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PENNSYLVANIA. LIBRARIES

HISTORY

OF

DELAWARE COUNTY.

PENNSYLVANIA.

FROM THE DISCOVERY OF THE TERRITORY INCLUDED WITHIN ITS LIMITS TO THE PRESENT TIME,

% goto of the (Scologij of the (Toum^

CATALOGUES OF ITS MINERALS. PLANTS, QUADRUPEDS AND BIRDS

to r i 1 t e ti

UNDER TUE DIRECTION- AND APPOINTMENT OF THE DELAWARE COUNTY INSTITUTE OF Si [ENCE,

G E O R G E © Mi I T H , 31 . D

PHILADELPHIA . PRINTED BY HENRY B. ASHMEAD,

Nos. 1102 and 1104 Sanson Street.

18G2.

-

5

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by

GEORGE SMITH, M. D.,

the Clerk's Office oftht District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

'• i

INTRODUCTION.

The circumstances under which the author was induced to engage in the preparation of the work now submit led to the public, will be briefly explained.

Many years since a resolution was adopted by the Delaware County Institute of Science, having in view the collection and preservation of manuscripts, printed docu- ments, traditions, or any other matter or thing calculated to illustrate the history of the County. A notice was published in the County papers, requesting persons in pos- session of the desired information, to place the documents containing it in the possession of the Institute. This re- quest was but very partially responded to, either by the members of the Institution, or by others. Still there were a few who took a deep interest in the subject. They plainly saw that many facts calculated to illustrate our early history had already passed into oblivion, because no means had been adopted to collect and preserve them, and that if this important subject should be longer neglected, many more would soon be placed beyond our reach, by the decease of a number of intelligent persons, still living, who were familiar with the stirring times and local events of our revolutionary struggle.

•' Do

Among those who took the deepest interest in the matter was Joseph Edwards, Esq., an active and intelligent member of the Institute. It was a subject in accordance with his taste, and he freely devoted his time and his vigorous intellect, in accomplishing the original object of the In- stitution. His reading was from this time more particularly directed to the various works that relate to the early set- tlements on the Delaware. Making himself familiar with

IV INTRODUCTION.

that subject, and being possessed of a considerable number of local facts, the idea occurred to him of putting the ma- terials in his possession into the shape of a history of our County. The subject was accordingly brought by him before the Institute, and meeting with the approbation of the members present, it was at once placed in the hands of a committee, with the understanding that the whole labor of drawing up the history should devolve on Mr. Edwards.

Circulars were now addressed to every person supposed to be in possession of facts or information calculated to add value to the work, but again the response was for the most part slow and unsatisfactory ; and the feeble health of Mr. Edwards did not permit him to engage in the laborious task of personally examining voluminous ancient records, and other manuscripts of vital importance to the work in question, and only to a very limited extent of elicit- ing from the aged of our County their recollections of by- gone times.

Thus circumstanced, Mr. Edwards engaged energetically in the work, and, at the time his earthly career was so suddenly brought to a close, he had brought his narrative down to the commencement of Penn's government. The task of completing the work was imposed by the Institute upon the author, who assumed it as a duty he owed to his departed friend, as well as from a desire to place beyond contingency a multitude of local facts, that were to be found only in ancient manuscripts, many of which it was known were not in safe keeping, nor in a good state of preservation.

When the appointment of the Institute was accepted, he had no idea that his labor would extend much beyond the completion of the narrative commenced by his friend, and he supposed that a large amount of the materials had already been collected for that purpose. He was aware that the manuscript of Mr. Edwards was too voluminous, and if used, would require some abridgment, but a careful examination of it soon satisfied him that it could not be used at all, as part of a work for which he was to be mainly responsible. It was discovered that Mr. Edwards in

INTRODUCTION. V

drawing up his narrative had labored under the disadvan- tage of not being in possession of all the important facts connected with his subject ; that the authors upon which he relied were mostly compilers and frequently incorrect, and in addition, his narrative was so very voluminous, that the labor of abridging it would be greater than that of re-writing the whole. It was painful to the author to exclude the whole of the manuscript of Mr. Edwards, but he is happy in having the opinion of one of his most intel- ligent relatives, that the course adopted was proper and judicious.

It thus became necessary to enter upon a thorough ex- amination of every work having a bearing upon the his- tory of the territory embraced within our County, from the time it first became known to Europeans. This has been the most pleasing part of the labor. But it was soon found that the most interesting facts connected with the early history of the County were scattered through the voluminous manuscript records of the Society of Friends ; the records of our early Courts, and other records of the County, now in the offices at West Chester ; the records in the Surveyor-General's office at Harrisburg, and in the several offices of the city of Philadelphia. These have been carefully examined so far as they relate to early times; and although their examination required the expen- diture of much time and labor, the reward has been so ample, that it may now be safely said, that no history of the County would have been worthy of the name which did not embrace the numerous local facts derived from these sources.

It will also be seen that the unpublished records at Albany, N. Y., and those at New Castle, in the State of Delaware, have been examined with the view of ascer- taining as many local facts as possible connected with the settlements on the Delaware, prior to the establishment of the government of William Penn. These examinations, though not so prolific of new facts as that of our own re- cords, it will be observed, have not been by any means fruitless.

The examination of these records made the author

VI INTRODUCTION.

familiar with most of the early settlers embraced within the limits of our County ; where they lived, how they lived, and from whence they came. This gave rise to the idea of the map that exhibits the County as it was at the time of its first settlement, or shortly afterwards, and also suggested the biographical notices which form an impor- tant feature of the work. This arrangement has had the eifect of freeing the history of the County proper from much personal narrative and local description, and will, it is hoped, be a source of some satisfaction to many old families of the County, and to many who reside beyond our limits, but who can justly claim kindred here, and " have their claims allowed." Much labor has been ex- pended on this part of the work, and it is trusted not without a reasonable degree of success. Still the author has* to regret, that in respect to some of the early immi- grant settlers, he has been able to learn little or nothing. This will account for the briefness and imperfection of some of the notices, and the entire omission of any notice of other pioneers in the settlement of the County.

The multitude of local facts and circumstances that it appeared necessary to give in the language in which they are recorded, has given to a considerable portion of the work, very much the character of Annals. It hence be- came important to place at the head of each page, the date, as nearly as possible, of the events recorded on it, and on that account the formality of dividing the work into chapters has been dispensed with.

The Geology of the County, and the Catalogue of its Flowering Plants and Ferns would have been contributed to the work by the present author, had the historical part of it been completed by Mr. Edwards. The Catalogue of our Mosses was kindly prepared by Dr. Thomas P. James, and that of the Quadrupeds and of the Birds by John Cassin, Esq., both natives of Delaware County, and both unsurpassed in the branches of the natural sciences to which their contributions respectively belong.

To his long tried friend, Minshall Painter, the author is largely indebted for liberal and constant aid in the ex- amination of voluminous manuscripts, and for the contri-

INTRODUCTION. Vli

bution of many local facts. He is also under great obli- gations to Thomas Darlington, Dr. William Darlington, Joseph J. Lewis, John H. Brinton, Adis M. Ayers, Walter Hibbard, Jonathan Cope, and Gilbert Cope, of Chester County ; to the late Samuel Breck, Samuel Hazard, Pro- fessor John F. Frazer, and Samuel L. Smedley, of Phila- delphia; to Thomas Dutton, Elijah Brooke, George G. Leiper, Robert Frame, Robert Thomas, John M. Broomall, Jacob -S. Serrill, Joshua P. Eyre, Charles Johnson, and James M. Willcox, of Delaware County, and to many others, for the aid they have severally rendered by contri- buting documents, or by communicating important facts.

Upper Darbv, Delaware Co., November 1, 1802.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Map of Delaware County,

Map of the Early Settlements of Delaware County, .

A part of Roggeveen's Map of New Netherland. . . . .

Diagram of Chester, pr. R. Long, C. Pusey, James Sanderlands, and

others, ...........

Residence of Caleb Pusey at Chester Mills, . . . . .

Diagram of a line run due West, preparatory to ascertaining the

Western boundary of a tract of land purchased from the Indians

in 1685, ........

First Meeting-house of Friends at Chester,

Friends' Meeting-house, Haverford, built 1700. rebuilt 1800

View of St. Paul's Church, Chester, built 1703,

Town Hall at Chester, built 1724, ....

Head Quarters of Gen. Washington, at the Battle of Brandywine,

" " of Marquis de La Fayette, "

Section of the Delaware River, including Fort Mifflin.

Haverford College,

Public Buildings at Media,

Delaware County Alms House, .....

Upland,

Burd Orphan's Asylum of St. Stephen's Church,

Kellyville,

View of Media from the South-west, ....

Friends' Meeting-houses at Springfield.

Birth place of Benjamin West, .....

St. David's Church, built 1717,

Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble-minded Children

Catholic Church of St. Thomas, Aston.

Castle Rock, from the North, .....

Geological Map of Delaware County,

Exposure of Trap with Diallage or Anthophyllite,

Autograph Signatures (3 pages), ....

Fac Simile from the Ledger of Richard Hayes, .

Autograph Letter of David Lloj'd, ....

" "of Jacob Taylor. .

" " of Benjamin West.

Draft of the first settled part of Chester,

to face title page. . last page. . page 18

138

147

170 188 201 208 234 305 310 321 358 375 376 380 386 387 388 390 390 396 399 400 401 403 410 442 467 48u 506 513 543

HISTORY OP DELAWARE COUNTY.

In giving an account of the first settlement by Europeans, of any part of America, it has been customary with writers to pre- cede their narratives by a detailed history, not only of the events that were then transpiring in the Old World, but of every event that had occurred for a century or more previously, having the least possible bearing, upon the settlement in question. As the history of a district of country so limited in extent as that of Delaware County, must derive its chief value from the number of local facts it may present, the transatlantic events that led to its settlement in common with that of larger districts of our country, will only be briefly adverted to.

More than a century had elapsed, from the time of the dis- covery of the Western Continent by the Cabots, before the noble river that forms the south-eastern boundary of our County, be- came known to Europeans. The first settlement of Virginia was commenced at Jamestown in the year 1607. Two years later, the celebrated English navigator Henry Hudson, after having made two unsuccessful voyages in the employ of London merchants, in search of a northern passage to the East Indies, entered the service of the Dutch East India Company, and with the same object in view, made his celebrated voyage that resulted in the discovery of the great New York river, that most justly bears his name. Sailing from Amsterdam on the 4th of April, 1609, in a yacht called the Half-Moon, he doubled North Cape with the object of reaching Nova Zembla. In this he was foiled by reason of the dense fogs and the large bodies of ice he encountered, when, changing his original plan, he directed his course with the view of discovering a north-west passage to China. He arrived off" the banks of Newfoundland in July, and continu- ing his course westwardly, after some delay on account of dense fogs, entered Penobscot bay on the coast of Maine. Here Captain Hudson had friendly intercourse with the natives of the country, and after having repaired the damage his little vessel had sus- tained, he pursued his course southerly in search, it is said, of a 1

2 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1610.

passage to the Western Pacific Ocean, which he had formerly learned from his friend Captain John Smith, had an existence, "south of Virginia." Halting a second time at Cape Cod, he observed in possession of the Indians who treated him kindly, " green tobacco and pipes, the bowls of which were made of clay, and the stems of red copper."1

The voyage of the Half-Moon was again continued south-west along the coast, until, on the 18th of August she arrived at the mouth of Chesapeake bay. If there was any truth in the rather improbable story, that Hudson pursued this south-west course, in search of a passage to the Pacific, south of Virginia, he certainly abandoned his plan ; for, without much delay, he reversed his course, making a more particular examination of the coast as he passed along. On the 28th of August, 1609, in latitude thirty- nine degrees and five minutes north, Hudson discovered " a great bay," which, after having made a very careful examination of the shoals and soundings at its mouth, he entered ; but soon came to the over-cautious conclusion, that " he that will thoroughly dis- cover this great bay, must have a small pinnace, that must draw but four or five feet water, to sound before him."2 To this great bay the name of Delaware has been given in honor of Lord De- la-war, who is said to have entered it one year subsequently to the visit of Hudson.3

The examination of the Delaware bay by Hudson, was more after the manner of a careful navigator, than that of a bold ex- plorer in search of new lands, and scarcely extended beyond its mouth. It must have been very slight indeed, as we find that in further retracing his steps, he had descried the high lands of Navesink on the 2nd of September, four days after his entrance into the Delaware bay ; and on the 4th of that month, after having rounded a low " Sandy Hook," he discovered, " The Great North River of New Netherland" — a discovery that will transmit his name to the latest posterity.

Though an Englishman, Hudson was in the employ of the Dutch, and his visit to the Delaware, however transient it may have been, is rendered important from the fact, that on it prin- cipally, if not wholly, rested the claim of that government to the bay and river, so far as it was based on the ground of prior dis^ covert/. This claim is now fully conceded ; for although the bay was known in Virginia by its present name as early as 1612, no evidence exists of its discovery by Lord Delaware or any other

i Hist. New Netherland, i. 34.

2 Journal of the voyage by Robert Juet, the mate of Hudson, — N. Y. Hist. Col. vol. i. 130, 131,— also, ib. N. S. i. 320.

3 So far as a negative can be proven, Mr. Broadhead in his History of N. Y. has made it appear that Lord Delaware never saw the bay that bears his name. See p. 51, and Appendix, note D, of that work.

1614.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 3

Englishman prior to 1610, when it is said, that navigator "touched at Delaware bay on his passage to Virginia."1

An official Dutch document,2 drawn up in 1644, claims that New Netherland "was visited by inhabitants of that country in the year 1598," and that "two little forts were built on the South and North rivers." Better authority is needed to support this claim, than the assertion of an interested party made nearly half a century subsequent to the event.

Though reasonable doubts may exist in respect to the visit of Lord Delaware to the Delaware bay, that bay in 1610 did actually receive a transient visit from Captain Samuel Argall, who pro- bably was the first European that entered its waters after its discovery by Hudson.3

The various names by which the Delaware river and bay have been known, are enumerated in Hazard's Annals of Pennsylva- nia.4 By the Indians it was called, "Pautaxat, Mariskitton and "Makerish-kisken, Lenape Whittuck ; by the Dutch, Zuyt or South river, Nassau river, Prince Hendrick river, and Charles river ; by the Swedes, New Swedeland stream ; by the English, Delaware. Heylin in his Cosmography calls it Arasapha. The bay has also been known as New Port May and Crodyns bay.

Six years now intervene, before we have any further accounts of discoveries in " New Netherland," a country, which in the estimation of Their High Mightinesses, The States General of Holland, embraced the Delaware bay and river. On the 27th of March, in the year 1614, a general charter was granted, securing the exclusive privilege of trade during four voyages, with "any new courses, havens, countries or places," to the discoverer, and subjecting any persons who should act in violation thereof, to a forfeiture of their vessel, in addition to a heavy pecuniary penalty.5 Stimulated by this edict of the States General, the merchants of Amsterdam fitted out five vessels to engage in voyages, in pursuance of its provisions. Among them was the Fortune belonging to the city of Hoorn, commanded by Captain Cornelis Jacobson Mey. Captain Adrian Block com- manded another vessel of this exploring party, which was unfortunately burnt upon his arrival at the mouth of the " Man- hattan river." To repair this misfortune, Captain Block imme- diately engaged in the construction of a new vessel — a yacht, 441 feet long, and \\\ feet wide. This craft was of but 16 tons burden, and was named the Unrust (Restless.) She was the first vessel built by Europeans in this country, and her construction,

1 N. Y. Hist. Col. i. N. S. 320.

2 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 149 ; Hist. New Netherland, i. Appendix E, 418.

3 Broadhead's Hist. N. Y. 51 and note D. 4 P. 4. 5 N. Y. Col. Doe. i. 5.

4 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1616.

under the circumstance, savors more of a Yankee proceeding than any event in the history of New Netherland.

The Fortune, commanded by Skipper Mey, alone proceeded southerly. The coast, with its numerous inlets and islands, was examined and mapped as he went along, until he reached the mouth of the Delaware bay, to the two proper capes of which he appropriated two of his names ; calling the one Cornelis, the other Mey. To a cape still further south he gave the name of Hindlopen, after a town of Friesland.1 All the vessels except the Restless, now returned to Holland, to make a report of their discoveries, and to claim the exclusive privileges of trade, to which, under the general charter granted by the States General, their owners would be entitled. By an edict dated on the 14th of October, 1614, this monopoly of trade was granted to the united company of merchants of the cities of Amsterdam and Hoorn, by whose means the expedition had been fitted out. It was limited, however, to " newly discovered lands, situate in America, between New France and Virginia, whereof the sea coasts lie between the fortieth and forty-fifth degrees of latitude, now named New Netherland," and was to extend to four voyages, to be made within three years from the 1st of January. It will be seen that the Delaware bay is not included in this grant, a circumstance that would suggest that the discoveries in that quarter by Skipper Mey, had not been appreciated.

Captain Cornelis Hendrickson, who had been left in command of the American built vessel Restless, now proceeded to make further explorations, and especially on the Delaware bay. It has even been said that this expedition explored the river as high up as the mouth of the Schuylkill, the discovery of which is credited to Captain Hendrickson.2 If this be correct, the crew of the Restless were the first civilized men who visited the terri- tory now embraced within the limits of Delaware County. The extent of the discoveries made by the worthy captain, can, in a measure, be judged of by his report made to the States General, on behalf of his employers.

" Report of Captain Cornelis Hendrixz11 of Munnickendam to the high and mighty Lords States General of the Free United Netherland Provinces, made on the XVIIIth August, Ao. 161G, of the country, bay and three rivers, situate in the latitude from 38 to 40 degrees, by him discovered and found for and to the behoof of his owners and Directors of New Netherland, by name Gerrit Jacob Witsen, Burgomaster at Amsterdam, Jonas Witsen, Lambreht Van Tweenhuyzen, Palas Pelgrom and others of their company."

1 Hist. New Netherland, i. 73.

2 Haz. Add. 7 : Broadhead's Hist. N. Y. 79.

1620.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 5

" First, he hath discovered for his aforesaid Masters and Directors, certain lands, a bay and three rivers situate between -38 and 40 degrees."

" And did there trade with the inhabitants ; said trade con- sisting of sables, furs, robes and other skins."

" He hath found the said country full of trees, to wit : oaks, hickory and pines ; which trees, were in some places covered with vines."

" He hath seen in said country, bucks and does, turkeys and partriges."

" He hath found the climate of said country very temperate, judging it to be as temperate as this country, Holland."

" He also traded for and bought from the inhabitants, the Minguas, three persons, being people belonging to this company, which three persons were employed in the service of the Mohawks and Machicans ; giving for them kettles, beads and merchandise."

"Read August 19th, 1616."1

It cannot be fairly inferred from this report, that the Schuyl- kill was one of the three rivers discovered by Captain Hendrick- son, and the original "Carte Figurative,"2 found attached to the memorial of his employers, presented on the day before the re- port was made, furnishes almost conclusive evidence that the voyage of the Restless did not extend even to the mouth of the Delaware river. The refusal of the States General, to grant the trading privileges to these applicants, which in justice could not be withheld from the discoverers of " any new courses, havens, countries or places," furnishes additional proof that the discoveries made in the Restless did not go much beyond what had been previously made. If any knowledge of the Delaware or Schuylkill rivers was acquired on this occasion, it was proba- bly obtained from the three persons belonging to the company, purchased from the Indians, or from the Indians themselves.

In anticipation of the formation of a Dutch West India Company, exclusive trading privileges were not again granted under the general charter of 1614, except in a few instances and to a very limited extent. The trade to Neio Netherlands, regard- ed by the Dutch as extending beyond the Delaware, was thrown open, in a measure, to individual competition. This did not last long, for on the 3rd of June, 1621, the West India Company was incorporated. It did not,' however, go into operation until 1623.

Thus far, trade, and new discoveries for the purpose of extend- ing trade, appear to have wholly engrossed the attention of the Dutch. This year a proposition is made by the Directors of the

1 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 13.

2 For a copy of this " Carte Figurative," see N. Y. Col. Doc. i. facing p. 13.

6 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1621.

New Netherland trading company, for the emigration to America of " a certain English preacher,1 versed in the Dutch ianguage," then residing in Leyden, together with over four hundred fami- lies both out of Holland and England, whom he assured the petitioners, he had the means of inducing to accompany him thither. The petitioners also asked that two ships of war might be provisionally dispatched "for the preservation of the country's rights, and that the aforesaid minister and the four hundred families, might be taken under the protection of the government; alledging that his Majesty of Great Britain would be disposed to people the aforesaid lands with the English nation." After considerable delay, this petition was rejected.2

On the 28th of September of this year, and during the time that elapsed between the incorporation of the Dutch West India Company and the time it commenced its commercial operations, the States General granted certain parties permission to dispatch " two ships with all sorts of permitted merchandise, the one to the aforesaid New Netherland, and the other to the aforesaid New river, lying in latitude between eight and thirty and forty degrees, and to the small rivers thereon depending, to trade away and dispose of their old stock, which they have there, and afterwards bring back into this country their goods, cargoes, clerks and seamen, on condition that they must be home before the 1st of July, 1622."3

The New river mentioned in the foregoing extract, was un- doubtedly the Delaware ; and it might be inferred from the per- mission asked in respect to the old stock, $c, that a trading post had been established by the Dutch on the Delaware, prior to this date. There are many facts to show that such a conclusion would be erroneous, and that the Dutch had no trading establishment on that river at this time.

At the instance of the British Government, Sir Dudley Carle- ton their Ambassador at the Hague, entered upon an investi- gation of certain charges made against the Hollanders, of having left " a Colonie" at, and of " giving new names to several ports appertaining to that part of the countrie north of Virginia" called by them " New England."4

In the prosecution of this investigation,5 which was rather of a private and informal character, th^ Ambassador could not make " any more of the matter but that about fower or five years since, two particular conpanies of Amsterdam merchants, began

1 This preacher was the Rev. Mr. Robinson. Some of the families alluded to em- barked at Delft in the May Flower and Speedwell on the 16th of July, 1620, and though they were destined for the Hudson, they lauded at Plymouth, and became the renowned Colony of Pilgrims.

2 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 22-24.

3 lb. 27. * lb. iii. 6. 5 ib. 7.

1623.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 7

a trade into these parts between 40 and 45 degrees, to wch after their manner they gave their own names New Netherlands, a South and a North sea, a Texel, a blieland and the like ; whither they have ever since continued to send shipps of 30 and 40 lasts,1 at the most to fetch furres, wch is all their trade; for the providing of wch they have certain factors there con- tinually residents trading, wth savages, and at this present there is a ship at Amsterdam, bound for those parts, but I can- not learn of anie Colonie eyther already planted there by these people, or so much as intended." The letter of the Ambassador communicating this information to the British Government, is dated on the 5th of February, 1621. Sir Dudley gives as an additional reason, why he arrived at the conclusion, that the Dutch had not as yet planted a colony, that divers in- habitants of this country (Holland,) had been suters to him to procure them " a place of habitation amongst his Maties subjects in those parts," suggesting the improbability of these people desiring to mingle among strangers, and to be under their govern- ment, if they had settlements of their own.

He did not fail, however, to present to the States General, on behalf of his government, a remonstrance against further com- merce, by the Dutch, with the country in question, and to lay before their High Mightinesses, the British claim thereto by right of first occupation, (jur?e primse occupationis.)2

This proceeding of the British Government was intended to prevent their rights from being lost, rather than to enforce any immediate claim. It was so regarded by the Dutch Government, and particularly so by the West India Company, which now, after having secured an amplification of their privileges, and completed their preliminary arrangements, proceeded at once, to carry out the very measures that had been so recently protested against by the British Ambassador. They extended the com- merce of the country, by building up establishments with the view of securing its title to their government, and its trade to themselves — the latter being always a paramount consideration with the company.

The West India Company, having by virtue of their charter,3 taken possession of the country, they dispatched the ship New Netherland with a number of people thereto, under the direction of Captains Cornells Jacobson Mey, and Adriaen Joriz Tienpont. Mey proceeded to the Delaware or South river, on the eastern bank of which, fifteen leagues from its mouth, he erected fort

1 A last is nearly equal to two tons when applied to ships; when applied to the measure of grain, is equal to 80 English bushels.

2 N. Y. Col. Doc. iii.8.

3 For a translation of the charter at length, see Hist. New Netherland, Appendix B ; Hazard's Historical Collections, i. 121-131.

8 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1624.

Nassau at a place called by the natives Techaacho, — supposed to be near the mouth of little Timber creek in Gloucester County, N. Jersey, and a short distance below the present town of Glou- cester.1 There is some discrepancy as to the precise date of the erection of this fort, but the year 1624 is specified in an official report2 on the condition of the country, made in 1644, and may be regarded as the best authority on the subject. The distinc- tion, at all events, belongs to Captain Mey of being the first European to establish a settlement on the Delaware,3 if the erection of this fort, — a mere trading post, abandoned from time to time, as occasion required — can be regarded as a settlement.

The seat of government of New Netherland was located at Manhattan Island, now the site of the City of New York, and the superior local officer of the government was styled a Director. Shortly after the commencement of the administration of its affairs by the West India Company, this office was con- ferred on Peter Minuit or Minewit, of Wesel in the Kingdom of Westphalia, who arrived at Manhattan Island in one of two ships dispatched by the Amsterdam department of the West India Company, in 1624. He was assisted in his government by a council of five members and a " Scout Fiscal," whose duties em- braced those now usually performed by a sheriff and district attorney. The authority vested in the Director and his council was ample, being executive, legislative and judicial, and extended to the South as well as the North river. The records of the government, or of the company, give very little information in respect to the administration of Minuit. It lasted till 1632, and is supposed to have been generally successful. It is distinguished by no remarkable event, except the purchase of Manhattan Island from the Indians, which happened in 1626. 4 The title to this Island, now the site of the City of New York, and estimated to contain 22,000 acres, was acquired for the paltry sum of sixty guilders or 24 dollars. This purchase is important as probably indicating a period when the policy of the Dutch underwent a change ; when from having been merely Indian traders, they began to contemplate a permanent settlement of the country.

The commencement of the Directorship of Minuit, is fixed by Wassenaer in his history of Europe, (Amsterdam, 1621 to 1632,)5

1 Edward Armstrong Esq., in a paper read before the New Jersey Historical Society, January 20, 1858, locates Fort Nassau on a tongue of land between Big and Little Tim- ber creeks.

2 N. Y. Col Doc. i. 149.

3 Statement of Mattehoorn, an Indian chief. N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 597. * N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 37.

5 For a translation of the " description and first settlement of New Netherland" from that work, see Documentary Hist. N. Y, by E. B. O'Callaghan, M.D. iii. 27-48. The author sajs Peter Minuit, came out in the Sea Gull which arrived 4th May, 1626, and ''now sends for his wife thither."

1624.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 9

in the year 1626, and he assigns him two predecessors in that office, viz : Willem Van Hulst for the year 1625, and Cornelis May for the year 1624. These men in conjunction with Adrien Joriz Tienpont appear, however, to have been merely directors of an expedition, and it would seem that the government of the country, of which the territory embraced within the limits of our little county in the estimation of the Dutch constituted a part, commenced with the administration of Minuit.

It is a circumstance worthy of note, that the party who erected fort Nassau was accompanied by females. The fact is fully established by the following curious deposition1 of Catelina Tricho, said to have been the first white woman at Albany.

" New York, February 14th, 1684-5.

" The Deposition of Catelina Tricho aged fouer score yeares or thereabouts, taken before the right honobIe Collo. Thomas Leu', and Governour under his Roy11 high.88 James Duke of Yorke and Albany, etc. of N. York and its Dependencyes in America, who saith and declares in the pr'sens of God as follow- eth."

" That she came to this Province either in the yeare one thou- sand six hundred and twenty three or twenty fouer to the best of her remembrance, an that fouer women came along with her in the same shipp, in which the Governor Arien Jorissen came also over, which fouer women were married at Sea, and that they and their husbands stayed about three weeks at this place, and then they with eight seamen more went in a vessel by ordrs of the Dutch Governo1", to Delaware river and there settled. This I Certifie under my hand and ye Seale of this province."

" Tho. Dongan."

In the deposition of the same lady taken a few years after- wards (1688,) she states that " two families and eight men" were sent to the Delaware. This effort at a settlement on the Dela- ware was soon abandoned — probably before the expiration of a single year. As Wassanaer under the date of 1625, says, " The fort at the South river is already vacated, in order to strengthen the Colony (at Manhattan.) For purposes of trade, only one yacht is sent there in order to avoid expense."2 It is not re- markable that this policy should have been adopted, as the whole colony at Manhattan, at this period, scarcely numbered two hundred souls. The fort was abandoned to the Indians, who did not fail to occupy it as their occasions required ; and the country again passed into their possession as completely as it was on the day Hudson touched at the Capes.

1 Documentary Hist. N. Y. iii. 49. 2 lb. 45.

10 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1629.

Gustavus Adolphus, the reigning monarch of Sweden, through whose wisdom and valor that nation had acquired an elevated standing among the governments of Europe, now sought to con- fer still further benefits upon his country by extending its com- merce. Chiefly with this view, a charter was granted by him for a Swedish West India Company.1 This company, which was to go into operation on the 1st of May, 1627, and to con- tinue twelve years, had every necessary power conferred upon it for the establishment of a colony, with the promised aid of the government, to a very liberal extent. William Usselinex, a native of the low countries, represented as having spent much time in seeking out new ports, and as being u the inventor in Holland of the West India Company," had counselled and ad- vised the adoption of the measure, and was to have a share in its management.

While these proceedings were in progress, the war in Germany in which Gustavus became so largely engaged, postponed for a time the project of Swedish colonization in America; and his death which happened in 1632, would have led to a total aban- donment of the scheme, but for the persevering energy of his renowned minister Oxenstiern.

Seventeen years had now elapsed since the discovery of the country by Hudson, and yet but little had been accomplished to- wards making it a permanent home for civilized man. The whole population of Manhattan the seat of government, at this period, was two hundred and seventy souls, consisting chiefly of the officers and servants of the company with their families.2 But few others resided elsewhere on the Hudson, and as has been shown, no permanent establishment of any kind was maintained on the Delaware. The trade of the country was, however, by no means inconsiderable, the Delaware contributing a fair propor- tion of it. The ship that carried to the "Fatherland" the news of the purchase of Manhattan from the Indians, was freighted with 7246 beaver skins, 853J otter skins, 81 mink skins, 36 wild cat skins, and 34 rat skins, besides a considerable quantity of oak and hickory timber.3 But this was chiefly Indian trade — a trade that must necessarily diminish in proportion to the vigor with which it was prosecuted.

Foreseeing this, and Avith the more prosperous colonies of the English on either side of them, the settlement of the country was determined upon by the Dutch as the only means by which it could be saved from passing into other hands, while its trade at the same time would be augmented.

1 For a translation into English of this Charter, see Haz. Ann. 16, Ac.

2 Wassenaer in Documentary Hist. N. Y. iii. 48.

3 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 37.

1630.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 11

With the view of promoting colonization, a plan not one step in advance of the prejudices of the times, was resolved upon. The privileged West India Company adopted certain articles termed " Freedoms and Exemptions to all such as shall plant colonies in New Netherlands1 Under this scheme the feudal tenure of lands was to be introduced into America south of Canada, where settlements on an analagous plan had already commenced.

The wealthy immigrant who could in four years plant a colony of fifty souls, would be a "Patroon;" becoming the absolute owner of a vast tract of land, which if situated only on one side of a river, might have a front of 16 miles, but if on both sides, one half that front, and extending " so far into the country as the situation of the occupiers will permit." The Patroon could hold courts of justice, and when the amount in litigation did not exceed $20, there was no appeal from his judgment.

The company also agreed to use their endeavors for a time, " to supply the colonists with as many blacks as they convenient- ly can, on conditions hereafter to be made."2

Previous to the ratification of this document by the States General, or even by the West India Company, two of its Amster- dam directors, Samuel Godyn and Samuel Blomaert, by their agents in this country, had purchased a large tract of land at the mouth of the Delaware bay. This grant was confirmed to the purchasers by Peter Minuit, the Director, and his council on the " Island Manahatas" the 16th of July, 1630 — the savage grantors being then and there present. The land embraced in the grant, thus confirmed, was " situate on the south side of the aforesaid bay of the South river, extending in length from C. Hinlopen off into the mouth of the aforesaid South river, about eight leagues and half a league in breadth into the interior, extending to a certain marsh or valley through which these limits can be clearly enough distinguished."3 Samuel Godyn had previously given notice of his intention to make the above purchase, and to occupy the bay of the South river as Patroon, on the conditions set forth in the "Freedoms and Exemptions." Meeting with David Pieterszen DeVries of Hoorn, " a bold and skilful seaman," who had been " a master of artillery in the service of the United Provinces," he made him acquainted with the design of himself and associates, of forming a colony. The bay of the South

1 Hist. New Netherland, i. 112, or N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 369, for the entire document.

2 Slaves were introduced into New Netherland as early as 1628. In a letter recently discovered dated at the Island of Manhattan, on the 11th of August of that year, from the Rev. Jonas Michaelius, the writer says, "the Angola slaves are thievish, lazy and useless trash." For a translation of this letter by Mr. Henry C Murphy, see N. Y. Col. Doc. ii. Appendix, 768.

3 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 43.

12 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1631.

river was held up to De Vries, as a point at which a whale fishery could be profitably established, as Godyn represented, that there were many whales which kept before the bay, and the oil at 60 guilders a hogshead, he thought, would realize a good profit.1 DeVries declining to accept a subordinate position in connection with the colony, he was at once admitted, on perfect equality, into a company of Patroons, who associated themselves together on the 16th of October, 1630. Besides Godyn, Bloemart and DeVries, the members composing this Patroonship were Killian Van Renssellaer, Jan DeLaet, Matthys Van Keulen, Nicholas Van Sittorigh, Harnick Koeck and Heyndrick Hamel, being all directors of the West India Company except DeVries. All of the expected advantages were to be equalized; and DeVries who had charge of the establishment of the colony, dispatched from the Texel on the 12th of December, 1630, a ship and a yacht for the South river, " with a number of people, and a large stock of cattle," the object being, "as well to carry on a whale fishery in that region, as to plant a colony for the cultivation of all sorts of grain, for which the country is very well adapted, and of tobacco."2

De Vries did not accompany this expedition as has been sup- posed by most writers on the subject, but on the 20th of the month he learned that the yacht had been " taken by the Dun- kirkers" before leaving the Texel, owing to the carelessness of the large ship which had sailed after the yacht. The large ship which was commanded by a Captain Peter Heyes of Edam, pro- ceeded on the voyage alone, but failing in an important object of it, " the disembarking of a lot of people at Tortugas," returned to Holland in September 1631. The ship conveyed the colony to the " South river in New Netherland," but was unsuccessful in the whale fishery, the captain alleging, " that he arrived there too late in the year," though he brought home a sample of oil "from a dead whale found on the shore."

" Swanendael" (Valley of Swans,) was the name given to the tract of land purchased for the accommodation of the Colony, and had its greatest length parallel with the shore of the bay. The date of the arrival of Captain Heyes, Avith his colonists is not known ; but allowing the usual time occupied in making a passage, from the 12th of December, 1630, it may be arrived at with sufficient accuracy. On the 5th of May following, Skip- per He3^es, (Heysen) and Gillis Hosset, Commissary of the ship Walrus, for that appears to have been the name of the ship that brought out the colony, purchased of the Indians, " the rightful owners," a tract of land sixteen English miles square at Cape May, and extending sixteen miles on the bay. This purchase

1 De Vries in N. Y. Hist. Col. iii. N. S. 16, 17. 2 lb. 16.

1632.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 13

was made for Messrs. Godyn & Bloemaert, and was duly reported and recorded at Manhattan on the 3rd of June following.1 At the date of this writing, the Walrus was in the South river, but must have sailed very shortly afterwards to arrive at Holland in September. A house, " well beset with palisades in place of breastworks," had been erected on the north-west side of Hoorn- kil, (Lewes creek,) a short distance from its mouth. It was called "Fort Optlandt," and appears to have served the Colony which consisted of thirty-two men, as a place of defence, a dwel- ling and a storehouse. This Colony, the most unfortunate that settled on the bay or river, was left under the charge of Gillis Hosset or Osset.

On the 12th of February, 1632, we are informed by De Vries, that an agreement was again entered into, " to equip a ship and a yacht for the whale fishery in which much profit had not been realized." A second voyage was especially urged by Samuel Godyn, and to render success more certain, it was re- solved, says De Vries, "that I myself should go as patroon and as commander of the ship and yacht, and should endeavor to be there in December, in order to conduct the whale fishery during the winter, as whales come in the winter and remain till March."2

When this second whaling voyage had been determined upon, only the pecuniary disasters of the first were known to those concerned in it ; but before sailing out of the Texel, the loss of their little fort and the destruction of the whole Colony was com- municated to De Vries.

Leaving the Texel on the 24th of May, and taking a very circuitous passage, De Vries did not enter the Delaware till the 5th of December. His first greeting was, " a whale near the ship!" which made him anticipate "royal ivork — the whales so numerous — and the land so fine for cultivation." The explorations of the next day in the boat, revealed to them the melancholy spectacle, of the house of the former Colony, " almost burnt up," with the skulls and bones of their people, and the heads of the horses and cowts which they had brought with them lying here and there about it ; but no Indians were to be seen. After some careful manoeuvering, De Vries secured the confi- dence of the Indians without risk to himself or his people. From one of these who was induced to remain on board of the yacht all night, on the 8th of December, De Vries learned the par- ticulars of the melancholy fate of the Colonists, which is here given in his own language. " He then showed us the place where our people had set up a column to which was fastened a piece of tin, whereon the arms of Holland were painted. One of their

1 For this document in full, extracted from the Albany Records, see Haz. Ann. 25.

2 N. Y. Hist. Col. iii. N. S. 16.

14 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1632.

chiefs took this off for the purpose of making tobacco pipes, not knowing that he was doing amiss. Those in command at the house made such an ado about it, that the Indians not knowing how it was, went away and slew the chief who had done it, and brought a token of the dead to the house, to those in command, who told them that they wished that they had not done it, that they should have brought him to them, as they wished to have forbidden him not to do the like again. They then went away, and the friends of the murdered chief, incited their friends — as they are a people like the Italians, who are very revengeful — to set about the work of vengeance. Observing our people out of the house, each one at his work, that there was not more than one inside, who was lying sick, and a large mastiff who was chained — had he been loose they would not have dared to ap- proach the house — and the man who had command, standing near the house, three of the stoutest Indians, who were to do the deed, bringing a lot of bear-skins with them to exchange, sought to enter the house. The man in charge went in with them to make the barter ; which being done he went to the loft where the stores lay, and in descending the stairs, one of the Indians seized an axe, and cleft his head so that he fell down dead. They also relieved the sick man of life ; and shot into the dog, who was chained fast, and whom they most feared, twrenty-five arrows before they could dispatch him. They then proceeded towards the rest of the men, who were at their work, and going amongst them with pretensions of friendship, struck them down. Thus was our young Colony destroyed, causing us serious loss."1

This disaster has subjected Commissary Hossett to severe, but undeserved censure.2 The very object of setting up the pil- lar, was to make a display of Dutch sovereignty, and the reply made by Hossett to the Indians who brought in the evidence of the atonement that had been made for the removal of the national emblem which it bore, furnishes evidence that the display of his resentment, had not in any degree, been such as to justify a deed so horrid and revolting ; and as to the charge of a want of care in guarding the fort, it may be answered, that such a mode of

1 Voyages of De Vries, N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. iii. 2?..

2 Benjamin Ferris, in his " History of the Original Settlements on the Delaware," says, " With respect to the affair at Hoorn Creek, there can be but little doubt that Osset, the Dutch agent of De Vries, had wantonly, or for some trifling offence, killed an Indian chief ; and that he and his companions lost their lives in consequence." This charge of murder against the Dutch Commissary is wholly gratuitous, not being supported by a single fact. It is even highly improbable; for such a. charge would have furnished a far better excuse for the destruction of the colony, than the one given. It is true that De Vries, some years subsequently, attributed the loss of the colony to " some trifling acts of the Commander Gilet Oset," but he does not say a word that would imply a disbelief in the narrative of the Indian. In the "Representation of New Xetherland, (N. Y. Hist Col. ii. N. S. 281,) it is stated that "the Commissary there, very firmly insisted upon and demanded the head of the offenders," but De Vries is undoubtedly the best authority on the subject. See also, Haz. Reg. i. 4.

1633.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 15

retaliation could not have been anticipated by any one. Besides there is undisputable evidence that Hossett possessed the confi- dence of several Directors of the West India Company, having been selected to make purchases of land for them from the Indians, on both the South and North rivers.

De Vries did not for a moment, allow his presence of mind to forsake him. Being unable to punish the savages, he sought and obtained an interview with their chiefs, and at the cost of some duffels, bullets, hatchets and Nuremburg trinkets, ratified a treaty of peace with them. Some preparations were also made for the prosecution of the contemplated whale fishing.

Lord Baltimore obtained his patent for Maryland this year, and but for the occupancy by the Dutch, that has been narrated, Delaware as a separate state would have had no existence.

In furtherance of the object of his voyage, De Vries sailed up the Delaware on the 1st of January, 1633, to obtain beans from the Indians. He encountered a whale on the first day, at the mouth of the river, and " two large whales near the yacht," on the follow- ing day, which made him wish for the sloop and the harpooners which were lying at Swanendael. On the 5th of the month, the yacht arrived before "the little fort named Nassau." The fort was unoccupied except by Indians, who were assembled there to barter furs, but, De Vries " was in want of Turkish beans, and had no goods to exchange for peltries." He was advised by the Indians to enter Timmer kill,1 but he was at the same time cautioned by an Indian woman not to enter the kill entirely. This woman, after having been bribed by the present of a cloth garment, discovered the fact that the crew of an English sloop had been murdered, who had gone into Count Ernest's river.2 The story of this woman was confirmed by the appearance of some of the Indians dressed in English jackets. Thus placed on his guard, and by making the Indians believe that he had been made acquainted with their wicked designs through the agency of their own evil spirit, Manitoe, he was enabled on the 8th of the month to make a lasting peace with them, which was con- cluded with the usual Indian solemnities. Soon after this, some corn was obtained, and also some beavers.

On the 10th at noon, they came to anchor at " Jaques Island," and on the day following in the evening " about half-a-mile above Minquas Kill."3 Here they saw a whale six or seven times, which surprised them, as it was " seven or eight miles (Dutch) into fresh water." On the 13th at noon, they had arrived

1 Said to be Cooper's creek.

2 This sloop had been seut from Virginia to explore the river, the September pre- vious. De Vries' Voyages, N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. iii. 35.

3 Christina creek.

16 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1633.

at the ship at Swanendael, where they were greeted by their friends, who in their absence had shot two whales, which yielded but little oil.

On the 18th of January, goods were placed in the yacht, which again sailed up the river, but was frozen up in Wyngaert's kill from the 19th of January, till the 3rd of February. While here, they shot wild turkeys weighing from thirty to thirty- six pounds ! When they reached Fort Nassau, they found no Indians, the fort being evacuated, but as it had commenced to freeze again, and being apprehensive of danger, if frozen up where they were, they " hauled into a kill1 over against the fort," where they remained eight days before the ice broke. The Indians soon made their appearance in unusually large numbers, for it turned out that a war was raging between the " Minquas who dwell among the English in Virginia,"' and the tribes on this river, one of which, De Vries calls Armewamen, and another Sankiekens. After having been subjected to very great danger from the Indians and floating ice. they returned again to the ship on the 20th, after an absence of a month. There was great rejoicing at their safe return, by those left at Swanendael, as " they did not imagine that we had been frozen up in the river, as no pilot or astrologer could conceive, that in the latitude from the thirty-eighth and a half to the thirty -ninth, such rapid run- ning rivers could freeze."

Still in pursuit of supplies, but partly to gratify a little vanity in being the first of his countrymen to visit that country, he set sail for Virginia on the 6th of March. Here he met with an ex- ceedingly kind reception from the Governor, but after informing his Excellency that he came from South river, he was made acquainted with Lord Delaware's visit to the bay, and the English title thereto : whereupon our worthy captain duly set forth the Dutch claim to the country, resting it on the establishment of Fort Nassau. " It was strange to the Governor, that he should have such neighbours and never heard of them." The Governor sent six goats by De Vries for the Governor at Fort Amsterdam, and after having purchased provisions, he returned to the whale fishery at Swanendael.2

During his absence, but seven whales had been caught, and they very poor ones, yielding but thirty-two cartels of oil. Seventeen had been struck, which went to show that the bay was frequented by those creatures, but their poorness seemed to satisfy De Aries that the business would not be profitable. On the 14th of April, he sailed for Fort Amsterdam, (New

1 Probably Hollander's creek.

2 De Vries met with plenty of peach trees nearly in bloom on the James river — the irst he had seen on this coast. X. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. iii. 34.

1633.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 17

York) on his return to Europe, leaving no Colony behind him, and the whole bay and river free from any European settlement.

1 nder certain conditions, patroons were permitted to engage in the peltry trade, "at such places where the Company have no factories,"1 and it cannot be doubted but this trade, in connec- tion with the whale fishery, had a paramount influence in the establishment of the ill fated colony at Swanendael. Still, there are reasons for believing that it was the intention of the Patroon owners to make it a permanent settlement, and this too in the face of the fact, that no females were carried out on either of the voyages. They were the owners of the soil — they sent out with their people, horses, cows, implements of husbandry and seeds ; and when they became the victims of savage cruelty, thev were actually engaged in agricultural pursuits. Regarding, then. Fort sau as a mere trading post, and nothing more can be claimed for it. the unfortunate Colony at Swanendael may be held to be the first effort of the white race to make a permanent settlement on the Delaware.

As we go along, it will be necessary to note the changes in the government, to which the count i ,ymg the territory now

occupied by our little County was subjected. Director Mi mm having been recalled during the past year, he was succeeded by Wouter Van Twiller, who arrived at Fort Amsterdam in the spring of 1633 intone of the Company's ships, accompanied by 104 soldiers, that being the first military force ever detailed for New Netherlands He was a near relative to the patroon. Van Rensselaer, and it is said, owed his appointment more to that circumstance than to any particular merit he possessed.

On the 10th of April, 1033. Chancellor Oxensteirn revived the interest which had formerly existed in Sweden in respect to Colonies, in signing by authority of the crown, the proclamation that had been left unsigned by Gustavus Adolphus. The time for uniting with the Company wa* extended to the first of the next year, and William Usselinex appointed the first Director.

Many authors have assumed that settlements were made by the Swedes on the Delaware, as early as 1631. No settlem were made on that river by the Swedes except by authoritv of their government. This well authenticated act of the renowned Swedish statesman, leaves no room for doubt on the subject.

The trade in peltries, at this time, became very profitable, which induced the new Director to turn his attention to that species of trade on the Dehnvare. With the view of rendering it more secure to the West India Company, it is said he directed Arent Corsen, who had been appointe'd Commissary at Fort

1 Article XV. Freedoms and Exemptions — Hist. >~ew Xetherland, i. 116. - Hist. Xew Xetherland. i. 142.

18 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1634.

Nassau, to purchase from the Indians a tract of land situated on the Schuylkill, which purchase was accordingly made during the year 1683.1

As this is the first claim to land in our vicinity by virtue of a title acquired from the Indians, and as it comes to us under very suspicious circumstances, particularly as to the time of the pur- chase, a document that was executed many years afterwards in confirmation of that claim will be here given at length.

"We, the undersigned, namely: Amattehooren Alibakinne, Sinques, Sachems over the district of country called Armenve- ruis,2 situate around and on the Schuylkill, declare well and truly to have sold to Arent Corsen, the Schuylkill and adjoining lands, for some goods, which were not fully paid to us, but as we are now fully satisfied therein, therefore, we, the above named sachems, do hereby fully and irrevocably convey and cede the same, confirming the aforesaid sale, and are ready on all occa- sions to maintain and defend against all pretension and claim to be set up to it by whomsoever, etc. Thus done, and in testi- mony of the truth signed by us natives, in the presence of the undernamed witnesses. Done in Fort Beversreede in the South River of New Netherland. Signed, marked in this manner, thereby written."3

The unmeaning marks of the Indians, of which there are four besides those made by the three sachems, appended to this docu- ment, are omitted, and also those of the witnesses of whom two were of the council. It is also attested by J. Hudde.

The above document, it will be seen, is without date ; but another paper,4 somewhat similar in character, executed in 1651, that will be noticed hereafter, gives us to understand that the transaction occurred in 1648. Both documents were got up when spirited controversies existed between the Swedes and Dutch, and may be safsly regarded as attempts to patch up an Indian title to lands by the latter, that would ante date any claim set up by the Swedes.

The extreme jealousy of the West India Company, lest any one should share with them, in the smallest degree, the trade of New Netherland, led to fierce disputes with patroons still residing in Holland. The different interpretations put on the charter of the company, and on the privileges granted by them to the patroons, were well calculated to widen the breach between the

i N Y. Col. Doc. i. 588.

2 Armenveruis, on the Dutch map, is located on the Jersey side of the river, near Fort Nassau.

s N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 593.

4 lb. 598. This purchase of land on the Schuylkill by Corsen, is referred to in Hudde's Keport. He gives the date of the transaction confirming the purchases, as June 10th, 1648.

vi Part ofRvaaevcen,'.? .Hop of

New JVe therl/irvcb,

Jl msterdam* I6T6.

Bowm A Co >'ith. PkOada

1635.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 19

parties. With the view of terminating these unpleasant quarrels, and it may have been partly on political considerations, the Directors of the company were authorized by the Assembly of XIX of the States General, to repurchase patroonships.

Under this authority, the patroon owners of Swanendael on the 7th of February, 1635, retransferred all their right, title and interest in their lands on both sides of the bay, to the West India Company for the sum of 15,600 guilders, ($6,240.)' All charters, maps and papers concerning the aforesaid colonies, were to be delivered over to the purchasers. This transaction was well calculated to put an end to private enterprise on the Delaware river on Dutch account, and probably had that effect.

The British government never having recognized the claims of the Dutch to any part of North America, a party from the English colony on the Connecticut river, consisting of George Holmes, his hired man Thomas Hall, and about a dozen others, attempted to effect a settlement on the Delaware in 1635. Hall deserted his master, and the others, failing in an attack upon Fort Nassau, were captured by the garrison and sent to Manhat- tan.2 These Englishmen were not punished, but were permitted to settle in the vicinity of Fort Amsterdam, and are said to be the first English settlers among the Dutch on Manhattan. This Thomas Hall became a man of some distinction, as his name fre- quently appears in the Dutch records.

Although this attack on the Dutch fort was unsuccessful, the fact that it was made by so small a party, is evidence of the weakness of the garrison, and of the small establishment kept on the Delaware by the company at this time, to protect its trade ; nor is there any evidence that this force was kept there perma- nently.

Up to this period, there is no reliable evidence that the Dutch had effected any permanent settlement on the Delaware ; and unless the unfortunate colonists at Swanendael be an exception, no one had adopted its shores as his home for life, or as an abiding place for his posterity. From the period of the foray of Holmes and his Englishmen, till about the time of the arrival of the Swedes in 1638, the doings of the Dutch on our river, remain very much in the dark, for the want of authentic documents on the subject, during that period.

A report,3 made to the States General in April of that year, "on the condition of the colony of New Netherland," furnishes rather conclusive evidence that nothing of the kind had been at-

1 Hist. New Netherland i. 365. For a translation of the deed, ib. Appendix S.

2 DeVries in N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. iii. 76 ; Hist. New Netherland i. 170 ; N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 431.

3 N. Y'. Col. Doc. i. 106.

20 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1638.

tempted. Even the present occupancy of the river is not claimed, as "will be seen by the following question and answer extracted from that document.

" Are these limits, (limits including the Delaware,) in the pos- session, at the present time, of the West India Company, and the inhabitants of this country ?"

Answer : " We occupy Mauritius, or the North river ; where there are two forts, Orange and Amsterdam ; and there is more- over one house built by the company, and that is most of the population."

The house here spoken of, in the opinion of Dr. O'Callaghan,1 the very best authority on the subject, was the " House of Good Hope," built by the Dutch on the Connecticut river.

The charter of the Swedish West India Company, having been completed, it was printed in Hamburg in 1635. It was not, how- ever, till 1637, that any active operations connected with the establishment of a colony on the Delaware, were commenced. The name of WTilliam Usselinex, the projector, not only of the Swedish Company, but also that of the Dutch ; and who had been named in the proclamation of Oxenstiern as the "first director," no longer appears.

Arrangements having been fully made for planting a Swedish colony, (on the Delaware,) the expedition for its establishment was placed under the charge of Peter Minuit, who had served the Dutch West India Company as their first Director, and who, no doubt, had a practical acquaintance with the river. The squad- ron consisted of but two ships, the " Key of Kalmar," a man of war, and the " Griffin," a tender. They sailed from Gottenburg very late in the year 1637, or early in 1638, both vessels "being well stored -with provisions, ammunition and goods proper for commerce with the Indians, and donations for them."2

The first notice of the arrival of the expedition on our coast, is contained in a letter written from Jamestown in Virginia, by Jerome Hawley the treasurer of that colony, and is dated May 8th, 1638. 3 The date of the arrival is not given, but it was sub- sequent to the 20th of March of that year, and at least ten days prior to date of his letter. Minuit refused to exhibit his commis- sion to the authorities of Virginia, except upon condition of free trade in tobacco to be carried to Sweden, which was refused, as being " contrary to his Majesty's instructions," but he freely proclaimed the fact, that " he held it from the young queen of Sweden, and that "it was signed by eight of the chief lords" of that government. During the ten days the ship remained at

1 His note at the foot of p. 107, N. Y. Col. Doc. i.

2 Acrelius in N. Y. Hist. Col. i. N. S. 409.

3 N. Y. Col. Doc. iii. 20.

1638.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 21

Jamestown, to refresh with wood and water, Minuit also made known " that both himself and another ship of his company ivere bound for Delaware Bay," which, in the language of the letter, " is the confines of Virginia and New England, and there they pretend to make a plantation and to plant tobacco, which the Dutch do also already on the Hudson river, which is the very next river northward from Delaware bay."'

Minuit having sailed from Jamestown previous to the 8th of May, the date of the treasurer's letter, the time of his arrival in the Delaware may be estimated with sufficient accuracy. There are still other facts that will narrow down the period, during which he must have arrived.

Van Twiller had been succeeded as Director-general of New Netherland, by William Kieft, who arrived at Fort Amsterdam on the 28th of March of this year. As early as the 28th of April, this new and vigilant Director, had been made acquainted with the arrival of the Swedes on the Delaware, as on that day, he addressed a communication1 to the directors of the West India Company, advising them of the movements of Minuit, a notice of which he had received from Peter Mey, the assistant Commis- sary at Fort Nassau. One of the Swedish vessels had sailed past the fort, had dropped down again, had been prevented from going up a second time, and had been visited officially by Mey for the purpose of seeing Minuit' s license, previous to sending a notice to Kieft of the arrival of the strangers. These trans- actions, with the time required for a messenger to reach the seat of government, must have occupied at least a week, and besides, it is fair to presume that the Swedes had been in the Delaware several days before the Dutch assistant Commissary had become aware of their presence. As they could not have left Jamestown before the 1st of April, the time of their arrival in the bay could not vary more than a few days from the middle of that month.

Sailing up the bay, Minuit first landed at "Paradise point," now known as " Mispillon point,"2 a short distance above the site that had been occupied by the unfortunate Colony of De Vries and his co-patroons. The next place at which he cast anchor, was off the mouth of the Minquas river, which, in honor of the young Queen of Sweden, he named Christina. On this stream, about two and a half miles from its mouth, Minuit effected a landing at a point then favorable for that purpose, and now known as " The Rocks. "3 Here, after having purchased the land from the Indians, he erected a fort or trading house, upon which he also bestowed the name of the Swedish sovereign.

Immediately upon receiving notice of the arrival of the Swedes

1 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 592.

2 Original Settlements on the Delaware, 40. 3 lb. 42.

22 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1638.

on the Delaware, Director-general Kieft dispatched Jan Jansen,1 clerk of Fort Amsterdam, to keep a watch over their doings, with instructions, in case Minuit intended to do anything to the dis- advantage of the Dutch, "to protest against him in due form." This duty was faithfully performed, hut failing to have the desired effect, Director Kieft caused the Commander of the Swedes to be served with a protest under his own hand, of which the follow- ing is a copy.

•' Thursday, 6th of May, 1638.

I, Wilhelm Kieft, Director-general of the New Netherlands, residing on the island of Manhattan, in the Fort Amsterdam, under the government which appertains to the high and mighty States General of the United Netherlands, and to the West India Company, privileged by the Senate Chamber in Amsterdam, make known to thee, Peter Menuet who stylest thyself com- mander in the service of her Majesty the Queen of Sweden, that the whole South river of New Netherland, both the upper and lower, has been our property for many years, occupied with forts, and sealed by our blood, which also was done when thou wast in the service of the New Netherlands, and is therefore well known to thee. But as thou art come between our forts to erect a fort to our damage and injury, which we never will permit, as we also believe that her Swedish Majesty has not empowered thee to erect fortifications on our coasts and rivers, or to settle people on the lands adjoining or to trade in peltry, or to undertake any other thing to our prejudice ; now therefore we protest against all such encroachments, and all the evil consequences from the same, as bloodshed, sedition, and whatever injury our trading company may suffer ; and declare that we shall protect our rights in a manner that shall appear most advisable."2

Acrelius gives this protest the above date, but it is without date, as recorded in the Albany Dutch documents, where it stands between papers dated respectively, on the 6th and 17th of May.3

Minuit being perfectly aware of the weakness of the Dutch at Manhattan, and of the disinclination that government would have at that time, to have a misunderstanding with her Swedish Majesty, had but little regard for these paper missiles, but pro- ceeded on with the erection of his fort, which was soon com- pleted, when he heartily engaged in the trade of the country ; a business he had learned in the service of the Dutch. Before the end of July, both vessels had departed for Sweden well freighted with furs. This rapid progress of the Swedish Colony, which

1 N. Y. Col. Doe. i. 592.

- Acrelius, 409 ; Haz. Reg. iv. 82 : Haz. Ann. 44.

3 Minuit made no reply to the Protest of the Governor, but replied in writing to that of Jansen. N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 592.

1638.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 23

was doubtless owing to the intelligence and experience of the Commander, became so alarming to the Dutch Governor at Man- hattan, that he at once advised the West India Company in re- spect to it, by a letter dated on the 81st of July, 1638, of which the following is an extract.

" Minuyt erected a fort on the South river, five leagues from ours ; attracted all the peltries to himself by means of liberal gifts; departed thence with two attendant ships, leaving 24 men in the fort, provided with all sorts of goods and ^^^^ provisions, had posts set up with these letters, o. k.. s. &c.'n

From this letter it might be inferred that Commander Minuit returned to Sweden with the ships. Acrelius, however, gives us to understand that he did not, but remained and "did great ser- vice to the Swedish Colony;" and during three years protected this small fort which the Dutch never attempted;" and that " after some years he died at this place."2

While it is conceded that the Dutch had for a long time traded on the river ; that they had there erected forts or trading posts, one of which had been occupied from time to time since 1624 ; that they had purchased lands from the Indians on both sides of the bay near its mouth, and had made an unsuccessful attempt to plant a Colony at Swanendacl, yet it cannot be denied that the Colony of Minuit, constituted the first permanent settlement on the Dataware. While the Swedish Government may claim the distinction of planting this Colony, it is really entitled to very little credit on account of any immediate care and attention be- stowed on it. The whole number of emigrants it is supposed, did not exceed fifty souls,3 and a portion of these were criminals.4 Though well supplied in the beginning, they were left a long time without aid or succor from Sweden, and but for the experience and energy of the Commander, a Dutchman, the permanency of the Colony could not have been maintained. As it was, but a single day intervened between the time appointed, for its disso- lution, and the arrival of supplies that saved it from that catas- trophe.5

A most important act performed by Minuit, was the purchase6 from the Indians of the whole western shore of the Delaware to

1 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 592. 2 N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 410.

:1 Haz. Ann. 46.

4 N. Y. Col. Doe. i. 588. Van Der Donk, in his Description of New Netherland, designates the Colony as a " small band of Holland Swedes," N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 141.

5 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 593.

6 Acrelius says, " Immediately, land was bought from the Indians, a deed was given written in Low Dutch, (as no Swede could yet interpret the Indian.) By this agree ment the Swedes obtained all the western land on the river, from Cape Heulopen to the Falls at Trenton, then called by the Indians Santican, and as much inward from it in breadth, as they might want," 409.

24 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1638.

the falls, near the present site of Trenton. Besides giving the Swedes some show of an equitable title to the country, against the legal claim set up by the Dutch, it enabled the Swedish set- tlers to occupy their lands in a manner much more satisfactory to the natives.

It is but fair to state, that this purchase by the .Swedes was called in question by the Dutch authorities of Manhattan at a subsequent period, on the flimsy testimony of certain Indians procured in a very questionable manner. These Indians denied " that the Swedes or any other nation had bought lands of them as right owners" except a " small patch," embracing Christina fort. These savages, of whom Mattehoorn was one, claimed to be the " great chiefs and proprietors of the lands, both by own- nership and descent, and appointment of the Minquas and river Indians."1

There is still other evidence of this early Swedish purchase. Captain Israel Helm, who was a justice of Upland Court, in- formed the Rev. Mr. Rudman of the purchase, to the extent that has been mentioned, and that the "old people" had informed him that they often had seen there "fixed stakes and marks." " The purchase was formerly stated in writing, under which the Indians placed their marks." This was seen by Mr. Helm when at Stockholm.2

This digression, to establish the Swedish purchase from the natives, will be excused, as it was the first effort of civilized man to extinguish the Indian title to the district of country that is to claim our particular attention. It will be seen that it embraced Swanendael, for which the Dutch had already acquired the Indian title, and also the lands about the Schuylkill to which, on account of prior purchase, they set up a rather doubtful claim. The lands within the limits of our County, were free from any counter claim on this account ; and it follows, that to the wise policy of the Swedes we are really indebted for the extinguishment of the

1 This denial of the Swedish purchase might be entitled to some weight, had it been procured in a proper manner. It is said to have been elicited at Fort Nassau many years subsequently, (1651,) by Director-general Stuyvesant in person. The follow- ing extract from the Dutch, and of course the only account of the transaction, giving the first answers of the Indians, will satisfy the reader how little reliance should be placed on an answer obtained at a later hour in the conference, from an unskilled native of the forest, in an ex-parte transaction, at a period too when custom would forbid the absence of intoxicating drinks.

Question. — "What and how much lands the Swedes had bought from the sachems or chiefs on this river?"

" Mattahoorn, the Sachem, answered by asking another question. Why was not the sachem of the Swedes present, that they might ask himself, and hear him? The General's reply was that being invited, he was apparently unwilling to come."

'' The chief Mattahoorn answered, secondly,— that all nations coming to the river, were welcome to them, and that they sold their land indiscriminately to the first who asked it," see N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 597.

2 Extract from Rudman's Notes in Clay's Ann. 17.

1640.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 25

Indian title to our lands, — a policy first introduced by the Dutch as a matter of expediency, and subsequently adopted by William Penn on the score of strict justice to the natives.

But it cannot be contended, that in accordance with national law, this purchase from the natives, gave to the Swedish govern- ment any legal claim to the country. They had no legal rigid to make purchases from the Indians. To the Dutch, as discover- ers of the river, belonged the right of pre-emption, or if any doubt existed on this point, it would be in favor of the English. As against the Swedes, the Dutch claim rested not only on dis- covery, but the exercise of preemption and occupancy.

The Rev. Reorus Torkillus, accompanied the Swedish expedi- tion and remained with the Colony at Christina as its pastor, where he died about five- years afterwards. The Dutch who had a small garrison at Fort Nassau at the time of the arrival of the Swedes, continued to maintain it there, as well for the purposes of trade, as to keep a strict watch on the movements of the new comers, of which Director Kieft was kept constantly advised. It is from his rather ill tempered communications1 to the West India Company that we have the little that is known in respect to the Christina Colony, for the next two years.

In 1639 they had so much interfered with the Dutch trade on the river, as to reduce it to "a small amount," and "by under- selling, had depressed, and continue still, to keep down the market." Up to October of that year, the Dutch trade had " fal- len short full 30,000 (beavers,)" but hopes were entertained, k' that they must soon move off, if not reinforced." The location of Fort Christina was not very favorable to health, and it is pro- bable that the despondency incident to ill-health had something to do with the projected removal of the Colony. That it did not happen was owing to the timely arrival of fresh settlers, we learn from a letter of Director Kieft, dated the last of May, 1640, of which the following is an extract.

" The Swedes in the South river were resolved to move off and to come here. A day before their departure a ship arrived with a reinforcement."2 The same in substance is repeated in another letter from the Dutch Director, dated on the loth of October, following. This timely arrival at once revived the confidence of the Colony, and blasted the hopes of the Dutch.

On the 24th of January, 1640, a passport was granted by the Swedish government to " Captain Jacob Powellson, with the vessel under his command, named Fredenburg, laden with men,

1 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 592. For a translation from " Beschrijving Van Virginie, Neiu Nederland, Ac." published at Amsterdam in 1G51, of an account of the first settlement of the Dutch and Swedes on the Delaware, see Haz. Reg. i. 4.

2 lb. 593.

2G HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1640.

cattle and other things necessary for the cultivation of the country ; (who,) designs departing from Holland to America or the West Indies, and there establishing himself in the country called New /Sweden."1

The Fredenburg was doubtless the vessel, whose opportune arrival, saved the colony of Fort Christina from its impending fate. This relief, so absolutely necessary to the salvation of the colony, was a mere incident, as the Fredenburg was not dispatch- ed for that purpose, but as a pioneer in the establishment of a kind of patroonship of Hollanders under the authority of the crown of Sweden. The grant for this purpose, which bears even date with the passport of Captain Powellson, was made to Henry Hochhanmer & Co., and embraced lands on both sides of the Delaware without bounds, except that they were to " limit their possessions to four or five German miles from Fort Christina."2 We learn from a letter of the same date, addressed " to the Commandant or Commissary and other inhabitants of Fort Christina in New Sweden," that a grant of lands was at first made to a Mr. De Horst and others, whose operations were re- stricted to the north side of the river, and " to there found a colony." The "gracious intention" is also expressed, in this letter, of sending to the colonists of Fort Christina from " Got- tenburg next spring, if it pleases God, one or two vessels with all sorts of provisions." God's pleasure, in giving relief to the infant colony, seems, in this instance, to have anticipated the "gracious intentions" of her Swedish Majesty.

Passports for other vessels connected with the Hochhanmer settlement or patroonship were granted in blank at the same time, and an agent named Jost De Bogardt was appointed, who accompanied the expedition. From his commission and the obligation he assumed, it appears that he was to act as the gene- ral agent of the government on the river, and was not to let any opportunity pass, " of sending to Sweden all information which may be useful to her Majesty and the crown of Sweden." As he was under the pay of the government, at the rate of 500 florins or 200 rix dollars per annum, with a promised increase of 100 florins in case of new proofs of his attachment and of his zeal to promote the welfare of the Swedish crown, and also re- compense "in a royal mnnner," according to circumstances, it is fair to infer that Mr. De Bogardt went out in the capacity of a spy; and as he was a Dutchman, it is most probable that one important part of his duty was to watch over the doings of the government of New Netherland.

1 English translation of Swedish documents in possession of the American Philo- sophical Society, procured by the Hon. Jonathan Russell when Minister of the U. S. to the Court of Sweden. Haz. Reg. iv. 177, &c. 2 Haz. Reg. iv. 177.

1641.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 27

The Hochhanmer Company probably resulted from the dis- putes and jealousies that occurred among the Directors of the Dutch West India Company. The privileges1 granted to him and his associates were ample and liberal in respect to trade and commerce, very much more liberal than the Dutch West India Company granted to their patroons. In addition to the office of general agent of the crown of Sweden, it is highly probable that Jost De Bogardt held the post of commander of this new colony, as he is mentioned as occupying that position, in the in- structions to Governor Printz, issued in 1642. 2

Peter Hollandare, a Swede, appointed to succeed Peter Minuit as governor of New Sweden, arrived in the first of the vessels that brought out the Dutch colony,3 or what is more probable, came in one of the vessels sent shortly afterwards for the relief and reinforcement of the colony at Christina. His administra- tion continued but one year and a half, when he returned to occupy a military post in his native country.4

Since the unsuccessful effort of George Holmes and his small company in 1635, we have no notice of any attempt by the English to make a settlement on our river till about this period. Their operations, even now, are involved in much uncertainty. Mr. Samuel Hazard, whose investigations have thrown so much light on the early settlements on the Delaware, after diligent search among the ancient records of New England, " can collect but little definite information on the subject," except that several attempts at settlement were made.5 In a Dutch document, characteristically long, descriptive of New Netherland, publish- ed in 1649, the efforts of the English "at divers times and places to annex this South river," is adverted to. According to this authority they had, previously to that time, been prevented from making actual settlements " by divers protests and by being ex- pelled by force, well knowing if they but once happened to settle there, the river would be lost, or cause considerable trouble."6

In the records of the United Colonies, evidence exists that an effort was made in 1640 to plant a colony from New Haven. A Captain Turner, agent for New Haven made a large purchase " on both sides of Delaware bay and river." Besides trade, the object of the purchase " was for the settlement of churches in gospel order and purity."7

In the year 1641, against the anxious admonition of Director General Kieft,8 a company of emigrants from New Haven, pro-

1 For an English translation of this grant, see Haz. Reg. iv. 178.

- lb. 220. 3 Hist. New Netherland, i. 365.

* Acrelius, N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 410; Clay's Ann. 18.

5 Haz. Ann. 57. 6 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 292.

7 Haz. Ann. (as extracted from Haz. Hist. Col.) 57; also Trumbull Hist. Con. i. 116.

8 N. Y. Col. Doc. ii. 144 ; Hist. New Netherland, i. 253.

28 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1642.

ceeded to the Delaware in a barque fitted out by a Mr. Lamber- ton and placed under the command of Robert Cogswell. Not- withstanding the purchases of land made the previous year, these emigrants made others, and located themselves on Varhens kill near the present town of Salem, N. J., in direct violation of a promise made by the captain of their vessel to Director Kieft. New England history and records establish the fact that such a settlement had been commenced on the Delaware ; but the actual existence of English settlers, at the locality mentioned, is first officially noticed in the instructions of John Printz, the third Governor of New Sweden. The instructions, which are drawn up with ability and with a very correct knowledge of the river, are dated at Stockholm on the 15th of August, 1642. They left it to the discretion of the Governor, either to attract these English families (numbering about 60 persons) under the authority of the crown of Sweden, or what the government thought better, to secure their removal. To effect the latter alternative, the Governor had the sanction of his sovereign, " to work underhand as much as jiossible, with good manners and with success. "x

In another attempt by the English to make a settlement on the Delaware, they did not even keep at a respectful distance from other settlements, " but had the audacity to land in the ^South river' opposite Fort Nassau, "where they made a begin- ning of settling on the Schuylkill, without any commission of a potentate."2 This intrusion, in the estimation of the Dutch, was an affair of " ominous consequence," that might eventually result in the ruin of their trade on the South river.

No time was to be lost in getting rid of these dangerous rivals ; and in consequence of a resolution of the authorities of New Amsterdam, that this was to be done, " in the best manner possi- ble," two yachts were placed under the charge of Jan Jansen Van Ilpendam, with particular instructions for that object.3 These instructions were promptly carried out in respect to those located on the Schuylkill, who, it appears, were only a company of traders, and their whole establishment a single trading house. This house was burnt, and those in charge of it subjected to in- dignities and losses, by the attacking party. Smith, in his history of New York,4 supposes these English intruders to have come from Maryland, but this is not credited by Bozman the historian of that province, because " no Maryland records have been found that mention any such an attempt from that quarter."5

1 For a translation of these instructions entire, see Haz. Reg. iv. 219, &c.

2 These purchases were made by the agents of the Commissioners of New Haven, N. Y. Hist. Col. i. 224.

3 Acrelius, 413. * Page 6. 5 Hist. Maryland, ed. 1837, 206.

1642.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 29

The English Colony on Salem creek was also got rid of. In effecting its removal, the Swedes have the credit of lending a helping hand to the Dutch.1 The only measures, in which the Dutch and Swedes could unite harmoniously in carrying out, were such as would keep the English from gaining a footing on the river.

Our narrative has now reached a period in which the citizens of Delaware County will feel a local and more direct interest. The government of Neiv Sweden, and substantially that of the whole river, now passed into the hands of John Printz, who established his seat of government within the limits of our County. This was the first settlement made by civilized man within its limits, and the first permanent settlement within the bounds of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of which any record exists.

The new Governor was a military man, and held a commission as lieutenant-colonel of cavalry. His instructions,2 which are dated at Stockholm, on the 15th of August, 1642, are very care- fully prepared, with a full knowledge both of the geography and the condition of the country. They enjoin upon him to see that neither violence nor injustice was done nor permitted to be done to the Indians, and that in order to secure their trade and good- will, he should " furnish them with the things they require at lower prices than those they receive from the Dutch of Fort Nassau, or from the English their neighbors." If he felt able to protect himself in Fort Christina, he was to engage the people to give themselves to agriculture with zeal, " especially sowing enough grain, to support the people under his orders ;" after which his attention was to be given " to the culture of tobacco." Besides the cattle and sheep sent out, he was at liberty to purchase others from his English neighbours, and, " before all," he was to direct his attention to the sheep, " in order to have a good species," so that a considerable portion of good wool might in future be sent to the mother country. The trade in peltries was to.be supported in a good condition, and the manufacture of salt, the culture of the grape, and the raising of silk-worms suggested. Metals and minerals were to be sought after, and how fisheries may be established "with profit," was to be inquired into, " as according to report they may, at certain times of the year, establish the whale fisheries in Godyn's bay and its neighborhood. ' ' Whatever regarded police, government, and the administration of justice, was to be done, " in the name of her Majesty and of

1 Acrelius, 413 ; Hist. New Netherland, i. 253. Unfounded charges were made by the Dutch agent and Swedish governor against the English, that they had plotted with the Indians "to cut them off." They needed some excuse for their conduct see N Y. Hist. Col. i. 225.

2 For the instructions at length from the MSS. in possession of the American Philo- sophical Society, see Haz. Reg. iv. 219, and for a good abstract, Haz. Ann. 63.

30 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1643.

the crown of Sweden." From the necessity of the case, it was not possible to give " perfect and detailed instructions," but much was left to the discretion of the Governor. Great offenders might be punished " with imprisonment and other proportionate punish- ments, and even with death," but not otherwise " than according to the ordinances and legal forms, and after having sufficiently considered and examined the affair with the most noted persons, such as the most prudent assessors of justice that he can find and consult in the country."

The Dutch Colonists, sent over two years before and settled below Fort Christina, were to be permitted to exercise the re- formed religion — all others were to be subject to the Augsburg Confession, and the ceremonies of the Swedish church. Thus it will be seen that the settlement of our County commenced with an established religion, though it cannot be said that conformity to it was ever rigorously exacted.

As has been mentioned, the Swedes based their claim to the country wholly upon their purchases made from the Indians, followed by occupation. The extent of that claim is estimated at thirty German miles in length — its width in the interior, as had been stipulated and decreed in the contracts with the savages. " that the subjects of her Majesty and the members of the Navi- gation Company, might take up as much land as they wished."

The Swedish Dutch Colony is referred to in the instructions to Printz, as subject immediately to Commander Jost De Bogardt, but the Governor is enjoined to see that the stipulated conditions under which the settlement was made, are complied with, and their removal to a greater distance from Fort Christina is sug- gested.

Previous to the issuing of these instructions to Governor Printz, the two vessels the Stoorlc and the Renown which were to bear him and his fellow adventurers to New Sweden, had sailed from Stockholm for Gottenburg to complete their equip- ments. According to the Rev. John Campanius,1 who accom- panied the expedition, they sailed from Gottenburg on the 1st of November, 1642, and after a tedious voyage by the way of Antigua, arrived at Fort Christina on the 15th of February, 1643, having experienced a severe snow storm off the Hooern kill, from which one of the vessels sustained great damage.

The energetic character of the new Governor is abundantly evinced during his administration ; and could his acts always have been tempered by prudence, his success would have been greater. The expedition under his command was the most form- idable that had entered the Delaware, and it required him but a very short time to give the Swedish establishment on the river a very imposing aspect.

1 Campanius, 70.

1643.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 31

His instructions required that the river might " be shut" or " commanded." For this purpose, the position of Fort Christina, at once determined its insufficiency. The bold shore of the island of Tennaconk1 (Tinicum,) then extending further into the river than it now does, was wisely selected as the site for a new fortress ; for while by its position it commanded the river, its proximity to Fort Nassau enabled the Governor more readily to control the operations of the Dutch. Its insular position also rendered it more secure from attacks by the Indians.

Besides the fort, which was named New Gottenburg, Governor Printz, " caused to be built there, a mansion for himself and family which was very handsome ; there was a fine orchard, a pleasure house and other conveniencies. He called it Printz Hall."2 The dilapidated remains, of what was said to be the chiin ney of this mansion, were standing within the recollection of the author, and up to this time one of the small foreign made bricks, of a pale yellow color of which it was partly constructed, may be occasionally picked up in the vicinity.3 Its site was a short distance above the present Tinicum hotel, and on the opposite side of the road.

The fort, we are told by Hudde, was built of groenen logs,4 the one on the other, and "was pretty strong." Groenen has been translated hemlock, but as that timber did not grow within any convenient distance of the place, and that of a kind much better fitted for the purpose was at hand, there is evidently a mistake, either in the translation or in the statement of Hudde.

This vigilant Governor did not feel satisfied that he had quite "shut the river" by the erection of Fort Gottenburg; for before the expiration of eight months from the day of bis arrival, he had completed another fortress near the mouth of Salem creek, which he called Elfsborg or Elsinborg, and on which were mounted eight brass twelve-pounders.5

Upon the arrival of Governor Printz, the only European population on the river were the few persons occupying the Dutch Fort Nassau, the Swedish colony at Christina, and the Dutch patroon colony established by the Swedish government at one or more points lower down. How many persons accompanied the Governor is not known, but the number though not large,

1 It seems probable that this word in the Indian language meant " Island."

2 Campanius, 79.

3 Ferris in his " Original settlements on the Delaware," says : " This Hall stood more than 160 years, and was at last burnt down by accident since the commencement of the present century."

4 Hudde's Rep. N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 429.

5 The guns were lying there, and the fort " not entirely finished" when visited by De Vries, October 20th, 1643, see his voyages, N. Y. Hist. Col. iii. 123. Campanius says this Fort " was erected by Governor Printz, when he first came into the coun- try," 80.

32 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1643.

was probably greater than the whole previous population of the river. He brought with him his wife and one daughter and probably other members of his family, a lieutenant-governor and secretary, a chaplain and surgeon, (barber,) besides twenty-four regular soldiers with officers sufficient for a much larger force. These, with an ample supply of military stores and provisions for the garrison, and a large stock of goods suitable for Indian traffic, which is known to have constituted part of the freight of the two vessels, would leave but little space for actual settlers, their household goods and implements of husbandry. Still a consider- able number of settlers accompanied the expedition, who doubt- less fixed their places of abode within a convenient distance of the newly erected forts. It was the first successful colony planted within the limits of Pennsylvania.

We are told by Campanius,1 that " on this island [Tinicum] the principal inhabitants had their dwellings and plantations.*' From the limited extent of the island this could not have con- tinued long in respect to the plantations. In 1645, when Andreas Hudde, the Dutch commissary on the Delaware, made his examination of the river preparatory to making his report to the government, there were on the same side of the river with Fort Christina, and about two [Dutch] miles higher up, " some plantations," which, in the language of the report, " are con- tinued nearly a mile ; but few houses only are built, and these at considerable distances from each other. The farthest of these is not far from Tinnekonk. * * * Farther on, at the same side, till you come to the Schuylkill, being about two miles, there is not a single plantation, neither at Tinnekonk, because near the river nothing is to be met but underwood and valley lands."2

This report, from such a close and accurate observer as Hudde, renders it certain that the immigrants who accompanied Printz, as they spread themselves from Tinicum, at first for a time, con- tinued within the bounds of what is now Delaware County. The points on the river where no marsh or flats intervene between the water and the shore, were doubtless the locations first occu- pied by these settlers. Chester, Marcus Hook, and one or two points above and below, may therefore claim a priority of set- tlement to any part of the county of Philadelphia, and after Tinicum, of any part of the Commonwealth.

It is not easy, at this time, to arrive at any satisfactory con- clusion in respect to the social and domestic condition of the settlers on the Delaware at the time of the arrival of Governor Printz, and for a short time afterwards. The Swedes were of three classes : " The company's servants, who were employed by

i Hist. New Sweden, 79. 2 N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 429.

1643.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 33

them in various capacities ; those who came to the country ' to better their fortunes,' and who, by way of distinction, were call- ed freemen; and a third class, consisting of vagabonds and malefactors," who " were to remain in slavery and were employ- ed in digging earth, throwing up trenches, and erecting walls and other fortifications."1

Fort Nassau was merely a military establishment to maintain a trading post. It is not known that any actual settlement had been made at that point, previous to the arrival of Governor -Printz, or for some time afterwards. The fort was occupied by the soldiers and servants of the Dutch West India Company, and there is reason to believe that at times, some of the latter were negro slaves.2

But little is known of the early doings of the settlement of Hollanders under Swedish authority on the river and bay below Christina. As has been before observed, this colony had its origin in the bitter feuds that existed between the patroons and the West India Company. The chief element in this controversy was the amount of trade which should be enjoyed by the patroons, which the Company seemed determined to wholly monopolize themselves. As the trading privileges contained in the Swedish grant to these Hollanders are strikingly liberal, it is reasonable to conclude that trade at first constituted their chief employment.

In respectto domestic animals, goats were probably first in- troduced. In the investigation of charges brought against Governor Van Twiller in 1639, a witness mentions " twenty-four to thirty goats,"3 as being in his custody at forts Hope4 and Nassau. The careful and prudent Minuit had no doubt supplied his settlement at Christina with both cattle and sheep. In the grant to the colony of Hollanders, it was provided that they should take "two or three vessels with men and cattle," and as the English settlers at Vrakens kill (Salem) came from New England, they were doubtless well supplied with domestic ani- mals, which were probably left on the river when they abandoned their new home.

Prior to this period, but very few females of European birth, had resided on the Delaware. There was not one in the ill-fated colony at Swanendael, by her supplication for mercy, to stay the

1 Campanius, 73.

2 Haz. Ann. 49, as quoted from the Breviat, case of Penn and Lord Baltimore, 35. The " Freedoms, privileges and exemptions," proposed by the States General prior to 1640, but not adopted, contains this article : " In like manner the Incorporated West India Company shall allot to each patroon, twelve black men and women out of the prizes in which negroes shall be found, for the advancement of the Colonies of New Netherland," N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 99.

3 Haz. Ann. 50.— In 1634, the Governor of Virginia sent 6 goats to Director Van Twiller, by De Vries, as " he had understood there were no goats at Fort Amsterdam."

4 Fort Hope was on the Connecticut river.

3

34 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1643.

hand of savage cruelty. The affidavit of Dame Catelina Tricho, before given, establishes the fact that on at least one occasion, four females accompanied their husbands to Fort Nassau ; but as the fort was soon abandoned, and only occupied occasionally up to the arrival of Printz, their residence here could only have been temporary.

There is also some evidence that the colony at Christina did not consist exclusively of the male sex. The Rev. Reorus Torkillus, the Swedish priest, who accompanied Minuit, we are informed by Campanius,1 took a wife there, by whom he had one, child previous to his death on the 23rd of February, 1643. It is not to be supposed that Mrs. Torkillus was the sole representa- tive of her sex in that colony ; nor would it be reasonable to con- clude, that the colony of Jost De Bogardt, had omitted to intro- duce an item so necessary to its prosperity and permanency. Still the number of European females on the river, prior to the arrival of Governor Printz, must have been very few, and even with the addition brought by him, the number must have been disproportionately small compared with the other sex.

Tobacco and maize, and probably beans, were Indian produc- tions of the river prior to the arrival of the Dutch or Swedes. Wheat, rye and buckwheat, with a number of garden vegetables, had become articles of culture at this period. But the immigrant settlers had none of the luxuries, and but few of the comforts of civilized life. Where woman was so nearly excluded, but few could feel that they had a home even in name.

In respect to religious matters on the river, there is nothing on record, except that the Rev. Mr. Torkillus officiated as clergyman at a church built within the walls of Fort Christina up to the period of his death.

The river is generally spoken of as healthful ; but it would ap- pear that great sickness and mortality prevailed among the set- tlers in 1642. Winthrop2 attributes the dissolution of the English "plantation," that is, the settlement at Salem creek, to the sickness that prevailed that year. He says, "the same sick- ness and mortality befell the Swedes settled on the same river." The despondency, with which the early colonists were usually seized, was well calculated to increase the mortality of any serious disease that might happen to prevail.

Up to this period, notwithstanding the repeated sales of large tracts of land that had been made to the Dutch and Swedes by the Indians, the country remained substantially one unbroken forest, and was almost as much in possession of the savages, as when Cornelis Mey first sailed up the river. They had received but little compensation for their lands, but as yet, they had the

1 Page 107. 2 Winthrop's Journal, ii. 76.

1643.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 35

same use of them as they had heretofore enjoyed — not dreaming that the enjoyment of these lands by the white man was event- ually to result in the total exclusion of their race. The time has now arrived for dispelling this delusion. The traffic, that neces- sarily made the savage a party, is gradually to give place to the culture of the soil, that renders his presence a nuisance.

Before resuming our narrative, it may not then be amiss, briefly to advert to the Indian tribes that occupied the river when first visited by Europeans. These tribes collectively, have been designated Lent Lenape, or Delaware Indians. They had once been a more powerful and warlike nation, but had been con- quered by those more northern and western assemblages of Red Men known in history as the "Five Nations."1 Not only were they a conquered people, but, on the condition of still being per- mitted to occupy their lands, they had subjected themselves to a kind of vassalage that excluded them from engaging in war, and according to Indian ideas of such matters, they were placed on a footing with women. They remained in this degraded condi- tion until the last remnant of the nation had left the shores of the Delaware.2

The Leni Lenape were not exclusively confined to the shores of the Delaware. They occupied most of New Jersey and the whole valley of the Schuylkill. The .northern portion of this large district was occupied by a division of the nation called Minsi or Muneys. The Nantieokes, a rather warlike independ- ent nation, occupied the eastern shore of the Chesapeake.3

The Delaware Indians enjoyed the advantage of a general exemption from the horrors of savage warfare, as a guarantied protection was an incident to their vassalage ; but they were frequently subjected to the intrusions of parties of the Five Nations, who occupied portions of the Lenape country, as their occasions required. The Minquas, whose name was borne by the Christina river, was among the warlike tribes that most fre- quently visited the Delaware for trade. Campanius located them twelve (Swedish) miles4 from New Sweden, "on a mountain very difficult to climb." He also describes them as a very war- like tribe, who had forced the Delaware Indians, who were not so warlike, to be afraid of them " and made them subjects and

1 The Indian communities embraced in this confederacy, were the Mohawks, Oneydas, Onondagos, Gayugas and Senecas. Colden's Hist. Five Nations, 1st part, 1. In 1712, the Tuscaroras,a, kindred nation from North Carolina, removed to western New York and joined the confederacy, after which it was known as the "Six Nations." By the French these Indians in the aggregate were known as the Iroquois.

2 At a treaty held at Philadelphia in July 1742, Canapatego, a chief of the Onondagos, thus reprimanded and taunted the Delawares, who were present, for continuing on lands they had sold : " We conquered you ; we made women of you ; you know you are women and can no more sell land than women." Colden's Five Nations, part ii 79

3 Bancroft's Hist. U. S. iii. 238.

4 One Swedish mile is equal to six of our miles.

36 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1643.

tributary to them ; so that they dare not stir, much less go to war against them."1

The Minquas Indians, as a tribe, belonged to the Five Nations. They resided upon the Conestogo, but their visits to the Dela- ware for purposes of trade or to fish were frequent.

It will thus be seen that the early settlers on the Delaware, had two classes of Indians very different in character to deal with ; the one a constant inhabitant of the country whose presence was familiar to them and caused no uneasiness ; the other, an occasional visitor whose stay amongst them, when the object of it was not well understood, excited apprehensions for their safety. The Lenape lived in small tribes, generally occupying the tribu- taries of the Delaware. Each tribe was frequently known to the settlers by the Indian name of the stream it occupied.

In returning from a digression that seemed necessary, to pro- ceed with our narrative, we will confine our observations more closely hereafter to the small district of country under notice.

Governor Printz possessed many qualifications that fitted him for the position he occupied. His plans were laid with good judgment, and were executed with energy. He managed the trade of the river with the natives so as to monopolize nearly the whole ; and while the jealousy of the Dutch, on this account, was excessive, he succeeded during his whole administration, in avoiding an open rupture with that government. But he was imperious and haughty, and sometimes gave offence, especially in personal interviews, when a milder course would have better befitted the occasion.

Though the Swedes had erected a fort on the Jersey side of the river, they never placed so high an estimate on their title to the land on that side, as to that on the western shore. As a consequence, most of their settlements were at first made on this side of the Delaware, up which, and the Schuylkill they were gradually extended. These rivers and our numerous tide-water creeks, constituted the highways of the Swedish settlers, and it was in close proximity with these streams their habitations were erected.

The annual pay of the Governor was 800 Rix dollars,2 which of course did not include his rations. In addition to this, and in remuneration of the long and excellent services that he had ren- dered to the crown of Sweden, and was then rendering, his sovereign, by a deed of gift executed on the 6th of November, 1643, granted to him and his heirs, the whole Island of Tinicum.3

If we can rely upon the statement of De Vries who visited the Governor on the 13th of October, 1643, and remained with him several days, he was a man of enormous dimensions, weighing

1 Campanius, 158. 2 Haz. Reg. iv. 314. 3 Appendix, note A.

1644.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 37

over four hundred pounds.1 At the time of this visit by De Vries, the Swedish fort at " Verchens kill" was not "entirely finished," and there were "some houses" at Fort Christina. The vessel in which De Vries made his visit, was laden with Madeira wine, a portion of which the skipper exchanged with the Gover- nor for beavers.

John Papegoya, who had sometime since returned from New Sweden, was recommended to Governor Printz by a letter from the Qeeen and her council, dated at Stockholm on the 2nd of November, 1643.2 The Governor was recommended "graciously to employ him" in those affairs "to which he might think him adapted," and " to give him as much as will be possible and reasonable his protection, in order to his advancement." The suggestions contained in the letter were construed most liberally in favour of the bearer ; for not long after his arrival in New Sweden, he became the son-in-law of Governor Printz, and took the position of second in command to him.

Campanius informs us, that in the beginning of Governor Printz's administration, "there came a great number of criminals who were sent over from Sweden. When the European inhabitants perceived it, they would not suffer them to set their foot on shore, but they were all obliged to return, so that a great many of them perished on the voyage."3 The same author says, that it " was after this forbidden, under a penalty, to send any more criminals to America, lest Almighty God should let his vengeance fall on the ships and goods, and the virtuous people that were on board." This part of the statement is not strictly correct, for reliable evidence exists that an individual was sentenced to be trans- ported to New Sweden nearly ten years subsequently.4

The settlement of the country proceeded very slowly under the Swedish dynasty, while trade was pushed to an extent never before known upon the river. This was a source of great annoy- ance to the Dutch, as the trade of the river was lost to them in proportion as it was acquired by the Swedes. In the language of Van der Donk, they " would regret to lose such a jewel by the devices and hands of a few strangers."5

It is by no means wonderful, that the Dutch should become alarmed at the progress the Swedes were making in securing the trade of the river, for during the year 1644 they freighted two of their vessels, the Key of Calmar and the Fame, with cargoes that included 2,127 packages of beaver, and 70,421 pounds of

i N. Y. Hist. Col. iii. 123.

2 Haz. Reg. iv. 214.

3 Campanius, 73, related on the authority of Nils Matton Utter, who after his return home, served in his Majesty's Life Guards.

* Haz. Reg. iv. 374.

5 See his description of New Netherland in N. Y. Hist, Col. N. S. i. 142.

38 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1645.

tobacco.1 This shipment of tobacco would indicate that this noxious plant was cultivated to a considerable extent on the river at that early period.

The Swedes mill, known to have been the first mill erected in Pennsylvania, was probably built this year, though it possibly might have been erected during the year 1643. It was located on Cobb's creek immediately above the bridge near the Blue Bell tavern. From the holes in the rocks at the point mentioned, the mill must have occupied a position partly over the stream, and was doubtless driven by a tub-wheel which required but lit- tle gearing. Karakung, as given by Campanius, was the Indian name of Cobb's creek. This mill, which the governor " caused to be erected," he says, " was a fine mill, which ground both fine and coarse flour, and was going early and late : it was the first that was seen in the country. There was no fort near it, but only a strong house, built of hickory and inhabited by freemen."2

The jealousy of the Dutch on account of the progress made by the Swedes, induced their Governor (Kieft) to send an agent to the Delaware to keep a watch on the procedures of Governor Printz, and to resist his supposed innovations. The person selected was Andreas Hudde, whose report, though incomplete, was made at different dates. That part of it from which the two following paragraphs have been taken, was made the 1st of November, 1645. As it will be seen the Swedes mill was then erected, and was erected by Governor Printz, who arrived in the country 1642, the date of its erection can hardly vary from the time above mentioned.

" In regard to this Schuylkill, these are lands purchased and possessed by the Company. He (Governor Printz,) employed the Company's carpenter, and constructed there a fort3 on a very convenient spot on an island near the borders of the kill, which is from the west side secured by another creek, and from the south, south-east, and east side with valley lands. It lays about the distance of a gun-shot in the kill. On the south side of this kill, on the same island, beautiful corn is raised. This fort can- not, in any manner whatever, obtain any control on the river, but it has the command over the whole creek ; while this kill or creek is the only remaining avenue for trade with the Minquas, and without this trade the river is of little value."

" At a little distance from this fort was a creek to the farthest

1 Hist. New Netherland, i. 370. — De Vries says, the tobacco raised in New Nether- land and also on the South river was not different from that raised in Virginia. N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. Hi. 125.

2 Campanius, 81.

3 Jt was subsequently reported, that this fort was erected on the site of a Dutch trading-house, which was demolished by the Swedes, but this is very improbable. The Company's carpenter would hardly engage in such a business. See Hist. New Nether- land, ii.'79.

1645.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 39

distant wood, which place is named Kinsessing by the savages, which was before a certain and invariable resort for trade with the Minquas, but which is now opposed by the Swedes, having there built a strong house. About a half a mile further in the woods, Governor Printz constructed a mill on a kill which runs into the sea [river] not far to the south of Matinnekonk, and on this kill a strong building just by the path which leads to the Minquas ; and this place is called by the savages Kakarikonk, so that no access to the Minquas is left open ; and he, too, controls nearly all the trade of the savages on the river, as the greatest part of them go a hunting in that neighborhood, which they are not able to do without passing by his residence."1

The above extracts have been introduced not only because they exhibit the means resorted to by the Swedes to secure the whole trade of the river, but because they contain all that the Dutch Commissary Hudde, relates on the subject of the location of the Swedish fort on the Schuylkill ; in respect to which Mr. Ferris in his History of the original settlements on the Delaware.2 has fallen into a very serious error — an error, the correction of which has been rendered more important from the fact that the opinion of Mr. Ferris has been relied upon by subsequent writers,3 on account of his supposed "local knowledge."

Mr. Ferris locates this fort on a cluster of rocks, once a very small island in the Schuylkill above Bartram's Garden, but now connected with the shore by marsh meadow. As the island on which the fort was erected, " lays about the distance of a gun- shot within the kill," it became necessary for our author to re- move the mouth of the Schuylkill to a point a short distance below the site of the Bartram Garden — now the seat of Mr. Thomas Eastwick, because the water at high tide was over " the great meadows," extending from thence "in a southerly course to the Delaware." Even if the real mouth of the Schuylkill had been mistaken by Hudde, the " cluster of rocks" fixed on by Mr. Ferris would entirely fail to meet his description of the island upon which the Swedish fort was erected. This island, from the west was " secured by another creek," and " on the same island beautiful corn was raised." While these facts could not possibly apply to the site designated by Mr. Ferris, they, as well as the other facts mentioned by Hudde, exactly fit the island then, as now, at the real mouth of the Schuylkill. The location of the fort was undoubtedly upon what is now known at Province island ; and as it could not in " any manner whatever obtain any con- trol on the river," but had " the command over the whole creek" or kill, its exact site must have been near the western abutment of Penrose Ferry Bridge, or perhaps a little lower down.

' Hudde's Rep. in N. Y. Hist. Col. i. N. S. 429.

2 Page 70. 3 Haz. Ann. 78.

40 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. £1645.

" At a little distance from this fort was a creek to the farthest distant wood which place is named Kinsessing bj the savages." This is designated " Minquas creek," on the "map of the first settlements, &c." contained in this volume, and is still known in the neighborhood under the corrupted name of Mlnkus. That the name assigned to this creek on our map is the one it bore in very early times, is confirmed by a conveyance of Marsh mea- dow bordering on it, by Lasse Cock to James Hunt, bearing date 27th of 3rd mo. 1685, 1 in which that name is applied to it, and is conclusive in establishing its identity with the creek referred to by Hudde. This being established, there will be but very lit- tle difficulty in fixing, approximately, the site of the " strong house" built by the Swedes. This creek for some distance borders on the fast land, and as the remainder of its course was through grounds overflowed or partially overflowed at every high tide, there is no room to doubt that the " strong house" occupied some point on this margin of fast land. " About half a [Dutch] mile further in the woods, Governor Printz had constructed a mill, &c." This distance accords very nearly with the location assigned to the " strong house" of the persevering and avarici- ous Swedes.

There is an additional reason for locating this Indian and Swedish trading post, at the point mentioned, in the fact, that at this point there are several springs of water in the margin of the marsh.

Hudde at this time, estimates the whole force of the Swedish governor at from eighty to ninety men, "freemen as well as servants with whom he must garrison all his strong places." But the Dutch force on the river at the same time, and for some years afterwards was utterly insignificant, even when compared with that of the Swedes. In 1648 they had but six able bodied men on the river.2

Jan Jansen Van Ilpendam, who had held the office of Com- missary at the Dutch Fort Nassau, on account of improper con- duct was recalled, and Hudde appointed in his stead, who proved himself a more efficient officer in resisting Swedish aggressions, at least with paper missiles. He repaired the fort, which he found in a dilapidated and destitute condition.

The accidental destruction of Fort Gottenburg by fire, hap- pened on the 5th of December, in the year 1645.3 This circum- stance is not mentioned by Campanius, though it must have

1 Recorder's office, Philadelphia, book E, i. 492. The deed after describing other tracts contains the following : " also my right, title and interest in the marsh meadow, bounded southward with Minquass creek to the eastward with the Schuylkill river, to the northward with Laud's creek, and to the westward with some of the same land." On Hill's map of'' Philadelphia and Environs" generally known as " Hill's map of Ten miles around Philadelphia" published in 1808, this creek is called " Mingo creek."

2 Hist. New Netherland, ii. 82. 3 Hudde's Rep. 429.

1646.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 41

happened while his grandfather resided there. It was doubtless soon again rebuilt, as the seat of government of New Sweden was continued at Tinicum.

The first controversy in which Commissary Hudde was engaged, was on the account of the arrival of a shallop or sloop from Manhattan under the command of Juriaen Blancke, a private trader, who was ordered by the commissary to the Schuylkill, "near the right, and to await there for the Minquas." When arrived there, he was peremptorily " commanded to leave the spot at once, as belonging to the Swedish crown." This, Commander Blancke, at first refused to do, and referred the matter to Huclde, who conducted a rather angry controversy with the governor, which not being likely to result in obtaining permission for him to remain in the Schuylkill, at the spot he desired to occupy, and being a private person whose expenses and losses would not be borne by the Company, he wisely took his departure ; not how- ever by reason of any order from the Commissary. What is re- markable, a Swedish priest, most probably Campanius, took a part in the negotiation.1

It may be inferred from the proceedings in this controversy that an arrangement had been entered into between the Swede's and the Dutch about the trade of the Schuylkill. To a query propounded by Printz : " On the Schuylkill, in what manner the property of it is ascertained and understood ; what and how far are extended its limits?" Hudde answers, "That the acts re- lative to the division of the limits are at the Manhattans, where he (Printz) may obtain correct information." Also in the letter of the Governor to Blancke, directing him to leave, this language occurs : " Directly leave that spot with your trading vessel m the Schuylkill, seek the spot where usually sloops are accustomed to trade— which shall not be prohibited ; neither do I desire that my subjects shall be admitted there, from respect and friendship for the commander and his commissions as long as you are re- maining and trading in the Schuylkill, or that they would obstruct your interests." It is evident that it was the particular place that Blancke was in, that he was commanded to leave, and not the kill. The letter of Governor Printz is dated at " Tinnekonk" on the 20th of June, 1646.2

On the 12th of July following, the particulars of this event was communicated by Hudde to Governor Kieft at Manhattan, together with a plan for continuing the trade with the Minquas,

1 Hudde's Rep. 431-432.

2 lb.— In this communication by Governor Printz to Hudde, the following language occurs: " That I compelled by force, Jurian Blanck to sail up and fasten his bark to the bridge. It may reasonably be conjectured that this bridge was over Minquas creek, connecting the main land with the opposite island near the site of the '• stron°- house. —See map of Early Settlements. °

42 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1646.

and in the meantime he received instructions to inquire ahout certain minerals in the country ; in pursuance of which he visited Sankikans which was the Indian name for the Falls of the Delaware at Trenton, but he was arrested in his upward progress by an Indian sachem, who confided in the truth of a story alleged to have been gotten up by Governor Printz, that the Dutch " had an intention to build a house near the Great Falls, and that in the vessels which were expected — 250 men would arrive — which would be sent hither from the Manhattans, and would kill all the savages below on the river, &c I"1 It was manifestly the interest of the Dutch at this time, to have an establishment higher up the river in order to secure its trade, and it is much more reasonable to believe that something of the kind was con- templated by them, than that the whole story was the malicious invention of the Swedish governor.

Under instructions received on the 7th of September of this year, " to purchase some land from the savages, which was situ- ated on the west shore about a mile (Dutch,) distant from Fort Nassau on the north," we find the vigilant commissary busily engaged on the very next day, in taking possession of the covet- ed spot, by erecting the company's arms upon it. This Christian method of acquiring title to Indian lands, by taking possession in advance of the purchase, is to be excused in the present in- stance on account of the proprietor not being "at home." On the 25th of the same month, however, the purchase was com- pleted, in evidence of which the original proprietor aided in placing the arms of the company on a pole, which was fixed in the ground on the limits.2 This purchase included a portion of the grounds now occupied by the city of Philadelphia, as it also certainly did some of the lands that had been purchased by the Swedes upon their first arrival in the country, and of course this transaction became a bone of contention between the two govern- ments. The planting of a Dutch settlement on the western shore of the Delaware was now the policy of the authorities at Manhattan.3 Upon certain Dutch freemen making preparations to build on their newly acquired possessions, the Swedish com- missary Henry Huygen, removed the emblem of Dutch sove- reignty, that had been set up by Hudde with the assent of his savage grantor, using at the same time the very insulting re-

1 Hudde's Rep. 432. 2 lb. 433.

3 As a further evidence of the disposition of the Dutch to gain a footing on the west shore of the Delaware, their governor (Kieft) about this time granted to four freemen 100 Morgens of land, " lying almost over against the little island called Vogelsant, (Singing bird) now Egg island, in the state of Delaware, on the condition that they would improve it, and bear allegiance to their high Mightinesses, &c. See Haz. Reg. iv. 119; Hist. N. Netherland i. 373; "York Book" Rec. deeds office, Dover, where the name of the island is translated " Bird land/' Acrelius says the grantees never came there. N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 417.

1646.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 43

mark : " that although it had been the colors of the Prince of Orange that were hoisted, he would have thrown these too under his feet."1 In one of the conflicts between the parties, a Swedish sergeant behaved himself so much " against all good order and decency," that Commissary Hudde felt it to be his duty to arrest him and keep him "in the guard house some time," besides giving him a severe reproof.

This event elicited from Governor Printz a sharp protest,2 directed to Hudde, in which he reminds him, " to discontinue the injuries of which he has been guilty against the Royal Majesty of Sweden," and accuses him of "gross conduct" on account of his " secret and unlawful purchase of land from the savages," alleging that in making it, "he betrayed his conviction of the justice, equity and antiquity of his pretensive claims, of which he so loudly boasted." This protest is dated N. Gotten- burg, September 30th, 1646, 0. S., and Avas delivered by Oloff Stille and Moens Flom, two Swedish freemen.

On the 22nd of October, the reply of Hudde was sent to the Governor.3 It is rather pacific in its tone. He assures the Governor, that he purchased the land of "the real owner," and if he (the sachem) had sold the land previously to his Honor, then he had imposed most shamefully upon him. He protests, " that he performed everything and endeavoured to employ all means, by which a good correspondence and mutual harmony might be promoted," and closes with these words, " I will con- fide, that it is your Honor's intention, to act in the same manner — at least from the consideration that we who are clu^istians will not place ourselves as a stumbling block, or laughing stock to those savage heathens which I trust, that shall remain so, as it is by your affectionate friend."

This affectionate epistle was received in a rather gruff manner by the Governor, who threw it towards one of his attendants saying, "there take care of it." This is reported by Hudde's sergeant who acted as messenger on the occasion, and as the Governor was engaged with " some Englishmen just arrived from JSTew England," the statement maybe credited; but no credit can be given to his tale, that the Governor took a gun down from the wall "with the intention of shooting him."

Hudde also complained that Printz had forbidded his subjects, (as he called them,) "to enter into any transactions" with the Dutch. This non-intercourse policy does not appear to have been very strictly enforced, for in less than a year, we find Hudde and his wife at the Governor's table — the fact being re-

1 Acrelius says that this language was used upon the occasion of pulling down the Dutch coat of arms raised at Sawtikan, (Trenton.)

2 Hudde's Report, 433. 3 lb. 434.

44 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1646.

ported to show the rough and vulgar expressions, his excellency was capable of using in the presence of a lady.1

Nor were the Dutch annoyed alone by the Swedes. A letter2 from President Eaton of New Haven, to Governor Kieft, dated August 12th, 1646, 0. S., complains of "injuries and outrages," to the persons and estates of the English, received at Manhattaes, Delaware river, &c. Since the removal of the English colony from Salem creek, there is no account of that people being present in the river, except those in conference with Governor Printz, above mentioned, and a trading vessel from Boston in 1644; four of whose crew were inhumanly murdered by the Indians, and the balance — a man and a boy carried off by them. These, through the instrumentality of Governor Printz, were procured from their captors and sent to Boston — the man to be tried for his life on the charge of having betrayed the vessel into the hands of the Indians.3

It is not very creditable to the Rev. John Campanius, who accompanied Governor Printz to America, that he has not fur- nished a better account of the progress of ecclesiastical affairs during his residence. He was no doubt much occupied in learn- ing the language of the Indians, into which he translated Luther's catechism. This work was partly accomplished during the six years he resided in New Sweden. The Rev. Reorus Torkillus dying about the time of the arrival of Campanius, the latter no doubt officiated at Christina as well as at New Gottenburg. During the year 1646, a church was erected at the seat of government at Tinicum, which was consecrated to divine services on the 4th of September and also its burying place, by the Rev'd pastor. " The first corpse that was buried there was that of Catharine, the daughter of Andrew Hanson. She was buried on the 28th of October, in the same year being the feast of St. Simon and St Jude."4

The site of the burying place, and doubtless that of the church also, was close on the margin of the river, and is now occupied by a part of its bed between the Lazaretto and Tinicum hotel, but nearer the latter. It is not many years since human bones were seen protruding from the undermined and receding bank of the river.

The younger Campanius relates that " the Indians were fre- quent visitors at his grandfather's house. When for the first time he performed divine service in the Swedish congregation, they came to hear him, and greatly wondered that he had so

1 Hudde's Report, 436.

2 For the letter, see N. Y. Hist. Col. i. 191, in which it is republished from vol. ii. Haz. Hist. Col.

3 Haz. Ann. 82, as extracted from Winthrop's Journal. * Campanius, 79-80.

1647.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 45

much to say, and that he stood alone and talked so long, while all the rest were listening in silence. This excited in them strange suspicions ; they thought everything was not right, and that some conspiracy was going forward amongst us ; in conse- quence of which, my grandfather's life, and that of the other priests, were for some time, in considerable danger from the Indians, who daily came to him and asked him many questions."

Campanius availed himself of these opportunities to make his savage visitors understand there was one self-existing God ; to acquaint them with the doctrine of the Trinity ; the creation of the world and of man ; original sin ; together with the doctrines and miracles of Christianity generally. If we are to credit his grandson, whose statements are not the most reliable, he was so successful in his instructions " that many of those barbarians were converted to the Christian faith, or at least acquired so much knowledge of it, that they were ready to exclaim, as Cap- tain John Smith relates of the Virginia Indians, that so far as the cannons and guns of the Christians exceeded the bows and arrows of the Indians in shooting, so far was their God superior to that of the Indians."1

Governor Kieft having been recalled, the administration of affairs upon Dutch account on our river, passed into the hands of Peter Stuy vesant, his successor, a man of great energy, intel- ligence and bravery, but possessed of a will characteristic of his countrymen. His administration commenced on the 27th of May, 1647, and continued till 1664, when the American inter- ests of the Dutch passed into the hands of the English.

The bickerings between the Swedes and Dutch were continued, and during the early part of the administration of the new direc- tor general, the latter, in their claims for redress were not more successful than they had been under his less worthy predecessor. The reason is obvious, as according to the most reliable authority on the subject, the whole population of New Netherland at the close of Kieft's administration did not exceed a thousand souls.2 Besides their weakness, the Dutch authorities may find an addi- tional excuse for the neglect of their interests on the Delaware, in the fact, that the whole energies of the government were, at this time, required to resist the constant encroachments of the New Englanders on their territory.

If the evidence of Commissary Hudde is to be relied upon, the annoyances practised by the Swedes towards the Dutch were un- ceasing and unendurable. In the absence of Swedish authority on the subject, without questioning the general truthfulness of the Commissary's statements, it would be unjust to give too

1 Campanius, 75, 76.

2 Hist. New Netherland, i. 38G.

46 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1647.

ready an ear to his suspicions ; to admit the correctness of his conclusions without some grains of allowance ; or to believe that all the aggressions of which he complains, were without provoca- tion on the part of his people.

Hudde accuses Governor Printz with conniving at the abuse of the Company's subjects — freemen as well as servants — " when arriving at the place where he resides, ***** so that they are often, on returning home, bloody and bruised," and he seems to attribute similar treatment from the savages to these examples, and particularly a surprise meditated by the Armewsick savages on the 12th of May, 1647, at noon, which "was rendered void by God's mercy and correct information, and through a misun- derstanding amongst them." He accuses the governor with closing the river, "so that no vessel can enter it on any account, except with his previous consent;" with vilifying their High Mightinesses ; treating as frivolous and insignificant the commis- sions granted by the Director-general, &C.1

A petition for indemnity on account of Swedish aggressions, got up in the year 1651, and presented to Governor Stuyvesant, contains the following item :

" I, the undersigned Symon Root, most humbly request due indemnity for incurred losses and damages ; first for the opposi- tion of the Swedes offered to my building at Wiggnakoing2 in the year 1647; inasmuch as the throwing down of the Hon',le Com- pany's arms, and the destruction of the building erected by Com- missary Andries Hudde, rendered it sufficiently apparent, that further occupation there would be prevented by them."3

The Swedish governor is also accused by one John Geraet, of seizing himself and his boat, the Sirae?i, with force and violence, with handling his goods, and with taking from him three guns and some powder.4

However unsatisfactory the proceedings of Printz were to the Dutch, they met the hearty approval of his own government. In a letter sent home by him in February of this year, he gave full information " of the nature and actual condition of New Sweden, as also respecting the progress of cultivation and the construction of dwellings in that country." This information was "infinitely agreeable" to her Majesty's government, and although she "had remarked with particular satisfaction the zeal, skill and activity" with which he had filled his station as Commander, (for so he is styled in the letter,) and gave him assurances that " his zealous and faithful services" should be held in remembrance and re- warded with all her royal favor, yet she declined for the present to confer on him "certain lands and occupations" for which he

1 Huilde's Report, 436. 2 Now Wicacco in Philadelphia.

3 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 594. * lb.

1648.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 47

had made a particular request in his letter. She " was well dis- posed to grant him what was just," but the cautious government of Sweden required that the business should first be examined in the " chamber of finance," and that it should be ascertained that the lands he asked " had not been given away or were not required for the cavalry or soldiers."1

JPrintzdorp, hereafter to be mentioned, was probably granted in response to the letter of the Governor.

On the 17th of August, Hudde delivered to Governor Printz, a protest which he had received from Director General Stuyve- sant, and having obtained permission to visit Manhattan, he carried back with him the reply of the Swedish Governor. These documents do not appear to be on record.

The ship Swan, which had accompanied Printz, arrived a second time during the year 1647, bringing more people. Three other vessels are mentioned as arriving during the administration of Printz — the Black Cat, the Key and the Lamb.2

On the 20th of January, 1648, the Government of Sweden issued letters patent in favor of the South Company, " for the State of New Sweden and the payment of those in their employ, granting one third of the excises of the crown upon all confiscated tobacco, besides fines and forfeitures, and provided that in case the revenue from this source should be insufficient to furnish the necessary sum for the annual support of the State of New Sweden, " the deficit was to be made up from the other resources of the crown. In addition, all merchandise from Holland transported to New Sweden, and not landed in Sweden to be sold, was to be free from payment of duty, as were also tobacco and furs sent from New Sweden to the mother country.3 This was a wise stroke of policy on the part of the Swedish Government, as it secured the regular payment of wages to the persons in their employ, and at the same time gave the colony commercial ad- vantages as favorable as could be desired.

A Swedish bark in going up the river, in violation of an understanding between the two governments, neglected to show her colors in passing Port Nassau. This Hudde regarded as a national insult, and sent eight men in pursuit, which proved unsuccessful. The testy commissary was not disposed to allow the affair to pass unnoticed, particularly as the offending skipper, on his return, had aggravated his offence by telling Hudde, that his act was intended as a personal insult. The result was a for- mal protest to Governor Printz, which, if it had no other effect,

1 For the Queen's letter, see Haz. Reg. iv. 315. Unfortunately the letter of Printz is not among the documents procured by Mr. Russell and presented to the Philoso- phical Society.

2 Acrelius, 410. 3 Haz. Reg. iv. 373.

48 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1648.

it gave reason to suspect that the representative of New Nether- land, on " the South river," was disposed to make the most out of a very small matter.1

Governor Printz was generally successful in the execution of every scheme in which he engaged, but this year Stuyvesant was advised that he (the governor) was tampering with the Minquas, and endeavouring to obtain their consent to the erection of a Swedish trading post in their country.2 Either the Dutch gover- nor was misinformed, or Printz had over-estimated his influence with this distant savage nation ; for no such trading post was ever established.

During the winter, the Swedes had been engaged in bringing together a large quantity of logs, and had already carried a great number of them to the Schuylkill. This made Hudde appre- hensive, "that the Governor had an intention to construct some buildings near the place where the vessels are now usually laying at anchor;" and he says, "as these, trading as before, had been driven from Kinsessing, and we cannot otherwise approach the large woods to trade with the Minquas, by which consequently the trade being lost to us, the possession of the river, as I well observed before, would deserve very little consideration."3 In case the Swede went on with the building, and took possession of some yet unoccupied places, Hudde humbly proposed '■'to take possession of the tract of land nearest to him, in the name of the Company." It happened very opportunely for the commis- sary, and affords him some excuse for his subsequent proceedings, which otherwise might have been considered as an act of aggres- sion, " that on the fourth day of the same month, some sachems came to him from the savages of Passayonk, who asked him why he did not build on the Schuylkill ; that the Swedes had already there some buildings constructed." Circumstances sometimes almost miraculously adapt themselves to our wishes, or we might suspect that Hudde had some instrumentality in bringing about this kind invitation of the Passayonk savages, for the Dutch to occupy their lands.

Having received " correct information with regard to the anti- cipation by the Swede ; and particularly so with regard to some places of the highest importance," he directly prepared himself to build near the place, and on the 27th "went thither with the most necessary timber, calling then without delay for the sachems, and stating to them, that at present, he came there with the

1 Hudde's Rep. 437. , 2 Hist. New Netherland, ii. 79.

3 Hudde's Report, 438. This language of Hudde, confirms what has before been suggested that the Dutch vessels were not driven from their usual place of anchorage and trade in the Schuylkill, by the Swedes, and had only been interfered with when they themselves were the aggressors. They were very properly driven from "Kinsess- ing," where the Swedes had their " Strong House" as a regular trading post.

1648.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 49

intention to build on that spot which they had granted him." Upon this representation, the sachems sent a message to the Swedes "who lived there already, and commanded them to depart from thence, insinuating that they had taken possession of that spot in a clandestine way, and against their will and that they had made a cession, for the present to Hudde ; that he too should build there ; on which two of the principal sachems, as Maarte Hoock and Wissementes, planted there with their own hands the colors of the prince of Orange, and ordered that I should fire a gun three times, as a mark that I had taken possession."1

After this ceremony and waste of powder, the house was raised in the presence of the chiefs, but towards evening the Swedish Commissary, Huygens, with seven or eight men arrived there, to question Hudde, " by whose permission or order he had raised that house." Hudde replied, "by order of his masters, and with the previous consent of the savages." The Swede demanded documentary evidence that he was acting by authority of his masters, "and not on letters of some freemen." This Hudde agreed to produce, after Huygens had delivered to him the like authority for making such a demand.

The sachems now interceded, and delivered a rather sharp reprimand to Hendrick Huygens and his company. The}^ in- formed them that they should grant the Dutch " that tract of land, and that they would Settle there;" and asked, "by whose orders they, (the Swedes,) did erect buildings there ? If it was not enough that they were already in possession of Matennekonk, the Schuylkill, Kinsessing, Kakanken, Upland, and other places possessed by the Swedes, all of which they had stolen from them ? that Mennewit, now about eleven years past, had no more than six small tracts of land, upon Paghaghacking, purchased to plant there some tobacco, of which the natives, in gratitude, should

enjoy the half of the produce ; that they, (the Swedes,)

arrived only lately on the river, and had taken already so much land from them, which they actually settled, while they, [the Dutch] pointing to them, never had taken from them any land, although they had dwelt here and conversed with them more than thirty years."2 Hudde continued the work — "surrounding the house with palisades because the Swedes had destroyed before, the house, which the company possessed on the Schuylkill, and built a fort in its place, and they might do the same here." While we were thus at work, continues Hudde, " arrives Maens Klingo, Lieutenant at the fort on the Schuylkill, with twenty- four men fully armed, with charged muskets, and bearing maces, marching in ranks. He asked if we intended to finish that work,

1 Hudde's Report. 438. « lb. 439.

4

50 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1648.

and if we would proceed with it ? To which I answered, what was commenced must be finished too ; upon which, he commanded that his men should lay down their muskets, and each of them should take his axe in his hand, and cut down every tree that stood around or near the house — destroying even the fruit trees that I had planted there."

This House of Contention, afterwards became what was well known as " Fort Bevers Rheede," though the fact is not directly stated by Hudde. As permission for its erection was obtained from the Passayunk Indians, the site of this fort must have been at some point on the east bank of the Schuylkill, now in the first ward of the City of Philadelphia, and within the limits of the former township of Passayunk. An approximate location has been assigned to this fort, on " the map of the early settle- ments," after taking into consideration the suitableness of loca- tion in connection with the facts above stated.1

It will be observed, that in the harangue of the Passayunk Savage, Upland is mentioned as a Swedish settlement. This is the first notice of that town under its Swedish name, on record ; but doubtless one or more of the plantations observed by Hudde, in November, 1045, was at that place. It may also be inferred from that harangue, that up to this time, the Dutch had not made, what the speaker considered, an actual settlement.

It is now observable, that the Dutch became more anxious to acquire an Indian title to the lands on our river, and particularly to those lands that had been granted by the savages to the Swedes. With this object, a committee of the high-council at Fort Amsterdam, consisting of Vice-director Dinclage and the Hon. La Montagne, were commissioned to proceed to the South river, where they arrived on the 7th of June, and on the 10th, obtained a confirmation, in writing, of a transfer said to have been formerly made to Arent Corson. This document is given at length, on page 18. By a reference thereto, it will be seen that the lavage grantors claim to be "sachems over the district of coun- try called Armenverius." This country on the Dutch map is located on the Jersey side of the river, in the vicinity of Fort Nassau, and not at all likely to include " the Schuylkill and adjoining lands." Passayunk embraced" the Eastern shore of the Schuylkill from its mouth some distance upwards, and is given by Campanius as one of the "principal towns or places" of the Indians, on the river ; and Hudde him- self, but a little over a month previously, had recognized the authority of its sachems to make a grant for the erection of a

1 The East bank of the Schuylkill has a bold shore half a mile above the Penrose Ferry bndge. which continues some distance, and is the only suitable locality for a fort or trading post within the limits of Passayunk.

1648.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 51

trading post on their lands, while it will be seen that these same sachems are not among those who joined in this pretended con- veyance, or rather confirmation without consideration, of a pre- vious conveyance to Arent Corson, of the same lands, by the same parties, part of the purchase money for which, was still due ! A late writer has very properly remarked that, " the readiness which the natives manifested to part with their terri- tory, was equalled only by their willingness to sell it again to any who might choose to purchase it."1 He might have added, as applicable to this period in the history of our river, that there was no lack of these purchasers, at second hand.

After the Hon. Committee of the Dutch Council had concluded their purchase and had taken public and lawful possession, they " with a becoming suite, sailed for Tinnekonk," where they met with a very cold reception from Commissary Huygen and Pape- goya, the son-in-law of Governor Printz, who kept them stand- ing in a constant rain about half an hour. After being admit- ted to an audience " they delivered, among others, their Solemn protest against the aforesaid Printz, against his illegal possession of the Schuylkill."2 Governor Printz promised to give his answer before their departure, of which Hudcle has made no note.

Places of settlement on the Schuylkill were now assigned to several freemen. On the 2nd of July, one of the number com- menced to build, but was prevented by the son-in-law of the Governor, who caused to be pulled down and burnt what he had raised, and adding insult to injury, threatened, " that if he there * came again, he would carry off with him a good drubbing."3

Hudde records similar proceedings, though not so violent, on the part of the Swedes, towards one Thomas Braes who attempt- ed to settle and build at a place named by them " New Holm." This is probably the same occurrence mentioned by Acrelius as happening in 1646, in which Thomas Broen was the person de- siring to build. If so, " New Holm" was located in the neigh- borhood of Mantua Creek in New Jersey. Printz offered Broen permission to build under Swedish jurisdiction, which he re- fused.4

Commissary Hudde being temporarily absent on a visit to his superiors at Fort Amsterdam, Governor Printz erected a build- ing, about 30 feet long and 20 wide, immediately in front of the new Dutch Fort Beversreede on the Schuylkill, " so that the vessels that came to anchor under the fort could discover said fort with difficulty." The back gable of the house was only 12 feet from the gate of the fort and on the outer side of it. Alex-

1 Mr Armstrong's Introduction to Record of Upland Court, 15.

2 Hudde's Report, 440. 3 lb. 440. 4 Acrelius, 411.

52 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1648.

ander Boyer, who had charge of the interests of the Dutch during Hudde's absence, very properly regarded the building of this house by Governor Printz, as intended more to insult his " lords and masters than to reap, for himself any real advan- tage from it," because, he said, "the ground in the same range with our fort is large enough to admit twenty similar build- ings."1

Boyer also reports two Swedes, as having been murdered by the Maquas2 — the first instance on record of Swedish blood having been shed by the Indians.

Hudde returned on the 5th of October, with a few freemen, to whom had been delivered letters patent to settle and build on the Schuylkill. He says he "was directly informed that the Swede placed his best hope on the country of the Minquas against the bargain concluded by us," and " to prevent similar frivolous pretentions, and to shew that the contract, was by no means broken by the honorable committee," he addressed a note to Hendrick Huygens, intended to be shown to the Governor, of which the following is an extract:—

" Honorable and obliging good friend, accept my cordial salutation. It was with deep regret that I was informed on my return, that our fugitives can find no residence in the Minquas country, against the good intentions indeed of our Director- general, who will not permit that anything shall be undertaken by his subjects against our contract, but expects that similar conduct shall be holden from both sides."3

It is evident from the foregoing extracts from Hudde, as has been before suggested, that a contract existed between the Swedes and the Dutch, that contained some specifications in re- spect to the trade and occupancy of the Schuylkill ; and it is but reasonable to conclude that the harsh conduct of Governor Printz towards the Dutch on that river, resulted from a belief that their acts were in violation of that contract. It may also be inferred that the Minquas maintained a kind of ownership over the coun- try about the mouth of the Schuylkill, as in my apprehension the allusion to their country in the quoted language of Hudde, had no reference to the usual place of residence of that power- ful tribe of savages, which will be shown hereafter was on the Susquehanna. This ownership might have been for the purposes of trade or fishing, and to serve their convenience during their periodical visits. Whatever, it was, Hudde was evidently appre- hensive, that the late act of the committee of the Dutch Council might be regarded with disfavor by these savages. In a subse- quent negotiation with the Dutch, in which some of the same

i Hudde's Report, 441 ; Albany Records, Haz. Ann. 103.

* Haz. Ann. 104. 3 Hudde's Reports, 441.

1648.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 53

sachems who confirmed " the Schuylkill and adjoining lands" to the honorable committee, participated, when asked whether " they were chiefs and proprietors of the lands situate on the west side of this river, at present partly incorporated and settled by the Swede ?" replied that they "were great chiefs and pro- prietors of the lands, both by ownership and descent, and by appointment of Minquas and river Indians."1

The Schuylkill river was not the highway by which the Minquas reached the trading mart near its mouth, or at Kin- sessing, as might be inferred from the language of some writers. Their route passed diagonally over the whole extent of Delaware county, entering Philadelphia at the head of tide water on Cobb's creek near the site of the Swede's mill; doubtless a branch of the usually travelled path to their more southern trading post at Fort Christina.2

The land assigned to the freemen, who accompanied Hudde on his return, was located on the Schuylkill, at a place then known as "Mast-makers Corner," "Point," or "Hook." In their efforts to occupy and build on these lands, they met with the same determined opposition from the Swedes, that others had experienced. The officers to whom this work of demolition w^is assigned, did not hesitate to avow, that they were acting under the special instructions of Governor Printz. The exact position of Mast-makers Corner is not known. It was on the east side of the Schuylkill, and probably but a very short distance from the Dutch Fort Beversreede. An account of these harsh pro- ceedings on the part of the Swedes, forwarded to Fort Amster- dam by Hudde on the 7th of November, closes the often cited report of that vigilant functionary.3

Two days later, Adrian Van Tiedhoven, " Clerk of the court on the South river," also reported sundry of the Swedish out- rages above noted, but he arrives at the conclusion that these cannot cause much injury to the Dutch trade with the Indians. He, however, regards commerce here, as "nearly spoiled," as he says, " we are compelled to give two fathoms white, and one of black Seawant4 for one beaver ; one fathom of cloth for two beavers ; every fathom of Seawant amounts to three ells, some- times one-sixteenth less, so that in my opinion, this barter is too much against us, as the Indians always take the largest and tall- est among them to trade with ws."5

1 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 597.

2 See map of Early Settlements, and also plot of the survey for an Indian walk in this volume.

3 Hudde's Rep. 442, in N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. For correction of date, see O'Callag- han's Hist. New Netherlands, ii. 83, (note.) An application for damages to the Dutch government, places the Mast-maker Hook affair in 1649, see N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 594.

4 The Dutch name for Wampum.

5 Haz. Ann. 108 ; Hist. New Netherlands, ii. 83. The ells mentioned were probably Flemish ells. It might be inferred that the height of an Indian was taken for a fathom.

54 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1649.

The Swedish priest Campanius, after residing in the country six years, "sailed from Elfsborg in New Sweden" on the 18th of May, 1648. The Rev. Lawrence Charles Lokenius, succeeded Campanius, and for a time had charge of the churches at Tini- cum and Christina. After a time, he gave up the former but kept the latter till his death in 1688. The Rev. Israel Holgh was also a minister here in the time of Governor Printz, but soon returned to his native country.1

The disagreements between the Swedes and the Dutch are still continued, giving rise to a mutual hatred and jealousy. Stuy- vesant, in a letter to Hudde, complains of the encroachment of the Swedes — fears they will not stop, but admits that he does not know " what he shall apply as a remedy." Even plans by the Swedes are suggested, to interfere with the Dutch to and on the North river. Each party agrees to pursue the policy of obtaining additional grants of lands from the Indians, as the one most likely to strengthen its claims upon the river. As yet the Swedes maintain their ascendency.

As Campanius, the elder, left New Sweden in 1648, and it is probable that most of the descriptions of settlements, &c„ in the w6*rk of his grandson were derived from him, it may not be amiss at this time to notice some of them that have not already claimed our attention.

" Mecoponacka, or Upland,2 was an unfortified place, but some houses were built there. It was situated between Fort Christina and New Gottenburg, but nearer the latter. There was a fort built there some time after its settlement. It is good even land along the river shore."

" Passayunk was given by the crown to the Commandant Swen Schute. At that place there was a fort called Korsholm.3 After Governor Printz's departure for Sweden, it was abandoned by the Swedes, and afterwards burnt and destroyed by the Indians."

" ManayunJc,4 or Schuylkill This was a handsome little fort, built of logs filled up with sand and stones, and surrounded with palisades cut very sharp at the top. It was at the distance of four German miles east of Christina. It was mounted with great guns as well as the other forts. Those forts were all situated on the water side."

" Chinsessing was called the New Fort. It was not properly a fort, but substantial log houses, built of good strong hard hickory, two stories high, which was sufficient to secure the peo- ple from the Indians. But what signifies a fort without God's

1 Campanius, 108; ib. 109, Du Ponceau's note.

2 Now Chester.

3 For the probable location of this tort, see the map of First Settlers.

* For the approximate location of this fort, see map of Early Settlements.

1651.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 55

assistance? In that settlement there dwelt five freemen, who cultivated the land and lived very well."1

" Karakung, otherwise called Water Mill stream, is a fine stream, very convenient for water mills : the Governor caused one to be erected there. It was a fine mill which ground both fine and coarse flour, and was going early and late ; it was the first that was seen in that country. There was no fort near it but only a strong dwelling house, built of hickory, and inhabited by freemen."

" Chammassungh, or Finland. This place was inhabited by Finns, who had strong houses but no fort. It lies at the distance* of two German miles east of Christina by water ; and by land, it is distant two long Swedish miles."

" Techoherassi, Olof Stille's place, was a small plantation, which was built by Swedish freemen, who gave it that name. They were frequently visited by Indians as it was on the river shore, and surrounded with water like a small island." The Indians named Olof on account of his thick black beard. This place was near the mouth of Ridley creek.2

The troubles of Governor Stuyvesant were not alone with the Swedes. He was constantly embroiled with his own people, ami his New England neighbors gave him much trouble. His corres- pondence3 with the English, in which several transactions on the Delaware come under review, evinces much ability, while his domestic feuds show him to have been self-willed and arbitrary.

In a communication from Secretary Van Tienhoven, to the States General, dated February 22nd, he suggests the planting of a colony at Swanendale — one on the east side of the bay, and a third one, " at the company's redoubt, named Beversreede," as the best means of preventing the further ''progress of the Swedes."4 The subsequent policy of the Dutch, on the Delaware, is foreshadowed in this letter.

Governor Stuyvesant had been advised by the Directors of the West India Company of their intention to apply to the Queen of Sweden, for the establishment of limits between the Swedes and Dutch on the South river.5 This may have been, in part, the inducement for the visit of his excellency to the Delaware, which happened this year. Upon his first arrival, it does not appear that he had a personal interview with Governor Printz — as their negotiations are said to have been conducted by means of " let- ters and messengers." After communicating to the Governor,

1 This location has already been designated. See also map of Early Settlements.

2 See Lindstroom's map in Campanius, 46.

3 The correspondence of Governors Kieft and Stuyvesant with the English, and which extended through several years, has been extracted from Haz. Hist. Col. and published in N. Y. Hist. Col. i. 189-290.

4 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 361. 5 Haz. Ann. 122.

56 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1651.

the rights of the West India Company, by reason of first dis- covery, possession and purchases from the Indians, " which included the Schuylkill district," he demanded him, " to show in like manner, by similar evidence, what lands there had been purchased by him or his, and were consequently conveyed to them by the natives and proprietors."

" The result was only a simple writing, wherein the aforesaid Governor designated the Swedish limits wide and broad enough," alleging, that the deeds of the purchase were "in the chancery at Stockholm."1 This allegation, Stuyvesant regarded as a mere ' subterfuge and destitute of truth. He endeavored to sustain this serious charge against Printz by adducing the fact, that he (Printz) then,*" for the first time, had tried to buy from a certain sachem or Indian chief named Waspangzewan, such lands as he already occupied, and insisted, were included within his limits." The fact relied on by Stuyvesant proves nothing — it being more likely that the offer to purchase was to get rid of a troublesome claim, than to liquidate a just one. This is rendered more pro- bable by the fact, that before Stuyvesant left the river, the Indian sachem who refused to sell to the Swedes,made a "free donation and gift" of the same lands to the Dutch.2

This occurred on the 30th of July. On the 9th of that month, the very singular, and rather suspicious negotiation, was con- ducted, by which the Dutch pretend to have extinguished the Indian title to the land from Christiana kill to Bompgens hook, before adverted to. This was also a " free gift" except that one of the ceding sachems, made a condition, " that when anything was the matter with his gun, it shall be repaired ;" and also, that when he came empty among the Dutch, they were to give him some maize. The grantors in this case were Amattehoorn, Pemenatta and Sinques — who, although they claim to be the right owners of the west bank of the river from the Schuylkill downwards, declined selling the lands between that river and Christina, to the Dutch. They, however, do admit, that the Swedes did purchase the lands they occupy, but deny that it was from the right owners, which they now claim to be. No deed was executed at this conference, that ceremony having been postponed for four years, when another grantor named Ackehoorn joins in a regular Indian conveyance for the same premises — the consideration being as usual, duffels, kettles, guns, powder, &c. What is remarkable in this deed, the right of fishing and limiting is reserved to the Indians.3

That the Swedes were the first to purchase from the Indians, the lands included within the bounds of Delaware County, has already been shown. The object of Governor Stuyvesant, was

1 N. Y. Col. Doe. i. 589. 2 For this conveyance, see ib. 596.

3 N. Y Col. Doc! i. 599.

1651.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 57

to make it appear, that the Swedish title was imperfect, because their purchase was not made from the rightful owners. Of this he brings no proof but the testimony of the adverse claimants, who themselves refuse to sell to him this particular part of their dominions.

Since the arrival of the Swedes, the names of the Indian sachems who were owners, or who set up a claim of ownership to the country embracing Delaware County, are — Siscohoka, Meche- kyralames, Kyckesycken (Live Turkey,) Amattehoorn or Matte- hoorn, Pemenatta, Sinques, Wappingzewan and possibly Aqua- hoorn. These are given on Dutch authority.1 It will be seen hereafter, that the dominions of a chief named Naaman, may have extended within our limits.2

During General Stuyvesant's detention on the Delaware, a petition for indemnity on account of injuries sustained at the hands of the Swedes, at different times, and by sundry persons, was presented to his Excellency. Several of these have been noticed already ; but in addition, a garden had been made back of Fort Beversreede, which was at once destroyed and the fence burnt by order of Printz. Also two persons had commenced the erection of buildings on the Island of Harommuny, or Aharom- muny, "west of the Swedes' plantation," — one having " laid the ground timbers and set up the ties" — the other had " brought his clap-boards." In the first instance the timbers were cut into fire wood, and in the second the building was forcibly pre- vented, by the deputies of the Governor, Huygens and Papegoya, " fully armed."3 No clue is given to the location of this Island Aharommuny, except that it was "west of the Swedes planta- tion." This expression could not have applied to Tinicum, because there was no island west of it. It must refer to the Swedish fort on the Schuylkill, and assuming that to be the case, I have assigned the above name on the map of early settlements, to the island situate next westerly from that on which the Swedish fort is located, and at present occupied by farm buildings. This island was confirmed to Peter Kock on the 1st of October, 1669. 4

Having acquired an Indian title to the west bank of the river below Christina kill, Governor Stuyvesant at once determined to erect another fort, " for the greater security of the company's jurisdiction, and the protection of its people," and to raze Fort Nassau, which " lay too high up and toe inconvenient a distance." The new fort, which was called Oasimir, was erected on " a tol- erably suitable spot" about a league from the Swedish Fort Christina. Its site was within the limits of the present town of New Castle. Governor Printz protested against the erection of

1 N. Y. Col. Doe. i 598. 2 Campanius, 76. 3 N. Y. Col Doc. i. 595.

* Albany MSS. Rec, " Abstracts of Patents," ii. 63.

58 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1653.

this new fort,1 but appears afterwards to have been reconciled to the measure, as before Stuyvesant took his departure from the river, " he had divers verbal conferences with Johan Printz, the Swedish Governor, and they mutually promised not to com- mit any hostile or vexatious acts against one another, but to maintain together all neighborly friendship and correspondence, as good friends and allies are bound to do."2

The doings of Stuyvesant on the Delaware were wholly upon his own responsibility, not having given to the West India Com- pany "so much as a hint of his intentions." The news was un- expected to the directors, and they declined to give any opinion on the subject until they "had heard the complaints of the Swedish governor to his queen, and ascertained at her court how these have been received."3

The erection of Fort Casimir rendered the Swedish Fort Elsinborg useless for the purpose of its original design. If any acts of submission were now required from Dutch vessels in pass- ing that fort, the same would be exacted from Swedish vessels in passing Fort Casimir. Elsinborg was therefore abandoned, as it does not appear to have been a place of trade. The Swedes allege that it had become untenable from the great number of musquitos, and gave it the nickname of " Myggenborg or Mus- quito Fort."4

Governor Printz having been accustomed to an active military life, became wearied of his present position, and requested per- mission to return to Sweden, at the same time soliciting a speedy reinforcement, in order to be prepared for the more threatening aspect that the affairs of the river had lately assumed. Not waiting for the arrival of his successor, he sailed for his native country during the present year, leaving the government in charge of his son-in-law, John Papegoya. Some writers have placed his departure in 1652,5 but this is disproved by a trading commission issued by him from Fort Christina the 1st of Octo- ber, 1653.6

In Sweden, three persons had been convicted, each of killing an elk on the Island D'Auland. Two of them were sentenced to run the gauntlet, each three times, — the third " to be sent to New Sweden."7 This is perhaps the last Swedish criminal sent to New Sweden.

On the 20th of August of this year, Queen Christina granted to Captain John Amundson Besh, and to his wife and to his heirs

i Holme's Ann. 356, Sub. 1651. 2 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 590.

3 Haz. Ann. 133, from Albany Rec. iv. 73.

* Campanius, 80 ; Clay's Annals, 23. 5 Clay's Annals, 24.

6 Mr. Hazard gives this document entire in his Annals, 139, as copied from the Plymouth Records, Deeds, &c. ' Haz. Reg. iv. 374

1653.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 59

and their heirs, " a tract of land in New Sweden extending to Upland kill." This grant has been supposed to embrace the present site of Marcus Hook, but this is not probable.1

On the same day, another grant was made by her Swedish Majesty, to the " brave and courageous Lieutenant Swen Schute," and to his wife and to his heirs, "a tract of country in New Sweden, viz., Mockorhulteykyl, as far as the river, together with the small island belonging thereto, viz., the island Karinge and Kinsessing, comprehending also Passuming."2

To those acquainted with this region of country it will not be difficult to give the above grant an approximate position, but I have nOt met with anything that enabled me with any degree of certainty to decide upon the island embraced in the grant.

It is a remarkable fact that on the 6th of October, just about the time Governor Printz sailed for Sweden, Director-general Stuyvesant wrote to the directors of the West India Company, that " the Swedes on the South river would be well inclined to repair among us, in case we will take them under our safe- guard;" adding, "that hitherto, and until we receive further in- formation from your honors, we decline their proposal, inasmuch as we know not whether it would be well or ill received."3 It will be remembered that a colony of Hollanders, before the arrival of Printz, had settled under Swedish jurisdiction, in the neighborhood of the place- where the Dutch had erected their new Fort Casimir. From these such a proposition may have been received ; but it is highly improbable, that the regular Swedish settlers on the river participated in making it.

In November of this year, the Swedish College of Commerce granted to John Amundson a commission as a captain in the navy. He was about to embark on board of a galliot belonging to the South Company for New Sweden, and when arrived there, part of his duty was to consist in superintending carefully, " the construction of vessels, in order that they may be faithfully built."4 This is the same person to whom the grant of land " extending to Upland kill" was made, Besh or Besk in the name of the grantee, being the place of his residence. The appointment of this officer would indicate that the Swedish government designed to establish the business of building ships in New Sweden. The land gran- ted to Capt. Amundson, was at at a point on the river well adapted to that business, and was probably selected with that view.

The letter from the Queen,5 granting Governor Printz leave to

1 Haz. Reg. iv. 374 ; Ferris' Original Settlements on the Delaware, 133 ; see also Haz. Ann. 138 and 454. If this grant had extended from Upland kill so as to have included the site of Marcus Hook, it would have included a front on the river of four miles, which is exceedingly improbable. See Appendix, note B.

2 Haz. Reg. iv. 274. 3 N. y. Col. Doc. i. 600. 4 Haz. Reg. iv. 374. 5 Ibid. v. 14.

CO HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1653.

return to Sweden, is dated on the 12th of December, when it may be supposed he had already embarked. He was urged to delay his departure until "the best arrangements could be made in regard to his successor." It has been said that Printz became unpopular, "by the exercise of a too rigid authority."1 This letter is conclusive, that he possessed the entire confidence of his government.

The commission2 of John Rysingh, the successor of Printz, bears the same date with the above letter. Both documents show that the government contemplated the continuance of Printz in the country for some time longer, during which period Rysingh would act as his aid. But the interval between the de- parture of the old Governor and the arrival of the new one, during which the burden of the government devolved on Papegoya, must have been brief — not exceeding five or six months.

The semi-romantic claim and settlement of Sir Edmund Plow- den or Ployden, although its vague boundaries probably included the district now embraced within the limits of Delaware County, has not been noticed in its proper order of time, because it has little or no historical value in connection with the early settle- ments on the Delaware. To show, however, that the "Earl Palatine of New Albion" had a real existence, and was not a myth, we give the following extract, from " The Representation of New Netherland." " We cannot »omit to say," (remarks the author Vander Donck,) " that there has been here, (at Manhat- tan,) both in the time of Director Kieft, and that of General Stuyvesant, a certain Englishman who called himself Sir Ed- ward Plowden, with the title of Earl Palatine of New Albion, who claimed that the land on the west side of the North river to Virginia, was his, by gift of King James of England ; but he said he did not wish to have any strife with the Dutch, though he was very much piqued at the Swedish Governor, John Printz at the South river, on account of some affront given him, too long to relate. He said that when an opportunity should offer, he would go there and take possession of the river."3

It is presumed the " opportunity " never did offer, and the reader, in consequence can only imagine the character of the threatened exploit. The grant was not made, however, by King James as mentioned in the extract, but it was obtained in the reign of King Charles the 1st, (1634,) from the Deputy General or vice-roy of Ireland.4

The salary of Rysingh, was 1200 dollars per annum, in silver,

1 Clay's Annals, 24. 2 Haz. Reg. 398.

3 N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. ii. 279. (Translation by Henry C. Murphy, Esq.,) also N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 289. — Readers who may wish to examine this subject more fully, are referred to Haz. Hist. Col. ; Haz. Ann. and Mulford's Hist. N. J.

4 Hist. New Netherland, i. 281.— N. Y. Hist. Col. ii. N. S. 323, (note B.)

1654.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 61

" in addition to the special appointments which he might receive from the company of the South." His instructions1 clearly show that his government did not intend to vest in him the same powers that had been enjoyed by Printz. Until he received further orders, he was to " place into the hands of John Amund- son, all that relates to the military and the defence of the country ; establishing in the interim, a council formed of the best instruc- ted and most noble officers in the country, of which Rysingh shall be Director — in such a manner, however, that neither he, in his charge, nor John Amundson, as Governor of militia, in his, shall decide or approve anything, without reciprocally con- sulting each other." While the importance of obtaining a con- trol of the mouth of the river, is presented in strong general terms, his instructions in regard to Fort Casimir, were specific. " With respect to the fortress that the Dutch have built upon our coast, if he cannot induce them to abandon it by arguments and serious remonstrances, and without resorting to hostilities, it is better that our subjects avoid the latter, confining themselves solely to protestations." A fortress "lower down towards the mouth of the river, below that of the Dutch, in order to defend the passage, and render theirs useless," is recommended, but the recommendation is coupled with a strict injunction for " employ- ing the mildest measures, because hostilities will in no degree tend to increase the strength of the Swedes in the country."

The commercial privileges were as liberal as could be desired, and in this respect, were in striking contrast with those of the Dutch. The purchase and cultivation of land was encouraged — the purchases to be made " either from the company or the sa- vages," and, "in respect to the lands thus purchased, subjects recognizing the jurisdiction of the crown of Sweden," were to enjoy " all franchises and allodial privileges, themselves, and their descendants forever."

In consideration of the very faithful and zealous services, that Rysingh had rendered, and was still disposed to render, her Majesty granted " to him and his wife, and to their legitimate male heirs and their descendants, as much land in the West In- dies, and New Sweden as he shall be able to cultivate with 20 to 30 peasants; ceding to him the aforesaid country with all its dependencies, with all, &c, .... to enjoy, employ and keep the same, in the same manner and with the same franchises as our nobles, and as a perpetual property."2 This Royal grant was located on the river a short distance below New Castle.

Arriving in new Sweden towards the end of May, 1654, on board of the government ship Aren, (Eagle,) Rysingh commenced his administration by capturing the Dutch Fort Casimir in direct

1 Haz. Reg. iv. 399, 400. 2 £b- 398

62 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1654.

violation of his instructions. There is some variation in the accounts given of this transaction,1 which it will not be necessary to notice. Gerit Bicker was in command of the fort, and seeing a strange sail in the distance, dispatched Secretary Van Tien- hoven and others, " to ascertain the particulars." The messengers did not return till the next day, and then only two hours in advance of the Swedish ship, which they reported to be full of people, with a "new governor, who made known to them his in- tention to take the fort, " as it stood on ground belonging to the Swedish crown." Bicker wxas urged to give orders to defend the fort, but declined because " there was no powder." Soon after a boat's crew consisting of 20 or 30 Swedish soldiers, landed under the command of the former lieutenant of Governor Printz — Swen Schute2 who were welcomed by Bicker "as friends." Escorted by him, the Swedes passed immediately into the fort, took possession, and stripped the few Dutch soldiers by whom it was garrisoned of their military equipments, even of " their side arms." Bicker seems to have stood paralyzed, while these pro- ceedings were in progress, and it was not till Van Tienhoven made the suggestion, that he and two others were deputed to demand from Governor Rysingh his authority for taking forci- ble possession of Fort Casimir. The governor claimed "to act by orders of her Majesty in Sweden," and he further informed the embassy that when complaints had been made by the Swedish Ambassador to the States General in respect to the building of the fort,- they referred him to the West India Company, who in their turn denied giving any authority for its erection, and had further told the Swedish Ambassador, " that if our people are in your way there, drive them off'." The truthfulness of the reply of Rysingh is in a measure corroborated by a letter from the Company to Governor Stuyvesant on the subject of the erection of the fort before referred to ; from which it may reasonably be supposed that a correspondence between them and the Swedish Ambassador would ensue, and that the company was disposed to make concessions to the Swedish crown. This correspondence may have resulted in additional orders to Rysingh, subsequent to the issuing of his general instructions, in which the capture of the fort was authorized. It is not, however, to be supposed that such orders would afford any palliation or excuse for the rash and

1 From the official investigation by Governor Stuyvesant, together with the com- mandant's letter and that of Governor Rysingh to him, the most full account of the transaction may be obtained ; for which, see, N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 601-606; also, Acre- lius, 414: Haz. Ann. 148 ; Hist. New Netherland, ii. 274.

2 Mr. Hazard in his Annals, says the attacking party was commanded by Captain Swensko who was also the commander of the ship. And concludes that Rysingh acted without communicating with the Swedish authorities on the river. The fact that Swen Schute commanded the attacking party, shows that the authorities resident on the river were consulted.

1654.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 63

unsoldier-like manner in which the capture was effected. Rysingh was not a soldier, and it does not appear that Amundson, com- missioned as his military colleague, accompanied him, or was ever in the country.

The exploit of capturing Fort Casimir, happened on Trinity Sunday, and in commemoration of that circumstance, the captors changed the name of the fortress to Trefalldigheet or Trinity fort. News of the event was duly communicated to Governor Stuyvesant, both by Rysingh and Bicker, — their statements of course, varying somewhat in the details of the transaction. Three or four of the Dutch soldiers, including Bicker, remained on the river, who, with nearly all the Dutch freemen residing there, took an oath of fidelity to the Swedish governor. The depositions of Van Tienhoven and the 8 or 10 soldiers who returned to New Amsterdam, place the conduct of Bicker in a very unfavor- able light. His behaviour served as an invitation, to a small body of men, to capture the fort, who probably had only been detailed to make a formal demand for its surrender, preliminary to the usual negotiations in such cases. But the " brave and courageous Lieutenant Swen Schute," who commanded the Swedes, was not the man to allow so favorable an opportunity to pass unimproved, for he was never more in his element than when administering a lesson of humility to the Dutch.

With the capture of Fort Casimir, the authority of the Dutch on the river, for the time being, was suspended. The Engineer Peter Lindstroom, who came to the country with Rysingh, caused this fort to be greatly strenghtened. He also laid out the town of Christina back of the fort of that name, and constructed a map of New Sweden.1 There also arrived with Rysingh several officers, some troops and a clergyman ;2 and all the Dutch accounts men- tion that he was accompanied by a large number of people.

We are informed by Acrelius, that Papegoya soon went home, and that Rysingh assumed the title of Director-general.3

On the 17th of June, a great convocation of Indians including ten sachems was held at Printz Hall on Tinicum ; at which " it was offered on behalf of the Queen of Sweden, to renew the ancient league of friendship that subsisted between them and the Swedes, who had purchased from them the lands they occupied. The Indians complained that the Swedes had brought much evil upon them ; for many of them had died since their coming into the country," whereupon considerable presents were distributed among the Indians, which brought about a conference among themselves. The result was a speech from one of their chiefs, Naaman, in

1 Engravings of these are contained in the translation of Campanius, by the late Peter S. Duponceau.

2 Acrelius, 414. 3 lb.

64: HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1654.

which he rebuked his companions," for having spoken evil of the Swedes, and done them an injury, and told them he hoped they would do so no more, for the Swedes were very good people. "Look," said he, pointing to the presents, "and see what they have brought to us, for which they desire our friendship." So saying he stroked himself three times, down his arm, which among the Indians was a token of friendship ; afterwards he thanked the Swedes on behalf of his people, for the presents they had recei- ved, and said that friendship should be observed more strictly between them than it had been before ; that the Swedes and the Indians had been in Governor Printz's time, as one body and one heart, (striking his breast as he spoke,) and that thenceforward they should be as one head ; in token of which he took hold of his head with both hands, and made a motion as if he were tying a knot, and then he made this comparison ; that as the calabash was round without any crack, so they should be a compact body without any fissure ; and that if any one should attempt to do any harm to the Indians, the Swedes should immediately inform them of it, and on the other hand, the Indians would give immediate notice to the Christians of any plot against them, even if it were in the middle of the night. On this they were answered, that that would be, indeed, a true and lasting friendship, if every one would agree to it ; on which they gave a general shout, in token of consent. Immediately on this, the great guns were fired, which pleased them extremely ; and they said, Poo, hoo, hoo ; mokirick pieon ; that is to say, " hear and believe, the great guns are fired." Then they were treated with wine and brandy. Another of the Indians then stood up, and spoke and admonished all in general, that they should keep the league and friendship, Avhich had been made with the Christians, and in no manner to violate the same, nor do them any injury, or their hogs or cattle, and that if any one should be guilty of such violation, they should be severely punished as an example to others. The Indians then advised that some Swedes should be settled at Passyunk, where there lived a great number of Indians, that they might be watched and punished if they did any mischief. They also expressed a wish that the title to the lands which the Swedes had purchased, should be confirmed ; on which the copies of the agreements (for the originals had been sent to Stockholm,) were read to them word for word. When those who had signed the deeds, heard their names, they appeared to rejoice ; but when the names were read of those who were dead, they hung their heads in sorrow. Then there were set upon the fioor in the great hall two large kettles, and many other vessels filled with Sappaun, which is a kind of hasty pudding made of Maize or Indian corn, which grows there

1654.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 65

in great abundance. The sachems sat by themselves ; the other Indians all fed heartily and were satisfied."1

This proceeding, copied nearly entire from Campnnius, is highly characteristic of such transactions with the Indians. Other treaties with the aborigines may have been held within our limits, but this is the only one, the recorded proceedings of which have come down to us. It is conclusive that the Swedes had purchased from the Indians the lands then occupied by them ; and the fact that one of the principal chiefs, Naaman, who was a party to this transaction, resided on the creek that bears his name, renders it almost equally conclusive that the former purchase of the Swedes had been made from "the right owners," the pretension set up by the Dutch to the contrary notwith- standing.

The treaty thus so solemnly made between the Swedes and Indians, we are informed by Campanius, "■ has ever since been faithfully observed by both sides."2

A private letter from Governor Rysingh to Count , con- nected with the home government, dated at Fort Christina on the 11th of July, 1654, 3 furnishes some facts worthy of notice. He estimates the ground (under cultivation it is supposed) as "four times more than when we arrived." It was also much better peopled, "for then," he says, "we found only 70 persons, and now, including Hollanders and others, there are 368 persons." This estimate of the population on the river is certainly only in- tended to embrace actual settlers, for as long ago as 1645, Hudde estimated the force with which Printz could man his forts, at from 80 to 90.4

He takes the credit of everything that had been done to him- self, Captain Shute and Pappegoya ; but for the particulars and for all " that relates to the actual state of the country and colony," the minister to whom the letter was addressed is referred to an official communication that had been sent to him and the College of Commerce. Unfortunately this document is not ex- tant. Among the wants of the governor was that of a wife, and though "sufficiently plain offers" had been made him by the English who had been here, he relied with more confidence " for this object" upon the minister, "than any other person in the world," and desired that he would send him "a good one."

Christina, to whose dominions the land we live in belonged, now, at the age of twenty-nine years, abdicated the throne of Sweden in favor of her cousin, Charles Gustavus.

The war between England and Holland having been concluded,

1 Campanius, 77. 2 Page 78.

3 A MS. copy of this letter is in the possession of the American Philosophical Society. It was first published in Haz. Ann. which see, 153.

4 Huckle's Rep. 429.

5

66 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1655.

and the Dutch having been driven from the Delaware, a favor- able opportunity was presented to the New Englanders to renew their claims on the river. These were pressed on the ground of purchases made from the Indians, and gave rise to a correspon- dence between Governor Rysingh and the Commissioners of the United Colonies which it will not be necessary to notice.

A Swedish vessel, called the " Golden Shark," by accident or design, was piloted into the Raritan river. The vessel was im- mediately seized by Governor Stuyvesant, who regarded this as a fair opportunity to force the Swedes to restore Fort Casimir. The event gave rise to considerable correspondence,1 which did not result in a restoration either of the fort or the vessel.

The affairs of the Swedes on the Delaware were now approach- ing a crisis, but nothing had occurred to arouse the suspicions of the home government. The triumph of Rysingh was regard- ed as a reconquest of usurped territory, and no other means to reclaim it by the Dutch were apprehended, beyond the usual one of protest. This was a fatal delusion ; for at the close of 1654, while estimates were being made in Sweden for the sup- port of their colony, during the ensuing year, on a peace basis,2 an armament was being fitted out in Holland, not only sufficient to replace ''matters on the Delaware in their former position," but to drive "the Swedes from every side of the river."

In the spring of 1655, five armed vessels well equipped, were forwarded to Stuyvesant, with a carte blanche, to charter others.3 The armament when completed at New Amsterdam, consisted of seven vessels, and from six to seven hundred men. The greatest caution was used in providing against every contingency, in fit- ting it out, and a day of thanksgiving and prayer was observed before the sailing of the expedition ; which happened on Sunday the 4th of September, "after sermon." It was commanded by Governor Stuyvesant in person, and arrived in the bay of South river the next day about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The de- serted Swedish Fort Elsingborg was visited on the following day, but it was not till Friday that the expedition reached Fort Trinity or Casimir. This fortress was under the immediate command of Swen Schute, while Governor Rysingh in person had charge of Christina. To prevent a communication between the two forts, Stuyvesant had landed fifty men. The demand made by the Dutch was " a direct restitution of their own pro- perty," to which Commander Schute, after having had an inter- view with Stuyvesant, reluctantly yielded on the following day, upon very favorable terms of capitulation. For the reduction

i For this correspondence, as well as that with the Commissioners of the United Colonies, and proceedings connected therewith, the reader is referred to Haz. Ann. 155-172.

2 Haz. Reg. v. 15. 3 Hist. New Netherland, ii. 284.

1655.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 67

of Fort Christina a bloodless siege of fourteen days was re- quired. As a matter of necessity, it yielded to an immensely superior force on the 25th of September, on even more favor- able terms than had been granted to the garrison of Fort Trinity.

Agreeably to special instructions from the home government, an offer was made to restore the possession of Fort Christina to Governor Rysingh, but he declined the offer, preferring to abide by the articles of capitulation.1

The magnificent scale on which the expedition was got up by Stuyvesant for the capture of these inconsiderable forts, with the slow caution observed by him in conducting the siege of Fort Christina, borders on the ridiculous, and has afforded an ample field for the satire of the veritable Knickerbocker. His igno- rance of the weak condition of the enemy, will, in a measure, defend him from the shafts of ridicule, but it will be difficult to find an excuse for the acts of wantonness his soldiers were per- mitted to exercise towards the peaceable inhabitants of the country. If the official report of Rysingh is to be relied upon, " they killed their cattle, goats, swine and poultry, broke open houses, pillaged the people, without the sconce, of their property, and higher up the river they plundered many and stripped them to the skin. At New Gottenburg, they robbed Mr. Papegoya's wife of all she had, with many others, who had collected their property there."2 Nor does Rysingh fail to remind Stuyvesant of these unjustifiable acts. "His men," he says, "acted as if they had been on the lands of their inveterate enemy," as for example, the plundering of " Tennakong, Upland, Finlandt, Printzdorp, and several other places,3 * * * * not to say a word of what was done in Fort Christina, where women were violently torn from their houses, whole buildings destroyed, and they dragged from them, yea, the oxen, cows, swine and other crea- tures, were butchered day after day ; even the horses were not spared, but wantonly shot, the plantations destroyed, and the whole country left so desolate, that scarce any means are re- maining for the subsistence of the inhabitants." He also tells him, "your men took away at Tennekong, in an uncouth manner, all the cordage and sails of a new vessel, and then they went to the magazine, and without demanding the keys entered it alone, broke the boards of the church, and so took away the cordage and sails."4

1 Hist. New Netherland, ii. 289. 2 N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 446.

3 Smith, in his history of N. J. says, they " destroyed New Gottenburg, with such houses as were without the fort, plundering the inhabitants of what they had and kill- ing their cattle," p. 34. It would appear from Smith's account of the transaction, that the fort at Tinicum was defended fourteen days, and that the depredations were com- mitted previous to its surrender.

4 Rysingh's reply to Stuyvesant, Haz. Ann. 201 ; as extracted from Albany Records, xiii. 363-367.

68 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1655.

Campanius says " the Dutch proceeded to destroy New Got- tenburg, laying waste all the houses and plantations without the fort, killing the cattle and plundering the inhabitants of every- thing that they could lay their hands on." A late writer1 con- cludes that "this is unquestionably erroneous," and assigns two reasons for his opinion. First, " the Dutch had no motive for such destructive cruelty, the country being now theirs by a formal surrender and they were bound by their treaty at Chris- tina," &c. Second, "that the church at Tinicum was standing twelve years afterwards, and Printz Hall at the commencement of the present century." But the writer has failed to observe, that the depredations were committed during the siege of Fort Christina, and not after its surrender and the conclusion of the treaty ; and that a fair construction of the language of Campa- nius will not warrant the inference that any building, except the fort, was actually destroyed.

The Dutch were not, however, permitted to practice these cruelties towards the Swedes with impunity. Even before the return of the. fleet to New Amsterdam, to use the language of Governor Stuyvesant, "it pleased God to temper this our victory with such an unfortunate and unexpected accident, as New Netherland never witnessed, inasmuch as in less than three days, over forty of our nation were massacred by the barbarous natives ; about one hundred, mostly women and children, taken prisoners ; boweries and some plantations burnt and laid in ashes, and in and with them over 12,000 schepels of grain yet unthrashed."2 With one half of the force taken to the Delaware, the conquest of the Swedes would have been equally certain, and far more creditable to the conquerors, while the other half could have guarded their own people against such a dreadful calamity.

By the terms of capitulation3 of Fort Christina, all the Swedes and Finns who desired to remain in the country, were obliged to take an oath of allegiance to the States General of the United Netherlands — even those who intended to leave, but who were obliged to remain for a time to dispose of their lands and settle up their business, (for which one year and six weeks were allow- ed,) were not exempted from taking the oath, to be binding so long as they remained.

Thus ended Swedish sovereignty on the continent of America. Deriving its only title from the savages, which is not recognized by the law of nations, no very protracted endurance could have been anticipated for the colony as a dependency of Sweden ; but

1 Ferris' Original Settlements on the Delaware, 97.

2 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 639.

3 For this paper, see Col. Doe. i. 607, Acrelius 415 and Haz. Ann. ]87, in which work sub. an. 1655, all the important papers connected with the capture of the Swedish forts will be fuund.

1655.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 69

its sudden downfall was manifestly the direct result of the rash, unjustifiable and unauthorized acts of Governor Rysingh, in capturing Fort Casimir.

The hardships of the Swedes, though they were not protracted under the Dutch government, did not terminate with the capture of their forts. We are informed by Acrelius, that " the flower of their troops were picked out and sent to New Amsterdam, under the pretext of their free choice, the men were forcibly carried on board the ships. The women were ill treated in their houses, the goods pillaged, and the cattle killed."1

But little has come down to us in respect to the domestic administration of affairs in the Swedish Colony. The adminis- tration of justice was doubtless conducted by means of a military tribunal of which the Governor was the head. Printz felt himself disqualified for the performance of the duties of a judge, and in a dispatch to the Swedish West India Company, dated February 20th, 1647, he makes known his difficulty in this wise : " Again, I have several times solicited to obtain a learned and able man. 1st, To administer justice and attend to the law business, some- times very intricate cases occurring, in which it is difficult, and never ought to be for one and* the same person to appear in Court as plaintiff as well as judge."2 .... As the seat of govern- ment was located at Tinicum from the commencement of the Administration of Governor Printz, it may be concluded that the seat of justice was also located there.

Mrs. Papegoya the daughter of Governor Printz, it will have been seen did not return to Sweden with her husband. For many years she continued to reside at Tinicum, rather in poverty than affluence. Tinicum is no longer mentioned as a fortified place, and if the fort was not destroyed by the Dutch as mentioned by Campanius, it was suffered by them to go into decay.

The government of the Dutch on the river was established by the appointment of John Paul Jaquet as vice-director, and com- mander-in-chief, and Andreas Hudde as secretary and surveyor, and keeper of the keys of the fort, &c. The council was to consist of the vice-director, Hudde, Elmerhuysen Klienand two sergeants in purely military affairs ; in matters purely civil, or between freemen and the company's servants, two of the most expert freemen were to be substituted for the two sergeants. The in- structions given Jaquet, show a want of confidence in the Swedes. " Good notice" was to be taken of their behaviour, and incase any of them were found to be not well affected, they were re- quired to depart, "with all imaginable civility," and if possible

1 Acrelius, 417.

2 Record of Upland court, 29, (note) as copied from Swedish MSS., Archive Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

70 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1656.

to be sent to New Amsterdam ; and no Swede living in the country was to remain in the fort all night. The seat of govern- ment was established at Fort Casimir — provision having been made for extending the town, which took the name of New Amstel.

" In granting lands, care was to be taken that a community of 16 or 20 persons reside together. The rent to be 12 stivers per morgen, per annum ; but permission to plant was only to be granted, on taking an oath to assist the fort, or to be transported in case they refuse the oath."1

" The free persons of the Swedish nation residing on the second corner above Fort Cassimer" solicit counsel "that they may re- main on their lands, as they have no inclination to change