by Craig Silsbee
138 S. Front St today; and Herman Funke’s carpentry shop c1870s (below) 
This year my home reached its 150th year milestone which is enough to warrant a newsletter. Let’s start with the original builder and owner of the home, Herman Funke (also Funk).
Born in Oldenburg, Germany in the late 1820’s, Herman became a carpenter’s apprentice in his midteens. With long days in his master’s workshop, he dreamed of one day coming to America. In 1855 he boarded an Atlantic passenger ship and sailed for 5 weeks until he set foot in Philadelphia. It was there he met Eliza Drubor whom he married in 1867.
Eventually they made their way northwest to Montgomery County settling in the growing village of Souderton. Herman filed the deed to his property in 1869, purchasing it from Henry O. Souder and his wife for the sum of 180 dollars ($3,200 today) and built the house at 138 S. Front Street, Souderton.
The narrow, two-story house with a walk-up attic was clad in a Dutch-lap wood siding. On the front, I was able to reveal the wood after removing a layer of vinyl and a layer of asphalt shingles. Although the black slate roof has been replaced, much of the house’s original fabric remains. Unfortunately, like many older homes, it was covered primarily with plastic siding. It’s a modest ‘Folk Victorian’ with simple details and an asymmetrical floor plan. The most distinguishing architectural features are the front and two-story side porch.
Upon completion of the house, Herman’s dream was fully realized when he built a wooden, two-story carpenter’s shop (c. 1870) adjacent to his home. The shop was known as ‘Funk’s Mill’ and once the business was established, Herman gained his own apprentice, a young man named Samuel Rase. As was customary, he lived with the Funkes.
The house was sold in 1880 to George Smith but not before Herman had his carpentry shop relocated. The building was moved up across Broad St. and placed behind his second home at the corner property of N. Front & E. Chestnut. At the time it was not uncommon to move smaller, well-made structures but, was it disassembled and rebuilt or placed on small logs and rolled?
George Smith was employed as a sewing-machine sales and repairman for the Singer Manufacturing Co. and after moving in, he had a workshop erected that still sits askew to the house. In 1889 Abraham Nice purchased the house and from 1900 -1927 he operated a barbershop from out of his home and helped keep the local gents looking dapper. A Mennonite family also lived there for nearly 30 years and to this day, I still find the straight pins used for making their own clothes.
The Funke ‘homestead’ is a work in progress. I have to re-install the original ‘gingerbread’ details that I removed and shutters that were hiding in the shop but, will it ever be fully restored? No, at least not by me and that’s okay. I’m at peace knowing my life is a vapor and I’m but a steward until it’s passed to the next owner.
I drive by Immanuel Leidy’s Church daily. While researching my home, I learned that Herman and Eliza are interred in their cemetery. Nowadays when I pass, I sort of ‘tip my hat’ to Herman in hopes he’d be pleased knowing my wife and I are working to restore his house that has become our home.
