DID YOU KNOW . . .
For the last three years a swarm of bees has been occupying a hollow tree in the woods of Frank M Landis farm. Friday A [Amos] H Schultz hived the bees. The tree was cut down and the portion of the trunk occupied by the bees was split open. Mr Schultz has no difficulty to transfer the bees to a hive. The space in the tree occupied by the bees was five feet long and ten inches wide, and was covered with filled empty combs. Between 40 and 50 pounds of honey were taken out.
—The Montgomery Transcript 28 Jun 1901
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David Roberts, Center Point, who has long experience in farming and dairying has never believed in silos. Accordingly, he is experimenting at the creamery here with making butter from ensilage milk from the dairies of A H Schultz, Isaiah S Anders, Jacob D Heebner and Albion Custer was taken and churned separately. The result was excellent butter of fine grain and flavor, being very firm. Some butter of the regular churning (the same day the ensilage milk was churned) was set away in the cellar with the ensilage to see which would keep longer. Both samples even though three weeks old are good. All the patrons of the creamery are much interested in this experiment.
—The Montgomery Transcript 5 Mar 1897
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Mike Miller, of Cedars, trading under the name of Miller’s Pump Service, has just sold 600 complete Fairbanks, Morse Ejector water pump units. Three hundred of these are being installed for the Adam McLean Development Co, at Somerton, at Valley Dell, Kimberton, Chester County. Mr Miller reports an increasing demand for these outfits.
—The Montgomery Transcript 24 Apr 1941
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George Washington used the Peter Wentz, Jr Farmstead as his headquarters (twice) during the Revolutionary War. Major General Nathaniel Greene occupied Crow Hill (the Ellis-Suppee, Osborn-Suplee House) on Bethel Road as his headquarters. Unlike the Farmstead, it has been greatly altered/demolished.
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Camp Delmont was the summer camp of the Valley Forge Council of Boy Scouts near Sumneytown.
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The township is building a bridge over Zacharias creek, near W H Seipt’s farm. The Bridge will have a forty foot span. The superstructure will be iron. Jacob H Stern, Skippack, is doing the mason work.
—The Montgomery Transcript 21 Oct 1898
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A new, modern sixty passenger school bus will be put into service when our schools open next Tuesday. This will please the pupils of Fairview Village school, who will be transported to and from school in it.
—The Montgomery Transcript 29 Aug 1940
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Mrs. Moses Harris [Lillian “Lilly” Rose], wife of Moses Harris, who is right hand man on the farm of Harris Graham, on Water Street, in addition to doing her household work this fall husked 1362 shocks of corn. How did she do it? By keeping at it, that’s how.
—The Montgomery Transcript 8 Dec 1939
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Whereas Catherine, the wife of John Johnson, of Worcester, Philadelphia county, Weaver, hath, at several times, eloped from her husband; these are to forewarn all persons not to trust her on his account, for he will pay no debts of her contracting from the date hereof. April 25, 1754. William Johnson.
– The Pennsylvania Gazette 25 Apr 1754
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Many of our ice houses were filled with ice from five to seven inches thick.
—The Montgomery Transcript 19 Dec 1890
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Last Saturday an insane man came to the Center Point hotel and could not be induced to leave. Sunday the proprietor, Mr Lownes took him to the Almshouse. The man had escaped from the Hospital for the Insane, Norristown.
—The Montgomery Transcript 2 Jan 1891
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The first traffic signals in Worcester were installed in 1953 and located in Fairview; an accident requiring hospital treatment and a cast occurred a few hours after the signals were in operation.
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Most deguerotypes are backwards.
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A cannonball, found on the farm of Andrew Trucksess, near Fairview Village has been presented to the Worcester Township Historical Society.
—The Montgomery Transcript 16 Oct 1913
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Samuel K Bean, of near Fairview Village, has been arrested on a charge of malicious mischief preferred by his brother John K Bean, a hearing took place before W A Evans, Justice of the Peace, Norristown. The defendant was held in $300 bail for court. John dug a ditch along a road separating their properties and Samuel filled it up with stone, hence the persecution. More suits, it is threatened, are to follow.
—The Montgomery Transcript 18 Apr 1890
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News of Yesteryear – 100 years ago – The scholars of the Bethel School, Worcester Township, presented their teacher, A L Anson, with a velvet brocaded photograph album as a New Year’s present.
–Norristown Times Herald 13 Jan 1987
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Tuesday, Dr J R Care, of Norristown had an X-Ray picture taken of Ellsworth Geyer, in order to determine the exact nature of the injuries Mr Geyer sustained in his recent fall from a cherry tree from the effects of which he has been lying helpless ever since of the home of his parents, Mr and Mrs Elwood M Geyer. Electric current for the X-ray was supplied by the Montgomery Transit Co, whose trolley line passes the Geyer residence. Mr Geyer’s condition continues critical. [22 Jul 1920 a correction was made that Dr. H B Shearer was the attending physician and Dr. E G Kriebel assisted]
–The Montgomery Transcript 15 Jul 1920
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Mrs H B Shearer was one of 400 winners in a recent jingle contest sponsored by a large soap manufacturing company. The prize was a new automatic washing machine installed in her home. Mrs. Shearer also received a year’s supply of soap powder, free of charge. The company conducting the contest will select the best jingle from among the 400 and award a large sum of money to the originator of said jingle.
Dr H B Shearer won a first prize in the 14th National Stamp Exhibition, held in the concourse of the 30th Street station of the Pennsylvania Railroad in Philadelphia, by the Associated Stamp Clubs of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. Dr Shearer exhibited and won with his collection of Physicians and Medicine in stamps.
–The Montgomery Transcript 24 Jan 1952
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The first house numbers appeared Worcester in 1964 – a request of the Norristown Post Office to be an extension of rural numbering system from the Trooper area.
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One of M B Benner’s ducks recently laid two black eggs. His neighbor solemnly declares that the eggs were not painted.
—The Montgomery Transcript 11 Mar 1898
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The long line of cedar trees along the Skippack road, and from which Cedars Hill and later Cedars post office took its appropriate name, has almost disappeared. It is hoped other trees will be planted in their place.
—The Montgomery Transcript 17 Apr 1896
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Arthur Hugo Fischer, aged 48 years, the well and favorably known proprietor of Fischer’s swimming pool and park, along the Towamencin creek, a mile and half north of Cedars, was carried down stream and drowned while attempting to save some of his property. His body was found early the next morning about a mile below his park by Irvin Kulp.
Mr. Fischer, who was an excellent swimmer went into a deep water to save a number of tables and chairs and it is believed that he became exhausted due to the heavy boots he wore and was carried away. Mr. Fischer, a native of Germany, and a fine mechanic, purchased the property about 8 years ago and developed an inviting and successful summer resort. He is survived by his wife.
Mr. Fischer’s funeral will be held from his late residence on Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock. Interment at the Towamencin Mennonite cemetery.
His body may be viewed at this late residence on Friday evening between 7 and 9 o’clock
—The Montgomery Transcript 16 Jul 1931
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