Misc. Notes
This source identified her as Wilhelmina. Her father-in-law was William Rittenhouse. [In 1690 Rittenhouse started the first paper mill in America. It became the major paper manufacturing mill in America for over one hundred years and was carried on by later generations of Rittenhouses.]
We have a tradition from some of the older members of the family, long since dead, that there were two brothers and a sister who emigrated to New York in the latter part of the [17]th century.
The sister married a Rittenhouse, and of the brothers, William settled in Pennsylvania and Lewis settled in Delaware. Another account shows that William had a brother Cornelius, who in partnership with William, purchased land in Bebbertown on the Skippack in 1708.
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Wilhelmina, with her parents and brothers, Willem, Cornelius and Lewis emigrated to New York in the year 1688, and soon after removed to Germantown, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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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.”
Wilhelmina de Wees had three brothers, Cornelius, William and Lewis. Their parents were Garrett [sic] Hendricks and Zytian de Wees, who bought land in Germantown.
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[See more about Holland, the Netherlands and Leeuwarden, the place of Wilhelmina’s birth (and others within this database) in her brother Willem’s (1678-1745) notes.]
Spouses
Birth Date15 Jun 1666
Birth PlaceAmsterdam, Noord Holland, NETHERLANDS
Death PlacePennsylvania, USA
Burial PlaceGermantown Mennonite Cemetery, Germantown, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA
OccupationPaper Maker1198
Misc. Notes
Rev. Nicholas "Klaus" Rettinghouse AKA Rittenhausen, Mennonite Minister.
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RITTINGHAUSEN, Claus. Roxbury, co of Philadelphia. Paper maker. May 4, 1734/5. Jun 4 1734. E.280.
Wife: Willemijin.
Children: William, Leitie, Catherine, Mary, Henry, Henry (sic), Mathias, Susannah. Brother Jerrad. Exec:Willemijin and Jerrad Rittinghausen.
Wit:Jacob Rincker, George Haas, William Dewees, Henry Pastorious.
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Claus was either a nickname or his middle name.
3
Family ID6238
Marr PlaceNew Amsterdam (New York)
Marr MemoOld Dutch Reformed Church
Misc. Notes
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.
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).
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Originally spelled Rittenhausen, Nicholas and Wilhelmina’s children changed the name to Rittenhouse.
Information can be found about [the Rittenhouse family] in the Rittenhouse Genealogy by David Cassell. You can get a copy from the Higginsons Book Company in Philadelphia.
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New Amsterdam was a 17th century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City.
3746