Ridgewood Farm.....Located along Route 724 in Cumru Township, this circa 1810 National Register farmstead was threatened with demolition and provides a great example of the Conservancy's ability to bring all parties to the table in order to work out a solution acceptable to all. With the support of the Cumru Township officials and the cooperation of the developer, we were able to find a conservation-minded buyer for the buildings that adapted the house and barn for use as professional office space. This makes a beautiful entrance to the business complex planned for the remaining acreage.

Jacob built much of the Dick homestead at Ridgewood, in Cumru Township, in 1811. The summer kitchen/butcher house was also built about 1811. The barn he built in 1809 and the smokehouse in 1810 (this is referred to as the tile-roof storage building in the National Historic Register application). This was the originial John Lewis home. They were so substantially constructed that they have defied the attacks of time up to present (2009). After their marriage, Jacob and Susanna settled in Cumru township, along the Schuylkill River (now known as Ridgewood, near Gilbraltar) and Jacob followed farming from 1806 continuously until 1858 when he retired, dying the next year. He owned a farm of 135 acres. (NHR application says 136 acres.) This writer has visited this farm and has been in the house. Photographs were taken. This writer also has the copper kettle from the Dick Farm. It is listed in Jacob Dick's inventory of 1835. At the time of his death, the estate of Jacob Dick was valued at $9,020.77.

The Dick family owned the property from one generation to another for nearly 150 years. The homestead passed from Jacob to his son, Nicholas, who continued farming until about 1870. Then Nicholas' son Henry took over the farm, which he operated until 1885 when he retired. (NOTE: Mary Ann did not want to live at the farm so they moved into the city. He was 40 when he stopped farming.) After 1885 the farm was owned by Marcus Dick-another son of Nicholas and brother of Henry, and then by Nicholas' widow, Esther, in 1915 by Charles Dick-a son of Henry. Like his parents and grandparents, Charles Dick was associated with the farm market business. Dick used to dump produce from the market at the farm. In 1947 the farm was sold by the Dick estate to Henry Davidow, who sold it at auction in 1950, when it was purchased by Joseph Herbein,
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From Charles K. Dick Biography-
Jacob Dick was born on the Dick homestead on Penn Street, in 1783, and became a prosperous and respected citizen of Reading. He was active as a farmer and died December 11, 1859. He married Susan Lutz, who died March 13, 1870, in the 84th year of her age.

In the disbursement of Jacob's will he had money going to the children of his sister, Sarah: Daniel Boas, J. D. Boas, A. F. Boas, D. D. Boas, J. D. Boas, and A. F. Boas, each getting $100.00.

National Historic Register
Ridgewood Farm
(added 1992 - Berks County - #92000399)
Also known as Dick,Jacob,Farm
Jct. of PA 724 and I-176, Cumru Township, Seyfert
(1360 acres, 8 buildings, 5 structures)
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Unknown
Architectural Style: Other, Federal
Area of Significance: Architecture, Agriculture
Period of Significance: 1800-1824, 1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Agriculture/Subsistence, Domestic
Historic Sub-function: Agricultural Outbuildings, Animal Facility, Secondary Structure, Single Dwelling2
Current Function: Agriculture/Subsistence, Domestic
Current Sub-function: Agricultural Outbuildings, Animal Facility, Secondary Structure, Single Dwelling2
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This info comes from the Morton's History of Berks County. I do not agree that they were from Germany.
The city of Reading counts among its most valued citizens descendants of German settlers who came to Pennsylvania, direct from the Fatherland, bringing with them the solid virtues and thrifty habits which characterize their nationality. The Dick family belongs in this category and it can be traced to one Jacob Dick, who came to America from Germany and is known to have taken part in the Revolutionary war.
This Jacob Dick was the grandfather of the late Amos L. Dick, at the time of his death a venerable retired resident of Reading. After the close of the Revolutionary struggle Jacob Dick settled in what was then the straggling village of Reading, where he established himself in business, doing chair-making, spinning wheel manufacturing, and also working as a carpenter. The site of the business was where the photograph gallery of Mr. Fritz now stands. Jacob Dick died in 1834; his wife passed away ten years before. They had two children: Susan, who married a Mr. Boas, and died in Reading, and Jacob, father of Amos L.
Jacob Dick (2) was born in the old Penn street home at Reading in 1783, and when he reached maturity married Susan Lutz.
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They had 13 children.