Lewis James Heatwole

“ The first baptismal service known to have been held here was on Sunday May 9, 1708, and the first recorded communion meeting was held May 23, 1708.
Within the first year after the establishment of the colony, the first death occurred, the mother of the three Opdengraff brothers. The first Mennonite meeting house in America was built at Germantown of logs in the year 1708. The same building was also used as a schoolhouse. It was here that the first Mennonite school teacher taught the children to read and write and to conduct themselves after the order of Christian etiquette. ”

“ The first colony of Mennonites in America to stand the test of permanency was established at Germantown, Pennsylvania, late in the year 1683. Of the first arrivals there were thirteen men and their families, making a total of thirty-three persons. ”

“ Margaret Smith Susanna Knorr Jacob Kolb Anna Bennr Hester Funk David Getter John Minnich John Rife Margaret Rittenhouse John Keyser Elizabeth Keyser Dillman Kolb Hannes Schneider Isaac Benner Abram Benner. ”