CONYNGHAM TWP.-Is one of the young and small townships in the way of

                      population. It was formed in 1875, taken from Hollenback township, is thinly settled,

                       and quite rough and hilly, less than one-third being arable land. The first settler was Martin

                       Harter, who came in 1795 and made his improvement near the mouth of Little Wapwallopen

                      creek. His immediate followers were James McNeil, James Santee, Philip Fenstermacher,

                       John Andreas, Michael Weiss, John Fenstermacher and Jeremiah Hess. These came

                                up from Northampton county; were nearly all Gennans, whose descendants are now the

                                leading men in the township. The first white child born in the township was John Fenster-      

                                macher, Jr., a grandson of the first settler, Martin Harter; birth, 1804 .The first settlers cut

                                a road along the river, and this was the one common outlet for all. In 1797 Martin Harter

                                 built the first frame house; his old homestead went by descent to the heirs of Absalom

                                Heller. In 1822 Philip Fenstermacher built the first brick house, which in modern times

                                became the property of A.K. Harter. This descent of properties gives a correct idea of the

                                intermarrying of the descendants of the early settlers. In 1829 George Fenstermacher built

                                 the first stone house on the old homestead of Martin Harter; afterward a frame addition

                                was added and a hotel opened in it, and was successfully run for several years. The first  

                                 store was opened in 1805 by Philip Fenstermacher. It was not run a great while.  In 1836

                                John Heller was the merchant. Jacob Romick, the first blacksmith, had his shop where was

                                built the stone house. Romick's successor was Peter Mauer, who had learned his trade with

                                him. A widow, Mrs. Frances Lewis, built the first gristmill; it stood a short distance above

                                the present Samuel Beller mill on Wapwallopen creek. Her title to the land is dated in 1806.

                                When this was worn out and decayed a three-story stone mill took its place, built in 1825 by

                                the McPherson brothers. Philip Fenstermacher built the first sawmill in 1811 on the small

                                spring stream bear A. Boyd's farm and residence. John Fenstermacher built an early-day

                                 distillery near by Romick's blacksmith shop. The first school was Gennan, 1808, taught

                                 by a man named Kroll, in a building belonging to Martin Barter. In the course of time this

                                 temple of learning became the pigsty of A.K. Barter. An English school was opened in 1811

                                in a house belonging to Michael Weiss. A schoolhouse was erected in 1813.

                                Wapwallopen village is in the extreme south corner of the township. Its various names  

                                indicate  much of the place's history; as, the "Glen," "Powder Glen," "Hellertown,"

                                 "Powder  Hole," etc. The Dupont powder mills constitute pretty much all there is of the

                                 place. There are three different collections of houses, but all combined are Wapwallopen.

                                The powder mills, as said, with a store and a merchant mill and a small cluster of houses,

                                 have  been known as Hellertown. The railroad station is the main business center. About

                                300 hands are working in the powder mills, and this gives quite a population. Altogether

                                 there are 3 general stores, 1 hotel, 1 saddler shop and a blacksmith shop. G. P. Parish &

                                 Co. came  here and built the powder mills near the mouth of the creek and operated the

                                same until 1857 , and sold to the Duponts -the largest powder manufacturers in the world.