Hillegas1

Henrietta Hillegas was born on September 23rd, 1766. As were both her parents, she was Baptized at ChristChurch in Philadelphia. On December 29th, 1785, she would marry Joseph Anthony, II, in that same church. Due to their marriage, the Hillegas family was banned from participating in the Assembly Balls. Henrietta had "married into trade". Joseph did, however, make a good living. They had 9 children. Joseph and Henrietta, along with several of their children, are laid to rest at ChristChurch Burial Ground in Philadelphia. A document, handwritten by Henrietta and in the possession of one of her 4th great-granddaughters, gives us a brief look into her life:

"Big happenings around Philadelphia. I lived in a big house on Second St. near Elfreth's Alley. One more block and we were down on the busy water front, two blocks to the south and we were at William Penn's Landing. I was almost 10. I had a big brother, Samuel - who was 22, a sister Margaret - age 6, Deborah, my friend and sister, age 3. Then I was born. Five years after that my brother, Henry, was born. I had another sister, Deborah, as my older sister Deborah had died. And then there was Mary Ann. Mother and father had lost Michael, William, Deborah, Suzannah. Henry and Mary Ann never married. Our name was carried on by Samuel only. Sam had only Maria, who married Jacob Rheem, and she had only one child. Margaret, Deborah 2nd and I were the only ones who had children with children. When I was 19, I married Joseph Antohny, Jr. Married in ChristChurch. Joseph was 23. He was a successful merchant and silver smith."