The
1841
Free Bridge Meetings
Mauch
Chunk
&
Upper
Towamensing
The start of 1841 brought a devastating flood to the valley of the Lehigh River. This was the worst flood known up to that time, and the first major flood since the beginnings of operations of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. The canal from Easton to White Haven had only been completed a couple years prior, and much of it was washed away in the flood. The few bridges over the Lehigh also fell victim to that flood, including the only bridge north of the Blue Mountain, joining the villages of Weissport and Lehighton. Following the flood, there came the reconstruction, and at that time it was proposed that the Lehighton to Weissport bridge would be made a toll bridge instead of a free bridge as it had originally been. This caused a major protest among those living and doing business in this area. Jacob Weiss, founder of Weissport, had given the land for the bridge to the county many years prior on stipulation that it would be kept a free bridge.
Two meetings were held, one in Mauch Chunk and the other in Towamensing Twp. Many of the leading citizens of that time were involved in the proceedings, the following being a list of the leading members, their positions on the committee and their places of residence.
Held at the public house of Cornelius Conner on February 19, 1841. All the following were of Mauch Chunk Twp. and Lausanne Twp.
Leisenring, John Chair
Foster, Asa Lansford Vice president
Barber, Samuel S. Vice president
Cox, John P. Vice president
Salkeld, George Washington Vice president
Christman, William Vice president
Fincher, Jonathan Vice president
Wilber, Henry Vice president
Brink, Nicholas Vice president
Wallace, Jacob S. Secretary
Simpson, Jonathan Secretary
Broderick, Thomas Secretary
Ripple, Silas Secretary
Shortz, Abraham Committee of sixty
Packer, Asa Committee of sixty
Painter, John Committee of sixty
Christman, Casper Committee of sixty
Harris, Abraham Committee of sixty
McConnell, Benjamin Rush Committee of sixty
Gould, Justus Committee of sixty
Ebert, Henry Committee of sixty
Lippincott, Edward Committee of sixty
McLean, Alexander Committee of sixty
Mank, Philip Committee of sixty
Dodson, Isaac T. Committee of sixty
Thompson, John D. Committee of sixty
Brelsford, Thomas Committee of sixty
Williams, Benjamin Committee of sixty
Sherry, John Committee of sixty
Miner, Elijah Committee of sixty
Andress, A. Committee of sixty
Belford, George Committee of sixty
Stedman, Alexander Committee of sixty
Minehard, Joseph Committee of sixty
Cortright, Ira Committee of sixty
Barnes, James W. Committee of sixty
Butler, William, Sr. Committee of sixty
Lockart, Alexander Committee of sixty
Warner, Jacob Committee of sixty
Salkeld, Jacob H. Committee of sixty
Horn, Jacob, Sr. Committee of sixty
Smith, George Washington Committee of sixty
Swank, Jacob Committee of sixty
Mears, John Committee of sixty
Weiss, George Committee of sixty
Brodrick, James Committee of sixty
Harlan, E. W. Committee of sixty
Pryor, Jesse K. Committee of sixty
DeYoung, Philip Committee of sixty
Crawford, Samuel Committee of sixty
Fatzinger, John Committee of sixty
Conner, Cornelius Committee of sixty
Davis, George H. Committee of sixty
Fegley, George Committee of sixty
Miller, Conrad Committee of sixty
Warner, John Committee of sixty
Mears, Henry Committee of sixty
Dodson, George Washington Committee of sixty
Solomon, Nathanial Committee of sixty
Butler, Joseph Committee of sixty
Wallace, William Committee of sixty
Williams, William Committee of sixty
Barnes, J. E. Committee of sixty
Wetherhold, William Committee of sixty
Lippincott, Joseph Committee of sixty
Allen, Nathan Committee of sixty
Bertsch, Daniel Committee of sixty
Walker, Joseph Committee of sixty
Leidy, Sebastian Committee of sixty
Nowlin, James Committee of sixty
Woodwarth, William Committee of sixty
Sherry, George Committee of sixty
Hunter, S. V. R. Committee of sixty
The Committee of Sixty was formed to draft resolutions stating the opinions and positions of those assembled.
THE TOWAMENSING MEETING
This meeting was held at the public house of Major John D. Bauman on February 20, 1841 in Towamensing Twp. Those whose residence is listed as “Towamensing Twps.” were either of Upper or Lower Towamensing.
NAME POSITION RESIDENCE
Hanline, A. B., Esq. President
Craig, Thomas Secretary
Long, Joseph Secretary
Snyder, Jacob Secretary
Lilly, William, Col. Secretary
Brown, Joseph Secretary
Gearhart, William T., Rev. Committee of 24 Lehigh Twp. (of present day Northampton Co.)
Bauman, Jacob Committee of 24 Lehigh Twp. (of present day Northampton Co.)
Long, Joseph Committee of 24 Lehigh Twp. (of present day Northampton Co.)
Brutzman, Abraham Committee of 24 Lehigh Twp. (of present day Northampton Co.)
Wagner, George, Jr. Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Dreisbach, Daniel Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Snyder, Charles Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Wentz, Daniel, Esq. Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Kern, William Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Bauman, J. D., Major Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Bauman, Henry Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Zeigenfuss, J. A. Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Snyder, Thomas, Capt. Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Haintz, Jonathan, Capt. Committee of 24 Towamensing Twps.
Arner, T. Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Musselman,Peter Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Kemmerer, George Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Bower, C. G. Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Evert, Philip Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Musselman, Jacob Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Nimson, A. B. Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Law, A. H. Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Dengler, Charles Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
Raver, Andrew Committee of 24 East Penn Twp.
The Committee of 24 served the same function as the Committee of Sixty at the Mauch Chunk meeting.
When the bridge connecting Lehighton and Weissport was eventually rebuilt, it was as a free bridge.
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2001