Wilhelmina Rittenhouse

Wilhelmina Pietre DEWEES

• Birth: Mar. 13, 1673 Leeuwarden Friesland, Netherlands
• Death: Mar. 6, 1737 Philadelphia Philadelphia County Pennsylvania, USA
• Father: Gerret Hendicks Dewees b: 1640
• Mother: Zytian Liuwes b: 1644 in Leeuwarden or Lieuwarden, Friesland, Holland or Sijtske Lieuwes b: 1649 in Leeuwarden or Lieuwarden, Friesland, Holland

Married

1. Rev Nicholas Aka Claus Rittenhouse Married: 29 May 1789 in New York City, New York in the Old Dutch Reformed Church in New York City.

Children

1) William Rittenhouse born in 1691 in Roxborough Ywp 2) Matthias Rittenhouse born in 1702 at the Papermill (Married: 1) Lee Normandie, and 2) Elizabeth Williams.) 3) Psyche Peggy Rittenhouse born in 1683 at Roxborough (Married: John Gorgas.) 4) Mary AKA Anna Maria Rittenhouse m. John Johnson 5) Catharine Rittenhouse born in 1697 in Roxborough, PA (Married: Jacon Engel.) 6) Susanna Rittenhouse born in 1698 in Philadelphia (Married: Henry Heilig.) 7) Switzen Sophia Rittenhouse born in 1690 on Roxborough 8) Maria Christine Rittenhouse born in 1695 in Germantown (Married: Peter Stephens.) 9) Henry Rittenhouse born 1 Apr 1700 in Roxborough (Married: Susanna Wool.)

Notes

Notes for Wilhelmina (Willemigutie) Dewees (de Wees)

Her brother William Dwees, after the death of William Rittenhouse, built and operated the second paper mill in America. It was probably built about 1708, and in 1713 was purchased from William Dewees by Nicholas Rittenhouse, John Gorgas Sr. and others. The property was about 100 acres and was situated about 500 feet east of where the Wissahickon Creek crosses the City Line (Phila.).

Wilhelmina married Nicholas Rittenhouse, a descendant of the royal house of Austria, and builder of the first paper mill in America. Their grandson, David Rittenhouse, was a personal friend of General George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. He was appointed by President Washington to be the first director of the united States Mint. He coined the first United States money.

Notes

1. In a letter to Henry S. Dotterer of Philadelphia, from a gentleman in Lieuwarden occurs this passage: "Born on 13th March 1673. Wilhelmina Pietre de Wees. From Parish Register Lieuwarden Province, Friesland, Holland.

This Wilhelmina de Wees married, in 1689, Nicholas (Claus) Rittenhouse, at New York, as the following extract from the Records of the Reformed Church in New York will show. Original Records page 662.

Copy in New York, Gen. and Biog. Records, Vol. X, page 131.

   Ingeschreven Getrouwt.

den 10 May Ao 1689 den 29 May.
Claus Rittenhuysen J. M. Van Aernheim en Willemytie d'Wees J. D. Van Leinwarden d Eerste woneude en d zuyt river, en twede alhier.
Translation.
Marriage Banns Married
the 10th of May Year 1689 the 29th of May
Nicholas Rittenhouse young man of Arnheim and Wilhelmina de Wees young woman of Lieuwarden, the first living on the South (Delaware) river, and the second here (New York).
_________
Wilhelmina de Wees had three brothers, Cornelius, William and Lewis. Their parents were Garrett Hendricks and Zytian de Wees, who bought land in Germantown
NICHOLAS (CLAES)3 RITTENHOUSE (WILHELM2 RÜDDINGHUYSEN, CLAES1 RETTINGHAUSEN) (#539) was born in Mulheim, Westphalia, Germany 15 June 1666. NICHOLAS died 04 June 1734 in Germantown, Phil. Co. PA, USA, at age 67. His body was interred after 04 June 1734 in Probably Mennonite Cem. Germantown.
He married WILHELMINA PIETRE DEWEES 29 May 1689 in Reformed Dutch Ch. N.Y. USA. (WILHELMINA PIETRE DEWEES is #540.) WILHELMINA was born 13 March 1673 in Leewarden, Friesland, Neth/. WILHELMINA was the daughter of GARRETT HENDRICKS DEWEES and ZYTIAN (SYTJE) LIUWES. WILHELMINA died after March 1737 in Germantown, Phil. Co. PA, USA, at age unknown.
1737 WIILL OF WIILHELMINA DEWEES
The following is a translation from Pennsylvia German by D. K. Cassel (page 74) of the will Wilhelmina DeWees, the wife of Klaus Rittinghausen, dated 6 March, 1737.
"A record concerning the disposition Mother's order as she is at present sickly in body and her soul Commanding in the hands of the almighty creator in Jesus Amen.
Firstly:-I give to Peggy Ruthynhuysen my Spinning wheel.
Secondly:-I give to Marya Ruthynhuysen the looking glass and to Susanna I give the Fire Irons, and to Margryta and Anna I give each a chair
And to Susanna Gorgas I give a Tea pot and china.
And Marya Gorgas I give a Sugar bowl and Small Iron Pann.
And Willemyna Ruttynhuysen I give the Pot hook and Gallon can.
And Marya Engel I give an apron and two handkerchiefs.
And to Scyntia Gorgas I give the under feather bed and a pillow and a brass kettle for which she pays six florins.
And Marya Jansen the upper bed with the cover.
And to Gertrude Engel I give the large and small cushions.
And to Susanna Heilig 1 give the large and small cushions.
And Henderych Ruttynhuysen I give the. woolen Blanket.
And Mattys Ruttynhuysen 1 give a cloak. That all these on the above date was undersigned in the presence of us."
Willemyna + Ruttynhuysen (her mark) Willem W. Ruttynhuysen Seyten + Gorgas (her mark) Jan Gorgas

      SOURCE of INFORMATION

Page 74 of 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. There is a copy in my library as well.

The following is a correct copy of the will of Wilhelmina Rittenhouse, widow of Claus Rittenhouse, translated from the original will which was written in the Dutch or Holland language, on Rittenhouse paper bearing the Rittenhouse water mark, the clover leaf.

WILL of WILHELMINA RITTENHOUSE:

1737, March 6th. A record concerning the disposition of mother's order, as she is at present sickly in body, and her soul commending in the hands of the Almighty Creator in Jesus, Amen.

Firstly: I give to Peggy Ruttynhuysen, my spinning wheel. Secondly. I give to Marya Ruttynhuysen the looking glass, and to Susanna I give the fire irons, and to Margryta and Anna I give each a chair. And to Susanna Gorgas I give a sugar bowl and small iron pan. And Wilhelmina Ruttynhuysen I give the pot hook and gallon can. And Marya Engel I give an apron and two handkerchiefs. And to Scyntia Gorgas I give the under feather bed and a pillow and a brass kettle for which she pays six florins. And to Marya Jansen the upper bed with a cover. And to Gertrude Engel I give the large and small cushions. And to Susanna Keilig I give the large and small cushions. And Henderyck Ruttynhuysen I give the woolen blanket. And Mathys Ruttynhuysen I give a cloak.

That all these on the above date was undersigned in the presence of us.

her Willemyna X Ruttynhuysen. mark Witnesses. Willem W. Ruttynhuysen, her Seyten X Gorgas, mark Jan Gorgas.

he Dewees National Research Team was not able (in 1994 anyway) to find a baptismal record for this child. It is assumed she belongs to this family because (1) family tradition says so, (2) her marriage record gives her name as DeWees and there was no other Dewees family in New York at that time [It was, in fact, Willemyntie’s marriage license that led the Dewees Research Team to discover the marriage license of Gerrit and Sytie.] (3) she named a daughter Seitie (4) her parents and her in-laws were listed next to each other in the 1693 tax list of Germantown, Pa (5) her husband served as her widowed mother’s attorney in 1700.

Timeline
1662 - parents married, Leeuwarden Reformed Dutch Church ? 1662-3 - Willemyntie born

   In a letter to Henry S. Dotterer of Philadelphia, from a gentleman in Lieuwarden occurs this passage: "Born on 13th March 1673. Wilhelmina Pietre de Wees. From Parish Register Lieuwarden Province, Friesland, Holland. [LaMunyan, 13]

   Presumably this is not a typographical error, with 1673 instead of 1663 (which would fit nicely with our Gerrit's timeline) since the Dewees Research Team did not find it and they would have been looking closely at the records of 1663. So who is she? A possible niece of Gerrit's?????

   NOTE: Daryl Johnson does not resolve this conundrum. He lists Willelmyntie twice: the first he calls Wilhelmina (born1663), and the second Willjmintie Pietre (born 13 March 1672/3). He gives them both the death date of 1737, and it is the second one he lists as married to Rittenhouse.

1663-4 - parents emigrated to New Amsterdam 1689 May 10 - married Nicholas Rittenhouse, New York

   Records of the Reformed Church in New York. Original Records page 662. Copy in New York, Gen. and Biog. Records, Vol. X, page 131.

   Ingeschreven Getrouwt. den 10 May Ao 1689 den 29 May.

   Claus Rittenhuysen J. M. Van Aernheim en Willemytie d'Wees J. D. Van Leinwarden d Eerste woneude en d zuyt river, en twede alhier.

   Translation. Marriage Banns Married the 10th of May Year 1689 the 29th of May

   Nicholas Rittenhouse young man of Arnheim and Wilhelmina de Wees young woman of Lieuwarden, the first living on the South (Delaware) river, and the second here (New York).

Nicholas was the son of William Rittenhouse (Wilhelm Rittenhausen), who set up the first paper mill in the country - this was extremely important, since you can’t have a free press without the paper to print it on. William Rittenhouse was a from a long line of paper-makers; he originally emigrated to New York but “since there was no printer in that city (imagine that!), and no opportunity therefore for carrying on his business of making paper, in 1688 . . . he came to Germantown. There, in 1690, upon a little stream flowing into the Wissahickon, he erected the first paper mill in America.” (Pennypacker, 162-3)
And, fortunately for the Rittenhouses, Germantown was settled by artisans, many of whom were weavers - (you need rags to make good paper).
Although Nicholas and Willemyntie were married in the Reformed Dutch Church, William Rittenhouse, the father, was a Mennonite - he was, in fact, the first preacher in the Mennonite Church established in Germantown (~1702). He was also appointed the first Mennonite Bishop in America, but he died before he took up the duties of that office. (1708)
Anyone particularly interested in the Rittenhouses should see the following wonderful website: Our Rittenhouse families by Linton E Love
1690 - daughter Zytian born 1691 - Claes Rittinghuysen takes the Oath of Allegiance (becomes a naturalized citizen) in Germantown 1691 Nov 28 - son William Dewees born 1692 - Nicholas signed a petition for tax relief 1693 - Claws Ruttingheysen on 1st Pennsylvania tax list (Germantown) 1695 - daughter Maria born 1697 March - daughter Catherine born 1698 - daughter Susanna born 1700 April 1 - son Henry born 1702 July 14 - son Matthias born 1708 - Nicholas Rittenhouse took a 2nd Oath of Allegiance 1708 - father William died, Nicholas took over the paper mill 1712 - Nicholas chosen to be a Mennonite minister 1714 - bond between Nicholas and Matthias Van Bebber

      - I think Nicholas borrowed some money from Van Bebber - it was repaid in 1719 1734 - Claes Rightinghous - List of Landholders in Philadelphia County - 30 acres, Roxbury Twp 1734 June 4 - Nicholas Rittenhouse will proved -

Philadelphia County Will Book E page 280 Will # 358

   Dated 4 May 1734 Proved 4 June 1734

   all moveable goods and chattels to loving wife Willimijn during her lifetime, afterward to be equally divided among children

   to eldest son William - land and mill and houses - William to pay £80 to Willimijn over 8 years and to provide her a room in one of the houses [after her death, whatever is left of the £80 to be equally divided among children

   to daughters Seikie, Catherine, Mary, Susanna, to sons Henry, Matthias - 1 shilling - they having received their portions during their lifetimes

   Execs - wife, brother Gerard Rittinghausen

   Witnesses - Jacob Rinker George Haas William Dewees Henry Pastorius

1737 March 6 - Willemintie made her will (from La Munyan):

   WILL OF WILHELMINA RITTENHOUSE.

   1737, March 6th. A record concerning the disposition of mother's order, as she is at present sickly in body, and (page 238) her soul commending in the hands of the Almighty Creator in Jesus, Amen.

   Firstly: I give to Peggy Ruttynhuysen, my spinning wheel.

   Secondly. I give to Marya Ruttynhuysen the looking glass, and to Susanna I give the fire irons, and to Margryta and Anna I give each a chair.

   And to Susanna Gorgas I give a sugar bowl and small iron pan.

   And Wilhelmina Ruttynhuysen I give the pot hook and gallon can.

   And Marya Engel I give an apron and two handkerchiefs.

   And to Scyntia Gorgas I give the under feather bed and a pillow and a brass kettle for which she pays six florins.

   And to Marya Jansen the upper bed with a cover.

   And to Gertrude Engel I give the large and small cushions.

   And to Susanna Keilig I give the large and small cushions.

   And Henderyck Ruttynhuysen I give the woolen blanket.

   And Mathys Ruttynhuysen I give a cloak.

   That all these on the above date was undersigned in the presence of us.

   her Willemyna X Ruttynhuysen. mark

   Witnesses. Willem W. Ruttynhuysen, her Seyten X Gorgas, mark Jan Gorgas.

Birth: Mar. 13, 1673 Leeuwarden Friesland, Netherlands Death: Mar. 6, 1737 Philadelphia Philadelphia County Pennsylvania, USA

Wilhelmina (Dewees) Rittenhouse Birth: 13 March 1673 in Lieuwarden, Friesland, Holland Death: Death: 06 MAR 1737 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Father: Gerret Hendicks Dewees b: 1640 Mother: Zytian Liuwes b: 1644 in Leeuwarden or Lieuwarden, Friesland, Holland or Sijtske Lieuwes b: 1649 in Leeuwarden or Lieuwarden, Friesland, Holland

Married: Rev Nicholas Aka Claus Rittenhouse Married: 29 May 1789 in New York City, New York Married: in the Old Dutch Reformed Church in New York City.

Children

1) William Rittenhouse born in 1691 in Roxborough Ywp 2) Matthias Rittenhouse born in 1702 at the Papermill (Married: 1) Lee Normandie, and 2) Elizabeth Williams.) 3) Psyche Peggy Rittenhouse born in 1683 at Roxborough (Married: John Gorgas.) 4) Mary AKA Anna Maria Rittenhouse m. John Johnson 5) Catharine Rittenhouse born in 1697 in Roxborough, PA (Married: Jacon Engel.) 6) Susanna Rittenhouse born in 1698 in Philadelphia (Married: Henry Heilig.) 7) Switzen Sophia Rittenhouse born in 1690 on Roxborough 8) Maria Christine Rittenhouse born in 1695 in Germantown (Married: Peter Stephens.) 9) Henry Rittenhouse born 1 Apr 1700 in Roxborough (Married: Susanna Wool.)

Information by Find a Grave Contributor Zoe Tom

Father: Gerret Hendicks Dewees b: 1640 Mother: Zytian Liuwes b: 1644 in Leeuwarden or Lieuwarden, Friesland, Holland or Sijtske Lieuwes b: 1649 in Leeuwarden or Lieuwarden, Friesland, Holland

Married: Rev Nicholas Aka Claus Rittenhouse Married: 29 May 1689 in New York City, New York Married: in the Old Dutch Reformed Church in New York City.

Children

1) William Rittenhouse born in 1691 in Roxborough Ywp 2) Matthias Rittenhouse born in 1702 at the Papermill (Married: 1) Lee Normandie, and 2) Elizabeth Williams.) 3) Psyche Peggy Rittenhouse born in 1683 at Roxborough (Married: John Gorgas.) 4) Mary AKA Anna Maria Rittenhouse m. John Johnson 5) Catharine Rittenhouse born in 1697 in Roxborough, PA (Married: Jacon Engel.) 6) Susanna Rittenhouse born in 1698 in Philadelphia (Married: Henry Heilig.) 7) Switzen Sophia Rittenhouse born in 1690 on Roxborough 8) Maria Christine Rittenhouse born in 1695 in Germantown (Married: Peter Stephens.) 9) Henry Rittenhouse born 1 Apr 1700 in Roxborough (Married: Susanna Wool.)

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