Source
Source for: Elizabeth Barbee or Barber, 30 Oct 1830 - 30 Jan 1923
Index
General Source: S138Date: 28 Jul 2006
General Source: S139
Source
Source for: Wilhelm or Willem Rittinghausen or Rittinghuysen, 1644 - 18 Feb 1708
Index
General Source: S149Text: On 23 June 1679, William Ruddinghuysen, papermaker from Mulheim, took oath of allegiance in Amsterdam. Article also includes following: In June 1687, William bought 50 acres of land on Main St. in Germantown, Pennsylvania, from Peter Keurlis; part would be donated to Mennonites for burial and meetinghouse after Arnold Van Vossen purchased it. William arrived in Germantown, PA, in 1688 after spending several years in New Amsterdam (perhaps he bought land before moving?). William Samuel Carpenter, William Bradford, and Robert Turner agreed to build paper mill between 1690-92. On May 7, 1691, Nicholus and William Rittinghuysen were among 64 persons naturalized in Pennsylvania.
Date: Apr 1985
General Source: S150Text: William Rittinghuysen, Hans Peter Umstad, and Claes Rittinghuysen were listed in ship passenger lists and article states William was naturalized in 1691.
General Source: S151Note: Doc 1 has the chart referred to by Elizabeth and Milton.
Doc 2 has the chart updated by hand and prepared in 1972.
Doc 3 is Milton's letter dated 7 December 1969 to Elizabeth.
#2 Personally, I prefer Rittinghausen for Wilhelm rather than Ruddinghuysen. His original name was Rittinghausen; Ruddinghuysen is merely a Dutch variant, and actually he spent not much more than 10 years in the Netherlands.
On page 2 he writes, "Let me make one other correction: Wilhelm Rittinghausen was not born in Prussia in 1644. At that time "Prussia" was really East Prussia, a name later extended over the electorate of Brandenburg and by degrees, as the acquisitive Hohenzollerns expanded their territorial possessions, to large segments of present West Germany. In 1644 Wilhelm was born in the duchy of Berg, one of the innumerable principalities of the Holy Roman Empire.
Date: 1963
General Source: S152Page: Winter 2000, p. 2
Text: Historic RittenhouseTown is a unique, preserved colonial industrial community that has continuously evolved from the late seventeenth century to today and was designated a National Historic Landmark by the US Department of the Interior. It is located on the Monoshone Creek in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.
RittenhouseTown is the site of the first papermill in America, founded by William Rittenhouse in 1690. It is also historically significant as: the first Rittenhouse family homestead in the New World; the home of America's first Mennonite minister; the birthplace of David Rittenhouse, an important 18th century scientist; and the site of numerous other industrial mills in the Wissahickon Valley.
A non-profit group, the Friends of Historic RittenhouseTown, was formed in 1984 by 25 individuals. Today, the group has been renamed, Historic RittenhouseTown, Inc., and has 750 members. Together with the Fairmount Park Commission, they are dedicated to the protection, restoration, preservation and active interpretation of the site, as well as the continuing careful discovery of its importance. Historic RittenhouseTown, 206 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19144; Phone 215-438-5711; Fax 215-849-6447; e-mail HistRitTwn@aol.com.
Date: 2000
General Source: S153Page: Vol. 1, 2003, p. 1
Text: Rittenhousetown : The Birthplace of Paper in America. This enchanting little village along the Monoshone Creek, now within Philadelphia's Fairmont Park, is the footprint of what was once a thriving colonial industrial village of over fourh (sic) structures and included a paper mill, church, school and fire company. Today, this important site, designated by the United States Department of Interior as a National Historic Landmark, has seven of its original buildings which portray the vital role RittenhouseTown played in the development of America.
RittenhouseTown was the site of the first paper mill in the thirteen American Colonies of Great Britain. Wilhelm Rittinghausen arrived in America from Holland in 1688 and, with his son, Nicholas, built a mill to manufacture fine white paper in 1690. This mill was William Penn's pride, since such facilities were new in England. For over one hundred years, this area remained a center of papermaking in America.
A flood swept away the original mill circa 1701 and a stronger structure was built with William Penn's assistance. Over the years, as the Rittenhouse family prospered, the village was known as RittenhouseTown. Located at 206 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19144.
Date: 2003
General Source: S154Page: p. 4
Text: The ship Concord brought the main body of Mennonites to America in 1683. The ship of 500 tons, 130 feet long and 32 feet wide was commanded by Captain Jeffries. It had left Gravesend on July 24, 1683. Shortly afterwards, on October 24th of the same year, Pastorius founded Germantown for them.
William Rittenhouse is thought to have traveled on this ship "Concord" to New York in 1688. Information is being sought to confirm and to tell this story. His movement from New York to Germantown and the time frame (sic). This would be a great story to publish in the annual "Journal." Please contribute any information you have and we will put an (sic) in a future publication.
The time it took for travelers to cross the "pond" was a long and tiring trip. Many hardships along the way made the journey a fearsome and frightening trip. Deaths, starvation, lack of space and seasickness took it's toll on many families. How difficult it had to be to make this decision to come to America.
In 1760 the residents of Germantown decided they needed a schoolhouse. In 1775 the Concord school was completed. No one is positive why it is called Concord but perhaps it was after the ship which brought the first German immigrants to America.
Date: 18 Mar 2003
General Source: S1224Page: Vol. 2 : K-Z
Note: Subjects: Old German Baptist Brethren; Dunkard Brethren; Church of the Brethren, etc. Judith Rittenhouse cannot determine the parents of David Rittenhouse, 1799-1880. There is also a short paragraph about him in this publication. She also cannot place Matthias who had a son Joseph Rittenhouse (1809-92).
Text: Rittenhouse Family.
In 1688 William Rittinghuysen (1644-1708), a papermaker from Amsterdam, arrived at the Germantown settlement. He was ordained the first Mennonite preacher in America. His grandson David (1732096) was an astronomer and treasurer of Pennsylvania (1777-89). Matthias, also a Mennonite preacher from Norristown, had a son, Joseph Rittenhouse (1809-92), who joined the German Baptist Brethren. Joseph married Catherine Cassel and moved to Medina Co., OH. The Black River congregation was organized in their home in 1855. Their sons, Samuel and Nathaniel, moved to Easton, MD, where they helped to organize the Peach Blossom congregation in 1875-76. Descendants of Joseph and Catherine Rittenhouse have remained active Brethren and Old German Baptist Brethren. Related families include "Hoover, Robinson, *Beahm, and Stone.
Another descendant of William Rittenhuysen, *David Rittenhouse (1799-1880), left the Mennonites and became Brethren, serving as minister in the Green Tree, PA, congregation. In 1854 he led a group to Carroll Co., IL, and organized the Hickory Grove congregation. Still later he moved to Wasington Co., IA. DBR/CTD.
General Source: S1228Note: Notes taken by Judith Rittenhouse at Rittenhouse Family Reunion. Ann Thompson, MacCungie, PA.
Text: Rothinghusen - red-haired man. Houses of the sons of Roth, the red-haired man.
Rodinghausen - Medieval baronial family of Westphalia
Redinghausen - "d" & "t" pronounced same and interchangeable
Rettinghausen - used until 1821, esp. in N.J. when Americanized, drop "g". William Bradford, printer, used this spelling in 1700's.)
Rittenhouse - 19th and 20th century spelling
General Source: S1354Page: p. 20-28
Note: Article titled "William Rittenhouse as Minister: A Steady Presence in an Unsteady Context" by John L. Ruth
Text: . . . a revisiting of the ecclesiastical context in which Germantown's Mennonites approached