File:The guide book to historic Germantown (1902) (14763153985).jpg

Identifier: guidebooktohisto01jenk (find matches)
Title: The guide book to historic Germantown
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Jenkins, Charles Francis, 1865-1951 Site and Relic Society of Germantown (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Subjects:
Publisher: Germantown
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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nt of PrincetonCollege, killed in the Battle, as well as those of many of theearly settlers of the town. At No. 6749 Main Street, George Hesser, at the time ofthe Battle, had just completed the cellar for his new house.Such a good-sized excavation proved too great a temptation forthose who were burying the dead, and it was used for this pur-pose. Hesser was consequently obliged to abandon this site,and started again farther down the road. The old cellar is sup-posed to be about where the gateway enters on the north. Thebarn bears the date 1777, and was probably completed before thehouse. The property is now in possession of the Bayard family. An account of life in Germantown, with some interestinglocal details during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, will befound in Elizabeth Drinkers Journal. Henry Drinker, his wifeElizabeth, and a portion of their family, lodged with George^Hesser from July 8th to November 16th of that year. At 6843 Main Street is the Paul house, occupied at the128
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a. 13 129 HISTORIC GERMANTOWN time of the Battle by the Gorgas family. The door jams con-tain bullet marks and there are other evidences and traces ofdamage. To save their cows the family penned them up in thekitchen. In the front yard, nearly opposite the window, at theleft of the front door, stood a big linden tree in which fourcannon balls found lodgment. During the century after theBattle, the heart having rotted away, allowed the balls to fall tothe ground inside the hollow trunk. One morning Miss Paulwas digging away at the root of the stump to plant some flow-ers, when out rolled the balls. Back in a field in the angle formed by the Reading Railroadand Gorgas Lane and about equidistant from each, is the oldUnruh homestead. The house is still roofed with earthen tilesunder the later covering of tin. After the Battle woundedsoldiers were quartered here. It is not known when the oldhouse was built. The Unruhs came from Germany. On the opposite side of the railroad is another old h

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