Built the first paper mill in America
Wilhelm Rittenhouse alias Wilhelm Rittinghausen (b 1644 at Mulheim an der Ruhr near Duisburg in the principality of Broich, m about the first week of June, 1665, most likely in Loenen d 1707) had an aunt Ermgard who married Mathijs Vorster whose father leased a paper mill on the Ruhr River at Broich. Mathijs emigrated to the Netherlands about 1660 and Wilhelm joined his aunt and uncle. In 1678, Mathijs had remarried and moved to Rosendaal near Arnhem; where Wilhelm likely followed. There he met and married Geertruid Kersten Peters from Eerbeck nearby. The front cover of the first newsletter shows a dual picture of the landscape by the original mill (which is still there today and serves as a home) in Arnhem and Rittenhousetown as portrayed by Carl N. Shuster, Jr. On June 23, 1678, Wilhelm took the oath of citizenship at Amsterdam. he may have gone there on occasion to sell the paper made at Rozendaal. While there, it is likely he met William Penn.
In 1688, he came to America with his sons Claus and Garret and his daughter Elizabeth. He and his son Claus built a paper mill on a branch of the Wissahickon Creek near Germantown. This was the first such mill in America. He was also the first minister of the first Mennonite Church in America and installed as the first Bishop in 1707. He had the Confession of Faith of the Mennonites translated into English in 1712 in New York. He also sent a protest to slavery in 1688 to the Friend's Monthly Meeting.
From the documents formerly in the possession of the late Abraham H. Cassel (antiquarian) of Harleysville, is a copy [51]------ of the COPIA NATURALISATIONIS to certain people of Germantown by William Penn, Esq. It is dated 7 May, 1691 A.D. Included in this list of people are Peter Schumacher, William Rittenhouse and Claus Rittenhouse. It reads:
"Inhabitants and owners of land in German Town and in the County of Philadelphia, being foreigners, and so not freeman, according to the acception 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, etc., made in this government.
Now, Know Ye, that for the further Encouragement 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, etc., and fidelity and lawful Obedience to me, according to the King's Letter patents, aforesaid, I do declare, and by these presents Confirm them the said Inhabitants, before named, to be Freeman of this government, and 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."
The Rittenhouse family settled in the Turkey Hill section of St. Clair county ca 1806. Elijah Rittenhouse and some members of his family moved to the county from Pennsylvania. During the Revolutionary War, he had been a member of Stokely's Rangers in Pennsylvania. He was born about 1745 in Amwell Township, Hunterdon co., New Jersey. Numerous descendants of Elijah Rittenhouse continue to live in St. Clair county today.
Many people with the surname Rittenhouse, Rettinghouse, and other variant spellings in America can trace their ancestry back to Wilhelm Rittenhouse, who settled in William Penn's colony of Germantown (presently a suburb of Philadelphia) in 1688. Wilhelm is recognized as the first Mennonite minister to the New World, as well as being the first paper maker in America. His house and mill still exist and are a historic landmark in what is called Rittenhouse Town in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Wilhelm's grandson, David Rittenhouse, was a friend of Thomas Jefferson and a noted astronomer.
Nicholas (Claus) Rittenhouse (b 15 June, 1666, d 1734) became a minister in the Mennonite Church and took over his father's paper mill and business. He married Wilhelmina Dewees. Their children were: William, Henry, Matthias, Psyche, Mary, Catherine and Susannah. Wilhelmina was born in Friesland, Holland.
Came to America by himself in 1682