By Jared L. Olar
October 2019
Among my wife's Swedish colonial ancestors was a man named Sven Gunnarsson (c.1610-1678), a Swedish soldier who had deserted during the Thirty Years' War. Sven was captured and punished by being deported to the colony of New Sweden, which was established in cooperation with the Dutch in 1638 at the future site of Wilmington, Delaware. Although New Sweden only existed as a self-governing colony until 1655 (when the Dutch annexed it to their colony of New Netherland), the Swedish, Danish, and Finnish families of New Sweden remained under Dutch and English rule. In the 1600s most Swedes did not have family surnames, but instead used patronyms that identified a person's father (a practice still used by many Swedes today, and used exclusively in Iceland). Thus, Sven was called Gunnarsson simply because his father's name was Gunnar, and his children were in turn known as Svensson and Svensdotter. Living under English rule in North America, however, the people of New Sweden soon adopted English-style family surnames, and in the case of Sven's family, they soon became known as "Swanson." Most of what is known of the family and descendants of Sven Gunnarsson is due to the research of the late historian and genealogist Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, who devoted many years to the study of the history of New Sweden and its families. The following account of our "Gunnarsson" genealogy relies almost entirely on Craig's published articles and books.
1. GUNNAR, a Swede, born perhaps circa 1585 in Sweden. Nothing is known of Gunnar besides his name and the fact that he had a son named Sven, born in Undenäs, Västragötaland, who later was one of the colonial settlers of New Sweden in America. Gunnar bore a very common Scandinavian name, for he was named in honor of the famous Burgundian king Gundahari, of the House of Gibica, who fell in battle against the invading Huns in A.D. 437. Songs and tales of Gundahari's desperate and hopeless battle were handed down the centuries throughout the Germanic peoples of Europe, and were especially popular in Scandinavia, where Gundahari the Gibicing's name came to be pronounced and spelled as Gunnar Gjuking.
2. SVEN GUNNARSSON, born circa 1610 in Undenäs, Västragötaland, Sweden
2. SVEN GUNNARSSON, son of Gunnar, born circa 1610 in Undenäs, Västragötaland, Sweden, died circa 1678 in Wicaco, New Sweden (present-day Queen Village in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), buried in the graveyard of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church in Wicaco. Very little is known of Sven Gunnarsson's life in Sweden, apart from the fact that he was a Swedish army deserter who was captured in 1639 and sentenced to forced labor in the colony of New Sweden (Wilmington, Delaware). In Sept. 1639 Sven and his pregnant wife, (NN), and sailed with their two little children, Sven and Gertrude, from Göteborg, Sweden, aboard the Kalmar Nyckel, arriving in New Sweden in 1640. Their son Olle was born during the Atlantic passage aboard the Kalmar Nyckel. A third son, Anders, was born in New Sweden in 1644, and a second daughter (whose Christian name is unknown) was born after that.
After his arrival in America, Sven Gunnarsson worked as an indentured servant on a plantation in Fort Christina until 1645, when he was released and became a freeman of the colony. Sven and his family then settled in the village of Kingsessing (present-day West Philadelphia), where he operated a grist mill on Cobb's Creek. By 1664 he and his three sons had moved north to the former Indian village of Wicaco in present-day Philadelphia. In his article, "Sven Gunnarsson and his Swanson Family," published in Swedish Colonial News, 1, No. 18 (Fall 1998), the late Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig wrote, "In the spring of 1683, Sven's three sons agreed to provide the northern part of Wicaco for William Penn's planned new city, to be called Philadelphia. They were left with 230 acres apiece."
Craig also provided this summary of Sven Gunnarsson's life in his book The 1693 Census of the Swedes on the Delaware (1993), page 33, which says:
Sven Gunnarsson, who was sent to America for punishment, arrived in New Sweden with his wife and several small children on the Kalmar Nyckel in 1640. After becoming a freeman, he settled in Kingsessing and was one of the freemen signing the 1653 complaint against Governor Printz. Before 1664 he moved with his three sons to Wicaco, where he died c. 1678. He had two known daughters, Gertrude who married Jonas Nilsson (see #22) and a daughter who married Peter Månsson, son of Måns Svensson Lom, and moved to Cecil County, Maryland. His three sons were Sven Svensson, born in Sweden, Olle Svensson, born on the Kalmar Nyckel in 1640, and Anders Svensson, born in New Sweden in 1644.
Huygen, 10; Kalm, 226; Benson, 731; Johnson, 463, 702, 718; UCR, 78, 134-35; LLP, 1:693-94; Yocum, 248-49; Stille, 170, n.90. The suggestion in Johnson, 711, that Sven Gunnarsson was the brother of Peter Gunnarsson Rambo is erroneous; Peter's letter to his sister in 1693 made no mention of Sven Gunnarsson or his children. No kinship between the two families is evidenced in contemporary records.
Sven Gunnarsson's land in Wicaco is where the first log church in the area was built in 1677 -- Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church -- and Sven was one of the first to be buried in that church's graveyard. Sven Gunnarsson's sons and grandchildren came to be known by the surname of "Swanson," the English version of "Svensson." His son Sven Svensson later was a judge at the Upland Court and was elected to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, while the son of Anders, Andrew Swanson, is one of the ancestors of the wealthy Du Pont family of Delaware.
The children of Sven Gunnarson were:
-- SVEN SVENSSON (Swanson), born 1636 in Sweden, died between 21 July and 8 Oct. 1696 at Wicaco, New Sweden (Philadephia, Pennsylvania), married Catharina (Carin) Larsdotter.
3. GERTRUDE SVENSDOTTER, born 1638 in Sweden.
-- OLLE SVENSSON (Swanson), born 1640 during the Atlantic crossing aboard the Kalmar Nyckel, died in the summer of 1692 at Wicaco, New Sweden (Philadephia, Pennsylvania), married Lydia Ashman.
-- ANDERS SVENSSON (Swanson), born 1644 in Fort Christina, New Sweden (Wilmington, Delaware), died between 8 Jan. 1688 and 1693, married Anna (NN).
-- (NN) SVENSDOTTER, born circa 1646 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, died before 1676 in Cecil County, Maryland, married Peter Månsson Lom.
3. GERTRUDE SVENSDOTTER, daughter of Sven Gunnarsson, born 1638 in Sweden, died circa 1695 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. In 1654, Gertrude married JONAS NILSSON ("Jöns"), son of Nils, born 1620 in Skåning hundred, Skaraborg län, Västrägötland, Sweden, died Oct. 1693 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, buried in the graveyard of Gloria Dei Old Swedes' Church in Wicaco (now Philadelphia), Pennsylvania. As a soldier in the Swedish army, Jonas Nilsson was one of the companions of Johan Printz, first royal governor of New Sweden, who arrived at Fort Christina, New Sweden, on 15 Feb. 1643. Gertrude and Jonas settled at Kingsessing in New Sweden, now West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they raised a family of 11 children.
Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig included a summary of Jonas Nilsson's life and family in his book 1671 Census of the Delaware (1999), page 21, where Craig enumerated the ihabitants of the village of Kingsessing (West Philadelphia). Craig's summary says:
Jonas Nilsson (#24) from Skaraborg County, Sweden, came to New Sweden as a soldier in 1643 and married Getrude, daughter of Sven Gunnarsson (see #3-5). His seven sons used the patronymic Jonasson, which evolved into Jones. Their family in 1671 included Nils (b. 1655), Judith (b. 1658), Gunilla (b. 1661), Måns (b. 1663), Anders (b. c.1666), Christina (b. 1668), and John (b. 1670). Subsequent children were Peter, Jonas, Brigitta, and Jonathan. Jonas Nilsson died in October 1693 at the age of 73. Lovelace's patent to Jonas Nilsson, dated 18 May 1672, named Hans Månsson, Peter Andersson, Widow Dalbo, Anders Boon, and Mr. Otto Ernest Cock as owners of land adjoining his several parcels.
Craig had provided a much fuller account of Jonas Nilsson's life and family in his article, "Jonas Nilsson," published in Swedish Colonial News, Vol. 1, No. 7 (Spring 1993):
Among the many soldiers accompanying Governor Printz on the Fourth Expedition to New Sweden was Joen Nilsson of Skåning hundred, Skaraborg län, who was later better known under the name of Jonas Nilsson. Born in 1620, Jonas, a tailor by trade, started his voyage to New Sweden from Stockholm in September 1642. After arriving at Fort Christina, 15 February 1643, he was one of many men assigned to help build Fort Elfsborg, where he was subsequently stationed.
Jonas Nilsson served the governor faithfully as a soldier for eleven years. But, when Printz returned to Sweden in 1653, Jonas did not go with him. He obtained his discharge, became a Freeman and married Gertrude, the daughter of Sven Gunnarsson.
For reasons that are not entirely clear, Jonas left his young bride in mid-July, 1654 to return to Sweden on the Eagle. While there, he collected the back wages that were due and returned to New Sweden on the Mercurius, which arrived in March 1656. Meeting the ship were his wife and eldest son, who had been born during his absence.
By family legend, Jonas Nilsson was six and one-half feet tall and an active Indian trader. Neither claim is supported by contemporary records: the only Swede of remarkable height was "Long Nils," a name given to Nils Matsson, a later immigrant. Although Jonas' son Måns Jonasson (Mounce Jones) and two sons-in-law (Peter Petersson Yocum and Måns Cock) were active Indian traders, no record supports that claim as to Jonas Nilsson himself.
Jonas Nilsson lived for his entire married life in Kingsessing (West Philadelphia), where he was a successful tanner and raised eleven children. He also acquired 270 acres of land at nearby Aronameck from Peter Yocum, land which he divided among his three eldest sons. Jonas died in October 1693 at the age of 73; his wife died shortly thereafter.
Describing himself as "very sick of body," Jonas made his will at Kingsessing, Pennsylvania, on 14 Jan. 1692, and shortly after his death his will was proved on 23 Oct. 1693. The abstract of Jonas' will reads as follows:
Asks to be buried at the burying place of Wiccacoe. Estate to wife Gertrue and children Jonathan, Jonas, son Mountze, Neels and Andrees. Legacies to children John, Peter, daughters Guley, Gunla and Bridgett and Christian. James Hunt, Peter Gocumb are mentioned in connection with land purchases. Executors: Wife, Robert Longshore and Eusta Eustason. Witnesses: Thomas Paschall, James Hunt, Robert Longshore.
The children of Gertrude Svensdotter and Jonas Nilsson were:
-- NILS JONASSON (Jones), born May 1655 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; died Jan. 1735 in Aronameck, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, married Christina Olofsdotter Gästenberg.
-- JUDITH JONASDOTTER; born circa 1658 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, died 1727 in Amity Township, Berks County, married Peter Petersson Yocum.
-- GUNILLA JONASDOTTER; born circa 1661 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; probably died in Senamensing, Burlington County, New Jersey, married Måns Petersson Cock.
-- MANS JONASSON (Jones); born 1663 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; died April 1727, married Ingeborg Petersdotter Lycon.
-- ANDERS JONASSON (Jones); born circa 1666 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; died Nov. 1728 at Aronameck, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, married Catharine Andersdotter Boon.
-- CHRISTINA JONASDOTTER; born circa 1668 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; married 1st. Frederick Fredericksson King, married 2nd. Nicklas Lindemeyer.
-- JOHAN JONASSON ("John Jones"), born circa 1670 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
-- PETER JONASSON; born circa 1673 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, living with sister Christina in 1697.
-- JONAS JONASSON; born circa 1675 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, died 1738 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, married Anne Amesby.
-- BRIGITTA JONASDOTTER; born 1678 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, died Dec. 1753 near Falls of the Schuylkill, married Mårten Garrett of Blockley Township.
-- JONATHAN JONASSON; born circa 1681 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, died 3 June 1748 in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
Gunnarsson Genealogy Resources:
A Brief History of New Sweden in America The Swedish Colonial Society Find-A-Grave: Sven Gunnarsson Wikitree: Sven Gunnarsson The 1693 Census of the Swedes on the Delaware, Chapter 2: The Wicaco Congregation, by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig. 1671 Census of the Delaware (1999), by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig.