Samuel Peterson
Encyclopedia
Samuel Peterson was an early settler of New Sweden
and one of the founders of present-day Wilmington, Delaware
.
Peterson was born in the province of Värmland
, Sweden
. He departed Sweden on the ship Örn ("The Eagle") on February 2, 1654, and arrived in New Sweden on May 22, 1654. As he may have been only 15 years old, he was possibly part of the contingent of twelve boys on the ship from the Building College of Stockholm
.
On April 16, 1675, Johan Anderson Stalcop conveyed half his land in Wilmington to Peterson and Lars Cornelison. Peterson erected a "humble cabin" on a hill overlooking Wilmington and cleared away the forest covering the southern declivity of the hill.
It was near Peterson's cabin where, as Peterson tilled the land with oxen, Quaker
leader Elizabeth Shipley took in a view that she had earlier reported seeing in a dream, and determined that the Quakers were destined to settle the Delmarva Peninsula
.
Peterson gave "30 feet" toward the construction of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Wilmington (now Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes)
).
In order to provide for his wife Brita, who outlived him, Peterson left his land "to that son who should live longest with his widow." Therefore, his son Peter took over the plantation and his son Matthias released all claim to the land by a deed dated December 4, 1702. Peter left the land to his son Peter Peterson (by will dated January 29, 1714), who on May 8, 1727, sold the part of the land lying along the Christina River
to Andrew Justison, who formally laid out the city of Wilmington in 1730.
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
and one of the founders of present-day Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
.
Peterson was born in the province of Värmland
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He departed Sweden on the ship Örn ("The Eagle") on February 2, 1654, and arrived in New Sweden on May 22, 1654. As he may have been only 15 years old, he was possibly part of the contingent of twelve boys on the ship from the Building College of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
On April 16, 1675, Johan Anderson Stalcop conveyed half his land in Wilmington to Peterson and Lars Cornelison. Peterson erected a "humble cabin" on a hill overlooking Wilmington and cleared away the forest covering the southern declivity of the hill.
It was near Peterson's cabin where, as Peterson tilled the land with oxen, Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
leader Elizabeth Shipley took in a view that she had earlier reported seeing in a dream, and determined that the Quakers were destined to settle the Delmarva Peninsula
Delmarva Peninsula
The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia...
.
Peterson gave "30 feet" toward the construction of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Wilmington (now Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes)
Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes)
Holy Trinity Church, also known as Old Swedes is a church in Wilmington, Delaware that is a National Historic Landmark. It was dedicated on July 4, 1699.-History:...
).
In order to provide for his wife Brita, who outlived him, Peterson left his land "to that son who should live longest with his widow." Therefore, his son Peter took over the plantation and his son Matthias released all claim to the land by a deed dated December 4, 1702. Peter left the land to his son Peter Peterson (by will dated January 29, 1714), who on May 8, 1727, sold the part of the land lying along the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
to Andrew Justison, who formally laid out the city of Wilmington in 1730.