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2. WILHELM2 RÜDDINGHUYSEN (CLAES1 RETTINGHAUSEN) (#549) was born in Mulheim-on-Ruhr, Germany 1644. WILHELM died 18 February 1708 in Germantown, Phil. Co. PA, USA, at age 63. His body was interred after 18 February 1708 in Probably Mennonite Cem. Germantown.
He married GEERTRUID KERSTEN PIETERS June 1665 in Leonen, Netherlands. (GEERTRUID KERSTEN PIETERS is #550.) GEERTRUID was born 1642 in Eerbeek, Netherlands. GEERTRUID was the daughter of PIETER KERSTEN and CLERKE EVERTS. GEERTRUID died 1708 in Germantown, Phil. Co. PA, USA, at age 66.
The various spellings found for William Rittenhouse are confusing. The German spelling is WILHELM RETTINGHAUSEN. The Dutch spelling is WILLEM RÜDDINGHUYSEN. And of course it was later anglicized to WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE. I will use the latter spelling throughout.
WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE and his brother Nicholas were apprentice papermakers at the Adolph Vorster Paper Mill in their home town of Mülheim-am-Ruhr in the Rheinland District of Germany. WILLIAM was a Mennonite minister while there. About 1678 WILLIAM moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands (Holland) where he applied for citizenship. The following is a translation of this document.
OATH of CITIZENSHIP "You do swear that you will be a good and true citizen of this city. and be subject to the Burgomasters and rulers, and take part in watches, ice-openings. and other protections and burdens of this city, and that you will apprise them of any threatening danger of which you may be informed; and that you will, by advice and act, further its welfare to the utmost of your power: and that you will perform and omit all that a good citizen should perform and omit.
So truly may God Almighty help us." Willem Ruddinyuysen, van Mulheim, paper maker, took the above mentioned oath and paid the citizen fee to the Gentlemen of the Treasury
Done in Amsterdam the 23rd day of June, 1678. J. Geelrinck
Finally he moved his family to Arnhem. WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE had married GERTRUID PIETERS in June 1665 at Leonen, in the Netherlands.
The family with the 3 children left Amsterdam, Netherlands and arrived in New Amsterdam (New York) in 1687. It would appear they moved overland to Germantown, Pa. as the records show WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE purchasing a lot there 8 August 1687. The confusion arises with his son Nicholas Rittenhouse who was married in New Amsterdam (New York) in 1689. Did he go to Germantown with the family or did he remain in New Amsterdam until after his marriage?
An important document that William brought with him was Court document from Broich testifying to his birth date.
"Heinrich Nicholaus Rittinghausen, at the Chancelery of the court of Falkenstein, in this place of Broich, respectfully declared that his brother, Wilhelm Rittinghausen, now residing in Amsterdam, fervently demand and petition for the evidence of his age; that is to say, in what year he was born - to make use of the same in the proper place; and as there is no good reason to refuse this request, it is hereby certified that the said Wilhelm Rittinghausen's mother, Maria Hagerhoffs, who is still living in the principality of Broich, as also his sister and brother unanimously have declared and confirmed that the said, Wilhelm Rittinghausen was born in the year one thousand six hundred and forty-four, in consequence of which this certificate is hereby given.
Signed. Broich. the 23rd June. 1678. From the Chancelery of Court J. Rodt. of Falkenstein in the said place."
WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE purchased from Peter Keurlis town lot #19 on the east side of Main Street (later Germantown Avenue). This side was toward Bristol. This purchase was acknowledged in "Open Court" 4 April 1693. The lots were laid out to give him 38 3/4 acres on the Main Street and 11 1/4 acres as a "side lot" on the edge of town. In my file is a map of the Main Street lots in Germantown in the late 1600's.
WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE is shown on the list of landholders in Philadelphia County in 1693. He paid 4 shillings 2 pence tax on 50 acres in Germantown.
WILLIAM sold the above lot to Arnold Van Fossen for £60 on 26 December 1700 recorded 19 March 1771. copy of deed in my file is taken from Philadelphia County Deed Book "I" Volume 8 Pages 282-3. This deed is of particular interest as on 6 September 1714 Arnold Van Fossen transferred 35 square perches (rods) to trustees Henry Sellen and Jan Neus to be used for a Mennonite Meeting House and Burying Ground. This must have been by prior arrangement as a log Meeting House had already been built there in 1708 when William Rittenhouse owned the property.
Most of the early arrivals in Germantown had been Quakers or had turned Quaker at the instigation of William Penn. Some of them attended Quaker services as at first there were too few Mennonites to have a Mennonite Congregation or Meeting House. However WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE remained Mennonite and they held meetings at the house of Jacob Isaac Van Bebber with WILLIAM acting as Minister until the Meeting House was built in 1708. The congregation appointed WILLIAM as Bishop after much consultation with the Mennonite Church back in Holland and Germany. However before he could act in that capacity he died in 1708.
WILLIAM and son NICHOLAS took their Oaths of Allegiance and were Naturalized on 7 May 1691 in Germantown along with 60 other non British immigrants. Copy of the list of persons taking their Oaths and a copy of the actual Oath is in my file.
In the Rittenhouse Family History by Daniel K. Cassel published in 1893 he connected the Rittenhouse Line back to the Hapsburg Royal Family. This was later proven incorrect in an article by Calvin Kephart in 1938 entitled "Debunking the Rittenhouse Genealogy". Copy of this article is in my file. In a further article by Milton Rubicam published in the Historical Society of Montgomery County October 1939, he traces the lineage of the Rittenhouse Family. Copy of this article is in my file.
In 1690 WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE was instrumental in forming a company to make paper. His 3 partners were William Bradford (a printer), Robert Turner and Thomas Tresse. They leased 20 acres of land from Samuel Carpenter on a small creek on the west edge of Germantown. The Indian name for the creek was Monshone but it soon became known as Paper Mill Creek. It emptied into the Wissahickon Creek which in turn emptied into the Schuylkill River.
This became the first paper mill to operate in America and possibly in all of North America. Unfortunately it was destroyed by floods in 1700 but was rebuilt in 1704. By 29 September 1705 WILLIAM and son NICHOLAS had bought out the other partners and became sole owners. The new land lease they negotiated is most unusual. It would run for 975 years
In my file is a photocopy of a painting that had been made of the rebuilt mill. When WILLIAM died the mill transferred to son NICHOLS and he in turn bequeathed it to his son William.
WILLIAM'S original house built in 1690 is still standing. The stone house he built in 1707 was right beside the mill and is being preserved as a historic site. In 1995 the area is called Rittenhouse Town and they are preserving the few buildings that were keft standing. The mill itself is long gone but the 1707 house is in good condition as well as some other houses. Historic as well as modern maps are in my files showing the location in Germantown. There are photographs taken in 1995 of the two original houses and the location on the creek where the mill stood.
The first Naturalization (Citizenship) was held in Germantown, Pennsylvania 7 March 1691. All foreigners, those immigrants who were not from the British Commonwealth, had to go through this process before they could own land. The document below is a copy of the only known original parchment held by the William Emmert Swigard Treasure Room in Beechly Library at Juanita College, Huntingdon, Pa. Copies of this rare document were kindly distributed by Mr. Paul Rittenhouse Sr. at the Rittenhouse Reunion in October 2003 at Lancaster, Pa. You will find the names of WILHELM RETTINGHAUSEN and his son CLAES (Nicholas) and many other names connected to the Rittenhouse family.
COPIA NATURALISATIONIS.
Francis Daniel Pastorius and of sixty-one persons more.
German Town.
WILLI,IAM PENN, ESQ.
Dated 7th May, A. D., 1691.
"William Penn, Proprietary of the Province of Pensilvania, &c. By the King and Queen's authority. To all to whom these Presents shall come. Sends greeting, &c. Whereas, Francis Daniel Pastorius, Jacob Telner, Dirick Isaacs Op de Graef, Herman Isaacs Op de Graef, Tennis Conderts, Abraham Isaacs Op de Graef, Jacob Isaacs, Johannes Cassels, Hewart Papen, Herman Bon, Albertus Brandt, Jacob Schumacher, Wolter Simens, Dirick Keyser, Arnold Cassel, Dirick Keyser, Jr., Jan Lensen, Jan Duplouvys, Peter Schumacher, Peter Schumacher, Jr., Isaac Dilbceck, Jan Doeden, Abraham Tennis, Willm Rittenghuysen, Claes Rittinghuysen, Johannes Custers, Henrich Buchholts, Isaac Jacobs, Matthis Jacobs, Wiggerd Levering, Isaac Schoffer, Clas Tamsen, Hans Milan, Dirick Sellen, Hendrick Sellen, Paul Wolff, Lenart Arens, Arent Klincken, Paul Kastner, Willem Streipers,.Koendradt Backer, Viet Scherkes, Hans Peter Umstad, Anthony Duplouvys, Heinrich Kesselberg, Reinert Tissen, Jan Lucken. Peter Klever, Heinrich Frey, Hans Andrees Kramer,'Jurgen Schumacher, Isack Schumacher, Peter Kurlis, Gerhard Levering, Johannes Bleikers, Herman Op de Trap, Dirick 'op de Kolck, Cornelis Siverts, Reinier Hermans, Anthony Loof.. Andrees Souplis, Jan Williams, High and Low Germans, Inhabitants and owners of land in German Town and in the County of Philadelphia, being foreigners, and so not freemen. according to the acceptation of the law of England, have requested to be made freemen of the said Province, pursuant to the Powers granted by the King's Letters patent and Act of Union and Naturalization, &s, made in this government. Now, Know Ye. that for the further Incouragement of the Industry and Sobriety of the.said Inhabitants and for the better and further Security of their Estates real and personal, to them and their heirs,.They, the said Inhabitants. having Solemnly promised upon Record in the County Court of Philadelphia, aforesaid, faith and Allegiance to William and Mary, King, and Queen of England, &c., and fidelity and lawful Obedience to me,according to the King's Letters patent, aforesaid, I do declare, and by these presents Confirm them the said Inhabitants before named, to be Freemen of this government, and that they shall be accordingly held and reputed in as full and ample manner as any person or persons residing therein. And that they, the said Freemen, have liberty and freedom hereby to trade and traffick in this Colony or in any of the King's Dominions and Plantations, as other good subjects may lawfully do without any manner of Lett,.Hinderance or Molestation Whatsoever. Witness: Thomas LLoyd, Deputy Govern'r of the Province of Pensilvania, &c., given at Philadelphia, aforesaid, with the assent of the Provincial Council, the Seventh day of the third-month, Anno Domi, 1691, and in the third year of the reign of King William and Queen Mary over England, &c."
Written on the outside of the parchment. EX LIBRIS. Christian Lehman To he laid by for my Children.
Dat'd Philadelphia., August 23d, 1771.
Recorded in the Rolls' Office, at Philadelphia, the thirtieth Day of the third-month, 1691. Patent Book A, folio, 275, 1
Exq Da. Lloyd Deputy.
The original was written by Francis Daniel Pastorius. A copy of this rare document is in my library.
WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE died Intestate on 18 February 1708 in Germantown. The mill property was invested to his son NICHOLAS. It is assumed he is buried in the cemetery at the Mennonite Meeting House although there is no original marker. The Rittenhouse Family Association erected a monument there in front of the Meeting House. In my files are photographs taken in 1995 of the monument and the Meeting House. This stone and brick Meeting House is the 3rd one on the site of the first log Meeting House built in 1708.
SOURCE of INFORMATION
SHIPS PASSENGER LISTS by Carl Boyer 3rd published in 1980.
LANDOWNERS OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY 1734 republished in 1990 by Adams Apple Press in Bedminster, Pa.
FIRST TAX LIST OF PENNSYLVANIA 1693 republished by Adams Apple Press in 1994. A copy of the pertinent pages are in my files including a copy of the petition mentioned above.
WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE and MOSES DISSINGER by Milton Rubicam published in 1959 by Pennsylvania German Society.
THE RITTENHOUSE MILL by James Green.
MEMOIRS of the LIFE of DAVID RITTENHOUSE, by William Barton. Published in 1813.
RITTENHOUSE FAMILY HISTORY by Daniel K.Cassell published in 1893. A copy of this book is held by the Conrad Grebel Library at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario.
GERMANTOWN CRIER Volume 35 Number 1 winter 1982/3.
PENNSYLVANIA MENNONITE HERITAGE. Article by Jeffrey L.Godshall titled The Traditional Farmhouse of the Franconia Mennonite Community.
RITTENHOUSE FAMILY NEWSLETTER Number 2 December 1989. copy in my file shows the Mennonite Meeting House in Germantown and the original 1707 house.
AN ANCESTRAL CHART and HANDBOOK by Olive Barrick Rowland. Published in1935.
RITTENHOUSE FAMILY NEWSLETTER Number 3 June 1990. This copy shows a painting of the original paper mill.
THE CUSTER FAMILY by Agnes Williamson Storer published in 1937.
THE KOLB FAMILY by Elinore C. Custer. The book is held by the Conrad Grebel Library at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario.
GERMANTOWN 1683-1933 by Edward L. Hocker published in 1933. The book is held by the Largo Public Library in Largo, Florida.
THIRTY THOUSAND NAMES of IMMIGRANTS TO PENNSYLVANIA by I.Daniel Rupp published in 1876. The book is held by the Orlando Public Library in Orlando, Florida.
WILLIAM PENN and the DUTCH QUAKER MIGRATION to PENNSYLVANIA. by William I.Hull published in 1912 and republished in 1970 by Genealogical Publishing Co. in Baltimore, Maryland.
NEW WORLD IMMIGRANTS Volume 1 by Michael Tepper published in 1980 by Genealogical Publishing Co, in Baltimore, Maryland. .
WILHELM RÜDDINGHUYSEN and GEERTRUID KERSTEN PIETERS had the following children:
4 i. NICHOLAS (CLAES)3 was born 15 June 1666
5 ii. ELIZABETH was born 1670
6 iii. GERHARD (GARRETT) was born 1674
3. HEINRICH NICHOLAS2 RETTINGHAUSEN (CLAES1) (#558) was born in Mulheim-on-Ruhr, Germany 1646. HEINRICH died May 1718 in Dordrech, Netherlands, at age 71.
He married SWAENTJEN RIDDERS 1675 in Mulheim-on-Ruhr, Germany. (SWAENTJEN RIDDERS is #2621.)
HEINRICH NICHOLAS RETTINGHAUSEN and SWAENTJEN RIDDERS had the following children:
i. NEELTJEN3 (#21661) was born before 26 December 1679.
ii. MARIA (#21660) was born before 20 March 1684.
iii. ADRIANUS (#21662) was born 1693.
WILLIAM BARTON in l778 located in Holland, still surviving and of great age, a son of William Rittinghausen's brother Nicholas, with whom he had an interview. This old man Adrian Rittinghuysen (b. 1693), stated his paternal ancestors were early and long seated at Arnheim, a fortified city on the Rhine where they conducted manufactories of paper during the course of some generations. He stated that his father. Nicholas Rittinghuysen. was a paper manufacturer of Arnheim and that his father had a brother, William, who went to North America where be was understood to have established paper mills near Germantown.
SOURCE of INFORMATION
MEMOIRS of the LIFE of DAVID RITTENHOUSE, by William Barton. Published in 1813.
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