In the year 1677, William Penn, after a sojourn in Holland, 
proceeded to Germany, where he stopped at several villages 
along the River Rhine, August 23d, reaching Kreigsheim, 
where he met many who after became members of the "Ger- 
man Company," and a few who became settlers in his new 
commonwealth beyond the seas. 
Before arriving at the land-mark in view, — Germantown 
through the "Germanopolis" of Pastorius — it may be well to 
define it, for oft-repeated references mark its life as far 
exceeding the arbitrary lines which would confine it to a 
given area. To be exact is difficult, if not impossible, and the 
cause is apparent, for from the coming of the immigrant 
until our own times, Germantown has preserved its integrity, 
and the country surrounding, looking to it as its village seat, 
resorted to it for many needs. It thus became the market, 
post-office, meeting place; its stores, schools, and churches 
long accommodated outlying neighboring districts, parts of 
Penn, Roxborough, White Marsh, and Bristol Townships 
became intimately connected with it, — so that in writing, or 
in criticising, these intimate relations should always be kepi 
in mind. To illustrate, "Stenton," "Fisher's Mills," "Wake- 
field," "Belfield," "Rittenhouse Paper Mill," and other sites 
and names equally as well known, were never in German- 
town, although it is rare to find them referred to in any 
other way. The early importance of Germantown should 
also be remembered. We know much about other colonial 
settlements, but our own, because always with us, we are apt 
to slight. 
"Why is it that the worth of Germantown as a new 
settlement is not more generally recognized?" If John Fiske 
in "The Quaker and Dutch Colonies in America" found 
three pages sufficient for its presentation, was it because he 
had a greater breadth, and that we lose ourselves in local- 
isms? Or is it, that from the historic current, he caught the 
vital spark while we stand helpless in its after-glow? Previous 
to the year 1648, between Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, 
upon the site of the old city of Philadelphia, there was not 
