History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 18

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 18

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The land on the west side of the river, which the Swedes had purchased of the heathen, first in Me- newe's time and afterwards under Governor Printz, or had acquired a right to by agreement, stretched from Cape Henlopen to the Falls of the Delaware, and thence westward to the great fall in the river Susquehanna, near the mouth of the Conewaga Creek.

1 A Swedish mile ie 6.648 English miles, or 11,700 yards.

2 No doubt mosquitoes, which are sometimes very troublesome in that

part of New Jersey. Compare the English midge. 1

8 Now Schuylkill, according to the Dutch orthography.

THE FIRST SWEDISH SETTLEMENTS.

These Indians were called by Europeans in general Delawares, but within a circle of eighteen miles around the Swedes there were ten or eleven separate tribes, each having its own sackkewan1 or king. Among these were especially the Minesinkos, the Mynkusses or Mineguesses, upon the so-called Mani- quas or Minqua's Kihl (Christina), with whom the Swedes formed a special friendship. These extended twelve Swedish miles2 into the interior of the country, on to the Conestoga and the Susquehanna, where they had a fort, which was a square surrounded by pali- sades, with some iron pieces, on a hill, and some houses within it. But some of them were with the Swedes every day, who also once or twice in a year made a journey up into the country among the Mine- quesses with their wares for sale.

The Swedes maintained friendly relations with the Indian tribes, and made extensive purchases of lands from them, extending to the Susquehanna River. Acrelius says, "The old Indians still tell of the treaties which their forefathers made with the Swedes, as also how far they were disposed to admit them into their country." Of this it may serve as evidence to introduce the following extract from the minutes of the treaty made in Lancaster :

"THE COURT-HOUSE IN LANCASTER, " June 26, 1744, P.M.

" Present,-Hon. George Thamas, Kt., Lieutenant-Governor of Peun- sylvanie, etc., the Hon. Commissioners of Virginia, the Hon. Cominis- sionars of Maryland, the deputies of the Six Nations of Indians, Conrad Weiser, interpreter.

" Canastego, the Indiens' spokesman, spoke as follows:

"' Brother, the Governor of Merylead : When you spoke of the affair of the land yesterday, you went back to old times, and told us you had heen in possession of the province of Maryland above one hundred years. But what is one hundred years in comparison to the length of time aince our claim began, since we came up ont of this ground ? For we must tell you that long before one hundred years our ancestors came forth ont of this very graund, and their children have remained here ever since. You came out of the ground in a country that lies beyond seas ; there you may have a just claim, but here you must allow us to be your elder brethren, and the lands to belong to us long before you knew anything of them. It is true that about one hundred years ago a German ship came hithier and brought with them verions articles, such as awls, knives, hatchets, gute, and many other things, which they gave 18. And when they had tanght us to use these things, and we saw what kind of a people they were, we were so well pleased with them that we tied their ships to the bushes on the share, and afterwards, liking them still better, and the more the longer they stayed with us, thinking that the bushes were too weak, we changed the place of the rope, and fastened it to the trees, nud as the trees might be overthrowu by a storm, or fall down of themselves (su strong was our friendship for them), we again changed the place of the rope and bound it to a very strong rock. [Here the interpreter said, They mean the land of Onondaga.] There we fastened it very securely, and rolled wampum around it. For still greater Security we stood upon the wampum and sat upon it to fasten it, and to prevent all injury, and we took the greatest care to keep it uninjured for all time. As long as that stood the newly-arrived Germans racog- nized uur right to the country, and from time to time urged us to give them portions of our land, and that they might enter into a union and treaty with ne, and become ona people with us.'"

That this is more correctly said of the Swedes than of the Hollanders can be inferred from this, that the Hollanders never made such a purchase from them

as to include their whole country, which the Swedes did. Yet the English are rather disposed to explain this in favor of the Hollanders. The savages re- garded both the Swedes and Hollanders, being Euro- peans, as one people, and looked upon their quarrels as disagreements between different families.

Purchases of land from the wild tribes were made in this way : Both parties set their names and marks under the purchase contract ;3 two witnesses also were taken by the Christians. When these made their oath that they were informed as to the transac- tion, and had seen the payment made, then the pur- chase was valid. If the kings or chiefs of the Indians signed such an agreement in the presence of a num- ber of their people, then it was legitimate on their side. In former times they were quite truthful, al- though oaths were not customary among them. But it was not so in later times, after they had more inter- course with Christians. Payments were made in awls, needles, scissors, knives, axes, guns, powder and balls, together with blankets of frieze or felt, which they wrap around them. One blanket sufficed for their dress. These wares they secured for themselves for their skins of beavers, raccoons, sables, gray foxes, wild-cats, lynxes, bears, and deer.

Governor John Printz was the most rigorous and enterprising official that ruled on the Delaware River, and was perhaps the most zealous of all his country- men for the success and permanency of the New Sweden. He resisted the encroachments of the Eng- lish on the one hand and the Hollanders on the other, while he co-operated with his own people in extend- ing their settlements up the Schuylkill Valley and westward towards the Susquehanna. He was ap-

3 Conrad Weiser, born in Germany, 1696, and come to this country in his fourteenth year, and present at Lancaster, as above stated, is the an- cestor of the Rev. C. Z. Weiser, now residing at Greenville, Montgomery Co., Pa. He was greatly beloved by the Indians, and possessed their con- fidence in all matters connected with the transfer of lands to the settlers. William M. Reynolds, D.D., the translator of Acrelius, referring to him says, "He stayed at one time in the Ephrata cloister, among the monks called Beiselians, Dunkards, or Dumplars, a kind of Anabaptists. Dur- ing that time he also let his beard grow, according to the law of the order. He was for many years an interpreter between the Indians and the English in their councils. The former had the same confidence in him as one of their own race. They have given him the name of Ta- rachawagon. When a sale of land is made the Indians subscribe on the one side and the English commissioners upon the other. Then the inter- preter must write his name, Tarachawagon, first under those of the In- dians, and then 'Conrad Weiser' nadler the English, as a sign that each has an equal share in him. So it also went with his beard. At the meet- ing in Lancaster, in 1744 (June), when they came together, and before they began to consult, they first took half of his beard off (all Indians hate beards, possibly because they do not or cannot grow any them- selves) of him, as their own right. Next it was among their principal representations to the meeting, aud especially to the Governor of Penn- sylvania, that he should take off the other part of Tarachiawagon's heard, since he would otherwise scare their little children when he came among them. To give their speech the greater weight, they here deliv- ered a string of wampum, as is the custom. The Governor, before his departure, assured then that he would take off the other part of Weiser's beard, and that he had already given an order for this. In confirmation of his sincerity and good faith he also gave them a string of wampom, which was received with their usual exclamation of joy, 'Yo-hah, yo- hah !' ">

1 Commonly written " sachem" by English writers.

" Ninety-three English miles.

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

pointed Governor at the instance of Axel Oxen- stierna, the most confidential adviser of the fallen Gustaf Adolph, and who was the central power during the regency of Christina, as well as the author of elaborate instructions. He held the Dutch in check, closed the mouth of the Schuylkill against them, and secured the Indian trade of that river for the Swedish West India Company. The thrift and business enterprise of the Swedish colonists in com- manding the resources of the outlying country is evidenced by the extent of their shipment to the home government. In one year "thirty thousand skins" were brought in by the Indians, who procured them from the country between the Schuylkill and Susquehanna. The policy of Governor Printz in closing navigable rivers to his rivals was sagacious, and merited for him the confidence of his followers. Having secured the trade of the Schuylkill, he deter- mined to break up a Dutch trading-post on the Dela- ware River at a place called Santhickan, where Tren- ton is now located. At this point the Holland com- mander established himself and planted the arms of the States-General on the shore of the river, and where large collections of skins were bartered for by the Dutch traders. Printz ordered this national in- signia to be displaced, and dispatched a lieutenant and squad of men to carry out the order. The event took place on the 8th of September, 1646. The officer in charge of the expedition carried out his instruc- tions to the letter, aud when he was asked by the Hollanders in charge of the post, " How dare you do such a thing?" replied, " If the very standard of the States-General stood there I would treat it in the same manner." Printz is said to have been the first person to build a water-mill in New Swedeland. The site selected was on Water-Mill Stream, now Cobb's Creek. This was a great convenience to the Swedes, and Indian squaws came for many miles in every direction to have their corn ground for domestic use. The successful administration of Governor Printz cast a shadow upon the Dutch commissary, Jan Jansson Ilpendam, who had charge of affairs on the east shore of the Delaware. Ilpendam was re- called, and one Andries Hndde was installed in his place. This change increased rather than allayed the frequency of contentions between the rival colo- nists. Hudde was directed by his superior officer to replant the arms of the States-General, which he did. Printz dispatched Lieut. Huygens to pull it down. Hudde was on the alert, and placed the offending officer in arrest, sending a messenger to Printz that he would punish him for his intended act of rash- ness. Printz replied that he would retaliate, and in- sisted upon his company's right to extend their trade and dominion ; finally, he treated Hudde's messenger with indignity, hastening his departure from his pres- ence with threats of violence. This episode ended the official correspondence between them, and Printz assumed an unfriendly attitude. He guarded the

line of the Schuylkill with care, " persecuted or ex- pelled every Dutchman in New Sweden who would not take the oath of allegiance to Queen Christina,"" sold fire-arms and ammunition to the Indians, over- hauled Dutch vessels coming up the Delaware, and finally raided the premises of Hudde, despoiled his gardens and fruit-trees, and otherwise desolated the place and surroundings. His conduct seems to have excited public inquiry, and a committee of the High Council of the New Netherlands came from Manhat- tan to investigate the "outrages." These officials, bearing credentials, presented themselves to Gov- ernor Printz at Fort Gottenburg. The approaches being duly guarded, the officer in charge kept them in waiting until he could communicate with his chief; meantime the rain descended in torrents, soaking these dignitaries to the skin, greatly to their displeasure. All preliminaries being arranged, they were finally admitted to an audience with the Gov- ernor. They delivered their protest against the con- duct of his Excellency, and insisted upon the right of their countrymen to make settlements on the Schuylkill. They retired without molestation, but their effort to secure favor was not reciprocated by the implacable Swede.

A change in the director-generalship of the New Netherlands took place May 27, 1647. Peter Stuy- vesant succeeded William Kieft. Meantime the im- portance of securing titles to lands became a para- mount object to the most enterprising of the settlers, and trade with the Indians for peltries a secondary matter. 'Stuyvesant employed agents, who went among the Indians and bartered for large tracts on both sides of the Delaware, in many instances purchasing the same lands previously sold by the Indians to the Swedes, the natives being willing to repeat their sales if the "white man would buy," and the Dutch "white man" buying in some instances what he knew to have been previously sold to the Swedes, but whose evidence of purchase was not on record or susceptible of proof. As the Hollanders always preserved carefully-prepared evidences of their purchases, and had them duly re- corded at their principal office at Manhattan, it enabled Stuyvesant to greatly embarrass Printz in disputes arising between them. Stuyvesant sent to Printz ex- emplifications of his records, describing large tracts of land, and demanded of him an exhibition of his titles. "Printz could merely define the limits of his territory, and say that his papers were on file in the Chancellory of Sweden." Finding himself thus em- barrassed, Printz sought to make a new contract with the chief Waspang Zewan. Stuyvesant1 became ap- prised of the secret negotiations, and personally dealt

1 Peter Stuyvesant was appointed Governor of the New Netherlands July 28, 1646, and arrived at the Manhattans (now New York) on the 11th of May, 1647. llis administration lasted until Sept. 8, 1664, when he surrendered to the English under Col. Nichols, and the name of New York was substituted for that of New Amsterdam, and the New Netli- erlands disappeared from the New World .- Acrelius.

THE FIRST SWEDISH SETTLEMENTS.

with the Indians, securing a title to lands on both sides of the Delaware River from Christiana Creek to Bombay Hook ; and, to make his triumph complete over Governor Printz, induced the wily Indians to deny that they had ever sold any of the lands de- scribed to the Swedes. To protect this acquisition from possible loss, Stuyvesant located and constructed Fort Casimir on the Delaware River, at a point at or near the present town of New Castle. The rivalry between these officials continued from 1647 to 1651.

GOVERNOR PETER STUYVESANT.

The increasing interest in their respective colonies led to personal interviews, induced by the increasing numbers and pretensions of the English, who were also crowding their way up the Delaware River. Finally " they mutually promised to cause no difficul- ties or hostility to each other, but to keep neighborly friendship and correspondence together and act as friends and allies." Two years of amity followed, when Printz returned to his native land.

Before embarking, October, 1653, he committed the government of the colony to the official care of his son-in-law, John Pappegoya, who ruled till May, 1654, when he was succeeded by John Claudius Rising. Of the advent of this officer and those who accompanied him Acrelius says, "In the year 1654 the ship 'Eagle' arrived from Sweden. Upon it came John Claudius Rising, formerly secretary in the Royal College of Commerce, but now appointed com- missary and Governor's assistant councilor in New Sweden. In his company was the engineer, Peter Lindström, together with various officers, officials, and military. Their clergyman was one named Peter. The inhabitants of the country, submitting to the

Swedish government, should enjoy free allodial grants for themselves and their heirs, have the liberty of trading with the natives at their pleasure, introduce their goods into New Sweden, export them at two per cent., and then be free from all duties in Sweden and its subject provinces. The special privileges given to certain participants in the tobacco trade in the year 1653 were also revoked, as they had fallen into disorder, while, on the other hand, the exclusive privi- lege of the American Company to the enjoyment of that trade was renewed. The inclination to emigrate from Sweden to America was so strong that when the ship set sail over one hundred families of good and respectable people, provided with good passports and recommendations, were compelled to remain in Göthe- borg. They had sold house and home and all their goods in the expectation of becoming Americans, along with their wives and children, but could not get away for want of room on the ships. They ar- rived safely, and immediately came to Fort Casimir, the fort upon Sandhuk, which they first saluted with two guns. They theu sent up to the commandant to ask whether he would surrender the fort, which had been so improperly erected upon the Swedes' ground and against their protests. But when the comman- dant required rather a long time for deliberation, Commissary Rising landed about thirty soldiers, against whom the fort was not strong enough to de- fend itself, yet the Hollanders did not at that time purchase any right to the land with their blood. A correct inventory was made of everything in the fort, and every one was allowed to carry off his property, whether belonging to the company or to private in- dividuals. The people were left at liberty either to go away or, after taking the oath of allegiance to the Swedish crown, to remain and be protected in all their rights. This was done upon Trinity Sunday, on which account the fort was called by the Swedes the Fort of the Holy Trinity. It was afterwards, ac- cording to the plans and measurements of the engi- neer, Peter Lindström, as good as built anew, and was at the same time improved with outworks.

The Hollanders could not digest the affront put upon them when Director Rising captured Fort Casi- mir, and at the same time drove them out of New Sweden. From that day they began to collect their forces, but could not immediately show what they had in their mind. Meanwhile, to their great joy, it happened that Mr. Deswijk, captain and supercargo of a Swedish ship called "Golden Shark," which was sent to reinforce the Swedes, as well as to carry goods back again, had the misfortune to cast anchor close alongside of their coast, while he regarded the Hol- landers as old friends and neighbors, but was imme- diately seized by them and considered a good prize. The following extracts from the New York records will give the facts of this seizure :

"Oct. 17-24, 1654. Capt. Deswijk declares that, by an oversight of the pilot, his ship was compelled to

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

go up into the Raritan River, where the Hollanders forcibly seized them, and kept him a prisoner in New Amsterdam, whither he came to obtain a pilot who should conduct him to the South River, or the river of New Sweden. 'You now pretend,' says he, 'that Mr. John Rising, the Governor of New Sweden, had taken Fort Casimir from yon, to which you pretend to have a right, which pretension has no ground nor

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FORT CASIMIR OR TRINITY FORT. [From Campanius' " New Sweden."]

certainty. That fortress was built by your general director in the year 1651, rather by force and violence than by right and justice, on the South River, a soil and country belonging to Her Royal Majesty of Sweden, my Most Gracious Queen, against whichi Governor Printz protested. Therefore said John Rising has not taken it from you, but has only taken back property which belongs to her Majesty of Sweden. It cannot be proved that he has taken a single penny of any of your subjects. But when the free people who lived there, and wished to remain permanently, had given their oath of allegiance, they were all pro- tected in their rights. Further, no man who lives on lands there has ever been detained, but has always been left at liberty to go where he pleased, and also to take his goods and chattels with him. But as con- cerns myself you treat me in a very different way,'" etc.

To this Governor Stuyvesant and his Council answered as follows: "To the unfounded protest presented by Mr. Deswijk, factor of the Swedish Company, it is answered that, although he pretends to have sailed into this river by the oversight of his pilot, and had sent his people to us as to good friends and neighbors, the facts do not so appear to us. Di- rector Rising's hostile conduct to us is well known when, under an appearance of friendship, he came before our Fortress Casimir, on the South River, in the New Netherlands, gave two salutes, and sent

thirty men on shore, who were welcomed by our com- mandant and official as friends and neighbors. But when they saw the weakness of our garrison they did not treat our few soldiers as friends and neighbors of the crown of Sweden, but as declared enemies, though they belonged to the States-General and the West India Company. With force and arms they made themselves masters of Fort Casimir, with all its anı- munition, houses, and other things belonging to the far-famed West India Company, in direct opposition to all rights and usages of war, and they still hold the same. They have also compelled some of our officers, together with other free people who repre- sented the States-General and the West India Com- pany, to renounce their oath of allegiance and submit to the crown of Sweden," etc. Other supposed in- juries and insults were also recounted, etc.

What lame pretexts are here urged for that outrage all the world can see. What the Hollanders had, on various occasions before this, done to the English, compelling them to relinquish places which they had occupied, and allowing the people to depart with their property, or to remain in the country as their subjects, that they now determined to do to the Swedes, in conflict with all the laws and usages of na- tions, because this best pleased themselves, although it was an entirely different matter to take possession of one's own land from a foreign power and its gar- rison, which sought the injury of the country and its government, where all had liberty to go their way and take with them that which belonged to them, and to keep a ship with all its goods and people, which had of necessity come into their harbor, but was willing to leave it immediately and without cre- ating the least disturbance. Finally their hostilities burst forth in a full flame. On the 30th of August, 1655, came the Holland Governor Peter Stuyvesant, with seven vessels, great and small, and from six hun- dred to seven hundred men strong, from the North River and New Amsterdam np into the river of New Sweden, and fell violently upon the Swedes. He made his first night-camp in the abandoned and de- cayed Fort Elfsborg, where he arrayed his soldiers, and took some freemen prisoners. The following day he sailed past Fort Trinity, and landed upon a point which is now called Swanevik. There they be- gan to throw up some intrenchments, and with threats and arguments demanded the surrender of the fort. Sven Schute, the commander there, endeavored partly to dissuade and partly to hold out against their at- tack until he could receive reinforcements from Christina, but all in vain. The road to Christina had already been beset by the Hollanders, so that no one could either go or come from that place. Com- mander Schnte's proceedings were entirely disap- proved by Director Rising, especially as he gave up the fort without the least resistance. But the excuse was that necessity knows no law. The commander was allowed to march out of the fort with some few

THE FIRST SWEDISH SETTLEMENTS.

men, but the other officers were taken prisoners and kept within the fort, and the common soldiers were put on shipboard and sent over to New Amsterdam. That was, indeed, said to be done of their own good will, thus to submit to the power of the Hollanders, but their people's own words witnessed to the con- trary. As to the rest, all posts were filled with Hol- land soldiers. The Swedish flag was hauled down, and that of Holland put up in its place. The follow- ing document informs us more fully of these trans- actions :

Extract from Governor Stuyvesant's Journal, duted Sept. 10-17, 1655.

" This day, eight days since, we came into the bay of the South River, and were delayed during Sunday by the ebb and flood tide. On Thurs- day following we came before the deserted Fort Elsingburg, and there held a review, and divided our troops into five companies. On Friday morning, the wind and tide being favorable, we passed Fort Casimir without any hostile demonstration on either side, and cast anchor a little distance shove the fort, put the people on shore, and sent Capt Smidt, with a drummer, to the fort to demand the surrender of our property. The commandant desired leave to consult Governor Rising, which was refused. In the meao time the road to Christina was occupied by fifty men, and the commandant, Sven Schute, sent a messenger to ask a parley with us. But we advised him not to wait for a salute from our guns, lest the shedding of blood should be charged upon him. He again de- sired to confer with us, which was granted, and took place in n valley abont half-way between the battery which we were commencing and the fort. He insisted that he should send an open letter to his Governor, which was denied him. Then he went away dissatisfied. Our troops advanced down into the valley, and our works began to rise up above the bushes. The last summons was delivered, and then the commandant desired a delay notil the next day, which was granted him, inasmuch ns we could not have our batteries ready before that time. On Saturday morning the commandant come out and capitulated nt discretion. At noon our troops marched into the fort. Sunday .- To-day our first public divine service was held, and no imperfect thanksgiving. Yesterday came one Factor Elswyk from Christina, and in n polite manner, in the name of the Governor, asked for the reason of our coming, and our superior's instructions. Our answer was, to take back that which was our owo, and keep it. He suggested to us to be satisfied with that which had been taken, nod not go any farther, upon which he insisted with polite representations and arguments, with the threat finally in- trodnced, hodie mihi, cras tibi.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 18

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534