de Benneville House
Posted by: 
Gosffo
N 40° 20.601 W 075° 45.708
18T E 435299 N 4466145
Teacher, Healer, Preacher of Universalism
Waymark Code: WM5YZ
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/11/2006
Views: 22
Born July 26, 1703 London, England
Died March 19, 1793 Philadelphia age 90
Dr. de Benneville believed universal love would save everyone. His creed was Deeds not Creeds. He didn't believe it was important what church you belonged to, it was more important what you did! He was born in London to French parents who had fled France before being killed. His mother died soon after giving birth to George. She had 4 sets of twins and 9 children in all. Not very long after his mother died, so did his father. Queen Anne assigned a nurse to take care of him and his brothers and sisters (his father had attended the Queen's court). In 1714 his uncle took over raising him. As George was a bit unruly, his uncle sent him to sea at the age of 12. A life-changing event happened in a foreign port. He watched a man fall and get injured and two of his friends cried in his wounds and then wailed prayers over him. This is when he realized the heart of religion is how people treat you, not how they say they believe. (Actions over words!)
He was an early proponent of Pietism (religion of the heart). It was brought to this country by the Germans. He first became acquainted with Pietism when he was in Germany. He spent 20 years in Germany and Holland as a physician and lay preacher. While in Germany he had another life-changing event. He became very ill and had a near-death experience. He was seized by fever and died! They even went so far as to lay him in a casket. While "dead" he had a dreamlike vision of two guardians (dressed in snow-white garments) coming to him and showing him the restoration of all human species without exception. During this dream he felt his soul separate from his body. He was also shown through heaven and another region called hell.
In 1741 he was urged by a friend to go to America. He stayed with a printer by the name of Christopher Sauer. He helped him translate the Bible into German. There he met Jean Berrolet who brought George to the Oley Valley. Jean and Susanna Berrolet had 5 children and on Feb. 23, 1745 he married their 2nd daughter Ester. He purchased 132 acres and built the house pictured here. The second floor was used as a church and school that could hold 100 people.
He believed God is the Sovereign God who takes different forms at different times, but each part of the same universal truth that all life would be restored. He also wrote that most religious conflicts were due to taking the Bible literally and not symbolically.
Dr. George traveled throughout Pa. and N.J. visiting the Ephrata Cloisters and going to N.J. meeting Pastor John Murray.
He enjoyed visiting Philadelphia, and later moved there after Ester's father died in 1757. During the Revolution he sided with the Americans but allowed two British officers to be buried in his cemetery plot so their graves would be safe.
He remained in good health until his death at age 90. His wife, Ester, died 2 years later at age 75 on March 7, 1795. They are buried in the family plot in Philadelphia (Broad St. and Stenton St. off Green Lane).
The sign is on State Road 662. To find the house turn onto Blacksmith Road, go to the stop sign, turn left, and the house is on the left. Total distance traveled 2.25 miles.
Marker Name: De Benneville House
County: Berks
Date Dedicated: 12/04/1948
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: Pa. Rte. 662, 1.5 miles North of Yellow House
Category: Religion, Houses and Homesteads
Website: Not listed
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