SCS News Winter 2012, Volume 4, Number 6
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Swedish Colonial News Volume 4, Number 6 Winter 2012 Preserving the legacy of the New Sweden Colony in America A New Heritage Begins E S . T E S U H A G N U K T H G I R Y P O C . S R H E O N U R B : O T O H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria, H H.R.H. Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle P In this Issue. HISTORIC HISTORIC SITES 16 SITES FOREFATHERS 4 St. James in ARCHIVES Delaware’s New State 2 Måns Petersson Kingsessing How the SCS Historical Stake and his son at 250 6 Financed Digitizing Marker Peter Peterson Peter Craig’s Collection FOREFATHERS Kenneth S. Peterson & Robert P. Peterson MÅNS PETERSSON STAKE and his son PETER PETERSON of Maurice River, New Jersey Måns Petersson Stake was from Åbo (Turku), 1 Finland, the eastern province of Sweden. He was a soldier, hired in Stockholm, and took part in the 10th New Sweden expedition aboard the ship Örnen .2 He was promoted to provost marshal by Governor Johan Risingh. 3 His salary was 108 riksdaler per year. “Stake” was a military nickname meaning stock, pole, pillar, etc. 4 The ramrod of a cannon was called “laddstake.” 5 His name was variously spelled Måns Staake, Månss Stacke, and Måns Persson by the Swedes. The Dutch called him Mones Pieterszen, and “Moens de Sweet.” The English referred to him as Mouns, Mounce, Staeckett, Stalker, Mounstoker and Mons Peterson, alias Stawkitt. 6 [Note: In this article names are spelled as they appear in the original documents.] The ship Örnen sailed into the Bay of New Sweden (Delaware) on 18 May 1654, and three Kenneth S. Peterson is a days later Måns was present at the seizure of Dutch Fort Casimir. Thereafter, he was stationed at Councilor, Fellow and this newly renamed Fort Trefaldighet (Trinity). 7 It was retaken by the Dutch 15 months later on 1 Forefather member of The Swedish Colonial Society and September 1655 (fort site at present New Castle, Delaware, where Chestnut Street meets the descends from several of the Delaware River). Måns signed an affidavit affirming the proper conduct of Fort Trinity’s colonial Swedes. He has three commander, Sven Skute, during its capitulation. 8 Månss Stacke and the other officers were taken daughters, Erika, Katherine prisoner on board Peter Stuyvesant’s flagship de Waegh and taken to New Amsterdam for transport and Christina Peterson. His back home. wife Barbara Bettler descends from Dutch Vice Director, by the Brooklyn minister Henricus Selyns on Niccassius DeSille, who New Amsterdam wrested control of Swedish While waiting for the next Dutch ship back Peter Stuyvesant’s bowery (today St. Mark’s in Fort Trinity from Kenneth’s to Europe, Måns was persuaded to remain in the Bowery of Lower Manhattan). In the same ancestor, Måns Petersson New Amsterdam. He lived there for five years year, Måns was one of the petitioners requesting Stake (Peterson). Kenneth S. owning a house and a bowery. 9 In 1660 / 1661 to pay their taxes in sewant (Indian shell Peterson is an Industrial Måns became one of the founders of the new money) instead of the difficult-to-obtain Specialist at Navy Lakehurst settlement of Harlem. 10 He went in partnership beaver pelts. in the Carrier Launch and with a Swede, Jan Cogu, receiving half of Jan’s James Riker, in his History of Harlem , said Recovery programs and lives allotted land with house, barn, etc., for 125 that “Mones Petersen was gifted by nature and in Ocean County, New guilders in exchange for a half-interest in a lime much reliance was placed upon his judgment. Jersey. kiln, a canoe and a balance in cash. In He soon removed to Elizabethtown, New November 1662 Måns was appointed one of Jersey, taking the oath of allegiance to the new the two “Inspectors of Fences.” In 1663 Måns, English government, February 19, 1666.” 13 Robert P. Peterson is a along with two Swedes, three Norwegians and His son Peter was born there in 1667. 10th generation descendant seven other men, was inducted into the 3rd of Måns Petersson Stake and Harlem militia, to stand guard against an attack Rejoins Swedes on the a retired Senior Research from the Esopus Indians. 11 The threat never Delaware River Chemist at American came as Stuyvesant put an end to this war Cyanamid Company. On 29 April 1671 Måns purchased Israel across the Hudson River (at today’s Kingston, 14 He lives in Mullica Hill, Helm’s Calcoon Hook property. Calcoon Gloucester County, New N. Y.). Hook became part of Darby Township, Jersey, with his wife of 50 On 24 June 1663 Måns married the widow Chester County in the time of Proprietor Penn years, Eleanor, nee Suffern. of Adam Dircksen, Magdalentje Lamberts van and today is within the boroughs of Folcroft They have two daughters, Tellickhuysen of Steinfurt, Germany. 12 She had Ginny and JoAnn. a young daughter, Grietie. They were married continued on page 8 2 Swedish Colonial News GOVERN OR’S LETTER wedish ol onial ociety S C S Y 916 South Swanson Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147 H P A R G O T O H P F Dear Friends of New Sweden, F A F P D E I hope you have enjoyed a beautiful, relaxing summer. The Swedish Colonial Society R F L has been very active in the period since our last newsletter! A : O T O The year of 2013 will be very exciting as the 375th Anniversary Jubilee of the landing H P of the Swedes and Finns, to the shore of Delaware to form the New Sweden Colony, will be celebrated. The New Sweden Alliance, a non-profit organization composed of the many Swedish groups in the Delaware Valley, is planning the year’s events. The 375th Anniversary Jubilee Dinner will be held at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday, May 11, 2013. Please place this date on your calendar and plan to join us for this memorable occasion. Additional information concerning the 375th Anniversary Jubilee will be relayed to all members in the future as it becomes available. Another huge project in the works is that of William A. Whitcraft of New Jersey: the re-design of our website to include more features such as the creation of a password protected Members-Only-Section page for the Swedish Colonial Society. Mr. Whitcraft mentioned, “Members of the SCS will be able to view current and past newsletters, pay their annual dues using PayPal or a credit card with the electronic membership application and will also be able to become a Forefather member by completing the electronic Forefather application.” Also to be included on the website is a countdown clock for the 375th anniversary, Facebook logo for the site, and a Shopping Cart page. The Society will be continually improving its web presence and will keep members informed as new features are added. The SCS continues into the future with more plans and projects that will improve this organization for both members and for friends in support of our mission of The Swedish Colonial Society. As always, this message comes with a warm blessing to all the members and friends of the New Sweden Colony. Sincerely, Margaret Sooy Bridwell Governor, The Swedish Colonial Society Swedish Colonial News 3 HISTORIC SITES St. James in Kingsessing at 250 This past summer the congregation of St. dilapidated condition of Gloria Dei, after a four- James in Southwest Philadelphia, in the area and-a-half-year vacancy had to be first addressed. known as Kingsessing, celebrated 250 years of The ministry of Gabriel Falk had been very short ministry in the Flemish bond stone building that due to his conviction by the Court of was consecrated on the Festival of the “defamation of character” for spreading an ill- Transfiguration, August 6, 1762, by the Rev. Dr. founded rumor about the wife of a prominent Carl Magnus Wrangel. Wrangel was a member. Then the long-time dutiful supervisor remarkable charismatic preacher and Senior of the America Mission, Jesper Svedberg, bishop Pastor of Gloria Dei Church in Wicacå South of Skara died. His duties were transferred to the Philadelphia from 1759-1768. Archbishop of Uppsala and his Consistory. All of While the congregation itself dates from this took time and the repairs were more 1760, the people of Ammansland (Ridley extensive and costly than had been at first realized. Thus nothing came of this original 1738 initiative until the arrival of Carl Magnus Wrangel in 1759. He founded a parochial school at Kingsessing that only used the English language. This was especially important since there were no public schools at the time and such a church day N O S school kept young people in the church. He then R E T established a congregation that met at first at the E P . home of a wealthy businessman, James Coultas. S H As soon as the decision to build the first church T E N was announced, interest was so great that pledges N E K of 400£ were received. Mr. Coultas, as a surveyor : O T and engineer, supervised the construction, which O H was done by members of the congregation, P 200th anniversary cornerstone sometimes as many as 100 a day working Township) and even Calcon Hook (Lower together on the stone structure. It was 40’ x 60’ Darby Township) had long desired a church in and, with balconies on three sides, could seat their area so that they could avoid taking the about 600. This building is the nave of the ferry across the Schuylkill River to walk or ride present enlarged structure.