Capt. Benjamin Rittenhouse

He was asked in 1776 during the Revolutionary War to take on the job of organizing a gun manufacturing plant††. Benjamin, the younger brother of the famous astronomer and inventor David Rittenhouse, was a master craftsman, and maker of fine compasses and clocks. All known compasses by him are highly decorated works of art and Benjamin was the most prolific American compass maker at the time. Having an older brother interested in mathematical instruments and the sciences was influential upon Benjamin. David was responsible for the early training of his younger brother, and oversaw his apprenticeship. Benjamin moved to Worcester Township and there was primarily involved in making clocks, which involved machining with metals. This played a part in his being selected in 1776 to set up and run a factory to produce gun locks for the American Revolutionary War forces.

After the war he returned home to Worcester and again began producing clocks and mathematical instruments. He also engaged in public activities such as Associate Judge of Montgomery County for nearly ten years. He was also a member of the state Assembly. His first wife Elizabeth Bull had died young in 1793 after having five children. Shortly afterwards he married Frances Wade with whom he had two more children. In addition, Rittenhouse worked at times as a surveyor like his brother David. Rittenhouse went bankrupt in 1801 after his brother's death and spent his later years living in Philadelphia.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 18 2019, 1:01:01 UTC

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DAR# A096490

†† gun mfg. plant: (research question) Was this the one by the French Creek and the Schuylkill that was destroyed by the British after the Battle of Brandywine? The armies moved through Chester and Montgomery Counties and engaged at Paoli, and the Battle of the Clouds.
As such, Benjamin would have been closely associated with Peter DeHaven, Jr .(see timeline)