Early Clergy of Pennsylvania and Delaware, S. F. Hotchkin, 1890 - Chapter 3, Wilmington Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja and Sally Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ________________________________________________ EARLY CLERGY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND DELAWARE. BY REV. S. F. HOTCHKIN, M.A. Author of The Mornings of the Bible, History of Germantown, &c. P. W. ZIEGLER & CO., PUBLISHERS, NO. 720 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 1890 Copyright, 1890, by Rev. S. F. Hotchkin. NOTE: Use URL: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/1picts/hotchkin/early-clergy.htm to access other chapters. WILMINGTON. 33 CHAPTER III. WILMINGTON. LAY-READERS AND TEACHERS. IN a vacancy at Tinicum the aged Anders Bengtson read in church, Moller's Postilla ("sermons on the Gospels.") At Tranhook, Charles Christopher Springer was a faithful lay-reader who kept the church records. Hans Stalt, a Swedish schoolmaster in New Jersey under Biorck, used to read Postilla on Sundays when the people could not go to church at Christina. Sven Colsberg was a schoolmaster "on the Christina side." Springer was a Swede who was forcibly carried on board a ship at London and sold in Virginia for five years' service, but found his way northward at the end of that time. He died in 1738, aged 80, and was buried in the church yard. His son Charles succeeded him as vestryman. John Goding taught at various points in the Christina parish, under Rev. And. Hesselius, and had good success in instructing the children in Christian truth. Nicholas Forsberg also instructed the youth in Christian doctrine in Acrelius's day. REORUS TORKILLUS. - When Peter Minuit, after Queen Christina had succeeded her father Gustavus Adolphus, came with his colony to the Delaware, Rev. Reorus Torkillus, from East Gothland, was the clergyman of these emigrants. He died in Fort Christina, September 7th, 1643, aged 35. He had been a professor in a Gottenberg college. He married here and had one child. He was the first Swedish clergyman at Christina. WILMINGTON. 34 Trankook (Cranehook) Church was standing at Christina in 1697 when Mr. Biork arrived here. It had been in use since 1667. In 1699 it was last used for Divine service. There was a burial ground at the place. John Stalcop gave the ground for the new stone church, which was consecrated on Trinity Sunday, being called Trinity Church, and for a long time the annual commemoration was kept. Here the Swedish customs were still observed and "bridal pairs came to the services in church with crowns and garlands." Four hornblende rocks, the corner-stones of Crane Hook Church, remained to mark its site. The Jersey people who crossed the Delaware River in boats to attend service in Tranhook Church were sometimes kept away by the dangerous condition of the river, especially in winter; but it was a pretty picture on a pleasant summer day to see the old and young in Swedish attire coming in their boats from Jersey and from New Castle and Brandywine Hundred; and when the simple services closed there was many an inquiry as to family, health, and the condition of cattle and crops, and the last letter from dear old Sweden, months on its way, when daily or weekly papers were unknown. Sometimes tears fell on a new-made grave. If the old tale of love was whispered in the church yard it was sanctified by the place. The companies returned home refreshed by the services and the association with dear friends as heavenly delights. WILMINGTON. Miss Elizabeth Montgomery's "Reminiscences of Wilmington" was written in the author's old age, and is remarkable for its constant pious references to texts of Scripture as bearing on local history, and its hopeful WILMINGTON. 35 view of a future life as it records the passing away of a generation of old friends. Would that Christian historians generally could oftener thus acknowledge God's hand. The heathen writers loaded their narratives with mythology; shall we be less religious than they? Miss Montgomery's volume is very vivid and interesting. She was a churchwoman and dearly loved Old Swedes' Church in Wilmington. In speaking of an early Swedish colonist, she says: "In old age he set his house in order, trimmed his lamp and waited for the messenger to guide him to a peaceful home." A female of the Stille family, of Swedish descent, is described in her 84th year as regularly walking over three miles to church. In 1849, the Rev. Gustaf Unonius (of the Swedish Church in Chicago, where I once heard him preach in Swedish, he now officiates in Stockholm,) visited Wilmington, and was the first Swede who had preached there since Rev. Lawrence Girelius left in 1791. In Trinity Chapel he was much struck by the appearance of a wealthy farmer whose dress and manner seemed to take the clergyman back to Sweden. The Swedes long strove to retain their old customs. They were amiable and noted for integrity. Miss Montgomery introduced to the aged Joseph Springer the infant Cora Monges of the sixth generation in the maternal line from the old Swedish rector of Trinity Church, Rev. Petrus Tranberg, whom Mr. Springer remembered. The old man took the child in his arms and his "eyes flashed with joy." He then told how in winter snows his mother and father on horseback would ride to the old Swedes' Church and sit in church without fire. He would ride on one of the horses behind his father. He well remembered the pastoral visits of Mr. Tranberg to their family. The pastor would sit on a wooden block at the WILMINGTON. 36 corner of the immense fire-place in damp weather, drying his feet while his host talked with him, seated on another block, about the fatherland, in Swedish. Mr. Springer died aged 92 years, and was buried in the Swedes' cemetery. It is said that when the church was built women carried sand in their aprons to help the workmen. At the dedication of Trinity Church, Wilmington, Rev. Mr. Biork writes thus to Hon. Charles Wystrom: "Mr. Rudman and I were clad in white surplices, made after our manner as well as could be done, but other church vestments could not be procured here. The Rev. Mr. Auren preached afterward at the celebration of the Lord's Supper, where we made a collection of about two hundred dollars." Acknowledgment is due to Mr. E. F. James for the use of the accompanying engraving of Old Swedes' Church, Wilmington. The Rev. Mr. Tranberg's widow long survived him. His only son Andreas was an army officer and was buried at Old Swedes'. Rev. Dr. Charles Breck, formerly rector of Trinity Church, Wilmington, wrote Dr. Clay that Henrietta M. Allmond gave money by will to repair Old Swedes' Church, which had not been in condition for use. It was re-opened in 1842. It was again repaired in 1856 by "the great liberality of the lamented Alexis I. Dupont." The Rev. Mr. Tranberg's well-built house stood over a century. "The workmanship was so superior that people came from New York and Philadelphia to see it, and his descendants occupied it to the fifth generation." The mantel once held carved figures and porcelain jars, while the walls contained portraits of Mr. And Mrs. WILMINGTON. 37 Tranberg. The mahogany high backed chairs, and "tables with innumerable legs closely carved," and china cups from Sweden were remembered. Major Peter Jaquett was a Revolutionary officer who was buried in Old Swedes' cemetery. There lie also the remains of Bishop Alfred Lee and his wife. The Rev. Provost Lawrence Girelius was the last Swedish minister of Wilmington, and was a lovable man. He had a foreign accent, his aspect was venerable, at funerals he was specially solemn. Peter Davis, a deserter from the Hessians, was his man-servant and sexton, and zealously guarded the church. He had many quaint ways and words. One Christmas he dusted a cedar in church with flour to represent snow. Mr. Girelius held Trinity Church twenty-three years and a half. He left in 1791. Provision for his family demanded a return to Sweden. He was a faithful and beloved pastor and just before death dictated to his son a letter to his Wilmington congregation. He was chairman of the Board of the Wilmington Academy. One of the early General Conventions met in this Academy. Mr. Girelius preached in it to the Cincinnati Society of Delaware. Rev. Provost Andreas Borell was pastor in 1762. He died unmarried in 1767 or 1768. His death occurred on a Sunday morning. All the Swedish clergy were at his funeral. He was handsome and his manner very attractive. The Swedish Governor, Peter Minuit, died at Christina and was buried there in 1641. The place where Fort Christina and the first church in the fort arose was a picturesque spot on the winding Christina creek, where steep rocks formed a quay for vessels. The rocks have been blasted. This was the WILMINGTON. 38 home of Rebecca Hoffman, Miss Montgomery's mother, and annually she visited it and the church. The second church was built in 1667 during the British rule. This was Crane Hook Church. The Dutch often became members of the Swedish Church. To Old Swedes' Church came canoes, and batteaus, and in winter, sleds and jumpers, and horseback riders, and rough wagons. Once but one chair (chaise) came. Family wagons, phaetons and chariots were used in after years. Many formerly walked to church. There was a large congregation. It is noteworthy that Peter Brynberg, a printer o Swedish descent, had a book store in Wilmington and was one of the publishers of the American Prayer Book. CHURCH SERVICES AND MISSIONARY WORK. On Sundays there were two sermons, the first "between the first and second ringing of the bells, when a morning hymn was sung, or 'O God vi lofve tig,' 'We praise Thee O God.'" The sermon was on the catechism. At the second sermon-time, the first sermon was repeated and the people examined on what had been before said, the teacher going through the aisles. This was in summer. In short winter days a chapter of the Old Testament and one of the New Testament was read and explained. In the wide parish the clergyman preached in private houses in Pennypack, Amasland, Kalkonhook, and twice or thrice yearly at Manathanim, and once at Egg Harbor. LARS LOCK, OR LOCKENIUS. - In Rev. Dr. William M. Reynolds's Introduction to Acrelius's New Sweden, which he translated from the Swedish, mention is made of the fact that from 1655 to 1693 to few Swedes left by WILMINGTON. 39 Rising, their last governor, by enrollment, were over 600, while doubtless many were not enrolled. He adds: "These people still cherished the simple faith of their ancestors, and were very anxious to have the services of the church and a regular minister." Upon the overthrow of the Swedish administration in 1655, one minister, Lars Lock, who had come to this country with Governor Printz in 1642, remained with them and continued to officiate until 1688, when he was removed by death, or "fell asleep in the Lord," as Springer expresses it. Acrelius describes him as God's instrument in sustaining the Swedish Churches. He held both Tinicum and Christina twenty-two years, but finally was chiefly employed in the latter parish. In old age he became lame and could not do his clerical work. He left many honest Christian descendants in Repapo, who clung to the Swedish Church. The reader will notice the Latinizing of Lock's name, according to the fashion of the day. In Springer's letter to Postmaster Thelin, he is styled Laurentius Caroli Lockenius. At Trankook, Lock "calls himself Pastor Loci." The tendency to Latinize may be seen in the names of other Swedish pastors. Lock "was the only one who remained in the country and took care of the poor and scattered Swedes, preaching at Tenakong and Fort Christina until the day of his death." He ministered to Swedes and Hollanders.