Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-07-02

non, or run into bullets Obviously
| this was the reason for the removal Of
the Philadelphia bells.
| Under the date of September %,
1777, the following entry is found in
the diary of the Bethlehem Moravian
church: 1.-THE bells from Philadelphia
| were brought in wagons. The wagon
with the StatehOuse bell broke down
| here, so it had to be unlOaded; the 9TH
| er bells went on" 1t was transferred
to another wagon, that of Frederick
Leaseri teamster in the Revolution,
| and, on September "a, followed the
others to Allentown. The Liberty bell
| and the chimes of Christ church were
| there secreted beneath the floor of
lions Reformed church, where they
remained for almost a year. This
church is as old as the city of Allen
town itself, dating from 1862, where
| building of logs was erected on the
site of the present edifice. The second
church, of stone was built in 1878,
and was the one which shielded the
bell. In 1888 it gave way to new
building of brick, superseded in 1886
by the present stone edifice.
Its first pastor was Rev. J. Daniel
Gross, who served from 1862 to 1910,
and was followed by Rev. Abraham
Blumer, who held the pastorate from
III to 1901. He it was who assisted
in the work of concealing the bells.
His son, Henry Blumer, was married
to Sarah, a daughter of John Jacob
Mickey, who had charge of the bells
from Philadelphia to Allentown, using
his farm horses and wagons. His son,
John Jacob Mickey, Jr., then a boy
of eleven years, rode on the wagon
that conveyed the Liberty bell, and
was occasionally permitted to drive.
Under Cover of Night.
The entire operation of removing
the bells from their towers, loading
them on wagons, and removing them
from Philadelphia, was accomplished
under cover of darkness. The loaded
farm wagons were piled high with
barnyard refuse piece of strategy to
the experience of the men who hauled
this great old bell from Philadelphia
to Allentown! Could they foresee that
the world was to witness a new era,
opening wide opportunity? The shot
fired at Lexington and heard around
the world was not so loud nor has it
re-echoed so far as the voice of lib
I,n
grand old bell
During the period that the old bell,
then young, reposed beneath the floor
of church, hymns of faith and pray
ers for victory resounded family above
| its resting place, the battle of German
town, fifty miles away, was fought to
a draw on Oct. 4, 1777. Three days
later, at Saratoga, N Y, a smashing
victory was achieved by Arnold and
Gates, when Burgoyne surrendered. On
December IL, Valley Forge, thirty five
miles due south of the Liberty bells
place of hiding, became the camp Of
| Washington and his troops, where
many of those who had responded to
| the bells call to arms the summer be-
| fore died from exposure. When the
British withdrew from Philadelphia
the Liberty bell was brought back,
and, in the latter part of ITS, rehung
in its former place.
Eloquent in Silence.
"John Marshall, then chief Justice
of the United States, died in Philadel-
phia on July 6, 1885, says one ac-
count "On July s, exactly fifty-nire
years to the day of the anniversary
of the proclamation of the Declaration
of Independence to the people, his re-
mains were borne from Philadelphia
| to his native state, Virginia, for burial,
| During the funeral solemnities the Lib
erty bell, while slowly tolling, cracked
| through its side, forever silenced, but
not less eloquent in its mute patriotic
appeal. 1t had lived out its life (S2
| years. of usefulness as men live out
| their lives. It's active work was done !;
it had called the people together to
preserve their rights under the British
crown; it had rung out it's csamorous
defiance on the great day of the proc
lamation of the Declaration of their
Independence; it had glorified all an
niverSarieS of that independence.
Henceforth, it remains in it's ancient
| place, the silent symbol of not only
liberty throughout all the land but
throughout the world"