USA > Delaware > New Castle County > Wilmington > The records of Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church, Wilmington, Del., from 1697 to 1773 > Part 5
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And also how I had noticed that this or that one was more diligent to reverence God's house and come to hear His word, while others were negligent and lazy, and therefore ought not to have the foremost seats in the church which might for a half or a whole year stand empty, such and many like circumstances have been considered, and so far as I can see there has been no respect shown to person's standing or respectability. For I who was the nearest and specially observant, remarked that the church did come up by great promises 5
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anu many words, but next to God's help by money, labor, and other assistance.
And I often said when I needed help that I should remember them, when the church was finished and the pews were given out.
Therefore it could not be expected that it would be possible to please everybody, though glory be to God, very few so far as I could discover have been abusive to me. Especially was it hard to please those who had seldom heretofore been present, and therefore were ignorant of the ground on which the distribution had been made. Therefore I took up the business with good courage, and let those be ignorant who would not try to inform themselves.
And so therefore after taking out those who for their own lifetime only have taken pews which are marked on the edge of them, they are given out on the terms that the heads of families, and they that have now paid the first cost, and have worked for them, are to have their room, and if there be room to spare in a pew, or some of the parents are absent, the unmarried children may take seats, but otherwise take other room farther down in the church, and the small children stand in the aisle in front of their parents' pews, and after the death of a parent, only the children who remain attached to the house and land which have now contributed to the building, but they who have married away must look out for other places as opportunity may offer.
In the meantime it is always to be understood that he who will not keep himself a quiet and orderly member and hearer in the congregation, and will with obedience adhere to the rules and ordinances after due notice and admonition, and will not do his part for himself and
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posterity, shall lose his room and shall not have it again unless he repent and come with a stipulated sum of money to purchase it again.
But if it should be so that the room has been for a long time empty and another has taken it, he must get a place somewhere else.
Any further matters may be left for the congregation to settle hereafter as circumstances inay require, but all n good order and regularity.
We have now through God's grace and blessing, only begun to prepare the way. I hope that ye who now, or in time to come, learn or hear, will as a well grounded Christian, interpret all for the best. Yet I gladly take on myself the faults that at any time with all this may have happened, but all that is well done is to be ascribed only to God's grace and blessing. For the greater con- tent and surety of posterity as to what is above related, the Honorworthy Churchwardens under whose Church- wardenship all this has been done, and happily brought to a consummation with me in behalf of the congrega- tion. To their own honor and remembrance I have set down their names and inarks:
At Christina, at a general meeting held the 14th of Oct., 1699,
WILLIAM STOBEY,
ERICUS BIORK, Servant of God's word in Christina Congregation, His BREWER V SENEKE Mark. His Mark,
CHARLES SPRINGER,
JACOB VAN X DE VER,
His JOHN X STALCOP. Mark. Oct. 14th, 1699.
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At the general meeting, Ist. I read up everything from the first, beginning, since I through God's grace came here until this day, what had been done and taken place. Which as the present Churchwardens wished to be re- lieved of office they might the more safely sign their names to which they also did as above.
2nd. Chose other Churchwardens and they all stuck to Charles Springer for one on this side, as they could not get along without his assistance in the Church, and wished that he should remain in office so long as God should spare his life, or at least as long as he was able to attend to the business, and to him they elected Luloff Stedham and Pietter Mounson, and on the other side Staffen Juranson on Pumpkin Hook and Olle Parsons at Raccoon Creek.
3rd. We talked about the fence to the churchyard and it was concluded that during the coming year, 1700, they should prepare and bring forward the stuff.
And that it might certainly be ready, it was resolved that each one should bring forward 70 palings 52 feet long, with rails for them II feet long, and posts 8 or 9 feet long, and if anyone would get 100 palings it would be so much the better.
4th. As it was all decided about the glebe, we talked about a building thereon and it was concluded that they on the other side of the river should cut and bring here all the timber, and they on this side should care for and carry forward the house building, for they on the other side could not conveniently be here at any such labor.
5th. Made a bargain with Pietter Mounson to sell him the 100 acres of land in Bokton, which was bought for a glebe, he to have it for 35 pounds, leaving the timber that was already cut thereon, for us, and this meeting therewith for this time was dismissed.
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HOLY TRINITY (OLD SWEDES) CHURCH.
The 20th after Trinity or 22d of October on account of the necessity of the congregations engaging the well learned and proper person Swen Colesberg, to serve as bell ringer, promising him for the year 2 shillings and 6 pence, and more as we are more able to pay, but as he was by no means able to support himself on that pay we took him especially for a schoolmaster, and agree to gather for him 18 or 20children, and he is to keep school for a half year at Petter Mounson's, which he in the Lord's name immediately began.
Church Warden, Charles Springer bargained with Church Warden Petter Mounson as follows:
Articles of agreement made, done and concluded by and between Petter Mounson of the one party, and Charles Springer of the other party as followeth:
Be it known, that I, Petter Mounson, doe acknowledge that I have bought a certain Tract of land namely 100 acres with all the conveniences thereunto belonging, lying and being upon Dela- ware river, Joining next unto my land, which Tract of land did formerly belong unto Hance Pietterson and Charles Springer and the rest of the Church Wardens, which then at that time were Church Wardens, did buy this aforesaid Tract of land for a minister to live upon which they did in the behalf of ye congre- gation, then ye Cranehook's congregation called. But when it pleased GOD of his mercy, that when our Reverend Minister arrived, and the Congregation did conclude to build ye Church upon Christeen, so was this land found altogether not convenient for a minister to live upon, and so with a common consent for to be sould. Which aforesaid tract of land with 13 1/2 acres of marish and all ye convenience which thereunto doth belong. I Charles Springer as Church Warden and In ye behalf of ye congregation do sell this unto Petter Mounson for him and his heirs for to have and hold for ever, and for which aforesaid Tract of land, I, Petter Mounson doe oblege me and my heirs to pay unto Charles Springer or his assigns the full and just summ of thirty-five pounds in Sil- ver Money, Twenty pounds of Silver Money to be paid at the 21st
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of November, at which day Charles Springer doth oblige him- self to make this aforesaid land over to Petter Mounson. If it please the Lord to permit him life and health, and the other fif- teen pounds the said Petter Mounson is to pay at or upon ye 15th of September, 1700.
As witness our hands and seals.
Christeen ye Ist of November, 1699,
Signed, sealed and delivered his
in ye presence of us PIETTER P MOUNSON,
ERICUS BIORK, mark,
Minister of Christeen Congregation, CHARLES SPRINGER. his LUCAS L. S. STEDHAM,
mark.
This year the 29th of November at mid-day, there came with a smacking breeze a ship up to Sandhook, and thereon finally the Proprietor and Governor William . Penn from London came, who since he was here before, fifteen or sixteen years ago, had been yearly expected. His arrival was announced by firing ordnance from the ship. The people were thus notified who had rejoiced the country again with his presence.
The 2nd of December, came up my good friend Mr. Joseph Woodcock who came on the same ship with the Governor, and whose parents lived on the other side of the river near Salem, and after kind greetings he gave ine a letter from the Swedish Minister resident in Lon- don, Herr Leyonkrona and from our good friend Mr. John Oriott with inany letters from Sweden and specially from the Highworthy Father the Archbishop, Dr. Olaus Swebillius, with the unexpected gratification that his Royal Majesty King Carl XII. had upon our humble petition on behalf of the congregation sent over immediately a large number of books, though unbound, for the reason that his Majesty had learned from my letter that a large part of those that were sent at the first we did not get. Glory be to God who, etc.
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HOLY TRINITY (OLD SWEDES) CHURCH.
Copy of the letter from the Archbishop-To the Christly and Honorworthy Congregation out of the Swedish Nation in West Indies, wishing herewithi grace, peace and every possible blessing of God the Father through Jesus Christ.
I have received the Honorworthy Congregation's very worthy letter dated in Pennsylvania and Delaware river the 30th of November 1697, and therefrom I have learned with pleasure of their welfare and their hearty satisfaction with the worthy priests sent out there, and the grace and happiness enjoined which are mostly due under God's direction and Providence to the late, but now inost worthy and blessed in Glory our ever, gracious former King's great zeal and desire for the extension of our evangelical religion. Whose untimely departure we dwellers in Sweden most sincerely do mourn, but com- fort ourselves therein that the most High God has vouch- safed us in his place the late King's royal son the High mighty King Carl XII. whose reign be blessed.
As I have gathered the information from the letters of the priests sent out, that some of the congregation wish to have certain psalm books and other books, I have preferred this, their humble request, to His High re- nowned, our now reigning, most gracious King, accord- ing to the duty which always lies on me, to forward the welfare and best good of God's Church.
And so I assure the congregation's respective member- ship, that as his Royal Majesty in all other respects fol- lows his praiseworthy royal father's honored example, so is his Royal Majesty none the less careful for the congre- gation's well being and the Christly religious protection, and with unusual carefulness to succor and provide for the highly honored congregations in America, instructing
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His Majesty's council to take care to arrange so that the highworthy congregations so soon as possible should have teachers to comfort and instruct them, and also showed his Christly care for them in sending the desired books. For the rest in what may promote and conduce to the worthy congregation's upbuilding I shall do whatever lies in me and spare no pains so long as God grants me life.
In conclusion, I earnestly wish that God will be pleased to increase in you His knowledge and grace daily that you may grow therein, to whose gracious protec- tion both in general and particular, I commend you,
ยท And faithfully remain, The Honorworthy and Christly, Congregation's well wisher,
Upsala,
OLAUS SWEBILLIUS
Dec. 26th, 1698.
Archbishop of Upsala.
Copy of the Swedish Minister's letter from London:
To the Honorworthy and Highly Respected, Messrs. the Church Pastor with the Honorable born and Well esteemed Company of the Lutheran Congregation, on the river Ware, in the West Indies:
It has pleased His Majesty my Most Gracious King and Lord, graciously to send some spritual books to the Honor born and well esteemed Congregation in order that there might be nolack in whatever will conduce to to their own devotion and the Christian nurture of their children. His Majesty in all Royal duties follows fully the example of his late great High renowned Royal Father and in this particular has so followed in his foot- steps and has graciously been pleased to remember the church, giving me most graciously directions to take
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care that the desired books might be sent from here to the destined place; and so I have with much labor fulfilled my most humble duty conformably, and there- with I congratulate myself very much that I find so good opportunity to acknowlege and thank your Honor- worthiness and the well born, and much respected con- gregation for their various, and to me very interesting letters which are come well in hand. And I sincerely wish that in some measure I may be able to be of service to them, here whereto they shall constantly find me always ready, and in the mean time and until some good opportunity offers I cannot refrain from recom- mending them in the best inanner to Mr. Penn, who intends to go by this ship in which the books are sent over and which is named Canterbury, who has promised me that as much as possible he will attend to them, and I am persuaded that he will keep his promise. In con- clusion, I wish your Honorworthiness and the Honor- born, and well respected congregation all, peculiar welfare and constant prosperity.
London, August 3rd, 1699. Your Honorworthiness and the Honorborn and Well Respected Congregation's Ever ready for Service, Servant, C. LEYONKRONA.
The first of Advent I read the Highworthy Arch- bishop's and the Hon. Resident's letters from the pulpit with thanksgiving to God for His grace, and an exhorta- tion to fear God, etc.
. Copy of the Bill of Lading for the Books .- Shipped by the grace of God in good order and well conditioned
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by Christoffer Leyonkrona in and upon the good ship called Canterbury, whereof is Master under God for this present voyage, Capt. Henry Trageny, and now riding at anchor in the river Thames and bound by God's grace for Pennsylvania.
One chest No. I, one box No. 2.
Being marked and numbered as in the bill, and all to be delivered in the like good order and well conditioned at the aforesaid port of Pennsylvania, the dangers of the seas only excepted, unto Mr. Ericus Biork, Minister to the Swedish Congregation, or to his assigns, he, or they paying freight for the said goods at the rate of 15. shillings for the whole, with primage and average accustomed. In witness whereof, the Master or Purser of the said ship hath affirmed to three such bills of lading, all of this tenure and date, the one of which being accomplished, the other two to stand void. And so God send the good ship to lier haven in safety. Amen. HENRY TRAGENY.
Dated at London, August 4th, 1699.
MR. JOHN ERIOT'S LETTER. LONDON, August 4th, 1699.
HERR MAGISTER ERICUS BIORK :-
Since my last letter of May 22nd, no letters from My Herr have been received, neither has any letter for Mons. come to hand from Sweden; all the letters- received from Mons. are sent to Sweden under good address, and I hope they are now come well to hand. This is to enclose the acknowldgement to accompany over a chest and box of books which the Hon. President Leyonkrona received from Sweden, which the Herr Pres- ident bade me consign to you. He sends many greetings
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HOLY TRINITY (OLD SWEDES) CHURCH.
to the Mons. Herr Rudman and Herr Aureen and the same also from
Your humble servant, JOHN ERIOT.
P. S .- Freight on these books must be paid by Mine Herr according to the contracts of the consignment.
The 5th of December I rode up to Philadelphia with Mr. Carl Springer to receive the book chest and box, which took place on the 7th of December. After which I with my colleagues Magister Andrew Rudman and Herr Aureen, with a large part of the upper congregation paid our respects to the Governor, who assured us Swedes that he would hereafter as he had heretofore done, show us all possible favor, and he also related to us the cir- cuinstances connected with the.shipment of the books, &c.
For the transportation from England we paid 15 shil- lings, which is in the currency of this country 22 shil- lings 6 pence. They were all taken to Magister Rud- man's house to be bound hereafter. In the box were two purses or sacks for our Church, about which I had written to my sister Magdalena Biork some time before, yet by no means expecting that her husband, my brother- in-law Gustaff Rudbeck, would be at so great expense and labor thereon as the work showed, they sending therewith a silver ferule and silver bell, with a turned red colored handle in three pieces, and each purse with my name thereon as a gift to me. I took one of them with me at once, and it was used in our Church the first time New Year's Day, 1700, and in the name of my brother and sister I gave it to Holy Trinity Church and Congregation for a New Year's gift, and as the congre- gation (composed of those on this side of the river only as they alone could be present at this time of the year)
-
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got to know of it before hand, they showed their grati- fication therewith by contributing at the time in silver 3 pounds 10 shillings and 7 pence, and in copper 2 shil- lings and 812 stivers, and so the Church not only was blessed with a New Year's gift from Sweden, but by its own congregation was enriched by a generous sum of money. Glory be to God for his grace and blessing.
The other purse I laid up, not wishing to have it used till the church was ready and consecrated *
#N. B .- Meaning the church at Wicacoe.
On Christmas day according to our Swedish custom and church directory, we held Oct. Song (a.) early in the morning, which should take place with lights.
Benedict Stedham, at my request, volunteered with the help of Swen Colesberg and Matz Tossa, to prepare four crowns of wood for which he with much pains sought for naturally crooked branches for liglit stands, each crown having 17 pipes or sockets. We delayed hanging them as he thought of getting some other and better ones in addition, but he immediately thereupon sickened and this was his last work. He was not able to be present at the festival when the day came, and finally died. I held him up as an example for the church, and related this and other small things that he was ever ready to do for God's house with gladness, without reference to his own work, even if it were behindhand. New Year's day 1700, we used for the first time the newly received purse or sack of which mention is made above.
There came upon us with the beginning of this year a severe and contagious sickness, dysentery, which especially in Bokton and round about was very violent and many of our congregation died, but none on this side
a. Service of the actant or eighth day after a festival.
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the creek. Those who finally lived through, remained' afterwards, overwhelmed with all sorts of difficulties in their bodies, with pains and lameness which kept them down mostly till about Easter.
I used special prayers on account of it in the church, with exhortations and admonishing to a godly preparation.
The sickness was so severe and violent for a time that I could not be at home any day, and was doubtful when I left any sick, if I should find them living when I returned in the evening or following day.
Finally, about Easter ( God be praised) the scourge began more and more to hold up from us.
Pietter Mounson wished to alter his bargain with us for the purchase of the roo acres of land, notwithstand- ing so plain a written agreement was made betwixt him and Mr. Charles Springer, and the sale ought to go forward instead of backward; yet, finally, for the sake of one and another reason which he gave as he was willing to contract anew, it was allowed to him and he made a new agreement which was written upon the first one as follows:
The contract for the land purchase on the other side is for various reasons given up, and Churchwarden Pietter Mounson, for a new bargain has promised to the Church 3 pounds, and then in the coming spring 2 pounds, and the remainder after- wards at a convenient time when he has paid up his brother John Mounson. Whereto he has set his hand in presence of witnesses.
His
PIETTER P MOUNSON. Mark.
Christina Creek, Feb. 19th, 1700. Witness:
CHARLES SPRINGER.
His
JORAN X Mark.
ANDERSON.
.
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When we agreed with Swen Colesberg to serve as bell- ringer and schoolmaster, we promised that in the spring we would cut timber for a house here by the Church for permanent use for such purposes; and sufficient timber was cut on the glebe wood lot, 43 pieces 20 feet long. But on account of the sickness and other hindrances, nothing was done further about it and the timber was never brought forward.
Early in May the school-keeping in Bokton was dis- continued, partly on account of the above inentioned sick- ness and some other causes, particularly, that some in- considerate persons neglected to keep their children steadily at school, though they were diligently and thoroughly taught, and so things did not proceed as they ought and the teacher got little for his pains.
And so he concluded that he would leave the business entirely, especialiy as the promise of the school-house had not come to any fulfillment, and he was, as it were, houseless.
In the meantime, there opened another way out through Joran Anderson, who, as he removed to another place, left his house to Swen Colesberg entirely free for a half year to keep school in, and with it a piece of land to plant, and Jasper Walraven, of liis goodness to help forw rd what he saw was for the glory of God, viz., the education of the children, gave also, not only a piece of ground for cultivation, but also promised him free board for two months, which he stood to.
As Swen Colesberg could not for one and another hin- drance begin his school-keeping right away, he under- took of his own free will to paint the windows and doors of the Church in which work he spent seven days, having two or three days of help, sometimes from Luloff Stedham's boys and sometimes from Asmund's, and As-
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mund Stedham gave him free board while the work was in progress.
Holy Trinity Sunday I hield evensong and I have resolved to do so through my time yearly, so long as God shall vouchsafe me health and strength as a mark of humble submissive thanksgiving for the grace and blessing of God to me unworthy, in the completion and consecration of our church, and also to go round with the purse for a thanksgiving offering, but in so doing I do not intend by any means to bind my successors to do so unless they of their own free will continue it, and this I said to the congregation when I gave the notice, and now briefly set down here.
The first Sunday after Trinity there was no Divine service here for the reason that the upper congregation at Wicacoe had finished their church finally by God's grace, and on that day was consecrated by me, Jesus' unworthy servant, with the text, 2nd Samuel's book, 8th chapter and 29th or the last verse. Therefore let it please Thee etc. and it was named The House, of God's Glory as it would be in English.in Swedish Gud's Ahra's Huus, in Latin, Gloria Deii, which services, were con- ducted with propriety in the presence of a great assembly both of our own people and of the English, and in their church book is plainly related how all was con- ducted and I for their sakes repeated in English as well as I could a short summary of what I had said in Swed- ish on the occasion.
The Ioth of June in the name of the Lord, Swen Colesberg began his schoolkeeping for a half year at the above-named place, which may God bless for his Glory, etc.
The 21st of June or Midsummer's day there was held a general meeting of the congregation.
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Ist. We talked briefly of what stands written and had happened since the last meeting.
2nd. We talked about the churchyard, the congrega- tion beginning to wish it laid out, so that each one might contribute according to his ability to finish it.
3rd. Promised to pay Swen Colesberg his salary as bellringer at least the half at the end of the half year and at the close of the year the remainder.
4th. That they should hasten with paying off the church debt, as the longer it stands the harder it will be.
The 24th of August, I with the church wardens Charles Springer, Luloff Stedham, and Petter Moun son, met with the widow of the late John Stalcop, Mrs. Annika, and I took her around and explained his intell- tions according to his word to me, expressed not only when he was in health, but also just before he died. We then began to lay out the church yard on the west end, beginning 221/2 feet from the wall of the church, going thence obliquely to the bound of the old church yard, and thence, southerly to where an old church yard fence stood almost to the edge of the marsh, then eastward to the run or brook as we judged best and convenient, thence northerly as far up as my first, where the proper church walk should be, and then easterly over the brook to their own road. Upon the north side as the late John Stalcop gave just from the river wall of the demolished clap board lime house, we also measured it the same 2212 feet, which line we ran out easterly, but diagon- ally, more at the brook, for on the other side of the run, the north church yard fence should run up alike, so we also made it 221/2 feet broad, coming by the two apple trees (of which the easternmost one is much decayed, )
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