Early Swedes
The Swedes were the first white men to settle in the area of SE Pa, beginning in 1637-8, with an expedition to the Schuylkill River. From then, till 1655, Sweden equipped 13 passenger ships , with the destination of the South Delaware River. Altogether about 800 settlers started out, and 600 actually reached their destination, the settlement that came to be known as New Sweden. The colony almost ended in 1651, when Governor Peter Stuyvesant erected a fortified town, in present New Castle, under the auspice of the Dutch West India company...... ( What we tend to forget is that never were we dealing with a large group of people, and those that signed petitions or joined mutinies, etc, were groups of 50 and 60 men), and by 1654 the population of New Sweden had been reduced to 70. Later that year the Governor reported back to Sweden that the population of the colony, "including the Dutch and all" was then 368, including both Dutch and the influx of new Swedish emigrants. One group of Swedes made the serious error of landing near Manhatten, where the ship was promptly seized and the cargo confiscated....only 10 of the passengers reached New Sweden, the others remaining in Dutch New Netherland . so, it is apparent that relations with the Dutch neighbors was touchy, to say the least. In Aug 1655, Governor Stuyvesand sailed up the Delaware with 7 armed ships and 317 soldiers, while the Swedish colony on shore had but 300 settlers. What few Swedish forces there were, were divided between 2 forts, and the governor knew fighting was useless. Thus Fort Trinity and Fort Christina were surrendered, and after this, the GOV. and several of his aides, plus a few soldiers, returned to Sweden....however, 90% of the settlers remained, with the promise of the Dutch Governor, who agreed to recognize what was known as the "Up-River Swedish Nation".
Here's a list of both Swedish names AND their English substitutes.
Anders
Andrew
Bengt
Benedict, Benjamin
Carl
Charles
Christiern
Christian
Eskil
Ezekial
gosta, Gustaf
Justa
Hendrick
Henry
Jons
James or Johas
Joran, Goran
George
Lars, Lasse
Lawrence
Mans
Moses
Nils
Nicholas
Olof, Olle
Wolley, William
Marten
Morton
Matthias, Mats
Mathew
Pal
Paul
Peter, Pehr, Per, Pelle Peter
Staffan
Stephen
Sven
Swan
Anna, Annika
Ann
Brita, Brigitta
Bridget
Catharina, Karin
Katherine, Cary
Christina, Stina, Kirstin Christiana
Elisabeth
Elizabeth, Ella
Gertrud
Hiertrude
Gunnilla
Jane, Jean
Helena
Eleanor, Ells
Johanna
Hannah
Magdelena, Lena
Maudlin
Margareta, Greta
Margaret
Maria
Mary
Walborg
Barbara
Surnames
Swennson
Swanson
Niellsson
Helsson Lycon
Gostaffsson
Justis
Johesson
Jones
Jurensson
Urian
Longaker
Longacre
Hollsteen
H olstein
Wheller
Wheeler
Mollika
Mollica
Buur
Boore
Konig
King
Tay
Toy
Fisk
Fish
Matzson
Matson
Hellm
Helm
Lockenij
Lock
Lockeny
Petersson
Hoppman
Hoffman
Hallton
Holton
Telleij
Talley
Knuttzon
Canuteson
Franke
Friend
thate
torton
Adrean
Arian and Archer
Labb
cobb
Stallcopt
Stalcop
Sinnike
sinnicksson
Wallrawen, Wallreven Walraven
Ommersson
Noversson and Numbers
Vm der Ver
Vander Veer
Mounsson
Mounson
Tossa
Tussey
rose
Rawson
Iwarsson
Evertsson
Parkom
Parker
Stalpkoft
Stalcop
Botzman
Batsman
Osterrson
Eustason
Reepoot
Repot
Slobbe
Slubey
Jacobs
Jacobsson
sinneke
Sinnickson
Weinom
Weinam
Torsson
Tussey
Tossa
Tussey, Jorransson
Dunnis
Dennis and Denny
Roberton
Robeson
Sahlunge
Salung
Holling
Huling
There are by no means all the changes, but enough to
give some idea of the complexity of Swedish research. And, it does
not take into very considerable problem of the Swedish patronymic naming system;
instead of a surname, boys and girls generally were know by their father's first
name, followed by "son" and "dotter". Thus, the
soldier Jons Nilsson named his eldest son Nils Johasson (Jonas's son).
Society presures were to add a surname or alias, especially when there were 2 or
more persons with identical first names and patronymics. When surnames
were selected and applied, however, they did not always stick. In
addition, not
infrequently, sons adopted their father's patronymic. Thus Peter, the son
of Mans Petersson Stake, was called Peter Mansson, Peter Petersson and Peter
Stake in contemporary records. He died as Peter Peterson, which became his
family's surname.
_____________________________________________________________________THE
1693 CENSUS OF THE SWEDES ON THE DELAWARE, by Craig SWEDISH ENGLISH Anders,
Andreas Andrew Bengt Benedict, Benjamim Carl Charles Christiern Christian Eskil
Ezekiel Gosta, Gustaf justa Hendrick henry Jons James or Jonas Joram, Goram
George Lars, Lasse Lawrence Mans Moses Nils Nicholas Olaf, Olle Woolley, William
Marten Morton MAtthias, Mats Mathew Pal Paul Pehr, Per, Pelle Peter Staffan
Stephen Sven Swan Anna, Annika Ann Brita, Brigitta Bridget Catharina, Karin
Katherine, Cary Gunnila Jane, Jean Helena Eleanor, Ella Johanna Hannah Margareta,
Greta Margaret Maria Mary Walborg Barbara With Swedish last names, there was
what was called a patronymic naming system, which meant that instead of a
surname, children generaly were known by their father's given name, followed by
"son"; or "dotter". thus, the soldier Johs Nelsson named his
eldest son Nils Johasson (or Jonas' son). In addition, at times son's adopted
their father's patronymic. Thus, Peter, the son of Mans Petersson Stake, was
called Peter ;Mansson, Peter Petersson and Peter Stake, all in contemporary
records.
_____________________________________________________________________
The surname Boon, or Bonde, in early Chester Co
Anders Svensson Bonde (of
Boon's Island, Kingsesdsing) was born in 1620 in
Sweden and came to New Sweden in 1639-40 aboard the Kalmar Nyckel, hired in
Gothenburg as a laborer at a rate of 5 guilders /month. He later adopted
the surname of Bonde (farmer, in Swedish), & was promoted in 1643 to the
position of gunner. In 1653 he returned to Sweden with the Governor, only
to return to America again in 1656, and by 1660 he had married Anna?.
Under
English rule, the second syllable of his surname was dropped so that the
surname became Boon, in most civil records. Aside from the parents, his
household, in 1693 included his 2nd son Peter, Peter's wife Catharine
(daughter of Marten Martenson, Jr) and 7 unmarried children; Hans b. 1669;
NIls 16675; Olof 1677; Margaret 1679;Brigitta 1681; Anders 1683; and Ambora
1685.
His eldest son, Sven Andersson Bonde was born in 1661 and
married
Brigitta, dau of Sven Svensson...their children were Gertrude b. 1689;
Catharine 1691; and probably a 3rd who died before 1697. Swan Boon died in
1729, and his widow was still living at Calcon Hook in 1753.
_____________________________________________________________THE 1693 CENSUS OF THE SWEDES ON THE DELAWARE, by Craig.
In 1693, Gertrude ? married Harman Enochs who in 1693 was taxed for property in Oxford Twp....by 1702 whe was again Widow Enochs (she had first been married to Harman's brother). "She married as her 3rd husband the Swedish Bachelor Laurence Bartleson, also known as Lasse Parker, who died 13 Oct 1705. For her 4th husband, she married a French Huguenot widower, Andreas Souplis (supplee) whom she also survived. Her will dated 10-5-1737 asked to be buried at Gloria Dei beside her "late husband" which we take to mean Andreas Souplis." F&C just says that Andreas Soupli was"among the earliest settlers of Germantown....a sheriff of that corporation in 1691."
Nils Mattsson was from Silleson, Torshalla, Sodermanland Ian, and he brought his wife and family to New Sweden on the EAGLE, in 1654. Initially, he was assigned to a plantation in "Finland", the name then given to the area south of Upland. On 24 Sept, 1655, Gov. Rising issued a testimonial on behalf of "the honest and intelligent Nils Matson". In 1671 Nils Mattsson, (sometimes called Long Nills in contemporary records) was a resident of Upland, but soon moved to a tract on Crum Creek, which was patented to him on 10 March 1670/1. On feb 18, 1683/4 he sold his Crum Creek farm and moved to Gloucester county with his son's family. He was buried at Wicaco Church on 15 March 1701 at the age of 87. This church had been established by the Swedes of New Sweden, and only Swedes attended ..it was built in 1677 to serve the Swedes living above the Schuylkill River...and, the ministers were sent from Sweden. Nils Matson's name appears on "A list of Tydabler pasons", and says that he lived in Calkoens Hoek...this was in Upland co, pre Chester, in 1677/8. The ONLY folks on this taxable list were Swedes.
Johan Thorsson was hired in Sweden ca. 1639 to be a tobacco worker in the New Sweden colony, and came from Gothenburg on the second voyage of the Kalmar Nyckel. He apparently adopted the name Schaggen (or a variation thereof) when he became a freeman around 1648. His children and grandchildren appear in early records related to New Castle, DE, and Salem County, NJ, under various spellings, including Schaggen, Skagen, Scoggin, and Scroggins. Thorsson/Schaggen had a son, John, who was granted a patent for 200 acres on Salem Creek 10 Feb 1685 and apparently died in the Penns Neck area between19 Nov 1694 and 10 Jul 1695.
__Sven Gunnarsson was sent to America for punishment and arrived in New Sweden with his wife and several small children on the Kalmar Nyckel, in 1640. After becoming a freeman, he settled in Kingsessing and was one of the freemen signing the 1652 complaint against Gov. printz. Before 1644 he moved with his 3 sons to Wicaco, where he died c. 1678. He had 2 known daughters, Gertrude (m. Jonas Nilsson)and a daughter who married Peter Mansson. His 3 sons were Sven Svensson, born in Sweden, OIlle Svensson, born on the Kalmar Nyckel in 1640 and Anders Svensson, born in New Sweden in 1644. Jonas Nilsson, born in 1620 in Skaning hundred, Skaraborg lan, came to New Sweden in 1642 as a soldier with Gov. Printz and was described in the accounts of the colony as a tailor. After marrying and becoming a freeman in 1654 he established his farm at Kingsessing with his wife Gertrude. In July 1654 he sailed to Sweden on the Eagle, but returned on the mercurius in 1655-6. As of May, 1693, when the census was taken, most of his children had left home, but still there was his wife and his 2 youngest sons, Jonas and Jonathan. Jonas Nilsson, being "very sick of body" signed his will on 14 Jan 1691 and died in Oct, 1693. His wife apparently died before 1697. Each of their sons took the patronymic of Jonasson, which evolved into the surname of Jones. Peter Jochimsson was from Schjlesvig, in Holstein, and arrived in New Sweden of the Swan in 1643, and became a freeman Nov. 1, 1652. He was also one of the 22 freeman who signed the 1653 complaint against Gov. Printz, In the summer of 1654 Gov. Rising chose him to go to New Amsterdam on a diplomatic and spying mission. Peter died there. Thereafter, his widow known in 1693 as Ella Steelman, married Hans Mansson, who raised Peter Petersson as his own son Peter Peterson, who adopted the surname Jochim (Yocum) married Judith , dau. of Jonas Nilsson and had 7 children by My of 1693.HIs son Peter was born in 1677, and was prominent as an Indian trader and as an Indian interpreter for William Penn...he died in 1702. His widow moved then with her younger sons to Manatawny, Berks co, where she died in 1727.______________________________________
Lars Thomasson arrived in New Sweden in 1641, a sailor from Veddige parish, Halland Ian, Sweden, who served may years of Governor Printz' sloop. He became a freeman, married, and in 1653 joined 21 other freemen in complaining about Printz' rule. (Visit the archives.....I've posted lots of this, and other Swedish things of interest). Lars adopted a surname which was generally written as Boers, by contemporary writers, probably a variant of bjur, meaning beaver, in Swedish. But the name transition is clear, because Lars always used a distinctive mark, an arrow pointing upward with an "X" in the middle. His wife, for many years a widow, was described in her old age as Swedish and the mother of Lars Bure. She gained some notoriety by the fact that she had been scalped by Indians in her youth and no hair grew thereafter on her head. Their son was Lars Larsson Boore, and born in New Sweden in August of 1648. Until the mid1680s he generally used the patronymic Larsson, Laurenson and Lawson, although his name was entered Laers Boers in the 1677 Upland tax list. The spelling of his chosen surname also veried considerably; Bure, Buur, Boer, Boor, Bore, Boore, but became standardized as Boore in later generations. As Laurence Laurenson he was one of the 6 original patentees of Karraconks Hook, in but, surveyed on 19 June 1675 for 560 acres. He died in 1708. His wife Elisabeth (unknown parents), born in Feb 1654, was named in his will of 27 Nov. 1708 but was deceased by the time it was proved 7 Feb. 1708-9. IN 1693 their household included 5 children, Gertrude, Lars b. 1678, Elizabeth b. 14 mar `1687, Maria 7 Aug 1689, and Anders 20 sept 1691...and, either Lars Boore;s aged mother or a servant. By 1694 the daughter Gertrude had married Anders Bengtsson, jr and was living next door
"Sergeant Hans Hopman appeared in the Dutch court records at Fort Casimir from Dec. 1655 until 25 Sept, 1765, when having been accused of selling a gun to the Indians, he was sent to Manhattan for a trial. When his name reappeared in South Delaware River records, he was living among the Swedes and undoubtedly married a Swedish wife. Fined in the Long Finn rebellion of 1669, he was identified as a resident of Marcus Hook in 1671 and, along with 5 others, received an English patent for 1,000 acres originally granted to them in the time of the Dutch. In 1673, he joined Jons Gustafsson and Peter Johsson in their move to Raccoon Creek. On 25 July 1690 he signed an affidavit reporting that he was very sick and could not come to court to testify personally. He died soon after and was survived by 6 sons Frederick, John, Anders, NIcholas, Mans and Carl
"Peter Rambo from Hisingen, near Gothenburg, arrived in New Sweden on the 2nd voyage of the Kalmar Nyckel, in 1639-40. Employed initially as a farm hand at 10 guilders/month, Peter send part of his wages home to his father, Gunar Petersson. In Nov of 1644, Peter became a freeman and settled in Kingsessing. Under Gov. Risings rule he served on the Council of New Sweden, and on the court under Dutch and English rule, too, for a total of 29 years. He married Brita Mattsdotter from Vasa, on April 7, 1647 and by 1669 had moved to a 300 acre plantation at Passyunk. They had 4 sons and 4 daughters. Peter was buried on 29 Jan 1698 at the age of 85 and his wife died Oct. 12, 1693. His son's were Peter Jr, John, Anders and Gunnar. Peter Sr was the progenitor of a large Chester co Rambo family.
from CHESTER AND IT'S VICINITY, by John Martin 1877.
"The Swedes before Penn's time never settled far from tide water; one of
their writers says that at Christina, none of them settled more than a Swedish
mile from the Fort, which is 6 2/3 English miles. The homes of the early Swede
settlers were very rude affairs, built of logs and generally consisted of only
one room, the door so low as to require the occupants to stoop on entering the
house. Their windows were small, square holes,cut into the logs, without glass,
sometime they had window frames with isinglass in them, but oftener they had
only a sliding board before the opening, which was pushed back during the day
and closed at night; a very bad arrangement in cold weather. The chimneys were
at the corner, built of gray sandstone, sometimes they were outside of and
erected against the gable end of the house. The kitchen part of the residence of
the late John F. Hill *(author of the book) was one of these primitive
structures. It consists of one large room and 2 very small ones, on the ground
floor, the latter used as closets then, but formerly bedrooms. The up stairs is
a mere cock-loft, one large room, where the farm hands use to sleep...... The
Swedes dressed in vests and breeches made of the skins of animals, and they wore
on the head, hair skin caps. They made their own shoes, the soles and upper of
the same materials. The were more like the Indian moccasins than our shoes. The
women wore jackets and petticoats also made of skins; the covering for their
beds, were the skins of deer, beavers, bears or wolves. The wolves were very
numerous, being attracted by the domestic animals. Leather breeches were very
common."
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