Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-04-28

Hmyggor," whence it was for sometime
called s'Myggenborg = Think Of tive
translate ''myggor," mosquito; Myggen-
borg, tMosquitobusg The name Of she
old fort is still retained by the township
Of Elsinboro which is bounded North by
Lower Penns' neck and the City of Salem,
East and South by Alleway's creek and
West by the Delaware river. Amidst the
chickering's of the Swedes and Dutch there
was always dread Of the English, who
also claimed the country, as we have seen:
and we find the Dutchman Adrian Wander
Danck writing about the settlement Of
English at Salem: 1T is given out for GER
tain that many English families are now on
their way thither. But if they once get a
firm footing, it will soon be all over both
with Hollanders and Swedes." 1t was not
very long before it was all over with the
Swedes. Governor Printz had returned
home; and in 1854 John CIaudius Rising
was sent out with the title of director. He
was an energetic man, and must needs do
things. Under other circumstances be
would, we think, have been very success
full governor; as it was his activity led the
Hollanders to take stronger ground and 50
in August 1865 came the Holland COVER
nor Stuyversant, with seven vessels great
and small and from 600 to 700 men strong
from the North River and New Amsterdam,
| up into the River Of New Sweden, and fell
violently upon the Swedes.n The fact that
| the Swedes found it necessary to surrender
their forts and with them their independ-
ence, does not in any wise detract from
their character. They simply could Offer
no resistance. There was no fighting, and
no loss of lie The Swedish historians
claim that they were treated very barbar
ouslY after their surrender; of course the
Dutch say the opposite, and We have moi
time to balance the evidence in so nice 3
matter. 1888 to 1866 not a long period
/ but it was not a question Of how long thest
people should maintain q Swedish govern
nlent. It was rather a question of in
grained Swedish character. They had
brought with them from the old land
strong, religious principles, that stood
them in good stead and were destined tC
add much to the strength and permanancy O.
the country in days to come.
Whatever may have been the merits Of
y
demerits Of the Dutch government, it had
only brief period in which to exercise it!
authority ty-nine years, and in 1864 ths
English forces took New Amsterdam, hence
forth to be New York; and marching down
made themselves masters of all the terri
tory between New England and Maryland
and Virginia. The years covered BY
Dutch government had produced nj
growth, no Improvements, and whatever tht
rights or wrongs of the counter claims ma,
have been, the transfer Of the country tt
English government was very much for tht
better. / may not GO into the history o
those days, beyond the mere general state
ment that in the beginning the whole O
Pennsylvania and Jersey was given t
James, Duke Of York, the Kings brother
His rights and prerogatives so far as Jersey
was concerned passed to Berkeley and Car
teret; and in 1874 Lord Berkeley sold ou
to the Quakers, John Fenwick and Edward
BylliDge. The important fact and the on,
that perhaps most interested the Swedes
was that from the beginning absolute lib
erty Of conscience prevailed. No man wa
molested on account of his religious belief
From this time on that gradual amaigama
tion Of nati0nalities that has eventuated II
the American citizen Of today progressed
Swedes, Hollanders, English, some Ger
mans, soon TO be followed by Irish were
settled side by side, and as has always
been the case from time immemorlaI, the
boys and girls Of different races fell in love
with each other, intermarried and gave &c
the land Of their adoption numerous pro
gency. Let it be noted that the first legis.
lative assembly met in 1868 and completed
the work of legislation in four days.
The Swedes were perfectly loyal TO the
English government, but for century and
more kept up their own churches, having
their own clergy sent to them from Sweden;
and it was only when the language had
passed altogether out Of use that the swed-
ish church amalgamated with the Protest.
ant Episcopal Church in what had then be-
come the United States Of America. This
is scarcely the occasion for discussion Of
the causes that led to every Swedish con-
gregation taking this step.
q Since deceased.
Continued next week