Interesting Items from the Carbon Advocate 1873-1894

Interesting Items From The Carbon Advocate, 1873-1894 When extracting vital records from The Carbon Advocate, I came across the following items that could be useful to genealogists. Volume 2, Number 1, Saturday, November 22, 1873 A Relic. George Kemerer, of Mahoning Valley, in tearing down a chimney in an old log house, a few days ago, found an iron plate about two feet square, bearing the following inscription: das, weib. des svcht Joseph. Zv. entzvvde im. I. B. mose. 12. 6, 1749. Beneath which is a man holding a club in his uplifted hand over a woman in a recumbent position. Can any of our readers give us light in regard to this ancient plate? Volume 2, Number 9, Saturday, January 17, 1874 Hon. Charles Albright, Congressman at large from this State, will please accept our thanks for a copy of the Congressional Directory. The following sketch of the honorable gentleman, taken from the Directory, will no doubt prove interesting to a large number of our readers: Charles Albright, of Mauch Chunk, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, December 13, 1830; was educated at Dickinson College; studied law at Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the bar in 1852; in 1854 went to Kansas and participated in the early struggles of the Territory for freedom; in 1856 returned to Pennsylvania and resumed the practice of law at Mauch Chunk, where he has since resided; in 1860 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention; entered the army in 1862 as Major of the 132d Pennsylvania Volunteers; after the battle of Antietam was made Lieutenant Colonel; on February 22, 1863, was commissioned Colonel, commanding the Third Brigade, Third Division, Second Army Corps in the spring campaign and until after the battle of Chancellorsville; in June of the same year was placed in command of Camp Muhlenburg, Reading, Pennsylvania, to organize troops for emergency incident to the invasion of Pennsylvania; in July he was sent to Philadelphia to assist in enforcing the draft; In September, 1864, he was commissioned Colonel of the 202d Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and soon afterwards resigned to an independent command to protect the Orange & Alexandria, and Manassas Gap Railroads, and the outer defenses of Washington, against the raids of Mosby; in March, 1865, was promoted to Brevet Brigadier General of volunteers; after the surrender of Richmond he was sent to the command of the Lehigh military district to pacify the tumults in the mining regions; in August, 1865, he was mustered out of the service and resumed business at Mauch Chunk; in 1872 was a delegate to the Republican National Convention at Philadelphia, and was elected to the Forty-third Congress as one of the three Congressmen at large, as a Republican, receiving 360,574 votes, against 314,036 votes for Richard Vaux, Democrat. 1 Volume 2, Number 41, Saturday, August 29, 1874 Local and Personal. A correspondent informs us that N. C Strohl, of Lower Towamensing, is 73 years of age, and the father of 30 children, 23 of whom are living, the youngest being only four months old. Carbon is only a small county, but we doubt if there is any other county that can equal this production. Volume 3, Number 19, Saturday, April 3, 1875 Two Old Veterans. In East Penn Township, this county, reside peaceably and harmoniously together, John Rehrig, who has attained the ripe old age of 93 years, and Mrs. Rehrig, his first "better half," aged 89 years. Both healthy and robust. Mr. R. faithfully provides for their support, pursuing arduous bodily labors, such as mowing, chopping wood and all other farmers' pursuits, tiresome to the youngest and most robust. His principal hobby, however, always was hunting, many a deer's life was ended from the effects of his deadly aim while following them barefooted. A peculiarity of his is never to wear boots, always broad soled and comfortable shoes. Never was known to have been sick of any account. His wife also performs well her part of the domestic duties, without any assistance; has also been healthy all her life time. Conclusively, I would add that it frequently astonishes people to learn to what an advanced age some people arrive at, but, it is oftentimes due to nothing else but their mode of living-- substantial but spare diet, their comfortable style of dress, and general department. Volume 3, Number 34, Saturday, July 17, 1875 A Numerous Progeny. Mr. Nicholas Strohl was born and raised in Lower Towamensing township, Carbon Co. A friend of ours was down to see him some time ago. He says he is 74 years of age and is the father of 30 children, 23 living. He has his third wife. He had eight children with his first wife, and eleven with each of the other two. His youngest child is 12 months old. His oldest son is the father of 17 children with one wife. He has over 200 grand- children, and between forty and fifty great grand-children. His third and present wife was only fourteen years old when he married her. She is now thirty-three. He is hale and hearty yet and bids fair to live many years.--He has a farm of 159 acres which he works himself. He has always been a working man and has never been sick a day in his life. When he was 17 years old he, in company with some others, walked from Towamensing to near Fennersville, and back again to a trarning for one Samuel Brehlee for 50 cents--the distance each way being 29 miles. It seems he succeeded in making good citizens of his children. Our informant says that for a long distance around the old gentleman if a stranger inquires, "Who lives here?" The answer will be--Strohl-- one of Nicholas Strohl's sons or somebody married to one of his daughters.--Monroe Democrat. Volume 4, Number 35, Saturday, July 29, 1876 An Old Bible. During a ride with our friend Dr. C. S. German, on Tuesday last, through Franklin 2 township, we called at the residence of Daniel Wentz, Esq., where we were shown a German Bible, in 2 large folio volumns, printed at Tuebingen, Germany, by John George and Christian Gattleib Cotta, in the year 1729. It is bound in parchment, with clasps and brass corners, and is in a most excellent state of preservation. He also showed us a copy of the Germantown Wochen- Blot, published on Thursday, October 26th, 1775. It is very neatly printed on two pages, 10x16 ins., and was published by Christopher Saur, at three shillings a year. The following letter will explain itself: Parryville, Pa., July 25, 1876. Mr. H. V. Morthimer, Dear Sir,--I feel sorry that I was absent from home to-day, when you and Dr. C. S. German called at my office, for I have not been absent from home more than about two hours for several weeks except to-day, for could show you another old book, which was brought from Germany by my Grandfather, John Jos. Wentz, in or about the year 1770, but part of it was torn off before I had it--it was printed MDCCLXIV, and the beginning reads as follows: "Der apostollischen histore welche (abdias Bischoff zue Babylonia) uend iuenger der apostein verfasset uend africanues aues der hebraischen in die lateineschen uebersetzet, erstes Buech--von den fuertrefflichen thaten, welchen you dem heiligen Petro, dem fuernehmsten uenter den apostln verrichted worden, uend Paulus, Andreas, Jocobi, Johannes, Matthais uend audren uend auech noch wie the ersten Christen gemorted uend gepeingt geworden sint." I have also an old prayer book which was brought from Germany by Mr. William Bicking the Grandfather of Mrs. John Painter, also Mr. John and George Schell, on or about the year 1785, but the date is also torn off. Yours Truly, Danl. Wentz. Volume 6, Number 7, Saturday, January 12, 1878 HISTORICAL SKETCH Of the Progress of Education in Carbon County. By R. F. Hofford, Co. Supt. Carbon county was formed from parts of Monroe and Northampton, by act of Assembly of March 13, 1843. The townships of Mauch Chunk, Lausanne, Upper and Lower Towamensing and East Penn were taken from Northampton, and Penn Forest and Kidder from Monroe. It is twenty miles in length and nineteen in breadth, and contains about 330 square miles. The surface is very irregular, being traversed from north-west to south-east by numerous ridges of hills and mountains, some of which are wild and extremely picturesque in appearance. The Lehigh river divides the county into two nearly equal parts. Most of the soil is gravelly and but poorly adapted to agriculture, although much of it may, by skillful culture, be made to produce good crops. There are numerous valleys through which flow rapid streams, affording excellent water powers for mills and factories, which are, however, but little utilized for that purpose. Some of the valleys, although but small in extent, have alluvial soil and produce excellent crops. The first settlement within the limits of what is now Carbon county, was made in 1746, by the Moravians, who purchased 200 acres of land on the north side of Mahoning creek, about half a mile from its junction with the Lehigh. A number of houses were built at this place for the Indians and missionaries who labored among the Indians. The place was called Gnaden Huetten. In the same year a church was built, in which the Indians were gathered daily for prayer, they were also taught to read, the mechanic arts, and how to cultivate the soil.

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