  succeeded  by  Governor  John 
Claudius  Rising,  who  soon  after  invited  ten  of  the  leading  Indian  chiefs 
to  a  friendly  conference.  It  was  held  at  Tinicum  on  the  17th  of  June, 
1654.  He  saluted  them  in  the  name  of  the  Swedish  queen,  with  assur- 
ance of  her  favor,  put  them  in  mind  of  the  purchase  of  lands  already 
made,  and  requested  a  continuation  of  their  friendship.  He  distributed 
various  presents  among  them,  and  gave  a  good  entertainment  to  them 
and  their  company.  They  were  much  pleased,  and  assured  him  of  a 
faithful  affection.  One  of  the  chiefs,  Naaman,  made  a  speech  during 
which  he  remarked  that  "the  Swedes  and  the  Indians  had  been  as  one 
body  and  one  heart,  and  that  thenceforward  they  should  be  as  one  head ;" 
at  the  same  time  making  a  motion  as  if  he  were  tying  a  strong  knot, 
and  then  made  this  comparison,  "that  as  the  calabash  was  round  with- 
out any  crack,  so  should  they  be  a  compact  body  without  any  fissure." 

Campanius  represents  the  Indians  as  having  been  frequent  visitors  at 
his  grandfather's  house  in  Delaware  county,  which  gave  him  an  oppor- 
tunity of  studying  their  language,  in  which  he  became  quite  proficient. 
In  the  conversation  he  had  there  with  them,  he  succeeded  in  impressing 
upon  their  minds  the  great  truths  of  Christianity  and  awakening  a  deep 
interest  among  them,  hence  his  translation  of  the  Lutheran  catechism. 
They  attached  great  value  to  this  act,  as  evincing  a  deeper  interest  in 
their  welfare  than  that  indicated  by  mere  lip  service,  and  it  thencefor- 
ward proved  a  bond  of  union,  binding  them  in  acts  of  devotion  and 
fealty  to  the  Swedes.  The  Swedes  gave  the  great  and  good  Penn  a  most 
cordial  welcome,  and  the  benefit  of  their  influence  and  experience,  for 
which  he  was  truly  grateful,  and  which  he  kind'ly  acknowledged  in  a 
letter  to  his  friends  at  home,  in  1683. 

This  society  does  itself  credit  in  thus  honoring  the  memory  of  a 
people  who  were  among  the  earliest  to  locate  in  this  vicinity,  and  who 
established  regulations  and  usages  that  have  exercised  a  refining  and 
elevating  influence  in  shaping  the  morals  and  habits  of  the  community 
around  us. 

The  Swedish  government  has  never  lost  sight  of  the  Swedes  in 
Montgomery   county,   for  as   recently   as    1876,   during  the   Centennial 


THE  FIRST  SETTLEMENTS  3' 

Celebration  of  the  signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  blood 
royal  of  the  Swedish  government,  accompanied  by  a  large  number  of 
distinguished  guests  and  citizens,  paid  a  visit  to  the  Lutheran  Church 
of  Christ  (Swede)  in  Upper  Merion,  now  an  Episcopalian  edifice.  This 
unusual  event  occurred  on  Sunday,  July  2,  of  the  Centennial  year.  The 
appearance  of  the  royal  delegation,  nearly  all  of  whom  were  garbed  in 
the  full  uniforms  of  their  respective  ranks,  seated  in  the  ancient  church, 
was  an  unusual  sight  in  democratic  America.  The  Prince  occupied  a 
front  pew,  and  was  of  course  the  center  of  attraction.  His  Highness  was 
a  boyish-looking  lad,  according  to  the  testimony  of  those  who  saw  him, 
possessing  a  free  and  unassuming  manner.  His  name  was  Prince  Oscar, 
his  title,  Duke  of  Gottland,  and  he  was  the  second  son  of  the  King  of 
Sweden. 

In  his  sermon,  which  threw  much  light  upon  the  civil  and  religious 
history  of  the  Swedish  colony,  the  pastor  of  the  church.  Rev.  O.  Perin- 
chief,  spoke  in  part  as  follows : 

*  *  *  In  1631,  or  from  that  to  1638,  a  colony  of  Swedes  landed  and 
settled  upon  this  side  of  the  Delaware,  below  the  place  where  now  stands 
the  city  of  Wilmington.  There  is  some  uncertainty  about  the  date.  The 
probability  is  that  attempts  had  been  made,  or  partial  settlements,  hav- 
ing for  their  object  the  necessary  investigation  preparatory  to  a  perma- 
nent occupation,  which  at  least  did  take  eflfect  in  1637  or  '38.  At  any 
rate,  we  know  the  great  Gustavus  had  contemplated  the  enterprise  for 
many  years.  The  great  struggle  between  Romanism  and  Protestantism 
was  then  at  its  bitterest,  and  the  hope  and  purpose  of  founding  here  a 
Protestant  colony  entered  largely  into  the  enterprise.  But  with  this  was 
combined  the  evangelization  of  the  Indians,  and,  more  than  all,  the 
establishment  of  the  people — good,  honest  Swedes — in  comfortable 
homes,  upon  lands  they  could  look  at  and  call  their  own.  The  persons 
who  came  over  in  this  way  were  of  two  classes — a  small  class  of  govern- 
ment officials  to  administer  order  and,  as  occasion  occurred,  watch  their 
own  individual  chances,  but  a  large  class  of  sober  and  industrious  people 
truly  seeking  a  home.  It  sometimes  happened  that  persons  were  sent 
over  partly  as  banishment  and  partly  in  hope  of  reform ;  but  the  people 
not  only  of  this  but  of  sister  colonies  sent  them  back,  for  they  were 
always  worse  than  useless.  Though  bound  to  hard  labor,  it  was  a  sort 
of  slave  labor,  and  the  freemen  would  rather  do  their  own  work,  because 
they  could  do  it  better  and  because  they  abhorred  slavery. 

These  settlers  bought  their  lands  from  the  Indians,  and  in  later  times 
erected  substantial  homes.  Nearly  all  the  men  were  husbandmen.  They 
saw  their  wealth  in  the  soil.  Up  to  1700  the  colony  had  grown  to  over 
a  thousand,  though  they  had  been  subjected  to  bitter  discouragement 
and  sad  vicissitudes.  But  their  prosperity  had  not  been  accomplished 
without  great  care  and  generosity  on  the  part  of  their  brethren  at  home 
At  the  very  outset  the  settlers  were  provided  with  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel— pious  and  learned  men — to  teach  and  admonish  the  people  and  to 
preserve  the  spiritual  privileges  they  had  enjoyed  in  their  native  land. 
These  ministers  were  supported  by  the  funds  of  the  mother  country. 
The  colony  was  supplied  with  Bibles,  catechisms,  and  other  books.  On 
one  single  occasion  ministers  were  sent  forth  bearing  books  in  plentiful 


32  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

supply,  and  encouraged  by  a  donation  of  three  thousand  dollars  from 
Charles  XII. 

The  Swedes  were  reminded  of  the  Indians  around  them,  and  Luther's 
Catechism  was  translated  into  the  Indian  dialect,  at  least  as  soon  and 
perhaps  sooner  than  the  corresponding  work  of  Eliot  in  regions  farther 
north.  The  fault  of  these  Swedes,  if  it  may  be  permitted  to  speak  of 
such  a  thing  to-day,  was  a  lack  of  unity  of  purpose  and  harmony  in 
action.  Their  plans  lacked  breadth  and  unselfishness.  They  looked  a 
little  ahead  or  not  at  all.  Before  their  children  they  set  no  greatness, 
and  made  little  provision  for  its  creation.  In  narrowed  endeavors  to 
save,  they  very  frequently  lost,  and  left  us,  instead  of  property  and  rich 
advantages,  a  legacy  of  sad  reflection  and  bitter  regrets.  In  the  nature 
of  things  the  settlement  spread  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  in  New 
Jersey,  and  on  this  side  of  the  Delaware  and  along  the  Schuylkill. 

The  first  settlement  in  this  immediate  vicinity  was  in  1702.  At  that 
time  the  nearest  church  was  at  Wiaco,  now  Gloria  Dei,  in  Philadelphia. 
Gradually  their  numbers  thickened,  and  in  a  few  years  we  begin  to  hear 
requests  for  occasional  services  up  here.  In  1773  a  lot  was  given  and  a 
house  built  for  the  double  purpose  of  school  and  church.  Upon  the  very 
ground  within  the  very  stone  walls  which  enclose  our  yard,  a  wooden 
building  was  constructed,  though  we  know  that  prior  to  1733  the  grounds 
had  been  used  as  a  place  of  burial.  No  stated  minister  living  nearer 
than  Philadelphia,  both  religious  and  educational  matters  languished 
until  1759,  when  there  arrived  from  Sweden  a  very  remarkable  man, 
whose  memory  is  still  green  and  deserves  to  be  richly  cherished,  Dr. 
Charles  M.  Van  Mangel.  Under  him  our  church  here,  this  very  struc- 
ture, was  built  in  1760,  making  this  present  its  one  hundred  and  sixteenth 
anniversary.  The  date  "1760"  was  engraved  on  its  walls  and  stands 
there  to-day. 

In  1765  a  charter  was  obtained  from  the  Proprietary  government  of 
John  Penn,  then  at  the  head  of  affairs.  The  churches  lying  within  the 
territorial  limits  of  Pennsylvania  were  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
the  United  Swedish  Lutheran  Churches  of  Wiaco,  Kingsessing,  and 
Upper  Merion.  This  charter  continued  until  1787,  when  the  new  state 
of  things  consequent  upon  the  American  Revolution  rendered  it  needful 
to  obtain  a  charter  from  the  State  Government  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
new  charter  was  substantially  the  same  as  that  of  1765,  except  that  it 
gave  the  people  the  right  to  elect  their  own  minister,  and  provided  for 
the  formal  ending  of  the  Swedish  mission.  Thus  closed  the  long  inter- 
val of  nursing  care  which  established  us  here  as  a  church,  which  through 
many  years  must  have  exerted  a  vast  influence  in  shaping  the  destiny  of 
this  commonwealth  and  nation ;  a  period  marked  by  noble  generosity,  by 
many  sacrifices,  enshrined  by  many  holy  and  exemplary  lives ;  a  period 
which  left  us  stewards  invested  with  no  slight  responsibility. 

The  two  churches  (Kingsessing  and  Upper  Merion)  continued  with 
Wiaco  until  1842,  when  each  church  obtained  for  itself  a  separate  and 
independent  charter.  The  other  two  churches  passed  into  communion 
with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  We  remained  as  we  still  remain, 
a  separate  organization,  heir  to  all  the  traditions,  invested,  too,  perhaps, 
in  that  very  fact,  with  the  great  responsibility,  a  witness  still  of  a  faith 
and  kindness  which  never  slumbered,  a  monument  of  labor  which  blessed 
our  fathers,  still  blesses  us,  and  which  we  believe  will  go  on  to  bless  our 
children.    For  it  all  we  lift  up  our  hearts  and  praise  God  who  made  man 


THE  FIRST  SETTLEMENTS 


33 


of  one  blood.  We  greet  our  brethren  to-day  from  the  Fatherland,  and 
thank  them,  and  through  them  the  people  to  whom  they  belong,  and 
assure  them  that  whatever  things  among  us  their  ears  may  hear  or  their 
eyes  behold,  which  at  the  same  time  their  hearts  approve,  they  have  had 
their  part  in  producing,  and  that  this  day  as  a  people  we  would  not  be 
a  selfish  people  taking  credit  to  ourselves,  but  gratefuly  acknowledge 
our  debt,  and  praying  God  to  return  the  blessing  a  thousandfold  upon 
their  own  people,  asking  in  turn  their  prayers  that  we  and  the  whole 
nation  may  be  faithful  in  every  trust,  that  we  have  freely  received,  we 
may  freely  give,  until  all  nations,  kindreds,  tribes  and  tongues  be  gath- 
ered into  one  grand  kingdom,  under  one  king,  the  common  Redeemer 
and  Saviour  of  all. 


CHAPTER  V. 
WILLIAM  PENN  AND  THE  FOUNDING  OF  HIS  COLONY. 

Montgomery  county  being  such  an  important  unit  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  the  history  of  William  Penn  and  of  his  colonization 
eflforts  in  America  are  themselves  an  important  part  of  the  history  of  the 
county.  Of  the  earlier  days  of  the  founder  of  Pennsylvania  it  is  unnec- 
essary to  comment  here — that  is  a  history  in  itself,  together  with  his 
religious  beliefs  and  his  ambition  to  try  a  "holy  experiment"  in  the  New 
World. 

Penn's  connection  with  America  and  therefore  with  the  State  and  the 
county,  begins  after  the  death  of  his  father,  Admiral  Penn,  when  the 
son  fell  heir  to  estates  in  England  and  Ireland,  with  an  income  of  £1500 
a  year.  The  English  government  was  debtor  to  the  estate  of  Admiral 
Penn  for  money  loaned  amounting  to  £15,000.  The  treasury  of  Charles 
the  Second  was  not  particularly  well  filled  at  that  time,  nor  did  Penn 
press  for  the  claim  in  money.  This  indebtedness  was  used  by  him  as  a 
lever  with  the  government  for  the  colonial  enterprise  he  had  been  for 
some  time  projecting,  and  he  therefore  proposed  to  the  King  to  grant 
him  a  tract  of  land  in  America,  situated  between  the  country  held  under 
grants  to  the  Duke  of  York  and  Lord  Baltimore,  or  between  Maryland 
and  the  Delaware  river.  Penn's  negotiations  were  successful,  but  not 
without  great  effort  on  his  part,  as  his  enterprise  was  considered  Utopian 
by  influential  members  of  the  government,  and  looked  upon  with  dis- 
trust by  the  agents  and  proprietaries  of  the  Duke  of  York  and  Lord 
Baltimore. 

The  draft  of  the  charter  of  what  was  to  become  one  of  America's 
greatest  commonwealths  was  drawn  by  Penn  and  his  confidential  advis- 
ers, and  was  submitted  to  the  scrutiny  of  the  authorities  of  both  Church 
and  State.  Sir  William  Jones,  attorney  general  of  the  realm,  the  Lords 
of  Trade,  and  the  Bishop  of  London,  all  passed  upon  the  form  and  sub- 
stance of  the  grant,  which  was  finally  signed  by  the  King  on  March  4, 
1681.  This  great  document  is  well  preserved  to  this  day,  and  may  be 
seen  at  the  State  Department  at  Harrisburg. 

The  new  colony's  name  was  left  blank  in  the  original  draft  of  the 
charter,  historians  holding  that  such  a  condition  was  consistent  with 
the  innate  modesty  of  the  Quaker  and  his  deferential  disposition 
towards  his  Royal  Master,  whose  favor  he  evidently  sought  with  extra- 
ordinary zeal  and  judgment.  The  King,  however,  filled  the  blank  with 
his  royal  penmanship,  and  named  the  projected  colony  in  honor  of  Sir 
William  and  Admiral  Penn.  It  is  stated  by  some  historians  that  Penn 
objected  to  the  name,  and  oflFered  a  tempting  "fee"  to  the  Under  Secre- 
tary of  Colonial  Affairs  to  change  it  to  New  Wales  and,  upon  refusal, 


36  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

protesting  that  he  had  no  vanity  or  family  pride  to  gratify  in  the  mat- 
ter, "but  it  is  a  just  and  clear  thing,  and  my  God  that  has  given  it  me 
through  many  difficulties  will,  I  believe,  bless  and  make  it  the  seed  of 
a  nation." 

Penn,  once  he  had  obtained  his  charter,  commissioned  William 
Markham  his  deputy,  and  sent  him  promptly  to  his  field  of  labor.  Mark- 
ham  arrived  in  New  York  in  June,  1681.  He  secured  the  advice  of  Gov- 
ernor Anthony  Brockholls,  and  then  hastened  to  Upland  to  meet  Lord 
Baltimore,  whose  friendship  he  desired  to  secure  in  order  to  arrange  the 
boundary  lines  on  the  south  and  west  of  the  new  colony.  Markham 
found  that  he  would  be  unable  to  adjust  the  southern  boundary  lines 
of  the  grant  without  making  concessions  which  he  deemed  unjust  to 
William  Penn.  He  therefore  deferred  further  action,  and  immediately 
organized  the  Council  of  Nine,  being  the  first  exercise  of  duly  consti- 
tuted authority"  under  the  charter.  This  council  was  in  fact  a  provi- 
sional government  with  power  to  make  public  surveys,  establish  boun- 
dary lines,  constitute  courts,  appoint  justices  of  the  peace,  constables, 
sheriflfs  to  suppress  violence,  and  generally  to  institute  and  enforce  such 
measures  as  inured  to  peace  and  good  order  of  the  Province.  The  war- 
rant, self-instituted,  by  this  council,  was  as  follows : 

Whereas,  wee  whose  hands  and  Seals  are  hereunto  Sett  are  Chosen 
by  Wm.  Markham  (agent  to  Wm.  Penn,  Esq.,  Proprietor  of  ye  Province 
of  Pennsylvania)  to  be  of  the  Councill  for  ye  sd  province,  doe  hereby 
bind  ourselves  by  our  hands  &  seals,  that  we  will  neither  act  nor  advise, 
nor  Consent  unto  anything  that  shall  not  be  according  to  our  own  Con- 
sciences the  best  for  ye  true  and  well  Government  of  the  sd  Province  and 
Likewise  to  Keep  Secret  all  ye  votes  and  acts  of  us  ye  sd  Councell,  unless 
such  as  by  the  General  Consent  of  us  are  to  be  published.  Dated  at 
Upland,  ye  third  day  of  August,  1681.  (Signed)  Robert  Wade,  Morgan 
Drewet,  Wm.  Woodmansee  (W.  W.,  the  Mark  of),  Willim  Warner, 
Thomas  Fairman,  James  Sandlenes,  Will  Clayton,  Otto  Ernest  Koch, 
and  ye  mark  (L)  of  Lacy  or  (Lasse)  Cock. 

The  new  arrangement  of  things  was  placed  in  running  order  by 
Deputy  Markham  by  September,  1681,  and  the  first  court  for  jury  trials 
was  held  at  Upland.  The  justices  present  at  the  meeting  of  this  newly 
organized  court  were  William  Clayton,  William  Warner,  Robert  Wade, 
William  Byles,  Otto  Ernest  Koch,  Robert  Lucas,  Lasse  Cock,  Swen 
Swenson  and  Andreas  Bankson,  five  of  them  being  members  of  Mark- 
ham's  Council.  Thomas  Revell  was  clerk  of  the  court,  and  John  Test 
was  sheriff.  The  first  case  to  be  tried  was  one  in  which  the  charge  was 
assault  and  battery,  that  of  Peter  Ericksen  vs.  Harman  Johnson  and  wife. 
The  first  jury  consisted  of  Morgan  Drewet,  William  Woodmanson,  Wil- 
liam Hewes,  James  Browne,  Henry  Reynolds,  Robert  Schooley,  Richard 
Pittman,  Lasse  Dalboe,  John  Akraman,  Peter  Rambo,  Jr.,  Henry  Has- 
tings, and  William  Oxley.     At  the  next  session  of  the  Upland  court, 


WILLIAM  PENN  AND  THE  FOUNDING  OF  HIS  COLONY    37 

held  in  November,  Markham  was  present,  and  he  attended  all  the  sub- 
sequent sessions  up  to  the  time  of  Penn's  arrival. 

With  all  the  plans  and  purposes  of  Penn,  Markham  had  been  made 
thoroughly  familiar  before  leaving  England.  He  carried  with  him 
instructions  comprehensive  enough  to  cover  all  possible  contingencies. 
Meantime  Penn  in  England  was  devoting  all  his  time  and  energies  to 
his  scheme  of  colonization.  He  gave  the  utmost  publicity  to  his  char- 
tered privileges,  and  invited  the  cooperation  of  all  classes  in  founding  a 
free  and  industrial  state.  In  the  course  of  his  colonization  propaganda 
he  published  a  pamphlet  entitled,  "Some  Account  of  the  Province  of 
Pennsylvania  in  America."  It  contained  a  truthful  account  of  the 
resources  of  the  country.  The  author  was  candid  in  pointing  out  to  all 
the  possible  hardships  and  perils  likely  to  be  experienced  in  the  unsettled 
land,  and  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  all  who  had  the  idea  in  view  of 
seeking  the  fortunes  in  the  colony,  the  necessity  of  careful  preparations 
for  the  long  voyage  and  the  life  of  toil  and  self-denial  essential  to  their 
success.  In  referring  to  his  colony  he  said :  "I  shall  say  little  in  its 
praise  to  excite  desires  in  any.  Whatever  I  could  truly  write  as  to  the 
soil,  air  and  water,  this  shall  satisfy  me,  that  by  the  blessing  of  God 
and  the  honesty  and  industry  of  man,  it  may  be  a  good  and  fruitful 
land." 

Direct  overtures  were  made  by  Penn  to  men  and  families  of  all  relig- 
ious persuasions,  assuring  them  of  a  tolerant  government  in  all  things. 
He  invited  purchasers  and  renters  of  lands,  and  made  special  provisions 
for  those  without  means : 

To  the  first,  the  shares  I  sell  shall  be  certain  as  to  number  of  acres ; 
that  is  to  say,  every  one  shall  contain  five  thousand  acres,  free  from  any 
incumbrance,  the  price  a  hundred  pounds  and  for  the  quit  rent  but  one 
English  shilling,  or  the  value  of  it,  yearly,  for  a  hundred  acres ;  and  the 
said  quit  rent  not  to  begin  to  be  paid  till  1684.  To  the  second  sort  that 
take  up  land  upon  rent,  they  shall  have  liberty  so  to  do,  paying  yearly  one 
penny  per  acre,  not  exceeding  two  hundred  acres.  To  the  third  sort,  to 
wit,  servants  that  are  carried  over,  fifty  acres  shall  be  allowed  to  the 
master  for  every  head,  and  fifty  acres  to  every  servant  when  their  time 
has  expired.  And  because  some  engage  with  me  that  may  not  be  dis- 
posed to  go,  it  were  very  advisable  for  every  three  adventurers  to  send 
an  overseer  with  their  servants,  which  would  well  pay  the  cost. 

Penn  classified  his  prospective  colonists,  with  special  reference  to 
their  peculiar  fitness  for  frontier  life,  as  follows:  "ist.  Industrious  hus- 
bandmen and  day  laborers  that  are  hardly  able  (with  extreme  labor)  to 
maintain  their  families  and  portion  their  children.  2nd.  Laborious  han- 
dicrafts, especially  carpenters,  masons,  smiths,  weavers,  taylors,  tan- 
ners, shoemakers,  shipwrights,  etc.,  where  they  may  be  spared  or  low  in 
in  the  world,  and  as  they  shall  want  no  encouragement,  so  their  labor  is 
worth  more  than  here,  and  their  provisions  cheaper."  3rd.  Penn  invited 
ingenious  spirits  who  are  low  in  the  world,  younger  brothers  with  small 


38  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

inheritances  and  often  large  families.  Lastly,  he  said:  "There  are 
another  sort  of  persons,  not  only  fit  for  but  necessary  in  plantations, 
and  that  is  men  of  universal  spirits,  that  have  an  eye  to  the  good  of 
posterity,  and  that  both  understand  and  delight  to  promote  good  dis- 
cipline and  just  government  among  a  plain  and  well-intending  people ; 
such  persons  may  find  room  in  colonies  for  their  good  counsel  and  con- 
trivance, who  are  shut  out  from  being  of  much  use  or  service  to  great 
nations  under  settled  customs ;  these  men  deserve  much  esteem  and 
would  be  hearkened  to."  Penn  further  enumerated  and  commended  the 
resources  of  the  province.  He  set  forth :  "Timber  was  abundant,  also 
game,  wild  fowl,  and  fish,  flax,  hemp,  cider,  wood,  madder,  liquorish, 
tobacco  and  iron,  hides,  tallow,  staves,  beef,  pork,  sheep,  wool,  corn, 
wheat,  rye,  barley,  also  furs,  minks,  raccoons,  martins,  and  such  like 
store  of  furs  which  is  to  be  found  among  the  Indians  that  are  profitable 
commodities  in  England."  As  to  the  arrival  of  colonists  in  the  fall 
months  of  the  year,  Penn  said : 

Two  men  may  clear  as  much  ground  by  spring  (when  they  set  the 
corn  in  that  country)  as  will  bring  in  that  time  twelve  months,  forty 
barrels,  which  makes  twenty-five  quarters  of  corn.  So  that  the  first  year 
they  must  buy  corn,  which  is  usually  very  plentiful.  They  must,  so 
soon  as  they  come,  buy  cows,  more  or  less,  as  they  want  or  are  able, 
which  are  to  be  had  at  easy  rates.  For  swine,  they  are  plentiful  and 
cheap,  these  will  quickly  increase  to  a  stock.  So  that  after  the  first 
year,  what  with  the  poorer  sort  sometimes  laboring  for  others,  and  the 
more  able  fishing,  fowling  and  sometimes  buying,  they  may  do  very  well 
till  their  own  stocks  are  sufficient  to  supply  them  and  their  families, 
which  will  quickly  be,  and  to  spare,  if  they  follow  the  English  hus- 
bandry, as  they  do  in  New  England  and  New  York,  and  get  winter 
fodder  for  their  stock. 

To  conclude,  I  desire  all  my  dear  country  folks  who  may  be  inclined 
to  go  into  those  parts,  to  consider  seriously  the  premises,  as  well  the 
inconveniency,  as  to  future  ease  and  plenty,  so  that  none  may  move 
rashly  or  from  a  fickle  but  from  a  solid  mind,  having  above  all  things  an 
eye  to  the  providence  of  God  in  the  disposing  of  themselves ;  and  I  would 
further  advise  all  such  at  least  to  have  the  permission,  if  not  the  good 
liking,  of  their  near  relations,  for  that  is  both  natural  and  a  duty  incum- 
bent upon  all.  And  by  this  will  natural  aflfections  be  preserved,  and  a 
friendly  and  profitable  correspondence  between  them,  in  all  which  I 
beseech  Almighty  God  to  direct  us,  that  his  blessing  may  attend  our 
earnest  endeavors,  and  then  the  consequences  of  all  our  undertakings 
will  turn  to  the  glory  of  His  great  name,  and  all  true  happiness  to  us 
and  our  posterity.    Amen. 

Being  assured  that  he  would  have  a  large  and  intelligent  following 
to  the  New  World,  Penn  was  anxious  to  facilitate  trade  and  commerce 
between  the  colony  and  the  mother  country.  In  order  to  accomplish 
this  purpose,  he  encouraged  the  organization  of  "The  Free  Society  of 
Traders,"  looking  upon  the  enterprise  as  a  potent  and  peaceful  agent 
in  maintaining  frequent  intercourse  between  the  inhabitants  of  the  col- 


WILLIAM  PENN  AND  THE  FOUNDING  OF  HIS  COLONY    39 

ony  and  England,  and  as  an  encouragement  to  further  emigration,  which 
he  felt  sure  once  opened  to  the  superior  advantages  of  a  new  and  fertile 
country  where  religious  and  political  freedom  could  be  fully  enjoyed, 
would  never  be  closed. 

In  his  solicitude  for  the  persons  forming  his  colony,  Penn  showed 
his  humanity.  In  the  code  of  government  he  framed  for  his  colony  he 
showed  his  statesmanship.  In  codifying  his  laws,  there  were  three  dis- 
tinct departments  to  be  taken  under  consideration:  i.  The  limitations 
imposed  by  his  charter.  2.  The  relations  with  the  Indians.  3.  The  un- 
restrained exercise  of  religious  liberty  and  the  institution  of  self-gov- 
ernment among  the  residents  of  the  colony.  The  code  of  laws  devised 
by  Penn  were  free  from  all  repressive  measures  in  relation  to  religious 
tolerance;  were  far  in  advance  of  all  ecclesiastical  or  legislative  thought 
in  Europe ;  and,  with  but  one  notable  exception  among  the  provinces 
fringing  the  Atlantic  coast  in  this  country,  were  alike  new  and  startling. 
The  manner  of  perpetuating  evidence  of  purchase  and  title  to  landed 
estates,  their  liability  for  debt,  the  establishment  of  courts  of  justice, 
the  manner  of  distributing  decedent's  property,  and  the  practical  sun- 
dering of  Church  and  State,  all  marked  an  era  of  progressive  legislation 
more  radical  in  those  days,  perhaps,  than  any  laws  that  are  proposed 
to-day. 

By  August,  1682,  Penn's  work  of  preparation  for  his  departure  from 
England  was  completed.  The  ship  "Welcome,"  under  command  of 
Robert  Greenway,  had  shipped  her  stores,  her  crew  was  in  service,  and 
the  sailors  waited  for  the  Governor  of  the  Colony  and  the  adventurous 
people  who  were  to  cross  the  ocean  with  them  to  come  on  board.  Penn's 
"Valedictory  Epistle  to  England"  was  written  on  August  30,  and  an 
affectionate  farewell  given  to  his  wife  and  children. 

By  the  first  of  September,  Penn  was  ready  to  sail  in  the  possession 
of  a  charter  for  a  province  and  future  State.  Penn's  deputy  Markham 
and  his  associates  had  been  busy  preparing  the  minds  of  the  settlers 
and  the  Indian  chiefs  for  his  coming.  Accompanied  by  more  than  a 
hundred  venturesome  pioneers,  Penn,  as  indicated  by  his  writings  at 
the  time,  keenly  felt  the  responsibility  that  devolved  upon  him  under 
the  circumstances ;  but  with  settled  purposes,  and  convictions  deepened 
by  years  of  painful  experience,  he  sought  consolation  and  repose  of  mind 
in  the  hopefulness  of  a  near  and  still  more  eventful  future  among  a  free 
people  and  in  a  new  country.  As  the  time  of  Penn's  arrival  approached, 
expectancy  was  intense  among  the  settlers  on  the  Delaware.  The  sale 
of  lands  by  the  agents  covered  five  hundred  thousand  acres,  with  ships 
sailing  from  Europe  for  the  province  every  sixteen  days.  The  arrival 
of  over  five  hundred  emigrants,  and  the  site  of  a  great  city  located, 
created  a  stir  and  excitement  among  all  classes  that  only  needed  the 
presence  of  Penn  to  insure  a  climax.    This  was  reached  on  October  'Zj, 


40  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

when  his  ship  anchored  ofif  New  Castle.     The  historical  account  of  the 
event  is  as  follows  : 

October  28.  On  the  27th  day  of  October,  arrived  before  the  town  of 
New  Castle,  in  Delaware,  from  England,  William  Penn,  Esq.,  proprie- 
tary of  Pennsylvania,  who  produced  two  certain  deeds  of  feoffment 
from  the  illustrious  Prince  James,  Duke  of  York,  Albany,  etc.,  for  this 
town  of  New  Castle,  and  twelve  miles  about  it,  and  also  for  the  two 
lower  counties,  the  Whorekill's  and  St.  Jones's,  which  said  deeds  bear 
date  the  24th  of  August,  1682;  and  pursuant  to  the  true  intent,  purpose 
and  meaning  of  his  royal  highness  in  the  same  deeds,  he,  the  said  Wil- 
liam Penn,  received  possession  of  the  town  of  New  Castle,  the  28th  of 
October,  1682. 

This  delivery  was  made  by  John  Moll,  Esq.,  and  Ephraim  Herman, 
attorneys,  constituted  by  his  royal  highness  as  commissioners  to  act  in 
the  formal  ceremony,  in  which  the  key  of  the  fort  was  delivered  to  Penn 
by  one  of  the  commissioners,  "in  order  that  he  might  lock  upon  himselt 
alone  the  door,"  and  which  was  accompanied  by  presents  of  "turf  and 
twig,  and  water  and  soyle  of  the  river  Delaware." 

Referring  to  the  voyage  and  arrival  of  Penn's  ship,  Robert  Proud, 
who  wrote  in  1780,  said: 

The  number  of  passengers  in  this  ship  was  about  one  hundred, 
mostly  Quakers ;  the  major  part  of  them  from  Sussex,  the  Proprietary's 
place  of  residence.  In  their  passage  many  of  them  were  taken  sick  with 
the  smallpox,  and  about  thirty  of  their  number  died.  In  this  trying  situ- 
ation the  acceptable  company  of  William  Penn  is  said  to  have  been  of 
singular  advantage  to  them,  and  his  kind  advice  and  assistance  of  great 
service  during  their  passage ;  so  that  in  the  main  they  had  a  prosperous 
voyage,  and  in  little  more  than  six  weeks  came  in  sight  of  the  American 
coast,  supposed  to  be  about  Egg  Harbor,  in  New  Jersey.  In  coming  up 
the  Delaware,  the  inhabitants,  consisting  of  English,  Dutch  and  Swedes, 
indiscriminately  met  the  Proprietary  with  demonstrations  of  joy.  He 
landed  in  New  Castle  on  the  24th  of  October,  and  next  day  had  the 
people  summoned  to  the  court  house,  where,  after  possession  of  the 
country  was  legally  given  him,  he  made  a  speech  to  the  old  magistrates 
and  the  people,  signifying  to  them  the  design  of  his  coming,  the  nature 
and  end  of  government,  and  of  that  which  more  particularly  he  came  to 
establish,  assuring  them  of  their  spiritual  and  temporal  rights,  liberty 
of  conscience  and  civil  freedom,  and  recommending  to  them  to  live  in 
sobriety  and  peace ;  he  renewed  the  magistrates'  commissions.  After 
this  he  proceeded  to  Upland,  now  called  Chester,  where  on  the  fourth 
day  of  the  tenth  month  (about  three  months  after  his  sailing  from  Eng- 
land) he  called  an  Assembly.  It  consisted  of  equal  numbers  of  mem- 
bers from  the  province  and  the  three  lower  counties,  called  the  Terri- 
tories ;  that  is,  from  both  of  them  so  many  of  the  freemen  as  thought 
proper  to  appear,  according  to  the  sixteenth  article  of  the  Frame  of 
Government. 

This  Assembly  chose  Nicholas  Moore,  who  was  president  of  the  Free 
Society  of  Traders,  for  their  chairman  or  speaker,  and  received  as  ample 
satisfaction  from  the  Proprietary  as  the  inhabitants  of  New  Castle  had 
done,   for   which   they   returned   him   their   grateful   acknowledgments. 


WILLIAM  PENN  AND  THE  FOUNDING  OF  HIS  COLONY    41 

The  Swedes,  for  themselves,  deputed  Lacy  Cock  to  acquaint  him  "that 
they  would  love,  serve  and  obey  him  with  all  they  had,"  declaring  that 
"it  was  the  best  day  they  ever  saw." 

At  this  Assembly  an  act  of  union  was  passed  annexing  the  three 
lower  counties  to  the  province,  in  legislation,  on  the  7th  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1682;  likewise  an  act  of  settlement  in  reference  to  the  Frame  of 
Government,  which,  with  some  alterations,  was  thereby  declared  to  be 
accepted  and  confirmed.  The  Dutch,  Swedes  and  other  foreigners  were 
then  naturalized ;  all  the  laws  agreed  upon  in  England,  with  some  alter- 
ations, were  passed  in  form. 

The  meeting  continued  only  three  days,  and  notwithstanding  the 
great  variety  of  dispositions,  rawness  and  inexperience  of  this  Assembly 
in  affairs  of  this  kind,  yet  a  very  remarkable  candor  and  harmony  pre- 
vailed among  them. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  COLONIAL  ERA. 

What  a  few  years  of  man's  handiwork  can  do  to  change  the  aspect  of 
a  primeval  land  can  best  be  appreciated  by  a  resident  of  Montgomery 
county  to-day  if  he  will  cast  his  mind's  eye  backwards  but  a  few  cen- 
turies and  endeavor  to  form  a  mental  picture  of  the  topography  of  this 
district  before  the  first  settlers  arrived. 

Intense  silence  prevailed,  broken  only  by  the  cries  of  savage  men 
and  beasts,  and  the  noises  made  by  wind  and  water.  Traversed  from 
end  to  end  by  the  Schuylkill  and  cut  up  by  its  tributaries,  the  land  that 
was  later  to  become  Montgomery  county  offered  nothing  to  the  early 
settler  but  towering  forests,  shrubbery  and  wild  game.  Rocks  and 
fallen  timber  encumbered  the  free  passage  of  man  at  every  point.  The 
fact  that  beneath  were  concealed  mineral  treasures  in  the  shape  of  lime- 
stone, marble,  iron,  copper  and  clay,  which  later  on  were  to  enable  the 
settlers  to  make  such  progress  in  turning  the  wilderness  into  a  civilized 
place,  was  unknown  to  them.  There  were  no  roads,  as  we  know  them ; 
the  rivers  and  creeks  were  obstructed  by  driftwood,  rocks  and  shoals, 
and  the  early  arrived  white  man  had  to  have  recourse,  when  traveling 
from  point  to  point,  to  the  only  known  means  of  transportation  to  the 
Indian,  the  light  canoe  on  the  waters,  or  narrow  foot  trails  through  the 
primitive  forests. 

Fleeing  from  civil  and  religious  oppression  in  Europe,  the  ancestors 
of  all  of  us  who  are  here  to-day,  were  mainly  intent  on  liberty  and  food. 
Most  of  them  were  agricultural  peasants,  with  a  few  artisans  indis- 
pensable to  the  farmer.  As,  however,  settlers  of  various  nationalities 
attracted  by  Penn's  liberal  institutions,  became  seated  in  our  valleys, 
they  were  first  drawn  to  the  rivers  and  creeks,  not  only  by  the  fertility 
of  the  land  but  for  supplies  of  game  and  fish.  They,  therefore,  set  about 
improving  the  streams  with  rude  dams,  weirs,  and  other  contrivances 
for  catching  the  migratory  species,  which  soon  led  to  contests  with 
other  occupants  above  who  needed  the  river  for  transportation  and 
travel.  The  law  soon  interfered  in  favor  of  the  latter,  but  even  thus 
protected  as  a  highway,  the  river  could  only  be  used  safely  in  spring  or 
in  time  of  high  water.  Thus,  unlike  as  at  present,  they  were  hemmed 
in  and  obliged  to  live  almost  entirely  upon  farm  products.  Still,  the 
territory  filled  with  a  constant  stream  of  pilgrim  religionists,  a  rugged, 
industrious  people,  who  came  with  two  chief  aims — civil  liberty,  and 
the  right  to  worship  God  unawed  by  governmental  interference.  Thus 
situated,  the  early  pioneers  felt  the  need  of  improvements,  of  all  char- 
acter, very  naturally. 

As  a  consequence  of  the  strange  environment  in  which  they  found 


44  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

themselves,  the  early  settlers  had  to  learn  new  habits  of  life.  Most  of 
them,  before  crossing  the  sea,  had  been  accustomed  to  a  position  of 
service  to  masters,  charged  with  no  responsibilities  beyond  doing  their 
daily  tasks.  Law  was  left  behind  them  and  force  substituted  therefor, 
as  in  all  primitive  communities  within  the  era  of  known  history. 

But  these  immigrants  for  the  most  part  came  here  on  a  mission  of 
peace  and  justice  for  all  men.  Unlike  the  Spaniards  to  the  south  and 
west,  instead  of  fighting  the  Indians,  they  attacked  the  forests  and 
rocks,  which  were  removed  before  them.  The  first  imperative  neces- 
sity was  shelter  from  weather  and  wild  beasts,  but  they  built  no  forts  or 
block  houses  against  the  Indian.  Seeking  out  therefore  near  a  spring 
a  southern  slope  to  give  protection  against  the  cold,  they  built  a  rude 
cabin  of  logs  or  rocks  or  both,  and  sometimes,  for  temporary  shelter, 
only  a  cave  hewn  out  of  a  bank.  With  a  few  tools  of  iron  or  steel 
brought  with  them  and  some  utensils  of  tin  and  wood,  their  toil  began, 
while  the  Indian  looked  on,  pleased  and  friendly  with  the  new  comer. 
A  shelter  of  some  such  sort  finished,  a  small  clearing  was  made,  and 
with  a  few  domestic  animals  and  a  supply  of  seeds  for  planting,  the  im- 
migrant soon  felt  himself  to  be  really  that  once  much  looked-up-to 
individual,  "the  Lord  of  the  Manor"  himself. 

The  welfare  of  his  children  was  next  the  object  of  his  solicitude.  The 
desire  for  education,  still  a  dominant  factor  in  the  government  of  the 
county  and  State,  came  over  with  the  first  settlers.  Wherever  a  settle- 
ment was  located,  it  was  not  long  before  a  rude  school  house,  which 
might  also  serve  as  a  place  for  religious  meetings,  was  built  of  logs  by 
the  joint  effort  of  the  members  of  the  community.  Almost  at  the  same 
time  came  also  the  blacksmith  shop,  chiefly  for  the  making  and  repair  of 
agricultural  implements,  and  the  mill  to  grind  grain  into  food  for  man. 
The  next  great  want  was  a  cart  road,  so  essential  for  the  purpose  of 
intercommunication  between  settlements  for  both  business  and  pleasure. 
Many  of  these  primitive  thoroughfares  were  but  well  worn  footpaths 
through  timber  lands  or  clearings,  made  before  the  advent  of  the  cart, 
and  which  had  to  be  widened.  There  is  practically  no  data  to  show  that 
the  Hollanders  and  Swedes  laid  out  and  established  any  permanent 
highways  previous  to  the  beginning  of  Penn's  government,  although 
their  arrival  antedates  his  by  many  years.  But  no  sooner  had  Penn 
landed,  and  founded  Philadelphia,  than  roads  and  civilization  began  to 
radiate  from  the  "metropolis." 

For  approximately  a  century  afterwards,  Montgomery  county  was  a 
part  of  the  city  and  county  of  Philadelphia,  which  was  founded  in  1682. 
It  early  began,  as  indicated,  to  stretch  its  arms  towards  the  interior 
and  the  district  soon  began  to  throng  with  settlers.  As  settlements 
spread,  highways  were  ordered  to  be  surveyed  and  opened  from  the  city 
in  nearly  every  inland  direction.  Of  course  there  were  what  are  now 
called  dirt  roads,  many  of  them  little  wider  than  sufficient  for  carts  to 


THE  COLONIAL  ERA  45 

pass  each  other  on  the  way,  and  often,  with  the  view  of  accommodating 
land  owners,  they  were  run  out  of  direction  to  the  objective  point  in 
order  to  follow  line  fences;  or  if  striving  to  make  a  straight  one,  they 
would  carry  it  over  almost  untravelable  hills  or  through  deep  valleys, 
instead  of  winding  along  at  a  more  level  grade.  In  less  than  half  a 
century  after  Penn  arrived,  great  highways  were  laid  out  leading  from 
the  city  to  the  interior,  for  no  sooner  had  Penn  completed  satisfactory 
arrangements  with  the  Indians  for  their  cession  of  territory,  than  sur- 
veyors were  at  work  laying  out  roads  and  running  the  lines  upon  the 
new  purchases,  until  by  1740  most  of  the  land  of  the  present  Montgom- 
ery county  had  been  parcelled  out  and  nearly  settled  by  Swedes,  Welsh 
and  English  on  the  southern  and  central  borders,  and  by  Germans  on 
the  northwest,  with  a  sprinkling  of  Hollanders,  French  and  Scotch-Irish 
distributed  from  the  Delaware  westward  to  the  center. 

Having  built  their  homes,  and  all  the  territory  laid  off  into  town- 
ships, the  people  soon  had  municipal  governments  organized.  A  ready 
method  of  crossing  streams  was  early  looked  after,  but  beyond  canoes, 
ferries  and  a  few  wooden  bridges  and  foot-logs,  fords  were  the  only 
method  of  transit  from  one  side  to  another. 


VALLEY  FORGE— MASSACHUSETTS  MONUMENT,  NATIONAL  ARCH, 
FORT  WASHINGTON  AND  CONTINENTAL  ARMY  HUT 


CHAPTER  VII. 
MILITARY  OPERATIONS. 

Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  being  one  of  the  oldest  sub-divi- 
sions in  the  Commonwealth,  has  participated  in  all  of  the  principal  wars 
which  the  United  States  has  been  engaged  in  since  the  War  for  Inde- 
pendence. These  chapters  will  give  a  concise  outline  of  the  part  this 
county  has  had  in  these  several  conflicts,  including  the  last  great  World 
War,  in  which  she  became  an  ally. 

The  Revolution — This  commenced  in  this  State  when  the  Council  of 
Safety  was  instituted,  June  30,  1775,  in  Philadelphia,  by  the  Assembly 
of  the  Province.  At  that  time  Montgomery  was  included  in  Philadelphia 
county.  On  July  3,  1775,  Benjamin  Franklin  was  elected  president  ot 
the  Council  of  Safety.  The  first  Constitutional  Convention  convened  in 
Philadelphia,  July  1 5, 1 776.  Besides  framing  a  constitution  it  also  assumed 
the  legislative  power  of  the  State.  This  was  followed  by  the  institu- 
tion of  the  Supreme  Council  of  Safety,  in  which  reposed  the  executive 
powers  of  the  Commonwealth  until  the  first  constitution  was  revised  in 
1790.  The  Colonial  era  closed  with  the  adjournment  of  the  Provincial 
Assembly,  September  23,  1776.  Governor  Richard  Penn  yielded  reluc- 
tantly to  the  forces  of  the  Revolution,  and  the  last  act  of  provincial 
authority  was  a  fierce  denunciation  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  in 
assuming  legislative  power  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  "God  Save 
the  King!"  was  said  for  the  last  time  in  a  Pennsylvania  Assembly; 
henceforth  it  was  to  be  "God  Save  the  Commonwealth !" 

Conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  Pennsylvania  and  Montgomery  county, 
as  regards  the  Revolutionary  War,  were  the  memorable  events  asso- 
ciated with  General  Washington,  in  the  autumn  of  1777  and  the  winter 
of  1778.  The  provincial  conservatism  and  peaceful  character  of  the 
people  who  had  permanently  settled  in  the  beautiful  Schuylkill  Valley, 
woke  slowly  and  painfully  to  the  warlike  preparations  which  preceded 
Lord  Howe's  attack  upon  Philadelphia;  and  when  reverses  befell  our 
army  on  the  Brandywine,  a  profound  sense  of  alarm  pervaded  the  capital 
city,  shared  by  many  sorrowing  homes  that  lay  on  the  line  of  march, 
and  within  the  limits  certain  to  be  desolated  by  hostile  armies. 

No  just  conception  of  the  scope  and  magnitude  of  the  campaign 
organized  for  the  defense  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  and  the  capital  city  in 
the  autumn  of  1777  can  be  realized  unless  it  comprehend  the  movements 
and  results  of  the  two  principal  armies  of  the  Middle  States,  and  for 
whose  conduct  Washington,  as  commander-in-chief,  was  responsible  to 
the  Continental  government.  On  the  19th  of  June,  1775,  Washington 
received  his  commission  and  instructions  as  "General  and  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  armies  of  the  United  Colonies,  and  of  all  the  forces  raised 


48  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

or  to  be  raised  by  them,  and  all  others  who  shall  voluntarily  offer  their 
services  and  join  the  army  for  the  defense  of  American  Liberty." 

To  disconcert  him  by  strategy,  to  compel  him  to  battle  with  troops 
superior  in  armament  and  discipline,  and  to  overwhelm  him  with  num- 
bers, was  the  general  and  well-matured  plan  of  the  enemy.  The  prep- 
arations of  the  home  government  to  this  end  were  commensurate  with 
the  reasonable  hope  of  success ;  and  the  belief  that  the  resources  of  men 
and  means  so  lavishly  confided  to  commanders  would  speedily  end  the 
conflict  and  compel  submission  to  the  mother-country,  was  shared  by 
many  of  the  wayward  and  doubting  of  the  period. 

The  effort  of  Washington  through  the  winter  of  1777  to  organize  a 
powerful  army  for  the  ensuing  campaign  is  a  matter  of  history.  The 
hopes  inspired  from  time  to  time  by  the  flattering  reports  which  reached 
his  headquarters  were  cruelly  disappointed,  and  he  found  himself  not 
only  powerless  to  take  the  aggressive,  but  unequal  to  that  measure  of 
defensive  warfare  necessary  to  preserve  his  long  lines  unbroken. 

Having  used  his  best  efforts  to  hasten  the  concentration  of  troops 
from  the  Eastern  States,  and  overcome  in  some  measure  the  shock  to 
public  confidence  resulting  from  the  loss  of  Ticonderoga  and  the  dis- 
astrous retreat  of  General  St.  Clair ;  having  strengthened  the  willing 
hands  of  General  Schuyler  in  bringing  into  the  field  the  militia  of  New 
York  State,  rendering  the  victory  at  Bennington  and  other  minor  points 
possible,  and  witnessed  the  departure  of  Lord  Howe  from  New  York 
Bay,  he  turned  the  head  of  his  devoted  columns  toward  the  Delaware, 
massing  his  army  at  Germantown  early  in  the  month  of  August,  1777. 

For  days  and  weeks  the  work  of  marshaling  new  troops,  collecting 
supplies  and  fitting  the  command  to  resist  the  impending  attack  by 
Howe  went  on.  The  commander-in-chief  was  in  daily  consultation  with 
committees  of  Congress  and  heads  of  departments;  and  for  the  first 
time  met  the  youthful  and  heroic  Lafayette,  who  was  by  him  assigned  to 
duty  on  his  staff  with  the  rank  of  major-general.  The  public  mind 
became  feverish  and  excited  in  anticipation  of  events  now  certain  to 
affect  the  gravest  interests  of  the  colony.  War,  with  its  desolation,  its 
bloody  horrors,  its  blighting  consequences  upon  society  and  sacrifice  of 
life,  was  at  the  threshold  of  a  community  devoted  by  sentiment,  religion, 
and  pecuniary  interests  to  peaceful  pursuits.  Evidence  of  disaffection 
increased  with  the  certainty  of  Howe's  approach,  and  when  his  presence, 
with  fleet  and  army,  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay  was  announced,  it  was 
deemed  politic  by  the  government  that  Washington  should  march  his 
army  through  the  city  as  he  moved  south  to  meet  the  advance  of  the  foe. 
It  was  accordingly  done,  and  the  24th  of  August,  1777,  was  a  memorable 
day  in  the  history  of  the  capital  city,  as  well  as  in  the  lives  of  the  patri- 
otic soldiers,  who  received  at  every  square  the  most  marked  considera- 
tion at  the  hands  of  the  populace,  who  were  wild  in  their  demonstra- 
tions of  joy  as  divisions  marched  by  them  under  commanders  who  had 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  49 

grown  into  popular  favor  On  the  nth  of  September,  1777,  the  battle 
of  Brandywine  was  fought.  The  plan  of  the  engagement,  as  subse- 
quently revealed,  the  necessities  which  induced  it,  the  skilfully  executed 
movement  of  the  enemy  upon  the  right  of  the  patriot  army,  the  ineffici- 
ency of  Washington's  mounted  troops  in  not  disclosing  the  movement  of 
Cornwallis  at  an  earlier  hour  in  the  day,  the  uncertain  and  embarrassing 
reports  that  reached  him  from  sources  that  should  have  been  reliable,  the 
partial  surprise,  and  the  heroic  though  ineffectual  effort  to  meet  and 
resist  a  fierce  attack  from  a  direction  unlocked  for,  the  deeds  of  valor 
upon  the  part  of  officers  who  sought  to  retrieve  misfortune  by  personal 
daring,  and  the  usual  conduct  of  battle-shocked  troops,  have  gone  into 
history,  and  been  graphically  described  by  Marshall,  Botta,  Lossing, 
Headley,  Bancroft  and  others,  less  distinguished  in  history,  it  may  be, 
but  by  no  means  less  truthful  in  narrative. 

The  battle  was  lost,  and  its  discouraging  features  were  keenly  felt 
by  those  who  left  the  field  in  possession  of  the  enemy.  But  its  effects,  as 
measured  by  them,  were  by  no  means  as  disastrous  as  intended  or 
believed  to  be.  Marshall,  referring  to  the  immediate  results  of  the  en- 
gagement, in  his  history  declares:  "It  was  not  considered  decisive  by 
Congress,  the  general,  or  the  army,"  and  cites  the  fact  that  the  govern- 
ment upon  receiving  Washington's  report  immediately  passed  vigorous 
resolutions  for  reinforcing  the  army,  and  directed  him  to  complete  the 
defenses  of  the  Delaware. 

On  the  15th,  four  days  after  this  battle,  the  army  was  on  the  march 
to  attack  Howe,  who,  apprised  of  the  movement,  immediately  put  his 
army  in  motion,  and  the  opposing  armies  met  between  the  Goshen  Meet- 
ing-House  and  the  White  Horse  Tavern,  on  the  table-land  south  of  the 
Great  Valley.  The  choice  of  position  was  again  with  Washington.  Hos- 
tilities had  actually  commenced,  when  storm  and  flood  rendered  the 
movement  of  troops  impossible,  and  disclosed  the  alarming  fact  that 
arms  and  ammunition  were  so  seriously  damaged  that  to  further  engage 
the  enemy  would  be  suicidal.  This  exigency  decided  temporarily  the 
fate  of  the  capital  city,  and  doubtless  hastened  the  period  of  occupation 
by  the  British  troops.  The  situation  was  critical,  and  the  day  certainly 
memorable.  To  retire  upon  Philadelphia  and  sufifer  a  partial  investment, 
leaving  the  country  open  from  the  Schuylkill  to  the  Hudson,  making  a 
diversion  in  favor  of  Burgoyne  not  only  possible,  but  probable,  would 
be  unwise  for  many  reasons ;  to  give  up  all  further  defense  of  the  capital 
was  an  hour  of  supreme  interest  in  the  struggle,  and  upon  his  decision 
hung  the  most  momentous  results.  Assuming  the  entire  responsibility, 
courting  the  counsel  of  his  subordinates,  but  acting  upon  his  own  mature 
judgment,  he  uncovered  Philadelphia,  detaching  General  Wayne,  and 
directing  him  to  attack  the  extreme  left  of  the  enemy,  in  the  hope  of 
detaining  him  until  he  could  refit  his  army  and  renew  the  conflict,  provi- 
dentially postponed. 


50  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Pending  the  movement  of  reinforcements  from  the  North,  the  public 
mind,  having  recovered  from  the  first  effects  of  the  reverses  at  Brandy- 
wine,  Paoli  and  Germantown,  perhaps  unduly  elated  by  the  surrender 
of  Burgoyne  and  its  sequences,  clamored  for  further  aggressive  move- 
ments against  Hovi^e.  Washington  moved  his  army  to  the  east,  taking 
a  strong  position  at  Whitemarsh,  from  which  he  was  able  to  watch  the 
movements  of  the  enemy,  harass  his  outposts,  cut  oflf  his  source  of 
supplies,  give  protection  to  the  agricultural  people  and  confidence  to 
the  public  mind.  Here,  after  an  ineffectual  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy  to  dislodge  him,  on  the  5th  and  6th  of  December,  the  campaign 
closed,  HoM-e  retiring  within  his  lines  of  defense,  reaching  from  the  Del- 
aware to  the  Schuylkill  river.  The  war-worn  and  jaded  condition  of  the 
patriot  troops,  the  want  of  supplies,  the  hopelessness  of  further  opera- 
tions to  repossess  Philadelphia,  and  the  approach  of  winter,  all  admon- 
ished the  commander  to  seek  shelter  and  repose  for  his  army. 

The  proposition  to  retire  the  army  for  the  winter  gave  rise  to  well- 
marked  differences  of  opinion.  Within  army  circles  the  only  question 
was  that  of  location.  Whether  it  should  fortify  and  remain  where  it 
was,  or  retire  to  the  Perkiomen  hills,  or  move  south  and  occupy  the 
vicinity  of  Wilmington,  was  canvassed  by  leading  officers  in  the  army, 
whose  opinions  were  sought  by  the  commander-in-chief.  In  political 
circles,  and  among  a  large  and  influential  class  of  patriotic  citizens  of 
Pennsylvania,  a  different  view  prevailed.  In  their  opinion,  the  exigency 
of  the  public  service  demanded  a  continuation  of  active  operations  upon 
the  part  of  this  army.  Their  hostility  to  the  proposed  cantonment  of 
troops  culminated  in  a  remonstrance  prepared  by  the  General  Assembly, 
and  by  that  body  presented  to  Congress,  then  in  session  at  York.  We 
recite  the  remonstrance  here  in  order  to  illustrate  the  wisdom  and  force 
of  character  of  the  great  and  good  man  who,  in  serving  the  higher  inter- 
ests of  his  country,  disregarded  the  remonstrance  of  those  whose  sensi- 
bilities were  shocked  by  the  calamities  of  war,  and  who,  for  a  temporary 
respite  from  its  ravages,  would  have  sacrificed  the  army  of  hope  by 
denying  it  that  well-earned  repose  absolutely  necessary  at  that  season 
and  period  to  preserve  its  existence. 

On  the  nth  of  December  the  camp  was  broken  up  at  Whitemarsh, 
and  after  a  painful  march  over  rough  and  frozen  roads  reached  the  Gulf 
Hills,  crossing  the  Schuylkill  river  at  Swedes'  and  Matson's  ford  on 
improvised  bridges.  Here  the  advance  division  under  General  Potter, 
which  moved  south  of  Matson's  ford  to  cover  the  passage  of  the  main 
army,  unexpectedly  came  in  contact  with  a  strong  detachment  of  the 
enemy  under  Cornwallis,  out  upon  a  foraging  expedition.  The  presence 
of  the  enemy  in  this  quarter  and  in  such  force  was  a  surprise  at  the 
time,  and  occasioned  delay,  the  counter-movement  of  troops  and  some 
apprehension  upon  the  part  of  the  commander-in-chief,  which  subse- 
quently proved  to  be  without  cause.    A  camp  was  established  for  some 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  51 

days  on  the  Gulf  Hills,  fourteen  miles  distant  from  Philadelphia,  where 
the  army  remained  until  the  i8th,  when  it  retired  to  Valley  Forge,  going 
into  position  with  the  right  resting  upon  the  base  of  Mount  Joy,  near 
the  acute  angle  of  the  Valley  creek,  the  left  flank  resting  upon  and  pro- 
tected by  the  Schuylkill  river,  about  one-half  mile  below  Fatland  ford 
or  Sullivan's  bridge. 

Historians  have  uniformly  signalized  the  arrival  of  the  army  on  this 
ground  as  coincident  with  the  famous  order  of  the  commander-in-chief 
dated  Headquarters  on  the  Schuylkill,  December  17,  1777,  congratu- 
lating his  troops  upon  the  close  of  the  campaign,  the  results  accom- 
plished, the  heroic  conduct  of  officers  and  the  endurance  of  men,  coun- 
seling them  to  continue  in  fortitude  and  patience,  assuring  his  follow- 
ers "that  while  in  some  instances  he  has  unfortunately  failed,  that  upon 
the  whole,  heaven  had  smiled  upon  their  army  and  crowned  them  with 
success,  that  the  end  of  their  warfare  was  independence,  liberty  and 
peace,  and  that  the  hope  of  securing  these  blessings  for  themselves  and 
their  posterity  demanded  a  continuance  of  the  struggle  at  every  hazard." 
This  was  the  pleasing  side  of  the  picture,  set  in  the  gilded  framework  of 
war's  seducing  blandishments  and  panoplied  with  its  field-day  glories. 
But  there  was  another, — the  shoeless  soldiers,  the  frozen  ground,  the 
cheerless  hills,  the  lowering  leaden  sky  that  arched  them  over  with 
gloom.  These  were  the  sorrowing  and  mute  witnesses  to  the  true  scene 
of  the  arrival,  and  which  the  artist  has  thus  far  failed  to  place  upon  can- 
vas. We  are  not,  however,  wanting  for  the  pen  picture,  and  I  give  it 
in  the  language  of  Mr.  George  Washington  Parke  Custis : 

The  brigades  had  gone  into  position  upon  the  line  of  defense  indi- 
cated by  the  skillful  officer  who  drew  it.  The  pitiless  winter  winds 
swept  the  hills  and  valley  with  unceasing  fury  as  the  December  sun 
sank  into  banks  of  snow-clouds,  presaging  the  coming  storm.  The  pov- 
erty of  supplies  in  food  and  raiment  was  bitterly  and  profanely  bewailed 
by  shivering,  unpaid  officers  and  half-naked  men  as  they  crowded  around 
the  comfortless  camp-fire  of  the  bivouac,  when  suddenly  the  appearance 
of  the  Horse  Guard  announced  the  approach  of  the  commander-in-chief. 
The  officer  commanding  the  detachment,  choosing  the  most  favorable 
ground,  paraded  his  men  to  pay  their  general  the  honors  of  a  passing 
salute.  As  Washington  rode  slowly  up  he  was  observed  to  be  eyeing 
very  earnestly  something  that  attracted  his  attention  on  the  frozen  sur- 
face of  the  road.  Having  returned  the  salute  with  that  native  grace  and 
dignified  manner  that  won  the  admiration  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, the  chief  reined  in  his  charger,  and  ordering  the  commanding  officer 
of  the  detachment  to  his  side,  addressed  him  as  follows :  "How  comes  it. 
sir,  that  I  have  tracked  the  march  of  your  troops  by  the  blood-stains  of 
their  feet  upon  the  frozen  ground?  Were  there  no  shoes  in  the  com- 
missary's stores,  that  this  sad  spectacle  is  to  be  seen  along  the  public 
highway?"  The  officer  replied :  "Your  Excellency  may  rest  assured  that 
this  sight  is  as  painful  to  my  feelings  as  it  can  be  to  yours,  but  there  is 
no  remedy  within  our  reach.  When  shoes  were  issued  the  diflferent  regi- 
ments were  served  in  turn  ;  it  was  our  misfortune  to  be  among  the  last  to 


52  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

be  served,  and  the  stores  became  exhausted  before  we  could  obtain  even 
the  smallest  supply." 

The  general  was  observed  to  be  deeply  affected  by  his  officer's 
description  of  the  soldiers'  privations  and  sufferings.  His  compressed 
lips,  the  heaving  of  his  manly  chest,  betokened  the  powerful  emotions 
that  were  struggling  in  his  bosom,  when,  turning  towards  the  troops, 
with  a  voice  tremulous,  yet  kindly,  he  exclaimed,  "Poor  fellows !"  Then 
giving  rein  to  his  horse,  he  rode  rapidly  away. 

The  purpose  of  the  commander-in-chief  in  taking  position  at  Valley 
Forge  was  to  give  the  greatest  measure  of  protection  possible  to  the 
State,  and  to  circumscribe  the  operations  of  General  Howe  within  limits 
that  would  seriously  affect  his  source  of  supply.  To  this  end  his  line 
was  admirably  drawn.  On  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill  he  extended 
his  right  flank  to  Wilmington,  at  which  point  he  stationed  General  Small- 
wood  with  his  brigade  of  infantry,  covering  the  long  interval  with  Mor- 
gan's rifle  corps  and  the  squadron  of  cavalry  under  Major  Harry  Lee. 
On  the  east  of  the  river  he  occupied  the  country  as  far  as  Whitemarsh, 
placing  General  Armstrong  with  a  brigade  of  Pennsylvania  militia  so  as 
to  cover  the  principal  roads  converging  at  that  point ;  the  cavalry  under 
Major  Jameson  and  Captain  McLane  guarded  the  highways  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Barren  and  Chestnut  Hills ;  and  to  still  further  prevent  the  incur- 
sions of  the  enemy  northward  from  Philadelphia,  he  directed  General 
Pulaski,  who  was  in  command  of  the  brigade  of  cavalry,  to  go  into  camp 
at  Trenton,  New  Jersey.  The  line  of  defense  from  the  west  shore  of  the 
Schuylkill  river  to  the  base  of  Mount  Joy,  at  the  angle  of  Valley  creek, 
occupied  commanding  ground,  and  the  earthworks  and  fortifications 
erected  under  the  direction  of  General  Duportail  were  extensive  in  char- 
acter and  skillfully  constructed.  The  interior  line  of  works  and  abatis 
were  semicircular  in  form,  crossing  from  north  to  south,  with  one  star 
and  two  square  forts,  from  which  the  army  could  have  successfully  cov- 
ered a  retreat  westward,  had  such  a  movement  become  necessary. 

An  order  was  given  to  construct  huts  for  the  winter,  and  its  execu- 
tion followed  with  dispatch  and  great  exactness.  Soldiers  became  axe- 
men from  necessity;  before  them  the  forest  fell,  and  hundreds  of  log 
houses  grew  as  by  magic.  The  dimensions  of  each  hut  were  fourteen 
by  sixteen  feet,  with  chimney,  fire-place,  and  door,  facing  upon  company 
streets,  drawn  in  strict  conformity  with  the  rules  of  military  encamp- 
ments. Quarters  for  field  and  staff  officers  were  erected  in  rear  of  the 
line  of  troops,  while  still  farther  to  the  rear,  upon  the  sloping  hills, 
shelter  was  sought  for  the  trains  of  the  army.  History  and  tradition 
alike  confirm  the  fact  that  the  hills  were  made  bare  of  timber  in  com-' 
pleting  the  shelter  necessary  for  men  and  animals,  and  the  wood  neces- 
sary for  fuel  during  the  long  winter  was  hauled  by  men  a  distance  of 
one  or  more  miles  from  the  camp. 

Chief  Justice  Marshall  and  others  in  writing  of  these  dark  days  of 


OLD  CAMP  SCHOOL  HOUSE.  VALLEY  FORGE 


INTERIOR  OF  OLU  CAMP  SCHOOL  HOUSE,  VALLEY  FORGE 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  53 

the  War  for  Independence,  gave  facts  as  follows,  as  will  be  seen  in  that 
most  authentic  history  of  Montgomery  county,  by  Colonel  Bean : 

In  the  absence  of  blankets,  the  want  of  straw  as  well  as  grain  was 
sorely  felt  by  the  army ;  farmers  in  the  immediate  vicinity  had  suffered 
great  loss  by  the  presence  of  both  armies  in  their  midst.  If  the  patriot 
army  were  considerate  to  those  known  to  be  friendly  to  their  cause  and 
merciless  upon  the  "Tory,"  the  British,  who  closely  followed  them,  laid  a 
heavy  hand  upon  the  supplies  of  the  "Rebel,"  and  between  the  two  the 
farmers  from  the  Brandywine  to  the  Delaware  found  an  involuntary 
market.  Under  these  circumstances,  it  was  not  surprising  that  those 
who  had  stowed  away  the  grain  and  hay  that  was  relied  upon  to  keep 
body  and  soul  together  for  another  year  were  tardy  in  threshing  it  out. 
The  commander-in-chief  comprehended  the  situation,  and  the  order 
issued  went  direct  to  the  vital  point;  it  suggested  an  alternative  which 
brought  flails  to  the  front,  barn-doors  were  opened,  the  golden  sheaves 
were  brought  in  from  well-preserved  stacks,  in  many  instances  by  the 
soldiers  themselves,  who  were  glad  to  exchange  the  rigors  of  a  starving 
camp  for  the  toil  of  the  threshing-floor,  which  exchange  yielded  bread 
for  themselves  and  compatriots  by  day,  and  afforded  the  hope  of  merri- 
ment amidst  the  cheerful  homes  of  patriot  mothers  and  daughters  by 
night.  .  Tradition  says  that  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  "Wash- 
ington's seventy  miles"  could  be  heard  from  morn  till  night  two  or  three 
threshers  on  every  barn-floor.  Straw  was  soon  in  the  market,  soft  as 
flails  could  make  it,  and  contributed  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  the  men  at 
Valley  Forge,  and  hundreds  and  thousands  of  other  sick  and  wounded, 
who  filled  every  church  and  meeting-house  from  Barren  Hill  to  the 
"Swamp,"  and  from  "Birmingham  to  Reading." 

"At  no  period  of  the  war,"  writes  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  "had  the 
American  army  been  reduced  to  a  situation  of  greater  peril  than  during 
the  winter  at  Valley  Forge.  More  than  once  they  were  absolutely  with- 
out food.  Even  while  their  condition  was  less  desperate  in  this  respect, 
their  stock  of  provisions  was  so  scanty  that  there  was  seldom  at  any 
time  in  the  stores  a  quantity  sufificient  for  the  use  of  the  troops  for  a 
week.  The  returns  of  the  ist  of  February  exhibit  the  astonishing  num- 
ber of  3,989  men  in  camp  unfit  for  duty  for  want  of  clothes.  Of  this 
number  scarcely  a  man  had  a  pair  of  shoes.  Although  the  total  of  the 
army  exceeded  17,000  men,  the  present  eflfective  rank  and  file  amounted 
to  only  5,012.  The  returns  throughout  the  winter  did  not  eflfectually 
vary  from  that  which  has  been  particularly  stated." 

Dr.  Thatcher,  in  his  private  journal,  states :  "That  it  was  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  men  enough  could  be  found  in  a  fit  condition  to 
discharge  the  military  camp  duties  from  day  to  day,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose, those  who  were  naked  borrowed  of  those  who  were  more  fortunate 
in  having  covering  for  their  bodies  and  shoes  for  their  feet.  Yet,  amidst 
the  sufferings  and  privations  endured  by  these  devoted  troops  week 
after  week  and  month  after  month,  pelted  by  the  storms  of  one  of  the 
severest  winters  ever  known  in  this  region,  the  love  of  country,  the  hope 
of  victory,  and  an  abiding  confidence  in  their  great  leader,  sustained 


54  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

them  until,  in  the  Providence  of  God,  the  cause  found  an  ally  whose 
offices  of  friendship,  long  and  ardently  hoped  for  by  the  chivalrous  Laf- 
ayette, were  finally  assured  by  the  diplomacy  of  our  own  glorious 
Franklin." 

Perhaps  no  more  marked  spirit  of  patriotism  and  loyalty  to  one's 
country  can  be  named  in  connection  with  the  Revolution  than  is  recorded 
by  Bishop  in  his  "History  of  American  Manufactures,"  Vol.  I,  in  which 
he  says : 

William  Dunning,  a  blacksmith  of  Cumberland  County,  during  the 
Revolution  endeavored  to  serve  his  country  by  the  construction  of  a 
wrought-iron  cannon  of  a  curious  description.  One  of  these  is  said  to 
have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  British  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine, 
and  is  to  this  day  preserved  in  the  Tower  of  London,  and  another  unfin- 
ished specimen  is  said  to  be  at  the  arsenal  in  Philadelphia.  These  sin- 
gular pieces  of  ordnance  were  made  of  "wrought-iron  staves,  hooped  like 
a  barrel,  with  bands  of  the  same  material,  excepting  there  were  four 
layers  of  staves  breaking  joint,  all  of  which  were  firmly  bound  together, 
and  then  boxed  and  breeched  like  other  cannon."  An  obituary  notice 
of  Dunning,  who  died  in  Mififiin  township,  in  1830.  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
four,  states  that  he  was  an  artificer  in  the  Revolutionary  army,  and  that 
his  was  the  only  successful  attempt  ever  made  in  the  world  to  manufac- 
ture wrought-iron  cannon,  one  of  which  he  completed  in  Middlesex,  Pa., 
and  commenced  another  and  larger  one  at  Mount  Holly,  but  could  get 
no  one  to  assist  him  who  could  stand  the  heat,  which  is  said  to  have 
been  so  great  as  "to  melt  the  lead  buttons  on  his  clothes."  The  British, 
it  is  added,  offered  a  stated  annuity  and  a  large  sum  to  the  person  who 
would  instruct  them  in  the  manufacture  of  that  article,  but  the  patriotic 
blacksmith  preferred  obscurity  and  poverty  in  his  own  beloved  country, 
though  the  country  for  which  he  had  done  so  much  kept  her  purse  closed 
from  the  veteran  soldier  until  near  the  close  of  his  long  life. 

During  the  British  occupancy  of  Philadelphia  county,  property  was 
destroyed  or  damaged  in  that  portion  now  known  as  Montgomery  county 
as  follows : 

Townships  and  Assessors.  Amount. 

£.  s.  d. 

Cheltenham,  Peter  Rush 210  i  6 

Gwynedd,  Stephen  Bloem  120  o  o 

Hatfield,  George  Sheive   71  12  6 

Lower  Merion,  Hugh  Jones 3413  11  o 

Moreland,  Robert  Whitten 21 19  13  2 

Norriton,  Jacob  Auld  7076  10  6 

Plymouth,  Zebulon   Potts    1172  12  8 

Providence,   Benjamin   Dismant    679  5  9 

Springfield,    Baltzer    Hydrick    1 165  19  9 

Upper  Merion,  John  Johnson  1525  9  6 

Upper  Dublin,  John  Mann   343  10  o 

Worcester,  Peter  Wentz  125  o  o 

Whitemarsh,  William  Johnson  668  i  6 

Whitpain,   Daniel  Yost   610  o  6 

There  were  no  returns  received  from  the  townships  of  Abington, 
Douglas,    Frederick,    Franconia,    Horsham,    Lower    Salford,    Limerick, 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  55 

Montgomery,  Marlboro,  New  Hanover,  Skippack,  Towamensing,  Upper 
Salford  or  Upper  Hanover.  Much  damage  that  was  done  was  never 
made  a  subject  of  claim.  The  whole  amount  of  the  assessment  for  Phil- 
adelphia City  was  £187,280  5s.;  the  amount  for  the  county  £19,300 
8s.  lod.  These  estimated  damages  were  assessed  under  an  act  of  the 
General  Assembly  passed  September  21,  1782,  and  subsequently  these 
claims  were  filed  in  the  office  of  the  county  commissioners  and  the 
Supreme  Council. 

Second  War  With  Great  Britain — Thirty  years  after  the  colonies  had 
achieved  their  independence  and  twenty-three  years  after  the  constitu- 
tional Union  of  States  was  established.  Congress  declared  war  against 
Great  Britain.  Peace  was  declared  at  the  end  of  the  Revolution,  Novem- 
ber 30,  1782,  and  war  was  declared  by  Congress  June  18,  1812,  hence 
the  title  of  the  second  war  with  Great  Britain  is  styled  "War  of  1812." 
The  population  of  the  United  States  was  in  181 2  approximately  eight 
millions.  The  event  was  in  the  third  year  of  President  James  Madison's 
administration,  and  was  supported  by  the  Democratic  party  as  an  ad- 
ministration measure,  and  was  resisted  by  the  Federalists.  The  bill  was 
supported  by  seventy-nine  members  in  the  House  of  Representatives ; 
forty-nine  of  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  present  entered  their 
protest  against  it,  and  the  measure  passed  the  Senate  by  a  slight  majority. 
The  cause  leading  up  to  this  conflict  with  the  Mother  country  was  the 
conduct  of  England  in  insisting  upon  the  right  of  search  and  impress- 
ment of  naturalized  American  citizens  into  her  naval  service.  This 
alleged  right  was  exercised  against  the  solemn  protest  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  finally,  to  vindicate  the  rights  of  her  citizens,  the  appeal  to 
arms  was  made. 

At  this  period  England  had  not  conceded  the  right  of  her  subjects  or 
people  to  absolve  their  allegiance  to  the  King  by  the  simple  forms  of 
American  naturalization,  while  the  United  States  government  was  in 
honor  bound  to  protect  her  foreign-born  citizens  in  the  full  and  free 
exercise  of  their  rights.  At  the  date  referred  to,  thousands  of  American 
citizens  were  serving  out  terms  of  impressment  in  the  British  navy, 
many  of  them  suffering  imprisonment  and  subjected  to  treatment  of 
extreme  cruelty.  One  among  many  examples  will  serve  to  show  the  un- 
warrantable conduct  of  the  British  government.    We  quote : 

In  the  month  of  June,  1807,  the  English  man-of-war  "Leopard"  came 
in  sight  of  the  American  frigate  "Chesapeake"  near  Cape  Henry.  At 
this  point  the  "Leopard"  was  joined  by  the  British  frigates  the  "Bellona" 
and  "Melampus."  The  "Chesapeake"  was  hailed  by  Admiral  Berkley, 
an  officer  sent  aboard  with  an  order  of  search,  alleging  that  five  deserters 
from  the  English  service  were  aboard  the  American  vessel.  Commodore 
Barron  refused  the  officer,  saying  that  he  did  not  know  of  any  deserters 
on  board,  that  the  recruiting  officers  for  the  "Chesapeake"  had  been  par- 
ticularly instructed  not  to  receive  any  deserters  from  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  service,  and  that  he  was  directed  never  to  permit  the  crew  of 


56  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

a  ship  under  his  command  to  be  mustered  by  any  officers  but  his  own. 
Upon  receiving  this  answer  the  officer  returned  to  the  "Leopard,"  when 
a  heavy  fire  was  opened  upon  the  "Chesapeake,"  to  the  surprise  and  dis- 
comfiture of  Commodore  Barron,  who  was  unprepared  to  resist  the 
attack.  After  remaining  under  fire  for  thirty  minutes,  having  three  men 
killed  and  eighteen  men  wounded,  himself  among  the  rest,  the  ship  sur- 
rendered. The  British  officer  refused  to  accept  the  surrender,  but  came 
aboard,  made  search,  claimed  four  of  the  seamen  as  British  subjects  and 
deserters,  conveyed  them  to  Halifax  where  they  were  tried  and  one  of 
them  executed  in  order  to  establish  the  rightfulness  of  their  system  of 
impressment.  Subsequently  the  other  three  were  proved  to  be  Amer- 
icans who  had  been  previously  impressed  and  made  their  escape  from 
the  British  service.  The  intelligence  of  this  outrage  upon  the  high 
seas  was  received  by  the  country  with  profound  indignation. 

The  citizens  of  Montgomery  county  held  a  public  meeting  at  the 
court  house,  July  22,  1807,  "for  the  purpose  of  expressing  their  sense  of 
the  late  unwarrantable  and  dastardly  outrage  committed  by  one  of  the 
British  ships-of-war  on  the  American  frigate  'Chesapeake.'"  General 
Francis  Swaine  was  appointed  president,  and  Samuel  Patterson,  secre- 
tary. Levi  Pawling,  William  Henderson,  Israel  Bringhurst,  George 
Weaver,  Mathias  Holstein,  John  Markley,  and  James  Winnard  reported 
seven  resolutions,  wherein  they  state : 

That  the  outrage  committed  by  the  British  ship-of-war,  "Leopard," 
on  the  American  frigate  "Chesapeake,"  and  the  murder  of  our  seamen, 
whether  it  be  considered  as  the  act  of  the  British  government,  or  of 
individuals  who  committed  it,  requires  rigid  retribution  or  honorable 
reparation.  That  we  will,  at  the  hazard  of  our  lives  and  properties, 
support  the  proclamation  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  any 
other  measures  that  may  be  adopted  by  the  constituted  authorities  to 
obtain  redress  from  the  British  Government,  for  the  reparation  of  our 
national  honor  and  insulted  sovereignty.  At  this  crisis,  it  is  the  duty  of 
every  citizen,  who  is  not  conscientiously  scrupulous  against  bearing 
arms,  to  arm  in  defense  of  his  injured  country,  and  to  prepare  for  the 
event  of  a  war. 

Public  meetings  were  called  in  all  the  principal  cities  of  the  Union, 
party  feelings  were  forgotten  for  the  time,  and  all  united  in  resolutions 
supporting  the  government  in  measures  deemed  necessary  to  redress 
the  wrong.  The  President  issued  a  proclamation  forbidding  British 
ships-of-war  the  ports  and  harbors  of  the  United  States,  and  instructing 
the  American  Minister  at  the  Court  of  St.  James  to  demand  satisfaction 
for  the  insult.  He  also  summoned  Congress  to  meet  and  take  the  subject 
into  consideration. 

The  act  of  the  British  naval  officer  was  promptly  disavowed  by  the 
English  government,  but  they  still  persisted  in  their  right  of  search,  nor 
did  they  offer  adequate  reparation  for  the  injury  and  indignity  suffered. 
The  exasperated  feelings  of  national  hostility  became  deep-seated ;  for- 
eign complications  arising  out  of  contentions  between  France  and  Eng- 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  57 

land  still  further  embarrassed  American  shipping  interests.  Napoleon, 
by  his  Berlin  Decree  of  1806,  had  forbidden  the  introduction  of  any 
English  merchandise  to  the  continent  of  Europe,  even  in  neutral  vessels 
that  should  touch  at  an  English  port.  Great  Britain  retaliated  by  pro- 
hibiting the  trade  from  port  to  port  of  neutrals  belonging  to  the  enemy, 
and,  declaring  the  whole  coast  of  Europe  in  a  state  of  blockade,  render- 
ing the  vessels  of  all  neutrals  passing  to  European  ports  liable  to  capture. 
Upon  learning  of  this  measure,  Napoleon  issued  his  famous  Milan 
Decree,  confiscating  not  only  the  vessels  that  should  touch  at  a  British 
port,  but  such  as  should  submit  to  be  searched  by  the  English.  These 
measures  were  very  injurious  to  American  shipping  interests,  and  in- 
duced the  American  Congress,  in  December,  1807,  to  pass  an  Embargo 
Act,  prohibiting  American  vessels  to  leave  their  ports.  This  was  admit- 
tedly a  preparatory  step  in  the  direction  of  war  with  England,  and  a 
cautionary  measure  to  call  home  all  trading  vessels  and  seamen  in  order 
to  put  the  country  in  the  best  possible  condition  for  the  struggle  that 
all  sagacious  minds  saw  to  be  near  at  hand.  In  March,  1809,  the  Em- 
bargo Act  was  repealed,  and  an  act  prohibiting  all  commercial  inter- 
course with  both  England  and  France  was  passed. 

The  non-intercourse  act  expired  by  its  own  limitation  in  1810.  In 
anticipation  of  this  event,  the  administration  invoked  France  and  Eng- 
land to  remove  their  restrictive  measures  from  American  shipping. 
Napoleon  promptly  responded  through  his  minister  directing  a  suspen- 
sion of  his  decrees  so  far  as  they  aflfected  American  interests.  Encour- 
aged by  this  success,  efforts  were  made  to  induce  England  to  follow 
the  example  of  France.  The  British  diplomats  of  the  period  sought 
delay  in  skillfully  devised  dilatory  proceedings,  questioning  the  formal- 
ity of  the  seemingly  friendly  act  of  France.  Mr.  Pinckney,  the  American 
envoy  in  London,  grew  weary  and  impatient  at  "the  shuffling  behavior 
of  the  British  government,"  and  demanded  his  audience  of  leave.  Con- 
tinuous breaches  of  national  amity  on  the  high  seas  by  British  naval 
officers,  commented  on  by  a  free  press,  and  made  the  subject  of  debate 
in  and  out  of  Congress,  kept  the  public  mind  inflamed  and  strengthened 
the  President  and  his  Cabinet  in  their  preparatory  efforts  for  actual  hos- 
tility. On  the  20th  of  May,  1812,  the  "Hornet"  arrived  from  London, 
conveying  the  intelligence  that  England  refused  to  repeal  or  suspend 
her  restrictions  upon  American  shipping  interests,  and  further  insisting 
upon  her  right  of  search  and  impressment.  This  information  brought 
public  affairs  to  a  crisis,  and  in  the  following  June  the  President  trans- 
mitted to  Congress  a  special  message,  disclosing  to  the  nation  the  unwar- 
ranted attitude  of  England,  the  necessity  of  protecting  the  rights  of 
naturalized  citizens,  enumerating  the  grievances  suffered,  and  submit- 
ting the  question  "whether  they  should  be  longer  endured  or  immediate 
resource  had  to  the  ultimate  resort  of  injured  nations,  a  declaration  of 


58  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

war."     Congress  deliberated  on  the  measure  with  closed  doors,  and  on 
the  i8th  of  June  passed  an  act  declaring  war  against  Great  Britain. 

The  lapse  of  time  and  the  many  remarkable  events  that  have  inter- 
vened, including  the  War  with  Mexico,  the  Great  Civil  War,  the  War 
with  Spain  and  the  last  great  World  War,  in  which  this  country  became 
a  powerful  ally,  have  all  had  a  tendency  to  forget  the  War  of  1812-14, 
but  it  should  here  be  stated  that  Pennsylvania  and  Montgomery  county 
did  well  in  supporting  the  administration  and  gave  freely  of  money  and 
men  for  that  second  struggle  with  England.  The  spirit  of  those  times 
in  Pennsylvania  are  well  illustrated  in  the  words  of  the  Governor  of  this 
Commonwealth,  Simon  Snyder: 

If  ever  a  people  had  motives  to  fight,  we  are  that  people.  Our  Gov- 
ernment, the  watchful  guardians  of  our  welfare,  have  sounded  the  alarm ; 
they  have  called  upon  us  to  gird  on  our  swords,  and  to  be  ready  to 
go  forth  and  meet  our  enemies.  Let  us  hasten  to  obey  the  Government 
of  our  choice,  and  rally  around  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  Union. 
Let  an  honorable  zeal  glow  in  our  bosoms  as  we  eagerly  press  forward 
to  render  our  services.  It  would  give  the  Governor  inexpressible  satis- 
faction if  Pennsylvania  would  volunteer  her  quota.  May  each  State  ani- 
mate the  others,  and  every  citizen  act  as  if  the  public  weal,  the  national 
honor  and  independence  rested  on  his  single  arm.  The  example  of  the 
heroes  and  statesmen  of  our  Revolution,  and  the  rich  inheritance  their 
courage  and  wisdom  achieved,  cannot  fail  to  urge  all  who  love  their 
country  to  flock  around  her  standard. 

The  first  year  of  this  war  saw  many  British  ships  captured  or 
destroyed  on  the  Great  Lakes,  but  no  positive  proof  of  victory.  In  the 
spring  of  1814  the  invading  army  was  apprised  of  the  poor  defense  had 
of  Washington,  our  national  capital.  The  English  knew  of  our  raw 
recruits  there  standing  guard  duty.  It  was  a  tempting  prize,  and  Gen- 
eral Ross  was  quick  to  enter  the  Potomac  river  with  his  fleet  and  pressed 
his  way  up  to  Washington,  where  about  eight  thousand  militia  were 
guarding  the  new  Republic's  interests.  Ross  had  five  thousand  men, 
and  they  easily  disembarked  and  made  an  attack  on  the  capital  buildings. 
The  hasty  retreat  made  by  our  forces  under  General  Winder  left  the  city 
without  defense.  Not  being  able  to  get  money  as  a  ransom  from  those 
in  charge  of  the  government  buildings,  the  British  took  torches  and 
burned  the  capitol  and  the  President's  mansion,  and  destroyed  the  equip- 
ment of  the  Navy  Yard,  and  a  late  war  frigate  about  completed,  and 
ruthlessly  destroyed  by  fire  public  archives,  library,  and  works  of  art. 
All  this  on  account  of  the  incompetency  of  General  Winder,  the  com- 
mander, whose  conduct  no  historian  ever  seeks  to  excuse.  Baltimore 
was  better  protected  and  did  not  suffer  as  Washington  City  did. 

The  pacification  of  Europe,  resulting  from  the  overthrow  of  Napoleon 
in  1814,  and  the  joy  that  pervaded  all  classes  of  the  people,  were  shared 
by  the  rulers,  and  had  a  happy  influence  upon  England  in  inducing  that 
country  to  relinquish  the  right  of  impressment  of  American  citizens. 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  59 

This  point  gained,  the  object  of  the  war  was  practically  accomplished, 
and  the  commissioners  concluded  a  treaty  of  peace  at  Ghent  on  the  24th 
day  of  December,  1814,  the  same  being  ratified  by  the  Prince  Regent  of 
England  on  December  27th.  The  news  of  this  event  did  not  reach  this 
country  until  the  following  nth  of  February  (1815),  the  treaty  being 
ratified  on  the  27th  of  the  same  month  by  the  President  and  Senate.  It 
will  thus  be  seen  that  the  great  battle  of  New  Orleans,  that  made  Gen- 
eral Jackson  the  hero  of  the  war,  was  fought  and  won  after  the  treaty  of 
peace  had  been  concluded  with  England.  Truly,  an  Atlantic  cable  and 
telegraphic  communication  with  the  British  army  and  navy  in  the  Gulf 
at  this  time  would  have  saved  that  nation  from  the  humiliation  of  the 
most  disastrous  battle  of  the  war,  and  thousands  of  lives  would  have 
been  preserved  for  the  better  service  of  peace. 

The  population  of  Montgomery  county  at  this  period  of  the  war  was 
about  30,000.  The  constant  apprehension  of  the  enemy's  attack  upon 
Philadelphia,  and  possible  incursions  into  this  and  the  adjoining  coun- 
ties of  Delaware  and  Bucks,  kept  the  people  in  a  state  of  anxiety.  Dis- 
cussions in  political  and  social  circles  upon  the  principles  involved  in 
the  struggle  were  animated.  Democrats  warmly  espoused  the  cause  as 
maintained  by  the  administration  of  James  Madison,  while  the  Feder- 
alists boldly  criticised  many  of  the  leading  measures  of  those  in  author- 
ity, and  the  manner  of  conducting  the  war.  The  Democrats  evinced 
considerable  sympathy  towards  Napoleon,  and  looked  upon  his  opera- 
tions against  England  at  that  time  with  favor.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Federalists  proclaimed  the  French  Emperor  an  adventurer,  tyrant,  and 
a  leader  dangerous  to  all  forms  of  government  and  the  peace  and  stabil- 
ity of  society. 

The  stage  was  the  only  means  of  public  travel  in  those  days,  only 
two  weekly  papers  were  published  in  the  county,  mail  facilities  were 
limited,  and  news  from  the  capital  and  the  remote  points  of  active  hostil- 
ities found  its  way  to  the  country  post  office  with  its  weekly  newspaper 
once,  and.  in  some  favored  localities,  twice  a  week.  Volunteer  and 
militia  troops,  organized  in  the  interior  and  northern  counties  of  the 
State,  and  ordered  to  report  at  Marcus  Hook,  passed  down  our  main 
highways  to  Philadelphia,  followed  by  long  trains  of  supplies  and  muni- 
tions of  war.  The  same  iron-works  on  the  Manatawny  and  Schuylkill 
that  supplied  the  American  army  during  the  Revolution  were  busily  em- 
ployed from  1812  to  1815  in  furnishing  supplies  of  common  shot  and 
shell,  while  powder  mills  and  establishments  for  the  manufacture  and 
repair  of  small-arms  were  operated  at  many  places  in  the  county.  The 
troops  appear  to  have  been  militia,  dressed  in  home-spun  clothing,  and 
officered  by  men  who  seemed  to  exercise  but  a  limited  control  while  in 
the  line  of  march.  The  "stragglers,"  or  that  class  of  men  who  habitually 
"fall  out  by  the  way,"  are  vividly  recalled  by  an  aged  friend,  who,  then 
a  girl  twelve  years  old,  lived  near  the  Perkiomen  bridge.     She  says  her 


6o  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

father,  a  miller,  fed  scores  while  passing,  and  that  sick,  bare-footed  and 
weary  soldiers  were  slowly  passing  the  point  for  several  days  after  the 
officers  and  main  body  of  men  had  gone  by. 

It  is  not  known  how  many  soldiers  from  Montgomery  county  served 
in  the  War  of  1812-14,  as  many  enlisted  from  Philadelphia  and  were  not 
properly  credited  to  Montgomery  county,  but  suffice  to  say  this  county 
furnished  many  hundred  men  and  in  all  ways  aided  in  conquering  the 
British  the  second  time,  standing  as  true  supporters  of  President  Madi- 
son and  Governor  Simon  Snyder. 

The  citizen  soldiers  of  Montgomery  county  responded  promptly  to 
the  call  of  the  Governor  when  the  strong  arm  of  the  commonwealth  was 
required  to  repress  the  lawless  spirit  that  rendered  the  civil  authorities 
and  the  city  of  Philadelphia  powerless  in  the  summer  of  1844.  The  fire 
and  smoke  of  burning  churches  and  adjoining  buildings  in  the  alarmed 
city  could  be  plainly  seen  from  the  hills  in  our  county,  and  many  of  the 
living  still  remember  the  sense  of  fear  that  was  felt  in  all  the  towns  in 
the  Schuylkill  Valley.  The  military  moved  promptly  to  the  scene  of 
danger,  and  by  their  presence,  discipline,  courage  and  good  conduct  soon 
restored  order  and  confidence  in  the  city  and  surrounding  country.  The 
record  of  their  public  service  is  a  part  of  the  history  of  Montgomery 
county. 

At  this  late  date  it  is  not  of  general  interest  to  give  a  long  roster  ot 
names  in  military  affairs  that  were  enacted  nearly  a  century  ago,  hence 
this  summary  is  appended :  First  Troop  Cavalry,  two  officers,  44  men ; 
Second  Troop  Cavalry,  three  officers,  48  men ;  Union  Grey  Artillerists, 
three  officers,  31  men;  First  National  Dragoons,  three  officers,  20  men; 
New  Hanover  Artillerists,  three  officers,  21  men;  Goschenhoppen  Grays, 
three  officers,  22  men ;  Washington  Gray  Artillerists,  two  officers,  34 
men ;  Montgomery  Guards,  three  officers,  27  men ;  Sumneytown  Artil- 
lerists, two  officers,  14  men ;  Lafayette  Blues,  two  officers,  38  men ; 
Pennsylvania  Defenders,  two  officers,  26  men ;  Union  Rifle  Company, 
three  officers,  24  men.  The  total  number  of  officers  was  thirty-one  and 
the  number  of  men  three  hundred  and  forty-nine. 

The  Mexican  War — The  war  with  Mexico  from  1846  to  1848  did  not 
demand  a  large  army,  hence  there  was  no  company  formed  in  Montgom- 
ery county.  The  list  of  names  of  those  who  did  enter  that  war  from 
this  county  has  never  been  properly  filed,  and  cannot  be  here  listed. 
It  is  known  that  a  few  found  their  way  into  the  army  and  aided  in  sub- 
duing the  Republic  of  Mexico.  Among  these  was  Andrew  H.  Tippen, 
who  was  commissioned  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  Eleventh  Regiment  of 
United  States  Infantry,  and  served  with  distinction.  He  survived  the 
conflict,  and  served  as  a  colonel  in  a  Pennsylvania  regiment  during  the 
Civil  War.  Two  brothers,  George  and  Henry  Lower,  of  Springfield 
township,  served  as  volunteers.     Henry  Lower  died  the  first  day  of  the 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  6i 

battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  of  brain  fever,  and  was  buried  at  Piano  Del  Rio. 
His  remains  were  later  brought  home  by  his  brother  George,  and  now 
rest  in  St.  Thomas'  Episcopal  Church  Cemetery,  Whitemarsh.  Joseph 
Cleaver  and  Michael  Dougherty  were  enlisted  in  the  Mountain  How- 
itzer Battery.  Benjamin  Ehler  enlisted  in  the  Eleventh  regular  infantry, 
from  Springfield  township ;  Louis  Monsert  enlisted  in  the  Second  Penn- 
sylvania regiment;  he  resided  in  Norristown  many  years  after  the  Mex- 
ican War;  he  enlisted  from  Reading,  Berks  county.  Albert  Arthur  en- 
listed and  served  in  the  same  command  with  George  and  Henry  Lower, 
above  mentioned. 

The  Civil  War — Public  opinion  had  been  divided  in  this  country  for 
many  years  over  the  question  of  States  Rights,  especially  as  it  related 
to  human  slavery.  One  element,  both  in  the  North  as  well  as  in  the 
South,  declared  the  right  to  hold  men  and  women  in  bondage,  while 
the  opposing  element  (confined  very  largely  to  the  Northern  States), 
declared  against  slavery,  and  against  a  State  within  the  Union  having 
the  constitutional  right  to  withdraw  from  the  Union,  or  to  enact  and 
enforce  laws  not  in  accord  with  the  Constitution  and  decisions  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  as  the  extension  of  slavery  into  the  Territories,  and  into 
such  States  as  were  opposed  to  such  a  system.  The  war  cloud  became 
dark  and  foreboding  with  the  election  of  the  first  Republican  President 
in  the  person  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  was  seated  March  4,  1861,  and 
whom  it  was  known  was  by  his  very  nature  bitterly  opposed  to  slavery. 
The  North  by  its  majorities  insisted  upon  universal  freedom ;  the  South 
fiercely  maintained  the  right  to  peaceably  secede  and  establish  a  rival 
republic.  South  Carolina  had  "gone  out  of  the  Union"  as  she  supposed, 
in  December,  i860,  but  before  1865  found  she  was  still  a  part  of  it.  Fort 
Sumter,  within  her  borders,  fired  upon,  was  the  signal  for  the  opening 
of  what  was  destined  to  be  a  long  drawn  out  and  bloody  civil  strife  in 
which  brother  fought  against  brother  and  father  against  son.  Now  that 
fifty-eight  years  have  gone  by  since  Lee's  surrender,  it  need  not  be 
further  referred  to ;  but  the  part  taken  in  this  never-to-be-forgotten  con- 
flict by  the  citizens  of  Montgomery  county  should  not  be  omitted  in  a 
history  of  the  county. 

The  part  taken  by  the  people  of  this  county  during  the  four  long 
years  of  hostilities  can  never  be  but  half  told.  From  various  military 
records,  together  with  Bean's  and  other  local  histories,  the  statements 
found  herein  concerning  the  Civil  War  may  be  relied  upon  as  true, 
hence  freely  drawn  from  by  the  author  of  this  Montgomery  county's 
latest  history. 

The  novel  and  exciting  experience  of  those  who  responded  to  the  first 
call  of  President  Lincoln  for  three  months'  troops  was  memorable,  if 
not  so  important  as  that  which  resulted  from  the  long  terms  of  enlist- 
ments following  the  disaster  at  Bull  Run  on  the  21st  day  of  July,  1861. 


62  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

The  great  uprising  of  the  North  which  quickly  succeeded  the  fall  of 
Fort  Sumter  was  a  national  impulse,  and  the  movement  of  men  to  the 
defense  of  the  capital  was  through  an  excited  and  indignant  populace. 
Great  as  the  perils  of  war  were  known  to  be,  they  were  extravagantly 
magnified  at  the  time,  and  the  anxiety  and  solicitude  for  those  who 
were  the  first  to  march  was  shown  by  every  household  in  the  county. 
Few  among  those  who  witnessed  the  memorable  scene  of  the  departure 
of  the  Fourth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  from  Norristown, 
on  the  morning  of  April  20,  1861,  will  ever  forget  the  event.  The  several 
companies  from  the  borough  had  been  hastily  recruited  to  their  maxi- 
mum. Many  of  the  members  being  residents  of  the  rural  districts,  had 
hastened  to  town,  signed  the  roll,  and,  returning  to  bid  the  dear  ones 
good-by,  thoroughly  aroused  the  plain  country  folks,  hundreds  of  whom 
came  trooping  into  town,  "to  see  them  off."  Those  who  were  present 
when  the  regiment  was  in  line  in  front  of  the  court  house  surrounded  by 
thousands  of  our  best  citizens  and  the  families  of  those  in  the  ranks,  will 
recall  the  intense  excitement  that  prevailed.  The  painful  solicitude  of 
the  hour  was  deepened  as  the  impassioned  and  eloquent  words  of  the 
Hon.  Daniel  Smyser,  then  president  judge  of  the  district,  fell  upon 
attentive  ears  from  the  steps  of  the  court  yard.  The  word  country  had  a 
new  and  deeper  significance  for  the  men  of  that  generation  than  was 
ever  felt  before.  The  beautiful  flag  presented  to  these  gallant  men  by 
the  ladies  of  the  county  was  felt  to  symbolize  hopes  and  interests  para- 
mount to  all  other  considerations,  and  for  the  time  being  all  differences 
of  political  opinion  were  subordinated  to  an  exalted  love  of  country.  Men 
of  all  political  opinions  were  requested  to  "put  out  their  flags,"  and  it 
is  due  to  truth  to  say  that  in  deference  to  public  sentiment,  that  stood 
not  upon  trifles,  the  request  was  complied  with. 

On  Saturday,  April  20th,  the  command  proceeded  by  rail  to  Harris- 
burg,  and  reached  Camp  Curtin  at  two  o'clock  p.  m.  It  was  the  inten- 
tion to  have  remained  in  camp  till  a  sufficient  number  of  men  could  have 
been  procured  from  Montgomery  county  to  fill  the  regiment  to  its  max- 
imum number ;  but  the  urgent  necessities  of  the  government  rendered 
this  purpose  impracticable,  and  orders  were  issued  to  form  a  regiment 
immediately  from  such  companies  as  were  in  camp.  This  order  had  the 
effect  to  change  the  command  from  a  militia  to  a  volunteer  organization. 
An  election  was  held,  which  resulted  in  the  choice  of  the  same  field 
officers  as  those  holding  the  militia  commissions,  as  follows :  John  F. 
Hartranft,  of  Norristown,  colonel ;  Edward  Schall,  of  Norristown,  lieu- 
tenant-colonel ;  Edwin  Schall,  of  Norristown,  major.  Charles  Hunsicker 
was  appointed  adjutant. 

Scarcely  was  the  organization  completed  when  marching  orders  were 
received.  Leaving  Camp  Curtin  on  the  evening  of  the  21st  of  April, 
the  regiment  proceeded  by  rail  to  Philadelphia,  where  it  was  ordered  by 
General  Patterson  to  report  to  Colonel  Dare,  of  the  Twenty-third.    Tak- 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  63 

ing  one  company  of  his  own  and  the  Fourth  Regiment,  Colonel  Dare 
proceeded  by  rail  to  Perryville,  Maryland,  and  took  possession  of  the 
town,  making  such  disposition  of  the  troops  as  would  prevent  a  surprise. 

On  the  following  day  General  Patterson  ordered  the  regiment  to  pro- 
ceed without  delay  to  Washington.  Immediate  application  was  made  to 
Colonel  Dare  for  transportation  by  steamer  to  Annapolis,  the  route  by 
Baltimore  being  then  closed.  Not  feeling  secure  from  capture,  Colonel 
Dare  only  gave  transportation  for  one  wing  of  the  regiment,  which 
embarked  under  command  of  Colonel  Hartranft.  Arriving  at  Annapolis, 
the  troops  were  disembarked  and  quartered  in  the  buildings  belonging  to 
the  Naval  Academy,  by  order  of  Major-General  Butler,  then  in  command 
of  the  town.  The  left  wing,  under  command  of  Major  Schall,  was 
detained  several  days  at  Perryville  for  the  security  of  the  port. 

It  was  expected  that  the  men  would  be  fully  clothed,  armed  and 
equipped  at  Harrisburg  before  marching.  But  when  the  urgent  appeals 
came  from  Washington  for  troops,  it  was  not  the  time  for  the  patriotic 
citizen-soldier  to  hesitate,  and  the  regiment  marched  without  uniforms 
or  equipments,  the  men  being  armed  with  muskets,  and  provided  with 
ammunition,  which  they  were  obliged  to  carry  in  their  pockets.  Cloth- 
ing was  sent  to  the  regiment  on  the  28th  of  April,  but  not  until  some 
time  in  June  were  proper  uniforms  supplied. 

In  pursuance  of  orders,  the  regiment  proceeded,  on  the  8th  of  May, 
to  Washington,  and  was  quartered  in  the  Assembly  buildings  and  in  a 
church  near  by.  Transportation  and  camp  and  garrison  equipage  not 
having  been  supplied  by  the  State  or  national  government,  the  regiment 
was  prevented  from  going  into  camp.  The  close  confinement  of  the  men 
in  crowded  quarters  soon  produced  its  legitimate  results.  Sickness, 
which,  up  to  this  time,  had  been  scarcely  known  in  the  regiment,  now 
began  to  prevail  to  a  considerable  extent.  As  soon  as  tents  were  received 
it  was  at  once  established  in  camp,  about  two  miles  from  the  city, 
toward  Bladensburg.  When  the  necessary  equipment  was  furnished 
regimental  drills  and  inspections  were  commenced,  and  vigorous  meas- 
ures taken  to  make  the  regiment  effective.  On  the  24th  of  June  it  was 
ordered  to  Alexandria,  in  anticipation  of  an  attack  by  the  enemy,  and 
was  soon  after  placed  in  camp  on  Shuter's  Hill,  where  the  regular  drills 
and  inspections  were  resumed. 

On  Sunday,  June  30th,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  pickets  of 
the  regiment,  stationed  on  the  old  Fairfax  road,  under  command  of 
Lieutenant  M.  R.  McClennan,  were  attacked  by  about  thirty  of  the 
enemy.  They  were  repulsed  by  our  pickets,  only  three  in  number,  who 
killed  Sergeant  Haines,  previously  a  clerk  in  the  Treasury  Department 
at  Washington.  Three  others  of  our  pickets  on  the  outer  post,  intend- 
ing to  go  to  the  rescue  of  their  comrades,  came  in  contact  with  the 
enemy's  force,  in  which  Thomas  Murray  was  killed  and  Llewelyn 
Rhumer  was  severely  wounded.    The  third,  dropping  upon  the  ground, 


64  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

escaped  without  injury,  the  enemy,  in  the  excitement  and  darkness, 
passing  over  him.  The  trails  of  blood,  discovered  in  the  morning,  showed 
that  they  had  likewise  suffered  in  the  encounter. 

The  evidences  on  every  hand  pointed  unmistakably  to  an  early  advance 
of  the  army.  Inspections  were  careful  and  minute.  All  surplus  baggage 
was  sent  to  the  rear,  together  with  knapsacks  and  overcoats,  the  men 
retaining  only  their  blankets.  The  Fourth  Regiment  was  assigned  to 
the  First  Brigade,  Third  Division  of  McDowell's  army.  The  division 
moved  from  camp  by  the  Fairfax  road,  reaching  Sangster's  Station  on 
Thursday  evening.  The  enemy  set  fire  to  his  stores  and  retreated,  as 
the  column  advanced.  Firing  was  heard  in  the  direction  of  Blackburn's 
Ford,  occasioned  by  Colonel  Richardson's  reconnaissance  in  that  direc- 
tion. On  Friday  the  division  moved  to  Centreville,  where  the  entire 
army  of  McDowell  lay  encamped.  On  Saturday,  the  20th  of  July,  the 
question  of  muster  out  was  freely  agitated,  the  term  of  enlistment 
expiring  on  the  following  day.  Desirous  of  retaining  the  regiment  in 
his  command  till  the  anticipated  battle  should  be  fought.  General  Mc- 
Dowell made  an  urgent  appeal  to  the  regiment  to  remain  in  service  at 
least  two  weeks  longer,  saying  he  could  not  afford  to  do  without  such 
men.  But  differences  of  opinion  prevailed  in  the  regiment  upon  the 
question  of  compliance  with  this  request.  While  many  were  willing  to 
reenlist  for  two  weeks  longer,  some  were  desirous  of  being  mustered  out 
in  accordance  with  their  contract  with  the  government.  When  it  was 
ascertained  that  unanimity  of  sentiment  was  not  likely  to  be  secured,  it 
was  decided  by  the  commanding  general  that  to  break  up  the  organiza- 
tion and  to  take  a  fragment  of  the  regiment  into  battle  would  not  be 
prudent ;  orders  were  accordingly  issued  for  its  muster  out  of  service. 
Several  causes  conspired  to  create  an  aversion  to  remaining.  The  regi- 
ment had  been  subject,  during  its  service,  to  hardships  which  are,  per- 
haps, inseparable  from  new  and  hasty  organizations,  but  which  bore 
somewhat  heavily  upon  the  men,  a  detail  of  which  it  is  unnecessary  here 
to  give.  It  was  at  a  time,  too,  when  great  activity  prevailed  in  the 
organization  of  new  regiments  for  the  three  years'  service,  the  officers 
of  this  regiment  having  already  taken  steps  for  making  new  organiza- 
tions, in  which  considerable  strife  was  manifested  to  get  the  trained 
men.  Their  decision  was,  accordingly,  made  more  with  reference  to 
their  own  advantage  and  that  of  their  officers  than  to  any  ulterior  results. 

General  McDowell,  when  he  found  himself  defeated  in  the  battle 
which  ensued,  looking  about  for  some  causes  to  which  he  could  attribute 
his  failure,  towards  the  close  of  his  official  report  drags  in  this  regiment 
for  a  share  of  blame,  to  whose  service  he  had  no  more  rightful  claim, 
and  whose  conduct  he  could  no  more  justly  censure,  than  that  of  the 
regiment  a  week  or  a  month  earlier  discharged.  The  subsequent  history 
of  the  men  composing  this  regiment  dispels  any  doubt  that  may,  at  the 
time,  have  been  raised  of  the  rectitude  of  their  intentions.     Under  the 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  65 

command  of  the  lieutenant-colonel,  it  marched  to  Washington,  from 
whence  it  was  taken  by  rail  to  Harrisburg,  where  it  was  soon  after  mus- 
tered out  of  service.  But  measures  were  immediately  taken  for  the 
organization  of  new  regiments,  in  which  the  men  immediately  enlisted 
for  the  war,  and  fully  attested  on  the  bloody  fields  of  Fredericksburg 
and  Antietam,  and  in  numberless  hard-fought  battles  of  the  war,  their 
patriotism  and  their  valor. 

For  ready  reference,  the  account  of  the  various  organizations  from 
Montgomery  county  will  appear  in  the  order  of  their  formation  or 
departure  into  the  service.    They  appear  as  follows : 

The  44th  Regiment  (or  First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry)  entered  U.  S. 
service  for  a  term  of  three  years.  Company  B  was  recruited  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  and  was  trained  under  that  gallant  and  well  versed 
military  man.  Colonel  George  D.  Bayard,  a  West  Point  graduate  of 
1856.  He  fell  mortally  wounded  in  December,  1862,  at  Fredericksburg, 
Virginia.  The  second  colonel  was  Owen  Jones,  of  this  county,  a  splen- 
did type  of  a  soldier.  This  company  was  recruited  at  Athensville,  in 
August,  1861,  and  served  three  years,  having  seen  much  service  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  51st  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers — Some  time  before  the 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  Colonel  Hartranft,  who  commanded  a  regiment  in  the 
three  months'  service,  received  authority  to  recruit  one  for  the  three 
years'  service.  Calling  around  him  many  of  his  old  ofificers  and  warm 
friends,  the  ranks  of  the  new  regiment  were  soon  filled  up  with  a  body 
rarely  excelled  as  first-class  soldiers.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  enlist- 
ments, companies  A,  C,  D,  F  and  I  were  recruited  from  Montgomery 
county.  The  companies  went  into  quarters  at  Camp  Curtin,  and  the 
regiment  was  organized  by  selecting  the  following  officers:  John  F. 
Hartranft,  of  Montgomery  county,  colonel ;  Thomas  S.  Bell,  of  Chester 
county,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Edwin  Schall,  of  Montgomery  county,  major. 
On  November  i8th  the  regiment  left  camp  and  proceeded  by  rail  to 
Annapolis,  Maryland,  where  beneath  the  venerable  elms  of  St.  John's 
College  it  was  the  first  time  formed  in  line,  its  details  made  and  its  arms 
stacked.  Burnside's  expedition  to  North  Carolina  was  now  being  fitted 
out,  and  the  best  drilled  and  most  reliable  of  the  volunteer  regiments 
were  selected  for  that  service.  The  51st  Pennsylvania  was  early  desig- 
nated as  one.  Upon  its  arrival  at  Annapolis  it  was  at  first  quartered  in 
the  buildings  of  the  college,  and  subsequently  went  into  camp  on  the  old 
French  burying-ground.  On  the  ist  of  December  the  camp  was  moved 
two  miles  beyond  the  city,  and  for  six  weeks  it  was  subjected  to  contin- 
uous and  laborious  drill,  during  which  its  efficiency  and  discipline  were 
rapidly  improved,  and  a  foundation  laid  for  its  future  renown.  In  the 
final  organization  of  the  corps  it  was  assigned  to  Reno's  brigade,  and  of 
which  General  Reno  made  the  following  report : 

Mont — 5 


66  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

On  the  6th  of  January,  1862,  the  regiment  embarked,  and  on  the  9th 
the  fleet,  in  three  squadrons,  set  sail  from  Annapolis,  and  with  sealed 
orders  passed  out  to  sea.  No  sooner  had  it  reached  the  open  ocean  than 
it  was  overtaken  by  a  succession  of  violent  storms.  It  seemed  as  though 
a  tempest  had  been  lurking  in  the  waste  of  waters  ready  to  burst  upon 
it  the  moment  it  should  appear.  For  nearly  two  weeks,  staggering 
beneath  the  giant  waves,  it  was  swept  about  at  the  mercy  of  the  ele- 
ments. Braving  successfully  the  tempest,  it  finally  passed  Hatteras 
Inlet,  and  came  to  anchor  in  Pamlico  Sound.  On  the  morning  of  the 
5th  of  February  the  flag-ship  "Philadelphia"  was  anxiously  watched  as 
it  moved,  followed  by  the  fleet,  and  it  soon  became  evident  that  Roanoke 
Island  was  the  destination.  At  early  dawn  on  the  7th  a  landing  was 
effected  and  the  movement  commenced.  The  enemy  was  found  strongly 
posted  in  earthworks  on  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  island,  nearly 
surrounded  by  an  impenetrable  swamp,  approached  in  front  by  a  single 
causeway,  which  was  swept  by  the  guns  of  the  fort.  Upon  arriving  at 
the  edge  of  the  swamp,  Reno's  brigade  was  sent  to  the  left  to  cut  of?  the 
enemy's  retreat  south,  while  Foster  was  directed  to  penetrate  the  swamp 
to  the  right  of  the  road,  and  attack  the  enemy  upon  that  flank.  Hart- 
ranft  soon  found  his  way  completely  blocked,  and  returned  upon  the 
track  of  Foster,  leaving  two  companies  of  the  51st,  which  had  the 
advance,  still  groping  in  the  mire.  But  before  he  had  reached  the  lines 
Foster  had  already  opened  upon  the  enemy  with  infantry  and  artillery, 
and  as  the  regiment  came  into  position  on  the  right  of  the  line,  Foster 
ordered  a  final  charge,  and  the  enemy  was  driven  from  his  works,  and 
fled  in  confusion.  The  demonstration  upon  the  left  seemed  to  heighten 
the  confusion,  as  he  anticipated  that  his  way  of  retreat  was  effectually 
broken.  A  hot  pursuit  was  immediately  made,  and  the  entire  force,  with 
numerous  heavy  guns  and  small-arms,  was  captured. 

On  the  3d  of  March  the  regiment  embarked  for  the  expedition  to 
Newbern,  and  on  the  4th  changed  its  muskets  for  Enfield  rifles.  The 
fleet  sailed  on  the  nth,  and  entered  the  Neuse  river  on  the  12th,  anchor- 
ing ofif  Slocum's  creek,  fifteen  miles  from  Newbern,  where,  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  the  regiment  debarked.  A  portion,  under  command  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Bell,  was  detailed  to  assist  in  moving  the  artillery. 
The  rain  was  descending  in  torrents,  and  the  roads  were  soon  trodden 
into  a  stiff  mud,  which  rendered  the  movement  of  the  pieces  next  to  im- 
possible. Many  of  the  men  lost  their  shoes,  and  went  into  battle  on  the 
following  day  barefoot.  But  without  faltering  or  pausing  by  the  way, 
they  toiled  on  over  the  weary  miles,  and  brought  up  the  pieces  in  time 
for  the  attack.  For  this  important  service  General  Burnside  personally 
thanked  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bell.  In  the  meantime  Colonel  Hartranft, 
with  the  remaining  companies,  pushed  on  with  the  advance  column. 
Upon  its  arrival  in  front  of  the  enemy's  earth-works,  dispositions  for 
attack  were  made,  Foster  occupying  the  right,  Reno  the  left  and  Parke 
in  support  upon  the  centre.  The  enemy's  line  upon  the  left  was  masked 
by  timber,  and  in  the  thick  fog  which  prevailed  the  extent  of  his  works 
was  undiscovered.  They  proved  to  be  of  great  strength,  consisting  of 
"thirteen  finished  redans"  bristling  with  cannon,  protected  in  front  "by 
an  almost  impassable  morass  filled  with  fallen  timber,"  and  stretching 
away  far  beyond  the  railroad,  where  his  right  was  supposed  to  rest. 
Foster  attacked  upon  his  left ;  but  the  enemy  concentrating  his  strength, 
proved  too  much  for  him. 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  67 

As  soon  as  he  could  gain  his  position  on  the  left,  Reno  attacked  and 
the  battle  soon  became  general,  raging  with  great  fury  for  three  and  a 
half  hours.  The  51st  had  been  held  in  support,  and  though  exposed  to 
a  severe  fire  had  not  been  allowed  to  return  a  single  shot.  General  Reno 
becoming  impatient  at  the  delay  and  at  the  losses  he  was  sustaining, 
ordered  up  Colonel  Hartranft  for  the  decisive  charge.  Forming  within 
a  short  distance  of  the  rebel  intrenchments,  the  regiment  was  led  forward 
through  the  ranks  of  the  51st  New  York,  which  cheered  the  column  as 
it  passed  to  a  little  hill  beyond.  General  Reno  in  person,  his  face  beaming 
with  an  expression  seen  only  in  battle,  ordered  the  charge.  With  deter- 
mined valor  the  regiment  rushed  down  a  ravine  choked  with  felled 
timber,  up  the  opposite  bank  and,  without  a  falter,  carried  the  redan  in 
front,  planting  the  old  flag  upon  the  ramparts.  "All  this,"  says  General 
Reno,  in  his  ofificial  report,  "was  gallantly  executed,  and  the  enemy  fled 
precipitately  from  all  their  entrenchments.  Some  fifty  prisoners  were 
captured  in  these  works,  many  severely  wounded.  Upon  reaching  the 
rebel  intrenchments  I  was  rejoiced  to  see  our  flag  waving  along  the 
entire  line  of  the  enemy's  works."  After  setting  fire  to  the  railroad 
bridge  and  a  number  of  factories,  the  rebels  abandoned  Newbern. 

On  August  12  Burnside  hastened  with  his  command  to  the  support 
of  Pope,  and  landed  at  Fredericksburg,  whence  he  pushed  forward  two 
divisions  to  Cedar  Mountain,  where  they  formed  a  junction  with  General 
McDowell.  Four  companies  were  detailed  for  a  rearguard,  and  held  the 
enemy  at  bay  until  so  far  separated  from  the  main  body  as  to  excite 
serious  apprehension  for  their  safety ;  but  they  succeeded  in  bringing  in 
their  gun  with  which  they  had  been  entrusted  and  crossed  the  river  in 
safety.  The  51st  supported  the  batteries.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  first 
day  of  the  battle,  the  29th,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bell,  with  part  of  his 
regiment,  was  detailed  to  advance  to  the  picket  line  in  Kearny's  front, 
and  there  remained  until  the  morning  of  the  second  day.  Towards 
evening,  says  Reno's  report,  our  forces  had  been  driven  back  and  then 
began  to  move  from  the  field.  The  road  was  completely  blocked  with 
the  artillery  trains  and  much  confusion  followed.  It  was  a  critical  mo- 
ment. Graham's  pieces  were  admirably  posted  for  its  protection,  and 
were  already  dealing  death  blows  in  constant  volleys  upon  the  advancing 
foe ;  but  should  his  support  fail  him  all  was  to  be  lost.  Ferrero  saw  the 
necessity  of  holding  these  guns  at  all  hazards  and  keeping  them  in  full 
play.  Undaunted  by  the  masses  of  the  foe  hurled  against  him,  he  clung 
to  the  ground,  and  poured  in  double-shotted  canister  and  rapid  rounds 
of  musketry  until  the  enemy  lines  were  broken  and  driven  in  confusion 
from  the  field.  But  they  reappeared  stronger  than  ever,  yet  Ferrero's 
column  withstood  the  shock,  finally  routing  the  foe.  Now  Ferrero,  with 
the  2ist  Massachusetts,  moved  off,  and  was  separated  from  the  rest  ot 
the  brigade.  The  command  of  the  two  remaining  regiments  devolved 
on  Colonel  Hartranft. 


68  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Retiring  across  Bull  Run,  the  two  regiments  filed  into  the  fields  to 
the  right  of  the  pike,  and  bivouacked  for  the  night.  In  the  morning  they 
moved  on  to  Centreville,  and  rejoined  the  army.  It  was  soon  after  dis- 
covered that  the  rebels  were  in  motion  to  strike  the  Union  column  by 
a  movement  upon  its  right  and  cut  off  its  retreat.  Reno's  corps  was 
immediately  put  in  motion,  with  the  cavalry  in  advance,  and  was  soon 
joined  by  Stevens  and  Kearny.  Hartranft  had  the  rear  of  the  column, 
and  was  moving  with  two  batteries,  though  under  no  orders  to  support 
them,  when  he  suddenly  found  himself  confronting  the  enemy.  The 
two  armies  were  moving  on  convergent  roads,  and  the  lines  were  here 
first  struck.  Seeing  that  these  batteries  were  in  peril,  he  instantly 
ordered  them  into  a  commanding  position  on  the  left  of  the  road,  and  drove 
back  the  foe.  It  was  nightfall,  and  a  terrible  thunder-storm  prevailed; 
but  Kearny  and  Stevens  and  Reno,  three  impetuous  leaders,  immedi- 
ately formed,  moved  upon  the  foe,  and  fought  in  the  darkness.  They 
knew  nothing  of  his  strength  and  little  of  the  ground,  and  contended  to 
a  great  disadvantage ;  but  the  enemy  was  beaten  back,  which  was  the 
principal  point,  though  Kearny  and  Stevens  both  yielded  up  their  lives. 

At  his  own  request  Pope  was  now  relieved  of  the  command  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  McClellan  was  restored.  On  the  3rd  of  Sep- 
tember the  Ninth  Corps  moved  through  Washington,  and  on  the  nth 
reached  New  Market,  on  the  Maryland  campaign.  The  passage  of  the 
Monocacy  was  not  disputed.  On  the  12th  the  command  entered  Fred- 
erick, and  had  a  brisk  skirmish  with  the  cavalry  which  was  covering 
the  withdrawal  of  the  rebel  army,  now  concentrating  in  the  passes  of 
the  South  Mountain,  which  it  was  determined  to  hold.  Before  reaching 
the  mountain  Ferrero's  brigade  moved  by  a  country  road  leading  up  to 
the  summit  on  the  left  of  the  Sharpsburg  pike.  Upon  encountering  the 
enemy's  lines  the  17th  Michigan,  a  new  regiment,  full  of  enthusiasm,  but 
little  schooled  in  those  cardinal  virtues  of  the  soldier  imparted  by  veteran 
discipline,  made  a  most  gallant  charge  diagonally  across  the  road  from 
left  to  right,  in  the  face  of  murderous  fire,  which  swept  the  ranks  at 
every  step,  and  soon  disappeared  in  the  woods  beyond.  General  Reno 
coming  up  soon  after,  and  supposing  that  his  regiment  had  established 
a  line  in  the  woods  and  was  holding  the  ground  it  had  so  gallantly  won, 
ordered  Colonel  Hartranft  to  lead  his  regiment  across  the  open  field  in 
the  rear  of  the  supposed  line,  and  close  up  to  the  edge  of  the  woods. 
While  the  regiment  was  thus  moving  and  was  stretched  out  upon  the 
march  unsuspicious  of  danger,  the  enemy  suddenly  opened  upon  it  from 
the  wood  a  most  withering  fire.  The  17th  Michigan  had  advanced  and 
driven  the  enemy,  but  had  neglected  to  hold  its  advantage,  and  the  rebels 
returning,  had  awaited  until  the  51st  was  upon  their  bayonet  ends,  when 
they  deliberately  opened  fire.  The  column  was  instantly  drawn  under 
cover  of  the  wall  that  flanks  the  road,  and  soon  after  was  deployed  to 
the  left  of  the  road,  under  a  fence  that  stretches  at  right  angles  to  it. 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  69 

Fire  was  immediately  opened  upon  the  enemy,  which  was  kept  up  until 
the  ammunition  was  spent,  when  it  was  relieved  by  the  51st  New  York, 
Colonel  Potter,  lying  in  close  supporting  distance.  Returning  again  to 
the  contest,  fire  was  continued  until  the  enemy,  finding  himself  hard 
pressed  on  all  sides  and  his  position  rendered  insecure,  fled  under  cover 
of  darkness,  and  in  the  morning  the  columns  advanced  without  opposi- 
tion.   General  Reno  was  killed  early  in  the  contest. 

The  battle  of  Antietam  opened  on  the  afternoon  of  the  i6th  of  Sep- 
tember, General  Hooker  crossing  Antietam  creek  and  attacking  the 
enemy's  left  with  great  impetuosity  and  the  most  triumphant  success, 
and  was  followed  up  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  with  even  greater  impetu- 
osity by  the  commands  of  Mansfield  and  Sumner.  In  the  meantime  the 
left  and  center  of  the  Union  line,  stretching  away  towards  the  Potomac 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  creek,  remained  quiet  spectators  of  the  desperate 
encounter  on  the  right.  At  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  17th, 
when  the  struggle  upon  the  right  had  been  four  hours  in  progress,  Gen- 
eral Cox,  in  command  of  the  Ninth  Army  Corps  since  the  fall  of  Reno, 
was  ordered  to  advance  and  carry  the  stone  bridge  on  the  extreme  left 
of  the  line,  firmly  held  by  the  enemy.  "The  bridge  itself  is  a  stone 
structure  of  three  arches,  with  stone  parapet  above,  this  parapet  to  some 
extent  flanking  the  approach  to  the  bridge  at  either  end.  The  valley  in 
which  the  stream  runs  is  quite  narrow,  the  steep  slope  on  the  right  bank 
approaching  to  the  water's  edge.  In  this  slope  the  road-way  is  scarped, 
running  both  ways  from  the  bridge  and  passing  to  the  higher  land  above 
by  ascending  through  ravines  above  and  below,  the  upper  ravine  being 
some  six  hundred  yards  above  the  bridge,  the  town  about  half  that  dis- 
tance below.  On  the  hillside  immediately  above  the  bridge  was  a  strong 
stone  fence  running  parallel  to  the  stream ;  the  turns  of  the  road-way 
were  covered  by  rifle-pits  and  breastworks  made  of  rails  and  stone,  all 
of  which  defenses,  as  well  as  the  woods  which  covered  the  slope,  were 
filled  with  the  enemy's  infantry  and  sharpshooters.  Besides  the  infantry 
defenses,  batteries  were  placed  to  enfilade  the  bridge  and  all  its 
approaches."  [General  Cox's  Official  Report,  Moore's  "Rebellion  Rec- 
ord," Docs.  Vol.  V,  p.  454-455.] 

Against  this  position,  strong  by  nature,  rendered  doubly  strong  by 
art,  the  nth  Connecticut  and  Crook's  brigade,  supported  by  Sturgis' 
division,  were  ordered  to  the  assault.  As  this  force  advanced  up  the 
open  valley  by  the  road  which  leads  along  the  river  bank  to  the  bridge, 
it  was  exposed  to  so  warm  a  fire  from  the  opposite  heights,  alive  with 
the  enemy,  that  it  was  forced  to  halt  and  reply.  Sturgis'  troops  reached 
the  head  of  the  bridge,  and  the  2nd  Maryland  and  the  6th  New  Hamp- 
shire charged  at  double-quick  with  fixed  bayonets ;  but  the  concentrated 
fire  of  the  enemy  upon  it  forced  them  to  fall  back.  After  repeated  efforts 
these  regiments  were  withdrawn.  Burnside,  nettled  at  the  failure  of 
this  attempt  and  the  consequent  delay  of  his  columns,  and  knowing  full 


70  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

well  in  whom  he  could  trust,  ordered  forward  the  51st.  General  Ferrero 
dashing  up  to  the  regiment,  said,  "General  Burnside  orders  the  51st 
Pennsylvania  to  storm  the  bridge."  Hartranft,  avoiding  the  road  by 
the  river  bank,  led  his  men  in  rear  of  the  heights  overlooking  the  river 
until  he  arrived  opposite  the  bridge,  when  he  moved  boldly  down  the  slope 
for  the  crossing.  The  instant  his  men  came  into  the  open  ground  in  the 
valley  they  received  a  withering  fire  from  the  enemy's  well-posted  infan- 
try, and  many  fell.  A  fence  skirting  the  road  proved  a  serious  impedi- 
ment, and  in  crossing  it  the  men  were  particularly  exposed.  Here  fell  Cap- 
tains Bolton  and  Hart,  severely  wounded,  a  serious  loss  at  this  juncture. 
Unheeding  the  enemy's  bullets  or  the  obstruction  by  the  way,  the  col- 
umn moved  forward  with  a  determined  front,  and  made  straight  for  the 
bridge.  As  they  entered,  a  storm  of  missiles  swept  it,  but  no  danger 
could  stay  that  tide  of  living  valor.  Hartranft,  who  led  the  way,  paused 
in  the  midst,  and  was  hasteneing  on  the  rear  of  his  column  when  he  was 
joined  by  Colonel  Potter,  with  the  gallant  51st  New  York.  With  a  shout 
that  rang  out  above  the  noise  of  the  battle  the  two  columns  rushed  for- 
ward, and  were  soon  firmly  established  on  the  thither  bank.  The  bridge 
was  carried ! 

A  regiment  was  quickly  advanced,  and  took  position  on  the  heights 
commanding  the  bridge  and  its  approaches,  driving  out  the  enemy  and 
rendering  the  crossing  for  infantry  secure.  The  whole  corps  now  ad- 
vanced rapidly,  took  position  on  the  heights  above  the  bridge,  and  imme- 
diately advanced  to  the  attack.  The  51st  was  posted  on  the  second  range 
of  hills  overlooking  the  creek,  some  distance  below  the  bridge.  Here  it 
was  soon  hotly  engaged  with  the  enemy  under  cover  of  a  stone  wall  and 
in  a  cornfield  on  its  left.  Its  ammunition  was  soon  exhausted,  and  a 
fresh  supply  failing  to  arrive  as  ordered,  the  men  held  their  position 
with  the  bayonet  until  relief  came.  But  all  this  struggle  and  costly  sac- 
rifice was  vain.  The  enemy,  relieved  by  the  slackening  of  the  battle  on 
the  left  and  the  arrival  of  a  fresh  corps  from  Harper's  Ferry,  was  enabled 
to  concentrate  an  overwhelming  force  upon  this  single  corps,  and  it  was 
forced  to  yield.  The  loss  of  the  regiment  was  125.  Among  the  killed 
was  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bell,  a  most  vigilant  officer  and  most  estimable 
man,  and  Lieutenants  Beaver  and  Hunsicker.  Of  the  wounded  were 
Captains  Bolton  and  Hart,  Adjutant  Shorkly,  Quartermaster  Freedly  and 
Lieutenant  Lynch.  Upon  the  fall  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bell,  Major 
Schall  was  promoted  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  Captain  William  J.  Bolten, 
of  Company  A,  was  promoted  to  major. 

In  the  subsequent  operations  of  the  brigade  the  51st,  under  command 
of  Colonel  Bolton,  participated,  engaging  the  enemy  at  Poplar  Spring 
Church,  at  Ream's  Station,  at  Hatcher's  Run  and  in  the  final  attack  on 
the  2d  of  April,  which  resulted  in  the  evacuation  of  Richmond.  On  the 
27th  of  July,  after  four  years  of  arduous  service,  extending  over  the  whole 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  71 

line  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi,  it  was  mustered  out  of  service 
at  Alexandria,  Virginia.  This  regiment  took  part  in  a  majority  of  the 
greatest  battles  in  the  Civil  War;  it  traveled  a  total  of  10,439  m'les; 
marched  1,738  miles;  by  virater,  5,390;  by  rail,  3,311. 

The  history  of  the  51st  Pennsylvania  contains  this  bit  of  pleasantry 
worthy  of  becoming  a  permanent  record,  and  is  appreciated  by  the  few 
remaining  veterans  of  the  Civil  War,  whether  of  the  Confederate  or 
Union  forces.  The  following  episode  between  the  pickets  on  the  line  of 
the  Rappahannock  by  men  of  the  51st  illustrates  the  fact: 

The  best  of  feeling  was  expressed  by  both  parties,  and  if  a  stray  hog 
should  by  chance  come  within  sight,  both  Reb  and  Yank  would  start  off 
in  pursuit  of  the  porker,  and  catch  and  slaughter  it,  and  then  divide  it 
equally  between  them  with  many  jocular  remarks  about  the  mode  of 
living  that  each  army  was  subject  to.  The  commencement  of  cessation 
of  hostilities  by  both  sets  of  pickets  began  with  hallooing  to  each  other, 
then  with  the  poking  up  of  heads  above  their  rude  breastworks,  and  then 
by  exposing  themselves  outside  of  the  works,  finally  feeling  some  confi- 
dence in  each  other,  and  no  shots  being  fired  along  either  line,  they  began 
by  advancing  towards  one  another.  Between  the  two  picket-lines  flowed 
a  stream  of  water ;  this  was  the  Rappahannock  of  the  two  parties ;  when 
both  parties  met  near  the  stream  the  following  introductory  remarks 
took  place,  the  Rebs  asking:    "Hallo,  Yanks,  what  regiment?"    Yank — 

"The  Fifty-first  Pennsylvania."    Reb — "D good  boys,  too."    Yank — 

"Say,  Johnnies,  what  regiments?"  Reb — "Eighty-eighth  Tennessee, 
Second  Georgia  and  Fourth  Mississippi."  Yank — "We've  met  you  chaps 
before."  Reb — "Yes,  several  times ;  come  across  the  creek."  Yank — 
"Can't  see  it;  will  you  reach  your  hand  out?"  Reb — "Yes,  here;  give 
us  your  hand ;  now,  jump !"  and  over  one  went,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
Fifty-first  boys  were  on  the  rebel  side,  and  in  return  the  rebels  came 
over  to  our  side,  and  all  the  civilities  of  an  enlightened  race  were 
extended  to  one  another. 

The  pickets  of  both  lines  made  a  treaty  between  themselves  not  to 
fire  a  gun  at  each  other  during  that  relief,  which  would  be  until  four 
o'clock  the  next  morning,  and  with  true  faith  was  it  carried  out,  although 
the  flag  of  truce  expired  at  5  p.  m.  There  was  not  a  solitary  shot  fired 
until  the  next  relief  was  put  on  the  next  morning. 

On  the  2ist  of  August,  1861,  John  R.  Brooke,  of  Pottstown,  was 
commissioned  colonel  of  the  53rd  Regiment.  He  had  served  as  captain 
of  the  4th  (three  months')  Regiment.  Recruiting  was  immediately  com- 
menced, and  on  the  28th  of  September  the  first  company  was  mustered 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States.  Company  A  was  recruited  in 
Pottstown,  B  in  Chester  and  Montgomery  counties,  C  in  Blair  and 
Huntingdon,  D  in  Centre  and  Clearfield,  E  in  Carbon  and  Union,  F  in 
Luzerne,  G  in  Potter,  H  in  Northumberland,  I  in  Juniata  and  K  in  West- 
moreland. During  the  period  of  its  organization  it  occupied  Camp  Cur- 
tin,  and  while  here  did  provost  guard  duty  in  Harrisburg.  The  follow- 
ing field  officers  were  selected:  John  R.  Brooke,  colonel;  Richard  Mc- 
Michael,   of    Reading,    Berks   county,    lieutenant-colonel:    and    Thomas 


72  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Yeager,  of  Allentown,  Lehigh  county,  major.  Charles  P.  Hatch,  ol 
Philadelphia,  was  appointed  adjutant. 

On  the  7th  of  November  it  moved  to  Washington  and  encamped 
north  of  the  capitol.  On  the  27th  it  crossed  the  Potomac,  went  into  camp 
near  Alexandria,  and  was  assigned  to  a  brigade  commanded  by  General 
William  H.  French.  It  remained  here  during  the  winter  of  1861-62,  and 
was  constantly  drilled  and  disciplined  in  the  routine  of  a  soldier's  duty. 
It  participated  in  the  general  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in 
March,  1862,  arriving  at  Manassas  Junction,  which  had  been  evacuated  by 
the  rebels  on  the  12th.  On  the  21st  it  was  marched  to  Warrenton  Junc- 
tion to  support  a  reconnoissance  of  Howard's  brigade,  which  was  being 
pushed  towards  the  Rappahannock.  The  object  having  been  accom- 
plished, on  the  23rd  it  returned  to  Manassas  and  from  thence  to  Alex- 
andria. Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  army  the  regiment  was  assigned 
to  the  Third  Brigade,  First  Division,  Second  Corps.  April  3rd  it  was 
transferred  with  McClellan's  army  to  the  Peninsula,  and  formed  a  part 
of  the  reserve  division  during  the  siege  of  Yorktown.  It  had  numerous 
and  fierce  engagements,  including  those  at  Peach  Orchard,  White  Oak 
Swamp,  Malvern  Hill,  then  moving  via  Yorktown  to  Newport  News,  it 
eml)arked  for  Alexandria,  encamped  on  the  Lee  farm,  and  heard  the  roar 
of  the  guns  at  Bull  Run.  At  Centerville  the  regiment  did  duty  in  line 
of  battle.  When  General  Burnside  assumed  command  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potv->mac  and  projected  the  movement  upon  Fredericksburg,  the 
regiment  proceeded  to  Falmouth,  performed  guard  duty  until  in  Decem- 
ber, then  took  quarters  opposite  Fredericksburg,  in  support  of  the  bat- 
teries. They  took  an  active  part  in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  and  at 
eventide  after  the  conflict  was  ended  and  the  day  lost  to  our  forces,  what 
remained  of  the  regiment  retired  silently  from  its  position  and  returned 
to  the  city.  It  went  into  battle  with  283  men,  and  of  these  158  were 
either  killed  or  wounded.  Among  the  former  were  Lieutenants  Cross, 
McKiernan  and  Kerr,  and  the  latter,  Captains  Coulter  and  Eichholtz, 
and  Lieutenants  Potts,  Root,  Hopkins  and  Smith. 

In  April  the  regiment  entered  upon  the  Chancellorsville  campaign, 
and  saw  hard  fighting  until  the  2nd  of  July,  1863,  when  it  arrived  and 
took  position  at  Gettysburg  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Later  that 
day  it  moved  to  Little  Round  Top.  It  fought  bravely,  but  being  much 
exposed  its  loss  was  necessarily  heavy.  Three  companies  were  still  on 
detached  duty,  and  the  remainder  had  but  124  men;  of  this  number,  only 
45  escaped  uninjured,  six  were  killed,  67  seriously  wounded,  and  six 
missing. 

After  many  a  long  march  and  weary  campaign,  in  December,  1863, 
the  men  were  granted  a  veteran  furlough  and  proceeded  to  Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania,  but  on  their  return  in  the  spring  of  1864  they  broke  camp 
again  and  went  into  active  service,  including  Chancellorsville,  Chicka- 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  73 

hominy,  the  James  river  country,  also  Petersburg,  where  in  a  charge 
it  lost  70  men  and  met  with  repulse. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1865,  the  regiment  moved  on  its  last  campaign, 
proceeding  directly  to  the  Boydton  Plank-Road,  where,  on  the  31st,  it 
was  briskly  engaged.  The  Fifth  Corps  was  now  actively  employed  in 
pushing  the  enemy  from  his  foot-hold  about  Petersburg,  and  in  this  the 
Second  Corps  was  called  to  its  aid.  In  the  operations  at  Five  Forks  the 
regiment  joined,  charging  the  enemy's  lines,  driving  him  in  confusion, 
and  taking  possession  of  a  portion  of  the  South  Side  railroad.  In  this 
engagement  Major  Pifer  led  the  53rd,  Colonel  Mintzer  having  been 
placed  temporarily  in  command  of  a  detachment  skillfully  deployed  to 
deceive  a  division  of  the  enemy  and  prevent  him  from  changing  his  posi- 
tion. For  the  success  attained  in  this  service  Colonel  Mintzer  was  pro- 
moted brevet  brigadier-general.  Following  up  the  retreating  enemy,  the 
regiment  participated  in  the  capture  of  his  wagon-trains  at  Deep  Creek, 
on  the  6th  of  April,  and  was  at  the  front  on  the  day  of  the  surrender  of 
the  rebel  army.  Encamping  for  a  short  time  near  Burkesville,  it  pro- 
ceeded from  thence,  through  Richmond  and  Fredericksburg,  to  Alex- 
andria, participated  in  the  grand  review  of  the  armies  at  Washington, 
on  the  23rd  of  May,  and  was  finally  mustered  out  of  service  on  the  30th 
of  June,  1865. 

The  68th  Regiment  was  recruited  in  Philadelphia  and  in  the  adjacent 
counties  of  Montgomery  and  Chester  during  the  summer  of  1862,  the 
first  company  being  mustered  in  on  the  4th  of  August,  and  was  fully 
organized  by  September.  A  camp  was  established  at  Frankford,  a  sub- 
urb of  Philadelphia.  The  field  officers  were:  Andrew  H.  Tippen,  col- 
onel ,  A.  H.  Reynolds,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Thomas  Hawksworth,  major. 
Though  above  the  minimum,  its  ranks  were  not  up  to  the  maximum 
standard,  and  the  men  were  only  partially  uniformed  and  equipped.  It 
broke  camp  on  the  evening  of  September  ist  and  proceeded  to  Wash- 
ington. The  army  was  just  then  falling  back  to  the  heights  around  the 
capital.  The  regiment  was  immediately  ordered  across  the  Potomac, 
and  went  into  camp  at  Arlington  Heights.  Here  it  was  armed,  and  fur- 
nished with  a  complete  outfit  for  an  active  campaign.  It  was  assigned 
to  Robinson's  brigade  of  Stoneman's  division.  Soon  after  the  battle  of 
Antietam  the  regiment  moved  from  camp,  and  passing  through  George- 
town, proceeded  to  Poolsville,  arriving  on  the  loth  of  October,  the  day 
on  which  the  rebel  Generals  Stuart  and  Hampton,  with  a  force  of  cav- 
alry, made  their  famous  raid  on  Chambersburg,  and  a  complete  circuit 
of  the  Union  army.  Intelligence  soon  spread  of  the  daring  ride,  and  the 
regiment  was  marched  rapidly  to  Conrad's  Ferry,  in  expectation  that  the 
bold  raiders  would  attempt  to  cross  the  Potomac,  on  their  return  into 
Virginia,  at  this  point.  But  they  made  for  a  ford  considerably  lower 
down  the  stream,  and  passed  over  without  opposition.  After  remaining 
several  days  in  the  vicinity  of  the  ferry,  it  rejoined  the  brigade  and 


74  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

proceeded  southward  with  the  rest  of  the  army.  While  on  the  march  the 
rebel  cavalry  under  White  suddenly  dashed  in  upon  the  train  moving 
with  the  brigade,  and  captured  wagons  belonging  to  the  68th,  contain- 
ing officers'  baggage,  books,  papers  and  camp  and  garrison  equipage, 
overpowering  and  making  prisoners  of  the  feeble  guard  which  had  it  in 
charge.  About  forty  of  the  68th  were  taken,  who  were  sent  to  Richmond 
and  kept  in  confinement  several  months. 

This  regiment  was  in  the  movement  against  Chancellorsville  and  the 
operations  below  Fredericksburg.  It  captured  thirty-five  officers  and 
men  of  the  loth  Virginia  Regiment,  with  the  colors  and  color-guard. 
At  the  opening  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  July  i,  1863,  the  regiment 
was  at  Emmettsburg,  but  rapidly  moved  forward,  hearing  the  heavy 
firing  in  the  distance.  Its  position  was  between  Seminary  and  Cemetery 
ridges,  finally  at  Peach  Orchard,  and  there  encountered  heavy  fighting, 
this  point  being  the  real  key  to  the  position.  Colonel  Tippen  made  this 
record  of  the  part  his  command  took  in  that  memorable  fight — possibly 
the  turning  point  in  the  Rebellion :  "It  was  a  terrible  afternoon,  and  all 
were  anxious  for  the  Fifth  Corps  to  come  up,  as  we  were  being  deci- 
mated by  the  artillery.  In  that  orchard  the  lieutenant-colonel  and  major 
were  wounded  and  ten  other  officers  killed  or  wounded,  leaving  with  me 
but  four  to  bring  the  regiment  out  of  the  fight,  having  had  in  all  but 
seventeen  present  for  duty.  Just  at  sunset  the  rebel  infantry  charged 
upon  the  position  and  the  brigade,  weakened  by  its  losses,  was  forced  to 
yield,  yet  contesting  every  inch  of  ground."  On  the  third  day  the  regi- 
ment was  held  in  reserve  on  the  lower  part  of  the  entire  field,  exposed  to 
a  terrible  fire  from  the  enemy  artillery.  Colonel  Tippen  had  his  horse 
shot  from  under  him  and  killed  on  that  day.  The  loss  here  was  about 
sixty  per  cent,  of  the  number  engaged.  The  regiment  went  into  winter 
quarters  at  Brandy  Station,  and  early  in  January,  1864,  the  few  left 
in  the  command  reenlisted.  April  18,  1864,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to 
General  Meade's  headquarters,  where  it  was  placed  under  command  of 
General  Patrick,  Provost-Marshal  General  of  the  army,  and  employed  in 
guard  duty,  continuing  until  the  end  of  the  war.  After  the  return  of 
the  regiment  to  Virginia  for  the  last  fall  campaign,  in  a  sharp  turn  made 
by  General  Meade,  Colonel  Tippen  was  taken  prisoner  and  confined  in 
Libby  prison  for  almost  nine  months.  He  was  exchanged  June  25,  1864, 
and  resumed  command  of  his  regiment. 

Colonel  Tippen,  of  Montgomery  county,  commander  of  the  brigade, 
having  just  got  out  of  prison,  in  his  report  says : 

The  brigade  was  under  my  command.  Among  the  prisoners  were 
Lieutenant  General  Ewell,  Major-Generals  Custis  Lee,  Kershaw  and 
other  prominent  generals  of  the  rebel  army,  together  with  about  six 
hundred  officers  of  lesser  grade.  At  a  point  on  the  route  where  we  all 
rested  for  a  short  time,  I  received  a  dispatch  that  General  Lee  had  sur- 
rendered.   I  communicated  the  intelligence  to  Generals  Ewell  and  Custis 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  75 

Lee,  but  both  doubted  its  truthfulness.  They  could  not  think  it  possible. 
In  a  very  short  time,  and  before  leaving  our  resting-place,  General  Ben- 
ham  came  up  with  his  engineer  brigade,  and  gave  the  terms  of  sur- 
render. Young  General  Lee  dropped  his  head  on  his  breast,  and  General 
Ewell  threw  up  his  arms,  exclaiming,  "The  jig  is  up." 

In  the  last  charge  made  upon  the  enemy's  lines  at  Petersburg,  before 
the  final  move,  the  regiment,  though  employed  in  provost  duty,  was  of 
the  storming-party.  In  the  sharp  conflict  which  ensued.  Major  John  C. 
Gallagher  was  mortally  wounded  and  a  number  of  officers  and  men  were 
lost. 

After  the  capture  of  Lieutenant-General  Ewell  and  his  forces  at 
Sailor's  Creek,  this  regiment,  in  conjunction  with  others  then  consti- 
tuting the  headquarters  brigade,  was  detailed  to  guard  the  prisoners, 
and  proceed  with  them  to  City  Point.  The  brigade  was  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Tippen,  and  the  order  was  faithfully  executed  without 
the  loss  of  a  man.  This  duty  done,  the  regiment  returned  to  the  head- 
quarters of  the  army,  having  in  charge  about  6,000  recruits  that  had  accu- 
mulated at  City  Point.  It  had  been  but  a  short  time  with  the  moving 
column  when  General  Meade  ordered  it  to  proceed,  in  company  with 
the  143rd  Pennsylvania,  to  Hart's  Island,  near  the  city  of  New  York, 
to  have  charge  of  rebel  prisoners  confined  there.  Here  it  remained  until 
the  9th  of  June,  when  it  was  mustered  out  of  service. 

In  the  93rd  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  the  following  offi- 
cers and  enlisted  men  were  recruited  in  and  accredited  to  Montgomery 
county.  The  regiment  ranked  among  the  veteran  organizations  of  the 
State,  and  was  among  the  best  volunteer  regiments  in  the  service.  There 
being  no  company  organization  accredited  to  the  county,  we  omit  the 
field  and  staflf  roster  and  the  general  history  of  the  command.  The  regi- 
ment was  organized  at  Lebanon,  November  3,  1861. 

The  95th  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  was  organized  as  the 
Pennsylvania  Zouaves,  then  as  the  45th  and  finally  as  the  95th.  It  was 
mustered  into  the  service  August,  1861,  for  three  years.  The  regiment 
served  in  the  army  of  the  Potomac  from  its  organization  to  the  close  of 
the  war,  and  its  losses  in  the  service  are  reported  as  the  most  severe 
experienced  by  any  Pennsylvania  regiment  in  the  field. 

The  io6th  Regiment  was  organized,  with  the  exception  of  Company 
K,  between  the  14th  of  August  and  the  31st  of  October,  1861,  in  Phila- 
delphia. Company  K  was  transferred  to  it  from  the  67th  Regiment  on 
the  28th  of  February,  1862.  A  large  proportion  of  officers  and  men  had 
served  in  the  22nd  Regiment,  and  previously  in  the  Philadelphia  Light 
Guard,  a  militia  organization  of  long  years  standing.  The  following 
were  field  officers :  Turner  G.  Morehead,  colonel ;  William  L.  Curry, 
lieutenant-colonel ;  John  H.  Stover,  major.  At  Yorktown  this  regiment 
participated  in  the  engagement  and  all  that  season  on  marches  and  travel 
otherwise.    This  regiment  participated  at  Fair  Oaks,  where  Lieutenant- 


76  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Colonel  Curry  was  taken  prisoner,  taken  to  Libby  prison,  and  later  to 
Salisbury,  where  he  was  illy  treated,  but  after  three  months  was  ex- 
changed. The  regiment  saw  service  at  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  at 
Peach  Orchard,  at  bloody  Antietam  Creek,  where  in  ten  minutes  time 
one-third  of  the  entire  regiment  was  stricken  down,  and  at  the  end  of 
the  engagement  the  dead  lay  in  line  as  they  had  stood  in  the  fight.  Cap- 
tain Timothy  Clark  and  Lieutenant  William  Bryan  were  among  the 
killed.  In  all  these  places  named  this  regiment  was  known  for  its 
bravery. 

At  Fredericksburg,  in  the  main  battle,  which  was  fought  on  the  13th, 
the  regiment  was  formed  for  a  charge,  with  the  69th  on  its  right  and  the 
127th  Pennsylvania  on  its  left,  and  advanced  under  a  terrific  fire  of 
artillery  to  a  position  within  about  seventy-five  yards  of  the  enemy's 
works.  From  midday  until  nightfall,  under  a  ceaseless  fire  from  two 
lines  of  battle,  it  stood  with  a  coolness  and  determination  rarely  paral- 
leled, and  though  losing  heavily,  held  the  ground  until  darkness  closed 
in  upon  the  combatants  and  the  sound  of  battle  died  away.  Retiring 
after  the  battle  to  its  former  camp,  it  remained,  with  unimportant  excep- 
tions, until  near  the  close  of  April.  At  the  opening  of  the  Chancellors- 
ville  campaign  the  brigade  was  taken  to  Banks'  Ford,  where  it  was 
employed  in  driving  out  the  enemy  and  protecting  the  engineers  while 
laying  a  pontoon  bridge.  It  was  afterwards  engaged  in  guarding  the 
reserve  artillery.  On  the  3rd  of  May,  the  regiment  crossed  the  river  and 
advanced  to  the  assistance  of  Sedgwick,  in  command  of  the  Sixth  Corps, 
who  was  struggling  against  overwhelming  odds  at  Salem  Church.  Re- 
turning to  the  bridge,  entrenchments  were  thrown  up,  and  the  position 
held  until  Sedgwick's  corps  had  crossed,  when  it  returned  again  to  camp. 

In  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  which  opened  on  the  ist  of  July,  the 
io6th  bore  a  conspicuous  part,  arriving  with  the  corps  upon  the  field 
at  a  little  after  midnight  of  the  ist,  and  taking  position  on  the  extreme 
left  of  the  brigade,  behind  the  low  stone  wall  on  the  right  centre  of  the 
line,  in  front  of  and  to  the  left  of  General  Meade's  headquarters.  The 
fighting  commenced  on  the  afternoon  of  the  2nd,  on  the  extreme  left, 
where  Sickles  stood,  but  soon  swept  around  until  it  enveloped  the  whole 
left  wing  of  the  army.  Fighting  in  the  open  field  without  defensive 
works.  Sickles'  men,  though  contesting  the  ground  with  a  valor  unsur- 
passed, were  forced  back,  and  line  after  line  was  crushed.  While  the 
conflict  was  thus  raging  on  the  left,  the  brigade  was  lying  upon  the 
ground  in  rear  of  the  crest  of  the  little  hill  which  overlooked  the  field ; 
but  as  the  wave  of  battle  rolled  on  towards  the  right,  recognizing  the 
danger  to  which  the  left  wing  was  exposed,  and  seeing  that  there  was  a 
gap  in  the  line  to  the  left.  General  Webb,  in  command  of  the  brigade, 
ordered  it  to  march  by  the  left  flank,  then  by  the  right,  and  as  it  reached 
the  crest  beheld  the  enemy  not  sixty  yards  in  front,  marching  on,  elated 
by  success,  as  to  assured  victory.     "Fire!     Charge  bayonets!"  rang  out 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  TJ 

from  the  voice  of  the  commander.  A  crash  as  from  a  single  piece  was 
the  response,  and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  bayonets  were  fixed,  and, 
with  a  cheer  that  betokened  the  determination  which  fired  each  breast, 
the  line  went  forward,  striking  the  enemy  upon  his  extreme  left  flank, 
and  hurling  him  back  in  dismay.  The  io6th  and  two  companies  of  the 
2nd  New  York  pursued  the  retreating  foe  as  far  as  the  Emmettsburg 
road. 

The  regiment  returned  to  its  place  in  line,  but  was  scarcely  in  posi- 
tion when  it  was  ordered  to  the  extreme  right,  where  the  Twelfth  Corps 
was  engaged.  It  did  not  arrive,  however,  until  the  fighting  at  that  point 
had  subsided,  and  soon  after  was  ordered  to  Cemetery  Hill  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  where  it  went  into  position  at  ten  p.  m.,  on 
the  right  of  the  Baltimore  pike,  near  Ricketts'  battery,  where  it  remained 
under  the  terrific  cannonade  of  the  following  day,  and  until  the  close  of 
the  battle. 

On  the  3rd  of  May  the  regiment  broke  camp,  and  after  a  severe  march 
crossed  the  Rapidan,  and  arrived  on  the  5th  on  the  Wilderness  battle- 
ground. The  fighting  for  three  days  in  the  tangled  wilds  of  that  ever 
memorable  field  was  for  the  most  part  at  close  quarters  and  very  severe. 
From  the  Wilderness  the  regiment  marched  towards  Spottsylvania  Court 
House,  but  before  reaching  it  encountered  the  enemy,  and  the  contest 
was  renewed.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  nth  the  brigade  withdrew  from 
the  breastworks  in  front  of  the  court  house,  and  marched  with  the  corps 
to  the  left  of  the  line,  where,  at  dawn  of  the  12th,  Hancock  led  his  col- 
umns upon  the  enemy's  works.  Delivered  in  strong  force  and  at  an  un- 
expected hour,  the  charge  was  successful,  the  works  being  taken  with 
numerous  captives  and  guns.  The  io6th  in  this  encounter  suffered 
severely.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Curry,  in  command,  was  mortally 
wounded,  and  Lieutenants  Charles  S.  Schwartz  and  Joshua  A.  Gage 
were  among  the  killed.  The  regiment  was  held  upon  the  front  line, 
where  constant  skirmishing  was  kept  up  until  the  i8th,  when  another 
attempt  was  made  to  rout  the  enemy,  which  was  unsuccessful.  Again 
moving  by  the  left  flank,  the  corps  encountered  the  enemy  at  North  Anna 
and  again  at  Cold  Harbor.  In  the  engagement  at  the  latter  place  the 
brigade  was  ordered  to  charge  and  drive  out  the  enemy  from  his 
intrenchments. 

On  the  27th  of  July  the  veterans  and  recruits  were  organized  into  a 
battalion  of  three  companies,  which  was  united  for  field  service  to  the 
69th  Pennsylvania.  The  remainder  of  the  regiment  was  mustered  out 
of  service  at  the  expiration  of  its  term,  at  Philadelphia,  on  the  loth  of 
September,  1864.  The  battalion  remaining  in  the  field  participated  in 
the  actions  at  Ream's  Station  and  Boydton  Plank-Road  and  in  the  spring 
campaign  which  closed  the  Rebellion.  It  was  mustered  out  of  service 
on  the  30th  of  June,  1865. 


78  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

The  129th  Regiment  only  had  one  company  from  Montgomery 
county,  Company  I.  It  rendezvoused  at  Camp  Curtin,  Harrisburg,  where 
on  August  15,  1862,  an  organization  was  effected  and  officers  elected  as 
follows:  Jacob  G.  Frick,  colonel;  William  H.  Armstrong,  lieutenant-col- 
onel; Joseph  Anthony,  major.  By  August  i8th  the  regiment  went  into 
camp  at  Alexandria,  near  Washington.  Two  companies  were  detailed 
to  build  a  bridge  over  Bull  Run.  In  December,  1862,  the  division  crossed 
the  Rappahannock,  and  proceeding  through  the  town  to  a  position  in 
full  view  of  the  field,  awaited  the  order  to  enter  the  fight.  It  was  not 
long  delayed,  and  again  advancing  by  a  main  road,  the  brigade  halted  in 
low,  open  ground,  where  the  men  were  ordered  to  lie  down.  Tempted 
by  the  easy  range  and  unprotected  situation  of  the  brigade,  the  enemy 
opened  a  destructive  fire  from  his  batteries,  by  which  Lieutenant  Jacob 
Parvin,  Jr.,  was  mortally,  and  a  number  of  privates  severely  wounded. 
Moving  to  the  left  of  the  road,  the  division  was  shortly  after  formed  in 
line  of  battle  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  the  brigade  in  two  lines,  the  129th 
on  the  left  front.  In  the  hopeless  and  fruitless  charge  which  followed, 
made  under  a  ceaseless  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery  from  the  impreg- 
nable position  which  the  enemy  held,  officers  and  men  did  everything 
that  true  soldiers  could  do,  traversing  in  good  order  the  lines  of  dead  and 
wounded  left  in  previous  charges,  and  pressing  forward  in  the  gather- 
ing darkness  until  they  attained  position  in  advance  of  every  previous 
charge,  and  from  which  it  was  impossible  to  go  farther.  In  the  brief 
space  that  it  was  in  motion  the  regiment  lost  one  hundred  and  forty-two 
in  killed  and  wounded.  The  caps  of  some  were  subsequently  found  close 
up  to  the  famous  stone-wall,  and  an  officer  and  seven  privates  of  Com- 
pany D  were  taken  prisoners.  Captain  George  J.  Lawrence  and  Jona- 
than K.  Taylor  were  mortally  wounded.  Captain  Taylor  was  shot 
through  the  lungs  early  in  the  charge,  but  refused  to  leave  the  field,  and 
retired  with  his  command.  Captains  William  Wren,  Jr.,  Herbert 
Thomas,  E.  Godfrey  Rehrer  and  Levi  C.  Leib  and  Lieutenant  A.  A. 
Lukenbach  were  wounded.  Lieutenant  Joseph  Oliver  was  wounded  and 
fell  into  the  enemy's  hands.    The  loss  in  killed  was  sixteen. 

After  dark  the  regiment  was  again  marched  upon  the  field  for  guard 
duty,  but  was  withdrawn  towards  midnight.  On  the  14th  and  15th  it 
remained  in  the  town,  losing  one  man  by  the  shot  of  a  sharpshooter,  and 
on  the  morning  of  the  i6th,  after  having  spent  the  night  in  throwing  up 
a  breastwork  on  the  right  of  the  town,  recrossed  the  river  and  retired 
again  to  camp.  The  knapsacks  which  had  been  thrown  aside  before 
going  into  battle  had  been  carefully  guarded,  but  were  not  recovered. 
During  the  cold,  rainy  days  preceding  the  23rd  of  December,  when  extra 
clothing  and  blankets  were  furnished  to  supply  the  place  of  those  lost, 
the  men  suffered  greatly  from  exposure,  one  dying  and  many  being 
thrown  into  hospitals.  Drill  and  picket  duty,  which  was  at  times  severe, 
the  Mud  March  from  the  20th  to  the  24th  of  January,  1863,  and  occa- 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  79 

sional  reviews,  filled  up  the  measure  of  its  duty  until  the  opening  of 
Hooker's  first  campaign. 

The  regiment  marched  with  the  corps  on  the  Chancellorsville  cam- 
paign, though  the  time  of  many  of  the  men  had  already  expired,  and 
took  part  in  the  fighting  of  the  ist,  2nd  and  3rd  of  May.  In  the  principal 
contest  on  the  morning  of  the  3rd,  it  was  closely  engaged  in  its  place  in 
the  division  line  of  battle  in  the  wood  in  front  of  the  Union  batteries. 
After  nearly  two  hours  of  sharp  musketry  firing  the  ammunition  became 
exhausted,  and  the  right  flank  of  the  division  was  turned.  The  command 
was  given  to  face  by  the  rear  rank  and  retire,  in  order  that  the  batteries 
might  have  full  play  upon  the  rebel  columns  coming  in  upon  the  flank. 
It  was  executed  in  as  orderly  a  manner  as  the  thickly-wooded  ground 
would  permit,  but  the  129th,  bringing  up  the  rear,  had  not  left  the  wood 
before  the  enemy  closed  upon  it,  and  some  spirited  hand-to-hand  en- 
counters occurred.  The  colors  were  twice  seized,  but  were  defended 
with  great  gallantry  and  brought  safely  oflf.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Arm- 
strong fell  into  the  enemy's  hands,  but  made  his  escape  in  the  confusion 
caused  in  his  ranks  by  the  fire  of  the  Union  batteries.  Major  Anthony 
was  shot  through  the  lungs,  but  was  assisted  oflf  the  field,  and  still  sur- 
vives what  was  then  considered  a  mortal  wound.  "The  129th,"  says 
General  Tyler,  in  his  official  report,  "was  on  our  left,  and  no  man  ever 
saw  cooler  work  on  field  drill  than  was  done  by  this  regiment.  Their 
firing  was  grand,  by  rank,  by  company  and  by  wing,  in  perfect  order." 
The  loss  was  five  killed,  thirty-two  wounded  and  five  missing.  On  the 
6th  the  regiment  recrossed  the  Rappahannock  and  returned  to  its  camp 
near  Falmouth.  On  the  12th,  its  term  of  service  having  fully  expired,  it 
returned  to  Harrisburg,  where,  on  the  i8th  of  May,  it  was  mustered  out. 
The  return  of  companies  to  Easton  and  Pottsville  was  marked  by  flatter- 
ing and  enthusiastic  demonstrations  on  the  part  of  the  citizens. 

The  138th  Regiment  at  first  called  for  nine  months'  men,  before  it 
was  fully  recruited  it  was  made  known  by  the  government  that  no  more 
short-term  men  were  wanted,  and  that  three-year  men  were  needed.  But 
this  made  no  difference  to  the  men ;  they  enlisted  for  the  longer  term 
and  counted  it  a  pleasure  to  do  "Uncle  Sam's"  bidding,  believing  he 
doubtless  knew  best  what  a  civil  war  meant.  Companies  A,  C,  I  and  K 
were  recruited  in  Montgomery  county ;  B  and  G  in  Adams  county ;  D, 
E  and  F  in  Bedford,  and  Company  H  in  Bucks  county.  They  arrived 
at  Harrisburg  in  August,  and  by  the  26th  had  organized  and  mustered 
into  the  U.  S.  service.  Charles  L.  K.  Sumwalt,  of  Adams  county,  was 
appointed  colonel,  and  under  his  command  the  regiment  moved  to  Balti- 
more. It  was  assigned  to  guard  duty  along  the  then  important  railroad, 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio,  with  headquarters  at  Relay  House,  the  Wash- 
ington Junction.  In  June,  1863,  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Harper's 
Ferry,  to  aid  in  heading  off  Lee.  On  subsequent  campaigns  they  had 
their  full  share  of  camp  and  battlefield  experiences.     From  Brandy  Sta- 


80  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

tion  the  regiment  entered  the  Mine  Run  campaign,  and  later  the  Wil- 
derness fight,  where  many  men  were  sacrificed  and  but  little  accom- 
plished. They  were  in  the  battle  at  Spottsylvania,  where  Grant's  move- 
ment by  the  left  flank  begun.  The  many  engagements  in  which  this  regi- 
ment made  good  and  proved  itself  worthy  the  name  of  American  soldiers, 
are  all  too  many  to  here  be  further  mentioned.  They  were  still  fighting 
when  Lee  surrendered  to  Grant,  and  two  weeks  later  made  a  forced 
march  a  hundred  miles  to  support  Sherman.  But  this  was  not  needed, 
and  they  returned  to  Richmond  by  rail,  and  thence  marched  to  Wash- 
ington, where  they  were  present  as  a  part  of  the  Grand  Review,  being 
mustered  out  of  service  June  23,  1865. 

The  i6oth  Regiment,  better  known  as  15th  (Anderson)  Cavalry,  was 
in  various  ways  unique  in  its  form  of  organization  and  after  history.  It 
was  recruited  by  officers  of  the  old  Anderson  Troop,  a  company  named 
after  General  Robert  Anderson,  hero  of  Fort  Sumter.  The  date  of  its 
beginning  was  the  summer  of  1862.  By  an  order  from  the  Secretary  of 
War  it  was  finally  recruited  in  the  autumn  of  1862  and  designed  for  a 
special  military  service.  The  men  who  joined,  waiving  the  right  to  vote 
for  such  officers  as  they  needed,  found  later  it  was  not  a  wise  act  on 
their  part.  They  mustered  in  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania.  Officers  were 
provided  for  them  by  the  post  officers  of  the  regular  army  then  stationed 
at  that  place.  They  commenced  to  drill  and  were  soon  called  out  for 
actual  field  service.  The  officers  and  about  three  hundred  men,  under 
the  leadership  of  Majors  Rosengarten  and  Ward,  rendered  prompt 
obedience,  but  six  hundred  others  of  the  regiment  refused  to  comply.  A 
fight  was  had  at  Wilkinson's  Crossing,  in  which  they  met  a  body  of  rebel 
cavalry.  Major  Rosengarten  was  killed,  and  Major  Ward  mortally 
wounded.  The  men  were  forced  to  retire.  Another  charge  was  made 
but  it  also  failed.  The  loss  was  thirteen  killed  or  mortally  wounded. 
Finally,  General  Rosecrans  provided  the  regiment  with  proper  officers, 
and  a  reorganization  took  place,  after  which  the  regiment  did  wonder- 
ful fighting. 

Towards  the  close  of  April,  1865,  intelligence  of  the  surrender  of  Lee 
and  Johnson  having  been  received,  the  division  of  General  Gillem,  now 
commanded  by  General  Palmer,  was  ordered  to  proceed  south  for  the 
capture  of  Jefiferson  Davis  and  train.  Night  and  day,  with  the  most 
untiring  energy  and  skill,  the  pursuit  was  pushed.  On  the  8th  of  May 
seven  wagons,  containing  the  effects  of  the  banks  of  Macon,  were  cap- 
tured. "On  the  morning  of  the  8th  instant,"  says  General  Palmer,  in 
his  official  report,  "while  searching  for  Davis  near  the  fork  of  the  Appa- 
lachee  and  Oconee  rivers.  Colonel  Betts,  15th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
captured  seven  wagons  in  the  woods,  which  contained  $188,000  in  coin, 
$1,588,000  in  bank-notes,  bonds  and  securities,  and  about  four  millions 
of  Confederate  money,  besides  considerable  specie,  plate  and  other  val- 
uables belonging  to  private  citizens  of  Macon.     The  wagons  contained 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  8i 

also  the  private  baggage,  maps,  and  official  papers  of  Generals  Beaure- 
gard and  Pillow.  Nothing  was  disturbed,  and  I  sent  the  whole  in  by 
railroad  to  Augusta  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  United  States 
forces,  to  await  the  action  of  the  government."  Two  days  after.  Com- 
pany G,  Captain  Samuel  Phillips,  captured  General  Bragg,  his  wife,  staff 
officers  and  three  wagons,  which  were  sent  under  guard  to  the  head- 
quarters of  General  Wilson.  On  the  15th  news  was  received  of  the  cap- 
ture of  Davis  and  party  by  Colonel  Pritchard,  of  the  4th  Michigan  Cav- 
alry, detachments  from  Colonel  Betts'  command  being  close  upon  his 
trail.  The  regiment  now  started  northward,  and  on  the  12th  of  June 
arrived  at  Nashville,  where,  on  the  21st,  it  was  mustered  out  of  service. 

In  the  162nd  Regiment  (7th  Cavalry),  the  organization  of  Company  L, 
composed  of  men  from  Montgomery  county  and  some  from  Chester,  was 
attended  with  some  unusual  circumstances.  David  B.  Hartranft,  propri- 
etor of  the  Jeflferson  Hotel,  Norriton  township,  received  authority  to 
recruit  a  cavalry  company,  under  the  call  of  President  Lincoln,  July  2, 
1862,  for  three  hundred  thousand  volunteers  to  serve  for  three  years  or 
during  the  war.  Under  this  call  Pennsylvania  was  to  furnish  three  regi- 
ments of  cavalry,  and  the  i6th,  17th,  and  i8th  were  raised.  Hartranft  had 
been  an  active  member  in  Captain  Leidy's  Troop,  a  volunteer  organiza- 
tion in  the  days  of  peace,  but  which  melted  away,  like  almost  all  other 
before-the-war  military  organizations.  This  period  was  favorable  for 
enlistments.  The  Peninsula  campaign,  with  that  of  General  Pope  in 
front  of  Washington,  had  closed  with  disaster.  The  fact  was  painfully 
manifest  that  the  struggle  was  still  gathering  fury,  and  if  the  unity  ot 
the  country  was  to  be  preserved,  men  from  all  classes  would  have  to 
fill  up  the  quota  and  make  good  the  gap  made  in  front  of  Richmond  and 
Washington.  This  call  appealed  to  married  men  as  well  as  young 
single  men.  The  romance  had  already  been  taken  from  the  war,  and 
men  entering  into  this  service  felt  it  a  serious  matter. 

Among  those  recruited  by  Hartranft  were  fifty  men  in  temporary 
camp  at  Zeiglersville,  Frederick  township.  These  men  had  been  enlisted 
by  John  B.  Adams,  who  was  authorized  to  raise  a  regiment  of  infantry. 
Under  the  pressing  circumstances  in  the  month  of  August,  1862,  an 
order  was  issued  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  consolidate  regiments  in 
process  of  formation  and  forward  them  at  once  to  Washington  for  assign- 
ment to  brigades.  In  the  execution  of  this  order  the  men  enlisted  by 
Adams  and  Ellmaker  were  organized  into  the  119th  Regiment  of  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers.  Under  this  arrangement  Peter  C.  Ellmaker  was 
commissioned  colonel.  This  gave  oflfense  to  Adams,  who  failed  to 
report  the  men  to  camp  at  Zeiglersville.  Hartranft  found  these  fifty 
men,  who  represented  that  the  officer  recruiting  them  had  abandoned 
them,  and  they  expressed  their  desire  to  join  the  company  of  cavalry 
then  forming.    They  were  accepted,  fifty  in  number,  and  about  August 


82  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

15th,  the  full  company  of  one  hundred  men  assembled  at  Zeiglersville, 
and,  after  a  royal  breakfast,  provided  by  the  kind  people  of  the  little 
village,  the  company  took  carriages,  furnished  by  the  farmers  and  busi- 
ness men,  and  drove  to  Pottstown,  w^here  they  took  the  cars  for  Harris- 
burg.  Upon  leaving  the  county  their  officers  v^^ere:  First  Lieutenant 
R.  B.  Rhoades;  Second  Lieutenant  Joshua  Houck.  At  Camp  Curtin, 
having  been  physically  examined,  they  were  duly  mustered  into  the 
U.  S.  service,  September  17,  1862,  to  serve  "three  years  or  during  the 
war."  Theodore  W.  Bean  (later  colonel)  was  appointed  first  sergeant 
of  the  company.  Clothing  was  issued  to  the  men,  and  the  work  of  squad 
and  company  drill  was  about  to  commence,  when  an  order  was  received 
from  the  commandant  of  the  camp  to  muster  the  men  in  the  company 
street.  The  order  required  the  men  whose  names  were  called  to  step 
two  paces  to  the  front.  All  of  the  Adams  troops  were  called.  They  were 
declared  under  arrest,  and  escorted  by  the  provost  guard  of  the  capital  to 
quarters  in  the  city  of  Harrisburg,  there  to  await  further  orders  from 
the  Secretary  of  War. 

The  fact  now  became  evident  to  the  officers  of  the  company  that  all 
the  Zeiglersville  recruits  had  been  regularly  "mustered  in"  under  the 
order  of  Adams,  and  the  rolls  returned  to  the  Secretary  of  War  under 
the  order  to  consolidate,  and  that  therefore  their  men  belonged  of  right 
to  Colonel  Ellmaker's  command.  The  manner  in  which  these  men  were 
claimed  was  felt  to  be  humiliating,  and  the  officers  and  men  remaining 
felt  it  due  to  themselves  and  those  under  arrest  to  investigate  the  facts, 
and,  if  possible,  have  them  restored  to  the  command.  It  is  just  to  the 
great  and  good  war-Governor  Curtin  and  his  Adjutant  General  Russel  to 
say  that  both  offered  every  facility  to  fully  investigate  the  facts  and  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case.  Theodore  W.  Bean  was  designated  by  the  offi- 
cers and  men  in  camp  and  those  detained  to  proceed  to  Washington  to 
confer  with  the  Secretary  of  War  and  Adjutant  General  of  the  United 
States  army.  Governor  Curtin  and  General  Russel  united  in  a  strong 
appeal  to  the  Secretary  of  War  for  the  restoration  of  these  men  to  the 
cavalry  service,  and  the  gentleman  bearing  the  dispatches  pressed  the 
request  of  officers  and  men  and  the  appeal  of  the  State  authorities  in 
terms  the  most  considerate  his  address  could  command.  The  matter 
was  referred  to  Adjutant-General  Thomas,  U.  S.  A.,  who,  in  a  personal 
interview  declined  to  change  or  modify  their  original  muster-in  roll,  but 
at  once  relieved  the  men  from  the  order  of  arrest,  and  directed  them  to 
be  forwarded,  under  the  command  of  a  commissioned  officer,  to  the  regi- 
ment to  which  they  originally  belonged.  Sergeant  Bean  returned  from 
Washington  and  reported  results  to  the  men.  They  were  promptly 
relieved  from  arrest,  and  accepted  the  situation  without  murmur  or 
remonstrance.  They  were  gallant  and  patriotic  men,  and  their  record 
in  the  noble  regiment  to  which  they  subsequently  became  attached  is 
highly  creditable  to  themselves  and  to  the  county.     Captain  Hartranft 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  83 

still  had  fifty  men  in  camp,  but  under  the  altered  circumstances  could 
not  be  mustered.  About  this  time  Lieutenant  John  Rees,  with  fifty  men 
from  Chester  county,  reported  to  Captain  Tarbutton  ;  overtures  were  at 
once  made  for  a  consolidation  of  the  two  commands,  and  a  new  com- 
pany organization  was  effected.  The  Chester  county  men  were  at  once 
transferred  to  the  quarters  vacated  by  the  Zeiglersville  recruits,  and  an 
election  of  officers  was  immediately  held,  which  resulted  in  the  choice  of 
the  following  gentlemen :  Captain,  David  B.  Hartranft ;  First  Lieuten- 
ant, John  Rees ;  Second  Lieutenant,  Theo.  W.  Bean.  The  non-commis- 
sioned ofificers  were  then  appointed,  and  the  work  of  dismounted  drill 
and  discipline  began.  By  the  latter  end  of  September  the  quota  for  the 
three  cavalry  regiments  was  in  camp,  and  the  organization  of  twelve 
companies  into  the  17th  Regiment  of  Cavalry  was  eflfected.  Captain 
Hartranft  was  promoted  first  major;  Lieutenant  Rees  succeeded  to  the 
captaincy;  Second  Lieutenant  Theo.  W.  Bean  was  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant,  and  First  Sergeant  William  H.  Wright  was  commissioned 
second  lieutenant ;  Edwin  A.  Bean,  of  Company  L,  was  appointed  regi- 
mental quartermaster-sergeant.  The  regimental  organization  was 
eflfected  on  the  2nd  of  October,  and  completed  by  the  muster  of  its  com- 
manding oflficer,  November  19,  1862.  It  immediately  broke  up  its  dis- 
mounted camp  under  Captain  Tarbutton  within  the  line  of  Camp  Sim- 
mons, and  established  itself  at  Camp  McClellan,  about  two  miles  north 
of  Harrisburg,  where  the  command  received  their  horses,  arms  and 
equipments. 

In  the  work  entitled  "Conduct  of  the  War,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  28,  29,  is  found 
an  interesting  article  to  all  Montgomery  county  people,  even  after  a 
half  century  and  more  has  rolled  away.    It  is  in  substance  as  follows : 

Only  three  regiments  of  cavalry,  of  which  the  17th  was  one,  moved 
with  the  columns  of  Hooker  on  the  Chancellorsville  campaign,  the  major 
part  having  been  dispatched  under  Averell  and  Stoneman  to  cut  the 
enemy's  communications  and  harass  his  rear.  When,  on  the  evening  of 
the  2d  of  May,  the  enemy  under  Jackson  had  driven  the  entire  Eleventh 
Corps,  and  was  pushing  on  victorious  to  sever  the  Union  army,  and 
gain  its  only  line  of  retreat,  few  troops  were  in  position  to  stay  his  course. 
At  this  juncture  General  Pleasanton.  who  had  been  out  in  advance  of  the 
line  on  the  centre,  in  support  of  General  Sickles,  then  demonstrating 
upon  Jackson's  flank  and  rear,  happened  to  be  returning  with  the  8th 
and  17th  Pennsylvania  regiments  towards  the  centre,  and  had  reached 
the  breast-works  just  as  hordes  of  Jackson's  men,  who  were  pursuing  the 
routed  Eleventh  Corps  troops,  were  approaching  that  part  of  the  field. 
Divining  the  condition  of  affairs  by  the  evidences  of  rout  in  the  Union 
colurnns,  Pleasanton  ordered  Major  Keenan,  of  the  8th,  to  charge  with 
all  his  force  and  impetuosity,  which  he  knew  was  an  element  of  the 
major's  nature,  full  upon  the  head  of  the  rebel  advancing  column, 
though  he  knew  that  the  execution  of  the  order  would  involve  the  sac- 
rifice of  that  gallant  regiment.  This  he  did  in  order  that,  by  checking 
for  a  moment  the  rebel  onslaught,  he  might  gain  time  to  bring  his  horse 
artillery  into  position,  and  thus  interpose  some  more  effectual  barrier. 


84  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

"I  immediately  ran  up,"  says  General  Pleasanton,  "this  battery  of  mine 
at  a  gallop,  put  it  into  position,  ordered  it  unlimbered  and  double-shotted 
with  canister,  and  directed  the  men  to  aim  at  the  ground-line  of  the 
parapet  that  the  Eleventh  Corps  had  thrown  up,  about  two  hundred 
yards  off.  Our  artillery,  as  a  general  rule,  overshoots,  and  I  ordered 
them  to  fire  low,  because  the  shot  would  ricochet.  I  then  set  to  work 
with  two  squadrons  of  the  remaining  regiment  (the  17th  Pennsylvania) 
to  clear  this  field  of  fugitives,  and  to  stop  what  cannon  and  ammunition 
we  could,  and  put  them  in  position ;  and  I  managed  to  get  twenty-two 
guns  loaded,  double-shotted,  and  aiming  on  this  space  in  front  of  us 
for  about  a  quarter  or  half  a  mile,  when  the  whole  woods  appeared  alive 
with  large  bodies  of  men.  This  was  just  at  dusk.  I  was  going  to  give 
the  word  'fire.'  I  had  ordered  those  pieces  not  to  fire  unless  I  gave  the 
word,  because  I  wanted  the  effect  of  an  immense  shock.  There  was  an 
immense  body  of  men,  and  I  wanted  the  whole  weight  of  the  metal  to 
check  them.  I  was  about  to  give  the  word  fire,  when  one  of  the  soldiers 
at  a  piece  said :  'General,  that  is  our  flag.'  I  said  to  one  of  my  aids : 
'Mr.  Thompson,  ride  forward  there  at  once,  and  let  me  know  what  flag 
that  is.'  He  then  went  to  within  one  hundred  yards,  and  those  people 
cried  out:  'Come  on,  we  are  friends.'  He  then  started  to  move  on,  when 
the  whole  line  of  woods  blazed  with  musketry,  and  they  immediately 
commenced  leaping  over  this  parapet,  and  charged  on  the  guns ;  and  at 
the  same  time  I  saw  from  eight  to  ten  Rebel  flags  run  up  along  the 
whole  line.  I  immediately  gave  the  order,  'fire,'  and  the  fire  actually 
swept  them  away ;  and  it  seemed  to  blow  those  men  in  front  clear  over 
the  parapet.  *  *  +  We  had  this  fight  between  musketry  and  artil- 
lery for  nearly  an  hour.  At  one  time  they  got  within  fifty  yards  of  our 
guns.  There  were  two  squadrons  of  the  17th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  left. 
This  remaining  regiment  I  had  was  composed  of  raw  men,  new  troops, 
and  all  I  could  do  with  them  was  to  make  a  show.  I  had  them  formed 
in  single  line,  with  sabres  drawn,  with  orders  to  charge  in  case  the  enemy 
came  near  the  guns.  They  sat  in  rear  of  the  guns,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
the  Rebels  took  them  for  the  head  of  a  heavy  column,  as  the  country 
sloped  back  behind  them." 

And  thus  was  the  mad  onset  of  Stonewall  Jackson's  army  checked 
by  artillery  supported  by  a  single  line  of  raw  cavalry.  It  was  a  trying 
position  for  the  regiment,  but  the  firm  front  presented  saved  the  day, 
and  enabled  Hooker  to  reform  his  shattered  columns,  and  once  more 
present  a  solid  unbroken  line.  Early  in  the  evening  Sickles'  troops 
came  up  and  took  position  in  support  of  the  guns,  and  the  regiment  was 
relieved.  In  a  general  order  issued  by  General  Pleasanton,  immediately 
after  the  battle  he  said:  "The  coolness  displayed  by  the  17th  Pennsyl- 
vania in  rallying  fugitives  and  supporting  the  batteries  which  repulsed 
the  enemy's  attack  under  Jackson,  on  the  evening  of  the  2nd  instant,  has 
excited  the  highest  admiration." 

At  Gettysburg,  this  regiment,  being  under  General  Buford,  was 
saluted  with  shouts  and  patriotic  songs  as  they  marched  toward  the 
place,  June  30th,  and  encamped  near  the  Pennsylvania  College.  Pleas- 
anton's  report  says :  "At  a  distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half  from  town  he 
met  the  enemy  in  force.     Dispositions  were  immediately  made  to  resist 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  85 

his  further  advance,  and  for  four  hours,  and  until  the  arrival  of  the  First 
Corps,  Buford  held  at  bay  a  third  of  the  entire  rebel  army.  Buford,  with 
his  four  thousand  cavalry,"  says  General  Pleasanton,  "attacked  Hill, 
and  for  four  hours  splendidly  resisted  his  advance,  until  Reynolds  and 
Howard  were  able  to  hurry  to  the  field  and  give  their  assistance.  To  the 
intrepidity,  courage  and  fidelity  of  General  Buford  and  his  brave  divi- 
sion the  country  and  the  army  owe  the  field  of  Gettysburg." 

The  regiment  saw  active  service  in  1864  at  Spottsylvania ;  was  with 
Sheridan  on  numerous  cavalry  raids  toward  Richmond ;  at  Yellow  House 
fought  manfully ;  was  at  Cold  Harbor,  dismounted  and  fought  as  infan- 
trymen with  final  success.  At  Charles  City  Court  House  it  met  with 
considerable  loss.  Sheridan  took  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Shen- 
andoah Valley  in  August,  1864,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  17th  was 
ordered  to  charge  and  they  drove  the  rebels  toward  Winchester. 

Sheridan  reached  the  army  just  as  it  was  moving  on  its  last  cam- 
paign, and  he  at  once  took  the  van.  At  Stony  Creek  the  cavalry  became 
engaged,  and  the  Second  Brigade  was  hastened  forward  to  the  support 
of  Davie's  division,  which  was  forced  back,  the  17th  losing  a  number 
wounded  and  missing  in  the  engagement.  At  daylight  of  the  ist  of 
April  fighting  was  renewed,  the  Union  lines  charging  the  enemy  in  his 
works,  the  division  capturing  600  prisoners  and  two  battle-flags.  The 
loss  in  the  17th  was  severe.  Captain  James  Ham  being  among  the  killed, 
and  Captains  English,  Donehoo,  Reinhold  and  Lieutenant  Anglun  among 
the  wounded.  Rapid  marching  and  hard  fighting  continued  until  the 
6th,  when  General  Ewell,  with  one  wing  of  the  rebel  army,  was  captured. 
From  that  point  the  cavalry  kept  up  a  running  fight  with  the  enemy's 
advance  until  he  reached  Appomattox  Court  House,  where  the  whole 
rebel  army  was  forced  to  lay  down  its  arms.  In  securing  this  joyful 
result  the  cavalry,  led  by  Sheridan,  contributed  largely,  the  17th  sus- 
taining its  hard-earned  reputation  for  gallantry  to  the  last. 

From  the  Appomattox  the  regiment  returned  to  Petersburg,  and 
after  a  week's  rest  marched  to  the  neighborhood  of  Washington,  where  it 
remained  in  camp  until  its  final  muster  out  of  service,  on  the  i6th  of 
June.  A  detachment  of  this  regiment  was  consolidated  with  parts  of 
the  1st  and  6th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  Regiments,  forming  the  2nd  Pro- 
visional Cavalry,  and  remained  in  service  until  the  7th  of  August,  when 
it  was  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Kentucky.  In  his  farewell  order  to 
the  17th,  General  Devine  says:  "In  five  successive  campaigns,  and  in 
over  threescore  engagements,  you  have  nobly  sustained  your  part.  Of 
the  many  gallant  regiments  from  your  State,  none  has  a  brighter  record, 
none  has  more  freely  shed  its  blood  on  every  battlefield  from  Gettys- 
burg to  Appomattox.  Your  gallant  deeds  will  be  ever  fresh  in  the  mem- 
ory of  your  comrades  of  the  Iron  Brigade  and  the  First  Division.  Sol- 
diers, farewell !" 

The  175th  Regiment,  drafted  militia,  nine  months'  men,  was  composed 


86  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  eight  companies  from  Chester  and  two  from  Montgomery  county. 
The  camp  of  rendezvous  was  in  West  Philadelphia,  where  the  companies 
assembled  in  November,  1862,  and  a  regimental  organization  was 
effected  with  the  following  field  officers :  Samuel  A.  Dyer,  of  Delaware 
county,  colonel;  Francis  C.  Hooton,  of  Chester  county,  lieutenant-col- 
onel; Isaac  McClure,  of  Chester  county,  major.  On  the  ist  of  Decem- 
ber the  regiment  broke  camp  and  moved  via  Washington  to  Fortress 
Monroe,  and  thence  to  Suffolk,  Virginia,  where  it  was  made  a  part  of 
the  brigade  commanded  by  Colonel  Alfred  Gibbs.  After  a  month's  inces- 
sant drill  the  regiment  was  transferred  to  the  brigade  of  General  F.  B. 
Spinola,  and  moved,  with  other  troops,  during  the  closing  days  of  the 
year,  to  Newbern,  North  Carolina,  and  went  into  winter  quarters.  Spin- 
ola's  brigade  here  became  the  First  of  the  Fifth  Division  (General  Henry 
Prince),  Blighteenth  Corps  (General  Foster). 

In  March,  1863,  when  the  enemy  was  threatening  Newbern,  the  175th 
threw  up  a  strong  line  of  earthworks  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  Trent 
and  joined  in  repelling  the  attack  which  was  sluggishly  made  on  the 
town.  It  also  made  several  expeditions  in  search  of  Colonel  Woodford's 
guerrillas,  but  never  succeeded  in  inducing  them  to  risk  a  fight.  After 
retiring  from  Newbern  the  enemy  proceeded  to  Washington,  on  the  Tar 
river,  and  laid  siege  to  the  town.  The  defense  was  directed  by  General 
Foster  in  person,  the  little  garrison  consisting  of  only  about  2,000  men. 
From  Newbern  to  Washington  direct  was  about  thirty  miles,  but  by 
water  one  hundred  and  twenty.  Prince's  division  at  once  moved  by 
water  to  the  relief  of  Foster.  Eight  miles  below  the  town  Prince  found 
his  way  impeded  by  obstructions  in  the  river,  here  a  mile  wide,  and  by 
heavy  guns  in  earthworks  on  either  side.  It  subsequently  marched  to 
Sandy  Hook,  where  it  was  attached  to  Colonel  Wells'  brigade,  of  the 
Eighth  Corps.  With  it  the  regiment  assisted  in  laying  a  pontoon  bridge 
over  the  Potomac  to  the  town  of  Harper's  Ferry,  and,  crossing,  had  a 
brisk  skirmish  with  the  12th  Virginia  Cavalry,  which  was  driven  and 
the  town  occupied.  Its  term  of  service  had  now  expired,  and,  returning 
to  Philadelphia,  it  was,  on  the  7th  of  August,  mustered  out. 

In  the  179th  Regiment,  drafted  militia,  nine  months'  men,  the  men 
were  from  the  counties  of  Berks,  Lancaster,  Montgomery,  Pike,  and 
Wayne,  and  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  They  were  organized  in  companies 
at  periods  ranging  from  the  23rd  of  October  to  the  6th  of  December, 
1862,  and  on  the  8th  of  December  a  regimental  organization  was  effected, 
with  the  following  field  officers:  William  H.  Blair,  colonel;  Daniel  M. 
Yost,  lieutenant-colonel ;  William  H.  Yerkes,  major.  Colonel  Blair  was 
at  the  time  serving  as  captain  in  the  51st  Regiment,  and  did  not  join  his 
new  command  until  January,  1863.  Before  leaving  Philadelphia,  Com- 
pany E  was  detached  and  sent  for  duty  to  Chestnut  Hill  Hospital,  where 
with  the  exception  of  a  short  period  at  Gettysburg,  after  the  battle  there, 
it  was  retained  until  the  end  of  its  service. 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  87 

Soon  after  its  organization  the  regiment  proceeded  to  Fortress  Mon- 
roe, and  thence  to  Yorktown,  where  it  formed  part  of  the  garrison  at  the 
fort,  and  was  encamped  within  its  walls.  Upon  assuming  command, 
Colonel  Blair  commenced  a  thorough  discipline  of  his  men,  with  the  most 
flattering  results.  Colonel  Robert  M.  West,  chief  of  artillery  and  ord- 
nance at  the  fort,  says  of  it:  "It  improved  rapidly,  and  eventually 
became  a  first-class  regiment,  remarkable  for  its  proficiency  in  drill,  the 
cleanliness  and  good  order  of  its  camp,  and  the  quiet,  orderly  demeanor 
of  the  men.  I  never  saw  improvement  more  marked  and  rapid  than  in 
this  case."  It  did  little  else  than  garrison  duty  until  the  last  of  July, 
when  it  was  called  out  to  join  in  the  movement  made  by  General  Dix  up 
the  Peninsula.  "When  the  movement  upon  Richmond  was  made,"  says 
Colonel  West,  in  the  document  above  quoted,  "by  General  Dix,  in  the 
summer  of  this  year.  I  was  in  command  of  the  'Advanced  Brigade'  of 
the  forces  that  moved  up  the  Peninsula.  It  became  necessary  to 
strengthen  my  brigade  with  an  additional  regiment,  and  the  command- 
ing general  authorized  me  to  designate  any  one  I  chose.  I  immediately 
named  the  179th,  and,  accordingly.  Colonel  Blair  reported  to  me  with  his 
regiment,  and  became  a  part  of  my  command.  During  the  march  to 
White  House,  and  thence  to  Baltimore  Cross-Roads,  where  my  brigade 
was  engaged  upon  two  occasions.  Colonel  Blair's  regiment  was  prompt 
and  ready,  and  always  well  in  hand.  A  peculiarity  about  his  command 
was  that  it  never  had  a  straggler.  During  the  return  march — the  most 
severe,  on  account  of  a  drenching  storm,  of  any  I  ever  performed — the 
179th  crowned  its  reputation  as  a  first-class  organization  by  being  always 
closed  and  promptly  in  its  place,  whilst  other  regiments  were  scattered 
for  miles  along  the  road." 

Upon  its  return  to  camp  it  was  ascertained  that  Lee  had  invaded 
Pennsylvania,  and  though  its  term  of  service  was  about  to  expire,  by 
the  unanimous  vote  of  the  men,  by  companies,  their  further  services 
were  tendered  to  Governor  Curtin  as  long  as  he  should  need  them  for 
the  defense  of  the  State.  This  offer  was  accepted ;  but  by  the  time  the 
regiment  had  reached  Washington,  en  route  to  the  front,  the  rebel  army 
had  retreated  to  Virginia.  It  was,  accordingly,  ordered  to  Harrisburg, 
where,  on  the  27th  of  July,  it  was  mustered  out  of  service. 

The  197th  Regiment,  hundred  day  men,  was  recruited  at  Philadel- 
phia and  in  neighboring  counties  by  the  assistance  of  the  Coal  Exchange 
Association  of  that  city,  to  serve  for  a  period  of  one  hundred  days,  and 
was  known  as  the  Third  Coal  Exchange  Regiment.  It  was  organized  at 
Camp  Cadwalader  on  the  22nd  of  July,  1864,  with  the  following  field 
officers :  John  R.  Haslett,  colonel ;  Charles  D.  Kenworthy,  lieutenant- 
colonel  ;  John  Woodcock,  major.  Colonel  Haslett  had  served  as  captain 
in  the  66th,  and  subsequently  in  the  73rd,  of  which  he  had  been  for  sev- 
eral months  the  acting  major;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Kenworthy  had  served 
on  the   Peninsula,  in  the  3rd   United   States   Infantry,   where   he   was 


88  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

severely  wounded ;  and  Major  Woodcock  had  just  been  mustered  out  of 
a  nine  months'  regiment.  A  large  proportion  of  officers  and  men  were 
well-schooled  soldiers.  Soon  after  its  organization  it  proceeded  to  Camp 
Bradford,  at  Mankin's  Woods,  near  Baltimore,  where  it  remained  for 
two  weeks.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  and  when  well  drilled  and  in  full 
expectation  of  being  led  to  the  front,  it  was  ordered  to  Rock  Island, 
Illinois,  and  upon  its  arrival  there  was  charged  with  guarding  a  camp 
for  prisoners  of  war.  The  guard  provided  was  insufficient  for  the  duty 
required,  and  the  service  bore  heavily  upon  this  regiment.  At  the  close 
of  its  term  it  returned  to  Philadelphia,  where,  on  the  nth  of  November, 
1864,  it  was  mustered  out. 

In  order  that  no  organization  accredited  to  Montgomery  county 
should  be  overlooked  (as  some  of  the  regiments  are  not  given  a  descrip- 
tive account  in  the  published  works),  the  subjoined  list  is  given: 

4th  Regiment,  Companies  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  I,  K,  90  days'  term. 

44th  Regiment  (ist  Pennsylvania  Cavalry),  Company  B,  3  years' 
term. 

51st  Regiment,  Companies  A,  C,  D,  F  and  I,  3  years'  term. 

53rd  Regiment,  Companies  A  and  B,  3  years'  term. 

68th  Regiment,  Company  H. 

93rd  Regiment,  Company  G,  3  years'  term. 

95th  Regiment,  3  years'  term. 

io6th  Regiment,  Company  G,  3  years'  term. 

129th  Regiment,  Company  I,  9  months'  term. 

138th  Regiment,  Companies  A,  C,  I  and  K,  3  years'  term. 

i6oth  Regiment  (Anderson  Troop),  3  years'  term. 

162nd  Regiment,  Company  L  (17th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry),  3  years' 
term. 

175th  Regiment,  Companies  A  and  H,  9  months'  term. 

179th  Regiment,  Companies  A  and  G,  9  months'  term. 

Independent  Cavalry  Companies — Capt.  Samuel  W.  Comly's  com- 
pany, organized  Sept.  15,  1862;  discharged  Sept.  26,  1862.  Capt.  Daniel 
H.  Mulvany's  company,  organized  Sept.  13,  1862;  discharged  Sept.  27, 
1862.  Capt.  Samuel  W.  Comly's  company,  organized  June  17,  1863;  dis- 
charged July  30,  1863. 

Independent  Cavalry  Battalion — Company  B,  Captain  Frederick 
Haws,  organized  July  2,  1863 ;  discharged  August  21,  1863. 

Pennsylvania  Militia — nth  Regiment,  Companies  C,  D,  G  and  H. 
17th  Regiment,  Companies  B  and  G.  19th  Regiment,  Company  E.  26th 
Regiment,  Company  F.  34th  Regiment,  Companies  B,  C,  E,  H,  I.  41st 
Regiment,  Company  B.  43rd  Regiment,  Company  I  197th  Regiment 
(100  days'  men).    Companies  F  and  G. 

The  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic — After  the  end  of  nearly  every 
American  war,  its  surviving  soldiers  very  naturally  and  befittingly  form 
societies  and  hold  their  reunions.  Especially  is  this  true  since  the  close  of 
the  Civil  War  that  closed  in  the  spring  of  1865.  The  veterans  of  that  con- 
flict organized  that  well-known  and  well-sustained  order  known  as  "The 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic."     Since  then  have  been  organized  the 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  89 

Spanish-American  and  the  World  War  posts,  and  American  Legion 
Posts.  It  seems  appropriate  to  close  this  Civil  War  chapter  with  a  brief 
account  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

The  citizens  and  veterans  of  the  Civil  War  from  Montgomery  county 
emphasize  the  statement  that  the  first  organization  of  its  kind  in  the 
entire  country  was  in  this  county.  It  embraced  within  its  membership  all 
honorably  discharged  soldiers  and  sailors  who  served  in  the  United 
States.  Army  societies,  composed  of  surviving  commissioned  ofificers 
and  their  descendants,  followed  the  Revolution,  one  of  which  still  exists, 
the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati ;  army  and  corps  organizations  of  the  War 
of  1812  and  the  Mexican  War  have  existed  for  social  and  convivial  pur- 
poses, but  none  of  these  have  been  based  on  the  principle  of  mutual  aid 
in  time  of  need  or  comprehended  purposes  so  exalted,  as  these  embraced 
in  the  declarations  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  viz. :  "Charity, 
Fraternity  and  Loyalty." 

Like  many  popular  movements,  the  inception  or  original  organization 
is  involved  in  some  obscurity.  It  is  clear,  however,  that  its  origin  was 
in  the  West.  Adjutant-General  N.  P.  Chipman,  in  his  report  to  the 
National  Encampment  at  Cincinnati,  May,  1869,  says  that  the  originator 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  was  Colonel  B.  F.  Stephenson,  and 
that  the  first  post  was  organized  in  the  city  of  Decatur,  Illinois,  in  the 
spring  of  1866.  Posts  increased  rapidly  among  those  who  had  then 
but  recently  returned  to  their  homes,  and  with  whom  the  associations 
of  army  life  were  fresh  in  mind.  A  State  Department  Encampment  was 
organized  in  Illinois  on  the  12th  of  July,  1866.  In  the  month  of  Novem- 
ber, the  same  year,  a  National  Encampment  was  organized  at  Indianap- 
olis, with  representatives  present  from  Illinois,  Missouri,  Kansas,  Wis- 
consin, New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Indiana  and 
the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  exact  time  of  the  formation  of  the  first  post  in  Pennsylvania  is 
a  matter  of  dispute,  and  will  likely  .so  remain,  four  posts  having  claimed 
the  distinction  of  being  No.  i — Posts  i,  2  and  19,  of  Philadelphia,  and 
No.  3,  of  Pittsburgh.  The  organization  of  the  Boys  in  Blue,  in  1866, 
brought  many  of  the  rank  and  file  of  the  army  together,  but,  as  this 
movement  had  a  partisan  significance,  it  was  found  to  be  too  narrow  for 
the  muster  of  comrades  who,  differing  in  political  convictions,  had 
fought  side  by  side  through  the  long  conflict  and  were  now  desirable 
companions  in  the  fraternal  union  of  all  loyal  soldiers.  Quickened  by 
the  martial  friendships  formed  during  years  of  warfare,  it  was  natural 
that  the  survivors  should  come  together  to  recount  their  remarkable 
experiences  and  unite  in  kindly  ofifices  towards  each  other. 

Very  soon  after  the  close  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, there  was  formed  what  was  styled  the  "Boys  in  Blue."  At  that 
date  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  had  not  been  organized,  but  as 
soon  as  it  had  been  formed  and  the  news  spread  quickly  to  the  East. 


90  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Pennsylvania  was  quick  to  drop  the  Boys  in  Blue,  which  was  simply  a 
local  society,  and  become  charter  members  in  the  various  Grand  Army 
posts  that  were  being  formed  throughout  the  Union. 

The  first  charter  was  obtained  from  the  national  headquarters  for 
Post  No.  I,  and  bears  date  October  17,  1866;  that  of  Post  No.  2,  October 
29,  1866,  granted  by  the  Department  of  Wisconsin.  An  Order  No.  i  was 
issued  from  headquarters  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, November  22,  1866,  establishing  a  Provisional  Department  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  designating  General  Louis  Wagner  commander.  Upon 
assuming  command  General  Wagner  issued  circulars  and  forms  of  organ- 
ization for  posts,  and  the  work  of  "mustering  in"  recruits  was  zealously 
commenced.  Posts  multiplied  rapidly,  and  a  membership  of  many  thou- 
sands was  enrolled.  The  transition  from  the  Boys  in  Blue  to  the  Grand 
Army  was  so  sudden  that  many  soldiers  of  strong  political  faith  and 
convictions  were  unwilling  to  believe  it  was  not  the  same  exclusive 
order  of  men,  having  the  same  partisan  object  in  view.  The  organiza- 
tion was,  therefore,  for  a  time,  the  subject  of  severe  criticism,  which,  in 
some  instances,  was  seemingly  warranted  by  the  injudicious  utterances 
of  thoughtless  members.  That  the  organization  should  suffer  under 
these  adverse  circumstances  was  but  natural,  and  for  a  time  it  lost  its 
hold  on  popular  favor  with  the  old  soldiers.  But  time  and  the  devotion 
of  those  interested  in  preserving  the  spirit  of  comradeship  soon  con- 
vinced all  of  its  usefulness  and  absolute  freedom  from  partisanship  in 
the  public  affairs  of  the  country. 

In  1885  a  very  comprehensive  article  was  written  by  a  member  of 
one  of  the  five  Posts  in  Montgomery  county,  which  appears  to  the  writer 
to  be  valuable  for  future  generations  to  read,  hence  so  much  of  it  as 
here  follows  is  given :   Objects  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  are : 

1st.  The  preservation  of  those  kind  and  fraternal  feelings  which  have 
bound  together  with  the  strong  cords  of  love  and  affection  the  comrades 
in  arms  of  many  battles,  sieges  and  marches. 

2nd.  To  make  these  ties  available  in  works  and  results  of  kindness,  of 
favor  and  material  aid  to  those  in  need  of  assistance. 

3rd.  To  make  provision,  where  it  is  not  already  done,  for  the  support, 
care  and  education  of  soldiers'  orphans  and  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
widows  of  deceased  soldiers. 

4th.  For  the  protection  and  assistance  of  disabled  soldiers,  whether 
disabled  by  wounds,  sickness,  old  age  or  misfortune. 

5th.  For  the  establishment  and  defense  of  the  rights  of  the  late  sol- 
diery of  the  United  States,  morally,  socially  and  politically,  with  a  view 
to  inculcate  a  proper  appreciation  of  their  services  to  the  country,  and 
to  a  recognition  of  such  services  and  claims  by  the  American  people. 

The  organization  numbered  upwards  of  three  hundred  thousand  in  the 
United  States,  between  thirty  and  forty  thousand  in  Pennsylvania,  with 
posts  numbering  from  one  to  four  hundred.  At  the  present  time  (1923) 
there  are  but  two  Posts  left  in  this  county — one  at  Norristown  and  one 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  91 

at  Pottstown.  There  are  members  residing  in  various  parts  of  the 
county,  but  all  other  Posts  surrendered  their  charters  a  number  of  years 
since  on  account  of  the  few  veterans  left.  Posts  never  take  the  name  of 
living  comrades ;  this  honor  is  paid  the  name  and  memory  of  those  who 
fell  during  the  war,  or  who  have  died  since. 

General  Zook  Post,  No.  11,  Department  of  Pennsylvania,  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  was  instituted  December  12,  1866,  under  special 
order  No.  i,  Provisional  Department  of  Pennsylvania.  Comrade  Wil- 
liam M.  Runkle,  3rd  Pennsylvania  Artillery,  mustered  James  Dykes  and 
George  N.  Corson.  At  a  special  meeting  held  on  the  evening  of  Decem- 
ber 14,  1866,  William  J.  Bolton,  Joseph  K.  Bolton,  William  Allebough, 
L.  W.  Reed,  Samuel  T.  Pretty,  James  B.  Heebner  and  Thomas  C.  Simp- 
son were  mustered ;  subsequently  R.  T.  Stewart,  Thomas  J.  Owen, 
Joseph  M.  CufFel,  Samuel  M.  Markley,  Freeman  S.  Davis  and  H.  S.  Smith 
were  mustered,  and  together  constituted  those  designated  the  charter 
members  of  the  post.  The  charter  is  dated  December  i,  1866.  This  Post 
takes  its  name  after  Brigadier  and  Brevet  Major-General  Samuel  Kos- 
ciusko Zook,  who  fell  mortally  wounded  in  the  second  day's  battle  at 
Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863.  If  ever  a  soldier  was  truly  idolized  by  his 
friends  in  his  home  county  it  was  General  Zook,  hence  this  brief  per- 
sonal notice  of  him  is  here  inserted  as  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  in  Montgomery  county : 

This  gallant  officer  was  born  March  27,  1822,  near  Paoli,  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania.  His  father.  Major  David  Zook,  moved  to  Upper 
Merion  township,  this  county,  settling  near  Port  Kennedy,  where  the 
son  grew  to  man's  estate  on  his  father's  farm.  He  received  the  advan- 
tages of  a  fair  academic  education.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he  fin- 
ished his  studies  and  was  appointed  adjutant  of  the  looth  Regiment  of 
Pennsylvania  Militia,  on  the  staff  of  Colonel  James  Mills,  November  3, 
1842.  In  1844  he  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  New  York  and 
Washington  Telegraph  Company,  and  conducted  the  construction  of  the 
first  line  established  by  that  pioneer  organization  through  the  South 
and  West.  He  took  an  active  part  in  quelling  the  great  riots  in  Phila- 
delphia in  1844,  and  subsequently  was  transferred  by  the  company 
referred  to  to  New  York  City.  In  185 1  he  was  commissioned  major  in 
the  6th  New  York  Volunteers.  In  1857  he  was  promoted  to  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  the  same  regiment.  He  served  in  the  same  organization  dur- 
ing the  three  months'  campaign  in  1861,  and  upon  its  return,  after  the 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  organized  the  57th  New  York  Volunteers,  a  three 
years'  regiment.  He  was  commissioned  brigadier-general  November  29, 
1862,  and  assigned  to  the  command  of  First  Brigade,  Third  Division, 
Second  Corps,  Army  of  Potomac.  His  brevet  commission  of  major- 
general  bears  date  of  July  2,  1863,  for  "distinguished  gallantry  on  the 
battlefield  of  Gettysburg."  His  remains  are  buried  in  the  Montgomery 
Cemetery,  and  are  marked  by  a  suitable  and  enduring  memorial  shaft; 


92  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

a  tablet  is  also  erected  near  the  spot  where  he  fell  on  the  battlefield  at 
Gettysburg. 

Graham  Post,  No.  io6,  at  Pottstown,  was  named  in  honor  of  two 
brothers — Eli  H.  and  William  H.  Graham — of  the  53rd  Regiment.  The 
Post  was  instituted  in  February,  1868,  and  was  reorganized  in  1880.  It  is 
still  in  existence. 

Lieutenant  John  H.  Fisher  Post,  No.  loi,  at  Hatboro,  was  organized 
April  28,  1884,  and  was  named  for  Lieutenant  John  H.  Fisher,  of  the 
138th  Regiment,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  May  6, 
1864.    He  was  only  twenty-one  years  of  age. 

Colonel  Edwin  Schall  Post,  No.  290,  at  Lansdale,  was  organized 
November  10,  1882,  in  honor  of  Colonel  Schall,  who  fell  at  the  battle  ol 
Cold  Harbor,  June  3,  1864,  while  gallantly  leading  the  51st  Regiment. 

The  Spanish-American  War,  1898 — This  was  a  short  but  decisive 
conflict  between  the  United  States  and  Spain,  which  latter  power  was 
completely  subdued  during  the  month  of  April,  and  November,  1898, 
their  fleet  being  sunk  by  our  battleships  in  Manila  Bay  by  our  success- 
ful Admiral  Dewey. 

The  United  States  depended  largely  on  the  reorganizing  of  the 
National  Guard  system  for  its  soldiers  in  that  war.  Montgomery  county, 
then  as  in  all  previous  warfares,  was  accounted  strong  in  numbers  and 
quality  of  men  furnished.  More  than  eight  hundred  men  were  sent  from 
this  county,  while  many  received  credit  in  other  counties  of  the  State. 
These  men  were  all  vokmteers  from  the  Pennsylvania  National  Guard. 
When  the  war  began  in  April,  1898,  there  were  two  National  Guard 
commands  in  Montgomery  county — Company  A,  6th  Regiment,  from 
Pottstown,  with  William  A.  Schuyler,  as  captain ;  and  Company  F,  of 
Norristown,  with  ofificers  as  follows :  Captain,  Henry  Jacobs ;  first  lieu- 
tenant, James  R.  Hunsicker ;  second  lieutenant,  James  Cresson.  Later 
on,  Company  M,  of  the  4th  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry,  went 
from  Pottstown  and  had  these  officers :  Captain,  L.  Y.  Messimer ;  first 
lieutenant,  H.  M.  Ebert,  who  died  and  was  succeeded  by  I.  V.  Elick. 
Others  from  Montgomery  county  found  their  way  into  the  service  in 
companies  from  Phoenixville,  Doylestown,  and  other  nearby  points. 
The  dates  of  mustering  in  and  out  of  service  were  as  follows :  Fourth 
Pennsylvania  Regiment,  mustered  into  service  May  9,  1898,  mustered 
out,  November  16,  1898;  6th  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  mustered  in.  May 
10-13,  1898,  mustered  out,  October  17,  1898.  The  4th  Regiment  had  47 
officers  and  1,014  men;  lost  32  men  by  disease;  served  in  Porto  Rico. 
The  6th  Regiment  had  50  officers  and  927  men  ;  lost  eight  men  by  disease. 

It  is  not  practicable  to  attempt  to  give  a  roster  of  the  men  who  went 
to  this  war  from  Montgomery  county,  the  records  being  compiled  by 
the  State  Department  in  commands  and  not  by  counties.  However,  it 
will  be  of  some  interest  to  know  where  the  men  from  this  county  oper- 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  93 

ated  during  the  war  with  Spain,  hence  the  brief  regimental  account  is 
given  here  of  the  4th  and  6th  Pennsylvania  regiments  of  volunteers : 

The  4th  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry  was  a  part  of 
the  Second  Brigade,  First  Division,  First  Army  Corps.  Company  M, 
of  Pottstown,  was  attached  to  the  Third  Battalion,  and  was  mustered 
into  service  July  6,  1898,  left  Pottstown  July  7,  proceeded  to  Chica- 
mauga,  Georgia ;  remained  there  until  July  22,  then  left  for  Porto  Rico, 
arriving  at  Guanica,  Porto  Rico,  August  2nd.  The  next  day  they  were 
ordered  by  General  Brooke  to  proceed  to  Arroyo,  fifty  miles  to  the  east 
and  there  disembark.  When  the  peace  protocol  was  signed  August  27, 
1898,  the  regiment  left  for  home,  arriving  in  Pottstown,  September  7, 
and  was  given  a  thirty-day  furlough ;  participated  in  the  Peace  Jubilee 
Parade  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service  November  16, 
1898. 

The  6th  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry,  of  National 
Guard,  reported  at  Mt.  Gretna,  Pennsylvania,  April  2,  1898.  The  regi- 
ment was  mustered  into  the  volunteer  service  of  the  United  States,  May 
12,  1898,  and  May  19th  was  ordered  to  Camp  Alger,  Virginia,  where  it 
arrived  the  following  morning,  with  50  officers  and  928  men.  August 
24  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Camp  Meade,  Middletown,  Pennsylvania. 
The  regiment  was  paid  oflf  September  7,  1898,  and  returned  home,  having 
been  given  a  furlough  until  October  7th.  The  regiment  was  finally  mus- 
tered out  October  17,  1898.  That  these  men  did  not  see  actual  service 
on  a  foreign  soil  was  not  their  fault,  for  they  were  anxious  to  be  sent 
abroad.  Many  of  these  soldiers  who  were  but  mere  youths  in  1898,  are 
now  among  the  elderly  business  men  of  Montgomery  and  adjoining 
counties.  The  facts  connected  herewith  have  largely  been  furnished 
the  historian  by  Messrs.  John  J.  Graham,  sergeant,  Company  B,  of  the 
6th  Regiment,  from  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  but  now  of  Norris- 
town ;  and  Charles  V.  Finley,  corporal,  Company  F,  6th  Regiment,  now 
of  Norristown;  with  valuable  data  sent  in  by  Melvin  B.  Krause,  of  Potts- 
town, who  was  of  Company  M,  4th  Pennsylvania  Regiment. 

There  are  two  camps  of  the  United  Spanish  War  Veterans  within 
Montgomery  county — one  at  Norristown,  the  other  at  Pottstown.  The 
Norristown  Camp  is  known  as  the  General  J.  K.  Weaver  Camp,  No.  52, 
United  Spanish  War  Veterans,  who  have  headquarters  at  No.  1433/2 
West  Main  street,  and  their  present  officers  include  Commander  George 
McGiligan ;  Adjutant  George  Fullmer.  The  present  good-standing 
membership  is  approximately  125.  The  Camp  at  Pottstown  is  Colonel 
Frederick  Funston  Camp,  No.  81,  and  has  a  membership  of  about  one 
hundred. 

The  World  War — It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  records  of  the  world's 
greatest  war,  known  as  the  "World  War,"  involving  as  it  did  nearly  all 
nations  of  the  earth,  were  not  properly  preserved,  and  especially  is  this 


94  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

true  of  the  smaller  units,  such  as  towns,  cities  and  counties.  When  the 
War  Board  who  had  charge  of  the  drafting  of  men  for  service,  as  well  as 
the  numerous  departments  and  committees  which  had  charge  of  the 
munitions  and  food  supplies  of  this  country,  had  performed  their  work 
as  directed  by  the  general  government  at  Washington,  they  failed  in  a 
majority  of  counties  in  the  United  States,  including,  of  course,  Mont- 
gomery county,  Pennsylvania,  to  retain  a  copy  of  their  transactions. 
The  State  capitals  and  the  War  Department  at  Washington  have  the 
only  list  of  soldiers  that  were  preserved,  and  these  lists  have  never  been 
compiled  in  regular  order,  and  the  public  is  informed  they  will  not  be 
obtainable  for  reference  for  a  number  of  years  yet,  hence  the  author  ol 
these  chapters  can  in  no  wise  be  expected  to  give  the  facts  about  what 
Montgomery  county  furnished.  Thousands  of  men  went  into  the  service 
as  citizens  of  this  county,  but  who  enlisted  or  in  other  ways  entered  the 
service  of  the  country  from  the  cities,  including  Philadelphia,  and  they 
have  not  been  properly  credited  to  Montgomery  county. 

However,  this  is  not  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  wars  that  the 
records  in  local  sections  have  not  been  perfect.  Immediately  after  the 
Civil  War  in  the  United  States,  the  adjutant-generals  of  various  States 
attempted  to  compile  a  roster  of  the  Union  army  soldiers  by  States  and 
counties,  but  it  was  a  failure,  in  that  too  great  haste  was  made  in  the 
compilation  of  such  records.  The  same  was  true  of  the  United  States 
Adjutant-General's  report  of  that  war.  But  as  time  passed  and  soldiers 
were  seeking  pensions,  and  for  other  causes,  another  effort  was  made, 
and  additional  volumes  and  corrections  of  old  ones  were  made ;  and  the 
States  also  took  up  the  work  locally  and  republished  many  volumes  on 
the  Civil  War  from  1861  to  1865,  which  have  given  us  a  fair  record  of 
all  that  was  important  concerning  each  company  and  regiment  in  that 
great  conflict.  It  took  years  of  time,  careful  research  and  vast  sums  of 
money  in  way  of  appropriations  before  this  could  be  attained.  It  is  to 
be  remembered,  too,  that  in  that  war,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  men  only 
had  to  be  listed ;  whereas  in  the  late  World  War,  millions  of  men  must 
needs  be  accounted  for.  So  it  is  that  no  accurate  account  of  the  men 
who  served  in  this  war  can  possibly  be  given  in  this  work.  Had  dupli- 
cate records  been  kept  by  the  War  Boards  and  Committees,  all  would 
have  been  different. 

It  should  be  said  in  justice  to  the  local  press,  that  all  possible  care 
was  taken  to  publish  the  names  of  soldiers  going  and  coming  to  and  from 
the  army  from  this  county.  The  people  were  from  time  to  time  urged 
to  send  in  such  facts  as  they  personally  possessed  concerning  members 
of  their  immediate  families  and  its  soldier  members.  In  a  few  instances 
this  request  was  granted,  but  usually  resulted  in  nothing  of  value  toward 
making  up  a  Montgomery  county  soldiers'  roster.  But  from  what  the 
local  newspaper  files  do  contain  it  is  gleaned  that  something  in  excess 


MILITARY  OPERATIONS  95 

of  two  hundred  men  from  this  county  paid  the  supreme  sacrifice,  either 
"somewhere  in  France"  or  in  the  camps  of  this  country.  In  this  con- 
nection let  it  be  said  that  the  last  soldier  of  all  to  die  on  foreign  soil,  as 
reported  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  "Norristown  Herald,"  was  Francis  W. 
Lawler,  from  Trooper,  Montgomery  county.  He  passed  from  earth's 
shining  circle  at  Coblenz,  only  a  day  after  the  last  troops  of  the  Amer- 
ican Army  of  Occupation  had  sailed  for  home  in  America. 

There  were  but  few  counties  in  the  country  furnishing  more  men  and 
money  for  this  last  war  (outside  the  great  cities)  than  did  Montgomery 
county.  From  Norristown  borough  there  were  1,375  soldiers  whose 
names  are  already  accounted  for,  besides  many  others  who  drifted  into 
the  service  from  nearby  cities,  hence  not  credited  to  their  home  county. 

Montgomery  county  may  well  be  proud  of  doing  its  full  share  in  the 
purchase  of  the  various  series  of  Government  War  and  Victory  Loan 
bonds,  with  which  this  country  was  enabled  to  successfully  carry  on  its 
part  of  the  World  War.  From  figures  obtained  at  the  Government 
Reserve  Bank  of  Philadelphia,  the  headquarters  of  the  War  Bond  sale  for 
this  district,  it  is  shown  that  there  were  sold  from  the  various  townships 
and  boroughs,  through  the  banks,  amounts  as  follows  :* 

Name  of  Borough. 

Ambler  Ambler  Trust  Company $357,750 

"         First  National   Bank 1,849,300 

Ardmore Ardmore  National  Bank 2,184,150 

"          Marion  Title  &  Trust  Company 3,408,050 

Bridgeport Bridgeport  National  Bank 798,006 

Bryn  Mawr Bryn  Mawr  National  Bank 600,550 

"            Bryn  Mawr  Trust  Company 1,254,650 

Collegeville   Collegeville  National  Bank 408,750 

Conshohocken First  National  Bank 2,973,700 

"              Tradesmen's   National   Bank 1,522,350 

East  Greenville   Perkiomen  National  Bank 589,200 

Glenside  Glenside  National  Bank 1,405,350 

Green  Lane Valley  National  Bank 707,450 

Harleysville Harleysville  National  Bank 110,000 

Hatboro   Hatboro  National  Bank S34.ooo 

Jenkintown Jenkintown  National  Bank 983,458 

"           Jenkintown  Trust  Company    i  ,642,800 

Lansdale  Citizens'  National  Bank 234,350 

"         First  National  Bank 892,050 

Norristown  First  National  Bank 1,049,450 

"             Montgomery  National  Bank   1,631,600 

"            Montgomery  Trust  Company  i  ,076,600 

"            Norristown  Trust  Company 1,178,700 

"             Penn  Trust  Company 2,334,000 

"            People's  National  Bank 876,000 

North  Wales North  Wales  National  Bank 597,6oo 

Pennsburg Farmers'  National  Bank 496,000 

Pottstown Citizens'  National  Bank 800,400 

National  Bank  of  2,351,650 

"           National  Iron  Bank 1,508,500 

"          Security  Company 1,033,950 

Royersford National  Bank  of 689,450 

"           Royersford  Trust  Company 718400 


Note — 'It  should  be  understood  that  all  five  of  the  War  Bond  Drives  and  the 
amounts  each  subscribed  have  here  been  added  into  a  total  amount,  which  Includes 
also  the  last  or  "Victory  Liberty  Loan"  bonds  sold. 


96  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Name  of  Borough. 

Schwenksville National  Bank  of S4O.0o6 

Souderton Union  National  Bank 566,500 

Telford Telford  National  Bank 160,900 

West  Conshohocken People's  National  Bank 343.500 

Total  amount  of  War  Bonds  purchased  in  County,  $40,409,108. 

By  the  figures  just  footed,  it  is  seen  at  a  glance  that  Montgomery 
county  had  the  wealth  to  invest  in  bonds  in  a  government  her  citizens 
believed  in  and  w^ere  ready  to  fight  for  if  need  be.  Remember  the  figures 
— forty  million  dollars  to  aid  in  carrying  on  a  war  in  which  we  were  only 
helping  our  allies  on  a  foreign  soil. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
COUNTY  ORGANIZATION  AND  GOVERNMENT. 

Prior  to  September  lo,  1784,  Montgomery  county  was  included  in 
Philadelphia  county,  but  by  act  of  the  General  Assembly  on  that  date 
it  became  a  separate  and  independent  sub-division  of  the  commonwealth 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  act  was  approved  by  the  Supreme  Council  com- 
posed of  His  Excellency  John  Dickinson,  Esq.  (president),  the  Hon. 
James  Irvine,  Stephen  Balliot,  George  Wall,  Jr.,  Barnard  Dougherty, 
John  McDowell,  John  Byers,  Sebastian  Levan,  John  Neville,  Samuel  J. 
Atlee,  Isaac  Mason.  The  name  Montgomery  as  applied  to  this  county 
was  either  in  honor  of  General  Montgomery  of  Revolutionary  fame,  to 
please  more  especially  the  Welsh  settlers ;  or  for  William  and  Joseph 
Montgomery,  of  Lancaster  and  Northumberland  counties,  both  of  whom 
were  active  in  having  the  bill  passed  which  created  this  county.  His- 
torians do  not  agree  on  this,  and  the  record  showing  the  petition  asking 
to  have  a  new  county  made,  is  silent  as  to  what  name  they  desired  to 
place  upon  the  new  municipality  to  be  taken  from  the  parent — Philadel- 
phia county.  It  matters  but  little,  for  all  three  of  the  Montgomeries 
named  were  excellent  men  in  their  day  and  generation. 

John  Dickinson,  president  of  the  Council,  in  his  message  delivered 
to  the  Assembly,  January  19,  1784,  showed  great  interest  in  having  the 
proper  laws  well  executed  by  honorable  citizens.     He  spoke  as  follows : 

Gentlemen, — It  is  much  to  be  desired  that  the  system  of  our  jurispru- 
dence may  receive  every  improvement  we  can  give  it  as  soon  as  such  a 
work  can  be  accomplished.  Constancy  in  the  laws,  the  preservation  of 
domestic  concord,  order,  tranquillity,  and  a  strength  sufficiently  pre- 
pared for  defense  against  injuries,  are  essential  to  the  happiness  of  a  State. 
They  are  also  the  foundations  of  a  reputation  that  invites  an  accession 
of  ingenious  and  industrious  people  from  other  parts  of  the  world  to  share 
in  the  blessings  of  which  such  a  character  offers  them  an  assurance. 
Every  citizen,  therefore,  who  respects  his  own  interests,  the  welfare  of 
his  family,  or  the  prosperity  of  his  country,  will  desire  and  endeavor  that 
the  vast  importance  of  these  subjects  may  be  perfectly  understood  and 
religiously  regarded. 

First  Courts — The  first  judges  of  the  several  courts  were  appointed 
by  the  Supreme  Executive  Council,  as  follows:  Frederick  A.  Muhlen- 
berg, Esq.,  James  Morris,  Esq.,  John  Richards,  Esq.,  Henry  Sheetz,  Esq., 
and  William  Dean,  Esq.  The  first  court  was  held  December  28,  1784, 
in  the  barn  on  the  premises  of  John  Shannon,  then  known  and  licensed 
as  the  "Barley  Sheaf  Hotel,"  situated  in  Norriton  township,  on  what  is 
now  the  Germantown  pike,  a  short  distance  northwest  of  Hartranft  sta- 
tion, on  Stony  Creek  railroad.    This  was  built  of  stone  in  1735.  and  still 

Mont — 7 


98  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

stands.  Zebulon  Potts,  first  sheriff  of  the  county,  was  elected  October 
14,  1784,  and  commissioned  by  the  Executive  Council.  Thomas  Craig 
was  appointed  first  prothonotary,  September  10,  1784,  and  commissioned 
by  John  Dickinson  on  the  following  day.  He  was  also  appointed  to 
serve  as  the  county's  first  clerk  of  the  courts.  The  first  recorder  of  deeds 
was  Augustus  Muhlenberg,  also  register  of  wills.  There  appears  nothing 
in  the  records  to  show  that  the  county  had  any  commissioners  until  a 
board  was  organized  in  1790,  at  which  date  the  records  show  the  fol- 
lowing members :  Christian  Scheid,  Nathan  Potts,  John  Mann.  Isaac 
Markley  seems  to  have  been  the  county's  first  treasurer. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  at  that  time  there  was  no  Governor 
for  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  In  common  with  other  States,  it  was 
acting  under  the  Articles  of  Confederation,  adopted  November  15,  1777. 
The  United  States  Constitution  had  not  been  adopted ;  the  first  Con« 
gress  did  not  assemble  until  1789.  The  only  representation  this  county 
had  was  in  the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  first  members 
elected  to  represent  Montgomery  county  in  that  body  were  Peter  Rich- 
ards, Robert  Loller,  George  Smith,  and  Benjamin  Rittenhouse.  The 
first  senator  elected  under  the  revised  constitution  of  1789,  was  Linsay 
Coates. 

Quarter  Sessions  Docket,  No.  i,  page  i,  contains  the  first  minutes 
of  a  Montgomery  county  court,  hence  it  is  here  inserted,  as  it  is  the 
beginning  of  a  real  independent  county  government  for  this  county : 

Montgomery  County  |  ss. 

Minutes  of  a  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace,  in  and  for  the 
County  of  Montgomery,  held  at  the  house  of  John  Shannon,  on  Tuesday, 
the  20th  day  of  December,  1784.  Present,  Frederick  Augustus  Muhlen- 
berg, James  Norris,  John  Richards,  Henry  Scheetz,  William  Dean, 
Esquires. 

The  Court  opened  at  12  o'clock  m.  Proclamation  being  made  enjoin- 
ing all  manner  of  persons  to  keep  silence.  Commissions  from  the  Su- 
preme Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania  were  read  appointing  the  fol- 
lowing Gentlemen  Justices  of  the  Peace,  viz. :  William  Dean,  Esquire, 
bearing  date  July  14,  1783  ;  Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg,  Esq.,  March 
19,  1784;  John  Richards  and  Henry  Scheetz,  June  24,  1784;  and  James 
Morris,  Esq.,  September  20,  1784;  and  a  commission  to  Thomas  Craig, 
Esq.,  appointing  him  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  General  Quarter  Sessions  of 
the  Peace. 

Proclamation  for  the  Sheriff  of  Montgomery  County  to  return  the 
Precept  to  him  directed  being  made ;  the  said  Sheriff  to  wit,  Zebulon 
Potts,  Esquire,  returns  a  Grand  Jury,  to  wit :  Thomas  Rees,  Henry 
Cunnard,  James  Wotmough,  Linzey  Coats,  Robert  Shannon,  John  Rut- 
ter,  James  Stroud,  Lewelling  Young,  Henry  Fowling,  Samuel  Wheeler, 
Peter  Muhlenberg,  Archibald  St.  Clair,  Samuel  Holstein,  William  Lain, 
James  Veaux,  Robert  Curry,  John  Edwards,  Benjamin  Markley,  Jacob 
Auld,  Anthony  Carothers,  Frederick  Weise,  Nathan  Pawling,  Abe  Mor- 
gan, Francis  Swain,  who  were  all  except  Archibald  St.  Clair  and  Freder- 
ick Weise,  severally  sworn  or  affirmed. 


COUNTY  ORGANIZATION  AND  GOVERNMENT  99 

Proclamation  being  made  for  silence,  the  President,  Frederick  Augus- 
tus Muhlenberg,  delivered  the  charge  to  the  Grand  Jury. 

This  proceeding  was  followed  by  a  return  of  the  Constables  of  the 
Several  Townships. 

The  only  cases  adjudicated  at  this  Court  were  the  Overseers  of  the 
Poor  of  New  Hanover  Township  vs.  The  Overseers  of  the  Poor  of  Provi- 
dence Township,  and  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  of  Whitemarsh  Town- 
ship vs.  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  of  Springfield  Township. 

The  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  was  an  old  English  office,  and  natu- 
rally was  incorporated  into  our  government.  Under  very  early  common 
law  in  England,  justices  were  judges  of  record,  appointed  by  the  King, 
to  administer  justice  within  certain  prescribed  limits.  During  our 
colonial  existence,  justices  of  the  peace  were  appointed  by  the  gover- 
nors, and  during  the  period  between  1779  and  1788  they  were  appointed 
by  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  the  State.  Under  the  constitu- 
tion of  1790  it  became  an  elective  office,  when  properly  certified  to  the 
Secretary  of  State.  The  old-time  "country  squire"  was  a  conspicuous 
character.  His  influence  was  second  only  to  the  "country  parson,"  and 
often  the  two  dignitaries  were  hand  and  glove  in  their  communities.  The 
statute  law  imposed  upon  them  some  extraordinary  duties,  and  gave 
them  the  exercise  of  very  arbitrary  power.  The  "country  squire"  was 
esteemed  an  oracle  of  the  law,  and  his  rules  of  practice  were  often  sug- 
gestive of  results  greatly  at  variance  with  the  pretensions  of  "members 
of  the  bar,"  who  in  former  years  frequently  rode  long  distances  to  con- 
duct important  cases  before  them.  It  was  no  unusual  experience  for  a 
country  squire  to  be  in  commission  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  some- 
times for  life.  Experience  taught  them  wisdom,  and  they  often  adjudi- 
cated cases  intent  only  upon  doing  even-handed  justice,  without  refer- 
ence to  the  well  understood  forms  of  law  and  with  a  seeming  contempt 
for  superior  courts  of  review.  These  senior  justices  enjoyed  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  a  wide  circle  of  acquaintances,  and  in  many  in- 
stances transacted  the  business  of  large  communities.  Many  of  them 
were,  and  still  are,  practical  conveyancers,  excellent  penmen,  correct 
orthographists,  and  from  long  experience  were  capable  of  drawing  wills 
and  instruments  of  writing  that  compare  favorably  with  those  of  the 
legal  profession. 

Time  has  greatly  modified  their  official  duties.  As  late  as  1819  thev 
were  required  to  examine  all  trappers  of  wolves  and  panthers,  and  cer- 
tify their  returns  to  the  treasurer  of  the  county  in  order  that  the  reward 
of  twelve  dollars  for  each  head  could  be  collected.  Prior  to  the  revised 
constitution  of  1838,  justices  of  the  peace  were  appointed  by  the  execu- 
tive of  the  State,  and  for  the  term  of  good  behavior.  At  that  period  they 
were  commissioned  for  a  certain  district,  embracing  several  townships. 

The  county  commissioners  are  important  officers  in  the  county  gov- 
ernment of  Pennsylvania.    There  are  three  commissioners  elected  for  a 


loo  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

term  of  three  years.  A  provision  of  the  laws  here  give  the  minority  a 
chance  to  say  how  county  affairs  shall  be  managed.  Each  elector  votes 
for  two  persons,  but  the  three  having  highest  votes  are  elected.  Vacan- 
cies are  filled  by  appointment  by  the  remaining  number  on  the  board.  It 
is  the  duty  of  the  commissioners  to  determine  the  tax  rate  from  state- 
ments of  the  assessors,  and  levy  the  county  taxes.  They  must  keep  in 
good  repair  the  court  house  and  prison,  and  build  new  ones  when  author- 
ized to  do  so.  They  must  also  construct  county  bridges  and  keep  the 
.'^ame  in  good  repair.  Road  damages  assessed  to  property  owners  for 
land  taken  for  new  roads  or  streets  within  the  county  must  be  proved 
before  the  commissioners.  All  bills  against  the  county  must  by  them 
be  approved,  before  paid  by  the  county  treasurer.  At  the  close  of  each 
fiscal  year  they  publish  a  statement  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures. 
The  commissioners'  office  has  charge  of  the  following  public  records:  i. 
County  Commissioners'  tax  lien  docket;  2.  Commissioners'  cash  book 
docket ;  contract  docket ;  bond  book  docket ;  register  of  expenditures  of 
county  docket ;  assessors'  valuation  of  taxable  property  docket ;  tax 
duplicate  docket ;  registry  of  jurors  docket ;  militia  enrollment  docket ; 
registry  of  valuations  of  surveyors'  compass  docket ;  and  minute  book. 

There  are  three  directors  of  the  poor  in  Montgomery  county,  who  act 
under  a  special  law ;  other  counties  have  different  systems.  These  direc- 
tors have  general  supervision  of  the  almshouse,  or  County  Home,  as  now 
called.  They  elect  the  steward  and  other  ofificers,  in  whom  is  vested  the 
management  of  the  County  Home  and  farm  property  that  goes  with  it. 
They  also  make  a  report  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures  at  the  year's 
end. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  government  in  Montgomery  county  there 
have  been  three  auditors,  elected  for  a  three-year  term  (since  the 
amended  constitution  of  1874).  They  are  elected  in  like  manner  to 
the  county  commissioners.  They  meet  at  the  county  seat  the  first  Mon- 
day in  January  of  each  year,  and  audit,  adjust  and  settle  the  accounts 
of  the  county  commissioners,  treasurer,  directors  of  the  poor  and  prison 
inspectors.  The  chapter  on  "Bench  and  Bar"  will  treat  sufficiently  on 
the  formation  of  the  various  courts  within  the  county. 

Court  Houses,  Prisons,  Etc. — By  the  act  locating  the  county  seat  at 
Norristown,  September  10,  1784,  it  was  necessary  to  lay  out  a  town  plat, 
which  was  accomplished,  and  the  record  says  it  was  to  be  known  as 
"Norris."  This  platting  was  executed  in  1785  by  William  Moore  Smith, 
whose  father,  on  behalf  of  the  Pennsylvania  University,  held  the  remain- 
ing part  of  a  certain  tract  of  land.  The  law  specified  that  the  place  should 
be  selected  "on  the  east  side  of  the  Schuylkill,  near  Stony  Run."  Hence 
they  chose  the  ridge  between  that  stream  and  Sawmill  run,  a  half  mile 
eastward,  taking  what  is  now  known  as  Main  street  (then  Egypt,  after 
the  highway  by  that  name)  as  a  base  line.    The  surveyor  then  proceeded 


COUNTY  ORGANIZATION  AND  GOVERNMENT         loi 

to  lay  off  Airy  street,  sixty-six  feet  wide,  placing  the  county  lot  between, 
and  extending  to  each  of  these  streets,  on  the  dividing  line  or  water- 
shed between  those  two  confluents  of  the  river,  making  streets  at  right 
angles  now  known  as  Swede  and  DeKalb  streets. 

On  this  public  lot  of  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  on  Main  (then 
Egypt)  the  same  on  Airy,  and  extending  to  both,  having  a  depth  of  five 
hundred  and  fifty  feet,  the  prison  was  erected,  at  the  corner  of  Airy  and 
Swede  streets.  It  was  a  low  stone  building,  covering  but  little  of  the 
ground,  which  extended  as  an  open  lawn  down  to  Penn  street  and  the 
court  house.  After  some  years  a  two-story  addition  was  made  to  it, 
much  larger  than  the  original  building,  built  up  against  its  southern  face. 
In  the  rear  of  the  old  jail  stood  the  whipping-post,  an  institution  now 
justly  departed  forever.  Thus  Norristown,  as  originally  laid  out,  con- 
sisted of  four  rectangular  streets,  one  eighty  and  three  sixty-six  feet 
wide,  with  three  rear  alleys,  east,  west,  and  south,  twenty-eight  feet 
wide,  and  a  like  bisecting  alley  between  Main  and  Airy,  but  only  extend- 
ing from  Green  to  the  county  grounds.  Providing  for  the  public  build- 
ings, on  the  west  end  of  the  town  plot,  with  a  tier  of  eleven  lots  (fifty 
by  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet)  on  Swede  street,  facing  the  public  grounds 
(between  Main  and  Airy),  Smith  laid  out  the  residue  of  sixty-four  lots, 
uniformly  fifty  by  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  on  the  said  four  streets,  as 
follows :  Ten  on  the  south  side  of  Airy  street,  between  DeKalb  and  the 
county  lot,  and  all  the  remainder  (except  five  on  DeKalb,  above  Penn). 
thirty-eight  in  number,  on  both  sides  of  Main,  between  Cherry  and 
Green  alleys. 

The  original  court  house,  a  stone  building  two  stories  high,  was 
erected  a  few  feet  back  from  the  northwest  corner  of  the  present  public 
square,  it  being  part  of  the  county  lot,  but  the  unoccupied  lower  part 
being  conveyed  also  for  public  use  as  an  open  square  forever;  some 
years  after  its  completion  an  addition  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet  was 
made  to  the  west  end  of  the  building,  uniform  with  the  original  structure, 
except  that  a  recess  on  the  north  face  was  added  to  afford  a  platform 
seat  for  the  judges.  The  old  prison  and  court  house,  as  originally  built, 
cost  about  $21,000,  and  were  finished  in  1787.  A  building  similar  in 
form,  and  also  of  stone,  was  erected  some  thirty  feet  east  of  the  court 
building  for  the  accommodation  of  the  public  records  and  the  officers 
having  them  in  charge.  This  building  was  put  up  in  1791,  and  was  also 
enlarged  some  years  later.  The  earliest  sessions  of  the  court  were  held, 
so  tradition  informs  us,  in  what  was  known  some  years  ago  as  the 
"Dykes  house,"  occupying  the  site  of  the  first  office  and  dwelling  on  the 
northeast  side  of  Penn  street,  adjoining  the  court  house,  the  building 
then  being  a  tavern.  The  potter's  field  of  the  prison,  as  also  the  garden 
of  the  jailer,  was  located  northwest  of  Airy  and  Swede  streets.  The 
place  is  marked  on  the  original  plot,  two  hundred  feet  on  the  latter  and 


102  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  back  from  the  former.     This  lot  is  the  only- 
ground  marked  on  that  draft  north  of  Airy  street. 

But  few  boroughs  in  Pennsylvania,  if  indeed  any,  can  boast  of  a 
superior  county  jail  or  prison  to  that  found  in  Montgomery  county. 
Considering  the  date  of  its  construction  (1851)  and  its  cost,  it  certainly 
was  in  the  lead.  As  the  borough  grew  and  all  things  took  on  a  better 
air  of  prosperity,  the  people  felt  in  the  forties  that  their  old  original 
prison  house  was  a  disgrace  to  the  county.  It  was  shamefully  dilapi- 
dated, and  the  grand  jury  took  action  and  the  court  ordered  that  new 
county  buildings  be  erected  as  speedily  as  possible.  The  cost  of  the 
county  prison,  all  told,  was  $68,000.  It  is  of  durable  sandstone,  sixty 
feet  front  by  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  deep,  and  originally  had  forty 
cells.  It  is  two  stories  high,  and  the  upper  part  was  designed  for  soli- 
tary confinement  convicts.  It  was  completed  late  in  1851,  and  the  pris- 
oners all  moved  to  it. 

As  soon  as  the  jail  had  been  finished  in  185 1,  the  same  architect 
planned  a  new  court  house,  which  was  badly  needed.  During  1852-54, 
the  work  of  construction  went  forward  rapidly.  It  had  one  hundred  and 
ninety-six  feet  front  on  Swede  street  by  sixty-four  on  Airy  and  Penn 
streets.  It  was  a  brick  structure,  faced  with  Montgomery  county  mar- 
ble. Originally  it  unwisely  had  a  tall  spire,  clock  and  bell.  When  fin- 
ished it  had  cost  the  county  $150,000.  At  that  date  it  had  no  superior  in 
Pennsylvania.  After  a  time  it  leaked  around  the  "spire"  mentioned, 
which  was  removed  and  the  present  neat  style  of  a  cupola,  containing  a 
new  clock  and  a  bell  of  3,230  pounds  weight,  was  provided  instead  ot 
the  old  spire.  This  court  house  served  well  the  purpose  for  which  it 
was  intended,  but  as  the  county  grew  even  to  the  proportion  of  a  "small 
empire,"  it  was  found  inadequate  for  the  space  demanded  by  the  numer- 
ous county  offices,  courts,  and  other  governmental  departments.  Con- 
sequently in  1902  the  building  was  remodeled  and  rebuilt  in  part,  with 
great  extensions,  giving  much  more  room  for  the  business  of  the  county. 
And  still,  with  an  everincreasing  business,  there  is  not  sufficient  room 
to  properly  transact  the  business  with  ease  and  comfort,  and  the  county 
is  looking  to  further  extensions  in  the  near  future.  At  the  head  of  the 
great  stairway  leading  to  the  second  floor  of  the  court  house  of  to-day, 
one  may  read  on  a  bronze  plate  this  inscription:  "Montgomery  County 
Court  House  Constructed  1854;  Rebuilt  in  1902."  The  rebuilding  of 
the  court  house,  as  it  now  stands,  cost  the  county  taxpayers  in  excess  oi 
three-quarters  of  a  million  dollars,  and  still  the  quarters  are  quite 
cramped  for  many  of  the  departments. 

The  controller's  report  on  the  finances  of  the  county  for  the  year 
ending  January  i,  1923,  contained  in  substance  the  following:  The 
balance  on  hand  at  the  beginning  of  the  new  year  was  $65,592 ;  receipts 
during  the  year  were  $2,094,323;  disbursements  $2,159,756;  the  county 
fund  and  transfer  of  sundry  items,  $1,306,604;  dog  taxes,  $15,088;  State 


COUNTY  ORGANIZATION  AND  GOVERNMENT         103 

tax,  $560,059;  treasurer's  fees  on  fishing  licenses,  $343;  liquor  license 
fund,  $16,896;  mercantile  licenses,  $66,259;  hunters'  licenses,  $9,907;  dog 
law  fines,  $1,294;  fishing  law  fines,  $40;  prothonotary's  fund  account, 
$15,568;  register  of  wills,  $20,195;  recorder  of  deeds,  $52,667;  sheriff, 
$14,427;  ex-sherilf  Nagle,  $53.  Included  in  the  disbursements  is  $1,266,- 
261  for  salaries  of  commissioners,  controller,  district  attorney,  coroner 
and  treasurer's  offices.  The  cost  of  the  prison  was  $3,347.28.  The  de- 
linquent taxes  since  1914  amounted  to  $72,303  for  State,  and  for  the 
county,  $34,121.  The  work  on  the  Norristown  bridge  amounted  to 
$7,126 ;  coroner's  salary,  $788.  The  election  cost  during  the  year,  $27,208 ; 
registration,  $2,167;  primary  election,  $10,888;  general  election,  $10,479; 
advertising  proclamation,  $1,670.  The  support  of  convicts  totaled  $25,- 
299;  insane,  $76,000;  inmates  State  Training  School,  $3,399.  Of  the 
$231,227  spent  on  bridges  in  the  county,  the  largest  items  were  $94,000 
for  the  Conshohocken  bridge ;  $70,000  for  the  inter-county  bridges ;  and 
$50,000  for  other  bridges  not  specified.  County  road  repairs  aggregated 
about  $194,000;  county  appropriations  to  State  roads,  $46,000;  snow 
removal,  $3,700;  the  Telford  road,  $6,000.  The  courts,  aside  from  judges' 
salaries,  cost  the  taxpayers  $50,000;  court  house  expenses — light,  heat, 
janitors,  salaries,  etc.,  $12,000.  The  House  of  Detention  cost  nearly 
$10,000;  assessors  received  $55,000;  mothers'  assistance  fund,  $8,177; 
the  entire  cost  of  charitable  and  penal  institutions  was  $107,230;  of 
bridges,  $231,377;  road  damages,  $14,980;  roads,  $255,171. 

According  to  the  latest  report  issued  from  the  county  controller's 
office,  Montgomery  county  has  resources  as  follows : 

Court  House  and  Grounds $600,000  00 

Prison   and   Grounds 150,000  00 

Almshouse  and  Grounds 450,000  00 

House  of  Detention,  Cherry  Street,  Norristown 10,594  64 

County  Bridges  2,000,000  00 

156  Shares  of  Norristown  Water  Company  Stock 14,040  00 

Outstanding  Taxes  (Less  Exonerations) 125,00000 

Sinking  Fund 70,000  00 

Due  from  Various   Sources 12,124  68 

Cash  Balance  in  Treasury 63,821  04 

Total  Resources  of  County $3,495,58o  36 

The  liabilities  of  the  county  are  as  follows : 

Bond  Issue,  Four  Per  Cent.  Accoimt $80,000  00 

Bond  Issue,  Three  and  a  Half  Per  Cent.  Account 150,000  00 

Outstanding  Warrants  and  Unpaid  Bills 63,597  35 

Excess  of  Resources  Over  Liabilities 3,201,983  01 

Total  Liabilities    $3,495,S8o  36 

Sworn  to  by  Horace  W.  Smedley,  County  Controller,  saying  the  foregoing  is  true 
and  correct  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief. 

The  disbursement  of  county  funds  was  as  follows: 

Commissioner's  Office $63,244  28 

Controller's  Office   11,697  27 


104  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Coroner's  Office   1,222  00 

Clerk  of  the  Courts'  Office 3,698  51 

District  Attorney's   Office 14,771  36 

Prothonotary's  Office 6,293  21 

Register  of  Wills  Office i,3S0  38 

Recorder  of  Deeds  Office 4,447  49 

Sheriff's  Office 3,002  00 

'            Treasurer's   Office    13,257  88 

Bonded    Indebtedness    1 1,620  00 

Elections    27,208  93 

Charitable  and  Penal  Institutions 107,230  00 

Bridges    231,377  34 

Road  Damages   14,98070 

Roads    255,171  01 

Courts    48,589  04 

Court  House  12,143  34 

House  of   Detention 9,744  08 

Justice  of  the  Peace 15  5^ 

Miscellaneous   425,195  92 

Total    $1,266,261  45 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  persons  who  have  served  as  officers  in 
Montgomery  county  since  1880: 

Recorders— Henry  W.  Kratz,  1881 ;  Aaron  Weikel,  1884 ;  Benjamin 
Thomas,  1887;  George  S.  Pauling,  1890;  George  W.  Keys,  1893;  M.  H. 
Murphy,  1896;  Horace  B.  Righter,  1899;  Earl  L.  Jenkins,  1902;  William 
Todd,  Jr.,  1905  ;  T.  D.  Buckwalter,  191 1 ;  T.  D.  Buckwalter,  1915  ;  S.  Paul 
Sheeder,  1919. 

Registers — J.  Roberts  Rambo,  1881  ;  Joseph  W.  Hunter,  1887 ;  Albert 
Helffenstein,  1890;  Joseph  C.  Crawford,  1893;  Edward  Elsenhaus,  1896; 
Rhine  Russell  Freed,  1899;  Henry  W.  Aikens,  1902;  Ed  J.  Caine,  1905; 
Daniel  Stewart,  Jr.,  191 1;   R.  C.  Miller,  1915 ;  R.  C.  Miller,  1919. 

Prothonotaries — John  McLean,  1881  ;  William  B.  Woodward,  1884; 

George  B.  Sheetz,  1887;  Samuel  E.  Nyce,  1893;  M.  S.  Kulp,  1897; 

Brooke,  1900;  A.  D.  Hallman,  1903;  same  in  1906;  S.  B.  Drake,  1909-13'; 
Harvet  S.  Frederick,  1917;  I.  T.  Haldeman,  1922. 

Sheriffs — Joseph  Frankelfield,  1880;  Edwin  S.  Stahlnecker,  1883; 
Henry  C.  Kline,  1886;  Clinton  Rorer,  1889;  Albert  D.  Simpson.  1892; 
Charles  Johnson,  1895;  John  K.  Light,  1898;  John  Larzelere,  1901  ;  Ed- 
gar Matthews,  1904;  Chauncy  J.  Buckley,  1907;  Charles  E.  Schwartz, 
1911  ;  Louis  R.  Nagle,  1915;  Jacob  Hamilton,  1919. 

Treasurers— J.  R.  Yost,  1880;  Henry  A.  Cole,  1883;  William  H. 
Young  and  Isaac  Fegley,  1887;  Edwin  S.  Stahlnecker,  1890;  Samuel 
Effrig,  1893;  A.  C.  Goodshall,  1895;  Henry  W.  Hallowell,  1898;  George 
N.  Malsberger,  1901  ;  Henry  B.  Freed,  1904;  William  M.  Higginbotham, 
1907;  H.  P.  Keely,  191 1;  George  H.  Anders,  1915;  Irvin  H.  Bardman, 
1919. 

Clerk  of  the  Courts — Edward  Schall,  1881 ;  Edward  Schall  and  Alex- 
ander Maulsberger,  1884;  Alexander  Maulsberger,  1887;  Abner  H.  Geh- 
man,  1890;  Daniel  A.  Shififert,  1893;  William  P.  Young,  1896;  I.  N.  Cook, 
1896;  Henry  W.  Aikens,  1902;  Howard  S.  Stillwagon,  1905;  Howard  S. 
Stillwagon,  1908;  James  A.  Strech,  1911;  same  in  1915;  J.  C.  Johnson, 
1919. 

Coroners — Samuel  Akins,  1880;  Samuel  Akins,  1883 ;  *  *  *  Mil- 
ton R.  Kurtz,  1892;  same  in  1895;  Grant  R.  McGlathery,  1898;  James  J. 


COUNTY  ORGANIZATION  AND  GOVERNMENT         105 

Kane,  1901 ;  Joseph  N.  King,  1907;  William  Neville,  191 1 ;  Grant  R.  Mc- 
Glathery,  1915,  died  in  office,  and  William  Neville  was  appointed  to  serve 
in  his  place;  R.  C.  Hoffman  was  elected  in  1919,  failed  to  qualify,  and 
William  Neville  served  out  his  term  of  office. 

County  Surveyors — Joseph  W.  Hunter,  1880;  Edwin  S.  Ritchie,  1892; 
same  in  1895;  same  in  1898;  same  in  1901  ;  S.  B.  Latshaw,  1907;  James 
Cresson,  1911 ;  same  in  1915;  John  H.  Dager,  1919. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  officers  of  Montgomery  county 
at  this  date  (1923),  and  with  the  exception  of  the  judge  of  the  Orphans' 
Court  and  the  prothonotary,  their  term  of  office  expires  in  1924;  all  are 
elected  for  a  four-year  term.  The  judge  of  the  Orphans'  Court,  as  well 
as  the  judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  hold  a  ten-year  term  of 
office. 

President  Judge,  Hon.  Aaron  S.  Swartz* ;  judge,  Hon.  John  Faber 
Miller;  judge  of  Orphans'  Court,  Hon.  W.  F.  Solly;  district  attorney, 
Frank  X.  Renninger ;  indictment  clerk,  George  C.  Corson ;  prothonotary, 
I.  T.  Haldeman ;  solicitor,  T.  Lane  Bean ;  clerk  of  quarter  sessions,  J. 
Crawford  Johnson;  recorder  of  deeds,  B.  Paul  Sheeder ;  register  of  wills, 
Robert  C.  Miller;  county  treasurer,  Irvin  H.  Bardman ;  sheriff,  Jacob 
Hamilton ;  county  commissioners,  William  Warner  Harper,  Roy  A.  Hat- 
field, Harman  Y.  Bready ;  commissioner's  clerk,  Daniel  Stout;  controller, 
Horace  Smedley ;  coroner,  William  Neville,  Conshohocken ;  county  sur- 
veyor, John  H.  Dager;  almshouse  steward,  John  H.  Bartman ;  almshouse 
matron,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Bartman ;  physician.  Dr.  W.  Z.  Anders :  prison  war- 
den, Romanus  Fellman ;  probation  officers,  Miss  Susan  Dumore,  and 
Harry  B.  Chain  ;  mercantile  appraisers,  George  L.  Rubicam,  Jenkintown  ; 
county  superintendent  of  schools,  J.  Horace  Landis. 


Note — 'Judge  Swartz,  on  March  7,  1923,  tendered  his  resignation,  after  thirty- 
seven  years  on  the  bench.  Governor  Pinchot  now  had  it  under  advisement  more  than 
a  month,  but  finally  was  prevailed  upon  to  grant  the  just  request  of  the  veteran  of 
the  Montgomery  County  Bench. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
TRANSPORTATION. 

The  matter  of  transportation  has  always  been  among  the  difficult 
problems  to  solve  in  all  civilized  portions  of  the  globe,  and  America  must 
be  given  credit  for  her  large  share  in  solving  this  problem  not  for  this 
country  alone  but  for  all  other  countries.  We  had  our  Fulton,  he  gave 
the  world  its  steamboats ;  we  had  our  Morse,  he  gave  to  the  world  the 
electric  telegraph ;  we  had  our  Edison,  he  gave  us  our  electric  car  sys- 
tems and  telephones;  we  had  our  two  Pullman  brothers,  they  gave  the 
traveling  public  our  sleeping-car  system ;  we  had  our  George  Westing- 
house,  he  gave  the  world  the  automatic  air-brake, — and  the  great  world 
abroad  was  quick  to  borrow  these  inventions  wrought  out  by  these  Ameri- 
can men  of  genius ;  and  also  in  their  communications  with  us  the  foreign 
countries  whisper  under  the  sea,  over  the  American  submarine  tele- 
graphic cable  invented  and  laid  beneath  the  rolling  waves  by  another 
American — Cyrus  W.  Field. 

Waterways — Like  all  countries  where  goodsized  streams  are  found, 
the  earliest  means  of  transportation  was  by  boats  of  different  kinds,  usu- 
ally at  first  the  dug-out  or  canoe,  made  from  the  trunk  of  some  mighty 
forest  king.  The  Schuylkill  was  first  graced  by  a  rude  fort  ordered  built 
in  1633  by  Arent  Corsson,  under  Governor  Van  Twiller,  of  Manhattan. 
This  was  to  protect  the  Dutch  fur  traders  who  had  just  engaged  in  a 
large  fur  trade  with  the  Indians,  especially  in  beaver  skins.  In  1643  "^ 
less  than  2,127  packages  of  skins  were  shipped  to  Europe.  The  fort 
was  known  as  "Beversrede,"  named  from  the  beaver  skin  trade.  It  is 
believed  this  fort  was  near  what  was  later  known  as  Gray's  ferry,  at  the 
western  extremity  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  This  was  about  the  first 
water  transportation  on  the  Schuylkill,  and  in  1730  action  was  taken  to 
protect  the  fishways  and  dams  along  the  river  from  being  injured  or 
totally  destroyed  by  the  boatmen  in  the  fur  trade,  who  in  many  cases 
ruined  the  dams  and  fishways  built  by  the  men  engaged  in  fishing  for  a 
livelihood.  This  trouble  almost  caused  a  civil  war.  William  Penn  had  to 
pass  an  act  in  his  time  to  prevent  such  destruction.  The  canoes  in  use 
then  carried  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  forty  bushels  of  wheat,  and 
Penn  wrote  to  England  that  some  of  them  carried  four  tons  of  brick,  and 
yet  the  boat  was  all  fashioned  from  the  trunk  of  one  poplar  tree.  For 
a  half  century  the  war  went  on  between  landsmen  who  made  their  living 
at  fishing  and  prized  their  improvised  dams  and  "traps"  for  catching 
fish,  while  the  boatman  with  his  heavily  loaded  cargo  of  furs  left  no 
stone  unturned  to  win  out,  and  finally  the  government  authorities  had 
to  settle  it  and  it  was  decided  that  the  landsmen  must  thereafter  put  no 
obstructions  in  the  waters  of  the  stream.    That  ended  the  war. 


io8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

A  company  was  incorporated  in  1792  to  make  a  canal  from  Norris- 
town  to  the  Delaware  river  at  Philadelphia.  From  the  former  place  the 
Schuylkill  was  to  be  improved  so  that  continuous  passage  might  be  had 
for  boats  with  the  interior  of  the  State.  Half  a  million  dollars  was  sunk 
in  trying  out  this  scheme  for  a  water  transportation  system,  but  all  to  no 
avail.  But  in  181 1  the  two  old  companies  reorganized,  and  in  1827  the 
canal  was  completed  and  William  Penn's  dream  of  connecting  the  waters 
of  the  Schuylkill  and  Susquehanna  rivers  became  a  fact.  After  an  en- 
largement of  this  canal  had  been  effected  in  1846,  coal  boats  of  180  tons 
could  easily  be  floated  through  the  waterway.  In  i860  it  was  shown 
that  the  average  annual  coal  shipments  through  this  canal  to  the  iron 
furnaces  of  this  county  alone,  amounted  to  more  than  half  a  million 
tons.  Some  knowledge  of  the  commerce  on  the  river  may  be  gained 
from  a  statement  made  in  a  Reading  newspaper  under  date  of  March  6, 
1802: 

Within  the  present  week  were  taken  down  on  the  Schuylkill  to  the 
mills  and  city  of  Philadelphia  in  the  boats  of  this  place  in  one  day  the 
following  articles:  1201  barrels  of  flour;  1425  bushels  of  wheat,  17  tons 
of  barr  iron,  1492  gallons  of  whiskey,  365  pounds  of  butter,  and  500 
pounds  of  snuflf.  The  whole  amounted  to  upwards  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  tons,  and  would  require,  in  the  present  condition  of  the  roads,  at 
least  one  hundred  and  sixty  teams  of  good  horses  to  haul  the  same  to 
market. 

Owing  to  the  abundance  of  pine  and  hemlock  timber  among  the 
mountains  and  sources  of  the  Schuylkill,  the  first  settlers,  excepting  a 
few  hunters,  came  hither  to  avail  themselves  of  this  means  for  a  liveli- 
hood. At  first  rafts  were  entirely  constructed  of  logs,  seldom  over 
twelve  feet  in  width  and  generally  sixteen  feet  in  length. 

The  Montgomery  County  Historical  Society  has  the  following  facts 
on  the  old  canal  days  and  the  manner  of  operating  such  transportation : 
A  company  known  as  the  Schuylkill  Navigation  Company  was  organized 
in  1825  to  build  a  canal  system  extending  the  entire  length  of  Montgom- 
ery county  from  Philadelphia  to  the  north  and  west.  For  many  years 
the  stage  coach  was  the  only  common  carrier  known  to  this  part  of  the 
country.  When  constructed,  this  canal  had  numerous  ports,  and  car- 
ried much  heavy  freight.  Millions  of  tons  of  coal  were  carried  on  these 
canal  barges  or  "arks,"  as  some  called  them,  each  boat  dragged  slowly 
along  by  means  of  the  power  furnished  by  one  or  two  horses  tramping 
along  on  the  well-trodden  tow-path,  a  picturesque  sight.  The  music  of 
the  boatman's  horn  as  the  boat  neared  a  "lock,"  signaling  to  the  lock- 
keeper  for  its  coming,  was  pleasant  to  hear  up  and  down  the  Schuylkill 
Valley,  where  the  canal  took  its  windings  with  the  stream's  banks. 
Boatmen  frequently  played  a  tune  creditably  on  those  tin  boat-horns. 
This  canal  is  still  in  operation,  though  little  freight  is  carried,  as  the 
steam  and  electric  railway  systems  have  been  able  to  successfully  com- 


TRANSPORTATION  109 

pete  in  rates.  But  the  canal  is  kept  in  good  repair,  and  is  owned  or 
leased  by  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  Railroad  Company.  It  is  worth 
more  to  furnish  water  for  power  to  manufacturing  plants  and  for  gen- 
erating electricity  than  as  a  freight  carrier. 

In  order  that  the  canal  boatmen  of  a  century  ago  might  be  well 
posted  as  to  how  to  navigate  the  "Raging  Canal,"  a  booklet  was  printed 
by  the  company  in  1827  and  given  to  each  one  connected  with  the  man- 
agement of  canal  boats  and  locks  along  the  line.  It  contained  warnings 
to  boatmen  as  to  what  obstructions  were  in  their  way  en  route.  Its 
preface  page  said,  "The  Schuylkill  Canal  is  considered  very  difficult  to 
navigate  without  much  experience.  Those  running  boats  must  have 
good  judgment,  especially  on  the  lower  section  from  Reading  to  Phil- 
adelphia, occasioned  by  points,  rocks  and  sand  bars." 

Stage  Lines — A  not-long-ago  "Daily  Times,"  of  Norristown,  among 
its  "One  Hndred  Years  Ago  To-day"  items  had  the  following: 

The  Norristown  stage  has  commenced  running  daily.  It  leaves  Nor- 
ristown every  morning  at  7  o'clock  and  arrives  at  the  Green  Tree,  North 
Fourth  street,  Philadelphia,  at  12  o'clock.  Returning,  leaves  Philadel- 
phia at  2  o'clock,  arriving  in  Norristown  at  7  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
Lewis  Schrack  is  in  charge  of  the  stage. 

This  generation  knows  nothing  of  stage  coach  lines — husky,  good- 
natured  drivers  directing  the  rapid  movement  of  their  four  horses  over 
hill  and  dale  in  Montgomery  county.  But  these  means  of  conveyance 
had  many  interesting  features  and  many  discomfortures.  This  work 
can  only  briefly  touch  on  these  things  of  the  past.  The  first  stage  line 
passing  through  this  county  is  supposed  to  have  been  by  George  Klein 
between  Bethlehem  and  Philadelphia,  on  what  was  known  as  the  King's 
Highway,  but  later  the  old  Bethlehem  road.  His  first  trip  was  made 
in  September,  1763,  in  what  was  then  called  a  "stage-wagon."  He 
started  out  regularly  every  Monday  morning  from  the  Sun  Tavern  in 
Bethlehem,  and  returned  from  the  city  every  Thursday  evening,  thus 
consuming  a  full  v^^eek  in  his  round  trip.  This  stage  started  from  the 
"King  of  Prussia,''  a  noted  tavern  on  Race  street,  and  the  charge  through 
was  ten  shillings.  Beyond  doubt  this  was  the  first  stage  line  entering  the 
city  from  either  the  north  or  west.  The  post  office  at  Bethlehem  was 
not  established  until  1792,  but  the  stage  coach  for  conveying  passengers 
started  in  1763,  away  ahead  of  the  mail  coaches.  After  mail  was  car- 
ried, the  time  was  reduced  to  two  days  to  Philadelphia,  and  in  1798  was 
reduced  to  one  day's  drive  with  the  real  "mail-coach." 

About  1 781,  William  Coleman,  an  energetic  business  man,  estab- 
lished a  stage  line  from  Philadelphia  to  Reading,  of  which  he  was  pro- 
prietor and  drove  himself  for  twenty-seven  successive  years.  He  was 
awarded  the  mail  carrying  contract  in  1804.  This  line  passed  through 
Norristown,  Trappe,  and   Pottsgrove    (now  Pottstown).     In   1808  Mr. 


no  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Coleman  opened  an  inn  in  Reading  for  the  accommodation  of  his  pas- 
sengers, his  stages  arriving  and  departing  in  every  point  of  the  compass. 
He  then  added  another  special  line  from  Pottstown  to  Philadelphia,  and 
this  is  the  last  heard  of  the  pioneer  stage  owner  Coleman,  who  an- 
nounced at  that  time  that  after  about  thirty  years'  service  he  was  to 
quit,  and  said  in  both  German  and  English  print  that  he  would  pro- 
vide "a  sober  and  careful  set  of  drivers  who  will  attend  the  stages,  so 
that  passengers  may  travel  with  safety  and  pleasure."  "The  Gentle- 
man's Pocket  Almanac,"  published  in  1769,  thus  gives  the  distances 
from  Philadelphia  over  the  Reading  line  and  to  Pottstown :  To  Robin 
Hood,  four  miles ;  to  Plymouth  Meeting,  fourteen  miles ;  to  Bartlestall's, 
eighteen  miles ;  to  Perkiomen  Church,  twenty-four  miles ;  to  Shracks, 
twenty-six  miles ;  to  Widow  Lloyd's,  thirty  miles ;  to  Potts',  thirty-eight 
miles. 

The  completion  of  the  canal  in  1825  changed  all  these  stage  lines 
materially,  but  many  ran  until  the  final  trumph  of  the  railroad  in  the 
month  of  December,  1839,  when  it  was  finished  to  Reading,  and  then  it 
was  "let  us  take  the  train  to  the  city,"  and  no  longer  "must  be  up  early 
for  the  stage  leaves  at  daylight."  The  railroad  was  opened  from  Norris- 
town  in  August,  1835,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  through  to 
Pottsville,  in  1842.  Yet  with  all  these  improvements,  so  seated  was  the 
old  habit  of  travel  by  stage  coach  that  as  late  as  i860  the  owners  of 
some  of  these  Pennsylvania  lines  did  a  fair  passenger  business  in  and 
out  from  Norristown.  Many  of  the  inland  places  needed  these  stage  lines 
as  much  as  ever  and  hence  they  continued  many  years  longer  th|an  the 
advent  of  the  railroad.  County  Historian  Bean  in  his  article  on  stage- 
coaches in  this  county,  in  his  excellent  work  published  in  1884,  gives 
the  following: 

It  was  customary  along  these  routes  for  the  stage-driver,  when  within 
a  mile  of  the  place  at  which  the  stage  usually  stopped  for  breakfast,  to 
blow  a  horn,  the  sweet  and  mellow  tones  of  which  would  announce  his 
approach,  that  breakfast  might  be  in  readiness  on  his  arrival.  No  sooner 
there  than  he  would  drop  his  lines,  aid  the  passengers  out  of  the  coach, 
and  proceed  to  the  awaiting  meal ;  in  the  meantime  the  horses  would  be 
changed,  when  the  seats  would  be  again  occupied,  and  the  journey 
resumed.  In  some  cases  fifteen  miles  having  been  made  over  the  rugged 
road,  it  may  be  well  supposed  that  an  appetite  had  been  awakened  to  be 
here  appeased.  At  every  post  office,  generally  about  four  or  five  miles 
apart,  a  brief  stop  would  be  made  to  have  the  mail  changed  and  the 
horses  watered.  They  were  what  was  generally  termed  Troy  coaches, 
painted  red,  with  a  profusion  of  gilding,  having  the  proprietors'  names 
blazoned  on  the  panels.  Four  horses  were  always  driven  to  each  coach, 
who  were  generally  selected  for  beauty,  speed,  and  powers  of  endurance, 
in  the  proper  care  of  which  the  hostlers  appeared  to  take  a  delight. 

The  business  of  staging,  directly  and  indirectly,  gave  employment 
and  support  to  a  number  of  persons  in  Montgomery  county,  among 
whom  could  be  enumerated  the  proprietors,  the  drivers,  groomsmen, 
inn-keepers,  smiths,  and  coach-makers,  besides  the  toll  arising  therefrom 


TRANSPORTATION  in 

for  the  turnpike  companies  amounted  to  considerable.  It  made,  too,  no 
inconsiderable  home  market  to  the  farmer  for  oats,  corn,  hay,  and  straw, 
besides  the  provisions  required  for  the  passengers.  The  arrival  of  the 
stage  always  made  a  bustle  in  the  quiet  country  villages  and  hamlets.  It 
not  only  brought  strangers,  but  acquaintances,  relatives,  and  friends, 
who,  having  been  long  absent,  thus  returned  to  visit  familiar  scenes  once 
more.  To  the  post  office  it  brought  letters  and  newspapers,  and,  as  a 
substitute  for  the  express,  the  driver  was  an  important  personage,  from 
the  amount  of  errands  imposed  on  him  in  the  delivery  of  his  messages 
and  parcels. 

Railroads — The  advent  of  the  steam  railroad  system  to  Montgomery 
county  marked  a  new  era  in  its  history.  It  was  August  14,  1835,  t^^* 
the  first  railroad  was  finished  to  Norristown — the  "Philadelphia,  Ger- 
mantown  &  Norristown  Railroad,"  which  road  had'  completed  its  line 
from  Philadelphia  out  as  far  as  Manayunk,  October  22,  1834,  and  pub- 
lished its  first  time  table.  The  fare  was  twelve  and  one-half  cents  each 
way  and  trains  ran  every  two  hours. 

The  first  locomotive  was  built  by  Matthias  W.  Baldwin,  known  as 
"Old  Ironsides,"  and  made  its  first  trip  October  20,  1832,  on  the  German- 
town  branch  of  this  pioneer  railroad.  Reader,  now  let  your  mind  rest 
for  a  moment  on  the  gigantic  Baldwin  Locomotive  Works  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

The  Philadelphia  &  Reading  railroad  was  formally  opened  in  the 
winter  of  1842,  but  parts  of  the  road  had  been  operated  as  early  as  1839. 
It  is  not  usually  known  that  the  Reading  road  was  not  built  from  Phil- 
adelphia out,  but  from  Reading  into  Philadelphia.  It  was  operated  for 
some  time  between  Pottstown  and  Reading  before  any  other  place. 
For  quite  a  period  of  time  passengers  from  the  city  for  Reading  would 
come  in  the  cars  to  Norristown,  then  stage  it  to  Pottstown,  where  they 
would  take  the  cars  again  to  Reading;  or  a  little  later,  when  the  road 
was  finished  to  Bridgeport,  passengers  would  be  carried  by  omnibus 
from  the  Norristown  depot  to  Bridgeport,  and  there  take  the  cars  for 
Reading.  The  first  engine  run  over  the  Reading  line  was  called  the 
"Neversink,"  brought  from  Pottstown  on  wagons  and  unloaded  there 
and  put  together  on  the  track.  Those  days  it  was  customary  to  give 
every  locomotive  a  name.  The  first  trip  of  the  one  just  named  was  to 
Reading  for  a  load  of  iron  to  lay  the  tracks  between  Pottstown  and  San- 
atoga.  However,  before  this  time  the  "Delaware"  engine  was  landed  at 
Reading  in  a  canal  boat,  and  it  was  proposed  to  make  a  grand  excursion 
to  Pottstown  with  her.  It  was  discovered  that  her  cylinder  heads  were 
too  low  to  clear  the  coping  on  the  bridges,  so  she  could  not  pass  until 
the  bridges  had  all  been  changed.  The  excursion  had  been  advertised 
and  it  must  come  off,  so  the  managers  of  the  road  secured  a  number  ot 
plain,  flat-bottomed  four-wheeled  trucks  such  as  iron  was  hauled  on, 
and  these  were  fitted  up  with  seats  and  a  horse  or  two  hitched  to  each 
car.     In  this  "train"  came  the  railroad  officials  and  prominent  citizens 


112  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  Reading,  bankers,  lawyers,  merchants,  etc.,  of  that  place  to  Pottstown. 
As  the  horses  could  not  walk  over  the  trestles  en  route,  they  had  to  be 
unhitched  and  led  around,  while  the  passengers  pushed  the  "cars"  over 
the  bridges.  They  persisted,  and  reached  Pottstown  before  noon  and  all 
partook  of  a  well  planned  feast.  Other  engines  were  named  "Planet," 
"Rocket,"  "Comet,"  "Spitfire,"  and  "Firefly."  The  Reading  road  from 
Philadelphia  to  Pottsville  is  ninety-eight  miles  and  originally  cost 
$19,262,720. 

The  Chester  Valley  railroad  connected  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading 
road  with  itself  at  Bridgeport ;  is  twenty-one  miles  long,  connecting  with 
the  Pennsylvania  lines  at  Downingtown,  in  Chester  county.  The  first 
train  run  over  this  road  was  September  12,  1853. 

The  North  Pennsylvania  railroad  was  chartered  October,  1852,  and 
extended  from  Philadelphia  to  Bethlehem.  It  was  opened  in  July,  1857, 
and  was  leased  by  the  "Reading"  for  a  term  of  ninety-nine  years.  In 
Montgomery  county,  this  road  passes  through  Jenkintown,  Ft.  Wash- 
ington, Ambler,  North  Wales,  Lansdale,  Telford,  and  Souderton.  The 
Colebrookdale  railroad  was  chartered  March  23,  1865,  and  completed 
in  1869.  It  extends  from  Pottstown  to  Barto  Station,  in  Berks  county. 
It  has  always  been  operated  by  the  Reading  system.  The  Northeast 
Pennsylvania  railroad  extends  from  Abington  station,  Montgomery 
county,  to  Hartsville,  in  Bucks  county.  It  was  opened  in  December, 
1872.  Stony  Creek  railroad  was  chartered  in  April,  1868.  It  commenced 
at  Main  street,  Norristown,  extended  to  Lansdale,  there  connected  with 
the  North  Pennsylvania  line ;  also  with  a  branch  to  Doylestown.  The 
Perkiomen  railroad  was  finished  in  1868,  extending  from  the  Perkiomen 
Junction  to  Palm  Station,  a  distance  of  twenty-six  miles  through  Mont- 
gomery county,  finally  connecting  with  the  East  Pennsylvania  line  with 
a  distance  of  thirty-eight  miles  in  length.  This  road  has  stations  at 
Collegeville,  Schwenksville,  Green  Lane,  Pennsburg,  and  East  Green- 
ville. The  Plymouth  railroad  extends  from  the  borough  of  Conshohocken 
to  Oreland,  connecting  with  the  North  Pennsylvania  line.  It  is  only  nine 
and  a  quarter  miles  in  length. 

The  Pennsylvania  Schu3^1kill  Valley  railroad  is  an  important  railroad. 
It  crosses  the  boundary  line  of  this  county  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the 
Schuylkill  near  Manayunk,  passing  through  Conshohocken  and  Norris- 
town, following  the  line  of  the  river  until  it  reaches  Phoenixville,  and 
on  to  Pottstown.  This  road  went  into  operation  in  1884  and  is  now  a 
part  of  the  great  Pennsylvania  railroad  system.  It  is  a  full  double-tracked 
line. 

These  constitute  the  steam  railroad  lines  within  this  county.  The 
only  other  railway  here  to-day  is  the  Philadelphia  &  Western,  an  elec- 
tric line  constructed  about  191 7,  which  runs  from  Philadelphia  to  Nor- 
ristown as  a  "third-rail"  line,  and  which  is  a  very  successful  passenger 
thoroughfare  and  has  trains  less  than  half  an  hour  apart  through  the 


TRANSPORTATION 


"3 


day  and  frequently  during  the  night.  Besides  the  main  line,  there  are 
trolley  lines  gridironing  the  county  in  all  directions;  nearly  all  the  ham- 
lets and  boroughs  of  importance  have  a  car  line  at  their  very  doorway. 
Of  these  modern  improvements  the  histories  of  the  various  boroughs  will 
make  local  mention. 


Mont — 8 


CHAPTER  X. 
CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

September  9th  to  12th,  both  inclusive,  1884,  were  given  over  to  the 
celebration  of  the  first  centennial  of  the  county's  establishment,  its  his- 
tory as  a  separate  county  dating  from  September,  1784.  The  president 
of  the  association  was  Joseph  Fornance ;  recording  secretary,  F.  G.  Hob- 
son;  corresponding  secretary,  Muscoe  M.  Gibson. 

Order  of  Exercises — At  the  opening  exercises,  prayer  was  offered  by 
Rev.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger,  D.  D.  An  address  was  given  by  J.  P.  Hale 
Jenkins ;  a  second  address  by  president  Joseph  Fornance.  The  next  was 
the  dedication  of  the  Rittenhouse  Meridian  Stone,  near  the  court  house ; 
report  of  the  Memorial  Committee;  address  by  Hon.  B.  Markley  Boyer; 
benediction  by  Rev.  Isaac  Gibson.  This  ended  the  first  day  of  the  cele- 
bration's exercises.  On  the  second  day — Memorial  exercises ;  prayer  by 
Rev.  H.  S.  Rodenbough ;  address  by  President  Joseph  Fornance ;  histor- 
ical oration  by  William  J.  Buck ;  poem  by  Hon.  George  N.  Corson ;  ora- 
tion by  Rev.  C.  Z.  Weiser,  D,  D.  Third  day — The  parade  ;  first  division ; 
second  division ;  third  division ;  fourth  division ;  the  Indian  children ; 
remarks  by  Colonel  Theo.  W.  Bean.  Fourth  day — The  Antiquarian  Ex- 
position ;  list  of  exhibitors  ;  list  of  exhibits ;  Indian  relics  ;  antique  relics ; 
antiques  of  the  first  settlers  and  early  purchasers;  relics  of  records  of 
the  Colonial  period;  relics  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  1812;  relics  of 
the  Mexican  War;  relics  of  the  Civil  War  (1861-65);  implements  of 
early  husbandry ;  implements  and  articles  of  household  use  in  early 
times ;  kitchen  furniture  and  pewter-plate  ware ;  antique  furniture  and 
clocks ;  many  home-made  articles ;  old  silver,  silver-plated  ware,  glass 
and  China  ware ;  antique  wearing  apparel  and  jewelry ;  antique  handi- 
work of  our  own  times ;  school  books,  old  and  new ;  books,  papers  and 
manuscripts ;  maps,  oil  paintings  and  engravings ;  views  of  schools  and 
churches ;  Rittenhouse  clocks  and  scientific  instruments ;  arms  and  equip- 
ments; coins  and  paper  money;  fauna  and  flora  of  the  county ;  miscel- 
laneous articles ;  minerals  and  fossils ;  action  of  court  and  grand  jury ; 
financial  exhibit.  The  reader  will  now  understand  the  scope  of  the  cele- 
bration, after  having  read  of  the  various  exhibits  presented  to  the  view 
of  the  visitors  present  during  those  interesting  four  days. 

This  was  a  well  and  long  beforehand  planned  celebration.  At  the 
regular  meeting  of  the  Montgomery  County  Historical  Society,  held 
May  25,  1882,  the  project  of  a  suitable  celebration  of  the  county's  organ- 
ization in  1884  was  discussed  at  length,  and  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  meet  with  the  county  board  to  properly  observe  the  event  then  only 
two  years  ahead.  The  committee  on  the  part  of  the  Historical  Society 
was  F.  G.  Hobson,  Hon.  Jones  Detwiler  and  A.  K.  Thomas.    A  commit- 


ii6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

tee  on  the  part  of  the  county  officials  met  with  the  committee  just 
named,  and  a  general  committee  was  selected  and  the  names  of  its 
members  made  public.  Nothing  further  was  enacted  until  September 
ID,  1883,  when  the  call  was  made  for  the  meeting  of  the  general  commit- 
tee, which  soon  met  at  the  rooms  of  the  Historical  Society  in  the  court 
house.  The  next  meeting  was  held  November  15,  1883.  The  memorial 
committee  was  instructed  to  have  prepared  and  erected  a  granite  mon- 
olith to  the  memory  of  David  Rittenhouse,  the  astronomer,  to  be  placed 
in  front  of  the  court  house,  as  one  sees  it  to-day.  It  was  to  also  mark 
the  meridian  line,  as  well  as  to  do  honor  to  Mr.  Rittenhouse.  It  bears 
appropriate  inscriptions  on  its  several  faces.  Meetings  of  the  general 
committee  now  became  a  common  thing.  The  time  was  fast  approach- 
ing for  speedy,  practical  action  on  the  part  of  various  sub-committees. 
The  financial  part  was  important.  The  committee  in  charge  of  that 
feature  of  the  great  local  enterprise  had  their  minds  active  and  finally 
succeeded  in  a  businesslike  manner  in  raising  the  necessary  funds  to 
finance  the  celebration,  then  close  at  hand.  Each  election  district  was 
furnished  with  ample  tickets  to  dispose  of.  Each  district  was  asked  to 
subscribe  $100  toward  the  fund.  The  railroad  opened  up  its  generosity 
and  agreed  to  return  free  of  charge  all  articles  expressed  over  their  line 
to  be  exhibited  at  the  celebration. 

The  persons  in  charge,  known  as  the  building  committee,  had  space 
one  hundred  feet  square  floored  on  the  court  house  grounds,  and  there 
four  large  tents  were  erected.  The  court  room  was  floored  over  the 
tops  of  the  seats,  and  glass  cases  arranged  around  the  side  of  the  room 
and  upon  three  large  tables  running  the  entire  length  of  the  room.  The 
grand  jury  room  was  converted  into  the  Art  Room,  or  gallery.  All 
departments  were  taken  care  of  after  the  above  fashion  and  all  demanded 
an  immense  amount  of  real  work,  but  the  people  hesitated  not — this  was 
only  once  in  their  lifetime  certainly,  and  they  freely  gave  time  and 
money. 

After  the  immense  parades,  the  showing  of  thousands  of  articles  of 
exhibits,  the  last  notes  from  the  numerous  bands  of  music,  the  echo  of 
the  last  orations,  etc.,  had  all  become  things  of  the  past,  an  accounting 
was  had  and  it  shows  in  record  form  that  the  total  number  of  exhibitors 
at  this  Antiquarian  Exposition  was  twelve  hundred  and  forty.  It  is 
said  that  at  the  Philadelphia  Centennial  Exposition  in  1876,  there  were 
fifty  countries  represented,  and  that  all  put  together  exhibited  only 
31,000  articles.  So  it  will  be  seen  that  Montgomery  county  had  just 
reason  to  be  proud  of  what  it  accomplished  at  her  1884  Centennial  of  the 
county.  The  total  receipts  of  the  enterprise  at  Norristown  was  $6,216.93  ; 
total  expenditures,  $4,825.43;  balance  on  hand,  $1,391.50.  This  latter 
snug  sum  of  profit  arising  from  the  enterprise  was  wisely  given  over  to 
the  Montgomery  County  Historical  Society,  in  trust,  to  be  invested  in 
good  real  estate  security,  the  principal  sum  to  remain  intact,  and  the 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 


117 


interest  only  to  be  used  for  the  purposes  of  the  Society.  The  treasurer 
of  this  enterprise  was  Lewis  Styer,  of  Norristown,  who  made  an  item- 
ized statement  balancing  to  a  cent,  and  pleasing  the  masses  whose 
money  he  had  handled. 

The  only  sad  feature  of  all  such  anniversaries  is  the  fact  that  no  per- 
son who  took  part  in  this  the  county's  first  centennial  will  ever  be  per- 
mitted to  attend  a  second  one,  when  times  shall  have  changed,  no  doubt 
nearly,  if  not  quite  as  much,  as  they  did  from  1784  to  1884. 


^ 


HENRY  xMELCHJOR  MUHLENBERG 


CHAPTER  XI. 
RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS. 

For  nearly  a  hundred  years  after  the  settlement  of  Montgomery 
county  began,  emigrants  of  all  nationalities  were  religious  refugees  or 
pilgrims  seeking  the  right  of  free  worship  for  themselves  and  their  pos- 
terity. Thus  we  observe  the  sterling  qualities  found  in  our  pioneers. 
One  can  easily  imagine  how  different  would  the  condition  have  been 
to-day  in  our  country  had  the  foreign-born  settlers  who  came  here  then 
been  of  the  same  type  as  many  from  the  same  countries  who  are  now 
coming  to  our  shores.  The  large  majority  of  our  immigrants  for  scores 
of  years  have  not  come  here  on  account  of  religion,  but  to  obtain  wealth 
easier  than  they  could  hope  to  in  their  own  native  land. 

Taking  the  various  denominations  now  within  Montgomery  county, 
the  writer  will  treat  their  history  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  organ- 
ized, as  near  as  possible.  The  first  that  claims  the  attention  of  the 
reader  are  the  "Quakers." 

The  Society  of  Friends — For  the  most  part  these  people  came  with 
the  proprietary,  William  Penn,  and  very  soon  several  "meetings"  were 
established  in  the  eastern  borders  of  the  county.  In  fact,  the  bulk  of  the 
first  settlers  in  the  southeastern  portion  of  Montgomery  county  were  of 
this  religious  faith.  During  the  colonial  period,  there  were  eight  houses 
of  worship  of  the  society  within  the  borders  of  the  county,  and  it  should 
be  said  that  after  more  than  two  centuries  the  number  has  not  increased 
to  more  than  a  score  of  churches  in  the  county  up  to  this  time.  They 
seldom  draw  converts  from  other  denominations,  but  depend  upon  the 
rising  generations  of  their  own  families  for  what  increase  they  have. 
Through  their  patient  sufferings  and  kind  precepts  they  have  killed  the 
more  radical  Calvinistic  ideas  of  much  that  was  harsh  and  unchristian, 
hence  have  been  a  great  religious  blessing  to  the  communities  in  which 
they  located.  In  all  that  has  been  uplifting,  the  Friends  of  this  county 
have  been  identified,  including  the  great  questions  of  slavery,  temper- 
ance, and  general  moral  reforms. 

The  order  in  which  their  early  societies  or  "Meetings"  were  formed 
in  this  county  was  as  follows:  At  Merion  a  building  was  erected  in 
1695;  Abington  was  built  in  1697;  Gwynedd,  in  1700;  Plymouth,  1712: 
Horsham  in  1724;  Upper  Providence,  in  1743;  Pottstown,  in  1753 ;  Upper 
Dublin,  1814;  and  Norristown  in  1852. 

Returning  to  the  Friends'  Meeting-house  in  Lower  Merion,  the  oldest 
of  all,  it  should  be  said  that  the  building  stands  on  the  old  Lancaster 
road,  a  little  more  than  a  mile  from  the  Philadelphia  city  line  of  to-day. 
The  first  settlers  here  were  Welsh  people,  and  a  majority,  if  not  all,  were 
Friends  in  their  faith  and  practice.     It  is  known  by  their  records  that 


I20  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

they  held  services  at  the  house  of  Hugh  Roberts  as  early  as  the  fourth 
month,  1684.  One  record  says  at  first  they  worshipped  in  a  small  wooden 
building  erected  1695,  which  served  until  1713,  when  a  good  stone  meet- 
inghouse  was  provided.  William  Penn  spoke  in  the  last-mentioned 
building  in  1701,  when  it  is  related  that  many  of  the  congregation  could 
not  understand  him  on  account  of  his  speaking  in  correct  English.  For 
a  period  of  eighty-six  years  this  was  the  only  church  building  within 
the  township  of  Lower  Merion. 

Abington  Meeting-house  was  the  home  of  one  of  the  first  Friends 
congregations  in  Pennsylvania,  dating  its  meetings  back  of  the  coming 
of  William  Penn.  Although  Benjamin  Lay,  who  belonged  to  this  meet- 
ing, had  written  and  circulated  a  book  against  slavery  in  this  country 
as  early  as  1737,  yet  he  was  not  first  in  that  line,  for  the  German  Friends 
had  long  preceded  him  in  a  protest  dated  Germantown,  i8th  of  second 
month,  1688.  A  majority  of  the  people,  however,  were  so  conservative 
that  nothing  was  accomplished  in  the  matter  until  the  dawn  of  the 
Revolution,  when  the  Stamp  Act  brought  out  the  rights  of  mankind 
prominently.  While  in  those  days  the  Friends  held  slaves,  it  was  not 
long  before  they  expelled  a  member  for  owning  or  selling  his  slaves — 
they  must  be  set  free.  At  the  two  hundredth  anniversary  of  this  meet- 
ing at  Abington,  there  were  over  five  hundred  persons  present.  An 
address  was  read  on  "William  Penn  and  His  Holy  Experiment."  With 
the  passing  years  the  Friends  society  in  this  place  has  not  grown  as  one 
might  naturally  expect  it  would. 

Friends  Meeting-house  at  Gwynedd,  according  to  the  church  records, 
show  that  meetings  commenced  here  in  1714.  The  young  settlement 
had  some  English  and  more  Welsh  people,  and  joint  meetings  were  held 
for  a  time,  but  soon  the  Friends  organized  themselves  into  a  "meeting." 
What  seems  a  well  founded  tradition,  runs  that  William  Penn  and 
daughter  Letitia  and  a  servant  came  out  on  horseback  to  visit  the  settle- 
ment soon  after  the  church  was  built,  and  he  preached  for  them,  remain- 
ing over  night  at  the  house  of  his  friend,  Thomas  Evans,  the  first  set- 
tler, who  resided  nearby.  The  first  meeting-house  here  was  of  logs ;  the 
second  was  built  about  1712,  and  was  a  stone  structure  in  use  until 
1823,  when  another  building  (two  stories  high)  forty  by  seventy-five 
feet  in  dimensions,  was  built.  For  seventy-five  years  this  was  the  only 
church  building  within  the  township  of  Gwynedd.  Many  hallowed  asso- 
ciations cluster  around  the  spot,  and  it  is  but  to  be  regretted  that  times 
have  so  changed  the  religious  bent  of  the  community  that  no  longer  is 
it  a  place  of  religious  interest  for  Friends,  if  indeed  by  any  denominations. 

In  Plymouth  and  Whitemarsh  townships  the  Friends  were  doubtless 
the  first  to  settle.  William  Penn  had  conceived  of  a  plan  for  a  town  to 
be  laid  out  here  a  mile  square,  which  is  the  site  of  the  present  Friends 
church.  In  the  summer  of  1686  the  township  was  purchased  and  set- 
tled by  James  Fox,  Francis  Rawle,  Richard  Gove,  and  other  Friends, 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  121 

who  lived  for  a  time  and  held  meeting  in  the  house  of  James  Fox.  Later 
they  moved  to  Philadelphia  and  others  came  in  and  occupied  their  lands. 
Just  what  date  a  church  building  was  erected  here  cannot  be  determined, 
but  it  was  before  1720.  A  short  time  before  the  Revolution,  the  Yearly 
Meeting  at  Philadelphia  adopted  a  resolution  "that  the  members  do  not 
hold  negro  slaves  in  bonds,"  and  "that  they  shall  not  buy  and  sell  slaves." 
In  1775,  when  a  committee  looked  into  this  matter,  it  was  discovered 
that  this  meeting  at  Plymouth  had  sixteen  negroes  and  one  mulatto. 
Thomas  Lancaster,  Sr.,  was  the  first  to  set  free  his  man  slave  Cato,  aged 
forty-six  years.  The  Revolution  worked  hardship  on  this  congregation, 
for  many  had  loyal  patriotic  blood  in  their  veins  and  entered  the  Conti- 
nental army,  which  was  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  the  Friends — they 
believed  not  in  war.  Later,  the  meeting  here  was  divided  and  the  Ortho- 
dox portion  held  most  of  the  property,  so  another  meeting-house  was 
built  by  the  more  liberal  element. 

Respecting  the  Friends  Meeting-house  in  Horsham,  the  records  are 
not  intact,  so  no  date  can  be  established  for  the  church  building,  but 
best  accounts  at  hand  place  it  at  about  1716.  It  was  of  stone,  and  stood 
until  about  1803,  when  it  was  torn  away  and  the  present  edifice  con- 
structed. In  the  ancient  graveyard  near  this  building  rests  the  dust  of 
more  than  two  thousand  pioneers.  The  grounds  have  frequently  been 
added  to,  and  the  stately  trees  about  the  church  property  in  1880  were 
the  subject  of  much  comment ;  but  not  here  alone  but  in  most  all  Friends 
church-grounds,  the  mighty  forest  trees  and  the  later  artificial  trees  are 
in  evidence,  showing  how  these  people  admire  the  thrifty  growing  trees, 
monuments  of  life  itself. 

The  Friends  Meeting-house  at  Pottstown  was  the  first  church  or 
meeting-house  in  the  township  or  borough.  Soon  after  John  Potts  laid 
out  the  borough  in  1753,  he  donated  a  lot  of  ground  for  the  purpose  of 
having  a  church  erected,  which  was  doubtless  very  early.  In  1850  it 
was  stated  by  the  owner  of  an  extensive  gristmill  on  the  Manatawny  that 
when  Washington's  army  was  here  in  September,  1777,  the  meeting- 
house was  used  by  some  of  the  soldiers  as  quarters.  It  appears  to  have 
been  a  small  red  brick  building,  which  in  1875  was  torn  down  and 
replaced  by  the  present  structure.  It  is  located  between  Penn  and  Han- 
over streets,  on  King  street.  It  belongs  to  the  Orthodox  branch  of  the 
Friends. 

Upper  Providence  Friends  Meeting-house  was  one  of  the  early  houses 
of  worship  in  the  township,  situated  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Port  Provi- 
dence. It  was  built  in  1730,  and  was  a  log  structure.  David  Hamer, 
who  came  to  the  place  in  1717,  donated  the  land  on  which  it  stood.  In 
1828  this  log  cabin-church  was  replaced  by  a  one-story  stone  building, 
still  believed  to  be  in  use,  but  going  to  decay.  The  society  of  Friends 
thereabouts  has  dwindled  to  a  handful  of  faithful  believers. 

Upper  Dublin  Friends  Meeting-house  was  situated  a  half  mile  north- 


122  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

west  o{  Jarrettown,  and  was  built  in  1814  on  a  lot  presented  for  that 
purpose  by  Phebe  Shoemaker.  The  house  was  a  one-story  stone  build- 
ing 36  by  40  feet  in  size.  The  plot  of  land  measured  about  two  acres, 
and  besides  the  church  had  various  sheds  for  the  comfort  of  the  horses 
that  brought  the  worshipers  to  the  church  in  those  long-ago  days.  The 
burying  place  covers  about  one  acre,  and  has  many  pure  white  marble 
headstones.  In  1875  a  First  Day  of  the  Week  school  was  established 
here  by  the  Friends. 

Norristown  Friends  Meeting-house  is  a  plain  brick  building  (as 
described  in  1885  by  Historian  Bean),  located  within  a  large  shady  lawn 
at  the  corner  of  Swede  and  Jacoby  streets.  It  was  built  in  1852  as  an 
indulged  meeting  under  care  of  Gwynedd  Monthly  Meeting.  The  sect 
has  never  been  strong  in  Norristown.. 

Miscellaneous — The  Mennonites,  sometimes  styled  "Mennonists," 
came  into  this  county  at  about  the  same  time  as  the  Friends,  possibly  a 
little  later.  Their  history  is  not  as  extended  as  the  Friends.  Their  first 
meeting-house  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  in  Perkiomen  township 
about  1725.  Five  years  later  Franconia  and  Salford  meeting-houses 
were  erected.  The  one  in  Providence  was  built  in  1742;  in  1750  Kulps- 
ville  was  erected;  and  before  1812  the  Methacton  and  Towamencin 
churches  were  added  to  the  list.  There  are  now  about  a  dozen  churches 
in  the  limits  of  this  county.  They  are  in  many  ways  similar  in  belief  to 
the  Friends.  The  founder  of  this  sect  was  Menno  Simon,  a  native  of 
Friesland,  Holland,  and  was  contemporary  with  Martin  Luther.  Wil- 
liam Penn  made  the  acquaintance  of  these  people  in  their  native  land 
and  induced  them  to  start  a  colony  in  Pennsylvania,  which  they  did  in 
1683,  and  many  more  came  much  later.  In  Montgomery  county  these 
people  settled  rather  compactly  in  the  more  central  townships.  "Gor- 
don's Gazateer"  in  1832  set  them  down  as  having  five  churches  in  the 
county.  In  1870  they  had  twice  that  number,  and  later  they  had  a  num- 
ber more  formed.  They,  like  all  other  sects,  have  been  torn  asunder  by 
schisms. 

German  Baptists,  intermixed  with  the  Mennonites  who  came  from 
the  Old  World  and  who  had  in  Germany  been  stigmatized  and  perse- 
cuted, sought  out  homes  in  Montgomery  county,  mostly  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Perkiomen  to  the  northward,  along  the  branches  of  that  stream. 
They  are  known  among  themselves  as  "Brethren."  They  profess  no 
creed  save  the  Bible.  They  baptize  face  forward,  dipping  three  times, 
hence  the  name  Dunkers  ("dippers").  In  1870  there  were  nine  churches 
of  this  faith  in  this  county. 

The  Schwenkfelders  are  a  plain  German  sect  which  was  formed  by 
Casper  Schwenkfeld,  born  fourteen  years  after  Martin  Luther.  They 
])ecame  extinct  in  Europe  and  planted  a  colony  here,  and  in  Bucks  and 
Lehigh  counties.     They  first  arrived  at  Philadelphia  in  1734.    The  form 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  123 

of  their  government  is  congregational;  they  are  against  war,  against 
oaths,  against  law  suits  and  a  paid  ministry.  They  are  not  numerous 
here  to-day. 

The  Episcopal  Church — This  was  the  next  denomination  to  form 
societies  and  erect  buildings  in  this  county,  after  those  already  named. 
This  is  really  the  Church  of  England  of  colonial  days  here,  and  was 
founded  in  this  county  in  Whitemarsh  township  in  1710,  and  ten  years 
later  St.  James  Church  was  founded  in  Providence  (now  Lower),  and 
by  1832  these  churches  had  increased  to  four  and  in  1870  to  ten.  There 
are  now  about  a  dozen  Episcopal  churches  in  Montgomery  county.  The 
list  of  parishes  given  in  1890  for  this  county  is  thus:  St.  Thomas'  con- 
gregation of  Whitemarsh,  founded  in  1710;  St.  James'  Church  of  Lower 
Providence,  organized  1730;  St.  John's  of  Norristown,  1812;  Christ's  of 
Pottstown,  1828;  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  Lower  Merion,  1848;  St. 
Paul's  Memorial,  about  1850;  Calvary  of  Conshohocken,  1858;  Church 
of  Our  Saviour,  of  Jenkintown,  1858;  St.  Paul's  of  Cheltenham,  i860; 
Church  of  the  Messiah,  of  Gwynedd,  1870;  St.  Peter's  of  Weldon,  1883; 
and  the  church  at  Lansdale,  1885. 

To  be  more  specific,  it  may  be  stated  that  Calvary  Episcopal  Church 
at  Conshohocken  held  its  first  services  in  1858,  in  the  old  Temperance 
Hall.  The  first  regular  rector  was  Rev.  E.  L.  Lycett,  who  continued 
until  1863.  A  church  was  built  and  first  used  in  i860.  Later  it  was 
greatly  improved.  In  1873  the  rectory  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $4,900. 
This  parish  has  been  faithful  in  its  work  among  all  classes. 

St.  John's  Episcopal  Church  of  Norristown,  was  established  in  1813, 
their  building  being  dedicated  April  6,  1815.  In  1856  the  church  was 
enlarged;  two  years  later  a  new  pipe  organ  was  installed;  in  1869  a 
bequest  was  made  by  the  will  of  John  Boyer,  amounting  to  $20,000. 
With  the  flight  of  years,  this  church  has  kept  apace  in  its  church  work 
and  building  improvements  and  to-day  has  a  handsome,  large  and  val- 
uable edifice  as  well  as  a  large  active  membership  in  its  parish. 

St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church  of  Cheltenham  township  was  erected  so 
as  to  be  consecrated  in  1862;  a  new  organ  was  placed  in  position  in 
1866;  a  tower  for  the  church  was  commenced  in  1869  and  completed  a 
year  later.  The  edifice  is  of  Gothic  style,  built  of  stone,  and  has  beau- 
tiful stained  windows.  The  tower  mentioned  above  has  a  chime  of  ten 
bells,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  John  W.  Thomas.  The  church  grounds  embrace 
fully  five  acres. 

Baptist  Chvu'ches — A  Baptist  church  was  founded  in  Montgomery 
county  in  1719,  by  the  formation  of  the  Montgomery  church,  which 
was  its  sole  representative  for  near  a  century.  Lower  Providence  and 
Lower  Merion  churches  were  organized  in  1809;  Norristown,  1832;  Mt. 
Pleasant,  in  Whitpain  township,  1834;  Hatboro,  1835;  Cold  Point,  in 
Whitemarsh,    1842;    Bridgeport,    in    1850;    Pottstown,    in    1859;    North 


124  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Wales,  1862;  Conshohocken,  1870;  Royer's  Ford,  1879;  Jenkintown, 
1880;  Lansdale,  1884.  While  it  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  a  work  of 
this  character  (a  general  history)  can  contain  a  detailed  history  of  every 
church  in  the  county,  such  space  as  is  allowable  will  be  devoted  to  the 
more  important  matters  connected  with  all  denominations. 

The  Bridgeport  Baptist  Church  was  constituted  March  19,  1850, 
with  fifteen  members.  A  lot  eighty  by  one  hundred  feet  was  purchased 
on  Fourth  street,  and  there  a  church  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$2,400.  The  first  regular  pastor  was  Rev.  William  Smith.  The  church 
was  admitted  to  the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Association,  in  October,  1850. 
Forty  years  ago  this  church  had  a  membership  of  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Norristown  was  organized  December  12, 
1832,  and  a  plain  stone  structure  was  built  in  1833  at  the  corner  of  Swede 
and  Airy  streets,  the  same  location  the  present  building  now  occupies. 
The  original  building  cost  about  $7,000.  In  1871  the  old  church  was  torn 
down,  and  from  that  date  to  1875  a  beautiful  Gothic  structure  was  con- 
structed of  brown  stone  material,  the  entire  building  costing  $25,000, 
and  that  constitutes  the  present  church  edifice.  In  1884  the  membership 
exceeded  five  hundred  and  sixty.  It  is  now  among  the  largest  churches 
of  the  borough. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Conshohocken  was  constituted  June  10, 
1870,  with  forty-two  members,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  J.  G.  Walker. 
In  1868  George  Nugent  donated  a  lot  on  which  to  build.  The  first  chapel 
cost  about  $4,000.    A  parsonage  was  built  in  1884,  costing  $3,500. 

The  Baptist  church  in  the  borough  of  Hatboro  was  organized  in  the 
autumn  of  1835,  and  held  services  in  the  old  Loller  Academy  until  the 
erection  of  their  building,  the  cornerstone  of  which  was  laid  September 
5,  1839,  and  dedicated  in  1840.  By  1855  it  was  found  too  small  for  the 
membership,  and  a  larger  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  more  than 
$4,000.  The  church  grounds  contain  two  acres  on  which,  besides  the 
church,  is  a  two-story  stone  parsonage  and  sexton's  house.  The  burial 
ground  in  the  rear  of  the  church  is  kept  with  the  best  of  care. 

The  Baptist  church  at  Jenkintown,  in  a  sightly  place  on  Walnut  ave- 
nue, stands  on  ground  donated  by  William  Pettir.  This  congregation 
was  organized  in  1880  by  Rev.  Joseph  Williams  and  twenty-five  charter 
members.  The  church  building,  a  plain  Gothic  one-story  stone  struc- 
ture, was  dedicated  in  November,  1883. 

The  Baptist  church  at  Lansdale  was  erected  in  the  fall  of  1884,  when 
it  was  under  the  care  of  the  church  at  North  Wales,  of  which  Rev.  J.  A. 
Aldred  was  pastor.  The  first  services  in  this  church  were  held  Sunday, 
February  8,  1885.  The  first  edifice  was  a  brick  building  35  by  61  feet  in 
size,  and  cost  $3,500. 

North  Wales  Baptist  Church  was  constituted  in  the  winter  of  1862- 
63,  with  a  membership  of  twenty-five,  mostly  from   the   Montgomery 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  125 

Baptist  Church.  In  the  summer  of  1863  a  brick  church  was  erected  in 
Gwynedd  township,  a  short  distance  from  Kneedler  Station,  which  was 
used  until  the  completion  of  the  stone  edifice  in  the  borough  of  North 
Wales,  in  the  fall  of  1884.  This  cost  $5,000,  and  was  dedicated  In 
November,  1884. 

Royer's  Ford  Baptist  Church  was  organized  January  30,  1879,  with 
fifteen  charter  members.  In  the  summer  of  1880  a  brick  edifice  was  built 
and  dedicated  that  fall.  With  the  passing  years  this  congregation  grew 
and  IS  to-day  well  sustained. 

The  Lower  Providence  Baptist  Church  was  established  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1809,  during  which  season  the  first  church  was  built  on  the  site 
of  the  present  one.  The  structure  was  of  stone,  28  by  35  feet,  costing 
$952.  The  land  on  which  it  stood  was  donated  by  Benjamin  Davis.  The 
formal  institution  of  the  church  was  August  5,  1810.  In  1835  a  new  and 
larger  church  had  to  be  had,  as  the  membership  had  grown  rapidly. 
The  new  church  was  forty  by  fifty  feet  in  size,  and  was  dedicated  Novem- 
ber, 1836.  After  several  years  this  building  was  burned,  the  date  being 
February  21,  1843.  The  congregation  agreed  to  rebuild  at  once,  and 
the  newly  built  edifice  was  dedicated  August  6,  1843.  In  a  few  years 
the  third  structure  was  found  to  be  too  small,  and  in  1876  another  edi- 
fice was  erected,  and  dedicated  December  13,  1877,  making  the  fourth 
church  in  three-quarters  of  a  century. 

Cold  Point  Baptist  Church  in  Whitemarsh  township,  first  known  as 
Plymouth  Church,  had  preaching  from  about  1842.  The  corner  stone 
of  the  old  stone  church  was  laid  in  1845,  ^"^  was  in  use  until  1867.  In 
1868  a  new  and  more  modern  building  was  provided  the  congregation. 
Two  and  a  half  acres  of  land  go  with  this  church  property.  Near  this  old 
church  lived  the  noted  Alan  W.  Corson,  well  known  as  a  teacher,  sur- 
veyer,  nurseryman  and  botanist,  who  died  June  21,  1882,  aged  ninety- 
five  years. 

Mount  Pleasant  Baptist  Church  of  Whitpain  township  was  built  on 
the  Morris  road,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  The  land  on  which 
it  was  erected  was  donated  largely  by  Thomas  C.  James,  of  Philadel- 
phia ;  the  deeds  are  dated  3rd  of  seventh  month,  1834,  and  cover  three- 
fourths  of  an  acre.  The  same  year  a  small  stone  edifice  was  built  there, 
but  in  1865  a  much  larger  better  house  was  provided.  This  church 
organization  was  perfected  May  24,  1834,  with  sixteen  members. 

The  Christian  Church — Trinity  Christian  Church,  now  called  College- 
ville  (Independent),  at  Freeland,  was  spoken  of  by  Bean  in  his  Mont- 
gomery County  History  in  1884  as  follows: 

This  church  was  founded  in  1854.  Rev.  Abraham  Hunsicker,  a 
bishop  of  the  Mennonite  church,  on  account  of  his  advanced  views  on 
education,  communion  and  other  matters,  was  prevented  from  preaching 
in  the  Mennonite  churches  at  Skippack,  Worcester  and  Providence,  in 
the  year  185 1.     He  and  his  adherents,  therefore,  constituted  themselves 


126  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

a  new  body,  and  proceeded  to  erect  a  church  building  at  Freeland,  upon 
land  donated  by  Mr.  Hunsicker.  The  building  was  finished  and  conse- 
crated in  1855.  It  was  first  called  "Christian  Meeting,"  and  the  congre- 
gation was  chartered  as  "The  Christian  Society  of  Freeland."  There 
was  no  regular  minister.  Rev.  Abraham  Hunsicker,  who  preached  in 
German,  and  Rev.  Israel  Beidle,  who  preached  in  English,  assisted  by 
Rev.  Henry  A.  Hunsicker,  made  themselves  responsible  for  the  religious 
services.  Thus  matters  continued  for  several  years.  On  May  24,  1861, 
a  council  was  organized  by  electing  deacons  and  elders.  The  first  coun- 
cil consisted  of:  Ministers,  Henry  A.  Hunsicker  and  Joseph  H.  Hen- 
dricks ;  Elders,  Gideon  Fetterolf  and  Abraham  Hendricks ;  Deacons, 
Henry  D.  Swartly  and  Daniel  H.  Reiflf.  At  the  same  time  arrangements 
were  made  for  five  ministers  to  alternate  in  preaching  in  the  following 
order:  Revs.  Israel  Beidler,  Henry  A.  Hunsicker,  Abraham  Hunsicker, 
Abraham  Grater  and  Joseph  H.  Hendricks.  In  1862  the  title  of  the  con- 
gregation was  changed  to  "Trinity  Christian  Church  at  Freeland." 

The  church  is  not  connected  with  any  other  denomination,  being 
entirely  independent.  There  is  a  church  at  Skippackville,  Perkiomen 
township,  which  is  a  branch  of  the  Freeland  church,  both  being  in  the 
same  charge  and  served  by  the  same  pastor.  The  church  is  liberal  in 
its  creed,  yet  strictly  orthodox,  recognizing  all  Christian  churches  as 
parts  of  the  true  church.  It  has  a  membership  of  about  three  hundred 
and  fifty. 

The  Presbyterian  Church — The  first  of  this  denomination  to  organ- 
ize a  church  in  Montgomery  county  were  those  living  near  Abington. 
The  church  was  formed  about  1714;  Norristown  church  was  organized 
in  1735;  Providence  church  in  1738;  Pottstown,  1848;  Second  Norris- 
town, in  1849;  Central  Norristown,  1855;  Grace,  1870;  Ashbourne,  1878. 
The  vital  points  in  the  history  of  these  churches  here  follows: 

Abington  Presbyterian  Church  was  formed  in  1814,  by  the  Rev.  Mal- 
achi  Jones,  a  native  of  Wales,  who  joined  the  other  ten  or  eleven  Pres- 
byterian ministers  in  the  Philadelphia  Presbytery,  and  desired  to  form 
a  church  at  Abington,  which  was  granted  unto  him.  The  first  mem- 
bership was  about  seventy  persons.  A  log  church  was  erected  on  the 
half  acre  of  land  already  bought.  This  pioneer  Presbyterian  church 
stood  within  the  graveyard  at  the  intersection  of  the  Old  York  and  Sus- 
quehanna street  roads.  It  remained  at  that  point  until  1793.  The 
founder.  Rev.  Jones,  remained  fifteen  years  until  called  hence  by  death. 
His  tombstone,  the  oldest  save  one  in  the  graveyard,  has  on  its  inscrip- 
tion, "He  was  the  First  Minister  in  This  Place."  This  church  was 
legally  incorporated  in  1785.  In  1793  a  new  church  had  to  take  the  place 
of  the  first  one.  Dr.  Tennent,  who  gave  much  of  his  time  to  this  and 
nearby  churches,  died  in  1810,  and  he  lies  in  the  Abington  graveyard. 
He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  Princeton  College. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Norristown  was  built  in  1819,  a 
stone  edifice  thirty  by  sixty  feet  in  size.  It  stood  at  the  northwest  cor- 
ner of  Airy  and  DeKalb  streets.  Its  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Joseph  Barr. 
In  1839  radical  changes  were  made  in  the  church  building,  but  in  1854 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  127 

it  was  torn  down  and  the  present  handsome  structure  was  built  at  an 
expense  of  $30,000. 

The  Second  Presbyterian  (Old  School)  Church  of  Norristown,  lo- 
cated in  Bridgeport,  was  constituted  in  1850.  A  small  building  owned 
by  the  Protestant  Methodists  was  purchased,  and  this  with  various  halls 
was  their  meeting  place  until  1874,  when  a  lot  was  bought  on  Sixth, 
DeKalb  and  Green  streets,  in  Bridgeport,  of  the  Benjamin  F.  Hancock 
estate,  and  a  $23,000  edifice  erected.  During  the  Civil  War  period  all 
the  male  members  except  three  were  absent  in  the  Union  army,  thus 
showing  their  loyalty. 

Central,  or  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Norristown,  was  organ- 
ized in  November,  1855  ;  the  cornerstone  for  a  church  was  laid  August  9, 
1856,  and  the  house  was  dedicated  in  February,  1858.  It  is  a  large  brick 
edifice;  its  cost  was  $35,000.  In  1884  its  membership  as  an  organization 
was  265. 

The  Providence  Presbyterian  Church,  near  the  village  of  Eagleville, 
was  an  offshoot  of  the  Norriton  church,  where  services  were  held  as 
early  as  1678,  as  is  claimed  by  some.  The  deed  for  this  land  is  dated 
1704,  and  shows  it  was  purchased  from  the  ancestors  of  David  Ritten- 
house.  The  first  church  built  in  Providence  was  in  1730,  although  the 
time  of  its  organization  is  unknown  to  the  writer.  It  was  made  up  largely 
of  Scotch-Irish.    The  Norriton  and  Providence  churches  united  in  1758. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Pottstown  was  organized  in  May, 
1848.  A  church  building  was  finished  in  1853,  and  its  first  pastor  was 
Rev.  William  R.  Work.  Forty  years  and  more  ago  this  church  also  had 
its  own  parsonage  property  and  was  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

Grace  Presbyterian  Church  at  Jenkintown  was  formed  in  1870.  A 
church  edifice  was  built  so  as  to  be  dedicated  in  September,  1872.  This 
building  was  the  gift  of  the  late  John  Wanamaker ;  its  membership  in 
1874  was  ninety-three.  The  society  was  formed  by  Rev.  S.  T.  Lowrie, 
of  the  Abington  church. 

Ashbourne  Presbyterian  Church  was  formed  by  a  number  of  Phila- 
delphia families  settling  in  the  place.  The  date  of  organization  was  June 
5,  1878.  In  January,  1884,  the  church  edifice  was  dedicated ;  its  cost 
was  $15,000. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  at  Conshohocken  was  organized  in 
1847,  by  Rev.  Thomas  Murphy.  A  lot  was  donated,  and  the  Maple  and 
Elm  street  church  was  erected  in  1848.  It  was  used  until  1868,  when 
$5,000  was  added  in  way  of  needed  repairs. 

The  Huntington  Valley  Presbyterian  Church  was  erected  in  1861.  It 
was  a  one-story  stone  building.  Rev.  George  J.  Mingins  was  the  first 
pastor. 

Norriton  Presbyterian  Church  was  built  about  1735,  known  as  the 
Norriton  Presbyterian  Meeting-House.  Tradition  tells  us  that  during 
the  Revolutionary  War,  soldiers  from  both  armies  used  to  occupy  this 


128  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

church  and  that  neither  side  took  very  good  care  of  it.  Washington's 
army  marched  to  the  battle  of  Germantown  from  this  section  and  camped 
about  it,  and  doubtless  used  this  building. 

The  Springfield  Township  Presbyterian  Church  was  on  the  east  side 
of  the  turnpike,  near  the  railroad,  in  Flourtown.  It  is  a  two-story  stone 
building  36  by  50  feet,  was  built  in  1857,  and  the  only  house  of  worship 
in  the  township. 

The  Lutheran  Church — This,  the  most  numerous  denomination  in 
Montgomery  county,  was  reported  in  1870  as  having  twenty-five 
churches,  and  later  more  were  added.  Most  of  their  ancestors  came 
here  from  either  Prussia  or  Germany  between  1710  and  1770;  they,  too, 
were  refugees  from  religious  disabilities  in  Europe.  They  have  under- 
gone few  changes  in  church  polity  or  actual  religious  belief  since  settling 
here.  Through  the  Revolutionary  struggle  for  independence  these  Luth- 
erans could  ever  be  counted  upon  as  being  loyal  in  a  war  in  which  the 
Muhlenbergs  became  famous. 

New  Hanover  Church  was  long  known  as  "Swamp."  It  was  the 
earliest  to  be  established  in  America.  Justus  Falkner,  first  pastor,  came 
there  in  1703,  sent  by  the  Swedish  provost  of  Philadelphia.  Rev.  Ger- 
hard Henkle  settled  there  in  171 7.  A  few  pastors,  and  then  came  Rev. 
H.  M.  Muhlenberg,  in  November,  1742,  when  he  found  his  congregation 
worshiping  in  a  log  church,  and  the  membership  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty.  At  Trappe  the  membership  then  was  about  fifty.  The  last- 
named  erected  their  church  the  following  year.  In  1767  the  present  solid 
masonry  stone  church  edifice  was  constructed.  That  great  minister  and 
patriot,  Rev.  Muhlenberg,  in  his  journal  of  October  7,  1777,  says: 

I  was  informed  that  a  number  of  Americans  wounded  in  the  battle 
last  Saturday  (October  4,  at  Germantown)  were  put  in  our  Lutheran 
Church,  at  New  Hanover,  to  be  treated  by  the  surgeons.  October  9,  Mr. 
Steril  came  to-day  in  the  rain  from  New  Hanover,  and  informs  me  that 
the  surgeons  are  cutting  ofif  shattered  arms  and  legs  of  the  wounded 
soldiers  there,  and  that  three  had  died  last  night  of  their  wounds.  Those 
that  could  bear  transportation  were  to  be  taken  up  to  Reading,  and  the 
balance  of  the  sick  and  wounded  to  be  distributed  among  the  neighbor- 
ing houses. 

The  church  abovenamed  is  still  in  existence,  and  is  annually  visited 
by  untold  hundreds  from  all  parts  of  the  globe,  it  having  been  the  first 
of  this  denomination  in  America.     Present  membership  476. 

Indian  Field,  or  Zion's  Lutheran  Church,  of  Franconia  township, 
started  in  a  log  church  built  about  1730,  enlarged  in  1766,  and  gave  way 
to  the  better  stone  building  in  1792,  which  received  in  1868  the  third 
time  a  new  slate  roof.  An  organ  was  provided  in  1820.  A  fire  in  1834 
destroyed  many  of  the  documents  of  this  church.  The  earliest  known 
pastor  was  Rev.  John  Conrad  Andraea. 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  129 

Old  Goshenhoppen  Church,  in  Upper  Salford  township,  was  estab- 
lished by  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  settlers  in  1732,  on  a  thirty-eight 
acre  tract,  the  deed  being  in  the  name  of  Michael  Royer  on  the  part  of 
the  Lutherans,  and  Jacob  Keller  for  the  German  Reformed  people  of 
the  community.  The  land  cost  then  (in  our  money)  $23.34.  A  log 
schoolhouse  was  built  that  fall,  which  was  also  for  church  services.  In 
1744  they  commenced  to  build  a  church,  and  it  was  completed  in  1748. 
Their  books  show  the  number  of  Lutherans  in  1751  to  have  been  195, 
while  the  Reformed  members  were  105.  The  first  regular  Lutheran  min- 
ister was  Rev.  Lucas  Raus.  After  standing  for  one  hundred  and  thirteen 
years,  the  old  stone  church,  two  stories  high,  was  torn  down  in  the 
spring  of  1858  to  make  room  for  a  better  structure ;  in  the  same  year  the 
building  was  completed.  It  had  a  tower  surmounting  it  to  a  height  of 
one  hundred  feet.  The  church  holds  800  persons,  and  cost  $6,000.  A 
550-pound  bell  hangs  in  the  belfry.  The  nearby  graveyard  of  five  acres 
probably  contains  the  graves  of  more  persons  than  any  other  of  its  size 
within  this  county.  One  tombstone  is  dated  1733.  Before  1859  there  had 
been  seventy-two  persons  killed  by  powder  explosions,  buried  in  this 
graveyard.     Present  membership  of  this  church  is  270. 

The  New  Goshenhoppen  Church  (or  the  "Six-cornered  Church")  is 
about  one  mile  east  of  the  village  of  Pennsburg.  It  is  a  large  stone 
building,  and  when  built  was  surmounted  with  a  very  tall  steeple.  Just 
the  date  of  organizing  this  church  is  not  known,  but  about  1737.  The 
property  was  sold  to  the  Reformed  church  in  1796.  On  the  spot  where 
now  stands  the  stone  church  there  stood  a  log  building  which  was  built 
when  roaming  bands  of  Indians  camped  all  about  it.  When  the  new 
church  was  to  be  erected.  Rev.  F.  W.  Geissenheiner  was  asked  to  sub- 
mit plans  for  the  building,  so  he  kindly  drew  plans  for  two  designs — one 
a  four-cornered  structure,  and  the  other  for  a  six-cornered  church,  he 
thinking  they  could  readily  decide  which  to  use.  But  not  so,  the  com- 
mittee could  not  for  a  time  agree,  but  at  last  the  plan  for  a  six-cornered 
church  was  adopted,  hence  we  have  the  oddity  of  a  six-cornered  church 
in  the  county.    The  present  membership  of  this  congregation  is  1000. 

Augustus  Lutheran  Church,  Trappe,  is  the  most  noted  in  the  town- 
ship of  Upper  Providence.  The  old  church  building  is  still  standing  in 
a  good  state  of  preservation,  though  erected  in  1743.  The  church  was 
organized  ten  years  before  the  building  of  this  church.  In  1732  John 
Christian  Schultz  became  pastor,  and  after  one  year  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  John  Casper  Stoever.  In  1742  the  Rev.  Henry  Melchoir  Muhlen- 
berg, from  Germany,  became  pastor,  and  built  the  church  in  1743.  The 
dedication  took  place  m  October,  1745.  On  that  occasion  three  negroes 
were  baptized.  October  7,  1787,  Dr.  Muhlenberg  died,  and  his  honored 
ashes  repose  in  the  rear  of  the  old  church-yard.  The  present  edifice, 
built  in  1853,  is  a  large  brick  structure.     Subsequently,  the  last  church 

Mont — 9 


130  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

was  remodeled  and  made  a  two-story  building.  The  old  church  was 
many  years  utilized  for  Sunday  school  purposes.  Many  a  hallowed 
association  clusters  around  this  ancient  church.  The  present  member- 
ship is  312. 

The  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Church  in  Towamencin  township,  al- 
ways known  as  Christ  Church,  is  situated  a  half-mile  above  Kulpsville. 
The  building  was  originally  35  by  45  feet  in  size.  The  cornerstone  was 
laid  May  27,  1833.  The  first  Lutheran  pastor  was  Rev.  John  W.  Rich- 
ards, grandson  of  Rev.  Henry  M.  Muhlenberg.  The  earliest  Reformed 
pastor  of  this  church  was  Rev.  H.  S.  Bassler.  Among  the  tombstones 
here  is  one  having  this  inscription :  "Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Jacob 
Sower,  who  departed  this  life  November  24,  1843,  aged  ninety  years  and 
five  months.  He  was  one  of  the  band  of  patriots  who  achieved  the  inde- 
pendence of  his  country." 

Upper  Dublin  Lutheran  Church  (or  Puff's  Church,  as  usually  called) 
is  a  mile  northeast  of  Ambler.  This  society  was  organized  in  1753,  by 
the  then  resident  pastor  at  Germantown.  The  first  building  was  of  logs. 
The  little  flock  continued  until  not  later  than  1810,  when  it  was  scat- 
tered and  there  was  no  service  in  this  neighborhood  until  in  the  fifties, 
when  another  church  was  formed  and  the  present  building  erected  in 
1858.    It  is  a  forty  by  fifty  foot  edifice  of  one  story,  and  built  of  stone. 

St.  Peter's  Lutheran  Church,  in  Whitemarsh  township,  was  another 
one  of  Dr.  Henry  Muhlenberg's  churches.  It  was  started  in  1758  in 
a  schoolhouse,  and  the  church  building  was  not  completed  until  about 
1765.  It  was  a  good  building;  was  of  stone,  and  had  galleries  on  three 
sides  and  a  steeple  up  to  1849.  The  congregation  got  badly  involved 
and  was  aided  by  Dr.  Ziehnhagen,  chaplain  to  the  King  of  England,  in 
the  sum  of  about  $2,000.  During  the  war  of  the  Revolution  the  church 
building  was  much  abused  by  the  soldiers,  being  used  both  as  a  stable 
and  as  a  battery.  General  Lafayette  quartered  in  this  church  as  a  point 
of  observation  in  1778.  The  present  church  was  erected  in  1849,  after 
the  Gothic  style.  It  is  a  large  church  with  a  hundred  foot  tower  sur- 
mounting it.  This  brings  the  history  down  to  about  1880,  since  which 
time  the  writer  has  no  data. 

St.  John's  Lutheran  Church,  in  Whitpain  township,  was  built  just 
above  the  village  of  Center  Square,  in  about  1773.  From  the  first  it  was 
associated  with  the  church  at  North  Wales,  down  to  1870.  A  Sunday 
school  was  started  in  1840  and  kept  alive  down  through  all  the  years. 
Of  its  present,  no  data  was  furnished  the  writer.  At  last  accounts  there 
were  425  members  in  this  church. 

Trinity  Lutheran  Church,  in  Norristown,  was  organized  in  1848,  and 
Rev.  Charles  A.  Baer  was  among  the  earliest  pastors.  At  first  a  small 
stone  building  served  the  congregation,  but  the  Civil  War  came  on  and 
nearly  every  member  among  the  males  went  to  the  front  as  soldiers.  A 
new  building  had  been  planned  and  was  being  built  when  the  war  inter- 


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POTTSTOWN 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  131 

rupted  in  1862,  but  the  following  year  work  was  resumed  again,  but 
before  the  edifice  was  completed  the  pastor  sickened  and  died  of  a  fever 
contracted  on  the  Gettysburg  battlefield.  In  1864  the  new  church  was 
finally  dedicated.  In  1895  the  church  was  renovated  and  enlarged  at  an 
expense  of  $14,000.  A  parish  house  cost  $30,000  in  1914.  The  parson- 
age cost  $11,000.  A  new  pipe  organ  was  installed  in  191 5  at  a  cost  of 
$5,000.    The  number  of  communicants  is  now  not  far  from  800. 

Grace  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  of  Norristown,  was  established 
in  April,  1884.  The  present  membership  is  about  550.  In  February, 
1885,  Chain  street  school  building  was  made  use  of  as  a  place  for  meet- 
ing. The  first  minister  was  Rev.  Robert  D.  Roeder.  The  charter  mem- 
bership included  thirty-five  persons.  In  September,  1886,  a  church 
building  was  dedicated,  cost  $6,380.33 ;  the  grounds  cost  upwards  of 
$4,000.  The  location  was  on  George  street.  In  1905  they  had  outgrown 
their  quarters  and  sought  a  new  place.  They  sold  their  property  for 
$15,500  and  decided  to  build  on  Hawes  avenue,  which  they  did  at  a  cost 
of  $50,000.  It  was  dedicated  September  2,  1906,  the  address  being  deliv- 
ered by  Rev.  R.  D.  Roeder,  of  Butler,  Pennsylvania.  The  building  is  an 
imposing  edifice  on  the  plan  of  Gothic  architecture.  It  is  54  by  100  feet 
in  size,  and  comfortably  seats  five  hundred  persons.  Additions  have 
recently  been  made,  making  it  much  more  comfortable  for  Sunday  school 
work.    Rev.  Charles  R.  Keiter  was  called  as  minister  in  191 5. 

The  Reformed  Church — Many  of  the  Reformed  churches  are  inter- 
mingled with  the  Lutheran  churches,  the  two  building  and  worshiping 
in  the  same  church  edifices.  The  Reformed  (or  "German  Reformed,"  or 
"German  Presbyterians")  came  from  different  parts  of  Germany,  both 
resisted  the  Catholic  church,  and  only  differed  on  a  few  points  of  church 
polity  and  belief,  hence  could  well  harmonize  in  a  new  country. 

From  the  best  obtainable  information,  the  first  Reformed  church  in 
New  Hanover  was  built  in  1720.  Its  first  pastor  was  Rev.  John  Philip 
Boehm.  At  first  the  congregation  worshiped  in  a  log  building,  still 
standing  in  1790,  when  they  erected  a  fine  brick  building  which  in  1869 
was  remodeled.  The  history  of  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  society  in 
Towamencin  township  has  been  covered  in  the  Lutheran  history  in 
this  chapter.  The  date  of  its  organization  was  1729.  Reiff's  Lutheran 
Church  in  Lower  Salford  was  among  the  very  earliest  to  be  established 
in  Pennsylvania  with  a  building  and  pastor  of  its  own.  It  was  formed 
in  173 1,  but  its  history  is  not  well  preserved.  St.  Luke's  Reformed 
Church,  whose  building  stands  at  the  lower  end  of  Trappe,  was  founded 
1742,  by  Rev.  Michael  Schlatter.  They  built  in  1755.  The  first  pastor 
was  Rev.  Philip  Boehm.  The  church  built  in  1835  was  torn  down  and 
a  new  one  erected  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  pike.  Limerick  Union 
Church  was  brought  about  in  181 7,  when  the  corner  stone  of  a  church 
was  laid  and  in  1818  it  was  dedicated.     It  was  the  combined  property 


132  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  bodies.  A  Union  Sunday  school  was 
formed  in  1840.  In  1875  the  old  church  was  taken  down  and  a  new  one 
provided.  This  stands  a  half  mile  above  Limerick  square.  The  oldest 
tombstone  there  is  dated  1733. 

The  Lutheran  congregations  at  Pottstown  owe  the  town  proprietor, 
John  Potts,  for  the  first  land  they  had  in  the  place,  for  he  donated  lot 
No.  89  on  Hanover  street  to  be  used  as  a  burying  ground  and  on  which 
to  build  a  church.  The  first  log  house  was  erected  there  in  1772,  and 
regular  services  were  afterwards  maintained.  In  1796  the  Reformed 
church  and  Lutherans  united  in  building  a  brick  church  costing  $6,000, 
three-fourths  of  which  was  raised  by  the  Lutherans.  In  187 1  the  Old 
Brick  church  was  no  longer  a  union  building  but  sold  to  the  Reformed 
branch.  Then  was  incorporated  the  German  and  English  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Emanuel  Church.  Their  building  was  dedicated  in  1872,  and 
its  cost  was  $33,000.  Since  then  the  two  churches  have  been  independ- 
ent of  each  other,  both  doing  excellent  work.  Present  membership  is 
1441. 

Transfiguration  Lutheran  Church,  of  Pottstown,  was  organized  in 
1859.  It  now  has  a  membership  of  524.  A  building  was  commenced 
that  year  at  the  corner  of  Hanover  and  Chestnut  streets  and  was  dedi- 
cated February,  1861  ;  the  cost  was  $12,050.  In  1896  the  auditorium 
was  thoroughly  renovated ;  the  cost,  including  costly  memorials  given, 
was  $13,000.  A  fine  parsonage  was  donated  the  church  at  this  time,  the 
bequest  of  two  members,  and  is  known  as  the  Fritz  and  Saylor  Memo- 
rial Parsonage.  Its  cost  was  $10,000  exclusive  of  the  land.  At  present 
this  church  has  legacies  amounting  to  $10,400.  This  is  one  of  the  mag- 
nificent church  properties  in  Montgomery  county. 

St.  James  Lutheran  Church,  of  Pottstown,  was  organized  in  March, 
1896,  and  now  has  260  members.  Here  the  edifice  was  built  in  advance 
of  the  organization  of  the  church,  it  having  been  a  gift  of  Mrs.  Lovina 
Fegely  as  a  memorial  to  her  husband.  It  was  finished  and  dedicated  in 
June,  1892.  A  new  church  was  erected  in  1916,  costing  over  $50,000. 
The  membership  is  large  and  active. 

Grace  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  of  Pottstown,  was  formed  in 
July,  1896.  There  were  sixty-two  charter  members  in  the  society.  The 
original  building,  40  by  45  feet,  with  an  annex  20  by  22  feet,  with  tower 
and  belfry,  was  finished  by  the  end  of  the  year  and  was  consecrated 
January  10,  1897.  So  rapid  has  been  the  growth  of  the  congregation  that 
the  building  has  been  enlarged  three  times.  In  191 5  two  large  galleries 
were  added.  As  now  appears,  the  founders  of  this  additional  Lutheran 
church  in  Pottstown  made  no  errors  when  they  planned  to  organize  a 
new  congregation. 

Jerusalem  Lutheran  Church,  of  Schwenksville,  was  organized  in  1835. 
The  minister  who  founded  the  congregation  was  Dr.  J.  W.  Richards,  of 
Trappe.     The  first  distinctive  church  was  erected  in  1835,  at  a  cost  of 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  133 

$1,350.  It  was  a  two-story  stone  building  with  gallery  on  three  sides. 
It  stood  across  the  road  from  the  cemetery.  After  1889  this  denomina- 
tion did  not  use  the  building  but  it  was  still  used  by  the  Reformed 
people.  In  1897  it  was  razed  and  ceremony  was  had  around  the  corner 
stone,  the  contents  of  which  were  divided  between  the  Lutherans  and 
Reformed  churches.  The  present  church  was  built  in  the  village  of 
Schwenksville,  and  consecrated  April  21,  1889.  The  parsonage  was 
erected  in  1909,  and  was  given  by  a  member;  the  following  inscription 
gives  the  facts:  "This  parsonage  was  erected  A.  D.  1909  by  Mary  S. 
Geiger  as  a  memorial  to  her  father,  Jacob  Schwenk,  founder  of 
Schwenksville." 

Emmanuel's  Lutheran  Church,  of  Souderton,  was  organized  in  1859, 
and  recent  reports  gave  its  present  membership  at  five  hundred.  The 
first  pastor  was  Rev.  Berkemyer,  who  served  for  seventeen  years.  The 
building  was  completed  in  1859  and  improved  and  enlarged  in  1886.  The 
church  was  legally  incorporated  in  1888.  The  right  to  women  in  voting 
in  the  church  was  extended  to  them  in  1894.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  first  church  was  almost  a  mile  out  of  town,  and  as  the  congre- 
gation grew,  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  house  of  worship  nearer,  so  in 
April,  1903,  it  was  decided  to  build  in  the  village  or  borough  of  Souder- 
ton. The  corner  stone  was  laid  May  31,  1903,  and  it  was  finished  as  a 
completed  house  of  worship  March  20,  1904. 

St  John's  Lutheran  Church  at  Sumneytown  was  organized  in  1857, 
and  the  corner  stone  for  the  church  was  laid  May  24,  1858.  The  church 
was  incorporated  in  1870.  In  its  more  than  a  half  century  this  congre- 
gation has  flourished  and  been  a  power  in  its  community.  St.  Paul's 
Lutheran  Church,  at  Telford,  was  organized  in  1906  and  now  has  a 
membership  of  about  two  hundred.  Their  handsome  church  was  built 
in  1908,  costing  $11,000. 

The  Church  of  Goshenhoppen,  one  mile  west  of  East  Greenville,  was 
formed  before  1731,  but  how  far  back  no  one  knows  now,  for  lack  of 
record.  Six  acres  of  land  were  donated  from  the  great  Sproegel  Manor 
for  church  purposes,  is  how  this  location  was  selected  by  these  some  of 
the  Fathers  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America.  At  first  they  were 
associated  with  the  Lutherans,  but  before  1800  had  become  independent 
of  them.  In  1884  it  was  said  of  the  New  Goshenhoppen  Church:  "This 
is  a  large  brick  edifice,  built  in  the  year  1857.  It  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  showy  churches  to  be  found  outside  of  the  cities,  and  is  the 
third  church  built  at  the  same  place." 

The  Reformed  Church,  at  Indian  Creek,  was  organized  in  1753,  by 
Rev.  Jacob  Rees.  A  lot  was  bought  in  1754,  and  the  next  year  a  church 
built  there.  In  1775  it  was  replaced  by  a  rough  stone  building  which 
was  in  use  until  1826,  when  the  third  church  was  erected.  In  1879  the 
brick  building  was  erected,  and  is  still  used.  In  the  early  eighties  the 
congregation  had  a  membership  of  four  hundred.    The  Leidy  Reformed 


134  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Church,  below  Souderton,  was  built  in  1858.  New  Jerusalem  Reformed 
Church,  in  Perkiomen  township,  known  as  the  Keely's  church,  was 
jointly  Lutheran  and  Reformed.  In  1835  a  new  church  was  built.  It 
is  four  miles  from  Trappe,  one  mile  from  Schwenksville.  Pottstown 
Reformed  Church  was  established  1765,  and  its  history,  which  is  con- 
nected with  that  of  the  Lutherans,  is  somewhat  obscure,  but  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  Lutheran  church  history  for  such  information  as  could 
be  secured. 

Trinity  Reformed  Church,  of  Norristown,  was  built  of  stone  at  the 
corner  of  Marshall  and  Cherry  streets,  in  1876.  Rev.  Daniel  Feete  was 
its  first  pastor.  The  building  was  much  improved  in  1883,  when  the 
membership  was  eighty.  The  Reformed  Church  of  the  Ascension,  in 
Norristown,  was  built  in  1847,  the  congregation  having  been  formed  the 
year  before.  This  stands  on  Airy  street,  below  Swede.  It  was  enlarged 
in  1859.    It  is  one  of  the  strong  congregations  of  Norristown  to-day. 

The  Reformed  Church,  of  North  Wales,  was  a  part  of  St.  Peter's 
Church,  already  mentioned,  until  1866,  at  which  time  the  Reformed 
congregation  erected  the  church  edifice  in  North  Wales.  For  history  of 
Falkner  Swamp  Reformed  Church,  in  Frederick  township,  see  Lutheran 
history  of  both,  under  head  of  Lutherans.  The  Lansdale  Reformed 
Church  was  organized  in  1877,  and  that  year  erected  a  brick  church  46 
by  60  feet  in  size. 

The  Schwenkfelders — This  plain  German  sect  were  the  followers  of 
Casper  Schwenkfeld,  of  the  Silesian  nobility,  who  lived  in  Martin 
Luther's  time,  born  in  1490.  After  his  church  was  broken  up  in  Europe, 
the  handful  remaining  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania  in  1734,  planting  a 
colony  in  this  county  and  other  parts  of  the  State.  They  erected  a 
meeting-house  in  the  eastern  corner  of  Lower  Salford  township,  near 
Shippack  creek.  The  first  minister  was  Rev.  George  Weiss,  who  was 
buried  here  in  1740.  They  never  grew  to  be  of  much  importance  among 
the  new  sects  that  in  those  days  sought  to  overturn  the  old  established 
churches,  but  through  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Christopher  Schultz  a  more 
complete  organization  was  effected  in  1782.  Previous  to  1789  no  edifice 
was  built  by  them,  but  meetings  were  held  at  private  homes.  School- 
houses  were  then  used  until  1869,  when  a  meeting-house  was  built  by 
them.  Like  the  Friends,  they  opposed  war  and  would  not  engage  in  it. 
In  the  French  and  Indian  war  they  subscribed  £260  in  aid  of  the 
Friendly  Association,  to  gain  and  preserve  peace  with  the  Indians. 

Another  church  of  this  faith  was  started  in  Towamencin  township, 
two  miles  from  Kulpsville.  Its  date  of  starting  is  uncertain,  but  between 
1782  and  1790.  In  1735  Elder  George  Weiss  held  meetings  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. The  oldest  stone  in  the  churchyard  bears  date  of  1745.  The 
most  common  name  found  among  this  people  here  was  Kreible.  In 
1885  there  were  five  houses  of  worship  owned  by  this  sect.  There  are 
fewer  now. 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  I35 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — For  many  years  the  only  Method- 
ist churches  in  Montgomery  county  were  Bethel,  in  Whitpain  township 
(1770),  and  some  years  later  the  Union,  near  by.  In  1870  the  church 
census  taken  by  the  United  States  gave  this  county  fourteen  Methodist 
churches,  a  number  of  them  large  and  valuable  edifices. 

The  First  Methodist  Church,  of  Norristown,  was  formed  in  1832, 
under  Rev.  John  Findley,  as  leader  of  a  class  of  eight  persons.  In  the 
year  1834  a  lot  was  purchased  and  a  stone  church  and  lecture  room 
erected  on  it.  The  location  was  on  Main  street,  near  Arch.  In  1857  a 
new  church  was  erected,  fifty  by  seventy  feet,  on  DeKalb,  near  Mar- 
shall, and  was  dedicated  in  November,  1858,  Bishop  Levi  Scott  presid- 
ing. The  church,  in  common  with  all  others  of  the  borough,  have  since 
the  Civil  War  all  constructed  handsome,  modern  and  costly  edifices. 
This  is  one  of  the  strong,  influential  churches  of  the  borough.  It  has  a 
membership  of  550;  minister's  salary  $2,400;  present  pastor,  Rev.  E.  F. 
Hoffman.  Oak  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  Norristown,  was 
formed  in  1854,  and  a  building  completed  the  following  year.  Its  first 
pastor  was  Rev.  J.  F.  Meredith.  In  1922  the  membership  was  151  ;  salary 
of  minister,  $1,600.  Hawes  Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  a 
stone  building  of  handsome  architecture,  and  stands  at  the  corner  of 
Marshall  street  and  Hawes  avenue.  This  is  one  of  the  finest  churches 
in  Norristown,  and  the  society  is  now  large.  The  minutes  for  1922  show 
a  membership  of  740;  minister's  salary  $3,000. 

The  Church  at  Cheltenham  was  very  early  in  the  county,  as  early  as 
1832,  but  there  had  been  meetings  as  early  as  1817.  Rev.  Nicholson,  of 
Germantown,  was  the  first  to  start  the  real  work  in  Cheltenham.  It 
was  made  a  station  in  1863.  It  had  property  in  1884  valued  at  $7,000. 
Harmar  Hill  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1832,  in  a 
nearby  schoolhouse.  Dr.  Bolton  donated  land  on  which  to  build,  and  a 
stone  edifice  was  built  there  under  direction  of  Rev.  J.  L.  Taft.  Hatboro 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  erected  in  1837,  as  the  gift  of  Joseph 
and  Deborah  Lehman.  This  was  displaced  in  the  eighties  by  a  more 
modern  structure.  In  1922  the  membership  was  244;  minister's  salary 
$2,400. 

Pottstown  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  formed  in  1838,  and  a 
church  erected  on  Main  street  the  following  year.  This  was  torn  away 
and  the  corner  stone  for  a  new  edifice  was  laid  in  June,  1869.  This  is  a 
fine  Gothic  building  of  red  sandstone,  two  stories  high,  and  cost  $20,000. 
The  membership  in  1922  was  605 ;  salary  of  minister,  $2,650.  Searles 
Memorial  Methodist  Church,  Pottstown,  has  a  membership  of  343  ;  salary 
of  minister,  $2,420. 

Lower  Merion  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  formed  from  a  class 
held  in  Fritz  schoolhouse  in  1840.  Dr.  Anderson  gave  the  society  a  lot, 
and  in  August,  1841,  a  handsome  one-story  stone  building  was  dedicated. 
Rev.  Richard  Greenback  was  the  pioneer  preacher  here.    The  Methodist 


136  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Episcopal  Church,  of  Evansburg,  was  erected  in  Lower  Providence  town- 
ship in  1841,  and  was  in  use  in  the  eighties.  Present  membership,  thirty. 
The  salary  is  $250.  Montgomery  Square  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  formed  and  a  building  erected  in  1842.  In  1857  this  church  became 
a  separate  charge.  The  present  membership  is  fifty-eight;  salary  of 
minister,  $250. 

Conshohocken  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1856, 
through  the  labors  of  Rev.  Lewis  C.  Pettit.  At  first  they  met  in  the  old 
Temperance  Hall.  Among  the  first  members  were  John  Major  and 
Caleb  Collins.  The  church  was  erected  during  1857,  and  later  remod- 
eled. To-day  the  Methodists  are  strong  and  have  an  excellent  edifice. 
Present  membership,  613;  salary  of  minister,  $2,000.  The  Kulpsville 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  had  its  inception  in  the  spring  of  1862, 
when  Rev.  William  M.  Ridgway  and  Rev.  Gordon,  preachers  of  the 
Perkiomen  circuit,  were  asked  to  aid  in  forming  a  class  at  Kulpsville. 
A  lot  for  the  bulding  was  donated  by  W.  R.  Bechtel.  A  neat  brick 
church  was  soon  erected  thereon.  The  property  in  the  early  eighties 
was  valued  at  $2,000. 

Jarrettown  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1865. 
Camp  meetings  were  frequently  held  and  presided  over  by  ministers 
from  Chestnut  Hill.  Finally,  a  German  named  Wiseman,  friendly  to 
this  sect,  opened  his  house  for  these  people,  and  here  the  first  class  was 
formed.  Present  membership,  132;  salary,  $1,240.  In  1863  two  Method- 
ists in  Jarrettown,  Messrs.  John  D.  Prefountain  and  William  Magargee, 
resolved  to  utilize  an  abandoned  platform  which  the  young  folks  of  the 
town  had  used  for  dancing,  and  use  it  for  worship  by  building  thereon 
a  pulpit  and  adding  seats.  Three  ministers  rotated  in  holding  preach- 
ing services  there.  In  the  spring  of  1865  these  people  were  joined  by 
those  at  Hamar  Hill,  with  Rev.  W.  P.  Howell  as  their  pastor.  That  fall 
a  great  revival  was  held  and  thirty  were  added  to  the  new  class.  More 
land  was  bought,  and  a  church  was  built  and  dedicated  September  16, 
1866.  Soon  there  were  near  a  hundred  members  in  this  church,  which 
has  carried  forward  the  work  ever  since. 

Lansdale  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  the  village,  was  the  first 
place  erected  for  church  purposes.  This  was  in  1871 ;  it  was  stone,  36 
by  45  feet  in  size,  and  was  dedicated  in  July  of  the  year  named.  Meth- 
odism in  the  place  has  made  great  strides  since  that  date,  and  now  ranks 
well  among  the  other  denominations  of  the  enterprising  borough.  The 
present  membership  is  510;  salary  of  minister,  $2,400. 

St.  Luke's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  Lower  Merion  township, 
was  originally  a  one-story  Gothic  building,  with  a  high  steeple  and  beau- 
tiful stained  glass  windows.  The  building  is  at  Bryn  Mawr,  and  was  in 
1884  looked  upon  as  a  fine  edifice. 

Royer's  Ford  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  described  in  a  former 
county  history  thus :  "The  Methodist  chapel  is  located  on  the  corner  of 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  137 

Church  and  Airy  streets,  the  land  being  donated  by  Daniel  Latshaw.  It 
is  a  plain  substantial  building  made  of  brick,  and  has  a  seating  capacity 
of  two  hundred  people.  A  large  Sabbath  school  is  of  much  help  to  the 
church  proper."  Methodism  there  to-day  is  very  prosperous,  and  they 
own  a  handsome  property.  The  membership  in  1922  was  390;  salary  of 
minister,  $3,000. 

Other  Methodist  Episcopal  churches  of  the  county  of  which  no  data 
was  obtainable  further  than  the  few  facts  here  given,  are  as  follows : 
Ambler,  with  a  membership  of  325;  pays  a  salary  of  $2,640  per  year; 
Glenside,  with  a  membership  of  339,  pays  a  salary  of  $2,500;  Jenkintown, 
has  a  membership  of  229,  pays  a  salary  of  $2,280 ;  North  Wales,  mem- 
bership of  241,  salary  paid,  $2,100;  William  Penn,  membership,  1,266,  sal- 
ary $1,120;  Valley  Forge,  membership  23,  supplied. 

The  Evangelical  Association  (German  Methodist)  erected  their  build- 
ing in  Norristown  in  1859.  It  is  a  brick  building  on  Cherry  street,  above 
Airy.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Seneca  Breifogle.  The  Evangelical 
church  at  Lanside  was  erected  of  brick  in  1875,  the  same  year  in  which 
the  society  was  organized.  At  first  it  was  connected  with  the  Hatfield 
church.  The  Evangelical  Association  at  East  Greenfield  was  formed 
about  1824,  when  a  lot  was  purchased,  although  the  building  was  not 
erected  until  1873,  prior  to  which  date  the  society  used  public  buildings 
and  met  at  private  houses.  The  membership  was  never  large,  but  it 
included  some  of  the  best  men  and  women  in  the  community,  mostly 
thrifty  farmers. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church — This  denomination  was  among  the 
latest  to  organize  churches  in  Montgomery  county,  this  from  the  fact  that 
nearly  all  of  the  pioneer  settlements  were  effected  by  Protestant  people, 
and  what  few  Catholics  did  live  here,  went  to  Philadelphia  to  worship. 
This  was  continued  until  1835,  when  the  first  congregation  gathered  at 
Norristown  and  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  the  next  year.  From 
1850  many  Catholics  settled  in  the  county,  especially  along  the  river  and 
canal  works. 

St.  Patrick's  Roman  Catholic  Church,  at  Norristown,  was  originally 
built  in  1837;  it  was  a  stone  structure  three  stories  high.  This  soon 
became  too  small,  and  in  1859  another  was  erected,  65  by  149  feet  in  size. 
Bishop  Neuman  dedicated  this  edifice.  Near  by  was  the  school,  erected 
in  three  buildings,  also  the  rectory.  In  1884  the  congregation  was  esti- 
mated at  three  thousand  members.  The  parochial  school  was  opened  in 
1875  and  soon  five  hundred  were  in  attendance.  The  information  sought 
for  in  connection  with  the  present  history  of  this  church  was  not  fur- 
nished the  writer,  hence  does  not  appear.  It  is  known,  however,  that 
this  is  one  of  the  strongest  parishes  in  the  county.  It  changed  location 
in  about  1905,  when  the  present  fine  stone  edifice  was  completed  at  the 
corner  of  DeKalb  and  Chestnut  streets.     Both  the  church  and  its  aux- 


138  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

iliaries  are  doing  a  wonderful  work  among  the  Catholic  people  of  Norris- 
town  and  environments. 

Saint  Salvatore  Catholic  Church,  at  Norristown,  was  organized  by- 
Rev.  Lambert  Travi,  in  1903,  and  now  the  parish  has  a  membership  of 
six  thousand  souls.  The  same  pastor  who  formed  this  church  is  still 
serving  faithfully  and  well  his  congregation.  A  parochial  school  is  being 
planned  for  this  year.  This  church  was  founded  especially  for  the 
religious  interest  of  the  numerous  Italians  of  Norristown,  Bridgeport 
and  Conshohocken.  The  latter  place  was  organized  into  a  separate  mis- 
sion in  191 1.  The  first  real  Italian  immigration  to  Norristown  was  in 
1881.  For  a  decade  it  was  almost  stationary,  but  since  1890  grew  up 
annually.  There  are  about  ten  thousand  Italians  in  Montgomery  county 
— one-twentieth  of  its  population.  This  mission  is  very  successful,  and 
is  almost  free  of  debt.  Most  of  these  people  belong  to  the  working 
class,  and  have  families  who  are  anxious  to  educate  their  children  in  a 
parochial  school.  In  time  of  the  last  great  World  War,  two  hundred 
volunteers  entered  the  army  under  our  American  flag,  and  three  hundred 
more  were  drafted.  In  all,  five  hundred  saw  service  in  France,  and  be  it 
said  to  their  credit,  not  a  single  deserter  was  reported  from  among  these 
Italians. 

Saint  Margaret's  Roman  Catholic  Church,  located  at  Narberth,  was 
organized  in  December,  1900,  by  Rev.  R.  F.  Cowley,  the  present  pastor, 
under  appointment  of  the  late  Archbishop  Ryan.  The  congregation 
being  small,  services  were  held  in  temporary  quarters  until  1902,  when 
a  substantial  stone  building  was  erected  on  the  present  church  property 
on  North  Narberth  avenue,  the  corner  stone  of  which  was  laid  and 
blessed  by  Archbishop  Ryan,  November  2,  of  that  year.  This  building 
(which  forms  the  basement  of  the  present  edifice)  served  as  a  temporary 
chapel  for  a  number  of  years,  and  is  now  used  as  an  auditorium  for  enter- 
tainments, etc.  The  church  as  it  now  stands  was  completed  in  1914  at  a 
total  cost  of  $50,000,  and  was  dedicated  by  the  late  Archbishop  Pender- 
gast  on  March  22  of  that  year.  The  edifice  was  constructed  from  stone 
from  the  Avondale  quarries,  Pennsylvania,  while  the  interior  is  wain- 
scoated  throughout  with  Vermont  marble,  the  sanctuary  floor  being  of 
the  same  material.  Saint  Margaret's  Church,  with  its  three  exquisite 
white  marble  altars  and  Italian  statuary,  its  twelve  highly  artistic 
stained  glass  windows,  imported  from  Austria  just  before  the  great 
World  War,  and  other  works  of  religious  art,  is  highly  admired  for  the 
chaste  beauty  of  its  interior.  It  represents  a  present  estimated  value  of 
$100,000.  A  permanent  parochial  school  has  not  yet  been  erected,  a 
small  building  being  used  for  that  purpose  temporarily.  Originally,  this 
parish  included  Bala,  Wynnewood,  and  part  of  Ardmore,  but  such  has 
been  its  growth  since  then,  two  new  parishes  have  been  formed  from  it. 
The  present  membership  of  the  parish  is  nine  hundred  and  twenty-five. 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  139 

The  parish  of  St.  Philip  Neri,  of  Greenville,  covers,  besides  small 
portions  of  Berks,  Lehigh  and  Bucks  counties,  the  township  of  Upper 
Hanover  and  Marlboro,  and  parts  of  Upper  Salford,  Frederick  and  New 
Hanover  townships  in  Montgomery  county.  For  many  years  during  the 
last  century  the  scattered  Catholics  in  this  territory  were  visited  by  the 
Jesuit  Fathers  and  their  successors  of  Bally,  Berks  county.  In  1887  an 
attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  mission  near  Pennsburg,  and  monthly 
services  were  held  at  the  home  of  Mr.  Connelly.  Father  Alois  Misteli, 
who  succeeded  the  Jesuits,  also  had  services  in  the  same  locality,  using 
the  home  of  Francis  Walters,  near  Kleinsville.  At  that  date  there  were 
about  forty-five  Catholics  in  the  neighborhood.  Father  Misteli  opened 
negotiations  for  the  purchase  of  a  plot  of  ground  on  Main  street,  Penns- 
burg, near  the  railroad  bridge.  Stones  were  hauled  to  the  ground,  but 
the  plan  was  abandoned  as  it  was  impossible  to  secure  a  clear  title,  and 
because  of  the  seeming  decrease  in  Catholics.  From  1890  to  1912  the 
Catholics  of  this  territory  attended  services  at  Bally  or  Pottstown.  On 
the  Feast  of  All-Saints  Day,  November  i,  191 1,  the  Rev.  William  A. 
Wachter,  of  Pottstown,  conducted  services  for  the  people  of  the  district 
at  the  home  of  Max  Van  Lang.  Weekly  services  were  held  until  Janu- 
ary, 1912,  when  the  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Sullivan,  who  had  been  appointed 
pastor  of  the  new  parish  of  Collegeville,  began  holding  services  in  the 
hall  of  Jacob  M.  Kuhn,  in  Green  Lane.  This  hall  was  used  by  various 
priests  to  June,  1917.  In  1918  the  services  were  held  in  Red  Men's  Hall. 
In  1919  the  present  chapel  was  built  by  Father  Buesser.  The  church  is 
named  The  Visitation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  October  8,  1919,  East 
Greenville  was  made  an  independent  parish  with  Green  Lane  as  a  mis- 
sion. Rev.  John  Wachter  was  appointed  pastor,  and  continued  his 
labors  there  until  December  3,  1922,  when  the  new  basement-church  at 
the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Main  streets.  East  Greenville,  was  dedicated  by 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  Peter  Mason,  V.  F.,  of  AUentown.  This  church  was 
built  of  granite,  and  is  valued  at  $20,000.  The  present  number  of  souls 
in  this  congregation  is  one  hundred  and  sixty. 

St.  Eleanor,  the  Roman  Catholic  church  at  Collegeville,  was  organ- 
ized in  January,  1912,  by  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Sullivan.  He  was  succeeded 
by  pastors  as  follows:  The  Revs.  Henry  A.  Kuss,  1914-16;  Charles  J. 
Barnemann,  1916-17;  William  A.  Buesser,  1917,  and  still  pastor  of  the 
parish.  The  building  is  known  as  a  basement  church  of  stone,  forty  by 
one  hundred  and  ten  feet ;  seats  easily  two  hundred  and  fifty  persons.  It 
was  built  in  1921,  at  a  cost  of  $28,500.  The  present  number  of  souls  in 
this  congregation  is  two  hundred  and  five.  St.  Mary's  Church,  at  Delphi, 
is  attended  by  the  pastor  from  Collegeville.  There  the  church  was  built 
in  1922,  costing  $20,000. 

St.  John  the  Baptist  Greek  Catholic  Russian  Church,  of  Pottstown, 
was  established  in  1903,  by  Rev.  Andrew  Hrabar,  of  Philadelphia.  The 
congregation  now  numbers  about  one  hundred  families.     The  Sunday 


I40  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

school  has  ninety  scholars,  taught  by  Michael  Chuhrach.  The  various 
pastors  who  have  served  this  parish  are  as  follows :  Revs.  Andrew  Hra- 
bar,  John  Shosteck,  A.  Thegza,  M.  Kuziw,  P.  Popovich,  G.  Hricz,  Andrew 
Smymko,  W.  Obuzkiewicz,  and  present  pastor,  Rev.  Zeno  K.  Chanath. 

The  present  pastor  gives  the  subjoined  notes  on  the  history  of  this 
church:  The  beginning  of  the  congregation,  he  says,  dates  from  1900. 
At  that  time  there  were  twenty-five  families,  from  out  the  working 
class  almost  entirely.  These  families  planned  for  an  organization  to 
feed  their  spiritual  natures.  They  had  descended  from  the  Carpatho-Rus- 
sian  race,  and  their  native  language  was  the  "Little  Russian"  and  their 
belief  that  of  the  Greek  Catholic  church.  Their  wants  were  looked  after 
by  Rev.  Andrew  Hrabar,  of  Philadelphia,  who  rendered  them  great  aid. 
Having  no  church  building  of  their  own,  they  were  kindly  permitted  to 
use  that  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  St.  Aloysius,  at  Pottstown. 
The  services  were  not  regular.  After  two  years  of  struggle,  the  con- 
gregation had  grown  somewhat  and  decided  to  try  and  erect  a  house  of 
their  own.  In  1903  a  lot  was  bought,  or  rather  a  plot  of  ground,  in  the 
northeast  corner  of  Cherry  and  Charlotte  streets.  A  corner  stone  was 
laid,  and  in  November  the  same  year  the  house  was  ready  to  occupy.  It 
was  consecrated  November  21,  1903,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Andrew  Hodobay, 
of  Philadelphia.  There  was  no  regular  pastor  from  1903  to  1912,  but  was 
administered  to  by  outside  pastors.  This  Greek  church  at  Pottstown 
belongs  to  the  Greek  Catholic  Russian  Diocese  of  the  United  States  of 
America.  In  its  service  they  use  the  oriental  or  Greek  rite,  and  the  lan- 
guage is  old-Slavish. 

St.  Aloysius  Church  and  School  of  Pottstown  was  founded  after  the 
following  manner,  as  near  as  can  be  shown  by  records  and  written  state- 
ments of  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  William  A.  Wachter : 

In  1808,  when  the  diocese  of  Philadelphia  was  organized,  the  Cath- 
olic church  nearest  to  Pottstown,  named  Pottsgrove  at  that  time,  was  at 
Gosshenhoppen,  now  Bally.  The  church  was  thirteen  miles  distant.  It 
was  then  a  Jesuit  mission,  established  in  1743.  The  construction  of  the 
canal  by  the  Schuylkill  Navigation  Company  brought  many  Irish  Cath- 
olics to  Port  Union  and  Douglasville  in  1810.  Every  three  months  mass 
was  said  at  Port  Union,  in  the  Black  Bear  Hotel,  conducted  by  Matthew 
Ryan.  Henry  Flannery,  who  owned  a  farm  near  Douglasville,  donated 
land  on  the  south  side  of  the  Schuylkill  road,  and  upon  this  site  the 
Chapel  of  St.  Paul  was  built  by  subscriptions  of  the  boatmen,  and  dedi- 
cated in  1846.  After  the  parish  of  Phoenixville  was  organized,  Potts- 
town was  made  a  mission  of  that  place.  After  the  chapel  at  Douglas- 
ville was  built,  the  Pottstown  Catholics  profited  by  the  visits  of  priests 
to  that  place.  Some  of  the  railroaders  took  their  families  on  trucks,  or 
"manual  levers ;"  others  walked  or  went  by  carriage. 

On  September  14,  1846,  George  VanBuskirk  conveyed  to  Rt.  Rev. 
Francis  P.  Kendrick,  head  of  the  Philadelphia  diocese,  the  tract  of  land 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  141 

on  the  north  side  of  Beech  street,  at  the  junction  of  Hanover  street. 
July  20,  1854,  the  corner  stone  of  a  new  church  was  laid  by  the  Very 
Rev.  E.  J.  Sourin.  On  June  22,  1856,  the  Rev.  Philip  O'Farrell  dedi- 
cated the  church  of  St.  Aloysius  which  he  had  built.  When  the  church 
was  built,  the  section  of  Hanover  street,  north  from  Beech,  was  un- 
opened. The  building  was  a  short  distance  from  the  street,  in  the  middle 
of  the  churchyard. 

At  first  this  church  was  a  mission  of  Phoenixville.  In  the  summer 
of  1857  Rev.  J.  D.  Davis  was  appointed  pastor  by  Bishop  Newman.  The 
Douglasville  chapel  was  now  attended  by  the  pastors  of  St.  Aloysius, 
Pottstown.  During  the  pastorate  of  Father  Kyle,  a  permanent  home 
was  provided  for  the  priests.  The  walls  of  the  church  were  extended 
on  the  north  side,  and  thus  the  house  was  made  a  part  of  the  church 
building.  March  2,  1882,  a  tract  of  land  east  of  the  borough  was  secured 
for  a  new  cemetery.  The  property  was  conveyed  by  A.  G.  Saylor  and 
William  H.  Smith  to  Archbishop  Ryan  for  $785.62.  On  St.  Joseph's 
Day,  1882,  the  new  cemetery  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  Gerald  P.  Coghlan. 
In  the  spring  of  1889  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  new  church  building  on 
the  space  between  the  old  building  and  Beech  street.  The  building  was 
to  be  fifty-five  feet  on  Hanover  street  by  105  on  Beech,  to  seat  700 
people.  The  outside  walls  were  to  be  of  Howellville  rock-faced  stone. 
August  28,  1889,  the  contract  was  signed  for  the  completion  of  the  struc- 
ture by  July  I,  1890;  the  sum  to  be  paid  was  $28,323.  Isaac  Sassaman, 
of  Pottstown,  was  awarded  the  job  under  his  bid.  The  corner  stone  was 
laid  November  17,  1889,  by  Rev.  Gerald  P.  Coghlan,  assisted  by  Rev. 
I.  D.  McDermott,  and  the  building  was  dedicated  December  20,  1891,  by 
Archbishop  Ryan.  The  work  of  building  consumed  more  than  two  years. 
The  first  contract  did  not  cover  many  details  needed  later  on,  and  when 
all  was  completed  the  structure  had  cost  the  parish  nearly  $50,000. 

The  priests  who  have  had  charge  of  this  church  from  the  first  to  now 
are:  The  Revs.  John  D.  Davis,  appointed  in  1857;  William  F.  Cook, 
1858;  Thomas  McGovern,  1862;  I.  I.  Miller,  1863;  Thomas  A.  Kyle,  O. 
S.  A.,  1863;  James  A.  Miller,  1865;  C.  Sorrenteni,  1867;  John  W.  Shan- 
ahan,  1871  ;  Michael  A.  Mullen,  1873;  William  A.  McLoughlin,  1874; 
Gerald  P.  Coughlan,  1878;  J.  A.  Wagner,  1882;  H.  H.  Gormley,  1895; 
the  present  pastor.  Rev.  William  A.  Wachter,  appointed  May  24,  1909. 

St.  Aloysius  Parochial  School  was  brought  into  existence  through  the 
following  facts,  as  shown  by  records  of  the  church :  Sunday,  November 
14,  191 1,  Father  W^achter  announced  having  bought  the  house  adjoining 
the  church  property  (at  the  east  side),  for  use  as  a  convent;  the  price 
was  $3,350.  It  was  designed  to  build  a  school  in  1913,  and  the  ground 
was  in  fact  broken  September  22,  1912,  by  Father  Wachter,  and  that 
autumn  the  foundation  was  placed.  January  i,  1913,  bright  and  warm 
for  the  season,  the  corner  stone  was  laid  by  Rt.  Rev.  John  J.  McCort, 
Cardinal  Dougherty,  then  bishop  of  the  Philippines,  being  present.    The 


142  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

sermon  was  preached  by  Rt.  Rev.  Mgr.  Philip  R.  McDevitt,  superintend- 
ent of  parochial  schools,  now  Bishop  of  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania.  Au- 
gust 28  came  six  Sisters  of  St.  Francis  and  took  charge  of  the  school. 
After  Mass  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  Father  Wachter,  Tuesday  morning, 
September  2,  1913,  the  school  was  opened.  There  were  eight  grades, 
and  the  first  enrollment  was  189  pupils.  On  October  5,  1913,  the  school 
was  blessed  by  Most  Rev.  Edmond  F.  Prendergast,  Archbishop.  The 
school  building  was  erected  by  contractor  George  Koch,  of  Reading, 
and  the  architect  was  A.  A.  Ritcher,  of  the  same  city.  The  price  was 
$30,400,  outside  of  the  finishing  of  the  upper  floor.  There  are  ten  class 
rooms  and  a  large  auditorium.  In  1913  the  contributions  to  the  school 
amounted  to  $9,200.  At  present  there  are  eight  grades,  and  a  two-year 
high  school.    The  same  Sisters  named  above  are  still  in  charge. 

St.  Matthew's  Roman  Catholic  Church,  at  Conshohocken,  was  organ- 
ized in  1850,  by  Rev.  Patrick  Nugent,  of  Norristown.  A  lot  was  bought 
at  the  corner  of  Hector  and  Harry  streets,  where  a  church  was  erected, 
and  served  until  1865,  when  it  was  enlarged,  and  in  1881  a  new  building 
was  erected.  The  parochial  school  was  built  in  1870,  and  soon  had  five 
hundred  in  attendance.  In  1884  this  parish  had  2,500  souls  in  its  bounds. 
The  work  is  now  in  a  flourishing  condition,  with  excellent  buildings 
throughout. 

In  the  borough  of  Jenkintown,  in  1866,  was  erected  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  under  the  labors  of  Rev.  J.  J. 
Mellon.  The  same  was  a  two-story  stone  building  after  the  Italian  style 
and  was  built  at  the  corner  of  West  avenue  and  Pleasant  street.  Later  a 
two-story  parochial  school  building  was  provided.  As  the  years  have 
gone  by,  many  building  improvements  have  gone  forward  and  the  con- 
gregation has  grown  in  numbers  materially.  There  was  an  organiza- 
tion efifected  here  as  early  as  i860,  but  no  building  operations  then. 

Miscellaneous — In  the  eighties,  Montgomery  county  had  four  colored 
Methodist  Episcopal  churches ;  two  were  in  Norristown,  one  in  Potts- 
town,  and  one  at  Conshohocken.  At  the  last  named  place  a  neat  church 
was  erected  in  1881.  The  Colored  Ebenezer  Protestant  Methodist 
Church  of  Norristown  was  organized  in  1849,  ^"^  a  stone  building 
erected  in  1853,  costing  $875.  In  1872  this  was  much  enlarged,  and  fin- 
ally rebuilt. 

The  census  reports  in  191 5  gave  the  following  as  the  membership  in 
the  various  religious  denominations  in  Montgomery  county :  All  de- 
nominations, 90,621;  Baptist,  6,746;  German  Baptist  (Brethren),  1,087; 
Church  of  God,  56;  Evangelical  Association,  810;  Jewish  congregations 
a  membership  of  270;  Lutheran,  13,404;  Mennonites,  1,933;  Methodist 
Episcopal,  7,023;  African  Methodist  Episcopal,  961 ;  Presbyterians,  7,131  ; 
Protestant  Episcopal,  6,415;  Reformed  Church,  10,241  ;  Roman  Catholic, 
30,108;  United  Brethren,  365;  United  Evangelical,  726;  the  Christian 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS  143 

Scientists  declined  to  give  their  membership  to  the  enumerator,  hence 
they  do  not  appear  in  the  United  States  census  for  this  county.  Besides 
the  foregoing,  there  were  found  to  be  3,196  church  members  of  various 
other  church  faiths. 

Young  Men's  Christian  Association — At  Norristown  borough,  in  the 
year  1885,  there  was  organized  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 
and  it  has  had  its  existence  ever  since  that  time.  It  has  had  its  ups  and 
downs,  its  removals  from  the  original  location  on  the  second  floor  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Green  streets  to  a  place  on  DeKalb  street,  then  to  a 
purchased  large  brick  hotel  on  the  lot  directly  west  of  the  city  or  bor- 
ough building,  which  is  their  present  home,  but  not  in  keeping  with  the 
present-day  requirements  and  the  subscriptions  are  already  pledged  and 
the  work  of  razing  the  old  four-story  hotel  and  erecting  a  fine  modern 
structure  such  as  is  demanded  by  the  present  society,  will  ere  long  be 
commenced.  When  finished,  the  new  "Y"  will  cost  not  far  from  a  quar- 
ter of  a  million  dollars.  The  1923  officers  and  directors  of  the  society 
are  as  follows  :  Board  of  Directors — H.  Severn  Regar,  president ;  George 
E.  Wierman,  vice-president;  Ernest  J.  Youngjohns,  secretary;  W.  R. 
Meyer,  treasurer;  other  members  of  the  board  are:  G.  L.  Gabel,  Elias 
D.  Gotwals,  Ursinus  Grater,  Walter  L.  High,  John  H.  Halford,  A.  Mark- 
ley  Harry,  Thomas  Kingston,  E.  C.  A.  Moyer,  Joseph  A.  Ranck,  Charles 
C.  Snyder,  Norris  D.  Wright,  Charles  W.  Wainright.  The  trustees  are : 
N.  H.  Larzelere,  H.  K.  Regar,  Joseph  A.  Ranck,  H.  B.  Tyson.  The  gen- 
eral secretary  is  B.  H.  Geise. 


HIGH    SCHOOL,    POTTSTOWN— NOBLE    STREET    SCHOOL,    NORRIS- 
XOWN— WASHINGTON'S  HEADQUARTERS,  NEAR  CENTER  POINT 


CHAPTER  XII. 
EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 

The  citizens  of  Montgomery  county  may  well  have  a  pride  in  their 
public  schools  and  higher  institutions  of  learning.  Very  early  in  the 
history  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  the  matter  of  education  was  looked 
after  as  best  they  then  knew  how.  The  early  school  houses,  it  is  true, 
were  rude  round  log  structures,  daubed  with  clay  mortar,  where  one  or 
more  logs  were  left  out  for  a  window  and,  over  the  open  space,  oiled 
paper  was  placed  instead  of  window  glass.  After  the  War  of  1812  there 
was  a  decided  increase  in  the  number  of  elementary  or  subscription 
schools,  and  steady  advancement  was  made  in  school  buildings  until  the 
passage  of  the  free  school  law  in  1834.  However,  this  county  was  slow 
in  universally  adopting  the  free  school  system,  for  we  find  it  was  nineteen 
years  before  the  last  district  in  the  county  accepted  the  provisions  of  the 
law.  But  since  then  the  growth  of  the  schools  of  the  county  has  been 
steady,  alike  in  the  mixed  schools  of  the  rural  districts  and  the  various 
graded  schools  in  larger  towns  and  boroughs. 

The  first  official  step  toward  establishing  of  the  public  school  in  the 
commonwealth  was  in  1683,  when  the  following  provincial  act  was 
passed.  The  spelling  then  in  use  sounds  almost  silly  to  the  ear  of  people 
now-a-days : 

The  Governor  of  the  Provincial  council  having  taken  into  their  seri- 
ous consideration  the  great  necessity  there  is  of  Scool-Masters  for  the 
instruction  and  sober  education  of  Youth  in  the  towne  of  Philadelphia, 
sent  for  Enoch  Flower,  an  inhabitant  of  the  said  towns,  who  for  twenty 
years  past  hath  been  exercised  in  that  care  and  imployment  in  England, 
to  whom  having  been  communicated  their  minds,  he  embraced  upon 
these  following  terms:  to  learne  to  read  English,  4s.  by  the  quarter;  to 
learne  to  read  and  write,  6s.  by  the  quarter ;  to  learn  to  read,  write  and 
cast  account,  8s.  by  the  quarter;  for  boarding  a  schollar,  that  is  to  say, 
dyet,  washing,  lodging  and  schooling,  ten  pounds  for  the  whole  year. 

Six  years  later  the  fruit  of  the  labors  of  this  first  teacher,  Enoch 
Flower,  bore  fruit  in  the  organization  of  the  first  grammar  school,  in 
1689,  under  direction  of  Penn  to  Thomas  Lloyd.  This  school  was  placed 
in  charge  of  George  Keith,  a  Quaker  preacher  of  Scotch  descent,  who 
had  accompanied  William  Penn  and  Fox  in  their  travels  through  Ger- 
many in  1677.  This  school  was  chartered  February  12,  1698,  with  the 
motto  "Good  Instruction  is  Better  than  Riches."  This  school  stood  on 
the  corner  of  Fourth,  near  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and  was  School 
No.  I,  in  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania.  But  it  should  not  be 
thought  by  the  reader  that  educational  affairs  were  at  a  very  high  tide 
for  many  long  years  after  these  schools  just  mentioned  had  been  opened, 

Mont— 10 


146  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

for,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Pennsylvania,  according  to  Historian  Sherman 
Day,  between  the  thirties  and  forties  remarked  in  his  "State  History," 
that  "the  number  of  people  who  could  neither  read  nor  write  had 
increased  to  an  alarming  extent,  and  Pennsylvania  became  an  object  of 
ridicule  to  the  people  of  other  States,  who  had  been  more  careful  to  pro- 
vide a  proper  system  of  education."  It  was  early  in  the  thirties  that  the 
better  element  of  men  at  the  head  of  affairs  commenced  to  work  for  a 
higher  standard  of  public  schools. 

Montgomery  County  Schools — Ex-County  School  Superintendent 
Professor  Abel  Rambo  made  a  specialty  of  looking  up  the  early  school 
history  of  the  various  townships  within  this  county.  His  article  was 
published  in  1884,  and  from  its  contents  we  are  permitted  to  extract 
freely.  He  sought  to  show  how  each  section  of  this  county  received  the 
new  system — the  act  passed  giving  us  free  schools  in  1834-35. 

In  Whitpain  township  the  school  law  was  put  in  operation  after  a 
meeting  of  the  citizens  held  May  26,  1836;  length  of  term  six  months; 
salary  twenty  dollars  per  month.  In  May,  1837,  a  vote  was  taken  whether 
the  system  should  be  continued  or  not ;  this  stood  seventy  for  and  fifty 
against.  In  May,  1838,  a  vote  was  had  to  raise  four  hundred  dollars  to 
maintain  the  schools ;  the  vote  stood  fourteen  for  and  fifty-nine  against. 
Matters  grew  better,  for  at  the  last  contest  over  free  schools  in  this  town- 
ship, in  1841,  the  vote  in  favor  of  the  system  was  eighty-nine  for  and 
fifty-five  against.  Central  School  was  erected  here  as  early  as  1785;  the 
Ellis  school  was  first  built  in  1787,  by  residents  of  the  community. 
Sandy  Hill  schoolhouse  was  erected  in  1796.  In  nearly  all  the  schools 
of  this  county  the  old-time  wood  stoves  were  used  to  heat  with,  and  the 
boys  had  to  cut  the  stove-wood  at  noon  time.  This  state  of  affairs  con- 
tinued down  to  about  1885,  when  all  schools  were  provided  with  the 
"Morning  Glory"  or  some  other  base-burners  for  coal. 

In  Frederick  the  first  board  of  school  directors  was  formed  in  1853 ; 
length  of  term  three  months ;  salary  $18.89.  There  were  then  four 
schools  in  the  township ;  now  a  dozen  or  more.  In  Moreland  the  free 
school  system  was  first  in  operation  in  1845,  two  directors  bitterly 
opposing.  Marlborough  township  cheerfully  accepted  the  free  school 
in  1838,  built  schoolhouses,  and  put  schools  into  operation  in  1842.  Then 
came  a  bitter  opposition,  and  schools  were  abandoned  in  1842-43,  and 
subscription  schools  obtained  again.  Upper  Providence  accepted  the 
free  school  system  in  1844;  salary  was  seventy  dollars  for  the  term  of 
thirteen  weeks.  In  Limerick  the  free  school  came  into  use  about  1847. 
Only  primary  branches  were  taught ;  term  and  wages  about  the  same 
as  in  township  last  named.  About  1820  pupils  in  this  school  were  taught 
geography,  grammar,  and  surveying.  In  New  Hanover  common  schools 
went  into  effect  in  1852.  In  1855  ^"  English  school  was  founded  at 
Swamp,  and  many  scholars  came  in  from  far  and  near.  The  best  schools 
here  were  in  Pottstown,  Grosstown  and  at  Crooked  Hill. 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS  i47 

In  Worcester  the  first  public  school  was  opened,  in  1851,  and  that 
under  protest,  by  a  board  of  directors  appointed  by  the  court,  the  elected 
directors  refusing  to  serve.  Matters  grew  worse;  taxpayers  opposed 
free  schools,  and  bitter  was  the  fight.  Money  was  raised  for  sending  a 
lobby  agent  to  Harrisburg  to  get  this  township  an  exemption  from 
accepting  the  system.  The  money  failed  to  reach  the  legislature,  and 
hence  matters  grew  worse.  Business  men  who  voted  for  free  schools 
were  boycotted.  But  with  the  flight  of  a  few  years,  matters  changed. 
and  since  then  there  has  been  no  opposition  to  our  splendid  free  schools. 

Montgomery  township  accepted  the  "system"  in  1840,  but  with  small 
opposition.  Cheltenham,  on  March  16,  1838,  voted  fifty-six  to  forty  to 
accept  the  free  schools.  Up  to  1842  the  township  had  but  one  school 
house.  Then  money  was  voted  to  supply  the  township  with  two  more. 
Part  of  the  funds  here  had  to  be  raised  by  popular  subscription.  Many 
sent  their  children  to  the  Friends'  School  at  Abington.  Franconia  town- 
ship did  not  use  the  new  system  until  1851.  Before  that  date  private 
schools  obtained,  and  lasted  seventy-two  days  each  year.  In  Lower 
Merion  the  free  school  was  always  desired,  and  in  August,  1835,  it  was 
accepted  by  the  authorities,  and  $2,650  was  raised  by  tax  to  support  the 
same.  November  16,  1835,  the  first  free  school  opened  its  doors.  The 
schools  prior  to  these  free  schools  were  excellent  for  those  times,  but 
not  nearly  so  good  as  the  new  free  system. 

In  Upper  Hanover,  as  probably  in  nearly  all  the  townships  in  the 
county,  the  parochial  system  was  the  prevailing  order.  Lutherans,  Ger- 
man Reformed,  Mennonites  and  other  sects  had  their  schools,  and  the 
Catholics  had  a  school  just  over  the  line  in  Berks  county,  and,  like 
Protestants,  sent  their  children  to  their  own  church  school.  The  first 
English  school  here  was  opened  in  1835  in  an  old  carpenter's  shop. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  prolong  an  array  of  objections  and  acceptances 
of  what  every  person  now  considers  a  wise  institution,  and  all  intelli- 
gent persons  are  justly  proud  of  our  system.  More  money  goes  in  way 
of  taxes  for  public  schools  than  for  any  other  one  thing,  yet  the  people 
agree  it  is  money  well  expended. 

In  1855,  two  years  after  every  district  in  the  county  had  accepted  the 
free  school  system  under  the  law  of  1836,  the  average  number  of  months 
of  school  taught  was  seven ;  average  salary  of  male  teachers  was  $28.75 
per  month;  of  female  teachers,  $21.50  per  month.  The  number  of 
schools  had  increased  to  223,  taught  by  180  male  and  49  female  teachers. 
The  number  of  scholars  in  attendance  was  16,257,  averaging  79  for  each 
school  in  the  county.  The  cost  of  tuition  per  month  for  each  pupil  was 
fifty-eight  cents.  Is  it  not  a  wonder  that  there  could  ever  have  been 
any  opposition  to  a  system  that  had  such  wonderful  results  for  so  few 
cents  a  scholar? 

The  State  School  Superintendent's  report  on  Montgomery  county 
in  1883  gave  facts  as  follows :  Whole  number  of  schools,  370,  of  which 


148  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

thirty  buildings  were  reported  unfit  for  use ;  there  were  then  fifty-four 
log  school  houses  in  the  State,  but  none  reported  from  Montgomery 
county.  Average  months  school  taught,  eight ;  male  teachers,  171  ;  female 
teachers,  200;  male  scholars  9,711 ;  female  scholars,  8,899;  total  amount 
of  tax  raised  for  schools  in  county,  $175,895. 

A  Teachers'  County  Association  was  formed  in  this  county  in  1845, 
and  local  institutes  were  frequently  held  up  to  the  act  of  the  General 
Assembly  creating  county  institutes,  which  was  in  1867.  These  teach- 
ers' institutes,  in  one  form  or  another,  have  been  kept  up  since  first 
established  by  authority  of  the  commonwealth.  Better  teachers  have 
been  demanded  with  the  flight  of  years,  and  the  need  of  normal  schools 
and  county  institutes  has  been  well  taken  care  of. 

Academic  Schools — The  earliest  academic  school  within  Montgom- 
ery county  was  Washington  Hall  Collegiate  Institute,  founded  by  Henry 
Prizer,  at  Trappe,  in  1830.  In  1849,  Prof.  Abel  Rambo  took  charge  and 
conducted  it  ably  many  years.  The  second  academic  school  was  Tre- 
mount  Seminary,  established  in  1844,  at  Norristown,  by  Samuel  Aaron, 
A.  M.,  a  noted  educator  in  his  day.  Next  came  Oakland  Female  Insti- 
tute, founded  by  Rev.  J.  Grier  Ralston,  in  1845,  ^t  Norristown ;  this  insti- 
tution was  conducted  until  the  death  of  its  founder,  in  1881.  The  fourth 
academic  school  in  the  county  was  Freeland  Seminary,  established  in 
1848,  by  Abraham  Hunsicker,  and  his  son.  Rev.  Henry  A.  Hunsicker. 
This  school  existed  from  1848  to  1869,  when  it  merged  into  Ursinus 
College.  The  fifth  of  the  academic  institutions  was  Cottage  Seminary, 
of  Pottstown,  founded  in  1850,  by  Rev.  William  R.  Work.  This  was 
purely  a  young  ladies'  school,  and  was  conducted  until  1881.  Prior  to 
this  was  established  the  Montgomery  Female  Institute,  of  Collegeville. 
This  was  organized  by  Abraham  Hunsicker  and  Prof.  J.  Warrene  Sun- 
derland, in"  1851  and  1852,  then  merged  into  the  Pennsylvania  Female 
College. 

The  Hill  Business  School  was  founded  in  1851,  by  Rev.  Matthew 
Meigs,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  John  Meigs,  Ph.  D.,  in  1876. 
That  school  property  joined  the  borough  plat  of  Pottstown,  and  its 
students  were  always  able  to  enter  college  without  further  schooling 
than  that  received  here.  The  North  Wales  Academy  and  School  of 
Business  was  started  by  Prof.  S.  U.  Brunner,  in  1867,  at  Kulpsville,  but 
four  years  later  was  moved  to  North  Wales. 

Ursinus  College — This  highly  successful  educational  institution  is 
beautifully  situated  at  Collegeville,  and  was  chartered  by  the  State  in 
1869.  It  really  succeeded  the  old  Freeland  Seminary,  where  more  than 
two  thousand  men  were  graduated  with  high  honors  during  the  existence 
of  the  institution.  While  it  was  never  the  property  of  the  Reformed 
Church,  it  has  been  in  harmony  with  the  theological  teachings  of  that 
church.    The  founder  of  this  college  was  Rev.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger,  who 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS  149 

was  its  president  from  1870  until  death  claimed  him  in  1890.  The  next 
president  was  Rev.  Henry  W.  Super.  In  1892,  Bomberger  Memorial 
Hall  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $62,000.  It  was  in  1869  that  funds  were 
raised  with  which  to  buy  Freeland  Seminary ;  a  charter  was  obtained, 
and  the  work  of  opening  a  new  institution  went  forward  rapidly.  Of 
the  present,  it  may  be  said  that  this  institution  (named  for  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  reformers  and  scholars  of  the  days  of  the  Reforma- 
tion period,  Ursinus,  of  the  University  of  Heidelberg),  that  it  was  incor- 
porated by  the  Legislature,  on  February  5,  1869,  and  has  been  highly 
successful  ever  since.  The  college  grounds  contain  fifty-six  acres, 
including  the  fine  lawn  and  campus  of  twelve  acres.  The  present  offi- 
cers of  the  corporation  are :  Harry  E.  Paisley,  president ;  Edward  A. 
Krusen,  first  vice-president;  A.  D.  Fetterrolf,  second  vice-president; 
Rev.  S.  L.  Messinger,  secretary ;  J.  Truman  Ebert,  treasurer.  Up  to  the 
date  of  his  death,  recently,  Hon.  John  Wanamaker,  of  Philadelphia,  was 
one  of  the  three  members  of  the  advisory  council.  The  buildings  con- 
sist of  Bomberger  Memorial  Hall,  named  for  the  first  president,  a  large, 
imposing  Pennsylvania  marble  structure,  built  strictly  up-to-date.  The 
Alumni  Memorial  Library  building  is  now  in  course  of  construction ;  it 
is  of  Chestnut  Hill  stone  in  colonial  style.  It  will  hold  sixty  thousand 
books  easily.  It  is  fire-proof,  well  lighted  and  near  the  college  proper. 
It  is  being  built  by  the  alumni  and  non-graduates,  as  a  tribute  to  their 
fellows  who  served  their  country  in  the  great  World  War,  and  in  mem- 
ory of  those  who  gave  their  lives  in  the  service.  On  the  walls  of  a  beau- 
tiful vestibule  12x24  ^^^t  in  size  the  inscriptions  will  be  carved. 

Freeland  Hall,  the  original  building  of  Freeland  Seminary,  Derr  Hall, 
and  Stine  Hall,  constitute  a  group  of  worth-while  buildings,  all  of  stone, 
four  stories  high.  Olevian  Hall,  a  large  old-fashioned  dwelling  on  the 
west  campus,  is  one  of  the  residences  for  young  women.  Shreiner  Hall, 
facing  the  college,  is  another  building  for  ladies.  Trinity  Cottage,  ac- 
quired in  1916,  is  an  additional  hall  for  women.  Maples  and  Glenwood 
are  two  residences  off  the  campus,  recently  leased.  Sprankle  Hall,  a 
stone  mansion  on  the  east  campus,  is  a  large  three-story  structure. 
Super  House,  an  attractive  residence  opposite  the  College,  was  be- 
queathed by  the  late  Henry  W.  Super.  The  Thompson  Athletic  Cage, 
erected  in  1912  as  a  memorial,  is  another  splendid  property. 

A  central  heating  plant  was  installed  in  1919  and  supplies  all  the 
buildings.  The  College  Library  now  has  about  fifteen  thousand  volumes, 
while  periodicals  and  newspapers  are  almost  without  end  in  the  reading 
rooms.  The  last  year-book  shows  the  attendance  of  pupils  to  have  been 
two  hundred  and  eighty-five.  It  is  a  wonderfully  well  conducted,  modern 
institution  of  learning,  based  on  Christian  principles. 

Other  Institutions  of  Learning — Prior  to  1885  and  mostly  before 
1871,  the  following  educational  institutions  were  conducted  in  Montgom- 


I50  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

ery  county:  St.  Charles  Borromeo,  a  Roman  Catholic  school,  in  Lower 
Merion,  had  its  buildings  erected  in  1866-71 ;  Pennsylvania  Female  Col- 
lege, at  Collegeville,  185 1  ;  Ursinus  (originally  Freeland  Seminary) 
building  erected  1848;  Oakland  Female  Seminary,  1846-48;  Cottage 
Seminary,  Pottstown,  1850;  Hill  School,  Pottstown,  1852;  Washington 
Hall,  Trappe;  Frederick  Institute;  Tremont,  Norristown,  1844;  North 
Wales  Academy;  Centre  Square  Seminary;  High  School,  Norristown. 
A  number  of  these  are  still  being  successfully  conducted,  while  a  major- 
ity of  them  have  been  merged  with  other  educational  interests,  or  gone 
down  with  the  changes  that  ever  come  with  the  advancement  of  years 
and  the  progress  made  by  the  people  of  any  given  community.  Mention 
is  made  elsewhere  of  some  of  these  institutions  just  named. 

Bryn  Mawr  College  was  founded  by  Dr.  Joseph  W.  Taylor,  of  Bur- 
lington, New  Jersey,  who  died  January  i8th,  1880.  By  his  will  he  left 
the  greater  part  of  his  property  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  and  main- 
taining an  institution  of  advanced  learning  for  women.  This  college  is 
situated  at  Bryn  Mawr,  a  suburb  of  Philadelphia.  The  site  was  pur- 
chased by  the  founder  on  account  of  its  healthfulness  and  beauty,  and 
the  college  buildings  were  commenced  during  his  lifetime.  In  1880,  the 
year  of  his  death,  the  college  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  invested  with  the  power  to  confer  degrees. 
A  circular  of  information  was  issued  by  the  trustees  in  1883.  A  presi- 
dent and  a  dean  of  the  faculty  were  elected  in  the  spring  of  1884.  All  that 
could  be  learned  by  visits  and  research  into  the  plans  used  at  other 
women's  colleges  was  obtained,  including  the  methods  of  Vassar,  Smith, 
and  Wellesley.  Also,  from  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  was  borrowed 
the  excellent  system  of  major  and  minor  electives  in  fixed  combination 
to  which  Bryn  Mawr  College  first  gave  the  name  of  the  Group  System. 
In  the  spring  of  1885  the  first  catalogue  was  issued,  and  the  college  was 
opened  for  instruction  in  the  autumn  of  1885.  Three  classes  of  persons 
are  admitted  to  the  lectures  and  class  work  of  this  college — graduate 
students,  undergraduates  and  hearers. 

The  college  buildings  are  situated  at  the  beautiful  spot  known  as 
Bryn  Mawr,  five  miles  out  of  Philadelphia,  on  the  main  line  of  the 
Pennsylvania  railroad.  The  site  of  the  buildings  are  four  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  above  sea  level.  The  grounds  cover  fifty-two  acres,  and 
include  the  finest  lawns,  tennis-courts  and  three  large  athletic  fields. 
Taylor  Hall  (named  for  the  founder),  a  large  building  of  Port  Deposit 
stone,  contains  a  general  assembly  room,  ten  lecture  rooms,  and  office 
for  the  Alumnae  Association. 

Donors'  Library,  the  gift  of  friends,  graduates,  and  students  of  the 
college,  was  begun  April,  1903,  and  completed  in  February,  1907.  It  is 
built  of  a  handsome  gray  granite.  All  in  all,  it  is  a  beautiful  structure, 
and  is  well  stocked  with  very  valuable  books.  Other  buildings  include 
Dalton  Hall,  for  the  scientific  department;  the  gymnasium,  built  in  1909; 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS  151 

an  infirmary,  separated  from  the  other  buildings,  was  opened  in  1905; 
the  music  rooms.  The  central  power  house  was  erected  in  1902  as  part 
of  the  gift  of  John  D.  Rockefeller,  providing  heat,  light  and  ventilation 
for  the  entire  group  of  buildings.  Steam  is  conducted  through  tunnels 
underground  to  coils  in  the  basement  of  each  building.  Every  room  in 
the  buildings  has  its  independent  thermostatic  device,  assuring  a  regular 
degree  of  warmth. 

Among  the  noted  persons  who  have  been  instructors  at  this  women's 
college  was  ex-President  Woodrow  Wilson,  who  taught  history  here 
from  1885  to  1889. 

The  Philadelphia  Theological  Seminary  of  St.  Charles  Borromeo  is  a 
Roman  Catholic  educational  institution,  where  students  are  fitted  for  the 
priesthood.  It  is  situated  in  Montgomery  county,  at  Overbrook,  a  sta- 
tion on  the  main  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  railway,  about  five  miles  out 
of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  but  over  the  line  in  Montgomery  county. 
It  was  founded  in  1832.  At  first  it  was  in  Philadelphia,  but  was  char- 
tered by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  in  1838  under  its  present  title.  Its 
original  home  was  at  the  corner  of  Eighteenth  and  Race  streets,  Phila- 
delphia. It  was  seen  that  more  room  must  be  had,  as  the  growing  city 
was  crowding  out  the  seminary,  which  was  also  greatly  increasing  and 
needed  more  room.  So  in  1865  the  present  beautiful  site  was  purchased 
— the  old  Remington  estate,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four 
acres,  the  price  paid  being  $30,000.  To  this  was  added  a  thirteen  acre 
lot  on  City  avenue,  the  same  being  bought  in  May,  1870,  for  $12,000. 
Competent  judges  declare  the  site  and  buildings  of  to-day  to  be  among 
the  finest  educational  establishments  in  the  Republic,  and  one  of  the 
grandest  ecclesiastical  seminaries  in  the  world.  Here  the  corner  stone 
was  laid  April  4,  1866,  by  Bishop  Wood,  assisted  by  a  hundred  priests. 
The  order  of  its  architecture  is  Italian,  and  none  but  the  best  of  material 
can  be  found  within  its  structure.  The  cost  of  the  original  building  was 
$484,665.  In  the  antechamber  of  the  chapel  is  a  beautiful  white  marble 
monument  erected  in  1902  to  serve  as  a  reminder  of  the  generosity  and 
philanthropy  of  Mr.  Francis  A.  Drexel.  There  is  also  a  chaste  and  ever- 
charming  altar  erected  in  memory  of  Mr.  Drexel,  so  well  known  in 
Philadelphia. 

Among  the  noted  structures  in  the  group  of  buildings  making  up  the 
seminary  at  Overbrook,  should  be  named  the  Archbishop  Ryan  Memo- 
rial Library  Building.  This  was  finished  in  191 1,  after  two  years'  work. 
It  is  90  by  187  feet  in  size,  and  cost  $169,380.  Another  immense  build- 
ing of  the  group  is  St.  Edmond  Hall,  a  four-story  stone  structure,  40  by 
205  feet;  its  cost  was  $107,144.  One  of  the  recently  built  structures  here 
is  the  Service  Building,  the  corner  stone  of  which  was  set  October,  1917, 
and  cost  over  $100,000. 

During  the  history  of  this  great  institution  there  have  been  educated 
for  the  Catholic  priesthood  more  than  one  thousand  students  who  have 


152  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

gone  forth  into  the  world  fitted  to  do  the  will  of  their  Master.  The 
presidents  of  the  board  of  trustees  have  been :  Rt.  Rev.  Francis  P.  Ken- 
rick,  D.  D.,  1838-51;  Rt.  Rev.  John  N.  Neumann,  D.  D.,  1852-60;  Most 
Rev.  James  F.  Wood,  D.  D.,  1860-83 ;  Most  Rev.  Patrick  J.  Ryan,  D.  D., 
LL.  D.,  1884-1911 ;  Most  Rev.  Edmond  F.  Pendergast,  D.  D.,  191 1,  who 
is  still  serving. 

The  Hill  School,  of  Pottstown,  is  one  of  the  excellent  educational 
institutions  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania.  It  was  founded  in  1851  by  Rev. 
Matthew  Meigs,  Ph.  D.,  LL.  D.,  ex-president  of  Delaware  College,  and 
formerly  of  the  University  of  Michigan.  The  twelve-acre  tract  on 
which  it  was  first  situated  lies  in  the  eastern  border,  adjoining  the  cor- 
porate limits  of  the  beautiful  borough  of  Pottstown,  on  the  main  line  of 
the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  railway.  It  is  on  a  sightly  hill  overlooking 
the  wonderfully  beautiful  Schuylkill  Valley.  As  long  ago  as  1883  the 
buildings  were  all  steam-heated  and  supplied  with  electric  lighting,  with 
hot  and  cold  water  in  every  room.  It  is  what  its  name  indicates — a  pre- 
paratory school  where  the  student  fits  himself  for  his  duties  in  the  active 
world  by  being  further  fitted  upon  leaving  the  institution  to  at  once  enter 
any  college  or  university  in  the  land.  It  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
third  generation  of  the  founders'  genealogical  stock — grandfather,  father 
and  son.  In  1876  the  founder  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  John  Meigs, 
Ph.  D.,  by  whom  the  school  was  reorganized  with  special  reference  to 
the  work  of  preparation  for  college  and  scientific  school.  On  March  4, 
1884,  the  buildings  of  the  school  were  destroyed  by  fire.  On  the  ist  of 
October  the  same  year  the  work  was  resumed  in  the  new,  modern  struc- 
ture, and  since  that  time  numerous  spacious  buildings  have  been  erected, 
until  the  present  group  is  interesting  to  view  from  either  within  or  with- 
out. In  1920  the  entire  property  was  carefully  appraised  for  the  purpose 
of  insurance,  at  over  $1,520,000.  The  real  estate,  now  comprising  more 
than  154  acres,  was  put  in  at  $180,000.  The  total  assets  of  the  school 
were  thus  in  excess  of  $1,700,000. 

The  chain  of  head  masters  in  this  school,  with  much  other  valuable 
information  concerning  the  institution,  will  be  found  in  the  biographical 
section  of  this  work,  in  the  Meigs  and  Edwards  sketches.  In  brief,  it 
may  be  stated  that  in  1876  John  Meigs  reorganized  the  school,  and  then 
had  thirty  boys  and  three  masters ;  1882,  coming  of  Mrs.  John  Meigs  to 
the  Hill;  1883,  accessions  of  George  Q.  Sheppard  to  the  faculty  (62  boys, 
six  masters)  ;  1886,  bought  the  "Cottage;"  1890,  accession  of  Alfred  G. 
Rolfe  to  the  faculty  (loi  boys  and  fifteen  masters);  1895,  completion  of 
West  Wing  (228  boys  and  twenty-six  masters);  1910,  completion  of 
"Upper  School"  (347  boys,  38  masters) ;  191 1,  death  of  John  Meigs.  The 
three  great  destructive  conflagrations  that  reduced  the  plant  to  crum- 
bling walls  and  heaps  of  ashes,  were  in  1884,  1890,  and  1901,  but  Phoenix- 
like the  structures  were  soon  replaced  and  the  work  went  on.  F.  Boyd 
Edwards,  D.  D.,  present  head  master  (see  Biographical  section),  comes 
from  the  same  family  tree  as  did  the  famous  Jonathan  Edwards. 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS  I53 

The  Modem  District  School — In  searching  out  a  model  set  of  schools 
in  some  one  of  the  districts  within  Montgomery  county,  to  illustrate  the 
advancement  made  in  schools  since  the  common  school  system  obtained 
away  back  in  the  thirties,  none  seemed  as  complete  and  perfect  in  all 
their  details  as  the  schools  of  Lower  Merion  township.  This  takes  into 
account  the  class  of  buildings,  the  instructions  given,  the  corps  of  effi- 
cient officers  in  various  departments  of  the  educational  interests  of  the 
township,  etc.  The  Board  of  Education  here  at  this  time  is  as  follows: 
William  L.  Austin,  president;  Richard  J.  Hamilton,  vice-president;  Wil- 
liam J.  Brynes,  Jr.,  secretary;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Sellers,  Jr.,  Thomas  C.  Yocum, 
Dr.  William  C.  Powell,  Mrs.  H.  Wilson  Moorhouse.  There  are  now 
ten  male  and  ninety-one  female  teachers  in  this  township.  The  average 
attendance  two  years  ago  was  2,300;  average  wages  for  men,  $194;  and 
for  women,  $100  per  month.  The  total  number  of  school  houses  is 
ninety-nine.  These  buildings  have  no  superior  in  our  days.  They  must 
be  seen  and  occupied  in  order  to  make  this  statement  good. 

The  high  school  at  Ardmore  is  situated  on  a  beautiful  tract  of  four- 
teen acres,  purchased  in  1909,  1915  and  1921,  at  a  cost  of  $126,664.  The 
building  is  constructed  of  Holmesburg  granite,  with  limestone  trim- 
mings. It  contains  twenty-five  class  rooms.  All  departments,  includ- 
ing woodworking  shops,  the  science  laboratories,  the  library,  the  cook- 
ing, sewing,  art  and  commercial  rooms,  the  gymnasium  and  the  large 
auditorium  with  867  seats,  contain  modern  equipment.  This  school  is 
supplied  with  two  artesian  wells  giving  an  abundance  of  pure  water, 
stored  in  a  fifteen  thousand  gallon  tank,  all  under  automatic  control. 
The  school  has  a  most  excellent  athletic  field,  with  its  quarter  mile 
training  track. 

Ashland  school  was  built  in  1919  at  a  cost  of  $124,425,  besides  the 
grounds,  which  in  1917  cost  $8,035. 

The  Bryn  Mawr  primary  and  grammar  schools  are  models  within 
themselves.  The  latter  was  built  in  1914  at  a  cost  of  $67,247,  on  a  four- 
acre  tract  costing  in  1910  almost  $36,000  more.  School  gardens  occupy  a 
part  of  the  four-acre  tract  on  which  the  building  stands.  Other  schools 
of  this  district  are  the  Cynwyd  school,  costing  in  excess  of  $200,000; 
Merion  Square  school,  with  attractive,  substantial  buildings ;  Bala 
school,  with  eight  class-rooms,  an  office,  play-room,  a  lunch  room,  and 
.'ill  modern  equipment. 

Of  all  things  attractive  and  modern  in  these  Lower  Merion  schools, 
the  matter  of  transportation  is  the  one  that  appeals  to  everyone,  espe- 
cially to  the  older  generation  who  had  to  walk  from  one  to  three  miles  to 
attend  school,  summer  and  winter.  During  the  past  six  years  the  school 
buses  have  averaged  in  their  regular  trips  approximately  fifty  thousand 
miles.  Motor  buses  were  first  started  in  1914  with  one  autocar  in  con- 
junction with  horse-drawn  vehicles  owned  by  others,  and  in  that  year 
the  total  transportation  cost  was  $4,982.70.     At  the  close  of  the  1920 


154  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

school  year,  so  enlarged  was  the  transportation  system,  that  its  cost 
totaled  $15,162.69,  which  included  the  chauffers,  salaries,  gasoline, 
grease,  oil,  repairs  to  the  cars,  etc.  The  item  of  transportation  is  all  fig- 
ured in  when  reporting  the  total  cost  per  pupil  per  month,  in  the  grades 
to  be  $6.05 ;  in  the  high  school,  $13.45  per  month.  The  assets  and  liabil- 
ities for  the  Township's  schools  for  year  ending  July  i,  1921,  were  $1,791,- 
388.41.    Amount  in  outstanding  bonds  at  that  date  was  $627,000. 

There  are  scores  of  other  excellent  schools  within  the  county  to-day 
— places  where  the  borough  schools  have  very  fine,  modern  buildings, 
able  executive  boards  and  competent  instructors,  all  showing  the  great 
advantages  the  children  of  the  twentieth  century  have  over  their  parents 
and  grandparents;  and,  as  a  rule,  the  present-day  pupils  have  come  to 
duly  appreciate  these  educational  advantages,  which  is  seen  by  the  many 
graduates  from  our  high  schools  annually. 

While  statistics  are  usually  not  interesting,  this  table,  extracts  from 
the  latest  State  reports  on  the  districts  of  Montgomery  county,  gives 
much  imporant  and  valuable  information. 

No.  Schools    r— Teachers— \      Average.  1— Wages — \ 
Districts.                    In  District.    Male.   Female.  Attendance.    Male.   Female. 

Abington  Township  58  10  43  1,222  $137  $85 

Ambler   Borough    20  i  20  549  175  72 

Bridgeport   Borough    16  i  15  570  218  85 

Cheltenham   Township    70  10  62  1,444  142  91 

Collegeville   Borough    6  i  5  136  125  69 

Conshohocken  Borough   33  2  31            132  76 

Douglas  Township  9  4  5  197  57  54 

Dublin    (Upper)    Township 17  i  16  413  70  72 

East  Greenville   Borough 10  2  8  306  87  70 

Fegleville,  Ind i  . .  1  25            60 

Franconia  Township  8  3  5  275  60  60 

Frederick  Township       8  2  6  159  56  50 

Green   Lane  Borough 2  . .  2  75  ....  62 

Gwynedd   (Upper)    Township...  826  268  95  70 

Gwynedd  (Lower)    Township..  6  ..  6  165  ....  73 

Hanover    (New)    Township 927  175  60  51 

Hatborough  Borough   8  i  8  335  IS5  80 

Hatfield  Borough  5  i  4  170  no  70 

Hatfield  Township  7  i  6  218  70  64 

Horsham  Township 5  2  5  120            69 

Jenkinton   Borough    16  . .  14  377            

Lansdale  Borough    26  2  24  698  130  69 

Limerick  Township  12  i  11  379  60  49 

Line  Lexington,  Ind I  . .  I  24  ....  70 

Marlborough  Township   4  2  2  91  67  57 

Merion    (Upper)    Towmship 20  ..  20  752            61 

Merion    (Lower)    Township 99  10  91  2,300  194  100 

Montgomery   Township   3  . .  3  71             61 

Moreland  (Upper)    Township..  9  ..  9  236            73 

Moreland   (Lower)    Township..  716  162  125  63 

Narberth  Borough  20  3  18  450  183  89 

Norristown   Borough    117  14  103  3,583  131  76 

Norriton    (East)    Township 3  ..  3  75            75 

Norriton  (West)    Township 7  i  7  nS  122  74 

North    Wales    Borough 11  i  10  296  168  73 

Pennsburg   Borough    7  3  4  190  73  60 

Perkiomen  Township    3  . .  3  85            63 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS 


155 


Township. 

Township. 

Township.. 

Township. 
Township. 


Districts. 
Plymouth  Township 
Pottsgrove  (Upper) 
Pottsgrove  (Lower) 
Pottsgrove  (West) 
Pottstown  Borough 
Providence  (Upper) 
Providence  (Lower) 

Red  Hill  Borough 

Rockledge  Borough   

Royersford  Borough  

Sal  ford  Township    

Salford  (Upper)    Township 
Salford  (Lower)    Township 

Schwenksville  Borough    

Skippack  Township  

Springfield  Township   

Souderton  Borough  

Sumneytown,  Independent  ... 

Swamp,  Independent   

Towamencing,  Independent   . . 

Trappe  Borough  

West  Qjnshohocken    Borough 

West  Telford  Borough 

Whitemarsh  Township  

Whitpain   Township    

Worcester  Township 


No.  Schools 
Ik  District. 


4 
9 

76 

14 
8 

5 
5 

17 
4 

5 


/^Teachers — \ 
Male.    Female. 


Total    935 


137 


70 
10 
6 
3 

5 
14 


13 

5 
5 

808 


Average. 
Attendance. 

375 

41 

98 

173 

2,365 

502 

183 
159 
15s 
467 

86 
117 
301 

92 
233 
345 
578 

91 

33 
174 

42 
213 
146 
443 
128 
191 


r-lVages—^ 
Male.  Female. 
64 
52 
60 
59 
66 
58 
65 
58 
71 
70 
50 
52 
61 
70 
62 
77 
64 
60 
60 
67 
65 
59 
55 
73 


24,798 


70 
108 

75 
70 

75 

"96 
62 

51 
60 

"63 

97 
70 

70 

137 
71 
99 
95 
70 

$81 


75 
$66 


The  latest  State  reports  issued  on  the  condition  of  the  public  schools 
by  counties  in  Pennsylvania  is  dated  July  6,  1919,  and  from  such  official 
report  and  other  sources  the  following  has  been  compiled  for  Montgom- 
ery county  especially  for  this  work : 

Whole  Number  of  Schools  in  County 935 

Average  Number  of  Months  Taught  in  County 9^ 

Male  Teachers  Employed 140 

Female  Teachers  Employed 815 

Average  Salary  for  Male  Teachers  $81.00 

Average  Salary  for  Female  Teachers $66.67 

Number  of  Male  Pupils  in  Schools IS.937 

Number  of  Female  Pupils  in  Schools 15.052 

Average  Attendance 24,798 

Taxes  Levied  for  Schools  of  County $1,263,000 

Total  Receipts  for  School  Purposes $1,920,000 

Total  Amount  Expended  for  School  Purposes $1,821,000 

From  County  School  Superintendent  Landis'  annual  report  for  the 
same  school  years  above  mentioned,  it  is  learned  that  he  made  1,294 
visits  to  the  schools  of  Montgomery  county,  and  that  with  a  few  excep- 
tions, he  found  few  teachers  not  fully  up  to  the  standards  laid  down. 
On  the  subject  of  consolidated  schools,  he  noted  the  free  discussion 
throughout  the  county,  and  also  that  the  sentiment  favoring  such  school 
consolidation  is  rapidly  increasing;  that  wherever  such  a  system  has 
been  thoroughly  tested,  it  has  proven  highly  successful ;  that  the  item  of 
bad  roads  was  about  the  only  objection  that  could  reasonably  be  brought 
up  against  such  schools.    Concerning  teachers'  county  institutes  he  men- 


156 


HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


tioned  the  fact  of  none  being  held  that  year  (1919)  on  account  of  the 
fearful  epidemics  raging  in  the  county.  But  there  were  nine  local  insti- 
tutes held  within  the  county,  and  they  proved  very  successful  and  were 
well  attended. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
AGRICULTURE  AND  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETIES. 

In  all  ages  man  has  depended  largely  on  the  products  of  the  soil  for 
his  subsistence.  Good  farming  has  been  well  defined  as  the  process  of 
taking  large  crops  from  the  soil,  and  at  the  same  time  leaving  the  soil  as 
good  as  it  was  before  the  crop  had  been  raised.  However,  agriculture, 
strictly  speaking,  is  a  science  of  modern  birth.  The  farmers  of  Mont- 
gomery county  since  its  first  settlement  have  kept  abreast  with  the  gen- 
eral advance  in  agriculture.  In  1880  this  county  contained  6,114  farms, 
averaging  forty-nine  acres  each.  At  that  date  five  thousand  of  these 
farms  were  cultivated  by  their  owners.  The  cereals  produced  in  1879 
in  this  county  were  as  follows:  Buckwheat,  2,344  bushels;  Indian  corn, 
1,521,000  bushels;  oats,  840,000  bushels;  rye,  195,000;  wheat,  487,000 
bushels.  There  were  raised  565,000  bushels  of  Irish  potatoes  that  year ; 
the  spring  clip  of  wool,  in  1880,  was  15,480  pounds;  sixteen  acres  pro- 
duced a  crop  of  21,000  pounds  of  tobacco.  In  its  dairy  products,  a  third 
of  a  century  ago,  this  county  ranked  as  second  in  Pennsylvania,  with 
35,000  cows  whose  milk  made  over  five  million  pounds  of  butter. 

In  more  recent  years  agriculture  in  this  county  has  been  intensified, 
though  somewhat  changed  as  to  its  chief  products.  The  following  fig- 
ures are  from  the  State  reports  in  1920,  showing  the  products  of  Mont- 
gomery county  at  that  date :  Value  of  all  agricultural  products  in  county, 
$7,283,410;  total  of  manufactured  products  in  county,  $246,000,000;  num- 
ber of  manufacturing  establishments,  606;  total  number  of  persons  em- 
ployed, 32,430;  wages  paid,  $42,000,000.  Total  number  of  acres  under 
cultivation,  210,000;  number  of  farms  in  the  county,  4,840;  number  cul- 
tivated by  renters,  837;  by  owners,  4,003.  The  number  of  horses  was 
12,158;  of  mules,  328;  cattle,  33,314;  hogs,  39,000;  number  of  acres  in 
wheat,  25,600;  bushels,  449,000;  corn,  acres  of,  36,800;  bushels  of,  1,609,- 
000;  oats,  acres,  19,366;  bushels,  419,430;  hay,  acres  of,  51,868;  tons  of, 
70,000;  number  of  automobiles  used  by  farmers,  for  pleasure  or  farming 
work,  2,420;  number  farm  trucks,  669;  number  of  retail  licenses  issued 
to  merchants  in  county,  3,894;  number  wholesalers,  147. 

Agricultural  Societies — A  few  farmers  in  Jeffersonville  and  Norriton 
townships  met  together  in  the  winter  of  1845-46  at  the  little  village 
schoolhouse,  and  as  a  result  of  their  deliberations  a  constitution  was 
formed  and  signed  for  what  they  pleased  to  style  the  Jefifersonville  Agri- 
cultural Association  of  Montgomery  County.  Meetings  were  held  every 
two  months,  at  JeflFersonville  and  Penn  Square  alternately.  In  December, 
1847,  resolutions  were  passed  to  hold  a  public  exhibition  during  the 
ensuing  year.  The  names  of  committeemen  who  had  this  matter  in 
charge   were :    William    Bean,   William   Hamil,    Daniel    Smith,    Arnold 


158  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Baker,  and  Daniel  Getty.  For  lack  of  funds  no  cash  premiums  could  be 
offered,  but  instead  they  offered  certificates  of  merit.  The  fair  was  held 
on  October  19  and  20,  1848,  at  Jeffersonville.  The  address  was  delivered 
by  John  Wilkinson,  of  Chestnut  Hill,  who  stood  on  a  carpenter's  work- 
bench on  the  barn  floor  of  the  tavern  property,  and  later  the  prize  win- 
ners had  their  names  read  aloud  from  the  same  stand  by  A.  W.  Shearer. 
The  display  of  livestock  was  indeed  creditable ;  implements  of  husbandry 
exhibited  were  of  the  finest  then  manufactured  ;  plows,  threshers,  pumps, 
cider  making-  machinery,  etc.,  were  all  well  represented.  The  Ladies' 
Department  was  highly  pleasing,  and  this  was  on  the  second  floor  of 
the  west  end  of  the  building  used  for  hotel  purposes.  In  the  fifties  the 
farmers  and  their  wives  took  enough  genuine  interest  in  these  county 
fairs  to  buy  several  acres  of  land  at  Springtown  village,  where  permanent 
buildings  were  erected,  including  halls,  stock  shedding,  etc.  The  first 
fair  at  these  grounds  was  probably  held  in  October,  1850.  It  was  during 
that  year  the  name  was  changed  to  The  Montgomery  County  Agricul- 
tural Society.  Being  too  remote  from  railway  facilities,  finally  this  soci- 
ety was  moved  to  Ambler  and  reorganized,  continuing  until  1880,  when 
the  debts  swallowed  up  the  Society,  creditors  taking  over  the  property. 
Norristown  naturally  wanted  an  agricultural  society,  so  one  was 
launched,  known  as  the  East  Pennsylvania  Agricultural  and  Mechan- 
ical Society,  formed  in  December,  i860.  The  first  officers  were :  Presi- 
dent, Dr.  William  Wetherill ;  vice-president,  M.  C.  Boyer;  Samuel  E. 
Hartranft,  recording  secretary ;  Theo.  W.  Bean,  corresponding  secretary ; 
A.  Brower,  treasurer.  Twenty  acres  of  land  were  purchased  on  Stan- 
bridge  and  Marshall  streets,  and  a  large  exhibition  hall  was  erected, 
and  a  half-mile  track  was  made.  The  grounds  were  dedicated  July  4, 
1861,  when  a  fine  military  parade  was  had  with  General  William  Schall 
in  command  as  marshal.  The  last  exhibition  of  the  society  was  in  1877, 
when  it  went  down  and  the  land  was  converted  to  other  uses.  It  appears 
there  was  a  little  too  much  horse  racing  to  suit  a  majority,  and  the  Pat- 
rons of  Husbandry  then  coming  to  the  forefront,  occupied  the  special 
attention  of  farmers. 

The  Civil  War  ended  in  April,  1865,  and  "war  prices"  for  farm  prod- 
ucts soon  lowered,  to  the  loss  of  farmers,  who  were  first  to  feel  the 
change  in  prices.  Not  until  the  recent  World  War  has  the  farmer  been 
able  to  command  such  prices  as  he  was  getting  in  1865.  As  a  matter  of 
historic  value,  the  subjoined  figures  are  deemed  worthy  of  preservation, 
showing  as  they  do  what  was  the  result  of  good  farming  in  this  county, 
on  a  hundred  acre  farm  in  April,  1865  : 

250  Bushels  of  Wheat,  at  $2.50  Per  Bushel , . .  $625 

400  Bushels  of  Oats  at  $1.00  Per  Bushel 400 

500  Bushels  of  Corn,  at  $1.40  Per  Bushel 700 

300  Bushels  of  Potatoes,  at  $1.50  Per  Bushel 450 

2,400  Pounds  of  Butter,  at  60  Cents 1,440 

Pork,  Lamb,  Veal,  Wool,  Hay,  Poultry,  Orchard  Fruits  and  Dairy  Products..  600 

$4,215 


AGRICULTURE  AND  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETIES      159 

Paid  for  One  Hired  Man $300 

Paid  for  One  Boy lOO 

Paid  for  One  Hired  Girl 150 

Paid  for  Harvest  Labor I2S 

Paid  for  Taxes  and  Repairs 300 

Paid  for  Feed   400 

Paid  for  Incidental  Expenses 150 

$1,525 

Profit   $2,690 

The  Granges  of  Patrons  of  Husbandry  established  throughout  the 
entire  country  were  well  sustained  in  Montgomery  county  for  many 
years.  Among  those  well  recalled  were  those  known  as  Keystone 
Grange,  No.  2;  Good-will  Grange,  No.  7,  formed  in  1873;  Star  Grange, 
No.  562,  organized  in  1875 ;  Pennypack  Grange,  No.  8,  organized  1873 ; 
Merion  Grange,  No.  112,  organized  at  the  King  of  Prussia  schoolhouse, 
1874;  Cold  Point  Grange,  No.  606,  organized  1875,  at  the  Cold  Point 
Baptist  Church ;  Wissahickon  Grange,  No.  760,  organized  1881,  by  Mrs. 
Sarah  S.  Rex;  Pomona  Grange,  No.  8,  Montgomery  county,  organized 
in  1875.  This  included  a  union  of  all  Granges  within  the  county,  and 
met  only  annually.  Of  later  years,  the  Farmers'  Clubs  and  Farm  Bu- 
reaus have  largely  taken  the  place  of  the  old  Patrons  of  Husbandry. 

Montgomery  County  Farm  Bureau — The  provisions  calling  for  farm 
bureaus  in  Pennsylvania,  and  partly  aided  by  the  general  government  at 
Washington,  started  in  1912,  and  Montgomery  county  was  among  the 
very  first  to  have  the  benefit  of  a  County  Farm  Agent,  in  the  person  of 
A.  K.  Rothenberger,  who  opened  his  office  in  the  summer  of  1912  and 
has  been  the  county  agent  ever  since.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was 
alone,  but  since  191 5  he  has  been  aided  materially  by  the  assistance  of 
an  assistant  county  agent,  A.  R.  Kriebel.  They  have  offices  over  the 
Penn  Trust  Company,  and  have  been  able  to  accomplish  much  for  the 
farming  community  in  way  of  educational  campaigns  annually.  Among 
the  things  which  have  taken  most  of  their  time  and  attention  has  been 
developing  the  dairying  interests  of  the  county ;  providing  better  seed 
potatoes  by  obtaining  "certified"  potatoes  in  place  of  planting  the  varie- 
ties that  have  "run  out"  and  liable  to  scab  and  other  diseases ;  also  they 
have  spared  no  pains  to  inform  the  farmers  of  the  county  concerning 
the  u.se  of  lime  and  other  fertilizers  for  the  soil ;  securing  and  testing 
new  varieties  of  wheat  and  other  grains ;  making  many  experiments  and 
presenting  the  most  thoroughly  up-to-date  methods  of  breedmg  the  best 
stock  in  both  cattle  and  swine,  believing  that  none  can  be  too  good  for 
a  Montgomery  county  agriculturist  and  stock  raiser.  In  the  season  for 
such  things,  numerous  boys'  and  girls'  clubs  have  been  organized  and 
carried  forward  with  excellent  results  among  the  enterprising  young 
people  of  the  county.  The  corn  and  pig  clubs  have  been  of  lasting  good 
to  all  interested  in  farm  life,  and  year  by  year  the  interest  seems  to  be 
rapidly  on  the  increase.    The  Bureau  issues  a  neat  publication  known  as 


i6o  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

the  ''Montgomery  County  Farm  Bureau  News."  It  is  published  every 
month  in  the  year,  and  is  now  in  its  third  year. 

Since  the  old-fashioned  county  fair  has  gone  down  for  lack  of  genuine 
interest,  the  farm  clubs  and  farm  bureaus  of  this  State  have  taken  to 
holding  annual  and  semi-annual  "Farm  Products  Shows"  which  really 
have  come  to  be  wonderful  educational  affairs  for  the  several  counties 
in  this  commonwealth.  The  first  of  such  shows  held  in  Montgomery 
county  was  staged  in  Schwenksville,  in  December,  19 13.  County  Agent 
A.  K.  Rothenberger  had  during  the  latter  part  of  November  held  a  num- 
ber of  local  shows  to  which  the  farmers  brought  their  exhibits,  and 
these  were  then  taken  to  the  County  Show.  A.  program  was  arranged 
for  the  day  and  evening,  consisting  of  addresses  and  illustrated  lectures 
by  instructors  from  the  State  College.  The  following  year  the  show 
was  held  in  the  City  Hall  at  Norristown,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
cooperating.  In  addition  to  the  four  classes  of  corn,  prizes  were  ofifered 
in  potatoes  and  for  canned  products,  merchants  and  business  men  of 
the  town  rented  space  along  the  sides  of  the  large  auditorium  and  in- 
stalled attractive  displays  of  their  wares  and  goods.  Year  by  year  these 
exhibits  grew  "better  and  better,"  and  many  educational  features  were 
added  as  the  years  went  by.  It  has  now  come  to  be  one  of  the  real  events 
of  the  year,  to  which  farmers  and  their  families,  together  with  the  busi- 
ness men  of  the  county,  look  forward  with  interest.  It  is  a  County  Agri- 
cultural Fair,  but  instead  of  being  out-doors,  subject  to  the  uncertainties 
of  weather,  it  is  under  cover  and  can  run,  "rain  or  shine."  Last  Decem- 
ber the  ninth  annual  of  these  farm  exhibits  was  held  in  Norristown  and 
was  accounted  a  success  in  all  ways. 

It  goes  almost  without  saying  that  the  salary  paid  County  Agent 
Rothenberger  ($2,600)  and  that  allowed  for  an  assistant,  is  money  well 
expended  in  Montgomery  county,  where  the  calling  of  a  farmer  needs 
more  stimulation  than  it  does  in  other  sections  of  the  State  where  large 
manufacturing  plants  do  not  obtain  as  they  do  here. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
JOURNALISM. 

The  number  of  newspapers  which  have  existed  in  Montgomery 
county  is  very  large,  and  it  is  impossible  to  trace  in  detail  the  history  of 
them.  For  more  than  fifty  years  after  the  organization  of  the  county 
there  were  but  two  local  journals,  the  Norristown  Herald,  which  was 
Federal  in  politics,  and  the  Norristown  Register,  which  supported  the 
National  Republican  (subsequently  the  Democratic)  party.  The  first 
printing  office  in  the  county  was  established  in  1799,  by  David  Sower,  at 
Norristown,  who  in  June  of  that  year  commenced  the  publication  of  a 
small  paper  which  he  called  The  Norristown  Gazette.  It  continued  but 
one  year,  and  was  immediately  succeeded  by  the  Herald.  The  Norris- 
town Register  was  established  in  1800  at  Norristown,  by  William  Wilson. 

The  conditions  of  journalism  were  widely  different  from  those  which 
exist  at  the  present  day,  but  an  examination  of  the  files  of  these  early 
publications  will  show  that  they  met,  what  we  may  infer,  were  the 
demands  of  the  time.  There  was,  of  course,  no  general  presentation  of 
the  news  of  the  day,  as  now  collected  by  telegraph,  telephone  and  a  large 
staff  of  reporters.  "Reporting"  was  an  art  of  later  invention.  A  matter 
of  more  than  common  interest,  a  disastrous  fire,  a  serious  breach  of  the 
peace,  called  forth  a  paragraph  rather  in  the  nature  of  editorial  com- 
ment, than  a  narration  of  the  facts. 

But  the  editor's  column  teemed  with  reading  matter  of  another  and 
not  less  interesting  description.  From  private  correspondence  and  from 
the  columns  of  his  exchanges  he  gathered  a  great  amount  of  valuable 
information,  and  those  who  catered  to  the  taste  of  the  reading  public  of 
Montgomery  county,  did  so  with  judicious  care. 

A  series  of  letters  written  from  Europe,  published  in  the  Herald  dur- 
ing the  early  part  of  the  present  century,  and  written  by  an  officer 
attached  to  the  American  squadron  then  cruising  in  the  Mediterranean, 
would  even  now  interest  the  average  reader.  The  letter  writer  of  that 
day  enjoyed  an  advantage  which  has  been  lost  to  his  posterity.  No 
correspondent  would  now  dream  of  noting  the  bombardment  of  an 
important  seaport  by  any  means  less  quick  than  the  cable.  But  when 
such  correspondence  was  the  sole  source  of  information,  it  may  well  be 
imagined  that  the  unpretentious  sheets  in  which  it  was  published  were 
sought  for  with  eagerness  and  read  with  profound  interest.  Nor  were 
the  works  of  the  editor  confined  to  the  columns  of  his  exchanges.  His 
pages  often  contained  extracts  from  works  of  the  highest  merit.  He 
reproduced  the  thoughts  of  Addison,  Locke,  and  other  philosophical 
celebrities.    Books  were  not  as  easily  accessible  as  they  are  now,  and  the 


i62  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

editor  of  a  century  ago,  if  he  had  not  the  means  of  collecting  news  which 
has  been  so  efficiently  developed  within  the  memory  of  the  present  gen- 
eration, he  supplied  other  and  equally  important  mental  food. 

The  early  journals  were  not,  however,  entirely  devoid  of  local  inter- 
est. If  reporters  were  not  employed,  their  services  were  not  so  indis- 
pensable as  they  have  since  become.  Full  accounts  of  all  political  gath- 
erings of  importance  appear  in  the  respective  organs  over  the  signatures 
of  their  secretaries.  Societies  of  various  descriptions  were  equally  ac- 
commodating. While  the  editors  did  not  feel  called  upon  to  give  their 
own  views  on  public  questions  at  length  in  every  edition,  they  opened 
their  columns  freely  to  correspondents  of  their  own  political  faith,  and 
the  correspondents  seldom  failed  to  take  advantage.  Over  assumed 
names  they  argued  matters  of  public  controversy,  abused  opposition 
parties  and  put  awkward  questions  to  candidates,  in  a  style  upon  which 
the  modern  writers  of  political  literature  have  made  little  if  any  improve- 
ment, excepting  that  now-a-days  perhaps  there  is  much  less  freedom  in 
the  casting  of  opprobrious  names,  and  the  use  of  invective.  The  progress 
of  the  county  journals,  the  increase  in  their  size  and  number  and  the 
change  of  their  character  have  been  as  gradual  as  has  been  the  altera- 
tion of  the  conditions  under  which  their  business  is  conducted. 

There  were,  at  the  beginning  of  1923  twenty-eight  newspapers  pub- 
lished in  Montgomery  county,  in  eighteen  different  localities.  The  fol- 
lowing table  gives  their  names,  etc. : 

Publication  Publication 

Papers.  Office.  Politics.  Editions.  Days. 

Gazette  Ambler  Local    Weekly Thursday 

Chronicle  Ardmore Republican Weekly Saturday 

Record    Ardmore Independent . .  .Weekly Wednesday 

Home  News Bryn  Mawr Independent . .  .Weekly Friday 

Record    Bryn  Mawr Local    Weekly Friday 

Independent Collegeville   Independent . .  .Weekly Thursday 

Recorder Conshohocken Independent . .  .Semi-Wky Tu.  and  Fri. 

Public  Spirit Hatboro Independent . . .  Weekly Saturday 

Times    Hatfield Local    Weekly Thursday 

Times-Chronicle Jekintown Local    Weekly Saturday 

Reporter Lansdale  Independent ..  .Weekly Thursday 

Republican  and  Review.  .Lansdale  Republican Weekly Thursday 

Our  Town Narberth Local    Weekly Thursday 

Herald Norristown   Republican Daily  and  W.. .  .Ev.  &  Men. 

Times   Norristown   Republican Daily   Evening 

Law  Reporter Norristown   Legal   Weekly Thursday 

Tribune Norristown   Republican Weekly Friday 

Record   North  Wales Independent . .  .Weekly Saturday 

Town  and  Country Pennsburg  Independent . . .  Weekly Saturday 

Blade Pottstown Ind.  and  D . . .  .Weekly Saturday 

Montgomery  Ledger Pottstown Independent . .  .Weekly Tuesday 

Ledger Pottstown Independent . . .  Daily  Evening 

News Pottstown Independent . . .  Daily  Morning 

Social  Educator Pottstown Socialist Weekly Saturday 

Advertiser  Royersford Republican Weekly Friday 

Item  Schwenkville Independent . .  .Weekly Thursday 

Montgomery  Transcript.  Skippack Republican  .. .  .Weekly Thursday 

Independent Souderton Independent . .  .Weekly Friday 


JOURNALISM  163 

Just  about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1923  two  important  and  radical 
changes  were  made  in  the  newspaper  personnel,  one  in  Norristown,  and 
one  in  Lansdale.  The  oldest  paper  in  Norristown  was  The  Herald, 
founded  in  1799  under  the  name  of  The  Gazette.  Its  first  issue  was 
dated  June  13,  1799,  but  its  name  was  shortly  afterwards  changed  to 
The  Herald,  the  first  issue  under  that  name  being  dated  October  13, 
1800.  The  next  oldest  newspaper  established  was  The  Norristown  Reg- 
ister, in  1800.  It  was  several  times  a  daily,  but  from  1880  ran  continu- 
ously as  a  daily,  until  it  suffered  a  peaceful  dissolution  several  years  ago. 

The  Norristown  Times  was  founded  as  a  daily  in  1881  by  William  P. 
Rennyson,  its  first  issue  being  on  November  11  of  that  year.  It  was  the 
first  one-cent  paper  in  the  community,  was  from  the  start  enterprising, 
and  soon  gained  great  popular  favor.  As  the  community  grew  from  a 
little  borough  to  a  city  in  size,  it  grew  with  it,  and  for  the  last  decade  its 
issues  compared  favorably  with  the  newspapers  of  the  larger  cities.  It 
carried  a  full  telegraphic  news  service,  had  a  corps  of  fifteen  reporters 
and  editors,  and  its  issues  ran  from  twelve  to  thirty-two  pages. 

The  Herald  and  the  Register  both  maintained  the  status  of  a  country 
daily  and  both  soon  lost  prestige  and  circulation,  so  much  so  that,  as 
has  been  stated,  The  Register  passed  peacefully  away  several  years  ago, 
without  even  a  sheriff's  sale,  and  The  Herald,  according  to  all  indica- 
tions, was  on  the  same  road,  when  in  the  latter  part  of  1921  it  was  bought 
by  R.  B.  Strassburger,  who  placed  it,  too,  on  a  metropolitan  basis.  Despite 
all  the  money  lavished  upon  The  Herald,  however,  it  did  not  suc- 
ceed in  gaining  either  circulation  or  advertising.  On  the  ist  of  January, 
1923,  the  business  men  and  the  citizens  generally  were  astounded  by  the 
announcement  published  simultaneously  in  both  The  Herald  and  The 
Times  that  Mr.  Strassburger  had  bought  The  Times  from  its  owner,  and 
was  about  to  consolidate  the  two  newspapers  on  January  i.  The  Herald 
is  now  published  under  the  name  of  The  Times-Herald. 

In  March,  1923,  several  of  the  members  of  The  Times  organization 
began  the  publication  of  a  weekly  called  The  Norristown  Tribune.  Like 
The  Times,  it  promises  to  support  the  interests  of  the  people  as  a  whole, 
and  expresses  the  belief  that  it  will  soon  be  a  daily. 

In  Lansdale,  two  newspapers  were  published,  both  weeklies — The 
Reporter,  founded  in  1870,  and  The  Republican,  founded  some  years  sub- 
sequently. On  January  i,  1923,  it  was  announced  that  the  younger  news- 
paper had  absorbed  the  older,  and  that  the  Reporter  was  consolidated 
with  The  Republican. 

Looking  Backward — The  following  address,  delivered  on  the  occa- 
sion of  the  Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  Dinner  of  the  Press  League  of 
Bucks  and  Montgomery  Counties,  at  the  Hotel  Bellevue-Stratford,  Phil- 
adelphia, March  18,  1922,  by  Hon.  B.  Witman  Dambly,  of  the  Skippack 
Transcript,  gives  an  intimate  personal  touch  to  the  publishers  and  publi- 
cations in  the  county : 


i64  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

As  we  look  backward  and  listen  in  the  deep  silence  of  a  quarter  of  a 
century — March,  1897,  to  March,  1922 — we  seem  to  hear  "the  muffled 
tramp  of  years,  come  stealing  up  the  slope  of  Time." 

Beginning-  in  the  last  decade  of  the  last  century  this  League  has 
lived  through  and  into  three  decades  in  the  present.  This  fact  is  quickly 
stated,  but  a  review  of  any  particular  line  of  human  endeavor  is  not  so 
easily  recited  and  disposed  of.  The  two  oldest  living  members  of  the 
League,  Messrs.  E.  S.  Moser  and  W.  F.  Goettler,  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago  were  thirty-two  years  old,  and  the  youngest  member  was  not  at  all. 
Such  as  were  not  at  all,  since  1897  have  been  born,  have  worn  the  livery 
of  the  devil,  married,  and  have  become  fathers  and  grandfathers.  Those 
of  us  who  were  in  the  flesh  in  1897  have  become  fathers. 

Thirty-one  members — nine  from  Bucks  and  twenty-two  from  Mont- 
gomery county — have  passed  over.  All  ranged  in  years  from  middle  life 
to  three-score  and  ten.  The  number  of  those  who  have  died  equals  about 
seventy-five  per  cent,  of  our  present  membership.  Our  twenty-five  years 
have  included  seven  presidential  terms — from  McKinley  to  Harding. 
Seven  governors  have  served  in  Pennsylvania  during  the  same  period. 
Bucks  county  has  gone  from  70,000  people  to  83,000  in  1920;  Montgom- 
ery county  from  123,000  to  199,310.  In  Bucks  county.  Press  Leaguers 
were  honored  with  office  in  the  wise  Thomas  of  Bristol,  sent  to  the  Leg- 
islature ;  Grim  to  the  Senate ;  Meridith  was  made  high  sherifif ;  Althouse, 
county  treasurer;  Oscar  Bean,  register  of  wills.  In  Montgomery  county 
the  late  I.  R.  Haldeman  was  clerk  of  the  Legislature ;  John  S.  Leidy  was 
chosen  county  auditor;  R.  R.  Freed  to  the  Legislature;  I.  H.  Bardman 
present  county  treasurer ;  and  I.  Crawford  Johnson  clerk  of  the  courts. 
Of  our  honorary  members,  Charles  B.  Spatz  answered  the  call  of  the 
Berks  county  protectariat  and  went  to  the  Legislature,  so  that  our  craft 
and  present  Press  League  has  been  called  upon,  always  by  the  people, 
to  contribute  both  ornament  and  use  to  the  State  and  county  govern- 
ment of  and  for  the  people,  and  the  end  is  probably  not  yet. 

When  the  League  was  born  in  1897,  the  Norristown  Herald,  the  old- 
est paper  in  the  county,  was  ninety-eight  years  old.  It  was  established 
the  year  Washington  died  and  Perkiomen  bridge  at  Collegeville  was 
built — 1799.  The  Herald  is  now  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  years 
old.  The  Doylestown  Intelligencer,  next  oldest  in  the  counties,  now  is 
one  hundred  and  eighteen  years  old,  while  the  Doylestown  Democrat, 
youngest  of  the  three  oldest  weeklies,  is  one  hundred  and  six  years  old. 
The  Pottstown  Ledger  is  seventy-nine  years  of  age ;  Lansdale  Reporter, 
fifty-two  years ;  Collegeville  Independent,  forty-seven  years  old ;  Bryn 
Mawr  Home  News,  forty-five  years  old ;  Hatboro  Spirit,  forty-nine  years 
old;  North  Wales  Record,  forty-six  years  old;  Schwenksville  Item,  forty- 
five  ;  Souderton  Independent,  forty-two  years  old.  Of  the  dailies,  the 
Norristown  Herald  is  the  oldest  in  the  two  counties.  It  was  established 
in  1869,  and  is  fifty-three  years  old ;  the  Conshohocken  Recorder  was 
established  the  same  year. 

The  newspaper  man  now  in  the  League  longest  in  consecutive  serv- 
ice is  E.  S.  Moser,  of  Collegeville.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  established 
The  Independent,  in  1875,  and  probably  was  the  youngest  publisher  in 
the  State.  Next  in  line  of  the  living  comes  William  F.  Goettler,  of 
Souderton.  He  with  Charles  L  Peale  started  a  German  paper  at  Sou- 
derton in  1878,  called  the  Germania  Gazette.  About  a  year  and  a 
half  later  (1879),  Peale  dropped  out,  and  The  Independent  was  estab- 


JOURNALISM  165 

lished  by  Mr.  Goettler,  who  was  then  about  twenty-one.  Both  Mr. 
Moser  and  Mr.  Goettler  are  in  their  sixty-fifth  year;  both  are  grand- 
fathers, and  in  no  sense  grandmothers.  Neither  "'has  sought  happiness 
o'er  all  the  earth."  On  the  contrary,  they  have  found  it  on  their  own 
door-step  at  Collegeville  and  Souderton. 

Bucks  county  now  in  1922  has  fifteen  newspapers,  and  Montgomery 
county  twenty-six.  Of  these  nine  were  established  within  the  life  of 
this  League.  During  the  same  period  twelve  papers  went  out  of  exist- 
ence, of  which  five  were  German.  To-day  not  a  German  publication 
remains  in  these  two  counties.  A  comparison  of  the  counties  with  their 
neighbors  shows  that  Berks  has  eleven,  Lehigh  fourteen,  Chester  fifteen, 
and  Delaware  seventeen  newspapers.  Of  the  11 75  in  the  State,  187  are 
dailies  and  662  weeklies.  This  is  an  average  of  a  fraction  more  than  nine 
papers  of  the  weekly  type  in  the  sixty-seven  counties.  In  these  twenty- 
five  years  the  weeklies  of  this  League  printed  1,300  issues  and  the  dailies 
7,800  issues.  Only  the  realization  that  "nought  treads  so  silent  as  the 
foot  of  Time,"  makes  it  possible  to  believe  this  recital  of  what,  after  all, 
can  be  but  a  small  fraction  of  the  whole  story  of  the  weeks  and  months 
that  now  figure  up  to  a  quarter  of  a  century  of  League  History. 

This  spells  long  and  tireless  application  to  a  craft  that  is  amongst 
the  most  constructive  of  the  forces  of  our  times.  But  think  of  those 
who  were  long  in  the  harness  when  the  League  was  born.  Several  of 
our  members  had  already  laid  back  a  score  of  years  when  the  League 
was  formed,  and  are  now^  approaching  a  half-century  in  the  editorial 
harness — 40,  43  and  47  years  of  service  respectively.  Not  with  a  sepul- 
chral voice,  but  prompted  by  an  appreciation  of  what  two  score  and  more 
years  of  such  service  represents,  I  am  sure  I  express  the  sincere  wish  of 
the  rest  of  the  members  of  the  League  to  those  veterans  of  the  craft 
and  quill,  that  may  Time  lay  his  hand  upon  your  hearts  gently,  not 
smiting  them,  but  as  a  harper  lays  his  open  palm  upon  his  harp,  to 
deaden  its  vibrations. 

As  to  the  departed  members,  more  than  one  a  year  on  an  average 
has  "gone  upon  his  wanderings."  Thus  it  becomes  most  true  of  the 
Leagfue,  that 

"As  life  runs  on,  the  road  grows  strange. 
The  mile-stones  into  head-stones  change, 
'Neath  everyone  a  friend — one  each  year." 

They  sleep,  but  the  loom  of  life  never  stops,  and  the  pattern  which 
was  weaving  when  the  sun  went  down  is  weaving  when  it  comes  up 
to-morrow. 

We  have  greater  pleasures  in  this  twenty-fifth  anniversary  than  in 
any  other.  But,  see  what  it  brings  to  us !  It  brings  that  thing  which  all 
resist,  that  is  the  frigidity  of  age.  "Men  shut  their  doors  against  a  set- 
ting sun."  Strange  but  true!  Why  is  it?  "Age  is  opportunity  no  less 
than  youth  itself,  and  as  the  evening  twilight  fades  away,  the  sky  is 
pitted  with  stars  invisible  by  day." 

But  this  retrospect  must  close.  The  first  day  of  another  quarter  of  a 
century  is  pressing  upon  us.  What  distinct  lesson  learned  in  the  twenty- 
five  years  laid  back  will  we  carry  with  us  into  the  to-morrow?  Might 
one  be  the  conviction  that  the  press  has  lost  none  of  its  popularity  and 
power,  both  to  entertain  and  instruct?  Whatever  else  families  in  Bucks 
and  Montgomery  counties  families  are  lopping  off  the  yearly  budget,  it 
is  not  the  newspaper.     The  power  of  the  press  is  not  diminished.     I 


i66  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

sometimes  think  we  fail  to  realize  just  what  influence  we  may  wield. 
What  rational  being  in  the  interest  of  the  public  welfare  is  there  that 
could  not  be  popularized  after  a  time  throughout  all  of  Bucks  and  Mont- 
gomery counties,  if  the  forty-one  papers  in  those  counties  were  unani- 
mous in  the  advocacy  and  presented  good  reasons  for  its  adoption? 
"Individuals  can  do  many  things,  groups  of  individuals  can  do  anything." 
This  expresses  the  thought  I  have  in  mind.  One  newspaper  can  do  many 
things,  a  solid  group  of  newspapers  can  do  almost  anything.  Napoleon 
said,  "Four  hostile  newspapers  are  more  to  be  feared  than  a  thousand 
bayonets."  But  enough  of  this.  Few  callings  or  professions  have  re- 
ceived the  tributes  that  scholarly  men  and  women  have  paid  to  the  Press, 
of  which  we  are  a  part.  We  of  the  Press  League  bid  a  tearful  good-bye 
to  the  parting  quarter  of  a  century  that  is  now  rounded  out  and  passed 
out  to-night.  We  give  a  hearty  and  fraternal  welcome  to  the  new.  We 
know  that  our  craft,  like  the  everlasting  hills,  will  abide.  That  though 
men  may  come  and  men  may  go,  the  newspapers  will  go  on  forever,  and 
that  you  may  break,  you  may  shatter  the  press  if  you  will,  the  oldest  sub- 
scribers will  cling  to  it  still. 

Some  Present  Papers — In  response  to  a  set  of  information  blanks 
mailed  to  members  of  the  newspaper  craft  of  this  county,  data  has  been 
forwarded  to  the  writer  from  which  he  is  enabled  to  give  the  following 
account  of  the  papers  that  replied  to  such  blanks : 

The  Weekly  Advertiser,  of  Royersford,  was  established  February  22, 
1890,  by  Jacob  S.  Johnson,  who  conducted  the  paper  from  1890  to  1910, 
and  from  the  last  date  to  the  present  the  proprietor  has  been  L.  E.  John- 
son. It  is  a  four-page  seven-column  paper,  all  home  print.  Its  day  of 
issue  is  Friday.  Politically  this  paper  is  independent  in  its  policies.  It 
is  printed  in  a  two-story  brick  building  sixty-five  by  thirty-five  feet, 
erected  in  1915.  Its  equipment  includes  cylinder  presses,  golder, 
stitcher,  paper  cutter,  etc.  The  paper  circulates  mostly  in  the  vicinity 
of  Royersford  and  Spring  City.  It  is  an  excellent  example  of  what  a 
local  paper  should  be. 

The  Independent,  at  Collegeville,  was  established  on  June  4,  1875, 
by  its  present  owner  and  editor,  E.  S.  Moser,  who  commenced  his  labors 
as  a  newspaper  man  when  only  seventeen  years  of  age  and  has  stuck  by 
the  tripod  during  all  of  these  years,  he  now  being  the  oldest  in  service  in 
this  portion  of  Pennsylvania,  if  indeed  not  in  the  entire  commonwealth. 
The  Independent  is  issued  each  Thursday.  In  size  and  form  it  is  a  26 
by  40  eight  columns  to  the  page  journal,  full  of  interesting  and  valuable 
news  with  every  issue.  It  is  an  all  home  print,  with  a  few  columns  of 
plate.  Mr.  Moser  owns  his  own  office  building,  a  two-story  frame 
structure.  The  office  is  equipped  with  modern  machinery;  including 
cylinder,  paper  and  job  presses  capable  of  executing  all  kinds  of  com- 
mercial job  work.  The  community  in  which  Collegeville  is  situated 
should  and  probably  does  appreciate  the  efforts  of  this  veteran  editor 
who  has  sought  to  give  all  the  clean  desirable  local  news  within  his  ter- 
ritory for  the  last  forty-seven  years. 


JOURNALISM  167 

Public  Spirit  is  published  semi-weekly  at  the  village  of  Hatboro,  and 
was  established  in  1873  by  Dr.  W.  T.  Robinson.  It  has  never  been  out 
of  the  family  and  is  to-day  conducted  by  the  Robinson  Publishing  Com- 
pany, comprising  O.  E.  C.  Robinson  and  Penrose  Robinson.  It  is  a  seven- 
column  to  the  page  publication,  having  from  twelve  to  sixteen  pages 
weekly,  issued  on  Thursdays  and  Fridays.  The  equipment  consists  oi 
duplex  newspaper  press  (web),  two  cylinder  presses,  three  jobbers,  three 
linotypes,  bindery,  and  fully  equipped  for  newspaper  and  periodical  work. 
The  subscription  rate  is  $2.50  per  year.  The  building  is  owned  by  O.  E. 
C.  Robinson.  Politically,  the  paper  is  independent.  Of  its  circulation 
it  may  be  said  that  it  goes  mostly  to  the  firesides  and  business  places  of 
Lower  Montgomery  county  and  suburbs  of  Philadelphia.  The  Glenside 
News  is  also  issued  from  this  office,  and  sent  to  Glenside  for  distribution. 

The  Glenside  News  is  published  by  the  Robinson  Publishing  Com- 
pany. It  has  a  circulation  of  1,800  per  week,  and  is  edited  by  William  C. 
Faust,  with  offices  in  the  Patane  building,  Easton  road,  Glenside.  This 
paper  started  early  in  1923.  It  has  been  printed  as  an  eight-page  paper, 
except  two  issues  which  had  only  six  pages.  The  publication  day  is 
Wednesday.  It  is  separate  from  the  Public  Spirit  publication,  but  is 
owned  by  the  Robinson  Publishing  Company  and  printed  at  its  offices  in 
Hatboro,  but  is  entered  at  the  Glenside  post  office  and  mailed  there.  It 
has  a  yearly  subscription  rate  of  two  dollars. 

The  Conshohocken  Recorder  was  established  December  6,  1869,  by 
Charles  Jones,  and  he  was  succeeded  in  order  as  follows :  Haywood  & 
Davis,  Mark  H.  Wrigley,  William  L.  Prizer,  George  Evans,  Harry  B. 
Heywood,  and  the  Recorder  Publishing  Company.  It  is  an  all-home 
print  local  journal  of  the  semi-weekly  type,  being  issued  on  Tuesday  and 
Friday  of  each  week.  In  size  it  is  an  eight  page  or  more,  seven  columns 
to  the  page,  size  17  by  22  inches.  It  is  printed  in  a  building  erected  in 
1909,  a  two-story  brick  with  basement.  Politically,  it  is  independent  and 
circulates  in  the  vicinity  of  Conshohocken  and  West  Conshohocken. 
The  office  equipment  includes  perfecting  press,  linotypes,  cylinder 
presses,  saw-trimmer,  job  presses,  casting  machines,  and  other  modern 
appliances.  The  present  owners  have  conducted  the  Recorder  since 
1890. 

The  Hatfield  Times  was  established  in  1893  by  Jonas  S.  Moyer,  who 
was  succeeded  by  C.  R.  Addison,  Messrs.  Brunner,  Hacker,  and  Harry 
E.  Brunner.  It  is  a  seven-column  four-page  newspaper  issued  every 
Thursday.  It  circulates  mostly  in  Hatfield  borough  and  township ;  its 
subscription  rate  is  $1.25  per  year.  It  is  printed  on  a  Country  Campbell 
power  press  and  the  office  is  equipped  with  modem  machinery  including 
two  Chandler  &  Price  jobbers,  stitcher  and  paper  cutter.  The  building 
in  which  this  local  paper  is  printed  is  part  stone  and  part  wooden  mate- 
rial, and  in  size  is  30  by  40  feet.  It  should  be  stated  that  originally  the 
name  of  the  publication  was  the  Hatfield  Invincible.     It  is  now  an  all- 


i68  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

home  print,  except  occasionally  when  a  few  plate  columns  are  used. 
Politically,  the  Times  is  independent.  Prior  to  January  i,  1923,  the  paper 
was  conducted  jointly  by  Harry  E.  Brunner  and  L.  F.  Hacker,  but  on 
that  date  it  passed  into  Mr.  Brunner's  hands  solely. 

The  Ambler  Gazette  was  established  by  Col.  Bringhurst  in  1883,  suc- 
ceeding the  Ambler  Times  about  1885.  It  is  published  every  Wednes- 
day, and  is  all  home  print.  In  form  and  size  it  is  of  the  eight-page  six- 
column  type  of  local  paper,  and  is  printed  in  the  proprietor's  own  build- 
ing, erected  in  1897  by  A.  K.  Thomas,  and  is  a  brick  structure.  Here 
one  finds  two  linotype  machines,  power  press,  folder  and  three  jobbers. 
The  following  have  owned  the  property :  Col.  Bringhurst,  A.  K.  Thomas, 
Joseph  M.  Haywood,  the  last  named  purchasing  the  plant  in  1898.  It  is 
strictly  an  up-to-date  local  journal,  filled  each  week  with  such  local  news 
as  the  intelligent  community  demands  and  fully  appreciates. 

The  Times-Chronicle  is  published  in  the  borough  of  Jenkintown,  and 
was  established  January  i,  1895,  by  William  L.  Clayton  and  Levi  Clay- 
ton, and  is  now  owned  and  conducted  by  Mrs.  Gertrude  Clayton,  wife  of 
William  L.  Clayton.  It  is  printed  every  Saturday;  is  Republican  in 
politics ;  and  circulates  mostly  in  the  towns  along  the  Old  York  road. 
It  has  been  conducted  by  its  present  owner  since  1918.  The  office  build- 
ing is  a  stone  structure  erected  in  1898,  and  is  of  brick  and  stone.  The 
publication  is  a  twelve-page  seven-column  paper,  and  is  all  home  print, 
with  about  fifty  per  cent,  local  news.  The  equipment  includes  a  good 
Campbell  power  press  for  the  paper,  and  for  the  jobbing  department 
four  modern  jobbers  are  in  action  most  of  the  time.  In  all  that  is  good 
and  clean  in  way  of  local  news  items,  this  paper  has  its  full  share  weekly. 

The  Schwenksville  Item  was  established  in  1877  by  Rev.  N.  B. 
Grubb,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Irvin  H.  Banham,  who  took  the  paper 
as  proprietor  in  May,  1883,  and  has  conducted  it  ever  since.  Politically, 
it  is  an  independent  paper,  and  in  form  and  size  is  an  eight-page  seven- 
column  paper  all  printed  at  home.  Its  publication  day  is  Thursday.  The 
building  occupied  as  an  office  for  this  printery  is  a  brick  and  frame 
structure  erected  in  1897.  The  office  equipment  includes  a  Cox  duplex 
cylinder  power  press  and  two  Chandler  &  Price  jobbers,  with  two  lino- 
type machines,  paper  cutter,  etc.  This  local  paper  has  a  good  circula- 
tion in  Montgomery  county,  and  is  a  reliable  paper  that  voices  the  opin- 
ion of  the  community  in  which  it  is  published,  is  thoroughly  progressive, 
and  well  edited. 

Town  and  Country  is  the  name  of  the  local  newspaper  in  the  borough 
of  Pennsburg.  It  was  established  April  i,  1899,  by  Charles  Q.  Hiilagass 
and  Robert  L.  Singer.  About  three  years  after  the  paper  was  founded, 
the  former  named  gentleman  became  owner  of  the  entire  plant  and  has 
conducted  it  ever  since.  It  is  printed  each  week  in  the  year,  on  Friday. 
It  is  a  seven-column  twelve-page  paper,  all  home  print.  It  has  a  good 
circulation  in   Montgomery,  Bucks,   Lehigh  and   Berks  counties.     The 


JOURNALISM  169 

office  occupies  a  three-story  building  in  which  there  is  a  fully  equipped 
printery  including  linotype  machines,  one  duplex  flat-bed  press,  one  Cot- 
terell  press,  three  Chandler  jobbers,  etc.  Politically,  Town  and  Coun- 
try is  an  independent  Democratic  newspaper,  edited  and  owned  by 
Charles  Q.  Hillagass. 

The  following  list  of  newspapers  have  at  one  time  or  another  been 
published  in  Pottstown :  Pottstown  Times,  founded  July  i,  1819,  by 
John  Royer ;  Lafayette  Aurora,  founded  February  25,  1825,  by  Glackens 
&  Keeley ;  Pottstown  Journal,  another  name  for  the  Times ;  Montgom- 
ery Ledger,  started  November  10,  1843,  by  J.  C.  Slemmer.  The  Daily 
Pottstown  Ledger  was  founded  October  i,  1873,  by  Lewis  H.  Davis  and 
William  J.  Binder;  Pottstown  Advertiser,  founded  by  David  A.  Geiger, 
October,  1873 ;  The  Chronicle,  founded  by  A.  R.  Saylor,  June  29,  1879, 
merged  into  the  Advertiser ;  Pottstown  Daily  News,  started  by  P.  Elm- 
wood  Baum,  then  owner  of  The  Chronicle,  October  i,  1887;  The  Potts- 
town Blade,  founded  by  L.  R.  Saylor  in  1890;  Weekly  Advocate,  founded 
by  Thomas  Taylor,  October  21,  1893.  Early  in  the  nineteenth  century 
a  number  of  papers  were  launched  here,  including  the  Anti-Abolitionist, 
Rural  Visitor ;  The  Advocate,  by  John  Royer,  published  in  German,  in 
1826;  Friend  of  the  People,  1826;  Gazette,  1834;  Democrat,  Pottstown 
Tariffite,  1842,  Cottage  Visitor.  At  present  (1923)  Pottstown  has  three 
newspapers — the  Ledger,  News,  and  Blade. 

The  Pottstown  Ledger  represents  the  second  oldest  newspaper  pub- 
lication in  Montgomery  county.  It  is  the  only  afternoon  daily  news- 
paper in  Pottstown,  its  service  extending  through  the  upper  end  of 
Montgomery,  northern  Chester  and  lower  Berks  counties.  In  its  present 
status  it  is  making  rapid  advancement.  Being  aggressive,  Republican  in 
politics,  and  aiming  to  give  all  the  news  which  is  news,  gains  the  publi- 
cation many  friends.  The  Pottstown  Ledger  Company  is  officered :  P. 
Quinn  Roth,  president,  treasurer  and  manager ;  H.  E.  Roth,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  Earl  R.  Roth,  secretary  and  editor.  These  three  also  comprise  the 
board  of  directors,  and  are  the  sole  owners  of  the  publication  and  printing 
plant,  the  latter  being  located  at  High  and  Charlotte  streets,  Pottstown. 

P.  Quinn  Roth,  as  a  member  of  a  widely  known  family  of  newspaper 
workers  of  AUentown,  Pennsylvania,  was  one  of  the  small  group  who 
became  identified  with  the  AUentown  Item  when  it  was  founded  as  one  of 
the  first  daily  papers  in  that  city  in  1881.  Mr.  Roth  became  identified  in 
1896  with  the  Norristown  Times,  and  with  his  practical  experience  as 
a  printer,  writer,  circulation  builder,  and  his  executive  ability,  aided  in 
bringing  The  Times  to  the  front  rank,  where  it  was  leading  all  others 
in  Montgomery  county,  when  he  retired  therefrom  in  October,  1921,  to 
assume  the  management  of  the  Pottstown  Ledger.  He  finally  acquired 
the  Ledger  in  September,  1922.  Mr.  Roth  and  his  sons  have  long  been 
identified  with  the  Bucks-Montgomery  Press  League. 


lyo  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Earl  R.  Roth,  one  of  the  three  sons  of  the  president  of  the  Pottstown 
Ledger,  is  directing  the  editorial  work  of  the  Ledger  as  one  of  the  young- 
est men  in  editorial  charge  of  a  daily  newspaper.  He  is  a  protege  of  the 
Norristown  Times,  having  gained  his  early  experience  under  the  tutor- 
ship of  his  father.  He  was  selected  to  place  the  Bristol  (Pennsylvania) 
Courier  on  the  progressive  road,  and  in  three  years  established  it  in  a 
new  and  ideal  printing  home.  Later  he  was  selected  to  place  the  affairs 
of  the  Ridgelield  Park  (New  Jersey)  Review  on  the  road  to  success. 
Assuming  the  editorship  of  the  Ledger  in  November,  1921,  he  has  gained 
a  host  of  friends  for  himself  and  the  Ledger  by  his  aggressive  writings 
and  splendid  newspaper  work.  He  is  an  active  Rotarian  and  Elk,  and 
regarded  as  an  authority  on  music,  and  a  critic  of  marked  ability. 

Raymond  W.  Roth,  editor  and  publisher  of  The  Call,  of  New  Cum- 
berland, Pennsylvania,  was  also  a  protege  of  the  Norristown  Times  under 
his  father's  tutorship.  Upon  his  discharge  from  the  United  States  army 
service  he  became  identified  with  the  Bristol  Courier  and  in  1921  he 
acquired  The  Call.  In  due  time  he,  too,  will  be  actively  identified  with 
the  Ledger. 

The  first  newspaper  in  Pottstown  was  started  in  1819  by  John  Royer, 
under  the  name  of  the  Pottstown  Times.  The  first  issue  bears  date  July 
I,  1819,  a  four-page  paper,  four  columns  to  the  page,  and  these  copies 
are  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  February  5,  1825,  Daniel  Glackens 
and  Joshua  Keeley  established  the  Lafayette  Aurora,  a  twenty-column 
weekly.  In  1826  Jacob  S.  Yost  purchased  Mr.  Keeley's  interest  in  the 
Aurora.  The  political  proclivities  of  both  newspapers  were  Democratic. 
Later,  John  Royer  started  a  German  paper,  called  The  Advocate,  and 
Mr.  Yost  another  German  paper  which  he  named  The  Friend  of  the 
People.  For  a  period  there  were  four  newspapers  in  Pottstown.  When 
J.  C.  Slemmer  finally  purchased  the  Pottstown  Times,  he  changed  the 
name  to  the  Pottstown  Journal.  Finally,  on  November  10,  1843,  Mr. 
Slemmer  merged  the  publication  with  the  Montgomery  Ledger,  a  publi- 
cation that  for  many  years  thereafter  was  the  only  newspaper  published 
in  Pottstown.  On  April  16,  1845,  Andrew  H.  Gififen  and  Jacob  D. 
Streeper  became  the  editors  and  publishers.  In  1849  ^^-  Streeper  became 
the  sole  editor  and  publisher.  On  April  i,  1854,  Lewis  H.  Davis  became 
associated  in  the  editorship,  and  a  year  later  (April  i,  1855),  he  became 
one  of  the  owners.  Colonel  W.  L.  Williamson,  on  April  i,  1857,  acquired 
Mr.  Streeper's  one-half  interest,  and  William  J.  Binder,  on  April  i,  1866, 
purchased  Colonel  Williamson's  interest  in  The  Ledger.  On  October  i, 
1873,  Messrs.  Davis  and  Binder  established  the  Daily  Ledger.  In  1879 
L.  H.  Davis  sold  his  interest  in  both  the  Montgomery  Ledger  and  the 
Daily  Ledger  and  printing  plant  to  Mr.  William  J.  Binder,  the  latter 
becoming  sole  owner  and  publisher.  In  1890  Hilton  S.  Binder,  oldest  son 
of  the  publisher,  became  associate  editor,  a  post  he  held  for  thirty-one 


JOURNALISM  171 

years.  On  April  5,  1920,  William  J.  Binder  sold  The  Pottstown  Ledger 
to  Paul  L.  Diefenderfer,  Mr.  Binder  retiring  after  an  uninterrupted 
period  of  over  fifty-four  years.  The  Pottstown  Ledger  Company  then 
became  incorporated  with  these  officers :  President,  James  H.  Morris ; 
vice-president,  William  M.  Bunting;  Paul  L.  Diefenderfer,  secretary, 
treasurer  and  manager.  On  October  10,  1921,  Mr.  Diefenderfer's  inter- 
ests were  acquired  by  P.  Quinn  Roth,  who  became  the  treasurer  and 
manager.  On  September  8,  1922,  P.  Quinn  Roth,  H.  E.  Roth  and  Earl 
Roth,  acquired  all  the  interests  in  the  Ledger,  and  became  the  owners 
and  publishers. 

The  Pottstown  News  really  had  its  birth  in  the  establishing  of  the 
Pottstown  Advertiser,  by  David  A.  Geiger,  in  October,  1873.  Mr.  Geiger 
died  in  1877,  and  the  plant  passed  to  A.  R.  Saylor  in  June,  1879.  He 
changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  The  Chronicle,  which  it  was  called 
until  it  became  the  Pottstown  Daily  News,  by  P.  Elmwood  Baum.  This 
change  was  made  in  October,  1887,  when  Baum  took  the  paper  and  con- 
tinued to  conduct  it  five  months,  when  he  was  found  dead  in  his  office, 
with  pen  in  hand  and  close  to  his  unfinished  editorial ;  he  was  in  the 
prime  of  his  manhood.  He  it  was  who  changed  the  name  of  The  Chron- 
icle to  the  Pottstown  Daily  News.  Thomas  Taylor  conducted  the  paper 
then  until  1902,  after  which  it  was  the  Pottstown  Daily  News  Publishing 
Company.  In  1913  the  word  "Daily"  was  dropped  from  its  head,  making 
it  simply  the  Pottstown  News.  Great  changes  in  this  newspaper  since 
A.  R.  Saylor  and  his  "tramp  printer"  used  to  run  on  a  Washington  hand- 
press  five  hundred  papers  and  then  take  them  out  and  deliver  the  most 
of  them  around  town,  and  these  days  when  it  takes  a  troop  of  seventeen 
boys  and  men  to  deliver  the  3,900  papers  in  Pottstown  and  Stowe  every 
morning.  It  now  has  a  regular  circulation  of  7,230  copies  daily.  It  was 
started  as  a  four-page  four-column  paper,  and  now  appears  as  a  twelve- 
page  seven-column  daily  paper.  It  circulates  in  a  territory  covering  one 
hundred  square  miles,  including  five  rural  routes,  with  almost  1,700  papers 
daily.  This  modern  plant  is  housed  in  a  three-story  brick  building  20  by 
60  feet,  all  used  for  the  extensive  printing  business  carried  on.  Polit- 
ically, it  is  independent.  As  to  its  equipment,  all  that  needs  to  be  said  is 
that  all  is  modern  and  up-to-date  machinery,  including  five  linotypes, 
casting  machines,  trimmers,  paper-cutters,  job  presses  and  a  duplex  flat- 
bed press  for  a  twelve-page  paper.  Anything  demanded  from  a  modern 
printery  can  here  be  obtained. 

The  Pottstown  Blade  was  established  on  December  13,  1890,  by  L.  R. 
Saylor,  and  was  conducted  later  in  the  following  names :  L.  R.  .Saylor 
Estate,  L.  R.  Saylor  Sons,  L.  R.  Saylor  Sons,  Incorporated.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  company  is  George  H.  Saylor,  who  is  also  the  editor.  It  is 
published  every  Saturday  morning;  is  a  six-column  per  page  (sometimes 
seven),  four  or  more  pages  ;  it  is  all  printed  at  home,  and  has  a  good  local 


172  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

circulation.  The  company  owns  its  own  building  at  iii  High  street,  a 
three-story  brick  structure.  Politically,  The  Blade  is  independent.  It  is 
well  equipped  with  modern  printing  machinery,  including  one  linotype, 
four  jobbers,  two  cylinder  presses,  power  cutter,  two  steel  make-up 
tables,  power  punch  and  perforating  machine,  power  wire  stitcher,  job 
folder,  with  other  useful,  up-to-date  appliances  for  executing  the  best  of 
printer's  work,  even  up  to  that  high  up  in  art.  As  a  clean,  news-full 
local  newspaper.  The  Blade  stands  for  all  that  is  good  in  the  community. 

The  Souderton  Independent,  in  the  borough  of  Souderton,  was  estab- 
lished in  1878  by  W.  F.  Goettler,  and  has  been  conducted  by  this  gentle- 
man together  with  his  son.  In  size  and  form  this  newspaper  is  an  eight- 
to  twelve-page  paper,  with  seven  columns  to  the  page.  It  is  an  all- 
home  print,  and  issues  on  Friday  each  week,  though  really  printed  on 
Thursday  afternoons.  Its  subscription  rate  is  $1.50  per  year.  The  Inde- 
pendent circulates  mostly  at  Souderton,  Telford,  Hatfield  borough  and 
Franconia  township,  Montgomery  county,  and  in  Hilltown  township  and 
Silverdale  in  Bucks  county.  The  proprietors  own  their  own  office  build- 
ing, which  is  a  one-story  brick  structure  with  a  deep  basement  35  by  72 
feet  in  size.  The  paper  is  a  live  local  organ,  with  modern  equipment, 
including  job  printing  machinery — three  cylinder  presses,  three  rotaries, 
two  linotype  machines,  a  stitcher,  folder,  cutter  and  all  that  makes  up  a 
first  class  office  to-day. 

The  Ardmore  Record,  of  Ardmore,  Lower  Merion  township,  was 
established  in  1892,  and  is  published  every  Thursday  and  has  a  circula- 
tion of  1,500.  It  was  founded  by  James  Dougherty,  Haverford,  and 
taken  over  by  Senator  Algernon  B.  Roberts.  Its  present  owner  is  Fanny 
M.  Hawkins,  who  has  conducted  it  as  a  live,  clean  local  newspaper  for 
the  last  seven  years.  It  has  eight  pages  of  seven  columns  to  the  page; 
is  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  equipped  with  a  cylinder  press,  five  job- 
bers, paper  cutter,  folder,  stitcher,  and  near  three  hundred  fonts  of 
Moser  faced  type. 

Bucks-Montgomery  Press  League — No  history  of  the  newspapers  of 
Montgomery  county  would  be  complete  without  the  story  of  the  organ- 
ization and  the  past  of  the  Press  League  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery 
Counties,  these  counties  constituting  the  Eighth  Congressional  District 
of  Pennsylvania,  for  in  a  sense  the  history  of  the  League  is  a  history  of 
the  newspapers  and  their  editors  and  publishers.  The  organization  is 
now  twenty-six  years  old,  and  throughout  its  existence  has  been  most 
valuable  in  promoting  the  business  and  social  interests  of  the  publica- 
tions, and  their  managers  and  writers. 

The  following  brief  sketch  of  the  League  was  written  by  one  of  its 
veteran  members,  E.  S.  Moser,  of  the  Collegeville  Independent,  and 
printed  in  the  souvenir  menu  card  on  the  occasion  of  the  twenty-fifth 
anniversary  dinner  at  the  Bellevue-Stratford : 


JOURNALISM  173 

In  approaching  the  task  of  formulating  historical  data  relating  to  the 
Press  League  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery  Counties,  I  am  conscious  of  a 
defective  memory.  This  deficiency  excludes  the  presentation  of  numer- 
ous notable  incidents  that  contributed  no  small  measure  of  gratifying 
interest  to  all  who  participated  in  the  winter  and  summer  meetings  of 
our  League.  Therefore,  my  effort  in  large  part  must  comprehend  only 
facts  of  record  found  among  the  official  notations  of  the  secretary. 

It  was  the  "housewarming"  of  the  Ambler  Gazette  that  occasioned 
the  inspiration  that  materialized  in  the  organization  of  an  association  of 
editors  and  publishers.  On  March  22,  1897,  representatives  of  a  number 
of  newspapers  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery  counties  met  at  Ambler  to 
inspect  the  new  home  of  the  Gazette — an  imposing  building  reared  at  the 
instigation  of  Arthur  K.  Thomas,  owner,  publisher  and  editor  of  that 
newspaper.  Editor  Thomas,  then  full  of  energy  and  enterprise,  was 
foremost  in  effecting  preliminary  arrangements  at  the  "housewarming" 
for  the  organization  of  what  subsequently  came  to  be  known  as  the 
Press  League  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery  Counties.  It  was  upon  his 
motion  that  a  temporary  organization  was  there  formed  by  electing  B. 
Witman  Dambly  temporary  president,  and  C.  D.  Hotchkiss  secretary. 
After  discussion,  concerning  the  desirability  of  efifectuating  the  purpose 
of  the  temporary  organization,  a  committee  of  five  editors  and  publish- 
ers from  each  county  was  appointed  to  take  further  action.  This  com- 
mittee, composed  of  Morgan  R.  Wills,  E.  S.  Moser,  J.  W.  Harvey,  I.  H. 
Bardman,  B.  Witman  Dambly,  of  Montgomery  county,  and  Fred  Con- 
stantine,  W.  P.  Church,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss,  George  MacReynoIds  and  S.  R. 
Kramer,  of  Bucks  county,  met  on  Monday,  April  26,  1897,  at  3  p.  m.,  at 
the  Tremont  House,  Lansdale.  Following  the  expression  of  unanimous 
sentiment  in  favor  of  the  object  of  the  meeting  of  the  committee,  upon 
motion  of  E.  S.  Moser  a  resolution  was  passed,  extending  to  the  editors 
and  publishers  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery  counties  an  invitation  to 
attend  a  meeting  at  the  Tremont  House,  Lansdale,  on  Monday,  May  10, 
1897,  3  p.  m.,  to  permanently  organize  an  editorial  association. 

In  response  to  this  invitation  a  number  of  editors  and  publishers  of 
the  two  counties  gathered  at  the  appointed  time  and  place.  Upon  motion 
of  H.  M.  W^oodmansee,  seconded  by  E.  S.  Moser,  it  was  decided  to  effect 
a  permanent  organization,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected : 
President,  A.  K.  Thomas ;  vice-president,  Watson  P.  Church ;  secretary, 
Clarence  D.  Hotchkiss;  treasurer,  B.  Witman  Dambly.  The  members 
of  the  first  executive  committee  were :  J.  Clinton  Sellers,  Wilmer  H. 
Johnson,  E.  S.  Moser,  George  Harrison,  William  L.  Clayton,  George 
Fetterolf  and  A.  K.  Thomas.  Upon  motion  of  J.  C.  Sellers,  it  was 
decided  to  call  the  association  "The  Press  League  of  Bucks  and  Mont- 
gomery Counties."  A  committee  consisting  of  C.  D.  Hotchkiss,  H.  M. 
Woodmansee,  Wilmer  H.  Johnson,  A.  K.  Thomas  and  George  MacRey- 
noIds, drafted  the  constitution  and  by-laws,  which  were  adopted.  The 
following  members  signed  the  constitution:  A.  K.  Thomas,  Ambler; 
C.  D.  Hotchkiss,  Doylestown  ;  J.  W.  Harvey,  Lansdale ;  Elwood  Harvey, 
Lansdale;  E.  S.  Moser,  Collegeville ;  Wilmer  H.  Johnson,  North  Wales; 
William  L.  Clayton.  Jenkintown ;  H.  M.  Woodmansee,  Lansdale ; 
George  Harrison,  Hulmeville;  Jesse  Thomas,  Bristol;  Jesse  Thomas,  Jr., 
Bristol ;  J.  Clinton  Sellers,  Doylestown ;  Fred  Constantine,  Doylestown ; 
B.  Witman  Dambly,  Skippack :  E.  E.  Althouse,  Sellersville. 

Of  the  first  signers,  as  named,  of  the  constitution  of  the  League,  five 


174  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

have  passed  away,  namely :  Wilmer  H.  Johnson,  J.  Wilmot  Harvey,  H. 
M.  Woodmansee,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss  and  William  L.  Clayton.  They  are 
all  remembered  as  having  been  loyal  and  helpful  contributors  to  the  uni- 
formly successful  existence  of  the  League.  To  A.  K.  Thomas,  a  most 
active  member  in  former  years,  and  who,  because  of  impaired  health,  is 
no  longer  engaged  in  newspaper  work,  is  here  extended  the  sympathetic 
consideration  of  all  who  well  remember  his  service  and  good  will,  as  one 
of  the  founders  and  enthusiastic  supporters  of  the  League. 

On  Monday,  May  24,  another  meeting  was  held,  when  arrangements 
were  made  to  hold  the  first  summer  meeting  and  outing  of  the  League  at 
Ringing  Rocks  Park,  near  Pottstown,  on  July  14,  1897.  The  dates  and 
places  of  all  the  annual  meetings  and  summer  outings  of  the  League 
will  hereinafter  appear. 

^  :^  ^  :^  ^ 

In  glancing  backward  over  the  quarter  of  a  century  which  marks  the 
25th  anniversary  of  the  Press  League  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery  Coun- 
ties, recollections  of  its  activities  and  its  helpfulness  may  well  serve  as 
impelling  incentives  to  the  present  membership,  and  to  those  who  in 
coming  years  will  take  our  places,  and  continue  its  existence.  But  few 
relatively  unimportant  incidents  during  all  the  annual  meetings  and 
outings  of  the  League  provoked  displeasure  or  aroused  resentment,  thus 
indicating  a  remarkable  unanimity  of  purpose  and  sentiment,  and  gener- 
ous considerateness,  one  for  the  other,  on  the  part  of  the  League's 
membership. 

In  reaching  a  final  estimate,  however  imperfect,  of  the  value  of  the 
life  of  an  individual,  it  is  necessary  to  determine  the  extent  and  char- 
acter of  the  influences  exerted  by  the  individual.  A  similar  procedure 
must  be  applied  to  an  association  of  individual  units  in  their  combined 
activities  of  whatsoever  kind.  Following  this  method  the  conclusion 
is  unmistakable  that  our  League  has  been  of  advantage  to,  and  has 
frequently  cheered  and  brightened  the  life  of,  everyone  of  its  active 
members,  as  well  as  of  all  who  participated  in  the  meetings  and  outings 
of  the  League,  characterized  as  they  have  been  by  happy  greetings  and 
by  multifarious  influences  which  are  always  in  evidence  along  the 
brighter  paths  of  human  existence.  Therefore,  the  conclusion  is  clearly 
admissable  that  thus  far  the  life  of  the  Press  League  of  Bucks  and  Mont- 
gomery Counties  has  not  been  lived  in  vain :  because  it  has  made  worth 
while  contributions  to  the  rational  enjoyment  and  intellectual  help  that 
have  intercepted  its  members  on  life's  journey. 

Taking  a  restrospective  view  of  our  League,  it  is  in  place  to  note  that 
sadness — the  antithesis  of  joy — did  not  fail  to  now  and  then  impose  its 
overshadowing  gloom  upon  its  membership.  We  miss  the  touch  of  van- 
ished hands,  and  departed  are  the  cheering  smiles  and  kindnesses  of 
those  who  have  gone  upon  that  journey  from  which  no  traveler  has 
returned.  It  is  for  us  who  yet  tarry  amid  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  life 
to  cherish  memories  of  those  who  have  passed  on,  and  to  emulate  their 
virtues  and  their  good  deeds. 

In  marking  the  passing  of  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  the  life  history  of 
our  beloved  League,  may  we  all  indulge  the  sincere  hope  that  it  will 
exist  during  many  years  to  come ;  that  it  will  continue  to  be  the  source 
of  real  pleasure  and  help  to  all  who  will  from  time  to  time  represent  its 
membership  and  participate  in  its  activities. 


JOURNALISM  175 

The  annual  meeting's  of  the  Press  League  have  been  as  follows : 

May  10,  1897,  Lansdale — President,  A.  K.  Thomas  ;  vice-president,  Watson  P.  Church; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  22,  1898,  Norristown — President,  A.  K.  Thomas ;  vice-president,  Watson  P. 
Church ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  21,  1899,  Doylestown — President,  A.  Kneule ;  vice-president,  Wm.  L.  Qayton; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;    treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  20,  1900,  Philadelphia — President,  E.  S.  Moser ;  vice-president,  Wm.  L.  Qay- 
ton ;    secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  19,  1901,  Doylestown — President,  Wilmer  Johnson;  vice-president,  J.  Wilmer 
Harvey ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  25,  1902,  Lansdale — President,  Jos.  S.  Thomas ;  vice-president,  I.  H.  Bardman ; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  17,  1903,  Perkasie — President,  W.  F.  Goettler;  vice-president,  Elwood  Har- 
vey ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;    treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  22,  1904,  Pottstown — President,  H.  M.  Woodmansee;  vice-president,  Watson 
P.  Church ;    secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;    treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  21,  1905,  Bristol — President,  C.  M.  Meredith;  vice-president,  Eugene  Dambly; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  20,  1906,  Sellersville — President,  I.  H.  Bardman ;  vice-president,  E.  E.  Alt- 
house;  secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss;  treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  19,  1907,  Collegeville — President,  E.  E.  Althouse;  vice-president,  Wm.  L.  Clay- 
ton ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  18,  1908,  Pennsburg — President,  J.  Crawford  Johnson ;  vice-president,  C.  Q. 
Hillegas ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  16,  1909,  Newtown — President,  Watson  P.  Church;  vice-president,  J.  W.  Har- 
vey ;  secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  29,  1910,  Souderton — President,  J.  Wilmot  Harvey;  vice-president,  L.  R.  Say- 
lor ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  21,  191 1,  Dioylestown — President,  Ryan  Rapp;  vice-president,  Webster  Grim; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  20,  1 91 2,  Norristown — President,  E.  J.  Wanner;  vice-president,  Eugene  Dam- 
bly ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  23,  1913,  Allentown — President,  W.  S.  Schlichter;  vice-president,  Wm.  J.  Ellis; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  31,  1914,  Sellersville — President,  C.  S.  Hunsicker;  vice-president,  R.  B.  Goet- 
tler;  secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss;  treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  22,  1915,  Ambler — President,  Wm.  J.  Ellis;  vice-president,  R.  B.  Goettler; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;    treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  29,  1916,  Norristown — President,  R.  B.  Goettler;  vice-president,  F.  Bliss  Car- 
penter ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;  treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  25,  1917,  Pottstown — President,  F.  B.  Carpenter;  vice-president,  L.  R.  Saylor; 
secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;  treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  26,  1918,  Atlantic  City — President,  W.  B.  Kirkpatrick;  vice-president,  C.  W. 
Baum ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  26,  1919,  Atlantic  City — President,  Charles  W.  Baum;  vice-president,  Wm.  G. 
Hower ;   secretary,  C.  D.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  24,  1920,  Philadelphia — President,  Wm.  G.  Hower;  vice-president.  Earl  Roth; 
secretary,  Geo.  S.  Hotchkiss ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Jan.  24,  1921,  Allentown — President,  Earl  Roth;  vice-president,  Jos.  J.  McGinley; 
secretary,  Marco  G.  Bean ;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

March  18,  1922,  Philadelphia — President,  Jos.  J.  McGinley;  vice-president.  Wm. 
Watson;    secretary,  Marco  G.  Bean;    treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

April  7,  1923,  Allentown — President,  Wm.  Watson;  vice-president,  P.  Quinn  Roth; 
secretary,  Marco  G.  Bean;   treasurer,  B.  W.  Dambly. 

Summer  Outings  of  Press  League. 
July  17,  1897 — Reading,  Pa.,  and  Ringing  Rocks  Park. 
Aug.  5,  6,  7,  1898— Gettysburg  and  the  Historic  Battlefield. 
Aug.  4,  5,  1899 — Atlantic  City — Hotel  Albion. 
July  14,  1900 — Williamsport  and  Eagles  Mere. 
June  14,  15,  16,  1901 — Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls. 
June  20,  21,  1902 — Wilkes-Barre,  Harvey's  Lake  and  Mauch  Chunk. 
July  9,  10,  II,  12,  1903 — Seneca  Lake,  Geneva,  N.  Y. 
July  16,  17,  1904 — Gettysburg. 


176  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

June  IS,  i6,  17,  18,  1905 — Delaware  Water  Gap,  Kittatinny  Hotel. 
July  14,  15,  1906 — Atlantic  City — Hotel  Elberon. 
July  28,  29,  30,  1907— Jamestown,  Va.,  Jamestown  Exposition. 
July  18,  19,  1908 — Wildwood  and  Cape  May,  N.  J. 
1909 — New  York  trip  called  off. 
1910 — Atlantic  City. 
191 1 — Ambler. 
Aug.  12,  1912 — Willow  Grove  Park. 

1913 — Spring  City  and  Valley  Forge. 

1914 — AUentown,  Rittersville,  Central  Park — Col.  Trexler. 
Aug.  16,  1915 — Bryn  Mawr  and  Lower  Merion. 

191 6 — Baltimore  trip  called  off. 

1917 — Lebanon  and  Hershey. 
July  20,  1918 — Gwynedd  Valley  Fellowship  Club. 
July  20,  1919 — Harriman  and  Bristol. 
July  9,  10,  II,  1920 — Asbury  Park,  N.  J. 
Sept.  10,  II,  12,  1921 — Cape  May,  Wildwood,  Atlantic  City. 
Sept.  8,  9,  1922 — Galen  Hall,  Wernersville. 

Present  Active  Members  of  Press  League. 

Althouse,  E.  E.,  Sellerville  "Herald."  Hunsicker,  Clifton  S.,  Norristown  "Times." 

Bardman,  Irvin  H.,  Schwenksville  "Item."  Kirkpatrick,    W.     Mercer,    North    Wales 
Bardman,  Stanley,  Schwenksville  "Item."  "Record." 

Baum,  Chas.  W.,  Perkasie  "Central  News."  Knipe,  Chester  W.,  Lansdale  "Republican 
Baum,  Walter  E.,  Sellersville  "Herald."  &  Review." 

Bean,  Marco  G.,  Sellersville  "Herald."  Leidy,  John  S.,  Hatboro  "Public  Spirit." 

Bean,  Oscar    C,    Doylestown    "Intelligen-  Lutz,    George    W.,    Pennsburg    "Town    & 

cer."  Country." 

Bechel,  George,  Schwenksville  "Item."  Meredith,  Charles  M.,  Quakertown  "Free 
Brunner,  Harry  E.,  Hatfield  "Times."  Press." 

Carpenter,  F.    Bliss,    Sellersville   "Poultry  Morrow,  Joseph  W.,  Sellersville  "Poultry 

Item."  Item." 

Dambly,  B.  W.,  Skippack  "Transcript."  Moser,  E.  S.,  Collegeville  "Independent." 

Dambly,  H.  W.,  Skippack  "Transcript."  McGinley,  Joseph  J.,  Norristown  "Times." 

Detlefson,  Serril  D.,  Bristol  "Courier."  Robinson,  Penrose,  Hatboro  "Public  Spirit." 

Detweiler,  C.  Norman,  Quakertown  "Free  Roth,  Earl,  Pottstown  "Ledger." 

Press."  Roth,  P.  Q.,  Pottstown  "Ledger." 

Difenderfer,  Paul  E.,  Pottstovm  "Ledger."  Roth,  Raymond,  Pottstown  "Ledger." 

Goettler,  R.  B.,  Souderton  "Independent."  Sanborn,  Walter  T.,  Lansdale  "Reporter." 

Goettler,  W.  F.,  Souderton  "Independent."  Saylor,  George  H.,  Pottstown  "Blade." 

Hacker,  Leighton  F.,  Hatfield  "Times."  Schlichter,   William   S.,    Sellersville    (for- 
Heywood,  H.  B.,  Conshohocken  "Recorder."  merly  with  "Poultry  Item"). 

Hillegas,  C.  Q.,  Pennsburg  "Town  &  Coun-  Spatz,  Charles   B.    (Asso.   Mem.),  Boyer- 

try"  town  "Democrat." 

Hillegas,  Foster  C,   Pennsburg  "Town  &  Sprenkel,  John,  Perkasie  "Central  News." 

Country."  Temple,  William  C,  Lansdale  "Reporter." 

Hotchkiss,  George  S.,  Doylestown  "Intel-  Thomas,  A.  Russel,  "Lansdale." 

ligencer."  Watson,  William  C,  Bristol  "Courier." 

Hower,  William   G.,   Bryn   Mawr   "Home  Weaver,  Joseph,  Lansdale. 

News."  Weaver,      Miss      Margaret,      Norristown 
Hunsberger,    Arthur    R.,    New    Ringgold,  "Times." 

Pa.  (formerly  with  "Central  News").  Woodmansee,  C.  E.,  Wycombe  "Herald." 

Present  and  Past  Members. 

A.  K.  Thomas,  Ambler.  Charles  M.  Meredith,  Perkasie. 

*C.  D.  Hotchkiss,  Doylestown.  *A.  K.  Hoss,  Norristown. 

*J.  W.  Harvey,  Lansdale.  P.  Q.  Roth,  Pottstown. 

Elwood  Harvey,  Lansdale.  Harry  W.  Dambly,  Skippack. 

E.  S.  Moser,  Collegeville.  J.  C.  Dimm,  Doylestown. 

*Wilmer  H.  Johnson,  North  Wales.  Warren  S.  Ely,  Doylestown. 

♦William  L.  Clayton,  Jenkintown.  Charles  S.  Kratz,  Doylestown. 

*H.  M.  Woodmansee,  Lansdale.  J.  Harry  Carey,  Pottstown. 

Geo.  Harrison,  Hulmeville.  C.  M.  Berkemeyer,  Sellersville. 

♦Deceased. 


JOURNALISM 


177 


Present  and 

Jesse  Thomas,  Bristol. 

Jesse  Thomas.  Jr.,  Bristol. 

J.  Clinton  Sellers,  Doylestown. 

Fred  Constantine,  Doylestown. 

Irvin  H.  Bardman,  Schwenksville. 

B.  Witman  Dambly,  Skippack. 
E.  E.  Althouse.  Sellersville. 

♦Gen.  W.  H.  H.  Davis,  Doylestown. 

Abel  MacReynolds,  Doylestown. 

George  MacReynolds,  Doylestown. 
♦Jerome  Fackenthall,  Doylestown. 
♦George  Mcintosh,  Doylestown. 
*T.  J.  Kline,  Doylestown. 
♦Alfred  Paschall,  Doylestown. 

Frank  C.  Pryor,  Hulmeville. 

W.  F.  Goettler,  Souderton. 
♦I.  R.  Haldeman,  Harleysville. 

H.  G.  Moyer,  Perkasie. 

S.  R.  Kramer,  Perkasie. 

U.  S.  Stauffer,  Quakertown. 

Henry  C.  Bailey,  Royersford. 
♦H,  L.  Shomo,  Royersford. 

J.  S.  Johnstm,  Royersford. 

Harry  B.  Heywood,  Conshohocken. 
♦James  Drury,  Bristol. 
♦Frank  A.  Hower,  Bryn  Mawr. 

C.  E.  C.  Robinson,  Hatboro. 
♦Dianiel  F.  Graham,  Pottstown. 

J.  H.  Brandt,  Norristown. 

R.  L.  P.  Reifsneider,  Norristown. 
♦D.  J.  Meagher,  Norristown. 
♦A.  Kneule,  Norristown. 
♦Eugene  Dambly,  Skippack. 

H.  S.  Funk,  Springtown. 

H.  H.  Funk,  Springtown. 

Albert  K.  Kneule,  Norristown. 

Edwin  K.  Kneule,  Norristown. 

Henry  M.  Tracy,  Conshohocken. 
♦Elwood  Roberts,  Norristown. 

Jesse  C.  Thomas,  Bristol. 

Joseph  S.  Thomas,  Bristol. 
♦Morgan  R.  Wills,  Norristown. 

J.  Crawford  Johnson,  Norristown. 
♦Elwood  J.  Wanner,  Norristown. 

E.  J.  Nocton,  Norristown. 

Joseph  S.  Thomas,  Bristol. 
♦H.  S.  Rahn,  Schwenksville. 

John  S.  Treichler,  Perkiomen  "Ledger." 

John  G.  Preston,  Yardley. 

Albert  C.  Stauffer,  Limerick. 

R.  B.  Goettler,  Souderton. 
♦Dr.  A.  J.  Reading,  Hatboro. 

Charles  Q.  Hillegas,  Pennsburg. 

Robert  L.  Singer,  Pennsburg. 

W.  J.  Binder,  Pottstown. 

Ryan  Rapp,  Riegelsville. 

A.  Harry  Clayton,  Doylestown. 

George  S.  Hotchkiss,  Doylestown. 

Irwin  F.  Paschall,  Doylestown. 
♦L.  R.  Saylor,  Pottstown. 

Charles  E.  Woodmansee,  Wycombe. 


Past  Members. 

♦Levi  J.  Qayton,  Jenkintown. 
Andrew  T.  Moyer,  Norristown. 
C.  R.  Addison,  Hatfield. 
J.  M.  Haywood,  Ambler. 
Penrose  Robinson,  Hatboro. 
James  E.  Dougherty,  Bryn  Mawr. 
Hilton  Binder,  Pottstown. 
A.  J.  Binder,  Pottstown. 
Frank  B.  Crosby,  Pottstown. 
Charles  W.  Saylor,  Pottstown. 
Rhine  Russel  Freed,  North  Wales. 
Mrs.  A.  M.  Hower,  Bryn  Mawr. 
William  G.  Hower,  Bryn  Mawr. 
Joseph  J.  McGinley,  Norristown. 
Oifton  S.  Hunsicker,  Norristown. 
W.  S.  Schlichter,  Sellersville. 
A.  Hayes  Jordan,  Doylestown. 
Wilmer  W.  Morse,  Lower  Merion. 
Charles  G.  Fetterolf,  Langhorne. 
Webster  Grim,  Doylestown. 
W.  H.  Cheesman,  Lower  Merion. 
John  S.  Leidy,  Hatboro. 
William  J.  Ellis,  Hulmeville. 
G.  Henry  Hildebrand,  Harleysville. 
R.  J.  Wilson,  Lower  Merion. 

E.  W.  Hocker,  Pennsburg. 
William  C.  Watson. 

Howard  O.  Kriebel,   East  Greenville. 
Mrs.  M.  J.  Ensign,  Ardmore. 
John  N.  Bowen,  Doylestown. 
♦Wm.  B.  Kirkpatrick,  North  Wales. 
George  W.  Lutz,  Pennsburg. 
Oscar  O.  Bean,  Doylestown. 

F.  Bliss  Carpenter,  Sellersville. 
♦F.  LeRoy  Moser,  Collegeville. 

Earl  R.  Roth,  Pottstown. 

Marco  G.  Bean,  Sellersville. 

Arthur  R.  Hunsberger,  Perkasie. 

W.  Mercer  Kirkpatrick,  North  Wales. 

Charles  W.  Baum,  Perkasie. 

Mrs.  Elwood  J.  Wanner,  Norristown. 

Foster  C.  Hillegas,  Pennsburg. 

John  Wagner,  Royersford. 

Walter  L.  Sanborn,  Lansdale. 

William  C.  Temple,  Lansdale. 

S.  H.  Bardman,  Schwenksville. 

George  Bechel,  Schwenksville. 

Joseph  W.  Morrow,  Sellersville. 

Raymond  Roth,  Pottstown. 

Miss  Margaret  Weaver,  Norristown. 

Serril  Detlefson,  Bristol. 

Joseph  K.  Weaver,  Lansdale. 

A.  Russel  Thomas,  Doylestown. 

Paul  E.  Difenderfer,  Pottstown. 

Leighton  F.  Hacker,  Hatfield. 

C.  Norman  Detweiler,  Quakertown. 

John  Sprenkel,  Perkasie. 

Walter  E.  Baum,  Sellersville. 

Harry  B.  Heywood,  Conshohocken. 

George  MacReynolds,  Doylestown. 


'Deceased. 

Mont — 12 


178  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Honorary  Members. 

Edward  W.  Hocker,  Philadelphia.  Frank  Julian  Warne,  Philadelphia. 

*J.  O.  K.  Robarts,  Phoenixville.  H.  A.  Gehman,  Coopersburg. 

*Edward  Matthews,  Lansdale.  A.  Roland  Garber,  Philadelphia. 

*Wilnier  Atkinson,  Philadelphia.  Henry  C.  Mercer,  Doylestown. 

Edward  E.  Davis,  Philadelphia.  Charles  B.  Spatz,  Boyertown. 

♦Howard  M.  Jenkins,  Philadelphia.  Wm.  G.  Just,  Gwynedd  Valley. 

Walter  Darlington,  Philadelphia.  Jos.  R.  Grundy,  Bristol. 

Wm.  H.  Richardson,  Philadelphia.  Col.  Geo.  Nox  McCain,  Philadelphia. 


Officers — The  following  officers  were  elected  at  Hotel  Allen,  Allen- 
town,  Pennsylvania,  April  7,  1923,  at  the  twenty-sixth  annual  meeting: 

President — William  Watson,  Bristol. 

Vice-President — P.  Quinn  Roth,  Pottstown. 

Secretary — Marco  G.  Bean,  Sellersville. 

Treasurer — B.  Witman  Dambly,  Skippack. 

Executive  Committee — Clifton  S.  Hunsicker,  Norristown ;  E.  S. 
Moser,  Collegeville ;  P.  Quinn  Roth,  Pottstown;  Charles  M.  Meredith, 
Perkasie;  William  G.  Hower,  Bryn  Mawr;  W.  F.  Goettler,  Souderton; 
F.  Bliss  Carpenter,  Sellersville ;  Charles  W.  Baum,  Perkasie ;  Walter  L. 
Sanborn,  Lansdale ;   George  H.  Saylor,  Pottstown. 

Membership  Committee — C.  N.  Detweiler,  Quakertown;  Chester 
Knipe,  Lansdale;  C.  Q.  Hillegass,  Pennsburg. 

Resolutions  Committee — E.  S.  Moser,  Collegeville;  Clifton  S.  Hun- 
sicker, Norristown ;  Charles  M.  Meredith,  Perkasie. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
BANKS  AND  BANKING. 

The  first  bank  established  in  Montgomery  county,  to  t)e  described 
presently,  was  opened  under  a  State  charter,  March  21,  1814 — one  hun- 
dred and  nine  years  ago.  Its  capital  was  $400,000.  In  1882  the  county 
had  only  thirteen  banks,  with  a  total  capital  of  $1,512,000. 

Reference  to  previous  banking  systems  and  resulting  financial  condi- 
tions is  necessary  to  a  correct  understanding  of  the  radical  changes  in 
methods  instituted  under  our  present  banking  system.  The  States  early 
began  to  assume  the  prerogative  of  chartering  banks,  not  only  of  dis- 
count and  deposit,  but  of  issue,  thus,  in  addition  to  other  benefits,  giving 
them  the  inducement  arising  from  the  profits  from  furnishing  the  people 
with  the  convenience  of  paper  money.  During  the  period  of  State 
currency,  it  was  issued  under  two  systems  as  to  the  constitution  of  the 
banks  themselves,  with  still  further  diversities  of  administration  in  dif- 
ferent States  to  insure  the  convertibility  of  their  issues.  The  two  great 
systems  were  banks  each  with  its  own  special  charter,  and  free  banks ; 
i.  e.,  banks  established  under  the  general  law  authorizing  their  forma- 
tion by  all  who  would  comply  with  its  provisions.  The  most  popular, 
however,  of  these  systems  was  that  of  a  special  charter  bank. 

For  a  quarter  of  a  century  prior  to  the  establishment  of  our  present 
splendid  National  Banking  System,  the  circulating  medium  was  issued 
by  banks  either  under  general  laws  or  each  specially  chartered  by  its 
own  State,  and  with  various  privileges  and  restrictions  aflfecting  the 
amount  and  safety  of  their  issues.  But  the  exceptions  were  few  in  which 
banks  were  not  practically  allowed  to  issue  all  they  could  keep  afloat, 
while  redeeming  it  on  presentation.  As  a  whole,  banks  were  soundest 
in  the  older  sections  of  the  country  and  strong  commercial  centers,  but 
in  the  newer  and  pioneer  parts  of  the  country  what  was  known  as  "wild- 
cat banking"  was  carried  on  after  a  careless,  rampant  manner. 

By  reason  of  scarce  metal  coinage  or  other  reliable  money,  about  the 
close  of  the  War  of  1812  what  was  styled  "shin-plasters"  were  issued 
freely.  These  were  bits  of  paper  about  one  and  one-half  inches  by  three 
inches  in  size,  and  here  is  a  sample  of  one  issued  in  Philadelphia: 

A  General  Assortment  of  Groceries.  Six  and  a  quarter  cents  No. 
233.  I  promise  to  pay  the  bearer  on  demand,  in  Groceries,  or  Philadel- 
phia Bank  Notes,  at  No.  130  North  Water  street,  six  and  a  quarter  cents. 

Philadelphia,  December  10,  1814.  John  Thompson. 

Another  style  of  these  "plasters"  was  two  by  four  inches  and  one 
denomination  read  thus : 


i8o  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Two  Cents.  I  promise  to  pay  to  the  bearer  TWO  CENTS  On  De- 
mand at  the  Schuylkill  Bank  When  a  sum  amounting  to  One  Dollar 
shal  be  presented.  Richard  Bache. 

Philadelphia,  July  4th,  1815. 

The  Civil  War  brought  great  changes,  and  a  demand  for  a  different 
kind  of  money  was  universal.  It  was  then  that  the  best  brains  and  integ- 
rity of  this  nation  devised  our  present  National  Banking  system,  than 
which  the  world  has  no  better.  The  first  National  Bank  organized  under 
this  plan  was  established  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  in  1863.  The  first 
National  Bank  in  Montgomery  county  was  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Norristown,  organized  in  1864.  Concerning  the  various  banking  houses 
in  Montgomery  county  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  subjoined  state- 
ments furnished  the  historian  for  this  special  work,  and  bear  date  Febru- 
ary, 1923.  In  cases  where  the  information  blank  sent  out  by  the  writer 
was  not  filled  up  and  returned,  other  sources  have  been  utilized ;  but 
nearly  every  bank  has  responded  faithfully  and  well,  giving  such  data 
as  has  been  requested  by  the  publishers. 

Early  Banks — The  first  bank  of  the  county  was  the  Bank  of  Mont- 
gomery County,  chartered  March  21,  1814,  and  rechartered  every  ten 
years  until  1865,  when  it  obtained  its  charter  as  a  National  Bank.  As  a 
State  bank  this  institution  always  kept  its  paper  at  par  in  Philadelphia. 
The  exact  location  of  the  first  building  this  bank  occupied  is  not  known 
to  this  generation.  But  a  change  was  effected  November  25,  181 5,  for 
a  building  owned  by  Philip  S.  Markley,  located  on  the  south  side  of 
what  was  then  Egypt  street,  above  Cherry  street.  The  lot  extended 
from  about  twenty  feet  west  of  Cherry  street  to  the  line  of  George  W. 
Wainright's  store-house,  and  included  the  present  site  of  the  bank.  The 
present  bank  building  was  erected  in  1854,  as  shown  by  its  date  mark  in 
front  and  over  its  massive  columns,  which  have  withstood  the  elements 
of  almost  three  score  and  ten  years.  The  first  deposit  made  in  this  bank 
was  November  18,  1815,  by  Isaac  Markley;  amount  $50.  The  first  state- 
ment was  dated  January  20,  1816,  and  shows  the  capital  stock  paid  in  to 
have  been  $42,473;  deposits,  $13,392.22;  bills  and  notes  discounted,  $78,- 
895.90.  The  following  shows  the  condition  of  the  bank  each  decade 
from  1826  to  1885: 

1826 — Capital  Paid  In  $117,480;  Deposits  $99,420. 

1836 — Capital  Paid  In  $150,634;  Deposits  $120,592. 

1846 — Capital  Paid  In  .$290,891;  Deposited  $176,147. 

1856 — Capital  Paid  In  $333,170;  Deposited  $254,132. 

1866 — Capital  Paid  In  $400,000;  Deposited  $493,334. 

1876 — Capital  Paid  In  $400,000;  Deposited  $340,387. 

1884 — Capital  Paid  In  $200,000;  Deposited  $735,600. 

The  capital  stock  was  reduced  from  $400,000,  March  16,  1880,  and 
there  was  paid  back  upon  each  share  in  cash  fifty  dollars,  one-half  of 
which  came  from  the  reduction  in  capital  and  the  other  half  from  a  divi- 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  i8i 

dend  and  surplus  fund,  which  was  also  reduced  from  $400,000  to  $200,000. 
January  i,  1885,  the  capital  was  $200,000;  surplus  fund,  $300,000;  undi- 
vided profits,  $38,281  ;  deposits,  $716,893.26.  Coming  down  to  the  month 
of  February,  1923,  it  is  found  by  the  books  that  the  total  capital  and  sur- 
plus was  $600,000,  while  the  deposits  amounted  to  $2,400,000.  The  original 
officers  of  this  institution  were:  Francis  Swaine,  president;  Matthias 
Holstein,  cashier.  The  present  officers  are:  W.  H.  Slingluff,  president; 
B.  F.  Whitby,  vice-president;  W.  F.  Zimmerman,  cashier;  H.  C.  Craw- 
ford, assistant  cashier. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Norristown  was  chartered  in  February, 
1864,  and  had  for  its  first  set  of  officers:  James  Hooven,  president; 
George  Shannon,  cashier.  The  directors  were :  James  Hooven,  Daniel 
O.  Hitner,  Franklin  Derr,  George  McFarland,  Benjamin  E.  Chain,  Ste- 
phen B.  Stinson,  William  W.  Taylor,  Garrett  Bean,  and  Samuel  Anders. 
The  present  bank  officers  are:  C.  Henry  Stinson,  president;  George  R. 
Kite,  vice-president ;  J.  Leidy  Anders,  cashier.  Directors  are  :  C.  Henry 
Stinson,  Daniel  M.  Anders,  John  McFarland,  Abram  T.  Eastwick,  Wil- 
liam H.  Kneas,  James  A.  Hurst,  Oliver  K.  Bean,  William  F.  Solly,  Her- 
vey  C.  Gresh,  Benjamin  E.  Block,  George  I.  Kite,  Norris  D.  Wright, 
Benjamin  F.  Evans,  John  A.  Longacre. 

The  bank  started  on  a  capital  of  $100,000,  but  now  works  under  twice 
that  amount,  with  a  surplus  of  $175,000.  Deposits  were  recently  $2,093,- 
000.  When  first  operated,  this  bank  was  situated  at  the  corner  of  Main 
and  Cherry  streets.  The  present  location  is  two  doors  from  Main  and 
Cherry  streets.  This  building  was  erected  in  1869,  of  brick,  and  is  val- 
ued at  $60,000.  Their  rather  unique  form  of  statement  in  December, 
1923,  shows  they  owed  their  depositors  $1,895,667.98,  including  unpaid 
dividends,  $56.  Another  item  shows  they  had  a  total  to  meet  all  indebt- 
edness of  $2,326,667.23,  leaving  a  balance  in  surplus  of  $431,013.25. 
Among  the  many  solid  financial  interests  in  banking  in  Montgomery 
county,  none  has  a  higher  standing  among  the  people  than  this  bank. 

The  People's  National  Bank  of  Norristown  was  established  in  1881, 
and  had  for  its  officers  A.  A.  Yeakle,  president;  Lewis  Styer,  cashier.  Its 
first  capital  was  $100,000;  its  present  capital  is  $150,000,  with  deposits 
amounting  to  $2,200,000.  The  present  officers  are :  Charles  Johnson, 
president;  B.  B.  Hughes,  cashier;  S.  S.  Anders,  assistant  cashier.  The 
building  occupied  and  owned  by  this  institution,  at  No.  41  East  Main 
street,  is  of  brick  and  terra  cotta  material,  and  is  valued  at  $60,000.  The 
last  December  statement  gave  the  resources  as  $2,666,904.76. 

Montgomery  Trust  Company  of  Norristown  is  one  of  the  county's 
great  financial  institutions,  and  dates  in  its  history  almost  two  score 
years,  it  having  been  formerly  known  as  the  Montgomery  Insurance, 
Trust  and  Safe  Deposit  Company,  which  was  organized  April  24,  1884, 
on  a  capital  of  $125,000.  To-day  it  has  a  capital  in  excess  of  $540,000, 
with  deposits  amounting  to  $2,168,461.74.    The  original  officers  in  charge 


i82  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  this  company  were :  John  Slingluff,  president ;  and  James  Boyd,  vice- 
president.  To-day  the  affairs  of  the  institution  are  well  cared  for  by  the 
following  men  of  experience:  Louis  M.  Childs,  president;  S.  Percy  Chain, 
vice-president;  J.  P.  Kane,  secretary  and  treasurer;  L.  A.  Widroder, 
assistant  secretary.  In  1914  the  bank  building  was  constructed  of  Indi- 
ana limerock,  and  is  fire-proof.  Its  design  is  one  of  rare  architectural 
beauty.  The  statement  issued  by  this  concern,  December  30,  1922,  states 
that  the  resources  amount  to  $2,708,528.96.  The  Trust  Department 
has  trust  funds  invested,  $3,174,134.96;  income  from  trust  funds,  $40,- 
736.74.  The  directors  of  this  Trust  Company  are  at  present  as  follows : 
Henry  M.  Brownback,  B.  Percy  Chain,  Louis  M.  Childs,  Samuel  D. 
Conver,  Reese  P.  Davis,  Edwin  S.  Anders,  C.  B.  Daring,  William  H. 
Slingluff,  Henry  S.  Williams,  C.  Colket  Wilson,  E.  L.  Hallman,  G.  Her- 
bert Jenkins,  Harold  G.  Knight,  Samuel  S.  Kohn,  Joseph  D'Andrade, 
Theodore  Lane  Bean,  Joseph  Fornance,  Frank  X.  Renninger,  J.  Aubrey 
Anderson,  B.  Whitman  Dambly,  George  Fetters  Hartman,  Manilius  D. 
Seipt,  Daniel  F.  Yost,  and  Simon  Pagel. 

The  Penn  Trust  Company  of  Norristown  was  established  in  Septem- 
ber, 1889,  as  the  Albertson  Trust  and  Safe  Deposit  Company,  by  J.  W. 
Albertson  &  Sons.  The  first  officers  were:  George  W.  Rogers,  presi- 
dent; W.  L.  Albertson,  secretary  and  treasurer.  First  capital  was  $125,- 
000;  present  capital  $250,000;  present  surplus  $500,000;  recent  amount 
in  deposits  $4,500,000.  A  recent  official  statement  issued  shows  this  con- 
cern to  have  resources  amounting  to  $4,912,174.29.  Trust  fund  not 
included  in  the  above  named  statement,  $3,180,696.61. 

Twenty  years  ago  this  was  called  the  lesser  of  all  banking  institu- 
tions in  Norristown,  but  to-day,  it  is  known  as  the  largest  in  its  deposits 
and  resources.  This  business  was  really  established  in  1854  by  M. 
Albertson  &  Sons  as  a  private  banking  institution,  but  upon  the  death 
of  M.  Albertson,  in  1889,  it  was  incorporated  as  the  Albertson  Trust  and 
Safe  Deposit  Company,  its  name  being  changed  in  1904  to  the  Penn 
Trust  Company.  As  to  building  facilities,  a  three-story  brick  office 
building  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Main  and  Swede  streets  is  their  home. 
Originally,  however,  only  one  half  of  the  first  floor  was  used  for  banking 
purposes,  but  changes  were  made  from  time  to  time  to  take  care  of  the 
growth  of  the  business,  until  in  1907  another  adjoining  building  was 
bought  and  added,  and  in  1920  still  another  building  was  taken  over  and 
added  to  the  bank  property,  giving  the  present  splendid  building  which 
has  fine  offices  on  the  upper  floors,  but  all  of  the  first  floor  is  utilized 
for  banking  purposes.  The  present  (1923)  officers  are:  Clayton  H. 
Alderfer,  president;  Henry  I.  Fox,  vice-president;  Harry  B.  Tyson,  vice- 
-president; J.  T.  Ebert,  secretary  and  treasurer;  George  E.  Weirman, 
assistant  treasurer;  R.  S.  Kriebel,  trust  officer;  and  Charles  H.  Brunner, 
title  officer.  The  chairman  of  the  board  of  seventeen  directors  is  Adam 
Scheidt. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  183 

The  Norristown  Trust  Company  was  organized  in  1888;  has  a  capital 
of  $500,000;  recent  deposits  amounted  to  $1,580,000.  The  data  sought 
by  the  compiler  of  this  article,  through  the  regular  information  blank 
sent  to  each  bank  in  the  county,  was  for  some  reason  never  returned, 
hence  the  figures  above  were  taken  from  State  Bank  Directory. 

The  Glenside  National  Bank  was  established  in  the  borough  of 
Glenside,  February  18,  1910,  by  numerous  stockholders  of  the  vicinity, 
who  subscribed  a  capital  of  $35,000,  which  has  been  increased  to  $125,000, 
with  also  a  surplus  of  $75,000.  The  deposits  of  this  bank  according  to 
a  recent  statement  amounted  to  $1,500,000.  Associated  with  this  bank 
is  the  Glenside  Title  and  Trust  Company,  of  which  see  later.  The  pres- 
ent bank  building,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $29,800,  is  of  stone,  and  is  located 
on  Easton  road  and  Glenside  avenue.  The  first  officers  were  Julius  E. 
Nachod,  president;  John  Carr,  cashier.  The  1923  officers  are  Julius  E. 
Nachod,  president;  Fritz  Quittner,  vice-president;  Thomas  B.  Smith  and 
George  N.  Whittaker,  also  vice-presidents ;  and  Edward  H.  Efifing, 
cashier,  with  assistant  cashiers  in  the  persons  of  Messrs.  F.  D.  Love, 
R.  Frank  McElroy  and  James  B.  Pierson.  The  sworn  statement  of  this 
financial  concern  in  December,  1922,  shows  resources  amounting  to 
$2,096,386.60. 

The  Glenside  Title  and  Trust  Company,  situated  in  the  borough  of 
Glenside,  was  established  August  7,  1922,  by  local  stockholders,  with  a 
capital  of  $125,000,  same  as  to-day ;  its  present  surplus  is  now  (in  the 
spring  of  1923),  $12,500,  while  it  shows  deposits  to  the  amount  of  $200,- 
000.  The  total  of  resources  in  December  last  were  $340,934.07.  The 
original  officers  were:  Julius  E.  Nachod,  president;  vice-presidents, 
Fritz  Quittner,  Geo.  N.  Whittaker,  and  Thomas  B.  Smith;  Edw.  H. 
Efifing,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  Paul  M.  Brooke,  title  officer.  The  same 
officers  are  still  in  charge  of  their  various  departments. 

The  Telford  National  Bank,  located  in  the  village  of  Telford,  was 
established  in  1908  by  a  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose.  Its  first 
officers  were  Edwin  C.  Leidy  and  James  Fravel.  The  first  business  was 
that  transacted  with  a  capital  of  $25,000.  The  present  capital  is  $50,000 
and  there  is  also  a  surplus  of  $50,000  more.  The  recent  deposits  amount 
to  $650,000.  Their  report  for  December,  1922,  shows  resources  amount- 
ing to  the  sum  of  $811,631.40.  In  1908  a  splendid  bank  building  was 
erected  of  brick,  at  an  expense  of  $18,000.  The  1923  officers  are  Edwin 
C.  Leidy,  president;  Vincent  B.  Kulp,  cashier.  This  institution,  which 
dates  its  history  back  to  only  1908,  has  come  to  be  known  as  one  of  the 
strongest  financial  concerns  in  the  upper  end  of  Montgomery  county. 

The  Bryn  Mawr  National  Bank  was  established  August  3,  1887,  by 
the  citizens  of  Lower  Union  township.  The  first  officers  were  :  Hamilton 
Egbert,  president;  J.  M.  Stadelman,  vice-president;  and  A.  A.  Cad- 
wallader,  cashier.  The  officers  now  in  charge  of  this  bank  are:  Jesse  B. 
Matlack,    president;    W.    H.    Ramsey,    vice-president;    J.    W.    Matlack, 


i84  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

cashier,  with  Warren  J.  Jaquett,  assistant  cashier.  Mr.  J.  W.  Matlack, 
the  present  cashier,  has  remained  at  his  post  of  duty  ever  since  July  i6, 
1889.  The  first  and  present  capital  amounts  to  $50,000,  but  to-day  the 
surplus  amounts  to  $50,000  more.  The  December,  1922,  statement  shows 
that  at  that  time  the  bank  had  deposited  with  them  $1,175,125.87;  also 
that  their  total  resources  amounted  to  $1,343,436.85.  A  portion  of  the 
W.  H.  Ramsey  building  was  rented  for  the  home  of  this  institution, 
which  was  later  purchased  by  the  Bryn  Mawr  Trust  Company.  The 
two  concerns  occupied  the  structure  till  the  present  banking  house  was 
built  and  moved  into  April  6,  1908.  This  is  a  modern  fireproof  stone  and 
concrete  structure,  which  together  with  the  fixtures  cost  $34,548.  It  is 
located  at  the  corner  of  Lancaster  and  Bryn  Mawr  avenues. 

The  Farmers'  National  Bank  of  Pennsburg  was  established  in  1876, 
by  Jonathan  P.  Hillegass  and  Edwin  H.  Benner.  Mr.  Benner  was  the 
first  to  serve  as  president,  and  A.  F.  Day  as  cashier.  The  men  at  the 
head  of  this  old  and  solid  institution  to-day  are:  Emanuel  J.  Wieder, 
president ;  Alfred  S.  Schantz,  vice-president ;  Frank  F.  Huber,  cashier. 
The  first  capital  under  which  this  bank  worked  was  $100,000,  subse- 
quently reduced  to  $75,000.  The  surplus  is  now  $130,000,  and  recent 
reports,  as  provided  by  law,  show  its  deposits  amounted  in  December, 
1922,  to  $840,233.  The  amount  of  resources  according  to  the  bank's 
latest  statement  is  $1,140,111.13.  The  bank  occupies  the  Odd  Fellows' 
building  erected  in  1876.  During  all  the  eventful  years  from  Centennial 
year  iio  the  present,  the  people  have  always  had  confidence  in  this  well 
ordered  institution,  by  reason  of  its  most  excellent  business  principles. 

The  Harleysville  National  Bank  was  organized  and  chartered  Sep- 
tember 16,  1909,  and  opened  to  the  public  October  28  the  same  year.  Its 
first  officers  were  Alvin  C.  Alderfer,  president ;  M.  C.  Clemens,  vice- 
president  ;  O.  A.  Fulmer,  cashier.  This  bank  was  founded  by  local 
citizens,  including  Alvin  C.  Alderfer,  M.  C.  Clemens,  Henry  C.  Delp,  Dr. 
V.  Z.  Keeler,  assisted  by  O.  A.  Fulmer,  of  Philadelphia.  The  capital  at 
first  was  same  as  to-day,  $25,000,  although  there  is  now  a  surplus  of 
$25,000  at  this  time.  The  recent  deposits  of  this  bank  amounted  to 
$490,000.  Mr.  Fulmer  was  cashier  for  a  short  time  only,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Isaiah  M.  Stover,  who  served  until  January,  1919,  when  the 
present  cashier,  H.  S.  Bucher,  was  elected;  the  present  president  and 
vice-president  are  same  as  when  the  bank  was  established.  The  Decem- 
ber, 1922,  sworn  to  statement  shows  the  following  items :  Loans  and  dis- 
counts, $265,377.38,  United  States  government  securities  owned,  $40,- 
726;  other  bonds  and  stocks,  $231,861;  total  resources  were  $587,959.40 
with  same  as  its  liabilities.  In  the  summer  of  1909  an  up-to-date  brick 
bank  building  was  constructed  as  the  home  for  the  bank.  Among  recent 
equipments  may  be  named  the  ten-inch  Mosler  vault  doors. 

The  Union  National  Bank  of  Souderton  was  organized  by  a  number 
of  stockholders  in  1876.     The  original  officers  were  Isaac  G.  Gerhart, 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  185 

president;  J.  C.  Landis,  cashier.  The  capital  of  $90,000  was  increased  to 
$100,000;  the  present  surplus  is  about  $250,000,  while  the  institution  has 
deposits  amounting  to  $1,553,315.62.  A  substantial  bank  building  was 
erected  in  1878  and  is  still  in  use.  It  is  designed  to  increase  the  capital 
of  this  concern  on  April  i,  1923,  to  $125,000.  The  present  efficient  and 
trustworthy  officers  are:  A.  G.  Reiff,  president;  J.  D.  Moyer,  cashier; 
and  C.  K.  Gotwae,  assistant  cashier.  The  December,  1922,  statement  of  this 
bank,  as  is  required  by  law,  shows  resources  to  have  been  $2,101,582.13. 

The  Collegeville  National  Bank  was  established  August  20,  1906,  by 
local  citizens  in  the  vicinity  of  Collegeville.  The  first  officers  were: 
A.  D.  Fetterolf,  president;  M.  B.  Linderman,  vice-president;  W.  D.  Ren- 
ninger,  cashier;  Miss  Lulu  Sacks,  assistant  cashier.  The  1923  directors 
are  as  follows :  A.  D.  Fetterolf,  M.  B.  Linderman,  B.  F.  Steiner,  Horace 
Place,  A.  C.  Landes,  F.  J.  Clamer,  John  U.  Francis,  Jr.,  J.  D.  Frantz, 
I.  T.  Haldeman,  M.  B.  Benner,  H.  B.  Shrack,  F.  W.  Gristock,  E.  S. 
Moser,  and  Francis  Miller.  The  original  capital  was  $25,000,  but  to-day 
it  is  twice  that  amount.  The  present  surplus  is  $50,000,  with  undivided 
profits  amounting  to  $25,000.  A  recent  statement  shows  the  deposits  to 
be  $700,000.  December,  1922,  the  resources  of  the  bank  were  placed 
at  $847,875.96.  The  bank  building  is  of  brick  and  marble  materials,  and 
is  valued  at  $12,000.  This  concern  well  serves  the  people  of  the  borough 
and  townships  surrounding  it,  and  is  a  popular  financial  concern  in  which 
all  good  citizens  take  a  just  pride. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Conshohocken  was  established  January 
30,  1872,  and  had  for  its  original  officers :  Alan  Wood,  Jr.,  president ; 
William  McDermott,  cashier.  The  present  officers  of  the  institution  are : 
Horace  C.  Jones,  president;  Reese  P.  Davis,  vice-president;  John  C. 
Tracy,  secretary ;  Harry  C.  Pugh,  cashier ;  Howard  Pedrick,  assistant 
cashier.  The  board  of  directors  are :  John  Pugh,  Horace  C.  Jones,  Rich- 
ard H.  Bate,  Richard  G.  Wood,  Reese  P.  Davis,  John  C.  Tracy,  George 
T.  Lukens,  Harry  B.  Heywood  and  John  M.  Taylor.  The  capital  is  the 
same  now  as  when  established,  $150,000.  The  surplus  is  $150,000,  and 
recent  amount  in  deposits  is  $1,647,256.91.  The  substantial  bank  build- 
ing was  built  of  brick  after  the  best  style  known  in  1873  for  such  struc- 
tures, and  is  valued  at  $17,000.  The  statement  issued  in  December, 
1922,  states  that  the  institution  then  had  surplus  and  undivided  profits 
amounting  to  $175,000,  and  total  assets  over  $2,000,000. 

The  National  Bank  of  Schwenkville  was  organized  April  17,  1874. 
hence  is  now  operating  in  its  forty-eighth  year.  This  institution  was 
founded  by  Jacob  G.  Schwenk,  Albert  Bromer,  Abraham  G.  Schwenk, 
Philip  Prizer,  John  B.  Pennepacker,  and  John  G.  Prizer.  It  had  as  its 
first  set  of  officers :  Jacob  G.  Schwenk,  president ;  John  G.  Prizer,  cashier ; 
Irvin  S.  Schwenk,  teller.  The  present  officers  are  as  follows :  Irvin  S. 
Schwenk,  president ;  John  P.  Kline,  vice-president ;  Edward  B.  Schwenk, 
cashier;  Jonathan  L.  Miller,  teller.     This  bank  was  established  on  a 


i86  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

$50,000  capital,  but  to-day  has  $100,000  capital,  with  surplus  and  undi- 
vided profits  of  $163,000.  Its  recent  deposits  have  been  $1,267,040.36. 
Its  bank  building  was  erected  in  1878,  of  brick  and  stone. 

The  Jenkintown  Bank  and  Trust  Company  was  organized  July  9. 
1903,  and  had  for  its  first  officers :  Henry  K.  Walt,  president ;  J.  C.  Wy- 
man  and  Dr.  J.  E.  Peters,  vice-presidents ;  Paul  Jones,  treasurer.  The 
founder  of  the  concern  was  Henry  K.  Walt.  The  capital  at  first  was 
$125,000,  which  has  since  grown  to  be  $250,000,  with  a  present  surplus  of 
$500,000.  The  recent  amount  of  deposits  is  $5,055,098.37.  The  building 
occupied  and  owned  by  this  bank  was  erected  in  1903  at  a  cost  of  $75,000. 
It  was  constructed  of  grey  brick  and  Indiana  freestone.  What  was  for- 
merly the  Jenkintown  National  Bank  consolidated  with  the  Jenkintown 
Trust  Company,  July  i,  1922,  the  two  making  a  very  strong  financial 
combination.  The  present  officials  are :  Howard  Fleck,  president ;  Ar- 
nold Aiman,  Samuel  H.  High  and  Samuel  L.  Schively,  vice-presidents; 
W.  W.  Deisler,  real  estate  officer ;  John  R.  Roberts,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer ;  assistant  secretary,  W.  R.  Worthington ;  trust  officer  is  I.  R.  Hal- 
lowell,  and  assistant,  W.  M.  Bourn.  This  concern  is  a  member  of  the 
Federal  Reserve  System.  Their  statement  issued  October,  1922,  shows 
they  had  at  that  date  resources  to  the  amount  of  $6,347,051.14.  The  total 
in  trust  funds,  kept  entirely  separate  from  general  banking  business, 
amounted  to  $1,306,531.14.  Since  the  consolidation  of  the  two  above 
financial  institutions  the  increase  has  been  $452,082.14. 

The  Citizens'  National  Bank  of  Lansdale  was  organized  April  25, 
1905,  with  officers  as  follows :  Henry  L.  S.  Ruth,  president ;  James  M. 
Hartzel,  vice-president;  E.  R.  Mussleman,  cashier.  The  present  officials 
are :  Henry  L.  S.  Ruth,  president ;  James  M.  Hartzel,  vice-president ; 
F.  A.  Clayton,  cashier.  The  capital  stock  of  this  institution  has  been 
$50,000  from  its  organization ;  it  now  has  a  surplus  of  $150,000,  including 
undivided  profits.  At  the  start  of  the  enterprise  the  amount  of  deposits 
was  $395,000,  but  to-day  it  is  over  $997,500 — almost  to  the  million  dollar 
mark.  This  concern  succeeded  the  old  Lansdale  Trust  and  Safe  Deposit 
Company,  and  purchased  its  banking  house  of  that  corporation.  In  1921 
the  present  handsome  bank  structure  was  erected  on  lots  bought  in 
1920,  the  old  hotel  property  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Susquehanna 
avenue.  The  material  in  this  building  is  gray  stone ;  its  cost  was,  accord- 
ing to  present  values,  $50,000.  It  is  three  stories  high,  the  first  floor 
used  for  banking,  and  the  second  and  third  floors  for  offices.  The  legal- 
ized statement  of  this  bank  December,  1922,  shows  resources  as  amount- 
ing to  $1,276,745.76.  The  loans  and  discounts  at  that  date  were  $659,- 
681.48.  This  is  a  conservative  bank,  managed  by  experienced  men,  the 
best  guarantee  that  a  depositor  can  possibly  have. 

The  Bridgeport  National  Bank  was  organized  August  16,  1906,  the 
founders  being  Messrs.  John  J.  Murphy,  John  J.  McCormick,  Robert 
McCoy,  Isaac  A.  Smith,  Clarence  Hodson,  James  Kilpatrick,  Thomas  S. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  187 

Hodson,  Joseph  Hampton,  Edward  Conard.    The  original  officers  were: 

C.  H.  Mann,  president;  John  J.  McCormick,  vice-president;  Clarence 
Hodson,  second  vice-president;  William  H.  Kneedler,  cashier.  The  offi- 
cers in  charge  of  the  institution  at  this  time  are:  J.  Aubrey  Anderson, 
president;  Joseph  A.  Ranck  and  Michael  V.  Hanlon,  vice-presidents; 
Frank  A.  Logan,  cashier;  Willis  K.  Lederach,  assistant  cashier.  The 
first  capital  was  $50,000,  but  now  it  is  $75,000,  with  a  surplus  of  $25,000. 
Recent  deposits,  $1,010,000.  The  bank  is  still  occupying  the  original  bank 
building  erected  in  1906,  and  valued  at  $7,500.  The  legal  statement  issued 
in  December,  1922,  shows  total  resources  as  amounting  to  $1,166,007.97; 
surplus  and  undivided  profits,  $44,663.00.  The  1923  board  of  directors 
is  made  up  as  follows :  J.  Aubrey  Anderson,  John  Hampton,  Hiram  M. 
Anders,  Samuel  Tabak,  Oliver  F.  Lenhardt,  Reuben  O.  Kriebel,  Joseph 
A.  Ranck,  Charles  A.  Gehert,  Charles  W.  Mann,  Dennis  E.  Farley, 
Michael  V.  Hanlon. 

The  Valley  National  Bank  of  Green  Lane  was  organized  March  31, 
1908,  by  J.  R.  AUebach,  J.  S.  Cressman,  Mark  Hiltebutel,  Frank  Brandt, 
S.  S.  Hartzel,  H.  H.  Fisher,  August  Y.  Renninger,  S.  H.  Groff,  Revere 

D.  Heist,  Jonas  S.  Huntsberger,  Henry  R.  Wayne,  Jr.,  J.  W.  H.  Gott- 
shalk,  W.  F.  Young,  H.  N.  Scholl,  D.  S.  Moser,  S.  F.  Sowers  and  Mil- 
ton H.  Waters.  The  first  capital  was  $25,000,  and  to-day  it  is  twice  that 
amount,  with  surplus  and  undivided  profits  of  $47,191.83;  deposits, 
$621,359.39.  The  bank  building  is  leased  from  the  Order  of  Red  Men, 
and  is  a  brick  structure.  The  last  public  statement  issued  shows 
that  the  resources  amount  to  $809,483.14.  The  first  officers  of  this 
bank  were :  J.  R.  Allebach,  president ;  S.  F.  Cressman,  cashier.  The 
officers  in  1923  are  as  follows :  J.  S.  Cressman,  president ;  C.  W.  Sear- 
sholtz,  cashier;  R.  M.  Hillegass,  teller. 

The  North  Wales  National  Bank  was  established  in  1890  by  H.  R. 
Swartley,  Abel  Shearer,  John  M.  Harley,  Henry  W.  Moyer  and  A.  R. 
Place.  The  original  officers  were  as  follows:  Henry  R.  Swartley,  pres- 
ident; Henry  S.  Kriebel,  vice-president;  Henry  Unger,  cashier.  The 
present  (1923)  officers  are:  Henry  R.  Swartley,  president;  Henry  S. 
Kriebel,  vice-president;  H.  S.  Swartley,  cashier.  The  capital  is  $50,000, 
the  same  as  when  the  bank  was  organized ;  however,  there  is  now  a  sur- 
plus of  $50,000,  making  a  working  capital  of  $100,000.  The  statements 
issued  recently  disclose  the  fact  that  there  was  in  December,  1922, 
deposits  on  hand  to  the  amount  of  $771,000.  A  stone  building  erected 
in  1891  is  the  permanent  home  of  this  thoroughly  up-to-date  house.  The 
latest  statement  issued  shows  resources  and  liabilities  amounting  to 
$1,120,319.35.  The  same  date  the  bank  had  undivided  profits  on  hand 
to  the  extent  of  $32,123.14.  The  banking  house  and  real  estate  con- 
nected with  the  bank  is  valued  at  $38,900.  A  dividend  on  the  stock  since 
January  i,  1913,  to  the  present  date,  amounting  to  ten  per  cent.,  has  been 
paid  each  year.     Three  per  cent,  is  paid  in  the  Savings  Department  of 


i88  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

this  bank,  as  well  as  on  certificates  of  deposit.  The  directors  at  this  time 
are  these :  Henry  S.  Kreibel,  Lesher  W.  Mattern,  Henry  R.  Swartley, 
Horace  M.  Geyer  (Worcester),  Luther  R.  Shearer,  William  F.  Mc- 
Cracken  and  J.  Woodruff  King. 

The  Merion  Title  and  Trust  Company  of  Ardmore  was  established 
March  25,  1889,  by  the  following  founders:  James  M.  Rhodes,  Ard- 
more; Thaddeus  Norris,  Wynnewood;  C.  H.  Oberge,  Ardmore;  W. 
Henry  Sutton,  Haverford;  John  Blair  MacAfee,  Ard;  J.  L.  Stadelman, 
Bala ;  R.  Hamilton,  Walter  W.  Hood,  Geo.  S.  Gerhard,  Ardmore ;  W.  G. 
Lesher,  Ardmore ;  Henry  Becker,  Ardmore ;  Josiah  S.  Pearce,  Ardmore. 
The  first  officers  were :  James  M.  Rhodes,  president ;  Walter  W.  Hood, 
vice-president  and  title  officer;  M.  W,  Stroud,  secretary.  The  present 
officers  are :  Richard  J.  Hamilton,  president ;  W.  Macklin  Wittherow, 
vice-president;  H.  L.  Yocum,  treasurer;  H.  C.  Bare,  title  officer;  H.  A. 
Arnold,  vice-president ;  H.  M.  Smedley,  secretary ;  Howard  G.  Kurtz, 
treasurer;  Edward  Davis,  assistant  title  officer.  The  present  capital  of 
this  bank  is  $500,000;  surplus,  $225,000;  amount  in  deposits,  $4,600,000. 
The  present  bank  building  was  constructed  in  1916;  it  is  a  single  story 
stone  structure. 

The  Citizens'  National  Bank  of  Pottstown  was  organized  March  28, 
1892,  by  the  following  persons:  D.  R.  Cofrode,  George  B.  Lessig,  J. 
Mengle  Fisher,  R.  M.  Root,  Theodore  B.  Miller,  P.  L.  Eglof,  George  H. 
Potts,  George  C.  Hollenbach,  F.  R.  Gerhard,  H.  W.  Schneider  and  Har- 
mon Prizer.  The  bank  had  as  its  original  officers :  Daniel  R.  Cofrode, 
president ;  George  H.  Potts,  vice-president ;  C.  Frank  Duden,  cashier. 
The  affairs  of  the  bank  are  now  in  the  hands  of  the  following  officers  r 
Thomas  B.  Miller,  president;  Horace  Storb,  vice-president;  Jay  D. 
Tyson,  vice-president ;  C.  P.  Buckwalter,  cashier.  The  capital  to-day, 
$100,000,  is  the  same  as  when  first  started;  present  surplus  is  $175,000; 
and  recent  amount  in  deposits  $1,178,858.27.  The  statement  issued  to 
the  public  bearing  date  of  December  29,  1922,  shows  resources  amount- 
ing to  $1,499,665.03.  This  is  a  wonderful  showing  of  growth  in  so  few 
years,  and  bespeaks  much  for  the  able,  efficient  manner  in  which  the 
bank  in  all  its  departments  has  been  conducted.  At  first  a  store  build- 
ing which  stood  where  now  stands  the  present  bank,  was  used  for  bank- 
ing purposes.  The  present  building  was  erected  in  1916,  and  cost  nearly 
$50,000. 

The  Perkiomen  National  Bank  of  East  Greenville  was  established 
December  22,  1898,  by  Messrs.  John  N.  Jacobs,  F.  L.  Fluck,  L.  S.  Shimer, 
E.  E.  Erb,  H.  H.  Schultz,  O.  H.  Erdman,  M.  A.  Kratz,  L  W.  Stetler, 
J.  W.  Klein  and  N.  B.  Keely.  The  original  capital  was  $50,000.  At 
present  there  is  a  capital  of  $250,000,  including  the  surplus.  The  amount 
in  recent  deposits  was  $1,806,762.  The  official  statement  issued  in  Janu- 
ary,   1922,   showed   resources   amounting  to   the   sum    of  $2,144,070.11. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  189 

The  bank  building  is  a  brick  structure  now  valued  at  $6,000.  The  first 
and  also  present  set  of  officers  are:  F.  L.  Fluck,  president;  E.  E.  Erb, 
cashier. 

The  Bryn  Mawr  Trust  Company  was  established  by  A.  A.  Hirst  and 
others  in  the  month  of  March,  1889.  The  first  officers  were:  A.  A. 
Hirst,  president ;  William  H.  Ramsey,  vice-president ;  P.  A.  Hart,  teller. 
The  present  officers  include:  P.  A.  Hart,  president;  William  H.  Ramsey, 
vice-president.  The  capital  to-day  is  the  same  as  when  organized, 
$250,000;  present  surplus  is  $125,000;  dividends  and  profits  earned,  $150,- 
000;  present  deposits,  $1,800,000.  The  bank  building  is  valued  at 
$50,000.  In  its  third  of  a  century  history  it  has  ever  had  the  confidence 
of  the  community  in  which  it  operates,  because  it  has  been  conducted  on 
safe  and  yet  progressive  lines  of  modern  business. 

The  Ambler  Trust  Company  was  organized  September  8,  191 7.  Its 
first  officers  were :  William  C.  Brister,  president ;  T.  Duncan  Just,  E.  L. 
Posey,  vice-presidents ;  Wilmer  E.  Leedom,  secretary  and  treasurer ; 
E.  Wilson  Stahlnecker,  trust  officer.  The  first  capital  was  $125,000,  same 
as  to-day,  but  now  it  has  a  surplus  of  $25,000,  with  recent  deposits 
amounting  to  $450,000.  The  1923  officers  are :  Wilmer  E.  Leedom, 
president,  also  treasurer;  Frank  W.  Worth  and  Harry  Renninger,  vice- 
presidents;  J.  E.  Underwood,  secretary;  Howard  J.  Dager,  assistant 
secretary ;  O.  C.  Fetterman,  assistant  treasurer ;  H.  Wilson  Stahlnecker, 
solicitor  and  title  officer.  This  business  is  conducted  in  a  brick  banking 
house  costing  $34,626. 

The  Hatboro  National  Bank  was  organized  March  31,  1875,  by  Dr.  I. 
Newton  Evans,  G.  K.  Mitchell  and  S.  C.  Thompson.  Its  first  officers 
were:  Dr.  I.  Newton  Evans,  president;  G.  J.  Mitchell,  vice-president; 
George  S.  Teas,  secretary.  At  present  the  officers  are  O.  E.  C.  Robin- 
son, president;  Penrose  Robinson,  vice-president;  William  F.  Wilson, 
secretary.  At  the  opening  of  the  bank  its  capital  was  $65,000;  its  present 
capital  is  $52,000,  with  a  surplus  of  the  same  amount,  making  the  work- 
ing capital  really  $104,000.  Recent  reports  show  deposits  amount  to 
$1,300,000.  In  December,  1922,  it  had  resources  amounting  to  the  sum 
of  $1,439,882.54.  The  bank  has  a  beautiful  stone  structure  erected 
in  1874-75,  and  is  valued  at  $25,000.  It  is  the  oldest  national  bank  in 
Lower  Montgomery  county,  and  has  always  been  recognized  as  a  well 
conducted  institution.  In  order  to  preserve  a  record  of  the  men  who 
have  had  charge  and  those  serving  as  directors  at  this  time,  the  follow- 
ing list  of  directors,  with  occupation  and  residence  is  here  inserted ; 
O.  E.  C.  Robinson,  Hatboro,  president  Robinson  Publishing  Company ; 
Penrose  Robinson,  Hatboro,  publisher  and  printer ;  William  Hobensack. 
Ivyland,  one  of  the  largest  dealers  in  farmers'  supplies  in  Bucks  county ; 
H.  Benton  Leedom,  Bathayres,  lumber  dealer;  Walter  Rothwell,  Hat- 
boro, wholesale  and  retail  druggist ;  Eugene  Rothwell,  Willow  Grove, 


I90  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

druggist ;  William  F.  Wilson,  Hatboro,  banker ;  Abram  Barcalow, 
Churchville. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Lansdale  was  established  soon  after  the 
United  States  banking  laws  went  into  force,  in  1864.  The  first  capital 
was  $100,000;  its  present  capital  is  $150,000;  its  surplus  is  $375,000,  and 
it  recently  had  deposits  amounting  to  $2,200,000.  It  has  for  its  present 
officers:  I.  G.  Lukens,  president;  W.  H.  Rosenburg,  vice-president; 
Edward  C.  Snyder,  Jr.,  cashier;  and  H.  L.  Shellenberger,  assistant  cash- 
ier. This  bank  has  quarters  in  a  two-story  office  building,  costing  $100,- 
000.  In  all  its  almost  three  score  years  existence  this  concern  has  held 
the  confidence  of  a  large  number  of  stockholders  and  depositors  in  the 
community  in  which  it  has  operated. 

The  National  Bank  of  Pottstown  was  incorporated  November  22, 
1864,  taking  over  the  business  of  the  old  Bank  of  Pottstown,  which  had 
been  established  since  May  15,  1857.  Its  first  officers  were:  Henry 
Potts,  president ;  William  Mintzer,  cashier.  The  first  officers  after 
becoming  a  national  bank  were :  William  Mintzer,  president ;  Daniel 
Price,  cashier.  The  original  capital  of  the  bank  was  $100,000;  present 
capital  $300,000;  present  surplus  $500,000.  The  reports  show  the  recent 
deposits  to  be  $2,980,000.  The  present  officers  are :  James  H.  Morris, 
president ;  Newton  Kline,  vice-president ;  Percy  Williamson,  cashier. 

The  Royersford  Trust  Company  was  organized  December  23,  1902, 
by  the  following  persons :  J.  A.  Buckwalter,  G.  E.  Brownback,  B.  M. 
Barlow,  Reuben  Hiestand,  Milton  Latshaw,  George  Mackissic,  I.  M. 
Shellinger  (now  deceased),  Dr.  William  P.  Snyder,  Oscar  E.  Thompson, 
John  H.  Mansur  (now  deceased),  John  B.  Evans,  T.  Darl  Buckwalter, 
S.  B.  Latshaw,  and  G.  W.  Bowman  (both  now  deceased).  The  present 
and  first  capital  was  $250,000;  present  surplus,  $180,000;  recent  deposits, 
$1,500,000.  The  company  took  over  the  assets  of  the  Home  National 
Bank,  which  was  organized  June  15,  1892,  after  having  been  in  business 
about  ten  years.  It  made  a  final  distribution  of  its  $50,000  capital  to 
its  stockholders  at  the  rate  of  $110  per  share.  This  concern  conducts  its 
business  in  a  brick  building  erected  in  1886,  and  the  present  value  is 
$17,500.  The  first  officers  of  the  Trust  Company  were:  J.  A.  Buck- 
waiter,  president ;  G.  E.  Brownback,  vice-president ;  H.  F.  Grander, 
treasurer;  H.  E.  Anderson,  secretary;  Frank  Cobb,  assistant  treasurer. 
December  30,  1922,  their  public  statement  showed  resources  in  the 
amount  of  $1,416,382.46.  The  stockholders  received  their  five  per  cent, 
semi-annual  dividend  on  the  above  date.  The  motto  of  this  institution 
might  well  be  "Faithfulness." 

The  National  Iron  Bank  of  Pottstown  was  established  in  1886  by 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  citizens  in  the  vicinity  of  Pottstown.  The 
first  capital  was  $200,000,  the  same  as  to-day ;  its  present  resources 
amount  to  $350,000,  while  recent  deposits  are  $1,600,000.  Their  banking 
house  is  of  brick  and  marble ;  its  cost  was  about  $50,000.    Their  Deccm- 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  191 

ber,  1922,  statement  shows  resources  and  liabilities  of  $2,404,531.34. 
During  1922  the  bank  earned  and  paid  a  twelve  and  one-half  per  cent, 
dividend,  and  added  $50,000  to  its  surplus  fund.  The  present  officers 
are  John  W.  Storb,  president;  Henry  A.  Bell,  vice-president  and  cashier; 
E.  J.  Storb,  assistant  cashier.  Commencing  with  1900  the  concern  has 
been  able  to  declare  a  dividend  running  from  one  and  one-half  to  twelve 
per  cent.  The  National  Iron  Bank  is  also  a  United  States  Depository 
bank. 

The  oflicial  reports  issued  for  1920  on  Montgomery  county  give  these 
figures  on  Banking:  Total  number  of  National  Banks  in  county,  27; 
number  of  Trust  Companies,  nine;  Building  and  Loan  Associations,  66, 
total  capital  (1920)  of  all  banking  institutions,  $4,562,000;  surplus,  $5,- 
092,500;  demand  deposits,  $30,315,153;  savings  deposits,  $34,810,636; 
total  resources,  $387,781,846;  per  capita  savings  in  county,  $174.66.  This 
was  based  on  the  1920  census,  which  gave  this  county  199,310  population. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
FRATERNAL  ORDERS  OF  THE  COUNTY. 

Without  attempting  to  go  into  an  account  of  the  scores  of  beneficiary 
societies,  the  general  object  of  which  is  insurance  on  the  lives  of  its 
members  (for  their  name  has  come  to  be  legion),  the  present  chapter 
will  deal  briefly  with  the  three  universally  recognized  civic  societies — 
Masonry,  Odd  Fellowship,  and  Knights  of  Pythias  orders. 

Free  Masonry — The  most  ancient  of  these  three  fraternal  organiza- 
tions had  its  first  working  lodge  in  Montgomery  county  at  Norristown. 
Charity  Lodge,  No.  190,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  was  granted  a 
charter  August  2,  1823,  and  the  lodge  was  constituted  October  23rd  the 
same  year.  There  is  a  tradition  among  Masons  that  there  was  a  lodge  of 
Masons  in  existence  at  Valley  Forge,  and  that  Washington  had  charge 
of  it,  but  there  is  no  recorded  proof  of  such  work  among  Masons  in  this 
county.  Charity  Lodge,  No.  igo,  Norristown,  according  to  the  last 
report  had  a  membership  of  724,  and  owns  a  spacious,  well  furnished 
temple  on  Main  street,  erected  in  1897.  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  Knights 
Templar  Commandery  and  Eastern  Star  degrees  are  all  well  represented  ■ 
in  Norristown  Masonry. 

Stichter  Lodge,  No.  254,  Pottstown,  was  organized  under  charter 
granted  March  3,  1851 ;  it  now  has  a  membership  of  456.  Cassia  Lodge, 
No.  z-j^y,  Ardmore,  was  instituted  March  7,  1853,  and  now  has  a  member- 
ship of  840,  the  largest  of  any  lodge  in  Montgomery  county.  Fort  Wash- 
ington Lodge,  No.  308,  of  Fort  Washington,  was  instituted  September 
29,  1857,  and  now  has  a  membership  of  189.  Warren  Lodge,  No.  310,  was 
constituted  September  5,  1857,  at  Trappe ;  it  was  subsequently  removed 
to  CoUegeville,  and  now  has  a  membership  of  269.  Friendship  Lodge, 
No.  400,  of  Jenkintown,  chartered  September  5,  1867,  "ow  enjoys  a  mem- 
bership of  484.  W.  K.  Bray  Lodge,  No.  410,  of  Hatboro  borough,  char- 
tered March  4,  1868,  now  has  a  membership  of  206.  Fritz  Lodge,  No. 
420,  of  Conshohocken,  was  chartered  June  3,  1868,  and  now  has  a  mem- 
bership of  349.  Shiloh  Lodge,  No.  558,  of  Lansdale,  was  constituted 
January  31,  1882,  and  now  has  a  membership  of  340.  Royersford  Lodge, 
No.  585,  is  one  of  the  later  Masonic  lodges  of  the  county,  and  has  a 
membership  of  194;  it  is  in  Royersford  borough.  Perkiomen  Lodge,  No. 
595,  located  at  East  Greenville,  has  a  membership  of  127.  Norristown 
Lodge,  No.  620,  has  a  membership  of  557  and  its  home  is  Norristown 
borough,  a  sister  of  the  original  Masonic  lodge  in  the  county  seat  and 
county.  Charity,  No.  190. 

Before  1884  the  county  had  its  chapters  of  Royal  Arch  Masons,  and 
also  a  commandery  of  Knights  Templar.    Some  of  the  lodges  above  men- 
Mont — 13 


194  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

tioned  occupy  halls  of  their  own,  but  usually  speaking  they  lease  from 
other  parties.  Montgomery  county  has  eleven  of  the  five  hundred  and 
twenty-six  Masonic  lodges  within  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — This  is  the  next  older  civic 
society  to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  It  is  the  legitimate  offspring  of  the 
Manchester  Unity  of  Odd  Fellows  in  England.  Modern  Odd  Fellow- 
ship is  of  comparatively  recent  date.  It  was  planted  in  Baltimore  in 
1819,  as  the  Manchester  Unity  Odd  Fellowship,  by  Thomas  Wildey. 
Very  soon  this  was  followed  by  the  institution  of  Pennsylvania  Lodge, 
No.  I,  in  Philadelphia,  the  date  being  December  26,  1821,  at  the  public 
house  of  John  Upton,  on  Dock  street.  This  lodge  was  started  by  Eng- 
lishmen social  and  convivial  in  their  habits,  and  the  organization  thus 
commenced  soon  became  of  more  than  local  interest,  so  as  its  members 
moved  out  to  other  localities  they  naturally  desired  a  lodge  organized 
of  their  kind,  and  hence  started  Odd  Fellows'  lodges.  Among  such  men 
was  Morton  Kelsey,  who  belonged  to  Philadelphia  Lodge,  who  came  to 
Norristown  in  the  autumn  of  1836.  His  evenings  were  largely  spent  at 
the  Farmers'  Hotel,  kept  by  James  Coates,  and  it  was  not  long  before 
a  move  was  set  on  foot  to  organize  a  lodge  at  Norristown,  which  was 
accomplished,  and  Montgomery  Lodge,  No.  57,  was  organized  February 
27,  1837,  the  charter  having  previously  been  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  first  set  of  officers  were:  Noble  Grand,  James 
Coates ;  vice-grand,  Watson  Kirkbride ;  secretary,  John  W.  Powell ; 
treasurer,  Jacob  Spang.  At  first  the  lodge  met  Saturday  evenings,  and 
was  organized  in  an  attic  over  the  back  building  of  the  residence  of 
William  Powell,  immediately  adjoining  the  property  on  which  Music 
Hall  later  was  built.  Next  they  moved  to  a  room  in  the  old  court  house. 
After  one  year  there  they  leased  a  room  for  sixty  dollars  per  year,  and 
thus  they  moved  from  one  place  to  another.  In  January,  1840,  the  rooms 
they  occupied  were  burned,  with  all  the  effects  of  the  lodge,  including 
its  records.  It  was  always  believed  to  have  been  the  work  of  some  per- 
son not  in  sympathy  with  secret  orders,  for  in  those  early  years  a  bitter 
feeling  was  engendered  over  the  instituting  of  any  secret  society,  hence 
Masons  and  Odd  Fellows  had  a  hard  time  to  live  down  the  popular 
clamor  against  such  orders.  But  in  a  few  years  this  feeling  died  out 
and  the  community  were  more  charitably  disposed. 

Coming  down  to  1884,  almost  a  half  century  after  the  first  lodge  was 
formed  in  this  county,  we  find  by  records,  that  the  following  Odd  Fel- 
lows' lodges  were  in  existence  at  that  date :  Montgomery,  No.  57,  with  a 
membership  of  286;  Wissahickon,  78  members;  Center  Square,  60;  Mer- 
ion,  86;  Manatawny,  82;  Gratitude,  139;  Eagle,  82;  Curtis,  248;  Spring 
House,  102;  Peace  and  Love,  97;  Loller,  59;  Providence,  112;  Marble 
Hall,  165;  Perkiomenville,  112;  Banyan  Tree,  20;  Economy,  60;  Norria, 
93;  Pennsburg,  iii;  Upper  Dublin,  99;  Madison,  75;  Gulf,  76;  North 
Wales,  66 ;  Lansdale,  75.    Total  in  county,  2,256. 


FRATERNAL  ORDERS  OF  THE  COUNTY       195 

In  1880  there  were  eight  encampments  in  this  county,  and  from  1879 
to  1881  the  increase  and  interest  in  Odd  Fellowship  was  very  marked. 
To  show  what  radical  changes  in  sentiment  in  favor  of  secret  societies 
there  has  been  since  the  forties  and  fifties,  we  quote  from  Bean's  "His- 
tory of  Montgomery  County"  ( 1884)  as  follows : 

An  instance  of  the  methods  used  against  members  of  an  Odd  Fellows' 
lodge  came  accidentally  to  the  attention  of  the  writer  during  the  past 
summer.  Jeremiah  Weber,  a  member  of  a  city  lodge,  was  a  tenant  of 
Eli  P.  McGlathery,  in  Whitpain  township.  Mr.  Weber  was  taken  sick 
during  the  fall  of  1844,  and  reported  himself  to  the  lodge.  A  committee 
waited  on  him  to  ascertain  the  nature  of  his  illness  and  pay  his  benefits. 
Mr.  McGlathery  hearing  of  it,  although  on  the  best  of  terms  with  the 
tenant,  never  again  called  on  him,  and  in  due  time  Mr.  Weber  received 
notice  to  quit.  Many  such  instances  doubtless  happened,  for  the  general 
feeling  that  then  existed  was  so  great  against  fraternities  that  it  is  a 
marvel  that  murders  were  not  committed. 

The  Grand  Lodge  directory  issued  in  January,  1923,  shows  the  fol- 
lowing concerning  the  various  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows'  lodges 
within  Montgomery  county  as  to  date  of  organization:  Montgomery 
Lodge,  No.  57,  Norristown,  December  27,  1837;  Merion  Lodge,  No.  210, 
Gladwynne,  December  15,  1846;  Manatawny  Lodge,  No.  214,  Pottstown, 
January,  1847,  merged  now  with  No.  466;  Curtis  Lodge,  No.  239,  Norris- 
town, April  29,  1847;  Marble  Hall  Lodge,  No.  351,  Conshohocken,  July 
10,  1849;  Perkiomenville  Lodge,  No.  367,  Perkiomenville,  June  12,  1856; 
Banyan  Tree  Lodge,  No.  378,  Ardmore,  October  23,  1849 !  Economy 
Lodge,  No.  397,  Collegeville,  February  28,  1850;  Norris  Lodge,  No.  430, 
Norristown,  March  28,  185 1 ;  Pennsburg  Lodge,  No.  449,  Pennsburg, 
September  18,  1851 ;  Valley  Forge  Lodge,  No.  459,  Port  Kennedy,  March 
I3»  1875 ;  Madison  Lodge,  No.  466,  Pottstown,  June  14,  1852  (merged 
now) ;  Conshohocken  Lodge,  No.  525,  Conshohocken,  June  12,  1856 ; 
Royers  Ford  Lodge,  No.  1038,  Royersford,  April  13,  1892;  Center  Square 
Lodge,  No.  204,  Center  Square,  December  24,  1846;  Providence  Lodge, 
No.  345,  Kulpsville,  March  26,  1849  '■>  North  Wales  Lodge,  No.  610,  North 
Wales,  October  12,  1867;  Wissahickon  Lodge,  No.  178,  Flourtown, 
August  27,  1846;  Peace  and  Love  Lodge,  No.  337,  Jenkintown,  Novem- 
ber 25,  1848;  Loller  Lodge,  No.  338,  Hatboro,  December  9,  1848;  Souder- 
ton  Lodge,  No.  612,  Souderton,  March  10,  1891 ;  Lansdale  Lodge,  No. 
977,  Lansdale,  March  13,  1881 ;  Ambler  Lodge,  No.  1045,  Ambler,  June  7, 
1892;  Fort  Washington  Lodge,  No.  1123,  Fort  Washington,  March  14, 
1901. 

The  Odd  Fellows  have  Encampments  and  Rebekah  degrees  in  this 
county.  Norristown  Encampment,  No.  37,  was  instituted  in  July,  1846. 
It  has  paid  out  in  way  of  benefits  many  thousands  of  dollars  to  date. 
May  I,  1883,  Lanah  Degree  Lodge,  No.  133,  of  the  Daughters  of  Rebekah, 
at  North  Wales,  was  instituted.    Others  have  been  organized,  but  never 


196  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

seem  to  flourish  as  do  the  subordinate  and  encampment  lodges  of  the 
county  in  Odd  Fellowship. 

Being  denied  the  right  to  unite  with  the  white  lodges  of  the  order, 
the  colored  men  who  wanted  such  fraternal  lodges  among  their  people 
sent  five  colored  representatives  to  England,  where  the  Manchester 
Unity  of  Odd  Fellows  of  England  furnished  them  with  the  secrets  of 
the  work.  They  then  returned  fully  equipped  to  organize  lodges  in  this 
country.  The  first  lodge  was  organized  in  Philadelphia.  Five  colored 
men  from  Norristown  joined  the  order  in  Philadelphia,  in  May,  185 1, 
and  soon  (June  3,  1851)  a  charter  was  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  for 
the  instituting  of  Good  Will  Lodge,  No.  1025,  of  Odd  Fellows,  hence  the 
two  races  have  since  been  on  equal  footing  as  to  lodge  benefits.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  this  first  colored  lodge  was  chartered  ten  years 
prior  to  the  Civil  War,  and  thirteen  years  before  the  slaves  had  been 
set  free  by  President  Lincoln. 

Knights  of  Pythias — This  fraternity  was  founded  in  the  city  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  at  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  Most  of  the  charter 
members  of  Lodge  No.  i  were  Union  army  officers,  and  little  thought 
of  the  magnitude  to  which  their  efforts  were  to  extend  throughout 
America.  The  only  remaining  charter  member  of  this  order,  Mr.  Charles 
Cleveland,  now  near  his  ninetieth  year,  resides  in  Iowa.  He  was  in  the 
navy  during  the  Civil  War. 

In  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  the  first  attempt  to  introduce 
the  work  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  was  when  Lodge  No.  32,  known  as 
Norristown,  was  instituted,  January  22,  1868.  By  1882,  the  membership 
had  grown  to  over  three  hundred.  Jenkintown  Lodge,  No.  476,  was  insti- 
tuted November  10,  1881,  and  soon  had  a  membership  of  one  hundred. 

The  subjoined  account  of  lodges  of  this  fraternity  in  Montgomery 
county  show  its  workings  in  1884:  Norristown  Lodge,  No.  32,  mem- 
bership 125;  Othello,  No.  50,  membership  of  50;  Gulf  Lodge,  No.  82, 
membership  of  45;  Conshohocken  Lodge,  No.  117,  membership  19;  Laf- 
ayette Lodge,  No.  137,  membership  52;  Fort  Washington  Lodge,  No. 
148,  membership  30;  Swedeland  Lodge,  No.  219,  membership  32;  Green- 
ville Lodge,  No.  232,  membership  67;  Zieglersville  Lodge,  No.  247,  mem- 
bership 145;  Shannonville  Lodge,  No.  360,  membership  49;  Abington 
Lodge,  No.  388,  membership  155;  Jenkintown  Lodge,  No.  476,  member- 
ship III.  The  total  assets  of  the  Order  in  this  county  were  in  1884 
$20,927.00. 

Coming  down  to  the  present  time,  it  may  be  said  that  Montgomery 
county  has  seven  lodges  of  this  fraternity,  as  shown  by  recent  Grand 
Lodge  reports:  Gulf,  No.  81,  West  Conshohocken,  membership  •]•]•, 
Swedeland,  No.  219,  Gladwyne,  membership  72;  Greenville,  No.  232, 
Greenville,  membership  not  reported;  Zieglersville,  No.  247,  Zieglers- 
ville,  membership    125;   Abington,   No.   388,   Ogontz,   membership   54; 


FRATERNAL  ORDERS  OF  THE  COUNTY  197 

Pottstown,  No.  429,  Pottstown,  membership  180;  Conshohocken,  No. 
117,  Conshohocken,  membership  661;  Fortuna,  No.  118,  Hatboro,  mem- 
bership 148;  Jenkintown,  No.  476,  Jenkintown,  membership  123. 

Other  Orders — The  following  secret  organizations  have  been  intro- 
duced into  Montgomery  county  in  the  year  opposite  their  name.  And 
no  doubt  here  and  there  over  the  county  there  are  other  new  orders,  all 
tending  toward  beneficiary  affairs  and  all  carry  life  insurance  to  a  cer- 
tain extent:  Patriotic  Sons  of  America,  1847;  Order  of  United  American 
Mechanics,  1847;  American  Protestant  Association,  1853;  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  1868;  Knights  of  Friendship,  1868;  Ancient  Order  of 
Good  Fellows,  1869;  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  1873;  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle,  1873;  Temple  of  Honor  and  Temperance,  1873;  Brotherhood  of 
the  Union,  1874;  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  1879;  Junior  Amer- 
ican Protestant  Association,  1882;  Ancient  Order  of  Knights  of  the 
Mystic  Chain,  1882;  American  Legion  of  Honor,  1882;  Sons  of  Veter- 
ans, 1SS2;  Knights  of  the  Revolution,  1884;  Black  Knights  of  Malta, 
1884;  Good  Templars,  Sons  of  Temperance,  Royal  Arcanum,  Mystic 
Druids,  Junior  Order  of  American  Mechanics,  Red  Men,  Knights  of 
Columbus,  Foresters,  Woodmen,  etc. 

The  above  is  certainly  a  good  showing  in  a  county  that  three-quarters 
of  a  century  ago  could  hardly  tolerate  a  struggling  Masonic  or  Odd  Fel- 
lows' lodge  to  exist  within  its  borders. 

National  Guard — The  Sixth  Regiment,  National  Guard  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, was  organized,  and  had  its  headquarters  located  at  Norristown  in 
the  nineties.  The  following  companies  of  this  regiment  were  recruited 
in  this  county :  Company  C,  Conshohocken ;  Company  F,  Norristown ; 
Company  A,  Pottstown.  In  speaking  of  the  soldiers  of  Montgomery 
county  in  his  centennial  address,  Dr.  C.  Z.  Weizer  remarked:  "General 
Peter  Muhlenberg,  of  Independence  days,  whose  statue  now  graces  the 
rotunda  at  Washington,  was  born  in  this  county.  General  Andrew  Por- 
ter, who  fought  in  the  Revolutionary  army  so  gallantly  at  Trenton,  at 
Brandywine,  and  wherever  courage  was  needed,  was  a  native  of  this 
county.  Nor  dare  we  forget  our  grand  citizen  soldiers  whose  records 
shine  so  brilliantly  since  the  late  period  of  contention  and  strife — Major 
Generals  John  Frederick  Hartranft  and  Winfield  Scott  Hancock.  And 
do  not  the  names  of  Brooke  and  Zook  stand  in  red  letters?" 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN. 
By  Mrs.  A.  Conrad  Jones,  Conshohocken,  Pennsylvania. 
Services  of  Montgomery  County  Women  in  the  Civil  War — Immedi- 
ately upon  receipt  of  news  of  the  battle  of  Antietam,  a  call  was  made 
(says  Bean's  "History  of  Montgomery  County"),  in  behalf  of  the 
wounded  who  needed  nurses  and  supplies  of  food  and  raiment.  Among 
the  first  to  respond  from  Montgomery  county  to  the  call  were  Mrs. 
Rachel  P.  Evans,  of  Bridgeport;  Mrs.  Alice  H.  Holstein,  Mrs.  Anna 
Carver,  and  Miss  Sallie  L.  Roberts,  of  Upper  Merion ;  Miss  Sarah  Priest, 
of  Bridgeport;  and  Miss  Lizzie  J.  Brower,  of  Norristown.  These  patri- 
otic and  humane  ladies  freely  gave  their  services  to  the  sick  and  wounded 
men  who  fell  in  battle  or  were  stricken  with  disease  resulting  from 
exhaustion  and  exposure.  Many  of  the  men  of  the  51st  Regiment  of 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers  received  attention  from  the  ladies  named,  who 
remained  on  the  field  of  battle  and  near  Sharpsburg  for  some  two  weeks. 
A  number  of  the  men  of  the  129th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  were  also 
cared  for  by  them  at  or  near  the  village  named.  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Hol- 
stein, who  followed  the  example  of  these  six  pioneer  and  heroic  women 
to  fields  of  human  horror,  and  who,  with  her  husband,  Major  William 
H.  Holstein,  remained  in  this  sacrificial  service  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  in  1865,  thus  refers  to  her  sister  co-workers  in  her  "Three  Years 
in  Field  Hospital :"  "From  our  midst  six  women  felt  called  upon  to  offer 
their  services  for  a  few  weeks  to  nurse  the  wounded.  Though  strongly 
urged  to  make  one  of  their  number,  I  declined.  The  idea  of  seeing  and 
waiting  upon  wounded  men  was  one  from  which  I  shrank  instinctively. 
But  when  my  husband  returned  from  the  battlefield  of  Antietam,  whither 
the  six  women  had  gone,  with  the  sad  story  that  men  were  dying  for 
food,  home  comforts  and  home  care,  lying  by  the  roadside,  in  barns, 
sheds,  and  out-houses,  I  hesitated  no  longer."  Although  not  among  the 
first  to  enter  this  truly  good  service  to  the  country  and  its  defenders, 
once  engaged  in  it,  a  conviction  of  duty  detained  both  herself  and  hus- 
band in  field  and  hospital  duty  until  the  conflict  ended.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Holstein  followed  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  its  deadly  and  discourag- 
ing campaigns  in  Virginia,  at  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville,  at 
Gettysburg,  accompanying  it  in  its  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  Spott- 
sylvania,  South  Anna,  Cold  Harbor,  south  of  the  James  river,  Peters- 
Editor's  Note — The  articles  comprised  in  this  chapter  on  the  various  Women's 
Clubs  and  Societies  of  the  county  are  by  the  pen  of  Mrs.  Mary  (Bean)  Jones,  daug'h- 
ter  of  Colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean,  who  was  the  author  of  the  "History  of  Montg-om- 
ery  County"  (1884),  and  she  assisted  her  father  on  that  most  excellent  history,  as  is 
shown  in  the  preface  to  the  work.  Reprinted  in  the  present  volume  from  that  work 
is  the  matter  relating  to  women's  service  in  the  Civil  War.  If  some  of  these  articles 
seem  too  much  abridged,  it  must  not  he  charged  to  their  writer,  but  to  the  limited 
amount  of  space  allotted  her  by  the  publishers,  and  the  time  given  in  which  to  gather 
data  and  compile  the  same. 


200  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

burg,  Five  Forks,  and  at  the  base  of  supplies,  with  acre  upon  acre  of 
field  hospitals,  when  the  glad  news  of  the  surrender  of  General  Lee  at 
Appomattox  was  flashed  over  the  wires  to  City  Point,  and  from  thence  to 
a  loyal  and  rejoicing  North.  Among  the  first  six  who  are  above  men- 
tioned, Mrs.  Evans  became  very  ill  from  over-work  and  exposure,  and 
suffered  long  and  dangerous  illness.  Her  place  was  promptly  taken  by 
her  sister.  Miss  Lizzie  Brower,  who  remained  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hol- 
stein  for  the  greater  part  of  the  three  following  years. 

We  may  here  say  that  among  all  the  hundreds  of  self-sacrificing 
women  who  gave  their  time  and  services  to  the  government  during  the 
long  years  of  that  cruel  war,  none  have  received  the  slightest  practical 
recognition  from  the  government  they  upheld  and  contributed  so  mate- 
rially to  save  in  its  day  of  great  peril. 

Women's  Loyal  League  of  Montgomery  County — The  invasion  of 
Pennsylvania  in  the  summer  of  1S63  aroused  the  loyal  blood  of  the  women 
as  well  as  the  men  of  the  State.  The  great  battle  of  Gettysburg  had 
been  fought ;  the  terrible  loss  of  life,  the  waste  and  desolation  and  human 
anguish  which  resulted  quickened  the  sense  of  patriotism  felt  by  all 
those  in  sympathy  with  the  Union  army  and  the  success  of  the  national 
administration  in  its  efforts  to  crush  out  the  Rebellion.  From  the  com- 
mencement of  hostilities  to  the  close  of  the  conflict  the  loyal  women  of 
Montgomery  county  were  devoted  to  those  who  volunteered  in  defense 
of  the  country. 

The  world  will  possibly  never  know  of  all  the  friendly  acts  toward 
the  men  in  the  field  and  their  families  at  home  bestowed  by  the  Christian 
and  benevolent  women  of  the  country ;  to  them  is  eminently  due  the  lib- 
eral contributions  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  from  this  vicinity,  and 
from  which  the  sick  and  wounded  on  the  field  and  in  hospitals  received 
needed  supplies  of  food  and  raiment  through  all  the  long  and  weary 
years  of  the  struggle.  Many  of  these  good  women  felt  that  this  was  not 
enough,  but  that  their  feelings  should  find  public  expression,  and  that 
their  influence  also  should  be  unitedly  exerted  in  sustaining  a  strong 
public  sentiment  in  support  of  the  government.  To  this  end,  in  July, 
1863,  they  formed  a  branch  in  the  Loyal  League,  and  published  a  declar- 
ation of  purposes,  viz. : 

Declaration  of  Purposes  in  Organizing  the  Women's  Loyal  League  of 
Montgomery  County: 

Believing  that  the  women  have  it  in  their  power  to  exert  a  very  great 
influence  in  the  destiny  of  this  Nation,  and  being  satisfied  that  more  can 
be  accomplished  by  united  action  than  individual  effort,  we  deem  it 
expedient  to  form  a  Society  to  be  called  the  Loyal  League  of  the  Women 
of  Montgomery  County. 

Resolved,  That  we  will  use  every  means  in  our  power  to  aid  in  sup- 
porting the  Government  in  its  struggles  for  existence,  by  the  develop- 
ments of  love  for  the  Union  and  respect  for  the  constituted  authorities, 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN      201 

and  to  this  end  we  will  constantly  labor  for  the  uprooting  of  all  treason- 
able sentiments  and  the  discouragement  of  those  who  are  endeavoring  to 
foster  them. 

Resolved,  That  our  efiforts  for  the  comfort  and  benefit  of  the  soldiers 
in  the  field  and  in  the  hospital  shall  be  unceasing,  and  that  while  en- 
deavoring to  soften  the  hardships  they  must  endure,  we  will  turn  to  them 
only  the  cheerful  and  hopeful  side  of  everything,  and  we  will  strive  to 
have  brave  hearts  at  home,  in  order  that  their  hands  may  be  strength- 
ened, remembering  we  may  yield  up  a  few  superfluities  for  the  sake  of 
those  who  have  preserved  to  us  our  homes  and  other  comforts. 

Resolved,  That  we  will  pledge  ourselves  to  unite  our  best  influence, 
not  only  toward  the  brave  in  the  field,  but  to  exert  every  kindly  feeling 
toward  the  families  at  home ;  to  build  up  their  faith  in  the  Government, 
and  to  give  them  every  encouragement  which  woman  only  can  give. 

Resolved,  We  will,  while  redoubling  every  effort,  rely  first  upon  our 
only  strength,  and  be  earnest  and  untiring  in  prayer  to  God  for  the 
success  of  our  cause,  and  the  triumph  of  Truth,  Justice  and  Liberty.  We 
ask  all  to  unite  with  us  by  signing  their  names,  and  contributing  a  small 
sum  to  maintain  and  carry  out  the  objects  of  the  League. 

Mrs.  Jonathan  Roberts,  President. 

Mrs.  Robert  Iredell,  Vice-President. 

Miss  Anna  C.  Yerkes,  Secretary. 

Mrs.  L.  H.  Jones,  Treasurer. 

Mrs.  C.  Evans,  Bridgeport ; 

Mrs.  B.  B.  Hughes,  Bridgeport ; 

Mrs.  C.  p.  Harry,  Norristown ; 

Executive  Committee. 

The  members  held  their  stated  meetings  in  the  rooms  on  the  second 
floor  of  the  old  Washington  Inn.  They  were  rented  by  the  gentlemen 
belonging  to  the  "Loyal  League"  (not,  however,  the  one  organized  by 
the  ladies),  and  usually  under  the  care  of  a  janitor,  and  open  at  all  times, 
especially  during  active  campaign  periods.  It  was  general  headquarters 
for  all  information  touching  army  affairs.  Files  of  newspapers  were 
here  kept,  and  general  and  special  correspondence  centered  in  the 
"League  Rooms."  It  was  a  place  of  great  public  interest  immediately 
after  battles  fought,  as  the  people  from  all  parts  of  the  county  would 
visit  there  to  have  the  news  from  the  front  and  obtam  tidings  from  their 
personal  friends  in  the  different  armies.  In  those  days  "war  correspond- 
ents" flashed  along  the  wires  the  long  list  of  "killed,  wounded  and  cap- 
tured" always  sure  to  follow  a  movement  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
Sherman  in  the  Southwest,  or  Sheridan  in  the  Valley.  Bright  faces 
were  often  saddened,  and  trembling  hearts  here  first  heard  news  of  vic- 
tory or  defeat,  and  with  it  the  loss  of  those  near  and  dear  to  them.  The 
organization  exercised  a  healthful  influence  during  its  existence,  and  dis- 
solved by  mutual  consent  upon  the  termination  of  the  war. 

Montgomery  County  Woman  Suffrage  Association — This  associa- 
tion was  organized  in  1888,  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  home  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  Hooven,  Norristown.    Mrs.  Susan  Fessenden,  of  Massachu- 


202  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

setts,  addressed  the  meeting.  The  charter  members  enrolled  were :  Mrs. 
Anna  M.  Holstein,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  Tyson,  Miss  Elizabeth  H.  Tyson,  Mrs. 
Hetty  Y.  Hallowell,  Miss  Anna  Y.  Hallowell,  James  Hooven,  Mrs. 
Rebecca  Mclnnes,  Mrs.  Emma  C.  Patton,  and  William  H.  Holstein.  The 
membership  was  further  increased  this  first  year  by  Miss  Sarah  Reese, 
Mrs.  Sara  L.  Oberholtzer,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Andrews,  Mrs.  E.  B.  Conrow,  Miss 
Eleanor  Rapp,  Mrs.  Ellen  C.  Jones,  Miss  Mary  A.  Stahr,  Miss  Ellen  L. 
Thomas,  and  Samuel  Tyson.  May  23,  1888,  their  constitution  was 
adopted,  and  for  twenty-five  years  following,  this  organization  carried 
on  a  series  of  meetings  and  lectures  and  activities  to  awaken  public 
opinion  in  favor  of  the  movement  to  give  women  the  right  to  the  ballot. 

The  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  of  Montgomery  County, 
of  which  Mrs.  Sara  L.  Oberholtzer  was  president,  gave  the  use  of  their 
rooms  for  the  meetings  of  the  association,  and  cooperated  warmly  with 
the  movement. 

The  Association  took  up  the  study  of  political  economy  and  laws 
pertaining  to  the  rights  of  women.  In  their  investigations  they  learned 
that  in  1889,  726  women  in  Montgomery  county  paid  $18,730.72  taxes  on 
property  valued  at  $1,440,825. 

Distinguished  speakers  addressed  their  meetings :  Miss  Lucy  An- 
thony, Rev.  Anna  H.  Shaw,  Miss  Mary  Grew,  Dr.  Brink,  Mrs.  Lucretia 
Mitchell,  Dr.  Hiram  H.  Corson,  Mrs.  Rachel  Foster  Avery,  Miss  Jane 
Campbell,  Judge  Ashman ;  Mrs.  Rudolph  Blankenburg,  president  of  the 
State  Association ;  Mrs.  Kemp,  Henry  B.  Blackwell,  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
W.  Yates.  Memorial  meetings  were  held  in  honor  of  Lucy  Stone  and 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Cady  Stanton.  The  speakers  were:  Mrs.  David  R. 
Beaver,  Mrs.  Ellen  C.  Jones,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  Tyson,  Miss  Anna  B. 
Thomas,  Dr.  Hiram  Corson,  Isaac  Roberts,  and  Miss  Ellen  L.  Thomas. 

The  State  convention  was  held  in  Norristown  in  1908.  Auxiliary 
societies  were  formed.  The  Plymouth  Meeting  Suffrage  Club  organized 
June  21,  1905,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Helen  C.  Hovendon,  with  Miss  Helen 
Corson  Livezey,  president ;  Miss  Martha  Hovendon,  secretary ;  and  Mrs. 
Albert  Rubicam,  treasurer.  Their  meetings  continued  until  they  joined 
the  Woman  Suffrage  Party  of  Pennsylvania,  May,  1915,  and  entered 
into  active  work  with  the  Suffrage  Party  of  Montgomery  county.  The 
last  officers  of  the  club  were :  President,  Mrs.  George  Corson ;  record- 
ing secretary.  Miss  Emily  Corson ;  corresponding  secretary,  Miss  Martha 
M.  Hovendon;  treasurer,  Mrs.  H.  Oscar  Young. 

The  Norristown  and  Collegeville  Association  was  formed  in  1905, 
with:  President,  Mrs.  Mary  R.  Livezey;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Mary  S. 
Landes;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Martha  E.  Piatt;  corresponding  sec- 
retary. Miss  Ellen  L.  Thomas;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  Longstreth. 
This  association  remained  active  until  May  8,  1919.  The  officers  at  this 
time  were:    President,   Miss  Katharine   Preston;  vice-president.   Miss 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     203 

Helen  E.  Richards;  secretary,  Miss  Nancy  C.  Cresson;  treasurer,  Mrs. 
Sarah  H.  Ross. 

The  County  Association  after  twenty-five  years  of  successful  work 
disbanded  May  23,  1913.  The  officers  at  that  time  were:  President, 
Miss  Ellen  L.  Thomas;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Mary  R.  Livezey;  recording 
secretary,  Mrs.  Ada  F.  T.  Dean;  corresponding  secretary,  Miss  Martha 
M.  Hovendon ;  treasurer,  Miss  Anna  B.  Thomas. 

The  Woman  Suffrage  Party  of  Montgomery  County  was  formed  in 
1913.  with  the  following  board  of  officers:  Chairman,  Mrs.  J.  Howard 
Brown,  Ardmore;  vice-chairmen,  Mrs.  George  Corson,  Plymouth  Meet- 
ing; Mrs.  Mrs.  A.  M.  Snyder,  Ardmore;  treasurer,  Mrs.  James  E.  Barnes, 
North  Wales;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  James  B.  Marshall,  Noble;  cor- 
responding secretary,  Miss  Anna  Mitchell,  Ardmore.  The  party  organ- 
ized for  work  in  the  four  legislative  districts  of  the  county,  with  Mrs. 
W.  M.  Gehman,  Jr.,  of  Cynwyd,  leader  of  the  First  District;  Mrs.  Car- 
rie S.  Childs,  of  North  Wales,  leader  of  the  Third  District ;  and  Mrs. 
Storb,  of  Pottstown,  leader  of  the  Fourth  District.  Meetings  were  held 
regularly  for  information  and  instruction  of  workers.  Leaders  further 
organized  the  boroughs  and  townships  of  their  districts,  and  to  each 
district  was  assigned  a  quota  of  money  to  be  raised  to  meet  the  expense 
of  county  and  of  State  work.  Mrs.  Brown  as  county  leader  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Mrs.  A.  M.  Snyder,  of  Ardmore,  and  Mrs.  C.  W.  Young,  of 
Fairview. 

The  party  continued  active  work  until  the  passage  of  the  National 
Amendment  granting  suffrage  to  women,  and  dissolved  their  organiza- 
tion March  6,  1920,  when  most  of  the  women  active  in  the  party  joined 
the  League  of  Women  Voters.  Mrs.  C.  W.  Young  was  president  at  this 
time  and  Miss  Margaret  P.  Saunders  treasurer. 

The  Montgomery  County  League  of  Women  Voters  was  organized  in 
Norristown,  October,  1920.  The  League  has  for  its  object,  "By  informa- 
tion and  education  upon  public  questions,  the  principles  and  policies  of 
political  parties,  and  the  qualifications  of  candidates  for  public  office,  to 
help  make  the  woman's  vote  an  intelligent  factor  in  government."  The 
first  officers  were:  Chairman,  Mrs.  Herman  S.  Swartz,  of  Wynnewood; 
vice-chairman,  Mrs.  George  Rea,  Ardmore ;  secretary,  Mrs,  George  Blair, 
Wynnewood;  treasurer,  Miss  Margaret  P.  Saunders,  Glenside. 

Branches  of  the  League  are  organized  through  the  county.  They 
form  classes  to  study  citizenship,  committees  to  study  local  conditions, 
and  hold  public  meetings  for  information  and  discussion.  The  member- 
ship of  the  League  is  about  2,000.  The  officers  are:  Chairman,  Miss 
Gertrude  Ely,  Bryn  Mawr;  vice-chairmen,  Mrs.  M.  W.  Montgomery, 
Wyncote;  Mrs.  George  Vaux,  Jr.,  Bryn  Mawr;  Mrs.  Aaron  S.  Swartz, 
Norristown ;  Mrs.  Wm.  H.  Russell,  Ambler ;  secretary,  Mrs.  Harry  Kohn, 
Merion ;  treasurer.  Miss  Margaret  P.  Saunders ;  directors :  Mrs.  J.  Spen- 
cer Brock,  Rydal;  Mrs.  Harold  De  Lancy  Downs,  Conshohocken ;  Mrs. 


204  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Myrtle  Freas,  Whitemarsh ;  Mrs.  T.  Duncan  Just,  Ambler ;  Mrs.  Harry 
E.  Kohn,  Merion;  Mrs.  E.  O.  Kriebel,  Pennsburg;  Mrs.  O.  F.  Lenhardt, 
Norristown ;  Mrs.  Paul  Tappan,  Ardmore. 

The  Children's  Aid  Society — This  society  was  organized  January  6, 
1885,  with  the  following  board  of  managers:  Mrs.  James  Hooven,  Mrs. 
Thomas  Foster,  Mrs.  Henry  Lutz,  Mrs.  Franklin  Sower,  Mrs.  George 
Holstein,  Mrs.  Hugh  Mclnnes,  Mrs.  Reuben  Hofifecker.  The  first  offi- 
cers of  the  society  were :  President,  Mrs.  George  W.  Rogers ;  treasurer, 
Mrs.  J.  K.  Weaver ;  secretary,  Miss  Belle  Shaw.  The  Society  has  for 
its  aim  and  purposes : 

(i)  The  permanent  removal  of  destitute  children  from  pauperizing 
influences.  The  Society  has  no  institution.  Each  child  is  provided  for 
separately  by  being  placed  in  a  respectable  private  family,  country  pre- 
ferred. This  method  preserves  the  individuality  of  the  child,  creates 
domestic  and  social  ties  to  bind  it  into  permanent  relations  with  the  com- 
munity, and  ultimately  relieves  the  public  of  the  child's  support. 

(2)  To  prevent  the  needless  separation  of  mothers  from  their  off- 
spring— legitimate  or  otherwise.  Many  unfortunate  mothers,  without 
money,  friends  or  character,  are  rescued  by  the  Society  from  pauperism 
or  worse,  and  are  made  self-supporting  by  placing  each  mother  and  child 
together  at  service  in  respectable  families. 

(3)  The  removal  of  all  children  over  two  years  of  age  now  in  alms- 
houses throughout  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  into  respectable  private 
homes.  The  directors  do  not  relinquish  their  own  responsibility,  but 
they  accept  the  organization  known  as  the  Children's  Aid  Society  to 
assist  them  in  finding  good  homes,  visiting  them,  and  supervising  them 
after  they  are  placed. 

It  is  to  the  interest  of  all  tax-payers  to  have  such  children  taken  out 
of  the  pauper  class  as  soon  as  possible  and  absorbed  into  the  commu- 
nity. To  carry  on  this  work  there  is  needed  public  sympathy  as  well  as 
financial  support. 

The  Society  has  sixty-eight  children  under  its  care,  clothing  them  and 
exercising  sympathetic  interest  in  them  as  they  visit  them  in  the  homes 
procured  for  the  children.  A  day  nursery  is  also  supported  for  children 
whose  mothers  are  employed  during  the  day.  Following  are  the  present 
officers  and  managers:  President,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Bunting;  vice-presidents, 
Mrs.  Wm.  J.  Elder,  Mrs.  Nelson  C.  Cressman ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs. 
J.  Lawrence  Eisenberg;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Charles  H.  Brun- 
ner ;  treasurer.  Miss  Elizabeth  Huston  ;  board  of  managers :  Mrs.  George 
W.  Rogers,  Mrs.  William  L.  Cresson,.  Mrs.  Ezra  Brown,  Miss  Martha 
Yerkes,  Miss  Emma  Camm,  Mrs.  Horace  Still,  Mrs.  O.  F.  Lenhardt,  Miss 
Imogens  Sands,  Mrs.  Nelson  C.  Cressman,  Mrs.  C.  Townley  Larzalere, 
Mrs.  Mary  Cresson,  Mrs.  William  J.  Elder,  Mrs.  Charles  U.  Brunner, 
Mrs.  Norris  D.  Wright,  Mrs.  Joseph  Fornance,  Mrs.  Ashley  P.  Hunter. 

Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union — This  work  was  organized 
in  Montgomery  county  in   1885.     The  following  women  served  as  the 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     205 

first  officers:  President,  Miss  Margaret  Whitechurch ;  corresponding 
secretary,  Mrs.  Joseph  L.  Richards;  treasurer,  Miss  Mary  Perry.  The 
object  of  the  Union  is  the  overthrow  of  the  liquor  traffic,  and  their  motto, 
"For  God  and  Home  and  Native  Land."  To  teach  the  evil  effects  of 
alcohol  on  the  human  system  has  been  a  constant  endeavor  of  the  Union, 
and  one  important  result  has  been  securing  the  enactment  of  laws  com- 
pelling the  teaching  of  the  same  in  the  public  schools.  Another  early 
activity  was  encouraging  school  children  to  open  savings  accounts.  Mrs. 
Sara  L.  Oberholtzer  was  the  promoter  of  this  movement,  and  was  super- 
intendent of  the  work ;  she  is  now  the  National  Superintendent  of  Thrift 
in  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union. 

The  departments  of  work  in  the  Union  cover  almost  every  line  of 
uplift  endeavor,  and  are  organized  in  six  divisions:  (i)  Patriotic  serv- 
ice, covering  legislation,  work  with  soldiers  and  sailors,  relief  work, 
moral  education,  child  welfare,  suffrage,  and  Americanization.  (2)  Na- 
tional organizers,  lecturers,  national  evangelists  and  work  among  the 
negroes.  (3)  Hygiene  and  preventive  health  work.  (4)  Scientific  in- 
struction in  schools  and  colleges ;  parliamentary  usage,  Woman's  Chris- 
tian Temperance  Union  Institutes.  Sunday  schools,  anti-narcotic  and 
medal  contests.  (5)  Evangelistic,  Sabbath  observance,  mothers'  meet- 
ings, purity  in  literature  and  art,  flower  mission.  (6)  Social  meetings, , 
Christian  citizenship,  peace,  international  arbitration,  prison  work. 

Following  are  the  Unions  in  Montgomery  county  with  their  presid- 
ing officers:  Bridgeport,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Slingluff;  Bryn  Mawr,  Miss 
Lida  H.  Ashbridge ;  Cheltenham,  Mrs.  Barbara  Milligan ;  Collegeville, 
Mrs.  E.  A.  Warner ;  Conshohocken,  Mrs.  Ella  Nace ;  Crestmont,  Mrs. 
John  Love  (Colored  Union);  Jenkintown,  Mrs.  Mary  Seymour;  Lans- 
dale,  Mrs.  Emma  Stewart ;  Norristown,  Mrs.  Mary  R.  Livezey ;  North 
Wales,  Mrs.  Isabel  Purcells ;  Port  Providence,  Mrs.  Belle  Myers ;  Potts- 
town,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Richards ;  Willard,  Mrs.  Emma  B.  Conrow ;  Willow 
Grove,  Mrs.  J.  Dyre  Moyer ;  Worcester,  Mrs.  Adelaide  Hoffman. 

Needle  Work  Guild — The  Needle  Work  Guild  of  America  has  thirty 
branches  in  Montgomery  county.  The  object  of  this  Guild  is  to  collect 
and  distribute  new,  plain  and  suitable  garments  to  meet  the  great  need 
of  hospitals,  homes  and  other  charities,  and  to  extend  its  usefulness  by 
the  organization  of  branches.  The  annual  contribution  of  two  or  more 
new  articles  of  wearing  apparel  or  household  linen,  or  a  donation  ot 
money,  constitutes  membership  in  a  branch.  Men,  women  and  children 
may  become  members.  Any  member  obtaining  contributions  from  twelve 
persons  (or  the  equivalent,  twenty-two  articles),  and  one  money  mem- 
ber, becomes  a  director. 

The  Guild  was  organized  in  Philadelphia  in  1885,  and  the  first  branch 
organized  in  Montgomery  county  was  at  Cheltenham,  in  1891,  with  Mrs. 
Robert  Ellis  Thompson  as  president,  and  a  collection  of  249  garments 


2o6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

was  made  for  that  year.  In  1899  the  name  of  this  branch  was  changed 
to  Wyncote;  in  1922  its  collection  was  2151  garments.  The  total  num- 
ber of  garments  collected  in  Montgomery  county  in  1922  was  89,286. 

Following  is  the  list  of  branches  in  Montgomery  county  in  1923,  with 
year  of  their  organization  and  names  of  presidents : 

Ambler,  1893,  Mrs.  H.  P.  Barnes. 

Ardmore,  1894,  Mrs.  William  H.  Gibbons;  1923,  Miss  Martha  L. 
Gibbons. 

Bethayres,  1913,  Mrs.  D.  H.  Dannehower. 

Bryn  Mawr,  1895,  Miss  Gertrude  S.  Ely. 

Cheltenham,  191 3,  Mrs.  Francis  R.  Taylor. 

Centre  Square,  1921,  Mrs.  Courtland  S.  Morris. 

Conshohocken,  1894,  Mrs.  Charles  Lukens;  1923,  Mrs.  George  N. 
Highley. 

Cynwyd,  1915,  Mrs.  Stephen  B.  Tily. 

Fort  Washington,  1902,  Mrs.  U.  S.  G.  Funk;  1923,  Mrs.  H.  Wilson 
Stahlnecker. 

Gladwyne,  191 5,  Mrs.  Elwood  Claypoole. 

Glenside,  1903,  Mrs.  D.  B.  Flower ;  1923,  Mrs.  Frank  B.  Milnor. 

Hatboro,  1900,  Mrs.  Hannah  W.  Logan. 

Hatfield,  1916,  Mrs.  Israel  Pickup;  1923,  Mrs.  Wilson  C.  Moyer. 

Haverford,  1891,  Mrs.  Charles  S.  Grossman;  1923,  Mrs.  George  W. 
Hansell. 

Jarrettown,  1896,  Miss  Alice  S  Roberts. 

Jenkintown,  1921,  Mrs.  William  H.  Fretz. 

Lansdale,  1901,  Mrs.  H.  L.  S.  Ruth;  1923,  Mrs.  Edward  C.  Spring. 

Narberth,  1904,  Mrs.  R.  H.  Wallace ;  1923,  Mrs.  F.  H.  Hewitt. 

Norristown,  1894,  Mrs.  N.  Howland  Brown. 

North  Wales,  1897,  Miss  May  A.  Frantz ;  1923,  Mrs.  George  W.  Haag. 

Pennsburg,  1921,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Hunsberger. 

Pottstown,  1896,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Loomis. 

Royersford,  1908,  Mrs.  U.  S.  G.  Finkbiner. 

Souderton,  1914,  Mrs.  William  Crouthamel ;  1923,  Mrs.  Arthur  H. 
Landes. 

Schwenksville,  1921,  Mrs.  Horace  P.  Keely. 

Skippack,  1921,  Mrs.  William  E.  Hoke. 

Spring  House,  191 1,  Mrs.  J.  Cheston  Morris,  Jr. 

West  Point,  1908,  Mrs.  Ellwood  Hoot ;  1923,  Mrs.  Joseph  Nolan. 

Willow  Grove,  1912,  Mrs.  John  W.  Burke. 

Wyncote,  1891,  Mrs.  Maurice  J.  Hoover. 

Valley  Forge  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution — ^The 

objects  of  this  Society  are  to  perpetuate  the  memory  and  spirit  of  the 
men  and  women  who  achieved  American  Independence,  by  the  acquisi- 
tion and  protection  of  historical  spots,  and  the  erection  of  monuments ; 
by  the  encouragement  of  historical  research  in  relation  to  the  Revolu- 
tion and  the  publication  of  its  results ;  by  the  preservation  of  documentt 
and  relics,  and  of  the  records  of  the  individual  services  of  Revolutionary 
soldiers  and  patriots,  and  by  the  promotion  of  celebrations  of  all  patriotic 
anniversaries. 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     207 

The  Valley  Forge  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution, 
was  organized  December  17,  1894,  with  the  following  officers:  Regent, 
Mrs.  Anna  Morris  Holstein ;  vice-regent,  Mrs.  Charles  Hunsicker ;  treas- 
urer, Mrs.  Joseph  Fornance;  secretary.  Miss  Katharine  Corson. 

The  activities  of  the  chapter  throughout  its  twenty-nine  years  of 
existence  have  been  zealously  maintained  in  accord  with  the  objects  of 
the  organization.  The  graves  of  seventy-seven  Revolutionary  soldiers  in 
Montgomery  county  are  marked  annually  with  a  fresh  flag.  Historical 
markers  have  been  erected  by  the  chapter  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  James' 
Church,  Perkiomen.  A  boulder  of  native  granite,  erected  June  6,  1908, 
bears  the  inscription:  "This  stone  marks  the  burial  place  of  a  number 
of  soldiers  who  died  for  the  cause  of  American  Independence,  1775-1783." 
Ex-Governor  Samuel  Pennypacker  made  the  address  at  the  unveiling 
ceremonies. 

June  17,  191 1,  by  permission  of  the  Valley  Forge  Park  Commission, 
an  enduring  granite  marker  was  erected  on  the  Valley  Forge  Camp 
Ground.  The  inscription  reads,  "In  memory  of  unknown  soldiers  buried 
at  Valley  Forge,  1777-1778." 

June  8,  1913,  a  marble  tablet  was  placed  on  a  building  at  Main  and 
Ford  streets,  Norristown,  inscribed  as  follows:  "Near  this  site,  Dec.  il, 
12,  13.  1777,  Gen'l  Washington  camped  and  crossed  the  Schuylkill  on  a 
bridge  of  wagons,  at  Swedes  Ford,  on  its  way  to  winter  at  Valley  Forge." 

In  June,  1901,  the  chapter  completed  the  furnishing  in  genuine 
Colonial  furniture  of  the  room  in  Washington's  Headquarters  at  Valley 
Forge,  used  as  his  bedroom. 

June  19,  1916,  the  chapter  placed  a  prayer  desk  in  the  Washington 
Memorial  Chapel  at  Valley  Forge,  bearing  the  following  inscription : 
"To  the  glory  of  God  and  in  memory  of  Anna  Morris  Holstein,  who  in 
war  served  the  nation  as  a  nurse,  and  in  peace  preserved  Washington's 
Headquarters." 

The  chapter  has  joined  in  commemorating  historical  anniversaries 
and  events,  notably  the  looth  anniversary  of  the  borough  of  Norristown, 
the  unveiling  of  the  monument  to  Washington  in  Fairmount  Park,  the 
erection  of  the  marker  by  the  Montgomery  County  Historical  Society 
at  Pennypacker's  Mills,  and  dedication  ceremonies  at  the  Washington 
Memorial  Chapel. 

At  the  time  of  the  Spanish-American  War,  comforts  and  supplies 
were  sent  to  camps  and  hospitals,  to  the  needy  families  of  men  who  had 
enlisted  from  Montgomery  county,  and  to  Cuban  sufferers.  Two  mem- 
bers served  as  nurses — Miss  Martha  Mclnnes,  as  a  volunteer  nurse  at 
Camp  Meade;  Miss  Mary  Lee,  as  a  trained  nurse  at  Johns  Hopkins, 
Baltimore. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  United  States  into  the  World  War,  the  chap- 
ter as  a  unit  entered  into  the  work  of  the  Red  Cross  and  allied  interests. 
Comforts  were  provided  for  the  men  entering  the  camps  and  active  serv- 


2o8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

ice,  and  generous  contributions  were  given  continually.  A  French  orphan 
was  adopted,  whose  support  is  continued. 

December  14,  1919,  the  chapter  celebrated  its  25th  anniversary  with 
a  service  in  St.  John's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  Norristown,  where 
the  anniversary  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  H.  St.  Clair  Hathaway. 
A  reception  and  tea  was  given  December  16;  an  anniversary  fund  of 
$1,000  was  raised  toward  a  Chapter  House. 

The  active  membership  of  the  chapter  is  83,  the  non-resident  60.  The 
chapter  received  upon  its  enrollment,  in  1896,  two  "Real  Daughters,"  Cath- 
erine Bowden,  and  Lucinda  Valentine,  daughters  of  Jabez  Rockwell,  a 
drummer  boy  with  a  Connecticut  regiment,  who  had  been  with  the  Con- 
tinental army  at  Valley  Forge.  The  present  officers  are :  Regent,  Mrs. 
N.  Howland  Brown ;  vice-regent.  Miss  Emeline  Henry  Hooven ;  record- 
ing secretary.  Miss  Isabella  Walker;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  H. 
Wilson  Stahlnecker;  treasurer.  Miss  Marie  R.  Yost;  registrar,  Mrs. 
Irwin  Fisher;  historian,  Mrs.  Irvin  P.  Knipe;  chaplain,  Miss  Mary 
Evans.  Members  of  the  board  of  management  in  addition  to  the  above 
are  Miss  Martha  Hunter  Mclnnes  and  Mrs.  William  H.  Slinglufif. 

Along  educational  lines  they  give  annual  donations  to  schools 
scattered  through  the  southern  mountains,  and  they  have  standing  com- 
mittees upon  Americanization  and  Patriotic  Education,  Historical  Re- 
search, and  Preservation  of  Records. 

The  Merion  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  was 
organized  February  16,  1895,  for  patriotic  and  historic  work.  The  first 
regent  was  Mrs.  John  F.  Develin.  There  were  thirteen  charter  mem- 
bers, one  of  whom  was  a  "Real  Daughter,"  Mrs.  Louisa  Heston  Paxson, 
daughter  of  Colonel  Edward  Heston,  a  noted  Revolutionary  soldier,  and 
widow  of  John  J.  Paxson.  She  was  born  February  16,  1801,  and  died 
March,  1899. 

Merion  Chapter  has  erected  the  following  historic  markers  in  Mont- 
gomery county :  September  14,  1896,  the  spot  where  Washington's  army 
encamped,  September  14,  1777,  five  days  before  the  massacre  of  Paoli. 
This  memorial  stands  on  the  old  Lancaster  road,  just  above  the  Merion 
Meeting.  On  April  14,  1917,  a  tablet  marking  one  of  the  original  mine- 
stones  on  the  old  Lancaster  road,  laid  out  in  1690.  This  was  the  sixth 
milestone  on  the  road,  near  the  present  54th  street,  Philadelphia.  In 
1919  a  tablet  marking  the  site  of  encampment  of  Georgia  Continentals, 
August,  1777,  on  the  lawn  of  St.  John's  Church,  Bala-Cynwyd.  The 
chapter  marks  the  graves  of  Revolutionary  soldiers.  During  the  World 
War  all  members  were  active  in  every  kind  of  war  work. 

The  chapter  has  fifty-six  members.  Present  officers :  Regent,  Mrs. 
George  J.  DeArmond ;  first  vice-regent,  Miss  Virginia  Marshall ;  sec- 
ond vice-regent,  Mrs.  Sterling  Edmunds ;  third  vice-regent,  Mrs.  El- 
wood  Beatty. 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN      209 

Federation  of  Woman's  Clubs— The  Federation  of  Woman's  Clubs 
of  Montgomery  county  includes  in  its  organization  sixteen  woman's 
clubs.  It  was  organized  at  Ardmore,  November  13,  1914,  to  increase  by 
cooperation  the  civic  and  educational  activities  of  the  clubs,  and  to  make 
more  effective  their  work  in  the  community.  The  first  officers  were: 
President,  Mrs.  Leonidas  Beck;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Dudley  Bartlett ; 
secretary,  Mrs.  Henry  D.  Cranor;  treasurer,  Mrs.  C.  C.  Van  Buskirk. 

The  clubs  in  the  Federation  function  through  the  three  departments 
of  Education,  Public  Welfare  and  Political  Science,  with  the  sub-divi- 
sions of  Music,  Literature,  Art,  Home  Economics,  Citizenship,  Legisla- 
tion, Child  Welfare,  Americanization,  and  Juniors.  Programmes  of  work 
and  study  and  entertainment  are  arranged  for  bi-weekly  meetings  in  the 
majority  of  the  clubs,  classes  in  the  larger  clubs  meeting  weekly.  The 
training  women  have  acquired  through  these  opportunities  is  refunded  to 
their  communities  in  a  cooperative  and  progressive  spirit,  and  in  civic 
and  educational  effort.  As  organized  groups,  women's  clubs  were  drawn 
on  in  the  period  of  the  late  war  for  important  duties,  providing  chairmen 
for  Red  Cross  work.  Liberty  Loans,  Home  Service  Work,  local  councils 
of  National  Defense,  Stamp  and  War  Chest  drives,  Canning  Centres, 
curb  markets,  war  gardens,  and  food  administration.  Strong  commit- 
tees from  their  membership  served  and  worked  in  every  department  of 
war  work.  1923  officers  :  President,  Mrs.  Richard  J.  Hamilton  ;  vice-pres- 
ident, Mrs.  A.  Conrad  Jones ;  secretary.  Miss  Alma  Walton ;  treasurer, 
Mrs.  Charles  Moyer. 

The  Ardmore  Woman's  Club  was  the  first  woman's  club  to  organize 
in  Montgomery  county,  December  19,  1894,  with  Mrs.  Sidney  Pool  as 
president,  and  Mrs.  Fred.  Spaulding  secretary.  In  the  beginning  years, 
stress  was  laid  upon  literary  work,  and  this  took  large  expression  in  the 
Free  Public  Library  established  by  the  club,  and  housed  in  their  commo- 
dious and  attractive  club  house.  Special  attention  is  devoted  to  the  chil- 
dren's library.  Lecture  courses  and  classes  in  current  events  are  directed 
by  the  club,  and  from  year  to  year  the  growing  activities  of  clubs  have 
been  taken  on  until  all  departments  of  club  work  are  conducted.  The 
library  did  effective  service  during  the  late  war  in  distributing  literature 
on  food  conservation,  war  gardens,  and  other  government  bulletins,  also 
in  sending  books  to  Gray's  Ferry  Hospital,  League  Island,  and  overseas. 
Mrs.  Richard  J.  Hamilton  and  Mrs.  Dudley  Bartlett  directed  this  work. 

The  club  membership  is  258.  1923  officers:  President,  Mrs.  Henry  L. 
Reinhold,  Jr. ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  Howard  Wayne  Smith ;  second 
vice-president,  Mrs.  William  T.  Abell ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Loftus 
Hollingsworth ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Charles  B.  Pennypacker; 
treasurer,  Miss  Rachel  McCurdy ;  president  junior  section,  Mrs.  Herman 
Fox. 

The  Colony  Club  of  Ambler  was  organized  in  September,  1912,  to 


2IO  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

create  among  women  an  organized  center  of  thought  and  action,  tending 
toward  intellectual  and  social  development,  and  to  promote  such  public 
measures  as  shall  be  conducive  to  the  welfare  of  the  community.  The 
club  cooperates  with  the  North  Penn  Community  Centre  and  has  accom- 
plished much  civic  work.  It  has  organized  the  Home  and  School  League, 
created  a  scholarship  fund  in  the  Ambler  High  School,  contributed 
books  to  the  school  libraries,  held  classes  in  citizenship,  and  has  started 
the  Colony  Club  Public  Library.  The  club  has  a  strong  leader  in  legisla- 
tive work  in  Mrs.  T.  Duncan  Just,  who  is  also  chairman  of  legislation 
in  the  Montgomery  County  Federation. 

The  club  membership  is  155.  Officers,  1912:  President,  Mrs.  Thomas 
Atkinson ;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Alexander  Knight ;  recording  and 
corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Rogers;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Reese 
Roberts.  Officers,  1923 :  President,  Mrs.  Charles  C.  Mehler ;  vice- 
presidents,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Thomas,  and  Mrs.  T.  Duncan  Just;  recording 
secretary,  Mrs.  Thomas  Atkinson;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  M. 
McVicker,  Jr.;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Oscar  Stillwagon;  president  juniors, 
Miss  Elizabeth  Acuflf. 

The  Woman's  Club  of  Bala-Cynwyd  was  organized  May  22,  1912,  to 
create  an  organized  centre  of  thought  and  action  and  to  study  the  topics 
of  the  day.  The  club  has  a  large  and  talented  membership.  It  conducts 
a  Choral  Society  among  whose  members  are  professional  musicians.  It 
has  a  strong  social  service  department,  cooperates  with  the  schools  in 
furnishing  school  lunches,  has  established  a  public  library,  does  literary 
work  of  distinction,  and  is  working  actively  for  a  club  house.  Member- 
ship 260.  Officers,  1912:  President,  Mrs.  Leonidas  Beck;  vice-president, 
Mrs.  Arthur  Quinn ;  secretary,  Mrs.  Clarence  Gardner.  Officers,  1923: 
President,  Mrs.  Isaac  Kershaw ;  vice-president,  Mrs.  J.  Samuel  Stephen- 
son ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  H.  J.  Kelly ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs. 
Thomas  Mills ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  David  G.  Wilson ;  chairman  junior  sec- 
tion, Mrs.  Edgar  S.  Gardner. 

The  Woman's  Club  of  Bryn  Mawr  was  organized  in  November,  1921, 
to  stimulate  a  distinct  atmosphere  of  friendliness,  to  promote  the  general 
culture  of  its  members,  and  to  advance  the  general  interests  of  the  com- 
munity. In  the  two  years  in  which  this  club  has  been  organized,  it  is 
expressing  its  community  interest  by  raising  a  scholarship  fund  of  $300 
for  a  girl  graduate  of  Lower  Merion  High  School  from  the  Bryn  Mawr 
School  District. 

The  officers  are :  President,  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Morris ;  first  vice-presi- 
dent, Mrs.  D.  W.  Horn ;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  M.  P.  Burlingame ; 
recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Ralph  Allen ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
E.  Y.  Pennell;  treasurer,  Mrs.  H.  P.  Wolfe.    Membership,  27. 

The  Civic  Club  of  Collegeville  was  organized  February  5,  1920,  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  the  community.    It  is  cooperating  with  contribu- 


THE  WORK.  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     211 

tions  to  the  schools  and  fire  company,  and  in  public  health  work.  The 
membership  is  75. 

Officers,  1920:  President,  Mrs.  Thomas  Hallman;  vice-president,  Mrs. 
Adele  T.  Miller;  secretary,  Mrs.  J.  T.  Ebert;  treasurer,  Miss  Hattie  Fet- 
terolf.  1923 :  President,  Mrs.  Adele  T.  Miller ;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Helen 
Neflf  Tyson ;  secretary,  Mrs.  J.  T.  Ebert ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Thos.  McAllister. 

Woman's  Club  of  Conshohocken,  organized  in  November,  1897,  to 
form  an  organized  centre  for  the  moral,  intellectual  and  social  advance- 
ment of  the  club  and  the  community.  Literary  virork  wras  emphasized 
in  the  early  years  of  the  club,  and  continues  to  have  a  large  share  in  the 
programs.  Cooperation  is  given  to  the  Visiting  Nurse  Association, 
whose  inception  was  due  to  the  Woman's  Club,  to  the  Free  Public 
Library,  to  the  Playground  Association,  and  to  the  Community  Centre. 
The  club  organized  the  Home  and  School  Association  of  Conshohocken 
through  its  educational  committee.    Membership  130. 

Officers,  1897:  President,  Mrs.  Mary  Patterson  Beaver;  vice-presi- 
dent, Mrs.  Abbie  Conrad  Cranor;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Matilda 
Chapelle  Cook;  corresponding  secretary,  Nellie  DeForest  Wood  (Mrs. 
Harold  DeL.  Downs)  ;  treasurer,  Florence  Jones  (Mrs.  Howard  Gard- 
ner). 1923:  President,  Mrs.  A.  Conrad  Jones ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs. 
Frank  B.  Wilson;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  Henry  D.  Cranor;  record- 
ing secretary,  Mrs.  Thomas  F.  McCoy;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
George  M.  S.  Light ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Reese  P.  Davis ;  director  of  juniors. 
Miss  Elizabeth  Stewart. 

The  Mothers'  Club  of  Glenside  was  organized  in  1920  for  educational, 
civic,  philanthropic  and  social  work.  The  club  has  established  a  scholar- 
ship of  $100  for  a  graduate  of  the  Cheltenham  High  School,  who  has 
previously  graduated  from  the  Glenside  school.  The  club  has  also  en- 
larged the  school  library,  established  a  choral  society  within  the  club,  and 
a  Current  Events  class.    Membership  150. 

Officers,  1920:  President,  Mrs.  T.  C.  Seidentopf ;  vice-president,  Mrs. 
Hugh  Winner;  secretary,  Mrs.  Thomas  Clampfer;  treasurer,  Miss  Ella 
Darlington.  1923:  President,  Mrs.  John  F.  Rodenbeck;  vice-president, 
Mrs.  T.  C.  Seidentopf;  secretary,  Mrs.  V.  H.  Summers;  treasurer,  Miss 
Ella  Darlington, 

The  Neighbors  of  Hatboro,  organized  in  1910,  to  create  among  women 
an  organized  centre  of  thought  and  action,  tending  toward  intellectual 
and  moral  development  and  the  best  interests  of  the  community.  The 
club  has  introduced  Winter  Chautauqua,  improved  civic  conditions,  and 
contributed  to  a  larger  spirit  of  cooperation  in  the  community.  Mem- 
bership 205. 

Officers,  1910 :  President,  Mrs.  William  E.  Hannam ;  vice-president, 
Mrs.  Newton  E.  Wood ;  recording  and  corresponding  secretary,  Miss 
Marian  E.  Goentuer  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  H.  Warner  Hallowell.  1923 :  Presi- 
dent, Miss  Alma  Walton ;  vice-president,  Miss  Amy  B.  Yerkes ;  record- 


212  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

ing  secretary,  Miss  Eleanor  D.  Worthington ;  corresponding  secretary, 
Mrs.  Russell  B.  Twining;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Enos  D.  Watson. 

The  Women's  Community  Club  of  Narberth,  organized  in  191 5, 
creates  an  organized  centre  of  thought  and  action  for  intellectual  and 
moral  development  and  the  best  interests  of  the  community.  The  club 
has  made  progress  in  establishing  a  free  community  library,  with  Mrs. 
Robert  Fellows  Wood  as  librarian,  and  Mrs.  E.  C.  Batchelor  assistant 
librarian.  Their  large  and  growing  membership  is  active  in  community 
work ;  they  maintain  a  department  of  comforts  for  the  sick  which  are 
loaned  without  charge;  they  encourage  music  and  literary  work,  and 
the  talent  of  their  own  members  contributes  to  their  attractive  programs. 
Mrs.  C.  P.  Fowler,  president  of  the  club  in  the  late  war  period,  had 
general  supervision  of  war  work  in  the  club  apart  from  that  done  in 
cooperation  with  the  Red  Cross.  The  Liberty  Loans,  Stamp  and  War 
Chest  drives  were  conducted  by  the  club.  Vacant  lots  were  converted 
into  war  gardens  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Cook  and  Mrs.  Abram 
Bunn  Ross,  who  also  conducted  successfully  a  curb  market.  Member- 
ship 170. 

Officers,  1915:  President,  Mrs.  William  Cameron;  vice-president, 
Mrs.  C.  P.  Fowler ;  corresponding  and  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  William 
Livingston;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Carter  Pollock.  1923:  President,  Mrs. 
Abram  Bunn  Ross ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Muschamp ;  second 
vice-president,  Mrs.  Robt.  Dothard  ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Harry 
A.  Jacobs ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  F.  P.  Dunlop ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Har- 
old Fenno;  president  junior  section,  Mrs.  William  Durbin. 

The  Woman's  Civic  Club  of  Noble  is  a  reorganization  of  the  Wo- 
men's Association  of  Noble.  Originally  there  were  fifty-nine  women 
who  banded  together  in  1912  to  help  raise  money  for  the  Memorial  Hos- 
pital at  Abington.  Having  accomplished  this  object,  the  Association 
developed  into  the  Woman's  Civic  Club  of  Noble,  with  interest  along 
lines  of  civic  betterment  and  charitable  work.  Financial  assistance  has 
been  given  to  charitable  and  benevolent  institutions  in  Jenkintown  and 
Abington,  and  annual  donations  are  given  to  the  Hospital,  Fire  Com- 
pany, and  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  A  war  committee  was 
appointed  in  1917  who  raised  a  wool  fund  and  used  it  to  buy  yarn  to  knit 
necessary  articles  for  their  soldiers.  A  testimonial  to  the  men  in  the 
service  was  erected  at  the  entrance  to  Noble  road.  It  was  planned  and 
financed  by  the  Civic  Club.     Membership  50. 

Ofiicers,  1912:  President,  Mrs.  Margaret  A.  Krips;  vice-president, 
Mrs.  Walter  Ruddach ;  recording  and  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
Jacob  Roehne ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Thomas  K.  Ober.  1923 :  President,  Mrs. 
Leonard  J.  Hogg;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Treat  H.  B os worth ;  recording 
secretary,  Mrs.  James  B.  Marshall ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  F.  H. 
Genth ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Emma  C.  Burns. 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN      213 

The  Civic  Club  of  Norristown  was  organized  March  9,  191 1,  to  pro- 
mote by  education  and  active  cooperation  a  higher  public  spirit  and  a 
better  social  order.  Civic  questions  are  studied  and  discussed  at  the 
monthly  meetings.  A  yearly  course  of  lectures  by  noted  speakers  is 
established.  The  club  conducts  an  annual  clean-up  week,  and  cooper- 
ates with  activities  for  town  betterment.  The  club  supports  a  French 
orphan  and  a  Belgian  orphan.     Membership  140. 

Officers,  191 1  :  President,  Miss  Laura  B.  Whitcomb ;  first  vice-presi- 
dent, Mrs.  Aaron  S.  Swartz;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  Henry  S. 
Nelms;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Irvin  P.  Knipe;  corresponding  secre- 
tary, Miss  Isabel  G.  Ralston ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Ellwood  J.  Wanner.  1923 : 
President,  Mrs.  Irvin  Fisher;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  John  D.  Paist; 
second  vice-president,  Mrs.  Nelson  C.  Cressman ;  recording  secretary. 
Miss  Isabella  Walker;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Harry  C.  Kirk- 
bride;  treasurer,  Mrs.  John  Noble. 

The  Mothers'  Club  of  North  Glenside  was  organized  September  19, 
1921,  with  civic,  legislative,  moral,  and  educational  interests.  The  club 
has  provided  comforts  for  the  teachers  in  the  schools,  added  to  the  library 
of  the  school,  and  procured  additional  street  lights,  and  improved  streets 
for  the  town.    Membership  50. 

Officers,  1921 :  President,  Mrs.  George  G.  Eckert;  first  vice-president. 
Miss  Viola  Van  Zandt ;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  Fred  Dunn ;  secre- 
tary, Miss  Jeanette  Sheridan;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Kreck.  1923:  President, 
Mrs.  W.  B.  Detwiler ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  George  G.  Eckert ;  sec- 
ond vice-president.  Miss  Viola  Van  Zandt;  secretary.  Miss  Dodson ; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  Kline. 

The  Woman's  Civic  Club  of  North  Wales  was  organized  May  5,  191 3, 
to  promote  a  higher  civic  spirit  and  a  better  social  order.  Among  the 
varied  activities  of  the  club  has  been  the  opening  of  a  public  playground 
and  conducting  it  for  four  years.  A  public  drinking  fountain  has  been 
placed ;  the  school  grounds  have  been  beautified ;  an  annual  clean-up 
day  has  been  inaugurated.  Children's  war  gardens  were  an  activity  in 
the  war  time,  also  the  purchase  and  care  of  the  service  flag.  Mrs.  H. 
Kriebel  and  Mrs.  C.  B.  Moyer  directed  these  activities.    Membership  140. 

Officers,  1913:  President,  Mrs.  Lizzie  Weber;  vice-president,  Mrs. 
S.  C.  Kriebel;  recording  and  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  C.  B.  Moyer; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  H.  F.  Slifer.  1923:  President,  Miss  Virginia  Morris; 
vice-president,  Mrs.  Walter  Wireback ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Harvey 
V.  Beaver ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Joseph  Roberts ;  treasurer, 
Mrs.  Charles  Wheeler;  president  junior  section.  Miss  Helen  Tomlinson. 

The  Century  Club  of  Pottstown  was  the  second  woman's  club  to  or- 
ganize in  Montgomery  county,  May  26,  1897.  It  has  worked  along  lit- 
erary, dramatic  and  civic  lines.  The  establishing  of  the  public  library 
of  Pottstown  is  due  to  the  efforts  of  the  club.  It  occupies  one  of  the  fine 
old  residences  on  High  street  and  the  club  has  attractive  rooms  on  the 


214  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

second  floor.  Playgrounds  are  directed  by  the  club.  Membership  165. 
Officers,  1897:  President,  Mrs.  A.  C.  S.  Saylor;  secretary,  Mrs.  Mylertz. 
1923 :  President,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Armstrong ;  secretary,  Miss  Bessie  Daub. 

The  Woman's  Club  of  Royersford  started  as  a  library  club,  March  8, 
1914,  principally  to  aid  the  library.  It  has  expanded  its  interests  and  is 
active  in  all  community  work,  conducting  play  grounds,  directing  musical 
work,  and  at  the  same  time  carrying  well  prepared  programs  of  literary 
and  legislative  interest.     Membership  160. 

Officers,  1914:  President,  Mrs.  Henry  Graber;  vice-president,  Mrs. 
Quincy  Lecune;  corresponding  and  recording  secretary.  Miss  Anna 
Greiner;  treasurer,  Miss  Marian  Detwiler.  1923:  President,  Mrs.  John 
R.  Newborn ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  Joseph  Buckwalter ;  second  vice- 
president,  Mrs.  H.  E.  Anderson ;  corresponding  secretary,  Miss  Florence 
K.  Kulp;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  John  Maier;  treasurer.  Miss  Bessie 
Shade. 

The  Woman's  Club  of  Wyncote  organized  in  November,  1898,  with 
Mrs.  Maurice  J.  Hoover,  as  president,  and  Mrs.  William  C.  Kent  as  secre- 
tary, to  form  an  organized  centre  for  the  intellectual  and  social  develop- 
ment of  its  members,  and  to  promote  such  public  measures  as  shall  be 
conducive  to  the  welfare  of  the  community.  The  programs  are  devoted 
to  literary  subjects  and  interests.    Membership  125. 

Officers,  1923 :  President,  Mrs.  Frank  E.  Shelly ;  first  vice-president, 
Mrs.  Robert  M.  Stinson ;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  T.  E.  Frame ; 
recording  secretary,  Mrs.  J.  Horace  Ervein ;  corresponding  secretary, 
Mrs.  Harry  F.  Smith ;  treasurer,  Miss  Nellie  Ostheimer. 

Garden  Clubs — The  Weeders  is  a  club  organization  to  protect  native 
flora,  to  promote  flower  and  vegetable  shows,  to  make  the  experience  of 
each  member  available  for  all,  to  increase  the  number  of  private  and  pub- 
lic gardens,  and  to  make  them  more  useful  and  beautiful.  It  was  started 
in  1902  by  two  Montgomery  county  women — Miss  Ellen  Windsor  and 
Mrs.  John  G.  Sharpe — but  its  present  membership  is  not  confined  to 
Montgomery  county.  Its  first  president  was  Mrs.  William  B.  Read,  of 
Conshohocken.  During  the  World  War  period  they  encouraged  the 
farmerette  activities,  they  cooperated  with  the  school  garden  movement, 
frequently  offering  prizes,  and  vacant  lots  were  planted.  The  Weeders 
are  one  of  the  three  garden  clubs  who  have  joined  together  to  make  a 
wild  flower  preserve  in  Wister's  Woods.  The  club  has  a  membership  of 
fifty.    The  president  is  Mrs.  Randel  Morgan. 

The  Gardeners  of  Montgomery  and  Delaware  Counties  were  organ- 
ized in  1907  to  increase  the  enthusiasm  and  knowledge  of  horticulture 
among  women  who  work  in  their  own  gardens.  The  first  officers  were : 
President,  Mrs.  Henry  S.  Williams,  Rosemont ;  secretary  and  treasurer, 
Miss  Elizabeth  D.  Williams,  Haverford.  They  conduct  a  booth  at  the 
Rittenhouse  Square   Flower   Market.     They  encourage  school   garden 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     215 

work  in  the  neighborhood,  and  are  one  of  the  garden  clubs  working  to 
make  a  wild  flower  preserve  in  Wister's  Woods.  In  the  summer  of 
1917  they  cooperated  with  the  farm  unit  on  the  estate  of  Mrs.  George 
Burnham,  at  Berwyn,  with  Mrs.  Isaac  LaBoiteaux,  of  Bryn  Mawr,  chair- 
man. They  were  also  active  in  the  canning  work  done  at  the  Ardmore 
School.  The  officers  in  1923  are:  President,  Mrs.  William  T.  Elliott. 
Ardmore;  recording  secretary  and  treasurer,  Mrs.  Richard  L.  Barrows, 
Haverford;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Hervey  S.  Pratt,  Haverford. 

The  Norristown  Garden  Club  was  organized  in  April,  191 3,  with  the 
object  to  promote  interest  in  the  culture  of  flowers,  by  exchanging  ideas, 
seeds,  plants  and  bulbs.  The  first  officers  were:  President,  Miss  Bertha 
S.  Harry;  vice-president.  Miss  Linda  Egbert;  secretary,  Miss  Helen 
Williams;  treasurer,  Miss  Isabel  Walker.  Meetings-  are  held  monthly, 
for  which  programs  are  arranged  that  fulfill  the  purpose  of  the  club. 
Trips  are  made  to  private  gardens  and  nurseries,  botanical  excursions 
are  arranged  to  study  flora  of  the  county,  lectures  are  appointed,  and 
studies  bearing  upon  gardening  interests  made  by  individual  members. 
Prizes  are  awarded  for  artistic,  well  planned  gardens.  Activities  of 
growing  value  to  the  community  are  conducted.  Flower  shows  in  the 
spring  and  fall  of  each  year  are  conducted,  when  non-members  are  given 
equal  privileges  with  members  to  display  flowers  and  secure  prizes. 
Plants  are  sent  to  shut-ins,  flowers  to  Montgomery  Hospital,  open-air 
flower  plays  are  given  by  children,  prizes  awarded  to  high  school  pupils 
for  posters.  Garden,  forestry  and  botanical  magazines  are  placed  in  the 
public  library,  and  also  exhibits  of  flowers  in  the  growing  season.  Con- 
tributions have  been  made  for  beautifying  streets,  and  to  the  School  of 
Horticulture  at  Ambler,  Pennsylvania. 

In  the  war  period,  sales  of  flowers  were  conducted  for  the  benefit  of 
the  local  Red  Cross,  and  for  the  War  Chest.  One  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  dollars  were  given  to  replant  an  orchard  in  deva.stated  France,  and 
other  generous  contributions  sent  to  the  relief  of  children  of  Belgium, 
Serbia,  and  the  Near  East.  Two  memorial  trees  were  planted  at  the 
Norristown  High  School  to  the  "Heroes  of  Norristown,  World  War, 
1917-1918."  The  Garden  Club  has  a  membership  of  230.  The  present 
officers  are :  President,  Mrs.  John  J.  Williams ;  vice-president.  Miss  Isa- 
bel Walker;  recording  secretary.  Miss  Emma  C.  Beyer;  corresponding 
secretary,  Mrs.  William  F.  Moyer ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Edward  C.  Shoemaker. 

Music  Clubs — The  Old  York  Road  Choral  was  organized  November 
10,  191 1,  to  promote  a  greater  love  and  deeper  appreciation  of  music. 
The  first  officers  were :  President,  Mrs.  John  S.  Gayley ;  vice-president, 
Mrs.  Charles  A.  Robbins ;  secretary,  Mrs.  Guy  C.  Whidden ;  treasurer, 
Miss  Mary  D.  Stevens;  director,  Mrs.  H.  Howard  Pfromm.  Monthly 
musicals,  church  recitals  and  semi-annual  concerts  are  regular  activities 
of  the  Choral.    Christmas  carols  are  given  for  the  Dickens  Fellowship ; 


2i6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

annual  music  memory  contests  are  conducted,  plays  are  given  by  the 
Paint  and  Powder  Dramatic  Club,  and  there  is  junior  work. 

The  Choral  has  membership  in  the  Needlework  Guild  of  America, 
and  raises  funds  for  hospital  work.  It  is  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Federation  of  Music  Clubs.  In  the  late  war  period,  the  Choral  gave  con- 
certs and  plays  to  raise  funds  for  the  Ogontz  and  Huntington  Valley 
Branch  of  the  American  Red  Cross,  for  the  Emergency  Aid,  and  Home 
Defense  League  of  Abington  township.  These  activities  were  directed 
by  Mrs.  M.  Y.  Smith,  Mrs.  Lewis  Bremer,  Jr.,  and  Mrs.  Wm.  L.  Holmes. 
The  membership  of  the  Choral  is  125.  The  1923  board  of  officers  are: 
President,  Mrs.  Jenks  B.  Robinson;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Thomas  K. 
Ober,  Jr.;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Charles  B.  Harvey;  recording  secretary,  Miss 
Mabel  Clark ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Howard  T.  Baker ;  financial 
secretary,  Mrs.  William  G.  Haslam ;  federation  secretary,  Mrs.  Thomas 
K.  Ober,  Jr.;  librarian,  Mrs.  G.  U.  Nicholson;  assistant  librarian,  Mrs. 
L.  V.  Ringwalt;  director,  Mrs.  Wm.  G.  Slough. 

The  Octave  Club  of  Norristown  was  organized  October  18,  1916,  for 
the  mutual  improvement  of  its  members  in  music,  and  to  acquire  a 
broader  knowledge  of  music  and  of  musical  literature.  It  has  a  member- 
ship of  400.  The  program  for  the  year  is  a  series  of  eight  concerts  from 
October  to  May,  inclusive.  The  first  officers  were :  President,  Mrs.  Roy 
Alexander  Hatfield;  vice-president,  Mrs.  George  C.  Bowker;  secretary, 
Mrs.  Norris  D.  Wright ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Frank  Kneas ;  accompanist,  Mrs. 
Alfred  W.  Wright;  librarian,  Miss  Isabelle  Walker;  director  of  chorus, 
Miss  Marion  G.  Spangler. 

The  club  chorus  of  fifty  voices,  directed  by  Miss  Spangler,  is  a  highly 
interesting  feature  of  the  club.  One  member,  Miss  Ruth  Montague,  was 
the  winner  of  the  Stokowski  medal  in  1922.  The  club  is  affiliated  with 
the  State  and  the  National  Federation  of  Musical  Societies.  Its  monthly 
concerts  are  of  a  high  order,  home  and  visiting  talent  contributing  to  the 
programs.  The  club  shows  a  generous  public  spirit  in  cooperating 
financially  with  efiforts  to  foster  and  forward  large  movements  in  the 
musical  world,  and  gives  to  its  members  unusual  opportunities  to  hear 
and  enjoy  the  best  in  music. 

The  officers  are :  President,  Mrs.  Samuel  Lippincott  Borton ;  vice- 
president,  Mrs.  George  C.  Bowker;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  C.  Town- 
ley  Larzalere ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Karl  Kent  Kite ;  treasurer, 
Mrs.  Howard  K.  Regar. 

The  Octave  Club  was  an  auxiliary  to  the  Norristown  branch  of  the 
American  Red  Cross,  1917-1918,  the  officers  of  the  club  supervising  the 
work.  A  large  amount  of  knitting  was  done,  in  one  instance  meeting  an 
emergency  call  for  115  sweaters  in  four  weeks.  Other  phases  of  war 
activities  were  carried  on  with  patriotic  zeal,  the  purchasing  of  Liberty 
Bonds,  encouragement  of  thrift,  contribution  to  reconstruction  of  French 
village,  and  the  support  of  ten  Armenians  for  one  year. 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     217 

The  Melody  Club  of  Ardmore  was  organized  in  February,  1920,  and 
has  150  members.  It  has  for  its  object  the  promotion  of  the  knowledge 
of  music,  its  dissemination  and  practice,  and  the  good  will  and  harmony 
between  the  members.  The  first  officers  of  the  club  were:  President, 
Mrs.  Floyd  F.  Chadwick;  vice-president.  Miss  Laura  B.  Staley ;  corre- 
sponding secretary,  Miss  Dorothy  Parry;  treasurer,  J.  S.  Wilson. 
Monthly  concerts  are  given  with  amateur  artists  of  high  standing.  The 
organization  of  a  chorus  and  of  an  instrumental  ensemble  under  efficient 
directors  are  achievements  of  distinct  value.  The  present  officers  are: 
President,  Mrs.  H.  Rey  Wolf ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  Nelson  D.  War- 
wick ;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  Loftus  Hollingsworth ;  recording  sec- 
retary, Miss  Vivian  Ingle ;  corresponding  secretary.  Miss  Dorothy  Parry ; 
treasurer,  J.  S.  Wilson. 

Women  of  Montgomery  County  in  the  Red  Cross — There  are  seven- 
teen branches  of  the  Red  Cross  in  Montgomery  county,  forming  a  part 
of  the  Southeastern  Pennsylvania  Chapter  of  the  American  Red  Cross. 
During  the  period  of  the  late  war  no  section  of  our  county  was  without 
the  activities  of  the  Red  Cross,  and  women  everywhere,  individually 
and  through  organizations,  worked  with  devotion  in  the  various  depart- 
ments of  Red  Cross  work.  Branches  opened  work  rooms  where,  under 
sanitary  conditions,  clothing  was  made  and  surgical  dressings  prepared. 
Svi^eaters  and  socks  were  knit  in  great  quantity.  Soldiers'  comforts  were 
provided  and  Christmas  packages  sent.  Classes  in  elemental  hygiene 
and  first  aid  were  conducted.  Commissary  and  canteen  service  was 
ready  to  respond  to  regular  or  emergency  calls  to  serve  boat,  train  and 
hospital.  The  navy  auxiliary  rendered  helpful  service.  Motor  mes- 
senger service  was  promptly  and  efficiently  rendered.  Cooperation  and 
untiring  effort  characterized  the  patriotic  service  of  scores  of  women  in 
every  community,  and  contributed  in  untold  measure  to  the  comfort 
and  morale  of  the  men  in  camps,  hospitals  and  in  active  service. 

After  hostilities  ceased,  many  branches  continued  effective  work,  aid- 
ing in  measures  of  reconstruction  at  home  and  abroad.  This  work  at 
home  has  been  first  of  all  the  home  service,  handling  cases  of  disabled 
former  service  men  and  their  families,  assisting  them  in  filing  their 
claims  for  compensation,  or  retraining  by  the  government,  and  extending 
financial  help  to  those  in  need. 

Public  health  work  has  been  taken  up,  and  many  communities  have 
been  assisted  in  establishing  public  health  nurses,  who  serve  the  homes, 
and  frequently  the  public  schools.  Well  Baby  clinics  are  established. 
Cooperation  is  given  the  County  Tuberculosis  Association,  and  welfare 
agencies.  Civilian  relief  work  is  carried  on,  or  assistance  given  to  the 
community  to  establish  its  own  work.  Social  service  committees  pro- 
vide entertainment  and  comforts  for  former  service  men  in  hospitals, 
and  do  friendly  visiting  among  their  families.    Some  branches  continue 


2i8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

regular  days  of  sewing,  sending  garments  to  the  destitute  abroad  and 
getting  out  nurses'  supplies  at  home. 

The  annual  Roll  Call  is  directed  by  the  branch  chairmen,  the  thou- 
sands of  memberships  procured  each  year  giving  evidence  of  the  grati- 
tude in  the  hearts  of  the  people  for  the  unfailing  and  generous  helpful- 
ness of  the  American  Red  Cross. 

Following  is  the  record  of  the  branches  in  Montgomery  county  dur- 
ing the  war  period,  1917-1918,  and  1923: 

Bala-Cynwyd — Mrs.  J.  Samuel  Stephenson,  chairman.  1917-1918, 
work  room,  home  service,  canteen,  motor-messenger  service,  social  serv- 
ice; 1923,  social  service,  well  baby  clinic,  public  health  nurse,  sewing, 
roll  call. 

Bryn-Athyn — Mrs.  Robert  M.  Glenn,  chairman.  1917-1918,  work 
room  ;  1923,  roll  call. 

Cheltenham — Mrs.  Frederick  W.  Hazelton,  chairman.  1917-1918, 
work  room ;  1923,  roll  call. 

Collegeville — Mrs.  Carl  V.  Tower,  chairman;  auxiliary  chairmen, 
Mrs.  M.  B.  Schrack,  Mrs.  John  P.  Klein;  Evansburg,  Iron  Bridge, 
Trappe,  Yerkes.  1917-1918,  work  room,  home  service.  1923,  sewing, 
roll  call. 

Conshohocken — Mrs.  George  N.  Highley,  chairman.  1917-1918,  work 
room,  home  service.    1923,  home  service,  civilian  relief,  roll  call. 

Hatboro,  Horsham — Mrs.  Gertrude  Shaffer,  chairman.  1917-1918, 
work  room.  1923,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Smith,  chairman ;  public  health  work,  roll 
call. 

Lansdale,  Telford,  Souderton — Mrs.  A.  H.  Landis  and  Mrs.  Welling- 
ton Rosenberry,  chairmen,  assisted  by  Mrs.  Herbert  Kuhn  and  Mrs. 
Herman  Bergen.  1917-1918,  work  room,  home  service.  1923,  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Landis,  chairman,  public  health  nurse,  well  baby  clinic,  home  service, 
roll  call. 

Main  Line  No.  i — Maintained  work  room  at  Bryn  Mawr,  Haver- 
ford,  Ardmore,  Narberth,  Merion,  Brandy  wine  (Chester  county),  Ithan 
(Delaware  county).  Meadow  Lodge,  two  in  Preston  (Delaware  county), 
Rosemont,  Ardmore  (colored),  Wynnewood,  Bryn  Mawr  College,  Ship- 
ley School,  Baldwin  School.  Mrs.  Charlton  Yarnall,  chairman,  1917- 
1918;  department  of  ways  and  means,  Mrs.  Wm.  S.  Ellis,  chairman; 
instruction,  Mrs.  Grenville  D.  Montgomery ;  home  service,  Miss  Henri- 
etta B.  Ely;  surgical  dressings,  Mrs.  George  B.  Rea;  hospital  supplies, 
Mrs.  Thos.  Newhall ;  purchasing,  Mrs.  W.  T.  Plummer;  wool.  Miss 
Louisa  Rawle ;  recreation  for  soldiers  and  sailors,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Clothier ; 
packing,  shipping  and  storing,  Mrs.  Hutton  Kennedy;  transportation. 
Miss  Marion  Johnson;  comfort  kits,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Earnshaw;  reclamation, 
Mrs.  S.  E.  Ewing ;  membership,  Mrs.  Alexander  Brown. 

1923 — Mrs.  Alexander  Brown,  chairman.  Departments — Membership, 
Mrs.  J.  E.  Caldwell;  transportation,   Miss   Mabel   Pusey;  Junior  Red 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     219 

Cross,  Mrs.  L.  C.  Wister ;  home  service,  Mrs.  Harold  W.  How ;  publicity, 
Mrs.  H.  H.  Collins,  Jr.;  disaster,  Mrs.  David  S.  Ludlum ;  sewing,  Mrs. 
S.  E.  Ewing;  public  health  and  child  welfare,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Earnshaw; 
wool,  Mrs.  Joseph  Morris. 

North  Penn,  North  Wales,  Blue  Bell,  Oreland,  Flourtown— Mrs.  Nor- 
ton Downs,  chairman.  1917-1918,  work  room,  home  service;  1923,  home 
service,  roll  call. 

Norristown — Miss  Martha  Mclnnes,  chairman  two  months  of  1917; 
Miss  Nina  Boreiche  Read,  chairman  1917-18.  Auxiliaries — Haws  Ave- 
nue Methodist  Church,  Mrs.  Glanding,  chairman ;  Central  Presbyterian, 
Miss  Estelle  Thomas ;  Calvary  Baptist,  Mrs.  Walter  Shelve ;  First  Pres- 
byterian, Mrs.  Aaron  Swartz ;  First  Baptist,  Mrs.  Horace  Still ;  Trinity 
Lutheran,  Mrs.  N.  Howland  Brown;  Grace  Lutheran,  Mrs.  Edward 
Kneule ;  First  Methodist,  Miss  Ramsay ;  G.  F.  S.  St.  John's,  Miss  Lydia 
West;  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  Miss  Highley;  High  School,  Miss  Sophia  Mcln- 
tyre;  State  Hospital,  Dr.  Peterson;  Boyer  Arcade,  Mrs.  Richard  H. 
Lane;  Maple  Hurst,  Mrs.  Wernle ;  Octave  Club,  Mrs.  Roy  Hatfield; 
Skippack,  Mrs.  Hoke;  Bridgeport,  Miss  Ella  Worrall;  Jefifersonville, 
Mrs.  Scott;  Lower  Providence,  Mrs.  Croll ;  Plymouth  Meeting,  Mrs. 
George  N.  Leiper;  Fairview  Village,  Mrs.  Harvey  Plummer.  Work 
room,  canteen,  home  service,  classes  in  hygiene  and  first  aid.  1923,  home 
service,  work  room,  canteen,  first  aid,  roll  call. 

Ogontz,  Huntington  Valley — Mrs.  John  S.  Newbold,  chairman,  Feb- 
ruary-October, 1917;  Miss  Mary  W.  Lippincott,  1917-1921.  Sections — 
Jenkintown,  Mrs.  Corbit  Levering,  chairman,  Ogontz ;  Mrs.  Harlow  C. 
Vorhees,  Wyncote;  Mrs.  Milton  K.  Neiflfer,  Glenside;  Mrs.  Frank  L. 
Van  Horn,  Roslyn ;  Mrs.  George  Kelly,  Rydal ;  Mrs.  Wm.  P.  Denegre, 
Willow  Grove;  Mrs.  H.  P.  Robinson,  Abington;  Mrs.  Beaurean  Borie, 
Noble;  Mrs.  Alan  H.  Krips,  Weldon,  Cresmont,  McKinley,  Bethayres. 
Departments :  Work  room,  surgical  dressings,  Mrs.  Sumner  Cross,  Mrs. 
F.  W.  Morris,  Jr.,  chairmen ;  navy  auxiliary,  Mrs.  John  N.  Frazier ;  wool 
and  knitting.  Miss  Sarah  S.  Pearson ;  home  service,  Mrs.  Spencer  Brock, 
Mrs.  Marmaduke  Tilden ;  motor  messenger,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Morris,  Jr. ; 
commissary  and  canteen,  overseas  committee.  1923,  Mrs.  Milton  K. 
Nieffer,  chairman.    Home  service,  well  baby  clinic,  roll  call. 

Old  York  Road,  Melrose,  Ashbourne,  and  part  of  Elkin's  Park — Eliz- 
abeth C.  Asbury,  chairman.  1917-1918,  work  room.  1923,  work  room, 
social  service,  roll  call. 

Perkiomen — Rev.  N.  F.  Schmidt,  chairman.  Auxiliaries — Limerick, 
J.  B.  Krause,  Mrs.  Wm.  H.  Knipe,  chairmen ;  Gratersford,  W.  Hun- 
sicker  ;  Spring  Mount,  Saml.  Wolford ;  Woxall,  Michael  Beltz  and  Mrs. 
John  Hendricks;  Sumneytown,  Rev.  Cyrus  Held.  1917-1918,  work  room. 
1923,  roll  call. 

Pottstown — Mrs.  A.  D.  Hopper,  chairman.     1917-1918,  work  room. 


220  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

home  service.  1923,  Mrs.  George  Q.  Sheppard,  chairman.  Work  room, 
civilian  relief,  public  health  nurse,  well  baby  clinic,  roll  call. 

Royersford — Dr.  Joseph  A.  Buckwalter,  Dorothy  L.  Latshav\r,  chair- 
men. 1917-1918,  work  room.  1923,  Dr.  Joseph  A.  Buckwalter,  Mrs. 
Joseph  A.  Buckwalter,  chairmen,  roll  call. 

West  Conshohocken — Mrs.  Mary  Duke  Smythe,  chairman.  Auxili- 
ary— Gulph  Mills,  Mrs.  Sullivan,  chairman.  1917-1918,  work  room,  home 
service.    1923,  Mrs.  Maud  V.  Davis,  chairman,  work  room,  roll  call. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  some  women  in  Montgomery  county 
who  served  in  the  World  War : 

Overseas  with  the  American  Red  Cross : 

Miss  Elizabeth  Coombes  (Mrs.  George  Strode),  Abington  Hospital, 
Abington  ;  nurse  with  Pennsylvania  University  Unit. 

Miss  Marcella  K.  Flynn  (Mrs.  George  Rice),  Abington  Hospital. 

Miss  Ida  E.  Fretz,  Ambler. 

Mrs.  Walter  Fox,  Bala-Cynwd. 

Miss  Mary  G.  Vanneman,  Bala-Cynwyd. 

Miss  Henrietta  Ely,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Miss  Helen  Winthrop,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Miss  Esther  Stiles,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Mrs.  Edward  Bell  Trumbhaar,  Chestnut  Hill. 

Miss  Katharine  Kelly,  Conshohocken. 

Miss  Mary  G.  Wight,  Jenkintown;  refugee  work,  Children's  Bureau. 

Miss  Stephanie  C.  Pohle,  Lansdale. 

Miss  Edna  M.  Rockfeller,  Lansdale. 

Miss  Sara  Scheetz  (Mrs.  Charles  Quillman),  Norristown ;  Nurse's 
Aid. 

Miss  Harriet  Kulp,  Pottstown. 

Miss  Anna  S.  Kent  (Mrs.  John  W.  Moore),  Wyncote;  Episcopal 
Hospital  Unit. 

Overseas  with  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. : 

Miss  Elizabeth  Arnold,  Ardmore. 

Miss  Edna  E.  Flenner,  Ardmore. 

Miss  Esther  Latch,  Bala-Cynwyd. 

Miss  Hellen  Pedrick,  Bala-Cynwyd 

Miss  Mary  Clark,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Miss  Gertrude  Ely,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Miss  Miriam  Ristine,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Miss  Susannah  Ridgway  (Mrs.  Bradley  J.  Saunders),  Jenkintown. 

Overseas  with  the  American  Friends'  Service  Committee : 
Miss  Dorothea  B.  Jones  (Mrs.  George  V.  Downing),  Conshohocken; 
in  France. 

Miss  Leah  Cadbury,  Haverford ;  in  France. 

Miss  Emma  T.  R.  Williams,  Norristown ;  in  Germany. 

Overseas  in  the  American  Library  Association  Service : 
Miss  Elizabeth  J.  Webster,  Conshohocken ;  in  France. 
Nurses  overseas,  not  with  the  Red  Cross : 
Miss  Margaret  Custer,  Norristown. 
Miss  Emma  Gibson,  Norristown. 


THE  WORK  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY  WOMEN     221 

Miss  Eunice  Gotwals,  Norristown. 
Miss  Elizabeth  Kelly,  Norristown. 
Miss  Agnes  Shore,  Norristown. 
Miss  Ada  Sturgis,  Norristown. 
Miss  Claire  Wheeler,  Norristown. 
Miss  Elizabeth  Nichols,  Glenside. 

With  the  Red  Cross,  not  overseas : 
Miss  Nellie  Elder,  Norristown. 
Miss  Viola  Woodward,  Norristown. 
Miss  Anna  Kohl,  North  Wales. 

Army  nurses,  but  not  overseas  : 

Miss  Elizabeth  F.  Dewey,  Bryn  Mawr;  Naval  Base  Hospital,  No.  5. 

Miss  Leta  M.  Edwards,  Bryn  Mawr ;  Base  Hospital,  No.  10. 

Miss  Nan  Craven,  Norristown. 

Miss  Elizabeth  Michener,  Norristown. 

Miss  Miriam  Springer,  Norristown. 

Miss  Sara  Kearns,  North  Wales. 

Not  classified : 

Mrs.  Sarah  Tyler  Marshall,  Rydal ;  reconstruction  work,  American 
Committee  for  Devastated  France. 

Miss  Mary  Super,  Narberth ;  Near  East  Relief. 

Miss  Margaret  Hopper,  Narberth ;  Emergency  Aid  in  Paris  and  Bel- 
grade orphanages. 

Miss  Elizabeth  Snyder,  Ardmore ;  with  Sanitary  Train. 

Miss  Rose  Doland,  Bryn  Mawr ;  ambulance  driver  in  France. 

Miss  Lulu  Sidwell,  Glenside ;  dietician. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 

In  this  chapter  will  be  found  a  concise  account  of  the  various  physi- 
cians, medical  societies  and  hospitals  within  Montgomery  county  from 
early  days  to  the  present. 

When  this  county  was  first  organized,  the  science  of  medicine,  though 
hundreds  of  years  old,  had  made  but  little  real  progress  in  the  "art  of 
healing,"  as  it  was  then  called.  In  many  instances  the  various  diseases 
incident  to  the  human  kind  were  treated  by  virtues  supposed,  or  other- 
wise to  be  found  in  herbs  found  growing  within  the  borders  of  each 
pioneer  settlement.  Doubtless  they  had  some  healing  qualities  and  had 
they  been  scientifically  administered  after  proper  care  had  been  had  to 
prepare  them  for  medicinal  uses,  might  have  been  excellent  specifics. 
Yet,  there  was  need  for  the  learned  followers  of  Galen,  the  earliest  med- 
ical dean.  One  custom  obtained  throughout  the  country  down  as  late 
as  the  forties  and  fifties — that  of  being  bled.  This  act  of  letting  a  quan- 
tity of  blood  flow  from  the  veins,  at  least  in  fall  and  spring  of  each  year, 
was  almost  universal.  And  while  one  would  naturally  suppose  that  a 
physician  would  have  the  monopoly  in  such  cases,  yet  in  many  instances 
the  professional  barber  was  considered  good  in  such  work,  and  it  is 
said  that  this  custom  among  barbers  led  to  the  red  stripes  found  on  the 
"barber  poles,"  still  universally  in  use.  The  red  stripe  indicated  that 
one  could,  at  that  shop,  be  "blooded."  In  this  connection  in  after  years 
a  Montgomery  county  physician.  Dr.  Hiram  Corson,  became  nationally 
famous  by  his  advocacy  of  bleeding  for  pneumonia. 

In  those  early  times  the  midwife  flourished  and  believed  she  had  as 
much  right  to  be  in  a  sick  room  as  had  the  trained  physician.  She 
never  thought  she  was  encroaching  on  the  rights  of  a  learned  profession 
that  might  have  taken  many  years  to  master  at  a  regular  medical  school. 
With  barbers  bleeding  his  patrons,  and  the  midwife  following  the  rounds 
in  the  neighborhood  looking  after  "confinement"  cases,  the  services  of 
educated  physicians  were  seldom  brought  into  requisition.  It  was  only 
in  extreme  cases,  when  life  was  believed  to  be  in  imminent  danger,  that 
he  was  summoned  to  the  bedside.  But  with  a  higher  state  of  civiliza- 
tion and  general  advancement,  the  demand  for  "family  doctors"  became 
more  and  more  common.  Until  early  in  the  fifties  there  had  not  come 
into  existence  the  numerous  schools  of  medicine  we  now  have.  The  one 
known  as  "regular"  or  allopathic,  and  the  herbal  school  of  medicine, 
were  mostly  in  use.  While  we  have  Eclectic  and  Homoeopathic  schools 
of  medicine,  with  large  colleges  throughout  the  country,  yet  the  larger 
per  cent,  of  medical  colleges  to-day  are  of  the  old  "regular"  school  of 
medicine.     It  is  to  be  noted  that  while  at  the  present  time  the  family 


224  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

physician  is  still  retained  to  a  large  degree,  there  was  developed  an  age  of 
specialism,  and  almost  every  physician  either  on  graduation  or  shortly 
afterwards,  assumed  that  part  of  medicine  which  he  had  particularly 
studied  or  adopted  or  specialized  in  that  one  branch.  This  has  possibly 
been  brought  about  from  the  fact  that  it  is  almost  impossible  for  one  mind 
to  successfully  grasp  all  the  knowledge  for  a  general  practice,  brought 
about  by  the  rapid  advance  in  medicine  during  the  last  generation,  and 
the  concentration  of  the  physicians  in  the  larger  cities,  with  our  easy 
quick  modes  of  travel,  the  country  physician  has  almost  become  extinct; 
in  our  own  county,  numerous  physicians  have  moved  in  from  the  coun- 
try, their  years  of  country  work  having  made  them  very  successful 
practitioners. 

Eaxly  Physicians — The  first  physician  in  this  county,  it  is  believed, 
was  Dr.  Griffith  Owen.  Drs.  Thomas  Wynne  and  Griffith  Owen  came 
with  William  Penn  when  he  settled  in  Philadelphia,  and  as  Montgomery 
county  was  then  included  within  Philadelphia,  Dr.  Owen  must  have  been 
the  first  in  this  county.  About  the  date  of  this  county  being  organized 
by  itself  (1784),  Dr.  Thomas  Graeme  became  a  resident  physician  here, 
locating  at  what  was  ever  after  known  as  Graeme  Park.  He  later  be- 
came elevated  to  the  Council,  and  was  master  in  chancery.     He  died  in 

Now  having  established  the  first  physicians  to  practice  in  this  county, 
it  will  not  be  the  province  of  this  work  to  extend  in  detail  an  account  of 
the  many  doctors  who  have  practiced  herein  during  all  these  long  and 
multiplied  years.  However,  it  may  not  be  without  interest  to  make  a 
few  brief  notes  on  some  of  these  physicians  who  have  been  successful 
in  the  medical  practice  of  the  county,  away  back  in  the  past,  for  it  has 
been  through  their  experience  that  greater  medical  skill  and  a  pro- 
founder  knowledge  of  the  science  of  medicine  have  come  to  obtain  to- 
day. Such  a  list  includes  Dr.  Christian  Frederick  Martin,  a  graduate 
of  Berlin,  Germany,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1742  and  practiced  at 
Trappe  upwards  of  thirty  years.  He  left  four  sons,  all  physicians,  who 
at  one  time  in  their  careers  practiced  within  this  county. 

Next  came  Dr.  Jonathan  Potts,  son  of  John  Potts,  of  Pottsgrove,  grad- 
uated in  1771 ;  was  conducting  a  drug  store  and  practicing  medicine 
when  the  Revolution  broke  out;  his  place  was  at  Reading;  he  sold  out 
and  joined  Washington's  army  and  rose  to  a  high  position,  becoming 
director-general  of  the  Northern  Department  of  the  army.  Many  of 
his  letters  and  papers  are  on  file  in  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society. 

Another  doctor  whose  name  is  well  known  to  medical  men — Dr. 
William  Potts  Dewees,  was  born  in  Pottsgrove,  1768;  graduated  at  the 
University  in  1789,  entered  upon  practice  at  Abington,  this  county.  He 
moved  to  a  wider  field  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  won  fame  by  devoting 
his  efiforts  toward  the  subject  of  obstetrics,  at  that  time  a  novel  branch  of 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  225 

the  medical  profession  in  the  United  States.  He  delivered  the  first  full 
course  of  lectures  on  this  subject,  and  by  1812  had  amassed  a  fortune  by 
these  lectures.    He  died  in  1841,  at  Philadelphia. 

Dr.  Isaac  Huddleson  settled  in  the  medical  practice  in  Norristown 
in  1793,  and  was  highly  successful.  He  was  associated  with  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Norristown  Library  Company.  It  was  written  of  him  that 
"he  was  a  careful,  successful  surgeon,  and  so  placid  and  kind  in  dispo- 
sition that  he  probably  never  had  an  enemy  in  all  his  life."  He  left  one 
son  who  practiced  medicine  in  Norristown,  and  later  in  Delaware  county. 
In  1831  the  only  two  physicians  in  Norristown  were  Drs.  Huddleson  and 
George  W.  Thomas,  who  were  advanced  in  years,  and  were  soon  joined 
by  Dr  William  Corson,  and  the  three  made  a  splendid  team  in  the  med- 
ical profession,  and  frequently  consulted  one  with  the  other. 

With  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  there  arrived  numer- 
ous physicians,  including  Drs.  John  Jones,  F.  S.  Wilson,  Gove  Mitchell, 
Dr.  Hart,  Joseph  Merideth  and  uncle  Dr.  Hugh  Merideth,  Silas  Huff, 
Dr.  McLean,  Dr.  Charles  Moore ;  Dr.  Bacheldor,  at  Hatboro,  who  prac- 
ticed on  foot  when  his  patient  failed  to  provide  him  a  conveyance ;  Dr. 
Amos  Griffith  practiced  at  North  Wales  twelve  years,  and  then  went  to 
farming.  Others  who  acted  honorably  their  part  in  the  profession  were : 
Drs.  Samuel  Gartley,  born  in  1779;  Samuel  Freedley,  born  1799,  gradu- 
ated at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1821,  later  took  up  homceop- 
athy  and  practiced  in  Philadelphia ;  Robert  J.  Dodd,  of  Lower  Merion 
township,  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1809,  studied  medicine  under  Gen. 
George  B.  McClellan's  father,  graduated  from  Jefferson  Medical  Col- 
lege in  1831,  and  most  of  his  eventful  life  was  spent  abroad  in  important 
medical  positions  for  the  government.  He  died  in  Lower  Merion  in 
1876,  a  highly  honored  man.  He  left  a  number  of  sons  who  practiced 
medicine  in  this  and  nearby  counties. 

Later  physicians  included  Drs.  Jacob  Knipe,  Hiram  Corson,  William 
Corson,  Joseph  Leedom,  E.  C.  Leedom,  James  Hamer,  W.  A.  Van  Bus- 
kirk,  Charles  Shoemaker,  Henry  De  Witt  Pawling,  J.  Warren  Royer, 
John  K.  Reid,  L.  W.  Read,  Margaret  Phillips  Richardson,  Edward  Read- 
ing, M.  Newbury,  John  Todd,  A.  D.  Markley — all  gave  many  years  of 
their  lives  in  this  county  to  their  duties  as  faithful  physicians,  and  have 
long  since  been  numbered  among  the  deceased.  Another  noted  physi- 
cian was  Mary  Henderson  Stinson,  born  in  Norristown  in  1819,  and 
became  a  physician  of  ability,  when  her  sex  had  only  just  commenced  to 
be  admitted  in  medical  colleges  and  to  practice.  She  was  bright,  intelli- 
gent and  forceful,  and  lived  not  in  vain,  but  for  the  uplift  of  her  own  sex. 

Physicians  of  Forty  Years  Ago — The  following  is  a  list  of  what  is 
believed  to  be  the  names  of  every  physician,  of  whatever  school  of  med- 
icine, in  practice  within  Montgomery  county  in  1883. 


226 


HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


John  W.  Anderson,  Lower  Merion. 

Milton  F.  Acker,  Tylersport. 

Reuben  High  Andrews,  Lansdale. 

Wm.  J.  Ashenfelter,  Pottstown. 

Herbert  A.  Arnold,  Merionville. 

Harry  M.  Bunting,  Norristown. 

Henricum  Bobb,  East  Greenville. 

Horace  M.  Bellows,  Huntington  Valley. 

Cornelius  Bartholomew,  New  Hanover. 

George  A.  Blanch,  Green  Lane. 

Abraham  R.  Benner,  Norristown. 

Ephraim  K.  Blanck,  Hatfield. 

Joseph  Y.  Bechtol,  Schwenksville. 

Mary  Alice  Bennett,  Norristown. 

Jesse  E.  Bauman,  Telford. 

David  R.  Beaver,  Conshohocken. 

Charles  Bradley,  Norristown. 

John  K.  Blank,  Upper  Hanover. 

N.  H.  Longabaugh,  Norristown. 

Edwin  C.  Leedom,  Plymouth. 

Robert  Coltman,  Sr.,  Jenkintown. 

Elwood  Corson,  Norristown. 

Hiram  Corson,  Plymouth. 

William  Corson,  Norristown. 

R.  Cooper,  Shoemakertown. 

R.  H.  Chase,  Norristown  (hospital). 

John  B.  Carrell,  Hatboro. 

Charles  H.  Mann,  Bridgeport. 

John  S.  Morey,  Upper  Providence. 

A.  H.  Mellerish,  Lower  Merion. 

P.  H.  Markley,  Hatboro. 

A.  L.  Miller,  Tylersport. 

Wm.  McKenzie,  West  Conshohocken. 

Milton  Newbury,  Fort  Washington. 

Benjamin  H.  Nice,  Norristown. 

Joannem  Paxson,  Jenkintown. 

John  G.  Hillegass,  Pennsburg. 

John  V.  Hoffman,  Gilbertsville. 

Charles  B.  Hough,  Three  Tuns. 

Joseph  S.  Hill,  Ardmore. 

William  H.  Hall,  Conshohocken. 

Mary  P.  Hallowell,  Horsham. 

Russell  S.  Hill,  Weldon. 

Benjamin  K.  Johnson,  North  Wales. 

Ewing  Jordan,  Norristown  Hospital. 

Francis  M.  Knipe,  Frederick. 

Franklin  B.  Keller,  Pottstown. 

R.  K.  Kellor,  Salford. 

V.  Z.  Kellor,  Lower  Salford. 

J.  O.  Knipe,  Norristown. 

Septimus  A.  Knipe,  New  Hanover. 

George  S.  Kirby,  Pottstown. 

Armett  Keratz,  Lansdale. 

David  H.  Bergey,  Upper  Hanover. 

David  H.  Bergey,  Perkiomen. 

F.  G.  Bigony,  Line  Lexington. 
Matthew  A.  Long,  Pottstown. 
Hiram  R.  Loux,  Souderton. 
J.  W.  Lodge,  Lower  Merion. 
A.  D.  Markley,  Hatboro. 

G.  K.  Meschter,  Center  Point. 
Samuel  C.  Moyer,  Lansdale. 
James  G.  Mensch,  Pennsburg. 
Amos  G.  Coleman,  Limerick. 
Edward  M.  Clifford,  Valley  Forge. 


William  A.  Cross,  Jenkintown. 

H.  H.  Drake,  Norristown. 

John  Davis,  Pottstown. 

Thomas  Davis,  Lower  Providence. 

Benjamin  F.  Dismant,  Upper  Providence. 

James  Dotterer,  Pennsburg. 

Phil  Y.  Eisenburg,  Norristown. 

Henry  DeWitt  Pauling,  King  of  Prussia. 

L  N.  Evans,  Hatboro. 

Jonathan  N.  Faust,  Frederick. 

Mahlon  Preston,  Norristown. 

John  E.  Peters,  Jenkintown. 

W.  C.  Roney,  Pottstown. 

Margaret  Richardson,  Norristown. 

Wm.  H.  Randle,  Jenkintown. 

Lewis  W.  Reid,  Conshohocken. 

Edward  B.  Rossiter,  Pottstown. 

George  S.  Gerhard,  Ardmore. 

Thomas  Walter  Gardiner,  Pottstown. 

Isiah  K.  Gerhard,  Worcester. 

Eman  F.  Gerhard,  Norristown. 

James  H.  Hamer,  Collegeville. 

William  B.  Hill,  Abington. 

George  N.  Higley,  Conshohocken. 

Charles  M.  Robinson,  Ambler. 

R.  G.  Reiff,  Pottstown. 

Horace  Still,  Norristown. 

Henry  T.  Slemmer,  Norristown. 

S.  C.  Seiple,  Center  Square. 

Henry  F.  Slifer,  North  Wales. 

C.  Van  Artsdalen,  Chelton  Hills. 

H.  H.  Whitcomb,  Norristown. 

M.  A.  Withers,  Pottstown. 

S.  N.  Wiley,  Norristown. 

John  Schrack,  Jeffersonville. 

S.  N.  Wiley,  Norristown. 

P.  O.  Wickert,  Salfordville. 

Wm.  Savory,  Bryn  Mawr. 

S.  B.  Swavley,  Pottstown. 

Samuel  Wolf,  Jr.,  Skippacksville. 

Richard  W.  Saylor,  Pottsgrove. 

William  L.  Shoemaker,  Fitzwatertown. 

William  C.  Powell,  Jr.,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Oliver  H.  Fisher,  Graters  Ford. 

Milton  B.  Fretz,  Souderton. 

Oliver  H.  Fretz,  Salfordville. 

Edward  M.  Fury,  Norristown. 

M.  W.  Gilmer,  North  Wales. 

Wm.  A.  Gerhart,  Lansdale. 

Henry  G.  Groff,  Lower  Salford. 

Charles  W.  Gumbes,  Oaks  Station. 

O.  C.  Robinson,  Huntington  Valley. 

S.  M.  Rambo,  Oaks  Station. 

J.  Warren  Royer,  Trappe. 

H.  D.  Rosenberger,  Hatfield. 

Edward  Reading,  Hatboro. 

Joseph  E.  Ritter,  Pottstown. 

George  Roney,  Pottstown. 

John  Todd,  Pottstown. 

John  N.  Tenney,  Collegeville. 

Henry  U.  Umsted,  Upper  Providence. 

J.  S.  Schrawder,  Upper  Dublin. 

C.  B.  R.  Umsted,  Upper  Providence. 

Jacob  H.  Sheetz,  Pottstown. 

George  M.  Stiles,  Conshohocken. 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  227 

G.  P.  Sargent,  Bryn  Mawr.  Albanus  Styer,  Ambler. 

Joseph  K.  Weaver,  Norristown.  P.  O.  Wickert,  Salfordsville. 

B.  H.  Shelly,  Palm.  M.  Y.  Weber,  Evansburg. 

Joseph  W.  Winter,  Lower  Merion.  D.  W.  Shelly,  Ambler. 

F.  S.  Wilson,  Jarrettown.  Charles  Z.  Weber,  Norristown. 
Charles  T.  Waage,  Pennsburg. 

Of  the  one  hundred  and  forty  physicians  practicing  in  the  county  as 
shown  above,  only  fifty-five  are  living  to-day.  Ten  have  removed  from 
the  county  and  taken  up  the  practice  elsewhere. 

The  physicians  who  have  practiced  in  the  county  since  the  above  date 
(1884),  according  to  an  account  given  of  them  by  Dr.  Herbert  H.  Bos- 
tock,  of  Norristown,  chairman  of  the  Publicity  Committee  of  the  Mont- 
gomery County  Medical  Society,  are  found  in  connection  with  the  his- 
tory of  that  Society  within  this  chapter.  Other  physicians  of  the  county 
not  members  of  the  Medical  Society,  hence  not  given  in  the  list  just 
referred  to,  but  who  in  recent  years  have  had  a  practice  here  are  as 
follows :  L.  L.  Cope,  Hatfield ;  J.  J.  Kane,  Norristown ;  J.  I.  Care,  H.  L. 
Dovey,  A.  G.  Dorris,  William  J.  Manning,  all  of  Norristown ;  I.  M.  Pow- 
bidis,  West  Conshohocken ;  E.  M.  Vaughan,  Royersford ;  W.  J.  Davis, 
J.  W.  Armstrong,  David  B.  Cooley,  A.  K.  Davidheiser,  W.  H.  Eck,  all 
of  Pottstown ;  C.  F.  Chandler,  Graterford ;  J.  L.  Loux  and  J.  S.  Miller, 
both  of  Graterford;  G.  A.  Kerling,  Pennsburg;  A.  C.  Herman,  Lans- 
dale ;  Herbert  T.  Moyer  and  H.  O.  Williams,  both  of  Lansdale. 

The  following-named  are  the  homoeopathic  physicians  of  the  county 
at  present:  Drs.  S.  Miles  Robinson,  Howard  C.  Nicholoson,  M.  D. 
Youngman,  Charles  D.  Fox,  J.  S.  Miller,  Collegeville ;  H.  J.  Ervin,  B.  M. 
F.  Peters,  A.  C.  Heritage,  Hatboro ;  H.  M.  Bunting,  A.  R.  Garner,  Daniel 
A.  Wilson,  E.  A.  Krusen,  F.  T.  Krusen,  C.  C.  Krusen,  all  of  Norristown ; 
P.  G.  Atkinson,  Thomas  Reading,  Hatboro;  Walter  E.  Fine,  Samuel 
Sleath,  Herbert  Moyer,  Lansdale ;  H.  O.  Williams,  Lansdale ;  E.  M. 
Vaughan,  Royersford ;  James  Shoemaker,  Bryn  Mawr;  Leroy  Roth,  Con- 
shohocken; H.  Powell,  Joseph  Brooks,  R.  C.  Hofifman,  E.  B.  Rossiter, 
Pottstown ;  G.  A.  Shute,  Pottstown ;  David  B.  Cooley,  Pottstown ;  T.  F. 
Conover,  A.  J.  Craig,  Fort  Washington. 

Medical  Societies — The  Montgomery  County  Medical  Society,  with 
general  headquarters  at  Norristown,  was  organized  in  January,  1847. 
Sometimes  it  holds  its  meetings  at  Pottstown,  Bryn  Mawr,  and  other 
places  in  the  county.  It  now  has  monthly  meetings.  The  first  officers 
were:  Dr.  George  W.  Thomas,  president;  Dr.  Hiram  Corson,  secretary. 
The  last  named  was  the  ancestor  or  belonged  to  all  the  numerous  Cor- 
sons  who  became  prominent  physicians  and  surgeons  in  Eastern  Penn- 
sylvania. This  Doctor  Corson  practiced  at  the  age  of  ninety  years,  and 
died  two  years  later,  in  March,  1896.  For  many  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  American  Medical  Association,  and  a  noted  medical  writer.  He 
put  forward  his  niece,  Miss  Anderson,  and  educated  her  for  the  medical 
profession,  among  the  first  in  the  country  of  her  sex. 


228  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

The  first  regular  call  to  organize  a  medical  society  in  this  county  was 
attended  by  Drs.  George  W.  Thomas,  Hiram  Corson,  William  Corson, 
Washington  G.  Nugent,  and  John  L.  Foulke.  The  object  as  stated  in 
their  first  constitution  was  "to  cultivate  and  extend  the  science  of  med- 
icine, to  sustain  and  elevate  the  character  of  the  profession,  to  protect 
the  interests  and  promote  harmony  amongst  its  members.  Any  physi- 
cian of  a  good  moral  character  and  respectable  standing  in  the  profes- 
sion may  become  a  member  of  this  society."  The  records  disclose  the 
fact  that  in  1883  its  membership  was  fifty-four,  and  it  annually  sent 
delegates  to  the  State  and  American  Associations. 

Among  the  prominent  members  in  the  past  may  now  be  recalled  such 
men  as  Drs.  J.  K.  Weaver  and  L»  W.  Read,  both  at  one  time  Surgeon 
Generals  of  Pennsylvania,  both  in  the  Civil  War  and  Spanish-American 
War.  Dr.  Read  was  also  in  the  early  Crimean  War  of  Europe.  Another 
quite  noted  doctor  was  Henry  F.  FoUey,  M.  D.,  of  King  of  Prussia,  a 
borough  of  this  county,  who  died  several  years  ago.  Another  honored 
member  was  Dr.  J.  O.  Knipe,  now  deceased;  his  brother  still  practices 
medicine  in  eastern  Pennsylvania.  For  a  list  of  members  of  this  Society 
who  served  in  the  late  World  War,  see  below. 

The  Montgomery  County  Medical  Society  stands  third  in  member- 
ship and  strength  of  all  the  societies  in  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia  and 
Allegheny  counties  only  exceeding  her.  Already  $3,000  of  a  permanent 
fund  is  on  hand  for  the  building  of  a  permanent  home  for  the  Society  at 
Norristown.  The  present  officers  of  the  Society  are :  Dr.  W.  R.  Roberts, 
president ;  Dr.  E.  S.  Byers,  secretary ;  W.  G.  Miller,  treasurer ;  Dr.  Rob- 
ert P.  Elmer  and  John  B.  Sherborn,  M.  D.,  vice-presidents.  Meetings 
are  held  monthly.  The  Society  publishes  a  "Monthly  Bulletin,"  giving 
much  information  to  the  membership.  The  present  editors  are  Drs. 
Herbert  A.  Bostock,  Frank  C.  Parker,  Dr.  Simpson. 

Members  Who  Served  in  World  War — The  subjoined  list  gives  the 
names  of  physicians  who  were  members  of  this  Medical  Society,  who 
served  in  the  late  World  War,  either  at  home  in  camps,  or  abroad 
in  the  actual  strife:  F.  B.  Allen,  North  Wales,  first  lieutenant.  Camp 
Dix,  New  Jersey ;  A.  N.  Baggs,  Abington,  first  lieutenant  surgeon, 
still  in  U.  S.  service ;  J.  W.  Bauman,  Lansdale,  captain  Base  Hos- 
pital, Georgia,  is  still  in  U.  S.  service ;  Walter  Blair,  Norristown,  first 
lieutenant  Engineer  Corps,  France;  J.  H.  Cloud,  Ardmore,  captain  Base 
Hospital,  France;  E.  F.  Corson,  Cynwyd,  first  lieutenant.  Camp  Grant, 
Illinois ;  C.  W.  Luders,  Cynwyd,  lieutenant,  in  Georgia ;  F.  R.  Ramsey, 
Wyndmoor,  first  lieutenant,  Georgia;  A.  S.  Ruth,  Conshohocken,  first 
lieutenant,  London,  England ;  John  Sharp,  Haverford,  lieutenant.  Long 
Island ;  George  W.  Miller,  Norristown,  captain  Base  Hospital,  Louisiana ; 
W.  C.  Sheehan,  first  lieutenant,  Georgia ;  Russell  Keeler,  Harleysville, 
first  lieutenant,  Georgia ;  J.  C.  Simpson,  Norristown,  first  lieutenant, 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION 


229 


Texas;  H.  C.  Welker,  Norristown,  captain  Base  Hospital,  Unit  No.  34, 
"Somewhere  in  France,"  died  in  service ;  R.  G.  Whitman,  Conshohocken, 
lieutenant,  in  Georgia;  R.  V.  Wolfe,  Norristown,  captain,  Long  Island; 
Walter  Yeakle,  Norristown,  Recruiting  Station,  Virginia ;  J.  A.  Mc- 
Cracken,  Norristown,  first  lieutenant,  Georgia ;  Isaac  Roberts,  Lanerich, 
lieutenant,  "Somewhere  in  France ;"  W.  A.  Toland,  captain,  in  Georgia ; 
George  McGinnes,  "Somewhere  in  France." 

"Main  Line  Branch"  is  the  name  of  a  branch  of  the  Montgomery- 
County  Medical  Society  which  covers  a  remote  part  of  the  county.  It 
was  formed  November  17,  191 5,  but  has  the  advantages  of  regular  mem- 
bers of  the  parent  society,  largely. 

The  Schuylkill  Valley  Club  is  another  medical  society  or  club,  so- 
called,  organized  May  3,  191 1.  Its  first  president  was  Dr.  Newton  Huns- 
berger ;  W.  G.  Miller,  vice-president ;  A,  S.  Byers,  secretary  and  treasurer. 
It  has  thirty  members,  which  is  the  limited  number  who  can  belong  at 
present.  Present  officers:  President,  W.  J.  Wright;  vice-president, 
Elmer  G.  Gotwall ;  secretary  and  treasurer,  E.  S.  Byers,  of  Norristown. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1847,  when  the  Medical  Society  held  its  first 
meeting  after  organizing,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  ascertain  how 
many  physicians  there  were  then  practicing  in  Montgomery  county,  and 
they  reported  later  that  there  were  sixty-four,  of  whom  forty-seven  were 
graduates  of  medical  schools ;  four  physicians  who  did  not  practice,  of 
whom  three  were  graduates ;  and  one  man,  though  not  a  graduate  had 
practiced  medicine  here  for  forty  years ;  also  there  were  two  Homceo- 
pathic  doctors  and  two  Thompsonian  doctors. 

The  first  woman  to  become  a  member  of  this  society,  and  it  is  believed 
the  first  of  her  sex  to  belong  to  any  medical  society  in  the  United  States, 
probably  in  the  world,  was  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Hiram  Corson,  Miss  Anna 
Lukens,  a  graduate  of  the  Women's  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia. 
The  date  of  this  was  1870,  up  to  which  time  it  had  not  been  thought  the 
proper  thing  for  women  to  practice  medicine  and  be  a  member  of  med- 
ical societies. 

The  subjoined  appears  from  record  to  be  the  1923  membership  of 
the  Montgomery  Medical  Society: 


Frederick  B.  Allen,  North  Wales. 
H.  Croskey  Allen,  Norristown. 
Newton  G.  AUebaugh,  Souderton. 
Warren  Z.  Anders,  Collegeville. 
Clifford  H.  Arnold,  Ardmore. 
Herbert  A.  Arnold,  Ardmore. 
Paul  G.  Atkinson,  Norristown. 
Edythe  A.  Bacon,  State  Hospital. 
Ervin  F.  Benner,  Salfordville. 
Joseph  E.  Beldeman,  Norristown. 
Herbert  A.  Bostock,  Norristown. 
Thomas  F.  Branson,  Rosemont. 
Joel  D.  Brown   (outside  county). 
Franklin  D.  Brush,  Phcenixville. 


Frederick  Bushong,  Pottstown. 
Edgar  S.  Buyers,  Norristown. 
Carl  F.  Bigony,  Lansdale. 
Franklin  G.  Bigony,  Lansdale. 
Chapin  Carpenter,  Wayne. 
J.  Howard  Cloud,  Ardmore. 
Walter  Chrystie,  Bryn  Mawr. 
R.  Z.  Cope,  Hatfield. 
George  T.  Lukens,  Conshohocken. 
Philip  J.  Lukens,  Ambler. 
Charles  W.  Luders,  Cynwyd. 
George  L  McLeod,  Ardmore. 
John  T.  McDonald,  Norristown. 
John  N.  Markley,  Schwenksville. 


230 


HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


Lee  F.  Mauger,  Pottstown. 
James  A.  McCracken,  Norristown. 
George  McGinnis,  Norristown. 
William  McKenzie,  Conshohocken. 
Perry  W.  McLaughlin,  Norristown. 
Anthony  C.  Messmer,  Ardmore. 
George  W.  Miller,  Norristown. 
Joseph  S.  Miller,  Collegeville. 
S.  Metz  Miller  (State  Hospital). 
William  C.  Miller,  Norristown. 
Ronald  C.  Moore,  Schwenksville. 
D.  B.  Moyer,  Lansdale. 
David  Nathan,  Norristown. 
Milton  K.  Neiffer,  Wyncote. 
Howard  Y.  Neiman,  Pottstown. 
Percival  Nicholson,  Ardmore. 
Percy  H.  Corson,  Plymouth  Meeting. 
Edward  F.  Corson,  Cynwyd. 
George  Cordonna,  Norristown. 
Malcom  S.  Councill,  Bryn  Mawr. 
A.  J.  Craig,  Fort  Washington. 
Sumner  H.  Cross,  Jenkintown. 
James  Crowe,  Huntingdon  Valley. 
A.  Lovett  Dewees,  Haverford. 
Wallace  W.  Dill,  Norristown. 
Charles  F.  Doran,  Phoenixville. 
H.  H.  Drake,  Norristown. 
J.  Lawrence  Eisenberg,  Norristown. 
Alexander  Rae  Evans,  Norristown. 
Robert  E.  Elmer,  Wayne. 
Joseph  M.  Ellenberger,  Norristown. 
Remo  Fabbri,  Norristown. 
Clarence  T.  Fairies,  Narberth. 
DeLorme  T.  Fordyce,  Conshohocken. 
Robert  G.  Gamble,  Haverford. 
Albert  Rowland  Garner,  Norristown. 
Alfred  O.  Gery,  East  Greenville. 
Henry  Graber,  Royersford. 
Andrew  Godfrey,  Ambler. 
J.  Elmer  Gotwals  (outside  county). 
Paul  D.  Hanley,  Pottstown. 
George  F.  Hartman,  Norristown. 
John  Harvey,  Bryn  Mawr. 
Richard  H.  Harris,  Elkins  Park. 
Howard  W.  Hassell,  Bridgeport. 
Oliver  C.  Heffner,  Pottstown. 
Robert  S.  Heffner,  Pottstown. 

A.  C.  Herman,  Lansdale. 
George  N.  Highley,  Conshohocken. 
Mary  H.  P.  Hough,  Ambler. 

B.  F.  Hubley,  Norristown. 

J.  N.  Hunsberger,  Pennsburg. 
Isadore  Hurwitz,  Norristown. 
George  R.  Irwin,  Norristown. 
Jessie  P.  Janjigian  (outside  county). 
Arthur  H.  Jago,  Ardmore. 
Elmer  A.  Kell  (outside  county). 
George  A.  Kerling,  Pennsburg. 
Alexander  H.  O'Neal,  St.  Davids. 
Frank  C.  Parker,  Norristown. 
W.  M.  Parkinson  (outside  county.) 
John  D.  Perkins,  Jr.,  Conshohocken. 
Henry  C.  Podall,  Norristown. 
J.  Elmer  Porter,  Pottstown. 


T.  Elwood  Quinn,  Jenkintown. 
Norman  H.  Rahn,  Souderton. 
Frank  M.  Ramsey,  Chestnut  Hill. 
Robert  W.  Randall,  Royersford. 
Alfred  H.  Read,  Norristown. 
Henry  D.  Reed,  Pottstown. 
Willis  Read  Roberts,  Norristown. 
Isaac  B.  Roberts,  Llanerch. 
C.  Atwood  Rose,  Ardmore. 
John  A.  Roth,  Red  Hill. 
John  Rouse,  Fox  Chase. 
Aaron  L.  Roth,  Conshohocken. 
Harvey  F.  Scholl  (outside  county). 
N.  Nathan  School,  Kulpsville. 
J.  Howard  Seiple,  Center  Square. 
George  W.  Stein,  Norristown. 
Walter  J.  Stein,  Ardmore. 
Warren  B.  Shaner,  Pottstown. 
Isaac  H.  Shelly,  Ambler. 
James  A.  Shelly,  Ambler. 
John  S.  Sharpe,  Haverford. 
Frederick  C.  Sharpless,  Rosemont. 
Herbert  B.  Shearer,  Worcester. 
John  B.  Sherbon,  Pottstown. 
William  C.  Sheehan,  Chestnut  Hill. 
John  C.  Simpson,  Norristown. 
H.  Forsythe  Stapp,  Pottstown. 

Samuel  B.  Sturgis,  Ardmore. 

Herbert  W.  Taylor,  Haverford. 
J.  Quincy  Thomas,  Norristown. 

Munroe  H.  Tunnell,  Bryn  Mawr. 

Howard  E.  Twining,  Glenside. 

Benjamin  A.  Tyler,  Royersford. 

Frederick  W.  Van  Buskirk,  Pottstown. 

Wentworth  D.  Vedder,  Pottstown. 

William  J.  Watson,  Norristown. 

Vincent  Z.  Keeler,  Harleysville. 

Russell  R.  Keeler,  Harleysville. 

James   M.  Keaton,  Ardmore. 

Ammon  C.  Kershner,  Norristown. 

Reinoehl  Knipe,  Norristown. 

William  H.  Knipe,  Limerick. 

Jeremiah  A.  Klotz,  East  Greenville. 

Elmer  G.  Kreible,  Norristown. 

E.  A.  Krusen,  Norristown. 

H.  Pearce  Lakin,  Lansdale. 

James  C.  Landis,  Pennsburg. 

Frederick  B.  Little,  Norristown. 

John  A.  Logan,  Hatboro. 

Clark  S.  Long,  Lansdale. 

George  T.  Lukens,  Conshohocken. 

W.  Stuart  Watson,  Cheltenham. 

S.  Nelson  Wiley  (outside  county). 

T.  Edmond  Wills,  Pottstown. 

John  G.  Wilson  (State  Hospital). 

J.  R.  V.  Wolfe,  Norristown. 

W.  J.  Wright,  Skippack. 

Charles  R.  Wylie,  Pottstown. 

Walter  A.  Yeakle,  Norristown. 

Honorary  Members. 
David  H.  Bergey,  Philadelphia. 
Samuel  C.  Seiple,  Center  Square. 
Samuel  Wolfe,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


Pilr^^Mr^'"'       "^^^^^^^^^P^    '^^^^^^^^^^^1 

^^^^  '  ■       '-^i  *^ *'fe'"--  ■  ^^'^  l^i'-  i^M^''     ■ '  -'^ii^^^^^K^* 

HILL   SCHOOL,   POTTSTOWN 


POTTSTOWN  HOSPITAL 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  231 

Hospitals — This  county  is  listed  among  the  sections  of  country  where 
up-to-date  public  and  private  hospitals  obtain,  tending  to  show  the 
advanced  methods  of  the  humane  side  of  life.  While  near  the  city  of 
Philadelphia  where  numerous  hospitals  abound,  there  are  ample  accom- 
modations in  this  county,  a  manufacturing  center,  too,  for  all  who  need 
the  scientific  care  given  by  modern  hospitals  with  their  corps  of  trained 
nurses  and  skillful  physicians  and  surgeons.  Norristown  has  two  hos- 
pitals— the  Montgomery  Hospital  and  Riverside  Hospital.  The  former 
was  known  as  "Charity  Hospital"  until  1920,  when  its  name  was  changed. 
This  hospital  was  established  in  1889,  history  of  which  see  later.  River- 
side Hospital  is  a  private  institution,  of  which  Dr.  McElhatton,  of  Nor- 
ristown, is  the  proprietor. 

Pottstown  has  two  creditable  hospitals — the  oldest  one  is  known  as 
the  Pottstown  Hospital,  and  is  fully  equipped  for  doing  good  service  in 
the  community  in  which  it  is  situated.  The  other  hospital  of  that  bor- 
ough is  the  Homoeopathic  Hospital,  of  more  recent  origin,  and  is  con- 
ducted along  the  latest  known  usages  of  homoeopathic  treatment.  The 
hospital  at  Bryn  Mawr  is  not  of  the  class  receiving  State  financial  aid, 
but  is  an  old,  well  regulated  and  highly  successful  institution.  The  only 
other  hospital  within  Montgomery  county  is  the  one  at  Abington,  which 
is  taking  care  of  most  of  the  local  cases  in  its  community  and  is  well 
equipped  and  carefully  conducted.    See  history  later  in  this  chapter. 

The  Montgomery  County  Hospital  at  Norristown  is  the  largest  hos- 
pital in  the  county.  It  was  first  conducted  in  1889-90.  The  first  move 
toward  its  establishment  was  January  10,  1889.  The  ladies  of  the  com- 
munity held  bazaars,  and  other  means  were  used  to  create  a  building 
fund,  and  the  first  year  $6,667  was  raised,  after  which  the  Commonwealth 
made  an  appropriation  to  the  institution  amounting  to  $5,000.  Land  was 
purchased,  and  the  building  went  forward.  The  total  cost  of  the  real 
estate  and  all  improvements  up  to  1890  was  $17,110.  The  buildings 
stand  at  the  corner  of  Basin  and  Powell  streets.  The  present  number 
of  beds  for  patients  is  eighty.  The  legal  abstract  of  the  name  and 
changes,  shows  the  following:  January  23,  1889,  was  filed  petition  for 
the  hospital  incorporation  to  be  known  as  the  "Norristown  Hospital  and 
Dispensary."  March  4,  1889,  on  motion  of  Theo.  W.  Bean,  a  charter 
was  granted,  and  it  was  recorded  March  15  that  year  in  Miscellaneous 
Book  No.  29,  page  414.  The  name  was  changed  May  19,  1890,  on  motion 
of  J.  W.  Berkel,  and  it  was  decreed  that  the  name  should  be  changed  to 
"Charity  Hospital  of  Montgomery  County."  June  20,  1890,  this  was  duly 
recorded  in  Miscellaneous  Book  31,  page  298.  Again  the  name  was 
changed  in  the  spring  of  1920  to  "Montgomery  Hospital."  Its  original 
officers  and  directors  were  as  follows:  President,  N.  R.  Haines;  vice- 
presidents,  R.  Wilson  Perry  and  Remandus  Sheetz ;  secretary,  J.  Clinton 
Sellers;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Sarah  S.  Rex.     Directors — Rev.  Isaac  Gibson. 


232  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Dr.  John  W.  Loch,  William  Rennyson,  J.  Morton  Brown,  I.  N.  Harrar, 
Joseph  Shaw,  Isaac  W.  Smith,  John  W.  Bickel,  John  Slingluflf,  Walter 
H.  Cooke,  and  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins 

The  present  (1923)  officers  and  directors  are  as  follows:  President, 
Nicholas  H.  Larzelere;  vice-presidents,  Charles  Major,  A.  T.  Eastwick; 
secretary,  Walter  R.  Moyer ;  treasurer,  Norristown  Trust  Company ; 
solicitor,  John  M.  Dettra.  Directors — Mrs.  Louis  M.  Childs,  A.  T.  East- 
wick, Henry  I.  Fox,  H.  H.  Ganser,  Harvey  C.  Gresh,  George  F.  Hart- 
man,  M.  D.,  A.  Markley  Harry,  John  Kearns,  Miss  Mary  H.  Loch, 
Charles  Major,  H.  Severn  Regar,  David  H.  Ross,  Hon.  William  F.  Solly, 
Mrs.  Henry  C.  Wentz,  Howard  Wood,  Jr. ;  superintendent,  Agnes  C. 
Shore,  R.  N. ;  resident  physician.  Dr.  M.  Weimer.  The  Medical  Board 
includes  Chief  Surgeon  Dr.  Alfred  C.  Wood,  with  six  surgeons  and  two 
assistant  surgeons.  The  medical  staff  includes  twenty  local  physicians, 
covering  specialties  in  various  classes  of  diseases.  Then  besides  this 
array  of  medical  men,  is  the  auxiliary  staff  of  thirty-two  physicians,  from 
nearly  every  borough  in  the  county.  Of  the  Women's  Department,  it 
may  be  said  that  the  president  is  Mrs.  Henry  C.  Wentz ;  vice-presidents, 
Mrs.  George  H.  Coughlin,  Mrs.  John  M.  Dettra.  The  auxiliary  also  has 
a  full  set  of  officers. 

The  abstract  of  the  Pottstown  Hospital  show  these  dates :  Filing  of 
application  for  charter,  February  12,  1889;  charter  granted.  May  11, 
1889;  recording  of  charter,  April  8,  1889;  dedicated  and  open  for  patients, 
May  30,  1893.  The  buildings  were  secured  at  first  by  an  endowment 
from  John  H.  Krause,  of  $20,000,  if  the  town  would  raise  $20,000  more. 
Miss  Annie  Engle,  with  the  help  of  the  King's  Daughters  Circle,  made 
it  possible  to  secure  the  needed  $20,000.  The  first  president  was  Wil- 
liam Beecher,  he  being  at  the  head  of  the  board  of  trustees.  Dr.  John 
Todd  was  the  first  president  of  the  staff  of  physicians.  The  present  esti- 
mated value  of  the  entire  plant  is  $105,000.  The  institution  is  an  eighty- 
bed  hospital,  located  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  borough  of  Potts- 
town. The  buildings  are  of  handsome  red  brick.  The  board  of  trustees 
at  present:  Frederick  H.  Keiser,  president;  William  H.  Maxwell,  sec- 
retary; Harrie  H.  Burdan,  treasurer;  Harry  F.  Hallman,  Comly  B. 
Shoemaker,  Frank  Auchenbach,  William  E.  Mills.  The  present  board 
of  managers :  Mrs.  John  B.  Evans,  president ;  Mrs.  James  Reigner,  vice- 
president;  Mrs.  F.  E.  Kelley,  second  vice-president;  Mrs.  George  E. 
Faber,  secretary;  Mrs.  L.  F.  Nagle,  treasurer;  Miss  Minnie  Miller,  cor- 
responding secretary;  and  twenty-five  other  ladies  (local  and  out  of 
town)  complete  the  list  of  managers,  who  meet  the  second  day  of  each 
month  at  the  Hospital.  The  president  of  the  medical  staff  is  J.  E.  Por- 
ter, M.  D. ;  W.  B.  Shaner,  M  .D.,  secretary. 

This  is  one  of  Pennsylvania's  fully  up-to-date  hospitals  in  the  fullest 
extent  of  the  term.    On  December  28,  1922,  a  bronze  tablet  with  cast  por- 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  233 

trait,  in  memory  of  Miss  Harriet  Lorraine  Kulp,  a  Red  Cross  nurse,  a 
graduate  of  the  Pottstown  Hospital's  Training  School  for  Nurses,  who 
lost  her  life  in  a  military  camp  at  Valdahon,  France,  December  28,  1918, 
was  placed  on  the  walls  in  the  corridor  of  the  hospital,  and  was  dedi- 
cated with  appropriate  ceremonies  in  the  presence  of  the  parents  of  Miss 
Kulp,  the  members  of  the  alumni  of  the  Training  School,  the  board  of 
managers,  the  nurses,  the  stafi',  the  trustees,  and  the  public. 

Number  of  patients  admitted  to  the  hospital  in  1922  was  803 ;  num- 
ber of  free  patients  admitted,  397;  operations  performed,  459;  deaths  dur- 
ing the  year,  57;  births  during  the  year,  113;  daily  average  patients,  33; 
per  cent,  of  free  treatment,  65 ;  average  cost  per  patient  per  day,  $3.47. 

The  Bryn  Mawr  Hospital,  according  to  information  just  received, 
was  established  by  Dr.  George  S.  Gerhard  in  1895,  and  has  beds  or  rooms 
for  ninety  patients  at  this  time,  and  is  this  season  building  a  separate 
building  as  a  maternity  hospital  or  ward  and  this  when  finished  in  the 
autumn  will  accommodate  twenty-five  more.  The  present  officers  are: 
President,  S.  M.  Vauclain ;  vice-president,  Charlton  Yarnall ;  secretary, 
Dr.  Arthur  H.  Gerhard ;  treasurer,  Robert  E.  Strawbridge ;  solicitor, 
Neville  D.  Tyson ;  superintendent.  Miss  Katharine  Brown,  1922-23.  The 
chief  resident  physician  is  Dr.  George  L.  Carrington,  1922-23.  During 
1922  there  were  1,505  patients  in  this  hospital,  417  from  foreign  countries  ; 
free  patients,  1,248;  Catholic  patients  admitted,  722;  Protestants,  1,199. 

Abington  Memorial  Hospital  is  located  in  Abington  borough,  Mont- 
gomery county,  and  is  in  every  manner  a  modern  medical  institution. 
It  was  incorporated  under  the  State  laws  in  1913.  The  original  tract 
and  buildings  were  given  by  George  W.  Elkins.  The  first  officers  were : 
George  W.  Elkins,  president;  John  Gilbert,  vice-president;  Robert 
Sewell,  treasurer;  Leon  H.  Gilbert,  secretary.  This  institution  receives 
no  State  financial  aid,  but  depends  upon  donations  and  endowments.  It 
is  beautifully  situated  in  one  of  the  most  charming  places  in  the  county. 
The  eighth  annual  report  shows  that  the  patients  have  been  in  number, 
by  years,  as  follows:  1914-15.  456;  1915-16,  635;  1916-17,  754;  1917-18, 
817;  1918-19,  1,156;  1919-20,  1,104;  1920-21,  1,110;  1921-22,  1,332.  The 
report  also  shows  the  religious  denominations  to  which  the  patients  in 
1922-23  belong:  Atheist,  i;  Baptist,  210;  Roman  Catholic,  310;  Christ's 
Disciples,  2;  Christian  Scientist,  3;  Congregational,  4;  Episcopal,  3; 
Evangelical,  3;  Friends,  24;  Jewish,  32;  Lutheran,  82;  Mennonite,  6; 
Methodist,  185;  New  Church,  4;  Presbyterian,  270;  Reformed,  28;  Uni- 
tarian, 3;  United  Brethren,  5;  Unknown,  12. 

The  present  officers  of  this  hospital  corporation  are  as  follows : 
George  W.  Elkins,  Jr.,  president;  Samuel  L.  Schively,  vice-president; 
Marmaduke  Tilden,  Jr.,  secretary ;  Robert  Sewell,  treasurer.  J.  Dean 
Elliott,  M.  D.,  is  the  chairman  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  medical 
staff.  In  the  year  ending  March  31,  1922,  the  membership  of  this  incor- 
poration was  685,  and  the  receipts  from  their  membership  $5,330.00. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

BENCH  AND  BAR. 

By  William  F.  Dannehower,  Esq., 

Secretary  of  the  Montgomery  County  Bar  Association. 

The  Bench — In  early  Colonial  days,  judges  were  appointed  annually 
by  the  Governor  from  lists  elected  by  the  Provincial  Council.  Later,  the 
Governor  was  authorized  to  appoint  and  commission  "a  competent  num- 
ber of  Justices  of  the  Peace"  for  each  county;  and  they,  or  any  three 
of  them,  could  hold  the  court  of  Quarter  Sessions.  He  could  also  appoint 
and  commission  "a  competent  number  of  persons"  to  hold  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas.  At  first  the  same  persons  were  appointed  for  both 
courts.  This  was  prohibited,  however,  by  the  Act  of  September  9,  1759, 
which  provided  for  the  appointment  of  "five  persons  of  the  best  discre- 
tion, capacity,  judgment  and  integrity"  to  the  Common  Pleas,  any  three 
of  whom  could  hold  the  court.  The  appointments  were  for  life,  or 
during  good  behavior.  The  Constitution  of  1776  changed  the  term  to 
seven  years,  but  the  old  rule  was  restored  by  the  Constitution  of  1790. 
Under  the  Provincial  system,  the  justices  of  the  peace  elected  their 
president  as  presiding  judge.  The  Act  of  January  28,  1777,  however, 
provided  for  the  appointment  and  commission  of  a  president  judge  by  the 
President  and  Supreme  Executive  Council.  When  Montgomery  county 
was  erected,  September  10,  1784,  the  Constitution  of  1776  and  the  Act 
of  1777  were  still  in  force. 

On  the  19th  of  March,  1784,  just  prior  to  the  erection  of  Montgomery 
county  out  of  Philadelphia  county,  Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg,  of 
the  county  of  Philadelphia,  was  appointed  and  commissioned  by  the 
President  and  Supreme  Executive  Council,  "in  the  name  and  by  the 
authority  of  the  Freemen  of  Pennsylvania,"  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  with 
"full  power  and  authority  to  execute  and  perform  all  the  several  acts 
and  things  which  any  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  county  aforesaid  (Phil- 
adelphia) by  the  General  Commission  assigned,  lawfully  can,  may  or 
might  do  both  in  the  Courts  of  Common  Pleas,  the  Orphans'  Court,  or 
elsewhere."  He  took  the  oath  of  office  on  the  following  day,  March  20, 
1784.  On  the  loth  of  September  following,  the  new  county,  wherein 
Muhlenberg  resided,  was  created,  and  his  commission  became  effective 
in  the  new  county,  and  was  duly  recorded  in  the  Recorder's  Office.  It 
was  the  first  commission  recorded  in  the  first  Commission  Book  of  the 
new  county.  Eleven  days  thereafter,  September  21st,  Muhlenberg  was 
commissioned  as  register,  and  also,  by  a  separate  commission,  recorder 
of  the  new  county.  On  the  loth  of  September,  the  date  of  the  new 
county's  birth,  Thomas  Craig-  was  appointed  as  justice  of  the  "pleas," 
and  also  as  prothonotary,  and.  on  the  following  day,  the  nth.  clerk  of 


236  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  ol  the  Peace  and  of  the  Orphans'  Court. 
On  September  29th  James  Morris  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  Com- 
mon Pleas  of  Montgomery  county  and  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the 
townships  of  Norrington,  Whitpain  and  Worcester.  On  the  ist  of  Novem- 
ber, John  Richards  was  commissioned  as  a  justice  of  the  County  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  of  Montgomery  county.  On  the  13th  of  December, 
Henry  Scheetz,  and  on  the  17th,  Peter  Evans,  were  respectively  appointed 
justices  of  the  Common  Pleas,  and  the  latter  also  a  justice  of  the  peace 
for  the  townships  of  Montgomery,  Gwinedth  (sic)  and  Hatfield.  On 
the  14th  of  October  a  commission  dedimus  postatem  was  issued  to  Fred- 
erick Augustus  Muhlenberg  and  Thomas  Craig,  Esqrs.,  to  administer 
oaths  to  persons  appointed  to  any  office  by  the  Supreme  Executive  Coun- 
cil. On  the  same  day,  Zebulon  Potts  was  commissioned  as  sheriff,  and 
a  writ  of  assistance  was  issued  to  the  judges,  justices  and  magistrates, 
and  other  officers  of  the  new  county. 

Therefore,  when  the  first  session  of  court  was  held  in  Montgomery 
county,  the  newly  commissioned  justices  of  the  peace  or  justices  of  the 
Common  Pleas  therein,  were  Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg,  Thomas 
Craig,  James  Morris,  Henry  Scheetz,  Peter  Evans  and  John  Richards ; 
Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg  was  register  and  recorder;  Thomas 
Craig,  prothonotary,  clerk  of  the  Quarter  Sessions  Court  and  clerk  of 
the  Orphans'  Court;  and  Zebulon  Potts  was  the  sheriff. 

The  first  session  of  court  held  in  the  new  county  of  Montgomery  was 
a  special  session  of  the  Orphans'  Court.  It  convened  "at  Providence" 
(Trap,  Providence  township),  on  December  i,  1784.  Justices  Muhlen- 
berg, Morris,  Richards  and  Scheetz  were  on  the  bench.  The  second 
session  of  court  was  that  of  the  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace.  This 
was  held  December  28,  1784,  before  Justices  Muhlenberg,  president; 
Morris,  Richards,  Scheetz  and  Dean,  at  "the  house  of  John  Shannon." 
After  court  had  been  opened  and  silence  commanded,  the  commissions 
from  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania  were  read,  appoint- 
ing as  justices  of  the  peace :  William  Dean,  Esq.,  bearing  date  July  14, 
1783;  Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg,  March  19,  1784;  John  Richards, 
June  24,  1784;  Henry  Scheetz,  June  24,  1784;  James  Morris,  September 
29,  1784.  There  was  also  read  the  commission  of  Thomas  Craig  appoint- 
ing him  clerk  of  the  Court  of  General  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace. 

Sheriff  Potts  returned  the  grand  jury,  which  were  sworn.  Francis 
Swaine  was  chosen  foreman  of  the  grand  jury.  President  Judge  Muh- 
lenberg delivered  the  charge  of  the  Court  to  the  grand  jury.  The  first 
proceeding  brought  before  the  Court  was  an  appeal.  Overseers  of  the 
Poor  of  New  Hanover  Township  v.  Overseers  of  the  Poor  of  New  Provi- 
dence Township,  from  the  order  of  Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg 
and  Michael  Croll,  Esqrs.,  for  the  removal  of  Isaac  Boulton  and  Alice, 
his  wife,  from  New  Hanover  township  to  New  Providence  township. 
The  case  was  continued  to  the  March  Sessions,  1785.    [On  June  29,  1785, 


BENCH  AND  BAR  237 

on  argument,  the  order  for  removal  was  quashed.]  There  was  also  a 
similar  appeal  of  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  of  Whitemarsh  Township  v. 
Overseers  of  the  Poor  of  Springfield  Township  for  the  removal  of  Mar- 
garetta  Jance,  a  pauper,  from  Whitemarsh  to  Springfield  township.  It 
was  continued  to  the  March  Sessions,  1785.  Twenty-one  constables 
were  in  attendance  at  this  session  of  the  Court. 

On  the  following  day,  September  29th,  the  first  session  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  was  held,  but  before  what  justices  the  record  does 
not  disclose.  The  December  sessions  of  court,  1784,  as  well  as  the 
March  and  the  June  sessions  of  1785,  were  held  at  the  "house  of  John 
Shannon,"  or  at  "John  Shannon's,"  where  the  precepts,  orders  and  writs 
were  made  returnable.  Now  where  was  "the  house  of  John  Shannon" 
or  "John  Shannon's?"  Local  historians  differ.  Bean's  "History  of 
Montgomery  County"  (1884)  says:  "The  first  court  was  held  in  Norri- 
ton  township,  the  28th  day  of  December,  1784,  in  the  barn  on  the  'Barley 
Sheaf  Hotel  property,  now  owned  by  Benjamin  Baker,  located  on  the 
Germantown  turnpike,  a  short  distance  northwest  of  Hartranft  station, 
on  the  Stony  Creek  railroad.  The  hotel  was  kept  at  that  time  by  John 
Shannon."  The  authority  for  this  statement  is  given  to  have  been  Eliz- 
abeth Shannon,  grandchild  of  the  proprietor  named,  then  residing  at 
Norristown  (1884). 

Feather's  "Political  Handbook  of  Montgomery  County"  (1899)  says: 
"While  the  Court  House  was  being  erected,  the  sessions  of  the  Court 
were  held  at  the  public  house  of  John  Shannon,  located  near  Stony 
Creek.  The  first  session  was  held  on  the  28th  day  of  December,  1784, 
opening  at  12  o'clock  noon." 

Hon.  Irving  P.  Wanger  in  a  paper  entitled  "The  Forming  of  Mont- 
gomery County,"  read  before  the  Historical  Society  of  Montgomery 
County,  October  7,  1907,  concludes  that  "John  Shannon's"  meant  his 
Egypt  Road  Tavern,  later  the  site  of  the  Hartranft  Hotel,  on  Main 
street. 

It  appears  that  in  1785  there  was  assessed  in  the  name  of  John  Shan- 
non a  tavern  on  Egypt  road,  now  Main  street,  and  in  the  name  of  Josiah 
Wood  a  tavern  and  a  150-acre  farm  on  the  Maxatawny  road  in  Norriton 
township.  The  assessor's  books  for  1784  are  lost.  In  1785  Shannon 
resided  in  the  Egypt  road  tavern.  That  year,  in  March,  he  applied  for 
a  tavern  license — "John  Shannon,  Norris  Town."  However,  there  was 
no  hotel  within  the  limits  of  the  town  of  Norris,  but  a  little  westward 
on  Egypt  road,  or  Main  street,  there  was  a  hotel  (later  the  Hartranft 
House),  belonging  to  Josiah  Wood,  and  later  to  John  Shannon. 

The  September  Sessions,  1785,  were  held  at  "Norris  Town,"  and 
writs,  etc.,  were  there  returnable. 

The  county  offices  were  opened  in  the  small  stone  residence  of 
Thomas  Craig,  prothonotary  and  clerk  of  the  courts,  at  the  south  cor- 
ner of  Egypt  or  Main  street  and  Cherry  alley,  but  in  1789,  upon  comple- 


238  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

tion  of  the  first  court  house  they  were  removed  to  the  new  structure  "on 
the  hill." 

President  Judge  Muhlenberg,  who  served  from  December  28,  1784, 
until  September,  1785,  was  succeeded  by  James  Morris,  who  served  until 
1789.  Judge  Morris  was,  on  the  23rd  of  July,  1785,  commissioned  presi- 
dent of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  and  Court  of  General  Quarter  Ses- 
sions of  the  Peace  in  and  for  Montgomery  county.  On  January  26,  1786, 
Michael  Croll,  and  on  November  27,  1786,  Christian  Weber,  were  com- 
missioned justices  of  the  pleas  and  also  justices  of  the  peace. 

There  appears  no  question,  according  to  the  records,  that  for  the  first 
five  years,  from  1784  to  1789,  the  courts  in  this  county  were  presided 
over  by  judges  not  learned  in  the  law.  They  were,  however,  men  of  high 
character  for  honesty  and  integrity,  and  by  study  acquired  sufficient 
legal  knowledge  to  enable  them  to  discharge  their  duties  with  more  than 
ordinary  credit  to  themselves  and  the  judicial  office.  This  was  notably 
the  case  with  the  first  president  judge,  Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg, 
who  had  been  educated  for  the  ministry. 

In  the  Act  of  1784  it  was  provided  "that  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  this  State  shall  have  like  powers,  jurisdictions  and  authorities 
within  said  County  of  Montgomery  as  in  other  counties  within  the  State, 
and  are  authorized  and  empowered  from  time  to  time  to  deliver  the  gaol 
of  said  county  of  capital  or  other  offenders  in  like  manner  as  they  are 
authorized  to  do  in  other  counties  in  the  State." 

Under  the  Constitution  of  1790  and  the  Act  of  April  13,  1791,  judges 
were  required  to  be  learned  in  the  law,  and  the  State  was  divided  into 
five  judicial  districts  or  circuits,  the  First  comprising  the  city  and  county 
of  Philadelphia  and  the  counties  of  Montgomery,  Bucks  and  Delaware. 
Section  3  of  the  Act  of  1791  provided  that  in  each  of  said  circuits  a  "per- 
son of  knowledge,  and  integrity,  skilled  in  the  laws,  shall  be  appointed 
and  commissioned  by  the  Governor  to  be  president  and  judge  of  the 
Courts  of  Common  Pleas  within  such  circuit;  and  that  a  number  of 
other  persons,  not  fewer  than  three  nor  more  than  four,  shall  be  appointed 
and  commissioned  judges  of  the  Courts  of  Common  Pleas  in  and  for 
each  and  every  county  of  this  Commonwealth." 

Soon  after  the  approval  of  the  Act  of  1791,  the  first  Governor-elect, 
Thomas  Mifflin,  appointed  and  commissioned  James  Biddle  presiding 
judge  of  the  First  Judicial  District,  for  the  county  of  Montgomery.  He 
served  until  1797,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Judge  James  D.  Coxe,  who 
filled  the  office  until  1805,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  William  H.  Tilgh- 
man.  Upon  Judge  Tilghman's  promotion  to  the  Supreme  Bench,  Bird 
Wilson  succeeded  him  in  1806  and  served  until  1818,  when  he  resigned 
because  unwilling  to  pronounce  sentence  of  death  upon  a  prisoner  con- 
victed of  first  degree  murder.  In  1806  the  counties  of  Montgomery, 
Chester,   Bucks  and   Delaware  were  constituted  the  7th  Judicial   Dis- 


BENCH  AND  BAR  239 

trict.  Judge  Wilson  was  the  presiding  judge,  followed  by  Judge  John 
Ross  in  1818. 

By  Act  of  March  12,  1821,  Delaware  and  Chester  counties  were  con- 
stituted the  Fifteenth  Judicial  District,  leaving  Bucks  and  Montgomery 
counties  to  constitute  the  7th  Judicial  District.  In  the  7th  District  so 
constituted,  the  president  judges  were  Judges  John  Ross,  Fox,  Burnside, 
Krause,  Smyser,  Chapman,  and  Henry  P.  Ross. 

In  1874,  however,  Montgomery  county  became  in  itself  a  single 
judicial  district,  the  38th.  Judge  Henry  P.  Ross  became  its  first  presi- 
dent judge,  followed  by  Judges  Stinson,  Boyer,  Swartz,  and  Miller. 

Judge  Ross  died  on  April  13,  1882,  just  as  he  had  entered  upon  his 
second  ten-year  term  of  office.  Four  days  thereafter.  Governor  Hoyt 
appointed  Charles  H.  Stinson  to  succeed  him.  Judge  Boyer  at  the  fall 
election  defeated  Judge  Stinson,  and  on  the  13th  of  December,  1882,  was 
commissioned  to  serve  ten  years  from  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1883. 
Before  the  end  of  his  term  he  died,  August  16,  1887.  Additional  Law 
Judge  Swartz  then  became  president  judge  by  commission  from  Gover- 
nor Beaver,  dated  23rd  of  December,  1887,  and  continued  as  such  until 
April  2,  1923.  Additional  Law  Judge  Miller  was  then  commissioned  by 
Governor  Pinchot  as  president  judge,  and  took  the  oath  of  office  on  the 
i8th  of  April,  1923. 

On  the  2nd  of  April,  1923,  Judge  Swartz  retired  from  his  active 
duties  as  president  judge  by  reason  of  physical  disability  under  the 
Retirement  Act  of  12th  June,  1919,  in  the  presence  of  a  full  Bar  and 
many  laymen.  After  suitable  remarks  by  Neville  D.  Tyson,  Montgomery 
Evans  and  others,  Judge  Swartz  feelingly  thanked  the  members  of  the 
Bar  for  the  many  kindnesses  extended  to  him  in  his  long  judicial  career 
and  the  pleasant  relations  which  always  existed  between  the  Bench  and 
Bar  of  this  county.  Although  retired  on  account  of  failing  sight  and 
hearing,  he  nevertheless  holds  himself  in  readiness  as  the  Act  requires, 
to  advise  with  his  successor  and  colleagues,  and  to  perform  such  duties 
as  may  be  imposed  upon  him  as  special  master,  referee,  auditor  or 
examiner,  in  such  ways  as  he  may  be  reasonably  able  to  do. 

Judge  Frederick  A.  Muhlenberg,  the  first  president  judge  of  the  Mont- 
gomery county  courts,  was  the  second  son  of  the  great  Lutheran  divine. 
Rev.  Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg,  of  Trappe,  the  founder  of  that  great 
family  in  this  country.  He  was  educated  for  the  ministry  at  the  famous 
University  at  Halle,  Germany.  He  had  charge  of  a  New  York  church 
when  the  British  entered  that  city,  and  left  it  to  take  part  in  the  Revolu- 
tion as  an  ardent  patriot.  He  had  served  in  the  Colonial  Legislature,  sat 
in  the  Continental  Congress,  and  had  been  a  member  of  the  Executive 
Council  when,  in  1784,  he  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Phil- 
adelphia county,  residing  in  Montgomery  county  when  it  was  created  in 
1784,  and  then  was  appointed,  presumably  by  the  other  justices,  presi- 
dent judge  of  the  new  county.     The  same  year  he  was  commissioned 


240  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

recorder  of  deeds  and  register  of  wills,  and  served  as  such  until  1789.  He 
was  president  of  the  State  Convention  which  in  1787  ratified  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States;  and  a  congressman  from  1789  to  1797  and 
speaker  of  the  House  in  the  First  and  the  Third  Congresses.  He  was 
twice  defeated  for  Governor  on  the  Federal  ticket.  He  held  the  office  of 
Receiver-General  of  the  Pennsylvania  Land  Office  at  his  death  in  1802, 
aged  52  years. 

Judge  William  Tilghman  was  a  Philadelphian,  born  in  1756,  August 
I2tli.  He  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Benjamin  Chew,  Esq.,  a  noted  Phil- 
adelphia lawyer.  During  the  Revolution  he  was  in  Maryland,  where 
his  family  hailed  from.  In  1790  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  "hung 
out  his  law  shingle."  He  served  on  the  United  States  Circuit  Court  Bench. 
Judge  Coxe's  resignation  as  president  judge  in  1805  created  a  vacancy 
on  the  Montgomery  county  bench,  which  was  filled  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  great  lawyer,  Tilghman.  But  his  great  legal  and  classical 
learning  called  this  LL.  D.  to  a  higher  place  during  the  following  year — 
to  the  chief  justice's  seat  upon  the  State  Supreme  Court  Bench,  which  he 
adorned  until  his  death,  April  30,  1827.  He  was  truly  a  great  lawyer, 
and  a  great  judge. 

Judge  Bird  Wilson  was  born  at  Carlisle,  in  1777,  where  his  father  was 
a  prominent  lawyer.  The  son  was  graduated  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  admitted  to  the  Philadelphia  Bar  in  1797.  He  took  a 
position  of  trust  in  the  office  of  the  Commissioner  in  Bankruptcy,  and 
in  1806  was  appointed  to  succeed  William  Tilghman  as  president  judge 
of  the  7th  Judicial  District,  comprising  the  counties  of  Bucks,  Montgom- 
ery, Chester  and  Delaware.  He  came  to  reside  at  Norristown.  He  edited 
an  edition  of  the  "Abridgement  of  the  Law,"  in  seven  volumes.  In 
October,  1817,  John  H.  Craige,  a  dissipated  blacksmith,  of  respectable 
family  connections,  was  convicted  before  him  for  fatally  shooting 
Edward  Hunter,  Esq.,  at  Media,  while  standing  in  his  stable,  who  had 
written  the  father's  will  disinheriting  young  Craige.  Out  of  kindness 
of  heart  he  was  unwilling  to  sentence  Craige,  preferring  to  resign  the 
judgeship.  His  successor,  John  Ross,  sentenced  the  convict,  who  was 
hanged  at  Chester,  June  6,  1818.  Judge  Wilson  reversed  the  course 
taken  by  Judge  Muhlenberg,  from  the  ministry  to  the  law,  by  going 
from  the  law  to  the  ministry.  After  being  admitted  a  deacon  in  1819, 
he  shortly  thereafter  became  for  two  years  the  rector  of  St.  John's  Epis- 
copal Church  at  Norristown,  which,  while  he  was  judge,  he  had  helped 
to  build  and  had  served  as  a  warden.  Afterwards  he  was  secretary 
of  the  House  of  Bishops,  and  Professor  of  Systematic  Divinity  in  the 
General  Theological  Seminary  at  New  York.  He  died,  at  Philadel- 
phia, in  1859,  aged  83  years.  He  was  a  man  of  talent,  learning,  and 
remarkable  mildness  of  manner  and  amiability  of  character,  united  with 
inflexible  firmness  and  decision.  During  the  eleven  years  he  occupied 
the  Bench,  he  was  reversed  but  once. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  241 

Judge  John  Ross  was  born  in  Bucks  county,  studied  law  with  his 
cousin,  Thomas  Ross,  at  West  Chester,  and  practiced  his  profession  at 
Easton,  in  Northampton  county.  He  served  in  Congress.  Governor 
Findley  appointed  him  president  judge  of  the  courts  of  the  7th  Judicial 
District,  comprising  Chester,  Delaware,  Montgomery  and  Bucks  coun- 
ties, in  1718.  In  1721  Chester  and  Delaware  counties  were  taken  out  of 
the  7th  Judicial  District.  Judge  Ross  ceased  to  act  in  Chester  and  Dela- 
ware, continuing,  however,  on  the  Bench  of  Montgomery  and  Bucks 
until  1830,  when,  because  of  his  eminent  ability.  Governor  Wolf  pro- 
moted him  to  a  seat  on  the  State  Supreme  Court  Bench,  which  he  occu- 
pied until  his  death  in  January,  1834.  He  was  the  father  of  Thomas 
Ross,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  Doylestown,  Bucks  county,  and  the  grand- 
father of  the  late  Judge  Henry  P.  Ross. 

Judge  John  Fox  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  in  1787.  After  graduating 
at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  he  studied  law  in  the  ofifice  of  Alex- 
ander James  Dallas,  the  compiler  of  "Dallas'  Reports."  He  practiced  his 
profession  at  Bristol,  then  the  county  seat  of  Bucks  county,  and  then  at 
Newton  and  Doylestown,  to  which  places  the  county  seat  had  been  suc- 
cessively removed.  In  1814  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Attorney  General 
of  Bucks  county.  He  was  a  major  on  General  Morrall's  staflf  in  the  War 
of  1812.  While  in  court  prosecuting  criminal  cases,  he  was  summoned 
to  arms  by  his  chief,  and  when  the  presiding  judge  refused  to  permit  the 
young  attorney  to  leave,  or  to  adjourn  the  court.  Fox  promptly  con- 
tinued all  the  criminal  cases,  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  off  to  join  his 
army,  stationed  at  Philadelphia.  He  became  afterwards  major-general 
of  the  Seventh  Division  of  the  State  until  1830.  In  that  year  he  was 
appointed  for  life  president  judge  of  the  7th  Judicial  District,  succeed- 
ing Judge  Fox.  The  Constitution  of  1838  legislated  him  out  of  his  life 
position,  making  the  office  elective.  One  of  his  opinions,  involving 
negro  suffrage,  was  instrumental  in  writing  the  word  "white"  in  the 
State  Constitution  of  1838.  So  deeply  and  visibly  were  his  emotions 
afifected  while  sentencing  Luis  Amalia  Espos  y  Mina  to  death  for 
poisoning  William  Chapman,  that  the  whole  audience  burst  into  tears. 
He  died  at  Doylestown,  April  15,  1849.  He  was  an  able,  kindhearted,  yet 
fearless  judge,  and  an  ardent  Democrat.  He  was  the  father  of  Gilbert 
Rodman  Fox,  Sr.,  and  the  grandfather  of  Gilbert  Rodman  Fox,  Jr.,  of 
the  Norristown  Bar. 

Judge  Thomas  Burnside  was  a  native  of  Lower  Providence  town- 
ship. He  was  admitted  to  the  Montgomery  County  Bar,  February  13, 
1804.  Shortly  thereafter,  however,  he  located  in  Center  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  attained  a  leading  practice.  He  served  in  the  State  Senate 
and  also  in  Congress.  In  1818  he  was  appointed  president  judge  of  the 
iith  Judicial  District,  composed  of  the  counties  of  Wayne,  Pike  and 
Luzerne.    He  resigned,  and  in  1825  became  speaker  of  the  State  Senate. 

Mont— 16 


242  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

On  the  death  of  Judge  Fox  in  1841,  Governor  Porter  appointed  him 
president  judge  of  the  Bucks  and  Montgomery  Judicial  District.  He 
resigned  January  2,  1845,  to  accept  Governor  Porter's  appointment  to 
the  Supreme  Bench.  He  was  upright  and  accurate  in  judgment,  but 
was  thought  "deficient  in  dignity  and  courtly  demeanor."  His  opin- 
ions had  the  merit  of  brevity. 

Judge  David  Krause,  who  succeeded  Judge  Burnside,  was  a  native 
of  Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  at 
Pittsburgh,  but  practiced  his  profession  in  his  native  town.  He  was  the 
private  secretary  of  Governor  Shulze,  editor  of  the  "Pennsylvania  Intel- 
ligencer," deputy  attorney  general,  a  State  legislator,  and  editor  of  the 
"State  Journal,"  which  supported  Governor  Porter,  "the  best  abused 
man  in  the  State."  At  the  close  of  the  Governor's  term,  he,  unasked, 
appointed  David  Krause  to  the  Bucks  and  Montgomery  County  Bench 
vice  Judge  Burnside,  resigned.  Governor  Shunk  confirmed  the  appoint- 
ment and  issued  his  commission.  The  ofifice  of  judge  having  become 
elective  in  1851,  when  his  term  expired,  he  declined  a  nomination  ten- 
dered him  by  prominent  citizens,  because  opposed  to  an  elective  judi- 
ciary. Afterwards  he  was  defeated  for  Congress  on  the  Republican 
ticket.  He  is  said  to  have  been  of  medium  height  and  slightly  built,  but 
was  "a  bold  and  fearless"  judge. 

Judge  Daniel  M.  Smyser  was  the  first  judge  elected  in  Montgomery 
county  under  the  Act  of  185 1,  which  made  the  judiciary  elective  instead 
of  appointive  by  the  Governor.  He  was  graduated  from  the  law  office 
of  Thaddeus  Stevens,  at  Gettysburg,  Adams  county,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  Bar  there  in  1831.  He  became  his  preceptor's  law  partner.  In 
1849  ^^^  began  to  serve  a  term  in  the  State  Legislature  as  a  Whig  repre- 
sentative from  Adams  county.  Governor  Johnson  tendered  him  the 
appointment  of  attorney-general,  but  he  declined  it.  He  was  defeated 
for  Congress.  In  1851  there  was  a  bitter  contest  among  the  Democrats 
in  the  Bucks-Montgomery  judicial  district  between  ex-Judge  John  Fox, 
nominated  by  the  Bucks  county  Democrats,  and  Hon.  Joseph  Fornance, 
by  the  Montgomery  county  Democrats.  The  Whigs  nominated  Daniel 
M.  Smyser,  the  Adams  county  lawyer.  He  was  elected  for  ten  years 
and  reelected  for  ten  more,  and  was  succeeded  by  Judge  Chapman, 
who  defeated  him  at  the  polls  in  1862.  Ex-Judge  Smyser  resumed  the 
practice  of  the  law,  and  was  in  active  practice  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
January  11,  1873.  In  1854  he  was  a  candidate  on  the  Whig  ticket  for  the 
Supreme  Bench,  but  was  defeated.  Judge  Smyser  was  a  well-trained 
lawyer,  and  industrious,  writing  exhaustive  opinions.  He  had  a  "judicial 
learning  which  adorned  the  Bench." 

Judge  Henry  Chapman  was  a  native  of  Newton,  Bucks  county.  His 
father  was  "the  father  of  the  Bucks  county  Bar."  The  son  was  admitted 
to  that  Bar  in  1825.  He  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  in  1843.  Ir* 
1847  ^^  was  appointed  president  judge  of  Chester  and  Delaware  coun- 


BENCH  AND  BAR  243 

ties,  and  served  until  the  election  in  185 1,  when  he  declined  the  nomina- 
tion. He  was  sent  to  Congress  in  1856.  Four  years  later  he  was  elected 
over  Judge  Smyser  to  preside  over  the  Bucks  and  Montgomery  county 
courts.  At  the  end  of  his  full  ten-year  term,  in  1871  he  declined  a  renom- 
ination  and  retired  to  private  life.  He  was  succeeded  as  president  judge 
by  Additional  Law  Judge  Henry  P.  Ross,  who  had  been  elected  under 
the  Act  of  1869,  creating  that  office.  Judge  Chapman  was  "a  model 
judge."  He  is  said  to  have  been  "sans  peur  et  sans  reproche."  However, 
it  must  be  said  that  he  was  extremely  sensitive  as  to  the  sanctity  of  the 
judicial  office.  So  pronounced  was  this  sensitiveness  that  he  refused  to 
accept  a  railroad  pass,  and  would  not  ride  in  the  private  vehicle  of  a 
member  of  his  Bar. 

Judge  Henry  P.  Ross,  a  Princeton  graduate,  was  admitted  to  the 
Bucks  County  Bar,  on  December  16,  1859.  He  was  a  student  in  his 
father's  law  office,  Thomas  Ross.  He  was  elected  district  attorney,  but 
defeated  for  Congress.  He  was  deputy  escheator  general  for  Bucks 
county.  In  1869  he  was  elected  additional  law  judge  for  the  7th,  Bucks 
and  Montgomery,  Judicial  District.  He  resigned  in  1871,  and  was  elected 
president  judge,  but  died  on  April  13,  1882,  shortly  after  entering  upon 
his  second  term.  He  came  near  the  nomination  for  Governor  in  the  Dem- 
ocratic State  Convention  in  1876.  In  1878  he  was  defeated  for  the 
Supreme  Court.  He  presided  over  four  important  murder  trials,  Curley, 
Pistorius,  Whalen  and  Sutton.  As  a  judge  he  was  able,  sound,  eloquent, 
brilliant. 

Judge  Charles  H.  Stinson,  of  sturdy  Scotch-Irish  descent,  was  born 
in  Norriton  township,  in  this  county,  June  28,  1825.  His  father  was  a 
justice  of  the  peace  and  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1836.  The  son 
Charles  was  graduated  from  Dickinson  College  in  1845,  then  became  a 
law  student  in  his  brother's  office,  George  W.  Stinson,  at  Norristown, 
and  after  his  brother's  death  finished  his  legal  studies  with  Lawyer  Addi- 
son May,  and  was  admitted  to  the  local  Bar,  May  22,  1849.  I"  1867  he 
was  elected  to  represent  the  counties  of  Montgomery,  Chester  and  Dela- 
ware, in  the  State  Senate,  of  which  he  was  the  speaker  in  1869,  and,  by 
reelection,  in  1870.  He  declined  the  appointment  of  War  Governor 
Geary  as  additional  law  judge  of  Montgomery  and  Bucks  counties,  but 
in  1882  accepted  Governor  Hoyt's  appointment  as  president  judge  of  the 
38th  Judicial  District  (Bucks  and  Montgomery  counties)  to  succeed 
Judge  Ross,  deceased.  At  the  fall  election  he  was  defeated  for  judge  by 
B.  Markley  Boyer,  Democrat,  although  running  ahead  on  his  ticket.  He 
was  an  organizer  of  the  First  National  Bank,  and  its  solicitor ;  Montgom- 
ery county  counsel  for  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company ;  and  a  prom- 
inent trustee  of  the  Hospital  for  the  Insane  for  the  Southeastern  Dis- 
trict of  Pennsylvania,  at  Norristown.  As  a  hospital  trustee  he  intro- 
duced the  innovation  of  a  female  head  physician  for  the  female  depart- 
ment of  the  institution.     His  brief  career  upon  the  Bench  was  charac- 


244  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

terized  by  great  dignity,  urbanity,  ability,  and  brevity  of  legal  opinions. 
In  appearance  he  was  tall,  handsome,  stately.  He  was  the  father  of  C. 
Henry  Stinson,  Esq.,  referee  in  bankruptcy,  and  practicing  attorney  of 
Norristown. 

Judge  Benjamin  Markley  Boyer  was  a  product  of  the  "upper  end" 
of  the  county,  New  Hanover  township.  He  was  born  January  22,  1823, 
and  educated  at  Lafayette  College  and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
His  legal  knowledge  he  obtained  in  Judge  Reed's  office  at  Carlisle,  where 
he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  He  practiced  law  at  Norristown.  He  was 
deputy  attorney-general  of  this  county,  a  prominent  Congressman  (1865- 
1869),  ^"  "emergency  man"  to  repel  Lee's  invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
a  member  of  the  Municipal  Commission  appointed  by  Governor  Hart- 
ranft.  In  1882  he  defeated  Judge  Stinson,  Governor's  appointee,  for 
president  judge  of  the  Montgomery  county  courts,  to  serve  for  ten  years 
from  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1883.  He  died  August  16,  1887.  He 
was  a  forceful  and  eloquent  speaker ;  an  able,  upright,  and  fearless  judge. 
He  was  the  father  of  Henry  C.  Boyer,  formerly  of  the  Montgomery 
County  Bar,  now  of  the  Philadelphia  Bar. 

It  would  be  inviduous  to  refer  to  the  living  judges,  but  one  thing 
should  be  said.  Of  all  the  president  judges  of  Montgomery  county, 
Judge  Swartz,  on  April  2,  1923,  closed  the  longest  and  most  remarkable 
judicial  career.  He  served  upon  the  Bench  nearly  thirty-six  years,  six- 
teen years  longer  than  the  oldest  in  service  of  his  predecessors.  During 
the  last  fourteen  years  of  service  he  was  reversed  by  an  appellate  court 
only  two  times.  By  none  of  his  predecessors  was  he  surpassed  in  indus- 
try, legal  learning  and  soundness  of  judgment.  Judge  Ross  may  have 
been  more  brilliant  upon  the  bench,  but  less  sound  and  mature  in  judg- 
ment than  Judge  Swartz.  Judge  Swartz  tops  them  all  in  the  best  qual- 
ities of  an  ideal  judge. 

Judges  Miller  and  Williams  are  upholding  the  best  traditions  of  the 
Montgomery  County  Bar. 

Appended  is  a  list  of  the  President  Judges  of  the  county,  with  the 
dates  of  their  service:  Frederick  A.  Muhlenberg,  1784-85;  James  Morris, 
1785-89;  James  Biddle,  1791-97;  John  D.  Coxe,  1797-1805;  William 
Tilghman,  1805-06;  Bird  Wilson,  1806-18;  John  Ross,  1818-30;  John  Fox, 
1830-41;  Thomas  Burnside,  1841-45;  David  Krause,  1845-51;  Daniel  M. 
Smyser,  1851-62;  Henry  Chapman,  1862-72;  Henry  P.  Ross,  1872-82; 
Charles  H.  Stinson,  appointed  April  17,  1882,  to  succeed  Judge  Ross, 
deceased;  B.  Markley  Boyer,  1883-87;  Aaron  S.  Swartz,  1887-1923;  John 
Faber  Miller,  1923  to  date. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  1869,  an  Act  of  Assembly  created  the  office  of 
additional  law  judge  in  the  7th  Judicial  District,  comprising  the  counties 
of  Bucks  and  Montgomery.  Judge  Chapman  was  at  that  time  the  presi- 
dent and  sole  judge  of  the  district.  Henry  P.  Ross,  a  brilliant  member 
of  the  Bucks  County  Bar,  residing  at  Doylestown,  was  appointed  to  the 


BENCH  AND  BAR  245 

new  judgeship  by  Governor  Geary.  The  Act  of  1869  provided  that  either 
the  president  judge  or  the  additional  law  judge  should  reside  at  the 
county  seat  of  Montgomery  county.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  newly 
appointed  additional  law  judge  to  take  up  his  residence  in  Norristown, 
which  he  did.  In  1871  Judge  Ross  became  the  president  judge  to  suc- 
ceed Judge  Chapman.  He  elected  to  continue  to  sit  on  the  Montgomery 
County  Bench,  the  additional  law  judge  to  occupy  the  Bucks  County 
Bench.  This  arrangement  continued  until  1874,  when  the  two  counties 
became  separate  and  distinct  judicial  districts — Montgomery,  the  38th 
Judicial  District,  with  Judge  Ross  as  its  president  and  sole  judge. 

On  the  22nd  of  March,  1887,  however,  an  additional  law  judge  was 
authorized  by  Act  of  Assembly,  in  the  38th  Judicial  District.  The  bill 
which  created  the  office  was  presented  to  Governor  Beaver  on  March 
lOth,  1887,  but  was  not  returned  with  the  governor's  signature  within  ten 
days  after  presentation,  wherefore  it  became  a  law  without  the  gover- 
nor's approval.  The  governor,  on  the  25th  of  April,  appointed  Aaron 
S.  Swartz,  then  a  rising  young  lawyer,  as  the  county's  first  incumbent 
under  the  new  Act,  to  serve  until  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1888. 
Less  than  four  months  after  Judge  Swartz's  appointment,  on  the  i6th 
of  August,  1887,  President  Judge  Boyer  died.  At  the  November  elec- 
tion of  that  year.  Judge  Swartz  was  elected  for  a  term  of  ten  years,  and 
on  the  17th  of  November,  1887,  Henry  K.  Weand  was  appointed  by  Gov- 
ernor Beaver  as  additional  law  judge  to  succeed  Judge  Swartz,  who  on 
the  23rd  of  December,  1887,  was  commissioned  as  president  judge  for 
ten  years.  Judge  Weand  by  election  and  reelections  served  as  additional 
law  judge  twenty-seven  years,  until  his  death,  July  30,  1914.  By  appoint- 
ment by  Governor  Tener  and  election  for  a  full  term  in  1915,  John  Faber 
Miller  succeeded  Additional  Law  Judge  Weand.  The  vacancy  in  this 
office  in  1923  caused  by  the  resignation  and  retirement  of  President  Judge 
Swartz  and  the  promotion  of  Judge  Miller  to  the  president  judgeship 
was  filled  by  Governor  Pinchot  by  the  appointment  of  J.  Ambler  Wil- 
liams, on  April  i6th,  1923.  On  the  19th  of  April  he  was  sworn  in  by 
President  Judge  Miller  in  the  presence  of  Judge  Swartz,  Judge  Solly, 
of  the  Orphans'  Court,  a  full  Bar,  and  numerous  friends,  and  took  his 
seat  upon  the  Bench, 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Additional  Law  Judges  of  the  7th  Judi- 
cial District,  Bucks  and  Montgomery  counties,  with  the  dates  of  their 
appointment  or  election :  Henry  P.  Ross,  1869-71 ;  Arthur  G.  Olmstead, 
1871-72;  S.  Stokes  Roberts,  1872-73;  Richard  Watson,  1873-74. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  Additional  Law  Judges  of  the  38th  Judicial 
District  (Montgomery  county)  with  the  dates  of  their  appointment  or 
election:  Aaron  S.  Swartz,  1887-87;  Henry  K.  Weand,  1887-1914;  John 
Faber  Miller,  1914-23 ;  J.  Ambler  Williams,  1923  to  date. 

The  office  of  Associate  Judge  was  abolished  by  the  Constitution  of 
1874,  those  in  office  holding  over  until  the  expiration  of  the  term  for 


246  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

which  they  were  elected.  The  last  to  serve  in  this  county  was  Judge 
Isaac  F.  Yost,  and  the  following  extract  of  a  minute  of  the  Court  ol 
Common  Pleas  of  Montgomery  county,  November  Adjourned  Court, 
1876,  is  of  interest  in  this  connection : 

And  now,  Friday,  November  10,  1876.  The  Court  being  about  to 
adjourn  without  day,  and  it  being  the  end  of  the  term  of  Hon.  Isaac  F. 
Yost,  the  last  Associate  Judge  of  the  Courts  of  Montgomery  County 
under  the  Constitution  of  1838,  Ross,  P.  J.,  said  that  he  felt  it  was  due 
that  he  should  make  public  acknowledgement  of  his  belief  in  the  perfect 
integrity,  purity  and  honesty  of  his  retiring  associate ;  that  during  the 
entire  course  of  his  judicial  term.  Judge  Yost  had  been  animated  by  a 
desire  to  do  his  duty,  and  that  he  carried  with  him  into  private  life  the 
regard  of  the  Bench,  the  respect  of  the  Bar,  and  the  confidence  of  the 
entire  community.  More  could  be  said  of  none  of  his  predecessors  and 
less  could  not  be  said  of  him. 

The  Hon.  B.  M.  Boyer,  in  behalf  of  the  Bar,  responded  by  saying  that 
the  Court  had  uttered  what  the  bar  felt  and  what  the  public  believed; 
that  in  declaring  that  Judge  Yost  had  been  an  upright,  honest  and  pure 
magistrate,  he  only  echoed  the  general  expression  of  every  lawyer  and 
the  public ;  and  that  he  gladly  seized  this  opportunity  to  speak  for  him- 
self and  brethren  and  to  assure  Judge  Yost  that  he  had  acquired,  main- 
tained and  would  take  with  him  the  esteem  and  respect  of  the  bar  and 
people  of  Montgomery  county. 

Colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean  said :  Your  Honor  has  referred  with 
appropriateness  to  an  event  which  renders  the  closing  proceedings  of  this 
court  of  more  than  usual  public  interest.  For  almost  a  century  the  Presi- 
dent Judges  of  this  judicial  district  have  been  aided  in  the  performance 
of  their  judicial  duties  by  associates,  the  last  of  whom  in  the  person  of 
the  Hon.  Isaac  F.  Yost  retires  with  the  expiration  of  the  term  for  which 
he  was  elected  five  years  ago,  and  the  office  ceases  to  exist.  Changes  in 
the  form  of  organic  law,  as  it  applies  to  the  administration  of  public  jus- 
tice, have  been  frequent  and  important  in  this  Commonwealth.  In  1784, 
when  this  county  was  established,  four  justices  of  the  peace  were 
appointed  by  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  to  hold  the  Courts,  none 
of  whom  were  learned  in  the  law.  While  we  do  not  question  the  wisdom 
of  the  change  which  makes  one  more  public  office  less,  we  sincerely 
regret  to  part  with  an  official  whose  integrity  and  uniform  courtesy  and 
impartiality  has  won  for  him  the  just  esteem  of  his  professional  asso- 
ciates and  the  good  people  he  has  served. 

Appended  is  a  list  of  the  Associate  Judges  of  Montgomery  county, 
with  the  dates  of  their  appointment:  John  Richards,  November  i,  1784; 
James  Morris,  Sptember  29,  1784;  Thomas  Craig,  September  10,  1784; 
Henry  Scheetz,  December  10,  1784;  Peter  Evans,  December  17,  1784; 
James  Morris,  July  26,  1785;  Michael  Croll,  January  26,  1786;  Christian 
Weber,  November  7,  1786;  Peter  Evans,  December  17,  1786;  Charles 
Baird,  February  15,  1787;  Jonathan  Shoemaker,  September  25,  1787; 
John  Jones,  November  15,  1787;  James  Hockley,  November  23,  1788; 
Henry  Pawling,  January  20,  1789;  John  Pugh,  January  20,  1789;  Anthony 
Crollers,  February  7,  1789;  Robert  Loller,  September  25,  1789;  Samuel 


BENCH  AND  BAR  247 

Potts,  August  17,  1791 ;  Robert  Loller,  August  17,  1791 ;  Benjamin  Mark- 
ley,  August  17,  1791  ;  Benjamin  Rittenhouse,  August  17,  1791 ;  John 
Jones,  July  16,  1793;  Hiram  McNeill,  November,  1809;  Richard  B.  Jones, 
August  30,  1822;  Thomas  Lowrey,  January  8,  1824;  Joseph  Rover,  May 
10,  1837;  Morris  Longstreth,  March  15,  1841 ;  Josiah  W.  Evans,  April  15, 
1843;  Ephraim  Fenton,  February  15,  1848;  Josiah  W.  Evans,  April  14, 
1848 ;  Joseph  Hunsicker,  April  6,  1849.  Elected  :  Henry  Longaker,  Novem- 
ber, 185 1 ;  Mehelm  McGlatheney,  May  5,  1855  ;  Nathaniel  Jacoby,  October 
8,  1855  ;  Henry  Longaker,  October  14,  1856;  Nathaniel  Jacoby,  October  9, 
i860;  John  Dismant,  October  8,  1861 ;  Hiram  C.  Hoover,  October  10, 
1865;  John  Dismant,  December,  1866;  Hiram  C.  Hoover,  December, 
1870;  Isaac  F.  Yost,  October  10,  1871. 

The  Orphans'  Court — This  was  established  in  Pennsylvania  by  the 
Act  of  Assembly  of  March  29,  1713,  to  be  held  by  the  justices  of  the  Quar- 
ter Sessions  Court  of  every  county.  This  was  changed  by  the  Act  of 
1759,  which  made  the  judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  the  judges  of 
the  Orphans'  Court.  Provision  to  the  same  eflfect  was  made  in  the  State 
Constitutions  of  1790,  1838  and  1874,  and  by  statute  law.  This  was  the 
law  which  governed  the  Orphans'  Court  of  Montgomery  county  up  to 
1901.  On  the  2nd  of  May,  1901,  an  Act  was  approved  establishing  the 
Separate  Orphans'  Court  of  Montgomery  County.  It  was  made  "a 
court  of  record,  consisting  of  one  judge  learned  in  the  law."  The  Court 
was  to  exercise  all  the  jurisdictions  and  powers  vested  in,  or  to  be  con- 
ferred upon,  the  Orphans'  Court  and  Register's  Court  of  the  county,  with 
power  also  by  order  in  the  nature  of  writs  of  injunction  to  prevent  acts 
contrary  to  law  or  equity,  prejudicial  to  property  over  which  the  court 
has  jurisdiction ;  and  to  make  all  rules  necessary  to  exercise  its  powers. 

A  month  after  the  Act  of  1901  was  approved,  to  be  exact,  on  June 
4,  1901,  William  F.  Solly,  a  prominent  member  of  the  junior  bar  and 
for  years  the  efficient  chairman  of  the  Republican  County  Committee, 
was  appointed  and  commissioned  by  Governor  Stone  as  president  judge 
of  the  Orphans'  Court  of  Montgomery  county  until  the  first  Monday  of 
January,  1902.  The  court  was  promptly  organized  on  the  loth  of  June 
following,  less  than  a  week  after  the  judge's  appointment.  The  cere- 
mony took  place  in  Court  Room  No.  i.  The  spacious  court  room  was 
crowded  to  the  walls  by  the  members  of  the  Bar  and  the  many  friends 
of  the  new  judge  and  of  the  new  court.  After  the  reading  of  the  Gover- 
nor's commission  by  the  clerk  of  the  Orphans'  Court,  Hon.  Aaron  S. 
Swartz,  president  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  administered 
the  oath  of  office  to  Judge  Solly.  Then  arose  from  the  midst  of  the 
crowded  Bar  the  tall,  stately  form  of  Col.  James  Boyd,  the  Nestor  of 
the  Montgomery  County  Bar.    He  said : 

As  I  have  entered  upon  my  fifty-ninth  year  at  this  Bar,  I  trust  in  a 
fairly  good  form,  I  may  be  indulged  in  saying  a  few  words  on  this  memor- 
able occasion.     During  that  time  I  have  been  present  at  eleven  cere- 


248  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

monies  of  this  character — Judges  Burnside,  Krause,  Olmstead,  Smyser, 
Chapman,  Ross,  Stinson,  Boyer,  Swartz,  Weand,  and  your  Honor.  They 
were  all  silent,  formal,  and  dignified  functions.  And  so  is  this  one, 
excepting  a  slight  and  harmless  innovation  that  I  am  making,  simply 
because  I  have  a  personal  desire  to  do  so. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  five  of  the  last  named  judges  are  of  the 
manner  born,  and  the  six  first  named  were  not.  It  now  looks  as  if  we  will 
be  able  to  supply  ourselves  in  the  future  and  no  longer  go  outside. 

I  have  known  your  Honor  personally  from  childhood  as  a  playmate  of 
my  two  sons,  with  just  enough  boyish  mischief  in  you  to  make  you  inter- 
esting and  attractive;  followed  you  as  a  law  student,  then  before  the 
board  of  examiners,  signed  your  certificate  for  admission  to  the  bar,  and 
delivered  you  my  usual  lecture  to  be  always  good  and  true,  and  since 
continuously  to  date ;  and  my  benediction  is :  "Well  done,  thou  good 
and  faithful." 

The  Bar's  testimonial  to  Governor  Stone,  and  no  rival,  echoes  the 
same.  Under  such  unusual  and  extraordinary  conditions  you  cannot  be 
other  than  the  proudest  and  happiest  man  in  our  midst.  You  deserve  it 
all,  and  I  heartily  congratulate  you.  You  have  but  to  continue  as  in  the 
past,  good,  true  and  kind  to  all,  especially  to  the  juniors  when  they  first 
nervously  enter  upon  their  professional  career.  Such  is  the  experience 
and  belief  of  a  veteran. 

Judge  Solly  feelingly  responded : 

Colonel  Boyd  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Bar:  For  the  kind  words  just 
spoken  by  Colonel  Boyd,  the  veteran  leader  and  Nestor  of  the  Bar  of  this 
county,  he  has  my  grateful  appreciation.  Coming  on  this  unusual  event 
in  behalf  of  the  Bar,  in  the  evening  of  his  professional  life,  loved  and  hon- 
ored by  us  all,  knowing  him  personally  longer  than  I  do  any  other  mem- 
ber, and  remembering  his  kind  advice  of  twenty-two  years  ago,  it  is 
indeed  a  proud  moment  of  my  life  to  have  him  testify  publicly  to  fidelity, 
to  honor,  truth,  honesty  and  industry. 

The  many  advantages  of  the  establishment  of  this  Court  in  our  great 
progressive  county  with  its  varied  industries  and  its  many  interests,  will 
manifest  this,  and  the  people  will  be  satisfied  of  the  wisdom  of  the 
departure.  The  confidence,  esteem  and  respect  of  the  members  of  the 
Bar  and  the  people  of  the  county,  exhibited  in  the  request  made  to  the 
Governor  to  appoint  the  Judge  to  preside  over  this  Court,  has  touched  me 
deeply.  It  will  be  my  constant  aim  to  administer  the  duties  of  the  high 
office  with  the  deepest  sense  of  responsibility  thereof,  without  fear  or 
favor,  and  to  hold  the  scales  of  justice  evenly.  I  bespeak  the  assistance 
and  indulgence  of  the  members  of  the  Bar  at  all  times,  that  this  Court 
may  add  lustre  to  the  fame  of  the  Bench  of  this  county,  adorned  as  it  has 
been  and  now  is  by  gentlemen  of  the  highest  ability,  learning  and  Chris- 
tian character. 

The  remarks  of  both  were  directed  to  be  spread  upon  the  records  of 
the  new  court. 

John  S.  Jones  was  then  quickly  appointed  court  crier,  and  opened  the 
new  court  for  the  first  time  in  Court  Room  No.  2,  set  apart  for  the  new 
court.  Rhine  Russell  Freed,  register  of  wills  and  ex-officio  clerk  of  the 
Orphans'  Court,  was  sworn  in  as  clerk  of  the  new  separate  Orphans' 


BENCH  AND  BAR  249 

Court  by  Judge  Solly,  and  so  was  Harry  W.  Aikens  as  deputy  clerk. 
The  official  seal  of  the  former  Orphans'  Court  was  ordered  adopted  and 
to  be  delivered  by  Isaac  N.  Cooke,  the  ex-clerk,  to  Mr.  Freed,  the  new 
clerk.  An  order  was  filed  adopting  the  former  rules  of  the  Orphans' 
Court,  so  far  as  applicable,  until  the  further  order  of  the  Court.  The 
Court  also  appointed  Montgomery  Evans,  F.  G.  Hobson,  James  B.  Hol- 
land, Muscoe  M.  Gibson  and  William  F.  Dannehower  a  committee  to 
prepare  rules  for  the  regulation  of  the  practice  of  the  Court,  and  make 
report  to  the  Court  on  or  before  July  i,  igoi.  The  new  Court,  thus  organ- 
ized, then  proceeded  to  take  up  the  business  of  the  Court.  On  July  i, 
ten  different  books  of  record  were  ordered  to  be  procured. 

The  rules  of  the  new  court  were  reported  in  due  course,  printed,  and 
adopted  August  29,  1901,  to  go  into  effect  September  2,  1901.  The  same 
rules,  barring  a  few  amendments,  are  in  force  to-day,  so  ably  and  care- 
fully were  they  prepared  with  the  active  cooperation  of  the  new  judge. 

From  the  start,  this  Court  sprang  into  prominence  as  one  of  the 
leading  and  most  efficient  Orphans'  Courts  in  Pennsylvania.  The  orderly 
and  methodical  mind  of  Judge  Solly  was  diligently  applied  to  devising 
forms,  dockets  and  best  methods  to  conduct  the  business  of  the  Court, 
second  to  none  in  the  State ;  and  this  high  standard  has  been  maintained 
to  the  present  day.  The  business  of  the  Court  has  been  enormous  and . 
laborious,  but  Judge  Solly  has  despatched  it  with  the  utmost  ability  and 
patience.  Not  only  has  he  kept  abreast  with  the  business  of  his  own 
Court,  but  on  frequent  occasions  has  sat  on  the  Common  Pleas  bench, 
and  especially  on  the  Criminal  Court  Bench. 

The  wisdom  of  the  establishment  of  a  separate  Orphans'  Court  and 
the  surprisingly  gigantic  amount  of  work  it  is  doing,  is  shown  at  a  glance 
of  a  few  figures  covering  the  period  from  June  10,  1901,  when  it  was 
organized,  to  January  i,  1923: 

Accounts  of  fiduciaries  filed,  8,617;  accounts  audited  and  confirmed, 
8,594.  Total  amount  in  value  of  estates  audited  and  distributed,  $262,- 
893,835.88;  average  per  year,  $12,227,620.93;  average  per  month,  over 
$1,000,000. 

Appointment  of  guardians  and  trustees ;  petitions  for  sale  or  mort- 
gage of  real  estate ;  confirmations  of  same ;  allowances  for  minors ; 
widows'  exemptions;   and  miscellaneous  petitions,  etc.,  11,232. 

Exceptions  to  adjudications;  appeals  from  Register  of  Wills  and 
transfer  inheritance  tax  appraisements ;  and  other  matter  on  Argument 
Lists,  217. 

Appeals  taken  from  decrees  to  Appellate  Courts,  25  ;  appeals  affirmed, 
21;  appeals  reversed,  4;  appeals  in  cases  tried  by  Judge  Solly  in  the 
Common  Pleas  and  Quarter  Sessions,  all  affirmed,  5. 

Average  number  of  wills  probated  per  year,  450 ;  average  number  of 
letters  of  administration  granted  per  year,  375 ;  yearly  average  of  mar- 
riage licenses  issued,  1,400. 

In  the  fall  of  1901,  Judge  Solly  was  elected  for  a  term  of  ten  years, 
and  reelected  for  like  terms  in  191 1  and  1921,  the  last  time  without  oppo- 


250  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

sition.    His  present  term  expires  on  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1932. 
He  is  conducting  a  model  Orphans'  Court. 

The  Special  Act  of  1901,  establishing  a  Separate  Orphans'  Court  in 
this  county,  is  supplied  by  the  Orphans'  Court  Act  of  1917  or  by  the 
Fiduciaries  Act  of  191 7,  except  perhaps  the  provision  of  Section  6  of  the 
Act  of  190 1,  that  no  appeal  should  stay  execution  of  a  final  decree  unless 
notice  of  such  appeal  and  security  be  given  within  twenty  days  after  the 
time  of  making  the  decree. 

District  Attorneys — Prior  to  1850  the  Commonwealth  was  represented 
by  Deputy  Attorney  Generals,  district  attorneys  being  made  an  elective 
office  by  Act  of  May  3,  1850.  There  is  no  complete  record  of  the  men 
who  have  held  the  office  of  Deputy  Attorney  General  in  Montgomery 
county,  but  the  appended  with  the  dates  of  their  appointment  are  known : 
John  H.  Scheetz,  1829;  David  H.  Mulvaney,  1836;  G.  R.  Fox,  1840;  John 
H.  Hobart,  1845 ;  B.  Markley  Boyer,  1848. 

The  following  have  been  elected  district  attorneys  in  Montgomery 
county  since  1850,  when  the  office  of  prosecuting  attorney  was  made 
elective:  Benjamin  E.  Chain,  1851-54;  John  H.  Hobart,  1854-57;  George 
W.  Rogers,  1857-60;  S.  N.  Rich,  1860-63;  Enoch  H.  Banks,  1863-66; 
Charles  Hunsicker,  1866-69;  George  W.  Bush,  1869-72;  Henry  U.  Brun- 
ner,  1872-75;  Jacob  V.  Gotwalts,  1875-78;  J.  Wright  Apple,  1878-81; 
Irving  P.  Wanger,  1881-84;  John  W.  Bickel,  1884-87;  Irving  P.  Wanger, 
1887-90;  Henry  M.  Brownback,  1890-93;  James  B.  Holland,  1893-96 
Jacob  A.  Strassburger,  1896-99;  Abraham  A.  Hendricks,  1899-1905;  Con- 
rad S.  Shelve,  1905-08;  Jeremiah  B.  Larzelere,  1908-12;  Conrad  S.  Shelve, 
1912-16;  J.  Aubrey  Anderson,  1919-20;  Frank  H.  Renninger,  1920  to  date. 

In  191 1  the  term  of  district  attorneys  was  increased  from  three  to 
four  years. 

The  appointment  of  two  assistant  district  attorneys,  with  the  appro- 
val of  the  president  judge  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  was  provided 
for  by  the  Act  of  April  17,  1905.  The  following  is  a  list  of  those  appointed 
under  said  Act:  Under  District  Attorney  Larzelere,  1908-12:  Charles 
McAvoy  and  John  B.  Evans;  under  District  Attorney  Shelve,  1912-16: 
Abraham  H.  Hendricks  and  J.  Aubrey  Anderson ;  under  District  Attor- 
ney Anderson,  1916-20:  Abraham  H.  Hendricks  and  Frank  H.  Renninger. 

The  Act  of  April  18,  1919,  provided  for  the  appointment  of  an  addi- 
tional assistant  district  attorney  to  be  known  as  an  Indictment  and  Cost 
Clerk.  This  Act  first  applied  to  the  appointments  made  by  District 
Attorney  Renninger,  1920-24,  to  wit:  Abraham  H.  Hendricks,  J.  Bur- 
nett Holland,  George  C.  Corson. 

The  Bar — In  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  the  institution  of  judicial 
proceedings  and  the  recognition  of  the  judicial  office  preceded  the  pres- 
ent acknowledged  usefulness  of  lawyers.  The  early  judges,  as  seen 
above,  were  unlearned  in  the  law.    This  was  practicable  among  the  early 


BENCH  AND  BAR  251 

settlers  with  their  primitive  manners  and  unimportant  litigation.  The 
office  of  attorney  was  considered  incompatible  with  the  despotic  preten- 
sions of  those  who 'ruled  in  the  names  of  their  sovereigns  by  "divine 
right."    The  people  might  and  did  appear  to  "plead  their  own  cause." 

The  first  seat  of  justice  was  established  in  1662,  at  Upland,  now 
Chester.  For  several  years  civil  and  criminal  cases  were  tried  under  the 
crude  forms  instituted  by  the  Swedish  justices  of  the  peace.  The  change 
of  the  control  of  the  Province  from  the  Swedes  to  the  Dutch  did  not 
change  the  methods  of  administering  justice,  nor  removing  justices  then 
in  office.  The  English  in  1662  superceded  the  Dutch.  They  recognized 
the  Upland  Court  as  a  legal  tribunal,  having  legal  and  appellate  juris- 
diction of  all  litigation  within  the  Province. 

Ten  years  later,  in  1682,  William  Penn  came  to  Upland  and  officially 
announced  himself  to  the  justices  there.  His  frame  of  government  made 
ample  provision  for  the  establishment  of  courts  of  justice,  the  appoint- 
ment of  justices,  and  necessary  officials,  together  with  proper  compensa- 
tion and  emoluments,  nevertheless,  he  early  betrayed  his  fear  of  the  legal 
profession  and  hostility  to  it  by  bringing  about  in  1686  the  adoption  of  a 
law  "for  the  avoiding  of  too  frequent  clamors  and  manifest  inconveni- 
ences which  actually  attend  mercenary  pleadings  in  civil  causes."  In 
other  words,  a  lawyer  must  not  take  a  fee  for  his  services.  The  words 
of  the  law  were :  "No  person  shall  plead  in  any  civil  causes  in  any  court 
whatsoever  within  this  province  and  territories,  before  he  solemnly 
attested  in  open  court  that  he,  neither  directly  nor  indirectly,  hath  in 
anywise  taken  or  will  take  or  receive  to  his  use  or  benefit  any  reward 
whatsoever  under  penalty  of  five  pounds  if  the  contrary  be  made  to 
appear."  The  founder  of  the  colony,  it  is  evident,  did  not  want  to  lend 
encouragement  to  lawyers  whose  learning  and  influence  would  make 
them  potential  in  public  affairs. 

Notwithstanding  these  and  other  discouraging  circumstances,  the 
need  for  professional  advocates  was  quickly  discerned  by  the  people, 
not  only  to  resist  official  encroachments  upon  private  rights,  but  also  to 
investigate  titles  to  real  estate,  preserve  the  public  peace,  defend  the 
innocent  and  convict  the  guilty. 

The  authorization  of  paid  advocates  was  hastened  by  Penn  himself — 
by  his  strange  inconsistency.  When  John  White  was  appointed  on 
August  25,  1683,  Provincial  Attorney  General,  Penn  himself  paid  him 
liberally  for  prosecuting  all  matters  in  the  interest  of  the  proprietor,  but 
no  defendant  could,  under  Penn's  own  regulations,  employ  counsel  in 
his  defense,  against  Penn.  This  caused  great  agitation  among  the  people 
and  Penn  finally  was  compelled  to  repeal  the  above  stated  law  and  per- 
mit the  retention  and  payment  of  professional  advocates.  Lawyers, 
however,  were  not  raised  to  the  Bench  until  after  the  Revolution. 

The  Montgomery  County  Bar  takes  high  rank  among  similar  bars 
not  only  in  this  State,  but  also  throughout  the  United  States.    The  emi- 


252  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

nence  of  this  Bar  is  due  chiefly  to  the  large  and  varied  interests  of  this 
rich  and  prosperous  county,  giving  rise  to  an  immense  volume  of  legal 
business,  and  the  nearness  of  its  county  seat  to  Philadelphia,  long  a  cen- 
ter of  legal  learning  where  the  courts  are  almost  in  continuous  session. 
The  Philadelphia  lawyer  has  long  been  famous  for  legal  acumen  and 
legal  knowledge.  In  the  earlier  days  and  also  in  recent  times,  many 
prominent  and  successful  lawyers  of  the  Philadelphia  Bar  have  taken 
leading  parts  in  cases  tried  in  this  county,  notably  Attorneys  Kittera, 
Dallas,  Wilson,  Biddle,  David  Paul  Brown,  Daniel  Dougherty,  and  John 
G.  Johnson.  Local  lawyers  are  also  frequently  engaged  in  the  trial  or 
hearing  of  causes  in  the  Philadelphia  courts,  and  do  not  suffer  by  com- 
parison with  the  "city  lawyer."  Contact  with  the  astute  legal  lights  of  the 
country  and  their  methods  and  demeanor  has  had,  and  still  has,  a  salu- 
tary influence  not  only  on  individual  members,  but  also  on  the  character 
and  ethics  of  the  entire  bar.  The  skill  and  legal  acumen  shown  by  the 
Bar  as  a  whole  owes  much,  too,  to  the  many  able  and  learned  judges  that 
have  graced  the  woolsack  of  the  Montgomery  county  Bench.  It  has  even 
been  frequently  said  that  cases,  civil  or  criminal,  are  tried  in  the  Mont- 
gomery county  courts  better  and  more  skillfully  than  even  in  the  Phil- 
adelphia courts. 

This  Bar  can  boast  of  a  long  list  of  eminent  legal  practitioners. 
Among  the  earliest  lawyers  who  attained  prominence  at  the  Montgom- 
ery county  Bar  were  James  Morris,  James  Biddle,  John  D.  Coxe,  Levi 
Pawling,  Nathan  R.  Potts,  Philip  S.  Markley,  and  John  Henderson. 

A  later  generation  of  bright  legal  lights  shone  during  the  incumbency 
of  Judges  Burnside,  Krause  and  Smyser,  from  1841  to  1862.  "There 
were  giants  in  those  days."  They  were  Thomas  M.  Jolly,  John  Freed- 
ley,  William  Powell,  Philip  Kendall,  Benjamin  F.  Hancock,  John  B. 
Steriges,  Benjamin  Powell,  James  M.  Pawling,  Daniel  H.  Mulvany, 
Joseph  Fornance,  Sr.,  John  Henry  Hobart,  Henry  Freedley,  Gilbert  R. 
Fox,  Sr.,  Col.  James  Boyd,  B.  Markley  Boyer,  Francis  Dimond,  Addi- 
son May,  John  R.  Breitenbach,  Benjamin  E.  Chain,  Charles  H.  Garber, 
Richard  T.  Stewart,  George  W.  Rogers,  Charles  H.  Stinson,  Abraham 
B.  Longaker,  Zadok  T.  Gait,  Joseph  W.  Hunsicker,  Henry  McMiller, 
Joseph  S.  Allabough,  Henry  W.  Bonsall,  Enoch  A.  Banks,  Charles  T. 
Miller,  George  N.  Corson,  Jackson  Anderson  and  Charles  Hunsicker. 

When  "the  model  judge"  Chapman,  the  brilliant  Judge  Ross  and  the 
astute  Judge  Boyer  occupied  the  Bench  between  1862  and  1887,  the  crop 
of  lawyers  that  were  prominent  were  Aaron  S.  Swartz,  Henry  K.  Weand, 
Franklin  March,  George  W.  Bush,  Jacob  R.  Hunsicker,  H.  B.  Dickinson, 
Miller  D.  Evans,  Joseph  Fornance,  Henry  U.  Brunner,  Daniel  Jacoby, 
Henry  R.  Brown,  Jacob  A.  Gotwalts,  Col.  Theodore  W.  Bean,  and  J. 
Wright  Apple. 

A  new  harvest  of  lawyers  flourished  during  the  long  judicial  reigns 
of  the  able  and  industrious  Judge  Swartz  and  the  ready  and  facetious 


BENCH  AND  BAR  253 

Judge  Weand  (sprinkled  among  them  being  some  of  the  oldest  lawyers 
of  the  last  mentioned  group)  subsequent  to  1887,  outstanding  among 
whom,  who  are  now  deceased,  were  John  W.  Bickel,  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins, 
J.  A.  Strassburger,  Freeland  G.  Hobson,  Walter  S.  Jennings,  Isaac 
Chism,  Samuel  Money,  Jr.,  Joseph  T.  Foulke,  Jeremiah  B.  Larzelere, 
James  B.  Holland,  Edward  E.  Long,  Albert  R.  Place,  Edward  F.  Kane, 
Jacob  B.  Hillegass,  and  many  others  who  are  still  living. 

The  writer  knows  of  no  record  of  the  Bar  acting  as  a  body,  prior  to 
1885,  when  the  Bar  Association  was  organized.  Before  that  time  the  Bar 
invariably  held  memorial  meetings  on  the  death  of  a  member  and  the 
resolutions  adopted  were  usually  spread  upon  the  records  of  the  Court; 
but  no  effort  was  made  to  preserve  a  record  of  the  Bar  meetings.  This, 
however,  is  done  by  the  Association.  Full  minutes  are  kept  of  the  memo- 
rial meetings,  the  resolutions  adopted  and  spread  upon  the  records  of  the 
Court;  and  data  are  collected  and  preserved  of  the  funerals,  interments 
and  biographies  clipped  from  the  local  newspapers.  The  history  of  the 
Bar  as  a  collective  unit  since  1885  is  merged  in  the  history  of  the  Bar 
Association. 

Occasions  that  brought  members  of  the  Bar  together  prior  to  1836 
were  "settling  the  docket"  at  the  Washington  House  (now  the  site  of 
the  Montgomery  Trust  Company)  at  the  end  of  every  term  when  the 
trial  list  was  called  by  the  presiding  lawyer  and  judgment  was  entered 
when  there  was  no  defense  or  pleadings,  and  where  there  was  a  defense, 
a  plea  was  directed  to  be  entered,  with  or  without  a  7iarr,  as  might  be 
agreed  upon.  The  aflfair  ended  with  a  convivial  "term  supper ;"  or,  in 
Judge  Ross'  time,  the  making  up  of  a  list  of  "short  cases,"  when  Colonel 
Boyd  usually  presided,  but  the  meeting  did  not  conclude  with  a  "supper." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  regular  practicing  resident  members  of  the 
Montgomery  County  Bar,  with  date  of  their  admission : 

Anderson,  J.  Aubrey,  October  i,  1906.  Evans,  Montgomery,  December  2,  1878. 

Anders,  Monroe  H.,  October  10,  1910.  Egbert,  Eugene  D.,  February  7,  1881. 

Evans,  Johji  B.,  October  5,  1896. 

Brownback,  Henry  M.,  December  4,  1882.  Evans,  Jesse  R.,  October  i,  1906. 

Bennett,  Edwin  J.,  December  11,  1896.  Emery,  A.  Clarence,  October  7,  1907. 

Brecht,  George  K.,  December  5,  1898.  Evans,  Daniel  L.,  October  7,  1907. 

Brimner,  Charles  H.,  July  i,  1901.  Egan,  James  Herbert,  June  30,  1920. 
Bean,  Theodore  Lane,  March  2,  1903. 

Bradley,  Frank  J.,  April  17,  191 1.  Fornance,  Joseph,  April  12,  1866. 

Brownback,  Russell  J.,  April  7,  1922.  Freedley,  Henry,  November  5,  1878. 

Brooke,  Paul  M.,  October  9,  1916.  Fox,  Gilbert  R.,  May  23,  1885. 

Fox,  Henry  I.,  March  4,  1895. 

Childs,  Louis  M.,  March  14,  1876.  Fornance,  Joseph  Knox,  October  7,  1907. 

Chain,  B.  Percy,  May  7,  1883.  Fegley,  Nelson  P.,  November  6,  191 1. 

Conver,  Samuel  D.,  October  10,  1910.  Foulke,  Thomas  A.,  October  24,  1921. 
Corson,  George  C,  January  18,  1915. 

Cochran,  Joseph  H.,  December  13,  1915.  Gibson,  Muscoe  M.,  June  7,  1883. 

Corson,  C  Russell,  October  18,  1917.  Gentry,  Frank  S.,  March  6,  1905. 
Cohen,  Hyman  Harry,  April  4,  1919. 

Hallman,  Ellwood  L.,  January  15,  1881. 

Dannehower,  William  F.,  June  7,  1880.  Hendricks,  Abram  H.,  June  2,  1890. 

Dettra,  John  M.,  December  14,  1886.  High,  Samuel  H.,  July  i,  1899. 

Dannehower,  William  F.,  Jr.,  Oct.  4,  1915.  Hoover,  G.  Carroll,  July  i,  1901. 


254  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Hooven,  Miss  Emeline  H.,  July  6,   1903.  Prince,  Joseph  L.,  February  19,  1917. 

Hallman,  Thomas,  February  14,  1905.  Pennell,  Edred  J.,  April  24,  1917. 

Hiestand,  Harry  I.,  April  20,  1908.  n       •  r^      1    v     t  1  ^ 

Hallman,  Abram  D.,  July  i,  1910.  ?T'?^^aV-  ^^^  k     '  ^aI^t^'  ^^   a     . 

Holland,  J.  Burnett,  March  3,  1913.  ^°^^''''  ^'''  ^"'''""^  ^'^-  ^^^-  ^'  '9"' 

TpnWin.!   n  Herbert   Tune  I    1806  Slough,  Ephraim  F.,  February  11,  1881. 

Jenkms,  U.  Herbert,  June  l,  1890.  Saylor,  Henry  D.,  February  5,  1883. 

v„:<^   T..,,:^  v>     T.,„»  A    Toa«  Stinson,  C.  Henry,  June  7,  1886. 

!?-^;   M      ^A'r   Z  ^'  l^'  ,on.  Styer,  Freas,  October  5,  1887. 

^'fKuT^"^  ?7  ^^'■f  ^  ^  ^-  Shaw   Walter  M.,  December  3,  1888. 

Keely,  Wallace  M.,  September  5,  IQ".  Stahlnecker,  H.  Wilson,  July  6,  1903. 


r        ,        XT-  1.  1      TT    o    X     t.  o  _  Swartley,  Francis  K.,  September  19,  1904. 

Larze  ere,  Nicholas  H.,  September  29, 1877.  Swartz,  Aaron  S.,  Jr.,  October  16,  1911. 

Larzelere,  C  Townley,  February  6,  1911.  Strawbridge,  Maxwell,  February  21,  1913. 

Lenhardt,  Elgm  H.,  October  4,  1915.  Saylor,  Harold  D.,  December  23,  1918. 


Meyers,  William  F.,  March  12,  1888.  Tyson,  Neville  D.,  August  17,  1869. 

Moore,  Herbert  U.,  March  4,  1901.  Tracy,  Henry  M.,  September  13,  1883. 
McAvoy,  Charles  D.,  June  28,  1902. 

Moyer,  Edward  C.  A.,  March  27,  1907.  Wright,  Franklin  L.,  October  i,  1906. 

Matthias,  Norwood  D.,  October  ip,  1910.  Wismer,  Ralph  F.,  February  6,  1911. 

Moore,  F.  Kenneth,  March  16,  1914.  Wismer,  Eli  F.,  February  21,  1916. 

Miller,  Daniel  Yeakel,  October  3,  1916.  Wanger,  George,  October  3,  191 1. 

Potts,  Robert  T.,  November  17,  1913.  Young,  William  P.,  March  3,  1902. 

Montgomery  County  Bar  Association — The  Montgomery  County  Bar 
Association  was  organized  in  the  law  library  of  the  court  house  of  1854, 
March  14,  1885.  A  goodly  number  of  the  members  of  the  local  Bar  were 
present.  Colonel  James  Boyd,  the  Nestor  of  the  Bar,  was  chosen  as  tem- 
porary chairman,  and  Louis  M.  Childs,  as  temporary  secretary.  After  an 
interchange  of  views  as  to  the  propriety  of  forming  an  association  and  as 
to  its  nature  and  purpose,  on  motion  of  William  F.  Dannehower  it  was 
unanimously  agreed  "that  the  members  of  the  Montgomery  County  Bar 
form  a  Bar  Association."  On  motion  of  George  W.  Rogers,  the  chairman 
appointed  the  following  committee  of  five  to  formulate  and  report  a 
constitution  and  by-laws  for  adoption,  viz. :  George  W.  Rogers,  Benja- 
min E.  Chain,  Joseph  Fornance,  Henry  Freedley,  Jr.,  and  Louis  M. 
Childs.  At  the  same  meeting  active  operations  were  begun  by  directing 
the  same  committee  to  draft  and  report  a  minimum  fee  bill,  and  instruct- 
ing the  secretary  to  communicate  to  the  county's  representatives  in  the 
legislature,  then  in  session  at  Harrisburg,  the  sense  of  the  meeting,  which 
had  been  taken,  that  the  bill  then  pending  permitting  attorneys  of  one 
county  to  practice  in  all  other  counties  of  the  State  without  formal  admis- 
sion, should  not  be  passed. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  held  in  the  Law  Library  on  April  4,  1885,  the 
constitution  and  by-laws  reported  by  the  committee,  were,  after  amend- 
ments, unanimously  adopted.  The  annual  meeting  of  the  Association 
was  to  be  held  in  January  of  each  year,  and  stated  meetings  quarterly. 
The  officers  were  to  be  a  president,  a  vice-president,  a  secretary,  a  treas- 
urer, and  a  committee  of  five  censors.  Membership  was  confined  to 
members  of  the  Montgomery  County  Bar.  The  membership  fee  was 
fixed  at  $1,  and  the  annual  dues  at  fifty  cents,  afterwards  raised  to  $1. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  255 

Fifty-one  members  of  the  Bar  signed  the  constitution  and  by-laws, 
and  became  full-fledged  members  of  the  Association.  The  original  mem- 
bers were :  Benjamin  E.  Chain,  G.  R.  Fox,  Colonel  James  Boyd,  Geo.  W. 
Rogers,  Charles  Hunsicker,  H.  U.  Brunner,  Irving  P.  Wanger,  Aaron  S. 
Swartz,  H.  K.  Weand,  Colonel  Theo.  W.  Bean,  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins, 
Neville  D.  Tyson,  Joseph  Fornance,  Louis  M.  Childs,  Montgomery  Evans, 
N.  H.  Larzelere,  Jacob  A.  Strassburger,  Walter  S.  Jennings,  F.  G.  Hob- 
son,  John  W.  Bickel,  Charles  T.  Miller,  Henry  R.  Brown,  Jacob  V.  Got- 
walts,  Wm.  F.  Solly,  J.  Wright  Apple,  Miller  D.  Evans,  James  B.  Hol- 
land, H.  D.  Saylor,  Freas  Styer,  Eugene  D.  Egbert,  M.  M.  Gibson, 
Isaac  Chism,  E.  L.  Hallman,  E.  F.  Slough,  H.  M.  Brownback,  B.  Percy 
Chain,  Henry  Freedley,  Jr.,  Geo.  G.  Hoover,  G.  R.  Fox,  Jr.,  Wm.  P. 
Dannehower,  D.  Ogden  Rogers,  Samuel  Money,  Jr.,  Frank  H.  Baker, 
Henry  C.  Boyer,  James  W.  Schrack,  Wm.  M.  Clift,  Frank  S.  Murphy, 
W.  Henry  Sutton,  Albert  R.  Place,  Edward  E.  Long,  Capt.  William 
Rennyson. 

B.  Markley  Boyer  was  the  judge  of  the  courts  in  1885,  and  was  not 
asked  to  become  a  member  of  the  Association,  nor  did  he  request  mem- 
bership. The  succeeding  judges  were  not  considered  members  of  the 
Association,  but  were  invariably  invited  to  its  social  and  gastronomical 
functions  as  honorary  guests.  This,  however,  was  not  altogether  to  the 
liking  of  Judges  Swartz,  Weand  and  Solly.  On  April  17,  1905,  they 
announced  in  a  written  communication  that  they  had  no  objections  to 
being  considered  active  members  of  the  Association,  with  the  duties 
and  liabilities  of  membership,  but  reserving  the  right  to  retire  from 
meetings  when  questions  arose  which  might  restrain  comment  or  check 
freedom  of  debate  thereon  in  their  presence.  From  thenceforth  they 
were  regarded  as  active,  full-fledged  members.  All  of  them  were  active 
members  when  they  were  elevated  to  the  Bench. 

The  objects  of  the  Bar  Association  are:  (i)  The  general  supervision 
of  the  conduct  of  the  members  of  the  Bar  and  others  officially  connected 
with  the  administration  of  the  law  or  charged  with  keeping  the  public 
records;  (2)  in  cases  of  any  breach  of  their  duties,  the  institution  of 
lawful  and  proper  proceedings  against  them;  (3)  the  improvement  of 
the  law  and  its  administration ;  and  (4)  the  protection  of  the  Bar  and  of 
judicial  tribunals,  their  officers  and  members,  from  invasion  of  their 
rights,  and  the  maintenance  of  their  proper  influence. 

Besides  the  usual  officers,  a  committee  of  censors  was  provided  for, 
consisting  of  five  members,  with  power  to  elect  its  own  officers,  keep  a 
record  of  their  proceedings,  establish  rules  for  their  government,  and  to 
carry  out  the  objects  of  the  Association.  Upon  written  complaint  their 
duty  is  to  investigate  charges  of  unprofessional  conduct  or  other  official 
delinquency  against  members  of  the  Bar,  improper  official  conduct 
against  officers  and  members  of  judicial  tribunals,  and  violation  of  the 


256  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

constitution  and  rules  of  the  Association  against  its  members,  and  to 
report  to  the  Association  for  proper  action. 

At  the  request  of  the  Pennsylvania  Bar  Association  the  objects  were 
amended  on  January  19,  1903,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Dannehower,  by  adding 
as  an  additional  object:  "The  collection  and  preservation  of  the  biog- 
raphy of  the  Bench  and  Bar,  and  the  history  of  the  administration  of 
justice  in  this  judicial  district."  The  constitution  viras  further  amended 
so  as  to  provide  for  a  standing  committee  of  three  members  on  legal 
biography  and  history,  to  keep  a  record  of  the  names  of  the  members 
of  the  Association,  date  of  admission  to  the  Bar,  name  of  preceptor, 
date  of  death,  etc. ;  to  collect  and  preserve  the  portraits  of  all  local  judges 
and  prominent  deceased  members  of  the  Bar,  and  pictures  of  the  court 
houses  and  jails ;  to  compile  or  cause  to  be  compiled,  biographies  of 
deceased  judges  and  of  prominent  resident  members  of  the  Bar,  and 
provide  for  their  publication ;  to  collect  and  preserve  all  other  historical 
data  pertaining  to  the  Bench  and  Bar  and  the  administration  of  justice  in 
this  judicial  district. 

The  detailed  action  of  this  Association  was  printed  and  circulated 
among  the  other  bar  associations  of  the  State  by  the  State  Bar  Asso- 
ciation as  a  model  for  similar  action.  For  some  reason  or  other,  how- 
ever, this  amendatory  provision  was  never  enforced.  The  matters  were 
entrusted  to  the  secretary. 

Permanent  officers  were,  on  April  14,  1885,  unanimously  elected  as 
follows :  President,  Colonel  James  Boyd ;  vice-president,  George  W. 
Rogers;  secretary,  Wm.  F.  Dannehower;  treasurer,  Henry  R.  Brown. 
From  the  twelve  nominees  for  committee  of  censors,  the  following  five 
were  elected :  B.  E.  Chain,  Charles  T.  Miller,  Joseph  Fornance,  Louis 
M.  Childs  and  Montgomery  Evans.  Of  these  original  officers,  two 
have  served  continuously  up  to  the  present  day,  1923 :  Mr.  Dannehower 
as  secretary,  and  Mr.  Evans  on  the  committee  of  censors.  The  commit- 
tee of  censors  subsequently  formulated  a  code  of  rules  for  their 
government. 

Thus  originated  this  Association,  which  has  so  splendidly  carried  out 
its  objects.  It  has  played  an  important  and  prominent  part  in  the  legal 
and  judicial  life  in  this  judicial  district.  What  it  has  accomplished  and 
how  it  has  carried  out  its  avowed  objects,  will  be  treated  in  the  order 
set  down  in  its  constitution.  Throughout  its  existence  the  Bar  Associ- 
ation has  fortunately  been  called  upon  in  only  six  instances  to  exercise 
supervision  over  but  six  lawyers — one  who  was  not  a  member  of  the 
Association,  and  five  who  were — because  of  alleged  unprofessional  con- 
duct. The  first  official  action  of  the  committee  of  censors  was  taken  in 
1888,  the  next  in  1889.  There  were  no  further  cases  of  this  character 
until  1904,  then  came  another  in  1905.  There  was  another  lull  until 
1912,  and  the  last  case  was  in  1920.    In  all  but  the  latter,  there  was  com- 


BENCH  AND  BAR  257 

plete  disbarment;  and  in  this  exception  the  Court  directed  a  suspension 
from  practise  for  three  months. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  January,  1888,  the  Association  called  the 
attention  of  the  judges  to  the  records,  dockets,  indices  and  files  kept  in 
the  public  offices  in  the  court  house,  with  a  view  of  having  proper  altera- 
tions and  corrections  made  therein.  This  was  done  by  the  Court.  In 
July,  1891,  a  committee  interviewed  certain  court  house  officials  rela- 
tive to  alleged  overcharges.  Two  years  later  "The  Hill  officers,"  at  the 
request  of  the  Association,  commenced  to  keep  their  offices  open  con- 
tinuously from  8  o'clock  a.  m.  to  4  o'clock  p.  m.  In  1898  the  recorder  of 
deeds  was  requested  to  enter  in  the  deed  indices  in  his  office  the  names 
of  the  parties  to  conveyances  of  rights  of  way  granted  to  the  National 
Transit  Company,  a  pipe  line,  and  thereafter  transcribe  such  conveyances 
in  the  deed  books  and  properly  index  them. 

Register  of  Wills  Freed,  at  the  request  of  the  Association,  inaugu- 
rated, in  1903,  the  practice  of  furnishing  certified  copies  of  accounts  to 
interested  counsel,  free  of  charge. 

The  Association,  in  1905,  requested  the  committee  on  revision  of  the 
rules  of  court  to  draft  a  rule  requiring  the  prothonotary  to  give  inter- 
ested counsel  notice  of  the  handing  down  of  opinions,  etc.  Such  a  rule 
was  formulated  and  adopted  by  the  Court. 

Can  an  appearance  or  continuance  docket  be  lawfully  kept  in  the 
prothonotary's  office,  and  the  judgment  and  execution  dockets  be  aban- 
doned? For  answer,  this  question  was  on  the  24th  of  January,  1906, 
referred  to  Messrs.  Tyson,  Childs  and  Bickel.  On  January  18,  1909,  they 
reported  progress,  but  never  reported  finally. 

Book  typewriters  in  the  recorder  of  deeds  office !  That  was  the  next 
progressive  innovation  recommended  by  the  Association.  This  was  done 
at  a  special  meeting  held  March  29,  1913.  It  was  by  no  means  an  easy 
accomplishment.  Book  typewriters  would  reduce  the  clerical  force,  and 
consequently  restrict  the  appointing  power  of  the  recorder.  But  in  time 
these  time-,  money-  and  eligibility-saving  machines  were  procured  by 
the  county  commissioners,  and  continue  in  satisfactory  use  to  this  day. 
Then,  too,  the  indices — deed,  mortgage,  miscellaneous — were  faulty  and 
somewhat  antiquated.  A  committee  was  therefore  appointed  to  investi- 
gate and  report  on  the  present  method  of  indexing  in  the  recorder's 
office,  with  recommendations  for  improvement.  Messrs.  Emery,  Stahl- 
necker  and  Hoover  were  appointed.  The  committee  on  May  9,  1913, 
reported  recommending  certain  changes  in  the  method  of  index- 
ing, and  were  authorized  to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  recorder  ol 
deeds  and  the  court.  The  changes  so  recommended  were  considered 
seriatim  on  December  29,  1913,  and,  after  amendments,  were  adopted. 
The  report  set  forth  a  full  and  complete  system  of  indexing  which  was 
afterwards  adopted  by  the  recorder,  and  is  still  in  vogue. 


258  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1922  the  committee  was  reappointed  and 
directed  to  reinvestigate  the  subject  and  make  report.  The  report  was 
filed  at  the  April  meeting.  Messrs.  Emery  and  Stahlnecker  favored  the 
White  system  of  indexing,  Hoover,  the  Russell  system.  The  commit- 
tee was  directed  to  visit  the  counties  wherein  the  two  systems  are  in 
use,  respectively,  confer  with  Mr.  White,  Mr.  Russell  and  the  judges, 
and  make  further  report.  Each  of  the  two  contestants  made  up  one 
volume  each  of  the  letters  J,  S,  deed  grantor  index,  which  were  exhibited 
in  the  recorder's  office  for  examination  and  comparison  of  the  merits  of 
both  systems.  The  matter  at  present  is  at  a  standstill.  The  adoption  of 
either  system  would  involve  the  expenditure  of  several  hundreds  ot 
thousands  of  dollars. 

In  September,  1918,  Messrs.  Hallman  (Abram  D.),  Moyer  and 
Knight  were  appointed  to  report  upon  a  uniform  system  of  designating 
papers  filed  in  the  prothonotary's  office,  by  term  and  number.  The  sys- 
tem devised  and  reported  by  the  committee  was  approved  by  the  judges 
and  was  put  in  force,  and  has  been  followed  ever  since. 

The  adoption  of  the  one-docket  system  in  the  prothonotary's  office 
had  been  the  dream  of  a  few  lawyers  for  a  long  time.  In  1918  the  mat- 
ter was  referred  to  two  committees  heretofore  appointed  (on  rearrange- 
ment of  terms  of  court  and  uniform  system  of  filing  papers),  compris- 
ing Messrs.  Dannehower,  Knipe,  Fox  (H.  J.),  High  and  Wright,  and 
Hallman  (Abram  D.),  Moyer  and  Knight.  No  final  report  has  been 
made.     Sentiment  upon  the  subject  is  divided. 

The  Association,  through  Messrs.  Emery,  Hoover  and  Stahlnecker, 
and  in  cooperation  with  the  county  commissioners,  procured  and  framed 
for  preservation  in  the  recorder's  office  and  office  of  the  clerk  of  courts, 
the  original  plan  of  Norristown  in  1853,  and  had  photostats  made  of  the 
plan ;  and  also  had  maps  of  Pottstown,  Norristown,  Conshohocken  and 
Bridgeport  repaired  and  mounted.  The  necessary  costs  were  apportioned 
between  the  Association  and  the  county. 

At  its  annual  meeting  in  1923  the  prothonotary  was  requested  to  see 
that  the  papers  handed  down  by  the  appellate  courts  be  properly  filed 
so  as  to  make  them  easily  accessible,  and  better  preserved.  The  Asso- 
ciation also  by  resolution  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  county  com- 
missioners the  overcrowded  condition  in  the  recorder's  office  both  as  to 
books  and  patrons,  and  the  public  necessity  for  more  room.  At  the  April 
meeting  the  secretary  reported  that  the  commissioners  contemplated 
the  construction  of  a  gallery  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  recorder's  office, 
to  be  reached  by  a  special  stairway  so  as  to  afford  more  room  for  keep- 
ing books  and  records.  After  discussing  the  feasibility  of  spending  the 
public  money  on  piecemeal  alterations  and  enlargements  when  an  exten- 
sion of  the  court  house  was  needed,  it  was  unanimously  resolved,  on 
motion  of  Mr.  Hendricks,  seconded  by  Mr.  Dettra,  "That  the  sense  of 
this  Association  is  that  the  court  house  should  be  enlarged,  and  that  a 


BENCH  AND  BAR  259 

committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  confer  with  the  county  commission- 
ers upon  the  subject."  Messrs.  N.  H.  Larzelere,  Montgomery  Evans 
and  Abraham  H.  Hendricks  were  appointed. 

At  the  April  meeting,  too,  action  was  taken  to  prevent  an  amend- 
ment or  repeal  of  the  Act  relative  to  the  resignation  and  retirement  of 
judges  on  half  or  full  pay.  It  was  also  resolved  to  give  Judge  Swartz  a 
complimentary  dinner  on  his  resignation  and  retirement  after  thirty-six 
years  of  continuous  and  brilliant  service  upon  the  local  Bench.  The  fol- 
lowing were  appointed  a  committee  to  make  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments :   Dannehower,  Dettra,  Wright  and  C.  Townley  Larzelere. 

The  acoustics  of  the  three  court  rooms  of  the  new  court  house  (1904) 
were  very  poor  and  faulty.  So  was  the  ventilation.  The  persistent 
efforts  of  the  Association  to  have  both  defects  remedied,  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, by  the  county  commissioners,  proved  successful. 

Through  action  of  the  Association  by  its  executive  committee,  Messrs. 
Dannehower,  Evans  (Montgomery),  and  Miller,  the  county  commis- 
sioners changed  the  use  of  certain  small  rooms  in  the  second  story  ot 
the  new  court  house  for  use  by  Judge  Solly,  as  working  rooms,  and  by 
jurors  as  a  coat  room ;  procured  badges  for  the  "court  crier"  and  "court 
ofiScers ;"  and  had  painted  signs  put  up  over  the  doors  of  the  court  rooms, 
other  public  rooms  and  offices,  and  a  sign  pointing  out  the  location  of 
the  Orphans'  Court  room. 

Legal  proceedings  against  members  of  the  Bar  in  cases  of  breach  of 
duty  is  a  subject  which  has  been  treated  above.  As  to  legal  proceedings 
against  officials,  it  is  to  be  said  that  no  such  proceedings  were,  fortu- 
nately, ever  required. 

To  facilitate  the  administration  of  the  law,  the  Association  has  been 
instrumental  in  having  rules  of  court  adopted  requiring  non-resident 
members  of  the  Bar  to  maintain  an  office  in  the  county,  where  service 
can  be  made  on  them.  In  1889  it  put  itself  on  record  as  opposed  to  the 
repeal  of  the  Procedure  Act  of  1887.  In  1890,  the  Association  had 
adopted  by  the  Court,  rules  of  court  providing  for  pleadings  in  appeals 
from  justices  of  the  peace;  and  in  1893  a  rule  relating  to  practice  on 
writs  of  sci.  fa.,  and  one  relating  to  the  admission  to  this  Bar  of  men* 
bers  of  other  bars. 

In  1893  the  Association  recommended  to  the  court  the  revision,  codi- 
fication and  reprint  of  all  the  rules  of  court.  The  Court  appointed  Mont- 
gomery Evans,  F.  G.  Hobson,  James  B.  Holland,  Muscoe  M.  Gibson  and 
Wm.  F.  Dannehower  a  committee  for  the  purpose,  who  reported  to  the 
Court  the  present  rules,  except  wherein  since  amended. 

In  1894  the  Association  recommended  that  in  settlements  of  transfer 
of  real  estate  all  taxes  should  be  apportioned  from  June  ist,  road  taxes 
to  be  based  on  the  rate  of  the  preceding  year.  This  rule  was  afterwards 
changed  to  the  present  practice.  Mr.  Chism  was  instructed  to  draft  a 
legislative  bill  amending  the  Act  of  May  24,  1888,  so  as  to  provide  for 


26o  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

the  first  Monday  of  intermediate  months  between  the  terms  of  Court  as 
a  return  day.    The  law  was  so  changed. 

In  1897  there  was  recommended  to  the  Court  for  adoption,  rules  ol 
Court  pertaining  to  this  Bar  of  members  of  the  bars  from  other  States 
and  other  counties  in  this  State,  and  pertaining  to  the  preliminary 
examination  and  registration  of  law  students  and  a  prescribed  course  of 
study  and  text  books. 

The  custom  of  members  of  the  Bar  and  others  arising  and  remaining 
standing  during  the  opening  of  the  Court  by  the  court  crier,  dates  from 
1900,  when  the  Association,  on  motion,  resolved  to  do  so.  Several  years 
afterwards  the  members  resolved  to  raise  their  voices  while  addressing 
the  Court,  sufficiently  loud  to  be  heard  within  the  Bar. 

In  1904  the  Orphans'  Court,  at  the  instance  of  the  Association, 
changed  the  rule  of  court  requiring  adjudications  to  lie  over  only  ten, 
instead  of  twenty  days,  for  exceptions  and  final  confirmation.  The 
Association  also  approved  the  suggestion  of  the  recorder  of  deeds  to 
stamp  at  the  proper  places  the  initials  of  the  Christian  names  of  mort- 
gagors, assignors  and  releasors  at  the  top  of  the  pages  of  the  new  indices 
of  mortgages  and  releases  and  assignment  of  mortgages. 

In  1906  the  Association  requested  the  committee  on  revision  of  the 
rules  of  court  to  provide  for  the  manner  and  order  of  counsel  in  sum- 
ming up  in  civil  trials.  The  request  resulted  in  the  present  method  and 
rules  of  court ;  and  also  to  draft  a  rule  providing  that  averments  in  state- 
ments of  claim  not  controverted  by  an  affidavit  of  defense,  need  not  be 
proven  at  the  trial  of  the  cause.    This  has  since  become  statute  law. 

In  1908  at  the  instance  of  the  Association,  the  rules  of  court  were 
amended  so  that  the  minimum  fee  of  masters  in  divorce  was  raised  from 
$15  to  $25,  and  so  that  libellants  must  deposit  $15  when  the  libel  is  filed 
and  $25  when  a  master  is  appointed. 

In  1910  the  Pennsylvania  Bar  Association  appointed  a  committee  to 
report  upon  the  subject  of  abolishing  the  Superior  Court  of  the  State. 
The  local  Association  on  the  i6th  of  January,  191 1  (on  the  report  of  a 
special  committee  that  after  holding  several  meetings  could  not  agree 
to  abolishment,  and  therefore  decided  to  make  no  recommendation), 
concluded  to  take  no  action. 

In  191 1  the  Association  was  instrumental,  by  an  amendment  to  the 
existing  rules  of  court,  in  having  the  time  enlarged  for  filing  returns  to 
orders  of  sale  granted  by  the  Orphans'  Court.  The  Association  also  rec- 
ommended the  filing  of  papers  with  the  prothonotary  or  clerk  of  the 
courts  in  open  court  when  the  presiding  judge  was  otherwise  engaged, 
for  "handing  up"  the  same  at  a  proper  time. 

In  191 1  an  effort  was  made  to  have  more  suitable  quarters  provided 
for  the  Orphans'  Court.  Plans  were  considered  with  the  county  com- 
missioners, but  nothing  definitely  was  decided  upon. 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  Association  in  191 1  it  was  ordered  by  the 


BENCH  AND  BAR  261 

Court  that  Criminal  Court  convene  (except  on  the  opening  day)  at  9.30 
o'clock  a.  m.,  instead  of  9  o'clock  a.  m.,  and  at  1.30  o'clock  instead  oT  2 
o'clock  for  the  accommodation  of  jurors  and  witnesses  residing  in  dis- 
tant parts  of  the  county. 

On  December  13,  191 1,  the  Association  recommended  the  adoption  of 
amendments  to  Orphans'  Court  rules  Nos.  89,  87,  5,  97,  6  and  4,  and  also 
a  new  rule,  No.  I7>4,  as  suggested  by  Judge  Solly,  of  the  Orphans'  Court, 
to  go  into  effect  January  i,  1912.  These  rules  related  to  the  sales  of  real 
estate  for  the  payment  of  debts,  returns  to  the  orders  of  sale,  accounts, 
and  stated  courts.  At  the  same  meeting  the  common  pleas  judges  were 
requested  to  consider  the  advisability  of  adopting  a  rule  of  court  chang- 
ing the  time  for  holding  court  so  that  one  vs^eek  might  elapse  between  the 
criminal  and  civil  court  for  jury  trials. 

In  191 2  the  matter  of  providing  more  suitable  quarters  for  the  grand 
jury  and  witnesses  to  be  called  before  it,  was  called  to  the  attention  of 
the  judges.  A  committee  had  previously  consulted  with  the  county 
commissioners  and  reported  to  the  Association. 

Amendments  to  rules  of  court  Nos.  26  and  130,  common  pleas,  relat- 
ing to  motions  for  judgment  for  want  of  a  sufficient  affidavit  of  defense, 
were  recommended  to  the  court  for  adoption.  The  amendments  were 
made  by  the  Court. 

In  1914  a  joint  meeting  of  the  Association  and  of  the  Montgomery 
County  Medical  Society  was  held,  by  prearrangement,  in  the  court 
house,  to  discuss  ways  and  means  for  improving  expert  medical 
testimony. 

In  1915,  Messrs.  Larzelere  (N.  H.),  Fornance  and  Hoover  were 
appointed  to  look  after  proposed  legislation  respecting  attorneys  and 
legal  practice.    Two  bills  were  disapproved  by  the  committee. 

The  same  year  the  Association  put  itself  on  record  as  favoring  the 
renomination  and  reelection  of  Justices  George  B.  Orlady  and  John  B. 
Head,  of  the  Superior  Court  of  this  Commonwealth. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  19 17,  Messrs.  Dannehower,  Knipe,  Fox 
(H.  I.),  High  and  Wright  were  appointed  to  investigate  the  statutes  and 
consult  the  Court  with  reference  to  rearranging  the  sessions  of  the 
courts.  On  the  27th  of  December  following,  they  reported.  The  report 
was  considered  and  discussed,  and  referred  back  for  further  considera- 
tion with  the  judges,  and  to  report  at  the  annual  meeting.  At  that  time 
the  committee  filed  an  elaborate  report.  The  principal  changes  recom- 
mended in  the  rules  of  court  were  an  increase  in  the  number  of  terms 
of  court  from  four  to  five ;  increase  in  the  length  of  terms  to  three 
weeks,  or,  in  some,  to  four  weeks ;  provision  for  six  weeks  of  civil  court 
and  five  weeks  of  criminal  court,  instead  of  four  weeks  of  each  court ; 
provision  for  an  interval  of  one  week  between  the  criminal  and  the  civil 
trial  court ;  provision  for  five  instead  of  four  argument  courts ;  avoid- 
ance of  the  overlapping  of  the  Orphans'  Court  audits  and  the  sessions  of 


262  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Criminal  Court;  elimination  of  Civil  Trial  Court  late  in  June  and  near 
the  Christmas  holiday  season;  elimination  of  Argument  Court  on  the 
first  Monday  of  September,  before  all  the  lawyers  have  returned  from 
the  summer  vacation ;  adjustment  of  Trial  and  Argument  Courts  so  as 
not  to  conflict  with  established  sittings  of  Appellate  courts  and  prep- 
aration therefor.  New  rules  were  suggested  also  touching  notices,  reg- 
istration of  attorneys  not  members  of  this  Bar,  pleading  and  practice, 
trial,  sheriff's  sales  and  liquor  licenses.  The  committee  was  discharged 
with  a  vote  of  thanks  "for  their  painstaking  and  satisfactory  work."  The 
committee's  recommendations  were  adopted  by  the  Court  as  rules  of 
court,  effective  August  i,  1918,  which  are  still  in  force  to  the  satisfaction 
of  every  practitioner  and  to  the  people  generally. 

In  1918  the  Association  commended  the  candidacy  of  Superior  Court 
Justice  William  D.  Porter  for  reelection,  and  endorsed  the  candidacy  of 
Justices  Alexander  Simpson,  Jr.,  and  Edward  J.  Fox  for  election  to  the 
Supreme  Court  Bench.  The  Association,  through  the  Court,  had  the 
compensation  of  masters  in  divorce  raised  from  $25  to  $50.  Mr.  Hall- 
man  (Thomas)  was  appointed  to  draw  an  amendment  to  the  Act  of 
1903  relating  to  the  quieting  of  titles. 

In  March,  1923,  for  the  first  time  all  divorce  cases  were  heard  on 
Tuesday  morning  of  Argument  Court.  This  practice  of  the  Court  was 
brought  about  by  the  Association  "for  the  sake  of  economy  of  time." 
"In  the  interest  of  public  morals"  the  Association  requested  the  Court 
to  impound  the  records  of  divorce  cases,  "access  thereto  to  be  had  only 
by  special  order  of  a  judge."  The  object  was  to  keep  the  reports  of 
masters  in  divorce  out  of  the  hands  of  newspaper  reporters  and  the 
detailed  and  sensational  "write-ups"  out  of  the  local  daily  newspapers 
and  from  the  sight  of  the  public,  young  and  old.  Some  of  these  articles 
were  not  fit  to  print.  While  the  Court  in  a  lengthy  opinion  refused  to 
impound  the  papers  in  divorce  cases,  it  deservedly  scored  the  publica- 
tion of  the  oftentimes  disgusting  details  of  these  cases  over  display 
headlines. 

Delegates  to  annual  meetings  of  the  American  Bar  Association  have 
been  as  follows:  1893,  B.  E.  Chain;  1916,  N.  H.  Larzelere ;  1917,  N.  H. 
Larzelere,  Judge  John  Faber  Miller,  alternate ;  1918,  N.  H.  Larzelere, 
H.  I.  Fox,  alternate. 

The  first  attempt  to  have  women  admitted  to  the  Bar  was  made 
October  14,  1893,  by  Mr.  Knipe,  who  introduced  a  motion  that  the  Asso- 
ciation recommend  to  the  Court  the  immediate  adoption  of  an  additional 
rule  of  court  under  "Attornies,"  as  follows :  "Women  shall  be  registered 
as  law  students  and  admitted  to  practice  as  attorneys  of  this  court  upon 
the  same  terms  and  conditions  as  men ;  and  all  existing  rules  of  court 
under  this  head,  as  well  as  all  hereafter  to  be  passed,  shall  apply  equally 
and  without  discrimination  to  both  sexes." 

After  discussion  and  amendments,  the  question  was  referred  to  a 


BENCH  AND  BAR  263 

special  committee  consisting  of  Chas.  Hunsicker,  N.  H.  Larzelere,  F.  G. 
Hobson,  Walter  S.  Jennings  and  J.  A.  Strassburger,  for  consideration 
and  report.  This  committee  was  discharged  January  15,  1894,  after  the 
chairman  reported  that  no  meeting  of  the  committee  had  been  held,  and 
that  the  committee  had  no  report  to  make  on  the  question.  One  year 
thereafter,  Mr.  Hunsicker,  who  had  been  the  chairman  of  the  special 
committee  which  filed  no  report,  moved  that  "we  deem  it  inexpedient  to 
permit  women  to  practice  at  the  Bar."  The  motion  was  carried,  18  ayes, 
9  noes.  The  nine  ladies'  champions,  who  later  won  out,  were  Hen- 
dricks, Kane,  Styer,  Egbert,  Strassburger,  Brownback,  Jennings,  Jen- 
kins and  Dannehower.  The  secretary  was  instructed  to  communicate 
the  result  of  the  vote  to  the  Court,  which  was  done. 

Subsequently  the  Court  decided  that  women  were  eligible  for  admis- 
sion to  the  Bar,  and  admitted  Miss  Margaret  Richardson  (afterwards 
Mrs.  Irvin  P.  Knipe),  on  September  5,  1898,  who,  on  February  2,  1899, 
became  the  first  female  member  of  the  Association,  being  also  the  first 
woman  admitted  to  the  Montgomery  county  Bar.  Her  membership  in 
the  Association  was  followed  by  that  of  Lelia  Jenkins,  on  June  28,  1902, 
Miss  Emeline  Henry  Hooven,  on  June  28,  1921,  and  by  that  of  Miss 
Rebecca  McI.  Roberts,  on  January  30,  1922. 

That  the  judges  while  sitting  on  the  bench  should  wear  long  silk 
gowns  for  the  purpose  of  adding  dignity  to  the  office  and  to  the  proceed- 
ings, has  always  been  the  opinion  of  a  considerable  number  of  members 
of  the  Association.  In  1900,  Mr.  Knipe  procured  the  sense  of  the  Asso- 
ciation "that  the  judges  wear  black  gowns  while  on  the  bench."  The 
judges  declined  to  do  so.  Mr.  Dannehower  revived  the  subject,  on  Jan- 
uary 16,  1905,  by  having  his  motion  adopted  that  the  judges  be  requested 
to  wear  black  silk  gowns  while  presiding  in  court.  The  judges  promised 
to  give  the  matter  "careful  consideration."  They  did,  but  decided 
adversely.  Gowns  were  never  thereafter  adopted  by  the  local  judiciary, 
nor  was  the  proposed  innovation  again  adverted  to  by  the  Association. 

The  subject  of  portraits  of  judges  was  first  agitated  at  a  meeting  held 
on  July  13,  1895 — the  procurement  of  portraits  of  former  judges  on  the 
local  bench.  Messrs.  Wanger,  Evans  (Montgomery),  and  Chism  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  ascertain  the  probable  cost.  Shortly  there- 
after a  large  photograph  of  Judge  Ross  was  framed  by  the  Association 
and  hung  in  the  law  library.  On  January  20,  1902,  Colonel  Boyd,  presi- 
dent of  the  Association,  through  the  secretary,  presented  the  Association 
with  a  framed  group  photograph  of  the  members  of  the  Bar,  including 
the  judges  in  the  center  of  the  group.  The  picture  was  received  on 
behalf  of  the  Association  by  Mr.  Rogers.    It  is  hanging  in  the  law  library. 

On  January  16,  1905,  Jenkins,  Miller  and  Larzelere  (N.  H.)  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  the  law  library  committee  and  the 
county  commissioners  relative  to  procuring  oil  paintings  of  past  and 
present  judges,  to  be  hung  in  the  new  court  house.    The  committee  pro- 


264  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

cured  a  portrait  of  Judge  Boyer  as  a  gift  from  his  son,  Henry  C.  Boyer, 
Esq.,  of  the  Philadelphia  Bar.  On  January  22,  1906,  the  committee 
reported  progress,  and  afterwards  died  a  natural  death. 

The  subject  was  again  brought  to  the  surface  on  January  18,  1915, 
when  Messrs.  Jenkins,  Tyson  and  Dannehower  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  inquire  into  the  practicability  of  getting  portraits  of  deceased 
judges  of  our  courts  for  Court  Room  No.  i.  A  year  later  the  commit- 
tee reported  they  had  failed  in  securing  any  portraits,  even  from  the  fam- 
ily of  the  late  Judge  Weand.  The  matter  seems  impractical  at  this  late 
day.    Besides,  the  cost  would  run  into  thousands  of  dollars. 

The  present  enlarged  court  house  was  dedicated  May  24,  1904. 
Montgomery  Evans,  John  W.  Bickel,  Jacob  A.  Strassburger,  Wm.  F. 
Dannehower  and  Theodore  Lane  Bean  were  appointed  a  committee  of 
general  arrangements,  in  conjunction  with  Judges  Swartz,  Weand  and 
Solly,  and  the  three  county  commissioners  and  their  solicitor,  for  the  dedi- 
cation of  the  new  court  house,  with  full  power  to  act.  The  Association 
took  charge  of  the  entertainment  of  guests  from  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  county  attending  the  services,  who  were  members  of  the  legal  profes- 
sion, and  also  of  the  attending  chief  executive  officers  of  the  Common- 
wealth. They  were  entertained  at  Stritzinger's  with  a  bountiful  repast. 
The  expenses  were  $312.25,  which  were  paid  by  fifty  members  of  the 
Association.     Preparations  had  been  made  to  entertain  175  guests. 

The  general  committee  of  arrangements  appointed  the  following 
special  committees,  who  had  charge  of  the  dedicatory  exercises :  Com- 
mittee on  special  arrangements :  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins,  Neville  D.  Tyson, 
Wm.  F.  Dannehower,  Charles  D.  McAvoy,  and  Theo.  Lane  Bean ;  recep- 
tion committee :  Montgomery  Evans,  Miller  D.  Evans,  L  P.  Wanger, 
N.  H.  Larzelere,  Jacob  A.  Strassburger,  H.  M.  Brownback,  and  John 
Faber  Miller ;  committee  on  program :  John  W.  Bickel  and  Louis  M. 
Childs ;  committee  on  entertainment:  Henry  M.  Tracy,  Abraham  H. 
Hendricks,  and  Henry  L  Fox. 

The  nearness  of  the  county  seat  to  Philadelphia  and  the  consequent 
residence  of  numerous  members  of  the  Philadelphia  bar  in  the  lower  end 
of  this  county  without  law  offices  in  this  county  where  service  of  notice 
and  other  papers  (in  cases  where  they  may  be  counsel  of  record  in  this 
county)  may  be  served  on  them  without  hunting  their  offices  in  Phila- 
delphia, have,  by  experience,  taught  the  members  of  this  Bar  that  their 
rights  are  frequently  invaded,  and  they  are  put  to  great  inconvenience 
and  their  clients  to  unnecessary  costs  and  expense  in  serving  notices  on 
these  practitioners.  Accordingly,  in  June,  1889,  the  Association  laid 
before  the  Court  proposed  rules  of  court  for  adoption  relative  to  lay- 
men practicing  law,  and  to  service  upon  non-resident  lawyers  practicing 
in  this  county  without  having  an  office  therein.  The  rules  proposed 
were  adopted  by  the  Court. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  265 

On  January  20,  1908,  Messrs.  Knipe,  Miller  and  Harry  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  investigate  certain  charges  against  William  W.  Cham- 
bers, of  Ardmore,  Pennsylvania,  who  was  alleged  to  be  holding  himself 
out  as  an  attorney-at-law,  although  not  admitted  to  any  bar.  The  evi- 
dence submitted  was  reported  to  be  insufficient  to  sustain  the  charge. 

In  1909  a  resolution  was  adopted  requesting  the  Senator  and  Repre- 
sentatives from  this  county  to  oppose  a  pending  bill  in  the  Legislature 
providing  that  admission  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania  should 
of  itself  operate  as  an  admission  of  any  such  attorney  as  an  attorney-at- 
law  in  every  court  of  the  Commonwealth,  on  the  ground  of  unconstitu- 
tionality and  unwisdom.  A  copy  of  the  resolution  was  sent  to  the  Bars 
of  Bucks,  Chester,  and  Delaware  counties  for  similar  action.  The  bill 
was  passed.  The  secretary  submitted  a  brief  on  the  unconstitutionality 
of  the  bill  to  Governor  Stuart  and  his  Attorney-General.  The  bill  became 
a  law. 

Proposed  legislative  limitations  on  the  court's  discretion  in  directing 
advertisement  of  legal  notice,  was  protested  against  by  the  Association. 

On  Friday  the  12th  of  February,  1909,  the  Association  celebrated 
Lincoln's  Centenary  with  a  public  meeting  held  in  the  afternoon  in 
Court  Room  No.  i.  The  floral  decorations  were  elaborately  furnished 
free  of  charge  by  Florist  Joseph  N.  King,  picture  frames  by  Charles  W. 
Moll,  flags  by  Brendlinger  &  Co.,  and  Lincoln  pictures  by  J.  P.  Hale 
Jenkins,  Esq.,  and  the  Norristown  High  School.  A  suitable  address 
was  delivered  by  Franklin  S.  Wright ;  Judge  Solly  read  Lincoln's  Gettys- 
burg address ;  and  a  suitable  minute  was  prepared  and  read  by  Neville 
D.  Tyson.  A  full  report  of  the  celebration,  including  the  addresses  of 
Judge  Henry  K.  Weand,  the  presiding  officer,  and  Mr.  Wright,  and  the 
minute  prepared  by  Mr.  Tyson,  are  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Bar  Association. 

Judge  Weand  in  1903  presented  the  Association  with  a  beautifully 
penned  set  of  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Bar  on  the  death  of  Daniel 
Mulvaney,  Esq.,  a  leader  of  the  Bar  in  his  time.  They  were  suitably 
framed  by  the  secretary  and  hung  in  the  law  library. 

Twelve  members  of  the  Association  contributed  their  noble  and  brave 
"bit"  to  the  World  War.  They  are:  Paul  M.  Brooke,  Frank  J.  Bradley, 
George  C.  Corson,  C.  Russell  Corson,  Joseph  H.  Cochran,  Wm.  F.  Dan- 
nehower,  Jr.,  Joseph  K.  Fornance,  J.  Burnett  Holland,  Elgin  H.  Lenhart, 
Daniel  Yeakel  Miller,  Eldred  J.  Pennell,  and  George  Wanger.  Those 
who  saw  service  in  France  are  Messrs.  Corson  (Geo.  C),  Dannehower, 
Fornance,  Holland,  Lenhardt,  and  Wanger.    Their  records  follow : 

Frank  J.  Bradley  enlisted  in  Philadelphia,  in  October,  1918.  He  was 
beyond  the  draft  age.  He  was  voluntarily  inducted  into  the  service  by 
the  draft  board  of  Norristown,  and  was  then  sent  to  Camp  Zachary  Tay- 
lor, near  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  was  a  private  in  the  Field  Artillery 
Officers'  Training  School.  He  remained  there  until  December  7,  1918, 
when  he  was  honorably  discharged.    Before  his  enlistment,  Mr.  Bradley 


266  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

was  active  in  assisting  registrants  to  answer  questionaires,  and  in  speak- 
ing at  Liberty  Loan  meetings  and  at  the  Grand  Opera  House,  the  Gar- 
rick  Theatre  and  at  mills  and  factories.  He  made  a  tour  over  the  county 
in  the  interest  of  the  sale  of  War  Stamps. 

Paul  M.  Brooke  enlisted  in  December,  1917,  at  Camp  Dix,  New  Jer- 
sey. After  remaining  there  nearly  a  year,  he  was  transferred,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1918,  to  Camp  Meigs,  Washington,  D.  C,  where  he  attended  the 
Training  School,  Quartermaster's  Department.  About  the  middle  of 
December,  1918,  he  was  discharged.  He  was  commissioned  second  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Officers'  Reserve  Corps  for  five  years,  which  have  not  yet 
expired. 

C.  Russell  Corson  was  a  private  in  the  infantry  at  Camp  Lee,  Peters- 
burg, Virginia,  and  also  in  the  Officers'  Artillery  Training  School  at 
Camp  Zachary  Taylor,  near  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  spent  three 
months  in  each  camp,  and  then  the  war  ended. 

George  C.  Corson  enlisted  on  the  loth  of  May,  1917,  at  Philadelphia. 
He  was  sent  to  Fort  Howard,  Maryland,  where  he  remained  a  few  days. 
On  July  12,  1917,  he  together  with  Elgin  H.  Lenhardt  was  transferred  to 
Camp  Meade,  Maryland.  He  was  a  private  in  Motor  Truck  Company 
No.  36.  On  May  i,  1918,  he  was  sent  to  Camp  Johnson.  On  June  14 
following  he  was  commissioned  a  second  lieutenant,  and  on  the  6th  of 
July  1918,  was  transported  to  France.  He  was  landed  at  Liverpool, 
England,  and  then  at  Cherbourg,  France.  His  company  there  joined  the 
Ninth  American  Division,  315th  Motor  Supply  Train,  at  Racey-Sur- 
Ource,  in  the  second  training  area.  He  was  there  three  weeks.  On 
August  24  he  went  in  line  on  the  Toul  sector,  and  until  September  21 
was  in  action.  On  October  21  he  was  sent  back  to  a  Motor  Transport 
School  at  Decize,  France,  and  after  a  month's  schooling  rejoined  the 
90th  Division  on  the  Argonne  front,  northwest  of  Verdun.  He  was  pro- 
moted on  October  2,  1918,  to  first  lieutenant.  He  was  still  on  the 
Argonne  front  on  the  day  the  armistice  was  signed,  November  11,  1918. 
He  spent  the  next  six  months  with  the  Army  of  Occupation,  at  Berne 
Castle,  Germany.  He  started  for  home  May  21,  and  landed  at  Newport 
News,  Virginia,  on  June  10,  1919,  and  six  days  thereafter  was  mustered 
out  of  service  at  Camp  Dix.  In  1922  he  and  his  parents  and  a  few  friends 
revisited  the  scenes  of  his  soldier  days  in  France,  touring  over  the  battle- 
fields of  the  country  he  helped  to  save  from  the  terrible  Huns. 

William  F.  Dannehower,  Jr.,  enlisted  as  an  orderly  in  the  service  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Base  Hospital,  No.  10,  at  Philadelphia,  May  7,  1917. 
Eleven  days  afterward  he  was  on  his  way  to  France.  Two  weeks  were 
spent  in  training  at  Blackpool,  England,  after  landing  at  Liverpool.  In 
June  the  hospital  opened  for  action  at  La  Porte,  France,  after  setting  foot 
on  French  soil  at  Havre.  He  was  appointed  clerk  to  Colonel  Richard 
Harte,  of  Philadelphia,  the  head  of  this  hospital  unit.  Promoted  to  ser- 
geant shortly  thereafter,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Isolation  Divi- 
sion, the  Infectious  and  Contagious  Hospital.  In  1918  he  was  again 
promoted,  to  first-class  sergeant.  He  was  captain  of  the  hospital  base- 
ball and  football  teams,  which  won  interesting  contests  with  rival  organ- 
izations. Placed  in  charge  of  Mobile  Hospital,  No.  8,  his  duties  carried 
him  and  this  hospital  into  the  Meuse  Argonne,  and  thence  followed  on 
the  heels  of  the  American  army  until  the  armistice,  November  11,  1918. 
Early  in  the  following  year  he  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  St.  Aignan, 
France.    He  then  enlisted  in  the  Transportation  Service  of  the  American 


BENCH  AND  BAR  267 

Red  Cross  at  Paris,  and  continued  in  this  service  until  March,  1921, 
arriving  home  on  the  24th  of  that  month.  His  duties  carried  him  by 
automobile  through  France,  Belgium,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Poland, 
Russia,  Spain,  Italy,  and  to  Constantinople,  Turkey.  During  a  two 
weeks'  furlough  he  traveled  through  England  and  Scotland.  He  picked 
up  enough  French  and  German  so  as  to  be  able  to  make  himself  readily 
understood  in  those  languages. 

Joseph  Knox  Fornance  was  called  into  active  service,  July  15,  1917,  as 
captain  of  Field  Artillery,  in  command  of  Battery  B,  io8th  (2nd  Pennsyl- 
vania) Regiment  of  Field  Artillery,  and  was  stationed  at  Camp  Wana- 
maker,  Jenkintown,  Pennsylvania,  and  Camp  Hancock,  Augusta,  Georgia, 
from  that  date  until  September  9,  1917.  From  September  10,  191 7,  to 
November  26,  1917,  he  was  stationed  at  Reserve  Officers'  Training  Camp, 
Fort  Oglethorpe,  Georgia.  His  resignation  from  the  Pennsylvania 
National  Guard  was  accepted  by  the  President,  October  11,  1917,  and 
he  was  commissioned  as  captain  of  Field  Artillery,  U.  S.  Army,  Novem- 
ber 26,  1917,  on  graduation  from  Reserve  Officers'  Training  Camp.  Then 
he  was  assigned  to  321st  Regiment,  U.  S.  Field  Artillery  (157th  U.  S. 
Field  Artillery  Brigade,  82nd  Division),  and  was  stationed  at  Camp  Gor- 
don, Georgia,  November  and  December,  1917,  and  from  March  to  May, 
1918.  He  was  next  stationed  at  the  School  of  Fire  for  Field  Artillery, 
Fort  Sill,  Oklahoma,  from  January  i,  1918,  until  graduation  on  March 

8,  1918.  He  was  assigned  to  headquarters,  157th  U.  S.  Field  Artillery 
Brigade,  as  operations  officer,  March  9,  1918.  He  left  Embarkation 
Camp,  Camp  Merritt,  New  Jersey,  for  overseas  service.  May  19,  1918,  and 
arrived  at  Brest,  France,  May  29,  1918.  He  was  stationed  at  Brest  and 
La  Courtine,  France,  until  August  11,  1918.  He  was  with  headquarters, 
157th  U.  S.  Field  Artillery  Brigade  (82nd  Division)  as  operations  officer, 
from  August  12,  1918,  to  October  14,  1918,  and  was  active  in  the  Mar- 
bache  Sector,  Lorraine,  St.  Mihiel  offensive,  and  the  Meuse-Argonne 
offensive.  On  October  14,  1918,  he  was  appointed  aide-de-camp  to 
commanding  general,  42nd  Division,  assigned  to  that  division,  and  con- 
tinued with  42nd  Division  through  Meuse-Argonne  offensive  until 
November  10,  1918,  when  the  division  was  relieved.  He  was  appointed  a 
member  of  the  American  Section  of  Interallied  Armistice  Commission, 
November  14,  1918,  and  was  stationed  at  Spa,  Belgium,  until  December 
26,  1918,  as  adjutant  of  the  American  section  and  aide-de-camp  to  the  com- 
manding general  of  the  American  section.  Afterwards  he  was  stationed 
in  Paris  and  in  Bordeaux,  France,  as  aide-de-camp  to  the  commanding 
general.  Base  Section  No.  2,  American  Expeditionary  Forces,  from 
December,  1918,  to  July,  1919.  He  arrived  in  the  United  States  from 
overseas  service,  August  8,  1919.  He  was  awarded  a  British  Military 
Cross,  and  was  promoted  to  be  major  of  Field  Artillery,  U.  S.  Army, 
May  8,  1919.  He  was  stationed  in  Washington,  D.  C,  since  his  return 
from  overseas.  On  September  24,  1920,  he  was  commissioned  as  captain 
of  Field  Artillery,  Regular  Army,  as  of  July  i,  1920,  and  October  18,  1920, 
was  transferred  to  the  Quartermaster  Corps. 

J.  Burnett  Holland  was  drafted,  and  was  inducted  into  service  on 
December  7,  1917,  at  Camp  Meade,  Maryland;  and  was  discharged  at 
Camp  Dix,  New  Jersey,  June  7,  1919,  after  one  and  a  half  year's  service 
in  the  Great  War.  He  was  first  assigned  to  Company  A,  No.  312  Machine 
Gun  Battalion,  79th  Division.     He  remained  at  Camp  Meade  until  July 

9,  1918,  when  he  sailed  with  his  battalion  from  Hoboken,  New  Jersey, 


268  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

and  after  nine  days  they  landed  at  Brest,  France.  At  the  end  of  a  week 
they  were  moved  into  the  training  area  in  the  vicinity  of  Dijohn.  The 
battalion  was  billeted  in  the  village  of  Riviere  Les  Fosses.  Mr.  Holland 
was  then  transferred  to  the  sanitary  detachment  of  the  same  battalion. 
In  September  they  left  for  the  front  and  were  put  in  the  trenches  in  the 
Verdun  sector,  near  Hill  No.  304.  They  were  there  a  month,  in  the  mean- 
while taking  part  early  in  October  in  the  advance  on  Montfaucon.^  Just 
before  the  battle,  Mr.  Holland  was  evacuated  to  the  hospital  of  his  bat- 
talion on  account  of  a  severe  attack  of  influenza,  which  coniined  him  five 
weeks.  At  the  time  the  armistice  was  signed,  November  11,  1918,  he  was 
in  the  Replacement  Camp  at  Toul.  A  week  afterward  he  rejoined  his 
battalion  at  Reville,  twenty  miles  northeast  of  Verdun.  He  remained 
there  until  December  12,  1918.  Shortly  thereafter  he  was  put  on  an 
attached  service  with  an  entertainment  unit,  which,  like  other  entertain- 
ment units,  traveled  over  the  entire  entertainment  circuit  on  the  front, 
covering  the  entire  territory  occupied  by  the  American  Expeditionary 
Forces.  His  unit  gave  nightly  minstrel,  vaudeville  and  musical  enter- 
tainments in  the  Verdun  sector,  St.  Mihiel  sector,  Toul  sector  and  Lux- 
emberg,  covering  a  period  of  four  months.  Before  they  could  make  their 
next  move,  to  Coblenz,  Germany,  they  were  recalled.  It  has  been  esti- 
mated that  about  twenty  thousand  professional,  and  a  greater  number  of 
amateur  entertainers,  served  amusement  to  the  million  of  American  sol- 
diers in  France.  Holland's  battalion  sailed  from  Saint  Nazaire  on  May 
14,  1919,  and  after  a  long  homeward  trip  of  fourteen  days,  landed  at 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  on  May  28,  1919.  He  was  mustered  out  of  service 
at  Camp  Dix,  New  Jersey,  on  June  7,  1919.  Mr.  Holland,  with  his  fine 
baritone  voice,  had  sung  his  way  into  the  hearts  of  the  American  boys 
on  French  soil,  and  helped  them  to  keep  up  their  patriotic  enthusiasm. 

Elgin  H.  Lenhardt  entered  the  service  in  1917,  at  Fort  Howard,  Mary- 
land. A  few  days  thereafter  he  was  transferred  to  Camp  Meade,  Mary- 
land, where  he  remained  a  year.  After  spending  the  two  succeeding 
months  at  Camp  Johnson,  Florida,  he  was  transported  to  France  on  Sep- 
tember 16,  1918.  He  was  a  second  lieutenant  in  the  Motor  Transport 
Car  Service,  and  was  stationed  at  Nantes  and  St.  Nazaire.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  on  July  2,  1919,  at  Presidio,  California.  His  com- 
panion in  his  early  service  was  George  C.  Corson. 

Edred  J.  Pennell  enlisted  in  September,  1917,  and  on  the  20th  of  that 
month  went  to  Camp  Meade,  Maryland,  to  enter  the  17th  Training  Bat- 
talion, Depot  Brigade,  as  a  private.  On  October  2,  1917,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Company  A,  304th  Ammunition  Train,  and  twelve  days  later 
was  transferred  to  Headquarters  Troop,  79th  Division.  On  the  7th 
December  following  he  was  appointed  first-class  private.  On  January  5, 
1918,  he  entered  the  Officers'  Training  School  at  Camp  Meade,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Battery,  and  completed  the  course  on  April  19,  1918, 
when  he  was  appointed  a  sergeant  (officer  candidate)  and  returned  to 
Headquarters  Troop,  79th  Division.  On  May  8th,  1918,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Field  Artillery,  replacement  depot,  Camp  Jackson,  South  Caro- 
lina, and  two  weeks  later  was  assigned  to  Battery  B,  14th  Battalion,  F.  A. 
R.  D.,  and  on  June  i,  1918,  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant,  F.  A. 
N.  A.,  and  assigned  to  Battery  B,  14th  Battalion,  F.  A.  R.  D.  Two  weeks 
later  he  was  transferred  to  Battery  B,  23rd  Battalion,  F.  A.  R.  D.  On  the 
reorganization  of  8th  Regiment,  F.  A.  R.  D.,  on  August  17,  1918,  he  was 
assigned  to  Headquarters  Company,  8th  Regiment,  F.  A.  R.  D.    On  Sep- 


BENCH  AND  BAR  269 

tember  21,  1918,  he  was  commissioned  first  lieutenant,  F.  A.  U.  S.  A.,  and 
a  month  later  was  transferred  to  the  command  of  Battery  F,  8th  Regi- 
ment, F.  A.  R.  D.  On  the  following  day  he  was  commissioned  captain, 
F.  A.  U.  S.  A.,  and  on  December  6,  1918,  was  honorably  discharged  from 
the  army. 

D.  Yeakel  Miller  enlisted  as  a  seaman,  June  5,  1918,  in  the  United 
States  Naval  Reserve  Force,  and  was  sent  to  the  Naval  Training  Station 
at  Great  Lakes,  Illinois.  After  drilling  in  various  seaman  companies 
until  November  i,  1918,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Officers'  Material 
School  and  there  underwent  a  four  months'  intensive  training  course  for 
officers,  jumping  from  seaman  to  chief  boatswain's  mate.  After  the 
signing  of  the  armistice  and  before  receiving  his  commission  of  ensign, 
he  was  at  his  own  request  released  from  active  service  early  in  February, 
1919.  He  had  practically  completed  the  whole  training  course.  He  was 
discharged  September  i,  192 1.  Before  enlisting,  Mr.  Miller  was  a  busy 
"Four-Minute  Man,"  and  did  yeoman  service  in  the  Liberty  Loan  and 
War  Chest  drives  in  Norristown  and  other  parts  of  the  county. 

George  Wanger  enlisted  on  March  4,  1910,  before  America  went  into 
the  World  War,  in  Company  F,  6th  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  and  on  July 
3,  1910,  had  been  elected  its  second  lieutenant;  had  been  captain  of  Com- 
pany M,  1st  Pennsylvania  Infantry;  and  had  served  in  the  Federal  serv- 
ice on  the  Mexican  border  from  June  27,  1916,  to  October  23,  1916.  Just 
as  this  country  was  entering  the  World  War,  Mr.  Wanger  was  called 
out  by  the  President  for  guard  duty.  On  August  5,  1917,  he  was  drafted. 
Subsequently  he  served  at  Camp  Hancock,  Georgia ;  and  in  France  with 
the  28th  Division  as  captain  of  Company  M ;  regimental  adjutant,  and 
regimental  operations  officer  of  the  109th  Infantry;  and  as  brigade  adju- 
tant of  the  56th  Infantry  Brigade.  He  also  commanded  the  ist  Battalion, 
109th  Infantry,  in  action.  He  was  graduated  from  the  Infantry  School  of 
Arms,  at  Fort  Sill,  Oklahoma,  in  August,  1917;  from  the  Army  General 
Staff  College,  Langres,  France,  on  September  15,  1918;  and  from  the 
Sorbonne  University,  Paris,  France,  on  March  i,  1919.  He  was  dis- 
charged September  22,  1919. 

The  "stay-at-home"-from-the- World- War  lawyers  were,  nevertheless, 
actively  patriotic.  On  May  18,  1917,  Messrs.  Wright,  Knipe,  Moyer, 
Place  and  Brecht  were  appointed  "to  take  over  the  legal  business  of  any 
member  of  the  Association  entering  the  military  service  of  the  State  or 
Nation,  and  desiring  the  same  to  be  done,  and  of  transacting  such  busi- 
ness without  any  charge  to  such  member,  with  power  in  said  committee 
to  increase  its  membership  by  appointment  of  other  attorneys." 

On  November  26,  1917,  a  resolution  was  adopted  "that  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Association,  as  a  committee. of  the  whole,  offer  themselves  as 
associate  members  of  the  Legal  Advisory  Boards  to  be  provided  for 
Norristown  and  for  the  remaining  portions  of  Montgomery  county,  for 
the  purpose  of  advising,  without  compensation,  registrants  under  the 
new  selective  service  regulations,  of  their  rights  and  obligations,  and  of 
assisting  them  in  the  preparation  of  their  answers  to  the  questions  which 
all  men  subject  to  draft  are  required  to  submit."  A  copy  of  this  reso- 
lution was  sent  by  the  secretary  to  all  the  Legal  Advisory  Boards  in  the 


270  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

county,  and  to  every  member  of  the  Association  and  of  the  Bar.  In 
Norristown  a  room  for  the  purpose  expressed  in  the  resolution,  was  fitted 
up  in  the  basement  of  the  court  house,  where  lawyers  relayed  each  other, 
day  and  night,  to  assist  and  advise  registrants.  Lawyers  residing  or 
having  offices  away  from  the  county  seat  assisted  registrants  in  their 
respective  communities.  Some  lawyers  sat  at  convenient  public  places 
in  the  county  at  stated  times  to  lend  assistance  in  answering  question- 
naires. Henry  C.  Stinson  organized  a  Home  Defense  Guard.  It  under- 
went daily  drilling  lessons  at  the  local  Armory  on  Cherry  street,  near 
Airy  street.  He  was  elected  captain  of  the  lawyer-soldiers.  Their  num- 
ber was  later  augmented  by  the  addition  of  bank  clerks  and  other  lay- 
men, until  they  numbered  thirty  embryonic  soldiers.  These  and  other 
patriotic  citizens  then  formed  a  regular  military  organization  called 
Company  F,  which  later  merged  with  the  National  Guard.  C.  Townley 
Larzelere  was  the  captain  of  Company  F. 

Subsequently  Mr.  Stinson  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Home 
Defense  Police  of  Montgomery  county,  900  strong.  It  was  divided  into 
units,  located  throughout  the  county.  The  Norristown  unit  did  active 
police  duty  in  Norristown,  and  also  patrol  duty  at  Valley  Forge  to 
handle  big  crowds  there.  A  part  of  the  duty  of  this  patriotic  body  was 
to  investigate  and  silence  German  sympathizers.  Mr.  Stinson  and  J. 
Aubrey  Anderson  had  charge  of  District  No.  2  of  the  Legal  Advisory 
Board,  comprising  Norristown  and  surrounding  townships.  The  former 
was  also  the  official  adviser  of  the  registrants  who  were  not  exempted 
from  military  service. 

When  ex-State  Treasurer  Henry  K.  Boyer  resigned  as  Food  Admin- 
istrator of  Montgomery  county,  his  legal  adviser,  Mr.  Stinson,  suc- 
ceeded him.  He  served  about  a  year,  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Mr. 
Stinson,  so  far  as  known,  was  the  only  food  administrator  who  fined  pub- 
lic officials  for  violations  of  the  law  in  having  on  hand  over-supplies  of 
sugar.  He  turned  all  fines  so  collected  over  to  the  Red  Cross.  Attor- 
neys Williams,  Wright,  Hoover,  Gibson,  Emery  and  others  also  were 
active  speakers  in  the  campaigns  for  the  sale  of  Liberty  Bonds  and  War 
Savings  Stamps.  The  Association  volunteered  the  services  of  its  mem- 
bers gratuitously  to  claimants  of  their  rights  under  the  War  Risk  Insur- 
ance Act,  who  should  apply  for  the  same. 

The  members  of  the  Association  who  entered  any  branch  of  the  mil- 
itary or  naval  service  of  the  United  States,  were  relieved  from  the  pay- 
ment of  Association  dues,  and  were  to  remain  in  good  standing.  Annual 
outings  and  banquets  were  dispensed  with  on  account  of  war  conditions. 

The  members  of  the  Association  announced  they  stood  ready  to  give 
legal  advice  and  services,  without  charge,  to  draftees  respecting  their 
rights  under  Federal  and  State  statutes,  and  to  cooperate  with  the  Alien 
Property  Custodian  at  Washington  in  reaching  enemy  property. 

In  1918  the  Association,  in  conjunction  with  the  county  commission- 


BENCH  AND  BAR  271 

ers,  procured  large  and  handsome  American  flags  for  each  of  the  three 
court  rooms,  and  a  service  flag  containing  twelve  stars  for  the  law 
library.  Twelve  members  of  the  Association  were  then  serving  in  mili- 
tary service  of  the  United  States.  The  Association  paid  for  the  service 
flag;  the  county  commissioners  for  the  flags  hung  in  the  court  rooms. 

Members  of  the  Association  who  were  in  active  military  service 
during  any  part  of  1918  or  1919,  were  excused  from  the  payment  of 
Association  dues  for  those  years.  The  Association  purchased  a  $100 
Fifth  Liberty  Loan  Bond. 

In  June,  1919,  Messrs.  Rex,  Anderson  and  Dannehower  were  ap- 
pointed to  secure  and  preserve  a  record  of  the  war  work  of  the  Associa- 
tion and  each  individual  member  thereof. 

Banquets — A  prominent  auxiliary  feature  of  the  Association  has 
been  of  a  social  nature — its  annual  banquets,  an  occasional  smoker,  and 
later,  its  spring  outings.  The  social  ball  was  set  to  rolling  at  the  first 
stated  meeting  in  January,  1886,  when  Montgomery  Evans  moved  "that 
the  Association  have  a  supper."  On  motion  of  the  writer  the  following 
were  appointed' the  first  committee  of  arrangements:  Charles  Hunsicker, 
Aaron  S.  Swartz,  I.  P.  Wanger,  Montgomery  Evans,  and  D.  Ogden 
Rogers.  Immediately  the  question  of  having  wine  served  at  the  supper 
was  raised  by  F.  G.  Hobson,  a  temperance  advocate,  but  was  promptly 
voted  down  by  a  rising  vote  which  required  no  count.  The  same  ques- 
tion recurred  annually  for  some  years  thereafter,  but  the  matter  was 
always  left  to  the  committee  of  arrangements,  who  invariably  were 
chosen,  it  seemed,  from  the  "wets." 

At  every  annual  meeting  after  the  first,  a  committee  on  banquet  was 
invariably  appointed.  The  judge,  or  judges,  were  always  invited  to  the 
banquets  as  honorary  guests  until  Judges  Swartz,  Weand  and  Solly 
were,  at  their  own  request,  regarded  as  full-fledged  members  of  the 
Association,  with  voice  and  vote,  and  payment  for  their  plates  at  the 
subsequent  banquets. 

Nine  days  after  it  was  decided  to  have  a  "supper,"  another  trouble- 
some question  was  raised  at  a  special  meeting,  which  recurred  annually 
for  some  years  thereafter — the  question  of  members  bringing  one  or 
more  ladies  to  the  supper.  This  was  George  W.  Rogers'  "hobby."  He 
carried  his  point  in  meeting  by  a  vote  of  15  to  9,  but  owing  to  a  decided 
sentiment  against  the  proposition  by  leading  members  who  did  not 
attend  the  meeting,  no  one  invited  any  ladies  to  attend. 

No  annual  banquet  was  held  in  1896  because  of  the  deaths  of  four 
members  of  the  Association  within  a  period  of  three  months,  namely : 
Charles  Hunsicker,  October  27,  1895 ;  Walter  S.  Jennings,  November 
14,  1895;  Isaac  Chism,  November  20,  1895  (three  within  one  month); 
and  Warren  M.  Dickinson,  February  i,  1896. 

Complimentary  banquets  have  played  no  small  part  in  the  social  life 


272  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  the  Association.  The  first  was  given  to  Gilbert  Rodman  Fox,  one  of 
the  great  leaders  of  the  Bar  and  a  popular  and  successful  preceptor,  in 
1888.  He  had  as  students  at  law  in  his  office  from  time  to  time,  Judges 
Swartz  and  Solly,  and  Joseph  Fornance,  H.  B.  Dickinson,  Louis  M. 
Childs,  William  F.  Dannehower,  his  son,  Gilbert  R.  Fox,  Jr.,  and  others. 
On  November  19,  1888,  he  would  complete  fifty  years  of  active  practice  at 
the  Montgomery  County  Bar,  and  on  October  13,  1888,  Messrs.  Wanger, 
Fornance  and  Childs  were  appointed  to  wait  on  Mr.  Fox  relative  to  giv- 
ing him  a  testimonial  banquet.  A  week  later  Messrs.  Freedley  and  Jen- 
nings were  added  to  the  former  committee  to  arrange  for  the  banquet.  It 
was  the  first  afifair  of  the  kind  given  by  the  Association.  It  was  held  at  the 
Rambo  House,  Norristown,  on  the  19th  of  November,  1888,  exactly 
fifty  years  after  the  honored  guest's  admission  to  the  Bar.  It  was 
largely  attended  and  proved  a  complete  success.  On  the  26th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1891,  at  Stritzinger's  Parlors,  Norristown,  the  members  of  the 
Bar  tendered  a  complimentary  banquet  to  Judge  Henry  K.  Weand, 
Henry  M.  Tracy  and  Henry  D.  Saylor,  upon  their  return  from  tours  in 
Europe.    President  Judge  Swartz  was  an  honorary  guest. 

In  1892,  at  Reisser's  Cafe,  Philadelphia,  a  rousing  banquet  was  given 
to  Colonel  Boyd  in  commemoration  of  fifty  years'  active  practice  at  the 
Bar. 

On  the  i6th  of  August,  1902,  would  be  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of 
the  president's  (Col.  Boyd)  admission  to  the  Montgomery  County  Bar. 
At  the  January  meeting  in  1902  it  was,  therefore,  resolved  to  give  him  a 
complimentary  dinner  in  commemoration  of  the  event,  at  such  time  as 
the  popular  Colonel  might  fix.  The  "stock"  committee  on  banquets — 
Dannehower,  Knipe  and  Fox  (G.  R.) — was  instructed  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements.  The  committee  in  a  glowing  letter  addressed 
to  the  Colonel,  in  which  they  characterized  his  record  of  sixty  years  ot 
active  practice  "believed  to  be  unequalled  in  the  annals  of  the  legal  pro- 
fession of  Pennsylvania,"  and  reminding  him,  "ten  years  ago  we  cele- 
brated with  feasting  your  golden  wedding  in  the  law ;  and  at  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Montgomery  Bar  Association,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  express  our  sincere  felicitations  that  another  decade  finds  you  hale 
and  hearty,  beloved  and  respected  of  all  your  associates,  still  busy  with 
the  daily  practice  of  the  noblest  of  secular  professions,  the  Nestor  of  the 
Bar  in  the  great  Keystone  Commonwealth" — asked  him  to  designate  the 
time  and  place  for  the  dinner.  The  Colonel  in  his  reply,  of  October  2, 
1902,  to  the  committee,  said : 

I  deeply  appreciate  and  reciprocate  the  expressions  of  esteem  ten- 
dered by  the  Montgomery  County  Bar  Association  upon  my  completion 
of  sixty  years  of  active  practice  at  this  Bar,  and  accept  with  pleasure  the 
invitation  to  be  the  Association's  guest  at  a  banquet. 

If  agreeable  to  the  hosts,  let  it  be  held  on  Saturday  evening,  October 
25,  1902,  at  the  Hotel  Traymore,  Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  273 

The  banquet  was  held  at  the  time  and  place  designated  by  the  Col- 
onel, and  what  a  splendid  affair  it  was!  The  members  of  the  Associa- 
tion and  the  invited  guests,  friends  of  the  Colonel— Edson  J.  Weeks, 
W.  R.  Taylor,  high  officials  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad 
Company,  Charles  Heebner,  the  company's  solicitor,  and  Hon.  Wayne 
MacVeagh,  a  close  friend  of  the  Colonel — were  transported  from  Cam- 
den to  Atlantic  City  in  special  cars  attached  to  a  regular  train,  through 
the  courtesy  of  Colonel  Boyd,  vice-president  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Reading  Railroad  Company.  Forty-eight  members  of  the  Association 
made  the  trip  of  their  lives.  The  menu  was  most  elaborate.  The  menu 
card  was  a  work  of  art,  containing  a  full-sized  portrait  of  the  honored 
guest.  The  speeches  and  responses  to  toasts  were  unsurpassed.  Miller 
D.  Evans,  on  behalf  of  the  Association,  presented  the  Colonel  with  a 
handsome  loving  cup,  suitably  inscribed.  Colonel  Boyd,  eighty-one 
years  "young,"  felt  and  acted  like  a  boy.  Every  participant  had  "a  great 
time."  Many  funny  incidents  followed  in  the  trail  of  this  trip  to  the  sea, 
which  are  still  recounted  with  pleasure.  It  was  the  "banner"  dinner  of 
the  Association.  This  banquet  extended  the  old,  unwritten  rule  (to 
tender  to  every  member  of  the  Bar  who  completes  fifty  years  of  con- 
tinuous active  practice  a  dinner  by  his  fellows),  to  every  ten  years  of 
active  practice  after  fifty  years  of  continuous  practice. 

The  next  attorney  to  achieve  fifty  years  of  active  practice  at  the  Bar 
was  the  president  of  the  Association,  George  W.  Rogers.  The  same 
"stock"  banquet  committee  arranged  for  the  complimentary  event.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  January  23,  1854.  The  dinner  was  given  at 
the  Continental  Hotel,  Philadelphia,  February  18,  1905.  The  toast- 
master  was  Hon.  Aaron  S.  Swartz,  '75.  Rogers  responded  feelingly  to 
"Fifty  Years  at  the  Bar ;"  Judge  Weand,  '60,  to  "Reminiscences  of  the 
Bench;"  March,  '60,  Evans  (Miller  D.),  '64,  Fornance,  '66,  Gotwalts, 
'67,  and  Tyson,  '69,  to  "Reminiscences  of  the  Bar,"  and  Judge  Solly,  '79, 
to  "The  Judiciary."  There  were  fifty-four  participants.  It  was  a 
delightful  affair. 

At  the  meeting  held  on  April  18,  1910,  Montgomery  Evans,  Neville  D. 
Tyson,  Wm.  F.  Dannehower,  Henry  M.  Tracy  and  Irvin  P.  Knipe  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  arrange  for  a  fitting  commemoration,  on  April 
21,  1910,  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  Judge  Henry  K.  Weand's  admis- 
sion to  the  Bar.  This  committee,  on  January  16,  191 1,  reported  that 
owing  to  a  recent  death  in  the  judge's  family,  the  commemoration  con- 
sisted simply  in  the  presentation,  on  April  21,  1910,  in  open  court,  with 
fitting  remarks,  of  a  bouquet  of  fifty  American  Beauty  roses  and  the 
adoption  of  a  suitable  minute  in  open  court,  which  was  directed  to  be 
spread  upon  the  records  of  the  court.  The  eloquent,  eulogistic  minute 
is  recorded  in  the  prothonotary's  office  in  Miscellaneous  Docket  No.  9, 
page  94. 


274  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Another  complimentary  dinner  of  note  was  tendered  at  The  Bellevue- 
Stratford  Hotel,  Philadelphia,  on  May  loth,  1913,  to  President  Judge 
Aaron  S.  Swartz  and  Additional  Law  Judge  Henry  K.  Weand,  in  com- 
memoration of  twenty-five  years'  service  upon  the  Montgomery  county 
Bench.  The  affair  was  given  in  charge  of  a  special  committee  compris- 
ing Messrs.  Evans  (Montgomery),  Tyson,  Brownback,  Dannehower,  and 
Wright.  The  elaborate  menu  was  thoroughly  discussed  by  sixty-one 
legal  lights  of  the  local  Bar.  Judges  Swartz  and  Weand  "reminisced" 
on  "Twenty-five  Years  on  the  Bench ;"  N.  H.  Larzelere  spoke  sagely 
on  behalf  of  "The  Senior  Bar,"  and  Theodore  Lane  Bean  pleaded  hope- 
fully on  behalf  of  "The  Junior  Bar." 

A  notably  complimentary  dinner  was  given  to  President  Judge 
Swartz  on  his  completion  on  May  2,  191 7,  of  thirty  years'  distinguished 
service  upon  the  Bench.  It  was  held  at  the  Bellevue-Stratford  on  the 
evening  of  May  2,  1917.  Eighty-six  judges  and  lawyers  sat  at  the 
festive  board,  including  three  honorary  guests — friends  of  Judge  Swartz 
— Judge  Ryan,  of  Bucks  county.  Judge  Reed,  of  Jefferson  county,  and 
Jefferson  Snyder,  Esq.,  of  Reading,  Pennsylvania.  Judge  Solly  was  the 
toastmaster.  N.  H.  Larzelere  responded  to  "The  Senior  Bar;"  Henry  I. 
Fox,  "The  Junior  Bar ;"  and  Judge  Miller,  "The  Bench."  Responses  were 
had  also  from  the  honorary  guests  and  others.  The  dinner  was  truly  a 
memorable  occasion. 

Another  lawyer  to  complete  fifty  years  of  continuous  active  practice 
at  the  Bar — Joseph  Fornance,  on  April  12,  1916.  On  April  6,  1916,  it 
was  directed  to  give  him  a  complimentary  dinner  in  accordance  with  the 
unwritten  rule  of  the  Association,  if  not  of  the  profession.  The  arrange- 
ments were  to  be  made  by  Messrs.  Place,  Fox  (G.  R.),  Dettra,  Wright 
and  Dannehower.  Owing  to  World  War  conditions  and  the  request  of 
Mr.  Fornance,  the  dinner  was  postponed  until  January,  1919.  But  in  the 
meantime  another  member  of  the  Association  reached  the  fifty  years' 
goal  of  active  practice — Jacob  V.  Gotwalts,  on  August  20,  1917.  On 
January  20,  1919,  the  committee  appointed  for  the  Fornance  dinner  was 
directed  by  the  Association,  at  the  request  and  with  the  concurrence  of 
the  parties  to  be  honored,  to  proceed  with  arrangements  for  a  joint  com- 
plimentary dinner  to  Messrs.  Fornance  and  Gotwalts.  The  war  was 
practically  over.  In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Place,  the  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee had  died,  January  19,  1919.  The  dinner  was  given  at  the  Belle- 
vue-Stratford, on  Saturday,  May  17,  1919.  Fifty-three  members  and 
two  specially  invited  guests  enjoyed  the  twin  occasion  immensely. 
Each  of  the  honored  guests  was  presented  with  a  handsome  and  suitably 
inscribed  silver  loving  cup. 

Neville  D.  Tyson  attained  fifty  years'  continuous  active  practice 
at  the  local  Bar  on  August  17,  1919.  War  conditions  being  over,  Messrs. 
Dannehower,  Dettra,  Fox  and  Wright  provided  for  a  great  outing 
(instead   of  a   formal   dinner)   at   Mr.   Tyson's   democratic   request,   at 


BENCH  AND  BAR  275 

Kugler's  Old  Mohican  Club  grounds,  on  the  Delaware,  in  New  Jersey, 
on  May  26,  1921.  Sixty-one  members  did  honor  to  Mr.  Tyson.  The 
honored  guest  was  deeply  moved  when  he  was  unexpectedly  presented 
by  his  legal  brethren  with  a  handsome  silver  loving  cup,  appropriately 
inscribed. 

The  most  recent  testimonial  dinner  was  the  one  given  to  Judge 
Swartz  on  his  resignation  and  retirement  from  the  active  duties  of  the 
Bench  under  the  Judges'  Retirement  Act  of  1919,  in  recognition  of 
nearly  thirty-six  years  of  honorable  and  distinguished  judicial  service. 
It  was  given  on  June  7,  1923,  at  the  Ritz-Carlton  Hotel,  Philadelphia. 
Seventy-nine  judges  and  lawyers  participated  in  the  eventful  occasion. 
President  Judge  Solly,  of  the  Orphans'  Court,  was  the  toastmaster.  The 
honored  guest  painted  a  masterful  word  picture  of  the  changes  in  the 
personnel  of  the  Bar  and  of  legal  practice  and  the  intimate  relations 
between  the  local  Bench  and  Bar  during  his  long  judicial  service.  Judges 
Miller  and  Williams  responded  to  the  "Old  Bench"  and  the  "New  Bench," 
respectively ;  N.  H.  Larzelere  and  J.  Aubrey  Anderson  to  the  "Old"  and 
the  "New"  Bar ;  and  Montgomery  Evans,  and  Jefferson  Snyder,  a  spec- 
ially invited  guest  of  the  Berks  County  Bar,  to  "Friends,  Indeed !" 

The  next  in  line  to  be  honored  with  complimentary  dinners  are : 
Louis  M.  Childs,  March  14,  1926;  N.  H.  Larzelere,  September  29,  1927; 
Henry  Freedley,  Jr.,  November  5,  1928;  Montgomery  Evans,  December 
2,  1928;  Judge  William  F.  Solly,  September  i,  1929;  and  Wm.  F.  Dan- 
nehower,  June  7,  1930,  perhaps  a  yearly  occurrence  between  1926  and 
1930,  inclusive. 

In  1909,  on  Judge  Swartz's  completion  of  twenty-one  years'  service 
on  the  Bench,  the  Association  presented  him  while  presiding  in  court 
with  twenty-one  American  Beauty  roses. 

Complimentary  banquets  were  not  confined  to  those  given  by  the 
Association  to  honor  some  judge  or  lawyer.  The  tables  were  occasion- 
ally reversed  and  some  notable  banquets  or  receptions  were  given  to 
the  Association.  Colonel  Boyd,  in  1892  or  1893,  tendered  the  Associa- 
tion an  elegant  and  elaborate  banquet  at  the  Colonnade  Hotel.  On  Sat- 
urday evening,  January  18,  1902,  Montgomery  Evans  entertained  the 
Association  at  dinner  at  the  Continental  Hotel,  Philadelphia.  It  was 
well  attended  and  greatly  appreciated.  Three  or  four  years  later,  George 
W.  Rogers,  president  of  the  Association,  gave  a  banquet  at  the  Hotel 
Hamilton,  Norristown.  It  was  served  according  to  his  pet  idea,  "with- 
out wine."  It  was  a  notable  affair.  Judge  Swartz,  N.  H.  Larzelere, 
Louis  M.  Childs,  F.  G.  Hobson,  C.  Henry  Stinson,  were  others  who  at 
various  times  entertained  the  members  of  the  Association. 

Necrology — Between  December  22,  1880,  and  January  19,  1821 — 
forty-one  years — fifty-one  members  of  the  Association  died.  During 
that  period  it  strangely  happened  that  in   eight   instances   three   died 


276  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

within  periods  of  from  one  to  ten  months,  and  five  instances  when  two 
died  within  a  period  of  from  half  a  month  to  five  months.  And  there 
were  three  intervals  of  three  years  or  more  when  there  were  no  deaths — 
between  August  i6,  1887  and  January  20,  1891,  February  i,  1896  and 
March  10,  1899,  and  November  14,  1909  and  May  30,  1913.  Strange 
fatality !    The  death  roll  is  as  follows : 

Joseph  L.  Allabough  died  September  20,  1881 ;  Benton  Ramsey, 
October  25,  1881 ;  and  Charles  Slemmer,  November  12,  1881 ;  three  in 
less  than  two  months. 

Judge  Henry  P.  Ross  died  April  13,  1882 ;  Warren  C.  Evans,  August 
28,  1882;  Charles  Henry  Garber,  November  9,  1882 — three  within  six 
months. 

Gen.  John  Henry  Hobart  died  March  29,  1887;  J.  Wright  Apple,  June 
16,  1887;  and  Judge  B.  Markley  Boyer,  August  16,  1887 — three  within 
five  months. 

Charles  Hunsicker  died  October  27,  1895 ;  Walter  S.  Jennings,  No- 
vember 14,  1895;  and  Isaac  Chism,  November  20,  1895 — three  in  less 
than  one  month. 

Ex-Judge  Charles  H.  Stinson  died  March  10,  1899;  A.  Edwin  Long- 
aker,  September  13,  1899;  ^"<^  Henry  R.  Brown,  January  12,  1900 — three 
within  ten  months. 

George  N.  Corson  died  April  12,  1902;  Capt.  William  Rennyson, 
April  14,  1902;  and  Edward  E.  Long,  October  26,  1902 — three  within 
seven  months. 

George  S.  Egolf  died  March  6,  1908;  Jacob  A.  Strassburger,  March 
30,  1908;  and  Franklin  March,  April  14,  1908 — three  within  one  month 
and  eight  days. 

Miss  Lelia  Jenkins  died  January  17,  1917;  Oliver  L.  Evans,  March 
18,  1917;  and  Jeremiah  B.  Larzelere,  Jr.,  March  27,  1917 — three  within 
three  months. 

James  H.  Maxwell  died  September  27,  1909,  and  Benjamin  Harry, 
November  14,  1909 — two  within  two  months. 

John  W.  Bickel  died  May  10,  1913,  and  Miller  D.  Evans,  October, 
191 3 — two  within  five  months. 

Ex-Judge  James  B.  Holland  died  April  24,  1914,  and  Judge  Henry 
K.  Weand,  July  30,  1914 — two  within  about  three  months. 

Harvey  L.  Shomo  died  September  25,  1915,  and  Mrs.  Irvin  P.  Knipe, 
November  30,  1915 — two  within  about  two  months. 

Jacob  V.  Gotwalts  died  January  6,  1921,  and  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins,  Jan- 
uary 19,  1921 — two  within  two  weeks. 

The  Bar  Association  Officiary — The  following  shows  the  officers  of 
the  Bar  Association  from  its  organization  until  the  present  year  (1923): 

Presidents — Col.  James  Boyd,  1885-1887,  resigned ;  B.  E.  Chain,  1887, 
to  March  28,  1893,  died;  Col.  James  Boyd,  1894  to  October  18,  1904, 
died ;  George  W.  Rogers,  1905  to  July  24,  1907,  died ;  H.  K.  Weand,  1908 
to  July  30,  1914,  died;  Joseph  Fornance,  1915  to  date. 

Vice-Presidents — George  W.  Rogers,  1885  to  1905,  elected  presi- 
dent; Miller  D.  Evans,  1905  to  October,  1913,  died;  Joseph  Fornance, 
1914  to  191 5,  elected  president;  Jacob  V.  Gotwalts,  191 5  to  January  6, 
1921,  died;  Neville  D.  Tyson,  1921  to  date. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  277 

Secretary — Wm.  F.  Dannehower,  1885  to  date. 

Treasurers — Henry  R.  Brown,  1885  to  January  12,  1900,  died;  I.  P. 
Knipe,  1900  to  1904,  declined;  George  K.  Brecht,  1904  to  date. 

Committee  of  Censors— B.  E.  Chain,  1885  to  1887,  elected  president; 
Charles  T.  Miller,  1885  to  September  3,  1885,  died;  Joseph  Fornance. 
1885  to  1914,  elected  vice-president;  Louis  M.  Childs,  1885  to  1896, 
elected  vice-president;  Montgomery  Evans,  1885  to  date;  Charles  Hun- 
sicker,  1886  to  October  27,  1895,  died ;  H.  K.  Weand,  1887  to  1888,  elected 
president;  Isaac  Chism,  1888  to  November  20,  1895,  died;  N.  H.  Lar- 
zelere,  1896  to  date;  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins,  1896  to  January  19,  1921,  died; 
F.  G.  Hobson,  1896  to  January  10,  1906,  died;  John  W.  Bickel,  1906  to 
May  30,  1913,  died ;  Neville  D.  Tyson,  1914  to  date ;  Gilbert  Rodman  Fox, 
1914  to  1921 ;  Freas  Styer,  1921  to  date;  Jesse  R.  Evans,  1921  to  date. 

The  Montgomery  County  Law  Library — Intimately  associated  with 
the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Montgomery  county,  is  the  Montgomery  County 
Law  Library.  This  library,  located  in  the  court  house  at  Norristown,  the 
county  seat,  has  few  rivals  in  Pennsylvania  outside  of  Pittsburgh  and 
Philadelphia.  The  law  libraries  at  Carlisle  and  Scranton  alone  are  in 
the  same  class. 

During  the  first  twenty-five  years  of  the  local  library's  existence,  its 
prospects  were  not  encouraging.  The  law  library  committee  which  had 
it  in  charge  did  not  hold  stated  meetings,  and  its  conduct  and  manage- 
ment were  indifferent.  In  1895,  however,  under  the  judicial  regime  of 
Judges  Swartz  and  Weand,  new  life  was  infused  into  this  seemingly 
corpse-like  organization.  From  then  on,  the  affairs  of  the  library 
assumed  business-like  proportions;  Judge  Swartz  himself  presided  at 
the  committee  meetings ;  a  secretary  was  elected  who  kept  minutes  and 
recorded  them  in  the  minute  book.  Judge  Swartz  put  heart  and  soul 
into  the  enterprise.  He  was  determined  to  build  up  a  library  second  to 
none  in  the  State  outside  of  Pittsburgh  and  Philadelphia.  His  associ- 
ates on  the  committee  were  inspired  with  a  like  determination. 

In  1901  Judge  Solly  became  a  valuable  and  enthusiastic  member  of 
the  committee,  and  in  1914  Judge  Miller,  as  the  successor  of  Judge 
Weand,  deceased,  added  his  zeal  and  energy.  The  hands  of  Judge 
Swartz  were  ever  steadily  upheld  by  the  other  judges  and  by  the  able, 
willing,  faithful  and  harmonious  non-judicial  members  of  the  committee. 

The  English  Reports,  United  States  Reports,  the  Reports  of  every 
State  in  the  Union,  and  the  Pennsylvania  Sidebar  (County)  Reports 
were  procured ;  also  the  latest  Digests  of  Decisions  and  Encyclopedias 
of  Law;  the  Statutes  of  the  United  States,  of  many  prominent  States, 
and  of  this  State ;  the  latest  text-books  and  works  of  reference — in  brief, 
all  the  law  books  that  go  to  make  up  a  full,  complete  and  up-to-date  law 
library.  The  10,098  volumes  of  the  library  are  handsomely  housed  in  a 
central  room  on  the  second  floor  of  the  court  house,  facing  Swede  street ; 
are  carefully  and  systematically  shelved  in  handsome  steel  cases ;  are 
fully  indexed  both  as  to  author,  title  and  subject  matter,  and  well  kept 


278  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

by  the  obliging  and  capable  librarian,  John  O'Neill.  The  library  is  a 
splendid  and  a  valuable  asset  of  the  county  and  a  modest  monument  to 
its  founders  and  its  builders. 

The  Law  Library  Committee — The  Montgomery  county  law  library 
committee  that  has  charge  of  the  affairs  of  the  library,  is  the  creature  of 
special  legislation.  The  special  Act  of  Assembly,  approved  March  12, 
1869,  applicable  to  Montgomery  and  Perry  counties,  provided  that 
thereafter 

All  fines  and  penalties  imposed,  all  forfeited  recognizances  in  the 
several  courts  of  Montgomery  and  Perry  counties,  to  vi^hich  the  said 
counties  are  by  existing  laws  entitled,  are  hereby  directed  to  be  paid  to 
the  treasurer  of  the  committee  of  members  of  the  bar  appointed  as  herein 
provided,  for  the  use  of  a  law  library  to  be  kept  in  the  Court  House  of 
the  respective  counties  for  the  use  of  the  courts  and  the  bar  thereof. 

The  Act  further  provided : 

That  the  money  thus  arising  shall  be  expended  for  said  law  library 
from  time  to  time  under  the  direction  of  the  President  Judge  and  com- 
mittee of  at  least  three  resident  members  of  the  Bar  of  the  respective 
counties,  to  be  appointed  by  the  judges  of  said  respective  counties  annu- 
ally, or  oftener  if  required,  and  the  said  committee,  together  with  the 
President  Judge,  shall  adopt  such  rules  for  the  regulation  of  said  library 
as  may  be  deemed  expedient. 

The  Act  also  provides  for  the  collection  of  forfeited  recognizances 
by  the  district  attorney  and  their  payment  to  the  treasurer  of  the  com- 
mittee. The  county  commissioners  are  required  by  the  Act  to  desig- 
nate and  fit  up  a  room  in  the  court  house  for  such  library,  which  shall 
be  in  the  custody  and  under  the  control  of  the  committee. 

On  April  15,  1869,  about  a  month  after  the  Act  was  passed,  Judge 
Henry  Champan  appointed  the  following  seven  prominent  members  of 
the  local  Bar  as  the  committee,  namely :  James  Boyd,  Daniel  M.  Smy- 
ser,  Charles  H.  Stinson,  Carroll  S.  Tyson,  Benjamin  E.  Chain,  Charles 
T.  Miller  and  Charles  Hunsicker.  This  committee  met  in  Col.  Boyd's 
law  office  for  organization  in  the  afternoon  of  August  19,  1869.  All  the 
members  were  present  except  ex-Judge  Smyser.  Judge  Chapman  also 
attended.  Col.  Boyd  presided.  Charles  T.  Miller  was  appointed  secre- 
tary and  treasurer.  Messrs.  Tyson  and  Miller  were  appointed  to  prepare 
and  report  rules  for  the  regulation  of  the  library. 

At  the  next  meeting,  again  held  at  Col.  Boyd's  office,  September  29, 
1869,  he  was  reelected  chairman  for  the  ensuing  year.  Rules  of  regu- 
lation were  reported  and  adopted.  Messrs.  Chain,  Stinson  and  Hun- 
sicker were  appointed  a  committee  on  books,  and  Messrs.  Smyser  and 
Tyson  on  room.  The  committee  on  books  was  directed  to  secure  a 
librarian  whose  salary  was  not  to  exceed  $50  per  year. 

The  rules  for  the  regulation  of  the  law  library,  which  were  reported 


BENCH  AND  BAR  279 

by  Messrs.  Tyson  and  Miller,  and  adopted  by  the  committee,  provided 
for  the  annual  appointment  of  seven  members  of  the  Bar  to  manage  its 
affairs,  from  whom  a  president,  secretary  and  treasurer  were  to  be 
appointed,  and  also  a  sub-committee  on  books  and  another  on  room. 
The  committee  was  to  appoint  a  librarian  annually.  The  library  was  to 
be  kept  open  for  the  use  of  the  members  from  10  to  3  daily,  except  Sun- 
days and  legal  holidays.  The  duties  of  the  officers  were  defined.  The 
treasurer  was  not  to  pay  out  any  money  except  upon  a  resolution  of  the 
committee.  Charles  T.  Miller  was  chosen  treasurer.  On  April  14,  1870, 
the  original  committee  was  reappointed. 

The  next  meeting  was  held  in  the  library  fitted  up  in  the  court  house, 
on  April  25,  1870,  when  Col.  Boyd  was  again  chosen  president  and 
Charles  T.  Miller  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  the  former  committees  on 
books  and  room  were  reappointed.  Harry  Drake  was  chosen  librarian. 
Books  amounting  to  $1300  were  purchased  from  Kay  Brothers.  An- 
other lot  of  books  was  purchased  early  in  1871  from  the  same  firm, 
amounting  to  $1479.75,  and  in  1873  to  $1701.65. 

On  June  i,  1871,  Col.  Boyd  and  Miller  were  reelected,  and  B.  Markley 
Boyer  became  a  member  of  the  committee  and  was  appointed  on  the 
committee  on  room,  to  succeed  Carroll  Tyson. 

Up  to  this  time,  Judge  Chapman  had  been  the  president  and  sole 
judge  of  the  courts.  It  seems  he  took  no  active  part  in  the  proceedings 
of  the  committee.  He  was  succeeded  on  the  bench  by  Judge  Ross  in 
1872.  He,  too,  it  appeared,  took  no  active  interest  in  the  work  of  the 
committee. 

On  January  6,  1873,  the  old  officers  were  again  reelected.  Henry  K. 
Weand  became  a  member  of  the  committee,  succeeding  ex-Judge  Smy- 
ser.  Franklin  T.  Brewer  was  elected  librarian.  On  October  25,  the  law 
library  was  moved  to  the  room  in  the  court  house  before  occupied  b/ 
Col.  John  R.  Breitenbach,  United  States  Internal  Revenue  Collector. 
So  far  as  the  minute  book  discloses,  no  meeting  was  held  in  1874,  only 
one  in  1875,  September  20th ;  then  none  until  December  19,  1881 — a  gap 
of  six  years;  and  then  none  until  February  21,  1883. 

In  the  meantime,  in  1882,  Judge  Stinson  succeeded  on  the  bench 
Judge  Ross,  deceased,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded,  on  the  first  Monday 
of  January,  1883,  by  Judge  Boyer  by  election.  Then  Judge  Boyer  called 
a  meeting  of  the  committee  to  be  held  in  his  room  in  the  court  house  on 
February  21,  1883.  There  were  present  beside  himself,  Joseph  Fornance, 
Henry  R.  Brown,  and  Louis  M.  Childs.  Neville  D.  Tyson  and  Charles 
T.  Miller  were  the  other  members  of  the  committee.  Nathaniel  Jacoby 
was  the  librarian.  Judge  Boyer  was  elected  chairman  and  Mr.  Childs 
secretary.  Tyson  and  Brown  were  appointed  a  committee  on  books, 
and  Fornance  and  Childs,  on  room.  There  were  sig^s  of  the  commit- 
tee's rejuvenation. 


28o  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

N  ew  rules  for  the  regulation  of  the  library  were  adopted.  The  library 
was  to  be  kept  open  by  the  librarian  from  8.30  to  12  m.  and  from  i  to  5 
p.  m.,  except  Sundays  and  legal  holidays.  General  Bar  meetings  were 
permitted  to  be  held  in  the  law  library.  No  books  were  to  be  taken  out 
of  the  library  except  by  a  judge  of  the  courts  or  a  member  of  the  Bar  of 
the  county ;  but  no  book  was  to  be  taken  out  of  the  borough  of  Norris- 
town.  During  the  sessions  of  any  court  for  jury  trials  or  of  any  regular 
argument  court,  books  were  prohibited  from  being  taken  out  except  for 
use  in  court.    Turning  down  of  leaves  and  pencil  marks  were  prohibited. 

Another  meeting  at  which  only  routine  business  was  transacted,  was 
held  during  the  following  week,  and  then,  strange  to  say,  there  is 
another  gap  in  the  minute  book  of  twelve  years — until  January  25,  1895. 
During  at  least  a  part  of  this  interval  ex-Associate  Judge  Nathaniel  B. 
Jacoby  was  the  librarian,  and,  to  the  writer's  recollection,  after  April  i, 
1890,  was  also  the  secretary  of  the  committee  and  kept  minutes  of  the 
meetings.  These  minutes,  however,  do  not  appear  in  the  only  minute 
book  in  the  committee's  possession.  What  became  of  them  is  not 
known.  They  would  throw  light  upon  the  changes  in  the  personnel  of 
the  committee. 

There  was  an  infusion  of  new  life  in  1895.  The  meeting  held  on 
January  25th  was  attended  by  Judges  Swartz  and  Weand,  who  had  been 
on  the  Bench  since  1887.  John  S.  Jones  was  elected  as  secretary. 
From  then  on,  monthly  meetings  were  regularly  held  on  the  last  Friday 
of  every  month,  and  minutes  of  the  meetings  were  faithfully  kept  and 
recorded  in  the  minute  book.  The  committee  at  that  time  consisted  of 
Messrs.  Montgomery  Evans,  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins,  Wm.  F.  Dannehower, 
Jacob  A.  Strassburger  and  Isaac  Chism.  The  committee  took  on  new 
life  and  set  out  on  a  faithful  performance  of  their  duties  and  the  building 
up  of  a  law  library  worthy  of  the  name.  They  little  dreamed,  however, 
that  the  library  would  grow  to  rank  second  to  none  in  the  State  out- 
side of  Pittsburgh  and  Philadelphia. 

After  the  reappointment  of  the  original  committee  in  1870,  the 
records  of  the  Court  in  the  prothonotary's  office  show  no  further  appoint- 
ments until  November  20,  1885,  when  Montgomery  Evans  was  appointed 
by  Judge  Boyer  to  succeed  Charles  T.  Miller,  who  died  September  3, 
1885.  The  record  mentions  the  remaining  members  to  have  been  Joseph 
Fornance,  Neville  D.  Tyson,  Henry  R.  Brown,  and  Louis  M.  Childs. 

In  1887  Judge  Aaron  S.  Swartz  and  Judge  Henry  K.  Weand  became 
members  of  the  committee  by  reason  of  their  appointments  as  President 
Judge  and  Additional  Law  Judge,  respectively.  The  latter  served  until 
his  decease  on  July  30,  1914. 

On  the  3rd  of  March,  1890,  the  Court  (Judges  Swartz  and  Weand) 
appointed  from  and  after  April  i,  1890,  B.  E.  Chain,  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins, 
Montgomery  Evans,  Wm.  F.  Dannehower  and  Jacob  A.  Strassburger, 


BENCH  AND  BAR  281 

as  the  members  of  the  committee.  Mr.  Chain  died  March  28,  1893,  and 
was,  on  the  18th  of  September,  1893,  succeeded  by  Isaac  Chism,  who 
died  November  20,  1895,  and  was  succeeded,  December  31,  1895,  by 
Henry  M.  Brownback. 

William  F.  Solly,  judge  of  the  Orphans'  Court,  became  a  member  of 
the  committee  after  his  appointment  to  the  Bench,  on  September  6, 
1901.  On  the  24th  of  June,  1904,  on  motion  of  Judge  Weand,  the  time 
for  holding  monthly  meetings  was  changed  from  the  last  Friday,  to  the 
last  Thursday,  of  every  month. 

On  October  26,  1905,  William  F.  Dannehower  was  elected  secretary 
of  the  committee.  Montgomery  Evans  was  the  treasurer  then,  elected 
in  1885.    Both  have  held  the  same  offices  to  the  present  day. 

In  1907  Messrs.  Dannehower  and  Evans  devised  a  system  of  indexing 
which  was  adopted  and  has  since  been  enlarged  and  perfected  by  Mr. 
Wright. 

Mr.  Strassburger  died  March  30,  1908,  and  on  November  25th  was 
succeeded  by  Franklin  L.  Wright.  Judge  John  Faber  Miller,  on  his 
appointment  and  election  to  the  judicial  office,  in  1914,  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee,  succeeding  Judge  Weand,  deceased.  Mr.  Jenkins 
died  January  19,  1921.  No  successor  has  been  appointed.  The  present 
committee  consists  of  Montgomery  Evans,  1885 ;  Judge  Swartz,  1887 ; 
Wm.  F.  Dannehower,  1890;  Henry  M.  Brownback,  1895;  Judge  Solly, 
1901 ;  Franklin  L.  Wright,  1908;  Judge  Miller,  1914;  Judge  Williams, 
1923. 

There  is  no  salary  attached  to  any  of  the  offices,  except  a  mere  nomi- 
nal salary  is  paid  the  treasurer,  and  a  small  salary  to  the  librarian. 

The  following  shows  the  membership  and  officiary  of  the  committee : 

James  Boyd,  1869;  Daniel  M.  Smyser,  1869-73;  Charles  H.  Stinson, 
1869;  Carroll  S.  Tyson,  1869-71;  Benjamin  E.  Chain,  1869;  Charles  T. 
Miller,  1869-85;  Charles  Hunsicker,  1869;  B.  Markley  Boyer,  1871  ; 
Henry  K.  Weand,  1873;  Joseph  Fornance,  1883;  Henry  R.  Brown,  1883; 
Louis  M.  Childs,  1883;  Neville  D.  Tyson,  1883;  Judge  Aaron  S.  Swartz, 
1885  to  date ;  Montgomery  Evans,  1885  to  date ;  Henry  K.  Weand,  1887- 
1914;  B.  E.  Chain,  1890-93;  J.  P.  Hale  Jenkins,  1890-1921 ;  Wm.  F.  Dan- 
nehower, 1890  to  date ;  Jacob  A.  Strassburger,  1890-1908 ;  Isaac  Chism, 
1893-95 ;  H.  M.  Brownback,  1895  to  date ;  Judge  Wm.  F.  Solly,  1901  to 
date;  Franklin  L.  Wright,  1908  to  date;  Judge  John  Faber  Miller,  1914 
to  date. 

Presidents — Col.  James  Boyd,  1869;  President  Judge  B.  Markley 
Boyer,  1883-87 ;  President  Judge  Aaron  S.  Swartz,  1887  to  date. 

Secretary — Chas.  T.  Miller,  1869-85;  John  S.  Jones,  1895-1904;  Wm. 
F.  Dannehower  (temporary),  1904-05  ;  Wm.  F.  Dannehower,  1905  to  date. 

Treasurers — Chas.  T.  Miller,  1869-85 ;  Montgomery  Evans,  1885  to 
date. 

Librarians — Howard  Drake,  1870-73 ;  Frank  T.  Beerer,  1873-75  '< 
Nathaniel  B.  Jacoby,  1875-95;  John  S.  Jones,  1895-1904;  Wm.  D.  White- 
side, 1904-08;  John  S.  Jones,  1908-15;  John  O'Neill,  1915  to  date. 


CHAPTER  XX. 
INDUSTRIES  AND  MANUFACTURING. 

In  1920  the  government  reports  stated  that  the  agricultural  products 
of  Montgomery  county  amounted  to  $7,283,410,  as  against  $246,000,000 
in  manufactured  products,  thus  showing  the  great  preponderance  of 
manufactures  over  agriculture.  The  largest  industrial  interests  are 
found  in  iron  manufactures,  textile  fabrics,  paper,  glass  and  cigar 
production. 

Early  Manufactures — Iron  works  were  first  established  in  what  is 
now  Montgomery  county,  at  Valley  Forge,  at  least  as  early  as  1750. 
These  works  were  burned  and  generally  destroyed  by  the  British  in 
1777,  and  the  new  works  were  afterward  built  by  the  famous  Potts  fam- 
ily. Other  iron  works  were  operated  in  this  county,  but  in  1820  there 
were  only  two  forges,  two  trip  hammers  and  seven  naileries  in  the 
county.  Coming  down  to  1884,  there  were  a  large  number  of  furnaces, 
rolling-mills  and  steel  works.  The  blast  furnaces  were :  Plymouth, 
built  in  1843 ;  Merion  and  Elizabeth  furnaces,  erected  at  West  Consho- 
hocken,  in  1847;  Swede,  in  1850;  William  Penn,  1854;  Montgomery,  at 
Port  Kennedy,  1854;  Anvil,  of  Pottstown,  in  1867;  Edgehill,  1869;  Nor- 
ristown,  1869;  Warwick,  Pottstown,  in  1875;  and  Lucinda,  at  Norris- 
town.  The  rolling-mills  and  steel  works  were:  Conshohocken,  com- 
menced in  1832;  Norristown  iron  works,  1846;  Pottstown  iron  works, 
1846;  Stony  Creek  rolling  mill,  1849;  Pottstown  Iron  Company,  1863; 
Glasgow  iron  works,  1874;  Plymouth  rolling  mills,  1881 ;  Longmead  iron 
works,  1882;  and  Ellis  and  Lessig's  rolling  mill,  at  Pottstown,  in  1884. 
The  Schuylkill  iron  works  were  built  in  1858,  at  Conshohocken,  and  the 
Standard  iron  works  at  Norristown  in  1857.  The  total  value  of  the 
products  from  all  nineteen  of  these  mills  amounted,  in  1880,  to  seven 
million  dollars. 

From  unquestioned  authority,  the  first  paper  mill  to  operate  in  this 
county  was  the  Langstroth  paper  mill,  erected  on  the  Pennypack,  in 
Moreland  township,  in  1794.  This  mill  was  owned  by  Thomas  Lang- 
stroth, and  burned  in  1809.  The  Rockhill  and  old  Scheetz  mill,  built  in 
1798  in  Lower  Merion,  produced  hand-made  paper  for  many  years.  The 
Riverside  paper  mill  in  Whitemarsh  township  was  started  in  1856,  and 
made  a  fine  grade  of  book,  card  and  envelope  paper.  In  i860  the  Ash- 
land dyewood  mills  were  changed  into  a  paper  mill,  and  they  produced 
only  newspaper  material.  Ten  years  later,  the  Rebecca  manila  paper 
mills  of  Bridgeport,  were  started,  and  in  1884  Cox  &  Dagers  built  the 
Norristown  manila  paper  mills.  The  total  paper  made  in  all  six  of  these 
paper  mills  in  1880  was  worth  more  than  half  a  million  dollars. 

It  was  in  the  early  days  of  the  settlement  of  this  county  that  out  of 


284  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

necessity  the  manufacture  of  textile  fabrics  began,  and  this  branch  of 
industry  was  developed  to  quite  a  considerable  extent.  In  1810,  besides 
ten  thousand  looms  and  three  hundred  carding  machines  in  operation, 
there  were  two  cotton  manufacturing  establishments  in  the  county.  The 
value  of  all  kinds  of  cloth  made  in  this  county  in  1810  was  nearly  $100,- 
000.  One  of  the  oldest  cotton  mills  in  the  State  was  the  Simpson,  in 
Norristown,  built  in  1826,  by  Benard  McCreedy.  Other  mills  of  the 
county  forty  years  ago  were:  Hunters,  at  Norristown,  built  in  1836; 
Merion  mills ;  Washington  or  Watts,  built  in  1849,  ^.s  Moy  Craig  mill ; 
Conshohocken,  1856;  Ford  street  mills,  Norristown,  in  1856;  Albion 
Print  Works,  1885 ;  and  the  Jones'  mill,  operated  before  1880.  The  Fair- 
view  cotton  mills  were  started  in  1825,  and  the  Jones'  mills  were  opened 
prior  to  1825  and  burned  in  1884.  Many  cotton  mills  were  partly  con- 
verted into  woolen  mills.  The  Valley  Forge  woolen  mills  were  estab- 
lished in  1810  as  a  cotton  mill  by  James  Rogers.  Of  woolen  and  yarn 
mills,  Worrall  and  Ratclift's  mills  were  started  about  1861,  when  the 
Rose  Glen  mill  went  into  operation ;  Bullocks,  1863 ;  Lee's  carpet  mills, 
1864;  New  Union,  1870;  and  Smith's,  in  1883. 

With  the  passing  years  there  have  been  literally  hundreds  of  factories 
in  this  county,  producing  everything  from  a  common  carpet  tack  (which 
were  really  produced  by  the  ton  weekly  by  those  thus  engaged),  to  the 
great  products  of  iron  for  bridges,  railways,  etc.  The  boroughs  of  Potts- 
town,  Norristown,  and  nearby  places  constituted  a  veritable  beehive  of 
miscellaneous  industry.  Many  of  these  older  plants  have  gone,  while 
others  of  a  more  modern  type  have  taken  their  places.  With  the  machin- 
ery of  to-day,  almost  endless  quantities  of  goods  can  be  put  on  the 
world's  market  in  quick  dispatch. 

Numerous  branches  of  industry  have  been  mentioned  in  the  several 
township  and  borough  histories  of  this  work,  hence  need  not  be  dwelt 
on  in  this  connection.  From  what  has  been  already  recorded  about  the 
past  and  present  of  the  county's  manufacturing  plants,  it  can  readily  be 
admitted  that  the  "Kingdom  of  Montgomery"  is  one  vast  work-shop, 
whose  products  go  forth  to  all  quarters  of  the  globe  and  have  no  fear  of 
competition. 

All  new  counties  must,  as  soon  as  possible,  have  the  use  of  saw 
and  gristmills.  Perhaps  no  one  branch  of  industry  has  been  sub- 
ject to  more  changes  in  the  last  century  than  these  mills.  With 
the  heavy  forests  there  was  a  demand  for  many  saw  mills,  and  these 
were  usually,  in  this  county  with  so  many  fine  streams,  propelled  by 
water-power.  At  one  time  in  the  county's  history  one  might  have 
hunted  up  more  than  a  hundred  sawmills,  and  many,  many  gristmills, 
sometimes  combined,  and  again  attached  one  to  the  other.  Other  writers 
in  older  accounts  of  this  county  have  dwelt  at  length  on  this  interesting 
topic,  but  the  writer  will  hasten  along  to  more  up-to-date  subjects,  for 
bear  in  mind  that  the  felling  of  the  forests  has  done  away  with  about 


INDUSTRIES  AND  MANUFACTURING  285 

all  sawmills  in  Montgomery  county.  As  to  flouring  mills,  there  are  a 
few  excellent  modern  mills  in  various  boroughs,  mention  of  which  has 
been  made  in  several  instances.  The  old  process  of  making  flour  by 
means  of  "upper  and  lower  millstones"  has  long  since  departed,  and 
well  it  is,  for  the  present  "roller"  system  is  so  far  superior  for  all  prac- 
tical uses  that  the  old  way  will  never  be  again  installed  in  mills.  But 
the  old-time  romance  of  "going  to  mill"  was  indeed  a  charming  experi- 
ence. "The  Old  Water  Mill"  is  sung  in  song  and  told  in  story,  and  will 
ever  be  held  as  sacred  for  the  associations  connected  therewith.  The 
custom  mill  has  been  displaced  by  the  merchant  mill  system,  and  few 
people  go  to  mill  and  wait  their  turn  and  watch  the  honest  miller  (?) 
take  his  toll,  but  the  farmer  sells  his  grain  and  purchases  his  family  flour, 
as  a  rule,  at  the  nearest  grocery  store. 

A  Philadelphia  concern  started  the  glass  industry  in  Norristown  in 
1868.  However,  the  enterprise  failed,  and  the  plant  passed  to  the  hands 
of  J.  M.  Albertson,  banker,  of  Norristown,  who  made  the  enterprise  go 
forward  to  a  success.  In  1884  there  were  twenty  pots  running,  giving 
employment  to  one  hundred  and  forty  men.  They  had  six  large  build- 
ings on  a  tract  of  land  of  about  four  acres  in  extent.  To-day  the  glass 
business  is  carried  on  along  different  lines  at  various  places  in  the 
county.  The  making  of  bottles  and  window  glass  are  specialties  in  this 
county  in  glass  goods.  (See  another  section  of  this  chapter  for  number 
engaged  in  the  business.) 

Present  Industries — The  census  of  the  United  States  in  1920  gave 
the  following  concerning  the  industries  of  Montgomery  county  at  that 
date.  The  number  of  persons  employed  in  each  industry  is  given  by 
boroughs  or  other  sub-divisions  of  the  county : 

Ambler — Asbestos  products,  1200. 

Ardmore — Automobile  works,  795;  gas  and  electric,  1318;  cut  stone, 
18;  laundry  workers,  66. 

Bridgeport — Amboy  Paper  Company,  24;  Diamond  State  Fibre 
Company,  364;  worsted  mills,  51;  structural  iron  shapes,  100;  Lee's 
Son  &  Co.,  yarns,  700;  crushed  stone  works,  24;  meat  packing  plant,  50; 
packing  boxes,  26;  worsted  and  felt  goods,  121;  pipes  and  tubing,  120; 
lime  industry,  67. 

Bryn  Mawr — Ice  plant,  50 ;  planing  mill  products,  24 ;  paper  bags, 
"j^;  laundry  workers,  78. 

Cheltenham — Ames  shovels  and  spades,  120;  braids  and  tape 
works,  50. 

Cold  Point  Station — Lime  works,  20. 

Collegeville — Flags  and  banners,  29;  flour  mills,  employ  three  men; 
stoves  and  ranges,  39  men. 

Conshohocken — Wood,  iron  and  steel,  606;  foundry  goods,  30;  ma- 
chine shops,  14;  cigars,  152;  scrap-iron  and  steel,  12;  cotton  mills,  190; 
stone  quarries,  25 ;  rubber  goods,  773 ;  glass  bottles,  75 ;  window  glass, 
29;  boilers  and  tanks,  357. 

East  Greenville — Silk  works,  56;  cigars,  389;  stone  industry,  9. 


286  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Fort  Washington — Bar  and  steel  works,  280. 

Gilbertsville — Cigars,  120. 

Green  Lane — Silks,  50. 

Harleyville — Montgomery  Clothing  Company,  57. 

Hatfield — Braids  and  tape,  40. 

Ivy  Rock — Iron  works,  907. 

Kulpsville — Clothing,  98. 

Lansdale — Shirts,  55;  men's  clothing,  50;  cast  iron  and  steel,  80; 
stoves  and  heaters,  212;  flour  products,  14;  farm  implement  goods,  80; 
umbrellas,  10;  pipes  and  tubing,  115  ;  cast  iron  and  steel,  82;  ice,  5  ;  shirts, 
98;  gloves,  45;  men's  clothing,  114;  silver-plated  goods,  18;  cigars,  28; 
art  stone,  4. 

Linfield — Condensed  milk,  6 ;  pipes  and  tubing,  143. 

Montgomery — Furniture,  25. 

Norristown  Borough — Asbestos  products,  25 ;  bolts  and  nuts,  39 ; 
underwear,  184;  boilers  and  tanks,  54;  carpets  and  rugs,  102;  gas  and 
electric,  102;  patent  medicines,  27;  radiators,  39;  planing  mills,  112; 
cigars,  400 ;  plumbers'  supplies,  90 ;  terra  cotta  work,  22 ;  bakery  pro- 
ductions, 17;  chemicals,  27;  machine  shops,  9;  lime  industry,  105;  meat 
slaughtering,  45;  laundry  workers,  115;  electric  railway,  26;  machinery 
and  parts,  170;  fancy  paper  boxes,  47;  printing  and  publishing,  15;  other 
asbestos  producing  plants,  185;  woolens,  worsteds  and  felt  goods,  239; 
paper  goods,  46;  nails  and  spikes,  40;  condensed  milk  and  cheese,  20; 
railroad  shops,  84;  hosiery  and  knit  goods,  1,020;  shirts,  246;  hardware 
specialties,  128;  malt  liquors,  83;  publishing  and  printing,  49;  machine 
shops  for  "parts,"  379 ;  tape  and  braids,  48 ;  castings  from  iron  and  steel, 
84;  suspenders,  3. 

Oaks — Flags  and  banners,  150. 

Ogontz — Ice  plant,  38;  hardware  novelties,  43. 

Oreland — Crushed  stone,  9. 

Palm — Gloves  (other  than  leather),  70. 

Pencoyd — Marble  and  granite,  20. 

Pennsburg — Cigars,  244;  silk  and  silk  goods,  60;  paper  goods,  13, 
brick,  9 ;  chemicals,  285. 

Pottstown — Brick  cheese  and  condensed  milk,  20;  pig  iron,  330;  farm 
implements,  60;  paper  boxes,  30;  structural  shapes,  863;  silk  and  silk 
goods,  104 ;  brass  and  bronze,  20 ;  cast  iron  workers,  22 ;  bar  iron  and 
steel,  300;  shirts,  52;  aluminum  and  products,  307;  stoves  and  heaters, 
79;  shirts,  206;  iron  and  steel  plates,  100;  metal  workers,  24;  scrap  iron 
and  steel,  29 ;  ice,  29 ;  printing,  25 ;  cast  iron  and  steel  goods,  30 ;  fancy 
boxes,  44 ;  cigars,  84 ;  silk  and  silk  goods,  54 ;  shapes  and  structural 
work,  208 ;  boilers  and  tanks,  76 ;  hosiery  and  knit  goods,  254. 

Red  Hill — Cigars,  217. 

Roslyn — Brick  works,  45. 

Royersford — Stoves  and  heaters,  492 ;  wood  works,  87 ;  glass  bottles, 
191;  underwear,  358;  structural  iron  work,  20;  machine  shops,  114, 
dyeing  and  finishing  textile  goods,  20;  cement  blocks,  26. 

Schwenksville — Cigars,  388 ;  flour  mills,  6. 

Souderton — Hose  and  knit  goods,  60;  men's  clothing,  172;  silk  goods, 
38;  crushed  stone,  19;  cigar  boxes,  165. 

Sumneytown — Cigars,  90. 

Telford — Shirts,  70;  cigars,  iii. 


INDUSTRIES  AND  MANUFACTURING  287 

West  Conshohocken — Chemicals,  105;  woolen  goods  and  felts,  206; 
stone,  20. 

Whitemarsh — Lime,  42. 

William  Penn — Paper  goods,  345. 

The  above  is  a  wonderful  array  of  manufacturing  plants  and  their 
products  to  be  situated  within  one  county.  In  192 1  Pennsylvania  had 
manufactured  products  amounting  to  six  billion  dollars,  and  of  this, 
Montgomery  county  furnished  $136,347,900.  Norristown  alone  was 
listed  as  thirty-sixth  in  rank  of  Pennsylvania  boroughs,  and  in  1921  had 
plants  producing  fifteen  million  nine  hundred  thousand  dollars  worth  of 
goods.  The  wage-earners  that  year  received  over  three  million  dollars. 
The  total  paid  in  wages  in  1920  in  this  county  in  the  606  establishments, 
amounted  to  $42,000,000.  The  number  employed  was  placed  at  32,430 
men  and  women. 

In  Bridgeport,  in  1921,  was  one  of  the  ninety  big  industrial  points  in 
Pennsylvania.  It  had  capital  invested,  $7,272,547 ;  employees,  2,401 ; 
salaries  and  wages,  $2,750,658;  value  of  products,  $10,996,000. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
STATE  AND  COUNTY  INSTITUTIONS. 

One  of  the  hospitals  for  the  insane  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  is 
located  at  Norristown,  and  another  at  Harrisburg.  These  two,  the 
people  of  this  section  of  the  State  have  always  been  especially  interested 
in.  The  Norristown  Hospital  is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
borough,  on  a  two-hundred-acre  tract  of  land  commanding  a  fine  view  ot 
the  surrounding  country.  The  Stony  Creek  railway  passes  near  by. 
This  institution  was  built  under  the  administration  of  Governor  Hart- 
ranft,  who  appointed  a  commission  for  the  purpose  in  the  spring  of 
1876.  The  Act  provided  "that  the  Governor  shall  appoint  ten  commis- 
sioners to  select  a  site  and  build  an  hospital  for  the  insane  for  the 
Southeastern  District  of  Pennsylvania,  embracing  the  city  and  county 
of  Philadelphia  and  the  counties  of  Bucks,  Montgomery,  Delaware, 
Chester,  Northampton  and  Lehigh,  four  of  said  commissioners  to  be 
chosen  from  the  city  and  county  of  Philadelphia,  and  one  from  each  of 
the  other  counties  embraced  within  the  district  aforesaid,  who  shall 
serve  without  compensation."  During  the  two  years  in  which  the  com- 
mittee was  deliberating  on  the  site  and  specifications,  three  of  their 
number  died,  and  others  had  to  be  appointed.  It  took  one  year  to  select 
the  site,  and  another  year  to  settle  on  the  kind  of  a  structure  they  would 
have  built.  The  erection  of  the  hospital  began  March  21,  1878,  and  it 
was  completed  February  17,  1880.  The  plans  adopted  were  indeed 
unique,  and  entirely  unlike  any  other  in  the  country.  Commonly  speak- 
ing, it  is  called  "the  cottage  plan;"  that  is,  not  one  immense  structure, 
with  numberless  wards  on  its  numerous  floors,  but  rather  segregated 
or  detached,  smaller  buildings  set  in  groups,  the  total  number  being 
eight,  and  an  administration  building  in  the  midst  of  all.  Another  new- 
feature  insisted  on  by  those  in  charge  was  that  as  there  were  always  to 
be  both  sexes  represented  in  this  asylum,  that  in  justice  to  womanhood 
there  should  be  two  resident  physicians — a  man  and  a  woman.  So  it 
was  that  Dr.  B.  H.  Chase  became  the  physician  for  the  male  depart- 
ment, while  Dr.  Alice  Bennett  wras  made  the  resident  physician  for  the 
female  department. 

The  last  report  for  this  institution  shows  the  total  number  of  patients 
to  be:  Male,  1,373;  females,  1,544;  total,  2,917.  The  cost  per  capita  per 
week,  $5.36;  number  of  attendants,  515;  doctors,  eight;  dentist,  one; 
druggist,  one.  The  total  cost  to  date  for  buildings  is  $2,397,935 ;  expense 
in  1922  was  $887,820.01. 

Like  other  counties  of  this  Commonwealth,  the  care  for  the  unfortu- 
nate poor  from  time  to  time  has  been  a  problem  hard  to  solve  to  the 

Mont — 19 


290  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

satisfaction  of  all  interested — the  poor,  and  the  taxpayer  whose  money 
must  needs  support  the  pauper  element.  In  the  early  settlement  of  the 
country  very  little  appears  to  have  been  done  for  the  support  of  the  poor. 
The  population  was  sparse,  labor  was  in  demand,  and  the  necessities  of 
the  people  were  limited  to  such  few  absolute  requirements  that  pauper- 
ism could  scarcely  be  said  to  exist.  The  Society  of  Friends,  the  Mennon- 
ites  and  the  Dunkards  have  invariably  supported  their  own  unfortunate 
poor  to  the  present  time. 

During  the  whole  of  the  colonial  period,  down  to  the  erection  ot 
houses  for  the  support  and  employment  of  the  poor,  they  were  main- 
tained by  their  respective  townships  or  districts.  For  this  purpose  two 
overseers  were  appointed  for  each  by  the  judges  of  the  county  courts. 
Their  duties  were  to  secure  for  those  committed  to  their  charge  homes 
and  employment  at  the  most  favorable  rates.  An  act  was  passed  in  1771 
that  provided  for  the  appointment  of  two  overseers  in  every  township 
by  the  justices  at  a  special  meeting  to  be  held  every  year.  The  expense 
incurred  in  providing  subsistence,  shelter  and  employment  for  those 
whom  misfortune  had  rendered  a  burden  to  society,  was  to  be  supplied 
out  of  the  regular  county  rate.  The  overseers  were  responsible  for  the 
collection  of  the  amount  assessed,  and  were  required  to  pay  over  the 
moneys  in  their  possession.  Those  who  liberated  slaves  were  required 
to  give  bonds  in  the  sum  of  thirty  pounds  each  to  keep  harmless,  and  to 
indemnify  the  overseers  in  case  such  negroes  became  a  charge  through 
sickness  or  otherwise  and  rendered  incapable  of  supporting  themselves. 
Among  the  duties  of  the  overseers  were  supplying  the  immediate  wants 
of  families  reduced  to  poverty,  and  in  case  of  death  to  give  them  a 
decent  burial.  Those  who  were  able  to  work  had  to  do  so  among  the 
farming  class. 

On  the  formation  of  the  county,  the  justices  of  the  court  appointed 
twenty  overseers  in  ten  townships  of  the  county.  The  subject  of  provid- 
ing a  home  and  a  house  of  employment  for  the  poor,  instead  of  the  for- 
mer method  of  having  them  work  or  board  around  with  whoever  would 
receive  them,  began  to  be  much  agitated.  Little  was  done  except  talk 
until  March,  1806,  when  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  purchase  ot 
a  farm  and  the  erection  thereon  of  suitable  buildings  for  the  purpose  by 
the  county.  Other  acts  were  passed  and  approved  in  1807  and  again  in 
1810.  Strange  as  it  seems  to  us  to-day,  the  location  selected  for  the 
erection  of  this  humane,  charitable  institution,  was  in  the  then  very 
much  out-of-the-way  place,  namely,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Schuylkill 
river,  in  Upper  Providence  township,  ten  miles  above  Norristown.  The 
farm  was  bought  of  one  Cutwaltz,  whose  land,  together  with  a  few  acres 
purchased  elsewhere,  amounted  in  all  to  two  hundred  and  sixty-five 
acres.  The  necessary  buildings  were  erected,  as  per  bids  sent  out,  and 
finally  opened.  The  poorhouse  was  eventually  completed  and  received 
its  inmates  from  all  over  the  county  in  the  spring  of  1808.    Jacob  Barr, 


STATE  AND  COUNTY  INSTITUTIONS  291 

of  Pottstown,  was  steward  from  the  first  until  1816,  at  a  salary  of  $4<X>, 
including  his  wife's  wages,  she  being  matron  of  the  institution.  In 
1821  this  poorhouse  was  burned,  but  rebuilt.  The  barn  and  outbuildings 
were  burned  in  1867,  and  rebuilt  that  season.  The  poorhouse  proving 
too  small  and  not  suitable,  as  the  people  viewed  the  question,  in  1870  a 
contract  for  a  new  building  was  let  to  William  H.  Bodey,  of  Norristown, 
for  $71,100.  An  additional  expense  of  grading  the  premises  called  for 
$5,000  more.  In  1874  steam  heat  was  installed  at  an  expense  of  $13,000. 
The  main  building  was  originally  75  by  241  feet,  three  stories  high,  sur- 
mounted by  a  stone  belfry.  Wings  and  other  additions  were  made  as 
time  advanced.  A  three-story  stone  hospital  building  was  also  soon 
provided.  Then  the  colored  paupers  of  the  county  had  to  have  a  sep- 
arate building  erected  for  them.  Again  fire  swept  the  original  building 
away  in  1872,  when  the  new  building  was  about  completed.  In  1884 
there  were  305  persons  listed  as  paupers  in  this  county  institution.  At 
that  date  the  farm  contained  298  acres,  and  this  included  the  ten  acres  of 
timber.  In  those  days  the  policy  was  changed,  and  the  entire  institu- 
tion was  in  the  hands  of  three  directors,  their  term  being  for  three  years, 
with  one  elected  each  year.  They  must  meet  at  least  once  a  month  for 
inspection,  etc.  The  expense  of  running  the  farm  is  a  matter  of  taxa- 
tion. What  the  farm  does  not  produce,  the  county  has  to  purchase  for 
the  poor. 

Statistics  show  that  January  i,  1815,  there  were  82  inmates:  in  1825, 
106;  in  1849,  198;  in  1876,  265;  in  1884,  305;  the  latest  report  shows  the 
number  of  poor  cared  for  is  119  males  and  80  females;  total  being  cared 
for  by  the  county  is,  according  to  the  January  i,  1923,  report,  199.  The 
average  for  the  year  was  178.  The  number  of  deaths  in  the  Home  in 
1922  was  thirty-two.  The  amount  received  by  the  Home  was  $9,024.30. 
The  products  of  the  County  Home  Farm  in  1922  were  as  follows :  Bush- 
els of  oats  raised,  185;  wheat,  2,400;  potatoes,  2,200;  sweet  potatoes,  50; 
hay,  47  loads;  corn  fodder,  64  loads;  bushels  corn,  3,500;  amount  of 
home-made  soap,  1,400  pounds;  milk  produced,  68,676  quarts;  butter 
made,  2,881  pounds;  eggs,  2,869  dozens;  pounds  of  beef  killed  on  farm, 
23,676.  In  garden  products  they  had  :  5,500  cabbage  plants  ;  1,500  tomato 
plants ;  2,000  celery  plants ;  200  pepper  plants ;  200  egg  plants ;  cauli- 
flower, 100.  They  also  raised  five  bushels  of  lima  beans  and  nine  bush- 
els of  soup  beans.    Number  of  watermelons  grown,  fifty. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

TOWNSHIPS :   ABINGTON— CHELTENHAM— DOUGLAS— 

FRANCONIA— FREDERICK. 

Townships — The  important  facts  and  dates  given  in  this  chapter,  so 
far  as  the  formation  of  the  county's  townships  and  boroughs  is  con- 
cerned, may  be  relied  upon,  as  they  came  from  the  research  and  written 
statements  made  by  historian  William  J.  Buck,  long  a  resident  of  the 
county  and  vicinity. 

Very  few  counties  dating  back  to  the  colonial  period  have  had  com- 
plete accounts  of  the  dates  and  general  facts  concerning  their  various 
townships,  yet  the  township  comes  first,  the  county  next,  then  the  com- 
monwealth, and  last,  the  Republic  itself,  but  little  was  ever  done  in 
early  days  in  preserving  records  touching  on  the  formation  of  the  sub- 
divisions of  the  counties  in  Pennsylvania.  Old  maps,  charts  and  local 
as  well  as  State  historical  volumes,  have  had  upon  their  pages  gross 
errors  along  these  lines,  many  of  which  in  later  years  have  been  corrected 
by  painstaking  historians. 

Prior  to  the  grant  to  William  Penn,  there  is  no  positive  proof  that 
what  is  now  Montgomery  county  had  any  settlements  by  Europeans. 
Dutch  traders  and  fur  gatherers  had  gone  up  and  down  the  Schuylkill 
river,  but  were  in  no  sense  "settlers."  Section  lo  of  Penn's  grant  said : 
"Unto  the  said  Penn,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  free  and  absolute  power  to 
divide  the  said  country  and  islands  into  towns,  hundreds  and  counties, 
and  to  erect  incorporate  towns  into  boroughs,  and  boroughs  into  cities, 
and  to  make  and  constitute  fairs  and  markets  therein,  with  all  their 
convenient  privileges  and  immunities,  according  to  the  merit  of  the 
inhabitants  and  the  fitness  of  the  places."  The  county  was  too  sparcely 
settled  until  February,  1685,  when  the  Provincial  Council  passed  a  reso- 
lution ordering  the  formation  of  townships  and  boroughs.  It  was  on 
this  authority  that  the  first  sub-divisions  of  this  county  were  effected 
in  the  three  original  counties  in  Pennsylvania — namely,  Philadelphia, 
Chester  and  Bucks.  July  27,  1692,  the  townships  of  Bucks  county  were 
organized,  and  it  is  almost  certain  that  the  townships  in  Philadelphia 
were  formed  just  prior  to  that  meeting.  Courts  of  Quarter  Sessions 
were  not  established  in  these  three  counties  until  October,  1706,  when 
it  was  ordered  that  a  court  be  established  in  each  county,  "to  be  held 
four  times  each  year,  in  which  all  actions  and  causes  may  be  tried  except 
matters  of  life  and  death." 

Probably  the  earliest  township  that  bore  a  name  within  the  present 
limits  of  Montgomery  county  was  "The  parish  of  Cheltenham,"  so  called 
in  a  survey  made  by  Thomas  Fairman,  July  i,  1683,  for  a  purchase  made 
by  Patrick  Robinson.    Moreland  was  not  called  a  township  before  1718. 


294  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Whitpin  was  called  a  township  in  one  record  as  early  as  1701,  which 
was  no  doubt  an  error  in  transcribing  the  date.  Springfield  township  was 
located  in  1684,  but  was  still  known  as  a  manor  as  late  as  1704.  White- 
marsh  was  organized  as  a  township  in  1704,  as  were  also  the  townships 
of  Gwynedd  and  Abington ;  Plymouth  in  1705;  Skippack  and  Van  Beb- 
ber's  in  1713;  Upper  Merion,  1714;  Montgomery,  1717;  Limerick,  1722; 
and  Salford  in  1727.  The  minutes  of  the  county  commissioners  com- 
mence in  1718,  and  this  record  shows  assessors  appointed  for  Chelten- 
ham, Merion,  Upper  Merion,  Abington,  Whitpin,  Perkiomen,  and  More- 
land ;  Upper  Dublin  and  Plymouth  in  1719;  Whitemarsh  and  Spring- 
field, in  1720;  Gwynedd  in  1722. 

A  new  era  was  ushered  in  by  the  passage  of  an  act  of  March  24, 
1803,  which  instructed  the  "Courts  of  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace  of 
the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  in  their  respective  counties,  shall, 
from  and  after  the  passing  of  this  act,  have  authority,  upon  application 
by  petition  to  them  made,  to  erect  new  townships,  to  divide  townships 
already  erected,  or  to  alter  the  lines  of  any  two  adjoining  townships  so 
as  to  suit  the  convenience  of  the  inhabitants  thereof." 

The  power  to  erect  boroughs  was  vested  entirely  in  the  Penn  family, 
and  remained  thus  until  the  Revolution,  when  it  was  confined  to  the 
Legislature  of  the  State,  in  whom  it  continued  until  April  i,  1834.  This 
act  authorized  Courts  of  Quarter  Sessions,  with  the  concurrence  of  the 
grand  jury,  "to  incorporate  any  town  or  village  within  their  respective 
jurisdiction  containing  not  less  than  three  hundred  inhabitants."  The 
act  of  April,  1851,  abolished  the  clause  limiting  the  population.  An  addi- 
tional act  was  passed  in  June,  1871,  to  arrest  hurried  proceedings,  which 
required  that  due  mention  of  such  application  be  published  in  the  county 
newspapers  at  least  thirty  days.  Norristown  was  incorporated  originally 
in  1812,  Pottstown  in  1815,  Conshohocken  in  1850,  and  Bridgeport  in 
185 1,  by  special  acts  of  the  Assembly.  The  later  boroughs  have  been 
authorized  by  the  Courts  of  Quarter  Sessions,  also  townships,  wards, 
election  and  school  districts.  The  dates  and  locations  of  the  several 
townships  and  boroughs  of  the  county  will  be  given  in  the  detailed 
account  of  these  parts  of  the  county  which  here  follows : 

Abington — This  township,  in  the  extreme  southeastern  section  of  the 
county,  is  bounded  on  the  northwest  by  Upper  Dublin,  northeast  by 
Moreland,  southeast  by  Philadelphia,  and  southwest  by  Springfield, 
Cheltenham,  and  the  borough  of  Jenkintown.  The  last  named  was  made 
a  borough  in  1874.  The  township  was  organized  prior  to  1704.  The 
soil  is  a  fertile  loam,  and  contains  limestone  sufficient  to  produce  excel- 
lent crops.  For  many  years  the  making  of  lime  was  a  leading  industry 
in  this  township.  Its  streams  are  inclusive  of  Pennypack,  and  Sandy 
Run.  Cheltenham,  Willow  Grove  and  Middle  Road  turnpikes  traverse 
the  territory  in  several  directions ;  the  first  named  was  completed  in 


TOWNSHIPS  295 

1804,  and  the  second  in  1857.  These  highways  cost  $8,000  per  mile. 
For  railway  lines,  see  chapter  on  Railroads.  The  township  had  a  popu- 
lation in  1790  of  881;  in  1840  it  was  1,704;  1880,  it  had  reached  2,125, 
and  in  1920  it  was  8,864.  Next  to  Springfield,  in  1882,  this  township 
was  highest  rated  of  any  in  the  county,  the  amount  of  taxables  being 
$2,655,030. 

Among  the  first  to  effect  a  settlement  here  are  known  from  record 
to  have  been  the  Fletchers,  Morrises,  Jenkins,  Parry,  Thomas,  Bonds, 
Jones,  Thompsons,  Kenderlines,  Pauls,  Roberts,  Hufty,  Williams,  Dor- 
land,  Kirke,  McVaugh,  Tysons,  Hallowells,  Knights,  Waterman,  Trott, 
Weems,  many  of  whom  still  have  descendants  in  the  township  and 
county  at  this  date.  Germany,  England  and  Wales  all  had  their  share  in 
settlements  here.  Gordon,  in  his  "State  Gazeteer,"  stated  that  Abington 
village  had  in  1832,  "ten  or  twelve  dwellings,  a  tannery,  a  boarding 
school  for  boys,  a  tavern,  two  stores,  and  a  Presbyterian  church."  A 
post  office  was  established  here  in  1816  and  continued  two  years.  A 
hotel  was  kept  here  by  Mary  Moore,  having  a  sign  reading  "Square  and 
Compass."  At  the  little  hamlet  of  Weldon  in  this  township  occurred  a 
skirmish  between  the  British  and  Washington's  forces,  resulting  in  the 
killing  of  more  than  one  hundred  persons.  An  anti-tramp  association 
was  organized  here  in  1877  to  protect  the  people  against  roving  bands  of 
would-be  laborers,  but  who  were  worthless  fellows  making  their  way 
through  from  one  part  of  the  county  to  another  and  who  were  for  the 
first  time  known  (that  year)  as  "tramps."  Five  officers  were  employed 
by  the  citizens  to  see  that  this  lawless  gang  did  no  harm. 

The  churches  and  schools  are  treated  in  special  chapters  of  this  work, 
and  include  those  of  Abington  township.  One  of  the  first  Friends' 
meeting-houses  in  Pennsylvania  was  situated  here,  and  was  formed  in 
1683.  The  former  historical  volumes,  especially  Bean's  "History  of 
Montgomery  County"  (1884),  give  detailed  accounts  of  many  interest- 
ing things  which  this  work  has  no  space  to  insert. 

Cheltenham — This  is  the  extreme  southeastern  township  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  bounded  northeast  by  Abington,  southeast  and  south- 
west by  Philadelphia  city,  and  on  the  northwest  by  Springfield.  It  is 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  wide  by  five  and  one-half  long,  and  con- 
tains 5,400  acres.  It  has  a  rolling  surface,  and  a  fair  soil  composed  of 
gravel  and  loam.  It  is  well  watered  by  small  streams  and  many  never- 
failing  springs  of  the  finest  water.  Tacony  creek  is  the  largest  stream 
that  courses  through  its  territory,  emptying  into  the  Delaware  river  at 
Bridesburg.  Along  its  banks  in  early  times  there  were  numerous  small 
mills  and  factories  propelled  by  its  waters,  either  direct  or  by  mill-races. 
This  portion  of  the  county  is  peculiarly  noted  as  being  rich  in  many 
minerals,  including  excellent  stone  for  quarrying  purposes  and  for  a 
good  grade  of  pure  mica.    The  York  road  passes  through  this  township 


296  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

and  was  completed  for  general  use  in  1804.  The  Willow  Grove  and  Ger- 
mantown  road  was  built  in  1857.  The  North  Pennsylvania  railroad  was 
a  highway  through  the  township  that  materially  aided  the  better  devel- 
opment of  the  location.  Ashbourne,  York  Road,  Chelton  Hills  and 
Abington  are  all  villages  within  this  civil  township.  The  railroad  from 
Philadelphia  to  Newton  also  passes  through  the  territory,  and  has  for 
station  points  Shoemakertown,  Edge  Hill,  Cheltenham,  Ashbourne, 
Camptown  and  Harmer  Hill.  The  common  school  system  was  adopted 
here  in  1838  by  sixteen  majority.  In  1880  there  were  thirteen  excellent 
school  buildings  within  the  limits  of  the  township.  The  population  for 
periods  has  been:  In  1800,  630;  in  1880,  4,561;  in  1900,  6,151,  in  1920, 
11,015. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  the  township  receiving  its  name  through 
Toby  Leech,  one  of  the  earliest  land-owners  and  actual  settlers,  and  a 
man  of  considerable  influence.  On  his  tombstone  at  Oxford  Church  is 
found  a  statement  that  he  "came  from  Cheltenham,  in  Gloucestershire, 
England,  in  the  year  1682."  It  is  also  believed  that  there  was  no  part  of 
the  county  named  at  an  earlier  date  than  this  township.  In  the  month  of 
July,  1683,  Patrick  Robinson  had  two  hundred  acres  surveyed  for  him 
by  Thomas  Fairman,  so  reads  the  early  county  records.  The  name  is 
also  found  in  the  eleventh  month  of  said  year  in  the  records  of  the 
Abington  meeting.  In  other  works  may  be  found  a  list  of  scores  of 
names  of  pioneer  settlers  in  this  township,  but  for  our  purpose,  the 
above  is  suflficient,  so  we  will  hasten  on  to  matters  concerning  the  town- 
ship, and  especially  its  various  towns  and  villages  in  a  more  recent  day. 
Forty  years  ago  the  following  were  referred  to  as  being  the  chief  vil- 
lages within  the  township :  Ashbourne,  the  largest  of  all,  about  a  half 
mile  from  the  Philadelphia  city  line,  then  had  sixty-five  houses,  a  store, 
post  office,  and  one  church.  The  census  in  1880  gives  it  a  population  of 
342  persons.  This  place  was  the  outgrowth  of  the  railroad  having  passed 
through  that  part  of  the  county  in  1856.  A  grist  mill  was  the  first  to 
give  coloring  to  early  history  here;  this  was  erected  in  1750. 

Besides  Ashbourne,  already  given,  there  are  other  hamlets  or  vil- 
lages, including  the  following,  worthy  of  mention :  Cheltenham,  long 
known  as  Milltown,  situated  on  Tacony  creek,  near  the  east  corner  of 
the  township,  and  within  eighty  rods  of  the  city  line  of  Philadelphia,  in 
1882  had  sixty  residences,  a  lew  stores,  and  several  churches.  In  the 
census  of  the  county  in  1810,  mention  was  made  that  the  only  tilt-ham- 
mers in  Montgomery  county  were  those  being  operated  by  Benjamin 
Rowland,  by  means  of  which  he  was  enabled  to  make  twelve  hundred 
dozen  of  spades  and  shovels  in  a  single  year.  In  1832  the  "Gazetteer" 
mentioned  that  that  year  there  had  been  manufactured  there  14,500 
dozen  of  spades  and  shovels,  using  a  total  of  one  hundred  tons  of  iron. 

Shoemakertown,  near  the  center  of  this  township,  on  the  York  turn- 
pike, forty  years  ago  had  thirty  houses,  a  merchant  mill,  a  carriage  fac- 


TOWNSHIPS  297 

tory,  hotel,  Episcopal  church,  two  halls,  several  machine  shops,  and  the 
passenger  station  for  the  North  Pennsylvania  railroad.  The  charming 
country  surrounding  the  village  is  noted  for  its  many  valuable  and  truly 
handsome  country-seats  and  mansions  built  of  stone,  most  of  which 
are  still  standing  and  in  use.  The  post  office  was  established  in  1857. 
The  York  road  was  laid  out  through  the  place  in  171 1.  The  famous 
stone  bridge  here  was  constructed  in  1746.  A  tannery  stood  near  the 
site  of  the  bridge  in  1776,  and  was  no  doubt  there  several  years  prior  to 
that.  What  was  in  record  as  "the  corn  grist  water  mill"  at  about  this 
point,  was  erected  in  1746  and  remained  in  the  Shoemaker  family  many 
years. 

Edge  Hill  village,  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  township,  stands 
on  a  very  elevated  tract  of  land,  hence  its  name.  It  is  almost  three 
hundred  feet  above  tide-water  of  the  Delaware  river  at  Philadelphia.  A 
post  office  was  established  here  in  1851,  the  first  in  the  township.  The 
old  Edge  Hill  iron  works  were  located  just  over  the  line,  in  Springfield 
township.  Other  villages  are  Harmer  Hill  and  Camptown,  of  more 
recent  origin  and  without  much  development. 

Douglas — This  civil  township  is  found  within  the  southwestern  part 
of  the  county,  adjoining  Upper  Hanover,  New  Hanover  and  Pottsgrove 
townships-  It  also  unites  its  territory  with  portions  of  Berks  county. 
Its  total  area  is  fifteen  square  miles.  It  has  had  population  at  various 
times  as  shown  here:  In  1800  it  was  1,297;  in  1880,  1,676;  in  1900,  1,650; 
in  1920,  1,599.  The  surface  is  rolling,  and  the  soil  usually  red  shale. 
Springs  of  never-failing  water  abound,  and  from  them  the  numerous 
streams  take  their  rise.  Many  of  these  creeks  have  for  years  provided 
excellent  water  power,  as  their  fall  is  great  per  mile.  In  1707  William 
Penn  conveyed  to  his  son  John  Penn  a  tract  of  twelve  thousand  acres 
within  what  is  now  Douglas  township.  In  1735  John  Penn  sold  the  land 
to  George  McCall,  a  merchant  of  Philadelphia.  Upon  a  new  survey  it 
was  discovered  the  tract  described  really  contained  about  two  thousand 
acres  more  than  was  originally  conveyed.  This  land  was  known  many 
years  as  the  "McCall  Manor,"  and  later  was  in  Douglas  township,  which 
appears  to  have  been  erected  in  1741,  when  there  were  eighty-five  tax- 
ables.  In  1776  it  was  well  settled,  for  here  is  where  Colonel  Burd's 
battalion  of  infantry  was  credited  to.  In  1785,  a  year  after  Montgomery' 
county  was  created,  this  township  had  among  its  taxables  four  hotels, 
four  gristmills,  five  sawmills,  one  paper  mill,  one  tannery,  and  one  good 
sized  iron  forge,  hence  was  a  very  early  industrial  portion  of  the  county. 
The  villages  of  this  township  are  Gilbertsville,  Engleville,  Douglas,  and 
Niantic.  These,  except  Gilbertsville,  have  never  been  known  other  than 
hamlets  and  post  office  points  where  a  few  business  houses  have  been 
and  are  to-day  to  be  found.  Gilbertsville  in  1883  had  about  seventy 
dwellings  and  the  usual  number  of  shops  and  stores.    From  an  early  day 


298  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

this  place  had  its  smiths,  its  wheelwrights,  weavers,  tinsmiths,  and  a 
large  number  of  cigar  factories.  The  village  was  also  noted  for  its 
many  large  public  auctions  of  live-stock. 

But  the  great  feature  of  this  part  of  the  county  is  its  agricultural 
resources,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  soil  has  been  cared  for  and  cul- 
tivated for  generations  by  a  thrifty  set  of  German  farmers,  whose  farms 
have  been  graced  by  massive  barns  and  farm-houses,  all  built  of  native 
stone  which  has  not  changed  in  solidity  in  the  passing  of  more  than  a 
century.  Here  the  farmer  has  ever  been  king,  and  he  has  aided  in  build- 
ing up  the  county  with  fine  highways,  and  supported  all  that  was  good 
for  a  community  to  have  and  enjoy.  Perhaps  no  better  roads,  fences, 
barns  and  general  buildings  can  be  seen  in  Montgomery  county  than 
those  in  this  township. 

The  religious  denominations  are  largely  made  up  from  the  member- 
ship of  the  Lutherans,  of  Huber's  Church,  near  Niantic,  and  another 
combined  Lutheran  and  Reformed  church  at  the  village  of  Douglas. 
The  burial  grounds  of  the  township  show  what  great  love  and  devotion 
the  citizens  have  always  had  for  the  departed  dead. 

As  to  elections  it  should  be  said  that  the  township  was  first  created 
by  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  April  i6,  1827.  The  iirst 
election  was  held  at  the  public  house  of  Abraham  Stetler.  The  town- 
ship was  divided  into  two  election  districts  March  5,  1873,  and  are  known 
as  East  and  West  Douglas.  Special  chapters  in  this  work  will  treat  in 
a  general  way  on  the  schools  and  churches  found  within  the  township  at 
this  time. 

Franconia — In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county  is  one  subdivision 
known  as  Franconia  township,  which  joins  Bucks  county  on  the  north- 
east, and  joins  the  townships  of  Upper  and  Lower  Salford  and  Hatfield 
of  this  county.  It  has  an  area  of  almost  fifteen  square  miles.  Its  streams 
are  small,  but  in  early  days  afforded  ample  water-power  to  run  the  ordi- 
nary mill.  Among  such  streams  are  the  Skippack,  Indian  creek,  and 
East  branch  of  the  Perkiomen  creek,  all  of  which  still  have  fair  stages 
of  water. 

One  of  the  best  of  earlier  historians  for  this  county  said  of  the  name 
of  this  township:  "The  name  Franconia  is  derived  from  an  old  duchy 
which  afterwards  formed  a  circle  of  the  Germanic  Empire,  and  signifies 
'Land  of  the  Franks,'  whence  also  France.  On  Holme's  map  of  1682  it 
is  called  'The  Dutch  Township,'  from  which  we  infer  that  the  Germans 
were  its  first  settlers."  In  1734  this  township  had  listed  thirty -four  tax- 
ables,  nearly  everyone  German.  Christian  Meyer  arrived  in  1727;  Fred- 
erick Sholl,  in  1728;  Hans  Jacob  Oberholtz,  George  Hartzel,  Ludwig 
Hartzel,  and  Johannes  Fry,  in  1730.  It  is  believed  that  the  first  actual 
settler  here  was  Christian  Funk,  of  Indian  creek  neighborhood,  below 
the  old  mill  of  George  S.  Reifi".    The  Souders  also  came  from  the  same 


TOWNSHIPS  299 

family  lines  and  are  still  represented  in  this  township.  One  of  the  land- 
marks here  is  the  old  tannery,  one  mile  south  of  Souderton,  which  was 
built  in  1780  by  Jacob  Leidy,  whose  grandson  was  still  operating  it  in 

1885. 

The  population  of  the  township,  according  to  the  United  States  cen- 
sus reports,  has  been:  In  1800,  629;  in  1830,  998;  in  1850,  1,270;  in  1870, 
1,950;  in  1880,  2,556;  in  1890,  2,036;  in  1900,  2,036;  in  1910,  2,339;  3-"^ 
in  1920  it  was  less  than  1,700,  but  this  was  outside  the  boroughs. 

The  villages  and  boroughs  made  up  from  the  territory  of  the  town- 
ships are  as  follows :  Franconia  Square,  near  the  center ;  Franconiaville, 
in  the  southern  part;  and  Souderton  and  Telford,  situated  on  the  line  of 
the  railroad  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  township.  The  two  last-named 
are  now  sprightly  incorporated  boroughs,  of  which  see  chapter  of  bor- 
oughs, within  this  work.  Concerning  Franconia  Square  and  Franconia- 
ville, it  only  needs  to  be  said  that  these  old  landmarks  were  founded  by 
the  opening  of  hotels,  a  few  stores  and  shops,  with  a  post  office  in  each 
locality,  and  even  the  oldest  living  person  knows  nothing  save  by  dim 
tradition  of  the  comings  and  goings  of  those  who  formerly  dwelt  in  the 
hamlets,  except  that  such  places  did  exist  at  one  time. 

This  civil  township  was  made  by  act  of  the  General  Assembly, 
approved  March  16,  1847,  to  become  a  separate  election  district.  The 
first  election  was  ordered  to  be  held  at  the  store-house  of  Daniel  E. 
Moyer. 

Frederick — This  township  is  bounded  on  the  northwest  by  New  Han- 
over and  Upper  Hanover  townships ;  on  the  east  by  Perkiomen  creek, 
flowing  from  north  to  south,  separating  it  from  Marlborough  and  Upper 
Salford  townships ;  on  the  southeast  by  Perkiomen  township ;  and  on 
the  southwest  by  Limerick  and  New  Hanover  townships.  Its  area  is 
13,440  acres.  Its  central  part  is  fifteen  miles  distant  from  Norristown, 
and  thirty-two  miles  from  Philadelphia.  The  general  surface  of  this 
part  of  Montgomery  county  is  decidedly  rough  and  rolling,  yet  there  are 
hundreds  of  well  kept  farms  where  good  crops  are  annually  produced. 
The  valley  lands  are  blessed  with  an  extra  good  soil  for  various  crops. 
As  a  stock  growing  section,  it  is  ideal  for  Pennsylvania.  Concerning 
the  several  streams  of  spring-fed  water,  it  only  needs  to  be  said  that 
they  must  be  seen  and  fully  utilized  in  order  to  duly  appreciate  their 
beauty  and  value  to  the  residents  of  the  township.  The  rapid  flowing 
water  of  these  streams  dashing  over  the  well  worn  flattened  stones  of 
their  valleys,  are  indeed  a  fit  subject  for  the  artist.  In  the  past  these 
streams  abounded  with  fine  game  fish,  but  not  to  any  great  extent  in  the 
times  of  this  generation.  The  first  forests  have  long  since  been  destroyed, 
but  second  and  third  growths  of  these  forest  kings  still  cover  many  a 
hill  slope  within  the  township.  These  trees  include  the  oak,  ash,  elm, 
hickory,  walnut,  butternut,  chestnut,  maple,  gum,  hemlock,  pine,  spruce, 
and  smaller  growths. 


300  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

This  township  was  prior  to  1731  without  an  official  name,  neither 
did  it  possess  a  local  government.  It  was  commonly  known  as  Falkner 
Swamp,  in  common  with  the  remainder  of  the  territory  drained  by 
Swamp  creek  and  its  numerous  tributaries.  But  at  the  last  date  named, 
its  citizens  found  the  necessity  of  a  local  government  and  they  petitioned 
the  court  for  such  government.  The  record  is  silent  as  to  who  the 
township  was  named  in  honor  of,  but  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  it  was 
for  the  line  of  middle-age  emperors,  and  because  the  petitioners,  with 
but  a  single  exception,  were  of  the  Teutonic  stock. 

Before  the  arrival  of  the  first  actual  settlers  to  this  green,  glad  soli- 
tude, the  choicest  of  the  land  had  been  taken  up  by  speculators  from 
Philadelphia  and  other  parts;  even  many  in  England  invested  in  these 
wild  lands  at  a  mere  song  per  acre.  Among  the  first  pioneers  to  invade 
the  township  for  actual  settlement  were  these:  By  virtue  of  a  warrant 
dated  December,  1716,  there  was  laid  out  to  James  Shattick  five  hundred 
acres,  a  part  of  the  tract  William  Penn  had  granted  to  Richard  Pearce, 
May  4,  1682.  To  follow  down  with  the  long  list  of  those  who  settled 
the  township  the  first  fifty  years,  will  be  of  no  general  interest  to  the 
reader,  suffice  to  say  they  were  largely  of  German  speaking  people,  and 
by  reason  of  this  the  township  in  more  recent  generations,  has  been 
styled  a  "Pennsylvania  German  section."  The  Federal  census  returns 
show  a  population  here  as  follows:  In  1800,  it  was  629;  in  1810,  828:  in 
1820,  927;  in  1830,  1,047;  in  1840,  1,217;  '"  ^850  it  was  1,431;  in  i860, 
1,783;  in  1870,  1,818;  in  1880,  1,944;  in  1890,  1,850;  in  1900  it  was  only 
1,690;  in  1910,  it  was  1,512,  and  in  1920  given  as  1,405.  Hundreds  of 
the  present  generation  have  caught  a  vision  of  possibilities  for  bettering 
their  circumstances  by  going  on  west  toward  the  setting  sun,  and  thus 
has  the  population  decreased  materially.  In  the  returns  of  1840  this 
township  showed  in  its  classification :  229  employed  in  agriculture ; 
8  in  commerce;  106  in  manufacturing;  3  in  navigation;  5  in  the  learned 
professions ;  2  persons  were  blind,  and  4  of  unsound  mind.  In  i860 
there  were  listed  in  the  census  returns  17  colored  persons  in  this 
township. 

It  Should  not  be  lost  to  the  view  of  the  readers  of  to-day  that  this 
part  of  the  county  has  few  mills  of  importance  in  operation,  although  the 
numerous  streams  afforded  abundant  water  power  which  was  utilized  to 
a  large  degree  by  the  pioneer  band  of  Germans  who  first  set  foot  on  this 
soil.  Before  January,  1736,  Henry  Antes  and  George  Heebner  had 
erected  a  grist  mill  on  Swamp  creek.  It  has  been  described  in  milling 
journals  as  "a  grist  mill  with  two  pair  of  stones  under  one  roof,"  Joseph 
Goff  erected  a  mill  in  1737,  on  Perkiomen  creek;  in  1759  George  Nyce 
established  a  tannery  at  New  Hanover  and  Frederick  township  line.  In 
1785  the  township  had  its  five  gristmills,  four  sawmills,  two  tanneries 
and  two  hemp  mills.  Peter  Smith  owned  a  powder  mill,  which  later  was 
converted  into  an  oil  mill  and  subsequently  was  allowed  to  go  into 


TOWNSHIPS 


301 


decay.  Many  of  these  mills  stood  the  test  of  a  full  century  and  more 
before  they  gave  way  to  others.  One  of  the  more  recent  industries  here 
was  the  creamery  established  in  1880  by  a  company  of  citizens,  under 
the  title  of  "Green  Tree  Creamery." 

There  are  no  boroughs  within  this  township's  territory,  but  the  vil- 
lages are  Zeiglersville,  Frederick,  part  of  Perkiomenville,  Frederick's 
Station,  Delphi  and  Obelisk.  Some  of  these  places  are  railway  stations 
and  others  inland  hamlets,  where  there  are  a  few  small  stores  and  shops 
and  usuall}'  a  post  office.  Each  and  all  of  these  places  have  been  the 
scene  of  many  historical  transactions  and  events  dating  back  to  Revolu- 
tionary times,  all  too  lengthy  for  reproducing  in  this  connection. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

TOWNSHIPS :   HATFIELD— HORSHAM— LIMERICK- 
LOWER  MERION. 

Hatfield — This  township  is  on  the  line  of  Bucks  and  Montgomery 
counties,  with  Towamencin  on  the  southwest,  Franconia  on  the  north- 
west and  the  borough  of  Lansdale  on  the  south.  Its  area  is  eleven  square 
miles,  or  7,040  acres.  When  Lansdale  was  incorporated  in  1872,  much 
territory  was  taken  from  Hatfield  township.  This  subdivision  of  the 
county  is  situated  on  the  divide  between  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill 
rivers.  Smaller  streams  rise  both  in  and  outside  the  township,  flow 
through  its  domain,  and  empty  their  waters  into  either  one  of  the  two 
larger  streams  named.  The  general  character  of  the  soil  is  red  clay 
mixed  with  fertile  loam.  It  was  the  opinion  of  historian  Buck,  in  writ- 
ing on  this  township,  that  its  name  originated  from  a  town  and  parish  in 
Hertfordshire.  He  also  says  one  John  Hatfield  lived  in  Norriton  town- 
ship as  early  as  1734,  and  possibly  the  court  named  this  township  after 
him.  In  1785  the  township  had  within  its  borders:  two  gristmills,  one 
sawmill,  one  tannery  and  a  hotel.  Its  population  has  been  at  various 
periods:  In  1880,  it  was  520;  in  1830,  835;  in  1850,  1,135;  i"  1870,  1,512; 
in  1880,  1,694;  in  1890,  1,833;  in  1900  it  was  1,497;  in  1910  it  was  1,600, 
and  in  1920  was  1,789. 

The  date  of  organization  of  this  township  is  not  really  known,  but 
from  records  it  is  certain  that  it  was  not  until  after  1741,  but  was  known 
at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  as  damages  were  assessed  to 
Jacob  Reed,  forty  pounds,  and  Isaac  Wisler,  twenty-five  pounds,  both 
residents  of  Hatfield  township,  resulting  from  incursions  of  the  enemy ; 
this  country  was  open  to  foraging  parties  during  the  winter  of  1777-78, 
and  scattered  farmers  doubtless  suffered  much  loss  at  their  hands.  It 
was  mostly  by  reason  of  Lord  Howe's  army  quartered  in  Philadelphia 
during  the  winter  season  just  mentioned,  that  caused  most  of  the  trouble. 
John  Fries,  of  "Fries'  Rebellion"  notoriety,  was  born  in  Hatfield  town- 
ship in  1750.  He  resisted  the  English  ideas  of  taxation,  refused  to  pay 
under  the  house  and  window  tax  law,  and  was  sentenced  to  be  hung, 
but  through  the  kindness  of  friends  influencing  President  John  Adams, 
he  was  pardoned. 

By  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  March  24,  1818,  the  town- 
ship of  Hatfield  was  formed  into  a  separate  election  district,  and  the 
elections  ordered  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  John  Buchanan ;  in  1825  it 
was  ordered  held  at  the  house  of  Peter  Conver,  and  again  it  was  changed 
to  the  house  of  Jacob  C.  Bachman.  All  later  elections  were  at  some 
public  hall  or  schoolhouse. 

The  schools  and  churches  are  treated  under  the  general  chapters  on 


304  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

such  topics  elsewhere  in  this  work.  It  may  be  said  here  that  this  town- 
ship adopted  the  free-school  system  about  1840,  early  after  it  was  created 
within  the  commonwealth.  The  German  Baptists  and  Mennonites  were 
early  in  the  religious  field  in  this  part  of  Montgomery  county. 

The  villages  of  the  township  are:  Line  Lexington,  situated  on  the 
county  line,  partly  in  Bucks  county ;  Hatfield,  Colmar  and  Hockertown. 
These  were  the  old-time  villages,  but  have  mostly  become  defunct,  with 
the  building  of  the  railroad  through  the  township,  from  Lansdale  in  the 
southeastern  corner  to  the  northwest  corner,  with  the  borough  of  Hat- 
field en  route,  and  which  place  has  come  to  be  a  good  sized  mart.  Orville 
Station,  Orville,  Unionville  and  Trewgtown,  are  simply  hamlets,  with 
a  few  business  interests.  The  borough  of  Hatfield  now  has  thirty-three 
business  houses.     (See  chapter  relating  to  Boroughs  of  the  county.) 

Horsham — Horsham,  probably  named  for  one  of  its  earliest  settlers, 
Thomas  Iredell,  whose  birthplace  was  Horsham,  Sussex  county,  Eng- 
land, and  who  located  here  not  later  than  1709,  bought  two  hundred 
acres  of  land  and  built  a  residence  a  half  mile  north  of  the  meeting- 
house. He  was  married,  says  the  Philadelphia  records,  in  1705,  and 
died  in  1734.  Robert  Iredell,  one  of  his  descendants,  was  many  years 
proprietor  of  the  "Norristown  Herald,"  and  in  the  eighties  was  post- 
master of  his  borough.    The  date  of  his  birth  was  October,  1809. 

This  is  one  of  the  eastern  townships  in  the  county,  and  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Bucks  county.  It  is  regular  in  form,  being  from  five  and 
one-half  miles  long  by  three  miles  wide ;  it  has  almost  10,000  acres 
within  its  limits.  It  is  well  watered  and  drained  by  several  branches  of 
the  Neshaminy.  Milling  on  these  water-power  streams  used  to  be  very 
common  and  profitable.  The  Doylestown  and  Willow  Grove  turnpike 
passes  through  this  township;  also  the  Whitehall  and  Bethlehem  pikes 
touch  its  territory. 

The  pioneer  settlements  were  effected  by  persons  including  these : 
Samuel  Carpenter,  Mary  Blunston,  Richard  Ingels,  Thomas  Potter, 
Sarah  Fuller  and  John  Barnes.  Their  tracts  included  half  of  the  town- 
ship. The  next  set  of  persons  who  here  found  homes  for  themselves 
were  George  Palmer,  Joseph  Fisher  and  John  Mason.  These  all  came 
in  just  before  1710.  It  should  be  added  that  one-third  of  the  township 
was  taken  up  by  Samuel  Carpenter,  who  had  more  than  five  thousand 
acres,  obtained  of  William  Penn.  The  Kenderdine  and  Lukens  families 
were  early  in  this  township  and  left  their  lasting  impression  on  the 
county,  as  characters  sturdy  and  of  the  real  worthwhile  type  of  manhood 
and  womanhood.  Another  was  Evan  Lloyd,  who  came  from  Wales  in 
1719;  he  was  the  minister  among  the  Friends,  and  built  near  the 
meeting-house. 

The  United  States  census  reports  for  various  enumerating  periods 
have  placed  the  population  here  as  follows:  In  1800,  781  ;  in  1840,  1,812; 


TOWNSHIPS  305 

in  1880,  1,315;  in  1900,  1,157;  i"  'Q^o  it  was  i,i<S9.  In  1883  reports  gave 
the  number  of  business  places  as  one  hotel,  three  general  stores,  two 
dealers  in  flour  and  feed.  There  was  then  a  Friends'  meeting-house, 
and  two  small  public  halls  within  the  township,  where  lectures  and  mass 
meetings  could  be  held.  The  villages  were  then,  as  now,  Horsham- 
ville,  Prospectville,  and  Davis  Grove.  A  post  office  was  established  in 
1816,  at  Horshamville,  with  Charles  Palmer  as  postmaster.  Forty 
years  ago  the  village  of  Prospectville  contained  eight  houses,  a  store, 
hall  and  several  shops.  A  post  office  was  secured  here  in  1858.  The 
first  of  all  business  enterprises  at  this  point  was  in  1779,  when  Thomas 
Roney  kept  an  inn.  In  later  times  this  place  was  known  as  Cashtown. 
Another  place  is  Davis  Grove,  within  a  half  mile  of  the  Bucks  county 
line.  Here  Mary  Ball  kept  an  inn  in  1790,  and  her  sign  was  "The  Yel- 
low Balls." 

With  less  than  sixteen  hundred  inhabitants,  and  an  agricultural  dis- 
trict, at  that,  there  can  scarce  be  found  in  the  country  a  people  of  more 
intelligence  and  generous  social  qualities  than  lived  in  this  township 
during  the  last  two  centuries.  Here  have  been  the  homes  of  such  noted 
literary  and  otherwise  distinguished  men  and  women  as  Sir  William 
Keith,  Dr.  Thomas  Graeme,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ferguson,  John  and  Anna 
Young,  Dr.  Archibald  McClean,  Robert  LoUer,  David  and  Joseph  Lloyd, 
Samuel  and  John  Gummere;  John,  Abraham  and  Isaiah  Lukens,  Hiram 
McNeal,  and  the  Simpson  family,  of  whom  John  Simpson  was  great- 
grandfather to  General  Ulysses  S.  Grant.  This  Simpson  was  tax-col- 
lector in  the  township  in  1776,  and  was  a  landowner  of  considerable 
means.  The  father  of  General  Grant  was  Jesse  R.  Grant,  who  died  in 
1873  and  the  mother  in  1882.  Mrs.  Jesse  R.  Grant  was  the  daughter 
of  John  Simpson,  of  Montgomery  county,  and  remained  here  until 
nineteen  years  of  age,  then  settled  in  Ohio,  where  she  married,  and 
among  her  children  was  he  who  was  to  command  the  armies  of  his 
country  and  finally  be  made  its  President  for  two  terms. 

Limerick — This  township  is  bounded  on  the  northeast  by  Frederick, 
southeast  by  Perkiomen  and  Upper  Providence,  south  by  the  borough  of 
Royer's  Ford,  southwest  by  the  Schuylkill  river,  west  by  Pottsgrove, 
and  northwest  by  New  Hanover  township.  It  is  about  four  and  one- 
half  by  five  miles  in  size,  and  contains  close  to  14,000  acres — among  the 
most  extensive  in  Montgomery  county  in  its  area.  July  14,  1879,  Rover's 
Ford  borough  was  wholly  taken  from  the  territory  of  this  township, 
reducing  both  extent  of  territory  as  well  as  population.  Along  the 
Schuylkill  river  the  soil  is  excellent,  but  most  of  the  territory  is  a  stiff 
clay,  which  at  times  is  unproductive.  The  streams  are  not  as  large  in 
volume  of  water  as  most  parts  of  the  county  afford ;  in  fact,  only  a  saw- 
mill was  ever  attempted  to  be  run  by  water  power  in  the  township,  and 
that  not  entirely  successfully. 
Mont — 20 


3o6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

In  1741  the  number  of  taxables  within  Limerick  was  fifty-eight;  in 
1828,  315;  in  1882  it  was  rated  with  646.  The  population  at  various 
census  enumeration  periods  has  been:  In  1800  it  was  999;  in  1840,  1,786; 
in  1880,  it  was  2,365;  in  1890,  2,224;  1900,  2,250;  in  1910,  2,267;  ^"^d  in 
1920  it  was  about  2,350.  The  census  of  1850  had  returns  showing  373 
houses,  403  families,  and  248  farms.  The  Reading  turnpike  crosses  for 
five  miles  through  its  center  and  the  Limerick  and  Colebrookdale  pike 
three  miles.  The  former  improvement  was  made  in  181 5,  and  the  latter 
in  1855. 

Soon  after  1709,  the  first  real  settlement  of  the  township  was  made, 
and  by  1734  had  increased  to  twenty-one  residents,  and  landowners: 
John  Davy,  300;  Enoch  Davis,  300;  Edward  Nichols,  600;  John  Ken- 
dall, 300;  Owen  Evans,  400;  William  Evans,  300;  Joseph  Barlow,  400; 
Peter  Umstead,  250;  Oliflf  (or  Adolph)  Pennypacker,  250;  Henry  Rey- 
ner,  100;  William  Woodly,  150;  Jonathan  Woodly,  300;  William  Malsby, 
200;  Henry  Peterson,  200;  Peter  Peterson,  100;  Nicholas  Custer,  7; 
Hironemus  Haas,  250;  Lawrence  Rinker,  50;  Stephen  Miller,  170;  Barn- 
aby  Coulson,  50;  Martin  Kolb,  150.  In  1876  the  returns  named  among 
the  citizens  of  the  township,  blacksmiths,  joiners,  weavers,  tailors,  card- 
winders,  and  inn  keepers. 

Parker's  Ford  is  about  five  miles  above  the  present  village  of  Lin- 
field,  about  five  miles  below  Pottstown.  The  road  from  here  to  the 
Trappe  is  five  miles  and  a  half,  and  was  laid  out  at  a  very  early  day. 
The  land  rises  gradually  from  the  river,  but  on  the  Chester  county  side 
is  more  elevated.  It  was  at  this  place,  September  19,  1777,  that  the  fol- 
lowing incident  took  place,  as  mentioned  in  the  journal  of  Rev.  Henry 
M.  Muhlenberg,  residing  at  the  Trappe : 

In  the  afternoon  we  had  news  that  the  British  troops  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Schuylkill  river  had  marched  down  towards  Providence,  and 
with  a  telescope  we  could  see  their  camp.  In  consequence  of  this,  the 
American  army,  four  miles  from  us,  forded  the  Schuylkill  breast  high, 
and  came  upon  the  Philadelphia  road  at  Augustus  church.  His  Excel- 
lency, General  Washington,  was  with  the  troops  in  person,  who  marched 
past  here  to  the  Perkiomen.  The  procession  lasted  the  whole  night,  and 
we  had  numerous  visits  from  officers,  wet  breast  high,  who  had  to 
march  in  this  condition  during  the  whole  night,  cold  and  damp  as  it  was, 
and  to  bear  hunger  and  thirst  at  the  same  time. 

What  a  fit  subject  for  a  painting,  methinks,  the  title  to  be  "The 
American  Army  Breast-deep  Crossing  Schuylkill  River."  Indeed,  it 
would  be  a  suitable  counterpart  to  "Washington  Crossing  the  Delaware." 

The  borough  of  Royer's  Ford  is  located  on  land  formerly  being  the 
southeastern  corner  of  Limerick  township.  To-day  there  are  no  incor- 
porated boroughs  within  the  township,  but  the  villages,  past  and  pres- 
ent, may  be  described  as  follows :  Forty  years  ago  the  villages  were 
Limerick   Station,   Limerick   Square,    Fruitville,  and   Stone   Hill.     The 


TOWNSHIPS  307 

first  two  named  were  post  office  points.  Since  1838  the  township  elec- 
tions have  been  held  at  Limerick  Square.  To  modernize  the  villages 
here,  it  should  be  said  that  in  June,  1884,  application  was  made  and  the 
court  granted,  that  it  was  wise  to  incorporate  into  a  borough,  and  the 
name  selected  was  "Linfield,"  as  known  to-day  as  the  railroad  place  on 
the  Reading  road.  It  only  contains  about  a  dozen  houses  and  a  small 
amount  of  business.  Limerick  Square,  a  little  east  of  the  center  of  the 
township,  contains  a  post  office,  a  few  houses  and  stores.  The  post 
office  of  Limerick  was  established  here  in  about  1828.  Widow  Lloyd 
kept  an  inn  here  at  the  junction  of  the  two  pike  roads  as  early  as  1758, 
and  in  1776  it  was  conducted  by  John  Stetler,  and  the  locality  was  then 
known  many  years  as  Stetler.  In  1858  it  contained  a  steam  gristmill, 
two  smith  shops,  a  sawmill,  sixteen  houses,  a  number  being  large  three- 
story  brick  buildings.  A  trolley  line  now  passes  through  the  place,  with 
frequent  cars  going  and  coming  to  the  nearby  cities.  Fruitville,  another 
small  village  on  the  Colebrookdale  pike,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
Limerick  Square  to  the  northwest,  has  the  usual  number  of  small  busi- 
ness houses  and  a  few  good  residences.  Of  the  schools  and  churches 
within  this  township  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  general  county  chap- 
ters covering  such  topics. 

Lower  Merion — This  is  the  most  southeasterly  township  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  and  previous  to  the  taking  off  of  what  is  now  the  bor- 
ough of  West  Conshohocken,  the  greatest  in  extent  and  number  of  pop- 
ulation of  any  in  the  county.  This  division  was  effected  in  1874.  It  has 
within  its  present  limits  several  vigorous,  rapidly  growing  villages,  but 
only  one  borough  has  been  carved  from  its  territory  aside  from  West 
Conshohocken,  and  that  is  Narberth.  Its  villages  are  Ardmore,  Bryn 
Mawr,  Rosemont,  Wynnewood,  Rose  Glen,  and  smaller  hamlets.  The 
surface  of  the  township  is  ideal  in  many  ways.  Its  soil  in  most  sections 
is  excellent  for  farm  and  garden  purposes.  Its  beautiful  small  streams 
are  ever  a  joy  to  the  beholder.  Not  less  than  thirteen  of  these  creeks 
empty  into  the  Schuylkill  river  within  the  borders  of  this  township.  So 
plentiful  are  the  streams  of  pure  water  that  it  has  been  said  many  times 
that  there  was  not  a  single  farm  of  any  considerable  area  within  the 
township  that  did  not  afford  at  least  one  strong,  cold,  never-failing 
spring  of  water.  The  largest  of  these  streams  above  named  is  Mill 
creek,  which  rises  and  unites  with  the  Schuylkill  all  within  the  confines 
of  the  township,  and  in  its  course  has  flowing  into  its  channel  fourteen 
lesser  streams.  This  main  stream.  Mill  creek,  was  noted  for  having  a 
paper  mill  before  the  Revolutionary  War.  "Roberts'  grist  and  paper 
mills"  was  noted  by  the  writers  of  1758.  In  1858  its  waters  propelled 
one  plaster  mill,  two  grist  and  sawmills,  besides  eleven  manufactories. 
Before  1822  the  Merion  Cotton  Mills,  with  949  spindles,  was  also  run 
by  the  falling  waters  of  this  stream.     Rock  creek,  Indian  creek,  Trout 


3o8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

run,  Rock  Hill  creek  and  Cobb's  creek  are  included  in  the  list  of  streams 
that  have  gladdened  the  heart  of  man  for  a  long  period  of  decades. 

As  to  the  population  of  the  township,  it  should  be  said  that  the 
United  States  census  reports  give  these  significant  figures:  In  1800,  it 
had  1,422;  in  1840,  2,827;  in  i860,  4,423;  in  1880,  6,287;  ^^90  it  had 
10,092;  in  1910  it  was  17,671  and  in  1920,  the  figures  given  were  23,827. 
As  early  as  1883  there  were  seven  post  ofifices  in  the  township,  but  the 
advent  of  rural  carriers  cut  these  down  somewhat,  but  with  the  spring- 
ing up  of  new  villages  others  were  established  until  to-day  all  villages  in 
the  township  have  excellent  postal  facilities.  The  public  schools  are 
numerous  and  of  the  truly  worthwhile  type.  The  private  educational 
institutions  are  many ;  there  are  a  half  dozen  select  schools  for  girls,  and 
the  great  almost  world-famed  Bryn  Mawr  College  for  females,  which 
was  established  in  1880,  together  with  the  select  private  schools,  gives 
the  township  more  female  pupils  in  higher  schools  of  learning  than  can 
be  named  at  any  other  place  in  America.  (See  Educational  chapter.) 
Methodist,  Episcopal  and  Presbyterian  churches  are  among  the  very 
early  denominations  to  be  found  within  Lower  Merion  township  (see 
Church  chapter  for  further  account  of  the  religious  denominations).  It 
should  be  here  mentioned  that  the  Society  of  Friends  was  the  earliest  to 
worship  within  this  township,  and  an  account  of  the  Old  Meeting  House 
appears  in  the  Church  chapter  referred  to. 

The  township  derives  its  name  from  Merioneth,  in  Wales,  from 
which  country  so  many  of  the  pioneers  of  this  township  emigrated.  In 
1685  the  boundary  between  Merion  and  Chester  county  was  ordered 
determined.  It  is  also  known  that  Upper  and  Lower  Merion  obtained 
prior  to  1714.  On  the  original  survey  maps  the  names  of  purchasers 
include  such  families  as  the  Hollands,  Pennocks,  Roberts,  Woods,  Hum- 
phreys, Ellis,  and  Jones.  These  names  are  well  known  through  their 
numerous  descendants  in  this  township  at  the  present  day. 

The  local  historian,  William  J.  Buck,  says  in  his  history :  "During 
the  Revolution,  particularly  while  the  British  held  possession  of  Phil- 
adelphia, from  September,  1777,  to  June,  1778,  the  inhabitants  of  Lower 
Merion,  in  consequence  of  their  nearness,  suffered  severely  from  the 
raids  of  the  enemy.  Though  no  striking  events  of  interest  occurred 
here  during  the  exciting  struggle,  yet  it  was  compelled  to  bear  some  of 
its  trials.  Shortly  after  their  departure  an  assessor  was  appointed  to 
value  the  damages,  which  amounted  to  $8,565  in  our  money.  During 
this  period  twenty-nine  persons  stood  attainted  with  treason  within  the 
present  limits  of  the  county,  yet  only  one  of  the  number  was  from  this 
township,  thus  showing  that  the  mass  of  the  people  here  must  have  been 
generally  disposed  to  independence."  This  spirit  of  unflinching  loyalty 
came  on  down  through  the  periods  of  the  War  of  1812,  and  the  Rebel- 
lion, as  well  as  in  the  last  World  War. 


WASHINGTON   MEMORIAL  CHAPEL,  VALLEY  FORGE 


PENNSYLVANIA  COLUMNS,  VALLEY  FORGE 


TOWNSHIPS  309 

One  can  hardly  avoid  traveling  over  sacred  ground  in  passing 
through  Montgomery  county.  Nearly  everywhere  one  turns  is  some 
association  with  the  Revolution,  apart  from  the  preeminent  one  of  all 
America,  that  of  Valley  Forge.  Yet  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  these 
historic  spots  have  as  a  rule  never  been  appreciated  enough  by  the 
citizens  to  even  place  proper  "markers"  of  wood,  stone  or  bronze,  to  tell 
the  traveler  that  he  is  passing  over  historic,  almost  sacred  ground.  But 
it  is  of  Valley  Forge  that  we  write  at  this  time.  Cornwallis  remarked  at 
Yorktown  to  Washington :  "Sir,  your  greatest  victory  was  not  at  York- 
town,  but  at  Valley  Forge."  Then  no  wonder  the  residents  in  and  sur- 
rounding this  spot  should  take  on  a  just  pride  and  delight  themselves  by 
showing  the  stranger  the  sights  at  hand  and  pointing  to  the  everlasting 
hills  and  majestic  windings  of  the  channel  of  the  Schuylkill,  on  whose 
charming  scenes  the  eyes  of  Washington  rested  in  the  "times  that  tried 
men's  souls" — 1777-78 — when  the  destiny  of  a  nation  was  being 
determined. 

The  Valley  Forge  Park  is  the  direct  result  of  the  untiring  working  of 
the  Valley  Forge  Park  Commission  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  in  June,  1893,  and  provided  "for  the  acqui- 
sition by  the  State  of  certain  ground  at  Valley  Forge  for  a  park."  What 
was  styled  the  Valley  Forge  Monument  Association  began  its  work  in 
1882,  and  men  like  George  W.  Childs  became  its  charter  members. 
Congress  was  appealed  to  for  aid,  but  nothing  was  accomplished  by  such 
efiforts.  Then  Pennsylvania  was  appealed  to,  to  throw  out  its  protecting 
arm  around  the  sacred  spots  about  Washington's  Headquarters  at  this 
point.  At  first  it  was  asked  that  a  befitting  monument  like  Bunker  Hill 
and  Washington  Monuments  to  be  erected  by  the  commonwealth,  but  a 
better  judgment  prevailed,  and  the  idea  of  preserving  the  entire  grounds, 
containing  over  fifteen  hundred  acres,  was  developed  and  the  bill  appro- 
priating for  such  purchase  was  passed  in  1893.  There  is  always  some 
brave,  far-sighted  person  who  has  to  do  with  the  beginnings  of  all  great 
accomplishments  and  public  institutions.  It  was  the  case  here.  Just 
who  this  person  might  have  been,  it  is  certain  that  as  early  as  1842  (the 
late  Governor  Samuel  W.  Pennypacker  says),  Dr.  Isaac  Anderson  Penny- 
packer  wrote  in  behalf  of  the  preservation  of  this  encampment,  and  in 
1845  suggested  the  erection  of  a  suitable  monument  on  Mt.  Joy.  To  this 
end  came  the  great  Daniel  Webster,  William  H.  Seward,  Neal  Dow  and 
others  to  Valley  Forge.  But  such  enthusiasm  soon  died  away  with  the 
greater  interests  of  a  Nation  that  was  destined  to  be  baptized  in  the 
blood  of  her  own  people,  before  true  liberty  and  freedom  could  be 
vouched  safe. 

The  first  act  passed,  as  above  stated,  in  1893  provided  $25,000  for  the 
purpose  of  the  Commission,  and  in  1895  $10,000  were  appropriated. 
Pennsylvania  has  now  expended  several  hundred  thousand  dollar?  in 


3IO  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

purchasing  the  lands,  building  of  excellent  paved  roads,  etc.  But  prior 
to  all  of  these  efforts  was  the  celebration  of  the  one  hundredth  anniver- 
sary of  the  Evacuation  of  Valley  Forge.  To  bring  about  this  "Centen- 
nial," a  society  was  organized,  and  known  as  "The  Centennial  and 
Memorial  Association  of  Valley  Forge,"  of  which  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Hol- 
stein  was  elected  regent.  Subscriptions  and  the  sale  of  membership 
tickets  to  the  Association  were  carried  on  successfully  until  the  old  stone 
headquarters  house  of  Washington  and  an  acre  and  a  half  of  land  sur- 
rounding it  had  been  secured  at  an  expense  of  $6,000,  one-half  being 
secured  by  a  mortgage.  Later  it  was  impossible  to  pay  the  interest  on 
this  mortgage  by  the  Association,  and  an  appeal  was  made  to  the  Patri- 
otic Order  of  the  Sons  of  America  in  its  convention  in  Norristown  in  18S5. 
Six  months  later  this  worthy  order  had  paid  off  the  debt  and  received 
3,600  shares  of  stock,  which  gave  them  a  voice  in  the  management  of 
affairs  at  Valley  Forge.  In  1887  the  State  gave  ?5,ooo  to  further  the 
work,  and  in  1887  the  Headquarters  building  was  restored  to  its  original 
condition.  Additional  lands  were  purchased  in  1889  and  in  1904.  A 
small  fee  had  always  been  charged  to  visit  the  "Headquarters  Building," 
that  fine  ancient  stone  structure,  but  in  1904  the  Park  Commission  sug- 
gested that  the  State  take  over  the  property,  and  in  August,  1905,  it  was 
so  possessed  by  the  State.  The  amount  paid  the  Association  by  Penn- 
sylvania was  $18,000,  which  the  courts  held  must  be  forever  held  in 
trust  by  the  Association  and  could  not  be  alienated  or  divided. 

Since  the  State  took  possession  of  this  immense  natural  park,  with 
its  numerous  buildings,  vast  improvements  have  been  effected.  But  so 
great  have  come  to  be  the  interests  centering  around  this  national  shrine 
that  outsiders  are  desiring  to  have  a  part  in  the  making  more  perfect 
this  spot,  visited  annually  by  its  tens  of  thousands  of  people  from  our 
own  and  foreign  lands.  Just  at  this  time  (1923)  a  chime  of  thirteen 
bells,  one  for  each  Colony,  is  being  placed  at  Valley  Forge.  The  first 
bell  was  donated  by  the  Massachusetts  Society  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
Revolution ;  this  is  named  "Paul  Revere."  The  great  tenor  bell,  weigh- 
ing over  a  ton  and  one-half,  was  to  be  given  by  the  Pennsylvania  D.  A. 
R.,  and  the  New  Jersey  Society  will  soon  have  the  fund  raised  for  their 
bell ;  the  Colonial  Dames  of  Delaware  are  to  furnish  one  bell  for  their 
State.  New  York  will  have  one  of  the  heaviest  bells  in  the  chime,  and 
it  will  cost  $5,000.  Each  bell  will  be  endowed,  so  that  a  ringer  will  be 
present  every  day  of  the  year  and  every  hour  will  be  marked  by  a 
patriotic  air.     The  national  anthem  will  be  played  each  day  at  sunset. 

The  Valley  Forge  Park  Commission  recently  endorsed  and  approved 
the  plan  of  building  an  historic  shrine  at  Valley  Forge  in  honor  of  the 
heroes  who  fell  in  the  late  World  War,  and  the  project  is  being  backed 
by  the  American  Legion,  War  Mothers,  and  other  patriotic  societies.  It 
is  to  be  a  memorial  of  rare  size  and  exquisite  beauty.     Such  buildings 


WASHINGTON'S  HEADQUARTERS,  VALLEY  FORGE 


WAS1UX(.IUN\S  i;i':iJROOM— THE  HEAUyUARTERS  -  X'ALLEV  FORGE 


TOWNSHIPS  211 

are  much  more  practical  and  truly  useful  than  the  old-fashioned  monu- 
ments of  marble  or  granite.  With  the  completion  of  the  above  chime  of 
bells  and  this  Victory  Hall,  the  improvements  around  a  spot  almost 
neglected  and  forgotten  by  the  average  American  up  to  thirty  years  ago, 
will  indeed  be  a  credit  to  Pennsylvania,  Montgomery  county,  and  the 
location  so  long  known  as  Valley  Forge. 

As  one  visits  Valley  Forge,  his  eye  will  be  greeted,  as  he  passes  over 
the  thousands  of  acres  within  the  State  Park  and  its  surrounding  farm- 
ing lands,  v/ith  many  an  interesting  and  truly  historical  object,  nearly 
all  of  which  have  been  provided  within  this  present  generation.  Among 
these  may  be  named :  Washington's  Headquarters,  the  fine  old  stone 
residence  given  over  to  the  "Father  of  His  Country"  by  pioneer  Potts 
during  that  long,  memorable  winter  of  1777-78;  the  earthworks;  the 
Washington  Memorial  Chapel,  an  Episcopal  church  of  rare  and  costly 
design,  within  and  without,  which  is  open  daily  from  8  a.  m.  to  6  p.  m., 
and  which  has  been  made  possible  only  through  the  untiring  zeal  and 
natural  ability  of  the  present  rector,  W.  Herbert  Burk,  D.  D.,  who  is 
also  president  of  the  Valley  Forge  Historical  Society;  the  Cloister  of 
the  Colonies ;  Valley  Forge  Museum  of  American  History ;  the  Soldiers' 
Hut ;  the  old  Camp  School ;  the  Waterman  Monument ;  the  Wayne  Mon- 
ument; the  Muhlenberg  Monument;  the  Delaware  Marker;  the  Maine 
Marker;  the  Massachusetts  Monument;  the  New  Jersey  Monument; 
the  Pennsylvania  Columns ;  the  Monument  to  the  Unknown  Dead ;  the 
Brigade  Hospital  (reproduction)  ;  the  Headquarters  of  Commanding 
Officers  (no  admission);  View  from  Observatory  in  Mount  Joy;  the 
Defender's  Gate,  near  the  Chapel,  and  Museum. 

The  greatest  object  of  interest  to  the  thoughtful  visitor  at  Valley 
Forge  is  the  original  field  tent  General  Washington  used  as  headquar- 
ters the  first  week  he  spent  upon  the  exposed  hillsides  at  this  point, 
before  Mr.  Potts  took  pity  on  him  and  gave  him  quarters  in  the  now 
historic  stone  house,  the  first  building  one  sees  after  alighting  from  the 
railway  train  when  entering  the  little  hamlet  of  Valley  Forge.  To  look 
upon  the  real  genuine  canvas  tent  which  the  great  commander  used  as 
his  sleeping  room  and  general  headquarters,  rivets  the  attention  of  the 
visitor  upon  its  every  thread  and  fold,  as  it  is  seen  in  the  museum,  in  the 
last  place  where  one  would  think  to  find  so  valuable  a  relic.  It  was 
secured  by  Dr.  Burk  from  Miss  Mary  Custis  Lee,  the  daughter  of  Mrs. 
Robert  E.  Lee,  widow  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  the  owner  of  the 
tent,  first  on  an  option  for  its  purchase  of  $5,000,  and  on  August  19,  1909, 
the  first  payment  was  made,  amounting  to  $500.  The  remaining  $4,500 
was  to  be  paid  from  money  raised  by  exhibition  of  the  tent,  and  the 
money  was  to  go  to  the  support  of  the  "Old  Confederate  Woman's 
Home,"  Richmond,  Virginia,  of  which  Miss  Lee  was  president.  This 
tent  is  in  fine  condition,  and  is  about  ten  by  fifteen  feet  in  size  and  high 


312  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

enough  to  walk  under  easily.  The  Washington  Memorial  Library  now 
contains  about  fourteen  thousand  volumes,  awaiting  a  proper  home  for 
safekeeping  and  use. 

The  Valley  Forge  Historical  Society  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  W. 
Herbert  Burk,  D.  D.,  June  19,  1918,  to  collect  and  preserve  documents 
and  relics  relating  to  Valley  Forge,  and  the  history  of  the  United  States 
of  America  and  other  objects.  But  as  has  well  been  said  by  another, 
"The  exhibition  of  the  character  of  Washington  is  the  crowning  glory 
of  Valley  Forge." 

Bryn  Mawr  is  among  the  more  important  unincorporated  places 
within  Lower  Merion  township.  The  name  is  borrowed  from  the  Welsh 
dialect,  and  signifies  "great  hills."  As  will  be  observed  presently,  it  is 
chiefly  known  by  reason  of  its  modern,  fully  equipped,  up-to-date  female 
college  and  select  private  schools  for  young  ladies.  To  possess  a  diploma 
from  Bryn  Mawr  College  means  much  to  be  justly  proud  of  by  any  lady 
of  the  land. 

Concerning  the  early  history  of  this  section  of  Montgomery  county, 
it  may  be  stated  that  it  was  settled  in  the  fifties  to  considerable  extent 
for  these  times.  In  1858  it  had  twenty-one  residences,  and  was  then 
known  as  Humphreysville.  It  is  nine  miles  from  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  joins  Delaware  county.  For  many  years  the  place  was  sought 
out  by  summer  boarders  from  the  city,  it  being  a  delightful  place  to 
spend  the  summer  months.  But  this  was  all  changed  when  the  great 
educational  wave  struck  the  place  in  the  early  eighties,  after  which  the 
girls'  private  academies  and  finally  the  great  college,  of  which  further 
mention  is  made,  were  established,  and  a  fine  group  of  magnificent 
buildings  of  stone  graced  the  always  beautiful  spot.  To-day  the  place 
has  near  6,000  population,  and  is  the  seat  of  many  well  conducted 
schools,  including  the  public  schools  with  two  buildings.  Bryn  Mawr 
Female  College  is  the  one  important  factor  in  the  place,  for  here  are 
hundreds  and  added  hundreds  of  young  ladies  coming  from  all  parts  of 
the  globe.  Now  there  are  several  students  from  Japan  and  other  far- 
off  islands  of  the  sea.    There  are  also  five  boarding  schools  for  girls. 

The  churches  found  here  with  good  congregations  are  the  Episcopal, 
Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Colored  Baptist  and  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal, 
United  Brethren,  and  Roman  Catholic,  all  having  edifices  except  the 
United  Brethren.  The  lodges  include  Red  Men,  Eagles,  Knights  oi 
Columbus,  Moose,  Legion  and  Grand  Army  posts.  The  local  newspaper 
is  the  "Home  News,"  the  history  of  which  will  be  found  in  the  News- 
paper chapter.  The  Public  Library  and  the  one  conducted  by  the  W.  C. 
T.  U.  organization  afford  ample  books  for  the  community.  The  com- 
mercial interests  are  such  as  a  college  and  school  center  demands.  The 
manufacturing  plants  are  confined  to  the  Thomas  M.  Royal  Company, 
makers  of  all  kinds  of  paper  bags  and  sacks  for  merchandise  purposes. 
More  than  two  hundred  persons  find  steady  employment  in  this  factory. 


I.    1'lm;lic  school 

3.     MASONIC  HALL 


J.     LOWER  MERION  HIGH  SCHOOL 
4.     THE  ARDMORE   NATIONAL   BANK 
5.     THE  MERION  TITLE  &  TRUST  COMPANY 
ARDMORE,   PA. 


TOWNSHIPS  313 

the  product  of  which  is  known  the  country  over.  The  other  factory  is 
the  artificial  ice  plant,  which  is  of  large  capacity.  Of  the  hospital,  bank- 
ing, etc.,  other  chapters  will  include  all  in  the  county. 

Ardmore  is  on  the  old  Lancaster  turnpike  and  Pennsylvania  railroad, 
seven  miles  out  from  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  is  the  seat  of  local 
government  for  Lower  Merion  township,  the  township  hall  being  situ- 
ated there.  An  historical  account  given  of  the  hamlet  in  1884  has  this 
paragraph:  "It  contains  nearly  one  hundred  houses,  two  hotels,  one 
grocery,  two  drug  and  three  general  stores,  a  Lutheran  church,  a  steam 
planing  mill  and  shutter  and  door  manufactory,  a  lumber  yard,  and  has 
a  Masonic  Hall  for  Cassia  Lodge,  No.  273,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
and  Chapter  262,  Royal  Arch  Masons;  an  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  Banyan 
Tree  Lodge,  No.  378,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Haverlord 
College,  belonging  to  the  Orthodox  Friends,  is  only  a  half  mile  distant, 
in  Delaware  county,  Pennsylvania.  The  village  in  1858  contained  only 
twenty-eight  houses  and  in  1880  its  population  was  five  hundred  and 
nineteen." 

Before  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  "Red  Lion  Tavern"  was  estab- 
lished here  and  kept  by  John  Taylor  over  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Before 
the  building  of  the  railroad,  more  than  fifty  teamsters  with  their  cargo 
of  frieight  to  and  from  the  nearby  city  used  to  stop  all  night  at  this  tav- 
ern. The  village  was  originally  called  Athensville,  and  the  post  office 
was  Cabinet.  In  1855  the  Athens  Institute  and  Library  Association  was 
incorporated,  but  in  the  early  eighties  disbanded  and  sold  the  property. 
At  this  writing,  the  population  of  Ardmore  is  placed  at  12,000,  and  its 
business  interests,  outside  the  retail  general  stores  and  ordinary  shops, 
consists  of  two  well  capitalized  banks  (see  Banking  chapter),  and  the 
extensive  manufacturing  plant  of  the  Auto-car  Company,  where  more 
than  one  thousand  employees  are  engaged  the  year  round.  The  local 
newspapers  are  the  "Ardmore  Chronicle"  and  the  "Main  Liner,"  both 
wide-awake  papers  of  which  mention  is  made  in  the  chapter  on  News- 
papers of  the  county.  There  are  church  organizations  owning  edifices 
and  supporting  a  minister,  as  follows:  Baptist,  Episcopal,  Methodist 
Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  Evangelical  Lutheran,  Colored  Baptist  (two), 
African  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  Christian  Scientists.  The  civic  orders 
include  the  Masonic,  Chapter  and  Eastern  Star  lodges ;  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows ;  and  Independent  Order  of  American  Mechanics. 
The  public  schools  are  situated  in  two  fine  school  structures,  and  an- 
other is  being  planned.  A  public  library,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Woman's  Club  of  Ardmore,  is  a  valuable  adjunct  to  the  public  schools 
of  the  place. 

Other  villages  of  Lower  Merion  township  are :  Rosemont,  near  Br>'n 
Mawr;  Pencoid,  in  the  extreme  northeastern  corner  of  the  township; 
West  Manayunk,  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  Hill  creek,  opposite  Manayunk, 
the  Schuylkill  dividing  the  two  places ;  Merion  Square,  located  in  the 


314 


HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


center  of  the  township ;  Libertyville,  to  the  northeast  of  Ardmore ; 
Wynnewood,  below  Ardmore  proper ;  Academyville,  a  mile  southwest  of 
West  Manayunk ;  Lower  Merion  Academy,  Flat  Rock,  and  possibly  a 
few  hamlets,  constitute  the  villages  or  towns  within  the  limits  of  Lower 
Merion  township,  which  exist  to-day,  or  have  in  the  past  been  known 
on  the  maps.  Some  were  making  their  history  away  back  before  the 
Revolutionary  struggle,  while  others  are  of  more  recent  date.  None  of 
these  places  in  the  nature  of  things  could  be  expected  to  be  large  in 
population,  as  they  are  in  a  sense  but  suburbs  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 


THE  LAKE,  SANATOGA  PARK,  POTTSTOWN— MANATAWNY  BRIDGE, 
POTTSTOWN— WEST  SHORE,  SANATOGA  LAKE 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
TOWNSHIPS :    MARLBOROUGH— MONTGOMERY— MORE- 
LAND— NEW  HANOVER— UPPER  HANOVER— 
NORRITON— PERKIOMEN. 

Marlborough — This  is  one  of  the  northwestern  townships  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  is  bounded  by  Bucks  county  on  the  northeast,  south  and 
east  by  Upper  Salford,  southwest  by  Frederick  and  the  borough  of  Green 
Lane,  and  northwest  by  Upper  Hanover  township.  It  is  three  by  five 
miles  in  extent,  and  contains  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles. 
It  was  reduced  in  1875  by  the  incorporating  of  the  borough  of  Green 
Lane,  which  took  from  its  territory  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  acres. 
The  Perkiomen  flows  along  its  southwest  boundary,  and  East  Swamp 
creek  in  the  eastern  portion.  Also  Ridge  Valley  creek  is  an  important 
stream  in  its  class  This  township  was  named  for  the  Duke  of  Marl- 
borough, noted  for  his  military  career  in  about  1706,  and  who  died  in 
1722.  The  township  was  organized  in  1745,  and  the  first  settlement 
known  to  have  been  made  was  by  Thomas  Mayberry,  who  bought  a 
tract  of  land  in  1730,  containing  about  twelve  hundred  acres.  He 
erected  a  forge  there,  the  location  being  near  or  exactly  at  the  present 
site  of  the  borough  of  Green  Lane.  According  to  government  reports, 
the  population  at  different  periods  has  been  as  follows :  In  1800,  it  was 
645;  in  1830,  was  952;  in  1850,  it  was  1,174;  in  1870,  1,303;  in  1880,  1,212; 
1890  was  1,151 ;  in  1900  it  was  1,129;  i"  1910.  i.i95;  and  in  1920  it  was 
1.514- 

The  Sumneytown  and  Spring  House  Turnpike  Company  was  incor- 
porated in  1845  a"d  opened  its  highway  in  1848  through  this  township. 
The  Perkiomen  turnpike  passes  through  the  southwestern  part  of  its 
territory  from  Green  Lane  to  Perkiomenville.  The  Green  Lane  and 
Goshenhoppen,  and  the  Sumneytown  and  Gerrysville  pikes  also  pass  over 
the  township.  The  early  forges  and  powder  mills,  also  oil  mills,  erected 
on  the  Perkiomen  and  its  tributaries,  and  the  large  amount  of  freighting 
necessary  in  conductmg  them,  induced  the  people  to  construct  hard 
roads. 

There  are  three  villages — Hoppenville,  Sumneytown  and  Marlbor- 
ough. Sumneytown  is  the  largest  of  the  three,  and  was  named  for 
Isaac  Sumney,  who  in  August,  1763,  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Marlborough  township,  which  included  a  part  of  the  present 
site  of  the  village.  This  is  a  very  ancient  settlement  for  this  county; 
history  mentions  it,  and  speaks  of  Dorn's  Inn  as  located  at  the  forks 
of  the  road.  Dorn  later  conducted  a  regular  hotel,  and  the  large  stone 
building  was  standing  not  many  years  ago.  A  map  of  the  count}-  in 
1792  is  the  earliest  we  find  the  name  Sumneytown.     A  post  office  was 


3i6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

established  there  prior  to  1827.  In  1832  it  is  shown  by  a  gazetteer  that 
the  place  had  at  that  date  a  tavern,  two  stores,  and  twelve  dwellings. 
In  1870  the  place  had  not  improved  greatly,  although  it  then  had  a  sugar 
factory,  a  gristmill,  machine  shop,  and  numerous  stores.  Here  was 
launched  the  first  German  newspaper  in  Montgomery  county,  it  being 
founded  in  April,  1821,  by  Samuel  Royer,  and  called  "Der  Advocat" 
(see  Press  chapter).  It  was  here  that  John  Dast  built  the  first  powder 
mill  in  this  section,  near  East  Swamp  creek,  about  1780.  The  business 
flourished  until  1858,  when  eleven  powder  mills  were  running  at  one  time 
in  this  township,  making  twenty  tons  of  powder  daily.  At  that  same 
time  seven  linseed  oil  mills  were  in  operation  here.  Some  of  the  finest 
teams  of  both  mules  and  horses  ever  seen  in  the  State  used  to  draw  these 
two  necessary  products  to  the  cities.  Much  powder  was  then  used  in 
blasting  rock  and  timber,  but  as  the  railroads  were  completed  and  the 
great  giant  trees  all  leveled  to  mother  earth,  a  decline  was  felt  in  the 
powder  market.  But  other  industries  later  came  in  to  take  the  place  of 
the  two  mentioned,  and  all  along  down  the  passing  years  the  village  has 
kept  pace  with  her  neighboring  villages  in  carrying  on  a  profitable  busi- 
ness in  other  productions. 

Hoppenville  is  located  in  both  Marlborough  and  Upper  Hanover 
townships.  It  has  never  grown  to  any  considerable  extent,  but  always 
had  numerous  small  stores  and  shops.  A  hotel  and  a  post  office  usually 
give  color  for  a  store  or  two,  and  here  this  constitutes  a  village  and  is  so 
placed  on  county  maps.  The  same  can  truthfully  be  said  concerning 
the  other  village  named,  Marlboroughville ;  although  it  takes  sixteen 
letters  to  spell  the  name,  the  place  has  never  grown  much  more  than  its 
sister  village.  A  post  office  and  a  few  local  interests  tell  the  story  of 
serving  a  happy,  prosperous  and  contented  people  for  generations. 

Of  the  pioneer  milling  interests  of  this  township,  it  may  be  stated 
that  several  of  the  earliest  mills  in  this  part  of  the  county  were  on  the 
Perkiomen,  within  Marlborough  township — a  gristmill  by  Samuel  Shuler 
in  1742,  the  first;  and  in  1825  a  large  brick  fulling-mill  by  George  Poley 
was  installed  and  operated  vmtil  i860.  Here  woolen  goods  were  made 
in  large  quantities  for  many  years. 

Montgomery — This,  a  namesake  of  the  county  of  which  it  is  one  of 
the  townships,  is  of  regular  form,  nearly  square,  and  is  bounded  on  the 
northeast  by  Bucks  county,  southwest  by  Gwynedd.  southeast  by  Hor- 
sham, northwest  by  Hatfield,  and  on  the  west  by  the  borough  of  Lans- 
dale.  Its  area  is  7,170  acres.  Its  surface  is  elevated  and  slightly  rolling. 
It  is  drained  by  the  Wissahickon,  which  has  its  source  near  Montgom- 
eryville.  This  township  was  organized  as  a  separate  government,  from 
other  parts  of  the  county,  soon  after  1700.  The  earliest  survey  effected 
here  was  in  September,  1684,  by  Thomas  Fairman,  for  William  Stanley, 
of  the  2,500  acres  purchased  from  William  Penn.    John  Evans  and  wife 


TOWNSHIPS  317 

settled  in  or  very  near  this  township  in  1710,  and  a  year  later  John 
James  and  wife.  There  are  numerous  documents  to  show  the  nationality 
of  the  pioneer  settlers  in  this  township.  Of  the  twenty-eight  names  ot 
the  property  list  in  1734,  three-fourths  denote  a  Welsh  origin,  and 
probably  not  a  single  German  ;  but  changes  were  wrought  out,  for  in 
1880  it  was  found  that  one-half  of  the  land  owners  of  this  township  were 
German.  In  1800  this  township  had  a  population  of  546;  in  1840  it  was 
1,009;  '^^  1880  it  had  decreased  to  876;  in  1900  it  was  only  724,  and  in 
1920  was  placed  at  787.  This  has  been  considered  rather  singular.  Its 
territory  has  not  been  encroached  upon  by  making  other  boroughs  or 
townships  from  any  of  its  domain,  railroads  have  been  built  all  around 
its  location,  and  yet  it  has  actually  been  losing  population  for  many 
decades.  But  financially  it  has  been  gaining  steadily.  In  1880  the  aver- 
age per  capita  taxable  was  $3,212,  making  it  ninth  in  rank  in  wealth  in 
the  entire  county. 

Only  two  villages  have  existed  within  this  township.  Montgomery- 
ville,  the  largest  collection  of  houses,  in  the  early  eighties  contained  one 
store,  one  hotel,  and  twenty-seven  dwellings.  Gordon  in  his  "State 
Gazeteer"  said  in  1832  that  this  place  had  then  ten  houses,  two  taverns, 
and  two  stores.  A  post  office  was  established  in  185 1,  which  in  the 
autumn  of  1869  was  removed  to  Montgomery  Square.  With  the  flight 
of  years,  with  advancement  on  every  hand,  but  slight  improvement  or 
growth  has  taken  place  in  this  village. 

Montgomery  Square,  the  other  village  of  the  township,  is  but  little 
different  from  its  neighbor.  It  has  its  few  stores,  shops,  post  office,  pub- 
lic school  and  churches.  A  post  office  was  established  in  1827  in  the 
township,  and  has  been  on  wheels  much  since  then.  It  was  first  moved 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  to  Montgomeryville,  and  in  1869  brought  back 
to  its  present  location.  A  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  erected  here 
in  1842.  (See  Church  chapter  in  this  work.)  The  palmy  days  of  this 
burg  were  back  when  taverns  were  fashionable,  and  the  carriage  was 
known,  but  not  the  swift  whirling  automobile.  If  one  had  the  true  his- 
tory of  all  country  inns  in  this  northern  part  of  the  county,  including 
those  of  marked  note  in  this  township,  he  would  certainly  possess  a 
wonderful  volume,  if  all  or  even  a  half  of  the  truth  could  be  detailed. 
But  these  things  have  all  changed,  and  will  never  again  return ! 

Before  leaving  this  township's  history,  the  writer  would  fail  of  a 
duty  not  to  record  something  concerning  the  birthplace  of  the  illus- 
trious Hancock,  of  Civil  War  fame,  for  it  was  right  here  in  Montgom- 
ery township.  The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  William  J.  Buck,  one  of 
the  authentic  writers  of  Montgomery  county  history,  and  was  written  by 
him  in  1884: 

There  is  in  the  lower  part  of  Montgomery  Square,  on  the  east  side 
of  the  pike,  a  two-story  stone  schoolhouse,  with  a  dwelling  attached 
(which  was  enlarged  in  1876),  that  possesses  an  interest.    The  late  Ben- 


3i8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

jamin  F.  Hancock,  Esq.,  of  Norristown,  kept  school  in  it  during  his 
married  life  with  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Mary  Hoxworth, 
of  Hatfield  township,  and  while  residing  in  the  dwelling  part  his  twin 
sons,  Winfield  Scott  and  Hilary,  were  born,  February  14,  1824,  the  for- 
mer being  now  Major  General  Hancock,  of  the  United  States  Army,  and 
late  Democratic  candidate  for  the  Presidency.  In  the  spring  of  the  fol- 
lowing year  the  father  removed  from  here  to  Norristown,  where  he  soon 
after  entered  on  the  study  of  the  law,  to  which  he  was  admitted  to  prac- 
tice in  September,  1828.  In  the  list  of  1734,  Arnold  Hancock  is  taxed 
for  one  hundred  acres  in  Perkiomen  township,  and  William  Hancock, 
in  Moreland,  for  a  house  and  lot  of  one  acre.  Among  the  pupils  attend- 
ing here  were  Samuel  Medary,  a  native  of  the  vicinity,  afterwards  Gov- 
ernor of  Ohio,  and  Samuel  Aaron,  subsequently  of  Norristown.  [It 
should  be  added  that  at  his  death  his  body  was  brought  back  to  his 
native  county  and  now  lies  buried  in  the  Norristown  Cemetery.] 

Moreland — This  township  is  in  the  extreme  northeastern  portion  of 
the  county.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Hatboro,  on  the  northeast 
by  Bucks  county,  on  the  southeast  by  Philadelphia,  southwest  by 
Abington,  and  northwest  by  Horsham  and  Upper  Dublin  township.  It 
is  three  by  six  miles  in  size,  and  contains  an  area  of  10,960  acres.  Its 
territory  was  reduced  in  1871  by  the  incorporation  of  Hatboro  to  the 
extent  of  five  hundred  acres.  The  largest  stream  flowing  in  the  town- 
ship is  the  Pennypack,  the  meanderings  of  which  are  about  six  miles,  and 
its  waters  have  for  scores  of  years  turned  the  mill-wheels  for  numerous 
mills,  including  four  large  flouring  mills.  It  receives  eleven  tributaries 
within  its  fall  through  this  township.  Pennypack  creek  has  the  distinc- 
tion of  forming  the  boundary  line  of  four  distinct  purchases  of  lands 
made  with  the  Indians  by  William  Penn  or  his  immediate  agents.  At 
Willow  Grove  the  natural  scenery  is  fine.  Here,  too,  are  found  mineral 
deposits,  the  iron  ore,  fire-clay,  kaolin,  quartz,  and  feldspar.  Also 
black-lead  (graphite)  has  been  known  to  abound  here,  and  was  worked 
some  a  century  and  more  ago.  There  are  numerous  turnpikes  in  the 
township,  including  the  Cheltenham  and  Willow  Grove,  finished  in 
1804;  the  Doylestown,  in  1840;  the  Middle  road,  in  1848,  which  leads  to 
the  "Sorrell  Horse,"  and  the  Warminster  in  1850.  The  Northeast  Penn- 
sylvania railroad  has  two  miles  of  main  trackage  in  the  township,  with 
stations  at  Willow  Grove,  Heaton,  Fulmore,  and  Bonair.  The  Newton 
railway  has  three  miles  of  track  with  stations  at  Huntingdon  Valley 
and  Yerksville.  Census  returns  give  the  population  as  follows:  In  1790, 
it  was  1,824;  in  1830,  it  was  2,044;  in  1880,  1,746;  in  1920  it  was  given  as 
2,129.  This  is  practically  an  agricultural  district,  and  the  villages  are 
small. 

The  name  Moreland  was  chosen  by  William  Penn  in  respect  for  a 
physician  of  London,  England,  named  Nicholas  More ;  he  was  president 
of  the  Free  Society  of  Traders,  and  the  first  chief  justice  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  arrived  here  in  1682.  In  1734  Moreland  township  had  seventy- 
one  taxables,  of  which  number  forty- three  were  landowners.     In  1794 


TOWNSHIPS  319 

Thomas  Longstroth  built  a  paper  mill  near  the  center  of  this  township. 
In  the  assessment  list  of  1785  mention  is  made  of  343  horses,  373  cattle, 
four  bound  servants,  nineteen  negro  slaves,  fourteen  riding  chairs,  three 
family  wagons,  one  phaeton,  ten  gristmills,  three  sawmills,  one  fulling 
mill,  one  oil  mill,  two  tanneries,  and  one  distillery. 

Willow  Grove  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Doylestown  and  York 
road,  thirteen  miles  north  of  Philadelphia.  In  171 1  the  York  road  was 
laid  out  from  Philadelphia  to  this  point.  The  stream  flowing  through 
here  in  1722  was  known  as  Round  Meadow  run,  over  which  a  bridge 
had  been  constructed.  A  hotel  here  advertised  "good  stabling  for  a 
hundred  horses,"  showing  what  travel  was  expected  over  that  route. 
"The  Red  Lion"  was  a  noted  hotel  there.  At  Rex's  tavern  was  a 
fine  spring  heavily  charged  with  mineral,  and  later  it  became  a  fortune 
to  its  Philadelphia  owners.    A  summer  resort  was  there  many  years. 

Huntingdon  Valley,  another  village,  is  situated  on  the  Middle  road, 
near  Pennypack  creek,  a  short  distance  from  the  Abington  line.  Forty 
years  and  more  ago  it  had  its  various  business  places,  its  churches, 
lodges,  schools,  a  railway  station,  two  hotels,  a  post  office,  and  was  a  well 
organized  village.  On  the  completion  of  the  railroad  from  here  to  New 
York,  in  1876,  the  station  was  named  Bethayres,  a  contraction  of  Eliz- 
abeth Ayers,  who  was  born  here  and  mother  of  one  of  the  directors  of 
the  railroad. 

Yerkesville  is  situated  not  far  from  the  center  of  the  township,  near 
Terwood  run,  and  has  also  been  known  as  Blaker's  Corner.  Richard  E. 
Yerkes  carried  on  a  cotton  factory  business  here  in  1850.  To-day  there 
is  no  more  actual  business  transacted  than  there  was  a  century  ago. 
The  manufacture  of  paper  has  been  one  of  profit  at  various  periods  in 
this  township. 

A  venerable-looking  milestone  stood  as  late  as  1850  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  roadside,  about  forty  yards  up  the  hill  from  the  present 
bridge,  having  cut  on  it  "15  M.  to  P."  It  came  away  in  making  the  turn- 
pike and  was  removed. 

An  interesting  sight  was  witnessed  on  this  hill  on  the  morning  of 
the  23rd  of  August,  1777,  being  no  less  than  the  crossing  of  General 
Washington  and  his  army,  accompanied  by  a  lengthy  baggage  and  artil- 
lery train.  They  had  just  broken  up  their  encampment  at  the  Cross- 
Roads,  near  the  present  Hartsville,  six  miles  from  here,  where  they  had 
been  the  previous  two  weeks  waiting  to  hear  of  the  landing  of  the  Brit- 
ish. They  were  now  marching  to  Philadelphia,  and  from  thence  towards 
the  enemy,  whom  they  finally  encountered  on  the  field  of  Brandywine. 

The  "Montgomery  County  Society  for  the  recovery  of  stolen  horses 
and  bringing  thieves  to  justice,"  originated  in  this  township  and  the 
adjoining  parts  of  Horsham  and  Upper  Dublin  in  1799.  From  an  early 
period  they  have  held  their  annual  meetings  chiefly  at  the  Willow 
Grove.    The  officers  in  1856  were,  Joshua  Y.  Jones,  president;  T.  Elwood 


320  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Comly,  secretary;  and  William  Hallowell,  treasurer;  the  society  con- 
sisting of  forty-five  members. 

New  Hanover — This  township  is  bounded  on  the  northeast  by  Upper 
Hanover,  south  by  Limerick,  east  by  Frederick,  north  and  northw^est  by 
Douglas  and  southwest  by  Pottsgrove  township.  Its  area  is  about  12,900 
acres,  the  fourth  in  size  of  all  in  the  county.  Its  streams  include  the 
Deep  creek,  Swamp  creek,  and  their  several  branches.  The  waters  of 
Swamp  creek  have  for  generations  turned  many  a  waterwheel  in  pro- 
pelling the  saw  and  gristmills,  as  well  as  small  factories. 

The  name  of  this  township,  Hanover,  is  derived  from  Hanover,  a 
capital  and  kingdom  of  Germany.  That  was  the  home  of  many  Luth- 
erans who  came  to  America  and  settled  in  the  township  now  being  con- 
sidered, and  they  very  naturally  named  the  township  after  some  geo- 
graphical name  in  the  Fatherland.  But  at  one  time  others  styled  this 
locality  "Falkner's  Swamp,"  after  Daniel  Falkner,  an  agent  of  the  Frank- 
fort Land  Company.  But  certain  it  is  that  from  1734  it  was  known  gen- 
erally as  New  Hanover.  At  first  it  embraced  all  of  its  present  territory, 
as  well  as  Upper  Hanover  of  to-day,  also  Douglas,  and  Pottsgrove  and 
borough  of  Pottstown.  In  1741  the  domain  was  divided  into  the  first 
three  townships,  which  then  contained  only  two  hundred  and  forty-two 
taxables.    The  number  of  landowners  was  one  hundred  and  thirteen. 

Henry  Antes,  among  the  sturdy  band  who  first  invaded  this  part  of 
Montgomery  county,  came  from  Hanover,  Germany,  before  1726,  settled 
in  Philadelphia,  then  moved  to  this  township.  He  was  a  useful  man  and 
very  ingenious.  He  built  the  first  gristmill  at  Bethlehem,  in  1743.  He 
died  in  this  township  in  1755.  His  son,  Frederick  Antes,  was  an  iron 
founder,  and  cast  the  first  four-pounder  guns  for  the  Revolutionary  army. 
On  account  of  the  British,  he  removed  to  Northumberland  county,  where 
he  became  presiding  judge,  and  in  1784  a  member  of  the  Assembly.  His 
wife  was  the  daughter  of  Governor  Snyder. 

The  population  of  the  township  has  been  as  follows:  In  1800  it  was 
1,505;  in  1880  it  was  1,905;  in  1900  it  was  1,611,  and  in  1920  placed  at 
only  1,305.  The  first  church  was  built  about  1720,  it  being  the  Reformed 
church.  New  Hanover  became  a  separate  election  district  in  1827.  In 
1785,  when  the  first  county  assessment  was  made,  there  were  in  this 
township  four  taverns,  five  gristmills,  two  sawmills,  three  tanneries, 
and  one  slave.  In  1792  there  were  two  hundred  and  sixty-one  landown- 
ers. Of  the  churches  and  schools,  separate  general  chapters  in  this  work 
will  treat,  in  common  with  all  others  in  the  county.  It  may  here  be  said 
that  it  is  claimed  the  first  Lutheran  congregation  ever  assembled  in  the 
United  States  was  in  this  township  about  1703. 

That  the  pioneers  of  this  part  of  Montgomery  county  looked  well  to 
the  care  and  comfort  of  those  less  fortunate  in  possessing  worldly  goods, 
the  following  item  is  inserted  in  this  as  a  perpetual  record  to  be  placed 


TOWNSHIPS  321 

to  their  credit,  so  long  as  the  printed  page  shall  be  in  evidence:  "The 
overseers  of  the  poor  are  ordered,  by  a  number  of  the  inhabitants  of 
New  Hanover,  to  furnish  Frantz  Epple,  with  a  linsey  jacket,  a  pair  of 
new  trousers,  a  new  shirt,  a  pair  of  new  stockings,  a  pair  of  new  shoes 
and  a  linsey  underjacket.  (Signed)  John  Richards,  John  Brooke,  Benj. 
Markley,  Cassimer  Missimer,  Andrew  Smith.  March  20.  1784  A.  D." 
Other  instances  similar  occur  in  the  records  down  as  late  as  1807. 

The  villages  of  New  Hanover  are  Swamp  (long  the  township  seat), 
Fagleysville,  New  Hanover  Square,  and  Pleasant  Run.  Fagleysville 
appears  to  have  been  settled  very  early.  It  is  located  on  the  turnpike, 
two  miles  south  of  New  Hanover.  It  is  mentioned  by  historian  Schull 
as  having  an  inn  here  in  1758,  called  "The  Rose."  Like  most  of  the 
inland  townships,  the  villages  here  are  quite  small  and  are  not  produc- 
tive of  many  highly  interesting  events  of  later  years,  and  but  little  does 
this  generation  care  for  the  incidents  of  the  long  ago,  before  steam  and 
electricity  had  invaded  the  haunts  of  busy  men. 

Upper  Hanover — This  civil  township  has  had  three  boroughs  carved 
from  its  territory — Greenlane,  Pennsburg,  and  Red  Hill.  The  township 
proper  was  formerly  a  part  of  New  Hanover.  It  is  situated  in  the 
extreme  northwestern  part  of  the  county,  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Lehigh  county,  northwest  by  Berks  county,  and  east  by  Bucks  county, 
south  by  New  Hanover  and  Frederick  townships,  and  southeast  by 
Marlborough,  west  by  Douglas  township.  It  is  four  and  a  half  by  five 
and  a  half  miles  in  size,  containing  about  twenty-three  square  miles.  Its 
streams  are  the  Perkiomen,  flowing  seven  miles  through  the  township  in 
its  meanderings,  and  which  at  one  time  propelled  by  waterwheels  five 
gristmills  and  four  sawmills.  Hosensack,  another  stream,  is  a  tributary 
to  the  first  named.  Other  creeks  are  West  Branch  and  Macoby,  the 
last  named  in  the  east  part  of  the  township.  Ever  since  1850  the  highway 
improvements  in  this  township  have  been  excellent,  and  are  well  pre- 
served to-day.  The  Perkiomen  railroad  has  a  trackage  of  about  five 
miles  in  this  township,  and  its  stations  include  Welkers,  Hanover,  Penns- 
burg, Palm  and  Hosensack.  The  first  gristmill  on  the  Upper  Perkio- 
men was  without  doubt  constructed  in  1738.  The  machinery  was 
brought  from  beyond  the  Atlantic  and  carted  over  bridle  paths  to  the 
wildness  of  this  township  from  Philadelphia. 

The  population  at  various  census  enumeration  periods  by  the  Fed- 
eral government  has  been  as  follows :  In  1800  it  was  738 ;  in  1880  was 
2,418;  in  1900  was  1,997,  and  in  1920  it  was  reduced  to  1,386.  These 
figures,  however,  did  not  include  the  boroughs  found  in  the  main 
township. 

Of  the  villages  withm  New  Hanover  township,  Pennsburg  is  treated 
in  the  chapters  on  borough  history  elsewhere  in  this  history.  Palm  Sta- 
tion, located  on  the  Goshenhoppen  and  Green  Lane  turnpike,  about  three 

Mont — 21 


322  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

miles  northwest  of  East  Greenville,  is  a  sprightly  village  where  all  retail 
business  is  carried  on  such  as  the  surrounding  farming  community 
demands.  Kleinville  was  named  for  two  brothers  who  owned  a  number 
of  farms  in  the  vicinity,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  township.  What 
was  formerly  known  as  Hillegassville,  finally  divided  into  upper  and 
lower  villages,  was  established  by  the  various  members  of  the  Hillegass 
family,  but  now  the  name,  as  denoting  a  village,  is  not  on  the  county 
maps,  but  instead,  the  borough  of  Red  Hill  is  found,  the  same  being  a 
railway  station.  This  particular  part  of  the  place  was  commenced  in 
1836  by  Jacob  A.  Hillegass,  who  there  built  a  large  store.  See  other 
chapters  on  Boroughs  for  Red  Hill  and  Greenville  boroughs. 

Norriton — The  part  of  the  county  in  which  Norristown  is  situated  is 
within  an  old  tract  of  7,842  acres  of  land,  ordered  surveyed  by  William 
Penn,  the  order  reading,  "to  lay  out  a  tract  of  land  on  the  canoable  part 
of  Schuylkill."  This  tract  was  designated  the  "Manor  of  William- 
stadt."  It  was  to  be  a  princely  gift  to  his  son,  and  lay  directly  opposite 
a  similar  manor  surveyed  and  laid  out  on  the  south  side  of  the  river 
for  his  daughter,  Letitia  Penn.  A  patent  was  granted  October  2,  1704, 
conveying  to  William  Penn,  Jr.,  the  manor  or  tract  above  described. 
Five  days  after  the  son  came  into  possession  of  this  great  estate,  he 
parted  with  it  to  Isaac  Norris  and  William  Trent,  merchants  in  Phila- 
delphia. Eight  years  later,  Norris  acquired  the  whole  property.  The 
cost  to  the  two  purchasers  was  £850  sterling,  a  mere  nothing  as  to  what 
its  value  was  even  at  the  time  it  was  sold  by  young  Penn.  The  ancient 
manor  of  Williamstadt  remained  intact  until  1730,  when  in  usual  form, 
the  civil  township  of  Norriton  was  created  as  decreed  by  the  Court  of 
Quarter  Sessions  of  Philadelphia  county.  The  original  area  was  consid- 
erably cut  down  by  the  incorporation  of  the  borough  of  Norristown  in 
1812,  which  contained  five  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  and  in  1853  was 
extended  to  take  in  fifteen  hundred  additional  acres.  At  the  time  the 
manor  was  changed  into  a  township,  there  were  twenty  landowners  and 
tenants.  Up  to  the  time  Montgomery  county  was  set  off  from  Phila- 
delphia county,  1784,  the  history  of  this  people  is  obscured  by  the  fact 
that  it  was  not  in  close  touch  with  Philadelphia,  and  roads  were  not  yet 
provided.  It  is,  however,  known  that  the  township  took  its  name  from 
the  Norris  family,  the  head  of  which  was  Isaac  Norris,  a  large  owner 
of  land  and  a  man  of  much  influence  in  the  country  of  William  Penn. 
He  was  chosen  eighteen  times  as  speaker  of  the  Assembly,  being  first 
elected  in  1713.  Thus  was  Norriton  township  brought  into  public 
record.  It  remained  as  first  organized  until  1904,  when  East  and  West 
Norriton  townships  were  made  out  of  the  territory  first  known  as 
"Norriton." 

At  the  time  the  township  was  created,  there  were  twenty  landowners ; 
181  horses,  269  horned  cattle;  fourteen  negro  slaves,  two  riding  chairs. 


TOWNSHIPS  323 

There  were  two  gristmills,  four  sawmills,  one  tannery,  six  taverns,  and 
the  usual  number  of  small  shops  and  trading  places.  The  population  of 
the  original  Norriton  township  was,  in  1810,  1,386;  in  1820,  1,098;  in 
1830,  1,139;  in  1840,  1,411;  1850,  1,594;  in  1880,  it  was  only  1,360;  and 
in  1920,  is  given  by  the  Federal  census  as  1,375,  i"  both  East  and  Wesi 
Norriton  townships.  The  history  of  the  borough  of  Norristown  is  so 
completely  interwoven  with  that  of  the  two  civil  townships  that  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  borough  history  for  much  that  might  be  looked 
for  in  this  connection. 

The  first  post  office  here  was  established  at  Jeffersonville,  January 
I,  1829.  Mails  were  then  received  by  stage  lines  running  over  the  old 
Ridge  pike  from  Philadelphia  to  Reading,  thence  on  to  Pittsburgh. 
Later  post  offices  were  established  in  Penn  Square  and  Norritonville. 
Later  the  office  at  Penn  Square  was  changed  to  Hartranft  Station.  The 
first  general  election  in  the  township  was  held  at  the  public  house  in 
Jeffersonville,  October,  1852.  The  free  common  school  system  went 
into  operation  here  in  1838-39.  (See  Educational  chapter;  for  church 
history  also  see  general  chapters  on  Churches.) 

Perkiomen — This  is  one  of  the  central  townships  of  Montgomery 
county,  and  was  bounded  at  one  time,  north  by  Upper  and  Lower  Sal- 
ford,  east  by  Towamencin,  south  by  Lower  Providence,  southeast  by 
Worcester,  west  by  Upper  Providence,  and  north  by  Frederick  and 
Limerick  townships.  Its  extent  was  about  three  and  one-quarter  miles 
by  six  miles,  and  contained  an  area  of  11,400  acres.  Unlike  many  parts 
of  this  county,  there  are  few  springs  found  bubbling  forth  from  the  way- 
side, cheering  the  heart  of  the  passerby,  who  looks  for  the  "spring- 
house"  in  vain  while  in  this  township.  However,  there  are  a  number  of 
good  sized  streams  flowing  hither  and  yon.  One  is  Perkiomen  creek, 
on  the  banks  of  which  have  many  years  been  saw  and  gristmills,  until 
such  mills  were  no  longer  a  utility — the  farmer  buys  his  bread,  and  the 
timber  is  all  hacked  down  and  used  up.  The  name  Perkiomen  is  of 
Indian  origin,  and  its  meaning  somewhat  clouded.  But  these  boundaries 
have  materially  changed  with  passing  years.  It  is  now  numbered 
among  the  least  in  extent  of  almost  any  township  within  the  county.  It 
is  triangular,  southeast  of  the  Perkiomen  creek,  extending  between  and 
connecting  the  boroughs  of  Schwenksville,  Trappe  and  Collegeville. 
Upper  Providence  is  at  its  south,  and  Limerick  and  Frederick  at  its  west. 
Its  acreage  is  small.  Greatersford  and  Iron  Bridge  are  the  only  ham- 
lets.   The  population  in  1800  was  781 ;  in  1900,  1,082;  in  1920,  1,024. 

The  Revolutionary  history  of  this  vicinity  is  very  interesting,  and  to 
it  a  brief  reference  will  be  made.  The  battle  of  Brandywine  was  fought 
September  11,  1777,  and  resulted  disastrously  to  the  Americans.  On 
the  23rd  Washington  arrived  near  the  present  Pottstown,  while  the  day 
before  the  British  crossed  below  Valley  Forge  to  this  side  of  the  Schuvl- 


324 


HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


kill,  proceeding  leisurely  on  their  march  to  Philadelphia.  The  Amer- 
ican army  came  from  near  Pottsgrove  into  this  township  on  the  after- 
noon of  September  26th,  and  encamped  on  the  hills  of  both  sides  of  the 
Perkiomen.  Washington  made  his  headquarters  at  the  house  of  Henry 
Keely,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  southwest  of  Pennypacker's  Mill, 
using,  however,  "Camp  Perkioming,"  as  well  as  the  latter  name,  in  his 
orders  to  designate  the  vicinity. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
TOWNSHIPS:    POTTSGROVE,  UPPER,  LOWER  AND  WEST- 
PROVIDENCE,  UPPER  AND  LOWER— PLYMOUTH— 
WHITEMARSH. 

Prior  to  1890  the  Pottsgrove  townships  were  all  known  as  one  town- 
ship, called  Pottsgrove,  hence  its  settlement  and  general  history  will 
be  treated  as  one  civil  subdivision  of  Montgomery  county  and  not 
especially  as  three  distinct  townships.  This  territory  lies  in  the  extreme 
southwestern  corner  of  the  county,  and  was  erected  as  a  township  in 
1807,  its  domain  being  taken  from  Douglas  and  New  Hanover  townships. 
As  originally  constituted,  its  territory  was  bounded  northeast  by  Doug- 
las and  New  Hanover,  southeast  by  Limerick,  south  by  the  Schuylkill 
and  the  borough  of  Pottstown ;  to  its  west  and  northwest  was  Berks 
county."  It  was  three  and  a  half  by  five  miles  in  extent,  and  had  an  area 
of  11,600  square  acres,  nearly  eighteen  square  miles.  The  southern  por- 
tion of  this  township  is  exceedingly  well  adapted  for  farming,  its  soil 
being  of  the  best  for  this  part  of  our  country.  The  eastern  part  is  much 
more  hilly  and  rolling.  Among  prominent  hills  and  elevations  are  Ring- 
ing Hill,  Stone  Hill,  Prospect  Hill  and  Fox  Hills.  On  these  elevations 
the  soil  is  very  thin  and  not  productive  of  profitable  crops.  The  township 
is  well  watered  by  Manatawny  and  Sprogel's  creeks,  Sanatoga  and 
Goose  runs,  together  with  their  numerous  branches.  The  largest 
stream  is  the  Manatawny,  rising  in  Rockland  township,  Berks  county, 
and  after  a  general  course  of  eighteen  miles  empties  into  the  Schuylkill 
river  at  the  borough  of  Pottstown.  Only  two  miles  of  this  stream,  how- 
ever, are  within  this  township,  but  in  this  distance  it  had  many  years 
ago  three  gristmills  on  its  banks.  Governor  Gordon  speaks  of  this  mill 
in  1728  and  calls  it  the  "Mahanatawny."  It  is  from  Indian  dialect,  and 
means  "where  we  drank."  Sprogel's  run,  all  within  this  township,  rises 
in  Fox  Hills  and  falls  into  the  Schuylkill.  It  propelled  a  clover  and 
chopping  mill  at  one  date.  SchuU  shows  this  stream  on  his  maps  of 
1720.  Formerly  on  its  banks  near  the  center  of  the  township,  a  copper 
mine  was  worked  successfully  for  a  number  of  years.  Sanatoga  run, 
three  or  four  miles  of  which  are  within  this  township,  gives  a  valuable 
water  power,  at  least  did  thirty-five  years  ago.  Four  gristmills  and 
three  sawmills  were  propelled  by  its  waters. 

Among  the  county's  natural  curiosities  may  be  mentioned  the  "Ring- 
ing Rocks,"  on  Stone  Hill,  three  miles  northeast  of  Pottstown.  They 
consist  of  trap  rocks,  exceedingly  hard  and  compact,  which  on  being 
struck  with  a  hammer,  ring  like  iron.  These  rocks  are  piled  one  on 
another,  and  cover  about  one  and  a  half  acres  of  ground,  within  which 


326  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

no  trees  or  bushes  are  found  growing.  It  is  supposed  that  the  largest 
rocks  would  weigh  from  five  to  twenty-five  tons  each,  and  some  of  the 
apertures  are  visible  to  the  depth  of  twenty-five  feet.  A  number  of 
impressions  can  be  seen  on  them,  among  which  are  three  closely 
resembling  the  human  foot,  from  three  to  six  inches  in  depth ;  also  a 
number  resembling  the  tracks  of  horses,  and  elephants,  and  cannon- 
balls  from  six  to  twelve  inches  in  diameter.  The  sounds  emitted  by 
these  rocks  are  various,  depending  on  their  shape  and  size.  Some  when 
struck  resemble  the  ringing  of  anvils,  others  of  church  bells,  with  all 
their  intermediate  tones.  As  was  well  said  by  old  Aristotle,  there  is  a 
statue  in  every  block  of  marble,  but  it  takes  a  sculptor  to  find  it,  so  it 
might  be  said  of  these  rocks,  in  every  one  there  is  some  note  in  music, 
but  it  would  still  take  the  aid  of  a  skilled  musician  to  discover  it.  It 
was  the  early  German  settlers  who  gave  these  rocks  the  name  of  KHng- 
leberg,  meaning  Ringing  Hill. 

October  25,  1701,  William  Penn  conveyed  to  his  son,  John  Penn,  a 
tract  of  twelve  thousand  acres  of  land,  which  the  latter,  in  June,  1735, 
sold  to  George  McCall,  a  merchant  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  sum  of  two 
thousand  guineas,  or  in  our  present-day  money  would  be  worth  $9,339. 
On  a  resurvey  it  was  found  to  contain  fifteen  thousand  acres.  This  tract 
comprised  all  the  present  township  of  Douglas,  the  upper  half  of  Potts- 
grove,  and  the  whole  of  Pottstown.  Down  to  1753,  this  tract  was  com- 
monly known  as  the  "McCall  Manor."  McCall  was  a  native  of  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  and  in  Philadelphia  became  a  wealthy  merchant.  It  is 
supposed  that  he  built  the  first  iron  works  in  this  township,  which  he 
called  after  the  place  of  his  nativity,  and  which  name  has  been  retained 
and  familiar  to  the  traders  in  iron  to  this  day.  Among  the  first  to 
settle  in  the  township  was  John  Henry  Sprogel,  who  with  his  brother, 
Ludwick  Christian  Sprogel,  by  invitation  of  William  Penn,  came  to 
this  country  from  Holland.  They  were  both  naturalized  in  1705,  and 
John  Henry  purchased  here  six  hundred  acres  on  which  he  settled  with 
his  family.  Sprogel's  run  was  named  for  him.  From  gravestone  in- 
scriptions, he  was  among  the  very  earliest  to  take  up  a  residence  in  the 
township.  In  1753  John  Potts  lived  in  Pottsgrove  (now  called  Potts- 
town) after  whom  both  the  borough  and  the  township  were  named.  By 
the  act  of  April  11,  1807,  it  was  enacted  "that  the  Sixth  Election  District 
shall  be  composed  of  the  township  of  Pottsgrove,  lately  erected  from  a 
part  of  New  Hanover  and  a  part  of  Douglas,  shall  hold  their  elections  at 
the  house  of  William  Lesher,  Pottstown,  and  the  electors  of  the  remain- 
der of  the  township  of  Douglas  and  New  Hanover  at  the  house  of  Henry 
Kreps,  New  Hanover."  June  10,  1875,  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
divided  the  township  into  Upper  and  Lower  election  districts.  Just 
prior  to  1890  this  territory  hitherto  known  as  Pottsgrove  township  was 
subdivided  into  what  now  are  known  as  Upper,  Lower  and  West  Potts- 
grove townships.     The  Philadelphia  &  Reading  railroad  runs  through 


TOWNSHIPS  327 

the  entire  length  of  the  old  original  township ;  the  Colebrookdale  road 
also  has  a  course  of  over  two  miles  within  the  territory.  The  various 
census  enumerating  periods  have  given  this  township  (before  separa- 
tion) as  follows:  1810,  1,521  ;  1820,  1,882;  in  1830  it  was  1,302;  in  1840, 
1,361;  in  1850,  1,689;  '"  1^80  it  was  3,985;  in  1890  the  population  in 
1910  (after  the  township  had  been  divided)  was,  for  West  Pottsgrove, 
1,507:  Upper  Pottsgrove,  454;  Lower  Pottsgrove,  704.  The  Federal 
census  in  1920  gives  "Pottsgrove  township,"  3,057. 

Before  the  division  of  the  original  township  took  place,  the  villages 
were  listed  as  Crooked  Hill,  Glasgow,  Grosstown  and  Half-Way.  Glas- 
gow, a  small  manufacturing  village  a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  Potts- 
town,  is  the  site  of  the  well  known  Glasgow  iron  works  and  rolling 
mills.  George  McCall,  the  owner,  in  his  will  left  five  hundred  acres  of 
what  was  known  as  McCall's  Manor  to  his  son,  Alexander  McCall,  and 
which  later  became  known  as  the  Forge  tract.  Alexander  McCall  sold 
his  Forge  property  to  Joseph  and  John  Potts  and  James  Hackley.  In 
1789  it  was  sold  at  sheriff's  sale  to  David  Rutter  and  Joseph  Potts,  Jr. 
The  same  year  Rutter  sold  his  interest  to  Samuel  Potts,  who  by  will  in 
1793  authorized  his  sons  to  sell  his  interest,  and  February,  1797,  it  was 
conveyed  to  Joseph  Potts,  Jr.,  who  was  the  owner  of  the  other  half.  It 
remained  in  the  Potts  family  until  1832,  when  it  was  sold  to  Jacob 
Weaver,  Jr.  In  1820  there  was  at  this  place  a  small  sheet  iron  mill, 
two  bloomeries,  a  gristmill,  two  mansion  houses,  ten  log  tenant  houses, 
and  two  stone  tenant  houses.  After  Weaver  bought  the  property,  he 
constructed  ten  stone  tenant  houses.  This  Weaver  also  built  a  furnace, 
which  proved  a  failure.  The  forge  property  in  1864  passed  to  James 
Hilton,  and  in  1873  to  Joseph  Bailey  and  Comley  Shoemaker.  In  1883 
Glasgow  village  consisted  of  the  iron  works  and  several  fine  residences. 
With  the  change  of  times  and  the  shifting  of  industries  to  other  parts, 
the  village  has  been  absorbed  and  is  not  commercially  known  to-day. 

Grosstown,  a  small  village  two  miles  west  of  Pottstown,  on  the  old 
Philadelphia,  Reading  and  Perkiomen  turnpike,  was  started  by  a  fam- 
ily named  Gross,  who  lived  there  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years  ago.  It  was  only  a  hamlet  of  a  few  houses,  a  schoolhouse  and  a 
blacksmith  shop.  Its  interests  have  long  since  been  absorbed  by 
Pottstown. 

Crooked  Hill,  another  hamlet,  situated  on  Crooked  Hill  run,  north 
from  the  station  known  as  Sanatoga,  on  the  Reading  line  and  three 
miles  east  from  Pottstown,  near  a  century  ago  had  a  tavern  kept  by 
Levi  Windermuth.  A  gristmill  and  post  office  graced  the  hamlet  at 
that  date,  as  well  as  many  years  thereafter.  It  was  a  favorite  stopping 
place  for  teamsters  and  travelers  on  the  turnpike.  To-day  the  various 
business  interests  of  these  three  Pottsgrove  townships  have  long  since 
been  absorbed  by  the  greater  industries  of  Pottstown. 


328  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Providence — The  three  Providence  subdivisions  of  Montgomery 
county  will  all  be  here  treated,  to  contain  the  history  of  Providence 
township,  Upper  Providence  township  and  Lower  Providence  township. 

When  William  Penn,  the  founder  of  this  Commonwealth,  sold  off 
lands  from  his  possessions,  he  reserved  for  himself  a  large  tract  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Schuylkill  river.  It  embraced  the  whole  of  the  present 
Upper  and  Lower  Providence  townships,  and  parts  of  the  townships  of 
Perkiomen  and  Worcester.  This  tract  was  named  by  the  founder,  "The 
Manor  of  Gilberts."  This  name  was  selected  in  honor  of  his  mother's 
family  name.  One  of  the  early  purchasers  of  land  herein  was  Jacob 
Tellner,  one  of  the  founders  of  Germantown,  who  owned  a  large  tract 
along  the  Skippack  creek,  which  now  constitutes  the  northwest  corner 
of  present  Lower  Providence  township.  For  many  years  the  land 
lying  along  the  Skippack  was  known  as  Tellner  township,  while  that 
between  the  Skippack  and  Perkiomen  was  called  "Perkoming,"  the  pres- 
ent township  of  Perkiomen  being  then  known  as  "Van  Bebbers  Town- 
ship.'' In  March,  1725,  a  petition  was  presented  the  court  to  establish 
a  township  of  the  territory  upon  which  they  resided.  This  was  along 
the  then  called  Perquomin  creek.  Nothing  was  done  in  the  petition 
matter  until  1729,  when  a  new  one  was  presented,  accompanied  by  a 
draft  of  the  proposed  township.  March  2,  1729,  the  court  decreed  that 
the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  be  granted,  and  that  day  the  court  created 
the  township  of  Providence.  The  name  is  uncertain ;  it  may  have  been 
after  Roger  Williams'  Providence  in  Rhode  Island,  and  may  have  been 
for  some  other  geographical  point  in  the  world.  This  territory  faced  the 
Schuylkill  river  front,  and  is  south  centrally  located  in  the  county. 
There  is  a  good  shale  soil,  and  but  very  little  waste  land  within  the 
domain  of  these  two  townships  as  known  to-day.  Perkiomen  creek 
forms  a  natural  line  between  the  two  townships  and  is  the  largest  stream 
in  Montgomery  county.  It  is  about  thirty-two  miles  long,  following 
its  meanderings.  The  name  indicates  in  Indian  language,  "place  where 
grow  the  cranberries."  It  has  been  spelled  an  endless  number  of  ways, 
but  of  recent  decades  has  come  to  be  as  just  given. 

Mingo  creek  rises  in  Limerick  township,  and  runs  through  a  part  of 
Upper  Providence,  where  it  empties  into  the  Schuylkill  river.  Another 
small  stream  known  as  Zimmerman's  run  rises  near  Trappe  and  empties 
into  the  Perkiomen  near  Yerkes.  Lower  Providence  has  two  fair  sized 
streams,  the  Skippack  and  Mine  run.  The  former  is  seventeen  miles  long 
and  is  tributary  to  the  Perkiomen.  Mine  run  rises  in  the  township,  and 
after  flowing  three  miles  empties  into  the  Perkiomen  at  Oaks.  The 
wagon  roads  or  highways  are  too  ancient  and  complex  to  be  given  any 
intelligent  account  of  in  this  connection.  One  of  the  most  ancient  roads 
is  the  Great  Road  from  Philadelphia  to  the  Perkiomen;  in  1709  it  was 
ueing  extended  on  to  Reading.  The  Perkiomen  and  Reading  turnpike 
runs  through  this  part  of  the  county,  and  was  built  in  1815.     The  Per- 


TOWNSHIPS  329 

kiomen  and  Sumneytown  turnpike  was  finished  in  1845.  In  Lower 
Providence  there  are  two  main  pike  roads,  both  beginning  at  the  eastern 
end  of  Perkiomen  bridge  at  Collegeville.  Three  railroads  pass  in  and 
out  of  this  township.  The  Philadelphia  &  Reading  runs  two  miles 
through  Upper  Providence,  with  a  station  at  Mingo,  the  Perkiomen  Val- 
ley running  from  Perkiomen  to  Allentown.  This  road  was  open  for 
travel  in  the  year  of  1868.  The  Pennsylvania  &  Schuylkill  Valley  rail- 
road passes  along  the  east  side  of  the  Schuylkill ;  this  was  finished  in 
1884.  Its  four  original  stations  were  Port  Kennedy,  Perkiomen.  Port 
Providence  and  Mont  Clare.  There  have  been  numerous  bridges  in  this 
township,  and  several  were  pay  or  toll  bridges  up  to  the  eighties. 

This  township  was  settled  first  by  an  Englishman  named  Edward 
Lane,  who  came  from  Jamaica  in  1684,  and  in  1698  bought  2,500  acres  of 
land,  confirmed  to  him  by  William  Penn  in  1701.  This  land  was  situated 
on  both  sides  of  the  Perkiomen,  upon  which  now  stand  the  boroughs  of 
Collegeville  and  Evansburg.  He  built  a  gristmill  on  the  Skippack  in 
1708.  These  Lanes  were  instrumental  in  establishing  the  Episcopal 
church  in  Lower  Providence.  Another  pioneer  was  Joseph  Richardson, 
who  bought  a  thousand  acres  here  in  1710.  He  left  eight  children  at  his 
death,  and  many  of  his  descendants  still  live  in  the  county.  In  1717 
John  Jacob  Schrack  and  wife  came  from  Germany  to  this  township.  He 
it  was  who  after  much  persistency  got  Rev.  Muhlenberg  to  locate  in 
America.  During  the  Revolutionary  War  he  made  a  wonderful  record, 
and  aided  in  founding  the  first  churches  in  Pennsylvania  of  his  religious 
faith.  From  the  earliest  time  down  to  1777  the  settlers  had  to  go  to 
Philadelphia  to  cast  their  votes.  The  elections  were  then  held  at  the 
Inn  opposite  the  State  House.  Later  the  people  voted  at  Norristown. 
In  1734  the  township  had  only  seventy-four  landowners.  In  1741  it  had 
taxables  amounting  to  146.  In  1785  the  township  contained  twenty 
slaves  and  had  six  hotels. 

Lower  Providence  township  as  now  constituted  is  bounded  on  the 
west  by  Upper  Providence,  on  the  northeast  by  Perkiomen  and  Wor- 
cester townships,  on  the  southwest  by  Norriton,  and  on  the  south 
by  the  Schuylkill  river.  Its  area  is  9,143  acres.  Red  shale  greatly  pre- 
dominates in  the  soils  of  this  part  of  the  county.  Near  the  Perkiomen,  at 
Oaks,  at  an  early  day  lead  mines  were  worked,  but  never  to  profit.  The 
mines  were  opened  in  1800,  and  were  being  operated  in  1818  by  Mr. 
Wetherell.  With  lead  mining  came  the  discovery  of  copper,  and  in  Jan- 
uary, 1848,  the  Perkiomen  Mining  Association  was  formed.  The  land 
cost  about  $10,000;  much  costly  machinery  was  placed  in  position,  and  a 
shaft  was  sunk  585  feet.  There  many  thousands  of  tons  of  copper  were 
taken  from  the  earth,  but  later  all  was  abandoned  and  the  machinery 
rusted  out  with  the  passing  years. 

In  1810  the  population  was  904;  in  1820  it  was  1,146;  in  1850.  1,961 ; 
in  1880  it  was  1,856;  in  1900  it  was  1,625;  in  1920,  it  was  2,221.     As  to 


330  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

schools  and  churches,  the  reader  is  referred  to  separate  chapters  on  these 
topics  elsewhere  in  this  work.  There  are  six  mills,  three  upon  the  Per- 
kiomen  and  three  on  the  Skippack,  "all  doing  a  good  business,"  it  was 
said  in  1883. 

The  villages  of  Lower  Providence  were  as  listed  forty  years  ago : 
Evansburg,  Shannonville,  Eagleville,  and  Providence  Square.  At  that 
date  each  village  had  its  post  office.  The  largest  of  these  places  was 
Evansburg.  The  land  on  which  it  was  built  was  a  part  of  the  old  Lane 
estate.  In  1721  an  Episcopal  church  was  built  there,  and  in  1725  a  post 
office  obtained.  Edward  Evans,  the  postmaster,  was  the  son  of  Owen 
Evans,  American  ancestor,  who  engaged  in  gun-making  for  the  govern- 
ment.. The  place  was  named  for  this  family  of  Evans.  The  nickname 
that  stuck  to  this  place  for  more  than  a  generation  was  "Hustletown." 
It  is  supposed  that  Mr.  Hustle  Town  was  a  resident  there  when  the  place 
got  its  nickname.  Shannonville,  another  village  of  this  township,  was 
first  so  called  in  1823,  when  a  post  office  was  established  there.  It  was 
named  for  the  large,  influential  family  of  Shannons  near  by.  Jack's 
tavern  was  at  this  point,  and  the  place  like  its  sister  had  a  nickname — 
here  it  was  "Hogtown."  Mr.  Shannon  was  a  large  swine  farmer,  and 
hence  the  wags  called  the  place  Hogtown.  But  with  a  more  dignified 
age,  these  rude  names  have  been  forgotten  only  by  the  very  aged,  who 
smile  at  hearing  them  mentioned. 

Eagleville  was  a  good  sized  village  in  the  early  eighties.  It  is  on  the 
Ridge  turnpike,  at  the  top  of  Skippack  Hill,  near  the  center  of  the  town- 
ship. Town  meetings  were  held  there  many  years.  Hotel,  stores,  post 
office,  a  carriage  shop,  all  sprung  up  around  the  large  building  erected 
by  Silas  Rittenhouse.  It  still  remains  a  hamlet  of  the  county.  Provi- 
dence Square,  another  collection  of  houses  and  shops,  sprung  from  a 
small  beginning  in  1855,  when  Thomas  Miller  erected  a  large  shop  for 
the  making  of  wagons  and  carriages  on  the  Germantown  pike.  It  lives 
by  name  and  a  few  houses  at  present.  Wetheral's  Corner,  another  place 
of  this  township,  came  up  by  reason  of  Dr.  William  Wetheral  in  1865, 
who  erected  some  buildings  at  the  corner  of  Egypt  road  and  another 
public  highway,  a  half  mile  south  of  Shannonville. 

Upper  Providence  township,  as  established  in  1805,  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Perkiomen  township,  on  the  east  by  Perkiomen  creek, 
separating  it  from  Lower  Providence ;  on  the  southwest  by  the  Schuyl- 
kill river  and  on  the  northwest  by  Limerick  township.  It  is  three  by 
six  miles  in  extent,  and  contains  12,098  acres.  It  was  the  third  best  agri- 
cultural township  in  the  county  forty  odd  years  ago.  The  villages 
within  the  township  are :  Trappe,  Freeland,  Collegeville,  Oaks,  Port 
Providence,  Green  Tree,  and  Quinceyville  or  Mont  Clare.  The  history 
of  many  of  these  have  been  incorporated  into  the  Borough  history  chap- 
ters of  this  volume,  which  see. 


TOWNSHIPS  331 

Plymouth — This  township  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Whitpain, 
east  by  Whitemarsh,  south  by  Schuylkill  river  and  the  borough  of  Con- 
shohocken,  and  west  by  the  borough  of  Norristown  and  Norriton.  It 
originally  contained  5,641  acres.  The  surface  is  rolling,  but  in  no  sense 
hilly.  It  was  stated  by  those  engaged  in  research  work  as  farm  experts 
forty  years  ago,  that  no  township  in  this  county  has  more  acres  of  fer- 
tile all  workable  land  than  Plymouth.  However,  it  lacks  the  beautiful 
streams  found  in  other  parts  of  this  county.  Plymouth  creek  is  the 
largest  stream;  Saw  Mill  run  is  another,  too  small  to  be  utilized  for 
power  purpose  at  any  time  of  the  year.  Two-thirds  of  the  township  is 
underlaid  with  limerock,  at  places  near  the  surface.  Nearly  the  whole 
river  front  is  a  bluff  of  pure  limestone,  which  has  for  long  years  been  a 
source  of  revenue  and  profit  to  the  burners  of  excellent  lime  which  has 
been  shipped  both  by  rail  and  water  to  distant  parts  of  the  country.  In 
1840  the  government  reports  gave  this  industry  here  at  $45,480.  In 
1858  seventy-five  kilns  in  operation  produced  over  100,000  bushels 
at  one  "burning."  Later,  the  industry  grew  to  be  very  extensive. 
Places  where  a  century  ago  there  appeared  to  be  no  traces  of  iron  ore, 
now  have  developed  into  an  inexhaustible  amount.  For  an  account  of 
railroads  including  those  touching  this  township,  see  chapter  on  Rail- 
roads in  this  work.  Special  chapters  also  on  Educational  and  Religious 
societies  are  devoted  to  these  subjects  for  the  county  in  general.  The 
population  in  1800  of  the  township  was  572;  in  1840  was  1,417;  in  1880 
it  was  1,916;  in  1900  only  1,449;  ^"^  i"  ^920  3,201. 

The  settlement  of  this  township  was  very  early.  From  such  scat- 
tering records  as  can  be  obtained  and  which  historians  Bean  and  Wil- 
liam J.  Buck  relied  chiefly  upon  in  their  writings,  it  must  have  been 
settled  between  1686  and  1690.  The  first  settlers  after  a  time  became 
tired  of  the  routine  of  labors  in  the  wild  woodland  in  which  they  had 
settled,  and  "pulled  up,"  as  we  say  to-day,  and  moved  into  Philadelphia. 
The  list  of  names  that  have  from  time  to  time  been  published,  will  in 
no  way  settle  a  dispute  as  to  who  the  first  settlers  here  were,  hence  are 
not  inserted  in  this  article.  The  first  survey  was  about  1690,  and  the 
colony  remained  a  few  years  and  abandoned  the  township,  and  records 
say  that  a  second  survey  of  the  land  was  made  in  1701,  when  it  was  first 
designated  as  "Plymouth  township."  Also  it  states  that  said  township 
then  contained  5,327  acres.  A  large  number  of  the  first  to  locate  here 
were  of  the  Quaker  religious  faith.  Some  of  these  men  who  braved  the 
dangers  and  privations  of  a  wilderness  to  open  up  a  country  such  as  this 
has  come  to  be,  were  men  of  sturdy,  unflinching  character.  The  list 
includes  Zebulon  Potts,  who  was  a  Whig,  and  the  British  in  Philadel- 
phia hunted  him  down  with  spies  as  a  traitor  to  their  cause,  but  failed 
to  capture  him.  He  held  numerous  local  offices,  including  that  of  sher- 
iff, he  being  the  first  one  elected  in  this  county.  Another  man  of  influ- 
ence was  Jacob  Ritter,  a  noted  minister  of  Plymouth  Meeting,  bom  in 


332  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Bucks  county  in  1757,  and  the  history  of  his  family  from  the  aay  they 
left  Germany  till  his  death  reads  like  romance.  He  was  among  the  sec- 
ond generation  of  men  who  opened  up  this  township  to  a  Christian 
civilization. 

The  church  records  show  that  the  pioneers  here  were  Friends,  and 
that  William  Penn  conceived  the  plan  of  having  a  town  to  be  laid  out 
about  one  mile  square,  where  is  now  the  site  of  the  present  meeting 
house.  It  was  in  the  summer  of  1686  the  township  was  purchased  and 
settled  by  James  Fox,  Francis  Rawle,  Richard  Gove,  John  Chelson  and 
some  other  Friends,  who  for  a  time  lived  and  held  meetings  at  the  house 
of  John  Fox.  Then  a  few  years  later  came  the  second  set  of  settlers,  to 
whom  William  Penn  sent  greetings  from  England  as  follows :  "Salute 
me  to  the  Welsh  Friends  and  the  Plimouth  Friends — indeed  to  all  of 
them." 

The  Seven  Stars  Inn  ranks  among  the  oldest  stands  in  Montgomery 
county.  It  was  licensed  in  1754  to  Benjamin  Davis.  Soldiers  of  the 
French  and  Indian  War,  and  later  those  of  the  British  army  in  Revolu- 
tionary war  days,  gazed  at  its  peculiar  sign-board  as  they  marched 
through  the  township.  William  Lawrence  kept  this  or  another  tavern 
here  in  1767.  The  old  Black  Horse  Tavern  was  another  notable  tavern, 
along  with  the  Seven  Stars. 

The  small  but  ancient  villages  of  this  township  include  Plymouth 
Meeting,  Hickorytown  and  Harmansville.  Plymouth  Meeting  House  is 
situated  at  the  junction  of  Perkiomen  and  Plymouth  turnpikes,  on  the 
township  line.  A  portion  of  the  hamlet  stands  in  Whitemarsh  township. 
It  was  here  the  original  settlement  of  Plymouth  was  effected  and  here 
the  first  Friends'  meeting  house  was  built.  A  post  office  was  established 
in  1827.  Much  lime  was  burned  here  in  early  years;  some  was  shipped 
by  railroad  after  such  highways  had  been  built. 

Hickorytown  is  on  the  Germantown  and  Perkiomen  turnpike,  three 
miles  southeast  of  Norristown.  A  post  office  was  established  there  in 
1857,  and  elections  held  there.  Robert  Kennedy,  a  Revolutionary  officer, 
kept  an  inn  there  in  1801.  Early  in  the  last  century  it  was  noted  here  as 
being  the  place  where  the  36th  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  drilled ;  also 
the  Montgomery  cavalry  practiced  here.  One  of  the  more  modern 
improvements  in  the  village  is  its  creamery,  established  in  1882. 

Harmansville  is  situated  on  the  line  between  this  township  and 
Whitemarsh.  It  has  a  few  business  places.  It  has  grown  up  since 
1850.  The  ore  and  marble  industries  have  greatly  enhanced  its  com- 
mercial interests.  Fire  clay  is  another  mineral  that  has  been  profitably 
taken  from  the  earth  and  converted  into  fire  brick. 

Whitemarsh — This  township  is  bounded  on  the  northeast  by  Upper 
Dublin,  on  the  southeast  by  Springfield,  southwest  by  Schuylkill  and 
Conshohocken,  west  by  Plymouth,  and  northwest  by  Whitpain  town- 


TOWNSHIPS  333 

ship.  It  contains  an  area  of  8,857  acres.  It  was  reduced  in  1850  by  the 
incorporation  of  Conshohocken,  taking  from  it  three  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  Again  in  1876,  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  were  added  from 
Springfield  township,  along  the  Schuylkill  river.  The  soil  is  fertile,  and 
generally  an  abundance  of  limestone  is  found  beneath  the  surface.  Edge 
Hill  extends  through  this  township,  a  distance  of  two  miles  and  more, 
and  crosses  the  Schuylkill  river  below  Spring  Mill.  It  is  a  singular  cir- 
cumstance that  no  iron,  limestone,  marble  or  other  valuable  mineral 
deposit  is  found  on  the  south  side  of  this  hill.  There  are  several  fine 
never-failing  streams  of  pure  water  found  within  this  part  of  the  county. 
Nineteen  miles  of  the  Wissahickon  creek  flow  through  the  township, 
and  finally  into  the  Schuylkill  below  Manayunk.  Valley  run  and  Sandy 
run  are  its  chief  tributaries.  Sandy  run  has  cold  spring  water,  and 
originally  had  many  trout,  but  of  late  years  they  are  not  plentiful.  This 
township  has  had  its  present  name  at  least  since  1703.  Forty  years  ago 
this  township  ranked  sixth  in  population  of  any  in  Montgomery  county. 
In  1800  it  had  1,085  i  »"  1840  it  was  2,079;  '"  1880  it  was  3,229;  in  1900 
it  was  3,350;  and  in  1920  it  was  3,436.  In  1858  it  contained  ten  hotels, 
fifteen  stores,  six  gristmills,  three  furnaces,  two  marble  mills,  a  paper 
factory  and  an  auger  factory.  In  1875  it  had  five  inns,  five  gristmills, 
three  paper  mills,  and  two  large  tanneries.  With  the  passing  of  years 
many  of  these  industries  have  been  discontinued  or  relocated  in  some 
city  where  various  inducements  have  drawn  them  hither.  There  is 
some  milling  here  yet,  but  no  such  volume  as  formerly.  The  schools 
and  churches  will  be  noticed  in  general  chapters  on  such  topics.  The 
villages  found  here  are  Barren  Hill,  Plymouth  Meeting,  Fort  Washing- 
ton, Spring  Hill,  Marble  Hall,  Lafayette,  Lancasterville  and  Valley 
Green  or  Whitemarsh.  About  one-half  of  these  places  had  post  offices 
before  the  advent  of  the  rural  free  delivery  system.  The  Pennsylvania 
railroad  passes  through  a  portion  of  the  township,  while  pikes  and  excel- 
lent wagon  roads  gridiron  the  territory  to-day.  The  Plymouth  railroad 
passes  through  the  central  part,  with  a  trackage  of  upwards  of  three 
miles,  with  stations  on  its  line  at  Plymouth  Meeting,  W^illiams  and 
Flourtown.  The  Schuylkill  Valley  railway,  the  coal  road,  was  built  in 
1883-84. 

The  road  petitions  made  in  June,  1713,  ask  that  a  road  may  be  "laid 
out  from  the  upper  end  of  the  said  township  down  to  the  wide  marsh,  or 
Farmer's  Mill."  It  is  well  known  that  there  was  an  extremely  broad 
expanse  of  meadow  land  greatly  subject  to  overflow,  which  doubtless 
was  the  "wide  marsh,"  which  needed  but  a  slight  change  to  make  it 
"Whitemarsh,"  as  we  know  it  to-day.  Lewis  Evans  noted  it  on  his  map 
in  1749  as  Whitemarsh.  The  Farmar  family  were  the  earliest  and  larg- 
est purchasers  of  lands  within  this  township.  Major  Jasper  Farmar  was 
an  officer  in  the  British  army,  and  a  resident  of  Cork,  Ireland.  Hearing 
of  William  Penn's  success  in  America,  he  through  a  patent  granted  him, 


334  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

purchased  in  1683  five  thousand  acres  along  the  Schuylkill  river  front. 
But  after  this  man  had  made  all  necessary  arrangements  to  ship  to  this 
country,  he  was  taken  ill  and  died,  hence  never  saw  the  tract  he  had 
bought.  But  his  widow  and  children,  as  well  as  other  relatives,  came  on, 
arriving  at  Philadelphia,  November  10,  1685.  In  the  same  ship  also 
came  Nicholas  Scull  and  his  numerous  servants.  These  persons  all  soon 
located  on  this  tract.  John  Scull  was  overseer  for  the  Farmar  family.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  Indians  were  in  goodly  numbers  in  this  town- 
ship at  that  date.  Madame  Farmar,  as  the  widow  of  Major  Farmar  was 
called,  had  an  eye  to  business,  as  will  be  discovered  in  this  paragraph: 
"Madame  Farmar  has  found  out  as  good  limestone  on  the  Schuylkill 
river  as  any  in  the  world,  and  is  building  with  it ;  she  offers  to  sell  ten 
thousand  bushels  at  six-pence  the  bushel  upon  her  plantation,  where  are 
several  considerable  hills,  and  near  to  your  Manor  of  Springfield."  Her 
lime,  it  is  believed,  was  the  first  to  be  used  in  Pennsylvania.  Her 
numerous  kilns  were  located  at  Whitemarsh  quarries.  With  such  fine 
building  stone  and  the  limestone  from  which  such  excellent  lime  could 
be  made,  it  is  no  wonder  that  this  portion  of  Pennsylvania  is  filled  with 
its  hundreds  of  thousands  of  solid  stone  structures  in  both  city  and 
country. 

This  township,  like  so  many  in  Montgomery  county,  had  its  full 
share  of  taverns  or  inns.  Before  railroad  days  in  the  thirties  and  for- 
ties the  pikes  were  swarming  with  travel  by  stage  coach  and  private 
teamsters.  Everyone  going  to  "the  city,"  of  course  had  to  go  by  this 
means,  and  thus  it  was  that  the  inn  was  in  evidence  at  almost  every 
crossroad  and  scattered  along  every  pike.  Among  the  earlier  tavern 
licenses  was  one  granted  to  James  Stringer  in  1773.  In  1775  five  public 
houses  were  licensed. 

This  township  was  a  lively  place  in  the  days  just  prior,  in  and  after 
the  Revolutionary  struggle.  Here  were  four  paper  mills,  grist  and  saw- 
mills, two  liquor  stills,  then  numerous  smiths  and  artisans  of  almost 
every  description.  The  first  school  house  where  later  stood  the  William 
public  school  was  built  by  a  committee  in  1816.  It  was  eight-sided  in 
form  and  styled  "the  eight  square  school  building."  The  lime  burning 
industry  for  years  was  great.  In  1840  the  United  States  census  reports 
show  near  $60,000  worth  shipped  outside  the  township.  Wine  was  also 
produced  in  large  quantities.  One  vineyard  contained  five  acres  of  large 
abundantly  bearing  wine  grapes.  In  1848  the  iron  furnace  of  Mr.  Hit- 
ner  turned  out  twelve  thousand  tons  of  iron.  These  works  were  at 
Spring  Hill. 

The  villages  as  known  many  years  ago  in  this  township  were  Lan- 
casterville,  Lafayette,  Plymouth  Meeting,  Fort  Washington,  near  Upper 
Dublin  line,  Spring  Mill,  Barren  Hill,  and  Marble  Hall,  and  have  each 
and  all  been  villages  of  more  or  less  importance  during  the  last  two 
centuries. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

TOWNSHIPS :    SPRINGFIELD— TOWAMENCIN— UPPER 

DUBLIN— UPPER  MERION— UPPER  AND 

LOWER  SALFORD. 

Springfield — This  is  one  of  the  southeastern  townships  of  Montgom- 
ery county,  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Upper  DubHn,  west  by 
Cheltenham,  south  by  Philadelphia,  and  west  by  Whitemarsh.  It  is 
counted  about  seven  miles  out  from  the  borough  of  Norristown.  Its 
area  is  4,013  acres.  It  is  one  of  the  smallest  townships  in  the  entire 
county,  if  not  the  smallest,  and  none  in  all  the  great  commonwealth  with 
so  irregular  a  boundary.  A  glance  at  the  county  map  will  better  explain 
the  meaning  of  "irregular"  in  form.  The  topography  is  mixed  hill  and 
dale,  with  a  fertile  soil,  and  has  an  excellent  quality  of  limestone.  The 
highest  elevation  is  Edge  Hill,  extending  nearly  through  the  center  of 
the  township  for  two  miles.  Wissahickon  creek  flows  nearly  through 
the  center  of  Springfield,  but  for  only  a  half  mile  in  its  course  did  it  evei 
propel  a  gristmill.  Sandy  run  is  the  next  largest  water  course,  and 
empties  into  the  Wissahickon.  These  are  wonderfully  even  streams  as 
to  volume  of  water.  Nearly  every  farm  house  in  the  township  has  a 
spring  house,  with  excellent  never-failing,  pure  water. 

This  is  a  thickly  settled  portion  of  the  county,  especially  in  the 
vicinity  of  Chestnut  Hill  and  Spring  House  turnpike.  Here  one  sees 
numerous  handsome  country  seats,  built  since  the  close  of  the  Civil  War, 
owned  mostly  by  residents  of  Philadelphia,  and  these  are  their  summer 
homes.  In  1790  the  population  of  the  township  was  446;  in  1840,  695; 
in  1880  it  was  1,535;  ^^  19^0  it  is  given  by  our  last  Federal  census  as 
2,994.  Internal  improvements  have  been  constantly  going  on  here 
through  the  passing  decades,  until  it  is  highly  cultivated,  and  made 
graceful  by  its  many  handsome  buildings,  both  in  country  and  villages. 
There  are  two  steam  railroads,  both  operated  by  the  Reading  system. 
The  assessors'  list  of  1776  shows  Springfield  to  contain  seventy-two  tax- 
ables  and  thirty-seven  landowners.  As  there  was  no  passable  road 
earlier,  it  is  believed  that  the  first  settlement  must  have  been  made  not 
earlier  than  1703.  In  1734  there  were  sixteen  landowners.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  the  lands  here  were  very  largely  taken  up  and  reserved 
many  years  by  the  Penn  family,  and  hence  the  ill-shape  of  the  tract  we 
know  now  as  Springfield  township.  It  has  been  suggested  that  Maria 
Penn  requested  that  the  long  narrow  strip  of  land  on  the  southwest 
side  of  the  township  be  reserved  in  order  that  none  of  the  Penn  family 
who  might  desire  to  get  to  the  river  Schuylkill,  would  not  have  land  of 
their  own  to  travel  on  that  distance — Whence  the  long,  narrow  strip. 

The  largest  village  in  this  township  forty  years  ago,  was  known  as 


336  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Flourtown,  situated  on  the  Spring  House  turnpike,  or  Bethlehem  road, 
twelve  miles  from  Philadelphia.  The  railroad  has  a  station  there.  The 
directory  in  1882  stated,  "it  now  has  sixty  houses,  four  hotels,  three  stores, 
a  large  Odd  Fellows'  hall,  and  a  Presbyterian  church."  Here  is  an  old 
settlement;  tradition  says  the  settlers  from  Salford  and  Franconia  came 
here  to  mill  their  grain,  hence  the  name  "Flourtown."  A  post  ofifice  was 
established  before  1810.  This  post  ofifice,  in  1825,  was  removed  up  to 
Whitemarsh.  This  was  a  famous  hotel  place,  and  many  conducted  inns 
to  accommodate  the  great  numbers  who  passed  this  way  en  route  to  the 
city.  There  were  a  number  of  these  hotels  dating  way  back  of  the 
Revolution.  One  was  named  "Wagon  and  Horses,"  and  its  proprietor 
catered  to  the  farm  and  teamster  trade.  The  stagecoach  also  made  up  a 
large  patronage  for  these  hotels.  They  left  Philadelphia  daily  and  went 
hither  and  yon,  and  the  passengers  they  carried  all  stopped  at  these 
stage  stations  to  eat,  and  sometimes  for  lodging.  It  is  related  by  actual 
count  that  two  hundred  and  forty  passengers  went  over  this  line 
through  Springfield  township  daily.  The  Edge  Hill  furnace  is  located 
in  the  extreme  eastern  corner  of  the  township,  on  the  Abington  and 
Cheltenham  lines.  It  was  built  from  1868  on,  and  fully  completed  in 
1872.  Fifty  men  worked  in  the  iron  furnaces  there  in  1884.  One-third 
of  the  iron  ore  used  was  mined  right  on  the  premises.  About  two  hun- 
dred tons  per  week  were  produced  here. 

Towamencin — The  township  known  as  Towamencin  is  one  of  the 
central  of  the  county.  It  is  bounded  on  the  northeast  by  Hatfield,  south 
by  Worcester,  southeast  by  Gwynedd,  southwest  by  Perkiomen,  ana 
west  by  Lower  Salford.  It  is  three  by  four  miles  in  size,  and  contains 
about  six  thousand  acres.  It  is  watered  by  the  Skippack  and  Towam- 
encin creeks.  The  last  named  has  a  good  flow  of  water  and  produces 
excellent  water  power  along  its  way  through  the  township.  The  former 
is  a  branch  of  the  latter,  but  furnishes  no  water  power.  On  the  banks 
of  the  Towamencin  almost  wholly  within  this  township,  there  is  water 
power  for  the  two  gristmills  it  propels.  There  are  several  smaller 
feeders  to  these  main  creeks.  The  main  internal  improvement  in  the 
township  named  in  the  early  days  was  the  construction  of  the  Spring 
House  and  Sumneytown  turnpike,  finished  in  1848.  The  township  was 
organized  in  March,  1728,  almost  two  hundred  years  ago.  The  records 
show  that  in  1734  there  were  thirty-two  landowners,  who  were  doubt- 
less the  original  settlers.  Nearly  all  had  lived  in  Germantown  for  a 
while,  but  soon  left  for  this  township,  where  they  could  better  carve  out 
homes  for  themselves.  The  first  land  taken  in  the  township  was  a  grant 
of  one  thousand  acres  from  Penn's  commissioners  of  property  to  Benja- 
min Furley,  June  8,  1703.  Abraham  Tennis  and  Jan.  Lucken  bought 
part  of  this  land  and  became  the  second  settlers.  Jan.  Lucken,  just 
referred  to,  was  from  Holland.  This  family  multiplied  and  became 
immense  landowners  here. 


TOWNSHIPS  337 

Kulpsville  is  the  only  village  within  this  township.  It  was  always 
known  as  a  purely  agricultural  section.  It  is  near  the  center ;  its  location 
is  high  and  sightly.  In  1856  a  three-story  brick  building  was  erected 
here,  and  within  its  walls  were  shops,  stores,  offices,  and  secret  soci- 
ety offices  and  halls.  A  Methodist  church  was  built  in  1862,  and  in  1883 
a  splendid  public  school  building.  This  place  was  named  for  the  Kulp 
family  who  settled  here  in  1776.  Other  chapters  of  this  work  will  give 
the  various  church  histories.  In  1830  the  township  was  given  as  having 
144  houses,  175  famines,  132  farms.  In  1800  its  population  was  413;  in 
1880,  1,232;  in  1920  it  was  given  as  1,166. 

In  the  historic  writings  of  that  ever  correct  writer,  William  J.  Buck, 
he  has  this: 

The  battle  of  Germantown  was  fought  on  the  morning  of  October  4, 
\7y7,  and  resulted  disastrously  to  the  American  cause,  when  Washington 
immediately  returned  with  the  main  body  of  the  army  up  the  Skippack 
road,  beyond  the  Perkiomen,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present  Schwenks- 
ville,  where  they  remained  until  the  afternoon  of  the  8th,  when  he  arrived 
and  established  his  camp  nearly  a  mile  northwest  of  Kulpsville,  near  the 
Lower  Salford  line.  The  officers  wounded  in  the  battle  were  brought  to 
a  farmhouse  on  the  Forty-Foot  road,  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  south- 
west of  the  Mennonite  meeting-house.  General  Nash,  who  had  been 
wounded  in  the  thigh  by  a  cannon-ball  which  had  killed  bis  horse,  we 
know  from  an  eye-witness,  was  carried  up  hither  on  a  litter  made  of 
poles.  Washington  may  have  come  here  on  purpose  to  attend  the 
funeral  on  the  following  day,  for  which  he  issued  his  orders  that  he 
should  be  interred  at  ten  o'clock,  and  that  all  officers  whose  circum- 
stances will  admit  of  it  will  attend  and  pay  this  respect  to  a  brave  man, 
who  died  in  defense  of  his  country. 

Upper  Dublin — This  is  one  of  the  nearly  square,  regularly  formed 
townships  of  the  county,  and  is  bounded  northeast  by  Horsham,  south 
by  Springfield,  southwest  by  Whitemarsh,  east  by  Moreland,  and  south- 
east by  Abington.  It  has  an  area  of  8,840  acres.  The  surface  is  rolling, 
and  soil  is  loam  and  limestone  land.  Camp  Hill,  of  Revolutionary  fame, 
is  an  elevation  extending  eastwardly  across  the  township  on  the  south 
side  of  Sandy  run.  The  Wissahickon  passes  over  the  western  corner 
for  over  a  mile,  propelling  two  gristmills,  and  receiving  as  tributaries 
Rose  Valley,  Pine  and  Sandy  runs.  These  streams  all  furnish  a  fair  stage 
of  water  and  can  be  utilized  for  milling.  The  North  Pennsylvania  rail- 
road cuts  the  western  corner  of  the  territory  and  has  a  station  called 
Ambler,  fourteen  miles  from  Philadelphia.  The  villages  in  Upper  Dub- 
lin, as  shown  by  maps  forty  years  ago,  were  Ambler,  Fitzwatertown. 
Jarrettown,  Three  Tons,  and  Dreshertown.  These  all  had  post  offices 
except  the  last  mentioned. 

This  township,  according  to  the  government  reports,  has  had  a  pop- 
ulation as  follows:  In  1800  it  was  744;  in  1840,  1,322;  in  1880,  1.856;  in 
1900  it  was  1,933,  and  in  1920  was  3,045.    In  1880  its  population  was  132 


Mont — 22 


338  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

per  square  mile.  In  1883  there  were  licenses  issued  for  four  hotels,  nine 
general  stores,  one  stove-store,  one  coal  yard,  one  tobacco  store  and  a 
restaurant. 

The  first  landowners  in  the  township  were  Samuel  Clarrige,  Pierce  & 
Co.,  Richard  Hill  and  Richards  &  Aubrey.  Commencing  on  the  Abing- 
ton  line  to  the  south  of  that  line  were  William  Salaway,  Matthew  Perrin, 
Henry  Patrick,  Mathias  Seely,  John  Southworth,  Richard  Coates, 
Andrew  Soule,  Thomas  Marie,  with  William  and  George  Harmer.  Now 
while  these  are  by  some  historians  looked  upon  as  "settlers,"  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact  there  is  every  evidence  that  they  were  all  land  speculators, 
except  possibly  the  last  named  families,  the  Harmers.  By  reason  of  this 
the  township  did  not  settle  as  early  as  other  portions  of  the  country. 
These  persons  took  up  the  most  valuable  tracts,  and  hence  settlers  who 
looked  over  the  remaining  lands  were  not  pleased  and  went  to  other 
parts  to  locate.  Prior  to  17 19  there  was  little  actual  settlement  here. 
The  records  disclose  the  names  of  thirty-eight  persons  who  were  known 
to  be  land-owners  here  in  1734.  It  should  be  understood,  however,  that 
there  were  here  and  there  holders  of  tracts  as  early  as  1698,  when 
Edward  Burk  purchased  from  Nicholas  Scull  and  others  lands  extending 
from  the  Susquehanna  street  road  to  the  Whitemarsh  line,  including  a 
part  of  present  village  of  Ambler.  Edward  and  John  Burk  were  his  sons, 
and  John  was  a  supervisor  of  roads  from  1774  to  1777,  and  Edward  Burk 
from  that  date  on  to  1786.  He  was  also  collector  of  taxes  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary War  period. 

This  township  contains  some  landmarks  of  the  great  Revolutionary 
struggle,  in  way  of  the  large  stone  building  used  by  General  Washing- 
ton as  his  headquarters  from  October  to  well  into  December,  when  he 
removed  his  army  to  Valley  Forge.  This  stone  farm  house  stands  on 
the  south  side  of  Camp  Hill,  only  a  few  yards  from  the  Springfield  town- 
ship line.  In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  it  belonged  to 
Caleb  Emlin,  but  in  1810  it  passed  to  other  hands,  the  farm  being  sub- 
divided into  smaller  tracts.  The  last  known  of  its  ownership  to  the 
author  was  when  it  was  in  the  hands  of  Charles  T.  Aimen,  who  was  then 
still  preserving  it  perfectly  as  a  landmark  of  those  long-ago  days.  It  is 
a  stone  structure  thirty-five  by  seventy-five  feet  and  two  stories  high. 
The  steps  at  the  front  entrance  are  of  the  finest  quality  of  soapstone, 
neatly  wrought;  the  general  appearance  of  the  entire  building  shows  it 
to  have  been  a  well  planned  and  finely  executed  building  for  the  day  in 
which  it  was  erected.  While  Washington  was  here,  the  army  was 
camped  on  the  hill  to  the  north  of  the  mansion,  which  was  certainly  a 
strong  military  position.  On  the  night  of  December  5,  1777,  General 
Howe  came  hither  from  Philadelphia  by  way  of  Chestnut  Hill,  with  a 
view  of  surprising  the  camp ;  but  on  seeing  the  position  and  unable  to 
draw  out  the  American  army,  returned  by  way  of  Abington  and  Jen- 
kintown,  counting  his  attempt  a  dismal  failure. 


TOWNSHIPS 


339 


Villages  found  in  this  township  include  Ambler,  already  treated  in 
the  borough  chapters ;  Fitzwatertown,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  town- 
ship, along  the  Limerick  turnpike,  in  the  midst  of  the  fertile  valley  ot 
Sandy  run,  which  abounds  in  rich  deposits  of  limestone  and  iron  ore. 
This  is  a  very  old  settlement,  where  Thomas  Fitzpatrick  followed  lime 
burning  in  1705,  and  had  a  gristmill  there  very  early  in  the  settlement 
period.    A  post  ofifice  was  there  established  in  1858.     Twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars'  worth  of  lime  was  burned  here  in  1840.     Another  place  is 
Hill  Station,  of  the  North  Pennsylvania  railroad,  only  a  mile  from  Fitz- 
watertown.    The  second  largest  village  is  Jarrettown,  in  the  center  of 
the  township,  on  the  Limekiln  turnpike,  which  highway  was  made  in 
185 1.    A  post  office  was  established  here  in  1866.    The  name  of  the  place 
was  derived  from  Levi  Jarrett,  the  owner  of  several  farms  thereabouts 
in  1815.    A  church  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  denomination  was  erected 
there  in    1866.     Dreshertown   is  situated  at  the  junction   of   Limekiln 
turnpike  and  Susquehanna  street  road  midway  between  Fitzwatertown 
and  Jarrettown.     The  ancient  appearance  of  these  highways  indicate 
that  it  was  a  very  old  settlement.    Forty  years  ago  the  place  had  a  store, 
a  mill,  eleven  houses,  a  post  office  since  1832,  and  elections  were  held 
here  from  1840  to  1856.    Both  were  then  moved  to  Jarrettown.    The  vil- 
lage of  Three  Tons  is  within  a  fertile  section  of  country,  at  the  inter- 
section of  Horsham  and   Butler  roads,   the  latter  being  turnpiked   to 
Ambler,  two  and  a  half  miles  distant.     A  post  office  was  established 
there  in  1858,  with  T.  G.  Torbet  as  postmaster.     A  Union  library  has 
been  sustained  there  many  years ;  it  was  incorporated  in  1840  and  has 
many  thousands  of  volumes  of  choice  books.     Another  hamlet  is  Gil- 
kison's  Corner,  at  the  junction  of  the  Spring  House  and  Butler  roads. 
There  a  large  tannery  was  located,  known  as  "the  steam  tannery,"  by 
Alvin  D.  Foust,  established  in  the  fifties.     It  was  at  this  point' that 
Andrew  Gilkison  kept  a  tavern  in  time  of  the  Revolution.    A  post  office 
was  established  as  Upper  Dublin  post  office  before  1827,  but  later  was 
removed  to  the  larger  place,  now  the  borough  of  Ambler.     These  vil- 
lages one  and  all  had  their  mission  to  fill,  and  many  have  gone  down 
with  the  incoming  tide  of  a  higher  mode  of  living,  a  faster  mode  of 
transportation,    and    the    upbuilding    of   larger    business    and    railwav 
centers. 

Upper  Merion— This  township  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Schuylkill  river  and  is  bounded  on  the  northwest,  north  and  northeast 
by  that  stream,  on  the  northeast  by  Bridgeport  borough,  on  the  south- 
east by  West  Conshohocken  and  Lower  Merion  township,  on  the  south 
by  the  counties  of  Chester  and  Delaware,  and  on  the  southwest  by 
Chester.  Its  area  is  10,200  acres,  as  originally  organized,  but  with  the 
incorporation  of  the  borough  of  Bridgeport  450  acres  were  taken  from 
it.     Again,  in  1874  about  290  acres  were  taken  from  it  by  the  borough 


340  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  West  Conshohocken.  Shale  and  limestone  is  chiefly  the  makeup  of 
its  soil.  The  principal  elevations  are  known  as  Mount  Joy,  Red  Hill, 
Flint  Hill,  North  Valley  Hill,  Rebel  Hill,  and  Gulf  Hill.  Probably  the 
most  fertile  portion  of  all  Montgomery  county  is  in  this  township,  along 
the  Schuylkill,  between  Bridgeport  and  Gulf  creek,  extending  west  for 
a  mile  or  so.  The  Swedes  in  taking  up  this  land  showed  good  judg- 
ment, and  were  later  well  paid  for  their  selection  of  locations.  The 
township  is  not  a  well  watered  section ;  the  springs  do  not  form  never- 
failing  streams.  The  streams  are  known  as  Elliott's  run,  or  Crow  creek, 
Matsunk,  Mashilmac  creek,  and  Gulf  creek,  the  largest  of  them  all. 
This  is  near  the  Lower  Merion  line.  It  is  a  rapid  stream,  rising  in  Del- 
aware county,  emptying  into  the  Schuylkill  river  at  West  Conshohocken. 
East  Valley  creek  for  a  mile  forms  the  western  boundary  of  the  town- 
ship and  propels  numerous  paper  mills,  etc.  At  Port  Kennedy,  also  at 
Bridgeport,  are  fine  springs.  The  present  industries  of  the  township  are 
open  books  to  all  men  who  care  to  read,  but  it  should  be  stated  that 
forty  years  and  more  ago,  it  was  written  that  the  wealth  of  this  town- 
ship was  from  its  mines  and  quarries.  It  then  had  three  large  iron  fur- 
naces, one  at  Port  Kennedy  and  two  at  Bridgeport.  Lime  has  always 
been  a  large  product  here  and  has  been  the  base  of  many  a  fortune.  In 
184c  the  census  reports  gave  the  lime  products  prepared  here  as  worth 
?74,ooo  annually.  Since  then  the  industry  has  grown  wonderfully.  In 
1882  there  was  sold  from  this  township  more  than  $200,000  worth  of 
lime,  more  than  for  all  the  county  in  1845.  The  marble  quarries  here 
have  developed  into  gigantic  interests.  (See  Industrial  chapter.)  The 
population  of  the  township  has  been  at  various  times  as  follows:  In 
1800  it  was  993 ;  in  1840,  2,804;  i^i  1880,  3,275 ;  in  1900,  3,480,  and  in  1920 
it  had  4,005.  In  May,  1876,  the  list  of  licenses  showed  the  number  in 
this  township  to  have  been  on  three  inns,  eight  stores,  three  coal  yards, 
three  dealers  in  flour  and  feed,  four  gristmills,  eight  cotton  and  woolen 
mills,  three  iron  furnaces,  two  marble  mills,  and  other  lesser  industries. 
(See  Church  and  Educational  chapters  for  such  topics  relative  to  this 
part  of  the  county.) 

The  villages  found  here  forty  and  fifty  years  ago  have  only  grown 
to  small  outlying  suburbs  to  Norristown,  Bridgeport  and  Conshohocken. 
These  include  Swedesburg,  next  east  to  Bridgeport ;  Matsunk,  came 
into  existence  since  1846,  is  a  mile  below  Swedesburg;  King  of  Prussia, 
near  the  center  of  the  township,  its  name  given  by  an  innkeeper  of  the 
locality,  John  Elliott,  in  1786.  The  stone  bridge  over  Elliott's  run  was 
built  in  1835.  Here  a  post  office  was  established  in  about  1826.  Its 
original  name  was  Reesville.  Another  village  is  Gulf  Mills,  where  an 
inn  was  kept  in  1786  by  John  Roberts.  Its  sign  was  "Bird-in-Hand." 
Merion  station  on  the  Reading  railroad,  about  two  miles  from  Bridge- 
port, is  where  Crow  creek  flows  into  the  Schuylkill.  The  post  office  is 
Abrams.     Port  Kennedy  and  Valley  Forge  are  mentioned  later  in  the 


TOWNSHIPS  341 

work,  but  only  in  connection  with  the  Revolution,  so  in  this  regular 
township  connection  it  should  be  said  that  Port  Kennedy  is  and  always 
has  been  a  small  place  on  the  Schuylkill  river,  twenty-one  miles  from 
Philadelphia  and  four  from  Norristown.  It  has  always  been  noted 
especially  for  its  burning  and  shipping  large  quantities  of  excellent  lime 
made  from  limestone  near  by.  The  iron  furnace  found  doing  a  large 
business  fifty  years  ago  is  known  as  the  Montgomery  Iron  Company, 
of  which  Abraham  S.  Petterson  was  president.  This  was  begun  in  1854 
and  finished  in  1856.  The  village  is  a  station  on  the  Reading  railroad, 
and  at  that  point  there  is  a  very  high  modern  iron  and  steel  highway 
bridge  over  the  river.  The  pioneers  in  lime  burning  here  were  Messrs. 
Blair,  Kennedy,  Hunter  and  Roberts.  John  Kennedy  had  his  kilns 
nearest  the  village  as  known  now.  He  began  in  1858  and  had  fourteen 
limekilns  in  operation  all  the  time.  Alexander  Kennedy  was  the  founder 
of  the  village  of  Port  Kennedy.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  came  here 
in  1805  and  died  in  1824.  It  was  his  sons  who  entered  into  the  lime 
business  and  in  advancing  other  village  interests  at  Port  Kennedy.  The 
place  to-day  is  little  larger  than  it  was  a  half  century  ago.  It  is  too  near 
larger  business  centers,  and  cannot  be  larger  in  the  nature  of  things. 

Valley  Forge  is  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  beautiful  Schuyl- 
kill river,  at  the  mouth  of  East  Valley  creek,  which  for  nearly  a  mile 
forms  the  boundary  line  between  the  counties  of  Montgomery  and 
Chester.  It  is  six  miles  above  Norristown  and  twenty-three  from  Phil- 
adelphia. That  portion  of  the  village  within  Montgomery  county  and 
Upper  Merion  township  forty  years  ago  was  credited  with  having  a  gen- 
eral store,  gristmill,  a  paper  mill  and  ten  houses  (including  the  old  Potts 
two-story  stone  house,  known  as  "Washington's  Headquarters"  to  trav- 
elers of  to-day).  It  now  has  no  commercial  interests  save  the  dimes  to 
be  picked  up  by  sellers  of  pictures  of  the  historic  objects  throughout  the 
extensive  Park  now  under  State  control,  or  providing  meals  and  lodg- 
ings in  the  summer  months  only  to  the  "stranger  within  the  gates." 
What  is  known  as  "Washington  Inn"  is  a  large  hotel  building  which  at 
some  seasons  of  the  year  does  a  good  business.  The  attractive  stone 
"Headquarters"  building  which  pioneer  Potts,  the  iron  founder  of  Rev- 
olutionary days,  invited  Washington  to  occupy  so  long  as  his  army  was 
stationed  thereabouts,  will  never  cease  to  be  of  interest  to  student  and 
traveler,  from  whatever  clime  they  may  come.  This  house  is  under  the 
daily  watch-care  of  a  man  regularly  engaged  to  look  after  the  premises 
and  guide  visitors  around  and  through  it,  now  containing  numerous  real 
Washington  relics.  The  Philadelphia  &  Reading  railway  company  a 
few  years  since  erected  one  of  the  neatest  stations  along  their  line  at 
this  point.  Its  double  track  storm-sheds  are  supported  by  more  than  a 
hundred  fluted  colonial  columns,  which  are  all  the  more  attractive  for 
the  reason  that  the  road  at  this  point  is  around  a  sharp  curve,  thus  giving 
the  platform  and  columns  a  semi-circular  appearance. 


342  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

The  real  business  transacted  at  what  is  called  Valley  Forge  is  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  creek  that  divides  the  two  counties,  hence  is 
within  Chester  county,  and  not  Montgomery.  Where  once  stood  the  old 
"Valley  Forge"  (the  iron  works)  is  now  seen  a  simple  iron  post,  with  a 
metallic  signboard  telling  the  passerby  that  the  post  is  where  the  iron 
works  once  stood.  This  refers  to  the  rebuilt  iron  works,  for  the  British 
soldiers  destroyed  the  first  iron  works  of  the  locality.  Bean's  "History 
of  Montgomery  County"  has  the  following  on  Valley  Forge  and  its 
name: 

The  name  of  this  place  was  derived  from  a  forge  erected  here  by 
Isaac  Potts,  a  son  of  John  Potts,  the  founder  of  Pottstown.  How  early 
this  forge  was  erected  we  cannot  say,  but  it  must  have  been  before  1759, 
for  it  is  denoted  on  Nicholas  Scull's  map  of  the  province,  published  in 
said  year,  as  being  on  the  Upper  Merion  side  of  the  stream,  which  is 
confirmed  on  William  Scull's  map  of  1770.  On  September  19,  1777,  a 
detachment  of  the  British  army  encamped  here  and  burned  the  mansion- 
house  of  Col.  Dewees  and  the  iron  works,  leaving  the  gristmill  uninjured 
From  all  that  history  and  tradition  can  show  in  this  matter  of  where 
the  forge  actually  did  stand,  it  is  now  generally  believed  that  it  was  on 
the  Montgomery  side,  and  not  on  the  west  side  of  East  Valley  creek,  as 
some  have  hitherto  asserted.  Another  proof  is  that  Isaac  Potts  was  in 
Upper  Merion,  as  well  as  the  iron  ore  obtained  near  by,  that  necessarily, 
for  convenience,  the  forge  would  also  be  on  the  same  side. 

A  former  history  of  Montgomery  county  contains  the  following  con- 
cerning this  township  in  the  days  of  the  Revolution : 

The  Revolutionary  history  of  Upper  Merion  is  not  without  interest, 
for  nearly  all  the  leading  events  connected  with  Valley  Forge  happened 
within  its  limits.  On  the  nth  of  December,  1778,  Washington,  with  his 
army,  left  Whitemarsh,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  13th  crossed  at 
Swedes'  Ford  and  proceeded  towards  the  Gulf  and  the  vicinity  of  the 
King  of  Prussia,  where  they  remained  until  the  19th,  when  they  arrived 
at  Valley  Forge,  where  they  were  to  remain  until  the  following  i8th  day 
of  June,  exactly  six  months.  Owing  to  the  lateness  of  the  season  they 
at  once  set  about  building  huts  to  shelter  them  from  the  rigors  of 
winter.  General  Porter,  who  had  been  stationed  at  the  Gulf  in  Novem- 
ber, now  marched  towards  Swedes'  Ford  and  joined  Washington's  army, 
when  a  court-martial  was  held  to  try  such  men  as  threw  away  their 
arms  and  equipments  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  their  escape  in  the 
late  attack  made  on  them  at  the  Gulf  by  the  British  from  the  city.  A 
number  were  sentenced  to  be  publicly  whipped,  which  was  carried  into 
effect,  and  produced  not  a  little  excitement  in  the  camp.  Although  at 
some  distance  from  Philadelphia,  the  citizens  suflfered  considerably  from 
the  marauding  expeditions  of  the  British  army. 

Upper  Salford — This  township  is  bounded,  or  better  say  surrounded, 
by  Lower  Salford,  Frederick,  Marlborough  and  Franconia  townships. 
It  is  near  the  northeast  line  of  the  county,  with  a  part  of  Salford  town- 
ship of  to-day  between  its  territory  and  Bucks  county.  Its  main  streams 
of  refreshing  living  water  include  the  East  Branch,  the  Ridge  Valley 


TOWNSHIPS  343 

and  Perkiomen  creeks.  The  latter  forms  the  western  boundary  for 
about  four  miles,  in  which  distance  it  has  for  many  years  propelled  four 
gristmills,  besides  several  other  manufacturing  plants.  The  East 
Branch  takes  its  rise  in  Bucks  county  and  forms  the  eastern  boundary  for 
nearly  four  miles,  and  also  furnishes  ample  water  usually  for  a  number 
of  mills.  One  mile  east  of  Schwenksville,  on  the  east  side  of  Perkiomen 
creek,  is  Stone  Hill,  probably  the  highest  land  in  the  township.  It  is 
240  feet  above  the  adjacent  stream.  At  one  time  in  the  eighties,  copper 
was  mined  in  this  township,  but  it  proved  profitless  to  the  owners  of  the 
mine.  The  Spring  House  and  Sumnytown  turnpike  crosses  this  town- 
ship, while  the  Perkiomen  railroad  about  one  mile  above  Schwenksville, 
hugging  the  east  bank  for  three  miles,  in  which  distance  it  has  stations 
named  Hendricks,  Salford  Station,  Branchville,  and  Mechanicsville. 
The  township  had  a  population  at  these  periods  as  follows :  In  1800  it 
was  676;  in  1840,  1,301  ;  in  ]88o  it  was  1,866;  in  1900  it  had  876,  and  in 
1920  it  was  729. 

Originally,  Salford  township  was  formed  in  March,  1727,  and  con- 
tained over  thirty  thousand  acres,  including  all  the  townships  of  Marl- 
borough, Upper  and  Lower  Salford  and  a  part  of  Franconia.  By  1741 
it  appeared  to  be  much  too  large  to  the  residents,  and  they  asked  the 
court  for  a  division  and  the  creation  of  a  new  township  to  be  known  as 
Upper  Salford.  This  was  granted,  and  the  civil  township  still  exists,  as 
will  presently  be  seen.  However,  some  time  about  1900  the  township 
had  Salford  taken  ofT.  So  now  there  are  three  townships — Salford,  and 
Upper  and  Lower  Salford.  The  townships  of  Lower  Salford  and  Marl- 
borough were  formed  at  the  same  time.  The  earliest  wagon  road  here 
was  laid  out  about  1728,  known  as  the  Skippack  and  Salford  road.  Sal- 
fordville,  Mechanicsville  and  Salford  Station  are  all  small  hamlets  that 
have  for  many  years  had  stores,  shops,  factories,  churches  and  schools, 
some  of  which  are  mentioned  at  other  places  in  this  work.  None  of 
these  ever  materialized  to  any  considerable  extent,  commercially. 

Lower  Salford — This  is  one  of  the  central  subdivisions  of  Montgom- 
ery county.  On  its  northwest  is  Franconia  township,  south  is  Perkio- 
men, northwest  is  Upper  Salford,  and  southeast  is  Towamencin  town- 
ship. This  was  organized  into  a  civil  township  about  1727,  and  then 
comprised  thirty  thousand  acres.  It  derived  its  name  from  a  town  and 
several  parishes  of  this  name  in  England.  By  order  of  the  Court  of 
Quarter  Sessions  it  was  divided  in  1741  into  Upper  and  Lower  Salford 
and  Marlborough.  There  seems  but  slight  doubt  that  there  had  been 
considerable  settlement  some  years  before  the  survey  had  been  made. 
The  earliest  known  was  a  warrant  granted  September  10,  1717,  to  David 
Powell,  of  Philadelphia,  for  three  thousand  acres  of  land  between  the 
"Skepeck"  and  a  branch  of  the  "Parkyooman."  It  contained  about  seven 
hundred  acres.     The  next  warrant  was  for  lands  patented  in   1719  to 


344  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Humphrey  Morrow  and  John  Budd.  With  the  settlement  of  the  town- 
ship there  was  a  demand  for  several  taverns  or  inns,  as  then  styled.  The 
opening  of  the  road  from  present  Sumneytown  to  Gwynedd  in  1735 
greatly  increased  the  demand  for  good  stopping  places.  Among  the 
famous  inns  is  known  to  have  been  one  conducted  by  John  Isaac  Klein, 
and  also  one  by  Gabriel  Schuler.  These  were  both  running  prior  to 
1750.  By  the  side  of  these  taverns  was  to  be  found  what  in  those  days 
was  considered  a  necessity — springs  of  cold  water  used  "for  both  man 
and  beast."  In  1766  the  "Stag"  inn  was  conducted  by  Frederick  Dick- 
ensheit.  Two  inns  were  conducted  in  Mainland  about  1800;  one  styled 
the  "White  Horse,"  later  changed  to  "The  Half-Way  House."  The 
official  returns  give  these  figures  for  the  population  of  this  township  at 
various  times:  In  1800  was  524;  in  1840,  1,141  ;  in  1880  it  was  1,828;  in 
1890  it  was  1,755;  in  1910  was  1,712;  in  1920  it  had  1,692. 

One  of  the  greatest  improvements  made  here  was  the  construction 
ot  the  Sumnneytown  and  Spring  House  turnpike,  which  was  completed 
in  1848.  The  pike  from  Lederachsville  to  Harleysville  was  finished  in 
1868.  The  making  of  these  excellent  highways  for  wagon  travel  mate- 
rially advanced  land  prices  and  really  aided  in  making  the  township 
largely  what  it  is  to-day.  Strange  to  relate,  in  1858  this  entire  township 
only  had  three  stores  within  its  limits.  The  census  of  1850  gave  the 
number  of  houses  at  234;  number  of  farms,  136;  families,  234. 

Harleysville  is  situated  on  the  turnpike  from  Sumneytown  to  Spring 
House,  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  township.  It  is  but  a  mere  ham- 
let, with  some  small  factories  running  periodically.  The  first  and  only 
house  here  in  time  of  the  Revolutionary  War  was  that  of  Nicholas 
Schwenk,  a  blacksmith,  who  owned  here  in  1776  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  land.  Samuel  Harley  built  a  tavern  here  in  1790,  conducted  a 
large  general  store,  and  was  many  years  a  leading  factor  and  is  credited 
with  founding  the  village,  for  whom  it  was  also  named.  It  had  a  post 
office  established  in  1840.  A  creamery  was  established  here  in  1881, 
among  the  first  in  the  county.  Forty  years  ago,  450  pounds  of  butter 
were  produced  at  this  creamery  daily.  The  place  has  not  materially 
grown  with  the  passing  years.  To-day  it  has  a  gristmill,  general  stores, 
small  shops,  a  physician  and  a  hotel. 

Lederachsville  is  situated  centrally  in  the  township,  and  at  the  inter- 
section of  six  roads.  In  the  eighties  it  was  credited  with  being  progres- 
sive, had  two  general  stores,  a  hotel,  telegraph  office,  blacksmith  shop, 
and  twenty-three  houses.  A  post  office  was  established  in  1857,  with 
Septimus  Kriebel  as  first  postmaster.  The  village  really  owes  its  origin 
to  Henry  Lederach,  who  built  the  first  house  here  in  1825,  then  set  up 
in  the  blacksmithing  trade,  and  still  later  became  a  general  merchant. 
In  1833  he  secured  license  to  run  a  hotel  and  thus  was  started  a  village. 

Mainland  is  another  place  on  the  turnpike  to  Gwynedd ;  it  has  had 
for  many  years  some  business  in  way  of  stores,  shops  and  a  hotel.     It 


TOWNSHIPS 


345 


was  fortunate  in  obtaining  a  post  office  at  an  early  date.  It  was  also 
the  site  for  a  machine  shop  many  years.  It  is  here  that  is  found  the 
famous  old  "White  Horse  Tavern." 

Concerning  the  school  and  church  history  in  the  township,  see  the 
general  county  chapters  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

TOWNSHIPS :  UPPER  AND  LOWER  GWYNEDD— WORCESTER 
— WHITPAIN— SKIPPACK. 

Up  to  about  1890  the  two  townships  of  Upper  and  Lower  Gwynedd 
were  included  in  one ;  and  that  was  known  as  "Gwynedd,"  a  corrup- 
tion of  the  Welsh  word  Gwineth,  signifying  North  Wales,  and  also  the 
name  of  a  river  there.  In  early  records  in  Pennsylvania  it  is  called 
"Gwynedith."  So  it  will  be  understood  in  this  chapter,  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  description  of  this  territory  will  apply  to  both  Upper  and 
Lower  Gwynedd  townships  of  to-day.  The  population  of  the  two-in-one 
townships  has  been  as  follows:  In  1800  it  was  906;  in  1840,  1,589;  in 
1880,  2,041 ;  1900  it  was  1,195  in  Lower  Gwynedd  and  1,328  in  Upper 
Gwynedd;  in  1920  it  was  1,363  in  Lower  Gwynedd  and  in  Upper  Gwy- 
nedd it  was  1,578.  North  Wales  borough  at  its  incorporation  took  from 
this  township  ninety-two  acres,  in  1869.  This  leaves  its  present  terri- 
tory (both  townships)  about  12,100  acres.  Later,  in  1872,  when  Lans- 
dale  was  set  off  as  a  borough,  that  corporation  also  took  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  acres  from  that  portion  of  original  Gwynedd  township. 
On  Wissahickon  creek  there  were  in  the  early  eighties  three  flour  mills 
and  a  sawmill,  propelled  by  the  waters  of  the  stream.  The  Treweryn  and 
Willow  run  are  streams  next  in  size  to  the  one  just  mentioned.  Away 
back  in  1785  this  township  contained  within  its  limit  five  taverns,  three 
gristmills,  two  sawmills,  and  one  tannery.  Forty  years  ago  there  were 
post  offices  within  the  township  as  follows :  Gwynedd,  Spring  House, 
Penllyn,  West  Point,  and  Gwynedd  Station,  or  Hoyt,  as  it  was  finally 
named.  At  the  request  of  Thomas  Penn,  in  1734,  a  list  of  the  freehold- 
ers of  Gwynedd  township  was  returned  by  the  constable.  The  total 
number  was  forty-eight,  all  Welsh  except  six,  Leonard  Hartling  being 
the  only  German.  In  1741  the  taxables  had  reached  ninety- three,  show- 
ing a  marked  degree  of  advancement  and  prosperity. 

In  1885  the  largest  of  the  villages  in  this  township  was  West  Point, 
containing  a  store,  hotel,  mill,  lumber  and  brick  yards,  several  machine 
shops,  and  about  thirty  houses.  Here  also  was  the  site  of  the  West  Point 
engine  works  and  machine  shops,  erected  in  1876.  Upon  the  building  of 
the  Stony  Creek  railroad  in  1874,  the  place  was  at  first  called  Lukens 
station,  and  changed  in  1876  to  West  Point. 

Gwynedd  was  situated  at  the  intersection  of  the  Sumneytown  turn- 
pike and  the  State  road,  and  was  only  a  hamlet.  It  was  at  this  point, 
however,  that  the  early  Welsh  immigrants  made  their  first  actual  settle- 
ment, known  as  North  Wales,  and  so  mentioned  on  Lewis  Evan's  map 
of  1749.  A  public  house  was  established  here  before  1769.  A  store  was 
kept  by  Owen  Evans  before  1765. 


348  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

The  Spring  House  is  another  old  settled  place,  probably  in  1735-  A 
post  office  was  obtained  in  1829,  John  W.  Murray  becoming  first  post- 
master. This  township  is  largely  an  agricultural  section  and  is  well 
improved  as  such ;  the  every  object  the  passer-by  sees  shows  thrift  and 
neatness  about  the  premises.  The  people  of  this  township  now  depend 
mostly  on  the  nearby  boroughs  of  Lansdale,  North  Wales  and  Ambler 
for  the  largest  part  of  their  purchases,  unless  they  need  much,  then  they 
board  the  every  half-hour  trolley  line  into  Norristown  or  Philadelphia 
and  there  do  their  shopping.  The  once  immense  business  carried  on  by 
taverns  or  inns  throughout  the  entire  township,  has  long  since  changed 
with  the  fast  flying  trains  on  both  steam  and  electric  highways,  and  the 
more  recent  automobile  travel.  In  the  summer  time  some  of  these  old- 
time  hotels,  modernized  to  quite  an  extent,  still  have  quite  a  business 
from  pleasure  seekers  who  want  the  quiet  of  a  country  life  for  a  season. 
The  bar  room,  of  course,  was  attached  to  all  these  taverns  in  early  days ; 
yes,  even  up  to  the  passage  of  the  Volstead  act  and  the  final  making  the 
Eighteenth  Amendment  to  the  United  States  Constitution,  three  years 
ago,  since  which  time  no  intoxicating  drinks  are  permitted  to  be  sold, 
hence  the  profit  of  the  barroom  has  become  a  thing  of  the  past.  It  was 
at  Spring  House  Tavern  that  John  Humphrey  located  in  1698,  and  the 
Friends  held  their  first  meeting  for  worship,  hence  many  hallowed  mem- 
orable events  cluster  around  the  name  and  locality. 

The  people  of  Gwynedd  were  fortunate  in  escaping  many  of  the  dis- 
asters of  the  Revolution,  which  befell  some  of  their  not  very  distant 
neighbors.  The  sympathies  of  the  Welsh  element,  like  the  German, 
was  generally  inclined  to  the  patriotic  side.  This  may  be  more  particu- 
larly observed  in  the  residents  of  Lower  Merion,  who  successfully  main- 
tained their  neutrality  though  so  near  the  city  and  between  the  contend- 
ing armies.  At  this  period  the  Society  of  Friends,  with  the  Mennonites, 
Schwenkfelders  and  Dunkards,  who  were  opposed  to  bearing  arms 
through  conscientious  scruples,  constituted  a  decided  majority  of  the 
population.  To  their  credit,  however,  not  one  was  arrested  here  for 
treason  or  any  property  confiscated.  No  battle  took  place  within  its 
limits,  nor  was  any  marauding  done  by  the  contending  parties. 

Worcester — The  most  centrally  located  township  in  Montgomery 
county  is  Worcester,  which  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Towamencin, 
south  by  Norriton,  east  by  Gwynedd,  southeast  by  Whitpain,  west  by 
Perkiomen,  and  southwest  by  Lower  Providence.  It  has  an  area  of  1,575 
square  miles.  Its  surface  is  rolling,  the  soil  is  red  shale,  and  all  under 
excellent  state  of  cultivation.  The  summit  of  Fairview  Hills  is  equal  to 
that  of  Chestnut  Hill.  The  immense  forests  that  once  graced  the  terri- 
tory have  long  since  mostly  disappeared,  and  the  land  upon  which  dwelt 
the  forest  kings  so  many  untold  centuries,  is  now  under  the  plow  and  pro- 
ducing its  annual  crops.     It  was  the  commanding  prospect  aflforded  by 


TOWNSHIPS  349 

the  elevations  within  this  part  of  the  county  that  enabled  Washington 
to  clearly  discern  the  every  movement  of  the  British  army  in  moving  on 
Philadelphia  in  the  autumn  of  1777.  Washington  broke  up  his  camp 
at  Pennypacker's  Mill,  on  October  8,  1777,  and  the  army  proceeded  on 
its  march  down  the  Skippack  road  and  Reading  and  Ridge  turnpikes.  On 
the  i6th  Washington  established  his  headquarters  at  the  house  of  Peter 
Wentz,  near  the  church,  where  he  wrote  an  interesting  letter  to  Con- 
gress showing  how  hopeful  he  was  at  that  time  of  final  success.  It  was 
from  this  church  that  Washington  finally  made  the  attack  on  German- 
town,  and  after  its  defeat  the  army  maintained  a  strong  position  on 
these  hills  for  a  number  of  days,  when  they  marched  to  Whitemarsh 
township  and  established  Camp  Hill. 

The  water  courses  found  in  this  township  are  Zacharia  creek,  with 
a  length  in  the  township  of  about  four  miles,  propelling  at  one  date  three 
gristmills  and  a  sawmill.  It  seems  more  than  probable  that  the  name 
Whitpain  was  derived  from  Zachariah  Whitpain,  an  early  settler  in  the 
adjoining  township.  A  branch  of  the  Skippack  creek  crosses  near  the 
western  extremity  of  the  township,  and  also  furnished  a  fine  water 
power  in  the  long  ago  years.  Five  Mile  run  and  Stony  creek  have  their 
sources  in  this  township. 

The  name  Worcester  has  been  applied  from  a  city  in  England,  as 
have  other  cities  and  townships  in  this  country,  including  Worcester, 
Massachusetts.  In  1734  the  record  shows  this  township  had  twenty- 
five  taxables.  The  population  is  reported,  officially  as  follows:  In  1800 
it  was  782;  in  1830,  1,135;  in  1850,  1,453;  in  1870,  1,587;  in  1880  it  was 
1,641 ;  in  1900  it  was  1,397,  and  in  1920,  reported  by  U.  S.  census  reports 
as  only  1,634.  Away  back  in  1785,  a  year  after  this  county  was  organ- 
ized, there  were  two  taverns,  two  gristmills,  one  sawmill,  and  five  slaves 
in  Worcester.  The  quite  small  villages  here  are  Center  Point,  Fair- 
view,  and  Cedar  Hill.  The  township  was  organized  into  a  separate 
election  district  in  1828.  Of  school  and  church  histories  the  reader  is 
referred  to  separate  chapters  in  this  work  on  such  topics. 

Whitpain — This  is  among  the  oldest  townships  in  Montgomery 
county.  It  is  spoken  of  as  early  as  1701  as  Whitpain's  township.  It  has 
a  regular  form  of  bounds  and  contains  8,640  acres.  The  soil  is  shale  and 
loam.  Limestone  quarries  are  found  on  nearly  all  of  the  farms  on  Stony 
creek.  The  eastern  and  southern  portions  are  drained  by  streams  such 
as  Wassahickon  creek  and  tributaries.  Two  branches  of  the  stream 
known  as  Stony  creek  have  their  rise  in  this  township  and  drain  the 
waters  from  the  north  and  western  parts,  one  furnishing  water  power 
for  a  saw  and  gristmill. 

No  clearer  account  of  the  settlement  of  this  part  of  the  county  can 
be  had  than  that  written  by  Jones  Detwiler,  in  1883,  the  same  including 
the  following  paragraphs : 


350  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

In  the  years  1681,  1682  and  1683,  William  Penn,  the  proprietary, 
executed  leases  and  re-leascs  to  Samuel  Fox  for  fifteen  hundred  acres ; 
Charles  Marshall,  two  thousand  acres ;  and  James  Claypole,  one  thou- 
sand acres.  James  Claypole  shortly  afterwards  sold  his  tract  to  John 
Marshall,  containing  in  all  four  thousand  five  hundred  acres.  Richard 
Whitpain,  citizen  and  butcher  of  the  town  of  London,  subsequently 
became  seized  in  fee  of  the  whole  four  thousand  five  hundred  acres. 
This  tract,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  rest  of  Whitpain's  purchases,  was 
called  or  known  by  the  name  of  "Whitpain's  creek,"  situated  in  Phila- 
delphia county. 

Richard  Whitpain  made  his  will  and  testament,  dated  April  27,  i68g, 
and  willed  the  payment  of  his  debts  and  funeral  expenses,  and  authorized 
his  wife,  Mary,  his  executrix,  to  sell  so  much  of  his  lands  in  the  province 
as  she  should  find  needly  for  the  payment  thereof,  and  shortly  after  the 
said  testator  died.  Mary  Whitpain,  in  accordance  with  the  provision  of 
the  will,  by  her  indenture,  dated  July  30,  1689,  sold  the  entire  tract  to 
Mary  Davice,  John  Eldridge,  William  Ingram,  John  Blackwell  and  John 
Vace,  all  of  whom  were  creditors.  Shortly  afterward  John  Blackball, 
the  surviving  trustee,  sold  the  great  tract  above  named  to  William 
Aubrey,  of  the  town  of  London.  William  Aubrey,  by  his  indenture  dated 
April  24,  1713,  sold  the  tract  to  Anthony  Morris,  maltster  and  brewer  of 
Philadelphia,  and  Rees  Thomas,  of  the  township  of  Merion. 

Zachariah  Whitpain  removed  in  the  summer  of  1685,  if  not  earlier, 
to  this  property  and  made  extensive  improvements,  and  settled  numer- 
ous tenants  thereon.    He  died  in  March,  1693. 

In  1734,  of  the  twenty-four  landowners  in  this  township,  eight  were 
Welsh,  six  German,  and  the  remainder  English.  The  English  were  the 
first  to  locate  here  and  were  succeeded  by  the  Welsh,  but  as  early  as 
171 1  the  Germans  commenced  to  come  in  and  take  up  farming.  In  the 
presidential  election  of  1880,  when  Garfield  was  elected,  nearly  three- 
fourths  of  the  votes  cast  in  this  township  were  of  German  extraction. 
In  1 741  the  number  of  taxables  was  fifty-six.  In  1880  it  was  more  than 
four  hundred.  Land  was  valued  at  $21  per  acre  (our  money)  in  1785, 
and  horses  at  fifty  dollars  per  head.  Population  in  1880,  771 ;  1810,  995; 
1820,  1,127;  1830.  1. 137;  1850,  1,315;  1870,  1,358;  1880,  1,429;  1900,  1,442; 
in  1920,  last  Federal  census,  1,826.  In  181 1  the  assessor  of  this  township 
returned  for  taxes  ninety-nine  dogs,  under  the  legislative  act  of  1809; 
amount  of  taxes  was  $27.00.  In  1880  the  largest  landowner  was  the 
Styer  family,  with  555  acres  of  land.  The  number  of  negro  slaves  here 
in  1763  was  three,  but  it  is  known  that  during  the  Revolution  many  fam- 
ilies within  the  township  kept  slaves.  This  was  all  stopped  by  1799. 
when  John  Morris  set  free  his  two  slaves. 

In  traveling  through  this  township  to-day,  one  would  never  think  it 
had  been  the  scene  of  so  many  small  yet  very  useful  manufacturing 
plants.  Forty  years  ago  this  township  had  been  the  home  of  industries 
as  follows :  The  first  of  all,  the  weaving  industry  of  Jacob  Yost,  in  a 
small  cabin-home,  in  1727.  The  Yosts  were  inventive  and  progressive. 
Who  has  not  heard  of  the  Yost  sickles,  scythes,  and  edged  tools,  which 


TOWNSHIPS  351 

they  made  from  1760  to  1816?  These  instruments  were  all  hand-forged. 
In  1746  the  first  gristmill  in  the  township  was  put  in  operation  on  Stony 
creek,  near  the  Norriton  line.  In  1779-80  James  Morris  built  the  well- 
known  gristmill  long  known  as  Wertner's  mill.  Another  mill  was 
erected  in  1804  which  was  one  of  the  township's  best  flouring  mills. 
The  Conrad  augers  were  first  made  by  John  Conrad  in  1806,  continuing 
until  1857,  then  moved  to  Fort  Washington.  The  one-horse  powers  for 
threshing  machines  were  made  at  Blue  Bell  by  Samuel  F.  Shaeff  in 
1847.  Mowing  and  reaping  machines  were  first  introduced  and  worked 
by  Robert  Findlay,  of  Centre  Square.  This  was  of  the  Hussey  pattern, 
and  when  operated  it  required  eight  men  including  the  driver  to  operate 
it.  So  it  will  be  observed  that  whatever  the  near-by  farmer  needed  in 
way  of  tools  and  machinery,  could  be  found  of  the  real  home-made 
quality. 

Washington  had  numerous  headquarters  within  this  county,  as  well 
as  the  one  generally  talked  of  at  Valley  Forge.  There  is  still  standing 
to-day  a  fine  old-style  well  constructed  solid  stone  two-story  farm  house 
known  as  "Washington's  Headquarters,  October,  1777."  It  stands  be- 
tween the  Skippack  and  Morris  roads,  six  miles  from  Norristown  and 
about  one  mile  out  of  present  borough  of  Ambler  station.  It  has  been 
well  preserved  and  now  looks  as  though  built  but  a  decade  or  so  ago. 
For  many  years  it  was  the  property  of  Saunders  Lewis.  The  churches 
of  this  township  include  the  Reformed,  Lutheran,  Methodist,  Baptist. 
(See  Church  chapter  elsewhere.) 

The  villages  that  have  at  one  time  or  another  existed  here  include 
Centre  Square,  once  known  as  "Waggon,"  where  the  township's  first 
post  ofifice  was  established.  The  date  appears  to  have  been  1828,  and 
James  Bush  was  postmaster.  Thomas  Humphrey  opened  a  store  here 
in  1800.  It  was  here  that  a  lumber  yard  was  conducted  by  Thomas  H. 
Wentz,  who  later  was  a  heavy  dealer  in  lumber  at  Norristown.  The 
Centre  Square  creamery  was  established  in  1880.  The  Odd  Fellows 
have  a  hall  here  and  a  good  lodge.  The  Montgomery  County  Almshouse 
was  ordered  located  here  in  October,  1806. 

Blue  Bell  is  situated  at  the  intersection  of  the  old  North  Wales  and 
Plymouth  road  and  the  Skippack  turnpike.  In  1880  it  had  sixty  inhab- 
itants, with  post  office,  stores,  shops,  etc.  But  to  get  back  earlier  it  may 
be  interesting  to  know  that  in  1758  there  was  an  old  inn  here  known 
as  the  "White  House."  The  old  military  maps  all  show  it  thus  named. 
In  1774  a  large  stone  house  was  built  by  James  Bartleson,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Skippack  road,  and  in  it  an  inn  was  established,  known  as 
the  "Black  Horse."  Broad  Axe,  another  old-time  hamlet,  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  township,  is  at  the  intersection  of  the  Skippack  turnpike  and 
the  Upper  Dublin  and  Plymouth  roads.  A  post  office  was  established 
here  in  1855,  with  John  Cadwallader  as  postmaster.  Franklinville,  near 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  township,  had  a  few  business  places  and  a 


352  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

number  of  residences  fifty  years  ago.  The  fine  country  seat  farm  and 
summer  residence  of  William  M.  Singerly,  of  the  "Philadelphia  Record," 
is  located  here.  Washington  Square  is  located  at  the  intersection  of  the 
township  line  dividing  the  township  from  Norriton  and  Centre  Square 
and  Norristown  turnpike.  It  never  amounted  to  much  as  a  trading 
centre.  Other  hamlets  are  Caster  and  Belfry,  serving  well  the  purpose 
for  which  first  intended. 

During  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  Brig.-Gen.  Weeden's  regiment 
of  Virginia  troops  was  encamped  from  October  19th  to  November  2, 
1777,  on  the  Morris  and  Gregar  farms.  During  their  stay  here  the 
weather  was  very  wet,  rain  falling  almost  every  day.  The  soldiers  were 
compelled  to  seek  shelter  during  the  night  in  the  barns  of  the  neighbor- 
hood. Several  of  the  soldiers  died  here  from  sickness,  and  are  buried 
in  the  graveyard  at  Boehm's  church. 

General  Washington,  during  the  time  of  the  encampment,  had  his 
headquarters  in  the  house  then  owned  by  James  Morris.  The  house  was 
built  in  the  year  1736,  and  remains  substantially  in  its  original  propor- 
tions, with  the  addition  of  a  south  wing  (twenty-four  feet  by  twenty- 
three  feet),  built  in  the  year  1821.  It  is  situated  in  Whitpain  township, 
Montgomery  county,  between  the  Skippack  and  Morris  road. 

In  the  assessment  of  1763  three  slaves  are  there  mentioned.  During 
the  Revolution  there  were  several  families  that  held  slaves.  In  the 
"Pennsylvania  Packet,"  of  September  26,  1777,  "David  Knox  offers  a 
reward  of  twenty  dollars  for  the  return  and  recovery  of  a  mulatto  wench, 
26  years  old,  named  Stiflfany."  The  last  that  were  held  in  the  district 
were  those  of  James  Morris,  two  in  number,  but  were  freed  prior  to  the 
year  1799. 

Skippack — This  subdivision  of  Montgomery  county  was  originally  a 
part  of  Perkiomen  township,  but  in  1886  was  by  the  county  commis- 
sioners made  into  a  separate  township.  The  early  settlement  has  been 
treated  in  the  account  given  within  the  original  township,  hence  need 
not  here  be  repeated.  However,  it  may  be  said  that  this  was  among  the 
very  first  to  be  settled  within  the  county.  It  really  figured  as  a  settle- 
ment before  the  Revolutionary  war.  It  had  a  population  in  1890  of 
1,360;  in  1900  it  was  only  1,240;  and  in  1910  was  1,277.  I*  was  among 
the  latest  to  be  set  off  as  a  township  in  this  county.  The  only  village  of 
any  considerable  importance  is  the  ancient  village  of  Skippack  or  Skip- 
packville,  as  sometimes  called.  Forty  years  ago  the  place  contained  two 
good  hotels,  three  stores  of  general  merchandise,  a  post  office,  printing 
press,  school,  shirt  factory,  and  over  fifty  houses.  In  i860  a  map  showed 
twenty-nine  houses.  The  road  from  here  to  Philadelphia  was  opened  in 
1714.  In  1742  Garrett  Indehaven  kept  the  only  hotel.  Other  pioneer 
inns  were  the  ones  of  Dietrich  Welker  and  Nicholas  Nichum,  1779,  and 
Gabriel  Kline,  1785,  the  sign  of  the  latter  being  a  weeping  willow,  which 


TOWNSHIPS 


353 


name  it  bore  up  to  1800.  The  locality  had  a  post  office  as  early  as  1827. 
In  1844  a  weekly  German  newspaper  was  established  here,  A.  E.  Dambly, 
editor  and  proprietor.  The  large  three-story  shirt  factory  was  erected 
in  1881  by  the  Enterprise  Shirt  Factory  Company.  With  the  growth  of 
the  surrounding  community  other  interests  have  developed  until  to-day 
the  borough  is  on  the  list  of  good  business  points  in  Montgomery  county. 
Its  present  population  is  about  1,200.  It  is  situated  on  the  trolley  line, 
and  has  most  of  the  advantages  found  in  the  larger  boroughs  of  the 
county.  Its  school  and  church  life  is  all  that  could  be  desired  in  any 
community. 


Mont — 23 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

BOROUGHS :    AMBLER— BRIDGEPORT— COLLEGEVILLE— 

CONSHOHOCKEN— EAST  GREENVILLE— HATBORO— 

HATFIELD— GREENLANE— SCHWENKS- 

VILLE— JENKINTOWN. 

The  enterprising  borough  of  Ambler  is  situated  in  the  western  cor- 
ner of  what  was  formerly  Upper  Dublin  township,  but  since  its  incor- 
poration as  a  borough  has  its  own  government.  Its  present  borough 
officers  include  these:  Robert  H.  Anderson,  burgess;  William  M.  John- 
son, secretary ;  Samuel  A.  Faust,  treasurer.  It  has  a  bonded  indebted- 
ness of  $56,000;  owns  its  own  fire  fighting  apparatus,  but  leases  rooms 
for  offices  of  the  fire  company.  The  census  reports  show  Ambler  to 
have  had  a  population  of  250  in  18S0 ;  and  was  soon  made  a  borough. 
In  1883  the  place  had  a  hotel,  hardware  store,  drug  and  two  general  stores, 
lumber  and  coal  sheds,  a  gristmill,  and  seventy  residences.  Upper  Dub- 
lin post  office  was  removed  from  Gilkison's  Corner  in  the  seventies,  but 
not  to  Ambler  until  early  in  the  eighties.  Of  the  newspapers  and  banks, 
special  chapters  will  treat.  The  turnpike  made  through  this  place  was 
built  in  1855.  A  gristmill  that  still  made  excellent  flour  in  1884  was  the 
one  owned  in  1776  by  Joseph  Detwiler,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Wissa- 
hickon.  Arthur  Rhoades  had  a  fulling  mill  at  this  point  on  Rose  Valley 
run  in  1876,  and  later  it  was  in  the  Ambler  family.  The  depot  site  in 
this  borough  is  one  hundred  and  ninety  feet  above  tide  water. 

The  present  churches  are  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  a  Catholic  Mission ; 
Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Methodist  Episcopal,  Episcopal,  United  Breth- 
ren, Zion's  Colored  Baptist,  African  Protestant,  and  St.  John's  Lutheran. 
Considering  the  borough  only  has  a  population  of  3500  it  has  been  well 
supplied  with  churches.  The  borough  lives  largely  from  the  pay-roll  of 
the  various  manufacturing  plants  within  its  borders,  which  include  three 
large  asbestos  plants,  hard  rubber  works,  the  Marsden  glass  works,  mak- 
ing imitation  cut  glass  ware,  the  Vulcan  Foundry  Company,  makers  of 
fine  gray  castings  of  iron,  the  Crues-Kemper  structural  iron  and  tank 
factory,  a  tannery,  and  other  lesser  manufacturing  interests.  The  busi- 
ness of  Keasbey  &  Mattison,  manufacturing  chemists,  was  started  in 
1881  and  soon  grew  to  one  of  large  proportions.  Carbonite  of  magnesia 
and  quinine  were  their  main  productions  and  they  employed  at  first 
sixty  persons  in  their  works.  This  borough  is  a  well  built  place  and 
has  hourly  electric  trolley  cars  to  and  from  the  cities  and  surrounding 
boroughs,  and  is  also  on  the  Pennsylvania  railroad  system,  with  frequent 
local  and  through  train  service. 


356  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Bridgeport — This  borough  was  incorporated  by  act  of  the  General 
Assembly  passed  February  27,  1851,  its  original  area  having  four  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres,  and  was  wholly  taken  from  Upper  Merion  town- 
ship. It  is  bounded  on  the  northeast  by  the  Schuylkill  river,  and  on  the 
south  and  west  by  Upper  Merion  township.  It  is  directly  opposite 
Norristown.  DeKalb  street  was  laid  out  in  1830  as  the  State  road,  and 
extends  across  the  river  from  Norristown,  and  was  well  turnpiked  before 
the  days  of  street  paving.  According  to  census  reports,  Bridgeport  has 
at  various  periods  had  a  population  as  follows:  1850,  572;  i860,  1,110; 
1870,  1,578;  1880  it  had  1,802;  i8go,  2,651 ;  1900,  4,697;  1910  it  had  3,860, 
and  according  to  the  last  United  Census  reports  it  contained  a  population 
of  3,097.  A  directory  published  in  May,  1883,  gives  the  number  of 
stores,  factories  and  other  establishments  located  within  the  limits,  all 
of  which  proves  that  at  that  date  it  was  a  borough  of  no  small  propor- 
tions. It  then  had  seventeen  stores,  four  hotels,  two  dealers  in  flour 
and  feed,  two  restaurants,  and  one  lumber  and  coal  yard.  What  was 
then  known  far  and  wide  as  the  Minerva  Mill  was  looked  upon  as  among 
the  largest  plants  in  Pennsylvania  in  its  line.  It  was  then  conducted  by 
James  Lees  &  Sons.  They  made  blankets,  Kentucky  jeans  and  worsted 
carpet  yarn,  giving  steady  employment  to  near  a  thousand  men  and 
women.  This  factory  was  originally  built  in  1854  by  Bodry  &  Jacobs. 
Early  in  the  eighties,  Worrall  &  Radclifif's  jeans  cotton  mills  employed 
seventy  hands.  In  1883,  Isaac  Smith  of  Valley  Forge  built  a  large  cot- 
ton and  woolen  mill  here,  and  one  hundred  people  found  employment  at 
good  wages.  Thirty-five  hands  were  employed  the  year  round,  in  the 
manilla  paper  mills  of  Hugh  Mclnnes.  There  were  at  that  date  also 
two  large  flouring  mills  in  the  borough  ;  also  a  creamery  of  large  capacity. 
In  1882  the  real  estate  of  the  borough  was  placed  at  a  valuation  of 
$696,000,  and  a  total  property  valuation  a  year  later  of  $756,000.  The 
borough  then  posessed  five  fair  school  buildings.  All  this  made  a  fine 
showing  as  compared  with  1830,  when  the  vicinity  contained  but  three 
dwellings,  a  tavern,  and  a  three-story  mill,  built  in  1826.  The  Norris- 
town bridge  was  erected  in  1829.  For  the  religious  societies,  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  special  chapter  on  Churches. 

The  backbone  of  Bridgeport  is  its  immense  manufacturing  plants, 
some  of  which  go  way  back  to  early  times  in  their  history,  while  others 
are  more  recent  in  their  origin.  Iron,  cotton,  silk,  paper,  yarns,  pipes 
and  tubing,  crushed  stone,  felt  goods  and  meat  packing  plants,  all  help 
make  up  the  industrial  interests  of  Bridgeport.  The  chapter  on  Indus- 
trial Interests  elsewhere  in  this  volume  will  give  more  in  detail  the 
history  and  especially  the  magnitude  of  the  manufacturing  interests  of 
the  borough.  A  voluntary  raise  in  compensation  to  its  employees  has 
just  been  announced  by  the  great  manufacturing  plant  of  Bridgeport, 
the  James  Lees  &  Sons.  It  amounts  to  ten  per  cent,  of  former  wages, 
and  went  into  effect  April  30.  1923.     It  applies  to  the  entire  working 


BOROUGHS  357 

force  of  the  establishment.  Another  increase  was  given  the  men  and 
women  of  this  concern,  the  home  of  Minerva  yarns,  only  last  October, 
and  these  two  raises  make  the  total  almost  as  high  as  in  midst  of  war 
times.  The  number  of  employees  at  this  plant  has  also  been  greatly 
increased,  or  will  be  as  soon  as  the  new  modern  concrete-steel  building 
is  completed.    Then  this  will  be  one  of  the  largest  industries  in  the  East. 

Not  many  months  hence,  who  visits  Bridgeport  will  behold  a  befit- 
ing  memorial  to  the  fallen  heroes  of  the  late  World  War  in  the  shape  of 
a  huge  native  boulder  surmounted  by  a  bronze  eagle  and  flanked  with 
cannon  and  other  war  pieces.  It  will  be  a  worthy  testimonial  to  the 
borough's  brave  sons  who  gave  themselves  as  a  sacrifice  in  past  years, 
and  will  especially  be  appropriate,  since  the  boulder  will  be  taken  from 
the  historic  soil  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Bridgeport,  over  which 
General  Washington  and  his  army  trod  in  their  march  from  Valley 
Forge. 

The  borough  now  has  a  fine  two-story  red  brick  municipal  hall,  cen- 
trally located,  which  was  constructed  in  1922  and  first  occupied  by  the 
borough  officers  in  the  spring  of  1923.  It  is  a  credit  to  the  people  of 
Bridgeport. 

CoUegeville — This  borough,  at  one  time  known  as  Freeland  and  prior 
to  that  known  as  Perkiomen  Bridge,  is  eight  miles  to  the  north  and  west 
of  Norristown.  It  was  taken  from  Upper  Providence  township.  The 
railroad  really  gave  the  name  "CoUegeville"  to  this  place,  which  had 
been  afflicted  by  too  many  names  for  its  own  good,  including  a  period 
in  1855  when  it  was  known  as  Townsend,  after  a  map  publisher  from 
Philadelphia.  This  has  been  known  many  years  as  a  great  educational 
center;  the  reader  will  see  other  chapters  for  its  schools  and  col- 
lege. Its  population  is  something  less  than  one  thousand.  Its  busi- 
ness places  number  sixty.  Its  industries  include  the  Freed  Heater  Man- 
ufacturing Company's  plant ;  two  flag  factories ;  the  Counties  Heat  and 
Electric  Company;  and  lesser  interests.  The  practicing  physicians  are 
Drs.  W.  Z.  Anders  and  J.  S.  Miller;  S.  D.  Cornish  is  the  dentist.  The 
other  business  places  include  several  general  merchandise  stores ;  a 
weekly  newspaper,  the  "Independent,"  now  in  its  forty-eighth  year,  and 
has  been  conducted  all  these  years  by  its  present  owner  and  editor, 
Mr.  E.  S.  Moser.  (See  the  chapter  devoted  to  Newspapers.)  Then 
there  are  restaurants,  shops  of  various  kinds,  a  Masonic  and  an  Odd  Fel- 
lows' lodge,  each  of  which  owns  a  handsome  two-story  hall  of  its  own. 
The  Commercial  Hotel  is  the  present  home  for  the  traveler  and  com- 
mercial men.  The  banking  interests  are  well  cared  for  by  the  CoUege- 
ville National  Bank  (see  Banking  chapter).  The  church  life  is  here 
inclusive  of  the  Reformed  church  and  Roman  Catholic  church,  each  hav- 
ing good  edifices  and  large  congregations. 


358  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Conshohocken — From  records  and  from  the  recent  Year  Book  issued 
by  the  Recorder  Publishing  Company,  the  facts  herein  stated  have  been 
largely  compiled:  By  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  May  15,  1850,  the 
village  of  Conshohocken,  in  the  townships  of  Plymouth  and  White- 
marsh,  was  erected  into  a  borough.  The  village  lay  on  both  sides  of  the 
Whitemarsh  and  Plymouth  turnpike.  The  borough  was  laid  out  with 
an  area  of  one  mile  square,  and  its  boundaries  have  never  been  extended. 
The  old  turnpike  (now  Lafayette  street)  constituted  the  center  of  the 
borough,  and  low-water  mark  of  the  Schuylkill  river  was  taken  as  the 
western  line.  The  town  extends  along  the  river  one  mile  and  from  low- 
water  mark  along  the  turnpike  one  mile. 

The  land  on  which  the  borough  stands  is  one  of  the  beautiful  Con- 
shohocken hills,  once  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Indians,  as  the  name 
indicates.  The  panoramic  landscape  from  these  hills  is  ever  a  feast  to 
the  eye,  and  once  seen  must  remain  a  vision  of  beauty  forever.  Its  geo- 
graphical location  is  ideal,  it  being  only  thirteen  miles  to  the  northwest 
of  Philadelphia.  It  has  many  inducements  to  capital  as  a  factory  center, 
and  numerous  plants  now  nestle  along  the  various  lines  of  steam  rail- 
roads and  the  canal  and  river.  The  residences  stand  on  a  commanding 
elevation,  far  above  the  smoke  and  confusion  of  the  busy  manufacturing 
mart  below.  These  natural  advantages,  enjoyed  now  by  the  people  of 
the  sprightly  borough,  are  by  no  means  new  to  the  history  of  the  county 
and  State,  for  be  it  remembered  that  some  of  the  State's  earliest  develop- 
ments in  various  industries  took  root  here.  The  first  important  commer- 
cial movement  in  these  parts  was  the  construction  of  the  canal  by  the 
Schuylkill  Navigation  Company,  completed  and  opened  up  to  the  public 
in  1826,  before  the  days  of  railroading.  This  enterprise  was  followed 
by  the  building  of  the  Philadelphia,  Germantown  and  Norristown  rail- 
road, which  commenced  its  actual  operations  in  1831  and  was  double- 
tracked  in  1856.  The  Philadelphia  &  Reading  railroad  was  opened  from 
Philadelphia  to  Reading  in  1839,  ^^^  t°  Pottsville  in  1842.  The  Schuyl- 
kill Valley  division  of  the  Pennsylvania  railroad  system  was  completed 
in  1885.  The  Plymouth  railroad,  connecting  with  the  North  Penn  at 
Oreland,  connects  with  the  Philadelphia,  Germantown  &  Norristown 
railroad  at  Conshohocken. 

To  be  more  historically  definite,  it  may  be  stated  that  industrial 
progress  really  commenced  here  with  the  erection  of  the  water  mill  for 
the  rolling  of  sheet-iron  by  James  Wood  in  1832.  From  this  small 
beginning  has  emerged  the  great  iron  and  steel  mills  of  the  Alan  Wood 
Iron  and  Steel  Company  of  to-day.  It  was  not  long  before  other  branches 
of  industry  located  here  for  iron  and  textile  manufacturing  purposes. 
In  1884  the  now  world-famous  Lee  Tire  and  Rubber  Company  was  or- 
ganized as  the  J.  Elwood  Lee  Company.  From  this  also  sprang  the  local 
glass  industries  now  so  prodigious.  The  diversity  of  industries  found 
here  to-day  is  wonderful  to  behold,  and  include  products  of  iron  and 


BOROUGHS  359 

steel,  sheets  and  plates,  range  boilers,  steel  containers,  glassware  lor 
scientific  and  commercial  purposes  generally,  textiles,  copper-coated 
steel  rods,  iron  and  steel,  brass  and  alloy  castings;  motor  vehicle  tires 
and  rubber  goods ;  surgical  supplies ;  refined  oils  ;  boiler,  steam  and  power 
appliances  for  fuel  saving  apparatus ;  burial  caskets ;  hosiery ;  cigars  ;  ore 
crushing;  toys,  etc.,  all  find  their  way  to  the  markets  of  the  world  from 
Conshohocken.  Among  the  larger  industrial  plants  are  these:  The 
Merion  worsted  mills,  occupying  100,000  square  feet  of  floor  space ;  pays 
out  $200,000  in  wages  annually,  employs  more  than  two  hundred  men 
and  women.  Here  is  the  home  of  high  grade  yarns  so  well  known  to 
the  trade  the  country  over.  Also  here  is  located  the  great  Wm.  T.  Bate 
&  Son  boiler  and  machine  works  with  its  products  named  legion,  and 
going  to  all  States  and  territories  in  the  Union.  J.  N.  Susskind  &  Co., 
cap  and  uniform  makers,  began  in  a  small  way  here,  but  now  have  im- 
mense plants  in  Philadelphia  besides  their  original  factory  here,  which 
uses  90,000  square  feet  floor  space,  and  makes  five  thousand  garments 
daily  by  the  employment  of  five  hundred  hands.  During  the  World 
War,  in  their  plants  in  Philadelphia,  this  concern  made  100,000  uniforms 
weekly  for  the  government.  Another  factory  worth  mentioning  is  that 
of  the  H.  C.  Jones  Company,  makers  of  cotton  worsteds,  cottonades,  and 
cotton  cassimeres.  This  was  established  in  i8<So.  During  the  recent 
World  War  almost  the  entire  product  of  these  mills  consisted  of  olive 
drab  shirting  flannels  for  the  government.  Now  about  150  men  and 
women  are  employed  in  these  works.  Horace  C.  Jones  is  present  presi- 
dent, and  Richard  B.  Walker  superintendent  of  the  company. 

The  public  schools  are  fully  abreast  with  our  times.  The  high  school 
building  has  seven  class  rooms  and  handles  300  pupils  in  its  gymnasium ; 
the  assembly  hall  holds  near  five  hundred  persons.  The  Harry  street 
school  building  contains  fourteen  rooms ;  Third  avenue  building  has  six 
rooms,  and  the  superintendent's  office  is  situated  in  this  building.  The 
value  of  these  buildings  was  in  1921  placed  by  the  Board  at:  High 
School  and  contents,  $57,000 ;  Harry  street  school  and  contents,  $38,500 ; 
Third  Avenue  building  and  contents,  $23,900;  Manual  Training  building 
and  contents,  $5,500;  a  total  of  $124,900. 

The  tax  rate  two  years  ago  for  this  borough  was  ten  mills,  and  for 
schools  eleven  and  one-half  mills.  The  real  valuation  of  the  property 
within  the  borough  was  estimated  at  $14,000,000.  The  assessed  valua- 
tion was  $3,456,310.  The  indebtedness  of  the  school  district  amounted 
to  only  $68,800,  while  the  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  borough  was 
$193,000. 

The  churches  of  Conshohocken  include  Baptist,  Episcopalian,  Luth- 
eran, Methodist  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  African  Methodist  Episcopal, 
and  Roman  Catholic,  three  of  the  latter  denomination.  The  fraternal  and 
charitable  societies  of  the  borough  are  as  follows,  with  date  of  organiza- 
tion:    Allied  Fraternal  Association,  May,   1919,  its  aim  to  promote  a 


36o  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

good  feeling  between  all  fraternal  organizations  in  the  borough ;  For- 
esters Companions,  1907;  Shepherds  of  Bethlehem,  February,  1907; 
Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  1910;  Mooseheart  Legion,  September,  1918; 
Woman's  Club  of  Conshohocken,  November,  1897;  Independent  Order 
of  Red  Men,  April  19,  i860;  Order  of  Owls,  April,  1913;  Patriotic  Order 
Sons  of  America,  August  i,  1870;  Daughters  of  Pocahontas,  December 
15,  1902;  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  August  26,  1876;  Knights  of 
Pythias,  December,  1869;  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  March 
10,  1916;  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  October  i,  1903;  Vida  Rebekah,  March 
7,  1896;  Order  of  Eastern  Star  (Masonic),  May  2,  1913;  Foresters  of 
America,  in  1898;  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  August,  1868;  Knights  of 
Columbus,  December  31,  191 1;  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle,  in  1885; 
American  Legion,  August,  1919;  Boy  Scouts,  1914. 

The  Mary  H.  Wood  Park,  a  handsome  property,  a  perpetual  memo- 
rial to  its  giver,  has  been  described  in  the  official  Register  in  these  words : 

Mary  H.  Wood,  widow  of  Hon.  Alan  Wood,  Jr.,  late  president  of  the 
Alan  Wood  Company,  and  son  of  Alan  Wood,  founder  of  the  great  iron 
industry  here,  died  at  her  home.  Fifth  avenue  and  Harry  street,  Decem- 
ber 12,  1918,  and  when  her  will  was  probated,  it  was  found  that  she  had 
bequeathed  to  the  borough  for  park  purposes,  her  home  and  the  tract  of 
ground  bounded  by  Fifth  and  Sixth  avenues  and  Harry  and  Hallowell 
streets,  together  with  all  the  buildings  thereon  and  also  a  trust  fund  of 
$100,000,  the  income  therefrom  to  be  used  for  the  operation  and  mainte- 
nance of  the  property  as  a  public  park. 

Mrs.  Annie  H.  Wilson,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Wood,  died  at  her  home, 
Fifth  avenue  and  Hallowell  street,  June  21,  1919,  and  bequeathed  $25,000 
to  the  park  trust  fund,  the  income  to  be  used  for  the  maintenance  and 
upkeep  of  the  park. 

The  park  is  located  in  the  heart  of  the  residential  section  of  the  town. 
There  is  a  large  mansion  house,  a  small  dwelling  house,  stone  garage, 
set  in  beautiful  grounds  planted  with  trees  of  many  species  and 
shrubbery. 

The  Children's  Playgrounds  Association  was  organized  in  1914  by 
Francis  Lubbe  Ross  and  Dorothea  Bean  Jones,  for  the  purpose  of  giv- 
ing the  children  of  the  place,  who  are  not  able  to  get  outside  for  a  sum- 
mer vacation,  the  advantage  of  trained  supervision  of  play  during  the 
heated  term,  July  and  August.  It  has  proven  a  signal  success  from  the 
first.  The  expense  is  so  far  met  by  public  contributions,  but  a  memorial 
endowment  is  now  being  planned.  The  attendance  has  been  as  high  as 
490,  and  the  average  for  one  season  was  260  children. 

The  Conshohocken  Free  Library  was  organized  May  i,  1907.  Upon 
the  death  of  Lewis  A.  Lukens,  his  heirs  gave  to  the  Library  Association 
the  dwelling  house  at  Third  avenue  and  Fayette  street,  where  the  library 
is  now  located.  The  library  is  maintained  by  private  subscription,  with 
$500  from  each  the  school  district  and  the  borough.  The  new  organiza- 
tion of  the  business  factors  of  the  sprightly,  up-to-date  borough,  dates 


BOROUGHS  361 

from  January  30,  1920,  and  has  ever  since  been  doing  much  good  for  the 
place  and  its  numerous  membership. 

East  Greenville — This  borough  was  taken  from  out  the  territory  of 
Upper  Hanover  township,  and  is  situated  in  the  northwestern  part  of 
Montgomery  county.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the  Perkiomen  railroad ;  it  was 
incorporated  in  1875,  contains  a  goodly  amount  of  improvements,  and 
is  to-day  a  well  built,  orderly  kept  and  enterprising  borough,  with 
numerous  small  but  profitable  factories.  In  1880  it  had  a  population  of 
only  331,  but  in  1910  it  was  1,235,  and  to-day  has  about  1,720.  From  an 
early  time  it  had  the  advantage  of  having  an  excellent  seminary  for  both 
sexes,  which  still  exists.  The  land  on  which  the  place  stands  formerly 
belonged  to  George  Urflfer,  and  upon  his  death  it  descended  to  Daniel 
Y.  Urflfer,  who  in  April,  1849,  sold  forty-three  acres  to  Captain  Henry 
H.  Dotts;  it  was  timber  land  at  the  date  of  this  sale,  although  no  one 
to-day  would  ever  imagine  it  had  once  been  within  a  native  forest  land. 
The  wood-leaf  was  sold,  the  land  cleared  up,  and  that  portion  fronting 
on  the  highway  divided  into  building  lots.  In  1851-52  Mr.  Dotts  sold  a 
number  of  town  lots  at  an  advance.  On  a  four-acre  lot  at  the  corner  of 
Church  road  he  erected  a  two-story  brick  dwelling,  later  selling  the  same 
at  $1,200.  He  subsequently  erected  a  good  sized  hotel.  Stores  and 
mechanical  industries  soon  came  in,  and  it  was  not  long  before  it  was  a 
lively  rival  of  Pennsburg,  about  a  mile  to  the  east.  Mr.  Philip  Super,  a 
local  historian  of  that  part  of  the  county,  remarked  many  years  ago  in 
speaking  of  growth  and  advanced  prices  in  this  borough :  "To  show  the 
gradual  rise  in  the  price  of  land  from  the  original  price  of  seventy-five 
dollars  an  acre  in  1851-52,  we  give  the  prices  for  later  years.  The  first  of 
the  original  half  acre  lots  sold  in  January,  1853  for  forty  dollars ;  and 
resold  in  May  the  same  year,  at  seventy-five  dollars ;  in  June,  Mr.  Dotts 
bought  a  half-acre  lot  for  ninety  dollars;  March,  1855,  he  again  bought 
a  half-acre  for  $125;  in  March,  1856,  an  acre  lot  was  sold  for  $165;  in 
September,  1857,  a  quarter  acre  lot  was  sold  at  $135;  and  in  1859  a  half- 
acre  lot  was  sold  for  $200."  This  village  received  its  name  in  1852,  sug- 
gested by  a  tall  pine  tree  with  an  evergreen  top,  and  which  was  observ- 
able from  all  parts  of  the  surrounding  country.  Then  when  the  post 
office  was  established,  it  naturally  took  the  same  name.  So  the  old  pine 
tree  now  belongs  to  the  ages ! 

Among  the  pioneer  industries  should  be  named  the  cigar  business  in 
which  cigars  were  manufactured  by  Amos  K.  Stauflfer,  commencing  in 
i860.  In  1885  there  were  carrying  on  cigar  making  in  the  place,  Amos 
K.  Stauflfer,  Thomas  K.  Gerhard,  William  M.  Jacobs,  H.  A.  Dimmig  and 
smaller  firms.  All  told  these  factories  were  then  turning  out  to  the  cigar 
smokers  of  the  world,  about  nine  million  cigars  yearly,  and  yet  were 
only  employing  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  men.  Along  in  the  early 
eighties,  the  chief  business  factors  of  the  borough  were:   Henry  Bobb, 


362  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

drugs ;  Fluck  &  Bernhard,  live-stock ;  Nicholas  Kase,  boots  and  shoes ; 
William  Kehl,  general  merchandise ;  A.  E.  Kurtz,  stoves ;  Keeley  & 
Brother,  coal,  lumber,  flour  and  feed;  Levi  Meschler,  general  stock; 
Edwin  E.  Steltz,  furniture,  and  E.  M.  Staufifer,  jeweler.  To-day  the 
merchants  are  numerous  and  their  stocks  well  selected.  With  the  pass- 
ing of  the  years,  other  manufacturing  plants  located  here,  and  among 
those  now  operating  on  a  good-sized  scale  are  the  Columbia  silk  mills, 
makers  of  ribbon  of  silk ;  four  cigar  factories ;  and  a  knitting  mill  where 
underwear  is  made  in  large  quantities.  The  Boyer  Casket  Company 
operates  a  branch  of  their  main  burial  casket  works  at  this  place,  and 
the  Sanitary  Foundry  Company  does  a  large  business  in  their  line  of 
work.  The  banking  business  is  mentioned  in  the  chapter  on  Banks, 
elsewhere  in  this  work. 

The  public  schools  are  excellent.  Two  buildings  are  used ;  the  pres- 
ent high  school  building  was  erected  in  1920  and  cost  $22,000.  Five 
teachers  are  employed  there,  and  eight  more  in  the  graded  schools.  The 
religious  side  of  life  is  not  forgotten  in  the  rush  for  wealth  here,  for  we 
find  a  Roman  Catholic  and  two  large  Evangelical  churches,  with  the  old 
pioneer  Reformed  church  standing  just  outside  the  borough,  where  the 
membership  is  more  than  one  thousand.  The  Masons,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Eagles  and  Red  Men  all  have  flourishing  lodges  in  this  borough.  The 
present  officers  of  the  borough  incorporation  are:  Dr.  A.  O.  Gery,  bur- 
gess ;  E.  E.  Erb,  secretary ;  Adam  Dimmig,  treasurer.  The  councilmen 
are:  F.  S.  Shelly,  Frank  Merkley,  Frank  Gerhard,  Clement  Roeder, 
W.  K.  Schott,  Calvin  Albitz  and  Herbert  Barr.  The  borough  is  free 
from  debts,  save  its  bonds  issued  for  water  works  system,  costing 
$15,000,  which  run  at  four  per  cent,  interest. 

Hatboro — The  borough  under  consideration  now  is  one  incorporated 
August  26,  1871,  when  it  contained  about  six  hundred  acres  carved  out  of 
Moreland  township.  The  main  part  of  the  town  is  situated  along  the 
York  road,  now  known  as  York  avenue.  The  name  of  this  borough  is 
believed  to  have  been  given  from  one  of  the  first  stone  houses  built  here, 
in  1705,  and  in  which  building  John  Dawson  commenced  making  men's 
hats  and  continued  many  years.  The  building  likewise  became  an  inn. 
The  earliest  record  on  a  map  of  this  county  of  the  place,  was  published 
in  1749  by  map-maker  Lewis  Evans,  of  Philadelphia,  and  there  it  appears 
as  "Hatboro."  However,  it  was  at  one  period  known  commonly  as  "The 
Billet,"  from  a  hotel  there  named  "Crooked  Billet."  General  Washing- 
ton in  his  letter  to  Congress  from  this  vicinity,  dated  August  10,  1777, 
mentions  therein  the  "Billet  tavern."  Again,  in  Franklin's  "Gazette,"  of 
October,  1752,  is  mentioned  "Crooked  Billet,"  but  in  1755  it  was  styled 
"Hatborough."  The  recent  generations  have  always  accepted  the  simple 
word  "Hatboro"  as  being  sufficient.  The  records  show  that  John  Daw- 
son was  still  counted  a  hatter  in  the  vicinity  in  1734.    Doubtless  the  name 


BOROUGHS  363 

"Billet"  referred  to  the  hotel,  and  Hatboro  to  the  hamlet  itself.  A  high- 
way was  laid  out  through  the  place  in  1720.  Hereabouts  were  enacted 
many  of  the  earliest  historic  scenes  within  Montgomery  county.  The 
coming,  camping  and  going  of  Revolutionary  soldiers,  the  opening  up  of 
roads  and  building  of  pioneer  mills,  each  and  all  made  local,  State  and 
national  history.  The  first  newspaper  outside  Norristown  in  Lower 
Montgomery  county,  was  the  "Hatboro  Literary  Chronicle."  An  issue 
in  1841  gives  those  in  business  there  then  as  being  Lukens  Wakefield 
and  David  Titus,  coach  and  house  painters;  Abraham  Haslett,  smith; 
Hiram  Reading,  store;  Charles  Wakefield,  tailor;  G.  W.  Gilbert,  wheel- 
wright ;  H.  N.  Smith,  boot  and  shoemaker ;  and  O.  L  Search,  job  print- 
ing. In  1812  Loller  Academy  was  built  from  funds  bequeathed  by  Robert 
Loller.  It  continued  many  years  to  be  a  strong  educational  center,  and 
only  went  down  when  the  high  schools  of  the  more  advanced  means  of 
education  had  come  to  obtain.  Concerning  the  present  of  this  borough, 
it  can  be  said  that  while  it  has  not  grown  to  a  place  of  great  import- 
ance financially,  it  has  been  felt  throughout  the  commonwealth  and 
world  by  reason  of  its  interest  in  a  higher  education.  It  now  has  a  good 
banking  house  (see  Banking  chapter),  and  the  usual  number  of  retail 
stores  and  small  repair  shops.  Its  public  school  and  church  life  bespeak 
of  devotion  and  refinement.  Its  present  population  is  about  1,100.  In 
all  that  is  good,  here  is  of  the  best. 

The  Union  Library  is  one  of  the  first  nine  libraries  established  in  the 
original  thirteen  Colonies.  It  dates  back  to  1755,  and  has  been  conducted 
ever  since.  Each  succeeding  generation  has  added  to  its  historic  inter- 
est. At  that  date  the  village  of  Hatboro  could  not  have  had  to  exceed 
a  dozen  houses  all  told.  There  were  enough  in  the  community  who  saw 
the  usefulness  of  a  library,  and  when  counted  up  on  the  list  of  charter 
membership  it  was  seen  there  were  thirty-five  who  had  signed  and  agreed 
to  support  such  an  enterprise.  It  was  styled  the  "Instrument  of  Part- 
nership." The  first  regular  meeting  was  held  at  David  Rees',  at  "Ye 
Crooked  Billet."  The  circumstances  under  which  the  library  was 
founded  are  thus  set  forth  in  its  proceedings : 

Whereas  dark  ignorance,  with  all  the  concomitants  that  flow  from 
It,  did  about  this  time  prevail  in  these  parts,  and  no  general  scheme  on 
foot  for  the  promotion  of  knowledge  and  virtue,  this,  by  some  of  the 
thinking  part  of  the  people,  was  looked  upon  with  concern,  and  some 
proposals  were  made  for  executing  a  public  library  of  select  books  as  the 
most  likely  way  to  expel  those  gloomy  clouds  of  ignorance  and  open 
profaneness  so  much  abounding,  and  give  the  gentle  reader  an  agreeable 
taste  for  learning. 

The  library  was  not  incorporated  by  act  of  the  assembly  until  1787. 
It  then  had  six  hundred  and  twenty  volumes.  By  1880  this  library  had 
on  its  shelves  books  to  the  number  of  more  than  ten  thousand.  At  that 
date  there  were  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  members  who  paid  a  certain 


364  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

sum  quarterly.  Among  rare  books  to  be  found  there  may  be  named 
forty-one  volumes  in  a  set,  printed  between  1593  and  1730.  They  also 
have  a  collection  of  curios  of  rare  beauty  and  value.  By  all  odds  it  is  the 
most  aged  library  in  this  county,  and  with  one  exception  it  is  still  the 
largest.  These  things  bespeak  refined  intelligence  in  any  community 
where  such  accomplishments  can  be  had  and  maintained  throughout  one 
hundred  and  sixty  years. 

Hatfield — Carved  out  of  the  central  part  of  Hatfield  township,  this 
borough  now  having  a  population  of  about  800,  is  up-to-date  with  energy 
and  business  tact  equal  to  the  spirit  of  the  age  in  small  towns.  There 
appears  to  have  been  a  settlement  here  as  early  as  1832.  Soon  there- 
after a  dozen  or  more  houses  were  reported,  and  a  post  office  was  estab- 
lished. In  1883  it  contained  fifty  residences,  several  general  stores,  and 
a  number  of  shops  and  the  usual  mechanical  industries.  Once  the  com- 
munity had  its  Upper  and  Lower  Hatfield,  but  now  all  is  described  as 
Hatfield  borough.  Lower  Hatfield,  however,  is  much  the  older  of  the 
two  villages.  This  is  a  station  point  on  the  North  Pennsylvania  rail- 
road line.  Being  surrounded  by  an  excellent  agricultural  district,  the 
place  has  always  enjoyed  a  liberal  trade  from  the  farming  community, 
and  while  never  becoming  a  large  place,  it  has  served  well  the  object 
for  which  its  proprietors  established  it.  To-day  the  schools,  churches, 
stores  of  all  kinds,  shipping  interests  and  some  small  manufacturing 
plants  including  a  hosiery  mill  and  flouring  mills,  with  other  necessary 
places  of  business,  make  up  the  sum  total  of  the  place.  Its  borough 
officers  have  ever  been  conservative,  but  progressive  in  their  adminis- 
tration of  public  aflFairs.  There  is  a  question  yet  unsolved  as  to  how  its 
name  originated,  but  usually  it  is  believed  to  have  been  in  honor  of  the 
Hatfield  family  of  pioneers  in  the  nearby  section  of  country. 

Greenlane — This  borough  is  taken  out  of  Marlborough  township,  and 
was  chartered  a  borough  in  1875.  It  is  situated  on  the  Sumneytown  and 
Springhouse  road,  and  covers  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  It  is 
historic  from  the  fact  of  its  being  on  the  nearby  site  of  the  old-time 
Schall's  forge,  once  famous  for  its  production  of  iron.  It  is  now  an 
important  station  on  the  Perkiomen  railroad,  opened  up  for  travel  in 
1849.  In  18S4  it  contained  upwards  of  fifty  buildings.  A  large  ice 
house  and  custom  grist  mill  were  among  the  early  industries.  The 
platting  was  all  made  on  the  old  Mayberry  tract,  taken  about  1730.  It 
was  named  on  this  wise:  The  Old  Forge  was  styled  "Greenlane  Iron 
Works,"  noted  on  the  oldest  maps,  and  is  believed  to  have  been  given 
to  the  works  named  from  the  prevailing  foliage  covering  the  rocky  hills 
to  the  north  and  west  of  the  stream,  it  being  largely  of  evergreen,  with 
occasional  pine,  and  from  the  winding  road  or  lane  that  led  from  the 
main  highway  to  the  forge.  As  late  as  1855  this  neighborhood  was  noted 
for  its  game,  including  rabbits,  pheasants,  partridges,  etc.,  found  in  great 


BOROUGHS  365 

numbers,  and  was  visited  by  the  city  sportsmen  with  dogs  and  paid 
guides.  It  was  the  fine  water  power  and  abundance  of  wood  for  the 
production  of  charcoal  that  first  led  the  iron  forgers  to  the  spot.  There 
were  no  rolled  iron  bars,  but  by  hand  and  hammer  were  the  iron  bars 
wrought  out  for  sale  to  the  blacksmiths  and  mechanics  generally.  But 
with  the  introduction  of  cast  iron  in  its  various  forms,  the  demand  for 
bar  iron  has  been  greatly  reduced.  Thus  the  forge  has  long  since  gone 
to  decay ;  the  old  waterwheel,  the  huge  bellows,  the  ore  crusher,  and 
cone-like  charcoal  kilns  have  all  vanished,  only  here  and  there  a  trace 
of  their  existence  among  a  pile  of  ruins  found  by  the  roadside. 

With  the  flight  of  a  third  of  a  century  and  more,  vast  has  been  the 
change  here.  Many  are  dead,  and  many  far  removed  to  other  parts  of 
the  world.  There  is  a  stone-crushing  plant,  numerous  stores  and  shops; 
the  Valley  National  Bank ;  a  Board  of  Trade  and  a  Reformed  church, 
as  part  of  the  borough's  interests.  Its  population  is  rated  at  about  400 
In  1884  the  assessor  gave  the  firms  in  business  as  J.  R.  AUebach,  mer- 
chandise; Frank  Frederick,  livestock;  H.  N.  Scholl,  lumber;  number  of 
taxables,  fifty-four;  value  lands,  $5,685.  It  is  one  of  the  many  small 
towns  of  Montgomery  county  and  has  a  history  and  record  not  to  be 
ashamed  of,  for  in  all  that  has  been  asked  of  true  American  citizens,  these 
people  have  filled  the  bill  to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  whether  in 
war  or  times  of  peace. 

Schwenksville — This  enterprising  borough  is  situated  on  the  west 
side  of  Perkiomen  creek,  in  the  northwest  portion  of  old  original  Per- 
kiomen  township,  was  incorporated  in  1903.  The  census  in  1880  gave 
it  a  population  of  303  souls;  in  1910  it  had  381,  and  in  1920  it  is  given  as 
371,  so  it  appears  to  have  never  reached  the  400  mark.  For  forty  years 
it  has  had  hotels,  creameries,  printing  offices,  clothing  factories,  rail- 
road station,  lumber,  coal,  marble  yard  and  school  and  churches,  with 
all  the  general  stores  that  are  found  in  so  small  a  place.  Prior  to  1815 
there  was  not  a  house  in  the  entire  neighborhood.  Most  of  the  lands 
thereabouts  were  left  in  1770  by  Peter  Pennypacker  to  his  son  Wil- 
liam. George  Schwenk,  a  blacksmith,  is  reported  to  have  run  a  black- 
smith's shop  there  in  1756,  and  from  him  doubtless  came  the  name. 
Other  special  chapters  will  mention  its  banking,  newspapers  and  other 
features.  Of  later  years  the  ice  houses  have  been  important  here. 
There  is  a  shirt  factory  in  the  borough  now  and  the  newspaper  is  the 
"Item." 

Jenkintown — This  borough  was  incorporated  December  8,  1874, 
when  all  its  territory,  comprising  an  area  of  two  hundred  and  fort)-- 
eight  acres  taken  from  Abington  township,  was  made  into  a  borough. 
The  main  business  of  the  place  is  or  was  originally,  along  York  ave- 
nue, opened  up  as  a  highway  from  Philadelphia  to  the  Delaware  river 


366  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

in  the  autumn  of  171 1,  and  turnpiked  to  Willow  Grove  from  Rising  Sun 
in  1804.  The  North  Pennsylvania  railroad  station  is  at  the  extreme 
southwestern  corner  of  the  platting.  This  railway  was  opened  for  busi- 
ness in  1856,  and  the  New  York  branch  completed  in  May,  1876.  As 
long  ago  as  1885  there  were  forty- four  passenger  trains  stopping  at  Jen- 
kintown  each  way  daily.  The  borough  proper  is  more  than  a  half 
mile  to  the  east  of  the  station.  The  entire  country  round  about  is 
charming  in  its  native  landscape  scenery.  The  United  States  census 
for  1880  gave  the  number  of  inhabitants  as  810.  In  1900  it  was  2,091 ; 
in  1910,  2,968,  and  in  1920,  4,000.  As  a  municipality  it  is  now  without 
debts.  The  place  has  a  free  public  library  and  churches  as  below: 
Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Methodist  Episcopal,  Colored  Bap- 
tist, and  Roman  Catholic.  All  have  good  church  buildings  and  pros- 
perous congregations.  The  civic  societies  include  the  Masonic,  Odd 
Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias  and  Protective  Order  of  Sons  of  America. 
There  are  two  school  buildings  in  the  borough  and  a  new  $175,000  high 
school  being  constructed  at  this  time.  This  is  also  the  seat  of  Beech- 
wood  Seminary  for  young  ladies.  Just  over  the  line  but  in  the  same 
township  is  found  an  extensive  pressed  steel  works  plant.  The  "Times- 
Chronicle"  is  the  borough's  newspaper  (see  Press  chapter).  Concern- 
ing the  financial  interests  of  Jenkintown,  see  chapter  on  Banks  and 
Banking.  The  present  borough  officials  are:  A.  J.  Miller,  Jr.,  president; 
A.  C.  J.  Schabacker,  secretary;  A.  A.  Keiser,  treasurer;  William  M. 
Lukens,  street  commissioner;  Edwin  H.  Bellis,  burgess.  The  council 
is  as  follows :  Messrs.  George  Jones,  Frank  S.  Gentry,  J.  Howard  Hay, 
James  B.  Colladay,  A.  J.  Miller,  Jr.,  Sumner  H.  Cross,  M.  D.,  Nathan 
Silberman,  Charles  S.  Redding,  and  Edward  J.  Fitzgerald. 

The  principal  inhabitants  in  and  around  the  village  of  Jenkintown 
as  early  as  February  19,  1803,  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  establish- 
ing a  library  there,  and  appointed  John  Morrison,  Ebenezer  Hickling  and 
William  Johnson  a  committee  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  a  code  of 
by-laws  and  reporting  the  same  at  a  meeting  to  be  held  at  the  public 
house  of  William  McCalla  on  the  3rd  of  March  following.  As  adopted 
the  board  of  ofificers  was  to  consist  of  five  directors,  a  treasurer  and 
librarian,  to  be  chosen  annually.  Payments  of  seventy-five  cents  were 
to  be  made  by  each  member  every  six  months.  There  were  thirty-three 
signers  to  the  original  membership  of  this  subscription  library.  It  was 
established  in  1803 ;  charter  granted  in  September,  1805.  It  was  written 
on  a  parchment  two  and  one-half  feet  square,  and  handsomely  executed. 
This  charter  contains  the  autograph  of  every  member  who  signed  on 
that  autumn  day  near  a  century  and  a  quarter  ago.  It  was  signed  by 
Governor  Thomas  McKeen,  who  was  also  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  This  library  is  still  well  cared  for,  and 
is  an  honor  to  the  borough. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 
BOROUGHS:    LANSDALE— NORTH  WALES— NARBERTH. 

Lansdale  received  its  name  in  memory  of  the  chief  surveyor  of  the 
North  Penn  Railroad  Company,  his  full  name  being  Philip  Lansdale  Fox. 
The  record  book  of  Time  has  a  few  unique  entries  concerning  Lansdale — 
these  for  example:  "Born  August  24,  1872;  father's  name  North  Penn 
Railroad;  mother's  name  Heebner  Agricultural  Machinery  Plant." 

About  one  hundred  and  forty  years  ago  this  part  of  Montgomery 
county  was  one  dense  dark  forest,  with  only  here  and  there  a  clearing 
upon  which  the  settlers  had  erected  their  rude  cabin  homes.  Here  had 
dwelt  the  native  American  Indian,  and  at  that  date  a  few  still  lingered 
thereabouts  spending  their  time  in  hunting  the  abundance  of  wild  game 
and  peddling  baskets  of  their  own  make.  In  1853  work  was  commenced 
on  the  North  Penn  railroad,  and  in  June,  1857,  this  highway  reached 
Gwynedd,  and  by  October,  Doylestown.  The  first  trains  entered  Beth- 
lehem in  January,  1857.  As  soon  as  the  railroad  was  constructed  through 
Lansdale,  a  feed  store  was  opened  by  Henry  Dirstine,  his  buildings 
being  the  first  of  the  hamlet  or  station.  A.  G.  Freed  opened  the  first 
hotel,  and  in  a  part  of  the  building  the  first  store  was  opened  by  John 
S.  Jenkins.  A  post  office  was  established  there  in  i860,  and  within  a 
year  or  two  Mr.  Shupe  established  a  printing  oflfice. 

Lansdale  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1872,  and  it  then  included 
269  acres,  145  of  which  was  taken  from  Gwynedd  township,  and  124 
acres  from  Hatfield  township.  Two  years  later  the  Stony  Creek  railroad 
was  opened  through  to  Norristown.  The  population  of  the  territory 
incorporated  was  "about  one  thousand  souls"  the  record  says.  A  busi- 
ness directory  gotten  out  at  about  that  date  gives  these  facts :  M.  H. 
Snyder,  editor  of  "Lansdale  Reporter;"  H.  F.  Bond,  medical  doctor; 
A.  C.  Goodshall,  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  all  kinds  of  lumber,  coal 
and  lime;  A.  B.  Hackman,  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  grain,  flour, 
feed,  hay,  etc.;  E.  K.  Freed,  president  First  National  Bank;  Charles  S. 
Jenkins,  cashier  of  First  National  Bank ;  Joseph  Rodgers,  house  and  sign 
painter  and  paperhanger ;  L.  G.  Staufifer,  Lansdale  Hotel ;  Isaac  A. 
Kratz,  Junction  House ;  George  F.  Phillips,  general  agent  for  the  Howe 
Sewing  Machine,  at  217  Main  street,  Norristown.  The  exact  date  of 
incorporation  of  the  borough  was  August  24,  1872.  The  charter  was 
signed  by  forty-four  citizens,  and  in  1922  only  two  were  living — William 
D.  Heebner  and  Dr.  John  N.  Jacobs.  In  May,  1876,  the  borough  con- 
tained 187  taxables,  with  a  real  estate  valuation  of  $166,000 ;  three  public 
schools,  with  159  scholars;  two  hotels,  two  printing  offices,  eight  stores, 
and  a  lumber  yard. 

One  incident  in  the  history  of  Lansdale  in  which  all  take  a  just  pride 


368  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

was  the  one  occurring  in  1887,  when  a  citizen,  William  D.  Heebner,  saved 
historic  Valley  Forge  as  a  sacred  memorial  for  the  whole  country.  A  bill 
fostered  by  the  Patriotic  Order  Sons  of  America  to  take  over  Valley 
Forge  and  save  it  from  destruction  at  private  hands,  had  been  smoth- 
ered in  committee  on  the  plea  of  lack  of  funds.  Mr.  Heebner,  then  a 
member  of  the  House,  had  been  asked  to  read  Washington's  Farewell 
Address  at  the  patriotic  exercises  in  the  House,  February  22,  1887. 
When  the  time  came  to  read  the  address,  Mr.  Heebner,  contrary  to  all 
precedents,  substituted  for  the  address  a  resolution  appropriating  five 
thousand  dollars  toward  the  purchase  of  the  historic  site,  and  asked 
unanimous  consent  for  its  immediate  consideration.  Both  House  and 
Senate  voted  an  approval  quickly,  and  thus  it  came  about  that  one  man's 
quick  wits  saved  Valley  Forge  as  a  national  shrine,  and  since  then  all 
know  of  the  beautiful  improvements  which  have  been  made  there. 

The  present  borough  contains  875  acres,  or  more  than  one  and  one- 
half  square  miles.  The  office  of  burgess  has  been  held  by  the  following, 
from  the  date  of  incorporation  in  1872  to  the  present  time:  1872,  Abra- 
ham B.  Hackman;  1873,  David  S.  Heebner;  1875,  John  Kindig;  1876, 
David  S.  Heebner;  1880,  Oliver  M.  Evans;  1882,  William  D.  Heebner; 
1885,  William  H.  Fuhr;  1888,  Jacob  S.  Geller;  1892,  Wellington  H. 
Rosenberry;  1893,  William  D.  Heebner;  1894,  Aaron  H.  Tyson;  1897, 
J.  C.  Reaver;  1900,  John  J.  White;  1903,  Henry  M.  Fretz;  1906,  George 
F.  Frederick;  1909,  J.  Wilmot  Harvey;  191 1,  Hiram  B.  Weachter;  1914, 
Abram  H.  Landis;  1918,  Albert  R.  Place;  1919  to  date,  David  Orr. 

The  Federal  census  reports  show  the  population  of  Lansdale  by 
decades  to  have  been:  1880,  799;  1890,  1,858;  1900,  2,754;  1910,  3,551; 
1920,  4,728.  Other  chapters  will  speak  at  length  of  the  banking  inter- 
ests of  this  borough ;  also  of  the  professions  and  work  of  the  women  of 
the  borough  in  times  of  war  as  well  as  now.  The  postmasters'  list  is 
as  follows:  J.  S.  Geller,  1876-84;  H.  E.  Jenkins,  1884-90;  D.  S.  Heebner, 
1890-96;  William  L.  Diehl,  1896-1900;  H.  D.  Ruth,  1900-08;  W.  H.  D. 
Goodshall,  1908-15;  Joseph  Rodgers,  Jr.,  1915-23. 

Primarily  Lansdale  has  always  been  a  manufacturing  borough.  Dur- 
ing its  early  days  it  was  a  "one  plant"  town,  the  Heebner  industry  being 
the  mainstay  of  the  place.  To-day  there  is  a  diversified  industry  of 
great  local  importance.  Some  of  the  more  important  plants  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Heebner  &  Sons,  makers  of  numerous  agricultural  implements, 
of  world-wide  fame ;  Souder  Concrete  Company,  established  in  1904,  in 
North  Lansdale,  but  in  1914  constructed  their  present  plant  where  they 
produce  large  quantities  of  concrete  blocks,  road  culverts  and  kindred 
concrete  goods ;  over  one  full  car  load  of  raw  material  is  used  daily  in 
these  works.  Another  factory  of  note  is  the  patented  Safeguard  Check 
Writer  Company's  industry  founded  in  North  Wales,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1913,  but  which  moved  to  Lansdale  in  1917.  John  Whitaker  is  presi- 
dent, and  Joseph  F.  Collins  secretary  and  general  manager.    This  plant 


BOROUGHS  369 

produces  thousands  upon  thousands  of  the  check  writers  which  employ 
indelible  ink  under  high  pressure  forced  through  the  paper  in  such  a 
manner  the  figures  cannot  be  erased  and  "raised."  These  machines  are 
ready  sellers  in  this  and  all  civilized  countries  of  the  earth.  The  Abram 
Cox  Stove  Corporation,  chartered  by  the  State,  started  in  business  in 
the  spring  of  1882,  remained  in  Philadelphia  until  it  needed  more  room, 
then  located  in  Lansdale.  Notwithstanding  fires,  this  company  has 
forged  ahead  until  to-day  it  is  a  great  concern.  Other  industries  here 
include  the  Central  Radiator  Company,  the  Perkins  Glue  Company, 
Lansdale  Foundry  Company,  Norristown  Hosiery  Mills,  which  latter 
concern  makes  annually  1,500,000  pair  of  silk  hose;  the  Fynetone  Manu- 
facturing Company,  makers  of  chimes  and  candlesticks,  and  mahogany 
clocks,  do  a  large  business  and  employ  many  hands.  The  Krupp  Foun- 
dry Company  began  business  in  1896,  the  proprietor  being  originally, 
Eli  C.  Krupp,  but  now  it  is  an  incorporated  concern  doing  an  extensive 
business  in  the  production  of  cast  iron  soil  pipe  and  fittings  which  find 
a  market  from  ocean  to  ocean.  Another  industry  of  importance, is  the 
Lansdale  Knitting  Company's  plant,  John  Whitaker,  president,  organ- 
ized in  1920;  knitting  hosiery  is  their  specialty.  Pool  &  Son's  pantaloon 
factory,  established  in  1885  by  William  Pool,  Sr.,  has  grown  to  one 
of  large  proportions.  They  occupy  a  building  fifty  by  one  hundred  and 
fifty-three  feet  and  basement,  operate  one  hundred  and  sixteen  sewing 
machines,  and  give  employment  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  pro- 
ducing 12,000  pairs  of  pants  per  day.  The  Weaver  Structural  Iron 
Works  commenced  in  1914  in  an  old  barn,  but  to-day  the  company  has 
large  works  and  produce  much  fine,  fabricated  structural  steel  work 
for  use  in  building  structures  of  all  kinds.  The  Krupp-Myer  Foundr}^ 
organized  1921,  make  sorted  castings  of  all  kinds.  In  the  same  plant 
porcelain  enamel  ware  is  made  in  great  quantities.  Another  leading 
industry  is  the  A.  J.  Brumbaugh  Woolen  Company,  makers  of  men's 
and  youth's  clothing,  mostly  for  Wanamaker  and  Brown.  The  Hunter 
Pressed  Steel  Company  came  from  Philadelphia  in  1918;  their  products 
are  sold  all  over  the  Union. 

Lansdale  now  has  a  high  school,  the  East  Ward  grade  school  and 
the  West  Ward  grade  school.  Thirty  instructors  are  usually  employed 
in  these  schools;  The  high  school  building  was  erected  so  as  to  be 
occupied  in  March,  1914;  its  cost  was  $50,150.44.  Bonds  had  been  voted 
for  $60,000,  but  the  lowest  bidder  took  the  contract  for  the  amount  above 
mentioned.  In  1922  the  total  indebtedness  of  the  district  was  $63,400; 
tax  rate  fifteen  and  one-half  mills ;  monthly  payroll  of  teachers,  $3,512.10, 
and  janitors,  $210  per  month. 

Almost  every  prominent  religious  denomination  in  America  has 
active  representation  in  this  borough,  except  these  four — the  Presbyte- 
rian, Congregational,  Christian  Science  and  Jewish  faiths ;  none  of  them 


370  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

are  found  here.  Nearly  all  of  the  churches  have  fine  comfortable  homes 
of  their  own  where  they  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their 
own  conscience,  with  none  to  molest  or  make  them  afraid. 

The  Methodist  Episcopalians  organized  here  in  1870,  when  the  place 
only  had  four  hundred  population  and  no  church  building.  In  1871  Dr. 
Jacobs  donated  a  lot  on  which  the  first  church  was  erected  in  1872,  Rev. 
H.  U.  Sebring  being  pastor.  The  present  fine  building  was  dedicated 
June  5,  1921.  The  congregation  now  has  a  membership  of  500  souls, 
more  than  a  hundred  more  than  there  was  of  population  in  the  borough 
fifty  years  ago.  St.  John's  Reformed  Church,  organized  about  1875, 
cornerstone  of  first  church  was  laid  October  15,  1876;  present  member- 
ship is  601. 

Trinity  Lutheran  Church  was  formed  in  a  regular  way  in  188 1,  the 
first  services  being  held  in  May  of  that  year.  Lansdale  Hall  was  the 
place  they  met  for  a  long  period.  They  next  bought  the  old  school 
building  in  1887  and  used  that  until  in  March,  1891,  when  their  newly 
built  edifice  was  consecrated,  the  service  being  in  both  English  and 
German.  An  addition  was  made  to  this  building  which  still  serves  the 
congregation,  the  membership  of  which  is  now  552,  and  is  among  the 
higher  class  of  churches  of  this  faith  in  this  section. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  was  first  started  away  back  in  North 
Wales  by  the  Welsh  settlers  of  the  Upper  Gwynedd  Valley,  and  a  hand- 
ful of  Welsh  people  organized  this  church  in  a  "green  glad  solitude"  in 
a  strange  land.  The  date  of  this  organization  was  1719,  and  known  as 
the  Montgomery  Baptist  Church.  Worship  continued  at  the  former 
place  until  a  chapel  was  dedicated  at  Lansdale  in  March,  1885.  A  year 
later  this  became  an  independent  church,  having  been  set  oflf  from  North 
Wales.    There  are  now  about  four  hundred  members  in  this  church. 

Bethany  United  Evangelical  Church  was  formed  in  1894,  under  the 
leadership  of  Rev.  D.  G.  Reinhold.  Schwenkfelder  Church,  which  dates 
back  to  the  days  of  the  Reformation,  is  represented  at  Lansdale  by  an 
organization  established  in  1918  and  now  has  a  membership  of  about 
one  hundred.  Rev.  L.  S.  Hofifman  is  present  pastor.  The  Sunday  school 
has  a  membership  of  four  hundred.  Grace  Evangelical  Church  was 
organized  in  the  early  seventies.  The  present  edifice  was  built  in  1875. 
Bethany  United  Evangelical  and  Immanuel  Church  sprang  from  this 
the  mother  church.  Church  of  the  Nazarene  was  organized  July  24, 
1919;  in  1920  they  built  a  church  of  their  own  and  the  society  still 
prospers.  Holy  Trinity  Episcopal  Church  held  first  services  in  Lans- 
dale in  1880,  but  no  church  was  formed  until  1886;  Rev.  J.  H.  Burton 
became  rector  in  November,  1887.  At  a  cost  of  $5,000  a  church  was 
erected  in  1890;  the  rectory  was  built  in  1903,  costing  $3,900.  St.  Stan- 
islaus Roman  Catholic  Church  was  organized  about  1875.  The  following 
year  money  was  raised,  and  in  October,  1876,  the  "Old  Church"  was 
built. 


BOROUGHS  371 

If  there  is  a  lodge  organized  in  the  country  not  represented  in  this 
borough,  the  writer  is  not  properly  informed.  They  are  both  secret  and 
semi-secret  and  beneficiary  in  character.  The  spirit  of  fraternity,  if 
carried  on  from  lodge  room  to  workshop  and  industry,  will  tend  to  pro- 
duce fellow  community  spirit  that  takes  away  the  sting  of  competition 
and  gives  true  joy  to  the  brotherhoods.  Among  the  lodges  best  known 
to  the  outsider  are:  American  Legion  (military),  Knights  of  Malta, 
instituted  in  May,  1922;  Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  instituted  April,  1913; 
International  Molders'  Union,  organized  1898 ;  Order  of  Eastern  Star, 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  instituted  1907;  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  chartered  January  6,  1873,  has  a  membership  of  about  200;  Order 
of  Independent  Americans,  formed  1893 ;  Sons  of  Veterans,  with  mem- 
bership of  fifty,  formed  in  1905 ;  Lansdale  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  Ma- 
sons, instituted  December  20,  1915,  with  membership  in  1922  of  171. 
Another  fraternity  is  styled  the  North  Penn  Forest,  Cedars  of  Lebanon, 
instituted  in  1920.  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Liberty  organized  1904  with 
thirty  members,  and  now  has  more  than  150  members.  The  member- 
ship prides  itself  on  being  for  America  first,  last,  and  all  the  time.  An- 
other popular  order  is  the  Patriotic  Order  Sons  of  America,  which  was 
organized  in  the  borough  in  July,  1869,  by  fourteen  members ;  it  now  has 
a  membership  of  three  hundred.  The  Fraternal  Order  of  Reindeer, 
instituted  in  1920,  with  fifty  membership.  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle, 
organized  in  February,  1888;  now  has  four  hundred  members,  and  dur- 
ing the  flu  epidemic  paid  out  benefits  amounting  to  $3,559.  They  own 
a  fine  hall  and  also  own  several  houses  which  are  rented.  It  is  counted 
among  the  strongest  orders  in  the  borough.  The  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  was  instituted  March  17,  1881,  with  twenty-two  charter 
members.  This  too,  is  among  the  borough's  strong,  worthy  orders. 
Lansdale  Order  of  Moose  was  organized  with  a  membership  of  thirty- 
five,  in  May,  1917.  The  Boy  Scouts  was  organized  here  in  the  Baptist 
church  in  1909,  and  later  became  strong  and  non-sectarian.  It  cleared 
away  the  forest  and  built  a  log  cabin  which  showed  the  real  boy  skill 
and  strength.  The  only  thing  that  hinders  their  success  is  the  narrow- 
ness sometimes  exhibited  by  various  religious  denominations,  which 
oppose  their  work. 

North  Wales — North  Wales  is  about  two  miles  from  Lansdale,  and 
was  chartered  in  1869;  was  taken  from  Gwynedd  township.  It  is  on  the 
Sumneytown  and  Spring  House  road  or  turnpike.  It  is  on  high  land, 
and  has  for  its  steam  railway  line  the  North  Pennsylvania.  Its  popu- 
lation in  1880  was  673;  in  1910  it  had  1,710;  and  now  has  2,300.  It 
supports  "The  Record,"  a  good  local  weekly  newspaper;  has  a  lodge  ol 
Odd  Fellows,  which  owns  its  own  hall.  In  its  form  this  borough  is 
almost  square.  It  was  laid  out  by  David  Moyer  in  1867.  The  Sumney- 
town pike  was  constructed  through  this  section  in  1848.     The  railroad 


372  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

divides  the  place  into  almost  two  equal  portions.  North  Wales  is 
twenty  miles  from  Philadelphia  and  thirty-five  from  Bethlehem.  Its 
name  is  a  translation  from  the  Welsh  name  Gwineth,  of  which  Gwynedd 
is  a  corruption.  The  settlement  at  the  Friends'  meeting  house  was  laid 
out  before  1735.  The  completion  of  the  North  Pennsylvania  railroad  in 
1856  laid  the  foundation  for  the  present  enterprising  borough.  In  1884 
the  value  of  all  improved  lands  was  $300,000;  of  unimproved  lands 
$9,185.  In  1884  there  were  located  here  a  carriage  factory,  one  foundry, 
two  general  merchants,  one  artist,  three  hotels,  one  bell  foundry,  one 
restaurant,  two  doctors,  a  dentist,  two  undertakers,  one  planing  mill,  a 
lumber  yard,  two  harness  shops,  a  shutter-bolt  factory,  three  florists,  a 
carpet  weaver,  a  hardware  store,  a  marble  yard,  two  barbers,  and  a 
printing  office  in  which  was  printed  the  "North  Wales  Record."  There 
was  also  an  "Academy  of  Business,"  conducted  by  Professor  H.  U. 
Brunner  (see  Educational  chapter). 

The  present  borough  officers  are :  Adam  Schmehl,  burgess ;  Charles 
Anderman,  clerk ;  Harley  Swartley,  treasurer.  The  present  bonded 
indebtedness  is  $40,000,  all  of  which  is  for  sewer  placed  in  position 
recently.  The  churches  here  represented  by  good  membership  are  the 
Reformed,  Lutheran,  Baptist,  Methodist  Episcopal,  Episcopal,  and 
Roman  Catholic.  (See  Church  chapter  for  details  of  some  of  these 
denominations.)  The  leading  hotels  are  the  North  Wales,  by  the  pres- 
ent burgess,  Adam  Schmehl,  and  another  on  Main  street.  The  manu- 
facturing plants  include  these:  The  Asbestos  Packing  Company,  North 
Wales  Machine  and  Foundry  Company  (King  Brothers),  the  Asbestos 
Spinning  Company:  Acorn  Web  Works,  Gilmore  Company,  automobile 
accessories,  the  E.  Sutro  &  Sons  Hosiery  Company,  two  planing  mills, 
the  North  Wales  Florist  Company,  working  fifty  men  and  said  to  be  one 
of  the  largest  in  America  under  one  glass  skylight. 

Narberth — This  borough,  in  the  extreme  southeastern  portion  of  the 
county,  was  incorporated  January  21,  1895,  and  has  doubled  its  popula- 
tion within  a  few  years,  it  now  having  3,705,  according  to  late  returns 
for  school  purposes.  It  is  chiefly  a  handsome  residential  district,  a 
suburb  of  the  nearby  city  of  Philadelphia.  It  is  situated  on  the  Pennsyl- 
vania railroad,  with  a  rapid  electric  car  means  of  transportation  to  and 
from  the  surrounding  boroughs  and  the  city  proper.  Its  bonded  indebt- 
edness in  January,  1922,  was  $77,500.  A  large,  modern  high  school 
building  was  erected  in  1918,  and  on  account  of  this,  bonds  to  the 
amount  of  $55,000  were  floated.  The  local  newspaper  is  the  one  styled 
"Our  Town,"  a  weekly,  and  conducted  in  the  interest  of  a  good  commu- 
nity that  appreciates  its  weekly  visitations.  The  churches  are :  Baptist, 
Methodist  Episcopal,  Roman  Catholic,  Presbyterian,  and  Evangelical 
Lutheran.  All  have  good  edifices  except  the  last  named,  and  they  are  to 
build  a  good  edifice  the  coming  season.     The  present  borough  officers 


BOROUGHS 


373 


are  as  follows:  Carl  B.  Metzger,  chief  burgess;  Edwin  P.  Dold,  treas- 
urer; Fletcher  W.  Stites,  solicitor;  Raymond  C.  Jones,  tax-collector; 
George  B.  Suplee,  street  commissioner;  J.  Taylor  Darlington,  building 
inspector.  The  president  of  the  Council  is  W.  R.  D.  Hall ;  secretary  is 
Charles  "V.  Noel ;  and  other  members  of  council  are  Hugh  Brown,  E.  C. 
Griswold,  Daniel  Leitch,  A.  P.  Redifer,  Walton  M.  Wentz.  Municipal 
affairs  have  always  been  well  administered. 


<*,^)^^ 


POTTSTOWN— NEW  Y.  M.  C.  A.   BUILDING— HIGH   STREET  EAST 
FROM  HANOVER— INDUSTRIAL  PLANTS 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

BOROUGHS :       POTTSTOWN— PENNSBURG— ROYERSFORD— 

RED    HILL— ROCKLEDGE—SOUDERTON— WEST 

TELFORD— TRAPPE— WEST  CONSHOHOCKEN. 

Pottstown — This  borough  stands  on  the  north  side  of  that  majestic 
river,  the  Schuylkill,  just  below  the  mouth  of  the  Manatawny  creek, 
twenty  miles  from  Norristown  and  thirty-seven  from  Philadelphia. 
Two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  were  taken  from  Pottsgrove  township  to 
form  the  borough  with.  The  date  of  its  organization  was  1815,  and  it 
was  first  after  Norristown  to  become  an  incorporated  borough.  It  has 
a  frontage  of  three-fourths  of  a  mile  on  the  river.  It  stands  surrounded 
by  many  highly  improved  farms.  The  scenery  is  beautiful.  The  streets 
are  laid  out  at  right  angles  and  are  highly  improved  by  all  that  is  mod- 
ern. As  to  the  population  at  various  periods,  in  1830  it  contained  only 
676  inhabitants;  in  1840  it  was  721;  in  1850  it  was  1,664;  in  i860  had 
reached  2,380;  in  1880  it  was  placed  at  5,305 ;  while  to-day  it  is  in  excess 
of  19,000. 

Before  the  Revolution,  the  vicinity  supported  two  good  flouring 
mills,  and  had  twenty  residences.  In  1858  there  were  fifty-eight  stores 
and  other  places  of  business,  two  rolling  mills,  and  the  gas  plant.  The 
earliest  public  improvement  was  the  construction  of  the  old  stone  bridge 
over  Manatawny  creek,  over  which  the  turnpike  goes.  This  was  com- 
pleted in  1806.  For  a  number  of  years  this  bridge  was  a  toll  bridge. 
The  Hanover  street  bridge  was  erected  in  1820-21,  total  cost  only 
$14,000.  It  served  until  the  great  freshet  of  1850,  when  it  was  washed 
away.  Two  years  later  it  was  rebuilt  at  a  cost  of  $12,000,  and  was  five 
feet  higher  than  the  former  structure.  The  bridge  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  borough  was  constructed  by  a  company  in  1867  at  a  cost  of  thirty 
thousand  dollars.  The  Perkiomen  &  Reading  Turnpike  Company  was 
chartered  in  1810,  commenced  in  181 1  and  was  fully  completed  in  1815. 
It  is  twenty-nine  miles  long,  and  cost  $7,000  per  mile.  The  canal  was 
completed  by  a  private  corporation  in  1824,  and  runs  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Schuylkill  river  from  Pottstown.  The  Reading  &  Philadel- 
phia railroad  was  completed  between  these  two  cities  in  1839.  It  was 
not  finished  to  Pottsville  until  1842. 

This  borough  was  legalized  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  dated  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1815.  The  first  ofificers  elected  were:  Robert  McClintock, 
burgess ;  John  Hester,  Jacob  Lesher,  William  Lesher,  Jesse  Ives,  Henry 
Boyer,  William  Mintzer  and  Thomas  P.  May  were  elected  councilmen. 
The  borough  has  usually  been  governed  by  prudent,  careful  but  pro- 
gressive citizens  who  knew  how  to  provide  for  the  future  wants  of  what 
was  destined  to  become  a  large  city.     The  borough  has  an  area  of  five 


376  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

square  miles;  a  population  of  19,000;  property  valuation  of  $12,000,000; 
three  steam  railroads — the  Philadelphia  &  Reading,  the  Pennsylvania, 
and  a  branch  of  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading — the  "Colebrookdale." 
There  are  three  newspapers,  for  which  see  Press  chapter  in  this  work. 
The  water  supply  of  Pottstown  is  inexhaustible,  coming  as  it  does  from 
the  Schuylkill  river  a  mile  above  the  borough  borders  and  conveyed  in 
pipes  to  modern  filtering  basins.  It  is  of  excellent  quality.  The  bor- 
ough is  thoroughly  illuminated  with  both  electric  and  gas  plants,  both 
not  only  give  light  but  power  as  well,  and  are  much  utilized  as  fuel  for 
domestic  and  other  heating  purposes.  There  are  twenty-two  modern 
school  buildings,  comprising  sixty-six  schools,  with  an  attendance  of 
2,800  pupils  presided  over  by  eighty-six  professors  and  teachers.  The 
banks  are  treated  in  a  special  chapter.  The  bonded  indebtedness  of 
Pottstown  is  not  far  from  $Iz^4,ooo.  There  are  many  fraternal  and 
benevolent  organizations  for  the  Christian  relief  of  poor  and  destitute 
citizens.  Of  the  charitable  institutions  of  the  borough  it  may  be  said 
that  the  Associated  Charities,  the  King's  Daughters,  the  Pottstown  Hos- 
pital, and  the  Homoeopathic  Hospital,  two  of  the  finest  equipped  institu- 
tions of  their  kind  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  ably  managed  by  a  band  of 
noble  women  and  boards  of  trustees,  assisted  by  first  class  medical 
stafifs,  together  with  more  than  a  score  of  trained  nurses.  The  various 
churches  include  these :  Saint  Aloysius,  Roman  Catholic ;  Saint  John  the 
Baptist,  Greek  Catholic ;  Polish  Catholic,  St.  Paul's  Reformed,  St.  Peter's 
Evangelical  Lutheran ;  Methodist  Episcopal,  Searles  Memorial  Method- 
ist Episcopal,  Trinity  United  Evangelical,  Trinity  Reformed,  United 
Brethren  in  Christ,  and  Zion  Reformed  Church ;  First  Baptist,  Episco- 
pal, Presbyterian,  Friends,  Holiness  Christian  Church,  Mercy  and  Truth 
Synagogue,  Church  of  Brethren,  African  Methodist  Episcopal,  and 
others,  making  about  twenty-five  in  all.  The  civic  fraternal  societies 
include  the  various  Masonic  lodges,  the  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Colum- 
bus, Railway  Brotherhood  of  Trainmen,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
and  American  Legion,  with  Spanish-American  War  Veterans'  Associ- 
ation. 

The  present  borough  officers  are  inclusive  of  these:  Chief  burgess, 
John  K.  Klink;  president  of  council,  Henry  D.  Reed;  clerk  of  council, 
M.  L.  Seasholtz;  treasurer,  Jonathan  Y.  Keck;  surveyor,  Ralph  E. 
Shaner ;  collector  of  taxes,  Daniel  W.  Reigner ;  high  constable,  William 
Dechant.  During  the  present  year  it  is  designed  to  erect  a  city  hall 
costing  between  $65,000  and  $75,000.  It  will  stand  where  now  stands 
the  old  red  brick  structure,  so  long  out  of  date  for  a  modern  city. 

Industries  here  are  found  in  large  numbers  and  immense  is  the 
annual  output  from  the  various  manufacturing  plants,  some  of  which 
date  away  back  far  into  the  past.  These  factories  include  boiler  manu- 
facturers, brewing  plant,  brick  manufacturers,  bridge-builders,  fire- 
brick kilns,  foundry  and  machine  shops,  Keystone  Foundry  Company, 


POTTSTOWN  CHURCHES— ST.  ALOYSIUS  R.  C,  FIRST  BAPTIST, 
AND  SEARLES  MEMORIAL  M.  E. 


BOROUGHS  377 

Light  Manufacturing  and  Foundry  Company,  the  Pottstown  Brass 
Works,  harness  factories,  hosiery  factories,  iron  fencing  factory,  two 
iron  and  steel  makers,  steel  plate  plants,  Warnick  Iron  &  Steel  Com- 
pany, Pottstown  Machine  Company,  the  Standard  Foundry  and  Machine 
Company,  malleable  iron  castings,  granite  ironware  works,  extensive 
paint  manufacturing  concerns,  large  paper  box  factory,  two  planing 
mills,  rubber  tire  makers — the  Hydro  United  Tire  Company,  and  the 
National  Rubber  Company;  six  shirt  factories,  three  silk  factories,  two 
large  stove-making  plants,  and  two  underwear  manufacturing  plants,  all 
doing  a  thriving  business,  with  large  payrolls  and  a  rapidly  increasing 
business. 

That  the  reader  may  know  something  of  the  immense  amount  of 
products  and  their  output  value,  the  following  is  taken  from  returns  to 
the  Department  of  Internal  Affairs:  The  1921  valuation  on  all  indus- 
trial products  of  the  borough  was  $20,508,400;  total  number  of  plants, 
seventy-five;  persons  employed,  4,308;  wages  paid,  $3,502,900;  capital 
invested,  $14,862,600.  The  metal  products  amounted  that  year  to  more 
than  one-half  of  all,  $12,968,300.  The  amounts  in  value  of  classified 
productions  were  as  follows:  Textile,  $3,105,300;  leather  and  rubber 
goods,  $2,390,000;  building  and  contracting,  $351,240;  chemicals,  $136,- 
cxx);  clay,  glass  and  stone,  $10,600;  beverages,  $64,700;  lumber,  $85,700; 
paper  and  printing,  $183,900;  tobacco  products,  $149,100;  sundries,  $47,- 
900;  food  and  kindred  articles,  $1,014,600.  Some  of  the  quantities  pro- 
duced of  various  articles  were  as  follows :  27,300  pounds  of  confection- 
ery; 312,000  gallons  of  ice  cream;  9,033  tons  of  ice;  327,787  rubber  tires 
and  tubes;  598,939  dozens  of  shirts;  1,914  tons  of  iron  and  steel  bars; 
115,000  tons  of  pig  iron;  17,318  tons  of  steel  and  iron  plate. 

About  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  General  Arthur  St.  Clair  having 
purchased  one  of  the  confiscated  properties  of  John  Potts,  Jr.,  one  of  the 
justices  of  the  courts,  he  removed  hither  and  made  it  his  residence  about 
1783,  when  he  held  office  of  member  of  the  State  council  of  censors. 
While  here  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  November  2,  1785,  and  made 
president  of  that  body  February  2,  1787,  which  position  he  held  until  the 
expiration  of  his  term,  the  following  28th  of  November.  In  1786  he 
became  a  member  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  in  Philadel- 
phia. He  was  appointed  Governor  of  the  Northwestern  Territory  Feb- 
ruary I,  1788,  to  which  he  shortly  after  removed. 

In  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  the  citizens  of  Pottstown  and  vicinity  assembled  January 
13,  1800,  to  pay  their  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  General  Wash- 
ington, who  had  died  in  the  previous  month.  A  bier,  with  a  coffin,  was 
carried  in  the  procession,  followed  by  Captain  McClintock's  company 
of  infantry  and  several  other  military  and  civil  organizations,  who  pro- 
ceeded to  the  old  Brick  Church,  where  a  funeral  sermon  was  preached  in 
English  by  the  Rev.  John  Armstrong,  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  in 


378  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

German  by  Rev.  L.  F.  Herman,  ol  the  Reformed  congregation.  The 
pallbearers  on  this  occasion  were  David  Potts,  William  Mayberry,  Wil- 
liam Potts,  Robert  E.  Hobart  and  Robert  May. 

A  century  and  more  ago  in  Pottstown  runs  thus :  Post  office  was  estab- 
lished near  the  end  of  1793  and  Jacob  Barr  was  appointed  postmaster.  This 
was  the  first  post  office  established  in  Montgomery  county.  It  was  at 
first  known  as  Pottsgrove  post  office,  but  in  1829  changed  to  Potts- 
town.    It  became  a  presidential  office  March  11,  1865. 

Pennsburg — This  borough  is  one  mile  to  the  east  from  the  borough  of 
East  Greenville,  a  station  on  the  old  Perkiomen  railroad  and  the  Green 
Lane  and  Goshenhoppen  turnpike.  It  is  twenty-three  miles  from  Read- 
ing Junction  and  forty-eight  from  Philadelphia.  The  history  of  how  it 
obtained  its  name  is  far  too  long  and  intricate  to  go  into  in  this  connec- 
tion, but  suffice  to  say  that  at  first  it  was  known  as  Heiligsville,  after  a 
large  family  living  in  the  community  before  the  platting  was  made. 
Several  brothers  named  Heilig  had  settled  here  and  erected  for  them- 
selves houses.  Several  meetings  were  held,  at  which  the  matter  of 
naming  a  village  was  discussed.  Finally,  the  proceedings  of  one  of 
these  meetings  was  ordered  published  in  the  "Bauern  Freund,"  then  pub- 
lished at  Sumneytown.  The  name  Pennsburg  was  finally  settled  on  by 
a  majority  of  the  residents.  At  the  time,  which  was  in  1843,  there  were 
a  dozen  houses,  including  a  small  country  store ;  these  were  scattered 
along  the  road.  There  was  a  blacksmith  and  carpenter  shop,  but  as  yet 
no  tavern.  In  1847  ^  large  two  story  hotel  was  erected  by  George  Graber 
and  forever  after  known  as  the  Pennsburg  hotel.  Many  years  before  this 
there  had  been  a  post  office  established  at  a  private  house  owned  by 
Aaron  Griesemer,  known  as  Upper  Hanover  Post  Office.  The  name 
was  changed  to  Pennsburg  in  1850. 

Coming  down  to  more  recent  times,  it  may  be  said  that  this  bor- 
ough has  been  well  administered  by  a  wise  and  thoughtful  council.  Its 
present  (1923)  borough  officers  are  as  follows:  Dr.  W.  H.  Hunsberger, 
burgess;  John  E.  Christman,  president  of  the  council;  Elmer  B.  Staudt, 
secretary  of  council ;  M.  K.  Gilbert,  treasurer.  The  names  of  the  coun- 
cilmen  are :  Messrs.  Osborne  Young,  H.  Young,  Horace  K.  Kulp,  Fos- 
ter C.  Hillegass,  Charles  A.  Hamman,  Charles  Nase.  The  borough  owns 
its  own  electric  lighting  plant,  which  was  installed  a  few  years  ago  at 
an  expense  of  $16,000,  raised  by  floating  bonds.  The  plant  was  a  suc- 
cess from  the  first  and  is  now  valued  at  $100,000.  The  borough  has  its 
own  municipal  hall  and  fire  department  buildings.  There  is  now  an 
eight-room  public  schoolhouse  which  well  cares  for  the  children  of  the 
I)lace.  The  churches  found  here  now  are  the  Reformed  and  St.  Mark's 
Lutheran.  The  name  of  the  spicy  local  newspaper  is  "Town  and  Coun- 
try," established  in  1899  (see  Press  chapter  for  its  history).  In  con- 
nection with  the  public  school  is  the  Carnegie  Public  Library,  in  which 


BOROUGHS  379 

all  citizens  take  a  just  pride  and  make  good  use  of  the  books  on   its 
shelves. 

It  is  estimated  the  present  population  is  not  far  from  1,400.  The 
chief  industries  here  are  manufacturing  plants  as  follows:  The  Eureka 
Silk  Ribbon  Mills,  Perkiomen  Trunk  and  Traveling  Bag  Factory ;  Penns- 
burg  Wooden  Novelty  Works;  Pennsburg  Moulding  and  Flooring 
Mills ;  the  Perkiomen  Paper  Mills ;  a  factory  for  making  men's  trousers 
for  the  wholesale  trade;  and  a  shirt  factory.  These  with  three  cigar 
factories  and  a  cigar-box  factory,  with  the  Lohr  Broom  factory,  employ 
a  considerable  number  of  workmen.  The  borough  has  a  theatre  and 
offices  of  the  Pennsburg  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company. 

Royersford — This  borough  was  incorporated  by  decree  of  the  Quar- 
ter Sessions  Court,  dated  June  14,  1879.  Twenty-nine  landowners  of 
the  territory  constituted  a  majority  residing  within  the  proposed  limits. 
The  first  officers  were  appointed  as  follows:  Adam  Grander,  judge; 
Allen  S.  Keeley  and  Silas  S.  Swarthy,  inspectors.  This  borough  is 
located  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Schuylkill  river,  on  the  line  of  the 
Philadelphia  &  Reading  railroad,  and  is  thirty-two  miles  from  Phila- 
delphia and  sixteen  miles  out  from  Norristown.  The  general  landscape 
is  beautiful  scenery.  Its  name  is  derived  from  the  ancient  ford  over  the 
Schuylkill  at  this  point.  The  ford  was  named  for  the  land  owner  Royer, 
who  settled  there  very  early.  For  many  years  there  have  been  numer- 
ous manufacturing  plants  here.  In  1884  historian  Bean  said  there  were 
at  that  date  a  population  of  more  than  one  thousand ;  residences  num- 
bering two  hundred ;  two  hotels,  three  dry  goods  stores,  numerous 
groceries  and  shops,  a  drug  store,  marble  shop,  and  sundry  lesser  places 
of  business.  David  Gow  was  appointed  postmaster  in  1842  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Daniel  Schwenk  in  i860. 

The  present  borough  officers  are :  John  U.  Islett,  burgess ;  I.  M. 
Schellinger,  president  town  council  (recently  deceased)  ;  B.  I.  Latshaw, 
vice-president;  E.  S.  Brownback,  Daniel  Mowrey,  Joseph  Walters, 
Josiah  Halteman,  Ira  Latshaw,  Arthur  Richards,  Charles  Hurder,  Jonas 
Moyer,  Edward  Keefer,  and  Alvin  Harley.  The  treasurer  is  Fred  H. 
Grander;  secretary,  Benjamin  Detwiler ;  and  A.  J.  Anderson,  tax  collec- 
tor. The  bonded  indebtedness  is  now  $19,200.  The  borough  has  an 
excellent  line  of  schools,  the  buildings  now  being  valued  at  $75,000.  The 
churches  of  the  place  include  many  denominations — Methodist,  Bap- 
tist, Lutheran,  United  Evangelical,  Brethren,  Mennonites,  Reformed 
and  Episcopal.  The  population  to-day  is  known  to  be  3,500,  and  in 
addition  to  the  many  church  societies  mentioned  it  supports  good  lodges 
of  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Independent  Americans,  Sons  of  America, 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle,  Owls,  and  an  Eastern  Star  lodge  auxiliary' 
to  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

The  story  of  the  present  industries  here  is  best  told  by  a  list  of  the 


38o  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

various  manufacturing  plants  now  in  operation,  some  many  years  old 
and  others  of  a  later  origin,  but  each  and  all  doing  a  paying  business  in 
their  line  and  bringing  thrift  and  wealth  to  the  borough:  Bard  Manu- 
facturing Company,  makers  of  screws,  etc. ;  Buckwalter  Stove  Company ; 
the  Granfer  Stove  Company ;  Floyd  Wells  Stove  Company ;  Bush  Broth- 
ers, mill  supplies;  Cann  &  Saul,  steel  products;  Diamond  Glass  Com- 
pany, bottles ;  E.  Cut  Knitting  Company,  underwear ;  Hill  Top  Machine 
Company,  machine  work;  International  Woodenware  Company,  iron 
stands,  etc.;  Keystone  Structural  Iron  Works,  structural  iron  goods; 
National  Knitting  Company,  underwear;  W.  H.  Newborn  &  Company, 
bottles;  Peerless  Stove  Lining  Company;  Rising  Sun  Embroidery 
Works;  Royersford  Foundry  and  Machine  Company,  foundry  work; 
Royersford  Hosiery  Company,  stockings ;  Royersford  Needle  Works, 
sewing  machine  needles ;  Royersford  Spring  Bed  Factory ;  Snow  White 
Bleachery  Company ;  Rogers  &  Company,  fire  brick.  The  products  from 
these  many  mills  find  their  way  to  almost  every  portion  of  the  globe  and 
give  employment  to  hundreds  of  working  men.  Of  the  banking  interests, 
see  chapter  on  Banks  and  Banking. 

The  Buckwalter  Stove  Company  was  founded  in  1866,  when  Joseph 
A.  Buckwalter  and  his  brother,  Henry  L.  Buckwalter,  removed  to  Roy- 
ersford, and  with  C.  S.  Francis,  Henry  Francis  and  John  Sheeler  organ- 
ized the  firm  of  Francis,  Buckwalter  &  Company.  This  concern  went 
into  operation  January  i,  1866,  with  a  small  capital  and  about  fifty  men. 
They  manufactured  stoves,  agricultural  implements  and  the  Buckwalter 
cherry  seeder.  The  Buckwalter  brothers  were  the  inventors,  and  what  is 
rather  unusual,  they  excelled  in  business  qualifications  as  well.  Orders 
for  their  goods  multiplied  rapidly,  and  the  small  factory  was  soon 
operated  to  its  limit. 

In  1870  C.  S.  Francis  withdrew  from  the  business,  but  no  change  was 
made  in  the  firm  name.  The  following  year  the  firm  found  the  capacity 
of  their  works  too  limited  for  their  growing  trade,  and  erected  buildings 
and  nearly  doubled  the  capacity  of  the  plant.  About  two  years  later, 
Mr.  Henry  Francis  retired  from  the  firm.  The  interests  of  C.  S.  Francis 
and  Henry  Francis  were  both  purchased  by  the  remaining  partners,  and 
the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Sheeler,  Buckwalter  &  Company.  The 
demand  for  their  products  continued  to  grow,  and  in  1875  a  plan  was  laid 
out  for  the  erection  of  additional  buildings,  and  the  following  year  con- 
struction was  started.  These  plans  have  been  substantially  followed  in 
the  building  up  of  the  present  large  enterprise. 

Shortly  thereafter  Mr.  Sheeler  died,  and  the  Messrs.  Buckwalter  pur- 
chased the  Sheeler  interests  and  continued  the  business  under  the  firm 
name  of  Buckwalter  &  Co.,  and  this  name  continued  until  1887.  In  1882, 
Henry  L.  Buckwalter  died,  leaving  only  Joseph  A.  Buckwalter  of  the 
original  group  of  five  men  who  started  the  enterprise,  but  Mr.  Buck- 


BOROUGHS  381 

waiter  shouldered  the  additional  responsibility  and  continued  the  busi- 
ness under  the  old  style  until  1887,  when  the  present  corporation  was 
formed  under  the  name  of  the  Buckwalter  Stove  Company. 

In  1888  the  plant  was  increased  by  the  addition  of  a  six-story  brick 
warehouse,  increasing  the  capacity  of  the  plant  to  about  twenty-five 
thousand  stoves  and  ranges  per  year.  From  its  very  start,  this  company 
has  built  a  reputation  for  honest  goods,  has  employed  the  best  workmen 
and  the  best  material  obtainable,  and  has  maintained  an  enviable  reputa- 
tion for  square  dealing  with  its  customers,  and  has  contributed  much  to 
the  development  of  the  industry.  Notable  among  its  achievements  was 
the  introduction  of  the  plain  finished  stoves  and  ranges,  and  the  enam- 
eled stoves  and  ranges.  Enameling  was  started  in  1908,  and  was  looked 
upon  at  that  time  as  an  additional  means  for  selling  stoves.  It  was  not 
believed  possible  to  develop  a  large  enameling  business,  but  to-day  this 
company  finds  that  the  enameled  range  constitutes  a  large  portion  of  its 
trade,  and  nearly  every  stove  manufacturer  in  the  country  has  followed 
the  lead  of  the  Buckwalter  Stove  Company  in  putting  out  enameled 
goods. 

The  buildings  of  this  company  cover  about  fifteen  acres  of  floor  space, 
with  an  output  of  about  fifty  thousand  stoves  and  ranges  a  year.  The 
buildings  are  all  of  solid  construction,  and  are  sprinkled  throughout.  The 
factory  is  served  by  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  railroad  and  the  Penn- 
sylvania railroad,  both  of  which  have  switches  entering  the  plant.  Buck- 
waiter  stoves  and  ranges  are  sold  from  Maine  to  Florida,  and  from  New 
Jersey  to  California. 

The  officers  of  the  company  are  as  follows:  Joseph  A.  Buckwalter, 
president;  A.  L.  Buckwalter,  vice-president  and  superintendent;  Dr. 
Joseph  A.  Buckwalter,  treasurer ;  F.  J.  Stephenson,  secretary. 

Red  Hill — Late  in  the  seventies  a  post  office  was  established  at  this 
point.  This  "hill"  is  located  on  the  old  turnpike  road,  about  one  mile 
below  the  former  village  of  Hillegassville.  At  that  time  there  was  a 
store  kept  there,  the  proprietor  of  which  was  selling  out,  and  there  being 
no  other  place  for  a  post  office  to  be  housed,  it  was  moved  to  the  store 
at  what  is  now  Red  Hill.  This  village  had  its  real  beginning  in  1836, 
when  Jacob  A.  Hillegass  built  a  large  general  store  building  as  well  as 
a  spacious  dwelling  house.  In  1884,  records  of  the  place  show  that  the 
place  then  consisted  of  about  a  dozen  dwellings,  a  schoolhouse  belong- 
ing to  the  Upper  Hanover  district,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  tailor  shop,  a 
cigar  factory,  and  a  few  other  business  interests.  As  the  decades  have 
passed,  this  has  come  to  be  a  good  trading  point ;  has  about  eight  hun- 
dred population;  it  is  a  station  of  considerable  importance  on  the  Read- 
ing line ;  has  its  general  stores,  shops,  hotel,  churches,  and  all  that  goes 
to  make  up  a  small  Montgomery  county  borough.  The  place  was  incor- 
porated in  1902. 


382  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Rockledge — This  borough,  really  suburban  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
was  carved  from  out  the  civil  township  of  Abington,  in  the  extreme 
eastern  portion  of  Montgomery  county.  It  is  in  close  proximity  to  the 
borough  of  Jenkintown,  on  its  west  border.  It  has  no  industrial  inter- 
ests to  mention,  but  is  a  fine  residential  spot  and  there  are  hundreds  of 
good  residences,  also  the  usual  number  of  general  stores  and  shops.  In 
1920  the  census  reports  gave  it  as  having  a  population  of  3,045.  It  is  on  a 
branch  of  the  Reading  railroad,  and  has  really  more  interests  in  Phil- 
adelphia than  it  has,  commercially,  with  Montgomery  county. 

Souderton — Souderton  is  situated  on  the  line  of  the  North  Pennsyl- 
vania railroad,  about  twenty-seven  miles  distant  from  Philadelphia.  It 
also  now  has  easy  access  to  and  from  outside  points,  by  means  of  the 
electric  cars,  usually  running  every  hour.  The  Union  National  Bank 
(see  Bank  chapter)  was  established  here  in  1876,  on  a  $90,000  capital. 
For  an  account  of  schools,  see  Educational  chapter.  The  churches  now 
represented  in  the  borough  are  the  Reformed,  Brethren  in  Christ,  Evan- 
gelical, Mennonites  and  Lutheran.  The  present  borough  officers  include 
these:  H.  A.  Groflf,  burgess;  the  clerk  of  the  borough  is  Mr.  Goettler, 
the  newspaper  man  of  the  place ;  H.  S.  Souder,  vice-president  of  the  com- 
mittee of  ways  and  means.  The  industries  found  here  are  the  four 
clothing  factories,  the  stocking  factory  and  silk  mills,  all  of  which  are 
of  the  smaller  size,  yet  the  total  persons  employed  nearly  the  year  round 
is  considerable  for  a  place  no  larger  than  Souderton.  Then  there  are 
the  three  cigar  factories  and  a  cigar  box  factory. 

West  Telford — The  ground  on  which  stands  the  village  or  borough 
(as  it  is  now)  was  purchased  in  1737,  by  Conrad  Detterer  from  Hum- 
phrey Murray.  It  originally  embraced  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres,  the  major  part  being  on  the  Montgomery  county  side  of  the  line. 
The  County  Line  road  was  opened  up  through  here  in  1752.  It  stands 
within  a  prosperous  agricultural  section,  and  this,  with  a  small  amount 
of  local  retail  business,  called  for  a  bank,  and  its  history  will  be  seen  in 
Banking  chapter  in  this  work.  It  has  a  population  of  about  one  thou- 
sand; the  1920  census  gave  it  927.  It  is  out  of  municipal  debt,  has 
numerous  school  and  church  interests.  The  churches  are  the  Methodist 
Episcopal,  Lutheran  and  Reformed  denominations.  The  present  burgess 
is  C.  A.  Paulus ;  the  clerk  is  postmaster,  H.  C.  Lampoe ;  treasurer,  A.  S. 
Kulp.  Of  the  producing  industries  of  West  Telford  it  may  be  said  there 
are  here  found  a  shirt  factory,  a  clothing  factory,  two  cigar  factories,  all 
of  which  do  a  thriving  business.  Just  across  the  county  line  is  Telford. 
This  place  is  also  a  borough  of  some  importance,  but  not  being  in  Mont- 
gomery county  needs  not  our  attention. 

Trappe — The  history  of  this  vicinity  dates  away  back  to  what  the 
present  residents  are  pleased  to  term  '"ancient  days."    This  is  the  oldest 


OLDEST  LUTHERAN  CHURCH  IN  U.  S.,  TRAPPE— INTERIOR  AND 
EXTERIOR  OF  OLD  SWEDISH  CHURCH,  BRIDGEPORT 


BOROUGHS  383 

village  within  Upper  Providence  township,  and  was  originally  called 
Landau.  Samuel  Seely  bought  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  the  village, 
October  19,  1762.  This  land  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  turnpike  and  is 
nearly  opposite  the  Lutheran  church.  Simetime  about  1763,  Mr.  Seely 
divided  the  land  into  town  lots  and  called  his  new  town  site  Landau,  but 
at  the  other  end  of  the  town  others  were  busy  making  a  name  for  the 
town,  too.  The  first  licensed  hotel  of  Montgomery  county  shows  that 
in  1784  a  license  was  issued  by  the  court  to  George  Brook  for  "the  Trap 
Hotel,  Providence  township,"  and  it  was  renewed  in  that  form  many 
years  thereafter.  Notice  the  spelling,  one  "p."  Time  went  on  and  finally 
it  was  being  advertised  and  spelled  with  two  "p's,"  and  still  later  an 
"e"  was  added,  making  it  read  "Trappe,"  as  it  is  usually  known  to-day 
by  everyone.  The  post  office  was  established  in  1819,  and  its  first  post- 
master was  John  Todd.  Here  was  built  the  first  Lutheran  church  in 
America  that  was  still  standing  in  good  shape  when  Bean  wrote  his 
Montgomery  county  history  in  1884,  and  he  says  of  this  historic  build- 
ing: "The  Augustus  Lutheran  Church,  Trappe,  is  the  most  noted  of  all 
the  churches  in  the  county.  The  old  building  was  erected  in  1743.  Ten 
years  before  this  time,  the  Lutheran  church  was  organized  in  Providence 
township.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  May  2,  1743.  Rev.  Henry  Melchior 
Muhlenberg  arrived  from  Germany,  and  became  the  pastor  and  built  the 
church  in  1743."  It  was  he  who  has  credit  for  founding  the  Lutheran 
church  in  America.  In  days  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  he  complained 
that  Trappe  had  no  hotel,  whereas  before  the  war  it  boasted  of  three  very 
good  inns.  It  is  still  noted  as  a  hotel  point  for  travelers  and  tourists, 
especially  in  summer.  The  Lamb  Hotel  and  the  Fountain  House  are 
both  very  aged  and  are  kept  up  in  good  repair  and  conducted  by  natural- 
born  landlords. 

Trappe  of  to-day  is  an  incorporated  borough,  its  municipal  history 
only  going  back  about  thirty  years.  Its  present  burgess  is  Elmer  Burns : 
its  clerk  is  Frank  Shalkop ;  and  the  treasurer,  Edward  Beckman.  The 
population  is  about  four  hundred  and  twenty-five.  The  borough  has  an 
indebtedness  of  $12,000,  running  thirty  years  at  five  per  cent,  interest. 
The  indebtedness  of  the  local  school  district  is  not  heavy,  and  the  best 
of  schools  obtain  here.  In  1922  the  present  two  room  schoolhouse  was 
completed  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.  The  postmaster,  Frank  Rushong,  has 
held  the  position  for  thirty  years,  under  six  Presidents.  The  churches  of 
the  borough  are  the  Reformed,  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  Lutheran, 
the  last-named  oldest  of  them  all.  A  good  firehouse  was  erected  for  the 
borough  in  1912.  The  Lamb  hotel  has  had  more  than  one  hundred  annual 
licenses  granted  it,  while  the  Fountain  Inn  has  had  one  hundred  and 
seventeen  granted  to  it.  The  present  landlord,  who  is  also  treasurer  of 
the  place,  Edward  Beckman,  has  been  in  charge  of  the  hotel  for  twenty- 
six  years.    The  only  thing  to  remind  one  of  a  lodge  here  is  the  Pomona 


384  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Grange  of  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry.     Street  cars  run  to  and  from 
Norristown  nearly  every  hour  in  the  day. 

West  Conshohocken — This  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1874, 
its  territory  being  taken  from  Upper  Merion  and  Lower  Merion  town- 
ship. It  stands  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Schuylkill  river,  opposite  the 
borough  of  Conshohocken.  The  Pennsylvania  and  Reading  steam  rail- 
ways pass  through  the  place.  Here  history  tells  us  there  were  lively 
times  when  the  British  and  Continental  armies  were  both  in  these  imme- 
diate parts.  Industry  was  first  well  planted  here.  It  was  here  that  the 
first  textile  mills  to  produce  woolen  yarns  and  immense  amounts  of 
woolen  goods  for  the  surrounding  territory  started.  Also  large  amounts 
of  pig  iron  were  produced.  For  many  years  the  industries  dwindled  to 
almost  nothing,  but  in  recent  times  have  materially  revived  again,  and 
now  make  worsted  yarns,  paper  fibre,  and  numerous  chemicals.  In 
1910  the  population  was  2,202,  but  now  many  more.  A  couple  of  years 
ago  the  borough  indebtedness  was  only  $20,000,  and  of  the  school  dis- 
trict $21,000.  Richard  Clinton  is  present  burgess.  There  is  excellent 
fire  protection  in  way  of  an  effective  fire  company  and  modern  appliances. 

The  churches  here  found  are :  Free  Baptist ;  St.  Gertrude  Roman 
Catholic;  Balligomingo  Baptist  Church,  founded  in  1840;  the  Holiness 
Christian  Church ;  and  others.  The  clubs  and  lodges  for  fraternal  and 
benevolent  works  are  numerous  among  the  different  classes  of  people. 
Washington  and  his  army  forded  the  river  at  this  point  in  the  month 
of  December,  1777.  Increased  traffic  called  for  a  bridge  here  and  the 
first  one  was  constructed  in  1833,  the  Matson  Ford  bridge.  This  was 
superseded  in  1872  by  an  iron  structure  which  served  until  recently, 
when  a  modern  concrete  bridge  was  constructed  at  great  expense.  Street 
car  and  steam  railroad  service  makes  travel  to  and  from  the  cities  only  a 
matter  of  a  few  minutes'  ride. 


NORRISTOWN  VIEWS— ELMWOOD  PARK  PICNIC  GROUNDS,  HIGH 
SCHOOL,  DE  KALB  STREET,  AND  BARBADOES  ISLAND 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 
NORRISTOWN  BOROUGH. 

Norristown,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Montgomery  county,  is  situated 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  Schuylkill  river,  sixteen  miles  northwest  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia.  Since  its  extension  in  1853  it  is  about  two  miles 
square,  and  in  1885  surveyed  out  near  2,300  acres,  and  was  then  divided 
into  seven  wards  for  municipal  governmental  affairs.  Its  front  along 
the  river  is  fully  two  miles,  and  extends  back  about  the  same  distance. 
At  its  north  is  Norriton  township ;  on  its  southeast  is  Plymouth  town- 
ship ;  on  the  south  and  southwest  is  the  Schuylkill  river.  It  was  created 
a  borough  by  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  March  31,  1812,  with  an  area 
of  520  acres.  All  its  territory  was  taken  from  Norriton  township,  save 
about  158  acres  from  Plymouth  township  in  1853.  Within  its  limits 
there  are  two  streams  entering  the  Schuylkill,  the  larger  being  Stony 
creek,  seven  miles  long;  two  of  these  are  in  the  borough  proper,  and 
this  rapid  stream  at  one  time  propelled  six  gristmills,  two  sawmills, 
besides  other  manufacturing  plants.  Saw  Mill  run  rises  in  Whitpain 
township,  is  four  miles  in  length,  and  in  its  course  used  to  run  a  grist- 
mill, a  sawmill  and  a  clover  huller.  The  population  of  Norristown  has 
increased  rapidly  at  different  periods  in  its  history.  The  United  States 
census  gives  figures  as  follows :  In  1820  there  were  827  inhabitants ;  in 
1830,  1,009;  ii^  1840,  2,937;  in  1850,  6,024;  in  i860,  8,848;  in  1870,  10,753; 
in  1880  it  had  13,163;  in  1900,  22,265;  in  1920  it  had  32,819.  In  May, 
1883,  Norristown  contained  281  licensed  retailers  and  dealers,  besides 
29  hotels,  13  restaurants,  eight  liquor  stores  and  two  breweries.  Going 
back  to  1840,  the  stores  only  numbered  fourteen  ;  in  1858  they  had  grow^n 
to  108,  and  in  1876  to  193.  In  1790  the  place  only  had  18  houses ;  in  1832 
it  had  151;  in  1850,  1,006;  in  i860  it  had  1,662  dwellings,  occupied  by 
1,673  families.  The  place  was  early  devoted  to  manufacturing.  Early 
in  the  eighties  the  industries  had  come  to  be  listed  as  follows:  Ten  cot- 
ton and  woolen  factories ;  two  furnaces  and  iron  works ;  three  foundries, 
two  tack  works,  two  shirt  and  two  hosiery  factories ;  three  lumber  and 
planing  mills ;  two  merchant  flour  mills,  oil  and  glass  works,  gleaner  and 
binder,  with  lesser  industries. 

Civil  Government — By  an  act  of  the  Assembly  dated  February  8, 
1847,  the  borough  was  divided  into  what  was  termed  Upper  and  Low-er 
Wards.  Again  in  1852  it  was  divided  into  Upper,  Middle  and  Lower 
Wards.  May  12,  1871,  it  was  further  divided  into  First,  Second,  Third, 
Fourth  and  Fifth  Wards.  In  December,  1881,  the  Sixth  Ward  was 
created  by  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions.  The  next  change  in  wards  was 
when  on  May  20,  1884,  First  Ward  was  divided,  and  from  it  the  Seventh 

Mont — 25 


386  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Ward  was  made,  and  comprised  all  the  territory  within  the  borough 
limits  westward  from  Chain  street,  as  it  extends  from  the  Schuylkill 
north  to  Elm  street.    The  present  number  of  wards  is  eleven. 

Before  going  into  a  detailed  account  of  the  municipality  of  Norris- 
town,  with  a  list  of  its  more  important  officials,  it  is  well  to  know  the 
vital  facts  connected  with  the  history  of  the  place  before  it  was  an  incor- 
porated borough.  The  village  of  Norristown,  or  rather  the  spot  selected 
as  the  county  seat,  in  1784,  when  Montgomery  county  was  separated 
from  Philadelphia  county,  consisted  of  the  new  county  buildings,  a  mill 
at  the  foot  of  Swede  street,  schoolhouse,  two  stores,  three  taverns,  a 
dozen  or  not  to  exceed  twenty  dwellings,  with  less  than  one  hundred 
inhabitants.  The  public  buildings  were  erected  on  the  natural  grade  of 
the  earth,  Swede  street,  descending  to  Egypt  (now  Main  street),  which 
was  so  steep  as  to  be  difficult  to  use ;  accordingly,  years  afterwards,  it 
was  excavated  some  depth,  leaving  the  "court-house  yard,"  as  it  used  to 
be  called,  several  feet  above  the  street,  and  a  retaining  wall  erected 
against  the  bank,  which  remained  until  about  1855,  when  the  square  was 
graded,  terraced,  and  inclosed  by  the  borough  of  Norristown.  At  the 
time  the  wall  improvement  was  made  (supposed  about  1804)  a  small 
one-storied  stone  building  was  erected  at  the  southwestern  corner  of 
the  square,  on  Main  street,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  "Pat  Lyon" 
fire-engine,  in  which  it  remained  stored  until  the  removal  of  the  old 
court-house  and  improvement  of  the  public  square,  before  stated. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  Norristown  did  not  become  a  borough 
until  1812,  which  was  twenty-eight  years  after  the  county  was  organ- 
ized and  Norristown  was  selected  as  the  county  seat.  Prior  to  1810  there 
were  no  means  of  crossing  the  Schuylkill  river  except  by  the  crude  fer- 
ries, but  during  that  year  the  Flat  Rock  bridge  between  Lower  Merion 
and  Manayunk,  and  about  that  date  the  Pawling  bridge  for  the  Ridge 
road,  between  Lower  Providence  and  Chester  county,  were  built.  But 
in  1821  the  Schuylkill  was  spanned  by  another  bridge  at  Pottstown.  As 
early  as  181 5  there  had  been  an  act  passed  for  a  bridge  at  Norristown, 
but  for  want  of  funds  was  not  undertaken  until  1828-29,  when  a  fine 
arched  "foot  and  carriage-way  of  1,050  lineal  feet  was  built  at  a  cost  of 
$31,200.  This  is  the  old  covered  bridge.  Up  to  about  1820  the  river 
front  at  Norristown  was  but  farming  land,  and  previous  to  the  DeKalb 
street  bridge,  just  mentioned,  that  street  was  not  opened  up  much  below 
Lafayette,  and  between  the  line  of  Washington  street  and  the  river  it 
was  only  a  rough  uneven  cart-road  so  steep  as  to  be  almost  impassable 
to  carriages.  It  may  be  said  that  up  to  1816  Norristown  and  Pottstown, 
the  only  boroughs  of  the  county,  had  improved  little  beyond  a  cross-road 
village.  In  that  year  David  Sower's  weekly  newspaper  (the  "Herald"  of 
to-day),  records  the  extent  of  Norristown  thus:  "Near  one  hundred 
houses,  including  public  buildings,  one  clergyman,  five  lawyers,  five 
taverns,  and  a  daily  stage  to  Philadelphia."    But  a  new  era  was  ushered 


.•Jj4|Kki.|iau: 


NOKRISTOW'N    CHURCHES 
TRINITY    REFORMED— ST.    PATRICK'S— ALL  SAINTS 


BOROUGHS  387 

in  for  this  county  and  borough  in  1826,  when  the  canal  was  completed, 
this  great  work  extending  from  Philadelphia  to  Port  Carbon,  in  Schuyl- 
kill county,  one  hundred  and  eight  miles,  and  cost  $2,966,480,  or  about 
$27,000  per  mile.  It  consisted  of  sixty-three  miles  of  canal  proper,  and 
forty-five  of  slack-water  navigation,  made  so  by  thirty-four  dams.  The 
original  one  hundred  and  nine  locks,  eighty  feet  long  and  seventeen  broad, 
were  enlarged  in  1846,  and  so  increased  in  capacity  as  to  pass  boats  of 
one  hundred  and  eighty  tons,  instead  of  sixty  as  before ;  and  the  shipping 
of  coal,  which  began  the  first  year  at  16,776  tons,  increased  steadily  until 
by  1857  it  had  reached  1,275,988  tons,  notwithstanding  a  railroad  compe- 
tition had  been  fully  established.  But  the  most  important  result  of  this 
great  achievement  to  our  county  was  the  creation  of  water-power,  taken 
up  and  utilized  at  Norristown  and  Conshohocken.  Previous  to  this  time 
there  had  been  no  manufactory  of  cotton  or  other  textile  fabrics  in  our 
county  on  the  line  of  the  Schuylkill,  driven  by  its  water-power.  In  1826 
McCredy's  cotton  factory  and  a  white  lead  and  stone  sawing  mill  were 
erected  and  soon  went  into  operation,  and  not  long  after  a  rolling  and 
nail  mill,  all  driven  by  water-power  drawn  from  the  Navigation  dam  at 
Norristown.  At  Conshohocken,  also,  another  stone  mill,  a  gristmill, 
sheet  iron  works  and  spade  factory  of  James  Wood  &  Sons  were  put  into 
operation  by  the  surplus  water  of  Plymouth  dam.  Within  the  limits  of 
Montgomery  county,  and  between  it,  Philadelphia,  and  Chester,  the 
Navigation  erected  six  dams,  the  lowest  of  them  at  Manayunk,  hardly 
inferior  as  a  source  of  power  to  that  on  the  Merrimac  at  Lowell,  Massa- 
chusetts. The  next  important  era  in  Norristown  was  the  coming  of  the 
Pennsylvania  railroad  in  1834,  and  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  in  1838, 
with  other  lines  now  controlled  by  those  two  great  systems  of  steam 
railway. 

From  1847  on  to  the  period  ending  in  the  seventies  and  eighties, 
there  were  many  excellent  borough  improvements  in  way  of  public 
buildings,  etc.    These  were  described  in  1883  as  follows: 

Norristown  Insurance  and  Water  Company's  works,  erected  1847, 
and  greatly  enlarged,  with  new  basin,  1879 ;  "Montgomery  Cemetery, 
1848;  Norristown  Gas  Company's  works,  constructed  1853;  market- 
house,  covering  the  square  from  Airy  to  Marshall,  built  about  1855; 
Norris  City  Cemetery,  founded  1858;  Montgomery  National  Banking- 
House,  erected  1854,  and  First  National  building,  1869;  Farmers'  Mar- 
ket (formerly  Reiff's),  established  about  1868;  Norristown  Library 
building,  erected  1859;  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  erected  1850;  Soldiers'  Mon- 
ument, nineteen  feet  high,  erected  in  the  public  square,  1870;  Music 
Hall,  with  accommodations  for  Masonic  lodge  and  post  office ;  West- 
ern Market  House  and  Hall,  at  Kohn  and  Marshall  streets.  Conspicu- 
ous among  Norristown's  latest  public  improvements  is  the  great  State 
Hospital  for  the  Insane.  The  fire  department  of  the  borough  consists 
of  the  Norris,  Humane,  and  Montgomery  Hose  and  Steam  Fire  Engines, 
and  the  Fairmount  Hose  or  Hook-and-Ladder  Company.  All  of  these 
associations  have   erected   large  three-story   brick   engine  houses   with 


388  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

capacious  halls ;  the  first  especially  is  one  of  the  stateliest  edifices  in  the 
town,  and  it  is  not  an  over-estimate  to  value  the  apparatus  and  real 
estate  of  all  the  firemen  of  Norristown  at  near  a  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

The  DeKalb  street  bridge,  already  mentioned  briefly,  is  of  enough 
commercial  importance  to  have  an  additional  explanation  as  to  its  origin, 
and  present  owership,  and  also  its  condition  in  this  year,  1923.  It  was 
commenced  in  the  early  spring  of  1829,  and  by  September  was  so  far 
finished  as  to  admit  foot-passengers.  It  was  built  by  an  incorporated 
company  in  1830,  at  a  cost  of  $21,200,  and  commenced  taking  toll  Janu- 
ary 9th  of  that  year.  It  is  eight  hundred  feet  in  length,  exclusive  of  its 
abutments.  The  company's  first  president  was  Mathias  Roberts  ;  Joseph 
Thomas,  treasurer ;  Thomas  M.  Jolly,  secretary ;  and  William  LeBarrow, 
builder  and  contractor.  Soon  after  the  Civil  War  it  had  to  be  rebuilt. 
It  was  then  the  county  held  stock  in  the  enterprise  to  the  amount  of 
$23,000.  The  people  clamored  for  a  free  bridge,  and  while  it  was  first 
strongly  agitated  in  1870,  nothing  definite  was  accomplished  until  in 
1872  it  was  talked  that  unless  a  free  bridge  was  made  of  it,  the  county 
would  construct  another  in  the  vicinity.  The  Legislature  passed  an  act 
in  1872  prohibiting  the  building  of  a  bridge  across  Pennsylvania  rivers 
within  three  thousand  feet  of  any  toll  bridge  then  in  operation.  The 
fight  was  then  on  between  a  corporation  and  the  public.  A  Free  Bridge 
Association  was  organized,  and  after  a  long  hardfought  battle  the  bridge 
was  declared  free  October  13,  1884,  the  county  taking  it  in  charge. 
DeKalb  street,  remember,  is  on  the  old  State  road,  and  was  forty  feet 
wide  from  Delaware  county  to  the  Maryland  State  line.  This  quite  well 
preserved  wooden  arch-covered  wagon,  street  car  and  foot  bridge  struc- 
ture, has  carried  its  tens  of  thousands  of  persons  to  and  from  Bridgeport 
during  its  existence.  Its  age  and  much  needed  repairs  called  for  action 
this  year,  when  the  county  commissioners  finally  agreed  to  repair  the 
structure  at  an  expense  of  $35,000,  rather  than  build  a  new  structure 
throughout.    The  work  is  now  progressing. 

The  various  churches  and  schools  of  Norristown,  and  they  are 
numerous  and  most  excellent  in  their  standards,  have  all  been  treated  in 
separate  chapters  of  this  work ;  also  the  prodigious  manufacturing  plants 
of  this  and  other  nearby  boroughs,  form  a  chapter  under  the  head  of 
Industries  of  the  County,  hence  need  no  further  mention  in  this 
connection. 

Libraries,  Historical  Society — Besides  school  libraries,  Norristown 
has  two  libraries.  The  Norristown  Library  was  founded  in  1794,  incor- 
porated April  30,  1796,  and  its  charter  was  signed  by  Governor  Thomas 
Mifflin.  It  has  had  various  locations,  but  is  now  situated  in  a  permanent 
home  in  a  two-story  brick  building  on  DeKalb  street,  near  Airy,  to 
which  it  moved  in  1859.    Its  first  catalogue  was  printed  in  1836  contain- 


AIRY  AND  DE  KALB  STREETS,  NORRISTOWN 
(CITY   HALL  AND  Y.   M.  C.  A.) 


WEST  .\L\1X  STK1-:ET.  NORRISTOWN 
(SHOWING  MASONIC  TEMPLE) 


BOROUGHS  389 

ing  forty  pages.  It  is  still  a  subscription  library  and  the  price  of  shares  is 
$5.00  each.  Life  membership  costs  $20.00.  Present  number  of  books 
in  excess  of  27,000. 

The  other  library  is  situated  on  Oak  street,  opposite  the  High  School, 
and  is  the  gift  of  a  retired  business  man  named  William  McCann,  who  in 
about  1879,  while  walking  through  the  then  new  school  building 
remarked  that  it  ought  to  have  a  room  fitted  up  for  a  library.  Two  years 
later,  following  out  the  idea,  his  will  made  a  bequeathment  of  $14,000 — 
$2,000  to  fit  up  a  building,  and  the  remainder  to  be  invested  and  only 
the  income  used  in  support  of  the  library.  This  income  now  amounts 
to  about  $300  each  year.  He  gave  it  to  the  Norristown  School  Board 
with  provision  that  in  case  they  ceased  to  care  for  the  same,  it  should 
be  turned  over  to  the  borough  council.  Another  clause  in  the  provision 
was  that  "it  is  to  be  a  free  public  library  to  all  citizens  over  the  age  of 
ten  years."  The  money  was  received  from  the  McCann  estate  in  1884; 
the  first  books  were  bought  and  the  library  opened  to  the  public  March 
I,  1885.  It  was  reorganized  in  1899,  and  Miss  Mumford  was  appointed 
to  catalogue  the  books.  The  library  outgrew  its  room  in  the  school 
building  in  1910  and  new  quarters  had  to  be  secured,  and  it  was  then 
moved  to  its  present  quarters  in  the  second  story  of  a  brick  building  on 
Oak,  near  DeKalb  street.  The  last  report  rendered  by  the  librarian, 
Helen  A.  Bomberger,  in  1922,  shows  the  library  to  contain  8,002  volumes 
of  bound  books,  besides  numerous  collections  of  periodicals.  The  libra- 
rians include  the  following:  The  Misses  Erskine,  Harriet  A.  Mumford, 
and  Miss  Zimmerman,  who  was  the  first.  The  present  librarian  has  been 
in  charge  since  1910.  If  the  borough  is  lacking  in  anything  of  public 
utility  it  certainly  is  in  the  matter  of  a  larger,  better  public  library,  cen- 
trally located. 

The  Montgomery  County  Historical  Society  was  founded  February 
22,  1881,  under  a  call  from  fourteen  prominent  citizens  of  Norristown 
and  outside  boroughs.  It  was  not  incorporated  until  1883.  The  first 
officers  were:  Theo.  W.  Bean,  president;  Reuben  Kreible,  Prof.  R.  T. 
Hofifecker  and  Dr.  Hiram  Corson;  recording  secretary,  J.  S.  Shrawder, 
M.  D. ;  Isaac  Chism,  treasurer;  librarian,  Nathaniel  Jacoby.  Its  first 
great  undertaking  was  the  holding  of  the  county's  centennial  celebration, 
in  1884. 

As  set  forth  in  their  own  language  "The  object  of  a  County  Historical 
Society  is  to  perpetuate  a  record  of  important  events  occurring  within 
the  confines  of  the  county,  or  in  any  way  affecting  its  welfare,  and  also 
to  preserve  the  memory  of  eminent  persons  who  have  lived  within  its 
borders,  or  who  have  advanced  its  general  interests."  Much  of  the  suc- 
cess of  the  early  undertakings  of  this  society  was  due  to  the  unstinted 
labors  of  Colonel  Theo.  W.  Bean,  who  was  largely  influential  in  its 
organization.  He  labored  for  it  and  worked  hard"  to  keep  it  up.  At  his 
death  the  society  lost  one  of  its  most  active  members.     He  was  its  first 


390  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

president,  and  served  in  such  capacity  until  1889,  when  he  declined 
reelection  any  longer.  He  was  succeeded  as  president  by  Hon.  Jones 
Detwiler,  and  the  latter  by  Hon.  Hiram  C.  Hoover.  Year  after  year  the 
society  has  been  collecting  historic  volumes,  until  a  recent  invoice  shows 
they  have  upwards  of  three  thousand  volumes  in  binding,  besides  other 
publications  of  great  historic  value.  They  also  are  making  a  collection 
of  curiosities  and  relics  of  interest  to  all  Eastern  Pennsylvanians.  They 
purchased  the  old  red  brick  borough  building  (City  Hall),  near  the 
court  house,  on  January  6,  1897,  for  $5,500.  The  present  officers  of  the 
Historical  Society  are :  President,  Irvin  P.  Knipe,  Esq. ;  first  vice-presi- 
dent, H.  Severn  Regar;  second  vice-president,  Edward  W.  Hocker;  third 
vice-president,  Samuel  Yeakle,  Esq. ;  treasurer,  Dr.  W.  H.  Reed ;  record- 
ing secretary,  George  K.  Brecht;  corresponding  secretary.  Miss  Lillian 
Childs;  financial  secretary,  Mrs.  William  M.  Gearhart;  curator,  William 
M.  Gearhart. 

Washington  and  the  British  Both  Here — To  digress  from  modern  his- 
tory a  little,  the  writer  desires  to  here  relate  the  appearance  of  the  British 
soldiers,  in  this  place,  as  well  as  of  General  Washington  and  his  soldiers 
having  crossed  the  Schuylkill  river  at  this  point.  Our  authority  is  that 
nearly  always  correct  local  writer,  William  J.  Buck,  who  treats  this  as 
follows : 

Only  two  days  after  the  defeat  of  Washington  at  Brandywine  he  dis- 
patched General  Armstrong,  with  a  portion  of  the  militia,  along  the 
Schuylkill  to  throw  up  redoubts  at  the  different  fords  which  were  to  be 
occasionally  occupied,  that  in  case  the  British  should  attempt  to  cross 
they  might  be  opposed.  At  that  time  the  principal  crossing-place  was  at 
Swedes'  Ford,  and  on  this  account  it  was  expected  that  they  might  pass 
there,  and  for  this  reason,  under  the  direction  of  Chevalier  Du  Portail, 
an  engineer,  formerly  in  the  French  army,  Armstrong's  men  threw  up 
entrenchments  and  breastworks  opposite  that  place,  and  now  in  the  bor- 
ough, and  it  is  said  that  they  were  scarcely  completed  before  the  British 
made  their  appearance  on  the  other  side,  but  in  consequence  changed 
their  line  of  march  towards  Valley  Forge.  Remains  of  these  works  were 
still  visible  forty  years  ago.  While  Washington  was  near  Pottsgrove 
the  enemy  crossed  the  Schuylkill  at  Fatland  Ford,  five  and  a  half  miles 
above  Norristown,  on  the  night  of  September  22,  1777,  and  proceeded 
leisurely  on  their  march  to  the  city.  On  the  23rd  a  portion  of  their  army 
was  overnight  in  or  near  the  present  borough,  on  which  occasion  they 
set  fire  and  burned  down  nearly  all  the  buildings  in  the  place.  So  great 
was  the  damage  done  that  on  a  valuation  being  made,  the  State  allowed 
to  Colonel  Bull  for  his  loss  £2080,  to  the  University  £1000,  to  Hannah 
Thompson  £807  and  William  Dewees  £329 — the  whole  equivalent  to 
$11,240  of  our  present  currency. 

Other  sections  of  this  work  have  mentioned  many  pioneer  hotels  or 
inns,  hence  no  detail  need  be  had  here  as  to  the  many  Norristown  tav- 
erns, further  than  to  say  that  in  1837  the  place  had  nine  public  houses. 
The  "Washington"  was  kept  by  Abraham  Markley,  the  "Rising  Sun" 


BOROUGHS  391 

Dy  Samuel  Sharpless,  the  "Eagle"  by  Henry  Kerr,  the  Norristown  Hotel 
by  Jacob  Spang,  and  the  "Pennsylvania  Farmer"  by  Daniel  Emery.  In 
1880  all  had  disappeared  except  the  Eagle,  which  was  rebuilt  and  greatly 
enlarged  and  afterward  called  the  "Rambo  House,"  and  it  is  still  con- 
ducted. To-day  there  are  the  Hamilton,  the  Montgomery,  the  Penn, 
the  Hartranft,  the  Lincoln,  and  a  few  others,  but  the  traveling  public 
claim  there  is  still  room  for  others  of  the  right  type. 

In  the  public  square  adjoining  the  court  house  has  been  erected  a 
monument  of  white  and  blue  marble — a  base  bearing  the  inscription  of 
the  547  soldiers  who  lost  their  lives  in  the  struggle  known  as  the  Rebel- 
lion, between  1861-65,  and  surmounting  this  square  base  is  a  handsome 
shaft  with  an  American  eagle  with  extended  wings  on  its  topmost  peak. 
Nearly  eight  thousand  men  went  from  this  county  as  members  of  the 
Union  army.  As  has  been  said,  "Patriotism  has  ever  been  a  part  of  our 
business  in  Montgomery  County." 

Barbadoes  island  is  in  the  Schuylkill  river,  opposite  Norristown  bor- 
ough, and  was  mentioned  in  a  warrant  from  William  Penn  to  Ralph 
Fretwell,  a  merchant  from  Barbadoes,  as  early  as  August  16,  1684,  as 
"the  long  island  called  Barbadoes."  They  were  both  at  this  time  in  this 
country,  the  latter  having  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  according  to  his  cer- 
tificate to  the  Friends'  meeting  there,  in  the  beginning  of  that  year.  The 
island  appears  on  the  map  of  Thomas  Holmes  in  original  surveys  exe- 
cuted 1695.  It  became  attached  to  the  Manor  of  Williamstadt,  granted 
to  William  Penn,  Jr.,  October  2,  1704,  and  a  few  days  later  sold  to  Isaac 
Norris  and  William  Trent.  The  former,  in  1720,  purchased  the  right  of 
his  partner,  and  thus  it  was  retained  in  the  Norris  family.  Documentary 
evidence  of  the  foregoing  is  as  follows: 

In  pursuance  of  a  Warrant  from  the  Proprietaries,  to  me  directed, 
December  17,  1733,  I  certify  I  have  surveyed  unto  Isaac  Norris,  of  Fair 
Hill,  Esq.,  all  that  Great  Island  lying  in  the  River  Schuylkill,  opposite 
the  Manor  of  Williamstadt,  situate  in  the  County  of  Philadelphia,  the 
said  Island  being  in  length  about  400  perches,  and  in  breadth  in  the 
broadest  place  about  60  perches,  containing  88  acres.  Returned  into  the 
Secretary's  office,  8th  of  12th  month,  1733-34. 

Benjamin  Eastburn,  Sur.-General. 

Charles  Norris,  during  his  lifetime,  which  was  previous  to  1770, 
erected  a  dam  from  the  northern  shore  across  to  Barbadoes  Island  to 
propel  his  gristmill,  which  in  reality  led  to  the  great  water-power 
obtained  from  the  Schuylkill  in  later  times.  At  that  time  this  island  was 
heavily  timbered,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1804  an  advertisement  appeared 
calling  for  men  to  cut  thereon  one  hundred  and  fifty  cords  of  wood,  and 
a  year  later  it  was  advertised  for  sale,  and  described  as  containing  fort\^ 
acres  of  standing  timber.  Early  military  and  other  parades  were  held 
on  this  island  "of¥  the  coast  of  Norristown."  It  later  became  quite  a  sum- 
mer resort  and  had  a  floating  bath  house  and  other  unique  attractions.    In 


392  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

the  spring  of  1805  hand  bills  were  out  calling  attention  to  the  "Barbadoes 
Island  Races"  of  May  8th,  when  $400  were  given  as  prizes.  To-day  the 
island  is  the  seat  of  factory  and  electric  power  enterprises,  with  no  sem- 
blance of  trees  or  handsome  parking,  as  once  was  the  design  of  its  pro- 
prietors. There  was  a  fine,  strong  spring  of  pure  water  flowing  on  the 
island  for  generations.  The  land  was  finally  all  reduced  to  agricultural 
purposes,  the  soil  being  of  the  most  fertile  quality. 

The  first  post  office  in  Norristown  was  in  1799,  with  John  Davis  as 
postmaster.  From  that  date  to  1884  the  postmasters  have  included 
Messrs.  James  Wells,  Isaiah  W.  Davis,  Philip  Hahn,  John  Sutlee,  Henry 
G.  Hart,  Dr.  E.  L.  Acker,  Robert  Iredell,  1861-66;  Henry  Quilman,  Sam- 
uel Brown  and  Robert  Iredell.  From  that  time  to  the  present  the  post- 
masters have  been :  George  Schall,  Albrecht  K.  Kneule,  John  W.  Schall, 
Henry  M.  Brownback,  Albert  K.  Kneule,  and  present  incumbent  H.  Stan- 
ley Drake.  The  beautiful  and  substantial  government  post  office  struc- 
ture is  situated  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Barbadoes  streets,  was  finished 
in  1905,  and  cost  the  United  States  $100,000.  There  are  now  twenty 
clerks  and  twenty  carriers  to  do  the  work  in  the  Norristown  post  office. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX. 

Ursinus  College. 

The  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  on  the  5th  day  of  February, 
1869,  granted  a  liberal  charter  for  the  founding  of  "an  institution  of 
learning,  for  the  purpose  of  imparting  instruction  in  Science,  Literature, 
the  Liberal  Arts  and  the  Learned  Professions,"  to  a  board  of  directors 
previously  chosen.  The  corporation  of  the  new?  college  was  organized  at 
a  meeting  of  the  directors  held  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  February  10, 
1869.  The  original  board  of  directors  consisted  of  the  following-named 
persons:  James  Koons,  Sr.,  J.  Knipe,  W.  D.  Gross,  H.  W.  Kratz,  A. 
Kline,  H.  K.  Harnish,  Abraham  Hunsicker,  Sr.,  J.  W.  Sunderland,  John 
Wiest,  A.  W.  Myers,  H.  H.  W.  Hibshman,  A.  Van  Haagen,  J.  H.  A. 
Bomberger,  J.  G.  Wiehle,  J.  Dahlman,  Jr.,  Emanuel  Longacre,  George 
Schall,  W.  L.  Graver,  William  Sorber,  Nathan  Pennypacker,  N.  Gehr, 

The  causes  which  led  to  the  founding  of  the  new  college  lay  in  the 
conditions  which  prevailed  at  that  time  in  the  Reformed  Church  in  the 
United  States,  to  which  body  a  majority  of  the  directors  of  the  college 
belonged.  The  decades  immediately  preceding  had  been  a  period  of 
theological  discussion  and  debate.  The  Reformed  Church  was  divided 
into  two  parties  or  wings,  a  high  church  party  and  a  low  church  party. 
The  institutions  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  church  were  in  the  hands  of 
the  high  church  party,  which  at  that  time  showed  decided  Romanizing 
tendencies.  As  a  protest  against  these  tendencies,  and  for  the  purpose  of 
providing  an  institution  for  the  training  of  ministers  and  "an  institution 
where  the  youth  of  the  land  could  be  liberally  educated  under  the  benign 
influence  of  Christianity,"  the  conservative  or  low  church  party  founded 
Ursinus  College.  The  founders  chose  as  a  name  for  the  new  institution 
that  of  Ursinus,  one  of  the  authors  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  and  a 
professor  in  the  University  of  Heidelberg  in  Germany. 

In  seeking  a  location  for  the  new  institution,  the  board  of  directors 
chose  CoUegeville  (then  known  as  Freeland),  Montgomery  county.  At 
this  place  a  boys'  school,  Freeland  Seminary,  had  been  conducted  suc- 
cessfully for  more  than  twenty  years,  having  been  founded  in  1848.  In 
this  school  more  than  three  thousand  young  men  had  received  preparation 
for  college  and  training  for  their  life  work.  This  school  property,  well 
and  favorably  located,  was  purchased ;  Freeland  Seminary  was  incorpor- 
ated into  the  new  institution  as  its  academic  or  preparatory  department, 
and  on  September  6,  1870,  Ursinus  College  was  formally  opened  and 
instruction  was  begun.  The  college  began  its  career  without  any 
endowment.  Men  of  ample  means,  who  had  planned  to  provide  for  its 
maintenance,  were  interested  in  the  new  institution,  but  the  financial 

NOTE — This  Important  narrative  reached  the  editor  too  late  for  its  appearance 
elsewhere  in  our  work. 


396  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

panic  of  1S73  swept  away  the  funds  intended  to  be  devoted  to  this  cause 
and  the  college  was  destined  to  undergo  the  severest  financial  struggles. 
During  the  first  two  decades  it  was  maintained  and  supported  chiefly  by 
contributions  from  individuals  and  congregations.  The  founder  and  first 
president,  the  Rev.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger,  D.  D.,  and  those  associated  with 
him  in  the  management  of  the  institution,  were  frequently  confronted 
with  great  difficulties  in  securing  sufficient  funds  to  keep  the  college 
open. 

The  original  faculty  of  Ursinus  College  consisted  of  President  Bom- 
berger, the  Rev  Henry  W.  Super,  A.  M.,  J.  Shelly  Weinberger,  A.  M., 
Dr.  J.  Warrenne  Sunderland,  the  Rev.  John  Van  Haagen,  A.  M.,  and 
Dr.  J.  Warren  Royer.  These  were  all  men  of  thorough  education  and 
large  experience,  and  the  new  college  had  therefore  the  advantage  of 
starting  its  work  with  a  strong  faculty.  Dr.  Bomberger  was  a  graduate 
of  Marshall  College ;  he  had  been  a  successful  minister  for  upwards  of 
thirty  years;  he  had  occupied  prominent  pulpits  in  the  church,  and  had 
served  on  its  most  important  boards.  He  had  knowledge  of  the  man- 
agement of  educational  institutions.  In  addition  to  the  executive  duties, 
he  took  charge  of  the  intellectual  and  moral  sciences,  evidences  of 
Christianity  and  Biblical  studies.  The  Rev.  Henry  W.  Super  was  also  a 
graduate  of  Marshall  College  who  had  served  both  in  the  pastorate  and 
the  professor's  chair.  He  became  professor  of  the  higher  mathematics, 
mechanics,  the  harmony  of  science  and  revealed  religion.  Prof.  Wein- 
berger was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  who  for  ten  years  had  been 
teacher  of  the  ancient  languages  in  Freeland  Seminary.  He  became  pro- 
fessor of  Latin  and  Greek  in  the  college.  Dr.  Sunderland,  a  graduate  of 
Wesleyan  University,  was  a  trained  educator  who  had  had  experience  as 
a  teacher  in  several  institutions,  east  and  west ;  he  became  professor  of 
the  natural  sciences.  The  Rev.  John  Van  Haagen,  a  thorough  scholar 
of  American  and  European  training,  became  professor  of  the  German 
language  and  literature,  history,  etc.  Dr.  J.  Warren  Royer,  a  graduate 
of  Princeton  College  and  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  Medical 
School,  ofifered  lectures  in  physiology  and  anatomy.  Besides  these  heads 
of  departments,  several  instructors  were  employed. 

During  the  first  twenty  years  of  history,  covering  the  period  of  the 
presidency  of  Dr.  Bomberger,  the  college  carried  forward  its  work 
amidst  many  discouragements.  At  its  founding  the  patronage  was  good, 
but  owing  to  financial  and  other  difficulties  it  soon  began  to  fall  oflf. 
Because  there  was  no  adequate  endowment,  the  financial  problem  was 
ever  present,  and  the  first  generation  of  men,  who  devoted  themselves 
to  the  cause  of  higher  education  in  Ursinus  College,  had  to  make  many 
sacrifices.  President  Bomberger  died  on  August  19,  1890.  During  the 
years  immediately  preceding  his  death  he  had  a  fixed  conviction  that 
in  order  to  save  the  struggling  college,  some  forward  step  must  be  taken 


APPENDIX  397 

to  bring  it  prominently  before  the  public.  The  tender  of  a  contribution 
of  $25,000  by  Robert  Patterson,  of  Philadelphia,  a  member  of  the  board 
of  directors,  for  the  erection  of  an  administration  building,  opened  the 
way  for  this  advance  step.  At  the  commencement  in  June,  President 
Bomberger  had  the  pleasure  of  announcing  this  gift.  This  splendid  gift 
gave  the  now  aged  president  new  hope.  The  day  was  saved,  and  the 
college  for  which  he  had  labored  so  earnestly  would  have  a  brighter 
future.  But,  like  Moses  of  old,  he  was  not  permitted  to  enter  the  prom- 
ised land  ;  he  could  only  view  it  from  the  distance,  for  before  the  building 
could  be  erected,  Dr.  Bomberger  had  passed  away. 

After  the  death  of  President  Bomberger,  Dr.  Henry  W.  Super,  then 
vice-president  of  the  college,  was  made  acting  president  by  the  board  of 
directors.  He  served  in  this  capacity  during  the  year  1890-91.  During 
the  following  year  (1891-92),  Dr.  George  W.  Williard,  for  many  years 
president  of  Heidelberg  College,  in  Tiffin,  Ohio,  who  had  become  a 
member  of  the  faculty,  served  as  acting  president.  In  the  summer  of 
1892  the  board  elected  Dr.  Super  president  of  the  college.  He  filled  that 
office  for  one  year  until  June,  1893,  at  which  time  on  account  of  increas- 
ing age  he  retired  from  the  college  and  from  active  life. 

With  the  retirement  of  President  Super,  the  first  period  of  the  history 
of  Ursinus  College  may  be  said  to  have  been  brought  to  a  close.  The  edu- 
cational work  of  the  college  during  the  three  years  since  the  death  of 
Dr.  Bomberger  was  carried  on  upon  the  same  lines  as  during  his  presi- 
dency. However,  it  was  during  this  period  that  the  new  administration 
building,  made  possible  by  the  gift  of  Robert  Patterson,  was  erected. 
The  board  of  directors  under  the  leadership  of  its  president,  Henry  W. 
Kratz,  and  under  the  inspiration  and  guidance  of  Dr.  Henry  T.  Spangler, 
erected  the  splendid  building  which  in  memory  of  Dr.  Bomberger  was 
named  Bomberger  Memorial  Hall.  The  corner-stone  of  the  new  build- 
ing was  laid  on  commencement  day,  1891,  and  the  building  was  dedicated 
on  commencement  day  of  the  following  year. 

Upon  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Super  from  the  presidency,  the  board  of 
directors  elected  the  Rev.  Henry  T.  Spangler  to  that  ofifice.  Dr.  Spangler 
was  an  alumnus  of  the  college,  having  been  graduated  in  its  first  class  in 
1873.  He  had  served  for  some  years  in  the  pastorate,  and  as  financial 
agent  of  the  college  had  collected  large  sums  of  money  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  its  work  and  for  the  erection  of  Bomberger  Hall.  He  had  also 
become  a  member  of  the  faculty,  and  was  therefore  familiar  with  all  the 
problems,  both  financial  and  educational,  that  confronted  the  institution. 
The  new  president  saw  that  if  the  college  was  to  take  a  place  among  the 
colleges  of  the  State  and  the  Nation,  it  would  have  to  move  forward. 
The  new  administration  building  just  completed  furnished  the  equipment 
on  the  physical  side  for  a  forward  step.  He  proceeded  at  once  to  move 
forward  on  the  educational  side.     After  carefully  studying  the  systems 


398  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

of  educational  organization  in  the  best  colleges  in  the  country,  he 
decided  upon  what  came  to  be  known  as  the  "group  system,"  "By  this 
system  the  courses  of  instruction  are  offered  in  carefully  arranged  groups, 
each  comprising  (i)  dominant  subjects  which  adapt  the  group  to  the 
intellectual  tastes  and  the  future  pursuits  of  the  student ;  (2)  other  pre- 
scribed subjects  essential  to  a  liberal  education  and  required  of  all  stu- 
dents; and  (3)  elective  subjects  from  which  may  be  selected  studies 
meetmg  the  particular  objectives  of  each  individual."  This  system  was 
then  new,  but  has  since  that  time,  with  various  modifications,  been 
adopted  by  many  of  the  best  colleges  in  the  country. 

The  men  who  had  filled  the  chairs  during  the  first  two  decades  were 
gradually  making  place  for  new  men.  They  had  been  college  professors 
of  the  old  type — fine,  gentlemanly,  scholarly  in  the  broad  sense  of  that 
term.  As  their  places  became  vacant,  it  was  the  policy  of  the  new  presi- 
dent to  fill  them  with  university-trained  men  who  were  specialists  in  their 
departments.  This  was  the  means  of  giving  the  college  better  standing 
with  the  universities  and  professional  schools,  and  the  Ursinus  gradu- 
ates experienced  no  difficulty  in  entering  the  best  institutions  in  the 
country  for  graduate  and  professional  study.  The  training  under  the 
latter  type  of  teacher  stimulated  a  number  of  the  graduates  of  the  col- 
lege to  pursue  further  study,  and  in  turn  to  occupy  prominent  places  in 
the  educational  world. 

Another  distinct  step  in  advance  was  the  establishing  of  thoroughly 
equipped  laboratories  for  the  study  of  physics,  chemistry  and  biology. 
This  meant  the  transition  from  the  old  method  of  pursuing  these  branches 
largely  from  text  books,  to  the  newer  and  more  practical  method  of  pur- 
suing them  in  the  laboratory  with  apparatus  and  experimental  material 
at  hand.  All  this  was  in  keeping  with  the  rapid  progress  which  these 
sciences  were  then  beginning  to  make.  The  library  also  was  moved  into 
larger  and  better  adapted  quarters,  was  completely  reorganized,  and 
greatly  enlarged  by  the  purchase  of  books,  magazines,  journals  and 
reviews. 

When  President  Spangler  entered  upon  his  office,  the  college  owned 
only  eight  acres  of  ground,  the  plot  purchased  in  1869.  With  a  view 
to  future  expansion,  he  purchased  during  his  administration  adjacent 
tracts  until  the  acreage  was  increased  to  fifty-two.  Including  a  few 
small  plots  which  have  been  purchased  since  then,  the  college  now  owns 
fifty-six  acres. 

Dr.  Spangler  resigned  the  presidency  of  the  college  in  1904  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  David  W.  Ebbert,  D.  D.,  also  an  alumnus  of  the 
college.  Dr.  Ebbert  occupied  the  presidency  for  a  period  of  less  than  two 
years,  leaving  the  office  January  i,  1906.  For  a  brief  period  thereafter  the 
executive  duties  were  administered  by  a  committee  of  the  faculty  con- 
sisting of  Dean  George  L.  Omwake  and  Professors  Whorten  A.  Kline 
and  William  W.  Chandler. 


APPENDIX  399 

In  1907  the  board  of  directors  chose  as  the  fifth  president  of  the  col- 
lege the  Rev.  A.  Edwin  Keigwin,  D.  D.,  of  New  York  City.  Dr.  Keig- 
win  was  a  graduate  of  Princeton  University  and  a  minister  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church.  He  held  the  office  for  a  period  of  five  years  until  1912, 
at  the  same  time  filling  the  pastorate  of  the  West  End  Presbyterian 
Church  in  New  York.  The  duties  of  these  two  offices  proved  too  onerous 
for  President  Keigwin ;  he  therefore  decided  to  resign  the  presidency  of 
the  college  and  to  devote  all  his  time  to  the  duties  of  his  large  parish. 
During  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Keigwin  the  administrative  duties  on  the 
educational  side  were  largely  in  charge  of  Professor  George  L.  Omwake, 
who  had  been  a  member  of  the  faculty  since  1901,  dean  of  the  college 
since  1903,  and  who  was  elected  vice-president  in  1909. 

Dr.  George  L.  Omwake  was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  college 
in  1912,  and  thus  became  the  sixth  in  line  in  that  office.  Dr.  Omwake  by 
education,  training  and  experience  came  to  his  office  with  superior  prep- 
aration. He  had  a  thorough  preparatory,  collegiate  and  university  train- 
ing, holding  degrees  from  Ursinus  College,  where  he  was  graduated  in 
1898,  from  Yale  University  and  from  Franklin  and  Marshall  College.  He 
had  been  a  teacher  in  the  public  school  and  a  lecturer  and  professor  in 
college.  His  experience  as  a  teacher  and  as  dean  and  vice-president  had 
acquainted  him  with  every  form  of  educational  and  administrative  prob- 
lem in  the  conduct  of  the  college. 

One  of  President  Omwake's  deep  convictions  is  that  students  in  order 
to  do  good  honest  intellectual  work,  must  be  well  housed  and  properly 
nourished.  Their  living  conditions  and  environment  must  be  such  as 
will  be  conducive  to  mental  effort.  He  accordingly  set  himself  the  task 
of  remodeling  the  group  of  dormitories  occupied  by  the  men  in  the  col- 
lege, and  of  providing  a  dining-room  and  kitchen  equipment  that  would 
make  it  possible  to  administer  the  boarding  department  so  that  it  should 
become  an  educational  factor.  Having  provided  comfortable  lodgings 
for  the  students,  the  new  president  made  provision  to  have  them  prop- 
erly supervised  and  kept,  so  that  the  life  of  the  Ursinus  student  on  the 
domestic  side  is  lived  under  favorable  conditions.  A  like  careful  atten- 
tion is  given  to  the  houses  where  the  young  women  live,  the  purpose 
being  to  keep  all  the  students  in  a  fit  and  happy  frame  of  mind  so  that 
they  may  give  their  best  efforts  to  their  physical,  intellectual,  moral  and 
spiritual  development. 

The  number  of  students  in  the  college  increased  largely  during  Presi- 
dent Omwake's  administration.  In  1911-12  there  were  200  students  in 
the  college ;  in  1922-23  the  number  had  increased  to  324.  This  neces- 
sitated the  enlargement  of  the  faculty,  the  extension  of  the  equipment 
and  the  use  of  all  available  space.  The  basement  of  Bomberger  Hall, 
which  had  never  been  finished  and  consequently  not  used,  was  put  to 
use.    Ample  quarters  were  there  provided  for  the  increasing  number  of 


400  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

day  students,  and  a  large  chemical  laboratory  was  constructed.  Athletic 
fields  were  extended  and  improved,  and  the  Field  House  and  the  Thomp- 
son Field  Cage  were  erected.  The  Clark  Memorial  Organ,  the  gift  of 
Mrs.  Charles  Heber  Clark  in  memory  of  her  husband,  was  installed  in 
1916.  The  college  farm  was  placed  in  charge  of  a  competent  manager, 
so  that  it  now  provides  vegetables,  provisions  and  dairy  products  for  the 
boarding  department.  Several  new  artesian  wells  were  drilled  and  an 
entirely  new  water  system  was  installed,  thus  providing  an  ample  supply 
of  water  for  all  purposes. 

During  the  World  War  the  college  directed  its  efforts  toward  serving 
the  nation  and  the  cause  espoused  by  our  country.  A  unit  of  the  Student 
Army  Training  Corps  was  established,  and  under  the  commanding  officer, 
Lieutenant  Stanley  S.  Wohl,  attained  to  a  high  degree  of  efficiency.  Two 
hundred  and  seventy-one  alumni,  former  and  present  students,  entered 
the  service  of  their  country  in  the  army  and  navy.  A  number  of  the 
young  men  rose  to  the  rank  of  officers.  Nine  persons  gave  up  their  lives 
in  the  service,  several  having  been  killed  in  action  and  the  others  having 
died  from  wounds  received  or  diseases  contracted  while  in  the  service. 
In  order  to  rear  a  fitting  memorial  to  the  Ursinus  men  who  made  the 
supreme  sacrifice  and  in  honor  of  those  who  served  their  country  in  the 
army  and  navy,  and  to  provide  for  an  urgent  need  of  the  college,  the 
alumni  and  former  non-graduate  students  undertook  the  erection  of  the 
Memorial  Library  Building.  This  building,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $90,000, 
is  not  only  a  fine  memorial,  but  a  most  useful  addition  to  the  educational 
equipment  of  the  college.  It  contains  a  large  main  reading  room,  seminar 
rooms,  work  rooms,  the  office  of  the  librarian,  a  faculty  room  and  a  fire- 
proof stack  room.  The  book  capacity  of  the  building  is  about  65,000. 
The  cornerstone  was  laid  in  1921,  and  the  building  was  completed  for 
use  in  1923. 

Ursinus  College  maintained  a  preparatory  department  from  the 
beginning  of  its  history.  This  was  continued  under  the  name  of  Ursinus 
Academy  until  1910  when,  because  of  the  rapid  development  of  the  public 
high  school,  its  need  was  no  longer  imperative  and  it  was  discontinued. 
The  theological  department  was  opened  for  instruction  in  September, 
1871,  and  was  conducted  at  Collegeville  in  connection  with  the  college 
until  1898,  when  it  was  removed  to  Philadelphia.  In  1907  a  Compact 
of  Union  was  ratified  by  the  board  of  directors  of  the  college,  by  which 
the  instruction  of  the  Ursinus  School  of  Theology  is  conducted  in  the 
Central  Theological  Seminary,  located  in  Dayton,  Ohio.  The  School  of 
Theology  up  to  the  time  of  its  removal  to  Dayton  had  prepared  more 
than  two  hundred  men  for  the  Gospel  ministry. 

Ursinus  College  was  founded  as  a  men's  college  and  conducted  on 
this  principle  until  1881,  when  its  doors  were  opened  to  women  on  equal 
conditions  with  the  men.  At  first  the  number  of  women  in  attendance 
was  small,  but  it  gradually  increased  until  it  reached  forty  per  centum  ol 


APPENDIX  401 

the  student  body.  It  is  a  principle  of  the  institution  that  the  number  of 
men  admitted  as  students  shall  at  all  times  considerably  exceed  the 
number  of  women  admitted.  It  has  always  been  the  policy  of  the  col- 
lege to  fill  the  larger  number  of  teaching  positions  with  men.  The  col- 
lege has  graduated  fifty  classes,  the  number  of  alumni  being  8ig,  of 
whom  615  are  men  and  204  women. 

The  courses  of  instruction  offered  by  Ursinus  College  are  those 
offered  by  the  first-class  small  liberal  arts  colleges.  The  courses  are 
arranged  in  the  following  parallel  groups :  Classical,  Mathematical, 
Chemical-Biological,  Historical-Political,  English-Historical,  Modern 
Language,  and  Economics  and  Business  Administration.  Students  upon 
entrance  register  in  one  of  these  groups  and  are  directly  under  the 
guidance  of  the  adviser  of  the  group  of  their  choice.  The  requirements 
for  graduation  are  that  a  student  must  complete  satisfactorily  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  semester  hours  of  work,  not  counting  the  work  in 
physical  training  which  is  also  required.  The  student  upon  completion 
of  his  course  receives  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  or  Bachelor  of 
Science,  depending  upon  the  choice  of  studies.  The  college  does  not 
offer  any  graduate  studies  and  does  not  confer  any  degrees  above  the 
Bachelor's,  except  that  on  academic  occasions  honorary  degrees  may  be 
conferred  upon  persons  whose  distinguished  ability  may  have  been 
deemed  worth}'  of  such  recognition  by  the  Faculty. 

The  buildings  occupied  by  the  college  are  Bomberger  Hall,  the  main 
administration  building  where  are  the  offices,  the  chapel,  recitation  rooms, 
laboratories  and  society  halls ;  the  Alumni  Memorial  Library  building, 
which  houses  the  growing  library ;  Freeland,  Derr  and  Stine  halls,  a 
group  of  dormitories  occupied  by  the  men  students ;  Olevian,  Shreiner, 
Trinity  and  The  Maples,  houses  occupied  by  the  women  students, 
besides  a  rented  house  used  for  the  same  purpose ;  Sprankle  Hall,  occu- 
pied by  officers  and  employees  of  the  college ;  Superhouse,  the  residence 
of  the  president;  the  Thompson  Athletic  Cage  and  the  Field  House,  which 
provide  facilities  for  the  athletics. 

The  corporation  of  the  college,  consisting  of  the  board  of  directors,  is 
composed  as  follows:  James  M.  Anders,  M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  the  Hon.  Andrew 
R.  Brodbeck,  LL.  D.,  the  Hon.  Thomas  E.  Brooks,  Charles  C.  Burdan, 
J.  Truman  Ebert,  A.  D.  Fetterolf,  the  Rev.  I.  Calvin  Fisher,  D.  D.,  Her- 
vey  C.  Gresh,  Abraham  H.  Hendricks,  Esq.,  J.  F.  Hendricks,  Esq.,  the 
Rev.  George  W.  Hensen,  D.  D.,  Alvin  Hunsicker,  B.  S.,  the  Rev.  James 
M.  S.  Isenberg,  D.  D.,  Whorten  A.  Kline,  Litt.  D.,  Edward  A.  Krusen, 
M.  D.,  Mayne  R.  Longstreth,  Esq.,  A.  M.,  the  Rev.  James  W.  Meminger, 
D.  D.,  the  Rev.  S.  L.  Messinger,  D.  D.,  George  L.  Omwake,  Pd.  D., 
Harry  E.  Paisley,  Elwood  S.  Snyder,  M.  D.,  Henry  T.  Spangler,  D.  D., 
Joseph  M.  Steele,  the  Rev.  Edward  F.  Wiest,  D.  D.,  the  Rev.  Calvin  D. 
Yost,  A.  M. 


402  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

The  Faculty  of  the  college  is  constituted  (1923)  as  follows:  George 
L.  Omwake,  B.  D.,  Pd.  D.,  president,  and  professor  of  the  history  and 
philosophy  of  education;  Whorten  A.  Kline,  A.  M.,  Litt.  D.,  dean,  and 
professor  of  the  Latin  language  and  literature ;  Rev.  James  I.  Good, 
D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  professor  of  the  history  of  the  Christian  church ;  Homer 
Smith,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  the  English  language  and  literature ;  Mat- 
thew Beardwood,  M.  D.,  Sc.  D.,  professor  of  chemistry;  John  Went- 
worth  Clawson,  A.  M.,  Sc.  D.,  professor  of  mathematics ;  Carl  Vernon 
Tower,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  philosophy ;  William  W.  Baden,  Ph.  D.,  pro- 
fessor of  Greek  and  Spanish  ;  Raymond  Burton  Munson,  A.  M.,  profes- 
sor of  history  and  political  science ;  Ezra  Allen,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of 
biology;  William  Wells  Jordan,  D.  D.,  professor  of  the  English  Bible; 
Calvin  D.  Yost,  A.  M.,  B.  D.,  librarian,  and  assistant  professor  of  Ger- 
man; Paul  Allen  Mertz,  A.  M.,  assistant  to  the  president,  and  assistant 
professor  of  education ;  Paul  Kenneth  Edwards,  M.  B.  A.,  assistant  pro- 
fessor of  economics;  Martin  W.  Witmer,  A.  B.,  instructor  in  English 
composition  and  rhetoric ;  Veo  Fuller  Small,  A.  M.,  instructor  in  French ; 
William  Ralph  Gawthrop,  A.  B.,  instructor  in  chemistry  and  physics; 
Clara  E.  Waldron,  instructor  in  piano,  harmony  and  history  of  music; 
Dorothy  Adele  Mentzer,  A.  B.,  instructor  in  piano  and  theory;  Marion 
Gertrude  Spangler,  A.  B.,  instructor  in  voice  culture  and  choral  singing; 
Madeleine  D.  Roe,  director  of  physical  training  and  instructor  in  public 
speaking  for  women ;  Allison  G.  Cornog,  A.  B.,  director  of  athletics  and 
physical  training  for  men ;  Ammon  G.  Kershner,  M.  D.,  college  physician. 

Montgomery  County  Post  Offices. 

Forty  years  ago  William  J.  Buck,  of  Norristown,  wrote  the  follow- 
ing article  on  the  post  offices  of  Montgomery  county,  which  will  doubt- 
less be  read  by  the  reader  of  to-day  as  well  as  in  future  generations  with 
no  little  interest,  showing  as  it  does  the  development  of  the  postal  sys- 
tem. It  will  be  observed  that  he  wrote  a  few  years  before  we  had  estab- 
lished the  present  rural  free  delivery  system,  which  now  covers  the 
county  completely,  and  insures  almost  every  nook  and  corner  within  the 
large  county  a  daily  mail  service  at  their  door,  except  Sundays. 

Our  modern  requirements  and  necessities  have  certainly  made  the 
post  office  an  important  place  to  every  hamlet,  village  and  town.  To 
lack  in  this  is  to  be  wanting  in  one  of  the  elements  of  business  prosperity 
to  which,  however  humble,  every  place  aspires.  Besides,  there  is  the 
amount  of  intelligence  and  information  which  it  conveys,  and  which  con- 
tributes not  a  little  to  the  diffusion  of  knowledge.  The  post  office  of  a 
country  village  to  a  close  observer  of  human  nature  affords  an  interest- 
ing place  of  study ;  we  mean  on  the  immediate  arrival  and  opening  of  the 
mails,  by  watching  the  actions  and  countenances  of  the  various  individ- 
uals thus  brought  together.  Generally  silent,  and  looking  inquiringly 
and  anxiously.  The  result  is,  while  a  few  depart  pleased,  others  are  dis- 
appointed or  distressed.    Ah!  those  little  silent  messages,  that  so  won- 


APPENDIX  403 

derfuUy,  through  education,  enable  us,  however  distant,  to  still  hold 
intercourse  with  each  other!  How  often  to  their  receivers  the  source  of 
pleasure  or  pain !  Then  there  are,  too,  the  newspapers  and  magazines ; 
with  what  haste  are  their  wrappers  torn  off,  and  their  contents  devoured ! 
Yet  this  is  but  a  common  every-day  occurrence  at  a  post  office. 

William  Penn,  as  Proprietary  and  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  issued 
an  order  in  July,  1683,  for  the  establishment  of  a  post  office,  and  granted 
Henry  Waldy,  of  Tacony,  authority  to  hold  one,  and  supply  passengers 
from  Philadelphia  to  the  Falls  and  New  Castle.  The  rate  of  postage  on 
letters  from  the  Falls  to  the  city  was  three-pence,  to  Chester  five-pence, 
and  to  New  Castle  seven-pence.  A  trip  was  made  once  a  week.  Colonel 
Andrew  Hamilton  was  postmaster-general  of  the  province  for  several 
years,  receiving  for  his  services  an  annual  salary  from  the  Assembly.  It 
was  not  till  after  the  reorganization  of  our  present  government,  in  1789, 
that  Congress  established  post  offices  and  made  the  requisite  arrange- 
ments for  the  transportation  of  the  mail.  Like  everything  else  in  the 
beginning,  it  was  at  first  a  slow  and  crude  affair,  and,  from  the  nature 
of  circumstances,  could  not  be  expected  to  have  that  dispatch  that  now 
distinguishes  it.  Then  a  letter  from  Boston  to  Philadelphia  was  longer 
on  its  journey  than  now  from  either  of  those  cities  to  Europe.  The 
time  for  railroad  travel,  ocean  steamboat  navigation  and  magnetic  tele- 
graphs had  not  come.  In  November,  1796,  there  were  but  five  hundred 
and  two  post  offices  in  the  United  States  and  thirty-three  in  Peoinsylvania. 

During  the  colonial  period  but  three  post  offices  were  established  in 
this  State, — namely,  at  Philadelphia,  Chester  and  Bristol, — and  not  one 
within  the  present  limits  of  Montgomery  or  Chester  counties.  In  1791 
the  number  had  increased  in  Pennsylvania  to  ten.  The  first  in  this 
county  was  established  at  Pottstown  in  October,  1793,  and  Jacob  Barr 
was  appointed  postmaster.  The  next  was  a  few  years  afterwards  at 
Norristown,  of  which  John  Davis  was  postmaster  in  1799.  Surprising  to 
relate,  so  slow  was  their  introduction  that  the  whole  number  in  the 
country  in  1819  was  only  3618.  The  postage  charged  in  1805  for  single 
letters,  for  40  miles  or  less,  was  8  cents;  under  90  miles,  10  cents;  under 
150  miles,  17  cents;  and  under  500  miles,  20  cents;  while  now  the  reduc- 
tion has  become  so  great  that  for  two  cents  a  letter  can  be  sent  any- 
where over  the  United  States,  which  in  some  cases  may  require  a  dis- 
tance of  three  thousand  miles  of  travel,  equivalent  to  the  distance  to 
Europe  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  extension  of  settlement,  a 
denser  population  and  such  greatly  improved  means  of  travel  and  trans- 
portation have  jointly  aided  to  bring  about  the  present  greatly  reduced 
rates,  the  tendency  of  which  is  to  greatly  increase  correspondence  over 
previous  years  as  well  as  the  circulation  of  newspapers,  magazines  and 
books,  thus  showing  that  we  do,  indeed,  live  in  a  reading  age. 

Among  the  manuscripts  of  Mrs.  Ferguson,  of  Horsham,  was  found 
an  article  written  in  1787,  entitled  "An  Old  Woman's  Meditations  on  an 
old  Family  Clock,"  from  which  we  take  an  extract  relative  to  the  postal 
facilities  of  the  neighborhood  at  that  date :  "Since  my  clock  and  I  have 
passed  our  days  in  retirement,  how  frequently,  for  the  want  of  a  post 
nigh,  on  the  evening  of  a  market  day,  when  expecting  a  letter  from  the 
metropolis  filled  with  wit,  sentiment  or  affection,  or  all  united  in  one, 
have  I  with  impatience  numbered  your  strokes,  or  still  more  ardently 
longed  for  the  epistle  that  had  crossed  the  Atlantic,  whose  value  was 
appreciated   as   danger   and    distance   had   endeared    it   to    the    longing 


404 


HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


receiver."  We  perceive  by  this  that  she  was  at  that  date  dependent  on 
her  neighbors  going  to  the  city  for  her  mail  facilities,  the  post  office 
there  being  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles. 

Prior  to  1800  the  total  number  of  post  offices  in  Montgomery  county 
w^as  two;  in  1819,  eleven;  in  1827,  twenty;  in  1832,  twenty-nine;  in  1851, 
it  was  fifty-one;  in  1858,  sixty-one;  in  1871,  eighty-five;  in  1876,  ninety- 
two;  and  in  1883  it  had  reached  one  hundred  and  twelve. 

As  to  the  delivery  of  newspapers  it  is  very  likely  that  even  as  late 
as  1840  one-half  of  the  entire  number  were  conveyed  thus  or  by  stage 
lines.  Since  the  introduction  of  railroads  and  the  reduction  of  news- 
paper postage  the  mails  have  been  more  and  more  resorted  to,  until  now 
we  believe  that  within  the  county  the  "paper-carrier"  or  the  "post- 
rider,"  as  he  was  respectively  called,  has  become  a  matter  of  the  past, 
the  deliveries  for  their  patrons  being  chiefly  made  in  packages  to  stores, 
inns,  mills  and  mechanic  shops,  or  the  roadside  box,  placed  there  on 
purpose  for  this  accommodation,  where  no  house  stood  near.  Now  the 
daily  paper  is  delivered  at  the  front  gate  by  the  roadside  throughout  the 
county,  by  the  thousands  of  miles  of  R.  F.  D.  (Rural  Free  Delivery) 
routes  provided  early  in  the  nineties.  With  the  additional  improvement 
in  the  way  of  the  "Parcel  Post"  system,  even  our  Christmas  present 
arrives  at  your  door  on  time  by  the  faithful  carrier,  whose  average 
route  daily  covers  about  twenty-five  miles. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  all  post  offices  in  operation  in 
Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  March  i,  1923: 


Abington 

Ambler 

Areola 

Ardmore 

Bola 

Bergey 

Bethayers 

Blue  Bell 

Bridgeport 

Broad  Axe 

Bryn  Mawr 

Cedars 

Center  Square 

Cheltenham 

Collegeville 

Colmar 

Conshohocken 

Creamery 

Cynwyd 

Delphi 

Eagleville 

Earlington 

East  Greenville 

Edge  Hill 

Elkins  Park 

Elroy 

Enfield 

Eureka 

Fagleysville 

Fairview  Village 

Flourtown 

Fort  Washington 


Franconia 

Frederick 

Gilbertsville 

Gladwyne 

Glenside 

Graterford 

Green  Lane 

Gwynedd 

Gwynedd  Valley 

Hallowell 

Harleysville 

Hatboro 

Hatfield 

Haverford 

Hendricks 

Hoppenville 

Horsham 

Huntingdon  Valley 

Ironbridge 

Jarrettown 

Jeffersonville 

King  of  Prussia 

Kulpsville 

Lafayette  Hill 

La  Motte 

Lansdale 

Lederach 

Limerick 

Linfield 

Lower  Providence 

McKinley 

Mainland 


Mapleglen 

Meadowbrook 

Merion  Station 

Mont  Clare 

Montgomery  ville 

Morwood 

Miquon 

Narberth 

Narcissa 

New  Hanover 

Niantic 

Norristown 

North  Wales 

Oaks 

Obelisk 

Ogontz  School 

Ogontz 

Oreland 

Palm 

Penllyn 

Pennsburg 

Perkiomenville 

Plymouth  Meeting 

Port  Kennedy 

Port  Providence 

Pottstown 

Prospectville 

Providence  Square 

Red  Hill 

Remlu 

Rosemont 

Roslyn 


Roversford 

Rudv 

Rydal 

Salfordville 

Sanatoga 

Sassmansville 

Schwenkville 

Skippack 

Souderton 

South  Hatfield 

Spring  House 

Spring  Mount 

Stowe 

Sumneytown 

Swedeland 

Telford 

Threetuns 

Trappe 

Tylersport 

Vernfield 

Weldon 

West  Conshohocken 

West  Point 

Whitemarsh 

Wynnewood 

William  Penn 

Willow  Grove 

Wyncote 

Woodmont 

Woxall 

Worcester 

Zieglersville 


APPENDIX 


405 


Principal  Towns  and  Cities — The  following  is  a  list  of  the  larger  and 
smaller  towns  and  cities  within  the  county  in  1923;  the  list  is  given 
alphabetically;  and  the  number  of  business  places — stores,  offices  and 
shops  are  indicated  by  numerals  given  at  the  end  of  the  places  named: 

Ambler,  89;  Ardmore,  63;  Audubon,  7;  Belfry,  5;  Blue  Bell,  3;  Bryn 
Mawr,  135;  Cedars,  13;  Center  Square,  21;  Collegeville,  53;  Cohnar,  7; 
Conshohocken,  304;  Creamery,  3;  Delphi,  2;  Dresher,  9;  East  Greenville, 
59;  Edge  Hill,  15;  Fairview  Village,  4;  Ft.  Washington,  24;  Franconia, 
6;  Frederick,  5;  Gilbertsville,  6;  Graterford,  17;  Green  Lane,  34;  Gwy- 
nedd,  i;  Harleysville,  21;  Hatboro,  27;  Hatfield,  33;  Haverford,  25; 
Hoovertown,  6;  Iron  Bridge,  9;  Jarrettown,  5;  Jefifersonville,  5  ;  Jenkins- 
town,  99;  King  of  Prussia,  5;  Kulpsville,  18;  Lansdale,  223;  Lederach, 
14;  Linfield,  14;  Mainland,  10;  Obelisk,  10;  Mont  Clare,  10;  Morwood, 
24;  Niantic,  6;  North  Wales,  42;  Oaks,  7;  Ogontz,  18;  Palm,  17;  Penl- 
lyn,  I ;  Pennsburg,  65;  Perkiomen,  12;  Port  Kennedy,  9;  Palm,  17;  Pros- 
pectville,  4;  Providence  Square,  7;  Red  Hill,  22;  Royersford,  102;  Sana- 
toga,  12;  Schwenkville,  45;  Shippack,  19;  Souderton,  80;  Spring  Mount, 
11;  Sumneytown,  12;  Telford,  63;  Trappe,  15;  Weldon,  18;  West  Point, 
14;  William  Penn,  7;  Willow  Grove,  36;  Worcester,  11;  Wynnewood, 
2;  Yerkes,  7;  Zieglersville,  10.  The  larger  municipalities  include  Norris- 
town,  Pottstown,  and  Bridgeport,  mentioned  at  length  within  this  work. 

Population  of  County — At  various  enumerating  periods  the  popula- 
tion of  Montgomery  county  has  been  as  follows : 

iSoo.  j8So.  1900.  ig3o. 

Abington  Township 1,008  2,185  3.803  8,684 

Ambler  Borough 1,884  3,094 

Bridgeport  Borough   (1850) 572  1,802  4,680  3,097 

Bryn  Athyn  Borough ....  ....  302 

Cheltenham  Township 680  3,238  6,154  10,015 

Conshohocken  Borough  (1850) 727  4,561  5,762  8,481 

Douglas  Township  1,297          1,650  1,599 

East  Norriton  Township 643 

East  Greenville  Borough 331  934  1,620 

Franconia  Township   629  2,536  i!639 

Frederick  Township 697  1,944  1,405 

Green  Lane  Borough 187  272  337 

Hatboro  Borough 586  523  1,101 

Hatfield  Township  520  1,694  1,427  1,789 

Horsham  Township 587  1,315  1,157  1,189 

Jenkintown  Borough 810  2,091  2,370 

Lansdale  Borough    708  2,557  4.728 

Limerick  Township ....  2,250  2,400 

Lower  Merion  Township 1,422  6,287  I3,'27i  23,826 

Lower  Moreland  Township ....          1^26 

Lower  Providence  Township   880  1,586  1,625  2,221 

Lower  Pottsgrove  Township yyg 

Lower  Salford   Township   524  1,828  1,763  1.692 

Lower  Gwynedd  Township ....  i,995  1,363 

Montgomery   Township    546  676  724  '787 

Narberth  Borough   1.760  3,704 

New  Hanover  Township 1,505  1,905  1,611  1,355 

Norristown  Borough 827  13,163  22,265  32^819 

North  Wales   Borough 673  1,287  2,041 

Pennsburg  Borough 1^032  1,141 

Perkiomen  Township    781  2,516  1,082  1,024 

Plymouth  Township    572  1,916  1,449  3,201 

Pottstown  Borough  500  5,305  13,806  17,431 


4o6 


HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 


1800.  1S80. 

Rockledge  Borough  744  1,850 

Royersford  Borough 558 

Red  Hill  Borough 

Skippack  Township    .... 

Schwenkville   Borough    .... 

Springfield  Township  466  1,580 

Souderton  Borough   .... 

Salford  Township    .... 

Trappe  Borough .... 

Towamencin   Township    413  1,232 

Upper  Dublin   Township    744  1,856 

Upper  Gwynedd  Township .... 

Upper  Hanover  Township 738  2,418 

Upper  Marion  Township  993  3,775 

Upper  Pottsgrove  Township    .... 

Upper  Providence  Township    1,200  3,592 

Upper  Moreland  Township 

Upper  Salford  Township 

West  Conshohocken   Borough 1,462 

West  Norriton  Borough 

West  Pottsgrove   Township   

West  Telford  Borough   

Whitemarsh  Township  1,085  3,239 

Whitpain  Township  771  1,429 

Worcester  Township  782  1,641 


1900. 

1.369 

2,008 

324 

1,248 

2,400 

1-077 

789 

1,095 
1,933 
1,328 
1,997 
3,480 
450 
2,574 

'876 
1,958 


535 
3,350 
1,442 
1,397 


1920. 

3,045 
3,278 

787 
1,195 

371 
3.374 
3,125 

700 

412 
1,166 
3,045 
1,363 
1,368 
4,005 

SOI 
3,057 
2,105 

729 
2,331 
1,375 
1,709 

921 
3,436 
1,826 
1,364 


The  total  population  of  the  county  in  1900  was  138,195;  in  1920  it 
had  reached  199,310.  The  1920  census  reports  give  the  foreign  popula- 
tion as  being  24,669,  of  which  these  nationalities  were  represented  as 
follows:  German,  2,512;  Irish,  5,488;  English,  2,300;  Italian,  6,480; 
Poles,  1,851;  Russians,  933;  Scotch,  639;  Swedish,  243;  Swiss,  175; 
Welsh,  89;  all  other  nationalities,  549.  Per  cent,  of  foreign  population 
was  at  that  date  about  eleven. 

Burgesses  Since  181 2 — The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  various 
persons  serving  as  chief  executive,  or  burgess,  of  the  incorporation  of 
Norristown  borough  since  its  organization  in  1812: 

1812,  Gen.  Francis  Swaine ;  1813-16,  Levi  Pawling;  1817-18,  Matthias 
Holstein ;  1818,  William  Henderson;  1820-21,  Thomas  Ross;  1822-23, 
Robert  Hamill ;  1824,  Charles  Jones;  1825,  Levi  Pawling;  1826,  Frederick 
Conrad ;  1827-28,  George  Govett ;  1829,  Alexander  Moore,  Jr. ;  1830,  John 
Freedley;  1831,  Samuel  D.  Patterson;  1832,  Philip  Kendell;  1833-34, 
William  Powell;  1835-36,  James  M.  Pawling;  1837,  John  H.  Hobart; 
1838,  William  Powell  and  Enoch  C.  Frys,  tie  vote;  1839,  William  Powell; 
1840-41,  Benjamin  F.  Hancock;  1842,  Henry  Freedley;  1843-44,  James 
Boyd ;  1845,  John  Potts ;  1846,  William  Rossiter ;  1847,  John  R.  Breiten- 
bach;  1848,  John  H.  Hobart;  1849,  Israel  Thomas;  1850,  Benjamin  E. 
Chain;  1851,  Thomas  W.  Potts;  1852,  Joseph  W.  Hunsicker;  1853-55, 
Zadok  T.  Gait;  1856,  R.  T.  Stewart;  1857,  Charles  T.  Miller;  1858,  Enoch 
A.  Banks;  1859,  Charles  H.  Garber;  1860-61,  Edward  Schall ;  1862,  Frank- 
lin March;  1863,  William  H.  Griffith;  1864-65,  Edward  Schall;  1866,  Wil- 
liam Allabaugh;  1867,  Daniel  Jacoby;  1868-69,  William  Allabaugh ; 
1870-72,  Henry  S.  Smith;  1873-74,  Jonas  A.  Reiff;  1875-76,  George 
Schall;  1877,  William  J.  Bolton;  1878,  Irwin  P.  Wanger;  1879,  Wallace 
J.  Boyd ;  1880-82,  George  W.  Grady ;  1883,  F.  J.  Baker ;  1884-86,  John  W. 
White;  1887,  Edward  A.  Kite;  1889,  George  W.  Grady;  1890,  Thomas 


APPENDIX  407 

B.  Evans;  1891,  Milton  S.  Kurtz;  1893,  Levi  R.  Shaffer;  1894,  John  H. 
Williams ;  1897,  Charles  W.  Wainwright ;  1900,  William  Todd,  Jr. ; 
1905,  Samuel  Roberts;  1909,  Samuel  Lattimore ;  he  served  until  1914; 
1914,  J.  Elmer  Saul;  1918,  Samuel  D.  Crawford;  1922,  James  W.  Potter, 
still  serving. 

The  1923  borough  officers  are :  President,  Norwood  D.  Matthias ; 
clerk  of  the  council,  Harris  S.  Borneman ;  burgess,  James  W.  Potter; 
treasurer,  Harry  P.  Hiltner;  solicitor,  Henry  M.  Brownback;  engineer, 
S.  Cameron  Corson  ;  building  inspector,  Harry  A.  Simpson  ;  stenographer, 
Miss  Ruth  Dotts ;  clerk  of  the  markets.  Mills  Williamson ;  janitor  city 
hall,  Thomas  H.  Blackwell. 

There  are  now  eleven  wards  in  this  borough,  and  the  present  council 
is  made  up  as  follows :  First  Ward — John  P.  Famous,  George  F.  Le:t- 
tenberger,  Daniel  Moser;  Second  Ward — George  M.  Fratt,  Charles  E. 
Naile,  George  W.  Pifer;  Third  Ward — Joseph  D.  Wolfe,  Henry  K. 
Fryer,  Gilbert  R.  Fox;  Fourth  Ward — James  I.  Lawler,  Francis  Hayes, 
John  Carroll ;  Fifth  Ward — Angelo  Charles,  John  Durante,  Edward 
Kennedy;  Sixth  Ward — Bernhard  Kuhlman,  Norwood  D.  Matthias, 
Harry  E.  Sacks ;  Seventh  Ward — William  A.  Steinbach,  Thomas  King- 
ston, Nevin  R.  Cassell ;  Eighth  Ward — H.  Walton  Wood,  H.  Severan 
Regar,  Clarence  R.  Palmer;  Ninth  Ward — Frank  R.  Anselm,  Charles 
Schiele,  Franklin  L.  Carter ;  Tenth  Ward — Stephen  Van  Leer,  Albert 
Holbrook,  Clement  J.  Dressier ;  Eleventh  Ward — John  A.  Rhoades, 
W.  Z.  Frederick,  Charles  M.  Daub. 

No  finer  set  of  borough  records  are  kept  in  the  State  than  found  in 
Norristown.  The  clerk's  last  report  shows  the  borough  to  contain  three 
and  fifty-four  hundredths  square  miles.  Its  population  is  (1920)  32,319. 
Dwellings  in  the  place,  5,931  ;  families,  6,624;  the  two  chief  markets  are 
the  City  Market  or  Borough  Market,  and  the  Farmers'  Market.  These 
are  both  on  De  Kalb  street,  near  and  at  the  borough  building.  The 
present  bonded  indebtedness  is  $343,200.  Number  regular  policemen 
eighteen ;  a  volunteer  fire  department ;  five  engine  houses.  The  records 
also  show  that  the  borough  has  a  fraction  over  thirty  miles  of  paved 
streets  of  which  almost  ten  miles  are  of  vitrified  brick.  The  council  and 
other  officers  have  moved  many  times.  First  they  met  in  1812  in  the  old 
court  house ;  then  many  years  around  at  private  houses ;  next  in  hotels, 
and  then  built  the  red  brick  block  now  owned  by  the  Montgomery 
County  Historical  Society,  near  the  court  house,  which  property  they 
sold  to  the  society  named  in  January,  1897,  for  $5,500.  The  present  Cit>' 
Hall  or  borough  building  was  erected  in  1894. 

Presidential  Vote  Since  i860.        ^ 

i860 — Republican,  Abraham  Lincoln,  5,826. 

Democratic,  John  C.  Breckenridge,  5,590. 
Constitutional  Union,  John  Bell,  690. 
Independent  Democratic,  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  509. 


4o8  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

1864 — Republican,  Abraham  Lincoln,  6,872. 

Democratic,  George  B.  McClellan,  7,943. 
1868— Republican,  U.  S.^Grant,  8,083. 

Democratic,  Horatio  Seymour,  8,803. 
1872— Republican,  U.  S.  Grant,  8,080. 

Democratic,  and  Liberal,  Horace  Greeley,  5,113. 

Democratic,  Charles  O'Connor,  none. 

Temperance,  James  Black,  none. 
1876 — Republican,  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  9,386. 

Democratic,  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  9,654. 

Greenback,  Peter  Cooper,  58. 

Prohibition,  Green  C.  Smith,  40. 
1880 — Republican,  James  A.  Garfield,  11,026. 

Democratic,  Winfield  S.  Hancock,  11,025. 

Greenback,  James  B.  Weaver,  75. 

Prohibition,  Neal  Dow,  none. 
1884 — Republican,  James  G.  Blaine,  11,617. 

Democratic,  Grover  Cleveland,  11,088. 

Greenback,  Benj.  F.  Butler,  66. 

Prohibition,  John  P.  St.  John,  215. 
1888 — Republican,  Benjamin  Harrison,  13,445. 

Democratic,  Grover  Cleveland,  12,482. 

Greenback,  A.  J.  Streeter,  11. 

Prohibition,  Clinton  B.  Fisk,  379. 
1892 — Republican,  Benjamin  Harrison,  13,591. 

Democratic,  Grover  Cleveland,  13,611. 

Prohibition,  John  Bidwell,  447. 

Socialist  (Labor),  Simon  Wing,  11. 

People's  Party,  James  B.  Weaver,  22. 

Industrial  Reform.  A.  E.  Redstone,  none. 

American,  James  L.  Curtis,  none. 

Union  Labor,  Robert  H.  Cowdrey,  none. 
1896 — Republican,  William  McKinley,  17,320. 

Democratic,  William  J.  Bryan,  9,685. 

Prohibition,  Joshua  Levering. 

Northern  Democratic.  John  N.  Palmer. 

Social  Labor,  C.  H    Matchett. 
1900 — Republican,  William  McKinley,  17,650. 

Democratic.  AVilliam  J.  Bryan,  11,208. 

Populist,  J.  G.  Wooley. 

Independent  Socialist,  Eugene  V.  Debs. 
1904 — Republican,  Theodore  Roosevelt,  18,818. 

Democratic,  Alton  B.  Parker,  10,399. 

Socialist,  Eugene  V.  Debs. 

Prohibition,  Silas  C.  Swallow. 

Peoples,  Thomas  E.  Watson. 
1908 — Republican,  William  Howard  Taft,  19,070. 

Democratic,  William  J.  Bryan,  11,892. 

Socialist,  Eugene  V.  IDebs,  493. 

Prohibition,  Eugene  W.  Chafin,  381. 

Social  Labor,  August  Gillhaus,  29. 
1912— Republican,  W.  H.  Taft,  8,968. 

Democratic,  Woodrow  Wilson,  11,898. 


APPENDIX  409 

Prohibition,  136. 

Socialist  (Debs),  1,129. 
1916— Republican,  Charles  E.  Hughes,  20,420. 

Democratic,  Woodrow  Wilson,  13,649. 

Prohibition,  257. 

Socialist,  721. 
1920— Republican,  Warren  G.  Harding,  31,963. 

Democratic,  James  Cox,  12,238. 

Prohibition,  302. 

Socialist,  1,180. 

Miscellaneous  Subjects. 

The  telegraph  was  first  introduced  into  Norristown  by  private  enter- 
prise. A  company  was  organized  by  William  E.  Phillips,  who  later  was 
made  superintendent  of  the  telegraph  offices  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 
G.  R.  Fox  was  associated  with  Mr.  Phillips  as  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  company;  Henry  Freedley,  Rev.  J.  Grier  Ralston  and  a  few  more 
Norristown  citizens  formed  the  original  company,  and  Samuel  Brown 
became  the  first  operator. 

What  was  styled  the  Philadelphia  and  Norristown  Telegraph  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  March  g, 
1855.  The  names  of  the  incorporators  from  Montgomery  county  are  as 
follows:  Henry  Freedley,  Thomas  Sauerman,  John  McDermott,  John 
Wood,  Patrick  Flynn,  Daniel  R.  Brower,  Robert  Iredell,  G.  R.  Fox, 
John  McKay,  David  Krause,  R.  E.  Chain,  Henry  C.  Hill,  and  J.  G. 
Ralston.  The  company  was  given  the  power  to  purchase  the  House 
Line  of  printing  telegraph,  then  lately  constructed  from  Philadelphia 
through  Manayunk  and  Conshohocken  to  Norristown.  This  was  before 
telegraphing  by  sound  was  perfected,  but  all  messages  were  "ticked 
off"  by  the  instrument  which  recorded  the  words  in  dots  and  dashes  on 
a  narrow  slip  of  paper  attached  to  the  receiving  machine.  The  capital 
stock  of  this  company  was  $6,000,  divided  into  twenty-five  dollar  shares. 
Subsequently  a  company  was  formed  and  ran  their  line  as  the  Philadel- 
phia, Reading  &  Pottsville,  but  was  in  the  interest  of  the  Philadelphia  & 
Reading  Railroad  Company.  This  line  dated  from  1871.  The  Western 
Union  Telegraph  Company  joined  interest  with  it  as  a  commercial  line 
in  1879,  the  principal  offices  being  then  established  at  Norristown  at  No. 
-]-]  East  Main  street.  In  Montgomery  county  in  1883  there  were  fifty- 
five  telegraph  stations  on  this  line.  Prior  to  1882  another  company  was 
formed,  the  Bankers'  &  Merchants'  Telegraph  Company,  having  eighteen 
stations  in  this  county.  It  connected  with  Allentown,  Philadelphia 
and  Reading.  It  had  as  its  president,  J.  B.  Erdman ;  its  superintendent 
was  J.  T.  Maxwell. 

Long  since  the  telegraph  systems  have  largely  been  merged  and 
operated  by  the  Western  Union,  which  networks  the  continent,  and 
outside  of  special  lines  held  by  the  newspapers  of  the  land,  it  does  the 


410  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

commercial  telegraph  business  of  every  town  and  borough  from  ocean  tc 
ocean. 

Great  as  was  the  discovery  of  the  electric  telegraph  by  Professor 
Morse,  even  greater  was  that  of  the  telephone  which  first  made  its 
appearance  in  the  seventies,  but  was  not  perfected  to  any  extent  until 
early  in  the  eighties.  Here  in  Montgomery  county,  Norristown  had  its 
first  "Exchange"  in  August,  1883 ;  it  was  established  with  its  office  at 
No.  52  East  Main  street.  At  the  close  of  1884  the  number  of  stations  in 
this  county  was  one  hundred  and  seventy-two.  The  president  of  the 
company  was  James  Merrihew;  general  superintendent,  W.  B.  Gell ; 
assistant  superintendent,  W.  F.  Westbrook.  The  introduction  of  the 
'phone  has  almost  bridged  space  itself.  Not  only  does  the  business  man 
in  city  and  borough  profit  by  its  use  daily,  but  almost  every  farm  house 
within  the  confines  of  this  county  has  its  own  phone  and  can  quickly 
call  a  far-away  neighbor  or  the  physician,  by  day  or  night.  The  country 
is  literally  within  a  mass  of  wires,  over  which  the  people  whisper  their 
wants  to  the  surrounding  world.  The  number  of  phones  and  exchanges 
has  come  to  be  all  but  numberless.  It  is  a  money-saving  system  for 
city  and  country.  For  an  expense  of  a  farthing,  a  half  day's  trip  can  be 
saved;  often  life  itself  is  saved  by  being  "on  the  line"  and  able  to  com- 
mand a  doctor  at  once  in  emergencies.  With  all  the  perfection  of  the 
telephone  systems  of  to-day,  scientists  aver  that  we  are  soon  to  have  a 
practical  method  of  conversation  by  the  "wireless"  that  is  to  be  the 
outcome  of  the  present  popular  radio  systems.  Then  we  will  not  need 
the  net-work  of  telephone  wires  and  countless  poles  set  all  over  the 
country,  but  the  human  voice  will  be  heard  in  common  talking,  as  we 
now  hear  the  latest  songs  with  our  recently  discovered  radio. 

Distinguished  Residents. 

General  Winfield  S.  Hancock,  who  it  has  been  said  with  Generals 
Anthony  Wayne  and  Philip  Henry  Sheridan  constitute  the  great  trio 
of  American  chieftains  distinguished  above  all  others  for  "fearless  cour- 
age and  desperate  energy,"  was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, the  son  of  Benjamin  F.  and  Elizabeth  Hancock;  the  date  of  his 
birth  was  February  14,  1824.  He  received  his  education  in  Norristown 
in  the  academies  conducted  by  Eliphalet  Roberts  and  the  celebrated 
Rev.  Samuel  Aaron.  Leaving  school,  he  received  an  appointment  to  the 
United  States  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  and  was  a  cadet  with 
Grant,  McClellan,  Reynolds,  Franklin,  Burnside,  Reno,  and  William  M. 
Smith.  He  was  graduated  June  30,  1844,  and  the  following  day 
received  his  appointment  as  a  second  lieutenant  in  the  Sixth  United 
States  Infantry,  served  on  the  western  frontier,  and  then  went  to  Mex- 
ico, where  in  the  war  he  distinguished  himself  as  a  young  oflficer.  He 
was  later  engaged  against  the  Seminole  Indians  in  Florida,  and  served 
in  Kansas  during  a  portion  of  the  quasi-civil  war  there. 


APPENDIX  411 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  in  1861,  he  was  at  Los  Angeles  as 
chief   quartermaster    for   the    Southern    District.      He   was    relieved   to 
report  at  Washington,  D.  C,  for  duty  in  the  field.     In  September,  1861, 
he  was  made  a  brigadier-general  of  volunteers.     He  afterwards  joined 
the  y\rmy  of  the  Potomac,  and  from  that  time  until  the  close  of  the 
war  his  career  was  notable.    During  the  winter  of  1861-62  he  commanded 
a  brigade  in  Virginia.     In  the  spring  of  1862  he  accompanied  General 
McClellan  to  the  Virginia  Peninsula,  and  took  part  in  the  Seven  Days 
Battle  near  Richmond.    On  the  strength  of  his  ability  in  that  particular 
time  and  place  he  was  promoted  at  McClellan's  suggestion  to  major- 
general.     He  again  proved  his  military  fitness  at  those  never-to-be-for- 
gotten battles  of  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Chancel- 
lorsville,  and  Gettysburg.    He  was  with  Grant  around  Richmond  in  the 
campaign   that  resulted   in   Lee's   surrender  at   Appomattox.     He   was 
severely  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  and  received  the  thanks  of  Congress. 
While  in  front  of  Richmond  he  was  promoted  to  brigadier-general  in  the 
regular  army,  August  12,  1864.     In  1865  he  was  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Middle  Military  Division;  in  August,  1866,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Missouri ;  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  Department  of  the  Gulf  from  1867  to  1868;  from  March, 
1868,  to  March,  1869,  he  commanded  the  Military  Division  of  the  Atlan- 
tic.    From   1869  to   1879  he  commanded  the  Military   Division  of  the 
Dakotas,  after  which  he  was  again  placed  in  command  of  the  Atlantic 
Department,    with    headquarters    at    Governor's    Island    in    New    York 
Harbor,  which  position  he  held  until  his  death,  October  29,  1885.     He 
declined  the  nomination  for  governor  of  Pennsylvania  in  1869,  at  the 
hands  of  the  Democratic  party,  but  in  1880  accepted  the  nomination  for 
President,  and  was  defeated  at  the  polls  by  General  James  A.  Garfield. 

Lucretia  (Coffin)  Mott,  who  for  several  years  was  an  honored  resi- 
dent of  Cheltenham  township,  Montgomery  county,  was  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  women  this  country  has  ever  produced.  "Truth  for  author- 
•  ity,  not  authority  for  truth,"  was  the  form  of  a  favorite  aphorism  which 
Lucretia  Mott  in  a  fair  round  hand  wrote  on  the  back  of  a  photographed 
portrait  when  she  was  eighty-six  years  of  age.  By  this  principle  the 
career  of  this  woman  was  always  directed.  In  fact  it  was  a  predominat- 
ing element  in  her  noble  character ;  it  was  the  light  she  ever  followed,  the 
inspirer  of  her  courage  to  walk  fearlessly  in  the  path  of  duty  prescribed 
by  the  light  within — the  conscience,  Emmanuel,  God  with  us.  Her 
name  was  a  synonym  for  a  rare  combination  of  Christian  graces.  Hers 
was  the  sweet,  strong  and  noble  soul,  ever  guided  by  unswerving  loyalty 
to  truth  and  righteousness. 

Lucretia  Mott  was  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  on 
Nantucket,  Massachusetts,  where  she  was  born  January  3,  1793.  Her 
parents  moved  to  Boston,  and  when  she  was  thirteen  years  of  age,  she 


412  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

was  sent  to  the  "Nine  Partners"  boarding  school,  an  institution  estab- 
lished by  the  Friends,  in  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  a  few  years  before. 
There  she  was  under  the  instruction  of  Deborah  Rodgers  (afterward 
Mrs.  Jacob  Willetts),  who  died  in  1879  at  the  age  of  above  ninety  years. 
Miss  Mott's  parents  removed  to  Philadelphia  in  the  meantime.  She 
returned  home  and  two  years  later,  in  1812,  married  James  Mott,  a 
young  merchant  and  a  Quaker.  At  twenty-five  years  of  age  she  became 
a  minister,  and  extended  her  labors  from  Virginia  to  Massachusetts. 
She  battled  against  war  and  intemperance  and  slavery,  and  in  1827 
joined  the  Hicksite  branch  of  the  Friends'  church.  She  took  an  active 
part  in  the  organization  of  the  Anti-Slavery  Society  at  Philadelphia  in 
1833,  and  was  sent  in  1840  to  the  World's  Anti-Slavery  convention  at 
London,  where  she  was  refused  a  seat  because  she  was  a  woman,  but 
astonished  many  of  the  delegates  by  speaking  at  a  breakfast  to  which 
they  were  invited.  She  believed  in  woman's  right  to  the  ballot.  As  a 
minister  or  speaker,  she  spoke  to  the  heart  and  judgment,  and  was  a 
model  of  purity,  elegance  and  force.  Mrs.  Mott  died  November  11,  1880, 
at  her  home  in  Philadelphia.  Husband  and  children  had  passed  on 
before  her,  but  no  funeral  gloom  shadowed  her  spirit,  for  she  was  in 
sympathy  with  all  sufferers,  and  a  bright  beckoning  hope  always  made 
her  cheerful.  The  atmosphere  of  her  home  was  indeed  ideal  in  its  peace 
and  harmony.  Of  such  beautiful  characters  the  world  has  none  too 
many. 

General  Arthur  St.  Clair,  a  citizen  property  holder  and  temporary 
resident  of  Pottstown,  this  county,  from  1779  to  1797,  was  a  conspicuous 
character  in  the  days  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and,  although  a  brave 
military  leader,  failed  in  winning  that  fame  to  which  his  talents  and 
courage  entitled  him.  General  St.  Clair  was  president  of  the  Conti- 
nental Congress  in  1787,  commander-in-chief  of  the  armies  of  the  United 
States  in  1791,  and  governor  of  the  Northwestern  Territory  from  1788 
to  1802. 

He  was  born  at  Thurso  Castle,  County  Caithness,  Scotland,  in  1734. 
He  was  educated  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  and  removed  to  Lon- 
don to  study  medicine  under  the  celebrated  Dr.  William  Hunter.  War 
breaking  out  between  England  and  France,  he  purchased  an  ensign's 
commission  and  served  under  Wolfe  in  his  campaign  against  Quebec  in 
1759.  After  peace,  he  resigned  his  commission  as  lieutenant,  resided 
for  some  time  in  Boston  and  Philadelphia,  and  in  1765  was  placed  in 
command  of  Fort  Ligonier,  in  western  Pennsylvania,  by  General  Gage, 
to  whom  he  was  related.  He  took  up  large  bodies  of  land  in  the  Ligonier 
Valley,  was  made  prothonotary  of  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1781, 
and  two  years  later  aided  largely  in  the  erection  of  Westmoreland 
county.  As  a  county  officer  he  successfully  resisted  the  claims  of  Vir- 
ginia to  the  territory.     When  the  Revolution  came  on,  he  cast  his  for- 


APPENDIX  413 

tunes  with  the  Colonies.  He  inspired  the  Hannastown  Declaration  of 
Independence  in  1775,  perfected  the  Associators,  and  was  commissioned 
colonel  by  Congress.  He  raised  a  regiment,  fought  in  Canada  under 
Montgomery  and  Arnold,  and  was  promoted  to  brigadier-general.  At 
Trenton  and  Princeton  he  behaved  with  great  skill  and  bravery,  and  was 
commissioned  major-general.  He  was  placed  in  command  at  Ticonder- 
oga  in  1777,  but  was  compelled  to  abandon  it  in  retreat  with  a  disastrous 
loss  of  men  and  munitions.  A  military  court  of  inquiry  acquitted  him 
of  all  blame.  While  suspended  from  command  he  fought  as  a  volunteer 
at  Brandywine,  and  with  the  army  of  Washington  at  Valley  Forge  he 
was  on  faithful  duty.  He  succeeded  Arnold  at  West  Point,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  commission  which  sentenced  Major  Andre  to  death. 
After  the  capture  of  Yorktown  he  proceeded  with  a  body  of  troops  to 
join  General  Greene  in  the  South,  and  on  his  way  he  drove  the  British 
from  Wilmington,  North  Caroline.  In  1783  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  was  elected  to  Congress,  and  served 
as  president  of  that  body  during  1787.  Upon  the  erection  of  the  North- 
west Territory  in  1788,  he  was  appointed  governor  and  faithfully  served 
as  such  fourteen  years.  In  1790  he  ran  as  Federal  candidate  for  gover- 
nor of  Pennsylvania,  receiving  2,802  votes,  while  the  winning  candidate, 
Thomas  Mifflin,  had  2,725  votes. 

General  St.  Clair  commanded  an  army  of  two  thousand  men  which 
was  sent  against  the  Miami  Indians  in  1791,  and  November  4th  of  that 
year  he  was  defeated  with  a  loss  of  nearly  seven  hundred  men.  He  was 
suffering  from  a  fever,  yet  bore  himself  bravely  in  the  thickest  of  the 
battle.  It  is  now  contended  that  the  public  was  severe  in  their  con- 
demnation of  him.  Subsequently  Congress  acquitted  him  of  all  blame 
in  the  defeat.  As  an  old  man  he  retired  from  public  life  in  1802.  His 
health  and  fortune  mostly  gone,  he  settled  down  a  few  miles  from 
Ligonier,  Pennsylvania,  on  his  remaining  farm.  At  one  time  he  had 
owned  10,887  acres  of  western  Pennsylvania  land,  but  it  had  nearly  all 
slipped  from  his  control  while  he  was  following  military  life.  He  had 
advanced  the  United  States  army  several  thousand  dollars  during  the 
war  for  independence,  but  because  he  had  failed  to  certify  his  claim  in 
proper  time,  the  government  never  allowed  him  or  his  heirs  a  farthing. 
He  also  advanced  $8,000  to  pay  off  the  Indians,  and  furnished  $7,400  to 
fit  out  the  expedition  in  1791.  These  sums  which  he  had  actually  bor- 
rowed for  the  government  they  refused  to  pay,  and  his  property  was 
taken  at  half  its  true  value  by  his  greedy  creditors,  who  also  attached 
every  dollar  of  the  pitiful  pension  granted  him  by  Congress  in  1818. 
His  last  days  were  ones  of  penury  and  want,  and  he  kept  a  tavern  in  a 
log  cabin  on  the  summit  of  Chestnut  ridge  until  his  death,  August  31, 
1818.  He  was  a  Freemason,  and  his  remains  were  interred  at  Greens- 
burg,  Pennsylvania,  by  the  Masonic  fraternity.    In  1832  they  also  erected 


414  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

a  small  monument  over  his  remains,  on  which  monument  is  appropri- 
ately inscribed  these  words :  "The  earthly  remains  of  General  Arthur 
St.  Clair  are  deposited  beneath  this  humble  monument,  which  is  erected 
to  supply  the  place  of  a  nobler  one  due  from  his  country.  He  died 
August  31,  1818,  in  the  eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age." 

David  Rittenhouse,  whose  name  is  known  the  world  over  among 
scientific  men  and  especially  among  astronomers,  was  a  resident  of 
Montgomery  county,  having  lived  in  Norriton  township  from  the  time 
he  was  eight  years  of  age.  Among  the  many  biographical  notices  that 
have  from  time  to  time  appeared  in  publications  of  Pennsylvania,  telling 
of  the  rare  genius  of  this  man,  we  are  permitted  to  use  the  subjoined, 
which  is  a  brief  outline  of  a  man  whose  name  and  fame  will  live  as  long 
as  the  printed  page  is  in  existence,  or  the  heavens  contain  the  thousands 
of  stars  which  this  good  man  delighted  to  study  through  his  telescope 
and  then  give  to  the  world  his  conclusions  and  discoveries  in  astronomy. 
We  here  quote : 

Near  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Wissahickon,  in  the  vicinity  of  Ger- 
mantown,  four  miles  from  Philadelphia,  lived  three  hermits  a  century 
and  three-quarters  ago ;  and  near  their  hiding  places  from  the  world's 
ken,  a  mile  from  the  old  village,  where  the  good  Count  Zinzendorf,  the 
Moravian,  labored  and  reposed,  was  the  birthplace  of  one  whose  name  is 
co-extensive  with  scientific  knowledge.  It  was  David  Rittenhouse,  the 
eminent  mathematician,  who  was  born  in  Roxborough  township,  April 
8,  1732.  His  father  (Matthias)  was  an  humble  farmer,  and  David  was 
his  chief  assistant  when  his  life  approached  manhood.  The  geometrical 
diagrams  which  disfigured  his  implements  of  labor,  the  barn  doors  and 
the  pigsty,  attested  the  peculiar  workings  of  his  brain  while  yet  a  mere 
lad.  These  indications  of  genius  would  doubtless  have  been  disregarded, 
and  his  aspiration  remained  unsatisfied  had  not  a  feeble  body  made  the 
abandonment  of  field  labor  a  stern  necessity.  David  was  apprenticed  to 
a  clock  and  mathematical  instrument  maker,  and  the  pursuit  being  con- 
sonant with  his  taste,  he  was  eminently  successful.  Rittenhouse  was  a 
sincere  student,  but  on  account  of  his  pecuniary  wants,  he  was  deprived 
in  a  great  degree  of  the  most  valuable  sources  of  information,  especially 
concerning  the  progress  of  science  in  Europe.  While  Newton  and  Lieb- 
nitz  were  warmly  disputing  for  the  honor  of  first  discovery  of  fluxions, 
Rittenhouse,  entirely  ignorant  of  what  they  had  done,  became  the 
inventor  of  that  remarkable  feature  in  algebraical  analysis.  He  had  his 
observatory  on  the  eminence  above  the  Presbyterian  church,  where  Ben- 
jamin Franklin  frequently  visited  him.  About  1766,  although  only 
known  as  a  clockmaker,  he  constructed  for  Princeton  College  the  first 
orrery  ever  made  in  America.  In  1769  he  observed  the  transit  of  Venus, 
and  in  1795  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Royal  Society  of  London. 

On  February  20,  1766,  David  Rittenhouse  married  Eleanor  Coulston, 
daughter  of  Bernard  Coulston.  When  Dr.  Franklin  died,  Rittenhouse 
was  chosen  president  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society  to  fill  his 
place ;  and  from  his  own  earnings  he  gave  the  institution  fifteen  hun- 


APPENDIX  415 

dred  dollars  on  the  day  of  his  inauguration.  His  fame  was  now  world- 
wide, and  many  official  honors  awaited  his  acceptance.  He  held  the 
office  of  State  Treasurer  of  Pennsylvania  for  many  years;  and  in  1792 
he  was  appointed  the  first  director  of  the  Philadelphia  Mint.  Failing 
health  compelled  him  to  resign  that  trust  in  1795;  and  on  June  6th  the 
following  year  he  died  the  death  of  a  Christian,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four 
years. 

John  James  Audubon,  perhaps  the  world's  greatest  ornithologist,  from 
1771  to  1851  resided  in  Lower  Providence,  this  county,  and  at  intervals 
afterwards.  He  was  a  remarkable  man,  whose  numerous  books  include 
his  "Birds  of  America,"  448  colored  plates  in  life-size,  elephant  folio, 
five  volumes,  price  $1,000;  "American  Ornithological  Biography,"  five 
volumes,  8vo.,  1828;  the  "Birds  of  America,"  in  reduced  size,  8vo.,  1844; 
"Quadrupeds  of  America,"  three  volumes  folio,  containing  150  plates, 
1851.  By  an  act  of  Congress  passed  in  August,  1856,  the  Secretary  of 
State  was  authorized  to  purchase  one  hundred  copies  each  of  the  "Birds 
of  America"  and  "Quadrupeds  of  America,"  for  an  exchange  with  for- 
eign countries  for  valuable  works. 

Audubon,  "the  bird  man"  so  known  everywhere  in  the  world  to-day, 
was  born  in  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  May  4,  1780,  the  son  of  John  and 
Anne  Moynette,  both  parents  being  natives  of  France.  The  son  was 
given  a  fine  education  for  those  times,  and  went  to  Paris  to  study  natural 
history.  In  1780  his  father  removed  to  Philadelphia  and  soon  purchased 
land  in  Lower  Providence  township  this  county,  at  the  mouth  of  Per- 
kiomen  creek.  From  about  1800  young  Audubon  lived  on  this  two 
hundred  acre  plantation,  on  which  was  a  grist  and  sawmill.  In  his 
preface  of  that  masterpiece  of  his  in  later  years,  he  says : 

In  Pennsylvania,  a  beautiful  State  almost  central  on  the  line  of  our 
Atlantic  shores,  my  father,  in  his  desire  of  proving  my  friend  through 
life,  gave  me  what  Americans  call  a  beautiful  "plantation,"  refreshed 
during  the  summer  heats  by  the  waters  of  the  Schuylkill  river  and  tra- 
versed by  a  creek  named  Perkioming.  Its  fine  woodlands,  its  exten- 
sive fields,  its  hills  crowned  with  evergreens,  offered  many  subjects  to 
agreeable  studies,  with  as  little  concern  about  the  future  as  if  the  world 
had  been  made  for  me.  My  rambles  invariably  commenced  at  break  of 
day ;  and  to  return  wet  with  dew  and  bearing  a  feathered  prize  was,  and 
ever  will  be,  the  highest  enjoyment  for  which  I  have  been  fitted. 

Of  all  the  thousands  of  American  birds  he  studied  and  described  in 
his  great  publication,  each  and  everyone  was  printed  in  the  exact  color 
found  in  the  plumage  of  the  bird  as  found  in  forest  and  glen  in  its  natural 
state.  The  work  was  in  size  about  eighteen  by  twenty-six  inches,  and 
only  a  few  birds,  like  the  swan,  crane  and  pelican,  also  the  eagle,  but 
went  on  one  page ;  but  in  such  instances  a  larger  sheet  was  used  and 
folded  in,  as  sometimes  a  large  folding  map  is  made.  After  a  useful 
career  in  different  parts  of  the  globe,  Audubon,  who  had  finally  settled 


4i6  HISTORY  OF  MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

down  on  the  Hudson  river  above  New  York  City,  passed  from  earth's 
circle  of  most  interesting  authors  and  useful  men,  a  lover  of  Nature  as 
well  as  of  Nature's  God. 

Hon.  Frederick  A.  Muhlenberg,  eminent  as  the  first  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States,  was  the  second  son  of 
Rev.  Henry  Melchior  and  Anna  Maria  (Weiser)  Muhlenberg,  and  was 
born  at  Trappe,  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  November  17,  1753. 
He  received  his  education  at  the  University  of  Halle,  in  Germany,  was 
ordained  to  the  Lutheran  ministry  at  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  served 
as  pastor  of  a  Lutheran  church  at  Lancaster,  this  State,  from  1780  until 
his  death  in  1815,  at  sixty-two  years  of  age.  He  was  also  an  authority 
on  botany,  mineralogy  and  kindred  sciences,  and  wrote  in  Latin  several 
very  A^aluable  botanical  and  geological  works. 

Rev.  John  Philip  Boehm  was  the  first  Reformed  minister  in  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania,  where  he  first  acted  as  a  singer  and  school- 
master as  well  as  minister.  He  came  from  Germany  in  1720,  and  located 
at  Philadelphia,  where  he  acted  as  a  reader  for  the  members  of  the 
Reformed  church  then  living  in  that  city.  He  then  preached  without  a 
license  or  church  authority  until  1729,  when  on  November  29th  he  was 
ordained  by  authority  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  He  labored  through- 
out a  large  region,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  many  Reformed  churches. 
He  settled  in  Whitpain  township  before  1734,  organized  the  congrega- 
tion there  now  known  as  Boehm's  church,  and  became  very  wealthy, 
owning  a  large  tract  of  land,  slaves,  and  a  distillery.  He  died  suddenly 
on  May  i,  1749,  and  his  remains  lie  under  the  wall  of  the  present  church 

structure. 

Bench  and  Bar. 

In  the  historical  sketch  of  the  Montgomery  Law  Library  Committee, 
in  the  chapter  entitled  as  above,  on  preceding  pages  of  this  work,  refer- 
ence is  made  to  a  gap  in  the  minutes  of  the  committee  for  about  twelve 
years  prior  to  January,  1895.  Since  that  article  has  gone  to  press,  the 
lost  minutes  have  been  found  during  housecleaning  in  the  Law  Library. 
They  extend  from  November  16,  1883,  to  December  28,  1894.  The  only 
data  of  general  interest  afforded  by  the  lost  minute  book  are  that  meet- 
ings were  to  be  held  on  the  last  Friday  of  each  month  at  3  o'clock  p.  m. ; 
on  December  24,  1885,  Montgomery  Evans  was  elected  treasurer,  to  suc- 
ceed Charles  T.  Miller,  deceased;  on  December  12,  1889,  Judge  Swartz 
presiding,  William  W.  Owen  was  elected  librarian,  who  was  also  to  act 
as  secretary  of  the  committee;  on  April  i,  1890,  the  librarian  was 
reelected  and  reappointed  secretary,  and  Montgomery  Evans  was 
reelected  treasurer ;  Judge  Weand  and  Messrs.  Chain  and  Strassburger 
were  appointed  a  committee  on  books ;  and  Messrs.  Evans,  Jenkins  and 
Dannehower,  on  room ;  and  on  December  30,  1892,  William  W.  Owen 
resigned,  and  John  S.  Jones  was  elected  to  succeed  him  as  librarian  and 
secretary. 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY 

Family  and  Personal  History