Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Northwest Philadelphia
Northwest Philadelphia is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The official boundary is Stenton Avenue to the north, the Schuylkill river to the south, Spring Ln to the west, and Wister Street to the east. The area is divided by Wissahickon Creek into two subsections...
of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city. The neighborhood is rich in historic sites and buildings from the colonial era, a few of which are open to the public.
Germantown stretches for about two miles along Germantown Avenue northwest from Windrim and Roberts Avenues. The boundaries of Germantown borough at the time it was absorbed into the city of Philadelphia
Act of Consolidation, 1854
The Act of Consolidation, more formally known as the act of February 2, 1854 , was enacted by General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and approved February 2, 1854 by Governor William Bigler...
were Wissahickon Avenue, Roberts Avenue, Wister Street, Stenton Avenue and Washington Lane. Today, the next neighborhood to the northwest, Mount Airy, starts around Johnson Street, although there is no universally recognized exact boundary. Nicetown lies to the south and Logan, Ogontz, and West Oak Lane lie to the east.
History
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
and Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
families from Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
(Germany), in 1681.
Today the founding day of Germantown on October 6, 1683, is remembered as German-American Day
German-American Day
German-American Day is a holiday in the United States, observed annually on October 6. The holiday, which celebrates German American heritage, commemorates the date in 1683 when 13 German families from Krefeld near the Rhine landed in Philadelphia. These families subsequently founded Germantown,...
, a holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, observed annually on October 6.
On August 12, 1689, William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
signed a charter constituting some of the inhabitants a corporation by the name of "the bailiff, burgesses and commonalty of Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia, in the province of Pennsylvania." Francis Daniel Pastorius
Francis Daniel Pastorius
thumb|right|300px|Home of Francis Daniel Pastorius in Germantown, PA as it appeared circa 1919Francis Daniel Pastorius was the founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania, now part of Philadelphia, the first permanent German settlement and the gateway for subsequent emigrants from Germany. He was "the...
was the first bailiff. Jacob Telner, Derick Isacks op den Graeff and his brother Abraham Isacks op den Graeff, Reynier Tyson, and Tennis Coender were burgesses, besides six committeemen. They had authority to hold "the general court of the corporation of Germantowne," to make laws for the government of the settlement, and to hold a court of record. This court went into operation in 1690, and continued its services for sixteen years. Sometimes, to distinguish Germantown from the upper portion of German township, outside the borough, the township portion was called Upper Germantown.
In 1688, five years after its founding, Germantown became the birthplace of the anti-slavery movement in America. Pastorius, Gerret Hendericks, Derick Updegraeff and Abraham Updengraef gathered at Thones Kunders's house and wrote a two-page condemnation of slavery and sent it to the governing bodies of their Quaker church, the Society of Friends. The petition was mainly based upon the Bible's Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Though the Quaker establishment took no immediate action, the The 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery
The 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery
The 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery was the first protest against African American slavery made by a religious body in the English colonies. It was drafted by Francis Daniel Pastorius and signed by him and three other Quakers living in Germantown, Pennsylvania on behalf of the...
, was an unusually early, clear and forceful argument against slavery and initiated the process of banning slavery in the Society of Friends (1776) and Pennsylvania (1780).
When Philadelphia was occupied by the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, several units were housed in Germantown. In the Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
, in 1777, the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
attacked this garrison. During the battle, a party of citizens fired on the British troops, as they marched up the Avenue, and mortally wounded British Brigadier General Agnew
Brigadier General Agnew
Brigadier-General James Tanner Agnew was a British Army officer killed by a sniper in the Battle of Germantown during the American Revolutionary War.-Arrival and military service:...
. The Americans withdrew after firing on one another in the confusion of the battle, leading to the determination that the battle resulted in a defeat of the Americans. However, the inspirational battle was considered an important victory by the feisty Americans. The American loss was 673; the British loss was 575. The battle is called a victory by the Americans because along with the Army's success under Brigadier General Horatio Gates
Horatio Gates
Horatio Lloyd Gates was a retired British soldier who served as an American general during the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga – Benedict Arnold, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and...
at Saratoga on October 17 when John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
surrendered, it led to the official recognition of the Americans by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, which formed an alliance with the Americans afterward.
During his presidency, George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and his family lodged at the Deshler-Morris House
Deshler-Morris House
The Germantown White House is a historic mansion in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
in Germantown to escape the city and the yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic of 1793. The first bank of the United States was also located here during his administration.
Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, and published in 1868...
, author of the novel Little Women
Little Women
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
, was born in Germantown in 1832. Germantown proper, and the adjacent German Township, were incorporated into the City of Philadelphia in 1854 by the Act of Consolidation
Act of Consolidation, 1854
The Act of Consolidation, more formally known as the act of February 2, 1854 , was enacted by General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and approved February 2, 1854 by Governor William Bigler...
.
Bright April
Bright April
Bright April is a 1946 children's story book written and illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli, who later won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature for another book, 1950's The Door in the Wall...
, a 1946 book written and illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli
Marguerite de Angeli
Marguerite de Angeli was a bestselling author and illustrator of children's books including the 1950 Newbery Award winning book The Door in the Wall...
, features scenes of Germantown of the 1940s while addressing the divisive issue of racial prejudice experienced by African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s, a daring topic for a children's book of that time. Selected digital images of this book are available here.
Education
Germantown, as are all areas of Philadelphia, is zoned to schools in the School District of PhiladelphiaSchool District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia is a school district based in the School District of Philadelphia Education Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that includes all public schools in the city of Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the eighth largest school district in the nation.The School...
. Germantown High School
Germantown High School (Philadelphia)
Germantown High School is a secondary school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.GHS, located in Germantown, is a part of the School District of Philadelphia....
is in Germantown.
Germantown is the location of the private Quaker schools Germantown Friends School
Germantown Friends School
Germantown Friends School is a coeducational K-12 school in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States under the supervision of Germantown Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends . It is governed by a School Committee whose members are drawn mainly...
, Greene Street Friends School, and The William Penn Charter School
William Penn Charter School
William Penn Charter School is an independent school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1689 by William Penn...
, the oldest Quaker school in the world. The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is the third-oldest school of its kind in the United States. Its founder, David G. Seixas , was a Philadelphia crockery maker-dealer who became concerned with the plight of impoverished deaf children that he observed on the city's streets...
occupies the former site of Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy is America's oldest nonsectarian day school, founded on December 6, 1759 . Germantown Academy is now a K-12 school in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington, having moved from its original Germantown campus in 1965...
, which moved to Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Fort Washington is an unincorporated census-designated place and suburb of Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,446 at the 2010 census.-Prior to the Revolutionary War:...
in 1965.
National Historic Landmark Districts
- Colonial Germantown Historic DistrictColonial Germantown Historic DistrictThe Colonial Germantown Historic District is a designated National Historic Landmark District in the Germantown and Mount Airy neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania along both sides of Germantown Avenue...
- Rittenhousetown Historic DistrictRittenhousetown Historic DistrictThe Rittenhousetown Historic District was an early industrial community where the first paper mill in British North America was built by William Rittenhouse and his son Nicholas on the north bank of Monoshone Creek near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Flax was woven into linen in nearby Germantown...
National Historic Districts
- Awbury Historic DistrictAwbury Historic DistrictThe Awbury Historic District is a historic area in the East Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The district comprises the former summer homes and farms of the extended Cope family, who moved to the area starting in 1849...
- Tulpehocken Station Historic DistrictTulpehocken Station Historic DistrictThe Tulpehocken Station Historic District is a historic area in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Large suburban houses were built in the area from about 1850 to 1900 in a variety of styles including Carpenter Gothic, Italianate, and Bracketed as part of the Picturesque...
National Historic Landmarks
- Cliveden, the estate of Benjamin ChewBenjamin ChewBenjamin Chew was a third-generation American, a Quaker-born legal scholar, a prominent and successful Philadelphia lawyer, head of the Pennsylvania Judiciary System under both Colony and Commonwealth, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Province of Pennsylvania...
, an important site during the Battle of GermantownBattle of GermantownThe Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington... - Germantown Cricket Club
- John Johnson House, a site on the Underground Railroad
- Charles Willson Peale HouseCharles Willson Peale HouseCharles Willson Peale House, also known as Belfield, was a home of Charles Willson Peale, who painted George Washington seven times.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965.-References:...
- Wyck HouseWyck HouseThe Wyck House, also called the Haines House and the Hans Millan House, is a historic mansion, museum, garden, and home farm in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
Other historic sites
- Alden Park ManorAlden Park ManorAlden Park Manor is an apartment complex located at School House Lane and Wissahickon Avenue in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.- History :...
- Barron House
- Concord School HouseConcord School House (Philadelphia)The Concord School House is a historic one-room schoolhouse in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is operated today as a museum....
- Ebenezer Maxwell HouseEbenezer Maxwell HouseThe Ebenezer Maxwell House is a historic mansion in the West Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The house was built in 1859 by Ebenezer Maxwell , a wealthy cloth merchant, for $10,000. The building's designer is uncertain, but it has been attributed to Samuel Sloan.The masonry...
- Gilbert StuartGilbert StuartGilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
Studio - Green Tree Tavern (Germantown)
- Lower Burial Ground (Hood Cemetery)
- MennoniteMennoniteThe Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
Meetinghouse - Loudoun MansionLoudoun MansionLoudoun Mansion is a historic house located in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.An example of Federal-style and Greek-revival architecture, the main structure was built by Thomas Armat in 1801. The house stands on one of the highest hills overlooking Philadelphia and the...
- The Connie MackConnie Mack (baseball)Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
House - The Upper Burial GroundUpper Burial GroundThe Upper Burial Ground is a cemetery in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is notable as the last resting place of 58 American soldiers from the Battle of Germantown in the American Revolution...
- Vernon Park
Notable residents
- Louisa May AlcottLouisa May AlcottLouisa May Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, and published in 1868...
(1832–1888), born in Germantown, noted author of the Little WomenLittle WomenLittle Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
series of books - James BarronJames BarronJames Barron was an officer in the United States Navy. Commander of the frigate USS Chesapeake, he was court-martialed for his actions on 22 June 1807, which led to the surrender of his ship to the British....
, naval hero - Martin Grove BrumbaughMartin Grove BrumbaughMartin Grove Brumbaugh, A.M., Ph.D. was Pennsylvania's 26th Governor, a Republican. He is frequently referred to as M.G. Brumbaugh, as is common in the Brumbaugh family.-Biography:...
, Governor of Pennsylvania, 1914–1919 - Charlotte Wardle Cardeza (née Drake), Titanic passenger
- Benjamin ChewBenjamin ChewBenjamin Chew was a third-generation American, a Quaker-born legal scholar, a prominent and successful Philadelphia lawyer, head of the Pennsylvania Judiciary System under both Colony and Commonwealth, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Province of Pennsylvania...
, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania - Walter Leighton ClarkWalter Leighton ClarkWalter Leighton Clark was an American businessman, inventor, and artist based in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and New York City. Among other achievements, in 1923 he founded with John Singer Sargent the Grand Central Art Galleries, located within New York City's Grand Central Terminal, to offer...
, American businessman, inventor, and artist - Bill CosbyBill CosbyWilliam Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
, entertainer - Charles DarrowCharles DarrowCharles Brace Darrow was born in Philadelphia; he is best known as the purported inventor of the Monopoly board game. Darrow was a domestic heater salesman from Germantown, a neighborhood in Philadelphia during the Great Depression. The house he lived in still stands at 40 Westview Street...
, inventor of Monopoly game - Eve Jihan Jeffers , entertainer
- Henry GibsonHenry GibsonHenry Gibson was an American actor and songwriter, best known as a cast member of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and for his recurring role as Judge Clark Brown on Boston Legal.-Early life:...
, actor - Nelson GravesNelson GravesNelson Zwinglius Graves was an American cricketer, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Graves was one of the Philadelphian cricketers that played from the end of the 19th century through the early years of the next...
, PhiladelphianPhiladelphian cricket teamThe Philadelphian cricket team was a team that represented Philadelphia in first-class cricket between 1878 and 1913. Even with the United States having played the first ever international cricket match against Canada in 1844, the sport began a slow decline in the country. This decline was...
cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er died in Germantown in 1918 - Rufus HarleyRufus HarleyRufus Harley, Jr. was an American jazz musician of mixed Cherokee and African ancestry, known primarily as the first jazz musician to adopt the Scottish great Highland bagpipe as his primary instrument.-Biography:Although born near Raleigh, North Carolina, at an early age Harley moved with...
, jazz musician - Bernard HopkinsBernard HopkinsBernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion...
, professional boxer - Maggie KuhnMaggie KuhnMaggie Kuhn was an American activist known for founding the Gray Panthers movement in 1971 after being forced into retirement by the Presbyterian Church...
, activist, founder of the Gray Panthers - George LandenbergerGeorge LandenbergerGeorge Bertram Landenberger was a United States Navy Captain and the 23rd Governor of American Samoa, from May 12, 1932 to April 10, 1934. Landenberger commanded many ships during his naval career, as well as two naval yards. He received the Navy Cross for his actions commanding the USS Indiana...
, 23rd Governor of American Samoa - George LippardGeorge LippardGeorge Lippard was a 19th-century American novelist, journalist, playwright, social activist, and labor organizer. Nearly forgotten today, he was one of the most widely-read authors in antebellum America. A friend of Edgar Allan Poe, Lippard advocated a socialist political philosophy and sought...
, 19th-century novelist, journalist, playwright, social activist, labor organizer, most widely read author in the United States, 1844–1854 - Eric LobronEric LobronEric Lobron is a German chess player of American descent. A former two-time national champion, he has been awarded the title Grandmaster by the World Chess Federation ....
, German chess champion of American descent - James LoganJames Logan (statesman)James Logan , a statesman and scholar, was born in Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland of Scottish descent and Quaker parentage. In 1689, the Logan family moved to Bristol, England where, in 1693, James replaced his father as schoolmaster...
, statesman - G. LoveG. LoveGarrett Dutton , better known as G. Love, is the frontman for the band G. Love & Special Sauce.-Biography:Dutton, the son of a banking lawyer, was born in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, and began playing guitar at age eight. He wrote his first song by the time he was in the ninth...
, born Garrett Dutton III, front man of the musical band G. Love and Special Sauce - Connie MackConnie Mack (baseball)Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
, winningest manager in Major League baseball history - J. Howard MarshallJ. Howard MarshallJames Howard Marshall II was an American business magnate, university professor, attorney, and federal government official...
, wealthy magnate and former husband of the late Anna Nicole SmithAnna Nicole SmithIn 1992 Smith was chosen by Hugh Hefner to appear on the cover of the March issue of Playboy, where she was listed as Vickie Smith, wearing a low-cut evening gown. The centerfold was photographed by Stephen Wayda. Smith said she planned to be "the next Marilyn Monroe". Becoming one of Playboys... - Jimmy McGriffJimmy McGriffJames Harrell McGriff was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who developed a distinctive style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ.-Early years and influences:...
, jazz musician - Robert L. McNeil, Jr.Robert L. McNeil, Jr.Robert Lincoln McNeil, Jr. was an American chemist and pharmaceutical industry executive. He was responsible for, among other things, the commercial development, naming, and introduction of the pain reliever Tylenol....
(1915–2010), developer of TylenolTylenolTylenol is a North American brand of drugs advertised for reducing pain, reducing fever, and relieving the symptoms of allergies, cold, cough, and flu. The active ingredient of its original, flagship product, paracetamol , is marketed as an analgesic and antipyretic...
and chairman of McNeil LaboratoriesMcNeil LaboratoriesMcNeil Consumer Healthcare is a medicals products company belonging to the Johnson & Johnson healthcare products group.-History:The company was founded on March 16, 1879 by 23-year-old Robert McNeil, who paid $167 for a drugstore complete with fixtures, inventory and soda fountain, as a retail... - George T. MorganGeorge T. MorganGeorge T. Morgan was an English United States Mint engraver, who is famous for designing many popular coins, such as the Morgan Dollar, and the Columbian Exposition half dollar.-Biography:...
, former chief engraver at the United States MintUnited States MintThe United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State... - Francis Daniel PastoriusFrancis Daniel Pastoriusthumb|right|300px|Home of Francis Daniel Pastorius in Germantown, PA as it appeared circa 1919Francis Daniel Pastorius was the founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania, now part of Philadelphia, the first permanent German settlement and the gateway for subsequent emigrants from Germany. He was "the...
, leader of Germantown settlement - Sun RaSun RaSun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
, surrealist and musician - Edmund RandolphEdmund RandolphEdmund Jennings Randolph was an American attorney, the seventh Governor of Virginia, the second Secretary of State, and the first United States Attorney General.-Biography:...
, the first United States Attorney GeneralUnited States Attorney GeneralThe United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government... - David RittenhouseDavid RittenhouseDavid Rittenhouse was a renowned American astronomer, inventor, clockmaker, mathematician, surveyor, scientific instrument craftsman and public official...
, astronomer, mathematician, first director of the United States Mint - Owen J. Roberts, Supreme Court Justice
- Charley RossCharley RossCharles Brewster Ross was the primary victim of the first kidnapping for ransom in America to receive widespread attention from the media.-Abduction:...
, four-year-old kidnapping victim in 1874 - Francis SchaefferFrancis SchaefferFrancis August Schaeffer was an American Evangelical Christian theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor. He is most famous for his writings and his establishment of the L'Abri community in Switzerland...
, theologian, especially influential as an Apologist - Ron SiderRon SiderRonald James Sider is a Canadian-born American theologian and Christian activist. He is often identified by others with the Christian left, though he personally disclaims any political inclination. He is the founder of Evangelicals for Social Action, a think-tank which seeks to develop biblical...
, founder, Evangelicals for Social Action - Gilbert StuartGilbert StuartGilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
, painter - Frederick Winslow TaylorFrederick Winslow TaylorFrederick Winslow Taylor was an American mechanical engineer who sought to improve industrial efficiency. He is regarded as the father of scientific management and was one of the first management consultants...
, engineer, management theorist, and consultant - Meldrick TaylorMeldrick TaylorMeldrick Taylor is a former Olympic gold medalist and world boxing champion in two weight classes.-Amateur career:...
, professional boxer - Bill TildenBill TildenWilliam Tatem Tilden II , nicknamed "Big Bill," is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. An American tennis player who was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of...
, tennis player - George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, first president of the United States. Lived in Germantown briefly at the Deshler-Morris HouseDeshler-Morris HouseThe Germantown White House is a historic mansion in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. - Grover Washington, Jr.Grover Washington, Jr.Grover Washington, Jr. was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with George Benson, John Klemmer, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre.He wrote some of his material and...
, saxophonist - Owen WisterOwen WisterOwen Wister was an American writer and "father" of western fiction.-Early life:Owen Wister was born on July 14, 1860, in Germantown, a well-known neighborhood in the northwestern part of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Owen Jones Wister, was a wealthy physician, one of a long line of...
, author
External links
- Web pages Describing Historic Germantown
- Art by Joseph Ropes (1812–1885), Scene in Germantown, Pa., 1874
- Art by Anna Peale Sellers (1824–1905), Belfield Farm (near Germantown)
- Art by William Britton, Market Square, Germantown, c. 1820
- Greater Germantown Housing Development Corporation
- East Germantown Blight Certification, City Planning Commission, 2003
- Phillyhistory.org, Historic Photographs of Philadelphia, City Archives
- Germantown Historical Society
- A small collection of Germantown general court records, which cover the years from 1691 to 1701 and include information on disputes related to land, apprenticeships, sales of goods, personal matters, and other issues, is available for research use at the Historical Society of PennsylvaniaHistorical Society of PennsylvaniaThe Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a historical society founded in 1824 and based in Philadelphia. The Society's building, designed by Addison Hutton and listed on Philadelphia's Register of Historical Places, houses some 600,000 printed items and over 19 million manuscript and graphic items...
. - G-town Radio: The Sound from Germantown, G-town Radio is an internet radio station located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The website says, "Our mission is to become an outlet for local content, community news and great music."
Resources
- Chronology of the Political Subdivisions of the County of Philadelphia, 1683–1854
- Information courtesy of ushistory.org
- Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, 1854 By Rudolph J. Walther – excerpted from the book at the ushistory.org website