CHAPTER II.

THE SWEDISH COLONY ON THE DELAWARE, 1638-1655.

As early as the year 1624, the attention of the Swedish government was directed to the importance of a colony in the new world, bearing allegiance to the Swedish crown, and initiatory steps were taken toward the establishment of a colony of this character. The prime mover in this enterprise was William Usselincx, a merchant of Brabant, Antwerp, who came to Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, highly recommended as a person well calculated to forward an enterprise of this character. He had been the projector of the Dutch West India Company, and one of the most able advisers of its administration. The plan of the ambitious Usselincx, was to establish a Swedish West India Company, which, in the importance of its enterprises and the scope of its authority, was soon to rival the famous Holland company. So thoroughly imbued with the ideas of Usselincx did Gustavus become, that on the fourteenth day of June,1626, he granted a charter for a Swedish West India Company, whose jurisdiction of trade and commerce was to extend to Africa, America, and Australia. The government of the Company was vested in a board of directors, representatives from the several chambers, all of whom were subject to the jurisdiction of a general diet of all the chambers.

To the Company was delegated the power to make treaties with foreign chiefs, or people, in their own name; to build castles and fortresses, occupy desolate places, and make them habitable; operate and procure what they could for the convenience of the Company; to avenge insults or wrongs; to constitute a council, which, with its officers, was to be charged with the administration of justice; the preservation of good laws, the appointment of soldiers, governors, directors, and judges, and with the settlement of differences between individuals, and between directors and the several chambers of the Company.

King Gustavus Adolphus, however, was not destined to behold the fruition of his hopes in this grand enterprise, which he was wont to style "the jewel of his kingdom." Before the arrangements of the Company were completed, on the 16th of November, 1632, the good king, fighting for his faith, died upon the fatal field of Lützen. At his death, active operations in the interest of the project ceased for the time being, at least, but the idea was by no means abandoned. Recollections of the king's interest in it were cherished in the breast of Oxel Oxenstierna, his prime minister, and after his death, royal chancellor of Sweden, under the infant Queen 1 See extract "Argonautica Gustaveana,” in Hazard's Ann., pp. 16–20.

Christina, who succeeded to the throne of Sweden at her father's death, being at that time but six years of age.

A recommendation of the scheme of the West India Company had been drawn up by Gustavus a month before his death, but had never received his signature.1

On the 10th of April, 1633, this proclamation was published by Oxenstierna, together with an apology for the delay in organizing the Company. On the 12th of December, 1634, the charter of the Swedish West India Company was confirmed by the Deputies at Frankfort, and was printed at Hamburg in 1635.2

The first Swedish settlers, under this charter, arrived upon the shores of the Delaware at the close of March or beginning of April, 1638, in two vessels, named the "Key of Kalmar" and the "Bird Griffen," the former an armed vessel, and the latter a provision boat. The expedition was under the command of Peter Minuet, formerly connected with the Dutch West India Company, and late a Director General of New Netherlands.3

The present Directorship of New Netherlands was vested in William Kieft, who had been commisioned as Wouter Von Twiller's successor, on the 28th of March, 1638.*

Arrived at the Delaware river, Minuet, misleading the Dutch settlers who visited his vessel, under the pretense of his stopping only for supplies, immediately, upon landing, began the work of establishing a settlement, and when remonstrated with by the Dutch, intimated that his Queen had as good a right to the soil as they.5

Minuet first landed at a point on the western side of the river, on territory now within the present State of Delaware, at no great distance from the ancient Zwanandal, the spot where the unfortunate colony of De Vries met its fate. He next visited Minquas Creek, which he called Christina Kihl, in honor of his young Queen, and Christina creek is the name it bears to-day. On this stream, a short distance from its mouth, at a place called by the Indians Hopokohacking, near the present city of Wilmington, Delaware, he built Fort Christina."

It

When advised of Minuet's movements, Director General Kieft entered a protest against them, which protest Minuet, understanding the uncertain condition of affairs in the New Netherlands, feared but little, and as a consequence heeded less. A second protest was treated in like manner. therefore became evident to Director General Keift that if Minuet's operations on the Delaware were to be checked, it would have to be done by 'Haz. Ann., p. 34.

* Hazard's Ann., p. 39.

3 As a sign that Queen Christina had taken possession of the country, Minuet set up posts on which he had inscribed the letters C. R. S., surmounted by a rude representation of a crown.

4 Hazard's Ann., p. 41.

5 O'Call, Vol. I, p. 21. Hazard's Ann., p. 43.

6 Smith's Hist. Del. Co., p. 21. Acrelius, p. 24.

force, and not through fear. More stringent measures were necessary, but Keift not feeling justified in making an hostile attack upon the Swedish settlement, protected, as it was, by a flag, so much respected as that of the home government, referred the whole matter to the Chamber at Amsterdam for further orders.1

Meanwhile the Swedes establishing themselves upon as secure a footing as possible, laid the foundations of the first permanent European settlement on the shores of the Delaware. A settlement over which they continued to hold the authority for a period of seventeen years, notwithstanding the efforts of Dutch and English neighbors to gain the ascendancy. The several administrations of the Swedish Colonial Government on the Delaware, during this period, and up to the time when the settlement finally succumbed to the Dutch government at New Amsterdam, are as follows:

From the array of disconnected facts, which are the only record now in existence of the doings of the earlier settlers on the Delaware, it is impossible definitely to determine the mode of government, and, in some instances, the manner of the men who had the delegated control of affairs in the Swedish Colony. While it is claimed by some of the best informed writers on the subject, that Peter Minuet was the first Deputy Governor of the colony and acted in that capacity, there is no record of any of his official acts. We have the authority of Acrelius for saying that Minuet remained in the colony for three years, and held his fort against the Dutch, and that "after some years of faithful service he died at Christina."2

Other writers claim, that after establishing his colony, Minuet returned to Sweden, in 1639.3

During the first three years, the existence of the Swedish colony on the Delaware was most precarious. All that saved the colony from falling into the hands of the Dutch was the opportune arrival, in 1641, of a vessel from Sweden, bringing new settlers and fresh supplies.

This year, 1641, Peter Minuet was succeeded as Commandant or Deputy Governor by Lieutenant Peter Hollandare, a Swede. Of Hollandare's ad1 O'Call, Vol. I, p. 192. Haz. Ann., p. 45.

2 Acrelius Mem. Hist. Soc. Pa., p. 28.

3 In support of this theory, Dr. Reynolds, in a note on page 28 of his translation of Acrelius, quotes from Odhner's "Sveriges Inre Historia" a statement that Minuet returned to Sweden in 1639. and did not again make his appearance in the Swedish service, either in America or in Europe, and that in July, 1639, Peter Hollandare was nominated as commandant of Fort Christina.

ministration we know as little as of Minuet's. It was brief, lasting but eighteen months, and at its close, Hollandare returned to Sweden, where he was placed in command of the arsenal at Stockholm,' and was a major at Skepsholm, in Stockholm, in the year 1655.2

On the 15th of February, 1643, John Printz, of Stockholm, a Swedish lieutenant of cavalry, who had been appointed on the 15th of August of the preceding year, to succeed Hollandare as Governor of New Sweden, arrived at Fort Christina.

No uncertainty, as in the case of his predecessors, is attached to Printz's title as Governor of New Sweden, for there is a clear record both of his appointment and of the instructions he received from Queen Christina. His coming was most auspicious for the colony; for under his administration it rapidly advanced in numbers and power. Great inroads were made on the Dutch inhabitants on the South river; valuable points were taken possession of; and their struggle to maintain their trade with the Indians proved unavailing-Swedish authority was peramnently established on the Delaware.

3

Printz, upon his arrival, located the seat of government on the Island of Teneko, now Tinnicum, and here built Fort New Gottenberg, and his own residence, which he called "Printz's Hall."

At this time, the Dutch possessed Fort Nassau, further up the river, while the Swedes held Fort Christina below. During this year, Printz also built Fort Elsenborg near the mouth of the river. Fort Casimer was built by the Dutch near the present town of New Castle, in the year 1651.

It was, therefore, at Tinnicum that law and justice was first regularly administered within the present limits of Pennsylvania, for prior to Printz's coming, the people sought redress for their grievances at Fort Christina.*

John Printz continued Governor of New Sweden until the year 1653, rendering such "faithful services" as to induce his queen to tender to him and "his lawful heirs " a special grant for the perpetual possession of the place called Teneko or New Gottenberg, (Tinnicum.) 5

From the record of his appointment, and the "Instructions" given him by Queen Christina," we learn something of the method of Printz's administration.

In the document appointing Printz, which bears date at Stockholm, August 16, 1642, he is ordered to defend the inhabitants of New Sweden against "all violence and foreign attachment," and "to preserve, above all, that country in safe and faithful hands. Also, he must preserve amity, good neighborhood, and correspondence with foreigners, with those who depend upon his government, and the natives of the country; to render justice without distinction, so that there shall be injury to no one, and if

1 Clay's Annals,

2 Acrelius, p. 28.

3 Hazard Ann., p, 70.

4 Introduction Upland Court Records, p. 27.

5 Pa. Arch., 2d Ser., Vol. V, p. 776.

Ibid., pp. 764–766.

any person behave himself grossly, he must punish him in a convenient manner."

In his instructions, he is commanded "to decide all controversies according to the laws, customs, and usages of Sweden, and in all other things he will adopt and follow, all the laudable manners, customs, and usages of the Kingdom of Sweden."1 He is further ordered "to bring to obedience and order by necessary and convenient means, the mutinous and refractory persons who will not live in peace; and he may punish great offenders, if he finds any, not only by imprisonment and other proportionate punishments, but even with death, according to the crime, if he can sieze the criminal; but not otherwise than according to the ordinances and legal forms, and after having sufficiently considered and examined the affairs with the most noted persons, such as the most prudent assessors of justice that he can find and consult in the country."

In the year 1653, Printz having expressed a desire to return home to New Sweden, permission so to do was granted him by Queen Christina.2 He was requested, however, not to leave the colony until a successor to him as Governor was appointed. This request, if received at all before his departure, he seems to have disregarded, for according to the best authorities, he sailed for Sweden near the close of the year 1653,3 leaving as Governor of New Sweden in his stead, John Pappegoya, his son-in-law. Arrived at home, Printz was made a general, and, in the year 1658, was appointed Governor of the District of Jönköping. He died in 1663.*

During Printz's administration, in all probability, were laid the foundations of the town of Upland (Indian name, Necoponacka) on the Delaware, the present town of Chester, Pennsylvania, which town played a most important part in our early legal history, as will later and more fully appear. Upland is first mentioned as a place in the year 1645. From its name, it appears to have been of Swedish origin, but we have no knowledge of the title by which the Swedes held it.

John Pappegoya, whom Printz left in charge of the government of New Sweden upon his return to the mother country, came to New Sweden about the close of the year 1653, highly recommended to Printz by Queen Chris

"This, although but a glimpse, is sufficient to show that no special code was prepared for the government of the colony. The laws of the mother country were, in ancient times, various and conflicting, each province being governed by its own peculiar customs and statutes. About the year 1614, a compilation of these laws was made for the direction of the whole Kingdom, difficiencies and obscurities in doubtful cases being supplied or explained by the aid of the civil law.

"By this code, Printz was doubtless directed in the decisions which, as Governor and Chief Magistrate, he was bound to make; for although Swedish writers assert that trial by jury is of Swedish origin, no instance is known of its application in the colony."-Armstrong's Introduction to Upland Court Records, Memoirs of Hist. Soc. Pa., Vol. VII, p. 30.

2 Pa. Arch., 2d Ser., Vol. V, p. 783.

3 Hazard says November was the date of his departure.

4 Acrelius, Memoirs Hist. Soc. Pa., Vol. XI, p. 61.