Volume 1, Number 6, Fall 1992
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( Swedish Colonial News Volume 1, Number 6 Fall, 1992 GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE I am humbled by the response of the membership during my illness and subsequent trealment. I wish to thank each of you for your well-wishes and kind thoughts and prayers. It was moving IO receive your many cards and phone calls, and your interest and concern have no doubt helped my recovering process. Dorothy and I have chosen to dedicate our retirementyears to the service of others and to the community, as have many other members of the Society. And though often the effort seems weighty and overwhelming and at Scaffolding supports the ceiling a/Trinity Church in Swedesboro. NJ; funds are Limes even thankless, we feel thatwe awai1ed to repair the precarious structure. P/-IOTO: E. ROHR MAN have made a contribution LO the growth and preservation of this organization that HISTORIC SITE is worthy of our time and effort IL is our hope to pass on to the new officers a stronger, more vital society. Swedesboro Church Endangered We are pleased to announce the addition of two new council members Old and actively-engaged churches Sadly the building iL'\Clf is in this year, distinguished community are rare and special, and Trinity (Old immediate danger of collapse due to lhe leaders: John C. Cameron, Esq. of Swedes') Church in Swedesboro, J is deterioration of numerous two-hundrcd Malvern, PA, and John Widfelt, USN very special indeed, ince it is one of year-old solid oak trusses supponing a (Rel.) of Haverford, PA. I was iaught as America's oldest functioning parishes heavy slate roof. Other debilitating a youth that, "Service is the rent we pay and one of the original group of seven factors are the continual vibrations from for the room we take up on this earth." Swedish churches. Founded in 1703 it is the traffic on the streeta few feet from The world is in deep need of people most assuredly the oldest Swedish chw-ch the front door, and possibly underground ready to serve. Thank you for joining our in New Jersey-the oldest church edifice springs beneath the structure. ranks. being SL Peter-SL Paul's in Perth Shortly after Easter, 1992, the newly Wallace F. Richter, Goverrwr •:• Amboy. appointed Vicar, William 0. Breedlove, (See Swedesboro Church, page 3) 2 Swedish Colonial News ( 350 YEARS AGO FOREFATHERS Captain Israel Helm Governor Printz the greater Philadelphia area. One of the legendary leaders Leads Fourth D Soldier Anders Andersson Homman emerging from New Sweden was Israel from Sollentuna, Stockholm liin, later Helm, originally known as Israel Expedition became a trumpeter and lived al Repaupo M:esson. Creek in Gloucester County, NJ, leaving In 1749, Israel Helm's youngest son to New Sweden descendants who used the surname told Peter Kalm that his father had come Homan. to New Sweden at the age of 12 with In the fall of 1642, excitement ran D Soldier Johan Gustafsson from Governor Printz in 1642-43 and lived in high in Gothenburg as Governor Johan Kinnekulle, Skaraborg liin, settled on a the Governor's household. Records at Printz prepared to embark for New plantation in Kingsessing, West Philadel the Swedish National Archives give a Sweden with new supplies and new phia, and was survived by nine sons and slightly different story: they show that settlers for the young colony. Two ships, two daughters. His male descendants Israel M:esson came to New Sweden in the Fama and the Swan, carrying over 60 took the surname Justice, Justis or Justus. 1641 on the Charitas, with his father new settlers, finally left port on 0 Soldier Jonas Nilsson from SkAning ' l musketeer Ake Israelsson from November 1, 1642, and headed out to the hundred, Skaraborg iin, also settled in Stockholm. His father died al sea, one open sea. Kingsessing, West Philadelphia, and was month before the Charitas reached New This expedition, Sweden's fourthto survived by seven sons and four daugh Sweden, and young Israel was cared for the New World, went smoothly. By ters. His male descendants used the by the Company as an orphan. Undoubt Christmas, the two ships reached surname Jonasson, later shortened to edly, he became a ward of Governor Antigua, where the settlers rested and Jones. Printz after his arrival in 1643. were refreshed by ample oranges and 0 Soldier Jiirgen Kiihn from Saxony, On 1 March, 1648, after Israel . lemons. They left the island in early Germany, sometimes known as J ilrgen became 18, he was named a soldier by ( January and arrived in Delaware Bay at Snow-white, became a resident of Upland Governor Printz and served in this the end of the month. A fierce storm then (Chester) and was survived by two sons capacity until he returned Lo Sweden with caused some damage, especially to the and one known daughter. His descen the governor in 1653. Two years later, Fama, but both ships arrived safely at dants used the name of Keen. Israel M:esson went to New Sweden a Fort Christina on February 15th, 1643. D Soldier Constantinus Gronberg from second Lime on the Mercurius and The majority of the passengers were Brandenburg, Germany, settled in New apparently resided on Tinicum Island. soldiers. Others included two new priests Castle County, where his son Conrad When Armegot Printz sold this island to (Johan Campanius Holm and Printz's Constantine had a family prominent in Joosl de la Grange in 1662, Israel nephew, Israel Holg Fluviander), a the early history of Wilmington's Holy returned to Europe in her company. Over Trinity Church. scribe, a gunsmith, a blacksmith, two the next twelve months he appears Lo carpenters, a glassmaker, a young 0 Soldier Peter Jochimsson from have married and to have helped recruit Schlesvig in Holstein died in 1654, but nobleman (Christian Boij), three paid more Finnish Swedes as settlers for the was survived by one daughter and one laborers, and five unpaid convicts. City of Amsterdam, which then con son, Peter Petersson Yocum, through During the trip across the ocean, trolled the Delaware River. Israel next only one passenger had died-Michel whom many Yocums and Yocoms later appears in Delaware River records in the Olsson, who had been hired as the new descended. fall of 1663 when he arrived by a Dutch provost. However, during the first two 0 Anders Andersson the Finn sent from ship at present New Castle in the com years in America, another sixteen of the the fortress of Alvsborg as punishment pany of 32 new Finnish settlers. The newcomers died. Others, such as forsome unknown crime, wa<; the only Dutch governor rewarded him by Governor Printz and his family and the convict on the expedition to survive the granting him a monopoly on the fur trade two ministers, would eventually return to first year in America. He later owned an in present Pennsylvania and by naming Sweden. However, seven passengers extensive plantation on the Christina him a "High Councillor," qualifying him from this new expedition were to remain River and was survived by several Lo sit on the Swedes' Upland court. in America and become the progenitors children, including John Andersson Cock Israel, who adopted the surname of numerous descendants: of the Holy Trinity congregation and Helm (from hjelm, meaning "helmet" in D Lieutenant Sven Skute, later promoted Anna, wife of Nils Larsson Friend of Swedish) served continuously as a justice to a captain by Queen Christina, came Upland. on the Upland court from 1663 to 1681, •: from Kronoby in present Finland. He Dr. Peter S. Craig • and acquired the title of Captain, a rank was survived by three daughters and one usually reserved for thosewho served as son who married and raised families in captain in the Swedish militia. Swedish Colonial News 3 Through his Indian trading, Israel father's plantation, known as "Helm settlers had grown in sufficient numbers Helm also became proficient in the stadt," adding other lands, and died in to maintain a parish of their own on the Indian dialects and was in frequent November 1740. east bank of the Delaware. The records demand to negotiate treaties with the 8. Akenus, born c. 1677, had two that are kept at Old Swedes' date back to Indians. As a reward, Governor Andros wives, Catharine Rambo (daughter of 1713 and are considered "one of the most of New York granted him land near John Rambo and Brigitta Cock) and authentic and complete sources of Burlington Island in 1677. Helm later Elisabeth Dalbo (daughter of Olaf Dalbo historic information in the State of New surrendered this land to William Penn for and Catharine Friend), and had at least 11 Jersey." his "Pennsbury" estate in exchange for children. He served as a trustee of the During the Revolution, the British, other land on the Brandywine River. Swedish church in Swedesboro, NJ and believing the church to be a meeting After his return to America in 1663, died in 1750 al his plantation on Raccoon place for local rebels, set fire to the Helm's principal residences were at Creek in Gloucester County. structure, making it necessary lo abandon Calcon Hook (Lower Darby) and Upland Dr. Peter S. Craig •:• the log church. In 1784, the Swedish (Chester). By 1677, however, he had Pastor, Nils Collin, designed a new moved to Gloucester County, NJ, where church and directed the building of the he resided on Clonmell Creek until his present structure, even laying "cold & death in the winter of 1701-02. He was wet" bricks himself, which laid him up buried next to his wife in the old Swedish with rheumatism for months.