| Notes |
- A Hendrick Zellen was baptized in the Reformed Church at Crefeld, Germany on October 17, 1666. He was the son of Jacob and Marieken Zellen. He was probably the Hendrick Sellen who lived in Crefeld and settled in the Mennonite colony of Germantown, PA in 1685, two years after the the colony was founded. In that year he purchased 100 acres of land there. He became a naturalized citizen on May 7, 1691. He was a very active in civic and Mennonite activities for 50 years. He returned once to Germany as a legal representative for several colonists. In addition to his farm(s) he operated an [flax seed] oil mill. In 1735 Henry purchased 200 acres of land [lat. 39.775966 lon. -77.043989] and improvements on the frontier of Pennsylvania from John Lemon. This land, now in Union Township, Adams County, PA, was a part of Digges Choice, disputed land claimed by Maryland. In 1736 he sold his oil mill in Germantown, PA and became part of the frontier German community. His name appears frequently on petitions concerning the Digges Choice land dispute.
Henry married (1) Mary and had children: Peter, Jacob, Maria Indehoven, John, Adam, Barbara Tyson and Elizabeth Van Fossen. He married (2) Margaret and had children: Anthony, Abraham, Esther Bankert, Henry, Jr. and Catherine Ulrich. He may have had a third wife. Letters of Administration were issued to his wife Margaret and two other men on October 13, 1749 and an inventory of his estate was made on November 1, 1749. Henry was probably buried on his farm as there were no cemeteries in the area at this early date.
[Source: The Sell Families of Adams and York Counties, PA by Kenneth Sell, Chapter 1, pp 1-28, by Richard
The first Naturalization (Citizenship) was held in Germantown, Pennsylvania 7 March 1691. All foreigners, those immigrants who were not from the British Commonwealth, had to go through this process before they could own land. The document below is a copy of the only known original parchment held by the William Emmert Swigard Treasure Room in Beechly Library at Juanita College, Huntingdon, Pa. Copies of this rare document were kindly distributed by Mr. Paul Rittenhouse Sr. at the Rittenhouse Reunion in October 2003 at Lancaster, Pa. You will find the names of WILHELM RETTINGHAUSEN and his son CLAES (Nicholas) and many other names connected to the Rittenhouse family.
COPIA NATURALISATIONIS.
Francis Daniel Pastorius and of sixty-one persons more.
German Town.
WILLIAM PENN, ESQ.
Dated 7th May, A. D., 1691.
" William Penn, Proprietary of the Province of Pensilvania, &c. By the King and Queen's authority. To all to whom these Presents shall come. Sends greeting, &c. Whereas, Francis Daniel Pastorius, Jacob Telner, Dirick Isaacs Op de Graef, Herman Isaacs Op de Graef, Tennis Conderts, Abraham Isaacs Op de Graef, Jacob Isaacs, Johannes Cassels, Hewart Papen, Herman Bon, Albertus Brandt, Jacob Schumacher, Wolter Simens, Dirick Keyser, Arnold Cassel, Dirick Keyser, Jr., Jan Lensen, Jan Duplouvys, Peter Schumacher, Peter Schumacher, Jr., Isaac Dilbceck, Jan Doeden, Abraham Tennis, Willm Rittenghuysen, Claes Rittinghuysen, Johannes Custers, Henrich Buchholts, Isaac Jacobs, Matthis Jacobs, Wiggerd Levering, Isaac Schoffer, Clas Tamsen, Hans Milan, Dirick Sellen, Hendrick Sellen, Paul Wolff, Lenart Arens, Arent Klincken, Paul Kastner, Willem Streipers,.Koendradt Backer, Viet Scherkes, Hans Peter Umstad, Anthony Duplouvys, Heinrich Kesselberg, Reinert Tissen, Jan Lucken. Peter Klever, Heinrich Frey, Hans Andrees Kramer,'Jurgen Schumacher, Isack Schumacher, Peter Kurlis, Gerhard Levering, Johannes Bleikers, Herman Op de Trap, Dirick 'op de Kolck, Cornelis Siverts, Reinier Hermans, Anthony Loof.. Andrees Souplis, Jan Williams, High and Low Germans, Inhabitants and owners of land in German Town and in the County of Philadelphia, being foreigners, and so not freemen. according to the acceptation of the law of England, have requested to be made freemen of the said Province, pursuant to the Powers granted by the King's Letters patent and Act of Union and Naturalization, &s, made in this government. Now, Know Ye. that for the further Incouragement of the Industry and Sobriety of the.said Inhabitants and for the better and further Security of their Estates real and personal, to them and their heirs,.They, the said Inhabitants. having Solemnly promised upon Record in the County Court of Philadelphia, aforesaid, faith and Allegiance to William and Mary, King, and Queen of England, &c., and fidelity and lawful Obedience to me,according to the King's Letters patent, aforesaid, I do declare, and by these presents Confirm them the said Inhabitants before named, to be Freemen of this government, and that they shall be accordingly held and reputed in as full and ample manner as any person or persons residing therein. And that they, the said Freemen, have liberty and freedom hereby to trade and traffick in this Colony or in any of the King's Dominions and Plantations, as other good subjects may lawfully do without any manner of Lett,.Hinderance or Molestation Whatsoever. Witness: Thomas LLoyd, Deputy Govern'r of the Province of Pensilvania, &c., given at Philadelphia, aforesaid, with the assent of the Provincial Council, the Seventh day of the third-month, Anno Domi, 1691, and in the third year of the reign of King William and Queen Mary over England, &c."
Written on the outside of the parchment. EX LIBRIS. Christian Lehman To he laid by for my Children.
Dat'd Philadelphia., August 23d, 1771.
Recorded in the Rolls' Office, at Philadelphia, the thirtieth Day of the third-month, 1691. Patent Book A, folio, 275, 1
Exq Da. Lloyd Deputy.
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1666 - 1749 (83 years)
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