WATSON'S ANNALS OF PHILADELPHIA Vol 2 Printed in 1857 Pages 42 - 45 Intimately connected with the fame and reputation of Germantown is the now frequently visited stream, the Wissahiccon, made attractive by its still native wildness, and rugged, rocky, woody character; there is also there, under the nme of the "MONASTERY OF THE WISSAHICCON," a three-storied ancient stone building of an oblong square, situated on high ground, near to a woody, romantic dell, through which the Wissahiccon finds its meandering way. About this house, so secluded and little known to the mass of the people, there have been sundry vague and mysterious reports and traditions of its having been once occupied as a monastery. A name, and purpose of use, sufficiently startling, even now, to the sensibility of sundry protestants. The place was last owned and occupied by Joshua Garsed --- a large manufacturer of flax-thread, twine, &c. --- who has shut up many of the windows, which were formerly equal to four to every chamber, making two on every front or angle of the square. Those who saw the structure sixty years ago, say that it then had a balcony all around the house at the floor of the second story. The tale told in the early days of the present aged neighbours was, that it once contained monks of "the Seventh-day Baptist Order", and that they used wooden blocks for pillows [like those at Ephrata], scalloped out so as to fit the head. With such traditionary data for a starting point, it has become matter of interest to many, who are curious in the history of the past, to learn what further facts we can produce, concerning the premises. If the house should have been built as early as 1708 --- when Kelpius, the hermit, died "at the Ridge", it may have been constructed by the forty students from Germany --- the Pietists who came out in 1694, with Kelpius, to live a single life in the wilderness; but if it was built, as is most probable, and as has been said, by Joseph Gorgas, a Tunker-Baptist, who intended it as a branch of the brotherhood established at Ephrata near Lancaster, and to whom he afterwards moved and joined himself, --- then he must have built it before the year 1745, when Conrad Matthias, "the last of the Ridge hermits" died. It is known, by "the Chronicles Ephrata", --- a folio, that there was a brotherly affinity between "the ridge hermits" (of Roxborough) and those of Ephrata. After Joseph Gorgas had gone to Ephrata, the premises, with a farm of seventy acres and a grist mill, fell to his son John Gorgas; from him it was sold about the time of the Revolution, to Edward Miller; --- thence to Peter Care, fifty years ago, who held it till about the year 1800. Then it was bought by John Livezey, miller: -- next by Longstreth, who made it a paper mill; and lately and lastly, by Joshua Garsed & Co. Since their possession of the premises, they have considerably increased the numbers and size of the buildings along the creek; and the Monastery House they have converted into an agreeable dwelling, changing and modernizing the internal forms of the rooms --- taking out all the corner chimneys,&c. It was in the year 1732, that the religionists of Ephrata first agreed to quit their former solitary life, and to dwell together in monastic society as monks. This they did first, in May 1733. Their book of chronicles says, that "the society was enlarged by members from the banks of the Wissahiccon". Of course, intimating and confirming the idea already advanced, that there was a brotherhood of their order, dwelling at or near the place now called the Monastery. Christopher Ludwick, once an inhabitant of Philadelphia and Germantown, --- interred at the Lutheran ground in said town, in 1801, at the age of 81 years, was quite a CHARACTER in his day; and deserves some special notice. A short memoir of his life has been drawn up and published by Doctor Rush; he deeming him to be a person fully worthy the effort of his pen to report him, as an exemplary and valuable citizen. He was by birth a German, born in 1720; by trade a baker. In early life he enlisted in the Austrian army, and served in the war against the Turks. At Prague he endured the hardships of the seventeen weeks' siege. After its conquest by the French in 1741, he enlisted and served in the army of Prussia. At the peace, he entered an Indiaman, and went out to India under Boscawen; afterwards he was in many voyages, from 1745 to 1752, from London to Holland, Ireland and the West Indies, as a sailor. In 1753, he sailed to Philadelphia with an adventure of L 25(pounds) worth of clothing, on which he made a profit of $300, and again returned to London. He had taken the idea of becoming a GINGERBREAD baker in Philadelphia; and in 1754 he came out with THE NECESSARY PRINTS --- a seemingly new idea among the simple cake eaters then ! He began his career in LAETITIA COURT, and began to make money fast by his new employment. He proved himself an industrious, honest and good neighbour, which led to a deserved INFLUENCE among the people, and to the SOUBRIQUET of the "governor of Laetitia court". At the commencing period of the Revolution in 1774, he had become rich, and gave his influence and his money freely, to help on the resistance of the colonies. He was elected readily on all the committees and conventions of the time, for that object. On one occasion, when it was proposed by General Mifflin to procure fire arms by private subscriptions, and whilst several demurred to it as unfeasible, he put down the opposition, by saying aloud, let the poor gingerbread baker be set down for L200 (pounds) ! In the summer of 1776, he acted as a volunteer in the flying camp, WITHOUT PAY. He possessed great influence there among his fellow soldiers; he stimulated them to endurance; and on one occasion prevented their revolt when complaining of inadequate rations, by falling on his knees before them, and imploring them to PATIENCE and better HOPES. When eight Hessians were captured and brought to camp, he interceded to have them handed over to him to manage; which was to take them to Philadelphia, to there show them the fine German churches, and the comfort and good living of Germans in humble pursuits of life, and then to release them to go back to their regiment, and to tell the Germans that we had a paradise for his countrymen, if they would but desert their service. Desertion did follow whenever occasion offered; and the most of these lived prosperous citizens among us. So much for the war FOR THEM ! With the same good design for his countrymen he solicited and obtained the grant to visit the Hessian camp on Staten Island, as a disguised DESERTER. There he succeeded fully to impress them with the happiness of Germans settled in Pennsylvania, and to return safely, with a full assurance of the usefulness of his mission. In the year 1777, he was cordially appointed by Congress as baker general of the American army, and to choose freely his own assistants and necessaries. In their instructions to him, they expected to require from him one pound of bread for every pound of flour, but Christopher readily replied, "Not so: I must not be so enriched by the war. I shall return 135 lbs. of bread for every 100 lbs. of flour": an incease of weight by baking, seemingly not then understood by the rulers ! and not much by FAMILIES now. As a proof that he was respected and valued in his sphere, he was often invited to dine with Washington, in large companies, besides having many opportunities of long conferences alone with him, as commander of the army, in relation to the bread supplies. The general appreciated his worth, and usually addressed him in company as "his honest friend". In his intercourse with the officers, he was blunt, but never offensive. By common consent he was privileged to say and do what he pleased. His German accent, his originality of thought and expression; and his wit and humour, made him a welcome guest at every table in the camp. He took with him to camp a handsome china bowl brought by him from China; around its silver rim was engraved his name, &c., and from it he was accustomed to offer his punch or other beverage with his own leading toast, to wit: "Health and long life to Christopher Ludwick and wife". That bowl still exists as a BEQUEATHED legacy, to be perpetuated. At the return of peace, he settled on his farm near Germantown. In his absence it had been plundered of every thing by the British. A certificate of his good conduct, in the proper handwriting of General Washington, given in 1785, was much valued, was put under frame, and kept hung up in his parlour, as his diploma. In that, he much gloried; and considered it a full recompense for losses which he had sustained by a depreciated currency, paid to him by sundry persons, for his bonds for good money lent them. He owned at one time eight houses in Philadelphia, and had out L3000 (pounds) of money lent on bonds and interest. He left a great deal of his money to public charities, especially a fund for educating poor children. He delighted to find out objects of charity, and to relieve their wants. In the time of the yellow fever of 1793, he went into Fraley's bakery in Philadelphia, and worked at bread baking gratuitously, to relieve the wants of the poor. He had a great respect for religion and its duties, which he said he inherited from his father, who had given him, in early life, a silver medal, on which was inscribed, among other devices, "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin". This he always carried with him as a kind of talisman; and with a view to enforce its remembrance and its precepts, when he left it to his family, he had it affixed to the lid of a silver tankard, and on the front he had inscribed a device of a Bible, a plough, and a sword, with the motto, "May the religious industry and courage of a German parent, be the inheritance of his issue !" Such a man leaves the savour of a good name, and a good example, to posterity. His remains now rest beneath an expensive monument, where the reader may read of his worth, and go, if he can, AND DO LIKEWISE ! His last house of residence in Philadelphia was No. 174 North Fifth street. He had two wives; but left no children to survive him. Their relations became his heirs. **************************************************************************** Note: All words in capital letters are in italics in the book. Note: I sincerely hope there are people on this list that have this remarkable man on their family tree!! E.