USA > Delaware > History of Delaware : 1609-1888 > Part 11
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" That the ships arrived in March, 1G8, rather than April, as stated ty Vincent, and implied by various writers, is established by the dis- owery in sweden (since Dihner wrote, in 1876) of a document which .howy that Mint purchased land upon the Delaware from an lilian chief, upon March 29. It he made this purchase mundoutterly at the site of Fort Christian) upon the date gosen, he must have passed the .pas three or four days previously. That the arrival of the seael. upon the Delaware, occurred in Apal, has been generally suppe] from a letter from Jamestown, written by Jerome llawicy, secretary of the Virginia colony, to secretary Windebank, of the London Company. under date of May ., 165. in which he says, that, supr Match Son when he Jest wrote: "a batch ship with a commission from the young Imgern of Sweden" had arrived there and remamed about ten days. It las usually been inferred rand by Vincent is explicitly stated) that this slap way the " Key of Kalmar" with Mount on board upout her way to Br Ilian, but Other show -they moins of the of Blommaert - letters that it was the shop Grithu, which, aper her arrival on the Delesur. ler commander had sent to Virgima with the plea of birtering her ordu-a project not reabard. The letter from Hawley, alluded to, is as
"JAMESTOWN, IN VIRGINIA, Muy S. He's.
"Right Hou .- Upon the 20th of March Lest I took the boldness to Present you with my letters, wherein I gave only a touch of the boss- nem ( out Assembly, referring your botter to the general letters then
The season was an early one, the vegetation well advanced, and to the eyes of the navigator- accustomed, for three months, to rest upon nothing but a biliowy waste of water, and having last steu land -Sweden and Holland-in the dead of win- ter, the sight of the shores of Delaware, already green, must have been a refreshing one and filled their hearts with happy anticipations. Watted by balmy breezes that bore the first spring odors of the unlocked and warming earth-of the bursting buds of vast forests and the grass and flowers of natural meadows, all doubly grateful to the people long-confined in crowded ships, pervaded by a composite stench, the pioneer- sailed up the bay and gave expression to the exuberance of delight by naming the first place at which they landed for observation and refreshment, " Paradise Point ' (Paradis Udden). To their famished eyes, the verdure-clad shore at this place (which was some- where between the Murderkill and Mispillion Creek, in the neighborhood of Lewes, in Kent County ) was, indeed, a feast of beauty-an earth- ly paradise,-all unmindful that the desolate site of Zwaanendael was only a few miles away.
The place which they were to make their home was not yet reached, and so atter a brief enjoyment of liberty on shore, the people returned to the vessels aud weighing anchor sailed up the bay and river, the latter of which they named Nya Swerige's Elf (New Sweden's River). Fin- ally they arrived at the mouth of a stream of goodły size, the Minquas Kil, of which Minuit probably had some knowledge through the explor- ations of Captain Hendriksen, and doubtless with the fixed intention of locating upon its banks, the vessels steered into its channel and slowly made their way beyond the mouth of the Brandywine to the spot known as " The Rocks, "; an excellent natural wharf, about one mile and three-quarters, following the course of the stream, from the Delaware. Upon these rocks the pas-
sent by Mr. Kemp from the governor and Conneil. Stuce which time have arrived a Dutch ship, with a commission from the young Queen of sweden, and sigand by right of the chof lords of sweden, the copy whereof I would have taken to send to your honor, but the capt.um would not pernet me to take a tupy thereof, except he might have free trade for to carry to sweden, which being contrary to his majesty + I- .truction-, the governor exeused Inmuself thereof. The shop remained here almout ten days, to refresh with wood and water, during which tine the master of Mid ship made known that both himself and another slap of his company were bound for Delaware Bay, which is the connues of Virginia and New England, and there they pretend to make a plan- tation, atul to plant tobacco, which the Dutch do su already in Hudson's River, which is the very rives northwind bram Delaware Hay. ME which bring his majesty's territories, I hunddy comesse that it may be done by his majesty's sulposto of these parts, making the only of some English ships that tourt luther for trade yearly, and be no charge at all non his ingesty .- a cabodad's London Documents, Vol. I, pp.
" The Dutch " Kil " sgmfir- creek.
+ See the preceding chapter for an account of Hendriksen's voyage up the Delaware and visit to the mouth of the & hitsHan ..
3 . The Bon lis" probaddy um banzed since the landing of Minuit. in Ins, are not the northern of Wilmington side of the river, not fat from the old swedes church, at the foot of sixth st , and within one yard of the Mccullough Iren Company's Works.
40
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
sengers of the " Key of Kalmar " and " Griffin " -the pioneers of Delaware-disembarked and the cargoes of the two vessels were unloaded. Preparations were immediately begun to meet the wants of the people and to make the place habi- table. Upon the ground, immediately back of the creek (which Minuit first called the Elbe, but soon changed to Christiana Elt, after the young Queen ) was built Fort Christiana . "Christina Skauts") a small enclosure having the general form of a square, and within the stronghold were erected two log houses for the abode of those who should form the garrison and as a place for the storage of provisions for them, as well as a deposi- tory for the goods brought to barter with the In- dians. Immediately back of this fort, upon the rising ground, was afterwards laid out and built a small town called Christinaham or Christina Har- bor, the first town within the boundaries of Dela- ware.
The fort extended ahnost to the Christiana and fronted npon it, while upon its eastern side was also water -- a litle cove or basin, (now filled up) which was called the Harbor-large enough to ad- mit several vessels, Upon the other sides were low sand banks and marshes except in the rear where the rising ground, already spoken of, grad- ually widened and extended back to the rolling hills on which Wilmington now stands. At that time there was much more water than at present about this place, and, indeed. it is probable that twice in every twenty-four hours, when the tide was at its height, the occupants of the fort could look from its ramparts or from " the Rocks " over a sheet of water extending to the New Jersey shore, and unbroken save by " Cherry Island." The spot where the fort stood was called by the Minquas ( or Mingoe ) Indians whom Minuit found in the region Hopokahacking. From one of these Indians, a chief named Metasiment or Mattahoon, the commander bought, on March 29th, this site and probably considerable surround. ing land, as much, the Indians afterward said, as " lay within six trees," meaning certain trees. which had been designated by . blazing " or mark- ing with an axe,' and a little later he purchased a tract along the west shore of the Delaware, several days' journey in extent, the bargain being ratified by five Sachems, and a written contract drawn up. After Minuit had thus acquired pus- session of the country, by occupation and pur- chase from the native-, he caused the arms of the Queen to be erected and named the colony, which he had planted, " Ni.w SWEDEN."
The Dutch at Fort Na-au (Glonee-ter. N. J.) either by their own watchfulness through infor-
mation received from the Indians, or possibly by reason of Minuit's appearance near their fort : for it is alleged he or some of luis men ascended the river as far as Timber Creek ) had early knowledge ut the invasion of what they regarded as their do. main. William Kieft, who was now the Governor of New Netherlands. had received intelligence ot it at Manhattan I-land by April 28th, about a month from the time of Minuit's arrival, receiving word from the commissary at Fort Nassau, for upon that date he wrote the directors of the West India Company that Miuuit had landed on the Delaware and had begun to construct a stronghold and had tried to push on up the river beyond Fort Nassau, but had been prevented from doing so. The Governor at first ordered the commissary of
P. 27
TAB. IV
61
4
$
guyot Rwierof Delaware
Luxus
SYLVA
San Chinees
2
NIA
Schonberg
Puladelphi Ca Ghin'ai
4
Lumenhoeck
Nieu Wafa
7
Viel Getintking
Kurt Nasfor
9
Minques kul!
Fort KadimaLET
Arme Wamer
$
Fort_ Elfsburg
Naraticons
?
Hooch:
Groef
Hendrik &
Swanendael
Hoerekzl
Cuep May
C. Cornelius
NOVA SVECLEE
JABUCA
( Hinlopen.
* Nie Vientre del.
Fort Nassau to protest against Minuit's action, and that official July sent Peter Mey down to the Christiana to see the commander's license and commissions, which he refused to show. The Governor then, on May 6th, old style, or 17th, new style (the Swedes using the former and the Dutch the latter) sent the following solemn pro- test, in which he laid claim in behalf of the Dutch West India Company to the Zuydt River :
1 Acrelings affiris that at this time Shanit bought all of the land from Cage Total gastos steam Fretton Falls) probably confounding the- purchase with a later one
"I Willown kieft, Director-General of New Sothethings, tomat a the Island of Manhattan, in New Amsterdam, un Fer the saber cats el their Hugh Michtienes the State General of the Lated with words and the privileged West Inhis Company s department at Amsterdam. make known to the Hut Peter Minut, who calls binecht woman rullet in the service of her royal majesty of sweden, that the whole
9
PEN
1
Fort Chief
4
Bumties
41
NEW SWEDEN ON THE DELAWARE.
swith River, in New Netherlands, has been in our possession nittis car and has been secured by us with forts above and below, stort . deed with our tional, which has happened even during your ihrretten S.w. S. the blues, and is well known to you Whereas you now do 4. a la pinning of a settlement between our forts, and are Inten. . rw a fort, tu our prejudice atd dradvantage, what we shall never A fare or toler ite, and which we are persuaded it hever has been cum att by her royal majesty of sweden, to build fortresses and only . . reand thong our shores, so is it that we, if you proceed with the Funz of forts, and enttivating the lands, and trubug in fors, or rn s- further in any thing to our prentice, protest against all expertise .. ..... and losses, and will not be answerable for any mishaps, illusion ! ! 1.44), truttties and disaster, with your company might suffer in " And, while we are resolved to defend your rights in t' with then ver as .. . hall deem proper. This doue Thursday, being the 6th of May,
Minuit paid no attention whatever to the Gov- « rnor's protest. This claim rested upon the prior discovery and occupation of the country, but they had wholly abandoned the west side of the river, and either because they regarded their claim as nnten- able for this reason, or for the reason that the char ter of the West Indian Company prohibited the declaration of war without the consent of the States General, the Dutch submitted quietly to what they regarded as gross usurpation of the Swedes. Then too Kiett, became aware that Minuit's colony bore the commission of the Queen of Sweden, and he knew how distasteful to the Holland Government it would be, should he em broil the country with a great. powerful and war- like nation, with which they had made common cause in many momentous matters, and too there was a strong bond of sympathy between the Swedes and Dutch through their religion, both countries being Protestant. The two nationalities, however, were destined to clash seventeen years later and ultimately both to sueenmb to the Eng- lish.
Mineit after he had made such general provis- ions as he deemed proper for the little band who were to garrison the fort, prepared to return to Sweden. " He left a portion of the cargo he had brought out," says Odhner's translator, "to be used in barter with the Indians, as well as twenty- three men, under the command of Lieutenant Mans Kling, the only Swede who is expressly mentioned as taking part in the first expedition .: and Henrik Huyghen, who seems to have been Minuit's brother-in-law or cousin. It was enjoined upon these leaders (of whom the former appears to bave been entrusted with the military, the latter with the civil or economical direction ) to defend tier fortress and carry on traffic with the natives." Twee instructions appear to have been faithfully carried out, especially those in regard to trade, und the success of Swedish Indian affairs to have len established from the start.
It was probably in July that Minuit made his JJ, parture from these shores, which it was fated he
1. Iomal settlements on the Delaware River (New York Historical · is, Vid. vit. B. Fernow ) p. 11.
. It is probably, however, that there were a few other Swedes in the
should never see again. He had sent the sloop "Griffin " in advance to the West Indies to ex- change the cargo brought out from Gottenburg, and he sailed upon the " Key of Kalmar" to the same place. He arrived safely at the Island of St. Christopher, succeeded in disposing of his ship's cargo, and was about to sail for Sweden, when an event occurred by which he lost his life. He went with his captain to vi-it a Dutch ship named " Het fliegende hert " (The Flying Deer) lying near, and while they were on board one of those terrible hurricanes, to which the West Indies are subject arose, and when it was over and accounts of the disaster could be gathered, it was found that this particular ship was among the several lost. All of the ships in the road-tead had been driven to sea and all had suffered some damage, but it so happened that Minuit's own, the Key of Kalmar, was not only among those which escaped, but one of those which sustained the least injury.' That Minuit was a hold, enterprising, patient man, cannot be gainsaid, and it seems cruel that he could not have been permitted to have enjoyed some of the results of his labor and at last to have slept in his native land or by the shore where he founded the first colony of New Sweden.
The " Key of Kalmar" ultimately reached a home port but not without meeting with other misfortunes than the loss of her commander. The Griffin after cruising about for a time in West India waters, returned to the little fort on the Christina. Furs had been bought there in con- siderable quantity from the Indiansand well-laden with them, the sloop sailed for Sweden where she arrived near the elose of May, 1639.
There now came about quite a change in the emigration scheme, so far as Sweden was concerned. That is, it became more national in character. The Swedish partners in the little company which sent out the Christiana colony, had from the first been united upon this policy+, for they foresaw what importance the colony under national and political relations, would assume. Clas. Fleming became the special leader of the work in Sweden, a posi- tion for which he was well fitted both by his con- nection with the company and by reason of the fact that he had become president of the college of commerce, which body henceforth gave close attention to the colony. In looking about for a successor to Minuit, they went again to the great maritime Dutch nation, and chose Captain Cornelis
3 The fit of Minuit's death in the manner above descrilund, is one of several tust brought unt by Chillin 4, the Swedish writer (telying chiefty on Blommaert's letters). Acrehas asserted that he remained in New Sweden, and "after several years of faithinl mate, he died at Chris- tian.," and Play, Ferris, Vincent atul many others have naturally enungh copied the error, some even asserting entenmstantially his buriat in the " Oll Swedes' Church " ground.
4 Odhner's New Sie den Pennsylvania Magazine of History, Vol III. p. 305.
42
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
Van Vliet, who had been for several years how- to the little colony there, of which more must ever in the Swedish service. Having secured him! said anon. as the commander of the proposed expedition they took steps towards finding a number of colonists, which was by no means as easy a thing to accomp- lish as it would be at this day. There being he applicants for free emigration the government ordered that certain of its officers in the provinces of Elfsborg and Varmland should take by Srce such married soldiers es had deserted or commait- ted other offenses and transport them with their wives and children to New Sweden, at the same time giving promise that they should be brought home within two years. It was ordered however that this should be done "justly and discreetly" that no serious embroilment might ensue. Thus difficult was it to obtain " emigrants for America" two hundred and fifty years ago! Pro- curing funds for the expedition was another not easy task, particularly as Blommaert and the Dutch partners had become impressed with the faet that the whole enterprise had been managed more in the interests of the Swedish crown than their own, and they were all, Blommaert especial- ly, exasperated by the very natural reproaches of the other members of the Dutch West India com- pany for placing the Swedes in their American possessions. Thus Swedish colonization affairs were complicated, embarrassed and delayed. At last, however, and again with means supplied by Dutehmen-Blommaert and Spiring, the projec- tors of the second expedition were able to move. Once more the " Key of Kalmar" was equipped for a voyage to America. The vessel was fittel out and supplied with a erew in Holland and sail- ed for Gottenburg, where the emigrants were to be taken on board Great difficulty was experi- enced in procuring them as had been apprehended, but finally a sufficient number were got together, and after the vessel had taken aboard cattle, horses, swine, implements for farming and a suffi- cient quantity of provisions she left Gottenburg, early in the fall of 1639. But she had proceeded no further than the German Ocean, when she sprang a leak,and had to put into port for repairs. Two other attempts to sail were frustrated by wind and bad seas and the ineompeteney of the captain, and finally the erew declared that they would not sail under such a commander as Van Vliet. He was accused both of carelessness and dishonesty in vietualing the ship, and the charges being substantiated he was removed and the com. mand given to Pouwel Jansen, "probably also a Dutehman," and a new erew was likewise provided, and after suffering several delays the " Key of Kalmar" at last made her departure from the Texel on the 7th of February, 1640. Making an unusually quiek voyage she reached Christiana on the 17th of April and her immigrants were added
At the time preparations were begun for th. second expedition, in 1639. Peter Hollender' w .. assigned to the office of Governor at Christin. and he called upon the " Key of Kalmar," wh she firaliy was permitted to leave. The pasty Reorus Tokillus, also undoubtedly came over . this time ; certainly not with Minuit, as sever. writers have stated. He was the first religim teacher in New Sweden ; but little is known of h history, and be sleeps in an unknown grave, pr hably in the burial ground of the Old Surd. churel: At Wilmington.' As to the other int grants by this second voyage of the " Key of Kai mar," there is no exact date; but a document. among the Royal Archives of Stockholm giv- the names of a number who must have come eitht by this or the first expedition, and who were therefore the first residents at Christina. The .. were Anders Svensson Bonde, Per Andersson Anders Larsson Dualbo, Sven Larsson, Pete Gunnarsson Rambo, Sven Gunnarsson, Lai- Svensson Kaekin, Maus Andersson, Joen Throsson. and Marten Gottersson,-ten in all. It is interest- ing to note a few faets concerning the after life of these first dwellers in Delaware. For instance :--- Bonde, the first-mentioned in the list, who wa- born in Sweden in 1620, settled in 1644 at Tini- eum, later removed to what became Philadelphia County, and in 1693 was assessed as the wealthiest inhabitant of that county west of the Schuylkill He died between 1694 and 1696, leaving a widoy (Anneka) who died in 1713, and six sons and for .. daughters, who perpetuated the family under the anglicized form of the name, Boon or Bond Daalbo also moved up the river, and was the pr genitor of a family which reached well down to the present. Rambo was another of those who came ow in the " Key of Kalmar." of whose people the lit may be traced. Many of his descendants becam prominent in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Dd ware. And, again, Sven Gunnarsson left poster ity, who, by the customary Swedish changes it names, came to be known as Svensson (that .. Sven, son of Sven) which was soon anglicized int Swanson, the cognomen of a now very extensis family Of several others named nothing i- known beyond the first few years of their re- dence here, but enough has been said to show th ..
I Hollender was in wine and nativity the same, according to l'rot " B. Keen, Odhner's translator.
" He was born in West Gotland in huis, and was therefore a v. man when lot came to New sweden. He married at Christina, h! & wife and one child, and therefore, as Ferris says, "Perhaps i see cutre | September 1, 1613, wol as he Do tur -ph February i wine year, his spiritual services at Christina were very brief.
3 Prof. G. B. Keen presents an attract of this document as a font-ti to his translation of Odhner, " The fontobing of New Sweden." glownyt Magneme w/ Hetog, Vol. Ill. p. I.
43
NEW SWEDEN ON THE DELAWARE.
the seed of the " Key of Kalmar" pioneers did munication on shore. He received no answer not perish from the earth.
Reverting to the affairs of the now reinforced elony, it may be remarked that but little is known Governor Hollender's mission up the river was the purchase of Indian title and it was probably at this time that the land was bought on the west side of the river as far up as Trenton, for he set up three Swedish pillars for a boundary about eight or miles above Christiana, and subsequently erected one below the fort. There is no account of further ocenrrenees in the colony at this time and indeed very little pertaining to any portion of Hollender's period of government which expired early in 1643. In May, 1640 the " Key of Kalmar" started on her homeward voyage and arrived at Gottenborg a few weeks latter. Mans Kling, the lientenant who had had command of Fort Christina accompanied her nnder orders to recruit immigrants in certain regions of Sweden for strengthening the colony. concerning it during the time between Minuit's de- parture and Hollender's arrival. The only docu- ment of local nature which has been preserved (in the Royal Archives of Sweden ) is an account book Lept by Henrik Huyghen from the year 1638, nine Swedish (thirty-two to thirty-six English) which yields no specific information The colony is shown from other sources to have maintained the same healthful condition in which Hollender found it. They had been so active in the fur trade that they had damaged the Dutch trade, according to Governor Kiett himself, tully thirty thousand florins. The governor also reported that the colonists had become so distressed that they were about to leave, and had made preparations to do so, upon the very day that the Swedish ves- sel came to their succor, but the wish was very likely father to the thought. The Dutch had been irritated by the presence of the Swedish fort upon their own Zuydt river, and had issued several orders intended to embarrass, or intimidate them and to prevent further usurpations of their domain, among them being a prohibition of sailing on the Zuydt river without license.
Governor Peter Hollender does not appear to have entertained a high opinion of the colony, or to have been able to administer its affairs without friction. The immigrants seem to have been too few and not of the right class They may have served very well to garrison little Fort Christina and to have supported it properly as a trading station, but they knew little of agriculture, upon which the colony must largely rely to become self- sustaining. The governor says in one of his let- ters' to Chancellor Oxenstierna, " no more stupid, indifferent people are to be found in all Sweden than those that are now here." They found too, that they had brought an insufficient supply of domestic animals.
Hollender was in favor of the most pacific atti- tude towards the Dutch up at Fort Nassan, and lw had, in faet, been instructed to follow such a policy, but Kling and Huyghen upon whom the direction of affairs had rested during the period between Minnit's departure and the governor's arrival, were in favor of employing foree in the event of Dutch obstreperousness, and of ignoring the arts of diplomacy. Hollender made a little voyage up the Delaware in a sloop, on the 21st of April, 1640, and, when opposite Fort Nassau, was fired upon three times, but he ignored the proceeding and ealniy continued his way, and on bis return he anchored and sent an amicable com-
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