A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
History
A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
Architecture -- Pennsylvania; Art -- Pennsylvania; Historic buildings -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Guidebooks; Pennsylvania -- History
Out Skippack Road, on road from Center Square to HEEBNERVILLE,
Washington’s headquarters, October 16; residence of Peter Wentz, still
standing, two story, stone, built, 1758. Out Township line to
KULPSVILLE, on Sumneytown Road, Baptist or Mennonite meeting house, here
are buried General Francis Nash of North Carolina, and other officers
who died of wounds received in the Battle of Germantown. Northwest, one
mile, HARLEYSVILLE, residence of Henry Funk, Bishop of Mennonite Church,
who with the Dunkards of Ephrata, made translation, in 1748, from the
German, of Tielman Jan van Braght’s great historical book of the
Mennonites, termed the noblest specimen of American colonial
bibliography; Henry Funk’s mill, still standing, known as Musselman’s
Mill, contains a parchment deed, date, 1733, with great seal of the
province and signature of Thomas Penn.
Return to Skippack Road, to Pennypacker’s Mills, SCHWENKSVILLE,
residence of the late Governor Samuel Pennypacker, two story, stone
house, Washington’s headquarters before and after Battle of Germantown;
army marched down Skippack Road, 7.00 P.M., October 3, to attack the
enemy; here October 7, Washington received a committee of Friends,
appointed by the Yearly Meeting, against war; Schwenksville was settled
by Schwenkfelders from Silesia in 1734; Casper Schwenkfeld preached, in
1523, doctrines accepted by George Fox in 1648, were forerunners of
Quakers. Perkiomen Seminary, at Pennsburg, originated in a school
founded by Schwenkfelders, 1764. Down Perkiomen Creek road, over finest
old stone bridge in state, five arches, built, 1799, architect, George
Lewis, carries Ridge Road over Perkiomen Creek at COLLEGEVILLE, Ursinus
College; Co-ed Lutheran, portraits by Albert Rosenthal. And old
Providence meeting house.
One mile west, at TRAPPE, Augustus Church, oldest Lutheran church in
United States; built, 1743; unaltered; used as hospital for American
soldiers during Revolutionary war; Henry Melchior Muhlenberg was sent
from Halle, Germany, in 1742, to organize this church in Pennsylvania;
first regularly ordained preacher, reports he sent to Halle supply much
early, original information. His sons, born here, were General Peter
Muhlenberg, pastor of church in Shenandoah Valley, who called on his
congregation to enlist in the Revolutionary War, and Frederich Augustus,
speaker, First National Congress, 1789. EVANSBURG, St. James Protestant
Episcopal Church and schoolhouse, built about 1700, contains Bible,
prayer book, and old walnut Communion table, sent over by the English
Society in 1723, to its foreign mission. Revolutionary soldiers are
buried in the church yard. Here is an eight arch stone bridge, date
1792.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account