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PENNSYLVANIA |
Oley(e) township : Oley (before 1750), commonly supposed to have
originated from a Indian word, Olink, meaning a hollow, the principal portion of
land being rich and productive, almost surrounded by hills; but it may have been
taken from Oleye, the name of a community in Waremme, a province in Belgium, and
some of the early settlers may have emigrated from that vicinity
Source : Montgomery, Morton Luther, : Historical and biographical annals of
Berks County, Pennsylvania : embracing a concise history of the county and a
genealogical and biographical record of representative families; Chicago: J.H.
Beers, 1909, 1930 pgs.
Baron Charles Van Ersel died at St. Mary’s, August 3, 1851. He came from Belgium in 1849, and was preparing a home for his wife and children when death called him away. He died in the house of Charles Luhr, of appoplexy.
New Brabant - ( Benzinger Township )
Fondée par l'Abbé Cartuyvels, prêtre Rédemptoriste né à St Trond le 20 avril 1811. Il débarqua à New York le 7 mars 1841 et, de là, se rendit à Pittsburg. En 1845, il entra dans le clergé séculier et travailla comme missionnaire dans tous les Etats-Unis. Vers 1848, s'occupa de la fondation d'une colonie destinée à des émigrants belges, à Sainte Marie, qu'il dénomma New Brabant avec New Brussels comme centre. L'entreprise échoua comme d'ailleurs la colonie de New Flanders fondée à la même époque par Victor De Ham dans la même localité. Pour attirer les colons, l'abbé Cartuyvels fit publier en Belgique, en 1850, une brochure intitulée "Aux émigrants belges. Colonie de Sainte-Marie, Canton d'Elk, dans l'état de Pennsylvanie".
L'abbé Cartuyvels partit ensuite pour les prairies de l'Illinois où il desservit les missions de Menteno, Petites Iles, Kankakee et Erable. Il était pasteur d'Aurora, Kane county en 1853. D'Illinois, il se rendit en Ohio, dans le Licking County où il devint curé de Newark le 31 décembre 1863. mais dut se retirer, son grand âge ne lui permettant plus d'assurer ses fonctions. Il mourut à Chicago le 5 juillet 1874.
New Flanders - ( Jones Township )
En juin 1847, le ministre de l'Intérieur s'occupa d'un projet d'émigration des indigents de Flandres. Il était prévu d'envoyer de 500 à 1000 familles vers Taos au Missouri. Un essai avec 100 familles devait être tenté et de Beaulieu, chargé d'affaire de Belgique à Washington, fut chargé d'étudier ce dossier.
Un an plus tard, de Beaulieu, fit connaître sa réponse dans une lettre intitulée "Divers renseignements concernant la question de l'émigration" et conseilla plutôt la colonie de Sainte Marie en Pennsylvanie. Charles Rogier, ministre de l'Intérieur conclut, à la date du 3 août 1848, avec Beleke, agent de la Société américaine de colonisation de Sainte-Marie, une convention provisoire pour l'acquisition de 10.000 acres de terres. l'une des clauses de la convention portait que l'acquisition ne serait définitive que lorsque la fertilité, la bonne situation des terres et la salubrité de la colonie auraient été reconnues.
Victor De Ham né à Annecy en France le 8 février 1805 était chef de bureau au Ministère de l'Intérieur à Bruxelles. Il fut chargé en 1848 par son ministre, en compagnie d'Auguste Moxhet consul général de Belgique à New York, de visiter et d'étudier la colonie de Sainte Marie où le Gouvernement belge voulait acheter ces terres. Leur rapport était terminé dans les délais exigés par la convention, soit le 1er octobre 1848. Si Moxhet était nettement pessimiste et mettait en doute la fertilité du sol, De Ham présenta la chose de façon tout à fait favorable. De délais en délais, le gouvernement Belge, après avoir pris l'avis du comité consultatif pour les affaires des Flandres, finit par abandonner le contrat avec les propriétaires de Sainte Marie et une nouvelle convention fut signée avec De Ham qui repris le projet à son compte. Il prit l'engagement, en juillet 1849, de s'établir à Sainte-Marie avec sa famille et d'y recevoir annuellement des Flandres 50 émigrants pendant trois années consécutives. Le Gouvernement belge, qui avait ouvert un crédit extraordinaire (loi du 21 juin 1849) pour faciliter l'émigration, paierait les frais de voyage jusque Philadelphie, accorderait une indemnité à De Ham et avancerait une somme pour l'établissement de la colonie, remboursable par les colons dans un délai déterminé.
De Ham quitta la Belgique en fin 1849. Son départ fut commenté dans les
journaux belges :
"Sans vouloir attribuer à l'émigration une portée trop grande
comme moyen de soulager le paupérisme dans les Flandres, le gouvernement s'est
décidé à encourager un essai d'émigration aux Etats-Unis. M. de Ham, chef de
bureau au ministère de l'intérieur, qui s'est rendu l'année dernière en
Amérique, pour y étudier la question de l'émigration et qui va s'y fixer avec
sa famille, est appelé à diriger cet essai, qui se fait d'ailleurs sur une
échelle fort restreinte. C'est à Sainte-Marie, dans la Pensylvanie, que les
émigrants flamands vont se rendre. La similitude du climat et de la culture, le
bas prix des vivres et des aliments, paraissent offrir des garanties sérieuses
pour le succès de l'entreprise.
Un premier transport de cinquante à soixante émigrants flamands va
s'effectuer par le navire Lorena, qui met à voile aujourd'hui même. Le
gouvernement a pris toutes les précautions nécessaires pour que les émigrants
fussent soignés convenablement pendant la traversée. M. Stevens, secrétaire
général du ministère de l'intérieur, s'est rendu jeudi à Anvers, pour
assister à l'embarquement des colons et s'assurer par lui-même de
l'accomplissement des mesures prescrites.
Un médecin de la marine de l'Etat, le docteur Reiss, accompagne
l'expédition jusqu'à destination.
"(Indépendance)"
Le Lorena arriva à New-York le 19 décembre. Le docteur (chirurgien-major) Reiss, qui devait accompagner les colons jusqu'à destination, les quitta à Philadelphie et revint à New York le 26 décembre. Le consul général Moxhet dut l'inviter à rejoindre les émigrants pour les conduire à Sainte-Marie et lui avança même l'argent pour le faire. Reiss repartit pour la colonie le lendemain.
De Ham installa, au début de 1850, ce premier contingent de 59 émigrants des Flandres, dans l'établissement qu'il appela New Flanders. Les diverses lettres et documents disponibles au Archives du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères permettent de suivre l'histoire de cette entreprise.
En résumé : si les débuts de la colonie furent satisfaisants, cette situation ne se maintint pas. L'année 1851 n'était pas encore à son terme que les crédits alloués à cette entreprises étaient dépassés. Le gouvernement ne voulut pas franchir la limite des 70.000 frs fixés par la convention avec Mr Deham et l'entreprise échoua complètement. En 1853, la colonie n'existait plus que de nom. De Ham s'installa à Allegheny City, en face de Pittsburg. Il fut obligé de donner des leçons de piano, sa femme et sa fille aînée des leçons de français, pour pourvoir aux nécessités de leur famille.
The "Chester Daily Times" du 3 septembre 1879 relate les circonstances accidentelles de son décès : " VictorDeHam,Professorof Music,at the Pittsburg Female College, was accidentally shot dead by his servant, Peter Bauer,at Castle Shannon, near Pittsburg, on Monday night. Ham and his servant started out to hunt thieves on the premises, and, after separating mistook each other for thieves and fired, with fatal effect to Ham. He was 77 years of age."
Un dernier essais :
Jean-Baptiste Claes, né en 1811 et lieutenant d'infanterie dans l'armée belge, fut mis en non activité en juin 1841. Il se rendit aux Etats-Unis en 1849 pour étudier les possibilités d'établissement de colons belges. A Philadelphie, il eut des pourparlers avec Mark S. Mange, un négociant qui allait devenir consul de Belgique dans cette ville, et qui proposa au Gouvernement belge des terres situées dans le nord du pays. Ces terres étaient situées dans les Wyoming, Luzerne et Sullivan Counties.
En janvier 1850, le gouvernement ne voulut pas donner suite à ces propositions et Claes continua a explorer les Etats-Unis. Il revint en Belgique en 1855 et essaya encore, en avril 1856, de se faire nommer agent du Gouvernement belge pour les émigrants de Belgique aux Etats-Unis, mais sans succès.
Sources : Antoine De Smedt : Voyageurs Belges aux
Etats-Unis
Antoine De Smedt : l'émigration belge aux Etats-Unis
Moniteur Belge du 8 septembre 1849 p. 2631
Archives du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
The first Catholics who came into the county, as far as we can
learn, were those two sturdy, honest Irishmen, John Dougherty and John
Gallagher, who settled in Brookville, in the year 1831, and who were both
prominently connected with the town and county for so many years. Soon others
came in; some from Belgium, who settled on the south side of Red Bank, in what
has ever since been known as Belgium town. They were for a long time
ministered unto by priests from St. Mary’s, Pa., and from the older Catholic
settlements in the Clarion region, until 1853, when, during the pastorate of
Rev. Father Ledwith, they built the brick church on Water street, which was for
a long time the finest church edifice in Brookville.
Source : Scott, Kate M., History of Jefferson County
Brookville : Some years previous [1850] had come a
Belgian, Benedict Angels, who returned to Belgium in 1846 or 1847 and
induced a number of his countrymen to seek a new home in and about Brookville.
Among this number were Peter D. Van Milders, Dominic De Smet, John Baptiste
Levis, De Vilder and Sadler.
Soon after came the greater part of a Belgian colony (between 1851 and ‘59) who
under an agent (of the Belgian government), De Ham, had tried to start in Elk
county a Belgian colony, New Flanders. To these belonged
Charles Van
Overbeck, B. Verstine, Frederick Brooks, Charles Verbeck, Jacob Osselaer,
Doubles.
Lycoming County
Northampton County
THE LEHIGH ZINC COMPANY.
About the year 1830, the attention and curiosity of the farmers of the vicinity,
was excited by the discovery of a strange mineral deposit upon the lands of
Jacob Ueberroth, in Saucon Valley. The character of this deposit was unknown and
unsuspected, but thinking it possible that it might prove to be as valuable as
the ordinary iron-ore, the proprietor took a wagon load of the strange substance
to the "Mary Ann Furnace," in Berks county, to be smelted. The attempt was a
failure, and the subject was for the time dropped. No further attention was paid
to it until the year 1845, when, by chance, the deposit came to the notice of
Mr. William Theodore Roepper, who, after examination, pronounced it to be
"calamine," the hydro-silicate of zinc. This discovery led to a development of
the apparently inexhaustible mines which have now fed the Zinc Works at South
Bethlehem, for almost a quarter of a century. Under the superintendence of Mr.
Samuel Wetherill, works for the production of zinc-oxide, in furnaces, and by a
process, of his own invention, were erected, in 1853, on land which he had
purchased of C.A. Luckenbach within the limits of the town plot of Augusta.
These works were completed at a cost of $85,000, and on the thirteenth of
October, 1853, the first zinc-white ever made in America was produced in these
works, by the combined processes of Wetherill, and of Richard Jones, Esq.
At the commencement, the works were run by an unincorporated association, which,
however, was, on the second of May, 1855, incorporated by Act of Legislature, as
"The Pennsylvania and Lehigh Zinc Company," with a capital of $1,000,000; the
object of which organization, as set forth in the Act of incorporation, was "for
the purpose of mining zinc-ore in the counties of Lehigh and Northampton— of
manufacturing zinc paint, metallic zinc, and other articles, from said ore, and
of vending the same." The originators of the company were residents of New York;
and Thomas Andrews, of that city, was the first president.
Mr. Wetherill continued in the superintendence of the works from the
commencement of operations until September, 1857, when he was succeeded in that
office by Joseph Wharton. During the administration of Mr. Wetherill (a little
less than four years), 4,725 tons of zinc-white had been produced, and many
experiments had been made looking towards the production of metallic zinc, but
these had been only partially successful.
On the sixteenth of February, 1860, the corporate title of the company was
changed, by Act of Legislature, to the present one, "The Lehigh Zinc Company."
In the previous year, Mr. Wharton had contracted with the company for the
erection of works for the manufacture of metallic zinc, and the construction of
these was intrusted to Louis De Gee, of the firm of De Gee, Gernant & Company,
of Ougree, Belgium, who had been induced to come to the United States for this
express purpose. These works were completed, and the first metalic zinc was
produced in them in July, 1859. Three experts in this department of the business
were at that time imported from the spelter and oxide works in Belgium. Their
names were Andre Woot Detrixhe, Francois Lemall, and
Jean
Henrard. Importations of Belgian experts and workmen have since then been
made by the company, at various times.
In 1864 and 1865, the company erected a mill for the rolling of sheet zinc. This
was constructed under the superintendence of Alexander Trippel, who had
previously been sent to Europe to acquaint himself with the methods of this
production. The first sheet zinc was rolled in April, 1865. This was the first
introruction of that art into this country; and all these several works have
continued in unremitted activity to this day, their capacity being; for oxide of
zinc, 3,000 tons per year; for metallic zinc, 3,600 tons per year; for sheet
zinc, 3,000 casks per year, respectively— about one-half the annual consumption
of the country, and of known superior qualities, owing to the unusual purity of
our ores. The mines have been worked to meet the demands of the several
manufacturies, amounting in some single years to 19,000 tons of ore, including
rich blende, which has been developed in the progress of mining.
The mines of the company are situated at Friedensville, in the Saucon valley,
three and a half miles from South Bethlehem. In the working of these mines, at a
very early day, and at shallow depth, water was encountered, and overcome by a
small pump worked by a single horse-power; followed by a donkey pump, which is
now in use for dressed ores. Next came a Burdon engine of thirty horse-power,
followed, in 1863, by a Corliss engine of one hundred horse-power, working a
series of centrifugal pumps which found their limit at a depth of sixty-five
feet, with 1,500 gallons of water per minute. At this time the company decided
to make more lasting provision for controlling the water by establishing power
to raise 4,000 gallons per minute from a depth of one hundred and fifty feet, if
so much should come, and, to this end, they erected and started, in 1865, an
engine of thirty-two inch cylinder and nine feet stroke, working two twenty-two
inch lifting pumps, to which a third twenty-two inch lift was soon added, and
the shaft carried down to one hundred and twenty-two feet in 1866, when it
encountered, and with seventeen strokes per minute, raised 5,600 gallons; and
there found the limit of its capacity. But the engineer, Mr. John West, had
already matured a plan of engine, pumps, and shaft for raising 12,000 gallons
per minute from three hundred feet depth; and, in December, 1868, the company
contracted with Messrs. Merrick, of Philadelphia, for this new engine, and a
year later with Messrs. I.P. Morris & Co., for the pumps, boilers and mountings.
The timber for shaft and pump rods was contracted for, in Georgia. This monster
engine and pumping apparatus was put in motion at Friedensville on the
nineteenth of January, 1872. From the address of the president of the company,
made on that occasion, the following extract is made, as giving some idea of the
enormous power of the machinery: "This is the engine which is destined to become
famous as is the house that Jack built; this is the engine whose cylinder is one
hundred and ten inches, and whose piston rod is ten inches, in diameter, with a
ten-foot stroke; this is the engine that can work ‘comfortably,’ as we are told,
at twelve strokes per minute, and yet is not the least ‘fussy’; the engine, each
of whose walking-beams weighs 48,000 pounds; twenty-six of whose pieces weigh
each upwards of seven tons, and whose entire weight, including girders, is
1,313,300 pounds; the engine that can lift 52,800,000 pounds, or 26,400 tons,
one foot high in one minute of time, with the majestic ease and consciousness of
power with which an elephant lifts a straw; the engine that can raise 12,000
gallons of water per minute, from a depth of three hundred feet; which works,
day and night, without rest; and whose influence is a mighty one towards
transforming the subterranean haunts of Kobalt and gnome, where, from times
Silurian, these spirits have sported undisturbed in the ice-cold sea, that
noiselessly washes the shores of their crystal kingdom."
Sources : Ellis, Capt. Franklin, History of Northampton County, 1877.
Berkx County
CHURCH OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.— The earliest Roman Catholic
Church in the county was erected in this township in the eastern section, about
a half-mile from the county line. The first church was built, in 1743, by the
Rev. Theodore Schneider, from Bavaria, for the "Society of Jesus." During his
efforts in this behalf he was assisted by the Mennonites and Schwenkfelders.
This building is still standing in a good state of preservation. The record of
baptisms begins with the year 1741, and includes, among other districts,
Maxatawn, Tulpehaken and Goshenhoppen. Two patents were taken up for land— one
for one hundred and twenty-one acres by Father Neale, in 1747, and the other for
three hundred and seventy-three acres by Father Greaton, in 1748. A substantial
brick church was erected in front of the old church in 1837, including a
steeple, in which two superior bells were placed. The church was recently
improved, figures were introduced and fine lamps were supplied for evening
services. Two masses are conducted on Sundays.
In 1882 the old mission-house was torn down and a brick residence was erected
for the priest. A new cemetery was set apart and consecrated October 6, 1876.
Rev. Augustus Bally began his service here November 1, 1837, and he
continued to officiate as priest with great success for a period of forty-four
years. He died January 28, 1882. He was a native of Belgium and won a high
position as a priest in this denomination. He possessed an active mind, and he
was recognized for his liberality and enterprising spirit. Besides completing
the church, which had been begun before he arrived, he also erected a fine brick
school-house.
Source : Montgomery, Morton L., History
of Berks County, 1886.
Allegheny County
Nuns of St. Clare - St. Clare's young ladies' academy, Allegheny
city
In the year 1828 Sister Frances Van de Vogel, a nun of the Order of St Clare,
belonging to a wealthy Flemish family, arrived from Belgium accompanied by
another nun of the same Order, and established a convent in Pittsburg. For a
short time they occupied a house on the cliff overlooking the Allegheny River,
but at length purchased sixty acres of land on the hill west of Allegheny Town,
where they erected a large frame convent and academy. Rev. Charles B. McGuire,
pastor of St. Patrick's Church and their ecclesiastical superior, took a lively
interest in the foundation and encouraged it by his influence and counsel. The
spot where the convent, which is yet standing, was built was named Mount
Alvernio, but has since been known as ° Nunnery Hill." Rev. Vincent Raymacher,
O.S.D., was the first chaplain, but he was soon succeeded by Rev. A. F. Van de
Wejer, O.S.D., a Belgian, who refined until the convent was abandoned. When
Bishop Kenrick visited it in company with Bishop Conwell, June 27th, 7830, the
community had increased to fourteen members, and the academy, although not
enjoying the degree of patronage expected, was still in a flourishing condition.
This was the only house of the order in the United States at that time; for
although a foundation was made many years before at Georgetown, D. C., it had
long since been abandoned. Another house was established at Green Bay, Wis
cousin, in 1830 The nuns continued in their quiet and unobtrusive way to work
out the ends of their institute, and little further is known of their history
until the storm arose which resulted in their expulsion and the sale of their
property. This untoward event, which was painted at the time in the darkest
colors by sectarian bigotry, is simple in itself and easily explained, although
even yet it is looked upon by some as a dark spot in our history. And since I am
of necessity constrained to give a sketch of the community, I deem it best to
enter into a circumstantial account of the whole affair and thereby set the
matter at rest. I have been at great pains to collect and sift the accounts of
the very few who remember it, and the statement will be found to coincide with
the card which Bishop Kenrick found it necessary to publish. The circumstances
are briefly these: A young lady, remarkable for the eccentricities of her piety,
lived in Allegheny and by visiting the convent became known to the nuns. It is
also probable that she asked to be admitted into the community, and was not
accepted. She went at length to Wisconsin and taught school for some time near
the convent of the Order in that State, and was finally admitted into the
community. In time she was sent to the convent at Allegheny, but not having the
requisite letters was not admitted. She stopped with a friend until she could
write for letters and receive them. But these did not secure her reception, for
Madam Van de Vogel was not aware that she had an ecclesiastical superior in this
country after the death of Father M'Guire. The consequence was that Bishop R€s€,
of Detroit, who held that office, interposed, and, after inflicting certain
censures on two members of the community, ejected all the nuns from the convent,
May 17th, 1835, and sold the property. Madam Van de Vogel went to Rome, and the
other members of the community, after remaining in a house in Allegheny for
about two years, supporting themselves by needlework or living on the charity of
their friends, either returned to Europe or attached themselves to other
religious communities.
Source : Lambing, Andrew Arnold, : A history of the Catholic Church in the
dioceses of Pittsburg and Allegheny : from its establishment to the present
time; New York: Benziger Bros., 1880, 536 pgs.
1428 : Lefevere
Settlers :
Dubois
C'est ici que débarqua en 1863 le premier wallon Louis LARMOYEUX fondateur d'une verrerie. Suivi bientôt de beaucoup d'autres.
Source : Dentelle belge Vol 3 n° 2 p 1: Sur les traces des verriers et houilleurs wallons, par Jean Ducat
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