John Rittenhouse

Other Events and Attributes:

• Will: 19 Mar 1796, Roxborough Twp, Philadelphia Co, Pennsylvania

Notes:

JOHN was a miller as well as a farmer. HIs occupation is shown on his will as "Laborer" which is rather unusual. In most cases he would be shown as a "Miller" or "yoeman" (farmer). It is also unusual that he signed his will with "his mark" and not his signature. He and his wife Margaret were both Mennonites.


Will:
In the name of GOD, amen, I John Rittenhouse of the Roxborough Township in the County of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Laborer, being of sound disposing mind and memory and understanding, thanks be to given to God therefore, calling to mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in the following manner and form that is to say principally and first of all I recommend my soul unto God who gave it to me and my body to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named, and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life - Imprimis - I will and order that all my just debts, funeral expenses and probate of my will be fully paid and discharged. Item - I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Margaret all my estate both real and personal of what kind soever and wherever the same may be found from the day of my decease, for and duringthe whole term of her natural life, after her decease that the remaining part of my estate be divided share and share alike between my children hereinafter named that is to Michael, Jacob, Daniel, Margaret, Nancy, Cornelius, Susanna and Henry. Item - I will and order that all of my estate remaining after the decease of my wife Margaret be divided between my children share and share alike provided my said wife Margaret is not pregnant at the time of my decease but in case she is with child by me then in such case I will and order that if the said child be born alive that my estate real and personal remaining after the decease of my beloved wife Margaret, shall be divided between my said children that is Michael, Jacob, Daniel, Margaret, Nancy, Cornelius, Susanna, Henry and the child of mine yet unborn, share and share alike, to receive the same upon their coming to age respectively, and in case one or any of my children should die under age or without leaving lawful issue, then I will and order that survivor or survivors of my children shall inherit the share or shares of survivors then share and share alike. Lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my said beloved wife Margaret Executrix, my sons Jacob and Daniel Executors of this my last Will and Testament herein thereby giving them or their survivors of them full power and authority to execute and to make and execute, acknowledge a good and lawful and sufficient Title or Title Deed or Deeds of conveyance in fee simple for all or any part of my real estate to the purchaser or purchasers the same and I do hereby discount and revoke all other wills and Testaments, Legacies and Executors by me at any time heretofore made willed or appointed ratifying this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this twelfth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety six. John X Rittenhouse Seal His Mark Signed sealed, published, pronounced and declared in the presence of us. Jacob Markle Michael Dickert

John married Margaret Conrad on 7 Sep 1767 in Swede Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Margaret was born on 7 Mar 1749 in Creshiem, Germantown, Philadelphia Co, Pennsylvania; died on 10 Apr 1812 in Roxborough Twp, Philadelphia Co, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Burial: Vineland Mennonite Burying Ground
July 1800, Immigrated to Lincoln County, Upper Canada, Clinton Township
Pioneer of the Rittenhouse family in Canada

Michael married Dianna Fretz on 11 Jun 1793 in Germantown, Bucks Co, Pennsylvania. Dianna (daughter of John Fretz and Mary Kolb) was born on 30 May 1768 in Bucks Co, Pennsylvania; died on 7 Sep 1801 in Clinton Twp, Lincoln Co, Onterio, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Michael married Barbara Hunsburger on 5 Mar 1803 in Canada. Barbara was born in 1784; died in 1849. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Tillman Houser on 13 Apr 1813. Tillman (son of Jacob Houser and Susannah Kolb) was born on 9 Oct 1791 in Lincoln, Onterio, Canada; died on 31 Jan 1871. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Margaret married Joseph Fretz about 1816. Joseph was born about 1796; died after 1831. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Anna married Abraham Hunsburger on 13 Feb 1817. Abraham was born about 1798; died after 1837. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

There were ten children, one of which was Moses Rittenhouse, of which was written by Miss M. Burkholder in her article in the Hamilton Spectator (19 May 1951) in reference to Moses Rittenhouse of Vineland as "A Philanthropist, who did not fot his hometown." Moses Rittenhouse was thr grandson of the origional settler, Michael. The boy received only a public school education yet by his thrift and energy he became a very rich man. He went to Chicago and made a fortune in lumber. During the years of his residence there Moses Rittenhouse usually found time to return to his old neighborhood during the summer. The people of Vineland soon learned that they could ask almost anything of their benevolent friend and he listened to them with sympathy. He was a fairy prince come to life. So Vineland got a ballfield and park, a Rittenhouse school, a community hall and an avenue flanked with evergreens. He also gave the original block of land of about seventy acres for the developement of an experimental station at the foot of the Vinland Road near the lake shore. This has since been added to and has achieved worldwide fame. It is now known as the Horticultural Experiment Station, Vinland.

John married Elizabeth Funk about 1820. Elizabeth was born about 1800 in Bucks Co, Pennsylvania; died after 1845. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elizabeth married David Fretz on 24 Apr 1824. David was born about 1804; died after 1846. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Agnes married Jacob Hunsburger about 1826. Jacob was born about 1806; died after 1842. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jacob and Sarah were buried in Moyers Burying Ground.

Jacob married Sarah (..) Rittenhouse after 1828. Sarah was born about 1808; died after 1829. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Susannah married Peter Culp about 1830. Peter was born about 1810; died after 1852. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Christopher married Barbara Culp about 1832. Barbara was born about 1812; died after 1850. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Michael married Anna Brewer about 1835. Anna was born about 1815; died after 1856. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Sarah married Henry Stoner about 1837. Henry was born about 1817; died after 1848. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Henry married Mary Johnson about 1839. Mary was born about 1819; died after 1845. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Michael married Barbara Moyer on 12 Mar 1839. Barbara (daughter of Jacob Moyer and Catherine (..) Moyer) was born on 6 Jul 1821 in of, Canada and New York; died after 1861. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]