October 20, 1866: Borough of Boyertown Officially Incorporated

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA

October 20, 1866: “And now to wit October 20th at a Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace held at Reading in and for said County of Berks, be incorporated into a Borough under the style and title of the ‘Borough of Boyertown’…and that the boundaries of said Borough shall be as set forth in the within petition.”

The first election for Borough offices was held on November 2 at the Public (Union) House of Frederick Graeff. Samuel Leaver was the Judge and John K. Stauffer and Samuel Shaner the Inspectors of said elections.

Those elected were Jonathan Kepler Burgess, William Fegley President of Borough Council, John Todd Secretary, Samuel Shaner Treasurer, and Samuel Leaver and William Binder Council members.

Henry Boyer Rhoads is the Borough Clerk (he was later elected to the State Legislature) and Benjamin Reigner the Street Commissioner, with a salary of $2.00 per day.

More News from Boyertown

• July 27, 1907: With No Prior Notice Farmers’ National Bank of Boyertown Closes Doors The Farmers’ National Bank of Boyertown, founded by Dr. Thomas J.B. Rhoads, closed its doors while directors review the accounts and affairs.
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