Town and County Main Page

Town and Country Newspaper
Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA

These have been posted to the Pabucks mailing list by Deborah Hollowbush with permission to include on the Bucks Co Site. Many of these posting include people from the Bucks County area.

Saturday - January 2, 1904 

SAFE BLOWERS 

Robbers broke into the office of the Linfield Cold Storage Company, at an early hour Sunday morning, and wrecked the safe with a heavy charge of nitroglycerine. Samuel ANDERSON, the night watchman, exchanged several shots with the robbers. Shortly after 12 o'clock, while ANDERSON was making the rounds of the vaults, an explosion that caused the building to sway, occurred on the first floor. The watchman ran to the steam whistle and blew a prolonged blast to arouse the inhabitants of the village. This was not necessary, as the explosion was like an earthquake and people within 300 yards of the cold storage plant were thrown from their beds. ANDERSON hastened to the first floor and saw three men run out of the front door. He called on them to halt, but their only answer was a bullet that flew near his head. ANDERSON had his revolver in his hand and he returned the fire as the men dashed under the light of a street lamp. A running fire was kept up until the watchman had emptied his revolver and the men had disappeared down the road in the direction of Royersford. The intruders entered the building by breaking in a door while a freight train was passing and the noise of their attempt was drowned. They failed to secure anything. Garrett E. BROWNBACK, president of the company, stated that there was only a small sum of money in the safe. 

PASTOR SERVED CHARGE TWENTY YEARS 

Rev. C.S. WIEAND, of Pottstown, the founder of Perkiomen Seminary, Pennsburg, celebrated his twentieth anniversary as pastor of the Zion's Reformed Church at Pottstown on Sunday. He preached a very eloquent sermon and in his discourse he stated that during these twenty years he had preached 2105 sermons, baptized 476 persons and married 170 couples. 

FOUND A RARE OLD COIN UNDERGROUND 

Jere. GEHRIS, of Boyertown, has an English silver coin of the year 1787. He found the coin three feet under ground while digging a post hole at the Reformed Church, when the church was built in 1874. The initials, "G.W.", are stamped on the coin. 

SQUIRE DAMBLY SWORN IN 

B. Witman DAMBLY, on Saturday morning took the oath of office as Justice of the Peace of Skippack township before Deputy Recorder G.W. KEYS, of Norristown. 

A MOTHER'S MISTAKE 

A mother's mistake in giving aconite, a poison, instead of a cough medicine, nearly cost the life of Clarence, the 12 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander THOMAS, of Norristown, Sunday morning. The boy has been suffering from a severe cough, and on Saturday evening a cough remedy was procured and a dose given the lad before he went to sleep. Meanwhile, in almost a similar vial, the father procured aconite for a horse, entered the house and placed the bottle on a shelf near the cough medicine. Sunday morning the mother arose, reached for the bottle, and unobserved got hold of that containing poison, and gave the child a dose. Only when the boy remarked that "it did not taste as did the first dose" was the error discovered. Directly, the father entered the room and observed the absence of the aconite bottle. Two physicians were hurriedly summoned and after three hours' work succeeded in saving the boy's life. 

MOURNERS WERE THROWN OUT OF COACH 

While Benjamin DORWART, of Slatington, was conveying a party of 20 mourners in a large omnibus from the home of the late Milton HANDWORK, at Franklin, they met with a serious accident. They were on their way to Heidelberg Church, where funeral services in memory of Mr. HANDWORK were to have been held and while descending a steep hill, one-half mile from their destination the occupants were thrown out. DORWART had a leg broken, one woman sustained a fractured arm, and another had several ribs broken. The latter is in a serious condition. Both women live at Phillipsburg. 

GAVE USEFUL GIFTS TO HIS PATRONS 

H.B. AUCHY, of Philadelphia, formerly of Red Hill, proprietor of the saloon at 917 Girard Avenue, gave his patrons a beautiful memorandum book as a Christmas present. The book is of vest pocket size and is useful to any business man. On the inside of the cover is found a small envelope containing one of his bar checks. 

WERE GRANTED MARRIAGE LICENSES 

The following were this week granted marriage licenses: William E. KLINE, son of Cyrenus KLINE, of Red Hill, to wed Miss Amanda HAUSEMAN, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John HAUSEMAN, of Hoppenville; Jacob G. YODER, of Douglass, and Miss Lizzie K. SHELLY, of the same place. 

MISSED CHRISTMAS EXERCISES TWICE IN 52 YEARS 

Henry LEHMAN, of Norristown, superintendent of a Lutheran Sunday school, on Christmas missed the exercises on account of being ill. This was the second time that Mr. LEHMAN missed such a service during his fifty-two years of service as superintendent. 

SPENT HALF CENTURY IN ALMSHOUSE 

William HOLMES, died on Sunday at the County Almshouse, where he had been an inmate a half century. He was admitted when 12 years old and was mentally unbalanced. 

SLAUGHTERED HEFTY HOG 

Enos SCHANTZ, of Pennsburg, on Saturday slaughtered a heavy hog, weighing five hundred and sixty-four pounds. This was the heaviest hog slaughtered in this section this year. 

A DWELLING ON FIRE 

The dwelling house of Oswin SCHAEFFER, residing a short distance from Geryville, caught fire one day last week in a peculiar manner. The family had been busy butchering all day and towards evening Mrs. SCHAEFFER went up stairs to the garret with a lighted tallow candle to fetch something to finish butchering. In some unaccountable manner fire dropped from the candle on a blanket, without being noticed by Mrs. SCHAEFFER. She went down stairs and attended to her work and a few hours later, after darkness had set in, she happened to be out in the yard and she detected the odor of burning rags. A search of the house was made and when the garret was reached one portion was a mass of flames, the blanket having been nearly consumed by the flames, as well as a double set of harness which was hanging on the rafters above the blanket. The flames had already reached the roof and in a short time the shingles would have been burnt through. An alarm was spread, a bucket brigade formed and the flames were extinguished after hard labor. The damage is only slight, but had the fire not been detected in time, the house would undoubtedly have been totally destroyed.

INJURED MAN'S TEAM CAME HOME 

A team of horses returning without their driver, Henry C. STYER, of near Norristown, led the family to investigate on Tuesday evening, and Farmer STYER was found unconscious and perhaps fatally injured a mile from home. The horses had started while he was loading stone and pitched him from the wagon, and he was crushed by the wheels against the embankment. STYER is one of the best known agriculturists in that part of the county. He is a brother of Freas STYER, of Norristown, solicitor of the Board of Poor Directors.

 ROBBERS VISIT DR. JOHN N. JACOBS 

During the visit of the robbers to Lansdale last week they entered the residence of Dr. J.N. JACOBS, who lives at the corner of Fourth and Broad streets, in that borough. They gained entrance through a window. A daughter of Dr. JACOBS heard the man at work in the house, when she aroused the other members of the family. Learning his presence was detected, the midnight marauder made good his escape, taking with him a valuable stud and a revolver. A quantity of silverware had been gathered together but the thieves left without it. 

AGED MAN FELL DOWN FLIGHT OF STEPS 

While searching for robbers whom he believed had entered his home on Monday night Isaac SHAW, of Norristown, 70 years old, received injuries that will probably result in his death. SHAW heard a noise on the first floor and started to investigate. In descending a flight of stepf he missed his footing and fell to the bottom. He was injured internally. It was found that a cat had made the noise which Mr. SHAW mistook for a burglar's prowlings. 

PROPERTY SALE IN UPPER MILFORD 

The property of John BITTENBENDER, in Upper Milford township, consisting of 17 acres, 56 rods, was sold on Saturday to John BAUS for $725. The timothy hay brought 12 a ton, the straw 35 cents a hundred and meadow hay 36 cents a hundred. 

ELECTION FOR A PASTOR 

The St. John's Lutheran congregation of near Spinnerstown, will hold an election for a pastor on Sunday forenoon, January 10, 1904. The candidate to be voted for is Rev. I.B. RITTER, of Emaus. 

STOVE WARMS HORNETS 

A family reunion was held for Mr. and Mrs. Joel BALLINGTON, of Boyertown, on Christmas Day, and the reunion had a sudden interruption when a swarm of hornets became active in the room in which most of the friends were seated. Their son Thomas, of Philadelphia, was to blame for this interruption, for on the day previous he went out for a walk and as he is a great lover of curiosities, he noticed a hornet's nest in an orchard. He accordingly climbed the tree and cut off the limb. Before the folks gathered in the parlor he put the nest on the Christmas tree, well back against the wall where nobody who is acquainted with hornets saw it. After a while the hibernating hornets thought summer had arrived and crawled out of the nest. Their activity became contagious and the BALLINGTONs tried to see who could get out doors first. It was not very cold, so most of the company stayed out nearly all the afternoon. Volunteers opened all the doors and windows of the house and in time the hornets, getting cold, ceased their activity. Then the parlor was locked up and the insects found in other rooms were killed. 

ACCIDENT AT A MOVING 

Recently while Irwin D. YORKEY, an employee of the Allentown Morning Call, formerly of Schwenksville, was moving his household effects from Coopersburg to that city, an accident occurred on the road by which one of the teams in descending the steep and icy incline of the Lehigh mountain with a heavy load of goods the rear portion of the wagon slid forward into the gutter and upset, demolishing some of the more valuable articles beyond repair and badly damaging a number of others. The wagon was also broken somewhat, and the moving was delayed four hours. Jacob KISTLER, of Allentown, and Charles R. MOYER, of Coopersburg, were on the wagon when it toppled over, but fortunately both escaped injury. 

BERKS COUNTY TEACHER HAD TROUBLE 

A public school teacher of Berks county, in the vicinity of Kutztown, has during the past few weeks been having considerable trouble with the stove pipe coming apart on the second floor of the building. As he had to look after it every few hours the pupils became suspicious and watched him. They were surprised to see the teacher take a good drink of whiskey from a bottle. The stove pipe secret thus leaked out and the directors heard it. He was reprimanded and since then he has been "practicing before the bar," and the school has been closed, until the teacher is ready to resume. 

FELL DOWN STAIRS AT HOTEL 

Ernst HARTENFELD, a pen artist who makes his home in East Greenville, on Saturday fell down the stairs in the Keely House into the saloon. He was rendered unconscious by his head striking on the steps. When picked up blood was flowing from his ears, he evidently having ruptured a blood vessel. He has since been required to be in bed and under a doctor's care. 

HORSE FALLS ON ROAD AND BREAKS LEG 

Jacob WONSIDLER, a farmer residing near Finland, lost a horse through an accident on Monday while en route to the Finland creamery. The animal slipped on the ice and fell. It was soon noticed that it broke a leg and to relieve it of its sufferings the horse was killed.

FROM OUR CORPS OF ABLE CORRESPONDENTS 

SKIPPACK 

Mrs. Peter A. METZ is a little better. She had an attack of typhoid pneumonia. 

Mrs. Isaac S. LANDIS is bedfast with grippe and Isaac LANDIS, Sr., living with his son Isaac, is growing weaker with old age. He is quite troublesome at times on account of his mind giving way. He is about 85 years old.

 John U. FAUST put a few sticks of dynamite under the walls of the old building on his recently purchased lot, on last Monday, and leveled the walls to the ground. 

Last Monday the house of Rev. Warren BEAN was quarantined on account of diphtheria. Three of the children have diphtheria and two others have bronchitis, while Mrs. BEAN is also unwell and confined to bed. 

A Mr. BEVAN, representing a Philadelphia publishing house, is canvassing this neighborhood for a biographical work. Others of the same firm are canvassing other sections of the county. The work is to contain sketches of prominent men and women of the county. 

Elmer BUCKWALTER employed in the Enterprise store will enter H.M. NACE's store at West Point, by February. Arthur R. BEAN who is there now will move to his parents then and farm his father's farm. 

Mrs. Christian MOYER is still quite low from a fall from the third story window. 

VERNFIELD 

A.A. PRICE, teacher of the Indian creek school gives the following report for the third month, ending December 21, 1903. Number of pupils enrolled, males 21; females 22. Total 43. Average attendance during the month, males 19; females 19. Total 39. Per cent of attendance, males 94; female 92. The following were present every day: Ada CASSEL, Ella C. BOOZ, Lydia M. LANDIS, Katie D. MOYER, Alverda SHISLER, Bertha ZIEGLER, Sallie FRYER, Mable PRICE, Sadie BECHTEL, Flora STAUFFER, Martha MUSSELMAN, Sallie SHISLER, Mamie PRICE, Lillie SHISLER, Abram PRICE, Vincent GODSHALL, Paul LANDIS, Norman SHISLER, William PRICE, Charles CASSEL and Lloyd CASSEL. Those that missed one day or less: Sarah PRICE, Sallie SHISLER, Sallie BOOZ, Mamie GODSHALL, Vernon NYCE, Nelson MOYER, Harvey MOYER and Horace B. SHISLER. 

All public schools in the township were closed Wednesday a week on account of the funeral of the late County Superintendent R.F. HOFFECKER. 

Frank HALTMAN, of Lansdale, was the guest of Benj. Haltman, on Friday. 

GRATERSFORD 

The following spent their Christmas in town: Miss Minerva KLINE, with her mother, Mrs. E.G. KLINE; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph NICE with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.S. KLINE, all of Philadelphia; Misses Minnie and Clara BETHKE, spent Sunday with the family of Garret G. KOHL, Jr. 

Miss Sara SMITH spent her Christmas with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Wm. SMITH. 

The following spent Sunday with the family of Wm. SMITH: Jacob LANDIS and family, Henry LANDIS and family, all of Skippack; Charles SMITH and family of Schwenksville; Milton LANDIS, of Yerkes, and Sara SMITH, of Philadelphia. 

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert HEIST, of Emaus, spent their Christmas with her father A.Z. SCHWENK. 

May KLINE spent Sunday at Collegeville, visiting her many friends there. 

Henry TYSON, formerly of this place, but now of Philadelphia, was seen in town over Sunday. 

Samuel COULTON spent his Christmas in Philadelphia. 

Joseph ELY, formerly of this place, but now of Oaks, spent Saturday and Sunday with his brother-in-law, Jesse W. KLINE. 

HILL CHURCH 

Mr. and Mrs. John GRUBER and daughter Gertie called on the family of Mrs. Matilda F. GRUBER on Saturday. 

John C.W. HESS, of Pikeville, is spending his vacation with his sister, Mrs. John GRUBER. Samuel FRONHEISER and Ammon WELLER captured a large gray fox on Wednesday at the Lobachsville hill. 

John B. GRUBER, our agent for Mann's green bone cutters, sold two of the machines last week, one to John DOTTERER, of Weisstown, and one to M.H. DOTTERER, of Bechtelsville. 

ZIONSVILLE 

Dr. C.B. DOTTERER was in Philadelphia this week. 

E.K. LEIDY received a carload of feed. 

Misses Agnes and Verda BEAN and Howard BEAN were under the parental roof on Christmas. 

Wilson J. BICKEL, of Emaus, was noticed in town on Wednesday. 

Samuel R. SHANER will give an entertainment with his scholars on New Year's evening in his school at the Half Way House. 

The funeral of Mrs. J.S. DAUB was very largely attended. The remains rested in a handsome casket with silver handles and plate. Services at the house were conducted by the Rev. W.B. WERNER. She was 47 years of age. 

ARGUS 

George FRANK is on the sick list. 

Levi HETRICK, of Franklin and Marshall college will spent a week with his parents, Isaac HETRICK and family. 

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar FRANK, of Philadelphia, spent the Christmas holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Noah FRANK. 

Mr. and Mrs. Henry HASS spent Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. Henry LEISTER and family. 

Ephram THOMAS and family will move this week into the house of Edwin MARKLEY. 

Harvey BARNDT and family spent Sunday with Jeremiah RICHARD and family. 

Charles F. SEIDEL spent the Christmas holidays with his parents at Maiden Creek, Berks county. 

Miss Katie WEIDENHAMEL spent the Christmas holidays with her parents at Kutztown. 

Allen BENNER, of Cressman, made a business trip on Saturday to Mr. and Mrs. Henry BRANDIS. 

Miss Stella CRESSMAN will spend a week in Philadelphia. 

Miss Emma HEIMBACH spent last week in Souderton, with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.W. KRATZ and family. 

PLOVER 

Samuel HERSH and wife visited relatives in Norristown over Christmas. 

John HERSH and family, of Allentown, will stay with his father Samuel HERSH for a few weeks. 

Daniel SHIRY and son, Peter, of Kraussdale, visited C.W. URFFER last Saturday. 

Report of Dubb's School for the third month Howard FETTERMAN teacher. Per cent of attendance 91. Those present every day were Howard YEAKEL, Wermin JONAS, Moses J. SCHELL, Richard KRATZER and May JONES those that missed one day Victor HERSH, Eva YEAKEL, Cora HILLEGASS and Mabel JONES. 

W.K. FETTERMAN bought the farm of the late David SCHULER at private figures. 

Peter HILL tenant of J.H. DICKENSHIED rented the J.C. RACE property. 

Allen MACK and wife Herbert SCHULER, and wife and son, Willie of Steinsburg, visited the family of W.R. SCHULER on Christmas. 

David SCHULER, of Ironton, visited his parents over Christmas. 

Edwin MILLER did business in Allentown on Tuesday. 

Henry HILLEGASS Jr., bought the property and farm stock of his father Charles HILLEGASS and will commence farming in the Spring. 

HOFFMANSVILLE 

F.F. STOFFLET was at Norristown on last Thursday to deliver his assessment for spring election. 

The following is a report of Hoffmansville school for the third month. Number of pupils enrolled, males 26; females 19. Present every day: Willie and Jennie DREHS, Warren and Carrie RENNINGER, Wallace, Henry and Mabel ERB, Isaac LINSENBIGLER, Rufus SCHOENLY, Warren B. RENNINGER, Walter GREISAMER and Annie ERB. Missed two days or less: Rufus KULP, Harry LEHNERT, Harvey and Alice NESTER;, Warren S. FRYER, Augustus KOLB, Lottie JOHNSON, Katie NESTER, Annie TAGGERT and Sevilla RENNINGER. J. Orlando STELTZ, teacher. 

FREDERICK 

Henry SWEINHART had for his guests on Sunday, Jacob BRENDLINGER and family and the children of Amos BADMAN. 

Mr. and Mrs. M.H. DEHAVEN, Mr. and Mrs. I.W. STETLER and H.W. STETLER, spent Xmas at Green Lane. 

M.H. KRATZ spent a short time at home during the Xmas days. 

Prof. J. Horace LANDIS, candidate for county superintendent canvassed this section for signers. 

RED HILL 

Mrs. Mary CARL, of Sellersville, was visiting her mother Mrs. FRITZGARLED this week. 

John F. SEASHOLTZ has an elegant carload of horses at the Red Hill Hotel Stables which will be sold at public sale on January 1. 

The following officers were elected on Wednesday evening in Washington Camp No. 649 P.O.S. of A., Pres., John J. MILLER; V. Pres., Martin HEID; M. of F., John A. BEYER; Cond., Chas. D. MILLER; Insp., A.K. HILLEGASS; Guard, Irvin L. KULP; Fin. Sec., Wm. C. HILLEGASS; Rec. Sec., John F. RAUCH; Tres., S.H. GROFF; Trustee, M.C. HILLEGASS. 

TRUMBAUERSVILLE 

Mrs. E.M. ROSENBERGER and daughter and Mrs. Charles BEALER and children, of Allentown, spent several days with their mother. 

J. Luther REITER, of Allentown, was a visitor in town several days last week. 

Mrs. Sallie CASSEL, of Tylersport, spent several days in town. 

BARTO 

David R. ROHRBACH and wife, of Glassboro, N.J. are spending a ten days vacation with the formers parents Mr. and Mrs. William F. ROHRBACH. 

Mr. and Mrs. John B. BAUS visited relatives in Lansdale on Sunday. 

Alvin F. KEMP, teacher, at Heydt's School had Christmas exercises with his pupils on Monday evening (December 29) consisting of declamations and songs which were well rendered. 

James EISENHART and wife, of Philadelphia, are visiting the formers mother Mrs. Frank EISENHART near Dale. 

HOSENSACK 

Adam KRAUSE shipped cheese on Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Victor TRUMP the newly wedded couple who arrived at Hosensack on Christmas eve were serenaded by a Calithumpian Band. The youngest son of Erwin BREY is sick at present

Town and County Main Page


Use of information is for Personal Genealogical purposes only. 
Commercial publication of any such information is prohibited.
All text and images are copyright by said contributors.

Return to the Bucks County PaGenWeb Main Page or use your Back Button

Bucks Co. Coordinator:
Judy Jackson