Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-06
| and homage; and that in thus honoring them
| they honor themselves and our common coun-
try"

The Settlement of Germantown.
IN AMERICA-THETR GOVERNMENT, DWELLINGS.
INDUSTRIOUS HABITS, DC.
The bi-centennial of the settlement OF Ger
mans I'm America takes one back to the year
1851, in the town of Frankfort, where a society
OF Germans was formed with a view to send out
settlers to the new country. Through Francis
Daniel PastOrius, a lawyer and agent for the
society. 5, 700 acres were bought from William
Penn. near the city Of Philadelphia, and the Ger
maDtown settlement was first taken up August
IL. 1858 This organization was first composed
often gentlemen. They bought %, 100 acres of
land from William Penn. 223T acres
were set apart for the Manatanny
patent. and the balance for Germantown
In 1858 immigration from Europe came pouring
into the new world, England Ireland Wales
Holland and Germany being fairly represented.
Inc Germans were from Cresheim, near Worms.
ana nearly all OF them members of the Society
Oh Friends, their conversion was due to William
Ames, an Englishman. and foremost advocate
OF the religious principles of the Quakers; like
wise also to the efforts of VIM. Penn They
came for conscience sake. They were usually
called
Their native cities Cresheim and Crefelt, were
Palatinate. Shortly after their arrival. news
came that war ensued in Ger
many, and this Palatinate was laid
waste by the French. Some of the settlers who
were staying in Philadelphia for a time suffered
considerably by fire. but helping hands were
found among the Friends. The passports of the
settlers given them by their native authorities
were written with gold ink on parchment and
elegantly gotten up. Land was sold to them at
one smiling per acre. Record Is made of the
1OlioWing-named settlers: PastOrius. who was
Chief among them; Herman op den Graf, Dirk
Sp aen Gran. Abraham OPP den Graft,
Sewart Arets, Thomas Hunder,
Abraham Tunes, Jan Jensen, VIM. Streygert,
Reiner Tysen. Jan Lurken. Dennis Conrad,
Wlshert Leyering. who lived to the age of 100,
and Jacob Snyder. who lived to be g. The
houses were made Of logs and the interstices
were filled with river PUSHES, wattels and clay
intermixed. These were of one story. with the
gable ends to the street. Most of the roofs
were tiled. Germantown was Incorporated as a
borough town by patent from VIM Penn ex-
ecuted in England in 1859. Francis Daniel
Pastorius was made first bailiff. Jacob
Selner, Dirk Isaacs, op den Graft and
Herman op den Graft three burghers, to
act as ex-off1cio magistrates and eight yeoman,
all together formed general court to sit once
month. They made laws and laid taxes
Somewhere in LOG, the town lost it's charter for
want OF due election. officers could not be
found willing to serve. PastOrius i'm letter to
VIM Penn. sometime between 1701-2, stated his
uhiCuIty 10 get men TO serve IN the general
court Tor conscience sake. and probably to the
oaths used in court. His hope then was in the
expected arrival Of new emigrants.
OLD COURT RECORDS
An extract from the records of the court will
SHOW the consideration and accommodation be-
slowed in these days: 1923, the Dist day of
18th MONTHLY reason of the absence of some
Tor religious meeting over Schuylkill, this court
was adjourned till the 4th of I'd month, 1893"
''l701, the Goth day of 18th month. Rener
Peter. for calling the sheriff. on open street. a
rascal and liar, was fined 20 shlings" 1t is
doubted in these days if such an arraignment
would satisfy the INJURED honor of that official
"1!O3-4, sth day. 18th month"; George Muller
Tor drunkenness. was sentenced to FIVE DAYS
Imprisonment. Item-tO pay the constable two
smiling for serving the warrant in the case of
MS laying wager to smoke above
one hundred pipes in one day."
me inhabitants were highly spoken of by Penn
I'D his letters, as being industrious, and with
habits peculiar to themselves. They early began
the manufacture of linen and wooden goods and
established good TRADE. Benjamin Lay was
the first to declare publicly against slave-holding
Tie was in communion with Germantown
Friends. and this society in 1855 addressed the
Philadelphia yearly meeting at Burlington pro
testing against the buying. selling. and holding
men IN slavery. declaring it, in their opinion, an
act irrecOncilable with the precepts of the
Christian religion"