USA > Illinois > Henry County > Bishop Hill > A history of Bishop Hill, Illinois : also biographical sketches of many early pioneers in Illinois, 100 years > Part 13
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people-their roving disposition, their love of the sea, and of conquest in distant lands-to this admixture of Scandinavian blood, which, through hereditary transmission, makes her prom- inent as descended chiefly from Anglo-Scandinavians and not Anglo-Saxons.
"We will now travel from one end of this land to the other, crossing it many times from sea to sea, over well-made roads and wild tracts, in summer and in winter, and linger among its people."
When the Jansonites were aboard, and the vessels about to leave the shores of Scandinavia, I am told they sang a song and every eye was filled with tears. I do not know what song make their appearance, shining brightly in the pale-blue sky; the moon shows itself again as the queen of the night, and lights and cheers the long and dark days of the Scandinavian winter. The time comes at last when the sun disappears entirely from sight ; the heavens appear in a blaze of light and glory, and the stars and the moon pale before the aurora borealis.
"Scandinavia, often have I wandered over thy snow-clad mountains, hills and valleys, over thy frozen lakes and rivers, seeming to hear, as the reindeer, swift carriers of the North, flew onward, voice whispering to me. "Thou has been in many countries where there is no winter, and where flowers bloom all the year; ;; but hast thou ever seen such glorious nights as these?" And I silently answered. 'Never! Never!'
This country, embracing nearly sixteen degrees in latitude, is inhabited chiefly by a flaxen-haired and blue-eyed race of men-brave, simple, honest, and good, and probably the most independent, honest and faithful of the European nationalities.
They are the descendants of the Norsemen and of the Vikings, who in the days of old, when Europe was degraded by the chains of slavery, were the only people that were free, and were governed by the laws they themselves made; ; and, when emerging from their rock-bound and stormy coast for distant lands, for war or conquest, were the embodiment courage and daring by land and sea. They have left to this day an indelible impression of their character on the countries they overran, and in yhich they settled; and England is indebted for the freedom she possesses, and the manly qualities of her they sang, but can imagine none that would have been more
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appropriate or expressive of their feelings than the language of Frithiof when he was exiled. I will ask my American friends to pardon me while I repeat these verses in the original Swedish. (Here Mr. Olson recites the verses in Swdish. Th audience was visibly moved and applause greeted the recitation.) Nineteen attempts at translation have been made, but none have suc- ceeded in preserving the beauty, feeling or pathos, of the orig- inal. I will now read to you what is said to be the best transla- tion into English :
"Thou font of creation, Exalted North ! I have no station On thy green earth. Thy lineage sharing My pride doth swell.
Thou home of daring ! Farewell, farewell!
Farewell thou royal Valhalla-throne!
Thou night's-eye loyal, Midsummer sun! Thou sky unclouted As hero's soul !
Thou vault star-crowded ! Farewell, farewell !
Ye moontain ranges Where honor dwells,
Creation changes Yoor rune-face tells.
Ye lakes and highlands I knew so well, Ye rocks and islands, Farewell, farewell !
Farewell ye grave-mounds Where the linden showers Near azure wave-bounds The dust of flowers!
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But time revealeth And judgeth well What earth concealeth, Farewell, farewell!
Farewell ye bowers, Beneath whose shade
So many hours By brooks I've played ;
Ye friends of childhood, Ye meant me well,
I love your wildwood ; Farewell, farewell!
My love is cheated, My home is burned,
My shame incompleted, I'm exiled, spurned. From land appealing To ocean's swell, Life's joyous feeling, Farewell, farewell!"
Their homes had not been burned but they had been pelted with stones and every other indignity heaped upon them. It seems strange that there should have been found in such a country and among such a people, those who would persecute for opionion's sake as these Colonists were persecuted. But no more strange than appears the burning of witches in New Eng- land, or that there should have been found among the descend- ants of the Pilgrim Fathers, those who tolerated laws to in- fliet capital punishment for the impossible crime of witchcraft.
The authentic history of nearly every nation begins with an emigration, and the cause of emigration is usually persecu- tion or unfavorable condition of the emigrant in his native country. In the dim vista of the past, beyond all history and spoken of by tradition only, this transfer of peoples from their native soil has been the course of empires.
It has been said that, "Though all written memorials may have perished of the vast processions which moved thousands
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of miles through centuries of time, they can be traced back over space and time by words indicating process and implements of primitive and universal industries, or war, or family rela- tions which are the common property of races that new seem almost diverse."
Great civilizations are those which are the most cosmo- politan, and those nations, as a rule, are the least progressive whose population is the most unmixed and exclusive. China may be cited as an example.
There has not been on earth within historic times, so far as I can call to mind, one single great civilized nation of un- mixed blood.
The Englishman is Celt, Anglo-Saxon, and Scandinavian, through immigration and conquest. The Frenchman is Celt, Roman and Goth. The American is an intermixture and a compound of nearly all nationalities of the earth. The United States of America is the greatest Republic in the world, and to be one of its worthy citizens, native or naturalized, is one of the greatest privileges of earth.
A large share of this greatness is due and traceable to the sterling character of its Colonists.
There can be no doubt that one cause of this, our adopted country's greatness, is to be found in the amalgamation of diverse races and nationalities that first colonized and peopled it. These considerations give great importance to occasions like this.
It is of no little moment that the descendants of a great people, who are destined to assist in forming a still greater race, are able to point to the very spot in this great Mississippi Val- ley, where is found the foundation head, the source of that af- fluent of Scandinavian blood which is making its way into that great stream of humanity which, like the great river, broadening and widening as it goes, receives its tributaries of many lands as it flows majestically through the heart of this great continent.
While our interest, our hopes and aspirations as well as the hopes and aspirations of our children are now all iden- tified with this, the land of our adoption, and while we are Americans all, we yet have a lingering love for the land of our birth, that spot where we first saw light, and we point
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with pardonable pride to the universally conceded fact that the Swedish character yields to that of no other nation in those traits which enable a people to form a new and great State; enterprising, hardy, independent and thrifty, with such thrift alone as industry, economy and honest toil can give, lovers of freedom and valiant in its defense, the Swedish peo- ple, whenever they have appeared in history, they have done so with honor and renown.
The name and fame of the great Gustaf Vasa, who es- caped from imprisonment and was afterward hunted like a wild beast, when he was concealed among the peasants of Dal- arne, is known throughout the world, as is also that of "Gustaf Adolph," and that great statesman of his age, Axel Oxenstjerna.
Strange that amid all the horrors of thirty-five year war in which Sweden was engaged, Gustaf Adolph should have found time to engage in the formation of a Colony, and yet we learn that in 1626 a charter was granted to a company of Swedes to form a Colony in the New World, in which the King pledged himself the sum of $400,000,to the stock of the enter- prise, and that in the following year a few emigrants came over.
The distractions of the terrible war delayed the establish- ment of this Colony, but it is said that the project was ever present in the minds of this illustrious King, and that only a few days before his heroic death at the battle of Lutzen, he declared it to be the "Jewel of his Kingdom."
After his death the Great Chancellor Oxenstjerna, under Queen Christina, carried out his design. The Charter was re- newed and finally in 1638 a Colony of Swedes and Fins landed upon the banks of the Delaware. The adjacent country became known as New Sweden. The Colony was united, prospered and maintained its independence during a period of about seventeen years, which, on account of the impoverished condition of Sweden, growing out of the 30 years of war, the infant Queen Christina was unable to protect her possessions in this country, and New Sweden was annexed to the possession of the Hol- landers, and eventually passed under the supremacy of William Penn.
It is said that the records of this first Swedish Colony are few, but entirely to the credit of the Colonists, and that one fact deserves special mention. The Colonists of other nations.
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were slave-holders. Slavery had been almost universal on this hemisphere. In the Charter of this Swedish Colony, however, the great Swedish King wrote, "The Swedish Nation is laborious and intelligent, and surely we shall gain more by a free people with wives and children." It thus appears that the first edict against slavery on this continent was by a Swedish King and the last by an American President. The first by the great Gustavus Adolphus ; the last by the martyred Abraham Lincoln.
Swedish representatives sat in the first legislature con- vened by William Penn at Philadelphia in 1683, and assisted in framing the thoroughly democratic constitution of the Colony.
In less than a hundred years later the Swede appears con- spicuously in the struggle for independence as the champion of American liberty.
The name of Axel Fersen and his comrades in arms should never be forgotten by the American people. When France sent her chivalrous soldiery under the leadership of LaFayette and Rochambeau, to aid the young Republic in its struggle against the oppression and tyranny of Great Britain, among the most gallant and courageous soldiers were those of the Royal Swedish Regiment in the service of Louis the XVI. Its Colonel was Axel Fersen, who afterwards distinguished himself for his daring attempt to rescue Marie Antoinette from her fatal captivity. This regiment of Swedes under the eye and in the presence of Washington, shed its blood upon the last battle- field of our Revolutionary war, at Yorktown, and there saw the flag of England lowered and the independence of the United States assured.
The number of Swedish Colonists on the Delaware river appears to have been something over 900, and it is interesting to note that their numbers appear to have been about or nearly the same as the members of the Bishop Hill Colony.
The names as given in the list of original members of the Colony of New Sweden clearly indicate their nationality but many of them have since become so corrupted or changed as to lose all trace of their Swedish origin, as for instance Hen- drickson was changed to Henderson, Kyn to Keen, Jokom to Yocum, Bonde to Boon, Jonasson to Jones, etc.
To many of the descendants of the Colony of New Sweden
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the language as well as the names of their ancestors have been lost. They have become so intermingled with other nationalities and the whole so thoroughly Americanized that it would at this time be impossible to tell how many of the citizens of Penn- sylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and other eastern states owe their origin to these early settlers on the Delaware river, but certain it is that these people have played an important part in forming the character and shaping the destinies of this country.
Communication between the descendants of the Swedish emi- grants to New Sweden and the Fatherland, and emigration from Sweden to this country had practically ceased long before the members of the Bishop Hill Colony, the persecuted "Lasare," of Helsingland and Westmanland began to cast about for a new home to which they could flee from their persecutors.
The advent of this new Swedish Colony was the beginning of a new epoch, the opening of a new tide of Swedish emigra- tion numbering according to the last census almost a million Scandinavians, who, together with their immediate descendants, are now almost as numerous as the present population of Sweden.
The advent of the Bishop Hill Colony in 1846 opened up a new tide of Swedish emigration unheard of before, which has peopled the state of Illinois and the entire Northwest with pros- perous Swedish homes and flourishing communities.
As any history of the United States which fails to men- tion the Swedish Colony of New Sweden must be incomplete, so a complete history of Illinois and the great Northwest can- not be written with the name of Bishop Hill Colony left out.
It should not be forgotten that the Bishop Hill Colony in Henry County, Illinois, were no less lovers of liberty than its prototype on the Delaware.
I understand that the first vote in this country of the Swedes of Bishop Hill was unanimous for the Democratic party when the question of human slavery became an issue in politics, they voted almost unanimously with the Republican party, be- cause that party was then the most radical in opposition to slavery and it has been said of them "that they were as true to the principles of liberty as the magnetic needle to the north pole."
When the war of the Rebellion broke out no citizen of this
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country was more loyal to the flag and the cause of the union than the members of the Bishop Hill Colony, none more ready to its defense and offer themselves if need be as a willing sac- rifice upon the altar of the bleeding country of their adoption. No soldiers from this great state displayed more courage, forti- tude and valor than did that Swedish company from Bishop Hill-Company D, 57th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers.
Another fact I wish to mention. There stands in Lincoln Park at Chicago a monument to Linnaeus, "the King of Flow- ers," an honor to the Swedish people of this country. A former citizen of Bishop Hill, perhaps more than any other man, is entitled to the credit of procuring the erection and completion of this monument.
While speaking of the achievements of the Scandinavians of this country, I must not forget to make honorable mention of that illustrious Swede who, through his inventive genius, came to the rescue of the cause of the Union, and in the darkest hour saved the United States navy from destruction and per- haps some of its principal cities from capture, a man who was an important factor in saving the union; a man who died in his adopted country, but whose remains were claimed by his native land and whose dust now sleeps in the bosom of his own mother earth, his memory honored alike in the land of his birth and the home of his adoption-need I mention his name-John Ericson, the inventor of the Monitor.
The Scandinavian race has also excelled in story, in song and saga as well as in war, statesmanship, poetry and science.
The name and fame of Jenny Lind, Christina Nilsson and Hans Christian Anderson is known throughout the world.
As faint glimmers of the "Northern Lights" of Scandi- navia may be seen in other countries so the genius of this people from the land of the midnight sun has illuminated other lands.
Historical Sketch-Philip J. Stoneberg, Bishop Hill. (From the Swedish original, translated and revised.)
Let us turn back in history to the earlier half of this century and give a look at the condition of religion in central Sweden.
A darkness, so to speak, envelopes the Established Church. Here and there-almost everywhere-the social life is stamped
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with intemperance. Priest and layman are neither better. Dane- ing, swearing, and card playing belong to the order of the day.
But here and there, nevertheless, a light is shining in this dark night. A few have obeyed the Lord's voice and have for- saken the ways of sin. The bible or religious writings are studied in private or in meetings. These burning lights are the "Read- ers" or "Devotionalists."
Thus Devotionalists were found in Soderala parish, South Helsingland, as early as 1825. Among them were Jonas and Olof Olson, who were especially active in this work. Then there lived a few in Ofvanaker parish while in 1837 a revival took place among the youth of Alfta, but the result was only temp- orary ; among the awakened was Andrew Berglund. In Nor- rala, Bjuraker and elsewhere, Devotionalists were found as time went on.
But another Devotionalist may be particularly mentioned. Born, December 19, 1808, in Biskops Kulla parish, Uppland, he was converted in the morning of life; for he was 26 years old when, as if through Providential intervention, he was healed from certain physical ailments and came to feel a deep religious spirit. Through love for the brethren this "reader" Eric Jan- son-went to visit "readers" in South Helsingland. He was then living in Osterunda parish, Westmanland. The year fol- lowing, 1843, he as a tradesman, took a load of flour and went northward. In Soderala he stopped over Sabbath with Jonas Olson. With him he attended a devotional meeting. At the next meeting Eric Janson made a stirring talk to the people assembled. He proclaimed that the bible is the only true guide to salvation, and for a religious life. Further journeys were made to Helsingland. One of these was to Hudiksvall when Janson visited Forssa parish. His success as a revival preacher was great.
In 1843 Janson moved to Forssa parish, from whence Olof Stoneberg moved to Osterunda, Westmanland. Meantime the revivals continued. Several men who were fluent speakers ad- dressed the gatherings. Not a few laid aside their everyday work temporarily and made trips to other parishes. All these people were now called Jansonists, since Janson had been instrumental in starting this religious awakening.
Opposition arose on the part of the Established Church
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because the teachings of Janson were looked on as disturbing. Janson maintained that salvation implies full cleansing from sin and the acquiring of peace. He regarded the bible as the one book which should be read to give light on eternal things.
Janson's declaration regarding devotional books was not without its results. On June 11, 1814, many books were burned in Alfta. In October a pile of books was burnt in Soderala; while books also were consigned to the flames the same fall in Forssa.
The days of arrest and prison-confinement were at hand. Janson was taken on June 13, 1844-two days after the burn- ing of books in Alfta-and hurried to Gefle prison, thence to Westeras. Through a petition to the King he was freed. Four men went to Stockholm and after considerable difficulty re- ceived an audience before the King, who said that on their ar- rival home Janson would be free again. When freed, Janson himself, with a companion, went to the King, who asked him: "Do you desire mercy ?" "No, I desire justice," was the reply. When about to go out it was found that the door could not be opened, but the King led them out a back way-a sign, as it were, of how Janson was to one day leave his native country.
He was arrested in November and transported to Gefle to be tried for insanity ; but he was released and ordered to Up- sala to be "warned for delusions." On Derember 22 he was taken in Soderala to Gefle prison, where he was till April 18, 1845, when he was released through petition to the King.
If Eric Janson had to suffer, his followers were likewise subjected to fines, blows and imprisonment. Much could be said about this, but we must confine ourselves to relate only a few of such occurrences.
In the summer of 1844 a certain number of persons had to appear before the court at Thorstuna on account of complaint of the Parish Priest at Osterunda, and pay fines.
On December 18th, the same year, Jonas and Olof Olson were sued to appear at Upsala to answer for their religious belief. In Gefle they were arrested for preaching, but released when their destination was made known. Through the assistance of Justice Henschen they were enabled to call on the King at Stockholm, who promised to help. On their arrival at Upsala the two brothers were not fairly treated. After returning home,
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Jonas Olson was arrested on New Year's eve, taken to Gefle and placed among prisoners whom he, as a crown official, had formerly assisted in convicting. He was released in a few days.
In Soderala it happened that Olof Olson read at a small gathering the Lord's prayer, and something from the Scriptures. For this he was fined 100 crowns and 10 crowns for "Sabbath breaking." In Osterunda parish, Olof Stoneberg was reading from the bible Sunday afternoon, May 12, 1845, at a gathering at a neighbor's house. A mob came, entered the room and severly bruised the reader, while others also received blows.
About 11 o'clock on the night of August 17, 1845, the Par- ish Priest in Osterunda, with a few other men, broke into a dwelling place and behaved unseemly. Their object was to search for Janson.
A prayer meeting was being held in Forssa parish, on June 24, 1845, under the leadership of Eric Janson. The sheriff, the priest and a large mob came, too. Their purpose was to arrest Janson. As the sheriff stood on the steps from which Janson was speaking, he was pushed down by a plucky woman. Janson stepped down, went through the crowd and with a few companions made his escape to Soderala parish.
For fifteen weeks Janson was concealed from the public. Thirty crowns were offered for information as to his where- abouts. Then the priest in Delsbo parish sued Janson to appear at the court there for "blasphemous utterances." Janson fin- nally agreed to go to Delsbo which he did with a friend. The judge saw no cause for imprisonment; but because of the great hostilities toward Janson it was decided to confine him for life in Gefle prison.
While Janson was being taken to prison, there appeared four men on the highway; one stopped the horse; another cut the reins; a third threw the driver's cloak over the latter's head and held him; the fourth took Janson from the prison-cart. Janson was then concealed in the parishes of Bollnas, Voxna, Ofvanaker, Alfta, Mora and Malung. A journey was thereupon made over forests and mountains to Christiana. Norway. Here, in January, 1846, under an assumed name, he left with a few for America.
That Sweden was not ripe for the Jansonists is apparent
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from the persecutions referred to. There was no longer any hope for them to enjoy the privileges of the Established Church. Besides, they were denied the right to witness in courts. Thus but little was left for them in Sweden.
Some adventurous Swede had once in a while traveled to America. Already in 1845 Olof Olson had gone to America. In New York he enjoyed the friendship and hospitality of Rev. O. G. Hedstrom in the "Bethel" Ship. Olson was later recom- mended to Rev. Hedstrom's brother, Rev. Jonas Hedstrom, of Victoria, Illinois.
The time Janson had passed in imprisonment and isolation had not been lost. A hymn-book was written; also a catechism. These were printed with great risk to the printers.
Janson made a plan for the emigration. As it occurred in the apostles' days so should it now occur. Janson appointed certain men, who should receive all money into a common fund, for the communistic society it had been decided to form. Property was sold and money obtaned. As much as 24,000 crowns came under Gabriel Larson's name from Malung. Others again were poor, whose debts were paid, besides their passage.
It was found that about 1,100 people were ready to emi- grate. But the emigration was not to take place without dif- ficulties. Passports were denied the people, and it was only through a petition to the royal authorities that everything was made clear. Nor did the emigration take place without the exemplification of Scripture. Husband and wife were parted; cildren from their parents; parents from their children. Some- times no well uttered farewell was spoken-in the dead of night family ties were unceremoniously severed. Friends, relatives parted to meet no more on earth.
A voyage on the sea was not so inviting in those days as now. The ships were small and incommodious. But of course the many Swedish emigrants had to put up with the conditions existing.
The first shipload of emigrants that left Soderhamn suf- fered shipwreck and the voyage was repeated later.
One ship at one time, another at another, left port, either at Soderhamn or Gefle or Stockholm or Goteburg. A stop was usually made at Copenhagen, whereupon the course was directly to New York. The number of emigrant passengers varied. One
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