Swedish Colonial News Volume 4, Number 2 Summer 2010 Preserving the legacy of the New Sweden Colony in America Peter Craig’s Library Moves to Mt. Airy! Ellen T. Rye It was 2:45 PM, TUesday, March 9, 2010, when I waved goodbye to Ken Peterson, driving the loaded rental trUck, and following in their cars were Rev. Kim-Eric Williams, Sally Bridwell, Al Capotosto, and John Peterson, LUtheran Seminary archivist. I then drove home to pack, to leave for Granada the next day. Dead tired! What a coUple of days it had been ! Words fail when it comes to describing what we looked at and packed. ThoUsands (no joke) of genealogies P H O people worked oUt with Peter’s help. I think he mUst have T O photocopied every land, will and probate record in every : S A L jUrisdiction for miles aroUnd. StUnning is the fact that L Y B there are UncoUntable 19th and 20th centUry lineages as R I D well as early family data sitting in those boxes. W E Complicating things was the fact that binders with L L related information were not necessarily on the same shelf or even in the same room. It was frUstrating being Unable to corral the Gloria Dei Records Project material and get it together, and Al Capotosto and Sally Bridwell gave Up on getting the YocUm and Stille (among other forefather families) material together—we all felt like border collies coping with herds of UnrUly sheep . And the books, shelf after shelf of them! I coUld have happily walked oUt with 100 books and cUrled Up Just one section of Peter Craig’s genealogy collection that had to be moved for the rest of my life reading them. Peter Craig is shown with his wife Sally continued on page 13 In this Issue... EVENTS FOREFATHERS 6 Landing Day 15 List of Current Forefather Members FOREFATHERS EVENTS 2 The Toy and King 10 Crown Princess Families of Senamensing, Victoria Weds New Jersey FOREFATHERS Dr. Peter S. Craig The Toy and King Families of Senamensing, New Jersey This is the last of the late Peter Craig’s forefather articles, drafted a few months before his death Thanksgiving Day 2009. For years Dr. Craig puzzled over the origins of the King and Toy families and finally suggested the scenario that follows as being the most likely, based on circumstantial evidence as well as documented fact. Technically, Christina Tay’s story remains a mystery, and research continues, primarily in the Dutch records, in the hope of finding proof of her marriages, the births of her children and still unanswered questions. Ellen T. Rye, Chair Publications Committee Swedish Colonial Society One of the major mysteries Andreas RUdman for the constrUction of Gloria of the 17th centUry Swedes on Dei ChUrch and for the payment of his salary. the Delaware is the origin of two When visited by RUdman in JUly 1697, apparent half-brothers who joined Frederick King said he was born in September old Hans Månsson to be among the 1659 and that he had married Christina, first settlers in present BUrlington CoUnty, daUghter of Jonas Nilsson of Kingsessing, in NJ. They lived at Senamensing, NJ–now known 1686. Their eldest sUrviving child was a son as Palmyra and Cinnaminson – across the named Elias King, born in September 1690. Delaware opposite Philadelphia, north of Next door, Elias Tay reported that he was born PennsaUken Creek. in October 1664 and that he had married In FebrUary 1674, Hans Månsson, GertrUde, daUghter of Anthony Nilsson of Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, progenitor of the Steelman family, pUrchased GloUcester CoUnty, NJ. Their eldest child was a who resided in Washington, rights for 500 acres from the New Jersey son named Frederick Tay, born 30 JUly 1690. DC was a Fellow of both government. Later, Hans Månsson recrUited his The connecting thread between the King the American Society of stepson Peter Petersson YocUm and Frederick and Toy families was Christina, identified as the Genealogists and the King, fellow residents of Aronameck in mother of Elias Tay and his sister SUsannah Tay. Genealogical Society of Kingsessing, PA, as his partners in this endeavor. If, as the aUthor sUggests, she was also the Pennsylvania. He was the YocUm sold his interest to Jonas Keen, and mother of Frederick King, the answer to oUr Historian of the Swedish acqUired the Aronameck plantation from Hans mystery emerges. Colonial Society and a Månsson as the place to raise his family. By JUne Frederick Fredericksen de Coninck was Forefather Member. One of 1680, with the establishment of BUrlington clearly the son of Captain Frederick de Coninck, of his ancestors was Peter Jochimsson, who arrived CoUnty, Månsson, Keen and King laid claim to who was captain of the warship de Waegh (the on the Fama in 1643 and 500 acres bordering the Delaware River, north scales), which had been dispatched by the established the Yocum family of PennsaUken Creek. In 1689, King divided his bUrgomeisters of Amsterdam in 1655 to lead an in America. He was also portion with Elias Tay, later known as Elias Toy. attack on New Sweden. descended from Olof Stille, In 1693, they jointly pUrchased another 150 acres. The pretext for the attack was that Sven Gunnarsson and Jonas From the coUrt records of BUrlington Governor Risingh had violated orders from Nilsson. CoUnty we learn that the fUll name of Frederick Sweden in captUring the DUtch Fort Casimir in King was Frederick Fredericksen de Coninck 1654. When the DUtch siege of Fort Casimir [“the king” in DUtch] and that the fUll name of began, Frederick de Coninck led a force of Editor’s Note: Elias Toy was Elias Jansen Tay. In 1750, 78 soldiers that landed north of the fort We gratefully acknowledge descendants of the early Swedes informed Per with Governor Peter StUyvesant. Hopelessly the contributions to this Kalm that the Toy family came from Holland. oUtnUmbered, the Swedish captain Sven SkUte article by SCS Forefather Nevertheless, both were active members of met with StUyvesant and de Coninck in a Member Christina W. Lassen the Swedish chUrch. Their names appeared in clearing north of the fort. At this meeting, de a descendent and researcher the 1693 petition for new Swedish ministers. Coninck informed SkUte that he had been to of the Toy/King Families They were active in making gifts to Pastor continued on page 4 2 Swedish Colonial News GOVERN OR’S LETTER Swedish Col onial Society 916 South Swanson Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147 High Patron Dear Friends of New Sweden: His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf King of Sweden It is sUch an honor and privilege to be elected Governor of this prestigioUs Society. DUring the past years, the Swedish Colonial Society has realized many Deputy High Patron Her Royal Highness oUtstanding accomplishments, of which we are extremely proUd. One of the Crown Princess Victoria most important challenges the Society faces in the near fUtUre is the establishment of the Craig Collection, in the Brossman Center’s LUtheran Patron His Excellency Archives on the campUs of Philadelphia’s LUtheran Theological Seminary. Jonas Hafström Ambassador of Sweden Upon his demise, Dr. Peter Craig willed his complete library of genealogical books and files to the Swedish Colonial Society. It is imperative that the archival Governor Margaret Sooy Bridwell collection be completely fUnctional so fUtUre Forefather Member statUs can be awarded and attention given to other genealogical inqUiries. Senior Deputy Governor Mark Roberts In addition to the archival projects, the Society will continUe its activities of Junior Deputy Governor pUblishing articles and books; preserving historic sites; cooperating with other Edith A. Rohrman Swedish organizations and affiliates; and expanding the historical backgroUnd and knowledge of the New Sweden Colony (1638-1655), the short-lived effort Treasurer The Rev. David B. Anderson by Sweden to claim a stake in Colonial America’s Delaware Valley. Registrar/Financial Secretary I am a proUd Forefather member who is an 11th generation descendent of Olaf Peg Berich Stille. Another Swedish settler named Hans Månsson arrived with Stille in 1641. Ella Stille, daUghter of Olaf Stille, married Hans Månsson and it was after Hans Recording Secretary Aleasa J. Hogate Månsson’s death that Ella adopted the sUrname of Steelman, circa 1691. Today, it is a very popUlar family name in SoUthern New Jersey. Corresponding Secretary Frances O. Allmond After gradUating from Rowan University in New Jersey I received my master’s Chaplain degree from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA and began a long teaching The Very Rev. D. Joy Segal career. I am now a retired edUcator, having taUght in New Jersey and Pennsylvania schools. I am blessed with my Understanding hUsband, Nagle, and also rely on the Marshal Al Capotosto sUppo rt of my two children: son Mark, daUghter Jennifer and her hUsband Ted and especially my six-year-old twin granddaUghters, Margaret and Miranda. Visit us on the internet at: www.ColonialSwedes.org I have served the Society as treasUrer, JUnior DepUty Governor and Senior Please contact us at: DepUty Governor. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Swedish CoUncil [email protected] of America, New Sweden Colonial Farmstead, New Sweden Centre and have been a crew member on the Kalmar Nyckel. I look forward to Using these experiences and resoUrces to help in the continUed growth of the Swedish Colonial Society. Sincerely, Margaret Sooy Bridwell Governor Swedish Colonial News 3 FOREFATHERS from page 2 Sweden and had been told by King Charles that Risingh had It is Uncertain when Christina retUrned to former New no orders to captUre Fort Casimir. Sweden with her children.