Swedish Colonial News Volume I, Number 7 Spring, 1993 descendant (DD) children as members of GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE our Society but our historian, Peter Craig, tells us there are actually thou­ sands if not millions of children who could trace their ancestry back to this colony if they were aware of their The time has arrived for holding an heritage. election of officers to serve the Swedish The number of actual descendants is so large because even though the colony ( Colonial Society for the 1993-94 term. I know the new officers will bring contin­ began small, it increased in number ued enthusiasm and dedication to the exponentially with each generation, and Society during their terms in office. since more than one settler and his wife boasted over 100 grandchildren, by the In answer to our prayers, the new eleventh and twelfth generation, the officers are Forefather Members repre­ numbers are staggering. Craig estimates senting their ancestors some 350 years there are between 20 and 30 million later during this commemorative year, living descendants of the early New One of our young direct descendants, Holly 1993. Our new governor will be John Sweden settlers. Smith, celebrated her 18th birthday asSt. Lucia In addition to the Swedish Colonial Cameron, descendant of Johan Van at Julmiddag ceremonies in December. Society children we have found direct Culen and Annika, the daughter of Johan PHOTO: UNDA SMrfH Grelsson of Ammansland. descendant youngsters in the Electronic Exchange schools-the program that connects children in the boundaries of the This year marks the arrival of Johan Search for Direct Bjornsson Printz to the colony in 1643. former New Sweden Colony with Descendant Children A Kickoff Ceremony took place at the students and teachers in Sweden. Also, at Rocks in Wilmington, Delaware on our Rambo Reunion in 1990 there were February 14th of thi> year, as this was the The Education Committee of the over 20 DD children present. Our hopeis site of the landing of the two ships­ Swedish Colonial Society is looking for to find many more children to join in our Swanen and Fama. Within the year children up to the age of 18 who can trace festivities. Printz moved the seat of government their ancestors back to the earliest settlers The descendant children will from the Delaware site to Tinicum Island in Pennsylvania-those of the New participate in the ceremonies to be held in in present-day Pennsylvania where he Sweden Colony. These children will be June. They will join a parade of children governedthe colony for ten years. recognized in a commemorative cer­ marching down Johan Printz Boulevard emony to be held at Essington, PA in to Printz Park in Essington, PA on the Commemorative events will be Printz Park on June llt'1, 1993, honoring Delaware River. Children will be taking place throughout 1993 and are the arrival of the first Royal Swedish grouped by ship, and each ship will be outlined in this issue of the Swedish Governor,Johan Printz. introduced in the order they arrived in Colonial News. Currently we count only 25 direct- (See Search, page 4) Wallace F. Richter, Governor •:• 2 Swedish Colonial News FOREFATHERS married Christina Gastenberg, daughter of 11. Jonathan Jonasson, born. c, Olaf Nilsson, c. 1683. They had eight 1681, died in Kingsessing in June 1748. children. Nils died at Aronameck in His will named a wife Mary and two ( Jonas Nilsson January 1735. children. 2. Judith Jonasdotter, born c. 1658, The male descendants of Jonas married Peter Petersson Yocum, son of Nilsson started with the patronymic of Among the many soldiers accompany­ PeterJochimsson, by 1676. She died in Jonasson, which became shortened to ing Governor Printz on the Fourth Expedi­ Amity township, Berks County, in 1727. "Jones" and, in this form, became the tion to New Sweden was JoenNilsson of They had ten children. family surname. SkAning hundred, Skaraborg Ian,who was 3. Gunilla Jonasdotter, born c. 1661, later better known under thename of Jonas married MAils Cock, son of Peter Larsson Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig •:• Nilsson. Born in 1620, Jonas, a tailor by Cock,by 1680. Inthe 1690s they moved trade, started his voyage to New Sweden across the Delaware to Senamensing, from Stockholm in September 1642. After Burlington County. She had seven known arriving at Fort Christina, 15 February children. 1643, he was one of many men assigned to 4. MAns Jonasson, born 1663,married help build Fort Elfsborg,where he was Ingeborg Lycan, daughter of Peter Nilsson subsequently stationed. Lycan, c. 1690. After building a stone Jonas Nilsson served the governor house at Aronameck (the core of the faithfully as a soldier for eleven years. present Bartram's Gardens mansion), they But, when Printz returned to Sweden in moved in 1704 to Manatawney 1653, Jonas did not go withhim. He (Douglasville) in Amity township, Berks obtained his discharge, became a freeman County, where the Mouns Jones house still and married Gertrude, the daughter of stands in his honor. He had six known Sven Gunnarsson. children and died in April 1727. For reasons that are not entirely clear, 5. Anders Jonasson, bornc. 1666, Jonas left his young bride in mid-July, married Catharine Boon, daughter of 1654 to return to Sweden on the Eagle. Anders Svensson Bonde, by 1691. He While there, he collected the back wages died in November 1728 at Aronameck and Peter Craig signing his new book, 1693Census that were due and returned to New Sweden had nine surviving children. al a Tea January 17th in Salem NJ, sponsored on the Mercurius, which arrived in March 6. Christina Jonasdotter, born c. 1668, by the Geneological Society of Salem County. 1656. Meeting the ship were his wife and married twice: Frederick King in 1686 PHOTO: BE'/'HUNNERSON-DALY eldest son, who had been born during his and, after his death, Nicklas Lindemeyer absence. by 1700. Her family, raised in By family legend, Jonas Nilsson was Senamensing (Cinaminson, NJ) included Swedesboro Church Update six and one-half feet tall and an active five children by her first marriage and two Indian trader. Neither claim is supported sons by her second marriage. by contemporary records: the only Swede 7. John Jonasson, born c. 1670, married In the last issue of the Swedish of remarkable height was "Long Nils," a Catherine Lock, eldest daughter of Pastor Colonial News we described the serious name given to Nils Matsson, a later Lars Carlsson Lock, in 1693. They situation at Trinity Episcopal Church, immigrant. Although Jonas's son MAns separated by1697. Nevertheless, all five of "Old Swedes" where the roof was found Jonasson (Mounce Jones) and two sons-in­ her daughters were named Jones. John structurally unsound and ready to law (Peter Petersson Yocum and MAils was still living in 1738 when he became collapse. Since our last issue the church Cock) were active Indian traders, no record administrator of his brother Jonas' estate. has received over $15,000 from various supports that claim as to Jonas Nilsson 8. Peter Jonasson, born c. 1673, was community members including our own himself. living with his sister Christina in 1697; not members. In addition they have received Jonas Nilsson lived for his entire further traced. a matching grant of $184,878 from the married life in Kingsessing (West Philadel­ 9. Jonas Jonasson, born c. 1675, New Jersey Historical Trust, a welcomed phia), where he was a successful farmer married an English servant, Anne Amesby, gift towards the preservation goal of and raised eleven children. He also in 1702. A shoemaker, he died in $800,000. acquired 270 acres of land at nearby Kingsessing in May 1738, survived by A twenty minute slide show is Aronameck fromPeter Yocum,land which seven children. available to organizations at no cost he divided among his threeeldest sons. 10. Brigitta Jonasdotter, bornin 1678, presenting the inspirational story of Jonas died in October 1693 at the age of married Mfuten Garrett of Blackley Trinity (Old Swedes') Church. You may 73; his wifedied shortly thereafter. Their township in 1703 and had at least five obtain this slide presentation for your children, in order of their birth, were: children. She died near the Falls of the organization by calling (609) 467-1227. 1. Nils Jonasson, bornMay, 1655, Schuylkill in December1753. Brian Daly •:• Swedish Colonial News 3 FOREFATHERS PASSENGER LIST OF 1642-1643 VOYAGE TO NEW SWEDEN Documents in the New Sweden Priem aad Kribc Mlrten Thomasson, a Finn from Storkyro, Oster­ Johan Campaniua Holm and his family, priest kil papers at the Riksarkivet in Stockholm botten, Finland (10); led by Indians on (25); returned to Sweden, 1648. Delaware River, March 1644. all permit a complete listing of males Israel Holg Fluviander, a young priest and neph­ Mickel Kirschener, hired in Gothenburg (10); arriving in New Sweden with Governor ew of Gcwernor Printz (25); returned to died Fort Cllristina., June 1643. Printz in 1643. A list of these males and Sweden, 1647. Nick.las Borek, hired in Stockholm (10); returned known wives and children is set forth Knut Persson, scribe, hired in Stockholm (20); to Sweden in 1654. died at Tinicum Island, Oct. 1650. Nils Andersson Snickan: rrom Miillpa, Kinne below. hundred, Skaraborg Ian (10); died in New The passengers are grouped by a........ Soldic:a Sweden, August 1649. categories, with their monthly wages Andcn AndelllOll Hamman from Sollentuna Peter Jochimsson fromSchleswig in Holstein (10); (shown in parentheses) expressed in parish, StockholmUln (10); died in Gloucester died 1654 in New Amsterdam on diplomatic Dutch guilders, the prevalent currency County NJ in 1700 [progenitor of the Homan mission ror Governor Rising [progenitor of family). Yocum family).