Old Historic Germantown; An Address with Illustrations PRESENTED AT THE Fourteenth Annual Meeting OF THE Pennsylvania-German Society

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' came in possession of the few Fairmount Park it was razed. There are now only a

The

foundation stones to be seen of this old landmark.

Devvees Paper Mill.

From 1690 to 17 10 there was but one paper mill m also America. The second paper mill in the country was Germantown, which was four years before the Willcox mill on Chester creek, which was erected in 17 14, and is often erroneously spoken of as the first paper mill. The DeWees mill was located in the upper part of Germantown Township, known as Crefeld, on the north side of the old of Wissahickon creek, a few hundred feet west erected in

Dewees mansion that stood on the west side of the ReadIn 17 13 the mill ing pike, now Germantown avenue. and one hundred acres were conveyed to Claus Rittenhouse In 1746 the property belonged to and three others. Henry Dewees, a son of William Dewees. The Wissahickon afterwards had a number of large paper mills on its banks, of which the Megargee mill was said to have been one of the finest in the country.

The Pennsylvania-German

40

Society.

Roberts' Mill. Roberts' mill was on the north side of Church lane,

about one mile east of Market Square, where the road crosses Mill creek. It was built in 1683 by Richard Townsend, an English millwright, who came over in 1682 in the ship "Welcome" with William Penn, who aided in the enterprise financially. Most of the material was brought from England. This was the first grist mill about Germantown. It is often claimed to have been the

oldest grist mill in Pennsylvania but the one at the Swedish

settlement on

The

Cobb

creek antedated

it

about forty years.

Swedes is still lying near the site of There was also an ancient Swedes mill of In Revolutionary a very early date on Frankford creek. history it afterwards became known as the Lydia Darrach mill stone of the

the old mill.

In the early times

mill.

men

frequently brought their

grain on their backs to the mill and had

it

ground.

In the testimony of Richard Townsend, dated 1727,

he said: "As soon as Germantown was laid out

my

I

settled

which was about a mile from thence, mill, which was very But there being few horses, useful to the country round. people generally brought their corn upon their backs, many miles. I remember one had a bull so gentle, that he used During the Revolution to bring the corn on his back." This is the mill was owned by a family named Lukens. how Lukens Mill Road, the former name of Church lane, received its name; this road was the extreme right of the British position at the battle of Germantown and considerable fighting took place here. The British were entrenched across the town along School House lane and tract of land

where

I

Church

set

up

a

barn and a corn

lane.

In the early part of the nineteenth century the mill was

THE PENNSYLVANIA-GERMAN SOCIETY.

RITTENHOUSE PAPER

MILL.

ON MONOSHONE CREEK, REBUILT

ROBERTS (TOWNSENDS) GRIST MILL BUILT

IN 1683,

IN 1702,

DEMOLISHED

DEMOLISHED

1883.

1891.

The

4^

First Mills.

purchased by Hugh Roberts and since then it was known The last occupant was the firm of as Roberts Mill. It was torn down in 1873, though Roberts and Heston. tried to purchase it for preservation. citizens patriotic the

were erected on the Wingohocking and Wissahickon, and at a ver}' early date are frequently mentioned The Robesons erected one at the mouth in the old deeds. Wissahickon about 1700; there was also one near the of what is now Kitchens lane on property of Johannes Gumre. It was near this mill that the early Dunkers held their first

Saw

mills

baptisms

The

In

America.

early settlers brought their handicraft with them;

number were weavers and as early as 1686 one of their number received the Governor's premium for " the At a later period first and finest piece of linen cloth." the manufacturing of Germantown wool was commenced; The first looms it was a leading industry for many years. were hand looms set up in the houses and later small shops Many of the early wills make were built on the premises. a large

disposition of the looms.

The

manufacturers had considerable trade outside of the town and they would take their goods to PhiladelIn phia and display them for sale along Market street. first

1759 Rev.

M.

Burnaby, an English traveler, relates that

Germantown annually sold sixty thousand the women pairs of stockings of their own make. About 1830 Thomas Fisher erected the first cotton mill in Germantown and a number of English frame work of

which a were conducted which number of establishments sprung up

knitters

were imported

to operate the mill, after

mostly by English weavers. Germantown, besides having the credit of erecting the first

paper mill

in

Pennsylvania, also erected the

first

tan-

The Pennsylvania-German

42

Society.

There were several small streams that passed It at through the town that were suitable for tanners. State. one time was the principal leather mart of the Many of the oldest families in the town were engaged in transforming the raw hides into leather, while others were engaged in the manufacture of shoes. These wares were

nery.

shipped

in large quantities to

adjoining States.

The fur hat business was carried on extensively in the town about 1800, but the introduction of silk hats about 1843 drove the manufacturers out of business. Among the families engaged in the manufacture of hats were the Schaeffers, Ployds, Elliotts, Greens, Bowmans and Murters.

None

of these industries are

now

carried on in

Germantown.

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