BenjaminJohnRoyer

Benjamin John Royer

Benjamin John Royer was born 03 Jan 1769 in Sellersville,Providence Township, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania, and died 14 Dec 1823 in Royersford, Chester, PA. He married Anna Maria Wagenseller 1792 in Sellersville, Buck Co, PA, daughter of Johannes Wagenseil and Maria Honnetter. She was born 20 May 1770 in Pottstown, Chester, PA, and died 1845 in Royersford, Chester, PA.

Children of Benjamin Royer and Anna Wagenseller are:

John H. Royer, b. 22 Feb 1792, Royersford, Limerick Township, Montgomery Co., PA; d. 17 Mar 1875, Phoenixville, Chester Co., Pennsylvania; m. Rachael Lesher, 25 Apr 1820, East Pikeland, Tp, Chester, PA; b. 23 Jul 1801, Pottstown, Montgomery Co., Pa; d. 03 Aug 1883, Phoenixville, Chester Co., Pennsylvania.

ii.

George Washington Royer, b. 13 Jul 1795, Royersford, PA; d. Sep 1871, Hampton, Franklin Co, Iowa; m. Elizabeth Groff, 02 Feb 1817, Mercer, Mercer County, PA; b. 05 Apr 1799, Royersford, PA; d. 28 Oct 1866, Hampton, Franklin Co, Iowa.

iii.

Rosanna Royer, b. Abt. 1797, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania; d. Bet. 1814 - 1825; m. (1) R. Armand Gilleason; m. (2) Thomas Dargin, Abt. 1818, Chester, PA; b. Bet. 1785 - 1800; d. Bet. 1815 - 1860.

iv.

Margaret Elizabeth Royer, b. 05 Aug 1800, Montgomery Co., PA; d. 04 Dec 1866, Trappe, Montgomery Co., PA; m. Joseph Schlichter, 25 May 1817, New Hanover Lutheran Church, New Hanover, Montgomery Co., PA; b. 15 May 1797, Trappe, Montgomery Co., PA; d. 13 Sep 1887, Trappe, Montgomery Co., PA.

Sarah Royer, b. 07 Aug 1803, Royersford, Chester Co., Pennsylvania; d. Bet. 1820 - 1880; m. Joseph Wismer, 17 Aug 1822, Chester, PA; b. Abt. 1802, PA; d. Bet. 1820 - 1860.

vi.

Samuel Royer, b. 18 Jul 1805, Royersford, Chester, PA; d. Bet. 1881 - 1900; m. Matilda Unknown, Bet. 1825 - 1835; b. 1810; d. Bet. 1870 - 1880.

vii.

Marion Maria Royer, b. 17 Feb 1809, East Vincent Twp, Chester, PA; d. 16 Apr 1809, East Pikeland Twp., Chester, PA.

viii.

Benjamin Warren Royer, b. 03 Dec 1811, Royersford, Chester, PA; d. 19 Mar 1881, Fortville, Hancock, Indiana; m. (1) Sarah Ann Teal, 19 Apr 1838, Oxford, Butler Co., Ohio; b. 07 Nov 1809, Fairfield, Ohio; d. 29 Sep 1847, Shelbyville, Shelby, Indiana; m. (2) Lydia Wickersham Brattain, 03 Jul 1851, Noblesville, Hamilton County, Indiana; b. 22 Jun 1822, Indiana; d. 11 Aug 1896, Fortville, Hancock, Indiana.

Brief History of Royersford, Pa

research by Lennel Lee Royer,

Great Great grandson of Benjamin John Royer

(as written by Lennel Lee Royer)

June 5, 1801, Benjamin Royer, a shoemaker of Providence Township, Montgomery County, purchased two parcels of land in Vincent Township, Chester County, from Daniel Stall. One consisting of 107 acres and 55 perches, the other, 9 acres and 10 perches for th esum of 1,073 pounds and 13 shillings. At the same time his brother, David Royer, also purchased 87 acres and 25 perches from Daniel Stall for 766 punds and 7 shillings. In 1807 Benjamin bought another 102 acres and 10 perches for $555.34.

The east boundary of their plantations was the River Schuylkill and their land was divided by a public road, (now Bridge St.) that ended at the river bank. From the east bank of the river a public road (now Main St.) extended into Providence Township, Montgomery County, diving the property of Samuel Custer and Frederick Berkstrasser.

Benjamin and David Royer were great grandsons of Hans Michael Reyer, who immigrated with his family from Rohrbach, Wurtemberg, Germany. They were German speaking Huguenots of Lutheran Faith who fled the Palatinate Region seeking religious freedom in the new world. Hans Michael Reyer and his family arrived aboard the Ship Loyal Judith at Philadelphia September 25, 1732 and settled in Upper Salford Township, Philadelphia County (not Montgomery), Pennsylvania.

A short time after Benjamin and David Royer bought their plantations, they found a shallow place in the river where it could be forded. ( A few hundred feet north of the present bridge). By stretching a sagging rope across the river and secuiring it to large trees on both banks, they were able, with the aid of iron rings and pulleys, to pull scows and flat bottom boats across the deep, raging and treacherous river. There were times hwen they lost their loads, be it man, horses, wagons or other materials. For their services, their fee was from one to three cents. This fording place became known as Royers’ford and continued in operation until about 1840 when the first bridge was built across the river, even though Benjamin died in 1823 and David in 1832. The Schuylkill Navigation Company was incorporated in 1815 and the construction fo the Schuykill Canal begun the next year. The Schuylkill Canal extended over 108 miles and had a rise of 619 feet and was opened in 1824 from Philadelphia to Pottstown. A set of gates was located near Royers’ford and these became known as the Royer’s Gates.

By 1839 the small community on the east side of the river began to prosper and grow, and became known as Royer’s Ford. The Reading Railroad was operating between Reading and Royers’Ford. Passengers from the west side of the Schuylkill River were charged three cents to travel by boat to Royers’Ford where they could then board the train for Pottstown and Reading. Sections of the Royer plantations were sold to individuals who in turn built homes. Stores and inns were also built to accommodate the travelers who used the ford, as well as the boatmen and passengers who traveled by barge from Reading to Philadelphia. The barge trip took three days and was more comfortable than the rough coach ride. The fare to travel by barge was seven dollars per person.

Royers’ford grew rapidly and became known as Pumptown, then Springville, and later, Spring City. Meanwhile, what had started out as a fording place on the east bank of the river, subsequently became homes, stores and inns and a well established community known as “Royers’ Ford”. By the 1850’s, with the bridge across the river and the railroad now running from Philadelphia to Reading, industry began to flourish. The iron foundries, stove manufacturing, brick plant, paper mill, grist mill and glass company, turned Royers’Ford and Spring City into the “Little Pittsburg” of Schuylkill Valley. Royers’Ford had grown so much in industry and population, in 1879 an application to become a borough was presented to the Montgomery County Court. On June 14, 1879, Royers’Ford became the Borough of Royersford. The spelling changed at that time to one word, “ROYERSFORD.

Benjamin John Royer

1769 - 1823

Michael Reyer

1744 - 1830

Johann Carl Reyer

1711 - 1780

Maria Elizabeth Grigler

1711 - 1785

Rosina Seybert

1746 - 1812

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Gravestone of Benjamin John Royer