Reider-Underwood Genealogy

Olof Stille was born on the island of SoIö in Roslagen, northeast of S tockholm, the son of Per Stille, a relatively prosperous supervisor o f the Penningby estate in Länna parish. By 1627 Per Stille had retire d and was granted land by the owners of Penningby on a nearby island c alled Humblö. Here Olof Stille married and began his family. Althoug h Olof Stille was on good terms with Erik Bielke, who inherited Pennin gby in 1629, he did not think well of Bielke's wife, Catarina Fleming.

At the Norrtälje fair in 1636, Olof Stille indiscreetly voiced his opi nion of Lady Catarina Fleming, who retaliated by prosecuting Olof fo r defamation and took his property at Humblö. When Olof refused to lea ve the island, he was imprisoned. After securing his freedom, Olof an d his family resettled in Matsunda, where he was joined by one of hi s former servants named Anders. Lady Fleming, now a widow, had Ander s seized on 18 March 1638 and imprisoned at Penningby under the clai m that Anders had broken a verbal agreement with the late Lord Bielk e to be their servant.

Olof Stille heard the news the next day, entered Penningby Castle b y a secret door, broke the lock to the dungeon with his axe and then f led, with Anders carrying the axe and Olof his own rapier. On complain t from Lady Fleming, the Governor issued an order for Olof Stille's ar rest on 28 March 1638 - the same day that the first expedition to Ne w Sweden was landing at the Rocks. At the trial on 13 April 1638 Olo f Stille was convicted of burglary and sentenced to death by the sword . The appellate court, however, modified the sentence to a fine of 10 0 daler silver money, the equivalent of 17 months pay for a New Swede n soldier.

Three years later, in May 1641, when the Charitas departed for New Swe den, the passenger list included Olof Stille, a mill-maker, his wife , a daughter aged 7 and a son aged 11/2. Also on board were Olof's you nger brother Axel Stille, and the family of Måns Svensson Lom, whose w ife appears to have been Olof's younger sister. His older brother, Joh an Stille, later pastor at Fundbo, 1644-1672, and his sister Kerstin r emained in Sweden.

In New Sweden, Olof Stille settled as a freeman at a place called Tech oherassi by the Indians, located between present Crum Creek and Ridle y Creek (called Olof Stille's Creek). Joining him at this location wer e his brother Axel Stille and the Lom family. The Indians were frequen t visitors to Techoherassi and liked Olof Stille very much, but they c onsidered his heavy, black beard a monstrosity and conferred a strang e name on him because of it.

As the only known mill-maker in the colony, Olof Stille probably was i n charge of building the first Swedish gristmill on Mill (now Cobbs) C reek. He also became a leader among the freemen and played a key rol e in promoting the July 1653 list of grievances, signed by Olof Still e and 21 other freemen, which was submitted to Governor Johan Printz , protesting his dictatorial rule. Printz labeled this action mutiny a nd promptly left for Sweden. To Olof Stille, however, it was simply ex ercising the right of free speech. When Governor Rising arrived, Olo f asked for a prompt trial. Rising, who took a more kindly view towar d the freeman, let the matter drop.

After the surrender of New Sweden, the Dutch governor, Petrus Stuyvesa nt, agreed to allow the Swedes and Finns living north of the Christin a River to govern themselves. The first Swedish court, organized in 16 56, had Olof Stille as its chief justice and also included Peter Larss on Cock, Peter Gunnarsson Rambo and Matts Hansson from Borgå, Finland.

During his eight years as chief justice of the Swedes' court, there we re frequent policy clashes between the Swedes and the Dutch. Olof Stil le proved himself to be an able defender of the Swedes' position and u sually prevailed.

Retiring as chief justice in 1664, Olof Stille moved to Moyamensing (l ater south Philadelphia) with Lars Andersson Collinus (who had marrie d Måns Lom's widow) and his son-in-law Marten Roosemond. Even in retir ement, he was called upon to arbitrate disputes among the settlers. H e died about 1684. He was survived by his brother Axel Stille, who ha d no children, and four children who have been identified:

Ella Stille, born in 1634 in Roslagen, married twice. By her first hus band, Peter Jochimsson, she had two children, Peter Petersson Yocum, b orn 1652, and Elisabeth Petersdotter, born 1654, who married John Ogle , an English soldier. By her second marriage to Hans Månsson, she ha d six more sons, originally known by the patronymic Hansson but late r adopting the surname of Steelman. They were John, Jöns (James), Chri stiern, Peter, Charles and Eric. Ella died in 1718 in Gloucester Count y NJ.
Anders Stille, born in 1640 in Roslagen, moved to New Castle about 165 8 and married there, by 1671, Annetje Pieters, daughter of the Dutch b rewer, Pieter Wolfertsen van Couwenhoven. Soon after his marriage, h e moved to Christina Creek, taking up residence next to his niece, Eli sabeth Petersdotter Ogle. Later, they moved to White Clay Creek in Ne w Castle County, where he died between 1688 and 1692, survived by tw o sons, John and Jacob, and one daughter thus far identified, Elisabet h, who married Charles Hedges.
Christina Stille, born in America c. 1643, became the second wife of M arten Roosemond, a Dutch "cleinsmit" (toolmaker), who moved from New C astle to Moyamensing after his marriage. Two landmarks on that propert y were named Roosemond Creek and Hollanders Creek. Roosemond returne d to New Castle before 1671 and served as judge on the New Castle cour t and deacon of the Dutch church there until his death in 1677. It i s unknown whether Christina had any children.
Johan Stille, born in America in 1646, married about 1683 Gertrude, da ughter of Mårten Gerritsen and Christina Lom of New Castle County. The y had twelve children: Christina (born 1684), Anna (1685), Olof [Willi am] (1687), Sarah (1690), John (1692), Brigitta (1693), Barbara (1697) , Peter (1699), Gertrude (1701), Morton (1704), Helena (1705) and Alle misha (1709). Johan Stille inherited the Moyamensing plantation, wher e he died in 1722. His widow died in 1744.