Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-02
Our Early History.

/ @ ARAAy kAAssOEys
A SWEDISH MINISTER OF THE FIRST SETTLERS
| 1.-THE following is paper read before th
Historical Society of Delaware, which W
have been asked to republish i
cHARLEs CHRISTOPHER SPRINGER.
About 1888, Christina, Queen of Sweden
established colony of Swedes on th
west banks of the Delaware. They ulti
mately organized two principal churches
Wicaco, at Philadelphia, and Christiana, a
Wilmington. These churches were supplied
with ministers from the mother country
But the Swedes were conquered by th,
Dutch, OF N. Y, and the whole, finally, By
the British. During these civil revolutions
oil intercourse was cut off with their nativ,
land, so they could no longer be supplied
with ministers from that source. From th.
year 1891, until 1897, when Rudman, Biorl
and Auren, missionaries, arrived, the Swedel
were without minister. During the inter
val the only religious services they had, in
the churches, were reading sermons, sing
ing and prayer. This was performed al
Wicaco, by Anderson Berkson, and at Chris.
tiana, by Charles Christopher Springer.
Says Mr.. Clay, in his "Swedish An
nails" "This Mr.. Springer wrote the letter
to Thelin presently to come under notice.
He was native Swede, and came to Amer
lea by remarkable providence. He was in
the family of the Swedish ambassador in
London. Going home one night in post
chaise, he was seized, and carried aboard OF
merchant vessel in the Thames. bound to
Virginia. He was then sold for a servant
for five years. When free, he came to the
Swedes, and by his capacity and virtue ac-
quired such an influence, as to be appointed
justice of the peace in the district of
Christiana. He was afterwards, for many
years, useful member of the church."
On writing to Mr.. Clay to know on what
authority he stated these facts, he informed
me, on the authority of the manuscript of
Mr.. Rudman, then in his possession. The
tradition in the family is that Springer was
sent to London to finish his education.
Il saw his naturalization papers in June
last in possession of Mrs. Eliza Armstrong,
near Wilmington, signed, in Phila., by Will
liam Penn, on the goth of May, 17Ol, three
years after the building of the old church in
Wilmington. learned from that document
that Springer was born in Stockholm, swe-
den, and that his fathers name was Chris
topher.
have conversed with two of his grand
children, Jeremiah and Joseph Springer.
The latter is referred to by Ferris. But both
have been dead upwards of thirty years.
They informed me that his place of residence
was Oak Hill, including 900 acres, and that
he died suddenly, in boat, passing the
Delaware River, probably with apoplexy.
While the Swedes were without minis
ter, as above stated, young man named
Andrew Prince, nephew of the late Gov.
Prince, being in British vessel visited the
Swedes on the Delaware. If an angel had
not have received him with more
enthusiasm and delight. When Prince re-
turned to Sweden he reported the condition
Of this Swedish settlement to John Theln,
his Majesty's Post Master at Gottenburg
that they lived in harmony with one another
had plenty of earthly goods, but were
greatly IN need Of ministers and religious
books ; that they were much delighted to
hear from their mother country, as to what
prince reigned, who were their bishops, who
dead and who living, etc., etc. Thelin was
SO impressed with this tale that he imme-
diately reported 1t to his majesty, and to the
heads of the church, who were all moved in
favor of the interests of this lost colony, and
determined at once to send relief. His
majesty wished to make Prince the bearer of
the tidings, and to ascertain through him the
nature and extent of their wants, but tho
young man had disappeared and could not
be found. In casting round, to know how
to meet the case, they found an old lady who
had brother In this colony, Peter Rambo,
with whom she used to correspond before
the interruption OF National intercourse. It
was determined, at once, to write tn him, to
get information as to what spiritual assist
aHce the colony needed. When this letter
was received you had better believe there
was jubilee. among the Swedes on the
Delaware.
They Immediately met to Determine what
to do, and Charles o. Springer was appointed
to write their reply. His letter is an un-
adorned, but eloquent, description of their
condition, their wants and their wishes.
When received in Sweden 1t was copied and
extensively circulated, and made very
strong impression upon the public. As soon
as his majesty could make arrangements he
sent over to America three missionaries
Biork, Rudman and Auren, already named,
with liberal supply of books.
The selling of Joseph, into Egypt, was
the instrument of innumerable blessings
both to the house of Pharaoh and to that of
Israeli so the selling of Springer into Amer
lea was of importance to the interests of
the Swedish Church. And the Providence
which brought Springer to this country, may
have been divine arrangement, having an
eye, in advance, to the necessities of the
church in the wilderness. Springer was
lheir only teacher for six years. And when
Biork, the missionary, came over and
found him at his work, he makes this report
Of him; "the church had nobody hut their
reader Charles Christopher Springer,a plain,
honest, pious man. They did tolerably well
ed no pains to promote their spiritual well
fare, as myself always witnessed" (Ferris
Book, page 1869
Ferris further states. (page 2SD "Charles
Springer, whose name so often occurs in the
early records of the Old Church, was one of
he most useful and distinguished Swedes in
The settlement at Christlana. He was man
Of learning and piety, and by his steady de-
Yotion to the interests of his ceuntrymen
their welfare in various ways,
both civil and religious" = 'tMost
Of the church records, from the arrival of the |
to the close of Biorck services,
IN 1775, are in his hand writing" &c. &c.
No historian that we have seen gives any
account of the reasons of this kidnapping,
and at this day such case seems almost inn |
possible. But Barrow, in his "Gipsies in |
5pain," throws some light on this subject. |
He says, .child stealing is generally impu-
ed to the Gipsies of England, but undcsery-
edly," &c; "their ancestors were certainly |
guilty of the practice, which was once pro-
1table, when the aOhitc slave trade was |
carried on in the streets of London itself, |
and hundredh of individuals, kidnapped, were |
annually carried from the shores Of England |
TO be sold to the planters on the banks of |
The Delaware" And remember to have |
seen 1t stated, in the course of my reading,
hat in Scotland, perhaps Aberdeen, there |
was company of these kidnappers organ |
zed, who had associated with them the |
officers of the city, so they could |
enjoy, in case of necessity, the benefits of
their legal decisions; that they kidnapped |
youth which led to an investigation in the |