Reider-Underwood Genealogy

In August 1639, the Swedish government, needing settlers for its New Sweden colony, sent word to the governors of Elfsborg, Dalsland and Värmland to capture deserted soldiers and others who had committed some slight misdemeanor and to send them t o America. Among the "convicts" rounded up in this effort was Sven Gunnarsson. When the Kalmar Nyckel left Göteborg in September 1639, he was aboard with his pregnant wife and two small children.

Initially, in New Sweden, Sven was stationed at the Fort Christina plantation, where he was found in 1644 working on the New Sweden tobacco farm. In October 1645 he was finally granted freedom from his servitude and joined other freemen residing a t Kingsessing (now West Philadelphia). Here he was known as Sven the Miller, as he operated the first gristmill built in New Sweden on present Cobbs Creek.

Being a freeman in New Sweden was like being a peasant under the tyrannical rule of Governor Johan Printz. Like other freemen, Sven was required to work without pay at Printz's Printzhof plantation whenever the Governor demanded, was prohibited fr om trading with the Indians and forced to buy all necessities at the company store. Like other freemen, he fell heavily into debt. Another such freeman, Lasse Svensson the Finn and his wife Carin had their plantation seized by Printz (who rename d it Printztorp). Both Lasse the Finn and his wife were forced to live without shelter in the woods. Both perished, leaving several impoverished children. It was not surprising, therefore, that Sven Gunnarsson was one of the 22 freemen signing a p etition of grievances which they submitted to Governor Printz in the summer of 1653. Printz called it a "mutiny" and returned to Sweden.

Sven the Miller fared better under Governor Rising, 1654-1655. He even volunteered to help defend Fort Christina against the Dutch invasion. A pitched battle was averted when Rising decided to surrender the colony. Conditions proved to be even bet ter under Dutch rule. Stuyvesant allowed the Swedes living north of the Christina River to organize their own government. That government, known as the Upland Court, treated Sven Gunnarsson well.

In 1664, Sven Gunnarsson moved with his family across the Schuylkill to Wicaco, a former Indian settlement, where Sven's 1125-acre plantation embraced what would become the future City of Philadelphia. Here, on his land, the first log church at Wi caco (now Gloria Dei Church) was built by 1677. Sven Gunnarsson died about 1678 and probably was one of the first to be buried at the Wicaco church.

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. Records prove that Sven also had two daughters. His family , in the order of their birth, included:

1. Sven Svensson (Swan Swanson), born in Sweden by 1636, married about 1658 Catharina (Carin) Larsdotter, the daughter of Lasse Svensson the Finn. Sven was a justice on the Upland Court, 1681-1682 and served in the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1683. H e died at Wicaco in 1696. His widow, born near Stockholm in 1638, was buried at Gloria Dei on 19 August 1720.

2. Gertrude Svensdotter, born c. 1638 in Sweden, married the New Sweden soldier Jonas Nilsson in 1654 and died in Kingsessing c. 1695.

Nils Jonasson, born in 1655, died at Aronameck in 1735.
Judith Jonasdotter, born c. 1658, died at Manatawny, Berks County in 1727. Married Peter Petersson Yocum by 1676; 10 children.
Gunilla Jonasdotter, born c. 1661, died in Gloucester County NJ
Måns Jonasson, born 1663, died at Manatawny 1727.
Anders Jonasson, born c. 1666, died at Aronameck 1728
Christina Jonasdotter, born c. 1668
John Jonasson, born c. 1670, died after 1738.
Peter Jonasson, born c. 1673, died after 1697; no known issue.
Jonas Jonasson, born c. 1675, died at Kingsessing 1738.
Brigitta Jonasdotter, born 1678, died in Blockley Township 1753.
Jonathan Jonasson, born c. 1681, died at Kingsessing 1748.

3. Olle Svensson, born at sea on the Kalmar Nyckel in 1640, married an English woman Lydia Ashman. He served as a justice on the Upland Court, 1673-1680 and died at Wicaco in 1692. His widow Lydia died in New Jersey in 1730.

4. Anders Svensson, born in New Sweden c. 1642, died at Wicaco in 1688. He married Anna (parents unknown), who died in 1709.

5. A daughter (name unknown), born in New Sweden after 1644, died in Cecil County MD by 1676.
   Later in life he was known as Sven the Miller. He operated the first grist mill on Cobbs Creek in what is today West Philadelphia.
   In August 1639, the Swedish government, needing settlers for its New Sweden colony, sent word to the governors of Elfsborg, Dalsland and Värmland to capture deserted soldiers and others who had committed some slight misdemeanor and to send them t o America. Among the "convicts" rounded up in this effort was Sven Gunnarsson. When the Kalmar Nyckel left Göteborg in September 1639, he was aboard with his pregnant wife and two small children.

Initially, in New Sweden, Sven was stationed at the Fort Christina plantation, where he was found in 1644 working on the New Sweden tobacco farm. In October 1645 he was finally granted freedom from his servitude and joined other freemen residing a t Kingsessing (now West Philadelphia). Here he was known as Sven the Miller, as he operated the first gristmill built in New Sweden on present Cobbs Creek.

Being a freeman in New Sweden was like being a peasant under the tyrannical rule of Governor Johan Printz. Like other freemen, Sven was required to work without pay at Printz's Printzhof plantation whenever the Governor demanded, was prohibited fr om trading with the Indians and forced to buy all necessities at the company store. Like other freemen, he fell heavily into debt. Another such freeman, Lasse Svensson the Finn and his wife Carin had their plantation seized by Printz (who rename d it Printztorp). Both Lasse the Finn and his wife were forced to live without shelter in the woods. Both perished, leaving several impoverished children. It was not surprising, therefore, that Sven Gunnarsson was one of the 22 freemen signing a p etition of grievances which they submitted to Governor Printz in the summer of 1653. Printz called it a "mutiny" and returned to Sweden.

Sven the Miller fared better under Governor Rising, 1654-1655. He even volunteered to help defend Fort Christina against the Dutch invasion. A pitched battle was averted when Rising decided to surrender the colony. Conditions proved to be even bet ter under Dutch rule. Stuyvesant allowed the Swedes living north of the Christina River to organize their own government. That government, known as the Upland Court, treated Sven Gunnarsson well.

In 1664, Sven Gunnarsson moved with his family across the Schuylkill to Wicaco, a former Indian settlement, where Sven's 1125-acre plantation embraced what would become the future City of Philadelphia. Here, on his land, the first log church at Wi caco (now Gloria Dei Church) was built by 1677. Sven Gunnarsson died about 1678 and probably was one of the first to be buried at the Wicaco church.

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. Records prove that Sven also had two daughters. His family , in the order of their birth, included:

1. Sven Svensson (Swan Swanson), born in Sweden by 1636, married about 1658 Catharina (Carin) Larsdotter, the daughter of Lasse Svensson the Finn. Sven was a justice on the Upland Court, 1681-1682 and served in the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1683. H e died at Wicaco in 1696. His widow, born near Stockholm in 1638, was buried at Gloria Dei on 19 August 1720.

2. Gertrude Svensdotter, born c. 1638 in Sweden, married the New Sweden soldier Jonas Nilsson in 1654 and died in Kingsessing c. 1695.

Nils Jonasson, born in 1655, died at Aronameck in 1735.
Judith Jonasdotter, born c. 1658, died at Manatawny, Berks County in 1727. Married Peter Petersson Yocum by 1676; 10 children.
Gunilla Jonasdotter, born c. 1661, died in Gloucester County NJ
Måns Jonasson, born 1663, died at Manatawny 1727.
Anders Jonasson, born c. 1666, died at Aronameck 1728
Christina Jonasdotter, born c. 1668
John Jonasson, born c. 1670, died after 1738.
Peter Jonasson, born c. 1673, died after 1697; no known issue.
Jonas Jonasson, born c. 1675, died at Kingsessing 1738.
Brigitta Jonasdotter, born 1678, died in Blockley Township 1753.
Jonathan Jonasson, born c. 1681, died at Kingsessing 1748.

3. Olle Svensson, born at sea on the Kalmar Nyckel in 1640, married an English woman Lydia Ashman. He served as a justice on the Upland Court, 1673-1680 and died at Wicaco in 1692. His widow Lydia died in New Jersey in 1730.

4. Anders Svensson, born in New Sweden c. 1642, died at Wicaco in 1688. He married Anna (parents unknown), who died in 1709.

5. A daughter (name unknown), born in New Sweden after 1644, died in Cecil County MD by 1676.