The Swedish Colonial Society

10/15/2025

There’s an extra Tinicum Farmers Market Wednesday, October 15th, from 4:30 to 7:30 at 200 W 2nd St, Taylor Avenue, Essington, PA 19029.

The Swedish Farmstead will be open to visitors and you’re invited!

10/13/2025

In late 1637, the new Sweden Company sent out its first expedition to America to establish a Swedish presence in the New World.

Sailing in two ships, the Kalmar Nyckel and the Fogel Grip, the expedition landed near this site in March 1638. Under Peter Minuit’s leadership, Fort Christina was erected to protect the new settlement. Named after Queen Christina of Sweden, the fort was home to approximately 25 colonists. It was the first permanent European settlement in what is now the State of Delaware. Fort Christina served as the new colony’s administrative and commercial center as the Swedes expanded their influence throughout the Delaware Valley. Known as New Sweden, the colony was conquered by the Dutch in 1655 before the English took over the region in 1664. Today, the City of Wilmington traces its roots from this first settlement of the Swedes.

They built a fort on the site which they named Fort Christina after Queen Christina of Sweden. Today Swedes Landing Road is a short stretch from 4th Street to 7th Street and ends at a long two-story mural depicting the area from the time before the Swedes came through the modern Wilmington waterfront. At the far end of the mural is the entrance to Fort Christina National Historical Site, a part of the First State National Historical Park System.
NC-197
https://archives.delaware.gov/delaware-historical-markers/landing-of-the-swedes/ and Wiki.

10/10/2025

Photograph

Delaware as Part of New Sweden
This map shows how the area that would one day become Delaware changed hands over time, being settled first as part of New Sweden, then as part of Dutch New Netherland, and finally coming under English control in 1664. Although Delaware's present-day boundaries are shown for reference, these were not established until the mid-18th century.

Map by National Geographic Society Source: From the book Voices from Colonial America: Delaware, 1638-1776, published by National Geographic Society © 2006, National Geographic Books

10/07/2025

Today in New Sweden History: October 7, 1641

Israel Åkesson Helm's father, Åke Israelsson, was a musketeer on the 1641 voyage of the Charitas to New Sweden, but died on October 7, 1641 voyage of the Charitas to New Sweden.

Israel was also on the ship and was classified as an orphan on the New Sweden accounts, 1641-1648, although his mother was still living in Stockholm. After 1643 he lived with Governor Johan Printz' family. On March 1, 1648, after Israel became 18, Printz employed him as a soldier. Returning to Sweden in 1653, Israel came again to New Sweden two years later on the Mercurius. He went to Europe one final time, in 1662-1663, in the company of Armegot Printz. While there, he helped Governor Alexander d'Hinojossa recruit new settlers for America, 32 of them Finns, whom he accompanied on the Purmelander Kerck, arriving December 3, 1663. The governor rewarded Israel's efforts by naming him a 'high councillor' (justice of the Upland court) and by granting him a monopoly on the Indian fur trade among the up-river Swedes. He continued as a justice of the Upland court until 1681, having acquired (by 1688) the surname of Helm (from hjelm, meaning 'helmet' in Swedish) and the title of Captain. In 1688 Israel Helm was one of four patentees for Calcon Hook. He sold his interest in 1671 to Måns Petersson Stake and moved to Upland. Apparently through his trading with the Indians, Helm acquired, by 1677, a claimed 600 acres in West Jersey, which was subsequently whittled down to 100 acres by a hostile West Jersey government. On March 9, 1679/80 he sold his Upland plantation to James Sandiland and when he finally received a deed for his West Jersey property, May 3, 1686, it was defined as 100 acres south of Chommell Creek 'on which Helme's house now stands'.
In 1693, Israel Helm's household of five probably included two sons (Hermanus and Åkenus), a daughter Elisabeth (who married by 1695 George Lawrence, an Englishman) and a daughter Ingeborg (who married by 1697 Eric Mullica). Other children included his eldest son Israel Helm, Jr., who had gone to sea and was never heard from again, and three married daughters Helena (wife of Peter C**k), Maria (wife of Andrew Robeson) and a third, name unknown (wife of Anders Friend), who predeceased her father. After Andreas Rudman's arrival in 1697, Captain Israel Helm served as his principal source on the history of New Sweden. The will of Israel Helm was dated June 17, 1701 and proved March 2, 1701/2.

Source: The 1693 Census of the Swedes on the Delaware by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, p. 70-71. Picture: Armegot Printz, https://www.geni.com/people/Armegot-Printz/6000000002410636414. She was the daughter of Johan Printz and Elisabet von Bock
Wife of Johan Papegoja
Mother of Jöran Papegoja; Bernt Papegoja; Gustaf Adolf Papegoja and Johan Papegoja
Sister of Christina Printz and Gustaf Printz
Half sister of Catharina Elisabet Printz; Elisabet / Elsa Printz and Gunilla Printz

10/01/2025

Open House

Hi everyone!
Here’s your opportunity to visit the Swedish Farmstead at Governor Printz Park and the History Gallery at the Lazaretto. We’ll have First Saturday Open House from 11 to 2 on Saturday, October 4th.
Hope to see you there!

09/25/2025

Active Members
of the Swedish Colonial Society
with Forefather Status
as of September 22, 2025
https://colonialswedes.net/list-of-current-forefathers/

For membership, https://colonialswedes.net/join-scs-today/

09/13/2025

The Rambo-Tree🍎
When Autumn shakes the rambo-tree -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard! -
The bird sings low as the bumble-bee -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard! -
The poor shote-pig he says, says he:
"When Autumn shakes the rambo-tree
There's enough for you and enough for me." -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard.

For just two truant lads like we,
When Autumn shakes the rambo-tree
There's enough for you and enough for me -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard.

When Autumn shakes the rambo-tree -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard! -
The mole digs out to peep and see -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard! -
The dusk sags down, and the moon swings free,
There's a far, lorn call, "Pig-gee! 'Pig-gee!"
And two boys - glad enough for three. -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard.

For just two truant lads like we,
When Autumn shakes the rambo-tree
There's enough for you and enough for me -
It's a long, sweet way across the orchard.

James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. He was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and the "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and children's poetry respectively. Over his career, Riley authored approximately 1,000 poems, including "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man". His influence extended into the 20th century, and his works continued to be celebrated for their nostalgic and rural themes.

Source: bighorsecreekfarm.com

09/09/2025

The latest from Joe Mathews, Swedish Colonial Society Governor while in Sweden.

Send a message to learn more

09/08/2025

Hendrick Evertson

Known generally as Hendrick Iwarsson in church records, he was Hendrick Evertson in civil records. As shown in this census, Hendrick was born in Sweden. It would therefore, follow that Hendrick Evertsson was the son of Ivar the Finn's first wife.
On becoming an adult, he went to Penn's Neck where he met and married Elisabeth, the daughter of Matthias and Catherina Mattsson. By November 1677, he had returned to Crane Hook, where he soon established a reputation quite unlike his father's. In 1677 the court granted him a 240 guilder bounty for bringing in six wolf heads.
By 1693, he had become a church warden for the Crane Hook church. In 1687, Hendrick was named by pastor Ericus Björk to the church committee and he devoted 29 days helping to build the new church at Christina. In 1687, Hendrick Eversson had acquired 200 acres on the north side of St. Georges Creek. He moved his family to this location by 1700 and in 1707 requested Björk to preach to the Swedes there on a monthly basis.
Hendrick Evertsson died before September 28, 1714, when his wife Elisabeth was described as a widow. Among their children, the following have been identified: sons Evert, John and William; daughters Walborg (Barbara), Catherina and Elisabeth.* Source: The 1693 Census of the Swedes on the Delaware by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, p. 124. Picture: Wolf head, Getti Images.
* Evert Evertson, a land owner in Red Lion hundred, New Castle County, in 1700, moved to Cecil County by 1714. Johan Iwarsson of St.Georges was buried April 5, 1715, leaving a widow named Maria. William Evertson moved to Philadelphia County where, in 1704, he was a member of the militia. Walborg Iwar's daughter of St. Georges married Cornelius [Hnedricksson] Walraven in 1715. Catharina Iwarsson married Nathaniel Tucker, October 31, 1717. Elisabeth Iwarsson married Johan Andersson at St. Georges, November 12, 1718.

09/05/2025

Sinnick Broer, a Finn, arrived on the Delaware with his family during the period of Dutch rule,1655-64. On September 1,1669 Governor Francis Lovelace issued a patent for 400 morgens (over 800 acres) on the north side of the Christina River to its then owners, Anders Andersson the Finn, Walraven Jansen De Vos and 'Sinnick Broers.' As 'Seneca Brewer', he was listed as one of the three residents at this location, called Deer Point, in the 1671 English census.
On May 1,1671, Lovelace issued a second patent to 'Sinneke Broer' for 200 acres at Appoquinimink Creek. Augustine Herman later protested to William Penn about the second grant 'to a Finn called Sinneke Brour,' claiming that it infringed on his patent. Meanwhile, Sinnick Broer had sold half of his Deer Point lands to Anders Jöransson and then died.* He was survived by three sons, all of whom took the patronymic, variously spelled Sinnicksson, Sinnexen, Sinnexe, Sineke, etc.: Anders, Broer, and John.
All three were 16 or older when listed as tydable in November 1677. Source: The 1693 Census of the Swedes on the Delaware by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, p. 98. Picture: Appoquinimink Creek (River), Wiki.
*Sinnick Broer apparently never executed a deed for his transfer to Anders Jöransson. A breviat tracing the history of Deer Point, in the Sinexon papers at the Delaware State Archives recites that Justa Andersson (apparently acting as executor of Sinnick's estate) had sold one-half of Sinnick's share to Hans Petersson, November 24, 1674, which the latter conveyed to Anders Jöransson on December 27,1674. Hans Petersson later executed a deed, dated April 1, 1679, confirming this half to Broer Sinnex, who had married Anders' widow. The other half was sold by Justa Andersson to Matthias Matthiasson DeVos, who sold it back to Justa Andersson. Justa then sold it to Anders Sinnex who sold it to his brother Broer Sinnex.

08/29/2025

Linnaeus’ Homestead in Hammarby Sweden

Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778)
Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist

The manor house Hammarby was the former summer home of Carl Linnaeus and his family. Carl Linnaeus was a scientist and professor at Uppsala University. Linnaeus gradually turned the estate into his residence and private study, settling there permanently until his death.

2. HB and his Malinois pooch Lumi

Photos: from Joe Mathews, Governor, Swedish Colonial Society www.colonialswedes.net

08/29/2025

There's an Open House at the Farmstead during the Tinicum Township Farmers Markets on September 3rd. And on first Saturday of the month on September 6th, there will be Open House at the Farmstead and the History Gallery in the Lazaretto.

Open House at the Farmstead and the History Gallery in the Lazaretto
97 Wanamaker Avenue
Essington, PA 19029