Dewees House Marker

Who would guess that a simple marker near Chestnut Hill College holds a tale of paper, faith, and revolution? The Dewees House Marker commemorates the home of William Dewees, a significant figure in early American history. This spot, once bustling with activity, was the site of Dewees’s home, which doubled as the Whitemarsh Reformed Church from 1710 to 1745. Imagine services held within these very walls, the murmur of prayers mingling with the rustle of paper from the nearby mill. Across the road, Dewees built the second paper mill in America around 1710, a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit. This wasn’t just a house; it was a hub of both industry and faith. William Dewees was more than a papermaker and church founder. He was a patriarch. His son, William Mehls Dewees, became the Sheriff of Philadelphia. Picture this: July 8, 1776. The air crackles with anticipation. Sheriff Dewees stands before a crowd, his voice ringing out, “Under the authority of the Continental Congress and by order of the Committee of Safety, I proclaim a declaration of independence!” The crowd erupts. History unfolds before their eyes. The Dewees family legacy continued with William Mehls Dewees’s own son, William Farmar Dewees. He owned and operated Valley Forge, the very place where Washington and his troops endured the harsh winter of 1777-1778. The Dewees House wasn’t just a home; it was a cradle of American history, a testament to the interwoven threads of faith, industry, and revolution. The Dewees House Marker serves as a humble reminder of this remarkable family’s contributions to the shaping of a nation.