File:The guide book to historic Germantown (1902) (14783017023).jpg

Identifier: guidebooktohisto01jenk (find matches)
Title: The guide book to historic Germantown
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Jenkins, Charles Francis, 1865-1951 Site and Relic Society of Germantown (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Subjects:
Publisher: Germantown
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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Text Appearing Before Image:
The Billmyer house stands at the northeast corner of Main
and Upsal Streets. It was erected about 1727, and formerly
was one house. At the time of the Battle it was owned and
occupied by the widow Deshler and her family. It was at this
house that Washington paused in his march down the Main
Street at the time of the Battle, having discovered that the
Chew mansion was occupied by the British. At that time there
was no house between this and the Chew house. The tradi-
tion is that Washington stood on a horse block, telescope in
hand, trying in vain to penetrate the smoke and fog and discover
the force of the enemy entrenched in the Chew mansion. The
stone cap of the horse block on which he stood is still preserved,
and the telescope, is now in possession of the Germantown
Academy. The house later suffered greatly at the hands of the British
soldiers who were quartered here. Its woodwork yet bears the
marks of bullets and of attempts made by the soldiers to set it on
fire. About 1788 it was bought by Michael Billmyer, a cele-
brated German printer, who here carried on his trade. The
upper portion is still in possession of his family. Note the tablet
erected by the Site and Relic Society.

The odd building adjoining the Meeting House, No. 6611
Main Street, was used as the parsonage, and parts of it are

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Text Appearing After Image:

David Rittenhouse's Birthplace

123

HISTORIC GERMANTOWN

said to be two hundred years old. Near it, in the Main Street,
at the Battle of Germantown General Nash was mortally
wounded and Major Witherspoon was killed by the same can-
non ball. Major Witherspoon was buried in the yard adjoining.
In later years his brother and sister came on from Princeton to
secure his remains, but they were in such a condition that the
attempts were abandoned and the body was again buried in
the graveyard of the Lutheran Church, a short distance
above.

The Church of the Brethern, or Dunkards, 6613 Main
Street, above Sharpnack Street, is the mother congregation of
this sect in America. The Dunkards came to this country in
1719 and were gathered into a church organization in 1723 by
Peter Becker, who was their first elder and pastor. They
worshipped for many years in the homes of their members until
about 1760, when they occupied a log building which stood
in front of the meeting house. The front portion of the
present building was erected in 1770 and the rear portion in
1897.
In the Meeting House a tablet has been erected to the
memory of Christopher Sauer by Charles G. Sower, as follows:

125

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