The Jacob Kastner Log House was an interesting building to research. Hidden under the trees and behind fences, this log house dates back to the early 18th century with the Kastner/Castner family.
After the family owned the log house, it became unclear to who owned the home after 1806. Even with historical maps determining the ownership, it still didn't provide details about the log house or who was responsible restoring or renovating the property.
The Griffith-Kastner Land
In 1702, six years after the establishment of Gwynedd, Hugh and his son Evan Griffith were given 376 acres of land. Hugh Griffith was one of the original setters.
Unfortunately, there's little information on the residence of the Griffith family after 1702, but what we do know was that Robert Coombs occupied the former Griffith property prior to 1754.
It wasn't until Jacob Kastner (1689-1767) purchased 81 acres from Robert Coombs in 1754. Jacob Kastner was the son of Paul Kastner (-1717), who was one of the first settlers of Germantown. He was naturalized in 1691.
Not only did Jacob Kastner purchased 81 acres from Robert Coombs, he also purchased...
21 acres in Gwynedd from Catharine Jones
299 acres in Upper Dublin (he lived there most of his life)
100 acres in East Nottingham from George Churchman
Jacob wrote a will before he died, stating he would give his 81 acres in Spring House to his son Samuel Kastner (-1806). Samuel worked as a farmer on the property, and owned two horses and four cows. Jacob divided his land into four parts for his children:
Gwynedd Tract - Sarah (-1800) and Samuel Kastner
Upper Dublin Tract - Andrew Kastner (-1799)
East Nottingham Tract - the children of his son Jacob Kastner (-1757) (Daniel and Susanna)
He wrote his will, stating he split his estate in half to his daughters Elizabeth Miller (38 acres) and Rebecca Cooley (43 acres). John Roberts, Ellis Cleaver, Hugh Foulke, and Thomas Livezey were appointed to divide the Kastner lot into two.
Fun Fact #1: According to tradition, when Samuel gives away his property to his children, he would have them build a little home for him by the big spring near his home.
Who Owned the Kastner Log House?
All we know about the old Kastner plantation was that the tract was divided for Elizabeth Miller and Rebecca Cooley. The Elizabeth Miller tract was owned by different families like the Smiths and the Hoovers and was occupied by Charles P. Fox and his Fox Hollow estate.
The Rebecca Cooley tract did not provide any details who owned this tract after the Cooleys. All we know was that Rebecca's husband John Andrew Cooley moved to Kent, Maryland before his death in 1823. It was unknown if John passed the land to his children.
This tract was described as "secluded" so we couldn't see the log house from Google Maps. It makes it difficult to find the exact location of the log house from viewing the historical maps below. Based on the NRHP form, this tract was reduced over time by various owners.
One possible owner of the former Jacob Kastner log house was a farmer named Eugene F. Geuther. It was unknown how long he stayed at the home, but it was indicated he lived there for a long time before moving to Ambler.
Unfortunately tragedy struck when Eugene was visiting his former home and was accidentally shot in the neck by a 19-year-old boy whose family recently moved into his former home.
Architecture
The original structure still remains on the property, and was added on during the 20th century to include the most important necessities: heating stove, bedrooms, bathrooms, cellar, and sun room.
The hearth in the dining room still remains inside the home, which was a common feature in colonial homes in the 18th century.
The interior of the original portion of the house is in great condition, still retaining its horizontal log construction appearance with chinking in between the logs made of rubble stone set in a lime-sand mortar. What people may not know about these log homes is that chinking was used to allow the logs to breath in between the cracks, creating insulation and protection around the home.
"Early log home builders realized quickly that they needed something to fill in the chink and keep out the elements. They used a blend of available materials to do so, packing the space between logs with substances flexible enough to allow the wood to breathe, yet strong enough to give protection. This substance came to be known as chinking. Traditional chinking was made of clay, mud, sand, and other common resources, with an inner layer sealed by a mortar-based 'daubing' on the outside. A finish layer preserved it and kept it adhered to the home."
- Coleman Kelleghan, "The History of Chinking"
Log homes were common for Pennsylvania Germans, specially in the southeastern region, during the colonial era.
Bibliography
"416 Norristown Rd, Lower Gwynedd, PA 19477." Redfin. Last modified May 17, 2020. https://www.redfin.com/PA/Lower-Gwynedd-Township/416-Norristown-Rd-19002/home/38470834.
Castner, Samuel Jr. The Kastner Or Castner Family of Pennsylvania. (Philadelphia: George H. Buchanan and Company, 1901): 2-9, 15-17.
"Eugene Geuther, Sr. Dies of Bullet Wound." Ambler Gazette. September 4, 1941. Page 1. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/21032/rec/2.
Franklin Survey Co. Atlas: Montgomery County 1934 Vol A, Plate 14, 1934.
Hamil, Lura Coolley. A Story of Pioneering. (Illinois Printing Company, 1955): 20.
Jenkins, Howard Malcolm. Historical collections relating to Gwynedd, a township of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, settled, 1696, by immigrants from Wales, with some data referring to the adjoining township, of Montgomery, also settled by Welsh. (Philadelphia: Howard Malcolm Jenkins, 1897): 55, 58, 422-423.
Kelleghan, Coleman. "The History of Chinking." Weatherall. Last modified May 25, 2016. https://www.weatherall.com/blogs/log-home-blog/the-history-of-chinking.
"Local History. Properties in Lower Gwynedd Written Up by 'E.M'--Some Familiar Names and Old Places." Ambler Gazette. August 16, 1900. Page 7. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/2207/rec/1.
"Log Buildings 1638 - 1880." Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. Last modified August 26, 2015. http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/architecture/styles/log-buildings.html.
Mueller, A. H. Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., Plate 25, 1916.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Gwynedd, North Wales, Ambler, Royer's Ford, Limerick Station, 1877.
Smith, J. L. Montgomery County 1893, Upper and Lower Gwynedd Townships, Lansdale, North Wales, Spring House, Ambler Right, 1893.
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