The Penn's Grove record., 1903-04-03
swnD1sH MONUMENT UNvEfLED
The First LsSndtng Place Of swedes
Tn America Marked


The First LsSnding Place Of swedes
In America Marked
AS one proceeds up Christiana Creek,
and when opposite the old Swedes'
Church on the right bank, a prominent
rock is noticed at the waters edge at
both low and high tides. All other lands
along the creek in the n~eighborhood OF
Wilmington were low meadow lands uni
til. filed and banked, excepting tins 0
from which the highland rises.
This rock was the first landing place OF
the Swedish colonist in America. 10
Commemorate this historic spot, which is
second only to Plymouth Rock, the Col
onial Danes, OF Delaware, have had a
monument, erected on the rock 30 feet
from the waters edge. Passers py on q
boat can see the monument surrounded
~ an iron railing.
This historic monument was publicly
unveiled last Monday with appropriate
historic exercises. 1t bears this lnscrlp-
ton:
This stone is a portion OF The Rocks on
which landed the First Swedish Colonists
in America, 20 March, 1888,
On this spot stood
Fort Christlana.
here the Swedes held their first CIVIL
Courts and in the Chapel OF the Fort
celebrated their first Christian
worship in the New World
Owing to the rain only the unwilling
took place at The Rocks. The orations
We're made in the Old Swedes parish
house, following a luncheon provided by
the ladies.
Among the distinguished visitors pre-
sent were Baron Exenstlern, OF Sweden
and the Swedish vice consul, of Philadel-
phla. The Norwegian ship Kryalite was
moored a few feet from the monument
and decorated with American and Swed-
lsh Tags. A Swedish choir sang the ma
tlonal songs of Sweden which were inter-
speTsed with American airs.
Mrs. Charles E. McIlvaine, President
said:
Particularly ought we to impress upon
the young, the sacred obligation to hon.
or the memory OF our heroic ancestors,
and III such a ceremony as is now taking
place, in the enduring witness in stone
by which we have marked this spot, are
we not giving an object lesson to those
who shall come after us?
They were our Pilgrim Fathers, and this
U Plymouth Rock. Whatever the hour
or the weather, we may be sure that they
knelt upon these rocks, and that the
good pastor, Forkillus OF East Gothland,
who came in the "Key of Calmar," led
the devotions Of these religious people in
q prayer of thanksgiving to the Divine
Power who had preserved them from the
dangers of the sea and brought them in
safety to this beautiful land. The quail
ties 81 mind and heart, which those stur-
dy Swedish settlers brought from the
pure air OF their mountain homes, their
untushing courage, high morality and
deep devotion founded a social system
which we still have with us. May the
memory of tie Swedish ~colonists be as
enduring as the rock from which this
stone is hewn.
Judge Clement H. Sinnickson, of Sa-
lem, who is a lineal descendant Of one of
the first Swedish immigrants who came
over in the Key Of Calmar, was one of
the orators and spoke on connection of
the SWedes of New Jersey with Delaware.
Having failed to find anything in the
leading histories he turned to the remin-
lscenses OF the early settlers and recalled
the Swedes were a God-fearing, God
Worshlpping people, and that many of
them were followers of the golden-haired
king III the battles for religious liberty
that opened with a prayer and closed
with a hymn. In the minute book OF
the old parish of st. Georges Swedish
Church built in L. P. Neck 1717, he
found information of the intimate con-
between the Swedes of West Jer-
sey and Delaware. For sixty years the
of the West Jersey settlement
cane over to Old Swedes Church, Will
mington, every SUNDAY to worship God.
There is a landing on the Jersey shore
opposite here that is called Church Land
ing. Judge Siiinickson had also learned
the early SWedes through family ira
iition and "reminiscences of an aunt. The
people came across the river to church,
rain or shine, for they were descendants
of the early Vikings. He had heard OF
one wedding party that drifted down the
stream out of their course and were help
ed back by Indians. Children were
brought over to be baptized, and old peo-
pie were brought over to be buried. The
people had a high, stern sense of duty.
After the nea church was built, the fam
lies drifted apart.
Charles B. Lore, Chief Justice OF Della
ware, was the principal orator of the oc-
,asion. He gave quite a full and inter-
,sting history Of the coming of the
5wedes, Firms and Dutch to New Swed-
as the settlements along the Della
ware was called.