HISTORICAL 50CIETY · 2017. 3. 27. · All-MetalStock Underhammer Action .69 Calibre, Smooth Bore [# 2 Lower] Marked "Wm. Briggs, Norristown, Pa." Period of 1860 Type, .4.3 Calibre,

BULLETIN

HISTORICAL 50CIETYMONTGONERY COUNTY

PENNSYLVANIAj\roy^/^/S7vwM

Somery

PUBLISHED BY THESOCIETYAT 1T5 BUILDING )654 DEKALB STREET

NORRISTOWN.PA,

SPRING. 1959

VOL. XI NUMBER 4

PRICE $1.50

The Historical Society of Montgomery County

OFFICERS

Hon. David E. Groshens, PresidentGeorge K. Brecht, Esq., Vice-President

Hon. Alfred L. Taxis, Vice-PresidentDr. Edward P. Corson, Vice-PresidentEva G. Davis, Recording SecretairiiMrs. H. Donald Moll, Corresponding Secretary

Mrs. LeRoy Burris, Financial Secretary and LibrwrianLyman a. Kratz, Treasurer

TRUSTEES

Kirke Bryan, Esq.

Harry L. Christman

Mrs. H. H. Francine

Donald A. Gallager, Esq.

Herbert H. Ganser

Hon. David E. Groshens

Kenneth H. Hallman

Nancy P. Highley

Foster C. Hillegass

Arthur H. Jenkins

Hon. Harold G. Knight

Lyman A. Kratz

Mrs. F. B. Wildman, Jr.

William S. Pettit

[# 1 Upper] Marked "Wm. Briggs, Norristown, Pa." Serial # 27, Pat. Aug. 13, 1858All-Metal Stock Underhammer Action .69 Calibre, Smooth Bore

[# 2 Lower] Marked "Wm. Briggs, Norristown, Pa."Period of 1860 Type, .4.3 Calibre, Hunting Rifle, Curly Maple, Half Stock.

THE BULLETIN

of the

Historical Society of, Montgomery County

PUBLISHED SEMI-ANNUALLY—SPRING AND FALL

VOLUME XI SPRING, 1959 NUMBER 4

CONTENTS

Fire, Flint and Fulminate Silas H. Shoemaker 271

William Briggs, Gunmaker of NorristownMatthew D'Ambrosio 279

A Muhlenberg Manuscript 282

Pioneer in Higher Education. .Joseph W. Hunsicker, Esq. 298

Deaths in the Skippack Region (Compiled) 306

Nineteenth Century Real Estate Offerings.., (Compiled) 318

Neighborhood News and Notices (Compiled) 326

Death Notices from Newspapers (Compiled) 336

A Journey in 1827 Society's Archives 347

Reports 350

PUBLICATION COMMITTEE

Mrs. LeRoy Burris Mrs. H. Donald Moll

Charles R. Barker, Chairman

269

"C" for

Matchlock

Wheel

Lock

Match

Match Serpentine

Pan

<.t=^Boresighting

•O U

The gyroscope maintains its axialdirection in space. The spinning projectilechanges its axial direction and does strikenose first

[With the usual exceptions, of course!]

p>M̂ais Non

Fire, Flint, and Fulminate*Silas H. Shoemaker

Man in his dreams of conquering enemies while they wereyet a long way off, of subduing wild animals without harmto himself, and of providing himself with an implement toassist him in hunting, finally made a gun. Today we speak ofmany kinds of guns.

There are riveting guns, air guns, blow guns, grease guns,shot guns, big guns of the army and navy, zip guns. Theyall have one thing in common. Some substance, a propellant,expells another substance from a tube or tube-like structure.The shoulder guns and hand guns designated by the militaryterm as "small arms", and frequently thought of by the civilian as firearms, are the guns to be considered in this paper.

When man made his first gun, he came face to face withseveral special problems. The solutions to these problems werefound by hard experience over several centuries.

Some of these problems were (1) to find the best methodto ignite or "fire" the propellant charge of powder in a gun,(2) to obtain maximum use of the power of the explodingpropellant, (3) to obtain knowledge of where and how fastthe bullet, or other projectile, would go, (4) to make the operation of the gun weatherproof, and (5) to do all of these thingswith nearly complete safety to the operator of the gun.

Sometime before the end of the 14th century Westernman had made a hand cannon. This was a short barrel secured to sticks by wire or iron bands. To aid in handling thisgun, the sticks gave way to a stock borrowed from the longbow, and by 1450 the matchlock gun had come into being.

This gun weighed about twenty or twenty-five pounds.One end was rested on a forked stick stuck in the ground whenit was fired. It required nearly ten minutes of time and the

"•Read before the Society, November 15,1958.

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272 bulletin op histobical society of Montgomery county

services of two men to complete one firing and loading cycle.In order to fire the propellant in this gun, a small pan-shapedpiece of metal was secured to the side and rear of the barrel.Just above this "pan" was a small hole which led to the powder in the barrel of the gun. A small bit of powder was placedon the pan and ignited by fire. Some of the fire from thisignited powder passed through the small hole and ignitedthe powder inside. The fire for this ignition was supplied bya cord. This cord had been dipped in a saltpeter solution,dried, and then lighted. An eight-or-ten-inch piece of thiswould bum for several minutes. This cord was called the

"match".

If one man alone attempted to fire this gun, he had certain difficulties due to the design of the gun. If he paid attention to pointing the gun, he was likely to burn his fingerswith the pan powder. If he gave attention to applying thematch, his gun was aimed by chance! What surprising resultscould thus be obtained!

To overcome this difficulty a piece of metal shaped likea C was made, the "match" clamped to one end of it, a pivotput in the middle of it, and the other end of it served as ahandle. The gunner when ready could then use the handleto push the match to the pan and keep his fingers away fromimmediate fire danger.

Later the C shape gave way to a long shape, or serpentine. Some say this was to lengthen the match. Others saythis was but the carrying on of the tradition long establishedof carving, casting, or drawing serpents on weapons.

Eventually the match-holding serpentine was turned bya spring, the spring's energy being released by a trigger mechanism. Thus gradually the need for the services of one of thetwo men was diminishing.

Around 1515 in Germany, the wheel lock was developed.This lock consisted of a wheel two or three inches in diameterturned by a spring when the trigger was pulled. Around therim of the wheel were fastened pieces of iron pyrites. Whenthe wheel rotated, these struck against a piece of iron in

FIRE. FLINT, AND FULMINATE* 273

such a way that a small shower of sparks fell on the powderin the pan, thus firing the gun.

About 1550 rumors arose that certain individuals in Spain,Portugal, and Holland were using their matchlocks and wheellocks in a manner regarded as ethically unacceptable. Someguns by this time were being made small enough for one manto handle, provided of course, he stayed out of the rain andhigh winds. Consequently certain rascals were using theirguns to rob, and coerce in the manner mentioned above. Forsome reason not clear in history the Dutch wrongdoers tookto shooting or stealing chickens. The owner of the chickenscould see the glow of the fire from the matchlocks, or theshowers of sparks from the wheel locks. In order thereforeto snatch the chickens with less interruption the thieves developed a means of striking sparks with flint. Thus came theflint lock gun known as the "snaphance" or "hen snatcher".

But as yet no one thought to put a cover on the pan. Thecoming of the flintlock did give someone the idea to do so.This gives us the means of distinguishing the snaphance gunfrom the true flintlock.

The piece of metal struck by the flint is called the "friz-zen." On the true flintlock this is made integrally with thepan cover. Such an arrangement is not to be found on thesnaphance lock.

The true flintlock did not develop until about 1675. By thattime the guns were shorter, lighter, and much better adaptedto individual use. Hand guns, or pistols, were being developed,too. These were guns of large bore, and much decorated withpieces of brass and engraving on certain iron parts of the gun.

During the 17th century the British musket long knownas the "Brown Bess" was developed. This was a smooth boregun of caliber about .75, with a barrel of from thirty-nine tofifty-seven inches in length, and was the standard British military weapon until nearly 1880.

All the muskets and non-military weapons of smooth boremade throughout the 18th century were poorly equipped withsights. Generally they had a small front sight or no sights

274 bulletin of historical society of Montgomery county

at all. So while the flint had served to fire the gun in mannermore trouble free than the old matches could, aiming or sighting was not much improved. The large, unevenly shaped bullets did not fit the barrels uniformly, powder loading wasvariable, weather conditions affected the powder, so that allin all, the shooter could but point his gun in the general direction of his target, shoot, and hope for a hit.

The Bernoulli brothers, Swiss mathematicians of the 17thcentury, had investigated the problem of the flight of a projectile. As a result of their studies, knowledge of the flight ofa cannon ball or bullet transcended the means to get such aprojectile into flight. Greater stability in flight of a spinningprojectile over that of the non-spinning one was known. So—sometime between 1650 and 1725, experiments with bothstraight and curved grooves cut inside the bore of the gunhad started.

Gun makers of Germany migrating to America in the early18th century listened to the pleas of the frontiersmen fora gun that would shoot straighter, farther, and harder thanthe old smooth bore guns. By about 1725 a rifle had emerged.It was so named because of the barrel being rifled, or grooved.The barrel was made longer than that of the smooth boreguns, (to an average of fifty-seven inches), and the caliberwas reduced from .69-.70 to .42-.45. This was the "Kentucky"or Pennsylvania rifle. For hard, accurate hitting, these gunshad no equal until about 1825.

Most of the flintlock guns could be loaded and fired twoto three times a minute by a skilled gun handler, but by early19th century the call was for more rapid fire. Hand guns wereturning up in ever increasing numbers, and these gave promise of the fulfillment of the desire for increased rapidity offire. But fire and flint were not fast enough.

In 1663 fulminate of mercury had been discovered. Justprior to 1807, the Rev. Robert Forsyth, a Scotch Presbyterianminister, experimented with and partly tamed the unrulyfulminate. Once this treacherous substance, so sensitive tofriction, shock, and heat, had been stabilized a bit, it could

FIRE. FLINT, AND FULMINATE* 275

be used to ignite the propellant charge in guns. From 1807until about 1835 the idea of the percussion lock grew slowly,then spread very rapidly. In fact, so many flintlocks were converted to percussion fire that authentic Kentucky rifies intheir original state are relatively scarce.

The percussion lock finally developed into the use of asmall metal cap placed over a nipple through which an opening led to the propellant powder. Inside the cap was a bit ofthe fulminate which when the hammer fell, sent its fire andshattering vibrations into the propellant powder with a moreweather-free and certain ignition than had ever been experienced before.

By 1835-1846 experiments were under way to incorporatethe cap and propellant in one cartridge; by 1846 the rim firecartridge had been developed and by 1852 the center firecartridge had appeared.

During the period from 1850 to 1900, improvements inammunition, development of repeating guns, both hand gunsand rifies, and the fulfillment of the dream of the fully automatic gun grew so rapidly that a special study could be givento this period alone.

At the present time a U. S. Marine does not speak of his"gun". His shoulder weapon is a riflle, and he is insulted ifyou call it a gun. For the Navy man, a hand gun is a revolver ifit has a rotating cylinder holding 5, 6, 7, or 9 cartridges, apistol, if it is an automatic.

Here now has been traced the main part of the development of the solution to the problem of igniting the propellant.The historical development of the solutions to the other problems cannot be traced in this paper. Only brief mention canbe made of them.

First is the matter of getting the most energy from theburning powder. A Frenchman, Minie by name, about mid-nineteenth century designed a bullet with a cone-shaped expander placed in the back of the bullet. This was supposed toflare out the back of the bullet against the bore of the gun,and thus seal in the powder gases. This did work, although


it was soon discovered that the expander was not needed.The cone-shaped depression in the back of the bullet servedas well. This type of bullet was in use in the battle of Gettysburg.

Today in small arms, the seating of the bullet in the rifling of the barrel serves as a suiRcient seal. In guns of largercaliber a soft copper band, called a rotating band, is placedon the projectile for this purpose.

Whereas the old guns had no sights or only a front sight,the newer, higher velocity and longer range projectiles require better sighting of the guns before firing. Consequentlypractically all guns of today are carefully "bore-sighted" andtheir performance checked at all ranges. Bore-sighting is aprocess of making sure that where the sights are pointed,there the projectile will go.

In today's ammunition the old fulminate cap has beenreplaced by a cap of more stable but thoroughly efficient detonating substance. The firing pin of a gun pinches this capagainst an anvil. The cap explodes, igniting a propellant powder that develops great pressure behind the bullet, yet bumswith relative slowness. In larger guns, the projectile is filledwith a burster charge that can detonate, loosing a high shattering energy. The cartridges which today hold the cap, propellant and bullet are wax treated to make them water proofand thus quite independent of wind and weather. Chemically,too, today's explosives are improved so that their corrosiveeffect on the gun has been greatly reduced.

In closing this paper, a word should be said in honor ofthe farmers who tilled the soil of these counties in days past.They handled all the usual farm tools, and in due season wenthunting. Rare indeed were their injuries, either from guns,or other tools.

When they went hunting in groups they had a strict codeof behavior, and they were rarely injured. They would nothunt with a person who did not accept and adhere to theircode of behavior. They never pointed a gun toward a person.They always treated the gun as a dangerous tool, and they

FIRE, FLINT, AND FULMINATE* 277

did not think it cute or funny if a small lad pointed a toygun at a person.

Here permit me an allusion to two or three personal experiences. In 1921 I saw two men, city men, sitting on adjacent fence posts (posts of a three rail fence), when a rabbitran under the fence between the two men. They each firedboth barrels of their double-barreled shot guns at the rabbit.They missed the rabbit, and managed not to hit each other,but what a chance they took!

About 1938 or 1939 one of my pupils was absent fromschool because "he-was under arrest" as one of his fellow

pupils informed me. It developed that this pupil with severalcompanions had beehôut in the city park the evening beforeplaying "cops and robbers." They were shooting at each otherwith live .22 caliber ammunition. This pupil had shot a companion through the abdomen, making many holes in his intestines, but fortunately not damaging any more vital organs.Thanks to the then new sulfa drugs, the injured boy recovered. But I ask, what carelessness in parental training permitted the boy possession of a gun without teaching him properuse of a gun ?

Today there are many people who plead for abolition ofall guns. Yet we see that in communities where guns are outlawed, homemade zip guns spring into being.

When we contemplate any of the guns in our collectionwe can well speculate concerning the former owners of theseweapons. They were for the most part wise and careful handlers of their guns, otherwise those guns would not be heretoday. Rogues of the past owned guns, but so did honest men,and they knew how to use them.

Perhaps the rifle and hand gun are about to join the halberd, spear, and sword on the wall and in the display case, asarchaic weapons of an outmoded past. Perhaps the use offirearms by police agencies and gangsters are but the farewell throes of such weapons as they pass from a state of importance in the activities of our times. If this is the pictureof the future, it will not be completed in our time.


It might be well then, to see to it that the pre-schcol agecowboy points his toy guns in the proper direction; to see toit that the teen-ager joins the properly coached rifle or gunclub, rather than shoot at his fellow pupils in a spirit ofthoughtless boredom.

It might be well if more of the honest and ethical citizensknew how to handle a gun properly. Not to do these thingscould be a social fulminate which could explode a happy complacency in a very disagreeable manner.

BibUography

Abels, Roberts: Early American Firearms. The World Publishing Co. 1950Chapel, Charles Edward: Gun Collecting. Coward-McCann Inc., N.Y. 1939Haven, Ghas. T. and Belden, Frank A. The Story of the Colt Revolver.

Wm. Morrow & Co., N. Y. 1940Sawyer, Charles Winihrop: Our Rifles. The Williams Bookstore. 1941

William BriggsGunmaker of Norristown

Matthew D'Ambrosio

I first began collecting firearms in 1950. It was in 1952that I bought my first Briggs gun from a dealer near ValleyForge, I looked for information on the maker in my gun handbooks, which I do with each new piece I get, and the information I found, I have since learned was incorrect.

I have four guns by Briggs with me today, on display.Collecting and shooting muzzle-loading guns now take upmost of my spare time. I attend shows and shoots all overthe country. The popularity of this sport and hobby is at itsheight today.

Many people about town ask me about Briggs. They remember the store on Main Street operated by the grandson,Edward L. Briggs, but that is all. In talking to Judge Grosh-ens recently, he suggested that I visit The Historical Societyof Montgomery County, and it was here that Mrs. Burrisplaced before me the first correct information I had found inprint on William Briggs. And at the same time I was invitedto appear on this program with Mr. Shoemaker.

In the first Directory of Norristown, printed in 1859, wefound the following, "Briggs, William, gunmaker, n. side

Egypt, bel Mill, h do."Oddly enough, the most informative article which came

to my attention was the obituary of Mr. Briggs, which appeared in the "Norristown Weekly Herald," Monday, November 4,1889.

William Briggs was a native of Bolton, Lancashire, England, coming to America with his parents at the age of seven.He learned the trade of gunmaker with William Golcher, Sec-

279

280 bulletin of historical society of MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ond and New Streets, Philadelphia, and established himself inbusiness on Main Street, Norristown, in 1854.

He was an inventor of note, patenting no less than fiveguns, in 1857, 1859, 1861, 1868 and 1869 respectively. He invented the central-fire paper shell, but neglected to protectthe discovery by letters patent, and others reaped all thebenefit.

William Briggs not only made guns but devised improvements in firearms. Advertising his "Patent Guns" in 1860,he gave the following description: "The stock is hollow andis made of malleable iron, the lock and trigger consist of onlytwo pieces, including the guard. In using this gun there is norecoil, owing to the peculiar construction of the stock and itcan be discharged as much quicker than any other gun asthe ordinary percussion gun can be over the old flint lockkind. It is not subject to get out of order, having one halfless pieces in its manufacture than any other gun ever patented, is durable in every particular and will last anyone alifetime."

The Civil War began soon after this advertisement appeared but there is no record that this serviceable weapon wasmade for the army. To quote further from his obituary: "Mr.Briggs was an enterprising businessman and a conscientiousadvocate of temperance for many years, although he neversevered connection with the Republican Party to go into thirdparty movements. He was genial and unassuming and leavesmany friends." His wife and six children survived, three sons,Thomas L., Edward L., John S., and three daughters Annie,Elizabeth and Jennie. Two of his sons, Thomas and Edward L.were in the gun business in Chester. The third son, John S.Briggs, assisted his father in business in Norristown. Thisson continued it after the father's death, and he, in turn,was succeeded by his son Edward L. Briggs.

The following news item appeared in the "NorristownHerald", March 10,1930: "The purchase of the Briggs Sporting Goods Store located at 152 W. Main Street, Norristown,by Leon H. Nester, prominent West End Sporting Goods

WILLIAM BRIGGS GTJNMAKER OF NORRISTOWN 281

dealer, was consummated this morning. The former proprietor,E. L. Briggs, who was the victim of a daylight robbery severalweeks ago, publicly announced his retirement last week. Mr.Briggs conducted the West Main Street establishment for44 years."

William Briggs lies buried at Treemount Cemetery onSandy Hill, in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

A Muhlenberg Manuscript

(The follovnng article is the translation of an extract from an oldbook, written by Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg in the form of a reporton the years 1759-177U, and found about 1952 in the possession of St.Peter's Lutheran Church at Lafayette Hill (referred to as Barren Hill),Whitemarsh toumship, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. The originalbook is now in the Archives of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania.—Publication Committee.)

In the year 1753 the enlarged and added evangelicalchurch in Germantown which had been served since 1743 asa sister parish of Philadelphia by the pastors Brunholtz,Handschuh and Heintzelmann, was taken over by the dissentsand their followers. The so-called pietistic preachers fromHalle were chased away by cunning and wickedness.

The elders and members of the church who had most contributed to the construction of the church and who had lovefor the Halle-Teaching, were very much concerned about thepersecution and asked Pastor Handschuh to stay in German-town. They rented a spacious house where he could live, teachthe children on week days and distribute the sacraments onSundays and on holidays. The leaders of the church and ofthe larger group set forth quite a few ministers who wereeasily willing to refute and to talk badly about the pietistsand to comfort the people and their worldly security.

As the enemies had managed to create a gap betweenPhiladelphia and our affiliated rural parishes, they were already rejoicing hoping that there would also be a revolutionin our parishes. And as a matter of fact their influence wasstrong in our parishes.

There were two main highways leading to Philadelphiafrom the north western part of the country. One of thempassed through Germantown, the second one passed upon the

282

A MUHLENBERG MANUSCRIPT 283

so-called Ridge. Those two highways brought usually quitea few people into town, especially on market days.

The gang from Germantown did not spare any pains tostir up the people from the country and from the city. Theypresented our teaching as suspicious and pernicious.

In spite of sorrows and disgrace Pastor Handschuh stayeda few more years in Germantown. But his group becamesmaller and smaller. As for myself I could easily feel theresults of all those prejudices in my own country church.

Our small congregation in Germantown had always beenvery much concerned about buying a piece of property, onwhich to build a church. Some people who knew somethingabout the problem of that separation advised against thebuilding of a church. They thought it would be much betterto build on the other highway, which would let a possibilityto keep pace and a connection between the two churches.

When Pastor Handschuh left the Germantown congregation and moved to Philadelphia and nobody mentioned a wordabout the possibility of the two churches (Germantown andPhiladelphia) getting together again, different German Lutheran and German Reformed families came together at thepublic office in Whitemarsh. They bought a' piece of land located 12 miles from Philadelphia, at the intersection of thetwo ways going to Philadelphia, one through Germantown,the other through the Ridge. The mentioned piece of landwas on a sandy hill, called Barren Hill and it was intendedfor a school house and a cemetery. The place is about 6 or 7miles on the west side of Germantown.

The trustees in whose name the bill of sale was issuedwere on the Lutheran side Christoph Raben, Philipp Croes-mann and Valentin Mueller; on the Reformed side Adam Schneider and Philipp Hirsch.

The bill of sale was dated from the 16th of March 1758and the destination of the church is determined thus: "Forthe use of a school house and burying ground and behoof ofthe Dutch Protestants, their heirs and successors for ever"[in English in the original text].

284 BULIiETTIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

The members from both parties put their contributionstogether and built a middle sized school-house of stones andscorias.

The members of the congregation helped as much as theycould with their own hands. But as all this was not enough,they asked me (Muehlenberg) to write beg-letters, so thatsome men of the congregation could travel around in the country to collect contributions which might cover the debts.

When the school house was finished it was used for theinstruction of the youth, and to and fro whenever I had time(or any other member of the Ministerium) it was used forSunday services.

This little bar did not please at all the proud leaders andtheir followers in Germantown. Some of the elders from theGermantown congregation who had been driven away were onthe side of the new Barren Hill congregation. The Germantowncongregation did all it could to work against our church.

In the meantime the school house in Barren Hill had become much too small to hold the whole congregation whenthere was a service.

In the year 1759 Christopher Eaben from Whitemarsh,Mr. Wighard Mueller and Mr. Chr. Jacobi from Germantowncame to see me in Providence. [Trappe] They told me thatthey had decided to build a church, which would be intendedfor the whole of the United Ministerium; and, instead of beinga filial of Germantown, it would be a filial of Philadelphia. Asthey asked me how much contribution they could expect fromour high benefactors and friends in Europe, I said to them atmost 50 P. Mr. Raben took the matter up real fast. He boughtabout 3 more acres by the school house on Barren Hill.

He chose both rich and poor trustees in whose name the billof sale was issued; S. T. Rev. Richard Peters, Rector of theHighchurch, Rev. Dr. Carolus Magnus De Wrangel, Rector ofthe Swedish Church, Heinrich Muehlenberg, John Koplin, esq.,German judge in Providence [Trappe], Heinrich Keppele,three poor fathers of a familly of Lutheran belief, who had belonged to the Germantown Church.


Christopher Raben was the chairman of the building committee. He bought the materials, engaged Valentin Mueller,Kolb and Sommer as assistants, and the school teacher Seligas accountant. He made arrangements with the masons andcarpenters.

The building had hardly begun when there was already ascreaming for money. They implored me for beg letters andgave them to collectors whom they sent to our poor unitedcongregations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.But the money they collected did not help very much as theygot only small sums.

The chairman of the building committee and the co-trustees who were living right close, Mueller, Kolb and Sommer,asked the Reformed if justice would be done to them if theywould participate half way in the building and if thereforethey wanted to pay half of the expenses. Their answer wasthat they would be glad to participate in half of rights butthat they could not afford to pay half of the expenses. Thesituation was serious and Christoph Raben, Mueller, Kolb andSommer borrowed 100 pounds on terms and for this they gavetheir pledge of honor on it. This was the 30th of June 1760.

Myself and Dr. Wrangel were asked continually to preachas often as possible, and this already in the masonry, beforethe roof was put on. The 10th of June 1761 they borrowed another 200 pounds on terms and gave their word of honor on it.The debt was now 300 pounds at 6% interest.

The following year they started a lottery, hoping that itmight help. But it did not work out and after much work theyhad only 50 pounds together. In the year 1763 the church wasunder roof, but the debts had piled up.

The 11th of June 1764, Christoph Raben and the schoolteacher of the parish presented the whole bill for the buildingin the presence of myself, of Mr. Heinrich Keppele and of someof the other trustees. But no one wanted to take the debts onhimself. So the responsibles had still to answer for it. In themeantime services were held regularly in the church by Dr.Wrangel and by myself (meine Wenigkeit). This contributed

286 BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

to the fact that the crowd in the Germantown church gotsmaller and smaller. Very many of the parishioners recognizedthat the so-called preachers from Halle were not as dangerousas calumnies had described them.

In February, 1765, the creditor who had lent the money(200 pounds) in 1761 wanted to have it back. In the same timesome of the other creditors put on some pressure to have theirmoney back. For that reason Christopher Raben and the otherresponsibles, warranters were oblidged to look for a capital of300 pounds in Philadelphia. The creditor did not want to entrust it to them, till Heinrich Keppele took the responsibility(warranted).

Out of 800 pounds 200 were paid back, interests includedthat was the money borrowed in June 1761. There was a 100pounds debt left and also different obligations for materialsfrom carpenters; they were on interest too. Christopher Rabenwas the only one among the warranters who had some property, Kolb and Sommer did not have any.

Barren Hill Church

Christopher Raben was the only one who possessed someproperty Muller, Kolb and Sommer did not possess anything.As by the construction of the church in Barren Hill the corn-plot in Germantown had been weakened and had broken down,our party gained new hope that they would win their oldchurch back and would be united again.

This trend was encouraged by Pastor Kurtz Senior and P.Voigt as well as by the Ministerium. As a result of that BarrenHill Church lost quite a few well-to-do members, who wereglad to go back to their own church in Germantown, as thischurch was much closer to their homes. The construction of

the Barren Hill Church was something which had been necessary in a time of troubles, in order to weaken the enemies inGermantown and to save the communication to the unitedcountry parishes.

Till today, whenever there are services, one will find thatboth churches, Germantown and Barren Hill contain a fairnumber of worshippers. The situation would be much better if

A MUHLENBERG MANUSCRIPT287

both churches would be served regularly by turns by one andthe same pastor.

The two churches are in a way of speaking strongholds ofPhiladelphia. But where the Lord does not guard the city, thehuman guards with all their wits watch in vain.

Christoph Raben and his friends did not know at all whatto do. There was nothing left to collect, the lottery had been afailure. Therefore to remedy their situation they decided andwould have very much liked to send their school teacher anddirectors as collectors to Europe. The three pastors who weretrustees should recommend the collectors in their respectivecountries, Mr. Peters in England, Dr. Wrangel in Sweden, andMuhlenberg to his patrons in Germany.

Outside of that they should get themselves a recommendation from the Rev. Governor, with a real great seal. The situation being pretty bad and Mr. Chr. Raben going on begging,we finaly got a recommendation letter from the governor.

For the very same reason a conference was convocatedhere in Philadelphia for the first of March 1765. Present were:Dr. Wrangel, Heinrich Keppele, Muhlenberg, Raben, Sommer,the school teacher Selig.

It was decided:1. The Church bill had to be brought in order and recorded in the

church book.

2. A church Charter would be made up for the Whitemarsh Church.3. The documents of the Church and school ground would be given to

the trustees from Philadelphia.4. The two collectors have to pay a bail to the trustees.5. We reflected to whom the collected money should be given in London

and in Germany, for the purpose of forwarding.6. It was decided that from the amount of money which the collectors

would bring back, we would pay their travel expenses and a reasonable amount for their current expenses: from the remaining moneythe collectors would get a third for their work.

Now there was joy and consolation among the friends ofRaben because of that hopefull plan. They were already comforting the creditors with "the shadows of the coming money."

But later on when we thought about this plan, in Philadelphia, there seemed to be the following inconvenients:

288 bulletin of histobical sociETy op Montgomery county

1. The collectors did not have any property and could not give the ball.2. We, the pastors, did not want and even if we wanted we would not

give, security for the two collectors.3. If the Governor's recommendation could not even induce the people

here in America to give something to the collectors, what could thatsame recommendation produce in Europe? If the collectors wouldbring money from here to Europe that would not present anydifficulty.

4. In Sweden and in Germany one still needs quite a few pences forone pound, even if the collectors would get the permission to collect;They probably might not even get enough money for their livelihood and there was not a chance that they might get the promisedthird or the money needed by the poor church.

5. At the same time news arrived about what had happened to thecollectors sent by the German Parish in New York to Europe.

6. It could do our still small mission development if we would botherour friends and patrons from all classes of socie^ who had helpedus in their loving kindness for so many years, by sending collectorsto them.

Those and other objections brought much embarrassmentand fear to Dr. Wrangel and to me. For those reasons a newconference was decided for the 13th of March, 1765. In themeantime Chr. Raben and his friends had already borrowedthe passage money for the two collectors and had alreadymade arrangements with the captain of a ship leaving forLondon.

Present at the conference were Dr. Wrangel, Keppele,Muhlenberg, Raben, Sommer and the two collectors Selig andMuller.

The situation being as it was, it was hard to reach a decision. Mr. Raben and the other guarantors insisted with tearsin their eyes that we would let the collectors go with the letters of recommendation as well from the Governor as fromourselves.

We told that they could go with the recommendation of thegovernor but they would not get our recommendation. Theydid not want to start their collection under those circumstances.

Mr. Raben got finally impatient and said that he was theonly one to be held responsible and the situation being as it

A MUKLENBERG MANUSCRIPT 289

was, he would be obliged to sell the church property to somekind of a sect, even if it would be to the papists.

After a long discussion the three trustees choose the lesserevil and Dr. Wrangel, Muhlenberg and Keppele decided thateach of them would guarrantee for a third of the remainingchurch debt. Secondly Dr. Wrangel and Muhlenberg promisedthat they should try a collect in Europe by the way of petitions. The three trustees promised on the third place that theywould visit the church as often as this would be possible.

Mr. Raben and the collectors expressed the desire thatthose decisions be written down. They had them read the following Sunday at the meeting in Barren Hill by the schoolteacher and it did occassion great joy.

Immediately after the conference, the 14th of March 1768,did I, Muhlenberg write to the Rev. Peters, one of the trustees,who was just at that time in England. I reported him what hadhappened and I put a copy of the Governor's recommendationin the letter. 1 asked Rev. Peters to try to organize a collect,furthermore did I write to the Very Rev. Royal ChaplainZiegenhagen, to the Rev. Pitius and to the Very Rev. Franken.I sent them a copy of the Governor's recommendation andbegged for help.

About a half a year later I got an answer from the Rev.Peters: he had tried to convince the Archbishop of Canterburyand the Bishop of London, but he did not achieve anything asthey did not want to take up any collect for a non-conformistchurch. If they would have inter-communion with the churchthey could do it, in the meantime, the Archbishop had given tohim 20 guineas as a persannal gift for the church of BarrenHill. Dr. Peters agreed with the fact that we had kept thecollectors in America. From Chaplain Ziegenhagen I got a reply addressed to me by Rev. Pasche. The letter said that inGermany everything would be attempted to help the poor andneedful parishes in Pennsylvania. But till now nothing couldhave been attempted. The letter gave its total approval aboutthe fact that we had kept the collectors from coming over toEurope. Rev. Pittius did not answer my letter.


As answer to their petition sent to the Very Rev. fathersin Halle came a printed paper, the 9th continuation, where inthe introduction the debts and difficulties of the Barren HillChurch were thought of.

The Rev. Dr. Wrangel had in the meantime been veryseverly accused by his collegues in Sweden. They reproachedhim to associate too much with the German congregations.Therefore his petition on behalf of the Barren Hill Church didnot have any effect. Even with all his good will he could not domuch, as his salary was hardly sufficient for his own needs.

After the Rev. Peters had come back from England, hehanded the 20 guineas over to Mr. Keppele who accepted tokeep the records.

In the year 1766 came an answer from Rev. Wachfeld,dated from the third of January telling the following surprising facts: "Some persons from Pennsylvania came to see meand told me that they were very angry at you (Muhlenberg),they begged insistantly that I may bring the whole matter before Rev. Ziegenhagen. With tears in their eyes they made itfor me a matter of conscience."

In the month of June of the year 1766 a reformed creditor,Mr. Jacob Haegy came to see me and wanted his 100 poundsback. That was the money he had borrowed to Mr. Raben forthe construction of the church. He also asked for 15 pounds asinterest. I begged him to have patience as we had only received20 guineas from the Archbishop. He menaced that he wouldhand the whole matter over to the court if I would not pay.

During the month of October, 1766 I received a letter fromRev. Pasche telling me that there had not been any collect forBarren Hill in London, and that it was impossible to do anything on this behalf.

Shortly afterwards, I had a new letter of acquisition written out; I transferred it to the St. Michael's Corporation to getlegal protection from them.

The 9th of December 1766 Jacob Haegy came back andasked again for his 100 pounds and the due interests. AlthoughI had not gotten any money from any collection I was obliged


to pay him his money and I therefore had to borrow the moneyelsewhere.

I had to borrow 112 pounds elsewhere and to give myselfand my wife as bail. The congregation in Philadelphia couldnot help being itself loaded with old debts and having starteda new church building.

Our small group in Germantown had just gained its churchback, but as a result of the long and costly trial it was engagedin heavy debts. I was still going on begging by our fathers inHalle and London.

In the year 1767, there was still no answer from Europeand the congregation in Whitemarsh had enough to do to paya preacher coming up there every two weeks.

The debts were growing bigger and bigger and in Februarythe interests for the 300 pounds were overdue since two years,and had to be paid. When I complained about it to Mr. Raben,he would only answer: "Why did you hold the collectors backfrom going to Europe, if you would have let them go we wouldbe out of trouble now."

Having some doubts about the book-keeping of Mr. Rabenconcerning the bills of the church. I asked therefore the St.Michael Corporation to have a legal investigation.

The accusators were Muhlenberg and Keppele. The respon-sibles and accused party were Raben and the school teacher,Selig who had been Raben's clerk. Arbitrators were MichaelHillgas Eagy, member of the Landes-Assembly who was experienced in Compatability, Robert Smith architect, JacobGraeff, famous constructor and Frederic Kuhl, also experienced in compatability. There was a custom in Philadelphiaaccording to which the accusers and the accused had to agreeon 500 pounds bail that they would accept the decision of thearbitrators. This had to be done before this agreement wasreached.

The work of the arbitrators was progressing slowly and ittook them half a year to complete the investigation. From timeto time, whenever they had time they looked the bills over.They listened to the statements of both parties. To be sure


they measured themselves the building in all directions. Theycompared closely their estimation with the bills and finallygave their judgment.

"Dr. Wrangel, Muhlenberg and Keppele are responsible forthe debts of the church according to the promises they hadgiven on the conference of 13th of March, 1765. Chr. Rabenhas to pay 20 pounds 6 pences back."

Dr. Wrangel, as we have already heard, had been severelyaccused in Sweden and he was also entangled of two churchesin Kingsey* and Upper Merion. Destituted as he was of anykind of movable and immovable property. Dr. Wrangel couldnot help us and did only sigh when I talked about our situation.

Mr. Keppele entangled in the important construction ofZion Church shrugged his shoulders and biased whenever theBarren Hill creditors asked for their due interest and insistedon payment. Was not he already jeered at by mockers andgrudgers and did not he have to hear the saying: "When youdon't have anything to do then mingle with church and pastors."

I would have liked to use the rest of my wife's heritagefrom her father, but my wife started to complain and askedme if we did not have a crowd of poor children. Did I have aright to give away the rest of what she had inherited fromher father? I quoted the hymn verse: "Take they then our life,goods, farhe, child and wife . . ." But she knew other versesto quote against mine.

Under those bad auspices came a letter from London, datedfrom the 11th of February 1768, containing the followingstatement: "The collect which has to be taken up is conditioned by the edition of the 10th continuation of Pennsylvaniaand cannot be taken up before that, this especially in consideration of the actual distressed situation of the congregationwhich is still lasting in G. F. [ ?]

And in the printed news from the American Parish, fromthe 22nd of July 1768, Halle, we read in par. 17: "The giftswhich came in are still few and had therefore to be used forthe new ministers. For that reason we could not make any

A MTJHLENBERG MANUSCRIPT 293

money available for the payment of the church debts in Philadelphia and Barren Hill; but we would indeed be very gladto send money for that purpose as soon as the blessings ofGod would set us in a position to do so."

By now, the small creditors, stirred up by the grudgersbacked out too, and that just at the very moment when weneeded the money most badly for our construction in Philadelphia. The situation was desperate. When the creditors asked me if I wanted to pay back the obligations I told them thatthis was impossible to me as I had not received any contributions.

After this they handed the obligations over to the lawyersand asked them to instigate a trial. But the execution or atrial cannot take place before the expiration of three courtterms. Then the accused's property is seized and if he doesnot possess anything he is seized himself.

Before this happened I asked Mr. Keppele to buy the obligations back from the lawyers. He did so and in June 1768he payed 57 pounds 17 shillings for one obligation and 30pounds 17 shillings for another one.

We bought the smaller obligations even before they gotinto the hands of the lawyers. At the same time we paid theinterests of the rest of the borrowed money; proofs are theshown bills and receipts.

But, lo, in the year 1768, as the danger was the greatest,the merciful help of God arrived in a most wonderful way. Ireceived 90 pounds from our Rev. Fathers in Halle. I was askedto give 60 pounds as contribution for the construction of Zionto the Corporation of Philadelphia, and to use the 30 remaining pounds for Barren Hill. Further on did I receive fromChaplain Ziegenhagen through Mr. Pasche on the 4th of August 1768 the permission to draw a check for the amount of100 pounds. With this money I contented Mr. Keppele andpaid the 112 pounds, which I had borrowed two years ago topay Jacob Haegy, back.

Kingsessing(?)


"Soul do not forget it, ye praise and close with Amen."After this there were still due payments and especially

the 300 pounds with interests, for which Mr. Keppele wasalone responsible and which were a heavy burden.

In the year 1770 there came the good news that his veryRev. Excellence Solms Roedelheim had been moved by theSpirit of God and by the instrument of the imploration ofour Fathers In Halle, to give 3000 florins.

He stated that with that money I should get myself freefrom my bail. The 3000 florins were exchanged in Londonfor 284 pounds, 10 shillings. I got that money by checks intothe country and used 226 pounds, 10 shillings to pay the Barren Hill debts; the 58 remaining pounds were placed on thebank account of the Halle Mission, so that none of that moneywould be used for my own personal use or for my family.

My family and Mr. Keppele had been saved from a verydangerous bail and the Fathers in Europe had been preservedfrom an even greater evil, the collectors. I say although I unfortunately had to recommend them very heartily in the letterI had written for them.

As a witness to the fact that the largest part of the debtfrom the building of the church had been paid by loving Christians from all classes of society in Europe and especially byhis Excellence Solms Roedelheim, the property with buildingand all accessories was transferred for 99 years by the St.Michael and Zion Association the 14th of January 1771.

The letter of transferring was signed by the mentionedcorporation and the seal was apposed.

The building was assigned for teaching purposes, servicesor to be used as an orphan home and it was transferred underthe names of Michael Friedrich Ziegenhagen, Georg Knapp,Athanasium Freylinghausen who were named directors, alsounder the name of Gustavus Burgmann in London and Halle.This can be looked up in the Minutes of the Corporation, Vol.1, pages 184 and 188.

In the meantime, and till today, school has been held by anEvangelical Lutheran schoolteacher. Philadelphia or German-


town supplied a pastor for the parish, and Barren Hill contributed partly to the payment of the pastor by the sum of 30pounds a year.

If the congregation would be better served, it would havegrown much faster and could be in much better condition.When the pastor Kurtz Senior and Voigt from Germantownserved the parish every second Sunday, the congregation wasnumerous and growing.

But when the pastor comes from Philadelphia, where hehas to leave his work, comes out here every second or thirdSunday in the early morning, preaches once or twice, has Sunday School when he has time, and then has to go back in theevening, he cannot take care of the parish the way it shouldbe done. He cannot do any visiting.

The situation gets worse when even the Sunday visits stop,when there are only two pastors in town and two parishes tobe served. If later on one of" us should be able to serve Barren

Hill from a close by residence, the parish would be muchlarger.

When the Philadelphia parish was still smaller and hadonly one church and two preachers, preachers and parish wereglad to get some support.

Memorandum: [in English in Muhlenberg's account]The chosen Gentlemen Arbitrators, Mr. Robert Smith,

architect, Jacob Graeff, master-builder, Frederic Kuhl andMichael Hillegass Esgy[?], having considered and comparedall the accounts, measured and computed the building according to the common rules, prices of materials and worth, gavein the month of December 1768 the following resolve andsettlement before their Award, viz.,

1). That the cost or charge of the whole edifice according to their measureamounted to 887 pounds, 15 shillings, 9 d.

2). The contributions raised by subscription and lottery attained theamount of 229 pounds, 15 shillings, 9 d.

3). That Christoph Raben had in hand yet 20 pounds, 6 shillings which heshould repay to Henry Muhlenberg and Henry Heppele. Now add these20 pounds, 6 d. to the sum of 229 pounds, 15 shillings, 9 d. you'll have

296 BULLiaÎN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

249 pounds, 16 shillings, 3 d. and deduct of—887 pounds, 15 shillings, 9 d.249 pounds, 16 shillings, 3 d. there remains a debt of637 pounds, 9 shillings, 6 d. unto the year 1769 as

more at large appears in a writing of the settlement, made by the abovesaid Gentlemen Arbitrators, [end of English text]

Observation; sub rosa: The above statement of the arbitrators brought the sum 100 pounds down; those 100 poundswould have been used unnecessarily by the constructors.According to the construction bill the amount would have been987 pounds, 15 shillings, 9 d.

The very Rev. Fathers and directors may forgive me that Idid not write that statement including the bill down and soshow it forth. Much work, weakness and distractions kept mefrom doing it.

The Germantown affair since the Revolution was very hardon me and I shall be glad to forget whatever I could help onthis behalf. Satan uses all kinds of tricks, and if one is notcareful it is easy to be tricked. It happens that one gets in asituation, which has good appearance, which reveals itself asa trap; and there is no way out, until the merciful Lord himself helps.

To Him, to whom belongs honor and veneration and to Hisloving children may be expressed our most hearty and humblethanks, from us all and especially from me, most unworthyservant.

Philadelphia, June 22nd, 1774Heinrich Muhlenberg, the older sinner,sighing for grace and deliverance.

As there is still place left I don't want to forget to give areport of the use of the money sent to me by His Excellence.In the document or the "Power of Attorney" of the Rev. Mr.Knapp we read: The 13.000 florins (sic) which have alreadybeen transferred by check to London, there are 1233V^ poundsleft, after deduction of the expenses.

From this money has arrived here: 226 pounds, 10 shillingslegated to me or to St. Peter's Church. I used 226 pounds, 10


shillings to pay off my debts, the remaining 58 pounds wereused the same way.

The donation arrived and was used the way it is stateddown below:

a. 1771 March On the order of Dir. Knapp a half year'ssalary for Pastor Kuntz (check issued in thename of Ziegenhagen) 25 - -

b. 1771 Sept. Per check on Stephan Williams heritage 215 - -

c. 1772 Feb. By check on the name of Ziegenhagen 400 - -

d. 1772 March Idem 184 - -

e. 1773-1774 In form of books and medicaments 107 - 4

f. 1773 From P. Helmuth, money which had been

rented to his mother from the legation 5 - -

936 4Those 936 pounds, 4 d. were spent the following way:a. 1771 Sept. 6 Corporation of St. Michael and Zion 300 - -

b. 1771 Sept. 6 Heinrich Muhlenberg 60 - -

c. 1772 Feb. 2 Same corporation 660 - -

d. 1772 For rent for 4 Houses 289 11 8

e. 1773 June 7 Same corporation 100 _ —

f. 1774 Jan. 8 Same corporation 100 - -

1509 11 8

The following account shows that the donation had already increased byinterest:

a. The 26 pounds for Pastor Kuntz could not be added to the fund.b. The 215 pounds had increased to 860 ~ -c. The 400 pounds gave by check 660 - -d. The 184 pounds amount gave 289 11 8

(the rest was spent for expenses)e. The 107 pounds amount for books and medicines increased to 176 11 8f. The 5 pounds from P. Helmuth gave 15 8 4

1609 11 8

Philadelphia Heinrich Muhlenberg Sen.June 23 1774

Memorandum: The declaration of trust which I gave onbehalf of the rent for the four houses is recorded in the Office

for recording of Deeds for the city and county of Philadelphiain Book 6 (?), vol. 13, page 39ff.

(The original document of this declaration was sent in1774 to the Directors.) Wm. Parr Rec*d.

A Pioneer in Higher Education

Joseph W. Hunsicker, Esq.

(1829-1904)

Henry Prizer, on March 17, 1830, opened the TrappeBoarding* School for young men and boys in the village of theTrappe. He was proprietor and teacher, and had his scholarsboard in his family. The school was a success from the start.Its curriculum embraced the elementary and higher branchesof a solid English education. Teachers from Montgomery andneighboring counties attended the school during their vacations. Mr. Prizer died November 15, 1838, and was succeededby Henry S. Rodenbaugh, November 20,1838, who introducedthe study of the Latin and Greek languages. The school flourished under Mr. Rodenbaugh; and I became in 1840 one of hispupils. But Mr. Prizer's estate had to be settled and the schoolwas compelled to move. Mr. Rodenbaugh then built Washington Hall a little further up in the village and opened the schoolin it and changed the name to the Washington Hall BoardingSchool, boarding his scholars at designated places. Soon afterthe birth of Washington Hall Boarding School a literarySociety established a library of books and periodicals. Mr.Rodenbaugh was a member, and the Librarian. The societyheld its meetings and kept its library in Washington Hall. Theschool had the use of the library, the privilege of attending itsmeetings and of hearing the addresses delivered before it, andthe customary eulogium pronounced on the death of a member.Mr. Rodenbaugh continued successfully as the head of theschool until April 1, 1845, when he resigned and became thepastor of Lower Providence Presbyterian Church and continued to be pastor of that church until his death. He died fullof years and honors, beloved by his people, distinguished for

298

A PIONEER IN HIGHER EDTJCATION 299

his help to the needy, honored by the community and mournedby all.

Rev. A. J. M. Hudson took charge April 4, 1845 and wasjoined by Abel Rambo August 4, 1845 and both resigned Oct.10, 1846.1 was asked to select a teacher and remembered JohnSandt, a graduate of La Fayette college. Mr. Sandt took chargeOctober 12, 1846 and resigned June 18 1847, and became astudent of medicine. I succeeded Mr. Sandt June 18, 1847 andremained master till March 31, 1849, when I resigned. Duringa good deal of the time from 1840 to 1845 I was either pupilor assistant teacher and received for the latter part of thisperiod $2 per week and board. I earned for that service altogether the, to me, magnificent sum of thirty-nine dollars.I may say that I knew the Washington Hall Boarding Schoolfrom its commencement till March 1849. The School duringthat time was elementary, preparatory, normal, and collegiate.There were three daily sessions every week-day: the forenoon,the afternoon, and the night, except Saturday, when there wasthe forenoon only. The recitations were in the school room.The master was always present and always accessible. Therecesses were devoted to exercise and play, when the masterwas, as in the school, foremost. Sundays the pupils were freeto attend church singly or together. There was no compulsionor school church.

Abel Rambo became principal again, April 2, 1849, andcontinued the school in the same building until 1854, when hebuilt a new building a little below the old one, and openedschool there the same year. It was called Washington HallCollegiate Institute for both sexes, and remained under thesole charge of Mr. Rambo until his death in 1886. The newinstitution flourished, and enjoyed a wide reputation. Thereare today many persons living in eastern Pennsylvania whocan testify to the superior ability of Mr. Rambo as a teacher.The school was his life work. His predecessors (except Mr.Prizer) had quit for something else. He was a great scholar.Also, a musician, vocal and instrumental; director of a brassband 14 years; choir master for many years at the Lutheran


Church at the Trappe, Zion Church and Pikeland Churches,Chester County; also Superintendent of Public Schools ofMontgomery County for 15 consecutive years, elected first in1863 candidate of his party for Congress. These positions wereunsought. He was distinguished alike for his learning and usefulness.

During my charge of Washington Hall, the Rev. AbrahamHunsicker, a man foremost in educational as well as religiouswork, seeing and feeling the importance of higher education,built in 1848, Freeland Seminary for boys, and in 1852, Pennsylvania Female College. Being then advanced in years, herisked his earnings and fortune in these enterprizes. It was hisoriginal intention to unite Washington Hall with Freeland.His failure in this did not daunt him. He went onward, established both the Seminary and Female College, now UrsinusCollege. Mr. Hunsicker, not agreeing with the belief or government of his own church, had the boldness in 1854 to build achurch of his own—Christian Trinity Church. So great washis power and strength of character that a large and respectable following was his and he became the founder of a newdenomination. Ursinus College, Pennsylvania Female Collegeand Christian Trinity Church are monuments to his memory,more enduring, we may hope, than marble or granite. FreeTrinity Church, since his death, for want of company, perhaps,and certainly lacking his personal influence and magnetism,has switched off into the German Reformed, and is now in linewith Ursinus College in this respect. Still, the building itselfremains the work of his hands.

The Trappe Boarding School opened the way to Washington Hall. Washington Hall opened the way, first, to FreelandSeminary for boys; second, to Pennsylvania Female College;and third, to Washington Hall Collegiate Institute for bothsexes. Washington Hall is, I think, an important link in thechain, and is justly entitled to a full share in the beneficentresults accomplished by it and its successors. I am proud ofmy connection with it and am thankful that the HistoricalSociety of Montgomery County, these eminent seats of higher

A PIONEER IN HIGHER EDUCATION 301

learning and this large and brilliant audience, have made anote of it.

I am led to these remarks to show the infinite importanceof education; and if I am permitted to add my mite on thisgreat subject, I would say that education must be: 1. Thorough. 2. Free. 3. Collegiate, meaning all usually taught in colleges. 4. Universal and compulsory.

1. Education must be thorough. Whatever is taught mustbe thoroughly taught. It is not sufficient to be able to answerquestions. You must learn till you are able to tell it. Examinations are the bane of every school in which they are enforced.A pupil must study to learn, not to pass an examination, because what is learned for a particular purpose, generally endswith it. If learned for the sake of learning, it remains always.Another abomination is the lecture system now so prevalentin our schools, colleges and universities. In nearly every casethe text book is far in advance of the lecture. The text book

you have with you always. The lecture you have not, except theimperfect smattering of it you have been able to take down,or what you have borrowed or stolen. You do not know a thinguntil you can tell it. Therefore tell it as you leam it. Tell it atyour homes, tell it to any audience you can find. Tell it toyourself. Keep repeating it until you are sure you know it.But you must leam it to tell it as Cicero says "Apte, distincteet ornate." This is also eloquence. All great scholars, writers,orators, statesmen have thus learned. It is said Demosthenesspoke on the seashore to the waves to correct a defect in hisspeech. I imagine he derived far greater advantage from thepractice of learning what he said so thoroughly that he couldtell it in his orations. Our own Daniel Webster, while fishingfor cod a few days before his speech of welcome to Genl. LaFayette on his visit to the United States after the war of theRevolution, was telling his speech silently to himself and whileso engaged, he hooked a monster cod and as he drew it intosight, exclaimed "representative of two hemispheres welcome


to our shores." The identical words afterward used so prominently and effectively in his welcome to La Fayette.

2. Education must be free. The state is entitled to thebest that any one of its people can accomplish in any pursuit.Besides, the state must support and take care of its poor; andtherefore it is important that there should be no poor; thatevery one of its people should be self supporting and be ablebesides to lay up some store for sickness and old age, or otherneeds. I need not argue to this intelligent and learned presencethat an educated person, other things being equal, can accomplish more for the public and is much more likely to be selfsupporting than an ignorant one. We call the state the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth becomes greater and strongerin proportion to the greatness and strength of its people. Inorder that the Commonwealth may attain its highest development the young must be educated. We have consequently thecommon school system which has done so much for Pennsylvania. It still lacks much. The United States at its militaryschool at West Point and its naval school at Annapolis, notonly gives tuition, board and clothing, but also pay, to thepupils and on graduation an office in the army or navy so faras there may be opportunity. And what great soldiers andsailors these institutions turn out! These supply our army andnavy with officers; and when occasion demands, instructorsfor any increase in the army or navy required. All God's bestgifts to man are free. So education should be free to every boyand girl in the land. When the school is too far from the pupil,the pupil must be brought to the school and boarded at thepublic expense. Not only must tuition and board where necessary, be free, but all the text books acquired and necessary forhis or her education must also be free and be given for futurereference and use, making a nucleus for his or her library.This is the trend of popular public opinion. Free libraries arebeing established everywhere. Free colleges are attempted byindividuals. A library not open to everybody will soon be theexception.

The large and excellent library of the Law Association

A PIONEER IN HIGHER EDUCATION g03

of Philadelphia is still closed to the general public and tolawyers, generally, not members. This ought not to be. Somuch was Lucas Hirst, a late member of the Philadelphia Bar,impressed with the idea that libraries ought to be free, that hebequeathed his whole fortune of about $100,000 to found afree Law Library. He died a few years ago, and his fortunehas established and now maintains The Lucas Hirst Free LawLibrary, a large and increasing library, which will, I hope,soon become one of the largest law libraries in the country.Thus has Mr. Hirst, though not by any means foremost at thebar in his life time, become foremost of the bar at his death.His name will live as long as his library and that probably aslong as the City in which he has placed it.

3. Education must be collegiate for the same reason thateducation must be free; it must also be collegiate. The state isentitled to the highest degree of ability its people can attain,as well that each may be self supporting. Years ago, tuitionat Washington Hall was 50 cents per week and board $2 perweek. At college tuition was then $1 per week and board atthe refectories $2 per week. Now at the colleges and universities tuition is $4 per week and board at the refectories is$4 per week. These are about the figures and are only givento show approximately that the cost of tuition at college hasquadrupled and the cost of board doubled. Tuition and boardat colleges have become so great as to be beyond the reach ofour people, and so marked is this that cities, towns andindividuals are opening free scholarships to specified classesand in specified colleges. All this is in the direction of freecollegiate education for everybody. Colleges are taking thealarm and one after another is becoming a university and addlaw, medicine, divinity, veterinary medicine, dentistry, musicetc., etc., as well as post graduate courses of all sorts to theregular studies. Let Ursinus and other colleges take warningand govern themselves accordingly. Besides most of our colleges and universities are not self supporting, but are supported largely by state and individual donations, also bylegacies, and gifts of various kinds. Most of them are or claim


to be charities and are free from taxation. The state should not

allow or ask its youth to be educated by a charity. The stateitself should educate. Where the state educates it is not

charity. The whole body of the people, the commonwealth, thenpays. Take Philadelphia City for instance, what a magnificentcollege it should and ought to support free to everybody, livingor coming within its limits. Such a college with such a backingwould practically be beyond all private competitors. Its staffof teachers would be the best in the land. Its apparatus, buildings and accommodations absolutely beyond comparison. Itscapacity and size would increase and be enlarged with theincrease of its pupils. Wealth would be nothing. Birth nothing.

•'Merit everjrthing. A diploma from such a college would be apassport of merit everywhere. Philadelphia might graduatethousands yearly and send them out to the great advantage ofthe city and state. How about the girls ? They must have equaladvantages with the bojrs. There should be no distinction. Thegirl, as well as the boy, must have an opening and, like the boy,have a right to every place and position she is competent tofill. The woman should have the right to vote, to hold officeand to earn a livelihood as well as man. She ought to have allthe rights of citizenship. Its sensible reason cannot be arguedto the contrary. Every man and woman may be a statesman,and should be, to exercise the voting privilege rightly.

4. Education must be universal and compulsory. Pennsylvania has already committed herself to both. Her statutes,however, do not go far enough. Trial and experience will bethe test. In education there can be no backward movement. It

must always be forward. To what degree education should becompulsory my prophetic vision cannot determine. I can onlysay that every boy and girl in the land should have a collegiateeducation because by that means alone can we hope for thehighest and best results. Our people must have intelligenceand intelligence will teach and enforce virtue.

In conclusion when the time comes that every man andwoman in the land shall speak to the point, distinctly and grammatically, if not ornately, and shall have a thorough collegiate

A PIONEER IN HIGHER EDUCATION 305

education, we may expect that the laws of hygiene will bestrictly enforced; that pain and suffering will be reduced tothe minimum, that every voter will be a statesman; that corruption in high places will cease; that speculation in officeand unlawful railroad and other corporate manipulation willbe banished and stopped; that bossism in politics, politicaltrade and control of states, cities, counties, townships andboroughs by national parties will no longer be possible; thatoflice-holding will be unavailing; that office will be a place ofhonor, not of profit; that national, state and public affairswill be conducted solely on honest business principles; that theearth will be made to produce abundantly and the forces ofnature will be subjugated and made to help mankind; that thevexed question of capitol and labor will be settled; that therewill be no vast individual accumulations of wealth; that wickedness and vice will be punished and virtue and true religionmaintained; that everyone shall have abundantly; happinessand content will prevail and that everyone shall know andbelieve that "the Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."

Deaths in the Skippack Region(Continued from page 231)

No. 600 "Old MICHAEL ALLABACH his wife died Decem

ber 27, 1843, aged 86 years." Born June 5, 1758, shewas Sybilla Hall daughter of No. 68 and his presumed wife Barbara Horning, and wife of No. 613.She is buried at Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. (Montgy OC Bks 2/326; 9/47; Dd Bk 26/561)

No. 601 "Old JOSEPH JOHNSON died January 5, 1844."Born May 15, 1782, son of No. 579 and her husbandJoseph Johnson, and brother of No. 444, he marriedSeptember 18, 1808 Magdalena Bractheiser, daughter of Henry Bractheiser of Lower Salford Township.She was born about 1786 and died January 2, 1873aged 87y lid. Both are buried at Lower SkippackMennonite Cemetery. Issue: Jacob, William, Abraham (No. 607), Kenyett, wife of Samuel K. Hen-dricks, Elizabeth wife of Henry Fuss, Catherine,Susanna and Henry Johnson who was a minor over14 years at the time of his father's death. (MontgyOC Bk 9/41,43, 54,102)

No. 602 "Old JOHN KRAMER died in Franconia January 7,1844." Originally from Bucks County, he was theson of Daniel and Susanna Kremer and was born

April 21,1799. He may be buried at Tohickon UnionCemetery, since the Reformed Church register ofthat place records his death, giving his age as 44y8m 17d. He and his wife Elizabeth, who has not beenidentified, had 9 children: Lavinia, George, Jesse,Mary Ann, Jonas, Charles, Bnos, Susanna andSalome, all in their minority at his death. JosephFreed, Henry Hunsicker, Jacob Godshalk and Enos

306

DEATHS IN THE SKIPPAOK REGION 307

Kramer were named guardians for the children;John F. Barndt administered his estate with his

widow. (Montgy OC Bks 8/526; 9/52; TohickonChurch History pp 297, 399)

No. 603 "ISAAC BIEN his wife died in Skippack January 8,1844." Buried at Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery, she was perhaps Hannah Undercoffler who wasbom December 24, 1815 and had been married toIsaac Bean October 8, 1837 by Rev. George Wack.Her husband has not been identified, but may havebeen a son of Abraham Bean of Skippack and hisfirst wife Margaret Johnson, both of whom areburied at Lower Skippack, and grandson of HenryBean, father of No. 189. Hannah Undercoffler andIsaac Bean had one known child: James U. Bean

who married Sarah Beyer. (Schwenkfelder Familiesp 1349)

No. 604 "Old HENRICH HUNSICKER died in Skippackaged 62y 5m." Born January 11, 1782, son of Nos.331 and 419, he married Mary Detweiler born February 14,1784; died September 20,1847, daughter ofJohn Detweiler and his first wife Catherine Funk

(No. 56). Both are buried at Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Issue: Catherine, wife of Garret C.Reiff; John who married Nancy Reiff; Henry whomarried Lydia Markley; Daniel who married Elizabeth Hunsberger; Mary wife of Benjamin Markley;Esther wife of Jacob Reiff; William who marriedAnna Kolb; Elizabeth wife of Daniel Reiff and Susanwife of David Horning. (HSL; Montgy OC Bk 9/26)

No. 605 "Old VALENTIN ANDERSON died in SkippackJanuary 20,1844 aged 76 years." Bora April 2,1769,his first wife had been No. 284 Elizabeth Johnson.His second wife Susanna Clymer, born December17, 1774; died December 17, 1865, daughter of Abraham and Susanna (Miller) Clymer, had been thewidow of Abraham Godshalk of New Britain. Valen-

308 BULMyriN of histobical society op Montgomery county

tine and his two wives are buried at Lower Salford

Mennonite Cemetery. Issue by first wife: John andMaria wife of Daniel Price, <Montgy W Bk 8/316)

No. 606 "Old JOHN HALLMAN died in Skippack January20, 1844 aged 86 years." Born about 1758, he wasprobably a son of Henry Hallman who died in 1803and his second wife Anna Maria Burson, and was abrother of Nos. 214, 394 and 474. He is said to havemarried Maria, daughter of the emigrant John AdamGotwals and his wife Fronica. There are no estateproceedings under his name and his place of burialhas not been identified.

No. 607 "ABRAHAM JOHNSON died at the Skippack inSkippack Township January 27, 1844." Son of No.601, the transcript of his tombstone in Lower Skip-pack Mennonite Cemetery gives his birth date asSeptember 25,1812, but another record states he wasborn January 11, 1815. He and his wife Elizabeth,who has not been identified, had only two children:Benjamin and William, both of whom were under 14years of age in 1844. Abraham Johnson of UpperProvidence, their great-uncle, and Godshalk Bergeywere named their guardians. (Montgy OC Bk 9/43,54; James Y. Heckler, History of Skippack Township.)

No. 608 "WILLIAM TEYSON died in Canada January 9,1844 aged 63 years." Possibly a son of No. 219 JohnTyson and his wife No. 276 he has not been identifiedfurther.

No. 609 "JOHN WILLAUR his daughter died in LimerickTownship February 5,1844." Has not been identified.

No. 610 "SAMUEL KASSEL died in Salford February 10,1844." Has not been identified.

No. 611 "JACOB CASSEL died in Skippack February 13,1844." Son of No. 528, his mother Hannah renouncedher right to administer on his estate to her son JesseCassel March 12, 1844. His inventory included notes

DEATHS IN THE SKIPPACK REGION 309

to the value of $1182.65, a dictionary, 2 scythes, arubber and writing book, saddle, bridle and halter,foot rule and jack-plane, and a bible, for a total of$1195.38. He is probably buried at Lower SkippackMennonite Cemetery. (Cassel Family History p 276;Montgy RW #9256; OC Bk 9/139)

No. 612 "JOHN SEHLER his wife died in Skippack February19, 1844." She was apparently Susannah Saylor,widow of John Sahler of Limerick. Letters of administration on his estate were granted April 7, 1823 toJoseph Royer, John Sahler having died March 19,1823 in his 33rd year. He is buried at St. James,Limerick, Union Cemetery. Henry Saylor administered Susannah Saylor's estate. Issue of John andSusannah Saylor were Israel, Mary Ann, John andSarah Saylor, all of whom were minors in 1823.(Montgy OC Bks 5/62, 96; 9/297)

No. 613 "Old MICHAEL ALLABACH died in Skippack June12, 1844 aged 89 years." Born about 1755, he was ason of David and Catherine (Ziegler) Allebach andthe husband of No. 600. In his estate proceedings hisname was given as Allabaugh, and he was stated tohave lived in Providence Township. Both he and hiswife are buried at Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Issue: Mary, wife of Christian Fegely; Catherine wife of John Davis; Elizabeth, John, David,Ann wife of James Casselberry and Henry Allebach.(Montgy W Bk 8/343; OC Bk 9/47,124-5)

No. 614 "JOHN JOHNSON his daughter died in SkippackJune 23, 1844 aged 17 years." She was ElizabethJohnson, born August 28, 1825, daughter of JohnJohnson who was bom February 18, 1797; diedOctober 24, 1873, and his wife Elizabeth, born July28, 1801; died April 11, 1885. All are buried atLower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery.

No. 615 "JACOB KROPP his son ISAAC died in TowamencinJuly 29,1844." He was possibly a son of Jacob Krupp

3JQ BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

who was born November 25,1806; died May 28,1876and his wife Magdalena (Hunsieker) who was bomJune 25, 1809; died August 29, 1870 to whom he wasmarried by Rev. George Wack January 5, 1832. Theyare buried at Plain Mennonite Cemetery. Jacob Kruppwas probably the son of Isaac Krupp of Towamen-cin whose will was probated February 14, 1832.(MontgyWBk 7/110)

No. 616 "JOHN ROSEN died in Methacton Township September 9, 1844." Son of Henry Roosen who diedSeptember 10, 1803 aged 64y 2m 3d, and his wifeJane Stauffer, daughter of Hans Ulrich Staufferand his wife Catherine Clemens, who died December11, 1820 aged 74y 6m 21d, to whom he was marriedby license dated August 7, 1770, John Rosen wasborn about March 23, 1775, and married November23, 1797 Elizabeth Cassel, born September 12, 1763;died May 22, 1848, daughter of No. 221. AH areburied at Methacton Mennonite Cemetery. His fatherHenry was a confectioner who arrived in Philadelphia "from London" before 1765. He had a shop onthe north side of Chestnut Street between Front and

Second for a time, and moved to Worcester Township after the Revolution. {Penna. Gazette June 13,1765; Montgy RW #15,270; OC Bk 9/231)

No. 617 "Thin ANDREW ZIEGLER died in Frederick Township October 28, 1844 aged 75 years." Husband ofNo. 509, he was the son of Michael Ziegler who wasknown as "smoke Mike" and by some believed tohave married a Hunsberger. This is contrary to theStrassburger Family History which states thatAndrew's mother was a daughter of Jacob Clemens.However, it is felt that the Michael who married intothe Clemens family was No. 191, the tanner of Skip-pack, a belief supported by the fact that the tannernamed a son Jacob. Smoke Mike's sons were Abraham

and Andrew, suggesting that he may have married a

DEATHS IN THE SKIPPACK REGION 31X

daughter of Abraham Hunsberger of Franconiawhose will was dated December 21,1777 and provedMarch 4, 1783. Andrew Ziegler of this record movedto Frederick Township from Lower S^ford in 1810after selling his farm to Jacob Garges. He and hiswife are buried at Lower Salford Mennonite Ceme

tery. Issue: Henry who married Catherine Steiner,Elizabeth wife of Dieter Buckert and Magdalena(No. 222) first wife and not second, as given in No.595, of Jacob Schwenck. (Phila. W Bk 5/369 #283;Montgy W Bk 8/356; Dd Bks 8/88; 27/156)

No. 618 "LARKEN his wife died in Salford October 30,1844." Presumed to be the wife of Jesse Larken who,according to the 1850 Census for Lower Salford, wasthen 35 years old. Sarah Larken, also aged 85, presumably was his second wife, and Sarah, aged 7, adaughter. Living with John and Elizabeth Heinswas Elizabeth Larken, aged 12, perhaps also a daughter. (Perk. Region, Vol. 13, (Jan. 1935, p 47if)

No. 619 "HENRICH HUNSICKER his little son died in

Franconia November 11, 1844 aged 4m lOd." Hasnot been identified.

No. 620 "JACOB MARKLEY his son died November 11,1844 aged 4 years." Has not been identified.

No. 621 "JOHNSON his son died November 11, 1844 aged7 years." Has not been identified.

No. 622 "JACOB GROSS died in Limerick November 12,1844." There are no estate proceedings under hisname on record and he has not been identified.

No. 623 "ISAAC DETWEILER his daughter died in Whit-pain Township November 5, 1844." Has not beenidentified.

No. 624 "ISAAC DETWEILER his daughter died November12, 1844." She was Sarah Detweiler who was bornNovember 25,1816 and is buried at Lower SkippackMennonite Cemetery. She and No. 623 may have beengrand-daughters of No. 627.

33.2 bulletin of historical society of Montgomery county

No. 625 "JACOB CASSEL his widow died in Salford December 4, 1844." Widow of No. 471, she was SusannaClemens born January 5,1761, daughter of Abrahamand Catherine (Bachman) Clemens. She is buried atLower Salford Mennonite Cemetery.

No. 626 "DANIEL CUSTER his son died in Salford December 4, 1844." Has not been identified.

No. 627 "Old ISAAC DETWEILEK died in Whitpain Township December 4, 1844." Born May 1, 1772 he ispresumed to have been the son of No. 64, and brotherof No. 380 and lived in Worcester Township. Hiswidow Barbara, daughter of Martin Kolb, died September 13, 1850 aged 74 years. They are both buriedat Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Issue included : Susanna, Henry, Isaac, Jr. and Martin, bothof Whitpain Township, the latter of whom died before his father. (Montgy W Bk 8/B63; OC Bk 9/207)

No. 628 "ABRAHAM GRATER his child died December 7,1844." Buried at Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery, the child was Lewis Grater, whose age wasgiven as 4 months 22 days on his tombstone. Hismother Catherine Hunsicker, born June 14,1820 anddied February 18, 1855, was a daughter of Gerhardtand Catherine (Detweiler) Hunsicker and firstcousin to her husband Abraham Grater who wasborn November 20, 1814, son of Ludwig Grater andhis wife Catherine Hunsicker whom Ludwig married May 6, 1802. The child was a grandson of Nos.331 and 419 as well as'Nos. 63 and 144. (Montgy WBks 5/39; 7/503; Dd Bks 35/213; 591/33)

No. 629 "JOSEPH LOWRY his wife died in SkippackDecember 29, 1844." Born October 24, 1782 AnnLowry was buried in Lower Skippack MennoniteCemetery. The will of Joseph Lowry of Perki-omen and Skippack, dated April 14, 1846 and probated exactly one year later, devised $1000 each tohis sister Mary Lowry and sister-in-law Rebecca

DEATHS IN THE SKIPPACK REGION 3^3

Hughes. The rest of his estate was devised one-thirdto his brother Isaac Lowry; one-third to his brotherWilliam Lowry; one-third to the three children of his"sister" Hebecca: John L. Adamson, Joseph L.Adamson and Jane Adamson, wife of Reuben Hawswho, with John L. Adamson was named executor.Joseph Lowry may have been a son of the WilliamLowry resident in 1780 in Gwynedd Township, andin 1790 in Worcester Township when he was listedas having in his household one male over 16 years ofage, three males under 16, and three females.(Montgy W Bk 8/531; Penna. Archives 3, Vol15/413)

No. 630 "JOSEPH KISTER his child died January 3, 1845."He was John Kuster born June 4,1837, son of JosephOuster, born July 13, 1810; died February 17, 1900,and his wife Elizabeth, bom August 1, 1812; diedJune 2, 1883. They are all buried at Lower SkippackMennonite Cemetery. Joseph Ouster possibly was ason of John Ouster of Worcester who died October

22, 1824 leaving a widow Barbara and 9 children:Paul, Leonard, Benjamin, Abraham, Joseph, Peter,Magdalena, Barbara and Elizabeth. (Montgy W Bk6/241; 00 4/537)

No. 681 "Also one of JOSEPH KISTER'S children died January 4,1845." This child was Jacob Ouster, born September 27, 1834, and is also buried at Lower Skip-pack Mennonite Cemetery.

No. 632 "JOSEPH HALLMAN died in Skippack January 2,1845." A carpenter by trade, he was bom September24, 1792, probably the son of No. 394, and is presumed to have married Margaret Fry, born October21, 1790; died December 22, 1855. Both are buriedat Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Issue: eightchildren of whom Joseph and Sarah were minors over14, and William was under 14 when their father died.


The names of the other children have not been ascertained. (Montgy W Bk 8/373; 00 Bk 9/863)

No. 633 "JOHN HEISER died January 30, 1845." Born July18, 1771 son of Nos. 69 and 192, he married, firstNo. 24; second, on December 11, 1803, No. 36; andthird, Mary Hendricks, born February 7, 1779; diedApril 18, 1860. He and his first two wives are buriedat Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Issue:Henry who married Sara Gouldy; Sophia, wife ofFrancis Hooven and Andrew Hyde; Sarah wife ofPhilip Wanner; John who married Elizabeth FunkMay 10, 1828; Mary who married John Saylor andDewalt Wanner; Samuel who married Mary Miller,and Susanna wife of Solomon Fisher. (Montgy 00Bk 9/206; Charles Major's notes: Zieber-MarkleyFamily)

No. 634 "Old PHILIP MARKLEY died in Skippack February6, 1845, aged 71y 2m 26d." Son of Nos 185 and 359,he had married No. 335. He had kept this record ofdeaths in the Skippack area since at least 1821 whenhe entered the death of his father No. 185. He isburied in the Kemper-Markley Cemetery. Issue:Abraham, Jacob who married Kate Moyer; Philip,Mary wife of John Grater; Sally wife of No. 457 andJoseph Moyer; Lydia wife of Henry C. Hunsicker;Nancy wife of Michael Hallman and Deborah wife ofJesse Cassel. (Moyer pp 59,73; Montgy DD Bk57/416; OC Bk 9/202)

No. 635 "Old JACOB KINSE died in Salford April 15, 1845aged 75 years." Born in 1770 Jacob Kinsey marriedAnna Alderfer, born May 14, 1780; died November17, 1823 aged 43y 6m 3d, daughter of Jacob andElizabeth (Kolb) Alderfer. Both are buried at LowerSalford Mennonite Cemetery. Of their known issueJacob and John Kinsey, who administered old Jacob'sestate, were living together in Lower Salford in1850 with an Anna Kinsey who was probably their

DEATHS IN THE SKIPPAOK REGION 3]^5

sister Susanna; Joseph Kinsey and his wife Maryand son Benjamin were also resident in the township, while Henry Kinsey had died August 15, 1849aged 28y 9m 26d and was buried beside his parents.A William Kinsey, aged 27 in 1850, may also havebeen a son. (Montgy OC Bks 5/14; 9/568; 1850Census for Lower Salford Township)

No. 636 "JOHAN FOSZ his daughter died June 23, 1845."Has not been identified.

No. 637 "Widow TEISEN died in Skippack July 6, 1845."Bom in 1760, widow of No. 543, Elizabeth Tyson isburied in Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Sinceher husband's death in 1842, their daughter Sarahhad become the wife of Christian Hunsicker.(Montgy W Bk 8/404)

No. 638 "GEORGE SCHWENK died July 6, 1845." BomDecember 7, 1783, son of No. 595, he had marriedCatherine Moyer, daughter of George and CatherineMoyer, who was born July 17, 1783; died May 22,1853. Both are buried at Keely's Cemetery. Issue:Abraham, Catherine wife of Abraham Ziegler; Benjamin, Samuel, Henry, Julia wife of Jonas Boyer;Delilah wife of Jacob Saylor. (Montgy OC Bk9/251)

No, 639 "Doctor NELSON died September 3, 1845." Hisobituary as printed in The Norristown Herald andFree Press for September 10, 1845 reads: "Diedsuddenly on the night of the 3rd inst. Dr. John M.Nelson of Zieglersville, Frederick Township, Montgomery County, in the 43rd year of his age. The deceased was called upon on professional business about11 o'clock on the night of the 3rd inst. and left hishouse in his usual state of health, but had proceededabout a mile when he was taken sick. He stopped atthe house of Mr. Mouer, with a little assistance hebled himself, and took a small dose of medicine, whenhe exclaimed, "I must die," and expired in 15 minutes

32g BULLETIN OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

after entering the house. The deceased was a nativeof Salem, New Jersey but for the last 12 years a citizen of Frederick where he gained a high reputationin his profession, and his kind, obliging dispositionand uniformly amiable deportment, won the esteemand confidence of all who knew him. He left a wifeand five children to mourn his loss." No. 617 AndrewZiegler had bequeathed his house in Zieglersville,then occupied by John Reimer and James Lachman,to his son Henry Ziegler and Dr. Nelson jointly, andhad named the doctor as one of his executors. It wasa two-story frame dwelling 38 feet long and 24 feetwide, with a two-story frame kitchen adjoining, located on "the public road from Boyerstown to Philadelphia near the intersection of the same with thePerkiomen & Sumneytown Turnpike." The doctor'sinterest in the property was subsequently purchasedby Henry Ziegler for $300. Dr. Nelson and his widowElizabeth had five children: Henry William, Catherine, Eliza, Davis Andrew and Mary Jane Nelson.(Montgy 00 Bk 10/257,349)

No. 640 "JACOB KOLB died September 28, 1845." BornAugust 9, 1777, presumed son of Jacob Kulp ofTowamencin who died June 28, 1818, aged 78y 3m21d, and his wife Mary Clemens who died August30, 1823, aged 78y 4m 3d, Jacob Kulp and his wifeElizabeth who died September 16, 1867 aged 82y 3m29d are both buried at Towamencin Mennonite Cemetery, as are his parents. The elder Jacob was a sonof Peter Kolb who died in 1748, and grandson of theemigrant Henry Kolb. Issue of the younger JacobKulp: Mary, Catherine, Ann, Eliza, Silas and David.(Phila. W Bk E/134; Montgy W Bks 5/71; 8/424)

No. 641 "JAMES BARTMAN his wife died September 30,1845." She was Lidia Huff, born July 30, 1805 andhad married July 4,1841 James Bartman as his third•wife. He was a son of John and Barbara (Sell) Bart-

DEATHS IN THE SKIPPACK REGION

man and was born September 11, 1809; died December 3, 1887. His first wife Maria Schoenly, whom hemarried January 27, 1888, was born July 3, 1810;died April 19, 1835. He married second November20, 1836 Judith Fuchs, daughter of Anthony Fox;she was born March 31,1813 and died May 14, 1840.His father John was born March 26, 1779; diedMarch 24, 1861; his wife Barbara Sell was bornNovember 4, 1781; died March 3, 1868. They are allburied at New Hanover Lutheran Cemetery.

[The End]

As the foregoing article closes the series, "Deaths in the ShippackRegion,*' the Society takes this opportunity of expressing to the author,Mrs. F. Spencer Roach, its great appreciation of her valuable contributionto the pages of the BULLETIN. Her tireless work and extended researchhave added, it is felt, a whole new volume to the genealogy of MontgomeryCounty.

Nineteenth Century Real Estate Offerings(Compiled from Philadelphia Newspapers)

, (Continued from Volume XI, page 17Jf)

(This period notes a large real estate turn-over in thenortheastern part of the county, where the big farms are being unloaded, As a new feature, ground is now being offeredat a definite price per acre. Log dwellings are still being offered with farms.)

W. Bakewell offers to let a farm of 200 acres in Lower

Providence, 1 mile below Pawling's Bridge, on the Schuylkill.[October 13,1820]

The 163-acre farm and 2-story stone dwelling, late theresidence of Martin Detwiler, deceased, situated partly inGwjTiedd and partly in Horsham, is offered for sale by Jacoband Abm. Detwiler. The property is about 2 miles from SpringHouse tavern, adjoining the farms of Adam Kneedler andothers, and is intersected by the road connecting the meetinghouses of North Wales and Horsham. Apply to Abraham Detwiler, living nearby, or to Joseph Detwiler, on the premises.

[October 14, 1820]

A 2-story stone house in Pottstown, now occupied byEnoch Hobart, with 4 acres of ground, on the turnpike roadleading through Reading to Harrisburg, is for sale by OwenJones (154 S. 2d st.) and Stevenson Smith (173 Market st.)

[October 14, 1820]

(Nathaniel Ashby advertises public sale of a house andabout 91/^ acres of land, in village of Hatborough, Morelandtownship, about 16 miles from Phila., with 2-story stone house.Also, Household furniture, farming utensils, etc.

[October 26, 1820]

818

NINETEENTH CENTURY REAL ESTATE OFFERINGS 3^9

The 74-acre plantation and stone dwelling of JonathanRambo, deceased, in Upper Merlon, on the Schuylkill, will besold at public auction by his executors, Rachael Rambo, PeterRambo and M. Holstein. The properties of Peter Rambo andothers, adjoin. Apply to the former. [October 27, 1820]

(William Shepard and Isaac Jones advertise public saleof a plantation of 226 acres in Upper Merion, 14 miles fromPhila., adj. John Supplee, Philip Rees, William Ouster, JamesAnderson and river Schuylkill, with stone house, barn andblacksmith shop. On the premises are a quarry of white marble,and a mill seat on the Gulf creek, 20'8" fall. Apply to JohnJones at the Mansion House. [November 6, 1820]

The long known SPRING HOUSE TAVERN, at junctionof Bethlehem and Allentown roads, in Gwynedd, with 14 acresof land, is advertised for public sale by John Jones, JohnRoberts and Hiram M'Neill, pursuant to the will of ChristianDull, of Gwynedd. A part of the house has been used as a store,and there is available stabling for 100 horses.

Also to be sold, stone house and barn, and 184 acres. Applyto David Kneedler, "in whose tenure the tavern now is."

[November 11,1820]

Henry Moore advertises public sale of a 72-acre plantationon Swedesford road, Montgomery township, near MontgomerySquare. A stone house is on the property. Apply to the owner,living thereon, or to Peter Wager, merchant, N. 2d St., Philadelphia. [November 13,1820]

A handsome dwelling, stone barn, grist and saw mill, and104 acres, on Perkiomen creek, in Perkiomen township, willbe sold at public sale by Moses Hobson and Jonathan Jones,assignees of Joseph Pawling. Skippack road passes throughthe premises. [November 13, 1820]

James Vaux will sell his farm of 101 acres 38 perches inHorsham township, one mile from Horsham Meeting, on theTrenton-Swedesford road, adjoining John and Jonathan Ire-dell, and Joseph Lukens. Buildings are of stone, and nearlynew. [November 28, 1820]

320 bulletin of historical sociETy of Montgomery county

Abraham Reiff offers to sell a new dwelling house, 42'x32',with tenant house and stone barn, and from 50 to 70 acres ofland, on Skippack road, in Whitpain township, "two milesdirect above George Sheaff's Country Seat."

[January 17, 1821]

A store and part of a dwelling in Trap, on Philadelphia-Reading turnpike, and on Westchester-Doylestown road, willbe sold by M. Bringhurst, 127 Race st. [January 27,1821]

Up for sale is the Barley Sheaf tavern on the Cheltenhamand Willow Grove turnpike, ten miles from Philadelphia, nowoccupied by William McCalla—a stage house and post officefor a number of years. The dwelling has four rooms on firstfloor, with twelve lodging rooms above, and there is stablingfor 90 horses. Property contains three acres, and has a frontage of 366 feet. [January 31, 1821]

Samuel Lehman, 296 North Front street, Joseph Bicking,on Brandywine, at the 40-mile stone on Old Lancaster road;and Frederick Bicking, on the premises, are interested inrenting a commodious Paper Mill, on Mill Creek, in LowerMerion township. The mill has two vats, and is supplied withplenty of good spring water for the engine; mill and race arein good order. There is a large 2-story dwelling, four rooms ona floor, besides spring house, smoke house, four good tenanthouses, a large barn, and stabling for 15 head of cattle. Also,a farm of 100 acres, of which 50 acres are in fields. The wholewill be rented for 3 or 5 years. [February 1,1821]

Samuel Davis, on the premises, offers for sale a 128-acrefarm of limestone land in Plymouth township, 2 miles fromNorristown, adjoining land of Samuel Thomas. Plymouthcreek runs through the place. [February 2, 1821]

Jonathan Lloyd will let the Hatborough Woollen Factory,"stone, 45 by 33 feet, three stories high, recently built . . .drove by the waters of the Pennypack." [February 5,1821]

A farm of 70 to 75 acres, in Lower Merion, "known byThomas Cothern's* farm, late of Lower Merion, deceased,"

NINETEENTH CENTURY REAL ESTATE OFFERINGS 321

will be sold at private sale, by William Brades, sen. The property, which adjoins lands of Thomas Amies, John Horn, andothers, has ten acres of heavy timber, twenty of meadow, andtwo orchards, and is watered by two streams. Improvementsare a 2-story stone house, three rooms on a floor, with kitchenand cellar; stone spring house; log barn with stabling; barracks, cart house, graineries, hog house, hen house, etc. Thesituation is pleasant, "having a south aspect," and is milesfrom the Lancaster Turnpike road. [February 26,1821]

*probably Cochran. Thomas Cochran died October 13,1814.

Manufacturers are notified by Jennings & Thompson,auctioneers, of the coming auction sale of a factory and machinery on Mill Creek, adjoining the Schuylkill, near FlatRock dam, as follows:

"The unexpired lease of a Cotton Mill, with sufficientwater power to drive fifteen hundred spindles;" also, "all themachinery in said Mill, containing 760 spindles, with sufficient preparation for the same." Also, two dwelling houses.

Sold "to close a concern." Apply to John Thoburn, or JamesWoods, on the premises. [March 23,1821]

(John Jones and Samuel Young offer for sale 47%. acresof land, "on the banks of the Schuylkill; and there is from 6to 8 feet of water into the shore. It is in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, adjoining lands of Frederick Stel-waggon, Hugh R. Wards and others, 10 miles from Philadelphia, 4 from Germantown, 1 mile and a half below SpringMill Ferry, half a mile from Esquire Young's Ford, and thesame distance from Hagy's Ford, and 2 miles above Flat RockBridge.

This property presents a beautiful front on the riverSchuylkill, and one side is bounded by the public road leadingtoward Soap Stone Quarry . . . apply to either of the Subscribers, living in Lower Merion, 4 miles above the GeneralWayne, 2 from Spring Mill Ferry, and 3 miles from the landnow offered for sale." [April 9, 1821]

322 bulletin op historical society of Montgomery county

(Philip Sellers, sheriff, advertises sale at the public houseof Abraham Wentz, near the premises, of a tract of 75 acresin Whitpain, adjoining Skippack road and lands of JamesBuck, Chilian Lukens, and others, with large stone mansionhouse; also, ten acres adjoining, with log house. Taken inexecution as property of Abraham Reiif.) [April 23, 1821]

"CAUTION

The public are warned against Purchasing the Mill andCotton Machinery on Mill Creek, advertised to be sold on Friday next, the first of June, by "JAMES WOOD," professingto be the "Assignee of JOHN THOBURN," and "JAMES C.THOMPSON, Assignee of JAMES WOOD." Neither of thesepersons have any claim upon the Property, which is in thepossession of the Subscriber.

JAMES WOOD was removed by the Court of MontgomeryCounty, as Trustee of the above-mentioned Property, a weekor two ago, as the records of that Court will show.[May 28, 1821] JOHN THOBURN."

(Isaac Roberts, "on the premises," offers for sale a 25-acrefarm in Abington, about mile from Friends' Meeting, 1from Jenkintown, on road leading from Abington Meetinghouse to the Middle road, adjoining Thomas Fletcher, et al.,with 2-story stone dwelling, 25' x 18', barn, milk house, etc.)

[June 6. 1821]

A 2-story stone house, and a 2-story fulling mill, 37' x 27',with two carding machines and one picker, will be sold byEnoch Supplee, living on the premises. The property adjoinsSwedesford road ly^ miles from Norristown, and milefrom Germantown Turnpike and includes 15 acres of land.

[June 7, 1821]

Forty acres of limestone farm, with a grist mill, situate inAbington, is offered for sale by Jacob Lukens, of that place."Mill has two pairs of stones, one Burrs, the other a CountryStone and Burr, two Boults, all in good repair."

Also, frame house and barn, and milk house.

NINETEENTH CENTURY REAL ESTATE OFFERINGS 323

Also, stone tenement and farm, and limestone quarry. "Noother limestone in the neighborhood." [June 7, 1821]

A 2-story stone house, 36' x 21', with barn, stone smithshop and 4i/^-acre lot, in Abington, is for sale by JosephMarple, living on the premises. Property is situated at intersection of Jenkintown-Fox Chase and Shoemakertown-Hallo-

well's Mills roads, and adjoins lands of George Williams,Thomas Fletcher, John Jenkins and Abington Friends.

[June 12,1821]

An undivided eighth of a farm of 138 acres, with loghouse and stable, and extensive limestone quarries near theSchuylkill, is for sale by J. & W. Lippincott & Co. The farmadjoins those of John Moore and Samuel Richards, and frontson the road leading from Valley Works to Norristown, whichis three miles distant. Apply to Jacob Irons, on the premises.

[June 22,1821]

Charles M. Page, 67 Dock st., offers, for $7000, a 38-acremill property, at intersection of roads leading from WillowGrove to Newtown in Moreland. Property comprises a 2-storygrist mill, 50' x 25', with 20 ft. overshot, 5 ft. head; new 2-story stone dwelling, 44' x 20', stone barn, etc. Terms: Vs cash.Apply to Edward Ely, on the premises. [July 2, 1821]

A 60-acre farm in Cheltenham will be sold by Jonas Small"on the premises, one mile from Shoemakertown, on the roadleading from said town to Frankford." There are two dwellings, one 38' x 21', and two barns, one 40' x 26'. Property iswatered by Tackoney creek, and adjoins lands of John Kenan,Benjamin Rowland, Amos Jones, and others. [July 2,1821]

$50 per acre, $1000 cash, will purchase a 70-acre farm,half a mile from Montgomery Square, on the Norristown-Doylestown post road, in Montgomery township. A 2-storystone dwelling is on the property, which adjoins those of PeterWager, Esq., Enos Lewis, and others. Henry Moore, on thepremises, will give information. [July 24, 1821]

324 BUI.LETIN OF HISTORICAI/ SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

D. Steinmetz, "on the premises," advertises public sale ofa 65-acre farm, on the Byberry road, in sight of the villageof Hatborough, or the Billet, on Old York road, about 16 milesfrom Philadelphia; with 2-story stone house; etc.; also, livestock, grain, etc. [July 31,1821]

Sereck Fox, on Township Line road, near Wheat Sheaftavern, in Oxford township, will sell a 133-acre plantation inMoreland, late the property of George Benner, deed. Farm hasa dwelling, and is but a mile from Bustleton, on the road toEagle tavern. [August 6, 1821]

For sale by Isaac Rosenberger is a farm of 134 acres inHorsham, adjoining Samuel Dehaven and others, with stonehouse, distillery, etc., within two miles of Spring House tavern.

[August 16,1821]

The plantation late of Martin Detwiler, deed., will be soldat public sale by his executors, Jacob and Abraham Detwiler.The property, which is partly in Gwynedd and partly in Horsham, is two miles from Spring House tavern, and contains163 acres. The road from North Wales Meeting-house toHorsham Meeting-house, passes through the property. JosephDetwiler, or Abraham Detwiler, nearby, will inform.

[August 29, 1821]

An assignee's sale is advertised, of a house and lot,45' X126', in Jenkintown village. The 2-story stone house is32' X 21', and has a saddler's shop on the first floor. Apply toJohn Shoemaker, occupying same. [September 6, 1821]

(John Walton, Thomas Barnes, John Potts, Rachel Cooper,Caroline Cooper, Amos Cooper, William Cooper, John Cooper,Henry Cooper, and James Cooper, heirs and legal representatives of William Cooper, deed., advertise public sale of a 100-acre farm in Horsham, on road from Trenton to Swede's Fordon Schuylkill, 18 miles from Phila., 1 from Horsham Friends'Meeting, adj. Seneca Lukens, John Iredell, et. al; with 2-storyhouse. [September 12, 1821]

NINETEENTH CENTURY REAL ESTATE OFFERINGS §25

Charles M. Page offers for sale two farms in Horsham;one of 102 acres, at $40 per acre; the other of 100 acres, at$38 per acre; within two and three miles of MontgomerySquare respectively. [September 15, 1821]

A 2-story stone house and 9Y2 acres of ground, in Hat-borough village, can be bought from the assignees of NathanielAshby, who resides there. [October 3,1821]

J. G. Langstroth advertises public sale of Penepack PaperMill, about 13 miles from Phila., in Moreland, Montg. co.,100' X 50', with two vats, "in complete order for making thesuperfine writing and drawing papers." With 60-acre farm, 4dwellings, a school house, etc. [October 4, 1821]

Under the will of John Lloyd, of Horsham, his plantationof 130 acres there, with stone dwelling and barn, will be disposed of at public sale by Cadwalader Lloyd, Isaac Walton andHiram McNeill. The property, which is only half a mile fromHorsham Friends' Meeting, adjoins those of Seneca Lukensand Hugh Lloyd. "Easy communication with Philadelphia,through the medium of the Easton Mail," with post office atHorsham. [October 11, 1821]

A 8-story stone, recently-built, factory on Pennepack creeknear Hatborough, 45'x33', last occupied as a woolen manufactory, will be let by Jonathan Lloyd, "on the adjoiningpremises." [October 13, 1821]

Neighborhood News and NoticesFrom the Southern Tier of Townships

(Continued from Volume XI, page 165)

NOTICE to the Stockholders In the Flat Rock Bridge, thatan election will be held between the hours of 2 and 4 in theafternoon, at the house of Cadwalader Hallowell, near theBridge, on Second Day, the 7th inst. to elect one President,six Managers and one Treasurer, for the ensuing year. LOYDJONES, President." [January 2, 1828]

"BOARDING & DAY SCHOOL in L<ower Merion Academy,near the old road, leading to Lancaster, 5 miles from Philadelphia, in a neighbourhood of wealthy farmers. Reading,Writing, Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Mensuration, Surveying, Latin, Greek and Needlework,are taught in School, and constant attention paid to instructing when out of School.

Tuition and private attention, per qr. $10. Board per week,$2.25. References, Rev. W. Staughton, D.D., E. Cushman, J.L. Dagg, W. E. Ashton and Whitton Evens, Esq.," [Here follows a letter from James Anderson, M.D., of Lower Merion,to Newton M. Boggs—evidently principal of the Academy—"commending your determination to continue your laboursanother year, in Lower Merion Academy," and "the flatteringprogress that my children have made, both in the English andLatin, under the joint direction of yourself and brother"]

[February 11,1828]

[At a meeting of citizens "friendly to the present Administration," held at the house of Joseph B. Yerkes, Hatborough,it was resolved to celebrate Washington's Birthday. A committee was appointed to invite Hon. Jonathan Roberts to deliver

326

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS AND NOTICES 327

the oration. At a subsequent meeting Christian Snyder, Esq.,Gen. William M. White, Samuel Shoemaker and James MNairwere appointed Marshals of the Day.

"The oration will be delivered at the Lollar Academy, bythe Hon. Jonathan Roberts, at 12 o'clock. Dinner will be onthe table at 2 o'clock P.M."], [February 13, 1828]

[John D. Ninesteel announces that "he has purchased ofMessrs. David, John, Isaac and George Roberts, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, thirty superior steers." (Etc.)]

[March 6, 1828J

[David Woelpper & Son announce that "they have purchased of George Sheaff, Esq., of Whitemarsh Township,Montgomery County, twenty head of cattle."]

[March 14, 1828]

[A Pottstown item describes trade on Schuylkill, andmentions "the sound of the boatmen's horns . . . On Sundaylast no less than forty boats passed this place, êstin®^^various places along the canal."] [April 1®28J

"Lancaster, May 8.

Philadelphia, Lancaster and Columbia Rail Road. Apartyof engineers, consisting of sixteen under the command ofMajor Wilson (formerly of the United States Army) passedthrough this place a few days since, and have commencedoperations at or near Columbia. Joshua M. Scott, Esq., of thiscity, and Robert Petit, Esq., of Philadelphia gentlemen eminently qualified to fill the stations assigned them are engagedas principal assistants—Reporter." [May 17,1828]

"Norristown Bridge—The contractors for the mason workof the Norristown Bridge, commenced on Monday last to digout the foundation for the abutment on this side of the riverIt is expected that the Bridge will be completed lêfore the firstof December next." [^^y 13,1828]

"Perkiomen Gunpowder.—The Subscriber has constantly


on hand, and for sale, manufactured at the Perkiomen Mills,F ^

( GUNPOWDERAnd Cannon )Which may be had in any quantity, and warranted equal

to any Powder of the manufacture, at reasonable prices andon liberal terms. Apply to EDWARD LOWBER

No. 144 North Third-street, Philadelphia."[May 27, 1828]

"Internal Improvement—Mr. LeBarron of this place isnow framing a bridge on the bank of the Susquehanna, whichwill be carried through the Union Canal, and stretched acrossthe Schuylkill at Norristown, Montgomery County. This is aproof of the benefits of internal improvement." HarrisburgStatesman. [July 9, 1828]

[Announcement of celebration by friends of the Administration, at Valley Forge, on Saturday next, intended to be"the great Jubilee and Harvest Home Celebration of the Agriculturists, Mechanics," etc. "Dinner will be provided for aboutTWO THOUSAND PERSONS, and temporary troughs arebeing erected for feeding as many horses." Dr. William Darlington, of Chester County, will !read Declaration of Independence; Col. John G. Watmough, "of this county," will deliver oration; two Revolutionary cannon will be repeatedlyfired; music by the German Band, of Bethlehem. Packet boatsSwan and Independence leave Phila. 4 A.M.; arrive ValleyForge at 11, (Abstract from Norristown Herald.)]

[July 25, 1828]

"Great Administration Meeting.—The Norristown Heraldsays—The General county Meeting of the friends of the Administration of the general government, held at the house ofMr. William Nice, in Whitpain township, Montgomery County,on Saturday last, was the largest ever held in the county —it consisted of between 4 and 500 persons." (etc.)

[August 21, 1828]

NEIGHBOKHOOD NEWS AND NOTICES 329

"Fire.—The barn of Col. Henderson, of Upper MerionTownship, Montgomery County, was consumed by fire onFriday night last. It contained nearly the whole of the harvestcrop of Mr. Samuel Forder, the tenant, which had just beengathered in. We understand the fire originated from shootingpigeons on the roof of the barn." (Register)

[August 22, 1828]

"Downingtown (Penn.) September 9.Rail Road.—Major Wilson's company, now engaged in

locating a railway from Columbia to Philadelphia, arrivedin this place on Saturday evening last. They have determinedits location as far as the Brandywine, at Coatesville, andintend spending some time in examining each side of theValley for some distance. . . . There is little doubt but thenorthern route will be adopted." (etc.) [September 12,1828]

"Pottstown (Penn.) September 10.Invention.—A model of a very ingenious machine for mak

ing horse shoes, invented by Mr. Robert E. Hobart, of thisplace, has been deposited in this office for the inspection ofthe public. A patent right has been obtained. It is said thatone ton weight of horse shoes may be made in one day by thismachine." (Village Museum) [September 12,1828]

Annual Report of Schuylkill Navigation Co;—^handsomeincrease in tolls realized—extension of navigation to Millcreek finished, a great credit to the engineer, Mr. GeorgeDuncan—"the channels and the tow paths of Fairmount andFlat Rock dams, and the extension of the tow path to Sheridan's Bridge from Fair Mount Locks" are nearly completed.—"The Canal at Plymouth has been widened."—Company hasborrowed $103,680.—Consumption of anthracite coal, since1820, has increased from three or four hundred tons to 75,000tons a year; the trade promises stockholders "a bountifulreturn" for "the long privation." Increase in quantity broughtto market, 1827-8, was 15,924 tons.—[Here follows detailedtabulation of income from other sources, and of kinds of goodstransported] [1 column] [January 7, 1829]


"U. S. MAIL COACH GOOD INTENT.—Through to Pitts-burg in 3^2 days leaves the Office, No. 281 Market aboveEighth-street, daily, at 6 o'clock A.M., via Lancaster, Harris-burg, Carlisle, Bedford, Greensburg to Pittsburg.

Also, accommodation Coach leaves the above Office dailyfor Harrisburg at 4 o'clock A.M. Both the above lines runthrough to Harrisburg the same day. The above lines have theadvantage of being connected at Harrisburg with the lines toSunbury, Northumberland, Lewistown, Huntington, Belle-fonte, Phillipsburg, Franklin, Meadville and Erie, at Pittsburg with the line by Beaver, daily to Cleveland on Lake Erie,with the daily line to Wheeling, and with the daily line by Butler, Mercer, Meadville and Waterford to Erie, on all of whichconnecting lines passengers will be sure of seats to be takenon without delay.

COACH FOR BALTIMORE

By the turnpike road via Lancaster, Columbia and York,every morning except Sunday, at 5 o'clock A.M., lodge atYork, and arrive in Baltimore the following day. This linehas the advantage over all other lines leaving the city, as itcrosses the bridge at Columbia, and is not detained by obstruction of the ice, etc., on the Susquehanna.

Fare through, $10.For seats apply (for Baltimore) at the Lancaster and

Pittsburg Mail Coach Office, No. 234 Market-street, U. S.Mail Coach Office, No. 28 South Third-street, and at Mr.Inslee's National Hotel, in Chestnut, between Third andFourth-streets. WILLIAM JORDAN, Agent."

[January 23, 1829]

"The Lancaster Stage, from Union Hotel, No. 244 Market-street, carries passengers from city to city for $3. It has fivechanges of horses, goes through in a day, and arrives in Lancaster about 5 o'clock P.M."

[January 28, 1829]

"Water Power.—The Schuylkill Navigation Company arenow ready to dispose of Water Power on the River Schuylkill

NEIGHBOEHOOD NEWS AND NOTICES 331

at Plymouth, about 12 miles from Philadelphia. The fall about10 feet. For further particulars, enquire at the Office, No. 8South Seventh-street." [January 30, 1829]

"The partnership between the Subscribers under the firmof BEVAN & PORTER expired by limitation on the 28thultimo., and the affairs of the concern will be liquidated byMatthew L. Bevan and M. Humphreys.

M. L. BEVAN

WILLIAM PORTER

M. HUMPHREYS

The business of the subscribers will be conducted under the

firm of BEVAN & HUMPHREYS.

M. L. BEVAN

M. HUMPHREYS

Philadelphia, March 2d, 1829." [March 23, 1829]

[Joseph G. Morgan, of Whitemarsh, offers six cents reward for a runaway indented mulatto girl, Ann Hart. "Hermother resides in the African Masonic Lodge, South Eleventh-street, Philadelphia."] [April 1,1829]

[James Wells and Lewis Ramsey give notice of dissolutionof partnership of WELLS & RAMSEY, Norristown, businessto be conducted by James Wells.] [April 1,1829]

"The Contractors for the Rail Road between this city andColumbia have commenced their operations on the road, andwill prosecute them with zeal and spirit." [April 7, 1829]

"DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIPThe partnership heretofore existing under the name of W.

LEHMAN & A, S. & E. ROBERTS is dissolved by the deceaseof William Lehman. All persons indebted to the said firm .. .(etc.) ALGERNON S. ROBERTS,

EDWARD ROBERTS

(The Drug, Paint and Drug Stuff business will be continued by the undersigned.)" [April 13, 1829]

332 bulletin of histobical society of Montgomery county

[An article from the "Saturday Bulletin," describes themarble quarries on both sides of Schuylkill, in Montgomerycounty. Said to embrace hundreds of acres. Sometimes workedto a depth of one hundred feet. Samuel R. Wood, of Norris-town, has erected water power machinery for sawing marbleslabs. Suggests marble veneer for house fronts.]

[May 5, 1829]

"JOSEPH W. ROWLAND, Attorney at Law, has removedfrom his late residence in Norristown, Montgomery county,to No. 31 Old Fourth-street, a few doors above Callowhill-street, Philadelphia. In addition to the usual branches of hisprofession, J. W. Rowland will attend to the purchase andsale of Real Estate, the preparation of all kinds of writtenlegal instruments, and the- adjustment' of Administration,Guardianship and other accounts."

[May 16,1829]

"Packet Boat Comet, of Norristown, will commence running on Monday, 1st day of June, and leave R. Evans' Inn, No.103 Race-street, Philadelphia, and Mrs. Webb's Hotel, Norristown, on the following days, viz.

From R. Evans', Philadelphia, every Sunday, Monday,Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 6 o'clock, A.M., forNorristown.

From Mrs. Webb's, Norristown, every Sunday, Monday,Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, at 2 o'clock P.M., forPhiladelphia.

The Bar on board the Boat is furnished with the bestliquors and refreshments.

Fare to Norristown, 75 cents.For Seats apply at R. Evans', where stages are provided

to carry passengers to and from the boat gratis.All baggage at the risk of its owner.

WILLIAM GRIFFITH,

[May 28, 1829] Master,"

"THE RAIL ROAD.—Â large number of hands are atwork upon the Rail Road between Columbia and Philadelphia.


The work is commenced at both ends. We wish it also could

have been begun in the middle. Maj. Wilson is the engineerthat superintends the part nearest to Philadelphia."

[June 5, 1829]

"TO THE PUBLIC.New Invented Steam Boat for the Schuylkill and its

Canals; the subscription for building a Boat, will be openedat the Merchants' Coffee House, on Thursday next, the 18thinst., from 10 till 2 o'clock, where the conditions will be madeknown. The friends to the valuable invention, are invited toencourage it by subscribing. BENJAMIN PHILLIPS

ARCHIBALD J. COZENS,[June 16, 1829] Proprietors."

[The President, Managers and Company for erecting aBridge across the Schuylkill at Norristown (DeKalb st.),advertise that they will receive subscriptions at House ofHenry Styer, Norristown, on July 20, 21 and 22 next, (etc.)

Signed: THOS. M. JOLLY, Clerk.][June 17, 1829]

[Norristown item describes preparations for enlargingnew public house occupied by I. H. Pritner, opposite Mr.Webb's. Will be largest public house in the county—^nearly aslarge as the United States Hotel, Phila. Large stables arebeing built.

The Franklin House is also nearly completed.][June 20, 1829]

"The contractor for making the inclined plane (part ofthe Columbia Rail Road) on the place of Richard Peters, Esq.,commenced his work on Monday." [July 22,1829]

"TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.—Information wanted

of JAMES BROADBENT, an Englishman, who left Manchester, in England, in June, 1818, was at Philadelphia, inApril, 1824, was next heard of at Mr. Whitehead's, of Hat-borough, 16 miles from Philadelphia, which place he left inthe fall of 1825, with the intent of going to the Westward. The

334 bulletin of historical society op Montgomery county

above JAMES BROADBENT, is about 55 years of age, of amiddle stature, light complexion, has a blue mark on one ofhis eyelids, by trade a Woollen Cloth Manufacturer. Whoeverwill give satisfactory information where he may be found,shall receive the above Reward. Apply at No. 10 North Frontstreet." [July 24,1829]

[Rail Road between Susquehanna and Schuylkill is progressing ; contractors engaged on nearly every section. "Nearthe residence of the late Judge Peters, a large forge is inoperation, preparing materials for the inclined plane." . . ."Major John Wilson continues his services as chief engineer."The 10 miles nearest the Schuylkill is in charge of RobertPettit, assistant engineer.] [July 31,1829]

"The corner stone of the Episcopal Church, which is aboutto be erected in the borough of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, willbe laid on Tuesday, the 18th inst., at 10 o'clock in the forenoon." (etc.) [August 13, 1829]

"NORRISTOWN BRIDGE. — The Mason work of the

Bridge about being built over the River Schuylkill, at thatBorough, is now all completed, except the last pier, which willbe finished in a few weeks—the frame work is extended over

half the river, and the scaffold raised for the third section."[August 13,1829]

"LARGE INDIAN CORN. — The Pottstown Aurora

acknowledges the receipt of two extraordinary large stalksof Indian Corn, sent to that office by Messrs. Leaf and Eckert;of that borough. One of them (Mr. Leaf's) measures 13 feet9 inches in length, the other about 13 feet 5 inches."

[August 14, 1829]

"The Norristown Bridge over the River Schuylkill, eighthundred feet in length, exclusive of the abutments, is now sofar completed, that foot passengers can pass over."

[September 18, 1829]

"LANCASTER SCHUYLKILL BRIDGE. — The stock

holders in the Lancaster Schuylkill Bridge Company are hereby


notified that an election will be held at the house of D. Rubi-

cam in Sixth street, on Monday the fourth of January next,at 10 o'clock, A.M., for a President, Managers and Treasurer,to serve the ensuing year. By order, THOMAS P. ROBBKTS,[December 3, 1829] Secretary."

"Thomas Walter expects in a few weeks to be prepared toreceive at his residence in Lower Merion, a few Boys as boarders, who will be instructed in the usual branches of an Englisheducation. Price for tuition, boarding and washing $30 perquarter; further information may be obtained of JosephWarner, Samuel Sellers, William Abbott, John Claxton,Samuel J. Bobbins, Philip Garrett, James Cresson & Brothers,George Peterson, Richard Price, and Edwin Walter, in Philadelphia; or at the School of the advertiser, on the Haverfordroad, about five miles from the Permanent Bridge."

[December 25, 1829]

[The End]

Death Notices from Newspapers(Continued from Volume V, page US)

From "Poulson' American Daily Advertiser"

On the night of the 28th ult. BARTHOLOMEW MATHER,of Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, in the 94thyear of his age ... Was a Mechanic from his youth to old age,and was able to complete handsome work in his art within thelast year of his life . . . His remains were interred on Fridayfollowing in the Abington Friends' burial ground. . . .

(September 5,1822)

At Willow Grove, on Saturday, the 21st ult., AMOS DXJF-FIELD, in the 35th year of his age, after a short and severeillness, leaving a widow and five children. (October 7,1822]

On Tuesday evening last, at Norristovsm, MontgomeryCounty, Mrs. MARY ROSS, wife of Thomas Ross, Esq., ofthat borough. (October 11,1822)

The following deaths have lately occurred in MontgomeryTownship, Montgomery County.—It seldom happens that in apopulation of less than a thousand, so many die within a fewdays of each other. . . .

On Sunday, the 29th ult., Peter Evans, Esq., an old andhighly respected inhabitant, age 86.

On Tuesday, the inst., Mr. David Bruner, aged 92.. On Thursday, the 3d inst., Mr. John Mather, aged 76.

On the same day. Major General Thomas Humphrey, aged56, respected and lamented.

On Friday, the 4th, Mr. Thomas Bates, aged 72.

On Saturday, the 5th, Mr. Jacob Crater. (October 11,1822)

At his farm, in Montgomery County, on Friday, the 4thinst., in the 5Sd year of his age. Major General THOMAS

336

DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS 337

HUMPHREY . . . having served as Colonel during the latewar. (October 15,1822)

On the morning of the 23d inst., ELIJAH WARING, late ofthis City. Funeral from late residence, Abington, MontgomeryCO., 10 o'clock, 6th day, 25th inst. (October 24, 1822)

On the 16th of October last, MARY DHIB, of LowerMerion township, Montgomery County, in the 98th year ofher age; she was born October 29th, 1724, wanting but 13days of being 99 years old. (November 15, 1822)

At Norristown, on Friday morning last, Mr. WILLIAMKIDD, of that Borough, aged 29 years. The deceased was asingle man, a stone mason and plasterer by trade. (Etc.)

(June 20, 1828)

On Monday last, Mr. WILLIAM H. CHAIN, of Norritontownship, in the 39th year of his age. (Caused by a splinterpenetrating his hand, as he loaded a wagon with hemlockboards) (June 27,1823)

Yesterday morning, at 7 o'clock, Mrs. MARY SMITH,aged 90 years, widow of Robert Smith, Esq., late of Montgomery county. (Funeral, late dwelling, 15 N. 3d st., thismorning at 11.) (August 28, 1823)

On the 28th instant, at his residence, Moreland Township,Montgomery County, WILLIAM COLLADAY, formerly ofthis city, in the eighty-fifth year of his age.

(Funeral from late residence, Sunday, 10 A.M., or meet atCharles Macknet's, Germantown, 1 o'clock.)

(November 29,1823)

In Montgomery county, on the 1st instant, in the twenty-seventh year of her age, Mrs. MARGARET KREIDER, consort of Mr. Anthony Kreider, and eldest daughter of the lateJohn Schlatter, of the Northern Liberties.

(Funeral from house of Frederick Kreider, 248 N. 2d st.,this afternoon, at one) (December 3, 1823)

On the night of the 30th ult., in the 24th year of her age,

338 BULLETIN OP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OP MONTGOMERY COUNTY

after a short but painful illness, at the residence of her husband, in Montgomery County, LYDIA, the wife of JOHNLLOYD. (January 3, 1824)

At Providence, Montgomery County, on Monday the 26thultimo, after a short illness, Miss ANGELINA STURGES,in the 8th year of her age, daughter of Mr. Samuel Sturges,late of this City. (February 3, 1824)

On the 6th inst., in Montgomery County, RICHARD T. A.EDEY, formerly of the Island of Barbadoes. His friends areinvited to meet the corpse at No. 232 Race-street, nearSeventh, at 3 o'clock this afternoon) on its way to St. Peter'sChurch yard. (February 9, 1824)

On the 6th inst,, ROBERT PAUL, in the ninety-sixth yearof his age. He was born at Abington, twelve miles from thecity, in the year 1728, the second year of the reign of GeorgeII. He was the son of James Paul, one of the early settlersof this part of the country He retained his sight and bodilyfaculties to the last. (March 11,1824)

After a short sickness, in Charleston, South Carolina, onthe 29th of June, ultimo, ABRAHAM MARKLEY, Esq., inthe 78th year of his age, a native of Montgomery County,Penn., who emigrated from this state before the AmericanRevolution, and settled in Charleston. (July 23, 1824)

At Norristown, on Friday, the 16th inst., Mr. JOHNGOODWIN, late of Abington township, Montgomery county,in the eighty-fourth year of his age. (July 30,1824)

On Monday evening, the 16th inst., at his residence inLower Merion Township, Montgomery county, the venerableCHARLES THOMSON, Esq., in the 95th year of his age.(Here follows an eulogy with little data) (August 18,1824)

On Wednesday, the 18th instant, at the residence of herfather, near the borough of Pottstown, ELIZABETH POTTSHOBART, daughter of Robert E. Hobart, Esq., in the 13th (?)year of her age. (August 31, 1824)


At Brookfield, on Saturday morning last, JOHN JONES,Esq., formerly one of the Associate Judges of Montgomerycounty, in the 80th year of his age.

His friends and acquaintances are particularly invited toattend his funeral, this morning, at half past 9 o'clock, fromhis late residence. (December 27,1824)

Departed this life, on the 20th inst., aged about 73 years,SUSANNA THOMAS, relict of Lewis Thomas.... On the 22dher remains were accompanied by a large number of relativesand friends, from the house of her son-in-law, Thomas Pratt,to Friends' burial ground, in Lower Merion.

(March 25,1825)

On the 11th inst. at Whitpain, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, CHALKLEY JAMES, in the 71st year of his age.

(April 16,1825)

On Tuesday Morning, in the 81st year of his age, OWENJONES, for many years a respectable Merchant of this city,(Funeral from his late dwelling, 2d and Spruce.)

(May 12, 1825)

On Saturday, the 21st ult., Mrs. HANNAH KOLB, wife ofDilman Kolb, of Skippack township, Montgomery County,aged 96 years, two months and five days. (June 3, 1825)

On Saturday morning last, at Green Bank, Lower Merion,Montgomery County, Mr. JOHN WILSON, formerly of thiscity, in the 85th year of his age. (Funeral from his late residence, Green Bank) (June 27, 1825)

On the 13th inst., between the hours of 11 and 12 o'clock,P.M., after a short but severe indisposition, at Winwood, inLower Merion, ANN JONES, sister of the late Owen andJonathan Jones. (July 15, 1825)

At the residence of Richard B. Jones, Esq., MontgomeryCounty, on the 5th inst., Mr. THOMAS RUTTER, of thiscity, in the 35th year of his age. (August 9,1825)

340 bulletin of HISTOKICAL society of MONTGOMERY COUNTY

At Germantown, on the 16th instant, aged twenty-nineyears, Mr. GEORGE BOLTON LOWNES, of Valley Forge,Montgomery County. ... He had been delegated as one of aCommittee, by the immediate inhabitants of Valley Forge,where the suffering army of America lay during the winterof '77 and 8, to wait upon General LaFayette, during his latevisit in Philadelphia, to repeat an invitation to visit the placeso sacred to America. He afterwards joined the Committee inpaying their respects to him at West Chester.—Mr. Lownesoccupied the very mansion in which Gen. Washington had hisquarters.. ..

He was a son of that distinguished philanthropist, Mr.Caleb Lownes, formerly a greatly respected citizen of Philadelphia, now holding a responsible station under governmentas an Indian agent. (August 25, 1825)

On the 31st ult. at his residence in Cheltenham Township,JONATHAN JONES, in the 84th year of his age, a respectable member of the Society of Friends. (September 6, 1825)

In Montgomery county, on Friday morning last Mrs.ELIZABETH WEBER, widow of the late John Weber, Esq., inthe 57th year of her age. (September 21,1825)

Yesterday morning, Mrs. ELIZABETH, Consort of General Henry Scheetz. (Funeral from late residence, WhitemarshTownship, Montgomery County, this day, at 1 o'clock.)

(October 21, 1825)

On the 8th instant, in this city, ANDREW ATKINSON,Esq., in the 64th year of his age, formerly of East Florida, butlately of Philadelphia. ... He was father-in-law to SamuelHumphreys, Esq., Naval Architect of the United States forPhiladelphia station, and President of one of their Banks.

(November 15, 1825)

On the 25th inst., after a long and tedious illness, Mr.PETER CRESS, in the 31st year of his age.

(Funeral from residence of his brother-in-law, Paul Jones,299 Race st., tomorrow, at 1 P.M.) (November 26,1825)

DEATH NOTICES FROM NEWSPAPERS §41

On Tuesday morning, the 10th inst., in her 83rd year,Mrs. MAKY DEAN, wife of the late William Dean, Esq., ofMontgomery County.

(Funeral from his late dwelling, 2d and Spruce.)A.M.; proceed to Abington.) (January 11, 1826)

On the 2d inst., after a short illness, OLIVER G. MORRIS,son of Isaac Morris, Esq., of Hatfield, Montgomery County,having just entered the 20th year of his age.

(February 15, 1826)

Near Norristown, Montgomery County, on the 16th inst.,Mrs. MARGARET CLAY, wife of the Reverend J. C. Clay,Pastor of the Episcopal Church, aged twenty-eight years. . . .(She) has taken with her a little infant Son, WILLIAMANNAN CLAY, born but a few hours before her death.

(April 21, 1826)

On Seventh Day, the 17th inst. at his residence in UpperDublin Township, Montgomery County, ISAAC KIRK, Senior,aged nearly 91 years. His funeral will take place this morning,at 9 o'clock. (June 19, 1826)

At Walter Parson's, in Montgomery County, where shehad been on a visit, HANNAH KIRKBRIDE, of Buckinghamtownship, in Bucks county, long known as a distinguishedpublic speaker among the Society of Friends, in the 79th yearof her age. (July 27, 1826)

At Norristown, on Thursday morning, the 27th ult. after atedious and severe illness, which she bore with great fortitude,Mrs. ELIZABETH PAWLING, of that Borough, consort ofLevi Pawling, Esq., and Daughter of General Joseph Heister.—Her remains were interred in the Episcopal burying-ground,in that Borough. (August 4, 1826)

On the 22d inst., aged 45 years. Doctor HUGH JONES(late of North Carolina) at the residence of his Brother, inLower Merion, Montgomery County. (Funeral there, 24thinst., 9 o'clock.) (September 23,1826)

342 bulletin of historical society op Montgomery county

On Wednesday, the 20th instant, Mrs. HANNAH PRATT,wife of Mr. Thomas Pratt.

(Funeral from late residence, Old Lancaster road, MerionTownship, this morning, 11 o'clock)

(December 22,1826)

On the 13th inst., HANNAH MILLER, of Moreland Township, Montgomery County, in her 83rd year.

(January 17, 1827)

At Reading, Penn. on Tuesday night, the 13th of March,inst., in the 62d year of her age, Mrs. MARIA SALOMERICHARDS, consort of Matthias Richards, Esq., of that borough, and youngest daughter of the late Reverend DoctorHENRY MELCHIOR MUHLENBERG.

(To be interred this day (Friday) at Reading.)(March 16,1827)

At St. George's, Delaware, on the 20th inst., in the thirty-fifth year of his age, Mr. LEVI MILLER, son of the late Mr.Joseph Miller, jr., Montgomery county, Penn.

(March 29,1827)

In this city, on the morning of the 27th inst., at the houseof his grandson. Dr. Alexander Knight, JAMES PAUL,Senior, in the 86th year of his age. . . .

(Interred next day, Horsham Friends' burying-ground.)(May 30, 1827)

Yesterday morning, SUSANNAH, Wife of THOMAS W.PRYOR, in the 70th year of her age, daughter of Jacob Edge,of Montgomery County, deceased.

(Funeral 8 A.M. today, from late husband's dwelling, 373N. Front st. Interment at Abington.) (July 25, 1827)

On the 23d August last, at Green Bank, Lower Merion,Montgomery county, in the 74th year of her age, Mrs. SARAHWILSON, relict of the late Joseph Wilson, Esq.

(September 19,1827)

At Norristown, on Monday the 24th inst., in the 38th year


of her age, Mrs. MARY ISRAEL, Wife of William P. Israel,and Daughter of Robert Wain, Esq. (December 27,1827)

Yesterday morning, in the 62d year of his age, CHANDLER PRICE.

(Funeral Sunday next, at 1 o'clock, from dwelling of hisson-in-law. Dr. J. S. Rose, cor. 10th and Arch sts.)

(December 29,1827)

On the 26th inst., of the consumption, at the residence ofhis nephew, JOHN HOLTS, in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, DANIEL THOMAS, aged 56 years. He hadbeen gradually on the decline for several years. (Etc.)

(January 81, 1828)

On the morning of the 31st ult., of a short but severe illness, in the 94th year of her age, Mrs, MARY SHEAFF, consort of Philip Sheaff, Sen., Esq., of Haverford Township,Delaware County,

(Her remains were interred at Radnor Church.)(February 24,1828)

On the 5th inst., at the dwelling of her late brother, Jonathan Jones, Wynne Wood, Montgomery County, Mrs. SUSANNA NANCARROW, in the 81st year of her age.

(February 11, 1828)

In Haverford township, Delaware county, on the 31stultimo, MARY, Consort of PHILLIP SHEAFF, Senior, aged94 years, leaving behind her 7 children, 46 grand-children,and 57 great-grand-children. (February 27, 1828)

On Tuesday, the 19th inst., Mr. JONAS RAMBO, of thetownship of Upper Merion, Montgomery County, in the 69thyear of his age. He was one of the last of the whole blood ofthe Swedes in that neighborhood—^he lived upon and ownedthe land that his ancestors had taken up about one hundredand forty years ago. It can be said truly of him that he wasan honest man. He left a widow and two children to

mourn his loss. (February 28, 1828)


Yesterday morning, at his residence, in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, DAVID LUKENS. (Funeral tomorrow at 10 o'clock.) (April 17,1828)

On Sixth Day morning, the 9th instant, TACY ROBERTS,widow of the late Algernon Roberts, aged 67 years.

(Funeral, 6th inst., from late residence, 123 N. 9th st.(May 10, 1828)

At Norristown, on Wednesday night last, after a long andlingering illness, Mrs. CATHARINE SOWER, consort ofDavid Sower, Senior, of that Borough—in the 66th year ofher age. (May 16,1828)

On Saturday morning, the 27th inst., Mr. JAMES CARMAN, of Montgomery Square, in his 68th year, formerly aMerchant of this city. (September 29, 1828)

On Thursday morning, 23d inst., JANE G., youngestdaughter of ROBERT KENNEDY, in the 20th year of herage.

(Funeral, father's residence, 471 N. Front St., Saturday,8 A.M. Proceed to Abington.) (October 24, 1828)

At the House of her son-in-law, Mr. John McClure, Barttownship, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, Mrs. MarthaMoore, relict of Walter Moore, late of Montgomery county,in the 109th year of her age. (December 29, 1828)

On Thursday, the 15th instant, in Plymouth township,Montgomery county, MICHAEL WILLS, in the 73d year ofhis age, long a respectable inhabitant of that place.

(January 21,1829)

On the morning of the 19th of the present month, JOSEPHLEWIS, Esq., an aged and respectable inhabitant of Gwyneddto^vnship, Montgomery county. His remains were interred onthe 21st, at Gwynedd Meeting House, commonly called NorthWales. (February 26, 1829)


On Thursday, 26th inst., of a pulmonary complaint,THOMAS ROBERTS TUNIS, aged 37 years. (Etc.)

(February 27,1829)

At his residence, in Horsham, Montgomery County, on the5th instant, RICHARD PEROT, in the 36th year of his age.

(Funeral from father's house, John Perot, Esq., 297 Market St., 3 P.M. today.) (April 7, 1829)

Departed this life, at Norristown, Montgomery County, onTuesday the 2d inst., after a short and severe illness, in the77th year of her age, RACHEL COATS, widow of LINDSAYCOATS, Esq., long known for his services in the legislativecouncils of the state.

(Buried at Swedes Church) (April 9,1829)

On Friday morning, 24th inst., of a short but severe illness, LUTHENIA ELMIRA, only daughter of Mr. GODFREYLAINHOFF, aged 17 months. (April 27,1829)

On Sunday the 3d instant, Mr. JOSEPH TYSON, of Worcester township, Montgomery county, in the 81st year of hisage. (May 14, 1829)

On Friday morning last, at his residence in Norristown,after a short but severe illness, BENJAMIN EVANS, Esq., amember of the Montgomery Bar, in the fortieth year of hisage, (July 2, 1829)

August 31st, at his residence in Gwynedd, MontgomeryCounty, in the 72d year of his age, EDWARD JENKINS, longa respectable merchant of that place. (September 2, 1829)

Yesterday, in the 69th year of his age, ANTHONY KITE.(Funeral from late residence. No. 24 Branch-street, at 3

this afternoon.) (September 16, 1829)

On the 20th of August last, at the house of Peter Lukens,in Mooreland township, Montgomery county, after a few daysillness, Mrs. ABIGAIL BARNES, relict of Robert Barnes, inthe hundredth year of her age. (Etc.) (September 29,1829)


At Plymouth, Montgomery county, on Sunday morning the8th inst., JOHN KENSEL, Jr., in the 41st year of his age.

(Funeral from dwelling of his brother-in-law, Charles H.Kerk, 153 Cherry st., 2 P.M. today.) (November , 1829)

At the residence of her son, Edward Foulke, in Gwyneddtownship, Montgomery county, the 4th of December, 1829,HANNAH FOULKE, widow of Amos Foulke, in the 81styear of her age. (December 18,1829)

A Journey in 1827Performed by Daniel Wentz and John Fetter

We started on the 24 of July at 5 o'clock A.m. from Norris-town; with a gig and horse; by the way of Centre Square;Hilltown; and from thence to Hellertown; a few miles fromBethlehem; the former place proved to be a fine and flourishing village; containing several public houses; the buildings arelarge and fine; from thence we went to Bethlehem being about42 miles from Norristown; we arrived there about 5 o'clockP.M. on the same day; we being much pleased with the situation of the town and its public institutions; we went tochurch in the evening where there was preaching in the German language; the village is handsomely situated on the banksof the Lehigh River; the buildings are large and handsome;we left Bethlehem on the 25 at 5 o'clock A.M. and went to

Allentown; being five and a half miles; took breakfast at thesame place; and there purchased a bare skin to cover ourtrunk; the Borough is handsomely situated on an elevatedspot in sight of the River Lehigh; the buildings are of asuperior quality especially the court house and the house ofMrs. Greenleaf; we left there about 9 o'clock A.M. and returned to Bethlehem; stayed there a short time; We then wentto Easton being twelve miles; arrived at said place and dined;we were much pleased with the place; its situation and theconduct and polite attention that we received from the citizens as far as we got acquainted with them. It appears to be aplace of much business. We left there about 2 o'clock P.M. onthe same day and went to Nazereth; being about 7 miles;arrived there about 4 o'clock P.M. and were politely receivedby the citizens of said place; and by an old gentleman conducted through the town; who made us acquainted with thedifferent public places; we attended a concert in the evening;

347

348 BXJLLETIN of KISTORICAL society of MONTGOMERY COUNTY

the buildings appear to have been put up (the most of them)for many years. The situation of the Town is not very handsome; but surrounded by a good and rich country. We leftNazareth on the 20 of July at 5 o'clock A.M. and went toCherryville for breakfast; we stopt at Lehighton and arrivedat Mauchunk about 2 o'clock P.M. the distance being about31 miles; which we found to be a flourishing village; we sawthe cole wagons descend and ascend on the railroad; and tooka considerable walk along the same; which we found verypleasant and entertaining. We also took a walk downthe RiverLehigh a considerable distance on the evening of the same day;and saw the commencement of the Canal; which appears to bevery substantial and handsomely executed. We started fromMauchunk at halp past 6 o'clock A.M. on the 27 of July to seethe Colemines; the distance of 9 miles; we traveled up therailroad 30 in number in 4 wagons drawn by two horses inabout 2 hours. We saw the mines the different plans, arrangements and operations; and took some drink at a publichouse close by; we then returned on the aforesaid wagons; thedistance of 9 miles in 28 minutes; dined at Mauchunk and leftsaid place about 1 o'clock P.M. We then returned to Lehighton;from thence to McKeansburg and arrived there about half past7 o'clock P.M. The roads over the mountains are very good;the distance from Mauchunk to McKeansburg is about 27miles. We left McKeansburg on the 28 at 5 o'clock A.M. andwent to Orwigsburg the distance of 4 miles; from thence proceeded on to Mountcarbon the distance of 8 miles; there tookbreakfast and after that viewed the Colemines in that vicinity;and descended some of them from 50 to 250 feet; from thencewe returned to Orwigsburg by way of the tunnel on the Schuyl-kill Navigation; about 3 miles from Orwigsburg; the Tunnelis 30 yards from one end to the other; from thence we wentto Orwigsburg. We started from there on the 29 at 5 o'clockA.M. and proceeded on to Hamburg the distance of 11 milesand there took breakfast. About half way between the two lastmentioned places I killed a rattlesnake about 3 feet 2 or 3inches long; his rattles containing 10 joints which I took off

A JOURNEY IN 1827 349

and brought along with me; after breakfast we started fromHamburg and arrived at Heading at about 1 o'clock P.M. thedistance being 16 miles; and there remained until the 30 at5 o'clock A.M. We then started from Reading and went toPottsgrove for Breakfast the distance of 16 miles. We leftPottsgrove at 1 o'clock P.M. and arrived at Norristown thesame evening the distance being 20 miles.

Distance Traveled MilesNorristown to Bethlehem 42Bethlehem to Allentown 5%Allentown to Bethlehem 5%Bethlehem to Easton 12Easton to Nazareth 7Nazareth to Mauchunk 31Mauehunk to McKeansburg 27McKeansburg to Orwigsbiirg 4Orwigsburg to Mountcarbon 8Mountcarbon to Orwigsburg by the way of the

Schuylkill Tunnel 12Orwigsburg to Hamburg 11Hamburg to Reading 16Reading to Pottsgrove 16Pottsgrove to Norristown. 20

Whole Distance 217The foregoing is a true copy of a Memorandum taken by me

in relation to the journey within mentioned July 81,1827.JOHN FETTER

Mr. Daniel Wentz

Acquisitions

Dr. Edward F.' Corson: Pile of letters. Dr. Hiram Corson, 1875-1895.Framed hand-bill, Proceedings of theAnnual Convention of the UnitedHorse Compames of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, 1875.Photostatic copy of "Retreat From Barren Hill," 1778, from theDivision of Maps, Library of Congfress.

Fred. Wm.Grimison: MaplecaiTienter's plane, marked"J. Beyer."

GeraldL. Boorse: TheBoorse Family by Harry Emerson Boorse, 1953.

Harley Bronson Cooper: Chart showing the relationship of the Cooper andLukens families. Land draft, Berks County, January 8, 1770, bearingthe signature of John Lukens, Surveyor General of Pennsylvania.A manuscript memorial to Jesse LukenswhodiedDecember 27, 1776 ofa gunshot wound.

Mrs. John Joseph Stoudt: Woven coverlet carried by Lt. Cbl. Daniel M.Yost during the Civil War. Eight bound volumes of the D.A.R.Magazine, 1919-1926.

Miss V. Mae Patterson: The Wagoner of the AUeghaniesi by T. BuchananRead. Newspaper, "The Manila Times," Christmas, December 25,1900, Philippine Islands.

Miss Nancy Corson Cresson: Pennsylvania Beautiful, by Wallace Nutting,and Historical Collections'of Gwynedd, by Howard M. Jenkins.

Hon. David E. Groshens: This Glorious Cause, by Herbert E. Wade andRobert A. Lively, Princeton, 1958.

Joseph Shrawder: Treasurer's Account Book of Upper Providence Township School Board, 1909-1916. Typescript histories, "The Old SchuylkillCanal" and "The Old Quineyville School at Mont Clare," written bythe donor. The 100th Anniversary of Warren Lodge, F. & A. M. No.310, 1857-1957, by Joseph Shrawder. Two copy books of Abel Rambo,1832,1833. Family chart.

Mrs. Vemon Cox: Original Members and Other Officers Eligible To TheSociety Of The Cincinnati, 1783-1938.

Mrs. Andrew Y. Drysdale: Hannah Penn and the Proprietorship of Penn-eylvania by Sophie Drinker, Philadelphia, 1968.

350

ACQUISITIONS 351

Wilson Alderfer Landis. Jr.: Mimeographed genealogy of "Henry R.Landis, 1858-1925, 13th of 13 children of Abraham D. Landes, 1810-1881," and the same for "Samuel R. Landes, 1848-1929, 8th of 13children of Abraham D. Landes," all of whom are descended fromJacob Landes of Franconia Township, who settled in America in 1727.Compiled by the donor.

Mrs. Joseph Gayner; Gilpin Family Chart with Coat of Arms, of Descendants of Joseph Gilpin, Chester County, compiled by George Gilpin,1885.

Claude J. Rahn: The Yingling Genealogy by Claude J. Rahn, 1958.

Howard R. Watt: The King's Pardon, by Howard R. Watt, London, 1958.

Col. Calvin I. Kephart: Origin of Heraldry, Also of Miscellaneous Surnames and Insignia, Second Edition, by Col. Calvin I. Kephart, 1953.

Homer T. Rosenberger: Homer Tope Rosenherger: A BibliographicalRecord, published by the Pennsylvania Historical Junto, 1958.

Mrs. Henry T. MacNeill: Valley Forge Landmarks, vrith pen and inkdrawings by Henry T. MacNeill, and historical notes by Aimee JunkerMacNeill. Stephen Moylan Press, Whitford, Pa., 1968.

Wilhelm Bock: Triasmc Reptilian Tracks and Trends of Locomotive Evolution, by Wilhelm Bock, 1952. Vertex Monocline Studies of the Triassicof Southeastern Pennsylvania, by Wilhelm Bock, 1952.

Norman Walton Swayne; Byberry Waltons, Phila.,1958, compiled by thedonor.

Robert C. Bucher, Alan G. Keyser, Clarence G. Kulp, Jr., and Elmer R.Landis: Reprint of The History of HarleysviUe and Lower SalfordTownship, originally published in 1886 by James Y. Heckler. Reproduced as a tribute to James Y. Heckler and Abram H. Cassel, Spring,1958.

Kirke Bryan, Esq.: Three family Bibles with records of Campbell, Nyce,Richards and Summers. Christmas, 1958, booklet,"Die Geburt Christi."

Mrs. Arthur S. Robinson: Two maps of estate properties in PlymouthMeeting, one of Samuel Maulsby, 1838; and the other of WilliamAlbertson, 1890.

Mrs. S. Miller Williams, Jr.: The Steel Family, Being the Descendants ofJames Steel of Kent County, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pa.; compiledin 1958 by Mrs. Williams.

Mrs. Joseph W. Anderson and Mrs. Howard B. Katzenbach: Manuscriptrecord of the Missimer Family in six volumes as compiled by the lateDr. Joseph W. Anderson of Ardmore.


Dr. Russel C. Erb: Transcripts of the Births, 1890-1958; Funerals, 1892-1958t and Marriages, 1898-1958, of St. Mark's Lutheran Church,Conshohocken, Pa.

James H. Soltow: Doctoral dissertation, The Small City Industrialist,1900-1950: A Case Study of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Walker Brothers, Conshohocken: Walker of Conshohocken by H. AlanDunn, 1958.

Donald A. Gallager, Esq.: "Contributing Member's Certificate No. 1 ofWilliam Hallowell, Washington Hose and Steam Fire Company, Conshohocken, 1876."

George W. Arold, Jr.: An assortment of handmade candles, a hobby ofthe donor.

Aaron S. Swartz, Jr., Esq: A lot of early parchment deeds and threelanddrafts of property in Frederick and New Hanover townships dating from 1789 to 1888.

William T. Hellings: Receipt Books of William Hellings, 1807-1857; 1828-1838. Ledger of William Hellings 1827-1856. Receipt Book in settlement of the Estate of John Hellings, 1830-1832. The Hellings were inthe lime business in Plymouth township.

Harry Z. Wampole: Holy Bible, Christopher Saur, Germantown, 1776, withBergey Family record. Also two volumes, editions of 1864 and 1866,of Evangeliches Hauspredigtbuch by Fred. Albert Hauber, Ulm,Germany.

Joseph Fretz Gill: Typescript record of the Gill and Hunter families.

H. Otto Derr: Tombstone record of Frieden's Union Cemetery, Sumney-town, Pa.

Herman Christof Kluever: Cluverii Chronica, The History of the MedievalCluvers and Their Descendants, compiled and edited by the donor,1958.

Schwenkfelder Library: An Account of Some Hosensack Valley Mills byAndrew S. Berky, 1958.

Garrett A. Brownbaek Esq.; Booklet—Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the incorporation of Royersford, 1879-195J^.

Pennsylvania Folklife Society: Christmas in Pennsylvania, A Folk-Cultural Study by Alfred Shoemaker, 1959.

Mrs. A. Conrad Jones Estate; A walnut Victorian escritoire labeled "Onthis desk the history of Montgomery County was prepared. It was

ACQUISITIONS 353

purchased by Colonel Theodore W. Bean in 1884 for the purpose whenhe contracted for the work of writing the county history. It stood inthe comer of his parlor and was used to store his writing as well as aplace to write." A record of the first sales of Christmas seals in Con-shohocken as kept by Mrs. Jones, one of the organizers of TheMonômery County Tuberculosis Society. Some interesting items onGlenwood Hall, and a number of books.

Ronald E. Heaton: Masonic Membership of Signers of the Declaration ofIndependence, by W. Eugene Rice and William Moseley Brown, 1958.

Robert R. Titus: Ten scrap books, World War II Record of correspondence,Honor Roll and photographs of employees of the Synthane Corporation, Oaks, Pennsylvania.

Elmer N. Zepp: Six small books, among which are Introduction to theEnglish Reader: or, A Selection of Pieces of Prose and Poetry, byLindley Murray, Philadelphia, edition of 1830.

Mrs. Frank J. C. Jones: Three Quaker bonnets worn by Mary Baines,who died in 1920, aged 98 years.

Other donors to whom we are grateful: Hon. Robert C. Bolger, KennetiiH. Hallman, Hon. E. Arnold Forrest, Mrs. Christine S. Shearer,Gilbert Fusco, Mrs. D. M. Yost, Law Library of Montgomery County,First Baptist Church, Norristown, Pa., Montgomery County Commissioners, John Harper, Mxs. Benjamin Evans, A. W. Duy, Jr., L»"sd«lePublic Library, Mrs. Ella Di^l, Mrs. Constance Kiracofe, NorristownPublic Library, Mrs. Martha Doss Demaline, Mrs. C. S. Henry, Mrs. L.W. S. Jones, Sylvanus Moyer, Collier Rhoads, Stanley Kendus, Mrs.Theodore Heysham, Jr., Mrs. Earl W. Johnson, Seymour L. Green,Esq., Lehigh County Historical Society, Iowa State Department ofHistory, Miss Laura K. Schrawder.

Jane Eeplinger Burris,Librarian

Report on MembershipNEW MEMBERS (Elected November 15, 1958)

George W. Arold, Jr. Robert J. HulshouserWilliam G. Batchelder, Jr., Esq. Mrs. Lester C. HallmanDoyle E. Butler Alan G. KeyserMiss Grace Ouster Dr. George H. 0. McKeownMrs. Helen Cooper James G. PetaccioHorace A. Davenport, Esq. L. Wesley ReiffMiss Priscilla L.Delp John P.êdMrs. John C. Dyson Miss Sara A. StaleyPaul Francis John W. Sutch

John H. Gotwals Dr. Edwin C. Tait

J. R. Holshouser Joseph ThompsonCharles Hoxworth Mrs. Robert Yeager

J. Frank Walker

NEW MEMBERS (Elected February 21,1959)Mrs. Herbert D. Clarke Mrs. Paul W. Koons

Mrs. Veron Cox John R. Peirce

Mrs. Frank N. Edwards J. A. Peter StrassburgerMrs. J. Herbert Francis Dr. Manrico A. Troncelliti

LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Miss Helen Maciag Bart Cox

TRANSFERRED-TO LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Mrs. Frank B. Wildman, Jr. Harry LeRoy Christman

DEATHSRobert Dreslin Joseph H. SmithRev. John G. Francis Mrs. Charles M. Stuard

William H. Hart Dr. Edwin F. Tait

Charles Hoxworth J. Wells Weber

Stanley B. Kitzelman, Sr. Nathan WolfRev. James M. Niblo Mrs. Norris D. Wright

Miss Helen G. Slingluff

PRESENT STATUS OP MEMBERSHIP

Honorary Members 3Life Members 41

Annual Members 640

Total Membership 684Jean Gottshall Mou,

CcrrGSponding Seeretary

354

November Meeting

The regular Fall meeting of the Historical Sociely of MontgomeryCounty was held on Saturday, November 15, 1958, at the headquarters ofthe Society, 1654 DeKalb Street, Norristown. The meeting was called toorder at 2 P.M. by the Honorable David E. Groshens, President. In theabsence of the Recording Secretary, Mrs. Andrew Y. Drysdale acted asSecretary pro tem.

Theminutes of the meetingof April 26,1958, were read and approved.

Silas H. Shoemaker, a member of the Society and Associate Professorof Mathematics at Drexel Institute of Technology, gave an informativetalk on firearms, entitled "Fire, Flint, and Fulminate," in the couree ofwhich it developed that "fulminate" is an explosive powder.

Professor Shoemaker's talk was complemented by a short talk byMatthew D'Ambrosio, of Norristown, on William Briggs, a gunmaker wholived and carried on his business on Main Street, Norristown, in tiieeighteen-fifties. The biographical data on William Briggs was gleanedfrom the records of our own Society; evidence, if such were needed, of thewealth of material for tiie historian and researcher in our possession.Mr. D'Ambrosio displayed his own collection of guns made by WilliamBriggs,and the Society's collection of firearms was on display.

After adjournment of the meeting, tea was served. Mrs. Kirke Bryanwas chairman, and Mrs. Slingluff White and Mrs. Theodore Heysham, Jr.,presided at the tea table.

Rebecca R. Dsysdaie,Secretary pro tem

355

February Meeting

The annual meeting of the Historical Societjr of Montgomery Countywas convened at 2:05 p.m. on February 21, 1959, at the building of theSociety, with Kirke Bryan, Esq., presiding in the absence of PresidentGroshens.

Upon a motion by George E. Brecht, duly seconded and passed, EirkeBryan, Esq., was elected president pro tem.

The minutes of the November meeting were read and approved.

Lyman A. Kratz, Treasurer, read the report for the year 1958. Thisshowed an annual income of $8,263.90, and annual expenditures of$9,115.99, and a bank balance of $167.84. T^he report had been duly auditedby B. Ronald Dettre and J. Masson Hunsicker, and upon a motion dulysanded and passed it was received and ordered filed.

Mrs. Johnson read the report of the Nominating Committee with thefollowing nominations:

President Trustees

Hon. David E. Groshens Eirke Bryan, Esq.Vice-Presidenta Harry L. Christman

George E. Brecht, Esq. Mrs. H. H. FrancineHon. Alfred L. Taxis, Jr. Donald A. Gallager, Esq.Dr. Edward Corson Herbert H. Ganser

• Recording Secretary Hon. David E. GroshensEva G. Davis Eenneih H. Hallman

Corresponding Secretary George N. HardingMrs. H. Donald Moll Nancy P. Highley

Financial Secretary Poster C. HillegassMrs. LeRoy Burris Arthur H. Jenkins

Treasurer Hon. Harold G. EnightLyman A. Eratz Lyman A. Eratz

William S. Pettit

Mrs. F. B. Wildman, Jr.

There being no further nominations from the floor, it was moved andseconded that the report of the Nominating Committee be adopted, andthe nominations were declared closed. Upon a motion duly seconded andpassed the Secretary was directed to cast a collective ballot for the nominees. This being done, the nominees were declared duly elected for theensuing year.

356

FEBRTJAKY MEETING 357

Upon a motion duly seconded and passed, the business part of themeeting was adjourned.

As a traditional part of our annual meeting, some attention was devoted to George Washington. In this connection, Kirke Bryan, Esq., readthe amusing and fictitious cherry tree story from Weems' "Life of Washington."

Mr. Bryan introduced Earl J. Heydinger, an Assistant Historian atHopewell Village, a National Historic Site. Mr. Heydinger discussed ttie•work accomplished at Hopewell Village, and the many interesting findingswhich are developing. He showed colored slides of the buildings, andtalked of the work which tiie National Park Service is carrying on there.

At the close of the meeting, the Hospitality committee served tea.

Eva G. Davis,

Recording Secretary

The Historical Society of Montgomery County has for itsobject the preservation of the civil, political and religioushistory of the county, as well as the promotion of the studyof history. The building up of a library for historical researchhas been materially aided in the past by donations of family,church and graveyard records; letters, diaries and othermanuscript material. Valuable files of newspapers have alsobeen contributed. This public-spirited support has been highlyappreciated and is earnestly desired for the future.

Membership in the Society is open to all interested persons,whether residents of the county or not, and all such personsare invited to have their names proposed at any meeting. Theannual dues are $4.00; life membership, $50.00. Every memberis entitled to a copy of each issue of The Bulletin, free.Additional Copies, One Dollar each.

Historical Building, 1654 DeKalb Street, Norristown, withits library and museum, is open for visitors each week dayfrom 10 A.M. to 12 M. and 1 to 4 P.M., except Saturday afternoon. The material in the library may be freely consulted during these hours, but no bookmay be taken from the building.

To Our Friends

Our Society needs funds for the furthering of its work, its expansion,its growth and development. This can very nicely be done through bequests from members and friends in the disposition of their estate.The Society needs more funds in investments placed at interest; tiieincome arising therefrom would give the Society an annual return tomeet its needs. Following is a form that could be used in the makingof wills:

I HEREBY GIVE AND BEQUEATH TO THE

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OP MONTGOMERY COUNTY,

PENNSYLVANIA, THE SUM OF

DOLLABS ($ )

Documents

HISTORICAL 50CIETY · 2017. 3. 27. · All-MetalStock Underhammer Action .69 Calibre, Smooth Bore [# 2 Lower] Marked "Wm. Briggs, Norristown, Pa." Period of 1860 Type, .4.3 Calibre,