CHAPTER XIII.
EAST PENN TOWNSHIP.
PAGES 717 TO 723
Including a section
on Benn Salem Church
Page 717
The territory comprising all that part of Carbon
lying west of the Lehigh River, and a portion of Schuylkill County, was, in
1768, set off from Towamensing District.
On the 22d of June in that year a petition was presented to the court of
Northampton County asking that Towamensing township be divided. The following is on record concerning it:
"Upon petition of divers inhabitants of
Towamensing township setting forth that the Petitioners labour under the
greatest inconveniences by reason of the too large extent of the said township,
it being no less than thirty-six miles long, which makes it extremely expensive
as well as inconvenient especially to the public officers, such as ... and
praying the court that the said township may be divided where the river Lehi
cuts the same nearly in the middle.
Whereupon it is considered and ordered by the court that William Kern,
John Kern, Nicholas Kern, William Thomas, Henry Rhoads, and Frederick Klein be
appointed Commissioners... and if they see occasion to divide the said township
according to the prayer of the said petition, and that they make report of
their doings in the premises at the next court after it is so divided."
The commissioners reported at the September term of
court, 1768,
"We the subscribers have viewed in pursuance of
an order of June term last the township of Towamensing, and have divided the
same by a natural boundary of the river Lehi." ... This report being read
in open court and considered, it was "ordered that the division so as
aforesaid made be confirmed, and, no cause being shown to the contrary, the
same is confirmed and named by the Court Penn Township."
The first settlers of East Penn were
English-speaking people of the following family names: Rhoads, Meyers,
Washburn, Johnson, Thomas, Kocher, Custard, Piersol, Tippler, and others.
They received the grants for their lands about the
year 1750.
After the war of independence a portion of them
removed to Canada, their places here being filled by Pennites, with which the
remaining families became intermarried, and in time by them entirely
absorbed. In the year 1762 there were
but thirty-three persons in the territory then embracing what, in 1768, became
Towamensing and Penn townships. In the
year 1781 the assessment-roll made by the commissioners of Northampton County
on the 27th of December contained the following names: (1)
Solomon
Baker.
Christian Bauman.
Nicholas
Baucher.
Arnold
Billich.
George
Fries.
John
Fries.
Richard
Dodson.
Joseph
Everett.
John
Edmunds.
Michael
Ero.
Edmund
Edmonds.
George
Grosley.
George
Gilbert.
George
J. Gilbert.
Michael
Hoppes.
Michael J. Hoppes.
Jacob
Hauser.
Cornelius Klingman.
William
Kern.
Henry
Kucher.
John
Kisner.
George
Longinburg.
Bastian
Longinburg.
John
Lietner.
Henry
Miller.
William
Meyer.
Ludwig
Mansiner.
Michael
Ohl.
George
Reich.
Peter
Reich.
John
Rhoads.
Joseph
Rhoads.
George
Shelhamer.
George
Shelhamer, Jr.
Daniel
Werner.
Philip
Schleicher.
Nathan
Werner.
William
Wall.
Simon
Henry.
Simon
Wehr.
Henry
Wetherstein.
Jonathan
Winner.
Adam
Ziner.
Leonard
Zimmerman.
Ritter
Zimmerman.
Bernard
Bauman.
George
A. Bortz.
Thomas
Baskell.
Frederick Kramer.
Valentine Bobst.
Samuel
Dodson.
Thomas Everett.
John
Holden.
John
Handwerk.
Peter
Handwerk.
Samuel
Henry.
John
Lusen.
John
Maxfield.
Jacob J.
Mertz.
Jacob
Mertz.
Everitt
Ohl.
John
Meyer.
John
Peter.
Samuel
Rhoads.
John
Roberts.
Andrew Singinger.
Henry
Schmidt.
Isaac
Watson.
Mathew
Weaver.
Jeremiah
Warton.
Boze
Walton.
"Gentleman's Land." (2)
Valentine Brobst.
Thomas
Bervin.
Arnold
Billy.
Jacob
Bassall.
Henry
Billig.
Jacob
Duisbills
Henry
Dinn.
Samuel
Broomfield.
FOOTNOTES
(1) Of the names given in this list, several will be found who were members of the Benn Salem Church, of whom are Michael Ohl and Eberhard Ohl, Michael Hoppes (he was a resident in the part of the township that in 1808 became West Penn. His grandson, Solomon Hoppes, now owns the mill in Mahoning township, on the site of the mill built by Christian Klotz in 1823), Heinrich Miller, Philip Schleicher, Joseph Rhoads, Simon Wehr, John (or Johannes) Handwerk, William Arner, and Leonard Balliet. (They were residents of the west part of Penn township, later West Penn.) Henry Arner, son of William, came to what is now Mahoning township in 1818, and is still living there. Thomas Balliet, son of Leonard, also came to what is now Mahoning, settled, and died there. His son, Nathan, is now a resident of that township.
(2) The lands here
assessed were the unseated lands.
Page
718
Thomas
Barkill
Melchoir
Dunn.
Robert
Dunn.
Joseph
Gerber.
William
Green.
Peter
Klysser.
George
J. Kistler.
Jacob
King.
William
Logan.
John
Long.
Jacob
Moss.
Jacob
Manns.
Philip
Mosser.
Burk
Mosser.
John
Meyer.
George
Meyer.
Samuel
Nift.
Barbera
Ritter.
Henry
Reglistonfor.
Martin
Sheib.
Able
Jeans.
Abraham
Steinbach.
Adam J.
Stein.
Andrew
Ohle.
Bernard
Volfellen.
Benjamin
Walton.
George
Caston.
Baltzer
Snyder.
Michael
Ohle.
Robert
L. Hoper.
Single Freemen.
Nathaniel Edmonds.
Daniel
Ero.
Samuel
Werner.
George
Houser.
George
Schleicher.
The territory remained as by the division of 1768
till 1808, when it was again divided into East Penn, West Penn, and
Lausanne. East Penn embraced the
present township of Mahoning, and the greater part of Mauch Chunk. West Penn was a portion of territory west of
East Penn, that in 1811 became a part of Schuylkill County. Lausanne was the northern part of the
township of Penn, and embraced the present townships of Lausanne, Lehigh,
Banks, Packer, and a small part of Mauch Chunk.
The following is a list of the names of persons who
were assessed in 1808: (1)
Peter
Andreas.
Jacob
Andreas.
William
Andreas.
John
Andreas.
Daniel
Andreas.
Christian Ackerman.
Jonathan
Bachman.
John
Baufield.
Andrew
Beek.
Anthony
Boekert.
Henry
Bowman.
Stephen
Balliet, Sr.
Stephen
Balliet, Jr.
Peter
Bobst.
Leonard Beltz.
Jacob
Bachman.
Solomon
Broomfield.
Frederick Delious.
Henry
Dreisbach.
Joshua
Davis, Esq.
Daniel
Ebert.
Lewis
Ereke.
Lawrence
Ebener.
Conrad
Ebener.
Jacob
Fritz, Sr.
Nicholas
Fuller.
Jacob
Fuller.
John
Freyman.
Abraham
Freyman.
John
Fuhr.
John
Fuhr, Jr.
George
Fogleman.
Caspar
Frederick.
Andrew
Fritz.
Peter
Frantz.
Leonard
Fisher.
George
Fritz.
George
Griffith.
Gertrude
Goldner, widow.
Jacob
Goldner.
George
Geiger.
Solomon
Gordon.
George
Heller.
Joseph
Hunsicker.
William
Henry, Esq.
J.
Weiss.
Henry
Hartmann.
David
Heller.
Caspar
Horn.
Daniel
Heffidseker.
Widow Catharine
Haberman.
Christian Hans
Leonard
Hans.
Peter
Hartman.
John
Handwerk.
Martin
Heaster estate.
Jonathan
Erb.
Peter
Handwerk.
John
Heller.
Christian Horn.
George
Henry Horn.
William
Heller.
George
Halshoe.
Andrew
Heller.
Deater
Heller.
John
Hagenbush.
Theobald
Kendall.
John
Kearney.
Joshua
Kocher, Sr.
Joshua
Kocher, Jr.
John
Klotz.
Andrew
Kunkel.
John
Kuntz.
John
Leichleidner.
George
Lerbenguth.
John
Lintz.
Benjamin
Mathew.
Jacob
Maury.
Joseph
Mathew.
Henry
Miller.
Jost
Miller.
George
Mertz.
Abraham
Miller.
Robert
McDaniel.
Thomas
Mewharter.
Peter
Notestine.
Henry
Notestine.
John
Notestine.
Frederick Newhard.
Estate
of Michael Ohl.
Henry
Ohl.
Thomas
Paschall.
Caspar
Peter.
Jacob
Peter.
John
Peter.
Barnet
Rad.
Henry
Remelly.
Henry
Remelly, Jr.
Henry
Rolf.
Conrad Rerig.
Martin
Rerig.
Daniel
Reber.
William
Rex, Sr.
William
Rex, Jr.
Peter
Robenold.
Peter
Rhoads, Esq.
George
Rex.
William
Rawle.
Joseph
Rhoads.
Jacob
Renner.
Samuel
Reinsmith.
Christopher Rex.
George Ruch.
Conrad
Zolt.
Paul
Zolt.
Andrew
Steigerwalt.
Adam
Stahneckel.
Charles
Steigerwalt.
Philip
Sanders.
Joseph
Sewitz.
Tobias
Schlosser.
Carl
Weiss.
George
Werthess.
Simon
Wehr.
Thomas Wolton
Doctor
Weisler.
George
Worthman.
Christian Wahl.
Samuel
Walton.
John
Zellner.
Peter
Musselman.
Single Freemen.
Mathias
Notestine.
John
Solt.
Nicholas
Mertz.
Jacob
Smith.
Daniel
Rerig.
Frederick Goldner.
John
Rex.
William
Holshoe.
John
Holshoe.
John
Lischleter.
Jacob
Maury.
Jacob
Feller.
Peter
Notestine.
Christian Fisher.
Peter
Feller.
Jacob
Andreas.
Christian Miller.
Peter
Holshoe.
In the year 1827 the territory of East Penn township
was reduced by the setting off of Mauch Chunk, the greater part of which was
taken from this township. In the year
1830 the following persons were engaged in business in the township (Mahoning
and Lehighton being still in its limits):
FOOTNOTE
(1) The tax levied in that year was $175.39.
Page
719
Saw-mills-Henry Arner,
Elizabeth Daubenspeck, George Heilman, John Hough, Henry Notestine.
Grist-mills-Stephen Balliet,
John Hough, Daniel Snyder.
Taverns-Jacob Andreas,
Christian Fisher, Jacob Fenstermacher.
Distillery-Jacob
Fenstermacher.
Forge-Balliet &
Helffrich.
In the year 1842 Mahoning township was set off from
East Penn, reducing it to its present territory.
It is bounded on the south by the Blue Ridge, which
separates it from Lehigh County.
Schuylkill County is on its western border, Mahoning township on the
north, and the Lehigh River on the east.
Lizard Creek rises in the west part of the township,
flows through Lizard Creek Valley, from which it takes its name, and enters the
Lehigh River nearly at the middle of the east line.
The southern portion of the township, being the
northern slope of the Blue Ridge, is still as much a wilderness as when the
Indians roamed the trackless forests a century and a half ago. The valley of Lizard Creek was first settled
by the Moravians soon after the massacre at Guadenhutten in 1755. An Indian missionary village was established
on Lizard Creek, and was named "Wech-gue-toak." At this place were gathered some of the
Indians who were scattered at the time of the burning of Gnadenhutten. Moravian missionaries were in charge. Loskiel, the well-known Moravian writer of
that time, has the settlement marked on a map of the region made in 1763. The Scotch-Irish settlers along the valley
considered the missions convenient places of gathering for unfriendly Indians,
and threats of destruction were made to the inhabitants of this and other
missionary villages. These became so
frequent that the settlement was abandoned, and the village was burned by a
party of whites in November, 1763. But
very few, if any, families had settled in the limits of what is now East Penn
township who remained through the troublous times that followed the defeat of
Braddock.
The eastern portion of the township, especially
along the Lehigh River, was not settled permanently until after 1800. The western portion was settled by English
and Germans, who came in after the Revolution, working their way from the
westward, settling first, in what became West Penn, and spreading eastward to
the centre of the township. The
locality around Benn Salem Church in both townships was the centre of the
settlement. The history of that church
is the best authority we have for the names of the settlers after 1781.
An examination of the assessment-rolls of 1781 and
1808 will show how few families of the earlier year were living here in the
latter. The name of Bauman appears in
both rolls. The family, however, were
settlers in Towamensing, and probably owned lands in this township. The name of Valentine Bobst in 1781 is
succeeded in 1808 by Peter Bobst. John
and Peter Handwerk appear in the former year, and Peter Handwerk in 1808 is
still a resident. Samuel Henry in 1781
is owner of property. In 1795, William
Henry was joint owner with Jacob Weiss of a tract of land on which Lehighton
borough is situated. Jacob Peter's name
occurs in both years, and in the latter also appear Caspar and John Peter. Michael and Everett Ohle are assessed in
1781 on property as residents, and Andrew Ohle on unseated lands. In 1808 the estate of Michael Ohle is
assessed and the name of Henry Ohle appears.
John and Joseph Rhoads appear in 1781, and Joseph in 1808. Peter Rhoads, Esq., is assessed in the
latter year on unseated lands. He was a
resident of Northampton (now Allentown), and associate judge of Northampton
County. Benjamin Walton was assessed on
unseated lands in 1781, which seem to have been occupied in 1808 by Thomas and
Samuel Walton. Simon Wehr was assessed
in 1781. In 1804 the commissioners of
Northampton County met at the house of George Simon Wehr to make a contract to
build a bridge over "Mach junk Creek." This was the year in which the Lehigh and Susquehanna Turnpike
was chartered, and Wehr, without doubt, kept a tavern at the place that later
became so widely known as "The Landing Tavern." His name is on the roll of 1808. He was also a member of Benn Salem Church.
Martin Andreas emigrated from Alsace, on the Rhine,
and arrived at Philadelphia, Oct. 7, 1749 in the ship "Leslie," J.
Bulldower captain, from Rotterdam, and settled in Heidelberg township (now
Lehigh County), Pa. He served in the
American army during the Revolutionary war as a teamster.
His family consisted of five sons and one daughter,
named as follows: Abraham, Peter, Jacob, William, Martin, and Salome (married
to Jacob Freyman).
Jacob and Peter jointly purchased and occupied what
is now known as the Andreas or Nimson farm in 1793. Jacob married Sarah Washburn, of East Penn township, and Peter
married her sister. They were
granddaughters of John Rhoads, the original settler and owner of the
tract. Jacob lived on the farm till his
death, and left two daughters, of whom Hannah became the wife of A. B.
Nimson. She is now living at
Lehighton. A. B. Nimson came to
Pennsville about 1824, and taught school from that year till 1832. He was a part of the time in the employ of
the Coal and Navigation Company at Summit Hill. In 1846 he was elected justice of the peace, and served several
terms. In 1852 he was elected register
and recorder of the county, and re-elected in 1855 and in 1861.
Peter Andreas lived on the farm from his first
settlement till 1810, when he sold it to Jacob Dinkey and removed from the
township. Josiah Andreas, Sarah (the
wife of William Bittenbender), and Cecilia (wife of Gideon Kistler), are
grandchildren of Peter.
William Andreas, brother of Jacob and Peter, came
into the township in 1807, and purchased a farm near…
Page
720
…Benn Salem Church, where he
lived, and died in 1823. He left two
sons, -Jonas and George. The latter
lived on the homestead until about 1850, when he sold to John Neff, whose son,
Reuben, now resides on the farm. George
Andreas emigrated to Ohio, where he still resides.
Jonas settled in Lizard Creek Valley, where he now
lives.
Jacob Dinkey, who in 1810 purchased the Peter
Andreas tract, was a native of Whitehall township, Northampton Co. (now
Lehigh), where he married. After he purchased
the farm of Peter Andreas he removed to the place and erected a dwelling-house,
in which he opened a tavern. Adjoining
he also built a store and a blacksmith-shop.
Upon his farm was built the first school-house in the lower part of the
township. In 1820 he was appointed
justice of the peace, and served many years.
Upon the organization of the county in 1843 he was elected associate
judge of Carbon County, being associated therein with Asa Packer. He died in 1845, aged sixty-two years. His children were Sarah, Charles, James,
Reuben, Anna, and Leah. Sarah became
the wife of John Bauman, and settled at Baumansville. Charles settled at home, kept the tavern for a time, was elected
justice of the peace in 1853, and died at Pennsville. Jonas taught school for a term, and removed to Easton. Reuben lived at home many years, kept the
tavern, was elected justice of the peace in 1858, 1863, and 1867, later removed
to Baumansville, where he died. Anna
remains unmarried, and lives in the village of Pennsville. Leah became the wife of George Balliet, and
settled where Miss Ann Dinkey now resides.
Conrad Rehrig was a native of this State, his father
having come to this country at a very early date, landing at Germantown, and
settling in that part of the State.
Conrad served in the Revolution, after which he married and emigrated to
north of the Blue Ridge, and settled in Lizard Creek Valley, between Pennsville
and the Reuben Stiegerwalt farm. He was
one of the founders of the Benn Salem Church, and on the building committee
from 1794 to 1797. He lived many years
after, died, and was buried in the Benn Salem churchyard. He had eleven children-Martin, Daniel, John,
Jacob, Jonas, Michael, Conrad, George, William, and a daughter, Elizabeth, who
became the wife of Jacob Stiegerwalt, and settled farther up the valley. Martin, the eldest son, settled near the
Balliet Forge, where he died in 1860.
His children were Solomon, Jacob, Charles, Powell, Paul, Elizabeth (Mrs.
Jacob Lentz), Lydia (Mrs. John Liebergood), and Rebecca. Solomon settled in the township, and died in
1854, leaving a wife and children, who later moved away. The property was sold to Dennis Bauman. Jacob moved to Slatebrook, where he still
lives. Charles and Powell settled in
the Lizard Creek Valley. Charles, a son
of Charles, lives on his father's farm, and is an engineer. George and Henry, also sons of Charles, live
near Bowman's Station. Reuben, a son of
Powell, lives on his father's farm.
Paul also settled in the valley, where his son, Reuben, now lives. Of the other sons of Conrad, Jacob now lives
in Towamensing, Conrad settled on the homestead, and died single, Daniel
emigrated West, John settled in the township.
Owen Rehrig, of Lehighton, is a son.
Jonas also lived in the township, and a son, Jonas, lives at Lehighton.
William, the youngest son of Conrad, born in 1804,
settled on the homestead, and lived and died there. Esaias Rehrig, of Allentown, and William, now a resident of the
township, are sons. Mrs. Owen Rehrig,
Mrs. Mahlin Reichart, of Lehighton, are daughters.
Jacob Maurer (or Moury) was a native of Columbia
County, N. Y., and emigrated to this township before 1800, and purchased a
tract of land now owned by George Moury.
He built the stone house now standing on the farm in the year 1817. He was a member of Benn Salem Church. In the year 1829, George Moury, the present
owner, a nephew of Jacob, came to his uncle's from Columbia County, and lived
with him, and, as Jacob Moury left no children, George came into possession of the farm.
The name of Heinrich Miller appears on the
assessment-roll of 1781, and as an early member of Benn Salem Church, and in
1808 the names of Henry, Jost, and Abraham Miller are recorded as
property-owners, and Christian Miller is given as a single freeman. One George Miller was in possession of the
farm now owned by Charles Frantz many years ago. He sold it about 1840 and emigrated to the West.
Stephen Balliet, Sr., who, with Samuel Helffrich,
built the Penn Forge in 1828, moved to the township from Whitehall, Lehigh Co.,
in 1837, when his son, Aaron, was erecting the Penn Furnace. He lived near the furnace till his death, in
1854. Of his children who lived in the
township, Aaron remained in charge of the furnace till that time, and returned
to Whitehall, where he now lives.
George married Leah, the daughter of Jacob Dinkey, and settled at
Pennsville. Joseph carried on a
tan-yard several years after (1838).
John Balliet in later years purchased the furnace, and still owns and
operates it. He now lives at
Slatington.
Daniel Romig, a native of Berks County, was
born in 1799, and came to this township
in 1820, and purchased a farm a short distance southwest of Pennsville. His son, Charles, was elected justice of the
peace in 1863. Daniel Romig, Jr., was
elected in 1880, and is still serving.
A son lives at Parryville. Mrs.
Simon Reichart, of Mauch Chunk, is a daughter.
Page
721
…have been commenced three
years before. The Revs. Schellbort,
Deshler, Diehl, and John Schwarbach preached in the neighborhood in barns and
houses before the completion of the church.
The building committee were Peter Andreas, Tobias Schlosser, Carl
Stiegerwalt, and Conrad Rehrig. George
Fusselman was the builder. It was built
of logs, thirty by forty-five feet in dimensions, having galleries on the
sides. A burial-place was laid out
adjoining the church lot, in which many of the forefathers of this region
sleep.
The pastors who have served the Lutheran Church are
as follows: Daniel George Schaffer, 1797-1814; John Caspar Diehl, 1814-1816;
Frederick William Mendron, 1816-19; John Gottlieb Yeager, 1819-32; Freyman,
1832-33; Stohlen, 1833-36; Schewver, 1836-37; Winner, 1837-40; George, 1840-42;
Ernst August Bauer, 1842-72; William Henry Strauss, 1872-84. The latter is still pastor.
The following are the names of the German Reformed
ministers: Frederick Wetterschlott, Jacob Diefenbach, John Zulich (1816-1874),
Abraham Bartholomew (succeeded the Rev. Mr. Zulich, and is still in the
service).
The congregation of the Lutherans numbers a bout
three hundred members, and the German Reformed about two hundred members.
The present substantial brick edifice was built on
the site of the old house in 1855.
The following is a list of the early members of the
church. It must be remembered that the
church is not far from the division line of East and West Penn townships, and
many of its members were residents of what is now Schuylkill County:
Carl, Peter, and Andrew Steigerwalt, Michael Ohl,
Johannes Handwerk, Johannes Lechleidner, Heinrich Lechleidner, Lorenz Ebner,
George Wertner, John Hoberman, George Hettler, Franz Krum, Daniel Rauch, Philip
Schleicher, Peter Schleicher, John Schleicher, William Arner, Leonard Balliet,
Jacob Bachman, Stephen Balliet, Peter Hartman, Heinrich Nothstein, Abraham
Freyman, Jacob Mauser, Leonard Hautz, William Rex, Sr., Jacob Rex, Peter Andreas,
Jacob Guldner, Daniel Rehrig, Conrad Rehrig, Heinrich Remaly, Joshua Kocher,
Johannes Reber, Johannes Andreas, Jacob Andreas, Andrew Kunkle, Eberhard Ohl,
Joseph Rhoads, Barnabas Rhoads, George Whitehead, Jacob Hettinger, Johannes
Horn, George Heinrich Horn, Conrad Soldt, John Diedrich Heller, Johannes Klotz,
Moyer Arnold, Philip Sendle, Valentine Schuck, Thomas Walton, Andreas Fritz,
Andreas Heller, Jesse Kern, Nicolaus Feller, George Peck, Andreas Feller, Peter
Musselman, Christian Wohl, Daniel Ebert, Conrad Wehr, George Lechleidner,
George Griffin, Jonathan Bachman, Frederick Delius, Jacob Fritz, Conrad Ebner,
Wilhelm Andreas, Solomon Gordon, Daniel Heil, George Andreas, George Simon
Weber, Heinrich Miller, Anthony Bachard, George Ohl, Michael Hoppes, Johannes
Heller, George Cunfer, Peter Stein, John George Guldner, George Ruch, Sr.,
Tobias Schlosser, John Fuhr, John Ringer, Heinrich Ziegle, Christian
Ackerman. There are many other names of
later date, but the names here given are of value as showing the settlers at
the time.
BENN SALEM CHURCHYARD.--The following are a few of
the names of persons buried in the grounds, with date of death:
Rev. John
Schwarbach, died Oct. 31, 1800, aged 81 years.
John George
Guldner, died April 23, 1803, aged 51 years.
Anna Maria
Holshoe, wife of George Holshoe, died Aug. 28, 1814, aged 67 years.
George
Ruch, died April 5, 1808, aged 39 years.
Sarah
Washburn, wife of Jacob Andreas, died Feb. 23, 1803, aged 40 years.
Elizabeth
"Legleidner," wife of Heinrich Lechleitner, died Nov. 4, 1830, aged
40 years.
Heinrich
Legleidner (Lechleitner), died Feb. 5, 1844, aged 60 years.
John Peter
Steigerwalt, died Sept. 15, 1840, aged 78 years.
Christina
Steigerwalt, wife of John Peter, died Sept. 30, 1850, aged 95 years. At the time of her death there were two
hundred and ninety-nine descendants.
Lorenz
Ebner, died Nov. 10, 1842, aged 80 years.
Salome
Ebner, wife of Lorenz, died July 1, 1838, aged 80 years.
Andrew
Stiegerwalt, Carl Stiegerwalt, Robert McDaniel and his wife, Elizabeth, Conrad
Rehrig, and many others, to whom no tablets are erected.
SCHOOLS.--The earliest schools in the township were
connected with the Benn Salem congregation, which was organized before
1790. Its church edifice was completed
in 1797, and school was kept after that in the building. But little is known of it. The school was taught entirely in
German. In the lower or eastern part of
the township the first school was started not far from 1812. A stone school-house was erected on the farm
of Jacob Dinkey, and a term of three months was taught by Lawrence Enge, and
was entirely English. He was succeeded
by Abram Miller, James Campbell, Geoffrey Zilich, Jacob and James Dinkey,
Andrew Croniean, Abram Low, Calvin
Bertolette, Charles Black, A. B. Nimson (1824-32), Oliver Musselman, --- Alger
(1850). The following certificate was
given to Hannah Andreas (now Mrs. A. B. Nimson, of Lehighton):
"This is to certify that the bearer, Hannah Andreas, is head
of her class by her good attention to her Book, and thereby
has gained the good-will of her Tutor.
"Andrew Croniean,
"the 30th of January, 1821"
This stone school-house was used until about 1866,
when the present one was built adjoining the Union Church at Pennsville.
The township accepted the school law about 1840, …
Page
722
…and now contains six
schools, with about three hundred pupils.
The following is a list of the school directors since 1844:
1844.-George Horter, Jacob Fatzinger.
1845.-Charles Dinkey, William Rehrig.
1846.-Jonas
Andreas, John Hoberman.
1847.-Jacob
Steigerwalt, Josiah Frantz.
1848.-William Rehrig, Reuben Dinkey.
1849.-Samuel Ruch, Paul Rehrig.
1850.-Thomas Shaffer, John Bauman, William Beck.
1851.-Aaron
Balliet, Jacob Westman, Jonas Rehrig.
1852.-Elias
George, Daniel Notestine, Henry Peter, Reuben Peter.
1853.-John
Miller, George Schultz.
1854.-John
Hunsicker, Jesse Heilman.
1855.-Michael Herter, Jacob Ruch, George Ruch, John B. Ruch.
1856.-George Schultz, Charles H. Nimson.
1857.-Michael Herter, George Hetler.
1858.-Jacob
Davis, Peter Haberman.
1859.-George Schultz, Charles Rerig.
1860.-Joseph
Haberman, Reuben Herter.
1861.-Gideon Peter, Reuben Dinkey.
1862.-George Maury, Jacob Westman.
1863.-M.
Stiegerwalt, William B. Rehrig.
1864.-G.
Kistler, John Haberman, Joseph Holshoe.
1865.-Daniel Romig, Jr., Levi Stiegerwalt.
1866.-Isaac
Ginter, Elias Ruch.
1867.-Gideon Peter, John Balliet.
1868.-John
Albright, Owen Andrew.
1869.-Isaac
Giner, Thomas Haney.
1870.-Jacob
Stiegerwalt, William Ross.
1871.-Josiah Andreas, Daniel Romig
1872.-Gideon Rehrig, Gideon Peter.
1873.-Josiah
Andreas, Levi Frantz.
1874.-Harrison Stiegerwalt, James Appenseller.
1875.-Joel
Heintzleman, T. W. Stiegerwalt.
1876.-Lewis
Ruch, Henry Schultz.
1877.-Samuel Mill, Joseph Ruch, David Wehr.
1878.-John
Reigel, Owen Smith.
1879.-David
Delong, George Maury, Wilson Ebbert.
1880.-Gideon Kistler, Harrison Germon.
1881.-Elias
Ruch, James Youser, Solomon Furby.
1882.-Harrison Stiegerwalt, Jacob Heintzleman.
1883.-Elias
Smith, Albert Bauman.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.--Prior to 1840 the justices
were appointed for districts embracing two or three townships. A list of those who held jurisdiction over
this territory will be found in the civil list of the county.
The following-named persons have served as justices
of the peace of the township since the organization of Carbon County:
Jacob
Dinkey, elected March, 1845.
A. B.
Nimson, elected March, 1846.
Aaron
Balliet, elected March, 1847.
A. B.
Nimson, elected March, 1851.
Charles
Dinkey, elected March, ,1852.
John
Hunsicker, elected March, 1853.
Charles H.
Nimson, elected March, 1857.
John
Hunsicker, elected March, 1858.
Reuben
Dinkey, elected March, 1858.
Reuben
Dinkey, elected March, 1863.
Charles
Romig, elected March, 1865, declined.
Daniel
Romig, elected March, 1866, declined.
Reuben
Dinkey, elected March, 1867.
Elias S.
Heintzleman, elected March, 1869, declined.
Lewis
Ginter, elected March, 1869, declined.
John D.
Balliet, elected February, 1875.
Elias S.
Heintzleman, elected January, 1880.
Daniel Romig,
Jr., elected January, 1880.
A. S.
Stiegerwalt, elected March, 1882.
PENN FORGE AND FURNACE.--Stephen Balliet and Samuel
Helffrich, in 1828, two years after the erection of the Lehigh Furnace in
Heidelberg township (now Washington, Lehigh County), purchased land on the
north side of the mountain, in East Penn township, Carbon Co., and near
Pennsville, where they erected a forge known as Penn Forge. This was conducted by them till the death of
Mr. Helffrich, in 1830. Mr. Balliet, in
1832, purchased the Helffrich interest.
At this time Mr. Balliet owned in the vicinity about seven hundred acres
of land. In 1837 he moved to the
locality, purchased about three thousand acres of land, erected a furnace about
three-quarters of a mile farther down the mountain, and constructed four
tenement-houses, making eleven in all.
He continued to reside here till his death, in January, 1854. His son, Aaron Balliet, now of North Whitehall,
was in charge from 1838 to 1855. Soon
after the death of Mr. Balliet the furnace and forge property was sold to
Solomon Boyer and A. B. Nimson, and about 1858 it passed to John Balliet, a son
of Stephen, by whom it is still owned and operated. It is a charcoal furnace, and is in blast from eight to ten
months each year.
PENNSVILLE.--About the year 1807, William Jacob and Peter
Andreas purchased a large tract of land in Penn township, embracing what is now
Pennsville. Peter sold his land, in
1809, to Jacob Dinkey, who in the next year erected a building, which he used
as a dwelling and a tavern. He also
built a blacksmith-shop and a store.
Jacob Andreas continued upon his land, and in 1828 opened a tavern,
which he kept about three years.
A post-office was established about the same time,
and was kept in the store of Jacob Dinkey, he being the postmaster. The office was kept there may years and then
abandoned. On the 9th of April, 1883,
it was again established, and Penrose George was appointed postmaster. He also keeps the hotel and store at
Pennsville. The hotel was kept by Jacob
Dinkey and his sons, Charles and Reuben, many years; in 1868 was sold to
William Smith, and later passed to several others, and was finally destroyed
by…
Page
723
…fire, July 21, 1873. It was rebuilt in 1874 by Henry Notestine, who
kept it two years, and sold to Penrose George, the present proprietor.
The people in the vicinity of Pennsville are mostly
Germans, and members of the Lutheran and German Reformed Churches. Religious services were held in the
school-house for many years, and in 1851 the present church edifice was
erected. The pastors who have
ministered to the Lutheran congregation are as follows: Revs. E. A. Bauer, D.
K. Kepner, and Gustave A. Breugel, the present pastor.
The Rev. Charles J. Eichenberg served the German
Reformed many years, and was succeeded by the Rev. Abraham Bartholomew, who is
the present pastor.
The schools of the village are treated of in the
history of the schools of the township.
********************************************************************************
From
The History of the Counties of Lehigh & Carbon, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
By
Alfred Mathews & Austin N. Hungerford
Published in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1884
Transcribed from the original in November, 2002 by
Vincent
E Summers
[3X-great-grandson of David Weatherly Sr., namesake of the town of Weatherly]
Web page by
July 2003