USA > Maine > Aroostook County > New Sweden > The Story of New Sweden as told at the quarter centennial celebration of the founding of the Swedish colony in the woods of Maine, June 25, 1895 > Part 8
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I need not say to you that it would have afforded me great pleas- ure to be present on an occasion intended to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of a town founded under so unique cir- cumstances as New Sweden was, and grown into so manly propor- tions in so brief a period. It seems but yesterday since my good friend, Mr. Thomas, pointed the way of the stalwart Swedish pio- neers who crossed the Atlantic and found their way to the primeval forest of Aroostook, where now appear so fine farms and so attrac- tive homes. It is rarely ever that so early success crowns the work of the pioneers.
I most heartily congratulate you and the Swedish-Americans of New Sweden on the happy auspices under which you celebrate the Quarter Centennial of your prosperous town.
Please accept my thanks for your courtesy, and my best wishes for the success of your celebration.
Cordially yours,
NELSON DINGLEY JR.
BELFAST, June 15, 1895.
Hon. W. W. Thomas Jr .:
DEAR SIR: - Please accept my cordial thanks for your kind invitation to be present at the Quarter Centennial Celebration at. New Sweden. It was both brave and enterprising on your part to enter upon so great an undertaking as the transferring of a large colony of people across the Atlantic and settling them in the fertile county of Aroostook, which is becoming by the energy and intelli- gence of its people the garden spot of New England. The success of your enterprise is demonstrated by the thrift of the Swedish colony, and the prosperity which seems to be assured for them in the future.
Their intelligence, civility of manner and willingness to work, cannot but secure for them a high degree of prosperity, and materi- ally add to the wealth of the State. Moreover a community of diligent, intelligent, industrious and saving people will not fail to have a good influence upon other communities around them. I earnestly congratulate you upon what I feel assured will be the success of the Quarter Centennial Celebration at New Sweden, and the valuable results which I am sure cannot fail to grow out of it.
128
THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
Hoping for the continued prosperity of the Swedish colony, and that the people of our State will never fail to give credit to you for your great and patriotic effort in establishing it, I am with sincere regards
Very truly yours,
S. L. MILLIKEN.
BRUNSWICK, ME., June 23, 1895. F. O. Landgrane, Sec.'y New Sweden Q. C. Committee.
MY DEAR SIR :- It is with much disappointment that I am com- pelled at the last hour to forego the anticipated pleasure of being with you in the celebration of a most interesting event in your history and the history of our State. I have also a personal reason and right to share your satisfaction; for the conditions calling for this celebration serve to justify, after many years, a judgment and sentiment of mine, which at the time were not shared by some of those who now justly applaud your success, and appreciate its bearings on your well-being and ours.
Indeed these ends are not now diverse; they are identified. This is the very ground of our greeting. We are together citizens of this state and of this great republic. Whatever its privileges are, what- ever its glory is, whatever its corresponding responsibilities, we share them on equal terms and with brotherly regard
I am sure our people recognize the great qualities which have marked the race of your origin in its career of history, and which are still manifest in its magnanimous and patient bearing in the difficult questions of the day affecting your old kingdom across the waters.
We appreciate what you bring us to mingle with the elements .
which are to form the future character of this people. You rein- force for us the strength of the home virtues -I mean by this the virtues which preserve and enoble the home, and so reach the vital point of a nation's life. Add to these the spirit and body of a brave, energetic, robust manliness, and we have the safeguard of liberty and honor and true prosperity.
With these, you take your place with this great people; you cherish the hopes, the pride, the loyalty, which will ensure the best ends of living for all the citizens of the republic. You accept the duty, the service, the sacrifice by which the best things are won and held.
In the great issues which are to be tried in this country within the next " quarter-century," you will bear your part well, which if not called to be conspicuous in public history, will yet tell with irresistible force in the vital currents of a people's character. In the sterling qualities of manhood and womanhood which you cher-
129
LETTERS.
ish are the fiber and life-blood of which human history is to be wrought.
This may strike rather too solemn a strain for the festivities of your joyous occasion. If I had the inspiration of the presence of all the tokens of well-doing and well-being which surround you, I might catch the key-note from you. But aecept what I say as also belonging to you, and as coming from me with sincerity and affec- tion. With all greetings for the future as for the past.
Truly yours,
JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN.
PARIS, ME., June 22, 1895. F. O. Landgrane, Secretary of Committee.
I regret that I am compelled to forego the pleasure of being present at the Quarter-Centennial Celebration of New Sweden, I have been deeply interested in the establishment and growth of the "Swedish colony " from the beginning, and now I rejoice with you in the great success that has crowned your efforts. You have honored your native land and have added honor and prosperity to the State of Maine,
Very truly yours,
SIDNEY PERIIAM.
OFFICE OF THE EVENING EXPRESS.
PORTLAND, ME, June 20, 1895. F. O. Landgrane, Sec'y Q. C. Committee, New Sweden, Me.
DEAR SIR :- Your kind note of invitation to be present at the celebration of your Quarter Centennial is received, and it is with great regret that I am compelled, by press of business engage- ments, to forego the pleasure which a trip to your county at such a time would give me.
Permit me to express to you my cordial congratulations upon the growth and prosperity of your town We in Portland have been much interested in your development; first, because we have learned to have great respeet for your people, so many of whom have become our people; and second, because your father in Amer- ica, Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr., is our townsman. So we have watched and applauded your efforts to grow up a sturdy settlement in the north woods, and we have been more than gratified with the result.
Thanking you most sincerely for your invitation, and wishing for you all a continance of happiness and prosperity, in this, our common country, I am, sir,
Most sincerely yours,
GEORGE W. NORTON.
130
THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
OFFICE OF GENERAL MANAGER, MAINE CENTRAL RAILROAD.
PORTLAND, June 11, 1895. F. O. Landgrane, Esq., Secretary New Sweden, Maine :
DEAR SIR : - I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your courteous invitation to be present at the Quarter Centennial Celebration of the founding of New Sweden to be held on June 25, and to assure you how deeply I regret that imperative business engagements will prevent my acceptance
You of New Sweden do well to celebrate this anniversary of the founding of your colony, now firmly established in our grand old commonwealth after a quarter-century's struggles and trials. The State of Maine is proud of you, your sterling worth, your great results. You may well take pride in the mental worth, in the industry and economy, in the indomitable perseverance, and above all, in the high principles which have ever characterized the peo- ple of New Sweden. You have accomplished much and in such manner as to give bright promise of a noble future.
I desire to add my congratulations to the many which you will receive, and my earnest hopes that your anniversary may be as happy as the past it celebrates. Believe me
Very truly yours, PAYSON TUCKER.
OFFICE OF GENERAL MANAGER, BANGOR AND AROOSTOOK R. R. BANGOR, MAINE, June 11, 1895. F. O. Landgrane, Esq., Secretary, New Sweden, Me .:
DEAR SIR :- I hasten to thank you for your cordial invita- tion to be present at the Celebration of June 25, and to express my regret that engagements elsewhere will prevent my accepting.
I know that the colony of New Sweden has been an important factor in drawing population to Northern Aroostook, and in part made the Bangor and Aroostook railroad possible. It is my belief that the road will bring a still greater measure of development and prosperity to your model Swedish colony, which has every reason to celebrate the wonderful progress made in the first twenty-five years of its existence. Yours truly,
F. W. CRAM.
Rev. Frank J. Liljegren, of New Haven, Connecti- cut, a former pastor of the Baptist church at New Sweden, now gave an address in the Swedish lan- guage which was received with applause.
131
CLOSING EXERCISES.
The old settlers, Capt. Nicholas P. Clase, Nils Persson, Anders Swensson and Truls Persson, four members of the original colony, then stood up on the tribune where they had seats, and were pre- sented to the audience by the President. The fifth survivor of the original twenty-two men, Nils Olsson, the first lay minister, was confined to his house by sickness.
In response to earnest and vociferous calls from the Swedes, Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr., arose and addressed them in the Swedish language. This speech aroused great applause and laughter. In- deed at one point the enthusiasm reached such a pitch that the Swedes all stood up and cheered loud and long, but what it was all about the editor of this volume is unable to say.
Another selection by the band closed the formal exercises of the day.
Tables already spread, were now brought forth from some hidden nook of the forest and placed upon the tribune, and here the guests of New Sweden were entertained with an elaborate and sumptuous banquet, while the Swedes dined in picnic parties throughout the grove.
Late in the afternoon the guests drove out of the Swedish woods carrying with them golden opinions of New Sweden, but the Swedes kept up the cele- bration with speeches, music and song till close of this happy and historic day.
APPENDIX.
THE FIRST SETTLERS.
List of the twenty-two men of the first Swedish colony, who sailed from Sweden with Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr., June 25, 1870, together with the lots upon which they settled, in the township of New Sweden, and the adjoining Plantation of Woodland.
NICHOLAS P. CLASÉ,
Lot No. 135,
New Sweden.
NILS OLSSON,
115,
CARL VOSS,
11112,
GOTTLIEB T. PILTS,
114,
OSCAR G. W. LINDBERG,
114%,
JÖNS PERSSON,
116,
66
SVEN SVENSSON,
KARL G. HARLEMAN,
66
118,
66
66
TRULS PERSSON,
66
133,
66
NILS PERSSON,
66
13512
JOHAN PETTER JOHANSSON,
136,
ANDERS JOHANSSON,
66
137,
66
ANDERS SVENSSON,
66
138,
66
OLOF OLSSON,
66
66
13812,
PEHR PETTERSSON,
Lot Letter A,
Woodland.
SOLOMON JOHANSSON,
66
B,
JONAS BODIN,
66
C,
JONAS BODIN, JR.,
66
D,
FRANS R. W. PLANK,
E,
JACOB JOHANSSON,
66
F,
66
117,
66
66
JANNE L. LAURELL,
121/2,
134,
66
66
OLOF G. MORELL,
66
133
APPENDIX.
THE PLANTATION OF NEW SWEDEN.
Early in March, 1876, some thirty of the first com- ers in the colony were naturalized by the Supreme Court sitting in Houlton, and on April 6, 1876, New Sweden was legally organized into a plantation. An election was held, and officers chosen the same day. The following were the first officers of the Plantation of New Sweden :
NILS OLSSON,
GABRIEL GABRIELSON,
Assessors.
PEHR O. JUHLEN,
CARL J. TORNQVIST, Clerk,
TRULS PERSSON, Treasurer, Collector and Constable.
JOHN BORGESON,
JOHN P. JACOBSSON,
School Committee.
PETTER PETTERSON,
134
THE STORY OF NEW SWEDEN.
THE TOWN OF NEW SWEDEN.
New Sweden was incorporated as a town on January 29, 1895. The first town election was held on the March 6, 1895, and the following persons were elected the first officers of the Town of New Sweden :
LARS P. LARSON,
OLA H. NELSON,
Selectmen.
CARL G. EKMAN,
AXEL H. TORNQUIST, Town Clerk.
PEHR O. JUHLIN, Treasurer.
ANDERS NELSON, Collector and Constable.
ERIK RINGDAHL, Constable.
MICHAEL U. NORBERG, Sup't.
FRANK O. LANDGRANE, Clerk.
OLA H. NELSON,
School Committee.
LARS LUNDVALL,
CARL J. JOHANSON,
ALFRED A. ANDERSON,
CARL G. EKMAN,
Truant Officers.
OLA H. NELSON,
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