Rittenhouse ─ The Saga of an American Family

Migrating to America and 1688, Wilhelm Rittinghausen became the first Mennonite minister and just before he died, the first Mennonite Bishop in America. He also established the first paper mill in North America. Before he died he changed his name to William Rittenhouse, helped write the first protest against slavery in America and established one of the most distinguished families in America.

His progeny includes several patriots in the Revolutionary War, a world renowned astronomer, mathematician and scientist who became the first Secretary of the U.S. Mint, and who Thomas Jefferson labeled "America's first genius".

Also included in this blood line are famous military officers, scientists, judges, legislators, poets, writers and adventurers. It is a family line truly blessed with interesting and intriguing characters who not only witnessed the history of America being made, but also made American history.

The stories J. D. Rittenhouse tells about his family are sure to captivate and entertain anyone interested in the history of the United States has seen through the eyes of common, yet heroic people who contributed so much to this great country.

Rittenhouse: The Saga of an American Family is a thoughtful story of a family not unlike most American families, yet it is a story of an extraordinary journey through American history has seen through the eyes of one family. It is the saga of the Rittenhouse family.

J. D. Rittenhouse is a retired attorney who became interested in his family history as a young man when he learned of a famous poet named Jessie Rittenhouse.

His parents divorced while he was still a baby. Because of the demands on women in the workforce during WWII he was placed in a home where he lived off and on until he was about 10 years old. He knew very little about the paternal side of his family. After learning of Jesse Rittenhouse he then found out that his ninth great-grandfather built the first paper mill in North America.

Excited by these findings he then dug a little deeper and found that is seventh grade uncle was the first Secretary of the United States Mint. Further inquiry into his family history had to wait until his retirement from his law practice fifteen years ago. For the last 15 years Mr. Rittenhouse has been researching and writing about his family history.

He was born in Flint, Michigan and spent his formative years in Lansing. Now a widower, he is currently a resident of San Diego, California.