Shoemakersville Borough

Berks County, Pennsylvania

Home | Whats New | Site Index | Contact | Search

Borough municipal offices are located at 242 Main Street, Shoemakersville PA 19555.
Phone: 610‑562‑8030.

Shoemakersville was incorporated in 1921 from Perry Township.

Henry and Carl Shoemaker — Pioneers [1]

Mr. Charles W. Burkhart, "Now and Then Printer," of Shoemakersville, Berks County PA, who the editor introduced to the readers a few issues ago (No. 7), sent us, with his compliments, a little red booklet entitled "History of Shoemakersville, Berks County, Pennsylvania." Mr. Burkhart gathered the data, wrote the history and printed the booklet, unassisted. It sells at 80 cts., and those who are interested in the Shoemaker family should possess one. He might have known that "The Shoemaker Mansion," Shoemakersville, PA, built by Henry Shoemaker in 1768, would prove interesting to the readers of Now and Then, but we are inclined to think that it was sent to us in the ordinary routine of exchange. At least no reference has been made by him to the fact that this Henry Shoemaker of his, later became the Pioneer Henry Shoemaker of Muncy. Let us quote briefly from his introductions:

Shoemakersville — was so named by Henry and Carl (Charles Sr), sons of Jacob Shoemaker, Jr., whose father was Jacob Schumacher (now Shoemaker), who emigrated to the United States from Cresheim, Germany, on the good ship America, with Francis Daniel Pastorious and party, on the 16th of August, 1682, and settled in what is now Germantown, PA.

Henry and Carl — Charles Sr — moved from Germantown, to Shoemakersville — then a dense forest, almost unbroken wilderness — about the year 1765 when Henry built the first stone house in 1768. He afterwards sold it to his brother, Charles, Sr., who occupied it until his death.

In the living room of the old house, still in good condition, are painted these words:

'Gott segne dieses House, Und alles Was geht ein und ous; Gott allein die Ehr.'

A marble tablet is built into the gable end of the house, upon which is inscribed, H &l; C. S. 1768. The Shoemaker family were farmers, tanners, merchants, and statesmen.

  1. Wood, T. Kenneth, ed., Now and Then. October, November and December, 1931, Vol IC, No. 9, Muncy PA

Nearby Towns: Centerport Boro • Centre Twp • Greenwich Twp • Hamburg Boro • Leesport Boro • Lenhartsville Boro • Maidencreek Twp • Ontelaunee Twp • Perry Twp • Ruscombmanor Twp • Tilden Twp • Windsor Twp •


Home | Whats New | Site Index | Contact
Privacy | Disclaimer

Copyright © 1997-2024, The Gombach Group