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From: "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>
Subject: [GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES] New Sweden
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:01:49 -0700

[Since I recently discovered Swedish ancestry, decided to share this info
with everyone. Sally]

New Sweden (Nya Sverige in Swedish and Uusi-Ruotsi in Finnish) was a small
Swedish settlement along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of
North America from 1638 to 1655. It was centered at Fort Christina, now in
Wilmington, Delaware, and included parts of the present-day American states
of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Along with Swedes and Finns, a
number of the settlers were Dutch. There were also some Germans who first
came to the colony as soldiers in the Swedish army.

Perhaps the greatest contribution of New Sweden to the development of the
New World is one that is not even thought of as Swedish. The colonists
brought with them the log cabin, which became such an icon of the American
frontier that it is thought of as an American structure.

List of governors
All Governors lived at Fort Christina, except Johan Björnsson Printz who
lived at Fort New Gothenborg located in Tinicom Island.
Peter Minuit, Director (March 29, 1638-June 15, 1638)
Måns Nilsson Kling, Commander (June 15, 1638-April 1640)
Peter Hollander Ridder, Commander (April 1640-February 15 1643)
Johan Björnsson Printz (February 15 1643-October 1653)
Johan Papegoya (October 1653-May 1654)
Johan Classon Rising (May 1654-September 15, 1655)

Forts
Fort Christina, now Wilmington, Delaware 1638-1655
Fort New Gothenborg (Nya Göteborg), now Essington, Pennsylvania 1643-1655
Fort New Korsholm, now Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1647-1653
Fort New Elfsborg, now near Salem, New Jersey 1643-1651
Fort Trinity (Trefaldigheten), now New Castle, Delaware 1654-1655

Permanent settlements
Christina, now Wilmington, Delaware 1638
Finland (Chamassungh), now Trainer, Pennsylvania 1641
Upland, now Chester, Pennsylvania 1641
Sveaborg, now Swedesboro, New Jersey 1642[16][17]
Printztorp, now Chester, Pennsylvania 1643
Tequirassy, now Eddystone, Pennsylvania 1643
Tinicum Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania 1643
Province (Manaiping) Island, in the Schuylkill River, now Southwest
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1643
Minqua's Island, now Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1643
Kingsessing (Nya Vasa), now Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1644
Mölndal, now Yeadon, Pennsylvania 1645
Torne (Aronameck), now West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1647
The Sidoland, now Wilmington, Delaware 1654
Timber Island, now Wilmington, Delaware 1654
Strandviken, now Wilmington, Delaware 1654
Ammansland, now Darby, Pennsylvania 1654
New Stockholm, now Bridgeport, New Jersey

Rivers and creeks
Swenskes Revier, Nya Sweriges Rivier (Delaware River)
Schuylen Kyl (Schuylkill River)
Minquas Kyl (Christina River)
Fiske Kyl (Brandywine Creek)

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• [GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES] New Sweden by "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>